Hello and welcome to our
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:31.29\00:00:34.30
If you have been
following us from week-to-week,
00:00:34.33\00:00:36.43
you know that you are in a
place where we are going to
00:00:36.46\00:00:41.00
continue our journey
through the living word of God,
00:00:41.04\00:00:44.87
and we all have been
blessed, Amen? Amen! Amen!
00:00:44.91\00:00:48.41
And this lesson is
just getting better
00:00:48.44\00:00:49.78
and better, and
better, and better!
00:00:49.81\00:00:51.15
We're in Lesson #10 which is:
00:00:51.18\00:00:53.98
"Unity and Broken Relationships"
00:00:54.02\00:00:57.22
And if you're just
tuning in for the first time
00:00:57.25\00:00:59.15
and don't have a
lesson, you can go to
00:00:59.19\00:01:02.62
the following
website: ABSG.Adventist.org
00:01:02.66\00:01:06.06
to download a PDF copy
or you can go to your local
00:01:06.09\00:01:09.36
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:01:09.40\00:01:11.13
Look up in the phone book,
if you don't know where one is
00:01:12.13\00:01:13.70
and go and say,
"3ABN sent us here!
00:01:13.74\00:01:16.47
Give us the
Sabbath School lesson,
00:01:16.50\00:01:18.07
we want to learn the truth,"
and we know the Lord will bless.
00:01:18.11\00:01:21.08
Actually, don't do it
that way, just say, "Thank you
00:01:21.11\00:01:23.35
and invite us," I'm
just a little enthusiastic
00:01:23.38\00:01:26.58
today because it's
all about relationships,
00:01:26.61\00:01:29.18
and what is a relationship
if Christ is not in it? Amen!
00:01:29.22\00:01:32.42
Good to have you here Jill.
00:01:32.45\00:01:33.79
Thank you Pastor, it's
a privilege to be here.
00:01:33.82\00:01:35.16
Yes, and we will no
longer call Ryan Day,
00:01:35.19\00:01:39.13
"the new kid on the
block." That's right!
00:01:39.16\00:01:40.76
But Pastor, evangelist, great
singer and minister of music!
00:01:40.80\00:01:44.43
Yes sir, thank you
so much, appreciate it!
00:01:45.13\00:01:46.70
Shelley, always good to
have you here my sister.
00:01:46.74\00:01:48.30
Thank you, it's good to be here.
00:01:48.34\00:01:49.67
And Pastor Kenny Shelton,
thank you for being here again
00:01:49.70\00:01:52.27
today to share your insights
and your experience with us.
00:01:52.31\00:01:55.48
It's a blessing, thank you.
00:01:55.51\00:01:56.85
And on that note,
Jill would you have our
00:01:56.88\00:01:58.78
opening prayer for
us? Sure, absolutely.
00:01:58.81\00:02:00.62
Holy Father... We come
before You in the name of Jesus,
00:02:00.65\00:02:03.42
and we thank You for
the privilege of prayer.
00:02:03.45\00:02:05.39
We thank You that we
can come boldly before Your
00:02:05.42\00:02:08.09
throne of grace.
00:02:08.12\00:02:09.46
Right now, we ask that we
would be emptied of ourselves,
00:02:09.49\00:02:12.26
that You would speak
to us from Your word,
00:02:12.29\00:02:15.40
and that it would convict
and covert, and we thank You
00:02:15.66\00:02:18.83
in Jesus name... Amen Amen!
00:02:18.87\00:02:21.54
"Unity and Broken Relationships"
and I'll also be covering
00:02:21.57\00:02:25.07
Sunday which is:
"Restored Friendship"
00:02:25.11\00:02:29.84
There's a comment on
Saturday afternoon's lesson
00:02:29.88\00:02:33.72
toward the bottom - it begins
with the words "In short."
00:02:33.75\00:02:36.92
Listen to what it
says... "In short, the greatest
00:02:36.95\00:02:41.12
demonstration of the power
of the gospel is not necessarily
00:02:41.16\00:02:45.36
what the church says
but how the church lives."
00:02:45.39\00:02:48.26
Boy, that's a great comment!
00:02:48.30\00:02:50.10
It's a powerful comment
and I've heard people say...
00:02:50.13\00:02:53.03
"Don't do what I
do, do what I say."
00:02:53.07\00:02:55.84
But in fact, children know
it, how parents have tried to
00:02:55.87\00:02:58.74
discipline their children,
have often seen their children
00:02:58.77\00:03:02.58
being lived out through them.
00:03:02.84\00:03:04.68
I remember sitting at a lunch
once with a good friend of ours
00:03:04.71\00:03:07.65
when we lived in California
and she and her husband,
00:03:07.68\00:03:12.42
and my wife and I had a
great relationship and she would
00:03:12.45\00:03:15.12
always call me
"homie," "Lomie my homie."
00:03:15.16\00:03:18.09
Kind of like what Pastor
C.A. does and her little son
00:03:18.13\00:03:21.60
was all of just maybe 3
years old and he could barely
00:03:21.63\00:03:24.93
get up to the table -
his head was just slightly
00:03:24.97\00:03:26.97
above the table and he
said... "Lomie my homie."
00:03:27.00\00:03:30.14
And she said, BOY!
What is wrong with you?
00:03:30.17\00:03:33.01
Who did you get
that from?" "You, mommy."
00:03:33.04\00:03:35.68
And she was saying,
"Don't you ever say that again,"
00:03:35.71\00:03:40.38
but I've said to people,
and this is true about the
00:03:40.42\00:03:42.85
Christian world...
00:03:42.88\00:03:45.15
we are not necessarily
coming into Christianity
00:03:46.22\00:03:49.79
by what people say,
but by what they see.
00:03:49.82\00:03:54.56
And you can't miss a
testimony, and we are preachers,
00:03:54.60\00:03:59.93
but I don't know, people
always said, "The best sermon
00:03:59.97\00:04:03.04
is not the one that's preached,
but the one that is lived."
00:04:03.07\00:04:06.41
And we believe that but we are
still preaching - hoping that
00:04:06.44\00:04:09.21
through the
foolishness of preaching,
00:04:09.24\00:04:11.48
somebody can find Jesus.
00:04:11.51\00:04:13.55
This particular story is
about those who were called
00:04:13.58\00:04:18.55
of the Lord to work
in the evangelistic field
00:04:19.52\00:04:21.92
of the growing of the gospel.
00:04:21.96\00:04:23.46
We had Paul and
Barnabas; we had John Mark,
00:04:23.49\00:04:26.90
and we had people
that had great skills,
00:04:26.93\00:04:30.90
but not everyone
with great skills
00:04:30.93\00:04:33.57
has great interpersonal
relationship skills.
00:04:33.60\00:04:37.74
Some people are strong and
they'll say, "Well if you don't
00:04:37.77\00:04:42.11
like it, that's too
bad," and I've seen pastors
00:04:42.14\00:04:45.15
and those of you that
have maybe had the opportunity
00:04:45.18\00:04:47.52
of seeing - I've seen
people that have great skills,
00:04:47.55\00:04:50.32
but they could
brush up somewhat on their
00:04:50.35\00:04:52.42
interpersonal
relationship skills...
00:04:52.45\00:04:54.22
And having coached
couples for a number of years,
00:04:54.26\00:04:57.06
we say that the
tapestry of who we are is often
00:04:57.09\00:05:02.16
put together by the experience
of our relationships...
00:05:02.20\00:05:05.47
And so if a mom or a dad
was strong, if we come from a
00:05:05.50\00:05:08.07
strong home or if we come
from families where we were told
00:05:08.10\00:05:11.24
"children are seen and
not heard," whatever our
00:05:11.27\00:05:14.74
experiences were, it tends
to shape how we communicate...
00:05:14.78\00:05:18.35
and that's the same thing.
00:05:18.38\00:05:19.71
And so you did something
in one of our last lessons,
00:05:19.75\00:05:23.18
and you talked about
relationships, the truth,
00:05:23.22\00:05:26.25
and something that you did...
I thought that was BRILLANT,
00:05:26.29\00:05:29.39
how the gospel was
communicated in ways.
00:05:29.42\00:05:32.39
Sometimes people say,
"Well it's the truth no matter
00:05:32.43\00:05:34.93
whether you like it or not,"
and we proclaim it that way.
00:05:34.96\00:05:38.23
But, Paul and Barnabas
and John Mark had to discover
00:05:38.27\00:05:42.14
as workers -
laborers together with Christ,
00:05:42.17\00:05:44.74
they had to be
laborers together. That's right.
00:05:44.77\00:05:47.81
So let's look at Acts 15
and we're going to look at
00:05:47.84\00:05:52.21
some of the controversies
that existed and then we're
00:05:52.25\00:05:55.38
going to look at some
principles or the steps
00:05:55.42\00:05:57.19
of restoring friendships...
how to restore friendships.
00:05:57.22\00:06:01.06
But you'll also discover - not
all friendships are restored.
00:06:01.09\00:06:05.49
Sometimes people
are better in that field
00:06:05.53\00:06:10.27
and others are better
in that field until they
00:06:10.30\00:06:12.77
both are further
converted and then the Lord
00:06:12.80\00:06:16.40
brings them back together.
00:06:16.44\00:06:17.84
But the key that we have
to keep in mind in this lesson
00:06:17.87\00:06:20.38
study is we're not going
to learn how to get along
00:06:20.41\00:06:23.61
in the kingdom of
heaven... we're going to learn
00:06:23.65\00:06:25.41
how to get along down here. Yes!
00:06:25.45\00:06:27.52
This is the school...
we display in the school
00:06:27.55\00:06:31.35
of heaven what
we have been taught
00:06:31.39\00:06:33.49
in the school
while we're on earth.
00:06:33.52\00:06:35.66
So, I was raised in a
church that had 1,200 members...
00:06:35.69\00:06:39.53
and we had a lot of aisles,
and I could see as I knew
00:06:39.56\00:06:43.13
the different relationships;
those who chose not to
00:06:43.16\00:06:45.90
come on communion
Sabbath because they were not
00:06:45.93\00:06:47.67
living in a
relationship with Christ.
00:06:47.70\00:06:49.77
I could see those who
would look across the aisle
00:06:49.80\00:06:51.94
and see somebody else
and they'd look across
00:06:51.97\00:06:53.31
aisle and we know that
there was a lightning bolt
00:06:53.34\00:06:55.58
between the two of them.
00:06:55.61\00:06:57.25
But they would come to church,
and they would feel comfortable
00:06:57.28\00:06:59.08
worshipping the Lord in
this dichotomy of separateness.
00:06:59.11\00:07:04.35
They didn't seek to be
unified and that's why I believe
00:07:04.39\00:07:07.39
the Lord, in the
Beatitudes, Sermon on the Mount,
00:07:07.42\00:07:09.16
said, "Blessed are the
peacemakers for they shall
00:07:09.19\00:07:12.66
be called the sons of God."
00:07:12.69\00:07:14.33
But here's a story in verse 36
of Acts 15 and it speaks about
00:07:14.36\00:07:18.70
some of these
controversies that exist.
00:07:18.73\00:07:20.77
"Then after some
days, Paul said to Barnabas,
00:07:20.80\00:07:25.44
"Let us now go back and
visit our brethren in every city
00:07:25.47\00:07:29.48
where we have
preached the word of the Lord,
00:07:29.51\00:07:32.05
and see how they are
doing." (checking out their
00:07:32.08\00:07:34.78
relationships)... Now
Barnabas was determined
00:07:34.82\00:07:37.75
to take with him John,
called Mark, but Paul insisted
00:07:37.79\00:07:42.36
that they should not
take with them the one who had
00:07:42.39\00:07:45.93
departed from them in
Pamphylia and had not gone
00:07:45.96\00:07:50.70
with them to the work.
