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Jean Ross: Good
morning, friends.
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Welcome again to "Sabbath School
Study Hour," coming to you from
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the Amazing Facts' offices
in Granite Bay, Sacramento.
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We'd like to welcome all of
those who are joining us for our
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Sabbath School study time.
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We've been going
through the lesson entitled
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"Making Friends for God."
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Today we're working on lesson
number six, which is entitled
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"Unlimited Possibilities."
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Now, if you don't have a copy
of the Sabbath School quarterly,
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you can go to the
Amazing Facts website.
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And if you click on the tab that
says Study Hour, you'll be able
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to download today's lesson and
you can follow along with us, or
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you can visit a nearby
Seventh-day Adventist Church and
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you can ask them for a lesson
quarterly if you'd like to study
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along with us.
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We do have a free offer
we'd like to tell you about.
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It is a book entitled "Life in
the Spirit," and we'll be happy
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to send this to
anyone who calls and asks.
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The number for the
book is 866-788-3966,
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and ask for offer number 155.
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Again, the number to
call is 866-788-3966.
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Ask for offer number 155, and
we'll be happy to get this in
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the mail and send it to you.
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Or you can request a
digital download of the book.
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And if you'd like to do that,
just text the code SH047 to the
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number 40544.
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Again, the code is
SH047 to the number 40544,
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and you'll receive
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a digital download of the book
entitled "Life in the Spirit"
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and I think you'll be blessed as
you read through that resource.
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But before we get to our
lesson, let's start with prayer.
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Dear Father, we thank You that
we have this opportunity to be
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able to open up Your Word and
study a very important lesson,
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that of sharing
our faith with others.
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We know this is part of
the Great Commission in making
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disciples, and so we
ask for Your blessing.
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Guide us as we
open up Your Word,
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for we ask this in Jesus's name.
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Amen.
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Our lesson today is going to
be brought to us by our youth
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pastor here at the Granite
Bay church, Pastor Luccas Rodor.
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Luccas Rodor:
Good morning, friends.
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It is such a pleasure to
be with you here this morning.
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This lesson today is such a
beautiful lesson, and I weigh
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one of the most important ones
we have because it has to do
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with such a major arc in
the quarter's lesson and in the
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biblical teaching of what it
means to make friends for God.
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The title of today's lesson, as
Pastor Jean has already said, is
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"Unlimited Possibilities."
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And basically up to now we've
been talking about the different
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aspects of what it means to make
friends for God; how we should
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interact with people, the
messages that we should be
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taking for them, the different
ways that we can be intentional
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on our service for God, how to
deal with more difficult people
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and different situations.
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And so that's what
we've been leading up to.
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And today when we talk about
unlimited possibilities, really
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what we're talking about are the
inexhaustible gifts that our God
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has to reach people.
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And so today's lesson is
basically that; when we talk
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about how God is inexhaustible
in His gifts for us to be
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witnessing and the fact that
we should be witnesses of the
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kingdom that is to come, of the
things that we've seen and the
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things that we've heard.
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So today that's basically
what we're going to be talk
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about--what we're
going to be talking about.
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You know, friends, we're
all called to be witnesses.
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We're all
called to be witnesses.
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Our calling is not
to convince people.
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We're not called to be big
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debaters or
defenders of the gospel.
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We're called to be
witnesses--simply witnesses of
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what we have seen and
of what we have heard.
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We're called to tell people
about the experience that we've
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had with God and how we have
been changed and transformed
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through our interactions with
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God and our
relationship with Him.
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You know, the Bible--more
specifically in the New
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Testament where we find this in
a very transparent form, we find
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the Apostle John, for example,
in 1 John 1:3 saying, "That
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which we have seen and
heard, we declare to you."
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And then in another place
in a very specific, in a very
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difficult situation where Peter
and John, they had been held for
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a whole night, they were
under--you know, kind of like
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hostages of the Sanhedrin,
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of the religious
leaders in Jerusalem.
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Under the oppression of that
Sanhedrin and of that situation,
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they were able to say, and this
is Acts 4:20, "For we cannot but
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speak the things which
we have seen and heard."
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The reality that we find
here is that when someone has an
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experience with God, when
someone knows Him and walks with
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Him, when someone has
seen and heard things from God,
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they cannot but
speak of these things.
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They can't shut it up.
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They can't shut it down.
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They can't be quiet.
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They want to shout it out
for the whole world to hear, and
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this is what Peter and
John are saying right here.
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Now, one of the key questions
when it comes to witnessing is,
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well, what does it
mean to be a witness?
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Before we actually begin
speaking about the gifts, we
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have to determine
what are witnesses,
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what does it mean to witness.
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Now, let me backtrack a little
bit here and explain how we're
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going to go through this lesson.
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I presume that you've already
studied it at home during the
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week, and today what we're going
to do is try to connect the dots
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of each day during the lesson.
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So we're not
really going to go Sunday,
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Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
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What we're going to do is go
through the different topics and
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how they interact with
each other, and I hope that that
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makes sense.
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So back to our
original question here is,
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what does it
mean to be a witness?
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How are we witnesses?
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What do we--how do we
define this term and this word?
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Now, you have to remember
that this is a word that Jesus
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himself used in the
context of his departure.
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So after his resurrection, while
he's spending time--the last few
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moments with his apostles, with
his disciples, Jesus uses this
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term again and again.
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"You shall be my witnesses.
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You shall be my witnesses."
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So it's a--it happens in a
very specific moment of Jesus's
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ministry with his disciples
while he's instructing them of
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what they had to do after he
goes back, but this is not an
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instruction that is limited to
the disciples, and this is where
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it gets important for us.
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This is where we come into this
whole picture because this order
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that Jesus gave, this great
commission, it wasn't limited to
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the apostles.
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This is something that is
extended to the entire body of
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Christ, the church throughout
these two last millennia of
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human history, these two last
thousand years of human history.
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And this is something that God
not only reveals to the church
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as a whole, this is something
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that God reveals
to us as individuals.
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Hopefully, this is something
that you've already discerned by
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this point; is that God has a
plan, God has a mission for you.
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As an individual, as a member
of this body, God has something
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that you--specifically right now
at home that you have to do; a
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gift that you have, a skill or a
talent that He's giving you that
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you should be using to engage
the kingdom in the life of the
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people around you.
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You know, friends, none of
us were won for Christ to just
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sit--to just sit by
idly and do nothing.
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Peter exhorted the Christians in
his second epistle, showing them
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that God does not want
us--and this is in 2 Peter 1:8.
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That God does not want us
to be barren or unfruitful.
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Look at the terminology.
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God does not want us to not have
spiritual children, not to be
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spiritually
barren or unfruitful.
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He wants us to multiply.
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With what we know, with
the experience that we have, He
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wants us to engage with people,
to invest in people so that they
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can become then also
disciples and witnesses for God.
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And more than that, we
were reached for a purpose.
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We were reached for a purpose.
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In Philippians 3:12 we
read, "But I press on--"
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And this is Paul.
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"I press on, that I may lay hold
of that for which Christ has
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also lay hold--laid hold of me."
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So look at what it's saying.
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"I have been laid hold of
so that I may lay hold of."
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Basically what this is saying is
that we were reached to reach,
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we were converted to convert,
we were convinced by God of the
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glories of heaven so that we may
go out and then convince people
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and relate to
people and reach people.
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Basically, in his
words, lay hold of.
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I have been laid hold of
so that I can lay hold of.
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So that--in Christianity, it's
one--and that's the--you know,
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one of the most famous terms
that we have in this whole thing
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is that it's one beggar telling
the other beggar where the bread
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is at, and that's our situation
when it comes to witnessing.
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Paul declares that we have
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to--that we have been
laid hold of to lay hold of.
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After reaching us--after God
reaches us or lays hold of us,
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He has given us a goal too,
something that we have to do.
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We must grow
according to the image.
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Isn't that what
we always talk about?
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We have to grow
according to what?
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To the image of God in us.
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That's God's ultimate plan here.
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It's to create in you the heart
of Christ, the heart of God.
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He wants to instill in
you His will and His heart.
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So that's God's ultimate
goal, but to do that He has to
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transform us into many Christs.
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That's what Christian means,
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small Christs that
reach other people.
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We must be fruitful as we
trail through this process.
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Now, Jesus's plan for his church
was exactly this; to make each
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and every one of us his
witnesses, bearing testimony
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of the things that
we have seen and heard.
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And, friends, we live for this.
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This is the purpose
of what we live for.
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Today as
Christians, we live for this.
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And if our Christian life is
not serving this purpose, it's
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probably because we need to
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remodel this
according to God's will.
00:10:16.54\00:10:18.95
So, friend,
understand what I'm saying.
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If you weren't living for this
purpose--and of course, we need
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to work.
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We need to go out.
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We need to--you know, we
have social interactions.
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We do other things in life.
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But if all these things aren't
filtered by what it means to
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live for Christ, then this life
of ours needs to be remodeled.
00:10:35.63\00:10:39.27
It needs to be changed.
00:10:39.30\00:10:40.64
We need to refocus on
what is truly important.
00:10:40.67\00:10:44.57
So the heart of the matter here
is the definition of witness.
00:10:44.61\00:10:47.84
What does it
mean to be a witness?
00:10:47.88\00:10:49.58
How do we witness?
00:10:49.61\00:10:50.91
How do we define
this aspect, witnessing?
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So in this process of defining
it, we might become victims--
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and pay attention.
00:10:58.42\00:10:59.72
We might be victims of the wrong
00:10:59.75\00:11:02.42
concept of what it
means to be a witness.
00:11:02.46\00:11:05.06
We might be defining witness
as something--not something that
00:11:05.09\00:11:09.56
it's not, but limiting it to
only one or another aspect of
00:11:09.60\00:11:13.84
what it means.
00:11:13.87\00:11:15.20
So, for example, many may
associate the verb witness with
00:11:15.24\00:11:19.41
preaching or evangelizing.
00:11:19.44\00:11:23.21
Many may be tempted to define
being a witness with either
00:11:23.24\00:11:27.28
preaching or evangelizing.
00:11:27.32\00:11:30.09
Now, we know that as a result
of the apostles witnessing, many
00:11:30.12\00:11:35.46
people were evangelized, many
people received the gospel; and
00:11:35.49\00:11:38.93
we know that these apostles,
they used their opportunities
00:11:38.96\00:11:41.86
very well, very intentionally
to proclaim the Word of God.
00:11:41.90\00:11:45.43
But witnessing, friend, is
not primarily preaching and much
00:11:45.47\00:11:50.27
less evangelizing.
00:11:50.31\00:11:52.74
Did you get that?
00:11:52.77\00:11:54.38
Witnessing is not primarily
preaching or evangelizing.
