¤¤¤
00:00:00.80\00:00:06.60
¤¤¤
00:00:06.63\00:00:10.84
¤¤¤
00:00:12.57\00:00:22.55
¤¤¤
00:00:22.58\00:00:30.39
male: Good morning,
everybody, and welcome
00:00:35.76\00:00:38.37
and happy Sabbath to
those here live with us at the
00:00:38.40\00:00:41.47
Granite Bay Hilltop Seventh-day
Adventist Church, and those of
00:00:41.50\00:00:44.34
you who are watching online,
00:00:44.37\00:00:46.01
we want to welcome
you to our program,
00:00:46.04\00:00:48.54
our Sabbath School this morning.
00:00:48.58\00:00:50.21
We have a very
delightful and very enriching
00:00:50.25\00:00:54.02
Sabbath School lesson.
00:00:54.05\00:00:55.35
We are on lesson 7 of
this particular quarter,
00:00:55.38\00:01:00.09
and it's on "Jesus,
Anchor of Our Soul."
00:01:00.12\00:01:03.59
Our teacher today is going
to be Pastor Shawn Brummund,
00:01:03.63\00:01:06.96
and we have a
free offer for you,
00:01:07.00\00:01:08.90
and the free offer is, "Can
a Saved Man Choose to Be Lost?"
00:01:08.93\00:01:12.80
And if you call
1-866-788-3966--that's
00:01:12.83\00:01:18.67
1-866-Study-More--ask
for Offer 112.
00:01:18.71\00:01:24.18
If you're in the US,
you can also text "SH016"
00:01:24.21\00:01:28.62
to number 40544.
00:01:28.65\00:01:31.65
If you're outside the US, you
can go to study.aftv.org/--or
00:01:31.69\00:01:39.19
backslash--SH016.
00:01:39.23\00:01:42.90
Once again, we
want to welcome you,
00:01:42.93\00:01:44.67
and I also want to welcome this
group that's standing behind me,
00:01:44.70\00:01:48.64
which is the Jefferson
Christian Academy Bell Choir.
00:01:48.67\00:01:51.97
I've known them for quite a
while because, prior to coming
00:01:52.01\00:01:55.68
to Amazing Facts, I was
the pastor of that church,
00:01:55.71\00:01:58.31
and my wife was
a principal there.
00:01:58.35\00:02:00.42
And they have a--beautiful
music for you this morning.
00:02:00.45\00:02:04.22
And then for
the worship service,
00:02:04.25\00:02:06.12
they'll have
two numbers for you.
00:02:06.15\00:02:07.76
So, at this time, Jefferson
Christian Academy Bell Choir.
00:02:07.79\00:02:11.86
¤¤¤
00:02:13.80\00:02:23.74
¤¤¤
00:02:23.77\00:02:33.75
¤¤¤
00:02:33.78\00:02:43.76
¤¤¤
00:02:43.79\00:02:53.74
¤¤¤
00:02:53.77\00:03:03.75
¤¤¤
00:03:03.78\00:03:13.76
¤¤¤
00:03:13.79\00:03:23.73
¤¤¤
00:03:23.77\00:03:33.74
¤¤¤
00:03:33.78\00:03:43.75
¤¤¤
00:03:43.79\00:03:53.76
¤¤¤
00:03:53.80\00:04:03.74
¤¤¤
00:04:03.77\00:04:13.75
¤¤¤
00:04:13.78\00:04:23.76
¤¤¤
00:04:23.79\00:04:33.74
¤¤¤
00:04:33.77\00:04:43.75
¤¤¤
00:04:43.78\00:04:53.76
¤¤¤
00:04:53.79\00:05:03.73
¤¤¤
00:05:03.77\00:05:13.74
¤¤¤
00:05:13.78\00:05:23.75
¤¤¤
00:05:23.79\00:05:33.76
¤¤¤
00:05:33.80\00:05:43.74
¤¤¤
00:05:43.77\00:05:53.75
¤¤¤
00:05:53.78\00:06:03.73
¤¤¤
00:06:03.76\00:06:13.70
¤¤¤
00:06:13.74\00:06:23.71
¤¤¤
00:06:23.75\00:06:33.72
¤¤¤
00:06:33.76\00:06:43.70
¤¤¤
00:06:43.73\00:06:53.71
¤¤¤
00:06:53.74\00:07:03.72
¤¤¤
00:07:03.75\00:07:13.73
¤¤¤
00:07:13.76\00:07:23.71
¤¤¤
00:07:23.74\00:07:26.44
¤¤¤
00:07:28.91\00:07:38.89
¤¤¤
00:07:38.92\00:07:48.43
Shawn Brummund: I
love the book of Hebrews.
00:07:52.13\00:07:54.30
Are you enjoying
the book of Hebrews?
00:07:54.34\00:07:56.67
Yes, the book of
Hebrews is one of the deepest.
00:07:56.71\00:07:59.51
You know, the book of Romans,
it gets so much attention.
00:07:59.54\00:08:03.45
And, you know, it is known and
is famous for being the deepest
00:08:03.48\00:08:08.82
gospel book that you can find
in all of the New Testament.
00:08:08.85\00:08:12.59
And it is one, by far,
a champion of the gospel.
00:08:12.62\00:08:17.63
But over the years, as I have
studied the book of Hebrews,
00:08:17.66\00:08:20.96
it has been my experience that
Hebrews is a very even match.
00:08:21.00\00:08:25.10
I have decided that there is
a tie between those two books.
00:08:25.13\00:08:29.40
Hebrews is a powerful book
on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:08:29.44\00:08:33.38
And again, I put my vote in
and say that Hebrews is just as
00:08:33.41\00:08:37.75
powerful a gospel
book in the New Testament
00:08:37.78\00:08:40.25
as that of Hebrews.
00:08:40.28\00:08:42.55
It is a book that lifts up
Jesus as our hope, as our glory.
00:08:42.58\00:08:45.92
It is Jesus who is
the hope and strength
00:08:45.95\00:08:48.46
and anchor of our soul.
00:08:48.49\00:08:50.19
And it lifts up
Jesus as our High Priest.
00:08:50.23\00:08:54.23
It lifts Jesus up as
our perfect sacrifice.
00:08:54.30\00:08:58.03
These are the main themes that
we find throughout the book of
00:08:58.07\00:09:01.77
Hebrews, Jesus as
the ultimate Priest
00:09:01.80\00:09:05.57
and as the ultimate sacrifice.
00:09:05.61\00:09:07.71
Jesus, when He died on
the cross, paid the price
00:09:07.74\00:09:10.88
and penalty in full for
the guilt and sin of mankind.
00:09:10.91\00:09:15.22
That includes your guilt,
your sin, as well as mine.
00:09:15.25\00:09:18.69
And that's the
heart of the gospel,
00:09:18.72\00:09:20.92
but the gospel doesn't
stay at the cross, doesn't it?
00:09:20.96\00:09:23.53
Jesus accomplished something
that was essential at the cross,
00:09:23.56\00:09:26.29
that one and perfect sacrifice
and penalty and price that He
00:09:26.33\00:09:30.17
paid for us, but then He began
to apply that to us as followers
00:09:30.20\00:09:35.07
of Jesus Christ
as our High Priest.
00:09:35.10\00:09:37.74
He is the ultimate priesthood
that God gives to us as well.
00:09:37.77\00:09:43.38
You know, one of my favorite
summaries that really I believe
00:09:43.41\00:09:47.62
kind of encapsulates the
benefits and the good news that
00:09:47.65\00:09:52.15
comes from Jesus
as the High Priest
00:09:52.19\00:09:53.99
is found in Hebrews
chapter 7 and verse 25,
00:09:54.02\00:09:57.39
where it says, "He is also able
to save to the uttermost those
00:09:57.43\00:10:01.66
who come to God through
Him, since He always lives
00:10:01.70\00:10:04.73
to make intercession for them."
00:10:04.77\00:10:07.04
And so, here we have that
powerful gospel summary of Jesus
00:10:07.07\00:10:10.74
as our High Priest, that He is
able to save to the uttermost.
00:10:10.77\00:10:15.51
That includes you
and I again, friends,
00:10:15.54\00:10:17.18
includes every single human
being that ever lived and ever
00:10:17.21\00:10:20.42
will live, that
all of us can be saved.
00:10:20.45\00:10:23.92
Even to the worst of
us, if we come to God
00:10:23.95\00:10:26.52
through Christ, can be saved.
00:10:26.55\00:10:29.76
Even the worst of us, if
we come to God through Christ,
00:10:29.79\00:10:32.96
can be changed in Jesus Christ.
00:10:32.99\00:10:37.27
And Jesus always lives to
make intercession for them.
00:10:37.30\00:10:40.54
Isn't it good to
be able to know that?
00:10:40.57\00:10:42.14
Of course, John the Gospel
writer also wrote in 1 John
00:10:42.17\00:10:45.34
chapter 1--or
chapter 2 and verse 1,
00:10:45.37\00:10:47.58
he says, "My little children, I
write these things that you may
00:10:47.61\00:10:49.98
not sin; but if you do sin, then
we have an advocate for us in
00:10:50.01\00:10:53.78
heaven, Jesus Christ Himself."
00:10:53.82\00:10:58.79
So, this is the
main theme with Hebrews,
00:10:58.82\00:11:00.72
but Hebrews also tells us
something else very important,
00:11:00.76\00:11:04.19
and this week's lesson study
looks at that in lesson number
00:11:04.23\00:11:06.70
7, "Jesus, The
Anchor of Our Soul."
00:11:06.73\00:11:09.60
We look at two of the most sober
warnings that God gives to us in
00:11:09.63\00:11:14.30
that book and perhaps, for sure,
one of the most sober warnings
00:11:14.34\00:11:18.47
that we can find
in all of the Bible.
00:11:18.51\00:11:21.18
Hebrews tells us
that once we accept,
00:11:21.21\00:11:24.55
after we have
discovered, and then,
00:11:24.58\00:11:25.95
of course, as we
experience gospel truth,
00:11:25.98\00:11:28.85
as we experience
Jesus Christ in our lives,
00:11:28.88\00:11:32.42
after we experience the hope
and power of Christ working in a
00:11:32.45\00:11:36.12
powerful way, if
we are not careful,
00:11:36.16\00:11:39.59
we can find
ourselves losing it all.
00:11:39.63\00:11:43.37
Even as the entire Gospel of the
book of John is what I believe
00:11:43.40\00:11:49.40
one of the longest, is the
longest and most comprehensive
00:11:49.44\00:11:52.74
answer to the Bible
question that's asked,
00:11:52.77\00:11:55.64
"Is Jesus just as much
God as the Father is God?"
