The Bible tells us,
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"In the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says to,
"Receive with meekness
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the implanted Word,
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which is able
to save your souls.
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And to be diligent
to present yourself
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approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
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Join us now
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for the 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is,
"The Least of These."
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Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
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And we are so excited
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that you are
once again joining us
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for 3ABN Sabbath School panel.
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Our quarterly is
The Least of These.
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It's talking about ministering
to the poor and the oppressed.
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And we're on
lesson eight already.
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It has been such
a wonderful study.
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I want to tell
you right up front
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that if you'd like to
download these lessons,
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you may go to ABSG.Adventist.org
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or you are always welcome.
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I know they would
throw their arms open
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and welcome you,
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if you went to
your nearest local
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Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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And they'd give you a
copy of this quarterly,
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that way you can
study along with us.
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I hope you have your Bible.
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We've got some
wonderful panel members,
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they're my brothers
and sister in Christ.
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And I learned so much
from each one of you each time.
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Thank you for your,
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the preparation
that you put into these.
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First we have my
pastor, Pastor John Lomacang,
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and then Miss Jill Morikone,
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Pastor Ryan Day, and
Pastor Kenny Shelton.
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So glad that you're here.
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John, could you open
us up in prayer, please?
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Sure.
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Loving Lord, we always
rely on Your inspiration,
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Your Holy Spirit, Your power
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to pour into us
that as we pour out,
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that Your perfect will
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may be revealed
and accomplished.
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Come now and anoint
our hearts and our lips
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and what we have studied,
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make it relevant and pertinent
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to those who are listening
and watching this program.
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For me all the glory go
to You, in Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen and amen.
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Well, lesson eight,
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we're actually coming
the title of this lesson
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is The Least of These
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just like the
title of the quarterly.
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And you know,
when we think about it,
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the way in which
Jesus lived His life.
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First of all, He always
taught in a practical manner.
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He taught in such a way
that you could see and know
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how to put God's
truths into practice.
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But the way in
which He lived His life,
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He set an example for us
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as He ministered to
the poor, to the needy,
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the oppressed, the sick,
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and He
demonstrated by His own actions,
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that these are
actions that please God.
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So He set us an example.
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And what we do as we
minister to others like this,
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it helps us to
develop His divine nature
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of unselfish love.
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So I wanted to
read just one thing
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here from the Sabbath
lesson on lesson eight, it says,
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"Jesus' teachings
set up the blueprint
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for His kingdom."
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You know,
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the kingdom of
heaven is a reality
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that we can
enjoy even now, really.
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Because what we're doing now,
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we see the kingdom of heaven
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has different
priorities, different standards.
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But as we put
those into practice, now,
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we are seated in
the heavenly places
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with Christ Jesus, right?
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Right.
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But it says,
Jesus teaching set up
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the blueprint for His kingdom.
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It includes a strong
focus on how we serve God,
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and in serving Him how
we are to relate to others.
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We also discover
that serving others,
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caring for their needs
and uplifting them is one way
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in which we can
directly offer service to God.
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Who would like to
read the memory text,
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which is Matthew 25:40?
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Kenny, do you have that? Yes.
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Okay.
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"And the King will
answer and say to them,
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'Assuredly, I say to you,
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inasmuch as you did it
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to one of the least
of these My brethren,
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you did it unto Me.'"
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And this is Jesus
talking, isn't that amazing?
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And I'm not
going to get into it,
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'cause I know
somebody's covering it.
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My lesson is Sunday,
"The Sermon on the Mount."
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And this was
Jesus' longest sermon.
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It's actually a
collection of teachings.
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I wouldn't say He
necessarily sermonized
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but we call it a sermon.
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And you know, in three chapters,
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covers the Sermon on the Mount.
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And what we find is that
this is a survey of the life,
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what life is going to
be like in God's kingdom.
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Well, it opens
up with statements
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that we have come
to call the beatitudes,
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and it's going to be my joy
to go through the beatitudes.
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Let's just go straight to them.
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Matthew 5:3, "A
beatitude is a blessing."
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And Jesus starts off saying,
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"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
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for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
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I think that we
really need to notice
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that it's poor in spirit.
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The word poor here indicates
a dire spiritual poverty.
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It's people who
sense their need of God,
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their need of a Savior,
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and the need of the
grace that God can give them.
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So poor in spirit means
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to recognize we are
undeserving sinners,
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in need of a
Heavenly Father and His grace.
00:06:05.93\00:06:09.90
But it's
interesting because Jesus says,
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"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
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for theirs is the
kingdom in heaven."
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So only those who
recognize their need for God,
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I think it's safe to say,
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are going to enter
the kingdom of heaven.
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Those who don't
recognize the need for God
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will decline His grace
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and they will
lose that blessing.
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The next verse, Matthew 5:4,
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"Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted."
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And I wish I had time
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to connect all of
this with Isaiah 61.
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But just let me
say this, Isaiah 61,
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the word mourning there
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as it's talking
about Israel mourning.
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What they are sorry about
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is that their sins caused
them to have to go into exile.
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So if you connect these two,
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what Matthew 5:4 is
saying is those who mourn,
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are those who are suffering
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the consequences of
their sin, if you will.
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And it brings them to
an attitude of repentance.
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You know, that is a natural,
if you are poor in spirit,
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you recognize your need for
God because you're a sinner.
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It's natural,
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then that you will
mourn over your sins.
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Don't you see that's
a natural progression?
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So what Jesus though is giving
a message of comfort to them.
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This is, you may
be in this condition,
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but you're
going to be comforted.
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"I'm gonna forgive your sins."
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Hallelujah!
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He meets us,
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He meets our spiritual poverty
with a riches of His grace.
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I think that's so exciting.
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And then He
sends His Holy Spirit
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to be our comforter, to
be the one our Paraclete,
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the one who walks beside us.
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He's in us, He
empowers us to do God's will.
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So that is the
second requirement
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if you consider
yourself a candidate
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for the kingdom of God.
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Matthew 5:5,
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"Blessed are the meek,
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for they shall
inherit the earth."
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Meekness is a gentle quality
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of humility.
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Meekness doesn't mean
you're over here being
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like the little
scared rabbit in the corner.
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Meekness is an attitude
of your heart and your mind
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that prepares the
way for sanctification.
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Because if meekness is humility,
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I always say, based on
Philippians 2:5-8, it says,
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"Let this mind be in you,
which was in Christ Jesus."
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And it goes on to talk
about, He humbled himself,
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he was totally
dependent upon God.
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That's what humility is,
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is to recognize our
total dependence upon God.
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And right now,
it says right here,
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Jesus is saying,
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if you will be
dependent upon God,
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if you will be meek toward God,
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accept His will for your
life, except His direction,
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then check on it,
inherit the earth.
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Hallelujah!
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All right, Matthew 5:6,
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"Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
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for they shall be filled."
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You know, this hunger and thirst
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is a metaphor
for fervent desire.
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Remember, what David said,
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as the deer pants for the water,
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so my spirit pants for
you, so I long for you.
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No earthly source can satisfy
this kind of hunger and thirst.
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When you have
that hunger and thirst
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for God's righteousness,
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you know, we all were born
with eternity in our heart.
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That's what,
00:10:11.97\00:10:13.31
what is that
Ecclesiastes 3:11, I think?
00:10:13.34\00:10:16.04
But that's what Song of Solomon
00:10:16.08\00:10:17.98
or Solomon said in Ecclesiastes.
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Solomon was the
wisest man on earth.
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And he tried to fill his life
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with philosophies,
with material riches,
00:10:28.86\00:10:32.86
he tried to satisfy
his physical appetite.
00:10:32.89\00:10:36.30
He had honor,
power, he tried it all.
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And what did he end up
saying, it's all vanity.
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He realized nothing
will bring satisfaction
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like a relationship
with Jesus and with God.
00:10:47.41\00:10:50.45
And He finally
recognized and you'll see that
00:10:50.48\00:10:52.98
in Ecclesiastes
3:12, 13, and 14,
00:10:53.01\00:10:55.98
that he's recognizing that
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this is the only
thing that matters
00:10:58.49\00:11:00.49
is having that
relationship with God
00:11:00.52\00:11:02.86
and following Him.
00:11:02.89\00:11:04.69
But I wanted to
point out when it says,
00:11:04.73\00:11:07.13
"Blessed are those
who hunger and thirst
00:11:07.16\00:11:10.10
for righteousness,"
00:11:10.13\00:11:11.47
notice this,
"they shall be filled."
00:11:11.50\00:11:15.14
That's passive voice.
00:11:15.17\00:11:17.11
That means, if it
weren't an active voice,
00:11:17.14\00:11:19.67
that means you would be saying,
00:11:19.71\00:11:21.88
"You'd have to
fill up yourself."
00:11:21.91\00:11:23.38
But this is passive voice,
00:11:23.41\00:11:25.28
which it's called
the divine passive here.
00:11:25.31\00:11:28.08
It means, God is
going to do that action.
00:11:28.12\00:11:31.09
You can't make
yourself righteous.
00:11:31.12\00:11:33.36
All you can do
is surrender to God.
00:11:33.39\00:11:36.09
And God is the one
who's going to fill you,
00:11:36.12\00:11:41.40
and make you righteous.
00:11:41.43\00:11:43.53
When Jesus said,
00:11:43.57\00:11:44.90
"Lest your righteousness
surpass that of the Pharisees,"
00:11:44.93\00:11:48.37
they used to scare me to death.
00:11:48.40\00:11:50.77
And I think, per se,
00:11:50.81\00:11:53.21
He's talking
about a divine gift,
00:11:53.24\00:11:54.84
it is God who's going to do it.
00:11:54.88\00:11:57.48
Matthew 5:7,
00:11:57.51\00:11:59.51
"Blessed are the merciful,
00:11:59.55\00:12:00.88
for they shall obtain mercy.
00:12:00.92\00:12:04.85
Blessed are the pure in heart,
00:12:04.89\00:12:08.86
for they shall see God."
00:12:08.89\00:12:11.96
And let me, I'm
skipping over the mercy.
00:12:11.99\00:12:14.63
I think that one's pretty clear.
00:12:14.66\00:12:16.67
But when you're pure in
heart, this is your mind,
00:12:16.70\00:12:19.57
your conscience, your inner man.
00:12:19.60\00:12:22.74
And the pure in
heart will be clothed
00:12:22.77\00:12:25.14
with the robe of
Christ's righteousness,
00:12:25.17\00:12:27.61
because they have forsaken sin
00:12:27.64\00:12:30.75
as the ruling
principle of their life.
00:12:30.78\00:12:33.18
If you're pure in heart,
00:12:33.21\00:12:34.55
you're going to
follow God's will,
00:12:34.58\00:12:38.75
and being pure in heart
00:12:38.79\00:12:40.12
doesn't mean
that you're perfect,
00:12:40.16\00:12:41.49
doesn't mean
that you're sinless.
00:12:41.52\00:12:43.06
It just means
your motives are pure.
00:12:43.09\00:12:45.36
And if the motives are pure,
the life is going to be pure,
00:12:45.39\00:12:48.03
if you're following God.
00:12:48.06\00:12:49.70
"Blessed," Matthew 5:9
says, "are the peacemakers,
00:12:49.73\00:12:53.64
for they shall
called sons of God."
00:12:53.67\00:12:56.71
And in verse 10
says, "Blessed are those
00:12:56.74\00:12:58.81
who are persecuted
for righteousness' sake,
00:12:58.84\00:13:01.34
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
00:13:01.38\00:13:03.21
Blessed are you when
they revile and persecute you,
00:13:03.24\00:13:05.71
and say all kinds of evil
00:13:05.75\00:13:07.45
against you
falsely for My name's sake.
00:13:07.48\00:13:10.19
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,
00:13:10.22\00:13:13.29
for great is
your reward in heaven,
00:13:13.32\00:13:17.06
for so they
persecuted the prophets,
00:13:17.09\00:13:19.56
who were before you."
00:13:19.59\00:13:21.66
I don't have time to
get to the salt and light,
00:13:21.70\00:13:24.07
but I'm gonna pass
it on to you, John.
