The Bible tells us, "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 for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is,
"The Least of These."
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Hello, and welcome to another
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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I am Jill
Morikone and we are so glad
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that you have joined
us as we journey through
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quarter number 3,
"The Least of These."
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We're in lesson number 10.
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It's hard to believe,
we're getting toward the end
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of the quarter,
"Living the Gospel."
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I wanna encourage you,
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you can go to
the following website
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and you can
download your own quarterly
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so you can follow along with us.
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That website is
ABSG.Adventist.org.
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That stands for
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AdultBibleStudyGuide.
Adventist.org
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or we always encourage
you to visit your local
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Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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They would welcome you
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and they would
give you a quarterly
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and invite you to
join a lesson discussion.
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Before we go any further,
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I wanna
introduce our panel here.
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Sitting on my left is my
boss and friend and mentor,
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Mr. Danny Shelton,
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it's a privilege
to have you here.
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Oh, it's good to be here.
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I don't know about the boss part
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but I kind of leave her
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to make those
decisions nowadays,
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she and Greg,
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but it is a privilege to be here
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and to be able to study
with my brothers and sisters
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and those of you at home too.
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Amen.
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And on your left
is Pastor Ryan Day.
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We love having you here as well.
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It's always a blessing
to be a part of this panel.
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Amen.
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And on your left is my
pastor, Pastor John Lomacang.
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And thank you for your
insight in the Word of God.
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Praise the Lord.
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We've been really
finding out some new things
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even though new
things are not always new,
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but I appreciate the author's
approach to this lesson.
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It's a blessing. Amen.
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It's been a wonderful
study and at the far end,
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my sister Shelley Quinn.
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And thank you, Shelley, so
much for being here as well.
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Oh, it's always a
joy to study with you all
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and we're just so glad
you at home are joining us.
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Amen.
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Before we go any further
and we open up God's Word,
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we want to go to
the Lord in prayer.
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And, Pastor John,
would you pray for us?
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Gracious Father in
heaven, we thank You, Lord,
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for the
privilege and opportunity
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that You afford us to
come into Your presence.
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We pray that as
we open the Word,
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You'll open our
hearts and pour into us.
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Lord, send Your Holy
Spirit to empower us.
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May we make sense and
may the words of our mouths
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and the
meditations of our hearts
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be acceptable in Your sight.
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We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen.
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Our lesson is
"Living the Gospel,"
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and I wanna start
out with some questions.
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Are we saved by
grace or by works?
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Grace. Grace, okay.
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If works don't save
us, what role do they play
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in the life of the Christian
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and how do we know if
we're becoming legalistic?
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Could we think
we're saved by grace
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yet somehow we're
still clinging to works
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for salvation?
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Jeremiah 17:9 says,
"The heart's deceitful
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above all things
and desperately wicked."
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So that means could
we be even self deceived
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as to our assurance of salvation
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and the method of salvation?
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I think of Paul writing
to the Galatians believers.
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In Galatians 3:1, he
said, "O foolish Galatians!"
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In Greek it means,
mindless or stupid.
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That's a pretty strong word.
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Oh, stupid believers
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or brothers and
sisters in Christ.
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He says, having
begun in the spirit,
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are you now made
perfect in the flesh?
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In other words,
they began with grace,
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but then they somehow
transitioned to believing
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it was all about works.
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Could even this
quarter we're talking about
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ministering to
the least of these
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and reaching out in service
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to other people.
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Could even our works
of mercy and compassion
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become works based
instead of grace based?
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I wanna talk just one
moment about works versus grace.
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Works say, "What I do
has bearing on who I am."
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Grace says, "Who I am
has bearing on what I do."
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Works say, "Actions are
more important than motive."
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Grace says, "Motive
informs my actions."
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Work say, "I am what
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other people perceive me to be."
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Grace says, "I am
who God says I am."
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Okay.
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We're all in
need of divine grace.
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Isaiah 64:6,
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"All our righteousness
is as filthy rags."
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The lesson had a great quote,
this is from Faith and Works,
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page 24, "If you
would gather together
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everything that is
good and holy and noble
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and lovely in man,
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and then present the
subject to the angels of God
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as somehow acting a
part in the salvation
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of the human
soul or in marriage,
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the proposition would
be rejected as treason."
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That's how the angels would view
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because our righteousness
clearly is as filthy rags.
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Love is the motive,
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love is the
reason for our existence.
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It's the reason for service.
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Our memory text,
scripture is Ephesians 2:8-10,
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"By grace you've
been saved through faith,
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that not of yourselves,
it's the gift of God.
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Not of works, lest
anyone should boast.
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We are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
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for good works,
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which God prepared beforehand
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that we should walk in them."
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On Sunday we look at God,
for God so loved the world
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and you could quote
that scripture along with me.
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We're going to John 3:16,
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"For God so loved the world
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that He gave His
only begotten Son,
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that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish,
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but have everlasting life."
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So who's doing the giving?
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In this verse,
who does the giving?
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God. God.
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God so loved the
world that He gave.
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Often we think Jesus
loved us and Jesus died for us.
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But John 16:27 says, "The
Father Himself loves you."
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God loved so He gave.
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And who is on the receiving end,
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God is giving
Jesus, who's receiving?
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World. The world and we are.
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God so loved the world,
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everyone that
whosoever believes in Him
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should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
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And the conditions,
what are the conditions
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to receiving
that everlasting life?
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It is belief, right?
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Whosoever should believe.
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Now in the Greek,
it's an interesting twist
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on that word belief
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'cause the verb tense indicates
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those who are
continuing to believe.
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It's a constant
action over time,
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not at one
particular point in time.
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So in other words,
we don't believe once
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and we're saved for eternity.
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It's a continual
believing in Jesus.
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And the result,
whosoever believes in Him,
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we don't perish, but
we have everlasting life.
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Now the lesson
made a connection here
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between the John 3:16
and Romans 8:20 and 23.
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And let's turn
there to Romans Chapter 8.
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I hope that this
connection will be clear to you
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at home as well.
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Romans Chapter 8,
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we're going to
verses 20 through 23.
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Now, you all
know Romans is one of
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my personal
favorite books of the Bible.
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And I know
Shelley and Pastor John
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and maybe some
of the rest of you,
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it is yours as well.
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Romans 1 through 4,
Chapters 1 through 4
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talks about the great
sin of mankind in general,
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and our need for
righteousness and justification.
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Romans 5-8, Christ,
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our righteousness
and sanctification.
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Amen.
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By the time we get
to Romans Chapter 8.
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To me, that's the pinnacle
of the entire Book of Romans
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because Romans 7 was all about,
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I can't do it myself,
and what am I gonna do,
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but Romans 8 comes in.
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We are
powerless to keep the law,
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but the Holy Spirit
comes in, in Romans Chapter 8.
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And we see that power
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to keep the law of Christ in us,
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the hope of glory.
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The verses we're going
to is verses 20 through 23.
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But before we get there,
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I wanna read
verses 14 through 17.
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So in Romans
8:14-17, the two concepts
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that we're gonna
be discussing here
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is the context of
suffering, and sonship,
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and then the
concept of groaning.
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So those two concepts are
even a little interrelated.
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So hopefully,
we can unpack that.
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The context of
suffering, Romans 8:14,
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"For as many as are
led by the Spirit of God,
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these are the sons of God."
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So from that I get
that the Spirit of God
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equals the spirit of sonship,
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'cause if we're led
by the Spirit of God,
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we are the sons of God.
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"For you to not receive
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the Spirit of
bondage again to fear,
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but you receive
the Spirit of adoption
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by whom we cry out Abba, Father.
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The Spirit himself bears
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witness with our spirit
that we are children of God.
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And if children, then heirs,"
look at what's coming here,
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"heirs of God and joint
heirs with Christ if, indeed,
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we suffer with him,
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that we may also be
glorified together."
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Suffering is a
necessary prerequisite
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for entering into
that full sonship.
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We are fellow heirs with
Christ if we suffer with Him,
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but the benefits of
sonship far outweigh
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any price we pay for suffering.
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The next verse, in verse 18,
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"I consider the
sufferings of this present time
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are not worthy to be
compared with the glory
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which shall be revealed in us."
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Now we transition
from the concept of sonship
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and suffering to groaning.
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This is our
verses 20 through 23.
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There's three different
groanings taking place,
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creation's groaning,
the Christian's groaning
00:10:04.07\00:10:08.84
and the Holy Spirit's groaning.
00:10:08.87\00:10:11.17
We're gonna look
at all three of them.
00:10:11.21\00:10:13.21
Creation's
groaning is in verse 19.
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"For the earnest expectation
of the creation eagerly waits
00:10:15.78\00:10:19.88
for the revealing
of the sons of God."
00:10:19.91\00:10:21.98
Jump down to verse 22,
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"For we know that
the whole creation groans
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and labors with birth
pangs together until now."
00:10:26.69\00:10:30.46
The groaning of creation
is you can say universal.
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All of creation
is groaning together,
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the groaning is universal.
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Then we see the Christians
groaning in verses 23-25.
00:10:39.57\00:10:43.57
"Not only that, but we also
00:10:43.61\00:10:45.47
who have the
firstfruits of the Spirit,
00:10:45.51\00:10:48.84
even we ourselves
groan within ourselves,
00:10:48.88\00:10:51.71
eagerly waiting
for the adoption,
00:10:51.75\00:10:53.78
the redemption of our body,
for we were saved in this hope,
00:10:53.82\00:10:57.35
but hope that is
seen is not hope.
00:10:57.39\00:10:59.79
For why does one
still hope for what he sees?
00:10:59.82\00:11:02.32
But if we hope
for what we see not,
00:11:02.36\00:11:04.79
we eagerly wait for
it with perseverance."
00:11:04.83\00:11:08.16
In verse 23, we see
that suffering and groaning
00:11:08.20\00:11:11.90
are linked to
possessing the Holy Spirit,
00:11:11.93\00:11:16.20
'cause we had the
firstfruits of the Spirit,
00:11:16.24\00:11:17.97
that's the Holy Spirit.
00:11:18.01\00:11:19.34
We ourselves also
grown within ourselves.
00:11:19.37\00:11:23.08
The spirit
within us bears witness
00:11:23.11\00:11:25.75
that we are the sons of God.
00:11:25.78\00:11:27.68
The spirit bears
witness that we live,
00:11:27.72\00:11:30.12
the world we live in is
not the kingdom of God yet
00:11:30.15\00:11:33.69
'cause we have not seen that.
00:11:33.72\00:11:35.06
Christian suffering and
groaning are intensified,
00:11:35.09\00:11:38.03
because we're Christians
00:11:38.06\00:11:39.39
and the Spirit dwells within us.
00:11:39.43\00:11:42.50
Then we see the Holy
Spirit's groaning in verse 26.
00:11:42.53\00:11:46.37
"Likewise, the Spirit
helps us in our weaknesses.
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For we do not know
00:11:50.97\00:11:52.31
what we should
pray for as we ought,
00:11:52.34\00:11:54.48
but the Spirit Himself
makes intercession for us
00:11:54.51\00:11:57.81
with groaning
which cannot be uttered."
00:11:57.85\00:12:02.08
So suffering leads to sonship
00:12:02.12\00:12:06.05
and groaning leads to glory.
