¤¤¤
00:00:00.83\00:00:10.81
¤¤¤
00:00:12.57\00:00:22.55
¤¤¤
00:00:22.58\00:00:30.59
Luccas Rodor: Hi, welcome to
our "Sabbath School Study Hour"
00:00:35.93\00:00:38.90
here at the Granite Bay Hilltop
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:00:38.93\00:00:41.17
We are so happy that you have
decided to invest this hour of
00:00:41.20\00:00:44.61
study and of diving
into God's Word with us.
00:00:44.64\00:00:47.34
I'd like also to
welcome our local community.
00:00:47.38\00:00:49.94
Thank you for being here with
us, and we're so glad that you
00:00:49.98\00:00:52.35
are here with us too.
00:00:52.38\00:00:53.98
Today we will be studying
the second lesson of our new
00:00:54.02\00:00:56.42
quarterly.
00:00:56.45\00:00:57.75
The title of the
entire lesson this quarter is
00:00:57.79\00:01:00.36
"Rest In Christ."
00:01:00.39\00:01:02.16
There are so many beautiful
lessons that we need to learn
00:01:02.19\00:01:04.99
about this reality
about how to rest in Jesus.
00:01:05.03\00:01:08.90
This week's title is "Restless
and Rebellious," and Pastor
00:01:08.93\00:01:12.87
Shawn will be leading out today,
and I'm sure that we have a lot
00:01:12.90\00:01:15.27
to learn with him
here in our lesson.
00:01:15.30\00:01:18.57
But before I ask him to come
out and before our choruses come
00:01:18.61\00:01:21.91
out, I would like to
invite you to take advantage
00:01:21.94\00:01:24.11
of our free offer.
00:01:24.15\00:01:25.85
This week's free offer is "Why
God Said Remember," and so if
00:01:25.88\00:01:29.88
you want a copy, a physical copy
of this, and you live within the
00:01:29.92\00:01:33.79
Continental North America, you
can call 866-788-3966, or if you
00:01:33.82\00:01:39.89
want to remember it better, you
could call 866-Study-More, and
00:01:39.93\00:01:43.33
then you can ask for the Offer
185, Offer Number 185, or if
00:01:43.37\00:01:47.74
you're in the USA, you can text
"SH1292," to the number 40544,
00:01:47.77\00:01:53.61
or if you're outside
North America, you can go to
00:01:53.64\00:01:57.08
study.aftv.org, and you could
get a digital download of that.
00:01:57.11\00:02:03.49
Now I would like to
call our choruses out.
00:02:03.52\00:02:05.35
Sing with confidence.
00:02:05.39\00:02:06.62
Sing because the Lord is here
with us, and I'm sure that He
00:02:06.65\00:02:08.76
will be blessing us
throughout the praise
00:02:08.79\00:02:10.93
and throughout the teaching.
00:02:10.96\00:02:13.13
¤¤¤
00:02:13.16\00:02:23.10
¤¤¤
00:02:23.14\00:02:25.91
The Savior is
waiting to enter your heart.
00:02:25.94\00:02:34.85
¤ Why don't you
let Him come in? ¤
00:02:35.28\00:02:44.23
¤ There's nothing in this
world to keep you apart. ¤
00:02:44.26\00:02:53.40
¤ What is your answer to Him? ¤
00:02:53.44\00:03:02.08
¤ Time after time
He has waited before, ¤
00:03:02.11\00:03:11.12
¤ and now He is waiting again ¤
00:03:11.15\00:03:18.86
¤ to see if you're
willing to open the door. ¤
00:03:18.89\00:03:28.77
¤ Oh, how He wants to come in. ¤
00:03:28.80\00:03:37.95
¤ If you'll take one
step toward the Savior, ¤
00:03:37.98\00:03:44.85
¤ my friend, you'll
find His arms open wide. ¤
00:03:44.89\00:03:54.86
¤ Receive Him, and all
of your darkness will end. ¤
00:03:55.73\00:04:05.47
¤ Within your
heart He'll abide. ¤
00:04:05.51\00:04:14.45
¤ Time after time
He has waited before, ¤
00:04:14.48\00:04:23.09
¤ and now He is waiting again ¤
00:04:23.12\00:04:31.37
¤ to see if you're
willing to open the door. ¤
00:04:31.40\00:04:41.41
¤ Oh, how He wants to ¤
00:04:42.64\00:04:48.45
¤ come in. ¤¤
00:04:48.48\00:04:53.89
Luccas Rodor: Dear
Lord, we praise You
00:04:53.92\00:04:55.66
for this beautiful day.
00:04:55.69\00:04:57.19
We praise you because you are
among us, and we are ready to
00:04:57.23\00:04:59.96
receive Your Word.
00:05:00.06\00:05:01.90
Lord, please imbue Pastor Shawn
with your Holy Spirit as he
00:05:01.93\00:05:05.10
teaches us that this quarter's
lesson is all about not allowing
00:05:05.13\00:05:10.64
ourselves to go restless, to
grow restless or rebellious, and
00:05:10.67\00:05:14.41
allowing You to always touch our
hearts and be led by the Spirit.
00:05:14.44\00:05:18.15
I ask You for all the worshipers
that are here this day, and I
00:05:18.18\00:05:21.12
ask this in Jesus's name, amen.
00:05:21.15\00:05:25.32
Shawn Brummund: We would all
do well to underline the "in,"
00:05:25.35\00:05:26.82
in this quarterly's Sabbath
School title, "Rest In Christ."
00:05:26.86\00:05:32.46
We want to circle it.
00:05:32.49\00:05:34.10
We want to highlight it.
00:05:34.10\00:05:35.40
We want to underline it.
00:05:35.43\00:05:37.87
We want to make sure
that we capitalize it.
00:05:37.90\00:05:40.00
It is the key word in
the title and theme of which
00:05:40.04\00:05:43.20
we continue to study
as we started last week.
00:05:43.24\00:05:46.37
"Rest In Christ."
00:05:46.41\00:05:49.34
Paul had found the ticket to
true rest and peace in his life.
00:05:49.38\00:05:53.28
And that was in the
person, the eternal Son of God,
00:05:53.31\00:05:56.42
Jesus Christ Himself.
00:05:56.45\00:05:59.52
We would do well to
underline that "in."
00:05:59.55\00:06:02.16
We find there the justification.
00:06:02.19\00:06:03.86
We find the sanctification
that is found in the person
00:06:03.89\00:06:07.76
and work of Christ.
00:06:07.83\00:06:10.10
It is the only way that we can
find true rest for our souls.
00:06:10.13\00:06:15.74
Jesus summed it up best for us
when we come to the book of John
00:06:15.77\00:06:18.74
chapter 14, and verses 13
through 14, where Jesus answered
00:06:18.77\00:06:23.88
and said to the woman at
the well as He was having this
00:06:23.91\00:06:26.11
personal encounter with her, and
she with Him, and as He was in
00:06:26.15\00:06:30.52
the heart of that conversation,
He was working up to the punch
00:06:30.55\00:06:33.02
line when He says,
"Whoever drinks of this water
00:06:33.05\00:06:35.42
will thirst again."
00:06:35.46\00:06:37.43
They had their conversation
beside Jacob's Well.
00:06:37.46\00:06:40.80
The woman was there to fetch the
water that she and/or family and
00:06:40.83\00:06:44.40
household needed for that day.
00:06:44.43\00:06:47.87
Jesus says, "Whoever drinks of
this regular water will thirst
00:06:47.90\00:06:51.27
again, but whoever drinks of the
water that I shall give him,"
00:06:51.31\00:06:54.01
Jesus says, "shall never thirst.
00:06:54.04\00:06:57.75
But the water that I shall give
him will become a fountain of
00:06:57.78\00:07:00.45
water springing up
into everlasting life."
00:07:00.48\00:07:06.76
Jesus was talking about Himself.
00:07:06.79\00:07:09.56
Jesus is declaring that
He is the water of life.
00:07:09.59\00:07:14.83
Not only did He equate himself
with water and call Himself
00:07:14.83\00:07:17.30
the water of life,
but He also called himself
00:07:17.33\00:07:19.57
the bread of heaven as well.
00:07:19.60\00:07:23.04
The bread of life.
00:07:23.07\00:07:24.61
In John chapter 6, just
two chapters later in verse 35,
00:07:24.64\00:07:27.41
Jesus said to them,
"I am the bread of life.
00:07:27.44\00:07:34.18
He who comes to Me
shall never hunger."
00:07:34.22\00:07:37.55
"He who comes to Me
shall never hunger."
00:07:37.59\00:07:39.92
Do you see the parallel between
the conversation in John chapter
00:07:39.95\00:07:41.56
4, and the woman at the
well, and that in which Jesus is
00:07:41.59\00:07:44.19
having with the crowd that,
later, some days or weeks after?
00:07:44.23\00:07:49.76
Jesus says to the woman,
"Whoever drinks of this water
00:07:49.80\00:07:51.77
will never thirst again."
00:07:51.80\00:07:53.37
When Jesus speaks to the crowd,
some days later, He says, "I am
00:07:53.40\00:07:56.14
the bread of life.
00:07:56.17\00:07:57.61
If you eat of this bread,
you will never be hungry again."
00:07:57.64\00:08:01.98
And then He follows up and
brings Himself and His crowd
00:08:02.01\00:08:04.08
back to that conversation with
the woman, where He says, "He
00:08:04.11\00:08:06.82
who believes in me
shall never thirst."
00:08:06.85\00:08:12.55
I can speak my personal
experience that, when you have a
00:08:12.59\00:08:14.52
personal relationship with Jesus
Christ, there is a satisfaction
00:08:14.56\00:08:20.80
that is beyond compare.
00:08:20.83\00:08:24.07
There is a place in which you
can find yourself parked for the
00:08:24.10\00:08:26.40
rest of your life when
it concerns to the greatest
00:08:26.43\00:08:29.57
philosophical questions that
human beings have always asked
00:08:29.60\00:08:33.41
through the ages.
00:08:33.44\00:08:35.71
We can find ourselves parked
there with great and full and
00:08:35.74\00:08:38.95
complete satisfaction concerning
the questions of where we have
00:08:38.98\00:08:42.32
come from.
00:08:42.35\00:08:44.09
Why do we exist?
00:08:44.12\00:08:45.62
What is our future?
00:08:45.65\00:08:46.96
What is our purpose in life?
00:08:46.99\00:08:49.22
Where do we find true
peace and happiness and joy?
00:08:49.26\00:08:52.73
All of it is found in the person
and the package of Jesus Christ,
00:08:52.76\00:08:57.20
in the person of Christ.
00:08:57.23\00:09:00.67
When we come to Christ, we don't
need to, we don't have to, we
00:09:00.70\00:09:03.34
don't want to
look anywhere else.
