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Shawn Brummund: Good morning,
and welcome to another edition
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of the "Sabbath
School Study Hour."
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We are just so glad that you
have decided to join us here,
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as we have come together on this
beautiful Sabbath morning here
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in Roseville,
Sacramento, California.
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It has been sunny and rain-free
for the last several months.
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We've been struggling, as many
of you know across the nation,
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we have been struggling
with some of the most serious,
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far-reaching fires
that we've ever had before,
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and now we have some rain.
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So we're very thankful
for a little bit of rain,
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and we trust that that will
be the start of some much-needed
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rain here in this
part of the country.
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We're just so glad
again that you have joined us,
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both our online members that
had continued to join us from
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Sabbath to
Sabbath across the nation,
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of course, our local church
members that are joining us,
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we know that we
all miss each other.
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I certainly miss teaching the
Sabbath School Study Hour with
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my local church family, but I am
blessed and thankful to be able
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to be here in the local
studio of the Amazing Facts
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headquarters and still be able
to worship and study with you
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even if it's on a virtual basis.
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So especially good morning
to all our local church members,
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friends here locally
that attend our church,
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and, of course, we're always
thankful for all the different
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friends that join us
from around the world,
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both through the Internet,
as well as through the various
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satellite television networks.
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We are continuing to
study a very important subject
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on Christian education.
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In light of the
Bible today is "The Church
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and Christian Education."
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And so this is no small subject.
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It's a very important one for us
to consider as a church and what
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are the counsels
that God has for us.
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Before we get into our
study, we open it with prayer.
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I want to invite all of you
to take advantage of a free book
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offer that we
have here this morning.
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It's written by Pastor Joe
Crews, "Why God Said Remember."
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Now, friends,
this is a great read.
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I remember
reading it in years past.
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It helped answer some very
important questions that many
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thinking-Christians are
asking in regards to the fourth
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commandment and the Sabbath.
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And so if you would like a
copy of this and you live in the
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United States, just go
ahead and dial 1-866-788-3966.
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Again, that's 1-866-788-3966.
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I believe we'll
have it on the screen.
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And when you call that
number, just ask for Free
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Offer Number 185.
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Perhaps you'd rather have a
digital copy of this--you can
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text to the number 40544,
and in the actual message box,
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you'll want to put "SH129."
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Now, when you do that, there'll
be an automatic response.
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We'll give you a free digital
download of this particular free
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offer, so please take advantage
of that as you continue to study
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and grow in the knowledge
of that important topic.
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Let's pray.
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Father in heaven, this
morning, we are thankful for the
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opportunity to be able to study.
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God, I am just so grateful that
You have given us Your Bible.
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We thank You for Your love and
Your personal offer for us to be
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able to have a personal, saving
relationship with You through
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Your Son Jesus Christ.
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God, this morning, we want
to pray that You will bless us,
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that You will keep us,
that, Father in heaven,
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the time that we spend
will be well invested and that,
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God, Your Holy Spirit
will do His special work,
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His vital work in leading and
guiding us and teaching us all
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truth and bringing to
remembrance all things that
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which You have taught us.
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And so, Father, we
claim Your promise.
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We claim Your
offer. We ask for it now.
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In Jesus's name we
pray these things, amen.
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Well, as many of you know,
2,000 years ago, Jesus died
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on a cross for the sin and
the guilt of all of humanity.
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And as many of you also
know, Jesus rose to glory
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some-three days later.
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And shortly
after He rose to glory,
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He appeared to His disciples off
and on at different times in the
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city of Jerusalem, and then,
as the Gospel records tell us,
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Jesus also then met His
disciples back in His home
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country of northern Israel
in the land of Galilee at a very
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specific mountain that He had
pointed them to as their meeting
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place, right
beside the Sea of Galilee.
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And the Bible tells us in the
last verses of Matthew chapter
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28, that, when the disciples
saw them, they worshiped Him,
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even though some were
still struggling with doubt.
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And then it tells us that
Jesus came to them and spoke,
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saying, "All
authority has been given to Me,
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both in heaven and on
earth, and go therefore,
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and make disciples
of all the nations,
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baptizing them in
the name of the Father,
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and the name of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit,
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teaching them to observe all
things in which I've commanded
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you, and lo, I
am with you always,
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even to the end of the age."
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And so, many of us
are familiar with that.
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If you haven't
memorized it as a Christian,
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as a believer, friends, I
want to encourage you to be
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able to memorize that.
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Write it upon your heart.
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Friends, the elements of that
is the Great Commission that God
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has given to the church,
starting with those first
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apostles and
disciples of Jesus Christ.
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You see, friends, the context
of that is that Jesus was now
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wrapping up His
earthly ministry,
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just before He ascended
to His Father in heaven.
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For the last
three and a half years,
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Jesus, in a very powerful
way, was the most masterful,
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most powerful teacher
that Israel had ever known.
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In fact, there's a statement
that is written by one of my
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favorite authors by far,
by the name of Ellen White,
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and she makes this very clear,
succinct comment when she says
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that "Christ was
the greatest educator
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that the world ever knew."
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Now, friends, I
hope that you could say
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amen to that because
I know that it is true,
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and Jesus gives us more than
enough evidence to be able to
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demonstrate that that is true.
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And, of course, being an
educator is what we're looking
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at in this particular quarterly.
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We're looking at
Christian education,
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and so we want to look at
it in the light of the greatest
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educator that ever
lived on this planet,
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and again, that is
Jesus Christ Himself.
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Now, even as Jesus is the--was
the greatest educator that the
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world had ever knew while He
was here in this earthly life,
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of course, Jesus also told
us, just hours before He was
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crucified, that, indeed, He
would still be with us and still
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be our most important educator.
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How would that be?
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Well, He told us in that last
speech that He shared with His
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disciples that, indeed, He
would send another Comforter,
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another Helper that would
be with us in the same capacity
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that Jesus was physically with
His first disciples and apostles
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on this planet in Israel.
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In John Chapter 14, in verse 26,
Jesus put it like this: He said,
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"But the Helper, the
Holy Spirit, whom the Father
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will send in My name, He
will teach you all things and
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bring to your remembrance
all things that I said to you."
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And so, friends, we find here
that Jesus tells us that the
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Holy Spirit
would be sent by Jesus.
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Jesus very clearly, in that
chapter, said in different ways
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that, "If you have the
Holy Spirit, you have Me.
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I will not leave you
orphans," Jesus says.
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"I will come to you."
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And, again, in the
verses before that statement,
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as well as the verses after that
statement, Jesus clarified that
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He would do that through
the person of the Holy Spirit.
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And so, friends, we
are blessed, and we are
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privileged to be
able to remember that.
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I hope that you do
remember that as we continue
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on in our Christian experience.
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And so coming back to
Jesus wrapping up His earthly
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ministry, it is true that He had
12 key students that He called
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"apostles," but the Bible record
also tells us that there were
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approximately 120 disciples
in total that were bona fide
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followers and
students of Jesus Christ.
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And so Jesus
wraps up His ministry.
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He has 12 apostolic leaders,
but He has a group of about 120
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followers and students that had
been studying with Him either
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for the full three and a half
years or a segment of that time
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in which He had been teaching,
preaching, and leading.
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And so now that His
work on earth is done,
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He commissions the newborn
church to carry out that vital
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work in which we found in
the Great Commission of Matthew
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chapter 28, "Teach them."
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Who's the "them,"
friends? "Teach them."
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Well, these are
the new disciples.
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These are the new believers
that Jesus has called us
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to make in all the nations.
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Jesus says, "Teach them to
observe all things in which I
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have commanded you."
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And so Jesus, in the
Great Gospel Commission,
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tells us that
the church is to be a
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place of education,
Christian education.
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And, indeed, this is part
of the discipleship program,
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the discipleship plan that Jesus
played out during His life,
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and He modeled for us as
Christians and as a church,
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and so it's important for us
to be able to understand that.
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And so the question
is asked, "How has the
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church fulfilled
this commission?"
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Well, we preach
on a regular basis,
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so we have lots of public
preaching that is taking place
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in thousands and tens of
thousands of places of worship
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around the world, even today.
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And, friends, we've
been doing that for decades.
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The Christian
church, in general,
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has been doing
that for centuries.
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And so, indeed, the church has
fulfilled this commission and
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command by Jesus
through public preaching,
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but not only that but that we've
also--are conducting thousands
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and tens of thousands
of Sabbath school classes,
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even right now, today,
across this great world.
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We offer prayer meetings,
small group Bible studies,
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one-on-one Bible studies.
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Friends, there are millions
of printed pages and published
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books and articles and magazines
in which is continuing to
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educate people and helping them
to observe all things in which
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Jesus has brought to the church.
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We also have radio.
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We continue to also
educate through television,
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through the
Internet, through satellite,
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and, of course, we also educate
through our church schools,
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our church academies, our
colleges, our universities.
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Friends, all of this is some of
the most vital activities that
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we have and that God has led
us to be able to participate in
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in order to fulfill
that Great Commission
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that God has given to us.
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And that's what
we're looking at this week,
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the church and
Christian education.
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What is the church's
role in that education?
00:11:04.39\00:11:08.20
And so that's what
we're opening up here today.
00:11:08.23\00:11:11.30
Well, what is the
key or most important
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textbook in Christian education?
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When you think of Christian
education, whether it's in our
00:11:14.84\00:11:16.67
academies,
colleges, universities, in our
00:11:16.71\00:11:19.01
local church building
and congregation, what is
00:11:19.04\00:11:22.24
the most important and
key textbook that we have?
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Well, I hope you also all
answered with the same single
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answer, and that
is the Holy Bible.
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Again, coming back to my
favorite author by the name of
00:11:34.09\00:11:36.49
Ellen White, she
says, "As an educator,
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the Holy
Scriptures are without rival."
00:11:39.69\00:11:42.73
I'll read that one
more time: "As an educator,
00:11:42.76\00:11:45.30
the Holy
Scriptures are without rival."
