¤¤¤
00:00:01.80\00:00:08.77
¤¤¤
00:00:12.44\00:00:21.85
Doug Batchelor: Every now
and then, in the panorama of
00:00:22.95\00:00:24.49
history, we hear about
individuals that go from the
00:00:24.52\00:00:27.09
lowest depths to
the highest pinnacles.
00:00:27.12\00:00:29.52
They emerge from the
shackles of prison to lead
00:00:29.56\00:00:32.09
and inspire a nation.
00:00:32.13\00:00:35.16
Take Joseph for instance.
00:00:35.20\00:00:37.03
He's sold by his brothers as
a slave, then falsely accused
00:00:37.07\00:00:40.17
and thrust into the prison.
00:00:40.20\00:00:41.97
Yet, through a series of divine
circumstances, he miraculously
00:00:42.00\00:00:45.01
goes from the prison to
the palace, ruling the ones
00:00:45.04\00:00:48.11
who once imprisoned him.
00:00:48.14\00:00:49.91
Sound farfetched?
00:00:49.94\00:00:51.41
It's happened in
history more than you think.
00:00:51.45\00:00:54.45
South Africa is the
home of just such a leader.
00:00:54.48\00:00:57.22
Nelson Mandela worked tirelessly
to establish peace and freedom
00:00:57.25\00:01:00.22
in his country, and
his influence was felt
00:01:00.26\00:01:03.09
around the world.
00:01:03.12\00:01:04.73
Before freedom,
there must be forgiveness.
00:01:04.76\00:01:08.06
Like Joseph, who was unjustly
accused for a crime he did not
00:01:08.10\00:01:11.43
commit, Nelson Mandela
was accused of terrorism
00:01:11.47\00:01:14.10
and sentenced to life
in prison on Robin Island.
00:01:14.14\00:01:17.34
He was often exposed to cruel
punishment and abuse, but even
00:01:17.37\00:01:20.31
in the midst of apparent
failure and discouragement,
00:01:20.34\00:01:23.04
he never lost
heart, he never gave up.
00:01:23.08\00:01:25.55
After years in prison, a growing
number of supporters rallied
00:01:25.58\00:01:29.02
for his release, and
eventually it took place.
00:01:29.05\00:01:32.15
And god used him so that he
was instrumental in helping to
00:01:32.19\00:01:35.06
abolish racial segregation
in the country of South Africa.
00:01:35.09\00:01:38.59
Incredibly, he now was
virtually the absolute leader
00:01:38.63\00:01:42.13
in the country
that had imprisoned him.
00:01:42.16\00:01:44.33
He had all of the tools and
the power at his disposal to get
00:01:44.37\00:01:47.07
even with the prison guards and
others that had mistreated him.
00:01:47.10\00:01:50.21
Instead, Mandela
chose forgiveness.
00:01:50.24\00:01:53.44
It reminds me of that verse in
the Bible in Ephesians chapter
00:01:53.48\00:01:56.31
4, verse 32: "Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and
00:01:56.34\00:02:00.15
anger, and clamor, and railing
be put away from you, with all
00:02:00.18\00:02:03.18
malice: and be ye kind
one to another, tenderhearted,
00:02:03.22\00:02:06.89
forgiving each other, even as
God also in Christ forgave you."
00:02:06.92\00:02:11.93
I'm so thankful that Nelson
Mandela, like Joseph, chose to
00:02:11.96\00:02:15.86
forgive those who were once his
enemies and to serve his nation
00:02:15.90\00:02:18.70
with love and courage.
00:02:18.73\00:02:20.57
You can find a number of
examples of this happening in
00:02:20.60\00:02:22.87
the Bible.
00:02:22.90\00:02:24.57
You have Daniel, who was a
captive from the land of Judah,
00:02:24.61\00:02:27.31
and yet God arranged
things where he becomes a prime
00:02:27.34\00:02:29.38
minister in the
kingdom of Babylon.
00:02:29.41\00:02:31.38
You have Esther, who was a poor
orphan girl in Persia, and yet
00:02:31.41\00:02:34.65
God worked things out where
she becomes the queen of that
00:02:34.68\00:02:37.19
country.
00:02:37.22\00:02:38.65
The book of Jeremiah ends with
an incredible story of a young
00:02:38.69\00:02:41.39
king named Jehoiachin, who
was in a Babylonian dungeon for
00:02:41.42\00:02:45.26
37 years and then, King
Evil-Merodach has mercy on him,
00:02:45.29\00:02:49.00
and he has a new status, going
from the prison to the palace.
00:02:49.03\00:02:52.50
This is what the Lord wants
to do for you and me, friends.
00:02:52.53\00:02:54.90
He gives you the bread of life.
00:02:54.94\00:02:56.30
He gives you the robe
of Jesus's righteousness.
00:02:56.34\00:02:58.34
He gives you a
seat at his table.
00:02:58.37\00:03:00.08
If you accept his forgiveness
and you're willing to pass it
00:03:00.11\00:03:03.04
on, you and I can
live and reign with Christ.
00:03:03.08\00:03:05.78
Wouldn't you
like that experience?
00:03:05.81\00:03:08.58
¤¤¤
00:03:09.35\00:03:15.49
¤¤¤
00:03:16.52\00:03:26.50
Jean Ross: Good
morning, friends.
00:03:39.15\00:03:40.98
Welcome to Sabbath School Study
Hour here at the Granite Bay
00:03:41.02\00:03:42.75
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:03:42.78\00:03:44.15
It's part of what we call,
"Sabbath School," and I'd like
00:03:44.19\00:03:46.79
to welcome our online members,
our friends who are joining us
00:03:46.82\00:03:49.46
across the country and around
the world, our extended study
00:03:49.49\00:03:52.96
class, as well as our
regular members and visitors.
00:03:52.99\00:03:56.36
We're glad that you are with us
today, ready to study the next
00:03:56.40\00:03:59.07
lesson in our series
talking about the family.
00:03:59.10\00:04:02.94
For the last few weeks, the last
nine weeks, we've been talking
00:04:02.97\00:04:05.77
about "Family Seasons."
00:04:05.81\00:04:07.98
That's our lesson quarterly.
00:04:08.01\00:04:10.05
Today we find ourselves on
lesson number nine, entitled
00:04:10.08\00:04:12.95
"Times of Loss," something
that, you know, all families go
00:04:12.98\00:04:16.79
through at one point or another,
and we'll be getting into our
00:04:16.82\00:04:19.29
study in just a few moments.
00:04:19.32\00:04:20.89
We do have a free offer we'd
like to let our friends know
00:04:20.92\00:04:22.72
about, a book that goes along
with the theme of our study
00:04:22.76\00:04:26.93
this morning.
00:04:26.96\00:04:29.00
It's entitled "When the Brook
Dries Up, Why do Christians
00:04:29.03\00:04:31.70
Suffer?"
00:04:31.73\00:04:33.10
This free offer, if you'd like
to receive this book, all you'll
00:04:33.13\00:04:36.14
need to do is give us a call.
00:04:36.17\00:04:37.77
The number is 866-788-3966, and
ask for offer number 171 or you
00:04:37.81\00:04:44.11
can send us a text and we'll be
able to send you a digital copy
00:04:44.15\00:04:49.15
of the book.
00:04:49.18\00:04:50.75
If you could text the code
"SH074" to the number 40544, and
00:04:50.79\00:04:58.13
then you'll be able to
get a download of the book
00:04:58.16\00:05:00.96
"When the Brook Dries Up."
00:05:01.00\00:05:02.63
And I think you'll
find this encouraging.
00:05:02.66\00:05:04.30
I know every person, every
family goes through times of
00:05:04.33\00:05:06.17
loss, and that's a
great encouragement.
00:05:06.20\00:05:09.20
Well, before we get to our
study this morning, we'd like to
00:05:09.24\00:05:11.24
invite our song leaders to come
forward, and they'll be leading
00:05:11.27\00:05:14.01
us in our worship music today.
00:05:14.04\00:05:17.91
female: You at home, I invite
you to pull out your hymnals,
00:05:20.38\00:05:23.62
and we are gonna sing hymn 474,
00:05:23.65\00:05:26.62
"Take the Name
of Jesus With You."
00:05:26.65\00:05:28.86
We're gonna
sing all four verses.
00:05:28.89\00:05:30.19
And I hope that that's what
you are doing every single day,
00:05:30.23\00:05:33.46
is taking the name of
Jesus to a dying world.
00:05:33.50\00:05:37.40
¤¤¤
00:05:38.17\00:05:47.04
¤ Take the name
of Jesus with you, ¤
00:05:52.01\00:05:56.25
¤ child of sorrow and of woe, ¤
00:05:56.28\00:06:00.29
¤ it will joy and
comfort give you, ¤
00:06:00.32\00:06:04.96
¤ take it then
where'er you go. ¤
00:06:04.99\00:06:09.03
¤ Precious
name, precious name, ¤
00:06:09.06\00:06:11.43
¤ O how sweet, O how sweet. ¤
00:06:11.47\00:06:13.70
¤ Hope of earth
and joy of heav'n. ¤
00:06:13.74\00:06:17.91
¤ Precious
name, precious name, ¤
00:06:17.94\00:06:21.14
¤ O how sweet, how sweet. ¤
00:06:21.18\00:06:24.38
¤ Hope of earth
and joy of heav'n. ¤
00:06:24.41\00:06:29.62
¤ Take the name of Jesus ever, ¤
00:06:29.65\00:06:33.76
¤ as a shield
from every snare. ¤
00:06:33.79\00:06:38.03
¤ If temptations
round you gather, ¤
00:06:38.06\00:06:41.86
¤ breathe that
holy name in prayer. ¤
00:06:41.90\00:06:46.87
¤ Precious
name, precious name, ¤
00:06:46.90\00:06:50.61
¤ O how sweet, O how sweet. ¤
00:06:50.64\00:06:52.41
¤ Hope of earth
and joy of heav'n. ¤
00:06:52.44\00:06:55.94
¤ Precious
name, precious name, ¤
00:06:55.98\00:06:58.38
¤ O how sweet, how sweet. ¤
00:06:58.41\00:07:02.18
¤ Hope of earth
and joy of heav'n. ¤
00:07:02.22\00:07:07.42
¤ Oh the
precious name of Jesus, ¤
00:07:08.49\00:07:11.96
¤ how it thrills
our souls with joy. ¤
00:07:11.99\00:07:16.70
¤ When his loving
arms receive us, ¤
00:07:16.73\00:07:21.20
¤ and his songs
our tongues employ. ¤
00:07:21.24\00:07:25.27
¤ Precious
name, precious name, ¤
00:07:25.31\00:07:27.74
¤ O how sweet, O how sweet. ¤
00:07:27.78\00:07:29.88
¤ Hope of earth
and joy of heav'n. ¤
00:07:29.91\00:07:34.18
¤ Precious
name, precious name, ¤
00:07:34.22\00:07:36.18
¤ O how sweet, how sweet. ¤
00:07:36.22\00:07:41.22
¤ Hope of earth
and joy of heav'n. ¤
00:07:41.26\00:07:46.46
¤ At the name of Jesus bowing, ¤
00:07:46.49\00:07:50.43
¤ falling
prostrate at his feet. ¤
00:07:50.47\00:07:54.80
¤ King of kings in
heav'n we'll crown him, ¤
00:07:54.84\00:07:59.27
¤ when our
journey is complete. ¤
00:07:59.31\00:08:04.05
¤ Precious
name, precious name, ¤
00:08:04.08\00:08:06.35
¤ O how sweet, O how sweet. ¤
00:08:06.38\00:08:08.42
¤ Hope of earth
and joy of heav'n. ¤
00:08:08.45\00:08:13.12
¤ Precious
name, precious name, ¤
00:08:13.15\00:08:15.29
¤ O how sweet, how sweet. ¤
00:08:15.32\00:08:20.00
¤ Hope of earth
and joy of heav'n. ¤¤
00:08:20.03\00:08:28.27
Jean: Amen, thank you, song
leader, for opening our time of
00:08:36.18\00:08:39.35
study with song.