00:13:24.10\00:13:26.23
Okay, Overcoming Evil with Good.
00:13:26.27\00:13:29.37
Wow, what a concept!
00:13:29.40\00:13:31.67
It's one that is
completely foreign
00:13:31.71\00:13:33.48
to the natural person.
00:13:33.51\00:13:35.24
You know, the
existence of the common people
00:13:35.28\00:13:36.95
in the days of Jesus
00:13:36.98\00:13:38.75
was made even more
difficult under the Roman rule,
00:13:38.78\00:13:41.62
and also dealing
with the Pharisees,
00:13:41.65\00:13:44.12
who were anything but spiritual.
00:13:44.15\00:13:46.32
They were very religious,
00:13:46.35\00:13:47.69
but their standards was so high,
00:13:47.72\00:13:50.43
that they set
standards that they themselves
00:13:50.46\00:13:52.49
were not willing to accomplish.
00:13:52.53\00:13:55.03
But they put these burdens
00:13:55.06\00:13:56.40
on the shoulders of individuals.
00:13:56.43\00:13:58.33
And, but the Lord
came to offer something
00:13:58.37\00:14:04.54
that was completely
unavailable on earth.
00:14:04.57\00:14:08.44
This whole concept of
overcoming evil with good
00:14:08.48\00:14:10.78
is completely unnatural.
00:14:10.81\00:14:12.75
Yes, it is.
00:14:12.78\00:14:14.12
Totally unnatural.
00:14:14.15\00:14:15.48
I'm going to
read Matthew 5:38-48,
00:14:15.52\00:14:18.89
to just encapsulate
what Jesus came to offer.
00:14:18.92\00:14:22.49
And then we're going to walk
through how this could happen,
00:14:22.52\00:14:26.46
and how it cannot happen.
00:14:26.49\00:14:28.46
Let's look at
this, Matthew 5:38-48.
00:14:28.50\00:14:32.17
"You have heard
that it was said,
00:14:32.20\00:14:33.54
'An eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth.'"
00:14:33.57\00:14:36.07
And by the way, that's
practice in some places
00:14:36.10\00:14:37.84
around the world still.
00:14:37.87\00:14:40.01
"But I tell you, not
to resist an evil person.
00:14:40.04\00:14:43.51
But whoever slaps
you on your right cheek,
00:14:43.55\00:14:46.25
turn the other to him also.'"
00:14:46.28\00:14:48.58
I cannot tell you
the last time I did that.
00:14:48.62\00:14:53.36
No confessions,
00:14:53.39\00:14:54.72
but I doubt we'll find
that on this table either.
00:14:54.76\00:14:57.59
"If anyone wants to sue you,
00:14:57.63\00:15:01.00
and take away your tunic,
00:15:01.03\00:15:02.70
let him have your cloak also.
00:15:02.73\00:15:05.00
And whoever
compels you to go one mile,
00:15:05.03\00:15:07.34
go with him two.
00:15:07.37\00:15:09.17
Give to him who asks you,
00:15:09.20\00:15:10.54
and from him who
wants to borrow from you
00:15:10.57\00:15:13.58
and do not turn away.'
00:15:13.61\00:15:15.78
You have heard that it was said,
00:15:15.81\00:15:17.15
'You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.'
00:15:17.18\00:15:19.48
But I say to you,
love your enemies,
00:15:19.51\00:15:21.38
bless those who curse you,
00:15:21.42\00:15:22.88
do good to those who
hate you, and pray for those
00:15:22.92\00:15:24.75
who spitefully use
you and persecute you,
00:15:24.79\00:15:27.86
that you may be,"
and here's the key,
00:15:27.89\00:15:29.29
the identifying factor,
00:15:29.32\00:15:30.69
"that you may be the
sons of your Father in heaven,
00:15:30.73\00:15:34.10
for he makes His sun rise
on the evil and on the good,
00:15:34.13\00:15:37.63
and sends rain on the
just and on the unjust.'"
00:15:37.67\00:15:40.14
In other words,
don't think you're unique.
00:15:40.17\00:15:44.31
"For if you love
those who love you,
00:15:44.34\00:15:45.74
what reward have you?
00:15:45.77\00:15:48.01
Do not even the tax
collectors do the same?
00:15:48.04\00:15:49.84
And if you greet
your brethren only,
00:15:49.88\00:15:52.51
what do you do more than others?
00:15:52.55\00:15:54.78
Do not even the
tax collector do so?
00:15:54.82\00:15:57.32
Therefore you shall be perfect,
00:15:57.35\00:15:59.19
just as your Father
in heaven is perfect."
00:15:59.22\00:16:02.56
Can I just say
it, Lord have mercy?
00:16:02.59\00:16:05.86
Praise God, it's divinely.
00:16:05.89\00:16:07.40
What a tall order!
00:16:07.43\00:16:08.76
Yeah. Yes.
00:16:08.80\00:16:10.13
How do we go the extra mile?
00:16:10.17\00:16:13.57
How do you turn the other cheek?
00:16:13.60\00:16:16.44
How do you give
the shirt off your back
00:16:16.47\00:16:18.17
when somebody is
already taken your coat?
00:16:18.21\00:16:20.91
And how do you
keep your mouth shut
00:16:20.94\00:16:22.54
when you just
want to just purge,
00:16:22.58\00:16:25.35
what's stirring in your chest
00:16:25.38\00:16:27.12
and surely already in your head?
00:16:27.15\00:16:29.78
I want to begin by saying,
let's go to 1 Corinthians 2:14,
00:16:29.82\00:16:33.15
because we are incapable
of turning the other cheek
00:16:33.19\00:16:37.66
and loving our enemies
with our natural tendencies.
00:16:37.69\00:16:41.76
Jill, 1 Corinthians 2:14.
00:16:41.80\00:16:43.77
Here's the reason
why we are incapable.
00:16:43.80\00:16:45.70
"But the natural man
does not receive the things
00:16:45.73\00:16:48.00
of the Spirit of God,
00:16:48.04\00:16:49.37
for they are foolishness to him,
00:16:49.40\00:16:51.01
nor can he know them,
00:16:51.04\00:16:52.37
because they are
spiritually discerned.
00:16:52.41\00:16:54.31
That's right.
00:16:54.34\00:16:55.68
When somebody says,
00:16:55.71\00:16:57.28
"So I heard they punch
you in the face in school.
00:16:57.31\00:16:59.91
Go ahead and
turn the other cheek,
00:16:59.95\00:17:01.28
let him punch on the
other side tomorrow."
00:17:01.32\00:17:03.22
You'll say like
Paul the Apostle, "What?"
00:17:03.25\00:17:07.29
You know, I love
the King James Version
00:17:07.32\00:17:09.79
for that reason,
Paul said, "What?
00:17:09.82\00:17:11.16
Do you not know that
your body is the temple?
00:17:11.19\00:17:13.19
You'll say, "What
are you talking about?
00:17:13.23\00:17:14.96
He hit me."
00:17:15.00\00:17:16.33
Well, tomorrow let him
hit you on the other side.
00:17:16.36\00:17:19.03
And don't say
anything when he does it.
00:17:19.07\00:17:20.87
And you're thinking,
"This is not even sensible."
00:17:20.90\00:17:23.91
Even in Revelation Chapter 16,
there's this echoing of Lord,
00:17:23.94\00:17:27.21
how long is it going to be
before you avenge our blood
00:17:27.24\00:17:31.08
on those who dwell on the earth.
00:17:31.11\00:17:32.98
What's up with that?
What's taken so long?
00:17:33.01\00:17:34.72
He says, relax,
00:17:34.75\00:17:36.32
just take a while
I'll take care of it.
00:17:36.35\00:17:38.39
But this radical
reaction, listen,
00:17:38.42\00:17:40.56
the radical reaction
to natural tendencies
00:17:40.59\00:17:43.66
was the means
whereby Christianity
00:17:43.69\00:17:45.19
became the
religion of empowerment.
00:17:45.23\00:17:47.76
Radical reaction
to natural tendencies
00:17:47.80\00:17:50.90
was the means
whereby Christianity
00:17:50.93\00:17:53.03
became the
religion of empowerment.
00:17:53.07\00:17:55.10
Jesus was continually
challenged throughout His life,
00:17:55.14\00:17:59.27
this is powerful,
to show His divinity
00:17:59.31\00:18:02.28
in the phase of
human challenges.
00:18:02.31\00:18:04.75
See the temptation,
let's go ahead and get to it.
00:18:04.78\00:18:07.82
Satan tempts us to
reveal our humanity
00:18:07.85\00:18:11.95
while we're
claiming to be partakers
00:18:11.99\00:18:13.69
of the divine nature.
00:18:13.72\00:18:16.42
Satan tempted Jesus
to reveal His divinity,
00:18:16.46\00:18:19.49
while claiming to be
partakers of a divine,
00:18:19.53\00:18:21.90
of a human nature.
00:18:21.93\00:18:23.50
That's good. That's really good.
00:18:23.53\00:18:24.87
Look at the comparisons.
Look at the comparisons.
00:18:24.90\00:18:26.90
Matthew 4:38, let's go there.
00:18:26.94\00:18:28.94
Look at how he
tempted Jesus continually
00:18:28.97\00:18:31.01
to reveal His
divinity because he knew that
00:18:31.04\00:18:33.04
if this divine being
revealed His divinity,
00:18:33.07\00:18:36.14
all bets would have been off.
00:18:36.18\00:18:38.35
Not that our
salvation was a bet,
00:18:38.38\00:18:40.15
but any attempt to save
us would have been cancelled.
00:18:40.18\00:18:43.42
Matthew 4:3,
you have that, Ryan?
00:18:43.45\00:18:45.85
Absolutely.
What it did to Jesus?
00:18:45.89\00:18:47.46
The Bible says,
00:18:47.49\00:18:48.82
"Now when the
tempter came to Him, he said,
00:18:48.86\00:18:50.66
'If you are the Son of God,
00:18:50.69\00:18:52.89
command that these
stones became bread.'"
00:18:52.93\00:18:55.50
If you really are divine,
00:18:55.53\00:18:57.50
stop dealing with
this week humanity,
00:18:57.53\00:18:59.40
show us who you are.
00:18:59.43\00:19:01.00
Look at another one.
00:19:01.04\00:19:02.37
Matthew 27:42.
00:19:02.40\00:19:04.14
Shelley, can you get
there, Matthew 27:42.
00:19:04.17\00:19:06.78
Look at what the devil,
00:19:06.81\00:19:08.14
he continually buffeted
Jesus to show His divinity.
00:19:08.18\00:19:11.58
Matthew 27:42, says,
00:19:11.61\00:19:16.15
"He saved others,
Himself He cannot save.
00:19:16.18\00:19:19.19
If He is the King of Israel,
00:19:19.22\00:19:21.19
let Him come
down from the cross,
00:19:21.22\00:19:23.49
and we will believe Him."
00:19:23.53\00:19:24.86
That's right.
00:19:24.89\00:19:26.23
Continually he said,
show us Your divinity
00:19:26.26\00:19:27.76
'cause, oh, you
have on human flesh.
00:19:27.80\00:19:31.13
But we know where you're from.
00:19:31.17\00:19:32.50
The devil knew
where He was from.
00:19:32.53\00:19:34.60
That's why he continually
pressed that divine button.
00:19:34.64\00:19:37.41
But Jesus could not
overcome sin in a divine way.
00:19:37.44\00:19:42.78
He would have defeated the fact
00:19:42.81\00:19:44.15
that He's tempted in
all points just as we are.
00:19:44.18\00:19:47.35
But He couldn't have
been. Perfect sacrifice.
00:19:47.38\00:19:49.22
So He had to be
that perfect sacrifice.
00:19:49.25\00:19:51.02
Here's another one, Isaiah 53:7.
00:19:51.05\00:19:53.69
Who can get there?
And I haven't read that.
00:19:53.72\00:19:56.32
Could I have read Matthew 4?
00:19:56.36\00:19:57.89
Isaiah 53:7? Isaiah 53:7.
