Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.33
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:00:03.37\00:00:07.67
It says to,
"Receive with meekness
00:00:07.70\00:00:10.27
the implanted Word
00:00:10.31\00:00:11.64
which is able to
save your souls."
00:00:11.67\00:00:13.84
And to be,
"Diligent to present yourself
00:00:13.88\00:00:15.94
approved to God,
00:00:15.98\00:00:17.68
rightly dividing
the word of truth."
00:00:17.71\00:00:20.58
Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:20.62\00:00:25.45
Our study today is Stewardship,
00:00:25.49\00:00:28.52
Motives of the Heart.
00:00:28.56\00:00:29.89
Hello, friends.
00:00:32.39\00:00:33.73
Welcome to 3ABN
Sabbath School Lesson Study.
00:00:33.76\00:00:37.07
Thank you so much for
taking the time to tune in,
00:00:37.10\00:00:39.10
an hour that we all enjoy.
00:00:39.13\00:00:41.94
Can we say Amen for that? Amen.
00:00:41.97\00:00:43.84
You might get the
idea, I like an Amen, I do.
00:00:43.87\00:00:46.21
It means that's true.
00:00:46.24\00:00:47.78
And our study for the
quarter is Stewardship,
00:00:47.81\00:00:51.18
Motives of the Heart.
00:00:51.21\00:00:53.65
We're told and thus
far we've studied lessons
00:00:53.68\00:00:55.88
that have shown us clearly
that wherever our hearts are
00:00:55.92\00:00:59.45
that's where our
desires, our financial plans,
00:00:59.49\00:01:06.09
our aspirations
for the future are.
00:01:06.13\00:01:08.36
And I tell you, this lesson
that is gonna be covered today,
00:01:08.40\00:01:11.60
God or Mammon is another
one, another building block.
00:01:11.63\00:01:15.47
Greg, so good to
have you with us.
00:01:15.50\00:01:16.84
Thank you.
00:01:16.87\00:01:18.21
I'll get back to
you in just a moment.
00:01:18.24\00:01:19.57
Another building block
in this dynamic study about
00:01:19.61\00:01:22.48
how important stewardship is.
00:01:22.51\00:01:24.88
If you like to get a copy
of the lesson to follow along,
00:01:24.91\00:01:26.92
go to the following
website, ABSG.Adventist.org.
00:01:26.95\00:01:32.45
Download a copy, or if
you cannot access a copy,
00:01:32.49\00:01:35.72
you might want to go
00:01:35.76\00:01:37.09
to your local
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:01:37.13\00:01:38.73
and you'll find out about
that by just simply Google that
00:01:38.76\00:01:41.50
or go to the phone
book, or maybe you're already
00:01:41.53\00:01:43.60
aware of where one might be.
00:01:43.63\00:01:45.50
But this study is
always more enjoyable
00:01:45.53\00:01:47.67
in a group setting,
00:01:47.70\00:01:49.17
but before we do
anything further,
00:01:49.20\00:01:50.81
I'm gonna ask Greg
00:01:50.84\00:01:52.97
who is with us
for the first time...
00:01:53.01\00:01:54.58
That's right.
00:01:54.61\00:01:55.94
To have our prayer for us today.
00:01:55.98\00:01:57.31
Sure. Yeah, let's bow our heads.
00:01:57.35\00:01:58.68
Father in Heaven Lord,
00:01:58.71\00:02:00.05
it's a blessing to be able
to open and study your Word.
00:02:00.08\00:02:03.28
And, Father, as
we go through this
00:02:03.32\00:02:05.09
important lesson for today.
00:02:05.12\00:02:08.02
Lord, we just pray
that your Holy Spirit
00:02:08.06\00:02:10.59
would be with
us, open our minds.
00:02:10.63\00:02:12.89
And, Lord, it's
always easy to say that's
00:02:12.93\00:02:15.70
wonderful but to
apply it to our own lives,
00:02:15.73\00:02:18.07
that's what we want.
00:02:18.10\00:02:20.10
And so, Lord, again,
we thank you for your word
00:02:20.14\00:02:22.27
and for the time
we have of fellowship
00:02:22.30\00:02:23.84
and study together.
00:02:23.87\00:02:25.21
And in Jesus name we pray, Amen.
00:02:25.24\00:02:26.71
Amen. Amen.
00:02:26.74\00:02:28.41
And, Jill, you
must be happy today.
00:02:28.44\00:02:31.08
I am, absolutely. Yes.
00:02:31.11\00:02:32.45
It's a privilege to do
Sabbath School now with my...
00:02:32.48\00:02:33.82
Yes.
00:02:33.85\00:02:35.18
Always good to have
Jill Marconi, Shelley Quinn,
00:02:35.22\00:02:36.99
Greg Marconi.
00:02:37.02\00:02:38.35
You're fortunate half
because you're the better half.
00:02:38.39\00:02:40.76
I can take that.
00:02:40.79\00:02:42.12
And then Mollie Steenson,
always good to have you
00:02:42.16\00:02:43.79
as our anchor, as well
as a woman of spirituality,
00:02:43.83\00:02:47.20
which Shelley
also shares the same.
00:02:47.23\00:02:49.16
You're like the Bobbsey twins.
00:02:49.20\00:02:50.53
You both love the Lord together,
00:02:50.57\00:02:52.20
and praise God for all
that you do for the ministry.
00:02:52.23\00:02:54.90
But the lesson, God or Mammon
00:02:54.94\00:02:57.37
has been really
pulling at our heartstrings,
00:02:57.41\00:03:01.04
helping us to recalibrate.
00:03:01.08\00:03:03.31
And when you begin the year,
00:03:03.35\00:03:04.78
so many people have
New Year's resolutions.
00:03:04.81\00:03:07.52
And I hope some
of your resolutions
00:03:07.55\00:03:09.95
which can be made
any day of the year.
00:03:09.98\00:03:11.35
You don't have to
wait till January 1
00:03:11.39\00:03:12.82
or the beginning of the year,
00:03:12.85\00:03:15.02
but a lot of
people are sitting down
00:03:15.06\00:03:16.83
counting their
credit card debt right now.
00:03:16.86\00:03:20.73
The season of returning
gifts have now long gone
00:03:20.76\00:03:24.70
and are behind us, recessed.
00:03:24.73\00:03:27.07
But we think of whether or not
00:03:27.10\00:03:29.87
I could have done
without that thing
00:03:29.90\00:03:31.24
that I spent so much
money for just a few weeks ago.
00:03:31.27\00:03:34.84
And are my children as happy now
00:03:34.88\00:03:36.98
as they were when
Christmas Day came?
00:03:37.01\00:03:40.05
And these
questions really catapult us
00:03:40.08\00:03:42.52
into the place of
what is really meant
00:03:42.55\00:03:45.52
about our
relationship to God or to money.
00:03:45.55\00:03:49.32
Let's begin by
looking at our memory text.
00:03:49.36\00:03:52.66
It is on the first lesson,
00:03:52.69\00:03:55.66
and by the way
when lesson number three
00:03:55.70\00:03:58.03
and the text is
in Philippians 2:9-11
00:03:58.07\00:04:00.80
and we like to
customarily read that together.
00:04:00.84\00:04:03.51
And the Bible says,
"Therefore God also has
00:04:03.54\00:04:06.88
highly exalted Him
and given Him the name
00:04:06.91\00:04:10.68
which is above every name,
00:04:10.71\00:04:12.71
that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow,
00:04:12.75\00:04:16.22
of those in heaven,
and of those on earth,
00:04:16.25\00:04:19.52
and of those under the earth,
00:04:19.55\00:04:21.49
and that every
tongue should confess
00:04:21.52\00:04:24.19
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
00:04:24.23\00:04:26.39
to the glory of God the Father."
00:04:26.43\00:04:29.40
Amen. Amen.
00:04:29.43\00:04:31.83
You might ask the question
00:04:31.87\00:04:33.20
what does this have
to do with stewardship?
00:04:33.23\00:04:35.80
What does bowing,
00:04:35.84\00:04:38.51
declaring that
Jesus Christ is the Lord
00:04:38.54\00:04:41.01
to the glory of the Father,
00:04:41.04\00:04:42.38
what does that have
to do with stewardship?
00:04:42.41\00:04:44.25
I like the way that
the writers of this lesson,
00:04:44.28\00:04:47.72
whether it was done by
more than one individual,
00:04:47.75\00:04:49.55
in many cases it is.
00:04:49.58\00:04:52.75
It's a good place to
pause and think about
00:04:52.79\00:04:54.59
what we mean about materialism.
00:04:54.62\00:04:57.89
Genesis 1:1 puts it
in a beautiful setting.
00:04:57.93\00:05:02.43
Christ the Creator,
which is the Sunday lesson,
00:05:02.46\00:05:05.07
if you turned here
with me, with us that is...
00:05:05.10\00:05:09.00
Genesis 1:1, and by the
way, everything that exist today
00:05:09.04\00:05:15.81
to make digital
devices, electronic devices,
00:05:15.84\00:05:20.58
communication
devices, it's strange to me
00:05:20.62\00:05:23.12
they all existed
in the Garden of Eden.
00:05:23.15\00:05:27.16
Say that again.
00:05:27.19\00:05:28.52
Everything that exists today,
00:05:28.56\00:05:30.03
all the
materials that exist today
00:05:30.06\00:05:31.86
to make every electronic device,
00:05:31.89\00:05:33.53
every digital device,
existed in the Garden of Eden.
00:05:33.56\00:05:36.46
Yes.
00:05:36.50\00:05:37.83
So the question is
00:05:37.87\00:05:39.20
why did it take
so long to make it?
00:05:39.23\00:05:41.87
And that's a
question that I could ask
00:05:41.90\00:05:44.11
when I get to the kingdom
because I don't really know
00:05:44.14\00:05:45.74
the answer, but I do know
00:05:45.77\00:05:47.51
that one of the signs of
the end in which we live,
00:05:47.54\00:05:50.38
the Bible did say in Daniel,
"Knowledge will increase."
00:05:50.41\00:05:54.52
And knowledge has not
only increased exponentially
00:05:54.55\00:05:57.25
as far as intellectual
knowledge is concerned
00:05:57.29\00:05:59.65
or the excuse of saying I
don't know is not an excuse
00:05:59.69\00:06:03.12
that we can use
in class anymore.
00:06:03.16\00:06:05.26
I know growing
up we used to say,
00:06:05.29\00:06:06.66
"Well, I don't
have that dictionary
00:06:06.70\00:06:08.33
or like the guy
that you would come
00:06:08.36\00:06:09.86
and sell us encyclopedias,
00:06:09.90\00:06:11.73
or we don't have
that encyclopedia."
00:06:11.77\00:06:13.10
You remember those days?
00:06:13.13\00:06:14.94
But nowadays we
have no such excuse.
00:06:14.97\00:06:17.21
And times of
ignorance got winked at.
00:06:17.24\00:06:19.77
But the greatest point
00:06:19.81\00:06:22.81
that we cannot lend to ignorance
00:06:22.84\00:06:25.88
is the knowledge of
the reality of Jesus.
00:06:25.91\00:06:30.05
Amen.
00:06:30.09\00:06:31.42
Genesis 1:1, and
by the way there are,
00:06:31.45\00:06:33.99
as I say in the Bible
there are three Genesises
00:06:34.02\00:06:36.93
if I could use that phrase.
00:06:36.96\00:06:38.29
That is Genesis
1:1, there's John 1:1,
00:06:38.33\00:06:41.40
and there's Hebrews 1.
00:06:41.43\00:06:43.13
And Hebrews goes
farther back than John 1:1
00:06:43.16\00:06:45.30
and John 1:1 goes
farther back than Genesis 1:1,
00:06:45.33\00:06:48.34
because Genesis 1:1 is
"In the beginning God created
00:06:48.37\00:06:52.77
the heavens and the
earth," our lowly solar system.
00:06:52.81\00:06:56.44
Yeah.
