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Shawn Brummund: Hello,
and welcome to another edition
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of the Sabbath
School Study Hour.
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Welcome to the Granite Bay
Hilltop Seventh-day Adventist
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Church, right here in the
Roseville, Sacramento area of
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California, and it's nice to be
able to have each and every one
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of you join us that are joining
us online or those of you who
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are watching on
the various networks.
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It's always good to be able
to have our local church family
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come together as we study the
Word on this holy Sabbath day
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and welcome, special
welcome, to you as well.
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My name is Pastor Shawn
Brummund, and it is a privilege
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to be able to host and
be able to be a part of the
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Sabbath School
Study Hour this morning.
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Before we invite our musicians
to be able to lead us out in
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song and worship, I just want to
make this offer available to you
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and so I want to encourage you
to take advantage of this free
00:01:21.91\00:01:25.51
gift offer that we
would like to give to you.
00:01:25.55\00:01:27.52
It is a magazine and it's
entitled "Kingdoms in Time."
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And if you've never read this,
you want to get a hold of this,
00:01:31.79\00:01:34.89
and go ahead and
dial 1-866-788-3966.
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Again, that's 1-866-788-3966
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and ask for free
offer number 901.
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And that's if you're in North
America or the US Territories.
00:01:50.97\00:01:54.28
Now, if you'd like to get a
digital copy of this, as many
00:01:54.31\00:01:56.85
people like to take advantage,
go ahead and text the code
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"SH153" and you want to text
that to 40544 and we'd be happy
00:01:59.48\00:02:07.96
to be able to link you
to a free digital copy.
00:02:07.99\00:02:10.63
For that, again, if
you're in North America,
00:02:10.66\00:02:12.46
that is available to you.
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So please take advantage
of that free gift offer.
00:02:14.46\00:02:16.53
We're going to invite our
musicians to be able to lead us
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out in song as we
continue to worship Him.
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¤¤¤
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¤ How do you capture
the wind on the water? ¤
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¤ How do you count all
the stars in the sky? ¤
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¤ How do you measure
the love of a mother ¤
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¤ or how can you write
down a baby's first cry? ¤
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¤ Candlelight, angel light,
firelight, and star-glow ¤
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¤ shine on His cradle
'til breaking of dawn. ¤
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¤ Gloria, gloria
in excelsis deo. ¤
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¤ Angels are singing:
The Christ child is born. ¤
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¤¤¤
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¤ Shepherds and wise men
will kneel and adore Him. ¤
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¤ Seraphim round Him
their vigil will keep. ¤
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¤ Nations proclaim Him
their Lord and their Savior. ¤
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¤ But Mary will hold
Him and sing Him to sleep. ¤
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¤ Candlelight, angel light,
firelight, and star-glow shine ¤
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¤ on His cradle
'til breaking of dawn. ¤
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¤ Gloria, gloria
in excelsis deo ¤
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¤ Angels are singing:
The Christ child is born. ¤
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¤¤¤
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¤ Find Him at
Bethlehem laid in a manger. ¤
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¤ Christ our
Redeemer asleep in the hay. ¤
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¤ Godhead incarnate
and hope of salvation, ¤
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¤ a Child with His mother
that first Christmas Day. ¤
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¤ Candlelight, angel light,
firelight, and star-glow shine ¤
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¤ on His cradle
'til breaking of dawn. ¤
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¤ Gloria, gloria
in excelsis deo. ¤
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¤ Angels are singing: ¤
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The Christ child is born. ¤¤
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Shawn: Today we're going to
be looking at Lesson number 3
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in our quarterly,
which is entitled,
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"These Last Days:
The Message of Hebrews."
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So Lesson number 3.
Let's open with prayer.
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Father in heaven, we want to
thank You for the opportunity to
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be able to worship
You here this morning.
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Thank You for all those who are
able to join us, both here in
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the sanctuary as well
as those who are watching.
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We want to pray that
You'll bless all of us
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and guide us
with Your Holy Spirit.
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We claim Your promise that Your
Holy Spirit will come and lead
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us into all truths as we come
to You as students and pray that
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You'll be with our
pastor today, Pastor Alden,
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as he shares with
us the Word of God.
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In Jesus's name we pray
these things, God, amen.
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Alden J. Ho: We have a, I guess
for you it's a double blessing
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today, because it is
Christmas Day and the message
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for our Sabbath School Lesson is
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called "The
Promised Son," is that right?
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It's a triple blessing
for me because not only
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do we have those two,
but the third one is I
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get to present this
lesson, isn't that marvelous?
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For me, I guess I'll say "Amen."
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We had the prayer
so I'd like to take you
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to our memory
text for this lesson.
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It's found in Hebrews
chapter 1, verse 2 and 3.
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In the Sabbath School quarterly,
it quotes from the New
00:07:17.80\00:07:20.74
International Version, so
that's what I'm going to read.
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"But in these days He
has spoken to us by His Son,
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whom He appointed
heir of all things,
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and through whom
also He made the universe.
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The Son is the
radiance of God's glory
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and the exact
representation of His being."
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God has preserved in scripture
at least one complete message.
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One complete
message in the scripture,
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and this message we
find is Paul's letter
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to the Hebrews right
here in Hebrews chapter 1.
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It has been argued that Hebrews
is the earliest complete sermon
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but the Hebrews was addressed
to believers who accepted
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Jesus but then
experienced difficulties.
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Some were publicly
shamed, some were persecuted,
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some also faced
financial hardship as well.
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So the apostle in a stirring
sermon, however, challenged them
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and he's saying to them to
preserve their faith in Jesus
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and to fix their eyes on Jesus
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who is now in the
heavenly sanctuary.
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This really is a message
for us today, wouldn't you say?
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I don't--I
believe almost everybody
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is going through
some sort of hardship.
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And if you're not,
you will be very shortly.
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And if it's not health,
it's going to be financial,
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it's going to be
something or other.
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You know, working at Amazing
Facts, we get stacks and stacks
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and stacks of prayer requests,
and I can tell you over and over
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that prayer requests are
very, very similar: Pray for my
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health, pray for my family, pray
for my children who have left
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the church, pray for
somebody who has cancer,
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pray for me to have a
closer walk with Jesus.
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Does that describe
one of you out there?
00:09:15.52\00:09:19.19
That is the time period in which
we're living, which is why this
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lesson is so applicable to us
today, being "The Promised Son."
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Right after Adam and Eve sinned,
God promised them a seed.
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Now, Isaiah 55,
verse 8 and 9 tells us that
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"'My thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are
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your ways My
ways,' says the Lord.
00:09:40.31\00:09:42.14
'But as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
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so are My thoughts
higher than your thoughts
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and My ways
higher than your ways.'"
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In other words, God
has His own timing, amen?
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That timing is not your timing.
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So when He promised
Adam and Eve a seed,
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what do you think
Adam and Eve thought?
00:10:00.83\00:10:02.83
"It's going to be
one of our children."
00:10:02.86\00:10:05.90
But it wasn't
directly one of their children.
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The Son, Jesus, who would
deliver them from the enemy,
00:10:09.77\00:10:14.78
recover the inheritance
that had been lost, and fulfill
00:10:14.81\00:10:18.05
the purpose for
which they had created.
00:10:18.08\00:10:21.55
When we look at Genesis chapter
3, verse 15, this is what this
00:10:21.58\00:10:25.85
verse alludes to when it says,
"And I will put enmity between
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you and the woman, and
between your seed and her seed.
00:10:31.13\00:10:35.16
He shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel."
00:10:35.20\00:10:38.50
Now, the question is
what exactly is enmity?
00:10:38.53\00:10:43.81
The mutual hostility--this
is what I looked up.
00:10:43.84\00:10:46.94
The mutual hostility between the
persecutor and the persecuted
00:10:46.98\00:10:52.71
for which the
Christian following Christ's new
00:10:52.75\00:10:55.42
morality must
substitute a new attitude
00:10:55.45\00:10:58.99
by which he loves
and prays for his enemy.
00:10:59.02\00:11:05.13
It's kind of hard to do.
00:11:05.16\00:11:06.90
How many of you
pray for your enemies?
