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Shawn Brummund: Hello and
welcome to another edition of
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the Sabbath School Study Hour
right here in the Granite Bay
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Hilltop Seventh Day Adventist
Church in the greater Sacramento
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area of California.
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It is so nice to be able to have
those of you who are joining us
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live through the different,
various livestreams, as well as
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those who are joining us
here on this program through the
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different, various networks
and satellite television.
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It is always being able to get
together here on this particular
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Sabbath, as we look at today's
lesson study, which is lesson
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study number 10, "Jesus
Makes a Way Through the Veil."
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We're continuing to make
our way through this particular
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quarterly, which is entitled,
"The Message of Hebrews,"
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"The Message of Hebrews."
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So, if you have your quarterly,
you haven't gone through
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it--even if you
have--go ahead and grab that.
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Most importantly, make sure that
you grab your Bible, because
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this is going to be another deep
Bible study, as we look at one
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of my favorite
books, the book of Hebrews.
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And, also, I want to make sure
that you take advantage--or give
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you an opportunity to take
advantage of a free gift offer
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that we also have for you
here today, which is entitled,
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"A Divine Design."
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Now, that free offer is number
902, and you want to be able to
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share that free offer number
with the different agents that
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will answer the
phone for you, to be able
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to get that out to you.
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All you have to do
is dial 1-866-788-3966.
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Again, that's 1-866-788-3966,
and we'll be happy to get you a
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copy of this very deep
study on the very same subject.
00:02:06.25\00:02:09.49
And so, if you want to dig just
a little bit deeper than even
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our Sabbath School Study Hour,
learn a little bit more about
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this great sanctuary message,
then make sure you get a hold of
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this free gift offer.
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For those of you
who'd like a digital copy,
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we also offer that digitally.
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And all you need to do is text
the code, SH152, and you want to
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dial that to 40544, and
that will be available to you if
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you're in the United States
or the United States Territory.
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As you saw on the screen,
there's also a website that is
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available for anybody
internationally to be able to
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get on the Internet and get a
free digital download for that.
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So, please, I want to encourage
you, take advantage of that very
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important study.
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All right, friends, we're going
to invite our musicians out, as
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they share with us and
lead us in worship and in song.
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¤ I'm alone yet not alone. ¤
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¤ God's the light
that will guide me home. ¤
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¤ With His love
and tenderness, ¤
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¤ leading
through our wilderness. ¤
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¤ And wherever I may
roam, I'm alone yet not alone. ¤
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¤¤¤
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¤ I will not be bent in fear. ¤
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¤ He's the
refuge I know is near. ¤
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¤ In His
strength I find my own. ¤
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¤ By His
faithful mercies shown. ¤
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¤ That so
mighty is His shield. ¤
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¤ All His love
is now revealed. ¤
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¤ When my steps are lost
and desperate for a guide, ¤
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¤ I can feel His touch, a
soothing presence by my side. ¤
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¤ Alone yet not alone,
not forsaken when on my own. ¤
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¤ I can lean upon His arm
and be lifted up from harm. ¤
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¤ If I stumble or I fall,
I'm alone yet not alone. ¤
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¤ When my steps are lost
and desperate for a guide, ¤
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¤ I can feel His touch, ¤
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¤ a soothing presence
by my side, by my side. ¤
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¤ He has bound
me with His love. ¤
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¤ Watchful angels
look from above. ¤
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¤ Every evil can be brave,
for I know I will be saved. ¤
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¤ Never frightened on my own. ¤
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¤ I'm alone yet not alone. ¤
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¤ I'm alone ¤
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¤ yet not alone. ¤
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Luccas Rodor: We've been
studying the lesson that has to
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do with the book
of Revelation--sorry,
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with Hebrews, not Revelation.
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I like that it's Hebrews,
and it's kind of like Revelation
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because it says, "In
these last days," right?
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And so, that's where
the reference to Revelation
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came in right now.
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But this has been
such a beautiful lesson.
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The book of Hebrews, the letter
of Hebrews is really a sermon.
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Now, the book of
Hebrews is an exhortation.
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It was a sermon that was
preached, and then it was
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written down, and I love this
letter, because it is really a
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letter of
triumph, of victory, right?
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And I think I repeated
this a few times while teaching
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previous lessons.
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The letter of Hebrews is an
argument that Jesus is better,
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better than anything that we
could ever know, especially to
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those people that were
living in that first century,
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going through the ordeals
that they were going through,
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they needed to hear that.
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They needed to hear that what
they had in Jesus, what they
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received in Jesus was better.
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It was better than
what they had left behind.
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It was even better
than what they thought they
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had to look forward to.
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They had to look
above and beyond to what
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was going to happen.
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And so, studying this lesson,
this quarterly, and going
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through the book of Hebrews
has been such a blessing to me
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personally that I'm so
happy that we're studying it
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this quarter.
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Now, our memory verse today--and
we're going to be studying
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lesson number 10, as Pastor
Shawn already repeated, the
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title of the lesson is "Jesus
Opens the Way Through the Veil."
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Now this is a big one.
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And the chapter that
we're going to be studying
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mostly is chapter 9.
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It's a portion of chapter 9 and
a portion of chapter 10, and the
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memory verse this week is
Hebrews 9:24 that says, "For
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Christ has not entered the holy
places made with hands, which
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are copies of the true, but into
heaven itself, now to appear in
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the presence of God for us."
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Now, one thing that I--a
connection or a link that I
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thought very appropriate to this
week's lesson is that several
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times throughout His ministry,
Jesus foreshadowed His death.
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And multiple times with His
disciples, He speaks about what
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was going to happen
with Him, what He was going
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to be subjected to.
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He also spoke several
times about His resurrection,
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about what was going
to happen after that.
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He spoke about His return to
His Father, but it's almost as
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though the disciples, they
kind of ignored the good stuff,
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right, and they focused on that
one bad part--at least bad to
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them--which was the fact
that Jesus was going to die.
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Like, they focused just on that.
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Because we know that when it
happened, they all fled away.
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They weren't really
hopeful, they weren't happy,
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they weren't joyful.
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They really apparently forgot
about the rest that Jesus had
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said, and I think
that's a big lesson.
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We have to be careful with
the things that we listen to, to
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listen to the entire message.
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Sometimes we only get caught
up on one or another part of it.
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But with the
disciples, that's what happens.
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And in the gospel of
John, chapter 16, verse 6,
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that's what we find.
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Because Jesus says, in
the context of what's about to
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happen to Him, He says, "But now
I go away to Him who sent me."
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And so, we know that the
disciples, they get very sad,
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and they get distraught,
and, you know, they're depressed
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because of this news.
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But in the next verse it says
Jesus, in the context of their,
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you know, sadness and their
depression, Jesus, He comforts
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them by saying--and this happens
in verse 7, John 16, verse 7--He
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says, "Nevertheless,
I tell you the truth.
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It is to your
advantage that I go away."
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Now far removed from that scene,
we can ask ourselves today,
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"Well, what could be
good about Jesus leaving them?
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What could be better
than His physical presence
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with the disciples?"
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This seems like a bad
answer, a bad comfort that Jesus
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is giving them.
00:10:08.67\00:10:10.01
"Yeah, it's all right.
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I'm going to go
away, but don't worry."
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What could be better than
Jesus's physical presence?
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But the thing is that
Jesus, He offers an answer.
00:10:15.74\00:10:18.71
In the following verses,
He has an initial statement.
00:10:18.75\00:10:22.15
Part of the answer, part of the
solution to why the disciples
00:10:22.18\00:10:26.09
should look forward to this
event is given by Jesus here in
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verse 7, where He says, "If
I do not go away, the Helper
00:10:30.69\00:10:33.13
will not come to you.
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But if I depart, I
will send Him to you."
00:10:34.73\00:10:36.80
So, that is part of the reason.
00:10:36.83\00:10:40.64
In part, that was the reason why
they should rejoice, but it's
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not the whole reason.
00:10:45.51\00:10:47.01
That's just part of it.
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The other part, the other reason
for Jesus's ascension to heaven
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to be a good thing, to be a
vital thing, a vital offering,
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is found in the letter of
Hebrews, and that's what we're
00:10:58.89\00:11:01.62
going to be talking about today.
00:11:01.66\00:11:03.46
You see, friends, while the
atonement of Jesus on the cross
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is vital, is important, it's
complete, it's final, there was
00:11:06.16\00:11:10.80
yet the matter of the
application of the benefits of
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what He had done on the cross.
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So, Jesus dies.
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Then what?
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You know, one of the things
that sometimes we don't really
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comprehend is that
the cross had a purpose,
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a very important purpose.
00:11:26.21\00:11:27.52
You see, on the cross, or the
cross bought back God's rights,
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God's authority to save us.
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The cross offered
that, but there was something
00:11:34.36\00:11:38.59
that the sanctuary did.
00:11:38.63\00:11:40.53
Because while the cross bought
back the authority, the ability,
00:11:40.56\00:11:44.23
the possibility for us to be
saved as a race, as a people, as
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the humankind, the sanctuary and
everything that happens within
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the sanctuary has to do
with the individual, with me,
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with Jesus saving me.
00:11:58.81\00:12:01.12
And so, what happens in the book
of Hebrews is the explanation
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that Jesus's benefits through
the cross in the heavenly
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sanctuary are better,
are complete, are whole.
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They're perfect.
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And that's what
we're talking about today.
00:12:14.66\00:12:16.23
That's the subject
of this week's lesson.
00:12:16.26\00:12:18.93
Sunday's lesson has the title,
"Jesus Before the Father."
00:12:18.97\00:12:23.24
And here I'm just going to
repeat, so it's fresh in our
00:12:23.27\00:12:25.27
mind, I'm going to repeat
the memory verse, Hebrews 9:24.