00:11:55.68\00:12:00.75
And even as the Gospel of John
is the longest Bible answer, and
00:12:00.78\00:12:03.82
answers with a
resounding powerful yes,
00:12:03.85\00:12:07.56
I believe also when we
come to the book of Hebrews,
00:12:07.59\00:12:10.59
the entire book of
Hebrews is the longest and most
00:12:10.63\00:12:13.96
comprehensive answer to the
question of whether we can be
00:12:14.00\00:12:17.47
lost after we have been saved,
after we come to accept and
00:12:17.50\00:12:23.07
experience Jesus
Christ in our lives.
00:12:23.10\00:12:26.47
And again, the answer that
we find in Hebrews is the same
00:12:26.51\00:12:28.88
answer to the question of
whether or not Jesus is God,
00:12:28.91\00:12:32.38
and the answer
is a resounding yes.
00:12:32.41\00:12:36.25
And so, again, this
week's study brings us to
00:12:36.28\00:12:39.55
two of the most sober warnings.
00:12:39.59\00:12:41.16
It brings us to the first
of those in Hebrews chapter 6
00:12:41.19\00:12:44.09
and verses 4 through 6.
00:12:44.13\00:12:45.63
So, let's turn to
that here this morning.
00:12:45.66\00:12:47.20
I hope you are having a good
morning so far and that as we
00:12:47.23\00:12:49.76
open the Word of God, that your
heart and mine is prepared to be
00:12:49.80\00:12:53.17
able to accept and see these
things that God has for us,
00:12:53.20\00:12:57.17
for indeed we come to
this particular chapter,
00:12:57.21\00:12:59.91
as we come to the feet of Jesus,
we come to God the Father as a
00:12:59.94\00:13:03.91
loving God that has
concern for your life,
00:13:03.95\00:13:06.18
as well as mine, wants to know
the truth on this particular
00:13:06.21\00:13:08.98
question and how we can
make sure that we stay on the
00:13:09.02\00:13:12.09
straight and narrow, how we can
be certain that when Jesus comes
00:13:12.12\00:13:15.42
again, we will have
eternal life with him,
00:13:15.46\00:13:19.26
and that he will bring us home.
00:13:19.29\00:13:21.30
And so, let's go to Hebrews
chapter 6 and verses 4 to 6 to
00:13:21.33\00:13:25.50
begin our study here today.
00:13:25.53\00:13:27.10
So, in chapter 6, in verses
4 to 6 it says this: "For it is
00:13:27.14\00:13:31.94
impossible for those who were
once enlightened and have tasted
00:13:31.97\00:13:35.81
the heavenly gift, and have
become partakers of the Holy
00:13:35.84\00:13:39.05
Spirit, and have tasted the good
Word of God and the powers of
00:13:39.08\00:13:43.85
the age to come--"
00:13:43.89\00:13:45.19
Now, if you've looked at the
quarterly lesson throughout the
00:13:45.22\00:13:48.49
week, you have discovered indeed
that God here is describing
00:13:48.52\00:13:52.36
a very obvious,
authentic, very real
00:13:52.39\00:13:55.56
and powerful
conversion experience.
00:13:55.60\00:13:58.50
Okay, verses 4 and 5 are
describing a human being that
00:13:58.53\00:14:02.87
has come to be fully born again,
that has come to find himself
00:14:02.90\00:14:07.08
experiencing Jesus in his heart,
and to have eternal life and be
00:14:07.11\00:14:11.18
part of the kingdom of God.
00:14:11.21\00:14:13.45
And there's a number of
ways that is describing that,
00:14:13.48\00:14:16.15
"having been enlightened."
00:14:16.18\00:14:17.89
Of course, Jesus says, "I
am the light of the world.
00:14:17.92\00:14:20.89
He who follows after me shall
no longer walk in darkness,
00:14:20.92\00:14:23.19
but he shall have
the light of life."
00:14:23.22\00:14:25.43
And so when we are
enlightened, we have Jesus.
00:14:25.46\00:14:28.83
This is somebody that has been
enlightened with the light of
00:14:28.86\00:14:31.67
God and with Jesus Christ.
00:14:31.70\00:14:33.20
"Have tasted the heavenly gift."
00:14:33.23\00:14:36.17
Now, there's a
number of heavenly gifts
00:14:36.20\00:14:37.51
that the Bible talks about.
00:14:37.54\00:14:39.34
You know, Peter said to the
crowd on the day of Pentecost,
00:14:39.37\00:14:42.08
when they said,
"Men and brethren, what
00:14:42.11\00:14:43.41
shall we do," as they
were responding to the gospel
00:14:43.45\00:14:45.31
preaching of
Peter and the apostles.
00:14:45.35\00:14:47.98
And Peter responds and says,
"Repent and every one of you be
00:14:48.02\00:14:51.95
baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of your
00:14:51.99\00:14:55.06
sins, and you too shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit," as
00:14:55.09\00:14:59.83
some of you know, don't you?
00:14:59.86\00:15:01.56
The Holy Spirit, and so this
is certainly a heavenly gift
00:15:01.60\00:15:04.03
to have the Holy Spirit.
00:15:04.07\00:15:06.50
Okay, in the book of Romans,
chapter 3 and verse 23 it tells
00:15:06.53\00:15:10.41
us that, indeed, the wages
of sin is death, but the gift
00:15:10.44\00:15:14.71
of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
00:15:14.74\00:15:17.88
And so, to have that
assurance and to have that hope,
00:15:17.91\00:15:20.48
that anchor for our soul, that
we know that we have eternal
00:15:20.52\00:15:23.65
life, that we are citizens of
heaven when we walk and talk and
00:15:23.69\00:15:27.19
have our faith in Jesus Christ.
00:15:27.22\00:15:31.63
And so, we talk--it speaks of
having tasted the heavenly gift,
00:15:31.66\00:15:35.80
having tasted what it is to be
a part of the eternal family of
00:15:35.83\00:15:38.67
God and have the Holy Spirit,
"and have become partakers of
00:15:38.70\00:15:42.30
the Holy Spirit," even
as it then expands on that,
00:15:42.34\00:15:44.87
"and have tasted the
good Word of the Lord.
00:15:44.91\00:15:47.08
They have come to
understand and hear
00:15:47.11\00:15:48.81
and read and
accept the Word of God
00:15:48.84\00:15:51.48
and the truths and the
powers that are found therein."
00:15:51.51\00:15:53.65
And, of course, "the powers
of the ages to come," which,
00:15:53.68\00:15:56.38
of course, is the supernatural
powers that we have in store for
00:15:56.42\00:15:59.59
us in the age to come,
but we get a taste of it even
00:15:59.62\00:16:02.46
in the here and now.
00:16:02.49\00:16:04.16
Some that are watching either
online today or are with us here
00:16:04.19\00:16:08.76
in our church
sanctuary today have experienced
00:16:08.80\00:16:11.80
those powers in different ways.
00:16:11.83\00:16:13.70
The most common one is that
all of us have been changed.
00:16:13.74\00:16:17.77
Our characters,
our perspectives,
00:16:17.81\00:16:19.87
our world views, our morals, our
ethics have all been changed in
00:16:19.91\00:16:24.05
a powerful and life-giving way.
00:16:24.08\00:16:27.95
The old man has
died, and behold,
00:16:27.98\00:16:29.95
all things have become new.
00:16:29.98\00:16:31.92
This is the greatest,
most powerful taste of the
00:16:31.95\00:16:34.76
powers of the age to come.
00:16:34.79\00:16:37.59
Some of us also have experienced
what it is to be supernaturally
00:16:37.63\00:16:40.40
healed, where you
go into the doctor,
00:16:40.43\00:16:42.43
and the doctors still arrange
for the different tests and for
00:16:42.46\00:16:44.93
the different procedures
that they have lined up for you,
00:16:44.97\00:16:48.07
Even though it doesn't
look good, they still are trying
00:16:48.10\00:16:50.27
their best, but when
you go in, they do the test,
00:16:50.31\00:16:52.14
and they're
scratching their head and say,
00:16:52.17\00:16:53.51
"I don't know how this happened.
00:16:53.54\00:16:54.98
I can't explain it, but we no
longer have to do anymore tests,
00:16:55.01\00:16:58.18
and the procedures or surgeries
are canceled because you are
00:16:58.21\00:17:01.62
completely whole and healed."
00:17:01.65\00:17:05.19
Some of you either have
experienced that personally or
00:17:05.22\00:17:08.12
you know someone
that has experienced that.
00:17:08.16\00:17:12.03
And so, when we
come to verses 4 and 5,
00:17:12.06\00:17:14.46
God is very clearly--Paul is
very clearly describing someone
00:17:14.50\00:17:19.37
that is a genuine,
born-again Christian.
00:17:19.40\00:17:23.27
And then he goes on.
00:17:23.30\00:17:24.61
"If you have had
all this experience,
00:17:24.64\00:17:26.44
but if they fall away, to
renew them again to repentance,
00:17:26.47\00:17:31.38
since they crucify again for
themselves the Son of God and
00:17:31.41\00:17:35.85
put him to an open shame."
00:17:35.88\00:17:39.85
And so, the perplexity and
the discouragement that has come
00:17:39.89\00:17:43.69
from misunderstanding what
the Bible here is saying is
00:17:43.73\00:17:47.76
something that I think that
we need to talk about first,
00:17:47.76\00:17:50.33
because some have come to
read this and conclude that,
00:17:50.37\00:17:52.87
you know, "Listen, I
used to be a Christian.
00:17:52.90\00:17:54.60
I fell away for
different reasons.
00:17:54.64\00:17:56.40
I made bad choices,
different decisions.
00:17:56.44\00:17:58.41
Circumstances came upon
me, and I've heard a voice,
00:17:58.44\00:18:03.01
and I've had a desire
to come back to the Lord.
00:18:03.04\00:18:06.55
But the Bible's here telling me
that once I've been a Christian,
00:18:06.58\00:18:10.09
once I've been
with the family of God,
00:18:10.12\00:18:11.62
and once I leave that family
of God, it is impossible for
00:18:11.65\00:18:14.12
me to ever have the
hope of coming back again."
00:18:14.16\00:18:17.96
But that's not what
the Bible is saying.
00:18:17.99\00:18:19.29
We know that that would be
contradictory to two of the most
00:18:19.33\00:18:22.23
powerful and hope-filled
parables that Jesus taught
00:18:22.26\00:18:25.03
while He was on this planet.
00:18:25.07\00:18:27.17
Jesus taught the
parable of the prodigal son.
00:18:27.20\00:18:29.94
Many of us are
very familiar with it.
