Welcome back to our
Sabbath School Lesson.
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I am going to pick up
on Tuesday, October 2nd,
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"Further
Disunity and Separation"
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Thank you Shelley and
Mollie for laying the foundation
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introducing unity and talking
about how it was fractured
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by the choices Adam and
Eve made when they could not
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curtail the consequences. Amen.
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We're going to talk
about disunity as we talk about
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separation and
let's go to Genesis 11,
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and we're going to look
about a postdiluvian generation.
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You know the antediluvian
generation was the generation
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leading up to the flood
- the Lord made a promise
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that is now
introduced to us in Genesis 11,
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but there are consequences
and there is also creative
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destruction introduced in these
passages - follow me carefully.
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Verse 1... "Now
the whole earth had one
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language and one speech.
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And it came to pass, as
they journeyed from the east,
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that they found a
plain in the land of Shinar,
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and they dwelt there.
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Then they said to one another,
"Come, let us make bricks
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and bake them thoroughly."
They had brick for stone,
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and they had asphalt for mortar.
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And they said, "Come, let
us build ourselves a city,
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and a tower whose top
is in the heavens; let us
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make a name for
ourselves, lest we be scattered
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abroad over the
face of the whole earth.
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But the Lord came down to
see the city and the tower
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which the sons of men had built.
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Notice it's not the sons
of God, but the sons of men.
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And the Lord said, "Indeed
the people are one and they
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all have one language..."
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A point needs to be made
here... You can be unified,
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but your unity can be
against God's will if your unity
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is for the wrong
reason and on the wrong agenda
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that's not in
harmony with God's will.
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It goes on to say...
"And this is what they begin
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to do or began to
do; now nothing that they
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propose to do will
be withheld from them.
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In other words, their
consequences are coming,
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you can't chose those,
right Mollie? That's right.
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Verse 7... "Come, let Us go down
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and there
confuse their language,
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that they may not understand
one another's speech."
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"So the Lord
scattered them abroad
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from there over all
the face of the earth,
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and they ceased
building the city.
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Therefore its name is
called Babel, because there
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the Lord confused the
language of all the earth;
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and from there, the
Lord scattered them abroad
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over the face of all the earth."
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Well the question that
was introduced right here
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which I'd like to dive
right into - what happened here
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that makes the problem of
separation and disunity worse?
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They began to build what
they thought was the agenda of
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God, but in fact
was their own agenda;
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they did not
accept God's agenda.
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So I broke it down into a few
categories that I would like to
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dive into right now...
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The one is - they became
absorbed in self-interest.
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Self-interest is always
the precursor to introducing
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disunity.
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The antediluvians or
the postdiluvians were less
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interested in how
their quest affected others.
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When our pursuits are
disconnected from the effect
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that it has on others,
disunity is always the result.
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You know, when you
make a decision, you say,
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"I don't care what they
think about, I don't care
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what they want to hear, I
don't care about the music,
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I don't care about the
sermon they want me to preach...
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As long as we make decisions
and we don't take other
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people into consideration,
it always creates disunity.
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They did not want
what God had so they said,
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"Let us build ourselves a city."
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I'm glad God is
building us a city. Amen! Amen!
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They engineered their
own methods of salvation;
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"the tower whose
top is in the heavens,"
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just in case we
can't trust God...
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that is what's happening today.
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People have other
ways of salvation.
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Isaiah 4:1... "We
will eat our own bread
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and wear our own apparel,
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only let us be called by your
name to take away our reproach,"
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our own method of salvation...
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And that's why Christianity
today has become a cacophony
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of confusion -
creative destruction.
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Thirdly, they cared
about their own future,
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not the future
that God had ensured.
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Next, they paid attention
to the agenda and the plans
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that were only
interesting to them.
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They had an agenda
that made self the focus.
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Whenever self is the
focus, unity never results.
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When people say, "I don't
want to hear what you have
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to say, I don't
care what you think...
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then we could
never be in harmony.
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That's why we are
told in the Bible...
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"To esteem the other
person above ourselves." Yes
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And whatever we do, as far
as it is possible with you,
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be at peace with all men."
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Going on... But God stepped in,
God thwarted a divisive agenda,
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and He'll do that today.
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The Lord
demolished their coalition...
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The first intent
was to slow their
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progress against God's agenda.
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I'm so glad that God
did not allow them to go
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the way they...
that's why He separated them.
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They asked for
bricks, they got a straw.
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They asked for a
hammer, they got a chisel.
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They said, "This is
not working," so they found
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the group that sounded
like they did and they began,
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God scattered them
throughout the earth.
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So we have Columbia, we
have Mexico, we have China,
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we have Japan -
scattered throughout the earth.
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We got Texas - the
great country of Texas,
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and we got Alabama
- not too far away.
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But confusion because all
that live in America don't sound
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the same, Amen
Mollie! Amen! Laughter
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Alabamians - they don't
understand people from Maine.
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We got people from California,
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they don't sound
like New Yorkers.
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They make "calls" in California,
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but they make
"cawls" in New York.
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Creative destruction, confusion.
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The second thing God
did was to separate their
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intellectual corruption.