00:09:03.37\00:09:08.38
I know some people that are very
close to me, very near and dear
00:09:08.41\00:09:11.25
through my life, and many of
them have gone from one thing to
00:09:11.28\00:09:14.62
another.
00:09:14.65\00:09:16.22
They've gone from pyramid
power, to channeling, to New Age
00:09:16.25\00:09:18.75
meditation, to mind control.
00:09:18.79\00:09:22.52
They've gone from one self-help
guru and to another self-help
00:09:22.56\00:09:26.03
guru.
00:09:26.06\00:09:27.46
They've been searching years
upon years upon years, always
00:09:27.50\00:09:30.00
thirsty, but never satisfied.
00:09:30.03\00:09:32.43
Always hungry, but
never satisfied, never full.
00:09:32.47\00:09:36.30
Why?
00:09:36.34\00:09:37.64
Because they haven't found
the person of Jesus Christ.
00:09:37.67\00:09:40.91
Rest, true rest can only be
found in the person of Christ.
00:09:40.94\00:09:47.78
As the old hymn
goes, and it's old now.
00:09:47.82\00:09:49.95
It's been around
for about 30 years.
00:09:49.98\00:09:51.72
Many of us have sung it.
00:09:51.75\00:09:53.22
Many of us can sing it
from our hearts and by personal
00:09:53.25\00:09:55.52
experience: "You
Are My All in All."
00:09:55.56\00:10:00.80
Not only is it a
song, it's a prayer.
00:10:00.83\00:10:03.06
"You are my all in all."
00:10:03.10\00:10:04.83
In Christ, He is our all in all.
00:10:04.87\00:10:08.24
In Revelation chapter 3 and
verse 20, we find that Jesus
00:10:08.27\00:10:10.74
pictures Himself as one who
knocks at the door of our heart,
00:10:10.77\00:10:15.34
and He says, "Behold, I
knock at the door of your heart.
00:10:15.38\00:10:18.91
I stand at the door, and I
knock, and if anyone hears My
00:10:18.95\00:10:22.68
voice and opens the door, I
will come to him and he to Me."
00:10:22.72\00:10:30.79
We come back to the text in
which we looked at last week in
00:10:30.83\00:10:33.23
Matthew chapter 11, in verses 28
and 29, where Jesus says, "Come
00:10:33.26\00:10:36.73
unto Me, all you who labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give
00:10:36.77\00:10:40.57
you rest.
00:10:40.60\00:10:43.71
Take My yoke upon you," He says,
"for I am gentle and lowly in
00:10:43.74\00:10:47.21
heart, and you shall
find rest for your souls."
00:10:47.24\00:10:49.38
That is the great theme in which
we continue to study, even as
00:10:49.41\00:10:54.18
we've looked at this quarterly's
lesson for those of us who have
00:10:54.22\00:10:57.09
gone day by day through this
last week as we looked at some
00:10:57.12\00:11:00.36
very deep and interesting
and very helpful chapters.
00:11:00.39\00:11:03.73
They're not pleasant chapters.
00:11:03.76\00:11:05.43
They're not happy chapters, for
indeed, we find the gray as it
00:11:05.46\00:11:10.57
reflects the actual quarterly
lesson which is "Restless and
00:11:10.60\00:11:14.20
Rebellious," and so we find
they're not what we should be
00:11:14.24\00:11:18.14
patterning ourselves after
but what we should be avoiding.
00:11:18.17\00:11:20.78
We find this sad story that
shares with us how this large
00:11:20.81\00:11:26.68
group of people that were
the descendants of Abraham, that
00:11:26.72\00:11:30.39
were led by the great prophet
Moses, had chosen disobedience
00:11:30.42\00:11:35.06
and disbelief, had chosen to be
restless and rebellious rather
00:11:35.09\00:11:38.33
than to find themselves in
the rest of Christ that God had
00:11:38.36\00:11:41.33
offered to them from the very
moment that they left Egypt.
00:11:41.36\00:11:49.20
Now, it's important for us to
know that this is not the first
00:11:49.24\00:11:52.37
time that Christ
has offered this rest.
00:11:52.41\00:11:54.64
When we come to Jesus's life on
earth in Matthew chapter 11, and
00:11:54.68\00:11:58.21
Jesus says, "Come unto Me,
all you who labor and are heavy
00:11:58.25\00:12:01.12
laden, and I will give you
rest," this is not the first
00:12:01.15\00:12:03.55
offer, no.
00:12:03.59\00:12:04.89
God had offered it
many times in the past.
00:12:04.92\00:12:06.76
He had offered it to
the Israelites through the
00:12:06.79\00:12:08.36
generation of Moses.
00:12:08.39\00:12:10.83
We can find that in
Exodus chapter 33, and verse 14,
00:12:10.86\00:12:15.56
God says, "My presence will go
with you, and I will give you--"
00:12:15.60\00:12:21.44
you guessed it: "rest."
00:12:21.47\00:12:24.87
You see, God had
offered rest to that generation.
00:12:24.91\00:12:28.58
Jesus offered, again, when He
was in this life on this planet,
00:12:28.61\00:12:32.28
but He had offered at hundreds
and hundreds of years beforehand
00:12:32.31\00:12:36.22
through the prophet Moses and to
the generation of Moses's day.
00:12:36.25\00:12:42.09
Now, what's interesting.
00:12:42.12\00:12:43.43
In the New Testament book of
Hebrews chapters 3 through 4,
00:12:43.46\00:12:46.66
the Bible speaks more
extensively on this God-given
00:12:46.70\00:12:49.83
rest than anywhere else.
00:12:49.86\00:12:51.50
If you're looking for the most
comprehensive passage on the
00:12:51.53\00:12:53.80
rest that can be found in
Christ, it is in these two
00:12:53.84\00:12:56.30
chapters, and so I'd
like to spend some time
00:12:56.34\00:13:00.71
reflecting on that.
00:13:00.74\00:13:02.41
Why?
00:13:02.44\00:13:03.75
Because the four chapters that
we looked at in this last week's
00:13:03.78\00:13:05.71
study, Numbers chapter 11, 12,
13, and 14, touches on this same
00:13:05.75\00:13:11.69
rest that the ancient Israelites
missed out on in Moses's day.
00:13:11.72\00:13:17.29
So, again, we find
there what not to do.
00:13:17.33\00:13:19.93
We find there how we
can potentially miss out
00:13:19.96\00:13:23.40
on that rest.
00:13:23.43\00:13:27.07
I want to spend some time in the
book of Hebrews, learning how
00:13:27.10\00:13:29.40
and why they missed out on God's
rest and salvation so far ago
00:13:29.44\00:13:35.48
and how and why we can make
sure that we have that rest.
00:13:35.51\00:13:40.45
Many, if not all of you,
that are here today have already
00:13:40.48\00:13:42.62
found that rest in Christ.
00:13:42.65\00:13:44.45
Many of you are that are here
today are here because you have
00:13:44.49\00:13:46.82
found that rest in Christ, and
you want to continue to nurture
00:13:46.86\00:13:50.96
and continue to hold onto and
it continued to experience that
00:13:50.99\00:13:54.46
rest that is found in Christ,
but perhaps there's one or more
00:13:54.46\00:14:01.17
that is here today, either
in person in our Granite Bay
00:14:01.20\00:14:04.14
Seventh-day Adventist Church
or watching online or on the
00:14:04.17\00:14:07.78
different television networks
that has never found that rest,
00:14:07.81\00:14:11.61
that has never come to say,
"Yes, I can say with confidence
00:14:11.65\00:14:14.78
that I have a personal
experience with Jesus Christ as
00:14:14.82\00:14:17.89
my Lord and Savior, and He
has given me rest and peace in a
00:14:17.92\00:14:21.26
measure that I'd
never had before."
00:14:21.29\00:14:24.93
Perhaps this is a day in which
Jesus is speaking to you, and
00:14:24.96\00:14:27.66
you are responding, and you're
hearing His voice, and you want
00:14:27.73\00:14:32.00
to consider over the next few
minutes that we have together to
00:14:32.03\00:14:34.40
study what it means to
have that rest and invite it
00:14:34.44\00:14:37.84
into your life.
00:14:37.87\00:14:44.35
The generation of Israelites
that escaped to Egypt with Moses
00:14:44.38\00:14:47.82
had blown it.
00:14:47.85\00:14:49.82
And Hebrews, that New Testament
book that comes along in the
00:14:49.85\00:14:53.12
days of Paul, tells us not
to make the same mistake, and so
00:14:53.15\00:14:57.46
let's spend some time there.
00:14:57.49\00:14:59.26
Turn with me to Hebrews chapter
3, and we're going to start with
00:14:59.29\00:15:01.46
verse 7.
00:15:01.50\00:15:02.90
So we're going to that New
Testament Gospel book in the New
00:15:02.93\00:15:06.10
Testament called Hebrews.
00:15:06.13\00:15:09.90
Why is it called Hebrews?
00:15:09.94\00:15:16.75
Anybody want to venture a guess?
00:15:16.78\00:15:19.81
Why is it called Hebrews?
00:15:19.85\00:15:23.15
It's called Hebrews because it
was written to Hebrews that had
00:15:23.18\00:15:25.22
accepted Christ as their
Lord and Savior that were in the
00:15:25.25\00:15:27.89
Christian church, and so God
had inspired the apostle Paul
00:15:27.92\00:15:32.73
and said, "Listen, you need
to address a very real challenge
00:15:32.76\00:15:36.10
that is existing in the hearts
and lives of more than one Jew
00:15:36.13\00:15:39.87
or Hebrew that had accepted the
Christian faith," and that is
00:15:39.90\00:15:43.54
that they were
tempted to backslide.
00:15:43.57\00:15:45.07
They were tempted to let go of
this great experience and rest
00:15:45.11\00:15:48.98
that is found in Christ and go
back to the traditional Judaism
00:15:49.01\00:15:52.25
in which they were raised.
00:15:52.28\00:15:55.12
And so they were written to that
they might be able to hold on,
00:15:55.15\00:15:58.82
hold fast to that which God had
already delivered to them that
00:15:58.85\00:16:02.02
Jesus is the true Messiah,
that there is no rest outside of
00:16:02.06\00:16:05.96
Christ, to remind them that the
only rest that they have ever
00:16:05.99\00:16:09.20
found in their
life is in Christ.
00:16:09.23\00:16:12.23
Don't let that rest go.
00:16:12.27\00:16:14.97
And so, when we come to Hebrews
chapter 3, in verse 7, it says,
00:16:15.00\00:16:17.61
"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit
says, "Today, if you will hear
00:16:17.64\00:16:24.05
His voice, do not harden your
hearts as in the rebellion--"
00:16:24.08\00:16:27.12
friends, does that echo
Revelation chapter 3, in verse
00:16:27.15\00:16:29.35
20, in which I quoted
earlier in our study today?
