Welcome back to our
Sabbath School Panel discussion,
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and Jill is going to
pick up on the lesson...
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"For Those Who
Will Believe in Me"
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Thank you so much,
Pastor John and Miss Mollie...
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What an incredible
study, I love John chapter 17,
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"Jesus Prays for His Disciples,
Jesus Prays for Himself,"
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and my portion is Jesus'
prayer for each one of us.
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Now as you mentioned,
Mollie, Jesus definitely,
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in the prayer for the disciples,
that could cover us as well,
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and praise the
Lord, that's the case!
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But in a special way,
beginning in verse 20,
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this portion I
have is John 17:20-26...
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And this is Jesus'
prayer for you and I,
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as I like to call it,
"Second generation Christians."
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Verse 20... "I do not
pray for these alone, but also
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for those who will believe
in Me through their word;
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(now the word "believe"
is a break-off, as it were,
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from the word "pistis"
meaning "faith" in Greek.
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And so Jesus is
saying, "He's not praying
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just for the
disciples, but He's praying for
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those who will
have faith in Him,
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who will accept Him
as Lord and Savior...
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not because they
walked with Jesus;
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not because they sat
under His tutelage or they
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witnessed His miracles.
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They are going to
have faith, they are going
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to believe and be
justified because they heard
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the gospel through someone else.
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They heard the gospel
preached and presented to them;
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they read the word of
God for themselves and they
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believed as a result.
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So let's look at our
passage here, John 17,
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we're going to pick it up
in verse 21, verses 21-26...
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When I read it here, I
found 8 principles of unity;
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8 principles for unity.
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Now in verse 21, Brother
Johnny, there are actually
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four principles just
in that one verse alone,
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so let's read that verse...
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Verse 21... "that they all
may be one, as You, Father,
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are in Me, and I in You;
that they also may be one
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in Us, that the world may
believe that You sent Me."
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So principle #1... Our unity
as Christians is to be like the
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unity of God the
Father and God the Son,
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and we could add God the
Holy Spirit to that list.
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God the Father, God the
Son and God the Holy Spirit.
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It says that We would be
one, as You, Father, are in Me,
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and I in You... In other
words, Jesus is saying the unity
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He wants us to have is
the unity that the Father
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and Son and the Holy
Spirit already have - they are
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united in purpose, united
in mission, united in motive,
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united - I think
most importantly of all in
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the common love for humanity.
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Mollie, you talked
about the love that Jesus had,
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reaching out and
praying for the disciples,
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praying for you and for I.
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I think about God the
Father willingly giving His son.
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We know that verse, John 3:16:
"God so loved the world - Why?
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That He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever
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believeth in Him
would not perish but have
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everlasting life."
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The Father willingly gave
His Son, but Jesus willingly
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laid down His life.
John 10:15... He says,
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"I lay down My
life for the sheep."
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I lay down My life.
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So they are uniting in
the common love for humanity.
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So the first principle,
our unity as Christians
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is to be like the unity of
God the Father and God the Son,
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and God the Holy Spirit.
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#2... Our unity comes
from being one with Him.
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Our unity comes when we
partake of the divine nature.
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You see it said there
that we are the "they all,
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that's you and I may be
one as You, Father, are in Me
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and I in You, that
they also may be one in us.
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You notice it didn't
say, "We become one separate
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from God." No,
we only become one
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when we come back into
unity and right relationship
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with God - it's kind
of like the triangle...
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You imagine, Brother
Johnny, you're on this side,
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and I'm on this side and
if we become more like Jesus,
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what happens? Eventually we come
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closer together.
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We always use
analogy in marriage,
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but it works in friendship
and it works in relationships
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and coworkers, with
other people as well.
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And the Father and Son's
unity comes, they are both
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divine and as you and I become
partakers of the divine nature,
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then automatically, we
come into that unity as well.
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John 1:12-13, what
does the Bible say?
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"As many as received
Him, to them He gave power...
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or the right to
become the children of God.
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To those who believe
on His name, who were born
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not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor the will of
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man but of God, we become
partakers of the divine nature
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when we are born again.
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We'll become partakers of the
divine nature when we partake
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of the exceedingly
great and precious promises
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in His word that He has for us.
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That's found in 2 Peter 1:4.
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So the third principle of unity,
we're still in the same verse,
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verse 21, is our unity
is a witness to the world.
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Did you notice in verse
21, it says that the world...
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(why are we all united?)
that the world may believe
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that You sent Me.
(our unity is a witness)
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John 13:35... "By this
all will know that You are My
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disciples, if you
have love for one another."
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Principle #4... Our
unity is never invisible.
