Hello, I'm Jill Morikone
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and we are delighted
that you have joined us
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for another edition of
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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We are getting toward the
end of the Book of Isaiah.
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We're on lesson number 11.
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The title of this
week is "Waging Love."
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Looking at
Isaiah 55 and Isaiah 58.
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I want to encourage
you to grab your quarterly
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and Bible and get
ready to study with us.
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If you don't have a
copy of the quarterly,
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you can always go to
the following website
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ABSG.Adventist.org.
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That stands for Adult
Bible Study Guide.Adventist.org.
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Get ready to study with us
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as we see what God
has for us this week.
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Hello, we're so glad
that you've stayed with us
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through this journey
of the Book of Isaiah.
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I can't believe we're
getting toward the end.
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This title is Waging Love,
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which is an amazing title to me.
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We'll unpack
that in just a moment.
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But first I want to
introduce you to my family.
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To your family,
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if you've been
journeying with us
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through 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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To my left, my
pastor, John Lomacang,
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privileged to have you here.
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You know, this is He
who endures to the end.
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We're enduring, so praise God.
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Isaiah's been a wonderful study.
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It has indeed.
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To your left my
sister Shelley Quinn.
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Always a joy to have you here.
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Oh, I'm telling you, this
is such an exciting study.
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And I'm like you.
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Romans is my first favorite book
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and Isaiah's the
second, so it's good.
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You can see why we
all like studying together
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because we all like the
same things and same books.
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To your left
Pastor Kenny Shelton,
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and just a joy to
have you here, Pastor.
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It's a joy and a
privilege to be able to,
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you know, work in the
vineyard of the Lord today.
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So it's always
the delight. Amen.
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To your left Pastor Ryan Day,
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and always love
studying with you too, Brother.
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Me too.
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I like to study with you guys,
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and I'm excited
about today's lesson.
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Amen.
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Let's go to the Lord in prayer
before we do anything else
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and, Pastor Kenny,
would you pray for us?
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Sure.
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Our merciful Father in heaven
as we've come to You this day
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we give You praise
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and give You
honor, give You glory.
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Thank You for
being a God in heaven
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that cares for us
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as our lessons
brought out this quarter
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that You love us with
certainly an everlasting love.
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And that You show it
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through acts and
deeds of kindness.
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Thank You for loving
us. Thank You for Calvary.
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Now today we ask
a very special way
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the anointing of Thy Holy Spirit
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upon our hearts and
our minds and our lives,
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every listener, every viewer,
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may their heart to
be turned toward heaven.
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May the things of
earth grow strangely dim
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as we behold Jesus high
and lifted up on the throne.
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We thank You for hearing.
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Thank you for
answering every person
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who is involved
to make this possible
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to be a blessing today.
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Help us to be a blessing.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen.
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The title of Waging Love
is very interesting to me
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that they put the
word waging with love
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because to me waging
seems like a military conquest.
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Waging, of
course, means to wage,
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would be to
engage in or to carry on
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as in you wage a war
or you wage a campaign.
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But if you look at
the synonyms for waging,
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it kind of puts
a different twist
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on the title of this lesson.
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And it makes a
lot of sense to me.
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It can be executing or
fulfilling, or persisting.
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I like that, persisting love.
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Persevering, maintaining,
this is my favorite, pursuing.
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So if in my mind,
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if I think of the
title of this week's lesson
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as pursuing love,
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I love that.
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That's really powerful.
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And we'll unpack
that in just a moment.
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The lesson had a story
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on Sabbath's
portion of the lesson,
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which was really interesting
and fits with the lesson.
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It talked about a
Jewish cantor and his wife.
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He's just a
Jewish worship leader.
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They lived in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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And they had
received threatening
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and obscene phone calls
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from the leader of a
local Klu Klux Klan group.
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Now, instead of
reporting it to the police,
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instead of getting all
upset, what did they do?
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They took a chicken dinner
to the doorstep of the person
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who sent them the
threatening phone calls
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and they reached out in love.
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You could say they waged a war,
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or they pursued in love
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and what happened?
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They became friends.
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Isaiah 55, turn with me,
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we're going to
start with Isaiah 55.
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We find that love.
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This is the love of Jesus
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purchased something very costly,
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yet it's freely extended to us.
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We find that
salvation and redemption,
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justification by
grace through faith
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resides in the Old Testament
and in the Book of Isaiah,
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as well as the New Testament.
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In Isaiah 58,
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we find that
love leads to works.
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Instead of a
self-proclaimed piety
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or some sort of legalism,
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we find that love
leads to self-denial,
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to sacrificing for others
and to true Sabbath observance.
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Let's look at our memory text.
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It's Isaiah 58:10.
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Isaiah 58:10,
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"If you extend
your soul to the hungry
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and satisfy the afflicted soul,
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then your light
shall dawn in the darkness,
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and your darkness
shall be as the noonday."
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Sunday's lesson is Isaiah 55.
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So turn back a couple
chapters to Isaiah 55,
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buy something free.
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Sunday's lesson is God's
appeal to those in captivity.
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Remember, we had studied
the first portion of Isaiah
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is the Assyrian time.
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And then Isaiah
jumps forward prophetically
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a century and a half
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to the end of
the Babylonian exile
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for the Jews.
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This section of Isaiah
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is written
prophetically to them,
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because God still
loves us when we sin.
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There are clearly
consequences to sin,
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as was evidenced
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by the children of Israel
being in Babylonian captivity
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for those 70 years.
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But yet God in the
midst of our greatest pain,
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in the midst of
our deepest darkness,
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God doesn't turn away
from us, He moves toward us.
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Praise God.
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There's a post I loved
that it just said this,
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I loved you at your darkest.
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The darkest place of this earth,
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the darkest place
of us spiritually,
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God extends mercy,
grace and forgiveness.
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This is the message we
see in Isaiah Chapter 55.
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Before we jump into that,
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I just want to touch briefly
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on something that Paul
referenced in Galatians.
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Remember, the whole
issue in the Galatian Church
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was what?
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Did the Gentile Christians
need to be circumcised
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in order to be saved?
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In other words, the issue was,
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was salvation and justification,
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a portion of faith plus works
or was it just by faith alone?
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In Galatians 5:4, Paul says,
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"You have become
estranged from Christ
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or you've become
separated from Christ.
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You who attempt to
be justified by the law,
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you have fallen from grace."
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There was a poll done in 2017
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that said most
Protestants and Catholics
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believe that faith plus works
is necessary for salvation.
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Not that we are
saved by grace alone.
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We will see in Isaiah 55,
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this message of
salvation by grace alone.
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Why is Isaiah 55 important?
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Let's read verses 1, 2 and 3.
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It's interesting to me
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because we will see
several times in this passage
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that the verbs come, come.
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The command is given, the
importance of this message.
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It says,
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"Ho! Everyone who
thirsts, come to the waters,
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you who have no
money, come, buy and eat.
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Yes, come,
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buy wine and milk without money
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and without price.
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Why do you spend
money for what is not bread,
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and your wages for
what does not satisfy?
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Listen carefully to
Me, and eat what is good,
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let your soul
delight itself in abundance.
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Incline your
ear, and come to Me.
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Hear, and your soul shall live,
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and I will make it
everlasting covenant with you,
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the sure mercies of David."
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Why is this message important?
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The message that
Isaiah is proclaiming here
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is a life and death matter
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because salvation is
a life and death matter.
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What does the water represent?
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It says,
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"Ho! Everyone who
thirsts, come to the water."
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What does the water represent?
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In Isaiah 44:3, it says,
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"I will pour water
on him who was thirsty
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and floods on the dry ground.
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I will pour,"
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what's that word?
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"My Spirit on your descendants
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and my blessing
on your offspring."
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Do you see the connection there
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between pouring
water and pouring My Spirit
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or the Holy Spirit
on your descendants?
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Water is connected
with the Holy Spirit.
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Jesus referenced that
as well in John Chapter 7.
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John 7:37,
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"On the last day,
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that last great
day of the feast,
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Jesus stood and cried out,
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'If anyone thirsts, let
him come to Me and drink.'"
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And then you
jump down to verse 39.
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He says,
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"This, he spoke
concerning the Spirit,
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whom those believing
in Him would receive,
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for the Holy
Spirit was not yet given
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because Jesus was
not yet glorified."
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We see water connected again
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with both Jesus and
with the Holy Spirit.
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This tells us
that the work of Jesus
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and the work of the Holy Spirit
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are central to the
message of Isaiah 55.
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Amen.
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How can you buy something
if you don't have any money?
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That's the interesting
conundrum of this passage.
00:09:58.79\00:10:01.40
Because it says,
00:10:01.43\00:10:02.76
"Come buy, if you have no money
00:10:02.80\00:10:04.13
come by and eat."
00:10:04.17\00:10:05.50
Well, how are you
supposed to buy anything
00:10:05.53\00:10:06.87
if you don't
have money to buy it?
00:10:06.90\00:10:09.27
Salvation is
freely given to everyone,
00:10:09.30\00:10:12.37
yet not everyone is saved.
00:10:12.41\00:10:14.74
We need to buy it in a sense.
00:10:14.78\00:10:17.35
What I mean by that is,
00:10:17.38\00:10:18.85
we need to reach out and accept.
00:10:18.88\00:10:20.48
There's a choice,
there's a response that
00:10:20.52\00:10:22.98
when the Holy
Spirit draws on our heart,
00:10:23.02\00:10:25.09
we need to respond and
accept that gift of salvation.
00:10:25.12\00:10:28.96
We need to confess
our sins and forsake them.
00:10:28.99\00:10:33.29
What's offered is
free to you and me,
00:10:33.33\00:10:35.86
if we reach out and accept it,
00:10:35.90\00:10:38.07
yet it costs
everything for Jesus.
00:10:38.10\00:10:40.87
Amen. Amen.
00:10:40.90\00:10:42.64
Why do we pursue
non-essential things?
00:10:42.67\00:10:46.37
In verse 2, it said,
00:10:46.41\00:10:47.74
"Why do you spend
money for what is not bread
00:10:47.78\00:10:50.01
and your wages for
what does not satisfy?"
00:10:50.05\00:10:53.21
The Israelites and
Babylonian captivity
00:10:53.25\00:10:55.15
and us today
00:10:55.18\00:10:56.52
we spend time, money, resources
00:10:56.55\00:11:00.62
for things that
don't even truly satisfy.
00:11:00.66\00:11:03.19
Jesus is the bread of life
and He is waiting to fill us.
00:11:03.22\00:11:07.86
He said, "I am
the bread of life."
00:11:07.90\00:11:10.13
And it says why
do you spend money
00:11:10.17\00:11:11.50
for what is not bread?
00:11:11.53\00:11:12.87
Why do we spend time
searching for things,
00:11:12.90\00:11:16.00
seeking out things
00:11:16.04\00:11:17.37
that have
nothing to do with Jesus?
00:11:17.41\00:11:20.18
That's right.
00:11:20.21\00:11:21.54
Why do we listen?
00:11:21.58\00:11:22.91
Verse 3 said,
00:11:22.94\00:11:24.28
"Incline your
ear and come to me.
00:11:24.31\00:11:26.65
Hear, and your soul shall live."
00:11:26.68\00:11:28.85
I see the connection there
between hearing and obedience
00:11:28.88\00:11:32.65
because if you incline your ear,
00:11:32.69\00:11:34.49
then you come to Him.
00:11:34.52\00:11:38.06
Think about the
disciples. What happened?
00:11:38.09\00:11:40.16
Jesus said follow
Me, and what happened?
00:11:40.20\00:11:42.00
They made a choice.
00:11:42.03\00:11:43.37
They chose to Matthew
left his collection box,
00:11:43.40\00:11:46.67
you know, with the tax collector
00:11:46.70\00:11:48.04
or the
fisherman left their nets,
00:11:48.07\00:11:50.47
and they chose
to walk in obedience
00:11:50.51\00:11:52.61
and to follow Jesus.
00:11:52.64\00:11:54.18
1 Samuel 15:22.
00:11:54.21\00:11:55.91
Samuel said,
00:11:55.94\00:11:57.28
"Has the Lord as great delight
00:11:57.31\00:11:58.65
in burnt
offerings and sacrifices,
00:11:58.68\00:12:00.12
as in obeying the
voice of the Lord?