00:16:29.38\00:16:32.65
"Behold, I stand at the door,
and I knock, and if anyone hears
00:16:32.69\00:16:35.79
My voice and opens the door
to your heart--" if you open the
00:16:35.82\00:16:40.46
door, then Jesus comes in.
00:16:40.50\00:16:42.40
Jesus never forces
His way into our life.
00:16:42.43\00:16:44.47
He never forces us because
then it wouldn't be true rest.
00:16:44.50\00:16:49.34
It is only true rest if we
voluntarily open the door to our
00:16:49.37\00:16:52.57
heart and let Jesus in.
00:16:52.61\00:16:57.21
And so we have the same voice.
00:16:57.25\00:16:58.48
In this case, it's not the voice
of Jesus as He was walking upon
00:16:58.51\00:17:02.82
this earth and says, you know,
or shortly after, I should say,
00:17:02.85\00:17:05.45
through John the revelator, when
He says, "If anyone hears my
00:17:05.49\00:17:08.52
voice and opens the door--"
in this case, it's King David as
00:17:08.56\00:17:12.13
quoted in Psalm 95.
00:17:12.16\00:17:14.03
In his generation, God is crying
out through His prophet David,
00:17:14.10\00:17:17.87
where He says, "Today, if
you will hear His voice, don't
00:17:17.90\00:17:20.57
harden your hearts
as in the rebellion."
00:17:20.60\00:17:23.47
Now, as it turns out, that key
word "rebellion" is reflecting
00:17:23.51\00:17:28.04
the very chapters in which we
studied this last week, which is
00:17:28.08\00:17:30.61
Numbers chapter 11 through 14,
where the Israelites had chosen,
00:17:30.65\00:17:34.62
very sadly, very tragically,
to rebel against God and against
00:17:34.65\00:17:41.29
His offer of rest.
00:17:41.32\00:17:46.46
And so, because of that, they
ended up spending 40 days of
00:17:46.49\00:17:48.86
restlessness, wandering
in the wilderness until a new
00:17:48.90\00:17:53.60
generation was to grow
up and take their place.
00:17:53.64\00:17:57.21
"Do not harden your hearts as in
the rebellion," it tells us, "in
00:17:57.24\00:18:00.48
the days of the trial in
the wilderness, where your
00:18:00.51\00:18:03.68
fathers--" now there he doesn't
mean your biological first
00:18:03.71\00:18:06.75
fathers but your great, great,
great, great, great, great,
00:18:06.78\00:18:09.45
great, great, great, great,
great, great-grandfathers--
00:18:09.48\00:18:15.72
"where your fathers tested Me,
and tried Me, and saw My works
00:18:15.76\00:18:19.06
for 40 years."
00:18:19.09\00:18:21.80
And so there's the sentence that
we read about if you've read the
00:18:21.83\00:18:24.17
Sabbath School Quarterly.
00:18:24.20\00:18:25.87
Now, of course, we just do
not have time to go through and
00:18:25.90\00:18:28.17
read, verse by verse, all
of those four chapters or five
00:18:28.20\00:18:31.37
chapters, but let's
look at the punch line.
00:18:31.41\00:18:35.04
Let's go to Numbers
chapter 14, in verse 32.
00:18:35.08\00:18:40.45
Numbers chapter 14.
00:18:40.48\00:18:44.59
Numbers chapter 14 and verse 32.
00:18:44.62\00:18:52.09
So we're going to pick it
up with Numbers chapter 14,
00:18:52.13\00:18:54.56
in verse 32.
00:18:54.60\00:18:59.47
In verse 32, it says, "But
as for you, your carcasses shall
00:18:59.50\00:19:03.67
fall in this wilderness."
00:19:03.71\00:19:07.24
And so there's the sentence.
00:19:07.28\00:19:08.58
He's saying, "Listen,
you've chosen not to enter
00:19:08.61\00:19:10.01
into the Promised Land.
00:19:10.05\00:19:11.41
You've chosen disobedience and
unbelief rather than obedience
00:19:11.45\00:19:14.15
and belief, which is full trust
in the promise that I gave to
00:19:14.18\00:19:17.72
you that I will go before you,
and I will help you conquer that
00:19:17.75\00:19:21.02
land, and even though they
may be twice your size, and even
00:19:21.06\00:19:23.59
though they may have the
highest, most fortified cities,
00:19:23.63\00:19:26.43
and even though they may be much
more acquainted and trained and
00:19:26.46\00:19:30.83
experienced on the battlefield,
you will still win."
00:19:30.87\00:19:34.90
Isn't that what Caleb
said in the same chapters?
00:19:34.94\00:19:37.44
Many of us have read
it over the last week.
00:19:37.47\00:19:38.94
Some of us have
read it in the past.
00:19:38.97\00:19:40.98
Caleb and Joshua stand up and
say, "The Lord will deliver us.
00:19:41.01\00:19:43.51
God has removed and departed
from the protection of these
00:19:43.55\00:19:47.85
people in the land of Canaan,
in the Promised Land, and
00:19:47.88\00:19:50.45
'Therefore I will give
you the victory over them.'"
00:19:50.49\00:19:57.23
It reminds us again,
"And it's not by might.
00:19:57.26\00:19:58.83
It's not by strength.
00:19:58.86\00:20:00.10
It's by the Spirit of the Living
God," that we must not trust in
00:20:00.13\00:20:05.00
chariots and swords, but we must
trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:20:05.03\00:20:13.51
And so, when we come to verse
32, we come to the very punch
00:20:13.54\00:20:15.94
line of the chapters
in which we looked at.
00:20:15.98\00:20:18.65
It says, "But as for you,
your carcasses shall fall in the
00:20:18.68\00:20:21.48
wilderness."
00:20:21.52\00:20:23.22
"You've made your choice, and
now you need to live with it."
00:20:23.25\00:20:29.46
In verse 33, it says, "And your
sons shall be shepherds in the
00:20:29.49\00:20:31.96
wilderness 40 years and bear
the brunt of your infidelity--"
00:20:31.99\00:20:37.30
of your--what?
00:20:37.33\00:20:39.27
"Of your infidelity."
00:20:39.30\00:20:40.64
In other words, their
unfaithfulness, their decision
00:20:40.67\00:20:43.04
to refuse the rest and the
victory and the peace that God
00:20:43.07\00:20:46.27
was offering them that day.
00:20:46.31\00:20:48.11
They chose a
disobedience over obedience.
00:20:48.14\00:20:50.45
They chose to not
believe rather than to believe.
00:20:50.48\00:20:54.88
They chose to distrust God
rather than to trust God, and
00:20:54.92\00:20:58.25
so, because of that, God says
that "You and your generation
00:20:58.29\00:21:02.29
that is coming after you
will bear the brunt of your
00:21:02.32\00:21:04.39
infidelity--" how tragic is the
truth that is revealed here in
00:21:04.43\00:21:07.50
the fact that there are
many of us as parents that make
00:21:07.56\00:21:11.03
decisions that cause our sins to
be upon our children that they
00:21:11.07\00:21:15.54
may bear the brunt of the
consequences that sometimes
00:21:15.57\00:21:18.47
haunt our families
for years afterwards.
00:21:18.51\00:21:22.81
Now, the grace of Jesus and the
mercy that is offered to us will
00:21:22.84\00:21:25.51
help us to be able to still find
that rest and relationship with
00:21:25.55\00:21:28.38
Him.
00:21:28.42\00:21:29.98
We can still be written in the
Lamb's book of life, but it is
00:21:30.02\00:21:31.89
reminding us again that the
decisions we make is not in a
00:21:31.92\00:21:34.59
vacuum.
00:21:34.62\00:21:36.26
We are not in isolation when we
make decisions concerning sin in
00:21:36.29\00:21:39.06
our life but, rather, it affects
and can affect those who come up
00:21:39.09\00:21:42.20
after us, "and bear the brunt
of your infidelity until your
00:21:42.23\00:21:47.60
carcasses are
consumed in the wilderness."
00:21:47.64\00:21:49.50
This is a very sober sentence.
00:21:49.54\00:21:52.97
Verse 34, it says, "According to
the number of the days in which
00:21:53.01\00:21:55.78
you spied out the land, 40 days,
for each day you shall bear your
00:21:55.81\00:22:00.18
guilt--" your--what?
00:22:00.22\00:22:02.32
"Your guilt for one year,"
again, God is making it very
00:22:02.35\00:22:04.69
clear, listen, "You are guilty.
00:22:04.72\00:22:09.16
This is the sentence.
00:22:09.19\00:22:10.53
This is like a court scene that
we're reading here as God is
00:22:10.56\00:22:12.93
speaking to this nation, this
new, potential nation that God
00:22:12.96\00:22:18.40
was establishing and trying
to establish through them.
00:22:18.43\00:22:21.44
We're talking two,
three million people.
00:22:21.47\00:22:25.81
"You shall bear your guilt one
year, namely 40 years, and you
00:22:25.84\00:22:29.54
shall know My rejection."
00:22:29.58\00:22:31.71
And, of course, verse 34, is one
of those key verses in which we
00:22:31.75\00:22:34.18
apply in the prophetic
time periods, those symbolic
00:22:34.22\00:22:37.69
prophetic time periods that God
had revealed through His prophet
00:22:37.72\00:22:40.32
Daniel, in particular, and that
of John the revelator, in which
00:22:40.36\00:22:44.93
Isaac Newton and other great
students of the Bible--before us
00:22:44.96\00:22:48.30
as Seventh-day Adventists ever
came along, one of the great
00:22:48.33\00:22:51.07
reformers, Isaac Newton, had
discovered, indeed, this verse
00:22:51.10\00:22:54.10
and had applied it to that
in which Daniel reveals when
00:22:54.14\00:22:57.27
there's 1,260 symbolic days, God
is talking about 1,260 literal
00:22:57.31\00:23:02.68
years, calendar years.
00:23:02.71\00:23:06.11
And this is where we pick it up,
but God is giving the sentence
00:23:06.15\00:23:09.25
in real life to a real
generation in this real time.
00:23:09.28\00:23:14.62
In verse 35, it goes on and
says, "and the Lord has spoken
00:23:14.66\00:23:16.86
this--will surely do all
this, do so to all this evil
00:23:16.89\00:23:21.73
generation--" again,
God has nothing good to say
00:23:21.76\00:23:24.33
about this generation.
00:23:24.37\00:23:26.00
We have to remember that the
earlier chapters that we read in
00:23:26.03\00:23:28.64
this week's quarterly study
revealed that their heart is so
00:23:28.67\00:23:31.91
hard that, when Caleb and Joshua
stand up against the other ten
00:23:31.94\00:23:35.88
spies that are negative
and say, "No, we must choose
00:23:35.91\00:23:40.52
disobedience.
00:23:40.55\00:23:42.08
We must not trust in the Lord
because we will never be able to
00:23:42.12\00:23:44.35
take these people."