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They were
intellectual, they were smart.
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They were giants
in their intellect.
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He separated their intellectual
corruption so that it would
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not interrupt His plan.
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And the third intent
was to create boundaries.
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They ceased building the city.
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Their project came to an end.
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So now, with that in
mind, we see what they did
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and today the results -
the consequences are obvious.
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The world is in disarray.
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Let me suggest four ways
that we could foster unity.
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1 John 1:7...
"Commit to a personal walk
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in the light of God's word."
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"Commit to a personal walk
in the light of God's word."
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"But if we walk in the
light as He is in the light,
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we have
fellowship with one another,
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and the blood of
Jesus Christ His Son
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cleanses us from all sin."
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Don't join a
church for friendship,
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join it for fellowship. Amen!
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Fellowship is not accomplished
by find a what-you-like
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or what-you-like, but if
we like what Jesus likes,
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and we walk in that,
then we will have fellowship.
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Koinonia is divinely borne.
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Secondly, foster a
commitment to extend peace.
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Romans 12:8, "If it is possible
as much as depends on you,
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live peaceably with all men."
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Don't say, "I don't really
care what I said to Mollie,"
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No... care what
you said to Mollie!
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Don't say I don't really
care how... and just pass
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to John Dinzey or Jill or
Shelley or you, CARE about it,
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and then do what you can to
rectify and bring about peace.
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Why? "Blessed are the
peacemakers for they shall
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be called the
children of God." Amen
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Thirdly, abandon the position
of nationality or gender
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superiority - God didn't
take Eve from Adam's feet,
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nor did He take
Eve from Adam's head...
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He took the rib from
Adam's side. That's right.
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Jill, while separate, we are
still made in the image of God.
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And when men and women are
joined together, they finish
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the image of God
in the human race.
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God gave Adam
stewardship responsibilities;
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He gave him
dominion over the earth...
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But He didn't
create him to rule his wife
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and keep her under his foot.
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It's when transgression
came in that the Lord said,
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"The husband is
the head of the wife,"
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not in a domineering
capacity, but in a capacity
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of stewardship
responsibility as the priest.
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He says, "Now
whatever happens in your house,
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I'm gonna hold you responsible."
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So we have to be
those individuals.
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We have to take that
stewardship responsibility.
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The Bible says in Acts
17:26 about nationality...
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"He has made from one
blood every nation of men
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to dwell on all
the face of the earth."
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So no matter what our
nationality... this table
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is very diverse - no
matter what our nationality,
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we have to foster a position
of unity, not national or
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gender superiority.
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And finally... We
have to exalt Jesus
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through our lives. Amen!
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Here's where the greatest
experience of unity occurs...
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you know, not through methods,
not through styles or preaching,
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not through types of music,
not through denominational
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preferences but here is how
unity is best accomplished...
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John 12:32... "And I, if I
am lifted up from the earth,
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will draw all men unto Myself."
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Whatever the
nationality, whatever the race,
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whatever the
cultural background,
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whatever the national
origin, whatever the language...
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let's not create confusion,
let us not do things to
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further disunity
and foster separation...
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But if we lift up
Christ, everyone will hear
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as the disciples experienced
on the Day of Pentecost,
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they said, as the Jews gathered
there, they said, "We do hear
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in our own
language, ...diversity...
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the wonderful
works of God." Amen!
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When Jesus is uplifted, disunity
will die, separation will cease,
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and unity and
Christ will reign supreme.
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So make that your pledge,
make that your determination,
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and Christ will
accomplish it in your life.
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Amen! Thank you Pastor
John, we've had church,
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we can go home now!
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I love this lesson and the
entire focus of the lesson.
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We started with creation
and the unity that existed,
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the oneness of God, the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
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but with the creation with
Adam and Eve with the Father
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and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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We know that sin
brought consequences;
00:10:08.00\00:10:10.37
sin brought disunity;
sin brought separation
00:10:10.41\00:10:13.58
from the Father and Pastor
John, what a wonderful analogy,
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not only of the
separation that took place there
00:10:17.15\00:10:19.01
at the Tower of Babel,
but of the unity that God
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wants to bring us back into.
00:10:22.12\00:10:23.89
And my lesson is on Wednesday.
00:10:23.95\00:10:26.29
You know, after the Tower of
Babel and after that occurred
00:10:26.32\00:10:30.63
and this separation, God
looked and He said, "I want to
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call a man who will come
back into unity with Myself."
00:10:34.20\00:10:39.23
And through him, an entire
nation of people that could be
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a representative to the world,
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of the unity
that he wants to have.
00:10:46.51\00:10:49.21
And that man is, of
course, Abraham - the father of
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not only the Jewish
people but Christianity.
00:10:52.41\00:10:56.45
We come from the Lord
Jesus Christ who came through
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the seed of David, so
we come from that as well.
00:10:59.92\00:11:03.12
It's interesting to me that
God called Abraham His friend.
00:11:03.16\00:11:07.30
You know, if you read the Bible,
I'm not sure any other person
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in the Bible is
called, "the friend of God,"
00:11:12.53\00:11:15.14
you can correct me,
Pastor John, if I'm wrong,
00:11:15.17\00:11:16.91
but "the friend of God,"
He called him His friend.