00:11:06.93\00:11:09.83
Some people like to take revenge
but we are told that this is
00:11:09.86\00:11:13.74
what Christ came to do, is
to create this division here.
00:11:13.77\00:11:19.51
The Son, Jesus, would both
represent and redeem them by
00:11:19.54\00:11:24.21
taking their
place and ultimately
00:11:24.25\00:11:27.18
destroying the
serpent, the devil.
00:11:27.22\00:11:30.55
Here's a quote from Mrs. White
who writes in "Desire of Ages,"
00:11:30.59\00:11:34.59
page 31, and she says, "When
Adam and Eve heard--first heard
00:11:34.62\00:11:38.89
the promise, they looked
for its speedy fulfillment.
00:11:38.93\00:11:42.86
They joyfully
welcomed their firstborn son,
00:11:42.90\00:11:45.80
hoping that he
might be the deliverer.
00:11:45.83\00:11:48.84
But the fulfillment
of the promise tarried."
00:11:48.87\00:11:53.64
Can you imagine the
dismay in their hearts?
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First they were--they had
to leave the Garden of Eden.
00:11:56.88\00:12:01.42
Now they were expecting that
this would be the seed of the
00:12:01.45\00:12:04.62
promised Savior, but
no, it wasn't the one.
00:12:04.65\00:12:09.59
The promise was later
also confirmed to Abraham.
00:12:09.62\00:12:13.93
"God swore to him that he would
have a seed, a son through whom
00:12:13.96\00:12:17.53
all nations of the
earth would be blessed."
00:12:17.57\00:12:21.04
Did it come directly then?
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No, it would come
through generations later.
00:12:23.27\00:12:25.94
And then God promised the same
thing through David as well.
00:12:25.97\00:12:29.28
He promised David that his
descendants would be installed
00:12:29.31\00:12:31.78
by God as His own Son and would
be established as a righteous
00:12:31.81\00:12:36.92
ruler over the
kings of the earth.
00:12:36.95\00:12:40.96
What neither David nor Adam
and Eve, or Abraham probably
00:12:40.99\00:12:45.63
never imagined
was that the Redeemer
00:12:45.66\00:12:48.56
Son would
actually be God Himself.
00:12:48.60\00:12:53.64
We look at Sunday's lesson.
00:12:53.67\00:12:54.97
It's called "In
These Last Days."
00:12:55.00\00:12:58.51
In the first paragraph of
Hebrews, Hebrews reveals that
00:12:58.54\00:13:01.81
Paul believed he was
living in the last days.
00:13:01.84\00:13:04.61
How many of you really
believe we're in the last days?
00:13:04.65\00:13:07.75
Can I see your hands?
00:13:07.78\00:13:09.92
If you didn't raise your hand,
you really need to question
00:13:09.95\00:13:12.79
yourself: what more
signs do you really need
00:13:12.82\00:13:15.96
to understand we're
in the last days here?
00:13:15.99\00:13:20.63
So we find here that
the prophet Paul used the
00:13:20.66\00:13:24.10
expression "last
days" or "latter days" and
00:13:24.13\00:13:26.53
he was talking,
really, about the future.
00:13:26.57\00:13:29.60
Compared to
Paul, where are we now?
00:13:29.64\00:13:33.88
If Jesus was here, and then Paul
00:13:33.91\00:13:36.01
was here, we're
kind of over here.
00:13:36.04\00:13:39.31
So would you say that we're in
the latter days, the last days?
00:13:39.35\00:13:43.32
I would definitely say so.
00:13:43.35\00:13:45.65
We find in Deuteronomy chapter
4, verse 30, it says, "When you
00:13:45.69\00:13:50.16
are in distress and all these
things come upon you in the
00:13:50.19\00:13:54.20
latter days, when you turn to
the Lord your God and obey His
00:13:54.20\00:13:58.43
voice, for the Lord your God
is a merciful God, He will not
00:13:58.47\00:14:03.54
forsake you nor destroy you
nor forget the covenant of your
00:14:03.57\00:14:08.01
fathers, which
He swore to them."
00:14:08.04\00:14:11.81
We also find
here that Daniel used
00:14:11.85\00:14:13.72
this expression,
"the time of the end."
00:14:13.75\00:14:16.92
He used it
twice in his writings.
00:14:16.95\00:14:20.06
So we also find, jumping back to
what Paul says, Paul says that
00:14:20.09\00:14:25.16
these promises
were fulfilled in Jesus.
00:14:25.19\00:14:29.53
He defeated Satan and, through
the proclamation of the gospel,
00:14:29.56\00:14:33.27
is attracting all
the nations to Himself.
00:14:33.30\00:14:37.47
This is what it means now, but
we know in Revelation that we're
00:14:37.51\00:14:41.98
told that all will
wonder after the beast, right?
00:14:42.01\00:14:46.85
So it's interesting paradigm
that we have, when the prophecy
00:14:46.88\00:14:50.72
says "all will wonder after
the beast," yet another prophecy
00:14:50.75\00:14:54.42
says that they would
be attracted to Jesus.
00:14:54.46\00:14:58.43
But I guess there's two "alls."
00:14:58.46\00:15:00.80
There are the
wicked all and then
00:15:00.83\00:15:02.86
there's the
righteous all as well.
00:15:02.90\00:15:05.93
So in a sense, these
last days have begun because
00:15:05.97\00:15:08.37
Jesus has fulfilled
God's promise or promises.
00:15:08.40\00:15:13.84
Our spiritual leaders, our
00:15:13.88\00:15:15.28
spiritual fathers,
they died in the faith.
00:15:15.31\00:15:17.61
They saw and they
greeted the promises from afar.
00:15:17.65\00:15:21.35
But they did not
receive them all.
00:15:21.38\00:15:25.39
We, on the other hand, we have
seen their fulfillment in Jesus.
00:15:25.42\00:15:30.86
Jesus--think for
a moment here, for--
00:15:30.89\00:15:34.46
about the promises of Jesus.
00:15:34.50\00:15:36.83
I want to lay
some out before you.
00:15:36.87\00:15:38.90
The Father, God
the Father, promised
00:15:38.93\00:15:41.54
that He would
resurrect His children.
00:15:41.57\00:15:45.91
We find this, if you've ever
been to a funeral, this is one
00:15:45.94\00:15:48.61
of the main verses that's
always read and it's found in 1
00:15:48.64\00:15:52.65
Thessalonians chapter 4, verse
15 and 16 that says, "For this
00:15:52.68\00:15:56.69
we say to you by the word of the
Lord, that we who are alive and
00:15:56.72\00:16:00.49
remain until the
coming of the Lord will by
00:16:00.52\00:16:02.66
no means precede
those who are asleep.
00:16:02.69\00:16:05.93
For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a
00:16:05.96\00:16:08.00
shout, with the
voice of the archangel,
00:16:08.03\00:16:10.87
and with the trumpet of God.
00:16:10.90\00:16:13.03
And the dead will arise," what?
"First," so that is the promise.
00:16:13.07\00:16:21.04
So this wonderful news is that
Jesus initiated the resurrection
00:16:21.08\00:16:26.18
of His children because
He Himself was resurrected.
00:16:26.21\00:16:30.89
So He fulfilled
that promise part.
00:16:30.92\00:16:33.52
We also have another one
that tells us in 1 Corinthians
00:16:33.56\00:16:36.26
chapter 15, verse 20,
"But now Christ is risen
00:16:36.29\00:16:40.36
from the dead, and
has become the firstfruits
00:16:40.40\00:16:43.40
of those who
have fallen asleep."
00:16:43.43\00:16:46.03
So there, in itself, not only
did He do it, but we also have
00:16:46.07\00:16:50.37
later in
scripture that Paul writes
00:16:50.41\00:16:52.77
that Jesus is the
fulfillment of that.
00:16:52.81\00:16:54.64
Here's another promise.
00:16:54.68\00:16:55.98
God the Father also
promised a new creation.
00:16:56.01\00:17:00.68
Isaiah chapter 65, verse
17 tells us, "For behold,
00:17:00.72\00:17:04.82
I create new heavens and
new earth; and the former
00:17:04.85\00:17:09.22
shall not be
remembered or come to mind."
