Good morning, friends,
00:00:34.93\00:00:35.93
welcome again to
Sabbath School Study Hour
00:00:35.93\00:00:38.30
here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:00:38.30\00:00:40.40
Very warm welcome to
those who are joining us online
00:00:40.40\00:00:43.14
across the country
and around the world,
00:00:43.14\00:00:44.87
part of our
extended lesson study class
00:00:44.87\00:00:47.58
and also our members
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and visitors right here
at the Granite Bay Church.
00:00:48.64\00:00:51.38
It's good to
see you this morning
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as we continue our
study in our lesson quarterly
00:00:52.61\00:00:55.55
entitled
"Preparation for the End Times."
00:00:55.55\00:00:58.82
Today, we're looking
at lesson number eight,
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that's entitled
Worship the Creator.
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You'll find that
00:01:03.39\00:01:04.46
in the first angel's
message in Revelation 14.
00:01:04.46\00:01:07.86
So we're gonna be
studying Revelation 14,
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the first angel's message
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in a special way
during our time today.
00:01:11.87\00:01:14.77
But before we
get to all of that,
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we want to let our
friends know about a free offer
00:01:16.54\00:01:18.64
that we have for
those who are joining us.
00:01:18.64\00:01:20.88
We do have a DVD
download that's available
00:01:20.88\00:01:24.58
to those who are willing
to text the following code,
00:01:24.58\00:01:28.72
it's "SH022" to
the number 40544,
00:01:28.72\00:01:35.29
and you'll be able to receive
00:01:35.29\00:01:36.69
a download of the
Ultimate Purpose DVD,
00:01:36.69\00:01:39.33
one of the
sermons in that series.
00:01:39.33\00:01:41.46
And again that code is
"SH022" text that to 40544.
00:01:41.46\00:01:48.27
If you'd like to receive actual
DVD copy of our free offer,
00:01:48.27\00:01:53.38
just give us a
call at 866-788-3966,
00:01:53.38\00:01:57.68
and you can ask
for offer number 846.
00:01:57.68\00:02:00.78
We'll be happy to send that
to anybody who calls and asks.
00:02:00.78\00:02:04.15
Well, before we get
to our lesson again,
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I'd like to invite
our song leaders to come,
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and they will lead us
in our song this morning.
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Dear Father in heaven,
00:04:01.24\00:04:02.37
we thank You once again
that we have this opportunity
00:04:02.37\00:04:04.51
to open up Your Word and study
this very important message,
00:04:04.51\00:04:08.04
part of the everlasting gospel
that is to go to all the world.
00:04:08.04\00:04:11.21
Lord, we ask for
the Holy Spirit to come
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and guide our
hearts as we take a look
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at this important
passage of scripture.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that You'd lead us into a
clear understanding of truth,
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for we ask this in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Our lesson this morning
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is going to be
brought to us by Pastor Doug.
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Good morning, friends.
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Welcome to
Sabbath School Study Hour.
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Very thankful to
see each of you here,
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some who may be visiting,
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some who are watching
from around the world.
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And that became very tangible
for Karen and I this last month
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because we were in Africa,
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and I thought maybe
before we get into the lesson,
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if it's okay with you,
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I'm just going to give
you a little mission update.
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And we've got some
slides that will appear,
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it might be on my monitor also
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or it can be up
there on the screen.
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We were in Kampala, Uganda.
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And we were there
for just about two weeks.
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That is the middle
of kind of East Africa.
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I've never been to
this country before,
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and it's right on the lake...
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It's right on the borders
of the biggest lake in Africa,
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second biggest
freshwater lake in the world,
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which is Lake Victoria.
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There's still quite
a bit of unemployment
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and poverty in the country,
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but nobody's like starving
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because it is
right on the equator
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and there's a lot
of food everywhere.
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People may not have any money
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but most people
are able to find food.
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And part of what we were doing
is we work together with our...
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We have an AFCOE-Africa,
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and evangelism training
program there in Africa.
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It's been based in Kenya
for the last couple of years,
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but in preparation
for these meetings,
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our director, Lowell Hargreaves
and Sandra, his family.
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They had done some
meetings in Kampala,
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which is the
capital there of Uganda,
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and they had trained a
number of people in evangelism,
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but there was ten
of them they thought
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they could send
out as evangelists.
00:06:01.32\00:06:03.19
So a few weeks
before we arrived,
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we had ten evangelists,
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I think we got eight
or nine of them there,
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that went out around the city
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and they begin
to conduct meetings,
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and then we brought
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all of the people
from their meetings
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to the final ten meetings
that Karen and I presented.
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And we spent some
time with the evangelist,
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this was just a
great roundtable time
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asking all kinds
of Bible questions
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and each one of them
has an incredible testimony.
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So one of them was
a Pentecostal pastor
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and another one was
into Satanic worship,
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and now they're all
working for the Lord.
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Yeah, this is the whole team,
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they're also
singing during our series,
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the men and the ladies.
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We met outdoors, now
this was really a miracle.
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The only time that I
could squeeze this meeting in
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was in the raining season.
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They really got two
seasons in this part of Africa,
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you know, the sun
goes down pretty much
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the same time all year
long, it's on the equator.
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And it's either
sunny or raining.
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The temperature
doesn't fluctuate a lot, it,
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you know, it gets
up to 75, 80, maybe 85
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during the day, it's pretty hot
then cause it's really humid.
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But it was very
pleasant, scattered clouds.
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We saw rain every day,
but we were meeting outdoors,
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and we prayed
that it wouldn't rain
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during our meetings.
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The chances that
it would not rain
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during our meetings,
we knew, were very remote.
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But we prayed and
the people prayed,
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and it was a miracle,
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it would start
raining after the meetings,
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it would rain
before the meetings,
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but it didn't rain
during the meetings.
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And that was
especially difficult Sabbath
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we prayed because
sometimes it rain in the morning
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and not at night,
00:07:43.49\00:07:44.53
or rain at night
not in the morning.
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Sabbath, we needed to be
good all day long and it was.
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And so, the Lord
has really blessed.
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Next picture.
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Because they've had
some issues with terrorism,
00:07:54.54\00:07:57.11
we had armed guards
and metal detectors.
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Everybody that came
to this outdoor arena
00:08:00.11\00:08:02.18
had to go
through a metal detector
00:08:02.18\00:08:04.65
and not just where
they walked through a door,
00:08:04.65\00:08:06.35
they were also frisked.
00:08:06.35\00:08:08.68
And so there was a
sense of heightened security.
00:08:08.68\00:08:11.22
Traffic in Kampala is just epic.
00:08:11.22\00:08:15.09
Karen and I at one
point, because of the traffic
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we weren't getting to
the meeting that time...
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in time and we could see
where the meeting hall was,
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and so we told the
driver to just let us out.
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And we jumped out,
and we ran to the meeting
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and they had this berm,
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and we knew our meeting was
in the other side of this berm,
00:08:29.44\00:08:31.61
but that was not
the normal entrance.
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And there's an
armed guard there.
00:08:33.31\00:08:35.38
And he said, "You
can't come in here."
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I said, "But I'm supposed
to speak in a few minutes."
00:08:37.25\00:08:40.72
And so I told him
through a little bit of English,
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a little bit of sign
language, "I'm the speaker."
00:08:44.05\00:08:46.09
He said, "Okay, come on in."
00:08:46.09\00:08:47.16
So we kind of literally
00:08:47.16\00:08:48.29
climbed over the wall to get in,
00:08:48.29\00:08:50.03
everyone's watching us come in.
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Telling, here's the speaker
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just getting in
at the last minute.
00:08:53.33\00:08:54.73
I think that they were
singing a little longer,
00:08:54.73\00:08:56.67
and doing a
longer health program
00:08:56.67\00:08:58.00
so we can get there.
00:08:58.00\00:08:59.53
We had members of
parliament and the military
00:08:59.53\00:09:02.47
that were
coming to our meetings,
00:09:02.47\00:09:03.91
and so it was well attended.
00:09:03.91\00:09:06.81
Yeah, and we also did a program
00:09:06.81\00:09:08.11
where we were
teaching the area pastors.
00:09:08.11\00:09:10.48
There are like 25
churches around the city,
00:09:10.48\00:09:13.38
it's a big city.
00:09:13.38\00:09:14.45
There are 43
million people in Uganda.
00:09:14.45\00:09:18.52
And so it is a big country.
00:09:18.52\00:09:20.32
And so I did some
training with pastors.
00:09:20.32\00:09:22.09
Next picture.
00:09:22.09\00:09:24.06
Oh, the food was really good.
00:09:24.06\00:09:26.16
Every day we
would eat almost all...
00:09:26.16\00:09:28.40
Every day we would eat lunch
00:09:28.40\00:09:29.60
with the AFCOE
evangelists and our AFCOE team,
00:09:29.60\00:09:32.87
and they prepared it right there
00:09:32.87\00:09:34.60
at the union compound,
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and it was my kind of food.
00:09:36.47\00:09:38.51
Lots of fruit, all
the avocado you could eat.
00:09:38.51\00:09:42.94
I mean, yeah, that's an amen.
00:09:42.94\00:09:45.48
That was really good.
00:09:45.48\00:09:47.98
And yeah, there's papayas,
and mangoes, and jackfruit,
00:09:47.98\00:09:50.99
and so a lot of
fruit, and then I like,
00:09:50.99\00:09:52.65
you know, all the different
kinds of beans and vegetables
00:09:52.65\00:09:55.36
and the sweet potatoes and stuff
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so, ate really good, so
don't feel sorry for me.
00:09:56.99\00:10:00.73
We took a trip, it was
about an hour and a half,
00:10:00.73\00:10:02.63
two hours out
00:10:02.63\00:10:03.73
to the biggest
university in the country,
00:10:03.73\00:10:06.74
Adventist
University called Bugema.
00:10:06.74\00:10:09.20
I was supposed to just
talk to the seminary students,
00:10:09.20\00:10:12.81
but we were dribbled out,
00:10:12.81\00:10:14.08
and they shut
down the whole college,
00:10:14.08\00:10:16.01
and everybody came
to our presentations,
00:10:16.01\00:10:18.65
and they treated us very well.
00:10:18.65\00:10:20.62
It's a beautiful
campus, beautiful location.
00:10:20.62\00:10:23.12
Next picture.
00:10:23.12\00:10:24.72
So during the
meetings, this is Pastor Lowell,
00:10:24.72\00:10:26.69
he's been with Amazing
Facts for about 22 years.
00:10:26.69\00:10:30.19
He's doing the health talk
00:10:30.19\00:10:31.26
right here
through his translator.
00:10:31.26\00:10:33.93
Most of the
people speak some English
00:10:33.93\00:10:36.30
'cause it's
English occupied Uganda.
00:10:36.30\00:10:40.24
It was a colony at one
point so they're very proper.
00:10:40.24\00:10:42.94
And every time you preach,
they want you to wear a suit,
00:10:42.94\00:10:45.94
and when you preach
outdoors on the equator
00:10:45.94\00:10:48.91
and you have to wear a
suit, it's not always practical,
00:10:48.91\00:10:51.78
but they felt
strongly about that.
00:10:51.78\00:10:54.28
Mrs. Batchelor and I
would do Bible questions,
00:10:54.28\00:10:56.92
then people
started out very slow,
00:10:56.92\00:10:58.49
and eventually we just
had pages of Bible questions
00:10:58.49\00:11:00.96
that came in.
00:11:00.96\00:11:02.16
And started out, we
only had 2,000 people
00:11:02.16\00:11:05.36
and it just continued to build.
00:11:05.36\00:11:07.20
So by the final meeting,
00:11:07.20\00:11:08.80
we had 7,000 people
on the final meeting,
00:11:08.80\00:11:12.00
on the final Sabbath.
00:11:12.00\00:11:13.47
And we were just really pleased.
