Hello, friends, welcome to
3ABN's Sabbath School Panel.
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You may not believe it,
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but this is our last
lesson in our quarter.
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And we have walked
and talked with Jesus
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all the way through
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because it's about
making friends for God.
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Today's lesson
is A Step in Faith.
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And everyone needs faith.
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Without that faith,
we cannot please God.
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If you'd like to find out
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how to find out
more about this lesson,
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go to absg.Adventist.org
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and download a
copy to follow along.
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But you can also do
something a little better.
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Go to the local
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in your community.
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Join them for an excursion
through the Word of God
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and you will be blessed.
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But right now
we're about to dive
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into a step of faith.
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So take the
time, get your Bibles,
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invite your family and friends,
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and join us as
we take another step
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in making friends for God.
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Hello, friends, welcome to
our lesson study number 13.
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You heard it right.
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Can we all say amen? Amen.
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We have endured to the end
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and we have enjoyed this journey
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in making friends for god.
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Thank you, Pastor
Finley, once again
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and all those
contributing persons
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that have put
their time and energy
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in making this
lesson a blessing.
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We have seen, I
think, in a long time,
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not that the
others haven't been,
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but this has been
so Christ-centered,
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that you cannot walk away saying
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if you've studied this
lesson that you don't know Jesus
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more endearing
and more personally.
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Today, we're going
to walk through a lesson
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and we'd like to encourage you
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to take the time
to join us and enjoy
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what we're going
to talk about today.
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Before we go any
further, however,
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I must introduce my panelists,
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and there's a chance
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that somebody is
tuning in for the first time.
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Don't forget this network.
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We are going and growing,
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getting ready for
the coming of the Lord.
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Pastor Kenny Shelton
to my immediate left,
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good to have you here.
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Always good to
study the Word of God.
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Thank you. A veteran preacher.
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No, I don't know
about that. Yeah, I know.
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I appreciate you tremendously.
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Sitting right next to you
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is one of the
new kids on the block
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but no longer than...
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Yeah. Good to have you, Ryan.
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Yeah, it's good to be
here. I'm no longer the new kid.
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Now Jason is the new kid.
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That's right. Okay.
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Segue to Jason,
Jason Bradley. Yes.
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It's great to be here
and studying God's word.
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That's right.
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And, Jill, good
to have you here.
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Thank you, pastor.
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A lady in the Word. Thank you.
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You have endured
an entire quarter
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as the only woman on the panel.
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We must ask your
opinion about how that felt.
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But glad to have
you here. Thank you.
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Privileged to be here. Huh?
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Privileged to be
here. Praise God for that.
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Before we go any
further, though, however,
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and, you know, Jill,
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why don't you
have a prayer for us?
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Sure.
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Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus,
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grateful for the
gift of Your Son,
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grateful for the
gift of Your Word,
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grateful that You have
given us the gift of faith.
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And now right now as we study,
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would You open up
our minds and hearts
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to receive what You have for us,
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in Jesus name, amen.
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Amen. That's right.
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A step of faith,
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let's begin by
looking at our memory text.
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Sabbath afternoon.
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This cover September 19 to 25th,
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lesson number 13,
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the memory text in
Philippians 2:5 through 7
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and I read it as follows.
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"Let this mind be in you,
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which was also in Christ Jesus,
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who, being in the form of God,
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did not consider it
robbery to be equal,"
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what's that word?
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Equal.
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Equal means on
the same paradigm,
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on the same par,
at the same level.
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"Did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God."
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But look at the
choice He made to save us.
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"But made
Himself of no reputation,
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taking the form of a bondservant
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and coming in
the likeness of men."
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What a sacrifice. Yes.
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I think when we get to heaven,
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that's the only time
we're going to understand
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what Jesus gave up to save us,
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what he actually relinquished.
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He decided somebody
is going to be appointed
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the responsibility
of saving humanity
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and no one
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other than He
could have been appointed
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to save humanity
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because He created humanity.
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You could not appoint an angel
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because an angel is a created
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being although
called into existence,
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only the creator
can save the creation.
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Now I made that
very important point
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for a reason
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because it's an
unfortunate thing
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and this exercise of futility,
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I call it futility
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because there's no way
that you can call Jesus
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the created one
when He is the Creator.
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That's right.
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Let's go to 1 John,
I mean, John Chapter 1.
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He is not created one.
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And you know, what
amazes me about this panel
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is I've spoken to people
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that have tried to
find some ecclesiastical jog
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to try to change the word
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created into begotten
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or try to say
that the word begotten
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and creator are the same thing.
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You know, the only begotten
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of the Father full
of grace and truth.
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They fail to realize
that the Greek word there
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begotten means
the preeminent one.
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The only one that
can fill this spot,
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the only begotten of the Father,
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no one else in heaven
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could take the
role of the Creator
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than the Creator Himself.
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That's what begotten means.
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But the Bible
says here in John 1:1,
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"In the beginning was the
Word, the Word was with God,
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and the Word was God."
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Wow, praise the Lord for that.
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And it says in verse 2,
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"And He was in the
beginning with God."
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So the Word was
God, the Word is God.
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He's beginning with God.
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And look at verse 3,
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"All things
were made through Him
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and," what else,
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"without Him,"
how much was made?
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Nothing.
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Nothing was made that
was made, including Him.
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For those who say,
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well somewhere way
back and times pass,
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it frightens me
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when Christians start
sounding like evolutionists.
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Somewhere along the way,
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you know, "150
billion years ago,
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there was an explosion.
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And out of that explosion
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is like putting all this
metal and rubber and paint
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and leather in a
big gigantic drum
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spinning it
beyond the speed of sound
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and outcomes a Mercedes."
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You don't get
order out of chaos.
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That never happens.
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And the creator was
not some biological burp
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that came from the
hand of the Father,
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and then all of a sudden,
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formed humanity
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because He was simply a conduit.
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No, in Him is life,
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and that life is
the light of men,
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unborrowed, underived,
and completely original.
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So now we talk about
this self-sacrificing love.
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I'm going to Sunday.
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Go there with me
about self-sacrificing love
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because the challenge
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that has to finally
put into this lesson
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is how do these verses
reveal the heart of Christ,
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Christ's
thinking and the pattern
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that governed His entire life.
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I like how it starts
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because he's referring to,
I mean, Philippians 2:5-11.
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And the first verse,
verse 5 says, Let this mind,
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let this mind, let this mind...
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How could the mind of God,
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how could the mind of
Christ become your mind?
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You have to put something there.
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Let's go to Romans Chapter 12.
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Let's go to Romans Chapter 12.
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One of the
reasons why we can't think
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the way that
Christ wants us to think
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is because instead
of just information,
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we need transformation.
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There's a difference.
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I've met people
that are atheists
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that study the Bible
just to argue with us.
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That's information,
that's not transformation.
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The Bible doesn't talk
about information alone.
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It talks about transformation,
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and there is no
substitute for that.
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Romans 12:1 and 2.
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"I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
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by the mercies of God,
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that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice,
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holy, acceptable unto God,
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which is your
reasonable service."
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Of course the NIV says,
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"Your spiritual
act of worship, "
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and here is
where the mind transfer
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comes into play.
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And do not be
conformed to this world.
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Whether it's Nietzsche,
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whether it's evolutionist books,
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whether it's books
about psychology...
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Psychology is
dangerous to the mind
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that is not first
harnessed by the Word of God
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'cause psychology is a
play on the human mind.
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Be very, very careful.
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It's science falsely so called,
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it's the
manipulation of the human psyche
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if it is not being
led by the will of God.
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So here's what we are told.
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"Do not be
conformed to this world,
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but be transformed by the,"
what, "renewing of your mind,
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that you may prove
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what is that good and acceptable
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and perfect will of God."
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The only way
that the will of God
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can be proven in your life
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is your mind has
to be transformed.
00:10:02.30\00:10:04.40
Now get this, not
educated, not informed,
00:10:04.43\00:10:08.40
not manipulated but transformed.
00:10:08.44\00:10:11.57
He came to transform
us from sinners to saints,
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from those who are
lost to those who are found.
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And you know what,
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you cannot educate a
person into salvation.
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Let's go to Galatians
2:20, it can't happen.
00:10:20.65\00:10:24.32
Education does not change us.
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Education helps
us to become wiser,
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but it doesn't change us.
00:10:29.72\00:10:31.49
Galatians 2:20. Look at this.
00:10:31.53\00:10:34.80
This is where the
transformation comes,
00:10:34.83\00:10:36.77
and the reason I'm
bringing this passage out
00:10:36.80\00:10:38.53
is everything
about us has to die
00:10:38.57\00:10:41.04
in order for the mind
of Christ to be preeminent.
00:10:41.07\00:10:42.54
That's right.
00:10:42.57\00:10:43.91
It can't be our
mind and His mind.
00:10:43.94\00:10:45.84
It has to be His mind alone.
00:10:45.87\00:10:48.11
And that's why this
passage is so vitally important.
00:10:48.14\00:10:50.28
Let me tell you why.
00:10:50.31\00:10:51.65
I've never seen a dead
person with a working mind.
00:10:51.68\00:10:53.92
Galatians 2:20,
00:10:57.32\00:10:59.75
"I have been
crucified with Christ, "
00:10:59.79\00:11:01.79
the moment the
crucifixion takes place,
00:11:01.82\00:11:03.83
all
crucifixions result in death,
00:11:03.86\00:11:06.29
death in the way you
think, the way you live,
00:11:06.33\00:11:08.93
the way you behave,
00:11:08.96\00:11:10.30
all
crucifixions result in death.
00:11:10.33\00:11:13.23
In order for there to
be a self-sacrificing love
00:11:13.27\00:11:16.54
that affects you,
00:11:16.57\00:11:17.94
there has to be
a self-sacrifice.
00:11:17.97\00:11:20.61
Okay, let's continue.
00:11:20.64\00:11:22.51
And then Paul says,
00:11:22.54\00:11:23.88
"It is no longer I who
live but Christ lives," where,
00:11:23.91\00:11:28.65
"in me."
00:11:28.68\00:11:30.02
And now let's look
at the present action
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that takes place in your life.
00:11:31.55\00:11:33.56
And the life which I
now live in the flesh
00:11:33.59\00:11:36.93
because something
happens after that,
00:11:36.96\00:11:38.73
but that new flesh life
is not the same flesh life.
00:11:38.76\00:11:43.00
Now you might pinch
and feel the same way.
00:11:43.03\00:11:45.27
But no, you're now
partaking of a divine nature
00:11:45.30\00:11:48.17
having escaped all
that is in the world.
00:11:48.20\00:11:52.31
You are partaking
of a new divine nature
00:11:52.34\00:11:54.94
or new nature that's divine.
00:11:54.98\00:11:56.85
Now notice what it says,
00:11:56.88\00:11:58.21
"The life which I
now live in the flesh,
00:11:58.25\00:12:00.52
I live by faith
in the Son of God
00:12:00.55\00:12:02.82
who loved me and
gave Himself for me."
00:12:02.85\00:12:05.19
And I want to show you one more.
00:12:05.22\00:12:06.55
Let's go now to
Ephesians Chapter 2
00:12:06.59\00:12:09.62
because this whole transition,
00:12:09.66\00:12:11.29
the form that has to
take place in our lives
00:12:11.33\00:12:15.06
has to happen
with the mind changed.
00:12:15.10\00:12:17.40
Now Ephesians,
00:12:17.43\00:12:19.27
Okay, here I am,
Ephesians Chapter 2.
00:12:19.30\00:12:22.44
Let's see something here.
00:12:22.47\00:12:24.57
Okay, I'm going to read verse 8,
00:12:24.61\00:12:27.04
"For by grace,
00:12:27.08\00:12:29.08
you have been
saved through faith, "
00:12:29.11\00:12:31.28
remember the walk of faith,
00:12:31.31\00:12:33.18
"and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God."
00:12:33.21\00:12:37.29
Now I want to kind of
00:12:37.32\00:12:38.65
revolutionize the way
you look at this passage.