00:12:25.31\00:12:28.48
It says, "For Christ has
not entered the holy places made
00:12:28.51\00:12:31.15
with hands, which are copies
of the true, but into heaven
00:12:31.18\00:12:36.95
itself, now to appear in
the presence of God for us."
00:12:36.99\00:12:41.92
Now, in the Old Testament, we
know that in the Old Testament
00:12:41.96\00:12:44.99
times there were five greater
feasts and two lesser, smaller
00:12:45.03\00:12:50.70
feasts, so seven in total,
and three of these were moments
00:12:50.73\00:12:54.77
where Israelites were invited to
come to the sanctuary, come to
00:12:54.80\00:12:58.57
the temple to give offerings.
00:12:58.61\00:13:01.88
It was an opportunity for them
to celebrate specific acts of
00:13:01.91\00:13:04.85
God, specific attributes of
God that revealed His character.
00:13:04.88\00:13:08.75
And these three feasts were
Passover, right, the Feast of
00:13:08.78\00:13:12.29
Passover, the Feast of Weeks,
also known as Pentecost, and the
00:13:12.32\00:13:16.49
Feast of Tabernacles,
which was also known
00:13:16.52\00:13:18.69
as the Feast of Booths.
00:13:18.73\00:13:20.33
And that offered the Israelites
an opportunity to come to
00:13:20.36\00:13:22.26
celebrate to God, to meet their
Lord, and to celebrate specific
00:13:22.30\00:13:27.20
attributes, specific
characteristics of His.
00:13:27.24\00:13:29.84
But these feasts, more than
being an end in themselves, they
00:13:29.87\00:13:34.54
represented something more.
00:13:34.58\00:13:37.18
They represented
something that was going to
00:13:37.21\00:13:38.51
happen in the future.
00:13:38.55\00:13:41.32
Jesus is the true antitype, the
truth fulfillment who, in every
00:13:41.35\00:13:47.09
way, fulfilled completely,
entirely, wholly, in every
00:13:47.12\00:13:51.03
aspect and detail, the
meaning of these feasts.
00:13:51.06\00:13:54.73
You see, what had happened to
the Jews, what had happened to
00:13:54.73\00:13:57.13
the Israelite nation
is that they had lost
00:13:57.17\00:13:58.90
the forest for the trees.
00:13:58.93\00:14:00.50
They had gotten to consumed into
the nuances of what they were
00:14:00.54\00:14:04.94
doing that they forgot why they
were doing what they were doing,
00:14:04.97\00:14:08.91
in regard to many things, but
also in regard to these feasts.
00:14:08.94\00:14:12.25
And again, this is something
that we need to pay attention
00:14:12.28\00:14:17.69
to, because it's very easy,
friends, nowadays, for us to
00:14:17.72\00:14:20.82
lose the forest for the trees,
for us to get so caught up in
00:14:20.86\00:14:23.76
the nuances of what we're doing
that we forget that there is
00:14:23.79\00:14:27.66
something beyond this.
00:14:27.66\00:14:28.96
We get so caught up in the
church of God that we forget the
00:14:29.00\00:14:31.43
God of the church.
00:14:31.47\00:14:33.30
And so, here, the text of
Hebrews, chapter 9, verse 24,
00:14:33.34\00:14:37.01
our memory verse, it describes
Jesus's ascension up to the
00:14:37.04\00:14:40.41
Father into the presence of the
Father, arriving in the heavenly
00:14:40.44\00:14:43.41
sanctuary, the true sanctuary,
having offered a superior
00:14:43.45\00:14:47.32
sacrifice.
00:14:47.35\00:14:48.85
Remember how I said that the
main theme of Hebrews is that
00:14:48.88\00:14:52.45
Jesus is better,
Jesus is superior.
00:14:52.49\00:14:54.59
And here in these two chapters,
we're finding that Jesus offers
00:14:54.62\00:14:58.26
a superior sacrifice than what
was offered previously and what
00:14:58.29\00:15:01.50
was given before.
00:15:01.53\00:15:03.77
Through this section of the
book, which is really Hebrews 9,
00:15:03.80\00:15:06.60
verse 11, to chapter 10,
verse 18, the reality of Jesus's
00:15:06.63\00:15:11.57
sacrifice appears in
contrast to the old system.
00:15:11.61\00:15:15.11
Everything that the old system,
that the old covenant could do
00:15:15.14\00:15:17.98
or could not do, they failed to
do, Jesus's blood finished and
00:15:18.01\00:15:24.65
sealed it for us.
00:15:24.69\00:15:27.09
Now, here's the thing.
00:15:27.12\00:15:28.42
I'm saying these things.
00:15:28.46\00:15:29.92
And either because we've been
hearing this all our lives, or
00:15:29.96\00:15:33.50
we kind of become used
to the lingo, right, to the
00:15:33.53\00:15:35.90
terminology, it doesn't strike
us as much, unfortunately.
00:15:35.93\00:15:42.50
I think it's also
because we're so far removed
00:15:42.54\00:15:44.21
from that time, right?
00:15:44.24\00:15:45.64
It's 2000 years later.
00:15:45.67\00:15:46.91
We're so far removed from the
culture, from the context, but
00:15:46.94\00:15:50.15
someone saying this to a
first centrally--century, not
00:15:50.18\00:15:52.51
centrally--a first century
Israelite, coming from Judaism,
00:15:52.55\00:15:58.99
this was a shock.
00:15:59.02\00:16:01.06
That Jesus' blood is
better, that there is now a new
00:16:01.09\00:16:05.59
covenant, that was a shock,
that was a huge thing for them.
00:16:05.63\00:16:10.30
But here that's what happens.
00:16:10.33\00:16:11.83
And the argument that he makes
is that there were basically two
00:16:11.87\00:16:15.64
weaknesses in the old
covenant, in the old system.
00:16:15.67\00:16:18.81
First of all, a limited access.
00:16:18.84\00:16:20.98
There was a barrier
between humans and God.
00:16:21.01\00:16:23.85
There was a limited access.
00:16:23.88\00:16:25.68
And number two, there was a
limited purification; because
00:16:25.71\00:16:28.95
while there was a limited
access, people couldn't really
00:16:28.98\00:16:32.35
come into the presence of God.
00:16:32.39\00:16:34.46
The most that they could do is
go up to the outer court of the
00:16:34.49\00:16:37.53
sanctuary.
00:16:37.56\00:16:38.86
The priest could go into the
inner part of the sanctuary but
00:16:38.89\00:16:41.76
not the holy of holies.
00:16:41.80\00:16:43.16
And even the high priest
could only go once a year.
00:16:43.20\00:16:46.53
So, you see that there
was limited access to God.
00:16:46.57\00:16:48.80
They couldn't really step in
boldly into the presence of God.
00:16:48.84\00:16:51.67
And secondly, the purification
they had to bring in several
00:16:51.71\00:16:54.91
times, again and
again, repeatedly.
00:16:54.94\00:16:57.01
They needed to bring
in the sacrifice of bulls
00:16:57.05\00:16:59.88
and goats and lambs.
00:16:59.91\00:17:01.72
And so, with Jesus,
that doesn't happen because
00:17:01.75\00:17:03.85
Jesus's sacrifice is final.
00:17:03.89\00:17:05.32
Once is more than enough.
00:17:05.35\00:17:06.99
So, these are the problems that
the author, he brings forth in
00:17:07.02\00:17:12.46
what the old system
represented: limited access,
00:17:12.49\00:17:16.13
limited purifications.
00:17:16.16\00:17:17.77
And these two deficiencies,
as I've just said, they were
00:17:17.80\00:17:20.54
rectified, they were removed
by the sacrifice of Jesus,
00:17:20.57\00:17:24.67
through His blood.
00:17:24.71\00:17:26.21
He entered into the
celestial sanctuary.
00:17:26.24\00:17:29.41
And so, the author of Hebrews,
he establishes a radical
00:17:29.44\00:17:32.88
contrast between what was
and what now is through Jesus, a
00:17:32.91\00:17:37.15
contrast between the
old sanctuary of the Mosaic
00:17:37.19\00:17:44.03
peregrination through
the desert, and now the new
00:17:44.06\00:17:46.66
sanctuary in heaven.
00:17:46.70\00:17:48.66
This is a beautiful thing.
00:17:51.10\00:17:53.44
Can you imagine this for the
first century Israelites, how
00:17:53.47\00:17:56.84
excited they were by listening
to this, by hearing the sermon?
00:17:56.87\00:18:00.04
This was being preached by an
excited evangelist, passionate,
00:18:00.08\00:18:03.35
telling them
that Jesus was better.
00:18:03.38\00:18:05.78
You see, friends, shielded by
His blood, we can now--and what
00:18:05.81\00:18:09.18
they were understanding is that
they could now--they didn't have
00:18:09.22\00:18:11.65
a limited access.
00:18:11.69\00:18:13.36
They didn't have
limited purification.
00:18:13.39\00:18:15.12
They could now come forth
boldly into the presence of God.
00:18:15.16\00:18:19.93
This holy boldness--and this is
also what he explains--doesn't
00:18:19.96\00:18:23.03
emanate from us.
00:18:23.06\00:18:24.87
It's not something that's coming
from us as a form of, you know,
00:18:24.90\00:18:27.67
of religious pride.
00:18:27.70\00:18:29.37
"Now, now we can come."
00:18:29.40\00:18:30.74
No, it doesn't come from us, and
that is what he's explaining.
00:18:30.77\00:18:33.54
Everything here
comes through Jesus.
00:18:33.58\00:18:38.18
And they derive especially
from two attributes, two
00:18:38.21\00:18:43.28
characteristics of Christ.
00:18:43.32\00:18:45.89
First, He understands us.
00:18:45.92\00:18:49.39
Jesus understands you.
