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Luccas Rodor: Hello, I'd
like to welcome you all to our
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"Sabbath School Study Hour."
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It's so good to have all of you
here with us right now and I'm
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sure that the Lord has been
with you throughout this week,
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throughout the
study of this lesson,
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taught here at the Granite
Bay SDA Church and also in
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partnership with
Amazing Facts Ministries.
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I'd like to welcome not only
you who are here with us today,
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our local congregation, but
all of those that are watching
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through the internet,
our worldwide congregation.
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It's so good to have you with
us and I'm sure that you will be
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blessed by this study hour.
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Today we're going to be studying
lesson number 11 which is
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"Living the Advent Hope."
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And that's--again, that's number
11 on our quarterly but if you
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don't have the
quarterly, that's okay,
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you can find an online version
of that and you can find that at
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Lesson.aftv.org and you can
download the current lesson,
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the current
quarterly right there.
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Also we have a free offer for
you and we like to--we'd like
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you to take
advantage of that free offer.
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And today's free offer
is "Ultimate Deliverance:
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The Return of Jesus Christ."
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And this is an amazing study.
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It talks about when
Jesus will come back
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and how that's going to happen.
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It has all the Bible verses and
I'm sure that this will benefit
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you, your family, and anyone
else around you that you'd like
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to talk about
the return of Jesus.
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Now, for you to get
this in North America,
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if you live in North
America, you can call...
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and that's how you
can get your free offer.
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Another way that you can do this
here in North America is that
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you can text the code "SH090" to
the number 40544 and you can get
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a digital copy of this.
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Now if you're outside of
the United States or Canada,
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North America, you can go to
study.aftv.org/SH090 and you can
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get this free offer also.
00:02:36.35\00:02:37.75
I'd like to invite you to say a
word of prayer before we invite
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our teacher for today.
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Let's pray.
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Dear heavenly Father, we thank
You and we praise You for all
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of Your blessings, for Your
love, and for Your guidance.
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Lord, I ask You to be
with Pastor Shawn as he
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teaches us today.
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Guide him, Lord, and may he
be an instrument in Your hands.
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I ask You these
things in the name of
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Jesus Christ, Your Son, amen.
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Pastor Shawn, may God bless you.
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Shawn Brummund: We are looking
at "Living the Advent Hope."
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Now as--for those of you who
have looked through this lesson
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study and have reviewed it
before our time here today,
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you have discovered that really
there are two great hopes and
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so maybe we could even
call this lesson study,
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"The Two Great Advent Hopes,"
and so they're very closely tied
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together and we're going to
discover how that takes place.
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And so let's get right into it.
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I'm going to
jump ahead if I could.
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I'm going to go
right past Sabbath,
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Sunday, Monday, we're going
to come back to some of that
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material as well during
our lesson study here today but
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I want to look at one of my
favorite chapters and the first
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great hope that God has given
to us that's very closely tied
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together with the hope of Jesus
himself returning to this earth
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and so let's open
our Bibles and let's go
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to 1 Corinthians chapter 15.
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As we go to 1
Corinthians chapter 15,
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we're going to discover why this
is one of my favorite chapters
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and if you've studied
this in detail in the past,
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I also know why it is one of
your favorite chapters as well.
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As far as I can recall, this is
the most extensive chapter that
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we have in all of Scripture that
talks about this great hope,
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this great event which is the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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And not only the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ but also pointing
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forward as He is the
first fruits to the ultimate
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resurrection of all the saved,
the great Resurrection of Life.
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And so it's no small chapter.
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1 Corinthians chapter 15 is
a huge chapter because of that.
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Now, as God is working through
the prophet apostle Paul and as
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we come to the
first verses of this,
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because we're going to look
at verses 3 through 8 as the
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introduction to this chapter.
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Now, obviously, time doesn't
permit us to be able to go verse
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by verse through this chapter
even though that would be
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a great study.
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Verses 3 through 8 is kind of
the introduction to the subject.
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And puts it in the
context for us so let's
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read it here together.
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At verse 3 it says: "For I
delivered to you first of all
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that which I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
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according to the Scriptures,
and that He was buried,
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and that He rose again the third
day according to the Scriptures,
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and that He was seen by Cephas,"
and that's another name for
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Peter, "then by the 12.
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And after that He was seen
by over 500 brethren at once,
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of whom the greater
part remain to present,
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but some have fallen asleep."
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And so in verse 6, it's
intriguing here that Paul points
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out the fact that
more than the apostles saw
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the resurrected Christ.
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In fact, he tells us that there
were 500 different individuals
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that had witnessed that.
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Now when we look at the context
of the book of Acts in the
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beginning and such, we find
there the departure of Jesus and
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that's almost for certain when
we have this larger crowd that
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had gathered and were devout
followers of Christ and had
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witnessed His ascension
to His Father back in heaven.
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And, of course, Paul is
pointing out back when he penned
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1 Corinthians that there
was--the greater part of them,
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they were still alive, still
worshiping within the church,
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witnessing for Jesus.
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Then verse 7 goes on and
says: "After that He was seen
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by James, then
by all the apostles.
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And then last of all
He was seen by me also,
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as one born out of due time."
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And so Paul also laid eyes upon
the resurrected Christ when he
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was first traveling to
Damascus and as he was on the
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way there, of course,
Christ appeared to him.
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But then he also writes later
that he also had a number of
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encounters prophetically with
the resurrected Christ as well.
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And so we have a number of eye
witnesses that witnessed this
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core truth that not only
did Jesus die according to the
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Scriptures, but
just as importantly,
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as Paul later is inspired
to flesh out quite extensively,
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then Jesus rose
to glory according to
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the Scriptures as well.
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And so the Resurrection is just
as much a part of the gospel and
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the Advent hope that God has
given to us as Christians as the
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death of Jesus on the cross for
the sins and guilt of mankind.
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And so the greatest hope that we
have for the future is founded
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on the little
resurrection of Christ.
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He is the first
fruits from the grave.
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He is the example.
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He is the one that we point
to and that we focus on that we
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might know that we
also through Him will have
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victory over the grave.
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It's good news, isn't it?
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Okay, good, I'm glad to
hear an "Amen" out there.
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Well, let's continue on.
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We're going to go through verses
12 to 23 and so we're going to
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pick up a larger part there
concerning the Resurrection
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because now God is inspiring
the prophet Paul to be able to
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expand on why the
Resurrection is so important.
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In verse 12 it says: "Now if
Christ is preached that He has
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been raised from the dead, how
do some among you say that there
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is no resurrection of the dead?"
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And so there is a bit
of a rumor going around,
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a little bit of a false theology
that had entered into the ranks
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of the Corinthian church and
they were claiming that there
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would be no
resurrection for the dead.
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Maybe they were, some
of the Christians perhaps,
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were of a Sadducee background
because there was a larger
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population of the Jewish
religious world of Christ's day
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that believed that there
was no future resurrection.
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That when we die,
we die, that's the end.
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We know we're eaten by
worms or go back to the
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dirt and that's the end.
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And yet we find here
that Paul is addressing that.
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Somehow it had
crept into the church.
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And verse 13 says:
"But there--if there is no
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resurrection from the
dead, then Christ is not risen.
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And if Christ is not risen, then
our preaching is empty and your
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faith is also empty."
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So if there's no
resurrection of Christ,
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are we left empty?
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Yeah, our hope
is left empty and,
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really, he says the floor of the
Christian faith really is just
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pulled out from underneath you.
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And so that makes
it very important.
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Verse 15, it says: "Yes, and
we are found false witnesses of
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God, because we have testified
of God that He raised up Christ,
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whom He did not raise up--if
in fact the dead do not rise.
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For if the dead do not
rise, then Christ is not risen."
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So if there's no future
resurrection and there's no such
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thing as the power to be able
to overcome death and come back
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from the grave, then Christ
hasn't come back from the grave
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as well and so
Paul here is saying,
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"Listen, you can't take
one and refuse the other."
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And yet Paul says
that "myself and 500 saw
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the resurrected Christ."
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Then we come to verse 17 and
it says: "And if Christ is not
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risen, your faith is futile;
you are still in your sins."
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And so again, does the
gospel require a resurrection
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of the Messiah?
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A resurrecting of
the Savior? Yes, it does.
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Okay, there's not much
hope for a Savior that has died
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permanently and is not the first
fruits that go through the grave
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to find that
victory over the grave,
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and to be able to have
eternal life for you and me.
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And so to have our sins forgiven
is a wonderful thing and I know
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many, if not all of us, have
experienced what that is and the
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freedom, the victory,
that that brings into our life,
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into our heart, and so on.
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But if that forgiveness
dies with us when we are buried
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in the grave, then, of
course, we're still futile,
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we're still in our
sins in a very large way.
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Then verse 18, Paul goes on.
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He says: "Then also those
who have fallen asleep in Christ
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have perished."
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In other words, those who have
already gone ahead and died in
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Christ, well,
they had a great life,
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they experienced salvation or at
least the forgiveness of sin but
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that's still the end of it.
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And so it still comes up empty.
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Verse 19: "If this life
we only have hope in Christ,
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then we are of all
men most pitiable," there
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he goes on, doesn't he?
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Now, he's going on about this
quite a bit 'cause he wants to
00:11:01.82\00:11:03.73
get it across and he wants
us to be able to understand how
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important this truth are and how
pitiable we really are if there
00:11:06.13\00:11:10.60
is no resurrection of Christ and
there is no hope of us having
00:11:10.63\00:11:13.57
the resurrection of
life and eternal life.
00:11:13.60\00:11:17.94
Then in verse 20 he goes on:
"But now Christ is risen from
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the dead, and has become
the first fruits of those
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who have fallen asleep.
00:11:23.68\00:11:25.98
For since by man came death, by
Man also came the resurrection
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of the dead."
00:11:29.98\00:11:32.45
Now Paul is looking at the
biggest picture that we could
00:11:32.49\00:11:34.99
really see in all
the Scripture, okay?
00:11:35.02\00:11:36.99
Outside of the great
controversy between Christ
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and Satan and good and evil
that began in heaven, of course.
00:11:38.53\00:11:41.93
But here on earth in human
history Paul is now pointing to
00:11:41.96\00:11:45.67
the greatest and biggest theme
concerning salvation and so he
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points us all the way
back to the original man,
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the original human
being that God first created
00:11:52.51\00:11:55.48
in the very beginning.
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That is Adam.
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And so when he uses
the term "man" in verse 21,
00:11:58.48\00:12:01.52
he's talking about Adam.
00:12:01.55\00:12:02.88
"For since by one
man," that's Adam,
00:12:02.92\00:12:05.09
"came death,"
okay, because of course,
00:12:05.12\00:12:08.72
Adam gave us something that we
really didn't ask for, did we?
00:12:08.76\00:12:12.16
I'm tempted to call it a present
but it really isn't a present.