00:11:13.47\00:11:14.77
And there is
just one of the shots
00:11:14.77\00:11:16.97
of one of the evening meetings,
00:11:16.97\00:11:18.61
sun kind of went
down during the meetings,
00:11:18.61\00:11:21.48
and they're great choirs...
00:11:21.48\00:11:23.38
Next picture.
00:11:23.38\00:11:25.08
That was a picture of
Karen and I at the Nile before.
00:11:25.08\00:11:27.45
Ryan, who is maybe in the back,
00:11:27.45\00:11:29.32
he, one of the
Amazing Facts media team.
00:11:29.32\00:11:31.75
He was there,
00:11:31.75\00:11:32.89
and a little interesting
point on this picture,
00:11:32.89\00:11:35.09
Ryan had a
photograph of his grandmother
00:11:35.09\00:11:38.26
at this very place 70 years ago.
00:11:38.26\00:11:41.20
So he enjoyed
taking this picture
00:11:41.20\00:11:42.70
and then showing his
grandma that the Nile
00:11:42.70\00:11:46.20
is indeed still
running out of Lake Victoria.
00:11:46.20\00:11:49.67
And this is the point actually
where the Nile runs out.
00:11:49.67\00:11:52.31
At the
conclusion of the meetings,
00:11:52.31\00:11:54.44
we praised the Lord
00:11:54.44\00:11:55.51
because of the work the
Amazing Facts evangelists
00:11:55.51\00:11:57.65
did as well as our meetings,
00:11:57.65\00:11:58.81
we had 335 baptisms.
00:11:58.81\00:12:02.25
And so that was a real joy
00:12:02.25\00:12:04.62
to be part of
the baptism that day.
00:12:04.62\00:12:07.22
So there's a lot
more I can tell you,
00:12:07.22\00:12:08.36
and maybe we
will share more later,
00:12:08.36\00:12:09.86
but we just wanted to give
you a little mission update
00:12:09.86\00:12:12.39
on where we were.
00:12:12.39\00:12:13.43
And we do a lot
of trips like that,
00:12:13.43\00:12:15.26
we come back and
Granite Bay goes,
00:12:15.26\00:12:16.80
"We just know
Pastor Doug was gone.
00:12:16.80\00:12:18.53
Where were you?
What were you doing?"
00:12:18.53\00:12:20.74
And so, Karen and I
had a great experience.
00:12:20.74\00:12:22.97
Thank you for
keeping us in your prayers.
00:12:22.97\00:12:24.51
And you know what was really fun
00:12:24.51\00:12:25.67
is after our meetings at night
00:12:25.67\00:12:27.14
on the two
Sabbaths we were there,
00:12:27.14\00:12:29.31
we come back to our room,
00:12:29.31\00:12:30.88
and when the
Internet was working,
00:12:30.88\00:12:32.75
we would stream,
some of you heard,
00:12:32.75\00:12:34.38
Pastor Ross greet
you from us in Africa,
00:12:34.38\00:12:37.35
we were there watching.
00:12:37.35\00:12:38.59
We took a picture of us
watching you watching us,
00:12:38.59\00:12:41.89
watching you.
00:12:41.89\00:12:43.02
So that was pretty neat.
00:12:43.02\00:12:44.59
And a lot of
people there in Africa,
00:12:44.59\00:12:47.56
as everywhere
we've been, they said,
00:12:47.56\00:12:48.80
"Oh, we are members
online, we watch every week."
00:12:48.80\00:12:52.17
Okay, into our
lesson, an important lesson,
00:12:52.17\00:12:54.57
going in lesson number eight
00:12:54.57\00:12:56.07
on Preparation for the End Time.
00:12:56.07\00:12:58.37
And we're talking about
worshipping the Creator.
00:12:58.37\00:13:01.01
And so...
00:13:01.01\00:13:03.31
We have a memory verse,
00:13:03.31\00:13:04.35
and the memory
verse is from Revelation.
00:13:04.35\00:13:06.15
This is in your lesson
in New King James Version.
00:13:06.15\00:13:09.25
Revelation 14:6,
00:13:09.25\00:13:11.02
this would be the
first angel's message.
00:13:11.02\00:13:12.82
So if you have it,
00:13:12.82\00:13:13.99
I always like it if you
could say this out loud with me,
00:13:13.99\00:13:16.39
are you ready?
00:13:16.39\00:13:17.46
Revelation 14:6,
00:13:17.46\00:13:19.46
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:13:19.46\00:13:24.10
having the everlasting gospel
00:13:24.10\00:13:26.13
to preach to those
who dwell on the earth,
00:13:26.13\00:13:28.64
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:13:28.64\00:13:32.67
Now, this will be a
special focus of our study.
00:13:32.67\00:13:35.34
Now, lesson makes
an important point
00:13:35.34\00:13:37.71
in the beginning.
00:13:37.71\00:13:38.75
We talk about present truth.
00:13:38.75\00:13:40.28
Have you ever
heard that phrase before?
00:13:40.28\00:13:41.98
Present truth,
what does that mean?
00:13:41.98\00:13:46.02
As opposed to truth
that is not present.
00:13:46.02\00:13:48.62
A present truth is a message
00:13:48.62\00:13:50.86
you would find in
the Bible that is true,
00:13:50.86\00:13:53.60
but it's especially
applicable to a specific time.
00:13:53.60\00:13:59.00
For example, Noah
had a message that said,
00:13:59.00\00:14:03.04
"Get on the ark,
a flood is coming."
00:14:03.04\00:14:05.41
That was a true message,
but is that our message today?
00:14:05.41\00:14:09.64
No, God said,
00:14:09.64\00:14:10.71
"I'll never destroy the
world again with a flood."
00:14:10.71\00:14:13.75
Jeremiah had a message,
00:14:13.75\00:14:15.58
"Surrender to the
Babylonians and live."
00:14:15.58\00:14:19.42
Well, that was a message
00:14:19.42\00:14:20.62
during the time
of King Zedekiah,
00:14:20.62\00:14:22.46
because of people's disobedience
00:14:22.46\00:14:24.43
the only way
they would have peace
00:14:24.43\00:14:25.63
and survive is to surrender.
00:14:25.63\00:14:27.23
They did not listen,
00:14:27.23\00:14:28.60
but that was a
present truth message.
00:14:28.60\00:14:31.93
And the message, "Babylon
has fallen, come out of her."
00:14:31.93\00:14:36.04
That was a message
00:14:36.04\00:14:37.04
that happened after
the Babylonian captivity,
00:14:37.04\00:14:40.74
and it is a message today.
00:14:40.74\00:14:42.44
It is present truth today,
00:14:42.44\00:14:43.98
"Babylon has
fallen, come out of her."
00:14:43.98\00:14:46.25
And so, knowing
what present truth is.
00:14:46.25\00:14:49.35
What is the message
that we give to the world?
00:14:49.35\00:14:53.79
The gospel.
00:14:53.79\00:14:55.59
When has the gospel
not been present truth.
00:14:55.59\00:15:00.20
Never since the fall.
00:15:00.20\00:15:02.13
It has always been present truth
00:15:02.13\00:15:03.50
that we tell people,
00:15:03.50\00:15:05.00
"Repent from your
sins, confess your sins,
00:15:05.00\00:15:07.10
turn to God,
accept His sacrifice."
00:15:07.10\00:15:09.70
Even in the Old Testament,
00:15:09.70\00:15:11.31
they were looking
to the sacrifice of God
00:15:11.31\00:15:13.64
for forgiveness.
00:15:13.64\00:15:16.01
So that's always
been present truth,
00:15:16.01\00:15:17.65
but what is a
specific present truth message
00:15:17.65\00:15:21.15
for our day now?
00:15:21.15\00:15:23.85
Right, if you go to
Revelation 14, real quick,
00:15:23.85\00:15:28.56
and let's do that together.
00:15:28.56\00:15:30.23
Go to Revelation 14,
00:15:30.23\00:15:31.73
I just want you
to see something.
00:15:31.73\00:15:34.73
And if you look
in Revelation 14:14.
00:15:34.73\00:15:38.80
"I looked, and
behold, a white cloud,
00:15:38.80\00:15:41.34
and on the cloud sat
One like the Son of Man,
00:15:41.34\00:15:44.27
having on His
head a golden crown,
00:15:44.27\00:15:46.27
and in His hand a sharp sickle.
00:15:46.27\00:15:48.71
And another angel
came out of the temple,
00:15:48.71\00:15:50.55
crying with a loud voice
to Him who sat on the cloud,
00:15:50.55\00:15:52.88
'Thrust in Your sickle and reap,
00:15:52.88\00:15:54.38
for the time has
come for You to reap,
00:15:54.38\00:15:56.72
for the harvest of
the earth is ripe.'"
00:15:56.72\00:15:59.22
What is this a picture of?
00:15:59.22\00:16:01.86
Second coming.
00:16:01.86\00:16:02.99
Jesus is left in the cloud,
He's coming in the clouds,
00:16:02.99\00:16:05.56
He's the one with the
crown, He's harvesting.
00:16:05.56\00:16:08.30
His parables often talked
about separating the wheat
00:16:08.30\00:16:10.70
from the tares
in a great harvest,
00:16:10.70\00:16:12.40
and He said, "I'm
sowing the seed of the gospel."
00:16:12.40\00:16:15.17
And so here's a
picture of Jesus coming.
00:16:15.17\00:16:17.01
Now what happens immediately
prior to Christ's coming?
00:16:17.01\00:16:21.68
Looked earlier in Revelation 14,
00:16:21.68\00:16:23.38
go to verse 6, a
verse we just read.
00:16:23.38\00:16:26.35
"The gospel to preach
to every creature saying,
00:16:26.35\00:16:29.68
'Fear God, give glory to Him.
00:16:29.68\00:16:32.39
The hour of His judgment
is coming and worship Him.'"
00:16:32.39\00:16:35.12
A special call to
worship the Creator,
00:16:35.12\00:16:38.69
a call that says a judgment
00:16:38.69\00:16:40.26
has come happens
prior to the second coming.
00:16:40.26\00:16:43.67
So the message of
worshipping the Creator
00:16:43.67\00:16:46.50
and an hour of judgment
is a present truth message
00:16:46.50\00:16:50.04
that applies now.
00:16:50.04\00:16:52.54
We are living in the last
age and phase of the church.
00:16:52.54\00:16:55.98
There are seven
phases or ages of the church.
00:16:55.98\00:16:58.98
You get Ephesus, and
Smyrna, and Philadelphia,
00:16:58.98\00:17:02.02
and Sardis, and
Thyatira, and so forth.
00:17:02.02\00:17:05.75
We are now
living in the last one
00:17:05.75\00:17:07.86
which is Laodicea.
00:17:07.86\00:17:10.39
The very phrase "Laodicea"
means a judging of the people.
00:17:10.39\00:17:15.73
It should make sense to
us that there's a judgment
00:17:15.73\00:17:18.43
that happens before Jesus comes
00:17:18.43\00:17:20.50
because the Lord says,
00:17:20.50\00:17:22.57
"Behold, I come, and
My reward is with Me."
00:17:22.57\00:17:25.44
So He knows who is
getting what when He comes,
00:17:25.44\00:17:28.28
of course, God knows everything.
00:17:28.28\00:17:30.18
But some determination,
00:17:30.18\00:17:31.65
some investigation
takes place before He comes
00:17:31.65\00:17:33.21
because He knows
00:17:33.21\00:17:34.25
what He's giving
when He comes, right?
00:17:34.25\00:17:36.95
And so, we're going to
talk a little bit about
00:17:36.95\00:17:38.89
that in our first section here.
00:17:38.89\00:17:41.56
First of all, let's talk about
the universality of the gospel.
00:17:41.56\00:17:45.39
Who does the gospel go to?
