Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP190024A
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00:01 The Bible tells us, "In the beginning was the Word,
00:04 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 00:08 It says to, "Receive with meekness 00:10 the implanted Word, 00:12 which is able to save your souls 00:14 and to be diligent to present yourself 00:16 approved to God, 00:18 rightly dividing the Word of truth." 00:21 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:25 Our study today is Family Seasons. 00:33 Hello, we just wanna welcome you 00:35 to our 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:37 I'm Jill Morikone. 00:39 And what a privilege it is 00:40 to study the Word of God together. 00:43 We're getting toward the end of this quarter 00:45 on Family Seasons, 00:47 all dealing with marriage, 00:49 parenting, children, the home, 00:52 and what an incredible study it has been. 00:54 This week is lesson number 11, Families of Faith. 00:58 If you don't have your own copy of the quarterly 01:00 and you're just joining us, 01:01 you can go to the following website, 01:03 ABSG.Adventist.org. 01:07 You can click on that and download your own copy 01:10 or we always encourage you. 01:12 Visit your local Seventh-day Adventist Church 01:15 and join a Bible Study Group 01:17 and study these wonderful truths together 01:20 with likeminded believers. 01:22 At this time, I want to introduce 01:23 our panel to you. 01:25 On my left, Pastor Kenny Shelton, 01:27 always a privilege to study with you. 01:28 Thank you, it's a wonderful opportunity. 01:31 Sitting on his left is my sister Shelley Quinn, 01:33 and thank you for being here. 01:35 My joy. 01:36 Sitting on your left is Pastor Ryan Day, 01:38 and it's always a privilege 01:40 to hear what God has through you as well. 01:42 Amen, it's a blessing to be here. 01:43 And on your left at the end, 01:45 last but not least is our very own pastor, 01:47 Pastor John Lomacang. 01:49 Thank you, Pastor John, 01:50 for your heart for the Word of God. 01:52 Praise the Lord. 01:53 I think we've become a meshed team 01:55 and this is a joy to be able to gather together 01:57 with such spiritual people who study God's Word. 02:00 It's a joy to be here. It is. 02:01 It's a joy to be here 02:03 and it's a joy to have you here as well 02:05 because you are part of the 3ABN family. 02:08 Before we go any further, 02:09 we wanna go to the Lord in prayer 02:10 and, Pastor John, would you pray for us? 02:12 Sure. 02:14 Loving Father in heaven, 02:15 another opportunity to furnish our minds 02:17 with the knowledge of Your Word. 02:19 Lord, we do not take for granted 02:21 that our study is sufficient. 02:23 But we do ask for Your Holy Spirit 02:25 to come in now water our minds with insights 02:28 and understanding that is acceptable 02:31 and only accessible 02:34 through a divine connection. 02:36 We pray for each one of us on this panel 02:37 to speak words of life 02:39 and may the end result be, Your message is delivered, 02:42 and Your name is honored and glorified. 02:44 We pray for clarity and understanding 02:47 in Jesus' name. 02:48 Amen. Amen. 02:50 Thank you so much. 02:51 Last week, we talked about Little Times of Trouble, 02:53 how to handle conflict, anger, abuse, 02:56 all of those things within the family context 02:58 and how God can bring us healing and deliverance. 03:01 This week is Families of Faith. 03:03 How to be families in the midst of cultural differences? 03:07 Now, when you think about culture, 03:09 what is culture? 03:10 Merriam Webster definition of culture 03:13 is, "The customary beliefs, 03:15 social forms, 03:16 and material traits of a racial, 03:18 religious, or social group." 03:21 Now, we have many different types of culture, 03:22 we have what we call a corporate 03:24 or a company culture that would be shown 03:26 in how the company dresses like their dress policy. 03:30 It would be maybe how the offices are designed, 03:32 how they treat their employees 03:34 or the customers, 03:35 you might have popular culture. 03:37 This is activities of citizens such as what you listen to, 03:41 what you read, what you wear, 03:43 and how you speak. 03:45 That might be what we call popular culture. 03:47 There is foreign culture. 03:49 What identifies a foreign country? 03:51 That would be their language, their interests, 03:53 religion, etiquette, and customs. 03:57 When we talk about Christianity and culture, 04:00 there's many different views about the church and culture. 04:04 And there's three different views 04:06 I wanna mention here briefly. 04:07 First would be Christianity against culture. 04:12 That would be Christianity 04:13 and culture are two opposing forms of influence. 04:17 Either the church becomes a bomb shelter 04:19 where the church members hide, as it were, 04:22 from the surrounding influences of culture, 04:25 they're seeking spiritual refuge 04:26 from the siege of culture. 04:28 This would tend maybe a little toward legalism 04:31 and restricting the Christians' influence 04:33 to get out and engage and influence, 04:35 evangelize those. 04:38 There's also Christianity of culture, 04:41 which would be where we rebuild churches 04:43 that simply mirror culture. 04:46 That would be where culture is embraced 04:49 by the Christian 04:50 and creeps into the church, 04:51 but I would submit to you, the right way to look 04:55 at this whole concept of Christianity and culture, 04:58 is Christianity in and for culture. 05:01 What I mean by that is 05:03 we are called to live in the world, 05:04 but not of the world. 05:07 2 Corinthians 5:20. 05:09 "Now then," Pastor Kenny, 05:10 "we are ambassadors for Christ, 05:12 as though God were pleading through us. 05:15 We implore you on Christ's behalf, 05:17 be reconciled to God." 05:19 So we are called to actively 05:21 influence the culture around us, 05:24 not to hide from it, 05:26 but neither to be influenced by it 05:29 and to be changed by it. 05:31 We are called to influence culture 05:33 and the culture of those around us. 05:36 So Sunday we look at hold fast, what is good? 05:41 When you think about Christian missionaries, 05:43 people who go to present the gospel, 05:45 whether it's at home, 05:46 or whether it's in a foreign field, 05:49 we always look at it 05:51 in the midst of cultural context. 05:53 How are you to present the gospel 05:55 in the midst of cultural context? 05:57 We wanna present the gospel without judgment 05:59 with open acceptance 06:01 and a desire for other people to come to Christ. 06:03 But at the same time, 06:05 we have to present the gospel without compromise, 06:09 not accepting unbiblical principles 06:12 and practices that are in the culture 06:14 you're seeking to evangelize. 06:16 So I wanna talk about seven principles 06:19 that guide us 06:20 when evangelizing in the midst of culture. 06:23 Number one, to recognize that the gospel is for everyone. 06:27 The gospel is to go to everyone without restriction. 06:30 We often limit the gospel by class, 06:33 social status, race, ethnicity, 06:37 even intelligence and we say, 06:39 "Oh, we'll present to these people over here." 06:41 You think about the early Christian church. 06:44 They thought the gospel was limited to the Jews, 06:46 did they not? 06:48 And it was not even to be extended to the Gentiles. 06:50 And then the Lord gave Peter a vision, 06:53 remember, of the animals that came down in the sheet, 06:56 and three times he saw that 06:58 and he thought initially, wait a minute, 06:59 are you asking me to eat unclean meats 07:01 and that had nothing to do with the vision. 07:03 It was that God was calling the early Christian church, 07:08 to spread the gospel to everyone, 07:10 not just who they thought the gospel ought to go to. 07:15 Acts 10:34-35. 