00:11:16.97\00:11:19.67
And He said to the disciples,
"You are no longer my...,
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but you're My friends.
That's true, okay, okay.
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That's personally...
So in addition, yes,
00:11:23.95\00:11:25.58
good, thank you.
00:11:25.65\00:11:26.98
So Ms. Mollie, if I
had you over to my house...
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now you're more
than an acquaintance,
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so that's not a good example.
00:11:30.89\00:11:32.22
Let's say somebody that I
don't know, okay, and they
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came over to my house,
I'd say, "You gotta sit up
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straight on the sofa and,
you know, you want to feel
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proper and you want everything
to go good, but if Mollie
00:11:39.16\00:11:41.26
came over, I could lean back
and I could relax and I could
00:11:41.30\00:11:45.47
have a good time. Why?
00:11:45.50\00:11:46.87
Because she is my friend.
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When you are a
friend with someone,
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friends don't
block each other out of
00:11:50.94\00:11:52.87
certain spaces in their life.
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That's what Abraham was to God.
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He did not push God
away from certain places
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in his life... He said
- You have ready access to
00:12:00.22\00:12:02.48
every area of my life.
00:12:02.52\00:12:04.85
James 2:23 says...
"Abraham believed God,
00:12:04.89\00:12:08.46
and it was accounted
to him for righteousness,
00:12:08.49\00:12:10.99
and he was called,
"the friend of God."
00:12:11.03\00:12:14.30
He was called "the
friend of God," why?
00:12:14.36\00:12:16.10
Because he was justified,
because he was brought
00:12:16.13\00:12:19.50
back into right relationship
with God the Father.
00:12:19.53\00:12:23.07
There were no closed spaces
in his heart that he pushed
00:12:23.10\00:12:26.34
God away from.
00:12:26.37\00:12:27.74
As we look at faith
in the basic elements
00:12:27.78\00:12:30.55
of Abraham's faith,
faith is not static.
00:12:30.61\00:12:33.11
It's active, it's
dynamic, it is moving!
00:12:33.15\00:12:36.89
So I want to look at
the five actions of faith
00:12:36.95\00:12:40.06
as we see revealed
in the life of Abraham.
00:12:40.12\00:12:42.92
The first action of
faith is that genuine faith
00:12:42.96\00:12:46.33
leads to
forgiveness and justification.
00:12:46.36\00:12:49.90
Faith leads to
forgiveness and justification.
00:12:49.93\00:12:53.87
Justification and forgiveness
precedes friendship with God
00:12:53.90\00:12:57.04
because sin brought
disunity, sin brought separation
00:12:57.07\00:13:00.41
from God, so when we
are justified, brought back
00:13:00.48\00:13:03.65
into right-standing with
God the Father - what happens?
00:13:03.68\00:13:06.45
We are back in
unity with Him again.
00:13:06.48\00:13:09.62
I think of Romans 4:3,
it says... "What does the
00:13:09.65\00:13:12.39
Scripture say?
"Abraham believed God and it was
00:13:12.42\00:13:15.66
accounted to him for
righteousness." That's right.
00:13:15.69\00:13:18.19
That word
"accounted" to him means to
00:13:18.23\00:13:20.63
"reckon or to consider."
00:13:20.70\00:13:22.50
It's a bookkeeping term meaning
00:13:22.53\00:13:24.33
"to put on your record or
to credit" to one's account."
00:13:24.37\00:13:28.40
What is Paul saying here?
00:13:28.44\00:13:30.17
He said, Abraham
believed God, that's the faith,
00:13:30.21\00:13:32.91
and what happened? He
was justified, Pastor John.
00:13:32.94\00:13:36.48
He was justified - that
righteousness, as it were,
00:13:36.51\00:13:39.28
was credited to his account.
00:13:39.31\00:13:41.42
I think of 2 Corinthians 5:21...
"For He made Him who knew
00:13:41.45\00:13:45.42
no sin to be sin for
us, that we might be made
00:13:45.45\00:13:49.99
the righteousness of
God in Him." That's right.
00:13:50.03\00:13:52.43
Ms. Mollie, I would call
that "a double imputation
00:13:52.46\00:13:55.16
or a double crediting."
00:13:55.20\00:13:57.00
In other words, my sin
was credited to Jesus and His
00:13:57.03\00:14:01.47
righteousness
was credited to me.
00:14:01.50\00:14:04.61
So say that word again,
"imputation." "Imputation"
00:14:04.64\00:14:07.11
So people don't think
you mean "amputation."
00:14:07.18\00:14:08.54
Thank you! "IMPUTATION"
00:14:08.58\00:14:10.35
Beautiful word, I didn't want
them to miss that. Thank you.
00:14:10.38\00:14:13.01
So genuine faith leads to
forgiveness and justification
00:14:13.05\00:14:16.58
leads to us being
brought back into unity with God
00:14:16.62\00:14:20.16
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:14:20.19\00:14:21.52
#2... Genuine
faith leads to obedience.
00:14:21.56\00:14:24.86
Turn with me to Hebrews 11.