00:17:09.26\00:17:13.40
So the promise there has been
fulfilled because He has begun
00:17:13.43\00:17:17.97
to fulfill that
promise by creating in us
00:17:18.00\00:17:21.60
a new spiritual life
within our own hearts.
00:17:21.64\00:17:25.74
In 2 Corinthians chapter 5,
verse 17, Paul writes and he
00:17:25.77\00:17:29.94
says, "Therefore, if anyone is
in Christ, he is a new creation;
00:17:29.98\00:17:35.25
old things have
passed away; behold,
00:17:35.28\00:17:38.15
all things have become new."
00:17:38.19\00:17:41.82
If you are truly a new creation
and you've come out from the
00:17:41.86\00:17:46.23
world and you've come to know of
Jesus, your life should change.
00:17:46.26\00:17:51.47
Your life should be
constantly in change.
00:17:51.50\00:17:56.07
You cannot be the
same as you were maybe
00:17:56.10\00:17:59.74
30 years ago when
you accept Christ.
00:17:59.77\00:18:02.18
We cannot, as
Christians, be spinning
00:18:02.21\00:18:04.48
in the mud, sitting there.
00:18:04.51\00:18:05.95
We have to make progress.
00:18:05.98\00:18:08.52
I like to explain to young
people that when Jesus says,
00:18:08.55\00:18:11.82
"Follow Me," He tries to turn us
around and He says, "Follow Me."
00:18:11.85\00:18:17.09
Now if Jesus walks
this way and you simply
00:18:17.13\00:18:20.30
just stand here, is
that following Jesus?
00:18:20.33\00:18:24.00
No, that's not.
00:18:24.03\00:18:25.60
Following Jesus
means that you have
00:18:25.63\00:18:27.24
to daily make
decided steps towards Him.
00:18:27.27\00:18:31.24
And that's what we need
to be doing on a daily basis.
00:18:31.27\00:18:33.84
And this is part of what Jesus
is trying to do to us to create
00:18:33.88\00:18:39.05
in us not only a new
heart, but a new life,
00:18:39.08\00:18:42.65
a new spiritual longing for Him.
00:18:42.68\00:18:45.42
Here's another promise.
00:18:45.45\00:18:47.02
He promised us that He would
establish His final kingdom.
00:18:47.06\00:18:51.59
In Daniel chapter 2, verse 44,
Daniel writes and he says, "And
00:18:51.63\00:18:56.06
in the days of these kings,
the God of heaven will set up a
00:18:56.10\00:19:00.70
kingdom which shall never be
destroyed, and the kingdom shall
00:19:00.74\00:19:04.14
not be left to
another--to other people.
00:19:04.17\00:19:07.34
It shall break in
pieces and consume
00:19:07.38\00:19:10.31
all the kingdoms and
it shall stand forever."
00:19:10.35\00:19:15.42
And the promise was inaugurated
that the kingdom was delivered
00:19:15.45\00:19:23.12
to us from Satan because
Jesus has become our ruler.
00:19:23.16\00:19:29.50
This is fulfilled in Luke
chapter 10, verse 18 to 20, "And
00:19:29.53\00:19:34.64
He said to them, 'I saw Satan
fall like lightning from heaven.
00:19:34.67\00:19:39.24
Behold, I give you the authority
to trample on serpents and
00:19:39.27\00:19:43.01
scorpions, and over
all the power of the enemy,
00:19:43.04\00:19:45.91
and nothing shall
by any means hurt you.
00:19:45.95\00:19:49.78
Nevertheless do not rejoice
in this, that the spirits are
00:19:49.82\00:19:54.79
subject to you, but rather
rejoice because your names are
00:19:54.82\00:19:59.89
written in heaven.'"
00:19:59.93\00:20:02.70
This is the
only-- this is only the
00:20:02.73\00:20:07.27
beginning, because the final
promise I want to share with you
00:20:07.30\00:20:10.84
is this: What God began to
do in Jesus's First Coming,
00:20:10.87\00:20:17.45
He will complete
in the Second Coming.
00:20:17.48\00:20:21.32
And we know that that is
going to be very, very soon.
00:20:21.35\00:20:25.49
We jump to Monday's lesson.
00:20:25.52\00:20:27.29
Monday's lessons is titled "God
Has Spoken to Us by His Son."
00:20:27.32\00:20:32.63
We're going to look at the first
00:20:32.66\00:20:34.13
four verses here
of Hebrews chapter 1.
00:20:34.20\00:20:37.13
This is the central idea that
00:20:37.17\00:20:40.64
we're trying to
obtain from this.
00:20:40.67\00:20:42.90
Hebrews 1:1, "God, who at
various times and in various
00:20:42.94\00:20:47.01
ways spoke in time past to
the fathers by the prophets."
00:20:47.04\00:20:51.41
Now, remember, this is the
opening to Paul's sermon that is
00:20:51.45\00:20:55.38
the complete
sermon that's recorded.
00:20:55.42\00:20:57.22
Verse 2, "Has in these last days
spoken to us by His Son, whom He
00:20:57.25\00:21:02.76
has appointed heirs of all
things, through whom also He has
00:21:02.79\00:21:07.30
made the worlds; who being the
brightness of His glory and the
00:21:07.30\00:21:12.67
express image of His person, and
upholding all things by the word
00:21:12.70\00:21:18.37
of His power, when He had
by Himself purged our sins, sat
00:21:18.41\00:21:23.91
down at the right hand of the
Majesty on heaven, having become
00:21:23.95\00:21:28.75
so much more better than the
angels, as He has by inheritance
00:21:28.78\00:21:34.52
obtained a more
excellent name than they."
00:21:34.56\00:21:39.09
Four verses. You
know what's interesting?
00:21:39.13\00:21:42.30
That's actually supposed
to be one complete sentence.
00:21:42.33\00:21:47.90
Not only is this one sentence,
it is argued that this is
00:21:47.94\00:21:52.64
probably the most beautiful
in all of the New Testament from
00:21:52.67\00:21:58.28
the point of view
of a rhetorical artist.
00:21:58.31\00:22:02.82
The lesson points out
something very interesting here
00:22:02.85\00:22:05.29
that I want to
bring to your attention.
00:22:05.32\00:22:06.62
It says, "For the Jews in the
1st century AD, the Word of God
00:22:06.65\00:22:11.49
had not been
heard for a long time.
00:22:11.53\00:22:14.96
The last revelation to be
expressed in the written Word of
00:22:15.00\00:22:17.70
God had come through the prophet
Malachi and the ministries of
00:22:17.73\00:22:21.87
Ezra and Nehemiah, four
centuries before that time
00:22:21.90\00:22:25.07
period, but now, through Jesus,
God is speaking to them again.
00:22:25.11\00:22:31.28
Would that kind
of spur you on to,
00:22:31.31\00:22:33.72
like, "Wow, He's
speaking to us now.
00:22:33.75\00:22:37.09
Let's listen." But
Jesus is not with us now.
00:22:37.12\00:22:41.52
Not directly.
We can't touch Him.
00:22:41.56\00:22:44.03
We can't see Him.
00:22:44.06\00:22:45.79
But we can certainly hear Him
through His words because the
00:22:45.83\00:22:48.86
Bible tells us the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us.
00:22:48.90\00:22:54.20
Also, we find that God--that the
00:22:54.24\00:22:56.57
Old Testament
was the Word of God.
00:22:56.60\00:22:59.31
The same God who
spoke in times past
00:22:59.34\00:23:02.94
is speaking in time present.
00:23:02.98\00:23:05.65
The Old Testament communicated
a truer knowledge of God's will.
00:23:05.68\00:23:11.89
But then we find
Jesus brought so much of the
00:23:11.92\00:23:15.62
Old Testament to
light, once again showing us
00:23:15.66\00:23:20.20
that He truly
was the promised Son.
00:23:20.23\00:23:23.47
In Luke 24:44, we find these
words, "These are the words
00:23:23.50\00:23:28.07
which I spoke to you while I was
still with you and all things
00:23:28.10\00:23:34.31
must be fulfilled which were
written in the law of Moses and
00:23:34.34\00:23:38.45
the Prophets and the
Psalms concerning Me."
00:23:38.48\00:23:42.92
So Jesus came to
be our representative.
00:23:42.95\00:23:46.65
He came to be our Savior.