00:12:38.69\00:12:41.26
It is not a gift from God,
00:12:41.29\00:12:44.23
it's not a gift
that God gave to you.
00:12:44.26\00:12:46.80
He gave Himself.
00:12:46.83\00:12:48.96
It is the gift of God.
00:12:49.00\00:12:50.53
Look at the Old
Testament cadence.
00:12:50.57\00:12:52.77
When Isaac was lying
down and he said to his dad,
00:12:52.80\00:12:57.64
"Where's this?
00:12:57.67\00:12:59.01
Where's the lamb?
Where's the sacrifice?"
00:12:59.04\00:13:00.84
And Abraham said,
00:13:00.88\00:13:02.21
"The Lord will provide Himself."
00:13:02.24\00:13:04.85
Now, oftentimes
we go himself a lamb,
00:13:04.88\00:13:07.92
but the reality of it,
00:13:07.95\00:13:09.28
the Lord Will Provide
Himself the lamb, not a lamb.
00:13:09.32\00:13:13.86
Behold, the lamb of
God that taketh away
00:13:13.89\00:13:16.56
the sin of the world,
00:13:16.59\00:13:18.39
the transition in the way
00:13:18.43\00:13:20.03
that we believe
about self-sacrificing love
00:13:20.06\00:13:23.00
is something has
to be sacrificed.
00:13:23.03\00:13:25.40
We cannot survive in
the mind of Christ be in us.
00:13:25.43\00:13:28.77
Something has to be sacrificed.
00:13:28.80\00:13:30.27
So the sacrifice takes place
when we receive the gift of God
00:13:30.31\00:13:34.11
as one of my favorite
writers Oswald Chambers says,
00:13:34.14\00:13:36.64
"We often minimize salvation
00:13:36.68\00:13:38.05
because we think
as a gift from God,"
00:13:38.08\00:13:40.28
God doesn't say,
"Kenny, here's a gift."
00:13:40.32\00:13:41.78
No.
00:13:41.82\00:13:43.15
He says, "Kenny, I'm the gift."
00:13:43.18\00:13:45.75
And He merges.
00:13:45.79\00:13:47.12
He burns up humanity
00:13:47.16\00:13:48.92
and replaces it
with the divinity.
00:13:48.96\00:13:51.19
Now this is important.
00:13:51.23\00:13:52.56
Get this before I
transition to Pastor Kenny.
00:13:52.59\00:13:54.83
He burns up humanity.
00:13:54.86\00:13:56.80
That's why when you look
at that picture in the Bible,
00:13:56.83\00:14:00.00
when Moses was standing
in front of a burning bush,
00:14:00.04\00:14:03.10
a few lessons came out.
00:14:03.14\00:14:04.87
We are that burning bush.
00:14:04.91\00:14:06.71
Jesus didn't come to consume us.
00:14:06.74\00:14:08.84
He came to ignite us.
00:14:08.88\00:14:11.31
He didn't come to burn us
up, he came to light us up.
00:14:11.35\00:14:15.12
And until that
transition takes place,
00:14:15.15\00:14:16.75
we'll be a bush with no fruit.
00:14:16.79\00:14:18.79
But when Christ merges
00:14:18.82\00:14:20.16
that bush was
not an ordinary bush,
00:14:20.19\00:14:21.92
your life will
be no ordinary life
00:14:21.96\00:14:23.99
when you allow the
Lord to light you up
00:14:24.03\00:14:27.40
because if He
doesn't light you up,
00:14:27.43\00:14:28.76
there's only one other
option, He'll burn you up.
00:14:28.80\00:14:32.50
And that burning up is
not because He hates you,
00:14:32.53\00:14:34.47
but nothing that
survives the transformation,
00:14:34.50\00:14:38.54
nothing that is not transformed
will survive the consuming fire
00:14:38.57\00:14:42.78
of the love of God.
00:14:42.81\00:14:44.15
It's not the hate of God.
00:14:44.18\00:14:45.68
The love of God
consumes everything
00:14:45.71\00:14:47.65
that maintains a
sinful characteristic
00:14:47.68\00:14:50.59
so that those who
are now sacrificed
00:14:50.62\00:14:52.62
and become like
Christ can enjoy an eternity
00:14:52.65\00:14:55.96
without sin ever being there,
00:14:55.99\00:14:57.93
but it begins with
self-sacrificing love.
00:14:57.96\00:15:00.90
Amen. Pastor Kenny.
00:15:00.93\00:15:02.80
Thank you for
sharing that awesome,
00:15:02.83\00:15:05.37
I love that good food for
thought all the time here,
00:15:05.40\00:15:08.10
enjoying this, I
forgot where I was at.
00:15:08.14\00:15:10.21
So Monday's lesson I assume,
00:15:10.24\00:15:12.31
I'm in Monday
seat, so praise God.
00:15:12.34\00:15:14.28
Monday's lesson,
we're going to be...
00:15:14.31\00:15:15.64
This is very
important by the way
00:15:15.68\00:15:17.25
because we're going to
talk about Commitments Call,
00:15:17.28\00:15:19.91
you know, we
will receive a call.
00:15:19.95\00:15:24.19
Every person on this
planet will receive a call
00:15:24.22\00:15:26.45
at one time or the other,
00:15:26.49\00:15:27.82
Holy Spirit calling,
00:15:27.86\00:15:29.19
calling us to
join the family of God.
00:15:29.22\00:15:31.09
So as we look, you know,
00:15:31.13\00:15:32.46
life may be
pretty good right now,
00:15:32.49\00:15:33.83
we're looking, you
say "Life's pretty good."
00:15:33.86\00:15:35.20
I've heard people say,
"Life's good. Life's good."
00:15:35.23\00:15:37.43
I really like life, I do.
00:15:37.47\00:15:39.53
But, you know, it's good
00:15:39.57\00:15:40.94
because you have
maybe all that you desire.
00:15:40.97\00:15:44.44
Got a home, you got
a roof over your head.
00:15:44.47\00:15:46.11
You got loved ones.
00:15:46.14\00:15:47.88
You're loved. You can
love, so life is good.
00:15:47.91\00:15:53.15
I see a sign
sometimes, it says LG.
00:15:53.18\00:15:55.12
Okay.
00:15:55.15\00:15:56.48
I just automatically think
00:15:56.52\00:15:57.85
I see it on refrigerator
or a different thing,
00:15:57.89\00:15:59.22
I just automatically
think, "Life's good."
00:15:59.25\00:16:01.59
That's what it means actually.
00:16:01.62\00:16:03.43
Life's good.
00:16:03.46\00:16:04.79
But if I'm going to change it
00:16:04.83\00:16:06.16
and make my own one these days,
00:16:06.19\00:16:07.53
I'm going to put AG.
00:16:07.56\00:16:10.10
All good.
00:16:10.13\00:16:11.47
Oh, what time? Hey, what's good?
00:16:11.50\00:16:12.83
All good. It's all good.
00:16:12.87\00:16:14.90
Even though we face
desperate times and situations,
00:16:14.94\00:16:18.07
God is there for
us giving us a call.
00:16:18.11\00:16:21.61
But, you know, in
our heart and our mind,
00:16:21.64\00:16:22.98
we realize these good times,
00:16:23.01\00:16:25.51
people say, "I've
got all under control,
00:16:25.55\00:16:27.25
everything is going real well."
00:16:27.28\00:16:28.75
But, you know, at
the end of the day,
00:16:28.78\00:16:31.09
when the good times maybe cease,
00:16:31.12\00:16:32.45
you know, you're out partying
00:16:32.49\00:16:33.82
and doing a lot
of different things.
00:16:33.86\00:16:35.19
When you go back
maybe to your room
00:16:35.22\00:16:36.73
or to your home or
wherever one might go,
00:16:36.76\00:16:38.39
there's
something that's lacking.
00:16:38.43\00:16:41.50
Sometimes people don't know...
00:16:41.53\00:16:42.86
Before you accept
Christ or something lacking,
00:16:42.90\00:16:45.57
you know, I felt that
in my early childhood,
00:16:45.60\00:16:47.27
it was kind of strange thing.
00:16:47.30\00:16:48.64
I felt that, you know...
00:16:48.67\00:16:50.01
We went to church,
00:16:50.04\00:16:51.37
you know, all the time
and grew up in the church
00:16:51.41\00:16:52.74
and it's all good,
00:16:52.77\00:16:54.11
but before I really
made Him my Lord and Savior,
00:16:54.14\00:16:57.18
I knew that
something was lacking.
00:16:57.21\00:17:00.02
Didn't quite know what it was.
00:17:00.05\00:17:01.48
But it was that
knock on the door.
00:17:01.52\00:17:03.12
It was that commitment
call that I never responded to.
00:17:03.15\00:17:06.92
And so I'm glad that I
did, praise God for that.
00:17:06.96\00:17:10.23
And my question is here
00:17:10.26\00:17:11.59
since commitments call
is what are you going to do,
00:17:11.63\00:17:14.33
what am I going to do
00:17:14.36\00:17:15.90
when there's a
knock on the door?
00:17:15.93\00:17:17.73
You know, what do you...
00:17:17.77\00:17:19.10
How are you going to respond?
00:17:19.13\00:17:20.47
Well, I know how we respond
00:17:20.50\00:17:21.84
in you know, the
world that we live in,
00:17:21.87\00:17:23.20
somebody rings the doorbell,
00:17:23.24\00:17:24.57
somebody knocks at the door,
usually you go to the door,
00:17:24.61\00:17:26.88
you know, you
reckon, "Come on in,"
00:17:26.91\00:17:29.11
you know, but you know,
00:17:29.14\00:17:30.48
when Jesus is knocking the door,
00:17:30.51\00:17:31.85
sometimes people just
don't want to let him in.
00:17:31.88\00:17:34.58
But the knock's going to come
00:17:34.62\00:17:35.95
and we have to see
how we're going to act.
00:17:35.98\00:17:37.32
2 Peter 1:10 says this,
00:17:37.35\00:17:40.82
2 Peter 1:10,
"Wherefore, brethren,
00:17:40.86\00:17:43.79
give diligence
to make your calling
00:17:43.83\00:17:46.80
and your election sure."
00:17:46.83\00:17:50.07
Do what?
00:17:50.10\00:17:51.43
Make sure...
00:17:51.47\00:17:52.80
Diligence.
00:17:52.83\00:17:54.17
That's right. Right?
00:17:54.20\00:17:55.54
With diligence
00:17:55.57\00:17:56.91
that you're
calling election be sure.
00:17:56.94\00:17:58.27
This passage tells me,
00:17:58.31\00:17:59.64
in fact, that our salvation
depends upon our actions,
00:17:59.67\00:18:04.08
we have to respond.
00:18:04.11\00:18:05.91
Well, yeah,
somebody knocks at the door.
00:18:05.95\00:18:07.28
Basically you want to go
there, you open the door.
00:18:07.32\00:18:09.05
There's an action
that's involved there.
00:18:09.08\00:18:11.05
So our salvation
depends upon our actions.
00:18:11.09\00:18:13.66
1 Timothy 2:4,
00:18:13.69\00:18:15.16
you know, we know, we know
00:18:15.19\00:18:17.59
that we are elected to be saved.
00:18:17.63\00:18:20.23
That simply means
that because 1 Timothy 2:4,
00:18:20.26\00:18:23.16
"God says he liked it,"
what, "all men to be saved."
00:18:23.20\00:18:26.27
That's where I get it
from reading the Word of God.
00:18:26.30\00:18:27.80
He wants us all to
be saved in the kingdom
00:18:27.84\00:18:30.34
that we have to make a decision.
00:18:30.37\00:18:32.41
If we don't respond,
00:18:32.44\00:18:33.84
maybe the most
important thing of this whole,
00:18:33.88\00:18:35.38
if we don't get anything else
00:18:35.41\00:18:36.95
is if when Christ
knocks at the door,
00:18:36.98\00:18:38.31
we have to answer.
00:18:38.35\00:18:39.68
If we don't answer,
we're going to be lost.