00:19:57.93\00:20:00.86
"He was oppressed
and He was afflicted,
00:20:00.90\00:20:02.40
yet He opened not His mouth.
00:20:02.43\00:20:03.83
He was led as a
lamb to the slaughter,
00:20:03.87\00:20:05.80
and as a sheep before
its shearers is silent,
00:20:05.83\00:20:08.00
so he opened not His mouth."
00:20:08.04\00:20:09.50
Look at that.
00:20:09.54\00:20:10.87
How many times do
we get to the point
00:20:10.91\00:20:12.31
where we just don't
want to say anything?
00:20:12.34\00:20:14.44
Matter of fact, I
think what Christians do is
00:20:14.48\00:20:16.38
we go home and we argue,
00:20:16.41\00:20:17.75
we practice what
we're going to say.
00:20:17.78\00:20:19.71
Have you ever done that?
00:20:19.75\00:20:21.08
You know, what I
should have said?
00:20:21.12\00:20:22.45
You know, what I
should have said?
00:20:22.48\00:20:23.82
You wait till I
see him tomorrow.
00:20:23.85\00:20:25.19
You wait till I get to work.
00:20:25.22\00:20:26.55
I'm gonna be waiting for
him at the entrance of the...
00:20:26.59\00:20:28.52
When I see him come to
studio, remember yesterday.
00:20:28.56\00:20:33.09
And that's human tendencies.
00:20:33.13\00:20:34.66
And so
Christianity is not a religion
00:20:34.70\00:20:39.00
that defaults to
our natural tendencies.
00:20:39.03\00:20:42.24
The uniqueness of Christianity
00:20:42.27\00:20:44.24
is not contributory
to inherent qualities.
00:20:44.27\00:20:48.21
You can't get. It's not in here.
00:20:48.24\00:20:50.75
I know that in my
flesh dwelleth what?
00:20:50.78\00:20:53.11
No good thing. No good thing.
00:20:53.15\00:20:55.38
And so it says,
and I wrote this down,
00:20:55.42\00:20:57.52
it recognizes
man's utter helplessness
00:20:57.55\00:21:00.06
to exhibit divine qualities.
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.39
John 15:5, look at that.
00:21:02.42\00:21:04.06
Pastor Kenny, could
you get there, John 15:5?
00:21:04.09\00:21:06.33
If not, I'll read it. Sure.
00:21:06.36\00:21:08.00
He was so quick.
00:21:08.03\00:21:09.36
He says, you don't have
the ability to do anything.
00:21:09.40\00:21:11.40
Try it. And look
at what Jesus says.
00:21:11.43\00:21:13.84
Try it, try to do
it without my help,
00:21:13.87\00:21:15.50
and you'll really be in trouble.
00:21:15.54\00:21:17.44
John 15:5 says,
00:21:17.47\00:21:18.81
"I am the vine,
you are the branches.
00:21:18.84\00:21:21.04
He that abideth
in me, and I in him,
00:21:21.08\00:21:23.14
the same
bringeth forth much fruit,
00:21:23.18\00:21:25.88
without me ye can do nothing."
00:21:25.91\00:21:27.72
You try to control
your temper without me,
00:21:27.75\00:21:29.78
let's see how far it gets you.
00:21:29.82\00:21:32.35
Overcome evil with
good, really, honestly
00:21:32.39\00:21:34.92
after what he did to you,
00:21:34.96\00:21:37.66
do you really want to
overcome evil with good?
00:21:37.69\00:21:39.66
Try it.
00:21:39.69\00:21:41.03
And the devil
urges us and pushes us
00:21:41.06\00:21:42.50
to that place where we
say, "You know, I'm so sorry."
00:21:42.53\00:21:45.63
And we say,
00:21:45.67\00:21:47.00
"I should have
thought about it."
00:21:47.04\00:21:48.37
Because you
know, here's one thing
00:21:48.40\00:21:49.74
I've learned as a pastor.
00:21:49.77\00:21:51.11
This is powerful, and leaders,
00:21:51.14\00:21:53.27
there are certain
things that leaders do
00:21:53.31\00:21:54.94
that will not be forgotten soon.
00:21:54.98\00:21:58.15
And people will remind you,
00:21:58.18\00:21:59.51
but you're the General Manager
of 3ABN, you're not just...
00:21:59.55\00:22:02.12
Yeah.
00:22:02.15\00:22:03.49
And they'll
mention other departments.
00:22:03.52\00:22:05.35
You just don't have the freedom
00:22:05.39\00:22:06.72
to just tell
people off from the foyer.
00:22:06.76\00:22:09.26
You know, and I know
you haven't done that.
00:22:09.29\00:22:11.63
And I know Shelley has
never gotten mad at anybody.
00:22:11.66\00:22:14.60
But we just don't
have those licenses
00:22:14.63\00:22:17.00
to put God's character on trial.
00:22:17.03\00:22:20.27
And that's exactly what
happens when we blow it.
00:22:20.30\00:22:23.47
So the Lord is saying,
00:22:23.51\00:22:24.84
here's what he's
come to do for us.
00:22:24.87\00:22:26.21
Philippians 4:13,
00:22:26.24\00:22:27.58
I'll just read it
in interest of time.
00:22:27.61\00:22:29.28
"I can do all
things through Christ
00:22:29.31\00:22:30.68
who strengthens me,"
00:22:30.71\00:22:32.05
including chew that lip.
00:22:32.08\00:22:34.68
The Christian life is
not a natural practice
00:22:39.72\00:22:41.89
but a spiritual enabling.
00:22:41.92\00:22:43.76
The principles of Christianity
00:22:43.79\00:22:45.13
are not lived
out of natural grit,
00:22:45.16\00:22:47.50
but out of spiritual power.
00:22:47.53\00:22:50.10
So you can't just do it.
00:22:50.13\00:22:51.47
So what is easier to
lash out or to be restrained?
00:22:51.50\00:22:55.64
It's easy to lash out.
00:22:55.67\00:22:57.27
What is easier, to
fight back or to walk away,
00:22:57.31\00:22:59.17
or to argue or
to hold your peace?
00:22:59.21\00:23:00.94
Well, here it is, very quickly.
00:23:00.98\00:23:02.68
What did God promised to do?
00:23:02.71\00:23:04.05
Exodus 14:14,
00:23:04.08\00:23:05.41
"The Lord will fight for
you, you shall hold your peace."
00:23:05.45\00:23:08.42
Exodus 14:13,
00:23:08.45\00:23:09.92
"Stand still and see
the salvation of the Lord,
00:23:09.95\00:23:12.15
which he will
accomplish for you."
00:23:12.19\00:23:14.02
1 Samuel 17:47,
00:23:14.06\00:23:15.76
"For the battle is the Lord's,
00:23:15.79\00:23:18.59
He will give
them into your hands."
00:23:18.63\00:23:20.03
God is a... Psalm 46:10,
00:23:20.06\00:23:21.90
"Be still and
know that I'm God."
00:23:21.93\00:23:23.60
When we get there,
00:23:23.63\00:23:25.63
then we will be able to
overcome evil with good.
00:23:25.67\00:23:27.54
Amen. Amen.
00:23:27.57\00:23:28.90
John, that was
powerful. Thank you.
00:23:28.94\00:23:30.84
And we hope that
you're enjoying this
00:23:30.87\00:23:32.47
as much as we are.
00:23:32.51\00:23:33.84
We'll take a short
break and be right back.
00:23:33.88\00:23:35.98
Please stay tuned.
00:23:36.01\00:23:37.51
Ever wish you could watch
00:23:42.95\00:23:44.29
a 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel again,
00:23:44.32\00:23:46.39
or share it on
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Well, you can by visiting
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00:23:49.56\00:23:54.46
A clean design makes it easy
00:23:54.50\00:23:56.97
to find the
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00:23:57.00\00:23:59.13
There are also links to
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00:23:59.17\00:24:02.60
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00:24:02.64\00:24:04.41
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And now we're
continuing in lesson eight.
00:24:15.82\00:24:17.79
Jill Morikone
has Tuesday's lesson,
00:24:17.82\00:24:20.46
"The Good Samaritan."
00:24:20.49\00:24:21.86
Thank you.
00:24:21.89\00:24:23.22
Thank you so much
Shelley and Pastor John,
00:24:23.26\00:24:24.86
what a wonderful foundation!
00:24:24.89\00:24:26.70
I could sit for a
long time and listen
00:24:26.73\00:24:28.16
to what you were just sharing
about overcoming evil with good
00:24:28.20\00:24:32.83
and sitting back
and waiting for God,
00:24:32.87\00:24:35.07
that's powerful.
00:24:35.10\00:24:36.44
On the Good Samaritan.
00:24:36.47\00:24:38.37
Before we jump into that,
00:24:38.41\00:24:40.68
turn with me to Luke Chapter 10,
00:24:40.71\00:24:42.44
'cause we're
going to spend our time
00:24:42.48\00:24:43.81
in Luke Chapter 10.
00:24:43.85\00:24:45.18
So you can turn there.
00:24:45.21\00:24:46.55
I want to talk
to you just a moment
00:24:46.58\00:24:47.92
about the letter of the law
versus the spirit of the law.
00:24:47.95\00:24:51.25
And to me, this is
the crux of the matter
00:24:51.29\00:24:53.25
of what the young
lawyer is asking Jesus.
00:24:53.29\00:24:56.16
The letter of the law
versus the spirit of the law.
00:24:56.19\00:24:59.36
When one obeys
the letter of the law,
00:24:59.39\00:25:01.73
but not the spirit.
00:25:01.76\00:25:03.67
One is obeying the
literal interpretation
00:25:03.70\00:25:06.03
of the Word,
00:25:06.07\00:25:07.40
but not necessarily the intent
of those who wrote the law.
00:25:07.44\00:25:12.67
What does a Christian's
life look like that pleases God?
00:25:12.71\00:25:16.34
Is it a life of
rules and restrictions
00:25:16.38\00:25:18.68
or life of
freedom and joy and peace?
00:25:18.71\00:25:21.98
I think I'm sure you
all have met people who say,
00:25:22.02\00:25:24.62
"I'm a good person.
00:25:24.65\00:25:26.15
I tried to obey
The Ten Commandments.
00:25:26.19\00:25:28.99
Yet, somehow I
don't have any peace
00:25:29.02\00:25:31.16
and joy in my life.
00:25:31.19\00:25:33.90
Am I not doing enough?
00:25:33.93\00:25:35.93
Is there something wrong here?"
00:25:35.96\00:25:37.33
And this is really
what the young lawyer said.
00:25:37.37\00:25:40.67
So let's look at that.
00:25:40.70\00:25:42.04
Luke 10:25-29,
we'll set the stage here.
00:25:42.07\00:25:46.57
"And behold, a certain lawyer,"
or expert in the law of Moses,
00:25:46.61\00:25:51.65
"stood up and
tested Him, saying,
00:25:51.68\00:25:54.18
'Teacher, what shall I
do to inherit eternal life?'
00:25:54.22\00:25:57.82
He said to him, 'What
is written in the law?
00:25:57.85\00:26:00.09
What is your reading of it?'
00:26:00.12\00:26:01.66
So he answered and said,"
00:26:01.69\00:26:03.06
we've talked about this before
on this panel for this quarter,
00:26:03.09\00:26:06.80
"You shall love
the Lord your God
00:26:06.83\00:26:08.80
with all your
heart, with all your soul,
00:26:08.83\00:26:10.70
with all your
strength, with all your mind,
00:26:10.73\00:26:13.13
and your neighbor as yourself.'
00:26:13.17\00:26:16.17
And he said, You
have answered rightly,
00:26:16.20\00:26:18.47
do this, and you will live.'
00:26:18.51\00:26:20.94
But he," this is the
lawyer, the expert in the law,
00:26:20.98\00:26:24.41
"wanting to justify
himself, said to Jesus,
00:26:24.45\00:26:29.52
'And who is my neighbor?'"
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He quoted from
Leviticus 19:18, which says,
00:26:31.72\00:26:35.02
"You shall love your
neighbor as yourself."