00:11:45.33\00:11:48.87
In other words, there's nothing
that comes close to being the
00:11:48.90\00:11:52.31
most effective, most important
fundamental and primary educator
00:11:52.34\00:11:56.71
than that of the Holy
Scriptures, of the Holy Bible.
00:11:56.75\00:12:01.02
Now, friends, this may seem like
a very elementary question and
00:12:01.05\00:12:03.75
answer for me to
bring to you as Christians.
00:12:03.79\00:12:06.09
Many of you are
saying, "Well, that's kind
00:12:06.12\00:12:07.69
of a no-brainer, Pastor."
00:12:07.72\00:12:10.16
And yet, I think it
is worth asking because,
00:12:10.19\00:12:12.53
friends, I've studied
in Christian colleges,
00:12:12.56\00:12:15.00
and, friends, I have to admit,
I have to--it's sad to say that,
00:12:15.03\00:12:19.80
I would say that there was
more than one of my teachers,
00:12:19.83\00:12:23.04
not all by far, but there
was more than one of my teachers
00:12:23.07\00:12:25.91
that I believe lost sight
of that fundamental truth,
00:12:25.94\00:12:29.28
and so, friends, I think it's
important for us to come back to
00:12:29.31\00:12:33.05
it and ask that question.
00:12:33.08\00:12:34.42
For some of us, it
may be very obvious.
00:12:34.45\00:12:36.32
For some of us, it may be God
challenging us and inviting us
00:12:36.35\00:12:39.15
back to the most
important textbook that we have.
00:12:39.19\00:12:43.39
This is book
number one when it comes
00:12:43.43\00:12:46.29
to true Christian education.
00:12:46.33\00:12:50.20
Now, friends, I wish I could
say that it was only in our
00:12:50.23\00:12:52.23
colleges, but, friends, I've
also sat in some of our churches
00:12:52.27\00:12:55.17
in the--over the years, and I've
listened to some of our pastors,
00:12:55.20\00:12:59.24
and again, I'm not
saying that this represents all
00:12:59.27\00:13:01.58
pastors--not by any means.
00:13:01.61\00:13:03.45
But I've listened to more than
one pastor on a Sabbath morning
00:13:03.48\00:13:06.25
behind the pulpit, and I
hear everything but the Bible.
00:13:06.28\00:13:09.75
And, friends, that
tells me that, again,
00:13:09.78\00:13:11.79
that somehow along the way,
00:13:11.82\00:13:14.16
somehow along those years in
which that minister or pastor
00:13:14.19\00:13:17.39
was preaching and
working for the Lord,
00:13:17.43\00:13:19.79
they have lost sight of that
primary answer and the important
00:13:19.83\00:13:23.77
question that I asked, "What is
the most important and primary
00:13:23.80\00:13:26.87
textbook for
Christian education?"
00:13:26.90\00:13:30.74
And so, again, it may be
very elementary for some of us,
00:13:30.77\00:13:33.11
but for some of us, I think that
it is something that we need to
00:13:33.14\00:13:35.81
readdress in
regards to our ministry,
00:13:35.84\00:13:39.15
whether we're a school teacher,
whether we're a Sabbath school
00:13:39.18\00:13:41.62
teacher, whether we're a
college or university professor,
00:13:41.65\00:13:45.69
whether we're a pastor.
00:13:45.72\00:13:49.62
The Bible says it
best concerning itself,
00:13:49.66\00:13:51.69
and we find that in 2
Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16.
00:13:51.73\00:13:55.63
Many of us, again,
are familiar with it,
00:13:55.66\00:13:57.27
but it's something that I
think is worth revisiting,
00:13:57.30\00:13:59.53
and for some of us
reading for the first time.
00:13:59.57\00:14:01.54
And so if you've never
read 2 Timothy chapter 3
00:14:01.57\00:14:04.94
and verse 16, please turn in
your Bibles with me as we look
00:14:04.97\00:14:08.44
at that in--vital description
that the Bible says concerning
00:14:08.48\00:14:13.65
itself and its
purpose as an educator.
00:14:13.68\00:14:17.42
And for those of you who studied
with us last week with Pastor
00:14:17.45\00:14:20.36
Rodor, we looked at
that text in another context,
00:14:20.39\00:14:22.69
and certainly it is
worth revisiting in this
00:14:22.72\00:14:24.86
particular subject as well.
00:14:24.89\00:14:27.46
And so, again, 2
Timothy 3:16, it says,
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.80
"All Scripture is
given of inspiration of God,
00:14:29.83\00:14:34.47
and it is profitable--"
profitable for what?
00:14:34.50\00:14:36.71
In other words, there
is great benefit to it.
00:14:36.74\00:14:38.91
What is the profit that comes
from the inspiration of the
00:14:38.94\00:14:42.54
inspired Scriptures that God has
given to us in the Holy Bible?
00:14:42.58\00:14:46.08
Well, it is for doctrine.
00:14:46.11\00:14:48.45
Well, then we ask the
question, what is doctrine?
00:14:48.48\00:14:50.25
You know, before I was
a Christian, I started to
00:14:50.29\00:14:51.75
study the Bible, I'd never
heard of the word "doctrine."
00:14:51.79\00:14:53.76
We don't use
that on the streets,
00:14:53.79\00:14:56.06
but yet, friends, it is a vital
word that we need understand.
00:14:56.09\00:14:59.46
What is doctrine?
00:14:59.49\00:15:00.86
Well, doctrine is religious
teachings of truth, and so the
00:15:00.90\00:15:06.60
Holy Scriptures of God,
given by God, is profitable for
00:15:06.63\00:15:09.60
teaching true
religious principles and truths.
00:15:09.64\00:15:15.41
It is also given
to us to benefit us in
00:15:15.44\00:15:18.25
giving us reproof at times.
00:15:18.28\00:15:19.98
Sometimes we need to be able to
smart-up in different areas of
00:15:20.02\00:15:22.78
our life in which we are
involving ourselves or not
00:15:22.82\00:15:28.09
involving ourselves
in things that we should
00:15:28.12\00:15:29.99
be or shouldn't be doing.
00:15:30.03\00:15:31.99
It's also given to
for our correction.
00:15:32.03\00:15:33.66
Every time I used to
read that, I used to think,
00:15:33.70\00:15:35.30
well, that is also
kind of like "reproof."
00:15:35.33\00:15:36.63
Its correcting
where I'm going wrong.
00:15:36.67\00:15:38.67
But, friends, I also believe
that this is also there to
00:15:38.70\00:15:40.90
correct us in
regards to our opinions,
00:15:40.94\00:15:43.67
our world views, our
theologies, our theories.
00:15:43.71\00:15:47.58
In other words, when
we come to the Holy Bible,
00:15:47.61\00:15:49.58
it is profitable to correct
different theologies that we
00:15:49.61\00:15:52.71
assumed were the truth, perhaps
even we were taught in our
00:15:52.75\00:15:55.88
religious
institutions was the truth.
00:15:55.92\00:15:57.99
Perhaps our
parents believed them,
00:15:58.02\00:15:59.42
and we understood
them to be the truth,
00:15:59.45\00:16:01.59
but then God
comes through His Word,
00:16:01.62\00:16:03.63
and He corrects us
in concern to that.
00:16:03.66\00:16:06.86
This is part of
Christian education as well.
00:16:06.90\00:16:09.03
And so, again, "The
Bible is given for our profit,
00:16:09.06\00:16:12.07
both in religious
teachings of truth for reproof,
00:16:12.10\00:16:15.20
for correction, and
then also for instruction."
00:16:15.24\00:16:19.71
Friends, that sounds a whole lot
like a classroom, doesn't it?
00:16:19.74\00:16:22.44
Okay, I come to the
classroom when I went to school,
00:16:22.48\00:16:25.18
in high school, college,
for instruction from my teacher,
00:16:25.21\00:16:29.02
and, in this case, it's
instruction in righteousness.
00:16:29.05\00:16:33.19
In other words, it's there to
be able to show us what is that
00:16:33.22\00:16:35.76
narrow way, what is that pathway
that Jesus said He came to give
00:16:35.79\00:16:40.20
us that we might have abundant
life, that we might increase
00:16:40.23\00:16:43.70
the quality of our
life and our experience.
00:16:43.73\00:16:47.00
And so it is there for giving
us instruction in righteousness,
00:16:47.04\00:16:50.31
"That the man," and of course,
also the woman," of God may be
00:16:50.34\00:16:53.01
complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work."
00:16:53.04\00:16:56.51
In other words, the Bible is the
number one source for us to be
00:16:56.54\00:16:59.28
complete in our
education and as people.
00:16:59.31\00:17:03.15
That's very important for
us to understand, friends.
00:17:03.18\00:17:06.25
It makes us complete--what?
00:17:06.29\00:17:08.26
For what is the end
of that completeness,
00:17:08.29\00:17:10.39
what is the end
of that education,
00:17:10.43\00:17:12.99
and it ends with that key word,
which is--or two words we could
00:17:13.03\00:17:16.83
say, for every "good work."
00:17:16.87\00:17:19.87
And so God tells us
what good works are.
00:17:19.90\00:17:22.94
And then, friends, work
means action, doesn't it?
00:17:22.97\00:17:25.51
And so it tells us then that,
once we receive that and as we
00:17:25.54\00:17:28.04
continue to receive that
instruction that comes from the
00:17:28.08\00:17:30.65
Holy Bible, then, friends, it
is at that point then we go out,
00:17:30.68\00:17:34.32
and we apply those things
in which we have received.
00:17:34.35\00:17:37.45
And this is the good
works that God has given to us.
00:17:37.49\00:17:41.36
How we work in life for
the benefit of ourselves,
00:17:41.39\00:17:43.69
for our families, for
mankind, it's all found
00:17:43.73\00:17:46.26
first and foremost here.