00:12:12.19\00:12:14.73
It is--that would be a misnomer
because Adam gave us the curse
00:12:14.76\00:12:18.37
of a sinful nature, didn't he?
00:12:18.40\00:12:20.34
And because of that,
we're all guilty of sin
00:12:20.37\00:12:22.34
and the wages of sin is?
00:12:22.37\00:12:24.71
Is death and that was Paul's
here reviewing for you and me.
00:12:24.74\00:12:29.11
He says, "For since why by one
man came death," because he also
00:12:29.14\00:12:31.98
brought to us sin and
therefore we all face death,
00:12:32.01\00:12:34.85
"by Man," and some of
your translations may even have
00:12:34.88\00:12:37.45
it capitalized.
00:12:37.49\00:12:39.32
M-A-N, that's Jesus, "by
Man through Christ also came the
00:12:39.35\00:12:42.46
resurrection of the dead."
00:12:42.49\00:12:44.73
And so Christ came to
reverse that which Adam
00:12:44.76\00:12:47.36
brought to mankind.
00:12:47.40\00:12:49.36
He came to reverse the
curse of death and of sin.
00:12:49.40\00:12:53.20
In verse 22 he goes on and
says, "For as in Adam," well,
00:12:53.23\00:12:56.57
there we go, now he's
given it away for sure.
00:12:56.60\00:12:58.17
Just in case you were wondering
who that man was for sure,
00:12:58.21\00:13:00.24
verse 22 goes on and
says, "For in Adam all die,
00:13:00.28\00:13:06.21
even so in Christ
all shall be made alive."
00:13:06.25\00:13:10.69
And so he parallels the previous
verse of--21 and he actually
00:13:10.72\00:13:14.36
names the two individuals.
00:13:14.39\00:13:16.29
And then we come to the last
verse that we'll be looking at
00:13:16.32\00:13:18.56
in this particular chapter.
00:13:18.59\00:13:20.20
It says: "But each of them--but
each one in his own order:
00:13:20.23\00:13:22.93
Christ the first fruits,
and afterwards those who are
00:13:22.96\00:13:27.24
Christ's at His coming."
00:13:27.27\00:13:32.91
Now that reveals a very
important event and also plays
00:13:32.94\00:13:35.48
it in the--places it in
the timeline of prophecy and of
00:13:35.51\00:13:38.88
God's plan for
your future and mine.
00:13:38.91\00:13:41.35
In other words, when do
we receive eternal life?
00:13:41.38\00:13:44.65
Do we receive it at death?
00:13:44.69\00:13:46.96
No, it's here revealing
something that's very important
00:13:46.99\00:13:49.86
that all Bible
prophets wrote on extensively,
00:13:49.89\00:13:52.06
we can find dozens of verses
that tell us that when we go to
00:13:52.09\00:13:55.50
the grave we go to the
grave and that's why he uses the
00:13:55.53\00:13:57.40
term--Paul uses
the term over and over:
00:13:57.43\00:13:58.77
"They have fallen asleep."
00:13:58.80\00:14:00.77
Okay, why?
00:14:00.80\00:14:02.04
Because we rest in the grave,
we rest in peace unconsciously
00:14:02.07\00:14:05.07
until we receive
that eternal life,
00:14:05.11\00:14:07.51
that great hope of which Christ
was the first fruits which is
00:14:07.54\00:14:11.91
the resurrection from the grave.
00:14:11.95\00:14:14.05
Overcoming death.
00:14:14.08\00:14:15.78
Now, this is one of the greatest
subjects that we can find in all
00:14:15.82\00:14:18.02
of Scripture and, again, this is
the most extensive passage that
00:14:18.05\00:14:20.76
we can find on the
subject and, again,
00:14:20.79\00:14:22.89
I wish I could just go on verse
by verse until we get all the
00:14:22.92\00:14:24.99
way through to the end because
it's just so powerful and
00:14:25.03\00:14:27.36
there's so many important
life-giving truths that are
00:14:27.40\00:14:30.83
found there but we
just don't have time.
00:14:30.87\00:14:32.20
But we do want to be able to
spend enough time in it to be
00:14:32.23\00:14:34.84
able to look at it biblically
and understand that this is an
00:14:34.87\00:14:37.94
important powerful
hope that God gives to us.
00:14:37.97\00:14:42.44
One of the things that God has
given to me is I have taken that
00:14:42.48\00:14:45.45
and put it in my heart and I
live by that from day to day,
00:14:45.48\00:14:49.98
is that it's given me a
great source of encouragement.
00:14:50.02\00:14:55.02
And not only has it given myself
a great source of encouragement,
00:14:55.06\00:14:57.29
but it's also given me the
ability to encourage a lot of
00:14:57.33\00:14:59.96
fellow believers as a pastor.
00:15:00.06\00:15:02.40
Because as a pastor, you know,
we're all called to encourage
00:15:02.43\00:15:04.60
each other and
to serve each other,
00:15:04.63\00:15:06.33
but as a pastor you do
it just a little bit more.
00:15:06.37\00:15:08.30
And so I've sat in a lot of
homes and I've talked to a lot
00:15:08.34\00:15:12.21
of people in the hospitals and
visited them and some of them
00:15:12.24\00:15:17.01
aren't walking out of that
hospital with everything that
00:15:17.05\00:15:20.02
they had before they
came into the hospital.
00:15:20.05\00:15:23.08
Some of them are walking out and
some of them aren't walking out
00:15:23.12\00:15:25.72
of the hospital.
00:15:25.75\00:15:27.26
They used to walk before they
went in but when they came out
00:15:27.29\00:15:29.26
they won't be
walking again in this life.
00:15:29.29\00:15:32.89
And so there's a number of
things that take away from us,
00:15:32.93\00:15:37.40
have you noticed that?
00:15:37.43\00:15:38.73
Now, there's one.
00:15:38.77\00:15:40.07
We can avoid all disease we
might be one that's--are spared
00:15:40.10\00:15:42.20
disease and any serious
injury that takes away different
00:15:42.24\00:15:46.47
physical functions
and mental functions and
00:15:46.51\00:15:48.51
health that we have.
00:15:48.54\00:15:50.01
But there's one thing that we
can't all avoid that takes away
00:15:50.05\00:15:52.15
slowly but
surely and what is that?
00:15:52.18\00:15:56.05
It's called
growing older, isn't it?
00:15:56.08\00:15:58.62
It's called aging.
00:15:58.65\00:16:00.19
And one of the curses of sin
is that as each decade goes by,
00:16:00.22\00:16:03.93
we lose more and more, don't we?
00:16:03.96\00:16:06.63
You know, I know some beautiful
people in our church here at
00:16:06.66\00:16:09.33
Granite Bay and I've talked to
them about it and how they got
00:16:09.36\00:16:11.40
knee replacements and hip
replacements and even in spite
00:16:11.43\00:16:14.00
of that, they're not able to
walk the way they used to walk.
00:16:14.04\00:16:17.17
They're not able to ride a
bicycle anymore the way they
00:16:17.21\00:16:19.74
used to ride a bicycle and
so they have to give up their
00:16:19.77\00:16:22.21
bicycle-riding
days until Jesus comes.
00:16:22.24\00:16:25.81
But the good news is the
encouragement that is found and
00:16:25.85\00:16:28.55
I found that too, you know.
00:16:28.58\00:16:29.88
I went through
spinal surgery in my neck.
00:16:29.92\00:16:31.85
I lost one of my
vertebral joints.
00:16:31.89\00:16:35.82
You know, that's
a major, major loss.
00:16:35.86\00:16:37.29
I'll never have my neck function
the way that it did before that.
00:16:37.33\00:16:40.00
But I'll tell you, friends,
one of the things that got me
00:16:40.03\00:16:42.86
through the day and continues
to get me through the day,
00:16:42.90\00:16:45.37
and not only does it
get me through the day
00:16:45.40\00:16:47.17
but it gives me joy.
00:16:47.20\00:16:48.97
It gives me genuine
joy from the inside out,
00:16:49.00\00:16:51.44
is the fact that I know
that it's a temporary loss.
00:16:51.47\00:16:55.11
To be able to know that one day
God is going to give me a new
00:16:55.14\00:16:57.88
neck and I'm never
going to have a pinched nerve,
00:16:57.91\00:17:01.08
I'm never going to have any of
these difficulties that we face
00:17:01.12\00:17:03.59
in this life.
00:17:03.62\00:17:05.39
And so I want to encourage
you to hold on to that,
00:17:05.42\00:17:07.89
to be able to find your hope and
your encouragement in this great
00:17:07.92\00:17:10.96
hope that God gives to us.
00:17:10.99\00:17:15.16
And so God wants us to look
forward to the time when death
00:17:15.20\00:17:17.33
is history, when we will
never experience not only loss
00:17:17.37\00:17:21.27
personally,
physically, mentally,
00:17:21.30\00:17:23.34
and so on, but we will never
experience injustice anymore in
00:17:23.37\00:17:27.51
a sinful and corrupt world.
00:17:27.54\00:17:28.84
We'll never experience pain,
we'll never be exposed to evil.
00:17:28.88\00:17:31.38
All of these different things
that are negative that we need
00:17:31.41\00:17:35.58
to be able to battle with and
deal with in different ways from
00:17:35.62\00:17:38.85
day to day, all
of it will be gone.
00:17:38.89\00:17:41.02
And so God wants us to be able
to hold on and look forward to
00:17:41.06\00:17:44.06
that time when it is history.
00:17:44.09\00:17:46.73
You know, there's a
time when I was much younger,
00:17:46.76\00:17:48.70
I was just a young boy and I was
eight or nine or ten years old
00:17:48.73\00:17:52.37
and all of us were there
and so this is not a unique
00:17:52.40\00:17:54.87
illustration but, you know,
especially when you're just
00:17:54.90\00:17:58.37
a little tyke and, you
know, your mom and dad announce,
00:17:58.41\00:18:01.08
you know, "Guess what, we're
going to go camping at Yosemite
00:18:01.11\00:18:03.65
this summer," or "We're going
to go out to Hawaii and the
00:18:03.68\00:18:06.25
family's going to spend a
week in Hawaii this January,"
00:18:06.28\00:18:08.72
whatever it is.
00:18:08.75\00:18:10.19
And when you find
out about it, wow,
00:18:10.22\00:18:11.52
you know, you're just
starting to count the days.
00:18:11.55\00:18:13.29
Maybe you're marking
off the calendar and,
00:18:13.32\00:18:14.62
you know, as it gets closer
and closer you're more and more
00:18:14.66\00:18:16.79
anticipating it and there's
a term that probably all of us
00:18:16.83\00:18:21.33
used to wait, "Oh,
Mommy, Daddy, I can't wait.