00:18:29.97\00:18:32.01
The prodigal son was a son
that represents a member of the
00:18:32.04\00:18:35.08
family of the Father, and the
Father represents God Himself.
00:18:35.11\00:18:39.38
And the son one day
decided that, you know what?
00:18:39.41\00:18:41.82
As much of a blessing there
might be in different measures
00:18:41.85\00:18:44.42
to be here in my father's house,
I've decided that it's probably
00:18:44.45\00:18:47.56
better for me and more
fun for me to be outside
00:18:47.59\00:18:50.13
of the father's house."
00:18:50.16\00:18:51.46
And so, he walks
away from the Father,
00:18:51.49\00:18:53.56
and he goes and he
lives the prodigal life,
00:18:53.60\00:18:55.86
but he comes to himself.
00:18:55.90\00:18:57.83
One day, when he hits rock
bottom, he comes to himself
00:18:57.87\00:19:00.20
and realizes, "What have I done?
00:19:00.24\00:19:02.84
What have I given up?
00:19:02.87\00:19:04.97
The servants of my
Father are fed and have
00:19:05.01\00:19:07.34
a better life than I do.
00:19:07.38\00:19:10.05
And I was a son."
00:19:10.08\00:19:12.11
And so, he comes back, and the
Father runs and embrace--we all
00:19:12.15\00:19:14.62
know the story, don't we?
00:19:14.65\00:19:16.48
And then we have the lost sheep,
the one that unconsciously
00:19:16.52\00:19:19.05
started to wander from the
flock and was distracted from
00:19:19.09\00:19:21.72
different things, the cares and
the troubles of this world and
00:19:21.76\00:19:25.13
so on, the temptations, and they
found themself slowly straying
00:19:25.16\00:19:28.63
from the flock, until
finally they looked around,
00:19:28.66\00:19:31.17
and they didn't even realize
it, but now they realize,
00:19:31.20\00:19:34.37
"I'm not even with
the sheep of God anymore."
00:19:34.40\00:19:37.07
And so, what
does the Shepherd do?
00:19:37.11\00:19:38.84
He goes out and He
leaves the 99 penned up
00:19:38.87\00:19:41.51
and He searches far and wide for
that sheep to bring him home.
00:19:41.54\00:19:46.88
And so, when we look at these
two powerful parables that Jesus
00:19:46.92\00:19:49.48
has shared with us, we know that
God is not telling us that if we
00:19:49.52\00:19:53.12
have an experience with
God, fully and authentically,
00:19:53.15\00:19:56.19
and then we find,
for whatever reason,
00:19:56.22\00:19:57.89
we stray, or we walk away in
different measures--you know,
00:19:57.93\00:20:02.36
some of us that are here
today have experienced that,
00:20:02.40\00:20:04.63
and have come back, and
know that your experience is
00:20:04.67\00:20:06.80
authentic today as well.
00:20:06.84\00:20:09.84
And so, we know that God is not
saying that once you have been
00:20:09.87\00:20:13.01
saved and then you make
decisions--now let's not
00:20:13.04\00:20:17.01
mince words here
because Jesus didn't either.
00:20:17.05\00:20:19.68
When He shared that parable,
when the father saw the son
00:20:19.71\00:20:22.58
coming back, he was thrilled.
00:20:22.62\00:20:23.92
He threw the biggest
party his house had ever seen.
00:20:23.95\00:20:25.75
Why?
00:20:25.79\00:20:27.09
"Because my son was dead.
00:20:27.12\00:20:31.73
He was lost but now he's found.
00:20:31.76\00:20:33.26
He was dead but
now he is alive."
00:20:33.29\00:20:37.03
So, let's not mince words.
00:20:37.07\00:20:39.50
Once that prodigal son walked
out of that house and down the
00:20:39.53\00:20:42.20
street to the faraway
city, he walked away from life.
00:20:42.24\00:20:47.51
He became dead.
00:20:47.54\00:20:49.81
He became a lost human being,
but he still had the option,
00:20:49.84\00:20:55.25
and he was wise enough and smart
enough to be able to turn back
00:20:55.28\00:20:58.82
one day and say,
"What have I done?"
00:20:58.85\00:21:00.72
and came to himself
and found himself restored
00:21:00.76\00:21:04.26
into the family of God.
00:21:04.29\00:21:07.66
And so, it's important
for us to understand that.
00:21:07.66\00:21:09.40
So, the question comes back
to, then, what is God saying in
00:21:09.43\00:21:13.00
Hebrews chapter 6,
verses 4 through 6?
00:21:13.03\00:21:17.94
Well, I believe that the
context is absolutely essential,
00:21:17.97\00:21:22.24
as it so often
is in understanding,
00:21:22.28\00:21:24.05
especially the more troublesome
or difficult text for us to
00:21:24.08\00:21:27.02
understand, the more the
context of the verses before and
00:21:27.05\00:21:30.39
after--and sometimes the whole
book and sometimes the whole
00:21:30.42\00:21:33.15
Bible--sometimes we
need the whole context
00:21:33.19\00:21:35.89
of the whole
Bible to understand it.
00:21:35.92\00:21:38.26
In this case, it
really helps us because,
00:21:38.29\00:21:40.06
first off, we need to
go back to the gospel,
00:21:40.10\00:21:42.03
the Gospel of Luke in
that case, and look at the two
00:21:42.06\00:21:44.03
prodigal--the two parables
of Jesus I just spoke about.
00:21:44.07\00:21:47.04
So, having the context of
the whole Bible helps us to
00:21:47.07\00:21:49.17
understand what God is
not saying in these verses,
00:21:49.20\00:21:52.97
but then we want to look at the
immediate context and help us to
00:21:53.01\00:21:56.08
understand what God
is saying in these verses
00:21:56.11\00:21:59.55
at the same time.
00:21:59.58\00:22:01.75
Now, as we studied last week, we
looked at Jesus as our Mediator,
00:22:01.78\00:22:05.32
Jesus as the High Priest.
00:22:05.35\00:22:06.99
You know, Paul was just starting
to warm up as we go through the
00:22:07.02\00:22:09.79
first 10 or 11
verses of chapter 5.
00:22:09.82\00:22:13.19
He's introducing Jesus as the
ultimate Priest, the fulfillment
00:22:13.23\00:22:16.33
of the Aaronic or the
earthly Israelite priesthood.
00:22:16.36\00:22:20.90
Jesus is the fulfillment of it.
00:22:20.94\00:22:23.00
And just as Paul is getting
warmed up and he's just starting
00:22:23.04\00:22:26.74
to get the juices flowing, and
he's getting all excited about
00:22:26.78\00:22:29.04
Jesus as the High Priest,
now all of a sudden he stops,
00:22:29.08\00:22:33.85
and he stops with a frustration.
00:22:33.88\00:22:35.98
He begins to express
some frustration, but that
00:22:36.02\00:22:38.15
frustration very quickly
moves into a loving rebuke.
00:22:38.19\00:22:42.99
Now, I don't know
about you, but I'm not always
00:22:43.02\00:22:44.33
excited about rebukes.
00:22:44.36\00:22:47.76
But the bottom line is that the
Bible says that all Scripture is
00:22:47.83\00:22:50.13
given by inspiration of God.
00:22:50.17\00:22:53.77
And what is it given for?
00:22:53.80\00:22:55.97
It's given for--it tells us
in the same verse--for doctrine,
00:22:56.00\00:22:59.21
for reproof, which is
rebuke, and for correction,
00:22:59.24\00:23:04.55
and for
instruction in righteousness.
00:23:04.58\00:23:07.05
And so, the Bible tells us that
one of the blessings that comes
00:23:07.08\00:23:09.38
from the Bible is that
it rebukes us at times.
00:23:09.42\00:23:11.79
It gives us reproofs,
needed rebukes, needed reproofs.
00:23:11.82\00:23:15.66
And this is one of those
instances that Paul was giving
00:23:15.69\00:23:17.83
to the Hebrew or Jewish
believers back in the church of
00:23:17.86\00:23:20.70
his day, and he
gives to you and I as well.
00:23:20.73\00:23:26.20
And so, he
takes an intermission.
00:23:26.23\00:23:27.54
Paul takes an intermission
in his exposition of Jesus as
00:23:27.57\00:23:31.54
Priest, and he goes
into rebuking the believers.
00:23:31.57\00:23:35.48
In verse 11, ti says, "Of whom
we have much to say and hard to
00:23:35.51\00:23:40.22
explain, since you have
become dull of hearing."
00:23:40.25\00:23:43.55
He says, "Listen,
I want to go deeper.
00:23:43.59\00:23:45.99
I want to continue to dig deeper
into the beautiful truth of
00:23:46.02\00:23:50.59
Jesus as our High Priest."
00:23:50.63\00:23:52.66
Some of the great symbolism
of Melchizedek and some of these
00:23:52.69\00:23:56.13
other--the Aaronic priesthood
and so on--and be able
00:23:56.16\00:24:00.07
to expand and unpack that.
00:24:00.10\00:24:01.74
"But I'm frustrated.
00:24:01.77\00:24:03.61
I'm concerned because you
have become dull of hearing.
00:24:03.64\00:24:08.01
For though by this time
you ought to be teachers,
00:24:08.04\00:24:10.38
you need someone to
teach you again the first
00:24:10.41\00:24:12.28
principles of
the oracles of God.
00:24:12.31\00:24:14.82
And you have come to
need milk and not solid food.
00:24:14.85\00:24:17.45
For everyone who are partakers
only of milk is unskilled in the
00:24:17.49\00:24:20.76
word of
righteousness, for he is a baby.
00:24:20.79\00:24:24.63
But solid foods belong
to those who are full aged,
00:24:24.66\00:24:27.46
those who are mature, grown up,
that is those, who by reason of
00:24:27.50\00:24:32.07
use, have their senses exercised
to discern both good and evil."
00:24:32.10\00:24:40.31
And so, Paul is saying,
"Listen, we've got a problem,
00:24:40.34\00:24:42.94
and I need to
address you on this;
00:24:42.98\00:24:45.48
because even though I should
be able to go deeper into the
00:24:45.51\00:24:48.65
theological truths and
implications of Jesus as our
00:24:48.68\00:24:52.49
High Priest, I'm a
little bit held back because
00:24:52.52\00:24:56.29
you've held yourself back.
00:24:56.32\00:24:59.29
You've stymied your
growth as a Christian.
00:24:59.33\00:25:02.16
Instead of being fully mature
and grown up as a Christian,
00:25:02.20\00:25:05.23
like you should
be at this point,
00:25:05.27\00:25:06.57
you're still
looking for the milk."