00:11:54.41\00:11:57.98
When the religious leaders
in Jerusalem, they tried to
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forbid--you remember the story.
00:12:00.68\00:12:02.52
This is in Acts chapter 4.
00:12:02.55\00:12:04.69
When they tried to
forbid Peter and John--
00:12:04.72\00:12:06.55
and we mentioned it earlier.
00:12:06.59\00:12:08.12
When they tried to forbid them
of preaching and of teaching in
00:12:08.16\00:12:10.53
the authority of Jesus, we
understand--through the answer
00:12:10.56\00:12:14.76
that the apostles gave these
religious leaders, we know that
00:12:14.83\00:12:17.80
they understood very well what
it meant to be a witness because
00:12:17.83\00:12:21.14
they said, "For we cannot but
speak the things which we have
00:12:21.17\00:12:26.01
seen and heard."
00:12:26.04\00:12:27.64
You see, friends, to them
it wasn't enough to preach.
00:12:27.68\00:12:29.84
They preached a lot.
00:12:29.88\00:12:31.18
We know that.
00:12:31.21\00:12:32.51
We know that Peter preached
to 3,000--you know, a bunch
00:12:32.55\00:12:34.52
of people, and Paul
later on, and the apostles.
00:12:34.55\00:12:36.52
We know that they did preach,
but to them it wasn't enough to
00:12:36.55\00:12:40.09
only preach but to speak of the
things which they had seen and
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heard, the things that they had
experienced with God, and that
00:12:45.29\00:12:48.93
is what a witness does.
00:12:48.96\00:12:50.87
That's what a witness does.
00:12:50.90\00:12:52.60
When Paul was commissioned
to be a witness by God, Jesus
00:12:52.63\00:12:55.80
explained to him what that
meant, and that's in Acts 22:15;
00:12:55.84\00:12:59.07
where we read, "For you will be
His witness to all men of what
00:12:59.11\00:13:03.11
you have seen and heard."
00:13:03.14\00:13:04.48
Do you see
something repeating here?
00:13:04.51\00:13:06.05
Do you see how we have these two
words, of the things that you
00:13:06.08\00:13:08.68
have seen and heard, the things
that you have experienced?
00:13:08.72\00:13:11.49
The things that you have what?
00:13:11.52\00:13:12.89
Witnessed.
00:13:12.92\00:13:14.22
That's what it means to tell
people, to relate to them the
00:13:14.26\00:13:17.33
things that you have
yourself experienced.
00:13:17.36\00:13:20.30
In a legal setting, in a court
of law, the witness that is
00:13:20.33\00:13:24.10
summoned to speak--or the
witness is summoned to speak
00:13:24.13\00:13:26.60
not about his
or her own opinion.
00:13:26.63\00:13:28.14
They're not called to just--"
00:13:28.17\00:13:29.50
Well, I think it's this.
00:13:29.54\00:13:30.87
I think it's that.
00:13:30.91\00:13:32.21
I see it this way."
00:13:32.24\00:13:33.58
No.
00:13:33.61\00:13:34.91
They're called to relay the
facts which were presented to
00:13:34.94\00:13:37.41
them by their firsthand
experience of what they saw.
00:13:37.45\00:13:41.95
And so no one has the authority
to testify based on something
00:13:41.98\00:13:45.85
that someone else saw.
00:13:45.89\00:13:47.39
They're not going to call
someone that heard something
00:13:47.42\00:13:49.92
from someone else
and got it fourth hand.
00:13:49.96\00:13:52.29
No.
00:13:52.33\00:13:53.93
They're going to call the
eyewitness, people that have
00:13:53.96\00:13:55.70
seen, that have
experienced the facts.
00:13:55.73\00:13:58.03
That is what it means to be a
witness, and this is essential.
00:13:58.07\00:14:02.00
This is essential.
00:14:02.04\00:14:03.57
Jesus--now pay attention here.
00:14:03.61\00:14:05.54
Jesus didn't consider his
apostles apt to be his witnesses
00:14:05.57\00:14:10.08
just because they
saw him resurrected.
00:14:10.11\00:14:12.08
I mean, think about it.
00:14:12.11\00:14:13.75
If that's what qualified people
to be witnesses, if that's what
00:14:13.78\00:14:16.15
qualified, you know, future
generations to be witnesses,
00:14:16.18\00:14:19.45
well, most of us--any of
us--none of us would be here
00:14:19.49\00:14:24.13
evangelizing and witnessing or,
you know, spreading the gospel
00:14:24.16\00:14:27.23
because we in a real--very real
sense of the Word we didn't see
00:14:27.23\00:14:31.53
Jesus 2,000 years ago.
00:14:31.57\00:14:33.20
We're not
living 2,000 years ago.
00:14:33.23\00:14:35.34
So we read--and that's a reality
that we find in 1 Peter 1:8,
00:14:35.37\00:14:39.51
where we read, "Whom
having you not seen--"
00:14:39.54\00:14:42.88
This is talking about Jesus.
00:14:42.91\00:14:44.25
"Whom having not seen you love.
00:14:44.28\00:14:47.62
Though now you do not see him,
yet believing, you rejoice with
00:14:47.65\00:14:52.82
joy inexpressible
and full of glory."
00:14:52.85\00:14:57.13
Now, friends, our relationship
with Jesus is through faith.
00:14:57.16\00:15:00.26
Our relationship with Christ
comes through faith, and this
00:15:00.30\00:15:03.00
means that we can walk with him
even though we don't see him.
00:15:03.03\00:15:07.37
We can walk with him even though
we don't see him physically.
00:15:07.40\00:15:10.74
What he told his disciples then
that would qualify them to be
00:15:10.77\00:15:14.24
his witnesses is something that
is repeated in our life today.
00:15:14.28\00:15:17.25
This is something that is
00:15:17.28\00:15:19.11
reproducible in
us nowadays also.
00:15:19.15\00:15:21.62
That's what we find in Acts 1,
verse 8, where we read, "But you
00:15:21.65\00:15:25.15
shall receive power when the
Holy Spirit has come upon you."
00:15:25.19\00:15:29.79
Friends, there is a fundamental
connection between the power of
00:15:29.82\00:15:33.93
the Holy Spirit, what it means
to receive the Holy Spirit,
00:15:33.96\00:15:37.50
coming upon my life and the
witness that I have to bear.
00:15:37.53\00:15:40.94
There's a fundamental connection
between one and the other
00:15:40.97\00:15:44.51
because this is exactly his
action in my life that allows me
00:15:44.54\00:15:48.28
to show others the love
that Jesus has in my life.
00:15:48.31\00:15:51.31
Without the Holy Spirit, there
would be no way anywhere that I
00:15:51.35\00:15:54.65
would be able to actually be
a true witness because then I
00:15:54.68\00:15:57.39
wouldn't have
seen or heard anything.
00:15:57.42\00:15:59.05
I wouldn't be a
firsthand witness.
00:15:59.09\00:16:00.72
It is only through the Holy
00:16:00.76\00:16:02.46
Spirit that I
become a firsthand witness.
00:16:02.49\00:16:05.03
When we're speaking about the
Book of Acts, friends, really
00:16:05.06\00:16:07.96
what we're talking about is--are
the acts of the Holy Spirit.
00:16:08.00\00:16:10.70
So in that first church, we see
the Holy Spirit moving among the
00:16:10.73\00:16:13.87
disciples and moving among the
apostles, and that is what we
00:16:13.90\00:16:16.71
find today.
00:16:16.74\00:16:18.51
We find the Holy Spirit moving
in our world, moving in our
00:16:18.54\00:16:21.18
church, moving in our
congregations, and moving in us;
00:16:21.21\00:16:24.15
and it is only that way that
we have any kind of authority to
00:16:24.18\00:16:28.35
preach or to witness.
00:16:28.38\00:16:30.15
Our witness is the
fruit of a partnership.
00:16:30.19\00:16:33.36
It's the product of a
partnership between me and the
00:16:33.39\00:16:35.76
Holy Spirit.
00:16:35.79\00:16:37.63
That's why Jesus in John
15:26 and 27 says, "But when the
00:16:37.66\00:16:41.56
helper comes, whom I shall
send to you from the Father, the
00:16:41.60\00:16:46.33
Spirit of truth who proceeds
from the Father, he will testify
00:16:46.37\00:16:49.90
of me, and you will also be
witnesses--or will--also will
00:16:49.94\00:16:53.61
bear witness because
you have been with me from
00:16:53.64\00:16:56.91
the beginning."
00:16:56.95\00:16:58.71
Do you see?
00:16:58.75\00:17:00.15
If witnessing is speaking of
what we have seen and what we
00:17:00.18\00:17:03.05
have heard, then what we need
most is for the Holy Spirit to
00:17:03.08\00:17:07.39
bring to us or allow us to taste
or produce what it means to have
00:17:07.42\00:17:13.83
Jesus living in our life,
and this is something that Peter
00:17:13.86\00:17:16.50
talks about in Acts 5:32;
where he says, "And we are His
00:17:16.53\00:17:21.07
witnesses to these things, and
so also is the Holy Spirit whom
00:17:21.10\00:17:25.04
God has given to
those who obey Him."
00:17:25.07\00:17:28.41
Friends, it's the Holy Spirit
00:17:28.44\00:17:30.31
that gives us
authority to preach.
00:17:30.35\00:17:31.91
It's the Holy Spirit who gives
us the authority to witness,
00:17:31.95\00:17:33.82
to testify.
00:17:33.85\00:17:35.22
By his actions, Jesus becomes
provable in my life, Jesus
00:17:35.25\00:17:38.75
becomes real in my life.
00:17:38.79\00:17:41.12
We begin to experience
the power of God through many
00:17:41.16\00:17:43.83
circumstances; for example,
first through conversion.
00:17:43.86\00:17:47.03
We experience the power of God
through conversion, the change
00:17:47.03\00:17:50.30
of direction and the
change of connection.
00:17:50.33\00:17:53.07
The direction of my life, it
goes from one direction, one way
00:17:53.10\00:17:56.40
that I was walking, and you have
a 180-degree turn to go in a
00:17:56.44\00:17:59.41
different direction.
00:17:59.44\00:18:01.04
The direction
of my life changes.
00:18:01.08\00:18:03.08
But not only this, the
connection of my life changes.
00:18:03.11\00:18:05.95
What was I connected to
before in my previous life?
00:18:05.98\00:18:08.42
And now the connection becomes
a connection with heaven.
00:18:08.45\00:18:11.95
So that's the first change
or that is a change that we find
00:18:11.99\00:18:14.99
when God changes our life.
00:18:15.02\00:18:17.23
Then we begin to reflect this
Jesus of whom we've heard about,
00:18:17.26\00:18:20.30
but we had
never experienced yet.