00:26:35.06\00:26:37.63
The lawyer's question
showed his heart and his motive.
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Really, he's saying,
is like a little kid.
00:26:41.03\00:26:43.16
"Do I have to,"
right, a little kid?
00:26:43.20\00:26:46.03
And the mom says, "Do this,"
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and says, "Do I have to?"
00:26:47.44\00:26:49.37
So let's look at the
story of the Good Samaritan.
00:26:49.40\00:26:51.67
I've divided it
down into seven parts.
00:26:51.71\00:26:54.14
I always like when
I read stuff, to me,
00:26:54.18\00:26:56.24
I like to just compartmentalize.
00:26:56.28\00:26:57.75
So seven parts here,
00:26:57.78\00:26:59.41
we're going to
look at the question,
00:26:59.45\00:27:02.22
the attack, the priest,
00:27:02.25\00:27:04.95
the Levite, the Samaritan,
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the lesson, and
then the attitude.
00:27:07.59\00:27:09.92
So let's look at the question.
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There are really two
questions that the lawyer asked.
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The first question,
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"What shall I do to
inherit eternal life?"
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And the second
question, "Who is my neighbor?"
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Most of the
parables that Jesus told,
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answered a question,
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but they also
dealt with an attitude,
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Pastor John.
00:27:28.68\00:27:30.01
Not just answering the question,
00:27:30.05\00:27:31.38
but we're dealing
with some sort of attitude.
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And the attitude in this parable
00:27:33.65\00:27:35.08
is self-righteousness.
00:27:35.12\00:27:37.55
The lawyer was
seeking to justify himself.
00:27:37.59\00:27:41.52
That was the
problem with Israel,
00:27:41.56\00:27:42.92
and Jesus addressed that
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by giving the
parable, and frankly,
00:27:44.33\00:27:46.23
that can be the
problem with us today as well.
00:27:46.26\00:27:49.50
I want to talk to you
before we get to the attack,
00:27:49.53\00:27:51.37
just a moment about the
Jewish hierarchal society,
00:27:51.40\00:27:54.70
because this is
important as we look at
00:27:54.74\00:27:56.87
what takes
place in this parable.
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Robert in the
control room did this for me.
00:27:59.94\00:28:01.98
So thank you very much.
00:28:02.01\00:28:03.75
If you see here at the
centre, if you imagine a circle,
00:28:03.78\00:28:06.58
so at the center,
you have the priests.
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This would be like
the highest order there
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in their Jewish society.
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Then, next, if you go out of
the circle just a little bit,
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you would get to the
Levites, you can see that.
00:28:15.19\00:28:17.56
You will go out
a little further,
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you get to the Jews.
00:28:19.06\00:28:20.76
Then you have
the tax collectors,
00:28:20.80\00:28:22.40
the outcasts or the sinners.
00:28:22.43\00:28:24.50
Now these are
people more untouchable.
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They're not as welcome or
highly favored in society.
00:28:26.80\00:28:30.31
Then we get to the Samaritans
who were a mixed race people,
00:28:30.34\00:28:34.94
combination of
Jewish and Gentile in it.
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The farthest outermost
point would be the Gentiles.
00:28:37.38\00:28:41.85
Now, we know this is
not how God looks at us.
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And this is not how God looked
at the people at that time.
00:28:45.45\00:28:49.76
But this is how
many of the Jewish people
00:28:49.79\00:28:52.16
looked at other people.
00:28:52.19\00:28:54.63
So keep that in mind
as we hear this story.
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So let's look at the attack.
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Luke 10:30,
00:28:58.33\00:29:01.14
"Then Jesus answered and said,"
00:29:01.17\00:29:02.87
now I'm going to stop right here
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'cause the word
answered in Greek
00:29:04.27\00:29:05.97
literally means taken up.
00:29:06.01\00:29:08.54
So in other
words, the lawyer said,
00:29:08.58\00:29:10.68
"Who is my neighbor?"
00:29:10.71\00:29:12.05
And Jesus took up the challenge.
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He didn't just simply,
00:29:13.48\00:29:14.82
"Okay, I'm going to answer you."
00:29:14.85\00:29:16.18
But He actually
took up that challenge.
00:29:16.22\00:29:18.92
"A certain man went down
from Jerusalem to Jericho..."
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And those of you who have
been to Israel know literally,
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you go down in elevation,
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from Jerusalem to Jericho,
00:29:28.26\00:29:30.83
it descents probably 3000
feet, from Jerusalem to Jericho,
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over a distance
of maybe 18 miles.
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And it's very rocky there.
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And so a certain man went down,
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he's leaving
Jerusalem going to Jericho.
00:29:42.14\00:29:45.15
"And this man fell among thieves
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who stripped
him of his clothing,
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wounded him and departed,
00:29:48.68\00:29:51.09
leaving him half-dead."
00:29:51.12\00:29:53.62
So now we'll see
three different people
00:29:53.66\00:29:55.26
who come along.
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First is the priest.
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Now, where is the
priest in that circle?
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Where was his position?
00:29:59.39\00:30:00.73
Right at the center. It
was at the center, right?
00:30:00.76\00:30:02.60
Okay, so this would
be the top position.
00:30:02.63\00:30:04.43
First comes the priest.
00:30:04.47\00:30:06.40
Luke 10:31, "Now by
chance a certain priest
00:30:06.43\00:30:09.90
came down that road.
00:30:09.94\00:30:11.84
And when he saw
him," what did he do?
00:30:11.87\00:30:14.08
Passed by.
00:30:14.11\00:30:15.44
"He passed by
on the other side."
00:30:15.48\00:30:18.05
Now in English, we
have a whole bunch of words
00:30:18.08\00:30:20.08
passed by on the other side.
00:30:20.12\00:30:22.55
And Greek is one word,
but it means the same thing.
00:30:22.58\00:30:26.59
Literally, he
passed by opposite to
00:30:26.62\00:30:28.99
or on the other side.
00:30:29.02\00:30:30.99
Now in their culture, the Jews,
if they touched a dead person,
00:30:31.03\00:30:35.43
they would be
considered unclean.
00:30:35.46\00:30:36.93
So at first
glance, you might think,
00:30:36.97\00:30:38.97
"Okay, we might
be able to excuse him
00:30:39.00\00:30:41.14
because he doesn't want
to be considered unclean.
00:30:41.17\00:30:42.97
He didn't know if
this person was dead."
00:30:43.00\00:30:46.27
But I don't think that
they could use that excuse.
00:30:46.31\00:30:49.11
He was leaving Jerusalem,
00:30:49.14\00:30:51.61
meaning probably
he had been there
00:30:51.65\00:30:53.42
to officiate somehow, and
he's probably headed home.
00:30:53.45\00:30:57.49
He had accomplished his
duties, and he's going home.
00:30:57.52\00:31:00.09
The story reveals his hypocrisy
'cause he went to worship God,
00:31:00.12\00:31:04.69
and he's not even
willing to love his neighbor.
00:31:04.73\00:31:08.93
He loved God or
he thought he did,
00:31:08.96\00:31:10.67
but he's not
loving his neighbor.
00:31:10.70\00:31:12.37
So the second person who
comes along is the Levite,
00:31:12.40\00:31:14.44
this is the second sphere
for going out in our circle.
00:31:14.47\00:31:17.04
Verse 32,
00:31:17.07\00:31:18.87
"Levite, when he
arrived at the place,
00:31:18.91\00:31:20.41
came and looked, and passed by
00:31:20.44\00:31:23.68
on the other side."
00:31:23.71\00:31:25.05
The same Greek
word as the priest,
00:31:25.08\00:31:27.38
passed by on the other side.
00:31:27.42\00:31:29.18
Now I want to look
at the word looked,
00:31:29.22\00:31:31.25
'cause we're going
to see the Samaritan
00:31:31.29\00:31:33.02
had the same word for looked.
00:31:33.05\00:31:35.42
The Levite looked,
00:31:35.46\00:31:37.73
so the priest is
passed by in the other side.
00:31:37.76\00:31:39.63
He just, "I'm going by."
00:31:39.66\00:31:41.56
But the Levite
actually had a look,
00:31:41.60\00:31:45.07
it means to see, to
perceive, to experience.
00:31:45.10\00:31:47.90
So he actually looked
and then he passed by.
00:31:47.94\00:31:50.81
Now Jesus, you would think
if you follow this structure,
00:31:50.84\00:31:54.24
who is Jesus
going to go to next?
00:31:54.28\00:31:55.84
The tax collector.
00:31:55.88\00:31:57.21
Maybe the tax
collector is going to come by.
00:31:57.25\00:31:59.25
Or a Jew, maybe a tax collector,
00:31:59.28\00:32:01.28
but here he skips a few steps.
00:32:01.32\00:32:03.99
All of a sudden, a
Samaritan comes by.
00:32:04.02\00:32:07.19
Verse 33, "A certain Samaritan,
00:32:07.22\00:32:09.36
as he journeyed
came where he was.
00:32:09.39\00:32:12.19
And when he saw
him, he had compassion."
00:32:12.23\00:32:15.63
When I see the Samaritan,
I see compassion, I see care.
00:32:15.66\00:32:19.97
And then
there's a cost involved,
00:32:20.00\00:32:23.00
to having compassion,
00:32:23.04\00:32:24.37
and there's a cost to
giving care to someone else.
00:32:24.41\00:32:28.88
He had compassion.
00:32:28.91\00:32:30.25
He looked, it says,
00:32:30.28\00:32:31.71
when he saw him,
00:32:31.75\00:32:33.25
that's the same word
in Greek as the Levite.
00:32:33.28\00:32:36.58
So they looked the
same, but the Samaritan acted.
00:32:36.62\00:32:40.29
He was moved with
compassion for this person.
00:32:40.32\00:32:43.59
Then he gave him care.
00:32:43.63\00:32:44.96
Verse 34,
00:32:44.99\00:32:46.33
"When he went to him,
he bandaged his wounds,
00:32:46.36\00:32:48.13
pouring on oil and wine,"
00:32:48.16\00:32:49.66
which would be like
their medicine kit of that day.
00:32:49.70\00:32:52.50
"And he set him
on his own animal,
00:32:52.53\00:32:54.04
brought him to an inn
and took care of him."
00:32:54.07\00:32:56.04
So probably,
00:32:56.07\00:32:57.41
if you put the
man on the animal,
00:32:57.44\00:32:58.77
he probably walked,
00:32:58.81\00:33:00.14
so that the man
could ride his animal.
00:33:00.18\00:33:02.81
And then we look at the cost.
00:33:02.84\00:33:04.18
Verse 35, "On the
next day, when he departed,
00:33:04.21\00:33:06.95
he took out two denarii,
00:33:06.98\00:33:08.85
and gave them to the
innkeeper, and said to him,
00:33:08.88\00:33:11.05
'Take care of him, and
whatever more you spend,
00:33:11.09\00:33:13.62
when I come again,
I will repay you.'"
00:33:13.66\00:33:15.96
Two denarii is
probably two days wages.
00:33:15.99\00:33:18.16
But he didn't just
give him two days wages,
00:33:18.19\00:33:19.79
he gave him an
open ended invitation.
00:33:19.83\00:33:23.06
He was willing to be vulnerable.
00:33:23.10\00:33:24.67
I'm willing to
pay whatever it takes,
00:33:24.70\00:33:27.77
so that this man
can be taken care of.
00:33:27.80\00:33:30.87
The lesson.
00:33:30.91\00:33:32.24
Verses 36-37,
00:33:32.27\00:33:33.94
"So which of these three
00:33:33.98\00:33:35.31
do you think was neighbor to him
00:33:35.34\00:33:36.68
who fell among the thieves?'
00:33:36.71\00:33:38.21
And he said, 'He who
showed mercy on him.'
00:33:38.25\00:33:42.15
Then Jesus said,
'Go and do likewise.'"
00:33:42.18\00:33:44.95
You notice the lawyer
couldn't even bring himself
00:33:44.99\00:33:46.62
to answer the question.
00:33:46.65\00:33:48.09
He didn't say, "Oh,
it was some Samaritan."