00:25:06.60\00:25:09.30
In the following
verses he talks about it.
00:25:09.34\00:25:10.91
He says, "Listen, we need to
be able to move on beyond the
00:25:10.94\00:25:13.34
basics, beyond the
basics of the gospel,
00:25:13.38\00:25:16.58
faith towards God,
repentance from dead works.
00:25:16.61\00:25:19.18
We need to move on beyond the
resurrection that Jesus has in
00:25:19.21\00:25:22.25
store for us, the eternal
life, and the eternal body,
00:25:22.28\00:25:25.12
and immortal bodies that
God has in store for us."
00:25:25.15\00:25:27.69
He says, "These are all powerful
gospel truths that God gives to
00:25:27.72\00:25:30.29
us in the hope of
the gospel, but you need
00:25:30.33\00:25:32.83
to go deeper than that.
00:25:32.86\00:25:36.36
That's kindergarten.
00:25:36.40\00:25:39.33
You need to graduate.
You need to be a senior."
00:25:39.37\00:25:43.04
That's what Paul is
telling us here, is he not?
00:25:43.07\00:25:50.08
You know, it's interesting,
there's a number of different
00:25:50.11\00:25:54.72
benefits that have been
discovered through research,
00:25:54.75\00:26:00.56
and that research tells us
that exercise is one of the most
00:26:00.59\00:26:05.59
essential activities that we can
be involved in as human beings.
00:26:05.63\00:26:11.73
Now, many of us
exercise on a regular basis.
00:26:11.77\00:26:14.07
You know, one thing
I appreciate about the
00:26:14.10\00:26:15.64
Seventh-day Adventist Church
is that we understand that the
00:26:15.67\00:26:18.54
Bible addresses all
parts of our existence,
00:26:18.57\00:26:22.81
including our
physical and mental existence.
00:26:22.84\00:26:25.41
And so, because of that, we
understand there's principles in
00:26:25.45\00:26:28.32
the Bible, and then as
expand on that in research,
00:26:28.35\00:26:31.22
spirit of prophecy and so on,
there's a lot of things that we
00:26:31.25\00:26:35.02
do to keep ourselves healthier,
sharper, better people, better
00:26:35.06\00:26:40.30
quality of life because
of these health principles.
00:26:40.33\00:26:43.03
One of those is exercise.
00:26:43.06\00:26:45.53
And if you're not
exercising on a regular basis,
00:26:45.57\00:26:48.57
maybe this is the time when
God is going to convince you,
00:26:48.60\00:26:50.51
you need to get off your feet
and--I mean, get on your feet
00:26:50.54\00:26:56.24
and find yourself
exercising on a regular basis.
00:26:56.28\00:27:00.15
God has created
our bodies to move,
00:27:00.18\00:27:04.22
and the more we move, the Bible
tells us the healthier we are.
00:27:04.25\00:27:07.96
And what are some
of those benefits?
00:27:07.99\00:27:10.19
The reason I'm brining this
up is because we just looked,
00:27:10.23\00:27:12.06
and Paul says, "Listen, the
reason that you're still babies,
00:27:12.09\00:27:15.33
you're still looking for
milk rather than chewing on some
00:27:15.36\00:27:17.73
solid food is because you
haven't exercised your reason
00:27:17.77\00:27:21.97
and the senses that God has
given to you in the Word of God.
00:27:22.00\00:27:24.91
You have not learned to rightly
divide the Word of God and
00:27:24.94\00:27:28.94
become men and
women of righteousness."
00:27:28.98\00:27:32.98
And so, I went to the CDC.
00:27:33.01\00:27:35.02
We get a lot
of--the CDC's getting
00:27:35.05\00:27:36.45
a lot of attention
nowadays, isn't it?
00:27:36.48\00:27:38.55
Center of Disease Control.
00:27:38.59\00:27:41.02
But don't always--they're
not always--they're not just
00:27:41.06\00:27:43.39
there to be able to help us with
the research of viruses and the
00:27:43.43\00:27:47.86
like, but it also tells us there
a list of exercise benefits.
00:27:47.86\00:27:51.90
Brain health.
00:27:51.93\00:27:54.07
When we exercise on a
regular basis, we think sharper.
00:27:54.10\00:28:00.28
Our hearing--I mean
our learning is sharper.
00:28:00.31\00:28:04.98
We have better judgment.
00:28:05.01\00:28:06.88
Research also tells
us it reduces the risk
00:28:06.92\00:28:08.62
of depression and anxiety.
00:28:08.65\00:28:10.92
It also reduces
depression and anxiety
00:28:10.95\00:28:12.69
if we're already
struggling with it.
00:28:12.72\00:28:14.29
This is research, proven facts.
00:28:14.32\00:28:15.92
It helps us to sleep better.
00:28:15.96\00:28:17.89
When we're
exercising on a regular basis,
00:28:17.93\00:28:20.33
it stimulates the
release of melatonin,
00:28:20.36\00:28:23.30
a higher level of melatonin
when we go to sleep at night.
00:28:23.33\00:28:25.50
We have a deeper, more restful,
more recuperative sleep when we
00:28:25.53\00:28:29.64
exercise during the day.
00:28:29.67\00:28:31.87
It helps us to achieve
and keep an ideal body weight.
00:28:31.91\00:28:35.24
It reduces the
risk of heart disease,
00:28:35.28\00:28:37.08
Type 2 diabetes, a
list of certain cancers.
00:28:37.11\00:28:40.32
Exercise also tells us--it helps
to reduce the risk of falling
00:28:40.35\00:28:43.65
when we get
into our later years.
00:28:43.69\00:28:45.62
It helps us to live longer.
00:28:45.65\00:28:48.46
It also makes our bones
and our muscles stronger.
00:28:48.49\00:28:52.49
You know, one of the laws,
the physical laws of life and
00:28:52.53\00:28:54.46
physiology, biology is that
the more you use your muscles,
00:28:54.50\00:29:00.64
the more you have,
the bigger they are,
00:29:00.67\00:29:03.17
and the more stronger they are.
00:29:03.20\00:29:04.71
If you stop using those muscles
altogether--there's a fancy name
00:29:04.74\00:29:09.78
for it--it's called atrophy.
00:29:09.81\00:29:12.08
Okay, and atrophy means that
your muscles start to shrink.
00:29:12.11\00:29:16.52
And the less you use them,
the smaller and weaker they get.
00:29:16.55\00:29:19.85
Okay, so there's
a law of life there.
00:29:19.89\00:29:22.12
If you don't
use it, you lose it,
00:29:22.16\00:29:24.69
as the old saying goes.
00:29:24.73\00:29:26.13
And the same with our bones.
00:29:26.16\00:29:27.76
You know, if we're
not being physical,
00:29:27.76\00:29:29.16
especially walking and running
with impact exercises and so on,
00:29:29.20\00:29:32.77
our bones start to hollow
out, and they become frail and
00:29:32.80\00:29:36.74
brittle, and we
can break our bones
00:29:36.77\00:29:39.31
a lot easier because of that.
00:29:39.34\00:29:41.14
Again, if you don't use
your bones in a physical way,
00:29:41.18\00:29:44.21
in the way that God has
intended for them to be used,
00:29:44.25\00:29:47.28
research and
experience tells us that if you
00:29:47.32\00:29:49.45
don't lose it, you lose it.
00:29:49.48\00:29:52.82
And so, this is what the Bible
is also telling us here as well.
00:29:52.85\00:29:58.43
The same thing goes with
our spiritual walk of faith.
00:29:58.46\00:30:02.70
You know, one of the
spiritual laws that the Bible
00:30:02.73\00:30:04.90
reveals--experience also
verifies--is that you can't
00:30:04.93\00:30:09.87
maintain the status quo
in your spiritual faith.
00:30:09.90\00:30:12.47
In other words, you
can't become a Christian,
00:30:12.51\00:30:14.54
learn so much of the Bible,
pray and connect with Jesus,
00:30:14.58\00:30:18.58
worship with Him,
serve in some different ways,
00:30:18.61\00:30:21.22
and then just say, you
know, "That's good enough."
00:30:21.25\00:30:23.69
You know, "I think I
know enough about the Bible,
00:30:23.72\00:30:25.89
I've spent
enough time in prayer,
00:30:25.92\00:30:27.82
I go to church occasionally."
00:30:27.86\00:30:29.09
But, you know, even if you
go to church on a regular basis,
00:30:29.12\00:30:31.63
you can't just
stay at status quo.
00:30:31.66\00:30:36.16
It's like muscle.
It's like exercising.
00:30:36.20\00:30:38.87
You know, some of us wish
we could just be faithful for a
00:30:38.90\00:30:40.90
couple of months, get
our bodies all in shape,
00:30:40.94\00:30:42.87
get the body fat level down,
and get our muscles a little bit
00:30:42.90\00:30:46.68
stronger and bigger and
so on, and then just kind of
00:30:46.71\00:30:49.44
stop and just keep it there.
00:30:49.48\00:30:50.71
"Okay, I've got it there, now
let's just put it in the bank,
00:30:50.75\00:30:54.25
and let's just go back to
life and sitting down again."
00:30:54.28\00:30:57.72
But it doesn't
work that way, does it?
00:30:57.75\00:30:59.59
Okay, you get it,
but then you can lose it.
00:30:59.62\00:31:01.79
You can get it back
again, but then you can lose it.
00:31:01.82\00:31:03.46
Same with our spiritual life.
00:31:03.49\00:31:05.19
You can't stay status quo.
00:31:05.23\00:31:06.80
Either you're going forward and
growing stronger as a Christian
00:31:06.83\00:31:09.90
in your knowledge and faith
and connection with Christ,
00:31:09.93\00:31:12.40
or you're going backwards.
00:31:12.43\00:31:14.64
You're backsliding.
That's the only two options.
00:31:14.67\00:31:17.71
It's just a law of life.
00:31:17.74\00:31:19.24
As much as it is
on the physical plane,
00:31:19.27\00:31:20.94
so it is on the spiritual plane.
00:31:20.98\00:31:23.95
That's why Paul made one
of my favorite statements.
00:31:23.98\00:31:25.98
It's one of the most
healthful in 1 Corinthians
00:31:26.01\00:31:28.18
chapter 9, in verse 27.
00:31:28.22\00:31:30.52
Paul said, "I discipline my body
and bring it under subjection,
00:31:30.55\00:31:35.39
lest while I have
preached to others,
00:31:35.42\00:31:38.06
I myself should
become disqualified."
00:31:38.09\00:31:40.83
Again, Paul--even as
the entire book of Hebrews
00:31:40.86\00:31:43.43
gives us that answer.