This is the great faith chapter.
00:14:24.89\00:14:29.50
Hebrews 11 and it
talks about Abraham
00:14:29.53\00:14:32.30
quite a bit in this chapter.
00:14:32.33\00:14:33.70
We're in verse 8...
"By faith Abraham obeyed
00:14:33.74\00:14:37.47
when he was called to go
out to the place which he would
00:14:38.44\00:14:39.81
receive as an
inheritance. And he went out
00:14:39.84\00:14:43.31
not knowing where he was going."
00:14:43.35\00:14:45.15
So God called him out
from Ur and he didn't know
00:14:45.18\00:14:48.15
where he was going,
but what does it say?
00:14:48.18\00:14:49.88
"By faith Abraham obeyed."
00:14:49.92\00:14:52.45
Genuine faith
always leads to obedience.
00:14:52.49\00:14:55.16
#3... Genuine faith trusts
in the promises of God. Amen
00:14:55.19\00:15:00.93
We see that in the
next verse. Verse 9...
00:15:00.96\00:15:03.47
We're still in Hebrews
11. "By faith he dwelt in the
00:15:03.50\00:15:06.53
land of promise as in a foreign
country, dwelling in tents
00:15:06.60\00:15:10.41
with Isaac and
Jacob, the heirs with him
00:15:10.44\00:15:12.31
of the same promise;
for he waited for the city
00:15:12.34\00:15:15.51
which has foundations,
whose builder and maker is God."
00:15:15.54\00:15:19.25
He claimed by
faith that promises...
00:15:19.28\00:15:22.52
genuine faith trusts
in the promises of God.
00:15:22.55\00:15:25.49
#4... Genuine faith
lives for the hereafter.
00:15:25.52\00:15:29.52
In other words, this
world is not all that there is,
00:15:29.56\00:15:32.33
neither is tomorrow
guaranteed, but genuine faith
00:15:32.36\00:15:35.63
looks beyond what
we see in reality here
00:15:35.66\00:15:39.17
and it looks for
the hereafter. Amen
00:15:39.20\00:15:40.80
It looks for eternal life.
00:15:40.84\00:15:42.54
Hebrews 11:13 talks
about how they died in faith
00:15:42.57\00:15:46.51
not having received the
promise, but were assured
00:15:46.54\00:15:49.21
of them even though they were
00:15:49.24\00:15:50.61
strangers and
pilgrims on the earth.
00:15:50.65\00:15:52.15
Verse 16... "...
they desire a better,
00:15:52.18\00:15:54.38
that is a heavenly
country. Therefore God is not
00:15:54.42\00:15:58.49
ashamed to be called their God,
00:15:58.52\00:16:00.12
for He has
prepared a city for them."
00:16:00.19\00:16:01.79
So Abraham looked
for the hereafter.
00:16:01.82\00:16:05.23
He did not just live
for the here and now.
00:16:05.26\00:16:07.40
#5... Genuine faith
obeys without question.
00:16:07.46\00:16:11.70
Trust implicitly in the promise,
00:16:11.73\00:16:14.30
and the God who
made that promise.
00:16:14.34\00:16:16.37
Regardless of any
present circumstances,
00:16:16.40\00:16:19.14
we see this as the ultimate
sacrifice - when Abraham
00:16:19.17\00:16:22.31
was willing to obey
God without question.
00:16:22.34\00:16:25.61
He was willing to trust in
God's promise and still offer
00:16:25.65\00:16:29.72
his son Isaac as a
sacrifice - we see that.
00:16:29.75\00:16:32.89
So you might be saying...
"How do I receive faith?"
00:16:32.92\00:16:35.26
Or, "How do I grow my faith?"
00:16:35.29\00:16:37.26
Recognize that faith is a gift.
00:16:38.26\00:16:40.63
Romans 12:3 says...
"God has given to every man
00:16:40.70\00:16:43.43
a measure of faith." Amen!
00:16:43.47\00:16:46.53
Ephesians 2:8... "For
by grace you have been
00:16:46.57\00:16:49.14
saved through faith
and that not of yourselves,
00:16:49.17\00:16:52.07
it is the gift of
God." What is the gift?
00:16:52.11\00:16:54.38
Salvation is the gift.
00:16:54.41\00:16:56.18
Grace is the
gift. FAITH is the gift.
00:16:56.21\00:17:00.38
Recognize that
faith is a gift of God.
00:17:00.45\00:17:03.22
Then realize that the word
of God is what produces faith
00:17:03.25\00:17:06.62
in the life of
the believer. Amen
00:17:06.65\00:17:08.39
Romans 10:17...
"Faith comes by hearing
00:17:08.42\00:17:11.89
and hearing by the word of God."
00:17:11.93\00:17:14.13
So if you want
to grow your faith,
00:17:14.20\00:17:15.66
spend time in the word of God.
00:17:15.70\00:17:18.40
God gives to each one
of us a measure of faith,
00:17:18.43\00:17:20.84
but then we need to
spend time in the word of God
00:17:20.87\00:17:23.51
in order to grow that faith.
