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Rod Thompson: Good morning,
everyone, happy Sabbath.
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Whether you are here in
the sanctuary with us, whether
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you're watching at home at--in
the local area, across the
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nation, or around the world, we
want to thank you for coming to
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the Granite Bay Hilltop Church
"Sabbath School Study Hour."
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I'm Pastor Rod Thompson.
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I'm going to be leading
that study today, and I thank
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you for tuning in with us.
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Before we get started we will
have a special music, and I also
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want to point you to
our free offer this morning.
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It is titled "Christ's Human
Nature," and you can get that
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free offer by calling
866-788-3966 and ask for free
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offer number 703.
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You can also get that if you
go to your phone and you text
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"SH017" to number 40544.
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Again, that is
"Christ's Human Nature."
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That's our free offer for today.
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But now let's listen
to our special music.
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Rod: I want to invite
you to open up your Bibles to
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John chapter 3, John chapter 3.
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I want to say a special hello
to Bob and Nancy from Fremont.
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Thank you for
joining us here this morning.
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They're usually watching online.
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Thank you for all of you that
have joined us online as well.
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We've got a lot to
talk about this morning,
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so let's get right to it.
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Let's begin with
a word of prayer.
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Loving Father, Lord,
we've opened up the Word of life
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because there we find You.
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And, Lord, we are seeking wisdom
and skill and understanding; but
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more importantly, Lord, we are
asking You to reveal to us what
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You would have us
do, and we ask it all
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in Jesus's name, amen.
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I want to start by reading
to you something from the book
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"Child Guidance" page 267.
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Listen to this.
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"When you find your work
hard, when you complain of
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difficulties and trials;
when you say that you have no
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strength to withstand
temptation, that you cannot
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overcome impatience, and that
the Christian life is uphill
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work, you can be sure
that you are not bearing
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the yoke of Christ.
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You are bearing the
yoke of another master."
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I remember as a boy growing
up in the Lutheran Church.
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And outwardly I was
doing everything right, but
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inwardly I was far from God.
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And consequently at the age of
16 going to church three days a
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week with my mother, I said to
her finally, "Why do we have to
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go to church three days a week?
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Isn't one enough?"
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You see, brothers and sisters,
I just didn't understand at the
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time and I didn't have--I hadn't
had that born-again experience
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that Jesus talks to Nicodemus
about in John chapter 3.
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You've got your
Bibles opened there.
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Look with me, John chapter 3.
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Starting in verse 1 the Bible
says, "There was a man of the
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Pharisees named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
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This man came to Jesus by night
and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we know
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that You are a teacher come from
God, for no one can do these
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signs that You do
unless God were with him.'"
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And I love the way Jesus
just gets right to the point.
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"Jesus answered and said to him,
'Most assuredly I say to you,
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unless one is born again he
cannot see the kingdom of God.'
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Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can
a man be born when he is old?
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Can he enter a second time into
his mother's womb and be born?'
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Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly
I say to you, unless one is born
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of water and Spirit he
cannot enter the kingdom of God.
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That which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born
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of the Spirit is spirit.
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Do not marvel that I said to you
that you must be born again.'"
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When Adam and Eve
sinned against God, they
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lost that Spirit nature.
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They no longer had the
Spirit of God in them; and as a
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consequence to that, as their
children are being born, they
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are born with only a
human nature, a carnal nature.
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They do not have the Spirit
of God, and therefore Jesus says
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you must be born again.
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When He is talking to
Nicodemus, there He says
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you must be born again.
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You must be born a second time,
and it's very interesting how
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Nicodemus responds to Him.
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You know, many times Jesus
was speaking to the people,
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He was speaking to
them spiritually, but they
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were thinking literally.
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In John chapter 4 Jesus was
speaking to the woman at the
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well, and He said to her,
"If you knew who it was who was
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speaking to, you would
have asked Him and He would have
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given you living water."
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Remember that? And how
did she respond to Him?
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She essentially said,
"You don't even have anything
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to draw water with.
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How are You going
to give me water?"
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She was thinking physically,
she was thinking literally, but
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Jesus was speaking spiritually.
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You remember in John chapter
2 that Jesus said that, "If you
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destroy this temple, in three
days I will raise it up again."
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And you'll remember the
Pharisees said to Him, "It's
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taken 46 years to
build this temple.
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How are You going to
redo it in three days?"
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They were thinking physically,
they were thinking literally,
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but He was speaking spiritually.
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He was speaking of His body as
the temple of the Holy Spirit.
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He was alluding
to His resurrection.
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And then you go to John chapter
6 and Jesus said something that
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really got people stirred up.
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He said, "You must eat My
flesh and drink My blood."
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And the people were looking
at that--they were listening to
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that and they were thinking
literally, and you can imagine
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they were thinking
to themselves, "This guy
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is cannibalistic."
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But He wasn't
speaking literally, He was
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speaking spiritually.
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And then Jesus is talking to
Nicodemus here in John chapter 3
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and He says, "You
must be born again."
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And, again, Nicodemus is
thinking literally and he says,
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"How can a man enter
into his mother's womb and be
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born a second time?"
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Now, friends, it is so easy
for us today, after the fact, to
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look back with hindsight, to
look at John chapter 2, chapter
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3, chapter 4, chapter 6; to look
at these things that Jesus said
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and look at them and
understand that these are
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spiritual things.
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But I--you know, I wonder do we
think of the people of Israel,
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"What is wrong with them?
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Why didn't they get it?"
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But, you know, I'm going to
suggest to you that we have the
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same problem even
today, that we sometimes
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take things literally as well.
00:12:43.76\00:12:46.83
We are starting a brand new
Sabbath study, new quarterly
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called "Rest in Christ."
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And today our
topic is "Come to Me."
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We're in lesson number 5 of 13,
and that--those words, come to
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me--that title comes to us from
something that Jesus said in
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Matthew chapter 11.
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I want you to
turn there with me.
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Matthew chapter 11, and
let's take a look at it.
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Matthew chapter 11.
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Now, if your Bible is like
mine--you know, all the Bibles
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that we have today are
broken up into the books of
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the Bible, the
chapters, the verses.
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But there are some Bibles like
mine--I love this little Bible
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for preaching because it has the
verses along the left edge and I
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can find them
quickly, but it also has titles
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over certain sections.
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Like, if you look at John
chapter 11, verse 1, it's--
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the title over it is
"John the Baptist Sends
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Messengers to Jesus."
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You can look at the
next 19 verses, and that
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is where that story is.
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You go to verse 20 and it says,
"Woe to the Impenitent Cities,"
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and He talks about those cities.
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And then in verse 25
it has a title over it:
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"Jesus Gives True Rest."
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Now, that's what we're studying
this quarter, "Rest in Christ,"
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and so Jesus giving true
rest is something we want
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to take a look at, right?
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So look with me, verse 25.
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The Bible says, "At that
time Jesus answered and said, 'I
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thank You, Father, Lord of
heaven and earth, that You have
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given these things from the
wise--kept these things from the
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wise and prudent and
have revealed them to babes.
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Even so, Father, for so
it seemed good in Your sight.
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All things have been delivered
to Me by My Father, and no one
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knows the Son except the Father,
nor does anyone know the Father
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except the Son and
the one--or those whom the
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Son wills to reveal Him."
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And then He says those words.
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"Come to Me, all you who
labor and are heavy laden,
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and I will give you rest."
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And that's where we get
the title of our message today:
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"Come to Me."
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Brothers and sisters,
isn't it comforting to know that
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our God is approachable?
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He says, "Come to Me."
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He invites us
into a relationship.
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Aren't you glad that we don't
have to jump through a bunch of
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hoops, we don't have to
perform a bunch of ritualistic
00:15:22.68\00:15:25.75
activities to come to God?