00:23:44.39\00:23:45.99
Caleb and Joshua stand up, as
many of us have read, and they
00:23:46.02\00:23:48.86
say, "No, the Lord will deliver
us, and He will give us victory
00:23:48.89\00:23:51.76
over these people."
00:23:51.79\00:23:55.00
And the nation became so upset
with Caleb and Joshua for being
00:23:55.03\00:23:58.07
able to challenge their
choice of rebelliousness and
00:23:58.10\00:24:01.94
restlessness that they begin to
pick up the biggest rocks they
00:24:01.97\00:24:04.94
can possibly find that they
might throw them at those two as
00:24:04.97\00:24:08.04
well as Moses and Aaron and
take their lives that very day.
00:24:08.08\00:24:12.28
If it were not for the fact
that God Himself intervened by a
00:24:12.31\00:24:15.32
period in a glorious fashion at
the meeting--at the tabernacle
00:24:15.35\00:24:19.42
of meeting, to be able to bring
a stop to that attempt on the
00:24:19.45\00:24:22.96
lives of these four men, those
men would've died that same day.
00:24:22.99\00:24:28.63
And so, when God calls this
generation a evil generation,
00:24:28.66\00:24:32.37
He really means it.
00:24:32.40\00:24:36.57
They've made their choice.
00:24:36.60\00:24:38.54
Don't feel sorry for them.
00:24:38.57\00:24:42.91
God loves them.
00:24:42.94\00:24:44.81
He didn't want it this way, but
they have made their choice to
00:24:44.85\00:24:47.72
do-- "this evil generation,
this evil congregation who are
00:24:47.75\00:24:50.72
gathered together against Me in
this wilderness, and they shall
00:24:50.75\00:24:54.42
be consumed, and
there they shall die.
00:24:54.46\00:25:00.53
Now the men whom Moses sent to
spy out the land, who returned
00:25:00.56\00:25:03.06
and made all the congregation
complain against him by bringing
00:25:03.10\00:25:05.77
a bad report of the land, those
very men who brought the evil
00:25:05.80\00:25:09.54
report about the land, died
by the plague before the Lord."
00:25:09.57\00:25:15.11
And so God's immediate judgment
upon those who were the most
00:25:15.14\00:25:18.75
guilty and led out in
this rebellion and had helped
00:25:18.78\00:25:22.02
influence and convince the rest
of the nation to rebel against
00:25:22.05\00:25:24.99
God, indeed, found themselves
dying first, "But Joshua, the
00:25:25.02\00:25:30.79
son of Nun and Caleb the son of
Jephunneh remained alive, of the
00:25:30.83\00:25:35.60
men who went out
to spy out the land."
00:25:35.63\00:25:39.63
And so Joshua and Caleb were the
only 2 of the 12 original spies
00:25:39.67\00:25:42.60
that lived.
00:25:42.64\00:25:44.27
Not only did they live, but they
outlived that entire generation
00:25:44.31\00:25:46.04
that did die in the wilderness
over the next 40 years, and then
00:25:46.07\00:25:48.74
Joshua and Caleb, in great
health, advanced years, yes, but
00:25:48.78\00:25:52.75
in perfect health, entered into
the Promised Land and set up
00:25:52.78\00:25:55.75
their cities and their
houses and their families.
00:25:55.78\00:26:00.12
Why?
00:26:00.16\00:26:01.59
Because God blesses faith.
00:26:01.62\00:26:03.16
God blesses belief.
00:26:03.19\00:26:05.19
Do you believe that?
00:26:05.23\00:26:07.20
When you trust Him and you
surrender to Him and you obey
00:26:07.23\00:26:09.90
Him, God blesses you.
00:26:09.93\00:26:12.37
He blesses you with strength
and with health and with rest,
00:26:12.40\00:26:15.67
true peace.
00:26:15.70\00:26:17.87
After all, this is
not the rest of it.
00:26:17.91\00:26:19.14
You know, last week, the first
quarterly study, in the first
00:26:19.17\00:26:21.44
week, we looked at was
that concerning physical rest,
00:26:21.48\00:26:24.35
emotional rest, mental rest.
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.82
This is concerning, more than
anything, mental and spiritual
00:26:26.85\00:26:30.75
rest that is found in Christ.
00:26:30.79\00:26:34.92
That's what God is
talking about here.
00:26:34.96\00:26:40.10
And so we return
back to Hebrews chapter 3.
00:26:40.13\00:26:44.17
Hebrews chapter 3.
00:26:44.20\00:26:45.50
Where were we in Hebrews 3?
00:26:45.53\00:26:48.87
We're back in Hebrews 3, and we
were reading about the sentence.
00:26:48.90\00:26:54.11
Oh, yeah, verse 9 is where
we last left off: "Where your
00:26:54.14\00:26:56.91
fathers tested Me and tried
Me, and saw My works 40 years.
00:26:56.95\00:27:01.48
Therefore I was angry with
that generation, and said, 'They
00:27:01.52\00:27:04.12
always go astray in
their heart, and they have
00:27:04.15\00:27:06.42
not known My ways.'
00:27:06.45\00:27:08.29
So I swore in My wrath,
'They shall not enter My rest.'"
00:27:08.32\00:27:14.30
You see, the rest that is
found in Christ is conditional.
00:27:14.36\00:27:17.77
The rest that is found in
eternal life, written in the
00:27:17.80\00:27:20.37
Lamb's book of life, the rest
that is found in God and knowing
00:27:20.40\00:27:23.51
that we are part of
the eternal family of God
00:27:23.54\00:27:26.31
comes with conditions.
00:27:26.34\00:27:29.11
And those conditions are faith,
which includes trust, as well as
00:27:29.14\00:27:36.69
obedience, which is
our surrender to God.
00:27:36.72\00:27:39.82
And when we are willing to
make that choice to meet those
00:27:39.85\00:27:42.49
conditions, then God
offers us rest in Christ.
00:27:42.52\00:27:47.10
God offers us the Gospel.
00:27:47.13\00:27:48.53
That is the Gospel.
00:27:48.56\00:27:51.37
Hebrews chapter 3, and
we are now in verse 12.
00:27:51.40\00:27:57.01
Verse 12, it says,
"Beware, brethren, lest there be
00:27:57.04\00:28:00.31
in any of you any
evil heart of unbelief."
00:28:00.34\00:28:02.78
There it is.
00:28:02.81\00:28:04.91
God had called the generation
of Moses an evil generation, an
00:28:04.95\00:28:08.32
evil congregation, and here we
find that Paul, in reflection of
00:28:08.35\00:28:13.29
that, is saying to the present
Jewish believers that had found
00:28:13.32\00:28:17.36
that rest in Christ, and he
says, "Beware, brethren, lest in
00:28:17.39\00:28:19.93
any of you an evil heart of
unbelief in departing from the
00:28:19.96\00:28:25.47
living God--" and so, friends,
as we go through these passages
00:28:25.50\00:28:28.00
and the highlights of chapter 3
and 4, we're going to find that
00:28:28.04\00:28:31.04
unbelief and obedience or
disobedience or disbelief are
00:28:31.07\00:28:35.31
the key words.
00:28:35.34\00:28:36.68
So we have obedience and faith
or disobedience and unbelief.
00:28:36.71\00:28:41.15
Those are the key words
that keep repeating itself.
00:28:41.18\00:28:44.65
In verse 13, it says, "But
exhort one another daily, while
00:28:44.69\00:28:48.16
it is called 'Today,' lest
any of you be hardened through
00:28:48.19\00:28:51.29
the deceitfulness of sin.
00:28:51.33\00:28:57.03
For we have become partakers of
Christ--" now, we want to pick
00:28:57.07\00:29:01.37
that up again.
00:29:01.40\00:29:02.80
Now, maybe I sound like a broken
record, but I think it's too
00:29:02.84\00:29:04.77
easy for us to forget that the
Christian religion is based not
00:29:04.81\00:29:09.74
on a theory and
philosophy first.
00:29:09.78\00:29:13.65
It is based on a person.
00:29:13.68\00:29:16.45
It is based on the person, the
eternal, living Jesus Christ,
00:29:16.48\00:29:22.72
and that's why Paul says
over and over in different ways,
00:29:22.76\00:29:24.83
"I've been crucified with
Christ," "I am in Christ."
00:29:24.86\00:29:27.13
In this case, he says, "We have
become partakers of Christ," of
00:29:27.20\00:29:31.17
the person, "if we hold from
the beginning our confidence
00:29:31.20\00:29:35.94
steadfast to the end--" that's
why Paul says in other places in
00:29:35.97\00:29:38.84
his letters, "listen, we
need to fight the good fight.
00:29:38.87\00:29:41.68
We need to run the race as
if we are out to win that race.
00:29:41.71\00:29:44.58
We need to finish the race."
00:29:44.61\00:29:47.38
That's why, when he came to
the end of his life, he said,
00:29:47.42\00:29:49.22
"I have fought the good fight.
00:29:49.25\00:29:50.55
I have finished the race,
and now there is laid up for a
00:29:50.59\00:29:52.29
prize, a crown on that day,
and not only for me only, but
00:29:52.32\00:29:56.96
for all who have
loved His appearing."
00:29:56.99\00:30:02.90
And so there's great
encouragement as well as warning
00:30:02.93\00:30:06.27
that is found in this chapter
concerning the rest that God so
00:30:06.30\00:30:08.90
much wants us
to be able to have.
00:30:08.94\00:30:10.57
We skip down now to verses
18 and 19 of the same chapter in
00:30:10.61\00:30:12.74
Hebrews.
00:30:12.77\00:30:14.08
In Hebrews 3, in verse 18, it
says, "To whom did he swear that
00:30:14.11\00:30:18.25
they would not enter
His rest, but to those
00:30:18.28\00:30:22.35
who did not--" what?
00:30:22.38\00:30:24.55
"To those who did not obey?"
00:30:24.59\00:30:26.15
So there's the other key word.
00:30:26.19\00:30:27.49
Remember I said again and
again, we find those key words
00:30:27.52\00:30:29.72
"unbelief" and "disobedience."
00:30:29.76\00:30:35.26
"So they could not enter in,"
speaking of that rest in Christ,
00:30:35.30\00:30:39.33
"because of unbelief."
00:30:39.37\00:30:41.80
And then we come to chapter 4.
00:30:41.84\00:30:43.27
Chapter 4, verse 1, he goes
on and says, "Therefore, since a
00:30:43.30\00:30:46.01
promise remains of entering His
rest, let us fear lest any of
00:30:46.04\00:30:51.78
you seem to have
come short of it."
00:30:51.81\00:30:53.68
And so, very clear, even as we
stop here and reflect on these
00:30:53.72\00:30:55.75
verses that we looked at so far,
very clearly it was unbelief and
00:30:55.78\00:30:59.22
disobedience that were
the two factors that kept that
00:30:59.25\00:31:02.79
generation of Moses
from entering into the rest
00:31:02.82\00:31:04.96
of Christ.