00:07:50.73\00:07:52.37
Then the contention became
so sharp, that they parted
00:07:52.40\00:07:56.97
from one another,
and so Barnabas took Mark
00:07:57.01\00:07:59.71
and sailed to Cyprus."
00:07:59.74\00:08:01.11
In other words, he
probably said to Paul,
00:08:01.14\00:08:02.48
"That's your problem, I
like Mark and I need him
00:08:02.51\00:08:05.55
with me and Paul said,
"I will not have him with me
00:08:05.58\00:08:07.78
because I remember the
last time, he abandoned me."
00:08:07.82\00:08:09.75
So he said, "Fine, you go
that way, I'll go that way."
00:08:09.78\00:08:12.75
And this was after they
all both made it through
00:08:12.79\00:08:15.39
an interpersonal
conflict on their own. Yes.
00:08:15.42\00:08:18.29
Because when they were
in Antioch, going back to
00:08:18.33\00:08:21.43
chapter 13, they saw...
let's go to chapter 13 in
00:08:21.46\00:08:25.60
the Book of Acts.
00:08:25.63\00:08:27.67
They just dealt with the
horrible nature of rancid
00:08:27.70\00:08:32.57
interpersonal relationships,
I could use it that way.
00:08:32.61\00:08:35.94
Because look at what happened
among their own brethren.
00:08:35.98\00:08:38.65
Now they preached... the
sermon was so good that people
00:08:38.68\00:08:41.58
in town wanted to hear
the message the next week,
00:08:41.62\00:08:43.85
and the people were Gentiles,
and the next Sabbath day
00:08:43.89\00:08:47.16
the whole city came
together to hear the message.
00:08:47.19\00:08:49.22
We'll look at the
Bible as it picks up...
00:08:49.26\00:08:50.96
Verse 45... "But when
the Jews saw the multitudes,
00:08:50.99\00:08:56.60
they were
filled with what? Envy!
00:08:56.63\00:08:59.93
(and notice -
here's the problem...)
00:08:59.97\00:09:01.74
and
contradicting and blaspheming.
00:09:01.77\00:09:04.64
They opposed the
things spoken by Paul."
00:09:04.67\00:09:07.98
Now just the week
before, they said... Wonderful
00:09:08.01\00:09:10.68
message, keep it up; that's
the kind of sermons we like!
00:09:10.71\00:09:14.35
But the sermons were not
intended to be the keepers
00:09:14.38\00:09:17.69
of the aquarium
but fishers of men.
00:09:17.72\00:09:20.96
And all of a sudden, the fish
began to respond to the bait,
00:09:20.99\00:09:23.73
and all of a sudden
- now this contention.
00:09:23.76\00:09:26.13
And it says, "Oppose,"
(notice envy, contradiction
00:09:26.16\00:09:29.36
and opposing) Then Paul and
Barnabas grew bold and said,
00:09:29.40\00:09:32.83
"It was necessary that
the word of God should be
00:09:32.87\00:09:35.07
spoken to you first, but since
you rejected (in other words,
00:09:35.10\00:09:37.77
since there's no evidence in
your life that you accepted it)
00:09:37.81\00:09:40.28
and judge yourselves
unworthy of everlasting life,
00:09:40.31\00:09:43.61
behold we turned
to the Gentiles."
00:09:43.65\00:09:45.88
And so they turned to the
Gentiles and it got so bad,
00:09:45.91\00:09:49.25
instead of saying,
"You know, our bad,"
00:09:49.68\00:09:51.35
they continued -
they did something else...
00:09:51.39\00:09:54.06
Verse 50... "But the
Jews stirred up the devout
00:09:54.09\00:09:57.79
and prominent women and
the chief men of the city,
00:09:57.83\00:10:01.43
raised the persecution
against Paul and Barnabas
00:10:01.46\00:10:03.90
and expelled them
from their region."
00:10:03.93\00:10:05.57
And this is the passage
where they shook the dust
00:10:05.60\00:10:07.67
off their feet and kept moving.
00:10:07.70\00:10:10.51
Sometimes we feel like shaking
the dust off of our feet,
00:10:10.54\00:10:13.41
and keep moving
- am I right? Yes!
00:10:13.44\00:10:15.41
Have you had that
experience, Pastor Kenny? Yes!
00:10:15.44\00:10:17.28
Sometimes you just feel
like saying... "Fine, you keep
00:10:17.31\00:10:21.52
your church and
I'll get my own."
00:10:21.55\00:10:23.32
And we've had denominational
splits; we've had offshoot
00:10:23.35\00:10:26.25
groups grow out of contention;
00:10:26.29\00:10:27.62
we've had people that
have been preaching and they
00:10:27.66\00:10:30.03
just - seems like "till
the day they die," they don't
00:10:30.06\00:10:32.63
want to talk, they don't
want to... if you hear that
00:10:32.66\00:10:34.13
person's name, you see the angst
and the agony that comes up...
00:10:34.16\00:10:38.23
But that's not how we should be
00:10:38.27\00:10:41.30
when it comes to
being a Christian.
00:10:41.34\00:10:44.07
Look at some of the
things that I've pointed out...
00:10:44.11\00:10:46.34
In the book,
"Acts of the Apostles,"
00:10:47.74\00:10:49.58
the servant of the
Lord comments on this,
00:10:49.61\00:10:51.45
and she says, on page 170,
"This desertion caused Paul
00:10:51.48\00:10:56.55
to judge Mark unfavorably,
and even severely for a time.
00:10:56.58\00:11:02.32
Barnabas, on the other
hand, was inclined to excuse him
00:11:02.36\00:11:05.03
because of his inexperience.
00:11:05.06\00:11:07.73
He felt anxious that
Mark should not abandon
00:11:07.76\00:11:10.40
the ministry, for he
saw in him qualifications
00:11:10.43\00:11:13.84
that would fit him to be
a useful worker for Christ."
00:11:13.87\00:11:17.44
I want to give you a
little testimony of my own
00:11:17.47\00:11:19.21
and I'm going to give
you some points here of
00:11:19.24\00:11:21.04
steps of restoration.
00:11:21.08\00:11:22.58
When I first entered
the ministry in 1987,
00:11:22.61\00:11:25.78
I wanted to preach - I
didn't care about visitation.
00:11:25.81\00:11:30.45
Didn't care about all
this administrated stuff.
00:11:30.49\00:11:32.92
You're gonna do what?
00:11:32.95\00:11:34.46
"Let me show you
how to do visitation."
00:11:34.49\00:11:36.62
"Oh.. boy." Didn't
care about any of that,
00:11:36.66\00:11:38.73
but you know
what? The Lord saw in me
00:11:38.76\00:11:41.13
through the head
pastor I was working with
00:11:41.16\00:11:42.76
and Pastor Doug Batchelor,
he and I were in evangelism
00:11:42.80\00:11:44.73
together... He saw
in me something that He
00:11:44.77\00:11:47.60
could develop later on. Amen
00:11:47.64\00:11:49.24
And so I was that
"Mark," I was that young man
00:11:49.27\00:11:53.01
that had some rough
skills that the Lord wanted to
00:11:53.04\00:11:56.68
further develop, and so
He gave me the blessing of
00:11:56.71\00:11:59.65
hanging on and here
I am, 31 years later,
00:11:59.68\00:12:02.88
and to God be the glory. Amen
00:12:02.92\00:12:04.25
So sometimes you have to
be patient and give people
00:12:04.29\00:12:06.45
room to grow, but as
someone said, "If someone
00:12:06.49\00:12:09.72
does you something
wrong, don't forget the
00:12:09.76\00:12:11.86
good things that they did. Amen
00:12:11.89\00:12:14.96
So let's look at some of
the steps of restoration...
00:12:15.00\00:12:17.37
Matthew 5:23-24... Restoration.
00:12:19.37\00:12:24.54
And restoration is
best the prelude to worship.
00:12:24.57\00:12:29.04
Restoration is a
prelude to genuine worship.
00:12:29.08\00:12:32.78
"Therefore if you
bring your gift to the altar
00:12:32.81\00:12:35.22
and there remember that
your brother has something
00:12:35.25\00:12:37.92
against you, (notice
- you don't have to have
00:12:37.95\00:12:39.75
something against him, but
if they have something against
00:12:39.79\00:12:42.09
you, what should we do?)
00:12:42.12\00:12:43.83
... leave your gift
there before the altar
00:12:43.86\00:12:45.93
and go your way.
00:12:45.96\00:12:47.90
First, be reconciled to
your brother and then come and
00:12:47.93\00:12:52.10
offer your gift."
00:12:52.13\00:12:53.80
So that's why we are told
"to obey is better than to
00:12:53.84\00:12:57.27
sacrifice, than to hearken
or listen, than the fat of rams,
00:12:57.31\00:13:00.68
the offering of the rams.
00:13:00.71\00:13:02.21
So the Lord is saying, "it's
better to get things right,
00:13:02.24\00:13:04.25
than to worship Me
with a divided heart."
00:13:04.28\00:13:06.95
And sometimes we're
singing songs but we're
00:13:06.98\00:13:08.95
looking to our left
and right and thinking...
00:13:08.98\00:13:10.32
"Oh boy, they're here today."
00:13:10.35\00:13:12.12
You should never have
that kind of angst in the
00:13:12.15\00:13:13.72
worship of God -
am I right? Thank you!
00:13:13.76\00:13:15.79
Look at another
one... Matthew 6:14-15,
00:13:15.82\00:13:18.56
Matthew 6, do you have that one?
00:13:18.59\00:13:20.60
Jill, read that for us. Yeah.
00:13:20.63\00:13:22.06
"For if you forgive
men their trespasses,
00:13:22.10\00:13:24.33
your heavenly Father
will also forgive you,
00:13:24.37\00:13:27.04
but if you do not
forgive men their trespasses,
00:13:27.07\00:13:29.84
neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses."
00:13:29.87\00:13:32.37
So then He
wouldn't do that either.
00:13:32.41\00:13:33.78
If you feel that forgiveness
is something you need,
00:13:33.81\00:13:37.21
then it's forgiveness that
somebody else needs forgiveness.
00:13:37.25\00:13:41.12
And I like the way that Jesus
illustrated that when He forgave
00:13:41.15\00:13:44.15
those who crucified Him...
He forgave them before He died.
00:13:44.19\00:13:48.56
There was no
sign of reciprocation.
00:13:48.59\00:13:50.56
They didn't say, "Okay,
thank you for the forgiveness."
00:13:50.59\00:13:52.69
He said, "They
know not what they do."
00:13:52.73\00:13:54.33
And sometimes people
injure you not even considering
00:13:54.36\00:13:57.53
the impact on you.
00:13:57.57\00:13:58.90
And by extending forgiveness,
you may not necessarily
00:13:58.93\00:14:02.20
free them right away,
but you free yourself.
00:14:02.24\00:14:05.31
But don't say, "I forgive you,
now what are you going to do?"
00:14:05.34\00:14:08.48
Now let the Lord...
saying sorry is one thing, but
00:14:08.51\00:14:11.15
saying, "I apologize" is
one thing, but godly sorrow
00:14:11.18\00:14:15.78
is something that is borne
out of time and conviction.
00:14:15.82\00:14:18.92
Something else...
Let's look at Hosea 6:1-2...
00:14:18.95\00:14:22.29
how the Lord promised
to restore His people.
00:14:22.32\00:14:25.29
I'm going to go
very quickly here...