00:06:56.48\00:06:57.81
Our constellation
which is defined today
00:06:57.85\00:07:00.02
as the Milky Way.
00:07:00.05\00:07:01.38
But it's important to understand
00:07:01.42\00:07:02.85
and note that in the
beginning God created.
00:07:02.88\00:07:06.76
So everything
that you may possess,
00:07:06.79\00:07:08.49
everything that you may
hold, all of the good things
00:07:08.52\00:07:12.59
that exist were created by God.
00:07:12.63\00:07:14.93
And I want to qualify that
because some people might say,
00:07:14.96\00:07:17.33
"Well, did he create
alcohol for us to drink?
00:07:17.37\00:07:20.20
Did he create
marijuana for us to smoke?"
00:07:20.24\00:07:22.20
These things exist
naturally and some of those
00:07:22.24\00:07:24.84
are byproducts of the wrong
use of the hops in the barleys
00:07:24.87\00:07:30.08
that the God that we
love and serve have created.
00:07:30.11\00:07:34.22
But every good
and every perfect gift
00:07:34.25\00:07:37.62
comes from God.
00:07:37.65\00:07:38.99
Amen.
00:07:39.02\00:07:40.36
And so, I kind of
broke my lesson down
00:07:40.39\00:07:41.89
into a number of areas.
00:07:41.92\00:07:43.59
And the first
thing is Psalms 33:6-9.
00:07:43.63\00:07:47.96
We made the first
point, it all began with God.
00:07:48.00\00:07:50.50
And specifically in
this case, you'll see,
00:07:50.53\00:07:52.37
it all began with Jesus.
00:07:52.40\00:07:55.24
Somebody tried to make heads
or tails out of the statement.
00:07:55.27\00:07:59.61
When the Bible says,
00:07:59.64\00:08:00.98
"No man has seen
God at any time."
00:08:01.01\00:08:03.71
And then they simply
didn't, who did Adam see?"
00:08:03.75\00:08:08.78
And then, they
came to the conclusion
00:08:08.82\00:08:10.32
after studying Gods Word,
it was the man Christ Jesus
00:08:10.35\00:08:13.59
who declared the Father.
00:08:13.62\00:08:14.96
Amen.
00:08:14.99\00:08:16.32
We'll look at Psalm 33:6-9.
00:08:16.36\00:08:18.83
Do you have
that for us, Shelley?
00:08:18.86\00:08:20.20
Yes. Read that for us.
00:08:20.23\00:08:21.63
"By the word of the
Lord the heavens were made,
00:08:21.66\00:08:23.93
and all the host of them
by the breath of His mouth.
00:08:23.97\00:08:27.44
He gathers the waters of
the sea together as a heap,
00:08:27.47\00:08:30.94
He lays up deep in storehouses.
00:08:30.97\00:08:34.24
Let all the Earth fear the Lord,
00:08:34.28\00:08:37.11
let all the
inhabitants of the world
00:08:37.15\00:08:39.35
stand in awe of Him,
00:08:39.38\00:08:41.72
for he spoke, and it was done.
00:08:41.75\00:08:44.49
He commanded,
and it stood fast."
00:08:44.52\00:08:48.26
I just can't wait to see
creation done all over again.
00:08:48.29\00:08:51.16
Yes.
00:08:51.19\00:08:52.53
Because, by the
word of the Lord...
00:08:52.56\00:08:57.07
Can you imagine that you are...
00:08:57.10\00:08:59.27
there is so much
power that you speak
00:08:59.30\00:09:01.00
and things happen?
00:09:01.04\00:09:02.84
And I have a friend
who is a pathologist.
00:09:02.87\00:09:07.78
And when one day,
on a program I said,
00:09:07.81\00:09:10.95
"In the beginning God created,"
00:09:10.98\00:09:12.31
and I talked about the man
00:09:12.35\00:09:13.88
being formed of
the dust of the ground
00:09:13.92\00:09:15.78
and the breath of life being
put into the man's nostrils,
00:09:15.82\00:09:18.35
Adam's nostrils
to bring him to life.
00:09:18.39\00:09:20.82
My pathologist friend said,
00:09:20.86\00:09:24.66
"You have no idea what God did."
00:09:24.69\00:09:27.43
Because the
levels, epidemiology,
00:09:27.46\00:09:29.46
the study of
anthropology and all these,
00:09:29.50\00:09:33.20
all these ologies that help
us to understand what man exists
00:09:33.23\00:09:38.47
all the functioning
aspects of our human body alone
00:09:38.51\00:09:42.38
could by no
means be a coincidence.
00:09:42.41\00:09:44.41
Amen.
00:09:44.45\00:09:45.78
I saw an illustration
which was so beautiful,
00:09:45.81\00:09:48.05
and a gentleman walked up
to another person who says,
00:09:48.08\00:09:50.49
"Well, I'm an avowed atheist.'"
00:09:50.52\00:09:53.52
And he said, "Well,
here's my coloring book.
00:09:53.56\00:09:56.52
Look at that. Here's a picture.
00:09:56.56\00:10:00.00
Look at that and
look through that."
00:10:00.03\00:10:01.76
And he said, "Do you
like those pictures?"
00:10:01.80\00:10:03.13
And it was a holy...
00:10:03.16\00:10:04.50
He said, "Keep
turning the page."
00:10:04.53\00:10:05.87
I kept turning the pages.
00:10:05.90\00:10:07.24
He said, "Now, tell me."
00:10:07.27\00:10:08.60
He said, "Do you think
the book created itself?"
00:10:08.64\00:10:12.24
He said,
"Absolutely not." Right.
00:10:12.27\00:10:14.51
I mean, he said,
"Are you not sure?
00:10:14.54\00:10:17.81
Do you think that the
colors just fell out of the sky
00:10:17.85\00:10:20.08
and created that
beautiful picture?"
00:10:20.12\00:10:22.12
And the atheist
said, "That's ridiculous."
00:10:22.15\00:10:24.25
Right.
00:10:24.29\00:10:25.62
He said, I mean, "What
about the binding of the book?"
00:10:25.65\00:10:27.39
I mean, it
couldn't have possibly
00:10:27.42\00:10:28.76
have put itself together?
00:10:28.79\00:10:30.13
"No! What are
you talking about?"
00:10:30.16\00:10:33.70
He said, "Wait a minute.
00:10:33.73\00:10:35.06
So tell me about your
intellect, your wisdom.
00:10:35.10\00:10:40.57
The way that you are
made and I am made..."
00:10:40.60\00:10:42.37
"All the things you
see around you in nature,
00:10:42.40\00:10:45.01
your capacity to think
00:10:45.04\00:10:47.08
and the different hues
of all human nationalities.
00:10:47.11\00:10:51.08
Do you think that
happened coincidentally?"
00:10:51.11\00:10:53.38
And he kept on that
particular line over and over
00:10:53.42\00:10:56.25
and every
atheist he spoke to said,
00:10:56.28\00:10:59.09
"You know,
there's got to be a God."
00:10:59.12\00:11:02.46
Amen. Somebody did that.
00:11:02.49\00:11:03.89
He said, "It would
be a whole lot easier
00:11:03.93\00:11:05.26
if you just simply
said God did that."
00:11:05.29\00:11:06.63
Yeah.
00:11:06.66\00:11:08.00
And often times
we don't realize that
00:11:08.03\00:11:10.00
everything we see,
every created thing
00:11:10.03\00:11:12.87
animate and inanimate
had its origin in the phrase,
00:11:12.90\00:11:17.94
"He spake and it was done."
00:11:17.97\00:11:19.31
Yes.
00:11:19.34\00:11:20.68
"He commanded
and it stood fast."
00:11:20.71\00:11:22.04
That's right.
00:11:22.08\00:11:23.41
Unfortunately, what we have done
00:11:23.45\00:11:24.78
with the things
that God have created
00:11:24.81\00:11:26.15
have caused the image
of God to be distorted,
00:11:26.18\00:11:28.18
but He is the
creator of all life.
00:11:28.22\00:11:29.88
And what we've done
00:11:29.92\00:11:31.25
whether we've
made out of alloys,
00:11:31.29\00:11:32.79
cars or composites,
00:11:32.82\00:11:35.22
we've made different
types of skins for airplanes,
00:11:35.26\00:11:39.69
composite skins,
00:11:39.73\00:11:41.56
they've all existed in the Word,
00:11:41.60\00:11:43.63
He spake and it was done,
00:11:43.67\00:11:45.03
He commanded and it stood fast.
00:11:45.07\00:11:46.94
So when you get
locked into materialism,
00:11:46.97\00:11:49.04
just come up
with this conclusion,
00:11:49.07\00:11:52.27
you couldn't even have
what you have in your hand,
00:11:52.31\00:11:55.34
had it not been
for the creative power
00:11:55.38\00:11:57.68
in the voice of God.
00:11:57.71\00:11:59.38
Amen.
00:11:59.41\00:12:00.75
He created and that was done.
00:12:00.78\00:12:02.12
He commanded and it stood fast.
00:12:02.15\00:12:03.65
And not only
that and I just have,
00:12:03.69\00:12:05.59
in the short time I have
left, I want to walk through,
00:12:05.62\00:12:08.29
you know,
because I've met people
00:12:08.32\00:12:09.99
that have said they've studied
00:12:10.03\00:12:11.83
and they don't
conclude that there is a God.
00:12:11.86\00:12:13.73
And I think this is
what they have done.
00:12:13.76\00:12:15.10
Follow me carefully.
00:12:15.13\00:12:16.46
If all we did is get caught
up in the birthplace of Jesus,
00:12:16.50\00:12:19.40
we get caught up in geology.
00:12:19.43\00:12:22.04
If all we study is
a beauty of the city
00:12:22.07\00:12:24.37
that he was raised in, we
get caught up in topography.
00:12:24.41\00:12:28.01
If we just study the
ethnicity of His genealogy,
00:12:28.04\00:12:31.51
we get caught up in anthropology
00:12:31.55\00:12:33.05
and simply genealogy.
00:12:33.08\00:12:35.35
If we look at all the
diseases that Jesus healed,
00:12:35.38\00:12:37.59
we get caught up in
epidemiology and pathology.
00:12:37.62\00:12:41.12
And if we wonder
how He healed them,
00:12:41.16\00:12:42.56
then we got to get
caught up in pharmacology.
00:12:42.59\00:12:45.39
If we just simply understand
and study his priestly role,
00:12:45.43\00:12:49.26
we get caught up in
axiology and methodology.
00:12:49.30\00:12:53.13
If we look at all the citizens
00:12:53.17\00:12:55.37
of the places that Jesus visited
00:12:55.40\00:12:57.34
and the people
He communicated in,
00:12:57.37\00:12:58.81
we get caught up in
sociology and apologies.
00:12:58.84\00:13:02.34
And if we simply try to
break down all the language
00:13:02.38\00:13:06.25
used to describe
the ministry of Jesus,
00:13:06.28\00:13:08.52
we get caught up in terminology.
00:13:08.55\00:13:11.55
But Jesus is not
about anthropology,
00:13:11.59\00:13:13.66
theology or...
00:13:13.69\00:13:15.26
He's about Christology. Amen.
00:13:15.29\00:13:18.06
So all of the
ologies that you're studying
00:13:18.09\00:13:20.10
if it doesn't lead you to Christ
00:13:20.13\00:13:21.50
is of absolutely no value at all
00:13:21.53\00:13:24.60
because nothing
exists apart from Jesus.
00:13:24.63\00:13:28.14
The Psalmist said it beautifully
00:13:28.17\00:13:29.50
but here's another
thing that was made clear.
00:13:29.54\00:13:32.77
It was made clear in John 1:3
00:13:32.81\00:13:35.94
which I call the second Genesis.
