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Rod Thompson:
Good morning, everyone.
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Happy Sabbath.
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Want to welcome you and
thank you for joining us.
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This is the Granite Bay Hilltop
Church "Sabbath School Study
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Hour," and we are continuing
our study in the Sabbath school
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lesson on "The Promise."
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And today, we are going to
be looking at lesson number ten,
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"The New Covenant."
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I want to point you to
our free offering today.
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It is a "Love That Transforms,"
and you can get that by calling
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866-788-3966 and ask for
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Offer No. 710 or you
would prefer a digital download.
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You can text the number
40544 and the code SH003.
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Our teacher today is going to be
Pastor Jean Ross, but before he
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comes out, let's
begin with a word of prayer.
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"O loving Father, we
thank you for the Sabbath Day.
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And Lord, we thank you that you
have provided a way for us to be
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restored to you.
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And as we look at our study
today, we pray for wisdom, we
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pray for understanding, and more
importantly, Lord, we pray that
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you would show us what you would
have us do, and that you would
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be with our speaker and our
teacher, put your words in his
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mouth, that you might speak
through him to us, we pray in
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Jesus' name, amen.
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Jean Ross: So we're on lesson
number ten in our Sabbath School
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quarterly
entitled "The Promise."
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The New Covenant is our theme,
and we have a memory verse.
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It's one that I think
most of us are familiar with.
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Jeremiah chapter 31, verse
31 says, "Behold, the days are
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coming, saith the Lord, when
I will make a new covenant with
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the house of Israel, and
with the house of Judah."
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Now, you've probably
heard about the new covenant.
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You've also heard
about the old covenant.
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Today, we're going to be looking
at what is the relationship
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between the new covenant, the
old covenant, and let me add an
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additional covenant that I think
is even more important than
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both, and it's the
everlasting covenant.
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Really, the everlasting covenant
existed before the old covenant
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and was reaffirmed in the new
covenant, and we'll see how that
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comes together
in our study today.
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From our lesson quarterly, we
have the following statements.
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It says, "In the new covenant,
the Lord will provide a new
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heart to know
that I am the Lord."
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That's Jeremiah
chapter 24 verse 7.
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"He will take the stony heart
out of their flesh and give them
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a heart of flesh."
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Ezekiel chapter 11, verse 19.
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"And will give a new
heart and a new spirit to them."
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Ezekiel 36:26.
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"He also says, 'I will put
my spirit within you,' and this
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work of God is the
foundation of the new covenant."
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Now, I want you to notice in the
verses that we just looked at,
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that God is the one that does
a special work in the hearts and
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the lives of those who
place their faith in him.
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Jeremiah 31:33 says, "But this
is the covenant that I'll make
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with the house of Israel; after
those days, saith the Lord."
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Notice the next part, "I will
put my laws in their mind, and I
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will write it in their hearts;
and I will be their God, and
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they shall be my people."
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The new covenant says that God's
going to write his law, where?
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In the heart.
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And he says he's going
to write it on the mind.
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The Ten Commandments were
written on tables of stone, but
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that same law in the new
covenant is written upon the
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mind or upon the heart.
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Now, there's something else
interesting to note about this
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new covenant promise, God
writing his law on the mind in
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the Bible, the forehead
often represents the mind or the
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heart, the thoughts.
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We find in Revelation that there
is another special marking that
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occurs in the
forehead of God's people.
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Revelation chapter 7, verse 2,
"Then I saw an angel flying or
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ascending from the east, having
the seal of the living God.
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And he cried with a loud voice
to the four angels to whom it
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was granted to harm the earth
and the sea, saying, 'Do not
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harm the earth, the sea, or
the trees till we have,'" what?
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"Sealed the
servants of God," where?
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"In their foreheads."
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Now, where is the
new covenant promise?
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The law is written where?
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In the mind.
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It's interesting to note that
the new covenant promise has a
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fulfillment in the ceiling of
God's people in the last days.
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That's why the Bible tells us
Revelation chapter 12, verse 17,
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"And the dragon was enraged with
the woman, and he went to make
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war with the remnant of
her offspring, who," do what?
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"Keep the commandments of God
and they have the testimony."
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And later on in Revelation 14,
it says, "The faith of Jesus."
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So the new covenant promise,
God's law written in the heart
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or written on the mind,
finds its fulfillment here in
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Revelation chapter 7, also
Revelation 14, Revelation 12.
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It's found amongst those that
surrender themselves to Christ.
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They have the seal of God; his
law is written in their minds.
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They are entered into this
new covenant promise or this new
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covenant experience.
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So is it important for us in
the last days to understand the
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importance of the new covenant?
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Absolutely, especially when you
compare that with what we find
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in Revelation.
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Now, of all the books in the New
Testament, probably the one that
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does the most in expanding
the new covenant, is the Book
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of Hebrews.
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Now, this is actually from our
lesson quarterly it says, "The
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Book of Hebrews places a heavy
emphasis on Jesus as our High
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Priest in the
heavenly sanctuary.
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In fact, the clearest exposition
of the new covenant in the New
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Testament appears in the Book
of Hebrews with its emphasis on
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Christ as our high priest.
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This is no coincidence.
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Christ heavenly ministry is
closely tied to the promise of
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the new covenant."
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So, we are going to give the
bulk of our time today to take a
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look, and the lesson does as
well, to look at what the Book
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of Hebrews tells us
about the new covenant.
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And the question we're going to
be asking ourselves in the study
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this morning, is how can we
personally enter into that new
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covenant experience?
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Now, for some of us, we might
already be in that new covenant
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experience, and
not quite understand.
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Maybe we have not yet entered
into that covenant experience
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and we want to know how.
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How can I have God's law written
in my heart or written in
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my mind?
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How does that work?
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Well, Paul tells us in
Hebrews how this works.
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And it centers in Jesus
and his high priestly ministry.
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So, let's take a look.
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We're going to start
in Hebrews chapter 8.
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You'll find probably the
most or at least the clearest
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explanation of the new
covenant in Hebrews, in Hebrews
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chapter 8.
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And it says in verse 1, "Now
this is the main point of the
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things that we are saying."
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So Paul is going
to zoom right in.
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He's going to focus right in on
the essence of the new covenant.
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So if you want to know what
it is, listen to what Paul says.
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"We have such a High Priest."
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So the focal point of the
new covenant is Jesus, our High
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Priest, who is able to save
to the utmost, all of those that
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come to God through him.
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The focus of the
new covenant is Jesus.
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Sometimes, we are led to believe
that the focus of the new
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covenant is us, and our
performance, and our works.
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But in reality, the focus of
the new covenant is Jesus, his
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performance and his work.
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Who's the one that writes the
law in the heart of the believer
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in the new covenant?
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It's Jesus.
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Thus Paul makes it clear that
the focus of the new covenant,
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the sum of
these things is Jesus.
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He is our High Priest;
he's ministering in the
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heavenly sanctuary.
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It says of Christ, "He is seated
at the right hand of the throne
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of the Majesty in the heavens."
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That, of course, is God the
Father, to sit at the right hand
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of the throne of God, testifies
to the high honor, the glory and
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the power that
belongs to Christ.
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Not only because he is God, he
is the Creator, but he is also
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the Redeemer.
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He is our high priest.
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He is our sacrifice.
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He is the creator of a new
heart, the one that puts a new
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spirit within us.
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Thus Jesus becomes
front and center in the new
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covenant experience.
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Verse 2 says, speaking of
Christ, "He's a Minister of the
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sanctuary and of the
true tabernacle which the Lord
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erected, and not man."
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Now, if you have a priesthood
and you have a high priest,
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there is a special work that the
priest does and he does it in a
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special place, and that
place is called the sanctuary.
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In the Levitical priesthood,
the Levites, the priests would
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minister in the tabernacle.
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And we look at
this a little bit.
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"The true tabernacle is the
heavenly sanctuary," of course,
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"which the earthly was
but a shadow or a type."
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"Exodus chapter 25, verse 9,
"According to all that I have
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shown you, that is, the pattern
of the tabernacle of the pattern
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of all its furnishings,
just so you shall make it."
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So during the 40 days that Moses
was on Mount Sinai, God gave
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some specific plans as to
the building of the tabernacle.
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And God emphasized that this was
to be a miniature, a pattern of
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the heavenly, because what the
earthly taught was what Jesus is
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doing in the heavenly.
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So it had to be exact.
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And they were very specific
guidelines and rules established
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dealing with the Levitical
priesthood, dealing with the
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sacrificial system, all of which
was a shadow and a type of what
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Jesus, the true Lamb of God
as well as the priest is to do.
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Now the earthly tabernacle
of which, you know, it's a
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miniature of the heavenly.
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The earthly tabernacle
was comprised of three parts.
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You had the outer courtyard
where you see the altar of
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burnt sacrifice.
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You had a basin, the laver where
the priest would wash his hands
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and feet before going
into the first compartment.
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And we call that first
commandment the holy place.
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It had three articles of
furniture, table of showbread,
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seven branch candlestick,
the altar of incense.
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Then there was a veil separating
the holy from the most holy.
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And in the most holy, you found
the ark of the covenant, the
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mercy seat.
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Under the mercy seat, which was
the lid of the ark, you find the
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Ten Commandments.
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Remember, central to the
new covenant is Jesus writing
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something on the hearts
and the minds of his people.
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What is it that Jesus writes?
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He writes his law.
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You see, the law
defines what love is.
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If we love God with all of our
hearts, soul, and mind, we will
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keep the first four of the Ten
Commandments: have no other gods
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before him, don't worship idols,
don't take his name in vain,
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remember the
Sabbath to keep it holy.
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And if we love our neighbor as
we love ourselves, we will keep
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the last six: we'll honor
our parents, won't kill, won't
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commit adultery, won't
steal, won't bear false witness,
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won't covet.
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So really, the Ten Commandments
defines for us the kind of love
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relationship that God wants
us to have with him, and the
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relationship God wants us
to have with our fellow man.
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But the problem here is that the
Ten Commandments were written on
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stone, and they were placed
in the ark in the tabernacle.
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Where did God really
want his law to be written?
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Simply on tables of stone?
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Was that the end?
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Was that the
accomplishment of the task?
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No, God didn't just want
the law written on stone.
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He wanted the law written where?
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In the minds and the
hearts of his people.
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The reason the old covenant
failed is because the Israelites
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were content with having the law
written on stone, hidden in the
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most holy place.
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They liked the idea of
having the law over there.
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The problem is they
didn't want the law over here.
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You see, that was the problem.
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And of course, Paul gets to this
a little later in the study.