00:18:20.33\00:18:22.73
We begin to experience Him.
00:18:22.76\00:18:24.93
We begin to see the actions
of God, and this is the proof.
00:18:24.97\00:18:27.60
This is the first proof that
Jesus is alive and acting in us.
00:18:27.64\00:18:32.17
You know, when I speak of Jesus
to somebody, I don't only share
00:18:32.21\00:18:35.61
with them the
doctrines or my belief.
00:18:35.64\00:18:37.98
Friends, there are a lot of
people that are very good at
00:18:38.01\00:18:42.25
speaking about the
abstract aspects of the gospel.
00:18:42.28\00:18:45.89
They'll be very good at
explaining doctrine; the
00:18:45.92\00:18:48.59
doctrine of salvation, the
doctrine of the Sabbath, the
00:18:48.62\00:18:51.36
belief that we
have in the mortal soul,
00:18:51.39\00:18:53.23
and so on and so forth.
00:18:53.26\00:18:55.03
There are many people that are
very good at explaining the more
00:18:55.06\00:18:57.53
abstract, the more
theoretical knowledge.
00:18:57.57\00:19:00.67
But if I don't have the
catalyst, which is the practical
00:19:00.70\00:19:05.81
experience of what these
more theoretical things do in my
00:19:05.84\00:19:08.41
life, it's dead.
00:19:08.44\00:19:11.01
It won't produce anything.
00:19:11.05\00:19:12.78
The problem, friend, with many
believers today is that they
00:19:12.81\00:19:15.85
have nothing to
say, nothing to show.
00:19:15.88\00:19:18.92
All those words are just empty.
00:19:18.95\00:19:20.82
They're superficial
because they aren't real.
00:19:20.86\00:19:22.99
They haven't been lived.
00:19:23.02\00:19:24.33
They haven't been
experienced before.
00:19:24.36\00:19:27.50
Someone's witness, friends,
isn't accepted when it only
00:19:27.50\00:19:31.07
portrays something that someone
else saw or someone else heard.
00:19:31.10\00:19:35.94
If the police know of someone
that witnessed the crime,
00:19:35.97\00:19:39.11
they're not going to fill out
the pages of their report with
00:19:39.14\00:19:41.74
the witness of someone else
that said that they heard what
00:19:41.78\00:19:44.55
happened from somebody else.
00:19:44.58\00:19:45.88
No.
00:19:45.91\00:19:47.22
They're going to call
the firsthand witness,
00:19:47.25\00:19:48.58
the eyewitness.
00:19:48.62\00:19:50.25
Friends, many
Christians, unfortunately,
00:19:50.29\00:19:52.02
don't witness of Jesus.
00:19:52.05\00:19:54.26
They only relay
the witness of others.
00:19:54.29\00:19:57.06
Did you get that?
00:19:57.09\00:19:58.39
There are many Christians
that don't relay their own, that
00:19:58.43\00:20:00.80
can't witness.
00:20:00.83\00:20:02.10
They can only relay the witness
00:20:02.13\00:20:04.33
that they've
heard from other people.
00:20:04.37\00:20:06.84
So what we need is the power of
the Spirit acting in our life.
00:20:06.87\00:20:10.31
That's what Jesus is talking
about when he said that the Holy
00:20:10.34\00:20:12.97
Spirit--the power of the
Holy Spirit coming upon us.
00:20:13.01\00:20:16.01
We need to seek not only the
anointment to preach, not only
00:20:16.04\00:20:19.11
the anointment to teach the acts
in our life, and then we need to
00:20:19.15\00:20:23.25
open our mouth.
00:20:23.28\00:20:24.69
We need to seek not only the
anointment, but the power that
00:20:24.72\00:20:28.16
act in our life to
preach and to teach and to
00:20:28.19\00:20:31.66
share our experience.
00:20:31.69\00:20:33.73
And then after we've had
these--this anointment of the
00:20:33.76\00:20:37.03
Holy Spirit, then we will be
able to go out and to talk about
00:20:37.07\00:20:40.94
what is written
in the Word of God.
00:20:40.97\00:20:42.47
You know, we need to not only
speak what is written in the
00:20:42.50\00:20:47.44
Word of God, but we need to
speak and we need to be able to
00:20:47.48\00:20:51.78
portray how what is written
in the Word of God was capable
00:20:51.81\00:20:55.38
of changing our life.
00:20:55.42\00:20:57.45
That's what we need, really.
00:20:57.49\00:20:59.69
We will be able then--when we
have the Holy Spirit, we will be
00:20:59.72\00:21:03.09
able to not only speak about
what we believe, but how what we
00:21:03.12\00:21:07.00
believe was
capable of changing us.
00:21:07.03\00:21:09.66
And that's what
faith is, friends.
00:21:09.70\00:21:11.67
Faith--or better, belief becomes
faith on the point of action;
00:21:11.70\00:21:17.24
when that faith produced
something in my life, produced
00:21:17.27\00:21:20.01
the gifts of the Spirit in
my life, and that's what we're
00:21:20.04\00:21:22.48
talking about today,
the gifts of the Spirit.
00:21:22.51\00:21:24.81
Then that belief became
faith because it was real.
00:21:24.85\00:21:28.58
I will be capable of not
speaking about only the things
00:21:28.62\00:21:31.35
that I believe theoretically,
but I will be able to speak
00:21:31.39\00:21:34.32
about how these things that
I believe theoretically we're
00:21:34.36\00:21:37.39
capable of changing my life.
00:21:37.43\00:21:40.26
Now, we see this in a very
practical way in the gospel, and
00:21:40.30\00:21:43.00
here we're going
further into the lesson.
00:21:43.03\00:21:44.87
We see this in a very practical
way in the gospels by the very
00:21:44.90\00:21:48.60
diversity of
Jesus's first apostles.
00:21:48.64\00:21:51.54
Here we find that
Jesus's call was irresistible.
00:21:51.57\00:21:54.04
It was powerful.
00:21:54.08\00:21:55.38
Think about it.
00:21:55.41\00:21:56.71
Think about these
men that Jesus called.
00:21:56.75\00:21:58.21
For example, in that group
we had Matthew, a tax collector.
00:21:58.25\00:22:03.02
A tax collector was seen as
someone who had sold his soul to
00:22:03.05\00:22:06.45
the Roman Empire, all right?
00:22:06.49\00:22:08.12
He was allied to
the Roman Empire.
00:22:08.16\00:22:09.82
They were his employers, and
that's why they were so hated by
00:22:09.86\00:22:12.16
the rest of the
Israelite nation.
00:22:12.19\00:22:16.10
So we have Matthew the tax
collector, and in the same group
00:22:16.13\00:22:19.80
we have someone called Simon
the Zealot, a temperamental
00:22:19.83\00:22:23.67
revolutionary that hated any
type of Roman collaborator or
00:22:23.71\00:22:27.94
any type of Roman
worker or official.
00:22:27.98\00:22:31.55
And so can you imagine the kind
00:22:31.58\00:22:33.05
of tensions that
they had in that group?
00:22:33.08\00:22:34.78
I mean, if today you can
hardly get people who disagree
00:22:34.82\00:22:37.15
politically in a room and
they'll start arguing with each
00:22:37.19\00:22:39.85
other, imagine back then where
the hatred was multiplied, where
00:22:39.89\00:22:44.09
people killed each other and
hated each other based on that.
00:22:44.13\00:22:47.76
Think about the--maybe the types
of discussions that Matthew as a
00:22:47.76\00:22:51.90
tax collector and Simon as a
00:22:51.93\00:22:53.64
zealot would
have with each other.
00:22:53.67\00:22:56.14
So here we find the power,
how irresistible Jesus's call to
00:22:56.17\00:23:01.11
follow him truly was.
00:23:01.14\00:23:03.48
And just like these two
men, we find that all the other
00:23:03.51\00:23:06.98
apostles, each with his
own personality; but instead of
00:23:07.02\00:23:10.52
being an obstacle, instead
of being a hindrance, this
00:23:10.55\00:23:13.29
contributed to the service
that they were to provide
00:23:13.32\00:23:16.19
in witnessing.
00:23:16.22\00:23:17.53
So what Jesus is telling
us basically by these men--
00:23:17.56\00:23:20.70
think about it.
00:23:20.73\00:23:22.00
What Jesus is telling us with
this group that he had there at
00:23:22.03\00:23:25.73
the beginning, what he's telling
us is this: "If I could work
00:23:25.77\00:23:29.47
with them, if I could change
the world with them, if I could
00:23:29.50\00:23:33.98
transform the lives of
these humble fishermen and tax
00:23:34.01\00:23:38.05
collector and zealots, if I
could work with them and mold
00:23:38.08\00:23:41.55
them, I can work with you too.
00:23:41.58\00:23:44.49
I can change you, too.
00:23:44.52\00:23:46.12
I can transform you, too.
00:23:46.15\00:23:47.79
I can change the
world with you, too."
00:23:47.82\00:23:50.49
You see, friends, when it comes
to the transformation that comes
00:23:50.53\00:23:52.86
from the gospel, it
is--everything is about God.
00:23:52.89\00:23:56.36
It's not about me.
00:23:56.40\00:23:57.87
The only participation that
I have in this whole process is
00:23:57.90\00:24:00.74
being available, is allowing
Him, is opening my heart because
00:24:00.77\00:24:04.14
our God is a God that doesn't
impose His will on anybody.
00:24:04.17\00:24:08.14
So when I open my heart to Him
and I allow Him to work in me,
00:24:08.18\00:24:11.45
then He will come and He will
change and He will transform and
00:24:11.48\00:24:14.88
He will embolden and He
will give gifts and talents, and
00:24:14.92\00:24:18.69
that's what we find in
this first group of disciples,
00:24:18.72\00:24:21.66
of apostles.
00:24:21.69\00:24:22.99
And this is a great
encouragement for us today that
00:24:23.02\00:24:25.56
sometimes think that we don't
have gifts, that we can't do
00:24:25.59\00:24:27.86
anything, that we are
irrelevant, that we don't have
00:24:27.86\00:24:30.47
talents, that we
are not skillful.
00:24:30.50\00:24:34.07
God can use anyone.
00:24:34.10\00:24:35.64
God can use anybody.
00:24:35.67\00:24:37.81
Diversity in the church,
friends, was compared in the
00:24:37.84\00:24:40.14
Bible to the
diversity of the body.
00:24:40.18\00:24:43.04
Has anyone ever heard of
a knee wanting to be a nose?
00:24:43.08\00:24:45.45
And these are--this is the
terminology that we find there
00:24:45.48\00:24:47.38
in the epistles.