00:18:49.42\00:18:52.09
He knows what it's like.
00:18:52.13\00:18:55.10
As our great High
Priest, He walked in our shoes.
00:18:55.13\00:18:59.77
He cried our tears.
00:18:59.80\00:19:02.54
He felt our pains.
00:19:02.57\00:19:03.94
He bled our blood, and He
died ultimately our death.
00:19:03.97\00:19:08.44
He understands.
00:19:08.48\00:19:11.38
He knows.
00:19:11.41\00:19:13.42
He understands our
tribulations, our temptations.
00:19:15.12\00:19:17.55
He knows what it's
like to be tempted.
00:19:17.59\00:19:20.42
And you know what that means?
00:19:20.46\00:19:22.16
That He knows
perfectly what we need.
00:19:22.19\00:19:25.69
He knows what we need.
00:19:25.73\00:19:27.76
That's the first one.
00:19:27.76\00:19:29.20
Secondly, His blood opens the
doors to a whole and a complete
00:19:29.23\00:19:34.90
purification from sin.
00:19:34.94\00:19:37.24
Friends, His blood opens
the doors of the sanctuary.
00:19:37.27\00:19:40.48
He keeps them wide open,
so that we may enter by faith.
00:19:40.51\00:19:45.01
So, He
understands, and He is enough.
00:19:45.05\00:19:48.12
You see, friends, the blood of
Christ, it doesn't provide mere
00:19:48.15\00:19:52.92
ceremonial purification in the
terms of the Old Testament, but
00:19:52.95\00:19:56.59
total, complete purification.
00:19:56.62\00:19:59.73
His offering frees us
from the bondage of sin.
00:19:59.76\00:20:02.06
And so while here in this world,
we still have to live in the
00:20:02.10\00:20:05.23
presence of sin, because it's
still all around us, we do not
00:20:05.27\00:20:08.14
have to live under
the bondage of sin.
00:20:08.17\00:20:11.61
That's what
Christ is offering here.
00:20:11.64\00:20:14.91
This is the purification of the
conscience that goes way beyond
00:20:14.94\00:20:19.15
what the Israelites knew as
ceremonial purification, because
00:20:19.18\00:20:23.35
their religion
was all about that.
00:20:23.39\00:20:25.02
It was all about cleaning
themselves all the time,
00:20:25.05\00:20:29.16
repeatedly, constantly.
00:20:29.19\00:20:31.63
I mean, when you read what--and
this really isn't what you find
00:20:31.66\00:20:35.30
in the Old Testament.
00:20:35.33\00:20:36.63
This is what you find in the
traditional oral, written law.
00:20:36.67\00:20:39.10
They were oral, and
then they were written down.
00:20:39.13\00:20:41.14
You have that in the Torah.
00:20:41.17\00:20:42.50
The Mishna and the Gemara,
you find what they had to do.
00:20:42.54\00:20:45.74
There were so many things that
had to be done, and that's where
00:20:45.77\00:20:49.14
I said that, you know, they
lost the forest for the trees.
00:20:49.18\00:20:52.41
And here is Jesus saying,
"No, I'm opening the door.
00:20:52.45\00:20:55.85
It's not a
purification that you do.
00:20:55.88\00:20:58.29
It's a
purification that I do for you."
00:20:58.32\00:21:01.66
Friends, the heavenly sanctuary
requires a better sacrifice than
00:21:01.69\00:21:05.86
that of animals, and that's
what we find here in chapter 9.
00:21:05.89\00:21:08.20
We're going to read it.
00:21:08.23\00:21:09.53
Verse 23, chapter 9, 23,
that says, "Therefore it was
00:21:09.56\00:21:12.23
necessary that the copies of the
things in the heavens should be
00:21:12.27\00:21:15.57
purified with these, but the
heavenly things themselves with
00:21:15.60\00:21:19.31
better sacrifices than
these," better sacrifices.
00:21:19.34\00:21:23.28
And after all, Jesus didn't
enter the heavenly sanctuary by
00:21:23.31\00:21:26.95
the authority of the blood
of goats, or lambs, or sheep, or
00:21:26.98\00:21:30.79
bulls, but with the
blood of His own sacrifice.
00:21:30.82\00:21:33.96
A few verses later, 9, verse 26
and 27, that says, "Not that He
00:21:33.99\00:21:38.49
should offer
Himself often," because
00:21:38.53\00:21:40.83
that's what they were used to.
00:21:40.86\00:21:42.06
They were used to often bringing
sacrifices, at least three times
00:21:42.10\00:21:46.13
a year in those three
feasts that I described
00:21:46.17\00:21:48.64
previously, at least.
00:21:48.67\00:21:50.74
So, that's what they
were used to continuously.
00:21:50.77\00:21:52.84
But here, "not that He should
offer Himself often," or several
00:21:52.87\00:21:56.28
times as the high priest enters
the most holy place every year
00:21:56.31\00:22:00.85
with the blood of another.
00:22:00.88\00:22:02.58
He then would have to suffer
often, since the foundation of
00:22:02.62\00:22:05.75
the world.
00:22:05.79\00:22:07.12
But now once at the end of the
ages He has appeared to put away
00:22:07.16\00:22:11.16
sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
00:22:11.19\00:22:13.40
Do you see the contrast?
00:22:13.43\00:22:15.83
Here he's saying, "Look, this is
what would have had to happen,
00:22:15.86\00:22:18.40
were Jesus a regular high
priest, were he just another
00:22:18.43\00:22:21.90
one.
00:22:21.94\00:22:23.71
But since He is who He
is, once is enough, that's it.
00:22:23.74\00:22:29.04
You don't have to
worry about this anymore."
00:22:29.08\00:22:31.45
No, friends, His
sacrifice was more than enough.
00:22:31.48\00:22:35.78
Verse 28, "Christ was offered
once to bear the sins of many.
00:22:35.82\00:22:40.39
To those who eagerly wait
for Him, He will appear a second
00:22:40.42\00:22:45.03
time, apart from
sin for salvation."
00:22:45.06\00:22:47.60
What is it saying?
Why apart from sin?
00:22:47.66\00:22:50.83
Because the first time Jesus
appeared, He appeared in the
00:22:50.87\00:22:53.00
context of sin.
00:22:53.03\00:22:54.44
Jesus, Jesus's incarnation was
in the context of our life, our
00:22:54.47\00:22:59.17
world, sinners all around Him.
00:22:59.21\00:23:01.21
But the second time, uh-uh.
00:23:01.24\00:23:04.68
The second time will be
perfect--not that the first one
00:23:04.71\00:23:07.78
wasn't perfect for the context
in which it was--but the second
00:23:07.82\00:23:10.75
one won't involve those
aspects of what happened.
00:23:10.79\00:23:14.02
This is why, friends, Jesus's
sacrifice brought all others to
00:23:14.06\00:23:17.69
an end.
00:23:17.73\00:23:19.03
That's why we don't go anywhere
today to sacrifice goats, and
00:23:19.06\00:23:21.73
bulls, and sheep, and lambs.
00:23:21.76\00:23:24.13
They were no longer necessary.
00:23:24.17\00:23:25.47
They are no longer necessary.
00:23:25.50\00:23:26.90
It was no longer
necessary for them to
00:23:26.94\00:23:30.04
look forward to anything.
00:23:30.07\00:23:31.41
You'll remember that in the Old
Testament times, people--what
00:23:31.44\00:23:34.44
did they live for?
00:23:34.48\00:23:35.78
What was their--Jesus's
second coming for us, right?
00:23:35.81\00:23:38.01
We have Jesus' second coming.
00:23:38.05\00:23:39.88
What was their advent?
00:23:39.91\00:23:41.72
It was that one day
the Messiah would come.
00:23:41.75\00:23:45.52
That's what they waited for.
00:23:45.55\00:23:46.96
That's what they spent
thousands of years waiting for.
00:23:46.99\00:23:50.73
But at this moment now,
that had been fulfilled.
00:23:50.76\00:23:54.60
That was done.
00:23:54.63\00:23:55.93
They didn't have to
look forward to that anymore.
00:23:55.96\00:23:58.70
It was complete in Christ, and
this is what the preacher here
00:23:58.73\00:24:02.50
is trying, with all his heart,
to bring forth, to explain.
00:24:02.54\00:24:06.88
The antidote had been provided.
00:24:06.91\00:24:09.08
The price had been paid.
00:24:09.11\00:24:11.61
And that segues into Monday,
Monday's lesson, because here we
00:24:11.65\00:24:14.62
have an invitation, but it's
not really an invitation on the
00:24:14.65\00:24:17.72
terms of what we really expect.
00:24:17.75\00:24:19.72
The main text here is Hebrews
chapter 12, verse 18 through 21,
00:24:19.75\00:24:24.79
and this is the description.
00:24:24.83\00:24:26.13
It's a reference to a
scene in the Old Testament,
00:24:26.16\00:24:29.33
and it's a curious scene.
00:24:29.36\00:24:31.53
Look at what it says.
00:24:31.57\00:24:32.97
Hebrews 12:18-21, it says,
"For you have not come to the
00:24:33.00\00:24:36.60
mountain that may be touched and
that burned with fire, and to
00:24:36.64\00:24:40.58
blackness, and darkness,
and tempest, and the sound of a
00:24:40.61\00:24:43.81
trumpet and the voice of words,
so that those who heard it
00:24:43.85\00:24:46.82
begged that the word should
not be spoken to them anymore.
00:24:46.85\00:24:50.89
For they could not
endure what was commanded.
00:24:50.92\00:24:54.12
And if so much as a beast
touched the mountain, it shall
00:24:54.16\00:24:57.53
be stoned or shot with an arrow.
00:24:57.56\00:24:59.96
And so terrifying was the
sight that Moses said, 'I am
00:25:00.06\00:25:04.27
exceedingly
afraid and trembling.'"
