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Luccas Rodor: Hi friends,
welcome to our Sabbath School
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study hour here in Granite Bay
Seventh Day Adventist Church,
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also in partnership with
Amazing Facts Ministries.
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I'd like to welcome our local
church, so good to have you
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all here this morning.
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And also you watching from
around the world, we'd like
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to welcome you and hope you
have a great time here with us.
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Today we have a very beautiful
lesson to be studied, and it's
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lesson number 12 To Love
Mercy, and Pastor Shawn Brummund
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will be
teaching us this morning.
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But before that, I have a
free offer for you this morning.
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Now, this offer is written
by Joe Crews, and the name
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of the booklet is
"Riches To Grace."
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And if you would like to receive
this offer, receive this free
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gift, all you have to do is
call the number 866-788-3966 for
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a mail out, or if you want
a digital copy, and this is in
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North America, you have to text
the code SH056 to the number
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40544, and then you'll
get a digital copy for this.
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If you're outside of North
America, then you can go online
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at amazingfacts.org and you
can look for this digital copy.
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This morning before we go
into the study, we have some
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beautiful worship and I'd like
to call our praise team to come
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out so they can begin
praising the Lord here for our
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Sabbath School.
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May God bless you.
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¤¤¤
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female: Today we're
going to be singing hymn 286,
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Wonderful Words Of Life.
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¤ Sing them over again to me, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life; ¤
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¤ let me more of
their beauty see, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life; ¤
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¤ words of life and beauty
teach me faith and duty. ¤
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¤ Beautiful
words, wonderful words, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life. ¤
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¤ Beautiful
words, wonderful words, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life. ¤
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¤ Christ, the blessed one, ¤
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¤ gives to all
wonderful words of life; ¤
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¤ sinner, list to
the loving call, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life; ¤
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¤ all so freely
given, wooing us to heaven. ¤
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¤ Beautiful
words, wonderful words, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life. ¤
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¤ Beautiful
words, wonderful words, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life. ¤
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¤ Sweetly echo
the gospel call, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life; ¤
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¤ offer pardon
and peace to all, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life; ¤
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¤ Jesus, only Savior, ¤
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¤ sanctify forever. ¤
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¤ Beautiful
words, wonderful words, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life. ¤
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¤ Beautiful
words, wonderful words, ¤
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¤ wonderful words of life. ¤¤
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Shawn Brummund: Well,
thank you for that, ladies.
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Wasn't that beautiful?
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It's good to be able to be
here. It's beautiful Sabbath.
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It's sunny where we are.
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We're trusting that if it's
not sunny, that you are sunny in
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your heart.
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If you're watching online
here this morning live or maybe
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you're watching it on archive
and or if you're watching later
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on satellite TV, we want to just
give you a special welcome, all
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our online members as
well that are watching.
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We are glad to have each and
every person, both friend and
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member watch us here today, and
so it's good to be able to study
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a very important subject.
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We're almost wrapped it up.
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Time flies, doesn't it?
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It seems like every time we
start a new quarter before we
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know it, we blink a couple
of times and we're wrapping that
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quarter up.
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And, of course, the older we
get, the more fast time goes.
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So, maybe that's
just a sign of my aging.
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To Love Mercy, lesson 11
the second last lesson of this
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quarter, which is the
least of these, ministering to
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those in need.
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Now, I would like to do
something different and read a
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quote from Friday.
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But before we do that, we want
to make sure that we asked for
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the Holy Spirit and Lord
to be with us here in prayer.
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Father in heaven, we stop for a
moment and we thank You for this
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opportunity to be able to
worship You, to be able to learn
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from Your Word, Lord, what You
would require and desire to do
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through us in our lives
in regards to those in need.
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Father in heaven, want to
pray that today we'll add to the
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study that we've had in
past weeks and over the last two
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or three months to be able to
understand Your plan for us and
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for Your church, also, to be
able to see Your love as well.
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God, we want to pray for
Your Holy Spirit to guide us
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and to lead us.
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In Jesus's name, we
pray these things, God, amen.
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Yes, I'm going to go
to Friday and so if you
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have your lesson study
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or, of course, more than welcome
to come with me there, but
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there's just a
powerful quote there.
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And so, we're going to do,
again, something different.
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We're going to start with the
last day, and I think it just
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makes a great introduction.
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It kind of sets the tone
of the theme for this week's
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lesson study.
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And so, we are going to page
102, page 102 and it says this,
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and this comes from the
"Thoughts From The Mount Of
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Blessing," page 137.
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By the way, if you've never
read that book, I just strongly
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highly recommend it, "Thoughts
From The Mount Of Blessing."
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And basically this is a
commentary on the Sermon on the
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Mount, the greatest sermon ever
preached in all history, as far
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as I'm concerned.
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And, of course, it
comes from the lips of Jesus.
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And so, this is the quote it
says, "Search heaven and earth,
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and there is no truth revealed
more powerful than that which is
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manifest in the works of mercy
to those need--to those who need
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our sympathy and aid."
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That means our help.
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"This is the
truth as it is in Jesus.
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When those who profess the name
of Christ shall practice the
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principles of the golden rule,
the same power will attend the
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gospel as in our
apostolic times."
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Did you hear that, friends?
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Now, I've heard other conditions
that are also revealed, both
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through the spiritual gift of
prophecy, as well as through the
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Holy Scriptures, that tell us
other important elements that we
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have to make sure that
we're at the center of.
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If we want to be part of that
last power, that latter rain
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where we reflect the Apostolic
Church in its fullness and
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power, even perhaps a little bit
more, as God wraps things up on
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this earth just
before Jesus comes.
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But one of the things that it
tells us here is something that
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was new to me until I read this,
that it's only those who profess
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the name of Christ
shall practice the principles
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of the golden rule.
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What is the golden rule?
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Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you.
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So, in other words, treat others
in the way that you would like
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to be treated.
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And so, that's the golden
rule that Jesus gave to us.
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"Love others, even as you love
yourself," is another way that
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He had put it as the
second greatest commandment in
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all of the Bible.
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And when we do that, and the
more we do that, the more we'll
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experience the power that was
experienced by the apostles and
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the early Christian Church
in those powerful first years.
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Well, then we come
to the very first day.
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Now we're going to back
up and go to the Sabbath day
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and on the
Sabbath day, of course,
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the main key text
that we find there is a
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coming from the Old Testament
book of Micah chapter 6 and
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verse 8.
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It's one that many of us heard
before, perhaps some of us have
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even memorized it.
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And it says this, "He has
shown you, O man, what is good;
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And what does the
Lord require of you."
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What does the Lord what?
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Require of you. So,
is this a suggestion?
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No, not at all.
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This is what the
Lord requires of us.
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"To do justly, to love mercy."
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Well, there's the title of
our week study, and that's where
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they got it from.
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"To love mercy, and to
walk humbly with your God."
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And so, this is a very
famous, very well-known verse.
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And why is that?
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Because it's one of those verses
that kind of encapsulate pure
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religion in the way that God has
seen it and sees it today, the
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way that he
wants it in our life.
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He said, if you want to just
kind of boil it down again, as
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he does in different ways, of
course, one of those boiled down
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ways is to do justly, to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with
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your God.
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And how much do we
want that in our lives?
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Now, one of the things that I
want to cover as we reflect this
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important topic, mercy and
helping those in need and such,
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is that we live in a
fallen and evil world.
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Have you noticed that?
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It's a very
fallen and evil world.
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We just have to watch the news
for the first three minutes each
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evening and we're reminded again
how fallen and evil our world
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really is, and it's
becoming more and more.
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And because we live in a fallen
and evil world, there will
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always be
victims of circumstances.
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Now, these are
circumstances that those people
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did not choose.
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There will always be those
who are born with the cards
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stacked against them.
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You know, Jesus said the sad
truth best when He was talking
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to His disciples toward the
end of His earthly ministry in
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Matthew 26, and verse 11.
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And he says, "For you
have the poor with you always."
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And so, Jesus says, "Listen, one
of the harsh realities of this
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whole sin lesson, this great
controversy between good and
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evil, of living in a fallen
world in which the prince of
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darkness is the prince of this
world because of the choice of
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the vast majority of those
around us is that there will
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always be those who are poor,
those who are struggling to put
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food on their table, struggling
to pay the rent, struggling to
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put a roof over their head or
the roof over the heads of their
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children and families.
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And so, this is one
of those sad realities.
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Now, it can be tempting for us
to say, "Well, that is a reality
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you just stated.
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You know, Pastor Shawn just
said it and, so why try to solve
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something that's
never going to be solved?"
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Well, we have to be
careful with that too, right?
00:11:40.50\00:11:43.13
Even though it is true that this
world will never alleviate all
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of its suffering, will never
alleviate all of its poverty or
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all of its social injustice,
it's important for us to
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understand that God has always
intended for his people, for his
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believers on earth, to help stem
the tide of that poverty, to
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help stem the tide of suffering
and social injustice, and so on.
00:12:00.98\00:12:06.59
God wants us to reflect the
heart of Him and God has a heart
00:12:06.62\00:12:10.03
for the poor.
00:12:10.06\00:12:11.69
Do I hear an amen
out there? He does.
00:12:11.73\00:12:13.73
He has a heart
for the suffering.
00:12:13.76\00:12:15.16
He has a heart
for the discouraged.
00:12:15.20\00:12:16.60
My heart goes out when I see
these different news stories and
00:12:16.63\00:12:20.37
such of children that have been
depraved because of the evil
00:12:20.40\00:12:23.41
choices of their parents.
00:12:23.44\00:12:25.34
You know, some are--some parents
are drug addicted and are
00:12:25.37\00:12:29.14
selling their
souls in different ways.
00:12:29.18\00:12:30.71
And the children are finding
themselves, from birth on, in
00:12:30.75\00:12:34.55
circumstances that really
have all the cards stacked
00:12:34.58\00:12:37.22
against them.
00:12:37.25\00:12:38.69
Now friends, did those children
choose that circumstance?
00:12:38.72\00:12:41.76
No, not at all.