00:12:00.15\00:12:03.08
Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice,
00:12:03.12\00:12:06.12
and to heed or listen
than the fat of rams."
00:12:06.15\00:12:10.69
Again, we see that connection
between listening and obedience
00:12:10.73\00:12:15.93
or obeying.
00:12:15.96\00:12:18.67
If I can turn my page here,
00:12:18.70\00:12:20.37
the covenant,
let's jump to verse 7.
00:12:20.40\00:12:22.30
This is my favorite
verse of my section, verse 7.
00:12:22.34\00:12:25.04
The covenant is
established on repentance,
00:12:25.07\00:12:27.64
forgiveness and grace.
00:12:27.68\00:12:29.44
Verse 7 says,
00:12:29.48\00:12:30.81
"Let the wicked forsake his way,
00:12:30.85\00:12:32.31
and the
unrighteous man his thoughts,
00:12:32.35\00:12:34.45
let him return, "
00:12:34.48\00:12:35.82
that means to turn back
00:12:35.85\00:12:37.59
"to the Lord,
00:12:37.62\00:12:38.95
and He will have mercy on him
00:12:38.99\00:12:40.76
and to our God, for He
will abundantly pardon."
00:12:40.79\00:12:44.56
The word pardon means forgive.
00:12:44.59\00:12:48.60
Was the
forgiveness or pardon cheap?
00:12:48.63\00:12:50.27
Absolutely not.
00:12:50.30\00:12:51.63
It cost the life
of the Son of God.
00:12:51.67\00:12:54.80
1 Peter 1 tells us
00:12:54.84\00:12:56.67
knowing you were not redeemed
00:12:56.71\00:12:58.24
with corruptible
things like silver or gold,
00:12:58.27\00:13:01.51
from your aimless conduct
00:13:01.54\00:13:03.01
received by
tradition from your fathers,
00:13:03.04\00:13:04.71
but with the
precious blood of Christ,
00:13:04.75\00:13:07.75
because it cost the
life of the Son of God
00:13:07.78\00:13:10.45
for you and I to
have that salvation.
00:13:10.49\00:13:14.06
So here's my seven takeaways,
00:13:14.09\00:13:15.76
and we've just been
discussing them now.
00:13:15.79\00:13:17.39
Number one,
00:13:17.43\00:13:18.76
the message of
Isaiah 55 is important
00:13:18.79\00:13:20.66
because it has
eternal consequence.
00:13:20.70\00:13:22.93
Number two,
00:13:22.96\00:13:24.30
the work of Jesus
and the Holy Spirit
00:13:24.33\00:13:26.23
are central to the message.
00:13:26.27\00:13:28.07
Number three,
00:13:28.10\00:13:29.44
what is offered is
free to you and to me,
00:13:29.47\00:13:31.27
but it cost
everything for Jesus.
00:13:31.31\00:13:33.88
Number four,
00:13:33.91\00:13:35.24
we often seek for
things that don't satisfy
00:13:35.28\00:13:37.58
instead of looking to Jesus,
00:13:37.61\00:13:39.45
the only person who
can truly satisfy us.
00:13:39.48\00:13:42.72
Number five, God
calls us to hear and obey.
00:13:42.75\00:13:46.96
Number six,
00:13:46.99\00:13:48.32
God wants to restore
00:13:48.36\00:13:49.69
that covenant that
He made with His people.
00:13:49.72\00:13:52.26
He extends to you and to I
00:13:52.29\00:13:55.20
forgiveness,
grace and justification.
00:13:55.23\00:13:58.90
Number seven,
00:13:58.93\00:14:00.27
righteousness by
faith, justification by faith,
00:14:00.30\00:14:03.20
grace was found
in the Old Testament
00:14:03.24\00:14:05.74
and in the Book of Isaiah.
00:14:05.77\00:14:08.31
Isaiah really
encapsulates the gospel
00:14:08.34\00:14:11.05
in the Old Testament,
00:14:11.08\00:14:12.51
and it's the same gospel
we find in the New Testament.
00:14:12.55\00:14:15.82
I love Genesis 15:6,
00:14:15.85\00:14:18.09
"He, Abraham, believed God,
00:14:18.12\00:14:20.92
and it was accounted
to him, reckoned into him,
00:14:20.96\00:14:25.39
imputed to him
for righteousness."
00:14:25.43\00:14:27.80
It was not any
works, which he did.
00:14:27.83\00:14:30.87
But he reached out by
faith and accepted that.
00:14:30.90\00:14:33.94
Isaiah 55:6,
00:14:33.97\00:14:35.77
"Seek the Lord
while he may be found.
00:14:35.80\00:14:38.37
Call upon Him while He is near."
00:14:38.41\00:14:41.18
And He will be found of you.
00:14:41.21\00:14:43.48
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:14:43.51\00:14:44.85
Wow, what a
wonderful way to begin.
00:14:44.88\00:14:47.85
And thank you for the cadence
00:14:47.88\00:14:49.22
that you always
bring to the lesson study.
00:14:49.25\00:14:50.59
Mine is about God's thoughts.
00:14:50.62\00:14:53.56
It's Monday's lesson entitled,
"High Thoughts and Ways, "
00:14:53.59\00:15:00.06
High Thoughts and Ways.
00:15:00.10\00:15:02.60
Isaiah 55:6-13 is
where I'm going to begin.
00:15:02.63\00:15:06.87
And, Jill, I too
have seven takeaways.
00:15:06.90\00:15:11.11
Your influence is infectious.
00:15:11.14\00:15:13.54
Isaiah 55:6-13.
Let's start there.
00:15:13.58\00:15:17.48
And I'm starting
where you actually ended.
00:15:17.51\00:15:20.08
"Seek the Lord
while He may be found,
00:15:20.12\00:15:23.65
call upon Him while He is near.
00:15:23.69\00:15:26.72
Let the wicked forsake his way,
00:15:26.76\00:15:29.09
and the
unrighteous man his thoughts."
00:15:29.12\00:15:31.73
A keyword
that's going to come up
00:15:31.76\00:15:33.63
in the
continuation of the study.
00:15:33.66\00:15:36.10
"Let him return to the Lord,
and He will have mercy on him,
00:15:36.13\00:15:39.30
and to our God, For He
will abundantly pardon."
00:15:39.33\00:15:42.84
Once again,
00:15:42.87\00:15:44.21
"For My thoughts
are not your thoughts,
00:15:44.24\00:15:47.01
nor are your ways My ways,"
00:15:47.04\00:15:49.08
says the Lord.
00:15:49.11\00:15:50.45
"For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
00:15:50.48\00:15:55.72
so are My ways
higher than your ways,
00:15:55.75\00:15:57.95
and My thoughts
than your thoughts."
00:15:57.99\00:16:00.59
Fourth time the word
thoughts is mentioned.
00:16:00.62\00:16:03.43
"For as the rain comes
down, and the snow from heaven,
00:16:03.46\00:16:08.16
and do not return
there, but water the earth,
00:16:08.20\00:16:11.67
and make it bring forth and bud,
00:16:11.70\00:16:14.07
that it may give
seed to the sower
00:16:14.10\00:16:16.20
and bread to the eater."
00:16:16.24\00:16:18.61
Verse 11,
00:16:18.64\00:16:19.97
"So shall My word be
that goes forth from My mouth,
00:16:20.01\00:16:23.58
it shall not return to Me void,
00:16:23.61\00:16:25.61
but it shall
accomplish what I please,
00:16:25.65\00:16:27.88
and it shall
prosper in the thing
00:16:27.92\00:16:29.95
for which I sent it."
00:16:29.98\00:16:31.72
And I love verse 12, and 13,
00:16:31.75\00:16:34.19
"For you shall go out with
joy, and be led out with peace,
00:16:34.22\00:16:37.73
the mountains and the hills
00:16:37.76\00:16:39.59
shall break forth
into singing before you,
00:16:39.63\00:16:42.40
and all the trees of the
field shall clap their hands,"
00:16:42.43\00:16:45.30
there's a praise song
that goes along that way,
00:16:45.33\00:16:48.64
instead of them,
00:16:48.67\00:16:50.41
"Instead of the thorn
shall come up the cypress tree,
00:16:50.44\00:16:54.61
and instead of the brier
shall come up the myrtle tree,
00:16:54.64\00:16:58.68
and it shall be to
the Lord for a name,
00:16:58.71\00:17:01.65
for an everlasting sign
that shall not be cut off."
00:17:01.68\00:17:05.89
The central focus of this is
00:17:05.92\00:17:07.26
God's thoughts
versus our thoughts.
00:17:07.29\00:17:11.39
I sometimes try
to make comparisons.
00:17:11.43\00:17:13.76
And I was listening
once to a young lady
00:17:13.80\00:17:15.26
who was having an argument
with her younger sister.
00:17:15.30\00:17:18.60
And I was trying
to illustrate to her
00:17:18.63\00:17:19.97
that her mother was
smarter than she is.
00:17:20.00\00:17:21.77
So I said to her,
00:17:21.80\00:17:23.14
"Is your seven-year-old
sister smarter than you?"
00:17:23.17\00:17:24.81
She said, "Absolutely not."
00:17:24.84\00:17:26.61
I said, "Why don't
you listen to your mom,
00:17:26.64\00:17:28.14
she's smarter than you."
00:17:28.18\00:17:29.51
And it hit her as
an epiphany. "Really?"
00:17:29.54\00:17:31.71
I said,
00:17:31.75\00:17:33.08
"If you're not smarter,
00:17:33.11\00:17:34.45
if your seven-year-old
sister is not smarter than you,
00:17:34.48\00:17:36.02
and you're 14,
00:17:36.05\00:17:37.69
how can you be
smarter than your mother?"
00:17:37.72\00:17:39.05
That's right.
00:17:39.09\00:17:40.42
And she thought
about that for a moment.
00:17:40.46\00:17:41.79
She said, "Oh."
00:17:41.82\00:17:43.36
And so that's kind of a
very minuscule comparison,
00:17:43.39\00:17:47.76
because we can't
compare our thoughts to God's
00:17:47.80\00:17:51.27
as a
14-year-old to a 7-year-old.
00:17:51.30\00:17:54.54
We've got to
compare our thoughts to one
00:17:54.57\00:17:56.10
who has never not existed,
00:17:56.14\00:17:58.97
to one whose
existence is but a vapor.
00:17:59.01\00:18:01.98
And so when I
think about myself,
00:18:02.01\00:18:03.88
I say that one of the
reasons why God says that
00:18:03.91\00:18:07.45
My word will not
return to Me void.
00:18:07.48\00:18:09.55
He is saying
00:18:09.58\00:18:10.92
what I'm telling you
has been tried and tested
00:18:10.95\00:18:12.99
through eons, not through years,
00:18:13.02\00:18:15.36
not through
scientific experiments
00:18:15.39\00:18:17.99
but through eons.
00:18:18.03\00:18:19.36
I know what I say to be a fact,
00:18:19.39\00:18:22.06
because it has survived
the millions of galaxies
00:18:22.10\00:18:25.37
that I've created.
00:18:25.40\00:18:26.74
Have you met somebody
00:18:26.77\00:18:28.10
that created
millions of galaxies
00:18:28.14\00:18:29.54
and you ask how
did you create that?
00:18:29.57\00:18:30.91
I think you'd sit quietly,
00:18:30.94\00:18:32.67
as they unfold it to you
00:18:32.71\00:18:34.41
the blueprint of
such an investigation
00:18:34.44\00:18:36.81
or such a creation.
00:18:36.85\00:18:38.18
So let's look at it.
00:18:38.21\00:18:39.55
Why does God say
00:18:39.58\00:18:40.92
His thoughts are
higher than our thoughts,
00:18:40.95\00:18:42.28
as the heavens are
higher than the earth?
00:18:42.32\00:18:44.09
Well, one of the points
that writer brings out is,
00:18:44.12\00:18:47.52
there's no question
00:18:47.56\00:18:49.39
that the God who
created a universe
00:18:49.42\00:18:51.39
in which even some
of the simplest things
00:18:51.43\00:18:53.53
contain mysteries,
00:18:53.56\00:18:55.26
that our minds
cannot begin to fathom
00:18:55.30\00:18:57.40
is a God whose ways are beyond
00:18:57.43\00:19:00.20
what we can ever begin to grasp.