00:24:47.42\00:24:49.05
Does--has anyone ever heard of
a knee wanting to be a nose or
00:24:49.08\00:24:52.59
lips, or has anyone ever seen an
00:24:52.62\00:24:55.06
entire body wanting
to be just the eyes?
00:24:55.09\00:24:57.69
First of all, that would
be really funny if that would
00:24:57.73\00:25:00.13
happen, and it
would be very weird.
00:25:00.16\00:25:03.20
But second of all and
even worse, it wouldn't work.
00:25:03.23\00:25:06.13
A body that all the members
wanted to be just one member,
00:25:06.17\00:25:09.54
that body
wouldn't function at all.
00:25:09.57\00:25:12.21
We don't see feet complaining
00:25:12.24\00:25:13.68
because they've
never eaten ice cream.
00:25:13.71\00:25:15.54
And of course I'm being silly
here, but we've never seen feet
00:25:15.58\00:25:17.81
complaining because they haven't
eaten ice cream or an ear
00:25:17.85\00:25:20.02
complaining because it's never
experienced what it means to be
00:25:20.05\00:25:22.85
like inside a shoe, unless you
have some very funny ears out
00:25:22.88\00:25:26.96
there that like to
put themselves in shoes.
00:25:26.99\00:25:28.79
But that doesn't happen.
00:25:28.82\00:25:30.13
No.
00:25:30.16\00:25:31.53
Each member of the
body has its own function,
00:25:31.56\00:25:32.93
has its own utility.
00:25:32.96\00:25:35.00
The feet--think about it.
00:25:35.03\00:25:36.36
The feet, they stay inside a
very tight space for the most
00:25:36.40\00:25:39.47
part of their life and a place
that really doesn't smell that
00:25:39.50\00:25:41.57
well, you know.
00:25:41.60\00:25:43.44
That doesn't smell very
good, always tight, carrying the
00:25:43.47\00:25:45.97
entire weight of the body, but
we don't find it trying to be
00:25:46.01\00:25:48.98
something that it's not.
00:25:49.01\00:25:51.15
A great problem that we
face in the church today is the
00:25:51.18\00:25:53.65
hostility among the
members, fighting, bickering.
00:25:53.68\00:25:56.99
All sorts of reasons:
00:25:57.02\00:25:58.89
jealousy, indifference,
malice, ignorance, fear.
00:25:58.92\00:26:04.49
A divided body was the
great problem of the church in
00:26:04.53\00:26:06.73
Corinth, and we find Paul
00:26:06.76\00:26:08.66
fighting and
battling against this.
00:26:08.70\00:26:10.27
Some of them would say,
"Well, I am of Apollos."
00:26:10.30\00:26:12.13
Other said,
"Well, I am of Peter."
00:26:12.17\00:26:13.84
Others said, "I am of Paul."
00:26:13.87\00:26:15.27
And others yet trying to be even
superior and, you know, having
00:26:15.30\00:26:18.24
that holier than thou mentality,
"Well, I am of Christ."
00:26:18.27\00:26:22.21
When Paul saw this, he became
indignant and he said, "What are
00:26:22.24\00:26:25.11
you talking about?
00:26:25.15\00:26:26.68
Is Christ divided?
00:26:26.72\00:26:28.12
Did I per chance or Peter or
Apollos, did we die for you?"
00:26:28.15\00:26:33.15
So that can't happen.
00:26:33.19\00:26:34.49
When you see, friend, someone
using their gifts for God, when
00:26:34.52\00:26:37.53
you see someone trying their
best, don't fall into the trap
00:26:37.56\00:26:41.16
of being envious
or jealous of them.
00:26:41.20\00:26:44.03
Praise God for someone that
is doing their best at something
00:26:44.07\00:26:47.40
that you would
like to do yourself.
00:26:47.44\00:26:48.87
Praise God.
00:26:48.90\00:26:50.21
I know many people that sing
marvelously, many people that
00:26:50.24\00:26:53.34
know how to play the
piano and they play up a storm.
00:26:53.38\00:26:55.68
Those are not my gifts.
00:26:55.71\00:26:57.11
I wish they were.
00:26:57.15\00:26:59.01
You're lucky that I'm
not here singing for you.
00:26:59.05\00:27:00.92
It would not be pleasant.
00:27:00.95\00:27:02.68
So God gives His gifts to
different people in different
00:27:02.72\00:27:04.92
ways, and we have
to understand that.
00:27:04.95\00:27:07.76
Some people have many gifts.
00:27:07.79\00:27:09.72
I know people who can play piano
and sing and preach and teach.
00:27:09.76\00:27:14.10
People with many gifts, and
00:27:14.13\00:27:15.86
there are some
that have few gifts.
00:27:15.90\00:27:17.77
And the thing here is that both
are under different temptations.
00:27:17.80\00:27:21.94
Those people that have many
gifts might become tempted to
00:27:21.97\00:27:24.21
think, "Well, I am so good."
00:27:24.24\00:27:25.81
They become arrogant.
00:27:25.84\00:27:27.14
"I can do this
and this and this.
00:27:27.18\00:27:28.54
I'm irreplaceable."
00:27:28.58\00:27:30.01
Friends, in the body of
Christ, no one is irreplaceable.
00:27:30.05\00:27:33.18
We have a
privilege to work for God.
00:27:33.21\00:27:35.55
We have a privilege to preach,
to teach, to be used by Him.
00:27:35.58\00:27:39.55
It's something that
He uses us to bless us.
00:27:39.59\00:27:42.99
So people who have many gifts,
sometimes they become haughty
00:27:43.02\00:27:46.23
and they become proud.
00:27:46.26\00:27:47.56
"Well, I can do
this and I can do that."
00:27:47.60\00:27:49.50
But on the other side, people
that don't have many gifts or
00:27:49.53\00:27:52.13
many gifts that
they know of, okay?
00:27:52.17\00:27:55.20
And we're going to talk
about that in a few minutes.
00:27:55.24\00:27:57.17
They might be tempted to
think that they are unimportant.
00:27:57.21\00:27:59.61
They might be tempted to be
00:27:59.64\00:28:01.04
jealous of those
that have many gifts.
00:28:01.08\00:28:03.55
They might be tempted to
think that they are irrelevant.
00:28:03.58\00:28:07.05
My friend, the divine order from
God is to preach--it's for the
00:28:07.08\00:28:11.09
gospel to be
preached by the entire body.
00:28:11.12\00:28:14.36
What does that mean?
00:28:14.39\00:28:16.12
The gospel has to be
preached by everybody.
00:28:16.16\00:28:18.13
That includes me.
00:28:18.16\00:28:19.49
That includes
here the media folks.
00:28:19.53\00:28:21.66
That includes my wife.
00:28:21.70\00:28:23.06
That includes you at home.
00:28:23.10\00:28:24.77
The divine order, the Great
Commission is for the entire
00:28:24.80\00:28:28.67
gospel to be preached
00:28:28.70\00:28:30.21
by everybody,
including you, including me.
00:28:30.24\00:28:34.68
You know, throughout Ellen
White's writings, we find at
00:28:34.71\00:28:37.08
least eight reasons to
become personally involved in
00:28:37.11\00:28:41.28
missionary witnessing and
the expansion of the gospel, and
00:28:41.32\00:28:44.22
these are the eight reasons.
00:28:44.25\00:28:45.59
First of all, because it is
the true proof of conversion.
00:28:45.62\00:28:49.46
We understand that we've
been converted to the cause when
00:28:49.49\00:28:52.43
we're working in the cause.
00:28:52.46\00:28:53.80
That's one.
00:28:53.83\00:28:55.10
A second reason is because it is
the divine plan to develop our
00:28:55.13\00:28:58.07
character or develop the
character of Christ in us.
00:28:58.10\00:29:01.44
As we preach, as we witness,
as we use our gifts, we are
00:29:01.47\00:29:04.34
developing the personality
of Jesus or the image, the
00:29:04.37\00:29:08.78
character of Jesus in our life.
00:29:08.81\00:29:10.65
Thirdly, because it is the
00:29:10.68\00:29:12.35
secret for the
growth of Christian life.
00:29:12.38\00:29:14.82
You want to know the secret of
growing, the secret of working
00:29:14.85\00:29:17.25
for God, the secret of
beginning this ministry?
00:29:17.29\00:29:21.02
It's using your gifts.
00:29:21.06\00:29:22.59
It's as simple as that.
00:29:22.62\00:29:23.93
What are your gifts?
00:29:23.96\00:29:25.26
We'll get to that.
00:29:25.29\00:29:26.59
The fourth reason is because it
00:29:26.63\00:29:28.36
is God's plan to
strengthen our faith.
00:29:28.40\00:29:30.20
When I am involved,
my faith is growing.
00:29:30.23\00:29:32.90
When I'm involved in expanding
the gospel and taking this
00:29:32.93\00:29:35.77
message out, I am
strengthening my faith.
00:29:35.80\00:29:39.51
Fifth, because it is the
antidote against dissidence
00:29:39.54\00:29:42.78
and apostasy.
00:29:42.81\00:29:44.38
Look, friends, dissidence and
apostasy comes about when people
00:29:44.41\00:29:47.68
have too much
time on their hands.
00:29:47.72\00:29:49.75
That's the truth.
00:29:49.78\00:29:51.12
When people have too much time
to start wondering, "Well, I
00:29:51.15\00:29:52.92
wonder if the
Holy Spirit exists.
00:29:52.95\00:29:55.69
I wonder if Jesus really was
God, if he wasn't the first man
00:29:55.72\00:29:58.46
to be ever creator, the
first creation of the universe."
00:29:58.49\00:30:01.66
Dissidence and apostasy
come about when people have
00:30:01.70\00:30:04.30
too much time on their hands.
00:30:04.33\00:30:05.80
When they get involved, when
they're busy with the work of
00:30:05.83\00:30:08.77
saving souls, of being used by
God to reach people, they won't
00:30:08.80\00:30:13.34
have time for
dissidence or for apostasy.
00:30:13.38\00:30:15.94
Sixth, because it is the method
00:30:15.98\00:30:18.41
of Christ to
promote a healthy revival.
00:30:18.45\00:30:21.15
The church today is in need of
revival, but that revival has to
00:30:21.18\00:30:24.62
come from somewhere, and the
healthiest way for that revival
00:30:24.65\00:30:28.29
to come is when we witness
00:30:28.32\00:30:30.16
the need in the
world of this message.
00:30:30.19\00:30:33.23
Just staying at home cooped
up inside, just digesting and
00:30:33.26\00:30:37.23
intaking messages from the
TV and from the internet; just
00:30:37.27\00:30:40.47
doing that, we die.
00:30:40.50\00:30:43.30
Why is the Dead Sea
called the Dead Sea?
00:30:43.34\00:30:45.37
Because it receives from many
sources, but it doesn't give.