00:17:46.29\00:17:47.96
Now, yes, of course, we still
have science and biology and
00:17:47.96\00:17:51.27
physics class and
English class, history,
00:17:51.30\00:17:54.90
all of these wonderful and
important subjects that we find
00:17:54.94\00:17:58.07
in our education, all based
primarily and reflecting though
00:17:58.11\00:18:02.58
upon the foundation,
which is the Holy Bible of God.
00:18:02.61\00:18:11.09
Well, not only that, but the
Bible also expands your mind,
00:18:11.12\00:18:14.19
and therefore, it makes you more
intellectually capable towards
00:18:14.22\00:18:17.29
all areas of your life.
00:18:17.33\00:18:19.49
And when I say, "all areas,"
I mean all areas of life,
00:18:19.53\00:18:22.76
whether you're banking
or whether you're shopping,
00:18:22.80\00:18:25.00
you're making a decision of what
car to buy or whether you're
00:18:25.03\00:18:27.50
making a
decision on who to marry,
00:18:27.54\00:18:29.34
whatever it is, friends, the
more that you apply your mind to
00:18:29.37\00:18:33.51
the Bible, the more it expands
your minds and makes you more
00:18:33.54\00:18:36.58
intellectually capable to be
able to apply yourselves in a
00:18:36.61\00:18:39.85
more successful way
in all areas of life.
00:18:39.88\00:18:43.55
And so, friends, the Bible is
pointing us to these things for
00:18:43.59\00:18:46.39
a very practical
benefit, not only for us,
00:18:46.42\00:18:49.06
of course, but as the principle
of heaven is that we are there
00:18:49.09\00:18:52.43
to be a blessing to all those
around us at the same time.
00:18:52.46\00:18:58.27
I want to share with
you a quote again--and,
00:18:58.30\00:18:59.77
by the way, all the
quotes, including this one,
00:18:59.80\00:19:01.24
is coming from one
of my favorite books
00:19:01.27\00:19:02.80
that I'm just
reading through now.
00:19:02.84\00:19:04.14
It's called "Messages to Young
People," and this particular
00:19:04.17\00:19:09.21
quote says this: "The mind
will enlarge if it is employed,"
00:19:09.24\00:19:15.28
meaning if it is worked, "in
tracing out the relation of the
00:19:15.32\00:19:18.35
subjects of the Bible, comparing
Scripture with Scripture,
00:19:18.39\00:19:22.99
spiritual things
with spiritual," and so,
00:19:23.02\00:19:27.36
friends,
enlarging your mind--today,
00:19:27.40\00:19:29.23
we would probably use
the word more, "expand."
00:19:29.26\00:19:31.47
It expands your mind.
00:19:31.50\00:19:33.74
It expands your intellect when
you put subject upon subject,
00:19:33.77\00:19:37.84
"Here a little, there a little,"
as a prophet Isaiah said,
00:19:37.87\00:19:40.54
"Line upon line,
precept upon precept."
00:19:40.58\00:19:43.95
Friends, there's not just one
chapter or Bible--a book in the
00:19:43.98\00:19:46.78
Bible that tells you all
the things that God wants you
00:19:46.82\00:19:49.05
to know about heaven.
00:19:49.08\00:19:50.75
But, friends, we need to be able
to look through the whole Bible
00:19:50.79\00:19:52.95
because God has that thread
all the way through the Bible.
00:19:52.99\00:19:55.96
And so Isaiah is one of the more
prolific writers on the heaven
00:19:55.99\00:19:59.69
and the experience that God has
for us after this earthly life.
00:19:59.73\00:20:03.20
Certainly Revelation gives
us a whole lot on it as well,
00:20:03.23\00:20:06.50
but friends, it is found
in many different books and
00:20:06.53\00:20:10.34
chapters throughout the Bible,
and when we put those lines upon
00:20:10.37\00:20:13.64
line, precept upon precept,
comparing Scripture with
00:20:13.68\00:20:16.68
Scripture, friends, this will
outdo any--and I've got to look
00:20:16.71\00:20:20.48
on my notes here
because I'm going to
00:20:20.52\00:20:21.92
mispronounce it-- "suduko."
00:20:21.95\00:20:24.45
Suduko? Is that
how you pronounce it?
00:20:24.49\00:20:26.42
Okay, I got my
wife here in the studio,
00:20:26.45\00:20:28.56
and she's there to help
me with my pronunciation.
00:20:28.59\00:20:31.09
But sudoku has become one
of the most popular kind of
00:20:31.13\00:20:35.06
mind-exercise games
that we can practice.
00:20:35.10\00:20:38.20
I want to give you
a challenge, I want to
00:20:38.23\00:20:39.70
suggest something to you.
00:20:39.73\00:20:41.94
I would like to suggest that you
take your sudoku and you put it
00:20:41.97\00:20:45.77
in the drawer and you
forget all about your sudoku,
00:20:45.81\00:20:48.78
and the hours that
you spent in your sudoku,
00:20:48.81\00:20:51.38
exercising your mind--and I know
seniors are more gravitating to
00:20:51.41\00:20:54.25
that because it helps--you know,
it's been proven to be able to
00:20:54.28\00:20:56.65
help delay any on-come of
Alzheimer's and dementia and so
00:20:56.69\00:21:02.96
on, and I'm sure
that evidence is there.
00:21:02.99\00:21:06.53
But just like many things
in life, there are different
00:21:06.56\00:21:09.03
things that we can do to
be able to experience that
00:21:09.06\00:21:11.73
benefit, but some are
more effective than others.
00:21:11.77\00:21:14.34
Friends, inspiration tells
me that the best way to exercise
00:21:14.37\00:21:18.07
and expand your mind is to
spend those same hours in here.
00:21:18.11\00:21:22.34
And, friends, it is an adventure
and is way more fulfilling,
00:21:22.38\00:21:25.88
and it is way more
mind-expanding and also
00:21:25.91\00:21:30.45
mind-exercising and challenging
than any sudoku or any other
00:21:30.49\00:21:34.49
mind game that you
can find on the Internet
00:21:34.52\00:21:37.33
or in the Game Store.
00:21:37.36\00:21:39.43
Friends, you know, when I'm
reading through Isaiah more than
00:21:39.46\00:21:43.33
once because I've read through
Revelation so many times in the
00:21:43.37\00:21:46.37
past, I'll be
writing through Isaiah--
00:21:46.40\00:21:48.64
I'll be reading
through Isaiah, and I remember,
00:21:48.67\00:21:49.97
you know, one example, I
was reading through Isaiah.
00:21:50.01\00:21:51.97
It was around 22 or something.
00:21:52.01\00:21:54.11
I forget what chapter it is
now at this time by my memory,
00:21:54.14\00:21:58.31
but there's a chapter in Isaiah
that talks about the same thing
00:21:58.35\00:22:01.55
that the last chapters
of Revelation talk about in
00:22:01.58\00:22:04.32
regards, in this
case, Revelation 20,
00:22:04.35\00:22:06.72
in regards to the millennium and
the devil being bound in chains
00:22:06.76\00:22:10.33
and cast into
the bottomless pit,
00:22:10.36\00:22:12.99
and that all the lost will be
in that same bottomless pit as
00:22:13.03\00:22:16.50
they're slain by the glory
of the Lord when Jesus returns.
00:22:16.53\00:22:19.37
Well, Isaiah
says the same thing.
00:22:19.40\00:22:21.80
He says that all the
lost will become prisoners,
00:22:21.84\00:22:24.21
bound in a pit like prisoners.
00:22:24.24\00:22:26.68
And when I read that, friends,
my mind immediately started to
00:22:26.71\00:22:29.44
exercise itself and brought
back to mind Revelation 20,
00:22:29.48\00:22:32.75
which I've studied so
many times in the past.
00:22:32.78\00:22:34.88
And, friends, this is just
an example of dozens and perhaps
00:22:34.92\00:22:37.82
hundreds of times over the years
in which God has helped my mind
00:22:37.85\00:22:41.46
to connect
Scripture upon Scripture,
00:22:41.49\00:22:43.29
line upon line, as the Bible
becomes more and more familiar
00:22:43.32\00:22:46.86
to me as I continue
to connect those dots.
00:22:46.90\00:22:49.53
And, friends, connecting those
dots will do way more for you
00:22:49.56\00:22:52.77
than any sudoku will
bring to your benefit.
00:22:52.80\00:22:56.74
So that's just my little
suggestion and challenge.
00:22:56.77\00:23:02.31
Also, I want to
challenge you on something else,
00:23:02.34\00:23:08.55
you know, and that's
in concern to Bible class.
00:23:08.58\00:23:10.55
In our academies, in
particular, of course,
00:23:10.59\00:23:13.59
when you get to
the college level,
00:23:13.62\00:23:15.52
there are different
required Christian education,
00:23:15.56\00:23:19.09
Bible education classes that are
needed to be able to graduate
00:23:19.13\00:23:22.76
from any degree, and, of course,
that should be the way it is.
00:23:22.80\00:23:26.84
When you're signing up for
a Christian college education,
00:23:26.87\00:23:29.64
you should expect Christian
instruction and education.
00:23:29.67\00:23:32.77
And Christianity is
not based on biology
00:23:32.81\00:23:36.28
and based on physics first.
00:23:36.31\00:23:37.68
It's based on the
Holy Scriptures first.
00:23:37.71\00:23:40.32
And, again,
friends, I believe that,
00:23:40.35\00:23:42.12
even though that may
sound elementary to many of us,
00:23:42.15\00:23:44.69
to many of us, or to some of
us, I should say--I have to be
00:23:44.72\00:23:47.82
careful with my words--but
to some of us in those different
00:23:47.86\00:23:51.63
positions in our institutions
have lost sight of that.
00:23:51.66\00:23:57.17
If we have never seen the
Bible class in our academies,
00:23:57.20\00:23:59.83
in our high schools,
in our elementary schools,
00:23:59.87\00:24:02.90
in our church schools, as the
most important class in all the
00:24:02.94\00:24:06.84
curriculum that we
are offering, friends,
00:24:06.88\00:24:09.18
I would like to suggest
that we are missing the mark.