00:23:46.69\00:23:49.26
He would take our
place in the fight
00:23:49.29\00:23:51.39
and the defeat of the serpent.
00:23:51.43\00:23:56.23
We find many things
that are interesting here.
00:23:56.26\00:24:00.27
And if you think through what it
means that Jesus, God, came to
00:24:00.30\00:24:08.01
this earth, why should
this truth bring us much hope?
00:24:08.04\00:24:15.48
Because everything that He did,
00:24:15.52\00:24:18.25
He did not for
Himself but He did for us.
00:24:18.29\00:24:24.66
Tuesday's lessons, "He Is the
Radiance of the Glory of God."
00:24:24.69\00:24:30.60
In this section, Tuesday, we
focus on the portion that says,
00:24:30.63\00:24:34.90
"He is the
radiance of the glory of God
00:24:34.94\00:24:37.97
and the exact
imprint of His nature."
00:24:38.01\00:24:42.64
Now, I'm a musician,
I've been playing piano
00:24:42.68\00:24:45.38
for a long time,
studied music education.
00:24:45.41\00:24:48.75
Johann Sebastian Bach said, "All
music should have no other end
00:24:48.78\00:24:54.82
and aim than the glory of
God, and the soul's refreshment.
00:24:54.86\00:25:00.30
Where this is not remembered,
there is no real music,
00:25:00.33\00:25:05.73
but only devilish
hubbub," think about that.
00:25:05.77\00:25:11.91
He headed his compositions
with the letters "J.J.,"
00:25:11.94\00:25:17.58
Jesus juva, which
means "Jesus help me."
00:25:17.61\00:25:21.68
He ended all his compositions
with three letters, "S.D.G.,"
00:25:21.72\00:25:27.09
soli deo gloria, meaning
"To God alone the praise."
00:25:27.12\00:25:34.40
That's why Bach's
music is always church music,
00:25:34.46\00:25:39.87
because of how he wrote it.
00:25:39.90\00:25:43.47
In the Old Testament,
the glory of God refers
00:25:43.51\00:25:45.94
to His visible
presence among His people.
00:25:45.97\00:25:49.64
Reading from a Bible commentary,
it says, "The contrast between
00:25:49.68\00:25:52.75
the covering cloud
that embraced Moses in
00:25:52.78\00:25:56.15
the blessed fellowship
and communion with his maker
00:25:56.18\00:25:59.39
and the devouring
fire is significant."
00:25:59.42\00:26:03.22
Remember, we're
talking about radiance here.
00:26:03.26\00:26:05.09
Those who, like Moses, walk in
God's ways, will be assured of
00:26:05.13\00:26:10.13
protection and
security in the secret place,
00:26:10.17\00:26:14.37
under the shadow
of the Almighty."
00:26:14.40\00:26:18.67
Do you wonder why
sometimes when we pray it seems
00:26:18.71\00:26:22.44
that our prayer
bounces off the ceilings?
00:26:22.48\00:26:25.61
Anybody feel like that?
00:26:25.65\00:26:28.28
It's because sometimes the
way we live our lives, it is not
00:26:28.32\00:26:33.02
really in
harmony with God's way.
00:26:33.05\00:26:36.42
And that's why we feel that our
spiritual life is very limited.
00:26:36.46\00:26:40.96
In this sense, this
is what it's saying.
00:26:41.00\00:26:44.37
Those who turn from the paths
of righteousness will find not
00:26:44.40\00:26:48.00
comfort and assurance, but
retributive justice for God will
00:26:48.04\00:26:54.21
appear to them
as a consuming fire.
00:26:54.24\00:26:58.15
So God is really
wanting us to draw close to Him.
00:26:58.18\00:27:06.52
But the closer we get to
Him, remember the brighter it
00:27:06.55\00:27:09.26
becomes, the more radiant,
the more holy it becomes.
00:27:09.29\00:27:14.93
But we, in our carnal
nature, we can't stand that.
00:27:14.96\00:27:18.93
Remember what happens to
the wicked when Jesus comes.
00:27:18.97\00:27:21.57
Revelation 6 tells us, "They
will run to the mountains and
00:27:21.60\00:27:25.17
the caves and they
will cry out," what?
00:27:25.21\00:27:28.11
"Fall on us.
00:27:28.14\00:27:29.44
Hide us from the face of
Him who sits on the throne,
00:27:29.48\00:27:32.21
and from the wrath of the Lamb."
00:27:32.25\00:27:36.65
Reading from this wonderful
book, "Patriarchs and Prophets,"
00:27:36.69\00:27:40.36
page 329, it says,
"During that long spent--
00:27:40.39\00:27:44.93
long time spent in communion
with God, the face of Moses
00:27:44.96\00:27:49.43
had reflected the
glory of the divine presence.
00:27:49.46\00:27:51.80
Unknown to himself, his
face shone with a dazzling light
00:27:51.83\00:27:56.04
when he descended
from the mountain.
00:27:56.07\00:27:58.51
Aaron, as well as the
people, shrank away from Moses
00:27:58.54\00:28:03.21
and they were
afraid to come near him.
00:28:03.24\00:28:05.75
Moses had had to communicate
with them and compassionating
00:28:05.78\00:28:12.12
their fears, he put a veil
upon his face, and continued
00:28:12.15\00:28:15.86
to do so thereafter
whenever he returned
00:28:15.89\00:28:19.09
to the camp from
communion with God."
00:28:19.13\00:28:22.83
Tell me, Moses's life
was incredibly close to God.
00:28:22.86\00:28:30.04
Nobody has come
that close to seeing
00:28:30.07\00:28:32.94
the radiance of God and live.
00:28:32.97\00:28:38.51
How close are we
walking with God these days?
00:28:38.55\00:28:41.75
I mean, if God
were to come right now,
00:28:41.78\00:28:45.99
I would be scared to say
how many of us would actually
00:28:46.02\00:28:49.12
be looking up
versus running away.
00:28:49.16\00:28:55.73
What we find is this:
Moses was the visible mediator.
00:28:55.76\00:29:01.60
He was a representative
of the true intercessor.
00:29:01.64\00:29:09.54
As I was reading through
this Sabbath School lesson,
00:29:09.58\00:29:11.38
this particular
portion that was written
00:29:11.41\00:29:13.21
by the editor
caught my attention.
00:29:13.25\00:29:16.15
And it says here,
it's very, very profound.
00:29:16.18\00:29:18.69
It says, "Just as the sun cannot
be perceived except by the
00:29:18.72\00:29:22.82
radiance of its light,
God is known through Jesus.
00:29:22.86\00:29:27.66
From our
perspective, the two are one.
00:29:27.66\00:29:32.03
Because God's glory
is light itself, there is
00:29:32.07\00:29:34.77
no difference in
actual being and character.
00:29:34.80\00:29:38.37
Between God and Jesus
there is no difference
00:29:38.41\00:29:42.64
between light and its radiance."
00:29:42.68\00:29:48.52
Is that me only
that found that profound?
00:29:48.55\00:29:54.69
Let's move to
Wednesday's lesson here,
00:29:54.72\00:29:57.59
"Through Whom He
Made the Universe."
00:29:57.63\00:30:00.56
Some think that Jesus
was merely an instrument
00:30:00.60\00:30:03.13
through whom God created.
00:30:03.16\00:30:06.77
You know, because we
get hung up on a word here
00:30:06.80\00:30:09.47
and I'll cover
that in just a moment.
00:30:09.50\00:30:11.74
This is not possible,
first, because Paul says,
00:30:11.77\00:30:15.38
"Jesus is the Lord
who created the worlds."
00:30:15.41\00:30:17.95
He was not a
helper, by any means.
00:30:17.98\00:30:19.71
He was there, active.
00:30:19.75\00:30:22.18
Hebrews 1:10 says
that "Jesus is the Lord
00:30:22.22\00:30:25.02
who created the
earth and the heavens."
00:30:25.05\00:30:28.69
Paul also applies to Him that in
Psalms 102:25-27 says that the
00:30:28.72\00:30:36.00
Lord Yahweh was
also the creator.
00:30:36.03\00:30:40.20
So here's some
logic to think about.