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And God is very particular.
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God says that He has a certain
way that He would like us to
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come to Him, and I
want you to notice it.
00:15:36.73\00:15:38.70
So turn with me to 1 Timothy
chapter 2, 1 Timothy chapter 2.
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And the apostle Paul is speaking
to Timothy, he's speaking to us;
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and notice what it
says starting in verse 1.
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Paul says, "Therefore I exhort
first of all that supplications,
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prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks be made for all
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men, for kings and all who are
in authority, that we may lead a
00:16:03.73\00:16:07.86
quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and reverence for this
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is good and acceptable in
the sight of God our Savior who
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desires all men to
be saved and to come to
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the knowledge of truth.
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For there is,"
what's that next word?
00:16:19.11\00:16:21.94
"There is one God and there
is one mediator between God and
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man, the man Jesus
Christ who gave Himself as
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a ransom for all."
00:16:29.42\00:16:31.02
Here we see that Paul is telling
us that we have a mediator.
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But, brothers and sisters,
mediators can be very helpful.
00:16:37.83\00:16:41.43
Mediators are there in order
to bring two parties together.
00:16:41.46\00:16:46.43
They are there to help them to
work out their differences, and
00:16:46.47\00:16:51.01
it says there that
Jesus Christ is our mediator.
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He is the one that can
bring us to and connect us
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with God the Father.
00:17:01.35\00:17:03.75
In John chapter 14, verse 6
Jesus said, "I am the truth,
00:17:03.79\00:17:07.72
the way, and the life;
and no one comes to the
00:17:07.76\00:17:11.09
Father except through Me."
00:17:11.13\00:17:13.53
It is very narrow.
It is very particular.
00:17:13.56\00:17:18.23
God says, "This is
how you can come to Me.
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You must come
through My Son Jesus Christ."
00:17:21.20\00:17:24.41
In the Gospel of John
Jesus said, "I am the door.
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I am the way in to the
presence of the Father."
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And Jesus is desiring to restore
us to a relationship with God so
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that we can have a
living connection with Him.
00:17:41.12\00:17:45.23
And in John 15, verse 5
Jesus says that, "Without
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Me you can do nothing."
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We need that mediator,
Jesus Christ, to bring us
00:17:52.20\00:17:55.80
to the Father.
00:17:55.84\00:17:57.81
In Matthew 19, verse 26
then He says, "But with God
00:17:57.84\00:18:01.84
all things are possible," amen?
00:18:01.88\00:18:03.91
In other words, if you
come to Jesus, He will connect
00:18:03.95\00:18:08.82
you with the Father.
00:18:08.85\00:18:10.99
If you repent of your sins,
surrender your life to Him, ask
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Him to come in and be your Lord
and Savior, forgive you of your
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sins, He then writes His law
in your mind and in your heart.
00:18:19.39\00:18:24.57
And, brothers and sisters, if
God writes His law in your mind
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and in your heart, are
you going to want to keep it?
00:18:28.24\00:18:30.67
Absolutely you will
because He has put it there.
00:18:30.71\00:18:34.48
He has put that desire in your
heart, but more than that, He is
00:18:34.51\00:18:38.48
also--the Holy Spirit comes,
takes up residence on the inside
00:18:38.51\00:18:43.28
of you, and now He begins
to clean you up from the inside
00:18:43.32\00:18:47.19
out, now He changes your
heart, now He gives you desires.
00:18:47.22\00:18:51.39
Now He gives you the power to
not only repent to be forgiven
00:18:51.43\00:18:58.17
of your sins, but now He's going
to give you the power to live a
00:18:58.20\00:19:01.67
righteous life; and
you do that by keeping the
00:19:01.70\00:19:05.41
commandments of God.
00:19:05.44\00:19:06.68
It's very unfortunate that there
are many Christian people today
00:19:06.71\00:19:10.78
that want to say the law of
God has been done away with, but
00:19:10.81\00:19:14.65
rather God is giving us the
power to keep that law and not
00:19:14.68\00:19:20.06
to do away with it and now
you begin to exhibit fruit.
00:19:20.09\00:19:26.43
There should be
evidence of a changed life.
00:19:26.46\00:19:30.03
Good works don't save
us. We know that, don't we?
00:19:30.07\00:19:34.50
But they are
evidence of a transformation
00:19:34.54\00:19:37.24
that has happened.
00:19:37.27\00:19:38.57
James said, "Faith
without works is dead."
00:19:38.61\00:19:42.68
You show me your
faith; I'll show you mine by
00:19:42.71\00:19:45.95
what I do, amen?
00:19:45.98\00:19:47.62
And so we must have
that born-again experience.
00:19:47.65\00:19:52.35
And when we do, we start
exhibiting that fruit of the
00:19:52.39\00:19:56.12
Spirit; and Galatians chapter 5,
verse 22 tells us what that is:
00:19:56.16\00:20:00.50
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
00:20:00.53\00:20:05.23
faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.
00:20:05.27\00:20:07.84
Now you have the Spirit of God
working in you and through you
00:20:07.87\00:20:12.61
to transform you
in--more and more into the
00:20:12.64\00:20:16.38
character of Christ.
00:20:16.41\00:20:17.88
And here's the thing, friends.
00:20:17.91\00:20:19.68
It is not you doing the
work; it is Christ in you,
00:20:19.71\00:20:27.16
the hope of glory.
00:20:27.19\00:20:29.12
It is not you trying
harder to be a better person.
00:20:29.16\00:20:34.00
I've talked to people, and I've
been talking about spiritual
00:20:34.00\00:20:36.67
things and I've had
people say to me, "I just got
00:20:36.70\00:20:40.40
to try harder, pastor."
00:20:40.44\00:20:42.67
And my answer to them is,
"You have missed the message."
00:20:42.70\00:20:47.11
Because it's not about you
trying harder, it's about you
00:20:47.14\00:20:51.65
surrendering your life to Christ
and allowing Him to do in you
00:20:51.68\00:20:56.12
what you can't do in yourself.
00:20:56.15\00:20:59.42
And I want you to notice there
that He says, "Come to Me."
00:20:59.45\00:21:06.13
Praise God He has
already invited us, amen?
00:21:06.16\00:21:10.90
We don't have to seek for Him,
we don't have to get cleaned up,
00:21:10.93\00:21:14.70
we don't have to change, but
He accepts us just as we are.
00:21:14.74\00:21:19.27
But He loves you too much to
leave you the way that you are.
00:21:19.31\00:21:22.61
He's going to
begin to clean you up.
00:21:22.64\00:21:24.85
And He says, "Come to Me."
00:21:24.88\00:21:27.02
But I want you to notice that
that is not a physical coming
00:21:27.05\00:21:30.79
that He is inviting us to.
00:21:30.82\00:21:33.59
We can't go up into heaven and
go to the city of God and knock
00:21:33.62\00:21:38.83
on the gates
and say, "Here I am.
00:21:38.86\00:21:41.33
Jesus told me to
come to Him, and I'm here.
00:21:41.36\00:21:44.27
Let me in."
00:21:44.30\00:21:46.00
We can't do that, can we?
00:21:46.03\00:21:47.87
But rather He is inviting
us to come to Him spiritually.
00:21:47.90\00:21:53.41
He says essentially,
"Come to Me in the manner
00:21:53.44\00:21:58.08
prescribed by God."
00:21:58.11\00:22:00.48
And that's coming
to Him spiritually.
00:22:00.52\00:22:02.88
God is spirit, and we must
worship in spirit and in truth.
00:22:02.92\00:22:08.39
John chapter 14,
verse 1 Jesus said, "Let not
00:22:08.42\00:22:10.73
your heart be troubled.