00:14:25.33\00:14:26.66
"Come and let us return
to the Lord for He has torn
00:14:26.70\00:14:29.73
but He will heal us.
00:14:29.76\00:14:31.53
He has stricken
but He will bind us.
00:14:31.57\00:14:33.60
(that's when the Lord
has to rebuke us sometimes)
00:14:33.64\00:14:36.17
He has torn but He
will heal; He has stricken
00:14:36.20\00:14:38.47
but He will bind us."
00:14:38.51\00:14:39.84
Then Isaiah 61:7 and look
at the blessing of restoration.
00:14:39.87\00:14:44.68
This is
powerful! This is powerful!
00:14:44.71\00:14:47.62
"Instead of your
shame, you shall have double
00:14:47.65\00:14:51.45
honor and instead of
confusion, they shall rejoice
00:14:51.49\00:14:55.59
in their portion;
therefore in their land,
00:14:55.62\00:14:59.36
they shall possess double.
00:14:59.39\00:15:01.96
Everlasting joy
shall be theirs."
00:15:02.00\00:15:05.80
And the beauty of this
whole ideology of restoration
00:15:05.83\00:15:09.00
is we've got to
understand that God's ideal,
00:15:09.04\00:15:11.74
as Jeremiah 29.11 says,
"I know the thoughts I think
00:15:11.77\00:15:14.91
towards you, says the
Lord, thoughts of peace
00:15:14.94\00:15:18.11
and not of evil, to give
you a future and a hope."
00:15:18.15\00:15:21.22
We have a future and a
hope if we work on restoring
00:15:21.25\00:15:24.29
our friendships, restoring our
relationships so that brother
00:15:24.32\00:15:28.59
and brother and sister
and sister can have their
00:15:28.62\00:15:31.29
worship
acceptable to the Lord. Amen!
00:15:31.33\00:15:34.36
Thank you so much Pastor John,
00:15:34.40\00:15:36.60
and what a wonderful
foundation for reconciliation,
00:15:36.63\00:15:39.43
for the restoring of
relationships and my day
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.20
continues that with the
restoration of the relationship
00:15:42.24\00:15:45.24
between slave and master.
00:15:45.27\00:15:47.58
I'm talking about
Philemon and Onesimus,
00:15:47.61\00:15:50.58
so turn with me to
the Book of Philemon.
00:15:50.61\00:15:52.71
It's kind of a hard book
to find because there's only
00:15:52.75\00:15:54.68
one chapter in their
Ryan, and it makes it kind of
00:15:54.72\00:15:56.92
hard to find - it is just
before the Book of Hebrews.
00:15:56.95\00:15:59.85
So if you find
Hebrews, it's the book before.
00:15:59.89\00:16:02.36
Philemon is the shortest
epistle that Paul ever wrote.
00:16:02.39\00:16:06.13
It's also his most
personal and endearing letter.
00:16:06.16\00:16:10.77
It focuses on acceptance,
reconciliation and forgiveness.
00:16:10.80\00:16:16.77
There are three key
characters, as it were,
00:16:16.81\00:16:18.91
in this story - I
always like looking at stories
00:16:18.94\00:16:21.14
and the characters inside it.
00:16:21.18\00:16:22.81
We have, of course, Paul
who was scholarly, who was
00:16:22.84\00:16:27.08
a zealous Jew -
used to be Pharisee,
00:16:27.12\00:16:30.29
but he became a Christian.
00:16:30.32\00:16:33.36
Then we have Philemon who
was a very wealthy, Gentile
00:16:33.39\00:16:37.13
businessman who
also became a Christian.
00:16:37.16\00:16:41.20
Then we have the slave, actually
the runaway slave, Onesimus,
00:16:41.23\00:16:46.33
who became a Christian as
a result of probably Paul's
00:16:46.37\00:16:51.37
ministry there
while Paul was in prison.
00:16:51.41\00:16:54.71
They all came from various
backgrounds and there's a
00:16:54.74\00:17:00.02
potential for either
great conflict or great glory
00:17:00.05\00:17:04.09
when you have people who
come together from differing
00:17:04.12\00:17:07.12
backgrounds, it
brings great glory to God...
00:17:07.16\00:17:10.06
when people who would
normally be at odds; normally be
00:17:10.09\00:17:12.86
fighting, that they can then
come together and be in unity.
00:17:12.89\00:17:16.36
I think of that
with Paul and John Mark.
00:17:16.40\00:17:18.23
What great glory that
brought to God because they used
00:17:18.27\00:17:21.70
to be against each
other, and then at the end of
00:17:21.74\00:17:23.97
Paul's life, what happened?
00:17:24.01\00:17:25.57
There was that reconciliation
and that restoration,
00:17:25.61\00:17:29.04
that's what God wants to do.
00:17:29.08\00:17:30.48
So the Epistle of Philemon
was one of the prison epistles,
00:17:30.51\00:17:33.31
as it were.
00:17:33.35\00:17:34.68
We know that Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians,
00:17:34.72\00:17:36.58
and Philemon were
written while Paul was a
00:17:36.62\00:17:38.72
prisoner there in Rome.
00:17:38.75\00:17:40.36
I want to talk
about seven principles
00:17:40.39\00:17:43.39
for godly relationships
that I see here in this Book of
00:17:43.43\00:17:47.53
Philemon, but before
we do the principles,
00:17:47.56\00:17:49.40
slavery was very, very
common in the Greco-Roman world.
00:17:49.43\00:17:54.77
The world in
which Paul was writing,
00:17:54.80\00:17:57.41
slavery was very common.
00:17:57.44\00:17:58.94
They think a third of
the people were slaves.
00:17:58.97\00:18:02.31
Now that's a high percentage.
00:18:02.34\00:18:04.75
Slaves were highly educated;
in fact, most of the doctors
00:18:04.78\00:18:08.48
in that day were
slaves; teachers were slaves;
00:18:08.52\00:18:11.85
and lawyers and
clerks and accountants.
00:18:11.89\00:18:14.06
People we would not
expect to be slaves.
00:18:14.09\00:18:16.73
Of course there
were agricultural slaves;
00:18:16.76\00:18:18.96
there were household slaves,
and gladiators and those who
00:18:18.99\00:18:22.96
worked in the mines -
those slaves probably had
00:18:23.00\00:18:25.37
the shortest life because
they had the most demanding job,
00:18:25.40\00:18:29.10
the most dangerous
jobs, you could say.
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.94
Slavery in the Roman
world was not ethnically based.
00:18:31.97\00:18:35.58
Slavery - the Romans were
happy to enslave anybody...
00:18:35.61\00:18:39.15
So slavery was based - sometimes
it was a trophy of war;
00:18:39.18\00:18:42.65
sometimes it was a
debtor and somebody who couldn't
00:18:42.68\00:18:45.05
pay their debt.
00:18:45.25\00:18:46.72
So we do not know why
Onesimus became the slave
00:18:46.76\00:18:49.29
of Philemon but
we know that he was.
00:18:49.32\00:18:51.53
Verse 1 tells us who this
epistle is addressed to...
00:18:51.56\00:18:54.80
Paul, a prisoner of Christ
Jesus and Timothy our brother,
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.77
to Philemon, our beloved
friend and fellow laborer.
00:18:57.80\00:19:01.24
To the beloved Apphia, (I don't
know how to pronounce that name)
00:19:01.27\00:19:05.37
Archippus our fellow soldier,
00:19:05.41\00:19:06.91
and to the
church in your house..."
00:19:06.94\00:19:09.64
So this is
addressed to Philemon.
00:19:09.68\00:19:11.45
Many people believe
that his wife's name was
00:19:11.48\00:19:14.48
Apphia - so it's addressed
to Philemon and his wife.
00:19:14.52\00:19:17.09
And then some people say
that Archippus was a leader
00:19:17.12\00:19:20.36
of the church
there and then others say
00:19:20.39\00:19:22.52
it was actually their son.
00:19:22.56\00:19:23.89
So whoever it was, it
was written to Philemon,
00:19:23.93\00:19:26.13
his family, his
household and the church there.
00:19:26.16\00:19:31.27
The setting for the story,
I'll just mention this briefly
00:19:31.30\00:19:33.77
and then we will
get to the seven keys
00:19:33.80\00:19:35.60
for godly relationships.
00:19:35.64\00:19:37.47
The setting for this... A
couple of years before Paul
00:19:37.51\00:19:40.24
was a prisoner in
Rome, so we know it happened
00:19:40.28\00:19:42.14
a couple of years
before this story took place.
00:19:42.18\00:19:44.11
A slave killed a Roman
senator, now this is documented
00:19:44.15\00:19:47.92
in history, and their Roman
law says that if a slave killed
00:19:47.95\00:19:51.79
the master, then all of the
other slaves had to be killed.
00:19:51.82\00:19:55.42
Well the public had a
great outcry against this
00:19:55.46\00:19:57.66
because the Roman senator
had 400 slaves and they did not
00:19:57.69\00:20:00.96
want to see this person
killed... all of these slaves,
00:20:01.00\00:20:04.43
all for 399 and there
were 400 of them killed.
00:20:04.47\00:20:07.90
And the senate decreed that
the law had to be carried out,
00:20:07.94\00:20:11.54
and all 400 of
them were executed.
00:20:11.57\00:20:13.48
So against this backdrop,
you think if Paul could
00:20:13.51\00:20:16.85
convince Philemon to
extend grace, to extend mercy,
00:20:16.88\00:20:21.22
to extend
forgiveness toward his slave
00:20:21.25\00:20:24.65
who had wronged him,
that news would spread
00:20:24.69\00:20:27.66
like wildfire in their
culture and in their world.
00:20:27.69\00:20:31.89
So here's our seven
keys to godly relationships:
00:20:31.93\00:20:34.60
1... Recognize that the
foundation of any relationship
00:20:34.63\00:20:38.57
is God and His love.
00:20:38.60\00:20:41.94
Verses 5-6, it
says... "Hearing of your faith
00:20:41.97\00:20:45.44
(Paul is writing to Philemon)
hearing of your faith and love
00:20:45.47\00:20:48.74
which you have towards
the Lord Jesus and toward
00:20:48.78\00:20:52.35
all the saints, that
the sharing of your faith
00:20:52.38\00:20:54.62
may become effective
by the acknowledgement
00:20:54.65\00:20:57.02
of every good thing which
is in you in Christ Jesus."
00:20:57.05\00:21:00.42
Many relationships are not built
00:21:00.46\00:21:02.89
on a relationship
with the Lord Jesus.
00:21:02.92\00:21:04.79
Many personal relationships
we have might be based on
00:21:04.83\00:21:08.66
deception and I
don't even want you to know
00:21:08.70\00:21:10.63
who I really am, Ryan, but I'm
going to try to be deceptive.
00:21:10.67\00:21:13.47
Or, Pastor John, boy -
you surely seem popular,
00:21:13.50\00:21:16.84
and I want to become
friends with you because then
00:21:16.87\00:21:19.47
maybe that's going
to improve my image.
00:21:19.51\00:21:21.38
Okay, that's not a good
motive for friendship, right?
00:21:21.41\00:21:23.85
That's based on ego;
sometimes it's based on a
00:21:23.88\00:21:26.41
political move, sometimes we
have relationships with people
00:21:26.45\00:21:29.02
based on deception and
if it's male or female,
00:21:29.05\00:21:31.35
it could even be based on lust.
00:21:31.39\00:21:32.82
But any godly relationship
has its basis in love for God.
00:21:32.85\00:21:38.49
#2... Affirm the
value of each person.
00:21:38.53\00:21:43.06
Paul affirmed both Philemon
in this letter and Onesimus.
00:21:43.10\00:21:46.50
He affirms the
value of both of them.