00:18:21.36\00:18:24.37
I can't wait until we go to
Hawaii," or "We go to Yosemite
00:18:24.40\00:18:26.40
camping," or whatever it is.
00:18:26.43\00:18:29.10
And that's the focus I believe
that God wants us to have,
00:18:29.14\00:18:35.04
that we can't
wait until Jesus comes,
00:18:35.08\00:18:37.25
that we receive that
resurrection of life and we
00:18:37.28\00:18:39.71
receive that celestial perfect
eternal body that had--God has
00:18:39.75\00:18:42.95
in store for us.
00:18:42.98\00:18:46.12
And so I know many of
you, if not all of you,
00:18:46.15\00:18:48.39
are looking forward to that and
I hope that everybody that is
00:18:48.42\00:18:50.73
watching is going to be
able to experience that,
00:18:50.76\00:18:54.36
if you're not already.
00:18:54.36\00:18:56.56
Now, what is the second
great hope that God has for us?
00:18:56.60\00:19:00.97
What is the second great
hope that God has for us in the
00:19:01.00\00:19:03.54
future that we
can look forward to?
00:19:03.57\00:19:07.74
Pardon me?
00:19:07.78\00:19:09.38
All right,
judgment, somebody says.
00:19:09.41\00:19:10.75
Yes, okay, so it's judgment.
00:19:10.78\00:19:12.61
And so that can rub
certain people wrong,
00:19:12.65\00:19:16.35
you know, just bringing
up that subject sometimes.
00:19:16.38\00:19:18.09
You know, there's a couple
of words that I've started to
00:19:18.12\00:19:20.26
observe and I haven't
been in the church very long,
00:19:20.29\00:19:23.96
maybe since the early, mid-'80s
is when I started going in
00:19:23.99\00:19:28.43
church for the first time in my
life and so I don't have a lot
00:19:28.46\00:19:31.33
to be able to compare to over
the years but it seems to me
00:19:31.37\00:19:35.64
that there's two words that have
become kind of bad words even
00:19:35.67\00:19:38.41
within Christianity, even within
the church and the churches
00:19:38.44\00:19:42.74
of our modern day.
00:19:42.78\00:19:44.68
And that is "judgment"
and "repentance," you know,
00:19:44.71\00:19:47.98
and both of them speak
to the heart, don't they?
00:19:48.02\00:19:51.59
And Adam, you know--I'm not an
expert and I haven't looked at
00:19:51.62\00:19:58.19
the studies, I haven't looked
at Barna and seen what kind of
00:19:58.23\00:20:02.83
surveys they've made.
00:20:02.86\00:20:04.33
You know, one of the most
extensive Christian poll takers
00:20:04.37\00:20:06.63
and survey takers and such, but
I'm--if I was to put my money
00:20:06.67\00:20:11.17
somewhere and probably guess, I
would guess that the reason that
00:20:11.21\00:20:13.81
judgment is a topic
that's not all that popular,
00:20:13.84\00:20:16.48
even amongst Christians today,
is because there's a growing
00:20:16.51\00:20:18.48
unfaithfulness that is happening
within Christians today as well.
00:20:18.51\00:20:23.42
You know, we want the heaven,
we want the eternal life,
00:20:23.45\00:20:25.99
we want that
first hope, you know,
00:20:26.02\00:20:28.46
we really get excited about
the first hope that we looked
00:20:28.49\00:20:30.23
at which is eternal
life and heaven and so on,
00:20:30.26\00:20:32.96
but when it comes
to accountability,
00:20:32.99\00:20:34.40
we're not so sure
we're as excited about that.
00:20:34.46\00:20:37.47
You know, we--you know, judgment
kind of tells us and reminds us,
00:20:37.50\00:20:41.50
as we'll look at some verses
that kind of uncover everything
00:20:41.54\00:20:45.01
and such and so
sometimes we get just a little
00:20:45.04\00:20:50.81
bit nervous about that.
00:20:50.85\00:20:52.48
Now, that's not to say that God
is expecting us to be perfect or
00:20:52.51\00:20:55.58
that we should be reflecting
Christ exactly perfectly with a
00:20:55.62\00:21:00.16
week of baptism because
sanctification is something that
00:21:00.19\00:21:02.92
takes place over the years of
our life and God takes different
00:21:02.96\00:21:06.09
character traits and different
weaknesses and He makes them
00:21:06.13\00:21:09.00
into strengths and
gives us victories.
00:21:09.03\00:21:12.43
But are we being faithful?
00:21:12.47\00:21:14.27
Is our heart in the right place?
00:21:14.30\00:21:16.54
If it is, then we can look
forward to a time in the future
00:21:16.57\00:21:19.37
when God makes all
wrongs in this world right.
00:21:19.41\00:21:23.78
This is found in an event and
process that is written perhaps
00:21:23.81\00:21:26.55
more than any other subject in
the Bible and that is judgment.
00:21:26.58\00:21:29.42
It's not a small subject and
that's why we find that there
00:21:29.45\00:21:32.39
are hundreds,
literally hundreds,
00:21:32.42\00:21:34.96
of verses from the beginning of
the Bible to the end that talk
00:21:34.99\00:21:37.83
about this great subject.
00:21:37.86\00:21:39.56
And so how we
view it, of course,
00:21:39.59\00:21:42.26
depends on where our life is
right now, where our heart is.
00:21:42.30\00:21:44.97
But for the sincerely
faithful, this should be
00:21:45.00\00:21:47.57
nothing but good news.
00:21:47.60\00:21:49.57
Judgment is something that we
shouldn't be fearful of but we
00:21:49.60\00:21:52.61
understand the gospel correctly
and we understand our heart
00:21:52.64\00:21:54.81
correctly and we know that we're
making choices or decisions both
00:21:54.84\00:21:57.41
in private as well as in public
for Him then we can know that
00:21:57.45\00:22:02.62
the judgment is a good thing.
00:22:02.65\00:22:06.52
Why is it a good thing?
00:22:06.55\00:22:08.36
Well, this sinful world
is chock full of unfairness.
00:22:08.39\00:22:10.59
Have you noticed?
00:22:10.63\00:22:11.99
This world is
chock full of injustices.
00:22:12.03\00:22:15.96
You know, there's things
that are stacked against us,
00:22:16.00\00:22:20.70
depending on who we're
born to, where we're born,
00:22:20.74\00:22:24.04
what era we're born, you know.
00:22:24.07\00:22:27.04
Many of us have been born with
all the cards stacked against us
00:22:27.08\00:22:30.15
and it's not our fault.
00:22:30.18\00:22:32.95
It's not because
we chose that but,
00:22:32.98\00:22:34.48
nevertheless, that's the
pathway that we're born into.
00:22:34.52\00:22:38.55
Now, Jesus gives us light and He
gives us strength and He gives
00:22:38.59\00:22:42.89
us help and He helps us to be
able to come onto higher ground
00:22:42.92\00:22:45.69
and be able to make an impact in
the world in a positive way but,
00:22:45.73\00:22:48.50
friends, this world is
chock full of injustices.
00:22:48.53\00:22:52.33
It's so unfair.
00:22:52.37\00:22:53.67
Greed,
corruption, power mongering,
00:22:53.70\00:22:56.14
all of these things are making
this world a very unjust world,
00:22:56.17\00:23:00.78
a very unfair world.
00:23:00.81\00:23:04.91
And so it should be
something--judgment should be
00:23:04.95\00:23:08.55
something that we look forward
to it if our heart and life is
00:23:08.58\00:23:10.72
right with Christ.
00:23:10.75\00:23:13.52
Well, come with
me to John chapter 3.
00:23:13.56\00:23:15.96
We're coming to that powerful
chapter when Jesus meets with
00:23:15.99\00:23:21.46
Nicodemus in the night.
00:23:21.50\00:23:23.33
Talks about the importance
of being born again full of the
00:23:23.37\00:23:25.97
Holy Spirit and, of course,
you can't see or enter into the
00:23:26.00\00:23:29.54
kingdom of God without
being born of the Spirit as
00:23:29.57\00:23:32.44
that chapter
powerfully paints for us.
00:23:32.47\00:23:39.25
But I want to look at verses
19 and 20 as Jesus here is
00:23:39.28\00:23:41.45
concluding His conversation
and instruction with this very
00:23:41.48\00:23:47.02
influential
Jewish leader, Nicodemus.
00:23:47.06\00:23:50.63
In verse 19, Jesus here kind of
helps us to get to the heart of
00:23:50.66\00:23:54.73
why judgment for many
is a very unpopular topic.
00:23:54.76\00:23:59.13
In verse 19, it says:
"This is the condemnation,
00:23:59.17\00:24:01.70
that the light has
come into the world,
00:24:01.74\00:24:03.37
and men have loved
darkness rather than light,
00:24:03.41\00:24:07.44
because their deeds," were?
00:24:07.48\00:24:09.14
"Because their deeds were evil."
00:24:09.18\00:24:11.71
Verse 20 says: "For everyone
practicing evil hates the light
00:24:11.75\00:24:14.48
and does not
come into the light,
00:24:14.52\00:24:16.28
lest his deeds
should be exposed."
00:24:16.32\00:24:17.95
You know, my wife was at home.
00:24:17.99\00:24:20.46
I was going for an annual
Father's Day campout which I try
00:24:20.49\00:24:24.36
to do every spring, in June,
when Father's Day come along,
00:24:24.39\00:24:27.66
I'll go and spend that
Sunday night camping with,
00:24:27.66\00:24:29.06
first, my oldest
daughter when she was alone.
00:24:29.10\00:24:32.43
Now, both my daughters.
00:24:32.47\00:24:33.87
And so we had headed up to Lake
Tahoe to camp for the night.
00:24:33.90\00:24:38.07
And I got a text from
my wife, I don't know,
00:24:38.11\00:24:40.14
about 10 o'clock, 10:30.
00:24:40.18\00:24:41.94
She goes, you know, "The
police just left the house.
00:24:41.98\00:24:43.88
I'm still shaking," you know,
"I'm so glad everything's okay."
00:24:43.91\00:24:48.75
And so, of course,
you know, I immediately,
00:24:48.78\00:24:50.75
"What is the problem?"
00:24:50.79\00:24:52.09
And she said, "Well, you know,
I was in the front room and
00:24:52.12\00:24:55.86
I was watching the news.
00:24:55.89\00:24:57.19
There's something on TV and
all of a sudden I," you know,
00:24:57.23\00:25:00.56
there's a gate that
goes along the paved sideway.
