...
00:00:00.63\00:00:00.96
ддд
00:00:00.96\00:00:01.23
ддд
00:00:11.97\00:00:21.95
ддд
00:00:21.98\00:00:31.96
ддд
00:00:31.99\00:00:35.50
Shawn Brummund: Hello,
and welcome to another edition
00:00:35.53\00:00:37.03
of the "Sabbath
School Study Hour."
00:00:37.07\00:00:38.63
We are just so glad that
you have decided to join us
00:00:38.67\00:00:41.04
here on this particular program.
00:00:41.07\00:00:43.04
And I trust, and know, and
confident that you are going to
00:00:43.07\00:00:46.34
be enriched and spiritually
enlightened as we continue on
00:00:46.37\00:00:49.64
with this particular topic that,
in fact, we're not continuing
00:00:49.68\00:00:53.15
on, but we're actually looking
at it for the very first time
00:00:53.18\00:00:56.35
because today we're
starting a new quarterly.
00:00:56.38\00:00:58.92
And this particular quarterly
is entitled The Least Of These:
00:00:58.95\00:01:02.26
Ministering To Those In Need.
00:01:02.29\00:01:04.36
"The Least Of These:
Ministering To Those In Need."
00:01:04.39\00:01:07.86
And so, I look forward to
being able to look at our first
00:01:07.93\00:01:10.83
opening study on that as
we look at our lesson study.
00:01:10.87\00:01:15.00
We are just so glad that
everybody is watching that
00:01:15.04\00:01:16.67
is watching online, across
the nation, across the world,
00:01:16.71\00:01:19.57
as those who are also
watching on television.
00:01:19.61\00:01:22.04
We're also happy to always have
our local Seventh Day Adventist
00:01:22.08\00:01:25.51
congregation here in
the Granite Bay Church
00:01:25.55\00:01:28.05
in the Greater Sacramento area.
00:01:28.08\00:01:30.35
And so, welcome to everybody
locally in the church family,
00:01:30.39\00:01:33.66
as well as the many
visitors that join us
00:01:33.69\00:01:35.66
from week to week as well.
00:01:35.69\00:01:37.06
And so, we want to give a
special welcome to you as well.
00:01:37.09\00:01:42.03
Now, if you don't have this
particular quarterly, and you'd
00:01:42.06\00:01:44.30
like to get your hands on it or
like to read it ahead of time,
00:01:44.33\00:01:46.87
as many people do, and get the
most you can or even review it
00:01:46.90\00:01:50.61
after we have studied it in this
particular program, then you can
00:01:50.64\00:01:54.94
actually go to a website
and find a free digital download
00:01:54.98\00:01:59.38
copy of this particular
lesson study and quarterly.
00:01:59.41\00:02:03.18
And you just simply
go to lesson.aftv.org.
00:02:03.22\00:02:07.89
Again, that's lesson.aftv.org.
00:02:07.92\00:02:12.86
Go ahead and take
advantage of that.
00:02:12.89\00:02:14.73
The other thing that I want to
encourage you to take advantage
00:02:14.76\00:02:16.16
of is a free offer that
we always have each and every
00:02:16.20\00:02:18.70
program and today, this
particular offer is a DVD.
00:02:18.73\00:02:23.17
And so, this free
offer is entitled,
00:02:23.20\00:02:26.24
"Evolution: Creation And Logic."
00:02:26.27\00:02:28.91
And this DVD is by Pastor Doug
Batchelor, our senior pastor.
00:02:28.94\00:02:32.41
And you just simply
need to dial 1-866-788-3966
00:02:32.45\00:02:39.22
and ask for offered number 870.
00:02:39.25\00:02:42.66
Again, that's 1-866-788-3966
and ask for offer 870.
00:02:42.69\00:02:50.17
Now, if you want a free digital
download copy of that, we also
00:02:50.20\00:02:53.00
have that available for
your phone and you just need
00:02:53.03\00:02:55.27
to simply dial or
text to the number 40544,
00:02:55.30\00:03:01.11
and you want to
text the code SH127.
00:03:01.14\00:03:06.01
So, go ahead and take advantage
of that free offer and you can
00:03:06.05\00:03:08.98
go ahead and learn more about
evolution, creation, and logic.
00:03:09.02\00:03:13.46
Now, before we open it with
prayer and introduce our teacher
00:03:13.49\00:03:15.79
here today, I want to
invite our singers out
00:03:15.82\00:03:17.63
as they are going
to sing a song for us.
00:03:17.66\00:03:20.46
ддд
00:03:20.50\00:03:22.16
д I'd rather have
Jesus than silver or gold. д
00:03:22.20\00:03:28.34
д I'd rather be His
than have riches untold. д
00:03:28.37\00:03:35.61
д I'd rather have
Jesus than houses or land. д
00:03:35.64\00:03:43.02
д I'd rather be led by
His nail pierced hands, д
00:03:43.05\00:03:50.33
д Than to be the
king of a vast domain д
00:03:50.36\00:03:57.63
д or beheld in
sin's dread sway. д
00:03:57.67\00:04:05.04
д I'd rather have
Jesus than anything д
00:04:05.07\00:04:12.55
д this world affords today. д
00:04:12.58\00:04:20.32
д I'd rather have
Jesus than men's applause. д
00:04:20.36\00:04:27.86
д I'd rather be
faithful to His dear cause. д
00:04:27.86\00:04:35.17
д I'd rather have
Jesus than world wide fame. д
00:04:35.20\00:04:42.58
д I'd rather be
true to His holy name, д
00:04:42.61\00:04:50.22
д Than to be the
king of a vast domain д
00:04:50.25\00:04:57.69
д or beheld in
sin's dread sway. д
00:04:57.73\00:05:05.17
д I'd rather have
Jesus than anything д
00:05:05.20\00:05:13.48
д this world affords today. дд
00:05:13.51\00:05:22.82
female: Thank you
for singing with us.
00:05:22.85\00:05:27.96
Shawn: Thank you for that song.
00:05:27.99\00:05:29.46
Today is a extra privilege for
me to be able to stand up before
00:05:29.49\00:05:32.39
you today because we are, have
we have a new pastor that has
00:05:32.43\00:05:37.70
been added to the pastoral staff
here in the Granite Bay Church.
00:05:37.73\00:05:41.47
And we are just so
thrilled to be able to have him,
00:05:41.50\00:05:43.94
not only in our pastoral
staff, but also to be able
00:05:43.97\00:05:46.11
to teach our
Sabbath School lesson today.
00:05:46.14\00:05:48.78
Now, he is our youth pastor.
00:05:48.81\00:05:50.25
He originally comes from Brazil,
but he has been pastoring
00:05:50.28\00:05:53.82
for the last year or
so in the state of Texas.
00:05:53.85\00:05:56.52
And so, we are glad that
the Lord has led in such a way
00:05:56.55\00:05:59.52
that he has come to join
us here in our church family.
00:05:59.55\00:06:03.39
So, Pastor Luccas Rador
is going to be our teacher
00:06:03.43\00:06:06.09
but before he comes up, I want
to invite everyone to join us
00:06:06.13\00:06:08.33
as we ask the Lord
to bless us in prayer.
00:06:08.36\00:06:11.00
Father in heaven, this morning,
we are thankful to be able to
00:06:11.03\00:06:13.44
come together and to
be able to worship you.
00:06:13.47\00:06:16.34
We thank you so
much for your Word.
00:06:16.37\00:06:17.87
We thank you for the gospel.
00:06:17.91\00:06:19.77
We thank you for your Son Jesus.
00:06:19.81\00:06:22.04
We thank you for giving us
this day, an extra special day
00:06:22.08\00:06:25.08
that you made extra special,
as your Genesis record tells us,
00:06:25.11\00:06:28.75
from the very
beginning of human history.
00:06:28.78\00:06:31.55
On that day when you first
rested, and you blessed it,
00:06:31.59\00:06:35.22
and you sanctified
this special Sabbath day.
00:06:35.26\00:06:38.06
Lord God, we want to pray
that you will bless this lesson,
00:06:38.09\00:06:41.26
and that you will guide
us with your Holy Spirit.
00:06:41.30\00:06:43.57
Want to pray that you
will anoint Pastor Luccas
00:06:43.60\00:06:46.20
in a very special
way with your Spirit.
00:06:46.23\00:06:48.70
Be with his heart, his mouth
as he speaks to us these great
00:06:48.74\00:06:51.84
truths that you have
given to us from your Word.
00:06:51.87\00:06:54.51
In Jesus's name, we
pray these things, God, amen.
00:06:54.54\00:06:58.75
Pastor Luccas, thank you.
00:06:58.78\00:07:04.52
Luccas Rador:
Thank you, Pastor Shawn.
00:07:04.55\00:07:05.85
It's a privilege to be
here and to be able to partake
00:07:05.89\00:07:09.36
of this moment with you all.
00:07:09.39\00:07:11.13
I'm very excited
about this new lesson.
00:07:11.16\00:07:13.86
I hope that you are too.
00:07:13.90\00:07:16.97
This is a very
appropriate lesson.
00:07:17.00\00:07:20.84
When we talk about the ministry
of service, the ministry of
00:07:20.87\00:07:23.91
healing, the ministry of
ministering to people around us,
00:07:23.94\00:07:27.64
there's a lot to be said
and there's a lot to be done.
00:07:27.68\00:07:30.65
Actually, that's one of
the dangers of this topic
00:07:30.68\00:07:34.45
is that we tend to
speak more than we do.
00:07:34.48\00:07:38.65
Now, that being said, and
before we get into the lesson
00:07:38.69\00:07:40.82
of this week,
00:07:40.86\00:07:42.16
I'd like to say something
about this, this topic.
00:07:42.19\00:07:45.29
We live today in
a world of activism,
00:07:45.33\00:07:49.40
you realize that, right?
00:07:49.43\00:07:50.73
We live today in
a world of activism.
00:07:50.77\00:07:53.44
There are charities everywhere.
00:07:53.47\00:07:55.17
There are
nonprofit groups everywhere.
00:07:55.20\00:07:57.84
There are a lot of people that
do a lot of good, and it becomes
00:07:57.87\00:08:02.11
very easy, if you allow it, it
becomes very easy to get carried
00:08:02.14\00:08:06.38
away just in the, in this
activist part of the whole,
00:08:06.41\00:08:10.19
of the whole ordeal.
00:08:10.22\00:08:11.62
We hear about it a lot.
00:08:11.65\00:08:13.32
I remember back in Brazil, we
had many ministries of outreach
00:08:13.36\00:08:15.96
programs and, you know,
missionary outreach moments
00:08:15.99\00:08:21.00
with different kinds of
people in different places.
00:08:21.03\00:08:23.40
And I remember that many
of the youth at my church,
00:08:23.43\00:08:26.70
they would get so carried
away with the activist part,
00:08:26.74\00:08:29.80
that they would often
forget why they were doing it,
00:08:29.84\00:08:32.47
why they were
ministering to other people.
00:08:32.51\00:08:35.68
If you remember the
story of the rich young man,
00:08:35.71\00:08:38.28
this appears in
three of the gospels,
00:08:38.31\00:08:40.08
in the gospel of
Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
00:08:40.12\00:08:42.05
You'll find that story
of the rich young ruler,
00:08:42.08\00:08:44.79
and he approaches Jesus
and he asks Jesus, "Lord,"
00:08:44.82\00:08:49.56
you remember his question.