00:18:39.71\00:18:41.05
That's right.
00:18:41.08\00:18:42.42
That's pretty
heavy duty I understand.
00:18:42.45\00:18:43.79
But Romans 8:28 is,
00:18:43.82\00:18:45.15
you know this well, I'm sure,
00:18:45.19\00:18:46.52
it says, "And we know that all,"
00:18:46.55\00:18:47.89
what is it again,
00:18:47.92\00:18:49.26
"all things work together
for good to them that," what,
00:18:49.29\00:18:53.43
"that love God to
them who are called
00:18:53.46\00:18:56.30
according to His purpose."
00:18:56.33\00:19:00.00
Election, that word
bothers people sometimes.
00:19:00.04\00:19:04.67
There's debates over election,
make sure your election...
00:19:04.71\00:19:07.81
Oh, they could...
00:19:07.84\00:19:09.18
There's a story told,
00:19:09.21\00:19:10.55
some of you may
have read it before.
00:19:10.58\00:19:11.91
The man, he wanted to
join a certain church.
00:19:11.95\00:19:14.65
But he wouldn't join that church
00:19:14.68\00:19:16.25
because of the word election.
00:19:16.28\00:19:18.42
They just didn't
quite get along with that.
00:19:18.45\00:19:20.19
And they said,
"I can't do that."
00:19:20.22\00:19:22.39
And so he said,
00:19:22.42\00:19:23.76
"I'm just not going
to join the church."
00:19:23.79\00:19:25.69
Well, naturally, if
you're talking to someone,
00:19:25.73\00:19:27.10
you've worked with someone,
00:19:27.13\00:19:28.46
they decide they
don't want to join,
00:19:28.50\00:19:29.83
you want to visit them,
00:19:29.86\00:19:31.20
you want to find out why.
00:19:31.23\00:19:32.57
And so the preacher thought,
00:19:32.60\00:19:33.94
"Well, I'll go
there, I'll pray about it.
00:19:33.97\00:19:35.30
I'll go and then the
man will be convicted
00:19:35.34\00:19:36.84
and he'll change his mind."
00:19:36.87\00:19:38.21
Well, preacher went home sad.
00:19:38.24\00:19:40.04
Man said, "No, I'm
just not going to...
00:19:40.08\00:19:41.44
I just, I just I don't get that.
00:19:41.48\00:19:43.75
I don't get what you
mean by the election.
00:19:43.78\00:19:45.15
I don't agree with you."
00:19:45.18\00:19:46.61
And so there happened
to be an older gentleman
00:19:46.65\00:19:49.48
that was sitting by and
he heard the conversation,
00:19:49.52\00:19:52.09
he heard about it.
00:19:52.12\00:19:53.46
And so he came to the man
he said something like this.
00:19:53.49\00:19:56.02
Now I won't say in the south
00:19:56.06\00:19:57.89
or maybe in Southern
Illinois in the cornfield.
00:19:57.93\00:19:59.29
All right.
00:19:59.33\00:20:00.66
I'm not going to say
there's voting going on.
00:20:00.70\00:20:02.93
I'll say, "There's voting."
00:20:02.96\00:20:04.43
Voting.
00:20:04.47\00:20:05.80
"There's voting."
00:20:05.83\00:20:07.17
And so you know the story,
there's voting going on for,
00:20:07.20\00:20:10.81
you know, all the time.
00:20:10.84\00:20:12.17
What do you mean?
00:20:12.21\00:20:13.54
There's voting
going on all the time.
00:20:13.58\00:20:15.04
God's voting for you
and the devil is voting...
00:20:15.08\00:20:17.78
Against you.
00:20:17.81\00:20:19.15
You know, the devil is...
00:20:19.18\00:20:20.52
Right, yeah, devil
is voting against you.
00:20:20.55\00:20:23.08
And he said, notice this that...
00:20:23.12\00:20:25.39
And there's one way you vote
00:20:25.42\00:20:28.06
and the way that you vote
determines who's going to win.
00:20:28.09\00:20:31.06
That's right. Think about it.
00:20:31.09\00:20:32.49
How the election goes is
depending on how you vote.
00:20:32.53\00:20:35.76
One voting against,
when voting against,
00:20:35.80\00:20:37.93
how are you going to vote?
00:20:37.97\00:20:39.30
That's right.
00:20:39.33\00:20:40.67
Make your calling
and election sure.
00:20:40.70\00:20:44.34
I think the story told
that the theologian was there
00:20:44.37\00:20:47.74
and, you know, been to college
00:20:47.78\00:20:49.11
and studied all
about this election,
00:20:49.14\00:20:50.65
about a man he just said...
00:20:50.68\00:20:52.01
He just said, "I've
studied it for a long time,
00:20:52.05\00:20:54.22
but I've never got
anything quite so good as that."
00:20:54.25\00:20:57.42
So sometime in simplicity,
00:20:57.45\00:20:59.22
you know, simple,
what, we have a vote.
00:20:59.25\00:21:02.62
You have to decide.
00:21:02.66\00:21:04.43
Christ is calling.
00:21:04.46\00:21:05.83
The enemy's saying,
"Don't answer that door."
00:21:05.86\00:21:08.56
But you have to decide
whether you're going to answer
00:21:08.60\00:21:10.57
the invitation to come
to Jesus commitment's call.
00:21:10.60\00:21:14.30
When Jesus shows
up, lives change.
00:21:14.34\00:21:17.41
Nothing remains the
same when Jesus shows up.
00:21:17.44\00:21:21.04
And He didn't go anywhere
when he walked this earth
00:21:21.08\00:21:22.98
that there wasn't
something that developed.
00:21:23.01\00:21:25.31
There was always
something that was good.
00:21:25.35\00:21:27.82
In a few moments, your life,
00:21:27.85\00:21:29.52
and many of you
experienced this,
00:21:29.55\00:21:31.45
you had a life
going in one direction
00:21:31.49\00:21:32.99
and the moment Jesus
calls you, you accept that call,
00:21:33.02\00:21:35.06
your whole life change.
00:21:35.09\00:21:37.13
Jesus said, Revelation
3:20, very familiar, said,
00:21:37.16\00:21:39.49
"Behold, I stand," where,
00:21:39.53\00:21:41.80
"I stand at the door and knock."
00:21:41.83\00:21:43.26
And maybe like some of you,
I've seen the picture painted.
00:21:43.30\00:21:48.70
When I was a child,
00:21:48.74\00:21:50.17
and I looked at the door
00:21:50.21\00:21:51.54
and Jesus
standing there knocking,
00:21:51.57\00:21:52.91
and what was it I noticed?
00:21:52.94\00:21:54.44
Of all things,
there was no doorknob.
00:21:54.48\00:21:57.05
There's no doorknob on his side.
00:21:57.08\00:21:58.75
There was on my side,
but there wasn't on His.
00:21:58.78\00:22:01.02
He said, "Behold, I
stand at the door and I knock."
00:22:01.05\00:22:04.19
And John 10:9, Jesus
said, "I am the door.
00:22:04.22\00:22:10.23
By Me if any man enter in,
00:22:10.26\00:22:12.39
he shall be saved
and shall go in and out
00:22:12.43\00:22:14.70
and find pasture."
00:22:14.73\00:22:16.10
Jesus is knocking at the door.
00:22:16.13\00:22:17.77
We have to let Him in. Wow.
00:22:17.80\00:22:20.04
You know, think of many times
00:22:20.07\00:22:21.40
that the heart of man
by nature closes the door.
00:22:21.44\00:22:24.24
He doesn't want to
open a closer to Christ.
00:22:24.27\00:22:25.77
How?
00:22:25.81\00:22:27.14
By ignorance.
00:22:27.18\00:22:28.51
And so simply by not
knowing, they just...
00:22:28.54\00:22:30.81
But you'd realize that
00:22:30.85\00:22:32.18
ignorance is no
excuse in this day,
00:22:32.21\00:22:33.55
an hour that we're living in.
00:22:33.58\00:22:35.12
Absolutely, we can't say that.
00:22:35.15\00:22:37.35
When a person has
evidence that's truth
00:22:37.39\00:22:41.29
and that we need
to follow that truth
00:22:41.32\00:22:43.36
on which to base their
faith we say or to hang our hat,
00:22:43.39\00:22:46.73
there's plenty of evidence.
00:22:46.76\00:22:48.10
There's no excuse to say,
00:22:48.13\00:22:49.46
"Well, I don't want to know."
00:22:49.50\00:22:51.30
I've often said this.
00:22:51.33\00:22:52.90
That's what our
neighbor always said to us
00:22:52.93\00:22:54.77
growing up all the time
when my mother would say,
00:22:54.80\00:22:56.94
her name was Bertha,
00:22:56.97\00:22:58.31
"Berthie, no, don't,
00:22:58.34\00:23:01.54
whatever you do, don't tell me.
00:23:01.58\00:23:02.91
I don't want to know."
00:23:02.94\00:23:04.28
True story.
00:23:04.31\00:23:05.65
Every time you'd want
to say something about God,
00:23:05.68\00:23:07.02
as far as I know,
she never accepted Lord.
00:23:07.05\00:23:08.78
Never went to
church in her whole life,
00:23:08.82\00:23:11.02
but she'd say, "No,
I don't want to know
00:23:11.05\00:23:12.59
because then
I'll be accountable."
00:23:12.62\00:23:13.96
And I love mother
said and I was very young,
00:23:13.99\00:23:15.59
she said, "You
already are accountable
00:23:15.62\00:23:18.39
because you had
the opportunity."
00:23:18.43\00:23:20.76
The commitment's call,
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.13
the knock was on the door,
00:23:22.16\00:23:23.50
and you did not
respond properly.
00:23:23.53\00:23:25.47
There's an example there.
00:23:25.50\00:23:26.84
I don't have much time,
00:23:26.87\00:23:28.20
just talk about
Acts 3:17 and 18.
00:23:28.24\00:23:30.51
Peter's talking here,
talking about the Jews,
00:23:30.54\00:23:33.98
the leaders killed,
what, the Prince of Life.
00:23:34.01\00:23:35.84
You remember the
Prince and then he said,
00:23:35.88\00:23:38.61
"And now, brethren,
I want or I know..."
00:23:38.65\00:23:41.55
Notice this, Acts 3:17 and 18,
00:23:41.58\00:23:44.12
"I see or I'm considering
this that through ignorance,
00:23:44.15\00:23:47.69
you did it as did
also your rulers."
00:23:47.72\00:23:50.03
Verse 18 says,
00:23:50.06\00:23:51.39
"But those things
which God before had showed
00:23:51.43\00:23:54.86
by the mouth of all His prophets
00:23:54.90\00:23:57.43
that Christ should
suffer and He has so fulfilled."
00:23:57.47\00:24:00.47
And then Peter did what?
00:24:00.50\00:24:01.94
He didn't let them off the hook.
00:24:01.97\00:24:03.30
He admonished them.
You need to do what?
00:24:03.34\00:24:04.71
You need to repent, and
you need to be converted.
00:24:04.74\00:24:08.18
Wow.
00:24:08.21\00:24:09.54
But why? Because they knew.
00:24:09.58\00:24:11.01
Let me read this real
quick on the last minute.
00:24:11.05\00:24:12.55
We have
Manuscript 9, 1898 says this,
00:24:12.58\00:24:15.85
"But this ignorance did
not excuse their actions
00:24:15.88\00:24:18.65
for they had great
light, if they had known,
00:24:18.69\00:24:21.49
they could not..."
00:24:21.52\00:24:22.86
They say we would
not have crucified Him.
00:24:22.89\00:24:25.09
"Why did they not know?
00:24:25.13\00:24:27.00
Because they chose not to know."
00:24:27.03\00:24:31.07
Notice, chose not to know.
00:24:31.10\00:24:32.43
So he's not here.
00:24:32.47\00:24:34.50
The Bible encourages us
to study to show ourselves
00:24:34.54\00:24:36.60
approved unto God,
00:24:36.64\00:24:37.97
search and study.