00:12:06.09\00:12:09.86
We all experience
some sort of pain.
00:12:09.89\00:12:12.39
We all experience
some sort of tragedy
00:12:12.43\00:12:15.53
that unites us as brothers
and sisters as believers,
00:12:15.56\00:12:18.83
but also just as
people in general in the world
00:12:18.87\00:12:21.40
when it said, "God
so loved the world."
00:12:21.44\00:12:24.64
That's not just
the people we like.
00:12:24.67\00:12:26.98
It's nice to think, Mr. Danny,
00:12:27.01\00:12:28.41
that salvation
is for my friends,
00:12:28.44\00:12:30.68
salvation is for my
family, salvation is for those
00:12:30.71\00:12:33.92
that I like, but salvation
is also for our enemies.
00:12:33.95\00:12:37.85
Salvation is for those
people who have hurt us.
00:12:37.89\00:12:41.16
Salvation is for
even those people
00:12:41.19\00:12:43.06
who we might be
afraid of, that God calls
00:12:43.09\00:12:47.30
He gave His Son
Jesus to this world,
00:12:47.33\00:12:51.23
so that you and I,
each one of us have the hope
00:12:51.27\00:12:54.77
and the gift of eternal life.
00:12:54.80\00:12:58.21
We'll end with John 3:17,
00:12:58.24\00:13:00.28
"God did not send
His Son into the world
00:13:00.31\00:13:03.04
to condemn the
world not to judge,
00:13:03.08\00:13:06.35
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:13:06.38\00:13:10.65
I'm so grateful
for the gift of Jesus
00:13:10.69\00:13:13.69
and the gift of
salvation not just for me
00:13:13.72\00:13:16.49
or the people that we like,
but for the world as a whole.
00:13:16.52\00:13:20.50
Our Monday's lesson is
compassion and repentance.
00:13:20.53\00:13:23.47
I may switch it around a
little bit to repentance,
00:13:23.50\00:13:25.63
and then compassion
because we're gonna be
00:13:25.67\00:13:28.07
looking at the
story of man briefly
00:13:28.10\00:13:30.27
and maybe what's expected
of us by our Creator God.
00:13:30.31\00:13:34.11
We're all born
into a sin sick world.
00:13:34.14\00:13:36.41
Now, while we still
bear the image of God, Ryan,
00:13:36.44\00:13:39.51
sin is in our lives.
00:13:39.55\00:13:41.68
It's the same nature as evil.
00:13:41.72\00:13:43.08
So we were born
in the image of God,
00:13:43.12\00:13:45.59
but the sin in our
lives is the same nature
00:13:45.62\00:13:48.06
as evil that
causes so much pain,
00:13:48.09\00:13:50.96
oppression,
exploitation all over the world.
00:13:50.99\00:13:53.50
In fact, no one is born perfect.
00:13:53.53\00:13:55.46
Our spiritual
nature comes from Christ,
00:13:55.50\00:13:57.80
and we have an
earthly or physical tendency
00:13:57.83\00:14:00.50
which is the result of sin.
00:14:00.54\00:14:02.47
Now everybody that I'm talking
00:14:02.50\00:14:03.97
to that has ever
lived has dealt with this
00:14:04.01\00:14:06.61
great
controversy that's going on
00:14:06.64\00:14:08.24
between good and evil.
00:14:08.28\00:14:09.74
They're good and
evil, their powers,
00:14:09.78\00:14:11.98
God Christ on one
side, the devil on the other,
00:14:12.01\00:14:15.58
all vying for our souls.
00:14:15.62\00:14:17.82
And so that's why
we're tempted so often.
00:14:17.85\00:14:20.72
So what happens,
the choice comes to us
00:14:20.76\00:14:23.29
as to where we
will spend eternity
00:14:23.32\00:14:26.16
and what we will
be able to do that
00:14:26.19\00:14:28.00
Jesus has asked us to
do, in order to be a witness
00:14:28.03\00:14:31.77
to those around us.
00:14:31.80\00:14:33.13
No matter how hard we
try to live spiritual,
00:14:33.17\00:14:35.54
we will still reap
the consequences of sin.
00:14:35.57\00:14:38.27
Now, aging is a
constant reminder
00:14:38.31\00:14:40.58
that we're all born
00:14:40.61\00:14:41.94
with a terminal
illness called death.
00:14:41.98\00:14:43.38
You can see Ryan and I,
00:14:43.41\00:14:44.75
there's a big
difference in our ages and so,
00:14:44.78\00:14:47.32
that's a result of sin.
00:14:47.35\00:14:49.42
Some things maybe I've
done and things that's just born
00:14:49.45\00:14:51.75
into this world.
00:14:51.79\00:14:53.66
No one escapes
death on their own
00:14:53.69\00:14:55.92
as death is caused by sin.
00:14:55.96\00:14:58.23
And sin is what?
00:14:58.26\00:14:59.59
It's the
transgression of the law of God,
00:14:59.63\00:15:01.76
which separates us
from our Creator God.
00:15:01.80\00:15:04.93
So the wages of sin is
death, but the gift of God is?
00:15:04.97\00:15:08.20
Eternal life.
00:15:08.24\00:15:09.57
Eternal life through
Christ, Jesus, our Lord.
00:15:09.60\00:15:12.74
So once we repent,
when we realize that
00:15:12.77\00:15:15.74
we're sinners and
we get to certain age,
00:15:15.78\00:15:18.91
and we understand
who Jesus is, and we say,
00:15:18.95\00:15:22.12
"I don't wanna
live an evil life,
00:15:22.15\00:15:24.62
I wanna accept, I'm
doing basic things here.
00:15:24.65\00:15:27.56
I wanna accept Jesus."
00:15:27.59\00:15:28.92
Now, some churches,
they say, they get saved,
00:15:28.96\00:15:32.03
and we see young children,
you know, from early ages,
00:15:32.06\00:15:35.23
sometimes they sprinkle.
00:15:35.26\00:15:36.73
You know,
sometimes they baptize,
00:15:36.77\00:15:38.10
they do whatever.
00:15:38.13\00:15:39.47
But I think when we
get to a certain age,
00:15:39.50\00:15:41.97
I know in my life,
00:15:42.00\00:15:43.34
I can go back
to the time saying,
00:15:43.37\00:15:44.77
"Wow, I really want
Jesus to be Lord of my life."
00:15:44.81\00:15:48.11
So each and every one of us
00:15:48.14\00:15:51.05
make that
decision at some point.
00:15:51.08\00:15:52.78
When we do, we see
that sin causes death
00:15:52.81\00:15:56.62
and as we just mentioned,
but now we want eternal life.
00:15:56.65\00:16:00.52
So the Bible says in 1 John 1:9,
00:16:00.56\00:16:02.89
"If we confess our sins,
00:16:02.92\00:16:04.36
He is faithful
and just to forgive us
00:16:04.39\00:16:07.20
from our sins and to cleanse us
00:16:07.23\00:16:08.66
from some of our
unrighteousness."
00:16:08.70\00:16:10.50
All!
00:16:10.53\00:16:11.87
Okay, now, once this
happens, Jesus says we should go
00:16:11.90\00:16:15.50
and tell what He's done for us.
00:16:15.54\00:16:17.67
But the Christian,
00:16:17.71\00:16:19.14
it should make a big difference.
00:16:19.17\00:16:20.78
Okay, the Bible
says the rain falls
00:16:20.81\00:16:22.51
on the just as
well as the unjust.
00:16:22.54\00:16:25.55
So that means if I go
outside in a big storm,
00:16:25.58\00:16:28.98
now that I've
just became a Christian
00:16:29.02\00:16:30.89
and got saved if some
people want to use that term,
00:16:30.92\00:16:33.86
am I still gonna get wet?
00:16:33.89\00:16:35.49
Yes. Yeah, I'm gonna get wet.
00:16:35.52\00:16:36.86
Why?
00:16:36.89\00:16:38.23
Because I live, still
live in a sinful world
00:16:38.26\00:16:40.56
because we are still
separated from God by sin.
00:16:40.60\00:16:45.07
So we'll still go
through the same storms of life,
00:16:45.10\00:16:47.47
but the difference
is we'll have peace
00:16:47.50\00:16:49.80
in the midst of that storm.
00:16:49.84\00:16:51.17
If you're no longer
taking it by yourself,
00:16:51.21\00:16:54.34
you're no longer
facing that storm by yourself.
00:16:54.38\00:16:57.55
When I had open heart
surgery this past year,
00:16:57.58\00:17:00.08
did a quadruple bypass,
I was amazed that the piece
00:17:00.12\00:17:04.05
that I found when I was
there, I didn't know how,
00:17:04.09\00:17:06.35
you know, no one
knows how you'll act
00:17:06.39\00:17:08.22
and so when you're getting
right to go into the surgery,
00:17:08.26\00:17:12.89
and you know,
there's a team waiting
00:17:12.93\00:17:14.53
to basically
take your heart out,
00:17:14.56\00:17:15.90
cut you open.
00:17:15.93\00:17:17.27
Ryan, that's not a
very pretty feeling.
00:17:17.30\00:17:19.60
But I didn't
know what I would do.
00:17:19.63\00:17:21.97
I just said, "Well, Lord,
00:17:22.00\00:17:23.71
we will take it
one day at a time."
00:17:23.74\00:17:25.07
When I got up
that morning, I said,
00:17:25.11\00:17:26.44
"This may be the
last time that I did put
00:17:26.47\00:17:29.21
on these clothes on this earth."
00:17:29.24\00:17:30.81
But I decided you know
what, I win either way,
00:17:30.85\00:17:33.11
because when I
wake up, let's say that
00:17:33.15\00:17:36.32
I died during a surgery,
00:17:36.35\00:17:37.69
when I wake up the first face
00:17:37.72\00:17:39.52
that I see is
that of Jesus Christ.
00:17:39.55\00:17:41.22
Amen. Amen.
00:17:41.26\00:17:42.59
Now that's a win, right?
00:17:42.62\00:17:43.96
We've read the back of the book.
00:17:43.99\00:17:45.33
It says they overcame
him by the blood of the lamb
00:17:45.36\00:17:46.96
and the word of their testimony.
00:17:47.00\00:17:48.36
I didn't do it,
00:17:48.40\00:17:49.73
but Christ's righteousness
in me and through me,
00:17:49.76\00:17:52.50
but we each have to
allow Him to work in our lives,
00:17:52.53\00:17:56.57
to give us that hope of glory,
that salvation and all we do
00:17:56.60\00:18:00.14
is accept Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior of our life.
00:18:00.18\00:18:03.95
Then I've thought,
well, if I die, you know,
00:18:03.98\00:18:06.35
I go to heaven when
Jesus comes into second coming,
00:18:06.38\00:18:09.42
but if I live,
hey, I get to stay here
00:18:09.45\00:18:11.42
and be with my wife
and family and, John,
00:18:11.45\00:18:13.15
maybe even end up back on
the basketball court again.
00:18:13.19\00:18:16.02
That's right.
00:18:16.06\00:18:17.39
So, once this happens,
and we accept Jesus Christ,
00:18:17.43\00:18:20.03
Jesus says in Matthew 28:18-20,
"Go ye into all the world."