00:17:45.39\00:17:47.30
It says to every creature,
00:17:47.30\00:17:49.00
we just read that in Revelation,
00:17:49.00\00:17:51.13
"To preach to those
who dwell on the earth,
00:17:51.13\00:17:52.93
every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:17:52.93\00:17:56.74
That's Revelation 14:6.
00:17:56.74\00:17:58.77
Someone in a moment is
going to look at Acts 1:8.
00:17:58.77\00:18:01.38
Hofstede, you have that?
00:18:01.38\00:18:03.14
You go to Matthew 24:14.
00:18:03.14\00:18:05.51
"And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached,"
00:18:05.51\00:18:07.78
how far?
00:18:07.78\00:18:09.58
"In all the world."
00:18:09.58\00:18:10.62
Now for you, you're thinking,
00:18:10.62\00:18:11.92
"Pastor Doug, why are
you even reading that?
00:18:11.92\00:18:13.62
That's just such an
obvious, self evident truth."
00:18:13.62\00:18:16.66
It didn't used to be.
00:18:16.66\00:18:18.43
Do you remember that
Jesus had a hard time convincing
00:18:18.43\00:18:21.30
the apostles that
gospel was not just for Jews.
00:18:21.30\00:18:25.20
And He had to give
Peter a vision of this sheet
00:18:25.20\00:18:28.10
coming down from heaven
full of unclean creatures.
00:18:28.10\00:18:30.51
And He said, "Arise and eat."
00:18:30.51\00:18:32.24
Peter said, "Not so, Lord,
00:18:32.24\00:18:33.44
I've never eaten
anything common or unclean."
00:18:33.44\00:18:36.14
God said, "Don't call common
or unclean what I've cleansed."
00:18:36.14\00:18:39.35
And everybody thinks
He's talking about food
00:18:39.35\00:18:42.22
that we could eat anything now,
00:18:42.22\00:18:44.09
that God has cleaned
vultures and cockroaches
00:18:44.09\00:18:46.65
for us to eat now,
00:18:46.65\00:18:48.19
that's not what that's about.
00:18:48.19\00:18:49.66
Peter never eats from the sheet,
00:18:49.66\00:18:51.53
Peter tells us
what the vision means,
00:18:51.53\00:18:54.30
right when he's
saying, "What does this mean?"
00:18:54.30\00:18:56.40
Gentiles show up at his door.
00:18:56.40\00:18:58.57
He's waiting for
lunch, he's hungry,
00:18:58.57\00:19:00.04
so God gives him a food
vision to impress it on him.
00:19:00.04\00:19:02.77
The gentiles
come up and they said,
00:19:02.77\00:19:04.17
"Come, talk to us."
00:19:04.17\00:19:05.87
Said, "You're unclean,
I can't come in to you."
00:19:05.87\00:19:08.64
And God told him not
to call any man unclean.
00:19:08.64\00:19:12.98
Okay.
00:19:12.98\00:19:14.05
And so they finally,
00:19:14.05\00:19:15.75
slowly got the
idea that the gospel
00:19:15.75\00:19:17.42
was to go everywhere,
00:19:17.42\00:19:18.85
to the Jew and the gentile.
00:19:18.85\00:19:21.56
And so, you know, Paul
even says to the Jew first.
00:19:21.56\00:19:24.49
So when they went to a town,
00:19:24.49\00:19:25.76
they go to the synagogues
first if there were any
00:19:25.76\00:19:28.46
because it was a
pretty short learning curve
00:19:28.46\00:19:32.50
for a gentile to accept Jesus.
00:19:32.50\00:19:34.40
They already had the
other biblical foundation.
00:19:34.40\00:19:36.67
When you went...
00:19:36.67\00:19:37.74
Now I mean for a
Jew to accept Jesus.
00:19:37.74\00:19:39.81
When you went to a
gentile, you had to tell him,
00:19:39.81\00:19:42.31
"No, there's only one God."
00:19:42.31\00:19:44.18
And tell him about
the Ten Commandments,
00:19:44.18\00:19:45.68
the Jews knew all that.
00:19:45.68\00:19:47.65
So they'd first start
with obviously the children,
00:19:47.65\00:19:52.42
then they go to the
highways and the byways
00:19:52.42\00:19:54.09
and tell everyone else.
00:19:54.09\00:19:55.79
So, Matthew
28:19, "Go ye therefore
00:19:55.79\00:19:59.93
and make
disciples of all nations,
00:19:59.93\00:20:02.06
baptizing them in
the name of the Father,
00:20:02.06\00:20:03.67
Son, and Holy
Spirit," to go everywhere.
00:20:03.67\00:20:06.03
Mark 16:15, it's a
little different from Matthew,
00:20:06.03\00:20:09.54
the great commission here.
00:20:09.54\00:20:10.87
"He says, 'Go into all the world
00:20:10.87\00:20:11.94
and preach the
gospel to every creature.'"
00:20:11.94\00:20:14.74
So even if you thought
that the gentiles were unclean
00:20:14.74\00:20:18.35
or if they were dogs,
can you ever think of a place
00:20:18.35\00:20:21.15
where the
gentiles were called dogs.
00:20:21.15\00:20:24.19
Did Jesus even say to
the Syrophoenician woman,
00:20:24.19\00:20:27.09
"It is not appropriate
00:20:27.09\00:20:28.16
to give the
children's food to the dogs."
00:20:28.16\00:20:31.69
'Cause that's what
they called the gentiles.
00:20:31.69\00:20:34.86
And He was trying
to teach them a lesson
00:20:34.86\00:20:36.83
about their own
discrimination when He said that
00:20:36.83\00:20:39.60
because He ended up
answering that lady's prayer,
00:20:39.60\00:20:42.34
blessed her persistence.
00:20:42.34\00:20:45.37
But lest you even think
the gentiles were animals,
00:20:45.37\00:20:49.28
Jesus said preach
to every creature,
00:20:49.28\00:20:52.51
that would mean
everything, right?
00:20:52.51\00:20:54.92
Every living
being is a creature.
00:20:54.92\00:20:57.39
Every creation is a creature.
00:20:57.39\00:21:00.89
And so it was to go everywhere.
00:21:00.89\00:21:02.96
Please read for us Acts 1:8.
00:21:02.96\00:21:06.39
"But you shall receive power
00:21:06.39\00:21:08.13
when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you,
00:21:08.13\00:21:10.80
and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem,
00:21:10.80\00:21:13.84
and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth."
00:21:13.84\00:21:18.87
Now this is great 'cause
it shows a widening circle.
00:21:18.87\00:21:21.68
And if you look at those...
00:21:21.68\00:21:24.08
the sequence here,
it said in Jerusalem,
00:21:24.08\00:21:26.72
Holy Spirit is
poured out in Jerusalem.
00:21:26.72\00:21:28.85
In Judea, then they
went preaching in Judea.
00:21:28.85\00:21:32.32
In Samaria, you go to...
00:21:32.32\00:21:33.99
After the
persecution of Stephan,
00:21:33.99\00:21:37.43
Saul was converted.
00:21:37.43\00:21:38.73
Then it talks
about Philip, and Peter,
00:21:38.73\00:21:41.26
and the others going to Samaria.
00:21:41.26\00:21:42.96
And then the
uttermost ends of the earth.
00:21:42.96\00:21:45.90
After the stoning of Stephen,
00:21:45.90\00:21:47.54
it says, "A
great persecution arose
00:21:47.54\00:21:49.20
and the
disciples went everywhere
00:21:49.20\00:21:50.61
preaching the gospel."
00:21:50.61\00:21:52.11
And so you see
this exact sequence
00:21:52.11\00:21:54.18
of what Jesus is
in Acts 1 is filled,
00:21:54.18\00:21:56.48
is fulfilled later in Acts.
00:21:56.48\00:21:58.71
Acts 10:34, "Then
Peter opened his mouth
00:21:58.71\00:22:01.65
and said, 'In truth I perceive
God shows no partiality.
00:22:01.65\00:22:05.05
But in every
nation, whoever fears Him
00:22:05.05\00:22:09.39
and works righteousness
is accepted by Him."
00:22:09.39\00:22:12.59
Now, you and I
think, "Yeah, of course."
00:22:12.59\00:22:14.96
Well, that was quite a
hurdle for the Jews to realize
00:22:14.96\00:22:18.30
that it's not just
us because keep in mind,
00:22:18.30\00:22:21.87
for 2,000 years
from the time of Abraham
00:22:21.87\00:22:24.44
till the time of Christ,
00:22:24.44\00:22:27.24
the Lord kept
communicating truth only to
00:22:27.24\00:22:29.61
and through the Jews.
00:22:29.61\00:22:31.25
And they thought, "We are it.
00:22:31.25\00:22:32.98
We are the frozen chosen."
00:22:32.98\00:22:35.38
And it took a while
for them to realize,
00:22:35.38\00:22:37.99
it's not just us,
and that it goes beyond.
00:22:37.99\00:22:42.12
Colossians 1:23, "If indeed
you continue in the faith,
00:22:42.12\00:22:46.39
grounded and steadfast,
00:22:46.39\00:22:47.76
and are not moved away
from the hope of the gospel
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.73
which you heard,
which was preached
00:22:49.73\00:22:52.17
to every creature under heaven,
00:22:52.17\00:22:54.97
of which I, Paul,
became a minister."
00:22:54.97\00:22:57.61
So even in Paul's time,
he's seen the gospel is gone.
00:22:57.61\00:23:00.54
And when he said every creature,
00:23:00.54\00:23:01.94
again he's speaking in
kind of an expletive there.
00:23:01.94\00:23:06.41
Hey, how was
that, hyperboreally,
00:23:06.41\00:23:08.75
he's talking about everywhere
in the known Roman Empire,
00:23:08.75\00:23:12.55
they'd seen it go
everywhere back then.
00:23:12.55\00:23:15.02
It doesn't mean that
it gotten all the way
00:23:15.02\00:23:16.39
around the world yet.
00:23:16.39\00:23:18.46
Galatians 3:22,
00:23:18.46\00:23:21.10
"But the Scripture has
confined all under sin,
00:23:21.10\00:23:23.60
that the promise by
faith in Jesus Christ
00:23:23.60\00:23:26.07
might be given to
those who believe."
00:23:26.07\00:23:27.90
Everybody, one more,
I'll give you Romans 10:14,
00:23:27.90\00:23:31.91
"How then shall they call on Him
00:23:31.91\00:23:33.44
in whom they have not believed?
00:23:33.44\00:23:34.58
And how shall
they believe in Him
00:23:34.58\00:23:35.81
in whom they have not heard?
00:23:35.81\00:23:37.11
And how shall they
hear without a preacher?
00:23:37.11\00:23:39.01
And how shall they
preach unless they are sent?
00:23:39.01\00:23:43.25
How beautiful
are the feet of those
00:23:43.25\00:23:44.72
who preach the gospel of peace,
00:23:44.72\00:23:46.52
who bring glad
tidings of good things!"
00:23:46.52\00:23:48.52
And so, they were to be sent.
00:23:48.52\00:23:50.43
They were sent everywhere.
00:23:50.43\00:23:51.69
All right, the next section,
00:23:51.69\00:23:52.89
we're talking about
the everlasting gospel.
00:23:52.89\00:23:55.20
It not only reaches
those who had known,
00:23:55.20\00:23:58.40
that were in the
church with the details
00:23:58.40\00:24:01.17
of Christ's
mission and the gentiles.
00:24:01.17\00:24:03.87
It reached the
lowest of the low.
00:24:03.87\00:24:06.54
And the example given
here is the thief on the cross
00:24:06.54\00:24:09.81
about what the
everlasting gospel is.
00:24:09.81\00:24:11.45
It is a very simple message.
00:24:11.45\00:24:14.45
Now for a person to be saved,
00:24:14.45\00:24:16.42
do they need six
months of indoctrination?