00:25:04.30\00:25:07.94
Friends, here we find
that God gives them an order.
00:25:07.97\00:25:10.41
All right?
00:25:10.44\00:25:11.74
This is when the
children of Israel,
00:25:11.77\00:25:13.07
they approach Mount Sinai.
00:25:13.11\00:25:14.51
This is in the context of
everything that is happening
00:25:14.54\00:25:16.81
there, God becoming their
legislator, and them accepting
00:25:16.85\00:25:20.62
that, and a moment of terror
falls upon them, and this is the
00:25:20.65\00:25:23.69
description that we just read.
00:25:23.72\00:25:25.32
And in God's order here
to them, we find three basic
00:25:25.35\00:25:29.16
characteristics that really,
they're the watermark of God's
00:25:29.19\00:25:33.83
character, of His personality.
00:25:33.86\00:25:35.13
We find these three
characteristics throughout all
00:25:35.16\00:25:37.47
of God's commandments.
00:25:37.50\00:25:38.83
And the three characteristics
are--the first one is it's
00:25:38.87\00:25:43.84
clear.
00:25:43.87\00:25:45.37
God's commandment to the
children of Israel here in this
00:25:45.41\00:25:48.08
scene, it was clear.
00:25:48.11\00:25:49.41
They knew what they had to do.
00:25:49.44\00:25:51.21
They understood it.
00:25:51.25\00:25:52.58
No one needed an extensive
theological training to
00:25:52.61\00:25:55.62
understand what
God was asking them.
00:25:55.65\00:25:57.62
No one needed to get
confused, doubtful, or obscure.
00:25:57.65\00:26:02.52
It was clear as day.
00:26:02.56\00:26:04.06
Don't touch the mountain.
00:26:04.09\00:26:06.23
Second, they were protective.
00:26:06.26\00:26:08.66
God was trying to protect them.
00:26:08.70\00:26:11.57
Everything that God asks or
demands, friends, everything
00:26:11.60\00:26:15.24
that He asks or
demands is for our protection.
00:26:15.27\00:26:17.61
You know, sometimes humans
have a hard time with that.
00:26:20.31\00:26:23.24
Because when you look at it, the
basic struggle between God and
00:26:23.28\00:26:26.41
us, between the Holy Spirit and
us is that God tells us this,
00:26:26.45\00:26:30.25
but we want to do this.
00:26:30.29\00:26:32.29
The classic Hebrew term
for sin--there are quite
00:26:34.09\00:26:38.23
a few of them.
00:26:38.26\00:26:39.56
There are at least
eight in the Old Testament.
00:26:39.59\00:26:41.26
But the classic one is
translated for rebellion.
00:26:41.30\00:26:46.37
And that's at the
foundation of sin.
00:26:46.40\00:26:48.60
When God says, "But I choose."
00:26:48.64\00:26:50.94
God knows, "But I think."
00:26:50.97\00:26:53.21
Can you relate to that?
00:26:53.24\00:26:55.24
The things that God forbids are
the things that would prevent us
00:26:57.31\00:27:00.75
from living the best
lives that we can live.
00:27:00.78\00:27:03.79
You see, God's commandments in
the Bible, they're not meant to
00:27:03.82\00:27:06.72
bore your life.
00:27:06.76\00:27:08.32
They're meant to protect your
life, to give you quality of
00:27:08.36\00:27:11.66
life.
00:27:11.69\00:27:13.06
And that's a great
misunderstanding, also, that
00:27:13.09\00:27:14.66
people have sometimes
about the biblical God.
00:27:14.73\00:27:16.90
He doesn't want
to bore your life.
00:27:16.93\00:27:18.80
I promise you, once you live
within his will, you will live
00:27:18.83\00:27:22.90
life in abundance.
00:27:22.94\00:27:25.41
Life will be full.
00:27:25.44\00:27:27.44
So, first of all,
God's words are clear.
00:27:29.64\00:27:33.82
Secondly, they are protective.
00:27:33.85\00:27:36.25
And finally, they are immutable.
00:27:36.28\00:27:39.89
And what this means is that we
are the ones that when we keep
00:27:39.92\00:27:43.09
them, we are, by His grace,
transformed and adjust our lives
00:27:43.12\00:27:50.53
to what He's commanded.
00:27:50.57\00:27:53.30
It's human arrogance that
sometimes wants to get what God
00:27:53.34\00:27:55.77
says and then fit it
into what they prefer.
00:27:55.80\00:27:59.24
Have you ever heard
anyone--maybe this is something
00:27:59.27\00:28:02.11
that you said yourself in
your exodus through this life.
00:28:02.14\00:28:05.38
You know, "I haven't
found the right church yet.
00:28:05.41\00:28:07.68
I haven't found the
church that fits me."
00:28:07.72\00:28:09.32
Have you ever
heard anyone say that?
00:28:09.35\00:28:11.45
"I haven't found the
church that fits me."
00:28:11.49\00:28:12.79
What does that mean?
00:28:12.82\00:28:15.52
Most of the times, it means that
people are trying to find God's
00:28:15.56\00:28:19.79
words as they prefer
it, and that's dangerous.
00:28:19.83\00:28:24.17
Because at that point, you're
making a god unto yourself.
00:28:24.20\00:28:27.70
Your preference, your
comfort is what is god to you.
00:28:27.74\00:28:32.47
You see, friends, we're not
called to take the Bible and fix
00:28:32.51\00:28:36.44
it, mold it, box
it in to what we are.
00:28:36.48\00:28:39.55
It's the other way around.
00:28:39.58\00:28:41.28
I take truth, and I
adjust myself to that truth.
00:28:41.32\00:28:44.99
That's easier said than done,
I understand, I acknowledge, but
00:28:47.16\00:28:51.19
that's what the path
of sanctification is for.
00:28:51.23\00:28:53.76
It's where, by God's grace,
our rough edges are chipped out,
00:28:53.80\00:28:56.80
filed out, and we fit
His mold, the mold of Christ.
00:28:56.83\00:29:02.54
It's human arrogance that
seeks out alternatives to His
00:29:02.57\00:29:04.97
directions.
00:29:05.01\00:29:06.71
Just like Naaman, we have the
freedom of not accepting God's
00:29:06.74\00:29:10.15
recommendations, but the result
of that is that if we do that,
00:29:10.18\00:29:14.58
we will remain lepers.
00:29:14.62\00:29:16.92
We will remain lepers.
00:29:16.95\00:29:19.02
Now, this text that we just
read, it falls under this last
00:29:19.05\00:29:22.02
category.
00:29:22.06\00:29:23.36
God, through Moses, provided
necessary instructions to
00:29:23.39\00:29:26.63
prepare the people to meet Him.
00:29:26.66\00:29:28.26
They needed to
consecrate their conscience.
00:29:28.30\00:29:31.17
They needed to
consecrate themselves first.
00:29:31.20\00:29:33.97
And disobedience to this
it was very severe for them.
00:29:34.00\00:29:36.44
It meant death.
00:29:36.47\00:29:37.77
Now, you might say,
"Well, wow, God is being severe
00:29:37.81\00:29:39.97
here with them."
00:29:40.01\00:29:41.31
Disobedience meant death.
00:29:41.34\00:29:42.64
Friends, we have to understand
who these people were.
00:29:42.68\00:29:44.55
These were a nation of people
that for the past 200 years had
00:29:44.58\00:29:48.25
been treated as slaves, and for
the past 400 years had been in
00:29:48.28\00:29:51.45
the context of Egypt.
00:29:51.49\00:29:53.49
And the sad truth about humans
is that when you treat someone a
00:29:54.66\00:29:58.73
certain way for a
long time, they will start
00:29:58.76\00:30:01.60
acting like that.
00:30:01.63\00:30:03.13
And these people had
been treated as slaves.
00:30:03.16\00:30:06.50
And in their
mind, they were slaves.
00:30:06.53\00:30:09.77
And so, God bringing them out
and trying to make a nation out
00:30:09.80\00:30:12.51
of them, of course,
He had to be strict.
00:30:12.54\00:30:15.71
He had to be straight with them.
00:30:15.74\00:30:17.88
That's how you discipline young
children--not with death, of
00:30:17.91\00:30:23.49
course--but you discipline them
with, "Because mom said so,"
00:30:23.52\00:30:27.62
"because dad said so."
00:30:27.66\00:30:29.62
You don't really explain
that much to a two-year-old.
00:30:29.66\00:30:33.13
But as they
grow, you progressively
00:30:33.16\00:30:35.26
broaden their discipline.
00:30:35.30\00:30:38.30
Isn't that true?
00:30:38.33\00:30:39.57
You're not going to discipline
a two- or three-year-old as a
00:30:39.60\00:30:41.20
ten-year-old, and you're
not going to discipline a
00:30:41.24\00:30:42.77
ten-year-old as
a twenty-year-old.
00:30:42.80\00:30:44.17
It doesn't work that way.
00:30:44.21\00:30:45.64
And so God did with the children
of Israel, and you'll see a
00:30:45.67\00:30:47.71
progressive shift
throughout the Bible
00:30:47.74\00:30:49.91
of how God dealt with them.
00:30:49.94\00:30:52.95
But at this moment, at this
moment, disobedience was met
00:30:52.98\00:30:56.99
with a severe punishment.
00:30:57.02\00:30:59.12
The divine instruction in Exodus
19:13 was, "When the trumpet
00:30:59.15\00:31:02.82
sounds long, they shall
come near the mountain."
00:31:02.86\00:31:05.56
And as the lesson puts
it, He wanted them to have the
00:31:05.59\00:31:08.60
experience Moses and the leaders
of the people would have when
00:31:08.63\00:31:12.17
they ascended the mountain
and beheld God and ate and drank
00:31:12.20\00:31:14.54
with Him in His presence.