00:31:43.47\00:31:44.77
"Is it possible to be
lost after we have been saved?"
00:31:44.80\00:31:48.17
And the answer is yes.
00:31:48.20\00:31:50.04
And Paul is
saying, "Listen, I myself,
00:31:50.07\00:31:51.81
even while I am preaching,
even while I am full time in
00:31:51.84\00:31:55.24
ministry, can find myself
disqualified from the race.
00:31:55.28\00:32:00.45
And so, Paul says, "Because
of that, I make sure that
00:32:00.48\00:32:02.42
I discipline my body and
bring it into subjection."
00:32:02.45\00:32:06.19
Now, one of the
things that sometimes,
00:32:06.22\00:32:07.66
you know, as I'm preparing,
and I have the privilege of
00:32:07.69\00:32:10.09
preparing a lot of people
over the years for baptism.
00:32:10.13\00:32:13.19
And typically, when people
are preparing for baptism,
00:32:13.23\00:32:15.66
they're
experiencing Christ as fresh
00:32:15.70\00:32:17.83
or maybe they've
come back to Christ
00:32:17.87\00:32:19.27
and it's renewed and they're
just pumped and excited about
00:32:19.30\00:32:22.07
their new
relationship with Christ,
00:32:22.10\00:32:23.81
and they're looking
forward to their baptism.
00:32:23.84\00:32:26.24
They're looking forward to
their continued walk with Jesus.
00:32:26.27\00:32:28.71
Everything's new and fresh.
00:32:28.74\00:32:30.15
You know, kind of like a
honeymoon experience they have
00:32:30.18\00:32:32.61
in a marriage
between a couple and so on.
00:32:32.65\00:32:34.68
But even as a couple knows, a
married couple knows that after
00:32:34.72\00:32:37.42
the honeymoon's over, and
you get into the nitty gritty of
00:32:37.45\00:32:40.96
life from day to day, and
the bills start adding up,
00:32:40.99\00:32:43.76
and the pressures come, and the
difficulties of life continue to
00:32:43.79\00:32:47.03
hit you, and you start to butt
heads on different issues and
00:32:47.03\00:32:50.57
how and where you're
going to put your furniture,
00:32:50.60\00:32:52.33
and which way, and who's
gonna do what in the house,
00:32:52.37\00:32:56.24
and all these other practical
things that get in the way of
00:32:56.27\00:32:58.41
all that beautiful love
and romance and everything.
00:32:58.44\00:33:00.98
And pretty soon, you're not
all as excited about each other,
00:33:01.01\00:33:04.18
and you're
not--you have to work at it.
00:33:04.21\00:33:07.12
You know, it's not as natural.
00:33:07.15\00:33:09.08
And same thing with the
Christian walk and experience.
00:33:09.12\00:33:12.15
You know, we can be excited
and pumped in the beginning.
00:33:12.19\00:33:14.09
That's why sometimes
when I share with people,
00:33:14.12\00:33:16.06
as I do with
pre-marriage counseling,
00:33:16.09\00:33:17.73
I do pre-baptism
counseling, and I warn them,
00:33:17.76\00:33:22.50
and I say, "Listen,
you know, as time goes by,
00:33:22.53\00:33:24.90
you know, it won't be as novel
to be able to get on your knees
00:33:24.93\00:33:28.90
and make sure you spend that
time with the Lord in prayer.
00:33:28.94\00:33:32.07
It won't be as novel and
new and fresh when you get
00:33:32.11\00:33:34.71
into the Word of God.
00:33:34.74\00:33:36.28
Now, each time that
you do, it's just like
00:33:36.31\00:33:37.81
with your exercise program.
00:33:37.85\00:33:39.15
Typically, when you go out
and force yourself through it,
00:33:39.18\00:33:41.08
even on the days
you don't feel like it,
00:33:41.12\00:33:42.72
you'll always feel
better at the end."
00:33:42.75\00:33:45.32
You know, friends, you
can get some of fastest,
00:33:45.35\00:33:47.09
best athletes in the world,
the best basketball players,
00:33:47.12\00:33:50.79
football players,
track athletes and so on,
00:33:50.83\00:33:53.96
and 90% of the
time they love their
00:33:54.00\00:33:57.17
workouts, they
love what they do.
00:33:57.20\00:33:58.93
They're thankful and grateful
that they can make a living,
00:33:58.97\00:34:01.84
if they're
making a living at doing
00:34:01.87\00:34:03.34
what they love in this way.
00:34:03.37\00:34:05.24
But even the best of them, with
the biggest passions and the
00:34:05.27\00:34:07.91
most successful careers, have
days when they get up in the
00:34:07.94\00:34:10.88
morning, and they say, "Oh, what
I'd do just to roll over again
00:34:10.91\00:34:16.02
and not have to go
to practice today."
00:34:16.05\00:34:19.65
But typically, when they
force themselves through that,
00:34:19.69\00:34:21.86
they discipline their bodies
and bring it in under subjection
00:34:21.89\00:34:26.93
and they do it anyway.
00:34:26.96\00:34:28.70
Typically, when they come
to the end of it, they say,
00:34:28.73\00:34:30.67
"Oh, am I ever glad I
came to practice today.
00:34:30.70\00:34:33.30
I feel great."
00:34:33.34\00:34:35.67
And the same thing
with the spiritual walk.
00:34:35.70\00:34:37.24
There'll be days and times when
you don't feel like praying.
00:34:37.27\00:34:40.74
You don't feel
like taking that time.
00:34:40.78\00:34:42.08
You've got 100
things to do today.
00:34:42.11\00:34:43.78
You've got all this pressure.
00:34:43.81\00:34:45.11
You feel bad, and there's
all kinds of different things,
00:34:45.15\00:34:47.52
distractions that get in the way
and start to consume the first
00:34:47.55\00:34:49.95
moments and hours of your day.
00:34:49.98\00:34:51.55
And next thing you know, you
come to the end of the night and
00:34:51.59\00:34:53.42
say, "Lord, I just realized
I haven't spent a single minute
00:34:53.46\00:34:56.09
with you in prayer, yet alone
Bible study or Bible reading."
00:34:56.12\00:35:01.46
And so, we need to
discipline--these are called
00:35:01.50\00:35:03.53
spiritual
disciplines for a reason.
00:35:03.57\00:35:06.47
A discipline means that it's
doing something that sometimes
00:35:06.50\00:35:09.14
you don't feel like doing.
00:35:09.17\00:35:11.77
But typically, when
you whip through--you know,
00:35:11.81\00:35:13.84
sometimes I'm
tired or I'm distracted.
00:35:13.88\00:35:17.18
I've got other things to do,
but I find myself in the Word of
00:35:17.21\00:35:19.41
God, and I don't have to
get very many verses into it,
00:35:19.45\00:35:21.98
and I just get lost in
the world of the Word of God.
00:35:22.02\00:35:26.72
And then when I'm finished, I'm
like, "God, I didn't feel like
00:35:26.76\00:35:29.76
it, or I had other
things that were pulling at me,
00:35:29.79\00:35:31.96
but I am ever glad that
I came back to your Word.
00:35:31.99\00:35:34.50
Thank you for
solidifying me and growing me
00:35:34.56\00:35:37.13
and helping me to
grow up as a Christian,
00:35:37.17\00:35:39.13
that I might not remain a baby."
00:35:39.17\00:35:42.40
So, this is the
context, friends.
00:35:42.44\00:35:44.81
This is the context
that God is giving to us.
00:35:44.84\00:35:48.34
As we look at
this particular subject
00:35:48.38\00:35:50.11
and as we look at these verses,
that can be troublesome and
00:35:50.15\00:35:52.81
confusing to some
people as we look at it.
00:35:52.85\00:35:56.89
By the way, Hebrews
chapter 6 and verse 12,
00:35:56.92\00:35:59.69
if you jump ahead
there a little bit,
00:35:59.72\00:36:01.09
and we're gonna look at that
in more detail in a few moments.
00:36:01.12\00:36:04.13
But in Hebrews chapter 6 and
verse 12, the word "sluggish,"
00:36:04.16\00:36:08.20
"lazy," is used
there for us as well.
00:36:08.23\00:36:11.90
And again, this is describing
when we don't feel like prayer
00:36:11.93\00:36:15.27
every morning, we don't feel
like taking our Bible study and
00:36:15.30\00:36:19.24
making sure
that we read chapter,
00:36:19.27\00:36:22.51
verses, or whatever, reading in
a Bible reading program that you
00:36:22.54\00:36:25.68
have, setting
some kind of program.
00:36:25.71\00:36:28.12
That's why Amazing Facts
and different parts of the
00:36:28.15\00:36:30.35
Seventh-day Adventist
Church provides these resources.
00:36:30.39\00:36:33.89
Reading your
Bible through in a year,
00:36:33.92\00:36:36.12
so that tells you, listen,
you want to get through a year,
00:36:36.16\00:36:38.13
just make it your
goal to read Psalm 1,
00:36:38.16\00:36:40.83
and Genesis, the
first 2 chapters,
00:36:40.86\00:36:43.20
and Matthew chapter 1 today.
00:36:43.23\00:36:45.50
You know, and so it
tells you, this is how many you
00:36:45.53\00:36:47.47
have--you're doing it.
00:36:47.50\00:36:48.87
You're setting up
some program to find some
00:36:48.90\00:36:50.64
discipline in your life.
00:36:50.67\00:36:53.74
Christianity is not
something that just kind
00:36:53.78\00:36:55.44
of falls in your lap.
00:36:55.48\00:36:56.78
Maturing in Christ is not
something that falls in your
00:36:56.81\00:36:59.38
lap; but instead, it is
something that is needed to
00:36:59.41\00:37:05.69
approach in a very
proactive, disciplined way,
00:37:05.72\00:37:09.52
so that you can grow
in the faith and the hope
00:37:09.56\00:37:11.96
that we find in Christ.
00:37:11.99\00:37:16.87
So, let's go to Hebrews chapter
6 and verses 1 through 3 now.
00:37:16.90\00:37:19.80
So, we're going to
Hebrews chapter 6, and verses 1
00:37:19.83\00:37:25.01
through 3, as we continue
to pick up this context.
00:37:25.04\00:37:28.88
In Hebrews chapter
6, verses 1 through 3,
00:37:28.91\00:37:30.78
it says, "Therefore leaving
the discussion of the elementary
00:37:30.81\00:37:33.58
principles of Christ,
let us go on to perfection,
00:37:33.62\00:37:36.48
not laying again the foundation
of repentance from dead works,
00:37:36.52\00:37:38.65
faith toward God, doctrine
of baptisms or of laying on of
00:37:38.69\00:37:42.29
hands, or the resurrection
of the dead, eternal judgment.
