¤¤¤
00:00:00.80\00:00:09.97
¤¤¤
00:00:11.51\00:00:21.48
¤¤¤
00:00:21.52\00:00:30.36
Jean Ross: Good
morning, everyone.
00:00:35.33\00:00:36.70
We'd like to welcome you all
to "Sabbath School Study Hour"
00:00:36.73\00:00:39.17
coming to you here from
the Granite Bay Seventh-day
00:00:39.20\00:00:41.27
Adventist Church in
Granite Bay, California.
00:00:41.30\00:00:43.51
We'd like to welcome all of our
online members and those who are
00:00:43.54\00:00:46.27
joining us across the country
and around the world, part of
00:00:46.31\00:00:49.71
our extended
Sabbath school class.
00:00:49.74\00:00:52.75
Now, we've been sending through
our lesson dealing with the
00:00:52.78\00:00:55.02
subject of true education,
and we're nearing the end of
00:00:55.05\00:00:58.12
this quarter.
00:00:58.15\00:01:00.16
And so today our
lesson is lesson number 12.
00:01:00.19\00:01:03.09
It's entitled "Sabbath:
Experience and Living the
00:01:03.12\00:01:06.46
Character of God."
00:01:06.49\00:01:08.53
So if you have your lesson
quarterly, we encourage you to
00:01:08.56\00:01:10.20
pull it out, open up to lesson
number 12, and you can read
00:01:10.23\00:01:13.37
along with us a number of Bible
verses that we highlight there
00:01:13.40\00:01:16.60
in the lesson.
00:01:16.64\00:01:18.27
We'd also like to let you
know about our free offer.
00:01:18.31\00:01:20.41
And so for those of you joining
us, if you'd like to receive the
00:01:20.44\00:01:22.68
free offer, we'll be
happy to send that to you.
00:01:22.71\00:01:25.98
The free offer, "Is
Sunday Really Sacred?"
00:01:26.01\00:01:29.15
That is the free
offer that we have.
00:01:29.18\00:01:30.89
And if you'd like to receive
that, all you'll have to do is
00:01:30.92\00:01:33.02
call the number 866-788-3966 and
you can ask for offer number 150
00:01:33.05\00:01:41.36
and we will be
happy to send that to you.
00:01:41.40\00:01:43.87
Again, the number to call
is 866-788-3966, ask for offer
00:01:43.90\00:01:48.40
number 150, and we'll
send that right to you.
00:01:48.44\00:01:52.04
Or if you like, you can text the
code SH042 to the number 40544
00:01:52.07\00:02:00.15
and you'll be able to get a
digital download of the book,
00:02:00.18\00:02:03.32
"Is Sunday Really Sacred?"
00:02:03.35\00:02:05.45
And I'm sure that'll be a great
blessing to you if you do that.
00:02:05.49\00:02:08.96
Well, before we get to our
study, we always like to begin
00:02:08.99\00:02:10.76
with prayer.
00:02:10.79\00:02:12.49
We know the Bible is God's book,
so we need the Holy Spirit to
00:02:12.53\00:02:14.60
guide us.
00:02:14.63\00:02:15.96
So let's bow our
heads for prayer.
00:02:16.00\00:02:17.63
Dear Father, we thank You that
we're able to gather together
00:02:17.67\00:02:19.53
and open up Your Word and study
a very important subject talking
00:02:19.57\00:02:22.77
about the Sabbath and how we as
Christians can live in harmony
00:02:22.80\00:02:25.41
with the principles found
in Your Word, especially the
00:02:25.44\00:02:28.01
Sabbath-rest principle.
00:02:28.04\00:02:30.18
So we'd like to
ask Your blessing.
00:02:30.21\00:02:32.18
We know that we are separated by
space, but yet we can still be
00:02:32.21\00:02:35.32
united in Your Spirit.
00:02:35.35\00:02:37.22
So be with those who are joining
us online across the country and
00:02:37.25\00:02:40.26
all around the world, and
we ask this in Jesus' name.
00:02:40.29\00:02:43.86
Amen.
00:02:43.89\00:02:45.63
Today, our Sabbath school lesson
is going to be brought to us by
00:02:45.66\00:02:47.96
Pastor Doug.
00:02:47.96\00:02:49.96
Jolene Haftiz: I'm not
Pastor Doug, but I can sing.
00:02:52.03\00:02:55.37
And well, I'm going to lead you
in one of our first Christmas
00:02:55.40\00:02:58.37
hymns, "Angels from the Realm
of Glory," hymn number 119.
00:02:58.41\00:03:03.51
And I invite you at home to pull
out your hymnals and sing along.
00:03:03.55\00:03:08.65
Stand if you want, and we will
sing together all four verses.
00:03:08.68\00:03:13.82
¤¤¤
00:03:13.86\00:03:16.49
Doug Batchelor:
Thank you, Jolene Haftiz.
00:05:28.49\00:05:30.53
And I'm going to let them
get our microphone adjusted.
00:05:30.56\00:05:33.03
We're in a new facility, we're
using a new studio, and we're
00:05:33.06\00:05:36.73
still working out a few bugs.
00:05:36.77\00:05:38.70
And I want to welcome everybody
who is watching right now and
00:05:38.73\00:05:40.87
joining us for our Sabbath
school time, and we're very glad
00:05:40.90\00:05:43.97
that we could get
together with you.
00:05:44.01\00:05:45.71
We know that we have people
who are joining us from all
00:05:45.74\00:05:49.04
different parts of the planet,
and specially this time of year.
00:05:49.08\00:05:53.85
Now, at the time of this
broadcast we have just--for the
00:05:53.88\00:05:57.75
live recording--we've just
finished Thanksgiving; but by
00:05:57.79\00:06:01.59
the time it's going to be
broadcast, it will be just
00:06:01.62\00:06:04.19
before Christmas.
00:06:04.23\00:06:06.63
And so wherever we are in the
continuum of time, we want to
00:06:06.66\00:06:09.76
wish you a happy Sabbath, and
we're glad that you can study
00:06:09.80\00:06:12.33
with us.
00:06:12.37\00:06:14.44
And we're--as Pastor
Ross mentioned, we're
00:06:14.47\00:06:16.50
continuing--we're on the second
to the last lesson in the study
00:06:16.54\00:06:18.71
on education, and the
study today is more specifically
00:06:18.74\00:06:22.11
dealing with "Sabbath:
Experiencing and Living the
00:06:22.14\00:06:26.05
Character of God."
00:06:26.08\00:06:28.72
And, you know, if you haven't
heard yet, the study for next
00:06:28.75\00:06:32.19
quarter is on the Book of
Isaiah, and all the pastoral
00:06:32.22\00:06:35.42
staff are kind of drooling for
the opportunity to teach some of
00:06:35.46\00:06:38.39
those lessons 'cause Isaiah
is just a wonderful book that
00:06:38.43\00:06:41.06
covers the whole
spectrum of the gospel.
00:06:41.10\00:06:44.80
Anyway--but we have a memory
verse for today, and the memory
00:06:44.83\00:06:48.17
verse is from Mark
chapter 2, verses 27 and 28.
00:06:48.20\00:06:52.34
And there's a few of
the saints gathered here.
00:06:52.37\00:06:55.44
If you want to say that with us,
Mark chapter 2, verse 27 and 28,
00:06:55.48\00:06:59.35
"And he said to them, 'The
Sabbath was made for man, and
00:06:59.38\00:07:05.05
not man for the Sabbath.
00:07:05.09\00:07:08.12
Therefore the son of man
is also Lord of the Sabbath.'"
00:07:08.16\00:07:12.26
You know, an important point
to remember in this verse--some
00:07:12.29\00:07:15.30
people use this verse, they say
man wasn't made for the Sabbath
00:07:15.33\00:07:17.83
so you don't need to
worry about the Sabbath anymore.
00:07:17.87\00:07:20.80
It's not at all
what Jesus is saying.
00:07:20.84\00:07:22.87
Jesus is saying that first God
made man on the sixth day, then
00:07:22.90\00:07:27.61
He made the Sabbath on
the seventh day for man.
00:07:27.64\00:07:31.61
And you notice the way
you spell man there is M-A-N.
00:07:31.65\00:07:35.55
It's not spelt J-E-W.
00:07:35.58\00:07:37.82
Some people say the
Sabbath was made for the Jews.
00:07:37.85\00:07:40.52
The word there is actually
the word anthropos, where we
00:07:40.56\00:07:43.83
get anthropology.
00:07:43.86\00:07:45.93
It means man, mankind in
a general sense, humanity.
00:07:45.96\00:07:48.86
So the Sabbath wasn't made just
for the Israelites or just for
00:07:48.90\00:07:51.63
the Jews.
00:07:51.67\00:07:53.64
Jesus said the Sabbath was made
for mankind, and he's referring
00:07:53.67\00:07:56.14
back in the Garden of Eden.
00:07:56.17\00:07:58.71
So--'cause I run
into people all the time.
00:07:58.74\00:08:00.91
They say, "Well, the
Sabbath--they didn't really keep
00:08:00.94\00:08:03.18
the Sabbath until Mount Sinai.
00:08:03.21\00:08:05.11
It's just something
for the Jewish nation."
00:08:05.15\00:08:07.18
Jesus sort of explodes that idea
by saying, "No, it's made for
00:08:07.22\00:08:08.88
mankind, and it's
back in the beginning."
00:08:08.92\00:08:11.52
Man was made the sixth day.
00:08:11.55\00:08:13.49
Sabbath made the seventh
day to be a blessing for man.
00:08:13.52\00:08:17.59
And so he was--basically Christ
was saying God did not create
00:08:17.63\00:08:21.60
man to serve the Sabbath;
He created the Sabbath to be a
00:08:21.63\00:08:24.93
blessing for man.
00:08:24.97\00:08:27.30
Because in this particular
dispute that you're reading
00:08:27.34\00:08:29.70
about in Mark chapter 2, they
were giving the disciples a hard
00:08:29.74\00:08:32.31
time for, you know, rubbing some
grain and putting it in their
00:08:32.34\00:08:35.88
mouths in the Sabbath day.
00:08:35.91\00:08:37.98
And Jesus said,
"You've got it all backwards.
00:08:38.01\00:08:39.98
God did not make man to exist
for the purpose of the Sabbath;
00:08:40.02\00:08:44.82
He made the Sabbath
to be a blessing to man."
00:08:44.85\00:08:47.89
All right, so
that's our memory verse.
00:08:47.92\00:08:50.06
And we're going to be talking
about to some of the things we
00:08:50.09\00:08:52.43
learn from the Sabbath
truth in our study today.
00:08:52.46\00:08:55.70
First and foremost, it tells us
that--in the first section, the
00:08:55.73\00:09:00.14
Sabbath is a
time to be astonished.
00:09:00.17\00:09:03.91
I don't know if you ever
thought about it that way.
00:09:03.94\00:09:07.08
"I can't wait for the sun
to go down Friday so I can
00:09:07.11\00:09:10.61
be astonished."
00:09:10.65\00:09:13.18
What do they mean by that?
00:09:13.21\00:09:15.52
Think about the first
Sabbath that was in the garden.
00:09:15.55\00:09:17.32
It was just--you know, man
has just come into existence.
00:09:17.35\00:09:20.86
Now, when God made man and
woman--and you realize that
00:09:20.89\00:09:25.19
there are kind of two accounts
of creation that you find
00:09:25.23\00:09:28.00
in Genesis.