00:19:00.24\00:19:02.74
This knowledge of
His infinite superiority
00:19:02.77\00:19:07.24
should therefore
make it easier for us
00:19:07.28\00:19:09.34
to humbly receive His help.
00:19:09.38\00:19:12.21
Can you imagine,
infinite superiority.
00:19:12.25\00:19:15.32
Think about that
as infinite knowledge,
00:19:15.35\00:19:17.92
or infinitesimal access to funds
00:19:17.95\00:19:20.72
that we could never even
really begin to count it.
00:19:20.76\00:19:24.03
And so, when
Isaiah talks about this,
00:19:24.06\00:19:26.36
I want to just
read one more passage
00:19:26.39\00:19:27.76
before we go to
the seven takeaways.
00:19:27.80\00:19:29.80
Isaiah 57:15 brings
into an even sharper focus,
00:19:29.83\00:19:34.24
what has been talked about.
00:19:34.27\00:19:36.24
"For thus says
the high and lofty one
00:19:36.27\00:19:38.51
who inhabits eternity."
00:19:38.54\00:19:40.68
Try to put your
head around that,
00:19:40.71\00:19:42.58
"who habits
eternity, whose name is holy."
00:19:42.61\00:19:46.61
This is what God says,
00:19:46.65\00:19:48.42
"I dwell in the
high and holy place
00:19:48.45\00:19:51.55
with him who has a
contrite and humble spirit,
00:19:51.59\00:19:55.39
to revive the
spirit of the humble
00:19:55.42\00:19:57.99
and to revive the
heart of the contrite ones.
00:19:58.03\00:20:01.66
So when you think about that,
00:20:01.70\00:20:03.03
how can somebody
inhabit eternity?
00:20:03.06\00:20:05.13
One day, we'll get a
chance at being able to grasp
00:20:05.17\00:20:09.27
and fathom that.
00:20:09.30\00:20:10.64
So the question is,
00:20:10.67\00:20:12.01
what is the context in
which the Lord tells about
00:20:12.04\00:20:13.38
His ways in our thoughts
and His thoughts in our ways?
00:20:13.41\00:20:16.48
Here's some of the
points that I came out with.
00:20:16.51\00:20:19.11
The first point is
00:20:19.15\00:20:20.55
man cannot know
the thoughts of God.
00:20:20.58\00:20:22.28
That's right.
00:20:22.32\00:20:23.65
Now that seems obvious,
00:20:23.69\00:20:25.02
but let's look at
how Job says this.
00:20:25.05\00:20:26.39
Job 11:7.
00:20:26.42\00:20:28.62
Job is a favorite book of mine.
00:20:28.66\00:20:30.06
We did a study
on Job I think not,
00:20:30.09\00:20:31.83
a couple of years ago.
00:20:31.86\00:20:33.19
But Job makes the
statement in Job 11:7,
00:20:33.23\00:20:36.77
"Can you search out
the deep things of God?
00:20:36.80\00:20:40.70
Can you find out the
limits of the Almighty?"
00:20:40.74\00:20:43.74
I think he talked about
00:20:43.77\00:20:45.71
when God finally decided
00:20:45.74\00:20:47.91
to respond to
Job in his rantings.
00:20:47.94\00:20:51.21
The Lord, I love
that in Job 37 or 38,
00:20:51.25\00:20:53.62
the Lord starts out saying,
00:20:53.65\00:20:54.98
"Where were you
00:20:55.02\00:20:56.89
when I laid the
foundations of the earth?
00:20:56.92\00:20:58.45
Where were you
00:20:58.49\00:20:59.82
when I told the ocean
so far, but no further?
00:20:59.85\00:21:02.89
Where were you?"
00:21:02.92\00:21:04.26
And Job said, "Okay, I got it."
00:21:04.29\00:21:05.63
He said, "No, shut up
and take it like a lamb."
00:21:05.66\00:21:07.86
He kept on pouring into Job
00:21:07.90\00:21:09.36
and I could see
Job getting smaller
00:21:09.40\00:21:11.13
and smaller and
smaller and smaller
00:21:11.17\00:21:12.93
as God thunders words
00:21:12.97\00:21:15.14
that just are so
beyond our comprehension.
00:21:15.17\00:21:18.11
So Job says,
00:21:18.14\00:21:19.47
"Can you search out
the deep things of God?"
00:21:19.51\00:21:21.54
And Job had had an
opportunity to try to do that.
00:21:21.58\00:21:24.61
And he said, "No,
you can't do that."
00:21:24.65\00:21:26.21
He also says in Job 42:3,
00:21:26.25\00:21:29.08
"You asked,
00:21:29.12\00:21:30.59
'Who is this who hides
counsel without knowledge?'
00:21:30.62\00:21:34.22
Therefore I have uttered
what I did not understand,
00:21:34.26\00:21:37.76
things too wonderful for
me, which I did not know.'"
00:21:37.79\00:21:41.16
That was Job's
response after God shook him up
00:21:41.20\00:21:44.60
and emptied his pockets.
00:21:44.63\00:21:46.23
Number two, God
knows the thoughts of man.
00:21:46.27\00:21:49.47
Psalm 94:11,
00:21:49.50\00:21:51.41
"The Lord knows
the thoughts of man
00:21:51.44\00:21:53.98
that they are futile."
00:21:54.01\00:21:56.68
Sometimes we as...
00:21:56.71\00:21:58.05
Well, I'm not a parent,
00:21:58.08\00:21:59.41
but sometimes we can
look at little children,
00:21:59.45\00:22:01.62
after we've given them
a prohibition by saying
00:22:01.65\00:22:03.89
"Don't touch that."
00:22:03.92\00:22:05.25
We could look at
them and we could say,
00:22:05.29\00:22:06.86
"Don't even think about it."
00:22:06.89\00:22:08.66
Because we can tell
by their body language,
00:22:08.69\00:22:10.99
that they're
thinking about it like the kid
00:22:11.03\00:22:12.46
that just hovers
around the kitchen counter
00:22:12.49\00:22:15.20
just in case, a bottle of
or the jar of cookies fall,
00:22:15.23\00:22:19.40
he's there to help catch it.
00:22:19.43\00:22:21.34
He's there just
for emergency purposes.
00:22:21.37\00:22:24.17
When in fact, we know,
don't even think about it.
00:22:24.21\00:22:26.74
If we can do that in
our finite understanding,
00:22:26.78\00:22:30.81
how can God not
be able to do that.
00:22:30.85\00:22:33.25
The Lord knows
the thoughts of man.
00:22:33.28\00:22:35.85
Hebrews 4:13 reiterates this.
00:22:35.88\00:22:39.42
"And there is no
creature hidden from His sight
00:22:39.45\00:22:42.56
but all things
are naked and open
00:22:42.59\00:22:44.76
to the eyes of Him
00:22:44.79\00:22:46.13
to whom we must
give an account."
00:22:46.16\00:22:48.03
That's humbling. That's right.
00:22:48.06\00:22:49.40
To say, hate to say that,
uh, I hope God didn't see that.
00:22:49.43\00:22:52.40
Well, too late.
00:22:52.43\00:22:53.77
He already did.
00:22:53.80\00:22:55.14
Matter of fact, He
saw it before you did it.
00:22:55.17\00:22:57.11
That's the
beautiful thing about God.
00:22:57.14\00:22:58.47
He's like the guy
standing on the roof,
00:22:58.51\00:23:00.48
seeing two cars
rushed to an intersection
00:23:00.51\00:23:02.94
with no stop sign.
00:23:02.98\00:23:04.31
He could tell you ahead of
time what's going to happen.
00:23:04.35\00:23:06.01
That's the sovereignty of God,
00:23:06.05\00:23:07.52
not only
understanding but foreknowledge.
00:23:07.55\00:23:10.39
Number three,
00:23:10.42\00:23:11.75
God is the
revealer of secret things.
00:23:11.79\00:23:14.96
Daniel 2:47,
00:23:14.99\00:23:17.09
"The king
answered Daniel, and said,
00:23:17.13\00:23:20.10
'Truly your God
is the God of gods,
00:23:20.13\00:23:23.87
the Lord of kings,
00:23:23.90\00:23:25.23
and a revealer of secrets,
00:23:25.27\00:23:27.74
since you could
reveal the secret.'"
00:23:27.77\00:23:30.34
So God reveals
His secrets, Amos 8:7,
00:23:30.37\00:23:33.27
"He reveals His secrets to
His servants, the prophets.
00:23:33.31\00:23:35.54
And when we reveal
what God has revealed to us,
00:23:35.58\00:23:38.01
God will always get the accolade
00:23:38.05\00:23:40.12
and the acknowledgement.
00:23:40.15\00:23:41.58
Number four,
00:23:41.62\00:23:43.52
God's ways are
beyond human comprehension.
00:23:43.55\00:23:46.55
Romans 11:33,
00:23:46.59\00:23:48.49
"Oh, the depth of the riches
00:23:48.52\00:23:50.33
both of the wisdom
and knowledge of God!
00:23:50.36\00:23:52.83
How unsearchable
are His judgments
00:23:52.86\00:23:55.90
and His ways past finding out!"
00:23:55.93\00:23:59.10
The Apostle Paul,
00:23:59.13\00:24:00.47
"God alone decides
00:24:00.50\00:24:01.84
when His counsel
will be revealed."
00:24:01.87\00:24:03.91
1 Corinthians 4:5,
00:24:03.94\00:24:06.07
"Therefore judge
nothing before the time,
00:24:06.11\00:24:08.21
until the Lord comes,
00:24:08.24\00:24:09.61
who will bring
both the light to light,
00:24:09.64\00:24:11.91
the hidden things of darkness
00:24:11.95\00:24:13.52
and reveal the
counsels of the heart,
00:24:13.55\00:24:15.55
then each man's,
00:24:15.58\00:24:17.49
then each one's
praise will come from God."
00:24:17.52\00:24:20.92
Number six,
00:24:20.96\00:24:22.29
"Of all the great
mysteries of the universe,
00:24:22.32\00:24:24.19
no doubt, the greatest of
all, is the plan of salvation."
00:24:24.23\00:24:27.60
Ephesians 6:19,
00:24:27.63\00:24:29.63
"And for me,
00:24:29.66\00:24:31.00
that utterance
may be given to me
00:24:31.03\00:24:32.47
that I may open my mouth boldly
00:24:32.50\00:24:34.44
to make known the
mysteries of the gospel."
00:24:34.47\00:24:37.07
And number seven,
00:24:37.11\00:24:38.44
the mystery of the
gospel is not to reveal to us,
00:24:38.47\00:24:41.54
but to reveal thoughts to of us.
00:24:41.58\00:24:44.25
It is not a
message that we proclaim,
00:24:44.28\00:24:46.21
it is a message we reflect.
00:24:46.25\00:24:47.62
Colossians 1:27,
00:24:47.65\00:24:49.52
"To them, God will to make known
00:24:49.55\00:24:51.32
what are the riches of
the glory of this mystery
00:24:51.35\00:24:53.82
among the Gentiles,
00:24:53.86\00:24:55.19
which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory."
00:24:55.22\00:24:57.43
Amen.
00:24:57.46\00:24:58.79
Thank you so much, Pastor John.
00:24:58.83\00:25:00.40
Wonderful seven takeaways,
High Thoughts and Ways.
00:25:00.43\00:25:03.73
We're going to
take a short break.
00:25:03.77\00:25:05.10
We'll be right back.
00:25:05.13\00:25:06.47
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Welcome back to our
study on Waging Love.
00:25:41.07\00:25:43.41
We kick it off now
with Shelley's lesson,
00:25:43.44\00:25:46.24
Fast Friends.
00:25:46.27\00:25:47.61
"Fast Friends,"
Tuesday, this is Isaiah 58:1-8,
00:25:47.64\00:25:53.11
I don't think we're going
to get through all of them.
00:25:53.15\00:25:54.85
But let me just
start off by saying this.
00:25:54.88\00:25:57.62
God only commanded one
fast in the entire Bible,
00:25:57.65\00:26:03.09
and that is the
Day of Atonement.
00:26:03.12\00:26:06.66
But there are fasts
00:26:06.70\00:26:08.03
that occur
elsewhere in the Bible.
00:26:08.06\00:26:11.03
And people seem to have
fasted for three reasons.