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Now Psalm 77, verse 13, very
important verse, "Your way, O
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God, is in the sanctuary; who is
so great as a God or so great a
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God as our God?"
00:12:27.31\00:12:29.74
Now, often we think of
the sanctuary, and we think of
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steps, as to how we ought
to approach God, and it's true.
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We first come to Jesus.
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He's our sacrifice.
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He's the Lamb of God.
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He died for our sins.
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We're receiving,
that's justification by faith.
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We're then baptized, symbolizing
the laver, and then we go into
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the holy place, we feast on the
living bread, the Word of God.
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We share our faith.
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We have the Holy Spirit,
symbolized by the candlestick,
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and the light and prayer,
the altar of incense and so on.
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And so, yes, you can almost
see the journey of the believer
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moving closer to God.
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But this verse says, "that your
way, O God is in the sanctuary,"
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not only our way, but
more importantly, God's way.
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You see, Jesus is the
focus of the new covenant.
00:13:04.88\00:13:08.58
How is Jesus going to fulfil
the promise of the new covenant?
00:13:08.62\00:13:12.49
The Bible says
it's in the sanctuary.
00:13:12.52\00:13:15.09
If we want to know how God
is going to write his law in the
00:13:15.12\00:13:17.56
heart and in the mind
of the believers, look at
00:13:17.59\00:13:20.20
the sanctuary.
00:13:20.23\00:13:22.26
And if you look at the
sanctuary, you can see it over a
00:13:22.30\00:13:24.40
long period of time, it's been
playing a very important role in
00:13:24.43\00:13:27.17
the fulfillment
of the new covenant.
00:13:27.20\00:13:29.87
The altar of sacrifice,
there in the courtyard.
00:13:29.90\00:13:32.44
31 AD Jesus died on the cross.
00:13:32.47\00:13:35.04
He ascended to heaven.
00:13:35.08\00:13:37.45
Entered into the first
compartment, AD 31, he began to
00:13:37.48\00:13:40.25
minister as our High Priest
in that first compartment of
00:13:40.28\00:13:43.08
the sanctuary.
00:13:43.12\00:13:45.05
Of course, Revelation
chapter 1, Revelation 2:3,
00:13:45.09\00:13:47.32
that makes it clear.
00:13:47.36\00:13:49.42
Even Revelation 4:5.
00:13:49.46\00:13:51.56
But then at the end of the 2300
day prophecy of Daniel 8:14, you
00:13:51.59\00:13:54.73
find Jesus moving from the holy
place into the most holy place.
00:13:54.73\00:14:00.17
Not only Jesus,
but God the Father.
00:14:00.20\00:14:02.57
According to Daniel chapter 7,
it's actually God the Father who
00:14:02.60\00:14:04.87
moves first, with much pomp
and fanfare with the angels.
00:14:04.91\00:14:09.74
God the Father moves.
00:14:09.78\00:14:12.08
His throne goes form the holy
place into the most holy place.
00:14:12.11\00:14:14.65
And then Daniel says, "I saw one
like the Son of Man, coming with
00:14:14.68\00:14:18.09
the clouds of heaven, coming
with the angels, and he came in
00:14:18.12\00:14:20.59
before the Ancient of Days."
00:14:20.62\00:14:23.32
The court was seated,
the books were opened.
00:14:23.36\00:14:26.06
So at the end of the 2300 days,
1844, Jesus enters into the most
00:14:26.09\00:14:29.76
holy place with the Father to
do a special work connected with
00:14:29.80\00:14:34.24
the new covenant promise,
that he's writing his law on the
00:14:34.27\00:14:39.31
hearts and the
minds of his people.
00:14:39.34\00:14:43.24
And friends, we're
living in that time, even now.
00:14:43.28\00:14:45.65
Verse 3 says, "For every high
priest, he is appointed to offer
00:14:45.68\00:14:48.32
both gifts and sacrifices."
00:14:48.35\00:14:51.09
In order to be a priest, in the
Old Testament, you had to come
00:14:51.12\00:14:54.39
from the people of Israel.
00:14:54.42\00:14:56.56
More specifically
from the tribe of Levi.
00:14:56.59\00:14:59.16
One of the requirements was that
you were to be subject to their
00:14:59.19\00:15:02.20
weaknesses, meaning
you had to be a human.
00:15:02.23\00:15:05.80
An angel couldn't do
the work of a priest.
00:15:05.83\00:15:08.20
It had to be somebody
that understood the trials and
00:15:08.24\00:15:10.41
difficulties that people are
going through so that he could
00:15:10.44\00:15:13.51
have compassion upon
those to whom he ministers.
00:15:13.54\00:15:17.55
He had compassion for the
people, and he ministered by
00:15:17.58\00:15:20.35
offering gifts and sacrifices,
so likewise with Christ.
00:15:20.38\00:15:24.02
You know, for Jesus to be our
High Priest, he had to lay aside
00:15:24.05\00:15:27.22
his kingly robe, the scepter
of the universe, give it back to
00:15:27.26\00:15:30.96
his Father, and Jesus took upon
himself humanity and was born
00:15:30.99\00:15:35.73
a man.
00:15:35.76\00:15:38.43
He's familiar with our
trials and difficulties,
00:15:38.47\00:15:40.84
our human weakness.
00:15:40.87\00:15:42.30
He was there.
00:15:42.34\00:15:43.81
He was tempted in all points
like as we are, yet without sin.
00:15:43.84\00:15:46.44
And he understands and he
knows, and he offers himself as
00:15:46.47\00:15:49.94
our sacrifice.
00:15:49.98\00:15:52.48
And even now, he
is our High Priest.
00:15:52.51\00:15:54.72
It is the Son of Man who stands
before the Father representing
00:15:54.75\00:15:57.29
you and I, amen, our
great High Priest in heaven.
00:15:57.32\00:16:02.49
"And therefore, was necessary
that this one," speaking of
00:16:02.52\00:16:04.66
Christ, "also have
something to offer."
00:16:04.69\00:16:07.50
The high priest was required to
offer sacrifices for the people.
00:16:07.56\00:16:10.13
If Jesus, then, is to function
as our High Priest, he must also
00:16:10.17\00:16:12.80
offer a sacrifice on our behalf.
00:16:12.83\00:16:15.67
The Bible makes it clear.
00:16:15.70\00:16:17.67
Jesus said, "For this is my
blood of the new covenant, which
00:16:17.71\00:16:21.48
is shed for many for
the remission of sins."
00:16:21.51\00:16:24.75
So the sacrifice of Christ on
Calvary is a very important part
00:16:24.78\00:16:29.02
of the new covenant promise.
00:16:29.05\00:16:31.85
Christ's sacrifice
brings forgiveness.
00:16:31.89\00:16:34.82
It brings justification.
00:16:34.86\00:16:37.13
Christ priestly work
brings sanctification.
00:16:37.16\00:16:40.16
Both are equally important.
00:16:40.20\00:16:41.96
You can't have sanctification
without justification.
00:16:42.00\00:16:44.53
And in some ways, that's what
the religious leaders and the
00:16:44.57\00:16:46.74
Jews were trying to
do in the time of Christ.
00:16:46.77\00:16:49.34
They were trying to somehow
justify themselves, and they
00:16:49.37\00:16:52.11
rejected the sacrifice
that could justify them and that
00:16:52.14\00:16:55.28
being Jesus.
00:16:55.31\00:16:57.68
But there are many Christians
today who are eager to accept
00:16:57.71\00:16:59.88
Christ's justification on
their behalf, but they end up
00:16:59.91\00:17:04.39
rejecting his sanctifying work
that he wants to do in their
00:17:04.42\00:17:07.92
heart and in their life.
00:17:07.96\00:17:10.66
They, in one sense almost
stuck under the old covenant.
00:17:10.69\00:17:13.80
They don't allow God to write
his law on their heart and on
00:17:13.83\00:17:16.30
their mind.
00:17:16.33\00:17:18.70
And this is
what Paul brings out.
00:17:18.73\00:17:20.70
Verse 4, "For if he were here on
earth," speaking of Christ," "he
00:17:20.74\00:17:22.94
would not be a priest."
00:17:22.97\00:17:24.51
Only the those of the tribe
of Levi were eligible to be
00:17:24.54\00:17:26.71
priests, and Christ
belonged to the tribe of Judah.
00:17:26.74\00:17:29.68
His is an independent, heavily
priesthood after the order
00:17:29.71\00:17:32.38
of Melchizedek.
00:17:32.41\00:17:35.18
Now who is Melchizedek?
00:17:35.22\00:17:37.15
You read in Genesis
chapter 14, verse 18 to 19.
00:17:37.19\00:17:39.99
"Then Melchizedek, king of Salem
brought out bread and wine and
00:17:40.02\00:17:43.76
he was priest of God Most High."
00:17:43.79\00:17:46.76
Very interesting character.
00:17:46.80\00:17:48.80
He is a priest.
00:17:48.83\00:17:50.70
He is also a king, and he brings
out bread and wine and he gives
00:17:50.73\00:17:54.94
it to the great
patriarch Abraham or Abram.
00:17:54.97\00:17:59.21
And Abram, in
return gives him a tithe.
00:17:59.24\00:18:02.98
Now, can you think of any Old
Testament Bible character other
00:18:03.01\00:18:06.72
than Melchizedek who was
both a priest and a king?
00:18:06.75\00:18:12.69
You can have a
prophet and a king.
00:18:12.72\00:18:16.12
You can have a
priest and a prophet.
00:18:16.16\00:18:18.59
But you won't find a king and
priest, except for Melchizedek.
00:18:18.63\00:18:25.37
Melchizedek is a type of Christ.
00:18:25.40\00:18:28.54
His priesthood is more distinct
and higher than that of the
00:18:28.57\00:18:31.61
Levitical priesthood.
00:18:31.64\00:18:34.01
Now Psalm 110, verse 4, it says,
"The Lord has sworn and will not
00:18:34.04\00:18:36.54
relent, 'You are a priest
forever according to the order
00:18:36.58\00:18:39.08
of Melchizedek.'"
00:18:39.11\00:18:40.98
And that, is of
course, talking to Jesus.
00:18:41.02\00:18:43.12
Jesus is a priest according
to the order of Melchizedek.
00:18:43.15\00:18:45.92
In "Review and Herald," we
have this published statement.
00:18:45.95\00:18:49.09
It says, "It was Christ that
spoke through Melchizedek, the
00:18:49.12\00:18:52.26
priest of the Most High God.
00:18:52.29\00:18:53.70
Melchizedek was not Christ,
but he was the voice of God in
00:18:53.73\00:18:57.63
the world."