00:22:10.76\00:22:12.96
You believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:22:12.99\00:22:17.03
In My Father's
house are many mansions.
00:22:17.07\00:22:18.97
If it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:22:19.00\00:22:20.77
I go there to
prepare a place for you.
00:22:20.80\00:22:23.10
And if I go
there, I will come again.
00:22:23.14\00:22:25.81
I will receive you
unto Myself, that where I am
00:22:25.84\00:22:28.04
there you may be also."
00:22:28.08\00:22:29.81
There will come a day where we
will be physically with Jesus,
00:22:29.84\00:22:34.25
but for now He is
inviting us to come to Him
00:22:34.28\00:22:37.82
in a spiritual sense.
00:22:37.85\00:22:40.79
Matthew chapter 11, verse
28 Jesus said, "Come to Me."
00:22:40.82\00:22:46.66
And then He adds to it,
"All you who are heavy laden."
00:22:46.70\00:22:51.07
Brothers and
sisters, are you heavy laden?
00:22:51.10\00:22:53.84
Are you weighed down
with the burdens of the
00:22:53.87\00:22:57.54
things of this life?
00:22:57.57\00:22:59.81
There are a lot of burdens
in this life, aren't there?
00:22:59.84\00:23:02.58
In Genesis chapter 3, verse
19 when Adam and Eve sinned, God
00:23:02.61\00:23:07.32
said to Adam, He said to him,
"By the sweat of your face you
00:23:07.35\00:23:16.22
shall eat bread."
00:23:16.26\00:23:18.86
In other words, "It's
going to be harder for you.
00:23:18.89\00:23:21.96
Life is going to be difficult.
00:23:22.00\00:23:23.40
Where there used to be richness
and vibrancy in the soil, now
00:23:23.43\00:23:27.54
there is going to come weeds
and burrs and troubles, thistles
00:23:27.57\00:23:34.58
that are going to choke it out."
00:23:34.61\00:23:36.38
And so it is natural for us when
Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you
00:23:36.41\00:23:43.72
who are heavy laden," to think
of that in a literal sense, that
00:23:43.75\00:23:50.13
we are heavy laden; that we
have heavy loads, heartaches,
00:23:50.16\00:23:55.50
trouble on every side.
00:23:55.53\00:23:57.83
But I'm going to suggest to
you that it's more than that.
00:23:57.87\00:24:02.27
He's talking about those
who have more than just physical
00:24:02.30\00:24:07.51
burdens, but He's talking about
those who have been heavy-laden.
00:24:07.54\00:24:13.08
Now, let me show this to you.
00:24:13.11\00:24:15.05
Turn with me in your
Bibles to Matthew chapter 23,
00:24:15.08\00:24:19.45
Matthew chapter 23.
00:24:19.49\00:24:22.69
And I want you to
notice what Jesus is saying
00:24:22.72\00:24:26.33
here to the Pharisees.
00:24:26.36\00:24:28.60
Matthew chapter 23,
look with me in verse 13.
00:24:28.63\00:24:31.90
Jesus says, "But
woe to you, scribes and
00:24:31.93\00:24:34.30
Pharisees, hypocrites.
00:24:34.34\00:24:35.67
For you shut up the kingdom
of heaven against men; for you
00:24:35.70\00:24:38.44
neither go in yourselves,
nor do you allow those
00:24:38.47\00:24:42.48
who are entering to go in.
00:24:42.51\00:24:44.65
Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites; for you
00:24:44.68\00:24:47.42
devour widows' houses and for
a pretense make long prayers.
00:24:47.45\00:24:51.19
Therefore you will
receive greater condemnation."
00:24:51.22\00:24:54.29
Verse 15, "Woe to you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites; for
00:24:54.32\00:24:57.56
you travel land and sea to win
one proselyte, and when he is
00:24:57.59\00:25:01.30
won you make him twice as much
a son of hell as yourselves."
00:25:01.33\00:25:06.00
Go down to verse 23.
00:25:06.03\00:25:07.37
"Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites; for you
00:25:07.40\00:25:10.31
pay tithe of mint and anise
and cumin and have neglected the
00:25:10.34\00:25:13.98
weightier matters of the law:
justice, and mercy, and faith.
00:25:14.01\00:25:17.65
These you ought to
have done without leaving
00:25:17.68\00:25:20.05
the others undone.
00:25:20.08\00:25:21.38
Blind guides, who strain
out a gnat and swallow a camel.
00:25:21.42\00:25:24.65
Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites; for you
00:25:24.69\00:25:27.46
cleanse the outside of the cup
and dish, but inside they are
00:25:27.49\00:25:31.43
full of extortion
and self-indulgence.
00:25:31.46\00:25:34.00
Blind Pharisees, first cleanse
the inside of the cup and the
00:25:34.03\00:25:37.83
dish, that the outside
of them may be clean also."
00:25:37.87\00:25:42.00
And He continues
on with more woes.
00:25:42.04\00:25:44.24
But Jesus is simply saying to
the Pharisees, "You are putting
00:25:44.27\00:25:51.01
all of these
burdens on the people.
00:25:51.05\00:25:54.55
You weigh them down with your
rules and your legalities, and
00:25:54.58\00:25:59.15
you're making it impossible
for people to come to God.
00:25:59.19\00:26:03.16
And when they do try to
come to God, then you pull
00:26:03.19\00:26:06.26
them away from the truth.
00:26:06.29\00:26:08.00
You pull them back into
your forms and your rituals.
00:26:08.03\00:26:12.13
You look good on the
outside, but you are corrupt
00:26:12.17\00:26:18.47
on the inside.
00:26:18.51\00:26:19.81
You're far from God."
00:26:19.84\00:26:21.81
And so Jesus is saying to us,
"Come to Me, all of you who are
00:26:21.84\00:26:28.78
trying to earn your salvation,
all of you who are weighted down
00:26:28.82\00:26:35.19
with trying to do
good in your own power.
00:26:35.22\00:26:39.53
Come to Me, you who are heavy
laden," and then He adds to it,
00:26:39.56\00:26:44.87
"and I will give you rest."
00:26:44.90\00:26:48.77
Now, here again we have the
opportunity to look at what He's
00:26:48.80\00:26:52.01
saying and think of this
in a physical sense, that He's
00:26:52.04\00:26:55.31
offering us physical rest.
00:26:55.34\00:26:57.78
And certainly as Seventh-day
Adventists we understand that at
00:26:57.81\00:27:02.32
the creation of the world even
before there was sin God knew
00:27:02.35\00:27:06.22
that we were going to need one
day a week for physical rest,
00:27:06.25\00:27:11.56
and the Bible does
talk about physical rest.
00:27:11.59\00:27:14.60
If you go to Deuteronomy chapter
12, verse 10 it says, "But when
00:27:14.63\00:27:17.90
you cross over the Jordan and
dwell in the land which the Lord
00:27:17.93\00:27:22.17
your God has given you to
inherit, and He gives you rest
00:27:22.20\00:27:26.44
from all your
enemies round about."
00:27:26.47\00:27:29.48
Here we see that God is
offering a physical rest.
00:27:29.51\00:27:33.35
There's another verse like it in
1 Kings chapter 5, verse 4 that
00:27:33.38\00:27:36.48
says, "But now the Lord my God
has given me rest on every side.
00:27:36.52\00:27:40.82
There is neither
adversary nor evil occurrence."
00:27:40.86\00:27:44.26
So, again, we see there is this
element of a physical rest, but
00:27:44.29\00:27:49.43
I'm going to suggest to
you that God is offering us
00:27:49.46\00:27:52.70
more than physical rest.