00:24:38.01\00:24:39.34
They did not do that
00:24:39.37\00:24:40.71
and because they did not
make the right choice and saving
00:24:40.74\00:24:42.54
and pleaded
ignorance as it were,
00:24:42.58\00:24:43.91
we didn't know.
00:24:43.95\00:24:45.28
It's the eternal ruin.
00:24:45.31\00:24:46.65
We need to be careful.
00:24:46.68\00:24:48.02
This is life
and death situation.
00:24:48.05\00:24:49.38
These lessons
we've been studying to me
00:24:49.42\00:24:50.75
is life and death situation
00:24:50.79\00:24:52.12
because each one
is presenting Jesus
00:24:52.15\00:24:53.79
as our Lord and
Savior, our righteousness.
00:24:53.82\00:24:56.46
He's our only hope in this mess
00:24:56.49\00:24:58.16
that we live in in this world.
00:24:58.19\00:25:00.00
And behold, He's
standing at the door
00:25:00.03\00:25:01.36
and He's knocking,
He's knocking at your door.
00:25:01.40\00:25:02.86
I know He's
knocking the heart's door
00:25:02.90\00:25:05.10
and He says, "I want to come in.
00:25:05.13\00:25:06.47
Would you just by
God's grace and strength
00:25:06.50\00:25:08.24
just open the door?
00:25:08.27\00:25:09.60
You won't be sorry for."
00:25:09.64\00:25:10.97
He'll come in, sup with you
00:25:11.01\00:25:12.34
and we'd spend
eternity with Jesus.
00:25:12.37\00:25:13.71
Amen.
00:25:13.74\00:25:15.08
Thank you, Pastor Kenny.
00:25:15.11\00:25:16.44
Wow, we have three more
days left in our lesson study.
00:25:16.48\00:25:20.55
So don't go away.
00:25:20.58\00:25:22.08
We'll be right back.
00:25:22.12\00:25:23.45
Ever wish you could watch
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a 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel again
00:25:30.09\00:25:32.19
or share it on
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?
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Well, you can by visiting
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00:25:35.40\00:25:40.34
a clean design makes it easy
00:25:40.37\00:25:42.84
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00:25:42.87\00:25:44.97
There are also links to
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00:25:45.01\00:25:48.34
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00:25:48.38\00:25:50.15
Sharing is easy.
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Welcome back to
our walk of faith
00:25:58.49\00:26:00.72
and we are now going
to give the time to Ryan.
00:26:00.76\00:26:03.73
Amen.
00:26:03.76\00:26:05.09
I'm excited 'cause I get to talk
00:26:05.13\00:26:06.46
about one of my
favorite Bible characters.
00:26:06.49\00:26:09.63
We're going to be
talking about Paul.
00:26:09.66\00:26:11.67
And Paul was
definitely a man of faith.
00:26:11.70\00:26:14.57
There's a reason
00:26:14.60\00:26:15.94
why the majority
of the New Testament
00:26:15.97\00:26:17.31
is made up of this
man's inspired writings,
00:26:17.34\00:26:19.74
inspired by the Holy Spirit.
00:26:19.77\00:26:21.24
He had lots to say.
00:26:21.28\00:26:22.61
And his journey of
faith is life-transforming,
00:26:22.64\00:26:26.05
it's life-changing.
00:26:26.08\00:26:27.42
And I love to tell the
story of how God used Paul.
00:26:27.45\00:26:30.15
And that's what
00:26:30.19\00:26:31.52
we're going to
talk about right now.
00:26:31.55\00:26:33.42
Tuesday's lessons entitled,
"Paul: God's Chosen Vessel, "
00:26:33.46\00:26:38.13
and the message of the
lesson opens up with this.
00:26:38.16\00:26:41.00
It says when
Paul accepted Christ,
00:26:41.03\00:26:43.13
his whole life
was radically changed.
00:26:43.16\00:26:46.37
Christ gave him an
entirely new future.
00:26:46.40\00:26:49.50
He led him out
of his comfort zone
00:26:49.54\00:26:51.77
to experiences he
could hardly have imagined
00:26:51.81\00:26:55.51
through the Holy
Spirit's guidance,
00:26:55.54\00:26:56.95
the apostle Paul
proclaim the Word of God
00:26:56.98\00:26:59.11
to thousands
00:26:59.15\00:27:00.48
throughout the
Mediterranean world.
00:27:00.52\00:27:02.55
His witness changed
00:27:02.58\00:27:04.12
the history of
Christianity and the world.
00:27:04.15\00:27:07.56
And I'm going to start
right in Acts Chapter 9.
00:27:07.59\00:27:09.72
I think that's the
best place to start.
00:27:09.76\00:27:11.93
We could back up
and start in Acts 8.
00:27:11.96\00:27:13.60
But I'm going to jump
right into Acts Chapter 9.
00:27:13.63\00:27:15.70
Now previous to this, we
know that in Acts Chapter 7,
00:27:15.73\00:27:18.20
we're told that of course
the last prophet of Israel
00:27:18.23\00:27:21.50
that would be murdered,
00:27:21.54\00:27:22.87
basically stoned to
death would be Stephen.
00:27:22.90\00:27:24.81
And of course, the Bible says
00:27:24.84\00:27:26.37
that all of these
people who murdered Stephen
00:27:26.41\00:27:28.48
laid their coats at the
feet of a young man named Saul.
00:27:28.51\00:27:31.91
And we see in Acts Chapter 8,
00:27:31.95\00:27:34.55
there's a portion
there of Acts Chapter 8,
00:27:34.58\00:27:35.92
where it says Saul goes on
00:27:35.95\00:27:37.72
and he's persecuting Christians.
00:27:37.75\00:27:39.75
He's fully devoted,
00:27:39.79\00:27:41.12
he's fully convinced in his mind
00:27:41.16\00:27:43.02
that these
Christians are heretics
00:27:43.06\00:27:45.53
that they're teaching apostasy,
00:27:45.56\00:27:48.23
that they are
basically causing a hindrance
00:27:48.26\00:27:50.70
to God's true kingdom agenda,
00:27:50.73\00:27:52.63
and that they are
blaspheming God's name
00:27:52.67\00:27:54.97
by joining this
Jesus cult, right?
00:27:55.00\00:27:58.07
And so now we
come to Acts Chapter 9,
00:27:58.11\00:28:00.74
looking at the
conversion of Saul,
00:28:00.78\00:28:03.14
who becomes Paul, powerful.
00:28:03.18\00:28:04.98
Notice verse 1, it says,
00:28:05.01\00:28:06.35
"Then Saul still
breathing threats
00:28:06.38\00:28:07.72
and murders
00:28:07.75\00:28:09.08
against the
disciples of the Lord,
00:28:09.12\00:28:10.45
went to the high priest
00:28:10.49\00:28:11.82
and ask letters from him
to the synagogues of Damascus
00:28:11.85\00:28:15.46
so that if he found
any who were in the way,
00:28:15.49\00:28:19.33
whether man or woman,
00:28:19.36\00:28:20.70
he might bring them
bound to Jerusalem."
00:28:20.73\00:28:24.17
And then notice
verse 3 and onward,
00:28:24.20\00:28:25.87
"And he journeyed and
came near to Damascus,
00:28:25.90\00:28:28.04
and suddenly, a light
shone around him from heaven.
00:28:28.07\00:28:31.74
Then he fell to the ground
00:28:31.77\00:28:33.11
and heard a voice saying to him,
00:28:33.14\00:28:35.08
'Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting me?'
00:28:35.11\00:28:39.31
And he said,
'Where are You, Lord?' "
00:28:39.35\00:28:42.58
I mean, he knows,
00:28:42.62\00:28:44.32
even though he
doesn't quite know
00:28:44.35\00:28:45.92
the identity just yet.
00:28:45.95\00:28:47.79
He knows by the
experience he is experiencing
00:28:47.82\00:28:50.73
and what he's
experiencing at this moment
00:28:50.76\00:28:54.20
that this is some divine person,
00:28:54.23\00:28:56.43
he knows that this is God,
00:28:56.46\00:28:57.83
"Where are You or
Who are You, Lord?
00:28:57.87\00:29:00.70
Then the Lord said,
00:29:00.74\00:29:02.34
'I am Jesus who
you are persecuting.'"
00:29:02.37\00:29:06.78
It is hard for you to
kick against the ghosts.
00:29:06.81\00:29:09.24
I remember...
00:29:09.28\00:29:10.61
I can't remember exactly,
00:29:10.65\00:29:11.98
I think it might
have been David Asscherick
00:29:12.01\00:29:13.35
or someone who gave
an illustration of this.
00:29:13.38\00:29:14.72
But it's so powerful to think
00:29:14.75\00:29:16.38
that this man's
life in a moment of time
00:29:16.42\00:29:19.95
was turned upside...
00:29:19.99\00:29:21.46
I'm sorry, right side up.
00:29:21.49\00:29:23.79
But you better
believe he probably felt like
00:29:23.83\00:29:25.93
he was on some
type of rollercoaster
00:29:25.96\00:29:28.86
for a moment
00:29:28.90\00:29:30.23
because
everything that he believed
00:29:30.27\00:29:31.87
that he was fully convinced in
00:29:31.90\00:29:33.67
was completely transformed
and completely proven wrong.
00:29:33.70\00:29:37.84
And I remember the illustration
that this minister gave,
00:29:37.87\00:29:40.28
it said, this would be
like us driving down the road
00:29:40.31\00:29:42.58
as Seventh-day Adventists.
00:29:42.61\00:29:43.95
And then this bright
light shines around us
00:29:43.98\00:29:45.71
and we get kind
of discombobulated,
00:29:45.75\00:29:47.32
and we find ourselves
on the side of the road
00:29:47.35\00:29:48.68
and we're blind.
00:29:48.72\00:29:50.05
And this voice
comes out and says,
00:29:50.09\00:29:51.42
"Ryan, Ryan, why
are you persecuting me?"
00:29:51.45\00:29:54.52
And we say, "I don't
know, Lord, who are you?"
00:29:54.56\00:29:57.56
And he says, "I'm the Pope."
00:29:57.59\00:30:01.46
Well.
00:30:01.50\00:30:03.90
That would be the
equivalent of this.
00:30:03.93\00:30:05.87
And that's an
illustration obviously.
00:30:05.90\00:30:07.67
Or it would be simply like,
00:30:07.70\00:30:09.17
you know, us reading
in the headlines tomorrow
00:30:09.20\00:30:12.14
that Pope Francis
somehow saw the light
00:30:12.17\00:30:14.34
and has left the Catholic Church
00:30:14.38\00:30:15.71
and joined the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:30:15.74\00:30:17.55
Like this is some bewildering
00:30:17.58\00:30:19.51
but amazing stuff
that's happening to Paul.
00:30:19.55\00:30:22.85
It goes on to say in verse 6,
00:30:22.88\00:30:24.39
"So he trembling
and astonished, said,
00:30:24.42\00:30:26.22
'Lord, what do
you want me to do?' "
00:30:26.25\00:30:28.02
I know that was a
rather interesting illustration
00:30:28.06\00:30:29.59
that I just gave.
00:30:29.62\00:30:30.96
But if you think about
00:30:30.99\00:30:32.33
that's exactly
what he went through.
00:30:32.36\00:30:33.70
"Don't be just
like us," you know?
00:30:33.73\00:30:35.06
"Well, I'm sorry.
00:30:35.10\00:30:36.43
I'm sorry, Pope Francis,
00:30:36.46\00:30:37.80
for all those
evangelistic series
00:30:37.83\00:30:39.17
that I preached and
all those other things."
00:30:39.20\00:30:40.54
That would be
the equivalent to...
00:30:40.57\00:30:41.90
This guy is fully convinced
00:30:41.94\00:30:43.27
that Jesus is the
enemy of the church,
00:30:43.30\00:30:45.41
and then now he's
having an encounter.
00:30:45.44\00:30:47.14
And now he is
confirmed that this is Jesus
00:30:47.18\00:30:49.71
and Jesus is Lord.