00:26:11.07\00:26:14.40
And these other fasts
were either called by rulers
00:26:14.44\00:26:17.77
or sometimes just an
individual asked for it.
00:26:17.81\00:26:21.01
So one reason was confession
and drawing nearer to God
00:26:21.04\00:26:26.01
and prevailing prayer
like in Ezra 8:23 said,
00:26:26.05\00:26:29.42
"We fasted and
entreated our God for this,
00:26:29.45\00:26:32.55
and He answered our prayer."
00:26:32.59\00:26:34.29
A second reason
was seeking God's will
00:26:34.32\00:26:37.09
or asking for God's favor
00:26:37.13\00:26:42.00
when she sends the
message to Mordecai,
00:26:42.03\00:26:44.27
and she says,
00:26:44.30\00:26:45.63
"Gather all the Jews,
fast for me for three days,
00:26:45.67\00:26:48.70
and my maids and I will fast
and then I'll go to the king.
00:26:48.74\00:26:52.27
And if I perish, I perish."
00:26:52.31\00:26:54.28
But she was really
trusting in the Lord.
00:26:54.31\00:26:56.34
Acts 13 when the
early church at Antioch
00:26:56.38\00:27:00.25
was seeking God's
will they got together,
00:27:00.28\00:27:02.68
they prayed, they fasted.
00:27:02.72\00:27:04.72
And then the Holy Spirit said,
00:27:04.75\00:27:06.32
Hey, separate Paul and Barnabas
00:27:06.35\00:27:10.19
for the work that
I've called them to do.
00:27:10.23\00:27:13.19
So, and then some people
00:27:13.23\00:27:14.83
just fast to
experience God in a deeper way.
00:27:14.86\00:27:18.03
Now before let me,
00:27:18.07\00:27:19.43
oh, let's just
get into Isaiah 58:1.
00:27:19.47\00:27:24.31
This is the Lord
speaking to Isaiah and he says,
00:27:24.34\00:27:27.71
"Cry aloud, spare not,
00:27:27.74\00:27:30.78
lift up your
voice like a trumpet.
00:27:30.81\00:27:34.35
Tell my people
their transgression,
00:27:34.38\00:27:36.85
and the house of
Jacob their sins."
00:27:36.89\00:27:39.42
So God is saying,
00:27:39.45\00:27:40.79
hey, Isaiah, loud and clear
00:27:40.82\00:27:42.46
with certain
blast of the trumpet.
00:27:42.49\00:27:45.13
He wanted the people to know,
00:27:45.16\00:27:46.73
I'm not pleased
with your actions
00:27:46.76\00:27:48.50
and your behavior.
00:27:48.53\00:27:49.86
It's time for you to
repent, come back for My favor.
00:27:49.90\00:27:52.60
The trumpet here is
referring to the shofar,
00:27:52.63\00:27:55.64
and I made a list,
00:27:55.67\00:27:57.31
I think there's
about 15 on this list
00:27:57.34\00:27:59.71
of ways that shofar was
used in the Old Testament.
00:27:59.74\00:28:03.38
It was to gather God's people
at Mount Sinai in Exodus 19.
00:28:03.41\00:28:07.45
It was the reminder,
00:28:07.48\00:28:08.82
it was blown 10 days
before the Day of Atonement,
00:28:08.85\00:28:11.65
we find that in Leviticus 23.
00:28:11.69\00:28:13.89
It was to proclaim the
liberty in the year of Jubilee,
00:28:13.92\00:28:18.26
you see that in Leviticus 25.
00:28:18.29\00:28:20.73
Break down the walls,
bring the feet of the enemies,
00:28:20.76\00:28:23.77
Joshua 6.
00:28:23.80\00:28:25.47
Celebrate the
Ark of the Covenant,
00:28:25.50\00:28:27.34
2 Samuel Chapter 6.
00:28:27.37\00:28:29.44
To rally the people
for war in Jeremiah 4:5,
00:28:29.47\00:28:32.87
overcoming the enemy
like with Gideon, in Judges 7.
00:28:32.91\00:28:38.08
To stop fighting
among the brethren,
00:28:38.11\00:28:40.48
that was 2 Samuels 2.
00:28:40.52\00:28:42.38
One of judgment
for sin, Ezekiel 33.
00:28:42.42\00:28:45.05
One of the
coming day of the Lord,
00:28:45.09\00:28:47.12
Joel Chapter 2.
00:28:47.16\00:28:48.66
Announcing
establishment of the king,
00:28:48.69\00:28:50.56
declare to beginning accompany
00:28:50.59\00:28:53.50
the song of the
Lord like Chronicles 29,
00:28:53.53\00:28:56.10
when the Leviticus
had their instruments
00:28:56.13\00:28:58.50
and the priest
had their trumpets,
00:28:58.53\00:29:00.40
to gather people to worship
00:29:00.44\00:29:02.50
and to praise
and worship the Lord.
00:29:02.54\00:29:04.51
So the shofar was important,
00:29:04.54\00:29:07.81
and we're waiting
00:29:07.84\00:29:09.18
for that last
trumpet, aren't we?
00:29:09.21\00:29:10.61
That last, last.
00:29:10.65\00:29:11.98
Isaiah 58:2, says this.
00:29:12.01\00:29:16.08
"Yet they seek me daily."
00:29:16.12\00:29:19.49
God's saying, Hey,
I'm not pleased with them.
00:29:19.52\00:29:21.49
You need to tell them
and then He says this,
00:29:21.52\00:29:23.43
"They seek me daily.
00:29:23.46\00:29:24.79
They delight to know my ways,
00:29:24.83\00:29:26.16
is the nation
that did righteousness,
00:29:26.19\00:29:28.06
and did not forsake
the ordinance of their God.
00:29:28.10\00:29:30.53
They ask of me the
ordinances of justice.
00:29:30.57\00:29:34.67
So they're
asking God for justice,
00:29:34.70\00:29:36.44
they take delight
in approaching God.
00:29:36.47\00:29:38.24
Well, that sounds
like a commendation.
00:29:38.27\00:29:40.61
But you know what?
00:29:40.64\00:29:42.04
If you could have
heard God's voice,
00:29:42.08\00:29:43.78
there is a note of sarcasm here
00:29:43.81\00:29:45.75
because this was a
nation that seemed to seek God,
00:29:45.78\00:29:50.45
they went to the temple daily.
00:29:50.49\00:29:52.02
They listened to
the scripture readings,
00:29:52.05\00:29:54.42
they paid their tithes,
00:29:54.46\00:29:56.09
and they made a show of fasting.
00:29:56.12\00:29:59.59
These were acts of piety
00:29:59.63\00:30:02.13
that were just
appearances of righteousness.
00:30:02.16\00:30:05.03
But inside, it was
just purely pretense.
00:30:05.07\00:30:08.34
This was mere formalism.
00:30:08.37\00:30:10.77
Oh, let us always
check our spiritual pulse
00:30:10.81\00:30:14.58
and make sure that
that's not what we're doing.
00:30:14.61\00:30:17.71
So God is
exposing their hypocrisy.
00:30:17.75\00:30:21.35
He says, "Hey,
when you're fasting, "
00:30:21.38\00:30:23.82
we're going to see this,
00:30:23.85\00:30:25.22
"You're continuing
in a sinful lifestyle.
00:30:25.25\00:30:29.22
You are corrupted,
00:30:29.26\00:30:30.86
you are oppressing
the poor, and the needy."
00:30:30.89\00:30:34.03
So listen, Isaiah 58:3.
00:30:34.06\00:30:36.67
This is the people speaking.
00:30:36.70\00:30:38.77
And they say,
00:30:38.80\00:30:40.74
why have we fasted, they say,
00:30:40.77\00:30:44.54
and they're talking to God?
00:30:44.57\00:30:46.27
"Why have we fasted
and you've not seen?"
00:30:46.31\00:30:49.74
Why have we afflicted our souls,
00:30:49.78\00:30:52.75
and you've not taken notice?"
00:30:52.78\00:30:54.72
Then God replies,
00:30:54.75\00:30:56.42
"In fact,
00:30:56.45\00:30:57.79
in the day of your
fast you find pleasure
00:30:57.82\00:30:59.55
and exploit all your laborers."
00:30:59.59\00:31:02.76
So, you know,
this is true arrogance
00:31:02.79\00:31:05.13
on the account of...
00:31:05.16\00:31:06.49
Have mercy. Of the people.
00:31:06.53\00:31:08.26
They are
confronting God, accusing Him,
00:31:08.30\00:31:12.50
"Hey, we're fasting and praying,
00:31:12.53\00:31:14.67
You're not paying
any attention to us."
00:31:14.70\00:31:16.87
They are complaining,
00:31:16.91\00:31:18.24
say, God, you don't look
at our religious actions.
00:31:18.27\00:31:23.08
So they afflicted themselves
00:31:23.11\00:31:25.98
and that's, you know,
00:31:26.01\00:31:27.35
various forms,
00:31:27.38\00:31:28.72
affliction in the Bible
00:31:28.75\00:31:30.09
is various forms of self-denial,
00:31:30.12\00:31:32.45
which is fasting.
00:31:32.49\00:31:33.96
And this verse
makes me think that
00:31:33.99\00:31:37.19
this is one of those
self-initiated fasts,
00:31:37.23\00:31:40.80
prescribed by human rulers
00:31:40.83\00:31:42.36
because they're looking to
God and saying, hey, we want,
00:31:42.40\00:31:46.53
they wanted some
earthly blessings.
00:31:46.57\00:31:48.37
It didn't, they thought
00:31:48.40\00:31:49.74
they weren't receiving something
00:31:49.77\00:31:51.11
they were supposed to receive.
00:31:51.14\00:31:52.84
They were totally blinded
to their own sinful condition.
00:31:52.87\00:31:58.01
They're going
through the motions,
00:31:58.05\00:31:59.88
but they didn't even really
observe the Sabbath, right?
00:31:59.91\00:32:03.92
And although that was,
00:32:03.95\00:32:05.45
has always been my
opinion, it's interesting,
00:32:05.49\00:32:07.56
the author of our
study, Dr. Roy Gain,
00:32:07.59\00:32:10.46
concludes that
00:32:10.49\00:32:11.96
this chapter refers
to the Day of Atonement,
00:32:11.99\00:32:14.33
and if so, boy, they
were on dangerous ground.
00:32:14.36\00:32:18.13
Because Leviticus 23:29 says,
00:32:18.17\00:32:21.00
"Any person who's not afflicted
in soul on that same day, "
00:32:21.04\00:32:24.91
referring to the
Day of Atonement,
00:32:24.94\00:32:27.24
"shall be cut
off from his people."
00:32:27.28\00:32:30.11
So Isaiah 58:4 here's
what God says to them.
00:32:30.15\00:32:34.15
"Indeed, you fast
for strife and debate."
00:32:34.18\00:32:40.19
Well, you know what?
00:32:40.22\00:32:41.56
There's a lot of debating
that goes on in the church,
00:32:41.59\00:32:43.79
isn't there?
00:32:43.83\00:32:45.16
He says,
00:32:45.19\00:32:46.53
"And to strike with
the fist of wickedness,
00:32:46.56\00:32:49.76
you will not fast
as you do this day,
00:32:49.80\00:32:52.70
to make your
voice heard on high."
00:32:52.73\00:32:54.84
So their
self-denial was hypocritical.
00:32:54.87\00:32:58.17
And guess what?
00:32:58.21\00:32:59.54
That self-denial
made them irritable.
00:32:59.57\00:33:02.01
They ended up
with contentious brawl.
00:33:02.04\00:33:06.01
They were just pretending.
00:33:06.05\00:33:08.15
And you know what?
00:33:08.18\00:33:09.52
Their pretense excluded
00:33:09.55\00:33:12.05
the possibility
of prevailing prayer.
00:33:12.09\00:33:14.99
There's no
genuine prayer to God.
00:33:15.02\00:33:17.23
So God wasn't going to respond
to their superficial manner.
00:33:17.26\00:33:21.70
And then he says in verse 5.
00:33:21.73\00:33:23.67
Isaiah 58:5,
00:33:23.70\00:33:27.04
"Is it a fast
that I have chosen,
00:33:27.07\00:33:29.54
a day for a man
to afflict his soul?
00:33:29.57\00:33:31.54
Is it to bow down
his head like a bulrush,
00:33:31.57\00:33:35.01
and to spread out
sackcloth and ashes?