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The world either sees
biblical unity and love
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for one another or the
world sees envy and strife
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and confusion
and every evil work.
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So the unity or disunity that
a church has is never hidden;
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it's never invisible;
it's readily apparent to people
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outside the Christian
community whether we are
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united in love or not.
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Let's read the
next verse, verse 22...
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"And the glory which You
gave me, I have given them.
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Jesus said, The glory You
(as in God the Father) gave Me,
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I have given them (which
is you and I as Christians)
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that they may be
one just as We are one."
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So what makes us one?
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Did you see that? The
glory... That's right.
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The glory that God
gave Him and He gives to us,
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that makes us one.
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We know in the
Bible, glory represents
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His character.
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Exodus 33- remember Moses said,
"Lord, show me Your glory,"
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and God caused His
virtue, His character
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to pass before Moses.
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So Jesus says that our unity
is only possible as you and I
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possess God's character.
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It's not possible when
we don't represent Him,
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and we don't
possess His character.
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The next verse, verse 23...
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"I in them and You in Me,
that they may be made perfect
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in one and that the
world may know that You have
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sent Me and have loved
them as You have loved Me."
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Our unity vindicates
God's character and reveals
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the Father's love.
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It says, "I in
them and You in Me."
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Why is that all happening?
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That the world may
know that You have sent Me."
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Our unity as Christians
vindicates the character of God,
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and it reveals His love.
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#7... Our unity occurs
because Christ dwells in us
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by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Did you notice it said,
"I in them and You in Me."
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That means when Christ
dwells in us, the hope of glory,
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what happens?
Then our unity really
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fully comes to full fruition,
but Christ has to dwell
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in us by the power
of the Holy Spirit.
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And the last one, #8,
is found in verse 24...
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"Father, I desire that
they also whom You gave me,
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may be with Me where I
am, that they may behold
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My glory which You have
given Me, for You loved Me
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before the
foundation of the world."
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Our unity precedes eternal life.
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In other words, we
don't say, "I'm gonna wait,
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Pastor John, until we get
to heaven and then I'm gonna
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get along with
them church members."
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I'm going to get
along with other people.
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The unity has to precede
and be before that eternal life
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ever takes place.
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I want to close with a
quote from the 4th volume of the
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Testimonies, page 17.
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"God is leading out a
people to stand in perfect unity
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upon the
platform of eternal truth.
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God designs that His people
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should all come into
the unity of the faith.
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The prayer of Christ,
just prior to His crucifixion,
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was that His disciples
might be one, even as He was one
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with the Father, that the
world might believe that the
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Father had sent Him.
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This most touching
and wonderful prayer
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reaches down through the
ages... That's to you and I,
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even to our day.
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For His words were,
"Neither pray I for these alone,
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but for them also which
shall believe on Me through
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their word."
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How earnestly should the
professed followers of Christ
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seek to answer this
prayer in their lives?
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So the eight principles
of unity that I get from this
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passage is that our unity
as Christians is to be like
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the unity of the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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Our unity comes from
us being one with Him.
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Our unity is a
witness to the world
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Our unity is never invisible.
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Our unity is only made
possible if you and I possess
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God's character and that is
a gift - all we have to do is
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reach out and accept and
choose Him and receive that.
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Our unity vindicates
God's character, it reveals the
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Father's love; it occurs
because Christ dwells in us
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by the power of the Holy
Spirit and it happens before
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eternal life.
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Now that lays a great
foundation for Wednesday's
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part of the lesson which
is... "Unity Among Christians"
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And I want to say this
which has been my experience...
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I've had the opportunity
to travel to a few places
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in this world here and
there and I have to say
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that when you come to a
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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whether you are in southern
Illinois, you go to New York,
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you go to South America,
or you may go to Europe,
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I feel like I'm at
home in a Seventh-day Church
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because there
seems to be a platform
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of truth that unites us. Yes
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And our faith in the Lord brings
us this feeling of family.
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That you are among family.
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And so with that in
mind, I'd like to come to this
00:10:37.80\00:10:41.60
setting that Jesus
brings us and we need to go to
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Mark 9:38-41 first,
Mark 9:38-41 it says,
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"Now John answered Him
saying "Teacher, we saw someone
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who does not follow us,
casting out demons in Your name,
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and we forbade him
because he does not follow us.
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I don't know what they did
to him, but this is one of the
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sons of thunder that's
talking here, but Jesus said,
00:11:06.16\00:11:09.33
"Do not forbid him for no one
who works a miracle in My name
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can soon
afterwards speak evil of Me."
00:11:14.17\00:11:16.84
Verse 40... "For he who is
not against us is on our side.