00:18:20.06\00:18:25.00
So take the gospel to
literally to all the world,
00:18:25.03\00:18:28.04
but the problem
that we're finding today
00:18:28.07\00:18:30.57
in many churches and
many of our own lives,
00:18:30.61\00:18:32.41
I've been there,
maybe you're there now.
00:18:32.44\00:18:34.31
You can't share
what you don't have.
00:18:34.34\00:18:36.04
That's right.
00:18:36.08\00:18:37.41
So that's why it's
important to develop
00:18:37.45\00:18:39.11
that love
relationship with Jesus Christ,
00:18:39.15\00:18:41.55
so we can be
vessels of honor for Him.
00:18:41.58\00:18:43.82
So getting saved is
not a onetime process,
00:18:43.85\00:18:46.45
when we get saved and
then we live like the devil
00:18:46.49\00:18:48.86
the rest of our lives and
always go back on to point,
00:18:48.89\00:18:51.36
"Well, hey, I was saved
when I was nine years old
00:18:51.39\00:18:53.90
or eight years old."
00:18:53.93\00:18:55.66
Being saved is a
process of sanctification,
00:18:55.70\00:18:58.40
that during our
life, we endeavor,
00:18:58.43\00:19:01.00
as we talked
about on other programs,
00:19:01.04\00:19:03.47
to do more than just talk.
00:19:03.51\00:19:04.87
So faith without works
is dead, but we do our part.
00:19:04.91\00:19:07.98
There's nothing good in us.
00:19:08.01\00:19:09.38
But we endeavor to do our
best to become Christlike,
00:19:09.41\00:19:12.88
then let God do the rest.
00:19:12.91\00:19:14.52
All I can do is say,
"Lord, You take me the sinful
00:19:14.55\00:19:17.39
and human agent that I am.
00:19:17.42\00:19:19.45
And You help me as I
grow from day to day to day,
00:19:19.49\00:19:23.89
getting closer to
Lord Jesus Christ."
00:19:23.93\00:19:26.66
So sanctification is
the work of a lifetime.
00:19:26.70\00:19:29.16
It's the act of
perfecting our character,
00:19:29.20\00:19:31.37
of God perfecting our character
00:19:31.40\00:19:33.10
over a period of
life here on earth,
00:19:33.13\00:19:35.57
so we can be more like Jesus.
00:19:35.60\00:19:38.01
Now, we talked
about our greatest asset,
00:19:38.04\00:19:40.81
Ellen White says,
00:19:40.84\00:19:42.18
"it's our own
personal testimony."
00:19:42.21\00:19:43.55
I think maybe
Satan's greatest assets
00:19:43.58\00:19:46.35
are his advocates
sitting in the church
00:19:46.38\00:19:48.75
pews every
Sabbath and every Sunday.
00:19:48.78\00:19:51.19
Unconverted
Christians do more harm
00:19:51.22\00:19:53.39
to the gospel than
an atheist ever could.
00:19:53.42\00:19:56.86
This is a person
00:19:56.89\00:19:58.23
who am I talking about
the unconverted Christian,
00:19:58.26\00:20:00.50
we've all been there.
00:20:00.53\00:20:01.86
So I'm not pointing
fingers at those of you,
00:20:01.90\00:20:03.80
I've been sitting in the pew,
there's been times in my life
00:20:03.83\00:20:06.90
where I'll admit, I've
been in the pew not converted,
00:20:06.94\00:20:10.37
going to church every Sabbath,
but not really converted.
00:20:10.41\00:20:13.01
Thank God for His love
00:20:13.04\00:20:14.51
and His compassion on all of us.
00:20:14.54\00:20:17.05
But this is a person who
finds fault with everything
00:20:17.08\00:20:19.71
that anyone does in the church,
00:20:19.75\00:20:21.42
quick to oppose
evangelism outreach
00:20:21.45\00:20:23.49
because he doesn't
wanna drain the money
00:20:23.52\00:20:26.35
in the coffers, church coffers.
00:20:26.39\00:20:27.79
He is quick to condemn
others on how they eat,
00:20:27.82\00:20:31.46
and how they
dress, and how they act.
00:20:31.49\00:20:34.60
And yet he's slow to show love
and compassion for the lost.
00:20:34.63\00:20:39.53
So I can tell you
that some of the meanest
00:20:39.57\00:20:43.51
un-Christ like phone calls
00:20:43.54\00:20:44.87
we've ever gotten hasn't
been coming from the Muslims,
00:20:44.91\00:20:47.68
and the
Buddhists, and the atheists,
00:20:47.71\00:20:49.78
it's been coming from
people who sat in church pews.
00:20:49.81\00:20:53.75
My time is slowly
going, so I'm gonna jump up
00:20:53.78\00:20:56.38
to the part about compassion.
00:20:56.42\00:20:57.95
Once we submit and
commit our lives to Jesus,
00:20:57.99\00:21:00.26
we continue to
study and to pray,
00:21:00.29\00:21:02.52
then our
responsibility, and our joy,
00:21:02.56\00:21:06.09
and our
privilege is to show love
00:21:06.13\00:21:08.13
and compassion for a lost
00:21:08.16\00:21:09.76
and dying world
just as Jesus did us,
00:21:09.80\00:21:12.10
because without John
3:16, we would have no future.
00:21:12.13\00:21:16.20
So it's our responsibility
as Christians to love the lost
00:21:16.24\00:21:19.74
with compassion
just as Jesus did.
00:21:19.77\00:21:21.74
We cannot
rightly represent Jesus,
00:21:21.78\00:21:24.01
I wrote here, to a
lost and dying world
00:21:24.05\00:21:26.21
if we don't have
compassion for our fellowman.
00:21:26.25\00:21:29.48
Selfishness, greed,
meanness, prejudice,
00:21:29.52\00:21:31.89
ignorance and carelessness,
all it says all are at the root
00:21:31.92\00:21:36.52
of the world's evil.
00:21:36.56\00:21:37.89
I mean, all of these
things, and justice, poverty,
00:21:37.93\00:21:40.56
oppression,
confessing our sinfulness
00:21:40.60\00:21:42.90
is the first step
in addressing this evil
00:21:42.93\00:21:45.23
as well as the first step
00:21:45.27\00:21:46.60
towards allowing the love of God
00:21:46.63\00:21:48.40
to take its
rightful place in our hearts.
00:21:48.44\00:21:51.94
There are untold
millions, untold millions people
00:21:51.97\00:21:54.94
looking for peace and joy
that only Jesus can bring.
00:21:54.98\00:21:58.51
That's right.
00:21:58.55\00:21:59.88
They just don't
know how to find it.
00:21:59.91\00:22:01.38
So how about your church?
00:22:01.42\00:22:03.15
When people come to your church,
00:22:03.18\00:22:04.52
will they find love and
compassion for the lost?
00:22:04.55\00:22:07.32
Will you greet them in a
way that they wanna come back,
00:22:07.36\00:22:11.06
they wanna be around you.
00:22:11.09\00:22:12.43
That's our response.
We're here in Sabbath School.
00:22:12.46\00:22:14.63
It's our
responsibility and privilege
00:22:14.66\00:22:17.57
as Seventh-day
Adventist Christians
00:22:17.60\00:22:19.00
and maybe
whatever church you go to,
00:22:19.03\00:22:21.20
that we show compassion
and love for the lost.
00:22:21.24\00:22:26.01
Jesus was moved with compassion,
00:22:26.04\00:22:28.11
Matthew 9:36, so it's
only following Christ.
00:22:28.14\00:22:31.05
Matthew 14:14, and John
11:35, where Jesus wept.
00:22:31.08\00:22:35.62
And so that's what
we wanna be able to do.
00:22:35.65\00:22:37.75
I'm gonna go to the close.
00:22:37.79\00:22:39.32
I wrote a song some time
ago, in compassion and love,
00:22:39.35\00:22:41.72
God looked down to earth,
00:22:41.76\00:22:43.29
then He sent His son
born of a virgin birth.
00:22:43.32\00:22:45.66
He knew from
creation what was to be
00:22:45.69\00:22:48.56
so with great love for
man, He planned Calvary.
00:22:48.60\00:22:53.03
It's my hope and
prayer that each one of us
00:22:53.07\00:22:55.80
can show love and
compassion to those around us,
00:22:55.84\00:22:59.07
just as Jesus has us.
00:22:59.11\00:23:01.41
Amen, thank you
so much Mr. Danny,
00:23:01.44\00:23:03.85
what a wonderful job.
00:23:03.88\00:23:06.85
God calls us to reach
out in compassion to a lost
00:23:06.88\00:23:09.42
and dying world, I love that.
00:23:09.45\00:23:11.09
We're gonna take a short
break, we'll be right back.
00:23:11.12\00:23:13.19
Ever wish you could watch
00:23:18.59\00:23:19.93
at 3ABN Sabbath
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Welcome back to our
study of Living the Gospel.
00:23:51.39\00:23:53.96
We're gonna pick it up
00:23:54.00\00:23:55.33
with Pastor Ryan Day on Tuesday,
00:23:55.36\00:23:57.20
"Grace and Good Works."
00:23:57.23\00:23:58.93
Thank you so much.
00:23:58.97\00:24:00.30
It was
fantastic, Danny and Jill,
00:24:00.34\00:24:02.34
as always, I
appreciate your insight.
00:24:02.37\00:24:05.31
We are going to be
discussing the relationship
00:24:05.34\00:24:07.91
between grace and good works.
00:24:07.94\00:24:09.74
And this is
probably maybe not so much
00:24:09.78\00:24:12.95
within the Adventist Church,
00:24:12.98\00:24:14.32
although it could
be to certain extent,
00:24:14.35\00:24:15.68
but with throughout
00:24:15.72\00:24:17.05
the Christian
world in its entirety,
00:24:17.09\00:24:18.95
this is probably one of
the most controversial topics,
00:24:18.99\00:24:23.59
just because there's so many
00:24:23.63\00:24:24.96
different versions of the gospel
00:24:24.99\00:24:26.39
floating around in
the Christian world today.
00:24:26.43\00:24:28.46
But we wanna set
the record straight.
00:24:28.50\00:24:30.33
We wanna go to the Bible
and let the Bible tell us
00:24:30.37\00:24:32.77
exactly what the
proper relationship
00:24:32.80\00:24:34.74
between grace and
good work should be.
00:24:34.77\00:24:37.21
And so I like how
this lesson begins
00:24:37.24\00:24:39.74
because it gets right into it.
00:24:39.77\00:24:41.14
In fact, I put it
right here in my notes.
00:24:41.18\00:24:42.81
The very first
words of this lesson
00:24:42.84\00:24:44.55
is summarize Ephesians
2:8-10 in your own words
00:24:44.58\00:24:50.49
and then it goes on to say,
what do these verses tell us
00:24:50.52\00:24:52.85
about the relationship
between grace and good work?
00:24:52.89\00:24:54.96
So we're gonna
begin in Ephesians 2:8-10.
00:24:54.99\00:25:00.03
And actually how I'm
gonna approach this topic
00:25:00.06\00:25:02.26
is I'm going to
basically very quickly
00:25:02.30\00:25:04.57
early on in my
particular segment,
00:25:04.60\00:25:06.60
I'm going to identify
from a biblical perspective
00:25:06.63\00:25:10.24
exactly what this relationship
00:25:10.27\00:25:11.87
between grace and good works is.