00:18:57.67\00:18:59.60
We don't have much
recorded about Melchizedek.
00:18:59.63\00:19:02.00
We don't know where he
came from, we don't know when
00:19:02.04\00:19:03.44
he died.
00:19:03.47\00:19:05.51
The Bible doesn't tell us.
00:19:05.54\00:19:06.94
Just these few verses
talking about him being priest.
00:19:06.98\00:19:08.94
Incidentally,
where was he the king of?
00:19:08.98\00:19:11.48
A place called Salem.
00:19:11.51\00:19:13.72
Eventually became Jerusalem.
00:19:13.75\00:19:16.08
So you have the king of
Jerusalem who is also a priest,
00:19:16.12\00:19:18.52
to whom Abram gives a tithe.
00:19:18.55\00:19:20.69
Last part of the verse says,
"Since they are priests who
00:19:20.72\00:19:22.92
offer gifts
according to the law."
00:19:22.96\00:19:25.23
In other words, when Jesus is
on the earth, he wouldn't be a
00:19:25.26\00:19:27.03
priest in the Levitical system.
00:19:27.10\00:19:29.26
The rules of the Levitical
priests were strictly enforced,
00:19:29.30\00:19:31.97
and if Christ were on the earth,
he would not be able to qualify.
00:19:32.00\00:19:35.14
He was of the tribe of Judah.
00:19:35.17\00:19:38.14
Verse 5, "Who serve the copy
and the shadow of the heavenly
00:19:38.17\00:19:40.44
things, as Moses was divinely
instructed when he was about to
00:19:40.48\00:19:43.11
make the tabernacle."
00:19:43.14\00:19:45.41
The Levitical priests and the
sanctuary were but a reflection
00:19:45.45\00:19:47.72
of the heavenly, and the
ministry in the work of Jesus.
00:19:47.75\00:19:51.82
Here's an interesting verse.
00:19:51.85\00:19:54.06
God speaking to Moses, "And let
them make me a sanctuary that I
00:19:54.09\00:19:58.49
might," what?
00:19:58.53\00:20:00.66
"Dwell amongst them."
00:20:00.70\00:20:02.60
What is the purpose of
the sanctuary according to
00:20:02.63\00:20:04.33
this verse?
00:20:04.37\00:20:06.00
So that God can
dwell amongst his people.
00:20:06.03\00:20:08.30
The next question is, well if
God wants to dwell amongst his
00:20:08.34\00:20:10.01
people, why does he
need a sanctuary to do that?
00:20:10.04\00:20:13.78
After all, can't God just dwell
wherever God chooses to dwell?
00:20:13.81\00:20:18.98
If God suddenly appeared in
the camp of Israel, his glory
00:20:19.01\00:20:23.79
unshielded by the
sanctuary, what would happen to
00:20:23.82\00:20:26.32
the Israelites?
00:20:26.35\00:20:28.76
Now, they would
have been consumed.
00:20:28.79\00:20:30.79
So in order for God to dwell
amongst his people, he dwelt in
00:20:30.83\00:20:33.70
the sanctuary.
00:20:33.73\00:20:35.90
And the purpose of the sanctuary
is to take care of the sin
00:20:35.93\00:20:38.80
problem so that God's people
can dwell in his presence.
00:20:38.83\00:20:44.94
The purpose of the sanctuary is
to take care of the sin problem,
00:20:44.97\00:20:47.91
so that God can
dwell with his people.
00:20:47.94\00:20:50.88
The purpose of the new covenant
is to take care of the sin
00:20:50.91\00:20:54.08
problem so that we, by God's
grace, can dwell in his presence
00:20:54.12\00:20:59.09
and see his face.
00:20:59.12\00:21:01.62
That's the goal
of the new covenant.
00:21:01.66\00:21:03.83
Now if you look at the
sanctuary, you'll notice just
00:21:03.86\00:21:05.63
that very thing, the sin
problem was taken care of.
00:21:05.66\00:21:09.43
A person with sin, they
would bring their sacrifice, the
00:21:09.46\00:21:11.73
sacrifice would be
slain, a symbol of the Lamb.
00:21:11.77\00:21:14.47
The priest would take the
blood into the first compartment
00:21:14.50\00:21:17.37
representing Jesus
interceding for us.
00:21:17.41\00:21:20.81
On the day of Yom Kippur, the
high priest would enter into the
00:21:20.84\00:21:23.01
most holy place and perform
a special work of atonement, a
00:21:23.04\00:21:26.25
special work of cleansing.
00:21:26.28\00:21:28.18
And once that work was finished,
then the high priest would
00:21:28.22\00:21:30.99
remove his priestly robes.
00:21:31.02\00:21:33.56
In the case of Christ, he
removes his priestly robes, and
00:21:33.59\00:21:36.66
Jesus will put on his kingly
robe and he will say, "He that
00:21:36.69\00:21:40.43
is holy, let him be holy still.
00:21:40.46\00:21:42.10
He that is filthy,
let him be filthy still."
00:21:42.13\00:21:44.23
Probation will close and Jesus
now, will come not as priest but
00:21:44.27\00:21:48.20
as King of kings and Lord of
lords, three phases to Christ's
00:21:48.24\00:21:53.54
ministry on our behalf.
00:21:53.58\00:21:56.28
He is our sacrifice, he is our
priest, and soon he will come as
00:21:56.31\00:21:59.58
our King.
00:21:59.61\00:22:01.78
King of kings of Lord of lords.
00:22:01.82\00:22:03.79
So the sanctuary takes
care of that sin problem.
00:22:03.82\00:22:06.25
Now, how many different types of
sanctuaries do we read about in
00:22:06.29\00:22:08.72
the Bible?
00:22:08.76\00:22:10.59
Those of you who have
been attended Granite Bay for a
00:22:10.63\00:22:12.76
while, you should be able to
answer this question, because I
00:22:12.79\00:22:14.93
think I've asked
it many time before.
00:22:14.93\00:22:16.83
How many sanctuaries do
we read about in the Bible?
00:22:16.87\00:22:20.17
Show me your fingers.
00:22:20.20\00:22:22.04
How many sanctuaries?
00:22:22.07\00:22:23.47
I've got three.
00:22:23.51\00:22:24.87
Any more?
00:22:24.91\00:22:26.34
Any more than there sanctuaries?
00:22:26.37\00:22:27.88
I see it.
00:22:27.91\00:22:29.34
Someone's been listening.
00:22:29.38\00:22:30.78
We had somebody
hold up five fingers.
00:22:30.81\00:22:32.51
Five sanctuaries?
00:22:32.55\00:22:34.12
Does the Bible speak
about five sanctuaries?
00:22:34.15\00:22:35.85
Well, let's think about it.
00:22:35.88\00:22:37.22
Number one, you've got
the heavenly sanctuary, right?
00:22:37.25\00:22:38.99
That's clear.
00:22:39.02\00:22:40.56
The earthly was a
shadow of the heavenly.
00:22:40.59\00:22:42.49
So the one is the heavenly, and
then you have the second which
00:22:42.52\00:22:44.09
would be earthly one, the one
that God told Moses to build.
00:22:44.13\00:22:46.53
Now, that one was eventually
replaced by the one that Solomon
00:22:46.56\00:22:49.83
built in Jerusalem, and then
that one was destroyed by the
00:22:49.86\00:22:53.10
Babylonians and rebuilt after
the captivity, and that temple
00:22:53.13\00:22:57.31
was eventually destroyed
in 70 AD by the Romans.
00:22:57.34\00:23:00.78
But we're going to call
all of those to the earthly.
00:23:00.81\00:23:02.58
So we only have two so far.
00:23:02.61\00:23:04.31
We have the heavenly and we
have the earthly, but there's
00:23:04.35\00:23:07.18
three more.
00:23:07.22\00:23:09.58
Can you think about what
those three other sanctuaries or
00:23:09.62\00:23:11.72
temples might be?
00:23:11.75\00:23:13.82
What did Jesus say
when he was in Jerusalem?
00:23:13.86\00:23:15.82
He said to the religious
leaders, "Destroy this temple,
00:23:15.86\00:23:18.46
and in three days, I
will raise it up again."
00:23:18.49\00:23:22.10
Was Jesus talking
about the heavenly sanctuary?
00:23:22.13\00:23:24.70
Was Jesus talking
about the earthly sanctuary?
00:23:24.73\00:23:27.77
What was Jesus talking about?
00:23:27.80\00:23:29.84
He was talking about himself.
00:23:29.87\00:23:31.61
So in the Bible, we find Jesus
being referred to as a temple.
00:23:31.64\00:23:36.98
So that's number three.
00:23:37.01\00:23:39.11
But not only is Jesus referred
to as a temple or a sanctuary,
00:23:39.15\00:23:42.28
the Bible tells you, "Do you not
know that your body is," what?
00:23:42.32\00:23:45.99
"The temple of God," the
temple of the Holy Spirit.
00:23:46.02\00:23:50.59
So there's number four, right?
00:23:50.63\00:23:53.19
What's number five?
00:23:53.23\00:23:55.36
It's all of us.
00:23:55.40\00:23:57.03
The Bible tells us, "that we are
all living stones built together
00:23:57.07\00:23:59.93
on a firm
cornerstone of Christ."
00:24:00.04\00:24:02.64
The church is a temple.
00:24:02.67\00:24:06.57
You have the heavenly, you
got earthly, you've got Christ,
00:24:06.61\00:24:09.18
you've got the individual,
and you got the church.
00:24:09.21\00:24:12.25
Now, what's the
purpose of the sanctuary?
00:24:12.28\00:24:13.95
It's so that God can what?
00:24:13.98\00:24:16.58
Dwell amongst his people.
00:24:16.62\00:24:18.65
The earthly sanctuary was here
so that God could dwell amongst
00:24:18.69\00:24:21.09
Israel, but in order for that to
happen the sin problem had to be
00:24:21.12\00:24:24.16
taken care of.
00:24:24.19\00:24:26.16
Why did Jesus
come to this earth?
00:24:26.19\00:24:28.43
Jesus came to this earth to take
care of the sin problem, to die
00:24:28.46\00:24:31.77
a sacrifice for sin, to bring
in everlasting righteousness, to
00:24:31.80\00:24:37.21
cleanse us so that we could
dwell in the presence of God.
00:24:37.24\00:24:40.54
What is the work of the
Holy Spirit in the heart of
00:24:40.58\00:24:43.68
the believer?
00:24:43.71\00:24:45.78
To cleanse us from sin.
00:24:45.81\00:24:47.78
So that we can dwell
in the presence of God.
00:24:47.82\00:24:50.22
What is the purpose of
the church in the world today?