00:21:46.53\00:21:48.64
In verse 7, he says to
Philemon, "We have great
00:21:48.67\00:21:51.27
joy and consolation in
your love because the hearts
00:21:51.31\00:21:54.01
of the saints have been
refreshed by you, brother.
00:21:54.04\00:21:56.64
He called him brother,
he says, "The hearts of the
00:21:56.68\00:21:59.18
saints have been
refreshed by you.
00:21:59.21\00:22:01.05
He affirms him and
what Philemon has done,
00:22:01.08\00:22:03.92
but he also affirms Onesimus.
00:22:03.95\00:22:05.85
Verse 12, he says...
I am sending him back,
00:22:05.89\00:22:09.02
(him being Onesimus)
I'm sending him back.
00:22:09.06\00:22:11.59
You, therefore, receive
him, that is my own heart."
00:22:11.63\00:22:15.36
The literal translation in
Greek, if you do word for word,
00:22:15.40\00:22:18.57
says, "I have sent
back to you in person,
00:22:18.60\00:22:21.47
he who is my very heart."
00:22:21.50\00:22:24.11
So he sent back to Philemon,
so he's affirming Onesimus
00:22:24.14\00:22:27.84
in saying Onesimus
is very valuable to me.
00:22:27.88\00:22:30.71
#3... Appeal
rather than command.
00:22:30.75\00:22:34.95
Many times, as a master, as
a manager, as even a parent,
00:22:34.98\00:22:40.46
it's easy to command...
"Do this because I said so."
00:22:40.49\00:22:44.43
Boy, I heard that a
time or two when I was a kid.
00:22:44.46\00:22:46.90
But appeal
rather than command...
00:22:46.93\00:22:49.66
Verses 8-10, Paul
appeals because he's older.
00:22:49.70\00:22:53.03
He is aged, he also
appeals because he's
00:22:53.07\00:22:56.04
in bonds - he's in prison.
00:22:56.10\00:22:57.67
Verse 8... "Therefore, though
I might be very bold in Christ
00:22:57.71\00:23:00.98
to command you what is
fitting, yet for love's sake
00:23:01.01\00:23:03.61
I rather appeal to you,
being such a one as Paul
00:23:03.65\00:23:07.18
the aged, and now also a
prisoner of Jesus Christ.
00:23:07.22\00:23:10.55
I appeal to you for my
son, Onesimus, whom I have
00:23:10.59\00:23:13.12
begotten while in my chains."
00:23:13.15\00:23:15.22
So he makes an appeal
rather than a command.
00:23:15.26\00:23:18.39
#4... Don't manipulate
or presume on a relationship
00:23:18.43\00:23:23.16
to your advantage.
00:23:23.20\00:23:24.93
Don't use a person or use a
relationship to your advantage.
00:23:24.97\00:23:30.41
Paul could have
kept Onesimus with him.
00:23:30.44\00:23:32.31
In fact, he said he
wanted to keep him with him.
00:23:32.34\00:23:35.94
Verses 13-14... He
said, I wish to kept Onesimus
00:23:35.98\00:23:40.42
with me because
Onesimus was useful to him.
00:23:40.45\00:23:42.92
But yet he didn't want to
presume on the relationship
00:23:42.95\00:23:45.19
with Philemon and he
said, I'm sending him back.
00:23:45.22\00:23:47.36
#5... Use tact. This entire
epistle is really an evidence
00:23:47.39\00:23:51.63
of diplomacy, you could say.
00:23:51.66\00:23:53.63
Paul begins first by telling
Philemon how much he loves
00:23:53.66\00:23:56.36
and appreciates him,
how much he prays for him.
00:23:56.40\00:23:59.13
He tells Philemon, he's
glad that Philemon ministers
00:23:59.17\00:24:01.74
to other people...
Then he says, there's a
00:24:01.77\00:24:04.54
particular person that
I want for you to love.
00:24:04.57\00:24:07.78
Then he talks about
himself as an aged prisoner.
00:24:07.81\00:24:11.25
Then by the time we
get to verse 10, he finally
00:24:11.28\00:24:13.58
mentions the name Onesimus.
00:24:13.62\00:24:15.62
He describes a change
that took place in Onesimus.
00:24:15.65\00:24:19.25
He used to be useless,
now he's useful for ministry.
00:24:19.29\00:24:25.03
Then we get all the way down
to verse 17 before he states
00:24:25.06\00:24:28.66
his request... Please
receive Onesimus as you would
00:24:28.70\00:24:32.57
receive myself...
receive him as you would Paul.
00:24:32.60\00:24:36.10
#6... Bear the cost
of the relationship.
00:24:36.14\00:24:39.74
Paul was willing
to part with Onesimus,
00:24:39.77\00:24:42.01
that was part of the cost.
00:24:42.04\00:24:43.51
He was willing to pay
whatever Onesimus had wrongfully
00:24:43.55\00:24:47.22
taken, restore that.
00:24:47.25\00:24:48.95
Onesimus, on his part, was
willing to part from his mentor
00:24:48.98\00:24:52.95
Paul - remember Paul probably
led him into the gospel truth,
00:24:52.99\00:24:56.22
and Paul is his mentor.
00:24:56.26\00:24:57.59
Not only that, Onesimus
is willing to give up his
00:24:57.63\00:25:00.13
freedom and he's willing
to work to make restitution,
00:25:00.16\00:25:03.87
to do the right thing.
00:25:03.90\00:25:05.50
Usually in any relationship,
the cost of a relationship
00:25:05.53\00:25:08.87
is forgiveness.
Learning to forgive.
00:25:08.90\00:25:12.04
#7... Be accountable.
Final point - be accountable.
00:25:12.07\00:25:16.21
Verse 22, Paul says... Prepare
the guest room because I'm
00:25:16.24\00:25:20.38
coming to visit
soon. So be accountable.
00:25:20.42\00:25:23.22
Principle keys for godly
relationships and restitution.
00:25:23.25\00:25:26.82
Amen! Amen!
00:25:26.86\00:25:28.56
Jill, thank you so much
for that from slave to son,
00:25:28.59\00:25:33.83
and we can use that
from supervisor to manager,
00:25:33.86\00:25:36.36
to whatever department.
00:25:36.40\00:25:37.73
We're going to take
a short break right now
00:25:37.77\00:25:39.13
for one minute and
we'll be back to continue
00:25:39.17\00:25:41.20
our lesson study.
00:25:41.24\00:25:42.57
Ever wish you could watch
the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel
00:25:46.74\00:25:49.51
again or share it on
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?
00:25:49.54\00:25:53.08
Well, you can by visiting
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.com.
00:25:53.11\00:25:58.09
A clean design makes it
easy to find the program
00:25:58.12\00:26:01.79
you're looking for.
00:26:01.82\00:26:03.16
There are also links to
the Adult Bible Study Guide
00:26:03.19\00:26:06.46
so you can follow along.
00:26:06.49\00:26:07.86
Sharing is easy, just
click share and choose your
00:26:07.90\00:26:11.27
favorite social media.
00:26:11.30\00:26:12.83
Share a link, save
a life for eternity!
00:26:12.87\00:26:16.60
Welcome back to our
study on: "Oneness in Christ"
00:26:17.84\00:26:21.14
and we're going to pick
up on Tuesday with Ryan Day:
00:26:21.18\00:26:24.18
"Spiritual Gifts for Unity"
00:26:24.21\00:26:25.81
Spiritual gifts man, absolutely!
00:26:25.85\00:26:28.22
So Tuesday's lesson is about
"Spiritual Gifts for Unity"
00:26:28.25\00:26:31.69
So God gives us spiritual
gifts for the purpose of
00:26:31.72\00:26:34.32
unifying the
church. That's right!
00:26:34.36\00:26:35.69
Absolutely, and so we're
going read a few texts here
00:26:35.72\00:26:38.63
that I find are vitally
important for us understanding
00:26:38.66\00:26:40.96
this particular topic.
00:26:41.00\00:26:42.66
1 Corinthians 3:5-11, this is an
interesting passage where Paul
00:26:42.70\00:26:50.17
basically affirms the different
roles that we play in unity
00:26:50.21\00:26:56.48
in forgoing the
gospel commission.
00:26:56.51\00:26:58.68
So notice verse 1 Corinthians
3:5-11, Paul says here...
00:26:58.71\00:27:04.25
in verse 5, "Who then is
Paul? And who is Apollos?
00:27:05.25\00:27:10.23
But ministers
through whom you believe,
00:27:10.26\00:27:13.50
as the Lord gave to each one,
(and then I like this, he says)
00:27:13.53\00:27:17.67
I planted, Apollos watered,
but God gave the increase.
00:27:17.70\00:27:22.90
So then neither he who plants
is anything, nor he who waters,
00:27:22.94\00:27:27.58
but God who gives the increase.
00:27:27.61\00:27:30.95
Now he who plants and he
who waters are (I like this,
00:27:30.98\00:27:34.85
they are one, so they're
in unison now) and each one
00:27:34.88\00:27:38.59
who receives his own reward
according to his own labor.
00:27:38.62\00:27:42.56
And then verse 9
says... For we are God's fellow
00:27:42.59\00:27:45.63
workers; you are God's
field, you are God's building.
00:27:45.66\00:27:50.43
According to the grace of
God which was given to me,
00:27:50.47\00:27:53.77
as a wise master builder
I have laid the foundation,
00:27:53.80\00:27:57.41
(I love this, he says...)
and another builds on it.
00:27:57.44\00:28:00.61
(and he continues to say...)
But let each one take heed
00:28:00.64\00:28:04.58
how he builds on it.
For no other foundation
00:28:04.61\00:28:08.58
can anyone lay than that which
is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
00:28:08.62\00:28:13.09
I can actually attest to this...
00:28:13.12\00:28:14.46
I have some incredible stories
00:28:14.49\00:28:15.82
over the years through
evangelism and one particular
00:28:15.86\00:28:20.56
one that kind of sits out
in my mind is - I went to this
00:28:20.60\00:28:25.07
church and I did a
series, and there was
00:28:25.10\00:28:26.53
this particular couple there.
00:28:26.57\00:28:27.90
And they came every single night
and they were really responding
00:28:27.94\00:28:31.77
very well to the messages,
but it came down to the last
00:28:31.81\00:28:36.04
few nights where we were
giving those final appeals,
00:28:36.08\00:28:38.55
you know, we're really pressing
for the people and praying
00:28:38.58\00:28:41.55
for them to make
that decision for Christ.
00:28:41.58\00:28:44.09
And we went and we visited with
them, we went to their homes
00:28:44.12\00:28:48.36
and we spent some time
with them and it was interesting
00:28:48.39\00:28:50.43
because after conversing
and talking with them,
00:28:50.46\00:28:52.36
they said, "You know, we've
heard all of your messages,
00:28:52.39\00:28:55.03
we've seen this, but
we're just not quite ready
00:28:55.06\00:28:57.73
to make that decision."
00:28:57.77\00:28:59.60
Now, it can be a little
discouraging because you really
00:28:59.63\00:29:03.27
want to see those people
make a decision for Christ.
00:29:03.30\00:29:05.84
They've come every night,
they've heard and been very
00:29:05.87\00:29:07.94
attentive to the message,
but it just doesn't happen,
00:29:07.98\00:29:10.65
and sometimes that happens,
but I remember leaving that
00:29:10.68\00:29:14.18
meeting - the very next
year, my brother, Dakota,
00:29:14.22\00:29:17.75
he is also an Amazing Facts
evangelist, and he went to that
00:29:17.79\00:29:21.22
same church and he did a
series and those same people
00:29:21.26\00:29:26.29
went through his entire series
and they ended up making a
00:29:26.33\00:29:29.36
decision at the
end.. Amen! Praise God!