00:30:40.24\00:30:43.30
There is a
perfect agreement between
00:30:43.34\00:30:45.51
the Father and the Son
in purpose and activity.
00:30:45.54\00:30:51.01
This is the part of
the mystery of the Godhead.
00:30:51.05\00:30:53.88
Jesus created, God created.
00:30:53.92\00:30:57.79
But there is
only one creator: God,
00:30:57.82\00:31:00.92
which implies that Jesus is God.
00:31:00.96\00:31:10.40
Hebrews 1:3,
"Upholding all things
00:31:10.43\00:31:13.34
by the word of His power."
00:31:13.37\00:31:17.54
Each of us here are
sustained by God, by Jesus.
00:31:17.57\00:31:25.31
Do you thank Him in the
morning when you wake up
00:31:25.35\00:31:27.78
that you have life
and you have breath?
00:31:27.82\00:31:30.85
We take those very simplistic
things for granted sometimes,
00:31:30.89\00:31:35.19
and we just assume
that we're going to get it.
00:31:35.22\00:31:39.49
But how many people did not make
it through the night last night?
00:31:39.53\00:31:46.33
In Acts chapter
17:28, "For in Him we live
00:31:46.37\00:31:50.34
and move and have our being."
00:31:50.37\00:31:54.01
Everything is to
the glory of God.
00:31:54.04\00:31:58.55
I want to tell you a little
story here, "After the Sunday
00:31:58.58\00:32:04.29
evening hymns, the church pastor
slowly walked up to the podium
00:32:04.32\00:32:09.82
and, before he gave his
sermon that evening, he briefly
00:32:09.86\00:32:12.83
introduced a
special guest minister
00:32:12.86\00:32:15.50
who was in the
service that evening.
00:32:15.53\00:32:17.63
In the introduction, the pastor
told the congregation that this
00:32:17.67\00:32:20.64
guest minister was one of his
dearest childhood friends and
00:32:20.67\00:32:24.54
that he wanted to have him
speak, just for a few moments to
00:32:24.57\00:32:27.78
greet the church and to
share whatever was on his heart.
00:32:27.81\00:32:32.11
The elderly man stepped up
to the podium and he began to
00:32:32.15\00:32:34.65
speak, and he said, 'A father,
his son, and a friend of his
00:32:34.68\00:32:39.95
son, were sailing
off the Pacific coast
00:32:39.99\00:32:43.46
when a
fast-approaching storm blocked
00:32:43.49\00:32:45.63
any attempt to
get back to shore.
00:32:45.66\00:32:47.83
The waves were so high that
even though the father was an
00:32:47.86\00:32:51.53
experienced sailor, he could not
keep the boat upright, and the
00:32:51.57\00:32:56.34
three were swept into the
ocean and the boat capsized.'
00:32:56.37\00:33:01.51
The old man hesitated for a
moment, making eye contact with
00:33:01.54\00:33:04.65
two teenagers that were sitting
near the front, and he began
00:33:04.68\00:33:08.72
to tell that they were at least
somewhat awake and listening.
00:33:08.75\00:33:14.49
The aged minister continued his
story and he says, 'Grabbing the
00:33:14.52\00:33:17.06
rescue line, the father
had to make a very excruciating
00:33:17.09\00:33:21.70
decision of his
life: to which boy
00:33:21.73\00:33:25.67
to throw the other
end of the lifeline?
00:33:25.70\00:33:29.24
He only had seconds to
make a decision and the father
00:33:29.27\00:33:31.41
knew that his
son was a Christian.
00:33:31.44\00:33:33.51
He knew that his son had
accepted Christ and was walking
00:33:33.54\00:33:36.98
in His ways, but he knew
that his son's friend was not.
00:33:37.01\00:33:42.88
The agony of the decision.
00:33:42.92\00:33:45.29
The father yelled out to
his son, "I love you, son,"
00:33:45.32\00:33:49.92
and he threw the
lifeline to his son's friend.
00:33:49.96\00:33:53.90
By the time the father had
pulled the friend back to the
00:33:53.93\00:33:55.80
capsized boat, his son had
disappeared beneath the raging
00:33:55.83\00:33:59.03
swells and he
never saw him again.'
00:33:59.07\00:34:04.71
By this time, the
two teenagers were
00:34:04.74\00:34:07.68
sitting upright on
the end of their seat.
00:34:07.71\00:34:10.88
'The father,' the old man
continued, 'knew his son would
00:34:10.91\00:34:15.05
eventually step into eternity at
Jesus's resurrection and he knew
00:34:15.08\00:34:19.55
that he could not bear
the thought of his friend's--
00:34:19.59\00:34:22.09
his son's friend
not doing the same.
00:34:22.12\00:34:26.23
Therefore, he sacrificed his
son to save his son's friend.
00:34:26.26\00:34:31.90
How great is the love of God
00:34:31.93\00:34:34.94
that He would
do the same for us.
00:34:34.97\00:34:36.60
Our heavenly Father
sacrificing His only
00:34:36.64\00:34:38.74
begotten Son that
we could be saved.'
00:34:38.77\00:34:46.82
He makes the appeal.
Jesus threw out the lifeline.
00:34:46.85\00:34:53.42
The pastor again
walked slowly to the pulpit
00:34:53.46\00:34:56.32
after the old minister got done.
00:34:56.36\00:34:58.33
He made a small sermonette
out of this, and then he made an
00:34:58.36\00:35:02.30
appeal that anybody
would like to accept Jesus
00:35:02.33\00:35:05.03
to come down, but nobody moved.
00:35:05.07\00:35:08.94
When the service
ended, the old minister
00:35:08.97\00:35:11.34
was standing in the back.
00:35:11.37\00:35:13.24
The two teenage
boys ran up to him.
00:35:13.27\00:35:16.48
'That was a nice story,' said
one of the boys politely, 'but I
00:35:16.51\00:35:19.65
don't think it's very realistic
that a father would give up his
00:35:19.68\00:35:23.32
own son in hopes for the other
boy to become a Christian.'
00:35:23.35\00:35:28.12
'Well, you got a point
there,' said the old minister.
00:35:28.16\00:35:30.96
Glancing down at
his well-worn Bible,
00:35:30.99\00:35:33.26
a big broad smile came
across his narrow face.
00:35:33.29\00:35:36.70
He once again looked up
at the boys and he said,
00:35:36.73\00:35:39.77
'It sure isn't
very realistic, is it?
00:35:39.80\00:35:43.34
But I'm standing here today to
tell you that this story gives
00:35:43.37\00:35:47.08
me a glimpse of what
it must have been like
00:35:47.11\00:35:49.44
for God to give
up His Son for me.'
00:35:49.48\00:35:53.55
He said, 'You see,
I was that father and
00:35:53.58\00:35:57.65
your pastor was
my son's friend.'"
00:35:57.69\00:36:03.46
In Thursday's
lesson, we come to the title,
00:36:03.49\00:36:07.46
"Today I Have Begotten You."
00:36:07.50\00:36:10.83
Now, this has been a little
bit of a vocabulary contention,
00:36:10.87\00:36:16.97
I guess you could
say, because it says--
00:36:17.01\00:36:19.71
it reports in Hebrews
chapter 1:5, "You are My Son.
00:36:19.74\00:36:23.45
Today I have begotten You."
00:36:23.48\00:36:26.72
Some think that just because the
word "begotten" is there that
00:36:26.75\00:36:30.65
this is the birth of Jesus,
but that's not exactly right.
00:36:30.69\00:36:36.99
This is what I found out
when I was studying this.
00:36:37.03\00:36:39.33
It says, "The term
'only begotten' was actually
00:36:39.36\00:36:42.63
introduced in the
Latin version to indicate
00:36:42.66\00:36:46.10
that Christ was
not a created being.
00:36:46.13\00:36:49.77
From there, it
passed on to other
00:36:49.80\00:36:52.51
modern languages,
including English."
00:36:52.54\00:36:56.28
And you know in translation
things can always get messed up.
00:36:56.31\00:37:01.22
Jesus was begotten in the sense
that He was installed, He was
00:37:01.25\00:37:06.19
adopted by God as the promised
ruler, the Son of David.