00:30:45.41\00:30:48.18
There's no outlet.
00:30:48.21\00:30:49.91
Just that way we need to have
the intake, but we have to have
00:30:49.94\00:30:52.85
also the outtake.
00:30:52.88\00:30:54.42
We need to share, to give from
what--or of what we have heard.
00:30:54.45\00:31:00.59
Seventh, because it is the
remedy for spiritual apathy.
00:31:00.62\00:31:04.16
Do you find yourself in a low
point in your spiritual life?
00:31:04.19\00:31:07.23
Do you find yourself tired of
the spiritual life that you've
00:31:07.23\00:31:09.76
been having, seemingly dead?
00:31:09.80\00:31:12.17
Well, start using your gifts,
witness to people the things
00:31:12.20\00:31:15.77
that you've seen and the things
that you've heard, and I assure
00:31:15.80\00:31:17.87
you that that is a
remedy for your spiritual life.
00:31:17.91\00:31:21.74
And finally, number eight,
and what I consider to be the
00:31:21.78\00:31:25.45
sweetest and most
glorious reason for my personal
00:31:25.48\00:31:28.65
involvement, is because this is
00:31:28.68\00:31:31.32
the best way to
await the return of Jesus.
00:31:31.35\00:31:35.72
Being involved in Jesus's work,
being in communion with him,
00:31:35.76\00:31:40.13
walking with him day by day and
sensing--being sensitive to the
00:31:40.16\00:31:44.77
needs of people in the world,
00:31:44.80\00:31:47.20
it's the best way to
await the return of Jesus.
00:31:47.24\00:31:49.24
That's--honestly,
that's why I became a pastor.
00:31:49.27\00:31:51.74
I couldn't think of a better way
of dedicating my life to this
00:31:51.77\00:31:55.48
than working at it
100% of my time, 24/7.
00:31:55.51\00:31:59.08
And I love it.
00:31:59.11\00:32:00.48
I love the fact that we can--or
I can minister to people.
00:32:00.52\00:32:04.15
I can help--look, friends.
00:32:04.19\00:32:06.12
This is something that blesses
me just as much as it blesses
00:32:06.15\00:32:08.59
the people being ministered to.
00:32:08.62\00:32:10.13
It's a blessing for me.
00:32:10.16\00:32:11.49
It's the best and sweetest way
that I know of of awaiting the
00:32:11.53\00:32:14.40
return of Jesus.
00:32:14.46\00:32:17.10
Now, when we speak about
witnessing, how that translates
00:32:17.13\00:32:21.00
into a practical term, into
practicality, into the day to
00:32:21.04\00:32:24.51
day is through spiritual gifts,
and this is a reality that we
00:32:24.54\00:32:28.04
find portrayed in the Bible.
00:32:28.08\00:32:29.94
So when we go to the New
Testament, we find basically
00:32:29.98\00:32:32.45
three places that the New
Testament speaks about the gifts
00:32:32.48\00:32:36.55
of the Spirit; and that's
found in Romans chapter 12, in 1
00:32:36.58\00:32:40.66
Corinthians chapter 12,
and in Ephesians chapter 4.
00:32:40.69\00:32:44.99
So through the study of
these passages, we find two main
00:32:45.03\00:32:48.06
characteristics of the spiritual
gifts and here, follow me, we
00:32:48.10\00:32:52.00
find two main characteristics of
the spiritual gifts that pop out
00:32:52.03\00:32:55.70
of the text, that pop
out of that narrative.
00:32:55.74\00:32:57.94
First of all, every
gift is given by God.
00:32:57.97\00:33:01.38
All good gift comes
from the Lord above.
00:33:01.41\00:33:03.71
That's the first
thing that we find out.
00:33:03.75\00:33:05.28
And second, all gifts--every
gift is given for the body, is
00:33:05.31\00:33:11.22
given to the body,
to the Church of God.
00:33:11.25\00:33:13.32
If you have a gift, friend, if
you have a talent, you can rest
00:33:13.36\00:33:16.59
assured that that talent was not
00:33:16.62\00:33:18.73
given to you for
your personal selfish use.
00:33:18.76\00:33:22.30
That gift was given to
expand, to unite, to mature, to
00:33:22.33\00:33:27.10
encourage, and to grow the
body and the kingdom of God.
00:33:27.14\00:33:32.27
The gift was not given for you
to use for personal gain or for
00:33:32.31\00:33:35.51
selfish uses, and we can add
to this that the distribution of
00:33:35.54\00:33:41.95
these gifts is
God's prerogative.
00:33:41.98\00:33:44.05
What that means is that
God decides; it's not you.
00:33:44.09\00:33:46.42
God decides who He will give the
gift to, where He will implant
00:33:46.45\00:33:50.26
it, what gifts are needed.
00:33:50.29\00:33:52.89
And that while the gifts that
are mentioned in these lists and
00:33:52.93\00:33:57.20
in these chapters are all part
of the original lists provided
00:33:57.23\00:34:01.00
by God that we find in the
Bible, rest assured that God is
00:34:01.04\00:34:04.17
not limited to these lists.
00:34:04.21\00:34:06.44
God is inexhaustible.
00:34:06.47\00:34:08.14
God cannot be limited.
00:34:08.18\00:34:09.88
Those gifts that are there are
gifts that were needed for that
00:34:09.91\00:34:13.15
first century church, but
God is not limited to them.
00:34:13.18\00:34:17.62
New needs may bring
God to offer new gifts.
00:34:17.65\00:34:20.12
For example, hospitality.
00:34:20.16\00:34:22.32
Hospitality is not a
part of these original lists.
00:34:22.36\00:34:25.26
But as the church grew, as it
was enlarging, as it expanded,
00:34:25.29\00:34:29.53
the need for
hospitality was given.
00:34:29.56\00:34:32.67
And so that's another gift that
we find also in the Book of Acts
00:34:32.70\00:34:36.30
and that we find
in need of today.
00:34:36.34\00:34:39.97
At conversion--remember this.
00:34:40.01\00:34:42.04
At conversion when you
meet Jesus, natural talent; the
00:34:42.08\00:34:45.45
talents that you had, the
talents that God gave you, they
00:34:45.48\00:34:48.38
become a gift of the Spirit.
00:34:48.42\00:34:51.15
Even the things
that you were born with,
00:34:51.19\00:34:52.82
they're gifts of the Spirit.
00:34:52.85\00:34:54.22
These are the talents of
God that He has given you.
00:34:54.26\00:34:56.76
Now, since--and
this is really important.
00:34:56.79\00:34:59.66
This is the continuation of this
subject, this arc of the gifts.
00:34:59.69\00:35:03.13
Since every believer does
have--and trust me, if you think
00:35:03.16\00:35:06.27
you don't, you do.
00:35:06.30\00:35:07.90
I'll tell you straight
off, God gives everyone a gift.
00:35:07.94\00:35:10.77
Since every believer has
at least one of the spiritual
00:35:10.81\00:35:13.64
gifts, everyone should do
the best to find their gifts, to
00:35:13.68\00:35:18.11
discover what their gifts are,
and finding your specific gift
00:35:18.15\00:35:22.08
isn't a work that will ever
00:35:22.12\00:35:23.65
be concluded or
completed completely.
00:35:23.69\00:35:27.72
It's not something
that will ever end.
00:35:27.76\00:35:29.82
Because as we continue to
develop it, as you continue to
00:35:29.86\00:35:32.36
get better and to find out your
gift, rest assured that you're
00:35:32.39\00:35:35.53
going to find more.
00:35:35.56\00:35:36.97
You're going to develop newer
gifts, more gifts, and this
00:35:37.00\00:35:40.37
means that the gifts that aren't
00:35:40.40\00:35:42.40
present now might be
present in the future.
00:35:42.44\00:35:45.77
Perhaps there's a gift that you
don't have right now, but you
00:35:45.81\00:35:48.38
will have in the future.
00:35:48.41\00:35:49.81
Friends, I am not one of those
00:35:49.84\00:35:51.45
people that was born
being able to preach.
00:35:51.48\00:35:54.98
It might not seem so,
but I am an introvert.
00:35:55.02\00:35:57.89
I am.
00:35:57.92\00:35:59.35
I'm not an extroverted person.
00:35:59.39\00:36:00.92
I'm not shy, don't get me
wrong, but I am an introvert.
00:36:00.96\00:36:04.09
And so beginning to preach when
I was, you know, 19, 20 years
00:36:04.13\00:36:07.86
old, that was difficult for me.
00:36:07.86\00:36:09.36
I remember the first
time that I preached.
00:36:09.40\00:36:10.73
It wasn't when I was 11.
00:36:10.77\00:36:12.10
I wasn't a child prodigy
00:36:12.13\00:36:13.47
preaching when
I was 8 years old.
00:36:13.50\00:36:14.84
It took time.
00:36:14.87\00:36:16.17
I was 19 or 20 years old in the
third year of seminary, and I
00:36:16.20\00:36:21.24
had to preach because it was
part of--you know, part of what
00:36:21.28\00:36:23.71
I was going through at school,
and I remember that I planned to
00:36:23.75\00:36:26.68
preach for 45 minutes.
00:36:26.72\00:36:29.48
I got up to preach, my
legs started shaking, my hands--
00:36:29.52\00:36:32.12
my palms got sweaty.
00:36:32.15\00:36:33.76
I became pale, and I--the
sermons that I planned for 45
00:36:33.79\00:36:37.03
minutes came out in 5 minutes,
and my dad had to come up
00:36:37.06\00:36:40.46
and finish the prayer for me.
00:36:40.50\00:36:41.80
That was difficult.
00:36:41.83\00:36:43.13
I was tempted to--"
00:36:43.16\00:36:44.47
You know what? This
isn't going to work out.
00:36:44.50\00:36:45.80
I'm not going to
be a good pastor.
00:36:45.83\00:36:47.17
This will never work for me."
00:36:47.20\00:36:48.54
It was a gift that
needed to be developed.
00:36:48.57\00:36:50.31
At least the fear of speaking
in front of people was something
00:36:50.34\00:36:52.64
that needed to be developed.
00:36:52.67\00:36:54.64
Speaking to a camera, this is
something pretty new to me too
00:36:54.68\00:36:57.71
and so I'm developing that gift.
00:36:57.75\00:36:59.35
You see, God, He gives you
opportunities to develop gifts.
00:36:59.38\00:37:02.55
Not all gifts are born with you.
00:37:02.58\00:37:04.79
You develop them, and God has
00:37:04.82\00:37:06.52
patience with you
and so should the church.
00:37:06.55\00:37:09.29
The church should also have
patience with people trying to
00:37:09.32\00:37:11.83
develop their gifts.
00:37:11.86\00:37:13.36
So the question here is, how
do we discover our gifts anyway?