07:17 "Peter opened his mouth and said, 07:19 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 07:24 But in every nation whoever fears Him 07:26 and works righteousness is accepted by Him." 07:31 So Peter learned that the gospel 07:33 was to go to everyone, 07:34 it is not to be restricted. 07:36 That's right. 07:37 Now the church leaders in Jerusalem 07:39 had a few issues with that 07:40 because they said in Acts Chapter 11, 07:42 they said, "What's going on here, 07:44 Peter, you're mingling with Gentiles 07:46 and you're going in their home. 07:48 You're evangelizing to them." 07:50 So then Peter said in Acts 11:15, 17, 07:55 he said, "As I began to speak," 07:56 Peter saying, as I spoke, "the Holy Spirit fell on them," 08:01 meaning the Gentiles, 08:03 "as upon us at the beginning." 08:04 And then verse 17, 08:06 "If therefore God gave them the same gift 08:08 as He gave us 08:09 when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, 08:11 who is I that I could withstand God?" 08:14 So first the gospel is for everyone. 08:16 Second, when we evangelize, 08:18 we're called to keep Jesus central. 08:21 In all teaching, preaching, and doctrine, 08:24 Jesus is to be the center of everything. 08:28 1 Corinthians 2:2, 08:31 "I determined not to know 08:32 anything among you 08:34 except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 08:38 Sometimes we can get so wrapped up that 08:41 I need to preach the proper doctrine 08:43 of the state of the dead and that is important 08:46 or I need to make sure I'm teaching healthy living 08:48 and that is important. 08:50 But if we don't make Jesus 08:52 the center of every doctrine, 08:55 we lose something very vital. 08:56 That's right. 08:58 Number three, 08:59 understand that my culture or the tradition I grew up in, 09:03 is not to be imposed on other converts to Christianity. 09:07 Think about Acts, 09:08 the early Christian church. 09:10 Turn with me to Acts 15. 09:12 In the early Christian church, 09:13 there was this whole issue of circumcision 09:17 that split the early Christian church, 09:19 namely, did the Gentiles have to be circumcised 09:23 in order to become saved. 09:25 And the church came together 09:27 we call it the Jerusalem Council in AD 49, 09:29 this is in Acts Chapter 15. 09:31 And the leaders and the representatives 09:33 from the area came together to discuss this. 09:36 Did the Jewish Christians have to impose their beliefs 09:41 which was circumcision on other people? 09:44 Did they have to be circumcised in order to be saved? 09:47 And the council decided in Acts 15:28-29. 09:50 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, 09:52 and to us, to lay upon you 09:54 no greater burden than these necessary things, 09:58 that you abstain from things offered to idols, 10:00 from blood, from things strangled, 10:02 and from sexual immorality." 10:03 The council decided 10:05 they did not have to be circumcised 10:06 in order to become Christians or in order to be saved. 10:09 But there were still certain things, 10:11 Pastor Kenny, that they were supposed to hold to. 10:14 That reminded them that they came out of idol worship, 10:17 that they came out of that paganism, 10:19 that they were to worship the one true God. 10:22 Number four, 10:24 remain true to the teachings of the Word of God. 10:27 Yes. 10:29 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 10:30 I'll give you several scripture references here in a hurry. 10:33 "Test all things, hold fast what is good." 10:37 That's right. 10:38 Ephesians 4:14, 10:40 "That we should no longer be children, 10:42 tossed to and fro 10:44 and carried about with every wind of doctrine, 10:47 by the trickery of men, 10:48 in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting." 10:51 And Isaiah 8:20, 10:53 we are to test and prove everything what? 10:56 "To the law and to the testimony! 10:58 If they do not speak according to this word, 11:01 it is because there is no light in them." 11:05 So we are called to be sensitive 11:08 to the culture of the people with which we communicate, 11:10 but at the same time, 11:11 we cannot alter, or watered down, 11:14 or change the truth found in the Word of God. 11:18 Amen. 11:20 We have to be true to biblical principles. 11:23 Number five, we're called to evangelize 11:25 with a love for souls. 11:27 You know, 11:29 I don't know about you, 11:30 but I have heard preachers 11:31 and I have sat under the tutelage, now, 11:33 Pastor John, of preachers 11:37 who evangelize and they spoke the truth, 11:40 but there was no love for the people 11:41 with which they spoke. 11:43 There was this sense of harshness and judgment, 11:47 which the truth and the Word of God is true 11:50 and we need to follow that, 11:52 but it needs to be coupled 11:53 and presented with our love for other people. 11:57 Ephesians 4:15, 11:59 "Speaking the truth and love, 12:01 that we may grow up in all things into Him 12:03 who is the head even Christ. 12:05 So we're called to speak the truth. 12:07 Yes, but to speak it with a love for souls. 12:10 Number six, 12:12 preach with boldness and without fear. 12:16 Romans 1:16 Paul says, 12:18 "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, 12:21 for it is the power of God 12:23 to salvation for everyone who believes, 12:26 to the Jew first and also for the Greek." 12:29 The gospel is to go to everyone 12:31 and we do not need to be ashamed 12:33 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 12:34 We do not need to be ashamed of the truth 12:37 found in the Word of God. 12:38 We do not need to be ashamed 12:40 to go out and to speak a word in season 12:42 to your neighbors, to your family, 12:44 to your community, to your co-workers. 12:48 Don't be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. 12:51 And sometimes I think we, 12:53 you think about Peter, and John, and the disciples 12:56 when Jesus was arrested, 12:57 remember, in the garden, 12:58 what did they do? 13:00 They fled. They were terrified. 13:01 But then we get down to, is it Acts Chapter 4 13:03 when they're arrested and remember what happened? 13:06 They said, 13:08 "We ought to obey God," rather than men 13:11 when they were hauled in before the Sanhedrin. 13:14 And then they looked at them and they said, 13:16 "Are these the disciples?" 13:17 Like they were amazed 13:19 'cause they knew that they had been with Jesus. 13:21 Jesus enabled them to preach with boldness. 13:24 Jesus enabled them to preach without fear. 13:26 Finally, number seven, 13:28 understand that you answer to God, 13:30 not to men. 13:32 So when we evangelize, 13:34 we don't answer to other people. 13:35 We are called to answer to God alone. 13:40 Don't answer to those in the pew or try to just... 13:43 Okay, I'm gonna share what I think they want to hear. 13:47 We are called to answer to God. 13:48 1 Thessalonians 2:4, 13:51 "As we have been approved by God 13:52 to be entrusted with the gospel, 13:54 even so we speak, 13:56 not as pleasing men, 13:59 but God who tests our hearts." 14:01 Pastor Kenny. Amen. 14:03 Praise the Lord, what a good foundation is set. 14:06 And in that foundation I'm gonna use as a springboard 14:08 if that's all right to do that 14:10 because we're looking at the Monday's lesson, 14:13 which is the power of culture in the family. 14:16 Right. 14:17 And I think we maybe hopefully you all experienced that 14:19 in a good way 14:21 'cause there is an influence in the family 14:22 and culture is certainly there. 14:24 And I've often said this, none of us live in a vacuum. 14:28 You know, we're out here in the world, 14:29 a lot of mixture, a lot of different things, 14:31 you know, in the world is going on 14:33 that would influence our minds and our hearts. 