00:27:52.73\00:27:55.30
He's offering us spiritual rest.
00:27:55.34\00:27:58.01
Exodus chapter 33, verse 14
says, "And He said, 'My presence
00:27:58.04\00:28:02.71
will go with you, and
I will give you rest.'"
00:28:02.74\00:28:08.58
Here we see that God is
offering us a spiritual rest.
00:28:08.62\00:28:12.19
And, friends, when you are in
the presence of God, it is rest
00:28:12.22\00:28:17.29
for your soul, amen?
00:28:17.33\00:28:19.56
Jeremiah chapter 6, verse 16
says this: "Thus says the Lord,
00:28:19.59\00:28:24.13
'Stand in the ways and see and
ask for the old paths where the
00:28:24.17\00:28:30.64
good way is and walk
in it, then you will find
00:28:30.67\00:28:37.08
rest for your soul.'"
00:28:37.11\00:28:39.01
So as we are walking in
Christ, as we are living a godly
00:28:39.05\00:28:45.05
life, He will give us rest.
00:28:45.09\00:28:48.99
Now, if we are going to
understand what Jesus is saying
00:28:49.02\00:28:52.36
here in Matthew chapter 11,
verse 28 where He says, "Come to
00:28:52.39\00:28:56.46
Me, all you who are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest," we
00:28:56.50\00:29:01.27
really need to put it in the
proper context, and in order to
00:29:01.30\00:29:05.07
do that we've got to go
back and see what He was
00:29:05.11\00:29:07.34
talking about before that.
00:29:07.38\00:29:08.68
So turn with me back to Matthew
chapter 9, Matthew chapter 9,
00:29:08.71\00:29:14.15
and notice what the
Bible says starting in verse 9.
00:29:14.18\00:29:18.65
Matthew 9, verse 9, "As Jesus
passed on from there, He saw a
00:29:18.69\00:29:24.49
man named Matthew
sitting at the tax office,
00:29:24.53\00:29:27.20
and He said to him, 'Follow Me.'
00:29:27.23\00:29:28.86
So he arose and followed Him."
00:29:28.90\00:29:30.70
Here we see that--this is the
beginning of Jesus's ministry,
00:29:30.73\00:29:34.97
and He is seeking and searching
out and inviting people
00:29:35.00\00:29:40.51
to be His disciples.
00:29:40.54\00:29:42.28
And He invites Matthew.
00:29:42.31\00:29:43.61
Then verse 10 says, "Now it
happened as Jesus sat at the
00:29:43.65\00:29:48.38
table in the house that behold
many tax collectors and sinners
00:29:48.42\00:29:50.52
came and sat down
with Him and His disciples.
00:29:50.55\00:29:53.32
And when the Pharisees saw it,
they said to His disciples, 'Why
00:29:53.36\00:29:57.03
does your teacher eat with
tax collectors and sinners?'"
00:29:57.06\00:30:01.36
Now here we see
Matthew is invited to become
00:30:01.40\00:30:04.53
a disciple of Christ.
00:30:04.57\00:30:05.93
He invites Jesus to his house
for lunch or dinner, and then he
00:30:05.97\00:30:11.74
also invites others.
00:30:11.77\00:30:13.94
Brothers and sisters, when you
come to Christ, you should not
00:30:13.98\00:30:16.88
be able to help
yourself, but invite others
00:30:16.91\00:30:19.68
to come to Jesus, amen?
00:30:19.71\00:30:21.62
And so he invites them.
00:30:21.65\00:30:23.02
And then the Pharisees see this
and they say to each other--or
00:30:23.05\00:30:28.99
say to the disciples,
"Why is your master hanging out
00:30:29.02\00:30:36.10
with the wrong kind of people."
00:30:36.13\00:30:38.97
Right? He's
hanging out with sinners.
00:30:39.00\00:30:42.70
You know, there's a very
similar story in Luke chapter 7.
00:30:42.74\00:30:46.24
Jesus once again is at another
Pharisee's house and He's
00:30:46.27\00:30:49.51
eating, and there is a woman
who comes in who's a prostitute
00:30:49.54\00:30:53.52
and she is weeping.
00:30:53.55\00:30:55.78
She is washing His feet with her
tears; wiping His feet, drying
00:30:55.82\00:31:01.96
it with her hair, and
putting perfume on Him.
00:31:01.99\00:31:05.33
And the Pharisee whose
house this was, he's thinking to
00:31:05.36\00:31:08.56
himself, "If this man were truly
a prophet, He would know what
00:31:08.60\00:31:14.07
kind of woman that is."
00:31:14.10\00:31:16.34
And so they're looking at Him
in a physical sense and they're
00:31:16.37\00:31:22.98
thinking that He is hanging out
with the wrong kind of people,
00:31:23.01\00:31:26.68
and Jesus
rebukes those Pharisees.
00:31:26.72\00:31:29.55
He essentially ask them the
question, "Who loves more; one
00:31:29.58\00:31:38.19
who's forgiven much, or
one who's forgiven little?"
00:31:38.23\00:31:41.40
And, of course,
they answer correctly.
00:31:41.43\00:31:42.93
They say the one who
has been forgiven much.
00:31:42.96\00:31:45.43
And I can imagine in my
mind Jesus sitting there going,
00:31:45.47\00:31:50.01
"Hey, this is it,
this is what it looks like.
00:31:50.04\00:31:52.81
This is a woman who
has been forgiven much."
00:31:52.84\00:31:55.61
But Jesus goes on from there in
chapter 11, verse 20 through 24
00:31:55.64\00:32:01.92
and He is now rebuking the
cities that He has been through
00:32:01.95\00:32:07.62
and done many miracles and the
people there have not believed
00:32:07.66\00:32:12.06
in Him and that
He is the Messiah.
00:32:12.09\00:32:15.36
And so He's rebuking
him--rebuking the people, He's
00:32:15.40\00:32:19.03
rebuking the cities; and
you can imagine that tensions
00:32:19.07\00:32:22.74
are sort of running high.
00:32:22.77\00:32:24.91
And then Jesus is going to
make His point, and He--and the
00:32:24.94\00:32:29.24
lesson hits its crescendo and
He says in chapter 11, verse 27,
00:32:29.28\00:32:35.25
"All things have
been given unto Me."
00:32:35.28\00:32:37.99
And you can imagine at that
point the Pharisees in turmoil
00:32:38.02\00:32:41.22
within themselves thinking, "Who
does this guy think He is that
00:32:41.26\00:32:44.89
all things have been given Him?"
00:32:44.93\00:32:47.66
And then Jesus does something
that only Jesus can do.
00:32:47.73\00:32:52.97
Jesus not only ramps that up and
gets them really going, but now
00:32:53.00\00:32:59.44
He's going to step into the
middle of it; and now He says to
00:32:59.47\00:33:04.05
the people that are there,
in thinking about all of these
00:33:04.08\00:33:08.18
people that haven't believed,
that have been weighed down by
00:33:08.22\00:33:11.99
the teachings of the Pharisees.
00:33:12.02\00:33:13.66
And Jesus says, "Come to Me, all
you who are heavy laden, and I
00:33:13.69\00:33:20.50
will give you rest."
00:33:20.53\00:33:25.63
Brothers and sisters, we
understand, don't we, that
00:33:25.67\00:33:29.47
Jesus's ability to give us rest
is based on His divinity and His
00:33:29.50\00:33:37.88
oneness with the Father.
00:33:37.91\00:33:42.15
His rest for us is based
not on our righteousness,
00:33:42.18\00:33:47.32
but on His own.
00:33:47.36\00:33:49.02
And He offers spiritual rest.