00:37:13.40\00:37:19.00
How do we discover these gifts?
00:37:19.03\00:37:20.34
Well, first of
all, pray about it.
00:37:20.37\00:37:21.87
Pray intently about it.
00:37:21.90\00:37:23.87
Pray for the
Lord to reveal them.
00:37:23.91\00:37:25.87
Since spiritual gifts are given
by the Holy Spirit, they have to
00:37:25.91\00:37:29.24
be discovered in
a spiritual context.
00:37:29.28\00:37:33.21
And here I'm not talking
about a casual prayer, right?
00:37:33.25\00:37:35.98
This isn't the prayer
that you're going to make when
00:37:36.02\00:37:37.62
you're, you know, having lunch.
00:37:37.65\00:37:38.99
"Lord, please bless this meal.
00:37:39.02\00:37:40.36
Oh, by the way, just help
me find a spiritual gift."
00:37:40.39\00:37:41.76
No. This is an
intentional prayer.
00:37:41.79\00:37:44.03
This is something that has
to be spoken about intentionally
00:37:44.06\00:37:47.23
with God.
00:37:47.30\00:37:48.50
Pray that the Lord may reveal to
you your place within his body.
00:37:48.53\00:37:52.80
Second of all,
explore the possibilities.
00:37:52.83\00:37:55.57
It's very important to
become acquainted with as many
00:37:55.60\00:37:59.21
spiritual gifts that exists;
and the best way to do this, the
00:37:59.24\00:38:02.74
best way to start, begin
with the list in the Bible.
00:38:02.78\00:38:05.68
Begin with what you find
there, with what God has already
00:38:05.71\00:38:07.92
revealed in there, but remember
that these lists do not exhaust
00:38:07.95\00:38:12.89
the gifts and that the gifts are
00:38:12.92\00:38:14.69
not limited to
those mentioned here.
00:38:14.72\00:38:17.63
These are suggestive lists
of the necessary gifts needed
00:38:17.66\00:38:21.00
during that first century.
00:38:21.03\00:38:22.80
They were necessary to compel
00:38:22.83\00:38:24.87
and to impel the
first century church.
00:38:24.90\00:38:27.44
But since we don't live in the
first century, there are many
00:38:27.47\00:38:30.17
gifts that
aren't mentioned there.
00:38:30.21\00:38:31.61
For example, today we have
media, we have TV, we have the
00:38:31.64\00:38:34.84
internet, we have websites.
00:38:34.88\00:38:37.05
And so we need people gifted
with cameras, people gifted with
00:38:37.08\00:38:39.91
media, with
microphone, with internet.
00:38:39.95\00:38:42.65
I can never do any of that.
00:38:42.68\00:38:44.12
I am a millennial, but I don't
00:38:44.15\00:38:45.99
have this gift of
being that tech-savvy.
00:38:46.02\00:38:48.62
I mean, I could get around, but
I'm not like the crew here that
00:38:48.66\00:38:51.83
are so good at what they do.
00:38:51.86\00:38:54.13
I can't do that.
00:38:54.20\00:38:55.66
These are gifts that God gives,
which they are using for Him,
00:38:55.70\00:38:59.37
and this is something--just one
example of so many gifts that
00:38:59.40\00:39:03.07
aren't mentioned in the Bible
00:39:03.10\00:39:04.71
because we live
in different times.
00:39:04.74\00:39:06.57
So explore the gifts.
00:39:06.61\00:39:08.51
Try to discover, try
to know what they are.
00:39:08.54\00:39:10.85
In third place or thirdly,
as much as possible, try to
00:39:10.88\00:39:15.22
experience with other gifts.
00:39:15.25\00:39:16.82
Try different gifts.
00:39:16.85\00:39:18.32
Try to use them and see
what the results will be.
00:39:18.35\00:39:21.59
One of these gifts,
for example, is evangelism.
00:39:21.62\00:39:25.06
How will you
know if you don't try?
00:39:25.09\00:39:26.63
How will you know that you're
00:39:26.66\00:39:28.50
good or not good
if you don't try?
00:39:28.53\00:39:29.86
You know, a recent study about
church growth revealed that at
00:39:29.90\00:39:33.67
least 10% of any given local
congregation, 10% of the people
00:39:33.70\00:39:37.97
do have this gift, but less
than 2% of them actually use it.
00:39:38.01\00:39:43.55
What a tragedy.
00:39:43.58\00:39:45.65
Remember--in this context,
remember that just because
00:39:45.68\00:39:49.02
someone is not gifted in
something today doesn't mean
00:39:49.05\00:39:52.69
that they may not
receive and learn.
00:39:52.72\00:39:55.02
If you really want to test
any given gift, try to do some
00:39:55.06\00:39:58.39
research first.
00:39:58.43\00:39:59.73
Look, see some
tips, see some methods.
00:39:59.76\00:40:01.43
If you want to be good at giving
a Bible study, well, try to
00:40:01.46\00:40:04.30
research how do people
give Bible studies and implement
00:40:04.33\00:40:07.40
those as you try.
00:40:07.44\00:40:08.74
Don't be ashamed.
00:40:08.77\00:40:10.07
Don't be
embarrassed. Don't be timid.
00:40:10.11\00:40:11.71
God has given us a spirit of
00:40:11.74\00:40:13.24
boldness to
conquer this world for Him.
00:40:13.27\00:40:15.58
So try it.
00:40:15.61\00:40:17.45
How will you
know if you don't try?
00:40:17.48\00:40:19.18
Now, on the other side, don't
insist in something that you see
00:40:19.21\00:40:23.32
that you're not going good at.
00:40:23.35\00:40:25.19
Sometimes there are people
that are not good at singing.
00:40:25.22\00:40:28.06
They're just, you know--and
in that sense, you have to have
00:40:28.09\00:40:30.09
that good sense, that
good judgment to recognize what
00:40:30.13\00:40:33.56
you're good at and what you're
not good at, and things that you
00:40:33.60\00:40:36.10
can get better at and
things that you can't.
00:40:36.13\00:40:37.77
I mean--of course, we're called
to sing and praise God, but not
00:40:37.80\00:40:40.77
all of us are called
to be worship leaders.
00:40:40.80\00:40:43.17
If I don't have a
voice--that's my case.
00:40:43.20\00:40:45.37
A voice that is on key, I'm not
going to be a worship leader.
00:40:45.41\00:40:47.78
I'm not.
00:40:47.81\00:40:49.11
I can recognize that.
00:40:49.14\00:40:50.45
I'm mature enough to understand
that I don't sing very well.
00:40:50.48\00:40:52.78
Lucky for you.
00:40:52.81\00:40:54.58
So we have to understand
that difference right there.
00:40:54.62\00:40:58.15
Fourth of all,
search your feelings.
00:40:58.19\00:41:00.36
Search your feelings.
00:41:00.39\00:41:01.76
And again, look.
00:41:01.79\00:41:03.29
Feelings aren't always the
best guide and we can't base
00:41:03.32\00:41:06.13
everything on our feelings,
but they should be considered.
00:41:06.16\00:41:09.83
If someone tests their gifts,
they can ask themselves, "Do I
00:41:09.86\00:41:12.60
find satisfaction in this?
00:41:12.63\00:41:14.44
Am I find this enjoyable?
00:41:14.47\00:41:16.34
Does this bring me joy?"
00:41:16.37\00:41:18.14
Well, this may be an
indication of your gift.
00:41:18.17\00:41:21.38
But don't confuse being
nervous--okay, that first time
00:41:21.41\00:41:24.91
everyone's going to be nervous,
or most people will be nervous
00:41:24.95\00:41:27.52
the first time
trying something new.
00:41:27.55\00:41:29.78
Don't confuse that with
the lack of satisfaction.
00:41:29.82\00:41:32.02
Sometimes you have
to insist a little bit.
00:41:32.05\00:41:33.66
Try it out, see how it goes.
00:41:33.69\00:41:36.79
And lastly, since the gifts
are used by the body of Christ,
00:41:36.83\00:41:42.56
await the
confirmation of the church.
00:41:42.60\00:41:44.83
Other Christians may recognize
gifts in you, gifts that you
00:41:44.87\00:41:48.04
have, and confirm
that we have this gift.
00:41:48.07\00:41:51.64
And so in this way, an
atmosphere of affirmation and of
00:41:51.67\00:41:55.08
confirmation must be
sustained in the church.
00:41:55.11\00:41:58.75
Members need to be
sincere in encouragement.
00:41:58.78\00:42:02.68
So encourage.
00:42:02.72\00:42:04.02
If you see perhaps a younger
youth in the church or even
00:42:04.05\00:42:06.99
someone that's a
bit older, encourage.
00:42:07.02\00:42:08.92
"Look, you're good at this.
00:42:08.96\00:42:10.29
I see you doing
this. I see you speaking.
00:42:10.33\00:42:12.46
You're a good
Sabbath School teacher.
00:42:12.49\00:42:13.83
You're a good greeter.
00:42:13.86\00:42:15.66
You have that--you know, a
way of well--a warmth of you."
00:42:15.70\00:42:18.87
Encourage people.
00:42:18.90\00:42:20.14
Tell them that they're good
at something because in that way
00:42:20.17\00:42:22.54
you're encouraging them to
become active participants in
00:42:22.57\00:42:25.74
the expansion of the kingdom.
00:42:25.77\00:42:27.18
Encourage people.
00:42:27.21\00:42:28.51
The church must provide
opportunities so that gifts may
00:42:28.54\00:42:31.58
be recognized and
placed into practice.
00:42:31.61\00:42:35.08
And in this context, we have the
parable of the talent where, you
00:42:35.12\00:42:38.99
know, one servant was given more
and one some and another one was
00:42:39.02\00:42:42.19
just given one talent.
00:42:42.22\00:42:44.53
Now, the moral here, the
lesson that we learned from this
00:42:44.56\00:42:47.50
parable--this is in Matthew
chapter 25, verse 14 through 30.
00:42:47.50\00:42:52.20
The lesson in this parable is
not about how many talents were
00:42:52.23\00:42:55.97
given, but about
how they were used.
00:42:56.00\00:42:59.21
And the lessons
is the more you use,
00:42:59.24\00:43:01.54
the more will be given unto you.
00:43:01.58\00:43:03.38
And if you just bury it, you
hide it and you don't use it,
00:43:03.41\00:43:06.15
even what you
have will be taken.
00:43:06.18\00:43:08.75
And in this way, we have
also what applies to the laws
00:43:08.78\00:43:12.22
of learning languages.
00:43:12.25\00:43:13.69
When you don't
use it, you lose it.
00:43:13.72\00:43:16.12
That's how it
works with God's gifts.
00:43:16.16\00:43:17.76
If I'm not using
it, I will lose it.