00:24:09.21\00:24:13.88
When the HR department, when the
principals of our schools are
00:24:13.92\00:24:17.42
hiring their Bible teacher,
this should be handled more
00:24:17.45\00:24:21.22
thoroughly and more
carefully than hiring any
00:24:21.26\00:24:23.86
other teacher in your school.
00:24:23.89\00:24:27.36
Now, friends, I know, by
experience and observation, that
00:24:27.40\00:24:30.70
that may sound
revolutionary, and
00:24:30.73\00:24:33.23
yet it shouldn't
sound revolutionary.
00:24:33.27\00:24:36.84
It should sound standard.
00:24:36.87\00:24:38.74
We should all be saying,
"Amen, that's the way it is,
00:24:38.77\00:24:41.61
and that's the way
it always will be."
00:24:41.64\00:24:43.28
But, friends, I
fear that, too often,
00:24:43.31\00:24:45.75
that we view and treat Bible
class as a required add-on,
00:24:45.78\00:24:50.39
as an
extracurricular that we kind of
00:24:50.42\00:24:52.35
just have to meet so that we
can call it a Christian school,
00:24:52.39\00:24:57.59
and all other subjects and all
the other teachers are viewed as
00:24:57.63\00:25:01.26
more important
than the Bible teacher.
00:25:01.30\00:25:05.43
I suggest that
this is a mistake.
00:25:05.47\00:25:08.07
I suggest that this is a mistake
bigger than we may ever know.
00:25:08.10\00:25:12.24
God has given us the
most important textbook,
00:25:12.27\00:25:16.01
and so, when a teacher
is telling in a school,
00:25:16.04\00:25:18.75
is telling the students that are
signing up for school for that
00:25:18.78\00:25:21.55
year, what are all the required
textbooks because they are going
00:25:21.58\00:25:24.95
to have to buy and require,
the first one on the list
00:25:24.99\00:25:27.76
should be the Holy Bible.
00:25:27.79\00:25:29.89
Friends, this should be
our number one textbook,
00:25:29.92\00:25:32.96
not just in
word, but in principle,
00:25:32.99\00:25:35.90
in thought, in faith, in belief.
00:25:35.93\00:25:41.37
And so, friends, again, I think
that this can challenge us.
00:25:41.40\00:25:43.77
These words that I'm bringing to
you may be challenging some of
00:25:43.81\00:25:46.04
you, friends, but I want to
encourage you to come back to
00:25:46.07\00:25:49.94
understand some of these
thoughts that I'm bringing back
00:25:49.98\00:25:52.35
to you or perhaps bringing
to you for the very first time.
00:25:52.38\00:25:58.22
When it comes to college
and university education,
00:25:58.25\00:26:00.46
now, there are some
of us that are skeptical
00:26:00.49\00:26:02.16
of higher education in general.
00:26:02.19\00:26:04.86
And some of us have mistakenly
come to understand that getting
00:26:04.89\00:26:09.10
an education in college or
university is somehow never a
00:26:09.13\00:26:12.70
plan for the Christian,
never a plan for a pastor,
00:26:12.73\00:26:15.84
never a plan for a
teacher, or whatever it is,
00:26:15.87\00:26:19.34
but I would like to share with
you that the inspiration of God
00:26:19.37\00:26:24.01
tells us something
very, very different.
00:26:24.05\00:26:26.75
Friends, we need
to remember that, if
00:26:26.78\00:26:28.08
we have fallen into that trap
or are falling into that thought
00:26:28.12\00:26:30.65
pattern, that one of the
key founders of the Seventh-day
00:26:30.69\00:26:34.09
Adventist Church
movement is that of Ellen White,
00:26:34.12\00:26:37.03
and, friends, when you study the
life and history of Ellen White,
00:26:37.06\00:26:39.29
you will find that she was very
intricately involved in both the
00:26:39.33\00:26:43.37
founding and the
building and the funding
00:26:43.40\00:26:45.70
of many of our first colleges.
00:26:45.73\00:26:49.04
She's also on record of
sponsoring more than one student
00:26:49.07\00:26:52.14
with her own personal money.
00:26:52.17\00:26:53.84
Her and James White had
forked out many, many dollars to
00:26:53.88\00:26:57.51
be able to help fund the higher
college and university education
00:26:57.55\00:27:03.08
of some of our first
Seventh-day Adventist students.
00:27:03.12\00:27:06.22
And so, very clearly,
God was leading in her life.
00:27:06.25\00:27:10.69
Very clearly, God was leading
her to understand that for the
00:27:10.73\00:27:14.00
Christian, for the
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:27:14.00\00:27:15.66
higher education is something
of great value for many of us,
00:27:15.70\00:27:19.00
depending on what profession
that we are entering into.
00:27:19.03\00:27:22.40
And so I think it's
important for us to be
00:27:22.44\00:27:24.01
able to understand that.
00:27:24.04\00:27:25.97
I want to read with
you a couple of quotes,
00:27:26.01\00:27:27.48
and these are just so
instructive and so beneficial.
00:27:27.51\00:27:30.25
I normally don't share
quite as much as I am today,
00:27:30.28\00:27:36.52
but I just feel so compelled to
be able to do that here today.
00:27:36.55\00:27:40.16
And, again, this is coming
from what is becoming one of my
00:27:40.19\00:27:42.62
favorite books,
"Messages to Young People."
00:27:42.66\00:27:45.99
Now, I know I'm a
little bit past that age,
00:27:46.03\00:27:47.86
and so I've kind of
missed the boat on that,
00:27:47.86\00:27:49.96
but I can be of a benefit
to those who are truly still
00:27:50.00\00:27:54.87
young, if I could say that.
00:27:54.90\00:27:56.20
My wife is probably
smirking at me and giving me
00:27:56.24\00:27:58.04
the dirty look now.
00:27:58.07\00:28:03.18
She doesn't like
it when I say that,
00:28:03.21\00:28:04.51
"Hey, we're growing old."
00:28:04.55\00:28:07.05
But hey, the fact of the
matter is time continues on,
00:28:07.08\00:28:10.65
and, yes, I do
look younger than I am,
00:28:10.69\00:28:17.23
but I don't feel
as young as I used to.
00:28:17.26\00:28:22.46
Page 170, it says, "Jesus
did not despise education."
00:28:22.50\00:28:26.33
I'm going to read
that one more time: "Jesus
00:28:26.37\00:28:27.97
did not despise education.
00:28:28.00\00:28:30.94
The highest culture of the mind,
if sanctified through the love
00:28:30.97\00:28:34.21
and fear of God,
receives his fullest approval."
00:28:34.24\00:28:39.78
And then, later on, she says,
"God will accept the youth with
00:28:39.81\00:28:43.22
their talent and their
wealth of affection if they will
00:28:43.25\00:28:45.72
consecrate themselves to him.
00:28:45.75\00:28:48.02
They may reach to the highest
point of intellectual greatness.
00:28:48.06\00:28:52.26
God has called us
to be able to do so.
00:28:52.29\00:28:55.00
They may reach the highest
point of intellectual greatness,
00:28:55.03\00:28:57.90
and if balanced by
religious principle,
00:28:57.93\00:29:00.07
they can carry forward the work
which Christ came from heaven to
00:29:00.10\00:29:03.00
accomplish and, thus doing,
be coworkers with the Master."
00:29:03.04\00:29:08.61
And so, friends, when we are
truly consecrated and devoted in
00:29:08.64\00:29:10.98
following Christ,
she is saying, listen,
00:29:11.01\00:29:13.21
you can attain some of the
highest levels of education and
00:29:13.25\00:29:16.35
intellectual
cultivation possible.
00:29:16.38\00:29:19.05
And, in fact, we're going to
read a quote shortly here that
00:29:19.09\00:29:21.59
tells us that makes us more
capable and more valuable in the
00:29:21.62\00:29:25.53
work and field of Christ.
00:29:25.56\00:29:29.00
And so that is just so important
for us to be able to understand.
00:29:29.03\00:29:36.40
Again, she says, "The students
of our college have valuable
00:29:36.44\00:29:39.57
privileges, not only to obtain
the knowledge of the sciences,
00:29:39.61\00:29:44.95
but also of learning how to
cultivate and practice virtues,
00:29:44.98\00:29:47.62
which will make--give
them symmetrical characters."
00:29:47.65\00:29:51.49
And, you know, friends, in a
time and age in which we live
00:29:51.52\00:29:54.62
here in the United States
and many of the first world
00:29:54.66\00:29:56.93
countries around the world, many
of the developing countries,
00:29:56.96\00:29:59.69
even, around the
world today, as well,
00:29:59.73\00:30:01.83
higher education
has become the norm.
00:30:01.86\00:30:04.57
It's not the exception anymore.
00:30:04.60\00:30:06.43
You know, if you
go back 50, 80 years,
00:30:06.47\00:30:08.24
it was the exception--not today.
00:30:08.27\00:30:10.34
Today it is the
norm, and so, friends,
00:30:10.37\00:30:12.21
we need to be able to
communicate with these people
00:30:12.24\00:30:14.91
in an intellectual, educated
way if we're going to be as
00:30:14.94\00:30:17.75
effective as
possible in reaching them.
00:30:17.78\00:30:20.52
And, yes, I know, and Ellen
White points that out in the
00:30:20.55\00:30:22.95
same chapter earlier on
that Jesus chose uneducated
00:30:22.98\00:30:26.79
fishermen and so on.
00:30:26.82\00:30:28.52
Not all of them were uneducated.
00:30:28.56\00:30:29.86
Matthew, the tax collector,
certainly knew how to read and
00:30:29.89\00:30:32.43
write and was very adept
with numbers and accounting.
00:30:32.46\00:30:36.67
A certain Judas Iscariot,
who had pushed himself into the
00:30:36.70\00:30:39.77
circle, was very
highly capable and educated.
00:30:39.80\00:30:43.44
But the best example
that we really have in all the
00:30:43.47\00:30:45.44
Scriptures of the
apostles is the apostle,
00:30:45.47\00:30:47.68
as he says, was
called out of due season,
00:30:47.71\00:30:49.68
which is the apostle Paul.