00:33:49.06\00:33:51.76
Stop trying to get yourself
to heaven through your rituals,
00:33:51.79\00:33:55.83
your ceremonies, and through
the traditions of the church.
00:33:55.86\00:34:00.34
He is essentially
saying to us, "Believe in Me
00:34:00.37\00:34:05.64
and I will get you there.
00:34:05.67\00:34:08.71
I will do the heavy lifting.
00:34:08.74\00:34:12.78
If you surrender your
heart to Me, I will clean you
00:34:12.81\00:34:15.68
up from the inside out.
00:34:15.72\00:34:17.65
I will give you the
power to overcome sin."
00:34:17.69\00:34:21.62
And Jesus doesn't
stop there, though.
00:34:21.66\00:34:23.43
Look with me
Matthew 11, verse 28 again.
00:34:23.46\00:34:25.89
"Come to Me, all you who
labor and are heavy laden,
00:34:25.93\00:34:28.20
and I will give you rest."
00:34:28.23\00:34:29.63
But then He continues on, verse
29, "Take My yoke upon you and
00:34:29.66\00:34:35.34
learn from Me, for I am gentle
and lowly in heart, and you will
00:34:35.37\00:34:38.57
find rest for your
souls; for My yoke is easy
00:34:38.61\00:34:42.51
and My burden is light."
00:34:42.54\00:34:46.25
I want you to notice
there in verse 28 Jesus
00:34:46.28\00:34:49.48
says, "Come to Me."
00:34:49.52\00:34:52.62
Notice He doesn't say, "I
suggest that you come to Me."
00:34:52.65\00:34:56.36
But rather it is a command.
00:34:56.39\00:34:58.66
"Come to Me," He
says. It's an imperative.
00:34:58.69\00:35:03.77
It is
important. It is essential.
00:35:03.80\00:35:06.50
It is urgent. It's vital.
00:35:06.53\00:35:09.17
It's crucial. It's critical.
00:35:09.20\00:35:11.34
We must come to Him.
00:35:11.37\00:35:13.94
In other words, Jesus is saying
coming to Him is a precondition
00:35:13.98\00:35:21.25
to finding rest.
00:35:21.28\00:35:23.12
Did you catch that?
00:35:23.15\00:35:26.19
And then He adds
two more essentials.
00:35:26.22\00:35:29.32
He not only says, "Come
to Me," but then He says,
00:35:29.36\00:35:33.60
"Take My yoke upon you."
00:35:33.63\00:35:36.70
And then He says,
"And learn from Me."
00:35:36.73\00:35:40.44
Did you catch that? Three
things that are essential.
00:35:40.47\00:35:45.31
And again, we can look at taking
His yoke upon us and we can look
00:35:45.34\00:35:51.31
at that in a physical sense.
00:35:51.35\00:35:53.38
And there are people that do and
they think, "Oh, man, Jesus is
00:35:53.42\00:35:58.22
calling us to a
life of bondage."
00:35:58.25\00:36:02.62
Notice in Galatians chapter 5,
verse 1 the apostle Paul says to
00:36:02.66\00:36:05.86
the Galatians, he's saying to
us, "Stand fast therefore in the
00:36:05.89\00:36:10.33
liberty by which Christ has made
us free, and do not be entangled
00:36:10.37\00:36:16.50
again in a yoke of bondage."
00:36:16.54\00:36:19.91
And there are people that look
at that verse and they say Jesus
00:36:19.94\00:36:24.58
came to fulfill the law, and
to fulfill the law means that He
00:36:24.61\00:36:31.59
has done away with the law.
00:36:31.62\00:36:33.76
And therefore if you
try to keep the law, you're
00:36:33.79\00:36:36.99
putting yourself under bondage.
00:36:37.03\00:36:39.06
But, brothers and sisters, that
is a slaughtering of the text.
00:36:39.09\00:36:44.53
That is not what
Jesus is saying there.
00:36:44.57\00:36:47.87
He's not speaking physically.
00:36:47.90\00:36:49.44
He's speaking spiritually here,
and He is essentially saying to
00:36:49.47\00:36:55.54
us, "I want you to come
alongside of Me and unite
00:36:55.58\00:37:02.08
yourself in My purposes."
00:37:02.12\00:37:07.62
Now the spiritual yoke, if we
look at it in a spiritual sense,
00:37:07.66\00:37:12.23
is a tool that God can use.
00:37:12.26\00:37:15.26
If we think about the physical,
we think about in days of old
00:37:15.30\00:37:18.57
where they had an ox and they
put a yoke between two of them,
00:37:18.60\00:37:23.47
and the idea was that
two of them could do twice as
00:37:23.51\00:37:26.81
much as one by itself.
00:37:26.84\00:37:28.71
And if we think of that in
a spiritual sense, Jesus is
00:37:28.74\00:37:32.21
saying, "Come alongside of Me,
unite yourself in purpose with
00:37:32.25\00:37:36.85
Me, and I will do
the heavy lifting.
00:37:36.89\00:37:40.79
I will do the work for
you, in you, through you that
00:37:40.82\00:37:45.46
you cannot do yourselves."
00:37:45.49\00:37:48.33
And now instead of carrying
that burden of trying to get to
00:37:48.36\00:37:52.20
heaven, that burden of
overcoming sin in our own power,
00:37:52.23\00:37:57.54
now with Christ in
you now it's easier.
00:37:57.57\00:38:02.88
And so He says,
"You must come to Me."
00:38:02.91\00:38:06.82
And then He says,
"Take My yoke upon you."
00:38:06.85\00:38:10.65
And then He
says, "Learn from Me."
00:38:10.69\00:38:13.49
And, brothers and sisters, when
we spend time with Jesus, when
00:38:13.52\00:38:17.76
we study the Word of God and
we start doing the things that
00:38:17.79\00:38:23.23
Jesus did through the
power of God, now we become His
00:38:23.26\00:38:28.24
disciples, now we
become His students.
00:38:28.27\00:38:34.78
Now, I don't want to get ahead
of myself and I don't have a lot
00:38:34.81\00:38:39.45
of time left, but we are heading
to a place--and I think it's
00:38:39.48\00:38:46.69
going to be in lesson number
11 where we're going to look at
00:38:46.72\00:38:49.86
this a lot deeper, but I just
want to lay a foundation today.
00:38:49.89\00:38:52.93
So turn with me in your
Bibles to Hebrews chapter 3.
00:38:52.96\00:38:57.17
Hebrews--we're going to look at
Hebrews 3 and 4, and quickly I'm
00:38:57.20\00:39:02.04
going to try and lay
the foundation for that.
00:39:02.07\00:39:05.11
You'll remember that God was
going to bring the children of
00:39:05.14\00:39:09.28
Israel out of Egyptian bondage,
and you'll remember that God
00:39:09.31\00:39:15.68
made essentially
two promises to them.
00:39:15.72\00:39:19.79
"I'm going to give you a land
flowing with milk and honey, and
00:39:19.82\00:39:24.99
I'm going to give you rest."
00:39:25.03\00:39:28.46
But you'll
remember what happened.
00:39:28.50\00:39:30.33
The children of
Israel came out of Egypt.
00:39:30.37\00:39:32.83
God took them to the borders of
Canaan, the Promised Land, and
00:39:32.87\00:39:37.37
Moses sent 12
spies into the land.
00:39:37.41\00:39:40.68
But you'll remember that ten
of them came back with an evil
00:39:40.71\00:39:43.71
report and they basically said,
"There are giants in the land,
00:39:43.75\00:39:49.25
are fortified cities.
00:39:49.28\00:39:50.72
They're bigger than we are.
00:39:50.75\00:39:52.19
We're like
grasshoppers in their sight.