00:12:41.79\00:12:44.09
Friends, you and I could be in
that circumstance just as easily
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if we were born to that
family, and so we have to be
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very careful.
00:12:48.96\00:12:50.67
So, why am I sharing this?
00:12:50.70\00:12:52.27
Well, one of the greatest
dangers that I've come to
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observe in life amongst
Christians, amongst myself, is
00:12:53.77\00:12:58.34
one of the greatest dangers
of those of us who have perhaps
00:12:58.37\00:13:01.31
been born with advantage.
00:13:01.34\00:13:03.24
Some of us have
been born into fortunes.
00:13:03.28\00:13:05.61
Some of us have never even come
close to know what it's like not
00:13:05.65\00:13:08.98
to be able to put
a meal on your table.
00:13:09.02\00:13:11.49
Some of us have never been close
to knowing what it's like to
00:13:11.52\00:13:14.06
have one set or two sets
of clothes, you know, or the
00:13:14.09\00:13:18.86
struggle to pay the rent, or,
you know, all these essentials
00:13:18.89\00:13:22.13
just to have been
assumed since our birth.
00:13:22.16\00:13:25.67
And perhaps some of us have had
to work for it at first, but now
00:13:25.70\00:13:29.50
it's been so long that we just
kind of assume it and, and one
00:13:29.54\00:13:32.37
of the, one of the dangerous
byproducts of that is that we
00:13:32.41\00:13:36.28
can become very easily
calloused, and even worse,
00:13:36.31\00:13:39.28
judgmental upon those who
are less advantaged than we are.
00:13:39.31\00:13:44.12
We can start to look down our
noses at them and say, "Well,
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what's their problem?"
00:13:48.96\00:13:50.96
This is one of the dangers that
we have as Christians and as
00:13:50.99\00:13:54.36
human beings that kind of just
assume all these things because
00:13:54.40\00:13:59.13
we've had either all
our life, or for so long.
00:13:59.17\00:14:02.10
I want to share a
case in point, prostitutes.
00:14:02.14\00:14:08.01
Now, prostitutes is not a very
popular industry, at least among
00:14:08.04\00:14:12.68
the Christian church, and among
believers and upright citizens,
00:14:12.71\00:14:16.28
and so on.
00:14:16.32\00:14:18.72
The vast majority of
prostitutes, we have to
00:14:18.75\00:14:20.49
understand, by far the vast
majority of prostitutes, did not
00:14:20.52\00:14:24.53
choose that industry
because they were raised in a
00:14:24.56\00:14:26.49
privileged,
loving, well-educated home.
00:14:26.53\00:14:29.53
You'd be hard pressed to
find one that came from that
00:14:29.56\00:14:33.97
background.
00:14:34.00\00:14:36.60
Most of them are finding
themselves in that industry
00:14:36.64\00:14:38.97
because as a young age, they
were sold or kidnapped into the
00:14:39.01\00:14:41.51
sex slave trade.
00:14:41.54\00:14:43.71
This is a growing industry that
is taking place right here in
00:14:43.75\00:14:46.18
America, and don't think this
is a problem that's overseas.
00:14:46.21\00:14:49.32
You know, we have, in fact,
Sacramento is one of the hubs.
00:14:49.35\00:14:56.76
It's, in fact, I've been told it
may be the biggest hub, the most
00:14:56.79\00:14:59.89
active hub and all of America in
regards to the sex slave trade.
00:14:59.93\00:15:03.47
And that's why we find massage,
massage parlors on every second
00:15:03.50\00:15:10.41
mile of our streets.
00:15:10.44\00:15:12.67
You don't have to look far to
see a massage parlor, and these
00:15:12.71\00:15:16.24
are not licensed therapists.
00:15:16.28\00:15:19.01
And so, this trade is something
that many young women, and sadly
00:15:19.05\00:15:23.45
some boys as well, are
sold into, are kidnapped
00:15:23.49\00:15:27.32
and forced into.
00:15:27.36\00:15:30.03
Some of those who are finding
themselves as in the prostitute
00:15:30.06\00:15:33.26
industry were raised with
drug addict addicted parents.
00:15:33.29\00:15:37.10
They were raised in a home
in which their parents were
00:15:37.13\00:15:40.40
addicted to drugs
in a very serious way.
00:15:40.44\00:15:43.34
And so, they saw no other way
to be able to be able to feed
00:15:43.37\00:15:48.44
themselves and put a roof
over their heads than to sell
00:15:48.48\00:15:52.05
their bodies.
00:15:52.08\00:15:53.62
Abject poverty, childhood sexual
abuse is one of the most common
00:15:53.65\00:15:58.82
backgrounds of different women
that have found--are finding
00:15:58.85\00:16:02.32
themselves right now active
in the prostitution industry.
00:16:02.36\00:16:05.13
And did these women that are
active in the industry today,
00:16:05.16\00:16:10.20
did they choose those
circumstances as they grew up,
00:16:10.23\00:16:12.57
as they entered into adulthood?
00:16:12.60\00:16:15.47
No, these were all circumstances
that were forced upon them by
00:16:15.50\00:16:19.44
the sinful choices of those who
were supposed to be responsible
00:16:19.47\00:16:23.01
for their well being.
00:16:23.04\00:16:24.85
And so, it's very easy and
tempting for us to be able to
00:16:24.88\00:16:28.38
look down our noses at
different women that are in the
00:16:28.42\00:16:30.72
prostitution industry.
00:16:30.75\00:16:33.42
One of the great books that we
give away to our visitors every
00:16:33.46\00:16:35.06
Sabbath morning is called
"At Jesus's Feet" written by our
00:16:35.09\00:16:39.16
senior Pastor Doug Batchelor.
00:16:39.19\00:16:41.30
And it just paints a wonderful
story and offers us a study in
00:16:41.33\00:16:44.70
the Scriptures and such of
the life of Mary Magdalene.
00:16:44.73\00:16:48.80
Now, many of us, not all of us
here today, understand that Mary
00:16:48.84\00:16:52.51
Magdalene was a
prostitute for many years.
00:16:52.54\00:16:55.18
In fact, when she
came to the Lord, she was
00:16:55.21\00:16:57.61
an active prostitute.
00:16:57.65\00:17:00.15
Did she have a background that
was similar to the circumstances
00:17:00.18\00:17:03.15
that I just shared?
00:17:03.18\00:17:04.85
Was she abused?
00:17:04.89\00:17:06.22
Was she brought up in
circumstances that pushed her in
00:17:06.25\00:17:08.39
that direction?
00:17:08.42\00:17:10.36
Well, as it turns
out, the answer is yes.
00:17:10.39\00:17:12.83
Now, it's not crystal
clear in the Scriptures.
00:17:12.86\00:17:15.66
But if you go to the book
"Desire of Ages," page 566 and
00:17:15.70\00:17:17.97
this is written by an author
that I believe it was given the
00:17:18.00\00:17:22.24
genuine spirit of prophecy.
00:17:22.27\00:17:25.01
And God had given some more
details in the windows of the
00:17:25.04\00:17:28.24
lives of some of these different
characters, and one of them is
00:17:28.28\00:17:30.95
Mary Magdalene.
00:17:30.98\00:17:32.45
On page 566, it talks about a
feast and everybody's acquainted
00:17:32.48\00:17:35.38
with this scenario.
00:17:35.42\00:17:37.39
Simon, who is referred to
sometimes as Simon the leper,
00:17:37.42\00:17:41.22
because he was a leper before
Jesus touched him with his
00:17:41.26\00:17:43.59
supernatural hand and
healed Simon of that leprosy.
00:17:43.63\00:17:47.50
And Simon is a well-to-do man.
00:17:47.50\00:17:49.76
He is not one that worries about
whether he's going to get food
00:17:49.80\00:17:53.44
on his table or he's
going to pay the rent.
00:17:53.47\00:17:55.64
His house was
probably paid off in full.
00:17:55.67\00:17:57.81
He wasn't worried about these
type different types of things.
00:17:57.84\00:18:00.58
He was worried about the
leprosy, but the Lord had mercy
00:18:00.61\00:18:03.18
on him and healed
him of his leprosy.
00:18:03.21\00:18:05.75
He has a big feast in
Jerusalem in his home.
00:18:05.78\00:18:08.12
He wants to be able to
treat Jesus in a special way.
00:18:08.15\00:18:11.22
And so, he invites Jesus in his
inner circle into his house and
00:18:11.25\00:18:13.96
they have a special feast.
00:18:13.99\00:18:15.49
And while they're having
that feast, Mary Magdalene, the
00:18:15.52\00:18:17.36
delivered one now, she comes
into the room and this is just
00:18:17.39\00:18:20.46
hours before Jesus
is about to be arrested,
00:18:20.50\00:18:23.13
and or a day or two.
00:18:23.16\00:18:25.50
And, Jesus, you know, she comes
in and she pours the alabaster
00:18:25.53\00:18:31.51
jar of this expensive perfume,
frankincense, myrrh, some of the
00:18:31.54\00:18:36.04
most expensive elements that you
can find in their day, probably
00:18:36.08\00:18:40.12
in our day would cost,
you know, in the hundreds.
00:18:40.15\00:18:42.88
And she pours it over the feet
of Jesus and then she's weeping
00:18:42.92\00:18:45.85
tears, and then she
wipes his feet with her hair.
00:18:45.89\00:18:49.32
And she's just pouring
out her worship upon the Lord.
00:18:49.36\00:18:52.49
And everybody in the room
is getting very uncomfortable
00:18:52.53\00:18:56.36
because these are well-to-do
citizens, and Simon is the host
00:18:56.40\00:19:00.84
and he's embarrassed
about whatever is going on.
00:19:00.87\00:19:04.31
And so, he says to himself, "If
Jesus were a prophet, he would
00:19:04.34\00:19:07.78
know what kind of woman this is
that is doing this to his feet
00:19:07.81\00:19:12.05
and he would
stop it immediately."
00:19:12.08\00:19:15.02
Page 566, this statement,
these two very revealing
00:19:15.05\00:19:22.06
sentences are revealed.