00:09:28.03\00:09:30.00
You got the account of what God
did for the first 6 days and the
00:09:30.03\00:09:33.00
seventh day.
00:09:33.03\00:09:34.80
Chapter 2 includes that.
00:09:34.84\00:09:36.91
Then he backs up, Moses, and
he gives more detail about the
00:09:36.94\00:09:39.44
sixth day.
00:09:39.47\00:09:41.58
Again, how woman was
specifically created and more
00:09:41.61\00:09:44.25
details about the garden.
00:09:44.28\00:09:46.51
But unlike a baby that is born
having to learn--a baby has to
00:09:46.55\00:09:49.48
learn to talk.
00:09:49.52\00:09:51.92
A baby has to learn to walk,
to eat, and many other things.
00:09:51.95\00:09:54.66
A baby has to learn what the
philosophy of life is and what
00:09:54.69\00:09:58.33
different words mean, and it's
incredible how much a baby takes
00:09:58.36\00:10:01.76
in and learns in
just a few years.
00:10:01.80\00:10:04.90
Adam came something like a
computer from the factory with
00:10:04.93\00:10:07.97
certain software pre-installed.
00:10:08.00\00:10:11.27
You know what
plug and play means.
00:10:11.31\00:10:13.54
Adam from the time that God
breathed into him and he woke
00:10:13.58\00:10:16.81
up, God downloaded
into him his own image.
00:10:16.85\00:10:20.62
And Adam knew how to talk.
00:10:20.65\00:10:23.75
Adam knew how to walk.
00:10:23.79\00:10:25.79
I think there were certain
things that Adam knew right out
00:10:25.82\00:10:28.42
of the box, as you would say.
00:10:28.46\00:10:31.06
But as he looked around at the
environment that he was in and
00:10:31.09\00:10:35.16
he could behold just the
beauties of creation, Adam was
00:10:35.20\00:10:38.50
just overwhelmed
with a sense of joy.
00:10:38.53\00:10:42.04
God took him and put them in
this garden, of a sense of awe.
00:10:42.07\00:10:46.84
And you think about how
beautiful the garden must
00:10:46.88\00:10:49.78
have been.
00:10:49.81\00:10:52.28
You know, they say there
are several components to a
00:10:52.31\00:10:54.38
beautiful Japanese garden.
00:10:54.42\00:10:56.15
Some of the most beautiful
gardens in the world are
00:10:56.18\00:10:58.12
in Japan.
00:10:58.15\00:11:00.06
I don't know if any of you
have been in Japan, but they
00:11:00.09\00:11:02.16
just--they have some of the most
beautiful gardens, and they take
00:11:02.19\00:11:04.06
it very seriously.
00:11:04.09\00:11:06.09
They're the ones, of course, who
are famous for developing those
00:11:06.13\00:11:08.20
little bonsai trees, and they
just clip every little leaf and
00:11:08.23\00:11:11.73
they train them and they
just--they look like these
00:11:11.77\00:11:14.84
little miniature,
you know, elfy trees.
00:11:14.87\00:11:19.34
And so they take their
gardening very seriously.
00:11:19.37\00:11:21.81
And they say that some of
the things that make a garden
00:11:21.84\00:11:23.75
beautiful, you need water,
plants, stones, fish in the
00:11:23.78\00:11:30.49
water, if you
could--clear water.
00:11:30.52\00:11:32.95
You know, they have their little
koi ponds; a bridge, and lights
00:11:32.99\00:11:36.09
or lanterns, and those
are some of the components.
00:11:36.12\00:11:39.49
You know, you find all of those
things really in the Garden
00:11:39.53\00:11:42.30
of Eden.
00:11:42.33\00:11:44.20
I don't know about the bridge.
00:11:44.23\00:11:46.13
It does say
there were four rivers.
00:11:46.17\00:11:48.04
There may have been a way to
get across, but--anyway, can you
00:11:48.07\00:11:50.24
imagine what that
must have been like?
00:11:50.27\00:11:52.31
And this is not a Japanese
garden, this is a garden that is
00:11:52.34\00:11:54.24
planted by God.
00:11:54.28\00:11:56.91
So when they looked down,
they were filled with awe.
00:11:56.95\00:12:00.45
And what did they
see when they looked up?
00:12:00.48\00:12:02.78
They saw the heavens
in all of their glory.
00:12:02.82\00:12:08.02
And--you know, I can't
prove this, but I think it's not
00:12:08.06\00:12:12.36
unreasonable to wonder, could
Adam see better than we can?
00:12:12.39\00:12:21.20
You know, not too far away from
us, there is an aviation legend
00:12:21.24\00:12:25.94
who lives up in the
hill in Grass Valley.
00:12:25.97\00:12:28.51
One of our
members is his doctor.
00:12:28.54\00:12:31.35
His name is
Colonel Chuck Yeager.
00:12:31.38\00:12:33.88
Last I heard, he's still
alive, 90 something years old.
00:12:33.92\00:12:36.22
Was flying into his 90s.
00:12:36.25\00:12:38.22
He broke several records, and
one of the things you can read
00:12:38.25\00:12:41.02
about General Yeager in
his biography is he had, like,
00:12:41.06\00:12:46.09
20/10 vision.
00:12:46.13\00:12:49.70
And so when they--he was flying,
he could see enemy aircraft
00:12:49.73\00:12:52.20
before anybody
else could see him.
00:12:52.23\00:12:54.64
He had like eagle eyes
and--well, if he could have
00:12:54.67\00:12:58.31
that, what did Adam have?
00:12:58.34\00:13:01.24
I think not only that.
00:13:01.28\00:13:03.28
But, you know, when I was a kid,
I could put my hand this close
00:13:03.31\00:13:05.81
to my eye and I
could see my fingerprints.
00:13:05.85\00:13:08.68
My vision was really good.
00:13:08.72\00:13:10.95
I can't do that now.
00:13:10.99\00:13:12.75
I got to get it way out
here, and then they're fuzzy.
00:13:12.79\00:13:14.96
I think Adam's vision was almost
like microscope and telescope.
00:13:14.99\00:13:20.30
And so he saw everything so much
clearer, and I think there was a
00:13:20.33\00:13:24.47
sense of awe and wonder.
00:13:24.50\00:13:27.87
So his first day of
existence--he's made on the
00:13:27.90\00:13:30.41
sixth day.
00:13:30.44\00:13:32.24
What is his first day?
00:13:32.27\00:13:34.48
His first full day is Sabbath.
00:13:34.51\00:13:36.95
And so God designed, after He
made man, another day of time.
00:13:36.98\00:13:40.58
What happened?
00:13:40.62\00:13:42.98
Do you think that God left Adam
that day like the deist thing?
00:13:43.02\00:13:47.02
God kind of created things
and walked away, or do you think
00:13:47.06\00:13:49.52
that God created Adam and then
He walked and talked with him in
00:13:49.56\00:13:52.03
the garden, as the song says?
00:13:52.06\00:13:54.63
I think God was with Adam and
Eve, and He was communing with
00:13:54.66\00:13:57.50
them and there was this
sense of awe and wonder and joy.
00:13:57.53\00:14:01.54
The Sabbath should be a memorial
of the creation and that kind of
00:14:01.57\00:14:05.67
awe and wonder and joy.
00:14:05.71\00:14:08.68
You know, you look at the things
that are mentioned in the second
00:14:08.71\00:14:11.15
chapter of Genesis and it
tells about, of course the first
00:14:11.18\00:14:16.02
chapter, you know, the days that
God made things and He made man
00:14:16.05\00:14:18.75
in His image.
00:14:18.79\00:14:20.82
Second chapter more specifically
mentions a paradise garden,
00:14:20.86\00:14:24.83
beautiful rivers
that irrigate the planet.
00:14:24.86\00:14:27.60
There was no salt sea back then.
00:14:27.60\00:14:29.90
It was probably clear lakes.
00:14:29.93\00:14:32.23
Precious stones and gold
and minerals, exotic animals and
00:14:32.27\00:14:35.90
birds, fruit-laden trees.
00:14:35.94\00:14:40.01
And then after it mentions
all these things, it says rest,
00:14:40.04\00:14:43.08
which basically is time for
you to enjoy all the wonders
00:14:43.11\00:14:46.41
of creation.
00:14:46.45\00:14:48.98
So one of the
important things you can do on
00:14:49.02\00:14:51.29
Sabbath--weather-permitting.
00:14:51.32\00:14:54.26
I've got some friends that
called me this week from Alaska,
00:14:54.29\00:14:56.99
and it's starting
to get cold up there.
00:14:57.03\00:15:01.16
And he said, "Yeah, I went
for a hike with snowshoes."
00:15:01.20\00:15:04.17
So even on the
Sabbath you can go for a hike.
00:15:04.20\00:15:09.90
Of course he ran into a moose
and had to run for his life,
00:15:09.94\00:15:12.64
but--that was
the reason he called.
00:15:12.67\00:15:16.85
But yeah, you know, it's good to
get out in nature on the Sabbath
00:15:16.88\00:15:20.82
day as much as you can.
00:15:20.85\00:15:22.75
Look at the things.
00:15:22.78\00:15:24.62
Even though our world is
groaning under the curse of
00:15:24.65\00:15:28.76
sin--the whole creation
groans and travails together.
00:15:28.79\00:15:32.49
Even though the world is not as
beautiful as it was when it came
00:15:32.53\00:15:36.20
from God's hands, there are
still a lot of beautiful things
00:15:36.23\00:15:39.13
that can be seen in
the world at eye level.
00:15:39.17\00:15:42.24
If you look below, if
you look above, there are
00:15:42.27\00:15:44.47
wonders everywhere.
00:15:44.51\00:15:47.58
So the Sabbath is a
time to be astonished.
00:15:47.61\00:15:51.55
And, you know, God made these
things so that we would think
00:15:51.58\00:15:56.15
about Him.
00:15:56.18\00:15:57.99
Isaiah 55:9, "For as the heavens
are higher than the earth, so
00:15:58.02\00:16:01.49
are my ways than your ways."
00:16:01.52\00:16:03.83
Everything that they looked
at, it was to make them think
00:16:03.86\00:16:05.83
of God.
00:16:05.86\00:16:08.56
Think of the immensity of space.
00:16:08.60\00:16:11.13
One man looked up and he
realized that our world--do you
00:16:11.17\00:16:14.07
think Adam knew
the world was round?
00:16:14.10\00:16:17.11
Or did Galileo
discover that, or Copernicus?
00:16:17.14\00:16:19.84
I think he knew all that.
00:16:19.87\00:16:21.54
That was some
knowledge was lost.
00:16:21.58\00:16:23.51
Did he know
something about the cosmos?
00:16:23.55\00:16:25.18
Probably.
00:16:25.21\00:16:27.62
You can read in the book
"Patriarchs and Prophets" that
00:16:27.65\00:16:29.72
he was studying
the tiniest mote.
00:16:29.75\00:16:34.06
Now mote is, you know, but
the smallest thing you can see
00:16:34.09\00:16:36.46
floating in the sun beam.
00:16:36.49\00:16:39.06
And so Adam's interest in God's
creation went from the tiniest
00:16:39.09\00:16:42.30
mote to these massive worlds.
00:16:42.33\00:16:45.43
Let me just talk to you for
a moment about the--some simple
00:16:45.47\00:16:48.90
facts about the
immensity of space.
00:16:48.94\00:16:52.37
Our sun--you can put
approximately 1 million planet
00:16:52.41\00:16:55.38
earths inside
the scope of our sun.