00:33:35.04\00:33:37.85
Would you call this a fast,
00:33:37.88\00:33:39.95
and an
acceptable day to the Lord?"
00:33:39.98\00:33:42.78
True worship is more
than religious ritual.
00:33:42.82\00:33:48.22
I mean, this is something,
00:33:48.26\00:33:50.23
you know, Jesus summarized
00:33:50.26\00:33:51.59
all the laws of God in two laws.
00:33:51.63\00:33:54.83
You shall love the Lord your God
00:33:54.86\00:33:56.20
with all of your heart,
soul, mind and strength.
00:33:56.23\00:33:58.37
You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.
00:33:58.40\00:34:01.04
These people drew near
to God with their mouth,
00:34:01.07\00:34:05.24
but their heart
was far from Him.
00:34:05.27\00:34:09.24
And I'll tell you something,
00:34:09.28\00:34:11.35
hypocrisy is the enemy of love.
00:34:11.38\00:34:16.18
Hypocrisy is the enemy of love.
00:34:16.22\00:34:19.22
So we need to always
check ourselves and see,
00:34:19.25\00:34:22.82
are we doing the same.
00:34:22.86\00:34:24.26
James 1:27 says this,
00:34:24.29\00:34:27.23
"Pure and undefiled religion
before God, the Father, is this
00:34:27.26\00:34:32.80
to visit orphans and
widows in their trouble,
00:34:32.83\00:34:36.00
to keep oneself
unspotted from the world."
00:34:36.04\00:34:42.28
So we need to ask ourselves,
00:34:42.31\00:34:46.45
are we going to
church every Sabbath
00:34:46.48\00:34:50.65
and paying our
tithes and take communion?
00:34:50.69\00:34:54.12
Is this real?
00:34:54.16\00:34:55.49
Or are we
drawing near to the Lord
00:34:55.52\00:34:58.36
with our mouth,
but not with our heart?
00:34:58.39\00:35:01.03
God condemns
00:35:01.06\00:35:02.40
the people's
insincerity of fasting.
00:35:02.43\00:35:05.63
It was supposed to be
more than just outward ritual.
00:35:05.67\00:35:10.34
It involved penitence over
sin, and consequent humility,
00:35:10.37\00:35:15.94
that would
disconnect them from sin
00:35:15.98\00:35:18.05
and disconnect them
from oppressing others.
00:35:18.08\00:35:20.98
So God places
emphasis on social justice
00:35:21.02\00:35:25.15
and Brother Kenny's
going to cover that.
00:35:25.19\00:35:27.32
Fastening implies self-denial,
00:35:27.36\00:35:29.86
but the true
fast is denial of self
00:35:29.89\00:35:34.33
to help others,
00:35:34.36\00:35:35.90
the ministry of mercy,
00:35:35.93\00:35:38.23
denying ourselves
to really serve others.
00:35:38.27\00:35:44.97
And that's what
God's looking for.
00:35:45.01\00:35:47.98
Praise the Lord.
00:35:48.01\00:35:49.34
Yeah, that, that's a lot.
00:35:49.38\00:35:51.41
You packed a lot into that.
00:35:51.45\00:35:54.88
"Fast Fight" on
Wednesday's lesson.
00:35:54.92\00:35:58.39
It gives the
verses of Isaiah 58:1-12.
00:35:58.42\00:36:01.72
But we're not going to...
00:36:01.76\00:36:03.09
Sister Shelley
covered it rather well.
00:36:03.12\00:36:04.96
But I thought
it's very interesting.
00:36:04.99\00:36:06.59
I can't help but go back
at what it says Isaiah 58:1.
00:36:06.63\00:36:09.66
I love that verse.
00:36:09.70\00:36:11.03
I always have, I'm
not really sure why,
00:36:11.07\00:36:12.53
but it just, it
resonates with me
00:36:12.57\00:36:14.90
when it says cry
aloud and spare not.
00:36:14.94\00:36:17.61
You know, I think
00:36:17.64\00:36:18.97
when there's a
truth that's out there,
00:36:19.01\00:36:20.34
we need to cry
aloud and spare not,
00:36:20.38\00:36:21.71
we need to get it out there.
00:36:21.74\00:36:23.08
But notice, this is what
you were talking about here.
00:36:23.11\00:36:25.25
Ten days, my
lesson brings this out.
00:36:25.28\00:36:27.68
Ten days after the
blowing of the trumpet
00:36:27.72\00:36:30.39
on the Day of Atonement.
00:36:30.42\00:36:32.52
This is when the cry went forth.
00:36:32.55\00:36:34.46
Just 10 days
00:36:34.49\00:36:35.82
after the people were
supposed to be at one with God.
00:36:35.86\00:36:38.36
Everything was taken care
of just 10 days after that,
00:36:38.39\00:36:42.10
then God talks about to Isaiah,
00:36:42.13\00:36:45.73
blow the trumpet,
00:36:45.77\00:36:47.10
get the attention
of the people again,
00:36:47.14\00:36:48.47
because what you
missed, that wasn't right.
00:36:48.50\00:36:50.47
Their lives was
not right with God.
00:36:50.51\00:36:52.31
So you know,
00:36:52.34\00:36:53.68
I believe as I studied
this part of the lesson
00:36:53.71\00:36:56.04
that the Lord is looking for
00:36:56.08\00:36:57.68
when I say church
always mean to people,
00:36:57.71\00:36:59.85
looking for a people,
00:36:59.88\00:37:02.02
who will not only preach, teach,
00:37:02.05\00:37:05.65
and live and have forth
00:37:05.69\00:37:07.99
the characteristics
of Jesus Christ in it.
00:37:08.02\00:37:11.49
It's not just about, we
talking about just all win,
00:37:11.53\00:37:13.93
just all talk.
00:37:13.96\00:37:15.33
And I'm not
trying to be critical,
00:37:15.36\00:37:16.70
but there's a lot
of that that goes on.
00:37:16.73\00:37:18.50
And I like to get
down to the nitty-gritties
00:37:18.53\00:37:20.44
of where the
rubber meets the road.
00:37:20.47\00:37:22.44
Because Acts:10:38,
00:37:22.47\00:37:24.94
it just simply
says this, it says,
00:37:24.97\00:37:26.37
"Jesus went about doing good."
00:37:26.41\00:37:28.74
This is what the
church needs today.
00:37:28.78\00:37:30.51
This is what I
need in my own life
00:37:30.55\00:37:31.95
go about doing good.
00:37:31.98\00:37:33.98
Our lesson brings out
several good points here.
00:37:34.02\00:37:36.42
And maybe it starts
with a couple questions,
00:37:36.45\00:37:38.19
notice this.
00:37:38.22\00:37:39.55
What will be
better? Let's decide.
00:37:39.59\00:37:41.52
What's going to be better here
to attract people to the truth,
00:37:41.56\00:37:45.86
notice this.
00:37:45.89\00:37:47.23
Attract people to the truth
00:37:47.26\00:37:48.60
as it is in Jesus,
00:37:48.63\00:37:50.03
or strict
adherence to dietary laws,
00:37:50.07\00:37:54.07
or to a
willingness to help the hungry.
00:37:54.10\00:37:58.67
No one wants to
get involved, I see.
00:37:58.71\00:38:00.41
All right.
00:38:00.44\00:38:01.84
Yes, it's a difficult question.
00:38:01.88\00:38:03.45
And it can go a lot
of different directions.
00:38:03.48\00:38:05.38
But the
question still comes out,
00:38:05.41\00:38:07.38
which is better.
00:38:07.42\00:38:09.38
Which is better,
00:38:09.42\00:38:10.75
attract people to the
truth as it is in Jesus,
00:38:10.79\00:38:13.39
or the best thing to do
is have strict adherence to,
00:38:13.42\00:38:16.76
you know, some people's
like that on health issue,
00:38:16.79\00:38:18.49
different things
they're just like this.
00:38:18.53\00:38:20.60
This is all and
nothing wrong with that.
00:38:20.63\00:38:22.16
It's all good.
00:38:22.20\00:38:23.53
But we should, still
should be able to say
00:38:23.57\00:38:24.90
we need to be,
God's given us the vision.
00:38:24.93\00:38:27.34
He's given us the gospel,
00:38:27.37\00:38:28.70
he's given us the
hope, the whole thing.
00:38:28.74\00:38:31.14
And to me, we just can't be
00:38:31.17\00:38:32.77
even though God
impressed different people
00:38:32.81\00:38:34.38
with different things.
00:38:34.41\00:38:35.78
So I'm always very
careful not to criticize
00:38:35.81\00:38:38.48
or condemn someone else,
00:38:38.51\00:38:40.08
because they're
working hard in area
00:38:40.12\00:38:41.78
which is truth, which is right
00:38:41.82\00:38:43.15
that maybe I
don't work so hard in.
00:38:43.18\00:38:44.95
Is that okay?
00:38:44.99\00:38:46.32
Because different gifts
that God gives different people
00:38:46.35\00:38:48.32
and different
burdens He puts upon them.
00:38:48.36\00:38:50.16
Now, number two,
think about this,
00:38:50.19\00:38:52.43
strict rest on the Sabbath,
00:38:52.46\00:38:55.63
or a willingness to
spend our own time and energy
00:38:55.66\00:39:00.00
helping those who are in need?
00:39:00.04\00:39:02.07
So what would it be here?
00:39:02.10\00:39:04.27
Strict adherence to the Sabbath,
00:39:04.31\00:39:06.94
and I believe that
God has it lined out.
00:39:06.98\00:39:08.64
We know what we should be doing,
00:39:08.68\00:39:10.38
or willingness to spend
our time in helping others
00:39:10.41\00:39:13.42
which we have
neglected to do that.
00:39:13.45\00:39:16.15
Because we're looking,
it seems like a lot of times
00:39:16.18\00:39:18.19
we're looking at the big sins.
00:39:18.22\00:39:20.42
Looking at these things
00:39:20.46\00:39:21.79
that will keep us out of heaven.
00:39:21.82\00:39:23.83
That's my opinion.
Throw it out if you want to.
00:39:23.86\00:39:25.79
There may be more
people that missed the kingdom
00:39:25.83\00:39:27.46
because the things
00:39:27.50\00:39:28.83
that we have
considered as the little things.
00:39:28.86\00:39:31.40
Jesus related to
those things you will know.
00:39:31.43\00:39:33.50
You know, you do the one
but don't you forget the other.
00:39:33.54\00:39:36.57
And so selfishness
is one of those things.
00:39:36.60\00:39:38.77
I found this out in
my walk with the Lord
00:39:38.81\00:39:42.08
and I'm still learning.
00:39:42.11\00:39:43.45
I'm still just,
I'm still like a baby.
00:39:43.48\00:39:44.81
More I learned, the
more I found I didn't know.
00:39:44.85\00:39:46.61
Amen.
00:39:46.65\00:39:47.98
Changed my opinion
on a lot of doctrines,
00:39:48.02\00:39:52.45
and what I thought was truth,
00:39:52.49\00:39:54.16
even though it
maybe was invariance
00:39:54.19\00:39:55.82
if you know what I mean,
just like the principles here,
00:39:55.86\00:39:58.06
but did you find
there's much more
00:39:58.09\00:40:00.03
that we can comprehend
00:40:00.06\00:40:01.40
that God gives us
through the Holy Spirit.
00:40:01.43\00:40:03.20
I found that anyone,
00:40:03.23\00:40:05.00
now this may be
too big for some.
00:40:05.03\00:40:08.27
Anyone can be religious.
00:40:08.30\00:40:10.01
That's right. That's good.
00:40:10.04\00:40:12.11
Anyone can be religious.
00:40:12.14\00:40:16.04
Anyone can go through
to the religious motions,
00:40:16.08\00:40:19.91
they can pretend pretty well
and maybe even fool you and me,
00:40:19.95\00:40:24.12
even if they go
through the right rituals
00:40:24.15\00:40:28.26
at the right time.
00:40:28.29\00:40:30.53
But that's not all
that the Lord wants.
00:40:30.56\00:40:33.09
That's not what
He requires of us.
00:40:33.13\00:40:35.16
In Isaiah, Chapter 58,
00:40:35.20\00:40:36.70
you're reading
verses 1 through 6.
