The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says, "To receive with
meekness the implanted Word,
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which is able
to save your souls.
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And to be diligent
to present yourself
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approved to God rightly
dividing the Word of truth."
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today
is the Feed My Sheep,
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1 and 2 Peter.
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Hello and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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We're so glad that
you have joined us today.
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As we open up the Word of God,
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as we get into the
scriptures and study
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what He has for us today.
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We are on lesson number
three, A Royal Priesthood.
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We're studying the
quarterly, Feed My Sheep.
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This is 1 and 2 Peter.
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And if you want to follow along,
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we want to encourage you to
go to the website and download.
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That is absg.adventist.org.
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And you can download the lessons
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that we are
studying here on this panel.
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Once again, that's A-B-S-G.
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That's for Adult Bible
Study Guide.Adventist.org.
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And we have the lesson there.
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I want to introduce to you
the panel that we have here,
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just to open up and
study the Word of God.
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To my left is
Pastor Tom Ferguson.
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You are the pastor of
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the Marion
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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and a good deal
of other churches
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here in Southern Illinois.
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In the district, it's correct.
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And we're so
glad to have you here.
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Next to you is Shelley Quinn.
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And, Shelley, I just
appreciate your heart for God,
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and your mentorship.
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And Shelley is our 3ABN
Program Development Manager,
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and you wear many other hats.
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Pastor CA
Murray is to your left.
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You are the General
Manager of 3ABN Proclaim,
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student of the Word,
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and you wear many,
many hats here at 3ABN.
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And we're just blessed by your
presence here in this panel.
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And at the end,
last but not least
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is Sister Mollie
Steenson who is our boss,
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3ABN Vice
President, and General Manager,
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and a woman of the Word,
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and the Sabbath School
teacher in your own right.
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So welcome to our panel.
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And we want to
welcome you at home.
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Thank you for taking this
time to open up the Word of God.
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We want to encourage
you to get your Bibles
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and to study along with us
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as we delve into
A Royal Priesthood.
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Before we do this
week's memory text,
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we want to go to
the Lord in prayer.
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And, Pastor Tom, would
you open up in prayer for us?
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Dear Heavenly Father,
we count it a blessing
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to be able to
break bread together.
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We invite Your Spirit
to give us understanding.
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Lord, you know
the hearts and minds
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of everyone that is listening,
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that is watching
this program today.
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Lord, meet us where we
are, take us to Yourself.
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And, Lord, I pray that You
will speak through our hearts.
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I pray that, Lord, You will,
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through Your Holy
Spirit give us guidance
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to bring out the
things in Your Word
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that all of us need
to hear and to discuss.
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Yes, thank you.
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And it's all to Your
glory that we we're here today,
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and we want to
give You all the praise,
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in Jesus' precious name, amen.
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Amen.
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Our memory text, and
we'll quote it together
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here is 1 Peter 2:9.
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I think this is one
of my favorite verses
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in either 1 or 2 Peter.
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And possibly in the
entire New Testament,
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I love this verse.
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This is from the
New King James Version.
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"You are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood,
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a holy nation, His
own special people,
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that you may
proclaim the praises of Him
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who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light."
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Amen.
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Now Peter is using
covenant language in that verse.
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Chosen
generation, royal priesthood,
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holy nation, God's
own special people.
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And as we're
looking at this week,
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as the panel
we'll be discussing.
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We're looking at
the responsibility
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of being God's covenant people.
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We're going to look
at the things to avoid
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or you could say the
negative traits of character.
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And the things
that God calls us to do
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as His covenant people.
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We're going to talk about
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becoming a part of
God's spiritual building.
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Part of the church
of which Jesus Christ
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is the chief cornerstone.
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We'll look at
walking in obedience
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to God's covenant promises.
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Exploring how we as
New Testament believers
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are still part of
God's covenant people.
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And finally, how God
calls us as covenant people
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to share the gospel with others.
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So on Sunday, we look
at Living as a Christian.
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And we're in 1 Peter 2:1-3.
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1 Peter 2:1-3.
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Here we're looking at the
negative traits of character
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or things to avoid as
God's covenant people.
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And then we'll look at
the things we are to do
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as God's covenant people.
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Verse 1, "Therefore,
laying aside all malice,
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all deceit, hypocrisy,
envy, and all evil speaking..."
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We're going to stop there,
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that's all the negative
or the things to put off.
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So you could say put off malice.
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In the Greek, it means
evil, wickedness or malice
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but especially, it's an
underlying principle of evil
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which is present even when
it's not outwardly expressed.
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So in other
words, I could be hiding
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under a cloak of Christianity,
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under a guise of
everything is looking good,
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but yet I have malice,
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I have evil or
wickedness inside.
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And instead of that,
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we are to take on
seeking others good.
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Instead of carrying
malice toward other people,
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I'm to look for
the good in Pastor Tom.
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I'm to look for the good
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and try to seek
the good of Shelley,
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or Pastor CA, or of
Mollie to seek others good.
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"Lay aside malice and deceit."
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Instead of speaking deceitfully,
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we are called to
speak the truth and love.
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Speak with
truthfulness and honesty.
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"Lay aside hypocrisy."
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Literally, acting
underneath a mask.
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You know when my sister and I,
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there's only two
of us in our family.
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And when we were growing up,
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we would go to church
but prior to going to church,
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I don't know if
Mollie or Shelley,
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you can relate to this.
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We had to spend Friday night
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with our hair up in this
awful pink sponge rollers.
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Like you would, my mom...
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Your hair would be wet,
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and you're curling
on these pink foam,
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and you'd go to
bed, and you'd sleep
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with those curlers in your head
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'cause I don't know
why you're supposed to have
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curly hair on the
Sabbath, I have no idea.
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But we'd do this
every Friday night.
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And so then, you couldn't
sleep well because of that,
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and we'd go into church,
and we're just little things,
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my sister and I,
sitting in the pew.
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I can remember my legs swinging,
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so you're not old enough for
your feet to touch the floor.
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And people would walk
by and they would say,
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"How are the
Penny Angels today?"
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Now Penny is our maiden name.
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How are the Penny Angels today?
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And we would look up with
these cherubic smiles and say,
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"We're doing well."
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And as soon as the
person turned their back,
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my sister would kick
me underneath the pew
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or maybe I would
elbow her in the ribs.
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And our private little argument
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would continue until the
next person came up and said,
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"How are the
Penny Angels today?"
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And we'd say, "Oh, we're fine."
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And then this time,
I would kick my sister.
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That is hypocrisy.
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Having a cloak
of godliness, right?
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Looking like everything's fine
but inside not doing so well.
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Instead of hypocrisy,
God calls us to be open,
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transparent in our words
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and in our actions
toward other people.
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We're to lay off
malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy.
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Envy is being glad when
someone else experiences pain.
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Envy is
displeasure when someone else
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experiences something good.
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It is instead of
longing to raise myself
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to the level of
someone that you wish you were,
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it's trying to pull
them down to my own level.
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We call that the crab mentality,
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you know, those little
crabs that scuttle about.
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I don't like crabs,
but Greg likes crabs.
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And so we were in Texas,
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and they had all these
little crabs by the ocean,
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and they're just everywhere.
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And I told, "Greg, ooh."
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He said, "Oh,
let's just watch them
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come out of their home."
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So you can see them come out...
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But if you were
to collect crabs,
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and you stick them
in a bucket, you know,
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you don't have to
put a lid on the bucket,
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and why is that?
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Because when one crab
sticks up a little icky pincer,
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I think they're icky and tries
to pull, you know, crawl up,
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another one pulls his pincer
up and pulls him back down.
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They call that
the crab mentality.
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If I can't get
out of the bucket,
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you ain't getting
out of the bucket either.
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Pulling someone else down, envy.
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The last
negative is evil speaking.
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Instead of speaking
evil of other people,
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God calls us to speak kindly.
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Be kindly
affectionate to one to another
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in love preferring each other.
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Now, let's look at the
things as God's covenant people,
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we're supposed to put on.
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Verse 2, "As new born babes,
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desire the pure
milk of the Word,
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that you may grow thereby,
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if indeed you have tasted
that the Lord is gracious."
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Desire the pure
milk of the Word.
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In the Greek the word
desire means to long for,
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strain after, desire greatly.
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You know, I like to
eat... Can I say that?
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Sure. I like to eat.
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So when I get up in the morning,
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what do I'm thinking about?
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"I got toast coming,
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or I'm going to eat some granola
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or I'm going to," you know,
"have some fried potatoes."
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Right, you want
to eat, but God says,
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"Not desiring stuff like
that, desire most earnestly,
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long after the Word of God."
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Desire the Word of God.
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The Word of God
helps us grow in Jesus.
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It shows us Jesus. It
transforms our character.
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And I think in a special way,
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the Word of God pushes
out the negative aspects.
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All these negatives in verse
1, and fills us with Jesus.
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Now, I have a little
experiment here, hopefully,
00:10:31.86\00:10:34.20
it's going to work.
00:10:34.23\00:10:35.90
So in this glass, you
know, what I have in my glass?
00:10:35.93\00:10:39.80
Cranberry juice.
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It looks like cranberry
juice, it's actually grape juice
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but it's probably
diluted grape juice,
00:10:42.94\00:10:44.44
but it looks
like cranberry juice.
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I have my grape juice
or my cranberry juice here.
00:10:46.51\00:10:49.14
So imagine this is
your mind or my mind
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filled with passion, lust,
00:10:53.38\00:10:59.35
malice, deceit, hypocrisy,
00:10:59.39\00:11:03.46
all the things of the world.
00:11:03.49\00:11:04.83
The things that Satan
wants to put in our character
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and in our heart.
00:11:07.76\00:11:09.36
And when I get
up in the morning,
00:11:09.40\00:11:11.70
I'm going to
take the Word of God.
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And I'm going to immerse
myself in the Word of God.
00:11:14.80\00:11:17.27
I'm going to start
taking the Word of God in.
00:11:17.34\00:11:19.94
So if I just pour a little
bit of the Word of God in here,
00:11:19.97\00:11:22.24
what happens to
my cranberry juice
00:11:22.28\00:11:23.75
or my grape juice?
00:11:23.78\00:11:25.11
It's a little diluted.
It dilutes it, right? Okay.
00:11:25.15\00:11:27.75
There is some of God in
here, some of the Word of God,
00:11:27.78\00:11:30.42
some of the
fruits of the Spirit,
00:11:30.45\00:11:32.79
the attributes of God,
00:11:32.82\00:11:34.19
but I still got
some junk sitting here.
00:11:34.22\00:11:36.29
Now what happens
if I keep pouring?
00:11:36.32\00:11:38.49
Now it's going
to overflow, right?