00:24:50.25\00:24:52.75
It is to preach the gospel,
to take the great commission, to
00:24:52.79\00:24:57.63
preach the everlasting gospel to
take care of the sin problem so
00:24:57.66\00:25:01.43
that we can dwell
in the presence of God.
00:25:01.46\00:25:05.53
You see, the purpose is all
the same, the purpose of the
00:25:05.57\00:25:08.14
sanctuary, the purpose of the
new covenant is the same so that
00:25:08.17\00:25:11.51
we can dwell in
the presence of God.
00:25:11.54\00:25:14.88
But in order for that to happen,
the sin problem is taken care of
00:25:14.91\00:25:17.45
through Christ, through
what Jesus has done for us, what
00:25:17.48\00:25:20.62
Jesus is doing, and what Jesus
will do on our behalf, thus we
00:25:20.65\00:25:25.62
enter into that new
covenant experience.
00:25:25.65\00:25:28.46
Last part of verse 5 says, "For
he said, 'See that you make all
00:25:28.49\00:25:31.83
things according to the
pattern that was shown you on
00:25:31.86\00:25:33.63
the mount.'"
00:25:33.66\00:25:35.50
Moses was given the plans of
the sanctuary during the 40 days
00:25:35.53\00:25:37.40
he spent upon Mount Sinai.
00:25:37.43\00:25:40.07
Now, here's another interesting
question, how many people in the
00:25:40.10\00:25:42.44
Bible went
without food for 40 days?
00:25:42.47\00:25:49.18
Well, who's the one that
comes to mind right away?
00:25:49.21\00:25:52.51
Jesus went
without food for 40 days.
00:25:52.55\00:25:55.35
But there were two other
important Bible characters that
00:25:55.38\00:25:57.42
also went
without food for 40 days.
00:25:57.45\00:26:00.46
What was Moses eating for 40
days when he was on Mount Sinai
00:26:00.49\00:26:03.86
in the presence of God?
00:26:03.89\00:26:05.93
Nothing.
00:26:05.96\00:26:08.26
He was supernaturally sustained
by the presence of God.
00:26:08.30\00:26:11.23
What happened to Elijah when
he fled out into the wilderness?
00:26:11.27\00:26:13.94
He ate some
special, heavenly food.
00:26:13.97\00:26:16.17
And the Bible tells us, "In the
strength of that food, he went
00:26:16.20\00:26:18.17
40 days and 40 nights."
00:26:18.21\00:26:20.98
So you've got Moses, you've
got Elijah, and you got Jesus.
00:26:21.01\00:26:24.88
Who appeared on the
Mount of Transfiguration?
00:26:24.91\00:26:27.52
You had Jesus, you
had Moses, you had Elijah.
00:26:27.55\00:26:31.39
Rather interesting that all
of these three characters went
00:26:31.42\00:26:34.12
without food for 40 days, and
of the three, Moses and Elijah,
00:26:34.16\00:26:39.19
they were
supernaturally sustained.
00:26:39.23\00:26:43.70
Spiritually, we are
supernaturally sustained by what
00:26:43.73\00:26:46.20
Jesus did for us.
00:26:46.23\00:26:49.00
But Jesus was not
supernaturally sustained.
00:26:49.04\00:26:52.04
The Bible tells us the devil
came to tempt him, and it says,
00:26:52.07\00:26:54.28
"He hungered."
00:26:54.31\00:26:55.98
He was not supernaturally
sustained in the way that Moses
00:26:56.01\00:26:58.75
and Elijah were.
00:26:58.78\00:27:00.98
Verse 6, "But now he has
obtained a more excellent
00:27:01.02\00:27:03.25
ministry," speaking of Christ.
00:27:03.28\00:27:05.09
With this verse, Paul now
begins to discuss Christ as the
00:27:05.12\00:27:07.02
mediator of a better
covenant established upon
00:27:07.06\00:27:09.09
better promises.
00:27:09.12\00:27:11.09
And as much as he's a mediator,
Christ is the mediator between
00:27:11.13\00:27:13.43
God and man.
00:27:13.46\00:27:15.90
1 Timothy makes it clear,
"For there is one God, and one
00:27:15.93\00:27:19.37
Mediator between God and men."
00:27:19.40\00:27:21.14
Notice the way he words
it, "The Man Christ Jesus."
00:27:21.17\00:27:25.01
Why do you suppose Paul
says, "The Man Christ Jesus?"
00:27:25.04\00:27:28.94
What was the
requirement to be a priest?
00:27:28.98\00:27:31.71
You had to be taken from
the people so that you could
00:27:31.75\00:27:34.65
sympathize with
their weaknesses.
00:27:34.68\00:27:37.39
The phrase that Jesus liked
to use more than any other with
00:27:37.42\00:27:40.32
reference to
himself was the Son of Man.
00:27:40.36\00:27:43.09
And so, Paul recognizes
this, and he says, "The Man
00:27:43.12\00:27:45.46
Christ Jesus."
00:27:45.49\00:27:47.30
It is the Man who is in heaven,
interceding on our behalf.
00:27:47.36\00:27:51.07
Boy, that's comforting.
00:27:51.10\00:27:52.73
Verse 6 says, "Who gave
himself a ransom for all, to be
00:27:52.77\00:27:55.47
testified in due time."
00:27:55.50\00:27:58.57
Now, what about
this better covenant?
00:27:58.61\00:28:00.71
This is a better covenant
because it produces holiness of
00:28:00.74\00:28:03.14
heart and a transformed
character, not merely the
00:28:03.18\00:28:06.31
observances of
external rites and ceremonies.
00:28:06.35\00:28:10.59
As mentioned before, the
Israelites were content to have
00:28:10.62\00:28:12.69
the Ten Commandments hidden away
in the sanctuary, in the ark.
00:28:12.72\00:28:17.99
But God wants the Ten
Commandments in the heart and in
00:28:18.03\00:28:20.76
the mind of believers.
00:28:20.80\00:28:23.06
It says, "Which was established
from better promises."
00:28:23.10\00:28:25.17
The promises of the old
covenant look forward by faith.
00:28:25.20\00:28:27.84
The new covenant promises are
ratified by the reality of the
00:28:27.87\00:28:30.44
sacrifice of Christ.
00:28:30.47\00:28:32.94
So, in the Bible, we
find two different covenants.
00:28:32.97\00:28:35.61
Two covenant
between God and man.
00:28:35.64\00:28:37.61
The one is everlasting and
changeless, and this is called
00:28:37.65\00:28:41.28
the new covenant.
00:28:41.32\00:28:43.22
It's interesting to note, the
new covenant existed before the
00:28:43.25\00:28:45.05
old covenant, because the
old covenant came after the
00:28:45.09\00:28:48.76
everlasting covenant.
00:28:48.79\00:28:51.06
The everlasting covenant was
made right after Adam and Eve
00:28:51.09\00:28:54.40
sinned in Genesis 3:15, "I'll
put enmity between thee and the
00:28:54.46\00:28:57.63
woman, between thy
seed and her seed."
00:28:57.67\00:29:01.64
That's the first reference
of the everlasting covenant.
00:29:01.67\00:29:04.77
It's God writing his law on the
hearts and the minds of those
00:29:04.81\00:29:07.38
who love him, who trust in him.
00:29:07.41\00:29:09.71
All right, the other was
temporary and transitional, and
00:29:09.74\00:29:12.05
that, of course,
is the old covenant.
00:29:12.08\00:29:14.42
The everlasting covenant or the
new covenant was first made in
00:29:14.45\00:29:16.02
Eden as we mentioned and
consisted of God putting enmity
00:29:16.05\00:29:19.62
or mutual hatred between
the serpent and the woman.
00:29:19.65\00:29:22.59
And it resulted in three things:
number one, a change of standing
00:29:22.62\00:29:26.93
that is freedom
from condemnation.
00:29:26.96\00:29:30.17
"A lamb has been found to bear
our sins and die in our place."
00:29:30.20\00:29:33.10
Secondly, a change of heart.
00:29:33.13\00:29:35.10
Jesus said, "Except you be born
again, you cannot enter into the
00:29:35.14\00:29:37.57
kingdom of God."
00:29:37.61\00:29:39.44
And then a change of behavior,
that is obedience to his law.
00:29:39.47\00:29:42.38
Jesus said, "If
you love me," do what?
00:29:42.41\00:29:45.05
"Keep my commandments."
00:29:45.08\00:29:47.45
Only those who are in the new
covenant relationship with Jesus
00:29:47.48\00:29:50.69
can keep his commandments.
00:29:50.72\00:29:53.89
"For the carnal mind is
enmity towards the law of God.
00:29:53.92\00:29:57.13
It is not subject to
it, neither indeed can be."
00:29:57.16\00:30:00.60
So if we're going to keep God's
commandments, we have to seek
00:30:00.63\00:30:02.76
this new covenant experience
that Paul is talking about.
00:30:02.80\00:30:06.57
Verse 7, "For if the first
covenant had been faultless."
00:30:06.60\00:30:10.31
The first covenant included
not only promises but also
00:30:10.34\00:30:12.94
ceremonial system, the Levitical
priesthood which came to an end
00:30:12.97\00:30:16.64
when Jesus became High
Priest according to the order of
00:30:16.68\00:30:18.68
Melchizedek, then no place would
have been sought for a second.
00:30:18.71\00:30:22.22
That is the new covenant which
contains better promises, a
00:30:22.25\00:30:24.95
better sacrifice, a high
priestly ministry of Jesus.
00:30:24.99\00:30:29.76
So this everlasting or new
covenant was ratified at the
00:30:29.79\00:30:32.69
death of Christ.
00:30:32.73\00:30:34.63
Prior to Christ, it was
based upon the promise of a
00:30:34.66\00:30:36.67
coming Redeemer.
00:30:36.70\00:30:38.37
After Christ, it's based up
on the reality that the Savior
00:30:38.40\00:30:40.47
did come.
00:30:40.50\00:30:42.70
When ratified by Christ, it
is called new, in that it is now
00:30:42.74\00:30:44.91
based upon historical evidence
instead of future promise, and
00:30:44.94\00:30:48.71
how grateful we are for
that, otherwise we'd still be
00:30:48.74\00:30:50.95
sacrificing animals today.
00:30:50.98\00:30:54.15
We're glad that Jesus came.
00:30:54.18\00:30:56.18
Its purpose, however, remained
the same, that our forgiveness
00:30:56.22\00:31:00.36
which results in a change
of standing, justification;
00:31:00.39\00:31:03.59
restoration, that is a change
of heart; sanctification which
00:31:03.63\00:31:08.33
results in obedience, a change
of behavior, that then gives way
00:31:08.36\00:31:13.40
to glorification
when Jesus comes.