00:40:36.73\00:40:38.70
And I just want
to just hit a couple
00:40:38.73\00:40:40.30
because I want to get
into the selfish aspect of it.
00:40:40.34\00:40:42.64
Because I think
there'll be more people lost
00:40:42.67\00:40:44.51
because of selfishness
00:40:44.54\00:40:45.87
than all the
other sins combined.
00:40:45.91\00:40:47.61
Can I just throw that out?
00:40:47.64\00:40:48.98
Absolutely.
00:40:49.01\00:40:51.11
Listen, that's my opinion.
00:40:51.15\00:40:53.95
I know somebody is
fighting it, but it's okay.
00:40:53.98\00:40:55.55
I don't mind that.
00:40:55.58\00:40:56.92
I don't mind
somebody disagree with me.
00:40:56.95\00:40:58.92
Because you know why?
00:40:58.95\00:41:00.29
Because self is at the
root of every sin, that's why.
00:41:00.32\00:41:02.62
Amen. Okay.
00:41:02.66\00:41:04.66
That makes sense,
doesn't it? You're right.
00:41:04.69\00:41:06.59
That's right, Brother. Okay.
00:41:06.63\00:41:07.96
So what you got to look at.
00:41:08.00\00:41:09.33
Isaiah 58:6,
00:41:09.36\00:41:11.37
"Is this not the
fast that I have chosen:"
00:41:11.40\00:41:13.03
to do what quickly,
00:41:13.07\00:41:14.40
"just loose the
bonds of wickedness,
00:41:14.44\00:41:17.01
to undo the heavy burdens,
and let the oppressed go free,
00:41:17.04\00:41:19.77
and that break every yoke?"
00:41:19.81\00:41:21.21
Verse 7,
00:41:21.24\00:41:22.58
"Is it not to deal
the bread to the hungry."
00:41:22.61\00:41:24.75
Well, we're worried
about running the streets
00:41:24.78\00:41:26.18
and doing all
these other things,
00:41:26.21\00:41:27.55
eating, drinking, getting drunk,
00:41:27.58\00:41:28.92
doing drugs,
00:41:28.95\00:41:30.29
when this person
is going to be lost,
00:41:30.32\00:41:31.65
blah-blah, blah-blah.
00:41:31.69\00:41:33.02
Jesus said, "What
are you doing here?"
00:41:33.05\00:41:34.39
Real religion that I accept.
00:41:34.42\00:41:37.19
It's not all
these rituals and things
00:41:37.23\00:41:38.56
that you're going through
00:41:38.59\00:41:39.93
and sometime in our
church services like rituals.
00:41:39.96\00:41:41.30
That's right.
00:41:41.33\00:41:42.66
You know, man, somebody get up.
00:41:42.70\00:41:44.60
And let the Spirit of God
00:41:44.63\00:41:46.07
sometimes just
take over in the church.
00:41:46.10\00:41:48.44
Let the spirit speak.
00:41:48.47\00:41:50.21
I mean, I'd love to
hear somebody get up and say,
00:41:50.24\00:41:51.87
you know, the Spirit of God's
impressing my heart right now.
00:41:51.91\00:41:53.88
And then we as a
people can decide
00:41:53.91\00:41:55.48
where the Spirit of God, right?
00:41:55.51\00:41:57.71
Is talking to them or not?
00:41:57.75\00:41:59.88
Because of the
messages they will bring to us.
00:41:59.91\00:42:02.08
Is it present truth?
00:42:02.12\00:42:03.45
Is it something that
we need in the church?
00:42:03.49\00:42:05.29
But let the spirit.
00:42:05.32\00:42:06.65
We can only sing
one song in closing.
00:42:06.69\00:42:08.12
I may want to sing two.
00:42:08.16\00:42:10.43
It's okay.
00:42:10.46\00:42:11.79
You know, it's all right. Amen.
00:42:11.83\00:42:14.36
Brother Ryan sing a time or two
00:42:14.40\00:42:15.83
and Pastor John
different ones here singing
00:42:15.86\00:42:17.70
and Jill playing whatever.
00:42:17.73\00:42:19.23
And sometime I want to
say, would you do that again?
00:42:19.27\00:42:22.34
I was so blessed,
would you do that again?
00:42:22.37\00:42:24.24
And you think,
00:42:24.27\00:42:25.61
well, you'll all
get run out on a reel.
00:42:25.64\00:42:27.18
Now, let's go ahead.
00:42:27.21\00:42:28.54
Verse 8, "Then shall
thy light break forth."
00:42:28.58\00:42:30.21
God said, "I'm
going to bless you,
00:42:30.25\00:42:31.58
I'm going to
bless your socks off
00:42:31.61\00:42:32.98
if you will do the right thing."
00:42:33.01\00:42:34.45
And he covered some very
simple things right here.
00:42:34.48\00:42:37.15
And then he said,
00:42:37.19\00:42:38.52
"And then thou shall call
and the Lord will answer."
00:42:38.55\00:42:40.99
Listen, this is
what we want as a church.
00:42:41.02\00:42:42.96
This is what I
want in my own life.
00:42:42.99\00:42:45.39
We call upon God
and he says what?
00:42:45.43\00:42:47.46
He said, I'm going
to, I'm going to answer.
00:42:47.50\00:42:49.00
That's right.
00:42:49.03\00:42:50.37
If I thought He
wasn't going to answer,
00:42:50.40\00:42:51.73
if I thought He didn't
hear, why am I talking to Him?
00:42:51.77\00:42:54.30
Why am I living
this kind of life?
00:42:54.34\00:42:56.10
But I've often thought
00:42:56.14\00:42:57.47
even if I would
turn my back on God,
00:42:57.51\00:42:58.97
you say, you know, you
don't go to church anymore.
00:42:59.01\00:43:00.64
You don't do all these things.
00:43:00.68\00:43:02.01
What would I
really do differently?
00:43:02.04\00:43:03.75
What is it in the
world that I really want?
00:43:03.78\00:43:05.11
That's right.
00:43:05.15\00:43:06.48
What really is in the world
00:43:06.51\00:43:07.85
that's risk
losing eternal salvation?
00:43:07.88\00:43:09.58
And somebody say,
well, you don't know
00:43:09.62\00:43:10.95
if you have
eternal salvation or not.
00:43:10.99\00:43:12.45
According to the Word of God,
00:43:12.49\00:43:13.82
praise God He's
offering our eternal salvation.
00:43:13.86\00:43:15.89
Isaiah brought it out
so beautifully in here
00:43:15.92\00:43:18.26
that God is offering
00:43:18.29\00:43:19.63
while we were yet
sinners, isn't that right?
00:43:19.66\00:43:21.63
The Bible says,
Christ died for us.
00:43:21.66\00:43:23.67
I like that.
00:43:23.70\00:43:25.03
Now, a couple of
things here quick,
00:43:25.07\00:43:26.40
last couple of minutes here
00:43:26.43\00:43:27.77
if I can just
get to in my notes,
00:43:27.80\00:43:29.14
I jotted some things down.
00:43:29.17\00:43:30.87
I don't know if I'll
find it or not, yeah.
00:43:30.91\00:43:32.61
I will find it because
00:43:32.64\00:43:33.98
I'm going to take time to do it.
00:43:34.01\00:43:35.34
Because I think
it's very interesting,
00:43:35.38\00:43:36.71
is that all right?
00:43:36.75\00:43:38.08
Yeah. Okay.
00:43:38.11\00:43:39.45
We're talking about selfishness.
00:43:39.48\00:43:40.82
This is what this has to do.
00:43:40.85\00:43:42.18
Because selfish
again is danger of self
00:43:42.22\00:43:43.89
and how to spot it,
00:43:43.92\00:43:45.52
how to spot it in others,
how to spot it in ourself.
00:43:45.55\00:43:49.36
I know we don't want to
hear but that's too bad.
00:43:49.39\00:43:51.19
Now notice.
00:43:51.23\00:43:52.56
First Selected Messages, 82,
00:43:52.59\00:43:54.13
you know, I don't
like to hear things
00:43:54.16\00:43:55.50
that step on my toes either.
00:43:55.53\00:43:56.87
But I thank God for it.
00:43:56.90\00:43:58.23
Pastor, any of you bring a word
00:43:58.27\00:43:59.60
that I just
don't necessarily like
00:43:59.63\00:44:00.97
most generally
if I don't like it
00:44:01.00\00:44:02.34
and it's truth is
because I'm guilty of sin.
00:44:02.37\00:44:04.04
Now, notice that,
00:44:04.07\00:44:05.67
what selfish
people and how to spot it,
00:44:05.71\00:44:07.54
and people will
lose eternal life.
00:44:07.58\00:44:09.84
They view self
in all that they do.
00:44:09.88\00:44:12.28
This is how you can spot it.
00:44:12.31\00:44:13.65
First Selected Message 82,
00:44:13.68\00:44:15.45
"Successful
workers keep self out of,
00:44:15.48\00:44:18.45
notice this, as
much as possible."
00:44:18.49\00:44:20.42
Right?
00:44:20.46\00:44:21.79
If you really love Jesus,
00:44:21.82\00:44:23.16
you're going to keep self
out of everything that you do
00:44:23.19\00:44:24.63
as much as
possible, Evangelism 152.
00:44:24.66\00:44:28.23
Self wants to be
first in everything.
00:44:28.26\00:44:30.40
This is very dangerous.
00:44:30.43\00:44:31.77
Six Testimonies, 103,
00:44:31.80\00:44:33.94
"Self-admiration
results of ignorance
00:44:33.97\00:44:37.54
of God and Christ."
00:44:37.57\00:44:40.08
You know, Pastor
John brought all that
00:44:40.11\00:44:41.74
when God is elevated
the creator of heavens
00:44:41.78\00:44:43.55
and earth and
hues, and talking to Him,
00:44:43.58\00:44:45.48
man, we should feel a little,
00:44:45.51\00:44:46.85
we should dig a
hole and get in it.
00:44:46.88\00:44:48.22
Ain't that right?
00:44:48.25\00:44:49.58
If you think
about it, trying to,
00:44:49.62\00:44:50.95
you know, compare
ourselves with God is true.
00:44:50.99\00:44:52.45
I mean, it's a simple
thing, a simple language
00:44:52.49\00:44:54.69
that God calls
for a simple message
00:44:54.72\00:44:56.26
you've given to people
00:44:56.29\00:44:57.63
whose mind is stayed upon
you, who can understand it.
00:44:57.66\00:45:00.36
Five, a person always trying
to advance self in something,
00:45:00.40\00:45:04.53
Christ Object Lesson 400.
00:45:04.57\00:45:06.20
Selfishness, it's dangerous.
00:45:06.23\00:45:08.60
Always pushing for power
and position, even riches,
00:45:08.64\00:45:11.87
which makes one seem
greater than they are.
00:45:11.91\00:45:14.74
Education, 49.
00:45:14.78\00:45:16.11
Just like Solomon,
just like Judas did,
00:45:16.14\00:45:19.05
just like the priest
and the rabbis and Satan.
00:45:19.08\00:45:22.28
Now self-conceit is a sin.
00:45:22.32\00:45:24.49
Notice it,
self-conceit is the worst sin,
00:45:24.52\00:45:27.69
is a sin most
helpless and incurable,
00:45:27.72\00:45:31.19
71:99 and 200.
00:45:31.23\00:45:33.96
I mean, when I
look at that, you say,
00:45:34.00\00:45:35.36
I'm going to say we don't have,
00:45:35.40\00:45:36.87
we don't, we
don't have selfishness.
00:45:36.90\00:45:38.57
But I encourage
us to look deep into
00:45:38.60\00:45:41.07
when things happen
in your life and so on.
00:45:41.10\00:45:42.87
First thing, you say,
I, me, my, what about me?
00:45:42.90\00:45:45.51
What am I going to do?
00:45:45.54\00:45:46.88
Well, we might
rethink the issues.
00:45:46.91\00:45:48.41
Anyway, God still
sits on the throne,
00:45:48.44\00:45:49.91
He's willing to help all of us.
00:45:49.94\00:45:52.28
Amen.
00:45:52.31\00:45:53.65
Praise the Lord, Brother.
00:45:53.68\00:45:55.65
Always bringing
that straight testimony.
00:45:55.68\00:45:57.49
I like it.
00:45:57.52\00:45:59.39
Praise the Lord.