00:30:49.71\00:30:51.41
And so the Apostle Paul,
for whatever reason, wasn't
00:30:51.45\00:30:53.45
yet ready to be able
to accept Christ and enter
00:30:53.48\00:30:55.88
into that original 12,
but he was called later on as
00:30:55.92\00:30:59.65
one of the apostles of
Jesus Christ, and friends,
00:30:59.69\00:31:03.83
he was by far the
most educated of them all.
00:31:03.86\00:31:07.13
He was educated in the
city of Jerusalem under the most
00:31:07.13\00:31:13.54
renowned rabbis of his time,
and so his parents had probably
00:31:13.57\00:31:19.17
sacrificed great amounts of
resources to send him from their
00:31:19.21\00:31:22.41
hometown of Tarsus, down to the
Holy City of Jerusalem for him
00:31:22.44\00:31:25.45
to be able to receive
this greatest of education.
00:31:25.48\00:31:28.22
And because of that, God
made him the ambassador to the
00:31:28.25\00:31:30.62
Gentiles, to the
Greeks, who are already very
00:31:30.65\00:31:33.12
well cultured in
higher education.
00:31:33.15\00:31:36.89
And so, when Paul was called
by God to stand before the
00:31:36.93\00:31:40.53
Athenians in the
Areopagus, you know,
00:31:40.56\00:31:44.03
he was talking to some of the
greatest minds and most-educated
00:31:44.07\00:31:48.74
minds of his time, and he was
able to do so because he had an
00:31:48.77\00:31:52.27
education that was
able to speak to them in the
00:31:52.31\00:31:54.71
most effective way possible.
00:31:54.74\00:31:57.51
Now, that's not to discourage
anybody that doesn't have a
00:31:57.55\00:31:59.91
college education to say, "Well,
then, the Lord can't use me."
00:31:59.95\00:32:02.38
No, Jesus had demonstrated that
we can self-educate ourselves
00:32:02.42\00:32:06.52
through the Bible and
through the spirit of prophecy,
00:32:06.55\00:32:08.76
and through all
these other resources.
00:32:08.79\00:32:10.73
Ellen White, of course, is
the ultimate example and model
00:32:10.76\00:32:13.86
for us in that regard.
00:32:13.90\00:32:16.30
Because of some very
serious health issues, she was
00:32:16.33\00:32:18.47
forced to drop out of
school in her early grade
00:32:18.50\00:32:21.17
years of grade school.
00:32:21.20\00:32:25.21
And yet, friends, when I first
became a Seventh-day Adventist
00:32:25.24\00:32:27.61
and I picked up
one of her best reads,
00:32:27.64\00:32:29.41
which is "The Great
Controversy," and I read that
00:32:29.44\00:32:31.65
from cover to cover the first
month after I was baptized,
00:32:31.68\00:32:34.98
and you know, when I
read through that book,
00:32:35.02\00:32:36.99
there's one thing that I
recognized very quickly is that
00:32:37.02\00:32:39.19
I need a
dictionary right next to it,
00:32:39.22\00:32:41.66
and that's because there was
all kinds of words in there that
00:32:41.69\00:32:44.39
I've never seen before, and
where did she learn all these?
00:32:44.43\00:32:48.43
She didn't learn it in
grade four, I can tell you that,
00:32:48.46\00:32:51.07
before she was forced
to drop out of school.
00:32:51.10\00:32:53.07
No, she had
self-educated herself.
00:32:53.10\00:32:56.24
Now, many of those words aren't
found in the Bible, either, why?
00:32:56.27\00:32:59.14
Because even though
the Bible was her primary,
00:32:59.17\00:33:00.98
fundamental,
foundational textbook,
00:33:01.01\00:33:03.38
her library was full of all
kinds of different contemporary
00:33:03.41\00:33:06.31
authors, and so she was a
very self-educated historian
00:33:06.35\00:33:12.72
and theologian in particular.
00:33:12.75\00:33:15.82
You know, she had poured
thousands of hours and her own
00:33:15.86\00:33:19.83
self-discipline and motivation,
becoming an expert in history
00:33:19.86\00:33:23.57
and an expert in theology.
00:33:23.60\00:33:26.23
So she was very
self-educated, and so,
00:33:26.27\00:33:29.74
yes, our student--our colleges
are there to be able to provide
00:33:29.77\00:33:33.34
structure, to
provide encouragement,
00:33:33.38\00:33:36.44
you know, just like we grow in
the faith and we come together
00:33:36.48\00:33:39.05
from week to week and
throughout the midweek
00:33:39.08\00:33:40.78
and so on as Christians
and as church members.
00:33:40.82\00:33:43.25
So students find encouragement
and strength when they're
00:33:43.28\00:33:45.95
together at times, and so
they find themselves learning
00:33:45.99\00:33:49.79
together and encouraging each
other and finding these truths
00:33:49.82\00:33:53.06
and the discipline that
comes with accountability
00:33:53.09\00:33:55.40
of meeting deadlines and such.
00:33:55.43\00:33:58.30
And so all of this can
fall under the umbrella of God's
00:33:58.33\00:34:03.00
blessing and intention
for us to be well educated.
00:34:03.04\00:34:08.54
I'm going to go ahead, just, and
look at a couple more quotes on
00:34:08.58\00:34:11.08
one more page, page 173.
00:34:11.11\00:34:13.65
It says, "God
requires the training
00:34:13.68\00:34:15.28
of the mental faculties."
00:34:15.32\00:34:17.72
It doesn't say, "God
suggests the training
00:34:17.75\00:34:19.39
of the mental faculties."
00:34:19.42\00:34:21.29
It says, "God
requires the training
00:34:21.32\00:34:23.09
of the mental faculties."
00:34:23.12\00:34:24.43
I hope you
picked that up, friends.
00:34:24.46\00:34:25.93
"He designs that His servants
shall possess more intelligence
00:34:25.96\00:34:28.80
and clear
discernment than the worldling,
00:34:28.83\00:34:31.23
and He is displeased with those
who are too careless or too
00:34:31.27\00:34:34.37
indolent to become efficient,
well-informed workers."
00:34:34.40\00:34:39.81
And so there's two key words
there: the first one is "God
00:34:39.84\00:34:41.98
requires the training of mental
faculties," and then there's
00:34:42.01\00:34:45.45
also that second and third
sentence where He says we must
00:34:45.48\00:34:47.95
become "efficient,
well-informed workers."
00:34:47.98\00:34:51.49
"Well-informed"
means "well-educated."
00:34:51.52\00:34:55.69
"The Lord bids us love
Him with all the heart,
00:34:55.72\00:34:58.19
with all the soul,
and with all the strength,
00:34:58.23\00:34:59.66
and all the mind," as He adds
to that great commandment of
00:34:59.69\00:35:02.60
Deuteronomy
chapter 6 and verse 5.
00:35:02.63\00:35:05.70
So He adds "all the
mind" there as well.
00:35:05.73\00:35:08.77
"This lays upon us the
obligation of developing the
00:35:08.80\00:35:11.14
intellect to its fullest
capacity, that with all the
00:35:11.17\00:35:15.68
mind we may know
and love our Creator."
00:35:15.71\00:35:18.31
And so, friends,
again, God is not presenting
00:35:18.35\00:35:20.18
this as a suggestion.
00:35:20.22\00:35:21.68
He is saying this is one
of the things that He requires
00:35:21.72\00:35:24.15
and expects from us.
00:35:24.19\00:35:26.25
And so, if you are satisfied
with where you are in regards to
00:35:26.29\00:35:29.09
your education, even if
you're a college graduate,
00:35:29.12\00:35:31.63
a postgraduate graduate,
and you finished all the formal
00:35:31.66\00:35:36.16
education you
will ever want or need,
00:35:36.20\00:35:38.17
friends, your
education still doesn't stop.
00:35:38.20\00:35:41.97
You cannot acquire your greatest
intellectual capacity in the
00:35:42.00\00:35:46.17
years in which you went
to college and university,
00:35:46.21\00:35:48.81
unless, of course,
you're a professional student.
00:35:48.84\00:35:53.15
But once you're finished,
friends, you want to still
00:35:53.18\00:35:54.85
continue to develop
that to its fullest capacity.
00:35:54.88\00:35:58.75
"If placed under
the control of the Holy
00:35:58.79\00:36:00.22
Spirit," and, of
course, that's "if."
00:36:00.26\00:36:01.56
"If you're placed under
the control of the Holy Spirit,
00:36:01.59\00:36:03.83
the more thoroughly the
intellect is cultivated,
00:36:03.86\00:36:06.53
the more effectively it can
be used in the service of God."
00:36:06.56\00:36:10.93
And so it is
revealing here, friends,
00:36:10.97\00:36:12.73
that there is a direct
correlation between our
00:36:12.77\00:36:15.10
education, both the
formal and self-education,
00:36:15.14\00:36:18.67
that continues to help us reach
higher and higher levels of
00:36:18.71\00:36:21.71
intellectual capacity that will
make us more and more effective
00:36:21.74\00:36:25.51
and capable servants for
Him in the work of the gospel.
00:36:25.55\00:36:29.88
"The uneducated man who is
consecrated to God and who longs
00:36:29.92\00:36:33.12
to bless others can be
used by the Lord in His service.
00:36:33.15\00:36:37.56
But those who, with the
same spirit of consecration,
00:36:37.59\00:36:40.76
have had the benefit
of a thorough education,
00:36:40.80\00:36:43.50
can do much more
extensive work for Christ.
00:36:43.53\00:36:46.47
They are the ones that
stand on vantage ground."
00:36:46.50\00:36:49.84
And so, friends, this is
important for us to understand,
00:36:49.87\00:36:53.38
and I hope that helped
you if it is something that
00:36:53.41\00:36:56.14
you have thought otherwise, why?
00:36:56.18\00:36:58.98
Because, again, remember
the--all Scripture is given
00:36:59.01\00:37:01.98
by inspiration of God.