00:25:00.60\00:25:03.03
There's a fence that runs
all the way around our house and
00:25:03.06\00:25:06.10
comes up to the
front of the corner,
00:25:06.13\00:25:08.64
and she was just on the inside
of that wall with a window there
00:25:08.67\00:25:11.11
and so whoever
approached that gate,
00:25:11.14\00:25:13.61
certainly would have
known somebody was there,
00:25:13.64\00:25:16.24
that the television was on
'cause the window was open and
00:25:16.28\00:25:18.08
the light would have
come through and such,
00:25:18.11\00:25:19.88
but they just boldly came up and
opened the gate and had these
00:25:19.91\00:25:21.88
big heavy boots,
thump, thump, thump,
00:25:21.92\00:25:24.22
thump, you know,
along the side of the house,
00:25:24.25\00:25:25.65
and there was a
flashlight kind of,
00:25:25.69\00:25:27.62
you know, being flashed and
there was one or two of them
00:25:27.66\00:25:30.26
just walked right
into the back of the house.
00:25:30.29\00:25:31.69
I guess they're just quickly
trying to see what they could
00:25:31.73\00:25:33.83
loot in different back yards and
so then she called the police
00:25:33.86\00:25:40.20
right away and they showed
up and they had a K-9 unit.
00:25:40.24\00:25:44.11
There was, like,
four cruisers out there.
00:25:44.14\00:25:46.04
It was quite an event that
she went through as they kind of
00:25:46.07\00:25:49.28
sent the dog back there first
to see if he's still there and,
00:25:49.31\00:25:52.35
of course, they don't know what
they're up to as the police goes
00:25:52.38\00:25:55.15
in the dark back yard and
he--the perpetrators were long
00:25:55.18\00:26:00.19
gone but, you know, after that,
I saw a couple of these solar
00:26:00.22\00:26:06.33
lights, you know,
these security lights now,
00:26:06.36\00:26:08.83
you know, and you can--it has a
little solar panel and it's got
00:26:08.86\00:26:11.17
a motion detector and so on.
00:26:11.20\00:26:12.80
So I bought two of those.
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.14
I put one right in the
corner there, that same
00:26:14.17\00:26:15.47
house where the gate is.
00:26:15.50\00:26:16.74
I put the gate, you know, latch
on the inside so you had to--you
00:26:16.77\00:26:19.84
literally can't really open it
unless you're on the inside of
00:26:19.87\00:26:22.11
the gate now.
00:26:22.14\00:26:23.71
And then I put one of these
lights on and then I put another
00:26:23.75\00:26:27.02
one on the driveway, you know,
and so if anybody comes near,
00:26:27.05\00:26:29.78
they, boom, you know, this great
big light kind of flashes and
00:26:29.82\00:26:31.72
lights them all up.
00:26:31.75\00:26:33.72
Thieves don't
like light, you know?
00:26:33.76\00:26:35.96
It's a very effective deterrent
for many thieves because what
00:26:35.99\00:26:40.80
they know is something that they
know is wrong and they also know
00:26:40.83\00:26:44.17
it is very dangerous and they
can get caught and so we find
00:26:44.20\00:26:47.44
here that it's a deterrent.
00:26:47.47\00:26:51.04
And Jesus is using that
metaphor here, isn't He?
00:26:51.07\00:26:53.24
"For everyone practicing evil
hates the light and does not
00:26:53.27\00:26:56.18
come into the light, lest
his deeds should be exposed."
00:26:56.21\00:27:01.38
And so Jesus here is really
getting to the root of why some
00:27:01.42\00:27:04.89
of us might not be excited--all
that excited about this
00:27:04.92\00:27:08.32
particular topic.
00:27:08.36\00:27:10.43
Now, it's important for us
to understand that when Jesus is
00:27:10.46\00:27:13.90
making this
statement, by the way,
00:27:13.93\00:27:15.46
He's not just talking
about the non-religious people.
00:27:15.50\00:27:17.57
He's talking about the religious
people as well, isn't He?
00:27:17.60\00:27:19.97
In fact, the greatest enemies
that God had were those who were
00:27:20.00\00:27:24.27
pretending to be very pious,
pretending to be very devout and
00:27:24.31\00:27:27.01
sincere to God but really, they
weren't and so they weren't all
00:27:27.04\00:27:32.85
that excited
about Jesus as well.
00:27:32.88\00:27:36.92
Well, all of this is best
summarized in Wednesday's text
00:27:36.95\00:27:38.92
on the subject of judgment and
why judgment should be good news
00:27:38.95\00:27:42.92
for us as believers.
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.86
Let's go to
Ecclesiastes chapter 8.
00:27:44.89\00:27:47.30
Ecclesiastes
chapter 8 and verse 14.
00:27:47.30\00:27:53.20
We're going in
Ecclesiastes chapter 8.
00:27:53.23\00:28:03.24
Okay, and verse 14.
00:28:03.35\00:28:08.35
In Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and
verse 14 it says: "There is a
00:28:08.38\00:28:11.05
vanity which
occurs on the earth,
00:28:11.09\00:28:13.42
that there are just men to
whom it happens according to the
00:28:13.46\00:28:16.59
works of the wicked; again,
there are wicked men to whom it
00:28:16.62\00:28:20.83
happens according to
the work of the righteous.
00:28:20.86\00:28:22.90
And I said that
this is also vanity."
00:28:22.93\00:28:24.90
Now, of course, this is balanced
out as Solomon was also inspired
00:28:24.93\00:28:29.14
to write many of the Proverbs
that tell us that when we follow
00:28:29.17\00:28:31.81
God and His law's a delight and
God is a delight and we truly
00:28:31.84\00:28:35.34
love Him and sincerely want to
follow Him and surrender to Him
00:28:35.38\00:28:37.68
and so on, that we are like a
tree that is planted by a river,
00:28:37.71\00:28:42.12
you know, and God prospers us
in many different ways and so he
00:28:42.15\00:28:44.95
does tell us that there is a
general trend when you follow
00:28:44.99\00:28:47.29
after righteousness and you
follow after what is--and keep
00:28:47.32\00:28:50.66
your integrity in
that which is good,
00:28:50.69\00:28:52.83
then your life will be a
blessing and you will receive
00:28:52.86\00:28:55.16
the fruits of that in general.
00:28:55.20\00:28:57.87
But at the same time, there's
many psalms as well as here in
00:28:57.90\00:29:00.64
Ecclesiastes he's just read,
that there is also a--there's a
00:29:00.67\00:29:03.91
great injustice about the way
that the world works too often
00:29:03.94\00:29:08.88
and that is that we have those
who are choosing wickedness on
00:29:08.91\00:29:13.15
a regular basis and
they don't have integrity,
00:29:13.18\00:29:16.02
they don't have
honest--honesty is not a virtue,
00:29:16.05\00:29:19.09
and among other things.
00:29:19.12\00:29:21.29
And so, they'll steal and
lie and cheat and sometimes even
00:29:21.32\00:29:26.49
kill if they need to, to be able
to achieve great prosperity and
00:29:26.53\00:29:29.56
such and so it appears like
they're receiving the reward
00:29:29.60\00:29:34.74
of the righteous.
00:29:34.77\00:29:36.10
And history today tells us that
some of the greatest men and
00:29:36.14\00:29:38.97
women on earth, you know, have
lived out many--much of their
00:29:39.01\00:29:41.64
life, if not all of the last
years of their life in prison,
00:29:41.68\00:29:45.21
you know, just simply because
they were standing for what is
00:29:45.25\00:29:48.52
right and believing in Christ
and following Him and so that
00:29:48.55\00:29:53.12
general rule
isn't always followed,
00:29:53.15\00:29:55.99
isn't always fleshed out
the way that we'd like it.
00:29:56.02\00:29:58.36
It's an unjust reality that
exists in a fallen world with
00:29:58.39\00:30:04.47
human nature being
followed the way it is
00:30:04.50\00:30:06.63
today, our sinful natures.
00:30:06.67\00:30:09.54
And so to have the mind of
Christ is to hate and despise
00:30:09.57\00:30:12.74
all that is evil, all that
is wrong, all that is unjust.
00:30:12.77\00:30:17.15
And we, as believers,
can look forward to when
00:30:17.18\00:30:19.68
all of that is exposed.
00:30:19.71\00:30:21.98
Much of it is done in the dark.
00:30:22.02\00:30:24.19
The motion detectors
aren't catching them right now.
00:30:24.22\00:30:27.32
The lights aren't being turned
on but one day those lights will
00:30:27.36\00:30:30.56
be turned on, Jesus says.
00:30:30.59\00:30:32.66
One day those
lights will be turned on.
00:30:32.69\00:30:34.50
And we can look forward
to when it's all exposed,
00:30:34.56\00:30:36.06
when all secret and
rebellious corruption is
00:30:36.10\00:30:38.20
fully exposed and stopped.
00:30:38.23\00:30:39.93
You know, one of the
greatest temptations that
00:30:39.97\00:30:42.27
some of us have,
especially if we're retired,
00:30:42.30\00:30:43.54
is that we can get wrapped
up and just spend endless hours,
00:30:43.57\00:30:46.57
literally, for the rest of your
years in your retirement years
00:30:46.61\00:30:49.24
online looking at different
conspiracy theories, you know?
00:30:49.28\00:30:54.45
And you can waste
the rest of your life,
00:30:54.48\00:30:56.15
you know, looking at those and
the key word of that is theory.
00:30:56.18\00:31:03.56
Conspiracy "theories."
00:31:03.59\00:31:06.03
And see, the problem
with theories is that
00:31:06.06\00:31:08.06
they're not proven.
00:31:08.10\00:31:09.83
Now, sometimes we're absolutely
convinced that they're proven
00:31:09.86\00:31:11.93
but I would venture to
say that well over half,
00:31:11.97\00:31:14.90
the vast majority of them are
not proved--they're theories.
00:31:14.94\00:31:17.41
Some of them may be
true but the vast majority
00:31:17.44\00:31:20.54
I would say are not true.
00:31:20.58\00:31:22.04
But you know what, friends?
00:31:22.08\00:31:23.38
There is going to be a
time when every true conspiracy,
00:31:23.41\00:31:26.28
evil conspiracy, will be exposed
in the light for all that it is.
00:31:26.31\00:31:30.75
And, friends, I can't
wait 'til that takes place.
00:31:30.79\00:31:34.39
I can't wait.
00:31:34.42\00:31:36.32
Come with me to Mark
chapter 4 and verse 22.
00:31:36.36\00:31:40.00
Let's go to the Gospel of Mark.
00:31:40.03\00:31:41.30
Mark chapter 4.
00:31:41.33\00:31:43.13
Mark chapter 4 and verse 22.
00:31:43.16\00:31:47.24
In Mark 4 and verse 22 Jesus
touches on the same subject and
00:31:47.27\00:31:49.50
again He says, "For there is
nothing hidden which will not be
00:31:49.54\00:31:51.81
revealed, nor has anything been
kept secret but that it should
00:31:51.84\00:31:55.44
come to," there's
that key word again.
00:31:55.48\00:31:58.55
Back to light, okay?