00:17:23.54\00:17:25.47
Trust God to
complete your faith.
00:17:25.51\00:17:28.04
Sometimes I think... "I
have to do this on my own,"
00:17:28.08\00:17:30.78
but GOD is the
One who completes it.
00:17:30.85\00:17:33.65
Hebrews 12:2...
"Looking unto Jesus, the author
00:17:33.72\00:17:37.42
and finisher of our faith."
00:17:37.49\00:17:40.36
So the word "finisher"
in Greek means "perfector"
00:17:40.39\00:17:43.73
or "completer," so He is
the One who finishes our faith,
00:17:43.76\00:17:47.86
He's the One who completes it.
00:17:47.86\00:17:49.23
He's the One who
brings it to perfection.
00:17:49.26\00:17:51.93
And then allow your
faith to be tested...
00:17:51.97\00:17:54.44
Not only do we spend
time in the word of God,
00:17:54.47\00:17:56.60
and of course that grows
our faith - not only do we
00:17:56.67\00:17:58.97
trust God that He's
going to complete it,
00:17:59.01\00:18:01.18
He's going to perfect our
faith, we allow Him to test it.
00:18:01.21\00:18:04.85
Sometimes that's a hard thing.
00:18:04.88\00:18:06.58
James 1:2-4... "My
brethren, (Brother Johnny)
00:18:06.61\00:18:10.95
count it ALL JOY,"
which is hard when you
00:18:11.02\00:18:14.32
fall into various
trials, knowing that the testing
00:18:14.36\00:18:17.76
of your faith produces patience.
00:18:17.79\00:18:19.56
But let patience have its
perfect work that you may be
00:18:19.59\00:18:21.73
perfect and
complete lacking nothing."
00:18:21.76\00:18:24.00
So the testing of our faith...
as we allow our faith to be
00:18:24.07\00:18:26.94
tested - what happens?
00:18:26.97\00:18:28.30
It grows, it strengthens, it
produces in us other virtues.
00:18:28.34\00:18:33.68
Finally, ask for
greater faith. That's right.
00:18:33.71\00:18:37.08
Luke 17:5... "And
the apostles said to the
00:18:37.15\00:18:39.38
Lord, "Increase our faith."
00:18:39.41\00:18:42.05
Increase our faith -
ask for greater faith.
00:18:42.08\00:18:45.49
After creation, when the fall
occurred, when Mollie talked
00:18:45.52\00:18:50.03
about it so eloquently, discord
and disunity was the result.
00:18:50.06\00:18:53.29
God wanted to call one
man and through him an entire
00:18:54.30\00:18:57.87
nation of people who
would reconnect with Him,
00:18:57.90\00:19:01.70
and with each other.
00:19:01.74\00:19:03.84
Faith in our
Creator, faith in our Redeemer
00:19:03.87\00:19:07.01
brings us back into
harmony with Him and each other.
00:19:07.04\00:19:09.84
This is a faith, as we
just talked about, that leads
00:19:09.88\00:19:13.11
to justification and the
restoring of our relationship
00:19:13.15\00:19:16.65
with God and with each other.
00:19:16.72\00:19:18.05
It's a faith that
leads to sanctification,
00:19:18.09\00:19:20.69
and the grace to
walk in obedience.
00:19:20.72\00:19:24.53
It's a faith that leads
to trust in and reliance
00:19:24.56\00:19:27.83
on His word and the
promises found in His word.
00:19:27.86\00:19:31.80
And finally, it's a
faith that leads to unity
00:19:31.83\00:19:34.74
both in this life as
brothers and sisters and in the
00:19:34.77\00:19:37.67
life to come. Amen, Amen!
00:19:37.71\00:19:39.97
Amen, praise the Lord!
00:19:40.01\00:19:41.38
Well, this leads us to
Thursday's part of the lesson,
00:19:41.41\00:19:45.08
and so... "God's Chosen People"
00:19:45.11\00:19:49.25
Through Abraham
came God's chosen people,
00:19:49.28\00:19:51.82
the people of Israel.
00:19:51.85\00:19:53.22
And even today, you know,
you have the Jews saying...
00:19:53.25\00:19:57.23
"Abraham is our
father," and so not only this
00:19:57.26\00:20:00.96
as Jill has said,
he's also the father of
00:20:00.96\00:20:03.53
the Christian believers.
00:20:03.57\00:20:06.03
Now in calling Abraham
to be His servant, God chose
00:20:06.07\00:20:08.30
for Himself a people to
represent Him to the world.
00:20:08.34\00:20:11.71
This was God's intention,
that through the people
00:20:11.74\00:20:14.08
of Israel, He will
bring the everlasting gospel
00:20:14.14\00:20:17.95
to the whole world.
00:20:17.98\00:20:19.31
And the people of
Israel were to be a light...
00:20:19.35\00:20:23.55
Marvelous promises are
given to the people of Israel.
00:20:23.59\00:20:27.52
I encourage you to
read the Book of Deuteronomy
00:20:27.56\00:20:29.99
to see how many wonderful,
exceeding great and precious
00:20:30.03\00:20:33.86
promises were given to them,
so that if they followed God,
00:20:33.90\00:20:37.30
obeyed His commandments...
oh! I'd like to read some
00:20:37.33\00:20:41.07
of these wonderful blessings
that God promised to them.