14:35 We are influenced by culture, there's no doubt about it. 14:41 By the way we were raised, 14:43 the place that we were raised, 14:45 what our families thought, 14:47 how they, what they taught in law that we picked up 14:50 and maybe never even realized 14:52 we've picked up on some of these things, 14:53 and maybe even later had to be corrected 14:55 a little bit on that. 14:58 As Jill mentioned about the definitions 15:00 that I looked up to and define, 15:01 I said, you know, this is really 15:03 simply dealing with, notice this, 15:05 the mind, manners, 15:08 this is all deal with school culture, 15:10 our taste, and our skills, 15:12 wherever they might be arts, institutions, 15:14 okay, you know, value gender 15:16 could be all kinds of things that we are influenced 15:19 under what we would call culture. 15:21 And this is given, you know, 15:23 I think it needs to be boiled down 15:25 to where it becomes very simple for us. 15:28 Culture consists in our beliefs, 15:31 we need to be strong in our beliefs 15:33 that you're bringing out and what we believe in. 15:35 It has to do with our behavior, 15:38 just objects or other characteristics 15:43 is simply things that certain groups of people do, 15:45 that's the culture. 15:47 Seven elements are listed down as culture elements. 15:51 Here seven of them 15:53 and you can go and springboard any 15:54 which way you want to do with it. 15:56 Social organizations, there's lot of culture in that. 16:00 Customs, and traditions, religion, 16:02 and language, and arts, and literature, 16:05 forms of government, 16:06 a lot of that goes on in there, 16:08 economic status and so on systems. 16:11 And I think with all that said, 16:12 just simply just to confuse the mind, 16:14 we make it very easy here. 16:16 Culture is a word for a way of life, 16:18 leave to me that it's a way of life, 16:20 the way again we were brought up, 16:21 what we believe is truth and right. 16:23 Meaning that's the way that we do things. 16:26 And it does have an impression on us. 16:27 I know it has me in my upbringing 16:30 in the community, 16:31 and where I was raised. 16:33 The message that God has given us 16:35 has been mentioned here, we're here to go, what? 16:37 With our message we're to go into all the world 16:40 in Matthew 28:19. 16:42 And it says, "Go and teach all nations." 16:45 That means go into all the world. 16:46 So there's gonna be cultural differences. 16:49 People are going to think a little bit different 16:51 around the world. 16:52 But I like what you brought out 16:53 there is we're not to compromise our message 16:56 that God has given to us 16:57 regardless of wherever we are at in the world, 17:00 and to me, that become my challenge 17:03 because they will say, you open the Bible. 17:05 Here's what it said. 17:07 They said, "Yeah, but here in our country, 17:08 we do not believe that way." 17:10 And I've had that to happen several different occasions 17:13 in different countries. 17:15 And, you know, I don't know how else to come back to them, 17:17 except certainly I'll say, you know, 17:21 my responses I just, you know, 17:23 what we do is go to the Word of God, 17:25 and the Word of God tells us what the truth is. 17:27 And then I told one person, I said, 17:29 we should have the same Bible, 17:31 you should be reading out the same word. 17:32 So really what applies in one country 17:34 should apply to everybody. 17:35 I realize there's culture 17:36 that we cannot take that my opinion 17:38 over thus saith the Lord. 17:41 In Genesis 18:19, 17:44 and our lesson is very, very, very powerful. 17:46 Oh, is it powerful. 17:47 It's full of information that we need today. 17:51 We began to realize the power of culture here 17:54 in Genesis 18:19, notice this, 17:57 and it says, "For I know him, "who's speaking here? 18:01 God. God is speaking here. 18:02 He said, "I know him, 18:04 that he will command his children 18:06 and his household after him, 18:08 they shall keep the way of the Lord, 18:10 to do justice and," what? 18:12 And judgment, yeah, 18:13 "that the Lord may bring up on Abraham 18:16 that which he has spoken of him." 18:19 Wouldn't that be wonderful? 18:20 And just blessing up today when you think about 18:22 that God looks at me, 18:23 or you, or anybody in here and He said, "I know him. 18:25 I know her. 18:27 And I know I can trust them." 18:28 And I mentioned many times for I pray 18:30 that God help me to be trustworthy. 18:32 Amen. 18:34 And help me be trustworthy. 18:35 I want to be, I want to, inside of God it's important. 18:38 Abraham's duty then was to what? 18:40 To pass on that which he knew was right. 18:43 His duty were duty as parents, 18:45 you know, as overseers is to pass on 18:47 what we understand is truth about God. 18:51 Again, not pass on a custom necessarily, 18:53 but pass on the truth of God's Word. 18:55 That's right. 18:57 We have responsibilities, same responsibility, 18:59 as Abraham had here to our family, 19:01 we have it to our friends, we have it to 3ABN family, 19:04 you know, everybody out there, 19:05 we have that responsibility to do it. 19:07 We have to be praying for them to be interceding for them. 19:11 And for our certainly our family 19:14 because we serve a God, 19:15 serve Jesus, praise God, in Hebrews, 19:16 was it 7:25 that says, 19:18 "He's ever makes intercession for," what? 19:20 "Us." For us. 19:22 He's making intercession for us. 19:23 We need to be interceding 19:25 in my opinion for other folks too. 19:26 You can do that, praise God, 19:27 instead of just ourself all the time. 19:29 Abraham then could be what? 19:30 He could be trusted to instruct his family. 19:33 Notice this, in theory, notice this, 19:36 and in practice of religious virtues. 19:40 He wanted, notice this, he wanted them to know 19:43 and not only to know but to do. 19:45 This is important. 19:47 We know, we know, we know I hear that all time. 19:48 Well, I know, I know, I know, but are we doing. 19:50 It's very, very important to do the Word of God. 19:54 He wanted to show them to know these things, you know. 19:57 God can trust Abraham. 20:01 Abraham trusted God. 20:03 And Abraham did this to his family, 20:05 I think, did he not? 20:06 He said he commanded his family. 20:08 I don't think he was bossy about it, did you? 20:09 I know, you know, when you think about command, 20:12 you think well, he is bossy and he's telling what to do. 20:14 He's gonna put it into an order with his family. 20:17 I don't think he's being bossy at all. 20:18 I think he's been simple and he's been very clear. 20:21 He mingled firmness with love 20:23 as he presented these principles to his family. 20:27 Abraham would do his God given responsibility. 20:31 Notice this, he would do it 20:32 regardless of where he was at 20:35 or who he was around. 20:36 That's very important. 20:38 We talked about culture 20:39 because we have the tendency, 20:41 now we have the pressure sometime to fall 20:42 just a little bit 20:43 when we're around another group, 20:45 we may be the only one that feels this way, 20:46 so on so forth, 20:48 and like say we've been in those situations, 20:50 and we wanna handle it the right way, 20:52 you know, with love and consideration 20:54 and to realize that some of these thing culture strong, 20:57 but the Word of God is stronger. 20:59 We have to continue to lean on that. 21:02 So remember, where we were, what was the Daniel, 21:04 you know, what was it? 21:06 You know, in captivity, what did he do? 21:08 He threw the window open, he prayed. 21:09 The culture where he was at, that's not what you do. 21:12 And even when that law was passed, 21:14 he still did it anyway. 21:15 And so he had to follow the Lord. 21:17 Abraham could be trusted by God. 21:20 Our lesson gives several passages we could look at, 21:22 we won't have time to do that. 21:23 But they asked this question I think is valid. 21:25 What ways did God, 21:27 or did culture impact family life? 21:30 And then what principles can we learn from them? 21:33 Genesis 16:13, quickly Genesis 16. 21:37 Sorry, 1-3. 