00:31:58.58\00:32:00.78
And so again, Jesus is saying,
one day during the judgment hour
00:32:00.82\00:32:04.15
that's taking place in
heaven, even right now.
00:32:04.19\00:32:05.79
When you look at prophecy
we know that over the last
00:32:05.82\00:32:07.79
100-and-something years that
wrap-up time is taking place,
00:32:07.82\00:32:10.79
the books are open, the
angels, the angelic jury,
00:32:10.83\00:32:13.76
and Jesus and the Father are
sitting on the judgment throne
00:32:13.80\00:32:16.56
and They're examining and
the lights are being turned on
00:32:16.60\00:32:19.50
in heaven right now.
00:32:19.53\00:32:20.84
But one day on earth those
lights will also be turned on
00:32:20.87\00:32:22.87
and everything that is being
done in secret that is evil
00:32:22.90\00:32:26.14
will come to light.
00:32:26.17\00:32:29.71
Come back with
me to Ecclesiastes.
00:32:29.74\00:32:31.15
Ecclesiastes chapter 12.
00:32:31.18\00:32:33.38
This is another important text
that the lesson study brings
00:32:33.42\00:32:36.32
to light and I'm not
saying that as a pun.
00:32:36.35\00:32:41.96
But obviously it's
on the top of my mind.
00:32:41.99\00:32:43.49
It's a natural metaphor.
00:32:43.53\00:32:46.56
Okay, Ecclesiastes
chapter 12 and verses 13 and 14.
00:32:46.59\00:32:50.93
These are the last two verses of
the book and so God is inspiring
00:32:50.97\00:32:55.94
Solomon, King Solomon,
to come to the conclusion,
00:32:55.97\00:32:58.81
the summary, and even
uses that term in verse 13.
00:32:58.84\00:33:02.11
It says: "Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter:
00:33:02.14\00:33:06.11
Fear God and
keep His commandments,
00:33:06.15\00:33:09.15
for this is man's all.
00:33:09.18\00:33:11.12
For God will bring
every work into judgment,
00:33:11.15\00:33:13.79
whether every secret
thing--including every secret
00:33:13.82\00:33:17.16
thing, whether good or evil."
00:33:17.19\00:33:18.89
And so one day the secret things
that are good and Jesus actually
00:33:18.93\00:33:21.33
counseled us as believers.
00:33:21.36\00:33:22.80
He says, "Listen,
when you do good things,
00:33:22.83\00:33:24.13
don't advertise it."
00:33:24.17\00:33:26.84
He said, "Don't
advertise it, you know.
00:33:26.87\00:33:28.64
When you're fasting or
when you're praying extra,
00:33:28.67\00:33:30.54
you know,
you're giving alms and,
00:33:30.57\00:33:32.44
you know, giving to charity
or to the church and so on,
00:33:32.47\00:33:35.08
don't advertise it."
00:33:35.11\00:33:36.88
He says, "You--that which
is kept in secret and done in
00:33:36.91\00:33:38.95
secret, God will
reward you in secret.
00:33:38.98\00:33:41.02
But that who advertises it, your
reward is already with you," and
00:33:41.05\00:33:43.52
you want to keep that
reward for when Jesus comes.
00:33:43.55\00:33:45.89
And so that's why the Bible here
tells us that every secret thing
00:33:45.92\00:33:49.52
whether good or
evil will be exposed.
00:33:49.56\00:33:52.56
And so the best
secrets that we should have,
00:33:52.59\00:33:55.16
the only ones
that we should have,
00:33:55.20\00:33:56.50
is that of doing good
because we don't advertise it.
00:33:56.53\00:34:04.04
So that's important.
00:34:04.07\00:34:05.37
Now, statements like the ones
that we looked at can either
00:34:05.41\00:34:07.61
scare us or they
can encourage us.
00:34:07.64\00:34:10.01
And so, friend, I want
to take this opportunity.
00:34:10.05\00:34:12.41
If you have never
surrendered to Christ,
00:34:12.45\00:34:14.22
if you have never
found Christ as your Savior,
00:34:14.25\00:34:16.92
if you have never understood
and experienced Christ as your
00:34:16.95\00:34:20.36
friend, a forgiving friend that
offers you free forgiveness,
00:34:20.39\00:34:24.43
to be able to find
that forgiveness in Christ.
00:34:24.46\00:34:26.13
And to be able to know
that He has forgiven you,
00:34:26.16\00:34:29.53
that you are clean, that He
has a robe of righteousness that
00:34:29.56\00:34:32.73
belongs to Him
that He covers you with,
00:34:32.77\00:34:34.80
and that He will work with you
and that He will mold you into
00:34:34.84\00:34:39.37
the character and
the person of Christ.
00:34:39.41\00:34:41.68
And that you can know that one
day Christ will return and that
00:34:41.71\00:34:44.51
He will take you home.
00:34:44.55\00:34:46.35
You don't have to be scared.
00:34:46.38\00:34:47.68
You don't have to be
afraid because you have a
00:34:47.72\00:34:49.08
friend that is returning.
00:34:49.12\00:34:52.15
And so to be best friends with
the judge in any court process
00:34:52.19\00:34:58.26
is a very comforting thing.
00:34:58.29\00:35:00.83
And so you too can be
ready for judgment day.
00:35:00.86\00:35:04.97
You too can know that when Jesus
comes that you have eternal
00:35:05.00\00:35:07.84
life, that you will be part
of the resurrection of life.
00:35:07.87\00:35:12.37
Now, God gives us all an
opportunity to move from fear
00:35:12.41\00:35:14.74
of the subject to a
love of the subject.
00:35:14.78\00:35:17.35
And so nobody, no
preacher, no reader,
00:35:17.38\00:35:19.41
no prophet, has ever intended
or should intend to be able to
00:35:19.45\00:35:24.22
bring the subject of
judgment to scare people.
00:35:24.25\00:35:27.36
Now, sometimes in the past,
especially in the Middle Ages,
00:35:27.39\00:35:30.13
but even in different
chapters of evangelicalism and
00:35:30.16\00:35:33.80
Protestantism, we've used the
judgment process to scare people
00:35:33.83\00:35:37.17
into heaven and we'll
start to describe the great,
00:35:37.20\00:35:40.60
you know, sufferings that you're
going to experience in hell one
00:35:40.64\00:35:44.51
day and so on.
00:35:44.54\00:35:47.44
But, friends, God
doesn't convert through fear.
00:35:47.48\00:35:49.51
He converts through love.
00:35:49.54\00:35:52.08
"Do you not know it is
the goodness of God that leads
00:35:52.11\00:35:53.88
you to repentance," it tells us
in the second chapter of Romans.
00:35:53.92\00:35:58.09
It's only the love
that melts our hearts.
00:35:58.12\00:36:01.02
Jesus says, "And
I--when I am lifted up will draw
00:36:01.06\00:36:03.63
all men unto Me."
00:36:03.66\00:36:05.43
Now, he doesn't lift up--Jesus
is not talking about being
00:36:05.46\00:36:08.03
lifted up as a vindictive judge
that can't wait until you make
00:36:08.06\00:36:11.90
your mistake or that you
can come to judgment day and
00:36:11.93\00:36:14.20
I can throw you into hell.
00:36:14.24\00:36:15.54
No, we find that
Jesus has died on the cross,
00:36:15.57\00:36:18.11
that His sacrifice--He
voluntarily for your
00:36:18.14\00:36:22.71
eternal life.
00:36:22.74\00:36:25.25
And that's what draws us.
00:36:25.28\00:36:27.95
That's what converts the heart
because fear only converts the
00:36:27.98\00:36:31.39
behavior but Jesus
wants to convert the heart.
00:36:31.42\00:36:36.46
That's why Jesus says
you must be born again.
00:36:36.49\00:36:41.26
Jesus says, "I want to come in.
00:36:41.30\00:36:42.70
Whoever opens the
door, I will come in and dine
00:36:42.73\00:36:44.53
with him and he with Me."
00:36:44.57\00:36:46.77
It's an internal experience,
not an external experience.
00:36:46.80\00:36:53.34
Now without judgment, and
this is important subject,
00:36:53.38\00:36:55.94
because without judgment it
would be impossible for God to
00:36:55.98\00:36:58.41
make the world right.
00:36:58.45\00:37:00.18
The nightly news is full
of people victimized by evil,
00:37:00.22\00:37:02.68
crying out for justice,
crying out for judgment.
00:37:02.72\00:37:08.76
They want judgment.
00:37:08.79\00:37:10.46
And sometimes we'll be guilty of
wanting judgment because we've
00:37:10.49\00:37:13.13
been the victim of
some great evil but,
00:37:13.16\00:37:15.26
at the same time, we don't want
to be--we don't want the light
00:37:15.30\00:37:18.40
to shine too brightly
at us because there's,
00:37:18.43\00:37:20.20
you know, maybe something that
we're not bringing to the Lord
00:37:20.24\00:37:22.84
that we need to
bring to the Lord and such.
00:37:22.87\00:37:26.78
But, friends, this world is
chock full of victims that are
00:37:26.81\00:37:29.44
crying out for judgment and
justice and we should be the
00:37:29.48\00:37:31.41
greatest criers of that.
00:37:31.45\00:37:34.92
And so in light of these
two great hopes of the future,
00:37:34.95\00:37:37.02
this week's lesson study points
us to what the Bible teaches on
00:37:37.05\00:37:40.12
how we should spend our
time until judgment day and the
00:37:40.16\00:37:43.32
resurrection of the saved.
00:37:43.36\00:37:45.83
And so the--in light of those
two great hopes that we can't
00:37:45.86\00:37:49.00
wait for, that
we're anticipating,
00:37:49.03\00:37:51.40
what should we do between today
and resurrection and judgment
00:37:51.43\00:37:56.67
day, the Coming of Jesus?
00:37:56.71\00:37:59.47
Because the Coming of Jesus,
those two events take place on
00:37:59.51\00:38:02.14
the same day, by the way.
00:38:02.18\00:38:03.48
I don't think I clarified that.
00:38:03.51\00:38:04.91
Most of you know that but some
of you who may be watching or
00:38:04.95\00:38:06.85
are here
tonight don't know that,
00:38:06.88\00:38:08.22
but both those events,
when Jesus comes in glory,
00:38:08.25\00:38:11.95
very clearly the prophecies and
the teachings of Jesus tell us
00:38:11.99\00:38:14.42
that there will be
the resurrection of life,
00:38:14.46\00:38:17.23
all those who have died by faith
in Christ will rise again and we
00:38:17.26\00:38:21.50
who are alive will be
changed in an instant,
00:38:21.53\00:38:23.70
in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye.
00:38:23.73\00:38:25.43
We will receive these eternal
perfect bodies and minds and
00:38:25.47\00:38:28.50
then all of us will be
raptured up into the air to
00:38:28.54\00:38:30.67
meet the Lord in the air.