00:13:35.98\00:13:39.05
John 1:3, and
this is a difficult one
00:13:39.08\00:13:42.48
because there are people today,
00:13:42.52\00:13:44.32
and I would haste to even admit,
00:13:44.35\00:13:47.12
amongst us who say,
00:13:47.16\00:13:48.49
"Well, you know, the Holy Spirit
00:13:48.52\00:13:49.86
is just a force, a wind,
00:13:49.89\00:13:51.59
not the byproduct
of a divine personages,
00:13:51.63\00:13:54.60
a person."
00:13:54.63\00:13:55.96
But John 1:3, "All
things," how many things?
00:13:56.00\00:13:59.73
All things.
00:13:59.77\00:14:01.10
"All things were made
through Him or by him,
00:14:01.14\00:14:03.74
and without Him
nothing was made that was made"
00:14:03.77\00:14:06.54
which debunks the ideology
00:14:06.57\00:14:11.01
to add another ology in there
00:14:11.05\00:14:13.25
that some
Christians have that Jesus
00:14:13.28\00:14:16.25
was created by God
way, way, way...` back.
00:14:16.28\00:14:20.49
Yeah.
00:14:20.52\00:14:21.86
No, all things were made by Him,
00:14:21.89\00:14:23.73
and without Him nothing was made
00:14:23.76\00:14:25.43
that was made.
00:14:25.46\00:14:27.96
So when you get caught up
in the materialism of the world
00:14:28.00\00:14:30.37
that is around you,
00:14:30.40\00:14:31.73
never forget that you
couldn't have anything
00:14:31.77\00:14:35.30
if Jesus is not the creator.
00:14:35.34\00:14:38.07
Notice I didn't say, "was not."
00:14:38.11\00:14:40.21
Jesus always is,
He's never, "a was."
00:14:40.24\00:14:44.55
Jill, what do you have for us?
00:14:44.58\00:14:46.01
Oh, that's wonderful,
Pastor, I love those ologies.
00:14:46.05\00:14:48.82
I have never heard that before.
00:14:48.85\00:14:50.45
That is beautiful. I like that.
00:14:50.49\00:14:53.02
I have Monday which is,
"Son of God, Son of man."
00:14:53.05\00:14:57.66
You know, one of the
things, not one of the things
00:14:57.69\00:15:00.60
I should say
there is many things,
00:15:00.63\00:15:02.46
in the Word of God
that are sometimes hard
00:15:02.50\00:15:04.43
for my finite human
understanding to grasp.
00:15:04.47\00:15:08.27
And the fact that
Jesus can be fully divine,
00:15:08.30\00:15:11.97
the Son of God
and yet fully human,
00:15:12.01\00:15:16.38
the Son of Man, the incarnation.
00:15:16.41\00:15:19.11
The mystery of the
incarnation is something that
00:15:19.15\00:15:22.28
I could spend eternity
00:15:22.32\00:15:24.32
wrapping my mind
around that concept.
00:15:24.35\00:15:27.42
Yet, we know that
Jesus was fully divine
00:15:27.46\00:15:30.63
and fully human
at the same time.
00:15:30.66\00:15:34.20
Why did Jesus
come to this earth?
00:15:34.23\00:15:36.10
The lesson asks
us that question.
00:15:36.13\00:15:38.40
Why he came to this earth?
00:15:38.43\00:15:40.74
And this is just a snippet,
00:15:40.77\00:15:42.30
there is so many
that we could say.
00:15:42.34\00:15:44.34
Luke 19, "He came to
seek and save the lost."
00:15:44.37\00:15:47.88
Mark 10, "He
came to give His life
00:15:47.91\00:15:50.45
as a ransom for many."
00:15:50.48\00:15:52.31
John 3:16, He came
because He loved us,
00:15:52.35\00:15:55.12
and He wanted to
give us eternal life."
00:15:55.15\00:15:58.19
Romans 5:9, "He
came to justify us
00:15:58.22\00:16:00.92
by His blood."
00:16:00.96\00:16:02.29
Romans 5:11, "He
came to reconcile us
00:16:02.32\00:16:04.73
back to the Father."
00:16:04.76\00:16:06.33
Matthew 1:21,
00:16:06.36\00:16:07.70
"He came to save
us from our sins."
00:16:07.73\00:16:09.40
Amen.
00:16:09.43\00:16:10.77
2 Corinthians 5:1,
00:16:10.80\00:16:12.37
"He came to grant
us His righteousness."
00:16:12.40\00:16:16.17
Colossians 1:14,
"He came to redeem us
00:16:16.20\00:16:18.67
and forgive us from sin."
00:16:18.71\00:16:20.81
John 10:10, "He came to
give us an abundant life."
00:16:20.84\00:16:23.78
Amen.
00:16:23.81\00:16:25.15
Matthew 5:17, "He
came to fulfill the law"
00:16:25.18\00:16:28.55
or meet the demands of the law.
00:16:28.58\00:16:31.15
1 John 3:8, "He came to
destroy the works of the devil."
00:16:31.19\00:16:34.76
Hebrews 2:14,
"He came to free us
00:16:34.79\00:16:36.99
from slavery to
death and the devil."
00:16:37.03\00:16:38.69
I like it. Amen.
00:16:38.73\00:16:40.06
John 17:4, "He came
to glorify the Father."
00:16:40.10\00:16:43.33
And finally what the
lesson brought out is this one,
00:16:43.37\00:16:46.23
John 14:8-9,
00:16:46.27\00:16:48.27
"He came to show us the Father."
00:16:48.30\00:16:50.44
Amen.
00:16:50.47\00:16:51.81
Jesus came to
show us the Father.
00:16:51.84\00:16:53.91
Now that is just a few,
00:16:53.94\00:16:55.28
we know there is many
more reasons why He came.
00:16:55.31\00:16:58.58
But Satan's goal
from the very beginning
00:16:58.61\00:17:01.15
has been to
separate us from the Father,
00:17:01.18\00:17:04.09
separate us from God.
00:17:04.12\00:17:06.32
He did that
through introducing sin
00:17:06.35\00:17:08.52
because sin
automatically brings separation
00:17:08.56\00:17:11.96
from the Father.
00:17:11.99\00:17:13.33
That's right.
00:17:13.36\00:17:14.70
Sin brings fear,
guilt, condemnations,
00:17:14.73\00:17:17.10
and one of the ways
that he tries to entrap us
00:17:17.13\00:17:19.50
or ensnare us is
through covetousness.
00:17:19.53\00:17:23.24
Let's take a look at the
story of the rich young ruler.
00:17:23.27\00:17:26.44
We're in Matthew 19.
00:17:26.47\00:17:29.18
Matthew 19:16.
00:17:29.21\00:17:35.92
Now this would have
taken place early AD 31,
00:17:35.95\00:17:39.82
so this is actually a short time
00:17:39.85\00:17:41.52
before Jesus was crucified.
00:17:41.56\00:17:43.93
And verse 1,
00:17:43.96\00:17:45.29
it talks about Jesus
departing from Galilee
00:17:45.33\00:17:48.03
and coming to the region
of Judea beyond the Jordan.
00:17:48.06\00:17:51.50
Many people
followed Him, He healed them.
00:17:51.53\00:17:53.90
Then after that,
the Pharisees laid
00:17:53.94\00:17:55.77
some sort of trap for
divorce, and then there was
00:17:55.80\00:17:58.47
the blessing of the
children that is in verse 13.
00:17:58.51\00:18:01.68
I love that passage.
00:18:01.71\00:18:03.38
Remember the disciples
said, "Go away, Jesus is busy."
00:18:03.41\00:18:06.95
Jesus is important
and you are not important.
00:18:06.98\00:18:09.78
But Jesus said,
00:18:09.82\00:18:11.15
"Suffer the little
ones to come unto me."
00:18:11.19\00:18:12.75
That's right.
00:18:12.79\00:18:14.12
And if you read
from Desire of Ages,
00:18:14.16\00:18:16.22
Sister White says that,
00:18:16.26\00:18:17.66
"The rich young ruler
watched the interaction of Jesus
00:18:17.69\00:18:21.43
with the children,
00:18:21.46\00:18:22.80
and that awakened in
his heart love for Jesus.
00:18:22.83\00:18:26.80
And then we pick
up our story here.
00:18:26.84\00:18:29.57
Verse 16, "Now behold,
one came and said to Him,
00:18:29.60\00:18:34.04
'Good Teacher, what
good thing shall I do
00:18:34.08\00:18:36.54
that I may have eternal life?'"
00:18:36.58\00:18:39.68
Now this story is recorded
in three of the Gospels.
00:18:39.71\00:18:42.45
They all say that he is
rich or he had many possessions.
00:18:42.48\00:18:45.79
Mark indicates
that he ran after Jesus.
00:18:45.82\00:18:49.82
So to me that tells me
we're looking at a younger man,
00:18:49.86\00:18:53.19
at least someone who is
able to run after Jesus.
00:18:53.23\00:18:57.17
So he said,
"What do I have to do
00:18:57.20\00:18:59.03
to inherit eternal life?"
00:18:59.07\00:19:00.40
Jesus said, verse
17, "Jesus said to him,
00:19:00.44\00:19:03.57
'Why do you call me good?
00:19:03.61\00:19:05.01
No one is good
but One, that is God.
00:19:05.04\00:19:07.88
But if you want
to enter into life,
00:19:07.91\00:19:10.48
keep the commandments.'
00:19:10.51\00:19:12.21
He said to Him..."
00:19:12.25\00:19:13.58
That could be a
little confusing,
00:19:13.62\00:19:15.45
but the young
ruler said to Jesus,
00:19:15.48\00:19:18.22
"'Which ones?'
00:19:18.25\00:19:19.59
Jesus said, 'You
shall not murder.
00:19:19.62\00:19:21.06
You shall not commit adultery.
00:19:21.09\00:19:22.42
You shall not steal.
00:19:22.46\00:19:23.79
You shall not
bear false witness.
00:19:23.83\00:19:25.36
Honor your father and mother.
00:19:25.39\00:19:26.73
You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.'"
00:19:26.76\00:19:28.66
He mentioned quite a few
of the commandments there.
00:19:28.70\00:19:31.53
"The young man said to Him,"
verse 20, "'All these things
00:19:31.57\00:19:34.27
I have kept from my
youth,'" I have done all that.
00:19:34.30\00:19:37.94
"'What do I still lack?'
00:19:37.97\00:19:41.04
Jesus said, 'If
you want to be perfect,
00:19:41.08\00:19:43.04
go, sell what you
have and give to the poor,
00:19:43.08\00:19:45.48
and you will have
treasure in heaven,
00:19:45.51\00:19:46.88
and come, follow Me.'
00:19:46.92\00:19:49.18
But when the young
man heard that saying,
00:19:49.22\00:19:51.95
he went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions."
00:19:51.99\00:19:57.73
You know, it's interesting,
00:19:57.76\00:19:59.09
sometimes people
might find difficulties
00:19:59.13\00:20:01.10
with some of Jesus' statements.
00:20:01.13\00:20:03.26
The statement in
verse 21 where Jesus said,
00:20:03.30\00:20:05.67
"If you would be perfect
go and sell what you have,"
00:20:05.70\00:20:07.64
Jesus was not saying
at all that the gospel
00:20:07.67\00:20:09.84
is based on works
or your salvation,
00:20:09.87\00:20:12.54
it's based on your works.
00:20:12.57\00:20:13.98
What He was doing was revealing
00:20:14.01\00:20:15.98
the young man's cherished idol.
00:20:16.01\00:20:17.98
Yes. That was his possessions.
00:20:18.01\00:20:20.22
He was trying to bring it
as it were to his attention
00:20:20.25\00:20:23.35
to realize that he
loved his possessions
00:20:23.39\00:20:25.82
more than he loved God. Yes.
00:20:25.85\00:20:28.22
And the young man
had three difficulties
00:20:28.26\00:20:29.99
when I read this passage.
00:20:30.03\00:20:31.53
First, he was self-righteous.
00:20:31.56\00:20:33.40
He did not realize
his need because remember,
00:20:33.43\00:20:36.87
he said, "All
these things I've kept,
00:20:36.90\00:20:38.43
what do I still lack?"