00:08:49.59\00:08:50.89
"Lord, what must
I do to be saved?"
00:08:50.93\00:08:54.63
Now, that's a very interesting
question to ask Jesus
00:08:54.66\00:08:57.53
because this man, he was Jewish,
he was very prominent in his,
00:08:57.57\00:09:02.27
you know, circle of influence,
and for him to come to Jesus
00:09:02.30\00:09:05.71
and say, "Lord, what
must I do to be saved?"
00:09:05.74\00:09:08.51
What does that tell us?
That he didn't feel saved.
00:09:08.54\00:09:11.51
He felt out of the
scope of salvation.
00:09:11.55\00:09:14.35
And so, Jesus, He
comes to him and says,
00:09:14.38\00:09:16.82
"Well, you know the
law. You know the law.
00:09:16.85\00:09:19.99
Do what's right."
00:09:20.02\00:09:21.26
And then Jesus goes on to list
many of the latter part of the
00:09:21.29\00:09:24.96
Ten Commandments, the
last six commandments.
00:09:24.99\00:09:27.50
Don't kill, don't
steal, don't cheat,
00:09:27.50\00:09:29.86
and Jesus tells
him all these things.
00:09:29.90\00:09:32.73
And then what is
his answer to Jesus?
00:09:32.77\00:09:34.77
"Master, all these
and more I have done."
00:09:34.80\00:09:38.84
Do you see that when
you--when we talk about these,
00:09:38.87\00:09:41.88
these commandments,
truly what we're talking about
00:09:41.91\00:09:44.78
is doing good one to another.
00:09:44.81\00:09:47.55
It's a type of missionary
outreach when we don't kill,
00:09:47.58\00:09:50.89
when we promote fidelity and
marriage and all these things,
00:09:50.92\00:09:53.76
they have to do with
the relational aspect of us
00:09:53.79\00:09:56.09
with our neighbor.
00:09:56.12\00:09:57.43
That's what the Bible
calls them, our neighbor.
00:09:57.46\00:09:59.06
So here, this young man, he has
a crisis in his life because,
00:09:59.09\00:10:02.40
well, he doesn't feel saved,
00:10:02.43\00:10:03.73
even though he's
doing all these things.
00:10:03.77\00:10:05.37
So, it's quite
dangerous when we are activists,
00:10:05.40\00:10:09.00
but for the wrong reason.
00:10:09.04\00:10:10.77
And that is what this
whole lesson is about.
00:10:10.81\00:10:13.44
The whole lesson this quarter is
how we should live in relation
00:10:13.48\00:10:21.42
to God, how we should live
in relation to our neighbor,
00:10:21.45\00:10:23.89
and how we should live
in relation to ourselves.
00:10:23.92\00:10:26.72
That's the lost sum
dove, do you remember that?
00:10:26.76\00:10:29.12
When they asked Jesus,
what is the most important law?
00:10:29.16\00:10:31.63
He quotes, He summarizes
the Ten Commandments and says,
00:10:31.66\00:10:34.76
"Love the Lord your
God above everything else,
00:10:34.83\00:10:37.50
love the Lord your
God with all your heart,
00:10:37.53\00:10:38.83
with all your soul,
and with all your mind.
00:10:38.87\00:10:40.57
And love your
neighbor as you love yourself."
00:10:40.60\00:10:44.27
So, there's God, there's the
neighbor, and there's yourself.
00:10:44.31\00:10:48.28
The whole lesson this quarter,
and we'll be looking at this.
00:10:48.31\00:10:51.15
It'll be talking
about this general idea.
00:10:51.18\00:10:55.42
When we read, when we read Acts
chapter 17, verse 28, it tells
00:10:55.45\00:11:00.99
us that, "For in Him we live,
and move, and have our being;
00:11:01.02\00:11:06.03
as also of your
own poets have said,
00:11:06.06\00:11:08.13
For we are also His offspring."
00:11:08.16\00:11:10.43
You see, God is
a relational being.
00:11:10.47\00:11:12.87
God is a relational
being, there's no doubt of this.
00:11:12.90\00:11:15.67
God, He is a God
of relationships.
00:11:15.70\00:11:18.41
When you see God in the Bible,
00:11:18.44\00:11:20.18
you see Him as a
God of relationships.
00:11:20.21\00:11:21.81
From eternity
past, God was relating
00:11:21.84\00:11:25.65
within the Godhead to Himself.
00:11:25.68\00:11:28.18
Truly the question, a question
that I used to ask myself
00:11:28.22\00:11:30.39
when I was a child
was, well, what did God do
00:11:30.42\00:11:33.89
before He
created the first thing?
00:11:33.92\00:11:36.93
Ever ask yourself that?
00:11:36.96\00:11:38.59
What did God do before
He created the first thing?
00:11:38.63\00:11:40.96
Because think about it, God
is the only eternal being in the
00:11:41.00\00:11:44.03
universe, so there must have
been a point where God created
00:11:44.07\00:11:47.54
the first creation or creature.
00:11:47.57\00:11:50.27
What did He do before that?
00:11:50.31\00:11:52.27
Now, we're not going to
answer that question here.
00:11:52.31\00:11:55.68
I'm not even going to try. I
don't think I'd get anywhere.
00:11:55.71\00:11:59.51
That's a question
best left for heaven.
00:11:59.55\00:12:01.82
But the fact is that God, in
eternity past, He was perfect,
00:12:01.85\00:12:06.29
has always been
perfect, and He lived
00:12:06.32\00:12:08.39
in a perfect
relationship with Himself.
00:12:08.42\00:12:12.33
But at one point, God decides
to share this relationship
00:12:12.36\00:12:16.73
and to create, start creating.
00:12:16.77\00:12:18.20
And God started creating.
00:12:18.23\00:12:19.67
He started making things.
00:12:19.70\00:12:21.54
Now, you know, there's a
principle in physics that says
00:12:21.57\00:12:25.37
that you don't--we
don't create anything.
00:12:25.41\00:12:28.01
Humans don't create
anything, we transform.
00:12:28.04\00:12:30.78
Ever heard that?
00:12:30.81\00:12:32.11
We don't create, we transform.
00:12:32.15\00:12:33.85
And truly that's,
you know, that's reality.
00:12:33.88\00:12:37.09
We take a piece of wood,
what can we make with it?
00:12:37.12\00:12:40.89
A table, a
chair? Did we create it?
00:12:40.92\00:12:44.29
No, we just
transformed the wood.
00:12:44.33\00:12:47.50
Now, when it comes to
God, that is totally different.
00:12:47.56\00:12:50.37
We're talking about something
on a completely different level.
00:12:50.40\00:12:54.44
When we talk about God's
creative power, we talk about
00:12:54.47\00:12:57.27
something called creation ex
nihilo, and it's a Latin phrase
00:12:57.31\00:13:01.08
that means spontaneous creation.
00:13:01.11\00:13:03.45
God can create spontaneously.
00:13:03.48\00:13:05.31
God speaks, and
things come into being,
00:13:05.35\00:13:07.62
things come into existence.
00:13:07.65\00:13:08.98
God has this kind of
power. So, what does God create?
00:13:09.02\00:13:12.12
What did God
create in the beginning?
00:13:12.15\00:13:13.59
When we read the text in
Genesis, we see that God,
00:13:13.62\00:13:17.23
He created in
certain categories.
00:13:17.26\00:13:19.69
And here's the amazing fact for
this morning, if you ever get
00:13:19.73\00:13:23.50
into an argument or conversation
with someone that believes in
00:13:23.53\00:13:27.14
the theory of evolution,
and the religion of evolution,
00:13:27.17\00:13:30.34
because that's truly
what it is, of evolution,
00:13:30.37\00:13:32.97
ask them what kind
of evolutionist they are
00:13:33.01\00:13:36.28
because
evolution can be summed up
00:13:36.31\00:13:38.55
into six different areas.
00:13:38.58\00:13:42.08
Six different areas, you
have cosmic evolution, you have
00:13:42.12\00:13:46.05
stellar and planetary evolution,
you have chemical evolution,
00:13:46.09\00:13:50.53
organic
evolution, macroevolution,
00:13:50.56\00:13:53.80
and microevolution.
00:13:53.83\00:13:55.16
And so usually, when
they describe evolution,
00:13:55.20\00:13:56.93
they get into it,
they're talking about these six
00:13:56.97\00:13:58.83
broad areas of evolution.
00:13:58.87\00:14:01.17
The thing is, is that most
evolutions don't know, they
00:14:01.20\00:14:03.64
don't know that this is the
reality in regard to evolution
00:14:03.67\00:14:06.27
and what's even
more interesting is that
00:14:06.31\00:14:08.34
when you go into a
certain area of evolution.
00:14:08.38\00:14:10.68
So let's say chemical evolution,
the specialist in that area,
00:14:10.71\00:14:14.82
he will never claim
that the greatest argument
00:14:14.85\00:14:17.49
for evolution is in his area.
00:14:17.52\00:14:19.35
He'll say, "Well, you know, the
greatest argument for evolution
00:14:19.39\00:14:22.06
is in stellar evolution,
or then cosmic evolution."
00:14:22.09\00:14:25.03
And well, that's
what happens all around.
00:14:25.06\00:14:28.50
Now, when you get into creation,
God also creates in some
00:14:28.53\00:14:32.63
categories, and
very similar categories.
00:14:32.67\00:14:35.70
We know that God created
the cosmos, the universe.
00:14:35.74\00:14:38.47
God created everything
that exists in the universe,
00:14:38.51\00:14:40.51
the forces of nature,
gravity, thermodynamics.
00:14:40.54\00:14:43.65
God created the universe.
00:14:43.68\00:14:46.11
We see also that
God created the stellar
00:14:46.15\00:14:48.22
and the planetary systems.
00:14:48.25\00:14:49.55
He created galaxies,
and nebulas, and planets,
00:14:49.58\00:14:52.82
and moons, and stars, and
asteroids, and meteorites.
00:14:52.85\00:14:56.86
God created
everything that exists.
00:14:56.89\00:15:00.60
When we read the description
of Genesis, we see that God,
00:15:00.63\00:15:05.37
He wasn't creating
for the first time.
00:15:05.40\00:15:08.20
This world was not the
first thing that God created.
00:15:08.24\00:15:10.57
Our system was not the
first thing that God created.
00:15:10.61\00:15:12.81
There were already angels.
00:15:12.84\00:15:14.28
There was already a
place called heaven.
00:15:14.31\00:15:15.88
When you read the Book of
Job, it says that the princes
00:15:15.91\00:15:18.01
from the other
worlds, they came together.
00:15:18.05\00:15:20.45
And so, there are
at least other worlds.
00:15:20.48\00:15:22.12
So, we see that this
world was not God's first world,
00:15:22.15\00:15:25.62
He had already been creating.
00:15:25.65\00:15:27.89
We see that there's a
whole chemical, and elementary
00:15:27.92\00:15:30.96
process in creation also.
00:15:30.99\00:15:32.53
Where did all the chemicals
and all the elements come from?
00:15:32.56\00:15:35.16
So, hydrogen,
nitrogen, iron, gold, silver,
00:15:35.20\00:15:39.50
where did these
things come from?
