The Bible tells us
00:00:01.33\00:00:02.66
Hello and we welcome you
to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel
00:00:33.90\00:00:37.83
You know the reason we do
this, as much as we love to get
00:00:37.87\00:00:41.70
together and study the
Bible, the reason we do this
00:00:41.74\00:00:44.37
is for you and we hope it will
be a blessing to you. So we want
00:00:44.41\00:00:48.41
to encourage you to get
your Bibles and join us as we
00:00:48.44\00:00:51.91
continue in the 2nd quarter,
the Sabbath School Quarterly
00:00:51.95\00:00:57.12
is Feed My Sheep and we're
still on the first epistle of
00:00:57.15\00:01:00.66
Peter and I don't know about
you all but this has been such
00:01:00.69\00:01:04.39
a good review for me, I
forgot how much meat there is in
00:01:04.43\00:01:09.20
the first epistle of Peter. So
Peter is writing to people who
00:01:09.23\00:01:12.83
are being persecuted from
without, persecuted from within
00:01:12.87\00:01:16.74
when we get into his second
epistle. But we want you to
00:01:16.77\00:01:22.51
study along with us. Now if you
don't have an adult Bible study
00:01:22.54\00:01:29.98
guide, you can go to absg
that stands for adult Bible
00:01:30.02\00:01:36.16
study guide. absg.adventist.org
00:01:36.19\00:01:40.03
and you can download the lesson
As we continue in the first
00:01:40.06\00:01:45.80
epistle of Peter, you know since
the fall of mankind sin has been
00:01:45.83\00:01:51.24
a very serious problem. And the
disciples were well aware of it
00:01:51.27\00:01:56.95
and they were very well aware
of what Jesus had to do, the
00:01:56.98\00:02:01.78
suffering that He went through,
they were painfully aware of
00:02:01.82\00:02:04.69
the suffering and Him having
to die for us to provide a
00:02:04.72\00:02:09.42
solution for this. But you know
both Paul and Peter, I remember
00:02:09.46\00:02:12.96
when Paul wrote to Timothy
saying, you know this is a
00:02:12.99\00:02:16.20
worthy saying, He's died for
us, for sinners, how does he say
00:02:16.23\00:02:20.57
that? He came into the world
to save sinners of whom I am the
00:02:20.64\00:02:25.11
chief. So Paul knew that he
had a background, as C.A. says
00:02:25.14\00:02:30.55
Paul had stuff, you got stuff,
I got stuff, we've all got stuff
00:02:30.58\00:02:35.42
but what I love about both Paul
and Peter, we'll see this today
00:02:35.45\00:02:40.46
is that they're both looking at
and rejoicing in what Christ has
00:02:40.49\00:02:47.00
done for us and the
transformation that it brings
00:02:47.03\00:02:50.17
about because it's the kind
of transformation that they say
00:02:50.23\00:02:53.94
people will notice. And let
me introduce our panel to you
00:02:54.00\00:02:58.47
since I got off into this
with out. Next to me is my dear
00:02:58.51\00:03:02.91
friend Molly Steenson. Molly,
thank you so much for being here
00:03:02.94\00:03:06.21
Pr. John Lomacang
it's good to have you here.
00:03:06.25\00:03:09.75
Pr. Tom Ferguson is returning
with us once again. Tom, we're
00:03:09.78\00:03:13.15
so thankful to you,
appreciate your filling in here
00:03:13.19\00:03:16.52
And then we have Jill Morikone
So we're very, very thankful
00:03:16.56\00:03:21.76
I need to have someone say a
prayer while I clear my throat
00:03:21.80\00:03:25.03
and Tom would you like to pray?
Sure. Heavenly Father we count
00:03:25.07\00:03:29.14
it a privilege to come
before the throne of grace
00:03:29.17\00:03:31.71
and invite your presence
in this study. Lord there are
00:03:32.51\00:03:36.24
souls that are watching and
listening just now and we just
00:03:36.28\00:03:40.28
invite your Spirit to minister
to them. Meet them where they
00:03:40.32\00:03:43.49
are and take them to Yourself.
And Lord as we continue to study
00:03:43.55\00:03:47.76
through the epistle of
Peter guide us with Your word
00:03:47.82\00:03:51.16
instruct us, enlighten our
minds, show us the way Father,
00:03:51.19\00:03:55.70
in Jesus'
precious name, Amen Amen.
00:03:55.73\00:03:59.87
You know the one thing that
pervades the epistle, the first
00:03:59.90\00:04:05.14
epistle of Peter is that,
that sense of God's very real
00:04:05.17\00:04:10.95
presence of love within
us. He even says love covers a
00:04:11.01\00:04:14.58
multitude of sins. But let's
read together our memory text
00:04:14.62\00:04:19.19
which is 1 Peter 3:12, and we're
going to be reading from the
00:04:19.22\00:04:24.33
New King James version and it
says, For the eyes of the Lord
00:04:24.39\00:04:29.36
are on the righteous and His
ears are open to their prayers
00:04:29.40\00:04:33.80
but the face of the Lord
is against those who do evil
00:04:33.87\00:04:39.37
So what I have is
Sunday's lesson, excuse me.
00:04:39.41\00:04:44.08
And that is being of one
mind. So why don't we turn to
00:04:44.11\00:04:47.25
1 Peter 3 and we're going
to read verses 8 through 12
00:04:47.28\00:04:53.15
I'd like to read them through
very quickly and then we'll go
00:04:53.19\00:04:56.32
through and kind of
unpack what Peter is saying.
00:04:56.36\00:05:02.60
He says, finally all of you be
of one mind, having compassion
00:05:02.63\00:05:06.90
for one another. Love as
brothers, be tender hearted
00:05:06.94\00:05:10.01
be courteous, not returning
evil for evil or reviling for
00:05:10.04\00:05:14.21
reviling but on the contrary
blessing. Knowing that you were
00:05:14.24\00:05:18.45
called to this that you may
inherit a blessing. For he who
00:05:18.48\00:05:23.65
would love life, now
he's giving a quote here,
00:05:23.72\00:05:26.15
he who would love life and see
good days, let him refrain his
00:05:26.19\00:05:29.89
tongue from evil and his lips
from speaking deceit. Let him
00:05:29.92\00:05:33.93
turn away from evil and do good.
Let him seek peace and pursue it
00:05:33.96\00:05:38.60
For the eyes of the Lord are on
the righteous and His ears are
00:05:38.63\00:05:42.04
open to their prayers but
the face of the Lord is against
00:05:42.07\00:05:45.74
those who is evil. In his
former way of life what was
00:05:45.77\00:05:51.38
Peter's personality like?
00:05:51.41\00:05:54.22
Impetuous, impulsive, brash,
impatient, proud but after the
00:05:54.25\00:06:03.39
Holy Spirit's baptism there was
a total transformation in him.
00:06:03.43\00:06:07.40
And so what Peter is doing here
is listing 5 qualities that will
00:06:07.46\00:06:12.37
characterize Christian believers
after they've been baptized
00:06:12.40\00:06:16.81
with the Holy Spirit. Let's
go over it again. So he says
00:06:16.84\00:06:20.48
in verse 8, 1 Peter 3:8. Finally
all of you, that's all of us
00:06:20.51\00:06:28.05
be of one mind. This is
the first characteristic
00:06:28.08\00:06:31.95
of Christian believers, that we
are united in Spirit. It doesn't
00:06:31.99\00:06:35.72
mean that we think alike
in everything but that we're
00:06:35.76\00:06:39.73
united in Spirit and that we
have a unified goal, one purpose
00:06:39.76\00:06:44.53
for which we're living and you
know when Paul, he gave a really
00:06:44.57\00:06:48.57
good example of this in 1
Corinthians when he talks about
00:06:48.60\00:06:51.94
the body having many different
parts. You know you could be
00:06:51.97\00:06:56.21
the head, like at 3ABN, you're
I don't know if you're the head
00:06:56.24\00:07:00.38
or the neck that turns the head
You're the neck that turns the
00:07:00.45\00:07:03.89
head, aren't you? But
Christ is the head we should say
00:07:03.92\00:07:09.06
Christ is the head but
we're all part of the body.
00:07:09.09\00:07:12.29
and I might be a little
toe, John might be a right arm
00:07:12.33\00:07:16.80
but we all, you know every
body part works together or
00:07:16.83\00:07:21.34
it doesn't work at all, does it?
00:07:21.40\00:07:23.54
So let's see what he says. Then
he continues in verse 8, so the
00:07:23.57\00:07:29.78
first characteristic is to have
one mind. Then he says having
00:07:29.81\00:07:33.38
compassion for one another.
Compassion means that you're
00:07:33.42\00:07:38.45
sympathetic, that
you're responding to the needs
00:07:38.49\00:07:41.96
of others. And you know Pastor
John wouldn't you say that
00:07:41.99\00:07:45.56
if there's one thing that
characterizes our local church
00:07:45.59\00:07:48.83
it's compassion. Yes. We do,
benevolence is something that's
00:07:48.86\00:07:54.87
very big here. As a matter of
fact I've heard in the community
00:07:54.90\00:07:58.11
people say if you need help
go to the Seventh-Day Adventist
00:07:58.14\00:08:01.18
Church. It's like disinterested
benevolence, doing it without
00:08:01.21\00:08:04.51
expecting anything in return.