00:31:14.57\00:31:15.94
The people later recognized that
they had seen God's glory and
00:31:15.97\00:31:19.84
that it was possible for God to
speak with man and still live.
00:31:19.87\00:31:23.38
Now, what did God
intend with this request?
00:31:23.41\00:31:26.58
To teach the importance
of obedience, perhaps, the
00:31:26.61\00:31:29.25
importance of sanctity?
00:31:29.28\00:31:31.15
What we see here is that
while God guided Israel towards
00:31:31.19\00:31:35.46
Himself, they grew afraid.
00:31:35.49\00:31:38.06
They were terrified of Him.
00:31:38.09\00:31:40.26
The description given
here in Hebrews of these events
00:31:40.30\00:31:43.47
describes a lack of faith.
00:31:43.50\00:31:44.83
Why were they afraid of God?
00:31:44.87\00:31:48.97
Because they lacked faith--an
apostasy of the people with the
00:31:49.00\00:31:53.38
golden calf and how they feared
meeting God because of their
00:31:53.41\00:31:56.31
sin.
00:31:56.34\00:31:57.78
So, the question, "Why were they
afraid of encountering God?"
00:31:57.81\00:32:01.35
Friends, it's because they
didn't love Him, not the way
00:32:01.38\00:32:04.02
they should have.
00:32:04.05\00:32:05.35
Because 1 John chapter 4, verse
18, said, "There is no fear in
00:32:05.39\00:32:08.72
love, but perfect love casts
out fear because fear involves
00:32:08.76\00:32:12.99
torment.
00:32:13.03\00:32:14.30
But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love."
00:32:14.36\00:32:19.43
Now, this text is not talking
about fear in the sense of
00:32:19.47\00:32:21.77
respect, of honoring God.
00:32:21.80\00:32:24.27
Right?
00:32:24.31\00:32:25.54
We know through multiple verses
that the fear of the Lord is the
00:32:25.57\00:32:27.71
beginning of
wisdom and such verses.
00:32:27.74\00:32:30.25
The fear that is being mentioned
here is the fear of being
00:32:30.28\00:32:32.65
afraid, of being terrified.
00:32:32.68\00:32:34.82
We're not called to
be terrified of God.
00:32:34.85\00:32:38.52
We're call to respect Him, to
honor Him, not to be terrified
00:32:38.55\00:32:41.29
of Him.
00:32:41.32\00:32:42.56
The segue here into Tuesday's
lesson is perfect because the
00:32:42.59\00:32:46.80
Greek term here that we find in
Tuesday's lesson, the Greek term
00:32:46.83\00:32:51.07
used here in these chapters for
the word "veil," is the Greek
00:32:51.10\00:32:54.47
word katapetasma.
00:32:54.50\00:32:56.14
And you'll find this in the
lesson, and this could really
00:32:56.17\00:32:58.27
refer to a few different things,
a few different meanings.
00:32:58.31\00:33:01.94
It could refer to, for example,
the screen of the court.
00:33:01.98\00:33:05.01
It could refer to the screen at
the entrance of the outer part
00:33:05.05\00:33:08.02
of the sanctuary, and it could
also refer to the veil that
00:33:08.05\00:33:12.25
separated the holy
from the most holy place.
00:33:12.29\00:33:14.79
In Leviticus chapter 16, verse
1 and verse 2, after the divine
00:33:14.82\00:33:19.06
punishment given due to their
irreverence and disdain--and
00:33:19.09\00:33:22.93
this is talking
about Aaron's sons.
00:33:22.96\00:33:24.70
Remember that moment where
Aaron's sons, they bring in this
00:33:24.73\00:33:27.00
foreign fire?
00:33:27.04\00:33:28.34
And then they're destroyed by
God's holiness, by God's glory.
00:33:28.37\00:33:33.44
And at this point, Aaron is
warned not to go in casually
00:33:33.48\00:33:37.65
beyond the veil.
00:33:37.68\00:33:39.38
Right? Just once every year.
00:33:39.41\00:33:42.85
Now, friends, in an era of
widespread cynicism and disdain
00:33:42.88\00:33:47.59
for what is sacred and for what
is holy, God's divine actions
00:33:47.62\00:33:51.96
and protections of what is holy
and His righteous punishment to
00:33:51.99\00:33:56.90
mockery and disdain, to what He
considers to be holy, that may
00:33:56.93\00:34:01.17
be misunderstood, right?
00:34:01.20\00:34:04.41
Our world today is infested
with cynicism, with mockery.
00:34:04.44\00:34:13.88
Wherever you go--we live
in the age of entertainment.
00:34:13.92\00:34:16.69
And the thing about modern
entertainment is that it's
00:34:16.72\00:34:18.92
completely irreverent.
00:34:18.95\00:34:20.96
But if fallen humans were
simply given a free reign to
00:34:24.73\00:34:27.66
disconsider what is pure, what
is holy, very little would be
00:34:27.66\00:34:31.53
left of true biblical religion.
00:34:31.57\00:34:35.24
Consider the examples in
the Bible of when God deals with
00:34:35.27\00:34:38.44
mockery, with disdain and
scorn for what He holds sacred.
00:34:38.47\00:34:42.44
In the book of Galatians, the
apostle declares in Galatians 6
00:34:42.48\00:34:45.48
or 7, he says,
"Do not be deceived.
00:34:45.51\00:34:47.58
God is not mocked.
00:34:47.62\00:34:48.92
For whatever a man
sows, that he will also reap."
00:34:48.95\00:34:52.79
Sometimes it might seem that
people get away with whatever.
00:34:52.82\00:34:55.56
But the reality is that sooner
or later, a reckoning comes to
00:34:57.66\00:35:00.96
everyone.
00:35:00.96\00:35:02.26
And you know what?
Praise God for that.
00:35:02.30\00:35:04.33
Imagine if it didn't.
00:35:04.37\00:35:06.87
Praise God for His judgment.
00:35:06.90\00:35:09.57
God's judgment comforts me.
00:35:09.60\00:35:13.24
There is someone to
be held accountable to.
00:35:13.27\00:35:15.38
Praise God for that.
00:35:17.55\00:35:19.65
Friends, the very geography of
the sanctuary, its location in
00:35:19.68\00:35:22.92
relation to the tribes
indicated its centrality.
00:35:22.95\00:35:26.69
As the lesson says, Jesus, as
our High Priest, has also been
00:35:26.72\00:35:31.09
our veil.
00:35:31.13\00:35:32.43
Through His incarnation, God
pitched His tent into our midst
00:35:32.46\00:35:35.46
and made it possible for us
to contemplate His glory, and
00:35:35.50\00:35:38.30
that's found in John
chapter 1, 14 through 18.
00:35:38.33\00:35:41.00
He made is possible for a holy
God to live in the midst of an
00:35:41.04\00:35:44.91
imperfect people.
00:35:44.94\00:35:47.61
And that reveals the beginning
of Wednesday's lesson, which is
00:35:47.64\00:35:51.38
the new and living
way through the veil.
00:35:51.41\00:35:53.42
Friends, I don't know if you
ever--maybe this is something
00:35:53.45\00:35:57.45
that you've said yourself.
00:35:57.49\00:35:58.79
I know that I have said
this on multiple occasions.
00:35:58.82\00:36:00.49
Sometimes I have said, as a
child, "I wish I were one of the
00:36:00.52\00:36:04.09
Old Testament Israelites that
witnessed all the patriarchs,
00:36:04.13\00:36:08.10
the prophets, the miracles, you
know, the cloud of fire by day,
00:36:08.13\00:36:11.87
and the cloud by day
and the fire by night."
00:36:11.90\00:36:14.54
And have you ever said that?
Have you ever wondered that?
00:36:14.57\00:36:16.44
That's something that I've said
many times, and I've read it
00:36:16.47\00:36:20.11
many times in different books.
00:36:20.14\00:36:22.18
And sometimes they seem so
privileged, you know, that they
00:36:22.21\00:36:25.61
lived in those times.
00:36:25.65\00:36:26.98
Well, you know, you have to
ask yourself, were they really?
00:36:27.02\00:36:31.32
Was it really so?
00:36:31.35\00:36:33.72
I mean, we frequently hear this,
but what about when we actually
00:36:33.76\00:36:36.83
get into what this means?
00:36:36.86\00:36:38.96
Because this isn't the
perspective of the book of
00:36:38.99\00:36:40.96
Hebrews.
00:36:41.00\00:36:42.40
In the book of
Hebrews, that's not so.
00:36:42.43\00:36:44.10
Actually, contrary to this idea,
the author sees the God of the
00:36:44.13\00:36:47.90
Old Testament
separated by numerous barriers.
00:36:47.94\00:36:51.91
And he's right.
00:36:51.94\00:36:53.51
They were separated from
their God because of sin.
00:36:53.54\00:36:56.88
It wasn't as easy to approach
God as we have it today.
00:36:56.91\00:37:00.32
The people living in the Old
Testament times, they couldn't
00:37:00.35\00:37:04.85
just come out boldly into
the presence of God as we are
00:37:04.89\00:37:08.22
invited to.
00:37:08.26\00:37:09.56
So, the question, you know,
the assertion that they had it
00:37:09.59\00:37:14.03
better--really?
00:37:14.10\00:37:16.06
Not really, not in my opinion
and especially not in the
00:37:16.10\00:37:19.57
opinion of the author
of the book of Hebrews.
00:37:19.60\00:37:22.07
Because his argument is that
we have it better because we can
00:37:22.10\00:37:26.34
boldly enter into His presence.