00:37:06.22\00:37:11.43
The concept of the divine
adoption of the ruler was common
00:37:11.46\00:37:15.33
in the Greco-Roman world, and in
the East, and it gave the ruler
00:37:15.36\00:37:21.27
legitimacy and
power over the land.
00:37:21.30\00:37:24.54
This is why that terminology
was used at that time.
00:37:24.57\00:37:30.11
You see, we find that the symbol
of Rome, Caesar, was not the
00:37:30.15\00:37:37.59
legitimate son of God,
the ruler of the nation.
00:37:37.62\00:37:41.49
Instead, Jesus Christ was.
00:37:41.52\00:37:43.43
The begetting of Jesus refers
to the beginning of Jesus's rule
00:37:43.46\00:37:48.03
over the nations and not
the beginning of His existence
00:37:48.06\00:37:50.67
because Jesus
had always existed.
00:37:50.70\00:37:55.00
And there was
never a time that Jesus
00:37:55.04\00:37:57.34
did not exist
because Jesus is God.
00:37:57.37\00:38:03.91
And I want to share
something that I think
00:38:03.95\00:38:06.08
you will find of interest here.
00:38:06.11\00:38:08.98
Because when we look
at--have you ever tried--
00:38:09.02\00:38:12.32
well, I used to tell
people when they asked me,
00:38:12.35\00:38:15.99
"Where should I
start reading the Bible?"
00:38:16.02\00:38:18.36
I used to tell them,
"Start in the New Testament,"
00:38:18.39\00:38:21.50
until I really
realized that Matthew chapter 1
00:38:21.53\00:38:25.07
is a very, very tough chapter.
00:38:25.10\00:38:27.97
You can go to sleep reading
all those begats, you know that?
00:38:28.00\00:38:32.31
And you wonder, "Why in the
world are those begats there?"
00:38:32.34\00:38:38.01
I mean, so-and-so begat
so-and-so begat so-and-so.
00:38:38.05\00:38:40.25
I mean, this is
not a bedtime story
00:38:40.28\00:38:43.25
you want to read your kids.
00:38:43.28\00:38:45.15
So why are all
those begats there?
00:38:45.19\00:38:47.82
Here's what I find
that is so intriguing.
00:38:47.86\00:38:52.39
You see, Matthew was a Jew,
and Matthew was writing to who?
00:38:52.43\00:39:00.37
I'll give you a hint, it
would be somebody like him,
00:39:00.40\00:39:03.81
so who do you
think that would be?
00:39:03.84\00:39:06.44
He was writing to a Jew.
00:39:06.47\00:39:08.74
So that's why Matthew
chapter 1 starts off with the
00:39:08.78\00:39:11.75
book of the
genealogy of Jesus Christ,
00:39:11.78\00:39:14.72
the Son of David,
the Son of Abraham.
00:39:14.75\00:39:17.89
You see where this is going?
00:39:17.92\00:39:20.29
It's going that way for a
reason, because here we find no
00:39:20.32\00:39:25.59
Jew would read about the Son
who's claiming to be God without
00:39:25.63\00:39:30.87
showing
ancestry and, believe me,
00:39:30.90\00:39:33.13
the Jews were very,
very anal about things.
00:39:33.17\00:39:35.87
They kept record
all the way back.
00:39:35.90\00:39:38.34
They want to show pedigree.
00:39:38.37\00:39:39.84
Nobody could be a priest
unless they could show pedigree
00:39:39.87\00:39:43.75
back to the Aaron
line--Aaron's lineage.
00:39:43.78\00:39:49.35
But then that's
why Matthew starts off
00:39:49.38\00:39:53.22
in chapter 1
with all these begats.
00:39:53.25\00:39:56.29
Because he's got to
show that the claim is real.
00:39:56.32\00:39:59.96
But did you know that
there is another genealogy
00:40:00.00\00:40:02.40
found in the Bible as well?
00:40:02.43\00:40:04.03
It's found in the Gospels.
00:40:04.07\00:40:05.53
It's found in Luke,
but Luke is not writing
00:40:05.57\00:40:10.07
in chapter 1
with the same thing.
00:40:10.11\00:40:11.77
No, it's not as
important to Luke.
00:40:11.81\00:40:14.11
He starts off with
it in Luke chapter 3,
00:40:14.14\00:40:18.11
and it's not even the
beginning of chapter 3.
00:40:18.15\00:40:20.75
Now, what I find
that's very interesting here,
00:40:20.78\00:40:24.79
and don't miss this,
Matthew's primary emphasis
00:40:24.82\00:40:28.96
is Jesus as the promised
Messiah, Savior to the Jews.
00:40:28.99\00:40:34.93
That's why he's writing that.
00:40:34.93\00:40:36.80
Where, on the other hand,
Luke's primary focus is Jesus
00:40:36.83\00:40:41.57
as the Savior of all
the peoples of the world.
00:40:41.60\00:40:46.34
Do you see a
difference? You with me?
00:40:46.37\00:40:50.48
These lights are really
tough because I can't tell you.
00:40:50.51\00:40:53.48
You're all silent.
00:40:53.52\00:40:54.85
I think you've got
Christmas comatose or something.
00:40:54.88\00:41:00.96
The other thing that's
interesting is Matthew traces
00:41:00.99\00:41:04.46
Joseph's ancestry
'cause it's, you know,
00:41:04.49\00:41:07.76
if you're a Jew, it's
all about being a man.
00:41:07.83\00:41:11.70
But Luke, on the other
hand, he traces Mary's lineage.
00:41:11.73\00:41:16.94
Now, you have to
understand the Jewish mindset.
00:41:16.97\00:41:20.18
These Jews would be--they
would pray in the morning
00:41:20.21\00:41:23.61
and they would
thank the Lord that they
00:41:23.65\00:41:25.15
weren't born
like a dog or a woman.
00:41:25.18\00:41:28.62
They just despised women.
00:41:28.65\00:41:29.95
Women were so
lowly that they didn't,
00:41:29.98\00:41:32.72
you know, you're
just kind of nothing.
00:41:32.75\00:41:34.69
You're down
there. You're below men.
00:41:34.72\00:41:39.49
But if you read Matthew's
genealogy, it's very, very
00:41:39.53\00:41:43.10
intriguing because in
the genealogy of tracing the
00:41:43.13\00:41:47.40
father's side, he
tosses in three named women
00:41:47.44\00:41:53.84
and one more that
doesn't have a name.
00:41:53.88\00:41:56.91
Did you know that?
00:41:56.95\00:41:58.48
And if you look at these
names, this is what's very, very
00:41:58.51\00:42:02.05
intriguing here, because the
first name you come to is Tamar.
00:42:02.08\00:42:07.16
What do you know about Tamar?
00:42:07.19\00:42:10.76
All Judah's boys were all killed
off, not because of her, but she
00:42:10.79\00:42:17.33
plays the prostitute in
order to hook her father-in-law,
00:42:17.37\00:42:23.27
something that you
don't find, hopefully, today.
00:42:23.30\00:42:26.88
But was that good?
00:42:26.91\00:42:28.54
No, I'd say that
wasn't a good thing.
00:42:28.58\00:42:30.81
Then you get to
another name here.
00:42:30.85\00:42:32.85
You come to Rahab.
What do you know of Rahab?
00:42:32.88\00:42:37.12
She didn't play the prostitute,
she was the prostitute, right?
00:42:37.15\00:42:41.59
She lied and she's
still in Jesus's genealogy.
00:42:41.62\00:42:48.06
Then you have a third
female that's mentioned.
00:42:48.10\00:42:50.40
Her name's Ruth.
00:42:50.43\00:42:51.97
Now, Ruth is
a--she's a good woman but just
00:42:52.00\00:42:55.37
because of her
lineage, she's from what?
00:42:55.40\00:42:59.27
She's a Moabitess.
00:42:59.31\00:43:01.04
And what did the Israelites
think of the Moabites?
00:43:01.08\00:43:04.58
No, no, not at all.
Then there's a fourth name.
00:43:04.61\00:43:09.45
That fourth name is so
wretched that they couldn't
00:43:09.48\00:43:12.79
even mention
her name: Bathsheba.
00:43:12.82\00:43:16.76
What do you
know about Bathsheba?
00:43:16.79\00:43:19.06
Well, she got--did she get
seduced by David, King David?