00:45:59.42\00:46:00.76
All right, let's dive into
Thursday's lesson entitled,
00:46:00.79\00:46:03.69
"A Time For Us."
00:46:03.73\00:46:05.06
And Thursday's lesson focuses in
00:46:05.09\00:46:07.13
on probably those
two texts in Isaiah 58,
00:46:07.16\00:46:10.87
that most of us
know Isaiah 58:4.
00:46:10.90\00:46:14.64
And, of course, I'm
speaking of those who,
00:46:14.67\00:46:17.14
those who might believe
00:46:17.17\00:46:18.51
in keep the Sabbath
of the Lord, thy God.
00:46:18.54\00:46:21.21
And that is, by
verses 13 and 14.
00:46:21.24\00:46:24.61
So let's go there.
00:46:24.65\00:46:25.98
Let's read verses
13 and 14 in Isaiah 58.
00:46:26.01\00:46:28.75
And then we'll go
on with our study.
00:46:28.78\00:46:30.12
So it says here,
00:46:30.15\00:46:31.49
"If you turn away
your foot from the Sabbath,
00:46:31.52\00:46:33.62
from doing your
pleasure on My holy day,
00:46:33.66\00:46:36.52
and call the Sabbath a delight,
00:46:36.56\00:46:38.86
the holy day of
the Lord honorable,
00:46:38.89\00:46:42.03
and shall honor Him,
not doing your own ways,
00:46:42.06\00:46:45.00
nor finding your own pleasure,
nor speaking your own words,
00:46:45.03\00:46:49.20
then you shall
delight yourself in the Lord,
00:46:49.24\00:46:51.04
and I will cause you to ride
on the high hills of the earth,
00:46:51.07\00:46:54.34
and feed you with the
heritage of Jacob your father.
00:46:54.38\00:46:57.55
The mouth of the
Lord has spoken."
00:46:57.58\00:47:00.05
Oh, wow. All right.
00:47:00.08\00:47:01.85
So the title of the
lesson is A Time For Us.
00:47:01.88\00:47:05.62
And, of course, the context
00:47:05.65\00:47:07.36
and the subject
of verses 13 and 14
00:47:07.39\00:47:09.62
is God's holy day.
00:47:09.66\00:47:11.26
And I can't
emphasize that enough.
00:47:11.29\00:47:12.76
Let me say that one more time.
00:47:12.79\00:47:14.60
It's whose day? God.
00:47:14.63\00:47:16.26
It's God's holy day.
00:47:16.30\00:47:18.60
You ain't got a Sabbath.
00:47:18.63\00:47:20.27
I ain't got a Sabbath.
00:47:20.30\00:47:21.80
None of us can say
00:47:21.84\00:47:23.17
that we own or have
our own kind of Sabbath.
00:47:23.20\00:47:26.07
I can't count how many times
I've heard people say to me,
00:47:26.11\00:47:28.18
Well, Ryan, you
know, you got your Sabbath
00:47:28.21\00:47:29.94
on the seventh day Saturday,
00:47:29.98\00:47:31.55
and I've got my Sabbath
on Sunday, the first day.
00:47:31.58\00:47:34.35
No, that's not
what the Bible says,
00:47:34.38\00:47:36.65
it's God's day.
00:47:36.69\00:47:38.02
It's not your day,
00:47:38.05\00:47:39.39
even though He
did say wonderfully,
00:47:39.42\00:47:40.76
and I praise God for
the Sabbath was made for man
00:47:40.79\00:47:43.53
and not man for the Sabbath.
00:47:43.56\00:47:44.89
God has bestowed that
gift of His day for us,
00:47:44.93\00:47:48.46
He's bestowed
that blessing upon us
00:47:48.50\00:47:50.23
and says, look, I
want you to participate
00:47:50.27\00:47:51.97
and partake of that blessing.
00:47:52.00\00:47:53.37
And that's what
00:47:53.40\00:47:54.74
verses 13 and 14 of
Isaiah 58 is all about.
00:47:54.77\00:47:58.97
Now, the lesson brings out
00:47:59.01\00:48:00.34
that there is a
somewhat of a connection
00:48:00.38\00:48:02.81
between the weekly
seventh day Sabbath
00:48:02.84\00:48:05.18
and of course, the Sabbath
that would have been honored
00:48:05.21\00:48:08.72
and observed on
the Day of Atonement.
00:48:08.75\00:48:10.49
The Day of Atonement
was indeed a Sabbath day.
00:48:10.52\00:48:13.25
In fact, let's go read
that. Leviticus 23:27-32.
00:48:13.29\00:48:17.33
I do want to pay
attention to this,
00:48:17.36\00:48:18.96
just the fact, just so the fact
00:48:18.99\00:48:20.50
we can highlight
the similarities,
00:48:20.53\00:48:22.53
and show that
00:48:22.56\00:48:23.90
there was a
connection between the two.
00:48:23.93\00:48:26.74
Leviticus 23, of
course, this is where God is,
00:48:26.77\00:48:28.90
is outlining and spelling out
00:48:28.94\00:48:30.71
all of the different
festivals and the holy days
00:48:30.74\00:48:33.21
that would, that
Israel would need to keep
00:48:33.24\00:48:35.31
and honor and observe,
00:48:35.34\00:48:36.88
because of the Lord's command.
00:48:36.91\00:48:38.25
So 27-32, the Bible says,
00:48:38.28\00:48:40.45
"Also the 10th
day of this month,
00:48:40.48\00:48:42.58
shall be the Day of Atonement.
00:48:42.62\00:48:44.19
It shall be a holy
convocation to you,
00:48:44.22\00:48:45.82
you shall afflict your souls
00:48:45.85\00:48:47.66
and offer an offering
made by fire to the Lord."
00:48:47.69\00:48:50.09
So the author is suggesting
00:48:50.13\00:48:52.19
that because of
the language we see,
00:48:52.23\00:48:53.90
of course, right
out from the front,
00:48:53.93\00:48:55.53
you know, cry aloud, spare not,
00:48:55.56\00:48:57.90
you know, show My
people their sins, right?
00:48:57.93\00:49:00.40
That's exactly
00:49:00.44\00:49:01.77
what the Day of
Atonement was all about.
00:49:01.80\00:49:03.14
God would see,
00:49:03.17\00:49:04.64
He would take those sins
that the people had brought in,
00:49:04.67\00:49:06.98
those 359 days
00:49:07.01\00:49:08.84
out of the 360
day biblical year,
00:49:08.88\00:49:11.31
and He's dealing
with that sin issue.
00:49:11.35\00:49:13.65
And, of course, they
would afflict their souls,
00:49:13.68\00:49:15.88
and they would do some fasting
00:49:15.92\00:49:17.25
and they would lay
in sackcloth and ashes.
00:49:17.29\00:49:18.99
So there's some
language there that is similar.
00:49:19.02\00:49:21.42
So we continue
on, notice verse 28.
00:49:21.46\00:49:23.89
"And you shall do no
work on that same day."
00:49:23.93\00:49:26.63
So on the weekly Sabbath,
00:49:26.66\00:49:28.03
doesn't the Lord also tell us
00:49:28.06\00:49:29.40
do no, do no work.
00:49:29.43\00:49:30.77
So no labor.
00:49:30.80\00:49:32.13
I'm going to kind of skip
through again to verse 31.
00:49:32.17\00:49:33.74
We're not going to read all this
00:49:33.77\00:49:35.10
but verse 31, again,
00:49:35.14\00:49:36.47
he reiterates you
shall do no manner of work,
00:49:36.50\00:49:39.21
again re-emphasizing
what the Ten Commandments say,
00:49:39.24\00:49:41.98
the fourth commandment
of the Ten Commandments,
00:49:42.01\00:49:43.71
do no labor, do no work.
00:49:43.75\00:49:45.38
It shall be for
a statute forever
00:49:45.41\00:49:46.98
throughout your generations
and all your dwellings.
00:49:47.02\00:49:49.48
It shall be to you a
Sabbath of solemn rest.
00:49:49.52\00:49:53.76
What's the Sabbath
about? It's about rest.
00:49:53.79\00:49:55.59
It's about communion.
It's about being with God.
00:49:55.62\00:49:58.13
It's about
being with each other.
00:49:58.16\00:49:59.49
It's a blessing.
00:49:59.53\00:50:00.86
It goes on to say,
00:50:00.90\00:50:02.23
and you shall
afflict your souls.
00:50:02.26\00:50:03.60
And on the ninth day
of the month at evening,
00:50:03.63\00:50:05.30
notice this, from
evening to evening
00:50:05.33\00:50:09.00
you shall
celebrate your Sabbath.
00:50:09.04\00:50:10.77
Same thing, the
weekly biblical Sabbath
00:50:10.81\00:50:13.07
was celebrated as God,
00:50:13.11\00:50:14.51
as it says in
the Genesis account,
00:50:14.54\00:50:15.88
the evening and the
morning was the first day,
00:50:15.91\00:50:17.28
the evening and the
morning was the second day.
00:50:17.31\00:50:19.01
From evening unto evening,
00:50:19.05\00:50:20.38
that is from sundown to sundown,
00:50:20.42\00:50:22.88
the Sabbath was to be observed.
00:50:22.92\00:50:24.45
So those are the connections,
the similarities that you find
00:50:24.49\00:50:27.42
between that holy
day Sabbath observance
00:50:27.46\00:50:30.06
on the Day of Atonement
00:50:30.09\00:50:31.43
in connection with the
weekly seventh day Sabbath.
00:50:31.46\00:50:34.10
But make no mistake, I
want to make this very clear.
00:50:34.13\00:50:36.97
Verses 13 and 14 is
most definitely applicable
00:50:37.00\00:50:41.17
and meant to be
understood in within the context
00:50:41.20\00:50:43.71
of God's seventh
day weekly Sabbath
00:50:43.74\00:50:46.17
that we honor and
observe every single week.
00:50:46.21\00:50:48.84
And I want to ask
the question of the hour
00:50:48.88\00:50:50.58
because it seems like
I'm auctioneering this off,
00:50:50.61\00:50:52.75
I'm trying to get to the meat
00:50:52.78\00:50:54.38
of what I really
want to talk about,
00:50:54.42\00:50:56.02
which is, again, go back
to the title of this lesson,
00:50:56.05\00:50:58.82
it's a time for who?
00:50:58.85\00:51:00.19
Us. It's a time for us.
00:51:00.22\00:51:02.29
God wants the
Sabbath to be a blessing.
00:51:02.32\00:51:05.43
The question is,
00:51:05.46\00:51:06.86
do we allow it to be a blessing?
00:51:06.90\00:51:10.97
What kind of day is
the Sabbath supposed to be?
00:51:11.00\00:51:16.64
Let's go back to verse 13.
00:51:16.67\00:51:18.77
I'm going to read
through it one more time.
00:51:18.81\00:51:20.14
It says, "If you turn away
your foot from the Sabbath,
00:51:20.18\00:51:22.24
from doing your
pleasure on My holy day,
00:51:22.28\00:51:24.81
and call the Sabbath a delight,
00:51:24.85\00:51:27.32
the holy day of
the Lord honorable,
00:51:27.35\00:51:29.52
you shall honor Him,
not doing your own ways,
00:51:29.55\00:51:31.69
nor finding your own pleasure,
nor speaking your own words."
00:51:31.72\00:51:35.26
Okay, so I want
to say right now,
00:51:35.29\00:51:37.89
this is one of
the most popular text
00:51:37.93\00:51:40.23
quoted by Sabbath keepers
00:51:40.26\00:51:42.20
and we believe in this
text, this is a powerful text.
00:51:42.23\00:51:45.07
And I don't want to
play that doubt at all.
00:51:45.10\00:51:46.60
We should uphold the
message of this text.
00:51:46.63\00:51:49.10
We should be able to teach
it, believe it, proclaim it
00:51:49.14\00:51:52.24
and apply it to
our Sabbath experience.
00:51:52.27\00:51:55.24
However, this is also
one of the most misused
00:51:55.28\00:51:58.68
and abused and
misunderstood text
00:51:58.71\00:52:01.08
when it comes to Sabbath keeping
00:52:01.12\00:52:02.52
that many Sabbath keepers,
00:52:02.55\00:52:03.95
they use it in a way
to take away the blessing.