00:29:29.40\00:29:30.73
And so when I read this
passage here where Paul talks
00:29:30.77\00:29:32.83
about, you know, "I
planted, Apollos watered,
00:29:32.87\00:29:35.40
but God gave the increase,"
you know, I came along and I
00:29:35.44\00:29:39.51
kind of planted that seed and
through that particular series
00:29:39.54\00:29:42.64
of my brother's, Dakota was
able to water and give a little
00:29:42.68\00:29:46.25
extra something - perhaps
maybe they didn't see before,
00:29:46.28\00:29:49.32
but really God
gave the increase.
00:29:49.35\00:29:51.05
They were ripe to be
harvested at that time. Amen!
00:29:51.09\00:29:53.46
And that's really what
the gospel unity in mission
00:29:53.49\00:29:57.46
and with these spiritual gifts,
we certainly see that with the
00:29:57.49\00:30:00.96
gifts that God has given
us, we can make an incredible
00:30:01.00\00:30:03.16
difference if we are
unified. That's right.
00:30:03.20\00:30:05.53
Now there are many
different spiritual gifts
00:30:05.57\00:30:07.84
and we have to be very clear
on that and that is found in
00:30:07.87\00:30:11.37
1 Corinthians 12:1-11,
this is a very famous passage
00:30:11.41\00:30:15.74
that when you want to
know the list of the different
00:30:15.78\00:30:17.81
spiritual gifts that God
has blessed us with or God has
00:30:17.85\00:30:20.95
given the church, you can find
that in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.
00:30:20.98\00:30:25.55
Now I may not read
every single verse, but I
00:30:25.59\00:30:27.49
do want to start out with the
very first verse which makes it
00:30:27.52\00:30:31.23
clear and I like
this... It says, "Now concerning
00:30:31.26\00:30:33.73
spiritual gifts brethren,
(I love Paul's words here)
00:30:33.76\00:30:36.16
He said, "I want do not
want you to be ignorant,
00:30:36.20\00:30:39.77
(please don't miss
the point and, you know,
00:30:39.80\00:30:41.94
I feel like in the
Christian church as a whole,
00:30:41.97\00:30:44.74
there's a lot of
confusion about spiritual gifts.
00:30:44.77\00:30:47.88
And I'm not just simply
talking about just Adventism,
00:30:47.91\00:30:50.21
just across Christianity
as a whole, there's a lot of
00:30:50.25\00:30:52.58
contention, a lot of
confusion and distortion about
00:30:52.61\00:30:56.42
the Spirit of God and
the Spiritual gifts of God.
00:30:56.45\00:30:59.19
Notice what Paul
continued to say in verse 4...
00:30:59.22\00:31:01.99
He says, "There are diversities
of gifts, but the same Spirit.."
00:31:02.02\00:31:07.20
Now that's important because
we know that while there is a
00:31:07.23\00:31:11.20
genuine real Spirit of
God that is working to draw
00:31:11.23\00:31:15.04
God's people to Jesus Christ.
00:31:15.07\00:31:16.91
We know there's also a false
spirit - there's that spirit
00:31:16.94\00:31:20.11
that, of course, the
spirit of Satan that is
00:31:20.14\00:31:23.04
warring and waging on our
00:31:23.08\00:31:24.45
heart to pull us away from
Christ, but it goes on to say...
00:31:24.48\00:31:28.08
"There are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit.
00:31:28.12\00:31:30.49
Verse 5.. "There are differences
of ministries but the same Lord.
00:31:30.52\00:31:34.36
And there are diversities
of activities but it is the
00:31:34.39\00:31:39.29
same God who works
in all and all in all.
00:31:39.33\00:31:42.66
Verse 7... "But the
manifestation of the Spirit
00:31:42.70\00:31:45.10
is given to each one
for the profit of all;
00:31:45.13\00:31:49.04
(and then we start to have
this list of spiritual gifts)
00:31:49.07\00:31:52.21
Picking up there in verse
8... it says, "... for to one is
00:31:52.24\00:31:55.48
given the word of
wisdom through the Spirit,
00:31:55.51\00:31:57.95
(and I like the emphases, you're
going to see - through the
00:31:57.98\00:32:00.15
Spirit, by the Spirit
- all of this is given)
00:32:00.18\00:32:02.02
to another, the word
of knowledge through the
00:32:02.05\00:32:04.55
same Spirit, to another
faith by the same Spirit,
00:32:04.59\00:32:08.49
to another gifts of
healings by the same Spirit,
00:32:08.52\00:32:12.03
to another the
working of miracles,
00:32:12.06\00:32:14.50
to another prophecy, to
another discerning of spirits,
00:32:14.53\00:32:18.57
and to another
different kinds of tongues,,
00:32:18.60\00:32:21.24
to another the
interpretation of tongues.
00:32:21.27\00:32:24.87
But one and the same Spirit...
00:32:24.91\00:32:27.38
(I have to really emphasize
that - But one and the same
00:32:27.41\00:32:30.85
Spirit)... works all these
things distributing to each one
00:32:30.88\00:32:35.75
individually as He wills."
00:32:35.78\00:32:37.49
So does this passage
tell us that we all receive
00:32:37.52\00:32:40.79
the same gifts?
No. Absolutely not.
00:32:40.82\00:32:43.53
And I think there's a little
bit of confusion out there
00:32:43.56\00:32:45.76
because many people think
that we have where we all each
00:32:45.79\00:32:48.70
individually have to
exercise and take upon ourselves
00:32:48.73\00:32:52.53
the use of each one of
those spiritual gifts and that
00:32:52.57\00:32:55.37
simply is not the case.
00:32:55.40\00:32:56.74
God gives each
one a special gift
00:32:56.77\00:32:59.71
that depending upon how
He wants you to use that
00:32:59.74\00:33:02.34
for the ministry.
00:33:02.38\00:33:03.85
But, you know, I came
from a Pentecostal church...
00:33:03.88\00:33:07.08
In the Pentecostal Church,
they kind of take that list
00:33:07.12\00:33:09.72
of Spiritual gifts and they
kind of flip-flop it upside-down
00:33:09.75\00:33:12.42
and there's the emphasis
of the speaking in tongues.
00:33:12.45\00:33:15.62
So a lot of people in the
Pentecostal realm and in the
00:33:15.66\00:33:17.96
charismatic communities
believe that if you don't
00:33:17.99\00:33:20.76
speak in tongues, then you
don't have the Spirit of God
00:33:20.80\00:33:23.33
and, you know, that's becoming
more prevalent more spread
00:33:23.37\00:33:26.84
across Christianity
today, but we want to be clear
00:33:26.87\00:33:29.44
that while the gift of tongues
is real, you have to believe it
00:33:29.47\00:33:32.81
biblically - there's a biblical
right application to the
00:33:32.84\00:33:36.04
gift of tongues, but
not everyone will receive
00:33:36.08\00:33:39.25
the gift of tongues and that
is important to emphasize there.
00:33:39.28\00:33:42.45
I read this in our lesson
and I have to emphasize this...
00:33:42.48\00:33:46.62
Our God-given gifts are
not for selfish display,
00:33:46.65\00:33:51.49
and they are given by
the Holy Spirit for service
00:33:51.53\00:33:54.73
in the spreading of the
gospel, that's what it's for!
00:33:54.76\00:33:58.63
We're to use our talents and
use our gifts and there was a
00:33:58.67\00:34:01.67
portion in the message
which, my time is getting away
00:34:01.70\00:34:03.84
from me... but I just want
to mention - Paul talks about
00:34:03.87\00:34:06.54
in 2 Corinthians 10:12-15,
00:34:06.57\00:34:11.51
he says... "For we
dare not class ourselves
00:34:11.55\00:34:14.02
or compare ourselves with
those who commend themselves."
00:34:14.05\00:34:17.85
So in other words, he's talking
about comparing ourselves
00:34:17.89\00:34:19.89
to others - it's very easy
in the ministry or even in the
00:34:19.92\00:34:23.12
church - you don't even have
to necessarily be a minister
00:34:23.16\00:34:25.26
or preacher, but in the church
in general - it's very easy
00:34:25.29\00:34:28.53
for us to look at others
and say, "Oh, that person is not
00:34:28.56\00:34:30.90
as good as me, "Oh, that
person doesn't play the piano
00:34:30.93\00:34:33.57
good, well why are
they up there playing?"
00:34:33.60\00:34:34.97
Or, "That person doesn't
sing as well, so why are they
00:34:35.00\00:34:37.17
up there singing?"
Or, "Why is Brother John
00:34:37.21\00:34:38.77
Lomacang up there preaching,
he certainly doesn't use
00:34:38.81\00:34:40.91
his words as good as I do?"
00:34:40.94\00:34:42.28
We end up comparing ourselves
in ways, at times, that's very
00:34:42.31\00:34:45.48
divisional, it's very
harmful to the mission
00:34:45.51\00:34:49.72
and unity of God's church.
00:34:49.75\00:34:51.59
But as Paul indicates
very clear, we are all working
00:34:51.62\00:34:54.76
for the same mission. Amen!
00:34:54.79\00:34:57.83
We are all
commended and we are all
00:34:57.86\00:34:59.89
given these
gifts by the same God.
00:34:59.93\00:35:02.73
God wants His
church to be in unity.
00:35:02.76\00:35:05.57
You know, in closing here
in the last minute that I have,
00:35:05.60\00:35:08.54
I thought of a story...
Prior to coming to 3ABN,
00:35:08.57\00:35:12.57
I was literally just
about to accept a position
00:35:12.61\00:35:17.45
in Texas - in the Texas
Conference to be a pastor,
00:35:17.48\00:35:20.78
and I had met with
the conference president;
00:35:20.82\00:35:23.32
I had met with some
other individuals...
00:35:23.35\00:35:25.15
it was about to go through.
00:35:25.19\00:35:26.72
But I remember at the
last minute I had to make the
00:35:27.26\00:35:29.26
decision - the Lord was leading
me to 3ABN in this direction,
00:35:29.29\00:35:32.16
and I had some of the
brethren in the church...
00:35:32.19\00:35:34.46
They said, "Oh, we are
literally a week away from the
00:35:34.50\00:35:38.00
executive committee voting
me through, but I still felt
00:35:38.03\00:35:41.00
the Lord was leading me and
guiding me in this direction,
00:35:41.04\00:35:43.47
and so I had ministers say,
"Oh brother, you're messing up,
00:35:43.51\00:35:46.91
if you tell them "no,"
they'll never invite you back,
00:35:46.94\00:35:49.21
they'll never accept you
back into the Texas Conference."
00:35:49.24\00:35:51.75
I remember, I called the
conference president and I
00:35:52.61\00:35:54.35
had a discussion with
him, and I'll never forget
00:35:54.38\00:35:55.98
this... he said to me,
"Brother, we're all working
00:35:56.02\00:35:59.35
for the same cause - we're
all working for the same Lord!
00:35:59.39\00:36:02.82
Whether you're at 3ABN
or you're right here in the
00:36:02.86\00:36:05.26
Texas Conference,
it doesn't matter,
00:36:05.29\00:36:07.03
we're still
serving God together.
00:36:07.06\00:36:08.76
So I praise God for people
like that - that should be the
00:36:08.80\00:36:11.73
example that we follow. AMEN!
00:36:11.77\00:36:14.50
Thank you and boy are we glad
00:36:14.54\00:36:16.14
that the Lord brought you here!
00:36:16.17\00:36:19.61
I have Wednesday's and I've
just got way too much to say,
00:36:19.64\00:36:23.31
so let me get started...