00:25:11.91\00:25:13.38
And then the remainder
of the time I'm gonna use
00:25:13.41\00:25:15.21
just to further establish
00:25:15.24\00:25:16.78
through
different biblical authors
00:25:16.81\00:25:18.91
and servants of the
Lord within scripture.
00:25:18.95\00:25:21.48
What they have to
say on the subject
00:25:21.52\00:25:22.88
just to further confirm
exactly what the Bible teaches.
00:25:22.92\00:25:25.52
So Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us,
00:25:25.55\00:25:30.09
"For by grace, you have
been saved through faith,"
00:25:30.13\00:25:33.86
and I just want to pause there.
00:25:33.90\00:25:35.30
What does the Bible
teach us on how we are saved?
00:25:35.33\00:25:38.30
We are saved by? Grace.
00:25:38.33\00:25:39.80
We are saved by
grace through faith,
00:25:39.83\00:25:42.47
and I like what
it continues to say,
00:25:42.50\00:25:44.07
"And not that of yourselves,"
00:25:44.11\00:25:45.91
because we can't save ourselves.
00:25:45.94\00:25:47.28
We know the Bible teaches that.
00:25:47.31\00:25:48.64
It is the gift of God.
00:25:48.68\00:25:50.01
Grace, the
salvation that comes by grace
00:25:50.05\00:25:53.82
from God is a gift.
00:25:53.85\00:25:55.75
And he goes on
to say in verse 9,
00:25:55.78\00:25:57.39
"Not of works, lest
anyone should boast."
00:25:57.42\00:25:59.85
So can we work
our way to heaven?
00:25:59.89\00:26:01.22
No.
00:26:01.26\00:26:02.59
Do we take that works
approach to salvation?
00:26:02.62\00:26:04.56
Absolutely not, for
we are saved by grace
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again and again.
00:26:06.86\00:26:08.20
It goes on in
verse 10, to say, notice,
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"For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
00:26:10.07\00:26:15.00
for good works,
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which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them.
00:26:16.94\00:26:20.98
And I just wanna pause there.
00:26:21.01\00:26:22.38
Many people
remember and are very quick
00:26:22.41\00:26:25.21
to memorize Ephesians 2:8-9,
00:26:25.25\00:26:30.49
but they don't
follow up with verse 10.
00:26:30.52\00:26:32.49
Verse 10 is the response
00:26:32.52\00:26:34.36
to what Paul says
in verses 8 and 9.
00:26:34.39\00:26:36.36
Many people are
quick to say, oh, no, no,
00:26:36.39\00:26:37.89
we're not saved by the law.
00:26:37.93\00:26:39.26
We're saved by grace
through faith alone but yet,
00:26:39.29\00:26:42.86
when you go
through on to verse 10,
00:26:42.90\00:26:45.57
we understand that
there still is a major aspect
00:26:45.60\00:26:48.90
of works that plays a major role
00:26:48.94\00:26:51.17
in the salvation experience
00:26:51.21\00:26:52.74
and in the Christian
experience on a daily basis.
00:26:52.77\00:26:55.44
We know that we are
not saved by the works
00:26:55.48\00:26:58.28
but yet the works
are result from us,
00:26:58.31\00:27:00.68
or of us being saved by God.
00:27:00.72\00:27:02.62
In fact, there's another text
that I have very rarely heard
00:27:02.65\00:27:05.72
ever any
minister really preach on
00:27:05.75\00:27:08.52
or mention in reference
to this particular subject
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and that's found
in the opening verses
00:27:11.39\00:27:13.06
of Romans Chapter 1.
00:27:13.09\00:27:14.43
We've spoken a lot
about the Book of Romans.
00:27:14.46\00:27:16.33
And I like how Paul, he
isn't, he's not messing around.
00:27:16.36\00:27:19.40
He just gets, he just cuts
right to the chase early on
00:27:19.43\00:27:22.10
in the Book of Romans.
00:27:22.14\00:27:23.47
And I'm gonna
start with verse 3,
00:27:23.51\00:27:25.17
and work my way to verse 5.
00:27:25.21\00:27:28.18
Notice what the
Bible says, Romans 1:3-5,
00:27:28.21\00:27:31.38
"Concerning His Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord,
00:27:31.41\00:27:34.18
who was born of
the seed of David,
00:27:34.22\00:27:36.42
according to the flesh,
00:27:36.45\00:27:38.29
and declared to
be the Son of God
00:27:38.32\00:27:40.26
with power
according to the Spirit
00:27:40.29\00:27:42.29
of holiness,
00:27:42.32\00:27:43.66
by the
resurrection from the dead."
00:27:43.69\00:27:45.66
Notice verse 5
though, this is the key verse.
00:27:45.69\00:27:48.66
"Through Him we have
received grace and apostleship."
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Why? How? Obedience.
00:27:54.14\00:27:56.07
"For obedience to the faith
among all nations for His name,
00:27:56.10\00:28:01.64
among whom you are called,
00:28:01.68\00:28:03.81
are they called
of Jesus Christ."
00:28:03.85\00:28:05.78
So we are, notice
here, it says, "Through Him,
00:28:05.81\00:28:08.85
we have received
grace, we are saved by grace."
00:28:08.88\00:28:12.12
But why does God bestow
that salvation or grace upon us
00:28:12.15\00:28:15.29
for what he says?
00:28:15.32\00:28:16.69
For obedience to the faith.
00:28:16.73\00:28:18.39
So does works play a major role
in the Christian experience?
00:28:18.43\00:28:23.13
Absolutely.
00:28:23.16\00:28:24.50
And what we wanna establish
00:28:24.53\00:28:25.87
is what is that
proper relationship
00:28:25.90\00:28:27.87
and I think that, I
think we have kind of
00:28:27.90\00:28:29.57
already answered that question.
00:28:29.60\00:28:32.81
We are not saved by works,
00:28:32.84\00:28:34.54
but we were saved
by grace through faith
00:28:34.58\00:28:36.61
but once you have
been saved by grace,
00:28:36.64\00:28:39.41
and God has shown His
divine favor upon you,
00:28:39.45\00:28:42.02
and He has
justified you in His side
00:28:42.05\00:28:44.49
because you have received
00:28:44.52\00:28:45.85
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
00:28:45.89\00:28:47.79
Now, the natural response
of a Christian should be
00:28:47.82\00:28:50.66
that you show forth
a life of good works
00:28:50.69\00:28:54.20
because you have been
saved in Jesus Christ.
00:28:54.23\00:28:56.90
Now what I want to do
is, I want to go through
00:28:56.93\00:28:58.80
and highlight a
few Bible characters,
00:28:58.83\00:29:00.67
Bible writers that
actually support exactly
00:29:00.70\00:29:03.27
what we have just said.
00:29:03.30\00:29:04.64
Let's consider
James, of course, we can't
00:29:04.67\00:29:06.54
talk about this subject
without considering what James,
00:29:06.57\00:29:10.08
the beloved brother
or half brother of Jesus
00:29:10.11\00:29:12.08
says in this subject.
00:29:12.11\00:29:13.45
So I'm finding
myself in James 2:14-17,
00:29:13.48\00:29:18.05
we've read this many times
I think throughout the series,
00:29:18.09\00:29:20.36
but I just wanna
highlight it again.
00:29:20.39\00:29:22.19
In verse 14, James says,
"What does it profit my brother
00:29:22.22\00:29:25.36
and if someone
says, he has faith,
00:29:25.39\00:29:28.53
but does not have works?"
00:29:28.56\00:29:30.63
Can faith save him?
00:29:30.67\00:29:32.80
If a brother or sister is naked
and destitute of daily food,
00:29:32.83\00:29:36.87
and one of you says to them,
00:29:36.91\00:29:38.57
'Depart in peace
be warmed and filled,'
00:29:38.61\00:29:41.14
but you do not give them
00:29:41.18\00:29:42.74
the things which
are needed for the body,
00:29:42.78\00:29:44.85
what does it profit."
00:29:44.88\00:29:46.25
And then verse 17,
"Thus also faith by itself,
00:29:46.28\00:29:50.59
if it does not
have works, is dead."
00:29:50.62\00:29:53.25
So what is James saying here?
00:29:53.29\00:29:54.62
Is he's saying that, you
know, just toss faith aside
00:29:54.66\00:29:56.62
that it's not important?
00:29:56.66\00:29:57.99
No, no, what he's
saying here is he saying,
00:29:58.03\00:29:59.89
"Look, you can
tell me all day long
00:29:59.93\00:30:01.80
that you are a saved Christian,
00:30:01.83\00:30:03.67
because you've been
saved by grace through faith."
00:30:03.70\00:30:05.67
He says, "But I'm
not going to know that
00:30:05.70\00:30:07.27
I'm not going to
believe that until I see
00:30:07.30\00:30:08.97
the fruit of a Christian."
00:30:09.00\00:30:10.57
And that you can go out
and point to a tree and say
00:30:10.61\00:30:12.57
that's an apple tree, Danny.
00:30:12.61\00:30:13.94
But until I see that
there's apples growing on,
00:30:13.98\00:30:15.68
and I'm not going to
believe that it's an apple tree.
00:30:15.71\00:30:17.41
The same thing
applies to a Christian.
00:30:17.45\00:30:19.91
We show forth the
life and the salvation
00:30:19.95\00:30:23.12
that Christ has bestowed upon us
00:30:23.15\00:30:24.82
because and we
want to follow through
00:30:24.85\00:30:27.89
with those good works
because He has saved us.
00:30:27.92\00:30:30.63
What better person
to go to on this subject
00:30:30.66\00:30:34.43
than the Creator
Himself, Jesus Christ.
00:30:34.46\00:30:36.60
Notice what Jesus
says in Matthew 7:21.
00:30:36.63\00:30:40.04
He says, "Not everyone
who says to me, 'Lord, Lord',
00:30:40.07\00:30:42.90
shall enter the
kingdom of heaven,
00:30:42.94\00:30:44.87
but he who, notice,
00:30:44.91\00:30:46.68
does the will of
my Father in heaven."
00:30:46.71\00:30:49.44
So there is a
doing factor that Christ
00:30:49.48\00:30:52.15
absolutely is
looking forward to.
00:30:52.18\00:30:53.75
In fact, we know in Revelation,
00:30:53.78\00:30:55.32
He tells us that
He is coming back
00:30:55.35\00:30:57.32
and He's going to bring
the reward of the wicked
00:30:57.35\00:30:59.65
according to their works.
00:30:59.69\00:31:01.52
So again, we are
judged by our works,
00:31:01.56\00:31:03.63
because the works
tell the story of the faith
00:31:03.66\00:31:06.59
that is within
us and the salvation
00:31:06.63\00:31:08.26
that God has bestowed
upon us if we've received it,
00:31:08.30\00:31:10.37
or we have not
properly received it.
00:31:10.40\00:31:12.57
Notice again, John Chapter 14.
00:31:12.60\00:31:15.04
And I'm gonna be looking at
verses 15, verse 21, 23 and 24
00:31:15.07\00:31:19.87
within the 14th Chapter of John.