00:33:48.12\00:33:49.79
He said, "Oh, he who
showed mercy on him."
00:33:49.82\00:33:53.33
The lawyer asked,
"Who is my neighbor?
00:33:53.36\00:33:55.56
Who do I have to love?
00:33:55.60\00:33:57.07
And how much do I have to love?"
00:33:57.10\00:33:59.93
Jesus flipped the question
on his head you could say.
00:33:59.97\00:34:03.10
Love asks, "What
can I do to help?"
00:34:03.14\00:34:06.11
Finally the attitude.
00:34:06.14\00:34:07.54
The attitude of the
robbers is what's yours is mine,
00:34:07.58\00:34:10.91
and I'm going to take it.
00:34:10.95\00:34:12.48
The attitude of
the priests and Levites
00:34:12.51\00:34:14.32
is what's mine is mine,
and I'm going to keep it.
00:34:14.35\00:34:18.02
The attitude of the Samaritan
is what's mine is yours,
00:34:18.05\00:34:21.56
and I'm going to share it.
00:34:21.59\00:34:23.22
Amen. Wow!
00:34:23.26\00:34:24.59
Praise the Lord!
00:34:24.63\00:34:25.96
Wednesday's lesson,
"The Rich Man and Lazarus."
00:34:25.99\00:34:30.40
This is one of those
parables that we often,
00:34:30.43\00:34:33.27
we use to explain
00:34:33.30\00:34:37.11
or to try to get around
00:34:37.14\00:34:39.17
the false concept of hellfire
00:34:39.21\00:34:41.71
and brimstone for,
you know, all eternity
00:34:41.74\00:34:44.58
and whether you're
Adventist or non-Adventist,
00:34:44.61\00:34:46.72
this seems to be the mentality
00:34:46.75\00:34:48.08
we take when we're
reading this particular parable,
00:34:48.12\00:34:50.42
we focus more on the
aspects of the judgment
00:34:50.45\00:34:53.36
that the rich man has
to endure as, you know,
00:34:53.39\00:34:56.86
versus in contrast
to that of Lazarus.
00:34:56.89\00:35:00.00
But actually,
00:35:00.03\00:35:01.36
when Christ told
this particular parable,
00:35:01.40\00:35:03.30
He had a
different intent in mind.
00:35:03.33\00:35:04.77
It wasn't His
purpose to communicate
00:35:04.80\00:35:07.24
the truths regarding hellfire,
or heaven, or the afterlife
00:35:07.27\00:35:10.47
when He was presenting
this particular parable.
00:35:10.51\00:35:12.87
So we'll come back
to some of those points
00:35:12.91\00:35:14.38
in just a moment.
00:35:14.41\00:35:15.74
But I want us to
go to Luke Chapter 16.
00:35:15.78\00:35:18.18
Lots to be said,
00:35:18.21\00:35:19.98
and as I want to
just jump right into it.
00:35:20.02\00:35:21.62
Luke Chapter 16,
00:35:21.65\00:35:22.98
we're going to
begin with verse 19.
00:35:23.02\00:35:24.79
We're just going to
introduce this parable
00:35:24.82\00:35:27.59
of the Rich Man and Lazarus.
00:35:27.62\00:35:28.96
Now, I want to
just say up front,
00:35:28.99\00:35:30.33
I've had many
people challenge me
00:35:30.36\00:35:31.69
over the years, they say,
00:35:31.73\00:35:33.06
"How do you
know it's a parable?"
00:35:33.09\00:35:34.43
Because many
people in the outside
00:35:34.46\00:35:36.03
of the Adventist sectors,
00:35:36.06\00:35:38.77
I guess the
non-Adventist sectors,
00:35:38.80\00:35:40.44
they believe that
this is a real true story.
00:35:40.47\00:35:43.44
And as we read through
this particular parable,
00:35:43.47\00:35:46.07
if you were to apply
00:35:46.11\00:35:47.74
literal
applications and interpretation
00:35:47.78\00:35:50.41
to every single
aspect of this story,
00:35:50.45\00:35:54.25
you will see just how
insane you must be to think
00:35:54.28\00:35:57.75
that this particular
story is a literal story.
00:35:57.79\00:36:00.59
And I don't mean that
00:36:00.62\00:36:01.96
in a
disrespectful or critical sense,
00:36:01.99\00:36:03.79
but just simply,
00:36:03.83\00:36:05.16
you will see that by the wording
00:36:05.19\00:36:06.53
and the details of
this particular parable,
00:36:06.56\00:36:08.76
that it is indeed a parable.
00:36:08.80\00:36:10.27
I'm going to
begin in Luke 16:19.
00:36:10.30\00:36:13.84
The Bible says,
"There was a certain rich man
00:36:13.87\00:36:17.27
who was clothed in
purple and fine linen
00:36:17.31\00:36:20.21
and fared sumptuously every day.
00:36:20.24\00:36:24.28
But there was a certain beggar
named Lazarus, full of sores,
00:36:24.31\00:36:28.58
who was laid at his gate,
00:36:28.62\00:36:31.69
desiring to be
fed with the crumbs
00:36:31.72\00:36:33.82
which fell from
the rich man's table.
00:36:33.86\00:36:36.49
Moreover the dogs
came and licked his sores."
00:36:36.52\00:36:40.30
So we kind of have an idea that
00:36:40.33\00:36:41.90
this is a parable type
story that Jesus is telling,
00:36:41.93\00:36:45.40
just by simply how
He introduces it to us.
00:36:45.43\00:36:47.67
"There was a certain rich man,"
00:36:47.70\00:36:49.04
Jesus would often use
this type of language.
00:36:49.07\00:36:51.54
But then He introduces
the two main characters
00:36:51.57\00:36:54.08
of this particular parable,
00:36:54.11\00:36:55.64
one that He just
calls the rich man
00:36:55.68\00:36:57.01
and then another one,
00:36:57.05\00:36:58.38
He gives an
actual name to Lazarus,
00:36:58.41\00:37:00.12
which is very interesting.
00:37:00.15\00:37:01.48
We might get to
that in just a moment,
00:37:01.52\00:37:02.85
as to why Jesus might
have used the name Lazarus.
00:37:02.88\00:37:05.85
But in the
absence of social welfare,
00:37:05.89\00:37:09.36
and then lesson brings this out,
00:37:09.39\00:37:11.39
in the absence of social welfare
00:37:11.43\00:37:13.90
community
hospitals, or soup kitchens,
00:37:13.93\00:37:17.10
it was a common practice
for those in need, disabled
00:37:17.13\00:37:21.34
or otherwise disadvantaged,
00:37:21.37\00:37:24.14
to beg outside the
homes of the wealthy.
00:37:24.17\00:37:26.84
This is a
common historical thing
00:37:26.88\00:37:28.61
that you find in
many civilizations
00:37:28.64\00:37:31.21
in the older days.
00:37:31.25\00:37:32.71
It was expected that
the rich would be generous
00:37:32.75\00:37:35.52
in sharing a
little of their wealth
00:37:35.55\00:37:38.45
to alleviate the suffering.
00:37:38.49\00:37:40.79
And of course,
Christ's Object Lessons,
00:37:40.82\00:37:43.22
page 261
confirms this by saying,
00:37:43.26\00:37:46.23
"The rich man was
selfishly indifferent
00:37:46.26\00:37:50.50
to the needs of
his suffering brother."
00:37:50.53\00:37:53.34
And so now we're kind of getting
00:37:53.37\00:37:54.70
into the core
purpose of why Christ
00:37:54.74\00:37:57.91
is communicating
this particular parable.
00:37:57.94\00:38:00.14
Because again, if
you read before this,
00:38:00.18\00:38:02.28
the Pharisees and
the teachers of Israel
00:38:02.31\00:38:05.51
have approached Jesus,
00:38:05.55\00:38:06.88
and they've
presented this concept,
00:38:06.92\00:38:08.42
this idea many times to Him,
00:38:08.45\00:38:10.79
not just in this
aspect, many times,
00:38:10.82\00:38:12.75
throughout the gospels,
00:38:12.79\00:38:14.12
we find where
they're challenging Jesus.
00:38:14.16\00:38:15.82
And they almost have this
sense of, you know, entitlement,
00:38:15.86\00:38:18.63
like, "We're
the Jews," you know,
00:38:18.66\00:38:20.00
"We get special treatment.
00:38:20.03\00:38:21.46
We're of a higher class.
00:38:21.50\00:38:22.83
We're of a higher
race. We're special."
00:38:22.86\00:38:25.03
And indeed, we have
scriptures, of course,
00:38:25.07\00:38:27.10
that Great Covenant
in Exodus Chapter 19,
00:38:27.14\00:38:29.30
where, you know, God
communicates to Israel,
00:38:29.34\00:38:31.54
that He wanted them
to be His special people
00:38:31.57\00:38:33.91
on the condition that
they would obey His voice
00:38:33.94\00:38:36.21
and keep His covenant.
00:38:36.24\00:38:37.58
These people were
indeed not obeying His voice
00:38:37.61\00:38:39.88
and keeping His covenant.
00:38:39.91\00:38:41.25
So Jesus has kind of
flip the story around
00:38:41.28\00:38:43.89
to particularly minister
to them of the wrong concept
00:38:43.92\00:38:47.56
of the social
prejudices of the day.
00:38:47.59\00:38:50.53
And we'll just go on
00:38:50.56\00:38:52.59
and continue to
read some of the details
00:38:52.63\00:38:54.36
of this particular parable.
00:38:54.40\00:38:56.16
Notice verse 22
and onward, it says,
00:38:56.20\00:38:57.83
"So it was that the beggar died,
00:38:57.87\00:38:59.87
and was carried by the
angels to Abraham's bosom."
00:38:59.90\00:39:03.34
So automatically, we're
starting to get some language
00:39:03.37\00:39:05.34
and if we were to
apply this literally
00:39:05.37\00:39:07.48
as a real story,
00:39:07.51\00:39:08.94
notice how Christ is clearly
using figurative language
00:39:08.98\00:39:11.41
to describe, you know, a
righteous man in this case,
00:39:11.45\00:39:13.98
Lazarus going to
the kingdom of God.
00:39:14.02\00:39:15.82
He described it
as Abraham's bosom.
00:39:15.85\00:39:17.72
And so we know that
not all of the righteous
00:39:17.75\00:39:20.02
are going to fit
into Abraham's bosom,
00:39:20.06\00:39:22.26
that would just be a
little corny to believe that.
00:39:22.29\00:39:27.23
But we know there's some
figurative language used here.
00:39:27.26\00:39:29.66
He goes on to say,
00:39:29.70\00:39:31.03
"The rich man also
died and was buried.
00:39:31.07\00:39:33.07
And being in
torments in Hades," okay?
00:39:33.10\00:39:36.57
"He lifted up his eyes
and saw Abraham afar off,
00:39:36.60\00:39:39.27
and Lazarus in his bosom."
00:39:39.31\00:39:41.01
Verse 24, "Then
he cried and said,
00:39:41.04\00:39:42.98
'Father Abraham,
have mercy on me,
00:39:43.01\00:39:45.08
and send Lazarus that
he may dip," notice this,
00:39:45.11\00:39:47.68
"the tip of his finger
in water and cool my tongue,
00:39:47.72\00:39:51.65
for I am
tormented in this flame.'"
00:39:51.69\00:39:53.66
So we know automatically,
00:39:53.69\00:39:55.22
the very language of
this particular sentence here
00:39:55.26\00:39:57.43
confirms to us, this must
be a figurative short story
00:39:57.46\00:40:01.00
that Christ is telling
to teach a moral lesson.
00:40:01.03\00:40:03.40
Because again, if
you were inflamed,
00:40:03.43\00:40:05.50
that a little tiny drop of water
00:40:05.53\00:40:08.00
on the end of your tongue
00:40:08.04\00:40:09.37
is not going to soothe your soul
00:40:09.40\00:40:10.84
or soothe your torments,
00:40:10.87\00:40:12.41
if that was the case.
00:40:12.44\00:40:13.78
So Christ is speaking
in symbolic language here.