Absolutely! One time I was privy
00:08:04.55\00:08:09.95
to the information concerning
benevolence. It made me so, my
00:08:09.98\00:08:14.86
heart was so warmed for
this congregation that they care
00:08:14.89\00:08:18.89
so much for people.
They have compassion. Amen.
00:08:18.93\00:08:22.13
Then he continues on in verse
8 he says, love as brothers.
00:08:22.16\00:08:26.07
You are to treat others as your
brother and sister in Christ
00:08:26.10\00:08:30.11
and you know he does later
on in chapter 4 he'll say love
00:08:30.14\00:08:33.01
covers a multitude of sins,
but it's repeatedly forgiving
00:08:33.04\00:08:38.38
there's a proverb that
says hatred stirs up strife. But
00:08:38.41\00:08:43.55
love covers all sins. The
4th thing that characterizes
00:08:43.59\00:08:48.42
Christians, be tenderhearted,
be sensitive and caring
00:08:48.46\00:08:51.66
and be courteous not returning
evil for evil or reviling for
00:08:51.69\00:08:55.73
reviling. Now this requires
humility. This means you have
00:08:55.76\00:09:00.54
to turn the other cheek
when someone has offended you
00:09:00.60\00:09:04.27
And he goes on, in verse 9
he says, knowing that you were
00:09:04.34\00:09:07.21
called to this that
you may inherit a blessing.
00:09:07.24\00:09:11.48
And we know that everything
God calls us to, calls us to be
00:09:11.51\00:09:16.15
He will cause us to be, right?
He works in us to will and to do
00:09:16.18\00:09:21.49
His good pleasure. And then
verse 10 he says, he who would
00:09:21.52\00:09:25.29
love life and see good
days let him refrain his tongue
00:09:25.33\00:09:28.96
from evil. From speaking deceit.
What does James compare the
00:09:29.00\00:09:34.67
tongue to? Fire. A fire. And
when you think about it a lot
00:09:34.74\00:09:40.81
of times an untamed tongue can
have the same results of a fire.
00:09:40.88\00:09:45.51
It will do a searing that's
irreversible. Irreversible.
00:09:45.55\00:09:50.82
So when we think of an untamed
tongue I made a little list here
00:09:50.89\00:09:56.99
fits of anger, berating others,
bullying, gossip, back biting
00:09:57.03\00:10:02.23
manipulating, flattering,
bragging, exaggerating,
00:10:02.26\00:10:06.17
complaining or lying. Satan
uses an untamed tongue to divide
00:10:06.20\00:10:13.24
and conquer, doesn't he?
And really what he's doing is to
00:10:13.27\00:10:17.01
destroying, he damages
people's feelings. He divides us
00:10:17.05\00:10:23.12
there's no unity. He's
just destroying the unity.
00:10:23.15\00:10:26.45
But you can't control your
tongue without the power of the
00:10:26.49\00:10:30.59
Holy Spirit. So that's what you
need to do every day when you
00:10:30.63\00:10:33.26
get up is pray, Lord put a
guard at the doorpost of my
00:10:33.29\00:10:37.83
lips and help me not to
speak out of any kind of malice
00:10:37.90\00:10:44.54
There's 3 things you should
ask yourself before you speak
00:10:44.57\00:10:48.04
Is that I'm about to say true
00:10:48.11\00:10:50.81
is it necessary and is it kind?
00:10:50.88\00:10:53.18
And if it doesn't meet those
3 don't go there. Then he says
00:10:53.21\00:10:57.35
let him turn away from evil
and do good. Let him seek peace
00:10:57.42\00:10:59.95
and pursue it. This requires
humility and humility is not
00:11:00.06\00:11:05.16
passive, it's active. The humble
mind of Christ is supposed to
00:11:05.19\00:11:10.43
be in us. Moses was said to
be the most humble man on earth
00:11:10.47\00:11:15.07
So this isn't something you're
just passively sitting back
00:11:15.10\00:11:19.31
When he says the eyes of
the Lord are on the righteous
00:11:19.34\00:11:23.78
what we have to think about is
what Paul says. There's only one
00:11:23.81\00:11:28.18
way we can be like this. Paul
says in Galatians 2:20, I have
00:11:28.25\00:11:33.79
been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who live but
00:11:33.82\00:11:36.99
Christ lives in me. And the life
which I now live in the flesh
00:11:37.03\00:11:41.83
I live by faith in the Son
of God who loved me and gave
00:11:41.86\00:11:45.60
Himself for me. I've got
one more Scripture real quickly
00:11:45.63\00:11:49.44
Turn to Romans 8 because we
have to see how can we crucify
00:11:49.47\00:11:55.78
our flesh? Because we have
to put that old man to death
00:11:55.81\00:12:00.35
and let the new man take over.
But let me tell you something
00:12:00.38\00:12:06.35
you cannot crucify your flesh
by yourself. I can't nail both
00:12:06.39\00:12:10.69
hands, I might get one up there
but I can't without the other
00:12:10.76\00:12:13.60
Look at Romans 8 and
verse 13 is where we'll begin.
00:12:13.63\00:12:18.17
If you live according to
the flesh, what's gonna happen?
00:12:18.20\00:12:22.90
You're gonna die. But if by
the Spirit you put to death the
00:12:22.94\00:12:30.05
misdeeds of the body, you will
live. So you see the Spirit's
00:12:30.08\00:12:35.05
not going to, the Holy Spirit
won't force Himself upon you.
00:12:35.08\00:12:38.69
He doesn't do it by Himself
but it says, if by the Spirit
00:12:38.72\00:12:44.53
you put to death, so there's
two working together. You have
00:12:44.56\00:12:49.36
to cooperate, you can't do
it by yourself without His power
00:12:49.40\00:12:53.10
He won't do it unless
you cooperate with Him.
00:12:53.13\00:12:57.07
Molly, you've got
Monday. You've just made a point
00:12:57.11\00:13:00.81
that I'm going to get to
and that is that nobody is going
00:13:00.84\00:13:06.31
to crucify this flesh but we
ourselves. But we can only do
00:13:06.35\00:13:10.32
it with the help of the Holy
Spirit. So what I'm looking at
00:13:10.35\00:13:13.66
on Monday is to Suffer In The
Flesh. Oh great, I get to talk
00:13:13.69\00:13:17.93
about the flesh suffering.
But I've some amazing good news
00:13:17.96\00:13:22.43
for you. And that, let me give
you a fact first. The fact is
00:13:22.46\00:13:26.00
Jesus Christ died for our
sins and our hope of salvation
00:13:26.03\00:13:31.37
is found only in Him. Is
that a fact? That's a fact.
00:13:31.41\00:13:35.21
Here's some amazing good news.
When we accepted Jesus Christ
00:13:35.24\00:13:40.62
as our Savior. When we were
born again as Scripture tells us
00:13:40.65\00:13:45.82
the Bible teaches we are
accounted righteous. What is
00:13:45.85\00:13:50.56
righteous, in right standing
with God. Because of Jesus
00:13:50.59\00:13:56.46
we are accepted before God
just as if we had never sinned.
00:13:56.50\00:14:03.14
Now think about that, isn't
that amazing? Pr. John it was as
00:14:03.17\00:14:08.44
though we, and why is that? It's
because of how God sees us now
00:14:08.48\00:14:13.82
God sees us through something
He sees us through the shed
00:14:13.85\00:14:20.66
blood of His Son and I'm going
to read to you Hebrews 12:24
00:14:20.69\00:14:26.26
now what does God sees us
through? We accept the Lord
00:14:26.29\00:14:29.56
Jesus Christ as our Savior
and God sees us differently.
00:14:29.60\00:14:33.94
He sees us through the
blood of His Son. Hebrews 12:24
00:14:33.97\00:14:39.77
says, To Jesus the mediator
of the new covenant and to the
00:14:39.81\00:14:45.15
blood of sprinkling that speaks
better things than that of Abel
00:14:45.18\00:14:51.32
That is saying that the blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ speaks to
00:14:51.35\00:14:55.29
do you all know that blood
speaks? This says it speaks
00:14:55.32\00:14:58.46
better things than that of the
blood of Abel. What did Abel's
00:14:58.49\00:15:02.43
blood, remember it cried out
from the ground the Word says
00:15:02.46\00:15:06.03
what did the blood of Abel speak
think about that. It cried out
00:15:06.07\00:15:09.90
for vengeance, justice. What's
the blood of Jesus, now think
00:15:09.94\00:15:15.01
about the blood of Jesus, what
does, the Scriptures say that
00:15:15.04\00:15:20.65
happened to the blood of Jesus.