00:37:02.02\00:37:04.29
All Scripture is given
by inspiration of God, why?
00:37:04.32\00:37:06.65
For doctrine, for correction,
or for reproof or correction,
00:37:06.69\00:37:11.03
and instruction
of righteousness.
00:37:11.06\00:37:12.36
In this case,
sometimes God corrects us,
00:37:12.39\00:37:15.10
and so, friends, if there's
correction that's needed as
00:37:15.13\00:37:17.07
you're watching
this program and study
00:37:17.10\00:37:19.17
I pray that it will be
something that will be helpful.
00:37:19.20\00:37:23.07
All right, some
of you are asking,
00:37:23.10\00:37:24.41
"Are we ever going to
get to the quarterly?"
00:37:24.44\00:37:27.64
And, yes, we are.
00:37:27.68\00:37:29.31
And so we're going to spend the
last few minutes looking at the
00:37:29.34\00:37:31.48
quarterly here as well, but
I just really felt compelled to
00:37:31.51\00:37:33.92
lay that foundation in
concern to the church's
00:37:33.95\00:37:36.69
role in Christian education.
00:37:36.72\00:37:39.62
And so, when we look
at Sabbath, last time,
00:37:39.65\00:37:41.29
we find some really good advice
there to the church in telling
00:37:41.32\00:37:44.89
us that we should place--the
church should be a place to find
00:37:44.93\00:37:48.16
open, studious,
serious conversations,
00:37:48.20\00:37:51.10
where no question
is a dumb question.
00:37:51.13\00:37:53.67
Now, friends, I have
to confess that I really
00:37:53.70\00:37:55.60
like that advice, why?
00:37:55.64\00:37:57.67
Because I always feel like I was
the one with the dumb questions
00:37:57.71\00:38:00.14
when I was going through school
and--but God has brought me to a
00:38:00.18\00:38:03.28
point where I don't
care if it's a dumb question.
00:38:03.31\00:38:06.01
I don't care if somebody
thinks I am dumb or because
00:38:06.05\00:38:08.52
I'm asking a dumb question.
00:38:08.55\00:38:10.25
You know, often, people
share something with me,
00:38:10.29\00:38:12.75
and they'll use some big word
that I've never heard or I've
00:38:12.79\00:38:15.02
never really defined before,
and I'll just stop them and ask,
00:38:15.06\00:38:18.33
you know, "Listen, I just need
a--can you just give me a quick
00:38:18.36\00:38:21.03
definition of that
word that you just used?"
00:38:21.06\00:38:25.10
You know, we'd be
able to ask questions.
00:38:25.13\00:38:27.40
No dumb--no--the only question
that's a dumb question is the
00:38:27.44\00:38:29.74
question that wasn't asked.
00:38:29.77\00:38:32.14
And so, friends, no matter
how dumb it may sound to you,
00:38:32.17\00:38:37.15
friends, if you
don't know the answer,
00:38:37.18\00:38:38.68
then you're in a worse spot than
if you didn't ask the question
00:38:38.71\00:38:41.65
or if you did ask the question.
00:38:41.68\00:38:45.29
I'd like to take this
opportunity to encourage us,
00:38:45.32\00:38:47.26
as both teachers in our
Sabbath School class as well as
00:38:47.29\00:38:50.09
participants, to
faithfully keep the conversation
00:38:50.13\00:38:53.16
focused on the Scriptures.
00:38:53.19\00:38:56.06
Now, friends, this is a burden
that God has put in my heart in
00:38:56.10\00:38:58.43
the early years of
my pastoring experience,
00:38:58.47\00:39:01.14
and that is that I have sat in
so many Sabbath schools in which
00:39:01.17\00:39:04.34
I was not
teaching, and, friends,
00:39:04.37\00:39:07.98
as I sit in those
Sabbath schools over the years,
00:39:08.01\00:39:09.91
you know, this burden
has been growing and growing.
00:39:09.94\00:39:11.68
I've shared it with many
members, different fellow
00:39:11.71\00:39:13.68
pastors and leaders and
Sabbath school teachers,
00:39:13.72\00:39:16.72
and now I have the opportunity
to share it with you.
00:39:16.75\00:39:18.95
Friends, we need to be
able to make sure--now,
00:39:18.99\00:39:20.76
our biggest commission as a
Sabbath School teacher is to
00:39:20.79\00:39:24.79
keep the class where
their nose is in this.
00:39:24.83\00:39:28.03
And, friends, I have
to say--I hate to say it,
00:39:28.06\00:39:30.87
but well over 50% of the time
of any Sabbath school that I sat
00:39:30.90\00:39:34.54
in, this, even if we start here,
which quite often we don't,
00:39:34.57\00:39:38.57
but even if we start
to get our noses in here,
00:39:38.61\00:39:40.58
we just depart from it
so quickly and so easily,
00:39:40.61\00:39:44.28
and we fall into this rut
where we're just all sharing our
00:39:44.31\00:39:46.92
opinions and "I thinks."
00:39:46.95\00:39:48.95
Now, it's not to say that
I don't value your opinion,
00:39:48.98\00:39:51.02
friends, but there's an opinion
that is much greater than yours
00:39:51.05\00:39:54.46
and mine, and that's the
opinion that's found in here.
00:39:54.49\00:39:57.56
And so, friends, I don't want
to come to church and spend an
00:39:57.59\00:40:00.43
hour--I don't want to get up
early in the morning and have to
00:40:00.46\00:40:02.50
run out the door so
I can sit in a class
00:40:02.53\00:40:04.17
and listen to
everybody's opinion.
00:40:04.20\00:40:06.57
I've come to listen
to the opinion of Christ.
00:40:06.60\00:40:09.57
I want to know
what His opinion is,
00:40:09.60\00:40:11.91
and so, friends, we have become
experts at sharing our opinions,
00:40:11.94\00:40:15.68
but, friends, we are not
coming together to be able
00:40:15.71\00:40:18.25
to share each other's opinions.
00:40:18.28\00:40:19.58
We need to be able
to understand what is
00:40:19.61\00:40:21.15
the heart and the mind of God.
00:40:21.18\00:40:22.42
You know, sometimes I think that
it's almost like we're convinced
00:40:22.45\00:40:24.92
that we've exhausted all
that the Bible can teach on this
00:40:24.95\00:40:27.32
topic and study, and so we
have to resort now to our own
00:40:27.36\00:40:29.82
personal opinions, our
own personal "I thinks," and,
00:40:29.86\00:40:34.23
friends, that's just not true.
00:40:34.30\00:40:37.10
Anybody that's honest or have
thoroughly spent enough time in
00:40:37.13\00:40:39.67
this Bible in a very Spirit-led
way will very clearly agree with
00:40:39.70\00:40:43.44
me, very easily
agree with me that,
00:40:43.47\00:40:45.47
friends, you could spend
a lifetime studying this,
00:40:45.51\00:40:48.58
and you are still not going
to be able to exhaust everything
00:40:48.61\00:40:51.98
that God has for us to
be able to learn from here,
00:40:52.01\00:40:54.78
and so there is--what
I'm trying to say is that,
00:40:54.82\00:40:57.49
because of that truth, we have
no excuse to depart from what
00:40:57.52\00:41:02.49
the Word is teaching us.
00:41:02.52\00:41:04.73
We have no excuse to have our
conversation leave that which
00:41:04.76\00:41:08.13
the Bible itself is sharing
with us, wants to share with us,
00:41:08.16\00:41:12.03
is begging to share
with us, and yet, friends,
00:41:12.07\00:41:15.57
so often we find
ourselves doing everything but.
00:41:15.60\00:41:21.14
All right, so that's my
beef and challenge to you here.
00:41:21.18\00:41:23.55
Boy, there's a few
here today, isn't there?
00:41:23.58\00:41:25.31
It's just kind of a list
that this subject has kind
00:41:25.35\00:41:27.48
of opened up for us.
00:41:27.52\00:41:29.82
All right, so as
we come to Sunday,
00:41:29.85\00:41:31.55
of course, there's this story,
if you've read the lesson about
00:41:31.59\00:41:34.46
this rabbi, and the Jewish
rabbi has this class of sleepy
00:41:34.49\00:41:36.86
students, and he kind of throws
out this challenging question.
00:41:36.89\00:41:40.33
He says, "How do you
know when the night has ended
00:41:40.36\00:41:42.50
and the day has begun?"
00:41:42.53\00:41:43.83
And so the students
start responding with these
00:41:43.87\00:41:46.74
kind of deep answers on how you
can see that the light is just
00:41:46.77\00:41:51.04
bright enough that you can
know, "Okay, now the light--the
00:41:51.07\00:41:53.68
night is over, and
the day has begun,"
00:41:53.71\00:41:55.61
you know, or--and so on.
00:41:55.64\00:41:57.21
And he says, "No,
no, no, no, all wrong."
00:41:57.25\00:42:00.08
And then, finally, he says,
"You can know that the night has
00:42:00.12\00:42:02.25
ended and the day has begun when
you can look in the face of any
00:42:02.28\00:42:04.55
stranger and
recognize a brother or sister."
00:42:04.59\00:42:08.79
And, friends, of course, this
is communicating the same truth
00:42:08.82\00:42:11.16
that Jesus communicated through
one of the most popular stories
00:42:11.19\00:42:13.93
and parables in
all the Scriptures,
00:42:13.96\00:42:16.03
and that is of
the good Samaritan.
00:42:16.06\00:42:19.50
And so we can find
that in Luke chapter 10,
00:42:19.53\00:42:21.70
verses 30 to 37.
00:42:21.74\00:42:23.10
We don't have time to
read it here this morning,
00:42:23.14\00:42:24.81
but the gist of the--and the
context of that is that there is
00:42:24.84\00:42:28.01
this lawyer, this
expert in the law of God,
00:42:28.04\00:42:30.38
not a lawyer like
we think of today,
00:42:30.41\00:42:32.41
but a lawyer in
religious Scriptures,
00:42:32.45\00:42:35.38
and in the Holy Scriptures,
an expert in the Scriptures,
00:42:35.42\00:42:38.59
and so he asks
Jesus, and he says,
00:42:38.62\00:42:40.92
"Teacher, what must I do
to inherit eternal life?"