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For whoever gives you a cup
of water to drink in My name,
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because you belong to
Christ, assuredly I say to you,
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"He will by no
means lose his reward."
00:11:28.82\00:11:32.12
So we have here that just
because the people are not
00:11:32.15\00:11:37.79
in our church
home, church setting,
00:11:37.83\00:11:41.56
and they believe the same
as we do, but they're not in
00:11:41.60\00:11:46.84
our same church - doesn't mean
that they are not of Christ.
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So we need to look at this and
what is Jesus trying to say...
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But we have to be
united on a platform of truth.
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This is why I said, it's a great
setting for Wednesday's lesson.
00:11:55.81\00:12:00.95
Jesus says in John 10:16,
let's go to John 10:16 because
00:12:00.98\00:12:08.92
Jesus says something here
that is of vital importance
00:12:08.96\00:12:13.33
and I think Sister
Shelley already has it,
00:12:13.36\00:12:15.00
would you mind
reading it for us?
00:12:15.03\00:12:16.36
"And other sheep I have
which are not of this fold,
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them also I must bring
and they will hear My voice
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and there will be one
flock and one Shepherd." Amen!
00:12:24.11\00:12:28.34
Amen! And so we have here
that Jesus has sheep that are
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not of this fold let's say,
and they will hear His voice.
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And the time will come
when there will be unity,
00:12:35.85\00:12:39.05
complete unity
among God's children...
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And this is a very interesting
thing that Jesus says...
00:12:42.72\00:12:46.86
"However we are
upon this earth...
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I'd like to bring
something else to you...
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Because we are in church
and there's this parable that
00:12:51.27\00:12:56.37
Jesus says, and He says,
"Didn't you plant good seed
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in the field? Why are
there tares? You know.
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And you may be in church
and somebody may be doing
00:13:05.58\00:13:08.22
something and you say, "Boy,
I thought that person was a
00:13:08.25\00:13:10.62
Christian, but he does or
she does something terrible."
00:13:10.65\00:13:13.96
And so there are tares among
the wheat that Satan may use
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to bring division
in the church body.
00:13:19.66\00:13:24.00
So the church must deal
with these things with love
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and a redemptive discipline,
if you want to call it that way.
00:13:27.87\00:13:33.38
But there has to be
unity among believers
00:13:33.41\00:13:37.68
because the reason to
have a Christian body is for
00:13:37.71\00:13:42.78
Christ's will to be fulfilled.
00:13:42.82\00:13:44.25
We read in John 17 that
they may be one as We are one.
00:13:44.29\00:13:50.63
And in Matthew 22, we
have the two great principles
00:13:50.66\00:13:55.96
that unites God's family...
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#1... Love the Lord
your God with all your heart,
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and with all your mind.
00:14:00.94\00:14:02.37
#2... Love your
neighbor as yourself.
00:14:02.40\00:14:06.27
These things, God's Commandments
brings God's people together,
00:14:06.31\00:14:11.21
and it's a strange thing to
me that among some Christians
00:14:11.25\00:14:14.52
they say, "No, no, no, the Ten
Commandments are done away with,
00:14:14.55\00:14:16.69
we don't have to keep those."
00:14:16.72\00:14:18.05
But God's Ten Commandments
unites the believers.
00:14:18.09\00:14:21.49
Now who wants to be
in heaven where people
00:14:21.52\00:14:24.36
steal from one another?
00:14:24.39\00:14:25.73
Imagine in heaven
having to lock up stuff! No.
00:14:25.76\00:14:28.76
I remember 3ABN sent me
on a mission to Puerto Rico,
00:14:28.80\00:14:32.27
and I had to rent an apartment
there and because of the
00:14:32.30\00:14:36.84
robbery that was
going on in that place,
00:14:36.87\00:14:38.71
there was this iron gate
in front of the door of the
00:14:38.74\00:14:45.01
apartment I was
in - a literal gate!
00:14:45.05\00:14:48.15
And it had a lock and
then there's the door of
00:14:48.18\00:14:52.92
the apartment and it
had several things to lock.
00:14:52.95\00:14:56.79
And after I placed
myself in there, the first thing
00:14:56.83\00:14:58.99
I said, "I'm in jail
in my own apartment here."
00:14:59.03\00:15:01.20
And this is the
society we live in.
00:15:01.23\00:15:04.80
But in God's Kingdom,
there's not going to be
00:15:04.83\00:15:06.94
fear of robbery, so
the Ten Commandments
00:15:06.97\00:15:11.17
unites God's believers. Amen.