00:39:52.22\00:39:54.02
They--if we go up against them,
they are going to destroy us,
00:39:54.06\00:39:57.96
they're going to
kill us, they're going
00:39:57.99\00:39:59.53
to kill our children."
00:39:59.56\00:40:01.06
Because they were looking
to do it in their own power.
00:40:01.10\00:40:04.90
They had forgotten that God
had promised them that He would
00:40:04.93\00:40:07.67
drive out their
enemies before them.
00:40:07.70\00:40:12.24
And there were only two spies
that gave a faithful report:
00:40:12.27\00:40:16.58
Joshua and Caleb.
00:40:16.61\00:40:18.51
And notice what it
says in Hebrews chapter 3
00:40:18.55\00:40:21.62
starting in verse 16.
00:40:21.65\00:40:26.35
"For who,
having heard, rebelled?
00:40:26.39\00:40:29.62
Indeed, was it not all who
came out of Egypt led by Moses?
00:40:29.66\00:40:35.06
Now with whom was
He angry 40 years?
00:40:35.10\00:40:37.77
Was it not with those
who sinned, whose corpses
00:40:37.80\00:40:40.37
fell in the wilderness?
00:40:40.40\00:40:41.74
And to whom did He swear that He
would not--they would not enter
00:40:41.77\00:40:46.01
His rest, but to
those who did not obey?
00:40:46.04\00:40:49.18
So we see that they could not
enter in because of unbelief."
00:40:49.21\00:40:55.95
Now, if we put our spiritual
glasses on and we look at this,
00:40:55.98\00:41:02.06
we see, we know, don't we, that
the children of Israel that came
00:41:02.09\00:41:07.23
out of Egyptian
bondage were not able to enter
00:41:07.30\00:41:10.27
into the Promised Land.
00:41:10.30\00:41:11.93
They were not able to get in
there physically and they were
00:41:11.97\00:41:15.07
not able to have physical
rest, and we can see that
00:41:15.10\00:41:18.97
from that passage there.
00:41:19.01\00:41:21.54
But I want you to notice that 40
years later that their children
00:41:21.58\00:41:30.45
did go into the
Promised Land, didn't they?
00:41:30.49\00:41:33.05
And God did give
them physical rest.
00:41:33.09\00:41:37.59
So what we see here is that that
promise of God was not just for
00:41:37.63\00:41:45.50
that generation that came
out of Egypt, but it was for all
00:41:45.53\00:41:52.07
successive
generations at well--as well.
00:41:52.11\00:41:57.11
It should be evident to us that
entrance into the literal Israel
00:41:57.15\00:42:03.32
or Canaan is only one aspect of
the promise that God had made.
00:42:03.35\00:42:10.46
He's promised us more
than an earthly Canaan.
00:42:10.49\00:42:12.63
He's promised us
a heavenly Canaan.
00:42:12.66\00:42:15.06
He's offered us
more than physical rest.
00:42:15.10\00:42:17.83
He's offering us spiritual
rest. Because here's the thing.
00:42:17.87\00:42:22.44
God desired that once He had the
children of Israel established
00:42:22.47\00:42:28.51
in the Promised Land, He
purposed to qualify them as a
00:42:28.54\00:42:34.18
nation to be His chosen
messengers of salvation to the
00:42:34.22\00:42:39.52
world; and yet centuries later
in the time of David, they had
00:42:39.55\00:42:46.43
still not entered into
that aspect of rest that God had
00:42:46.46\00:42:51.23
promised, not a spiritual rest.
00:42:51.27\00:42:53.70
In fact, they
never entered into it.
00:42:53.74\00:42:56.64
Look with me in Hebrews chapter
4 and I'll show that to you.
00:42:56.67\00:43:00.28
Hebrews chapter 4, look
with me, starting in verse 6.
00:43:00.31\00:43:07.38
"Since therefore it remains
that some must enter it--"
00:43:07.42\00:43:12.45
What is the it there?
00:43:12.49\00:43:14.39
That is that promised
spiritual rest, right?
00:43:14.42\00:43:17.23
Let me say it again.
00:43:17.26\00:43:18.56
"Since therefore it remains
that some must enter into that
00:43:18.59\00:43:21.00
spiritual rest, and those to
whom it was first preached did
00:43:21.03\00:43:25.50
not enter in because
of disobedience, again He
00:43:25.53\00:43:29.00
designates a certain day, saying
in David, 'Today,' after such a
00:43:29.04\00:43:33.14
long time, as it has been said:
'Today, if you will hear His
00:43:33.17\00:43:36.85
voice, do not
harden your hearts.'
00:43:36.88\00:43:38.65
For if Joshua had given
them rest, then He would not
00:43:38.68\00:43:42.85
afterwards have
spoken of another day.
00:43:42.88\00:43:45.45
There remains therefore a
rest for the people of God.
00:43:45.49\00:43:52.29
For he who has entered His
rest," that's God's rest, "has
00:43:52.33\00:43:55.73
himself also ceased from
his works as God did Himself."
00:43:55.76\00:44:02.07
Here we see that even though
Joshua later--40 years later did
00:44:02.10\00:44:07.64
bring the children of Israel
into the Promised Land and he
00:44:07.68\00:44:11.21
did give them physical
rest, that wasn't God's rest.
00:44:11.25\00:44:15.65
That wasn't the rest that God
desired, and they were not able
00:44:15.68\00:44:20.32
to enter into that rest
because of disobedience.
00:44:20.36\00:44:23.89
But, brothers and sisters,
today you and I can enter into
00:44:23.93\00:44:28.53
that rest, amen?
00:44:28.56\00:44:30.47
We can enter into God's rest as
we surrender our heart to Him,
00:44:30.50\00:44:35.64
as we allow Him to do
those things in us that
00:44:35.67\00:44:37.94
we can't do in ourselves.
00:44:37.97\00:44:40.61
And that's why as a 16-year-old
boy going to church three
00:44:40.64\00:44:45.45
days a week with my
mother I said to her, "Why do we
00:44:45.48\00:44:47.42
have to go three
days, isn't one enough?"
00:44:47.45\00:44:50.25
Because I was trying
to do it in my own power.
00:44:50.29\00:44:53.25
To me it was work.
It was a burden, right?
00:44:53.29\00:44:57.29
But years later when I gave my
heart to the Lord, I've had that
00:44:57.33\00:45:01.56
born-again experience, now I
want to be in church three days
00:45:01.60\00:45:06.03
a week, now it's not a burden
to me, now I want to go to
00:45:06.07\00:45:10.44
prayer meeting every
Wednesday night, now I
00:45:10.47\00:45:13.44
want to go to Sabbath school.
00:45:13.48\00:45:15.31
I want to be in
the worship service.
00:45:15.34\00:45:17.05
I want to be involved in the
activities of the church because
00:45:17.08\00:45:21.38
God is doing the work,
and for me it's not a burden.
00:45:21.42\00:45:27.59
It's a joy. It's a peace.
00:45:27.62\00:45:30.46
It's what God wants for us, to
enter into that spiritual rest
00:45:30.49\00:45:36.10
that He has offered to us.
00:45:36.13\00:45:39.27
So I want to finish with where
we started a little while ago.
00:45:39.30\00:45:45.11
Listen to these words in
"Child Guidance" page 267.
00:45:45.14\00:45:51.81
"When you find your work
hard, when you complain of
00:45:51.85\00:45:57.05
difficulties and trials;
when you say that you have no
00:45:57.09\00:46:00.56
strength to withstand
temptation, that you cannot
00:46:00.59\00:46:04.09
overcome impatience, and that
the Christian life is uphill
00:46:04.13\00:46:09.60
work, you can be sure
that you are not bearing
00:46:09.63\00:46:15.30
the yoke of Christ.