00:31:13.44\00:31:16.74
So the purpose of the
new covenant is the same
00:31:16.77\00:31:18.57
as everlasting.
00:31:18.61\00:31:20.94
And really, the goal of the
old covenant was to do this very
00:31:20.98\00:31:22.81
thing: forgiveness, restoration
leading to obedience.
00:31:22.84\00:31:27.68
Verse 8, "Because
finding fault with them."
00:31:27.72\00:31:30.95
See the problem wasn't with
God wanting to write his law in
00:31:30.99\00:31:32.95
their hearts.
00:31:32.99\00:31:34.76
The problem was that
they were unwilling to receive
00:31:34.79\00:31:36.46
that law.
00:31:36.49\00:31:38.46
It says, "The weakness of the
first covenant was not in the
00:31:38.49\00:31:40.10
covenant itself nor
did the fault lie with God.
00:31:40.13\00:31:42.26
It was the people
who were at fault."
00:31:42.30\00:31:44.63
How were the people at fault?
00:31:44.67\00:31:46.43
Deuteronomy chapter 5, verse 29.
00:31:46.47\00:31:48.20
The Book of Deuteronomy is
really Moses's final sermon to
00:31:48.24\00:31:51.94
the children of Israel, and he's
recounting their experience in
00:31:51.97\00:31:54.48
the wilderness.
00:31:54.51\00:31:56.48
And here, in particular, he's
talking about when he went up
00:31:56.51\00:31:58.51
onto Mount Sinai,
and God gave him the law.
00:31:58.55\00:32:00.78
And then he went down, and he
spoke to the children of Israel.
00:32:00.82\00:32:03.42
"And the children of Israel said
to Moses, 'We don't want God to
00:32:03.45\00:32:05.29
speak to us 'cause it's scary.'"
00:32:05.32\00:32:07.79
"But you go up and you speak to
God, and then whatever God tells
00:32:07.82\00:32:10.33
you, you tell us,
and we will do it."
00:32:10.36\00:32:13.19
So Moses went back,
and he told God this.
00:32:13.23\00:32:15.46
He says, "God, the children of
Israel have said, 'Whatever you
00:32:15.50\00:32:17.47
tell them, they will do.'"
00:32:17.50\00:32:19.27
And this is what God said.
00:32:19.30\00:32:20.60
Here's God speaking, "O that
they were such a heart in them,
00:32:20.64\00:32:23.54
that they would fear me always,
and keep all my commandments
00:32:23.57\00:32:26.31
that it might be well
with them, and with their
00:32:26.34\00:32:28.91
children forever."
00:32:28.94\00:32:31.61
Why did the old covenant fail?
00:32:31.65\00:32:33.75
Because the children of Israel
said, "We will do whatever you
00:32:33.78\00:32:35.65
want God, but we don't
want to be close to you."
00:32:35.68\00:32:39.19
You see, the reality is we can
never do what God asks us to do
00:32:39.22\00:32:41.39
if we don't draw
very, very close to him.
00:32:41.42\00:32:44.83
They were content to
have God at a distance.
00:32:44.86\00:32:48.36
They weren't willing to make
God, King of their hearts and of
00:32:48.40\00:32:50.90
their lives.
00:32:50.93\00:32:53.27
The middle of the verse says, he
says, "Behold the day is coming,
00:32:53.30\00:32:55.94
saith the Lord."
00:32:55.97\00:32:57.94
Ever since Sinai, God had been
trying to lead the people to a
00:32:57.97\00:32:59.37
higher spiritual experience,
but they were content with their
00:32:59.41\00:33:02.44
rituals and their ceremonies.
00:33:02.48\00:33:05.48
Last part says, "Then I will
make a new covenant with the
00:33:05.51\00:33:08.02
house of Israel and
with the house of Judah."
00:33:08.05\00:33:10.99
"When the Jews turned down their
religious privilege, the kingdom
00:33:11.02\00:33:13.39
of God was eventually taken
away from them and given to
00:33:13.42\00:33:16.52
another people.
00:33:16.56\00:33:18.63
The Christian church is
the inheritor of the spiritual
00:33:18.66\00:33:20.76
privileges and responsibilities
that once belonged to literal
00:33:20.80\00:33:23.97
Israel, and to them, the
covenant promises are given."
00:33:24.00\00:33:27.47
Now, this is amazing thought.
00:33:27.50\00:33:30.61
Galatians chapter 3:29, "And
if you are Christ's, then you
00:33:30.64\00:33:34.38
are Abraham's seed and
heirs according to the promise."
00:33:34.41\00:33:38.18
You see, that promise that
God gave Abraham, "that he would
00:33:38.21\00:33:41.08
write his law upon the hearts of
those that serve and love him."
00:33:41.12\00:33:44.95
That promise repeated way back
in Genesis, and then throughout
00:33:44.99\00:33:47.62
the Old Testament, for
us that promise is given.
00:33:47.66\00:33:51.86
We are
spiritually Abraham's seed.
00:33:51.89\00:33:55.06
Heirs according to the promise.
00:33:55.10\00:33:57.40
Verse 9, "Not according to the
covenant that I made with them
00:33:57.43\00:33:59.57
and their fathers, when in the
day, I took them by the hand and
00:33:59.60\00:34:03.47
led them out to Egypt."
00:34:03.51\00:34:05.64
Though the Israelites promised
to do all that God had said,
00:34:05.67\00:34:07.64
because their hearts were not
right, they broke the covenant.
00:34:07.68\00:34:10.48
"Because they did not
continue in my covenant, and I
00:34:10.51\00:34:12.95
disregarded them, saith the
Lord," this is the summary of
00:34:12.98\00:34:16.28
the history of the Israelites as
recorded in the Old Testament.
00:34:16.32\00:34:20.39
Time and time again they would
obey God for a little bit, and
00:34:20.42\00:34:23.73
then they would turn away from
God, and then they'd fall, and
00:34:23.76\00:34:25.86
then an army would conquer them,
and they'd go into captivity.
00:34:25.89\00:34:28.66
And finally, God would deliver
them, and bring them back, and
00:34:28.70\00:34:30.73
they went back
and forth continually.
00:34:30.77\00:34:33.67
Matthew chapter 21, verse
43, "Jesus said to the religious
00:34:33.70\00:34:37.61
leaders, 'Therefore, I say unto
you, the kingdom of God will be
00:34:37.64\00:34:40.74
taken from you and given to
a nation bearing its fruits.'"
00:34:40.78\00:34:46.38
1 Peter chapter 2, verse 9
and 10, "But you, speaking of
00:34:46.41\00:34:49.68
us, you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy
00:34:49.72\00:34:53.69
nation, his own special people,
that you might proclaim the
00:34:53.72\00:34:57.13
praises of him who has called
you out of darkness into his
00:34:57.16\00:35:00.40
marvelous light."
00:35:00.43\00:35:03.13
Have you experienced that
marvelous light that Peter is
00:35:03.16\00:35:05.37
talking about?
00:35:05.40\00:35:08.44
Have you been
called out of darkness?
00:35:08.47\00:35:11.04
As we have been called out
of darkness into his marvelous
00:35:11.07\00:35:12.91
light, we want to share the
good news with others, amen.
00:35:12.94\00:35:17.11
Verse 10 says, "For once you
were not a people, but now you
00:35:17.15\00:35:21.12
are the people of
God," would obtain mercy.
00:35:21.15\00:35:25.45
You didn't obtain mercy,
but now you have obtained mercy.
00:35:25.49\00:35:28.89
Verse 10, "For this is the
covenant that I'll make with the
00:35:28.92\00:35:31.33
house of Israel after
those days saith the Lord.
00:35:31.36\00:35:33.66
I will put my laws in
their mind, write them in
00:35:33.70\00:35:36.20
their hearts."
00:35:36.23\00:35:38.80
Under the new covenant
men, do right, not by their own
00:35:38.83\00:35:40.24
strength but because
their hearts have been changed.
00:35:40.27\00:35:46.51
The reason we do right is not to
save ourselves, for we are saved
00:35:46.54\00:35:51.55
by the blood of Christ.
00:35:51.58\00:35:54.08
The reason we do right is
because we are saved by the
00:35:54.12\00:35:57.05
blood of Christ.
00:35:57.09\00:35:59.29
Do you see the difference?
00:35:59.32\00:36:02.06
We seek after righteousness
not because our righteousness
00:36:02.09\00:36:07.13
saves us.
00:36:07.13\00:36:09.43
We seek after righteousness
because we have been given the
00:36:09.46\00:36:11.90
righteousness of
Christ, full and free.
00:36:11.93\00:36:17.21
We will never truly understand
sanctification until we come to
00:36:17.24\00:36:21.98
grasp justification in
all its fullness and glory.
00:36:22.01\00:36:27.85
It then goes on, "I will put my
laws in their mind, write them
00:36:27.88\00:36:30.79
in their hearts."
00:36:30.82\00:36:32.75
Only God can put his law
in the hearts of his people.
00:36:32.79\00:36:35.79
Romans 13:10, "Love
does no harm to its neighbor.
00:36:35.82\00:36:39.33
Therefore, love is the
fulfillment of the law."
00:36:39.36\00:36:43.23
Now, you cannot
change your heart.
00:36:43.26\00:36:45.77
You cannot, of yourself, give to
God its affections, but you can
00:36:45.80\00:36:50.04
choose him.
00:36:50.07\00:36:51.94
This is steps to
Christ by the way.
00:36:51.97\00:36:53.94
You can choose him.
00:36:53.98\00:36:55.58
You can give him your will.
00:36:55.61\00:36:57.48
"He will then work in you both
to will and to do according to
00:36:57.51\00:37:01.42
his good pleasure."
00:37:01.45\00:37:03.92
Too often, we try to
somehow generate love for God in
00:37:03.95\00:37:10.76
our hearts.
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.06
But the Bible says, "We
love him because," what?
00:37:13.09\00:37:15.43
He first loved us."
00:37:15.46\00:37:19.33
As we draw close to God,
his love will fill our hearts.
00:37:19.37\00:37:24.61
You'll never love God if you
don't spend time with God, if
00:37:24.64\00:37:29.41
you don't commune with God.
00:37:29.44\00:37:32.11
"Desire of Ages," page 668,
"All true obedience comes from
00:37:32.15\00:37:35.35
the heart.
00:37:35.38\00:37:37.62
It was heart work with Christ.