00:15:39.53\00:15:41.17
God created them.
00:15:41.20\00:15:42.64
He created the
building blocks of the universe.
00:15:42.67\00:15:46.11
Organic creation, when He
creates the animals, vegetation,
00:15:46.14\00:15:49.48
the trees, the sky, the
atmosphere, and He starts
00:15:49.51\00:15:53.01
creating the life, and mammals,
and birds, you know, creatures
00:15:53.05\00:15:56.55
of the air and
creatures of the seas.
00:15:56.58\00:15:58.19
This is called
organic or biologic creation,
00:15:58.22\00:16:00.99
God creates all life,
and it's a beautiful thing.
00:16:01.02\00:16:05.56
And what's more, God
created relationships.
00:16:05.59\00:16:09.00
When God comes down and says,
"Let us make them in our image,"
00:16:09.03\00:16:14.07
what is He saying?
00:16:14.10\00:16:15.40
Among other things He's
saying, Let us give them
00:16:15.44\00:16:17.91
this relational aspect,
this relational existence.
00:16:17.94\00:16:21.68
And so, God gives
us two different kinds
00:16:21.71\00:16:24.81
of relationships, a vertical
relationship, one with Himself,
00:16:24.85\00:16:30.25
and a horizontal relationship,
relationship with one another,
00:16:30.29\00:16:33.56
with each other.
00:16:33.59\00:16:34.89
And that's what God does.
00:16:34.92\00:16:36.26
And what's more, God says
when He looks back at this,
00:16:36.29\00:16:39.09
He says that it's all good.
00:16:39.13\00:16:40.70
We find this in
Genesis chapter 1, verse 31
00:16:40.73\00:16:43.53
where it says, "Then God saw
every thing that He had made,
00:16:43.57\00:16:47.17
and indeed it was," what?
00:16:47.20\00:16:49.44
"Very good."
00:16:49.47\00:16:51.67
I can imagine, you know, when
you, when you make something.
00:16:51.71\00:16:54.71
I remember when I was a child,
I went to summer camp one time,
00:16:54.74\00:16:58.08
and they had us make
a little wooden horse.
00:16:58.11\00:17:01.52
It was called Camp Frenda,
this was in Canada, Toronto.
00:17:01.55\00:17:05.09
And at this summer camp,
they had us make a wooden horse.
00:17:05.12\00:17:11.26
And I'll tell you that my wooden
horse, it wasn't the best,
00:17:11.29\00:17:13.80
it wasn't the
baddest, but it was pretty good
00:17:13.83\00:17:16.67
for a nine-year-old kid.
00:17:16.70\00:17:18.83
And I would look back
at that horse and think,
00:17:18.87\00:17:20.20
"Yeah, this is pretty good."
00:17:20.24\00:17:21.54
And then I saw my teacher's
horse and his, you know,
00:17:21.57\00:17:23.81
outdid mine and I was pretty
disappointed in my own skills.
00:17:23.84\00:17:26.24
But I remember looking
back at that and saying,
00:17:26.27\00:17:28.94
you know, this is, this is good.
00:17:28.98\00:17:31.48
I can imagine God looking
back at all this creation,
00:17:31.51\00:17:34.28
the plants, the stars, and
then specially in our system,
00:17:34.32\00:17:37.69
our world, the
trees, the vegetation,
00:17:37.72\00:17:40.16
the birds, the animals,
and He looked back and He said,
00:17:40.19\00:17:43.19
"Wow, this is good."
00:17:43.22\00:17:45.19
But, and here's the
catch, God left something out.
00:17:45.23\00:17:51.33
God didn't complete all
the creation at this point.
00:17:51.37\00:17:54.97
He left something out
intentionally, and He let Adam
00:17:55.00\00:17:58.91
find out what it
was, also intentionally.
00:17:58.94\00:18:01.88
And I want to focus on this
because I need us to understand,
00:18:01.91\00:18:05.35
we need to
understand this morning,
00:18:05.38\00:18:06.82
that God is a relational God,
and He created relationships,
00:18:06.85\00:18:10.62
and He gave us the ability
to relate to one another.
00:18:10.65\00:18:13.99
He made us like that.
00:18:14.02\00:18:15.32
No one was meant
to live out isolated,
00:18:15.36\00:18:18.59
that's why God
created man and woman.
00:18:18.63\00:18:20.86
That's why He created the
first pair, the first couple.
00:18:20.90\00:18:22.86
I would like to explain
one thing before we get to that
00:18:22.90\00:18:29.10
point, that God,
in all of this, God,
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.81
He doesn't make things halfway.
00:18:31.84\00:18:33.84
God isn't a God
of half measures.
00:18:33.88\00:18:35.68
The Bible shows us that.
00:18:35.71\00:18:37.75
God isn't a God of
half measures in creation.
00:18:37.78\00:18:40.28
And what's good for us, a
hope that we have, a great joy
00:18:40.32\00:18:43.55
that we have is that not
only is God a God, not a God
00:18:43.59\00:18:47.09
of half measures, He
finishes what He starts.
00:18:47.12\00:18:51.16
Now, in our life
sometimes it seems as though
00:18:51.19\00:18:53.26
we were halfway there.
00:18:53.29\00:18:54.66
Have you ever had that feeling?
00:18:54.73\00:18:56.00
"I'm halfway
there. I'm not there yet."
00:18:56.03\00:18:59.03
And this is something
fairly common for all of us
00:18:59.07\00:19:01.17
because truly,
we aren't there yet.
00:19:01.20\00:19:02.90
We're not at the gates
of the eternal Canaan yet.
00:19:02.94\00:19:05.47
We're not at the
pearly gates yet.
00:19:05.51\00:19:07.34
We're halfway there.
00:19:07.38\00:19:08.68
But my Bible also tells me that
the good work that He started,
00:19:08.71\00:19:11.98
He is going to what?
00:19:12.01\00:19:13.31
Complete, He's going
to finish that good work,
00:19:13.35\00:19:16.02
so praise God for this.
00:19:16.05\00:19:17.49
The Bible calls us to
praise God in many texts.
00:19:17.52\00:19:20.96
I'd like to just
read one of these for you.
00:19:20.99\00:19:23.36
It appears in Psalm chapter
148, and I'm going to read
00:19:23.39\00:19:27.50
from verse 8 through 12.
00:19:27.50\00:19:28.80
Look at what it says.
00:19:28.83\00:19:30.73
"Praise the Lord from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all
00:19:30.77\00:19:35.27
the depths; Fire and
hail, snow and clouds;
00:19:35.30\00:19:38.94
Stormy wind,
fulfilling His word;
00:19:38.97\00:19:41.74
Mountains and all hills;
00:19:41.78\00:19:44.05
Fruitful trees
and all the cedars;
00:19:44.08\00:19:47.12
Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl;
00:19:47.15\00:19:50.59
Kings of the earth
and all peoples; Princes
00:19:50.62\00:19:52.69
and all judges of the earth;
Both young men and maidens;
00:19:52.72\00:19:55.96
Old men and children."
00:19:55.99\00:19:57.36
Praise God, Praise the Lord.
00:19:57.39\00:19:59.56
So, the Bible will give us many
of these texts that tell us how
00:19:59.59\00:20:02.96
great God is, how wonderful
God is, how complete is His
00:20:03.00\00:20:06.57
creation, how perfect
is everything that He does.
00:20:06.60\00:20:10.14
And I don't know about
you, but I feel overjoyed
00:20:10.17\00:20:11.77
when I read something
like this because it tells me
00:20:11.81\00:20:14.48
that my God is a powerful God.
00:20:14.51\00:20:17.11
My God is a complete God.
00:20:17.15\00:20:18.88
My God is a God
that still cares.
00:20:18.91\00:20:22.25
He hasn't walked away.
He hasn't abandoned us.
00:20:22.28\00:20:25.19
What the world once was, it will
be again, that's the promise.
00:20:25.22\00:20:30.49
This perfect creation that
He created, that He made for us,
00:20:30.53\00:20:35.10
He's going to do that,
He's going to recreate it.
00:20:35.13\00:20:37.30
Isn't that a blessed assurance?
00:20:37.33\00:20:41.47
But as I said before,
something was missing,
00:20:41.50\00:20:44.21
something was missing.
00:20:44.24\00:20:45.61
God wanted Adam to know
that something was missing.
00:20:45.64\00:20:50.45
Adam, you see, wouldn't
be whole without a companion.
00:20:50.48\00:20:53.85
He couldn't be
whole without companion.
00:20:53.88\00:20:55.18
And I can tell you
today that I, as a person,
00:20:55.22\00:20:57.62
I would not be whole
without my companion.
00:20:57.65\00:20:59.92
I didn't know
this when I was single.
00:20:59.95\00:21:02.19
All right, when I was
single, I thought I wanted
00:21:02.22\00:21:03.73
to be a lone wolf forever.
00:21:03.76\00:21:05.06
Any anyone here like that?
00:21:05.09\00:21:06.63
Oh, I see a few hands.
00:21:06.66\00:21:08.16
They want to be a lone wolf.
00:21:08.20\00:21:09.50
But I'll tell you
something, what a blessed thing
00:21:09.53\00:21:11.80
marriage is.
00:21:11.83\00:21:13.13
It's a--isn't that
true? I heard one amen.
00:21:13.17\00:21:15.30
I'd like to hear more,
amen. It's a great thing.
00:21:15.34\00:21:17.84
Marriage is, you
guys are kind of shaky.
00:21:17.87\00:21:19.91
Marriage is a great
thing. It's amazing.
00:21:19.94\00:21:22.64
It's good for us.
00:21:22.68\00:21:23.98
And God wanted Adam to
know that something was missing.
00:21:24.01\00:21:26.48
You see, and I want you
to accompany me on the text.
00:21:26.51\00:21:28.92
It says Genesis, Genesis 2:18
it says, "And the Lord God said,
00:21:28.95\00:21:33.09
'It is not good that man should
be alone; I will make him a
00:21:33.12\00:21:36.36
helper comparable to him.'"
00:21:36.39\00:21:37.83
Now, when God says this, is
Adam hearing God saying this?
00:21:37.86\00:21:42.10
No, Adam isn't.
00:21:42.13\00:21:44.60
And we realize this
because in the next two verses,
00:21:44.63\00:21:47.90
you see that Adam had no idea.
00:21:47.94\00:21:50.14
Okay, God says, I imagine God's,
you know, the Father's speaking
00:21:50.17\00:21:53.41
to Jesus and the Holy
Spirit there and they're saying,
00:21:53.44\00:21:55.08
"You know what?
Let's play a prank on Adam.
00:21:55.11\00:21:57.75
Let's have a
little joke with Adam.
00:21:57.78\00:21:59.81
You see, it's a good thing
for him to have a companion.
00:21:59.85\00:22:02.02
Let's make a companion for him."
00:22:02.05\00:22:03.65
God could have done that
outright, but that's not the
00:22:03.69\00:22:05.89
process which
we go through here.
00:22:05.92\00:22:07.76
This is what happens, verse
19, and 20, "Out of the ground,"
00:22:07.79\00:22:11.79
right after saying this,
"Out of the ground the Lord God
00:22:11.83\00:22:14.46
formed every beast of the
field and every bird of the air,
00:22:14.50\00:22:18.17
and brought them to Adam to
see what he would call them."