00:30:49.74\00:30:51.61
Powerful.
00:30:51.65\00:30:52.98
In fact, you go on to
read on in that chapter,
00:30:53.01\00:30:54.65
verse 17.
00:30:54.68\00:30:56.08
He obviously is led to Damascus.
00:30:56.12\00:30:58.45
He's blind, he
needs his sight back,
00:30:58.49\00:31:00.66
he's had this
overwhelming experience.
00:31:00.69\00:31:02.39
Notice what verse
17 and onwards says,
00:31:02.42\00:31:04.19
"And Ananias went his way
00:31:04.23\00:31:06.53
and entered the house
and laying hands on him,
00:31:06.56\00:31:09.36
he said, "Brother Saul,
00:31:09.40\00:31:10.80
the Lord Jesus who
appear to you on the road,
00:31:10.83\00:31:13.37
as you came,
00:31:13.40\00:31:14.74
has sent me that you
may receive your sight
00:31:14.77\00:31:17.14
and be filled
with the Holy Spirit."
00:31:17.17\00:31:19.44
Immediately, there
fell from his eyes,
00:31:19.47\00:31:21.78
something like scales,
00:31:21.81\00:31:23.14
and he received
his sight at once.
00:31:23.18\00:31:25.21
And he arose and was baptized.
00:31:25.25\00:31:27.55
So when he had received
food, he was strengthened.
00:31:27.58\00:31:30.72
Then Saul spent some days
00:31:30.75\00:31:32.19
with the disciples at Damascus."
00:31:32.22\00:31:33.92
And then notice verse
20 here, this is powerful,
00:31:33.96\00:31:36.49
"Immediately..."
What word is that?
00:31:36.52\00:31:37.86
"Immediately."
00:31:37.89\00:31:39.23
"Immediately, he
preached Jesus Christ
00:31:39.26\00:31:41.86
in the synagogues."
00:31:41.90\00:31:43.23
That's powerful,
that He is the Son of God.
00:31:43.26\00:31:46.13
This brother
didn't waste no time.
00:31:46.17\00:31:47.80
You're talking about faith.
00:31:47.84\00:31:49.17
This man had a...
00:31:49.20\00:31:50.54
He knew that the
experience he had
00:31:50.57\00:31:51.91
was genuine.
00:31:51.94\00:31:53.27
He knew that whom
he had been speaking to
00:31:53.31\00:31:54.94
was truly the Lord.
00:31:54.98\00:31:56.31
He had become fully convinced
00:31:56.34\00:31:57.68
that the Man that he
thought was the enemy
00:31:57.71\00:31:59.35
was truly the Son of God
00:31:59.38\00:32:00.98
and He began to preach it
like a boss all over the world.
00:32:01.02\00:32:04.42
And I love Paul's story
00:32:04.45\00:32:06.49
because there are people
in this lifetime, very few,
00:32:06.52\00:32:10.03
but people who have
a similar experience,
00:32:10.06\00:32:12.16
where they are fully
convinced at one point,
00:32:12.19\00:32:14.30
but then later in life,
00:32:14.33\00:32:15.66
because they allow
themselves to be humbled
00:32:15.70\00:32:17.80
and they allow
themselves to be introduced
00:32:17.83\00:32:20.44
to the truth of God's Word,
00:32:20.47\00:32:22.27
they have to completely
change their perspective.
00:32:22.30\00:32:24.51
What once they
thought was complete heresy,
00:32:24.54\00:32:26.74
what they thought
was complete apostasy,
00:32:26.78\00:32:28.71
now they believe it
and teach it because Jesus,
00:32:28.74\00:32:30.45
they've had an
encounter with Jesus.
00:32:30.48\00:32:31.81
That's right.
00:32:31.85\00:32:33.18
And they go on to
teach and preach this.
00:32:33.21\00:32:34.55
And it's amazing
that Jesus often chooses,
00:32:34.58\00:32:36.79
like Paul, the most
unlikely candidates.
00:32:36.82\00:32:40.16
I'm thinking of
people like the demoniacs,
00:32:40.19\00:32:43.32
the Samaritan woman, a
prostitute, a tax collector,
00:32:43.36\00:32:47.00
a Galilean fisherman.
00:32:47.03\00:32:48.80
Who are you going to
choose to send this gospel
00:32:48.83\00:32:51.60
to the to the world, Lord?
00:32:51.63\00:32:52.97
Oh, that fisherman over
there out there in that boat.
00:32:53.00\00:32:55.30
I mean, literally, it's
the most unlikely people.
00:32:55.34\00:32:58.27
And now of course, in
this case, Paul's case,
00:32:58.31\00:33:00.11
a persecutor of Christianity.
00:33:00.14\00:33:02.61
These were all changed by grace
00:33:02.64\00:33:04.91
and then sent forth
with joy in their hearts
00:33:04.95\00:33:07.32
to tell the story
of what Christ had done
00:33:07.35\00:33:09.45
in their lives.
00:33:09.48\00:33:10.82
Each never tired
of telling the story,
00:33:10.85\00:33:12.92
what Christ had done for them
00:33:12.95\00:33:14.52
was so marvelous
that they had to share it.
00:33:14.56\00:33:17.63
They could not be silent.
00:33:17.66\00:33:19.56
Much like you and I.
00:33:19.59\00:33:20.93
If we're full
of the Holy Spirit,
00:33:20.96\00:33:22.46
we're full of the Holy Ghost,
00:33:22.50\00:33:23.87
we have been
transformed by the power of God.
00:33:23.90\00:33:26.84
It is the natural reaction.
00:33:26.87\00:33:29.67
It's the natural
response of a Christian
00:33:29.70\00:33:31.87
to just pour forth the praises
and the truth of God's Word
00:33:31.91\00:33:35.04
and to uplift Jesus Christ.
00:33:35.08\00:33:36.41
You can't help it.
00:33:36.44\00:33:38.05
Paul never wavered in his faith.
00:33:38.08\00:33:40.02
Wow.
00:33:40.05\00:33:41.38
This brother pressed
forward all the way to the end,
00:33:41.42\00:33:44.72
and I love just for
the lack of time here,
00:33:44.75\00:33:47.19
I'm going to skip
forward to 2 Timothy 4:5-8.
00:33:47.22\00:33:50.16
I love this
00:33:50.19\00:33:51.53
because he's
giving counsel to Timothy,
00:33:51.56\00:33:52.96
preach the word Timothy,
00:33:52.99\00:33:54.46
"Be instant in season
and out of season reprove,
00:33:54.50\00:33:56.46
rebuke with all
longsuffering and doctrine
00:33:56.50\00:33:59.10
for the time will come
when they will not endure
00:33:59.13\00:34:01.17
sound doctrine,
00:34:01.20\00:34:02.54
but they will
heap up for themselves,
00:34:02.57\00:34:03.91
having itching ears, teachers,
00:34:03.94\00:34:05.51
according to their own lust."
00:34:05.54\00:34:06.88
He goes through
that whole spiel.
00:34:06.91\00:34:08.34
But notice verse
5 in 2 Timothy 4,
00:34:08.38\00:34:11.45
"But you be
watchful in all things,
00:34:11.48\00:34:13.42
endure afflictions,
00:34:13.45\00:34:14.78
do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry, "
00:34:14.82\00:34:17.09
which Paul had done.
00:34:17.12\00:34:18.45
And then notice
verse 6 on what it says,
00:34:18.49\00:34:20.16
"For I am
already being poured out
00:34:20.19\00:34:21.66
as a drink offering,
00:34:21.69\00:34:23.19
and the time of my
departure is at hand.
00:34:23.22\00:34:25.39
I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race.
00:34:25.43\00:34:27.50
I have kept the faith.
00:34:27.53\00:34:29.03
Finally, there is
laid up for me..."
00:34:29.06\00:34:31.10
Look at this assurance, wow.
00:34:31.13\00:34:32.47
It's powerful.
00:34:32.50\00:34:33.84
"Finally, there
is laid up for me
00:34:33.87\00:34:35.20
a crown of righteousness,
00:34:35.24\00:34:36.57
which the Lord
the Righteous Judge
00:34:36.60\00:34:38.17
will give to me on that day,
00:34:38.21\00:34:39.87
and not to me
only, but also to,"
00:34:39.91\00:34:42.24
how many people?
00:34:42.28\00:34:43.61
To all who have
loved His appearing.
00:34:43.65\00:34:46.58
If you think
about this man's faith,
00:34:46.61\00:34:48.28
it's powerful.
00:34:48.32\00:34:49.65
And we're not here...
I'm not here to uplift Paul.
00:34:49.68\00:34:52.05
We're uplifting Jesus
00:34:52.09\00:34:53.42
for what He has
done through Paul.
00:34:53.46\00:34:55.19
And the fact that this
man was a man of faith.
00:34:55.22\00:34:57.86
Paul didn't
have to follow Jesus.
00:34:57.89\00:34:59.26
He could have
remained in that blind state.
00:34:59.29\00:35:01.83
He could have remained
in that blind state said,
00:35:01.86\00:35:03.77
"Jesus, you know,
You say You're Lord,
00:35:03.80\00:35:05.53
you know, hey,
00:35:05.57\00:35:06.90
I'm not believing it, you know?"
00:35:06.94\00:35:08.27
He could have
remained in that blind state
00:35:08.30\00:35:09.70
as many Christians today
00:35:09.74\00:35:11.71
choose and remain
in their blind state
00:35:11.74\00:35:13.58
moving forward.
00:35:13.61\00:35:14.94
But Paul chose the
call, he accepted that call,
00:35:14.98\00:35:17.51
he went forward in faith.
00:35:17.55\00:35:18.88
I mean, this is a man
who was beaten, stoned,
00:35:18.91\00:35:23.65
in prison several
times, ended up shipwrecked,
00:35:23.69\00:35:26.39
beaten with many stripes,
00:35:26.42\00:35:28.06
and ultimately
gave his life beheaded,
00:35:28.09\00:35:30.43
gave his life for his faith.
00:35:30.46\00:35:33.73
And I want to
read this in closing,
00:35:33.76\00:35:35.26
we seek men of faith like
this, powerful men of faith.
00:35:35.30\00:35:38.57
But this statement
from Great Controversy
00:35:38.60\00:35:40.40
really spills it out here.
00:35:40.44\00:35:42.10
"Why is it then
that persecution seems
00:35:42.14\00:35:44.01
in a great degree to slumber?
00:35:44.04\00:35:46.07
The only reason is that
the church has conformed
00:35:46.11\00:35:47.84
to the world's standard
00:35:47.88\00:35:49.21
and therefore
awakens no opposition.
00:35:49.24\00:35:51.71
The religion which is current
in our day is not the pure
00:35:51.75\00:35:53.75
and holy character that
marked the Christian faith
00:35:53.78\00:35:55.92
in the days of
Christ and His apostles.
00:35:55.95\00:35:57.69
It is only
00:35:57.72\00:35:59.05
because of the spirit
of compromise with sin,
00:35:59.09\00:36:01.32
because the great
truths of the Word of God
00:36:01.36\00:36:02.99
are so indifferently regarded
00:36:03.02\00:36:04.83
because there is so
little vital godliness
00:36:04.86\00:36:06.59
in the church
00:36:06.63\00:36:07.96
that Christianity is
apparently so popular
00:36:08.00\00:36:09.60
with the world.
00:36:09.63\00:36:10.97
And she says this,
00:36:11.00\00:36:12.33
"Let there be a
revival of the faith
00:36:12.37\00:36:14.27
and power of the early church,
00:36:14.30\00:36:16.04
and the spirit of
persecution will be revived,
00:36:16.07\00:36:18.87
and the fires of
persecution will be rekindled."
00:36:18.91\00:36:21.34
That's Great Controversy,
page 48, my friends,
00:36:21.38\00:36:23.71
we need to get serious
and have the faith today,
00:36:23.75\00:36:26.45
pressing forward in Jesus name.
00:36:26.48\00:36:27.82
Amen, amen. Amen and amen.