00:24:16.42\00:24:20.96
For them to be
grounded they might,
00:24:20.96\00:24:23.69
but to be saved, how
much do you need to be saved?
00:24:23.69\00:24:28.00
If you can only be with
a person for ten minutes,
00:24:28.00\00:24:31.87
can you lead them to Christ?
00:24:31.87\00:24:34.47
Yeah.
00:24:34.47\00:24:35.70
And what's an example of
the simple everlasting gospel?
00:24:35.70\00:24:39.54
It's the thief on the cross.
00:24:39.54\00:24:41.58
It's a very short conversation,
00:24:41.58\00:24:43.28
but he goes through
all the steps of salvation.
00:24:43.28\00:24:46.65
You find this in Luke 23,
when Christ was crucified,
00:24:46.65\00:24:49.92
it says, there were
two other criminals.
00:24:49.92\00:24:52.12
Luke 23:32, "Two others
criminals were led with Him
00:24:52.12\00:24:57.33
to be put to death."
00:24:57.33\00:24:58.96
Originally, there were three,
00:24:58.96\00:25:00.26
Barabbas and his two associates.
00:25:00.26\00:25:03.06
Barabbas is pardoned,
00:25:03.06\00:25:05.97
he, basically,
Jesus takes his cross,
00:25:05.97\00:25:09.37
and just a little note,
what does a word "abba" mean?
00:25:09.37\00:25:16.34
Father.
00:25:16.34\00:25:17.41
What does the word "bar" mean?
00:25:17.41\00:25:20.18
Son of, yeah,
Bartimaeus, Barnabas.
00:25:20.18\00:25:24.45
And here you've got Barabbas
means son of the father.
00:25:24.45\00:25:30.26
They asked that they be
given a thief, a murderer,
00:25:30.26\00:25:35.46
and a rebel, a
counterfeit Messiah,
00:25:35.46\00:25:40.17
a counterfeit son of the
father in place of Jesus.
00:25:40.17\00:25:42.90
Jesus said, "This
man was condemned to die,
00:25:42.90\00:25:46.17
you are free, I
will take your cross."
00:25:46.17\00:25:48.58
So there's acquaint substitution
00:25:48.58\00:25:50.18
that happens here
with Barabbas anyway.
00:25:50.18\00:25:53.35
But his other
friends weren't so lucky.
00:25:53.35\00:25:55.18
They...
00:25:55.18\00:25:56.22
oh, sorry,
luck's the wrong word.
00:25:56.22\00:25:58.45
They were executed.
00:25:58.45\00:26:00.36
"Two other criminals
were put to death with Him.
00:26:00.36\00:26:02.79
When they come to
the place called Calvary,
00:26:02.79\00:26:05.03
they crucified
Him, and the criminals,
00:26:05.03\00:26:06.66
one on the right hand
and the other on the left."
00:26:06.66\00:26:09.50
Now that I think is significant.
00:26:09.50\00:26:10.97
You know, the Parable
of the Sheep and the Goats?
00:26:10.97\00:26:13.94
He says, the ones
on the right are saved,
00:26:13.94\00:26:15.60
the ones on the left are lost?
00:26:15.60\00:26:16.74
Right hand is sort of a
symbol for favor in the Bible.
00:26:16.74\00:26:19.81
Now I can't prove that the thief
00:26:19.81\00:26:21.61
that was saved
was on His right hand,
00:26:21.61\00:26:24.11
but you can't prove he wasn't.
00:26:24.11\00:26:25.71
So it's worth at
least thinking about, right?
00:26:25.71\00:26:27.95
It doesn't tell us
exactly what it was.
00:26:27.95\00:26:30.59
And someone is going to
read for me now Mark 15:32.
00:26:30.59\00:26:34.89
And just before you read that,
I want you to think about this.
00:26:34.89\00:26:39.39
So you've got two
great classes of people here
00:26:39.39\00:26:42.30
in the two thieves.
00:26:42.30\00:26:45.17
They are condemned,
00:26:45.17\00:26:46.80
there's nothing they
can do to save themselves,
00:26:46.80\00:26:50.04
they're guilty,
murder, rebellion,
00:26:50.04\00:26:53.14
three things are mentioned,
00:26:53.14\00:26:54.51
murder,
insurrection or rebellion,
00:26:54.51\00:26:57.11
and they're called thieves.
00:26:57.11\00:26:59.85
We are all represented
by those two thieves.
00:26:59.85\00:27:03.02
They're helpless
to save themselves,
00:27:03.02\00:27:04.59
they're
condemned, they're dying,
00:27:04.59\00:27:05.75
they're under a death sentence,
00:27:05.75\00:27:08.16
and they're crucified
within the reach of Christ,
00:27:08.16\00:27:12.56
but what can they do?
00:27:12.56\00:27:14.30
They must pray.
00:27:14.30\00:27:15.96
The only thing they
can do is to pray, right?
00:27:15.96\00:27:18.47
With that in mind, go
ahead, read Mark 15:32.
00:27:18.47\00:27:21.07
Okay.
00:27:21.07\00:27:22.10
Mark 15:32, "Let the
Christ, the King of Israel,
00:27:22.10\00:27:26.34
descend now from the cross,
that we may see and believe.
00:27:26.34\00:27:30.18
Even those who were
crucified with Him reviled Him."
00:27:30.18\00:27:33.98
So when He is first
crucified between them both,
00:27:33.98\00:27:36.75
do they both
engage in reviling Him?
00:27:36.75\00:27:40.76
Isn't that what we said.
00:27:40.76\00:27:42.79
But how long is
Jesus on the cross?
00:27:42.79\00:27:45.69
About six hours.
00:27:45.69\00:27:47.20
Can you have a change
of attitude in six hours?
00:27:47.20\00:27:50.63
Yeah.
00:27:50.63\00:27:51.83
So it tells us here
that as the time went by,
00:27:51.83\00:27:55.97
something happened
00:27:55.97\00:27:57.01
to illuminate the
mind of this one thief.
00:27:57.01\00:28:01.64
And for instance, first of all,
00:28:01.64\00:28:04.65
He sees Jesus lifted
up as the spotless lamb,
00:28:04.65\00:28:10.79
reads the sign above his
head when Christ is crucified,
00:28:10.79\00:28:13.12
"This is the king of the Jews."
00:28:13.12\00:28:15.72
He hears Jesus
say, "My God, My God,
00:28:15.72\00:28:18.23
why have you forsaken Me?"
00:28:18.23\00:28:20.93
Now why did Jesus say that?
00:28:20.93\00:28:24.60
Did Jesus get discouraged?
00:28:24.60\00:28:28.00
I don't think so.
00:28:28.00\00:28:30.24
Did Jesus not know why
He was dying on the cross?
00:28:30.24\00:28:34.11
I don't think so.
00:28:34.11\00:28:36.18
Why did Jesus say that?
00:28:36.18\00:28:38.05
Ten percent of everything
Jesus said in His life,
00:28:38.05\00:28:40.52
He's quoting from the Bible.
00:28:40.52\00:28:42.78
Christ, there on the
cross, is quoting from Psalm 22.
00:28:42.78\00:28:46.22
It is the first
verse in Psalm 22.
00:28:46.22\00:28:48.79
Have you read Psalm 22?
00:28:48.79\00:28:52.49
Get your Bible.
00:28:52.49\00:28:54.93
Go to Psalm 22 real quick.
00:28:54.93\00:28:58.20
I just want to
show you something.
00:28:58.20\00:29:00.84
Psalm 22:1, "My God, My
God, why have You forsaken Me?
00:29:00.84\00:29:04.67
Why are You so
far from helping me,
00:29:04.67\00:29:06.51
and the words of my groaning?"
00:29:06.51\00:29:08.71
This is called
a messianic Psalm.
00:29:08.71\00:29:10.55
It was a Psalm
about the Messiah.
00:29:10.55\00:29:12.98
And you read the whole
thing, we don't have time.
00:29:12.98\00:29:15.98
You read in verse
8, I'll read verse 7,
00:29:15.98\00:29:19.09
"All those who
see Me ridicule Me,
00:29:19.09\00:29:21.19
they shoot out the lip,
00:29:21.19\00:29:22.22
they shake the head, saying,
00:29:22.22\00:29:23.29
'He trusted in the
Lord, let Him rescue Him,
00:29:23.29\00:29:26.70
let Him deliver Him,
since He delights in Him!'"
00:29:26.70\00:29:29.23
This is exactly what they
said to Jesus on the cross.
00:29:29.23\00:29:31.27
If you're the Christ,
00:29:31.27\00:29:32.33
if you're the Son of
God, let Him save you.
00:29:32.33\00:29:36.87
Go to verse 14, "I am
poured out like water,
00:29:36.87\00:29:39.01
and all My bones are out
of joint, My heart like wax,
00:29:39.01\00:29:42.48
it has melted within me.
00:29:42.48\00:29:44.48
My tongue cleaves to
the roof of my mouth."
00:29:44.48\00:29:47.08
Was He thirsty?
00:29:47.08\00:29:49.68
Go to verse 16,
"Dogs have surrounded Me,
00:29:49.68\00:29:52.29
the congregation of
the wicked has enclosed me.
00:29:52.29\00:29:54.89
They pierced my
hands and my feet,
00:29:54.89\00:29:57.96
I can count all of my bones.
00:29:57.96\00:30:00.46
They look and they stare at me.
00:30:00.46\00:30:01.80
They divide my
garments among them,
00:30:01.80\00:30:03.73
for my clothing they cast lots."
00:30:03.73\00:30:05.77
When Jesus is being
crucified, the thief can see
00:30:05.77\00:30:08.24
the Roman soldiers are
gambling for his clothing,
00:30:08.24\00:30:10.11
they are casting lots.
00:30:10.11\00:30:11.31
And may be as a young
man, he had known these verses.
00:30:11.31\00:30:15.71
And all of a sudden he hears
00:30:15.71\00:30:16.88
Jesus start
quoting from Psalm 22
00:30:16.88\00:30:18.71
and he thinks about the
rest of that messianic Psalm,
00:30:18.71\00:30:21.38
"They pierced My hands and feet.
00:30:21.38\00:30:22.82
They gambled for My clothing."
00:30:22.82\00:30:24.69
The whole Psalm is describing
00:30:24.69\00:30:27.39
what is happening
right then and there.
00:30:27.39\00:30:30.59
Christ is calling the
attention of all of them saying,
00:30:30.59\00:30:33.53
"I am the
fulfillment of all of this."
00:30:33.53\00:30:36.40
So, no I don't think
Jesus got discouraged,
00:30:36.40\00:30:38.07
discouragement's a
sin and He never sinned.
00:30:38.07\00:30:40.67
Jesus did not lose faith
00:30:40.67\00:30:43.10
because His
clothing remark His Father,
00:30:43.10\00:30:44.91
"Into Your hands I
commend my spirit."
00:30:44.91\00:30:46.78
It's a statement of faith. Amen?
00:30:46.78\00:30:50.28
So let me read you a
quote here from the book,
00:30:50.28\00:30:53.62
Desire of Ages, page 749,
00:30:53.62\00:30:57.59
"To Jesus in His
agony on the cross
00:30:57.59\00:30:59.92
there came one gleam of comfort.
00:30:59.92\00:31:02.62
It was the prayer
of the penitent thief.
00:31:02.62\00:31:06.19
Both men who were
crucified with Jesus
00:31:06.19\00:31:08.46
had first railed upon Him..."
00:31:08.46\00:31:10.03
See both did.
00:31:10.03\00:31:11.93
"One under his suffering
00:31:11.93\00:31:14.87
only became more
despondent and defiant
00:31:14.87\00:31:16.97
but not so with his companion.
00:31:16.97\00:31:18.97
This man was not
a hardened criminal,
00:31:18.97\00:31:21.68
He had been led
astray by evil associations,
00:31:21.68\00:31:24.28
but He was less
guilty than many of those
00:31:24.28\00:31:26.48
who stood beside the
cross reviling the Savior."