00:37:37.65\00:37:39.69
And if we consent," this is one
of my favorite quotes, "if we
00:37:39.72\00:37:41.69
consent, he, God, will
so identify himself with our
00:37:41.72\00:37:45.06
thoughts and our aims, so
blend our hearts and minds into
00:37:45.09\00:37:49.20
conformity to his will, that
when obeying him, we shall be
00:37:49.23\00:37:52.60
but carrying out
our own impulses."
00:37:52.63\00:37:57.11
What do you think of that?
00:37:57.14\00:37:59.34
First time I read that I
thought, "Well, that can't
00:37:59.37\00:38:00.81
be true."
00:38:00.84\00:38:02.64
But it is.
00:38:02.68\00:38:04.51
What a wonderful promise.
00:38:04.55\00:38:06.51
"If we allow, God will
so identify himself with our
00:38:06.55\00:38:08.78
thoughts, our feelings,
that our impulses will lead
00:38:08.82\00:38:13.36
towards righteousness."
00:38:13.39\00:38:17.33
That's the
experience of the new covenant.
00:38:17.36\00:38:18.93
Verse 11, "None of them shall
teach his neighbor, and none his
00:38:18.96\00:38:21.20
brother, saying, 'Know the
Lord,' for all shall know Me,
00:38:21.23\00:38:24.63
from the least of them
to the greatest of them."
00:38:24.67\00:38:27.20
"Under the new covenant, the
believer is to have a personal
00:38:27.24\00:38:29.97
knowledge and
relationship with God.
00:38:30.01\00:38:32.57
Through Christ, we are led by
the Spirit and we are taught of
00:38:32.61\00:38:35.68
God, in order to be filled
with all the fullness of God."
00:38:35.71\00:38:40.12
Now, that was one of my favorite
statements from "Desire of
00:38:40.15\00:38:42.02
Ages," that I just read,
and here is one of my favorite
00:38:42.05\00:38:44.42
statements from
the Apostle Paul.
00:38:44.45\00:38:46.96
You ready for it?
00:38:46.99\00:38:48.32
Here it is, Ephesians chapter 2.
00:38:48.36\00:38:50.59
Notice this, "Now to him,"
that's God, "who is able to do
00:38:50.63\00:38:55.66
exceedingly, abundantly
above all that we ask or think,
00:38:55.70\00:38:59.83
according to the power,"
dunamis, "that works in us, to
00:38:59.87\00:39:03.34
him be glory in the church by
Christ Jesus to all generations
00:39:03.37\00:39:08.01
forever and ever, amen."
00:39:08.04\00:39:11.25
God is not limited in what he
can do in the heart and the life
00:39:11.28\00:39:14.38
of somebody who is
surrendered to him.
00:39:14.42\00:39:16.75
The sky's the
limit, so to speak.
00:39:16.79\00:39:19.29
After all, all things
are possible with him.
00:39:19.32\00:39:22.46
Verse 12, "For I
will be merciful to their
00:39:22.49\00:39:25.16
unrighteousness, and their sins
and their lawless deeds I will
00:39:25.19\00:39:28.50
remember no more."
00:39:28.53\00:39:30.73
The Christian is promised
forgiveness, full and free,
00:39:30.77\00:39:33.60
through the blood of Jesus.
00:39:33.64\00:39:35.47
God will no longer hold our sins
against them or against us but
00:39:35.50\00:39:38.84
will cast them behind his
back into the depths of the sea.
00:39:38.87\00:39:43.48
Sins is gone.
00:39:43.51\00:39:45.51
Verse 13, our last verse
here, "In that he says, 'A new
00:39:45.55\00:39:48.15
covenant,' he has
made the first obsolete.
00:39:48.18\00:39:50.72
Now that which is becoming
obsolete is growing old, ready
00:39:50.75\00:39:53.36
to vanish away."
00:39:53.39\00:39:55.56
The ceremonial system was
fulfilled when Jesus died on
00:39:55.59\00:39:58.43
the cross.
00:39:58.46\00:40:00.06
Yet it took time for the New
Testament believers, especially
00:40:00.10\00:40:01.93
the Jews, to transition from the
old covenant symbols and types
00:40:01.96\00:40:06.10
to a full realization of the
new covenant and its promises.
00:40:06.13\00:40:11.97
That's why we find Ephesians
chapter 2, verse 15 speaking of
00:40:12.01\00:40:14.31
Christ, "Having abolished in his
flesh the enmity that is the law
00:40:14.34\00:40:16.78
of commandments, containing
ordinances, so as to create in
00:40:16.81\00:40:21.12
himself one new man from
the two, thus making peace."
00:40:21.15\00:40:25.95
So the old covenant comes
to an end when Jesus died on
00:40:25.99\00:40:27.79
the cross.
00:40:27.82\00:40:29.89
The new covenant is reaffirmed,
which is in essence, is the
00:40:29.92\00:40:32.03
everlasting covenant.
00:40:32.06\00:40:35.20
The everlasting covenant is the
experience that God wants each
00:40:35.23\00:40:37.13
and every one of us to have.
00:40:37.17\00:40:39.03
The ultimate goal of the
everlasting covenant is to be in
00:40:39.07\00:40:42.00
the presence of God.
00:40:42.04\00:40:43.87
That's what we want.
00:40:43.91\00:40:46.78
We want to see the face of God.
00:40:46.81\00:40:49.04
But in order for that to happen,
there has to be a special work
00:40:49.08\00:40:51.05
of transformation.
00:40:51.08\00:40:53.58
There has to be a
special work of forgiveness.
00:40:53.62\00:40:56.35
And that's the work that Jesus
proposes to do, to write his law
00:40:56.38\00:40:59.89
in our hearts, and in our minds.
00:40:59.92\00:41:02.49
So, let's look at the contrast
between the two covenants.
00:41:02.52\00:41:05.96
In the old covenant, you
had the Levitical priesthood.
00:41:05.99\00:41:08.73
In the new covenant, you got the
Melchizedek priesthood, where
00:41:08.76\00:41:11.37
Jesus is our High Priest.
00:41:11.40\00:41:13.13
In the old covenant, you had
animal sacrifices, all of which
00:41:13.17\00:41:15.84
pointed forward to Jesus, the
Lamb of God, the true sacrifice.
00:41:15.87\00:41:19.87
The old covenant you had an
earthly sanctuary; in the new
00:41:19.91\00:41:23.71
covenant, our focus is in
heaven, the heavenly sanctuary.
00:41:23.75\00:41:27.05
And here's one of the most
important, the old covenant was
00:41:27.08\00:41:30.45
based upon man's promises, all
that God has said we will do.
00:41:30.49\00:41:34.02
The new covenant is God writing
his law in the hearts and the
00:41:34.06\00:41:37.73
lives of his people,
those of us surrendered to him.
00:41:37.76\00:41:41.33
The old covenant
was for literal Israel.
00:41:41.36\00:41:43.53
The new covenant, in a special
sense is for spiritual Israel,
00:41:43.57\00:41:47.74
God's people.
00:41:47.77\00:41:49.77
Okay, a few
practical steps then.
00:41:49.80\00:41:52.11
You can't talk about the
new covenant experience without
00:41:52.14\00:41:53.78
trying to make it
as simple as possible.
00:41:53.81\00:41:55.78
How can we enter into
that new covenant experience?
00:41:55.81\00:41:59.25
And by the way, this is not a
once-in-a-lifetime experience.
00:41:59.28\00:42:04.35
The Apostle Paul
says, "I die," what?
00:42:04.39\00:42:07.09
"Daily."
00:42:07.12\00:42:09.22
The surrender of
self is a day-by-day,
00:42:09.26\00:42:10.86
moment-by-moment experience.
00:42:10.89\00:42:13.90
So how can we
make that practical?
00:42:13.93\00:42:16.36
Because we want to be parchment
upon which Jesus can inscribe
00:42:16.40\00:42:19.30
his law, that our
obedience comes from the hearts.
00:42:19.33\00:42:22.70
That's the goal.
00:42:22.74\00:42:24.54
All right, just
some practical steps.
00:42:24.57\00:42:26.17
Number one, ask the Lord
to awaken you in the morning.
00:42:26.21\00:42:29.21
Now, you might
think that's kind of odd.
00:42:29.24\00:42:31.28
But I encourage you to do that.
00:42:31.31\00:42:33.82
One of the last things before
you fall asleep at night, say
00:42:33.85\00:42:36.79
"Lord, please wake
me up tomorrow morning."
00:42:36.82\00:42:40.66
It's funny how that works.
00:42:40.69\00:42:42.09
You have an alarm clock,
and that's been many, like I've
00:42:42.12\00:42:44.69
doing this for years.
00:42:44.73\00:42:46.70
And three minutes before the
alarm goes, sometimes 30 seconds
00:42:46.73\00:42:50.17
before the alarm go
off, I suddenly wake up.
00:42:50.20\00:42:52.87
And you know what?
00:42:52.90\00:42:54.44
Guess what the first thought is
that pops into my head when I'm
00:42:54.47\00:42:57.07
woken up?
00:42:57.11\00:42:58.94
I wake, I think,
"Oh, the Lord woke me up."
00:42:58.97\00:43:01.71
And it reminds
me to do something.
00:43:01.74\00:43:04.61
So what are we to do when
God wakes us up in the morning?
00:43:04.65\00:43:07.62
Number one, you want to
surrender your will to God.
00:43:07.65\00:43:11.49
Philippians chapter 2, verse
13 says, "It is God who works in
00:43:11.52\00:43:13.79
you both to will and to
do for his good pleasure."
00:43:13.82\00:43:18.43
So you say, "Lord, here I am.
00:43:18.46\00:43:20.30
New day.
00:43:20.33\00:43:22.03
I'm going to start by
surrendering my will to you."
00:43:22.06\00:43:24.63
Secondly, surrender your mind.
00:43:24.67\00:43:27.14
Philippians 2:5, "Let this
mind be in you which was also in
00:43:27.17\00:43:30.14
Christ Jesus."
00:43:30.17\00:43:31.87
Notice the word "Let."
00:43:31.91\00:43:33.68
God does not force this upon us.
00:43:33.71\00:43:35.91
We have to ask for it.
00:43:35.94\00:43:37.81
We say, "Lord please, let
your mind be in me today."
00:43:37.85\00:43:41.52
Surrender your
heart, your feelings.
00:43:41.55\00:43:43.69
Proverbs chapter 23, verse 26,
"My son, give me your heart and
00:43:43.72\00:43:47.29
let your eyes observe my ways."
00:43:47.32\00:43:50.09
Notice, in order for us to
observe his ways, we must first
00:43:50.13\00:43:53.33
give him our heart.
00:43:53.36\00:43:56.20
That's our part.