00:31:04.99\00:31:10.13
So we want to be aware of those
two great enemies because these
00:31:10.17\00:31:13.20
are the greatest enemies of rest
and peace and joy and eternal
00:31:13.23\00:31:16.37
life that could be found in our
lives if we only agree, if we
00:31:16.40\00:31:20.64
only surrender to Jesus.
00:31:20.68\00:31:22.38
In verse 2, it says, "For indeed
the gospel was preached to us
00:31:22.41\00:31:25.15
as well as to them."
00:31:25.18\00:31:27.15
I've always been intrigued
ever since I first came to this
00:31:27.18\00:31:29.45
verse, and I stopped,
and I paused, "Wait a minute,
00:31:29.48\00:31:31.65
I thought the Gospel was only
preached from Pentecost on."
00:31:31.69\00:31:35.49
I thought the Gospel was only
preached from the life of Jesus,
00:31:35.52\00:31:38.26
perhaps on, if you
want to back up to the life
00:31:38.29\00:31:39.76
and ministry and Christ.
00:31:39.79\00:31:41.06
No, it tells us that the
Gospel of Jesus Christ has been
00:31:41.10\00:31:43.37
preached to every generation of
every human beings, and indeed,
00:31:43.40\00:31:46.97
we find it even in Moses's day.
00:31:47.00\00:31:53.07
And I started to ask myself,
"Where in the Bible does it say
00:31:53.11\00:31:55.64
that the Gospel was
preached to that generation?"
00:31:55.68\00:31:57.91
Well, we find it in the
sacrificial system, for sure.
00:31:57.95\00:32:00.42
That's the Gospel in 3D.
00:32:00.45\00:32:02.15
We find the sanctuary, the holy
place, the most holy place, the
00:32:02.18\00:32:05.45
symbolic throne of God,
the government of which his
00:32:05.49\00:32:08.42
government is ruled,
and the Ten Commandments.
00:32:08.46\00:32:10.23
We have the mercy seat.
00:32:10.26\00:32:11.56
We have the
cherubim that are worshiping,
00:32:11.59\00:32:13.56
these exalted angels.
00:32:13.60\00:32:14.93
We have the Shekinah glory of
God, hovering above that ark in
00:32:14.96\00:32:18.83
the most holy place.
00:32:18.87\00:32:20.60
We have the altar of sacrifice
which is proclaiming that only
00:32:20.64\00:32:24.07
through the shedding of blood
is the remission and complete
00:32:24.11\00:32:26.68
erasement of our sins.
00:32:26.71\00:32:29.81
We find all of that
great symbolism that was given
00:32:29.84\00:32:32.25
to the Israelites.
00:32:32.28\00:32:34.15
Now, do they have to
put two and two together?
00:32:34.18\00:32:35.82
Yes, they did, but did
they have the writings of Moses?
00:32:35.85\00:32:39.22
Yes, they had the person and the
writings and teachings of Moses.
00:32:39.25\00:32:41.82
We have to remember, as I took
my mind back to Genesis chapter
00:32:41.86\00:32:45.36
3, in verse 15, in that
3rd chapter of Genesis in which
00:32:45.39\00:32:47.76
Moses not only wrote in the
Bible but surely had preached to
00:32:47.83\00:32:51.53
his generation that God had
promised to mankind, right from
00:32:51.57\00:32:55.74
the beginning, from the moment
and the same day that they had
00:32:55.77\00:32:58.61
sinned, that there would come
a seed of the woman, and that
00:32:58.64\00:33:03.14
singular seed was a man,
and that man was none other than
00:33:03.18\00:33:06.45
Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of
God, and He would crush the head
00:33:06.48\00:33:09.78
of the serpent one day.
00:33:09.82\00:33:12.95
And then that same chapter
in--no, Genesis chapter 3, as we
00:33:12.99\00:33:16.16
find that God then clothed them
with skins of animals in which
00:33:16.19\00:33:20.06
only can come from a sacrifice
and the death of an animal, and
00:33:20.10\00:33:22.90
then when we come to Genesis
chapter 4, which Moses wrote and
00:33:22.93\00:33:25.53
surely preached to his
generation that, indeed, God had
00:33:25.57\00:33:28.54
instructed Adam and Eve, who
then instructed Cain and Abel
00:33:28.57\00:33:31.21
that they must bring to the
altar a sacrificial animal that
00:33:31.24\00:33:34.71
they sacrificed after they
confessed their sins, teaching
00:33:34.74\00:33:39.35
them right from the very
beginning of mankind that,
00:33:39.38\00:33:42.08
indeed, only by the shedding
of blood will there be the
00:33:42.12\00:33:45.49
remission of sins.
00:33:45.52\00:33:46.89
And so the Gospel of Jesus
Christ was written about and
00:33:46.92\00:33:49.56
preached about and talked about
by the very prophet and person
00:33:49.59\00:33:52.43
Moses, to his generation, and,
yet they refused to believe.
00:33:52.46\00:33:58.03
And that's why Paul can
confidently write under the
00:33:58.07\00:34:00.64
inspiration, in verse 2, he
says, "For indeed the gospel was
00:34:00.67\00:34:02.77
preached to us as well as to
them, but the word which they
00:34:02.80\00:34:08.08
heard did not profit them--"
what word is that, friends?
00:34:08.11\00:34:12.11
The Word of God.
00:34:12.15\00:34:14.95
In this case, it is the word of
Moses, the prophet of God that
00:34:14.98\00:34:19.09
is giving direct, divine
messages of truth to that
00:34:19.12\00:34:22.36
generation, starting with
Genesis chapter 3, in verse 15.
00:34:22.39\00:34:27.40
Indeed, we find here some great
and deep truth that says to
00:34:27.40\00:34:31.10
them, "but the word," the
Word of God, "which they heard
00:34:31.13\00:34:34.27
did not profit them,
not being mixed with faith
00:34:34.30\00:34:38.81
in those who heard it."
00:34:38.84\00:34:42.04
You see, we can
hear the truth of God.
00:34:42.08\00:34:43.51
Many of us have heard it more
than once, but there's more than
00:34:43.55\00:34:45.68
one of us--I know, as a pastor
and evangelist, there's more
00:34:45.71\00:34:47.95
than one of us that hear the
Word of God, but we continue to
00:34:47.98\00:34:51.09
choose against it even
as Moses's generation did.
00:34:51.12\00:34:57.19
And so faith, yes, as it says in
Romans, "Faith comes by hearing,
00:34:57.23\00:34:59.69
and hearing by the Word of God."
00:34:59.73\00:35:01.36
We have the potential to grow in
faith when we hear the Word of
00:35:01.40\00:35:03.57
God, but we also have the
potential to harden our hearts
00:35:03.60\00:35:06.67
against the Word of God.
00:35:06.70\00:35:09.54
That's why this great, deep
passage on the rest of Christ is
00:35:09.57\00:35:12.47
telling us that we
must respond with faith.
00:35:12.51\00:35:17.55
We must respond with belief.
00:35:17.58\00:35:19.85
I believe the Word of God, and
I surrender to it by giving my
00:35:19.88\00:35:22.78
obedience to Jesus Christ.
00:35:22.82\00:35:24.45
In verse 3, it goes on and says,
"For we who have believed do
00:35:24.49\00:35:28.06
enter that rest--" and, again,
there's a direct equation.
00:35:28.09\00:35:31.23
If we choose belief,
which is faith, then we enter
00:35:31.26\00:35:34.30
into the rest.
00:35:34.30\00:35:35.70
If we choose disbelief, then
we are rejected from that rest.
00:35:35.73\00:35:41.40
We are exempt from that
rest, that peace and the joy
00:35:41.44\00:35:44.24
that is found in Christ.
00:35:44.27\00:35:48.61
And so in verse 3, it says, "For
we who have believed do enter
00:35:48.64\00:35:53.98
that rest, 'So I
swore in My wrath,
00:35:54.02\00:35:55.65
"They shall not
enter My rest,"'"
00:35:55.68\00:35:57.22
as He again reflects upon
those who had rejected Him,
00:35:57.25\00:35:59.69
"although the works were
finished from the foundation
00:35:59.72\00:36:01.86
of the world."
00:36:01.89\00:36:03.19
Now, where is
Paul going with this?
00:36:03.22\00:36:04.53
"Although the works were
finished from the foundation of
00:36:04.56\00:36:06.56
the world," he's
talkin' about justification.
00:36:06.59\00:36:08.63
He's reflecting upon the fact
that God worked, worked, worked,
00:36:08.66\00:36:10.97
worked, worked, worked,
worked, worked, worked, worked
00:36:11.00\00:36:12.70
for six days.
00:36:12.73\00:36:14.17
As He came to the end of the
sixth day, as the sun set, He
00:36:14.20\00:36:16.30
says, "Now I'm entering into
the seventh day of the week,
00:36:16.34\00:36:18.04
the Holy Sabbath.
00:36:18.07\00:36:19.44
I'm going to rest on it.
00:36:19.47\00:36:22.44
I'm going to bless it," which
He actively did, and then He
00:36:22.48\00:36:26.05
declared it a holy day.
00:36:26.08\00:36:30.02
Now He's using that first week
of this earth's history to be
00:36:30.05\00:36:33.52
able to demonstrate the
justification that is found in
00:36:33.56\00:36:36.42
the person and
the work of Christ.
00:36:36.46\00:36:44.17
"Although the works were
finished from the foundation of
00:36:44.20\00:36:46.20
the world," friends, that's
why Paul could also say in other
00:36:46.23\00:36:48.54
places, Ephesians chapter 2,
in verses 8 and 9, "For by grace
00:36:48.57\00:36:51.97
you have been
saved through faith.
00:36:52.01\00:36:53.44
It is not of yourselves.
It is a gift of God."
00:36:53.48\00:36:55.44
It is not of your works--" why?
00:36:55.48\00:36:57.61
"Lest anyone should boast.
00:36:57.65\00:36:59.78
For we are His workmanship,
created for good works
00:36:59.81\00:37:02.38
in Christ Jesus."
00:37:02.42\00:37:07.72
And so Paul, he is reflecting on
the great truth and rest that is
00:37:07.76\00:37:10.63
found in the justification that
comes from Christ, in the person
00:37:10.66\00:37:13.73
and work of Christ, when we give
our obedience and surrender to
00:37:13.76\00:37:16.43
Him and we choose to believe.
00:37:16.46\00:37:18.73
In verse 4, he says, "For He has
spoken in a certain place of the
00:37:18.77\00:37:21.54
seventh day in this way: 'And
God rested on the seventh day
00:37:21.57\00:37:25.51
from all His works.'"
00:37:25.54\00:37:28.34
He's reflecting
upon the completed works,
00:37:28.38\00:37:31.38
even as Christ calls us
to reflect upon the completed
00:37:31.41\00:37:34.65
works of Christ that covers our
imperfect life, that we might be
00:37:34.68\00:37:39.22
justified before our Holy God.