00:37:26.37\00:37:29.31
And the contrast that He makes
here is to emphasize, is to
00:37:29.34\00:37:32.81
emphasize exactly the contrast
between the Old Covenant and the
00:37:32.85\00:37:36.45
New Covenant, what they had
before and what they now had
00:37:36.48\00:37:39.62
in Jesus Christ.
00:37:39.65\00:37:41.06
For example, in the Old
Covenant, the people could only
00:37:41.09\00:37:43.86
come up--and I've said this
before today--they could only
00:37:43.89\00:37:46.19
come up to the
gates of the sanctuary.
00:37:46.23\00:37:48.33
Only the priests could enter the
tent of the congregation, and
00:37:48.36\00:37:51.23
only the High Priest could go
into the holy of holies once a
00:37:51.27\00:37:54.74
year and with
several safeguards.
00:37:54.77\00:37:58.44
The experience of the Sinai
was a scene of terror, friends.
00:37:58.47\00:38:02.48
This is terrifying, what we just
read, his description of that
00:38:02.51\00:38:05.38
encounter on Sinai.
00:38:05.41\00:38:06.82
Observe the very descriptive
narrative of Hebrews, you know.
00:38:06.85\00:38:12.19
"For you have not come to the
mountain that may be touched--"
00:38:12.22\00:38:14.62
This is Hebrews 12:18-21.
00:38:14.66\00:38:16.02
We already read it.
00:38:16.06\00:38:17.49
"--that may be touched and
that burned with fire into the
00:38:17.53\00:38:20.03
blackness, and darkness, and
tempest, and the sounding of the
00:38:20.06\00:38:22.73
trumpet, and the voice of words,
so that those who heard it
00:38:22.76\00:38:26.17
begged that the word
should not be spoken anymore."
00:38:26.20\00:38:27.97
They begged that the word
should not be spoken anymore.
00:38:28.00\00:38:30.74
"For they could not
endure what was commanded.
00:38:30.77\00:38:32.51
And if so, much as a beast
touches the mountain, it shall
00:38:32.54\00:38:35.68
be stoned or
shot with an arrow."
00:38:35.71\00:38:37.45
And so terrifying it was
that Moses himself said, "I am
00:38:37.48\00:38:41.22
exceedingly
afraid and trembling."
00:38:41.25\00:38:43.32
Now, again, the reason why the
author describes it this way is
00:38:43.35\00:38:46.72
to create a contrast
between what was and what now
00:38:46.76\00:38:49.46
is in Christ.
00:38:49.49\00:38:50.99
You see, friends, Christians are
invited to boldly, by the blood
00:38:51.03\00:38:54.96
of the Lamb, to enter into
the sanctuary, into the very
00:38:55.00\00:38:57.93
presence of Christ
without fear or trembling.
00:38:57.97\00:39:02.34
We're called to draw near in
absolute certainty, not like at
00:39:02.37\00:39:06.17
the Sinai in the desert,
but into the heavenly Sinai.
00:39:06.21\00:39:11.15
As verse 22 and 23 puts it of
chapter 12, "But you have come
00:39:11.18\00:39:14.82
to Mount Zion and to the city
of the living God, the heavenly
00:39:14.85\00:39:18.22
Jerusalem, to an
innumerable company of angels
00:39:18.25\00:39:21.52
to the general assembly."
00:39:21.56\00:39:23.02
Friends, in Jesus, all
the barriers are broken.
00:39:23.06\00:39:25.89
His blood introduces us
to the very presence of God.
00:39:25.93\00:39:30.27
Hebrews chapter 9, verse 9 and
10 tells us that the sacrifices
00:39:30.30\00:39:33.44
of the Old Covenant could not
perfectly--or could not perfect
00:39:33.47\00:39:35.44
the conscience of the worshiper.
00:39:35.47\00:39:39.81
They were merely temporary
symbols and signs, fleshly
00:39:39.84\00:39:43.01
ordinances.
00:39:43.04\00:39:44.55
But Hebrews 9:13 states a vital
reality, that the blood of bulls
00:39:44.58\00:39:49.15
and goats sanctified for the
purifying of the flesh, but only
00:39:49.18\00:39:52.92
the blood of Christ was capable
of purifying the conscience from
00:39:52.95\00:39:57.13
the dead works.
00:39:57.16\00:39:59.16
Hebrews 10:1-2 argues
that because the Old Testament
00:40:00.16\00:40:03.47
sacrifices needed to be
repeated, it was clear that they
00:40:03.50\00:40:06.77
were not permanent.
00:40:06.80\00:40:08.17
They couldn't permanent, and
they were certainly not enough
00:40:08.20\00:40:11.71
to purify the conscience.
00:40:11.74\00:40:13.51
But then Hebrews chapter
10, verse 22, it adds to this by
00:40:13.54\00:40:17.95
saying, "Let us draw near with a
true heart, in full assurance of
00:40:17.98\00:40:22.02
faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil
00:40:22.05\00:40:26.05
conscience and our
bodies washed with pure water.
00:40:26.09\00:40:29.06
You see, those under the
New Covenant come to the very
00:40:29.09\00:40:31.96
presence of God with a
true heart, in full assurance of
00:40:31.99\00:40:36.26
faith, having
our hearts sprinkled
00:40:36.30\00:40:38.93
from an evil conscience.
00:40:38.97\00:40:40.27
Friends, that is what
is guaranteed in Jesus.
00:40:40.30\00:40:43.27
That is what is
assured in Jesus.
00:40:43.30\00:40:45.61
In Him, our contaminated
conscience--and you know what
00:40:45.64\00:40:48.91
I'm talking about.
00:40:48.94\00:40:51.55
This contaminated conscience,
stained by the guilt of sin, can
00:40:51.58\00:40:55.62
be perfected, can be
cleansed, and can be purified.
00:40:55.65\00:40:58.95
The lesson says that it is
Jesus who intercedes for us.
00:41:00.96\00:41:03.93
And through His sacrifice
and faithfulness, He claims
00:41:03.96\00:41:07.36
salvation for us.
00:41:07.40\00:41:10.90
Friends, with this kind
of intercessor, there is no
00:41:10.93\00:41:16.00
hopeless cause.
00:41:16.04\00:41:18.11
There is no hopeless case.
00:41:18.14\00:41:20.74
You cannot say that your case is
hopeless, that you've gone too
00:41:20.78\00:41:23.61
far.
00:41:23.65\00:41:24.98
That is kind of blasphemous
because there is no way that you
00:41:25.01\00:41:30.29
are a better sinner
than Jesus is a Savior.
00:41:30.32\00:41:33.36
Finally, Thursday's lesson.
00:41:36.69\00:41:39.26
The main point of Thursday's
lesson--and here we have a few
00:41:39.29\00:41:41.90
minutes left.
00:41:41.93\00:41:43.23
The main point of Thursday's
lesson is found in chapter 12,
00:41:43.26\00:41:45.20
verse 22 through 24.
00:41:45.23\00:41:46.53
And we read this previously.
00:41:46.57\00:41:48.87
And once again, here,
this author, for the sake of a
00:41:48.90\00:41:51.71
contrast, he argues that
the believers in Christ come, or
00:41:51.74\00:41:56.51
they have come to Mount Zion, to
the celestial Jerusalem, through
00:41:56.54\00:42:01.02
faith.
00:42:01.05\00:42:02.35
And what that means is that
their experience anticipates the
00:42:02.38\00:42:05.92
future.
00:42:05.95\00:42:07.52
Please
understand what I'm saying.
00:42:07.56\00:42:09.32
Those who believe in
the sacrifice of Jesus--our
00:42:09.36\00:42:11.86
experience can
anticipate the very future.
00:42:11.89\00:42:15.70
So, Jerusalem truly isn't, here
in this context, it's not that
00:42:15.73\00:42:20.10
old Israelite dream city, but
the heavenly city that pertains
00:42:20.14\00:42:25.81
to the realm of things hoped
for, evidence of things not
00:42:25.84\00:42:29.31
seen, assured by
Him who does not lie.
00:42:29.34\00:42:34.02
By faith in Christ, future
promises, friends, invade our
00:42:34.05\00:42:37.92
lives retrospectively.
00:42:37.95\00:42:39.82
And they are already ours today.
00:42:39.85\00:42:43.69
This is how we come to Mount
Zion, boldly into the presence
00:42:43.73\00:42:46.96
of God through our great
representative, Jesus Christ.
00:42:47.00\00:42:50.70
It's not by chance that in
Ephesians Paul tells us that
00:42:52.93\00:42:55.67
through Christ we
already sit in heavenly places.
00:42:55.70\00:42:58.94
Do you understand this?
00:42:58.97\00:43:02.51
This is incredible.
00:43:02.54\00:43:04.58
Ephesians 2:4-7, "But God, who
is rich in mercy, because of His
00:43:04.61\00:43:08.48
great love with which He loved
us, even when we were dead in
00:43:08.52\00:43:12.32
our trespasses, He made us
alive together with Christ.
00:43:12.35\00:43:15.69
By grace you have been saved and
raised us up together and made
00:43:15.72\00:43:19.76
us sit together in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus, that in
00:43:19.79\00:43:23.50
the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His
00:43:23.53\00:43:26.80
grace and His kindness
towards us in Christ Jesus."
00:43:26.84\00:43:29.47
Friends, at this point, the
ascension of Jesus isn't really
00:43:29.50\00:43:32.51
a matter of faith anymore.
00:43:32.54\00:43:33.84
It's a matter of fact.
00:43:33.88\00:43:35.84
The recipients of Hebrews,
they're told here, they're
00:43:35.88\00:43:39.05
exhorted to hold on to
the confession of their faith.
00:43:39.08\00:43:42.68
You see, in Christ, God
resurrected us with Him because
00:43:42.72\00:43:47.79
we are dead.
00:43:47.82\00:43:49.42
If you look at this world
today, people are half alive--or
00:43:49.46\00:43:54.36
better, they're half dead.