00:08:39.38\00:08:41.52
Let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
00:08:41.55\00:08:43.28
Dear Father, once again, we
are grateful that we have this
00:08:43.32\00:08:45.19
opportunity to gather together
in your house, open up your
00:08:45.22\00:08:48.22
Word, and study a topic that,
Father, we know you're familiar
00:08:48.26\00:08:51.09
with, that of loss, for you
gave your only begotten Son.
00:08:51.13\00:08:54.66
And as we talk about different
experiences that families go
00:08:54.73\00:08:58.23
through, that individuals
go through, we ask for
00:08:58.27\00:09:01.04
the Holy Spirit
to come and guide us.
00:09:01.07\00:09:02.50
Thank you that you've promised
to be our Comforter in whatever
00:09:02.54\00:09:05.24
trial a person might be going
through, and we ask this all in
00:09:05.27\00:09:08.01
Jesus's name, amen.
00:09:08.04\00:09:11.31
As mentioned a little earlier
before our song, our topic today
00:09:11.35\00:09:14.42
is dealing with loss, when
families go through loss, and
00:09:14.45\00:09:18.12
Pastor Doug will be joining me.
00:09:18.15\00:09:20.02
I guess we're gonna be doing
this together, Pastor Doug,
00:09:20.06\00:09:22.12
studying together.
00:09:22.16\00:09:23.83
Doug: Morning,
everyone, how are you?
00:09:23.86\00:09:28.46
Happy Sabbath, you
mentioned the offer already.
00:09:28.50\00:09:30.97
Jean: I did.
00:09:31.00\00:09:32.40
Doug: You did?
00:09:32.43\00:09:33.80
Okay, I guess I
wasn't payin' attention.
00:09:33.84\00:09:35.94
Well, good to see each of you.
00:09:35.97\00:09:37.54
We're dealing with lesson
number nine in our study on
00:09:37.57\00:09:42.14
"Family Seasons," and it's
talking about when you have
00:09:42.18\00:09:45.08
times of loss in the family.
00:09:45.11\00:09:47.72
We have a memory verse that
comes to us from Philippians
00:09:47.75\00:09:50.45
chapter 3, verse 8, and this is
in the New King James Version if
00:09:50.49\00:09:53.99
you wanna locate that.
00:09:54.02\00:09:56.26
You can either read it right
there out of your quarterly or
00:09:56.29\00:09:58.46
in your Bibles,
Philippians 3, verse 8.
00:09:58.49\00:10:00.90
Are you ready?
00:10:00.93\00:10:02.70
I'd like you to say it with
me: "Yet indeed I also count all
00:10:02.73\00:10:07.40
things loss for the excellence
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
00:10:07.44\00:10:11.54
my Lord, for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things,
00:10:11.57\00:10:16.04
and count them as rubbish,
that I might gain Christ."
00:10:16.08\00:10:21.05
You know, if you live
long enough, you are going to
00:10:21.08\00:10:27.32
experience some
element of suffering or loss
00:10:27.36\00:10:30.89
in your family.
00:10:30.93\00:10:32.79
And the Bible gives us some
guidance on how we can cope with
00:10:32.83\00:10:35.56
those times.
00:10:35.60\00:10:37.30
Some of you, chances are, many
who are listening now, if not
00:10:37.33\00:10:39.97
here, certainly those who
are joining us online, have
00:10:40.00\00:10:43.30
experienced
different elements of loss.
00:10:43.34\00:10:46.21
Now, I'm actually gonna
start with a verse you might be
00:10:46.24\00:10:49.84
surprised, in
Matthew 25, verse 35.
00:10:49.88\00:10:52.65
This isn't in the lesson,
but it kinda gives a backdrop.
00:10:52.68\00:10:56.12
Matthew 25:35, Christ says
on the great judgment day he'll
00:10:56.15\00:10:59.89
separate the sheep from
the goats, and he'll say, in
00:10:59.92\00:11:03.53
essence: "'I was hungry and you
gave me food; I was thirsty and
00:11:03.56\00:11:08.46
you gave me drink; I was a
stranger and you took me in; I
00:11:08.50\00:11:13.34
was naked and you clothed me;
I was sick and you visited me;
00:11:13.37\00:11:18.07
I was in prison
and you came to me.'"
00:11:18.11\00:11:20.61
And in all of these passages,
he's basically describing
00:11:20.64\00:11:23.21
some form of suffering.
00:11:23.24\00:11:25.58
And then he says, "Inasmuch as
you did it to one of the least
00:11:25.61\00:11:27.85
of these my
brethren, you did it to me."
00:11:27.88\00:11:30.12
God wants us to care for those
who are suffering around us.
00:11:30.15\00:11:34.62
And in those six categories that
are mentioned, you can sort of
00:11:34.66\00:11:37.53
define all the
suffering of life.
00:11:37.56\00:11:40.76
If you live long enough,
at some point you'll get sick.
00:11:40.80\00:11:44.53
I remember meeting one or
two people in my life that said,
00:11:44.57\00:11:47.17
"I have never been
sick a day in my life.
00:11:47.20\00:11:49.44
I never missed a day of school.
00:11:49.47\00:11:51.44
I never missed a day of work
because of sickness," and I just
00:11:51.47\00:11:54.68
really was angry with
them that they never had that.
00:11:54.71\00:11:59.41
But in most people's lives,
there's gonna be some sickness
00:11:59.45\00:12:02.88
that will come.
00:12:02.92\00:12:04.32
There will be loss.
00:12:04.35\00:12:05.92
You know, unfortunately, in the
course of life, as time goes by,
00:12:05.95\00:12:09.92
you may have to
bury your parents.
00:12:09.96\00:12:14.56
You may have to stand
by the grave of a sibling.
00:12:14.60\00:12:17.87
You may have to, God forbid,
stand by the grave of a child,
00:12:17.90\00:12:21.67
a spouse.
00:12:21.70\00:12:23.94
And it's sort of in the
course of events that these
00:12:23.97\00:12:26.27
things happen.
00:12:26.31\00:12:27.64
There's
accidents, there's sickness.
00:12:27.68\00:12:29.11
How do we, as Christians, in
our families, deal with these
00:12:29.14\00:12:32.35
different kinds of loss?
00:12:32.38\00:12:34.02
Jean: Well, you know, the
Bible begins by describing a
00:12:34.05\00:12:36.05
beautiful paradise.
00:12:36.08\00:12:37.65
God created the
world. It was perfect.
00:12:37.69\00:12:40.49
He created a beautiful
garden, created Adam and Eve.
00:12:40.52\00:12:43.32
The garden was their home.
00:12:43.36\00:12:44.93
And then, after sin comes to the
picture, suddenly we begin to
00:12:44.96\00:12:48.33
see loss.
00:12:48.36\00:12:49.86
Adam and Eve lost
access to the tree of life.
00:12:49.90\00:12:52.63
They lost their robes of light.
00:12:52.67\00:12:55.17
They ended up losing the garden.
00:12:55.20\00:12:57.17
They ended up losing a son
as a result of murder, and then
00:12:57.21\00:13:01.48
eventually, as time went on, we
don't know who died first, but
00:13:01.51\00:13:05.98
whether it was Adam or
Eve we're not sure, but they
00:13:06.01\00:13:09.28
lost their spouse.
00:13:09.32\00:13:10.65
And so the Bible
begins by revealing to us
00:13:10.69\00:13:13.19
the consequences of sin.
00:13:13.22\00:13:14.96
One of those consequences is
that we live in a world where
00:13:14.99\00:13:17.29
there is loss,
where there is sorrow.
00:13:17.33\00:13:19.46
And yet, at the very beginning,
when we begin to read about
00:13:19.49\00:13:22.26
loss, we also read about hope
and the promise of a Redeemer,
00:13:22.30\00:13:26.00
and the promise that
one day, God is gonna make
00:13:26.03\00:13:28.70
all things new.
00:13:28.74\00:13:30.24
Doug: Yeah, when man was
evicted from the garden, he lost
00:13:30.27\00:13:32.71
access to the tree of life, and
then he lost his vitality and
00:13:32.74\00:13:36.78
began to die.
00:13:36.81\00:13:38.35
I'm sure there are some
herbalists out there that would
00:13:38.38\00:13:41.32
live to find out what was that
essence in the tree of life,
00:13:41.35\00:13:43.85
bottle it, and sell it.
00:13:43.89\00:13:45.45
You'll make a lot of money.
00:13:45.49\00:13:47.22
And a lot of people claim
they've found it, but I've not
00:13:47.26\00:13:48.89
really found any of 'em
to be telling the truth.
00:13:48.92\00:13:51.03
But the Bible then tells us in
the first three chapters, they
00:13:51.06\00:13:55.63
lose the tree of life, they
lose their life, their vitality.
00:13:55.66\00:13:59.30
The last three chapters of the
Bible, that tree is restored,
00:13:59.33\00:14:02.30
and eternity and
paradise are restored.
00:14:02.34\00:14:04.51
So, the Bible talks about
tremendous loss, and then it
00:14:04.54\00:14:07.41
ends with tremendous
restoration, which is
00:14:07.44\00:14:09.78
the good news.
00:14:09.81\00:14:11.38
And then we have some example.
00:14:11.41\00:14:13.15
Maybe Pastor Ross will read
the first one, loss of health.
00:14:13.18\00:14:15.82
You have some examples, and
it takes one story from Mark 5.
00:14:15.85\00:14:19.09
Why don't you read 22 to 24?
00:14:19.12\00:14:21.76
Jean: Mark chapter 5,
starting in verse 22, it's a
00:14:21.79\00:14:24.33
familiar story, it says:
"Behold, one of the rulers of
00:14:24.36\00:14:26.09
the synagogue
came, Jairus by name.
00:14:26.13\00:14:28.53
And when he saw him," that's
Jesus, "he fell at his feet and
00:14:28.56\00:14:31.63
he begged him earnestly, saying,
'My little daughter lies at the
00:14:31.67\00:14:35.77
point of death.
00:14:35.80\00:14:37.61
Come and lay your hand on
her, that she might be healed,
00:14:37.64\00:14:40.21
and she shall live.'
00:14:40.24\00:14:42.34
So Jesus went with
him, and a great multitude
00:14:42.38\00:14:45.11
followed him and thronged him."
00:14:45.15\00:14:47.92
Doug: Yeah, that's about the
hardest thing that anyone could
00:14:47.95\00:14:51.29
experience, is to watch your
children suffer, and especially
00:14:51.32\00:14:57.16
suffer at the point of breath,
you're wondering if one of those
00:14:57.19\00:15:01.56
breaths is gonna be their last.
00:15:01.60\00:15:04.23
You know, Ellen
White had four boys.
00:15:04.27\00:15:08.24
Two did not survive to
adulthood, and she describes the
00:15:08.27\00:15:12.91
incredible suffering.
00:15:12.94\00:15:14.61
I mean, here's a believer.
00:15:14.64\00:15:16.04
I thought that believers, you're
not supposed to have those kind
00:15:16.08\00:15:18.08
of experiences.
00:15:18.11\00:15:19.65
But God is gonna set angels
about your children, and they'll
00:15:19.68\00:15:21.95
never get sick, and they'll
never have an accident, but the
00:15:21.98\00:15:24.22
Bible doesn't teach that.
00:15:24.25\00:15:25.75
This is a leader of the
synagogue, and he seems to be a
00:15:25.79\00:15:29.02
good man, and he's got a
daughter at the point of death.
00:15:29.06\00:15:32.66
And then, on the way to
resurrect--or on the way to heal
00:15:32.69\00:15:37.97
her daughter, Jesus is stopped
because he's being thronged by
00:15:38.00\00:15:41.30
this crowd.
00:15:41.34\00:15:42.70
And very quickly, I'll throw in
this story, and then I'll have
00:15:42.74\00:15:44.74
you read the
remaining verses there.