00:38:30.71\00:38:32.17
And we will
always be with the Lord.
00:38:32.21\00:38:34.71
And so that takes place,
the resurrection of life,
00:38:34.74\00:38:36.51
eternal life is
granted on that day.
00:38:36.54\00:38:38.91
But it also tells us that
there's a last phase of judgment
00:38:38.95\00:38:43.65
because it tells us in the last
chapter of Revelation that when
00:38:43.69\00:38:46.42
Jesus comes His reward is
with Him to give to everyone
00:38:46.45\00:38:48.76
according to his work, according
to the fruits of their life,
00:38:48.79\00:38:51.96
either for good or for
evil, for eternal condemnation
00:38:51.99\00:38:54.56
or eternal life.
00:38:54.60\00:38:56.83
And so judgment day is also
on the time when Jesus comes.
00:38:56.87\00:38:59.43
The same day is
the day of judgment.
00:38:59.47\00:39:03.47
We want to make sure that
we're on the right side, amen?
00:39:03.51\00:39:05.87
We want to make sure that
we are--that we have allowed
00:39:05.91\00:39:08.54
ourselves the opportunity to
take that opportunity to melt
00:39:08.58\00:39:11.58
our hearts and fall in
love with our Savior and
00:39:11.61\00:39:15.05
to make Him our friend.
00:39:15.08\00:39:18.92
And so does the Bible tell
us that between now and judgment
00:39:18.95\00:39:23.26
day, the return of Jesus, that
we should retreat to the hills
00:39:23.29\00:39:25.86
and isolate ourselves somewhere?
00:39:25.89\00:39:28.96
Is that what the Bible teaches?
00:39:29.00\00:39:31.17
Not totally.
00:39:31.20\00:39:32.53
It's kind of yes and no but
there's much more no than yes.
00:39:32.57\00:39:35.34
I know it can be
tempting, you know,
00:39:35.37\00:39:37.84
because once we come to
Christ we start to hate sin,
00:39:37.87\00:39:39.44
we hate evil, we hate,
you know, observing it.
00:39:39.47\00:39:42.71
We hate hearing people
use God's name in vain.
00:39:42.74\00:39:44.45
We hate all these things
that the world exposes and
00:39:44.48\00:39:46.25
unbelieving people
around us are exposing us to.
00:39:46.28\00:39:49.82
We hate all these things
now and so it's tempting to say,
00:39:49.85\00:39:52.29
"Okay, well, the best thing I
can do is just retreat out into
00:39:52.32\00:39:54.86
the mountains, some
crazy faraway place where I can
00:39:54.89\00:39:58.36
minimize my exposure to
mankind and sinful humanity."
00:39:58.39\00:40:02.50
Now, that's not
what Jesus taught.
00:40:02.53\00:40:05.07
Now, in the early
Christian centuries,
00:40:05.10\00:40:06.87
we had made that mistake
and it led to the building of
00:40:06.90\00:40:09.57
monasteries and
convents and so on and,
00:40:09.60\00:40:12.94
you know, they
believed that, you know,
00:40:12.97\00:40:16.58
the best thing we can do, the
holiest life you can experience,
00:40:16.61\00:40:19.48
is to build big walls and
isolate ourselves from the world
00:40:19.51\00:40:22.35
as much as possible.
00:40:22.38\00:40:25.15
But God doesn't
call us to retreat.
00:40:25.19\00:40:26.59
He says to go forward.
00:40:26.62\00:40:28.16
God has given us the offensive.
00:40:28.19\00:40:30.13
"Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations.
00:40:30.16\00:40:32.66
Baptize in the
name of the Father,
00:40:32.69\00:40:34.20
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:40:34.23\00:40:36.13
Teach them to observe all things
which I have commanded you and,
00:40:36.16\00:40:38.20
lo, I'm with you always
even to the end of the age."
00:40:38.23\00:40:40.47
That's an offensive.
00:40:40.50\00:40:41.80
He tells us, listen, I
want you to take the offensive,
00:40:41.84\00:40:43.74
not the defensive.
00:40:43.77\00:40:46.61
I want you to go out in battle.
00:40:46.64\00:40:48.08
I want you to pick up the sword
of the Spirit which is the Holy
00:40:48.11\00:40:51.55
Spirit and the Word of God
and I want you to go in there.
00:40:51.58\00:40:54.98
I want you to convert
sinners, not avoid sinners.
00:40:55.02\00:40:58.12
I want you to convert sinners.
00:40:58.15\00:41:00.39
That's what God has called us.
00:41:00.42\00:41:02.52
Matthew chapter 5, verse 13.
00:41:02.56\00:41:05.59
Let's verify that because
I don't want to just stand
00:41:05.63\00:41:08.56
on my own opinion.
00:41:08.60\00:41:11.97
I want us to be able to
understand this biblically.
00:41:12.00\00:41:14.77
So let's hear it straight from
the words of Christ Himself.
00:41:14.80\00:41:16.94
The Sermon on the
Mount, the greatest and most
00:41:16.97\00:41:19.51
powerful sermon
in all of history.
00:41:19.54\00:41:21.04
Chapter 5 and verse 13.
00:41:21.08\00:41:24.51
Right at the beginning,
the very first chapter in the
00:41:24.55\00:41:27.65
three-chapter sermon.
00:41:27.68\00:41:28.98
Verse 13, He says: "You
are the salt of the earth;
00:41:29.02\00:41:31.55
but if the salt
loses its flavor,
00:41:31.59\00:41:33.62
how shall it be seasoned?
00:41:33.66\00:41:35.12
It is then good for
nothing but to be thrown out and
00:41:35.16\00:41:37.49
trampled under the foot."
00:41:37.53\00:41:38.83
Now, friends, when you
put salt on your plate,
00:41:38.86\00:41:41.53
you have a meal and
you want to add some salt,
00:41:41.56\00:41:43.33
do you just put it on one
little--do you put it on the
00:41:43.37\00:41:46.13
edge of the plate right here?
00:41:46.17\00:41:47.67
Make sure it
doesn't touch the food?
00:41:47.70\00:41:50.27
No, not at all, okay?
00:41:50.31\00:41:51.54
You take that salt and that's
why we have salt shakers, why?
00:41:51.57\00:41:53.94
Because there's all kinds
of holes at the end so that
00:41:53.98\00:41:56.85
it helps you.
00:41:56.88\00:41:58.25
And so you can just go
like this without going crazy,
00:41:58.28\00:41:59.85
but when you go like
this, why, it's flying all over
00:41:59.88\00:42:02.68
the place, isn't it?
00:42:02.72\00:42:04.15
It's intermingling.
00:42:04.19\00:42:05.49
Jesus says, "You are
the salt of the earth.
00:42:05.52\00:42:08.26
You are the salt of the earth.
00:42:08.29\00:42:09.59
Go and make disciples."
00:42:09.62\00:42:10.93
In verse 14: "For you
are the light of the world.
00:42:10.96\00:42:13.53
A city that is set on a hill
cannot be--cannot be hidden."
00:42:13.56\00:42:18.37
Verse 15, He says, "Do not--nor
do they light a lamp and put it
00:42:18.40\00:42:22.40
under a basket,
but on a lampstand,
00:42:22.44\00:42:23.84
and it gives light to
all those in the house.
00:42:23.87\00:42:25.97
Let your light
so shine before men,
00:42:26.01\00:42:28.24
that they may see
your good works and glorify
00:42:28.28\00:42:30.95
your Father in heaven."
00:42:30.98\00:42:33.62
And so, friends, we
are to model something
00:42:33.65\00:42:36.12
different to the world.
00:42:36.15\00:42:37.45
But if we're hiding up
in the woods somewhere.
00:42:37.49\00:42:39.79
By the way, I don't want
this to be misunderstood because
00:42:39.82\00:42:42.29
I know we have a lot
of beautiful Christians,
00:42:42.32\00:42:44.33
even members in this
church, that have acreages out
00:42:44.36\00:42:46.53
in the woods and so on.
00:42:46.56\00:42:48.86
I'm not talking about
outside Auburn here and,
00:42:48.90\00:42:50.73
you know, within a half an
hour or even ten minutes of
00:42:50.77\00:42:52.97
civilization and so on.
00:42:53.00\00:42:54.57
And of course, they're amongst
other acreages and they have
00:42:54.60\00:42:56.54
neighbors to witness to still.
00:42:56.57\00:42:58.41
I'm talking about some crazy
place up in Truckee or Covelo
00:42:58.44\00:43:02.64
or something like that, you
know, and that's a bit of an
00:43:02.68\00:43:06.61
inside joke but, no,
there's some beautiful
00:43:06.65\00:43:09.95
people in Covelo but way up
in the woods outside of Covelo.
00:43:09.98\00:43:12.35
You don't want to stay
out there too long, right?
00:43:12.39\00:43:14.56
Yeah, yeah.
00:43:14.59\00:43:17.53
So country living is a beautiful
thing and I encourage it.
00:43:17.56\00:43:20.53
If you have an opportunity,
especially when you have young
00:43:20.56\00:43:22.10
children that you're raising.
00:43:22.13\00:43:23.43
It's a beautiful environment
and so on and stuff but,
00:43:23.47\00:43:25.17
at the same time, you want
to also instruct and train your
00:43:25.20\00:43:27.44
children to mingle with the
unbelievers and to know that
00:43:27.47\00:43:32.11
their commission and your
commission as a family is to
00:43:32.14\00:43:34.44
make sinners into Christians, is
to bring the gospel to the lost.
00:43:34.48\00:43:39.91
And we need to be able to
be that salt of the earth.
00:43:39.95\00:43:43.85
In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus
makes it clear that in the times
00:43:43.89\00:43:47.06
of extreme persecution,
retreating to the hills and the
00:43:47.09\00:43:49.99
wilderness can
be fitting at times.
00:43:50.03\00:43:52.23
So in extreme
situations, you know,
00:43:52.26\00:43:55.56
going up to somewhere like in
the woods outside of Covelo and
00:43:55.60\00:43:59.10
I know on Sabbath School
Study Hour Pastor Doug has even
00:43:59.13\00:44:02.17
invited us and said, you know,
"When it comes to that extreme
00:44:02.20\00:44:05.57
if we're still alive, you know,
I have a place and you can be
00:44:05.61\00:44:09.08
welcome to be able to
join me there and such."
00:44:09.11\00:44:13.15
And so, yeah, there are times.
00:44:13.18\00:44:14.65
Jesus made it very clear.
00:44:14.68\00:44:15.98
In extreme
situations where retreating,
00:44:16.02\00:44:19.12
you know, the walled-in season
and so on we have during the
00:44:19.15\00:44:21.02
persecutions in Europe during
the 1260 years of persecution.