00:31:19.91\00:31:21.84
So we know what John 14:15 says,
00:31:21.88\00:31:23.95
it's that famous verse
we often quote, Jesus says,
00:31:23.98\00:31:26.51
"If you love Me, keep my...?"
00:31:26.55\00:31:28.85
"Commandments."
00:31:28.88\00:31:30.22
Okay, so the
obedience factor is there
00:31:30.25\00:31:31.95
and notice how
Christ automatically applies
00:31:31.99\00:31:34.46
that this is a love issue.
00:31:34.49\00:31:36.49
It's not necessarily,
you're keeping the commandments
00:31:36.52\00:31:39.46
because you're
working your way to heaven.
00:31:39.49\00:31:40.86
Christ says, "Look, I
know that you love Me,
00:31:40.90\00:31:43.03
if you're obedient to Me,
if you keep My commandments."
00:31:43.06\00:31:45.30
And then in verse 21, He says,
"He who has My commandments
00:31:45.33\00:31:48.80
and keeps them it
is he who loves Me,
00:31:48.84\00:31:51.77
and he who loves Me
will be loved by My Father,
00:31:51.81\00:31:54.41
and I will love him and
manifest Myself to him."
00:31:54.44\00:31:57.21
So again, that love factor.
00:31:57.25\00:31:58.71
It's all about
love, if you love Him
00:31:58.75\00:32:00.95
you will follow
through in obedience.
00:32:00.98\00:32:02.82
Verse 23-24, He says,
00:32:02.85\00:32:05.39
"Jesus answered
and said to them,
00:32:05.42\00:32:06.76
'If anyone loves
Me, he will keep My word
00:32:06.79\00:32:09.12
and My Father will love him,
00:32:09.16\00:32:10.53
and We will come to him
and make Our home with him.
00:32:10.56\00:32:13.83
He who does not love
Me does not keep My words
00:32:13.86\00:32:16.63
and the word which
you hear is not of mine,
00:32:16.67\00:32:18.53
but the Father who sent me."
00:32:18.57\00:32:19.97
So again, Christ
confirms that, yes,
00:32:20.00\00:32:22.07
while you are saved
by His love and grace,
00:32:22.10\00:32:24.77
He still expects us to follow
00:32:24.81\00:32:26.64
through in
obedience in the faith
00:32:26.68\00:32:28.88
by following through
with those good works.
00:32:28.91\00:32:30.61
How about John,
00:32:30.65\00:32:31.98
the beloved
disciple of Jesus Christ?
00:32:32.01\00:32:34.98
1 John 4:19 again confirms
this whole love connection
00:32:35.02\00:32:39.29
and obedience to God.
00:32:39.32\00:32:40.72
He says, "We love him"
00:32:40.76\00:32:42.09
in verse 19 of
Chapter 4 of 1 John, he says,
00:32:42.12\00:32:45.19
"We love Him
because He first..."
00:32:45.23\00:32:47.20
"Loved us." But
how would we know that?
00:32:47.23\00:32:49.80
He died for us.
00:32:49.83\00:32:51.17
Jesus could
show up all day long,
00:32:51.20\00:32:52.53
God could show up
to humanity to say,
00:32:52.57\00:32:53.90
Oh, I love you.
00:32:53.94\00:32:55.27
But how did He
show us that love?
00:32:55.30\00:32:56.67
How did He bestow
upon us that love?
00:32:56.71\00:32:58.41
Notice verses 7-11, He says,
00:32:58.44\00:33:00.08
"Beloved, let us
love one another,
00:33:00.11\00:33:02.64
for love is of God
and everyone who loves
00:33:02.68\00:33:05.41
is born of God and knows God.
00:33:05.45\00:33:07.65
He who does not
love does not know God,
00:33:07.68\00:33:09.85
for God is love."
00:33:09.88\00:33:11.95
And then notice
what it continues to say.
00:33:11.99\00:33:13.42
"In this, the love of
God was manifest towards us,
00:33:13.46\00:33:17.56
that God has sent
His only begotten Son
00:33:17.59\00:33:20.36
into the world that
we might live through Him
00:33:20.40\00:33:23.00
and this is love
not that we loved God,
00:33:23.03\00:33:25.70
but that He loved
us and sent His Son
00:33:25.73\00:33:28.00
to be the
propitiation for our sins.
00:33:28.04\00:33:31.21
Beloved, if God so loved us,
00:33:31.24\00:33:33.11
we also ought to
love one another."
00:33:33.14\00:33:35.31
So to put the cherry or
the cap on this whole thing.
00:33:35.34\00:33:39.35
This relationship
between grace and works,
00:33:39.38\00:33:44.12
it's like a hand and the glove.
00:33:44.15\00:33:45.49
You can't have
one without the other.
00:33:45.52\00:33:47.09
God has bestowed His
divine loving favor upon you
00:33:47.12\00:33:49.62
and He has saved you
by His love and grace.
00:33:49.66\00:33:52.96
But now in response to that,
00:33:52.99\00:33:54.63
He wants us to go
work in the world.
00:33:54.66\00:33:56.93
He wants us to show
forth that love from us
00:33:56.97\00:33:59.23
to others by
working the good work
00:33:59.27\00:34:01.50
that Christ
worked while He was here.
00:34:01.54\00:34:03.24
Amen. Amen.
00:34:03.27\00:34:04.61
Thank you, Ryan,
thank you so much.
00:34:04.64\00:34:06.57
There's so much in here
that we can grab from it.
00:34:06.61\00:34:08.94
And in some sense,
some of the lessons cover
00:34:08.98\00:34:11.75
in a similar approach to
what we're talking about.
00:34:11.78\00:34:16.35
Mine is Wednesday,
"Our Common Humanity."
00:34:16.38\00:34:19.75
What I've noticed in this
is what the writer approaches
00:34:24.09\00:34:27.30
and what the
writer addresses is,
00:34:27.33\00:34:30.13
are the obstacles that
often prevent the community
00:34:30.17\00:34:34.27
from having a common connection
00:34:34.30\00:34:37.04
and that's something
that you find in the gospels,
00:34:37.07\00:34:39.57
you find that a
couple of examples,
00:34:39.61\00:34:42.44
I'll go to one
particular instance,
00:34:42.48\00:34:45.85
when Jesus met
the woman at the well.
00:34:45.88\00:34:48.72
The obstacle was, He
sent His disciples away
00:34:48.75\00:34:51.85
because He knew that
they would be an obstacle
00:34:51.89\00:34:54.39
to reaching out
to the Samaritan.
00:34:54.42\00:34:56.76
We talked about the
hierarchy of the way
00:34:56.79\00:34:59.86
that the people viewed
each other and the Samaritans,
00:34:59.89\00:35:04.13
if you look at John
4:9, when Jesus asked,
00:35:04.17\00:35:07.44
you know, give me
something to drink.
00:35:07.47\00:35:10.37
She says in verse 9,
00:35:10.41\00:35:12.51
"Then the woman of
Samaria said to him,
00:35:12.54\00:35:16.41
'How is it that
you being a Jew.'"
00:35:16.44\00:35:19.01
By the way, she
points out His ethnicity,
00:35:19.05\00:35:21.28
His nationality,
ask a drink from me,
00:35:21.32\00:35:24.65
a Samaritan woman, "for the Jews
00:35:24.69\00:35:27.69
have no dealings
with the Samaritans."
00:35:27.72\00:35:30.93
So He had to send His disciples
away because He knew that
00:35:30.96\00:35:34.23
if His disciples were there,
00:35:34.26\00:35:36.53
it would be a
roadblock to reaching this woman
00:35:36.56\00:35:38.83
with the gospel
because they had this mindset
00:35:38.87\00:35:41.60
that carried on
throughout even the time that
00:35:41.64\00:35:43.94
Jesus was working with him,
00:35:43.97\00:35:45.41
this mindset still
needed to be addressed.
00:35:45.44\00:35:49.81
They had to get
away from the idea.
00:35:49.84\00:35:52.31
And that's why
they had to get away
00:35:52.35\00:35:54.08
from the idea that other nations
00:35:54.12\00:35:55.45
was subservient to
the Jewish culture,
00:35:55.48\00:35:58.52
that other
nations were beneath them
00:35:58.55\00:36:00.09
and that's one of the roadblocks
00:36:00.12\00:36:01.52
in the Old
Testament why the Jews
00:36:01.56\00:36:03.59
really never reached
out to other nations.
00:36:03.63\00:36:05.46
The Lord gave
them the responsibility
00:36:05.49\00:36:07.43
of carrying the gospel,
00:36:07.46\00:36:09.00
but they believed that
the gospel belong to them.
00:36:09.03\00:36:10.90
Right.
00:36:10.93\00:36:12.27
So I want to say,
to clarify something,
00:36:12.30\00:36:14.84
we don't have the
truth, the truth has us.
00:36:14.87\00:36:17.31
That's good.
00:36:17.34\00:36:18.67
All together, we
don't have the truth,
00:36:18.71\00:36:20.04
the truth has us.
00:36:20.08\00:36:21.41
It's like saying,
well, that's my plane.
00:36:21.44\00:36:22.98
No, we're in, the
plane is carrying us,
00:36:23.01\00:36:25.25
we are not carrying the plane.
00:36:25.28\00:36:27.55
It is the gospel
that's carrying us,
00:36:27.58\00:36:29.22
we're not carrying the gospel.
00:36:29.25\00:36:31.35
It's the power of
Christ that's carrying us,
00:36:31.39\00:36:33.15
we're not carrying
the power of Christ.
00:36:33.19\00:36:34.96
That's right. And
you find that when...
00:36:34.99\00:36:36.96
I forgot the
name of the gentleman
00:36:36.99\00:36:38.63
that saw the power of
the apostles, and he said,
00:36:38.66\00:36:41.36
"How much is it gonna cost me?"
00:36:41.40\00:36:43.80
And the devil
turned him inside out,
00:36:43.83\00:36:48.10
because he tried
to buy the gospel.
00:36:48.14\00:36:50.47
But one of the
roadblocks that you find clearly
00:36:50.51\00:36:53.38
that was pointed out
in the lesson is that,
00:36:53.41\00:36:56.51
and I'll read the
introduction of the lesson here,
00:36:56.54\00:36:58.08
by his ministry
and His teachings,
00:36:58.11\00:36:59.98
Jesus urged a
radical inclusiveness.
00:37:00.02\00:37:03.52
And that's something
that was very difficult
00:37:03.55\00:37:05.25
because you're telling
the New Testament believers
00:37:05.29\00:37:07.36
now to be inclusive.
00:37:07.39\00:37:08.92
And they're
thinking, "Does that mean?"
00:37:08.96\00:37:12.09
And then the gospel began to
go throughout the whole world.
00:37:12.13\00:37:14.16
Jesus showed the
inclusiveness of it,
00:37:14.20\00:37:17.43
even by sending Stephen,
00:37:17.47\00:37:22.77
Philip to join himself
to the Ethiopian eunuch.
00:37:22.80\00:37:26.11
Philip means a lover of horses,
and who better would have been
00:37:26.14\00:37:29.71
excited about seeing a
royal Steve than Philip.
00:37:29.74\00:37:32.78
He said, "What
a beautiful horse.
00:37:32.81\00:37:34.15
Oh, by the way,
what are you reading?"