00:15:44.77\00:15:46.51
You remember, this woman who had
been bleeding for 12 years, she
00:15:46.54\00:15:49.08
came and she stopped
him and she touched him.
00:15:49.11\00:15:52.01
And Jesus paused and he
explained that "your faith has
00:15:52.05\00:15:54.68
made you whole."
00:15:54.72\00:15:56.08
And she rehearses the story,
and it's, you know, a wonderful
00:15:56.12\00:15:59.22
example of healing.
00:15:59.25\00:16:01.86
But right after he heals that
woman who had been bleeding for
00:16:01.89\00:16:04.76
12 years, someone then comes
to Jarius--Jarius, Jairus, it's
00:16:04.79\00:16:08.30
said both ways.
00:16:08.33\00:16:09.93
And says, "Don't
trouble the Master anymore.
00:16:09.96\00:16:11.90
Your daughter's dead."
00:16:11.93\00:16:14.44
So you can
imagine his devastation.
00:16:14.47\00:16:16.91
And matter of fact, I'm
jumpin' into those verses.
00:16:16.94\00:16:19.71
I'll let you read 'em.
00:16:19.74\00:16:21.08
Jean: Yes, it starts in verse
35, still in Mark chapter 5.
00:16:21.11\00:16:23.75
It says: "While he was still
speaking, some came from the
00:16:23.78\00:16:26.15
ruler of the
synagogue's house and said,
00:16:26.18\00:16:29.35
'Your daughter is dead.
00:16:29.38\00:16:31.65
Why trouble the
Teacher any further?'
00:16:31.69\00:16:34.39
As soon as Jesus heard
00:16:34.42\00:16:35.76
the word that was spoken,
he said to the ruler of the
00:16:35.79\00:16:37.99
synagogue, 'Do not be
afraid; only believe.'
00:16:38.03\00:16:41.93
And he permitted no one
to follow him except Peter,
00:16:41.96\00:16:45.03
James, and John
the brother of James.
00:16:45.07\00:16:46.74
Then he came to the house of the
ruler of the synagogue, and he
00:16:46.77\00:16:50.04
saw a tumult and
these were those who wept
00:16:50.07\00:16:52.11
and wailed loudly.
00:16:52.14\00:16:54.84
Then he came in, and he
said to them, 'Why make you this
00:16:54.88\00:16:57.11
commotion and weep?
00:16:57.15\00:16:59.18
The child is not
dead, but sleeping.'
00:16:59.21\00:17:02.08
And they ridiculed him.
00:17:02.12\00:17:03.82
But when he had put them all
outside, he took the father and
00:17:03.85\00:17:06.05
the mother of the child,
and those who were with him, he
00:17:06.09\00:17:08.59
entered into where
the child was lying.
00:17:08.62\00:17:11.06
Then he took the child by the
hand, and said to her, 'Talitha,
00:17:11.09\00:17:15.10
cumi,' which
translated means, 'Little girl,
00:17:15.13\00:17:18.10
I say to you, arise.'
00:17:18.13\00:17:20.57
Immediately the girl
arose and walked, for she was
00:17:20.60\00:17:23.61
twelve years of age.
00:17:23.64\00:17:25.81
And they were
overcome with great amazement.
00:17:25.84\00:17:28.54
But he commanded them strictly
that no one should know it, and
00:17:28.58\00:17:31.58
said that something
should be given to her to eat."
00:17:31.61\00:17:35.85
Doug: Now, I have to guard
myself here that I just don't
00:17:35.88\00:17:38.62
launch off into a sermon 'cause
this is a sermon right here
00:17:38.65\00:17:41.92
waiting to be preached.
00:17:41.96\00:17:43.63
But I should probably
just say, what does sleep
00:17:43.66\00:17:48.00
represent biblically?
00:17:48.03\00:17:50.87
Jesus said, "Our
friend Lazarus sleeps."
00:17:50.90\00:17:53.74
And what did he mean
by that? "He's dead."
00:17:53.77\00:17:56.50
So this girl was dead.
Jesus called it, "Asleep."
00:17:56.54\00:17:59.11
Now, if you are a believer and
you lose a child, especially if
00:17:59.14\00:18:03.28
they die before the age of
accountability, how should you
00:18:03.31\00:18:05.95
look upon that child's death?
00:18:05.98\00:18:08.58
Are they dead, or are they
sleeping until the resurrection?
00:18:08.62\00:18:12.85
So that's one lesson we could
learn, and Jesus can raise those
00:18:12.89\00:18:15.92
who are sleeping.
00:18:15.96\00:18:18.09
The other thing is that he was
tempted to be discouraged by the
00:18:18.13\00:18:22.73
friends and
family at the funeral.
00:18:22.76\00:18:25.97
Have you ever noticed, sometimes
friends at the funeral don't
00:18:26.00\00:18:28.04
always say the most sensitive
things, and even family members?
00:18:28.07\00:18:32.07
And Jesus put 'em all out.
00:18:32.11\00:18:33.61
He said, "Look, you need to look
to me in this time of grieving
00:18:33.64\00:18:36.78
and have faith that
I am still with you."
00:18:36.81\00:18:40.02
And, of course, he works
a miracle and he raises this
00:18:40.05\00:18:43.08
little girl.
00:18:43.12\00:18:44.72
I also think it's interesting
that you have a woman who is
00:18:44.75\00:18:47.89
bleeding for 12 years, and she
is embedded in the story of a
00:18:47.92\00:18:53.86
young girl who is 12 years old.
00:18:53.90\00:18:55.60
And I've always seen in
that story you've kind of got an
00:18:55.63\00:18:57.87
overview of the plan of
salvation, the Old Testament.
00:18:57.90\00:19:02.14
You've got God's church with
a continual flow of sacrificial
00:19:02.17\00:19:05.54
blood, but they're not
healed by the blood of animals.
00:19:05.57\00:19:08.54
And then you've got
this girl who's 12 years old.
00:19:08.58\00:19:11.15
Twelve is the
number for the church.
00:19:11.18\00:19:12.85
Revelation 12, not that the
chapter means anything, you've
00:19:12.88\00:19:16.58
got a woman with 12 stars above
her head, and she's a symbol for
00:19:16.62\00:19:19.25
God's church.
00:19:19.29\00:19:20.82
New Jerusalem, 12 foundations,
12 gates, tree of life, 12 times
00:19:20.86\00:19:24.99
of fruit, 12 times a year.
00:19:25.03\00:19:26.49
That's the church.
00:19:26.53\00:19:27.86
And so here you've got,
like, the New Testament church
00:19:27.86\00:19:29.46
is that girl.
00:19:29.50\00:19:31.07
He resurrects her,
gives her something to eat.
00:19:31.10\00:19:32.57
The New Testament church is born
with the Resurrection of Christ,
00:19:32.60\00:19:35.64
and then he opens the Word,
gives her something to eat.
00:19:35.67\00:19:38.67
And so, this story has
got a much deeper meaning.
00:19:38.71\00:19:41.38
But I think it's also there just
to tell us that Jesus is there
00:19:41.41\00:19:45.88
with us to comfort us.
00:19:45.91\00:19:47.82
He says, "Do not weep."
00:19:47.85\00:19:49.28
He's trying to comfort
them during this time of
00:19:49.32\00:19:51.99
tremendous loss.
00:19:52.02\00:19:53.56
Now, we've got another story.
00:19:53.59\00:19:55.02
I don't know if you
wanna read this one.
00:19:55.06\00:19:56.62
Jean: We do, another one also
related to Jesus performing a
00:19:56.66\00:19:58.76
miracle, this time healing.
00:19:58.79\00:20:01.16
And this is not occurring
with a Jew, but it's rather
00:20:01.20\00:20:04.63
interesting, a woman that Jesus
encounters when he leaves the
00:20:04.67\00:20:07.40
territory that was
occupied by the Jews.
00:20:07.44\00:20:11.27
And as far as we know, he went
up into this area and performed
00:20:11.31\00:20:14.81
this one miracle and
then returned back home.
00:20:14.84\00:20:17.18
It's the only thing that we
know of that Jesus did when he
00:20:17.21\00:20:19.35
went up there.
00:20:19.38\00:20:20.75
And you'll find the story
in Matthew chapter 15, and it
00:20:20.78\00:20:24.25
starts in verse 21.
00:20:24.29\00:20:25.52
I'll just read a few of these
verses, and then, Pastor Doug,
00:20:25.55\00:20:27.32
you can expound
on that a little it.
00:20:27.36\00:20:29.22
It says: " Then Jesus went out
from there and departed to the
00:20:29.26\00:20:31.76
region of Tyre
and Sidon," or Sidon.
00:20:31.79\00:20:34.56
"And behold, a woman of Cana
came from the region and cried
00:20:34.56\00:20:37.63
unto him, saying, 'Have mercy
on me, O Lord, Son of David!
00:20:37.67\00:20:40.90
My daughter is
severely demon-possessed.'
00:20:40.94\00:20:43.74
But he answered her not a word.
00:20:43.77\00:20:45.74
And his disciples came and urged
him, saying, 'Send her away,
00:20:45.77\00:20:49.61
for she cries out after us.'
00:20:49.64\00:20:51.51
But Jesus answered and
said, 'I have not been sent
00:20:51.55\00:20:55.12
except to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel.'
00:20:55.15\00:20:57.39
Then she came and worshiped him,
saying, "'Yes, Lord,'" but she
00:20:57.42\00:21:02.52
said, "'Even the little
dogs eat the crumbs which fall
00:21:02.56\00:21:06.53
from the masters' table.'
00:21:06.56\00:21:08.20
Then Jesus
answered and said to her,
00:21:08.23\00:21:10.13
'O woman, great is your faith!
00:21:10.17\00:21:12.43
Let it be to you as you desire.'
00:21:12.47\00:21:14.80
And her daughter was
healed from that very hour."
00:21:14.84\00:21:18.21
Doug: Yeah, now, that's a
difficult story because, you
00:21:18.24\00:21:23.41
know, most of the time, when
someone asked Jesus for help,
00:21:23.45\00:21:26.68
he helps 'em.
00:21:26.72\00:21:28.22
Here this woman is pleading
on behalf of her daughter, who's
00:21:28.25\00:21:30.75
terribly harassed by a devil,
and he said, "It's not good to
00:21:30.79\00:21:35.29
take the children's bread and
throw it to the little dogs."
00:21:35.32\00:21:38.53
Have you ever wondered sometimes
why the Lord doesn't seem to
00:21:38.56\00:21:41.46
answer your prayer right away?
00:21:41.50\00:21:44.13
Why did he give such
a harsh answer to her?
00:21:44.17\00:21:47.74
First of all, I think that he's
trying to teach the disciples a
00:21:47.77\00:21:52.87
lesson because the disciples
believed the Gentiles were dogs.
00:21:52.91\00:21:57.11
You remember that the poor
man was at the rich man's door,
00:21:57.15\00:22:02.72
begging to be fed with the
crumbs that fell from his table,
00:22:02.75\00:22:05.19
and the dogs came
and licked his sores.
00:22:05.22\00:22:07.76
And in New Jerusalem, it
says, "Outside of the dogs--"
00:22:07.79\00:22:11.26
They always thought that
the unbelievers, the pagans, the
00:22:11.29\00:22:13.29
Gentiles were the dogs.
00:22:13.33\00:22:15.46
And so Jesus is giving her
an answer the way the religious
00:22:15.50\00:22:18.87
leaders would have answered
her, and he wanted to show the
00:22:18.90\00:22:23.57
disciples--for one
thing, he's testing her faith.
00:22:23.61\00:22:26.27
He's also wanting to
show the disciples how harsh
00:22:26.31\00:22:28.24
their view is.
00:22:28.28\00:22:30.18
And he said, "No, it's
not appropriate to take the
00:22:30.21\00:22:32.05
children's food and
give it to the dogs.
00:22:32.08\00:22:33.82
I'm only sent to
the house of Israel."
00:22:33.85\00:22:35.78
But one more thing I
just gotta interject here.