00:43:56.23\00:43:57.93
Our part in the new
covenant experience is to
00:43:57.97\00:43:59.30
surrender ourself.
00:43:59.33\00:44:01.04
Say, "Lord, here I am.
00:44:01.07\00:44:02.77
I give you my will, I give you
my mind, I give you my heart."
00:44:02.80\00:44:05.87
What else do we
need to give God?
00:44:05.91\00:44:08.08
Surrender your body.
00:44:08.11\00:44:09.81
You don't always think of that.
00:44:09.84\00:44:11.81
Sometimes, this is
a bit of a challenge.
00:44:11.85\00:44:13.55
The Bible says, "Whether you eat
or drink or whatever you do, do
00:44:13.58\00:44:15.35
it to the glory of God."
00:44:15.38\00:44:17.72
And sometimes, we need God's
special help to live to the
00:44:17.75\00:44:20.72
glory of God.
00:44:20.76\00:44:22.52
We can
surrender our body to him.
00:44:22.56\00:44:24.19
Surrender your plans, your plans
for the day, say, "Lord, here
00:44:24.23\00:44:27.66
are my plans, but you work
them out according to your will.
00:44:27.66\00:44:30.83
I lay it all at your feet.
00:44:30.87\00:44:32.27
You direct."
00:44:32.30\00:44:33.87
It says, "In all your ways,
acknowledge him and he shall
00:44:33.90\00:44:35.30
direct your paths."
00:44:35.34\00:44:36.94
Notice the statement from
the book "The Upward Look" that
00:44:36.97\00:44:38.84
says, "Consecration
is a very simple thing."
00:44:38.87\00:44:43.08
We always think
this is complicated.
00:44:43.11\00:44:44.95
Enter into this new
covenant, that must be hard.
00:44:44.98\00:44:46.61
No.
00:44:46.65\00:44:48.42
"When brought daily into our
individual lives and practice,
00:44:48.45\00:44:50.39
we shall know far more by
consecration and by trusting to
00:44:50.42\00:44:54.26
an experience.
00:44:54.29\00:44:56.69
Each day, each hour, let
the heart go out to God and say,
00:44:56.73\00:45:00.46
'Here, I am.
00:45:00.50\00:45:02.20
I am, Lord, I am yours.
00:45:02.23\00:45:04.60
I'm your property.
00:45:04.63\00:45:06.47
Take me, use me today.
00:45:06.50\00:45:08.17
I lay all my plans at your feet.
00:45:08.20\00:45:10.14
I will have none of
my own way in the matter.
00:45:10.17\00:45:12.67
My time is thine.
00:45:12.71\00:45:14.58
My whole life is thine.'
00:45:14.61\00:45:16.75
Let the heart be constantly
going forth to God for strength,
00:45:16.78\00:45:19.81
for grace every moment."
00:45:19.85\00:45:23.02
And just as surely as we do
this, every day, the promise is,
00:45:23.05\00:45:28.09
if we draw near to
God, what will God do?
00:45:28.12\00:45:31.36
He will draw near to us.
00:45:31.39\00:45:33.86
And he'll be able to do a
work within us that we cannot do
00:45:33.90\00:45:37.23
for ourselves.
00:45:37.27\00:45:39.50
After all, Jesus looked at the
Jewish people, who for so many
00:45:39.53\00:45:44.44
years were trying to earn their
own way, trying to generate
00:45:44.47\00:45:49.61
righteousness that they
thought was enough to save them.
00:45:49.64\00:45:53.52
They were burdened down.
00:45:53.55\00:45:55.62
And Jesus looked at them with
compassion and he said, "Come to
00:45:55.65\00:45:58.92
me, all you that labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give
00:45:58.95\00:46:04.53
you rest."
00:46:04.56\00:46:07.13
The good news of the new
covenant is that we can come
00:46:07.13\00:46:08.73
to Jesus.
00:46:08.76\00:46:10.87
Just the way that we
are, we can come to Jesus.
00:46:10.90\00:46:14.27
Charlotte Elliott
was born in England.
00:46:14.30\00:46:17.97
She grew up in the
finest society that England had
00:46:18.01\00:46:20.18
to offer.
00:46:20.21\00:46:22.31
The family was wealthy.
00:46:22.34\00:46:23.98
She attended the
best schools of the day.
00:46:24.01\00:46:26.11
But when she went to
college, she became very sick.
00:46:26.15\00:46:29.08
It was a lung issue that she
had, that made her very weak.
00:46:29.12\00:46:32.55
At times, she would end
up spending weeks in bed,
00:46:32.59\00:46:35.62
very feeble.
00:46:35.66\00:46:37.59
And they tried different things
back in the day, but nothing
00:46:37.63\00:46:39.69
seemed to help.
00:46:39.73\00:46:41.46
She kept getting
weaker and weaker.
00:46:41.50\00:46:43.97
Finally, she had to quit school
and just pretty much stay home.
00:46:44.00\00:46:49.10
She began to get really
discouraged, and even a little
00:46:49.14\00:46:51.17
angry towards God.
00:46:51.21\00:46:52.97
Now, they were somewhat
of a religious family but not
00:46:53.01\00:46:54.54
that religious.
00:46:54.58\00:46:56.11
I mean they
claimed to be Christians.
00:46:56.14\00:46:58.08
Around this time, a evangelist
was traveling through England,
00:46:58.11\00:46:59.81
preaching evangelistic meetings.
00:46:59.85\00:47:02.22
And Charlotte's
parents went to the meeting.
00:47:02.25\00:47:05.29
And after, like good
evangelists, after the meeting,
00:47:05.32\00:47:08.16
he went around and
visited all of those who came.
00:47:08.19\00:47:10.46
And he came to the house, and he
was visiting with the parents,
00:47:10.49\00:47:12.43
and Charlotte was there.
00:47:12.46\00:47:14.36
The preacher asked, he
said, "Charlotte, have you come
00:47:14.36\00:47:16.46
to Jesus?
00:47:16.50\00:47:18.20
Have you given
you heart to Jesus?"
00:47:18.23\00:47:20.40
And this made Charlotte think.
00:47:20.44\00:47:22.60
And finally, she responded
and said, "Well to be honest, I
00:47:22.64\00:47:25.14
don't know how I
ought to go to Jesus."
00:47:25.17\00:47:29.28
She says, "I'm not
good enough to go to Jesus."
00:47:29.31\00:47:32.61
The evangelist smiled and he
said, "Charlotte, you can come
00:47:32.65\00:47:34.98
to Jesus just the
way that you are."
00:47:35.02\00:47:39.75
Later that night, she knelt
beside her bed and said, "Lord
00:47:39.79\00:47:43.06
please, I want to come to
you just the way that I am.
00:47:43.09\00:47:46.49
I can't clean myself up.
00:47:46.53\00:47:48.40
It has to be you."
00:47:48.43\00:47:50.33
Her life began to change.
00:47:50.37\00:47:52.27
What a peace entered her heart.
00:47:52.30\00:47:54.14
She had joy.
00:47:54.17\00:47:55.60
She had a purpose for living.
00:47:55.64\00:47:57.44
But unfortunately, her health
didn't seem to get much better.
00:47:57.47\00:47:59.27
It actually kept getting worse,
until finally, she had to move
00:47:59.31\00:48:01.51
to a different part of England,
in the southern part, where the
00:48:01.54\00:48:04.01
winters weren't as severe.
00:48:04.05\00:48:06.45
But a few months after this,
while she was thinking back of
00:48:06.48\00:48:08.35
that experience, she picked up
a pen and paper and she began to
00:48:08.38\00:48:11.85
write these words, "Just
as I am without one plea.
00:48:11.89\00:48:16.96
But that thou
blood was shed for me.
00:48:16.99\00:48:19.43
And that thou
bid'st me, come to Thee.
00:48:19.46\00:48:22.70
O Lamb of God, I come."
00:48:22.73\00:48:26.50
It has been said that no other
song has led more people to
00:48:26.53\00:48:31.41
Jesus than Charlotte
Elliott's song Just As I Am.
00:48:31.44\00:48:36.71
Sometimes friends, we can
overcomplicate the simplicity of
00:48:36.75\00:48:39.78
the gospel.
00:48:39.81\00:48:41.65
Jesus says, "Come unto me
and I will give you rest."
00:48:41.68\00:48:46.92
Let us pray, "Dear Father, we
are indeed so grateful for that
00:48:46.96\00:48:49.66
wonderful gospel invitation.
00:48:49.69\00:48:51.93
An invitation that is for
all of us, irrespective of our
00:48:51.96\00:48:55.33
backgrounds, our joys,
our sorrows, our trials.
00:48:55.36\00:48:59.77
And Jesus, you can save to the
uttermost, those who come to you
00:48:59.80\00:49:03.27
by faith.
00:49:03.30\00:49:05.37
Thank you for the
new covenant promise.
00:49:05.41\00:49:07.58
Thank you for a special
work that you want to do in our
00:49:07.61\00:49:09.14
hearts and lives.
00:49:09.18\00:49:11.01
Father, we choose you
today, to commit ourselves in
00:49:11.05\00:49:12.78
your keeping.
00:49:12.81\00:49:14.78
We ask this in
Jesus' name, amen."
00:49:14.82\00:49:16.69
male announcer: Don't forget to
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00:49:48.95\00:49:52.05
male announcer:
"Amazing Facts: Changed Lives."
00:49:56.49\00:50:01.50
Christine VanOrder: I was
born into a family of criminals.
00:50:04.00\00:50:07.04
When I got older and I started
breaking the rules, no one ever
00:50:07.07\00:50:09.70
taught me about, "Thou shalt not
steal, and thou shalt not lie,
00:50:09.74\00:50:13.14
though shalt not commit
adultery" or anything like that.
00:50:13.17\00:50:16.58
When I became a runaway at 14, I
was just a wild and lost child.
00:50:16.61\00:50:23.45
I had somebody tell me, "Hey,
you want to earn some money by
00:50:23.49\00:50:26.22
cleaning this guy's kitchen?"
00:50:26.25\00:50:28.06
So I went to this house on a
different side of town than I
00:50:28.09\00:50:30.26
was used to.
00:50:30.29\00:50:32.03
Someone kept giving
me alcoholic drinks.
00:50:32.06\00:50:34.56
And being 115 pounds and 14
years old, it really didn't take
00:50:34.56\00:50:38.13
much time before I was so
inebriated that I had no control
00:50:38.17\00:50:42.54
over what was
going on around me.
00:50:42.57\00:50:45.27
He took me to another location,
another town, and I was put
00:50:45.31\00:50:49.44
in isolation.