00:19:22.09\00:19:24.46
It says, "Simon had led into
sin the woman he now despised."
00:19:24.49\00:19:28.43
Who led her into sin?
00:19:28.46\00:19:31.07
The one that is
hosting this feast.
00:19:31.10\00:19:33.70
"Simon had led into sin
the woman he now despised.
00:19:33.74\00:19:36.30
She had been
deeply wronged by him."
00:19:36.34\00:19:39.47
Now, that's as far as
the author is inspired to go.
00:19:39.51\00:19:44.75
And I believe that even
that was an act of mercy.
00:19:44.78\00:19:48.38
God didn't want to reveal the
gory details of this deep sin of
00:19:48.42\00:19:53.19
Simon that had led and pointed
Mary Magdalene down a pathway
00:19:53.22\00:19:57.36
that was an industry that
is very despised by, even us in
00:19:57.39\00:20:01.66
society today.
00:20:01.70\00:20:04.97
Now, we can only guess and, of
course, the most likelihood is,
00:20:05.00\00:20:09.24
you know, some kind of sexual
systematic sexual abuse that she
00:20:09.27\00:20:12.47
was, you know,
exposed to by Simon.
00:20:12.51\00:20:14.91
And if not then she was raped at
least once at some point by him
00:20:14.94\00:20:21.12
in the past.
00:20:21.15\00:20:23.92
Second case in
point, the homeless.
00:20:23.95\00:20:27.39
Now this is a real common
one first to look down our noses
00:20:27.42\00:20:29.42
very easy at, isn't it?
00:20:29.46\00:20:31.06
"What's their problem?
Why can't they get a job?
00:20:31.09\00:20:33.63
Why can't they can put a
roof over their head like I do?
00:20:33.66\00:20:35.50
I have to go to work every
day from Monday to Friday, and I
00:20:35.53\00:20:37.40
don't particularly like my work.
00:20:37.43\00:20:39.00
And why don't they get--"
00:20:39.03\00:20:40.34
Well, sometimes that is true.
00:20:40.37\00:20:42.50
You know, there are such
things as genuine bums, okay?
00:20:42.54\00:20:46.14
And, some of them, some of them
are choosing that lifestyle.
00:20:46.17\00:20:49.51
And so, they choose
to be a homeless person.
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.18
And certainly, we need to be
able to help and encourage them
00:20:52.21\00:20:54.48
to make better choices.
00:20:54.52\00:20:56.05
So, even they need help, they
just need to be pointed in a
00:20:56.08\00:20:58.02
better direction and maybe
convinced, prayed over and such
00:20:58.05\00:21:02.39
because the devil has them
in his hand, you know, big time.
00:21:02.42\00:21:05.76
And so, even then.
00:21:05.79\00:21:08.76
2008 during the crash,
approximately ten million
00:21:08.80\00:21:11.73
Americans lost their
home in that year alone.
00:21:11.77\00:21:14.84
Ten million homes were lost
by Americans in America in 2008.
00:21:14.87\00:21:21.58
That's not a
small number, is it?
00:21:21.61\00:21:23.95
And for the years that followed,
I remember even in Canada where
00:21:23.98\00:21:26.18
I was living at the time,
you know, there's a lot of media
00:21:26.21\00:21:28.18
coverage on different people
that were living out of their
00:21:28.22\00:21:30.42
cars because that's what
their lives were reduced to.
00:21:30.45\00:21:34.16
Now, these were good,
hardworking Americans, okay?
00:21:34.19\00:21:37.53
These were people that
had a Monday to Friday job.
00:21:37.56\00:21:40.43
They were, you know, they had
a house, and a mortgage, and a
00:21:40.46\00:21:42.90
family and, and now they're
trying to feed their kids out of
00:21:42.93\00:21:44.97
their car.
00:21:45.00\00:21:46.43
They're homeless.
00:21:46.47\00:21:48.07
Did they choose
that circumstance?
00:21:48.10\00:21:49.57
No, sometimes circumstances are
thrown on us even in adulthood
00:21:49.60\00:21:52.81
that bring us into a place that
suddenly we are despised by the
00:21:52.84\00:21:55.64
same society that we
used to be a part of.
00:21:55.68\00:21:59.68
And so, we need to be
very, very careful on that.
00:21:59.71\00:22:02.68
And so, my conclusion is always
to err on the side of, of not
00:22:02.72\00:22:08.56
judging that person and saying,
"Well, this guy just wants a
00:22:08.59\00:22:11.53
dollar so he can
go get another beer."
00:22:11.56\00:22:14.76
Well, that might be the case,
but it might be that he just
00:22:14.83\00:22:16.90
desperately needs a sandwich,
and he was--had circumstances
00:22:16.93\00:22:22.24
thrown on him or her that they
did not ask for, would never
00:22:22.27\00:22:25.34
have chosen.
00:22:25.37\00:22:27.38
And so, it's part of our job
as Christians to help them in
00:22:27.41\00:22:30.11
whatever little way or big
way, if the opportunity presents
00:22:30.15\00:22:33.68
themself, to help that person
get back on their feet again.
00:22:33.72\00:22:36.62
And so, what's the bottom line?
00:22:36.65\00:22:40.16
The bottom line is that I'm
spending a good portion of our
00:22:40.19\00:22:42.12
time here today talking
about this because I think it's
00:22:42.16\00:22:44.76
important for us, any of us that
were born or thrown into the
00:22:44.79\00:22:48.00
same circumstances,
would be no different, okay?
00:22:48.03\00:22:51.67
Any one of us could find
ourselves in the prostitution
00:22:51.70\00:22:56.27
industry if we were born
in the same circumstances.
00:22:56.30\00:22:59.37
You know, I wasn't born
with a knowledge of God.
00:22:59.41\00:23:02.38
I didn't have any advantage
religiously, or faith wise, or
00:23:02.41\00:23:05.68
spiritually.
00:23:05.71\00:23:07.22
You know, it wasn't until 20
when I went to church on my own
00:23:07.25\00:23:08.95
and I started discovering the
Lord that he began to start to
00:23:08.98\00:23:11.29
change me and brought me on to a
much higher plain, a much higher
00:23:11.32\00:23:15.56
ground, because I
didn't know any better.
00:23:15.59\00:23:19.33
I was brought up in
circumstances that weren't to my
00:23:19.36\00:23:21.40
advantage spiritually.
00:23:21.43\00:23:23.20
Some of us are brought up in
circumstances that aren't to our
00:23:23.23\00:23:25.10
advantage spiritually, but
also physically and emotionally.
00:23:25.13\00:23:28.20
Now, fortunately, my parents
were still loving people.
00:23:28.24\00:23:31.24
They weren't--they
were very loving parents.
00:23:31.27\00:23:33.17
We had a very
tight, loving family.
00:23:33.21\00:23:35.18
And so, emotionally I was
stable, and physically I was
00:23:35.21\00:23:37.71
well cared for, even though
sometimes times were tight,
00:23:37.75\00:23:42.68
you know, we had
that love in our family.
00:23:42.72\00:23:46.42
But some don't
have any of the above.
00:23:46.45\00:23:48.06
They don't have the
spiritual advantage.
00:23:48.09\00:23:49.66
They're born with a physical
disadvantage, and they're born
00:23:49.69\00:23:52.33
with emotional disadvantage.
00:23:52.36\00:23:54.30
And so, every single one of
us are potential prostitutes.
00:23:54.36\00:23:58.40
Now, that might be a
little bit hard to swallow,
00:23:58.43\00:24:00.70
but that's true.
00:24:00.74\00:24:02.64
That's true.
00:24:02.67\00:24:04.27
So, circumstances make a big
difference in concern to where
00:24:04.31\00:24:06.94
our life path goes.
00:24:06.98\00:24:08.58
Now, God doesn't leave
us there, he chases us.
00:24:08.61\00:24:10.88
He runs for us, even as
he did for Mary Magdalene.
00:24:10.91\00:24:14.22
And Jesus poured out his great
mercy upon Mary, didn't he?
00:24:14.25\00:24:18.75
Jesus knew that she
didn't choose that industry.
00:24:18.79\00:24:22.22
It wasn't an industry--she grew
up in a loving, well-educated,
00:24:22.26\00:24:24.99
privileged home and
thought, "You know, I'm kind
00:24:25.03\00:24:26.63
of bored with life.
00:24:26.66\00:24:27.96
I'm going to go
work the streets."
00:24:27.96\00:24:30.07
No, not at all. No, not at all.
00:24:30.10\00:24:33.57
It's because she was a victim.
00:24:33.60\00:24:37.17
And when she had the
opportunity, when somebody came
00:24:37.21\00:24:41.18
along, in this case, Jesus
Himself, He offered her to come
00:24:41.21\00:24:46.11
to a higher place.
00:24:46.15\00:24:48.02
And she accepted the
invitation, didn't she?
00:24:48.05\00:24:49.98
And then she became
an ex-prostitute, why?
00:24:50.02\00:24:52.32
Because the Holy Spirit filled
her, she started to have the
00:24:52.35\00:24:54.46
true, she started to have
the forgiveness, and the and the
00:24:54.49\00:24:56.89
power of Christ in
her heart in her life.
00:24:56.93\00:24:59.09
And she was demon possessed.
00:24:59.13\00:25:00.70
She was freed from that, and
now she was a free, born-again
00:25:00.73\00:25:04.53
believer of Jesus Christ.
00:25:04.57\00:25:09.97
This world simply is an evil
and perverse place where it is
00:25:10.01\00:25:12.74
anything but fair, and we need
to be able to remember that.
00:25:12.77\00:25:15.71
God calls us to be able to see
it in this perspective, even in
00:25:15.74\00:25:18.58
the way as God sees it.
00:25:18.61\00:25:20.85
And God forbid that we should
ever look down our noses at
00:25:20.88\00:25:22.72
those who are less advantaged
than we are, that are even at a
00:25:22.75\00:25:26.72
lower moral stance than we are.