00:43:19.09\00:43:23.26
You know, I used to think when
you listen to the story that
00:43:23.30\00:43:25.93
David came out, he couldn't
sleep, and he--you hear about
00:43:25.97\00:43:29.80
the Kidron Valley, I remember I
was standing right there at the
00:43:29.84\00:43:33.84
archeology area where David's
palace would be, and you look at
00:43:33.88\00:43:39.01
the Kidron Valley and
you're thinking it's far away.
00:43:39.05\00:43:41.08
No, it's just the
slope that's right down here.
00:43:41.12\00:43:44.29
It's right there
and when you come back
00:43:44.32\00:43:45.62
up, right on the other side.
00:43:45.65\00:43:47.32
And you could see the
houses over there so clearly.
00:43:47.36\00:43:50.43
It would almost be
like from here to the
00:43:50.46\00:43:52.23
first set of cars
in the parking lot.
00:43:52.26\00:43:55.00
At midnight, I don't know why
Bathsheba was up there at night,
00:43:55.03\00:44:00.27
probably on a full
moon, taking a bath
00:44:00.30\00:44:03.44
or a shower or
whatever it may be.
00:44:03.47\00:44:05.17
But it was clear enough that
David, you know, [yawning]...
00:44:05.21\00:44:12.58
and he calls his
servant, "Look, go get her."
00:44:12.61\00:44:16.89
He doesn't know who
it is, but, "Go get her."
00:44:16.92\00:44:21.79
David had his own
Watergate scandal going on.
00:44:21.82\00:44:26.03
But when you look
at all these names,
00:44:26.06\00:44:29.30
we realize Jesus
is the promised Son.
00:44:29.33\00:44:35.34
Why then did Matthew,
who was writing to the Jews,
00:44:39.67\00:44:42.81
deliberately put these
women in his genealogy?
00:44:42.84\00:44:47.08
It's very clear.
00:44:47.12\00:44:48.92
Because Matthew writes about
Mary, saying, "She will give
00:44:48.95\00:44:53.15
birth to a Son, and you will
give Him the name Jesus, because
00:44:53.19\00:44:58.83
He will save His
people from their sins."
00:44:58.86\00:45:03.33
What kind of people can God save
through the One born of Mary?
00:45:03.37\00:45:08.14
And the answer flashes through
the genealogy: Jesus can save
00:45:08.17\00:45:12.34
people like
Tamar, people like Rahab,
00:45:12.37\00:45:15.48
people like Ruth,
people like Bathsheba.
00:45:15.51\00:45:18.78
He can save Gentiles,
He can save prostitutes,
00:45:18.81\00:45:21.18
He can save adulterers.
00:45:21.22\00:45:22.52
He can save deceivers,
He can save murderers.
00:45:22.55\00:45:25.05
He can save anyone because the
Bible tells us, "For God did not
00:45:25.09\00:45:32.13
send His Son into the
world to condemn the world,
00:45:32.16\00:45:36.40
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:45:36.43\00:45:41.84
But listen to the succeeding
verses, "He who believes in Him
00:45:41.87\00:45:46.14
is not condemned; but he who
does not believe is condemned
00:45:46.17\00:45:50.38
already, because
he has not believed
00:45:50.41\00:45:53.31
in the name of the
only begotten Son of God.
00:45:53.35\00:45:58.35
And this is the condemnation,
that light has come
00:45:58.39\00:46:01.22
into the world, and
men love darkness rather
00:46:01.26\00:46:05.39
than light, because
their deeds were evil.
00:46:05.43\00:46:09.86
For anyone practicing evil hates
the light and doesn't come to
00:46:09.90\00:46:13.67
the light, lest
his deeds be exposed.
00:46:13.70\00:46:19.97
But he who does the
truth comes to the light,
00:46:20.01\00:46:25.71
that his deeds may be
clearly seen, that he--
00:46:25.75\00:46:30.95
that they have
done--been done in God."
00:46:30.99\00:46:37.96
We find that Jesus
conquers sin on three levels.
00:46:37.99\00:46:43.03
He conquers us--for
us, the penalty of sin.
00:46:43.06\00:46:48.80
Do you know what we
call that? Justification.
00:46:48.84\00:46:54.61
Christ was
treated as we deserve,
00:46:54.64\00:46:56.31
that we might be
treated as He deserves.
00:46:56.34\00:47:00.28
He was condemned for our
sins in which He had no share
00:47:00.32\00:47:03.25
that we might be
justified by His righteousness
00:47:03.28\00:47:06.55
in which we had no share.
00:47:06.59\00:47:09.46
He suffered the
death which was ours,
00:47:09.49\00:47:12.33
that we might receive
the life which was His.
00:47:12.36\00:47:15.93
And with His
stripes we are healed:
00:47:15.96\00:47:19.20
"Desire of Ages," page 25.
00:47:19.23\00:47:21.77
So not only does He--He
removes the penalty of sin,
00:47:21.80\00:47:30.05
but He also
removes the power of sin.
00:47:30.08\00:47:32.75
What do we call
that? Sanctification.
00:47:32.78\00:47:36.52
And eventually, hopefully sooner
than later, He'll remove the
00:47:36.55\00:47:41.72
presence of sin, we
call that glorification.
00:47:41.76\00:47:48.16
Time is ticking
away for us, not only
00:47:48.20\00:47:50.97
in this lesson,
but also in this life.
00:47:51.00\00:47:54.84
The promised Son is a gift
to each and every one of us,
00:47:54.87\00:47:59.51
especially for those that are
watching, all around this world.
00:47:59.54\00:48:06.38
For us, when we have everything,
it's very difficult to need God.
00:48:06.41\00:48:13.62
But when you all of a
sudden have lost something
00:48:13.66\00:48:16.22
in a typhoon or a
hurricane or a tornado,
00:48:16.26\00:48:20.70
it's easy for us
to cling to Jesus.
00:48:20.73\00:48:24.03
I would encourage you,
walk closely with the Lord.
00:48:24.07\00:48:30.37
Time is counting down
very quickly on this earth.
00:48:30.41\00:48:34.14
Let us be ready. Let's pray.
00:48:34.18\00:48:37.28
Our Father in heaven, as we come
to You, we ask that Your Holy
00:48:37.31\00:48:41.08
Spirit would come into our
lives, that You would send the
00:48:41.12\00:48:44.75
promised One, Jesus, the Son of
God, into our lives to make the
00:48:44.79\00:48:50.83
changes, to prepare
us for Your soon Coming.
00:48:50.86\00:48:54.93
Continue to help us each
and every day, Lord, that in all
00:48:54.96\00:49:00.07
that we do, in all that we say,
we might glorify Your name and
00:49:00.10\00:49:04.97
that we might be
true examples for You.
00:49:05.01\00:49:08.41
This is our prayer,
in Jesus's name, amen.
00:49:08.44\00:49:12.35
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Connie: Nobody was
there to defend me.
00:50:01.60\00:50:03.93
Nobody was there to protect me.
00:50:03.97\00:50:06.47
My question was why
did that happen to me, God?
00:50:06.50\00:50:09.90
Why didn't You intervene?
00:50:09.94\00:50:13.14
Once I hit my teenage years,
00:50:13.17\00:50:15.48
everything just
started coming out.
00:50:15.51\00:50:17.78
I felt embarrassed
of what had happened
00:50:17.81\00:50:21.02
because for so long
I felt it was my fault.
00:50:21.05\00:50:24.52
There were times that I prayed,
but it was prayers of resentment
00:50:24.55\00:50:28.32
and anger and
just yelling at God.
00:50:28.36\00:50:32.33
I was so confused, so depressed,
00:50:32.36\00:50:35.76
and I could not bear
any more of the pain.
00:50:35.80\00:50:38.77
You know, what's
the point of living?
00:50:38.80\00:50:40.54
It's might as well just die.
00:50:40.57\00:50:45.07
I started cutting myself
but I heard a small still voice,
00:50:45.11\00:50:50.68
and it said, "Stop,
give Me a second chance."
00:50:50.71\00:50:56.32
And right there, I just felt
something completely different.
00:50:56.35\00:51:01.62
I felt a presence there, and
I put everything down and I went
00:51:01.66\00:51:06.33
to my room and I
just started crying.