00:16:55.41\00:16:59.71
Our sun is a comparatively small
star, but astronomers estimate
00:16:59.75\00:17:03.32
that our sun is one of 200
billion stars--not solar systems
00:17:03.35\00:17:11.69
or planets, 200 billion stars in
just our one galaxy that we call
00:17:11.73\00:17:17.07
home called the
Milky Way galaxy.
00:17:17.10\00:17:19.67
So we live in the middle of
a fiery pinwheel of 200 billion
00:17:19.70\00:17:24.01
other suns, and many of them
could have planets around them.
00:17:24.04\00:17:28.04
When you look up at night--they
focused the Hubble on one little
00:17:28.08\00:17:32.98
place in space.
00:17:33.01\00:17:35.48
Now, if you want to rent
the spaceship Hubble, different
00:17:35.52\00:17:37.99
universities can do it,
you have to pay a lot of money.
00:17:38.02\00:17:40.62
And some of the universities got
together and they said, "We want
00:17:40.66\00:17:44.99
to aim this Hubble at nothing.
00:17:45.03\00:17:47.86
Find a place in the sky
where you think there's nothing.
00:17:47.86\00:17:50.67
We want to aim it there."
00:17:50.70\00:17:52.87
And because--you know, the size
of your lens aperture if it's
00:17:52.90\00:17:55.77
dark, you leave it open, slower
shutter speed--you leave it open
00:17:55.80\00:17:59.41
longer to capture more light.
00:17:59.44\00:18:02.28
They aimed it at a piece of
the night sky where they thought
00:18:02.31\00:18:05.15
they saw nothing, and it's--when
you hold a grain of rice up
00:18:05.18\00:18:10.45
against the sky--the piece of
sky they focused on was smaller
00:18:10.49\00:18:14.02
than a grain of
rice at arm's length.
00:18:14.06\00:18:17.33
They focused there for 10 days.
00:18:17.36\00:18:19.43
It was very expensive.
00:18:19.46\00:18:21.63
They took what they call
the Ultra-Deep Field space
00:18:21.66\00:18:23.93
photograph, and after 10 days
they then looked at what they
00:18:23.97\00:18:27.07
had and it showed a blizzard
of multi-colored galaxies
00:18:27.10\00:18:35.81
billions and zillions
of light years from earth
00:18:35.84\00:18:39.25
in that little piece of sky.
00:18:39.28\00:18:44.75
And they thought, "Wow, I wonder
if we zoomed in and did it again
00:18:44.79\00:18:47.66
even longer."
00:18:47.69\00:18:49.76
They found another place.
00:18:49.79\00:18:51.79
And then they took the
ultra, ultra deep space picture.
00:18:51.83\00:18:54.20
It was filled with even
more, and they started realizing
00:18:54.23\00:18:57.50
that--if you ask an astronomer
how many stars are out there,
00:18:57.53\00:19:01.34
they'll say there are
approximately as many stars out
00:19:01.37\00:19:05.01
in the universe as there
are grains of sand in all the
00:19:05.04\00:19:08.08
beaches of the world.
00:19:08.11\00:19:11.35
So you think about--and how much
life there must be out there
00:19:11.38\00:19:15.48
besides humanity.
00:19:15.52\00:19:18.85
In the Bible when they tried
to describe it, they say 10,000
00:19:18.89\00:19:21.39
times 10,000 and
thousands of thousands.
00:19:21.42\00:19:23.69
By the way, that was the highest
number in Greek that they had.
00:19:23.73\00:19:27.20
So space is immense.
00:19:27.23\00:19:29.76
So as Adam looked above
and he looked below, he started
00:19:29.80\00:19:33.77
thinking about atoms and quarks
and the God particle and all the
00:19:33.80\00:19:38.81
microscopic things.
00:19:38.84\00:19:41.98
The world is what
you would call wonderful.
00:19:42.01\00:19:45.51
And then it gives you a little
more detail about that sixth day
00:19:45.55\00:19:49.18
of creation that'll help
us learn some things about
00:19:49.22\00:19:52.72
the Sabbath.
00:19:52.75\00:19:55.32
Genesis 2:24 says God made all
the animals pass before Adam.
00:19:55.36\00:19:58.36
You might think--I've heard
scoffers that say, "How could
00:19:58.39\00:20:00.93
God do that?"
00:20:00.96\00:20:02.93
There are so many different
kinds of animals in the world
00:20:02.96\00:20:05.00
today that he could
never name them all in one day.
00:20:05.03\00:20:07.47
I don't think he named every
subspecies, and a lot of the
00:20:07.50\00:20:10.67
subspecies didn't exist and
they have come through breeding.
00:20:10.71\00:20:14.24
It's like, for instance, right
now you know how many kinds of
00:20:14.28\00:20:16.81
dogs there are?
00:20:16.85\00:20:19.18
You couldn't name all the
different varieties of dogs
00:20:19.21\00:20:21.42
there are.
00:20:21.45\00:20:23.59
There are hundreds of
different breeds of dogs.
00:20:23.62\00:20:25.99
But when Adam was naming them,
there were two dog-like animals
00:20:26.02\00:20:28.16
and he said dog,
or whatever he said.
00:20:28.19\00:20:30.79
So he didn't mean to
say Beagle, Lhasa Apso.
00:20:30.83\00:20:33.26
I can't even think of
all the names of--you know,
00:20:33.29\00:20:37.23
Greyhound, wolfhound.
00:20:37.27\00:20:39.83
All that.
00:20:39.87\00:20:42.10
He just said dogs.
00:20:42.14\00:20:44.14
And then when it came to the
pachyderms, he said pachyderms.
00:20:44.17\00:20:46.11
The elephants, he didn't
say woolly mammoth and mastodon
00:20:46.14\00:20:48.34
and--you see what I'm saying?
00:20:48.38\00:20:50.48
And so I think he just named
the main categories of creatures
00:20:50.51\00:20:52.75
that day, but he noticed
that the bull had a cow and the
00:20:52.78\00:20:56.72
rooster had a hen, and he
started feeling a little lonely.
00:20:56.75\00:21:00.42
And God wanted him to feel that
yearning for companionship after
00:21:00.46\00:21:04.76
his own kind and said, "Okay,
Adam, I got a surprise for you;
00:21:04.79\00:21:09.10
but first, you're going to go to
sleep and you're going to wake
00:21:09.13\00:21:13.20
up married."
00:21:13.23\00:21:15.37
That happens in
Vegas all the time.
00:21:15.40\00:21:18.57
But--and God performed the first
surgery, and he took a rib.
00:21:18.61\00:21:22.51
And, you know, it came from his
side to show that woman was not
00:21:22.54\00:21:26.72
to be trampled.
00:21:26.75\00:21:28.88
It wasn't from the foot.
00:21:28.92\00:21:30.95
She was not to hen peck.
00:21:30.99\00:21:32.32
It was not from the skull.
00:21:32.35\00:21:33.72
It was from the side, under his
arm for protection by his heart.
00:21:33.76\00:21:35.62
And He took that
bone and He made wife.
00:21:35.66\00:21:40.70
When He woke up, God
performed the first wedding.
00:21:40.73\00:21:43.33
Isn't that pretty
when you think about it?
00:21:43.37\00:21:46.33
One of the first miracles that
God did after creation was to
00:21:46.37\00:21:48.47
perform a wedding; one of the
first miracles Jesus did was for
00:21:48.50\00:21:50.94
a wedding.
00:21:50.97\00:21:54.24
And I don't want to go too
far with this; but, you know, we
00:21:54.28\00:21:58.71
often get a question and people
kind of dance around wanting to
00:21:58.75\00:22:01.72
know on the Sabbath day is
marital relations appropriate.
00:22:01.75\00:22:08.62
Well, my idea of it is
God created man with certain
00:22:08.66\00:22:13.60
perfectly holy healthy
desires like eating is a desire.
00:22:13.63\00:22:18.90
It's God's plan.
00:22:18.93\00:22:21.04
He made all these luscious
things and He says, "Eat freely
00:22:21.07\00:22:23.44
from the things
except this one thing."
00:22:23.47\00:22:26.81
And so God expected people
to enjoy the pleasures of food.
00:22:26.84\00:22:31.98
Oh, well, when it comes to
the Sabbath, it's hard for me to
00:22:32.01\00:22:34.52
imagine the last thing you hear
God saying on the sixth day to
00:22:34.55\00:22:36.99
Adam and Eve is, "I
pronounce you man and wife.
00:22:37.02\00:22:40.12
Be fruitful and multiply,
but you got to wait 24 hours for
00:22:40.16\00:22:42.56
your honeymoon."
00:22:42.59\00:22:45.63
So you can probably tell what
my understanding of that is,
00:22:45.66\00:22:48.20
but--and it's a
time for rediscovery.
00:22:48.23\00:22:52.53
This is our next section.
00:22:52.57\00:22:54.30
Genesis 26, verse 5, "Because
Abraham obeyed My voice and kept
00:22:54.34\00:23:00.68
My charge, My commandments,
My statutes, and My laws--"
00:23:00.71\00:23:05.35
Now, did the Sabbath
originate at Mount Sinai?
00:23:05.38\00:23:10.92
A lot of people say, "Yeah,
that's when God first did it."
00:23:10.95\00:23:13.66
And there is a
verse that tells us.
00:23:13.69\00:23:16.02
When you see the Ten
Commandments in Exodus, it's
00:23:16.06\00:23:18.39
more general.
00:23:18.43\00:23:20.63
When you read the repetition
of the Ten Commandments in
00:23:20.66\00:23:22.93
Deuteronomy chapter 5, God says,
"For you were slaves in the land
00:23:22.96\00:23:26.90
of Egypt, therefore the
Lord commands you to keep the
00:23:26.94\00:23:29.47
Sabbath day."
00:23:29.50\00:23:31.44
And He says remember
to let your servant rest.
00:23:31.47\00:23:33.31
So He emphasize make sure
and let your servant rest.
00:23:33.34\00:23:35.48
Some people say, "Well, that
proves that it was just given to
00:23:35.51\00:23:37.45
the Jewish nation."
00:23:37.48\00:23:39.68
Sabbath was not just for the
Jewish nation; it was for all
00:23:39.71\00:23:41.65
people all time.
00:23:41.68\00:23:43.69
Notice--did Abraham live
before Moses or after Moses?
00:23:43.72\00:23:46.29
Abraham is after--or before
Moses, and God says, "Abraham
00:23:46.32\00:23:51.79
obeyed My voice.
00:23:51.83\00:23:53.93
He kept My charge, My
commandments, My statutes, and
00:23:53.96\00:23:57.20
My laws."
00:23:57.23\00:23:59.10
So did God have
law before Moses?
00:23:59.13\00:24:02.04
Yes, He did.
00:24:02.07\00:24:04.74
And you can read
in Exodus chapter 4.
00:24:04.77\00:24:07.98
Exodus 4, of
course, is before Exodus 20.
00:24:08.01\00:24:10.61
When God tells Moses, "I
want you to go find your brother
00:24:10.65\00:24:12.95
Aaron, and I want
you to go to Pharaoh."
00:24:12.98\00:24:15.45
Before he goes to Pharaoh, first
he goes and he gathers together
00:24:15.48\00:24:18.05
the elders of Israel.