00:40:13.81\00:40:16.48
Verse 26, says, "And
besides all this between us,"
00:40:16.51\00:40:20.08
excuse me, I
missed verse here, did I?
00:40:20.12\00:40:22.68
Yes, 25. Verse 25.
00:40:22.72\00:40:24.05
Verse 25, here we go.
00:40:24.09\00:40:25.42
"But Abraham said,
00:40:25.45\00:40:26.79
'Son, remember
that in your lifetime
00:40:26.82\00:40:28.16
you received good things,"
00:40:28.19\00:40:29.52
So notice here,
00:40:29.56\00:40:30.89
here comes that
social indifference here,
00:40:30.93\00:40:32.26
"you received good things
00:40:32.29\00:40:33.63
and likewise
Lazarus evil things.
00:40:33.66\00:40:35.00
But now he is comforted
and you are tormented.'"
00:40:35.03\00:40:37.03
So Christ has actually
flipped the stake here.
00:40:37.07\00:40:39.93
Because again,
00:40:39.97\00:40:41.30
from this fairy cynical
concept of the afterlife,
00:40:41.34\00:40:45.11
and the blessings of life,
00:40:45.14\00:40:46.68
if you were rich,
you were blessed by God,
00:40:46.71\00:40:48.88
if you were
poor, you were cursed.
00:40:48.91\00:40:50.38
So now Christ has
flipped the picture.
00:40:50.41\00:40:52.55
We go on and read in verse 26.
00:40:52.58\00:40:54.02
"And besides all
this, between us and you
00:40:54.05\00:40:55.88
there is a great gulf fixed,
00:40:55.92\00:40:57.29
so that those who want to
pass from here to you cannot,
00:40:57.32\00:41:00.79
nor can those who
pass from there to us.'
00:41:00.82\00:41:03.36
Then he said, 'I beg
you therefore, Father,
00:41:03.39\00:41:05.19
that you would send
him to my father's house,
00:41:05.23\00:41:07.63
for I have five brothers,
that he may testify to them,
00:41:07.66\00:41:11.17
lest they come to
this place of torment.'"
00:41:11.20\00:41:13.64
And then notice
this, "Abraham said to him,
00:41:13.67\00:41:15.80
'They have Moses
and the prophets,
00:41:15.84\00:41:17.51
let them hear them.'
00:41:17.54\00:41:20.68
And he said,"
notice his response here,
00:41:20.71\00:41:23.35
"No."
00:41:23.38\00:41:25.48
No, he doesn't just say that.
00:41:25.51\00:41:26.85
But the first word out
of his mouth in response is,
00:41:26.88\00:41:29.32
"No, Father Abraham,
00:41:29.35\00:41:30.89
but if one goes to them
00:41:30.92\00:41:32.69
from the dead,
they will repent.'
00:41:32.72\00:41:34.16
But he said to him,
00:41:34.19\00:41:35.52
'If they do not hear
Moses and the prophets,
00:41:35.56\00:41:36.89
neither will they be persuaded
00:41:36.93\00:41:38.26
though one rise from the dead.'"
00:41:38.29\00:41:40.23
So we read this
particular parable,
00:41:40.26\00:41:41.76
and it teaches us that
00:41:41.80\00:41:43.13
just because you
are rich and wealthy,
00:41:43.16\00:41:45.40
that doesn't mean you have
an automatic right into heaven,
00:41:45.43\00:41:48.60
because of the
blessings of your riches.
00:41:48.64\00:41:50.97
Okay, we know that, you know,
00:41:51.01\00:41:52.34
God does bless His
people abundantly in many ways.
00:41:52.37\00:41:55.44
But that does
not necessarily mean
00:41:55.48\00:41:56.85
that you are in favor with God.
00:41:56.88\00:41:58.61
In fact, we should be
reminded of the words of Christ
00:41:58.65\00:42:01.22
in Matthew 19:23-24,
00:42:01.25\00:42:04.29
where He says,
"Assuredly, I say to you,
00:42:04.32\00:42:06.25
that it is hard for a rich man
to enter the kingdom of heaven.
00:42:06.29\00:42:09.42
And again, I say to
you, it is easier for a camel
00:42:09.46\00:42:11.96
to go through
the eye of a needle
00:42:11.99\00:42:13.60
than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God."
00:42:13.63\00:42:16.23
It's not that Christ was saying
00:42:16.26\00:42:17.60
that it's
impossible for a rich man
00:42:17.63\00:42:19.57
to make it into
the kingdom of God,
00:42:19.60\00:42:20.94
but very, very unlikely
00:42:20.97\00:42:22.30
given the fact that,
of course, associated with
00:42:22.34\00:42:25.27
the different
pressures of society
00:42:25.31\00:42:26.84
and the different
things that take place.
00:42:26.88\00:42:28.48
Again, many people,
00:42:28.51\00:42:30.05
when they're seeking
and searching for riches,
00:42:30.08\00:42:32.55
they do it at the
expense of their salvation.
00:42:32.58\00:42:34.88
And we're seeing
Christ calling this out.
00:42:34.92\00:42:36.28
This parable also testifies
to Christ's understanding
00:42:36.32\00:42:39.72
of the prejudices of the day.
00:42:39.75\00:42:41.26
You know, I read this parable,
00:42:41.29\00:42:42.79
and I see, now Lazarus
was would have probably
00:42:42.82\00:42:45.19
been likened
unto that, you know,
00:42:45.23\00:42:47.10
that Samaritan or
those Gentiles, you know,
00:42:47.13\00:42:49.80
'cause Israel looked at
them in a very negative light.
00:42:49.83\00:42:52.40
And of course, the
rich man here, the Jew,
00:42:52.43\00:42:54.84
that special people,
but Christ is clarifying
00:42:54.87\00:42:57.67
and making a special point here.
00:42:57.71\00:42:59.47
Also want to encourage
you to go read Luke 12:13-21.
00:42:59.51\00:43:03.75
We don't have time for that.
00:43:03.78\00:43:05.11
But if you also read that,
00:43:05.15\00:43:06.51
it's the Parable
of the Rich Fool,
00:43:06.55\00:43:08.95
who again,
Christ tells the story
00:43:08.98\00:43:10.49
about how he yielded plenty
in his crops and in his farm,
00:43:10.52\00:43:14.36
but he tears down his old barns
and builds new and he says,
00:43:14.39\00:43:16.89
"I'm going to build greater
and I'm going to, you know,
00:43:16.93\00:43:19.19
create more and more and more
00:43:19.23\00:43:20.73
and build up more
and more for myself."
00:43:20.76\00:43:22.10
But Christ rebukes him,
00:43:22.13\00:43:23.47
He says, "I will say to you,
00:43:23.50\00:43:28.10
'Soul, you have many
goods laid out for many years,
00:43:28.14\00:43:32.21
take your ease, eat,
drink, and be merry.'
00:43:32.24\00:43:34.14
But God says, 'Damn fool!
00:43:34.18\00:43:35.78
This night your soul
will be required of you,
00:43:35.81\00:43:38.18
then whose will those things
be which you have provided for."
00:43:38.21\00:43:42.18
You know, I
think of Jesus' words
00:43:42.22\00:43:45.62
in Matthew Chapter 6.
00:43:45.65\00:43:48.02
When I read these
particular parables,
00:43:48.06\00:43:49.92
Christ is trying
to communicate to us
00:43:49.96\00:43:51.73
that we should all
thinking in a sense of equality,
00:43:51.76\00:43:55.16
that we should meet the needs
00:43:55.20\00:43:56.53
of our brothers and
our sisters in need.
00:43:56.56\00:43:58.73
Not searching after
the things of the world.
00:43:58.77\00:44:00.34
Jesus said, "Do not
lay up for yourselves
00:44:00.37\00:44:02.10
treasures on earth."
00:44:02.14\00:44:03.47
This is Matthew 6:19.
00:44:03.51\00:44:05.44
"Do not lay up for
yourselves treasures on earth."
00:44:05.47\00:44:07.61
This old world is
passing away everything
00:44:07.64\00:44:09.74
and it's going to burn,
00:44:09.78\00:44:11.11
we should be seeking
first in the kingdom of God.
00:44:11.15\00:44:13.18
That's what He says in verse 33.
00:44:13.21\00:44:14.88
"Seek ye first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness,
00:44:14.92\00:44:17.99
and all these things
shall be added to you."
00:44:18.02\00:44:21.32
Seek Jesus, and Jesus
will make all things better.
00:44:21.36\00:44:25.86
All things will be right. Amen.
00:44:25.89\00:44:27.76
Amen. Praise the Lord!
00:44:27.80\00:44:29.13
Oh, that's good.
00:44:29.16\00:44:30.57
I have Thursday's
lessons, and the title of it,
00:44:30.60\00:44:33.34
the title of it I
guest of our whole week here,
00:44:33.37\00:44:35.60
"The Least of These."
00:44:35.64\00:44:37.61
And I was really blessed by it.
00:44:37.64\00:44:39.67
And I think it
changed my thinking
00:44:39.71\00:44:42.38
and in my heart
and things that I know
00:44:42.41\00:44:45.21
that I think I should be doing
00:44:45.25\00:44:47.18
that sometime
I've neglected to do.
00:44:47.22\00:44:49.38
So that's what a lesson I
think is for us when we read it,
00:44:49.42\00:44:53.72
that there's a
reformation to follow.
00:44:53.76\00:44:55.29
So we're not just
reading and trying
00:44:55.32\00:44:56.66
to get a hold, you
know, a certain point,
00:44:56.69\00:44:58.66
but we're wanting to
change our hearts in our lives.
00:44:58.69\00:45:00.80
So take the name of
Jesus, we're talking about
00:45:00.83\00:45:03.20
if a person takes
the name of Christ,
00:45:03.23\00:45:05.60
to me, that's a
heavy responsibility.
00:45:05.63\00:45:07.44
To say, I'm a
Christian, I'm Christlike.
00:45:07.47\00:45:10.14
There's a lot of
responsibility with that.
00:45:10.17\00:45:12.37
And if we do it
lightly, sometime,
00:45:12.41\00:45:15.34
we'll find that
there's no power in the life,
00:45:15.38\00:45:17.58
there's no meaning in the life,
00:45:17.61\00:45:19.41
there's no action going on.
00:45:19.45\00:45:21.32
And as a Christian,
00:45:21.35\00:45:22.68
we need all of those
things going on in our life.
00:45:22.72\00:45:25.32
And, of course, when
Jesus walked this earth,
00:45:25.35\00:45:27.19
He was asked
questions after question
00:45:27.22\00:45:29.16
after question, all the time.
00:45:29.19\00:45:30.59
I like the way He answered.
He took up the challenge.
00:45:30.63\00:45:32.63
I kind of like that.
00:45:32.66\00:45:34.00
You know, the Bible study
sometime is like a challenge.
00:45:34.03\00:45:35.53
There are the
people in challenge.
00:45:35.56\00:45:36.90
And so Jesus always took it up.
00:45:36.93\00:45:38.27
And they were
always asking about
00:45:38.30\00:45:39.63
when He's going to come again,
00:45:39.67\00:45:41.00
what's going to happen
00:45:41.04\00:45:42.37
in prophecy and
different things.
00:45:42.40\00:45:43.74
And I thought
00:45:43.77\00:45:45.11
it's very
interesting in this part,
00:45:45.14\00:45:46.47
The Least of These, what
Jesus really constitutes,
00:45:46.51\00:45:48.84
it's more than us
realize or wanting to know
00:45:48.88\00:45:51.58
the day and the
hour when Jesus comes
00:45:51.61\00:45:53.28
when no man could know that.
00:45:53.31\00:45:55.55
But we can know it's
near, even at the door.
00:45:55.58\00:45:58.12
But it's interesting
how Jesus went over that,
00:45:58.15\00:46:00.16
but He really begin
to hit on the things
00:46:00.19\00:46:02.46
that was very, very important.
00:46:02.49\00:46:04.66
Maybe most important,
00:46:04.69\00:46:06.29
is how to be
ready for His coming.