00:31:26.48\00:31:29.55
He gotten into the wrong crowd
00:31:29.55\00:31:31.02
and got caught up
in at the wrong time
00:31:31.02\00:31:34.19
and now He was being executed.
00:31:34.19\00:31:37.03
And so, I thought this story,
00:31:37.03\00:31:39.69
let's look at it real quick,
00:31:39.69\00:31:41.16
the exchange that takes place.
00:31:41.16\00:31:43.87
You read in Luke 23:39,
00:31:43.87\00:31:47.17
"Then one of the
criminals were hanged,
00:31:47.17\00:31:49.47
he blasphemed Him, saying,
00:31:49.47\00:31:50.57
'If You are the
Christ, save Yourself and us.'
00:31:50.57\00:31:53.38
But the other,
answering, rebuked him, saying,
00:31:53.38\00:31:57.41
'Do you not even fear God,
00:31:57.41\00:31:58.78
seeing you are under
the same condemnation?
00:31:58.78\00:32:01.55
And we indeed justly,
00:32:01.55\00:32:03.69
for we receive the due
rewards of our deeds.'"
00:32:03.69\00:32:06.96
That's cold
confession and repentance,
00:32:06.96\00:32:10.03
"'But this Man has
done nothing wrong."
00:32:10.03\00:32:12.33
That's declaring
the innocence of Christ,
00:32:12.33\00:32:14.93
and he turns and
he says to Jesus,
00:32:14.93\00:32:16.97
"Lord," That's really important.
00:32:16.97\00:32:20.07
Who was calling Lord around?
00:32:20.07\00:32:21.67
Who was calling Jesus
Lord around the cross that day?
00:32:21.67\00:32:25.17
Not even the apostles.
00:32:25.17\00:32:27.04
Did Jesus look
like a Lord that day?
00:32:27.04\00:32:30.38
He looked like
anything but a Lord.
00:32:30.38\00:32:32.01
I mean, just think
about it, He's dying.
00:32:32.01\00:32:35.62
He's at least semi
naked and He's bleeding.
00:32:35.62\00:32:41.52
It doesn't look like
He's master of anything.
00:32:41.52\00:32:43.12
He says, "Lord, remember me
00:32:43.12\00:32:47.23
when You come
into Your kingdom."
00:32:47.23\00:32:49.90
Did He look like
He had a kingdom?
00:32:49.90\00:32:52.63
That takes incredible faith.
00:32:52.63\00:32:53.94
He somehow saw the
sign above Jesus head.
00:32:53.94\00:32:57.64
He thought about the Psalm.
00:32:57.64\00:32:59.04
He heard Jesus say,
"Father, forgive them.
00:32:59.04\00:33:00.98
They don't know what they do."
00:33:00.98\00:33:03.21
And all of the
information begins to add up
00:33:03.21\00:33:05.25
and he realizes,
this is the Messiah,
00:33:05.25\00:33:08.78
and he realizes he must repent.
00:33:08.78\00:33:10.59
He repents, he
confesses publicly
00:33:10.59\00:33:12.89
and he says, "Will You save me?"
00:33:12.89\00:33:14.46
Now isn't this amazing.
00:33:14.46\00:33:16.02
Even though Satan had nailed
Jesus' hands to the cross,
00:33:16.02\00:33:20.50
the devil could not
keep the Savior from saving.
00:33:20.50\00:33:23.97
And when Jesus heard him say,
00:33:23.97\00:33:25.47
"Lord, remember me when
You come into Your kingdom."
00:33:25.47\00:33:29.07
Jesus was encouraged.
00:33:29.07\00:33:30.21
He thought, "This is
why I came into the world
00:33:30.21\00:33:32.04
to save sinners."
00:33:32.04\00:33:33.11
This is the gospel. Very simple.
00:33:33.11\00:33:35.04
He asked in faith, He
prayed, and Jesus said,
00:33:35.04\00:33:39.91
"Assuredly, I say to you today,
00:33:39.91\00:33:42.25
you will be with me in paradise
00:33:42.25\00:33:43.52
if you can behave
for the next six hours."
00:33:43.52\00:33:47.26
Did He say that?
00:33:47.26\00:33:49.39
Upon what was he
forgiven and accepted?
00:33:49.39\00:33:53.40
Simple request.
00:33:53.40\00:33:55.53
You know the Bible,
00:33:55.53\00:33:56.67
you can read
there in Galatians 2:20,
00:33:56.67\00:33:58.30
it says, "I am crucified
with Christ, yet I live."
00:33:58.30\00:34:01.60
Who was actually
crucified with Christ?
00:34:01.60\00:34:04.11
This man, but he
sort of represents us.
00:34:04.11\00:34:08.01
We're like that man.
00:34:08.01\00:34:09.14
We're rebels.
00:34:09.14\00:34:11.15
We're thieves. We're murderers.
00:34:11.15\00:34:13.75
The Bible says if you are angry
00:34:13.75\00:34:15.42
with your brother,
sister without a cause,
00:34:15.42\00:34:16.99
you're guilty of murder.
00:34:16.99\00:34:18.92
We're guilty of
the blood of Jesus.
00:34:18.92\00:34:20.42
Amen.
00:34:20.42\00:34:21.92
And so we're all in
that man's position.
00:34:21.92\00:34:23.56
We're helpless
to save ourselves,
00:34:23.56\00:34:24.86
so how does he find salvation?
00:34:24.86\00:34:27.46
He repents, he
confesses, he asks.
00:34:27.46\00:34:32.67
He says, "Lord, remember me."
00:34:32.67\00:34:34.50
And like the prodigal
son when he came home,
00:34:34.50\00:34:36.57
he said, "I'm not worthy."
00:34:36.57\00:34:37.71
The Father said,
"You're completely forgiven."
00:34:37.71\00:34:39.94
This is the everlasting gospel.
00:34:39.94\00:34:41.88
He is saved by
asking through faith
00:34:41.88\00:34:44.75
and Jesus
promises on eternal life.
00:34:44.75\00:34:48.08
Now, was this thief
saved based on his good works?
00:34:48.08\00:34:52.82
What was he saved based on?
00:34:52.82\00:34:55.49
Faith in the sacrifice of Jesus
00:34:55.49\00:34:57.53
that he saw very
vividly that day,
00:34:57.53\00:34:59.06
he saw the love of God.
00:34:59.06\00:35:02.46
Are we saved base on good works?
00:35:02.46\00:35:05.00
Are we saved by praying
00:35:05.00\00:35:06.10
and trusting in
the mercy of God?
00:35:06.10\00:35:08.54
But here's the question.
00:35:08.54\00:35:10.61
If by some quirk,
00:35:10.61\00:35:13.84
someone had come along
with a crowbar and said,
00:35:13.84\00:35:16.04
"You know, we just
got a pardon from Pilate
00:35:16.04\00:35:17.65
to the thief on the right hand.
00:35:17.65\00:35:19.28
You're being forgiven.
00:35:19.28\00:35:20.85
We're gonna
pull out these nails.
00:35:20.85\00:35:22.38
We're gonna bind up your wounds.
00:35:22.38\00:35:24.89
And you're gonna maybe
recover and live and..."
00:35:24.89\00:35:27.82
Now here's the question.
00:35:27.82\00:35:28.89
Would he have
had different works
00:35:28.89\00:35:33.63
after being saved by faith?
00:35:33.63\00:35:36.60
Yes. You'd certainly hope so.
00:35:36.60\00:35:39.33
Would he have gone back
to his life of rebellion,
00:35:39.33\00:35:41.90
and murder, and stealing?
00:35:41.90\00:35:44.71
No.
00:35:44.71\00:35:45.87
Because his heart had
been changed by grace.
00:35:45.87\00:35:50.08
And so we're not saved by works,
00:35:50.08\00:35:52.18
but if you are saved by grace,
00:35:52.18\00:35:54.92
you're gonna see a
transformation in the works.
00:35:54.92\00:35:57.69
That's so
important to understand
00:35:57.69\00:35:58.89
because Revelation tells us,
00:35:58.89\00:36:00.62
we are saved by faith
but every man is rewarded
00:36:00.62\00:36:03.66
and judged
according to the works.
00:36:03.66\00:36:06.46
That's extremely clear.
00:36:06.46\00:36:08.93
So the works demonstrate,
if you've been saved by faith.
00:36:08.93\00:36:13.34
But don't get
the two upside down
00:36:13.34\00:36:15.77
because, otherwise
00:36:15.77\00:36:16.91
you'll always be
thinking about your works
00:36:16.91\00:36:18.57
and you'll not be thinking about
00:36:18.57\00:36:20.28
rejoicing in the promise of God,
00:36:20.28\00:36:22.61
and that then
begets the good works.
00:36:22.61\00:36:24.65
That's so important not to
get the cart before the horse.
00:36:24.65\00:36:27.82
Anyway...
00:36:27.82\00:36:30.02
It looks to me like
someone has sent in a question.
00:36:30.02\00:36:32.75
You know, we often ask
if you've got some question
00:36:32.75\00:36:36.93
and here's the
question, it says,
00:36:36.93\00:36:38.09
"When is the third angel
coming to proclaim His message?"
00:36:38.09\00:36:43.50
Third angel's message is,
00:36:43.50\00:36:45.37
"If any man worships the beast
00:36:45.37\00:36:46.60
and his image
and receives his mark
00:36:46.60\00:36:47.87
in his right
hand or his forehead,
00:36:47.87\00:36:49.04
the same will drink the
wine of the wrath of God,
00:36:49.04\00:36:51.04
which is poured out without
00:36:51.04\00:36:52.64
mixture into the
cup of his indignation."
00:36:52.64\00:36:54.91
That message is going out now.
00:36:54.91\00:36:56.68
People need to
understand what the issues are
00:36:56.68\00:36:59.55
about the beast and Babylon,
00:36:59.55\00:37:02.25
and the image of the beast,
00:37:02.25\00:37:03.52
and so that
message is going out.
00:37:03.52\00:37:05.05
Now people don't have
the mark of the beast yet.
00:37:05.05\00:37:07.92
But the warning
should go out before
00:37:07.92\00:37:10.99
that becomes an issue
00:37:10.99\00:37:11.99
so people will
understand it when it does come.
00:37:11.99\00:37:13.86
Is that right? Yes.
00:37:13.86\00:37:15.66
Okay, got a
second question, I see.
00:37:15.66\00:37:17.70
Now these are first
time I am seeing these.
00:37:17.70\00:37:20.30
Who does the Bible say...
00:37:20.30\00:37:21.47
Now we got a lot of people,
this is a Facebook question.
00:37:21.47\00:37:23.30
Lot of people are watching
on Facebook or the internet.
00:37:23.30\00:37:26.37
Who does the Bible
say will come to give
00:37:26.37\00:37:28.41
a "present truth" message
00:37:28.41\00:37:30.15
before the
great day of the Lord?
00:37:30.15\00:37:32.28
Well, it's given by
those who'd come in the spirit
00:37:32.28\00:37:34.88
and power of Elijah, right?
00:37:34.88\00:37:38.45
And you've heard
them all, Elijah message?
00:37:38.45\00:37:41.16
And Bible says, "I
will send my messenger
00:37:41.16\00:37:43.39
before the great
dreadful day of the Lord."
00:37:43.39\00:37:45.39
That's in Malachi 4.
00:37:45.39\00:37:47.60
Jesus said, "Elijah has
come and Elijah will come."
00:37:47.60\00:37:51.40
Elijah has come
in John the Baptist.
00:37:51.40\00:37:54.30
And he said Elijah will come.
00:37:54.30\00:37:56.17
There will be an Elijah message.