00:15:11.21\00:15:13.51
"By this shall all men
know that you are My disciples,
00:15:13.54\00:15:16.24
if you have love
one for another."
00:15:16.28\00:15:18.01
Now I want to bring
you to something that is
00:15:18.05\00:15:21.95
kind of something
that we're heading to write
00:15:21.98\00:15:26.02
very soon, very soon.
00:15:26.05\00:15:27.86
In Revelation 13, it
talks to us about a beast power
00:15:27.89\00:15:32.33
and this beast power is
said to exercise authority
00:15:32.36\00:15:37.13
in the world and has power
to cause both small and great
00:15:37.17\00:15:42.74
rich and poor to
receive a mark on their forehead
00:15:42.77\00:15:45.34
or in their hand.
00:15:45.37\00:15:47.68
But these people as
Pastor Lomacang mentioned
00:15:47.71\00:15:51.75
in one of the lessons
before, these people unite
00:15:51.78\00:15:55.42
for the wrong reason
and they want to pass a law
00:15:55.45\00:16:00.56
that whoever does not get this
mark, can even be put to death.
00:16:00.59\00:16:04.93
So while we talk
about unity among believers,
00:16:04.96\00:16:07.80
it has to be on a platform
of truth, a platform of truth.
00:16:07.83\00:16:12.47
So if you're united
for the wrong reason,
00:16:12.50\00:16:15.44
that is not of
God's will, then you are
00:16:15.47\00:16:18.74
in a serious and
dangerous situation.
00:16:18.77\00:16:21.44
Let me bring to you a
condition that there seemed
00:16:21.48\00:16:25.15
to be unity among the people...
00:16:25.18\00:16:28.95
When Jesus was on the
cross, there was unity
00:16:28.98\00:16:32.35
among those that were
below the cross saying,
00:16:32.39\00:16:34.52
"Crucify Him, crucify
Him," they were united
00:16:34.56\00:16:37.66
in what they wanted to do,
but it was the wrong thing.
00:16:37.69\00:16:41.80
So that's why when we talk
about unity among believers,
00:16:41.83\00:16:44.67
it must be on a platform of
truth on God's Holy Word. Amen!
00:16:44.70\00:16:49.40
So when you talk
about Revelation 13...
00:16:49.44\00:16:52.91
In Revelation 13, I'd
like to read just a couple of
00:16:52.94\00:16:58.61
verses there because we are
heading there very, very soon.
00:16:58.65\00:17:03.28
Revelation 13 and I will read
to you verses 16 until the end.
00:17:03.32\00:17:11.13
"He causes all, both
small and great, rich and poor,
00:17:11.16\00:17:13.66
free and slave to receive
a mark on their right hand
00:17:13.70\00:17:16.67
or on their foreheads,
and that no one may buy
00:17:16.70\00:17:20.14
or sell except the one
who has the mark or the name
00:17:20.17\00:17:23.04
of the beast or
the number of his name.
00:17:23.07\00:17:25.34
Here is wisdom. Let him
who has understanding calculate
00:17:25.37\00:17:28.88
the number of the beast
for it is the number of a man.
00:17:28.91\00:17:31.55
His number is 666."
00:17:31.58\00:17:34.68
So we have here a
group of people and a large
00:17:34.72\00:17:38.35
group of people
united for the wrong reasons,
00:17:38.39\00:17:41.66
and they are going to
be persecuting Christians,
00:17:41.69\00:17:44.99
God's people!
00:17:45.03\00:17:46.90
And what are God's
people going to do?
00:17:46.93\00:17:48.80
Shall we unite with their group
because... Hey, that's what
00:17:48.83\00:17:52.83
everyone is believing or
should we be a small group
00:17:52.87\00:17:57.47
that believes
what God's word says?
00:17:57.51\00:17:59.67
This is why I'd like
to go now to Revelation 14
00:17:59.71\00:18:03.58
because there in Revelation
14, it talks about Babylon
00:18:03.61\00:18:06.98
and it's marvelous that
God even has people in Babylon
00:18:07.02\00:18:09.78
and it says in Revelation
18... "Come out of her,
00:18:09.82\00:18:12.02
my people," and this is a
message that must be given
00:18:12.05\00:18:14.76
and 3ABN is
giving that message. Yes.
00:18:14.79\00:18:16.79
So Revelation 14 brings
us to this last Scripture
00:18:16.83\00:18:19.96
that I would like to
share and this is verse 12...
00:18:20.00\00:18:25.37
Verse 12 says... "Here is
the patience of the saints;
00:18:25.40\00:18:31.11
here are those who
keep the commandments of God
00:18:31.14\00:18:34.38
and the faith of Jesus."