00:37:34.18\00:37:35.88
And the gospel went to Ethiopia
00:37:35.92\00:37:37.89
and outside of
the Jewish nation,
00:37:37.92\00:37:39.52
they've kept the
Sabbath almost as long
00:37:39.55\00:37:41.76
because the gospel went to them
00:37:41.79\00:37:43.22
broke down that
era of inclusiveness,
00:37:43.26\00:37:46.73
I mean exclusiveness
and made it inclusive.
00:37:46.76\00:37:48.60
Right.
00:37:48.63\00:37:49.96
Another example you find is
the Book of Acts Chapter 10.
00:37:50.00\00:37:53.50
Let's go there, Acts Chapter 10,
00:37:53.54\00:37:55.67
the Lord had to,
Peter had so many obstacles
00:37:55.70\00:37:59.57
in his life to overcome.
00:37:59.61\00:38:01.34
It was just, you know,
you kind of saying to Peter,
00:38:01.38\00:38:04.35
"Peter, would you
just stop talking?
00:38:04.38\00:38:06.95
Peter, would you
listen for a moment?"
00:38:06.98\00:38:08.62
And the Lord had to,
what I liked about the Lord
00:38:08.65\00:38:11.09
is that He
continually addressed Peter
00:38:11.12\00:38:14.02
in those weak
moments of his life
00:38:14.06\00:38:15.82
because He already planned
for Peter to be the speaker
00:38:15.86\00:38:19.46
on the day of Pentecost.
00:38:19.49\00:38:21.16
You think about that.
00:38:21.20\00:38:22.53
Peter was the one that preached
on the day of Pentecost,
00:38:22.56\00:38:24.23
what did he preach?
00:38:24.27\00:38:25.60
Repent.
00:38:25.63\00:38:26.97
And be converted.
00:38:27.00\00:38:28.34
And be
converted, which is exactly
00:38:28.37\00:38:29.70
what he experienced
not too long before that,
00:38:29.74\00:38:31.77
repentance and conversion.
00:38:31.81\00:38:33.34
From that point
on, the Lord still had
00:38:33.38\00:38:35.61
one more
obstacle in Peter's life,
00:38:35.64\00:38:37.88
and it's addressed in Acts 10:9,
00:38:37.91\00:38:40.72
"The next day as
they went on their journey
00:38:40.75\00:38:42.68
and drew near the city,
00:38:42.72\00:38:44.05
Peter went up on
the house top to pray
00:38:44.09\00:38:45.65
about the sixth hour, and
then he became very hungry
00:38:45.69\00:38:48.62
and wanted to eat.
00:38:48.66\00:38:49.99
While they made
ready, he fell into a trance
00:38:50.03\00:38:51.89
and saw heaven
open and an object like
00:38:51.93\00:38:54.03
a great sheet down at
four corners descending to him
00:38:54.06\00:38:57.57
and let down to the earth.
00:38:57.60\00:38:59.63
In it were all kinds of
00:38:59.67\00:39:01.00
four footed animals of
the earth, wild beasts,
00:39:01.04\00:39:04.34
creeping things
and birds of the air."
00:39:04.37\00:39:06.21
And by the way, let
me pause right there.
00:39:06.24\00:39:07.81
And remember
one of the instances
00:39:07.84\00:39:09.18
where a woman that was not a Jew
00:39:09.21\00:39:10.95
came to Jesus
and they said to Him,
00:39:10.98\00:39:13.35
"Why are you gonna cast
your pearls to the swine?
00:39:13.38\00:39:16.55
Why are you going to
give your food to the dogs?"
00:39:16.58\00:39:18.82
They continually
looked at non Jews
00:39:18.85\00:39:20.86
or Gentiles as not
even worthy of the gospel.
00:39:20.89\00:39:23.16
So the Lord says,
00:39:23.19\00:39:24.53
"I got to get
it out of your head
00:39:24.56\00:39:25.89
because we got to use
you on a broader scale."
00:39:25.93\00:39:27.33
That's right. So
he says, on verse 12.
00:39:27.36\00:39:32.77
I read verse 12 now, verse
13, "And a voice came to him,
00:39:32.80\00:39:35.67
'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.'
00:39:35.70\00:39:37.61
And Peter said, 'Not so Lord,
00:39:37.64\00:39:39.21
for I have never eaten
anything common or unclean.'
00:39:39.24\00:39:43.65
And the voice spoke to
him again the second time,
00:39:43.68\00:39:46.05
'What God has cleansed,
you must not call common.'"
00:39:46.08\00:39:48.68
We have to make it
00:39:48.72\00:39:50.05
an evangelistic plug right here.
00:39:50.09\00:39:51.95
This was not the
lifting of dietary restrictions
00:39:51.99\00:39:54.52
on unclean foods.
00:39:54.56\00:39:55.89
That's right.
00:39:55.92\00:39:57.26
This is not saying if it crawls,
00:39:57.29\00:39:58.63
hit it with a hammer and eat it.
00:39:58.66\00:40:00.00
That's right. That's
not what it was saying.
00:40:00.03\00:40:01.56
What this was
saying is not about
00:40:01.60\00:40:03.33
what you're eating,
it's about what's eating you.
00:40:03.37\00:40:05.47
That's right.
00:40:05.50\00:40:06.84
It's not what's
going into your stomach,
00:40:06.87\00:40:08.20
what's coming out of your mouth.
00:40:08.24\00:40:10.54
It's not your
dietary restrictions
00:40:10.57\00:40:13.44
Peter that I'm concerned,
00:40:13.48\00:40:14.81
it's about your
racial discrimination.
00:40:14.84\00:40:17.35
And Peter had to get past that.
00:40:17.38\00:40:19.68
Even the Jewish
leaders, they were so bent out
00:40:19.71\00:40:21.62
of shape by Peter saying,
"I got to go see Cornelius."
00:40:21.65\00:40:24.25
They sent a
contingency just to prove
00:40:24.29\00:40:27.46
that he was not going
to this Gentile's house
00:40:27.49\00:40:30.83
for distorted reasons.
00:40:30.86\00:40:32.23
Him going to
the Gentile's house,
00:40:32.26\00:40:34.66
so the vision continues.
00:40:34.70\00:40:36.56
Verse 16, "This
was done three times
00:40:36.60\00:40:38.23
and the object was
taken up into heaven again.
00:40:38.27\00:40:40.44
Now while Peter
wonder within himself
00:40:40.47\00:40:42.00
what this vision
which he had seen meant,
00:40:42.04\00:40:44.47
behold, a man who been
sent from Cornelius had made
00:40:44.51\00:40:47.34
inquiry for Simon's house
and stood before the gate,
00:40:47.38\00:40:50.71
and they called
and asked whether Simon
00:40:50.75\00:40:52.81
whose surname was
Peter was lodging there.
00:40:52.85\00:40:54.92
While Peter
thought about division,
00:40:54.95\00:40:56.42
the Spirit said, 'And behold,
00:40:56.45\00:40:57.79
three men are
seeking you, arise,
00:40:57.82\00:40:59.39
therefore go
down and go with him
00:40:59.42\00:41:01.12
doubting nothing
for I have sent you.'"
00:41:01.16\00:41:03.36
And later on, when he
got to Cornelius's house,
00:41:03.39\00:41:06.19
we find the crux
of the verse in 28.
00:41:06.23\00:41:08.96
Then he said to
them, because the Jews had
00:41:09.00\00:41:11.07
a really difficult time,
00:41:11.10\00:41:12.93
"You know how unlawful it is
00:41:12.97\00:41:14.30
for a Jewish man to
keep company or to go
00:41:14.34\00:41:16.91
to one of another nation.
00:41:16.94\00:41:18.77
But God has shown me
that I should not call
00:41:18.81\00:41:21.91
any man common or unclean."
00:41:21.94\00:41:24.81
That's right.
00:41:24.85\00:41:26.18
And so this inclusiveness
for the inclusiveness to work,
00:41:26.21\00:41:30.05
the Lord had to break
down barriers and today,
00:41:30.09\00:41:32.45
what has the devil done?
00:41:32.49\00:41:33.82
He's made
denominational barriers,
00:41:33.86\00:41:35.92
which can be broken down,
00:41:35.96\00:41:38.13
if we let the
gospel be the focus
00:41:38.16\00:41:40.36
and not the denominational tag.
00:41:40.40\00:41:43.03
Oh, you're
Baptist, you're Pentecostal,
00:41:43.06\00:41:44.40
you're Methodist,
you're Presbyterian.
00:41:44.43\00:41:46.07
As one pastor said
to me and once he said,
00:41:46.10\00:41:47.90
"I got my verses to back up."
00:41:47.94\00:41:49.27
What I believe you
have your verses to back up
00:41:49.30\00:41:51.31
what you believe.
00:41:51.34\00:41:53.07
I said to him, Pastor,
00:41:53.11\00:41:54.81
"I don't have any
verses and neither do you
00:41:54.84\00:41:56.38
and the Bible doesn't
back up opposing views."
00:41:56.41\00:41:58.65
If we let God's Word speak,
00:41:58.68\00:42:00.45
then God's Word
will be our guide.
00:42:00.48\00:42:01.82
Amen.
00:42:01.85\00:42:03.18
And so today,
00:42:03.22\00:42:04.55
the Lord talks
about this inclusiveness.
00:42:04.59\00:42:06.49
Another example you
found in Acts Chapter 13,
00:42:06.52\00:42:09.42
let's go there
quickly, verse 42-46.
00:42:09.46\00:42:13.16
"The gospel was being
proclaimed with tenacity.
00:42:13.19\00:42:16.46
And what I'm addressing
here is the very issue
00:42:16.50\00:42:18.80
that the Jews had.
00:42:18.83\00:42:20.17
So when the Jews went out
Paul and Barnabas preaching,
00:42:20.20\00:42:23.10
the Gentiles begged
that these words might be
00:42:23.14\00:42:25.11
preached to them
the next Sabbath.
00:42:25.14\00:42:27.24
Now when the
congregation had broken up,
00:42:27.28\00:42:28.68
many of the Jews
and devout proselytize,
00:42:28.71\00:42:30.28
as converts
follow Paul and Barnabas,
00:42:30.31\00:42:32.31
who's speaking to
them, persuaded them
00:42:32.35\00:42:34.02
to continue in
the grace of God."
00:42:34.05\00:42:35.45
Good sermon, Ryan?
00:42:35.48\00:42:36.82
What a message Amen.
00:42:36.85\00:42:38.19
Danny, what a
powerful song you sang.
00:42:38.22\00:42:41.12
On the next
Sabbath, Ryan and Danny
00:42:41.16\00:42:43.49
did the same thing
but a different reaction.
00:42:43.53\00:42:45.86
On the next Sabbath,
almost the whole city
00:42:45.89\00:42:48.30
came together to
hear the Word of God,
00:42:48.33\00:42:50.53
but when the Jews
saw the multitudes
00:42:50.57\00:42:52.23
they were filled with envy
00:42:52.27\00:42:54.54
and
contradicting and blaspheming.
00:42:54.57\00:42:56.60
They oppose the
things spoken by Paul.