00:24:18.09\00:24:20.69
And you go to Exodus
4:29, "Moses and Aaron went and
00:24:20.72\00:24:23.66
gathered together all the elders
of Israel, and Aaron spoke all
00:24:23.69\00:24:26.90
the words that the
Lord had spoken to Moses."
00:24:26.93\00:24:29.96
"I've seen your tears.
00:24:30.00\00:24:31.60
I'm going to bring
you out of Egypt and--"
00:24:31.63\00:24:33.80
And it says they bowed
their heads and they worshiped.
00:24:33.84\00:24:37.11
Now, probably in what was
shared, they said, "We need to
00:24:37.14\00:24:40.18
return to the Lord.
00:24:40.21\00:24:42.04
You're acting like the
Egyptians, and you're following
00:24:42.08\00:24:44.01
Egyptian gods."
00:24:44.05\00:24:45.81
You know, the golden
calf, you understand.
00:24:45.85\00:24:47.48
They'd gotten mixed
up in Egyptian worship.
00:24:47.52\00:24:49.45
Notice what the Pharaoh
says when Moses says, "Let my
00:24:49.48\00:24:51.25
people go."
00:24:51.29\00:24:52.99
Now you're in Exodus 5, verse 5.
00:24:53.02\00:24:54.99
"And the Pharaoh said, 'Look,
the people of the land are many
00:24:55.02\00:24:57.06
now, and you make them rest.'"
00:24:57.09\00:25:00.76
You know what that
word rest is there?
00:25:00.80\00:25:03.03
Shabbat, it's the
exact same word for Sabbath.
00:25:03.06\00:25:07.04
So evidently when Moses and
Aaron had met with the people
00:25:07.07\00:25:09.70
and said, "You need to
start obeying the Lord.
00:25:09.74\00:25:11.51
He's going to deliver you.
00:25:11.54\00:25:13.17
You need to return to the
truth of the Scriptures and
00:25:13.21\00:25:15.58
worship Jehovah."
00:25:15.61\00:25:17.28
It says they bowed their
heads and they worshiped.
00:25:17.31\00:25:18.81
They believed in
worshiping Him again.
00:25:18.85\00:25:20.65
Now they're keeping the Sabbath,
but the Pharaoh doesn't like
00:25:20.68\00:25:24.05
that, says, "You're
making them Shabbat."
00:25:24.09\00:25:27.29
And so he doubles their
labor load and doesn't give them
00:25:27.32\00:25:29.56
any straw.
00:25:29.59\00:25:31.53
So I think the Sabbath is
before the Ten Commandments.
00:25:31.56\00:25:34.13
Now, if those verses don't
convince you, this I hope will
00:25:34.20\00:25:37.10
convince you.
00:25:37.13\00:25:38.93
And I know I'm preaching to the
choir here, but we've got a lot
00:25:38.97\00:25:40.70
of friends watching that
I also want to understand.
00:25:40.74\00:25:43.91
Exodus 16.
00:25:43.94\00:25:46.24
Ten Commandments are
given in what chapter?
00:25:46.27\00:25:49.24
Exodus 20.
00:25:49.28\00:25:51.21
So this is before Exodus 20.
00:25:51.25\00:25:53.31
Exodus 16.
00:25:53.35\00:25:55.48
God said, "Look, I
know you're hungry."
00:25:55.52\00:25:57.69
I'm paraphrasing.
00:25:57.72\00:25:59.65
"Six days a week I'm going to
rain down this substance," they
00:25:59.69\00:26:01.66
named manna.
00:26:01.69\00:26:03.69
"You're to gather it.
00:26:03.73\00:26:05.46
Just gather enough one day at
a time until you get to Friday,
00:26:05.49\00:26:07.30
the sixth day, then you can
gather twice as much 'cause I
00:26:07.30\00:26:10.17
won't rain any down
on the seventh day."
00:26:10.20\00:26:13.20
Here's what it says.
00:26:13.23\00:26:15.20
"And so it was on the sixth
day they gathered twice as much
00:26:15.24\00:26:17.34
bread, two omers for each one.
00:26:17.37\00:26:20.01
All the rulers in
the congregation came and
00:26:20.04\00:26:22.38
told Moses.
00:26:22.41\00:26:24.25
And he said to them,
'This is what the Lord has said:
00:26:24.28\00:26:26.31
'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest,
a holy Sabbath to the Lord.
00:26:26.35\00:26:29.82
Bake what you're
going to bake today.
00:26:29.85\00:26:32.19
Boil what you will boil.
00:26:32.22\00:26:34.22
Lay up for yourself
all that remains to be kept
00:26:34.26\00:26:36.42
until morning.''"
00:26:36.46\00:26:38.29
Cook it in advance to
be ready to eat tomorrow.
00:26:38.33\00:26:40.46
"So they laid it up until
morning as Moses commanded, and
00:26:40.50\00:26:42.46
it did not stink and
there weren't any worms."
00:26:42.50\00:26:46.17
Now why does he say that?
00:26:46.20\00:26:48.07
'Cause you read earlier when God
gave them manna, some of them
00:26:48.10\00:26:50.41
tried to keep it over and the
next morning it had a terrible
00:26:50.44\00:26:54.78
smell and it was wormy.
00:26:54.81\00:26:59.48
Why do you think God
allowed that to happen?
00:26:59.51\00:27:02.32
Why did He want them to
gather manna 6 days a week?
00:27:02.35\00:27:05.19
Why couldn't they gather
a week's worth once a week?
00:27:05.22\00:27:09.19
What does that manna represent?
00:27:09.22\00:27:11.76
"Man doesn't live by
bread alone, but by every word."
00:27:11.79\00:27:15.96
Jesus said, "I am the bread
that comes down from heaven."
00:27:16.00\00:27:18.80
How often should we
be gathering that manna?
00:27:18.83\00:27:22.27
"Give us this
day our daily bread."
00:27:22.30\00:27:26.17
So we should be gathering it
every morning, and it's assumed
00:27:26.21\00:27:28.98
that on Sabbath you gather
together to feast on the Word
00:27:29.01\00:27:33.25
and sometimes there's a potluck.
00:27:33.28\00:27:35.92
But--so I think God is--and when
did they go gather the manna?
00:27:35.95\00:27:38.85
What time of day?
00:27:38.89\00:27:41.02
Morning.
00:27:41.06\00:27:42.92
What happened if
they waited too late?
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.99
It melted, it evaporated.
00:27:45.03\00:27:47.60
Kind of like, you know, whipped
cream on a hot pie just start to
00:27:47.60\00:27:50.67
dissipate after a while.
00:27:50.70\00:27:52.93
It is soaked on in to
the ground, and it was gone.
00:27:52.97\00:27:55.74
And so the idea--what is the
lesson there about the manna?
00:27:55.77\00:27:58.34
You don't want to wait too
late in the day before you have
00:27:58.37\00:28:02.61
your worship.
00:28:02.64\00:28:04.85
You know what the best
time is for morning worship?
00:28:04.88\00:28:07.12
Morning, early in the morning.
00:28:07.15\00:28:12.35
Look at how--I did a
whole sermon once years ago.
00:28:12.39\00:28:14.79
I doubt anyone
remembers, but I do.
00:28:14.82\00:28:17.06
It was called
"Early in the Morning."
00:28:17.09\00:28:18.79
I went through the Bible and
talked about all the things that
00:28:18.83\00:28:20.56
happened early in the morning,
everything from the resurrection
00:28:20.60\00:28:22.33
to when Mary came to
the tomb and other passages.
00:28:22.36\00:28:24.80
They had to gather
the manna in the morning.
00:28:24.83\00:28:27.37
You need to come to the Lord
first thing before the cares of
00:28:27.40\00:28:29.90
life start to crowd in upon
you and distract you and dampen
00:28:29.94\00:28:34.08
your faith.
00:28:34.11\00:28:36.34
And then--so He said gather what
you've gathered Friday so the
00:28:36.38\00:28:40.02
Sabbath day you will
have more time to rest.
00:28:40.05\00:28:44.45
Did He want them
to eat on the Sabbath?
00:28:44.49\00:28:47.59
Yeah, that's why they
gathered twice as much.
00:28:47.62\00:28:49.86
Said, "You can bake it.
00:28:49.89\00:28:51.39
You can bake the manna.
00:28:51.43\00:28:53.19
You could, you
know, do fondue with it.
00:28:53.23\00:28:54.93
You can do whatever you
want with it, but just do it the
00:28:54.96\00:28:56.46
day before."
00:28:56.50\00:28:58.47
And then he says, "You
shall kindle no fire through
00:28:58.50\00:29:00.37
your dwellings."
00:29:00.40\00:29:02.17
Now, I just want to pause
and talk about that a little bit
00:29:02.20\00:29:04.04
because that's
been misunderstood.
00:29:04.07\00:29:05.91
I heard a--kind of a sarcastic
sermon by Jimmy Swaggart years
00:29:05.94\00:29:11.95
ago when he said, "Yeah, these
Adventists, they don't keep
00:29:11.98\00:29:15.42
the Sabbath.
00:29:15.45\00:29:16.92
It's impossible
to keep the Sabbath.
00:29:16.95\00:29:18.59
Every time they drive to church,
the spark plugs in their cars
00:29:18.62\00:29:20.36
are firing.
00:29:20.39\00:29:22.12
And if you build a fire on
the Sabbath, you're breaking the
00:29:22.16\00:29:23.76
Sabbath, and they're
breaking the Sabbath all the way
00:29:23.79\00:29:25.56
to church."
00:29:25.59\00:29:27.40
'Cause it says you're not
supposed to kindle a fire.
00:29:27.40\00:29:29.46
I thought, "Where
did you--really you're
00:29:29.50\00:29:31.23
ridiculing God.
00:29:31.27\00:29:33.17
God's the one who said that."
00:29:33.20\00:29:34.84
Is that what it's talking about?
00:29:34.87\00:29:36.60
No.
00:29:36.64\00:29:38.37
What did you have
to do to kindle a fire?
00:29:38.41\00:29:40.04
Kindle, by the way, is a verb.
00:29:40.08\00:29:41.91
It means to build in a fire.
00:29:41.94\00:29:43.75
What does it
mean to kindle a fire?
00:29:43.78\00:29:45.48
Men, they had to go
out and gather wood.
00:29:45.51\00:29:47.45
Did they have matches back then?
00:29:47.48\00:29:49.35
You've seen people, you
know, making fires and--he said,
00:29:49.38\00:29:51.29
"Look, if you can have a fire--"
00:29:51.32\00:29:53.62
If someone was cold, they
could have a fire in the desert.
00:29:53.66\00:29:56.32
Just don't start a fire.
00:29:56.36\00:29:58.09
That was very work intensive.
00:29:58.13\00:29:59.86
Get your wood--He said,
"Do not go out of the camp."
00:29:59.89\00:30:01.80
Why did He say
don't go out of the camp?
00:30:01.83\00:30:03.47
Don't go out gathering wood.
00:30:03.50\00:30:05.17
Remember man was stoned
for gathering wood on the
00:30:05.20\00:30:06.67
Sabbath day.
00:30:06.70\00:30:08.34
Get your wood gathered before,
and have your manna gathered
00:30:08.37\00:30:11.34
before, and get the fire
started before the Sabbath.
00:30:11.37\00:30:16.75
Now it's gotten cold
here in Northern California.
00:30:16.78\00:30:18.55
We have a little
wood stove in our house.
00:30:18.58\00:30:21.62
We gathered wood up in
Covelo, brought it home.