00:22:18.20\00:22:21.00
Now, this is
something interesting right in
00:22:21.04\00:22:22.34
and of itself, right?
00:22:22.37\00:22:23.67
Can you imagine God coming to
you and saying, "You're going to
00:22:23.71\00:22:26.07
give sounds that mean
something to these creatures,
00:22:26.11\00:22:30.81
and that's what they're
going to be identified as."
00:22:30.85\00:22:33.48
Now, we know it's
a different language.
00:22:33.52\00:22:34.82
It was an English, obviously.
00:22:34.85\00:22:36.48
But can you imagine that?
00:22:36.52\00:22:38.52
This thing with two
ears, you know, big long ears,
00:22:38.55\00:22:41.39
I'm going to call it a rabbit.
00:22:41.42\00:22:43.46
Why?
00:22:43.49\00:22:44.79
I'd like to when I get
to heaven, God willing,
00:22:44.83\00:22:47.23
I'd like to I like
to study up on this.
00:22:47.30\00:22:50.30
I'd like to ask Adam, "What was
going through your mind when you
00:22:50.33\00:22:52.77
gave, you know,
names to these creatures?"
00:22:52.80\00:22:55.10
And there's some
creatures, some weird creatures
00:22:55.14\00:22:57.27
with some very
weird names, you know?
00:22:57.31\00:22:59.44
So, I want to get to heaven and
I want to ask Adam about this.
00:22:59.47\00:23:01.98
But what's interesting is
that Adam, he saw pattern.
00:23:02.01\00:23:06.08
Look at what happens.
00:23:06.11\00:23:07.68
"So Adam gave names to all
cattle, to the birds of the air,
00:23:07.72\00:23:11.52
and to every beast of the field.
00:23:11.55\00:23:13.32
But for Adam there was not found
a helper comparable to him."
00:23:13.36\00:23:18.49
Hmm, so Adam, he
starts seeing a pattern.
00:23:18.53\00:23:22.86
"Well, these bunnies
here, there are two of them.
00:23:22.90\00:23:27.40
These dogs here,
there are two of them.
00:23:27.44\00:23:30.07
These cats here,
there are two of them.
00:23:30.11\00:23:32.17
Where's, where's my
pair? Where's my companion?"
00:23:32.21\00:23:36.41
And you can find her anywhere.
00:23:36.44\00:23:39.31
He saw some creatures that
kind of were similar in a very
00:23:39.35\00:23:42.52
strange way to humans, you know,
but you go up to a gorilla,
00:23:42.55\00:23:46.02
has fingers, and
hands, and opposable thumbs,
00:23:46.05\00:23:47.99
he can walk upright a little
bit, you know, and all that,
00:23:48.02\00:23:50.23
gets up on its
haunches and all that.
00:23:50.26\00:23:52.09
But it's nothing like
a woman, nothing like us.
00:23:52.13\00:23:58.13
Adam could not
find his companion.
00:23:58.17\00:24:01.00
He couldn't find
his significant other.
00:24:01.04\00:24:03.24
And he comes to God and says,
00:24:03.27\00:24:04.57
"Lord, I think
you made a mistake.
00:24:04.61\00:24:06.11
Something's wrong here,
all right, because every other
00:24:06.14\00:24:08.98
animal has a
companion, but I don't."
00:24:09.01\00:24:11.45
And I can imagine God
snapping His fingers and saying,
00:24:11.48\00:24:14.72
"Adam, you got it, you got it."
00:24:14.75\00:24:18.89
You notice the trick
question, or the trick
00:24:18.92\00:24:21.46
that I play--I
that I pulled on you.
00:24:21.49\00:24:23.86
And then God creates Eve,
and then creation is complete.
00:24:23.89\00:24:29.16
And then creation is complete.
00:24:29.20\00:24:32.63
God is a God of relationships.
00:24:32.67\00:24:34.97
When He creates us in
His image, as I already said,
00:24:35.00\00:24:39.74
that's what He's doing.
00:24:39.77\00:24:41.08
That's one of the aspects of
being created in God's image.
00:24:41.11\00:24:43.51
We are imitating His capacity to
hold and to have relationships,
00:24:43.55\00:24:48.75
and that is
assurance for us today.
00:24:48.78\00:24:50.19
Also, the fact that
God is a God relationships
00:24:50.22\00:24:53.36
means a few things.
00:24:53.39\00:24:54.69
It means, first
of all, that He can,
00:24:54.72\00:24:56.02
and He wants to relate to us.
00:24:56.06\00:24:57.96
Not only that, He wants us to
like with the world around us.
00:24:57.99\00:25:02.26
He wants us to relate
with people that we don't know.
00:25:02.30\00:25:04.97
He wants us to
show people who He is.
00:25:05.00\00:25:07.97
He wants us to
reflect His character,
00:25:08.00\00:25:09.74
to reflect our
relationship with Him.
00:25:09.77\00:25:11.61
Now, for us to do
that, what do we need?
00:25:11.64\00:25:14.38
To have a relationship with Him.
00:25:14.41\00:25:17.18
So, here we find that as we go
on it says--the Bible tells us
00:25:17.21\00:25:23.02
in Genesis 2:19,
"Out of the ground--"
00:25:23.05\00:25:24.92
We've already
read this a little bit,
00:25:24.95\00:25:26.25
but I want to
focus on this again.
00:25:26.29\00:25:27.89
"Out of the ground the Lord God
formed every beast of the field
00:25:27.92\00:25:30.66
and every bird of the
air, and brought them to Adam
00:25:30.69\00:25:32.86
to see what he would call them.
00:25:32.89\00:25:34.46
And whatever Adam
called each living creature,
00:25:34.46\00:25:36.46
that was their name."
00:25:36.50\00:25:37.80
Do you see that God
here is intentionally
00:25:37.83\00:25:39.47
sharing authority with Adam?
00:25:39.50\00:25:40.84
God is allowing
Adam to take control.
00:25:40.87\00:25:44.47
God is allowing
Adam to have a purpose.
00:25:44.51\00:25:47.98
We go forward and it
says in Genesis 2:15 it says,
00:25:48.01\00:25:51.21
"The Lord God took
the man and put him
00:25:51.25\00:25:52.95
in the garden of
Eden to tend and keep it."
00:25:52.98\00:25:54.95
What was Adam's purpose in life?
00:25:54.98\00:25:57.95
Here, to tend and
to keep the garden,
00:25:57.99\00:26:02.02
to tend and to
keep God's creation.
00:26:02.06\00:26:04.83
Not only that, God
gave them a purpose.
00:26:04.86\00:26:07.76
In verse 28, chapter 1, verse 28
we read, "Then God blessed them,
00:26:07.83\00:26:14.37
and God said to them,
'Be fruitful and multiply;
00:26:14.40\00:26:17.41
fill the earth and subdue it;
00:26:17.44\00:26:18.84
have dominion over
the fish of the sea,
00:26:18.87\00:26:20.94
over the birds of the air,
00:26:20.98\00:26:22.88
over every living thing
that moves on the earth."
00:26:22.91\00:26:25.58
God gave Adam and Eve an
origin, where they came from.
00:26:25.61\00:26:28.92
They were created by Him.
00:26:28.95\00:26:30.25
God gave them a purpose to fill
the earth and to multiply it.
00:26:30.29\00:26:35.72
And He gave them a
destiny, what would be their,
00:26:35.76\00:26:37.83
or their end game?
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.36
Well, to subdue the world,
to have dominion over the world.
00:26:40.40\00:26:42.90
That was what
God created them for.
00:26:42.93\00:26:46.07
Now, a very interesting fact
that arises here, and something
00:26:46.10\00:26:48.84
that influences our world today
is that even though God gave
00:26:48.87\00:26:52.51
Adam and Eve
permission to subdue the world,
00:26:52.54\00:26:55.14
He gave them permission
to, well, have dominion over it
00:26:55.18\00:26:59.25
and have authority over it.
00:26:59.28\00:27:00.68
Does that give Adam and
Eve permission to exploit
00:27:00.72\00:27:03.62
the world as they want it?
00:27:03.65\00:27:04.95
No.
00:27:04.99\00:27:08.42
And yet, what
happens today in our world?
00:27:08.46\00:27:11.09
You know that our
forests are being killed off.
00:27:11.13\00:27:14.30
The animals, more and more, are
being raised just for slaughter.
00:27:14.36\00:27:19.53
And I know many Christians, bear
with me, I know many Christians
00:27:19.57\00:27:23.27
that are on board
with this kind of thing.
00:27:23.30\00:27:25.24
And you know what
their reasoning is?
00:27:25.27\00:27:27.14
They say that, "Well, the Bible
already said that it would be
00:27:27.18\00:27:30.78
like this, and this means
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:27:30.81\00:27:34.22
So let them, just
let them kill it all."
00:27:34.25\00:27:36.08
Is that how we
should live as Christians?
00:27:36.12\00:27:40.42
Can't be.
00:27:40.46\00:27:41.76
You know, the Bible
tells us that God the Lord,
00:27:41.79\00:27:44.09
there will come the day
when He will destroy those
00:27:44.13\00:27:47.40
who destroy the world.
00:27:47.40\00:27:50.07
Now, if God says that there will
come a day when He will destroy
00:27:50.10\00:27:53.40
those who destroy the world,
what's the opposite of that?
00:27:53.44\00:27:56.17
That the Lord will
bless and protect those
00:27:56.20\00:28:00.08
who preserve the world.
00:28:00.11\00:28:02.91
So, we are called to
be, what? Stewards, correct?
00:28:02.94\00:28:08.72
Now, I have a question for
you, and I want you at home
00:28:08.75\00:28:13.82
to ask yourself this question.
00:28:13.86\00:28:16.09
What does it
mean to be a steward?
00:28:16.12\00:28:18.56
We talked about this.
00:28:18.59\00:28:19.89
We have lessons,
quarterlies about this.
00:28:19.93\00:28:22.10
There are sermons that
are preached about this.
00:28:22.13\00:28:24.07
It's a word that's tossed to
and fro, a steward, a steward.
00:28:24.10\00:28:27.47
But you know what
I've come to notice?
00:28:27.50\00:28:28.87
I've been in the
Adventist Church,
00:28:28.90\00:28:30.64
I've been an
Adventist since a child,
00:28:30.67\00:28:32.44
and I've heard this
word uncountable times.
00:28:32.47\00:28:35.08
I've heard my
father preach about it.
00:28:35.11\00:28:36.71
But every time that
I've--well, when I was younger
00:28:36.75\00:28:40.48
and I would consider
this word, in my mind,
00:28:40.52\00:28:42.72
it was more of
a financial thing.
00:28:42.75\00:28:44.12
Has that happened to you too?
00:28:44.15\00:28:46.09
You hear the word stewardship,
00:28:46.12\00:28:47.59
and immediately
what comes to your mind?
00:28:47.62\00:28:49.52
Tithes and offerings, right?
00:28:49.56\00:28:52.53
At least in my mind
growing up in a church,
00:28:52.56\00:28:54.63
that's what it would come to,
00:28:54.66\00:28:56.06
tithes and offerings
and being faithful and,
00:28:56.10\00:28:58.30
you know, that.