21:39 It was Sarah. 21:40 Remember, Sarah, 21:41 we know the whole story been on many, many times. 21:43 So we're just gonna run over quickly. 21:44 Here, Sarah, being barren. 21:46 What did she do? 21:48 She goes gives Hagar to Abraham. 21:50 She's gonna help God, right? 21:51 Like we do a lot of times. 21:53 The faith of Abraham and Sarah 21:54 had been consistent and constant for 10 years. 21:58 So when you're praying for something, 21:59 and 10 years passed by and all of a sudden, 22:01 it's not happening, 22:03 sometime we wanna try to help God. 22:05 We don't need to do that. 22:06 But certainly this was under divine appointment. 22:09 God allowed time to go by 22:12 because he's gonna test his servants, 22:14 as He always does. 22:15 He's gonna test Sarah, 22:16 He's gonna test Abraham in doing though. 22:19 But what did she do? 22:20 Sarah went right back to her culture. 22:24 She went right back to where she was raised, 22:27 Mesopotamia Valley, remember, 22:29 they recognize that practice, if you were barren, 22:31 and you could not bear children, 22:33 it was okay to get someone 22:35 they call them in get your servant 22:36 or you get your slave, bring them in 22:38 and have children and so on so forth. 22:40 But they even had signed documents, 22:42 so there'd be no backing out later 22:44 when the child was born to say, 22:45 well, that's mine, so on so forth. 22:47 So what did she do? 22:49 She went back to culture, 22:51 she went back to the way that she was raised 22:53 and that was acceptable practice 22:56 there and then, 22:57 but notice what the results would be? 22:58 What was the result? 23:00 Were they wonderful and glorious and man, 23:01 we can do our own thing now. 23:03 No, the results were disastrous. 23:05 There was suffering and disappointment. 23:08 Instead of, a blessing, 23:10 there was a curse 23:12 because we didn't want to do it God's way. 23:14 Well, you know, we, 23:16 there's many things we can go over right now. 23:18 But I just, I really believe right now, 23:20 that as we look at Abraham, 23:22 with the life of Abraham, Father, the faithful, 23:24 I think God calls us to be faithful. 23:26 Regardless of culture, 23:28 regardless of where you're born, 23:29 regardless of what everybody says, 23:31 this is what we do here. 23:32 Just as been said already here, 23:33 go back, you know, 23:35 please go back to the Word of God. 23:36 Just go right back, 23:37 wherever you're at in the world and said, 23:39 "What does God say on this?" 23:41 You may be going against your family. 23:44 May be good friends, and so on and so forth. 23:46 But it's all right, you have God on your side. 23:48 And if you follow 23:50 what the God's Word says right here, 23:51 there'll be no disastrous ending. 23:53 It will be exactly the way that God intended for it to be 23:57 and a blessing will come your way 23:59 and not a curse. 24:01 Rely upon God's Word, 24:02 thankful for culture and difference in people 24:04 but God says, "Follow Me." 24:06 Amen. Amen. 24:07 Thank you so much, Pastor Kenny, 24:09 what a sobering challenge. 24:10 But what a promise we have as well. 24:12 We're gonna take a break. 24:14 We'll be right back. 24:20 Ever wish you could watch 24:21 a 3ABN Sabbath School Panel again, 24:23 or share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? 24:26 Well, you can by visiting 3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com. 24:32 A clean design makes it easy 24:34 to find the program you're looking for. 24:36 There are also links to the Adult Bible Study Guide, 24:39 so you can follow along. 24:41 Sharing is easy. 24:43 Just click share and choose your favorite social media. 24:46 Share a link, save a life for eternity. 24:53 Welcome back to our study, 24:54 A Families of Faith 24:55 and we'll pick it up for, Shelley, 24:57 you have Tuesday's lesson. 24:58 I do. 24:59 And it's called Sustaining Families 25:01 through the Seasons of Change. 25:04 So what we want to look at, first of all, 25:06 there's only one thing that's constant in life 25:09 and that is change. 25:10 It is inevitable. 25:12 It is inescapable. 25:14 Sometimes change comes. 25:17 And it is kind of a predictable passage 25:21 through life cycles. 25:23 Maybe you've had a career change, 25:25 maybe you've had, your kids have grown up, 25:27 and they've gone to college or gone and moved out. 25:31 You've got an empty nest, 25:32 maybe you're going through a move 25:36 or perhaps aging and death. 25:40 These are predictable, 25:42 but sometimes change is unpredictable. 25:45 You have a sudden onset of a life threatening illness 25:49 or an accident, 25:51 or there's a war or there's a disaster, 25:55 you've got a flood or a tornado, 25:57 and boy, when these kinds of things happen, 26:00 they can knock us off balance. 26:03 It can just absolutely, 26:04 it interrupts the rhythm of our life 26:07 say a divorce, 26:08 it interrupts the rhythm of our life. 26:11 And we don't, we're kind of have, 26:14 you know, insecurities about the future. 26:17 And Satan takes advantage of these times. 26:22 He tries to get us to doubt God's Word. 26:26 And we can become spiritually strained 26:32 is the word that I'm going to use. 26:35 So just remember this, stress and worry kills. 26:39 I mean, all the medical teams say that nowadays 26:42 all the research. 26:44 Stress and worry is a killer. 26:46 But when you put your faith in God, 26:49 God's Word can be like a healing medicine to you. 26:51 Let's look at Matthew 6:25. 26:54 In Matthew 6:25, 26:57 we've Jesus speaking and He says, 26:59 "I say to you, 27:01 do not worry about your life." 27:05 Then jump down to verse 33. 27:08 He said, instead of worry, do this, 27:10 "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 27:15 then all of these other things that you're worried about, 27:18 they're gonna be added to you. 27:19 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, 27:21 for tomorrow will worry about its own things. 27:25 Sufficient for the day is the trouble thereof." 27:30 So just remember this, 27:32 your circumstances are not too much for God. 27:36 That's right. Don't worry, He's... 27:37 You know, He's got a plan 27:40 and depending on the way you change, 27:45 excuse me, depending on the way you handle 27:48 or face your challenge, 27:50 you can either handle it without God, 27:53 and the experiences will lead to stress and anxiety 27:57 or if you're handling it with God, 28:01 you can grow in your spiritual life. 28:05 Just remember His faithfulness 28:07 and you won't be overwhelmed by 28:10 and incapacitated by your emotions. 28:13 So we've studied this scripture several times, 28:16 Proverbs 3:5-6. 28:18 That's right. 28:19 What does it say? Trust in the Lord. 28:21 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 28:24 lean not on your own understanding." 28:26 Well, if you're not gonna lean on your understanding, 28:28 whose are you going to lean on? 28:30 You're gonna lean on what the Word of God says. 28:33 This gives us an understanding of God's mind, 28:37 of His love, of His attitude. 28:40 So we have to remember 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, 28:43 "All of God's promises are Yes and Amen in Jesus Christ." 28:47 And when you come to Him and lean on Him, 28:49 you can hold on to Isaiah 26:3, 28:54 "That if you keep your mind focused on trusting in Him, 28:59 He will give you perfect peace." 29:02 That's right. 29:04 So in the face of difficulty, bereavement or sorrow, 29:08 just listen for the Savior's voice, 29:11 saying, "Let not your hearts be troubled, 29:15 come to Jesus." 29:17 Now our lesson points to some traumatic changes 29:21 that several people went through. 29:22 It talks about some interesting changes. 29:26 I've chosen, we're gonna look at Abraham, 29:28 from the lesson. 