00:20:38.47\00:20:39.80
He didn't even
realize his great need.
00:20:39.83\00:20:43.00
Number two, he was
unwilling to surrender.
00:20:43.04\00:20:47.08
He wanted to hold
onto his cherished idols,
00:20:47.11\00:20:50.95
because it said,
"He went away sorrowful
00:20:50.98\00:20:53.18
for he had great possession."
00:20:53.21\00:20:55.65
Number three,
00:20:55.68\00:20:57.02
selfishness
reigned in his heart.
00:20:57.05\00:21:00.49
Desire of Ages, page
519, one thing he lacked,
00:21:00.52\00:21:05.06
but that was a vital principle.
00:21:05.09\00:21:07.00
He needed the love
of God in the soul.
00:21:07.03\00:21:09.43
That's right.
00:21:09.46\00:21:10.80
By indulgence,
selfishness would strengthen
00:21:10.83\00:21:13.90
that he might
receive the love of God
00:21:13.94\00:21:15.74
His supreme love of
self must be surrendered.
00:21:15.77\00:21:21.68
Many times, I
shouldn't say many times,
00:21:21.71\00:21:24.28
I should say my
whole life growing up,
00:21:24.31\00:21:26.61
I always believed that
idolatry would be something
00:21:26.65\00:21:29.28
that I put above God.
00:21:29.32\00:21:31.69
I don't know if
that makes sense,
00:21:31.72\00:21:33.05
you might have
several things along here
00:21:33.09\00:21:34.42
that you kind of
like, may be God's up here
00:21:34.46\00:21:36.62
but if I have anything
above, does that make sense?
00:21:36.66\00:21:39.89
Higher than God.
00:21:39.93\00:21:41.86
I always thought
that is idolatry,
00:21:41.90\00:21:44.47
holding something more value
00:21:44.50\00:21:46.60
or clinging to it
more than I would to God.
00:21:46.63\00:21:50.64
You know, it's
interesting, I read once,
00:21:50.67\00:21:52.54
you should make a
list of things in your life
00:21:52.57\00:21:55.14
that you say I
can't live without that.
00:21:55.18\00:21:57.78
So what would that list entail?
00:21:57.81\00:21:59.31
It wouldn't be just one
thing, I'm sure you'd have many.
00:21:59.35\00:22:01.68
Thinking right now, I
would put my husband Greg.
00:22:01.72\00:22:04.52
I didn't even know how
I'd live without my husband,
00:22:04.55\00:22:06.82
he's my best friend.
00:22:06.86\00:22:08.19
But I'm sure you can
think there's many things
00:22:08.22\00:22:09.69
on that list,
00:22:09.72\00:22:11.39
anything that would
be extremely important
00:22:11.43\00:22:13.40
or something that
you really want to have.
00:22:13.43\00:22:16.26
If you look at the 1
Commandment, Exodus 20:3,
00:22:16.30\00:22:20.30
"You show have no
other gods before me."
00:22:20.34\00:22:24.61
In the Hebrew,
"The word for before me
00:22:24.64\00:22:26.68
literally means in the face of.
00:22:26.71\00:22:30.15
So literally, he's
saying not just more,
00:22:30.18\00:22:33.28
no other gods are
more important than me,
00:22:33.31\00:22:35.22
God is saying, we
are to have no other gods
00:22:35.25\00:22:37.59
in his face.
00:22:37.62\00:22:38.95
No other gods in his presence.
00:22:38.99\00:22:41.72
So when I look at that
we're just not talking about
00:22:41.76\00:22:44.89
no other gods are
more important than God,
00:22:44.93\00:22:47.20
we're saying
nothing else besides Jesus,
00:22:47.23\00:22:51.43
nothing else besides Jesus.
00:22:51.47\00:22:55.00
How do I get rid of
those idols in my heart
00:22:55.04\00:22:57.54
because we want to
be reconnected to Jesus,
00:22:57.57\00:22:59.47
the Son of God?
00:22:59.51\00:23:00.84
We don't want any of
that sin or covetousness
00:23:00.88\00:23:03.28
separating us from the Father.
00:23:03.31\00:23:06.28
Three things, real quick,
let's look at Ephesians 3,
00:23:06.31\00:23:11.39
Ephesians 3:19.
00:23:11.42\00:23:14.69
How do I get rid of
those idols in my life?
00:23:14.72\00:23:16.83
Number one,
become filled with God.
00:23:16.86\00:23:20.70
Ephesians 3:19, "To
know the love of Christ
00:23:20.73\00:23:23.40
which passes knowledge,
that you may be filled
00:23:23.43\00:23:26.97
with all the fullness of God."
00:23:27.00\00:23:29.50
If I'm truly filled
100% to overflow in with God,
00:23:29.54\00:23:34.44
there is room for nothing else.
00:23:34.48\00:23:37.11
I remember when
Greg and I were engaged,
00:23:37.15\00:23:40.05
where I worked, I
talked about Greg,
00:23:40.08\00:23:41.95
Shelley all the time.
00:23:41.98\00:23:43.32
So I think they got tired of it,
00:23:43.35\00:23:44.72
but he would fill
my thoughts entirely.
00:23:44.75\00:23:49.22
So no matter what I was doing
00:23:49.26\00:23:50.93
"Oh, do you know Greg just said?
00:23:50.96\00:23:52.29
Oh, do you know what
he...? We're gonna...
00:23:52.33\00:23:53.66
Oh, you know..."
00:23:53.70\00:23:55.03
everything because I was filled,
00:23:55.06\00:23:56.93
nothing else in my
heart except for Greg.
00:23:56.97\00:23:59.83
So we are to become filled
in the same fashion with God.
00:23:59.87\00:24:02.97
Amen.
00:24:03.00\00:24:04.34
Number two, we're to
become satisfied with God.
00:24:04.37\00:24:06.41
Psalm 63.
00:24:06.44\00:24:09.94
Psalm 63:1.
00:24:09.98\00:24:14.42
It says, "O God, You are my God,
00:24:19.65\00:24:21.89
early will I seek You.
00:24:21.92\00:24:23.83
My soul thirsts for You,
00:24:23.86\00:24:25.63
my flesh longs for You
in a dry and thirsty land
00:24:25.66\00:24:28.60
where there is no water."
00:24:28.63\00:24:30.63
We are to become
satisfied with God, seek him.
00:24:30.67\00:24:34.47
He said, when you
search for Me and seek Me,
00:24:34.50\00:24:37.37
you will be fond of Me.
00:24:37.41\00:24:39.07
And then finally,
00:24:39.11\00:24:40.44
we are to experience God's love.
00:24:40.48\00:24:42.14
We don't have
time to read that text
00:24:42.18\00:24:43.58
but Romans 8.
00:24:43.61\00:24:44.98
"Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ?"
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.22
That's right.
00:24:47.25\00:24:48.58
And it goes
through a whole list,
00:24:48.62\00:24:49.95
and then it says, "I
am persuaded that nothing
00:24:49.98\00:24:51.69
can separate me from Jesus."
00:24:51.72\00:24:53.39
That's right.
00:24:53.42\00:24:54.76
So is there anything
before God's face in your life?
00:24:54.79\00:24:57.23
Any idols in your
heart, become filled with God,
00:24:57.26\00:25:01.16
become satisfied
with Him, and experience
00:25:01.20\00:25:03.77
His love for yourself. Amen.
00:25:03.80\00:25:06.50
Well done. Well done.
00:25:06.53\00:25:08.40
Well, I have
Tuesday, Christ the Redeemer.
00:25:08.44\00:25:12.44
Open your Bibles if
you will to Hebrews 7.
00:25:12.47\00:25:17.98
Isn't it amazing
when, sometimes I feel like
00:25:21.68\00:25:26.32
when I'm looking for
something I'm thinking about
00:25:26.35\00:25:28.29
what I'm gonna say,
it's like, whereto go.
00:25:28.32\00:25:30.23
I know that happens to me.
00:25:30.26\00:25:31.89
Debt is not a
principle of heaven.
00:25:31.93\00:25:35.56
Good.
00:25:35.60\00:25:37.43
But when Adam and Eve
sinned, they became a debtor
00:25:37.47\00:25:42.60
to God's
justice and God's mercy.
00:25:42.64\00:25:46.94
But the beautiful thing is
00:25:46.98\00:25:48.88
that before the
foundation of the earth,
00:25:48.91\00:25:51.95
before He laid the
foundation of the world,
00:25:51.98\00:25:54.45
God's love had
already put in motion
00:25:54.48\00:25:59.25
or set in motion a
plan of salvation for us.
00:25:59.29\00:26:03.22
Amen.
00:26:03.26\00:26:04.59
And Jesus paid the debt
that we could never have paid,
00:26:04.63\00:26:08.56
we were totally bankrupt,
00:26:08.60\00:26:10.20
we could never ever
have paid that debt.
00:26:10.23\00:26:13.57
And Ephesians 5:2 says
that, "Christ's loved us
00:26:13.60\00:26:18.44
and gave himself
for us, a slain offering
00:26:18.47\00:26:22.18
and sacrifice to God."
00:26:22.21\00:26:25.01
So the price that He
had paid for our redemption
00:26:25.05\00:26:29.68
was never ever seen before
00:26:29.72\00:26:32.12
and never ever
will be seen again.`
00:26:32.15\00:26:34.42
It's when you think
about that, that's amazing.
00:26:34.46\00:26:36.56
Wow! It is.
00:26:36.59\00:26:37.93
So I was so excited
00:26:37.96\00:26:39.39
that when I looked at our lesson
00:26:39.43\00:26:41.53
and found out that
00:26:41.56\00:26:43.33
one of my texts that I
was supposed to look at
00:26:43.37\00:26:45.83
was Hebrews 7:22.
00:26:45.87\00:26:50.54
Now the lesson kind
of does this in passing
00:26:50.57\00:26:53.74
but I wanna
spend some time on it.
00:26:53.78\00:26:56.75
You know, Jill, Mollie,
all of us, we're always saying,
00:26:56.78\00:27:01.72
"Oh, one of my favorite
texts, one of my favorite text."
00:27:01.75\00:27:05.02
I finally have a
favorite of favorites
00:27:05.05\00:27:07.72
and it is Hebrews
7:22, let's read that.
00:27:07.76\00:27:10.73
He says, "By so much more
00:27:10.76\00:27:14.63
Jesus has become a
surety of a better covenant."
00:27:14.66\00:27:19.07
Let me read it
to you in amplified.
00:27:19.10\00:27:21.90
"In keeping with the oath's
greater strength and force,
00:27:21.94\00:27:26.37
Jesus has become the Guarantee,"
00:27:26.41\00:27:30.25
that's that word surety.
00:27:30.28\00:27:31.85
"It's Guarantee of a
better, stronger agreement,
00:27:31.88\00:27:37.02
a more excellent and
more advantageous covenant.
00:27:37.05\00:27:42.19
The word,
guarantee, appears nowhere else
00:27:42.22\00:27:45.73
in the New Testament.
00:27:45.76\00:27:47.76
And outside of the New Testament
00:27:47.80\00:27:50.77
in the Greek language,
it was like someone who was,
00:27:50.80\00:27:54.90
it meant that someone
was posting your bail,
00:27:54.94\00:27:57.41
if you will, to
get you out of jail,
00:27:57.44\00:27:59.91
it was a pledge.
00:27:59.94\00:28:01.71
So Jesus himself
provides a guarantee.
00:28:01.74\00:28:08.12
First, that God has provided
us with a better covenant,
00:28:08.15\00:28:12.45
a better hope,
00:28:12.49\00:28:13.82
but also
ensuring in His own person
00:28:13.86\00:28:18.69
the certainty of
the covenant to us
00:28:18.73\00:28:21.70
by becoming
responsible for our guilt,
00:28:21.73\00:28:25.13
by sealing the
covenant with His blood,
00:28:25.17\00:28:28.60
and by openly being acknowledged
00:28:28.64\00:28:31.77
as the triumphant savior
00:28:31.81\00:28:33.31
when God raised
Him from the dead.