00:28:58.33\00:28:59.77
To some people,
being a steward is kinda,
00:28:59.80\00:29:04.57
it's almost a
professional thing,
00:29:04.61\00:29:06.27
has to do with professionalism.
00:29:06.31\00:29:07.61
"I am a good steward. I'm
a good professional of God.'
00:29:07.64\00:29:11.15
But here's the problem,
stewardship goes so much
00:29:11.18\00:29:13.42
beyond that and in
my mind, stewardship,
00:29:13.45\00:29:17.09
it truly has to do
with sanctification.
00:29:17.12\00:29:21.12
It's a calling. It's
a calling to be a part.
00:29:21.16\00:29:24.36
It's a calling to take care.
00:29:24.39\00:29:25.69
It's a calling
to responsibility.
00:29:25.73\00:29:28.13
So, stewardship
and sanctification,
00:29:28.16\00:29:30.83
they walk hand in hand.
00:29:30.87\00:29:32.67
If I am a good
steward, I will be walking
00:29:32.70\00:29:35.60
the path of sanctification.
00:29:35.64\00:29:36.94
If I am walking the
path of sanctification,
00:29:36.97\00:29:39.14
I will then be a good steward.
00:29:39.17\00:29:42.41
Now, here's the thing, many
people think that being a good
00:29:42.44\00:29:44.78
steward has to do with them.
00:29:44.81\00:29:47.08
"I am going to
be a good steward."
00:29:47.12\00:29:50.55
And I would disagree
a little bit with that.
00:29:50.59\00:29:54.62
You know why?
00:29:54.66\00:29:55.96
It's based--and I'll
have this disagreement based
00:29:55.99\00:29:58.29
on one verse in the Bible,
Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10.
00:29:58.33\00:30:01.96
Look at what it says, Ephesians
chapter 2, verse 10 says,
00:30:02.00\00:30:05.57
"For we are His workmanship,"
00:30:05.60\00:30:07.47
you all know this verse,
"For we are His workmanship
00:30:07.50\00:30:10.97
created in Christ
Jesus for good works,
00:30:11.01\00:30:14.31
which He God prepared beforehand
00:30:14.34\00:30:17.21
that we should walk in them."
00:30:17.25\00:30:18.98
So, if sanctification and
stewardship are so closely tied
00:30:19.01\00:30:22.58
together, and sanctification
is a process, it's a walk.
00:30:22.62\00:30:27.79
Many confuse justification
with sanctification.
00:30:27.82\00:30:30.56
Justification has to do
with what God has already done
00:30:30.59\00:30:33.40
for you, or for
what God does for you,
00:30:33.43\00:30:36.10
while sanctification
is what God does in you.
00:30:36.13\00:30:39.73
And that's the main difference.
00:30:39.77\00:30:41.20
Stewardship is along the
same lines because you realize
00:30:41.24\00:30:45.34
that God, in a
relational aspect, loves you,
00:30:45.37\00:30:48.01
and He wants to have
a relationship with you.
00:30:48.04\00:30:50.15
What is your answer?
00:30:50.18\00:30:51.48
What should be
our response to that?
00:30:51.51\00:30:53.52
"Well, I want I
want to be good at it.
00:30:53.55\00:30:56.18
I want to have a good
relationship with Him."
00:30:56.22\00:30:58.49
It's the same thing
as with in a marriage.
00:30:58.52\00:31:01.46
When you love your spouse, and
you love the person you're with,
00:31:01.49\00:31:04.23
what do you want to do?
00:31:04.26\00:31:05.56
You want to work on your
relationship, you want to make
00:31:05.59\00:31:07.76
it happen, you want to treat
the other person well, and with
00:31:07.83\00:31:10.97
respect.
00:31:11.00\00:31:12.30
You want her or him to
understand that, well, you love
00:31:12.33\00:31:15.10
them, and that's
how it is with God.
00:31:15.14\00:31:18.61
That's what being a steward is.
00:31:18.64\00:31:19.94
That's what our calling to take
care of this world should and
00:31:19.97\00:31:23.61
must be.
00:31:23.65\00:31:25.58
Now, the real problem
with all of this is that sin
00:31:25.61\00:31:31.29
entered the world.
00:31:31.32\00:31:32.85
God made, God created something
perfect, something beautiful.
00:31:32.89\00:31:38.03
He extended His personality,
His relational qualities,
00:31:38.06\00:31:41.63
to us humans.
00:31:41.66\00:31:43.00
He made a complete thing.
00:31:43.03\00:31:45.73
He made us stewards of
this world, to take care of it.
00:31:45.77\00:31:49.04
But there was a problem.
00:31:49.07\00:31:51.97
Something happened.
00:31:52.01\00:31:54.21
Humanity suffered a crisis.
00:31:54.24\00:31:58.21
One of God's greatest gifts to
humanity was freewill, correct?
00:31:58.25\00:32:04.99
Truly the question is, when did
God actually implement freewill
00:32:05.02\00:32:07.76
in the universe?
00:32:07.79\00:32:09.09
And honestly, I believe it was
one of the first things that He
00:32:09.12\00:32:11.96
created or He conceded,
He gave, because it has to do
00:32:11.99\00:32:16.40
with His character.
00:32:16.43\00:32:17.73
God is not a dictator.
00:32:17.77\00:32:20.67
So, He conceded freewill.
00:32:20.70\00:32:23.44
Now, there's a danger in
confusing freewill with the
00:32:23.47\00:32:32.31
capacity to
choose right and wrong.
00:32:32.35\00:32:34.68
And let me explain myself.
00:32:34.72\00:32:36.92
Can you decide
what is right and wrong?
00:32:36.95\00:32:41.49
No, we cannot.
00:32:41.52\00:32:42.82
If I could decide what was right
and wrong, if I could choose
00:32:42.86\00:32:47.50
this is right and this
is wrong, I would be God.
00:32:47.56\00:32:51.40
Only God can say
that murder is wrong.
00:32:51.43\00:32:54.27
He is the basis for morality.
00:32:54.30\00:32:55.74
Does that make sense?
00:32:55.77\00:32:57.07
God is the basis for
morality. He decides.
00:32:57.11\00:32:59.84
He is the judge.
He is the arbiter.
00:32:59.87\00:33:01.84
He is the one who says,
"This is something good,
00:33:01.88\00:33:03.88
this is something bad."
00:33:03.91\00:33:05.25
He decides the quality,
the moral quality, of things.
00:33:05.28\00:33:09.55
What do we have
then? What is freewill?
00:33:09.58\00:33:11.29
I can choose one from the other.
00:33:11.32\00:33:14.16
I can choose to do good, and
I can choose to do wrong, but I
00:33:14.19\00:33:17.29
cannot come and
say killing is right.
00:33:17.33\00:33:19.23
I do not have that power, that
authority, do you understand?
00:33:19.26\00:33:23.87
So, when God gives freewill,
and I've seen many people who
00:33:23.90\00:33:26.63
struggle with this.
00:33:26.67\00:33:27.97
Well, then if I'm getting
punished for choosing, what kind
00:33:28.00\00:33:30.57
of freewill is this?
00:33:30.61\00:33:32.07
That's not part of the game.
That's not what God gave us.
00:33:32.11\00:33:34.81
God did not give us, as humans,
the authority to say this is
00:33:34.84\00:33:38.71
right and this is wrong.
00:33:38.75\00:33:40.25
And well, it'd be so.
00:33:40.28\00:33:41.68
No, He gave us the authority
to choose one from the other.
00:33:41.72\00:33:44.89
I can decide, I can choose
not to do something because it's
00:33:44.92\00:33:48.42
wrong, but it is wrong
independently of what I believe,
00:33:48.46\00:33:52.39
or it is right
independently of what I believe.
00:33:52.43\00:33:54.73
And God gave humans freewill.
00:33:54.73\00:33:57.50
He gave them a choice to make.
00:33:57.53\00:33:59.13
He let us choose, even though He
knew that in the end, He would
00:33:59.17\00:34:02.90
suffer the most.
00:34:02.94\00:34:04.57
You see, God Jesus, He's
the Lamb slain since when?
00:34:04.61\00:34:08.84
The foundation of the world.
00:34:08.88\00:34:11.58
In what sense is
He the Lamb slain
00:34:11.61\00:34:14.18
since the
foundation of the world?
00:34:14.22\00:34:15.55
He knew.
00:34:15.58\00:34:17.45
He was committed.
00:34:17.49\00:34:19.09
He knew that from the beginning,
from the moment He created, or
00:34:19.12\00:34:23.12
He gave, He conceded freewill,
from that moment on, He knew
00:34:23.16\00:34:27.10
that one day He
would suffer because of it.
00:34:27.13\00:34:30.77
And many question,
"Well, then why did God do it?
00:34:30.80\00:34:32.93
Why did God create this world?
Why did God create Lucifer?"
00:34:32.97\00:34:36.60
Because God is
consistent with Himself.
00:34:36.64\00:34:39.01
A God of freedom
cannot manipulate the future.
00:34:39.04\00:34:43.85
God knew that Lucifer would
do what he did, but if He didn't
00:34:43.88\00:34:49.15
create Lucifer, He would
be contradicting Himself.
00:34:49.18\00:34:52.89
He would be manipulating
the outcome of the universe.
00:34:52.92\00:34:55.52
So, God, in His infinite wisdom,
He creates Lucifer, He creates
00:34:55.56\00:34:59.59
this world, even knowing what
would happen, even knowing that
00:34:59.63\00:35:04.13
He would pay the final price.
00:35:04.17\00:35:06.97
And what you find in this whole
aspect of the fall, what I find
00:35:07.00\00:35:11.07
very interesting is that,
you see, it works as a ladder.
00:35:11.11\00:35:18.78
There was a process in the fall.
00:35:18.81\00:35:21.12
Eve, she
separates herself from Adam.
00:35:21.15\00:35:24.55
She then starts wandering about
the garden, and I believe this
00:35:24.59\00:35:27.19
could have happened either way.
00:35:27.22\00:35:28.69
I'm not saying that, that women
have weaker mindset or anything.
00:35:28.72\00:35:31.89
That's not what I'm saying.
00:35:31.93\00:35:33.90
What I am saying is that
what happened is that Eve, she
00:35:33.93\00:35:36.06
separated yourself from Adam.
00:35:36.10\00:35:37.93
She starts wandering around
the garden, she comes upon a
00:35:37.97\00:35:41.77
beautiful tree.
00:35:41.80\00:35:43.04
And this serpent, this beautiful
creature, starts talking to her
00:35:43.07\00:35:46.78
and starts questioning,
you know, precisely what?
00:35:46.81\00:35:50.45
Her relationship with
God, her vertical relationship.
00:35:50.48\00:35:54.95
That's what He questions.
00:35:54.98\00:35:56.32
He says, and this is, you
know, this is very interesting.
00:35:56.35\00:35:58.99
It's an
interesting conversation.
00:35:59.02\00:36:00.39
He comes to Eve and he says,
"Eve, did God really say that
00:36:00.42\00:36:04.73
you couldn't eat of this tree?"
00:36:04.76\00:36:06.09
And she says,
"Yep, hundred percent.
00:36:06.13\00:36:09.36
Said if I eat it, I'm dead."
00:36:09.40\00:36:10.97
And he says, "No, I
can't believe God said that.