00:20:41.10\00:20:44.34
For this, I'm turning to
the Bible in Deuteronomy 7.
00:20:44.37\00:20:50.31
In Deuteronomy 7, we
are going to see some great
00:20:50.38\00:20:54.25
and wonderful things.
00:20:54.28\00:20:55.62
First we're going
to read a few verses.
00:20:55.65\00:20:58.25
We're going to read verse
6 to bring us to the place
00:20:58.29\00:21:01.89
as to why God chose
the people of Israel.
00:21:01.92\00:21:05.13
Notice in verse 6...
"For you are a Holy people
00:21:05.16\00:21:09.06
to the Lord your God.
00:21:09.10\00:21:10.43
The Lord your God has
chosen You to be a people
00:21:10.47\00:21:13.64
for Himself, a special treasure
00:21:13.70\00:21:16.44
above all the peoples
on the face of the earth.
00:21:16.47\00:21:18.87
The Lord did not set His
love on you nor choose you
00:21:18.91\00:21:22.34
because you were more in
number than any other people,
00:21:22.38\00:21:25.85
for you were the
least of all peoples.
00:21:25.88\00:21:27.75
But because the Lord
loves you and because He would
00:21:27.78\00:21:31.52
keep the oath which
He swore to your fathers,
00:21:31.55\00:21:34.92
the Lord has brought
you out with a mighty hand
00:21:34.96\00:21:37.73
and redeemed you
from the house of bondage,
00:21:37.76\00:21:40.06
from the hand of
Pharaoh king of Egypt."
00:21:40.10\00:21:43.90
God made a promise to Abraham
that through him would be
00:21:43.93\00:21:48.34
a mighty nation and
they were supposed to be
00:21:48.37\00:21:50.97
a light to the world.
00:21:51.01\00:21:52.34
Let me read some of
the wonderful blessings,
00:21:52.37\00:21:54.58
as I mentioned before and
these are in Deuteronomy 7.
00:21:54.61\00:21:59.35
I'm going to read verses
12, perhaps to verse 15...
00:21:59.38\00:22:04.32
"Then it shall come to pass,
because you listen to these
00:22:04.35\00:22:08.36
judgments and keep and
do them, that the Lord your
00:22:08.39\00:22:12.19
God will keep with you
the covenant and the mercy
00:22:12.23\00:22:16.36
which he swore to your fathers,
and he will love you and
00:22:16.40\00:22:20.10
bless you and multiply you.
00:22:20.14\00:22:22.44
He will also bless the fruit
of your womb and the fruit of
00:22:22.47\00:22:26.04
your land, your grain and
your new wine and your oil,
00:22:26.07\00:22:29.48
the increase of your cattle
and the offspring of your flock
00:22:29.51\00:22:32.25
in the land which He swore
to your father to give to you.
00:22:32.28\00:22:35.52
You shall be blessed above all
peoples; there shall not be a
00:22:35.55\00:22:39.15
male or a female barren among
you or among your livestock,
00:22:39.19\00:22:42.96
and the Lord will take
away from you all sickness,
00:22:42.99\00:22:46.53
and I will afflict you with
none of the terrible diseases of
00:22:46.56\00:22:49.53
Egypt which you have
known, but will lay them on all
00:22:49.56\00:22:52.97
of those who hate you."
00:22:53.00\00:22:54.64
And so great and wonderful
promises - what were they to do?
00:22:54.67\00:22:58.54
They were to keep
God's commandments;
00:22:58.57\00:23:01.11
they were to follow His
instructions and in following
00:23:01.14\00:23:04.25
His instructions,
their crops will grow,
00:23:04.28\00:23:07.32
no one will be barren,
there will be no sickness
00:23:07.35\00:23:09.85
among them - then as
the other nations saw this,
00:23:09.88\00:23:12.49
they would say,
"Wow, what's going on here?
00:23:12.52\00:23:14.69
What? Why are you so
blessed? What is going on?"
00:23:14.72\00:23:18.16
Then they would say, "Oh,
it is because we are following
00:23:18.19\00:23:20.70
God's
commandments! What are they?
00:23:20.73\00:23:23.26
Look at them..."
00:23:23.33\00:23:24.67
And they would examine
these commandments and they
00:23:24.70\00:23:26.94
would be able to say,
"What a marvelous people,
00:23:27.00\00:23:29.34
what wise commandments
and wisdom God has given you."
00:23:29.37\00:23:34.24
That the nations will say,
"Well we want to be blessed too.
00:23:34.28\00:23:37.11
We want to do what
you're doing so that we will
00:23:37.15\00:23:39.51
also be blessed, so that we
will have no diseases among us,
00:23:39.55\00:23:42.38
so that our crops would grow."
00:23:42.42\00:23:43.99
This is what the Jewish people,
the people of Israel were to do.
00:23:44.05\00:23:48.26
If they were faithful to
God, God would bless them
00:23:48.29\00:23:51.23
above all peoples and
so this was what the people
00:23:51.26\00:23:57.30
of Israel were to
do, the chosen people.