00:30:21.65\00:30:24.05
Yesterday I said, "Nathan, could
you please stack some wood there
00:30:24.09\00:30:26.82
by the back door?"
00:30:26.86\00:30:28.92
Last night before
Sabbath, I started the fire.
00:30:28.96\00:30:31.93
It's still going now.
00:30:31.96\00:30:33.66
I haven't had to kindle a fire.
00:30:33.70\00:30:35.80
See the difference?
00:30:35.83\00:30:37.53
And that's what He's talking--He
didn't expect everybody to
00:30:37.57\00:30:39.37
shiver in their tents every
Sabbath, especially in Jerusalem
00:30:39.40\00:30:41.54
when it's higher and
it snows there in the
00:30:41.57\00:30:46.04
wintertime sometimes.
00:30:46.07\00:30:48.01
So I've heard people take that
and they just totally abuse what
00:30:48.04\00:30:50.38
the intention of the verse was.
00:30:50.41\00:30:52.95
All right, did
we learn something?
00:30:52.98\00:30:54.82
Let's keep going.
00:30:54.85\00:30:56.72
What else do we learn about
the Sabbath, talking about the
00:30:56.75\00:30:58.99
Sabbath and education?
00:30:59.02\00:31:01.22
It's a time for
learning priorities.
00:31:01.26\00:31:04.09
Now in the lesson here, it turns
us to Jeremiah 17, verse 20, and
00:31:04.13\00:31:09.83
I'm going to
read through verse 27.
00:31:09.86\00:31:13.34
"And he said to them, 'Hear the
Word of the Lord, you kings of
00:31:13.37\00:31:16.07
Judah, and all Judah, and
the inhabitants of Jerusalem who
00:31:16.10\00:31:20.84
enter by these gates.'"
00:31:20.88\00:31:23.01
Jeremiah is
prophesying by the gates.
00:31:23.04\00:31:25.21
"Thus says the Lord, 'Take heed
to yourselves and bear no burden
00:31:25.25\00:31:28.62
on the Sabbath day, nor bring
it in by the gates of Jerusalem,
00:31:28.65\00:31:32.59
nor carry a burden out of your
houses on the Sabbath day, nor
00:31:32.62\00:31:36.76
do any work, but hallow
the Sabbath day as I commanded
00:31:36.79\00:31:40.60
your fathers.'
00:31:40.63\00:31:42.83
But they did not obey or incline
their ear, but they made their
00:31:42.86\00:31:45.90
neck stiff, that they might
not hear or receive instruction.
00:31:45.93\00:31:50.34
'And it shall be if you heed
Me carefully,' says the Lord--"
00:31:50.37\00:31:54.64
He gives a promise first.
00:31:54.68\00:31:56.75
He's being positive.
00:31:56.78\00:31:59.18
"'If you heed Me carefully,'
says the Lord, 'to bring no
00:31:59.21\00:32:01.58
burden through the gates of
the city on the Sabbath day but
00:32:01.62\00:32:04.22
hallow the Sabbath day and do no
work in it, then shall enter the
00:32:04.25\00:32:08.12
gates of the city kings and
princes sitting on the throne
00:32:08.16\00:32:11.76
of David.'"
00:32:11.79\00:32:13.96
A wonderful promise that once
again they'd have the heirs of
00:32:14.00\00:32:16.67
David sitting on the throne,
meaning they'd be reigning in
00:32:16.70\00:32:18.90
prosperity, they'd have
their independence again.
00:32:18.93\00:32:21.80
"Riding in chariots and
on horses and their princes,
00:32:21.84\00:32:25.34
accompanied them by the men
of Judah and the inhabitants of
00:32:25.37\00:32:29.58
Jerusalem, and the
city shall remain forever."
00:32:29.61\00:32:32.15
What a wonderful promise
if they had been faithful.
00:32:32.18\00:32:36.02
God said the city
would remain forever.
00:32:36.05\00:32:38.75
Now when He's telling them this,
keep in mind the Babylonians are
00:32:38.79\00:32:42.32
camped outside Jerusalem and it
looks like judgment is looming.
00:32:42.36\00:32:48.30
But if they had obeyed God--and
what was one of the things He
00:32:48.33\00:32:50.83
said that would make the
difference on whether or not
00:32:50.87\00:32:53.17
they survived?
00:32:53.20\00:32:55.80
Keeping the Sabbath.
00:32:55.84\00:32:58.24
How do you
think--does this matter to God?
00:32:58.27\00:33:00.84
He said, "Look, I've got
the enemies at the gates, but I
00:33:00.88\00:33:03.58
promise to send them away.
00:33:03.61\00:33:05.78
I will protect you, I will
preserve the city, but you can't
00:33:05.81\00:33:08.05
be ignoring My commandments."
00:33:08.08\00:33:10.75
Says, "Honor me."
00:33:10.79\00:33:12.99
Now, why did He say that?
00:33:13.02\00:33:15.36
He said, "Look, I just--I'm
making your life difficult.
00:33:15.39\00:33:17.39
I don't want you to work."
00:33:17.43\00:33:19.29
Or was God saying, "You will not
know Me if you don't spend time
00:33:19.33\00:33:21.83
with Me.
00:33:21.86\00:33:24.00
You will not love Me if
you do not spend time with Me.
00:33:24.03\00:33:26.50
If you keep neglecting
the Sabbath and doing your own
00:33:26.53\00:33:28.67
thing, your love
for Me will diminish.
00:33:28.70\00:33:32.21
You will not be able to obey Me,
you will not know Me, you'll not
00:33:32.24\00:33:34.78
serve Me, and
judgment will come."
00:33:34.81\00:33:37.78
And so one of the keys in loving
the Lord is knowing the Lord.
00:33:37.81\00:33:40.65
One of the keys in knowing
the Lord is time with the Lord.
00:33:40.68\00:33:44.12
That's why the
Sabbath is so important.
00:33:44.15\00:33:46.05
That's why He commands it.
00:33:46.09\00:33:48.42
And let me continue on here.
00:33:48.46\00:33:50.69
I'm still in Jeremiah
chapter 17, reading in verse 26.
00:33:50.73\00:33:54.96
He says, "The city will remain
forever, and then shall come
00:33:55.00\00:33:58.90
from the cities of Judah and
from its places around Jerusalem
00:33:58.93\00:34:02.37
and from the land of Benjamin
and from the lowland and the
00:34:02.40\00:34:05.51
mountains and from the south."
00:34:05.54\00:34:07.74
They'll come bringing burnt
offerings and sacrifices and
00:34:07.78\00:34:09.84
grain offerings and incense,
bringing sacrifices of praise to
00:34:09.88\00:34:12.68
the house of God.
00:34:12.71\00:34:15.08
Look at all that Saul promise.
00:34:15.12\00:34:17.29
"But," verse 27, "if you
will not heed Me to hallow the
00:34:17.32\00:34:21.66
Sabbath day, such as not
carrying a burden when entering
00:34:21.69\00:34:26.06
the gates of Jerusalem on
the Sabbath day, I will kindle a
00:34:26.09\00:34:29.30
fire in its gate and it will
devour the palaces of Jerusalem,
00:34:29.33\00:34:33.34
and it will not be quenched."
00:34:33.37\00:34:36.74
By the way, sometimes people
talk about unquenchable fire.
00:34:36.77\00:34:40.44
What is unquenchable fire?
00:34:40.48\00:34:42.91
Just means fire
that is not extinguished.
00:34:42.94\00:34:45.48
When they didn't obey God,
it turns out that they did not
00:34:45.51\00:34:49.02
humble themselves, they did not
keep the Sabbath, the gates of
00:34:49.05\00:34:51.55
Jerusalem were burned.
00:34:51.59\00:34:54.29
No firemen came
to quench the fire.
00:34:54.32\00:34:56.49
It completely
burnt up the gates.
00:34:56.52\00:34:59.13
Later, Nehemiah talking to
the king, he says the gates of
00:34:59.16\00:35:02.96
Jerusalem are burned.
00:35:03.00\00:35:06.07
And so the very thing
that Jeremiah said was going to
00:35:06.10\00:35:08.34
happen if they ignored
the Sabbath is what happened.
00:35:08.37\00:35:11.21
The palaces were burned.
00:35:11.24\00:35:13.27
They were carried away.
00:35:13.31\00:35:15.24
They did not get to abide in the
city, and the son of David was
00:35:15.28\00:35:17.11
put in prison--the king,
who is a son of David was put
00:35:17.15\00:35:20.02
in prison.
00:35:20.05\00:35:22.02
Jehoiachin in Babylon.
00:35:22.05\00:35:24.59
And so we learn
here about priorities.
00:35:24.62\00:35:27.56
Is the Sabbath something that is
optional for the Christian, or
00:35:27.59\00:35:31.73
is it a commandment?
00:35:31.76\00:35:34.36
Yeah.
00:35:34.40\00:35:36.46
God says, "And I'm commanding it
to make our lives difficult or
00:35:36.50\00:35:39.13
for our blessing."
00:35:39.17\00:35:41.74
Of course, it's always going to
be 'cause he wants to bless us.
00:35:41.77\00:35:44.81
Isaiah 56, still talking
about that same principle of
00:35:44.84\00:35:47.24
priorities, verse 2, "Blessed is
the man who does this, and the
00:35:47.28\00:35:52.35
son of man who lays hold on
it, who keeps from defiling the
00:35:52.38\00:35:57.45
Sabbath and keeps his
hand from doing any evil."
00:35:57.49\00:36:01.06
Isn't that interesting?
00:36:01.09\00:36:02.96
If He said, "Blessed is the man
that keeps his hand from doing
00:36:02.99\00:36:04.76
evil," you'd say okay.
00:36:04.79\00:36:06.63
But He also says, "Blessed is
the man who keeps from defiling
00:36:06.66\00:36:08.93
the Sabbath."
00:36:08.96\00:36:10.90
Why is that so important?
00:36:10.93\00:36:13.30
You know, it's easier sometimes
for people to give God their
00:36:13.34\00:36:15.34
money than their time.
00:36:15.37\00:36:18.17
God said, "If there's a people
that will give Me their time,
00:36:18.21\00:36:20.48
they will probably keep
the other commandments."
00:36:20.51\00:36:24.68
Every now and then I'll
meet someone, they'll learn the
00:36:24.71\00:36:26.98
Sabbath truth and they'll
say, "Oh, Pastor Doug, my job
00:36:27.02\00:36:29.12
requires me to work on Sabbath.
00:36:29.15\00:36:31.05
If I tell my boss that I can't
work Saturdays anymore, I'm
00:36:31.09\00:36:34.56
probably going to lose my job."
00:36:34.59\00:36:36.73
And I've often
said, you know, try it.
00:36:36.76\00:36:38.76
You might be surprised.
00:36:38.79\00:36:41.63
Because there are so many
employers I know that if they've
00:36:41.66\00:36:46.67
got an employee--everyone
wants honest employees.
00:36:46.70\00:36:50.11
You want--don't you want
employees with integrity?
00:36:50.14\00:36:52.84
You know, that they--you don't
have to watch them all the time
00:36:52.87\00:36:55.08
because they watch themselves
'cause they've got--that's what
00:36:55.11\00:36:57.15
integrity is.
00:36:57.18\00:36:59.01
You're the same person when no
one's watching as you are when
00:36:59.05\00:37:01.02
they are watching.
00:37:01.05\00:37:02.98
That means you're honest.
00:37:03.02\00:37:04.59
You don't have to worry.