00:36:11.00\00:36:15.27
I think you misinterpreted it.
00:36:15.30\00:36:16.77
I think you took
it out of context."
00:36:16.81\00:36:18.57
Have you heard that one?
00:36:18.61\00:36:19.91
"I think you took it out of
context, you misinterpreted it.
00:36:19.94\00:36:22.44
God would never say
something like that.
00:36:22.48\00:36:24.21
And if He did, you know what?
00:36:24.25\00:36:25.55
God isn't, I don't think
so because, you know what?
00:36:25.58\00:36:28.42
You won't die. What
does that even mean?"
00:36:28.45\00:36:30.92
Imagine the concept of death in
a universe where death had never
00:36:30.95\00:36:33.72
happened.
00:36:33.76\00:36:36.42
"What does that
even mean, to die?
00:36:36.46\00:36:38.19
Nah, you're not going to die.
00:36:38.23\00:36:40.70
You know what's going to happen?
00:36:40.73\00:36:41.93
God knows that when you eat
of this fruit, your eyes will be
00:36:41.96\00:36:45.90
opened, and you
will be like unto Him."
00:36:45.93\00:36:49.34
And then the Bible tells us that
Eve then saw that the fruit was
00:36:49.37\00:36:53.61
beautiful, and it was pleasant,
and it was, you know, she wanted
00:36:53.64\00:36:57.11
to eat it for knowledge and so,
00:36:57.15\00:36:59.41
she took over the
fruit and she ate it.
00:36:59.45\00:37:01.18
What was the first temptation?
00:37:01.22\00:37:02.52
To covet more than
God had given to them.
00:37:02.55\00:37:06.45
That was truly the first
temptation, to covet more than
00:37:06.49\00:37:10.23
God had truly given to them.
00:37:10.26\00:37:12.43
The results of this is
the fall, the fall of mankind.
00:37:12.46\00:37:17.07
When we read God coming and
wandering in the garden, and
00:37:17.10\00:37:20.10
asking them what's happened,
why is the world broken?
00:37:20.14\00:37:22.47
God knew, didn't
He? Of course, God knew.
00:37:22.50\00:37:25.17
Parents are like that sometimes.
00:37:25.21\00:37:26.44
I remember when I was younger,
I spilled a cup of grape juice
00:37:26.47\00:37:32.25
on my mom's white sofa.
00:37:32.28\00:37:34.42
And you'll hear me use this
story in another context, but I
00:37:34.45\00:37:40.52
didn't know what to do.
00:37:40.56\00:37:41.86
I scrubbed it, you know,
and it just made it worse.
00:37:41.89\00:37:43.59
I scrubbed that
stain, it just made it worse.
00:37:43.63\00:37:45.46
I turned over the cushion,
dreading the day when my mom
00:37:45.49\00:37:49.93
would clean that sofa
and that day finally came.
00:37:49.96\00:37:52.50
And you know what I heard?
00:37:52.53\00:37:54.37
"Luccas, come here right now."
00:37:54.40\00:37:56.64
And then I got--I
knew, I already knew.
00:37:56.67\00:37:59.64
As soon as she said it in that
tone, I knew what had happened.
00:37:59.67\00:38:02.58
I said, "All
right, today's the day."
00:38:02.61\00:38:06.41
"Luccas, come here right
now. What have you done?"
00:38:06.45\00:38:11.25
How I hated that question.
00:38:11.29\00:38:12.92
Don't you think
she knew what I did?
00:38:12.95\00:38:14.89
Of course she did, she
just wanted to rub it in?
00:38:14.92\00:38:17.93
No, what she wanted
to do was make me think.
00:38:17.96\00:38:20.43
She wanted me to understand,
to think a little bit of what,
00:38:20.46\00:38:24.27
you know, the
consequences of my actions.
00:38:24.30\00:38:26.40
That's what God is doing
here. "Adam Eve, where are you?
00:38:26.43\00:38:28.84
What have you done?
Who told you these things?
00:38:28.87\00:38:31.67
Who told you
that you were naked?
00:38:31.71\00:38:33.44
Who told you? Who told you?"
00:38:33.48\00:38:36.78
You can almost hear the sadness
dripping from God's words.
00:38:36.81\00:38:40.78
"Who told you these things?
00:38:40.82\00:38:43.25
Have you taken from the fruit
I told you not to eat from?"
00:38:43.28\00:38:46.39
Now, Adam and Eve they could
have felt many things at this
00:38:46.42\00:38:50.46
moment, couldn't they?
00:38:50.49\00:38:52.29
They probably did.
00:38:52.33\00:38:53.76
They could have felt angry.
00:38:53.80\00:38:55.16
Adam could have felt angry at
Eve, Eve could have felt angry
00:38:55.20\00:38:58.33
at Adam.
00:38:58.37\00:38:59.67
They could have felt afraid.
They could have felt fearful.
00:38:59.70\00:39:02.74
They could have felt a series
of things, but what is the first
00:39:02.77\00:39:06.78
feeling that humankind feels
before--right, I'm sorry, right
00:39:06.81\00:39:11.68
after the fall?
00:39:11.71\00:39:13.01
What's the first feeling?
00:39:13.05\00:39:14.35
Shame, they felt
ashamed and that tells us a lot.
00:39:14.38\00:39:20.59
You see, sin, more than anything
else, it's a dirty thing.
00:39:20.62\00:39:25.83
It's a horrible thing,
and it makes us want to hide.
00:39:25.86\00:39:30.97
It makes us feel unclean.
00:39:31.00\00:39:33.97
Sin broke, sin broke many
things, but one of the worst
00:39:34.00\00:39:39.71
things that sin truly did that
first day is that sin broke our
00:39:39.74\00:39:43.45
relationships,
it destroyed them.
00:39:43.48\00:39:46.75
Sin broke our relationships with
God, broke our relationship with
00:39:46.78\00:39:50.45
each other.
00:39:50.49\00:39:51.79
It broke our
relationships with nature.
00:39:51.82\00:39:53.12
It broke our
relationships with ourselves.
00:39:53.15\00:39:55.62
When you just study Genesis
3:16 through 19 and you see the
00:39:55.66\00:39:58.96
curses that were given
upon the world due to sin,
00:39:58.99\00:40:02.96
look at what it says.
00:40:03.00\00:40:04.23
Genesis 3:16 through 19 tells
us, "To the woman He said: 'I
00:40:04.27\00:40:07.77
will greatly multiply your
sorrow and your conception; In
00:40:07.80\00:40:11.37
pain you shall bring forth
children; Your desire shall be
00:40:11.41\00:40:14.44
for your husband, And
he shall rule over you.'
00:40:14.48\00:40:17.21
Then to Adam He said,
00:40:17.25\00:40:19.05
'Because you have heeded
the voice of your wife, and have
00:40:19.08\00:40:21.48
eaten from the tree of which
I commanded you, saying, 'You
00:40:21.52\00:40:24.12
shall not eat of it': Cursed
is the ground for your sake; In
00:40:24.15\00:40:27.62
toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
00:40:27.66\00:40:31.89
Both thorns and thistles it
shall bring forth to you, And
00:40:31.93\00:40:35.60
you shall eat the
herb of the field.
00:40:35.63\00:40:37.80
In the sweat of your face you
shall eat bread Till you return
00:40:37.83\00:40:41.10
to the ground, For out of it you
were taken; For dust you are,
00:40:41.14\00:40:45.84
And to dust you shall return."
00:40:45.87\00:40:47.98
You know what this means?
00:40:48.01\00:40:49.48
Life got hard for everyone.
00:40:49.51\00:40:54.45
Life got hard, got difficult.
00:40:54.48\00:40:58.25
Death, disease, pain, tears,
hunger, famine, thirst, all
00:40:58.29\00:41:04.86
these things, the world broke.
00:41:04.89\00:41:09.23
The world busted at this moment.
00:41:09.26\00:41:12.37
Life became hard.
00:41:12.40\00:41:14.97
Sin affected every kind of
relationship we can think about.
00:41:15.00\00:41:19.47
Sin affected our
relationship with God.
00:41:19.51\00:41:21.04
You see, Adam and Eve,
they walked and talked with God.
00:41:21.08\00:41:25.51
Have you ever wanted
to walk and talk with God?
00:41:25.55\00:41:28.35
I have, multiple times.
00:41:28.38\00:41:29.68
I don't know about you, but I've
sat down and cried because I
00:41:29.72\00:41:33.36
wanted to be like Adam and Eve.
00:41:33.39\00:41:34.96
I wanted to be, to have a
relationship with God as close
00:41:34.99\00:41:37.79
as some of the Bible
characters such as Abraham,
00:41:37.83\00:41:39.79
and Noah, and Moses.
00:41:39.83\00:41:44.67
Sin affected our
relationship with God.
00:41:44.70\00:41:48.37
We lost that, that dimension,
that spiritual dimension of the
00:41:48.40\00:41:52.61
universe where we can see angels
and talk to them and see God and
00:41:52.64\00:41:56.31
talk to Him.
00:41:56.34\00:41:57.65
Clearly, we lost that.
00:41:57.68\00:42:00.62
We lost in regards to
relationships with one another.
00:42:00.65\00:42:03.92
You know, when you study Genesis
chapter 1 all the way to chapter
00:42:03.95\00:42:07.19
11, two problems
emerge, two great problems.
00:42:07.22\00:42:10.99
And honestly, if you see that,
you see that portion, the first
00:42:11.03\00:42:14.10
11 chapters of the Bible,
roughly the first 2,000 years of
00:42:14.13\00:42:16.80
the world, you'll see that the
rest of the Bible is God fixing
00:42:16.83\00:42:20.64
these two major problems.
00:42:20.67\00:42:23.07
The first problem appears in
Genesis chapter 3, as we just
00:42:23.10\00:42:25.34
read it.
00:42:25.37\00:42:26.78
Humanity's relationship with
God is destroyed, it's severed.
00:42:26.81\00:42:29.98
And then totally in chapter 11,
that's when you'll see that our
00:42:30.01\00:42:34.42
relationship with each other in
the Tower of Babel's experienced
00:42:34.45\00:42:37.09
there, you'll see that humanity
was alienated from itself.
00:42:37.12\00:42:41.89
So, our vertical relationship
with God, cut, our horizontal
00:42:41.92\00:42:47.13
relationship, cut, severed.
00:42:47.20\00:42:49.43
And the whole of the Bible, the
rest of it, is God fixing these
00:42:49.46\00:42:53.07
two problems.
00:42:53.10\00:42:54.60
You'll see that in the
Ten Commandments, for example.
00:42:54.64\00:42:56.67
What is God saying?
00:42:56.71\00:42:58.01
"Don't have any other
gods. Don't make idols.
00:42:58.04\00:43:00.64
Don't say My name in vain,"
which is largely misunderstood.
00:43:00.68\00:43:04.08
Many people think that the third
commandment has only to do with
00:43:04.11\00:43:07.68
saying a phrase, "Oh, my God."
00:43:07.72\00:43:09.65
Many people think that
that is transgressing the third
00:43:09.68\00:43:11.95
commandment, only that.
00:43:11.99\00:43:13.52
You really think that God
would isolate one of the Ten
00:43:13.56\00:43:16.16
Commandments just for a
sentence, just for a phrase?