00:25:26.76\00:25:29.79
Friends, if you would have
met me on the street, or in the
00:25:29.82\00:25:31.53
store, at the theater, wherever,
you know, at the club when I was
00:25:31.56\00:25:34.83
19 years old, you would have
found a much different person, a
00:25:34.83\00:25:38.33
totally different person,
totally different person.
00:25:38.37\00:25:42.37
You know, my mouth was so full,
you know, I used to be as God's
00:25:42.40\00:25:46.01
name in vain on a regular basis.
00:25:46.04\00:25:48.41
I thought it was cool.
00:25:48.44\00:25:49.91
I thought that was--that's
what the world taught me.
00:25:49.94\00:25:52.08
So, I was just running with the
flesh and with the world, that's
00:25:52.11\00:25:55.38
all I knew, why?
00:25:55.42\00:25:56.92
Because I was spiritually,
morally disadvantaged.
00:25:56.95\00:25:59.19
I didn't know any better.
00:25:59.22\00:26:00.86
I didn't even have
an opportunity to know.
00:26:00.89\00:26:02.46
I didn't even know
there was a choice.
00:26:02.49\00:26:04.29
So, there it goes.
00:26:04.33\00:26:08.66
Now, of course, God calls us to
be able to, just like Jesus with
00:26:08.70\00:26:12.60
Mary Magdalene, to help
people on to their feet.
00:26:12.63\00:26:15.77
That's important for us
to be able to understand.
00:26:15.80\00:26:18.07
You know, God calls us, not to
make people eternal victims, but
00:26:18.11\00:26:24.45
to understand that some of us
are victims, but we need to be
00:26:24.48\00:26:27.38
able to help them to understand
that they can put that
00:26:27.42\00:26:29.15
victimization behind them.
00:26:29.18\00:26:30.85
They can make it history and
God can bring them on to higher
00:26:30.89\00:26:33.12
ground, amen, that God can do
something special in their life.
00:26:33.15\00:26:36.39
And, you know, it reminds me of
this whole subject when I used
00:26:36.42\00:26:40.20
to hear my wife Denise's Opa
as they call it in Germany, call
00:26:40.23\00:26:44.03
your grandpa Opa.
00:26:44.07\00:26:45.93
And so, Opa's passed away now
and waiting for the resurrection
00:26:45.97\00:26:50.31
of the Lord.
00:26:50.34\00:26:52.24
But, you know, he used to talk
about when he was in Germany
00:26:52.27\00:26:54.24
and, of course, Denise's parents
immigrated to Canada when they
00:26:54.28\00:26:57.35
were in their
teens from Germany.
00:26:57.38\00:26:59.75
So, we have all these German war
stories of World War II and how
00:26:59.78\00:27:03.99
Denise's Opa and Oma, and their
family had escaped just by the
00:27:04.02\00:27:08.39
skin of their teeth.
00:27:08.42\00:27:10.49
They made it across the border
from East Berlin to West Berlin,
00:27:10.53\00:27:12.93
you know, when it was
still possible to escape.
00:27:12.96\00:27:15.00
They were already shutting down
the bridge and so on, and the
00:27:15.03\00:27:17.00
border but they just managed
to barely get into West Berlin.
00:27:17.03\00:27:20.70
And it was very unpopular to
be an Eastern German in western
00:27:20.74\00:27:26.11
Berlin with the
kids, with the population.
00:27:26.14\00:27:28.44
And they were very
wealthy, extremely wealthy.
00:27:28.48\00:27:32.68
They had, you know,
Opa had a clothing factory.
00:27:32.71\00:27:36.58
They had maids.
00:27:36.62\00:27:38.39
They had cooks.
They had a big mansion.
00:27:38.42\00:27:40.76
They had had everything, and
they had to leave it all behind.
00:27:40.79\00:27:43.12
And so, when they got to East
Berlin, all they had was the
00:27:43.16\00:27:44.76
food or the clothes on
their back, that was it.
00:27:44.79\00:27:48.10
I forget if the currency was
the same or not, but yeah, they
00:27:48.13\00:27:52.20
barely--I'm not even sure if
they had a penny to their name.
00:27:52.23\00:27:54.84
And so, they had to
start from ground zero again.
00:27:54.87\00:27:57.67
And so Opa, he would go over
and he would buy some tomatoes
00:27:57.71\00:28:00.91
somewhere from the farm.
00:28:00.94\00:28:02.54
He'd go outside of the city
and buy some farm, and then he'd
00:28:02.58\00:28:04.08
come into the city with a little
cart and he'd start to sell
00:28:04.11\00:28:06.92
those one tomato at a time.
00:28:06.95\00:28:09.22
You know, he always just to say
to me, "Shawn, as long as I have
00:28:09.25\00:28:11.52
these two hands,
that's all I need.
00:28:11.55\00:28:14.59
As long as my two hands work,
that's all I need," and such.
00:28:14.62\00:28:18.96
But there was different Western
Berlin Germans that had mercy,
00:28:18.99\00:28:25.93
that loved mercy, and they
had mercy on him and his family.
00:28:25.97\00:28:29.54
And they gave him some different
advantages and help that they
00:28:29.57\00:28:32.07
needed to help them get
back on their feet again.
00:28:32.11\00:28:35.08
And so, beautiful story.
00:28:35.11\00:28:38.35
And from there, he'd be able to
eventually start his own store,
00:28:38.38\00:28:41.98
and then move to Canada and
start a hairdressing shop there.
00:28:42.02\00:28:47.69
So, so, yeah, so yes, we
need to be able to help people
00:28:47.72\00:28:51.56
understand that God wants us to
be able to help them to come on
00:28:51.59\00:28:54.23
to higher ground and stay there.
00:28:54.30\00:28:57.23
But sometimes we can't make it
there unless we have the mercy
00:28:57.27\00:28:59.50
and the compassion of
those around us that are more
00:28:59.53\00:29:03.30
advantaged than
we are at the moment.
00:29:03.34\00:29:06.17
And so, it is in this light,
that we who are more advantaged
00:29:06.21\00:29:12.55
and have a saving faith in
Christ are told by God to serve
00:29:12.58\00:29:16.28
the poor, to serve the
uneducated, to serve the
00:29:16.32\00:29:18.45
destitute in
whatever ways we can.
00:29:18.49\00:29:21.12
In James chapter, chapter
1, and verse 27, it's one of my
00:29:21.16\00:29:24.53
favorite verses on this subject
and it, again, one of those ones
00:29:24.56\00:29:27.00
that encapsulates true religion.
00:29:27.03\00:29:29.80
James 1:27 says, "Pure and
undefiled religion before God
00:29:29.83\00:29:33.20
and the Father is this, to visit
orphans and widows in their
00:29:33.23\00:29:38.21
trouble and to keep oneself
unspotted from the world."
00:29:38.24\00:29:41.04
And so again, we find here
that God calls us not only to a
00:29:41.08\00:29:44.71
purity and obedience in Christ
as He works through us and in
00:29:44.75\00:29:48.05
us, but He also calls us to
visit the orphans, to visit the
00:29:48.08\00:29:51.19
widows, those who are more
disadvantaged than ourselves.
00:29:51.22\00:29:54.16
Well, we have a volunteer.
00:29:54.19\00:29:57.29
We're going to go to, I
think what is it Monday's
00:29:57.33\00:29:59.13
kingdom priorities?
00:29:59.16\00:30:01.50
And so, one of the key texts
there is Matthew chapter 6.
00:30:01.53\00:30:05.60
It's one of my favorite
Scriptures, Matthew chapter 6,
00:30:05.63\00:30:08.44
verse 25 to 33, and so we'll
invite our volunteer to read it
00:30:08.47\00:30:12.71
for us here this morning.
00:30:12.74\00:30:14.98
female: "Therefore I say to
you, do not worry about your
00:30:15.01\00:30:18.25
life, what you will eat or what
you will drink; nor about your
00:30:18.28\00:30:22.52
body, what you will put on.
00:30:22.55\00:30:24.75
Is not life more than food
and the body more than clothing?
00:30:24.79\00:30:29.06
Look at the birds of the air,
for they neither sow nor reap
00:30:29.09\00:30:33.23
nor gather into barns; yet
your heavenly Father feeds them.
00:30:33.26\00:30:37.80
Are you not of
more value than they?
00:30:37.83\00:30:40.67
Which of you by worrying can
add one cubit to his stature?
00:30:40.70\00:30:45.91
So why do you
worry about clothing?
00:30:45.94\00:30:48.71
Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow: they
00:30:48.74\00:30:52.28
neither toil nor spin; and yet I
say to you that even Solomon in
00:30:52.31\00:30:57.62
all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these.
00:30:57.65\00:31:01.49
Now if God so clothes the grass
of the field, which today is,
00:31:01.52\00:31:06.96
and tomorrow is thrown into
the oven, will He not much more
00:31:07.00\00:31:11.03
clothe you, O
you of little faith?
00:31:11.07\00:31:14.10
Therefore do not worry,
saying, 'What shall we eat?'
00:31:14.14\00:31:17.64
or 'What shall we
drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
00:31:17.67\00:31:21.04
For after all these
things the Gentiles seek.
00:31:21.08\00:31:24.31
For your heavenly Father knows
that you need all these things.
00:31:24.35\00:31:28.78
But seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and
00:31:28.82\00:31:32.99
all these things
shall be added to you."
00:31:33.02\00:31:36.73
Shawn: Thank you.
00:31:36.76\00:31:38.83
So, the punch line is really
the last verse that she just
00:31:38.86\00:31:40.93
read, wasn't it?
00:31:40.96\00:31:42.83
And seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and
00:31:42.86\00:31:45.50
then all these other
things will be added unto you.
00:31:45.53\00:31:47.60
And so, Jesus gives us Kingdom
priorities as Sunday's lesson
00:31:47.64\00:31:50.47
entitles it.