00:46:06.33\00:46:08.96
And so He did it in a way,
00:46:09.00\00:46:11.40
talked about
there in Matthew 24:25.
00:46:11.43\00:46:14.40
I'm going to go over
like six points Jesus makes.
00:46:14.44\00:46:17.87
When He goes over
and details disciples,
00:46:17.91\00:46:19.91
they asked question,
00:46:19.94\00:46:21.28
He tells and then He
talks to them about that.
00:46:21.31\00:46:23.38
Then He gets into, I
want to call maybe some meat.
00:46:23.41\00:46:26.68
The meat of the word
when He talks about here,
00:46:26.72\00:46:28.52
for instance, Matthew 24:23.
00:46:28.55\00:46:31.79
Now remember, He's
concluding the talk already,
00:46:31.82\00:46:34.02
but now He's
coming back and say,
00:46:34.06\00:46:35.39
"Yeah, now you know
the answers to this."
00:46:35.42\00:46:36.93
But how is your life?
00:46:36.96\00:46:39.96
Is it more important to prepare
00:46:40.00\00:46:41.50
and be ready for
the coming of Jesus
00:46:41.53\00:46:42.96
or is it more important
00:46:43.00\00:46:44.33
to know everything in Scripture?
00:46:44.37\00:46:46.33
It's just the thought.
Here's what Jesus said.
00:46:46.37\00:46:48.40
So He opened it
up with a parable of
00:46:48.44\00:46:51.31
in Matthew 24:32,
00:46:51.34\00:46:53.34
The Parable of the Fig Tree.
00:46:53.38\00:46:55.51
And so we know about
the Parable of the Fig Tree.
00:46:55.54\00:46:57.45
What is He doing?
00:46:57.48\00:46:58.81
He's going back and saying,
"Yeah, but are you ready?
00:46:58.85\00:47:00.28
You want to know
when I'm going to come,
00:47:00.32\00:47:01.65
but are you
ready for Me to come?"
00:47:01.68\00:47:03.18
And so He answers the
question, but I thought...
00:47:03.22\00:47:05.99
It says the open
sinner is less guilty.
00:47:06.02\00:47:10.29
Think about, the open sinner
00:47:10.33\00:47:11.66
is less guilty than
the professed Christian,
00:47:11.69\00:47:15.73
notice this, who bears no fruit.
00:47:15.76\00:47:19.27
If you're looking to tree,
00:47:19.30\00:47:21.47
now you think about
that's pretty heavy duty.
00:47:21.50\00:47:23.51
Then He goes on, and He
goes on with Matthew 24.
00:47:23.54\00:47:26.27
Each one of those you
can spend a lot of time.
00:47:26.31\00:47:27.98
Matthew 24:37,
00:47:28.01\00:47:29.68
then Jesus goes in
right quick, and He says,
00:47:29.71\00:47:31.81
"As it was in the days of Noah."
00:47:31.85\00:47:34.15
Wow! What is He doing?
00:47:34.18\00:47:35.85
He just talked about the
destruction of Jerusalem,
00:47:35.88\00:47:38.15
He's talking about
the signs of Second Coming
00:47:38.19\00:47:39.75
and all the
things that would go on.
00:47:39.79\00:47:41.12
But then He comes
right back, and He says,
00:47:41.16\00:47:42.56
"As it was in the days of Noah."
00:47:42.59\00:47:44.76
He's letting us, no, man,
as a word it's going to be
00:47:44.79\00:47:47.46
is coming of Jesus.
00:47:47.50\00:47:48.90
That's two.
00:47:48.93\00:47:50.27
Number three, Matthew 25:1,
00:47:50.30\00:47:53.17
He says, "The kingdom of
heaven is like ten virgins."
00:47:53.20\00:47:57.77
You know, there's a wise
and then there's a foolish.
00:47:57.81\00:47:59.91
Man, what a lesson in that!
00:47:59.94\00:48:01.34
Was He going back?
00:48:01.38\00:48:02.71
Are you ready? Are you ready?
00:48:02.74\00:48:04.38
You're wanting to
know the answer to this,
00:48:04.41\00:48:05.75
you want to know the answer,
00:48:05.78\00:48:07.12
but are you ready
to meet Me when I come?
00:48:07.15\00:48:09.12
Matthew 25:13,
number four, He says,
00:48:09.15\00:48:12.69
"I want you to watch
and of course, to pray,
00:48:12.72\00:48:15.42
because you know not
the day or the hour."
00:48:15.46\00:48:18.76
It may come, we're not
ready for the coming of Jesus.
00:48:18.79\00:48:21.06
You think you are but no
man knows the day or the hour,
00:48:21.10\00:48:23.80
but you need to be watching,
you need to be praying.
00:48:23.83\00:48:25.83
Number five, Matthew 25:14,
00:48:25.87\00:48:29.07
talks about the
Parable of the Talents,
00:48:29.10\00:48:31.71
the five, the two and the one.
00:48:31.74\00:48:33.94
Jesus is saying here,
00:48:33.98\00:48:35.31
"I've given you these
gifts, are you using them
00:48:35.34\00:48:37.45
for My honor, and for My glory?
00:48:37.48\00:48:38.85
Are you doing?
00:48:38.88\00:48:40.22
And when I come,
is there going to be
00:48:40.25\00:48:41.58
some interest
in on these things?
00:48:41.62\00:48:43.12
Now remember, He's
talking about those
00:48:43.15\00:48:44.52
that's going to
inherit the kingdom.
00:48:44.55\00:48:45.99
It's not that all knowledge,
00:48:46.02\00:48:47.36
it's all I've
memorized the Bible,
00:48:47.39\00:48:48.72
I know every
text there is to know,
00:48:48.76\00:48:50.09
I can never cover every subject.
00:48:50.13\00:48:51.46
He said, "Are
you using those gifts
00:48:51.49\00:48:54.53
that I've given to you?
00:48:54.56\00:48:56.56
Are you ready? Are you watching?
00:48:56.60\00:48:58.33
Are you ready?"
00:48:58.37\00:48:59.90
You realize in the days of Noah.
00:48:59.93\00:49:01.87
And then He goes on...
00:49:01.90\00:49:03.77
See number six,
Matthew 25:31-33.
00:49:03.81\00:49:08.51
He goes about the
sheep and the goats.
00:49:08.54\00:49:11.41
Think about that
for just a moment.
00:49:11.45\00:49:12.78
I thought that's interesting,
sheep and the goats.
00:49:12.81\00:49:15.22
Jesus separates the
sheep from the goats.
00:49:15.25\00:49:19.52
There's certainly
a reason for that.
00:49:19.55\00:49:21.52
He said, sheep going, what?
00:49:21.56\00:49:23.76
The right hand and the
goats will go on the left.
00:49:23.79\00:49:26.96
So He's separating here
00:49:27.00\00:49:28.33
because He's talking about
the sheep on the right hand
00:49:28.36\00:49:31.40
will inherit the kingdom.
00:49:31.43\00:49:32.87
Well, that's where I want to be.
00:49:32.90\00:49:34.60
That's where you want to be.
00:49:34.64\00:49:35.97
That's where we all want to be.
00:49:36.00\00:49:37.34
But we have to realize
00:49:37.37\00:49:38.71
we're going to have
to follow God's plan
00:49:38.74\00:49:40.08
in order to be the
sheep on the right hand.
00:49:40.11\00:49:42.31
And He makes it very clear.
00:49:42.34\00:49:44.31
Oh, you may
have all these gifts,
00:49:44.35\00:49:45.68
you may have all these building,
00:49:45.71\00:49:47.05
you may do all
these things right here,
00:49:47.08\00:49:48.42
but have you done the things
00:49:48.45\00:49:49.78
that I've asked you
to do as a Christian?
00:49:49.82\00:49:51.65
And then He
gives six more things
00:49:51.69\00:49:53.46
I think is very, very
important for us to look at.
00:49:53.49\00:49:55.82
Now notice these six things
00:49:55.86\00:49:57.99
cover the
physical and the spiritual.
00:49:58.03\00:50:02.06
Jesus was always good about
getting the physical, wasn't,
00:50:02.10\00:50:04.03
and then He give
you some spiritual.
00:50:04.07\00:50:05.40
Man, He just did
such a wonderful way
00:50:05.43\00:50:07.20
and we can learn from that.
00:50:07.24\00:50:08.57
We should, I think
take that to heart.
00:50:08.60\00:50:09.94
Here's what He does, quickly.
00:50:09.97\00:50:11.31
He said, first of all,
00:50:11.34\00:50:12.67
those are going to
inherit the kingdom...
00:50:12.71\00:50:14.04
He looked at me and said,
00:50:14.08\00:50:15.41
"Kenny, have
you fed the hungry?"
00:50:15.44\00:50:16.78
"Well, but, Lord, I've
been giving Bible study.
00:50:16.81\00:50:18.15
Man, I've been
out doing ministry.
00:50:18.18\00:50:19.51
I've been holding
evangelistic series.
00:50:19.55\00:50:20.92
I've been," you
see, some time...
00:50:20.95\00:50:23.49
And He said, "Kenny,
have you fed the hungry?"
00:50:23.52\00:50:26.96
And I thought,
"Man, fed the hungry?"
00:50:26.99\00:50:30.46
How many of us
have really done that?
00:50:30.49\00:50:33.43
Then He says...
00:50:33.46\00:50:34.80
Again, it could be
meat in due season,
00:50:34.83\00:50:36.16
He talk about
physical and spiritual.
00:50:36.20\00:50:37.53
Are we getting the word?
00:50:37.57\00:50:38.90
Are we getting the physical food
00:50:38.93\00:50:40.27
when they need it?
00:50:40.30\00:50:41.64
Number two, he said,
00:50:41.67\00:50:43.00
"Have you given
water to the thirsty?"
00:50:43.04\00:50:45.01
And I thought,
00:50:45.04\00:50:46.37
"Man, this
sounds pretty simple."
00:50:46.41\00:50:48.41
Physical and spiritual,
and you think about it.
00:50:48.44\00:50:51.61
He says, "The water
that you will drink,
00:50:51.65\00:50:52.98
if you drink the right
water, you'll thirst no more."
00:50:53.01\00:50:55.82
And then there's time
people are really thirsty.
00:50:55.85\00:50:57.32
They have no
good water to drink.
00:50:57.35\00:50:58.69
Are we trying to meet that need?
00:50:58.72\00:51:00.06
Number three.
00:51:00.09\00:51:01.49
Jesus said,
"Kenny, I was a stranger."
00:51:01.52\00:51:04.36
Notice this.
00:51:04.39\00:51:05.73
"And yet," what?
00:51:05.76\00:51:07.10
You took me and
this is what He's saying.
00:51:07.13\00:51:08.73
Have you took in the
stranger that needs something?
00:51:08.76\00:51:10.67
You think about
the guys passing by,
00:51:10.70\00:51:12.53
the guy's laying
drunk or with drugs
00:51:12.57\00:51:14.84
on the side of the road,
00:51:14.87\00:51:16.20
are we really
interested in that?
00:51:16.24\00:51:17.57
I passed him up a lot of times,
00:51:17.61\00:51:19.17
I'll be honest, and
also get down to him.
00:51:19.21\00:51:22.68
Jesus said, "You
want to make the heaven,
00:51:22.71\00:51:24.95
have you pass these people by?"
00:51:24.98\00:51:27.65
I was a stranger
and you took me in.
00:51:27.68\00:51:30.19
I mean, we might have been alone
00:51:30.22\00:51:31.55
without any hope.
00:51:31.59\00:51:32.92
And He said, I was naked.
00:51:32.95\00:51:36.26
Number four, "I was
naked and you clothed me."
00:51:36.29\00:51:39.59
Think about this.
00:51:39.63\00:51:40.96
"I gave you a
robe of righteousness."
00:51:41.00\00:51:43.03
He offers to us His
robe of righteousness.
00:51:43.06\00:51:45.87
We have no clothes.
00:51:45.90\00:51:47.24
Have you seen those
who have no clothes?
00:51:47.27\00:51:48.60
Are we willing to help
them and to go do those things?