00:42:40.96\00:42:43.26
And Jesus says,
"Well, what does the law say?
00:42:43.29\00:42:44.99
What is your reading of
it? How do you interpret it?"
00:42:45.03\00:42:47.56
And he says, "Well, to love
the Lord your God with all your
00:42:47.60\00:42:49.86
heart, your strength,
your soul, and your--" well,
00:42:49.90\00:42:52.47
Jesus added, "and your mind."
00:42:52.50\00:42:55.64
And then he says, "and also to
love your neighbor as yourself."
00:42:55.67\00:43:00.48
And Jesus responded,
"You have answered rightly.
00:43:00.51\00:43:02.58
Do these things, and
you will have eternal life."
00:43:02.61\00:43:05.25
Well, the man
then-- [clearing throat]
00:43:05.28\00:43:06.58
--kind of coughed and
cleared his throat, I'm sure,
00:43:06.61\00:43:09.05
and shifted a
little bit because he
00:43:09.08\00:43:11.35
knew that that was the answer.
00:43:11.39\00:43:12.89
In fact, the scholars have
discovered that was the most
00:43:12.92\00:43:14.69
popular, trendy answer
of his day within Judaism.
00:43:14.72\00:43:17.99
But he also knew that
he almost, for certain,
00:43:18.03\00:43:20.33
fell short of that, and
so, in order to justify that
00:43:20.36\00:43:22.43
shortcoming, he said,
"Well, who is my neighbor?"
00:43:22.46\00:43:26.47
And Jesus then shares
the good Samaritan story.
00:43:26.50\00:43:29.84
And, of course,
Jews and--now, of course,
00:43:29.87\00:43:31.47
but for somebody
who may not know,
00:43:31.51\00:43:32.81
but Jews and
Samaritans hated each other.
00:43:32.84\00:43:34.74
They were neighbors to
each other, they were cousins,
00:43:34.78\00:43:36.98
they shared some of the
same genes and background,
00:43:37.01\00:43:39.98
but they hated each other,
and so Jesus talks about this
00:43:40.02\00:43:44.55
poor Jew that's
going to Jericho.
00:43:44.59\00:43:45.82
He gets robbed and mugged, beat
up and left for dead on the side
00:43:45.85\00:43:48.49
of the road, and priest
comes by and ignores him.
00:43:48.52\00:43:51.03
A Levite comes by, ignores him.
00:43:51.06\00:43:53.16
It wasn't until a
Samaritan, of all things,
00:43:53.19\00:43:57.43
the cultural
enemy of Israelites,
00:43:57.47\00:43:59.80
comes up to this
Jewish Israelite,
00:43:59.83\00:44:01.57
takes him, binds his
wounds, takes his wine,
00:44:01.60\00:44:03.94
his oil, pours it on
his wounds, bandages him up,
00:44:03.97\00:44:06.24
puts him on his donkey,
walks him to an inn and stays
00:44:06.27\00:44:08.61
overnight with him and
nurses him at his own expense.
00:44:08.64\00:44:12.15
And then, when he leaves,
he gives extra money to the
00:44:12.18\00:44:14.68
innkeeper and says,
"Please take care of him until I
00:44:14.72\00:44:16.99
come back from my business."
00:44:17.02\00:44:19.62
And so Jesus says, "Who was
the neighbor of that Israelite?"
00:44:19.65\00:44:23.22
And so the man kind of
mumbles, and he's in a crowd.
00:44:23.26\00:44:25.96
In front of it, he can't--he
knows the answer is obvious,
00:44:25.99\00:44:29.13
and so he says,
"Well, the Samaritan."
00:44:29.16\00:44:31.80
"Pardon me?"
00:44:31.83\00:44:33.13
You can almost see Jesus
saying, "Pardon me, clarify?"
00:44:33.17\00:44:35.44
"Samaritan."
00:44:35.47\00:44:37.11
"Samaritan, all right, yes,"
he says, "it is the Samaritan."
00:44:37.14\00:44:42.68
So Jesus is sharing with us what
He shared on the Sermon of the
00:44:42.71\00:44:45.31
Mount, "Blessed
are those--" you know,
00:44:45.35\00:44:47.98
or not said
"Blessed are those," He says,
00:44:48.02\00:44:49.55
but "Love your neighbor--"
not "love your neighbor"-- "Love
00:44:49.58\00:44:52.39
your enemies and
bless those who curse you."
00:44:52.42\00:44:55.76
Friends, this is the Great
Commission and great principles
00:44:55.79\00:44:58.76
that God has given to us
and that we find clarified,
00:44:58.79\00:45:03.47
and Jesus uses this parable to
clarify the depth of the second
00:45:03.50\00:45:06.63
commandment in the Bible.
00:45:06.67\00:45:09.90
And so the lesson's author
shares a burden that God also
00:45:09.94\00:45:12.61
shares and
expresses not only here,
00:45:12.64\00:45:14.31
but also especially
in the book of James,
00:45:14.34\00:45:16.28
but throughout
the New Testament,
00:45:16.31\00:45:18.55
and that is this, that although
the Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:45:18.58\00:45:20.72
is the most cutting-edge
church in the world,
00:45:20.75\00:45:22.65
there's no church in the world
that I am aware of or ever have
00:45:22.68\00:45:25.12
come across that has as many
cutting-edge Bible truths as the
00:45:25.15\00:45:28.32
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:45:28.36\00:45:31.09
And, friends, we are
blessed because of that.
00:45:31.13\00:45:32.63
We have many more answers to the
big questions and concerns to
00:45:32.66\00:45:36.26
life, philosophy, and theology.
00:45:36.30\00:45:38.67
Certainly, it clarifies many
things and helps us to be more
00:45:38.70\00:45:41.84
established in a
very devoted and trusting
00:45:41.87\00:45:45.24
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:45:45.27\00:45:47.64
But, friends, all of that, the
judgment hour and the sanctuary
00:45:47.68\00:45:52.18
truth, and all these
different cutting edge truth,
00:45:52.21\00:45:54.78
the Sabbath, and so on, all of
it is worth nothing if we're not
00:45:54.82\00:45:57.62
also living out a loving
life, if we're not kind to other
00:45:57.65\00:46:02.16
people, if we're not avoiding
prejudices against others or
00:46:02.19\00:46:06.96
thinking that some are
less valuable than ourselves,
00:46:07.00\00:46:10.30
and so driving
this home in our church
00:46:10.33\00:46:11.83
and church schools is essential.
00:46:11.87\00:46:16.44
Then Monday, it says--Monday
goes on and it expands in a more
00:46:16.47\00:46:19.11
comprehensive way the
quoting from the Sermon of
00:46:19.14\00:46:21.04
the Mount, which I
just shared with you.
00:46:21.08\00:46:22.38
That's Matthew
chapter 5, verses 14 and 16.
00:46:22.41\00:46:25.81
Actually, it's not
what I just shared with you.
00:46:25.85\00:46:27.25
In this case, it's "the light
of the world," and Jesus says,
00:46:27.28\00:46:31.02
"You are the light of the
world," and to paraphrase and
00:46:31.05\00:46:34.86
summarize, it says, "Therefore,
go out and shine that your
00:46:34.89\00:46:37.59
Father may be
glorified in your good works."
00:46:37.63\00:46:40.33
And so that's
important for us to understand.
00:46:40.36\00:46:44.43
And then, when we come to
Tuesday--points us back to the
00:46:44.47\00:46:46.97
gospel commission
and reminds us that,
00:46:47.00\00:46:49.90
indeed, all of us
are disciple-makers.
00:46:49.94\00:46:52.34
All of us are to go,
therefore, and make disciples.
00:46:52.37\00:46:56.14
Sometimes we make the mistake of
thinking that's the job of the
00:46:56.18\00:46:58.28
evangelist, the
pastor, or the Bible-worker,
00:46:58.31\00:47:01.12
but that's not true.
00:47:01.15\00:47:02.38
God has called us--for all of us
to encourage people into a faith
00:47:02.42\00:47:06.39
and to share our testimony
and to share the Word of God.
00:47:06.42\00:47:09.02
All of this is vital
and important for you and I.
00:47:09.06\00:47:14.96
And then, finally, on Wednesday,
we have "seeking the truth," and
00:47:15.00\00:47:19.07
this is where
I'd like to end off.
00:47:19.10\00:47:21.94
Truth is certainly something
that has become very unpopular
00:47:21.97\00:47:26.17
in our day and age
in the church world.
00:47:26.21\00:47:28.68
The Seventh-day Adventist Church
has not been immune to this.
00:47:28.71\00:47:31.61
When I was baptized in 1992,
there was a--some of the seniors
00:47:31.65\00:47:36.18
in the church in which I
joined would come up to me
00:47:36.22\00:47:38.55
and they would
talk about "the truth."
00:47:38.59\00:47:40.76
And they would say, you know,
"We need to go out and share the
00:47:40.79\00:47:42.86
truth," or "I was
just with my neighbor,
00:47:42.89\00:47:44.76
and I was sharing
with her the truth."
00:47:44.79\00:47:46.93
And I'd never heard that
term, and I thought, "What?
00:47:46.96\00:47:48.50
That's a powerful but a
new term to me and concept."
00:47:48.53\00:47:52.63
And, friends, I have to say that
it's been years since I've heard
00:47:52.67\00:47:56.07
any church members--it seems
like a died off with that senior
00:47:56.10\00:47:58.94
generation, and now we're
afraid to refer to the truth.
00:47:58.97\00:48:03.65
And so I just
want to share with you,
00:48:03.68\00:48:06.18
over the next two minutes,
some quotes from the Bible,
00:48:06.21\00:48:10.82
from the New Testament,
from Jesus in particular,
00:48:10.85\00:48:13.09
because truth appears 105
times in the New Testament.