00:22:35.82\00:22:39.05
Jesus, like Elijah--do you know,
Elijah went and stayed with
00:22:39.09\00:22:43.53
a widow in Tyre and
Sidon, and he worked a miracle
00:22:43.56\00:22:47.20
of a resurrection?
00:22:47.23\00:22:48.96
Here, Jesus makes this one
trip outside of the territory of
00:22:49.00\00:22:52.40
Israel, and he performs
a miracle for this woman
00:22:52.43\00:22:55.20
for her child as well.
00:22:55.24\00:22:57.31
So he's doing kinda the work
Elijah did, showing that his
00:22:57.34\00:23:00.88
ministry also is
gonna go to the Gentiles.
00:23:00.91\00:23:03.75
But does the Lord always answer
our prayers the first prayer?
00:23:03.78\00:23:08.12
He gave her an answer.
00:23:08.15\00:23:11.42
She could have thrown
up her hands and said,
00:23:11.45\00:23:13.42
"I'm going home."
00:23:13.46\00:23:14.76
But she persisted.
00:23:14.79\00:23:16.42
When you're
interceding for your loved ones,
00:23:16.46\00:23:18.56
don't be discouraged.
00:23:18.59\00:23:21.03
Don't lose faith.
00:23:21.06\00:23:22.66
You're praying for
your children, you may have
00:23:22.70\00:23:24.13
to pray for years.
00:23:24.17\00:23:25.50
Praying for a spouse or a parent
or a sibling or somebody that
00:23:25.53\00:23:27.14
doesn't know the Lord.
00:23:27.17\00:23:28.90
They seem to be spiritually
harassed, or maybe they're
00:23:28.94\00:23:31.17
struggling, persistent
prayer, plead after Jesus.
00:23:31.21\00:23:35.58
She would not be
discouraged by his answer.
00:23:35.61\00:23:40.48
She said, "Yes, Lord, but even
the little dogs," here she says,
00:23:40.52\00:23:43.72
"Puppies," "eat the crumbs.
00:23:43.75\00:23:46.05
Give us some crumbs."
00:23:46.09\00:23:48.02
And Jesus said, "O
woman, great is your faith!"
00:23:48.06\00:23:50.29
You know, a couple of times,
Christ commends people for their
00:23:50.33\00:23:51.89
great faith, and
they're Gentiles.
00:23:51.93\00:23:55.10
You remember the centurion?
00:23:55.13\00:23:56.93
Said, "You don't even
need to come to my house."
00:23:56.97\00:23:58.57
He said, he paused, he
marveled, "What great faith!"
00:23:58.60\00:24:01.57
And this woman said, "Yeah,
but you could at least give
00:24:01.60\00:24:04.37
us some crumbs."
00:24:04.41\00:24:06.24
He says, "What great faith!"
00:24:06.27\00:24:07.91
So, sometimes the Lord tests us
because he's looking for what?
00:24:07.94\00:24:11.21
Strength in our faith by delay.
00:24:11.25\00:24:16.15
Don't be discouraged
if your prayers are not
00:24:16.18\00:24:17.82
answered right away.
00:24:17.85\00:24:19.39
Sometimes your faith grows.
00:24:19.42\00:24:20.89
Muscles don't grow overnight.
00:24:20.92\00:24:22.26
It usually takes time.
00:24:22.29\00:24:24.16
You have
anything to add to that?
00:24:24.19\00:24:25.73
Jean: I was just gonna say
that it's interesting that you
00:24:25.76\00:24:27.03
find in these examples is that
you have the parent interceding
00:24:27.10\00:24:30.67
on behalf of their child.
00:24:30.70\00:24:32.77
Well, how true that
is in a spiritual sense.
00:24:32.80\00:24:34.37
I'm sure there's many times
where parents intercede for the
00:24:34.40\00:24:38.17
health of their children.
00:24:38.21\00:24:39.77
But how much more is it where
parents are interceding for the
00:24:39.81\00:24:42.71
spiritual health
of their children?
00:24:42.74\00:24:44.88
And the lesson is, we
are not to give up, right?
00:24:44.91\00:24:47.42
We are to be persistent in
bringing our prayer requests
00:24:47.45\00:24:50.19
before the Lord.
00:24:50.22\00:24:51.82
Not that God is
unwilling to answer it, but our
00:24:51.85\00:24:53.99
faith needs to grow.
00:24:54.02\00:24:56.02
We need to grasp ahold of
that wonderful promise and
00:24:56.06\00:24:58.39
cling to it.
00:24:58.43\00:24:59.96
So, some
important lessons there.
00:25:00.06\00:25:01.33
Well, we have another story
dealing with the subject of
00:25:01.36\00:25:03.63
sickness and family loss, and
a miracle that Jesus performed.
00:25:03.67\00:25:08.90
This is in Luke
chapter 4, verse 38.
00:25:08.94\00:25:11.61
It say: "Now he arose from the
synagogue and he entered into
00:25:11.64\00:25:14.54
Simon's house.
00:25:14.58\00:25:15.98
But Simon's wife's mother was
sick with a fever, and they made
00:25:16.01\00:25:19.35
the request of
him concerning her.
00:25:19.38\00:25:21.78
So he stood over her and rebuked
the fever, and it left her.
00:25:21.82\00:25:25.42
And immediately she
arose and served them."
00:25:25.45\00:25:28.02
You know, I find it interesting.
00:25:28.06\00:25:29.86
In this story, we have Jesus
calling the first disciples.
00:25:29.89\00:25:33.29
This is right at the beginning
of Christ's public ministry, and
00:25:33.33\00:25:35.96
here Peter is, and Christ
has called him to give up his
00:25:36.00\00:25:39.77
fishing for fish and
come be a fisher of men.
00:25:39.80\00:25:43.27
And Peter might have
thought, "Well, Lord,
00:25:43.30\00:25:44.81
what about my family?
00:25:44.84\00:25:46.21
How am I gonna provide for those
who are dependent upon him?"
00:25:46.24\00:25:49.11
And I think in this miracle
where Jesus healed Peter's
00:25:49.14\00:25:52.41
mother-in-law, Christ is
illustrating the truth that if
00:25:52.45\00:25:55.72
God calls us to a special work
or service for him, he's very
00:25:55.75\00:25:59.22
aware of the needs of our family
and those who are dependent upon
00:25:59.25\00:26:03.43
us, and he will provide for the
needs--not only for our needs,
00:26:03.46\00:26:07.03
but also for our loved ones.
00:26:07.10\00:26:09.60
And so there's comfort
and encouragement, I think,
00:26:09.63\00:26:11.13
in that story.
00:26:11.17\00:26:12.83
Doug: Yeah, this
also is as reminder.
00:26:12.87\00:26:14.90
Peter had invited
Jesus to stay in his house.
00:26:14.94\00:26:19.87
If Jesus is in your house, it's
to Jesus's advantage to heal the
00:26:19.91\00:26:25.55
people in the house.
00:26:25.58\00:26:27.05
Why did he heal her?
00:26:27.08\00:26:29.15
I shouldn't say just why he
healed her, but you notice after
00:26:29.18\00:26:31.62
he healed her, she served him.
00:26:31.65\00:26:33.09
It says, "Soon as she was
healed, she got up and served."
00:26:33.12\00:26:35.86
Why does God heal
us? So we can serve him.
00:26:35.89\00:26:39.36
And so, if you want healing,
then invite the Lord into your
00:26:39.39\00:26:43.67
house and into your heart.
00:26:43.70\00:26:45.20
Your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit.
00:26:45.23\00:26:46.70
And then be willing to
use your healing to serve him.
00:26:46.74\00:26:50.27
Some people say, "Lord,
heal me, heal me, heal me.
00:26:50.31\00:26:52.24
I can't enjoy my
sin anymore, I'm sick."
00:26:52.27\00:26:54.31
I mean, really, that's--you know
a lot of people that are out
00:26:54.34\00:26:57.55
there and when
they're sick--they're not
00:26:57.58\00:26:58.88
servin' the Lord.
00:26:58.91\00:27:00.45
They're sick and they
want healing, but why do they
00:27:00.48\00:27:01.95
want healing?
00:27:01.98\00:27:03.28
So they can enjoy sin again.
00:27:03.32\00:27:04.62
And that's not why we
should pray for healing.
00:27:04.65\00:27:07.62
We should say, "Lord, I wanna
be healed so I can serve you."
00:27:07.66\00:27:10.56
Now, here's something tough.
00:27:10.59\00:27:12.39
Would you ask the Lord
to make you sick if it would
00:27:12.43\00:27:13.93
glorify him?
00:27:13.96\00:27:18.03
Some people glorify
God through their health.
00:27:18.07\00:27:20.34
Some people glorify
God through their sickness.
00:27:20.37\00:27:23.07
God told Paul when he prayed,
said, "I've got this thorn
00:27:23.10\00:27:26.41
that's tormenting me.
00:27:26.44\00:27:27.88
Lord, please heal me."
00:27:27.91\00:27:29.91
I mean, here Paul prayed,
and other people were healed,
00:27:29.94\00:27:31.65
but he had something.
00:27:31.68\00:27:33.28
And three times God said,
"No, my strength is made perfect
00:27:33.31\00:27:36.25
in weakness.
00:27:36.28\00:27:37.72
You're gonna glorify me better
through your sickness or through
00:27:37.75\00:27:41.49
your malady," whatever it was.
00:27:41.52\00:27:43.29
Jean: And before we move on
to the next section, which is
00:27:43.32\00:27:45.63
Monday's lesson, talking
about "Loss of Trust," just one
00:27:45.66\00:27:48.73
additional point.
00:27:48.76\00:27:51.10
We need to keep in
perspective the suffering that
00:27:51.13\00:27:53.70
we go through.
00:27:53.74\00:27:55.14
I know it's difficult when we go
through suffering, but we wanna
00:27:55.17\00:27:56.50
keep that in perspective.
00:27:56.54\00:27:58.04
I remember my father, a number
of years ago, had a very serious
00:27:58.07\00:28:01.24
illness, and at the time
it didn't look very promising.
00:28:01.28\00:28:04.91
We had a special anointing
service for him, and during this
00:28:04.95\00:28:07.85
time, we were praying, and
our church was praying, and
00:28:07.88\00:28:12.15
he had a dream.
00:28:12.19\00:28:13.89
And in the dream, he saw himself
standing on the seashore, and he
00:28:13.92\00:28:19.09
was holding in his hand a glass,
and it was filled with water.
00:28:19.13\00:28:23.40
But then he noticed a crack down
the side of the glass, and some
00:28:23.43\00:28:26.40
of the water was
coming out of the crack.
00:28:26.43\00:28:28.57
And in his mind, he felt as
though the water was his life,
00:28:28.60\00:28:31.71
and the crack was there and the
water was running out as if his
00:28:31.74\00:28:34.44
life is just,
you know, going away.
00:28:34.48\00:28:37.55
And he's trying to stop
somehow the water from coming
00:28:37.58\00:28:39.71
from the glass.
00:28:39.75\00:28:41.32
And then he had an impression
in his dream to look up.
00:28:41.35\00:28:44.22
And he looked up, and he saw
the ocean spread out before him.
00:28:44.25\00:28:47.59
And the conviction came to him,
"You are so worried about this
00:28:47.62\00:28:49.86
little bit of life that you have
right here, trying to protect
00:28:49.89\00:28:53.50
it, but God has an
eternity in store for you."
00:28:53.53\00:28:57.90
And it brought a degree of
peace, knowing that, yes, God
00:28:57.93\00:29:00.44
does have things in control.
00:29:00.47\00:29:02.30
This world and this life is not
all we have, but if our faith is
00:29:02.34\00:29:05.27
in Jesus, there is hope
for something much better.
00:29:05.31\00:29:08.51
Now, I think, as Christians,
we need to keep that in mind.
00:29:08.54\00:29:11.28
It gives us perspective.
00:29:11.31\00:29:13.01
Doug: Amen, good point.