00:11:38.53\00:11:40.86
But what if I keep pouring?
00:11:40.93\00:11:42.46
Now I'm not sure if
we're at that point yet,
00:11:45.43\00:11:47.07
we'll try and see, because
it reflects from off here.
00:11:47.10\00:11:49.54
If I pick that
up, is that clear?
00:11:49.57\00:11:51.84
It's pretty
clear. It's pretty clear?
00:11:51.87\00:11:53.44
It's getting there.
Let's do a little more and see.
00:11:53.48\00:11:55.14
That's clear. You see that?
00:12:00.68\00:12:02.55
Yes.
00:12:02.58\00:12:03.92
So when we put, fill our
minds with the Word of God,
00:12:03.95\00:12:07.89
it automatically
pushes out the sin,
00:12:07.92\00:12:12.43
the selfishness, the
pride, the negative things.
00:12:12.46\00:12:16.16
So as we desire to
be, let me move this over,
00:12:16.20\00:12:19.20
God's covenant people,
He wants to transform us.
00:12:19.23\00:12:25.51
He wants to make
us into His image.
00:12:25.54\00:12:27.88
I think of Romans 12.
00:12:27.91\00:12:30.85
Romans 12:2.
00:12:30.88\00:12:32.21
I think we have time
to turn there real fast,
00:12:32.25\00:12:34.32
and then I'll pass
it to you, Pastor Tom.
00:12:34.35\00:12:35.98
Romans 12:2.
00:12:36.02\00:12:38.42
"Do not be
conformed to this world,
00:12:42.99\00:12:45.76
but be ye transformed..."
00:12:45.79\00:12:48.63
Or the Greek is metamorphosed
like the butterfly.
00:12:48.66\00:12:52.07
"Transformed by the
renewing of your mind,
00:12:52.10\00:12:56.27
that you may
prove what is that good
00:12:56.30\00:12:57.67
and acceptable and
perfect will of God."
00:12:57.71\00:13:00.18
So as God's
covenant keeping people,
00:13:00.21\00:13:03.48
He wants to transform
us into the image of Jesus.
00:13:03.51\00:13:06.95
Now, Pastor Tom, you have Monday
00:13:06.98\00:13:09.08
about God calling
us the living stone.
00:13:09.12\00:13:12.59
Yes, right.
00:13:12.62\00:13:13.96
Yeah, and I just think
about what you just shared
00:13:13.99\00:13:15.96
where He wants to transform us.
00:13:15.99\00:13:20.06
We need to behold to
have that transformation.
00:13:20.10\00:13:23.13
And He calls us into,
00:13:23.16\00:13:24.93
as you continue
through chapter 2:4,
00:13:24.97\00:13:28.00
it says that we
are to be coming to Him
00:13:28.04\00:13:30.61
as to a living stone.
00:13:30.64\00:13:31.97
And when I was
reading into that,
00:13:32.01\00:13:33.34
I realized that isn't
just coming to Him one time,
00:13:33.38\00:13:36.61
that isn't just
having a distant memory,
00:13:36.64\00:13:38.31
that is actually a
continually coming to God.
00:13:38.35\00:13:43.05
And for that transformation
to be taking place
00:13:43.08\00:13:46.05
'cause He is a
living stone, which tells me
00:13:46.09\00:13:48.96
that it has a transformational
effect on my life.
00:13:48.99\00:13:54.86
"And He is rejected by men,
00:13:54.93\00:13:57.40
but chosen by God and precious,
00:13:57.43\00:14:00.70
you also as living stones
00:14:00.74\00:14:03.64
are being built
up a spiritual house,
00:14:03.67\00:14:06.41
a holy priesthood..."
00:14:06.44\00:14:08.04
Now when I think
about a spiritual house,
00:14:08.08\00:14:11.71
in the old covenant
00:14:11.75\00:14:13.08
the spiritual
house was the sanctuary.
00:14:13.11\00:14:16.32
And my mind went to
the idea that Jesus said,
00:14:16.35\00:14:20.16
"This house will be torn down
and be built up in three days."
00:14:20.19\00:14:24.49
And it's interesting too
00:14:24.53\00:14:26.09
because when you go
to Isaiah 8:14, it says,
00:14:26.13\00:14:29.86
"He will be a sanctuary."
00:14:29.90\00:14:33.54
So it's a dwelling
place is what Christ will be
00:14:33.57\00:14:36.81
when the Messiah comes.
00:14:36.84\00:14:39.11
So here we have, you know,
00:14:39.14\00:14:40.81
these different word analogies
that are used in Scripture,
00:14:40.84\00:14:45.08
we are His
children, we are family,
00:14:45.11\00:14:47.08
brothers, and sisters in Christ,
00:14:47.12\00:14:48.98
but here we are living stones.
00:14:49.02\00:14:51.95
And the only
reason there's life in us
00:14:51.99\00:14:54.79
is because of
the chief cornerstone
00:14:54.82\00:14:57.56
who is the living
stone that we keep coming to.
00:14:57.59\00:15:00.70
We must keep coming to Him
in order to experience that.
00:15:00.73\00:15:04.30
And the other things
here is a spiritual house.
00:15:04.33\00:15:08.90
You know, when I think about it,
00:15:08.94\00:15:10.27
oftentimes we think church
00:15:10.31\00:15:11.64
is the place in
which we worship.
00:15:11.67\00:15:13.88
It is in one sense,
00:15:13.91\00:15:15.24
and it's not the
sense of that building,
00:15:15.28\00:15:16.61
it is actually when the stones,
00:15:16.64\00:15:18.81
the living stones all
come together in worship.
00:15:18.85\00:15:24.12
This is where we
have the building,
00:15:24.15\00:15:26.86
the spiritual house of God.
00:15:26.89\00:15:28.62
It also mentions in there
that we are a holy priesthood.
00:15:28.66\00:15:33.46
You know, in the old
covenant, we used to have to go,
00:15:33.50\00:15:36.06
if you were Jewish,
you would have to go,
00:15:36.10\00:15:38.80
take your best lamb,
00:15:38.83\00:15:40.17
lay your sins symbolic
on the head of that lamb,
00:15:40.20\00:15:43.57
and slit its throat,
00:15:43.61\00:15:45.34
and then it would go from there
00:15:45.37\00:15:47.38
that the high
priest would take that.
00:15:47.41\00:15:50.45
We couldn't go directly to God.
00:15:50.48\00:15:51.88
We had to go
through the priestly system.
00:15:51.91\00:15:54.22
But what we see
here is that we are all
00:15:54.25\00:15:58.09
a part of the holy priesthood.
00:15:58.12\00:16:00.72
And meaning, as a living stone
00:16:00.76\00:16:02.62
the Holy Spirit is
dwelling in all of us,
00:16:02.66\00:16:05.59
and we can boldly go
before the throne of grace
00:16:05.63\00:16:08.40
because of our high
priest who is interceding for us
00:16:08.43\00:16:12.10
in the heavenly sanctuary.
00:16:12.13\00:16:14.44
So we're to offer up
spiritual sacrifices.
00:16:14.47\00:16:18.41
And when I looked into that,
00:16:18.44\00:16:19.77
what are these
spiritual sacrifices?
00:16:19.81\00:16:22.41
It is actually
thoughts and deeds of love,
00:16:22.44\00:16:27.25
loving thoughts and deeds
00:16:27.28\00:16:28.62
that only God can produce in us.
00:16:28.65\00:16:32.29
It's the place
which we are called to be.
00:16:32.32\00:16:34.99
Now oftentimes people,
00:16:35.06\00:16:37.29
they say, "I
want be a Christian,
00:16:37.33\00:16:38.66
but I don't
want to go to church,
00:16:38.69\00:16:40.03
I don't want to be
around Christians."
00:16:40.06\00:16:42.50
And that is not the community
that God is attempting to build
00:16:42.53\00:16:47.37
because like each
one of us on the panel
00:16:47.40\00:16:49.67
and each one of us in
every church together,
00:16:49.70\00:16:53.34
we're all the living stones
00:16:53.38\00:16:54.84
in which God is
working uniquely through,
00:16:54.88\00:16:57.18
knit together by Him,
00:16:57.21\00:16:59.21
for Him to
minister to each one of us,
00:16:59.25\00:17:04.15
to the community at large,
and to the church as a whole.
00:17:04.19\00:17:08.99
So spiritual
sacrifice is something
00:17:09.02\00:17:10.99
that He is calling us to.
00:17:11.03\00:17:12.96
Acceptable to God,
00:17:12.99\00:17:14.96
and it's only
done through Jesus.
00:17:15.00\00:17:20.14
It's too often we
attempt this journey
00:17:20.17\00:17:23.64
without Christ
doing it through us.
00:17:23.67\00:17:27.24
That's right. That's the truth.
00:17:27.28\00:17:28.94
We know what we want to
do, we want to accomplish,
00:17:28.98\00:17:31.65
we want do the right
thing but in our own strength
00:17:31.71\00:17:35.08
we're never going to be a
living stone apart from Him.
00:17:35.12\00:17:39.09
So, "Spiritual sacrifices
00:17:39.12\00:17:40.46
acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ."
00:17:40.49\00:17:42.66
And it's the only way.
There is no human priest.
00:17:42.69\00:17:46.39
We can go directly
to our intercessor.
00:17:46.43\00:17:48.93
You know, when I
think about the sanctuary,
00:17:48.96\00:17:51.50
I often think about the
altar of incense which is the,
00:17:51.53\00:17:55.84
I think, the
center of all of this
00:17:55.87\00:17:57.74
where our prayers are
mingled with the Holy Spirit
00:17:57.77\00:18:01.94
as we studied
in our last quarter
00:18:01.98\00:18:03.78
which are mingled with Christ's
00:18:03.81\00:18:06.11
which are seen as
acceptable before God,
00:18:06.15\00:18:08.98
and we'd stay in that
communion on a daily basis.
00:18:09.02\00:18:13.62
Now that's where the
spiritual life comes from.
00:18:13.66\00:18:17.19
And here we have,
as we continue to read,
00:18:17.23\00:18:19.23
there's a quote from
Isaiah 28:16, it says,
00:18:19.26\00:18:23.33
"Behold, I lay in Zion,"
which is an affectionate,
00:18:23.37\00:18:27.24
loving name for
God's people, Jerusalem.
00:18:27.27\00:18:30.37
"I lay in Zion,"
00:18:30.41\00:18:32.34
clear evidence to anyone
00:18:32.37\00:18:34.84
who is a Jewish descendant
to see that this is indeed
00:18:34.91\00:18:37.98
the Messiah that
He's speaking about
00:18:38.01\00:18:40.18
was given to them specifically.