00:23:57.33\00:24:00.34
Now notice in Deuteronomy
4:2 that the commandments
00:24:00.37\00:24:07.51
that God gave to the people
of Israel, they were not to
00:24:07.58\00:24:11.31
make any changes whatsoever.
00:24:11.35\00:24:13.28
I'd like to ask
Sister Jill, would read
00:24:13.31\00:24:14.75
Deuteronomy 4:2, please.
00:24:14.78\00:24:17.29
"You shall not add to
the word which I command you,
00:24:17.32\00:24:19.59
nor take from it, that
you may keep the commandments
00:24:19.62\00:24:21.99
of the Lord your God
which I command you."
00:24:22.02\00:24:24.03
And there is something
that remains till today...
00:24:24.06\00:24:28.33
as Christians we are not
to change the commandments.
00:24:28.36\00:24:31.33
Now, we know the Bible
tells us that there will be
00:24:31.37\00:24:34.27
a power that will think
to change times and laws
00:24:34.30\00:24:37.47
and God had already warned
us way back in Deuteronomy 4,
00:24:37.51\00:24:41.14
that we are not to
think not even to change,
00:24:41.18\00:24:44.71
nor to add to them.
00:24:44.75\00:24:46.31
And so this was what God
told the people of Israel,
00:24:46.35\00:24:50.45
and as long as
they remained faithful,
00:24:50.49\00:24:54.26
the blessings
would come upon them.
00:24:54.29\00:24:56.59
Now that is the key - as
long as they remained faithful
00:24:56.62\00:25:00.13
and obeyed God, they
were going to be blessed.
00:25:00.16\00:25:02.86
Now once they walk out of
the hedge of protection that
00:25:02.90\00:25:06.97
God's
commandments provide them...
00:25:07.04\00:25:09.87
Now they're entering
into the enemy's territory,
00:25:09.90\00:25:12.41
and when you walk
into the enemies territory,
00:25:12.44\00:25:14.61
when you walk away from
God, when you start walking
00:25:14.64\00:25:16.85
in disobedience, you are really
giving permission for the devil
00:25:16.88\00:25:21.08
to harass you
and to cause you more
00:25:21.12\00:25:23.92
trouble than you
really want. That's right.
00:25:23.99\00:25:26.22
So I would say that
God's way is the best way.
00:25:26.25\00:25:29.72
And so, I would like
to read verse 39 and 40
00:25:29.76\00:25:34.50
of Deuteronomy 4.
00:25:34.56\00:25:38.13
Moses is talking to
the people of Israel...
00:25:38.17\00:25:40.40
"Know therefore this day,
and consider it in your heart,
00:25:40.44\00:25:43.87
that the Lord, He is God in
heaven above and upon the earth
00:25:43.91\00:25:48.54
beneath; there is none else.
00:25:48.58\00:25:50.91
You shall keep, therefore His
statutes and His commandments
00:25:50.95\00:25:53.82
which I command thee this day
that it may go well with thee,
00:25:53.88\00:25:57.85
and with your children
after thee that you may
00:25:57.89\00:26:01.02
prolong your days upon the earth
00:26:01.06\00:26:03.66
which the Lord
your God gives you."
00:26:03.69\00:26:06.16
So we see that God
wanted to preserve a knowledge
00:26:06.19\00:26:11.10
of Himself through the
people of Israel and through Him
00:26:11.13\00:26:14.94
be a blessing
to the whole world.
00:26:14.97\00:26:17.74
And so this blessing
came upon them as long
00:26:17.77\00:26:22.84
as they remained faithful.
00:26:22.91\00:26:24.31
And so the people
of Israel, through them
00:26:24.38\00:26:29.28
was to come the Messiah
and when the Messiah came
00:26:29.32\00:26:33.89
if they embraced
what He brought them,
00:26:33.96\00:26:37.73
they, today, would be
again the center of the world.
00:26:37.76\00:26:43.83
The center of the
world's attention.
00:26:43.87\00:26:45.93
But unfortunately, and
we're going to talk about this
00:26:45.97\00:26:48.57
as we go on, they did not
follow God's commandments,
00:26:48.60\00:26:53.48
they walked away from all this.
00:26:53.54\00:26:55.58
So they had really
nothing to boast in themselves.
00:26:55.61\00:27:00.88
How does God choose
people? That's the question.
00:27:00.95\00:27:03.62
Why did God choose
the people of Israel?
00:27:03.65\00:27:06.05
You know when we think about
the way people choose people,
00:27:06.09\00:27:11.36
I remember seeing a long
time ago that somebody made up
00:27:11.39\00:27:15.23
this story about a...
what are those people called
00:27:15.26\00:27:21.70
that come in and do an
assessment of a business
00:27:21.74\00:27:24.74
and then they
make recommendations?
00:27:24.77\00:27:26.11
What is that? Anybody
remember what they call that?
00:27:26.14\00:27:28.48
Efficiency expert
or something like that.