Did He not take it up into the
00:15:20.68\00:15:24.72
portals of the heavenly
sanctuary and He put it some
00:15:24.75\00:15:30.46
mercy seat, remember He
sprinkled it on the mercy seat
00:15:30.49\00:15:36.16
Now when God looks at us,
when He looks at Jill Morikone
00:15:36.20\00:15:42.54
He looks at her through the
mercy seat and what is the blood
00:15:42.57\00:15:48.91
of Jesus crying out? Amazing
good news Jill, it's crying out
00:15:48.94\00:15:53.48
for mercy. So when God
looks at us now, He looks at us
00:15:53.52\00:15:59.12
through the blood of Jesus that
is saying oh God have mercy on
00:15:59.15\00:16:02.99
John. Oh God have mercy on
Shelley. He sees us through the
00:16:03.02\00:16:08.93
blood of His Son. But when you
think about this, God's grace
00:16:08.96\00:16:15.77
doesn't just end with our
salvation did you know that?
00:16:15.80\00:16:19.61
He declares us righteous, in
right relationship. He sees us
00:16:21.91\00:16:26.15
through the blood of His Son
but He also gives us the power
00:16:26.18\00:16:32.15
to overcome sin. Now we've been
forgiven, if we confess our sins
00:16:32.19\00:16:37.73
and I bet you I'll end
this study with that Scripture
00:16:37.76\00:16:40.70
1 John 1:9, always
gonna get that in there.
00:16:40.73\00:16:43.47
But He doesn't just forgive
us of our sins, what's the other
00:16:43.50\00:16:48.00
the rest of that Scripture?
He also cleanses us from all
00:16:48.04\00:16:52.17
unrighteousness. So when we
make Jesus the Lord of our lives
00:16:52.21\00:16:56.54
remember, let me take you
back to that time when you asked
00:16:56.58\00:16:59.35
Jesus Christ, you surrendered
to Him, He became your Lord
00:16:59.38\00:17:03.28
and your Savior. Remember,
I don't know some of us got up
00:17:03.32\00:17:06.72
from an altar, I know it doesn't
happen the same for everybody
00:17:06.76\00:17:10.53
but you get up from the altar
and the burdens of your sin
00:17:10.56\00:17:14.96
are rolled away and you
feel fresh and clean and pure
00:17:15.00\00:17:18.57
and you know you're standing
before God pure and clean
00:17:18.63\00:17:22.04
However, within us there is a
propensity, y'all know what that
00:17:22.07\00:17:27.78
word means? There is a
propensity, a leaning to sin
00:17:27.84\00:17:33.18
and so we can't overcome by
ourselves. We can't not sin by
00:17:33.21\00:17:39.25
ourselves. We've got to have
help. God has given us a helper
00:17:39.29\00:17:47.60
of course the Holy Spirit. But
let's see what Jesus has done
00:17:47.60\00:17:53.57
for us. I want you to go to
1 Peter. You knew I'd get you
00:17:53.60\00:17:56.24
in 1 Peter sooner or later.
1 Peter chapter 3, verse 18
00:17:56.27\00:18:01.81
For Christ also suffered, that
word is sacrificed, once for our
00:18:01.88\00:18:10.05
sins. The word sacrifice, Greek
word is Hapax. That's as close
00:18:10.09\00:18:17.63
as I can get and it means once
and once for all. He suffered
00:18:17.66\00:18:26.20
He sacrificed for everyone
of us. The just, was He just?
00:18:26.23\00:18:32.37
He's just, for the unjust. He
suffered once and once for all
00:18:32.41\00:18:39.81
and didn't have to do it again
for every one of us. We're the
00:18:39.85\00:18:43.75
unjust, He's the just. But you
know what He did, He justified
00:18:43.79\00:18:48.29
us. He gave us His justification
that He, and here's the reason
00:18:48.32\00:18:53.29
He did, that He might bring
us to God being put to death in
00:18:53.33\00:18:59.33
the flesh. Who was put to death
in the flesh? He suffered the
00:18:59.37\00:19:03.84
death that we should suffer,
that we might live the life
00:19:03.87\00:19:09.68
that we don't deserve. But
He suffered that. But it goes on
00:19:09.71\00:19:14.85
to say that He was put to death
in the flesh but made alive
00:19:14.88\00:19:22.42
in the Spirit. Ok, Peter points
out that Christ suffered for
00:19:22.46\00:19:27.83
our sins in order that He might
bring us to God. Ok let's look
00:19:27.86\00:19:33.10
at 1 Peter 4:1. There's a
therefore and you know what
00:19:33.13\00:19:36.94
if there's a therefore you
wanna see what is therefore
00:19:36.97\00:19:39.77
so 1 Peter 4:1. Forasmuch then
Christ has suffered for us in
00:19:39.81\00:19:47.28
the flesh, arm yourselves like
wise, do what? Says something
00:19:47.32\00:19:52.99
about we're to arm ourselves
likewise meaning we're gonna
00:19:53.02\00:19:57.03
be in a like example, 1 Peter
4:1, with the same mind for He
00:19:57.06\00:20:02.33
that hath suffered in the
flesh has ceased from sin. Now I
00:20:02.36\00:20:07.67
don't know about you but I
know that this ceasing from sin
00:20:07.70\00:20:12.41
is something I need help
with. Let's look at verse 2
00:20:12.44\00:20:15.81
that he no longer should
live the rest of his time in the
00:20:15.84\00:20:20.12
flesh to the lust of men but
to the will of God. Telling us
00:20:20.15\00:20:24.55
we are to live for the will of
God. Now you make Jesus Christ
00:20:24.59\00:20:29.99
the Lord of your life and what
is the next step that needs to
00:20:30.03\00:20:35.43
happen after you come to the
Lord? You need to be baptized
00:20:35.46\00:20:39.90
do you not? Follow the Lord in
the believer's baptism. When we
00:20:39.93\00:20:45.24
follow the Lord in believer's
baptism what does our baptism
00:20:45.27\00:20:50.08
signify? Here's what happens.
Pr. Lomacang we've got a
00:20:50.11\00:20:54.78
baptistery in our sanctuary,
do we not? So we fill it up with
00:20:54.85\00:20:58.52
water, we always put a little
heater in it I think to heat
00:20:58.55\00:21:02.66
that water up. So we have this
sinner that's made Jesus the
00:21:02.69\00:21:08.23
Lord of their life but they
still have that propensity to
00:21:08.26\00:21:10.70
sin and so Pr. Lomacang takes
that believer and they follow
00:21:10.73\00:21:17.54
the Lord in the believer's
baptism. The pastor places them
00:21:17.57\00:21:22.44
in the watery grave. Now what is
supposed to happen in that water
00:21:22.48\00:21:26.48
grave? What becomes of
that old man? Oh that old man is
00:21:26.51\00:21:30.42
supposed to stay in that watery
grave and you come up into
00:21:30.45\00:21:34.79
newness of life. So you've
crucified that flesh, that flesh
00:21:34.82\00:21:41.00
should be left in the baptismal
tank. You're resurrected
00:21:41.03\00:21:45.17
to newness of life. But I've
got news for you. Sometimes that
00:21:45.20\00:21:49.87
old man resurrects his ugly
head have you ever seen that?
00:21:49.90\00:21:54.14
That can happen and so we thank
God for the Scriptures that
00:21:56.61\00:22:02.45
tell us, I'm just going
to read you Galatians 5:24.
00:22:02.48\00:22:06.86
And those who are Christ's have
crucified the flesh with the
00:22:06.89\00:22:12.26
passions and desire. So some
thing Shelley made so clear and
00:22:12.29\00:22:16.23
I wanted to reiterate, what is
it? Tell them what you're gonna
00:22:16.26\00:22:19.57
teach them, then teach them
tell them what you taught them
00:22:19.60\00:22:21.84
then we'll get it. That's what
we want to do today. When you
00:22:21.87\00:22:26.54
make Jesus Christ the Lord
of your life then we start the
00:22:26.57\00:22:30.11
sanctification process and
that propensity to sin is there
00:22:30.15\00:22:34.72
and this Scripture tells us that
we're the ones to put to death
00:22:34.75\00:22:39.19
the misdeeds of our flesh but we
can only do it through the power
00:22:39.22\00:22:43.29
of the Holy Spirit. And we're
forgiven but we can't continue
00:22:43.32\00:22:49.06
in sin. The old man was put
in a watery grave and you know
00:22:49.10\00:22:53.00
that God is going to help us to
leave that old man in the watery
00:22:53.03\00:22:56.44
grave. But if we sin, what does
the Scripture say? We've got
00:22:56.47\00:23:01.08
I thank God for the advocate
with our Father. I'm going to
00:23:01.11\00:23:04.98
quote 1 John 1:9 one more time
because this is what we have to
00:23:05.05\00:23:09.45
live by on a daily basis. If we
confess our sins, He is faithful
00:23:09.48\00:23:14.26
and just to, step number 1
forgive us of our sins and thank
00:23:14.29\00:23:18.73
God for step number 2, cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
00:23:18.76\00:23:23.33
Wow, thank you Molly. This is
a topic that needs maybe 3 or 4
00:23:23.37\00:23:27.64
programs. Oh absolutely. And
I have the joy of talking about
00:23:27.67\00:23:32.37
the one about being born again.