00:44:21.06\00:44:25.53
During those most intense
times in years and decades,
00:44:25.56\00:44:27.96
God's people have had to retreat
to the hills just to survive,
00:44:27.96\00:44:31.83
just to live, so that
they could make disciples.
00:44:31.87\00:44:34.47
Because you can't make disciples
if you're dead and so sometimes
00:44:34.50\00:44:37.34
God's people need
to retreat in those
00:44:37.37\00:44:40.18
different extreme situations.
00:44:40.21\00:44:41.91
And Matthew chapter
24 makes that very clear.
00:44:41.94\00:44:45.41
I want to bring us to Monday's
lesson and read a quote there.
00:44:45.45\00:44:49.62
So if you have
your lesson study,
00:44:49.65\00:44:51.35
that's helpful,
but if you don't,
00:44:51.39\00:44:53.82
I invite you just
to listen carefully.
00:44:53.86\00:44:56.93
It's the last sentence in
the main section there that's
00:44:56.96\00:45:01.33
written by the authors.
00:45:01.36\00:45:02.66
It says: "To focus solely
or even primarily on the escape
00:45:02.70\00:45:05.43
aspect of the Christian hope
for the future is to miss some
00:45:05.47\00:45:09.14
of the deeper
points Jesus was making."
00:45:09.17\00:45:11.37
And so we want to make
sure that we're not guilty,
00:45:11.41\00:45:14.04
and some Christians
have been and may be today,
00:45:14.08\00:45:16.34
that we just want to get up in
the day and just kind of hold on
00:45:16.38\00:45:20.45
to the hope of the resurrection
and things made right and our
00:45:20.48\00:45:23.42
bodies made whole and so on
and we just want to kind of,
00:45:23.45\00:45:27.22
you know, leave the world to
itself and just kind of focus
00:45:27.26\00:45:32.26
on that every day.
00:45:32.29\00:45:33.86
But Jesus doesn't want us to
focus on that as our main focus.
00:45:33.90\00:45:36.90
He wants us to find the
encouragement and hold on to it.
00:45:36.93\00:45:39.50
But He wants our
main focus is to bring our
00:45:39.53\00:45:42.17
neighbors to heaven as well.
00:45:42.20\00:45:44.04
His main focus is to be able
to bring as many people here
00:45:44.07\00:45:46.57
in greater
Sacramento, Northern California,
00:45:46.61\00:45:48.74
America, different
nations, to heaven.
00:45:48.78\00:45:52.05
Our main focus is the--is
to increase the population of
00:45:52.08\00:45:55.42
heaven, of the kingdom.
00:45:55.45\00:45:58.12
That's the main focus that
we need to be able to focus on.
00:45:58.15\00:46:00.72
So that's very important
and lesson study points us to
00:46:00.76\00:46:04.66
Matthew chapter 24 and 25.
00:46:04.69\00:46:07.23
And what a wonderful study that
would be if we could stay with
00:46:07.30\00:46:09.80
that for the rest of our study.
00:46:09.83\00:46:11.17
But again, of course, we
don't have time for that.
00:46:11.20\00:46:12.93
Some of you have
read it in the past,
00:46:12.97\00:46:14.40
maybe over the last week,
but those two are very critical.
00:46:14.44\00:46:19.37
It's a sermon that
Jesus preaches to His
00:46:19.41\00:46:21.38
disciples and apostles.
00:46:21.41\00:46:22.94
Does this sermon speak to--or
how does this sermon speak to
00:46:22.98\00:46:28.08
our living until Jesus comes?
00:46:28.12\00:46:30.49
How should we live?
00:46:30.52\00:46:31.82
We come back to
that key question.
00:46:31.85\00:46:33.39
Well, first of all, Matthew 24,
Jesus makes it very clear that
00:46:33.42\00:46:36.79
we're to be careful not to
be deceived by false Christs
00:46:36.83\00:46:40.16
and false prophets.
00:46:40.20\00:46:41.83
So He says, "Be careful because
many will come in My name and
00:46:41.86\00:46:44.40
claim to be Christ.
00:46:44.43\00:46:45.80
Many will come in My name and
claim to be prophets and receive
00:46:45.83\00:46:48.10
visions and messages."
00:46:48.14\00:46:49.84
And inevitably, they always lead
it into some kind of doctrinal
00:46:49.87\00:46:54.21
heresy, some kind
of erroneous theology.
00:46:54.24\00:46:57.48
And so Jesus says, "Be very
careful in concern to that."
00:46:57.51\00:47:02.42
The second trap that I believe
that we also have to be aware
00:47:02.45\00:47:04.95
of and be careful not
get caught up in is doing
00:47:04.99\00:47:09.22
what Christ told us not to do.
00:47:09.26\00:47:11.63
And this comes back to the
escapism kind of focus of our
00:47:11.66\00:47:14.10
Christian experience.
00:47:14.10\00:47:15.80
We look so forward and we focus
so much on the Second Coming,
00:47:15.83\00:47:18.33
the resurrection of
life, eternal bodies,
00:47:18.37\00:47:21.00
you know,
perfect harmony and love,
00:47:21.04\00:47:23.87
and all evil being
eliminated, that that's
00:47:23.91\00:47:25.74
all we can think about.
00:47:25.77\00:47:27.08
And so our focus is so much
that we fall into that trap of
00:47:27.11\00:47:29.81
wanting to know, "Is
Jesus going to come next week?
00:47:29.84\00:47:33.95
Is He going to come next month?
00:47:33.98\00:47:35.45
And if He is going
to come next month,
00:47:35.48\00:47:36.79
what day of the
month is He going to come?"
00:47:36.82\00:47:39.19
And then we get caught
into that trap of thinking that,
00:47:39.22\00:47:41.46
"Well, God wants us to know what
day it is so that I can focus on
00:47:41.49\00:47:44.56
it even more."
00:47:44.59\00:47:45.93
Now, again, this
is--almost seems anti-Adventist
00:47:45.96\00:47:48.86
but it's not, okay?
00:47:48.90\00:47:50.77
What it is, is it's being
an Adventist in the context
00:47:50.80\00:47:54.17
of the teachings
that Jesus gives to us.
00:47:54.20\00:47:56.47
How are we to be Adventists
and look forward to the Coming?
00:47:56.50\00:47:59.94
Well, one of the important
things that we need to be able
00:48:00.04\00:48:02.28
to be very much aware of is
that in both Matthew 24 and 25,
00:48:02.31\00:48:05.51
Jesus tells us four
times--four times He says,
00:48:05.55\00:48:10.65
"You do not know the day or the
hour and you will never know the
00:48:10.69\00:48:14.69
day or the hour
until that day," okay?
00:48:14.72\00:48:18.73
Four times He repeats
that and He counsels us,
00:48:18.76\00:48:21.16
"Do not try to set a date for no
one knows the day or the hour."
00:48:21.20\00:48:25.13
Why is Jesus telling us that?
00:48:25.17\00:48:27.37
He says, "Don't focus on that.
00:48:27.40\00:48:30.44
Focus on the Coming of Jesus,"
00:48:30.47\00:48:32.04
and He says--you know,
my favorite, you know, in
00:48:32.07\00:48:34.18
Matthew chapter 24, there's
a lot of good important verses
00:48:34.21\00:48:36.85
but if you were to ask
me, "What's your favorite?"
00:48:36.88\00:48:38.75
I'd say right away
Matthew chapter 24,
00:48:38.78\00:48:40.22
verse 14: "And this
good news of the kingdom,
00:48:40.25\00:48:44.62
this gospel of the kingdom, will
be preached in all the world as
00:48:44.65\00:48:47.99
a witness to all nations
and then the end will come."
00:48:48.02\00:48:52.66
What is Jesus telling you and I?
00:48:52.69\00:48:54.93
By the way, that's
the only sign that we can
00:48:54.96\00:48:56.26
focus on as believers.
00:48:56.30\00:48:57.90
The rest are all
the devil's work.
00:48:57.93\00:48:59.50
Everything else He
covers there in the signs
00:48:59.53\00:49:01.80
are the devil's work, okay?
00:49:01.84\00:49:04.27
The only sign that He gives
to us that you and I are to
00:49:04.31\00:49:06.88
participate is the one
that we should focus on.
00:49:06.91\00:49:08.94
Again, "Go make disciples.
00:49:08.98\00:49:11.18
Bring the
gospel to every nation,
00:49:11.21\00:49:12.91
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:49:12.95\00:49:14.25
That's our focus.
00:49:14.28\00:49:16.28
That's our focus.
00:49:16.92\00:49:19.32
So He gives us three parables in
Matthew chapter 24 and we're not
00:49:19.35\00:49:22.69
going to be able to go into
those in details but we have the
00:49:22.72\00:49:25.66
foolish virgins and, of course,
the foolish ones--the ten
00:49:25.69\00:49:29.96
virgins, the foolish five are
short of oil and the wise ones
00:49:30.00\00:49:33.57
are trimming their lamp
and they've brought extra oil,
00:49:33.60\00:49:36.34
representing the Holy Spirit
and a true experience in Christ.
00:49:36.37\00:49:40.98
And they found that in
two ways: they watched,
00:49:41.01\00:49:42.68
which means they
studied; they prayed,
00:49:42.71\00:49:44.78
as Jesus counseled
them; and they're found in
00:49:44.81\00:49:46.45
Christian service,
contributing to the gospel.
00:49:46.48\00:49:48.98
How can I
contribute to the gospel?
00:49:49.02\00:49:52.19
And even the second parable
is telling us the same thing.
00:49:52.22\00:49:55.26
Talents are used,
our spiritual gifts,
00:49:55.29\00:49:57.16
not as an option but as
a requirement to be able
00:49:57.19\00:50:01.23
to expand the gospel.
00:50:01.26\00:50:03.26
So I'm going to
close with a quote from
00:50:03.30\00:50:06.63
one of my favorite authors.
00:50:06.67\00:50:07.97
Her name is Ellen White and
I believe that she was given
00:50:08.00\00:50:10.17
a genuine spiritual gift
of prophecy and she gives this
00:50:10.21\00:50:14.71
statement in a book that
she wrote called "Trials and
00:50:14.74\00:50:17.58
Triumph," page 30.
00:50:17.61\00:50:19.38
And this is what she reads.
00:50:19.41\00:50:21.32
She reads: "But near the
close of the earth's harvest,
00:50:21.35\00:50:23.82
a special bestowal is promised
to prepare the church for the
00:50:23.85\00:50:27.06
Coming of the Son of Man.
00:50:27.09\00:50:29.02
This outpouring is the latter
rain and for this added power
00:50:29.06\00:50:33.09
Christians are to send their
petitions to the Lord of the
00:50:33.13\00:50:36.10
harvest in the
time of the latter rain.
00:50:36.13\00:50:38.60
In response, the
Lord, quote, 'Shall give
00:50:38.63\00:50:41.50
them showers of rain.'