00:18:40.22\00:18:42.38
What did He give?
A chief cornerstone.
00:18:42.42\00:18:45.95
Now when you think
of a chief cornerstone
00:18:45.99\00:18:48.59
which is also elect or chosen,
00:18:48.62\00:18:51.59
this chief cornerstone
has been chosen by God
00:18:51.66\00:18:56.43
to come out of
Jerusalem for the sake of His,
00:18:56.46\00:19:03.00
well, His church, His
sanctuary that He is to be,
00:19:03.04\00:19:06.88
His living stones, and
Himself being the chief corner.
00:19:06.91\00:19:10.08
A chief cornerstone also
was responsible in a building
00:19:10.11\00:19:13.82
for making sure that the
foundation is laid properly,
00:19:13.85\00:19:17.39
making sure that the
walls are attached correctly.
00:19:17.42\00:19:20.62
The chief cornerstone is
that which everything else
00:19:20.66\00:19:23.36
has to be built on.
00:19:23.39\00:19:25.73
"And He is the chosen, precious,
00:19:25.76\00:19:28.70
and he who believes in Him
00:19:28.73\00:19:30.07
will by no
means be put to shame.
00:19:30.10\00:19:32.10
Therefore, to you who believe,
00:19:32.17\00:19:33.57
He is precious but to
those who are disobedient
00:19:33.60\00:19:38.81
the stone which
the builders rejected
00:19:38.84\00:19:40.81
has become the
chief cornerstone."
00:19:40.84\00:19:43.04
You know, it's
interesting the stone
00:19:43.08\00:19:45.15
which the builders rejected
is a quote from Psalm 118:22.
00:19:45.18\00:19:49.45
And in Acts
4:11, we read the stone
00:19:49.48\00:19:55.06
which you builders rejected,
00:19:55.09\00:19:58.93
instead of something
that is a distant from them,
00:19:58.96\00:20:01.86
it was present tense,
00:20:01.90\00:20:03.33
this is something where
Peter is wanting to make sure
00:20:03.37\00:20:06.50
they knew that they are
that stone that was rejected.
00:20:06.53\00:20:09.24
Here we find...
00:20:09.27\00:20:10.61
Excuse me, the
builders rejected the stone.
00:20:10.64\00:20:12.31
The stone which
the builders rejected
00:20:12.34\00:20:14.01
has become the
chief cornerstone.
00:20:14.04\00:20:17.81
And it has become, verse
8, "A stone of stumbling."
00:20:17.85\00:20:24.65
You know, if
you reject the gift,
00:20:24.69\00:20:28.02
the gift, according
to what we read here,
00:20:28.06\00:20:30.66
becomes a stone of stumbling.
00:20:30.69\00:20:33.46
And then I started
to look a little deeper,
00:20:33.50\00:20:34.86
and I was
wondering exactly in what way
00:20:34.93\00:20:37.70
is it a stone of stumbling.
00:20:37.73\00:20:41.50
How is Jesus the
stone of stumbling?
00:20:41.57\00:20:44.67
And as I read, I
started to realize
00:20:44.74\00:20:46.74
what this is talking about.
00:20:46.78\00:20:48.44
The thing they stumbled on,
00:20:48.51\00:20:50.41
and this is
where the church today
00:20:50.45\00:20:51.78
needs to catch the same thing,
is righteousness by faith.
00:20:51.81\00:20:56.42
It's good.
00:20:56.45\00:20:57.92
That is what they
were stumbling on.
00:20:57.95\00:21:01.86
If they don't
accept this cornerstone
00:21:01.89\00:21:05.93
which is the building
is to be built around,
00:21:05.96\00:21:09.03
and it's the source of
the foundation strength,
00:21:09.06\00:21:11.70
it will be a stumbling block.
00:21:11.73\00:21:13.97
Interesting too because
it's all sort of like a step up,
00:21:14.00\00:21:17.94
you know, sometimes we...
00:21:17.97\00:21:19.91
I don't know if you've
ever done this like I have,
00:21:19.94\00:21:21.44
where you don't realize
there's another step up,
00:21:21.51\00:21:24.45
and you trip on it
instead of somehow stepping up.
00:21:24.48\00:21:29.42
Well, that's really in one sense
00:21:29.45\00:21:31.42
what this is
saying that God was taking
00:21:31.45\00:21:33.86
the Israelites to a new place,
00:21:33.89\00:21:36.12
and He was wanting them
00:21:36.16\00:21:37.49
to accept this chief cornerstone
00:21:37.53\00:21:39.19
that He had chosen
Himself to build His church on,
00:21:39.23\00:21:44.37
and it will become
a stone of stumbling,
00:21:44.40\00:21:47.87
a rock of offense.
00:21:47.94\00:21:51.14
And they stumbled,
being disobedient, to what?
00:21:51.21\00:21:56.91
The word, to which
they also were appointed.
00:21:56.95\00:22:01.12
Wow!
00:22:01.15\00:22:02.78
And I look at what
that's saying right there
00:22:02.82\00:22:06.79
God's people stumbled
00:22:06.82\00:22:11.76
at being arbiters of this truth
00:22:11.79\00:22:14.23
that God wanted to
share to the entire world.
00:22:14.30\00:22:17.00
When I think of the role
of Israel in the first coming,
00:22:17.03\00:22:21.54
it was to prepare the world
00:22:21.57\00:22:22.90
for this chief
cornerstone's arrival
00:22:22.94\00:22:26.14
and to accept Him by faith.
00:22:26.17\00:22:28.48
That is a very same thing
the church is called to today.
00:22:28.51\00:22:31.01
Amen. Oh, that's good.
00:22:31.05\00:22:32.95
And either we're going
to accept His righteousness,
00:22:32.98\00:22:36.72
we're going to accept
the gift, or we will stumble.
00:22:36.75\00:22:40.66
Amen.
00:22:40.69\00:22:42.86
That very thing that
we're supposed to embrace
00:22:42.89\00:22:44.59
will be the very thing
that will be our demise
00:22:44.63\00:22:46.39
'cause we reject that gift.
00:22:46.43\00:22:49.76
Amen. Amen.
00:22:49.80\00:22:51.13
That's exciting.
Thank you, Pastor Tom.
00:22:51.17\00:22:52.50
You know, I'm just so
excited, I have Tuesday,
00:22:52.53\00:22:56.07
and I love what you
said about that they stumbled
00:22:56.10\00:22:59.31
over the stumbling stone
00:22:59.34\00:23:00.74
with the righteousness by faith.
00:23:00.78\00:23:02.58
But I'm glad
that in this quarter
00:23:02.61\00:23:04.98
they included the
teaching on covenant.
00:23:05.05\00:23:08.55
So that is Tuesday's
lesson, God's Covenant People.
00:23:08.62\00:23:12.45
What is a covenant?
00:23:12.49\00:23:13.82
A covenant is a
contract or an agreement
00:23:13.86\00:23:17.09
between two parties,
its oath-bound promises,
00:23:17.13\00:23:20.63
and in the Bible you see
covenants between individuals,
00:23:20.66\00:23:23.16
you see covenants between
00:23:23.20\00:23:25.67
say a king and his
people or two kings.
00:23:25.70\00:23:28.80
But it's all based on the
unifying theme of Scripture
00:23:28.84\00:23:32.74
is that God is a covenant
maker and a covenant keeper.
00:23:32.77\00:23:38.05
I mean, that's
what it's all about.
00:23:38.11\00:23:40.58
And when you think of this,
00:23:40.62\00:23:43.05
when they cut a covenant
00:23:43.08\00:23:45.89
is what they called
it in the Old Testament,
00:23:45.92\00:23:47.49
when they would cut a covenant
00:23:47.52\00:23:50.23
that was to
ratify it with blood,
00:23:50.26\00:23:53.26
which meant that the
solemnity of this was that...
00:23:53.29\00:23:56.33
There is a
promise of death, I mean,
00:23:56.36\00:23:58.20
this is some
thing that you're making
00:23:58.23\00:24:01.07
a solemn pledge on the
oath of pain of death, really.
00:24:01.10\00:24:05.91
But in the Bible,
00:24:05.94\00:24:08.58
we see God's covenants
as the unfolding revelation,
00:24:08.64\00:24:13.78
the progression
of His revelation
00:24:13.82\00:24:17.19
of salvation by grace,
00:24:17.22\00:24:19.42
and it's always been by grace.
00:24:19.45\00:24:22.06
So He starts, you know,
00:24:22.12\00:24:23.83
right there when
Adam and Eve sinned,
00:24:23.86\00:24:26.33
He goes and He kills
this little lamb, right?
00:24:26.36\00:24:29.70
And then, He
clothes them with His lamb.
00:24:29.73\00:24:33.87
So right then He's
putting in this whole idea
00:24:33.90\00:24:37.07
of a substitutionary
or vicarious death,
00:24:37.11\00:24:40.38
something to cover your sin.
00:24:40.41\00:24:43.28
And then, when they
made the old covenant,
00:24:43.31\00:24:47.18
He ratified that, you know,
00:24:47.22\00:24:49.52
Moses ratified
that with the blood,
00:24:49.55\00:24:51.65
He sprinkled the Book
of the Covenant to people.
00:24:51.72\00:24:54.36
But the new covenant's
ratified by the blood of Jesus,
00:24:54.39\00:24:57.56
so it's really, really exciting.
00:24:57.59\00:24:59.79
I just want to say because
if you look at Isaiah 64:6,
00:24:59.83\00:25:04.63
it says that all
of our righteousness
00:25:04.67\00:25:06.87
is as filthy
rags before the Lord.
00:25:06.90\00:25:09.90
So this whole idea of salvation,
00:25:09.94\00:25:12.74
righteousness by faith
00:25:12.77\00:25:14.44
was planted way back
in the Old Testament.
00:25:14.48\00:25:17.25
I mean, Jeremiah 33:16,
he talks about the Lord,
00:25:17.28\00:25:21.28
our righteousness,
00:25:21.32\00:25:22.98
so it's always been this
everlasting covenant of grace,
00:25:23.02\00:25:27.66
God's promise to sinful humanity
00:25:27.69\00:25:29.82
through the
redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
00:25:29.86\00:25:32.86
And sometimes in a
covenant, we see that, like,
00:25:32.89\00:25:36.87
God made some covenants
that they were unilateral,
00:25:36.90\00:25:40.10
like, when He made
a covenant with Noah,
00:25:40.14\00:25:42.74
nobody had to do
anything, He just said,
00:25:42.77\00:25:44.24
"Hey, I'm never going
to flood the earth again."
00:25:44.27\00:25:46.44
He give the
rainbow as a covenant sign.