29:30 And let me tell you something, 29:31 whatever sacrifice God ever asks you to make. 29:34 His promises will always outweigh 29:38 any sacrifice we make. 29:39 So let's look at Genesis 12:1. 29:43 Abraham, Genesis 12:1, 29:46 the Lord said at this time, his name was Abram, 29:50 his name had not been changed. 29:52 He said to Abram, "Get out." 29:54 Actually, that's just one word in the Hebrew, 29:57 Go, Go 29:59 and blessing is on the go. 30:01 "So go out of your country, 30:04 from your family, from your father's house, 30:06 to a land I will show you." 30:08 So it's a one verb command, 30:10 go. 30:12 And there's four aspects to it, 30:14 you're going out from your land, 30:16 your relatives, your father's house, 30:17 to a land chosen by God. 30:19 And, you know, in Hebrews Chapter 11, 30:21 the faith chapter, 30:23 what does it say about Abraham? 30:24 So Abraham was called, 30:27 and he answered that call, 30:31 and it said that he was, he left, he went out, 30:35 not knowing where he was going. 30:37 Wow, no wonder he's called the father of the faith. 30:41 Think about that. 30:42 He had no idea where God even wanted him to go, 30:44 but he knew God was saying go. 30:48 So Abraham's obedience, let's look at Genesis 12:2. 30:53 They receives a seven-fold blessing, 30:57 something much better than his sacrifice. 31:01 Let's look at this. 31:03 God says, "First, I will make you a great nation. 31:05 Second, I will bless you. 31:07 Third, I'll make your name great. 31:08 Fourth, you shall be a blessing. 31:12 Fifth, I will bless those who bless you. 31:14 Sixth, I will curse those who curse you. 31:17 And then number seven, which is the greatest of all, 31:20 in you, all the families of the earth 31:24 shall be blessed." 31:25 What a blessing! 31:27 You know, in Genesis 3:15, 31:28 when God talked about the seed of the woman, 31:32 guess what? 31:33 God tagged Abraham 31:36 because He knew he would instruct his family. 31:38 And He said, "Hey, 31:40 the seed is gonna come through you, dude." 31:43 I mean, how exciting. 31:46 And, you know, 31:47 anytime God asks us to do something, 31:49 His biddings are His enablings. 31:52 That's right. 31:54 So here's the point I want to make for you. 31:57 God's covenant blessings to Abraham are assured 32:02 to the future generations. 32:05 If you are a Christian, listen what the Bible says. 32:09 Let's turn there. 32:11 Galatians 3:29. 32:16 I just absolutely love this. 32:19 And I'm going to read it from the Amplified. 32:23 And the Bible says, 32:24 Galatians 3:29, 32:27 "If you belong to Christ, 32:30 if you're in Him, 32:32 who is Abraham's seed," right? 32:36 Then you're Abraham's offspring. 32:38 That's right. 32:39 Woo! 32:41 "And your spiritual heirs according to the promise." 32:45 That's right. Yes. 32:46 Woo! Amen. 32:48 That gets me so excited. That's great news. 32:50 I am, you know, 32:53 when the covenant promises were made, 32:55 God made a covenant with Abraham. 32:58 He renewed the covenant with his son, Isaac 33:01 because he says, "Hey Abraham was obedient, 33:03 did everything I said, I'm gonna renew it with you." 33:05 Then He renews the covenant with Jacob, 33:08 who is also called Israel. 33:10 So you see, God called 33:12 that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 33:15 or the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. 33:18 Guess what? 33:20 He's a God of Shelley Quinn too. 33:21 He's a God of you if you're in Christ. 33:24 So change brings inevitable interruptions. 33:29 We can't get around them, 33:30 the rhythm of our life has changed. 33:33 And sometimes, yes, 33:34 it can bring in unexpected insecurities and uncertainties. 33:38 But when unusual circumstances invade our life, 33:42 we've got to trust God and know that 33:45 He knows what He's doing. 33:47 And we have to stop resisting 33:50 when needs interruptions change. 33:52 We need to become like Abraham and say, "Yes, Lord, 33:55 we're gonna yield to Your leading 33:58 and look to Him, walk in obedience, 34:01 and ask the Lord to give you the same resolve," 34:05 as Abraham's to surrender 34:09 that yourself to God's plan. 34:12 You know, 34:13 He uses interruptions in our life, 34:16 to achieve things that are so much greater 34:21 than we can ever conceive. 34:23 And who knows what He has in store for you? 34:26 You don't know unless you yield it to Him 34:29 seeking His face in prayer, 34:32 and God will sustain your family 34:34 through seasons of change. 34:36 Praise God. Hallelujah. 34:40 Woo! My goodness, Praise the Lord. 34:43 Well, you know, what I got to continue on that energy. 34:46 You got to keep that energy going. 34:48 So my lesson is entitled, 34:49 this is Wednesday's lessons entitled, 34:51 Toward a First-generation Faith. 34:53 And I have to say, just considering 34:55 what the rest of you have said before me 34:58 and set this up perfectly because this particular lesson 35:02 I can tell you would kind of step on some toes 35:05 because there's a mentality and that's not, you know, 35:09 I'm not going into with that mentality of purposely 35:11 trying to offend someone 35:12 when we never want to offend anyone. 35:14 But, you know, the truth of the matter is Jesus 35:16 said that the gospel sometimes cuts, 35:18 sometimes the truth needs to be spoken plain. 35:21 And, you know, this particular lesson 35:23 toward a first-generation faith. 35:25 When I first read that, I was like, 35:27 where are they going with this? 35:28 And then as I got into the lesson, I thought, 35:29 oh, wow, this is truth. 35:32 And so what I would like to do is I wanna jump right 35:34 into the Book of Joshua Chapter 2, 35:37 this is gonna kind of set the tone 35:38 for what it is that we're talking about here, 35:41 Joshua Chapter 2, 35:42 so I'm not gonna read probably 35:44 the entire passage here, 35:48 but beginning with verse 7. 35:49 If you continue to read verses 7 through 9, 35:53 you will see that it's basically 35:54 explaining that Joshua had lived all of his days. 35:57 Now he has died and of course, 35:59 under the leadership and the influence of Joshua, 36:03 he was a spirit-filled man, 36:04 he continued to bring the truth 36:06 and to lead the children of Israel 36:08 in the ways of the Lord. 36:10 But often as we know, 36:11 sometimes when the patriarch of the family or the church, 36:15 you know, passes on, 36:17 some changes tend to take place. 36:18 And that's exactly what we find here 36:20 in Joshua Chapter 2, 36:22 beginning I'm gonna start reading with verse 10 here. 36:24 Notice what the Bible says. 36:25 It says, "When all that generation 36:27 had been gathered to their fathers, 36:30 another generation arose after them 36:33 who did not know the Lord 36:35 nor the work 36:36 which He had done for Israel." 36:38 Okay. But we're in verse 10. 36:40 What did I say? Did I say verse 10? 36:42 You're in Judges 2:10. 36:45 Oh, my... Did I say Joshua? 36:47 Oh, I so apologize. 36:49 No, I made that, I kept the note wrong, 36:50 I apologize. 36:52 Well, that sometimes that happens, I guess. 36:54 My fault, I wanna correct myself, 36:55 Judges Chapter 2. 36:57 We're not in Joshua, 36:59 Judges Chapter 2 starting with verse 10. 37:01 I apologize for that, I made the wrong note here. 37:03 "When all that generation..." 37:05 Let's read that again, " When all that generation 37:06 had been gathered to their fathers, 37:07 another generation arose after them 37:09 who did not know the Lord 37:11 nor the work which He had done for Israel. 37:14 Verse 11, 37:15 "Then the children of Israel did evil 37:17 in the sight of the Lord, 37:18 and served the Baals, 37:20 and they," noticed, 37:22 "forsook the Lord God of their fathers, 37:25 who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, 37:26 and they," notice, "followed other gods 37:30 from among the gods of the people 37:31 who were all around them." 37:33 Okay? 37:34 And he goes on to say, "And they bowed down to them, 37:36 and they provoked the Lord to anger. 