00:29:13.05\00:29:14.78
Next section is "Loss of Trust,"
and this is difficult, but does
00:29:14.82\00:29:19.35
the Bible tell us that sometimes
there's loss in trust in
00:29:19.39\00:29:25.73
families, a sense of betrayal?
00:29:25.76\00:29:30.67
Yeah, you can look at a
number of examples about this.
00:29:30.70\00:29:35.14
Matter of fact, you've
got "Loss of Trust Part 1" and
00:29:35.17\00:29:38.87
"Loss of Trust Part Two."
00:29:38.91\00:29:41.08
I almost feel like I need to
go to "Loss of Trust Part 2,"
00:29:41.11\00:29:45.15
start with that, and
then go back to the solutions,
00:29:45.18\00:29:46.61
which are in part 1.
00:29:46.65\00:29:48.38
What happened to Joseph?
00:29:48.42\00:29:51.35
Not Joseph the
mother--or the father of Jesus.
00:29:51.39\00:29:56.76
I'm talking about
Joseph the son of Jacob.
00:29:56.79\00:29:59.49
Was he betrayed by his family?
00:29:59.53\00:30:01.96
Was there a loss of trust?
00:30:02.00\00:30:04.40
And can that be difficult?
00:30:04.43\00:30:06.70
You can read here
in Genesis chapter 37.
00:30:06.74\00:30:08.70
You wanna read
that, Pastor Ross?
00:30:08.74\00:30:10.11
Jean: Genesis chapter
37, starting in verse 27.
00:30:10.14\00:30:16.71
It says: "'Come and
let us sell him,'" this is
00:30:16.75\00:30:18.65
the brothers of Joseph.
00:30:18.68\00:30:21.08
"'Come let us sell him to
the Ishmaelites, and let not our
00:30:21.12\00:30:24.39
hand be upon him, for he
is our brother and our flesh.'
00:30:24.42\00:30:27.32
And his brothers listened.
00:30:27.36\00:30:29.09
Then the Midianite traders
passed by; so the brothers
00:30:29.12\00:30:32.19
pulled Joseph up and lifted him
up out of the pit, and sold him
00:30:32.23\00:30:35.56
to the Ishmaelites for
twelve shekels of silver.
00:30:35.60\00:30:39.53
And they took Joseph to Egypt."
00:30:39.57\00:30:41.34
What an experience, being,
first of all, grabbed by your
00:30:41.37\00:30:44.31
brothers, thrown in the point.
00:30:44.34\00:30:45.94
You hear them conspiring to
put you death, and then you get
00:30:45.97\00:30:49.58
dragged out and get sold
as a slave from your brothers.
00:30:49.61\00:30:53.21
Talk about betrayal.
00:30:53.25\00:30:55.22
Doug: Yeah, and they took the
money and probably wasted it,
00:30:55.25\00:30:58.55
spent it on something foolish.
00:30:58.59\00:31:01.06
And he lost his freedom.
00:31:01.09\00:31:03.22
Not only did he end up
becoming a slave, he spent years
00:31:03.26\00:31:05.89
in prison.
00:31:05.93\00:31:07.23
Now, how would you be
feeling during those times?
00:31:07.23\00:31:11.57
Would you be brooding over how
to get even with your brothers?
00:31:11.60\00:31:14.64
Would you be wishing
bad things and wrath to come
00:31:14.67\00:31:18.24
down upon them?
00:31:18.27\00:31:20.08
Well, how did
Joseph end up responding?
00:31:20.11\00:31:22.38
Well, he kinda
tested his brothers, but did
00:31:22.41\00:31:26.68
he forgive them?
00:31:26.72\00:31:28.32
Yeah, Matthew chapter 6.
00:31:28.35\00:31:30.95
Now I'm going back to
"Loss of Trust Part 1."
00:31:30.99\00:31:32.99
Matthew 6:14: "'If you forgive
men their trespasses, your
00:31:33.02\00:31:37.56
heavenly Father
will also forgive you.
00:31:37.59\00:31:40.10
But if you do not forgive men
their trespasses, neither will
00:31:40.13\00:31:43.13
your Father
forgive your trespasses.'"
00:31:43.16\00:31:45.73
So one of the keys is we've
gotta practice forgiveness.
00:31:45.77\00:31:50.01
Now, this can be tough.
00:31:50.04\00:31:51.74
When Jacob stole his brother's
birthright--we've just talkin'
00:31:51.77\00:31:55.58
about these in our
prayer meeting during the week.
00:31:55.61\00:31:58.25
What was Esau's
initial reaction?
00:31:58.28\00:32:01.52
Jean: He was ready to
take his brother's life.
00:32:01.55\00:32:04.69
Doug: Wanted to kill him at
first, and he probably thought
00:32:04.72\00:32:07.19
that for years.
00:32:07.22\00:32:08.82
But finally, when Jacob came
home, and Jacob was wrestling
00:32:08.86\00:32:11.76
with the angel and praying,
I think some angels went and
00:32:11.79\00:32:14.96
talked to Esau.
00:32:15.00\00:32:16.50
And then Jacob sent all of these
gifts to show he was sorry, that
00:32:16.53\00:32:19.63
he wasn't coming to take
his father's inheritance,
00:32:19.67\00:32:21.87
he had plenty.
00:32:21.90\00:32:23.71
And finally softened
Esau's heart, and they embraced
00:32:23.74\00:32:26.37
each other.
00:32:26.41\00:32:28.51
Jean: You know, Pastor Doug,
I like the response with--and
00:32:28.54\00:32:30.58
this, I think, is just
so powerful to give us a
00:32:30.61\00:32:33.82
perspective of a person that
has hope and faith in Christ.
00:32:33.85\00:32:37.42
After the death of Joseph's
father Jacob, the brothers, this
00:32:37.45\00:32:43.06
is still in Egypt, they began to
think about what they had done,
00:32:43.09\00:32:46.90
and they got a little nervous,
thinking, "Now that Jacob is
00:32:46.93\00:32:49.60
gone, probably if Joseph's
gonna take revenge on us,
00:32:49.63\00:32:52.00
it's gonna be now."
00:32:52.03\00:32:53.50
So they came very humbly before
Joseph, bowing before him, and
00:32:53.54\00:32:56.97
basically asking for mercy.
00:32:57.01\00:32:59.04
And Joseph
says--you know, they say,
00:32:59.07\00:33:01.28
"Please don't take revenge."
00:33:01.31\00:33:02.81
I'm paraphrasing.
00:33:02.84\00:33:04.41
And I like the
response of Joseph.
00:33:04.45\00:33:05.95
He says, "You intended it for
evil, but God intended it for
00:33:05.98\00:33:09.92
good," to save life.
00:33:09.95\00:33:12.19
And of course, it was through
Joseph that his family's life
00:33:12.22\00:33:16.09
was spared.
00:33:16.12\00:33:17.46
And that's Joseph's perspective.
00:33:17.49\00:33:19.03
He had given his life to God.
00:33:19.06\00:33:20.63
He trusted in God and
that God would work things out.
00:33:20.66\00:33:23.63
And at the end, there's no
hostility between Joseph and his
00:33:23.67\00:33:26.07
brothers, but he
genuinely forgives them.
00:33:26.10\00:33:29.07
I think that can only
really happen if we genuinely
00:33:29.10\00:33:31.24
understand God's forgiveness
of us that we're able
00:33:31.27\00:33:33.88
to forgive others.
00:33:33.91\00:33:35.44
Doug: Yeah, Joseph even
wept when they came to him.
00:33:35.48\00:33:38.31
He wept that they thought that
he would do something like that.
00:33:38.35\00:33:42.78
And that leads us to
James 5, verse 16: "Confess your
00:33:42.82\00:33:46.96
trespasses one to another and
pray for one another that you
00:33:46.99\00:33:50.83
may be healed.
00:33:50.86\00:33:52.36
The effective, fervent prayer
of a righteous man avails much."
00:33:52.39\00:33:56.06
And the word "effective,
fervent" is talking about
00:33:56.10\00:33:57.97
ongoing prayer,
persistent prayer.
00:33:58.00\00:34:00.57
I won't ask you to raise
your hands, but have you known a
00:34:00.60\00:34:04.74
family where people in the
family don't talk to each other?
00:34:04.77\00:34:08.38
It's kinda sad, isn't it?
00:34:08.41\00:34:11.25
My mother--I can talk about
them, I guess, respectfully now.
00:34:11.28\00:34:14.42
My mother and my grandmother
did not talk for nine years.
00:34:14.45\00:34:19.12
They had an argument.
00:34:19.15\00:34:20.49
It was difficult too 'cause my
mom would send my brother and I
00:34:20.52\00:34:22.22
to California from New York City
to visit Grandma and back again,
00:34:22.26\00:34:25.96
but she'd never
communicate with her.
00:34:25.99\00:34:27.50
They had some
argument about somethin'.
00:34:27.56\00:34:29.16
I don't even know what it was.
00:34:29.20\00:34:30.97
I really don't.
00:34:31.00\00:34:32.43
Finally, one day my brother got
on the phone with Grandma and he
00:34:32.47\00:34:35.34
said, "Here, talk to Mom."
00:34:35.37\00:34:39.04
And he was just, he was like
11 years old, and he thrusts the
00:34:39.07\00:34:40.84
phone over to my mother.
00:34:40.88\00:34:43.01
And she took the phone, and they
said a couple of grudging words.
00:34:43.04\00:34:46.05
And then, all of a
sudden, it broke the ice.
00:34:46.08\00:34:48.08
They became good friends again.
00:34:48.12\00:34:50.52
But, yeah, you've
probably known that.
00:34:50.55\00:34:52.62
Family members, they just can't
forgive, or, "You betrayed me,"
00:34:52.65\00:34:55.29
or siblings, they
don't talk for years.
00:34:55.32\00:34:58.89
And now there may be
cases--let's suppose you're a
00:34:58.93\00:35:03.60
believer and you got a family
member that's not a believer,
00:35:03.63\00:35:06.13
and whenever you're with them,
they just ridicule your faith
00:35:06.17\00:35:08.84
and it's just almost impossible.
00:35:08.87\00:35:10.81
I've known cases where
people have told me what
00:35:10.84\00:35:12.14
the situation was.
00:35:12.17\00:35:13.71
I said, "You may need to just
pray for them and decide that
00:35:13.74\00:35:16.51
you've gotta live a life without
bein' involved in their life."
00:35:16.54\00:35:19.38
There are cases where it's just
really hard to reconcile, but
00:35:19.41\00:35:23.75
you don't wanna harbor
any bitterness in your heart.
00:35:23.79\00:35:26.22
As far as possible, especially
if you're Christians, you should
00:35:26.25\00:35:29.82
try to be able to
communicate and love each other.
00:35:29.86\00:35:33.63
Jean: You know, Pastor Doug,
I remember we did a series of
00:35:33.66\00:35:36.10
meetings, I think it was
Romania, and you spoke on the
00:35:36.13\00:35:39.67
subject of forgiveness,
if you'll remember that.
00:35:39.70\00:35:41.77
And afterwards, somebody related
a story that there was two
00:35:41.80\00:35:44.07
brothers, if I understand it
correctly, and a dad there, and
00:35:44.11\00:35:48.14
the father and one of
the sons had not spoken for a
00:35:48.18\00:35:51.48
very long time.
00:35:51.51\00:35:52.98
They all claimed to be
Christians, hadn't spoken
00:35:53.01\00:35:55.08
for years.
00:35:55.12\00:35:56.48
Doug: Went to the same church.
00:35:56.52\00:35:58.02
Jean: Went to the same church.
00:35:58.05\00:35:59.35
You wonder how you
could even do that.
00:35:59.39\00:36:00.76
But during this sermon on
forgiveness that Pastor Doug was
00:36:00.79\00:36:04.23
preaching, somewhere along
the line, one of the brothers
00:36:04.26\00:36:07.10
motioned to his brother and
he said, and he pointed to his
00:36:07.13\00:36:11.10
father, "Can you call dad?"
00:36:11.13\00:36:13.94
And I guess--I don't know if he
did the same thing to his dad--
00:36:13.97\00:36:16.24
Doug: And they called
after the service, yeah.