00:25:46.47\00:25:49.18
But then there
were other covenants
00:25:49.21\00:25:51.58
that it required an
expression of loyalty.
00:25:51.65\00:25:56.92
He's looking for
something back from them.
00:25:56.95\00:26:00.79
And so the one
thing I want to bring out,
00:26:00.82\00:26:03.83
and I'm just kind of
going all over the place
00:26:03.86\00:26:05.36
because I've got so
much I'd like to say,
00:26:05.39\00:26:07.50
but this covenant,
00:26:07.56\00:26:10.20
this everlasting
covenant as the Bible calls it,
00:26:10.23\00:26:14.94
was promised before time began.
00:26:14.97\00:26:17.74
Revelation 13:8 says,
00:26:17.77\00:26:19.51
"The Lamb who was slain from
the foundation of the world."
00:26:19.54\00:26:24.71
So here we see
God is just, you know,
00:26:24.75\00:26:27.32
when you would
study the sanctuary,
00:26:27.35\00:26:29.38
that's theology
in physical form.
00:26:29.42\00:26:32.09
And it was the
study of the sanctuary
00:26:32.12\00:26:33.69
and then going back and
looking at God's covenants
00:26:33.72\00:26:36.02
that He started in Eden in
Genesis 3:15, where he says,
00:26:36.06\00:26:42.16
"I'm going to put enmity
between you and the serpent,
00:26:42.20\00:26:45.97
and you'll bruise his
heel, he'll crush your head."
00:26:46.00\00:26:49.97
He's talking about the
seed of the woman, Jesus Christ.
00:26:50.01\00:26:52.84
So Jesus is right
there in Genesis 3:15.
00:26:52.87\00:26:56.61
And then I want
you to turn with me
00:26:56.64\00:26:58.31
because people
don't always see this.
00:26:58.35\00:27:00.68
I want you to turn with me
if you will to Exodus 19:46.
00:27:00.72\00:27:06.42
And let me set this up.
00:27:06.45\00:27:08.12
I'm kind of jumping
ahead 'cause I've got too much
00:27:08.16\00:27:10.33
here to talk about.
00:27:10.36\00:27:12.93
Why are you going there?
00:27:12.96\00:27:14.30
Let me just say this,
He made a covenant of grace
00:27:14.30\00:27:17.17
with Abraham, right,
before we get to Exodus,
00:27:17.20\00:27:22.80
He makes His covenant
of grace with Abraham,
00:27:22.84\00:27:25.77
but then listen to this,
00:27:25.81\00:27:29.14
when He renewed
Abraham's covenant with Isaac...
00:27:29.18\00:27:33.05
Let's look at Genesis
26 before we go to Exodus
00:27:33.08\00:27:35.88
because this is so
important to understand.
00:27:35.92\00:27:38.75
God makes this
covenant of grace saying,
00:27:38.79\00:27:41.09
"Abraham, you're going
to be the father of many,
00:27:41.12\00:27:44.19
you are going to...
00:27:44.23\00:27:45.99
You know, Paul in
Galatians talks about
00:27:46.03\00:27:48.03
that Abraham was
justified by faith alone,
00:27:48.06\00:27:51.27
not by works, and then
received the Holy Spirit.
00:27:51.30\00:27:54.70
But when God comes
time, when Abraham has passed,
00:27:54.74\00:27:57.37
He's going to renew
this covenant of grace,
00:27:57.41\00:28:01.68
justified by faith, with Isaac.
00:28:01.71\00:28:05.61
Look at Genesis 26:4, 5.
He's talking to Isaac now.
00:28:05.65\00:28:10.59
And God says, "I will
make your descendants multiply
00:28:10.62\00:28:12.75
as the stars of the heavens,
00:28:12.79\00:28:14.12
I will give to your
descendants all these lands,
00:28:14.16\00:28:16.06
and in your seed
00:28:16.09\00:28:17.43
all the nations of the
earth shall be blessed."
00:28:17.46\00:28:19.56
Is that not exactly
what He told his father?
00:28:19.59\00:28:22.90
But now look what God says.
00:28:22.93\00:28:24.80
There's a little
qualifier on here.
00:28:24.83\00:28:26.50
He says,
"Because," in other words,
00:28:26.53\00:28:29.54
"I'm renewing
this covenant with you
00:28:29.57\00:28:33.54
because Abraham obeyed
My voice and kept My charge,
00:28:33.58\00:28:39.01
My commandments, My
statutes, and My laws."
00:28:39.08\00:28:41.95
So here is a covenant of
grace justified by faith,
00:28:41.98\00:28:46.02
but it's still based
on obedience, isn't it?
00:28:46.05\00:28:50.09
So during the course,
00:28:50.13\00:28:51.59
now let's go and
turn to Exodus 19.
00:28:51.63\00:28:54.56
So what happens is,
00:28:54.56\00:28:56.43
He's got this
covenant with Abraham,
00:28:56.46\00:29:00.30
and Abraham knew...
00:29:00.34\00:29:01.67
If you look through Genesis,
they knew every law of God.
00:29:01.70\00:29:04.54
I mean, every one
of the Ten Commandments
00:29:04.57\00:29:06.21
comes out in Genesis.
00:29:06.24\00:29:07.98
So Abraham obeyed but
now the people go into Egypt,
00:29:08.01\00:29:14.58
they end up
there four centuries,
00:29:14.62\00:29:16.18
they're in
slavery, they're in bondage,
00:29:16.22\00:29:18.45
they don't get to
worship as prescribed by God,
00:29:18.52\00:29:21.06
and they over the
generations begin to forget.
00:29:21.09\00:29:23.63
So God then hears their cry,
00:29:23.66\00:29:26.16
and He remembers His covenant
that He had with Abraham.
00:29:26.19\00:29:29.00
He calls them out.
00:29:29.03\00:29:30.57
And look at Exodus
19 because He saved...
00:29:30.60\00:29:35.54
Let me ask you, did
He save them by grace
00:29:35.57\00:29:37.71
before He established
a covenant with them?
00:29:37.74\00:29:40.94
I'm going to say yes
because He parted the Red Sea,
00:29:40.98\00:29:44.51
they went
through, they were saved,
00:29:44.55\00:29:46.31
brought out of bondage,
00:29:46.35\00:29:47.88
and they didn't have to meet
00:29:47.92\00:29:49.75
His moral standards to be saved.
00:29:49.78\00:29:52.29
But then, here's
what He says to them,
00:29:52.32\00:29:54.12
before He ever
speaks the Ten Commandments,
00:29:54.16\00:29:56.19
before He's reminding them.
00:29:56.22\00:29:57.89
In Exodus 19, He says,
00:29:57.93\00:30:00.80
"You have seen what
I did to the Egyptians,
00:30:00.83\00:30:03.70
and how I bore
you on eagles' wings
00:30:03.73\00:30:06.13
and brought you to Myself."
00:30:06.17\00:30:07.97
This is covenant love language.
00:30:08.00\00:30:11.01
God is saying, "I
saved you, I love you.
00:30:11.04\00:30:13.84
And He says, "Now therefore,
00:30:13.88\00:30:15.74
if you will indeed obey My voice
00:30:15.78\00:30:17.51
and keep My
covenant, then you shall be
00:30:17.55\00:30:19.11
a special treasure
to Me above all people,
00:30:19.15\00:30:22.08
for all the earth is Mine.
00:30:22.12\00:30:23.45
And you shall be to
Me a kingdom of priests,"
00:30:23.49\00:30:27.06
this is what we're
talking about here,
00:30:27.09\00:30:29.12
"and a holy nation."
00:30:29.16\00:30:30.86
And these are the
words He's telling Moses
00:30:30.89\00:30:32.96
that you need to
go tell the people.
00:30:32.99\00:30:35.83
And guess what?
00:30:35.86\00:30:37.20
He's not even spoken
the Ten Commandments yet.
00:30:37.23\00:30:39.10
So Moses goes and tells
the people, and the people say,
00:30:39.13\00:30:41.77
"Oh, yes, we want to be
in covenant relationship.
00:30:41.80\00:30:44.47
Whatever He says we'll do."
00:30:44.51\00:30:46.37
So now God speaks
the Ten Commandments,
00:30:46.41\00:30:50.35
but then Moses
goes up the mountain,
00:30:50.38\00:30:52.48
He dictates to Moses,
00:30:52.51\00:30:53.95
who writes this
Book of the Covenant.
00:30:53.98\00:30:56.52
Moses comes down and he
writes the Book of the Covenant
00:30:56.55\00:30:59.49
and that's what he
ratifies, sprinkling the book,
00:30:59.52\00:31:02.82
sprinkling the people.
00:31:02.86\00:31:04.43
The Ten Commandments were
the heart of that covenant.
00:31:04.46\00:31:08.73
He takes that covenant...
00:31:08.76\00:31:10.23
He tells Moses,
00:31:10.27\00:31:11.60
"Put it on the side of
the ark in the pocket."
00:31:11.63\00:31:14.40
This is going to be
a witness against you.
00:31:14.44\00:31:16.44
It contained all the blessings,
00:31:16.47\00:31:18.24
all of the curses
because the covenant promises
00:31:18.27\00:31:23.95
were conditional.
00:31:23.98\00:31:25.51
God wanted a response of
00:31:25.58\00:31:27.82
covenant
loyalty from His people,
00:31:27.85\00:31:30.12
that they would obey
00:31:30.15\00:31:31.49
as an expression of
love and loyalty to Him.
00:31:31.52\00:31:35.19
So He said, "Here's
the blessings if you do it,
00:31:35.22\00:31:37.43
here's the curses if you don't."
00:31:37.46\00:31:39.56
So now then after
that, now Moses goes back up,
00:31:39.59\00:31:43.87
gets the sanctuary...
00:31:43.90\00:31:45.90
I mean, instructions
to build the sanctuary.
00:31:45.97\00:31:47.94
Now he gets the
Ten Commandments,
00:31:47.97\00:31:50.17
brings it down, God says,
"Put them inside the ark."
00:31:50.21\00:31:54.21
And over the
ark, what was over...
00:31:54.24\00:31:57.51
What was inside the
ark? The mercy seat.
00:31:57.55\00:31:59.18
The mercy seat. Hallelujah.
00:31:59.25\00:32:01.58
So the mercy was
over his Ten Commandments
00:32:01.62\00:32:04.75
but the
commandments were placed there
00:32:04.79\00:32:06.49
as something permanent.
00:32:06.52\00:32:08.69
So this covenant, you
just keep seeing it unfolding,
00:32:08.72\00:32:11.43
and unfolding, and unfolding.
00:32:11.46\00:32:12.93
Now, let's look at...