00:43:54.40\00:43:56.40
The world is dead, friends.
00:43:59.83\00:44:02.37
People are empty, are
lost, are sad, are terrified.
00:44:02.40\00:44:08.74
And you see this.
The world is breaking.
00:44:08.78\00:44:12.45
The world is throwing up
its demons, letting us know that
00:44:12.48\00:44:17.39
it's broken.
00:44:17.42\00:44:21.56
But here we have a promise that
in Christ we can be resurrected.
00:44:21.59\00:44:26.33
We can be made new.
00:44:26.36\00:44:28.30
You see, with Him, we already
trail the paths of paradise.
00:44:28.33\00:44:34.07
Colossians 3, verse
1, argues the same point.
00:44:34.10\00:44:36.50
It says, "If you were raised
with Christ, seek those things
00:44:36.54\00:44:40.08
which are from above, where
Christ is, sitting at the right
00:44:40.11\00:44:43.41
hand of God."
00:44:43.45\00:44:44.75
You see, friends, in Christ,
we were resurrected, and we have
00:44:44.78\00:44:47.35
been introduced into
the very presence of God.
00:44:47.38\00:44:49.98
Together with Jesus, we breathe
the air of a new world, a new
00:44:50.02\00:44:54.66
existence.
00:44:54.69\00:44:56.02
The excitement of the book of
Hebrews, friends, it's palpable.
00:44:56.06\00:44:59.46
I can imagine this author
enraptured by what he's trying
00:44:59.49\00:45:04.07
his best to preach.
00:45:04.10\00:45:06.10
I can feel it, and I'm not him.
00:45:08.37\00:45:10.67
To Him, we can
finally sing glory hallelujah.
00:45:12.97\00:45:16.68
The eternal realties already
belong to us, through Jesus.
00:45:16.71\00:45:21.02
Just look at Hebrews 6:19.
00:45:21.05\00:45:23.08
"This hope we have is an anchor
of the soul, both sure and
00:45:23.12\00:45:27.26
steadfast, and which enters the
presence behind the veil, where
00:45:27.29\00:45:31.16
the forerunner has entered for
us, even Jesus, having become
00:45:31.19\00:45:34.66
High Priest forever, according
to the order of Melchizedek."
00:45:34.73\00:45:37.63
And this way, friends, the
entire letter of Hebrews is an
00:45:37.67\00:45:40.87
extraordinary hymn of victory.
00:45:40.90\00:45:43.47
In Christ,
everything is guaranteed.
00:45:43.51\00:45:46.74
It's the typology
of the first two feasts
00:45:46.78\00:45:49.24
of the yearly peregrination.
00:45:49.28\00:45:50.71
Passover and
Pentecost were fulfilled.
00:45:50.75\00:45:53.55
Then according to
Hebrews' answer of the book of
00:45:53.58\00:45:55.48
Revelation, the third feast this
final peregrination, the Feast
00:45:55.52\00:45:59.45
of Tabernacles, will
also completely be fulfilled.
00:45:59.49\00:46:03.49
That is guaranteed.
00:46:03.53\00:46:05.03
You can take it to the bank.
00:46:05.06\00:46:07.03
We will celebrate with Jesus
when we finally meet Him in that
00:46:09.16\00:46:13.13
city, the final, permanent
habitation of the saints, where
00:46:13.17\00:46:18.04
we will be reunited with the
eight--with the saints of all
00:46:18.07\00:46:20.51
ages in the glorious
feast of the centuries.
00:46:20.54\00:46:25.65
And as promised, we will see
His face without any obstacle,
00:46:25.68\00:46:29.78
without any veil.
00:46:29.82\00:46:31.12
Friends, the ascension of
Jesus guarantees our victory.
00:46:31.15\00:46:34.56
I've said this before.
I'll say it a million times.
00:46:37.03\00:46:39.03
You don't leave your house every
morning to win, to gain victory.
00:46:39.06\00:46:43.87
Do you know why?
00:46:43.90\00:46:45.43
Because Jesus already
guaranteed it for you.
00:46:45.47\00:46:48.20
You just need to accept it.
00:46:48.24\00:46:50.57
Revelation 22, verse 3 through
5, "And there shall be no more
00:46:50.61\00:46:53.94
curse.
00:46:53.98\00:46:55.31
But the throne of God and of
the Lamb shall be in it, and His
00:46:55.34\00:46:57.78
servants shall serve Him.
00:46:57.81\00:46:59.25
They shall see His
face, and His name shall be
00:46:59.28\00:47:01.65
on their foreheads.
00:47:01.68\00:47:03.02
There shall be
no more night there.
00:47:03.05\00:47:05.52
They need no lamp nor light
of the sun, for the Lord God
00:47:05.55\00:47:09.39
gives them the light.
00:47:09.42\00:47:10.73
And they shall reign
forever and forever."
00:47:10.76\00:47:13.96
Friends, as is argued in
the book of Hebrews, to the
00:47:14.00\00:47:16.50
primitive members of the church
of the first century that have
00:47:16.53\00:47:20.50
left the imperfections of
the old system, and that had
00:47:20.54\00:47:23.30
embraced the faith of Jesus,
there is therefore no reason to
00:47:23.34\00:47:27.41
give up or to give in.
00:47:27.44\00:47:28.88
There is no reason to turn back.
00:47:28.91\00:47:30.91
In Christ, the future
blessings are already ours.
00:47:30.95\00:47:34.58
And with Him, we breathe the
atmosphere, the atmosphere of a
00:47:34.62\00:47:37.85
new world.
00:47:37.89\00:47:39.72
And so, glory
hallelujah, maranatha.
00:47:39.75\00:47:44.49
"Even so, come,
Lord Jesus. Amen."
00:47:44.53\00:47:47.86
I'd like to invite you, if this
message in any way inspired you
00:47:47.93\00:47:52.10
to learn more about this,
to claim this victory, this
00:47:52.13\00:47:55.70
promise, not based on yourself,
because thank God it's not based
00:47:55.74\00:47:58.51
on you or on me, but on Jesus,
I'd like to invite you to take
00:47:58.54\00:48:01.44
advantage of this free offer.
00:48:01.48\00:48:03.95
It's beautiful.
"A Divine Design."
00:48:03.98\00:48:06.18
If you would like this
free offer, please do call
00:48:06.21\00:48:08.62
866-788-3966.
00:48:08.65\00:48:11.42
Ask for offer number 902
in the USA, SH152 to 40544.
00:48:11.45\00:48:18.09
And outside of North
America, you can go to
00:48:18.13\00:48:20.93
study.aftv.org/SH152.
00:48:20.96\00:48:24.10
I'd like to pray
with you before we finish,
00:48:24.13\00:48:26.74
after this marvelous study.
00:48:26.77\00:48:28.87
Dear Lord, thank you
so much for--thank you
00:48:28.90\00:48:32.07
so much for the Bible.
00:48:32.11\00:48:33.44
Thank you so much
for the book of Hebrews.
00:48:33.48\00:48:35.08
Thank you so much for knowing,
Father, that in Christ all of
00:48:35.11\00:48:38.41
the promises that we
find in here are guaranteed.
00:48:38.45\00:48:41.85
There's no doubting.
There's nothing uncertain here.
00:48:41.88\00:48:46.25
It's all sure.
00:48:46.29\00:48:47.69
These things that we take as
faith, Lord, or by faith, they
00:48:47.72\00:48:50.66
become fact in the
lives of those who believe.
00:48:50.69\00:48:53.83
Now, Lord, at the same time,
we live in a broken world, where
00:48:53.86\00:48:57.10
it's easy for us to come to
church and sometimes, you know,
00:48:57.13\00:49:00.67
hear something, hear a sermon,
hear a song, hear, and then we
00:49:00.70\00:49:04.31
become motivated,
but then we go back home.
00:49:04.34\00:49:07.91
And over the days of the
week and the day-to-day, we just
00:49:07.94\00:49:11.01
become so dismotivated.
00:49:11.05\00:49:12.95
So, Father, please
allow Jesus to sit in
00:49:12.98\00:49:15.52
the throne of our heart.
00:49:15.55\00:49:16.85
Allow us to crucify the old man,
the old woman on the cross of
00:49:16.89\00:49:20.52
the heart and allow Jesus to
sit in control and in command.
00:49:20.56\00:49:24.43
Use us, Father,
bless this church.
00:49:24.46\00:49:26.19
And Lord, glory
hallelujah to your name.
00:49:26.23\00:49:29.20
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
00:49:29.23\00:49:30.83
And it is in
Jesus' name I pray, amen.
00:49:30.87\00:49:34.04
God bless you.
00:49:34.07\00:49:35.40
announcer: Don't forget to
request today's life-changing
00:49:36.50\00:49:39.24
free resource.
00:49:39.27\00:49:40.74
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00:49:40.78\00:49:43.21
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And be sure to select the
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00:49:56.22\00:49:58.79
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00:49:58.83\00:50:00.16
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:50:00.20\00:50:03.87
Amazing Facts, wherever
and whenever you want, and most
00:50:03.90\00:50:06.94
important to
share it with others.
00:50:06.97\00:50:09.30
announcer: Amazing
Facts, Changed Lives.
00:50:10.67\00:50:13.17
male: I'd have to say that
I had a wonderful childhood
00:50:19.55\00:50:21.55
growing up.
00:50:21.58\00:50:23.02
I went to a private school up
until the seventh grade, until
00:50:23.05\00:50:26.09
junior high.
00:50:26.12\00:50:27.72
I believe it was at that point
in junior high that my life
00:50:27.76\00:50:31.56
began to change.
00:50:31.59\00:50:33.66
I went from a Christian
education into a public school.
00:50:33.70\00:50:36.40
It was a big difference.