37:37 They forsook the Lord and served Baal 37:39 and the Ashtoreths." 37:40 You see this common theme through the history of Israel. 37:43 It's almost like Israel comes to the Lord 37:45 and then they break up with God. 37:46 They come to the Lord and they break up with God. 37:48 They come to the Lord, they break up with God 37:49 and there's kind of this yo-yo effect going on. 37:52 And usually, it's in, 37:53 it's between periods in times of change 37:56 when leadership is coming and going, 37:58 during inter periods of change. 38:00 But what struck me here is that it says 38:02 that they did not, 38:04 there was a generation that came 38:05 that did not know the Lord 38:06 and you have to ask the question, how? 38:08 Why? Why did that happen? 38:09 And then it says here in verse 11, 38:11 I believe it is. 38:12 No, verse 12, 38:14 "They followed the gods 38:15 from among the gods of the people 38:16 who were all around them." 38:18 You wanna talk about culture. 38:21 You know, talking about the sons of God 38:22 versus the daughters of men, 38:24 you see this, 38:25 this contrasting throughout the Bible, 38:28 the sons of God had begin to abandon the faith, 38:32 the original first generation faith, 38:34 and they begin to turn to the daughters of men, 38:36 the world, 38:38 that's a representation of the world, 38:39 and they begin to incorporate all of the worldly cultures 38:41 and practices. 38:43 And so now over a period of time, 38:45 change takes place and it's not a positive change. 38:47 In fact, we often see this many times 38:50 and I just have to say this it often happens in churches, 38:53 we see when we study history of churches. 38:56 For instance, you can go and study 38:57 all different kinds of denominations, 38:59 I'm not gonna name any, 39:00 but I'm just, you could get what I'm saying. 39:02 All these different wonderful denominations, 39:04 mighty men and women 39:05 who stood up to proclaim the truth. 39:06 But as you look throughout the history 39:08 over a period of time, 39:09 several generations down, 39:11 you start to see a change take place, 39:14 culture comes in, the times do change, 39:17 but the Lord never changes. 39:18 So we have to stick to the Word of God. 39:20 Studies of values and beliefs in organizations 39:24 such as churches 39:26 are transmitted to subsequent generations 39:29 show that the founders 39:31 have very high levels of commitment 39:33 to the beliefs. 39:34 They were, notice, the ones who first championed them, 39:38 within a generation or two, 39:40 many of them lose sight of the principles 39:41 behind the values. 39:43 Wow. 39:44 They may go along with the organization. 39:46 But often from habit, 39:48 and subsequent generations 39:50 habits tend to crystallize into traditions. 39:54 The founder's passion is no longer present 39:57 and, you know, I have to just speak 39:58 on behalf of even 40:00 there's a lot of people even in our own church, 40:01 Seventh-day Adventism that, 40:03 you know, there's many people that believe in, 40:05 you know, sticking to the founding 40:08 message of our fathers, 40:09 and we absolutely should. 40:11 But some people again, come with a spirit of, 40:13 you know, it's not in a loving way. 40:15 I believe 100%, 40:16 I just want to say for the record, 40:17 we need to get back to the message 40:19 that God gave us 40:21 as a Seventh-day Adventist in the beginning. 40:23 But we also have to treat this message, 40:25 we have to deliver it with love 40:28 because while generations have come and gone, 40:30 and as while things have changed. 40:33 It is the Word of God and the Holy Spirit alone 40:35 that can change the hearts of the people. 40:37 We don't have that power. 40:38 We deliver the word 40:40 and we let the Holy Spirit do its work. 40:42 Everyone must have, okay, this is important. 40:45 Everyone must have a personal experience with the Lord. 40:48 Amen. 40:49 Everyone must have their own 40:51 daily personal relationship with God. 40:54 And I'm kind of feet you know, kind of turn this now, 40:57 in the fact that now that we see 40:58 that these newer generations have taken on a change, 41:02 as many of them are still in the church, 41:04 many of them are still going through the motions, 41:06 they're still going through all of the... 41:09 I guess you could say the rules and the ways of life 41:12 that these previous generations have set in place, 41:15 but their heart and their minds not in it, 41:16 they're just going through the motions. 41:18 We need to preach a gospel that tells people that, 41:20 you know what? 41:21 My experience is not your experience. 41:23 You can't live for the Lord 41:25 through how I have lived for the Lord, 41:26 you need to have your own personal experience 41:28 according to the principles of God's Word. 41:31 Just want to give you a few texts here, 41:32 John 1:12-13. 41:35 Notice what the Bible says, 41:36 "But as many as received Him, 41:39 to them He gave the right to become," notice, 41:42 "children of God," but how is that? 41:45 "To those who believe in his name, 41:47 who were born," notice "not of blood, 41:51 nor of the will of the flesh, 41:53 nor of the will of man," 41:54 there's that, "but of God." 41:57 So you have to be born of God 41:59 in order to have this experience, 42:01 in order to stick to that first generation faith, 42:04 of course, that's founded on scripture. 42:06 John 3:7, 42:08 Jesus says to Nicodemus, 42:09 "Do not marvel that I say to you, 42:10 'You must be born again.'" 42:13 Christ says, everyone has to have their experience. 42:15 I can't be saved based off the experience 42:17 that Shelley has had. 42:19 She can share the Lord with me but at the end of the day, 42:21 I have to take those principles, 42:22 I have to take that life changing truth, 42:24 I have to allow the Lord 42:25 to speak it into my heart and life, 42:27 and I have to have a daily personal 42:28 relationship with Him. 42:30 And it may not be the same 42:31 exact experience that Shelley has had, 42:33 or that Kenny has had. 42:35 1 John 5:1, 42:36 "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, 42:40 and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him 42:44 who is begotten of Him." 42:46 So one must be born again to be a child of God. 42:48 We just want to establish that very clearly. 42:50 One must have a personal transformative experience 42:53 with God daily. 42:54 And I just want to emphasize that daily 42:56 because salvation is not a onetime thing, 42:58 it's not a prayer or moment where, you know, 43:00 as just as I'm is playing in the background, 43:02 you walk down out now and you say a prayer 43:04 and, you know, so you've been told that now 43:06 you have gotten saved, 43:08 that you may be saved in that moment 43:09 and maybe in a saving relationship. 43:11 You have to continue that daily, my friends. 43:13 It has to be a daily moment by moment thing. 43:16 There are three common reasons I believe 43:19 why future generations abandon the faith. 43:20 And I want to go through this very, very quickly. 43:23 The elders, the parents, the family, 43:26 simply tell the children what they should believe. 43:29 Proverbs 22:6, 43:31 we've read this many times, 43:32 "Train up a child in the way that he or they should go, 43:35 and when he is old, 43:37 he will not depart from it." 43:38 Now notice the word it says, "Train up a child," 43:40 doesn't say necessarily go tell, 43:41 you can train someone 43:43 but a good trainer is not just 43:44 going to tell you how to do the job, 43:45 they're gonna show it. 43:47 They're gonna be that example. 43:48 My dad was a pro... 43:50 He's a professional welder, and you know, 43:51 and when he's teaching someone to weld, 43:53 he's not gonna just tell you how to do it, 43:54 he's going to show you how to do it 43:56 when he's training someone to weld. 43:58 Number two, belonging to a church with rich history 44:00 and a rich religious dogma. 