00:18:34.41\00:18:36.34
I'd like to read
verse 13 as well...
00:18:36.38\00:18:37.71
"Then I heard a voice
from heaven saying to me,
00:18:37.75\00:18:40.18
"Write, Blessed are the
dead who die in the Lord
00:18:40.22\00:18:42.95
from now on."
00:18:43.18\00:18:45.39
"Yes," says the Spirit,
that they may rest from their
00:18:45.42\00:18:48.32
labors and their
works follow them."
00:18:48.36\00:18:50.79
So while we talk
about unity among believers,
00:18:50.83\00:18:53.06
it must be upon the Holy
Scriptures, a platform of truth
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.96
that unites us to do that
which is God's will and not
00:18:56.00\00:19:00.40
man's will and not the
devil's will because... you know
00:19:00.44\00:19:04.34
we were talking about
grievous wolves, what kind of
00:19:04.37\00:19:08.61
wolves was it? It
was grievous, savage
00:19:08.64\00:19:10.48
wolves. Savage wolves that are
00:19:10.51\00:19:12.11
going to come even
from... they're going to rise up
00:19:12.15\00:19:14.28
even among from the
believers that are going to
00:19:14.32\00:19:16.28
try to sway people
in a direction opposite
00:19:16.32\00:19:19.62
to God's word,
so we have to trust
00:19:19.65\00:19:23.22
and believe in a
"Thus saith the Lord,"
00:19:23.26\00:19:25.53
and then we can have
unity. Amen! Amen and Amen!
00:19:25.56\00:19:28.60
Thank you Johnny!
00:19:28.63\00:19:29.96
This week's less is...
"That They All May Be One"
00:19:30.67\00:19:34.70
And I have
Thursday's lesson which is...
00:19:34.74\00:19:37.51
"One Faith Shared in Love"
00:19:37.54\00:19:39.44
Let's look at John 17:3 again,
we're going to reads thus...
00:19:39.47\00:19:43.95
and I love this
Scripture, John 17:3 reads this,
00:19:43.98\00:19:50.32
Jesus is speaking, He
says, "This is eternal life...
00:19:50.35\00:19:53.82
(oh, He's praying to
His Father and He says...)
00:19:53.86\00:19:56.52
"This is eternal life
that they may know You, Father,
00:19:56.56\00:20:00.93
the only true God and
Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
00:20:00.96\00:20:06.43
And that word
"know" in the Greek tense,
00:20:06.47\00:20:09.47
it's a continuing action -
that they should know and keep
00:20:09.50\00:20:14.81
on knowing You, but
this isn't to know about God.
00:20:14.84\00:20:20.48
This is not cognitive knowledge.
00:20:20.52\00:20:23.02
You know James tells
us in James 2:19 that
00:20:23.05\00:20:26.29
"You believe that there is
one God, hm, good, even the
00:20:26.32\00:20:30.09
demons believe
that and tremble."
00:20:30.13\00:20:32.66
So what this word in
the Greek is "ginosko,"
00:20:32.69\00:20:37.30
and it indicates a relationship
that keeps on building.
00:20:37.33\00:20:43.24
This is an entering into a
personal relationship with God
00:20:43.27\00:20:47.41
and Christ Jesus and
accepting Him as our Savior.
00:20:47.44\00:20:51.65
It's an intimate thing.
00:20:51.68\00:20:53.72
It's living in
fellowship with God where we're
00:20:53.75\00:20:56.85
worshipping, we're obeying
and just acknowledging who He is
00:20:56.89\00:21:02.96
as the only true God and
acknowledging that Jesus Christ
00:21:02.99\00:21:07.63
is the only way to the Father.
00:21:07.66\00:21:10.13
I want to quickly give
you four ways to know that
00:21:10.17\00:21:14.20
we know - I mean, if
knowing God is eternal life,
00:21:14.24\00:21:17.51
don't you want to know that
you know, that you know God?
00:21:17.54\00:21:20.61
Here's four evidences that
you can know that you know,
00:21:20.64\00:21:25.11
that you know God.
00:21:25.15\00:21:26.68
First, we will walk in
obedience to His commandments.
00:21:26.72\00:21:29.82
1 John 2:3-6... John says, "By
this we know that we know Him.
00:21:29.85\00:21:34.92
If we keep His commandments.
00:21:34.96\00:21:37.39
He who says, "I know
Him," and does not keep His
00:21:37.43\00:21:39.76
commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.
00:21:39.79\00:21:42.86
But whoever keeps His
word, truly the love of God is
00:21:42.90\00:21:46.53
perfected in
him. By this we know
00:21:46.57\00:21:50.61
that we are in Him."