00:51:06.36\00:51:09.46
I realized that me and
God connected so well and I no
00:51:09.50\00:51:13.03
longer saw Him as just a
God that no longer cared,
00:51:13.07\00:51:16.91
but I actually
saw Him as a Father.
00:51:16.94\00:51:19.51
And I continued
praying. One day I was sleeping.
00:51:19.54\00:51:24.51
My mom came to the bed, and
she said, "Connie, he's here.
00:51:24.55\00:51:28.88
He's in town, and
the Lord impressed me
00:51:28.92\00:51:32.05
that you need to
face the situation.
00:51:32.09\00:51:34.86
It's time for you to forgive."
00:51:34.89\00:51:37.56
When something so drastic
and so painful has happened,
00:51:37.59\00:51:43.23
forgiveness is very hard
because you're vulnerable.
00:51:43.26\00:51:48.37
You let go of
that ego, that pride
00:51:48.40\00:51:50.81
that has taken over
you for so many years.
00:51:50.84\00:51:54.88
I prayed and when we
confronted the situation,
00:51:54.91\00:51:58.51
it was the most amazing
moment where we could pray,
00:51:58.55\00:52:02.25
we could cry,
and we could forgive.
00:52:02.28\00:52:04.92
And because of that, I'm able to
help others and tell others that
00:52:04.95\00:52:08.89
there is hope and
there's someone that does care.
00:52:08.92\00:52:12.33
¤¤¤
00:52:12.36\00:52:18.87
announcer: Together,
we have spread the gospel
00:52:20.34\00:52:22.50
much farther than ever before.
00:52:22.54\00:52:25.41
Thank you for your support.
00:52:25.44\00:52:28.44
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" Changed Lives.
00:52:34.05\00:52:37.25
¤¤¤
00:52:37.29\00:52:41.29
Nita: I'm Tlingit
Indian from Sitka, Alaska.
00:52:42.29\00:52:46.29
My Tlingit name is
[speaking foreign language].
00:52:46.33\00:52:49.53
It was a very depressing
time for the people of Alaska.
00:52:49.56\00:52:53.57
A lot of alcohol abuse was
taking place and, unfortunately,
00:52:53.60\00:53:00.51
my mother got
caught up in the alcohol.
00:53:00.54\00:53:04.91
It made myself and
my siblings grow up
00:53:04.95\00:53:10.79
in a pretty
horrible environment.
00:53:10.82\00:53:16.62
It was really
hard to understand God.
00:53:16.66\00:53:21.23
It was really hard to
understand what love was.
00:53:21.26\00:53:25.33
I ended up having a
child in my 12th grade
00:53:25.37\00:53:33.01
and leaving home
when I was 15 years old.
00:53:33.04\00:53:36.91
But somehow,
some way, we made it
00:53:36.95\00:53:39.98
and I became a
loner, I became a hermit.
00:53:40.02\00:53:42.85
So I went up to the
biggest marijuana county,
00:53:42.88\00:53:47.52
to Humboldt County,
and started my new career.
00:53:47.56\00:53:52.63
Things weren't right, though.
00:53:52.66\00:53:54.23
No matter how nice I kept
thinking life was, living up on
00:53:54.30\00:53:58.50
top of the mountain, not having
to worry about wearing clothing,
00:53:58.53\00:54:05.07
just waking up and
watching the plants grow,
00:54:05.11\00:54:08.61
searching still
for more and more.
00:54:08.64\00:54:12.05
I went to the post office and
I was standing there by myself.
00:54:12.08\00:54:18.02
I looked down and here was
this, what is called a handbill,
00:54:18.05\00:54:23.19
a postcard, and the
letters on it grabbed
00:54:23.22\00:54:27.23
my attention and it
said, "Revelations."
00:54:27.30\00:54:30.17
I'd never heard Revelation
taught before and I thought,
00:54:30.20\00:54:33.90
"Gosh, that would
have been so good."
00:54:33.94\00:54:37.04
I looked at the
time and the date
00:54:37.07\00:54:38.71
and I said, "Wow, that's today."
00:54:38.74\00:54:44.18
And for six weeks, I sat
there in the front seat of that
00:54:44.21\00:54:50.79
building and could not
believe the things that I heard.
00:54:50.82\00:54:56.26
And I found this
hunger that I had
00:54:56.29\00:55:00.70
in my heart for
decades being filled.
00:55:00.73\00:55:03.90
I was actually like a starving
child, you know, wanting to get
00:55:03.93\00:55:08.30
in to learn more
about Revelations.
00:55:08.34\00:55:11.37
And I chose to be
baptized on April 3.
00:55:11.41\00:55:17.25
Even though I chose to
serve God, I kept falling.
00:55:17.28\00:55:22.05
I was going to Bible
studies, oh, four times a week.
00:55:22.08\00:55:25.79
And just so hungry to
learn as much as possible.
00:55:25.82\00:55:31.99
God just, overnight, had
me studying the Word of God
00:55:32.03\00:55:36.83
through AFCOE
and the miracles that
00:55:36.87\00:55:39.97
happened through
AFCOE is so incredible.
00:55:40.00\00:55:43.54
The only preacher I was
listening to was Pastor Doug
00:55:43.57\00:55:46.51
Batchelor, who I
didn't even call by his name.
00:55:46.54\00:55:50.41
I called him the caveman.
00:55:50.45\00:55:52.95
And then here, all of a sudden,
I'm sitting in front of him in
00:55:52.98\00:55:57.95
his classroom,
learning from him.
00:55:57.99\00:56:02.32
On October 11, I sat there,
though, in my room saying,
00:56:02.36\00:56:07.50
"Lord, here I am, studying Your
Word, but what am I doing here?
00:56:07.56\00:56:15.17
What do I need to do?
What is it You want me to do?"
00:56:15.20\00:56:19.64
And that night, about 1 in the
morning, God spoke to me and He
00:56:19.67\00:56:23.55
said, "I want
you to write a note
00:56:23.58\00:56:26.58
to Pastor Doug and
tell him what you do."
00:56:26.61\00:56:29.08
I sat there and I says, "No,
I'm not going to write a note.
00:56:29.12\00:56:30.99
I'm not going to write a
note." And I said, "Okay."
00:56:31.02\00:56:33.56
So I ripped off a piece of
paper and I wrote on the note,
00:56:33.59\00:56:37.36
and I said, "I'm an
experienced fashion designer.
00:56:37.39\00:56:40.70
I can sew anything, I
can make any patterns.
00:56:40.73\00:56:43.77
If there's any way that I
can be of any service to you,
00:56:43.80\00:56:48.77
God told me to be
bold and tell you."
00:56:48.80\00:56:51.01
And I walked up and I handed
him the note and he didn't know
00:56:51.04\00:56:54.04
what it was but he said, "Thank
you," and four hours later
00:56:54.08\00:56:56.75
I got a phone call
from "Amazing Facts."
00:56:56.78\00:57:00.28
Pastor Doug told me that I
was an answer to their prayers.
00:57:00.32\00:57:04.25
They had been looking
for a wardrobe stylist
00:57:04.29\00:57:07.62
for their new film
that they're producing.
00:57:07.66\00:57:10.49
female: Action!
male: Two, three.
00:57:10.53\00:57:14.36
Nita: "Amazing
Facts" has changed my life
00:57:14.36\00:57:17.83
in the direction
that God wants me to go.
00:57:17.87\00:57:21.50
And now, out of all the
knowledge that was taught to me,
00:57:21.54\00:57:26.34
I'm able to go out into this
world and share the gospel and
00:57:26.37\00:57:31.35
finish the work
for Jesus Christ.
00:57:31.38\00:57:35.02
Doug Batchelor: Friends, it's
because of God's blessing and
00:57:35.98\00:57:38.29
your support that
thousands of others, like Nita,
00:57:38.32\00:57:41.72
have found Jesus
and everlasting life.
00:57:41.76\00:57:45.09
¤¤¤
00:57:45.13\00:57:52.33
¤¤¤
00:57:54.54\00:58:04.51
¤¤¤
00:58:04.55\00:58:14.52
¤¤¤
00:58:14.56\00:58:24.50
¤¤¤
00:58:24.53\00:58:26.60