00:43:16.19\00:43:20.90
It's ridiculous.
00:43:20.93\00:43:22.53
Taking the Lord's name in
vain is saying that you are His
00:43:22.56\00:43:24.57
child, but living against that.
00:43:24.60\00:43:28.14
It's saying one
thing, but living another.
00:43:28.17\00:43:31.74
It would be like saying
I'm taking my relationship
00:43:31.77\00:43:33.81
with my wife in vain.
00:43:33.84\00:43:35.14
"I love you, honey.
I love you so much."
00:43:35.18\00:43:37.48
But behind her back, I'm
living the life that shows
00:43:37.51\00:43:40.22
that I do not love her.
00:43:40.25\00:43:41.55
I'm taking our marriage in vain.
00:43:41.58\00:43:44.12
The fourth commandment, keep the
Sabbath, remember the Sabbath
00:43:44.15\00:43:46.79
day to keep it holy.
00:43:46.82\00:43:48.39
What is that
trying to accomplish?
00:43:48.42\00:43:50.19
To fix a relationship with God.
00:43:50.23\00:43:53.03
That's what these first
four commandments are all about,
00:43:53.06\00:43:55.36
fixing and
maintaining our relationship
00:43:55.40\00:43:57.53
with the Lord Almighty.
00:43:57.57\00:43:58.90
And the other six commandments,
what are they about?
00:43:58.93\00:44:00.94
Fixing their
relationships with one another.
00:44:00.97\00:44:03.81
Do you realize that in the New
Testament, more than 70 times
00:44:03.84\00:44:08.41
this phrase appears various
times "one another, love one
00:44:08.44\00:44:12.25
another, cherish one another,
take care of one another, carry
00:44:12.28\00:44:15.62
each other's, one
another's burdens."
00:44:15.65\00:44:17.19
"One another, one another, one
another, more than 70 times in
00:44:17.22\00:44:21.02
the pages of the New Testament.
00:44:21.06\00:44:22.49
God is trying to fix
these two major problems.
00:44:22.52\00:44:27.73
Our relationship
with nature was broken.
00:44:27.76\00:44:31.37
Right from the beginning, Adam
and Eve, they made clothes for
00:44:31.40\00:44:33.94
themselves out of what?
00:44:33.97\00:44:36.64
Leaves, fig leaves.
00:44:36.67\00:44:38.44
What does that include?
00:44:38.47\00:44:41.41
What does that mean?
00:44:41.44\00:44:43.04
They killed the leaves.
00:44:43.08\00:44:44.58
Now, that might seem very
trivial for us today, leaves.
00:44:44.61\00:44:48.32
There was no death.
00:44:48.35\00:44:50.32
There was no destruction.
00:44:50.35\00:44:52.69
They had to destroy to
cover them, their shame.
00:44:52.72\00:44:55.06
You understand this?
00:44:55.09\00:44:57.46
Death was involved
when God had to cover them.
00:44:57.49\00:44:59.49
Truly, the first sacrifice
in the universe where God killed
00:44:59.53\00:45:02.60
that little lamb to cover Adam
and Eve's shame as a symbol that
00:45:02.63\00:45:06.10
one day He would be that Lamb.
00:45:06.13\00:45:10.24
Sin affected our
relationship with ourselves.
00:45:10.27\00:45:12.94
We live in the era of stress.
00:45:12.97\00:45:15.18
We live in the
times of depression.
00:45:15.21\00:45:18.31
People don't know how to
relate to themselves anymore.
00:45:18.35\00:45:22.32
People hate themselves.
00:45:22.35\00:45:24.52
Solitude,
loneliness, low self-esteem.
00:45:24.55\00:45:28.09
Why do you think the self-help
books are the most sold books?
00:45:28.12\00:45:31.56
Because people have
problems with themselves.
00:45:31.59\00:45:33.93
Sin affected every
area of relationships.
00:45:33.96\00:45:38.53
Now, I want to close
saying one last thing.
00:45:38.57\00:45:45.17
There is a philosophy
that reigns in our world, a
00:45:45.21\00:45:48.94
philosophy called, or
an ideology, called deism.
00:45:48.98\00:45:52.85
What is deism.
00:45:52.88\00:45:54.18
Deism is the idea that God
created this world, but then He
00:45:54.22\00:46:00.36
turned His back
and He walked away.
00:46:00.39\00:46:03.79
It's the theory of
an absent landlord.
00:46:03.83\00:46:06.53
Ever heard of this deism?
00:46:06.56\00:46:09.56
I don't find that God anywhere.
00:46:09.60\00:46:13.50
The God that I find in the Bible
is a God that, on the contrary,
00:46:13.54\00:46:17.54
instead of walking, turning His
back and walking away, I find a
00:46:17.57\00:46:21.68
God that rolled up His sleeves
and dived right into the middle
00:46:21.71\00:46:25.51
of the mess.
00:46:25.55\00:46:26.88
Do you see that too?
00:46:26.92\00:46:30.35
When we see missionary service
in the Bible, we're not talking
00:46:30.39\00:46:33.89
about some abstract idea.
00:46:33.92\00:46:36.12
We're talking about a
very concrete, absolute, real
00:46:36.16\00:46:40.33
identity to who God is.
00:46:40.36\00:46:43.77
He is this.
00:46:43.80\00:46:45.13
When He talked about
"the least of these,"
00:46:45.17\00:46:46.47
whose words are these?
00:46:46.50\00:46:47.80
They're Jesus's words.
00:46:47.84\00:46:50.31
So, in the pages of the Bible,
you don't find deism supported
00:46:50.34\00:46:53.68
at all.
00:46:53.71\00:46:54.94
The God of the Bible is a God
that cared so much, that loved
00:46:54.98\00:46:57.81
so much, that He came
and He saved this world.
00:46:57.85\00:47:02.35
He came and He redeemed it,
and He gave us the chance, the
00:47:02.38\00:47:07.09
privilege, to be instruments in
the salvation of other people.
00:47:07.12\00:47:10.66
Now, I've asked myself
many times why I chose to be a
00:47:10.69\00:47:14.30
pastor, or why this
turned out this way.
00:47:14.30\00:47:17.83
You really want
to know the reason?
00:47:17.87\00:47:19.87
I think God was so good to me
and He knew that I would have a
00:47:19.90\00:47:22.77
hard time with salvation
otherwise, that He allowed me to
00:47:22.80\00:47:26.61
be an instrument.
00:47:26.64\00:47:28.84
And He can do
that for all of us.
00:47:28.88\00:47:30.55
He wants to do that for you,
maybe not as a pastor, maybe
00:47:30.58\00:47:32.98
that's not your calling.
00:47:33.01\00:47:35.08
But maybe as a nurse, maybe
as the head of a soup kitchen,
00:47:35.12\00:47:38.89
maybe as a greeter at church.
00:47:38.92\00:47:41.06
We are called to
extend love to a dying world.
00:47:41.09\00:47:47.10
Now, the question
is, are you doing this?
00:47:47.13\00:47:50.03
Look within yourself and ask
yourself, are you doing this?
00:47:50.07\00:47:54.00
Are you being the face of God
to a world that maybe sometimes
00:47:54.04\00:47:57.37
only sees you as a
representative of God?
00:47:57.41\00:47:59.91
And I'll be honest with you,
sometimes I had a hard time, I
00:47:59.94\00:48:02.68
have a hard time with this.
00:48:02.71\00:48:04.21
Sometimes I think that if
it weren't for church and, you
00:48:04.25\00:48:06.68
know, being able to preach and
teach at a Sabbath school, well,
00:48:06.72\00:48:09.68
then how would
I be a missionary?
00:48:09.72\00:48:11.69
And I've had to think long
and hard about it, and maybe you
00:48:11.72\00:48:14.62
have to think about that too.
00:48:14.66\00:48:15.96
But know that
God wants to use you.
00:48:15.99\00:48:20.36
This God that made a perfect
world, a complete world, this
00:48:20.40\00:48:24.13
relational God who asked you to
be a steward, to be set apart.
00:48:24.17\00:48:29.64
This God that was there in the
brokenness of the first world,
00:48:29.67\00:48:32.97
this God that was right there
when Adam and Eve sinned and
00:48:33.01\00:48:36.18
fell, and this God that made
the promise that someday someone
00:48:36.21\00:48:39.11
would come to fix this problem,
and the same God that was here
00:48:39.15\00:48:42.52
to fix that problem, He is right
here right now and He can live
00:48:42.55\00:48:45.99
inside of you, and He can
transform you, and you can use
00:48:46.02\00:48:50.19
you, and He can change you.
00:48:50.23\00:48:53.70
One of the greatest
satisfactions of life is knowing
00:48:53.73\00:48:57.27
that I can be used by God.
00:48:57.30\00:49:00.74
May God bless you in
the study of this lesson.
00:49:00.77\00:49:03.87
May you truly, not only read,
not only study, but apply it.
00:49:03.91\00:49:09.68
We hope to see you back again
next week for another lesson.
00:49:09.71\00:49:15.72
We want to remember--remind
you of our free offer,
00:49:15.75\00:49:18.52
it's number 870.
00:49:18.55\00:49:20.32
If you would like it,
you call 866-788-3966.
00:49:20.36\00:49:24.79
And we're waiting to
see you again next Sabbath
00:49:24.83\00:49:27.23
for another Bible hour.
00:49:27.23\00:49:28.96
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:49:30.10\00:49:32.03
free resource.
00:49:32.07\00:49:33.70
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:49:33.74\00:49:35.97
download a digital copy
straight to your computer
00:49:36.00\00:49:38.04
or a mobile device.
00:49:38.07\00:49:39.37
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:49:39.41\00:49:42.94
the keyword on your screen to
40544 or visit the web address
00:49:42.98\00:49:47.38
shown on your screen.
00:49:47.42\00:49:49.28
And be sure to select
the digital download option
00:49:49.32\00:49:51.55
on the request page.
00:49:51.59\00:49:52.89
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:49:52.92\00:49:56.12
Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want.
00:49:56.16\00:49:59.03
And most important,
to share it with others.
00:49:59.06\00:50:02.06
announcer: Amazing
Facts, changed lives.
00:50:06.77\00:50:14.78
Charlie Green: My
life was in turmoil.
00:50:14.81\00:50:17.15
My wife and I were
fighting all the time.
00:50:17.18\00:50:19.38
I got away from
everything and everybody.
00:50:19.41\00:50:21.95
I don't know, I just, I always
had this emptiness in my heart.
00:50:21.98\00:50:25.35
I want it filled.
00:50:25.39\00:50:26.92
I just felt like I went my whole
life, you know, just searching
00:50:26.96\00:50:29.56
for something.
00:50:29.59\00:50:30.99
And my father died
and that ruined me a lot.
00:50:31.03\00:50:34.56
My father
didn't believe suicide.
00:50:34.60\00:50:36.97
I didn't want to live but rather
than disrespect him, I decided
00:50:37.00\00:50:40.90
I would just become so
mean that someone else would do
00:50:40.94\00:50:43.00
it to me and I wouldn't have to.
00:50:43.04\00:50:44.74
So, I joined the Army thinking,
what better place to get killed
00:50:44.77\00:50:47.54
than in the Army?
00:50:47.58\00:50:49.08
And while I was in the
Army, my daughter got injured.