00:36:23.35\00:36:25.35
We're talking this week about
unity and broken relationships,
00:36:25.38\00:36:29.68
and my topic from
Wednesday is: "Forgiveness"
00:36:29.72\00:36:33.76
Let me just read - it starts off
like this in our Quarterly...
00:36:33.79\00:36:37.26
"What is forgiveness?
Does forgiveness justify
00:36:37.29\00:36:40.03
the behavior of someone
who has horribly wronged us?
00:36:40.06\00:36:42.73
Is my forgiveness dependent
on the offender's repentance?
00:36:42.76\00:36:46.47
What if the one with
whom I am upset does not
00:36:46.50\00:36:51.41
deserve my forgiveness?"
00:36:51.44\00:36:53.58
You know, John has already
mentioned... Jesus on the cross
00:36:53.61\00:36:56.98
was an example of
divine forgiveness
00:36:57.01\00:36:59.41
when in Luke 23:34, He
said, "Father forgive them
00:36:59.45\00:37:03.99
they know not what they do."
00:37:04.02\00:37:06.45
I want to say this... Before
I say what forgiveness is,
00:37:06.49\00:37:11.73
because someone out there,
00:37:11.76\00:37:13.13
I'm going to say
what forgiveness is,
00:37:13.16\00:37:15.20
and you're going to
go... "I don't like that."
00:37:15.23\00:37:19.23
So what I want to do first
is describe what forgiveness
00:37:19.27\00:37:24.31
isn't so that you can understand
better what it is, okay?
00:37:24.34\00:37:28.34
So very quickly, human-to-human
forgiveness - what it's not...
00:37:28.38\00:37:34.05
It is not condoning the offence,
you are not saying "it's okay."
00:37:34.08\00:37:39.35
It doesn't justify their
actions or their behavior.
00:37:39.39\00:37:42.82
It is not forgetting
what happened because
00:37:42.86\00:37:45.96
we'd never learn
from our experiences
00:37:45.99\00:37:48.50
if we forgot what happened.
00:37:48.53\00:37:50.43
It does not
guarantee that the other person
00:37:50.47\00:37:54.14
will change their behavior,
and if they are unrepentant,
00:37:54.17\00:37:58.21
and unchanged, what that
does is it changes, for you,
00:37:58.24\00:38:02.98
the rules of engagement.
00:38:03.01\00:38:05.01
You have to kind of
guard yourself against
00:38:05.05\00:38:08.35
repeated injury.
00:38:08.62\00:38:10.05
It is NOT
naively restoring trust.
00:38:10.09\00:38:14.42
Trust must be
earned and reconciliation
00:38:14.46\00:38:18.43
is always the goal
but it can't be assumed.
00:38:18.46\00:38:21.73
It is not
necessarily easy to forgive,
00:38:21.76\00:38:26.60
it requires divine strength.
00:38:26.63\00:38:28.94
Forgiveness can be difficult,
even with the first offense,
00:38:28.97\00:38:32.14
but if somebody continues to
repeat the offense against us,
00:38:32.17\00:38:37.31
then it can just
seem humanly impossible.
00:38:37.35\00:38:40.92
And you know, it's interesting
because Peter came to Jesus,
00:38:40.95\00:38:43.89
it's recorded in
Matthew 18:21-22, and he says,
00:38:43.92\00:38:47.59
basically, Lord, how many
times do I have to forgive them,
00:38:47.62\00:38:51.56
seven? Because seven was
the number of perfection, right?
00:38:51.59\00:38:54.86
And Jesus says, "I tell
you, seventy times seven."
00:38:54.90\00:39:01.24
And so that's 490 times!
00:39:01.27\00:39:04.91
Just think, if
somebody just keeps doing
00:39:04.94\00:39:07.28
the same thing to you.
00:39:07.31\00:39:08.64
Forgiveness is not
surrendering to a person,
00:39:08.68\00:39:13.25
it's surrendering to God
and it's not doing the offender
00:39:13.28\00:39:17.75
a favor, it's
doing yourself a favor.
00:39:17.79\00:39:21.52
You know, unforgiveness is like
taking poison into your body
00:39:21.56\00:39:25.93
to punish somebody
else for what they've done.
00:39:25.96\00:39:28.70
But it's you
that's being poisoned...
00:39:28.73\00:39:30.97
Your being poisoned emotionally;
00:39:31.00\00:39:33.10
you're being poisoned
spiritually, even physically
00:39:33.13\00:39:36.24
because unforgiveness
can cause obsessive behavior.
00:39:36.27\00:39:39.67
It can cause us to be depressed.
00:39:39.71\00:39:41.81
It can cause all
kinds of physical stress
00:39:41.84\00:39:45.55
and it
contributes to depression.
00:39:45.58\00:39:48.38
What happens when
you're unforgiving?
00:39:48.42\00:39:50.19
You get frozen in
this little capsule
00:39:50.22\00:39:53.76
of time when the
offense took place.
00:39:53.79\00:39:56.59
So now let's look
at what forgiveness is.
00:39:56.62\00:39:59.06
There are two
types of forgiveness.
00:40:01.03\00:40:03.33
There's relational
forgiveness and then
00:40:03.37\00:40:06.84
there is legal forgiveness.
00:40:06.87\00:40:09.54
Relational
forgiveness is human-to-human.
00:40:09.57\00:40:13.58
Now God forgives us
relationally as well,
00:40:13.61\00:40:17.35
but we can only
forgive relationally.
00:40:17.38\00:40:21.78
We cannot forgive legally.
00:40:21.82\00:40:23.89
We cannot justify someone
or pardon them for their sin.
00:40:23.92\00:40:28.66
So basically what forgiveness
is for us, relational
00:40:28.69\00:40:32.93
forgiveness, it's just releasing
negative feelings of anger
00:40:32.96\00:40:37.20
and bitterness and rage.
00:40:37.23\00:40:40.80
And what is the source
of relational forgiveness?
00:40:40.84\00:40:44.11
God's love! That's it!
00:40:44.14\00:40:46.54
So what you have to
do... essentially what God has
00:40:46.57\00:40:50.51
taught me to do is pray to
00:40:50.55\00:40:51.88
see the other
person through God's eyes.
00:40:51.91\00:40:54.15
You know, Lord, help
me to see what a broken
00:40:54.18\00:40:56.48
person they are and
how they need mending.
00:40:56.52\00:41:00.32
Forgiveness is the
essence of our faith,
00:41:00.36\00:41:04.09
and let me say
this... it is a choice
00:41:04.13\00:41:07.63
we are commanded to make.
00:41:07.66\00:41:10.27
Forgiveness is a
nonnegotiable act of obedience.
00:41:10.30\00:41:16.44
You know, I think about
Joseph... he made a choice
00:41:16.47\00:41:19.44
to forgive his
brothers and that could have
00:41:19.47\00:41:21.38
been very difficult.
00:41:21.41\00:41:22.74
But here's what Paul says
about - Colossians 3:12-13...
00:41:22.78\00:41:26.58
"Therefore as the
elect of God holy and beloved
00:41:26.61\00:41:29.92
put on tender
mercies, kindness, humility,
00:41:29.95\00:41:33.66
meekness, longsuffering,
bearing with one another,
00:41:33.69\00:41:37.33
forgiving one another.
If anyone has a complaint
00:41:37.36\00:41:42.10
against you, even
as Christ forgave you,
00:41:42.13\00:41:45.17
you so also must do,
but above all things,
00:41:45.20\00:41:50.24
put on love which is
the bond of perfection."
00:41:50.27\00:41:53.51
So it's a matter of...
See, I don't know you very
00:41:53.54\00:41:58.18
well, so I can say
this... Well I mean - use you as
00:41:58.21\00:42:01.32
an example.
00:42:01.35\00:42:03.32
I love you, I don't know
you, but I love you because
00:42:03.35\00:42:07.32
I ask God always to put
love in my heart as His love
00:42:08.62\00:42:14.73
for other people,
but I can't love you
00:42:14.76\00:42:17.80
without God's Spirit
working in me. That's right.
00:42:17.83\00:42:23.20
So, let me tell you the
story real quick because
00:42:23.24\00:42:26.21
my time is getting away
and I want to get back to this.
00:42:26.24\00:42:28.88
But I asked God once for
an illustration on forgiveness
00:42:28.91\00:42:32.35
because He had taken me and
walked me through forgiveness
00:42:32.38\00:42:35.45
commanding me to
forgive somebody and I'm like...
00:42:35.48\00:42:37.89
"I don't want to and I
don't know how to," and He said
00:42:37.92\00:42:41.99
"Pray for their salvation."
00:42:42.02\00:42:43.83
I didn't want them to be saved.
00:42:43.86\00:42:45.59
I mean, this was a bad
person, I didn't want them in
00:42:45.63\00:42:48.90
heaven with me.
00:42:48.93\00:42:51.07
Anyway... so as God
walked me through this,
00:42:51.10\00:42:54.94
I started praying for
their salvation and suddenly
00:42:54.97\00:42:58.47
I didn't... and I told the
Lord, I will but You know I
00:42:58.51\00:43:01.04
don't mean it... but guess what?
00:43:01.08\00:43:04.21
Within a couple of weeks,
I'm praying and I meant it.
00:43:04.25\00:43:07.15
I mean I've got tears
in my eyes, I am pleading
00:43:07.18\00:43:10.79
for their salvation and
all of a sudden, I realized
00:43:10.82\00:43:13.66
I had forgiven them.
00:43:13.69\00:43:15.12
And I asked God for an
illustration and this is so
00:43:15.16\00:43:17.59
powerful - to me
this is just heaven-sent.
00:43:17.63\00:43:20.73
If there is a stream and
I've shared this before but
00:43:20.76\00:43:24.57
you can't over-share this one.
00:43:24.60\00:43:27.07
If there is a stream and it
comes down into a little valley,
00:43:27.10\00:43:31.27
if I were to take a wire
and I anchored it on one side
00:43:31.31\00:43:34.58
of the stream and anchored it
on the other, somebody upstream
00:43:34.61\00:43:37.31
throws trash into the stream,
it collects on that wire.
00:43:37.35\00:43:41.58
Over a period of time, as
more and more people throw trash
00:43:41.62\00:43:44.39
in the stream,
what's going to happen?
00:43:44.42\00:43:46.96
Just like a beaver
builds a dam, stick by stick...
00:43:46.99\00:43:50.49
it's going to block the
flow of water. That's true.
00:43:50.53\00:43:54.60
God told me that wire is
like unforgiveness in our heart,
00:43:54.63\00:43:59.50
and then what happens is
all the trash, all the negative
00:43:59.53\00:44:04.17
comments people make or
times that we get offended...
00:44:04.21\00:44:07.94
what happens is it begins
to build around that wire of
00:44:07.98\00:44:12.45
unforgiveness and
the next thing you know,
00:44:12.48\00:44:14.58
you've got bitterness
and resentment in your heart,
00:44:14.62\00:44:16.82
and guess what? It blocks
the flow of the Holy Spirit!
00:44:16.85\00:44:21.86
So when Jesus told us to be
00:44:21.89\00:44:23.99
forgiving, He wanted us to
have a vibrant Spiritual life,
00:44:24.03\00:44:28.83
and if we hold unforgiveness in
our hearts, we can't have that.
00:44:28.86\00:44:33.13
You know, legal
forgiveness is God's part.
00:44:34.07\00:44:37.87
In Romans 5:8-11, it
says... "God demonstrates
00:44:37.91\00:44:41.04
His own love for us in
this, that while we were yet
00:44:41.08\00:44:45.55
sinners, He sent Christ to
die for us and much more than
00:44:45.58\00:44:51.12
having now been justified
by His blood, we shall be saved
00:44:51.15\00:44:54.39
from wrath through Him.