00:23:32.41\00:23:35.38
When you talk about the new
birth it may be surprising to us
00:23:35.44\00:23:39.58
when you think of the word born
again well the phrase born again
00:23:39.61\00:23:42.68
it only appears two times
in the Bible. And both times in
00:23:42.72\00:23:46.69
the book of John chapter 3.
That John chapter 3 verse 16
00:23:46.72\00:23:50.69
where we so often quote, it
is in fact a statement, it's a
00:23:50.73\00:23:55.53
conversation between Jesus
and Nicodemus. He's saying in
00:23:55.56\00:23:59.50
John 3:3, Jesus answered and
said to him, Most assuredly I
00:23:59.53\00:24:05.77
say to you unless one is born
again he cannot see the kingdom
00:24:05.81\00:24:10.28
of God. Now this is very
interesting because what would
00:24:10.31\00:24:13.58
happen is according to 1
Corinthians 15:22, as in Adam
00:24:13.62\00:24:18.35
all die, you know we're
all born with the nature of our
00:24:18.39\00:24:21.52
father, we have our father's
nature. Many years ago Amy
00:24:21.56\00:24:25.79
Grant, you may remember she sang
a song called My Father's Eyes
00:24:25.83\00:24:29.76
Well we do have our father's
eyes. When we're in Adam we see
00:24:29.80\00:24:33.57
all the bad in everybody.
Our eyes see all the evil in
00:24:33.60\00:24:37.47
everyone. When we're in Christ
we see the good in others.
00:24:37.51\00:24:40.04
It affects the way we see.
And that is true in Revelation
00:24:40.08\00:24:43.31
when it says buy of me eye salve
that you may see. So one of the
00:24:43.35\00:24:48.58
first things that is affected
because Satan appealed to Eve
00:24:48.65\00:24:52.42
on the basis of what she saw.
She saw the tree was good for
00:24:52.45\00:24:56.22
food, pleasant to the eyes.
A tree desirable to make one
00:24:56.26\00:25:00.66
wise. He appealed to her based
on what she saw, the very tree
00:25:00.70\00:25:04.73
that the Lord said to avoid.
And so one of the first things
00:25:04.77\00:25:08.04
that I thought was amazing
that Jesus brought out, the very
00:25:08.07\00:25:11.07
thing that Satan used to deceive
Eve is the very thing Jesus
00:25:11.11\00:25:15.11
says is affected when you
are born again, your sight. You
00:25:15.14\00:25:18.78
cannot see. So when people
say I can't see the Sabbath
00:25:18.81\00:25:22.35
Well I agree with that, you're
not born again. I can't see
00:25:22.38\00:25:26.42
this and I can't see that. I
really question where a person
00:25:26.45\00:25:30.23
stands when the truth of God
is screaming at them and they
00:25:30.26\00:25:33.93
can't see it. It does say that
some new birth needs to take
00:25:33.96\00:25:38.27
place. So let's talk
about this new birth.
00:25:38.30\00:25:44.01
When Jesus, another parallel
that came to me, when Jesus
00:25:44.04\00:25:48.04
began His ministry, by the way
we can't begin ministry of any
00:25:48.08\00:25:51.75
kind unless we're born again,
it's not possible. You could be
00:25:51.78\00:25:55.72
a person that's mimicking
ministry but unless you're born
00:25:55.75\00:25:58.79
again you can't be involved
in ministry. Because the first
00:25:58.82\00:26:02.26
thing that even Jesus the
perfect one did was He was
00:26:02.32\00:26:05.96
baptized. You talked about
baptism. That was the anointing
00:26:05.99\00:26:09.23
that was the approval of
the Father putting to death that
00:26:09.26\00:26:12.00
flesh that He took on Himself.
The flesh was in stages. Jesus
00:26:12.07\00:26:16.40
was always dealing with human
flesh because He didn't need
00:26:16.44\00:26:18.51
to get baptized. So why did
He get baptized? Not just to set
00:26:18.54\00:26:22.28
an example but to establish
a righteousness that could not
00:26:22.31\00:26:26.48
have been established
prior to Him being baptized.
00:26:26.51\00:26:29.38
That's why He said to John,
allow it, King James version
00:26:29.42\00:26:33.05
suffer it to be so now for
thus it becometh to fulfill
00:26:33.09\00:26:35.99
all righteousness. I'm doing
something here John that you
00:26:36.02\00:26:38.76
won't understand until later on
when I meet a guy on the cross
00:26:38.83\00:26:41.66
who can't get baptized.
I'll impute and impart to him my
00:26:41.70\00:26:45.03
righteousness. If Jesus had not
been baptized He was incapable
00:26:45.07\00:26:49.37
of imputing to the thief on
the cross what He did not have,
00:26:49.40\00:26:52.37
because He took on human
flesh. The other thing though is
00:26:52.41\00:26:55.68
when we're baptized, I always
say this to everyone that's
00:26:55.74\00:26:59.01
baptized because this happened
to Jesus right after His baptism
00:26:59.05\00:27:01.85
go to Matthew 4, look at this.
00:27:01.88\00:27:05.02
This born again, I'm gonna talk
about born again but I wanna
00:27:05.09\00:27:07.66
talk about some of the things
that happen when you're born
00:27:07.69\00:27:10.33
again. Matthew 4, look at what
happened. And then we're gonna
00:27:10.36\00:27:16.10
go to Romans 8. Shelley when you
went there it opened the door
00:27:16.13\00:27:19.80
Then Jesus was led up
by the Spirit, Matthew 4:1
00:27:20.74\00:27:27.81
Then Jesus was led up by
the Spirit into the wilderness
00:27:29.08\00:27:34.85
to be tempted by the
devil. Now go to Romans 8
00:27:34.88\00:27:38.02
This is amazing.
00:27:40.82\00:27:43.26
Which shows the
validity of the Bible
00:27:43.29\00:27:46.73
Ok Romans 8, I'm going to read
verse 14. Now where was Jesus
00:27:46.76\00:27:52.83
led? Tell me where was Jesus led
Wilderness. For what purpose?
00:27:52.87\00:27:57.24
To be tempted. Ok check this out
verse 14, For as many as are led
00:27:57.27\00:28:02.18
by the Spirit of God these
are sons of God, now let me make
00:28:02.21\00:28:06.41
the connection. You'll
never know your need of God
00:28:06.45\00:28:10.69
unless led by the Spirit through
moments of temptation. Now why
00:28:10.72\00:28:15.46
did Jesus, why did the Spirit
lead Him there? Because the very
00:28:15.52\00:28:18.79
three areas that Eve and
Adam failed Jesus had to succeed
00:28:18.83\00:28:23.16
And He points out all
sin is in only 3 categories.
00:28:23.20\00:28:28.47
Lust of the flesh, lust of
the eyes and pride of life.
00:28:28.50\00:28:31.67
Pr. Tom will be dealing with
that one about the sins of the
00:28:31.74\00:28:35.21
flesh. Lust of the flesh,
lust of the eyes, pride of life.
00:28:35.24\00:28:38.58
3 areas where Adam
failed, where Eve was deceived
00:28:38.61\00:28:41.62
Jesus was also tempted in all
points as the writer of Hebrews
00:28:41.65\00:28:45.62
says, all points as we
are. Some people say what about
00:28:45.65\00:28:48.19
marijuana, what about drugs,
what about movies, what about
00:28:48.22\00:28:50.79
all points, they all fall
into one of the three categories
00:28:50.83\00:28:53.90
But I thought it was amazing
that it says, led by the Spirit
00:28:53.93\00:28:57.27
You'll never know your need of
Christ unless you're led by the
00:28:57.30\00:29:01.07
Spirit. Well how does the Spirit
lead? One, being born again
00:29:01.10\00:29:05.24
that's justification. That
is just as if I had not sinned
00:29:05.27\00:29:10.55
That is salvation from the
penalty of sin. But as we all
00:29:10.58\00:29:14.65
know, as pastors and
those who are Bible students,
00:29:14.68\00:29:18.39
deep students of the word,
we all know that's just the
00:29:18.42\00:29:21.22
beginning of the journey. That
is salvation from the penalty
00:29:21.26\00:29:24.49
of sin. In other words we're
taken off death row. That's the
00:29:24.53\00:29:27.23
birth that Peter was talking
about. In 1 Peter 4 notice what
00:29:27.30\00:29:30.70
he talks about, 1 Peter 4:3
he talks about the very things
00:29:30.73\00:29:34.57
that we have to be saved
from these sins, these are the
00:29:34.60\00:29:38.71
penalties that are showing up.
00:29:38.74\00:29:42.48
Do you have that Shelley?
For we have spent enough of our
00:29:42.51\00:29:47.05
past lifetime in doing the will
of the Gentiles when we walked
00:29:47.08\00:29:50.55
in lewdness, lust, drunkenness
revelries, drinking parties
00:29:50.59\00:29:54.29
and abominable idolatries.