00:36:16.27\00:36:17.74
Jean: They called, and there
was an opportunity for 'em.
00:36:17.77\00:36:19.31
Doug: I don't know how it
worked out, but I guess they
00:36:19.34\00:36:20.68
finally decided to communicate.
00:36:20.71\00:36:22.11
Jean: Finally, yes,
and these are Christians.
00:36:22.14\00:36:23.51
So, I mean, talk about
Christians and being loving and
00:36:23.55\00:36:25.95
forgiving, that's something
that I think especially needs to
00:36:25.98\00:36:28.42
begin with families.
00:36:28.45\00:36:30.39
We need to be able to
forgive and love our family.
00:36:30.42\00:36:33.25
Doug: What's the
number-one attribute of God?
00:36:33.29\00:36:36.26
"God is love."
00:36:36.29\00:36:38.73
And we should have that love.
00:36:38.76\00:36:41.10
You look in 1 John 4:18.
00:36:41.13\00:36:42.90
It says: "There is no fear in
love; but perfect love casts out
00:36:42.93\00:36:47.74
fear, because
fear involves torment.
00:36:47.77\00:36:50.21
But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love."
00:36:50.24\00:36:54.08
When you look in Ephesians
chapter 4, verse 32, and Pastor
00:36:54.11\00:36:57.91
Ross, I'll have you read in
a moment Colossians 3, verse 12
00:36:57.95\00:37:01.42
and 13 because they're similar.
00:37:01.45\00:37:03.08
Ephesians 4, verse 32: "Be kind
to one another, tenderhearted,
00:37:03.12\00:37:07.76
forgiving one another, just
as God in Christ forgave you."
00:37:07.79\00:37:11.96
[whistling]
00:37:11.99\00:37:13.36
How do we forgive each
other the way God forgives us?
00:37:13.40\00:37:15.56
That's pretty
complete forgiveness.
00:37:15.60\00:37:17.37
But he's sayin' that "how
merciful has God been with you?
00:37:17.40\00:37:20.27
Pass it on.
00:37:20.30\00:37:21.84
If you wanna
keep his forgiveness,
00:37:21.87\00:37:23.34
you gotta pass it on."
00:37:23.37\00:37:25.14
Jean: We find something
similar in Colossians chapter 3,
00:37:25.17\00:37:28.04
verse 12 and 13: "Therefore, as
the elect of God," he's talking
00:37:28.08\00:37:30.58
to the church, "holy and
beloved, put on tender mercies,
00:37:30.61\00:37:34.05
kindness, humility, meekness,
longsuffering; bearing with one
00:37:34.08\00:37:37.92
another, and forgiving
one another, if anyone has a
00:37:37.95\00:37:41.99
complaint against another; even
as Christ forgave you, so you
00:37:42.02\00:37:46.23
also must do."
00:37:46.26\00:37:48.80
Of course, that can be a tall
order, especially if you've been
00:37:48.83\00:37:50.87
deeply hurt by a family
member or a close friend.
00:37:50.90\00:37:54.94
And it does require
prayer and a time of healing.
00:37:54.97\00:37:59.87
But that's what
God wants us to do.
00:37:59.91\00:38:02.81
He wants to give us the grace
and the ability to forgive.
00:38:02.84\00:38:06.55
Now, when we talk about
forgiving someone, it doesn't
00:38:06.58\00:38:08.62
mean that--you've heard the
saying, "Forgive and forget."
00:38:08.65\00:38:11.15
Well, that's
not always the case.
00:38:11.19\00:38:13.25
I mean, sometimes things have
been done that you just can't
00:38:13.29\00:38:15.46
forgive, but in forgiving
someone, you're letting it go.
00:38:15.49\00:38:18.96
You're not brooding.
00:38:18.99\00:38:20.36
You're not thinking on it.
00:38:20.40\00:38:21.70
You're not allowing it
to eat you up in the inside.
00:38:21.73\00:38:23.90
You've turned it over to the
Lord, and you've forgiven them.
00:38:23.93\00:38:28.07
And then, if they don't respond,
if they don't give back that
00:38:28.10\00:38:31.54
forgiveness, you
leave it with the Lord.
00:38:31.57\00:38:33.74
As far as you're
concerned, you wanna have peace
00:38:33.78\00:38:37.35
as far as possible.
00:38:37.38\00:38:38.85
Doug: Yeah,
you're doing your part.
00:38:38.88\00:38:40.42
Part of the reason you forgive
them is not just for them.
00:38:40.45\00:38:43.82
It's for you because
the bitterness hurts you.
00:38:43.85\00:38:47.69
He who practices vengeance digs
two graves, you know, one for
00:38:47.72\00:38:54.56
your enemy and one for yourself.
00:38:54.60\00:38:57.13
And so, can you think of
some examples in the Bible
00:38:57.17\00:38:58.87
of family feuds?
00:38:58.90\00:39:01.10
Who was the man after
God's own heart in the Bible?
00:39:01.14\00:39:05.87
David, did he have any
problems in the family?
00:39:05.91\00:39:09.18
Did he have a son
that wanted to kill him?
00:39:09.21\00:39:12.21
What was the final attitude of
David towards Absalom who wanted
00:39:12.25\00:39:16.25
to kill him?
00:39:16.28\00:39:17.89
He said, "Deal gently with the
young man Absalom," and when he
00:39:17.92\00:39:21.06
died, he wept for him.
00:39:21.09\00:39:22.76
He didn't say, "Good riddance."
00:39:22.79\00:39:24.56
And so he had that love.
00:39:24.59\00:39:26.86
Look at that, that patient
love of a father for a son that
00:39:26.90\00:39:28.73
wants to kill you.
00:39:28.76\00:39:31.60
I mean, that's pretty--it
tells us something about the
00:39:31.63\00:39:33.30
love of God.
00:39:33.34\00:39:34.94
Go ahead.
00:39:34.97\00:39:36.34
Jean: Yeah, just to kinda add
to that, even though we find in
00:39:36.37\00:39:37.81
the Bible some terrible accounts
of family feuds, we can also see
00:39:37.84\00:39:42.68
in the Bible opportunities
of restoration and healing, even
00:39:42.71\00:39:45.61
through some very
difficult experiences and times.
00:39:45.65\00:39:47.72
The one that I like particularly
is the one we already
00:39:47.75\00:39:49.75
referenced, with reference to
Joseph forgiving his brothers.
00:39:49.78\00:39:52.79
I think that's a beautiful
demonstration of God's love and
00:39:52.82\00:39:55.92
his ability to
restore and make whole.
00:39:55.96\00:39:58.96
And we have many other examples
where, yes, relationships were
00:39:58.99\00:40:02.20
strained, but God was still able
to work through that experience.
00:40:02.23\00:40:06.10
Doug: Yeah, and then you've
got another example going back
00:40:06.13\00:40:08.14
to where it says,
"Lost of Trust continued."
00:40:08.17\00:40:10.87
One of David's sons, Amnon,
abused his half-sister Tamar,
00:40:10.91\00:40:19.85
which was the
full sister of Absalom.
00:40:19.88\00:40:22.62
And that caused
all kinds of problems.
00:40:22.65\00:40:24.65
And eventually,
Absalom killed Amnon.
00:40:24.69\00:40:27.32
And you just look at some of
the--yeah, I mean, it doesn't
00:40:27.36\00:40:31.69
get any more serious than that.
00:40:31.73\00:40:34.10
Just some of the terrible things
that you saw happen in families.
00:40:34.10\00:40:37.07
And I've had people, I've
preached on sermons--the sermon
00:40:37.10\00:40:39.73
I've got on forgiveness I preach
frequently if I go to a new
00:40:39.77\00:40:42.04
place and do a revival 'cause
I find it's just, it's such a
00:40:42.07\00:40:44.07
sensitive and a
necessary subject.
00:40:44.11\00:40:48.08
But then people come to me
afterward and they say, "Well,
00:40:48.11\00:40:49.98
Pastor Doug, surely God
doesn't expect me to forgive.
00:40:50.01\00:40:52.51
If you knew what my father or my
mother did to me," and then I'll
00:40:52.55\00:40:56.22
hear these horrific stories
and I'll say, "Well, look at
00:40:56.25\00:41:02.82
Manasseh."
00:41:02.86\00:41:04.73
I don't know, is
Manasseh in our lesson?
00:41:04.76\00:41:07.00
Yeah, yeah, you can
read about Manasseh.
00:41:07.03\00:41:11.00
It says in 2 Kings chapter 21,
"He made his son pass through
00:41:11.03\00:41:15.77
the fire.
00:41:15.80\00:41:17.21
He practiced soothsaying,
used witchcraft, consulted
00:41:17.24\00:41:19.81
spiritualists and mediums, did
much evil in the sight of the
00:41:19.84\00:41:22.58
Lord to anger."
00:41:22.61\00:41:24.21
Sacrificed his
children to pagan gods.
00:41:24.25\00:41:26.11
I mean, that would be the
unpardonable sin, you'd think.
00:41:26.15\00:41:28.38
But was Manasseh forgiven?
00:41:28.42\00:41:31.69
That's inconceivable, you
and I, we could never do that.
00:41:31.72\00:41:35.22
That doesn't mean you need
to ever submit to--you know, if
00:41:35.26\00:41:39.86
you've got a parent or somebody
that was abusive, you don't have
00:41:39.89\00:41:43.63
to put yourself under that
abuse anymore, but you must say,
00:41:43.67\00:41:46.77
"Lord, I'm gonna let it go."
00:41:46.80\00:41:48.57
I mean, didn't Jesus say,
"Father, forgive them," when
00:41:48.60\00:41:50.11
they were nailing him?
00:41:50.14\00:41:51.57
That's hard.
00:41:51.61\00:41:53.11
Stephen said, "Lord, don't lay
this sin to their charge," when
00:41:53.14\00:41:55.31
they were stoning him.
00:41:55.34\00:41:56.85
Jean: You know, I remember
there was a story when I was
00:41:56.88\00:42:00.38
just a kid and it made
an impression upon my mind.
00:42:00.42\00:42:03.15
There was an old man that was
getting baptized one Sabbath in
00:42:03.18\00:42:06.86
church, and just before the
pastor did the baptism, he said,
00:42:06.89\00:42:09.59
"Pastor, could I just say
something to the congregation?"
00:42:09.62\00:42:12.59
And the pastor said, "Yes."
00:42:12.63\00:42:14.23
And I remember, he looked out,
and his wife was sitting in the
00:42:14.30\00:42:16.90
front, and he said, "Brethren, I
want you to know the reason I'm
00:42:16.93\00:42:21.27
getting baptized today is
because of the godly example of
00:42:21.30\00:42:24.44
my wife."
00:42:24.47\00:42:26.11
He said, "For all these years, I
have been such--just a terror to
00:42:26.14\00:42:30.38
live with."
00:42:30.41\00:42:31.75
He says, "I mocked
her. I made fun of her.
00:42:31.78\00:42:33.92
I verbally abused her.
00:42:33.95\00:42:35.32
But her devotion, her faith, her
prayers the Lord got through to
00:42:35.35\00:42:38.59
me and changed my heart."
00:42:38.62\00:42:39.99
And of course she's sitting
there, and tears are running
00:42:40.02\00:42:41.42
down her face.
00:42:41.46\00:42:42.76
He said, "The reason I am
getting baptized is because of
00:42:42.79\00:42:44.79
what my wife has
done, her godly example.
00:42:44.83\00:42:46.93
So, I was impressed with
that power of forgiveness.
00:42:46.96\00:42:49.76
Even though it took a long time,
her faithful example and her
00:42:49.80\00:42:53.34
prayers, the Holy Spirit is able
to change this hardened man's
00:42:53.37\00:42:57.41
heart, and there was a
remarkable change that he went
00:42:57.44\00:43:00.64
through and he was just a
kind, loving person after that.
00:43:00.68\00:43:03.88
So, yes, God can
change the hearts.