00:44:54.42\00:44:55.92
For if when we were enemies
we were reconciled to God
00:44:55.96\00:45:00.10
through the death of His
Son, much more having been
00:45:00.13\00:45:02.76
reconciled. We shall be
saved by His life, halleluiah,
00:45:02.80\00:45:07.90
halleluiah! Amen!
00:45:07.94\00:45:09.27
So it is only the
atoning blood of Jesus
00:45:09.30\00:45:14.28
that can bring us
that legal forgiveness.
00:45:14.31\00:45:17.85
But let me just say this...
00:45:17.88\00:45:19.65
Jesus placed great emphasis
on horizontal forgiveness,
00:45:19.68\00:45:24.95
person-to-person.
00:45:24.99\00:45:26.35
In Matthew 6:14-15, he
says, "For if you forgive men
00:45:26.39\00:45:30.26
trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you,
00:45:30.29\00:45:33.66
but if you do not
forgive their trespasses,
00:45:33.70\00:45:36.90
neither will your
Father forgive you yours."
00:45:36.93\00:45:40.90
I wonder why? You
know what? If we don't
00:45:40.94\00:45:43.24
accept Jesus' death on the cross
as sufficient to pay for our
00:45:43.27\00:45:48.44
enemies' sins, we're
disqualifying His death
00:45:48.48\00:45:52.18
as the payment
for sin. Yes. Wow!
00:45:52.21\00:45:55.38
Good. Thank you Shelley!
00:45:55.42\00:45:58.25
Well Pastor Kenny!
Yes. That's heavy-duty stuff
00:45:58.29\00:46:03.12
right there and
I'm in agreement with,
00:46:03.16\00:46:05.86
you know, we're
talking about here forgiveness,
00:46:05.89\00:46:07.66
because people ask me,
"How can I know that I've
00:46:07.70\00:46:10.70
actually forgiven that
person." How do you really know?
00:46:10.73\00:46:13.34
I'll say in my own experience,
it came when I get on my knees
00:46:13.37\00:46:16.44
and I could bring that
person's name before the throne
00:46:16.47\00:46:19.01
of God and I felt no
kind of reservations because I
00:46:19.04\00:46:23.55
did it for years - I took their
name but I had a reservation
00:46:23.58\00:46:26.75
every time and I
knew I had a reservation,
00:46:26.78\00:46:28.55
but I knew it was the
right thing to do. Amen!
00:46:28.58\00:46:30.35
But when the time came that
I could take him to the Lord
00:46:30.39\00:46:32.25
in prayer, and just
leave it there - I knew it all
00:46:32.29\00:46:34.76
had been well with
God through His blood.
00:46:34.79\00:46:36.66
Thank you for sharing that. Yes.
00:46:36.69\00:46:38.03
We're going to do
Thursday's lesson here:
00:46:38.06\00:46:40.20
"Restoration and Unity"
is what everyone has been
00:46:40.23\00:46:42.86
talking about here,
Sister Shelley, what you were
00:46:42.90\00:46:44.97
talking about here,
praise God in the Bible
00:46:45.00\00:46:47.24
we can find out how to
take care of these issues
00:46:47.27\00:46:50.01
we've been
talking about forgiveness.
00:46:50.04\00:46:51.94
It's so outlined in
Scripture, Matthew 18:15-17
00:46:51.97\00:46:56.61
to help solve this
issue here and we'll read that
00:46:56.64\00:46:59.65
in just a moment, but I
want us to think for a moment,
00:46:59.68\00:47:01.42
Jesus gave us Matthew
18, there's a reason why...
00:47:01.45\00:47:03.95
because of issues, because
of things that will happen
00:47:03.99\00:47:06.65
in the church among
church people that need
00:47:06.69\00:47:08.76
to be taken care of.
00:47:08.79\00:47:10.13
There's a correct
way of handling it.
00:47:10.16\00:47:12.49
There's no doubt about it.
00:47:12.53\00:47:13.86
We might want to bypass
and go a different direction,
00:47:13.90\00:47:17.07
but I'm telling you, it
behooves us to do the way
00:47:17.10\00:47:19.63
God says to do it
because He left it in His word.
00:47:19.67\00:47:23.10
And, there's always difficulty
maybe between two parties
00:47:23.14\00:47:26.31
that need to be straightened up.
00:47:26.34\00:47:28.84
We need to realize quickly
that when there is an issue,
00:47:28.88\00:47:31.75
we need to keep it as
closely as we can knit within
00:47:31.78\00:47:34.95
as few parties
as possible. Amen!
00:47:34.98\00:47:37.59
We'll see that as we go
along here... not broadcasting,
00:47:37.62\00:47:40.09
not doing things
we shouldn't be doing.
00:47:40.12\00:47:41.59
It get clear as we
read that in just a moment.
00:47:41.62\00:47:43.49
The more we get involved,
notice this... the more
00:47:43.53\00:47:46.06
contention is created.
00:47:46.09\00:47:48.00
The more people you get,
the more problems you have.
00:47:48.03\00:47:50.93
People begin to take sides;
they begin to get in groups;
00:47:50.97\00:47:53.84
they begin to separate;
they begin to divide...
00:47:53.90\00:47:56.14
Pretty soon the church is
having maybe a split because
00:47:56.17\00:47:59.37
it wasn't handled properly,
too many people involved,
00:47:59.41\00:48:02.04
lines drawn,
battles begins, look out!
00:48:02.08\00:48:04.75
You know, things can happen.
00:48:04.78\00:48:06.11
So how do we really follow God's
plan, is there's a way to do it?
00:48:06.15\00:48:08.78
Matthew 18:15-17, our
lesson gives three steps here,
00:48:08.82\00:48:14.86
and we know those steps
or we should know them and
00:48:14.89\00:48:17.16
follow them.
00:48:17.19\00:48:18.53
Three steps to help
resolve the problem and if we're
00:48:18.56\00:48:22.26
wronged by
another church member.
00:48:22.30\00:48:24.67
When I think about the
problems we have in the church,
00:48:24.70\00:48:26.70
we need to follow
exactly what God said.
00:48:26.74\00:48:28.67
Matthew 18... I don't think I
have it, I'm going to turn here
00:48:28.70\00:48:31.07
real quick and
take time to read it.
00:48:31.11\00:48:33.51
Most of you have it,
I'm sure, memorized...
00:48:33.54\00:48:36.41
A lot of people say
they have it memorized,
00:48:36.44\00:48:38.51
but when it
comes right down to it,
00:48:38.55\00:48:39.88
I don't think they
do... If we have it memorized,
00:48:39.91\00:48:42.72
hopefully, we'll follow it.
That's right. Isn't that right?
00:48:42.75\00:48:44.55
Matthew 18 and then
notice this, read along with me
00:48:44.59\00:48:48.09
if you have it in your
Bible, Matthew 18:15-17,
00:48:48.12\00:48:51.59
those of you at home.
00:48:51.63\00:48:52.96
The Bible says here at
the bottom of the page...
00:48:54.10\00:48:55.63
"Moreover if thy brother
shall trespass against thee,
00:48:55.66\00:48:57.93
go and tell him...
what? His fault (notice this)
00:48:57.97\00:49:01.40
between thee and him
alone; if he shall hear thee,
00:49:01.44\00:49:03.81
thou has gained thy brother.
00:49:03.84\00:49:05.17
16... But if he will
not hear thee, take... what?
00:49:05.21\00:49:07.94
with thee one or two
more, that in the mouth of
00:49:07.98\00:49:12.08
two or three witnesses
every word may be established.
00:49:12.11\00:49:15.18
17... If he shall neglect
to hear them, tell it to the
00:49:15.22\00:49:18.45
church; but if he
neglect to hear the church,
00:49:18.49\00:49:20.86
let him be unto thee (oh, this
is interesting) as a heathen
00:49:20.89\00:49:23.93
man and a publican.
00:49:23.96\00:49:25.43
Verily I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye shall bind
00:49:25.46\00:49:28.33
on earth shall be bound
in heaven; and whatsoever
00:49:28.36\00:49:30.37
ye shall loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven."
00:49:30.40\00:49:32.37
That's pretty heavy duty stuff
when you look at right there.
00:49:32.40\00:49:35.27
I thought about that and
looked at it as with studying,
00:49:35.30\00:49:37.87
and I said, "You don't
normally think about this...
00:49:37.91\00:49:40.18
this is my opinion - "I
think this is probably the most
00:49:40.21\00:49:44.38
abused teaching in Scripture."
00:49:44.41\00:49:48.18
I have a right to
my opinion. Absolutely.
00:49:48.22\00:49:51.15
This is one of the most
abused teachings in Scripture.
00:49:51.19\00:49:55.42
Neglected or abused?
It's neglected, it's abused.
00:49:55.46\00:49:58.06
It's not even neglected,
it's really abused because
00:49:58.09\00:50:00.70
we're not following it,
it seems like at all. Okay.
00:50:00.73\00:50:04.07
Because somebody has an
issue, somebody gets into it
00:50:04.10\00:50:06.47
in the church -
where do they go?
00:50:06.50\00:50:07.84
They go to their
neighbors, they go to friends,
00:50:07.87\00:50:09.44
other church members and
all of a sudden they tell them
00:50:09.47\00:50:11.27
and say, "Well I know
you're not going to tell it,
00:50:11.31\00:50:12.97
and I know you're not
going to say anything about it,
00:50:13.01\00:50:14.48
but that's not what
the Bible says to do...
00:50:14.51\00:50:16.68
Already we're off base,
already we're in for a problem.
00:50:16.71\00:50:19.78
Again, we look in verse
15, I'll do it quickly here.
00:50:21.12\00:50:23.55
It begins a new teaching,
as we go down here, Jesus said,
00:50:23.59\00:50:26.49
... But it's closely parallel to
the parable of the lost sheep,
00:50:26.52\00:50:30.53
right before that
in Matthew 18:12-14,
00:50:30.56\00:50:33.29
so it's close
there - just read that.
00:50:33.33\00:50:34.66
Jesus tells that it's
not the Father's will that
00:50:34.70\00:50:37.03
one of these little
ones should do what?
00:50:37.07\00:50:38.73
Should perish... Then He moves
on, then He begins (notice this)
00:50:38.77\00:50:43.44
to discuss the
attitude of a Christian.
00:50:43.47\00:50:46.78
The attitude of the Christian
should take when a believer
00:50:46.81\00:50:50.15
injures him - this
is our attitude or...
00:50:50.18\00:50:53.11
the word there is
when he misses the mark,
00:50:53.98\00:50:55.98
when he gossips or
backbites maybe about me or you.
00:50:56.02\00:50:59.85
When he errors, "he did me
wrong," - how many times have
00:50:59.89\00:51:02.52
you heard that?
"Well he did me wrong,
00:51:02.56\00:51:03.89
he deserved it."
00:51:03.93\00:51:05.26
Or we might say,
"Well he sinned against me."
00:51:05.29\00:51:07.70
But you know, as
we look at the Bible,
00:51:07.73\00:51:09.30
the first words
that Jesus commands...
00:51:09.33\00:51:12.33
Someone mentioned here,
was talking about the day
00:51:12.37\00:51:14.00
Jesus commanded -
it's not an option.
00:51:14.04\00:51:15.80
Jesus commanded - He
said, "Go and tell him."
00:51:15.84\00:51:19.17
When you're
injured, "Go and tell him."