00:46:15.34\00:46:17.17
You're bearing the
yoke of another master."
00:46:17.21\00:46:19.77
You're trying to do
it in your own power.
00:46:19.81\00:46:22.84
And so Jesus says, "Come to
Me, all you who are heavy laden.
00:46:22.88\00:46:30.59
All you who are weighed down
with trying to do it in your own
00:46:30.62\00:46:34.09
power, you can't do it.
00:46:34.12\00:46:36.32
But come to Me and
surrender your life to Me.
00:46:36.36\00:46:40.33
Allow Me to do those
things in you that you can't do
00:46:40.36\00:46:43.13
and I will give you rest."
00:46:43.16\00:46:46.74
And now the Christian life
rather than being a burden,
00:46:46.77\00:46:51.91
rather than it being about a
bunch of rules, now it's about a
00:46:51.94\00:46:56.81
relationship, now it's a joy.
00:46:56.85\00:47:00.18
He promises, "I'm not only going
to give you life, I'm going to
00:47:00.22\00:47:03.42
give you an abundant life.
00:47:03.45\00:47:05.69
I'm going to take away all those
things that ensnare you, all of
00:47:05.72\00:47:09.19
those things that pull
you away, and I am going
00:47:09.22\00:47:13.09
to give you rest."
00:47:13.13\00:47:15.66
Brothers and sisters, do you
want that kind of rest; to be
00:47:15.70\00:47:19.13
able to rest in Jesus, to have
joy and peace and thanksgiving?
00:47:19.17\00:47:24.14
Amen, well, I want to
close with reminding you of
00:47:24.17\00:47:28.08
our free offer today.
00:47:28.11\00:47:29.58
It is "Christ's Human Nature."
00:47:29.61\00:47:32.78
This little book is
offered to you free if you dial
00:47:32.81\00:47:36.38
866-788-3966.
00:47:36.42\00:47:40.66
That's 1-866-Study-More,
and ask for offer number 703.
00:47:40.69\00:47:48.43
If you're outside of
North America, you can go to
00:47:48.46\00:47:52.23
study.aftv.org or you can use
your cell phone and you can text
00:47:52.27\00:47:57.84
the code "SH," Sabbath
Hour or Study Hour, "017"
00:47:57.87\00:48:05.11
to the number 40544.
00:48:05.15\00:48:08.28
And that, again, is
"Christ's Human Nature."
00:48:08.32\00:48:12.15
Do you want to
have that kind of rest?
00:48:12.19\00:48:14.69
Do you want to have
that kind of peace and joy
00:48:14.72\00:48:17.16
and enter into God's rest?
00:48:17.19\00:48:20.20
If you do, I want
you to pray with me now.
00:48:20.23\00:48:24.00
Oh, loving Father, such
a joy and a privilege to
00:48:24.03\00:48:28.60
be the children of God.
00:48:28.64\00:48:30.81
But, Lord, in our carnal nature
we often have the tendency to
00:48:30.84\00:48:33.74
try and get to heaven our own
way; but You are inviting us to
00:48:33.78\00:48:39.81
come to You, You're inviting us
to take Your yoke which is easy
00:48:39.85\00:48:46.82
and light, You're inviting
us to learn from You and
00:48:46.86\00:48:51.96
to do things Your way.
00:48:51.99\00:48:54.46
Lord, everyone who arrives
in heaven is going to get there
00:48:54.50\00:48:56.70
with their
freewill still intact.
00:48:56.73\00:48:58.53
We freely surrender ourselves
to You and ask You to do those
00:48:58.57\00:49:02.17
things in us that we
cannot do in ourselves.
00:49:02.20\00:49:04.71
Thank You for beginning
a good work in each of us.
00:49:04.74\00:49:07.61
Lord, we pray You'd
bring it to completion.
00:49:07.64\00:49:10.71
And we ask it in
Jesus's name. Amen.
00:49:10.75\00:49:13.42
male announcer: Don't
forget to request today's
00:49:16.22\00:49:17.65
life-changing free resource.
00:49:17.69\00:49:19.59
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00:49:19.62\00:49:21.89
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To get your digital copy of
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00:49:25.59\00:49:29.03
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00:49:29.06\00:49:33.77
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00:49:33.80\00:49:36.77
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00:49:36.81\00:49:38.81
It's now easier than ever
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00:49:38.84\00:49:42.21
Amazing Facts wherever and
whenever you want, and most
00:49:42.24\00:49:45.68
important, to
share it with others.
00:49:45.71\00:49:48.48
male: I grew up in
a church-going family.
00:49:51.15\00:49:54.39
I mean, we were
at every meeting.
00:49:54.42\00:49:55.82
I sang in four of the
choirs there, I directed three.
00:49:55.86\00:50:00.03
Very involved, very active.
00:50:00.06\00:50:03.37
It almost seemed like
busy work sometimes, you know?
00:50:03.40\00:50:06.07
I went to Sunday
school, I knew about God, I knew
00:50:06.10\00:50:10.04
about Jesus.
00:50:10.07\00:50:12.27
But I didn't have a
personal relationship with
00:50:12.31\00:50:14.34
Jesus Christ.
00:50:14.38\00:50:16.91
My senior year in high
school I got the news that
00:50:16.95\00:50:21.82
my father had been murdered.
00:50:21.85\00:50:25.12
Now, I played it off well.
00:50:25.15\00:50:27.26
No one really saw that
I was struggling with it.
00:50:27.29\00:50:33.33
It just really felt
like there was a hole that
00:50:33.36\00:50:36.03
needed to be filled
and I tried to fill it with
00:50:36.06\00:50:38.70
drugs, with
alcohol, with partying.
00:50:38.73\00:50:42.34
After college, I just stopped
going to church altogether.
00:50:42.37\00:50:49.48
One day, on a Sunday,
'cause I didn't feel like
00:50:49.51\00:50:51.65
going to church with my
mom, I thought, you know,
00:50:51.68\00:50:55.68
"I should get a
little bit of Word."
00:50:55.72\00:50:59.15
She had the satellite
system hooked up and I'm
00:50:59.19\00:51:01.22
flipping through channels.
00:51:01.26\00:51:02.62
And then the logo pops across,
"Amazing Facts Presents."
00:51:02.66\00:51:07.13
I've listened to a lot
of different ministers but
00:51:07.20\00:51:09.43
this was the first time
that he's actually saying
00:51:09.46\00:51:12.10
something where I had to
grab my Bible and actually
00:51:12.13\00:51:14.44
pick it up and I've
never heard this before.
00:51:14.47\00:51:17.61
Let me look
through and find this.
00:51:17.64\00:51:19.57
I went through all
the historicals, I went
00:51:19.61\00:51:21.58
through all the
study guides and I just
00:51:21.61\00:51:23.38
couldn't get enough.
00:51:23.41\00:51:24.71
And then the Sabbath
came up and he's going through
00:51:24.75\00:51:27.55
the appeal and I'm just
going, "Lord, I hear You.
00:51:27.58\00:51:31.05
I have to go to church."
00:51:31.09\00:51:32.79
So I show up.
00:51:32.82\00:51:34.46
It was funny, I didn't
feel like I was going to
00:51:34.49\00:51:36.83
be judged, anything
judgmental, anything.
00:51:36.86\00:51:40.13
And I walked in the
door, and I just felt at home.
00:51:40.16\00:51:43.57
But there's still a problem.
00:51:43.60\00:51:46.63
I'm still partying.
00:51:46.67\00:51:48.14
I was still
going out to the bars.
00:51:48.17\00:51:50.44
At this time, I was
selling cocaine to pay my rent.