00:50:36.43\00:50:38.43
There was a lot of secular
influence, of peer pressure.
00:50:38.47\00:50:42.44
And for me, it was the music.
00:50:42.47\00:50:44.67
I started listening
to heavy metal music.
00:50:44.71\00:50:47.94
Every concert that would
come to town, I was there.
00:50:47.98\00:50:50.11
It had a profound effect on me.
00:50:50.15\00:50:52.25
I started using marijuana
probably at the age of 14.
00:50:52.28\00:50:58.12
I started drinking, using a
lot of cocaine, and that led to
00:50:58.15\00:51:02.16
methamphetamine, and that
completely changed my life.
00:51:02.19\00:51:06.53
I dropped out of high
school my sophomore year,
00:51:06.56\00:51:08.70
and went to work.
00:51:08.73\00:51:11.37
I would get off of work,
and we'd go into the bar until 2
00:51:11.40\00:51:14.84
o'clock in the morning.
00:51:14.87\00:51:16.44
I'd get back up at 5, and I'd
go back at it again, six, seven
00:51:16.47\00:51:19.27
days a week.
00:51:19.31\00:51:24.15
At the age of 20, I lost
my dad to a heart attack.
00:51:24.18\00:51:28.82
I didn't know how
to handle the loss.
00:51:28.85\00:51:31.29
So, I tried to mask my
pain with alcohol and drugs.
00:51:31.32\00:51:35.06
Got three DUIs in
one year, was arrested.
00:51:35.09\00:51:37.96
They gave me a
year in the county jail.
00:51:37.99\00:51:41.63
And the moment I got out, I went
back to doing the same thing,
00:51:41.66\00:51:45.50
hanging with the same
people, the same crowd.
00:51:45.53\00:51:47.74
I was involved in a hit and run
motorcycle accident, and I was
00:51:47.77\00:51:51.34
charged with a felony DUI.
00:51:51.37\00:51:53.84
Even though at the time of
the accident I was not under the
00:51:53.88\00:51:55.88
influence, I still had
methamphetamine in my system.
00:51:55.91\00:51:58.71
At my sentencing date, I left
the court room, and I didn't
00:51:58.75\00:52:03.35
come back, and that left
me with a felony warrant.
00:52:03.39\00:52:06.62
And I had fallen asleep at a
park, and I woke up to a park
00:52:06.65\00:52:12.19
ranger knocking on my window.
00:52:12.23\00:52:14.20
I knew I was wanted, and
I knew that I was not going
00:52:14.23\00:52:16.67
to just turn myself in.
00:52:16.70\00:52:20.84
I turned to him, and I
made the comment, "Not today,"
00:52:20.87\00:52:23.57
and I took off.
00:52:23.61\00:52:25.11
I led five different agencies
on about a 35-minute chase.
00:52:25.14\00:52:29.64
And I realized at that point
that I wasn't going to get away
00:52:29.68\00:52:32.85
and that this was
going to end up either me
00:52:32.88\00:52:34.58
killing somebody or myself.
00:52:34.62\00:52:37.29
And so, I made the
decision to pull over.
00:52:37.32\00:52:40.09
At that point,
everything that I had, I lost.
00:52:40.12\00:52:44.39
I was sentenced to two years in
state prison, and it was there
00:52:44.43\00:52:48.43
that God got a hold of me,
and it was through Amazing Facts
00:52:48.46\00:52:54.54
Ministries, I
remember listening on my radio
00:52:54.57\00:52:57.91
to Pastor Doug Batchelor.
00:52:57.94\00:53:00.44
I wanted to get to know the
Bible, I wanted to know God.
00:53:00.48\00:53:03.45
And so my Aunt Marilyn sent me
an Amazing Facts Study Guides,
00:53:03.48\00:53:09.42
and it was there that my
relationship with Christ began.
00:53:09.45\00:53:15.66
I had called home, and I knew my
mother wasn't doing well, but I
00:53:15.69\00:53:21.90
didn't realize
that she had cancer.
00:53:21.93\00:53:25.97
She had about a 30% chance of
making it through her surgery.
00:53:26.00\00:53:32.71
She had told the doctors that
she was not going to have chemo,
00:53:32.74\00:53:35.34
and she was not going to have
radiation, that if her God was
00:53:35.38\00:53:37.08
going to save her,
then He would save her.
00:53:37.11\00:53:40.88
I remember hanging up the phone
to what I thought was my last
00:53:40.92\00:53:44.22
conversation with my mom.
00:53:44.25\00:53:48.36
I turned around, I got down on
my knees, and I prayed to God.
00:53:48.39\00:53:53.36
I said, "God, if you're
there, please save my mother.
00:53:53.40\00:53:57.63
Wherever you need me in life,
whatever you want me to do,
00:53:57.67\00:54:01.30
I am yours."
00:54:01.34\00:54:02.97
And I had a feeling of
such peace, that I knew that my
00:54:03.00\00:54:07.64
mother was going to be okay, and
now my life was going to change.
00:54:07.68\00:54:13.38
There are no words that I can
adequately express to Amazing
00:54:13.42\00:54:16.25
Facts and to Pastor
Doug to say thank you.
00:54:16.28\00:54:19.75
To all those people who support
the ministry, I am a product of
00:54:19.79\00:54:23.06
your support.
00:54:23.09\00:54:24.86
My life is changed because of
this ministry, and I thank you
00:54:24.89\00:54:30.67
from the bottom of my heart.
00:54:30.70\00:54:33.47
¤¤¤
00:54:34.67\00:54:41.31
¤¤¤
00:54:44.18\00:54:49.55
Casey: I would go out
and go drinking, and I just
00:54:49.58\00:54:52.29
wanted to have fun.
00:54:52.32\00:54:53.96
I was working a lot at the time,
going to school, and just wasn't
00:54:53.99\00:54:58.26
really interested in
really following God.
00:54:58.29\00:55:01.76
I would have people tell me,
"Why don't you just have faith,"
00:55:01.80\00:55:04.10
if I was going through some
type of trial during my life.
00:55:04.13\00:55:07.60
I didn't
understand what that meant.
00:55:07.64\00:55:09.60
I would pray, but I didn't
feel any less stressed about or
00:55:09.64\00:55:15.21
worried about a situation.
00:55:15.24\00:55:17.08
I didn't understand God's Word.
00:55:17.11\00:55:19.25
It seemed like it
contradicted itself.
00:55:19.28\00:55:21.75
And so, I
struggled with that a lot.
00:55:21.78\00:55:25.12
My ex-husband and I, we had
began dating, and within seven
00:55:25.15\00:55:30.59
months we got
married, which was really fast.
00:55:30.63\00:55:34.03
After we got married, he was
very disrespectful, and he was
00:55:34.10\00:55:39.10
cheating a lot.
00:55:39.13\00:55:42.57
I found out he was
cheating when I was pregnant
00:55:42.60\00:55:44.34
with my first son.
00:55:44.37\00:55:46.41
I tried to get him help, and he
checked himself out of rehab a
00:55:46.44\00:55:49.58
week later, living
homeless in our hometown.
00:55:49.61\00:55:53.65
He was saying and doing things
that he shouldn't be doing.
00:55:53.68\00:55:57.32
He was committing crimes.
00:55:57.35\00:55:59.69
It always started with alcohol
and then pot or marijuana, and
00:55:59.72\00:56:03.83
then he would go to the meth.
00:56:03.86\00:56:05.79
So, it was just a really ugly
chain of things, and that's when
00:56:05.83\00:56:09.86
I moved in with my sister.
00:56:09.90\00:56:12.53
We were staying with her and
her husband, and I started doing
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studies with my sister.
00:56:19.31\00:56:21.24
She was studying with
some people, and I joined the
00:56:21.28\00:56:23.71
studies, and I learned a lot
of different things that I had
00:56:23.75\00:56:28.38
never known about the Bible, and
it started opening up to me and
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making sense.
00:56:32.39\00:56:34.06
So, my sister had
installed the satellite,
00:56:34.09\00:56:37.16
and I found Amazing Facts.
00:56:37.19\00:56:40.30
The one thing I love about Doug
Batchelor is he uses his own
00:56:40.33\00:56:43.87
life situations, and he uses
really good stories to connect
00:56:43.90\00:56:49.27
stories from the
Bible or teachings.
00:56:49.30\00:56:54.58
I didn't understand why he was
always bringing up the Sabbath
00:56:54.61\00:56:56.78
and why it was so important.
00:56:56.81\00:56:58.21
And I was asking my sister, "Why
does he keep talking about the
00:56:58.25\00:57:00.85
Sabbath?"
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And later on, I found
out, through studying more and
00:57:03.18\00:57:07.32
listening to his teachings about
it, the truth about the Sabbath.
00:57:07.36\00:57:11.86
I know that I
started changing as a person.
00:57:11.89\00:57:14.13
I wanted to follow the truth.
00:57:14.20\00:57:16.26
I wanted to have a
closer relationship with Christ
00:57:16.30\00:57:19.20
and be closer to God.
00:57:19.23\00:57:22.44
So, after doing the studies and
learning the truths that I had
00:57:22.47\00:57:25.71
been learning, I decided to take
that next step and give my life
00:57:25.74\00:57:30.58
to Christ through baptism.
00:57:30.61\00:57:32.88
Besides learning these messages,
these truths about the Bible
00:57:32.91\00:57:36.69
through Amazing Facts, all
of these wonderful people from
00:57:36.72\00:57:41.09
Amazing Facts, the way they
reached out to me, they really
00:57:41.12\00:57:45.13
showed me that they have
caring hearts, that they're
00:57:45.16\00:57:48.46
Christ-like, because
that's what a Christian is.
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My name is Casey. Thank
you for changing my life.
00:57:52.20\00:57:55.40
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