44:02 In other words, I've been in the church all my life. 44:04 This is the church my grandparents grew up in, 44:06 my great grandparents, my mom, my dad, 44:08 and so I'm a member of this church, 44:09 therefore I must be saved. 44:11 Not necessarily. 44:12 You have to have a personal relationship. 44:14 John 3:9-10, 44:16 "Nicodemus answered and said to Him, 44:18 'How can these things be?' 44:19 And Jesus said to him, 'Look, 44:20 are you not a teacher of Israel, 44:22 do not know these things.' 44:23 " He was in the church, 44:24 He had the experience 44:26 and was going through the motions, 44:27 but He did not have an experience for himself. 44:29 And lastly, number three, 44:30 the children simply don't see a change 44:32 in parents and family, 44:34 therefore they struggle believing. 44:35 Ephesians 6:4, 44:37 "And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger 44:39 but bring them up in discipline 44:41 and instruction of the Lord." 44:43 Find Jesus Christ yourself in the Word 44:47 and let Him transform you personally day by day. 44:50 Amen. 44:52 I always love this Thursday's spot 44:54 'cause I'm just like, I'm like the guy 44:56 that's cleaning the table after you finish eating. 44:59 Lot of crumbs you left that are really good. 45:01 Mine is Thursday, 45:03 June 13, 21st century runners. 45:09 And I like the fact that it's 21st century 45:10 because there's an illusion there 45:12 that I'm gonna not ignore. 45:14 Now the lesson, I believe, on Thursday talks about 45:18 how the gospel ought to affect you. 45:22 It ought not just be something you receive intellectually, 45:25 it ought to transform you. 45:27 Amen. That's right. 45:28 Not inform you. 45:29 There's so many people, 45:31 I think, Pastor C.A many years ago says, 45:32 we have too many convicts 45:33 they're convicted of the message, 45:35 but not enough converts. 45:37 Thank you Pastor C.A, if you're listening... 45:39 I appreciate that. 45:41 We're convicted, so we joined the church 45:42 out of conviction 45:44 but no conversion. 45:45 There must be conversion, 45:46 the message ought to affect you. 45:48 But I want to start by talking about this. 45:50 And I heard each one of you say this. 45:52 Jesus never changes. 45:54 Can we get an amen? Amen. 45:55 Oh, yeah, come on. 45:57 The message never changes. 45:59 Let me throw a cog in the wheel. 46:02 Methods do change. It's good. 46:05 To preach a 21st century message 46:08 with 17th century methods is ineffective 46:12 and the perfect example for failure. 46:16 Yeah, it's true. True, brother, absolutely. 46:17 Jesus never changes. 46:19 The message never changes because it's from Christ, 46:22 but methods do change. 46:24 And let me give you a couple of examples 46:26 where when the message change, what happens. 46:28 Look at Mark 7:7, 46:29 this is what happens when the message changes. 46:32 Mark 7:7, the Bible says, 46:35 "And in vain they worship Me, 46:37 teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." 46:40 When you change the message 46:42 and Jesus said this to those 46:43 who should have had a clear understanding of the message. 46:47 The message didn't change because Jesus didn't change. 46:50 It's from Him. 46:52 Also, we go back into the Old Testament, 46:54 when the children of Israel were advancing toward Canaan, 46:57 and Moses was no longer in the mix, 46:59 and Joshua said to them, 47:01 "Look what happens when you refuse 47:03 to abandon tradition." 47:05 Joshua 24:15, 47:07 when they refused to abandon tradition. 47:10 Joshua 24:15, 47:11 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, 47:13 choose for yourselves this day 47:15 whom you will serve," 47:16 look at the traditional aspects, 47:18 "whether the gods which your fathers served 47:20 that were on the other side of the river." 47:24 We're not back there anymore. 47:26 We don't drive buggies, 47:27 we don't drive horse carts, 47:29 we don't dress the same way, 47:30 we don't use the same technology. 47:32 We have words that didn't exist 15 years ago, 47:35 like Bluetooth and eardrop 47:37 and, you know, all these type of thing. 47:39 And if we refuse to use those methods 47:41 to catch this method driven generation, 47:44 the gospel loses its connection. 47:47 Methods do change and that's why he says, 47:49 don't go back to the old gods, 47:52 or the gods of the Amorites, 47:53 in whose land you dwell. 47:55 Don't let the gods in whose land you dwell 47:56 also affect you to change your message. 47:59 "But as for me and my house," 48:00 he said, 48:02 "we will serve the Lord." 48:03 So you got to choose every day, the God you're gonna serve, 48:06 the message you're gonna proclaim. 48:08 But be wise about your methods 48:10 because the gospel ought to have a different method 48:13 in an age 48:14 that is continually evolving. 48:16 But Jesus made it very clear Hebrews 13:8, 48:19 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, 48:20 today and forever." 48:22 He never changes. 48:24 But once again, I don't want to sound redundant, 48:25 but make sure your methods are not archaic 48:29 to a very contemporary generation. 48:31 When you cannot build a bridge 48:32 between where you the message you want to deliver 48:35 and I believe, 48:36 and this is something that I've been focused 48:37 on quite a bit lately. 48:39 Market your message 48:40 because if you don't focus on marketing your message, 48:42 you can have the best cheesecake, 48:45 but nobody even knows what it tastes like. 48:47 You know what I'm saying? 48:49 You could have the best dark chocolate, 48:50 but nobody ever got a piece 48:52 because you don't know how to get it to market. 48:55 The biggest cog in the wheel, 48:58 as one person once said, 49:00 and I heard this and I don't know 49:01 if it was on the program or not 49:03 but he says, the message we have 49:05 one doctor said this to an Adventist. 49:08 Actually one Muslim said this to an Adventist. 49:10 He said, "Your message is like a well oiled Porsche. 49:15 You're just driving it at five miles an hour, 49:17 you're clogging traffic." 49:19 If you drive that vehicle the way 49:21 it intended to be driven, 49:22 we will be following you. 49:23 Oh, yes. Wow! 49:25 It's powerful. 49:26 Methods must be studied to carry a powerful message 49:30 to a generation that needs to hear it. 49:31 So the gospel does make a difference with us. 49:33 Look at some of the ways the gospel makes a difference. 49:36 Matthew 28:5-7, 49:38 we are told to go quickly and share the message. 49:40 When you have found an effective way 49:42 to communicate the message, 49:43 it ought to affect you and I believe 49:46 you can never get anyone ready for the fire that's coming 49:49 unless there's fire down in your soul. 49:50 There you go. 49:52 Please look at Shelley Quinn today. 49:53 Something happened to her. 49:54 I don't know what it was but she is fired up. 49:56 We all were but Shelley was in a mode. 49:58 She was on fire. 50:00 The gospel has to make a difference in your life. 50:02 Matthew 28:5-7, 50:03 "But the angel answered and said to the women, 50:05 'Do not be afraid, for I know 50:07 that you're seeking Jesus who was crucified.' 50:10 " That's the old message. 50:11 "He is not here," 50:13 that's the new message, "for He is risen." 50:15 As He said, "Come, 50:16 see the place where the Lord lay." 50:19 And then He says, 50:20 when you get this good new message, 50:22 what do you do with it? 50:23 "And go quickly and tell His disciples 50:26 that He is risen from the dead, 50:28 and indeed He is going before you into Galilee, 50:30 there you will see Him. 50:31 Behold, I have told you." 50:33 Even when the four leper's men were in the siege of Samaria. 