00:31:50.51\00:31:52.24
And so, before that though,
Jesus goes to quite a great
00:31:52.27\00:31:55.24
extent to be able to give us
the assurance that hey, listen,
00:31:55.28\00:31:59.05
don't worry about prioritizing
because if you do prioritize My
00:31:59.08\00:32:02.48
righteousness in doing what's
right first, okay, and all these
00:32:02.52\00:32:07.92
things will be added unto you,
then all these things will be
00:32:07.96\00:32:10.53
added unto you.
00:32:10.56\00:32:12.16
And so again, He says over and
over, don't worry, don't worry,
00:32:12.19\00:32:13.93
don't worry.
00:32:13.96\00:32:15.23
He says, "Listen, if He clothes
the sparrow of the field, and
00:32:15.26\00:32:18.37
the grass, and the
flowers of the field,
00:32:18.40\00:32:19.97
will He not clothe you?
00:32:20.00\00:32:21.40
O, you of little faith.
00:32:21.44\00:32:23.14
And so, God gives us that
reassurance and in extension to
00:32:23.17\00:32:27.61
that reassurance, He
tells us to prioritize.
00:32:27.64\00:32:29.21
Now, I have to confess every
time I've come to that, that
00:32:29.24\00:32:31.15
really helped me as a new
Sabbath keeper because what I
00:32:31.18\00:32:33.88
discovered the Sabbath truth,
the seventh day Sabbath is the
00:32:33.92\00:32:37.02
fourth commandment in which many
of us, as Christians, have lost
00:32:37.05\00:32:39.32
over the centuries, and
many are coming back to.
00:32:39.35\00:32:41.79
And so, that was a big step for
me to move to keeping Sabbath
00:32:41.82\00:32:45.06
holy from Friday sundown to
Saturday sundown, and that was a
00:32:45.09\00:32:48.40
whole new concept.
00:32:48.43\00:32:50.23
And it comes with some very
practical challenges at work, in
00:32:50.27\00:32:52.60
the home, in the families, you
know, looking at you sideways,
00:32:52.63\00:32:55.57
and friends, and so on.
00:32:55.60\00:32:57.77
And so, it comes with a
lot of strain, a lot of stress
00:32:57.81\00:33:00.11
to take that stand.
00:33:00.14\00:33:01.91
And so, I used to lean upon that
verse, "Seek first the kingdom
00:33:01.94\00:33:04.48
of God and His righteousness,
and all these things will be
00:33:04.51\00:33:09.05
added unto you."
00:33:09.08\00:33:10.72
And I lost my job, you
know, because of the stand
00:33:10.75\00:33:13.96
for the Sabbath.
00:33:13.99\00:33:15.69
And so, when you start losing
your job, you know, you have to
00:33:15.72\00:33:17.89
lean upon these things and know
that God will provide and such.
00:33:17.93\00:33:23.37
And so, you know, seek
first the kingdom of God and His
00:33:23.40\00:33:26.57
righteousness, obey
your Ten Commandments.
00:33:26.60\00:33:29.04
Obey the Ten Commandments of the
Lord, and He will add all these
00:33:29.07\00:33:31.61
things unto you.
00:33:31.64\00:33:32.97
Now, does that apply to
that? Sure certainly does.
00:33:33.01\00:33:35.31
But there's an
interesting twist.
00:33:35.34\00:33:37.21
The lesson study and the authors
here are pointing to this, not
00:33:37.25\00:33:40.55
in regards to obeying the
Ten Commandments as applying to
00:33:40.58\00:33:44.09
looking out for the poor
and the disadvantaged of God.
00:33:44.12\00:33:46.55
It also has required of us and
so, that also is a priority that
00:33:46.59\00:33:51.83
God tells us that
He requires of us.
00:33:51.86\00:33:54.36
And so, interesting
twist, he kind of takes the Ten
00:33:54.36\00:33:56.26
Commandments but expands it to
other commands and requirements
00:33:56.30\00:33:59.50
that the Lord has given to us.
00:33:59.53\00:34:02.77
By the way, did the life of
a ministry of Christ reflect a
00:34:02.80\00:34:04.97
burden for people's
physical and emotional needs?
00:34:05.01\00:34:07.81
Did Jesus only focus on
the spiritual needs of people?
00:34:07.84\00:34:10.55
No, not at all.
00:34:10.58\00:34:12.41
Okay, it's very important
for us as we look at the, at the
00:34:12.45\00:34:15.48
ultimate model of life, which
is the life of Christ, amen.
00:34:15.52\00:34:19.45
We find here that Christ, you
know, first and foremost, His
00:34:19.49\00:34:23.49
theme was the gospel
and salvation through Him.
00:34:23.53\00:34:27.23
You know, when you talk to
Pontius Pilate at the end of his
00:34:27.23\00:34:28.60
ministry, he said, "I have
come to testify of the truth."
00:34:28.63\00:34:32.03
And so, Jesus certainly made
a great, prominent theme in the
00:34:32.07\00:34:36.74
words that He spoke, which was
to restore truth and to proclaim
00:34:36.77\00:34:40.64
salvation through
himself as the Messiah,
00:34:40.68\00:34:43.24
the Savior of the world.
00:34:43.28\00:34:45.11
And so, spiritual message was
certainly first and foremost.
00:34:45.15\00:34:50.12
The very first words that He
spoke when he began his public
00:34:50.15\00:34:53.59
ministry was "Repent, for
the kingdom of God is at hand."
00:34:53.62\00:34:57.06
And, of course, He's talking
about the spiritual kingdom of
00:34:57.09\00:35:00.53
God, salvation through Jesus.
00:35:00.56\00:35:03.40
But at the same time, He
also spent tremendous time and
00:35:03.43\00:35:08.04
tremendous effort healing the
sick, visiting and feeding the
00:35:08.07\00:35:13.44
poor, and also
encouraging the discouraged.
00:35:13.48\00:35:17.51
And so, if Jesus did
that, does He want us to do it?
00:35:17.55\00:35:20.52
Sure.
00:35:20.55\00:35:22.08
1 John says make sure
you walk even as He walked.
00:35:22.12\00:35:24.95
Okay, so God tells us to walk
even as the Lord Jesus walked.
00:35:24.99\00:35:28.89
And so, we, as individuals and
as a church, need to be able to
00:35:28.92\00:35:32.19
make sure that God is able
to lead us into those things.
00:35:32.23\00:35:35.16
You know, there's two branches
in the Seventh Day Adventist
00:35:35.20\00:35:36.83
Church that I really, really
have come to appreciate and
00:35:36.87\00:35:39.50
respect greatly in the
Seventh Day Adventist Church.
00:35:39.53\00:35:43.04
Now, I know it's not the first
denomination to do that because
00:35:43.07\00:35:45.04
God was working through
the Baptist movement into the
00:35:45.07\00:35:46.74
Methodist movement and because
of that, we have hospitals that
00:35:46.78\00:35:49.94
are that are spotted and
riddled across this nation, as
00:35:49.98\00:35:53.75
Christians obey the requirement
that God has called us to heal
00:35:53.78\00:35:56.82
the sick, to help those who are
physically disadvantaged, and
00:35:56.85\00:36:01.26
then to be able to package
that with the spiritual message
00:36:01.29\00:36:05.03
and love of Jesus.
00:36:05.06\00:36:07.30
And so, medical services Seventh
Day Adventist Church by God's
00:36:07.30\00:36:10.63
grace, we have 175 hospitals
operating around the world.
00:36:10.67\00:36:14.80
We have 450 medical clinics that
are meeting people's physical
00:36:14.84\00:36:20.18
needs and giving them a
helping hand in regards to those
00:36:20.21\00:36:23.28
physical needs
around the world today.
00:36:23.31\00:36:25.61
Second thing is ADRA.
00:36:25.65\00:36:27.95
Now, ADRA is an acronym and it
stands for Adventist Development
00:36:27.98\00:36:31.42
and Relief Agency, Adventist
Development and Relief Agency.
00:36:31.45\00:36:35.06
Why?
00:36:35.09\00:36:36.52
Because it's a organization,
it's the humanitarian
00:36:36.56\00:36:38.13
organization and arm of
the Adventist church that is
00:36:38.16\00:36:41.46
designed to be able to help
develop projects, help different
00:36:41.50\00:36:44.90
peoples in need develop
projects, development, and
00:36:44.93\00:36:49.10
relief, to be able to
give immediate relief as well.
00:36:49.14\00:36:52.71
And so, it specializes
in development projects like
00:36:52.74\00:36:55.38
digging wells and bringing
clean running water to different
00:36:55.41\00:36:59.15
villages and towns
for the first time.
00:36:59.18\00:37:01.38
It specializes in educating
women where women are not being
00:37:01.42\00:37:04.45
educated and girls are not being
educated, business loans to
00:37:04.49\00:37:07.09
different women to be able to
help them and their families get
00:37:07.12\00:37:09.39
on their feet financially.
00:37:09.42\00:37:11.09
Again, giving a helping
hand to help people come
00:37:11.13\00:37:14.36
to higher ground.
00:37:14.36\00:37:15.90
And so, I thank God for ADRA.
00:37:15.93\00:37:18.83
It also feeds
and clothes the poor.
00:37:18.87\00:37:21.44
It's there for emergency
response when we have an
00:37:21.47\00:37:23.87
earthquake or hurricane,
not only in America, but
00:37:23.91\00:37:26.01
internationally.
00:37:26.04\00:37:27.98
We have one of the most renowned
and respected teams that show up
00:37:28.01\00:37:31.55
through ADRA, and there are many
countries, many governments,
00:37:31.58\00:37:34.92
that will look first or will
be on the top five, you know,
00:37:34.95\00:37:38.79
charity organizations
that they'll look for because
00:37:38.82\00:37:41.69
they can trust us.
00:37:41.72\00:37:43.49
They know that we'll actually
come through with what we say.
00:37:43.53\00:37:46.23
And so, I thank God for ADRA.
00:37:46.26\00:37:48.80
By the way, if you're not,
if you're not donating to ADRA,
00:37:48.83\00:37:53.37
start today, okay?
00:37:53.40\00:37:56.87
You know, I'm kind of biased
towards that but, you know, if
00:37:56.91\00:37:59.91
you're not giving
to humanitarian aid, an
00:37:59.94\00:38:02.21
organization that you know
is doing a really good job, then
00:38:02.24\00:38:05.81
you need to start that today.