00:37:56.17\00:37:57.94
Now some believe
it's not one person,
00:37:57.94\00:38:00.21
but it's the 144,000
00:38:00.21\00:38:02.08
that are giving
the Elijah message
00:38:02.08\00:38:03.88
in the last days.
00:38:03.88\00:38:04.95
But it's a message of revival
00:38:04.95\00:38:07.32
that comes to the people of God.
00:38:07.32\00:38:09.68
There's going to
be a great shaking
00:38:09.68\00:38:10.99
that will come in
to the people of God.
00:38:10.99\00:38:13.22
I sometimes wonder,
that's beginning now.
00:38:13.22\00:38:16.02
All right.
00:38:16.02\00:38:17.73
And, now there's six
things this thief does
00:38:17.73\00:38:19.73
before we leave the thief.
00:38:19.73\00:38:21.86
Six things that he does.
00:38:21.86\00:38:24.47
He believes,
no, first he beheld,
00:38:24.47\00:38:27.24
he saw Christ lifted up.
00:38:27.24\00:38:29.07
Jesus said, "If I am
lifted up, I will draw all men."
00:38:29.07\00:38:31.54
He saw Christ lifted up
00:38:31.54\00:38:33.38
as Moses lifted up
the serpent, right?
00:38:33.38\00:38:35.94
He beheld, he believed,
he broadcast, he beseeched,
00:38:35.94\00:38:41.48
he became and he was blessed.
00:38:41.48\00:38:44.95
All that happened to
him in such a short time.
00:38:44.95\00:38:47.22
And that's what everybody
experiences when we accept
00:38:47.22\00:38:50.66
the simple good news
of the everlasting gospel.
00:38:50.66\00:38:54.00
That message does not change.
00:38:54.00\00:38:55.86
That's the same
gospel that saved Adam,
00:38:55.86\00:38:58.37
same gospel that saved
Abraham, and the apostles.
00:38:58.37\00:39:02.37
All right.
00:39:02.37\00:39:03.44
Going on to the next part
of this important message,
00:39:03.44\00:39:06.57
it says, "Fear God
and give glory to Him."
00:39:06.57\00:39:09.98
And that's Revelation
14:7, "Saying with a loud voice,
00:39:09.98\00:39:13.88
'Fear God and
give glory to Him.'"
00:39:13.88\00:39:15.05
Now, what does that mean
00:39:15.05\00:39:17.19
to fear God and
give glory to Him?
00:39:17.19\00:39:21.12
Does it mean be afraid of God?
00:39:21.12\00:39:24.79
In a sense but it's
different kind of word
00:39:24.79\00:39:29.20
and definition from the fear
00:39:29.20\00:39:30.57
that would make
you run from something.
00:39:30.57\00:39:33.34
Because true fear of God,
00:39:33.34\00:39:35.70
if you understand a love for God
00:39:35.70\00:39:37.81
and then a respect
for His awesomeness,
00:39:37.81\00:39:40.98
it draws you to Him.
00:39:40.98\00:39:42.78
It doesn't make you
want to run from Him.
00:39:42.78\00:39:44.55
Let me give you a verse
that helps illustrate that.
00:39:44.55\00:39:46.78
Go to Exodus 20:20,
if you want 20-20 vision,
00:39:46.78\00:39:51.19
go to Exodus 20:20,
00:39:51.19\00:39:54.02
"And Moses said to the people,
00:39:54.02\00:39:55.49
'Do not fear, for
God has come to test you,
00:39:55.49\00:39:59.39
that His fear may be before you,
00:39:59.39\00:40:02.46
so that you may not sin.'"
00:40:02.46\00:40:04.73
First he says don't fear,
00:40:04.73\00:40:05.97
he says because God is
testing you that His fear...
00:40:05.97\00:40:10.07
Now, there must be
different kinds of fear,
00:40:10.07\00:40:11.67
otherwise, he's
saying don't fear
00:40:11.67\00:40:12.81
so you can be afraid.
00:40:12.81\00:40:14.78
See what I am saying.
00:40:14.78\00:40:16.95
True fear of God is
a reverence for God,
00:40:16.95\00:40:20.68
feeling, understanding
the awesomeness of God.
00:40:20.68\00:40:23.32
Amen?
00:40:23.32\00:40:25.39
All right, Wesley used to
say, "The fear of God means
00:40:25.39\00:40:28.16
you don't fear anything but God.
00:40:28.16\00:40:30.49
If you don't
have the fear of God,
00:40:30.49\00:40:32.23
you fear everything but God."
00:40:32.23\00:40:35.46
So when you really
fear God, you fear God,
00:40:35.46\00:40:38.20
nothing else makes you afraid.
00:40:38.20\00:40:40.54
When you don't fear God,
00:40:40.54\00:40:42.14
everything else
makes you afraid.
00:40:42.14\00:40:45.07
And Wesley used to
say if I had 300 men
00:40:45.07\00:40:48.41
that fear nothing but
God, I could change the world.
00:40:48.41\00:40:52.48
And then you see in Job 1:9,
"So Satan answered and said,
00:40:52.48\00:40:57.19
'Does Job fear
God for nothing?'"
00:40:57.19\00:40:59.05
You remember the Book of
Job begins with the words,
00:40:59.05\00:41:01.69
"There was a man in
the land of Uz named Job,
00:41:01.69\00:41:04.13
one who feared
God and he did evil."
00:41:04.13\00:41:07.56
He had this great
reverence for God.
00:41:07.56\00:41:10.20
He wanted to live ever.
00:41:10.20\00:41:11.47
Ever heard the expression,
"This is a God fearing man."
00:41:11.47\00:41:14.70
It means the word of God.
00:41:14.70\00:41:16.91
Bible talks
about the word of God,
00:41:16.91\00:41:17.97
they tremble at His Word,
00:41:17.97\00:41:20.44
and it means you've got
to listen to the Word of God.
00:41:20.44\00:41:23.28
There's nothing more important.
00:41:23.28\00:41:24.65
That's what it
means to be God fearing.
00:41:24.65\00:41:28.62
In Genesis 22:12,
00:41:28.62\00:41:31.19
"God said to Abraham,
00:41:31.19\00:41:32.65
'Do not lay your
hand upon the lad,"
00:41:32.65\00:41:34.92
he's about to offer
Isaac, "or do anything to him,
00:41:34.92\00:41:37.93
for now I know
that you fear God,
00:41:37.93\00:41:40.76
seeing you have
not withheld your son,
00:41:40.76\00:41:42.86
your only son from Me."
00:41:42.86\00:41:44.87
God is saying to Abraham,
"I know that you fear Me
00:41:44.87\00:41:47.90
because My Word is
so important to you,
00:41:47.90\00:41:50.74
that you respect Me."
00:41:50.74\00:41:52.54
Let's go on to the next section.
00:41:52.54\00:41:53.84
It says the hour of
His judgment has come,
00:41:53.84\00:41:56.38
and this is the second part
of this first angel's message.
00:41:56.38\00:41:59.81
When it says the
hour of His Judgment,
00:41:59.81\00:42:02.25
will come or has come?
00:42:02.25\00:42:04.22
Has come.
00:42:04.22\00:42:05.59
So there is a time
just before Jesus' coming,
00:42:05.59\00:42:08.59
that God's people enter
00:42:08.59\00:42:10.69
the last phase of
the atonement of Christ
00:42:10.69\00:42:13.53
in the heavenly sanctuary,
is the hour of judgment.
00:42:13.53\00:42:16.20
Now, someone's
gonna read for me,
00:42:16.20\00:42:19.03
1 Peter 4:17.
00:42:19.03\00:42:22.10
And while you're
getting that 1 Peter 4:17,
00:42:22.10\00:42:24.94
I'm gonna read the
last words in Ecclesiastes.
00:42:24.94\00:42:28.38
You know what that says?
00:42:28.38\00:42:29.44
Ecclesiastes 12,
00:42:29.44\00:42:31.45
after Solomon pontificates
about the vanity of life,
00:42:31.45\00:42:35.32
how does he sum everything up?
00:42:35.32\00:42:38.32
"Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter:
00:42:38.32\00:42:40.96
Fear God and keep
His commandments."
00:42:40.96\00:42:43.53
So what does it
mean to fear God?
00:42:43.53\00:42:44.66
The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom.
00:42:44.66\00:42:46.96
Someone was asking about fear,
00:42:46.96\00:42:48.70
I will give you
little more on that,
00:42:48.70\00:42:51.17
"Fear God and
keep His commandments,
00:42:51.17\00:42:52.63
for this is man's duty,"
00:42:52.63\00:42:54.64
this is the whole duty of man,
00:42:54.64\00:42:56.24
"For God will bring
every work into judgment,"
00:42:56.24\00:42:59.64
it says God will, future tense,
00:42:59.64\00:43:01.74
"bring every work into judgment,
00:43:01.74\00:43:03.08
including every secret thing,
whether it be good or evil."
00:43:03.08\00:43:06.95
So where does
this judgment begin?
00:43:06.95\00:43:08.88
Go ahead. Dan,
please read that for us.
00:43:08.88\00:43:10.49
1 Peter 4:17,
00:43:10.49\00:43:12.65
"For the time
has come for judgment
00:43:12.65\00:43:15.06
to begin at the house of God,
and if it begins with us first,
00:43:15.06\00:43:19.16
what will be the end of those
00:43:19.16\00:43:20.73
who do not obey
the gospel of God?"
00:43:20.73\00:43:23.03
All right.
00:43:23.03\00:43:24.03
In the days of Peter,
the people of God were,
00:43:24.03\00:43:27.90
in particular, the Jews.
00:43:27.90\00:43:30.31
They've been the
guardians of the Word.
00:43:30.31\00:43:32.67
That sort of transitioned
during the time of Christ
00:43:32.67\00:43:35.18
to the spiritual Jews
or the church at large.
00:43:35.18\00:43:38.58
And there was a
judgment that was gonna happen,
00:43:38.58\00:43:40.58
and that judgment
came on the Jewish nations.
00:43:40.58\00:43:43.28
So judgment began
with the house of God.
00:43:43.28\00:43:45.92
The veil in the temple was torn.
00:43:45.92\00:43:48.06
Ultimately, the
temple was destroyed.
00:43:48.06\00:43:51.36
Now you are the temple of God.
00:43:51.36\00:43:52.83
The church is the
temple of God, right?
00:43:52.83\00:43:55.23
That evil one sits
in the temple of God
00:43:55.23\00:43:57.23
showing himself that he is God,
00:43:57.23\00:43:58.43
that's talking
about someone in Rome,
00:43:58.43\00:44:01.54
he says he is in
charge of the church of God.
00:44:01.54\00:44:04.11
That's judgment.
00:44:04.11\00:44:05.17
So now when it says,
00:44:05.17\00:44:06.24
judgment begins
at the house of God,
00:44:06.24\00:44:07.68
there's a judgment
that begins with the church.
00:44:07.68\00:44:11.51
In the last days,
00:44:11.51\00:44:12.88
those who have claimed
to be followers of the Lord,
00:44:12.88\00:44:15.28
we're in the last
day, Day of Atonement.
00:44:15.28\00:44:18.59
Now what happened at
the Day of Atonement?
00:44:18.59\00:44:20.46
Look in Leviticus 16:29.
00:44:20.46\00:44:23.89
We're living in the last
stage of the church began
00:44:23.89\00:44:27.03
with the church of Laodicea.
00:44:27.03\00:44:28.83
Most believe that was 1844
00:44:28.83\00:44:31.40
is when we entered that
00:44:31.40\00:44:32.47
last phase of
the church history.
00:44:32.47\00:44:36.87
And you see, read
in Leviticus 16:29,
00:44:36.87\00:44:39.47
"This shall be a
statute forever for you:
00:44:39.47\00:44:42.58
In the seventh month, on
the tenth day of the month,
00:44:42.58\00:44:45.21
you will afflict your
souls, and do no work at all,
00:44:45.21\00:44:48.98
whether a native
of your own country
00:44:48.98\00:44:50.62
or a stranger
who dwells among you.