00:37:42.32\00:37:45.23
And this we will
do, if God permits.
00:37:45.26\00:37:48.70
For it is impossible," it says.
00:37:48.73\00:37:51.93
"For it is impossible for
those who were once enlightened,
00:37:51.97\00:37:54.60
have tasted the heavenly gift,
and become partakers of the Holy
00:37:54.64\00:37:56.94
Spirit, have tasted
the good Word of God,
00:37:56.97\00:37:59.01
and the powers
of the age to come,
00:37:59.04\00:38:00.44
if they fall away, to
renew them again to repentance,
00:38:00.48\00:38:04.58
since they crucify again for
themselves the Son of God and
00:38:04.61\00:38:08.38
put him to an open shame."
00:38:08.42\00:38:11.02
And so, if God is telling us,
through the parables of Jesus,
00:38:11.05\00:38:14.32
that if we do find
ourselves in Christ
00:38:14.36\00:38:16.42
and then outside of Christ,
there is opportunity to be able
00:38:16.46\00:38:19.13
to come back in Christ.
00:38:19.16\00:38:21.16
So, we know that this
is not what it's saying,
00:38:21.20\00:38:23.16
but the immediate context of the
verses before this is Paul and
00:38:23.20\00:38:27.14
God is telling
the Christians that,
00:38:27.17\00:38:28.54
"Listen, if you
are not going forward,
00:38:28.57\00:38:31.21
you are
inevitably going backwards.
00:38:31.24\00:38:34.71
And if you are going backwards,
there's going to come a time,
00:38:34.74\00:38:38.35
if you do not find yourself
turning around in time--you see,
00:38:38.38\00:38:41.52
if the prodigal son had
never turned around or if he had
00:38:41.55\00:38:44.42
pushed himself and pushed
his decision ten years down the
00:38:44.45\00:38:47.26
road, he may never have
come back to the Father.
00:38:47.29\00:38:52.86
And so, if the sheep that
wandered from the flock had
00:38:52.89\00:38:55.46
wandered far enough, he may not
have ever come back to the flock
00:38:55.50\00:38:59.03
and have never been
rescued and restored.
00:38:59.07\00:39:01.50
You see, the shepherd
goes out looking for the sheep,
00:39:01.54\00:39:04.11
but the sheep still has to be
receptive to the--and willing to
00:39:04.14\00:39:07.44
receive the shepherd's
leadership back into the flock.
00:39:07.48\00:39:12.58
And so, it is impossible for
those who were once enlightened
00:39:12.61\00:39:14.92
to be--those who are
saved, if they fall away
00:39:14.95\00:39:18.09
far enough, long enough.
00:39:18.12\00:39:21.89
And this, I believe, ties
in with the unpardonable sin
00:39:21.92\00:39:24.76
that Jesus talked about.
00:39:24.79\00:39:26.16
You see, when we're backsliding,
the Shepherd inevitably
00:39:26.19\00:39:29.23
is calling out to you.
00:39:29.26\00:39:31.73
The Shepherd is
saying, "Come back home.
00:39:31.77\00:39:33.27
What are you doing?
Why are you doing this?
00:39:33.30\00:39:36.44
Why are you
making these decisions?
00:39:36.47\00:39:38.07
Why are you
making these choices?
00:39:38.11\00:39:40.34
Come back home, come
back home. Come to me.
00:39:40.38\00:39:44.98
My mercy and my
grace is available to you.
00:39:45.01\00:39:47.38
I will forgive
you and restore you.
00:39:47.42\00:39:50.12
I will be like the Father of the
parable that ran down the street
00:39:50.15\00:39:53.76
to meet you and wrapped his arms
around you and kissed you on the
00:39:53.79\00:39:56.49
neck, and then threw the biggest
party that he had ever had.
00:39:56.52\00:40:02.46
Because my son was
lost, but now he's found,
00:40:02.50\00:40:04.70
was dead but now
he's alive again.
00:40:04.73\00:40:08.04
And so, that is possible.
00:40:08.07\00:40:09.47
It is available."
00:40:09.50\00:40:11.74
But if we go down
that road too far,
00:40:11.77\00:40:13.38
too long, pretty soon the voice
becomes so quiet that the lips
00:40:13.41\00:40:21.28
of Jesus are moving...
00:40:21.32\00:40:23.05
Jesus' lips are moving,
but you can't hear a thing.
00:40:29.52\00:40:34.03
Jesus talks about
the point of no return.
00:40:34.10\00:40:38.67
And so, this is a very sober,
needful warning that God gives
00:40:38.70\00:40:42.74
to us, that there can come a
time when it is impossible to
00:40:42.77\00:40:46.71
renew ourselves
again to repentance,
00:40:46.74\00:40:48.74
because our conscience
is so seared for so long.
00:40:48.78\00:40:54.22
You know, Paul
put it another way.
00:40:54.25\00:40:55.72
He said, you know,
"Our consciences can
00:40:55.75\00:40:57.62
become seared," you know.
00:40:57.65\00:40:59.32
The police still rely as much
as they have other things--face
00:40:59.35\00:41:02.56
recognition and so
on--and maybe the fingerprint
00:41:02.59\00:41:04.33
one day will be antiquated.
00:41:04.36\00:41:06.73
But we still put our
fingerprint, you know.
00:41:06.76\00:41:08.93
My green card, I'm a
permanent resident here.
00:41:08.96\00:41:10.93
When I got my
green card, my family,
00:41:10.97\00:41:12.57
we had to go in and give
all our fingerprints, you know.
00:41:12.60\00:41:16.34
But if I put my
thumb on a hot element,
00:41:16.37\00:41:19.64
a red-hot element, you
know, and burn that long enough,
00:41:19.67\00:41:24.71
the fingerprint will become
seared to the point where there
00:41:24.75\00:41:27.22
is no pattern left anymore.
00:41:27.25\00:41:28.88
There's a
permanent searing of it.
00:41:28.92\00:41:31.52
And God says our
consciences are the same way.
00:41:31.55\00:41:34.56
And so, God is
lovingly telling us.
00:41:34.59\00:41:36.26
He's not mincing words here.
00:41:36.29\00:41:37.66
He's speaking in
some very sober ways,
00:41:37.69\00:41:39.53
because He wants to be sure that
we understand that this is a
00:41:39.56\00:41:44.10
life and death issue
that He's talking about.
00:41:44.13\00:41:47.04
Making decisions to grow in
Christ is very important for us.
00:41:47.07\00:41:54.18
Now, my eyesight
is not very well,
00:41:54.21\00:41:55.51
and I'm, you know, the AV people
here have a clock up there.
00:41:55.54\00:41:59.08
Oh, there we
go, thank you, okay.
00:41:59.11\00:42:01.48
Then I know how much time
I have before we continue on.
00:42:01.52\00:42:05.59
All right, so where were we?
00:42:05.62\00:42:08.02
And so, the context here again
is talking about a slow death,
00:42:08.06\00:42:12.43
a slow spiritual death, one
in which you are backsliding.
00:42:12.46\00:42:16.50
Because you are
not going forward,
00:42:16.53\00:42:17.93
you're slowly going backwards.
00:42:17.97\00:42:20.44
And so, friends, I believe again
that the immediate context of
00:42:20.47\00:42:23.14
verses 11, chapter 5 through
Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 3 is
00:42:23.17\00:42:30.65
the key to understanding
verses 4 through 6.
00:42:30.68\00:42:33.45
And so, is it sober?
Is it a serious warning?
00:42:33.48\00:42:37.62
Sure it is, and it's intended
that way because God loves us.
00:42:37.65\00:42:40.56
He doesn't want to lose us.
00:42:40.59\00:42:43.12
He wants us to continue to
stay on the straight and narrow.
00:42:43.16\00:42:46.16
Okay, so no matter
what--and by the way,
00:42:46.19\00:42:48.60
that text is, you know, you can
talk to a number of different
00:42:48.63\00:42:51.90
pastors, look at
different commentaries.
00:42:51.93\00:42:53.94
There's two or three or four
different perspectives on what
00:42:53.97\00:42:57.21
God is trying to say there.
00:42:57.24\00:42:59.77
If there's one thing
that we need to pull away,
00:42:59.81\00:43:01.54
even if we don't agree on each
other's exact interpretations of
00:43:01.58\00:43:05.01
those verses, is
that God is warning us
00:43:05.05\00:43:07.58
very clearly and soberly.
00:43:07.62\00:43:09.18
He says, "Listen, run the race."
00:43:09.22\00:43:12.35
You know, Paul said in 1
Corinthians chapter 9 and verse
00:43:12.39\00:43:15.79
26--the one before the verse in
which I quoted earlier--he says,
00:43:15.82\00:43:19.49
you know, "I run
thus, not with uncertainty.
00:43:19.53\00:43:22.16
I fight thus, not as
one who beats the air."
00:43:22.20\00:43:26.60
In other words,
Paul says before that,
00:43:26.63\00:43:28.00
he says, "When you run,
run like the athletes do.
00:43:28.04\00:43:30.11
Only one receives the prize.
00:43:30.14\00:43:31.57
Run the race as the one
that wants to receive the prize.
00:43:31.61\00:43:37.91
I forget those things
which are behind," Paul says,
00:43:37.95\00:43:39.55
"and I reach forward to
those things which are ahead,
00:43:39.58\00:43:41.92
that upward calling that is
found in Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:43:41.95\00:43:46.82
There is a proactive ingredient
that we need to bring into our
00:43:46.86\00:43:51.73
relationship, a saving
relationship with Jesus.
00:43:51.76\00:43:54.73
You know, Ellen
White called it the triune
00:43:54.73\00:43:56.50
or something to that effect.
00:43:56.53\00:43:57.83
It's been a few
years since I read it.
00:43:57.87\00:43:59.23
But, you know, Ellen White had
once written about the Christian
00:43:59.27\00:44:02.17
growth, and she says
that there's a triune,
00:44:02.20\00:44:03.97
a trinity of growth that is
found in the Christian walk that
00:44:04.01\00:44:08.41
is necessary, and that is
the three Christian disciplines,
00:44:08.44\00:44:11.98
and that is prayer,
Bible study, and service.
00:44:12.01\00:44:17.39
Serving in God's
church, praying before God,
00:44:17.42\00:44:20.62
and then searching out for
God's answer to your prayer.
00:44:20.66\00:44:23.46
How can I be
involved in the church?
00:44:23.49\00:44:25.96
How can I serve?
00:44:25.99\00:44:27.50
In what capacity
can I make a difference?