00:38:05.85\00:38:08.12
We're going to talk about that
in a little bit if we have time.
00:38:08.15\00:38:10.12
Well, what about
compassion fatigue?
00:38:10.15\00:38:14.96
That's Monday's
lesson, compassion fatigue.
00:38:14.99\00:38:16.99
What does that mean?
00:38:17.03\00:38:18.76
Well, compassion fatigue is kind
of talking about getting kind of
00:38:18.79\00:38:23.16
worn out having compassion.
00:38:23.20\00:38:25.10
You know, you're pouring out
all this compassion on people,
00:38:25.13\00:38:27.34
you're loving mercy on people,
and you start to get tired.
00:38:27.37\00:38:30.24
Fatigue means being tired.
00:38:30.27\00:38:31.84
There's even a term that came
out, you know, in the last ten
00:38:31.87\00:38:34.01
years, have you noticed how many
more natural disasters have come
00:38:34.04\00:38:36.51
upon the planet?
00:38:36.54\00:38:38.11
You know, there used to
be a time when you had a big
00:38:38.15\00:38:40.62
earthquake somewhere and it
would be, you know, somewhere
00:38:40.65\00:38:42.82
we'd pour our energies and our
funds into and such, and then it
00:38:42.85\00:38:46.02
would be three, five years
before another one takes place.
00:38:46.05\00:38:50.23
Well, we were just, recently
we've just been boom, boom, you
00:38:50.26\00:38:53.13
know, and so they
called it giving fatigue.
00:38:53.16\00:38:55.10
The media even had
that term giving fatigue.
00:38:55.13\00:38:57.47
People getting worn out because
it's like, "Another one, I just
00:38:57.50\00:39:00.34
gave $100 to this, you know, in
Haiti, and then over in China,
00:39:00.37\00:39:04.01
and Mexico City."
00:39:04.04\00:39:05.54
And it's like, you know, it's
just coming at us so fast that
00:39:05.57\00:39:09.04
people are getting
fatigued from giving, and so on.
00:39:09.08\00:39:13.82
So, Monday's lesson goes
into a number of different good
00:39:13.85\00:39:16.52
counsels on how to help people
in a good, educated, prayerful,
00:39:16.55\00:39:20.89
compassionate way.
00:39:20.92\00:39:22.22
And so, I encourage you
to read that if you haven't.
00:39:22.26\00:39:23.79
What about prayer?
00:39:23.83\00:39:28.76
What about
prayer? Is prayer helpful?
00:39:28.80\00:39:32.37
Sure, it is, isn't it?
00:39:32.40\00:39:33.94
If you believe in intercession,
if you believe in the power and
00:39:33.97\00:39:36.17
the moving hand of God,
then you want to pray for those
00:39:36.20\00:39:38.94
in need as well.
00:39:38.97\00:39:40.48
And so, sometimes we can say,
"Well, prayer, that's, you know,
00:39:40.51\00:39:42.88
I would rather get out
there and roll up my sleeves."
00:39:42.91\00:39:44.95
Well, yes, rolling up your
sleeves is important too, but
00:39:44.98\00:39:47.22
prayer also is
just as important.
00:39:47.25\00:39:50.45
And so, the work won't get
done and the help won't get done
00:39:50.49\00:39:53.66
if you only pray.
00:39:53.69\00:39:55.12
But it also won't get it done in
the measure that it could be in
00:39:55.16\00:39:58.36
should be if you're not
praying, so you need to combine
00:39:58.39\00:40:00.66
them both.
00:40:00.70\00:40:01.96
And so, that's
important for us to understand.
00:40:02.00\00:40:03.83
So yes, do it make
sure that you're praying for
00:40:03.87\00:40:05.37
those in need.
00:40:05.40\00:40:06.90
What does James tell us in James
chapter 2, verses 15 and 16.
00:40:06.94\00:40:12.51
You can turn your
Bibles there, James chapter 2,
00:40:12.54\00:40:15.01
verses 15 and 16.
00:40:15.04\00:40:17.38
And we have another volunteer.
00:40:17.41\00:40:19.41
Alberto, if you could
kindly read that for us.
00:40:19.45\00:40:22.58
Alberto: James 2:15, 16.
00:40:22.62\00:40:24.45
"If a brother or sister be
naked, and destitute of daily
00:40:24.49\00:40:27.72
food, and one of you say unto
them, Depart in peace, be ye
00:40:27.76\00:40:33.19
warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not
00:40:33.23\00:40:36.43
those things which
are needful to the body;
00:40:36.46\00:40:38.87
what doth it profit?"
00:40:38.90\00:40:41.07
Shawn: Thank you.
00:40:41.10\00:40:42.70
By the way, this is a
couple that read the last two
00:40:42.74\00:40:45.64
Scriptures here.
00:40:45.67\00:40:47.24
I know that we know that
locally, but we have so many
00:40:47.28\00:40:48.98
friends that watch Granite
Bay on a regular basis and such.
00:40:49.01\00:40:52.85
And we just appreciate Alberto
and Havde so much as a married
00:40:52.88\00:40:56.12
couple here in this church.
00:40:56.15\00:40:58.69
Okay, so what
does James tell us?
00:40:58.72\00:41:02.66
What does James tell us?
00:41:02.69\00:41:05.96
Okay, does it help
just to say, "You know, I'm
00:41:05.99\00:41:07.60
going to pray for you"?
00:41:07.66\00:41:09.13
He doesn't say that, but
he's kind of implying it.
00:41:09.16\00:41:11.13
You know, I'm
going to pray for you.
00:41:11.17\00:41:12.70
Be warned, be fed, and so on
and then we keep walking down.
00:41:12.73\00:41:15.30
No, no, not at all.
00:41:15.34\00:41:18.61
And so, James says, "Listen, you
know, we want to be able to ask
00:41:18.64\00:41:23.68
God how can we be a part of
answering that prayer as well?
00:41:23.71\00:41:26.72
You know, sometimes prayer
is all that we can offer, so we
00:41:26.75\00:41:30.45
shouldn't feel guilty at times
when we can't offer anything
00:41:30.49\00:41:32.89
more than prayer.
00:41:32.92\00:41:34.42
Prayer makes a difference.
00:41:34.46\00:41:36.46
But if you have an opportunity,
and you have the resources to be
00:41:36.49\00:41:39.03
able to help, and the
time and the energy, then God
00:41:39.06\00:41:41.73
is calling you.
00:41:41.76\00:41:43.16
He requires of it of us.
00:41:43.20\00:41:46.03
Then we come to
Tuesday. What about generosity?
00:41:46.07\00:41:48.77
Is generosity a trade of God?
00:41:48.80\00:41:51.34
Is God generous?
00:41:51.37\00:41:53.68
Sure He is.
00:41:53.71\00:41:56.58
Does He give us more than we
need quite often in life, even
00:41:56.61\00:41:58.25
in our fallen world, okay, even
where we're disappointed in Him
00:41:58.28\00:42:01.58
in different ways?
00:42:01.62\00:42:03.05
Yeah, He does, doesn't He, okay?
00:42:03.08\00:42:05.52
God is a gracious generous God.
00:42:05.55\00:42:08.32
You know, even when you read
about the holy New Jerusalem,
00:42:08.36\00:42:10.56
you know, He says, "Listen,
I'm going to make a holy--"
00:42:10.59\00:42:12.23
What kind, what are
you going to make it?
00:42:12.26\00:42:13.86
It's going to be beautiful
wood, beautiful stained wood.
00:42:13.90\00:42:16.97
Is that what it's made of?
00:42:17.00\00:42:18.93
No, God says, "No way, I'm
going to--we're--every gate
00:42:18.97\00:42:21.44
is going to be a gigantic pearl.
00:42:21.47\00:42:23.37
There's going to be 12
huge gates into the city."
00:42:23.41\00:42:25.81
And these are
big gates, friends.
00:42:25.84\00:42:27.18
This is 375 miles wide
on one side of the city.
00:42:27.21\00:42:30.38
And He says, "Listen,
these huge gates are going to be
00:42:30.41\00:42:32.85
one gigantic pearl."
00:42:32.88\00:42:34.58
We must have some really smooth
pavement, you know, not like
00:42:34.62\00:42:37.55
some of those pavement,
you know, the closer you get
00:42:37.59\00:42:39.45
downtown to Sacramento, the
more you're four by fouring, you
00:42:39.49\00:42:41.46
know, on the pavement.
00:42:41.49\00:42:43.96
It must be just premium
payment that He's going to have.
00:42:43.99\00:42:47.13
Yeah, He says, "In
fact, it's going to be gold."
00:42:47.20\00:42:49.20
You know, God is generous.
00:42:49.23\00:42:50.53
He's--He wants to give us
the best, especially once we get
00:42:50.57\00:42:54.20
through this whole sin problem.
00:42:54.24\00:42:55.84
And so, it's a trait
therefore that we should reflect
00:42:55.87\00:42:59.24
in our life as well.
00:42:59.27\00:43:00.81
And Psalm 112, verse 5, we
find that at the top of lesson
00:43:00.84\00:43:05.65
number, or day Tuesday.
00:43:05.68\00:43:08.62
And so I'm going to read a quote
from the middle of that page.
00:43:08.65\00:43:14.22
It says, "Generosity is an
attitude toward life that is
00:43:14.26\00:43:18.29
large, bold, and embracing.
00:43:18.33\00:43:20.30
So much in our individual lives,
societies, and cultures prompts
00:43:20.33\00:43:23.83
us to focus on ourselves,
to keep as much as we can for
00:43:23.87\00:43:27.80
ourselves.
00:43:27.84\00:43:29.80
And let's face it, for most of
us, the default mode is always
00:43:29.84\00:43:32.41
self, self, self anyway."
00:43:32.44\00:43:34.34
Have you noticed that?