And Molly, verse 4. Wherein they
00:29:54.32\00:30:00.16
think it strange that you are
not with them to the same excess
00:30:00.20\00:30:04.70
of riots, speaking evil of
you. In other words, when you're
00:30:04.73\00:30:08.07
born again people say, why
is it that you don't wanna party
00:30:08.10\00:30:11.21
anymore? You don't wanna drink
with me anymore. The things
00:30:11.24\00:30:14.31
that you used to do, you
think you're better than me now?
00:30:14.34\00:30:16.31
One of the great tasks as you're
being led by the Spirit is when
00:30:16.34\00:30:20.08
you come in contact with fellow
associates who are in that
00:30:20.12\00:30:24.52
wilderness part of your life,
you're still being led by the
00:30:24.55\00:30:28.92
Spirit but Israel was led by
God out of Egypt through what?
00:30:28.96\00:30:32.73
The wilderness. The
woman through 1260 years of
00:30:32.76\00:30:36.53
persecution was led into
the wilderness and the woman
00:30:36.56\00:30:41.30
led in purely came out corrupt.
00:30:41.34\00:30:45.34
Follow that carefully. Say that
again. The woman in Revelation
00:30:45.37\00:30:48.51
12 when she was led into the
wilderness, she was led in as a
00:30:48.54\00:30:52.38
commandment keeping people
but when you go to Revelation 17
00:30:52.41\00:30:56.05
you find the woman, it
took 1260 years to corrupt her
00:30:56.08\00:31:01.49
a completely different church
came out. That's why the Lord
00:31:02.56\00:31:05.99
began a movement back to the
Bible. That's why the Protestant
00:31:06.03\00:31:09.33
reformation was necessary to
get the woman back to where she
00:31:09.36\00:31:11.53
used to be. So you don't have
two women, you only have one
00:31:11.57\00:31:14.97
And they're both of them, one
being led in there, one being
00:31:15.00\00:31:18.27
seen in there. Look at
that in Revelation 12:17
00:31:18.31\00:31:21.08
Two different conditions but one
woman. There are no two women
00:31:21.11\00:31:24.78
in the Bible, there's
only one. It's a revelation.
00:31:24.81\00:31:27.98
So God sees us, get this
now, let's make the application
00:31:29.18\00:31:32.15
He sees us as we are led
into the relationship with Him
00:31:32.22\00:31:35.82
corrupt as all get out, but
He keeps us in the wilderness
00:31:35.89\00:31:39.83
because He's preparing
us for the promised land.
00:31:39.86\00:31:42.23
And He's beginning a work in us.
Very quickly, let's talk about
00:31:42.30\00:31:44.40
that work. Let's
talk about that work.
00:31:44.43\00:31:46.67
First of all salvation
from the penalty of sin.
00:31:46.70\00:31:50.27
That's what justification
is. But what about daily?
00:31:50.31\00:31:53.74
Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:31
00:31:53.78\00:31:56.58
I affirm by the boasting in
you which I have in Jesus Christ
00:31:57.31\00:32:01.88
our Lord, the next
3 words, I die daily.
00:32:01.92\00:32:06.49
You gotta die not just
once. But you gotta die everyday
00:32:08.06\00:32:11.19
because we still have something
I think Molly you alluded to
00:32:11.23\00:32:13.46
this, we still got this flesh.
The one thing that the Lord is
00:32:13.50\00:32:17.03
gonna replace is our flesh.
He's gonna transform us into His
00:32:17.07\00:32:22.44
glorious body but until that
happens we've got this flesh
00:32:22.47\00:32:26.11
that's a daily battle. Our
mind that remembers the past
00:32:26.14\00:32:29.61
our skin that becomes habitual
in picking up the cigarette,
00:32:29.64\00:32:32.68
picking up the alcohol,
doing all the things that sinful
00:32:32.75\00:32:35.65
flesh controls, as the Bible
says, Paul says it's no longer
00:32:35.72\00:32:38.69
I who do it but the
sin that dwells in me.
00:32:38.72\00:32:40.76
We have to die every day
and maintain that relationship
00:32:40.79\00:32:43.99
but the good news is that
sanctification, that daily dying
00:32:44.03\00:32:47.60
but that sanctification is not
something we do, but Paul says
00:32:47.66\00:32:51.50
in Philippians 2:13, it is God
who works in you both to will
00:32:51.53\00:32:55.50
and to do of His good pleasure.
So even the sanctifying process
00:32:55.54\00:32:58.61
is not us. Born again is
not us we're born of the Spirit.
00:32:58.67\00:33:01.54
The daily walk is not us, we
have to decide to die so that
00:33:01.58\00:33:05.65
Christ can continue the work but
then the glorification process
00:33:05.68\00:33:09.02
of the whole birth
process of being born again
00:33:09.05\00:33:11.52
You know I just have to say
this because when Peter talks
00:33:11.55\00:33:14.32
about being born again what is
he, he uses that term, he says
00:33:14.36\00:33:18.36
you've been born again not
of corruptible but incorruptible
00:33:18.39\00:33:23.97
and I just want people to know
that he says you've been born
00:33:24.00\00:33:27.77
again by the incorruptible
word of God, and when you think
00:33:27.80\00:33:32.31
about it that is the seed that
gets planted. That's what we're
00:33:32.37\00:33:36.81
doing here. We plant seeds
and the potential of the harvest
00:33:36.85\00:33:42.28
is in the seed. You plant corn
you get corn. You plant wheat
00:33:42.32\00:33:46.32
you're gonna get wheat. You
plant. When the implanted Word
00:33:46.35\00:33:50.36
James said is in our hearts, it
has the power to save our souls
00:33:50.39\00:33:53.33
That's why this Bible
study is so important.
00:33:53.36\00:33:57.60
Let me transition to Pr.
Tom here. One plants though
00:33:57.63\00:34:01.74
another waters. But God gives
the increase. That's the whole
00:34:01.77\00:34:06.54
key and lastly to be encouraged
when you look at yourself in
00:34:06.57\00:34:10.75
the journey, in the wilderness
don't be discouraged because
00:34:10.78\00:34:12.91
being confident of this
very thing that He who has begun
00:34:12.95\00:34:16.85
a good work in you will complete
it until the day of Jesus Christ
00:34:16.89\00:34:20.16
Amen. So desire being born
again but remember it's always
00:34:20.19\00:34:23.06
about Christ. Once,
every day and eternally.
00:34:23.09\00:34:26.19
Amen. Pr. Tom
00:34:26.23\00:34:28.20
You know when I think about
1 Peter chapter 4 you went to
00:34:28.23\00:34:31.50
verse 3 where it talked
about the lust, lewdness, lust
00:34:31.53\00:34:35.14
drunkenness, revelries, drinking
parties and the abominable
00:34:35.17\00:34:38.41
idolatries. You know when you're
born again you do have to change
00:34:38.44\00:34:43.68
your close friends
need to become acquaintances
00:34:43.71\00:34:46.78
I say that from experience.
Ok And hopefully you'll have a
00:34:48.28\00:34:53.02
positive influence on them
as they're an acquaintance but
00:34:53.05\00:34:55.92
often times the sins of the
flesh, when you're around them
00:34:55.99\00:35:00.56
it sets you up for weakness,
by beholding you become changed
00:35:00.60\00:35:03.40
You know we're living in a
world today where anything goes
00:35:03.43\00:35:07.87
and I mentioned this before.
But I want to focus mostly on
00:35:07.90\00:35:10.81
there's a term I had
to learn as of late, LGBT.
00:35:10.84\00:35:16.61
OK? Now when I think of
this God created us to procreate
00:35:16.64\00:35:22.25
as a matter of fact I think that
is one of the things the enemy
00:35:22.28\00:35:24.39
is very angry about is the
fact that Christians can have
00:35:24.42\00:35:27.19
Christians. And he works against
that in any form. And also
00:35:27.22\00:35:33.63
one of the two institutions
from creation is marriage
00:35:33.66\00:35:37.40
is one of them. And the marriage
bed is sacred. God has made
00:35:37.43\00:35:42.97
and created us to have
that intimate experience in a
00:35:43.04\00:35:47.24
wholesome, healthy way
that glorifies Him and is an
00:35:47.28\00:35:53.65
experience that is positive for
both parties. So what the enemy
00:35:53.68\00:35:58.12
has done is he has attacked
something that God had made
00:35:58.15\00:36:02.12
was beautiful, with beautiful
intent. And so today what I'm
00:36:02.16\00:36:07.30
discovering is our young people
are very confused. They're being
00:36:07.30\00:36:10.47
where the LGBT is the norm
and anyone that doesn't agree
00:36:10.50\00:36:17.34
with that is a bigot. There's
no love in their hearts, they're
00:36:17.37\00:36:22.61
not accepting of people
and this is a brand new thing
00:36:22.68\00:36:26.18
in this generation. It has fully
blossomed into something that
00:36:26.25\00:36:30.59
wars against Christian values
and what the Bible teaches.
00:36:30.62\00:36:34.86
And that's God's created order.