00:48:13.12\00:48:16.26
It's saturated with
the concept of the truth.
00:48:16.29\00:48:19.66
The truth is
paramount to Jesus Christ,
00:48:19.69\00:48:22.26
and it's paramount--He wants it
to be paramount to you and me.
00:48:22.30\00:48:25.53
In John 8:32, it says,
"You shall know the truth,
00:48:25.57\00:48:28.37
and the truth
shall make you free."
00:48:28.40\00:48:32.54
In John chapter 1:17, it says,
"For the law was given through
00:48:32.57\00:48:35.51
Moses, but grace and truth
came through Jesus Christ."
00:48:35.54\00:48:40.45
In John chapter
4, verse 23, it says,
00:48:40.48\00:48:42.15
"But the hour is coming,
and now is, when the true
00:48:42.18\00:48:43.95
worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and in truth."
00:48:43.99\00:48:48.99
In John 14, verse
6, Jesus said to them,
00:48:49.02\00:48:50.96
"I am the way, the
truth, and the life.
00:48:50.99\00:48:55.23
No one comes to the
Father except through Me."
00:48:55.26\00:48:57.40
In John 15, verse 26, it says,
"But when the Holy Spirit comes,
00:48:57.43\00:49:01.40
whom I will
send from the Father,
00:49:01.44\00:49:03.67
the Spirit of truth
proceeds from the Father,
00:49:03.71\00:49:07.31
He will testify of Me."
00:49:07.34\00:49:08.98
And then, finally,
in John 17, verse 17,
00:49:09.01\00:49:11.18
Jesus says to His Father,
"Sanctify them," these new
00:49:11.21\00:49:13.98
believers, "by Your truth.
00:49:14.02\00:49:18.89
Your word is truth," He says.
00:49:18.92\00:49:21.72
And then,
finally, John chapter 18,
00:49:21.76\00:49:23.86
verse 37, as He's talking to the
Roman governor during His trial,
00:49:23.89\00:49:27.60
He says, "For this
cause I was born, and for this
00:49:27.60\00:49:30.37
cause I have come into
the world, that I should bear
00:49:30.40\00:49:32.67
witness to the--" you
guessed it-- "the truth.
00:49:32.70\00:49:36.64
Everyone who is of
the truth hears My voice."
00:49:36.67\00:49:40.68
Now, friends, that's just a
sampling of just the teachings
00:49:40.71\00:49:43.28
and statements of Jesus
alone, yet alone the apostles
00:49:43.31\00:49:45.65
and Paul, and so on.
00:49:45.68\00:49:47.52
And so, friends, we
need to close here today,
00:49:47.55\00:49:49.32
but I hope that this has been
helpful for you and that you've
00:49:49.35\00:49:52.55
been able to pick up something
that is able to help your
00:49:52.59\00:49:55.82
experience become that much more
aligned with the truth because
00:49:55.86\00:49:59.73
God has given us the truth.
00:49:59.76\00:50:00.96
This is our special offer, if
you missed it at the beginning
00:50:01.00\00:50:03.33
of the program, that we want to
00:50:03.37\00:50:04.80
be able to take
advantage of that.
00:50:04.83\00:50:06.07
Please go ahead and call in to
the information on the screen,
00:50:06.10\00:50:09.74
and you can
take advantage of it.
00:50:09.77\00:50:11.54
You can call or get a
digital copy of it as well.
00:50:11.57\00:50:15.44
Until then, God bless
you, and we look forward
00:50:15.48\00:50:17.18
to seeing you next week.
00:50:17.21\00:50:18.85
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It's now easier than ever
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Amazing Facts wherever
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most important, to
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Doug Batchelor: Friends,
we're out here in the Pacific
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Ocean, not too far
from the island of Fiji,
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and we're getting ready to look
at some wonders in the deep.
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The Bible says
God made the heaven,
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the earth, and the sea, and
there are things under the sea
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that are beautiful that
many people have never seen.
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Some folks
might just skim along,
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snorkel on the surface, but if
you want to see the real majesty
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of the ocean,
you've got to go deeper.
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Doug: Because people
don't have gills like fish,
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we have to do something
extraordinary to be able to
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breathe below the surface.
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And because you have
to breathe all the time,
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we need this special equipment.
00:51:51.17\00:51:55.44
In the same way, the
Bible says a Christian needs
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to pray without ceasing.
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We need to always be breathing
the atmosphere of heaven if
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we're going to live a Christian
life in this world below.
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Doug: Wow, what
a wonderful world.
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Diana Dixon: My
name is Diana Dixon.
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I'm a professional truck driver.
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In August the 4th, 2011, I
stopped to help in an accident.
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male: Diana Dixon
also tried to help.
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She parked her semi, jumped out,
and headed toward the pickup.
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That's when she saw
vehicles barreling toward her,
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so she reacted by
jumping off 475 to a road below.
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Diana: Well, pickup
hits--clipped a semi, and I
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stopped to help, and I saw it
in the mirror, so I walked back.
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Gentleman told
me, he says, "Hey,
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you know, everything's
okay, they called 9-1-1."
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And I looked over at the
pickup, and there was a black
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pickup over
there, and he was okay.
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At about that time, I
don't know how far I walked,
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but I walked far
enough, and a semi hit
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him, and it imploded.
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I knew it was going to hit me.
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I had 30 seconds to
decide, and I decided to jump.
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Diana: Yeah, I
jumped off the bridge.
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My back is broken.
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male: Where are you at?
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Diana: I don't know.
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Diana: Fractured my
pelvis in 24 places,
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5 broken ribs, C5 neck fracture.
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I had a collapsed lung.
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I had a lacerated bladder.
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I was bleeding internally.
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I had no marks on the outside of
me at all but a scrape where my
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arm had scraped the concrete.
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From the chest
down, I was on fire.
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I was a dispatcher for
a year after the accident,
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and I went back
and finished my degree,
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and I went to Pittsburgh,
threw a backpack over my back,
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walked like all
the other students.
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I ran a
marathon, and since then,
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I've been back to truck driving.
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There was a
gentleman I worked with,
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and one day, he was walking
in, and he walked up to my desk,
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and I was reading
my Bible, and he says,
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"Are you a believer?"
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And I said, "Yes," and he
gave me some Amazing Facts study
00:54:29.83\00:54:33.27
guides, and it just--it was an
eye-opening experience for me.
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I mean, I started reading them,
and I had a bunch of questions
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to ask him, so I got online, and
I got on the Amazing Facts web
00:54:40.04\00:54:44.65
page, and I just
found it--information,
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just, that I'd never known.
00:54:48.48\00:54:50.45
I went back to work
as a truck driver because
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that was my ministry.
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It was my ministry
before the accident.
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And I was driving down the road,
and I just needed a connection,
00:54:56.26\00:55:00.30
and I was flipping
through, and somehow,
00:55:00.33\00:55:01.73
I ended up on
YouTube, and next thing I know,
00:55:01.76\00:55:04.87
"Amazing Facts,"
one of those things,
00:55:04.90\00:55:06.57
would come up there,
and I listened to it.
00:55:06.60\00:55:08.80
I'm driving down the road.
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I got 11 hours of
driving, so I listened to one,
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I listened to another one,
and the more I listened to him,
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everything that I
thought in my heart,
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I'd just click onto
one of these YouTubes,
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and there he was
giving me the answer.
00:55:21.12\00:55:22.88
I walked in a Seventh-day
Adventist Church for the first
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time, and I felt at home.
00:55:24.85\00:55:27.69
I was baptized in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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because I had
found the truth that I,
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just, was searching for
and I had been praying about.
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Amazing Facts has been such an
inspiration and important for my
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coming back into ministry, that
I want to be able to give back
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to anyone that I
can, and Amazing Facts,
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it is the
backbone of my ministry.
00:55:48.01\00:55:52.15
My name is Diana Dixon.
00:55:52.18\00:55:53.98
Thank you for changing my life.
00:55:54.02\00:55:56.08
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Doug: Hi, friends, this
is Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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Would you like to
hear an amazing fact?
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More and more of the world is
turning now to natural forms of
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energy to try
and find their power,
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and they're resorting to things
like the wind farm that we have
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here in Jamaica at Wigton.
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You know, I remember years ago,
my wife and I going to visit the
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Big Island of Hawaii, and we
were amazed at all the potential
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there for natural power,
but they weren't using it.
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There, at the
south part of the island,
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there was volcanic activity.
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You can make
geothermal power there.
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If you went to Waimea, the
wind was constantly blowing,
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but they had no windmills there.
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If you went over to Kona, sun
always shines--solar electric.
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But they didn't have very
much solar electric there.
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And if you went to Hilo, it was
always raining--hydroelectric.
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And in spite of all that
potential for power there on the
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Big Island of Hawaii, they were
powering the island back then
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with dirty diesel generators.
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Made me think about how we
sometimes waste the power of
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God's Spirit that he's
making available to us,
00:57:13.83\00:57:16.03
and each of us can have
that Spirit if we simply ask.
00:57:16.06\00:57:19.27
You can read in
Zechariah chapter 10.
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What do we do?
00:57:21.54\00:57:22.84
Ask of the Lord rain in
the time of the latter rain,
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and He will send
flashing clouds."
00:57:25.64\00:57:27.81
Jesus also said
in the book of Luke,
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"If you then, being evil, know
how to give good gifts to your
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children, how much more will
your Father in heaven give the
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Holy Spirit to them that ask?"
00:57:36.02\00:57:38.75
When you look in
the book of Acts,
00:57:38.79\00:57:41.06
when the Holy
Spirit was poured out,
00:57:41.09\00:57:42.79
it says there was the
sound of a mighty rushing wind,
00:57:42.82\00:57:46.09
and that power that launched the
church back then can still power
00:57:46.13\00:57:49.03
your life today, friends.
00:57:49.06\00:57:50.40
So why don't you ask Him?
00:57:50.43\00:57:52.17
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