00:43:03.91\00:43:06.82
So we wanna be
faithful in demonstrating his
00:43:06.85\00:43:09.12
love and grace.
00:43:09.15\00:43:10.85
Doug: That's right, it says,
I think it's 1 Peter chapter 3,
00:43:10.89\00:43:13.29
that "the unbelieving
husband can be converted by the
00:43:13.32\00:43:16.49
consistent Christian
behavior of the wife."
00:43:16.52\00:43:19.59
That's a paraphrase, and it
works both ways, by the way.
00:43:19.63\00:43:24.23
All right, we're gonna jump down
to the section under "Loss of
00:43:24.27\00:43:27.37
Freedom."
00:43:27.40\00:43:29.20
You know, I started out
sayin', "I was in prison and you
00:43:29.24\00:43:31.67
visited me."
00:43:31.71\00:43:33.24
Some people, you've got family
members, and there's those who
00:43:33.27\00:43:37.98
are imprisoned by
habits and addiction.
00:43:38.01\00:43:41.82
And what if you've got someone
in the family that struggles
00:43:41.85\00:43:43.45
with an addiction?
00:43:43.49\00:43:45.09
2 Peter chapter 2, verse
19: "While they promised them
00:43:45.12\00:43:47.96
liberty, they themselves are
slaves of corruption; by whom a
00:43:47.99\00:43:51.96
person is overcome, by him also
he is brought into bondage."
00:43:51.99\00:43:56.43
I don't know if you wanna read
the next verse, Pastor Ross.
00:43:56.46\00:43:59.03
Jean: Yes, Luke chapter
16, verse 13, Jesus puts
00:43:59.07\00:44:01.00
it this way.
00:44:01.04\00:44:02.54
He says: " No servant can serve
two masters; for either he will
00:44:02.57\00:44:05.81
hate the one and love the other,
or else he will be loyal to the
00:44:05.84\00:44:08.61
one and despise the other.
00:44:08.64\00:44:10.41
You cannot serve
God and mammon.'"
00:44:10.45\00:44:12.78
Doug: All right, well, some
people are addicted to money.
00:44:12.81\00:44:15.18
Some are addicted to drugs.
00:44:15.22\00:44:16.99
You can't have two masters.
00:44:17.02\00:44:18.75
The story you just told a minute
ago about that husband and wife
00:44:18.79\00:44:21.72
made me think of one.
00:44:21.76\00:44:23.19
There was a woman--this is years
ago in the Midwest somewhere,
00:44:23.22\00:44:27.13
and she had a husband with
a terrible drinking problem.
00:44:27.20\00:44:29.63
And he would
frequently come home drunk.
00:44:29.66\00:44:32.00
He'd bring his friends over.
00:44:32.03\00:44:33.60
He'd say, "Woman,
make us some food."
00:44:33.64\00:44:35.10
And she'd get up and she'd cook
for 'em, and she was very kind,
00:44:35.14\00:44:37.67
very patient, very loving, and
she put up with this behavior
00:44:37.71\00:44:41.01
that, you know, nobody would
expect a wife to put up with.
00:44:41.04\00:44:46.01
And he would always wake her up
and bring his friends home when
00:44:46.05\00:44:51.92
he was drunk and he was yelling.
00:44:51.95\00:44:53.52
And one day, after his friends
left, and she was cleaning up
00:44:53.56\00:44:58.93
because he had woken her up in
the middle of the night to fix
00:44:58.96\00:45:01.00
him something to
eat, he started crying.
00:45:01.03\00:45:03.50
And she said, "Why are you--?"
00:45:03.53\00:45:07.00
Or she said to her
husband, "Why are you crying?"
00:45:07.04\00:45:10.41
And he said, "Why
are you so good to me?"
00:45:10.44\00:45:13.41
He says, "I'm so mean to you.
00:45:13.44\00:45:15.31
I'm so bad. I make
fun of your religion.
00:45:15.34\00:45:17.61
I come over with my friends.
They make a mess of the place.
00:45:17.65\00:45:19.85
You clean it up.
You never complain."
00:45:19.88\00:45:22.65
And she put her hand on her
husband's shoulder and she said,
00:45:22.68\00:45:24.62
"Look," she says, "I'm a
Christian, I have eternal life."
00:45:24.65\00:45:27.89
She says,
"You're not, you don't."
00:45:27.92\00:45:30.26
She says, "The only
happiness you're gonna have is
00:45:30.29\00:45:31.89
in this life.
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.26
I'm tryin' to make you as happy
as I can for the little time
00:45:33.29\00:45:34.56
you've got."
00:45:34.60\00:45:36.43
And he was so moved by that
that he gave up his drinking and
00:45:36.46\00:45:39.90
became a Christian.
00:45:39.93\00:45:43.30
Jean: You know, there's hope
even if you are in a situation
00:45:43.34\00:45:45.74
where maybe there is a family
member that is struggling with
00:45:45.77\00:45:48.48
some kind of addiction,
whether it's alcohol or
00:45:48.51\00:45:51.38
whatever it might be.
00:45:51.41\00:45:52.85
The Bible does promise that
in Christ we can have freedom.
00:45:52.88\00:45:57.29
Of course,
there's a choice involved.
00:45:57.32\00:45:58.62
We have to choose.
00:45:58.65\00:46:00.09
Romans chapter 6, starting in
verse 16 says: "Do you not know
00:46:00.12\00:46:03.06
that to whom you present
yourselves slaves to obey, you
00:46:03.09\00:46:05.66
are that one's slave whom you
obey, whether of sin leading to
00:46:05.69\00:46:09.10
death, or of obedience
leading to righteousness?"
00:46:09.13\00:46:12.23
And then verse 17 goes like
this: "But God be thanked that
00:46:12.27\00:46:15.67
though you were the slaves
of sin, yet you obeyed from the
00:46:15.70\00:46:20.01
heart that form of doctrine
which was delivered to you.
00:46:20.04\00:46:24.98
And having been set free from
sin, you have become the slaves
00:46:25.01\00:46:28.88
of righteousness."
00:46:28.92\00:46:30.45
So here Paul is speaking to
believers and he says, "You were
00:46:30.49\00:46:32.55
slaves to sin, but by faith
you received the doctrine, the
00:46:32.59\00:46:36.52
truth, the gospel.
00:46:36.56\00:46:37.96
Now you have become
slaves of righteousness.
00:46:37.99\00:46:40.16
God has given you the victory."
00:46:40.20\00:46:42.13
And of course, that verse which
is so precious, Jesus says, "If
00:46:42.16\00:46:44.90
the Son sets you
free, you shall be," what?
00:46:44.93\00:46:47.50
"Free indeed."
00:46:47.54\00:46:49.17
"In Christ we
are a new creation."
00:46:49.20\00:46:51.94
And I think, for family members
that might have somebody else in
00:46:51.97\00:46:54.41
their family struggling
with addiction, let's never
00:46:54.44\00:46:56.34
give up, right?
00:46:56.38\00:46:57.85
Let's keep praying.
00:46:57.88\00:46:59.48
Let's be the best example we can
be because, "God's arm is not
00:46:59.51\00:47:02.98
shortened that he cannot
save," as the Bible says.
00:47:03.02\00:47:05.79
Doug: Amen, on that same
theme, Romans 6 said, "For he
00:47:05.82\00:47:10.59
who has died has
been freed from sin."
00:47:10.63\00:47:13.60
In other words, when we are
crucified with Christ, he breaks
00:47:13.63\00:47:17.33
the chains of slavery.
00:47:17.37\00:47:19.87
You've never seen a
dead person be offended.
00:47:19.90\00:47:24.24
So many of the things that
cause problems and offense in a
00:47:24.27\00:47:26.44
family--if we are crucified
with Christ, if you're dead,
00:47:26.47\00:47:28.91
you're freed.
00:47:28.94\00:47:30.45
Then we're gonna--we
just got a few minutes.
00:47:30.48\00:47:32.75
We wanna jump into the last
section here, "Loss of Life,"
00:47:32.78\00:47:35.65
and this is really a big
thing that people struggle with.
00:47:35.68\00:47:38.42
You know, I know in our midst
today, you know, in the church
00:47:38.45\00:47:41.79
family, a lot of people
here have lost loved ones.
00:47:41.82\00:47:45.33
Some have lost,
of course, siblings.
00:47:45.36\00:47:47.20
Parents, spouses, and
how do we deal with loss?
00:47:47.23\00:47:52.70
And, you know, that's especially
painful when there's loss
00:47:52.73\00:47:56.84
like this in a family.
00:47:56.87\00:47:58.71
And in John chapter 11, we
read about Jesus had some dear
00:47:58.74\00:48:03.35
friends, a brother and two
sisters, Lazarus, Mary, Martha.
00:48:03.38\00:48:06.88
And it tells us that "they
sent to Jesus, said, 'Come,
00:48:06.92\00:48:10.72
our brother is sick, heal him.'"
00:48:10.75\00:48:13.25
And Jesus got there
too late, and he died.
00:48:13.29\00:48:16.16
And they said, "Lord,
why did you let this happen?"
00:48:16.19\00:48:18.89
You read where Mary's asking
in verse 32: "She came to where
00:48:18.93\00:48:22.26
Jesus was, and she saw him, and
fell down at his feet, and said,
00:48:22.30\00:48:24.93
'Lord, if you'd been here, my
brother would not have died.'"
00:48:24.97\00:48:29.24
Sometimes it's not, you
know, the natural course.
00:48:29.27\00:48:31.87
Maybe there's an accident or
some unexpected sickness, and
00:48:31.91\00:48:34.14
you think, "Why me?
00:48:34.18\00:48:35.48
Why my family member?
00:48:35.51\00:48:37.28
Why did this have to happen?"
00:48:37.31\00:48:38.85
And we think,
"Does God still love us?"
00:48:38.88\00:48:40.25
And it wounds our faith.
00:48:40.28\00:48:42.88
But how did Jesus restore
the faith of Mary and Martha?
00:48:42.92\00:48:46.12
He performed a miracle
and there's a resurrection.
00:48:46.15\00:48:50.29
You know, the Bible says, "As
Christians we do not sorrow as
00:48:50.33\00:48:52.93
those that have no hope."
00:48:52.96\00:48:56.46
But what do you do--?
00:48:56.50\00:48:58.10
I'm gonna ask
something very difficult.
00:48:58.13\00:48:59.73
What do you do if you have
loss of a family member and you
00:48:59.77\00:49:02.80
question whether
they were a believer?
00:49:02.84\00:49:05.01
Or maybe they said they weren't.
00:49:05.04\00:49:07.14
How do you cope with that?
00:49:07.18\00:49:09.08
You know, I think the only
way you can is you identify with
00:49:09.11\00:49:12.98
God, who loves 'em even more
than you do, who is experiencing
00:49:13.01\00:49:18.45
that loss with you, and then you
focus your attention on those
00:49:18.49\00:49:23.49
who are saved, who can be saved.
00:49:23.53\00:49:27.20
King David lost a son.
00:49:27.23\00:49:29.73
You know, when Absalom, I
mentioned earlier, killed Amnon,
00:49:29.76\00:49:32.20
David grieved for Amnon.
00:49:32.23\00:49:34.47
I mean, here's he got this son
that died at a feast, drinking.
00:49:34.50\00:49:37.91
He had abused his sister.
00:49:37.94\00:49:39.47
Amnon did not die with a
lot of promise that he would
00:49:39.51\00:49:42.61
have eternal life.
00:49:42.64\00:49:44.55
And David wept and he wept, and
then finally, he got up and he
00:49:44.58\00:49:47.95
dusted himself off and he said
he realized that Amnon was gone.
00:49:47.98\00:49:52.22
He decided to focus his
attention on the ones who
00:49:52.25\00:49:54.76
were alive.
00:49:54.79\00:49:56.39
And, you know, that's really the
only thing you can do is just
00:49:56.42\00:49:59.33
say, "This is a terrible loss.
00:49:59.36\00:50:01.03
Will I grieve forever?