00:37:39.25\00:37:42.66
"And again in this place:
'They shall not enter My rest.'"
00:37:42.69\00:37:45.03
God is
contrasting what they refused.
00:37:45.06\00:37:47.93
In verse 6, it goes on.
00:37:47.96\00:37:49.50
It says, "Since therefore
it remains that some must enter
00:37:49.53\00:37:51.87
in," that is, to the rest,
"and those to whom it was first
00:37:51.90\00:37:55.80
preached did not enter
it because of disobedience."
00:37:55.84\00:38:00.08
There it is. You
see the pattern there.
00:38:00.11\00:38:01.81
Again, He designates a certain
day, same in David, "today."
00:38:01.84\00:38:05.98
So now he's saying, "Listen, now
we go from Genesis, and we come
00:38:06.01\00:38:09.82
some 2,500 years or even more.
00:38:09.85\00:38:12.19
We come some 3,000 years
into the future, and we find the
00:38:12.22\00:38:16.29
generation of David as David
cries out, "Today, today if
00:38:16.32\00:38:20.93
you'll hear His voice,
do not harden your hearts."
00:38:20.96\00:38:22.70
And then, in verse 8, "For if
Joshua had given them rest, then
00:38:22.73\00:38:26.30
they would not have afterward
have spoken of another day,"
00:38:26.33\00:38:31.11
reflecting, again, that so many
generations of God's people have
00:38:31.14\00:38:34.81
rejected the rest
that is offered in Christ.
00:38:34.84\00:38:37.01
In verse 9, it says,
"Therefore there remains a rest
00:38:37.05\00:38:39.95
for the people of God.
00:38:39.98\00:38:41.42
For he who has entered His rest
has himself also ceased from his
00:38:41.45\00:38:44.62
works as God did from His."
00:38:44.65\00:38:47.16
Again, it is
reflecting justification.
00:38:47.19\00:38:49.89
We are to reflect and rest
in the works of Christ, to know
00:38:49.92\00:38:55.26
that we are acquitted before
a holy God, not because of
00:38:55.30\00:38:57.77
anything that we can
do in of ourselves in
00:38:57.80\00:39:00.44
concern to doing good.
00:39:00.47\00:39:03.71
Even though God has called us
to be His workmanship and to do
00:39:03.74\00:39:06.61
good, that good is not what
saves us or justifies or acquits
00:39:06.64\00:39:10.08
us before a holy God.
00:39:10.11\00:39:11.75
Only through the person and the
work of Christ are we acquitted
00:39:11.78\00:39:15.55
before a holy God.
00:39:15.58\00:39:18.75
Verse 11, it goes there that
"Let us therefore be diligent to
00:39:18.79\00:39:21.62
enter that rest, lest anyone
should fall according to the
00:39:21.66\00:39:25.26
same example of disobedience."
00:39:25.29\00:39:28.56
And so here we have some very
powerful verses, two of the most
00:39:28.60\00:39:31.07
powerful chapters concerning
that spiritual and then an
00:39:31.10\00:39:34.90
extension of that mental and
emotional rest that we could be
00:39:34.94\00:39:39.07
found in Christ.
00:39:39.11\00:39:44.55
We discovered that the
Israelites of Moses chose
00:39:44.58\00:39:46.35
disbelief and disobedience, and
that was expressed, and it was
00:39:46.38\00:39:51.32
demonstrated in some very ugly
ways as we made our way through
00:39:51.35\00:39:54.92
those four
chapters or five chapters.
00:39:54.96\00:40:00.00
The opposite is to
choose belief and obedience.
00:40:00.03\00:40:03.37
That's what God is trying
to tell us here as Hebrews has
00:40:03.40\00:40:05.53
reflected upon
the numbers--chapters.
00:40:05.57\00:40:10.67
And so, when we choose the
second option of belief and
00:40:10.71\00:40:12.94
obedience, then
what takes place?
00:40:12.97\00:40:16.08
Well, there's two aspects of
this rest, this peace that God
00:40:16.11\00:40:18.65
offers to each and every one of
us if we have not already found
00:40:18.68\00:40:21.25
Him, and the first one
is called justification.
00:40:21.28\00:40:24.52
We started to reflect upon that
in the actual last text that we
00:40:24.55\00:40:27.16
read in Hebrews chapter 4.
00:40:27.19\00:40:29.29
What is justification?
00:40:29.32\00:40:32.39
Well, I started to give a hint.
00:40:32.43\00:40:33.83
It's being acquitted before a
holy and perfect God as we come
00:40:33.86\00:40:37.40
to Him as very imperfect people.
00:40:37.43\00:40:41.47
But justification ultimately can
be summarized in the fact that
00:40:41.50\00:40:45.47
it is the perfect and complete
works of Christ that covers our
00:40:45.51\00:40:49.94
imperfect lives.
00:40:49.98\00:40:52.91
That's why Paul can also write
in the same book of Hebrews, in
00:40:52.95\00:40:55.22
which we have been looking at in
chapter 10, and verse 14, when
00:40:55.25\00:40:58.49
he says, "For by one offering He
has perfected forever those who
00:40:58.52\00:41:03.76
are being sanctified."
00:41:03.79\00:41:06.33
Through that one offering
and the work that God applies
00:41:06.36\00:41:09.10
through His Son Jesus Christ in
the most holy place or now and
00:41:09.13\00:41:13.10
before that, in the holy place,
in the holy heavenly sanctuary,
00:41:13.13\00:41:16.57
that work of priestly
intercession that Jesus does for
00:41:16.60\00:41:18.87
us, because of all of that,
we have been perfected forever.
00:41:18.91\00:41:26.15
Now, what are the benefits
of knowing and experiencing and
00:41:26.18\00:41:28.68
accepting and having
justification as a real part
00:41:28.72\00:41:32.95
of our life experience?
00:41:32.99\00:41:35.72
Well, there's a long list.
00:41:35.76\00:41:36.99
I'm sure it's not exhaustive as
I reflected upon myself, but one
00:41:37.03\00:41:39.79
is for certain that we have
found forgiveness of the most
00:41:39.83\00:41:42.20
vile and shameful sins in
which we have ever committed.
00:41:42.23\00:41:47.20
Friends, it doesn't
matter what you've done.
00:41:47.24\00:41:48.57
There's too many people that
are walking around the devil has
00:41:48.60\00:41:50.44
convinced and continues to
convince that the sins or sin
00:41:50.47\00:41:53.01
that you have committed in the
past is one that is beyond God's
00:41:53.04\00:41:55.94
forgiveness, and I'm here to
tell you that God has made it
00:41:55.98\00:41:59.18
very clear through the works and
the teachings of Christ, as well
00:41:59.21\00:42:02.28
as His apostles, that there
is no sin in which God cannot
00:42:02.32\00:42:05.12
forgive except the sin in which
we refuse the voice of God.
00:42:05.15\00:42:14.30
And so we can experience the
forgiveness of our most vile and
00:42:14.30\00:42:17.33
shameful sins that
we have ever committed.
00:42:17.37\00:42:19.23
And then, finally, God
offers us a clean slate.
00:42:19.27\00:42:26.81
We come to 1 John
chapter 1, verse 9.
00:42:26.84\00:42:28.51
Many of us know by memory.
00:42:28.54\00:42:30.28
Many of us have come to memorize
it and write it upon our hearts
00:42:30.31\00:42:32.98
and our minds and our life
experience: "If we confess our
00:42:33.01\00:42:35.28
sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and cleanse
00:42:35.32\00:42:40.96
us from--" how
many of those sins?
00:42:40.99\00:42:43.29
"From all of our
unrighteousness."
00:42:43.32\00:42:46.39
Now, friends, that's
pretty comprehensive.
00:42:46.43\00:42:48.73
"But, Pastor, you
don't know what I've done.
00:42:48.76\00:42:50.27
You have no idea the shame.
00:42:50.30\00:42:52.23
I'm embarrassed, and I'm fearful
to even share it with you the
00:42:52.27\00:42:56.04
things that I
have done in the past."
00:42:56.07\00:43:00.11
Jesus says, Through My blood,
My sacrifice is sufficient.
00:43:00.14\00:43:03.45
I will cleanse
you of all your sins."
00:43:03.48\00:43:09.05
Because of the perfect life and
death of Jesus that covers us,
00:43:09.08\00:43:11.72
the other benefit that comes
in experiencing justification,
00:43:11.75\00:43:14.92
that part of that rest that
God offers to us is that we have
00:43:14.96\00:43:17.83
room to grow in His grace
through the years that we give
00:43:17.86\00:43:22.56
our faith and our surrender and
our willing obedience to Him,
00:43:22.60\00:43:25.73
because, friends, I don't know
about you, but one thing I've
00:43:25.77\00:43:27.77
learned is that, even though
I accepted Christ as my Lord and
00:43:27.80\00:43:30.37
Savior, and I give him my
sincere belief each and every
00:43:30.41\00:43:33.31
single day, and I give him
my willing obedience and say,
00:43:33.34\00:43:37.71
"Lord, write your law
upon my heart," there are times
00:43:37.75\00:43:40.32
throughout the days in which
I find myself still falling
00:43:40.35\00:43:42.72
short of God.
00:43:42.75\00:43:47.22
There are times when I have to
come to Christ at the end of my
00:43:47.26\00:43:49.59
day or throughout the day and
say, "Lord, please forgive me
00:43:49.62\00:43:51.73
for which I have fallen short
of Your holiness and Your great
00:43:51.76\00:43:54.86
standard in which
You have set before me."
00:43:54.93\00:44:00.34
That's why Jesus says, "When
you pray on a regular basis,
00:44:00.37\00:44:03.41
'Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name, Thy
00:44:03.44\00:44:07.11
kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
00:44:07.14\00:44:10.41
Give us this day our daily
bread, and forgive us our sins,
00:44:10.45\00:44:15.48
our trespasses, our debts, even
as we forgive those who sinned
00:44:15.52\00:44:19.39
against us--" Jesus knew that
you would need to pray that on a
00:44:19.42\00:44:22.56
regular basis because He knew
you would be to grow under the
00:44:22.59\00:44:26.13
umbrella of the justification
that God offers to you, that
00:44:26.16\00:44:29.06
Christ covers you with a perfect
light, so now, when God looks
00:44:29.10\00:44:31.80
down upon you, He only
sees a perfect child, a perfect
00:44:31.83\00:44:34.60
daughter, a person son,
not because you are perfect.
00:44:34.64\00:44:38.54
No, He knows all about you,
but because His Son covers you
00:44:38.57\00:44:44.78
and is in between
you and the Father.
00:44:44.81\00:44:47.72
Because He sees you through
Christ, He sees a perfect life.
00:44:47.75\00:44:53.32
That's justification so--
00:44:53.36\00:44:54.76
[deep breath]
00:44:54.79\00:44:56.29
--ahhh, I don't know about you,
but I just--not so I can have a
00:44:56.32\00:44:59.33
license to sin.