00:32:12.96\00:32:15.40
Because when you
think of covenant,
00:32:15.43\00:32:19.70
it is based upon,
00:32:19.73\00:32:21.44
that it's
conditioned upon this obedience.
00:32:21.47\00:32:24.97
Obedience is the
pathway to covenant blessing.
00:32:25.01\00:32:27.84
So now let's just
jump forward Jesus...
00:32:27.88\00:32:31.15
God says in Isaiah 42:6,
00:32:31.18\00:32:33.25
"I'm going to give you as
a covenant to the people."
00:32:33.28\00:32:36.92
Nice. Jesus is our covenant.
00:32:36.95\00:32:39.39
And now so, is this covenant...
00:32:39.42\00:32:41.26
Let's read Hebrews 8,
00:32:41.29\00:32:42.66
I'm gonna be over just
a couple of seconds here.
00:32:42.69\00:32:44.76
But let's read.
00:32:44.79\00:32:46.56
Jesus is the fulfillment
of all of God's purposes
00:32:46.59\00:32:50.80
of the covenant of grace.
00:32:50.83\00:32:52.83
But are these Ten Commandments
00:32:52.87\00:32:54.70
that were the heart
of the old covenant,
00:32:54.74\00:32:56.34
still the heart
of the new covenant?
00:32:56.37\00:32:58.57
In Hebrews 8:8-10,
00:32:58.61\00:33:03.01
"Because
finding fault with them,
00:33:03.04\00:33:04.38
He says, 'Behold,
the days are coming,'
00:33:04.41\00:33:05.88
says the Lord,
00:33:05.95\00:33:07.28
'when I'll make a new covenant
with the house of Israel,
00:33:07.32\00:33:08.92
with the house of Judah
not according to the covenant
00:33:08.95\00:33:11.29
that I made with
their fathers in the day
00:33:11.32\00:33:12.82
when I took them by the
hand to lead them out of Egypt
00:33:12.89\00:33:15.46
because they did not
continue in My covenant.'"
00:33:15.49\00:33:18.73
You know, the Bible
says that God keeps covenant
00:33:18.76\00:33:20.96
with those who
keep covenant with Him.
00:33:20.96\00:33:22.96
They're the ones
that broke the covenant.
00:33:23.00\00:33:25.13
"For this is the
covenant that I will make,
00:33:25.17\00:33:26.77
this is the new covenant that
I will make after those days,'
00:33:26.80\00:33:29.44
says the Lord,
00:33:29.50\00:33:30.84
'I'll put My
laws in their heart,
00:33:30.87\00:33:35.34
write them on their
mind, and in their hearts,
00:33:35.38\00:33:36.95
and I'll be their God,
and they shall be My people.'"
00:33:36.98\00:33:40.55
That's why Jesus said,
00:33:40.58\00:33:41.92
"If you love Me,
keep My commandments,
00:33:41.98\00:33:44.35
and I will pray the Father
to give you another Helper."
00:33:44.39\00:33:49.96
So this idea of covenant
is a special relationship
00:33:49.99\00:33:54.73
that we have to God.
00:33:54.73\00:33:56.46
It is one that He
expects us to obey out of love,
00:33:56.50\00:34:01.74
and He also expects
us to be loyal to Him.
00:34:01.77\00:34:06.84
Amen. In a nutshell.
00:34:06.88\00:34:11.41
You know, I think
it's interesting that,
00:34:11.45\00:34:13.28
that old covenant
lasted less than two months.
00:34:13.31\00:34:16.18
Yeah.
00:34:16.22\00:34:17.59
One thing about
covenant relationship is that,
00:34:17.62\00:34:19.55
it's all about Christ.
00:34:19.59\00:34:20.92
Yes, amen.
00:34:20.96\00:34:22.32
If you say, "All
that thou hast said
00:34:22.36\00:34:23.69
we will do and be obedient,"
that's in Christ Jesus.
00:34:23.73\00:34:25.93
Because you simply
cannot do it by yourself.
00:34:25.99\00:34:29.03
In re-reading Exodus 19.
00:34:29.06\00:34:31.13
I just want to re-read
because what is interesting
00:34:31.17\00:34:33.37
is that we're dealing with
a short passage of scripture,
00:34:33.40\00:34:35.80
little, I reckon
about 10 verses long.
00:34:35.87\00:34:37.91
And so many things
are coming out of these
00:34:37.94\00:34:39.44
10 very pregnant verses.
00:34:39.47\00:34:43.18
So we want to establish
this idea of a royal priesthood.
00:34:43.21\00:34:46.72
Now therefore,
I'm in Exodus 19:5,
00:34:46.75\00:34:49.82
"If you will indeed obey
My voice and keep My covenant,
00:34:49.85\00:34:52.72
then you shall be a
special treasure to Me
00:34:52.75\00:34:56.86
above all the people,
for all the earth is Mine.
00:34:56.89\00:35:00.33
And you shall be to
Me a kingdom of priests
00:35:00.36\00:35:04.70
and a holy nation.
00:35:04.73\00:35:06.50
These are the words
which you shall speak
00:35:06.53\00:35:08.77
to the children of Israel."
00:35:08.80\00:35:10.14
What is interesting?
00:35:10.17\00:35:11.81
Is that it has always been...
00:35:11.84\00:35:13.78
It was then is now was
in the New Testament times,
00:35:13.81\00:35:17.11
God's desire to
have a special people.
00:35:17.15\00:35:21.55
To have a special people
not so that they could say,
00:35:21.58\00:35:24.59
"We're God's special people."
00:35:24.62\00:35:26.49
But a people through whom God
00:35:26.52\00:35:28.99
can show His love
to a fallen world.
00:35:29.02\00:35:30.89
That's always been His desire.
00:35:30.93\00:35:34.96
The ancient Jews got caught
up on the special people part,
00:35:35.00\00:35:37.57
they kind of put a period there,
00:35:37.60\00:35:39.27
and it's supposed to
be a colon or a semi-colon
00:35:39.30\00:35:42.27
because there's some other stuff
00:35:42.34\00:35:43.67
that comes behind that.
00:35:43.71\00:35:45.11
So He wants a special people
00:35:45.14\00:35:46.98
to be a royal priesthood to Him.
00:35:47.01\00:35:49.88
I like the word ministry
00:35:49.91\00:35:51.25
because ministry
is one of those words
00:35:51.28\00:35:52.65
which is a noun and a verb.
00:35:52.68\00:35:54.02
Is that a gerund or is
that a verb used as noun.
00:35:54.05\00:35:56.05
It's a noun and a verb.
00:35:56.12\00:35:57.45
Ministry or minister rather.
00:35:57.49\00:36:00.22
Minister.
00:36:00.26\00:36:02.12
A person is a minister,
but you can also minister.
00:36:02.16\00:36:06.09
So it is a noun and a verb,
00:36:06.16\00:36:07.50
and I think that's the sense
00:36:07.50\00:36:08.83
in which God wanted
His people to function.
00:36:08.86\00:36:11.83
To minister as
ministers. Amen, that's good.
00:36:11.87\00:36:16.14
And they never
really got a hold of that.
00:36:16.17\00:36:18.34
God wanted a special
people to be priests to Him
00:36:18.37\00:36:22.98
so that they could perform
the functions of a priest.
00:36:23.01\00:36:26.68
Now what does a
priest do, anciently?
00:36:26.72\00:36:28.72
Well, one, he's called of
God and recognized of men.
00:36:28.75\00:36:33.46
And he serves on behalf of men.
00:36:33.49\00:36:36.49
He's not a static person.
00:36:36.52\00:36:38.06
He just doesn't sit in a
room and say I'm a priest.
00:36:38.09\00:36:42.50
He's out there functioning.
00:36:42.56\00:36:43.90
Doing things for God
00:36:43.93\00:36:45.27
and that's what
God wants His people.
00:36:45.30\00:36:46.63
So what you see the
ancient priests doing,
00:36:46.67\00:36:48.40
God wanted His people to do,
00:36:48.44\00:36:49.90
never got it right so
now God calls us to do that.
00:36:49.94\00:36:53.51
To pick up that same function.
00:36:53.54\00:36:56.14
Second, to show by word
and deed the people their sins.
00:36:56.18\00:36:59.85
By word and deed.
00:36:59.88\00:37:02.68
So you speak against sin,
00:37:02.75\00:37:04.39
and you live righteously
00:37:04.42\00:37:05.79
so that your life
speaks against sin,
00:37:05.82\00:37:07.69
by word and deed.
00:37:07.72\00:37:09.39
Then you don't just
tell people about their sins,
00:37:09.46\00:37:11.99
you intercede for them.
00:37:12.03\00:37:13.40
Yes, amen. Yeah.
00:37:13.43\00:37:14.83
It's not,
"Shelley, you're wrong."
00:37:14.86\00:37:17.00
Well, what gives me the
right to say you're wrong?
00:37:17.03\00:37:20.67
'Cause I'm praying for you.
00:37:20.70\00:37:23.61
Because if I just say
you're wrong, you know,
00:37:23.64\00:37:25.81
you don't want just be
beat down all the time.
00:37:25.87\00:37:28.44
I'd rather take it
from a person who says,
00:37:28.48\00:37:30.81
"Hey, man, I know
you've got a problem,
00:37:30.85\00:37:32.81
but I'm praying for you."
00:37:32.85\00:37:34.25
As opposed to, "Hey,
man, you've got a problem."
00:37:34.28\00:37:36.82
I want a little more than that.
00:37:36.85\00:37:39.15
So show the people their
sin but intercede with them
00:37:39.19\00:37:42.32
and then to show the benefits
of covenant relationship.
00:37:42.36\00:37:48.16
God does something
for me, and I accept that,
00:37:48.20\00:37:50.47
and I respond to that.
00:37:50.50\00:37:53.10
It was always God's purpose,
00:37:53.13\00:37:55.27
always God's plan for His people
00:37:55.30\00:37:57.34
to share what
they had with others.
00:37:57.37\00:38:01.14
Ellen White says
of this little girl
00:38:01.18\00:38:02.58
that was taken in
the Syrian raid by Naaman
00:38:02.61\00:38:05.51
that she was doing what
the nation should've done.
00:38:05.55\00:38:09.08
Yeah.
00:38:09.12\00:38:10.45
God forced her to go, but
she took the Lord with her.
00:38:10.49\00:38:15.39
See God can
find you in Damascus,
00:38:15.42\00:38:16.79
just like He can in Jerusalem,
00:38:16.83\00:38:18.16
He doesn't lose you
because you cross borders.
00:38:18.19\00:38:20.86
It was His design for
the nation to do that.