50:37 They said, we're sitting here if we go back, we're gonna die. 50:40 If we go on the city, we may die. 50:41 If we city, we surely aren't gonna die. 50:44 So let's do something. 50:46 So they moved forward. 50:48 You know, when you move forward in faith, 50:49 God can do amazing things. 50:51 What's the phrase? 50:53 The blessings on the go. 50:55 Go forward, so they go forward 50:56 and Lord creates a digital army. 51:00 That's right. 51:02 And the people here what doesn't exist, 51:03 the Lord had sound effects, some serious subwoofers 51:06 because it shook the core of the Syrian army. 51:10 They left food, clothing, 51:13 they left their BMWs everything, 51:15 they just ran for their lives. 51:17 And these four lepers men come into camp 51:19 and they have all the food they need lunch after lunch, 51:21 clothing after clothing, they go in and out of tents, 51:23 they start hiding stuff 51:25 and one of them says, this is not right. 51:30 This is a day of good news and we hold our peace. 51:33 The gospel ought to affect you. 51:35 If the news is good for you, you cannot hold your peace. 51:38 Let us go tell the king's household. 51:40 If the gospel hasn't changed you, 51:42 it is of no value to be an intellectual assent. 51:44 You don't check marks and say, well, that doctrine is good, 51:48 that doctrine is true, that doctrine is irrefutable. 51:51 And so many people join the church 51:52 because the message is irrefutable. 51:55 But it hasn't transformed their lives. 51:57 Ask yourself the question. 51:59 How many times have people been baptized 52:00 with the pre question? 52:02 What do you repenting off? 52:05 That is the message, clear? 52:07 But are you repenting of anything? 52:09 The message to the New Testament Church was repent 52:11 and be baptized, 52:12 that your sins may be blotted out 52:14 not that you'll first receive new doctrines, 52:17 and so many people are doctrinally convicted, 52:20 but they are morally not converted. 52:22 So we come in with this intellectual assent 52:24 and then when tribulation comes, 52:27 they don't endure. 52:28 They offended and the word later on offends them 52:31 and they walk away 52:33 because all of a sudden they realize, 52:34 I came into the church, into a new message, 52:38 but I brought an old person in. 52:41 And that's the whole thing about the wine 52:42 and the wineskins. 52:43 Wineskins will never change 52:45 and when you pour new wine into that old wineskin 52:47 where there is no conviction and no change, 52:50 it's just a matter of time 52:51 before the wines can burst, they can't hold it any longer. 52:54 So they go back where the wine was favorable 52:57 in the old wineskin 52:58 back to an old fermented message. 53:00 Yeah. 53:01 It ought to change your life. 53:02 The other one is, I think, Jill brought this out. 53:06 Do not be ashamed of the gospel. 53:08 Romans 1:16 said, Paul said, 53:10 "I am not ashamed of the gospel." 53:12 Don't ever apologize for the gospel. 53:15 I don't know how many years ago, 53:16 it's maybe about five years ago or so, 53:18 I said to my wife, 53:19 I am no longer preaching for popularity. 53:21 I put that on the back shelf. 53:23 I'm preaching for faithfulness. 53:25 I don't want to hear, 53:27 "Well done, thou good and popular preacher." 53:28 I want to hear, "Well done, thou good and faithful." 53:31 See, I don't want popularity. 53:33 I may never get a trophy 53:34 or never get an honorary degree, 53:36 I want to get a crown. 53:38 Amen. 53:39 So we have to make sure that we are faithful 53:40 and not ashamed of the gospel. 53:42 Because what we're not ashamed of, 53:44 we will live in an honorable way 53:47 in harmony with it. 53:48 The other one, 53:49 this is something we must never use 53:51 in this evolving generation. 53:52 Who said this, 53:54 keep the main thing the main thing. 53:55 Amen. That's good. 53:56 For I determined not to know anything among you 53:59 except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 54:02 Revelation, this is 1 Corinthians 2:2, 54:04 the main focus of the message is Jesus. 54:07 If it's revelation, if it's the beast, 54:09 if it's diet, if it's dress, 54:11 whatever it is, 54:12 if Jesus is not in it, 54:13 it's just an intellectual exercise. 54:16 You can convict somebody, but they'll never be converted 54:19 because the power of conversion comes only through Christ. 54:22 That's right. 54:23 And finally, I had about four points, Jill, 54:25 I'm not gonna get to that one. 54:27 Surely, this is for another lesson, 54:28 you find it yourself. 54:30 But the gospel affected the church in this way. 54:32 They went from house to house. 54:33 That's right. Oh, that's good. 54:34 They didn't just keep themselves private. 54:36 They went from house to house. 54:38 They prayed together in their homes 54:40 and broke bread together in their homes. 54:43 They share their possessions, 54:44 nobody said this belongs to me alone. 54:46 They took care of the needs of the members 54:48 and then the result was entire households 54:51 embraced the messages and was converted. 54:54 If the message does nothing for you, 54:56 you're a convict. 54:57 If it changes you, you're a convert. 54:59 Amen. 55:01 Thank you so much, Pastor John, 55:03 and each one of you on the panel. 55:04 I need your notes, Pastor. 55:06 I love that, what a powerful study message 55:10 combined with method. 55:12 Wow! Praise the Lord. 55:13 I've been so blessed in just hearing 55:15 what God has for us. 55:18 And I hope that the Holy Spirit is using the Word of God 55:21 and the message is presented to convict your heart as well. 55:24 I want to give each one of you a few moments 55:26 to share a final thought, Pastor Kenny. 55:28 Well, I think it comes 55:29 with almost like a dare challenge here. 55:31 Dare to be faithful to Christ, 55:33 dare to be faithful to our gospel commission 55:36 and dare to love the gospel, dare to love Jesus Christ, 55:40 dare to be a Daniel in this day and time, 55:43 God's gonna bless you for it. 55:45 Amen and amen. 55:46 I guess what's on my heart is that 55:49 if you and your family are going through change, 55:53 just our prayer for you will be that God gives you 55:56 a divine awareness of His presence with you. 56:00 He will never leave you, He will never forsake you. 56:03 And often the sacrifices that are made in life... 56:07 Let me tell you something, not often, 56:09 always what God has on the other end 56:12 is going to be better. 56:13 Amen. Wow! 56:15 You know, speaking of getting back 56:17 or moving towards a first generation faith, 56:19 my heart goes out for the young people 56:21 in our church. 56:22 And I like what the lesson had said 56:25 towards the end on Wednesday. 56:26 And it said these words, they're powerful. 56:28 The church as a whole, 56:30 and parents in particular need to do all they can 56:33 to create an environment that will make young people 56:35 want to make the right choice. 56:38 But in the end, a generation is saved 56:41 or lost for the gospel, 56:44 one person at a time. 56:45 Amen. Yes. 56:47 And mine is right to the point. 56:48 Don't try to modify the gospel to fit your life, 56:53 let the gospel modifies you to fit its life. 56:55 Amen. 56:57 Thank you so much, Pastor John, 56:58 Pastor Ryan, Shelley and Pastor Kenny. 57:00 Thank you for your study of the Word of God. 57:02 We thank you for joining us as well. 57:04 I want to leave you with this scripture, 57:05 Philippians 2:15, 57:09 "God calls us to be blameless and harmless, 57:12 children of God 57:13 without fault in the midst of a crooked 57:16 and perverse generation, 57:18 among whom we shine as lights in the world." 57:22 God calls us to get out of ourselves. 57:24 He calls us to evangelize with new methods, 57:28 the same message. 57:30 Join us next week. 57:31 We'll be looking at lesson number 12. 57:33 What have they seen in your house? 57:36 God bless you. 57:37 Amen. |
Revised 2019-06-14