00:44:59.36\00:45:00.76
Paul went on extensively in
inspiration to be able to tell
00:45:00.80\00:45:02.93
us "Don't run with it in
the wrong direction," but
00:45:02.96\00:45:06.27
nonetheless, don't be robbed
about that experience either and
00:45:06.30\00:45:10.91
tippy-toeing through each day,
hoping that you've been perfect
00:45:10.94\00:45:14.54
enough to be
accepted by a holy God.
00:45:14.58\00:45:17.05
No, Christ accepts you even
as you are growing and you're
00:45:17.08\00:45:19.61
failing and you disappointed
Himself and yourself in
00:45:19.65\00:45:22.98
different ways.
00:45:23.02\00:45:26.02
So you have room to grow
and just be able to take a deep
00:45:26.05\00:45:29.19
breath and say, "Lord,
thank You for taking that burden
00:45:29.22\00:45:31.49
off my heart that I can know
that Christ has done it for me,
00:45:31.53\00:45:33.96
and now I can grow and learn
what it is to be like Christ."
00:45:34.00\00:45:39.17
That's justification.
00:45:39.20\00:45:40.54
Well, what about
sanctification, in the last few
00:45:40.57\00:45:41.87
moments together?
00:45:41.90\00:45:43.37
Sanctification is the other part
of the rest that God gives to us
00:45:43.41\00:45:46.01
through Christ, the person
and work of Christ, and that
00:45:46.04\00:45:49.11
sanctification is found in our
obedience and in the fruits of
00:45:49.14\00:45:52.25
the Spirit, our character.
00:45:52.28\00:45:53.92
And so there's a two
part to sanctification.
00:45:53.95\00:45:55.75
Yes, obedience to His law, yes,
the Ten Commandments, the other
00:45:55.78\00:45:58.62
commandments and councils and
statutes that He gives to us,
00:45:58.65\00:46:01.82
directives, yes.
00:46:01.86\00:46:03.56
But the second one is just
as important, and that is the
00:46:03.59\00:46:05.53
fruits of the Spirit: love, joy,
peace, kindness, long-suffering,
00:46:05.56\00:46:10.33
self-control, mercy.
00:46:10.37\00:46:14.24
Sometimes we call
that our character.
00:46:14.27\00:46:17.57
God forms our character so that
we're not only obeying the moral
00:46:17.61\00:46:22.28
law of God, but our
character is developing
00:46:22.31\00:46:25.45
with these fruits of the Spirit.
00:46:25.48\00:46:30.19
What are the benefits that
lead to rest and peace through
00:46:30.22\00:46:32.35
sanctification?
00:46:32.39\00:46:34.32
Well, one of the first ones is
that Christ works in us with His
00:46:34.36\00:46:37.46
goodness when we
are to surrender to Him.
00:46:37.49\00:46:40.46
When we surrender to Him, it is
His goodness that works in us.
00:46:40.50\00:46:45.27
Isn't it good to know that we
aren't called to obey and form
00:46:45.30\00:46:47.34
our character in
our own strength?
00:46:47.37\00:46:50.24
There's too many religious
people, including those who call
00:46:50.27\00:46:52.31
themselves "Christian," that are
trying to make their way through
00:46:52.34\00:46:54.24
the day, and they're gritting
their teeth, and they're saying,
00:46:54.28\00:46:56.31
"Lord, I'm going to be a
good person whether I like it or
00:46:56.34\00:46:58.21
not."
00:46:58.25\00:47:01.92
But that's not the experience
that God wants us to have.
00:47:01.95\00:47:04.25
He wants us to come before
Christ in the morning and say,
00:47:04.29\00:47:06.49
"Lord, have mercy
upon me, a sinner," again.
00:47:06.52\00:47:09.79
"I die to myself," even as Paul
died daily, "and I accept You
00:47:09.82\00:47:13.03
into my heart, and I say, 'Lord,
please write Your law upon my
00:47:13.06\00:47:15.93
heart that I might
not sin against You."
00:47:15.96\00:47:19.23
We become a blessing
to many other people.
00:47:19.27\00:47:21.34
We become appreciated and
trusted by others, and best of
00:47:21.37\00:47:24.77
all, as I've come to experience,
coming from a very sinful
00:47:24.81\00:47:27.28
background at 20 years of
age, we have a clear conscience.
00:47:27.31\00:47:32.01
In justification and the
rest of Christ, I know that, my
00:47:32.05\00:47:34.55
conscience is clear because I am
obeying Him to the very best of
00:47:34.58\00:47:37.89
my ability as He works in me.
00:47:37.92\00:47:41.52
And so, friends, that's our
study for this week, and I want
00:47:41.56\00:47:44.49
to invite you to please take
advantage of our free offer,
00:47:44.53\00:47:47.83
which is "Why God Said
Remember," which is written by
00:47:47.86\00:47:50.43
Joe Crews, the founder
of Amazing Facts Ministries.
00:47:50.47\00:47:53.40
Please take advantage of that
and dial in for that because
00:47:53.44\00:47:56.20
this will give you more study.
00:47:56.24\00:47:58.64
Now, of course, this particular
booklet is reflecting upon the
00:47:58.67\00:48:02.88
rest that is found in the
seventh day of the Sabbath in
00:48:02.91\00:48:04.95
Genesis chapter 1 and Genesis
chapter 2, and so, please, if
00:48:04.98\00:48:12.12
you want to study more about the
Sabbath, please take advantage
00:48:12.15\00:48:14.39
of this.
00:48:14.42\00:48:15.72
Go ahead and
dial 1-866-788-3966,
00:48:15.76\00:48:18.99
and that's 1-866-Study-More,
and ask for Offer 185.
00:48:19.03\00:48:23.93
And if you're in the U.S., you
can also text "SH129," and you
00:48:23.97\00:48:29.47
want to text that and
dial it to the number 40544.
00:48:29.50\00:48:34.54
For those who are outside of
North America and would like to
00:48:34.58\00:48:36.68
receive either of these free
gifts, you can--well, actually,
00:48:36.71\00:48:40.45
the digital gift, you
can go ahead and go to
00:48:40.48\00:48:42.42
study.aftv.org/SH129, and you
can find that in the Internet, a
00:48:42.45\00:48:49.16
free download of
this same free gift offer.
00:48:49.19\00:48:51.83
So continue to study, continue
to grow, and, again, if you
00:48:51.86\00:48:54.50
haven't accepted the rest that
is found in Christ, I want to
00:48:54.56\00:48:56.56
invite you to do that even now.
00:48:56.60\00:48:59.20
Thank you for joining
us, and we look forward
00:48:59.23\00:49:00.67
to seeing you next week.
00:49:00.70\00:49:02.74
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:49:04.57\00:49:06.78
free resource.
00:49:06.81\00:49:08.38
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:49:08.41\00:49:10.88
download a digital copy
straight to your computer
00:49:10.91\00:49:12.78
or mobile device.
00:49:12.81\00:49:14.35
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:49:14.38\00:49:17.45
the key word on your screen to
40544, or visit the web address
00:49:17.49\00:49:22.09
shown on your screen, and
be sure to select the digital
00:49:22.12\00:49:25.73
download option
on the request page.
00:49:25.76\00:49:27.73
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:49:27.76\00:49:30.90
"Amazing Facts," wherever
and whenever you want and, most
00:49:30.93\00:49:34.44
important, to
share it with others.
00:49:34.47\00:49:36.84
¤¤¤
00:49:39.81\00:49:42.38
announcer: Amazing
Facts changed lives.
00:49:42.41\00:49:50.42
¤¤¤
00:49:50.45\00:49:53.82
Scarlet Varley:
I'm Scarlet Varley.
00:49:53.86\00:49:56.29
I grew up in a military home.
00:49:56.32\00:49:58.16
Both my parents were in the
Navy, and my mom left fairly
00:49:58.19\00:50:01.73
early, and then my dad stayed
for 15 years, and so he was
00:50:01.76\00:50:05.67
deployed a lot.
00:50:05.70\00:50:07.77
We would read the Bible every
night together as a family, and,
00:50:07.80\00:50:10.57
I mean, I knew, like, that
God was there, and, like, I knew
00:50:10.61\00:50:12.97
that He, like, died for me, but
it wasn't something that, like,
00:50:13.01\00:50:16.18
you know, stuck in my head.
00:50:16.21\00:50:18.21
Any time I went to church, I
never got enough information.
00:50:18.25\00:50:21.95
You know, you're
there for just like an hour.
00:50:21.98\00:50:24.52
I was super, super
hungry for knowledge, and
00:50:24.55\00:50:25.95
I wasn't being given it.
00:50:25.99\00:50:28.39
Even though I accepted Christ,
my faith, like, really wasn't
00:50:28.42\00:50:31.39
all that strong.
00:50:31.43\00:50:34.40
I mean, I lost my first friend
in high school, you know, my
00:50:34.46\00:50:36.83
first boyfriend, to suicide,
and that was really hard, and I
00:50:36.87\00:50:39.83
didn't understand it, and I was
just really, really depressed.
00:50:39.87\00:50:46.31
I was also, like, abused, and so
I was just really confused, and
00:50:46.34\00:50:50.78
I was like, "Lord, why was I put
in that situation where I had no
00:50:50.81\00:50:53.72
control over anything?"
00:50:53.75\00:50:56.52
I was suicidal.
00:50:56.55\00:50:58.35
I was developing an eating
disorder, so, like, all these
00:50:58.39\00:51:00.42
things were just
coming into play.
00:51:00.46\00:51:04.13
You know, I don't feel loved.
00:51:04.16\00:51:05.59
I knew that's not something that
would happen if I was loved, or
00:51:05.63\00:51:07.36
that's not something that
happened if--maybe I must've
00:51:07.40\00:51:10.03
done something wrong if I went
through that, and I just blamed
00:51:10.07\00:51:12.90
myself for everything.
00:51:12.93\00:51:15.70
On the outside, I was sort of,
like, super-happy and outgoing,
00:51:15.74\00:51:18.17
and I'd give everyone a hug and
compliment them and try to put
00:51:18.21\00:51:21.31
the attention on other people,
and so people didn't know what I
00:51:21.34\00:51:24.78
was going through.
00:51:24.81\00:51:27.58
I was just super-confused
about life and "Why am I here?
00:51:27.62\00:51:30.39
Like, I don't think I have
a reason to even be alive."
00:51:30.42\00:51:34.56
And I was really
confused with God.
00:51:34.59\00:51:36.32
Like, why would
You let this happen?
00:51:36.36\00:51:37.79
Like, why
wouldn't You intervene?"
00:51:37.83\00:51:40.50
I just wanted to change it.
00:51:40.53\00:51:41.93
I wanted to change it so
bad, and there was nothing
00:51:41.96\00:51:44.27
I could do.