00:38:20.90\00:38:23.43
So now we come into
a relationship with God
00:38:23.47\00:38:25.70
through Jesus
Christ's, through sacrifice
00:38:25.73\00:38:27.64
that same burden
rests upon us today
00:38:27.67\00:38:30.24
to take the name
of Jesus with you.
00:38:30.27\00:38:32.24
And sometimes God asks you
to go to some strange places
00:38:32.27\00:38:34.21
and do some strange stuff.
00:38:34.24\00:38:36.04
But God can find you
in that strange place
00:38:36.11\00:38:39.48
just like He can find
you here in Thompsonville,
00:38:39.51\00:38:41.55
or in your
church, or in your home,
00:38:41.58\00:38:42.95
or in your bed.
00:38:42.98\00:38:44.32
And so He is
calling for a ministry,
00:38:44.35\00:38:47.76
a royal priesthood who
can show forth the praises.
00:38:47.79\00:38:50.96
Doesn't stop with priesthood,
priesthood to do what?
00:38:50.99\00:38:53.43
Show forth the praises of Him,
00:38:53.46\00:38:55.13
who's called us out of darkness,
00:38:55.16\00:38:56.93
and what a high and
holy calling that is.
00:38:56.97\00:38:59.27
Has there ever been given
to the failing, and feeble,
00:38:59.30\00:39:02.54
and frail hands
of man a higher duty,
00:39:02.60\00:39:05.14
a higher calling than
lifting up the name of Jesus?
00:39:05.17\00:39:07.91
There's nothing
better than that.
00:39:07.94\00:39:09.74
And so, God created us, I mean,
00:39:09.81\00:39:12.81
that's Ephesians 2:10 created
for good works, you know,
00:39:12.88\00:39:16.45
you're made for good works.
00:39:16.48\00:39:17.82
And if you're
made for good works
00:39:17.85\00:39:19.19
when you are re-created,
00:39:19.22\00:39:20.56
you surely are
re-created for good works.
00:39:20.59\00:39:22.29
But what are good works?
00:39:22.32\00:39:23.93
Micah 5 and 6,
00:39:23.96\00:39:25.29
"He has shown you,
O man, what is good.
00:39:25.33\00:39:26.80
And what does the Lord
require of thee, do justly,
00:39:26.83\00:39:31.70
love mercy, walk
humbly with thy God."
00:39:31.73\00:39:34.30
That's what God,
and if we would do that,
00:39:34.34\00:39:37.17
if we would do just
be fair to every body,
00:39:37.21\00:39:40.08
be honest on your job,
punch in when you punch in,
00:39:40.11\00:39:42.18
punch out when you
punch out, you know?
00:39:42.21\00:39:43.91
Give your
employer a fair day's work.
00:39:43.95\00:39:45.51
Love mercy,
00:39:45.55\00:39:46.88
not just
tolerate, but love mercy.
00:39:46.92\00:39:48.62
Someone does
something bad to you,
00:39:48.65\00:39:50.95
extend to them the same
mercy you would seek from God
00:39:50.99\00:39:54.62
when you make a mistake.
00:39:54.66\00:39:55.99
And then walk
humbly with your God.
00:39:56.06\00:39:57.53
That's your priestly function.
00:39:57.56\00:40:00.76
Do justly, love mercy,
walk humbly with your God.
00:40:00.80\00:40:04.23
And if God's people
would do that consistently,
00:40:04.27\00:40:07.20
we would be
00:40:07.24\00:40:08.57
a visible manifestation
of the love of God.
00:40:08.60\00:40:11.27
And the
churches would be packed.
00:40:11.31\00:40:12.67
That's you already said.
00:40:12.71\00:40:14.08
And, of course, we
have that statement
00:40:14.11\00:40:16.44
from the inspired
pen that there would be
00:40:16.48\00:40:18.28
100 where now there's 1
00:40:18.31\00:40:19.65
if God's people were just kind,
tenderhearted, and pitiful,
00:40:19.71\00:40:25.02
that's a compelling way to live.
00:40:25.05\00:40:26.89
That's a compelling
way to address your life.
00:40:26.92\00:40:30.69
And that's what God
wants from all of us
00:40:30.73\00:40:33.09
to be ministers who minister,
00:40:33.13\00:40:37.43
and when ministers minister,
00:40:37.47\00:40:40.77
then the name of
Jesus is glorified,
00:40:40.80\00:40:44.21
and men and women see not
us but they see Christ in us.
00:40:44.24\00:40:48.24
And that's the royal priesthood
00:40:48.28\00:40:50.08
that He wants from us.
00:40:50.11\00:40:53.18
We have been called
out not to just say,
00:40:53.21\00:40:55.25
"Hey, we're out,
and you're still in.
00:40:55.28\00:40:57.29
We're called
out to go get people
00:40:57.32\00:40:59.05
and bring them back,
00:40:59.12\00:41:00.52
and bring them out also
00:41:00.56\00:41:02.12
so that the
kingdom can be enlarged.
00:41:02.16\00:41:05.79
And the coffers as it were,
00:41:05.83\00:41:08.40
the spiritual coffers
of God can be made full.
00:41:08.43\00:41:10.67
There's one line I just
want to and then I'll be done.
00:41:10.70\00:41:14.60
Yes, through Jesus Gentiles too
00:41:14.64\00:41:18.21
can claim to be
children of Abraham."
00:41:18.24\00:41:20.38
That's what that
whole thing in Galatians 3
00:41:20.41\00:41:22.44
is about heirs
according to the promise.
00:41:22.51\00:41:24.21
We get the same
promise as they do.
00:41:24.25\00:41:28.68
"If you are Christ's,
then you are Abraham's seed,
00:41:28.72\00:41:31.99
and heirs
according to the promise.
00:41:32.02\00:41:34.26
Through Christ
everyone, regardless of birth,
00:41:34.29\00:41:36.73
can become part of
this royal priesthood."
00:41:36.76\00:41:40.23
So we are called to
minister to a darkened world.
00:41:40.26\00:41:43.57
We who are ministers
are called to minister,
00:41:43.60\00:41:46.20
and you'll find when
you minister to others,
00:41:46.27\00:41:49.24
the truth is you are
ministering to yourself.
00:41:49.27\00:41:51.14
Oh, absolutely.
00:41:51.17\00:41:52.51
And you are made strong as
you seek to make others strong.
00:41:52.54\00:41:55.01
That's the priesthood
00:41:55.04\00:41:56.48
that God wants from
each and every one of us.
00:41:56.51\00:41:58.18
Amen. Amen.
00:41:58.21\00:42:01.72
It's the goodness of God
that draws people to salvation.
00:42:01.75\00:42:07.52
And that's what
we were called to do.
00:42:07.56\00:42:11.16
Mine and your lesson,
00:42:11.19\00:42:12.56
they kind of
dovetail together here.
00:42:12.59\00:42:15.16
Proclaiming the
praises that's Thursday.
00:42:15.20\00:42:19.10
And the parallels
of the Old Testament
00:42:19.17\00:42:22.47
and the New
Testament doesn't end
00:42:22.54\00:42:24.71
with just salvation
00:42:24.74\00:42:27.01
or are being called
out and chosen by God.
00:42:27.04\00:42:29.38
The question is, called
out and chosen for what?
00:42:29.41\00:42:33.25
How many of you are
sitting on this panel,
00:42:33.28\00:42:35.68
and I'm speaking
to all of you at home,
00:42:35.72\00:42:37.32
do you truly believe that
you are a chosen generation?
00:42:37.35\00:42:42.86
What does that mean?
00:42:42.89\00:42:45.23
A species of beings
that never before existed.
00:42:45.26\00:42:48.66
You know, that's
what happened to you
00:42:48.70\00:42:50.57
when you came out of
darkness and into light.
00:42:50.60\00:42:53.44
You became a Christian,
00:42:53.47\00:42:55.80
a species of being
that never before existed.
00:42:55.84\00:42:58.74
A chosen
generation, a royal priesthood.
00:42:58.77\00:43:02.81
And, CA, you covered that
so beautifully, a holy nation.
00:43:02.84\00:43:06.35
We are part of a huge
group of believing people,
00:43:06.38\00:43:10.65
and His own special people.
00:43:10.69\00:43:12.39
Now I like this in the
King James a little better.
00:43:12.42\00:43:15.39
What does it call you?
00:43:15.42\00:43:16.96
A peculiar person.
00:43:16.99\00:43:19.13
And that's just
means called out, you know,
00:43:19.16\00:43:21.06
that's what that means.
00:43:21.10\00:43:22.43
But I think peculiar
fits most of us pretty well.
00:43:22.46\00:43:25.17
But now, my question was
called out and chosen for what?
00:43:25.20\00:43:30.04
And it goes on to say,
00:43:30.11\00:43:31.47
"That you may
proclaim the praises of Him
00:43:31.51\00:43:36.24
who called you out of darkness
and into His glorious light."
00:43:36.28\00:43:40.62
The whole purpose is
for us to praise God.
00:43:40.65\00:43:44.65
To bring praises to Him. Amen.
00:43:44.69\00:43:46.79
Everything in our lives.
00:43:46.86\00:43:48.69
Our work, our play, our
rest, it's done to praise God.
00:43:48.72\00:43:53.09
That's what we're
created to do is to praise God.
00:43:53.13\00:43:55.83
Now, when we think of praising,
00:43:55.86\00:43:58.03
we may think in a church service
00:43:58.07\00:44:00.07
where we're singing praise songs
00:44:00.10\00:44:02.50
and that is praise
coming out of our hearts
00:44:02.54\00:44:06.27
worshipping God, that's praise.
00:44:06.31\00:44:08.54
But and the scripture says,
and I love this Psalms 150:6,
00:44:08.58\00:44:14.18
"Let everything that
has breath," do what?
00:44:14.22\00:44:17.42
"Praise the Lord."
Praise you the Lord.
00:44:17.45\00:44:19.89
But it's not just...
00:44:19.95\00:44:21.69
I mean, if
praising was predetermined
00:44:21.72\00:44:25.33
by our great singing
ability, I would get a F minus.
00:44:25.36\00:44:32.17
But praising God
isn't just in our singing,
00:44:32.20\00:44:36.67
although that's part of
it, it's also in our actions,
00:44:36.71\00:44:41.24
and in our speech.
00:44:41.28\00:44:43.01
It's how we conduct our lives.
00:44:43.04\00:44:44.85
CA, integrity of character,
you know what that is,
00:44:44.88\00:44:48.62
doing right 'cause
it's right to do right.
00:44:48.65\00:44:50.99
You don't have to go and
think, "Now do I steal today?"
00:44:51.02\00:44:54.09
No, you've got integrity
built in your character.