00:43:17.79\00:43:20.36
So, friend, use your gifts,
the gifts that God gives you.
00:43:20.40\00:43:24.17
So pray, keep your eyes open for
opportunities and possibilities.
00:43:24.20\00:43:29.30
Don't quit until you find out
where you belong, and even then
00:43:29.34\00:43:33.01
don't quit.
00:43:33.04\00:43:34.34
Continue going on.
00:43:34.38\00:43:36.08
You might feel afraid, nervous,
scared to use your gifts, scared
00:43:36.11\00:43:41.22
of failure, but remember what
the great hockey player Wayne
00:43:41.25\00:43:44.45
Gretzky once said.
00:43:44.49\00:43:46.09
"You miss all shots
that you don't take."
00:43:46.12\00:43:48.49
And that's true here.
00:43:48.52\00:43:49.86
You're going to miss all
the shots that you don't take.
00:43:49.89\00:43:52.09
Remember that the use of your
gift and the regular practice
00:43:52.13\00:43:55.60
may be the divine instrument to
develop you and grow you into a
00:43:55.63\00:44:00.30
mature Christian and grow
you into a part of the body of
00:44:00.34\00:44:03.37
Christ, the grown-up
part of the body of Christ.
00:44:03.41\00:44:06.31
You know, friends, before God,
all Christians find themselves
00:44:06.34\00:44:10.15
in the same position, a
priesthood to which we are
00:44:10.18\00:44:13.15
admitted at baptism.
00:44:13.18\00:44:14.68
And this is a reality that we
find in 1 Peter chapter 2, verse
00:44:14.72\00:44:18.12
9 that says, "But you are
a chosen generation, a royal
00:44:18.15\00:44:21.86
priesthood, a holy nation, His
own special people, that you may
00:44:21.89\00:44:26.63
proclaim these praises--or the
praises of Him who called you
00:44:26.66\00:44:30.10
out of the darkness
into His marvelous light."
00:44:30.13\00:44:33.47
You know, the term layman in the
context of the spiritual gifts
00:44:33.50\00:44:38.47
cannot be defined by the
dictionary, where the definition
00:44:38.51\00:44:42.18
is an uninformed, someone that
is not professional, someone
00:44:42.21\00:44:45.31
that, you know, is not really
good or not--doesn't know, is
00:44:45.35\00:44:48.52
not experienced in any given
talent or any given occupation.
00:44:48.55\00:44:52.95
The word layman cannot be
00:44:52.99\00:44:54.96
defined in this
context by the dictionary.
00:44:54.99\00:44:58.73
The definition has to come
from Scripture, from the Bible.
00:44:58.76\00:45:01.73
In the Bible, layman comes from
the Greek word--a technical word
00:45:01.76\00:45:05.50
called laos or laos, which
literally means the people of
00:45:05.53\00:45:09.60
God, the people of God.
00:45:09.64\00:45:11.81
A layman is a member of the
church of God; of the laos, the
00:45:11.84\00:45:15.88
people of God.
00:45:15.91\00:45:17.78
And in this sense, even
the pastors are laymen in God's
00:45:17.81\00:45:21.75
vineyard, but with
a different function.
00:45:21.78\00:45:24.39
They're part of
the people of God.
00:45:24.42\00:45:26.19
Look, for example,
00:45:26.22\00:45:27.56
what Sister White says in
"Gospel Workers" page 351.
00:45:27.59\00:45:30.29
She says, "The work of God in
this earth can never be finished
00:45:30.33\00:45:34.30
until the men and
women compromising our church
00:45:34.30\00:45:36.90
membership rally to the work and
unite their efforts with those
00:45:36.93\00:45:40.67
of the ministers
and church officers."
00:45:40.70\00:45:43.81
Look at what she says in
"Christian Service" page 68.
00:45:43.84\00:45:47.24
"The dissemination of the truth
of God is not confined to a few
00:45:47.28\00:45:51.51
ordained ministers.
00:45:51.55\00:45:53.18
The truth is to be scattered
by all who claim to be the
00:45:53.21\00:45:56.05
disciples of Christ.
00:45:56.08\00:45:57.72
It must be sown
beside all waters."
00:45:57.75\00:46:00.66
And finally, and
this one is even harsher.
00:46:00.69\00:46:04.19
This is in her
manuscript 151 of 1897.
00:46:04.23\00:46:07.60
It says, "The members of the
church are trained to rely--"
00:46:07.60\00:46:10.97
Unfortunately.
00:46:11.00\00:46:12.33
This is an unfortunate situation
which she is relaying to us.
00:46:12.37\00:46:15.37
"The members of the church are
trained to rely upon preaching,
00:46:15.40\00:46:18.97
and they do little for Christ.
00:46:19.01\00:46:21.11
They bear no fruit, but
rather increase in selfishness
00:46:21.14\00:46:24.81
and unfaithfulness.
00:46:24.85\00:46:26.31
They put their hope into
the preacher and depend upon his
00:46:26.35\00:46:29.48
efforts to keep
alive their weak faith."
00:46:29.52\00:46:33.92
Friends, this is so unfortunate.
00:46:33.96\00:46:35.79
My dear friends, missionary
witnessing, testifying doesn't
00:46:35.82\00:46:40.00
only bless the object to whom is
being ministered, but also the
00:46:40.03\00:46:44.00
subject of ministration.
00:46:44.03\00:46:46.50
When you witness of God, you're
not blessing only the person
00:46:46.53\00:46:49.10
you're witnessing to, but it
is a blessing to you; perhaps an
00:46:49.14\00:46:52.81
even greater blessing to
you that God is giving you.
00:46:52.84\00:46:58.35
Unfortunately, we live in the
time of spectators, in the time
00:46:58.38\00:47:02.48
of fans; seen in the secular
world where stadiums are packed
00:47:02.52\00:47:06.82
full of people to watch
football, sports events, or
00:47:06.86\00:47:10.09
baseball, or basketball, or to
shows--music shows or concerts,
00:47:10.13\00:47:14.56
and we live in that culture.
00:47:14.60\00:47:16.20
That's just part of our culture
today where practically the
00:47:16.23\00:47:21.57
totality of the people in these
huge place just sit by observing
00:47:21.60\00:47:26.68
a few perform while they
themselves are limited to
00:47:26.71\00:47:30.18
sitting,
watching, and applauding.
00:47:30.21\00:47:34.08
This era of spectators--this
time that we live in is invading
00:47:34.12\00:47:38.62
our homes where millions of
people are dependent on the TV,
00:47:38.65\00:47:43.22
on the internet, on social media
platforms, numbed and seduced by
00:47:43.26\00:47:49.23
these shiny fantasies.
00:47:49.26\00:47:51.17
And what's worse, this mentality
threatens the very church where
00:47:51.20\00:47:56.20
a few perform--a few people
are up there performing and many
00:47:56.24\00:48:00.64
become--have become nothing
more than fans for Jesus.
00:48:00.68\00:48:04.25
Friends, Jesus
does not need fans.
00:48:04.28\00:48:08.45
Jesus wants disciples.
00:48:08.48\00:48:10.49
He wants witnesses.
00:48:10.52\00:48:12.99
The church doesn't have a stage;
it has an altar where we come
00:48:13.02\00:48:17.53
with the gift of who we are.
00:48:17.56\00:48:19.89
You know, in the midst of
the medieval Protestant reform,
00:48:19.93\00:48:24.87
Martin Luther rediscovered a
very important truth, that each
00:48:24.90\00:48:28.64
Christian is a priest
and has an offering to offer.
00:48:28.67\00:48:32.97
And this offering in
his case was not mass.
00:48:33.01\00:48:36.11
In our case, it can be whatever
we can substitute for that mass,
00:48:36.14\00:48:40.18
whatever people
place in the place of that.
00:48:40.22\00:48:43.22
No.
00:48:43.25\00:48:44.99
The offering that we have to
offer is the dedication of him
00:48:45.02\00:48:47.72
or herself in
obedience and service.
00:48:47.76\00:48:51.03
Each Christian has the duty, has
the responsibility of sharing
00:48:51.06\00:48:55.00
with others the gospel
that they have received.
00:48:55.03\00:48:57.13
And you know that the root of
the word responsibility is the
00:48:57.17\00:49:00.07
ability of response, our ability
to act and react to what God has
00:49:00.10\00:49:05.37
called us to do and what He
has revealed His will to be.
00:49:05.41\00:49:09.38
The Adventist movement has
00:49:09.41\00:49:11.08
historically gone
through some phases.
00:49:11.11\00:49:13.11
I mean, you look at it, we find
the first phase of the pioneers,
00:49:13.15\00:49:15.88
that they were, you know,
taking the message forward.
00:49:15.92\00:49:18.52
We have the period of
consolidation, we have the
00:49:18.55\00:49:21.06
period of expansion, and
finally, nowadays we find
00:49:21.09\00:49:23.89
ourselves in the
period of challenge.
00:49:23.93\00:49:26.09
And what is our
greatest challenge?
00:49:26.13\00:49:28.00
Involving as many people
as possible in ministry, not
00:49:28.03\00:49:32.27
allowing that Jesus's Great
Commission becomes his great
00:49:32.30\00:49:36.57
omission where
people become lukewarm.
00:49:36.60\00:49:42.41
They become just nothing, fans
just observing, just looking.
00:49:42.44\00:49:47.38
So, my dear friend, I truly
hope that when it comes to your
00:49:47.42\00:49:51.65
witnessing and your message that
you have to spread, that God may
00:49:51.69\00:49:55.69
use you, that He may bless you,
that He may reveal to you His
00:49:55.72\00:50:00.53
gifts or the gifts that He
has for you, that you may be a
00:50:00.56\00:50:03.40
faithful servant
using your gifts for God.
00:50:03.43\00:50:05.87
That was our
"Sabbath School Study Hour."
00:50:05.90\00:50:08.34
Please do not forget.
00:50:08.37\00:50:09.94
If you want this booklet, "Life
in the Ministry," you can call
00:50:09.97\00:50:12.91
the number 866-788-3966 or you
00:50:12.94\00:50:18.01
can send a text
for a digital download.
00:50:18.05\00:50:22.95
May God bless you.
00:50:22.98\00:50:24.22
May He be with you, and we hope
to see you again here next week
00:50:24.25\00:50:26.52
for another study of
the Sabbath School lesson.
00:50:26.55\00:50:28.09
May God be with you.
00:50:28.12\00:50:29.46
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:50:31.86\00:50:34.03
free resource.
00:50:34.10\00:50:35.53
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:50:35.56\00:50:37.73
download a digital copy
straight to your computer or
00:50:37.77\00:50:40.20
mobile device.