00:51:50.47\00:51:55.34
Sixteen days later, I
find myself in a life or
00:51:55.38\00:51:58.31
death situation.
00:51:58.35\00:52:00.18
I had just came back
from a liquor store and I
00:52:00.22\00:52:02.68
grabbed a bottle of vodka.
00:52:02.72\00:52:05.49
And there I am, high off
cocaine, with my Bible in
00:52:05.52\00:52:09.39
hand, trying to
do a Bible study.
00:52:09.42\00:52:13.76
And I heard an audible
voice, "Just look at yourself."
00:52:13.80\00:52:20.60
And I did, and I was,
like, "What am I doing?"
00:52:20.64\00:52:25.44
And I got on my knees
and I said, "Lord, if You do
00:52:25.47\00:52:28.58
not take this away from me
now, I'm going to kill myself."
00:52:28.61\00:52:34.48
I was going to continue
this lifestyle and I was
00:52:34.52\00:52:36.48
going to end up
overdosing, having a heart
00:52:36.52\00:52:39.42
attack, whatever it was.
00:52:39.45\00:52:42.09
"You have to take
this away, all of it."
00:52:42.12\00:52:48.16
And that day, He lift
it all up and away from me.
00:52:48.20\00:52:52.90
It was all gone.
00:52:52.93\00:52:54.64
When God does something in
your life, He does it complete.
00:52:54.67\00:53:00.78
¤¤¤
00:53:00.81\00:53:05.88
¤¤¤
00:53:08.62\00:53:18.16
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" change lives.
00:53:24.37\00:53:28.64
male: I'd have to say that
I had a wonderful childhood
00:53:33.38\00:53:35.24
growing up.
00:53:35.28\00:53:36.98
I went to a private school
up until the seventh grade, till
00:53:37.01\00:53:39.75
junior high.
00:53:39.78\00:53:41.32
I believe it was at that point
in junior high that my life
00:53:41.35\00:53:45.09
began to change.
00:53:45.12\00:53:47.19
Going from a Christian education
into a public school was a
00:53:47.22\00:53:50.06
big difference.
00:53:50.09\00:53:52.03
There was a lot of secular
influence, peer pressure.
00:53:52.06\00:53:57.47
And for me it was the music.
00:53:57.50\00:53:59.53
I started listening
to heavy metal music.
00:53:59.57\00:54:02.04
Every concert that would
come to town, I was there.
00:54:02.07\00:54:04.74
That had a
profound effect on me.
00:54:04.77\00:54:07.01
I started using marijuana,
probably at the age of 14.
00:54:07.04\00:54:12.61
I started drinking, using a
lot of cocaine, and that led to
00:54:12.65\00:54:16.65
methamphetamine, and that
completely changed my life.
00:54:16.69\00:54:19.85
I dropped out of high school my
sophomore year and went to work.
00:54:19.89\00:54:25.73
I would get off of work,
and we'd go into the bar until
00:54:25.76\00:54:29.23
two o'clock in the morning.
00:54:29.26\00:54:31.03
I'd get back up at five and I'd
go back through it again six,
00:54:31.07\00:54:33.50
seven days a week.
00:54:33.54\00:54:37.57
At the age of 20, I lost
my dad to a heart attack.
00:54:37.61\00:54:43.35
I didn't know how to handle the
loss, so I tried to mask my pain
00:54:43.38\00:54:46.82
with alcohol and drugs.
00:54:46.85\00:54:49.55
I got three DUI's in one year.
00:54:49.58\00:54:51.85
I was arrested, and they gave
me a year in the county jail.
00:54:51.89\00:54:56.12
And the moment I got out, I went
back to doing the same thing,
00:54:56.16\00:55:00.26
hanging with the same
people, the same crowd.
00:55:00.30\00:55:02.96
I was involved in a hit-and-run
motorcycle accident, and I was
00:55:03.00\00:55:06.20
charged with a felony DUI.
00:55:06.23\00:55:08.54
Even though at the time of the
accident, I was not under the
00:55:08.57\00:55:10.81
influence, I still had
methamphetamine in my system.
00:55:10.84\00:55:14.11
At my sentencing day, I left
the courtroom, and I didn't come
00:55:14.14\00:55:18.15
back, and that left
me with a felony warrant.
00:55:18.18\00:55:21.42
And I'd fallen asleep at a park,
and I woke up to a park ranger
00:55:21.45\00:55:27.09
knocking on my window.
00:55:27.12\00:55:29.59
I knew I was wanted, and I knew
that I was not going to just
00:55:29.62\00:55:32.89
turn myself in.
00:55:32.93\00:55:35.33
I turned to him and I'd made
the comment, "Not today," and I
00:55:35.36\00:55:37.83
took off.
00:55:37.87\00:55:40.14
I led five different agencies on
about a 35-minute chase, and I
00:55:40.17\00:55:44.24
realized at that point that
I wasn't going to get away and
00:55:44.27\00:55:47.48
that this was going to end
up either me killing somebody
00:55:47.51\00:55:49.98
or myself.
00:55:50.01\00:55:53.21
And so, I made a
decision to pull over.
00:55:53.25\00:55:55.28
At that point,
everything that I had, I lost.
00:55:55.32\00:55:58.49
I was sentenced to two years
in state prison and it was there
00:55:58.52\00:56:02.86
that God got a hold of me
and it was through Amazing
00:56:02.89\00:56:08.70
Facts Ministries.
00:56:08.73\00:56:11.27
I remember listening on my
radio Pastor Doug Batchelor.
00:56:11.30\00:56:15.24
I wanted to get
to know the Bible.
00:56:15.27\00:56:17.14
I wanted to know God.
00:56:17.17\00:56:19.14
And so, my Aunt Marilyn sent me
the Amazing Fact study guides,
00:56:19.17\00:56:24.41
and it was there that my
relationship with Christ began.
00:56:24.45\00:56:30.85
I had called home and I knew my
mother wasn't doing well, but I
00:56:30.89\00:56:36.62
didn't realize
that she had cancer.
00:56:36.66\00:56:40.73
She had about a 30% chance of
making it through her surgery.
00:56:40.76\00:56:47.40
She had told the doctors that
she was not going to have chemo,
00:56:47.44\00:56:50.24
and she was not going to have
radiation, that if her God was
00:56:50.27\00:56:52.31
going to save her,
then He would save her.
00:56:52.34\00:56:55.38
I remember hanging up the phone
to what I thought was my last
00:56:55.41\00:56:58.68
conversation with my mom.
00:56:58.71\00:57:03.05
I turned around, I got down on
my knees, and I prayed to God.
00:57:03.08\00:57:08.16
I said, "God, if you're there,
please save my mother, and
00:57:08.19\00:57:11.96
wherever You lead me in life,
whatever You want me to do, I
00:57:11.99\00:57:15.73
am Yours."
00:57:15.76\00:57:17.70
And I had a feeling of such
peace that I knew that my mother
00:57:17.73\00:57:22.64
was going to be okay and that
my life was going to change.
00:57:22.67\00:57:27.44
There are no words that I can
adequately express to Amazing
00:57:27.48\00:57:31.41
Facts and to Pastor
Doug to say thank you.
00:57:31.45\00:57:34.58
To all those people who support
the ministry, I am a product of
00:57:34.62\00:57:37.55
your support.
00:57:37.59\00:57:39.72
My life has changed
because of this ministry, and I
00:57:39.75\00:57:43.43
thank you from the
bottom of my heart.
00:57:43.46\00:57:46.80
¤¤¤
00:57:48.63\00:57:55.37
¤¤¤
00:57:58.17\00:58:08.22
¤¤¤
00:58:08.25\00:58:18.23
¤¤¤
00:58:18.26\00:58:26.27