00:28:33.34\00:28:36.01
So here's the two
ways to look at Jesus
00:28:36.04\00:28:39.95
being our surety, our guarantee.
00:28:39.98\00:28:43.62
He is God's surety to man.
00:28:43.65\00:28:48.22
In other words, in
2 Corinthians 1:20,
00:28:48.26\00:28:52.43
the Bible says that,
"All of God's promises
00:28:52.46\00:28:56.06
are yes and
Amen, in Christ Jesus."
00:28:56.10\00:28:58.57
And Ephesians 1:11 says
that we have been blessed
00:28:58.60\00:29:01.70
with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly realms.
00:29:01.74\00:29:05.57
So Christ is our
guarantee from the Father to us
00:29:05.61\00:29:11.08
that everything
00:29:11.11\00:29:12.45
that He promised in
the covenant is ours.
00:29:12.48\00:29:16.42
I mean, that's
exciting. Wow, that is.
00:29:16.45\00:29:18.19
But now look at the
reverse of this, Greg.
00:29:18.22\00:29:22.56
Christ is our guarantee,
man's guarantee to God
00:29:22.59\00:29:28.26
that we'll be loyal,
faithful, covenant keepers
00:29:28.30\00:29:33.47
because the Bible
says in Philippians 2:13
00:29:33.50\00:29:37.01
that He's going to work in us
00:29:37.04\00:29:39.31
to will and to do
God's good pleasure.
00:29:39.34\00:29:44.15
In Philippians 1:6 it says that
00:29:44.18\00:29:47.32
He will complete the good
work that He has begun in us.
00:29:47.35\00:29:51.12
And so He is
God's guarantee to us,
00:29:51.15\00:29:54.92
He's our guarantor to God,
00:29:54.96\00:29:58.16
He's more than
just our substitute,
00:29:58.19\00:30:00.50
and that I shouldn't
say just but we think of Him
00:30:00.53\00:30:03.43
being our
substitute on the cross
00:30:03.47\00:30:05.13
and we get so excited.
00:30:05.17\00:30:06.90
But when I think about Him
being my guarantor, my surety,
00:30:06.94\00:30:11.44
I get so excited, I
can hardly stand it.
00:30:11.47\00:30:13.64
Amen. Amen.
00:30:13.68\00:30:15.01
So this is how
00:30:15.04\00:30:16.38
He is the mediator
between God and man.
00:30:16.41\00:30:19.08
And this is the most...
00:30:19.11\00:30:22.38
Christ is our redeemer,
00:30:22.42\00:30:23.82
that's the most
important transaction
00:30:23.85\00:30:26.55
that's ever, ever been made.
00:30:26.59\00:30:28.59
Because of only His
sacrifice could accomplish
00:30:28.62\00:30:33.29
paying the required
payment that was due.
00:30:33.33\00:30:36.73
I'm going to read
according to our lesson.
00:30:36.77\00:30:40.17
It says, read each text and list
00:30:40.20\00:30:43.41
what Christ has saved us from.
00:30:43.44\00:30:46.37
So, John, would you
look up Colossians 1:13-14.
00:30:46.41\00:30:50.28
Okay.
00:30:50.31\00:30:51.65
Jill, would you do
1 Thessalonians 1:10.
00:30:51.68\00:30:54.75
Yeah.
00:30:54.78\00:30:56.38
If you will, please,
Greg, do 1 Peter 1: 18-19.
00:30:56.42\00:31:01.19
And, Molly, will
you do Hebrews 2:14-15.
00:31:01.22\00:31:05.93
So, John, read
Colossians 1:13-14,
00:31:05.96\00:31:09.63
and tell us what
Christ has saved us from.
00:31:09.66\00:31:12.43
"He has delivered us
from the power of darkness
00:31:12.47\00:31:17.44
and translated us
00:31:17.47\00:31:19.07
into the kingdom of
the Son of His love,
00:31:19.11\00:31:22.31
in whom we have
redemption through His blood,
00:31:22.34\00:31:25.71
the forgiveness of sins."
00:31:25.75\00:31:27.52
Wow, He's delivered us
from the power of darkness.
00:31:27.55\00:31:30.49
Amen.
00:31:30.52\00:31:31.85
Not just from darkness
but from the power of it.
00:31:31.89\00:31:33.25
Amen.
00:31:33.29\00:31:34.62
'Cause darkness is
not just a condition,
00:31:34.66\00:31:35.99
but also a controlling force.
00:31:36.02\00:31:37.63
All right. Jill, would
you read 1 Thessalonians 1:10?
00:31:37.66\00:31:40.80
"And to wait for
His Son from heaven,
00:31:40.83\00:31:42.83
whom He raised from the dead,
00:31:42.86\00:31:44.63
even Jesus who delivers
us from the wrath to come."
00:31:44.67\00:31:47.77
That was an easy
one to say what...
00:31:47.80\00:31:49.14
"He delivers us from wrath."
00:31:49.17\00:31:50.51
"He delivers us from the wrath."
00:31:50.54\00:31:51.87
And then, Greg... Yes.
00:31:51.91\00:31:53.24
1 Peter 1:18-19.
00:31:53.27\00:31:54.61
It says, "Forasmuch
00:31:54.64\00:31:56.14
as you know that you
were are not redeemed
00:31:56.18\00:31:58.21
with corruptible
things, as silver and gold,
00:31:58.25\00:32:01.45
but from your vain conversation
00:32:01.48\00:32:03.15
received by
tradition from your fathers,
00:32:03.18\00:32:05.85
but with the
precious blood of Christ,
00:32:05.89\00:32:08.29
as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot."
00:32:08.32\00:32:11.43
So he saved us
from aimless conduct.
00:32:11.46\00:32:14.00
That's right.
Mollie, Hebrews 2:14-15.
00:32:14.03\00:32:17.20
"Forasmuch then as the children
00:32:17.23\00:32:19.03
are partakers
of flesh and blood,
00:32:19.07\00:32:20.94
He also Himself
likewise took part of the same,
00:32:20.97\00:32:24.67
that through death
He might destroy him
00:32:24.71\00:32:27.21
that had the power of
death, that is, the devil.
00:32:27.24\00:32:30.65
And deliver them who
through fear of death
00:32:30.68\00:32:33.65
were all their
lifetime subject to bondage."
00:32:33.68\00:32:36.89
So He saved us from the
power and the fear of death.
00:32:36.92\00:32:41.12
Now listen to Galatians 3:13.
00:32:41.16\00:32:44.03
"Christ has redeemed us
from the curse of the law,
00:32:44.06\00:32:47.10
having become a curse
for us, for it is written,
00:32:47.13\00:32:51.40
'Cursed is everyone
who hangs on a tree.'"
00:32:51.43\00:32:54.20
So He saves us from
the curse of the law
00:32:54.24\00:32:56.60
and then one more, it's
Revelation 1:5, it says,
00:32:56.64\00:33:01.94
"And from Jesus
Christ, the faithful witness,
00:33:01.98\00:33:04.31
the firstborn from the dead,
00:33:04.35\00:33:05.71
and the ruler over
the kings of the earth.
00:33:05.75\00:33:08.98
To Him who
loved us and washed us
00:33:09.02\00:33:11.65
from our sins in His own blood."
00:33:11.69\00:33:13.86
So he saved us from our sins.
00:33:13.89\00:33:17.96
Amen. Amen.
00:33:17.99\00:33:19.33
Now I'm going to read something
directly from the lesson
00:33:19.36\00:33:22.96
because this is so well written,
00:33:23.00\00:33:24.90
there's no way
to improve upon it.
00:33:24.93\00:33:26.84
But it's based on
John 19:30 that say's,
00:33:26.87\00:33:31.44
"When Jesus had
received the sour wine,
00:33:31.47\00:33:34.74
He said, 'It is finished!'
00:33:34.78\00:33:38.71
And bowing His head,
He gave up His spirit."
00:33:38.75\00:33:42.02
So here's what our lesson said,
00:33:42.05\00:33:44.49
"The Greek word, Tetelestai,
in John 19:30 has been called
00:33:44.52\00:33:48.49
the most
important word ever spoken."
00:33:48.52\00:33:52.49
It means, "It is finished."
00:33:52.53\00:33:54.76
It was the last utterance
that Jesus made on the cross.
00:33:54.80\00:33:59.63
His final declaration meant that
00:33:59.67\00:34:02.47
His mission on
earth was accomplished.
00:34:02.50\00:34:06.17
Our sin-debt was paid in full.
00:34:06.21\00:34:09.41
It wasn't uttered
as one without hope,
00:34:09.44\00:34:13.15
but as one who had succeeded
in the redemption of the world.
00:34:13.18\00:34:18.09
I mean, this was
a victory statement,
00:34:18.12\00:34:21.32
"It is finished."
00:34:21.36\00:34:22.69
Amen. Amen.
00:34:22.72\00:34:24.06
So looking at the cross of
redemption, the lesson says,
00:34:24.09\00:34:27.50
reveals a past event
00:34:27.53\00:34:30.43
with the present
effect and a future hope.
00:34:30.47\00:34:35.54
God gave His life
00:34:35.57\00:34:36.91
or Jesus gave his life
00:34:36.94\00:34:38.54
to destroy sin, death,
00:34:38.57\00:34:40.38
and the works of the
devil, once and for all.
00:34:40.41\00:34:43.24
Ephesians 1:7 says,
00:34:43.28\00:34:45.25
"In Him we have
redemption through the blood,
00:34:45.28\00:34:47.38
the forgiveness of sins,
00:34:47.42\00:34:49.02
according to the
riches of His Grace."
00:34:49.05\00:34:52.79
Now here's what
your quarterly says,
00:34:52.82\00:34:54.99
"To glimpse the
wonders of salvation
00:34:55.02\00:34:57.89
is to tread on holy ground."
00:34:57.93\00:35:02.26
That is an amazing statement
00:35:02.30\00:35:04.77
when you think at it about that.
00:35:04.80\00:35:07.20
So what should our
response be, in Job 42:5-6.
00:35:07.24\00:35:12.14
Job says, "I have heard of
you by the hearing at the ear,
00:35:12.17\00:35:15.51
but now my eyes see You.
00:35:15.54\00:35:17.58
Therefore I abhor myself,
00:35:17.61\00:35:19.48
and repent in
sackcloth and ashes."
00:35:19.51\00:35:22.35
Wow! Thank you, Shelly.
00:35:22.38\00:35:23.72
That's powerful. It is.
00:35:23.75\00:35:25.69
Mine is Wednesday in
your lesson quarterly
00:35:25.72\00:35:29.19
and it's
entitled, A Jealous God.
00:35:29.22\00:35:33.36
Interesting emotion
right there, isn't it?
00:35:33.40\00:35:34.96
A Jealous God, it's
not one of those things
00:35:35.00\00:35:36.87
that you think of
positively, at least, I don't.
00:35:36.90\00:35:40.44
I want to look quickly
and then we get into...
00:35:40.47\00:35:41.84
Actually, I want to
concentrate a little bit on God
00:35:41.87\00:35:43.91
being a jealous God, it
seems kind of interesting.
00:35:43.94\00:35:46.78
Let's go to, this is a well
known passage and scripture,
00:35:46.81\00:35:50.11
Exodus 20, it's
the Ten Commandments.
00:35:50.15\00:35:54.95
And we can start with
verse 4 and go to verse 5.
00:35:54.98\00:35:57.32
It says, "Thou shall not make
unto thee, any graven image,
00:35:57.35\00:36:00.42
or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above,
00:36:00.46\00:36:03.43
or that is in the earth beneath,
00:36:03.46\00:36:05.39
or that is in the
water under the earth.
00:36:05.43\00:36:07.83
Thou shall not bow down
thyself to them, nor serve them.
00:36:07.86\00:36:11.67
For I the Lord thy God..."