00:21:50.64\00:21:53.31
How? By obedience.
00:21:53.34\00:21:54.94
"He who says he abides
in Him ought also to walk,
00:21:54.98\00:22:00.42
just as He walked."
00:22:00.45\00:22:01.78
So Jesus is more
than an example though,
00:22:01.82\00:22:05.39
He's a gift of grace
and He lives in our heart
00:22:05.42\00:22:10.46
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
and we are enabled, empowered
00:22:10.49\00:22:15.00
to walk as Jesus walked.
00:22:15.06\00:22:18.13
Now keeping God's
commandments does not save us.
00:22:18.17\00:22:20.97
Please understand -
we're not trying to say that.
00:22:21.00\00:22:23.77
But, when we live
in fellowship with Him,
00:22:23.81\00:22:28.18
we will want to please
Him, we will want to obey.
00:22:28.21\00:22:33.62
It's out of loyalty and
out of love and you know,
00:22:33.65\00:22:38.99
Jesus did say, John
14:15, "If you love Me,
00:22:39.02\00:22:42.12
keep My
commandments," did He not? Okay.
00:22:42.16\00:22:44.66
So that's the first way
to know that you know God,
00:22:44.69\00:22:47.23
is by walking in
obedience to His commandments.
00:22:47.26\00:22:50.43
The second way is
we will be loving.
00:22:50.47\00:22:53.34
1 John 4:8 says... "He who
does not love, does not know God
00:22:53.37\00:23:01.88
for God is love.
00:23:01.91\00:23:03.35
So, you know, I love
1 Corinthians 13:4-8...
00:23:03.41\00:23:09.42
It's talking about what
love is, it's patient, kind,
00:23:09.45\00:23:13.62
never envious, not jealous,
not boastful, not vain glorious.
00:23:13.66\00:23:18.03
It doesn't
display itself haughtily.
00:23:18.06\00:23:20.60
It's not
conceded. It's not rude.
00:23:20.63\00:23:23.47
It says God's love
in us does not insist
00:23:23.50\00:23:27.24
in its own right or its own way.
00:23:27.27\00:23:30.07
It's not self-seeking.
00:23:30.11\00:23:31.77
It's not touchy,
fretful, resentful.
00:23:31.81\00:23:34.04
It takes no account
of the evil done to it.
00:23:34.08\00:23:37.35
It pays no
attention to a suffered wrong.
00:23:37.38\00:23:40.12
Love does not rejoice in
injustice or unrighteousness,
00:23:40.15\00:23:44.55
but it rejoices when
right and truth prevail.
00:23:44.59\00:23:49.62
It says love bears
up under everything,
00:23:49.66\00:23:52.63
so love never fails.
00:23:52.66\00:23:54.76
Alright, so to
know that we know God...
00:23:54.80\00:23:57.53
We keep His
commandments; we're loving.
00:23:57.57\00:24:01.44
#3 is we have
received the Holy Spirit.
00:24:01.47\00:24:04.97
1 John 4:13, it
says... "By this we know
00:24:05.01\00:24:09.31
that we abide in
Him and He in us because
00:24:09.34\00:24:13.01
He has given us
of His Spirit. Amen!
00:24:13.05\00:24:16.28
And in Romans 8:9, Paul
says, "You are not in the flesh,
00:24:16.32\00:24:21.49
but in the Spirit if indeed
the Spirit of God dwells in you.
00:24:21.52\00:24:24.59
Now if anyone does
not have the Spirit,
00:24:24.63\00:24:28.66
what does that
mean? He is not His.
00:24:28.70\00:24:31.97
So now the fourth point...
To know God is to be united
00:24:32.00\00:24:37.97
to Christ - it's more
than confessing Him as Lord.
00:24:38.01\00:24:41.44
It's more than
just bearing His name,
00:24:41.48\00:24:44.25
it's accepting and
daily practicing His will,
00:24:44.28\00:24:48.35
believing and obeying by
the power of His Holy Spirit.
00:24:48.38\00:24:52.09
1 John 5:10-12 says...
"He who believes in the
00:24:52.12\00:24:55.16
Son of God has the
witness in himself;
00:24:55.19\00:24:57.36
he who does not believe
God has made Him a liar,
00:24:57.39\00:25:01.63
because he does not
believe the testimony that
00:25:01.66\00:25:03.93
God has given of His Son.
00:25:03.97\00:25:05.77
And this is the
testimony, that God has given us
00:25:05.80\00:25:08.64
eternal life and
this life is in His Son.