00:50:49.11\00:50:51.71
She was in an accident, and she
was blind and paraplegic, and
00:50:51.75\00:50:57.75
it's just like I felt the whole
world was coming down on me.
00:50:57.79\00:51:01.62
One morning, I just really got
mad, and I gave God a cussing
00:51:01.66\00:51:05.33
like you wouldn't believe.
00:51:05.36\00:51:07.13
I said, "I'm not Moses, not
Abraham, you know, I don't--but
00:51:07.20\00:51:11.37
I put my sandals on just
like they do and I'm a man.
00:51:11.40\00:51:14.37
I don't want to know why this is
happening to me, I just want to
00:51:14.40\00:51:17.47
know that it's
happening for a reason.
00:51:17.51\00:51:19.67
If you tell me right now this is
all for a reason, then you can
00:51:19.71\00:51:24.51
stack it on me from here till
the end of time and I will never
00:51:24.55\00:51:27.58
complain again."
00:51:27.62\00:51:29.58
And that little TV came on, had
been sitting there just static
00:51:29.62\00:51:33.72
all night long.
00:51:33.76\00:51:35.56
And there's this minister when
he pops up and he says, "Today's
00:51:35.59\00:51:39.03
lesson's from the Book of Job.
00:51:39.06\00:51:40.93
God only lets those
suffer that He loves the most."
00:51:40.96\00:51:44.03
And I said, "Well,
that's all you had to say, Lord.
00:51:44.07\00:51:45.37
I appreciate it."
00:51:45.40\00:51:46.84
From that day forward, I knew
that He was there, He was in my
00:51:46.87\00:51:49.70
life, and that He would help me.
00:51:49.74\00:51:53.38
I went to prison
just almost immediately.
00:51:53.41\00:51:56.58
I was in prison
for aggravated assault.
00:51:56.61\00:51:59.65
I was in one the worst prisons
in the state of Tennessee.
00:51:59.68\00:52:02.78
It was full of gang activity.
00:52:02.82\00:52:05.22
I got my throat
cut, 52 stitches.
00:52:05.25\00:52:08.46
My neck, I could take those
fingers and stick them all the
00:52:08.49\00:52:10.86
way to out my mouth.
00:52:10.89\00:52:12.96
I'd gone to the library that day
because it was really about the
00:52:12.99\00:52:15.76
only thing to do.
00:52:15.80\00:52:17.50
But I ran across
this little book called
00:52:17.53\00:52:18.93
"The Richest Caveman."
00:52:18.97\00:52:20.80
This book is
hilarious, but it is great.
00:52:20.84\00:52:24.64
I'm sitting there with
this big beard and I'm thinking,
00:52:24.67\00:52:26.54
hey, I know what it's
like to look like a caveman.
00:52:26.57\00:52:30.28
I'm not an educated
person, I guess you'd say,
00:52:30.31\00:52:32.21
but I'm a simple guy.
00:52:32.25\00:52:34.05
I'm just really a simple guy.
00:52:34.08\00:52:35.78
That's what I loved about
Doug Batchelor because this guy
00:52:35.82\00:52:38.89
is just straight
out as you can get.
00:52:38.92\00:52:42.89
And my wife and I, we've kept
contact through all these years.
00:52:42.92\00:52:45.76
And so much has gone on.
00:52:45.79\00:52:50.87
And I told her, I said, "Listen,
this is the center of my world
00:52:50.90\00:52:55.67
right now."
00:52:55.70\00:52:57.34
And I said, "I really want you
to be involved in it with me.
00:52:57.37\00:53:00.38
I need it," and I said, "And you
will too if you ever just take
00:53:00.41\00:53:03.38
hold of it."
00:53:03.41\00:53:04.95
I told my wife I said, "Listen,
they've got this Amazing Facts
00:53:04.98\00:53:07.15
Bible study going here and this
is the best way me to get this
00:53:07.18\00:53:11.85
information, I think," I said,
"because it's broken down and
00:53:11.89\00:53:16.46
they give you questions and to
make you look for these things,
00:53:16.49\00:53:23.03
you know?
00:53:23.06\00:53:24.50
So, it's not anyone telling
you, you find it on your own,
00:53:24.53\00:53:27.40
and they teach you
actually to use the Bible."
00:53:27.44\00:53:30.11
She was there faithfully every
Wednesday until we decided,
00:53:30.14\00:53:33.91
you know, she
wanted to be baptized also.
00:53:33.94\00:53:38.15
She saw it coming around.
00:53:38.18\00:53:40.05
The choice was made and October
4, 2014, my wife and I were, we
00:53:40.08\00:53:46.12
were baptized in the water at
the same time and we started our
00:53:46.15\00:53:52.39
walk together,
I guess you'd say.
00:53:52.43\00:53:54.66
I went through everything that
a man could possibly go through,
00:53:54.73\00:53:57.97
I guess, from marital
trouble, loss of family members,
00:53:58.00\00:54:04.07
death in my family.
00:54:04.11\00:54:05.97
My children were harmed.
00:54:06.01\00:54:07.81
My daughter
handicapped for life.
00:54:07.84\00:54:10.55
I went to prison, which still
I kept my Word to God that He
00:54:10.58\00:54:15.98
could stack it on me as
much as He wanted, and I'd never
00:54:16.02\00:54:19.29
question Him
again, and I didn't.
00:54:19.32\00:54:22.36
But I can say this much, He
never put nothing on me that I
00:54:22.39\00:54:26.06
couldn't handle, and He
walked with me through it all.
00:54:26.09\00:54:29.90
And I'd like to say
that anyone who is in prison,
00:54:29.93\00:54:33.34
not to give up.
00:54:33.37\00:54:36.57
Don't lose hope.
00:54:36.60\00:54:38.44
Put your faith in the
Lord and study and seek Him
00:54:38.47\00:54:42.61
and He will seek you.
00:54:42.64\00:54:44.15
And my name is Charlie Green,
and I want you to know that you
00:54:44.18\00:54:46.85
and Amazing Facts
have changed my life.
00:54:46.88\00:54:50.99
ддд
00:54:51.02\00:55:00.96
ддд
00:55:03.90\00:55:13.07
Doug Batchelor: Friends,
if you're scared of snakes,
00:55:14.14\00:55:16.11
this may not be for you.
00:55:16.14\00:55:18.71
I'm here at a reptile park
outside of Durban, South Africa,
00:55:18.75\00:55:21.82
and I'm holding my friend
here who's a red tail Boa.
00:55:21.85\00:55:24.65
Snakes are found
all over the world,
00:55:24.69\00:55:27.42
and they come in all sizes.
00:55:27.46\00:55:29.36
Snakes can be found through the
trees, they crawl on the ground,
00:55:29.39\00:55:32.16
they live under the ground,
and they swim in the water.
00:55:32.19\00:55:35.00
Very interesting creatures.
00:55:35.03\00:55:36.80
Some snakes are venomous, not
my friend here, but the Black
00:55:36.83\00:55:41.07
Mamba, very poisonous.
00:55:41.10\00:55:43.37
Matter of fact, their
bite is often referred to
00:55:43.41\00:55:45.74
as the kiss of death.
00:55:45.77\00:55:47.34
They can grow 15 feet
long and could travel up
00:55:47.38\00:55:49.78
to seven miles an hour.
00:55:49.81\00:55:51.11
They don't call them Black
Mambas because of the color of
00:55:51.15\00:55:53.11
their skin, but the interior
of their mouth is black.
00:55:53.15\00:55:56.62
Snakes also come in all sizes,
like this Boa or a Python,
00:55:56.65\00:56:00.59
they can grow to great sizes.
00:56:00.62\00:56:02.39
Matter of fact, in South
America, they found some fossils
00:56:02.42\00:56:05.23
of a snake that
they call Titanoboa.
00:56:05.26\00:56:08.56
They believe it was as big
as 50 feet long and weighed
00:56:08.60\00:56:11.67
as much as a car.
00:56:11.70\00:56:13.00
Say, "cheese."
00:56:13.03\00:56:15.37
A lot of people
are scared of snakes.
00:56:15.40\00:56:17.04
I used to live in
a mountain in a cave,
00:56:17.07\00:56:18.77
and I ran into
snakes frequently.
00:56:18.81\00:56:20.31
They never bothered me
unless I was bothering them.
00:56:20.34\00:56:22.84
In the Bible, the snake is
often a symbol of the devil.
00:56:22.88\00:56:25.81
In reality, it's just a symbol.
00:56:25.85\00:56:27.98
They're animals like other
animals, but it says they were
00:56:28.02\00:56:30.49
cursed to go upon their belly
because they were the first
00:56:30.52\00:56:32.79
medium that the devil
used to tempt Adam and Eve.
00:56:32.82\00:56:35.99
In the Book of Numbers chapter
21, it tells a story of how when
00:56:36.02\00:56:39.49
the children of Israel were
going through the wilderness,
00:56:39.53\00:56:41.73
they began to
complain about God's manna.
00:56:41.76\00:56:44.20
And it says the Lord allowed
these fiery serpents to go among
00:56:44.23\00:56:47.80
the people and many were
bitten and the venom was deadly.
00:56:47.84\00:56:51.47
I should probably mention at
this point, that bread they were
00:56:51.51\00:56:54.14
complaining about is a
symbol for the Word of God.
00:56:54.18\00:56:56.54
As many of the people were dying
from this plague of serpents,
00:56:56.58\00:56:59.38
they will went unto Moses and
they said, "What shall we do?"
00:56:59.41\00:57:02.35
God told Moses to make a bronze
serpent and put it on a pole and
00:57:02.38\00:57:05.99
lift it up, that whoever looked
upon the serpent, they would be
00:57:06.02\00:57:09.46
healed of their venom.
00:57:09.49\00:57:11.23
This is why it's so important
because Jesus says in the gospel
00:57:11.26\00:57:14.00
of John chapter 3, verse 14
and 15, "As Moses lifted up the
00:57:14.00\00:57:19.43
serpent in the wilderness, even
so the Son of Man must be lifted
00:57:19.47\00:57:22.94
up, that whoever believes
in Him might not perish,
00:57:22.97\00:57:26.21
but have everlasting life."
00:57:26.24\00:57:28.31
They needed to look and to live.
00:57:28.34\00:57:30.55
You see, those ancient
shepherds, when they would kill
00:57:30.58\00:57:32.51
a venomous snake, they would
carry it off on their staff
00:57:32.55\00:57:35.52
and bury it.
00:57:35.55\00:57:37.12
So, a serpent on a pole
represented a defeated snake.
00:57:37.15\00:57:40.66
It's talking about
defeating the devil, friends.
00:57:40.69\00:57:43.19
Have you been
bitten by the serpent?
00:57:43.22\00:57:44.79
We all have.
00:57:44.83\00:57:46.23
The only cure for
the venom of Satan
00:57:46.26\00:57:48.46
is to look in faith at Jesus.
00:57:48.50\00:57:50.50
He then defeated the devil.
00:57:50.53\00:57:52.27
He took the venom of
sin in His body to provide
00:57:52.30\00:57:55.44
the antidote in His blood.
00:57:55.47\00:57:57.47
So friends, I encourage
you to look today and live.
00:57:57.51\00:58:00.91
ддд
00:58:00.94\00:58:05.98