00:36:27.85\00:36:29.92
Thank you.
That's a powerful quote.
00:36:29.95\00:36:31.75
That is a powerful quote.
00:36:31.79\00:36:33.42
I have Wednesday's lesson,
00:36:33.46\00:36:35.32
and it's entitled,
"The Demands of Love."
00:36:35.36\00:36:37.39
And I have to be honest,
00:36:37.43\00:36:38.76
I was a little
00:36:38.79\00:36:40.13
kind of thrown off by the title,
00:36:40.16\00:36:42.06
"The Demands of Love"
00:36:42.10\00:36:43.77
because the word demand
00:36:43.80\00:36:46.27
has kind of a
negative connotation
00:36:46.30\00:36:49.30
or it's a strong word,
00:36:49.34\00:36:52.31
but the demands of love.
00:36:52.34\00:36:54.78
And as I began
to study the lesson,
00:36:54.81\00:36:57.08
as we're going to do right now,
00:36:57.11\00:36:59.61
I really came around to see
00:36:59.65\00:37:02.95
what Pastor Finley
is talking about here.
00:37:02.98\00:37:05.69
And I love how he starts
out it says, I love how...
00:37:05.72\00:37:10.46
It begins with the statement,
00:37:10.49\00:37:12.16
"Love always
manifests itself in action,"
00:37:12.19\00:37:15.53
then it proceeds to say,
00:37:15.56\00:37:16.90
"Our love for Christ
compels us to do something
00:37:16.93\00:37:20.84
for lost humanity."
00:37:20.87\00:37:22.67
You know, when
you love somebody,
00:37:22.70\00:37:24.54
you're inspired to act.
00:37:24.57\00:37:26.94
You don't have to be
forced to do something.
00:37:26.98\00:37:29.14
I'm not talking
about the honey do list
00:37:29.18\00:37:31.21
when which I don't have yet.
00:37:31.25\00:37:33.65
I don't know, honey do list yet.
00:37:33.68\00:37:35.78
I've got a, "Jay,
you got to do this"
00:37:35.82\00:37:38.49
and, "Jay, you
got to do that" list.
00:37:38.52\00:37:40.22
But when you love somebody,
00:37:40.26\00:37:42.82
you do stuff
because you love them.
00:37:42.86\00:37:45.29
And that's the same thing
00:37:45.33\00:37:46.66
with our
relationship with Christ.
00:37:46.70\00:37:48.03
When you love Christ,
00:37:48.06\00:37:49.70
you do things
because you love Him.
00:37:49.73\00:37:52.30
And that's one reason
why I think it's so important
00:37:52.33\00:37:55.14
that when we're
witnessing to people,
00:37:55.17\00:37:57.27
that we
introduce them to Christ.
00:37:57.31\00:37:59.91
Don't just give
them doctrine and say,
00:37:59.94\00:38:01.48
"Hey, go do this, go do that.
00:38:01.51\00:38:03.18
Don't do this. Don't do that."
00:38:03.21\00:38:04.91
Introduce them to Christ.
00:38:04.95\00:38:06.65
They'll fall in
love with Him, follow Him
00:38:06.68\00:38:08.58
and those things
will come naturally.
00:38:08.62\00:38:09.95
Amen.
00:38:09.98\00:38:11.32
Let's take a look
at Matthew 25:34-40.
00:38:11.35\00:38:17.33
We're going to look at
some different love here.
00:38:17.36\00:38:22.66
All right,
beginning in verse 34.
00:38:22.70\00:38:24.97
It says, "Then the
King will say to those
00:38:25.00\00:38:27.04
on His right hand,
00:38:27.07\00:38:28.40
'Come, you blessed of My Father,
00:38:28.44\00:38:29.77
inherit the
kingdom prepared for you
00:38:29.80\00:38:31.67
from the
foundation of the world,
00:38:31.71\00:38:33.74
for I was hungry
and you gave Me food,
00:38:33.78\00:38:36.28
I was thirsty and
you gave Me drink,
00:38:36.31\00:38:38.71
I was a stranger
and you took Me in,
00:38:38.75\00:38:41.22
I was naked and you clothed Me,
00:38:41.25\00:38:43.62
I was sick and you visited Me,
00:38:43.65\00:38:45.72
I was in prison
and you came to Me.'
00:38:45.75\00:38:48.19
Then the righteous
will answer Him, saying,
00:38:48.22\00:38:50.39
'Lord, when did we see
You hungry and feed You,
00:38:50.43\00:38:53.36
or thirsty and give You drink?
00:38:53.40\00:38:55.56
When did we see You a
stranger and take You in,
00:38:55.60\00:38:58.10
or naked and clothe You?
00:38:58.13\00:38:59.87
Or when did we see You sick
00:38:59.90\00:39:01.64
or in prison,
and come to You?' "
00:39:01.67\00:39:04.14
Now check this out.
00:39:04.17\00:39:05.51
"And the King will
answer and say to them,
00:39:05.54\00:39:07.94
'Assuredly, I say to you,
00:39:07.98\00:39:09.74
inasmuch as you did it
00:39:09.78\00:39:11.68
to one of the least
of these My brethren,
00:39:11.71\00:39:14.68
you did it to Me.'"
00:39:14.72\00:39:17.29
One way to show our love
00:39:17.32\00:39:19.69
is by meeting the needs
of our brothers and sisters.
00:39:19.72\00:39:22.32
By doing so, we are
showing our love for Christ
00:39:22.36\00:39:25.79
as long as...
00:39:25.83\00:39:27.36
Now get this,
00:39:27.40\00:39:28.73
as long as we
have the right motives,
00:39:28.76\00:39:32.13
because we can
do the right things
00:39:32.17\00:39:33.70
with the wrong motives.
00:39:33.74\00:39:35.10
You can sometimes
people give to get,
00:39:35.14\00:39:38.11
you know, and do
things for notoriety
00:39:38.14\00:39:41.28
or whatever the case may be.
00:39:41.31\00:39:42.94
So you can do right
things with wrong motives.
00:39:42.98\00:39:46.82
So we want to focus
on the right motives.
00:39:46.85\00:39:49.88
God is love and God is pure,
00:39:49.92\00:39:52.22
and He always does
things with the right motives.
00:39:52.25\00:39:55.46
Another way that
we can show our love
00:39:55.49\00:39:57.93
is by
forgiveness and restoration.
00:39:57.96\00:40:00.66
Turn with me to John.
00:40:00.70\00:40:02.93
And we're going to look
00:40:02.96\00:40:04.30
at John 21:15-19.
00:40:04.33\00:40:11.47
John 21:15-19.
00:40:11.51\00:40:17.18
And it says,
00:40:17.21\00:40:19.08
"So when they
had eaten breakfast,
00:40:19.11\00:40:21.62
Jesus said to Simon
Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah,
00:40:21.65\00:40:24.92
do you love Me more than these?'
00:40:24.95\00:40:27.32
He said to Him, 'Yes,
Lord, You know that I love You.'
00:40:27.36\00:40:30.86
He said to him, 'Feed My lambs.'
00:40:30.89\00:40:34.46
He said to him
again a second time,
00:40:34.50\00:40:36.33
'Simon, son of
Jonah, do you love Me?'
00:40:36.36\00:40:39.60
He said to Him, 'Yes,
Lord, You know that I love You.'
00:40:39.63\00:40:43.04
He said to him, 'Tend My sheep.'
00:40:43.07\00:40:46.11
He said to him the third time,
00:40:46.14\00:40:48.28
'Simon, son of
Jonah, do you love Me?'
00:40:48.31\00:40:52.78
Peter was grieved
00:40:52.81\00:40:54.15
because He said to
him the third time,
00:40:54.18\00:40:55.78
'Do you love Me?'
00:40:55.82\00:40:57.59
And he said to Him,
'Lord, You know all things.
00:40:57.62\00:41:00.22
You know that I love You.'
00:41:00.26\00:41:01.96
Jesus said to
him, 'Feed My sheep.
00:41:01.99\00:41:05.06
Most assuredly, I say to
you, when you were younger,
00:41:05.09\00:41:08.00
you girded yourself and
walked where you wished,
00:41:08.03\00:41:10.33
but when you are old,
00:41:10.37\00:41:11.70
you will stretch out your hands,
00:41:11.73\00:41:13.23
and another will
gird you and carry you
00:41:13.27\00:41:15.30
where you do not wish.'
00:41:15.34\00:41:17.41
This He spoke, signifying
00:41:17.44\00:41:19.67
by what death he
would glorify God.
00:41:19.71\00:41:23.28
And when He had
spoken this, He said to him,
00:41:23.31\00:41:25.71
'Follow Me.'"
00:41:25.75\00:41:27.08
You know, we know
00:41:27.12\00:41:28.78
that Peter had
denied Christ three times.
00:41:28.82\00:41:34.72
And it's
interesting that Jesus asks him
00:41:34.76\00:41:37.23
this three times.
00:41:37.26\00:41:39.63
But then another exciting point
00:41:39.66\00:41:42.23
is that even
though Peter messed up,
00:41:42.26\00:41:46.20
he denied Christ three times,
00:41:46.23\00:41:49.04
you know, and
actually cursed in the process.
00:41:49.07\00:41:53.21
Yes.
00:41:53.24\00:41:55.64
He still took him back
and He still entrusted him
00:41:55.68\00:41:58.68
with responsibility
and said, "Feed My sheep.
00:41:58.71\00:42:02.35
Feed My sheep."
00:42:02.38\00:42:04.75
And another thing is
that God doesn't just...
00:42:04.79\00:42:09.02
and I love how this is...
00:42:09.06\00:42:10.39
I'm just going to read
it from the lesson here.
00:42:10.43\00:42:11.79
It says Jesus does not invite us
00:42:11.83\00:42:13.43
merely to give our time,
00:42:13.46\00:42:15.46
talent, and
treasures to His cause,
00:42:15.50\00:42:17.60
He invites us to give our lives.
00:42:17.63\00:42:20.44
Christ paid it all for us.
00:42:20.47\00:42:21.90
Amen.
00:42:21.94\00:42:23.27
So we need to give of our lives.
00:42:23.30\00:42:26.04
You know, I think of times
00:42:26.07\00:42:28.08
where maybe I was
in a grocery store
00:42:28.11\00:42:30.51
as a little kid,
00:42:30.55\00:42:32.31
and I'm shopping with my mom.
00:42:32.35\00:42:33.92
And of course,
she's buying everything
00:42:33.95\00:42:35.28
because I'm a little kid, right?
00:42:35.32\00:42:36.65
So I'm in the store
00:42:36.69\00:42:39.29
and I'm looking
at all these things
00:42:39.32\00:42:41.12
that I want,
00:42:41.16\00:42:42.79
and we're
talking about love here.
00:42:42.82\00:42:45.73
I'm looking at all these
things that I see that I want.
00:42:45.76\00:42:49.60
And I'm, you know,
00:42:49.63\00:42:50.97
trying to grab things
and maybe "sneak" them
00:42:51.00\00:42:53.54
in the cart
00:42:53.57\00:42:55.10
because I know
00:42:55.14\00:42:56.50
that if my mom
picks this thing up
00:42:56.54\00:43:00.34
whether it's cereal or
whatever the case may be,
00:43:00.38\00:43:02.98
and she reads those ingredients,
00:43:03.01\00:43:06.18
chances are I'm not getting it.
00:43:06.21\00:43:08.58
Why?
00:43:08.62\00:43:10.29
Because she loves me
00:43:10.32\00:43:11.72
and she recognizes the fact
00:43:11.75\00:43:13.19
that those things are bad for me
00:43:13.22\00:43:16.26
and she doesn't want
anything that's going to cause
00:43:16.29\00:43:19.06
any hurt, harm, or
danger to her young one.
00:43:19.09\00:43:24.53
I'm also reminded
of a story in Daniel.
00:43:24.57\00:43:28.74
You know, a part
of love is being there
00:43:28.77\00:43:31.37
in the midst of a trial.