00:50:01.06\00:50:03.16
Or am I now gonna do what God
does and direct my attention on
00:50:03.20\00:50:05.33
reaching the
ones who are alive?"
00:50:05.37\00:50:07.67
Now, nobody knows
another person's fate.
00:50:07.70\00:50:10.14
Only God knows
their heart, right?
00:50:10.17\00:50:12.64
So there's that promise there
that says, "We have this hope."
00:50:12.67\00:50:16.91
"We hope as others--"
00:50:16.95\00:50:18.45
Or, "We have a
hope unlike others."
00:50:18.48\00:50:20.75
The Bible says
there's this blessed hope.
00:50:20.78\00:50:22.25
We may be surprised.
00:50:22.28\00:50:23.89
So, when you don't know,
you just have to put it in God's
00:50:23.92\00:50:26.05
hands and say that, you know,
there's a day coming when God's
00:50:26.09\00:50:28.92
gonna dry the tears.
00:50:28.96\00:50:30.33
In the meantime,
we've got a work to do.
00:50:30.36\00:50:33.06
Jean: The Bible tells us in 1
Corinthians chapter 15, verse 26
00:50:33.09\00:50:36.40
that: "The last enemy that shall
be destroyed is that of death."
00:50:36.43\00:50:40.97
Death, of course, was
never part of God's plan.
00:50:41.00\00:50:44.04
It's the consequences of sin.
00:50:44.07\00:50:45.84
Yet we do have a promise
that, one day, when Jesus comes,
00:50:45.87\00:50:48.38
there'll be no more pain,
no more sorrow, no more death.
00:50:48.41\00:50:51.01
He'll make all things new.
00:50:51.05\00:50:52.55
Often at a funeral, at
a graveside service, we're
00:50:52.58\00:50:55.92
standing there in the cemetery
and we're laying a loved one to
00:50:55.95\00:50:59.79
rest, and the family are
weeping, and, yes, that it's a
00:50:59.82\00:51:02.49
place of
sadness without a doubt.
00:51:02.52\00:51:05.09
But I try to encourage believers
that even though the cemetery is
00:51:05.13\00:51:08.46
a place of sadness today,
one day when Jesus comes it's
00:51:08.50\00:51:12.67
probably gonna be one of the
happiest places around because
00:51:12.70\00:51:15.87
the dead in Christ will rise
first and we get to meet them in
00:51:15.90\00:51:18.91
the air.
00:51:18.94\00:51:20.48
So even though there is sorrow
and pain and death, the Bible
00:51:20.51\00:51:22.78
gives us hope and comfort.
00:51:22.81\00:51:24.88
And that, of
course, is found in Jesus.
00:51:24.91\00:51:26.38
Doug: Amen, there's a
good quote in the lesson.
00:51:26.41\00:51:28.25
It's from "The Desire of Ages"
page 787: "To the believer death
00:51:28.28\00:51:32.79
is but a small matter.
00:51:32.82\00:51:34.72
To the Christian, death is but
a sleep, in a moment of silence
00:51:34.76\00:51:37.79
and darkness.
00:51:37.83\00:51:39.29
The life is hid with Christ in
God, and when Christ, who is our
00:51:39.33\00:51:42.96
life, shall appear,
then shall ye also appear
00:51:43.00\00:51:45.83
with him in glory."
00:51:45.87\00:51:47.97
So, I tell our friends that if
they lose a loved one that's a
00:51:48.00\00:51:52.24
believer, you just have to
look up on it as you've gone on
00:51:52.27\00:51:55.68
a trip and you're
gonna be reunited.
00:51:55.71\00:51:57.65
It's just longer
than you had hoped.
00:51:57.68\00:51:59.11
But you will meet
again, and you'll meet again in
00:51:59.15\00:52:02.15
much better circumstances.
00:52:02.18\00:52:03.99
And so that, of course,
is that great blessed hope.
00:52:04.02\00:52:06.92
Well, I think we're
about out of time, Pastor Ross.
00:52:06.96\00:52:08.79
You wanna mention the--?
00:52:08.82\00:52:10.59
Jean: Yes, we've got a great
offer, especially for those who
00:52:10.63\00:52:12.83
are facing grief.
00:52:12.86\00:52:14.36
And all of us, at some point,
go through loss or sorrow.
00:52:14.40\00:52:17.07
It is a book entitled "When
the Brook Dried Up," and the
00:52:17.10\00:52:19.97
question is, "Why
Do Christians Suffer?"
00:52:20.00\00:52:22.00
This is gonna be our free gift
to anyone who will call and ask.
00:52:22.04\00:52:24.97
The number is 866-788-3966,
and you can ask for offer number
00:52:25.01\00:52:30.15
171, or you can send us a text.
00:52:30.18\00:52:34.22
You can text the code SH074
to the number 40544 and we'll be
00:52:34.25\00:52:41.56
able to send you a link as to
where you can download the book,
00:52:41.59\00:52:45.13
"When the Brook Dries Up,
Why Do Christians Suffer?"
00:52:45.16\00:52:48.33
Doug: Amen, thank
you very much, friends.
00:52:48.36\00:52:49.70
We're glad you joined us.
00:52:49.73\00:52:51.13
Those who are
watching online, God bless you.
00:52:51.17\00:52:53.03
We look forward to studying his
Word together again next week.
00:52:53.07\00:52:56.14
male announcer: Don't
forget to request today's
00:52:57.41\00:52:59.01
life-changing free resource.
00:52:59.04\00:53:00.74
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:53:00.78\00:53:03.38
download a digital copy
straight to your computer
00:53:03.41\00:53:05.25
or mobile device.
00:53:05.28\00:53:07.15
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:53:07.18\00:53:10.29
the key word on your screen to
40544 or visit the web address
00:53:10.32\00:53:14.82
shown on your screen and be sure
to select the digital download
00:53:14.86\00:53:18.53
option on the request page.
00:53:18.56\00:53:20.56
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:53:20.60\00:53:23.60
"Amazing Facts"
wherever and whenever you want.
00:53:23.63\00:53:27.10
And most important,
to share it with others.
00:53:27.14\00:53:32.17
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" changed lives:
00:53:34.68\00:53:42.48
Justin: Growing up as a kid,
my mother was, like, on drugs
00:53:45.55\00:53:50.03
and alcohol.
00:53:50.06\00:53:51.73
Lots of fighting in the home.
00:53:51.76\00:53:53.40
My mom would be abused
mentally, verbally, physically.
00:53:53.43\00:53:57.87
Went from California to Oregon.
00:53:57.90\00:54:01.34
Spent some time in Oregon and
it was just the same cycle of
00:54:01.37\00:54:04.34
drugs, alcohol, violence.
00:54:04.37\00:54:07.78
My mom's boyfriend
would go to jail at times.
00:54:07.81\00:54:10.45
She would wait until he would,
you know, get out of jail, and
00:54:10.48\00:54:14.42
then it was back to square one.
00:54:14.45\00:54:16.65
The drugs and alcohol escalated
to a lot harder drugs, crystal
00:54:16.69\00:54:21.42
meth, cocaine, and
lots and lots of alcohol.
00:54:21.46\00:54:25.89
So I started using the
alcohol as a medication.
00:54:25.93\00:54:31.17
It was like the misery and
the fear that I had, I wanted to
00:54:31.20\00:54:35.20
drown all that misery.
00:54:35.24\00:54:37.17
At times I would just grab, you
know, a bottle of beer and go
00:54:37.21\00:54:41.44
out into the desert and just
drink until sometimes I'd just
00:54:41.48\00:54:45.25
pass out in the
desert somewhere and wake up
00:54:45.28\00:54:47.95
the next morning, you know?
00:54:47.98\00:54:50.25
And I just couldn't find rest.
00:54:50.29\00:54:52.59
And my stepdad had gotten me
a motorcycle and so I started
00:54:52.62\00:54:57.53
riding motorcycles.
00:54:57.56\00:54:59.03
I'd drink a lot of beer, get
on the motorcycle, ride into the
00:54:59.06\00:55:02.23
desert, do donuts, and
just, you know, just ride
00:55:02.26\00:55:05.63
on private property.
00:55:05.67\00:55:07.70
People would chase me off, and
I was just causin', stirrin' up
00:55:07.74\00:55:11.41
dust and rocks and
just causin' chaos.
00:55:11.44\00:55:15.21
And the adrenaline rush that
I had was so exciting, and the
00:55:15.24\00:55:20.22
feeling of it was so intense
that I loved it, and I forgot
00:55:20.25\00:55:25.02
about all my problems, you know,
at the moment, and I thought
00:55:25.05\00:55:29.49
that material things would
make me feel so good, you know?
00:55:29.52\00:55:34.63
And so I started workin',
started makin' money, had a
00:55:34.66\00:55:37.47
responsibility, but as
time went by, I had more money.
00:55:37.50\00:55:43.71
So I would, you know use
my money that I made to buy
00:55:43.74\00:55:48.21
drugs and alcohol.
00:55:48.24\00:55:50.25
Got pulled over drinkin' and
driving, ended up going to jail
00:55:50.28\00:55:53.92
for a couple days.
00:55:53.95\00:55:56.62
I lost my job because I missed
work for a few days, lost my
00:55:56.65\00:56:00.96
girlfriend, lost all
the money that I had.
00:56:00.99\00:56:05.73
So, once again, I was empty, no
money, no drugs, no alcohol, and
00:56:05.76\00:56:10.90
that was a
turning point in my life.
00:56:10.93\00:56:13.47
At this time, I was living with
my grandfather, and as I was
00:56:13.50\00:56:18.07
flipping through the channels
on the satellite system, I found
00:56:18.11\00:56:21.34
"Amazing Facts," and Pastor
Doug Batchelor was sharing his
00:56:21.38\00:56:25.68
testimony about how he
was living in a cave and he
00:56:25.71\00:56:31.22
struggled the same
struggles of alcohol and drugs.
00:56:31.25\00:56:34.66
And I continued to read the
book, "The Richest Caveman," and
00:56:34.69\00:56:38.23
it really impacted my life and
really related to the things he
00:56:38.26\00:56:41.70
was struggling with,
and all of the events that
00:56:41.73\00:56:45.97
took place in his life.
00:56:46.00\00:56:47.90
And when I started reading the
Bible, Philippians 4:13 says: "I
00:56:47.94\00:56:51.17
can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me."
00:56:51.21\00:56:53.38
I recognized that
I had no strength.
00:56:53.41\00:56:56.08
I was weak, and I was
wretched, and I needed help.
00:56:56.11\00:57:00.18
So I just asked the Lord,
I said, "Just help me, Lord."
00:57:00.22\00:57:03.49
And the Holy Spirit convicted me
and I decided to be baptized and
00:57:03.52\00:57:10.03
to give my life to Jesus Christ.
00:57:10.06\00:57:12.99
A few years after the Lord took
the temptation of drinking and
00:57:13.03\00:57:16.90
doing drugs, he gave me a
beautiful wife I met at church.
00:57:16.93\00:57:20.60
Now I have a beautiful
baby boy, two-year-old baby boy.
00:57:20.64\00:57:24.81
It's just exciting to see, you
know, what God is doing through
00:57:24.84\00:57:28.81
my life and my family.
00:57:28.84\00:57:32.15
I met with some friends
from my local church that I was
00:57:32.18\00:57:35.82
attending and they had told
me about Amazing Facts Center of
00:57:35.85\00:57:40.72
Evangelism Training Seminar.
00:57:40.76\00:57:43.22
The AFCOE to go program really
inspired me and motivated me to
00:57:43.26\00:57:47.56
tell young people about, you
know, the same struggles that I
00:57:47.60\00:57:53.27
was struggling with, to help
these kids give their life to
00:57:53.30\00:57:56.54
Jesus Christ, and
there's nothin' else
00:57:56.57\00:57:58.77
that you could ask for.
00:57:58.81\00:58:00.44
I'm Justin, and God
used you to change my life.
00:58:00.48\00:58:05.15
¤¤¤
00:58:05.98\00:58:15.49