00:50:49.48\00:50:51.58
I would come out to be abused
between three and eight times
00:50:51.61\00:50:53.35
a day.
00:50:53.38\00:50:54.92
I was degraded, I was
humiliated, that I had no value
00:50:54.95\00:50:57.39
as a human being.
00:50:57.42\00:50:59.39
And I learned very quickly that
what I felt, and what I thought,
00:50:59.42\00:51:02.82
and how this made me feel,
did not matter to him at all.
00:51:02.86\00:51:06.66
If I even thought about not
doing what he wanted me to do, I
00:51:06.70\00:51:12.30
would have a gun to my
head, a knife to my throat.
00:51:12.33\00:51:17.64
There was one time in particular
where he had been tormenting
00:51:17.67\00:51:22.78
me, psychologically.
00:51:22.81\00:51:25.75
And one day, he said, "Oh,
you'll never kill yourself.
00:51:25.78\00:51:28.38
You'll never do it."
00:51:28.42\00:51:31.12
And almost defiantly,
I was like, "Yes I will."
00:51:31.15\00:51:34.16
And he handed me a big, old
handful of pills and I took 'em.
00:51:34.19\00:51:37.19
While I was overdosing, and I
had been overdosing all night, I
00:51:37.23\00:51:40.63
cried out to a God that
I didn't even believe in.
00:51:40.66\00:51:43.80
And at that very moment, in the
most powerful way, God shone his
00:51:43.83\00:51:47.47
light on me, and he gave me
peace of mind like I never had.
00:51:47.50\00:51:52.27
And he let me know, right then
and there while I was on that
00:51:52.31\00:51:55.08
bathroom floor, that he was
real, and that he was love, and
00:51:55.11\00:51:58.61
that I did not know how at
that time, but he was going to
00:51:58.65\00:52:01.75
help me.
00:52:01.78\00:52:03.69
A little less than a year
later, I became pregnant at 15.
00:52:03.72\00:52:07.09
I loved my son
with my whole heart.
00:52:07.12\00:52:09.42
He also became something that my
abuser could use against me in
00:52:09.46\00:52:12.66
order to pump
more fear and coercion.
00:52:12.69\00:52:17.33
I had finally got away from my
abuser, and I had finally built
00:52:17.37\00:52:21.90
up a support system to help
me stay on the move and stay on
00:52:21.94\00:52:24.77
the run.
00:52:24.81\00:52:26.84
And I was at my grandmother's
house, and on my son's third
00:52:26.88\00:52:28.98
birthday, he took my son.
00:52:29.01\00:52:36.02
And when I called the
police, said, "My son's just
00:52:36.05\00:52:37.55
been kidnapped," they
said, "He's the father.
00:52:37.59\00:52:39.65
We can't do anything about it."
00:52:39.69\00:52:42.22
After my son was
gone, I lost my mind.
00:52:42.26\00:52:45.33
I started doing drugs, and
within a month and a half, I
00:52:45.36\00:52:48.16
robbed a convenience store.
00:52:48.20\00:52:50.43
So I was sentenced to 70 months,
five years, 10 months in prison,
00:52:50.47\00:52:55.14
and it was the best
thing that ever happened to me.
00:52:55.17\00:53:00.24
I started attending the church
services in prison, seven days
00:53:00.28\00:53:03.88
a week.
00:53:03.91\00:53:05.78
It blew my mind.
00:53:05.81\00:53:07.38
I was hooked.
00:53:07.42\00:53:08.92
And then we went through, it
was "Millennium of Prophecy" and
00:53:08.95\00:53:12.45
"Net 99" that just solidified
my faith in such a powerful way,
00:53:12.49\00:53:18.76
and I knew God,
that God was leading me.
00:53:18.79\00:53:21.76
Even the guards there commented
on how much I had changed.
00:53:21.80\00:53:26.03
And since I started doing the
studies on "Amazing Facts," I
00:53:26.07\00:53:29.80
was so excited about what I was
learning, that I was coming back
00:53:29.84\00:53:32.97
from there and trying to convert
my hardened, criminal friends
00:53:33.01\00:53:38.05
with the Storacles of Prophecy.
00:53:38.08\00:53:40.05
Every question I ever had, every
worry, everything that I ever
00:53:40.08\00:53:43.75
wondered about, the Bible
answered everything, and it was
00:53:43.79\00:53:47.79
so clear and so
easy to understand.
00:53:47.82\00:53:51.49
It's been 11 years
since I've been out of prison.
00:53:51.53\00:53:54.10
I am married to an
amazing, wonderful man.
00:53:54.13\00:53:57.27
My first non-abusive
relationship in my whole
00:53:57.30\00:53:59.43
entire life.
00:53:59.47\00:54:01.44
Before we got married, we
watched the "Millennium of
00:54:01.47\00:54:02.94
Prophecy" series together.
00:54:02.97\00:54:05.27
And it was just such a blessing
to be able to see him learn and
00:54:05.31\00:54:10.78
see him grow.
00:54:10.81\00:54:12.95
And I feel like my life now is
just a gift, that every single
00:54:12.98\00:54:15.98
thing that happened to me bad in
the past is nothing compared to
00:54:16.02\00:54:19.79
the joy, and happiness,
and stability that I have now,
00:54:19.82\00:54:25.36
My name is Christine VanOrder,
and my life has been changed by
00:54:25.39\00:54:28.66
Jesus Christ,
and "Amazing Facts."
00:54:28.70\00:54:32.10
¤¤¤
00:54:32.13\00:54:38.27
¤¤¤
00:54:45.98\00:54:48.55
Michael: I had the
oldest at a young age.
00:54:48.58\00:54:50.85
That's where it really sank in.
00:54:50.89\00:54:52.59
I had to do
something with my life.
00:54:52.62\00:54:54.49
And I was trying to provide
for my family and working nights
00:54:54.52\00:54:57.39
and stuff.
00:54:57.43\00:54:58.76
I came home early one morning,
and I caught my ex-wife and the
00:54:58.79\00:55:02.96
other guy that she
was seeing at the time.
00:55:03.00\00:55:07.14
They were right
there in the front room.
00:55:07.17\00:55:09.90
My daughter was
sitting right there by the TV.
00:55:09.94\00:55:13.24
"Hi, Daddy, hi, Daddy."
00:55:13.27\00:55:14.94
She was excited to see me."
00:55:14.98\00:55:16.88
And I was full of different
emotions at the time, but with a
00:55:16.91\00:55:19.11
softened heart.
00:55:19.15\00:55:20.65
And I remember setting my stuff
down, I picked her up and I
00:55:20.68\00:55:24.02
hugged her,
told her I loved her.
00:55:24.05\00:55:26.96
Told him, I said,
"You need to leave."
00:55:26.99\00:55:29.99
At that point, I went to
my room and grabbed my rifle.
00:55:30.03\00:55:35.13
As I walked--walking out of the
room, when I fist moved there,
00:55:35.16\00:55:37.67
I put this picture right
there in front of the door.
00:55:37.70\00:55:40.00
Every morning, I would go
out that door, but I'd see
00:55:40.04\00:55:41.94
that picture.
00:55:41.97\00:55:43.44
It was all three of my kids.
00:55:43.47\00:55:45.54
And that given moment, when
I seen that picture, rifle in
00:55:45.57\00:55:47.58
hand, I melted to
my knees, gun in hand.
00:55:47.61\00:55:51.35
That's when I prayed to God, and
I hadn't prayed to God in years.
00:55:51.38\00:55:54.95
I said, "I am so sorry.
00:55:54.98\00:55:57.12
You know what we're
going through right now.
00:55:57.15\00:55:59.09
I'm trying to do
what I thought was right.
00:55:59.12\00:56:01.49
But evidently, it's all blown
up and I don't know what to do."
00:56:01.52\00:56:07.00
Got back up, and I went back
out and I told her it was over.
00:56:07.03\00:56:11.90
I decided that I was going to
go to California and start over.
00:56:11.93\00:56:15.64
That's my roots.
00:56:15.67\00:56:17.17
So while I was out in
California, and I had a lot of
00:56:17.21\00:56:20.04
time on my hands, in between
loads, while I was driving
00:56:20.08\00:56:23.28
truck, and my uncle, he gave me
a little pamphlet from "Amazing
00:56:23.31\00:56:27.88
Facts," and I
started reading that.
00:56:27.92\00:56:31.35
It got my attention, but then
"Amazing Facts" had this series
00:56:31.39\00:56:35.59
of seminars, Tyler Long was
the speaker at that time, at my
00:56:35.62\00:56:40.86
uncle's church, Modesto Central.
00:56:40.90\00:56:43.43
But I remember my folks, they
kept inviting me over and over.
00:56:43.47\00:56:45.90
So did my uncle.
00:56:45.93\00:56:47.30
And I was like, "No, no, no.
00:56:47.34\00:56:48.64
I'd rather sit here and drink."
00:56:48.67\00:56:50.31
You know, I mean
because I was hurting.
00:56:50.34\00:56:51.67
I was hurting internally
from missing my kids and plus
00:56:51.71\00:56:55.14
the divorce.
00:56:55.18\00:56:56.81
Everything, it
just like I had nothing.
00:56:56.85\00:56:58.41
I was empty.
00:56:58.45\00:56:59.81
I went ahead and went.
00:56:59.85\00:57:01.32
And I tell you, that
seminar is like God was speaking
00:57:01.35\00:57:05.12
specifically to me.
00:57:05.15\00:57:07.99
I just like melted, collapsed
right there into the pew.
00:57:08.02\00:57:11.89
Tears just started gushing.
00:57:11.93\00:57:14.56
The only thing I can say is
that God spoke to me that day.
00:57:14.60\00:57:18.43
After attending these "Amazing
Facts" seminars, I started going
00:57:18.47\00:57:22.37
through, you know, these
"Amazing Facts" study guides and
00:57:22.40\00:57:25.41
I finished those.
00:57:25.44\00:57:27.18
I mean just all these truths
were jumping out at me, and I
00:57:27.21\00:57:30.31
was so hungry, I
couldn't put them down.
00:57:30.35\00:57:32.98
And after I finished the study
guides, I made the decision to
00:57:33.01\00:57:38.32
follow Christ
and to be baptized.
00:57:38.35\00:57:41.19
And my parents also made that
decision as well to be baptized.
00:57:41.22\00:57:45.89
My name is Michael.
00:57:45.93\00:57:47.60
Thank you for changing my life.
00:57:47.66\00:57:49.73
¤¤¤
00:57:49.76\00:57:55.74
¤¤¤
00:58:00.51\00:58:08.48