00:50:41.54\00:50:44.14
He will cause to come
down the, quote, 'The rain,
00:50:44.17\00:50:47.08
the former rain
and the latter rain.'"
00:50:47.11\00:50:48.78
Now, she's quoting off and
on from Zechariah chapter 10,
00:50:48.81\00:50:51.18
verse 1, and Joel
chapter 2, verse 23.
00:50:51.21\00:50:53.42
Both of them are speaking about
this latter spiritual rain that
00:50:53.45\00:50:56.08
will take place just
before the Coming of Christ.
00:50:56.12\00:51:00.76
"But only those who constantly
receive fresh supplies of grace
00:51:00.79\00:51:04.86
will have ability
to use that power.
00:51:04.89\00:51:08.13
Daily," that's in the here
and now as she's talking about.
00:51:08.16\00:51:11.77
"Daily, they are improving the
opportunities for service that
00:51:11.80\00:51:14.80
lie within their reach,
witnessing wherever they may be,
00:51:14.84\00:51:19.84
in the home or in a
public field of usefulness."
00:51:19.87\00:51:23.95
Public field of usefulness
means in the workplace.
00:51:23.98\00:51:27.05
And so, friends, I want to
encourage you to be able to,
00:51:27.08\00:51:32.09
in the light of the Advent hope,
to be able to look forward to
00:51:32.12\00:51:34.49
the time when
Christ comes again,
00:51:34.52\00:51:37.43
yes, when we have
evil brought to an end,
00:51:37.46\00:51:40.63
yes, but to be able
to contribute to the
00:51:40.66\00:51:43.20
Coming of Jesus.
00:51:43.23\00:51:45.27
Now, I want to invite
everybody before we close
00:51:45.30\00:51:48.20
here to take advantage.
00:51:48.24\00:51:50.01
If you haven't caught the
beginning of our program or you
00:51:50.04\00:51:52.67
didn't write down the different
phone numbers or text numbers,
00:51:52.71\00:51:54.78
take advantage of that.
00:51:54.81\00:51:56.24
We have a great study.
00:51:56.28\00:51:57.68
It's one of my favorites:
"Ultimate Deliverance:
00:51:57.71\00:51:59.35
The Return of Jesus Christ."
00:51:59.38\00:52:00.78
How will Jesus
come? When will He come?
00:52:00.88\00:52:03.89
And what will take place?
00:52:03.92\00:52:06.72
We looked at some of those
different teachings already here
00:52:06.76\00:52:08.52
today but this will
go to it in more detail.
00:52:08.56\00:52:10.66
You can see the
information on the screen.
00:52:10.69\00:52:12.89
You can dial the 1-800 number or
1-866 number and there's also a
00:52:12.93\00:52:18.07
text number that may be on the
screen for you to take advantage
00:52:18.10\00:52:21.00
of as well.
00:52:21.04\00:52:22.70
An so until next week, we look
forward to seeing you again.
00:52:22.74\00:52:25.01
May God bless you.
00:52:25.04\00:52:26.37
May He keep you.
00:52:26.41\00:52:27.71
And don't forget
that God loves you.
00:52:27.74\00:52:29.74
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:52:30.95\00:52:32.48
free resource.
00:52:32.51\00:52:33.98
Not only can you receive
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you can download a digital
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00:52:36.42\00:52:38.62
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00:52:38.65\00:52:40.19
To get your digital
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00:52:40.22\00:52:43.02
simply text the key word on your
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00:52:43.06\00:52:47.56
address shown on your screen,
and be sure to select the
00:52:47.60\00:52:50.77
digital download
option on the request page.
00:52:50.80\00:52:53.57
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:52:53.60\00:52:56.81
"Amazing Facts," wherever
and whenever you want and most
00:52:56.84\00:53:00.64
important, to
share it with others.
00:53:00.68\00:53:03.08
¤¤¤
00:53:03.85\00:53:13.86
Doug Batchelor: What can be
more irresistible than a kitten?
00:53:14.26\00:53:16.29
These guys might look cute now
but some of their ancestors have
00:53:16.32\00:53:19.13
grown into man-eaters.
00:53:19.16\00:53:21.33
[lion roaring]
00:53:21.73\00:53:26.20
Doug: We're here in a lion
park in South Africa now where
00:53:26.23\00:53:28.04
we can view these
creatures in relative safety.
00:53:28.07\00:53:30.21
But there's a reason they're
known as the king of beasts.
00:53:30.24\00:53:33.51
So what is it that people find
so enchanting and frightening
00:53:33.54\00:53:36.71
about lions?
00:53:36.75\00:53:38.15
Is it their speed, their
claws, their sharp teeth,
00:53:38.18\00:53:41.02
or all of the above?
00:53:41.05\00:53:42.65
Might also be some of the
stories about man-eating lions,
00:53:42.68\00:53:45.52
like in 1898,
right here in Africa,
00:53:45.55\00:53:48.79
they were building a bridge over
the Tsavo River in Kenya and two
00:53:48.82\00:53:52.93
brother lions terrorized
the construction process,
00:53:52.96\00:53:56.33
eating 135 workers.
00:53:56.36\00:53:59.37
Did you know, lions are
mentioned in the Bible over
00:53:59.40\00:54:02.84
100 times and you can
find them all the way from
00:54:02.87\00:54:05.81
Genesis to Revelation.
00:54:05.84\00:54:07.24
It's usually in
reference to their ferocity and
00:54:07.28\00:54:09.81
how dangerous they are.
00:54:09.84\00:54:11.51
Of course, Samson killed
a lion with his bare hands,
00:54:11.55\00:54:13.72
David killed a lion, there are
man-eating lions in the Bible.
00:54:13.75\00:54:17.49
The way that they punished
criminals was by throwing them
00:54:17.52\00:54:20.36
in the lions' den,
and early Christians were
00:54:20.39\00:54:22.76
even fed to lions.
00:54:22.79\00:54:24.33
But amazingly, as
the Bible mentions,
00:54:24.36\00:54:26.93
not all lions are to be feared.
00:54:26.96\00:54:28.76
There have been a few
friendly lions in history.
00:54:28.80\00:54:31.67
For example, in
the 1950s a couple,
00:54:31.70\00:54:34.87
George and Margaret Westbeau
who lived up at a ranch near
00:54:34.90\00:54:38.31
Seattle, Washington,
adopted an abandoned lion cub.
00:54:38.34\00:54:42.08
They named it Little Tyke
because they felt sorry for it.
00:54:42.11\00:54:45.35
But they discovered as
they tried to feed her,
00:54:45.38\00:54:47.65
she refused to
eat any meat at all.
00:54:47.68\00:54:51.22
They were concerned, thinking
there was no hope for this
00:54:51.25\00:54:53.76
little lioness to survive
and everybody told them the same
00:54:53.79\00:54:56.39
because we know in the
wild lions survive on almost an
00:54:56.42\00:55:00.10
entirely meat diet.
00:55:00.13\00:55:02.13
Then someone showed the
Westbeaus that verse in the
00:55:02.16\00:55:04.40
Bible that talks about in heaven
the animals are vegetarians and
00:55:04.43\00:55:08.40
the lion will eat
straw like the ox.
00:55:08.44\00:55:11.77
That encouraged them and so
they began to feed Little Tyke
00:55:11.81\00:55:15.04
a purely vegetarian diet.
00:55:15.08\00:55:17.55
Not only did she
survive, she thrived,
00:55:17.58\00:55:19.78
growing into a lion
that was over 352 pounds
00:55:19.81\00:55:24.15
and over 10 feet long.
00:55:24.19\00:55:26.45
In fact, zoologists that
examined Little Tyke when she
00:55:26.49\00:55:29.16
was full grown said they
had never seen such a perfect
00:55:29.19\00:55:31.79
specimen of a
lioness in their life.
00:55:31.83\00:55:34.56
A pure vegetarian.
00:55:34.60\00:55:36.63
You know, when we hear
incredible stories about that,
00:55:36.67\00:55:38.93
of Little Tyke, it reminds us
that God's original plan was to
00:55:38.97\00:55:42.57
make a world of total peace.
00:55:42.60\00:55:44.91
It describes it here in
the Bible in Isaiah chapter 11,
00:55:44.94\00:55:47.88
verse 6: "The wolf also
will dwell with the lamb,
00:55:47.91\00:55:51.08
the leopard will lie
down with the young goat.
00:55:51.11\00:55:53.28
The calf and the young
lion and the fatling together;
00:55:53.31\00:55:56.55
and a little
child will lead them."
00:55:56.58\00:55:58.75
Nothing is going to hurt and
destroy in the new heavens and
00:55:58.79\00:56:02.06
the new earth that
God is going to create.
00:56:02.09\00:56:03.69
Wouldn't you like to live in
a kingdom where there's perfect
00:56:03.73\00:56:05.96
peace, where there's no
more death or killing or pain?
00:56:05.99\00:56:09.06
God says that He
wants you in that kingdom.
00:56:09.10\00:56:11.87
The Lamb of God made it possible
for you to have an encounter
00:56:11.90\00:56:16.07
with the Lion of
the tribe of Judah.
00:56:16.10\00:56:18.57
Wouldn't you like
to meet Him today?
00:56:18.61\00:56:21.08
¤¤¤
00:56:21.11\00:56:26.98
¤¤¤
00:56:27.82\00:56:37.79
¤¤¤
00:56:37.83\00:56:47.10
¤¤¤
00:56:47.14\00:56:48.44
[car honking]
00:56:48.47\00:56:50.14
¤¤¤
00:56:50.67\00:56:52.01
male: Buddy, jump in.
00:56:52.04\00:56:53.84
¤¤¤
00:56:53.88\00:57:03.85
¤¤¤
00:57:03.89\00:57:13.86
¤¤¤
00:57:13.90\00:57:23.87
Doug: How many of you
wish you could get a new start?
00:57:24.17\00:57:26.01
I'd like to live my life
over knowing what I know now.
00:57:26.04\00:57:28.64
I don't want to start over and
just make all the same mistakes.
00:57:28.68\00:57:30.25
I want to have my memories so
I don't make the same mistakes.
00:57:30.28\00:57:34.18
But you do get a new beginning.
00:57:34.22\00:57:36.02
You become a new creature.
00:57:36.05\00:57:37.59
That feeling of all your sins
being washed away because God
00:57:37.62\00:57:39.79
promises it, isn't that a
wonderful concept, friends?
00:57:39.82\00:57:43.02
male: "I was thirsty
and you gave Me drink.
00:57:43.06\00:57:52.60
Inasmuch as you did it to
one of the least of these,
00:57:52.63\00:57:55.80
my brethren, you did it to Me."
00:57:55.84\00:58:01.18
¤¤¤
00:58:01.21\00:58:03.88