00:27:28.51\00:27:30.15
Some experts in
businesses, they supposedly came
00:27:30.18\00:27:33.01
and examined all the
disciples and looked at their
00:27:33.05\00:27:37.19
characters and all of
their background and they said
00:27:37.22\00:27:40.86
to Jesus, "Well, You
have a mess on Your hands,
00:27:40.89\00:27:46.03
You have a mess on Your hands!
00:27:46.06\00:27:48.16
What You want to do in
the world, it's really bad.
00:27:48.20\00:27:52.17
This guys are
really just fishermen,
00:27:52.20\00:27:54.00
they have no education,
it's just not gonna work out.
00:27:54.04\00:27:56.44
But You have one guy there
that is really above them all,
00:27:56.47\00:27:59.71
his name is Judas -
that's the guy that you should
00:27:59.74\00:28:02.64
be putting in
front of all these guys.
00:28:02.68\00:28:04.41
That's the guy they
should be following."
00:28:04.48\00:28:06.18
You see, but God doesn't look
at... What does God look at?
00:28:06.21\00:28:09.45
God does not look at
the outward appearance.
00:28:09.48\00:28:11.59
He looks at the heart.
00:28:11.62\00:28:13.05
So even today, God
is looking for people...
00:28:13.09\00:28:15.89
The Bible says He's
looking for people that will
00:28:15.92\00:28:17.99
worship Him in
Spirit and in truth!
00:28:18.03\00:28:21.23
And the Bible says it
takes the foolish things
00:28:23.90\00:28:26.43
to confound the
wise. That's right.
00:28:26.47\00:28:28.57
And when you understand your
weakness, when you understand
00:28:28.94\00:28:31.91
that God is God - that He is
God, and that anything you do
00:28:31.94\00:28:35.28
glory be to God, then
God can work with you.
00:28:35.31\00:28:38.68
God can use you
as an instrument,
00:28:38.71\00:28:40.72
and the gospel will go further.
00:28:40.82\00:28:42.75
And so I want to
encourage everyone that the same
00:28:42.78\00:28:47.49
thing that God wanted
to do with the people of
00:28:47.56\00:28:49.82
Israel, He wants
to do with you. Amen!
00:28:49.86\00:28:52.03
If you choose to be faithful,
if you follow the Lord,
00:28:52.06\00:28:55.50
if you say, "Lord,
here I am, send me,"
00:28:55.53\00:28:58.27
all the blessings that God
promises He will give to us.
00:28:58.30\00:29:03.37
And so I want to
encourage you to be faithful.
00:29:03.44\00:29:05.61
God loves you and He
wants to use you to be a light
00:29:05.64\00:29:10.41
to the world, to be a
light to those around you,
00:29:10.48\00:29:12.51
and that's what I would
like to encourage you to do.
00:29:12.55\00:29:14.68
Amen and Amen! Thank you Johnny!
00:29:14.72\00:29:17.32
Just let's take...
we're almost out of time
00:29:17.35\00:29:20.29
But let's take 10 seconds each,
00:29:20.32\00:29:22.06
quick recap or
point from your day.
00:29:22.09\00:29:24.59
Watch what you do,
there's gonna be consequences!
00:29:24.63\00:29:28.80
Unity is only possible as we
both, together, focus on Christ
00:29:29.50\00:29:33.87
and lift Him up.
Absolutely! Jill...
00:29:33.94\00:29:36.17
Reach out by faith to the
Lord Jesus Christ and know that
00:29:37.14\00:29:40.08
He wants to bring us back into
00:29:40.11\00:29:41.44
that right relationship
with Him and each other. Amen!
00:29:41.48\00:29:44.28
When we understand our
weakness and that without
00:29:44.31\00:29:48.15
Jesus we can do
nothing, then is when God
00:29:48.18\00:29:51.12
can do something through us.
00:29:51.15\00:29:52.62
Oh, absolutely!
00:29:52.65\00:29:53.99
And you know, the
most important thing that
00:29:54.06\00:29:56.73
the church needs today is
unity because it's when we are
00:29:56.76\00:30:00.70
unified - when we are
one in spirit with Him,
00:30:00.73\00:30:03.33
one with each other,
this is when we reflect
00:30:03.37\00:30:06.33
His love and His
light and His life.
00:30:06.37\00:30:08.44
And let me tell you something...
00:30:08.50\00:30:10.61
unity is what
brings peace as well.
00:30:10.67\00:30:12.71
We can't even have
peace with God unless we're
00:30:12.74\00:30:15.91
unified, can we?
00:30:15.94\00:30:17.41
So we are so glad you
joined us today and we pray that
00:30:17.45\00:30:20.78
you will come back next week.
00:30:20.82\00:30:22.22
We will be looking
at "Causes of Disunity"
00:30:22.25\00:30:25.99
in this fourth quarter
called "Oneness in Christ."
00:30:26.02\00:30:29.92
Our prayer for you is that
the grace of our Lord and Savior
00:30:29.99\00:30:33.13
Jesus Christ, the love of
the Father and the fellowship
00:30:33.16\00:30:36.03
of the Holy Spirit
will be with you always.
00:30:36.06\00:30:38.70
Thank you so
much for joining us.
00:30:38.73\00:30:41.60