00:43:34.38\00:43:35.98
You know, Ellen White
made a statement she said, "The
00:43:36.01\00:43:38.25
greatest battle that we face
when we become a Christian and
00:43:38.28\00:43:40.88
daily, on a daily basis,
is a battle with ourself."
00:43:40.92\00:43:43.82
Why?
00:43:43.85\00:43:45.42
Because our default
mode is selfishness.
00:43:45.45\00:43:48.39
Okay, so we're always trying to
take care of ourselves, and feed
00:43:48.42\00:43:51.66
ourselves, and get
things for ourselves.
00:43:51.69\00:43:53.96
And so, by God's grace, we need
to pray that God helps us to win
00:43:54.00\00:43:56.80
that battle more
and more every day.
00:43:56.83\00:43:59.40
Acts chapter 20, and verse 35.
00:43:59.43\00:44:01.24
That's not in the lesson study,
but this is a key statement that
00:44:01.27\00:44:04.57
Jesus said, it is more
blessed to give than to?
00:44:04.61\00:44:07.34
To receive.
00:44:07.38\00:44:09.28
Now, friends, that's a
short statement, isn't it?
00:44:09.31\00:44:12.81
It's a powerful, huge statement
that we find in the life and
00:44:12.85\00:44:16.55
teachings of Christ.
00:44:16.58\00:44:18.85
It's humongous, and it is one of
the most difficult ones for us
00:44:18.89\00:44:23.59
to wrap our minds
around and actually live by.
00:44:23.63\00:44:26.43
Have you noticed that?
00:44:26.46\00:44:27.83
Why is that verse one
of the hardest verses to
00:44:27.86\00:44:29.73
actually live by?
00:44:29.76\00:44:34.47
Because we're selfish, right?
00:44:34.50\00:44:37.07
And it's the--it's the
the complete opposite of
00:44:37.11\00:44:41.88
selfishness.
00:44:41.91\00:44:43.28
It is more blessed to
give than it is to receive.
00:44:43.31\00:44:47.32
Now, how many here
actually believe that?
00:44:47.35\00:44:49.42
Okay, I see a
number of hand goes up.
00:44:49.45\00:44:51.55
My hand goes up sincerely too.
00:44:51.59\00:44:53.12
I believe it, but
it's hard to practice.
00:44:53.15\00:44:55.82
It's hard to take Him at
His Word on it, isn't it?
00:44:55.86\00:44:58.23
Okay, because I
like getting stuff.
00:44:58.26\00:45:00.30
Do you like getting stuff?
00:45:00.33\00:45:01.76
Now, we have to remember that
Jesus doesn't say that it's not
00:45:01.80\00:45:04.73
a blessing to receive
it, He said it's more blessed
00:45:04.77\00:45:07.17
to give than to receive.
00:45:07.20\00:45:08.80
And so, Jesus wants us to be
able to receive the blessing of
00:45:08.84\00:45:12.17
receiving stuff.
00:45:12.21\00:45:14.01
Now, if none of us wanted to
receive stuff, and all we wanted
00:45:14.04\00:45:16.18
to do is give, who's
going to receive it, right?
00:45:16.21\00:45:19.71
Okay, so obviously God wants
us to be able to experience the
00:45:19.75\00:45:22.82
blessing of receiving as well.
00:45:22.85\00:45:24.89
And He says, but He said, when
you look at the two blessings,
00:45:24.92\00:45:28.16
the greatest and the most
fulfilling and the most joyous
00:45:28.19\00:45:32.16
one is actually giving.
00:45:32.19\00:45:34.50
What, giving? I like getting.
00:45:34.56\00:45:37.83
That's what I
like about Christmas.
00:45:37.87\00:45:39.90
You know, what presents
am I going to get, right?
00:45:39.93\00:45:43.67
No, you know, if we
have the mind of Christ.
00:45:43.71\00:45:46.51
It says, mine be in you as
it is also in Christ Jesus.
00:45:46.54\00:45:49.08
So, Christ, when He
looked forward to Christmas, or
00:45:49.11\00:45:52.35
different festivals, or
birthdays, or whatever it is,
00:45:52.38\00:45:54.92
He would look
forward to what He can give.
00:45:54.95\00:45:57.15
He liked other people's
birthdays more than His because
00:45:57.19\00:45:58.89
then He had the opportunity to
give because it is more blessed
00:45:58.92\00:46:02.82
to give than it is to receive.
00:46:02.86\00:46:05.26
And, so that's a
reflection of generosity,
00:46:05.29\00:46:07.66
the great trait of God.
00:46:07.73\00:46:10.53
But we have one more text that
a volunteer is going to read
00:46:10.57\00:46:12.90
for us in 1 John
chapter 3, and verse 16 to 18.
00:46:12.93\00:46:16.77
Now, that's not the gospel
of John 3:16, but this is 1 John
00:46:16.81\00:46:20.38
chapter 3, and verses 16 to 18.
00:46:20.41\00:46:23.45
Thank you.
00:46:23.48\00:46:26.21
male: "By this we know love,
because He laid down His life
00:46:26.25\00:46:28.45
for us.
00:46:28.48\00:46:30.09
And we also ought to lay
down our lives for the brethren.
00:46:30.12\00:46:32.52
But whoever has this world's
goods, and sees his brother in
00:46:32.55\00:46:35.96
need, and shuts up his heart
from him, how does the love of
00:46:35.99\00:46:39.59
God abide in him?
00:46:39.63\00:46:41.90
My little children, let us not
love in word or in tongue, but
00:46:41.93\00:46:45.20
in deed and in truth."
00:46:45.23\00:46:46.97
Shawn: Thank you.
00:46:47.00\00:46:48.84
All right, so it's important
for us to be able to give
00:46:48.87\00:46:53.11
as Jesus gave.
00:46:53.14\00:46:54.88
Jesus gave to the point where He
said, "Listen, I'll even give My
00:46:54.91\00:46:56.98
life," and it wasn't just, you
know, a quick electric chair or,
00:46:57.01\00:47:02.95
you know, He said, "I'll give
my life with intense, the most
00:47:02.98\00:47:06.86
intense suffering than any human
being has ever experienced."
00:47:06.89\00:47:09.92
Now, there's been some really
horrendous, torturous deaths
00:47:09.96\00:47:13.63
that have taken place, so the
physical death of Jesus died was
00:47:13.66\00:47:16.40
not greater than some other
human beings that have died and
00:47:16.43\00:47:19.93
found their death.
00:47:19.97\00:47:22.04
But He died with the most
intense suffering because He
00:47:22.07\00:47:24.47
took the guilt of our sin upon
Himself, and He felt that utter
00:47:24.51\00:47:28.11
separation from His Father, as
He took that sin upon Himself.
00:47:28.14\00:47:31.88
And so, Jesus gave everything
for us, and so he calls
00:47:31.91\00:47:36.28
us also to give.
00:47:36.32\00:47:38.59
So, is it
important to give alms?
00:47:38.62\00:47:42.16
Anybody familiar
with the term alm?
00:47:42.19\00:47:44.86
I see a few hands go up.
00:47:44.89\00:47:46.43
It's not a term that we use
in our modern vernacular English
00:47:46.46\00:47:49.23
today, is it, alms?
00:47:49.26\00:47:52.93
You know, and sometimes when
I think of alms, oh, that's a
00:47:52.97\00:47:54.67
that's a teaching practice
of our Islam friends and so on
00:47:54.70\00:47:57.14
because they teach and
talk about it more often.
00:47:57.17\00:47:59.07
They use that term, but it's
actually found several times in
00:47:59.11\00:48:01.14
the Bible.
00:48:01.18\00:48:02.58
And God tells us several times
that giving alms is important to
00:48:02.61\00:48:06.25
God, it's not an option.
00:48:06.28\00:48:08.05
He requires us to give alms.
00:48:08.08\00:48:09.55
That's what I'm saying, if
you're not giving to ADRA or
00:48:09.58\00:48:11.65
some humanitarian charity on a
regular basis, then you need to
00:48:11.69\00:48:16.39
start doing that now
'cause God's asking you to.
00:48:16.42\00:48:18.43
He wants you to be able to
live for more than yourself.
00:48:18.46\00:48:21.26
He wants you to spend your money
on more than yourself, or of
00:48:21.30\00:48:24.97
your family, and friends.
00:48:25.00\00:48:26.57
He wants you to spend it
on strangers that are in need.
00:48:26.60\00:48:30.01
Did Jesus help strangers
that He had never met before?
00:48:30.04\00:48:32.31
Yes, and He would give the shirt
off his back, literally, if it
00:48:32.34\00:48:37.05
made a difference with somebody
else that He had never met
00:48:37.08\00:48:40.08
before, but was an obvious need,
much more need than Himself.
00:48:40.12\00:48:44.32
And so, that's the kind of
Christians God calls us to be.
00:48:44.35\00:48:47.39
I want to read a passage here as
we're coming to the end of our
00:48:47.42\00:48:49.92
study here today.
00:48:49.96\00:48:51.46
It's in Acts chapter 10, and
verses 1 to 3, and it's about a
00:48:51.49\00:48:56.20
individual by the
name of Cornelius.
00:48:56.23\00:48:59.40
Now, he lives in Jerusalem, not
in Jerusalem, but in Israel, but
00:48:59.43\00:49:04.31
he's not an Israelite.
00:49:04.34\00:49:05.81
He's not a Jew.
00:49:05.84\00:49:07.58
He's an Italian.
He's a Roman citizen.
00:49:07.61\00:49:10.15
It says, "There was a
certain man in Caesarea named
00:49:10.18\00:49:12.35
Cornelius, a centurion of what
was called the Italian Regiment,
00:49:12.38\00:49:16.38
a devout man and one who feared
God with all his household, who
00:49:16.42\00:49:20.46
gave alms generously," there's
that term again, generous.
00:49:20.49\00:49:24.03
"Who gave alms generously
to the people, and prayed
00:49:24.06\00:49:26.73
to God always.
00:49:26.76\00:49:28.13
About the ninth hour of the day
he saw clearly in a vision an
00:49:28.16\00:49:31.80
angel of God coming in and
saying to him, 'Cornelius!'