00:36:11.70\00:36:13.47
And what? A jealous God.
00:36:13.50\00:36:16.44
"I'm a jealous God,
00:36:16.47\00:36:17.81
visiting the
iniquity of the fathers
00:36:17.84\00:36:19.17
upon the
children unto the third,
00:36:19.21\00:36:20.54
fourth generation
of them that hate me.
00:36:20.58\00:36:23.65
Now it's interesting...
Oh, finish the next too.
00:36:23.68\00:36:25.01
Oh, that's right.
00:36:25.05\00:36:26.38
"And showing..." "Mercy..."
00:36:26.41\00:36:27.75
Thank you, Shelly. Yeah.
00:36:27.78\00:36:29.35
Praise the lord for that, right?
00:36:29.38\00:36:30.72
Yes. Amen. Thank you.
00:36:30.75\00:36:32.29
Verse 6, "Shewing
mercy unto thousands of them
00:36:32.32\00:36:35.26
that love me, and
keep my commandments.
00:36:35.29\00:36:37.76
Amen. That's a very good point.
00:36:37.79\00:36:39.19
Add that on to the end.
00:36:39.23\00:36:41.20
You know,
jealous is a Hebrew word
00:36:41.23\00:36:44.63
and I don't know
how to pronounce this
00:36:44.67\00:36:46.03
but it spelled Q-A-N-N-A.
00:36:46.07\00:36:49.74
Shelley, how do
you spell? Qannan.
00:36:49.77\00:36:51.44
Qannan? Close.
00:36:51.47\00:36:52.91
Okay.
00:36:52.94\00:36:54.34
It's used six times
in the Bible, that word,
00:36:54.38\00:36:57.88
and it's referring
to God being jealous.
00:36:57.91\00:37:01.32
Now we talked about jealousy
00:37:01.35\00:37:02.75
not really being a real
positive emotional trait,
00:37:02.78\00:37:07.09
you know, for sure.
00:37:07.12\00:37:08.46
And we know that the Bible,
I want to look there quickly.
00:37:08.49\00:37:10.46
I'm getting
somewhere here on this.
00:37:10.49\00:37:12.16
In Proverbs,
let's turn to Proverbs,
00:37:12.19\00:37:16.63
see Proverbs 14,
00:37:16.67\00:37:20.64
Proverbs 14:30.
00:37:20.67\00:37:25.31
It definitely has
some negative things
00:37:25.34\00:37:26.68
to say about being jealous.
00:37:26.71\00:37:29.74
Proverbs 14:30 says,
00:37:29.78\00:37:31.31
"A sound heart is
the life of the flesh,
00:37:31.35\00:37:34.22
but envy or jealousy,
the rottenness of the bones."
00:37:34.25\00:37:38.65
Now there's multiple
scriptures in the Bible
00:37:38.69\00:37:40.52
that talks about
jealousy not being a good thing.
00:37:40.56\00:37:42.99
So for the lesson
to say A Jealous God,
00:37:43.02\00:37:45.86
for scriptures to
say, for God to say,
00:37:45.89\00:37:49.33
I'm a jealous God,
00:37:49.36\00:37:51.33
doesn't seem, seems
strange, doesn't it?
00:37:51.37\00:37:52.73
Doesn't it seem in
character with God?
00:37:52.77\00:37:55.87
What I wanted to look at
is, you know, jealousy...
00:37:55.90\00:38:01.98
Jealousy the way we
look at as human beings is,
00:38:02.01\00:38:04.68
I looked up in the
dictionary, it says,
00:38:04.71\00:38:07.42
It's a feeling or
showing of envy of someone
00:38:07.45\00:38:12.89
or their achievements
and their advantages,
00:38:12.92\00:38:16.42
definitely not positive.
00:38:16.46\00:38:17.79
So I know that God in the Bible,
00:38:17.83\00:38:19.29
it's not contradicting itself.
00:38:19.33\00:38:21.16
They kept the same word there,
same word for jealous as this.
00:38:21.20\00:38:26.27
And, no, it's different. Okay.
00:38:26.30\00:38:28.70
So it's different.
They're different words.
00:38:28.74\00:38:30.41
Thank you for clarifying that.
00:38:30.44\00:38:31.77
Yeah, I know, there
are different words.
00:38:31.81\00:38:33.41
So for God to
say, "I'm jealous."
00:38:33.44\00:38:36.11
But yet in Proverbs,
in other verses, He says,
00:38:36.14\00:38:38.35
"Jealousy is not good."
00:38:38.38\00:38:40.18
There's something
to it that isn't there.
00:38:40.22\00:38:41.98
And the
definition that I have here
00:38:42.02\00:38:44.85
because this is definitely
not description of God
00:38:44.89\00:38:46.96
being jealous
and envious of others
00:38:46.99\00:38:49.02
and that sort of thing is,
00:38:49.06\00:38:50.63
"God is jealous
when we give to another,
00:38:50.66\00:38:55.76
what rightly
belongs to Him or God."
00:38:55.80\00:39:00.64
Okay, my wife is
sitting right down here from me.
00:39:00.67\00:39:03.27
So I married her 15 years ago,
00:39:03.30\00:39:06.61
we took a vow to each other,
00:39:06.64\00:39:09.74
we took a vow to God,
00:39:09.78\00:39:12.31
we signed a marriage license.
00:39:12.35\00:39:14.98
We're husband and wife.
00:39:15.02\00:39:18.42
Certain man, I
don't know, there is none
00:39:18.45\00:39:20.36
but someone comes to Jill
and starts to flirt with her.
00:39:20.39\00:39:25.19
My response is I'm gonna have
00:39:25.23\00:39:27.20
some righteous
jealousy, right there.
00:39:27.23\00:39:29.76
Why is that? Because,
she's rightfully mine.
00:39:29.80\00:39:33.34
That's right. She's mine.
00:39:33.37\00:39:35.60
Southern Illinois,
we have a lot of farms
00:39:35.64\00:39:38.41
and there is a
lot of pickup trucks.
00:39:38.44\00:39:40.51
And for those of you that
like nice looking pickup trucks,
00:39:40.54\00:39:44.28
let's say your
neighbor gets a nice truck,
00:39:44.31\00:39:46.31
brand new crew cab that
means it has four doors.
00:39:46.35\00:39:49.15
It may be jacked
up just a little bit,
00:39:49.18\00:39:50.79
has a nice rumble to the engine.
00:39:50.82\00:39:53.72
I don't have
that, it's my neighbors.
00:39:53.76\00:39:55.42
I started looking
at that truck and say,
00:39:55.46\00:39:57.23
"Boy, I kind of like that truck.
00:39:57.26\00:39:58.59
I like that truck."
00:39:58.63\00:39:59.96
I started to envy. I
wish that I had his truck.
00:40:00.00\00:40:03.60
Is that truck
rightfully mine? Not at all.
00:40:03.63\00:40:07.57
We could go to the
marriage thing as well.
00:40:07.60\00:40:09.70
I look, I haven't,
00:40:09.74\00:40:11.77
but I could
look at another woman
00:40:11.81\00:40:13.64
that someone else's
wife, she's not mine.
00:40:13.68\00:40:17.31
He has a right to
be jealous over her
00:40:17.35\00:40:18.88
because she is his spouse.
00:40:18.91\00:40:20.98
Jill is my spouse, right?
00:40:21.02\00:40:24.62
So for God to be
jealous, what's he jealous of?
00:40:24.65\00:40:30.13
Our... Us, right?
00:40:30.16\00:40:32.29
Who we're giving our homage to?
00:40:32.33\00:40:34.56
I want to look at...
00:40:34.60\00:40:36.77
It's an
affectionate love, isn't it?
00:40:36.80\00:40:38.63
God's jealousy is an
affectionate love of us
00:40:38.67\00:40:43.07
as His possession.
00:40:43.10\00:40:44.44
That's a good
point. Yes, Pastor.
00:40:44.47\00:40:46.84
He is jealous for us. Yes.
00:40:46.88\00:40:49.54
That's a good point. Not of us.
00:40:49.58\00:40:51.21
That's a good point.
There is a difference.
00:40:51.25\00:40:53.15
Completely,
completely jealous of us
00:40:53.18\00:40:56.12
as a human sinful trait,
00:40:56.15\00:40:58.75
jealous for us
is a divine trait.
00:40:58.79\00:41:01.39
Yes. Jealous for what of us?
00:41:01.42\00:41:03.53
Our worship?
00:41:03.56\00:41:04.89
He doesn't want to
share us with anyone.
00:41:04.93\00:41:06.80
In the same way when He says,
00:41:06.83\00:41:08.16
"He's not willing
that any should perish."
00:41:08.20\00:41:10.37
That's a jealousy for He
wants all of us to be saved.
00:41:10.40\00:41:13.54
Amen. That's correct.
00:41:13.57\00:41:14.90
That's a love
jealousy, not a jealous of any
00:41:14.94\00:41:18.51
'cause we can't do
anything that God can't do.
00:41:18.54\00:41:20.81
No, that's true. Except sin.
00:41:20.84\00:41:22.61
That's true.
That's a good point.
00:41:22.64\00:41:24.21
Yeah, that's correct.
Just throw it in there.
00:41:24.25\00:41:25.58
No, yeah, that's good.
00:41:25.61\00:41:26.95
Yeah, 'cause I think
of going all the way back
00:41:26.98\00:41:29.58
to Genesis and the creation.
00:41:29.62\00:41:32.82
We're created in
whose image? God's.
00:41:32.85\00:41:35.32
His image. In His image.
00:41:35.36\00:41:36.89
We're created by
who? By Christ, right?
00:41:36.93\00:41:38.96
He did. He's the creator.
00:41:38.99\00:41:40.46
He's the creator
of each one of us.
00:41:40.50\00:41:42.73
We're also
purchased with a price.
00:41:42.76\00:41:45.40
Amen.
00:41:45.43\00:41:46.77
Boy, I tell you, time gets
away in a hurry, doesn't it?
00:41:46.80\00:41:48.14
This is my first time
on the Sabbath School Panel
00:41:48.17\00:41:49.54
and I have three
minutes left, four minutes left.
00:41:49.57\00:41:51.64
1 Corinthians 6:20 says,
"We are bought with a price."
00:41:51.67\00:41:54.58
What is that
price that was paid?
00:41:54.61\00:41:55.94
Precious life,
blood of the Jesus.
00:41:55.98\00:41:57.31
Amen. Yes.
00:41:57.35\00:41:59.05
We talked about
being in His image.
00:41:59.08\00:42:00.85
I like created in His image.
00:42:00.88\00:42:04.75
Isaiah 43:1 says,
00:42:04.79\00:42:06.29
"You are mine, I
have called you?"
00:42:06.32\00:42:09.36
"By your name." By a name. Yeah.
00:42:09.39\00:42:11.49
So we're His. Yeah.
00:42:11.53\00:42:12.93
So He is jealous for us,
00:42:12.96\00:42:15.56
and I think
that's a precious thing.
00:42:15.60\00:42:16.93
And I look at that as
love, like you mentioned.
00:42:16.97\00:42:20.67
It is love that He cares
that much for each one of us.
00:42:20.70\00:42:24.54
Joshua 24: 15,
let's actually turn there.
00:42:24.57\00:42:26.88
Joshua 24:15.
00:42:26.91\00:42:31.05
Joshua 24:15,
00:42:31.08\00:42:38.02
and I'm going to
read the whole passage.
00:42:38.05\00:42:39.49
It's a great verse.
00:42:39.52\00:42:41.32
Joshua 24:15
says, "And it seems..."
00:42:41.36\00:42:44.16
This is Joshua.
00:42:44.19\00:42:45.53
And it says, "And if
it seems evil unto you
00:42:45.56\00:42:47.43
to serve the Lord, choose you,
this day whom you will serve,"
00:42:47.46\00:42:52.13
either God or Satan?