00:50:40.24\00:50:41.54
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:50:41.57\00:50:45.27
the keyword on your screen to
40544 or visit the web address
00:50:45.31\00:50:49.54
shown on your screen, and
be sure to select a digital
00:50:49.58\00:50:52.81
download option
on the request page.
00:50:52.85\00:50:55.15
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:50:55.18\00:50:58.22
Amazing Facts wherever and
whenever you want, and most
00:50:58.25\00:51:01.69
important, to
share it with others.
00:51:01.72\00:51:04.36
announcer: Amazing
Facts changed lives.
00:51:08.70\00:51:11.63
Charlie Greene: My
life was in turmoil.
00:51:16.40\00:51:18.74
My wife and I were
fighting all the time.
00:51:18.77\00:51:20.84
I got away from
everything and everybody.
00:51:20.88\00:51:23.48
I don't know, it just--I always
had this emptiness in my heart,
00:51:23.51\00:51:26.92
that I wanted filled.
00:51:26.95\00:51:28.55
I just felt like I went my whole
life, you know, just searching
00:51:28.58\00:51:30.82
for something.
00:51:30.85\00:51:33.39
My father died, and
that ruined me a lot.
00:51:33.42\00:51:36.39
My father didn't
believe in suicide.
00:51:36.42\00:51:39.33
I didn't want to live, but
rather than disrespect him I
00:51:39.36\00:51:42.46
decided I would just become so
mean and someone else would do
00:51:42.50\00:51:45.10
it to me and I wouldn't have to.
00:51:45.13\00:51:46.63
So I joined the army thinking,
"What better place to get killed
00:51:46.67\00:51:49.44
than in the army."
00:51:49.47\00:51:50.77
And while I was in the
army, my daughter got injured.
00:51:50.81\00:51:53.58
She was in an accident, and
she was blind and paraplegic,
00:51:53.61\00:51:59.28
and--it's just like I
felt the whole world was coming
00:51:59.31\00:52:02.22
down on me.
00:52:02.25\00:52:03.55
One morning I just really
got mad and I gave God a cussing
00:52:03.59\00:52:07.09
like you wouldn't believe.
00:52:07.12\00:52:08.92
I said, "I'm not Moses.
00:52:08.96\00:52:10.36
I'm not Abraham.
00:52:10.39\00:52:11.83
You know, I don't--but I put
my sandals on just like they did
00:52:11.86\00:52:15.36
and I'm a man.
00:52:15.40\00:52:16.77
I don't want to know
why this is happening to me,
00:52:16.80\00:52:18.97
I just want to know that
it's happening for a reason.
00:52:19.00\00:52:22.30
If you tell me right now that
this is all for a reason and you
00:52:22.34\00:52:25.11
can stack on me from
here to the end of time,
00:52:25.14\00:52:28.64
and I will
never complain again."
00:52:28.68\00:52:31.91
And that little TV came on.
00:52:31.95\00:52:34.42
It had been sitting there
just static all night long, and
00:52:34.45\00:52:37.59
there's this minister when
he pops up and he says, "Today's
00:52:37.62\00:52:40.76
lesson is from the Book of Job.
00:52:40.79\00:52:42.39
God only lets those
suffer that he loves the most."
00:52:42.42\00:52:45.63
And I said, "Well,
that's all you had to say, Lord.
00:52:45.66\00:52:47.30
I appreciate it."
00:52:47.36\00:52:48.63
From that day forward, I knew
that he was there and he was in
00:52:48.66\00:52:51.40
my life and that
he would help me.
00:52:51.43\00:52:55.04
I went to prison just
almost immediately after that.
00:52:55.07\00:52:59.01
I was in prison
for aggravated assault.
00:52:59.04\00:53:01.18
I was in one of the worst
00:53:01.21\00:53:02.88
prisons in the
state of Tennessee.
00:53:02.91\00:53:04.45
It was full of gang activity.
00:53:04.48\00:53:06.88
I got my throat
cut; 52 stitches.
00:53:06.92\00:53:10.69
My neck, I could take
those fingers and stick them all
00:53:10.72\00:53:12.79
through my mouth.
00:53:12.82\00:53:14.56
I'd gone to the library that day
because it was really about the
00:53:14.59\00:53:17.93
only thing to do when I ran
across this little book called
00:53:17.96\00:53:21.00
"The Richest Caveman."
00:53:21.03\00:53:22.80
This book is
hilarious, but it is great.
00:53:22.83\00:53:26.33
I'm sitting there with this big
beard I'm thinking, "Hey, I know
00:53:26.37\00:53:28.67
what it's like to
look like a caveman."
00:53:28.70\00:53:30.34
I'm not an educated
person, I guess you'd say,
00:53:30.37\00:53:33.98
but I'm a simple guy.
00:53:34.01\00:53:35.64
I'm just really a simple guy.
00:53:35.68\00:53:37.41
That's what I loved about Doug
Batchelor because this guy is
00:53:37.45\00:53:41.78
just straight
out as you can get.
00:53:41.82\00:53:44.65
And my wife and I, we've kept
contact through all these years
00:53:44.69\00:53:48.69
and so much is going on.
00:53:48.72\00:53:53.06
And I told her, I said, "Listen,
00:53:53.09\00:53:54.93
this is the center
of my world right now."
00:53:54.96\00:53:58.73
And I said, "I really want you
to be involved in it with me.
00:53:58.77\00:54:01.44
I need it."
00:54:01.47\00:54:02.97
And I said, "You will too if
you ever just take hold of it."
00:54:03.00\00:54:06.21
I told my wife, I said, "Listen,
I've got this Amazing Facts
00:54:06.24\00:54:08.94
Bible study going here, and this
is the best way for you to get
00:54:08.98\00:54:13.38
this information, I think," I
said, "because it's broken down
00:54:13.42\00:54:18.05
and they give you
questions and--to make you look
00:54:18.09\00:54:24.39
for these things, you know.
00:54:24.43\00:54:26.03
So it's not anyone telling
you, you find it on your own.
00:54:26.06\00:54:29.03
And they teach you
actually to use the Bible."
00:54:29.06\00:54:31.80
She was there faithfully every
Wednesday until we decided, you
00:54:31.83\00:54:36.24
know--she wanted
to be baptized also.
00:54:36.27\00:54:39.77
She saw coming around.
00:54:39.81\00:54:41.64
The choice was made.
00:54:41.68\00:54:43.68
In October 4th, 2014, my wife
and I were baptized in the water
00:54:43.71\00:54:49.22
at the same time and we
started our walk together,
00:54:49.25\00:54:55.09
I guess you'd say.
00:54:55.12\00:54:56.62
I went through everything that
a man could possibly go through,
00:54:56.66\00:55:00.16
I guess; from marital trouble,
loss of family members, death in
00:55:00.20\00:55:05.97
my family, my
children were harmed.
00:55:06.00\00:55:09.07
And my daughter is
handicapped for life.
00:55:09.10\00:55:12.24
I went to prison, but still
I kept my word to God that He
00:55:12.27\00:55:17.88
could stack it on me as much as
He wanted and I'd never question
00:55:17.91\00:55:21.35
Him again, and I didn't.
00:55:21.38\00:55:23.82
But I can say this much.
00:55:23.85\00:55:25.89
He never put nothing on me that
I couldn't handle, and He walked
00:55:25.92\00:55:29.92
with me through it all.
00:55:29.96\00:55:31.93
And I'd like to say that anyone
00:55:31.96\00:55:33.83
who is in prison not to give up.
00:55:33.86\00:55:38.53
Don't lose hope.
00:55:38.57\00:55:40.24
Put your faith in
the Lord and study,
00:55:40.27\00:55:43.71
and seek Him and
He will seek you.
00:55:43.74\00:55:45.64
My name is Charlie Greene, and
I want you to know that you and
00:55:45.67\00:55:48.91
Amazing Facts
have changed my life.
00:55:48.94\00:55:52.08
¤¤¤
00:55:58.52\00:56:01.62
¤¤¤
00:56:06.59\00:56:08.76
Doug Batchelor: On several
occasions, scientists have
00:56:14.67\00:56:16.81
demonstrated that people and
even creatures can struggle with
00:56:16.84\00:56:20.21
depression when
exposed to continual darkness.
00:56:20.24\00:56:23.68
This can be seen every year in
00:56:23.71\00:56:25.81
the winter months
in the Arctic regions.
00:56:25.85\00:56:28.42
The beautiful village of Rjukan,
Norway is situated in a deep
00:56:28.45\00:56:31.85
valley where mountains block the
00:56:31.89\00:56:33.82
sun's rays for
about 6 months every year.
00:56:33.86\00:56:36.49
This, of course, keeps the 3,400
residents in a state of shade
00:56:36.52\00:56:40.76
and sometimes depressing
darkness throughout the winter.
00:56:40.80\00:56:43.80
Then the town leaders got a
bright idea to help illuminate
00:56:43.83\00:56:47.14
their village
during the murky months.
00:56:47.17\00:56:49.80
In October 2013, Rjukan
installed an array of three
00:56:49.84\00:56:54.78
gigantic 550 square foot mirrors
00:56:54.81\00:56:57.95
on a nearby mountain
1,000 feet above the town.
00:56:57.98\00:57:02.15
The computer-controlled and
solar-powered mirrors track the
00:57:02.18\00:57:05.72
sun through the winter months
and reflect a giant beam of
00:57:05.75\00:57:09.12
sunshine down to the town
square, brightening their lives.
00:57:09.16\00:57:14.10
If you visit Rjukan in the
winter months today, you can
00:57:14.13\00:57:16.87
often see the people gathered
or sitting on benches around the
00:57:16.90\00:57:19.87
town square bathing in
the reflected sunshine.
00:57:19.90\00:57:24.04
Like those mirrors on the
mountain, the Bible says that
00:57:24.07\00:57:27.04
Christians are to reflect the
light of Jesus, who is the light
00:57:27.08\00:57:29.81
of the world,
into this dark planet.
00:57:29.84\00:57:32.25
Matthew 5:14 says, "You
are the light of the world.
00:57:32.28\00:57:35.98
A city that is set on
a hill cannot be hidden.
00:57:36.02\00:57:38.49
Nor do we light a lamp and
put it under a basket, but on a
00:57:38.52\00:57:41.69
lampstand and it illuminates
everybody in the house.
00:57:41.72\00:57:45.49
Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good
00:57:45.53\00:57:48.83
works and glorify
your Father in heaven."
00:57:48.86\00:57:51.93
So, friends, use today to
brighten the life of someone
00:57:51.97\00:57:55.00
else by reflecting Jesus.
00:57:55.04\00:57:57.41
¤¤¤
00:57:58.01\00:58:03.75
¤¤¤
00:58:07.28\00:58:16.49
¤¤¤
00:58:20.76\00:58:26.43