00:51:44.30\00:51:46.77
I quit choir because I
was around too many people.
00:51:46.80\00:51:51.67
Choir was a big thing.
00:51:51.71\00:51:53.38
I just isolated myself because
I couldn't stand being around
00:51:53.41\00:51:56.71
people, and I was like,
"Oh, well, if I don't have any
00:51:56.75\00:51:59.38
friends and something happens to
them, well, then it won't affect
00:51:59.41\00:52:02.22
me because I'm not
part of their lives."
00:52:02.25\00:52:04.99
And so I was just really scared
of just losing people, and so I
00:52:05.02\00:52:08.06
thought if the more I pushed
them away, the easier it would
00:52:08.09\00:52:11.23
be to just go through life.
00:52:11.26\00:52:13.63
The problem was I didn't
turn to God, and that's when
00:52:13.66\00:52:15.73
I needed Him most.
00:52:15.76\00:52:17.60
My sophomore year in high
school, we went on this thing
00:52:17.63\00:52:20.60
called Fall Weekend, we
went on a retreat for, like, the
00:52:20.64\00:52:22.77
weekend, and they showed
this clip of Jesus Christ on the
00:52:22.80\00:52:26.21
cross, and that broke me.
00:52:26.24\00:52:29.78
I mean, I was crying, crying so
much, and after they showed the
00:52:29.81\00:52:34.18
clip, you know, everyone's just
super-quiet, and they're like,
00:52:34.22\00:52:36.55
"All right, go out on the
campus, and we're going to do
00:52:36.58\00:52:39.95
this thing called
'Twenty Minutes.'"
00:52:39.99\00:52:41.96
And so I'm sitting out there,
and I'm just, like, praying.
00:52:41.99\00:52:46.36
I gave my life to Christ,
and it was just such, like,
00:52:46.39\00:52:48.06
a beautiful moment.
00:52:48.10\00:52:51.17
Right around that time, my dad
found Doug Batchelor on the TV,
00:52:51.20\00:52:57.34
and so he's like,
"Scarlet, come watch this."
00:52:57.37\00:52:59.34
And I'm like, "All
right, like, I watch it."
00:52:59.37\00:53:01.61
And so we started watching
it, like, all the time, and he's
00:53:01.64\00:53:05.68
like, "You know, this
is like the Bible truth."
00:53:05.71\00:53:07.18
I was like, "It definitely is."
00:53:07.22\00:53:08.68
He's like, "Scarlet,
you should go to AFCOE."
00:53:08.72\00:53:11.89
And I was like, "That's
not really my cup of tea."
00:53:11.92\00:53:15.76
I was a very spirited person,
and AFCOE was structured,
00:53:15.79\00:53:22.33
and I knew, as a
person, I wasn't too structured.
00:53:22.36\00:53:25.87
But, you know, the more I
thought about AFCOE, the happier
00:53:25.90\00:53:28.24
I got, and it was
like a two weeks' notice
00:53:28.27\00:53:29.70
before AFCOE started.
00:53:29.74\00:53:31.31
She's like, "You got accepted."
00:53:31.34\00:53:32.67
Like, we e-mailed you your
letter," and all this stuff.
00:53:32.71\00:53:34.78
And I was like, "Oh, no,
oh, no, I have to pack up
00:53:34.81\00:53:37.01
my entire life."
00:53:37.05\00:53:38.28
And so I'm, like, frantically
packing up everything, and me
00:53:38.31\00:53:41.55
and my dad, like
drive cross-country.
00:53:41.58\00:53:43.89
And AFCOE was not
what I expected at all.
00:53:43.92\00:53:47.46
They've definitely loved me and
helped me and talked to me and
00:53:47.49\00:53:50.63
taught me and, just, loved me
and accepted me as who I was and
00:53:50.66\00:53:54.13
just helped me grow as a person.
00:53:54.20\00:53:56.26
It showed me different ways of
life and just how to live like a
00:53:56.30\00:53:58.90
better life in
all sorts of areas.
00:53:58.93\00:54:03.00
Without the help of the Lord and
without, like, people who love
00:54:03.04\00:54:05.44
the Lord and love me, I
wouldn't be where I am today.
00:54:05.47\00:54:10.08
Even when I didn't want him, you
know, I kind of shoved Him away,
00:54:10.11\00:54:13.42
He didn't let go, and
so I'm super-grateful.
00:54:13.45\00:54:16.02
¤¤¤
00:54:16.05\00:54:23.22
announcer: Amazing
Facts changed lives.
00:54:23.26\00:54:25.89
¤¤¤
00:54:25.93\00:54:31.10
male: I met my ex-wife, and
her family were real big into
00:54:31.13\00:54:33.90
drugs, and it started out with
them wanting me to go to the
00:54:33.94\00:54:37.61
doctor to help get them drugs,
and, you know, I'm noticing
00:54:37.64\00:54:41.21
they're going to the doctor.
00:54:41.24\00:54:42.81
They're coming back with, like,
60 pills, and they're selling
00:54:42.84\00:54:44.71
these pills for, like,
a thousand bucks, and I'm
00:54:44.75\00:54:47.58
thinking, "Wow, this is a lot of
money I'm giving these people,
00:54:47.62\00:54:51.09
so I'm just going to
start selling it myself."
00:54:51.12\00:54:53.49
My problem with that was that we
had all this money, but we was
00:54:53.52\00:54:57.29
absolutely miserable as
she would go out and sleep with
00:54:57.33\00:55:01.13
other guys to get drugs,
and that ended my marriage.
00:55:01.16\00:55:05.27
But during this time, I have
to get a job to build back up to
00:55:05.30\00:55:08.50
where I was at, to open
my shop again, so I get a job
00:55:08.54\00:55:11.14
at Food City, and when I
get this job at Food City,
00:55:11.17\00:55:14.98
there's my wife now, Rebecca.
00:55:15.01\00:55:16.98
She's a cashier there, and
when I walk in, she's the most
00:55:17.01\00:55:20.52
beautiful girl I've
ever seen in my life.
00:55:20.55\00:55:22.92
I was like, "Man, I could
never have a girl like that.
00:55:22.95\00:55:26.69
Wow, she's so beautiful," but
as I'm workin' with her, she's
00:55:26.72\00:55:30.29
actually kind of mean to me,
and she's saying, "I don't want
00:55:30.33\00:55:33.83
anything to do with you.
00:55:33.86\00:55:35.20
Get away from
me," stuff like that.
00:55:35.23\00:55:37.07
But, you know, I just keep being
nice to her and keep trying to
00:55:37.10\00:55:39.93
give her my phone number.
00:55:39.97\00:55:41.60
And it's around Christmas Eve.
00:55:41.64\00:55:43.91
We've just been
dating for a little while
00:55:43.94\00:55:45.81
and moved in together.
00:55:45.84\00:55:47.31
My ex-wife shows up with my
three children that I had by
00:55:47.34\00:55:50.71
her, and she's
like, "Here's your kids.
00:55:50.75\00:55:52.85
Here's their birth certificates.
00:55:52.88\00:55:54.62
Here's their
social security cards.
00:55:54.65\00:55:56.38
I'm done."
00:55:56.42\00:55:57.89
And we were starting a family.
00:55:57.92\00:55:59.35
We
have--already have three kids.
00:55:59.39\00:56:01.36
During this time, we spent the
next year watching nothing but
00:56:01.39\00:56:04.66
"Amazing Facts" on YouTube.
00:56:04.69\00:56:06.76
I didn't even know they
even had a website at this time.
00:56:06.80\00:56:08.83
I just knew that this little
guy on YouTube was super-smart,
00:56:08.86\00:56:12.27
was teaching Bible,
and I wanted to follow him.
00:56:12.30\00:56:15.87
I wanted to be a Christian.
00:56:15.90\00:56:17.31
I gave my life to God now
because of these truths that I'm
00:56:17.34\00:56:20.41
learning from Doug Batchelor.
00:56:20.44\00:56:22.54
Just because Doug taught it
didn't make me real sure about
00:56:22.58\00:56:25.11
going to this church, and I
really didn't want anything to
00:56:25.15\00:56:28.08
do with it, but I called the
guy, and I'm telling him--and
00:56:28.12\00:56:31.42
I'm not very nice
about it, actually.
00:56:31.45\00:56:33.12
I'm telling him, "Look, we was
thinking about coming to your
00:56:33.15\00:56:35.52
church."
00:56:35.56\00:56:36.96
And he's really nice.
00:56:36.99\00:56:38.53
He's like, "Well,
you're more than welcome to.
00:56:38.56\00:56:40.00
We'd like to have you come."
00:56:40.03\00:56:41.80
And I'm like, "Well, hold on.
00:56:41.83\00:56:43.13
I'm going to lay
down some ground rules."
00:56:43.16\00:56:45.03
I'm telling him, I said, "Look
here, I'm covered in tattoos,
00:56:45.07\00:56:47.77
and I'm a tattoo artist."
00:56:47.80\00:56:49.14
And he don't say,
"Well, you know, wow,
00:56:49.17\00:56:51.44
I didn't know all that.
00:56:51.47\00:56:52.94
Don't come to my church."
00:56:52.97\00:56:54.28
He says, "You're
more than welcome.
00:56:54.31\00:56:55.61
We would love to
have you. Please come."
00:56:55.64\00:56:59.21
He asked me what I
want to do, and I said,
00:56:59.25\00:57:00.75
"Well, I want to preach."
00:57:00.78\00:57:03.18
I said, "I have
all these truths.
00:57:03.22\00:57:04.79
I have all this knowledge that
I've never known before, stuff
00:57:04.82\00:57:07.82
that, if I'd have had when I
was younger, that would've been
00:57:07.86\00:57:10.06
life-changing to me."
00:57:10.09\00:57:12.43
I said, "I've got to
share this with the world."
00:57:12.46\00:57:14.73
I said, "I want to
preach. I want to teach."
00:57:14.76\00:57:17.17
He gives me the
book, says, "Study that."
00:57:17.20\00:57:20.00
Well, now that I'm a Bible
worker, I'm able to go reach
00:57:20.04\00:57:22.04
people that most of the normal
churches wouldn't even bother
00:57:22.07\00:57:26.07
to even speak to.
00:57:26.11\00:57:27.71
I'm able to go out and reach the
people who have lived the life
00:57:27.74\00:57:31.11
that I've lived.
00:57:31.15\00:57:32.48
I'm able to let them
know that "I am like you.
00:57:32.51\00:57:35.58
I've been there. I've done that.
00:57:35.62\00:57:37.99
I want to show you
what my life is like now.
00:57:38.02\00:57:40.39
I want to teach you this Bible.
00:57:40.42\00:57:42.36
I want to show you
what Jesus can do for you.
00:57:42.39\00:57:44.96
It's not too late."
00:57:44.99\00:57:46.36
¤¤¤
00:57:46.39\00:57:56.00