00:37:04.62\00:37:06.32
As soon as the boss
leaves, they stop working.
00:37:06.35\00:37:08.09
That's a loss of integrity.
00:37:08.12\00:37:09.69
Or if the boss isn't looking,
they start pilfering things.
00:37:09.72\00:37:11.66
That's a lack of integrity.
00:37:11.69\00:37:13.46
If you've got employees with
a conscience, they are the most
00:37:13.50\00:37:15.80
valuable employees you can have.
00:37:15.83\00:37:17.73
And so if I'm a boss and someone
says, you know, "Because of my
00:37:17.77\00:37:19.57
religious beliefs, I'm willing
to lose my job rather than break
00:37:19.60\00:37:22.60
the Sabbath day.
00:37:22.64\00:37:24.47
I'll work for you Sunday, I'll
work long hours the other days,
00:37:24.51\00:37:26.91
but I cannot work
during God's holy time."
00:37:26.94\00:37:29.51
If I'm an employer, I'm going
to say, "I don't want to lose
00:37:29.54\00:37:33.08
that employee."
00:37:33.11\00:37:34.95
I'd rather have an honest
employee 5 days a week or 4 days
00:37:34.98\00:37:37.59
a week than have a
dishonest one 7 days a week.
00:37:37.62\00:37:41.96
Right?
00:37:41.99\00:37:44.29
And so I say try
it, write a nice letter.
00:37:44.33\00:37:46.19
Be sweet about it.
00:37:46.23\00:37:47.86
Talk to your boss, tell
him, "I'm willing to work.
00:37:47.93\00:37:49.56
I'll work hard, I'll--"
00:37:49.60\00:37:51.30
Say, "But I believe in the Ten
Commandments and I can't break
00:37:51.33\00:37:54.17
this commandment."
00:37:54.20\00:37:56.77
And yeah, from time to time the
boss says, "Well, we can't use
00:37:56.81\00:37:58.91
you then" But I think more times
than not--I've even seen the
00:37:58.94\00:38:02.41
boss threaten them and say,
"Okay, we're going to fire you."
00:38:02.44\00:38:06.15
And they put them to the test.
00:38:06.18\00:38:07.92
And they say, "Okay. well,
I sure enjoyed working here.
00:38:07.95\00:38:09.58
Thank you.
00:38:09.62\00:38:11.22
Sorry, I got to go."
00:38:11.25\00:38:12.99
Boss calls them the next day and
says, "I think we want to keep
00:38:13.02\00:38:15.39
you," and brings them back in.
00:38:15.42\00:38:17.69
I've seen that happen so
often because it shows that
00:38:17.73\00:38:20.83
they're honest.
00:38:20.86\00:38:23.43
Isaiah 58, verse 13, "If
you turn away your foot from the
00:38:23.47\00:38:27.34
Sabbath, from doing your
pleasure on My holy day and call
00:38:27.37\00:38:30.14
the Sabbath a delight--"
00:38:30.17\00:38:32.27
Notice the words blessing.
00:38:32.31\00:38:34.08
Blessed is the man--delight.
00:38:34.11\00:38:36.18
"Call the Sabbath a delight, the
holy day of the Lord honorable
00:38:36.21\00:38:40.78
and you'll honor Him not doing
your own ways or finding your
00:38:40.82\00:38:44.09
own pleasure or
speaking your own words--"
00:38:44.12\00:38:46.62
You know, sometimes we
even need to watch our words.
00:38:46.65\00:38:48.89
It's so easy to think
about the week and the work and
00:38:48.92\00:38:51.06
everything else.
00:38:51.09\00:38:53.13
This morning I was getting
dressed and I took my shirt--I
00:38:53.16\00:38:56.77
get my--I actually hang up what
I'm going to wear the next day.
00:38:56.80\00:38:59.23
I say, "Oh, this is
my last white shirt."
00:38:59.27\00:39:02.10
So I called out to Karen.
00:39:02.14\00:39:03.67
I said, "When you think
about ironing again, I'm out of
00:39:03.71\00:39:05.27
white shirts."
00:39:05.31\00:39:06.74
And then as soon as I said that,
I thought, "Oh, it's Sabbath.
00:39:06.78\00:39:08.08
I shouldn't even be telling
her something like that."
00:39:08.11\00:39:09.78
And--you know, but that's part
of Sabbath-keeping, speaking the
00:39:09.81\00:39:12.98
right words, yeah.
00:39:13.01\00:39:15.98
So often--come on, fess up.
00:39:16.02\00:39:17.99
People are out in the
foyer of the church, and here it
00:39:18.02\00:39:20.99
is Sabbath.
00:39:21.02\00:39:22.72
We just got out of church and
you heard a spiritual sermon,
00:39:22.76\00:39:24.36
and we're talking about our new
garage addition and all the work
00:39:24.39\00:39:27.00
we're doing and you think,
"Is that holy conversation?"
00:39:27.03\00:39:30.93
I think sometimes we need to
say, "Let's direct our words on
00:39:30.97\00:39:34.94
the Sabbath day so
that it's special."
00:39:34.97\00:39:40.21
You know, spirit of prophecy
says the meal you eat on Sabbath
00:39:40.24\00:39:42.41
should be even special,
something that you don't have
00:39:42.44\00:39:44.91
every other day.
00:39:44.95\00:39:47.05
We try to put on clothes that
are special for the presence of
00:39:47.08\00:39:49.82
God, and our words should be
special, the way we spend our
00:39:49.85\00:39:53.22
time is special, and God says it
is a blessing when you do that.
00:39:53.25\00:39:57.23
Now you notice he says, "Delight
yourself in the Lord, calling
00:39:57.26\00:40:01.36
the Sabbath honorable."
00:40:01.40\00:40:03.57
The Sabbath is a delight,
and it is an honor, amen.
00:40:03.60\00:40:07.34
And it's a time
for finding balance.
00:40:07.37\00:40:11.87
Matthew chapter 5, verse 17,
Jesus said, "Do not think that I
00:40:11.91\00:40:15.28
came to destroy the
law or the prophets.
00:40:15.31\00:40:17.78
I did not come to destroy,
but to," fill full or, "fulfill.
00:40:17.81\00:40:22.82
For assuredly I say to you, till
heaven and earth pass away, one
00:40:22.85\00:40:25.32
jot or one tittle while by no
means pass from the law till all
00:40:25.35\00:40:29.29
is fulfilled."
00:40:29.32\00:40:31.93
And Matthew 12, verse 1 through
13, "At that time Jesus went
00:40:31.96\00:40:35.93
through the grain fields on
the Sabbath, and his disciples
00:40:35.96\00:40:38.90
were hungry--"
00:40:38.93\00:40:40.70
This is where we
get our memory verse.
00:40:40.74\00:40:42.44
"And they begin to pluck
heads of grain and to eat.
00:40:42.47\00:40:44.71
And when the Pharisees saw that,
they said, 'Look, your disciples
00:40:44.74\00:40:47.51
are doing that which is
unlawful to do on the Sabbath.'
00:40:47.54\00:40:51.75
But Jesus said, 'Have you not
read what David did when he was
00:40:51.78\00:40:54.32
hungry, and those who were with
him; how he entered the house of
00:40:54.35\00:40:57.15
God and he ate the showbread
which was not lawful for him to
00:40:57.19\00:40:59.62
eat or for those who are
with him, but only the priests?
00:40:59.65\00:41:03.06
Or have you not read in the
law that the Sabbath day--on the
00:41:03.09\00:41:05.96
Sabbath the priests in the
temple profane the Sabbath, and
00:41:05.99\00:41:09.20
they're blameless?'"
00:41:09.23\00:41:10.93
They used to--you know, they
used to keep the fire going on
00:41:10.97\00:41:13.03
Sabbath, they used to
offer sacrifices, which
00:41:13.07\00:41:15.14
was labor-intensive.
00:41:15.17\00:41:17.64
"Yet I say to you that in
this place is one greater than
00:41:17.67\00:41:19.94
the temple.
00:41:19.97\00:41:21.74
But if you had known what this
means, 'I desire mercy and not
00:41:21.78\00:41:23.85
sacrifice,' you would not
have condemned the guiltless."
00:41:23.88\00:41:26.72
So Jesus is saying the disciples
were guiltless for picking.
00:41:26.75\00:41:30.39
If you're walking around on
the Sabbath day and you glean a
00:41:30.42\00:41:33.72
piece of corn from the field
or an apple from a tree, that is
00:41:33.76\00:41:36.96
not harvesting.
00:41:36.99\00:41:39.16
I mean, you know,
that's an exaggeration.
00:41:39.19\00:41:41.10
By the time of Christ--keep
in mind, before the Babylonian
00:41:41.13\00:41:43.83
captivity, the Jews were very
sloppy about the Sabbath, and
00:41:43.87\00:41:47.30
that's one
reason they were judged.
00:41:47.34\00:41:49.57
When they came back from Babylon
and they went to the other
00:41:49.60\00:41:51.61
extreme, the Pharisees developed
a sect that were so careful
00:41:51.64\00:41:54.61
about Sabbath keeping.
00:41:54.64\00:41:56.78
They went to the other extreme
and they became legalistic.
00:41:56.81\00:41:59.48
They actually said, you
know, you're not supposed to
00:41:59.51\00:42:02.78
bury--bear a
burden on the Sabbath day.
00:42:02.82\00:42:05.15
If you are carrying a
handkerchief in your hand, it is
00:42:05.19\00:42:07.06
a burden.
00:42:07.09\00:42:09.46
That's what they said, but
they said--there's a loophole.
00:42:09.49\00:42:12.66
If you sew it to your collar,
you still have it accessible.
00:42:12.69\00:42:15.86
You can blow your nose,
and it's part of your garment.
00:42:15.90\00:42:18.70
So they had all these
crazy laws that they had made.
00:42:18.73\00:42:22.04
They were obviously extremes.
00:42:22.07\00:42:24.54
Some people say, you know, Jesus
had all these disputes with the
00:42:24.57\00:42:27.24
religious leaders
because he didn't think the
00:42:27.28\00:42:29.41
Sabbath mattered.
00:42:29.44\00:42:31.41
That is biblically dishonest.
00:42:31.45\00:42:33.45
Every single dispute that Jesus
had regarding the Sabbath, it
00:42:33.48\00:42:36.12
was never about, do
you keep the Sabbath day?
00:42:36.15\00:42:39.45
It was always about, how
do you keep the Sabbath day?
00:42:39.49\00:42:43.06
So all of the disputes, Jesus
was endorsing the importance of
00:42:43.09\00:42:46.33
the Sabbath.
00:42:46.36\00:42:49.26
He said it is better to
do good on the Sabbath day.
00:42:49.30\00:42:52.07
He didn't say it's better
to not keep the Sabbath day.
00:42:52.10\00:42:55.07
He was always talking about how
to keep it, not whether or not
00:42:55.10\00:42:57.81
that it should be kept, amen?
00:42:57.84\00:43:00.34
So there were several disputes
about that on the Sabbath day.
00:43:00.38\00:43:04.25
Then there's another situation
here, and you can read in
00:43:04.28\00:43:08.78
Matthew chapter 12 if you jump
down to verse 10--or verse 9.
00:43:08.82\00:43:14.92
"Now when he departed
from there, he went into
00:43:14.96\00:43:17.63
the synagogue.