Yes, God's created order, it's
00:36:34.89\00:36:39.73
an attempt to destroy the apple
of God's eye and when I think
00:36:39.76\00:36:43.83
of that I think about Romans
chapter 1 being lived out in
00:36:43.87\00:36:46.74
society where you take God out
of the picture, you reject Him
00:36:46.77\00:36:50.87
and you'll find that even
unnatural affections are the
00:36:50.91\00:36:54.71
result of that. And I wasn't
so much going to read from
00:36:54.74\00:36:58.11
chapter 1 of Romans but I just
wanted to mention it because
00:36:58.15\00:37:01.88
that would be a good chapter
for the audience to actually
00:37:01.92\00:37:04.72
read through and just see how
we got where we are as a society
00:37:04.75\00:37:08.22
but it's not where God is
calling us to, He's calling us
00:37:08.26\00:37:10.93
to the very place that He
started things. I invite us all
00:37:10.96\00:37:14.00
let's turn to Galatians
chapter 5, and we see here
00:37:14.00\00:37:21.17
is a list that isn't complete
but it does cover all the
00:37:21.74\00:37:26.37
parameters. As a matter of
fact in Galatians 5 you'll see
00:37:26.41\00:37:29.48
as the Galatians forsook the
Holy Spirit's guidance in their
00:37:29.54\00:37:33.11
lives, they entered these
things entered in the church.
00:37:33.15\00:37:35.88
Sensuality, superstition. What
verse are you in? Not into verse
00:37:35.92\00:37:40.26
yet. You'll see selfishness, and
intemperance that are covered
00:37:40.29\00:37:45.89
in this list as we go through
Let's begin with verse, I want
00:37:45.93\00:37:49.03
to just read verse 16 to begin
with. I say then, walk in the
00:37:49.06\00:37:53.90
Spirit and you shall not
fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
00:37:53.94\00:37:57.61
And I really think that that
is so important for a Christian
00:37:57.64\00:38:01.41
because one of the things when
you're born again you mentioned
00:38:01.44\00:38:03.58
there is this flesh and if we're
not born again, if we're not
00:38:04.55\00:38:07.72
this isn't a recommitment on
a daily basis, that's all we've
00:38:07.75\00:38:10.62
got that is warring against
the Spirit throughout our walk
00:38:10.65\00:38:13.72
our journey here and so
we receive the final phase of
00:38:13.76\00:38:17.86
salvation, the glorification.
I'd like for us to drop down
00:38:17.89\00:38:21.13
to verse 19 as we start
to look into the works of the
00:38:21.16\00:38:24.83
flesh which are adultery,
fornication, uncleanness
00:38:24.87\00:38:30.54
and lewdness which is lust.
When I think of the word lust
00:38:30.57\00:38:34.84
it doesn't necessarily mean
sexual but lust is something
00:38:34.88\00:38:39.38
that the flesh lusts after
things. We might lust after food
00:38:39.41\00:38:43.25
that's not good for us.
We might after a soap opera
00:38:43.28\00:38:46.52
we might lust after things
that are just that the flesh is
00:38:46.55\00:38:50.03
craving. Relationships. Often
times lust is, we're lusting
00:38:50.06\00:38:55.36
out of our damage, we're
trying to find a way to medicate
00:38:55.40\00:39:00.54
through this lustful journey
that the flesh is on. And it is
00:39:00.57\00:39:05.67
warring against the Spirit.
So we are to walk in the Spirit
00:39:05.71\00:39:09.71
and don't fulfill the lusts
of the flesh when that happens.
00:39:09.74\00:39:14.02
So here we have the first few
that are mentioned is adultery
00:39:14.05\00:39:17.35
fornication, uncleanness and
lewdness which really is dealing
00:39:17.39\00:39:20.22
with immorality and I think
about, my mind just went to
00:39:20.26\00:39:28.83
there was a time where a
young man said he wanted to be
00:39:28.86\00:39:31.20
baptized but he and his
girl friend were living together
00:39:31.23\00:39:33.57
and I said I'd love to baptize
but I shared why I couldn't
00:39:34.90\00:39:39.21
at this very point in time.
And he really was sincere, but
00:39:39.24\00:39:43.68
he came out of a society
where this is what you do
00:39:43.71\00:39:45.75
it's acceptable, yeah when you
have a girlfriend this is what
00:39:46.58\00:39:49.45
you do. So I just prayed
for him. And what happened was
00:39:49.52\00:39:55.76
within 30 days she had moved
out. They were never going to
00:39:55.79\00:40:01.63
separate, everything was
wonderful but things had turned
00:40:01.66\00:40:04.77
and they ended up separated
and she ended up moving out
00:40:04.80\00:40:08.50
And what happened was eventually
I did end up baptizing him
00:40:09.50\00:40:13.84
what happened to her was she
ran into the arms of another man
00:40:14.98\00:40:17.41
ended up getting pregnant
and ended up being alone.
00:40:18.31\00:40:22.68
And you know when someone
doesn't have the guidance of
00:40:24.35\00:40:27.59
the Word and the fellowship
of believers, all they've got is
00:40:27.62\00:40:32.33
what the world is telling them
to operate on. So the role of
00:40:32.39\00:40:35.06
the church in a situation like
this, you know it's not a time
00:40:35.10\00:40:38.93
to, it's a time for compassion.
Amen. It's a time to reach out
00:40:39.00\00:40:43.00
to those who are in need. Well
the long and the short of it
00:40:43.07\00:40:45.87
I ended up baptizing
both of them. Praise God. Amen
00:40:45.94\00:40:50.28
That's a better ending. Yes,
yes and the church family really
00:40:51.28\00:40:56.92
welcomed them in and I just see
the sins of the flesh. This is
00:40:56.95\00:41:00.26
something that as Christians we
need to be not only examples in
00:41:00.29\00:41:03.86
but also be reaching out to
those that are caught up into
00:41:03.89\00:41:07.10
what the society is telling
them Idolatry is another one
00:41:07.13\00:41:11.13
You know anything that
takes the place of God in your
00:41:11.17\00:41:15.24
is your first and foremost
thinking is becoming a god
00:41:15.27\00:41:18.64
to you and needs to be dealt
with. The other thing is sorcery
00:41:18.67\00:41:23.04
that I want to talk
about. Has anyone here noticed
00:41:23.11\00:41:27.38
that everything in the media
now, like Halloween, all the
00:41:28.12\00:41:32.62
time. We're getting into the
supernatural just as prophesied
00:41:32.65\00:41:37.76
In the heaviest does that
I've ever seen in my life.
00:41:38.53\00:41:41.03
Yes. And I'm very concerned for
this generation that is dealing
00:41:41.06\00:41:46.57
with that but there's many
false spirits out there claiming
00:41:46.60\00:41:51.77
you know that when you die you
don't really die. It's in the
00:41:51.81\00:41:54.14
church and it's out of the
church. That's true spiritualism
00:41:54.18\00:41:56.91
funerals. I'm glad you brought
that out because sometimes
00:41:56.95\00:42:00.22
it doesn't have to be a show.
Right. Somebody could just make
00:42:00.25\00:42:04.12
a comment on the news, well
they're in heaven now or they're
00:42:04.15\00:42:06.72
with my mother now or they're
in a better place. I understand
00:42:06.76\00:42:10.03
that. It's constant spiritualism
Spiritualism is in and outside
00:42:10.09\00:42:13.63
of the church. And it's ramped
up like I've never seen before
00:42:13.66\00:42:17.57
outside of the church. So now
you're continuing in verse 20
00:42:17.60\00:42:20.67
Uh yeah, I guess I am. Idolatry,
sorcery, hatred, contentions
00:42:20.70\00:42:26.31
jealousies, outbursts of wrath
selfish ambitions, dissensions
00:42:26.34\00:42:30.71
heresies, we kinda talked
about this. We talked about this
00:42:30.75\00:42:34.52
before, these are all sins of
the flesh. And it's an attempt
00:42:34.55\00:42:37.79
to be number 1, we want worship
00:42:37.82\00:42:40.89
That's good. We want to be
worshipped. And we'll go to any
00:42:41.36\00:42:45.73
length to do it.
00:42:45.76\00:42:48.10
You know one of the, we sin the
most when we're right and right
00:42:48.13\00:42:51.43
is not happening for us.
00:42:51.47\00:42:53.60
Say that again. We sin the most
when we're right and right is
00:42:54.67\00:42:58.77
not happening for us. Think
about a church setting that you
00:42:58.81\00:43:01.84
might remember where that's
the case. It is uh Christians
00:43:01.88\00:43:06.18
can fall prey to this
very easily. Then there's envy
00:43:06.25\00:43:09.65
murders, drunkenness, revelry
you know when it comes to
00:43:09.72\00:43:13.19
adultery, when it comes
to murder it's not the action
00:43:13.22\00:43:16.56
it's the heart. Are you hating,
the seed of murder, are you
00:43:16.59\00:43:22.10
hating someone, why? Are
they getting in your way?
00:43:22.13\00:43:25.93
That is not of God. And that
needs to be, well the problem
00:43:25.97\00:43:31.11
with a living sacrifice is it
can get up off the altar anytime
00:43:31.14\00:43:33.94
it wants. Amen. In an instant.