00:44:54.12\00:44:57.09
You're doing right, your speech,
00:44:57.13\00:44:59.03
your actions are
all a praise unto God.
00:44:59.06\00:45:04.20
And, you know, you
praise that which you love.
00:45:04.23\00:45:08.14
Now think about this.
00:45:08.17\00:45:09.50
Have you ever been
around a new bride?
00:45:09.57\00:45:11.84
Oh, you ought to
have seen Greg and Jill
00:45:11.87\00:45:14.21
when they first got married...
00:45:14.24\00:45:16.81
It was just such a
blessing to be around them.
00:45:16.85\00:45:19.08
They would just
look at each other,
00:45:19.11\00:45:20.72
their little eyes would just...
00:45:20.75\00:45:22.08
As a matter of fact
Jill, they still do.
00:45:22.12\00:45:24.72
But when you're around a
new bride or a new groom,
00:45:24.75\00:45:28.16
oh, they're so in love and
that's all they talk about.
00:45:28.19\00:45:31.33
Or a new mother,
this got that new baby,
00:45:31.36\00:45:35.36
what is she
describing that stuff,
00:45:35.40\00:45:37.43
or worst yet us, grandmothers.
00:45:37.47\00:45:40.20
All you want to talk
about that which you love
00:45:40.27\00:45:43.04
that which is near
and dear to your heart.
00:45:43.07\00:45:45.64
And as a matter of fact
my husband just got a puppy.
00:45:45.67\00:45:49.78
Well, I actually got
it about five months ago.
00:45:49.81\00:45:52.21
It has been so interesting,
he loves that little puppy,
00:45:52.25\00:45:55.55
and that little puppy loves him.
00:45:55.58\00:45:56.92
Well, I love the puppy too.
00:45:56.95\00:45:58.29
Never thought I
was a dog person.
00:45:58.32\00:45:59.89
I'm doing stuff now I
used to make fun of people
00:45:59.92\00:46:02.66
for doing where their
animals are concerned.
00:46:02.69\00:46:06.46
But we can be visiting people,
00:46:06.49\00:46:10.63
and they'll pull out
pictures of their grandchildren.
00:46:10.67\00:46:13.20
You know what Hal
is telling me to do?
00:46:13.27\00:46:15.34
Show them pictures of baby...
00:46:15.37\00:46:17.67
He loves that dog,
00:46:17.71\00:46:19.04
that's what he
wants to talk about.
00:46:19.07\00:46:20.71
What is in our hearts,
00:46:20.74\00:46:22.34
that's what we
want to talk about.
00:46:22.38\00:46:24.41
And, you know, if
you're around somebody
00:46:24.45\00:46:28.22
for any length of time,
00:46:28.25\00:46:30.32
you can gauge by the words
that come out of their mouth,
00:46:30.35\00:46:34.56
their relationship
with the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:46:34.59\00:46:36.99
Have you ever noticed that?
00:46:37.06\00:46:38.39
Because what's in you
00:46:38.43\00:46:39.76
is what's going
to come out of you,
00:46:39.83\00:46:41.40
and if you have a love
relationship with the Lord,
00:46:41.43\00:46:43.93
you're going to talk
about that which you love.
00:46:43.97\00:46:46.63
You're going to talk
about the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:46:46.67\00:46:49.60
Now I liked what
you were saying about,
00:46:49.64\00:46:52.27
what was God originally intended
00:46:52.31\00:46:56.01
for the nation of Israel
00:46:56.04\00:46:57.45
to be a shining
light in a dark world.
00:46:57.48\00:47:02.02
A treasure, a candle,
00:47:02.05\00:47:06.49
not under a bushel
00:47:06.52\00:47:07.92
but held high that
would draw all people...
00:47:07.96\00:47:11.06
And that was their purpose.
00:47:11.09\00:47:13.13
And they took the gospel
that they were supposed to be
00:47:13.16\00:47:16.50
sharing with the whole
world and put it under a bushel.
00:47:16.56\00:47:19.33
In effect, this is
mine they grasp it.
00:47:19.37\00:47:22.40
And so they didn't fulfill
what God had called them to do.
00:47:22.44\00:47:27.91
They were God's that
word you all were using,
00:47:27.94\00:47:30.45
God's covenant people,
and did they fail miserably?
00:47:30.48\00:47:34.82
They failed.
00:47:34.85\00:47:36.18
They didn't accomplish
what God called them to do.
00:47:36.22\00:47:39.75
Now, I want to show
you this in Deuteronomy.
00:47:39.79\00:47:42.32
You used Exodus 19:5,
but it says the same thing.
00:47:42.36\00:47:46.59
Deuteronomy 26:18-19.
00:47:46.63\00:47:50.33
"God called ancient
Israel to be a witness
00:47:50.37\00:47:53.34
to the whole world around Him."
00:47:53.40\00:47:55.10
He wanted the other nations
00:47:55.14\00:47:57.84
to look at the nation of Israel,
00:47:57.87\00:47:59.74
all the blessings that He
had blessed that nation with
00:47:59.77\00:48:03.68
and want to be a
part of that nation
00:48:03.71\00:48:08.28
because of the God they served.
00:48:08.32\00:48:10.09
Look at this.
Deuteronomy 26:18-19.
00:48:10.12\00:48:13.89
"Also today
00:48:13.96\00:48:15.39
the Lord has proclaimed
you to be His special,"
00:48:15.42\00:48:17.73
there's that word again,"
00:48:17.76\00:48:19.09
people just as He promised you,
00:48:19.13\00:48:21.70
that you should keep
all His commandments,
00:48:21.73\00:48:24.03
and that He will set
you high above all nations,"
00:48:24.07\00:48:27.44
Is that where we want to be,
00:48:27.47\00:48:29.44
"which He has made, in
praise, in name, and in honor,
00:48:29.47\00:48:32.51
and that you may be
00:48:32.54\00:48:33.88
a holy people to
the Lord Your God,
00:48:33.91\00:48:36.18
just as He has spoken."
00:48:36.21\00:48:37.68
His original purpose for
them to be a holy nation to God.
00:48:37.71\00:48:41.82
Then in Isaiah 60:1-3.
00:48:41.85\00:48:44.62
"Arise, shine. For
your light has come!
00:48:44.65\00:48:47.26
And the glory of the
Lord is risen upon you."
00:48:47.29\00:48:49.99
Where's the glory of
the Lord? It's risen upon.
00:48:50.03\00:48:53.16
In this case, he's talking
about God's covenant people.
00:48:53.19\00:48:56.90
Now, I'm going
somewhere with this.
00:48:56.93\00:48:58.87
"For behold, the
darkness shall cover the earth,
00:48:58.90\00:49:01.84
and deep darkness the people.
00:49:01.87\00:49:04.14
But the Lord
will arise over you,"
00:49:04.17\00:49:07.98
CA. Murray, Shelley Quinn,
Pastor Ferguson, and Jill,
00:49:08.01\00:49:11.98
and everyone that is listening.
00:49:12.01\00:49:14.22
"The Lord shall arise over you
00:49:14.25\00:49:17.39
and His glory
will be seen upon you."
00:49:17.42\00:49:19.92
Look at this verse 3,
00:49:19.95\00:49:22.06
"The Gentiles
shall come to your light,
00:49:22.09\00:49:25.46
and kings to the
brightness of your rising."
00:49:25.49\00:49:28.23
Why did He bless
the nation of Israel
00:49:28.26\00:49:31.20
so magnificently, so mightily?
00:49:31.23\00:49:34.70
It was so that those
that were in darkness
00:49:34.74\00:49:37.54
would come to the shining light
00:49:37.57\00:49:40.24
because of what God
had placed within them.
00:49:40.31\00:49:44.65
Zechariah 8:23, "Thus
says the Lord of hosts.
00:49:44.68\00:49:47.25
'In those days
00:49:47.28\00:49:51.42
ten men from every
language of nations
00:49:51.45\00:49:54.42
shall grasp the
sleeve of a Jewish man,'"
00:49:54.46\00:49:57.36
we can say in this
place, a covenant keeping man,
00:49:57.39\00:50:01.36
"saying, 'let us go with you,
00:50:01.40\00:50:03.10
for we have heard
that God is with you.'"
00:50:03.16\00:50:07.34
Looking for God,
that's Zechariah 8:23.
00:50:07.37\00:50:11.21
Ancient Israel is
God's covenant people
00:50:11.24\00:50:13.94
had a mission to reach
the world with the gospel.
00:50:13.98\00:50:17.25
So y'all already know
where I'm going with this?
00:50:17.28\00:50:19.58
How many of you are part
of God's covenant people?
00:50:19.61\00:50:23.08
A chosen
generation, a royal priesthood,
00:50:23.12\00:50:26.45
a special people, that's
what every one of you are.
00:50:26.49\00:50:29.56
The glory of the
Lord has risen upon you,
00:50:29.59\00:50:32.69
and now the same directive
00:50:32.73\00:50:35.63
that was placed
on ancient Israel
00:50:35.66\00:50:38.53
is placed upon us.
00:50:38.57\00:50:41.90
We've read 1 Peter
2:9. Let's read 2:10.
00:50:41.94\00:50:46.11
"Who once were not a
people, talking about us,
00:50:46.14\00:50:48.98
were not a people but
are now the people of God,"
00:50:49.01\00:50:52.05
we are, you are
the people of God,
00:50:52.08\00:50:55.08
"and had not obtained mercy
00:50:55.12\00:50:56.85
but thank God we
have now obtained mercy."
00:50:56.89\00:51:00.82
Was ancient Israel's mission
00:51:00.86\00:51:04.13
any different
from our mission today?
00:51:04.16\00:51:07.86
No. Are we still
very responsible?
00:51:07.86\00:51:12.60
As the people of God
and the children of God,
00:51:12.63\00:51:17.34
that's an
extraordinarily high status
00:51:17.37\00:51:21.18
that God has placed on us.
00:51:21.21\00:51:22.84
With that high status,
00:51:22.88\00:51:26.58
part and parcel of that
00:51:26.61\00:51:28.22
is extraordinarily
high responsibility.
00:51:28.25\00:51:31.42
God has entrusted, particularly,
00:51:31.45\00:51:34.82
this group of people
with an in-time message
00:51:34.86\00:51:38.03
that we are to
share with the world.
00:51:38.06\00:51:40.46
That's our responsibility.
00:51:40.50\00:51:42.76
There is a dark world out there
00:51:42.80\00:51:45.17
with people that are
hurting and hopeless.
00:51:45.20\00:51:48.07
We've got hope and
what God has given us,
00:51:48.10\00:51:51.44
He is our responsibility.
00:51:51.47\00:51:54.08
Do you all like that word?