00:44:50.62\00:44:52.52
For on that day the priest
will make atonement for you,"
00:44:52.52\00:44:54.79
call Day of Atonement
or Yom Kippur, we call it,
00:44:54.79\00:44:57.49
"to cleanse you,
that you may be cleansed
00:44:57.49\00:44:59.73
from all of your
sins before the Lord."
00:44:59.73\00:45:02.60
There is a final refinement
that happens to the bride
00:45:02.60\00:45:06.33
before the bridegroom comes.
00:45:06.33\00:45:08.97
"It is a Sabbath of
solemn rest for you,
00:45:08.97\00:45:11.04
and you will afflict your souls.
00:45:11.04\00:45:12.31
It's a statute forever.
00:45:12.31\00:45:13.94
And the priest, who is anointed
and consecrated to minister
00:45:13.94\00:45:16.78
as a priest in
his father's place,
00:45:16.78\00:45:19.61
shall make atonement,
00:45:19.61\00:45:21.25
and will put on
the linen clothes
00:45:21.25\00:45:22.75
and the holy garments,
00:45:22.75\00:45:23.82
then he will make atonement
for the Holy Sanctuary."
00:45:23.82\00:45:26.65
The sanctuary shall be cleansed.
00:45:26.65\00:45:27.96
Have you read that
prophecy in Daniel 8:14?
00:45:27.96\00:45:31.99
For nearly 2000 years,
00:45:31.99\00:45:36.43
the place of the sanctuary,
for around 1260 years,
00:45:36.43\00:45:40.30
the sanctuary was defiled.
00:45:40.30\00:45:43.00
The truth, have
you read Daniel 8?
00:45:43.00\00:45:44.77
The truth was cast to the ground
00:45:44.77\00:45:46.41
by the beast in the Dark Ages.
00:45:46.41\00:45:48.48
The truth was corrupted.
00:45:48.48\00:45:49.61
The truth about salvation,
the truth about the Sabbath,
00:45:49.61\00:45:52.15
the truth about baptism,
00:45:52.15\00:45:53.55
the truth about spiritual gifts,
00:45:53.55\00:45:55.18
I mean, you name it,
the truth was corrupted.
00:45:55.18\00:45:58.09
And Daniel says how long
until the sanctuary is cleansed?
00:45:58.09\00:46:00.99
In 1844, God
raised up a new movement.
00:46:00.99\00:46:03.99
Not only did Christ begin
00:46:03.99\00:46:05.29
cleansing the
sanctuary in heaven,
00:46:05.29\00:46:06.96
but God began
cleansing the sanctuary on earth
00:46:06.96\00:46:10.10
from all the false
teachings of the Dark Ages.
00:46:10.10\00:46:12.80
Amen?
00:46:12.80\00:46:14.54
And so, this movement is
now the guardians of that truth
00:46:14.54\00:46:19.54
are restoration of
biblical Christianity.
00:46:19.54\00:46:22.74
The faith that was
once returned to the saints
00:46:22.74\00:46:25.35
is a revival of that.
00:46:25.35\00:46:28.02
And that all
began, actually in 1844
00:46:28.02\00:46:31.55
with the great advent movement.
00:46:31.55\00:46:33.02
We were not
organized church until 1863,
00:46:33.02\00:46:35.92
but the movement
really began in 1844.
00:46:35.92\00:46:39.83
So the hour of
His judgment has come.
00:46:39.83\00:46:42.36
What would the people do
during the Day of Atonement?
00:46:42.36\00:46:44.60
They'd afflict their
souls. What does that mean?
00:46:44.60\00:46:46.90
Are we to walk around
00:46:46.90\00:46:48.00
with little whips
and flog ourselves?
00:46:48.00\00:46:50.94
Or does it mean it's the
time of special holiness?
00:46:50.94\00:46:55.64
As some say,
00:46:55.64\00:46:57.15
I've heard people argue and say,
00:46:57.15\00:46:58.75
"There's nothing wrong
with drinking a little wine."
00:46:58.75\00:47:01.55
And I don't believe
there's any good biblical reason
00:47:01.55\00:47:04.22
for doing that.
00:47:04.22\00:47:05.29
But sometimes if I
can't persuade people,
00:47:05.29\00:47:07.26
they insist that the
wine in the Bible is alcoholic
00:47:07.26\00:47:09.66
and you could
drink it, I'll say okay.
00:47:09.66\00:47:11.19
If you're going to
take that approach,
00:47:11.19\00:47:13.23
you know, the priests
were never to drink alcohol
00:47:13.23\00:47:16.00
before they ministered.
00:47:16.00\00:47:17.67
Look what happened to the sons
of Aaron when that happened.
00:47:17.67\00:47:21.94
And I said we're
living in the day of atonement
00:47:21.94\00:47:23.81
right now, we are a
nation of kings and priests.
00:47:23.81\00:47:25.71
And if there ever
was a time in history
00:47:25.71\00:47:27.34
when God's
people should be sober
00:47:27.34\00:47:28.98
and afflict
their souls before God,
00:47:28.98\00:47:31.38
this would be that time.
00:47:31.38\00:47:33.65
And so whenever
people start making excuses,
00:47:33.65\00:47:36.12
I say, well, even if
you could argue for that
00:47:36.12\00:47:38.45
at any other time
in church history,
00:47:38.45\00:47:39.99
this is the time
in church history
00:47:39.99\00:47:41.86
that God is calling for a people
00:47:41.86\00:47:44.09
who will humble themselves
00:47:44.09\00:47:46.33
that there'll be
holiness and humility.
00:47:46.33\00:47:49.00
So this is what it means
to afflict your souls and say,
00:47:49.00\00:47:52.57
you know, we are
going to turn from our sins.
00:47:52.57\00:47:54.54
We want to live holy lives,
especially during this age,
00:47:54.54\00:47:57.91
just prior to the second coming,
00:47:57.91\00:47:59.94
we are to be a
nation of kings and priests.
00:47:59.94\00:48:02.14
Amen?
00:48:02.14\00:48:04.05
I got time just for
the last section here.
00:48:04.05\00:48:06.65
The last part of the message,
00:48:06.65\00:48:08.55
"And worship the one that
made heaven and the earth."
00:48:08.55\00:48:12.75
That's also part
of Revelation 14:7.
00:48:12.75\00:48:16.29
Now why is that
especially important to us?
00:48:16.29\00:48:19.46
Well, where else in the
Bible do you find that phrase,
00:48:19.46\00:48:22.90
"worship Him that made
the heaven and the earth"?
00:48:22.90\00:48:27.84
Exodus 20:11,
00:48:27.84\00:48:31.04
"For in six days
00:48:31.04\00:48:32.47
the Lord made the heavens
00:48:32.47\00:48:33.98
and the earth, and the
sea, and all that is in them,
00:48:33.98\00:48:36.85
and He rested the seventh day.
00:48:36.85\00:48:38.45
Therefore the Lord
blessed the Sabbath day."
00:48:38.45\00:48:40.98
That commandment
calls us back to remember
00:48:40.98\00:48:43.82
and to worship the Creator.
00:48:43.82\00:48:45.99
Amen?
00:48:45.99\00:48:47.26
And who is that Creator?
00:48:47.26\00:48:48.99
That's Jesus.
00:48:48.99\00:48:50.49
All things that were
made, were made by Him.
00:48:50.49\00:48:53.86
You know, if you
read in Revelation 4:11,
00:48:53.86\00:48:56.70
Revelation 4:11,
"You are worthy, O Lord,
00:48:56.70\00:48:58.80
to receive glory
and honor and power,
00:48:58.80\00:49:00.77
For You created all things,
00:49:00.77\00:49:03.10
and by Your will they
exist and were created."
00:49:03.10\00:49:05.77
So if there is no
other good reason,
00:49:05.77\00:49:07.71
because God is the creator.
00:49:07.71\00:49:09.68
All the truths that we share
00:49:09.68\00:49:11.45
rise out of a
foundational truth.
00:49:11.45\00:49:13.05
What is the foundational truth?
00:49:13.05\00:49:14.88
He's in charge.
00:49:14.88\00:49:17.15
As they used to say,
He is large and in charge.
00:49:17.15\00:49:20.29
God is the maker of all things.
00:49:20.29\00:49:22.69
Look at Nehemiah 9:6,
00:49:22.69\00:49:25.43
"You alone are the Lord,
00:49:25.43\00:49:27.66
You have made heaven,
00:49:27.66\00:49:29.06
and the heavens of heavens,
00:49:29.06\00:49:30.87
will all of their host.
00:49:30.87\00:49:32.10
The earth and everything in it,
00:49:32.10\00:49:33.60
the seas and all that is in it."
00:49:33.60\00:49:35.20
You notice that
Nehemiah is quoting
00:49:35.20\00:49:36.54
from that commandment too,
00:49:36.54\00:49:37.77
heaven, earth, sea,
saying the same thing.
00:49:37.77\00:49:41.38
And so in the last days,
there's a special message
00:49:41.38\00:49:44.91
that's to go back to the
world that God is the creator,
00:49:44.91\00:49:48.68
the Sabbath is a sign of that.
00:49:48.68\00:49:50.89
Neglect of the Sabbath
00:49:50.89\00:49:52.59
has contributed to
the evolution conspiracy.
00:49:52.59\00:49:58.03
Now I don't
believe, most conspiracies
00:49:58.03\00:49:59.69
I think are nonsense.
00:49:59.69\00:50:01.66
I could tell you about all
kinds of crazy conspiracies
00:50:01.66\00:50:03.50
but I better not
because some of you
00:50:03.50\00:50:04.87
probably
believe in some of them.
00:50:04.87\00:50:07.40
But one conspiracy
I do believe in is,
00:50:07.40\00:50:12.54
there is a conspiracy
00:50:12.54\00:50:14.91
to try to put over a hoax
00:50:14.91\00:50:18.48
that believing in
evolution is scientific.
00:50:18.48\00:50:21.68
The idea that all
of the organization,
00:50:21.68\00:50:24.79
and design, and
interworking systems,
00:50:24.79\00:50:27.06
and symbiotic relationships
00:50:27.06\00:50:28.62
that you see in
the world around you
00:50:28.62\00:50:31.09
all happened by accident
00:50:31.09\00:50:33.33
without intelligence
over millions of years
00:50:33.33\00:50:36.36
is the most absurd thing
00:50:36.36\00:50:37.93
that has ever been put over
00:50:37.93\00:50:39.63
on what should be an
intelligent educated people.
00:50:39.63\00:50:42.17
Amen. It is ridiculous.
00:50:42.17\00:50:44.34
And every
Sabbath we're reminded,
00:50:44.34\00:50:46.11
"No, we were
created by the Word of God,
00:50:46.11\00:50:48.64
by divine fiat."
00:50:48.64\00:50:50.91
And one reason
the devil has tried
00:50:50.91\00:50:52.48
to get rid of the Sabbath
00:50:52.48\00:50:54.28
is to get rid of the
concept that he is a creator.
00:50:54.28\00:50:56.99
Now why do people cling
so tenaciously to evolution?
00:50:56.99\00:51:00.89
Because if God created us,
00:51:00.89\00:51:02.86
that means He's
God, He's in charge,
00:51:02.86\00:51:04.26
He makes the rules
and you should obey them.
00:51:04.26\00:51:06.56
People don't want
to obey God's rules,
00:51:06.56\00:51:08.70
so they try to eliminate
the evidence that He created us
00:51:08.70\00:51:11.57
so that they feel
like, "I'm just an animal.
00:51:11.57\00:51:13.57
I can fulfill all of
my animalistic tendencies
00:51:13.57\00:51:16.07
and desires.