00:51:19.77\00:51:21.68
Well I'll call the
pastor, I'll tell the elder,
00:51:21.71\00:51:23.28
I'll call these
people and we'll them first,
00:51:23.31\00:51:24.91
and then... it didn't say that!
00:51:24.95\00:51:26.92
It would save a lot of
problems if we did what
00:51:26.95\00:51:28.45
the Bible said and
even if it be true,
00:51:28.48\00:51:30.95
... you know you
read "5 Testimonies,"
00:51:30.99\00:51:33.12
I think 57 or 58, it says
there, "Even if it's true,
00:51:33.15\00:51:37.99
does not
justify you telling it."
00:51:38.03\00:51:40.30
Well, it's the
truth, so I'm just going
00:51:40.33\00:51:41.90
to go ahead and tell
it. No, it's justify, ever
00:51:41.93\00:51:43.70
because that person
may ask for forgiveness,
00:51:43.73\00:51:45.53
having changed his life...
you destroyed their character.
00:51:45.57\00:51:48.04
We have to be very
careful about trying
00:51:48.07\00:51:49.44
to destroy character.
00:51:49.47\00:51:50.81
Galatians 6:1
should be considered...
00:51:50.84\00:51:53.17
It says simply here,
"If a man be overtaken
00:51:53.21\00:51:56.31
in a fault, ye
which are... what?
00:51:56.34\00:51:58.48
Galatians 6:1-
spiritual, do what...?
00:51:58.51\00:52:02.08
It's been talked about
here. Restore such a one in
00:52:02.12\00:52:05.02
the spirit of
meekness, considering thyself
00:52:05.05\00:52:08.29
less... what?
Thou also be tempted.
00:52:08.32\00:52:11.19
"Desire of Ages,"
p.441, says this about it...
00:52:11.23\00:52:14.10
"For evils that we might
have checked and this is when
00:52:14.13\00:52:16.70
those are impositions
that could stop it, right?
00:52:16.73\00:52:18.90
Let's get started here...
We are just as responsible
00:52:18.93\00:52:22.04
as if we were guilty
of the acts our self."
00:52:22.07\00:52:24.44
You could have stepped
into it, helped to get a rein
00:52:24.47\00:52:29.14
on this thing.
Read that again please.
00:52:29.18\00:52:30.51
It says, "For evils
that we might have checked,
00:52:30.55\00:52:33.11
sometimes we're in a
position, somebody comes
00:52:33.15\00:52:34.72
to you and says, "Well,
Joe Blow did do this..."
00:52:34.75\00:52:36.52
You have the
opportunity... are you with me?
00:52:36.55\00:52:38.95
You have the opportunity
to say, "Wait a minute here,
00:52:38.99\00:52:41.49
why don't we follow
what the Bible says here?"
00:52:41.52\00:52:43.59
But we don't, we go
ahead and we give an ear...
00:52:43.63\00:52:45.66
There's going to be gossipers,
backbiters, talebearers
00:52:45.69\00:52:47.93
or whatever - as
long as they have ears
00:52:47.96\00:52:49.50
that will listen to them.
00:52:49.53\00:52:50.90
If they don't have ears, they
have to shut up and go home.
00:52:50.93\00:52:53.13
Okay... let's go on with that.
00:52:53.17\00:52:55.60
Next word to me is
powerful, (notice this) it says,
00:52:55.64\00:52:58.17
"Go between he and thee
alone," right? That's right.
00:52:58.21\00:53:01.44
Not anybody else,
between he and thee
00:53:01.48\00:53:02.94
alone to settle this issue.
00:53:02.98\00:53:04.31
Every situation (notice
this) where someone is wounded,
00:53:04.35\00:53:08.02
the less publicity that
is given to it, we know it is
00:53:08.05\00:53:11.75
the best thing (notice this)
best... if we talk about it
00:53:11.79\00:53:14.86
to others, what have we done?
00:53:14.89\00:53:16.29
It maybe become impossible
to win that person back
00:53:17.29\00:53:21.03
because they've been
hurt, they've been talked about
00:53:21.06\00:53:22.83
and so they say, "Well
no, I'm the... you know,
00:53:22.86\00:53:25.40
this issue is going to
never be resolved and we realize
00:53:25.43\00:53:28.70
guilt is going to lie at
the door of that one person
00:53:28.74\00:53:31.37
or two people or all those
who were involved that shouldn't
00:53:31.41\00:53:33.48
have been involved - we
have to be very careful.
00:53:33.51\00:53:35.54
We have to realize, we have
to give an account for every
00:53:35.58\00:53:37.88
word, every deed,
everything that we do...
00:53:37.91\00:53:39.75
so this is no exception to
the rule even when we think
00:53:39.78\00:53:42.95
that we are helping someone.
00:53:42.98\00:53:45.12
If the brother doesn't
hear it or admit to the wrongs
00:53:45.15\00:53:48.02
then take two or
three, we read that, with you.
00:53:48.06\00:53:50.53
Those who are not personally
involved as witnesses...
00:53:50.56\00:53:52.96
They are there as witnesses so
00:53:52.99\00:53:55.80
that they can... what?
Say, "I heard this brought to
00:53:55.83\00:53:58.17
the brothers, sisters, so this
doesn't get out of control."
00:53:58.20\00:54:00.27
Two sides to ever disagreement,
we know; two parties
00:54:00.30\00:54:03.24
always involved,
but you know what?
00:54:03.27\00:54:04.97
Most generally, we just
hear one side of the story;
00:54:05.01\00:54:06.98
we sit there and
we sit in judgment;
00:54:07.01\00:54:08.88
and we listen to what we
shouldn't be listening to
00:54:08.91\00:54:10.41
because somebody
said... it was, you know,
00:54:10.45\00:54:12.51
they're accountable, they
wouldn't tell me if it wasn't,"
00:54:12.55\00:54:15.48
And we make a decision -
that's not for us to do at all.
00:54:15.52\00:54:18.95
That's not what
the Bible says to do.
00:54:18.99\00:54:21.26
We're dealing with the destiny
of souls - remember that.
00:54:21.29\00:54:24.99
If that fails, verse
17 says, Go to... what?
00:54:25.03\00:54:27.53
Go to the church,
right? Go to the church and
00:54:27.56\00:54:30.50
tell the church and
then, if he doesn't accept it,
00:54:30.53\00:54:33.57
it says - treat him as... what?
00:54:33.60\00:54:34.94
A heathen, as Gentile or a
publican, or tax collector,
00:54:34.97\00:54:38.67
but notice this...
"Desire of Ages" says
00:54:38.71\00:54:40.38
quickly as I wind it
down, "By refusing the counsel
00:54:40.41\00:54:42.84
of the church, the erring
person has severed himself
00:54:42.88\00:54:46.08
from fellowship." Wow...
00:54:46.11\00:54:48.18
Now see, he severed himself
from fellowship if he refuses,
00:54:48.22\00:54:50.99
"Desire of Ages," p.441,
the counsel of the church.
00:54:51.02\00:54:54.09
Then notice this... The counsel
of the church must be based
00:54:54.12\00:54:56.93
upon the Bible and the word
of God, not just being a group
00:54:56.96\00:55:00.16
that got together and
we decide this is the way
00:55:00.20\00:55:01.66
we're going to do it. Amen!
00:55:01.70\00:55:03.03
But when the counsel of
the church is based upon
00:55:03.06\00:55:05.23
the word of God, we have
to be very, very careful.
00:55:05.27\00:55:07.37
Caution here - we
are out to... what?
00:55:07.40\00:55:10.01
Win him and bring
him back, we know that,
00:55:10.04\00:55:12.44
but notice that
winning back is not the way...
00:55:12.47\00:55:15.04
If it appears that we're
going to, you know, share his
00:55:15.08\00:55:18.65
point-of-view or we're kinda
with him and so on and so forth,
00:55:18.68\00:55:21.75
when we know it's dead
wrong, that's not the way
00:55:21.78\00:55:23.72
you try to win a brother back.
00:55:23.75\00:55:25.22
Make it very obvious that...
we love you, we care for you,
00:55:25.25\00:55:27.92
God loves you, but issues have
to be taken care of and changed.
00:55:27.96\00:55:32.69
A different course of
action, and Jesus says,
00:55:32.73\00:55:35.70
"What's bound on earth,
will be bound in heaven,"
00:55:35.73\00:55:37.83
once again - as long as it
coincides with the word of God!
00:55:37.87\00:55:42.17
And God is going to take care
of it! Man, let's follow that!
00:55:42.20\00:55:44.61
Man, we won't have any
troubles in the church!
00:55:44.64\00:55:46.34
Amen! Boy, Pastor
Kenny, did somebody
00:55:46.37\00:55:48.88
drop some gasoline on
you? Laughter... I love it!
00:55:48.91\00:55:52.21
That was fired up!
Praise the Lord and all
00:55:52.25\00:55:53.98
of the conversations - thank
you Jill, Ryan, Shelley and
00:55:54.02\00:55:57.85
Pastor Kenny and now
Pastor Day, I want to say that
00:55:57.89\00:56:00.79
too because you are
surely an evangelist. Amen!
00:56:00.82\00:56:03.26
And thank you for
taking the time to tune in.
00:56:03.29\00:56:05.83
Jill, just summarize
for me in the time we have,
00:56:05.86\00:56:08.36
and each of you has
the opportunity to do that.
00:56:08.40\00:56:10.17
2 Corinthians 5 talks
about how we are a new creature,
00:56:10.20\00:56:13.74
a new creation in
Christ Jesus and how God
00:56:13.77\00:56:16.60
has reconciled us back
to Himself and it's given
00:56:16.64\00:56:19.77
to us the privilege of extending
that healing reconciling
00:56:19.81\00:56:23.58
ministry to
others. Okay, Ryan...
00:56:23.61\00:56:25.68
I heard a pastor once say
that "If you could sum the Bible
00:56:25.71\00:56:29.75
up in just a couple of
sentences or a few words,
00:56:29.78\00:56:32.09
the Bible is literally
about a God who loves His people
00:56:32.12\00:56:35.59
and is constantly
trying to restore a broken
00:56:35.62\00:56:38.53
relationship with
those people." Amen!
00:56:38.56\00:56:40.53
And I think that is
the most important thing is
00:56:40.56\00:56:42.90
that we need to be
seeking God now more than ever
00:56:42.93\00:56:46.07
than we ever have
before so that we can be
00:56:46.10\00:56:48.27
completely reconciled
with Him. Amen! Shelley...
00:56:48.30\00:56:50.87
Just do yourself a favor,
if you're holding unforgiveness
00:56:50.91\00:56:53.81
in your heart, let
it go, give it to God;
00:56:53.84\00:56:56.44
ask Him to help you
and you will find out
00:56:56.48\00:56:59.65
your life is changed. Amen!
00:56:59.68\00:57:01.42
Pastor Kenny, you
have 10 seconds...
00:57:01.45\00:57:02.78
Yeah, just quickly, we
need to wholly place our self
00:57:02.82\00:57:06.22
on the side of
Christ and all things work
00:57:06.25\00:57:08.36
together for good. Amen! Amen!
00:57:08.39\00:57:10.09
So you've heard it right
here at 3ABN, our Sabbath School
00:57:10.13\00:57:13.23
Lesson Study - remember
whatever you desire that
00:57:13.26\00:57:15.33
people will do to
you, do likewise to them.
00:57:15.36\00:57:18.37
We call that the golden rule,
00:57:18.40\00:57:19.73
so that Christ could
be seen in your heart.
00:57:19.80\00:57:21.77
Join us again the
next time for the study of
00:57:21.80\00:57:23.74
"Unity in
Worship" God bless you.
00:57:23.77\00:57:26.21