00:51:54.11\00:51:55.44
It's our responsibility
to share that hope.
00:51:55.48\00:51:59.15
To whom much is
given, much is required.
00:51:59.18\00:52:03.62
What are we chosen to do?
To show forth His praises.
00:52:03.69\00:52:07.32
You show forth His
praises by letting that
00:52:07.36\00:52:10.73
which is
foremost in you come out
00:52:10.79\00:52:14.23
and reach the
need of all of those
00:52:14.30\00:52:16.06
that are around you.
00:52:16.10\00:52:17.43
We are a chosen
generation. Amen.
00:52:17.47\00:52:19.27
Amen, well said. I love that.
00:52:19.30\00:52:21.60
We are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood,
00:52:21.64\00:52:24.04
a holy nation,
God's own special people.
00:52:24.07\00:52:27.31
Why do you think...
00:52:27.34\00:52:28.68
This is a question
for the panel here.
00:52:28.71\00:52:30.05
We are called to
proclaim the gospel
00:52:30.08\00:52:31.95
to a lost and dying world.
00:52:31.98\00:52:33.55
We are called as God's covenant
people at the end of time
00:52:33.58\00:52:36.28
to show forth the praises of Him
00:52:36.32\00:52:39.09
who called us out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
00:52:39.12\00:52:41.89
What do you think we have
to share that is so appealing?
00:52:41.92\00:52:47.13
As God's covenant
people here at the end of time,
00:52:47.23\00:52:49.60
what do we have to share
that will draw people in?
00:52:49.63\00:52:52.73
Hope. We're the
only ones with hope.
00:52:52.77\00:52:56.17
We've got hope.
00:52:56.20\00:52:57.54
Amen, I like that.
To me it would be love.
00:52:57.57\00:53:00.08
Covenant has always been
about a love relationship.
00:53:00.14\00:53:05.31
It was to be an
intimate relationship
00:53:05.35\00:53:08.18
that's how He
defined and established
00:53:08.22\00:53:10.12
His relationship with men.
00:53:10.15\00:53:12.22
And that's why He
expects us to have the loyalty,
00:53:12.25\00:53:16.86
our expression of obedience,
00:53:16.89\00:53:18.29
it's just expressing
our love back to Him.
00:53:18.33\00:53:20.76
But I think that there are
so many people in the world
00:53:20.83\00:53:23.77
who never felt totally
loved or accepted by anyone.
00:53:23.80\00:53:28.14
And I think if
we really understand
00:53:28.17\00:53:31.21
what covenant is
all about and how...
00:53:31.24\00:53:34.11
You know, when I was
talking about obedience, even...
00:53:34.14\00:53:37.71
And said this is covenant
is how I understood grace.
00:53:37.75\00:53:42.48
Even obedience is by
grace for Philippians 2:13,
00:53:42.52\00:53:46.35
it's God who
works in you to will
00:53:46.39\00:53:47.82
and to do His good pleasure.
00:53:47.86\00:53:49.32
I mean, repeatedly both
Paul and Peter have said that,
00:53:49.36\00:53:53.90
it's God who
keeps us by His power,
00:53:53.93\00:53:56.00
it's God who's
going to make us spotless,
00:53:56.03\00:53:58.20
God who is going
to make us blameless.
00:53:58.23\00:54:00.50
So I think if people understood
00:54:00.57\00:54:02.40
the love of the Heavenly Father,
00:54:02.44\00:54:04.54
and if they could come to Him,
00:54:04.57\00:54:06.24
and that He's
going to bring them
00:54:06.27\00:54:07.78
into this covenant
relationship with them
00:54:07.81\00:54:10.75
that He's made
oath-bound promises.
00:54:10.78\00:54:13.72
"If you just be
part of My people,
00:54:13.75\00:54:16.38
here's what I'm
going do for you."
00:54:16.42\00:54:19.15
It's just mercy.
00:54:19.19\00:54:20.66
Who wouldn't
want it? Pastor Tom?
00:54:20.69\00:54:22.36
You know,
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:54:22.39\00:54:23.73
we are called...
00:54:23.76\00:54:25.09
I am compelled to
share the good news,
00:54:25.13\00:54:28.90
the gospel of this hour,
00:54:28.93\00:54:31.73
which is in the
Three Angels' messages.
00:54:31.77\00:54:33.74
And I think about
that, and I realize
00:54:33.80\00:54:36.17
that so many people
have a skewed view of God
00:54:36.20\00:54:39.21
that are out of the church
and that are in the church.
00:54:39.24\00:54:42.38
And maybe those in this
panel are in a certain place,
00:54:42.41\00:54:45.88
maybe some people
studying and watching today
00:54:45.91\00:54:47.75
at a certain place,
00:54:47.78\00:54:49.12
but you're coming across someone
00:54:49.15\00:54:50.49
that maybe other
than the name of Jesus,
00:54:50.55\00:54:52.99
they don't know Him at all.
00:54:53.02\00:54:54.82
They have stayed away
from the church for years
00:54:54.86\00:54:56.99
because of maybe an
experience they've had in life
00:54:57.03\00:55:01.20
or the fact that
nobody has led them to Christ.
00:55:01.23\00:55:04.07
So we have the good
news to share for this hour,
00:55:04.10\00:55:08.54
and I'm so thankful that God
00:55:08.57\00:55:10.87
is choosing to work
through someone such as I.
00:55:10.91\00:55:14.31
Amen. Amen.
00:55:14.34\00:55:16.81
I said this in a
sermon the other day.
00:55:16.85\00:55:18.45
It's either God or I don't know.
00:55:18.48\00:55:22.28
Say that again.
00:55:22.32\00:55:23.65
It's either God or I don't know.
00:55:23.69\00:55:25.89
If you look at
where did we come from
00:55:25.92\00:55:28.76
God or I don't know.
00:55:28.79\00:55:30.39
Where are we going?
God or I don't know.
00:55:30.43\00:55:33.60
If we came from God,
we're going back to God.
00:55:33.66\00:55:36.20
If you don't know
where you came from,
00:55:36.23\00:55:37.70
you don't know
where you're going.
00:55:37.73\00:55:39.07
So I don't know
where I came from,
00:55:39.10\00:55:40.47
I don't know where I'm going.
00:55:40.50\00:55:41.84
So we have hope, and
we have love to share,
00:55:41.87\00:55:44.84
which gives us answers,
00:55:44.87\00:55:46.21
so we're not
like a ping pong ball
00:55:46.24\00:55:47.91
bouncing all over the place.
00:55:47.94\00:55:49.28
I know where I came
from, I know where I'm going.
00:55:49.31\00:55:52.15
So I've got hope 'cause I
know how it's going to end.
00:55:52.18\00:55:56.05
And that's the greatest
message in the world to share.
00:55:56.08\00:55:59.05
That there's somebody
who is guiding all of this,
00:55:59.09\00:56:01.39
it's not random, it's
not just bouncing all over.
00:56:01.42\00:56:04.53
There's a God
who got it started,
00:56:04.56\00:56:06.33
and Jesus Christ
is going to finish it.
00:56:06.36\00:56:08.33
And I came from God,
and I'm going back to God.
00:56:08.36\00:56:11.63
And that's a great message.
00:56:11.67\00:56:13.90
You know, when you're in a
covenant relationship with Him,
00:56:13.97\00:56:16.20
all of God's promises are
yes and amen in Christ Jesus.
00:56:16.24\00:56:19.54
Amen. Amen.
00:56:19.57\00:56:22.78
There's some great
promises in the Bible.
00:56:22.81\00:56:24.38
Amen, there are. I love that.
00:56:24.41\00:56:25.75
And to me even the commands
in the Bible are a promise.
00:56:25.78\00:56:29.55
And we look at the Ten
Commandments, that's right.
00:56:29.58\00:56:31.82
It enables us.
00:56:31.85\00:56:33.19
We look at it and think,
00:56:33.22\00:56:34.56
"Uh, I can't
measure up or the covenant."
00:56:34.59\00:56:35.92
I can't, but you're right.
00:56:35.96\00:56:37.29
I love what each one of you
had to share today on the panel.
00:56:37.36\00:56:40.03
Thank you for
sharing from your experience,
00:56:40.06\00:56:42.26
from the Word of God, and
from your own walk with God
00:56:42.30\00:56:45.53
because that gives
us tools to move forward
00:56:45.57\00:56:49.34
as we study God's Word.
00:56:49.37\00:56:50.71
We thank you for
joining us as well.
00:56:50.74\00:56:52.54
We want to encourage you.
00:56:52.57\00:56:53.98
I like what you
just said Pastor Tom.
00:56:54.01\00:56:55.88
I encourage you whether you
00:56:55.91\00:56:57.75
have been in
the church for years
00:56:57.78\00:56:59.35
and maybe never knew Jesus.
00:56:59.38\00:57:01.62
That's possible.
00:57:01.65\00:57:02.98
To walk in the church,
00:57:03.02\00:57:04.42
to be part of a
community of believers
00:57:04.45\00:57:07.09
and not even know who Jesus is.
00:57:07.12\00:57:09.22
We want to
encourage you to find out
00:57:09.26\00:57:11.53
who He is for yourself.
00:57:11.56\00:57:13.26
He says in Psalm,
00:57:13.29\00:57:14.63
"Taste and see
that the Lord is good."
00:57:14.66\00:57:18.00
So try Jesus.
00:57:18.03\00:57:20.00
And I don't mean that in any
disrespectful way, He said it,
00:57:20.04\00:57:23.14
taste and see that I am good.
00:57:23.17\00:57:24.84
So spend time
in the Word of God,
00:57:24.87\00:57:27.78
know that He is a
covenant keeping God.
00:57:27.81\00:57:30.35
It's not up to us to say,
00:57:30.38\00:57:32.18
"Oh, that the Lord has
said we will do and we keep."
00:57:32.21\00:57:35.12
All we do is submit and commit
our lives to Him and allow Him,
00:57:35.15\00:57:39.39
by the power of His grace,
00:57:39.42\00:57:41.36
to flow into us
and to change us.
00:57:41.39\00:57:43.93
That He keeps His end of
the bargain and that covenant.
00:57:43.96\00:57:47.73
We thank you
for joining us today
00:57:47.76\00:57:49.83
for 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:57:49.86\00:57:52.77
Next week, we want to
encourage you to tune in.
00:57:52.80\00:57:56.04
Next week, we'll be talking
about social relationships,
00:57:56.07\00:57:59.14
still looking at the
epistles of 1 and 2 Peter.
00:57:59.17\00:58:01.94
You know that we love
you, and we pray for you.
00:58:01.98\00:58:03.91
We'll see you next time.
00:58:03.98\00:58:05.38