00:43:31.41\00:43:34.98
Fake love,
00:43:35.01\00:43:37.01
people abandon you
in the midst of a trial,
00:43:37.05\00:43:39.55
you know, you get
into some trouble and stuff
00:43:39.58\00:43:41.32
and people just take off.
00:43:41.35\00:43:43.08
So in Daniel, and if
you want to turn there,
00:43:43.12\00:43:46.89
we can go there.
00:43:46.92\00:43:48.26
We're going to go to Daniel
00:43:48.29\00:43:49.62
we're looking
at the fiery trial.
00:43:49.66\00:43:51.43
In Daniel chapter 3.
00:43:51.46\00:43:55.80
And I love this,
00:43:55.83\00:43:57.43
this is standing
for God no matter what.
00:43:57.47\00:44:00.67
You know, basically
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
00:44:00.70\00:44:03.84
answered and said to the
king, this is in verse 16...
00:44:03.87\00:44:07.04
Actually, let's
start in verse 15.
00:44:07.08\00:44:09.64
Daniel 3:15, it says,
00:44:09.68\00:44:11.38
"Now if you are
ready at the time you hear
00:44:11.41\00:44:14.02
the sound of the horn,
flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery,
00:44:14.05\00:44:19.29
in symphony with
all kinds of music,
00:44:19.32\00:44:22.16
and you fall down
and worship the image
00:44:22.19\00:44:24.39
which I have made, good!
00:44:24.43\00:44:27.33
But if you do not worship,
00:44:27.36\00:44:29.36
you shall be cast immediately
00:44:29.40\00:44:31.03
into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace.
00:44:31.07\00:44:34.04
And who is the god
00:44:34.07\00:44:35.94
who will deliver
you from my hands?"
00:44:35.97\00:44:38.87
Now get this,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
00:44:38.91\00:44:41.74
answered and said to
the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar,
00:44:41.78\00:44:44.05
we have no need to
answer you in this matter.
00:44:44.08\00:44:47.02
If that is the case,
00:44:47.05\00:44:48.38
our God whom we serve
00:44:48.42\00:44:50.42
is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace,
00:44:50.45\00:44:53.39
and He will deliver us
from your hand, O king.
00:44:53.42\00:44:56.16
But if not,
00:44:56.19\00:44:57.89
let it be known to you, O king,
00:44:57.93\00:45:00.20
that we do not serve your gods
00:45:00.23\00:45:02.16
nor will we
worship the gold image
00:45:02.20\00:45:04.50
which you have set up."
00:45:04.53\00:45:05.87
Now that's bold.
00:45:05.90\00:45:07.24
They're talking to the
king and they're telling him,
00:45:07.27\00:45:08.60
"Look, I don't care what you do,
00:45:08.64\00:45:10.81
we worship the one
true God, we love Him,
00:45:10.84\00:45:13.68
we serve Him
with all of our hearts
00:45:13.71\00:45:15.98
and even in the face of death,
00:45:16.01\00:45:17.88
we will not
succumb to this falsehood
00:45:17.91\00:45:21.65
or, in a previous study,
00:45:21.68\00:45:24.35
this craziness
that he's got going on."
00:45:24.39\00:45:27.46
So I want to go
down even into verse 19.
00:45:27.49\00:45:30.83
I know we're short on time here,
00:45:30.86\00:45:32.19
but Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego
00:45:32.23\00:45:34.53
were put into the fiery furnace.
00:45:34.56\00:45:38.93
It was hot.
00:45:38.97\00:45:40.60
They heated it
seven times hotter.
00:45:40.64\00:45:43.87
In the midst of
this fiery trial,
00:45:43.91\00:45:48.44
who is that in there?
00:45:48.48\00:45:50.05
They cast three people in there
00:45:50.08\00:45:51.61
but there's a fourth
one like the Son of Man.
00:45:51.65\00:45:54.92
Jesus...
00:45:54.95\00:45:56.32
And I have to bring
this out from the lesson
00:45:56.35\00:45:59.29
if I can get ever so quickly.
00:45:59.32\00:46:02.06
It says basically that,
00:46:02.09\00:46:04.26
"Divine love is
active, not passive."
00:46:04.29\00:46:09.20
Jesus came down
and stood with them
00:46:09.23\00:46:13.17
in the midst of their
trial in the fiery furnace.
00:46:13.20\00:46:16.57
Amen.
00:46:16.60\00:46:18.14
We all go through trials.
00:46:18.17\00:46:20.34
We have a Savior
that loves us so much
00:46:20.38\00:46:22.64
that He stands by us in
the midst of those trials.
00:46:22.68\00:46:26.45
That's another way
that love is on display
00:46:26.48\00:46:29.62
is by standing
with your loved ones
00:46:29.65\00:46:31.45
in the midst of those trials.
00:46:31.49\00:46:33.59
Amen. Thank you so much, Jay.
00:46:33.62\00:46:35.99
I love that,
"The Demands of Love."
00:46:36.02\00:46:38.49
I have Thursday's
lesson "Love's Commitment."
00:46:38.53\00:46:41.33
And to me, this is the capstone.
00:46:41.36\00:46:45.00
Well, literally, on Thursday,
on week number 13, I get that.
00:46:45.03\00:46:49.20
But I'm saying
the message in here
00:46:49.24\00:46:51.51
is the capstone of everything
00:46:51.54\00:46:53.44
we've been talking
about this entire quarter.
00:46:53.48\00:46:55.74
I want to start with a question,
00:46:55.78\00:46:57.31
if you knew
what the future held,
00:46:57.35\00:46:59.75
would you make the
same decision today?
00:46:59.78\00:47:03.92
That's pretty heavy.
Let me say that again.
00:47:03.95\00:47:05.29
If you knew
what the future held,
00:47:05.32\00:47:06.96
would you make the
same decision today?
00:47:06.99\00:47:10.03
If you knew your spouse
would get cancer and die,
00:47:10.06\00:47:12.43
would you marry them anyway?
00:47:12.46\00:47:14.30
If you knew your
friend would betray you,
00:47:14.33\00:47:17.40
would you trust them
with your heart anyway?
00:47:17.43\00:47:20.54
If you knew
00:47:20.57\00:47:21.90
your children
would walk away from God,
00:47:21.94\00:47:25.44
would you have them anyway?
00:47:25.47\00:47:27.94
If you knew you
would lose your job,
00:47:27.98\00:47:29.84
would you still
give it your all?
00:47:29.88\00:47:33.21
If you knew you
would have an accident,
00:47:33.25\00:47:35.18
would you still
go on that road trip?
00:47:35.22\00:47:38.62
If you knew your service
as a missionary would end up
00:47:38.65\00:47:42.22
in you been killed,
00:47:42.26\00:47:44.73
would you serve anyway?
00:47:44.76\00:47:47.76
If you knew
what the future held,
00:47:47.80\00:47:49.56
would you make the
same decisions today?
00:47:49.60\00:47:53.97
That's what we're
talking about today
00:47:54.00\00:47:55.50
is love's commitment.
00:47:55.54\00:47:57.37
Turn with me to John 21.
00:47:57.41\00:48:02.11
Actually, we're
going to start in John 13.
00:48:02.14\00:48:04.15
We'll start there
and then jump to John 21.
00:48:04.18\00:48:06.85
The greatest joy in
life is serving Jesus
00:48:06.88\00:48:11.75
and seeing other
people come to Him.
00:48:11.79\00:48:15.49
We discussed in
an earlier lesson
00:48:15.52\00:48:17.46
that the Father
and Jesus have joy
00:48:17.49\00:48:20.70
when one of us
comes to repentance
00:48:20.73\00:48:24.33
and returns to the Father.
00:48:24.37\00:48:26.07
And the greatest
joy for us as Christians
00:48:26.10\00:48:28.37
is to see other
people come to Jesus,
00:48:28.40\00:48:31.97
but with the privilege
00:48:32.01\00:48:34.18
of being His
witness comes a price.
00:48:34.21\00:48:38.18
Let's talk about that.
00:48:38.21\00:48:39.55
We're going to talk
about Jesus's commitment,
00:48:39.58\00:48:42.42
Peter's commitment, and
then our commitment today.
00:48:42.45\00:48:47.49
Jesus's
commitment, we're in John 13,
00:48:47.52\00:48:50.26
excuse me, in John 13:3-4.
00:48:50.29\00:48:53.33
Now, of course,
00:48:53.36\00:48:54.70
this is the foot
washing experience
00:48:54.73\00:48:56.06
in the upper room,
00:48:56.10\00:48:57.43
"Jesus knowing
00:48:57.47\00:48:58.80
that the Father had given
all things into His hands,
00:48:58.83\00:49:00.90
and that He had come
from God and was going to God,
00:49:00.94\00:49:03.84
rose from supper and
laid aside His garments,
00:49:03.87\00:49:06.84
took a towel
and girded himself."
00:49:06.88\00:49:09.54
Now John could have easily said,
00:49:09.58\00:49:11.51
Jesus took a
towel and girded himself
00:49:11.55\00:49:13.42
and started to
wash the disciples feet.
00:49:13.45\00:49:15.38
But instead of that, he said,
00:49:15.42\00:49:17.22
"Jesus knowing
00:49:17.25\00:49:19.35
that the Father had
given Him all things,
00:49:19.39\00:49:21.29
that He had come from
God and going back to God,
00:49:21.32\00:49:24.36
He still chose to serve.
00:49:24.39\00:49:26.46
With full
knowledge of His divinity,
00:49:26.49\00:49:29.76
He chose to serve."
00:49:29.80\00:49:31.20
In other words, He
served with eyes wide open.
00:49:31.23\00:49:35.77
Philippians 2,
00:49:35.80\00:49:37.14
you talked about
that Pastor John,
00:49:37.17\00:49:38.54
Philippians 2 the
mind of Christ, verses 5-8.
00:49:38.57\00:49:42.58
"Let this mind be in you,
00:49:42.61\00:49:44.95
which was also in Christ Jesus,
00:49:44.98\00:49:47.22
who being in the form of
God did not consider it robbery
00:49:47.25\00:49:49.85
to be equal with God,
00:49:49.88\00:49:51.72
but made himself
of no reputation,
00:49:51.75\00:49:54.06
taking the form of a servant,
00:49:54.09\00:49:56.19
coming in the likeness of men
00:49:56.22\00:49:58.39
and being found in
appearance as a man,
00:49:58.43\00:50:00.00
He humbled Himself
00:50:00.03\00:50:01.93
and became obedient
to the point of death,
00:50:01.96\00:50:04.00
even the death of the cross."
00:50:04.03\00:50:06.77
With knowledge of the cross
00:50:06.80\00:50:08.44
and the
humiliation of becoming man
00:50:08.47\00:50:10.47
and dying for our sins,
00:50:10.51\00:50:12.27
Jesus still chose to come.
00:50:12.31\00:50:15.84
Let's look at
Peter's commitment.
00:50:15.88\00:50:18.71
John 21.
00:50:18.75\00:50:20.42
Jay already talked about that.
00:50:20.45\00:50:22.58
John 21.
00:50:22.62\00:50:23.95
We're going to read again,
00:50:23.99\00:50:25.32
the two verses,
verses 18 and 19.
00:50:25.35\00:50:28.32
"Most assuredly, I say to
you, when you were younger,
00:50:28.36\00:50:31.33
you girded yourself,"
00:50:31.36\00:50:32.69
this is Jesus talking to Peter,
00:50:32.73\00:50:34.53
"and walked where you wished.
00:50:34.56\00:50:36.26
But when you are old,
00:50:36.30\00:50:37.63
you will stretch out your hands,
00:50:37.67\00:50:39.67
and another will gird you,"
00:50:39.70\00:50:41.60
indicating he's going
to be bound as a criminal,
00:50:41.64\00:50:45.07
"and carry you
where you do not wish."
00:50:45.11\00:50:48.18
This he spoke
00:50:48.21\00:50:49.54
signifying by what
death he would glorify God.
00:50:49.58\00:50:52.21
And when he had spoken this,
he said to him, "Follow Me."