00:42:56.64\00:43:00.71
Then Paul and
Barnabas grew bold and said,
00:43:00.74\00:43:03.48
"It was necessary
that the Word of God
00:43:03.51\00:43:05.31
should be spoken to you first.
00:43:05.35\00:43:07.25
But seeing you
rejected and judge yourselves
00:43:07.28\00:43:09.32
unworthy of everlasting life,
00:43:09.35\00:43:10.75
behold, we turn
to the Gentiles."
00:43:10.79\00:43:12.35
In the next verse. That's right.
00:43:12.39\00:43:14.59
"So the Lord has commanded us,
00:43:14.62\00:43:16.49
I have set you as a
light to the Gentiles,
00:43:16.52\00:43:19.06
you should be for salvation
to the end of the earth."
00:43:19.09\00:43:22.86
And what did the Gentiles do?
00:43:22.90\00:43:24.43
It says, "Now when
the Gentiles heard this,
00:43:24.47\00:43:26.33
they were glad and
glorified the word of the Lord,
00:43:26.37\00:43:29.04
and as many head
as had been appointed
00:43:29.07\00:43:31.44
to the eternal life, believed."
00:43:31.47\00:43:33.44
So here's the key,
if we walk in the light,
00:43:33.48\00:43:35.91
this is where fellowship begins.
00:43:35.94\00:43:37.35
Fellowship is not
an international thing,
00:43:37.38\00:43:39.61
fellowship is
internationally exclusive.
00:43:39.65\00:43:42.45
Fellowship includes everyone
but here are the parameters.
00:43:42.48\00:43:44.49
Are you ready?
00:43:44.52\00:43:45.85
The parameters are
this, 1 John 1:6-7.
00:43:45.89\00:43:50.13
Actually, I'll just do verse 7.
00:43:50.16\00:43:52.89
"But if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light,
00:43:52.93\00:43:57.17
we have
fellowship with one another
00:43:57.20\00:44:00.04
and the blood of Jesus Christ
00:44:00.07\00:44:01.40
His Son cleanses
us from all sin."
00:44:01.44\00:44:04.27
You got to walk in the light
00:44:04.31\00:44:05.67
and the
fellowship will be the gift.
00:44:05.71\00:44:08.24
Amen.
00:44:08.28\00:44:09.61
You know, I love
having Thursday's lesson
00:44:09.64\00:44:11.65
because I get to
build on everybody else
00:44:11.68\00:44:13.48
and it's been so great.
00:44:13.52\00:44:14.85
You're gleaning now.
00:44:14.88\00:44:16.22
I'm gleaning, yes, okay.
00:44:16.25\00:44:17.59
Thursday's is the
everlasting gospel
00:44:17.62\00:44:21.16
and I first have to
say that Malachi 3:6,
00:44:21.19\00:44:24.86
"The Lord says, 'I am
the Lord, I changed not.'"
00:44:24.89\00:44:28.50
Then Hebrews 13:8 says,
"Jesus is the same yesterday,
00:44:28.53\00:44:33.17
today and forever.
00:44:33.20\00:44:34.64
He is an unchanging God
with an unchanging gospel."
00:44:34.67\00:44:39.14
We're going to look
at Revelation Chapter 14,
00:44:39.17\00:44:43.28
Revelation 14:6-7.
00:44:43.31\00:44:48.48
And this is the
three angels' messages.
00:44:48.52\00:44:52.59
This is where this
network got its name.
00:44:52.62\00:44:55.86
It's from
Revelation 14 and verse 6 says,
00:44:55.89\00:44:59.39
"Then I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,"
00:44:59.43\00:45:03.16
having what?
00:45:03.20\00:45:04.57
"The everlasting
gospel to preach to those
00:45:04.60\00:45:07.77
who dwell on the earth,
00:45:07.80\00:45:09.14
to every nation, tribe, tongue
00:45:09.17\00:45:10.51
and people saying
with a loud voice,
00:45:10.54\00:45:13.48
'Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:45:13.51\00:45:16.28
for the hour of
His judgment has come
00:45:16.31\00:45:19.51
and worship Him who
made heaven and earth,
00:45:19.55\00:45:22.35
the sea and the
springs of water.'"
00:45:22.38\00:45:25.49
What is the everlasting gospel?
00:45:25.52\00:45:29.99
We're not gonna
take time to turn there
00:45:30.03\00:45:31.79
but Revelation 13:8 tells us
that Jesus Christ was the Lamb
00:45:31.83\00:45:37.10
who was slain
00:45:37.13\00:45:38.47
from the foundation of the earth
00:45:38.50\00:45:40.34
before time ever began,
before God created this earth.
00:45:40.37\00:45:45.01
He had the Calvary plan in mind,
00:45:45.04\00:45:50.21
this was His salvation.
00:45:50.25\00:45:52.35
Hebrews 13:26 says that,
00:45:52.38\00:45:55.32
"Jesus' blood is the blood
of the everlasting covenant."
00:45:55.35\00:45:59.85
He says, Hebrews 13:20,
"Now may the God of peace,
00:45:59.89\00:46:03.66
who brought up our
Lord Jesus from the dead,
00:46:03.69\00:46:06.03
that great
shepherd of the sheep,
00:46:06.06\00:46:08.46
through the blood
00:46:08.50\00:46:10.50
of the everlasting covenant."
00:46:10.53\00:46:15.64
The covenant of grace
was established by God
00:46:15.67\00:46:21.88
for redemption
before time ever began.
00:46:21.91\00:46:25.18
It has never been
salvation by works.
00:46:25.21\00:46:28.28
You know, some people
think that the Old Testament
00:46:28.32\00:46:30.02
was salvation by works.
00:46:30.05\00:46:31.99
That is not the truth.
00:46:32.02\00:46:34.06
The everlasting
Gospel of Revelation 14:6
00:46:34.09\00:46:38.16
was preached to Adam and Eve
in the Garden in Genesis 3:15,
00:46:38.19\00:46:43.13
"When God came,
and he said to them,
00:46:43.16\00:46:46.20
and said to the serpent
after they fell, he said,
00:46:46.23\00:46:48.87
"I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
00:46:48.90\00:46:52.77
between your seed and her seed."
00:46:52.81\00:46:55.24
"He shall bruise your head,
00:46:55.28\00:46:58.05
and you shall bruise his heel."
00:46:58.08\00:47:01.42
"See, do you remember
00:47:01.45\00:47:03.52
when Jesus said
it's in John 8:56."
00:47:03.55\00:47:07.66
He told the
Pharisees, your father Abraham
00:47:07.69\00:47:12.33
saw my day and he was glad.
00:47:12.36\00:47:15.23
Ah, they were so upset.
00:47:15.26\00:47:16.60
It was like Jesus
is calling Himself.
00:47:16.63\00:47:19.57
You know, you're 33 years old.
00:47:19.60\00:47:22.50
You're saying that
You've seen Abraham
00:47:22.54\00:47:24.77
and Abraham has seen your day.
00:47:24.81\00:47:27.94
In Genesis 15, is
when God put Abraham
00:47:27.98\00:47:32.31
into a deep sleep, remember?
00:47:32.35\00:47:34.95
And he had the animal's
chaff and God was the only one
00:47:34.98\00:47:38.55
that passed
between these chaffs.
00:47:38.59\00:47:40.19
He was creating a
covenant of grace.
00:47:40.22\00:47:42.32
And we know that Abraham,
00:47:42.36\00:47:44.13
the salvation and righteousness,
00:47:44.16\00:47:48.16
justification by
faith was made with Abraham.
00:47:48.20\00:47:53.50
And when Genesis 22:8,
00:47:53.54\00:47:57.11
when Abraham took his son Isaac
00:47:57.14\00:48:03.11
to Mount Moriah and God said,
"Offer him up as a sacrifice."
00:48:03.14\00:48:08.88
You know, I believe,
Abraham had already seen
00:48:08.92\00:48:12.32
God's day, I mean Christ's day.
00:48:12.35\00:48:14.79
And Hebrews Chapter 11
tells us that Abraham reckoned,
00:48:14.82\00:48:19.49
well, even if He kills
him, He's gonna bring him,
00:48:19.53\00:48:22.43
He's gonna resurrect him.
00:48:22.46\00:48:23.93
So Abraham knew
00:48:23.97\00:48:25.60
that he knew
and he told his son,
00:48:25.63\00:48:28.87
he said, "My Son,
God will provide Himself
00:48:28.90\00:48:32.67
the lamb for a burnt offering."
00:48:32.71\00:48:35.14
Everything you see throughout
the New or Old Testament,
00:48:35.18\00:48:38.68
we see the story of Abraham,
00:48:38.71\00:48:40.12
it's all salvation
by grace through faith.
00:48:40.15\00:48:42.38
When you see the sanctuary,
you know, it's salvation
00:48:42.42\00:48:46.62
by grace through faith,
00:48:46.65\00:48:47.99
and that was
theology in physical form.
00:48:48.02\00:48:51.46
So what God did is
every one of His covenants
00:48:51.49\00:48:55.36
is just an unfolding revelation,
00:48:55.40\00:48:58.70
a progression of understanding
00:48:58.73\00:49:01.90
of salvation by
grace through faith.
00:49:01.94\00:49:04.74
Jeremiah 33:16.
00:49:04.77\00:49:07.28
Jeremiah said, "The
Lord, our righteousness,
00:49:07.31\00:49:10.41
he knew it was salvation
by grace through faith."
00:49:10.45\00:49:13.58
Isaiah 64:6 says,
00:49:13.62\00:49:15.68
"That the best you and I can do,
00:49:15.72\00:49:17.42
our righteousness
is like filthy rags.
00:49:17.45\00:49:20.06
It's always been
righteousness by faith."
00:49:20.09\00:49:23.43
Salvation, the Bible says
00:49:23.46\00:49:26.73
both in the Old
Testament and the New Testament,
00:49:26.76\00:49:29.40
salvation belongs to the Lord.
00:49:29.43\00:49:31.13
That's the everlasting gospel.
00:49:31.17\00:49:33.50
So when we get to
Revelation 14:6-7,
00:49:33.54\00:49:37.37
and it says that
this angel comes forth
00:49:37.41\00:49:41.24
with the everlasting
gospel, and unchanging God
00:49:41.28\00:49:45.05
has an unchanging
message and unchanging gospel,
00:49:45.08\00:49:49.35
and it will give assurance
00:49:49.38\00:49:51.69
of salvation to
all who receive it.
00:49:51.72\00:49:56.29
What I love about the gospel is
00:49:56.32\00:49:58.49
it reveals the
unchanging love of God
00:49:58.53\00:50:02.63
and everyone needs to
have a chance to hear this.
00:50:02.66\00:50:05.93
That's right.
00:50:05.97\00:50:07.30
You know, I just
want to take this moment.
00:50:07.34\00:50:09.54
And I don't do
this on this program.
00:50:09.57\00:50:11.67
But thank you for those
of you who support 3ABN.
00:50:11.71\00:50:16.14
We are taking the everlasting
gospel into the world.
00:50:16.18\00:50:20.82
And we see the
fruit of it every day,
00:50:20.85\00:50:23.49
it comes with letters,
emails, prisoners, phone calls,
00:50:23.52\00:50:28.49
people who are
joining the church,
00:50:28.52\00:50:30.43
people returned to the church,
00:50:30.46\00:50:32.43
people who are accepting Christ
for the first time and you,
00:50:32.46\00:50:36.97
your support makes this possible
00:50:37.00\00:50:40.17
to take this message.