00:44:27.50\00:44:31.87
See, the problem is if we only
come to church and we only find
00:44:31.90\00:44:34.64
ourselves in the pews and
we only find ourselves in the
00:44:34.67\00:44:37.24
chairs at Sabbath School and
we only find ourselves attending
00:44:37.27\00:44:40.58
the programs, but we're not
involving ourselves in any way,
00:44:40.61\00:44:44.35
at any time, in any of the
activities of the church and
00:44:44.38\00:44:46.95
knowing that,
because of my labors,
00:44:46.98\00:44:49.65
because of my work, I am making
a difference in the kingdom of
00:44:49.68\00:44:53.05
God and for His church, you're
not growing to the capacity that
00:44:53.09\00:44:56.73
God wants you to grow.
00:44:56.76\00:44:58.89
Sometimes we find ourselves
in Bible study and prayer
00:44:58.93\00:45:01.26
and we're
faithful and we're sincere,
00:45:01.30\00:45:04.83
and our efforts are authentic,
but we find it waning,
00:45:04.87\00:45:08.64
and we ask ourselves, "Why is my
prayer life and my Bible study
00:45:08.67\00:45:13.04
and my Bible
reading always waning?
00:45:13.07\00:45:14.84
Why is it always losing when it
comes to my spiritual walk and
00:45:14.88\00:45:19.18
life and the activities of life?
00:45:19.21\00:45:20.98
And one of the answers is,
is because you're not serving.
00:45:21.02\00:45:25.35
You need that third leg.
00:45:25.39\00:45:27.36
You need all three.
00:45:27.39\00:45:30.29
They all feed each other.
00:45:30.33\00:45:31.66
And if you're
missing even one of them,
00:45:31.69\00:45:33.16
the other two will find
themselves hurting as well.
00:45:33.19\00:45:39.90
And so, then Paul
goes on and encourages.
00:45:39.93\00:45:41.67
In verse 9, he
says, "But, beloved--"
00:45:41.70\00:45:43.91
And we're in chapter 6 again.
00:45:43.94\00:45:46.68
So, and by the way,
Hebrews--maybe I said that two
00:45:46.71\00:45:48.98
weeks ago when I was
teaching--but, you know,
00:45:49.01\00:45:51.01
all the way through
Hebrews, Paul is--God is warning
00:45:51.05\00:45:53.38
and encouragement,
warning and encouragement,
00:45:53.42\00:45:54.95
warning and encouragement.
00:45:54.98\00:45:56.38
And so, here we
find that pattern again.
00:45:56.42\00:45:58.19
There's a rebuke up
until verse 3 of chapter 6,
00:45:58.22\00:46:02.56
then there's the
warning, verse 4, 5, and 6,
00:46:02.59\00:46:05.19
and 7 and 8, and then
9 through the end of the
00:46:05.23\00:46:09.33
chapter is the encouragement.
00:46:09.36\00:46:11.33
This is the positive
part. Let's look at it.
00:46:11.37\00:46:12.93
It says, "But, beloved, we
are confident of better things
00:46:12.97\00:46:15.47
concerning you, yes,
things that accompany salvation,
00:46:15.50\00:46:18.51
though we speak in this matter.
00:46:18.54\00:46:20.44
For God is not unjust to forget
your work and labor of love,
00:46:20.48\00:46:23.61
which you have
shown toward His name,
00:46:23.65\00:46:25.61
and that you have ministered
to the saints and do minister."
00:46:25.65\00:46:28.72
What are they doing?
What is God commending them?
00:46:28.75\00:46:31.09
What is God
putting His confidence in?
00:46:31.12\00:46:33.19
He says, "Keep doing what you're
doing when regards to service
00:46:33.22\00:46:36.66
within the church of God,
ministering to the saints.
00:46:36.69\00:46:39.49
God wants us to take, yes,
but He also wants us to give.
00:46:39.53\00:46:44.40
And so, a healthy church is
one in which every single church
00:46:44.43\00:46:47.44
member is not only
taking but also giving.
00:46:47.47\00:46:50.67
Taking, giving;
taking, giving; taking, giving.
00:46:50.71\00:46:53.54
That's how it is, that's the
pattern of the healthiest church
00:46:53.58\00:46:56.38
that we can possibly have,
as well as individual life.
00:46:56.41\00:47:01.82
All right, so here we're
ministering to each other.
00:47:01.85\00:47:04.79
In verse 11, it says, "And we
desire that each one of you show
00:47:04.82\00:47:07.89
the same diligence
to the full assurance
00:47:07.92\00:47:09.69
of hope until the end."
00:47:09.72\00:47:12.06
There's that
discipline word, diligence,
00:47:12.09\00:47:14.86
that you do not become sluggish.
00:47:14.93\00:47:16.43
The opposite of sluggishness
or laziness is due diligence.
00:47:16.46\00:47:20.84
But rather, it
says, "Imitate those who,
00:47:20.87\00:47:22.90
through faith and
patience, inherit the promises."
00:47:22.94\00:47:28.28
And so, we find here that
patience is another attribute,
00:47:28.31\00:47:31.48
a character
attribute and discipline,
00:47:31.51\00:47:34.12
a word that God needs for
us, that God knows that we need.
00:47:34.15\00:47:37.22
In verse 15, as
we skip on, it says,
00:47:37.25\00:47:39.59
"And so after he
had patiently endured,
00:47:39.62\00:47:42.06
he obtained the
promise," speaking
00:47:42.09\00:47:43.43
of Abraham as an example.
00:47:43.46\00:47:45.89
And so we have
another discipline word there.
00:47:45.93\00:47:48.36
Patience again
but also endurance.
00:47:48.40\00:47:52.50
He patiently endured.
00:47:52.53\00:47:55.30
That's endurance.
00:47:55.34\00:47:56.87
So, we need
faith, we need patience,
00:47:56.91\00:48:00.18
we need due
diligence, we need endurance.
00:48:00.21\00:48:03.61
These are all
discipline words, aren't they?
00:48:03.65\00:48:05.95
So, we have the
rebuke, we have the warning,
00:48:05.98\00:48:10.65
and then we have
the encouragement.
00:48:10.69\00:48:13.62
Then we have the encouragement
to move on and not leave behind
00:48:13.66\00:48:16.49
that which God
has called us to do,
00:48:16.52\00:48:19.23
to be able to
apply those disciplines,
00:48:19.26\00:48:21.16
that rather than backsliding, we
find ourselves moving forward,
00:48:21.20\00:48:25.33
and that's where
God wants us to be.
00:48:25.37\00:48:28.14
So, that's Hebrews chapter
6, and with our last couple of
00:48:28.17\00:48:31.67
minutes, one minute
here, I just want to speak
00:48:31.71\00:48:35.48
in chapter 10, verses 26 to 29.
00:48:35.51\00:48:38.65
It says, "For if
we sin willfully,
00:48:38.68\00:48:39.98
after we have received
the knowledge of the truth,
00:48:40.02\00:48:42.28
there no longer
remains a sacrifice for sin,
00:48:42.32\00:48:44.22
but a fearful
expectation of judgment."
00:48:44.25\00:48:46.59
And again, this has
been misunderstood by many,
00:48:46.62\00:48:48.86
believing that, "Boy,
if I go out and I sin,
00:48:48.89\00:48:50.79
and I find myself
making a bad choice,
00:48:50.83\00:48:52.93
a sinful choice,
that's it, I'm done.
00:48:52.96\00:48:55.73
Sacrifice of Jesus is
no longer atones for me.
00:48:55.76\00:48:57.77
I'm a lost sinner from that."
00:48:57.80\00:48:59.10
No, God is not
talking about that.
00:48:59.13\00:49:00.54
God is talking about if
you willfully and persistently
00:49:00.57\00:49:03.27
choose a sinful lifestyle
or a sin in your life, okay.
00:49:03.30\00:49:08.08
So, David, did
he commit adultery?
00:49:08.11\00:49:11.01
Yes, he did, okay.
00:49:11.05\00:49:12.38
Now, after he committed
adultery, what did he do?
00:49:12.41\00:49:16.02
Okay, he
murdered. Yes, you're right.
00:49:16.05\00:49:17.35
And after he
murdered, what did he do?
00:49:17.39\00:49:20.46
Then he repented, didn't he?
00:49:20.49\00:49:22.29
All right, he owned his
sin, he confessed his sin,
00:49:22.32\00:49:24.29
he pleaded to God's mercy
to forgive him of his sin,
00:49:24.33\00:49:26.80
and he continued on in
a walk with Jesus Christ.
00:49:26.83\00:49:29.90
Now, if David had
decided, "You know what?
00:49:29.93\00:49:31.63
That was pretty fun, and
now I've got rid of the husband,
00:49:31.67\00:49:35.87
and not only am I
going to marry Bathsheba,
00:49:35.90\00:49:37.87
but I think I'm gonna continue
on with some other women,
00:49:37.91\00:49:40.01
doing the same thing."
00:49:40.04\00:49:42.24
Okay?
00:49:42.28\00:49:44.68
Men have chosen
that, haven't they?
00:49:44.71\00:49:46.98
Okay, women have chosen that.
00:49:47.02\00:49:48.32
They find
themselves in one affair,
00:49:48.35\00:49:49.92
and they decide rather
than repenting and asking for
00:49:49.95\00:49:52.95
forgiveness, they go
on to the next affair
00:49:52.99\00:49:54.72
and then the next affair
and then the next affair.
00:49:54.76\00:49:57.63
And they make it a pattern.
00:49:57.66\00:49:59.59
That's what this particular
text is talking about,
00:49:59.63\00:50:01.66
persistent sin--not when we
stumble and we find ourselves
00:50:01.70\00:50:07.17
making the odd
stupid mistake or choice,
00:50:07.20\00:50:09.50
and God's speaking to us, and
we find ourselves continuing to
00:50:09.54\00:50:13.07
walk in the grace of God.
00:50:13.11\00:50:14.64
Friends, it's good to
be able to study with you.
00:50:14.68\00:50:16.28
It's nice to have you here in
the Granite Bay Hilltop Church.
00:50:16.31\00:50:18.85
And for those of you
who are watching online,
00:50:18.88\00:50:20.28
it has been such a blessing.
00:50:20.32\00:50:21.62
Don't forget to take
advantage of the free gift
00:50:21.65\00:50:23.85
offer that we have today.
00:50:23.89\00:50:25.92
"Can a Saved Man
Choose to Be Lost?"
00:50:25.95\00:50:28.86
We'll put that
information up on the screen,
00:50:28.89\00:50:31.26
which is Offer number 112.