00:43:17.66\00:43:19.79
And behold, there was a
man who had a withered--"
00:43:19.83\00:43:21.60
I guess a man's hand was all
twisted up and maybe atrophied
00:43:21.63\00:43:23.53
or arthritic.
00:43:23.57\00:43:25.70
"A withered hand.
00:43:25.73\00:43:27.74
And they asked him, saying, 'Is
it lawful for you to heal on the
00:43:27.77\00:43:29.77
Sabbath day?'
00:43:29.80\00:43:31.61
That they might accuse him."
00:43:31.64\00:43:33.64
They're trying to set him up.
00:43:33.68\00:43:35.48
"And he said, 'What man is there
among you who has one sheep, and
00:43:35.51\00:43:37.38
if it falls into a
pit--it's your only sheep on the
00:43:37.41\00:43:39.15
Sabbath day.
00:43:39.18\00:43:40.88
Will you not lay hold
of it and lift it out?
00:43:40.92\00:43:42.82
Of how much more
value is a man than a sheep?
00:43:42.85\00:43:45.89
If therefore it is good,'" He
says, "Therefore, it is good to
00:43:45.92\00:43:47.42
do--it is lawful to do
good on the Sabbath day.
00:43:47.46\00:43:52.03
And he said to the man," it
really incensed them, "Stretch
00:43:52.06\00:43:55.10
out your hand."
00:43:55.13\00:43:56.83
And he was
probably happy to do it.
00:43:56.87\00:43:58.30
"He stretched out his hand
and it was restored whole as
00:43:58.33\00:44:00.07
the other."
00:44:00.10\00:44:01.47
He said, "And I'm going to
show you how this is done."
00:44:01.50\00:44:03.24
And he healed
on the Sabbath day.
00:44:03.27\00:44:05.27
And there was another
woman in the sanctuary.
00:44:05.31\00:44:09.01
She had been bent over.
00:44:09.04\00:44:11.48
Terrible osteoporosis or
something, but she was all
00:44:11.51\00:44:13.55
hunched over and had
gone on for 18 years.
00:44:13.58\00:44:17.32
He said, "Woman, you are
loosed of your infirmity."
00:44:17.35\00:44:21.59
He healed her, and he
laid his hands on her.
00:44:21.62\00:44:24.93
Immediately she
was made straight.
00:44:24.96\00:44:27.20
How nice that must have felt to
suddenly stand up straight after
00:44:27.23\00:44:29.43
being hunched over.
00:44:29.46\00:44:32.07
And she glorified God.
00:44:32.10\00:44:34.34
But the ruler of the synagogue
instead of saying praising God,
00:44:34.37\00:44:36.71
he was mad that Jesus had
healed on the Sabbath day.
00:44:36.74\00:44:40.38
"And he said to the
crowd, 'There are six days--'"
00:44:40.41\00:44:42.64
He said, "Don't
anyone else come for healing.
00:44:42.68\00:44:44.65
This is terrible."
00:44:44.68\00:44:46.58
"'There are six days in
which men ought to work.
00:44:46.61\00:44:48.28
Therefore, come and be
healed on them and not on the
00:44:48.32\00:44:50.15
Sabbath day.'
00:44:50.19\00:44:52.09
And Jesus answered him and said,
'Hypocrite, does not each one of
00:44:52.12\00:44:54.92
you on the Sabbath day loose his
ox or his donkey from the stall
00:44:54.96\00:44:57.93
and lead it away to water it?
00:44:57.96\00:45:00.20
Ought not this water--this woman
being a daughter of Abraham whom
00:45:00.23\00:45:02.70
Satan is bound, think of it for
18 years, be loosed from this
00:45:02.73\00:45:07.00
bond on the Sabbath?'
00:45:07.04\00:45:10.14
And when he said these things,
his adversaries were put to
00:45:10.17\00:45:12.24
shame by his logic.
00:45:12.27\00:45:14.74
And all the multitude rejoiced
for all the glorious things that
00:45:14.78\00:45:21.45
were done by him."
00:45:21.48\00:45:23.55
So the disputes that Jesus
had connected with the Sabbath
00:45:23.59\00:45:25.65
day--we learn a lot on the
Sabbath day about how to keep
00:45:25.69\00:45:29.79
it, and they were to keep
it holy, keep it practically.
00:45:29.82\00:45:34.36
He doesn't want us to
fall off into legalism.
00:45:34.36\00:45:36.87
But, you know, there's that
other extreme where people say,
00:45:36.90\00:45:39.77
"Well, since it's better to do
good on the Sabbath day and my
00:45:39.80\00:45:43.97
neighbor's windows are
dirty, I'm going to show off my
00:45:44.01\00:45:46.54
neighbor and wash his windows."
00:45:46.57\00:45:49.14
Now, I've heard of a couple
of cases where people that are
00:45:49.18\00:45:51.35
professed Sabbath keepers say,
"We're going to go do acts of
00:45:51.38\00:45:53.38
mercy for our
neighbors on Sabbath."
00:45:53.42\00:45:56.02
And they take the youth out and
they rake their lawns and they
00:45:56.05\00:45:58.52
wash their windows and they say,
"This is the ox in the ditch."
00:45:58.55\00:46:01.59
No, that's going--that's
not what Jesus is talking about.
00:46:01.62\00:46:04.73
Don't go out looking for work.
00:46:04.76\00:46:07.40
If you run into somebody who's
broke down on the side of the
00:46:07.40\00:46:10.40
road and their battery
needs a jump, by all means jump
00:46:10.43\00:46:13.37
their car.
00:46:13.40\00:46:15.94
But he's not saying we ought
to be--then start violating the
00:46:15.97\00:46:18.64
Sabbath by doing things that
could easily be done another day
00:46:18.67\00:46:20.61
of the week.
00:46:20.64\00:46:22.88
Can I get a little amen on that?
00:46:22.91\00:46:25.38
Okay, thank you.
00:46:25.41\00:46:27.65
All right.
00:46:27.68\00:46:29.42
And then Sabbath, I've just got
a couple of minutes left, is a
00:46:29.45\00:46:31.75
time for community.
00:46:31.79\00:46:33.92
Acts 13, verse 14, "But when
they departed from Perga, they
00:46:33.96\00:46:36.36
came to Antioch in Pisidia, and
they went into the synagogue on
00:46:36.39\00:46:39.73
the Sabbath day
and they sat down.
00:46:39.76\00:46:42.80
And after reading the law and
the prophets, the rulers of the
00:46:42.83\00:46:45.40
synagogue sent to them, saying,
'Men and brethren, have you any
00:46:45.43\00:46:49.54
word of
exhortation for the people?
00:46:49.57\00:46:52.44
Please say on.'"
00:46:52.47\00:46:55.11
I was visiting a Methodist
Church one day, and just so
00:46:55.14\00:46:58.11
happened that they
were studying the sanctuary.
00:46:58.15\00:47:02.95
This is years ago.
00:47:02.98\00:47:04.82
I was going to church 2
days a week back then, Saturday
00:47:04.85\00:47:06.79
and Sunday.
00:47:06.82\00:47:09.09
And I made a couple of comments
on the sanctuary, and the
00:47:09.12\00:47:12.43
Sabbath School teacher--Sunday
school teacher said, "Brother,
00:47:12.46\00:47:16.10
you got anything else
you can share with us?"
00:47:16.13\00:47:18.93
He says, "We don't
understand this lesson at all."
00:47:18.97\00:47:21.37
I said, "Well, I
am so glad you asked."
00:47:21.40\00:47:25.37
I ended up teaching that class
for several weeks until the
00:47:25.41\00:47:29.18
pastor found out
I was an Adventist.
00:47:29.21\00:47:32.95
So they said, "Do you
have any Word for us?"
00:47:32.98\00:47:35.22
And he preached
to them about Christ.
00:47:35.25\00:47:37.25
So they would gather
together on the Sabbath.
00:47:37.29\00:47:39.15
Acts 16:13 it says, "On the
Sabbath we went out of the city
00:47:39.19\00:47:42.09
to the river where prayer was
customarily made and we sat down
00:47:42.12\00:47:46.73
and spoke to the
women who met there."
00:47:46.76\00:47:49.30
So they not only
gathered in the church, but they
00:47:49.33\00:47:52.10
gathered outside.
00:47:52.13\00:47:54.94
And is the Sabbath just to
play--a day for us to rest, or
00:47:54.97\00:47:58.14
is it a day for
us to come together?
00:47:58.17\00:48:00.71
Doesn't it say, "Forsake
not the assembling of yourselves
00:48:00.74\00:48:03.91
together as the
manner of some is?"
00:48:03.95\00:48:06.18
I know that's a real struggle
during the pandemic for a lot of
00:48:06.21\00:48:08.95
people, but I think God
still wants His people to come
00:48:08.98\00:48:11.62
together safely
and to worship Him.
00:48:11.65\00:48:14.59
Also, the Sabbath in Leviticus
23 is called a holy convocation.
00:48:14.62\00:48:19.59
That means an assembly.
00:48:19.63\00:48:22.83
And in heaven--Isaiah 66, "All
flesh shall come together to
00:48:22.86\00:48:26.84
worship before Me."
00:48:26.87\00:48:29.90
Something happens when two
or three gather together in His
00:48:29.94\00:48:32.41
name, amen.
00:48:32.44\00:48:35.08
So let's see what else
I can read here for you.
00:48:35.11\00:48:39.11
Yeah, Acts 18, verse 4, "And he
reasoned in the synagogue every
00:48:39.15\00:48:43.25
Sabbath and persuaded--"
00:48:43.28\00:48:45.52
Not just Jews,
but Jews and Greeks.
00:48:45.55\00:48:48.96
And again, I'll close with this
verse in Hebrews 10, verse 24.
00:48:48.99\00:48:51.76
"Let us consider one another to
stir up love and good works not
00:48:51.79\00:48:55.30
forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together as the manner
00:48:55.33\00:48:59.27
of some is, but exhorting one
another and all the more as we
00:48:59.30\00:49:03.17
see the day approaching."
00:49:03.20\00:49:05.47
Well, friends,
we are out of time.
00:49:05.51\00:49:07.38
I want to thank those who've
been joining us online, remind
00:49:07.41\00:49:09.08
you that we have a special
offer that's dealing with is
00:49:09.11\00:49:12.41
Sunday holy.
00:49:12.45\00:49:15.32
And if you'd like that
study guide, "Is Sunday Really
00:49:15.35\00:49:17.52
Sacred?" we'll be
happy to send that to you.
00:49:17.55\00:49:19.65
Ask for offer number
150, and we'll send it to you.
00:49:19.69\00:49:24.93
God bless until we study
together again next week.
00:49:24.96\00:49:27.13
announcer: Don't forget to
request today's life-changing
00:49:30.50\00:49:32.17
free resource.
00:49:32.20\00:49:33.87
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:49:33.90\00:49:36.04
download a digital copy
straight to your computer or
00:49:36.07\00:49:38.57
mobile device.
00:49:38.61\00:49:39.94
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:49:39.97\00:49:43.08
the keyword on your screen to
40544 or visit the web address
00:49:43.11\00:49:48.45
shown on your screen, and
be sure to select the digital
00:49:48.48\00:49:51.62
download option
on the request page.
00:49:51.65\00:49:53.89
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:49:53.92\00:49:56.26
Amazing Facts wherever and
whenever you want and, most
00:49:56.29\00:50:00.30
important, to
share it with others.
00:50:00.33\00:50:02.83
announcer: Amazing
Facts, changed lives.