00:25:08.67\00:25:12.27
He who has the Son, has life;
00:25:12.31\00:25:14.31
he who does not have
the Son does not have life."
00:25:14.34\00:25:18.05
And 1 John 5:23 it
says... "This is how we know
00:25:18.08\00:25:21.92
that we love the children
of God, when we love God
00:25:21.95\00:25:25.12
and keep His
commandments, for this is
00:25:25.15\00:25:28.12
the love of God - that
we keep His commandments,
00:25:28.16\00:25:30.53
and His commandments
are not burdensome."
00:25:30.56\00:25:32.36
So it's so important
to know that you know
00:25:32.39\00:25:35.40
that you're in God
and that's four ways...
00:25:35.43\00:25:38.53
We keep His
commandments, we're loving;
00:25:38.57\00:25:40.74
we receive the Holy Spirit
and we're united with Christ.
00:25:40.77\00:25:44.54
Now in John
13:34-35, Jesus says...
00:25:44.57\00:25:49.18
"I give you a new
commandment" but wait a minute,
00:25:49.21\00:25:51.68
it's not really new!
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.58
Let's look at
it... John 13:34-35 says,
00:25:53.62\00:25:56.48
"A new commandment,
Jesus says, I give to you,
00:25:56.52\00:25:58.85
that you love one
another; as I have loved you,
00:25:58.89\00:26:01.82
that you also love one another.
00:26:01.86\00:26:03.83
By this, all will know
that you are My disciples,
00:26:03.86\00:26:07.10
if you have love
for one another."
00:26:07.13\00:26:09.36
Well you know
what? He's really quoting
00:26:09.40\00:26:12.13
Leviticus 19:18 that says...
"You shall not take vengeance
00:26:12.17\00:26:15.87
nor bear any grudge against
the children of your people,
00:26:15.90\00:26:18.77
but you shall love
your neighbor as yourself."
00:26:18.81\00:26:21.94
He's saying you
gotta love the other.
00:26:21.98\00:26:24.25
So what is new
about this commandment?
00:26:24.28\00:26:27.72
I'll tell you what's new...
Christ is setting Himself up
00:26:27.75\00:26:31.39
as the unparalleled
example of how we should love.
00:26:31.42\00:26:36.12
This is not just a
little feely-touchy thing,
00:26:36.16\00:26:39.86
and when we talk about love,
you know, we're not talking
00:26:39.89\00:26:43.53
... When God talks
about loving one another,
00:26:43.57\00:26:46.07
this is not romantic love.
00:26:46.10\00:26:47.77
The word "eros" is not
even in the Bible. Right.
00:26:47.80\00:26:50.41
This is that
self-sacrificing love.
00:26:50.44\00:26:53.78
It's loving one another
unconditionally as a brother
00:26:53.81\00:26:59.15
or a sister in the
Lord that were family.
00:26:59.18\00:27:01.52
And so what we are to
do, ... it's an attitude that
00:27:01.55\00:27:05.52
is revealed in practical
actions and this brings us
00:27:05.55\00:27:10.23
together in unity that
makes us powerful witnesses.
00:27:10.26\00:27:13.96
It keeps the
church united when we love
00:27:14.00\00:27:17.57
like Jesus loves.
00:27:17.60\00:27:19.10
It prevents petty
bickering and division and it is
00:27:19.13\00:27:23.97
the mark of a true disciple.
00:27:24.01\00:27:25.74
I'm glad I've got a minute left.
00:27:27.04\00:27:28.38
I have to read this
real quickly to you.
00:27:28.41\00:27:30.41
It's a quote from
Angel Rodríguez' Book,
00:27:30.45\00:27:35.32
"The Universality of the
Church in the New Testament"
00:27:35.35\00:27:38.85
Oh excuse me, his book is
"Message, Mission and Unity
00:27:38.89\00:27:42.52
of the Church," - he
is quoting Eckart Muller,
00:27:42.56\00:27:46.09
and he is one of our Seventh-day
Adventist scholars...
00:27:46.13\00:27:50.57
Here's the quote...
"Although the Seventh-day
00:27:50.60\00:27:53.87
Adventist Church is a
worldwide church with many local
00:27:53.90\00:27:57.21
churches,
Adventists do not claim to be
00:27:57.24\00:28:01.24
Christ's universal church.
00:28:01.28\00:28:02.98
The Universal Church is
broader than any denomination.
00:28:03.01\00:28:07.15
It is visible and
invisible insofar as it consists
00:28:07.18\00:28:11.95
of those who believe
in Jesus and follow Him.