00:50:31.29\00:50:33.46
And you just dial 1-866-788-3966
00:50:33.50\00:50:37.80
and ask, "Can a Man--"
00:50:37.83\00:50:39.83
"Can a Saved Man
Choose to Be Lost?"
00:50:39.87\00:50:43.91
And, of course, it's
on the subject today.
00:50:43.94\00:50:45.51
So, please take advantage
of that if you've never
00:50:45.54\00:50:46.84
read that book, and we
look forward to studying
00:50:46.88\00:50:48.98
with you next week.
00:50:49.01\00:50:50.48
announcer: Don't
forget to request today's
00:50:53.11\00:50:54.42
life-changing free resource.
00:50:54.45\00:50:56.45
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:50:56.48\00:50:58.79
you can download a
digital copy straight to
00:50:58.82\00:51:00.66
your computer or mobile device.
00:51:00.69\00:51:02.69
To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:51:02.72\00:51:05.39
simply text the keyword on your
screen to 40544 or visit the web
00:51:05.43\00:51:10.40
address shown on your screen,
and be sure to select the
00:51:10.43\00:51:13.44
digital download
option on the request page.
00:51:13.47\00:51:15.87
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:51:15.90\00:51:19.14
Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want,
00:51:19.17\00:51:22.41
and most important,
to share it with others.
00:51:22.44\00:51:25.15
male: I grew up in
a church-going family.
00:51:28.92\00:51:31.82
I mean, we were
at every meeting.
00:51:31.85\00:51:33.92
I sang in four
of the choirs there.
00:51:33.96\00:51:36.12
I directed three.
00:51:36.16\00:51:37.86
Very involved, very active.
00:51:37.89\00:51:41.13
It almost seemed like
busy work sometimes, you know.
00:51:41.16\00:51:44.40
I went to Sunday School.
00:51:44.43\00:51:46.17
I knew about God,
I knew about Jesus,
00:51:46.20\00:51:49.74
but I didn't have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:51:49.77\00:51:54.81
My senior year in
high school, I got the news
00:51:54.84\00:51:59.41
my father had been murdered.
00:51:59.45\00:52:03.18
Now, I played it off well.
00:52:03.22\00:52:04.52
No one really saw that
I was struggling with it.
00:52:04.55\00:52:11.63
It just really felt like there
was a hole that needed to be
00:52:11.66\00:52:14.36
filled, and I tried
to fill it with drugs,
00:52:14.40\00:52:17.67
with alcohol, with partying.
00:52:17.70\00:52:20.40
After college, I just stopped
going to church altogether.
00:52:20.44\00:52:27.11
One day, on a Sunday, because I
didn't feel like going to church
00:52:27.14\00:52:30.55
with my mom, I
thought, you know,
00:52:30.58\00:52:34.02
I should get a
little bit of Word.
00:52:34.05\00:52:36.25
She had the
satellite system hooked up,
00:52:36.28\00:52:38.15
and I'm flipping
through channels,
00:52:38.19\00:52:40.09
and then the logo pops across,
"Amazing Facts Presents."
00:52:40.12\00:52:44.66
I've listened to a lot
of different ministers,
00:52:44.69\00:52:46.86
but this was the first
time that he's actually saying
00:52:46.90\00:52:49.66
something where I had to grab my
Bible and actually pick it up.
00:52:49.70\00:52:53.07
And I'd never heard this before.
00:52:53.10\00:52:55.07
Let me look
through and find this.
00:52:55.10\00:52:56.97
I went through
all the storacles.
00:52:57.01\00:52:58.87
I went through
all the study guides,
00:52:58.91\00:53:00.71
and I just couldn't get enough.
00:53:00.74\00:53:02.28
And then the Sabbath came up.
00:53:02.31\00:53:04.71
And he's going
through the appeal,
00:53:04.75\00:53:06.08
and I'm just
going, "Lord, I hear you.
00:53:06.11\00:53:08.68
I have to go to church."
00:53:08.72\00:53:10.35
So, I show up.
00:53:10.39\00:53:11.89
It was funny, I didn't
feel like I was gonna be judged,
00:53:11.92\00:53:15.56
anything judgmental, anything.
00:53:15.59\00:53:17.59
I walked in the door,
and I just felt at home,
00:53:17.63\00:53:21.13
but there's still a problem.
00:53:21.16\00:53:24.13
I'm still partying.
00:53:24.17\00:53:25.87
I was still
going out to the bars.
00:53:25.90\00:53:28.07
At this time, I was
selling cocaine to pay my rent.
00:53:28.10\00:53:32.87
Sixteen days
later, I find myself in a
00:53:32.91\00:53:35.34
life-or-death situation.
00:53:35.38\00:53:37.68
I had just came back
from a liquor store and
00:53:37.71\00:53:40.08
I grabbed a bottle of vodka.
00:53:40.12\00:53:42.85
And there I am, high off
cocaine with my Bible in hand,
00:53:42.88\00:53:47.89
trying to do a Bible study.
00:53:47.92\00:53:51.26
And I heard an audible voice.
00:53:51.29\00:53:54.00
"Just look at yourself."
00:53:54.03\00:53:58.07
And I did, and I was
like, "What am I doing?"
00:53:58.10\00:54:03.34
And I got on my
knees, and I said,
00:54:03.37\00:54:04.77
"Lord, if you do not
take this away from me now,
00:54:04.81\00:54:08.91
I'm going to kill myself."
00:54:08.94\00:54:11.98
I was going to
continue this lifestyle
00:54:12.01\00:54:13.85
and I was going
to end up overdosing,
00:54:13.88\00:54:16.35
having a heart
attack, whatever it was.
00:54:16.38\00:54:19.72
"You have to take
this away, all of it."
00:54:19.75\00:54:25.73
And that day, he
lifted all of it away from me.
00:54:25.76\00:54:30.40
It was all gone.
00:54:30.43\00:54:31.97
When God does
something in your life,
00:54:32.00\00:54:35.04
He does it complete.
00:54:35.07\00:54:37.21
¤¤¤
00:54:37.24\00:54:45.08
¤¤¤
00:54:45.55\00:54:51.52
¤¤¤
00:54:51.55\00:54:56.26
announcer: Amazing
Facts, Changed Lives.
00:55:01.50\00:55:04.60
male: I grew up here in New
York City, I guess dealing with
00:55:09.50\00:55:13.21
all the temptations that
you would have in a big city.
00:55:13.24\00:55:16.64
Everything that you could
imagine that you could run
00:55:16.68\00:55:18.98
into--drugs,
crime--was always here.
00:55:19.01\00:55:24.02
When I was at a young age, I
actually got into trouble with
00:55:24.05\00:55:26.99
the law, and my only out was to
join the military at the time,
00:55:27.02\00:55:31.99
in order to not do time.
00:55:32.03\00:55:34.03
So, I left New York and traveled
the world a little bit while I
00:55:34.10\00:55:38.03
was in the military.
00:55:38.07\00:55:40.20
Eventually, I came back.
00:55:40.24\00:55:42.40
Having grown up as a
hip-hop kid, I eventually found
00:55:42.44\00:55:45.27
myself working in the
music business, actually.
00:55:45.31\00:55:48.64
I worked at a
couple of major radio
00:55:48.68\00:55:50.58
stations, hip-hop, reggae.
00:55:50.61\00:55:51.91
I was in all the big
reggae shows working.
00:55:51.95\00:55:53.98
And no matter what I did
to try and satisfy myself,
00:55:54.02\00:55:57.25
nothing really worked.
00:55:57.29\00:56:00.29
I remember I used to play
at this one club in Manhattan,
00:56:00.32\00:56:03.76
used to play there
every Friday night.
00:56:03.79\00:56:06.16
So, I came home one Saturday
morning after leaving the club,
00:56:06.19\00:56:10.07
and I turned on a video
channel like I usually do.
00:56:10.10\00:56:13.47
So, it was this guy in
the video channel talking,
00:56:13.50\00:56:15.74
and he was definitely
out of place, but the things
00:56:15.77\00:56:18.24
that he was saying
just totally amazed me.
00:56:18.27\00:56:22.34
I had never heard
anyone speak about
00:56:22.38\00:56:24.55
the Bible like this before.
00:56:24.58\00:56:26.25
So, I started coming
early on Saturday mornings
00:56:26.28\00:56:29.02
just to catch this show.
00:56:29.05\00:56:30.82
I found the things that he
was saying absolutely amazing,
00:56:30.85\00:56:34.32
to the point where it literally
made me stop and start to think
00:56:34.36\00:56:39.46
about how I was living my life.
00:56:39.49\00:56:41.83
So, I found that all of these
things that I had been doing to
00:56:41.86\00:56:44.63
try and find happiness were
actually not making me happy at
00:56:44.67\00:56:48.27
all, but were really
just leaving me empty inside.
00:56:48.30\00:56:52.14
When I started reading the Bible
and it started to make sense,
00:56:52.17\00:56:55.38
I started to make changes.
00:56:55.41\00:56:57.58
I even tried to
keep the Sabbath,
00:56:57.61\00:57:00.15
which I failed at miserably.
00:57:00.18\00:57:02.52
So, I was actually invited
by Amazing Facts to go to see a
00:57:02.55\00:57:06.39
live series at one
of the local churches.
00:57:06.42\00:57:09.72
But after going the
first night, I ended up going
00:57:09.76\00:57:11.66
another night and another night.
00:57:11.69\00:57:14.03
I stayed for the entire series.
00:57:14.10\00:57:16.03
That was there I made
a decision that changed
00:57:16.06\00:57:17.97
the rest of my life forever.
00:57:18.00\00:57:19.93
I gave my life to
Christ, and everything
00:57:19.97\00:57:22.04
was different after that.
00:57:22.07\00:57:23.97
I made a decision to
give up the music business,
00:57:24.01\00:57:26.21
stop hanging out
at all of the clubs.
00:57:26.24\00:57:28.04
I made a decision
that was eternal for me
00:57:28.08\00:57:30.58
and for my family.
00:57:30.61\00:57:33.28
I started going to church.
00:57:33.31\00:57:36.32
I got a position in church where
I was actually in charge of the
00:57:36.35\00:57:39.72
Personal Ministries Department.
00:57:39.75\00:57:41.99
And the same Amazing Facts
studies that changed my life,
00:57:42.02\00:57:45.56
I actually got to
share them with people
00:57:45.59\00:57:47.93
and sit down with them
and tell them about Jesus.
00:57:47.96\00:57:51.73
¤¤¤
00:57:51.77\00:57:58.04
¤¤¤
00:58:00.44\00:58:10.42
¤¤¤
00:58:10.45\00:58:20.43
¤¤¤
00:58:20.46\00:58:25.23