00:50:52.25\00:50:55.45
And we know Peter was crucified.
00:50:55.48\00:50:58.09
That is how his life ended.
00:50:58.12\00:51:00.09
And he actually was
crucified upside down
00:51:00.12\00:51:02.76
because he did not
want to be crucified
00:51:02.79\00:51:04.56
in the same manner
as His Lord and Savior.
00:51:04.59\00:51:08.26
The lesson says
this, I liked it so much,
00:51:08.30\00:51:10.13
I'm going to quote it directly.
00:51:10.17\00:51:13.00
"Jesus was offered the privilege
00:51:13.03\00:51:17.11
by the Sea of Galilee,
00:51:17.14\00:51:18.61
of being a witness for Jesus.
00:51:18.64\00:51:21.31
And He experienced great joy,
00:51:21.34\00:51:23.78
seeing those souls
won to the kingdom of God.
00:51:23.81\00:51:27.05
At Pentecost,
00:51:27.08\00:51:28.42
thousands came to
believe Jesus as their Savior.
00:51:28.45\00:51:32.05
He witnessed
miracles by him, through him,
00:51:32.09\00:51:34.52
through the Lord
working through him.
00:51:34.56\00:51:36.26
The dead were raised to
life and the lame walked again,
00:51:36.29\00:51:39.56
and he saw conversion of
not just Jews, but Gentiles.
00:51:39.59\00:51:42.93
But that privilege
would come with a price.
00:51:42.96\00:51:46.17
It would demand a sacrifice
the ultimate sacrifice."
00:51:46.20\00:51:50.54
Peter was asked to make
the commitment to follow Jesus
00:51:50.57\00:51:53.58
and win souls for Him
with his eyes wide open.
00:51:53.61\00:51:58.45
"For Peter now knew that
no sacrifice was too great
00:51:58.48\00:52:01.68
to join Jesus in His
mission to the world."
00:52:01.72\00:52:04.45
So that call comes
from Jesus to Peter,
00:52:04.49\00:52:06.96
down to you and to I.
00:52:06.99\00:52:09.42
"Love's Commitment,"
00:52:09.46\00:52:10.79
when we make a
choice to follow Jesus
00:52:10.83\00:52:13.73
and to spend our lives
sharing Jesus with others.
00:52:13.76\00:52:18.13
We make that choice
with eyes wide open,
00:52:18.17\00:52:21.44
knowing that with the
privilege also comes a price.
00:52:21.47\00:52:26.17
So what are six
things that we commit to.
00:52:26.21\00:52:28.44
Here's the list of six. Okay.
00:52:28.48\00:52:30.25
Number one,
decide to follow Jesus.
00:52:30.28\00:52:34.12
That's the first thing,
make a choice to follow Jesus,
00:52:34.15\00:52:37.22
Joshua 24, toward
the end of his life,
00:52:37.25\00:52:39.49
verse 15,
00:52:39.52\00:52:40.86
"If it seems evil to
you to serve the Lord,
00:52:40.89\00:52:42.92
choose for yourselves
this day whom you will serve,
00:52:42.96\00:52:46.33
whether the gods
which your father served
00:52:46.36\00:52:48.50
on the other side of the river
00:52:48.53\00:52:50.13
or the gods of the Amorites
in whose land you dwell.
00:52:50.17\00:52:53.34
But as for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord."
00:52:53.37\00:52:58.84
Amen. Yeah.
00:52:58.87\00:53:00.24
Joshua is telling
the children of Israel,
00:53:00.28\00:53:02.04
don't serve the
God of tradition.
00:53:02.08\00:53:04.11
Don't serve
00:53:04.15\00:53:05.48
just because your parents did it
00:53:05.51\00:53:06.85
or your grandparents did it.
00:53:06.88\00:53:08.32
don't serve the gods around you,
00:53:08.35\00:53:09.98
those Gods from your family,
maybe even or your friends,
00:53:10.02\00:53:14.12
or other people in your life.
00:53:14.16\00:53:16.46
Make a choice.
Commit to follow Him.
00:53:16.49\00:53:19.49
Number two, commit your plans,
your ways, your life to Him.
00:53:19.53\00:53:24.33
You know, there's a
difference between just saying,
00:53:24.37\00:53:25.93
"Okay, I'm going
to follow Jesus,"
00:53:25.97\00:53:28.87
or "I'm going to give
Him everything in my heart.
00:53:28.90\00:53:32.84
I'm going to give him
everything in my life."
00:53:32.87\00:53:35.64
Psalm 37:4, "Commit
your way to the Lord,
00:53:35.68\00:53:38.71
trust also in Him and
He shall bring it to pass."
00:53:38.75\00:53:43.28
Number three, be
willing to follow
00:53:43.32\00:53:46.79
no matter the cost.
00:53:46.82\00:53:48.96
Matthew 10:38,
00:53:48.99\00:53:51.29
"And he who does
not take his cross
00:53:51.33\00:53:54.26
and follow Me is
not worthy of Me."
00:53:54.30\00:53:58.63
Matthew...
00:53:58.67\00:54:00.00
Mark, I'm sorry, Mark 8:34,
00:54:00.04\00:54:02.87
when He had called
the people to Himself
00:54:02.90\00:54:05.17
with His disciples
also He said to them,
00:54:05.21\00:54:07.58
"Whoever desires
to come after Me,
00:54:07.61\00:54:09.54
let him deny
himself, take up his cross,
00:54:09.58\00:54:11.08
and follow Me."
00:54:11.11\00:54:12.45
What is the cross?
00:54:12.48\00:54:14.15
It's different
things for different people,
00:54:14.18\00:54:15.75
but it could be my
pride and self-love
00:54:15.78\00:54:18.95
or my ambition or money
00:54:18.99\00:54:20.86
or prestige or
job or house or car.
00:54:20.89\00:54:23.69
For some of you,
it's your family.
00:54:23.73\00:54:26.29
That might be the cost,
00:54:26.33\00:54:28.66
be willing to
follow no matter what.
00:54:28.70\00:54:33.10
Number four, love others.
00:54:33.13\00:54:35.67
John 13:35,
00:54:35.70\00:54:37.84
"By this all will know
that you are My disciples
00:54:37.87\00:54:41.94
if you have love
for one another."
00:54:41.98\00:54:44.85
Number five, make a commitment
to intercede for other people.
00:54:44.88\00:54:51.42
Ezekiel 22,
00:54:51.45\00:54:52.79
I've referenced
this verse before
00:54:52.82\00:54:54.16
but I really like it.
00:54:54.19\00:54:55.52
Ezekiel 22:30, "I
thought for a man,"
00:54:55.56\00:54:58.19
this is God speaking,
00:54:58.23\00:55:00.00
"among them who
would make a wall
00:55:00.03\00:55:01.93
and stand in the gap
00:55:01.96\00:55:03.63
before Me on behalf of the land,
00:55:03.67\00:55:06.03
that I should not
destroy it, but I found no one."
00:55:06.07\00:55:10.61
Make a decision
to stand in the gap
00:55:10.64\00:55:15.01
for your brothers and sisters,
00:55:15.04\00:55:17.41
intercede for
other people's salvation.
00:55:17.45\00:55:21.58
Finally, number six,
00:55:21.62\00:55:22.98
never be ashamed of Christ.
00:55:23.02\00:55:26.35
Never be ashamed of His Word.
00:55:26.39\00:55:29.52
Never be ashamed of His people.
00:55:29.56\00:55:31.99
Romans 1:16,
00:55:32.03\00:55:33.36
"For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ
00:55:33.40\00:55:36.20
for it is the
power of God to salvation
00:55:36.23\00:55:38.90
for everyone who
believes to the Jew first,
00:55:38.93\00:55:41.70
and also to the Greek."
00:55:41.74\00:55:44.91
I want to close with
the lyrics to the song.
00:55:44.94\00:55:47.51
"Lord, I'm giving back the
life that You breathed into me.
00:55:47.54\00:55:51.85
As a living
sacrifice, I lay it down.
00:55:51.88\00:55:54.75
I am placing at Your
throne all desires of my own
00:55:54.78\00:55:59.09
as I run the race to win
the victor's crown at any cost.
00:55:59.12\00:56:05.43
I will follow where You lead me.
00:56:05.46\00:56:07.80
And anywhere You
send me, I will go.
00:56:07.83\00:56:11.33
What was gain, I count as loss
for the glory of Your cross.
00:56:11.37\00:56:16.91
Lord, I seek to do
Your will at any cost.
00:56:16.94\00:56:22.18
I just want to encourage you.
00:56:22.21\00:56:23.65
We've been studying all quarter
00:56:23.68\00:56:25.28
about witnessing
for Jesus at any cost.
00:56:25.31\00:56:27.38
With that
privilege comes the price.
00:56:27.42\00:56:30.69
Make a choice
today to serve Jesus,
00:56:30.72\00:56:33.52
to witness for
Jesus at any cost.
00:56:33.56\00:56:36.89
Amen. Thank you.
00:56:36.93\00:56:38.26
Wow.
00:56:38.29\00:56:39.63
Powerful. Praise God.
00:56:39.66\00:56:41.00
You said
capstone and you're right.
00:56:41.03\00:56:42.36
Praise the Lord.
00:56:42.40\00:56:43.73
Thank you for that presentation.
00:56:43.77\00:56:45.10
Pastor Kenny,
your closing thoughts?
00:56:45.13\00:56:46.47
Just like leave this
thought here with everybody
00:56:46.50\00:56:47.84
as we close out this quarter.
00:56:47.87\00:56:49.60
Christ's Object Lesson 43,
00:56:49.64\00:56:51.24
"But the teacher of sacred truth
00:56:51.27\00:56:52.81
can impart only that
00:56:52.84\00:56:54.18
which he himself
knows by experience.
00:56:54.21\00:56:56.61
"The sower sowed the seed."
00:56:56.64\00:56:57.98
Christ taught the truth
because He was the truth.
00:56:58.01\00:57:00.72
His thoughts and
His own character
00:57:00.75\00:57:02.95
and His own life experience
00:57:02.98\00:57:04.32
was embodied as His teacher."
00:57:04.35\00:57:07.42
Amen.
00:57:07.46\00:57:08.79
You know, we don't have time
00:57:08.82\00:57:10.96
to be overtaken by
the spirit of compromise
00:57:10.99\00:57:13.40
and complacency
in these last days.
00:57:13.43\00:57:15.76
And may we not regard
00:57:15.80\00:57:17.13
indifferently the
truths of God's Word,
00:57:17.17\00:57:19.73
that we get serious now,
00:57:19.77\00:57:21.10
may we look to Jesus,
00:57:21.14\00:57:22.47
the author and
finisher of our faith
00:57:22.50\00:57:23.84
because the
Bridegroom is on His way.
00:57:23.87\00:57:25.21
Amen. Jason?
00:57:25.24\00:57:27.24
Study Christ's life,
00:57:27.28\00:57:29.24
learn of His love
and impart it to others.
00:57:29.28\00:57:32.08
Amen, absolutely.
00:57:32.11\00:57:33.88
Make a choice, make a commitment
00:57:33.92\00:57:36.22
to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:57:36.25\00:57:38.05
Amen. Wow.
00:57:38.09\00:57:39.85
What a quarter we've had
"Making Friends for God."
00:57:39.89\00:57:43.93
Let me encourage
you, Proverbs 18:24.
00:57:43.96\00:57:46.19
The Bible says,
00:57:46.23\00:57:47.56
"A man who has friends
00:57:47.60\00:57:48.93
must show
himself to be friendly,
00:57:48.96\00:57:51.93
but there is a friend
00:57:51.97\00:57:53.30
that sticks
closer than a brother."
00:57:53.34\00:57:55.47
Become a friend of God
and go make friends for God.
00:57:55.50\00:57:57.97
Join us next quarter
00:57:58.01\00:57:59.77
for the lesson
entitled "Education."
00:57:59.81\00:58:02.94
God bless you
until we see you then.
00:58:02.98\00:58:05.08