00:42:52.17\00:42:54.60
"Whether the gods
which your fathers served
00:42:54.64\00:42:56.84
that were on the
other side of the flood,
00:42:56.87\00:42:58.87
or the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land you will dwell."
00:42:58.91\00:43:02.81
And this is Joshua stating here,
00:43:02.84\00:43:04.85
"But you, but as
for me and my house,"
00:43:04.88\00:43:07.78
what does it say?
00:43:07.82\00:43:09.15
"We will serve the
Lord." "We will serve the Lord."
00:43:09.18\00:43:11.69
It comes down to
our choice, doesn't it?
00:43:11.72\00:43:13.52
Who we will serve?
00:43:13.56\00:43:14.89
And I like this, Shelley,
00:43:14.92\00:43:16.26
you were mentioning
right out of the lesson,
00:43:16.29\00:43:17.63
I wanted to read this.
00:43:17.66\00:43:18.99
It says, and if you want to
look along in your quarterly,
00:43:19.03\00:43:21.56
it is there on Wednesday.
00:43:21.60\00:43:23.03
It says, "When we
look at all that God is,
00:43:23.06\00:43:26.57
all that He
possesses, and all that He does,
00:43:26.60\00:43:30.71
it's remarkable that
He could have competitors.
00:43:30.74\00:43:32.87
And yet He does,
00:43:32.91\00:43:34.24
in the sense
00:43:34.28\00:43:35.61
that He has to compete
for human love and affection.
00:43:35.64\00:43:38.38
Maybe that's why He says
that He is a jealous God.
00:43:38.41\00:43:41.68
God created humans to be free,
00:43:41.72\00:43:44.25
which means we have the option
00:43:44.29\00:43:46.09
to serve Him or to
serve anything else.
00:43:46.12\00:43:50.03
This has been, in many ways,
the essential human problem,
00:43:50.06\00:43:53.40
choosing to serve other gods,
00:43:53.43\00:43:55.06
regardless of
what form they come in,
00:43:55.10\00:43:57.27
as opposed to serving
the only God worth serving,
00:43:57.30\00:44:00.74
the One who created and
possesses all the universe.
00:44:00.77\00:44:03.67
That's why He is
indeed a jealous God."
00:44:03.71\00:44:06.88
Amen.
00:44:06.91\00:44:08.31
So I know many times we
like to ride on the fence,
00:44:08.34\00:44:11.71
I have done this sometimes.
00:44:11.75\00:44:13.08
We like to have
00:44:13.11\00:44:14.45
one leg on God's side
and one leg on Satan's side.
00:44:14.48\00:44:20.46
2 Corinthians 6:14 says
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.69
"Light and
darkness can't be together."
00:44:22.72\00:44:24.83
Fellowship. Yeah, no fellowship.
00:44:24.86\00:44:26.63
Light dispels darkness,
darkness cannot exist in light.
00:44:26.66\00:44:31.33
And yet, God wants us to have
a full heart surrender to him.
00:44:31.37\00:44:35.84
Matthew 6:24 says, "No
man can serve two masters.
00:44:35.87\00:44:40.51
It's either God or
it's either Satan."
00:44:40.54\00:44:44.98
And I think, you
know, in my own life
00:44:45.01\00:44:46.78
what is competing
in my life for God,
00:44:46.82\00:44:50.62
I don't want anything.
00:44:50.65\00:44:52.02
I want God to be supreme,
and hopefully in your life,
00:44:52.05\00:44:54.79
you want the same as well.
00:44:54.82\00:44:56.52
In closing, to me
00:44:56.56\00:44:57.89
it's incredible thought
that God's jealous for me
00:44:57.93\00:45:00.30
because He wants
me, He desires me,
00:45:00.33\00:45:03.93
He cares for me, He loves me.
00:45:03.97\00:45:07.60
He doesn't want me to leave Him.
00:45:07.64\00:45:10.04
And again, going
back to Joshua 24:15,
00:45:10.07\00:45:13.07
"Choose you this
day whom you will serve.
00:45:13.11\00:45:16.04
As for me, and my
house, we will serve the Lord."
00:45:16.08\00:45:19.58
I hope that you choose
00:45:19.61\00:45:20.95
Jesus as your lord
and Savior of your life.
00:45:20.98\00:45:23.55
Amen. Amen.
00:45:23.59\00:45:24.92
Greg, you just
did an incredible job.
00:45:24.95\00:45:26.29
Thank you. Yes.
00:45:26.32\00:45:27.66
It might be the first time
00:45:27.69\00:45:29.02
you've spoke this
Sabbath school Panel,
00:45:29.06\00:45:30.76
but you are a very good teacher.
00:45:30.79\00:45:32.53
Thank you so
much. Praise the Lord.
00:45:32.56\00:45:33.90
You made the, God
being a jealous God so clear.
00:45:33.93\00:45:37.50
Well, I appreciate the support
00:45:37.53\00:45:39.47
and it's a blessing
to work with you guys.
00:45:39.50\00:45:40.84
Well, I've got Thursday,
and it's, True ownership.
00:45:40.87\00:45:45.67
So I'll make a statement here.
00:45:45.71\00:45:48.28
We belong to God
00:45:48.31\00:45:49.91
both by creation
and by redemption.
00:45:49.94\00:45:54.02
Not only do we belong to God,
00:45:54.05\00:45:57.19
but passed along McCain,
00:45:57.22\00:45:58.85
all of those gadgets you
have belong to God as well.
00:45:58.89\00:46:02.86
In other words,
00:46:02.89\00:46:04.23
all of our
possessions belong to God.
00:46:04.26\00:46:07.00
The only thing we humans
can own is our own choice.
00:46:07.03\00:46:13.90
God has given us
free choice. That's right.
00:46:13.94\00:46:17.67
But what we don't
have is freedom to choose
00:46:17.71\00:46:21.78
the consequences of
the choices we make.
00:46:21.81\00:46:25.18
That's right.
00:46:25.21\00:46:26.55
We get to make the
choices, God gives us free will.
00:46:26.58\00:46:29.92
Oh, but He's the one
that gets to make the choice
00:46:29.95\00:46:34.82
as to what those consequences
of our choice will be,
00:46:34.86\00:46:38.26
that's a sobering thought,
to tell you the truth, it is.
00:46:38.29\00:46:41.60
Okay.
00:46:41.63\00:46:43.30
We really can't take
our possessions with us.
00:46:43.33\00:46:45.77
I think we've
spoken to this one.
00:46:45.80\00:46:47.47
We really can't.
00:46:47.50\00:46:49.54
And it's 1 Timothy 6:7,
00:46:49.57\00:46:52.14
"For we brought
nothing into this world..."
00:46:52.17\00:46:55.61
"And it is certain we
can carry nothing out."
00:46:55.64\00:47:00.38
So as you came into this world
with your little hands empty,
00:47:00.42\00:47:03.79
we will go out of this world
with our little hands empty.
00:47:03.82\00:47:05.15
Empty.
00:47:05.19\00:47:07.36
All we have is, and I
like this terminology,
00:47:07.39\00:47:10.99
we are temporary stewards.
00:47:11.03\00:47:12.99
Yes.
00:47:13.03\00:47:15.03
And that's just why we're
here, we are temporary stewards.
00:47:15.06\00:47:18.27
And even then there
are conditions for us
00:47:18.30\00:47:21.24
to be able to
keep our possessions
00:47:21.27\00:47:23.67
while we're here.
00:47:23.71\00:47:25.04
Okay, what happens if
you miss a few car payments?
00:47:25.07\00:47:28.58
That has...
They come and get it.
00:47:28.61\00:47:29.94
That car that
you say it's yours?
00:47:29.98\00:47:31.31
They'll repossess
it. What's gonna happen?
00:47:31.35\00:47:33.68
They're going to come take
that car away from you, okay.
00:47:33.72\00:47:36.65
You can have
your house paid for,
00:47:36.69\00:47:39.49
your property paid for,
00:47:39.52\00:47:41.62
and all your
furnishings paid for
00:47:41.66\00:47:43.76
but just try not paying
your taxes for a few years
00:47:43.79\00:47:47.46
and see what
happens to that house.
00:47:47.50\00:47:51.37
God tells us,
in Leviticus 25:23,
00:47:51.40\00:47:56.34
"The land shall not be
sold into perpetual ownership.
00:47:56.37\00:48:02.04
For the land is mine,
00:48:02.08\00:48:04.11
you are only strangers
and temporary residence."
00:48:04.15\00:48:07.95
That's that terminology,
we are temporary stewards,
00:48:07.98\00:48:12.95
we have temporary
residence, but God owns.
00:48:12.99\00:48:17.73
Do you know God owns everything?
00:48:17.76\00:48:19.19
We're going to look
at those scriptures.
00:48:19.23\00:48:21.63
We can become trapped
00:48:21.66\00:48:23.37
by our possessions enslaved
00:48:23.40\00:48:25.80
in our attempts
to amass more things
00:48:25.83\00:48:28.60
or to hold on to things.
00:48:28.64\00:48:30.51
Do you know
there are some people
00:48:30.54\00:48:32.64
who have to work
their every waking hour
00:48:32.67\00:48:36.54
just to make enough money
00:48:36.58\00:48:38.61
to make their
payments for all their stuff?
00:48:38.65\00:48:41.48
Yeah.
00:48:41.52\00:48:42.85
They work so much
00:48:42.88\00:48:44.25
that they can
enjoy all that stuff.
00:48:44.29\00:48:48.72
That is enslavement to things.
00:48:48.76\00:48:53.16
Understanding that
all our possessions
00:48:53.19\00:48:55.90
belong to God
is very liberating.
00:48:55.93\00:48:58.87
Then you realize
they're not yours,
00:48:58.90\00:49:01.67
God's just giving you
00:49:01.70\00:49:03.04
a temporary stewardship of them.
00:49:03.07\00:49:05.71
Now I have owned a house,
do I own that house? I do.
00:49:05.74\00:49:09.81
One house almost
completely on the bank
00:49:09.84\00:49:11.95
doesn't even own any of it.
00:49:11.98\00:49:13.75
But, you know, the house
that I live in is very old.
00:49:13.78\00:49:17.65
When I moved into
it about 17 years ago,
00:49:17.69\00:49:20.79
it was 130 years old.
00:49:20.82\00:49:22.92
That means it's closing
in on 150 years old now.
00:49:22.96\00:49:26.93
And so I say it's my
house, I've got a deed and,
00:49:26.96\00:49:31.20
you know, all
that sort of thing,
00:49:31.23\00:49:33.94
just think how many people
00:49:33.97\00:49:37.01
owned that house,
lived in that house,
00:49:37.04\00:49:40.34
and took care of that
house and cleaned that house
00:49:40.38\00:49:43.35
for those first 130
years before I moved into it.
00:49:43.38\00:49:46.58
Yeah. Wow.
00:49:46.61\00:49:47.95
Now this is a certainty.
00:49:47.98\00:49:50.09
Just as they were temporary,
00:49:50.12\00:49:52.95
I know that when I am long gone,
00:49:52.99\00:49:56.52
there will be somebody
that owns that house...
00:49:56.56\00:49:59.16
Yeah.
00:49:59.19\00:50:00.53
Lives in that house
and has to clean that house
00:50:00.56\00:50:04.33
because my ownership is
just temporary ownership.
00:50:04.37\00:50:08.50
Nothing that we have are
we gonna get to take with us.
00:50:08.54\00:50:12.81
The only thing you get
to take into heaven is what?
00:50:12.84\00:50:15.38
Your character. Your character.
00:50:15.41\00:50:18.01
We cannot be short-sighted.
00:50:18.05\00:50:19.91
The only place we
can build that character
00:50:19.95\00:50:23.18
and have character fitting
00:50:23.22\00:50:25.02
for heavenly dwelling is
here on this side of eternity.
00:50:25.05\00:50:28.32
Don't be short-sighted.
00:50:28.36\00:50:29.76
This isn't all there
is, this is just our time.