00:49:31.83\00:49:36.57
And when he observed
him, he was afraid, and
00:49:36.60\00:49:38.84
said, 'What is it, lord?'"
00:49:38.87\00:49:40.44
He was overwhelmed
by this angelic being.
00:49:40.48\00:49:42.31
"So he said to him, 'Your
prayers and your alms have come
00:49:42.34\00:49:46.68
up for a memorial before God.'"
00:49:46.72\00:49:49.48
And so, there
are two things here
00:49:49.52\00:49:51.55
that Cornelius had caught
the attention of the Lord.
00:49:51.59\00:49:54.79
All of heaven was focusing
on this particular individual,
00:49:54.82\00:49:59.09
a key individual that played
a key individual in the plan of
00:49:59.13\00:50:01.13
the gospel
proclamation of salvation.
00:50:01.16\00:50:03.93
And he said, "Listen, the reason
that we have chosen you to be
00:50:03.97\00:50:08.27
able to receive, be the first
Gentiles to receive this direct
00:50:08.30\00:50:12.87
preaching of the gospel in
your house by Jewish apostle is
00:50:12.91\00:50:16.61
because you have been noted
for your prayers and your alms,
00:50:16.64\00:50:22.55
your generous
giving to those in need."
00:50:22.58\00:50:25.39
Now, the majority of
those recipients were Jews.
00:50:25.42\00:50:28.09
What did you think of Cornelius?
00:50:28.12\00:50:30.36
Well, most religious Jews looked
down their nose at Cornelius and
00:50:30.39\00:50:33.09
said, "Well, that's
just a dog over there.
00:50:33.13\00:50:35.20
They're, you know,
that's an unclean animal.
00:50:35.23\00:50:38.07
You know, that's the one that
if I brush up against it at the
00:50:38.10\00:50:41.80
market, oh, great, now I
gotta go through the ceremonial
00:50:41.84\00:50:44.57
washing and undefile myself."
00:50:44.61\00:50:48.38
And so, they come up with all
kinds of terrible theology and
00:50:48.41\00:50:54.18
views of Cornelius and
those in his population.
00:50:54.22\00:50:58.92
But here was God,
one that God didn't care.
00:50:58.95\00:51:02.56
He knew that he was one of the
most exalted in all of heaven
00:51:02.59\00:51:05.49
because he was a man of true
faith, regular prayer, and he
00:51:05.53\00:51:10.37
gave alms on a regular basis.
00:51:10.40\00:51:12.77
Are you giving
alms on a regular basis?
00:51:12.80\00:51:15.34
If heaven looked down today and
said this is an individual that
00:51:15.37\00:51:18.07
cares and gives on a regular
basis to those that they don't
00:51:18.11\00:51:21.24
know that are in need?
00:51:21.28\00:51:29.75
Well, we come to the end of
our lesson study here today.
00:51:31.19\00:51:34.92
And so, don't forget, if you
haven't read through the lesson
00:51:34.96\00:51:37.63
study, there's
peacemaking, there's a voice
00:51:37.66\00:51:40.00
for the voiceless.
00:51:40.03\00:51:41.53
As usual, you know, it's just
impossible for us to be able to
00:51:41.56\00:51:44.50
look in any depth at
all the material each week.
00:51:44.53\00:51:47.70
But again, please take advantage
of that if you haven't read
00:51:47.74\00:51:50.57
the study.
00:51:50.61\00:51:52.04
And also, we have
this free gift offer.
00:51:52.07\00:51:54.18
If you missed it at the
beginning, make sure you take
00:51:54.21\00:51:55.88
advantage of it now.
00:51:55.91\00:51:57.45
It's free offer number
152. So, simply refer to that.
00:51:57.48\00:52:00.42
The title, of course, is
not 152, it's "Riches of Grace"
00:52:00.45\00:52:03.25
written by Joe Crews.
00:52:03.28\00:52:04.85
And so, 1-866-788-3966.
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¤¤¤
00:53:31.04\00:53:38.01
Doug Batchelor: Friends, if
you're scared of snakes, this
00:53:40.25\00:53:42.35
may not be for you.
00:53:42.38\00:53:44.79
I'm here at a Reptile Park
outside of Durban South Africa,
00:53:44.82\00:53:48.72
and I'm holding my friend
here who's a Red-Tail Boa.
00:53:48.76\00:53:51.06
Snakes are found all
over the world, and they come
00:53:51.09\00:53:54.10
in all sizes.
00:53:54.13\00:53:55.46
Snakes can be found through the
trees, they crawl on the ground,
00:53:55.50\00:53:58.00
they live under the ground,
and they swim in the water.
00:53:58.03\00:54:00.77
Very interesting creatures.
00:54:00.80\00:54:02.67
Some snakes are venomous,
not my friend here, but
00:54:02.70\00:54:06.94
the Black Mamba, very poisonous.
00:54:06.98\00:54:09.44
Matter of fact, their bite
is often referred to as the
00:54:09.48\00:54:11.71
kiss of death.
00:54:11.75\00:54:13.28
They can grow 15 feet
long and can travel up to
00:54:13.31\00:54:16.15
seven miles an hour.
00:54:16.18\00:54:17.52
They don't call them Black
Mambas because of the color of
00:54:17.55\00:54:19.25
their skin, but the interior
of their mouth is black.
00:54:19.29\00:54:23.06
Snakes also come in all sizes,
like this Boa or Python, they
00:54:23.09\00:54:26.63
can grow to great sizes.
00:54:26.66\00:54:28.26
Matter of fact, in
South America, they found some
00:54:28.30\00:54:30.57
fossils of a snake
that they call Titanoboa.
00:54:30.60\00:54:34.40
They believe it was as big
as 50 feet long and weighed
00:54:34.44\00:54:37.94
as much as a car.
00:54:37.97\00:54:39.91
Say, "cheese."
00:54:39.94\00:54:41.44
A lot of people
are scared of snakes.
00:54:41.48\00:54:43.21
I used to live in a mountain
in a cave, and I ran into snakes
00:54:43.24\00:54:44.98
frequently.
00:54:45.01\00:54:46.38
They never bothered me
unless I was bothering them.
00:54:46.41\00:54:48.28
In the Bible, the snake is
often a symbol of the devil.
00:54:48.32\00:54:51.82
In reality, it's just a symbol.
00:54:51.85\00:54:54.02
They're animals like other
animals, but it says they were
00:54:54.06\00:54:56.19
cursed to go upon their belly
because they were the first
00:54:56.22\00:54:58.23
medium that the devil
used to tempt Adam and Eve.
00:54:58.26\00:55:01.93
In the Book of Numbers chapter
21, it tells the story of how
00:55:01.96\00:55:05.13
when the children of Israel were
going through the wilderness,
00:55:05.17\00:55:07.60
they began to
complain about God's manna.
00:55:07.64\00:55:10.17
And it says the Lord allowed
these fiery serpents to go among
00:55:10.21\00:55:13.64
the people and many were
bitten, and the venomous deadly.
00:55:13.68\00:55:16.85
I should probably mention at
this point, that bread they were
00:55:16.88\00:55:19.88
complaining about is a
symbol for the Word of God.
00:55:19.91\00:55:22.22
As many of the people were dying
from this plague of serpents,
00:55:22.25\00:55:25.32
they went on to Moses and
they said, "What shall we do?"
00:55:25.35\00:55:28.42
God told Moses to make a bronze
serpent and put it on a pole and
00:55:28.46\00:55:31.69
lift it up, that whoever looked
upon the serpent, they would be
00:55:31.73\00:55:35.26
healed of their venom.
00:55:35.30\00:55:37.13
This is why it's so important
because Jesus says in the gospel
00:55:37.17\00:55:39.70
of John chapter 3, verse 14
and 15, "As Moses lifted up the
00:55:39.73\00:55:45.01
serpent in the wilderness, even
so the Son of Man must be lifted
00:55:45.04\00:55:49.08
up, that whoever believes in
Him might not perish, but have
00:55:49.11\00:55:52.38
everlasting life."
00:55:52.41\00:55:54.25
They needed to look and to live.
00:55:54.28\00:55:56.15
You see, those ancient shepherds
when they would kill a venomous
00:55:56.18\00:55:58.89
snake, they would carry it
off on their staff and bury it.
00:55:58.92\00:56:02.69
So, a serpent on a pole
represented a defeated snake.
00:56:02.72\00:56:06.59
It's talking about
defeating the devil, friends.
00:56:06.63\00:56:09.10
Have you been
bitten by the serpent?
00:56:09.13\00:56:11.03
We all have.
00:56:11.07\00:56:13.17
The only cure for the
venom of Satan is to look
00:56:13.20\00:56:15.14
in faith at Jesus.
00:56:15.17\00:56:16.60
He then defeated the devil.
00:56:16.64\00:56:18.11
He took the venom of sin in
his body to provide the antidote
00:56:18.14\00:56:21.78
in his blood.
00:56:21.81\00:56:23.35
So friends, I encourage
you to look today and live.
00:56:23.38\00:56:26.92
¤¤¤
00:56:27.28\00:56:33.42
Doug: Wish you
could get a new start.
00:57:30.18\00:57:31.95
I'd like to live my life
over knowing what I know now.
00:57:31.98\00:57:34.08
I don't want to start over
just make the same mistakes.
00:57:34.12\00:57:36.32
I want to have my memories so
I don't make the same mistakes,
00:57:36.35\00:57:39.35
but you do get a new beginning.
00:57:39.39\00:57:41.72
You become a new creature.
00:57:41.76\00:57:43.36
That feeling of all your sins
being washed away because God
00:57:43.39\00:57:45.16
promises it, isn't that a
wonderful concept, friends?
00:57:45.19\00:57:48.56
Jesus: I was thirsty,
and you gave Me drink.
00:57:48.60\00:57:55.00
Inasmuch as you did it to one of
the least of these, My brethren,
00:57:58.34\00:58:02.31
you did it to Me.
00:58:02.34\00:58:05.95
¤¤¤
00:58:10.05\00:58:20.06