00:28:11.99\00:28:14.46
This particular
theological issue is heightened
00:28:14.49\00:28:17.49
if we take into consideration
apostasy among Christians
00:28:17.53\00:28:21.73
addressed poignantly
in the Book of Revelation.
00:28:21.76\00:28:24.57
The pure church of
Revelation 12 is contrasted
00:28:24.60\00:28:27.87
with the harlot
of Revelation 17.
00:28:27.90\00:28:30.67
Babylon the great city
which, in turn, is contrasted
00:28:30.71\00:28:34.94
with the Bride and the
Lamb; the holy city or the
00:28:34.98\00:28:38.01
New Jerusalem of
Revelation 21 and 22.
00:28:38.05\00:28:41.38
In the first
century the Universal Church
00:28:41.42\00:28:44.39
may have been quite visible.
00:28:44.42\00:28:46.09
It is much more
difficult and complex to see
00:28:46.12\00:28:48.92
for instance -
during the Medieval Ages."
00:28:48.96\00:28:51.59
But here's what he
says... "Adventists do not
00:28:51.63\00:28:54.56
limit the concept of
God's true church to their own
00:28:54.60\00:28:58.20
denomination, nor do
they automatically extend it
00:28:58.23\00:29:01.64
to other Christian churches.
00:29:01.67\00:29:03.17
God's true church
consists of those individuals
00:29:03.20\00:29:07.04
who truly believe in Him.
00:29:07.08\00:29:08.88
God knows them.
00:29:08.91\00:29:10.25
Adventists on the other
hand claim that they are
00:29:10.28\00:29:12.41
God's special visible end-time
remnant of Revelation 12:17,
00:29:12.45\00:29:18.52
and chapters 12-14.
00:29:18.55\00:29:20.92
This remnant has
a local as well as a
00:29:20.96\00:29:24.49
universal character." Amen. WOW!
00:29:24.56\00:29:26.93
You know, when you
mentioned Revelation, Shelley,
00:29:26.96\00:29:29.16
I perked up, that's my volcano.
00:29:29.20\00:29:31.53
Yeah, I saw your eyes
open. Eye-opener in Revelation.
00:29:31.57\00:29:33.64
It's an eye-opener.
00:29:33.67\00:29:35.00
Well thank you
all, you know the lesson
00:29:35.04\00:29:36.57
"That They All May Be One,"
I'd like to give each one of our
00:29:36.60\00:29:39.14
panelists an
opportunity to summarize,
00:29:39.17\00:29:41.11
and Mollie, I'll begin with you.
00:29:41.14\00:29:42.61
I think that what would
come to my heart is that
00:29:42.64\00:29:47.92
where Jesus says in John 17:11,
"Holy Father, keep through
00:29:50.05\00:29:54.86
Your name those whom
You have given Me that they
00:29:54.89\00:29:58.59
may be one even as We are one."
00:29:58.63\00:30:00.76
You know, that is a supernatural
unity, a unity above
00:30:00.80\00:30:06.70
what we, as
mankind, could accomplish.
00:30:06.74\00:30:08.90
It is us being one with
God the Father and God the Son.
00:30:08.94\00:30:13.27
Thank you Mollie, Jill...
00:30:13.31\00:30:14.88
In John 17, Jesus prayed
for us that we would know Him,
00:30:14.91\00:30:17.85
that we would love Him and that
00:30:17.88\00:30:19.28
we would reveal
Him to the world.
00:30:19.31\00:30:21.32
Amen, Pastor Dinzey...
00:30:21.35\00:30:22.68
I will read it from
2 Corinthians 7:14...
00:30:22.72\00:30:25.72
"If My people who are
called by My name will humble
00:30:25.75\00:30:28.32
themselves and pray and
seek My face and turn from their
00:30:28.36\00:30:31.06
wicked ways, then will I hear
from heaven and will forgive
00:30:31.09\00:30:33.90
their sins and heal
the land." And Shelley...
00:30:33.93\00:30:35.50
The mark of a true disciple
is love and love means that
00:30:36.30\00:30:39.73
we also walk in obedience. Amen!
00:30:39.77\00:30:42.30
You know friends, our
time comes and goes so quickly,
00:30:42.34\00:30:44.41
I would like to encourage
you to join us the next time
00:30:44.44\00:30:46.51
for our continued
study in the oneness
00:30:46.54\00:30:49.11
that we can find in Christ.
00:30:49.14\00:30:50.65
Until we see you
again, may the Lord bless you
00:30:50.68\00:30:52.88
and keep you centered
on the person of Christ
00:30:52.91\00:30:55.58
where oneness is possible.
00:30:55.62\00:30:57.85
God bless you.
00:30:57.89\00:30:59.49