00:50:07.07\00:50:11.67
Jason: We were going to
church every other week.
00:50:16.04\00:50:18.65
About 19 years old, things
really start to make sense
00:50:18.68\00:50:21.12
for me.
00:50:21.15\00:50:22.45
I started to go
to church for myself.
00:50:22.48\00:50:23.95
And the pastor wanted to study
with me, but we came to the
00:50:23.99\00:50:28.92
study of baptism and I kind of
just shrugged, looked at my head
00:50:28.96\00:50:32.16
down and said, "I'm not ready."
00:50:32.19\00:50:34.13
He looked me in the eye and
said, "Jason, you'll never make
00:50:34.20\00:50:38.57
yourself ready.
00:50:38.60\00:50:41.07
This is
something you have to do."
00:50:41.10\00:50:43.77
Put a lot of things behind me.
00:50:43.81\00:50:45.44
Drinking and smoking
and all that stuff stopped.
00:50:45.47\00:50:47.41
All throughout the time we had
been learning about God, it was
00:50:47.44\00:50:50.51
just me and God.
00:50:50.55\00:50:52.61
Comes around up to about
August and I meet this girl.
00:50:52.65\00:50:57.59
About 2 years in the
relationship, we're talking
00:50:57.62\00:50:59.62
about marriage and everything.
00:50:59.65\00:51:01.62
We didn't pray.
00:51:01.66\00:51:03.46
We didn't study together.
00:51:03.49\00:51:05.56
We were arguing a
lot, but we were engaged.
00:51:05.59\00:51:10.10
I started drinking again.
00:51:10.13\00:51:11.93
That was a slow downward spiral
in the different things, and my
00:51:11.97\00:51:14.67
devotional life
started really weaseling away.
00:51:14.70\00:51:17.94
We broke up in 2008.
00:51:17.97\00:51:19.97
It was heavy for me 'cause,
again, being with somebody for
00:51:20.01\00:51:22.54
that long, it's
almost like a divorce.
00:51:22.58\00:51:28.18
I started to fall
back away even more.
00:51:28.22\00:51:30.99
I remember looking in the
mirror, just looking at myself
00:51:31.02\00:51:33.29
and say, "What are you doing?
00:51:33.32\00:51:35.46
How can you do this to God?
00:51:35.49\00:51:37.46
He brought you so far."
00:51:37.49\00:51:40.70
And, you know, God
really heard my cry.
00:51:40.73\00:51:43.13
There was a testimony telling
at my church, and there's a call
00:51:46.43\00:51:50.07
and kids start getting up.
00:51:50.11\00:51:51.71
Bunch of high school kids start
getting up for calls of baptism.
00:51:51.74\00:51:55.01
I'm back doing the PA system at
this time and I feel just, like,
00:51:55.04\00:51:57.75
this urge, just my heart just
ripping out of my chest, and I
00:51:57.78\00:52:01.78
just had this
feeling just to go up.
00:52:01.82\00:52:04.52
I get up to the front and I just
meet the pastor in open arms.
00:52:04.55\00:52:09.86
I realized that there's so much
more to life than just living
00:52:09.89\00:52:13.26
life for myself.
00:52:13.29\00:52:15.43
And, you know, falling
away, it's not a necessity.
00:52:15.46\00:52:20.10
But God can work through
anything in the bad to make it
00:52:20.14\00:52:23.47
the good.
00:52:23.51\00:52:25.01
It's a promise He makes.
00:52:25.04\00:52:27.68
announcer: Together, we have
spread the gospel much farther
00:52:36.35\00:52:39.49
than ever before.
00:52:39.52\00:52:41.62
Thank you for your support.
00:52:41.66\00:52:44.66
¤¤¤
00:52:48.86\00:52:58.74
Doug: Have you ever worried that
you don't have enough time in
00:53:00.31\00:53:02.24
your days, or you can
add another day to your life?
00:53:02.28\00:53:04.68
Well, perhaps there is a way for
you to add a whole 'nother day
00:53:04.71\00:53:07.02
to your existence.
00:53:07.05\00:53:08.95
Watch how easy it is.
00:53:08.98\00:53:11.15
I just stepped into yesterday.
00:53:11.19\00:53:14.09
No, I'm not talking about
going back to the future or back
00:53:14.12\00:53:15.89
in history.
00:53:15.92\00:53:17.66
I happen to be standing here in
Taveuni, Fiji, one of the only
00:53:17.69\00:53:20.33
places in the world where the
international meridian dateline
00:53:20.36\00:53:24.07
runs through a piece of land.
00:53:24.10\00:53:26.70
People have not always been
able to play with time this way.
00:53:26.74\00:53:29.77
Back in 1878, Sir
Sandford Fleming, a Canadian, he
00:53:29.80\00:53:33.41
recommended to the science
community of the world that the
00:53:33.44\00:53:36.48
globe be divided in 24 even
segments, each separated by 15
00:53:36.51\00:53:40.95
degrees of longitude that would
establish the international
00:53:40.98\00:53:44.69
time system.
00:53:44.72\00:53:46.99
In 1884, there was a prime
meridian conference held in
00:53:47.02\00:53:49.22
Washington, D.C. to standardize
time and select the point for
00:53:49.26\00:53:52.96
the prime meridian, which would
be zero degrees on the globe.
00:53:52.99\00:53:57.40
It ended up being Greenwich,
England, but that's not where
00:53:57.43\00:53:59.60
we are.
00:53:59.63\00:54:01.10
We are on the polar opposite
side of the planet right now,
00:54:01.14\00:54:03.34
but we're going to
step into the future.
00:54:03.37\00:54:05.34
You want to come?
00:54:05.37\00:54:08.04
And look at that.
00:54:08.08\00:54:09.54
The Lord is still
with us even here.
00:54:09.58\00:54:11.11
He'll continue to take care of
you, friends, wherever you go.
00:54:11.15\00:54:13.45
Friends, you sometimes
worry about the future.
00:54:13.48\00:54:15.32
What will you eat?
00:54:15.35\00:54:16.89
Will you have a home?
00:54:16.92\00:54:18.32
Are you going to
still have your job?
00:54:18.35\00:54:20.16
What will you wear?
00:54:20.19\00:54:21.56
Jesus tells us in Matthew
chapter 6, verse 25 through 34,
00:54:21.59\00:54:25.39
"Don't take thought for
tomorrow, for tomorrow will take
00:54:25.43\00:54:27.96
thought for the
things of itself."
00:54:28.00\00:54:30.13
He tells us that he feeds
the birds and he clothes the
00:54:30.17\00:54:33.27
flowers, He'll take care of us.
00:54:33.30\00:54:35.34
We know that God
will watch over us.
00:54:35.37\00:54:37.14
He forgives the past, He
promises to be with us in the
00:54:37.17\00:54:40.38
present, and He will continue
to lead us in the future, but
00:54:40.41\00:54:44.25
you've just got to
give yourself to Him.
00:54:44.28\00:54:46.38
I invite you to
do that right now.
00:54:46.41\00:54:49.08
announcer: Amazing
Facts, changed lives.
00:54:57.73\00:55:03.16
male: I come from
a Hindu background.
00:55:06.23\00:55:08.00
My mom is a preacher
for Shiva; was a Hindu god.
00:55:08.04\00:55:11.07
My father is agnostic kind.
00:55:11.11\00:55:13.07
So me myself, I
grew like--as an atheist.
00:55:13.11\00:55:16.71
In the year 2007, I had an
experience of being in south
00:55:16.75\00:55:20.18
India.
00:55:20.22\00:55:21.78
That was the first time I
experienced Christian people,
00:55:21.82\00:55:24.75
you know.
00:55:24.79\00:55:26.32
The majorities
were Christians there.
00:55:26.35\00:55:28.32
There were some Adventist youth
who invited me to be a part of
00:55:28.36\00:55:32.69
one of their mid-week service.
00:55:32.73\00:55:35.30
They were presenting a video
of Pastor Doug Batchelor, "The
00:55:35.33\00:55:40.14
Richest Caveman."
00:55:40.17\00:55:42.24
I was moved, you know.
00:55:42.27\00:55:44.27
I do understand good and bad,
and I pictured myself into the
00:55:44.31\00:55:46.51
bad category than the good one.
00:55:46.54\00:55:49.54
I started experiencing several
dreams and--which started
00:55:49.58\00:55:53.42
troubling me.
00:55:53.45\00:55:55.28
You know, I kept
the website in my mind.
00:55:55.32\00:55:57.32
I went to the Internet cafe and
started browsing the website of
00:55:57.35\00:56:02.46
Amazing Facts, and then I
saw the Bible study guide there.
00:56:02.49\00:56:07.40
Every day I started taking
one of the lesson and--I was
00:56:07.40\00:56:10.83
baptized 2007.
00:56:10.87\00:56:13.60
After my conversion, I
straightly came to Spica to do
00:56:13.64\00:56:16.60
my studies.
00:56:16.64\00:56:18.21
During the summer vacation, I
decided to go back home and give
00:56:18.24\00:56:20.48
my mom and my father a visit.
00:56:20.51\00:56:22.81
By that time, they knew that
I had converted to Christianity.
00:56:22.84\00:56:25.65
I was thrown out of the house.
00:56:25.68\00:56:28.58
We are not in good terms
even today; but it's sad but for
00:56:28.62\00:56:31.59
them, not for me.
00:56:31.62\00:56:34.66
During 2015, I was
diagnosed with leukemia.
00:56:34.69\00:56:39.79
I had only one professor and one
friend who was coming along with
00:56:39.83\00:56:43.60
me to the hospital every day.
00:56:43.63\00:56:46.53
When I asked this assistant
doctor, "What do you think is
00:56:46.57\00:56:50.27
the lifespan of
a person like me?"
00:56:50.31\00:56:52.67
She said, "You will be losing
weight and you will get sick
00:56:52.71\00:56:55.44
slowly, slowly if you
don't go for a treatment.
00:56:55.48\00:56:57.85
So a year plus."
00:56:57.88\00:57:00.72
One night I
decided--it was January 2015.
00:57:00.75\00:57:04.55
I said, "I am not going
for any treatment anymore."
00:57:04.59\00:57:07.82
I said, "Lord,
You gave me one year.
00:57:07.86\00:57:10.19
So what I'll do is I'll just do
Your ministry, and that's okay."
00:57:10.23\00:57:15.80
And I never went for
any treatment after that.
00:57:15.83\00:57:18.90
I just left
everything right over there.
00:57:18.93\00:57:21.27
I didn't take even
one tablet, one medicine.
00:57:21.30\00:57:24.31
I'm standing in front
of you strong in 2018.
00:57:24.34\00:57:28.64
Nothing happened.
00:57:28.68\00:57:30.25
I don't know what happened.
00:57:30.28\00:57:31.68
I don't know if it's
still there in my body or what.
00:57:31.71\00:57:33.58
I don't know.
00:57:33.62\00:57:35.12
I'm not dead yet.
00:57:35.15\00:57:37.45
I want to serve in India.
00:57:37.49\00:57:40.36
Amazing Facts team, especially
Pastor Doug, has really played a
00:57:40.39\00:57:44.09
very important element in
my life to give me an identity.
00:57:44.13\00:57:50.80
¤¤¤
00:57:50.83\00:57:58.21
¤¤¤
00:58:01.44\00:58:11.42
¤¤¤
00:58:11.45\00:58:16.42
¤¤¤
00:58:16.46\00:58:24.83