00:50:29.79\00:50:33.70
While we are temporary stewards
00:50:33.73\00:50:36.46
of all that God has
made available to us,
00:50:36.50\00:50:39.50
this is where we
form our character.
00:50:39.53\00:50:41.94
Okay, Deuteronomy 10:14,
00:50:41.97\00:50:44.61
I want to still
look at some scriptures.
00:50:44.64\00:50:47.94
Deuteronomy 10:14,
00:50:47.98\00:50:50.75
"Behold, the heavens
00:50:50.78\00:50:53.65
and the heaven of
heavens belong to" who?
00:50:53.68\00:50:56.52
"The Lord your God."
"Belong to the Lord your God."
00:50:56.55\00:50:59.39
The heaven and
the heaven of heavens,
00:50:59.42\00:51:01.72
the earth, also
and all that is in it,
00:51:01.76\00:51:06.06
and all that is on it.
00:51:06.09\00:51:07.73
Who owns everything? God.
00:51:07.76\00:51:09.93
See, God owns everything.
00:51:09.96\00:51:12.30
Even our apple
critters but I decided
00:51:12.33\00:51:15.14
I probably shouldn't
use that word "critters"?
00:51:15.17\00:51:18.01
Even our animals.
00:51:18.04\00:51:19.57
See Helen and I were
never critter people,
00:51:19.61\00:51:23.11
until we got little puppy.
00:51:23.14\00:51:24.81
You know, now
we're critter people.
00:51:24.85\00:51:26.51
Okay, Psalm 50:10 says,
00:51:26.55\00:51:31.55
"For every beast of
the forest is mine,"
00:51:31.59\00:51:34.26
do you know what that means?
00:51:34.29\00:51:35.72
That little dog
that we named baby,
00:51:35.76\00:51:38.16
belongs to God.
00:51:38.19\00:51:39.66
Yes.
00:51:39.69\00:51:41.03
"Every beast of
the forest is mine,
00:51:41.06\00:51:43.20
and the cattle on
a thousand hills."
00:51:43.23\00:51:45.43
Amen.
00:51:45.47\00:51:46.80
And what about
these bodies that we have,
00:51:46.84\00:51:48.50
surely this body is mine.
00:51:48.54\00:51:50.34
Yes.
00:51:50.37\00:51:51.71
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20.
00:51:51.74\00:51:56.34
"Or do you not
know that your body
00:51:56.38\00:51:59.15
is the temple of the Holy Spirit
00:51:59.18\00:52:01.92
who is in you,
whom you have from God,
00:52:01.95\00:52:05.39
and you are not your own?
00:52:05.42\00:52:07.76
For you were
bought with a price."
00:52:07.79\00:52:10.49
"Therefore
glorify God in your body
00:52:10.53\00:52:13.93
and in your
spirit, which are God's."
00:52:13.96\00:52:17.00
Amen. That's right.
00:52:17.03\00:52:18.37
Even these vessels,
00:52:18.40\00:52:20.00
He has just
loaned us these vessels.
00:52:20.04\00:52:22.17
What's gonna
happen to this vessel,
00:52:22.20\00:52:24.14
it is not this outer dwelling
00:52:24.17\00:52:27.98
that we're housed
in that has any value,
00:52:28.01\00:52:30.98
what's going to
happen to these vessels?
00:52:31.01\00:52:33.65
Dust, from dust you came
and the dust you will return.
00:52:33.68\00:52:37.59
The only thing of any value
00:52:37.62\00:52:40.62
is what is accomplished
inside these vessels.
00:52:40.66\00:52:44.59
And again, don't
be short-sighted,
00:52:44.63\00:52:47.06
now is the time for us
to develop that character.
00:52:47.10\00:52:50.80
The only thing
that we can take with us
00:52:50.83\00:52:54.00
because nothing you want,
00:52:54.04\00:52:55.60
you can be the
richest person in the world
00:52:55.64\00:52:59.21
and or the poorest
person in the world,
00:52:59.24\00:53:02.34
and you will
both go to the grave
00:53:02.38\00:53:04.41
with identically the same thing,
00:53:04.45\00:53:07.42
sobering thoughts.
00:53:07.45\00:53:08.78
Remember all of
those pharaohs and things,
00:53:08.82\00:53:10.79
they tried to
take things with them,
00:53:10.82\00:53:12.92
you know, they
would have these big tombs
00:53:12.95\00:53:15.06
and they would have all
of these treasures in them,
00:53:15.09\00:53:18.09
what happened to
all of these treasures
00:53:18.13\00:53:19.93
that we're supposed to
go into the after life?
00:53:19.96\00:53:21.30
Grave robbers.
00:53:21.33\00:53:22.80
The grave robbers
got them. That's right.
00:53:22.83\00:53:24.63
Okay, we are even dependent
on God for our next breath,
00:53:24.67\00:53:30.11
that's Acts 17: 25.
00:53:30.14\00:53:32.74
"Neither is He
served by human hands,
00:53:32.77\00:53:35.64
as though He liked anything,
00:53:35.68\00:53:38.18
for it is He himself
who gives life, and breath,
00:53:38.21\00:53:42.95
and all things to all people."
00:53:42.98\00:53:45.82
We're just temporary stewards.
00:53:45.85\00:53:48.69
God's ownership
00:53:48.72\00:53:50.09
and our stewardship
mandate a relationship.
00:53:50.13\00:53:54.66
He's the owner,
we're the stewards.
00:53:54.70\00:53:57.63
We're in relationship.
00:53:57.67\00:53:59.00
God is the owner,
we're the stewards.
00:53:59.03\00:54:01.27
However, we will be called upon
00:54:01.30\00:54:04.01
to give an account
for our stewardship.
00:54:04.04\00:54:07.94
Were we generous
with our possessions
00:54:07.98\00:54:10.95
and helpful to our fellow man
00:54:10.98\00:54:12.81
or were we
selfish and self serving?
00:54:12.85\00:54:16.15
So with the realization
that all we have is a gift
00:54:16.18\00:54:20.12
which God has
graciously allowed us to use
00:54:20.16\00:54:23.63
while we're here.
00:54:23.66\00:54:24.99
There is no room for
pride in our possessions.
00:54:25.03\00:54:28.26
I wanna do one quote.
00:54:28.30\00:54:29.63
I think I've got time,
"All things belong to God.
00:54:29.66\00:54:34.00
Men may ignore His claims
00:54:34.04\00:54:36.57
while He bountifully
bestows His blessings upon them,
00:54:36.60\00:54:40.28
they may use His gifts
00:54:40.31\00:54:43.08
for their own
selfish gratification
00:54:43.11\00:54:45.85
but they will be
called to give an account
00:54:45.88\00:54:48.68
for their stewardship."
00:54:48.72\00:54:50.25
So as for me and my
house, we want to serve God...
00:54:50.29\00:54:54.92
And we want to use
all of these possessions
00:54:54.96\00:54:58.33
that God has
granted us and blessed us
00:54:58.36\00:55:01.83
with to bless others.
00:55:01.86\00:55:03.87
You can't take
pride in your possessions,
00:55:03.90\00:55:07.10
they're not yours
in the first place.
00:55:07.14\00:55:08.87
Okay, here is the question.
00:55:08.90\00:55:11.67
Am I a faithful steward?
00:55:11.71\00:55:13.81
And that's my
prayer for every one of us.
00:55:13.84\00:55:15.84
Amen. We will be
faithful stewards.
00:55:15.88\00:55:19.01
Pastor Lomacang? Wow.
00:55:19.05\00:55:20.38
Wow. Fantastic.
00:55:20.42\00:55:21.75
You guys have really
lit the fire here today.
00:55:21.78\00:55:24.19
I like the fact that
the author of this lesson
00:55:24.22\00:55:26.69
or the authors of this lesson
00:55:26.72\00:55:28.06
took sometime to
recalibrate our thoughts on God,
00:55:28.09\00:55:31.16
on the One who owns everything,
00:55:31.19\00:55:32.99
the One who
possesses everything,
00:55:33.03\00:55:34.90
and the One who
doesn't want anything
00:55:34.93\00:55:36.40
He created to possess
us except His Holy Spirit.
00:55:36.43\00:55:40.97
Yeah, oh, that's good. You see?
00:55:41.00\00:55:42.67
The possession aspect of
it and, Jill, I like how you,
00:55:42.70\00:55:45.84
you had a wonderful run,
00:55:45.87\00:55:47.21
there are those 10 or 12 points
00:55:47.24\00:55:48.58
you started preaching for me
00:55:48.61\00:55:49.94
and I was starting
to feel bad for Shelley.
00:55:49.98\00:55:51.85
I was thinking Hallelujah.
00:55:51.88\00:55:53.21
And so if I knew I
had a Hebrew 7:22...
00:55:53.25\00:55:55.55
Yeah, just really
run me through that list
00:55:55.58\00:55:58.25
without stating
each one of them,
00:55:58.29\00:55:59.62
just kind of what in that list
00:55:59.65\00:56:01.89
jumps out at you
more than any other thing.
00:56:01.92\00:56:04.36
Can I give you the
choice to choose one up?
00:56:04.39\00:56:06.43
I don't even know
if I can choose one.
00:56:06.46\00:56:08.33
I love that He came to
reconcile us to the Father.
00:56:08.36\00:56:10.90
You know,
because sin separated us
00:56:10.93\00:56:12.93
from the Father, but Jesus came,
00:56:12.97\00:56:14.74
and by His blood,
00:56:14.77\00:56:16.10
you know, bridged that
gap between us and God.
00:56:16.14\00:56:17.97
Wow, Shelley, you
talked about the power of,
00:56:18.01\00:56:20.54
He didn't just save us
00:56:20.58\00:56:21.91
but give me
something that stood out
00:56:21.94\00:56:23.28
as the apex of your lesson?
00:56:23.31\00:56:24.91
Well, it is just my
favorite scripture that,
00:56:24.95\00:56:27.35
"He is not just our
substitute but He is our surety,
00:56:27.38\00:56:30.15
our guarantor from
God to us and us to him."
00:56:30.19\00:56:32.82
That's right.
00:56:32.85\00:56:34.19
And I'm so glad
that Greg is here,
00:56:34.22\00:56:36.26
what a lesson to
start with about jealousy.
00:56:36.29\00:56:38.33
Yeah.
00:56:38.36\00:56:39.69
And you used some wonderful
illustrations discovering
00:56:39.73\00:56:42.63
what's it out about the
jealousy aspect of the God.
00:56:42.66\00:56:45.03
Well, the God is jealous for us
00:56:45.07\00:56:47.20
and that we are
rightfully His, that's powerful.
00:56:47.24\00:56:50.21
That's right.
00:56:50.24\00:56:51.57
And, Molly Sue,
you're always on fire.
00:56:51.61\00:56:53.24
Well, true
ownership, we own nothing,
00:56:53.27\00:56:55.81
He owns everything.
00:56:55.84\00:56:57.48
And that is just liberating,
00:56:57.51\00:56:59.65
hat stuff that we have
00:56:59.68\00:57:01.72
that can't have a
hold on us any longer.
00:57:01.75\00:57:03.99
I like the way you said
ownership plus stewardship
00:57:04.02\00:57:07.02
should engender relationship.
00:57:07.06\00:57:09.39
And while we're
always indebted to our God,
00:57:09.42\00:57:12.66
we are also
environmental stores.
00:57:12.69\00:57:14.76
I don't know if
they'll cover that
00:57:14.80\00:57:16.13
in a lesson sooner or later,
00:57:16.16\00:57:17.50
but environmental stewardship,
00:57:17.53\00:57:18.93
how does your
existence in the world
00:57:18.97\00:57:20.70
make a difference in nature
and in the world around us,
00:57:20.74\00:57:23.44
in our community, and
in our place of worship.
00:57:23.47\00:57:25.94
We pray that you take
your stewardship to the place
00:57:25.97\00:57:28.61
where it'll be an
honor to the God we serve.
00:57:28.64\00:57:30.81