In a heartbeat it'll be off
00:43:33.98\00:43:39.31
that altar. And it is so
important. Our, my job is to
00:43:39.35\00:43:44.92
behold my Savior and drink in
what He has to give me so that
00:43:44.95\00:43:50.03
I don't look at, this doesn't
control my life. And if we
00:43:50.06\00:43:53.40
stumble, and we do, then we
have a Savior that is reaching
00:43:53.43\00:43:58.47
out, is ready to rescue
us every step of the way.
00:43:58.50\00:44:02.20
Just recently I was watching
a prison ministry program
00:44:02.24\00:44:09.14
these are people that had gone
through the lusts of the flesh
00:44:09.18\00:44:12.08
ended up in prison as a result
and all I heard them saying
00:44:12.11\00:44:16.22
over and over again is Jesus,
Jesus, Jesus. They were singing
00:44:16.28\00:44:20.79
it, they were talking His name,
they found their hope in Christ
00:44:20.82\00:44:24.83
and that's the only place
any of us can XXXX. Absolutely!
00:44:24.86\00:44:27.60
Amen, that was wonderful.
That's powerful. You think
00:44:27.66\00:44:30.97
as we look at those lusts of
the flesh, the sins of the flesh
00:44:31.00\00:44:34.60
that you talked about Pr. Tom
it reminds me that we're living
00:44:34.64\00:44:37.81
in the end of time because we
know at the end of time iniquity
00:44:37.84\00:44:42.34
will abound even greater
and that transitions us into
00:44:42.38\00:44:45.71
Thursday. Let's look at 1 Peter
chapter 4, going to 1 Peter 4
00:44:45.75\00:44:52.75
we're going to start with verse
7. Now Thursday's is actually
00:44:53.96\00:44:57.53
Love Covers All but we're gonna
get to that. First we look at
00:44:57.56\00:45:01.06
the end of all
things. 1 Peter 4:7
00:45:01.10\00:45:04.73
Peter's writing, But the
end of all things is at hand
00:45:05.67\00:45:10.81
Now when was 1 Peter written?
Early 60s, would we say that's
00:45:10.84\00:45:16.41
accurate? AD 60s. He probably
was killed AD 65, 66 would that
00:45:16.44\00:45:22.22
be accurate, something like
that So this is written shortly
00:45:22.25\00:45:25.99
before his death. Now when I
read that he says, the end of
00:45:26.02\00:45:30.39
all things is at hand. Now we're
in the 21st century, I look back
00:45:30.43\00:45:36.20
I can think he thought in AD 60
whatever the end of all things
00:45:36.23\00:45:43.07
is at hand. You know today as
SDA Christians we live with the
00:45:43.14\00:45:49.88
expectation, the hope
that Jesus is coming again soon
00:45:49.91\00:45:54.85
Greg's grandfather is, I think
he's 94, I think he just turned
00:45:54.88\00:45:59.89
94 and grandpa and grandma,
they were raised SDAs and
00:45:59.92\00:46:05.33
they were counseled when
they got married, do not have
00:46:05.36\00:46:10.83
children, Jesus is coming
so soon. The world is so bad
00:46:10.87\00:46:17.51
you don't want children in this
day and age. That was years ago
00:46:17.54\00:46:23.31
and yet time goes on. So we're
in this waiting time. I believe
00:46:23.38\00:46:27.78
we live as if Jesus is gonna
come tomorrow. But yet we plan
00:46:27.82\00:46:32.89
as though it were sometime
in our lifetime. But we have to
00:46:32.92\00:46:37.46
be prepared and ready and
expectant as if His coming is
00:46:37.49\00:46:42.40
tomorrow. Remember William
Miller, he said I'm gonna live
00:46:42.43\00:46:45.40
today, today, today until He
comes. So the end of all things
00:46:45.43\00:46:51.07
is at hand. So as we're living
at the end of time what are we
00:46:51.11\00:46:54.04
to do as Christians in the
end of time? He says be serious
00:46:54.08\00:46:58.11
and watchful in your
prayers or King James, be sober
00:46:58.15\00:47:02.95
and watch unto prayer.
Live with expectancy of the soon
00:47:02.98\00:47:09.96
return of Jesus. You know Greg
went on a trip and usually when
00:47:09.99\00:47:14.76
he travels I get to go with him
which is a blessing, but this
00:47:14.83\00:47:18.10
particular time I didn't go
with him and it was a short trip
00:47:18.13\00:47:21.27
just overnight one or two days
and so I lived while he was gone
00:47:21.30\00:47:26.91
with expectancy, eager for him
to return. What's gonna be his
00:47:26.98\00:47:33.01
favorite meal? I gotta make sure
I have that fixed and on the
00:47:33.05\00:47:35.75
table when he comes home.
When you go to bed at night and
00:47:35.78\00:47:39.29
praying for him and God bring
him back safely to me. I think
00:47:39.32\00:47:43.73
as Christians at the end of time
we keep our mind, our thought
00:47:43.76\00:47:47.10
I love what you said Pr.
Tom, focus Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
00:47:47.13\00:47:51.90
our mind, our thoughts focused
on Jesus. But it doesn't stop
00:47:51.93\00:47:56.67
there. Verse 8, and above
all things, now this gives the
00:47:56.71\00:48:00.11
Thursday's nut and bolt of
the lesson, love covers all
00:48:00.14\00:48:03.58
Above all things have
fervent love for one another.
00:48:03.61\00:48:07.85
For love will cover a multitude
of sins. Let's turn back to
00:48:07.88\00:48:13.69
Proverbs because how does love
cover sin? And Shelley alluded
00:48:13.76\00:48:17.33
to this at the beginning of
the lesson here. Proverbs 10
00:48:17.36\00:48:22.53
Proverbs 10:12, Molly
you have that? Proverbs 10:12
00:48:24.33\00:48:30.91
Hatred stirs up strife
but love covers all sins.
00:48:30.94\00:48:35.71
Yes. When we love each other
as from the heart, the love that
00:48:35.74\00:48:40.52
only God can put in our
hearts and lives for each other
00:48:40.58\00:48:44.05
when we have that we more
readily forgive those who hurt
00:48:44.09\00:48:50.19
us, those who offend us we more
readily forgive. And so how do I
00:48:50.23\00:48:56.40
forgive you may be asking
yourself, how can I forgive?
00:48:56.43\00:48:59.17
How can I forgive someone,
they've hurt me I don't know
00:48:59.20\00:49:03.24
how to forgive them. I've tried
and I can't pull that out. In my
00:49:03.30\00:49:07.64
own experience there's
five steps to forgiveness.
00:49:07.68\00:49:11.81
First ask for God's forgiveness
1 John 1:9, Molly you mentioned
00:49:11.85\00:49:17.05
it but I love it, if we confess
our sin He is faithful and just
00:49:17.09\00:49:21.36
to forgive us and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness
00:49:21.39\00:49:25.06
We ask God for forgiveness for
ourselves. First of all, I need
00:49:25.09\00:49:29.70
to be forgiven. Then we ask for
His forgiveness for someone else
00:49:29.73\00:49:33.97
Remember Jesus on the
cross? To me that's the ultimate
00:49:34.00\00:49:36.74
expression of forgiveness
for someone else. He went to the
00:49:36.77\00:49:41.14
cross through no fault of His
own, bearing the sins, my sins
00:49:41.18\00:49:46.15
your sins, the sins of the world
on His shoulders and while they
00:49:46.18\00:49:51.32
drove those nails in, He said
Father forgive them for they
00:49:51.35\00:49:58.59
do not know what they're doing.
So first we just ask God for His
00:49:58.63\00:50:02.43
forgiveness for ourselves and
other people. Second, we choose
00:50:02.46\00:50:06.13
to pray for that person.
Maybe Pr. John has offended me
00:50:06.17\00:50:11.91
I'm just making this up,
hypothetical, and I can every
00:50:11.94\00:50:15.61
morning get down on my knees,
throughout the day pray for
00:50:15.64\00:50:20.12
Pr. John. I have done this
in my own experience I said
00:50:20.15\00:50:24.65
sometimes myself when I got
my cell phone here, sometimes
00:50:24.69\00:50:27.69
I'll set my cell phone for
an alarm. God you know right now
00:50:27.72\00:50:31.56
I'm struggling with Sister
Jane and I need to pray for her
00:50:31.59\00:50:36.93
so every hour on the hour, ting
Lord Jesus I ask that you bless
00:50:36.97\00:50:44.37
Sister Jane right now in
her walk with you, in what she's
00:50:44.41\00:50:47.28
doing. As we focus our mind
on God and pray for other people
00:50:47.31\00:50:51.45
God works to put His forgiveness
and His love in our hearts
00:50:51.48\00:50:56.45
for other people so we ask for
His forgiveness, we pray for the
00:50:56.48\00:51:00.19
person, we surrender
the desire for revenge. Wow!