00:50:40.20\00:50:42.24
In Ephesians 1:4-5,
00:50:42.27\00:50:46.57
I love this and it's something
00:50:46.61\00:50:49.11
that's so interesting, He
says, "He chose us in Him."
00:50:49.14\00:50:53.62
This is Ephesians 1:4-5,
00:50:53.65\00:50:57.52
"Before the
foundation of the world
00:50:57.55\00:51:01.12
that we should be holy
and without blame before Him
00:51:01.16\00:51:04.59
in love having predestined us,"
00:51:04.63\00:51:09.33
Do we believe in
predestination not in the sense
00:51:09.36\00:51:12.67
that God is saying,
00:51:12.70\00:51:14.14
okay, 1, 2, 3, 4, you're
saved, 1, 2, 3, 4, you're saved.
00:51:14.17\00:51:18.74
No, but He
predestined us to be conformed
00:51:18.77\00:51:22.34
to the image of His son,
00:51:22.38\00:51:24.21
and to adoptions as sons
by Jesus Christ to Himself,
00:51:24.25\00:51:28.82
according to the good pleasure
00:51:28.85\00:51:32.42
of His will.
00:51:32.45\00:51:35.89
He chose us
before we were ever born,
00:51:35.92\00:51:40.30
that anyone who
would accept His Son
00:51:40.33\00:51:42.96
and oh, his heart is
that all would accept His son
00:51:43.00\00:51:46.53
that this act of salvation
that He was pouring out
00:51:46.57\00:51:50.61
that we could be
called the children of God.
00:51:50.64\00:51:54.28
You know, he tells
us in 2 Timothy 1:9
00:51:54.31\00:51:58.51
that this salvation
was before time began.
00:51:58.55\00:52:03.05
You know that they have proven
00:52:03.08\00:52:06.86
and I'm trying to think
of the branch of science,
00:52:06.89\00:52:08.76
I'm too sleepy. Who is it?
00:52:08.79\00:52:13.53
Okay, not a chemist but a...
00:52:13.56\00:52:16.43
Physicist? Not a biologist.
00:52:16.46\00:52:18.33
Thank you.
00:52:18.37\00:52:20.27
Physicists have
proven time did not exist
00:52:20.30\00:52:24.31
before our world was created.
00:52:24.34\00:52:27.84
Now, ain't that fascinating?
00:52:27.88\00:52:29.64
So there's several
times that the Bible tells
00:52:29.68\00:52:32.35
before time
began, before time began.
00:52:32.38\00:52:34.72
The Bible always said that time
didn't begin until our world,
00:52:34.75\00:52:38.79
but God had this plan for us
00:52:38.82\00:52:43.19
before time began.
00:52:43.22\00:52:45.89
Our lesson points out a
couple of interesting points
00:52:45.93\00:52:49.20
that I want to hit.
00:52:49.23\00:52:50.93
Revelation 14:7, it says,
00:52:50.97\00:52:53.27
brings together
three key elements
00:52:53.30\00:52:56.67
that we've already studied
about concerning God's feelings
00:52:56.71\00:53:01.08
about evil, poverty, oppression
and throughout the Bible story.
00:53:01.11\00:53:05.05
This one, Revelation
14:7 is bringing out judgment,
00:53:05.08\00:53:09.12
the appeal for
judgment for justice to be done.
00:53:09.15\00:53:12.45
There's still the blood.
00:53:12.49\00:53:15.22
This is metaphorically
speaking the blood
00:53:15.26\00:53:17.96
of the saints crying out,
00:53:17.99\00:53:19.69
how long, oh Lord,
before You bring us justice.
00:53:19.73\00:53:23.06
We see it's coming.
00:53:23.10\00:53:25.03
The second thing that
Revelation 14:7 brings out
00:53:25.07\00:53:29.14
is worship, and we've
been studying that worship
00:53:29.17\00:53:34.88
that God desires most
are the acts of kindness
00:53:34.91\00:53:38.81
and love for the poor
00:53:38.85\00:53:40.72
and the needy and then creation.
00:53:40.75\00:53:44.32
I'll read this very quickly.
00:53:44.35\00:53:46.35
God's call for
justice is the common family
00:53:46.39\00:53:50.63
of humanity that we
are created in His image
00:53:50.66\00:53:54.20
and love by Him
00:53:54.23\00:53:55.56
that we all have
value in His sight
00:53:55.60\00:53:57.20
that no one should be
exploited or expressed
00:53:57.23\00:53:59.97
for the unjust gain
and greed of another.
00:54:00.00\00:54:03.57
It seems clear that
this in time proclamation
00:54:03.61\00:54:06.84
of the gospel is a
broad and far reaching call
00:54:06.88\00:54:11.31
to accept the
rescue, redemption,
00:54:11.35\00:54:14.55
and restoration that God
wants for fallen humanity.
00:54:14.58\00:54:20.49
Amen.
00:54:20.52\00:54:21.86
Thank you so much,
Shelley, each one of you,
00:54:21.89\00:54:23.39
what an incredible job.
00:54:23.43\00:54:24.76
I love seeing the
gospel from Genesis 3:15,
00:54:24.79\00:54:28.03
that first messianic promise
all the way to Revelation,
00:54:28.06\00:54:31.97
and you see it interwoven
throughout the entire Bible.
00:54:32.00\00:54:35.94
We have a few moments,
00:54:35.97\00:54:37.31
we actually have a
few extra moments I think
00:54:37.34\00:54:38.97
so feel free to take time
and share a closing thought.
00:54:39.01\00:54:41.98
Well, I would just like to say,
I'm so thankful for John 3:16,
00:54:42.01\00:54:46.72
for God so loved the world.
00:54:46.75\00:54:48.08
You can say it with me there
in the audience and here too,
00:54:48.12\00:54:50.55
"For God so loved the world
00:54:50.59\00:54:52.35
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:54:52.39\00:54:55.09
that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish,
00:54:55.12\00:54:59.56
but have an everlasting life."
00:54:59.59\00:55:01.83
Amen. What a great promise.
00:55:01.86\00:55:03.20
Thank you, Jesus.
00:55:03.23\00:55:04.57
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:55:04.60\00:55:05.93
Pertaining to my particular day,
00:55:05.97\00:55:07.30
grace and works,
00:55:07.34\00:55:08.67
I found this
incredibly powerful quote
00:55:08.70\00:55:11.31
in the book Faith and Works,
00:55:11.34\00:55:13.98
and this is what it says,
00:55:14.01\00:55:15.34
"God's promises are
all made upon conditions.
00:55:15.38\00:55:18.91
If we do His will,
if we walk in truth,
00:55:18.95\00:55:21.78
then we may ask what we will
00:55:21.82\00:55:23.82
and it shall be done unto us
00:55:23.85\00:55:25.52
while we earnestly
endeavor to be obedient,
00:55:25.55\00:55:28.39
God will hear our petitions,
00:55:28.42\00:55:30.26
but He will not
bless us in disobedience.
00:55:30.29\00:55:33.26
If we choose to disobey
His commandments, we may cry,
00:55:33.29\00:55:36.73
faith, faith only have faith
and the response will come back
00:55:36.77\00:55:41.54
from the sure word of God.
00:55:41.57\00:55:42.90
Faith without works is dead.
00:55:42.94\00:55:45.47
Such faith will
only be as sounding brass
00:55:45.51\00:55:48.01
and as tinkling cymbal in
order to have the benefits
00:55:48.04\00:55:50.98
of God's grace,
we must do our part.
00:55:51.01\00:55:53.48
We must faithfully
work and bring forth fruits
00:55:53.52\00:55:56.08
meet for repentance."
00:55:56.12\00:55:57.55
Amen.
00:55:57.59\00:55:58.92
1 Corinthians
12:13, "For by one Spirit,"
00:55:58.95\00:56:01.52
talking about common community,
00:56:01.56\00:56:03.49
"we were all
baptized into one body,
00:56:03.53\00:56:05.33
whether Jew or Greek,
whether slave or free,
00:56:05.36\00:56:08.03
all have been made to
drink into one Spirit."
00:56:08.06\00:56:11.07
We are not
united by a common proxy
00:56:11.10\00:56:13.74
but by divine provision.
00:56:13.77\00:56:16.97
Oh, that's good.
00:56:17.01\00:56:18.34
Amen.
00:56:18.37\00:56:21.24
I guess all I could say is this.
00:56:21.28\00:56:25.01
Do you have any idea
how much God loves you?
00:56:25.05\00:56:28.78
You are worth nothing
less to Him than the price
00:56:28.82\00:56:31.19
that He paid for you
00:56:31.22\00:56:32.55
with the
precious blood of His Son,
00:56:32.59\00:56:35.32
Jesus Christ.
00:56:35.36\00:56:36.89
And He wants more than anything
to adopt you as His child,
00:56:36.93\00:56:41.90
to have you spend
eternity with Him.
00:56:41.93\00:56:45.43
And it is all salvation
is by grace through faith.
00:56:45.47\00:56:50.17
But obedience is by grace too.
00:56:50.21\00:56:53.07
It is as God works in us
to will and to do His good
00:56:53.11\00:56:56.81
pleasure by the
power of His Holy Spirit
00:56:56.85\00:56:59.88
that He will
complete the good work
00:56:59.91\00:57:01.75
He has begun in us.
00:57:01.78\00:57:03.12
Amen. Amen.
00:57:03.15\00:57:04.49
Thank you all so
much. Thank you, Danny.
00:57:04.52\00:57:05.85
Thank you, Pastor Ryan,
Pastor John, and Shelley,
00:57:05.89\00:57:08.62
thank you for sharing your heart
00:57:08.66\00:57:09.99
and the Word of God
with each one of us.
00:57:10.03\00:57:12.43
And we thank you
for joining us as well.
00:57:12.46\00:57:14.76
I wanna leave you
with a closing scripture.
00:57:14.80\00:57:16.70
This is from the
Sermon on the Mount.
00:57:16.73\00:57:18.33
Matthew 5:16, Jesus speaking,
00:57:18.37\00:57:22.00
"Let your light
so shine before men,
00:57:22.04\00:57:25.44
that they may
see your good works
00:57:25.47\00:57:27.88
and glorify your
Father which is in heaven."
00:57:27.91\00:57:30.88
'We talk a great deal
about preaching the gospel
00:57:30.91\00:57:33.15
and that is vitally
important that we proclaim
00:57:33.18\00:57:36.85
an undiluted
three angels' messages.
00:57:36.89\00:57:39.15
That's what this
station is all about.
00:57:39.19\00:57:41.72
But at the same time,
00:57:41.76\00:57:43.09
we are called
to live the gospel.
00:57:43.12\00:57:45.53
We're called to show
forth the praises of Him
00:57:45.56\00:57:48.33
who called us out of darkness
into this marvelous light.
00:57:48.36\00:57:52.87
We thank you so
much for joining us here
00:57:52.90\00:57:55.27
on 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:57:55.30\00:57:57.17
Join us next week for
Living the Advent Hope.
00:57:57.21\00:58:00.68