00:51:48.64\00:51:51.87
Or is it kind of out of our ways
00:51:51.91\00:51:53.78
that we're out
of our line of work?
00:51:53.81\00:51:55.14
Are we too busy
doing other things?
00:51:55.18\00:51:56.91
He's saying,
"These are My sheep.
00:51:56.95\00:51:58.91
They hear My voice
and they do these things,
00:51:58.95\00:52:00.95
they will inherit My kingdom."
00:52:00.98\00:52:03.05
So sometime I think
I have maybe priorities
00:52:03.08\00:52:04.99
maybe in the wrong spot,
00:52:05.02\00:52:06.39
and I need to have
those things corrected.
00:52:06.42\00:52:08.26
Because we can be
doing both, you know,
00:52:08.29\00:52:10.99
getting the message out
and doing what God asked to do.
00:52:11.03\00:52:13.19
But we have to be
doing these things here.
00:52:13.23\00:52:15.13
Number five, He said,
00:52:15.16\00:52:16.73
"I was sick,
and you visited me."
00:52:16.77\00:52:19.83
You know, that's
a ministry himself
00:52:19.87\00:52:21.20
to visiting the sick.
00:52:21.24\00:52:22.87
You know, this sick and well,
00:52:22.90\00:52:24.31
so many times get
physical and spiritual again,
00:52:24.34\00:52:26.54
sick and in sin.
00:52:26.57\00:52:28.18
And Jesus comes to heal that.
00:52:28.21\00:52:30.15
And we were sick physically,
and He's a great healer
00:52:30.18\00:52:32.21
has been brought
out here in our lessons.
00:52:32.25\00:52:34.18
Number six, He said,
00:52:34.22\00:52:35.55
"I was in prison
and you did," what?
00:52:35.58\00:52:38.12
"I was in prison
and you visited me."
00:52:38.15\00:52:40.19
Think about it.
00:52:40.22\00:52:41.56
You see what,
prison house of sin.
00:52:41.59\00:52:42.92
Naturally we're talking about
gaining the victory over sin
00:52:42.96\00:52:44.66
through the righteousness
and the blood of Jesus Christ.
00:52:44.69\00:52:47.63
Again, you visit to me
physically and spiritually.
00:52:47.66\00:52:50.77
The goats, He said,
get on the left over there
00:52:50.80\00:52:52.80
because the goats,
He said, Jesus said,
00:52:52.83\00:52:55.17
"That entered
to everlasting fire
00:52:55.20\00:52:57.11
prepared for the
devil and his angels,"
00:52:57.14\00:52:59.51
in Matthew 25:40,
for one, I believe it is.
00:52:59.54\00:53:02.48
The difference in
the sheep and a goat,
00:53:02.51\00:53:03.98
you may think
you're a sheep today,
00:53:04.01\00:53:05.51
but you may just
be a big old goat.
00:53:05.55\00:53:08.08
You know, I'm going
to challenge myself,
00:53:08.12\00:53:09.78
and I'm gonna
challenge those out here
00:53:09.82\00:53:11.15
because we have
to really look at it.
00:53:11.19\00:53:12.85
Because a lot of times
I'm talking about myself,
00:53:12.89\00:53:14.86
because when you're in ministry,
00:53:14.89\00:53:16.22
and you're doing all the time,
00:53:16.26\00:53:17.63
it seems like for others,
00:53:17.66\00:53:19.06
we forget to do these
things that Jesus said.
00:53:19.09\00:53:21.63
These are the ones
going to inherit eternal life.
00:53:21.66\00:53:23.77
We can't forget these things.
00:53:23.80\00:53:25.43
And He said, the difference
in sheep and goat, what is it?
00:53:25.47\00:53:28.77
The sheep hear
His voice and do what?
00:53:28.80\00:53:30.67
And they follow.
00:53:30.71\00:53:32.04
And the goats,
00:53:32.07\00:53:33.41
they're always
going and saying what?
00:53:33.44\00:53:36.38
I would do it,
but, did anybody get it?
00:53:36.41\00:53:39.78
Goats are doing what? But.
00:53:39.81\00:53:42.22
It's but, that's all they did.
00:53:42.25\00:53:43.89
They're going to do it.
00:53:43.92\00:53:45.25
But it's just, but,
and that's what they do.
00:53:45.29\00:53:47.66
Jesus said in
Matthew 25:40, quickly,
00:53:47.69\00:53:50.39
"Inasmuch as you
have done it in to," what?
00:53:50.43\00:53:51.96
Least of these.
00:53:51.99\00:53:53.33
"The least of these,
00:53:53.36\00:53:54.70
My brethren you
have done it unto Me."
00:53:54.73\00:53:57.20
Desire of Ages,
638, read quickly here.
00:53:57.23\00:53:58.57
Notice this.
00:53:58.60\00:53:59.93
This is just so beautiful,
00:53:59.97\00:54:01.30
brought tears my
eyes when I wrote it down.
00:54:01.34\00:54:02.87
"How surprised and how gladden
00:54:02.90\00:54:04.54
will be the
lowly among the nations
00:54:04.57\00:54:07.08
and among the heathen,
00:54:07.11\00:54:08.68
to whom from the
lips of the Savior,
00:54:08.71\00:54:11.11
'Inasmuch as ye have done it
00:54:11.15\00:54:12.48
unto one of the
least of these My brethren,
00:54:12.51\00:54:13.85
ye have done it unto me!'"
00:54:13.88\00:54:15.22
Matthew 24.
00:54:15.25\00:54:16.58
"How glad will be the
heart of the Infinite Love
00:54:16.62\00:54:19.12
as His followers look
upon with surprise and joy
00:54:19.15\00:54:23.22
at the words of the approved.
00:54:23.26\00:54:25.49
Not to any,
Christ," notice this,
00:54:25.53\00:54:27.73
"class is
Christ's love restricted.
00:54:27.76\00:54:30.17
He identifies Himself
with every child of humanity."
00:54:30.20\00:54:33.67
Amen. God, thank you.
00:54:33.70\00:54:35.37
You know, it occurred to me
00:54:35.40\00:54:36.74
as we've been going
through these lessons
00:54:36.77\00:54:38.71
that some of the
things we're talking about,
00:54:38.74\00:54:40.98
we actually don't spend
that much time preaching on.
00:54:41.01\00:54:43.75
And there's so much in the Bible
00:54:43.78\00:54:46.31
about the poor and the oppressed
00:54:46.35\00:54:48.55
and reaching out and
ministering to others.
00:54:48.58\00:54:51.52
Because that's how we
develop the divine nature
00:54:51.55\00:54:54.79
of unselfish love of God's.
00:54:54.82\00:54:57.53
He actually pours
His love into our heart
00:54:57.56\00:54:59.79
which enables us to do that.
00:54:59.83\00:55:01.76
Quick comment.
00:55:01.80\00:55:03.53
Overcoming evil with
good gives us an assurance
00:55:03.57\00:55:07.00
that not overcoming
evil will never give us.
00:55:07.04\00:55:11.94
You know, when
Jesus tackled evil,
00:55:11.97\00:55:14.51
the Bible says,
00:55:14.54\00:55:15.88
"Therefore, if the
Son makes you free,
00:55:15.91\00:55:17.78
you shall free indeed."
00:55:17.81\00:55:19.41
So don't battle
the evil yourself,
00:55:19.45\00:55:22.32
et Jesus battle it, and
you will really be freed.
00:55:22.35\00:55:25.49
Amen.
00:55:25.52\00:55:26.86
This has been an
incredible study,
00:55:26.89\00:55:28.22
each one of the lessons
but I think in particular,
00:55:28.26\00:55:30.29
this lesson
really spoke to my heart.
00:55:30.33\00:55:32.53
And I was just
reminded, who am I?
00:55:32.56\00:55:35.06
Am I the Good Samaritan?
00:55:35.10\00:55:37.13
Or God forbid, am I
a priest or a Levite
00:55:37.17\00:55:41.04
in that case or I mean,
00:55:41.07\00:55:42.54
in that situation passing by?
00:55:42.57\00:55:44.64
So we just come to God and say,
00:55:44.67\00:55:46.71
"Search me, O
God, and know my heart
00:55:46.74\00:55:48.58
and try me and know
my thoughts reveal to me.
00:55:48.61\00:55:51.91
That's my prayer,
reveal to me my heart.
00:55:51.95\00:55:54.75
Amen.
00:55:54.78\00:55:56.48
You know, reflecting
on my particular day,
00:55:56.52\00:55:58.32
the Parable of the
Rich Man and Lazarus,
00:55:58.35\00:56:01.12
I see that the rich
man could not see his need
00:56:01.16\00:56:04.39
to serve his brother, Lazarus,
00:56:04.43\00:56:07.23
because of his own selfish chase
00:56:07.26\00:56:09.73
of the things of the
world and the riches of it.
00:56:09.76\00:56:13.77
We live in a world today
00:56:13.80\00:56:15.14
where people are really striving
00:56:15.17\00:56:17.21
to get more and more
and more and more and more.
00:56:17.24\00:56:20.34
You know, they can't get enough,
00:56:20.38\00:56:21.71
you know, we got
to have more and more.
00:56:21.74\00:56:23.08
But, you know, truthfully,
the Bible tells us here
00:56:23.11\00:56:25.41
and these are
the words of Christ
00:56:25.45\00:56:26.78
on the Sermon on the Mount,
00:56:26.82\00:56:28.98
Matthew 6:21-24, it says,
00:56:29.02\00:56:31.95
"For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
00:56:31.99\00:56:35.82
No one can serve two masters
00:56:35.86\00:56:37.39
for either he will hate
the one and love the other,
00:56:37.43\00:56:40.53
or else he will
be loyal to the one
00:56:40.56\00:56:42.96
and despise the other.
00:56:43.00\00:56:44.33
You cannot
serve God and mammon."
00:56:44.37\00:56:47.17
Amen. Very good.
00:56:47.20\00:56:48.54
So the question comes to
me is, who is my neighbor.
00:56:48.57\00:56:50.74
That who is my neighbor.
00:56:50.77\00:56:52.11
It's not just the
one who lives next door,
00:56:52.14\00:56:53.74
is not the one that
we go to church with,
00:56:53.78\00:56:55.38
and my brothers and my sister,
00:56:55.41\00:56:57.35
for our neighbor is,
every person we come in contact
00:56:57.38\00:57:00.22
that needs our help,
00:57:00.25\00:57:02.18
and every person who is wounded
and has been hurt by the enemy.
00:57:02.22\00:57:06.25
Who is my neighbor? Everyone.
00:57:06.29\00:57:08.82
Amen and amen. That's good.
00:57:08.86\00:57:10.33
You know, I'm just thinking that
00:57:10.36\00:57:12.49
in the Sermon on the Mount,
00:57:12.53\00:57:14.46
in Matthew Chapter 5,
00:57:14.50\00:57:15.83
Jesus said that, He says,
00:57:15.86\00:57:18.17
"You are the salt of the earth."
00:57:18.20\00:57:19.90
Then He goes on, He says,
"You are the light there."
00:57:19.93\00:57:23.20
And you know, salt
preserves, salt adds flavor,
00:57:23.24\00:57:28.88
salt is
something very important.
00:57:28.91\00:57:31.95
And light pushes back darkness.
00:57:31.98\00:57:35.22
I mean, darkness cannot exist
when there is light, right?
00:57:35.25\00:57:39.65
So I think that
Jesus is telling us
00:57:39.69\00:57:41.82
through all of
these three chapters
00:57:41.86\00:57:44.03
of the Sermon on the Mount,
00:57:44.06\00:57:45.39
this collection of teachings,
00:57:45.43\00:57:48.33
He's just saying,
"Hey, I'm going to use you.
00:57:48.36\00:57:52.43
And I will empower you
00:57:52.47\00:57:54.34
to influence and
improve the lives of others."
00:57:54.37\00:57:59.27
Because that's
what the kingdom of God
00:57:59.31\00:58:01.71
is really all about.
00:58:01.74\00:58:03.75
Join us next
time, till then bye-bye.
00:58:03.78\00:58:06.38