00:51:00.22\00:51:05.03
Trust God. Romans 8:28. All
things, even if it's painful now
00:51:05.06\00:51:09.03
but God can work this out
for good to those who love Him
00:51:09.06\00:51:12.50
to those who are called
according to His purpose
00:51:12.53\00:51:14.54
Romans 12:19, we trust Jesus
Vengeance is mine I will repay
00:51:14.57\00:51:20.68
says the Lord. You know my
sister lives in North Carolina
00:51:20.71\00:51:23.91
and her husband is a charge
nurse at a hospital, he works
00:51:23.95\00:51:26.98
nights. So she's usually alone
in the evening. Now, she at this
00:51:27.02\00:51:31.79
time she had 3 boys. And all of
a sudden, at the middle of the
00:51:31.82\00:51:35.46
night the siren goes off, beep
beep, beep. Now here we'd say
00:51:35.49\00:51:40.00
the national weather service in
Paducah, Kentucky has issued a
00:51:40.06\00:51:43.50
in this case it was a tornado
warning. Now in Thompsonville
00:51:43.53\00:51:47.27
the siren goes off you know.
When a tornado happens the siren
00:51:47.30\00:51:51.34
goes off that does not
mean there's dangerous weather
00:51:51.37\00:51:53.61
coming, it means funnel
cloud activity has been spotted
00:51:53.64\00:51:56.78
And so she jumps out of
bed waking out of sleep through
00:51:56.81\00:52:00.88
tornado warning, I
gotta get my boys to safety.
00:52:00.92\00:52:04.35
Her husband's at work,
what am I supposed to do?
00:52:04.39\00:52:06.45
And so she grabbed the oldest
picked him up, he's sleeping now
00:52:06.52\00:52:10.39
in his bed, picked him up,
ran through the kitchen into the
00:52:10.43\00:52:13.76
garage and underneath the house
and put him, they have a crawl
00:52:13.80\00:52:17.23
space under the house. She
thought this is the safest place
00:52:17.30\00:52:20.47
for him under the house in a
tornado. She runs back upstairs
00:52:20.50\00:52:24.31
grabs the second child, picks
him up carries him underneath
00:52:24.34\00:52:28.44
the house. The third child, the
same thing. Now you know what
00:52:28.48\00:52:31.98
the amazing thing to
me is, they never woke up.
00:52:32.01\00:52:34.38
Now those boys sleep hard.
They didn't hear the sound, they
00:52:34.42\00:52:40.42
didn't wake up when their mom
picked them up and rushed them
00:52:40.49\00:52:43.89
underneath the house. She had
them underneath the house and
00:52:43.96\00:52:46.93
they're still sleeping. To
me that's what true surrender
00:52:46.96\00:52:50.47
is all about. Amen. Completely
at rest. Completely trusting
00:52:50.50\00:52:56.54
that my Father knows what He's
doing and I can trust Him with
00:52:56.60\00:53:00.78
that. No. 4, we choose surrender
forgiveness is a process so we
00:53:00.81\00:53:06.85
choose to pray for that
person and to surrender and
00:53:06.88\00:53:10.22
re-surrender and surrender
again until God changes our
00:53:10.25\00:53:14.19
heart. It's not a once is a life
time surrender, it takes time
00:53:14.22\00:53:17.59
Let's go back quickly here.
We'll do the last couple verses
00:53:17.63\00:53:21.93
We know the end of all things
is at hand. We are to be sober
00:53:21.96\00:53:26.63
and watch to prayer, that's
verse 7, verse 8 we forgive
00:53:26.67\00:53:30.87
others for love
covers a multitude of sins
00:53:30.91\00:53:33.51
verse 9, we are hospitable.
Be hospitable to one another
00:53:33.58\00:53:38.15
without grumbling. As the second
coming is near we're called to
00:53:38.18\00:53:42.08
stay connected with our brothers
and sisters. Not just staying
00:53:42.12\00:53:46.55
some sort of monastic seclusion
but to associate and be
00:53:46.59\00:53:50.53
in community with our brothers
and sisters. Verse 10, we are to
00:53:50.56\00:53:55.80
speak and minister for God.
As each one has received a gift
00:53:55.83\00:53:59.90
minister it to one another
as good stewards of the manifold
00:53:59.93\00:54:03.97
grace of God. If anyone speaks
let him speak as the oracles
00:54:04.04\00:54:08.24
of God, if anyone ministers let
him do it as with the ability
00:54:08.28\00:54:11.81
which God supplies that in
all things God may be glorified
00:54:11.85\00:54:15.82
through Jesus Christ to whom
belong the glory, the dominion
00:54:15.85\00:54:19.45
forever and ever Amen.
With the full knowledge of the
00:54:19.49\00:54:22.92
shortness and the seriousness of
the time we are to communicate
00:54:22.96\00:54:27.10
spiritual truths with a
lost and dying world. Amen.
00:54:27.13\00:54:31.33
Praise the Lord. Thank you
Jill. You know, I don't know
00:54:31.37\00:54:34.14
about you, but as we've
been going through in reviewing
00:54:34.20\00:54:37.74
this first epistle of Peter
I'm struck by how many things
00:54:37.77\00:54:42.51
he says that echoes what Paul
says. I've never really seen it
00:54:42.54\00:54:47.02
as much as I'm seeing it this
time. But we've been talking
00:54:47.08\00:54:50.45
today about living for God
and if we are children of God
00:54:50.49\00:54:55.79
born again, we should be bearing
a family resemblance to our
00:54:55.82\00:55:00.56
Heavenly Father. If you think
about it this way, we talk about
00:55:00.63\00:55:05.37
the flesh, sometimes I
think that's confusing to people
00:55:05.40\00:55:08.90
what is the flesh? The flesh
is just our own nature without
00:55:08.94\00:55:14.94
the leading of the Holy Spirit.
That's the flesh, that old
00:55:14.98\00:55:18.51
nature and yes we can resist
and grieve the Holy Spirit
00:55:18.55\00:55:23.75
we can even quench the Holy
Spirit, so the whole thing about
00:55:23.79\00:55:28.12
it is that just day by day
we submit and commit our life to
00:55:28.16\00:55:32.73
the Lord and ask Him fill
us afresh with the Holy Spirit
00:55:32.76\00:55:36.80
so that we can live for
you Father. One of my favorite
00:55:36.83\00:55:40.37
quotes of Ellen White is
that she would pray, Father take
00:55:40.40\00:55:45.41
my heart for I can't
give it You know we can't even
00:55:45.44\00:55:48.58
surrender to God without
the help of the Holy Spirit
00:55:48.61\00:55:53.35
So we just want to encourage
you to get into the Word
00:55:53.38\00:55:58.79
bring your prayers before
the Lord, He knows everything
00:55:58.82\00:56:02.92
that's going on. Confess your
sin, He's faithful and just to
00:56:02.96\00:56:06.29
forgive us our sin and as
you can put away by the power of
00:56:06.33\00:56:12.47
the Spirit those sins of
the flesh and learn to love
00:56:12.50\00:56:16.74
just open your heart up,
see we can't even, I shouldn't
00:56:16.77\00:56:19.77
say learn to love, that's even
from the Holy Spirit because
00:56:19.81\00:56:22.88
Romans 5:5 says it is God
who will pour His love into our
00:56:22.91\00:56:26.55
hearts by the power of His
Spirit. So we can even only
00:56:26.58\00:56:30.72
love others by that. So Jesus
wants His disciples His children
00:56:30.75\00:56:38.09
to look like Him and I want
to read something real quick
00:56:38.13\00:56:40.63
I'm glad I have time. As
you all were talking, I think we
00:56:40.66\00:56:45.30
were talking about how often
the flesh rears its ugly head
00:56:45.33\00:56:50.11
but I want to read to you from
Micah chapter 7, verses 8 and 9
00:56:50.14\00:56:55.81
I love these Scriptures. So
Micah writes, Do not rejoice
00:56:55.84\00:57:01.65
over me my enemy, when I
fall I will arise, when I sit in
00:57:01.68\00:57:05.55
darkness the Lord will be a
light to me. I will bear the
00:57:05.59\00:57:10.56
indignation of the Lord because
I have sinned against Him
00:57:10.59\00:57:13.66
until He pleads my case and
executes justice for me. He will
00:57:13.73\00:57:19.37
bring me forth to the light
I will see His righteousness
00:57:19.40\00:57:24.61
So no matter how many
times you fall, just know that
00:57:24.64\00:57:29.24
He will lift you back up.
Thank you so much for joining us
00:57:29.28\00:57:32.65
thank you Panel members
for all your wonderful insights
00:57:32.68\00:57:35.68
Our prayer for you is that the
grace of our Savior Jesus Christ
00:57:35.72\00:57:40.06
the love of the Father and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
00:57:40.09\00:57:43.26
will be yours always. Join us
again next week as we continue
00:57:43.29\00:57:48.36
what is our study next
week? Suffering for Christ.
00:57:48.40\00:57:52.77
Doesn't sound like something
we want to talk about, but
00:57:52.80\00:57:56.40
it's gonna be good. So join
us again next week. God bless.
00:57:56.44\00:58:00.11