00:51:16.07\00:51:17.17
And there's no repercussions
when I die, that's it."
00:51:17.17\00:51:20.01
So it lends itself
to a hedonistic life.
00:51:20.01\00:51:23.98
Eat and drink, tomorrow we die.
00:51:23.98\00:51:28.28
So we're called to be a people
00:51:28.28\00:51:32.72
that will worship the Creator,
00:51:32.72\00:51:33.92
and I think we're
called to remind people
00:51:33.92\00:51:35.62
that He is the Creator.
00:51:35.62\00:51:39.03
And, you know,
00:51:39.03\00:51:40.60
just coming back from Africa.
00:51:40.60\00:51:42.23
I told you, we took that
little trip around the Nile.
00:51:42.23\00:51:44.53
We got in the boat actually,
just went around a little bit
00:51:44.53\00:51:46.74
and saw some things.
00:51:46.74\00:51:48.14
The variety of animals
00:51:48.14\00:51:50.84
and the inter relationships
00:51:50.84\00:51:53.14
between the animals that we saw,
00:51:53.14\00:51:55.61
that could never evolve.
00:51:55.61\00:51:57.01
As I'm riding
around in the boat,
00:51:57.01\00:51:58.25
I'm hanging out with
Karen and Ryan and our driver,
00:51:58.25\00:52:02.22
I'm going, "Look, it
only took 50 million years
00:52:02.22\00:52:04.82
for that to evolve."
00:52:04.82\00:52:06.72
Which was absurd,
it would never happen.
00:52:06.72\00:52:10.16
And such variety
of color and species,
00:52:10.16\00:52:15.70
all in the same environment.
00:52:15.70\00:52:18.67
If everything
evolved by accident,
00:52:18.67\00:52:20.24
why didn't it all
come out the same?
00:52:20.24\00:52:23.54
And the foods that we eat.
00:52:23.54\00:52:25.24
I think I was teasing our AFCOE
evangelists back then when...
00:52:25.24\00:52:29.58
The color and the texture.
00:52:29.58\00:52:31.68
There was, you
know, there's food,
00:52:31.68\00:52:33.25
they got fruit
that's got snakeskin,
00:52:33.25\00:52:35.68
called snakeskin fruit.
00:52:35.68\00:52:36.79
Any of you ever eaten?
00:52:36.79\00:52:38.95
Skin looks like a snake.
00:52:38.95\00:52:40.09
You think, I wouldn't need that.
00:52:40.09\00:52:41.16
No, it's really good.
00:52:41.16\00:52:42.49
Because the skin
looks like a snake.
00:52:42.49\00:52:44.03
They call it snakeskin fruit.
00:52:44.03\00:52:46.16
And then they get the jackfruit,
00:52:46.16\00:52:48.96
they get the bananas,
00:52:48.96\00:52:50.43
you know, there were no
bananas in the Garden of Eden,
00:52:50.43\00:52:52.23
did you know that?
00:52:52.23\00:52:53.77
A banana is a hybrid
between two Asian foods.
00:52:53.77\00:52:56.44
The bananas don't have seeds.
00:52:56.44\00:52:58.44
Anyway, amazing fact.
00:52:58.44\00:53:00.34
But just the incredible variety
00:53:00.34\00:53:04.18
that you see,
00:53:04.18\00:53:05.21
and the idea that it
all evolved is preposterous.
00:53:05.21\00:53:09.58
That these particular
flowers that could not exist
00:53:09.58\00:53:11.79
without particular hummingbirds
00:53:11.79\00:53:13.42
that pollinate them
00:53:13.42\00:53:15.39
or moss that pollinate them.
00:53:15.39\00:53:18.29
Anyway, we're people,
00:53:18.29\00:53:20.33
we've got a
message to call people
00:53:20.33\00:53:22.00
back to the Creator because...
00:53:22.00\00:53:26.87
So many people in
the world, you know,
00:53:26.87\00:53:28.94
the number of
people that believe
00:53:28.94\00:53:30.84
in a God that created is
constantly on the decline.
00:53:30.84\00:53:35.38
How often do we hear in
the news and on the media,
00:53:35.38\00:53:38.81
"Millions of years ago,
00:53:38.81\00:53:40.58
are monkeys,
they are ancestors,"
00:53:40.58\00:53:42.52
they call them.
00:53:42.52\00:53:44.19
And that just is not true.
00:53:44.19\00:53:46.92
The scientific
doesn't support it.
00:53:46.92\00:53:48.96
The geologic
evidence doesn't support it.
00:53:48.96\00:53:51.06
It is preposterous.
00:53:51.06\00:53:54.03
And I used to believe
it so I get very agitated.
00:53:54.03\00:53:56.87
Because I knew as soon as I
realized there was a Creator,
00:53:56.87\00:54:00.20
I suddenly realized
00:54:00.20\00:54:01.27
I am accountable to the Creator.
00:54:01.27\00:54:04.01
And that's a
message, there need to be
00:54:04.01\00:54:05.54
a revival of
people realizing that
00:54:05.54\00:54:07.34
they will all someday
stand before the Creator
00:54:07.34\00:54:10.11
because the hour of
His judgment has come
00:54:10.11\00:54:13.11
and we are
called to worship Him.
00:54:13.11\00:54:14.92
Thank you very much for your
questions and participation.
00:54:14.92\00:54:18.05
We're out of time
for today's lesson.
00:54:18.05\00:54:19.62
I want to remind you
about our closing offer.
00:54:19.62\00:54:21.99
It's on Ultimate
Purpose, one of our messages,
00:54:21.99\00:54:27.00
and you ask for
offer number 846,
00:54:27.00\00:54:29.96
when you call 866-788-3966.
00:54:29.96\00:54:34.57
And if you want to download,
00:54:34.57\00:54:36.64
you can download it
by texting the code,
00:54:36.64\00:54:39.01
and here's a
code you text "SH022",
00:54:39.01\00:54:43.55
and you text that code to 40544,
00:54:43.55\00:54:48.32
and then you can download it.
00:54:48.32\00:54:49.68
God bless you, friends.
00:54:49.68\00:54:50.69
Look forward to
studying the Word with you again
00:54:50.69\00:54:52.72
next week.
00:54:52.72\00:54:53.76
I'm here in the
beautiful island nation of Fiji
00:55:05.00\00:55:07.64
that's filled
with exotic animals,
00:55:07.64\00:55:09.94
beautiful vegetation,
and spectacular scenery.
00:55:09.94\00:55:13.41
The people here are some
of the nicest in the world
00:55:13.41\00:55:15.98
but it hasn't
always been that way.
00:55:15.98\00:55:17.88
This was once known
as the Cannibal Island.
00:55:17.88\00:55:22.18
The Fijian warriors
were some of the fiercest
00:55:22.18\00:55:24.29
in the South
Pacific, greatly feared.
00:55:24.29\00:55:26.35
You can understand why.
00:55:26.35\00:55:27.79
This is one of the weapons
00:55:27.79\00:55:29.69
that they used
for breaking the neck
00:55:29.69\00:55:31.36
of their adversaries.
00:55:31.36\00:55:32.63
And long before they
were killing any missionaries,
00:55:32.63\00:55:35.40
they were
fighting with and killing
00:55:35.40\00:55:36.80
and eating each other.
00:55:36.80\00:55:38.43
In fact, as you
go to the different
00:55:38.43\00:55:39.80
tourist locations on the island,
00:55:39.80\00:55:41.70
they will sell you
remakes of some of the forks
00:55:41.70\00:55:44.64
they used for
eating human brains.
00:55:44.64\00:55:49.01
In fact, there was
one cannibal chief,
00:55:49.01\00:55:51.08
Ratu Udre Udre,
during the 1800's,
00:55:51.08\00:55:53.92
that is in the
Guinness Book of World Records
00:55:53.92\00:55:55.82
for having killed and
eaten the most victims.
00:55:55.82\00:55:58.62
He brags it every
time he killed someone.
00:55:58.62\00:56:00.42
He set a stone aside.
00:56:00.42\00:56:02.02
By the end of his life,
00:56:02.02\00:56:03.22
he had a pretty
big pile of stones.
00:56:03.22\00:56:05.33
It's estimated he ate somewhere
00:56:05.33\00:56:06.80
in the
neighborhood of 900 people.
00:56:06.80\00:56:09.63
Oh, my!
00:56:09.63\00:56:12.37
You know, the Fijians
were not the only ones
00:56:12.37\00:56:14.17
that had a
monopoly on cannibalism.
00:56:14.17\00:56:16.20
In fact, the Bible says
00:56:16.20\00:56:17.54
that we are all
capable of being cannibals.
00:56:17.54\00:56:20.61
Galatians 5:15 says,
00:56:20.61\00:56:22.34
"If we bite and
devour one another,
00:56:22.34\00:56:24.35
we may end up
consuming one another."
00:56:24.35\00:56:26.31
That's talking about
destroying people's reputation
00:56:26.31\00:56:28.95
by mean gossip.
00:56:28.95\00:56:30.45
One famous
missionary named Paton,
00:56:30.45\00:56:32.49
when he was preparing
to go to cannibal isles,
00:56:32.49\00:56:35.02
his friends and
family begged him not to go.
00:56:35.02\00:56:37.29
They said, "You'll be eaten."
00:56:37.29\00:56:38.86
He said, "It
doesn't matter to me
00:56:38.86\00:56:40.30
if I die and I'm eaten by worms
00:56:40.30\00:56:42.23
or of God's will that
I'm eaten by cannibals,
00:56:42.23\00:56:44.43
as long as I'm
doing the will of God."
00:56:44.43\00:56:46.33
Well, he went to
the cannibal isles
00:56:46.33\00:56:48.47
and brought many to Christ,
00:56:48.47\00:56:49.70
and died
peacefully in his old age.
00:56:49.70\00:56:52.14
Some of the ancient
cannibal cultures believe that
00:56:52.14\00:56:54.38
when you killed and
when you devoured your enemy,
00:56:54.38\00:56:56.75
you would
somehow take within you
00:56:56.75\00:56:58.35
their spiritual
strengths or powers,
00:56:58.35\00:57:00.58
but that's really absurd.
00:57:00.58\00:57:02.22
But there is a
kind of cannibalism
00:57:02.22\00:57:04.35
endorsed in
scripture, that's right.
00:57:04.35\00:57:06.69
Jesus said in John 6:53,
00:57:06.69\00:57:09.69
"Except you eat My
flesh and drink My blood,
00:57:09.69\00:57:12.39
you have no life in you."
00:57:12.39\00:57:13.90
And you don't need
these tools to do it.
00:57:13.90\00:57:16.06
What you need
is to read His Word
00:57:16.06\00:57:18.13
and learn about His life.
00:57:18.13\00:57:19.47
Accept by faith His
sacrifice in your place,
00:57:19.47\00:57:21.97
and you can have a new
heart and be a new creature.
00:57:21.97\00:57:24.67
You can even do it right now.
00:57:24.67\00:57:26.17
Let's face it, it's not
always easy to understand
00:57:33.92\00:57:36.89
everything you
read in the Bible.
00:57:36.89\00:57:38.45
With over 700,000
words contained in 66 books,
00:57:38.45\00:57:42.59
the Bible can
generate a lot of questions.
00:57:42.59\00:57:44.99
To get biblical
straightforward answers,
00:57:44.99\00:57:47.46
call into Bible Answers Live,
00:57:47.46\00:57:49.36
a live nationwide
call-in radio program
00:57:49.36\00:57:52.00
where you can talk
to Pastor Doug Batchelor
00:57:52.00\00:57:54.34
and ask him your most
difficult Bible questions.
00:57:54.34\00:57:56.81
For times and
stations in your area
00:57:56.81\00:57:59.07
or to listen to answers online,
00:57:59.07\00:58:00.94
visit bal.amazingfacts.org.
00:58:00.94\00:58:04.55