00:52:03.99\00:52:07.36
And again, I want to use
the word that the Bible uses,
00:52:07.39\00:52:09.86
the delight of the Sabbath
00:52:09.89\00:52:11.86
because they take
a few words in here
00:52:11.89\00:52:13.76
and they kind of
stretch them to mean something,
00:52:13.80\00:52:16.63
and they kind of
exegetically insert
00:52:16.67\00:52:19.40
what they think
00:52:19.43\00:52:20.77
should be the
experience of the Sabbath.
00:52:20.80\00:52:22.70
But I want to do a
little bit of dissecting.
00:52:22.74\00:52:24.64
Let's do a little bit of
word talk here for a moment.
00:52:24.67\00:52:27.31
The Bible says study
to show yourself approved,
00:52:27.34\00:52:30.28
rightly dividing
the word of truth.
00:52:30.31\00:52:33.82
Sometimes we must
go a little deeper,
00:52:33.85\00:52:36.85
instead of just
looking at the surface,
00:52:36.89\00:52:38.69
sometimes the
Word of God requires us
00:52:38.72\00:52:40.16
to go just a little bit deeper.
00:52:40.19\00:52:41.66
In this case, it
would do us a good service
00:52:41.69\00:52:44.33
to go a little bit deeper
00:52:44.36\00:52:45.69
and to go into
the original language
00:52:45.73\00:52:47.30
to study this a
little bit better.
00:52:47.33\00:52:48.66
I'm not suggesting
00:52:48.70\00:52:50.03
that there's necessarily
a translation error here.
00:52:50.07\00:52:53.23
But certainly,
00:52:53.27\00:52:55.04
there can be and
should be a better translation
00:52:55.07\00:52:57.71
of some of these words.
00:52:57.74\00:52:59.07
And I'm going to
highlight that right now.
00:52:59.11\00:53:00.51
First of all, let's consider
what it says when it says,
00:53:00.54\00:53:03.88
from doing your own
pleasure on My holy day.
00:53:03.91\00:53:06.35
My goodness. Oh-oh.
00:53:06.38\00:53:09.08
I've heard, you know, we use,
00:53:09.12\00:53:10.45
I've heard so
many people use this.
00:53:10.49\00:53:11.82
And I used to use this verse,
00:53:11.85\00:53:14.09
to be very
dogmatic about the Sabbath,
00:53:14.12\00:53:16.83
and making the
Sabbath ought to be something
00:53:16.86\00:53:18.66
that it's not,
00:53:18.69\00:53:20.03
because when we read that often,
00:53:20.06\00:53:21.40
it says, oh, you know,
00:53:21.43\00:53:22.76
don't do your
pleasure on your day.
00:53:22.80\00:53:24.13
That means you can't have fun.
00:53:24.17\00:53:25.93
And you can't eat,
00:53:25.97\00:53:27.30
the Sabbath
shouldn't be a day of just,
00:53:27.34\00:53:29.04
you know, happiness and joy,
you can't have any pleasure,
00:53:29.07\00:53:31.77
it should be a boring,
00:53:31.81\00:53:34.08
you know, heavy
drudgerous experience.
00:53:34.11\00:53:36.54
We should just be
doing this all day long,
00:53:36.58\00:53:38.21
you know, in the Word of God,
and go to church and you know,
00:53:38.25\00:53:42.78
have that, you know, kind of,
you know, that kumbaya moment,
00:53:42.82\00:53:45.45
we're all just
kind of sitting around
00:53:45.49\00:53:46.82
and singing in the Word,
00:53:46.86\00:53:48.19
but there's nothing else
00:53:48.22\00:53:49.56
on the Sabbath that
you can do that might.
00:53:49.59\00:53:51.16
If it brings
pleasure and you enjoy it,
00:53:51.19\00:53:53.19
then you are
violating the Sabbath.
00:53:53.23\00:53:54.86
You have turned it into
something that it's not.
00:53:54.90\00:53:56.97
Now again, I want to pause,
00:53:57.00\00:53:58.33
press the pause
button on what I just said.
00:53:58.37\00:54:00.34
And I want to clarify,
00:54:00.37\00:54:01.70
should we just be
just doing any old thing
00:54:01.74\00:54:03.77
that we want to
do on the Sabbath?
00:54:03.81\00:54:06.71
Are there boundaries?
Are there guidelines?
00:54:06.74\00:54:08.31
Are there things
that we have to make sure
00:54:08.34\00:54:09.88
that we safeguard the
holiness of the Sabbath,
00:54:09.91\00:54:12.85
and make sure
that we're honoring it
00:54:12.88\00:54:14.38
and making it a day
00:54:14.42\00:54:15.75
that God said that
He wanted it to be,
00:54:15.78\00:54:17.19
and that is a holy day?
00:54:17.22\00:54:18.55
We should protect the sanctity.
00:54:18.59\00:54:20.09
So I'm certainly not saying
00:54:20.12\00:54:21.46
that we should just
do whatever we want.
00:54:21.49\00:54:23.29
That being said though, in
the original language, here,
00:54:23.32\00:54:25.83
it's the word chephets, okay,
00:54:25.86\00:54:28.03
which actually right
here in the original Hebrew,
00:54:28.06\00:54:31.63
the word for pleasure
00:54:31.67\00:54:33.00
within the context of
this passage and it fits.
00:54:33.03\00:54:35.34
It's not necessarily
just any old kind of pleasure.
00:54:35.37\00:54:37.74
In fact, it actually translates
00:54:37.77\00:54:39.44
do not do your business pleasure
00:54:39.47\00:54:41.94
on the Sabbath.
00:54:41.98\00:54:43.31
And if you continue on,
00:54:43.35\00:54:44.68
it can even mean business affair
00:54:44.71\00:54:46.21
or business matter.
00:54:46.25\00:54:47.58
This falls within the context
00:54:47.62\00:54:48.95
what we see at the
top of this passage,
00:54:48.98\00:54:50.49
up in verse 3, I believe it is
00:54:50.52\00:54:52.19
when it's talking about
00:54:52.22\00:54:53.56
the exploitation
of the laborers, okay,
00:54:53.59\00:54:56.19
because what the
people had been doing
00:54:56.22\00:54:57.73
is they had lost sight
00:54:57.76\00:54:59.09
of the holiness of the Sabbath.
00:54:59.13\00:55:00.46
And they begin kind of
like in Nehemiah's day,
00:55:00.50\00:55:02.66
they began to do
their business pleasure
00:55:02.70\00:55:05.63
on the Sabbath day.
00:55:05.67\00:55:07.00
And they had basically
taken away the distinction
00:55:07.04\00:55:09.60
and the holiness and the
holy observance of the Sabbath,
00:55:09.64\00:55:12.47
and just made it out to be
00:55:12.51\00:55:13.84
whatever day that
they wanted it to be
00:55:13.88\00:55:15.21
and continued to do
the things that God said,
00:55:15.24\00:55:17.25
"You shall not do on that day,
00:55:17.28\00:55:18.85
but allow the other six
days for that to happen."
00:55:18.88\00:55:21.62
Also, another word here
00:55:21.65\00:55:23.08
that was
interesting that I found
00:55:23.12\00:55:24.85
is the word delight.
00:55:24.89\00:55:26.22
In the original Hebrew,
00:55:26.25\00:55:27.59
it's not just you know that
00:55:27.62\00:55:28.96
the Sabbath should be a delight.
00:55:28.99\00:55:30.33
Actually, the
original Hebrew brings out
00:55:30.36\00:55:31.69
that it should be
an exquisite delight.
00:55:31.73\00:55:34.70
It should be a happy day.
00:55:34.73\00:55:36.50
It should be an
exquisite delight?
00:55:36.53\00:55:38.30
Is the Sabbath an
exquisite delight to you?
00:55:38.33\00:55:40.50
Is it something
00:55:40.54\00:55:41.87
that you have
allowed to be a blessing,
00:55:41.90\00:55:43.24
something you look forward to?
00:55:43.27\00:55:44.61
My friends,
00:55:44.64\00:55:45.97
yes, protect the
holiness of the Sabbath,
00:55:46.01\00:55:48.31
but don't allow it to become
some heavy drudgerous, boring,
00:55:48.34\00:55:52.08
you know, a hard, you
know, horrible experience.
00:55:52.11\00:55:54.78
We should delight in the Lord,
00:55:54.82\00:55:56.15
we should be
together as a people commune,
00:55:56.18\00:55:58.25
but make the Sabbath
an exquisite delight.
00:55:58.29\00:56:01.72
Amen. Thank you so much.
00:56:01.76\00:56:03.93
What a powerful
study each one of you.
00:56:03.96\00:56:05.73
Pastor Ryan, Pastor
Kenny, Shelley, and Pastor John,
00:56:05.76\00:56:08.40
thank you.
00:56:08.43\00:56:09.76
I want to give
each one of you a moment
00:56:09.80\00:56:11.13
to share
something about your day.
00:56:11.17\00:56:12.50
Pastor John?
00:56:12.53\00:56:13.87
Well, high thoughts was my day.
00:56:13.90\00:56:15.54
And I'm going to read
Romans 16:25-27 quickly,
00:56:15.57\00:56:18.81
he says,
00:56:18.84\00:56:20.18
"Now to Him who is
able to establish you
00:56:20.21\00:56:21.71
according to my gospel
00:56:21.74\00:56:23.21
and the
preaching of Jesus Christ,
00:56:23.24\00:56:24.61
according to the revelation
of the mystery kept secret
00:56:24.65\00:56:27.32
since the world began,
00:56:27.35\00:56:28.72
but now made manifest,
00:56:28.75\00:56:30.92
and by the prophetic Scriptures
made known to all nations,
00:56:30.95\00:56:33.56
according to the commandment
of the everlasting God,
00:56:33.59\00:56:35.92
for obedience to the
faith, to God, alone,
00:56:35.96\00:56:39.43
who alone is wise, be glory
through Jesus Christ forever."
00:56:39.46\00:56:42.70
God is the only wise one
00:56:42.73\00:56:44.53
and His thoughts are
always higher than our thoughts.
00:56:44.57\00:56:47.44
Praise God. Amen and amen.
00:56:47.47\00:56:48.94
I just want to
comment on something
00:56:48.97\00:56:50.51
that you said Kenny,
00:56:50.54\00:56:52.67
when you said that
00:56:52.71\00:56:54.28
the selfishness
is how do you say it,
00:56:54.31\00:56:57.98
the worst sin,
00:56:58.01\00:56:59.35
that's because you know what?
00:56:59.38\00:57:00.72
God is love. He's
self-sacrificing love.
00:57:00.75\00:57:04.35
So if God's love is in you,
00:57:04.39\00:57:06.29
you're not going to
have that selfishness
00:57:06.32\00:57:07.99
and we just
need to remember that
00:57:08.02\00:57:09.39
God is not looking for people,
00:57:09.42\00:57:11.63
just doing religious rituals.
00:57:11.66\00:57:15.30
Hypocrisy is the
worst enemy of love.
00:57:15.33\00:57:18.17
Amen.
00:57:18.20\00:57:19.53
This lesson here the
prophet pleads for us
00:57:19.57\00:57:21.10
to give up our own thoughts,
our own ways, return to God,
00:57:21.14\00:57:24.81
He will abundantly
and mercifully pardon us
00:57:24.84\00:57:27.11
and transform us into His image.
00:57:27.14\00:57:29.44
Amen.
00:57:29.48\00:57:30.81
Isaiah 58:12, says that
00:57:30.85\00:57:33.35
God wants us to be
repairers of the breach,
00:57:33.38\00:57:35.68
and we often need to be
a repairer of the Sabbath
00:57:35.72\00:57:37.85
because the
Sabbath has been breached,
00:57:37.89\00:57:39.42
but uplifted as a holy day,
00:57:39.45\00:57:41.59
but allow it to be
an exquisite delight.
00:57:41.62\00:57:43.79
Amen.
00:57:43.83\00:57:45.16
I'm reminded of Psalm 139:23,
00:57:45.19\00:57:47.33
"Search me, O
God, and know my heart.
00:57:47.36\00:57:49.76
Try me and know my thoughts.
00:57:49.80\00:57:52.33
And see if there's
any wicked way in me
00:57:52.37\00:57:54.10
and lead me in
the way everlasting."
00:57:54.14\00:57:55.94
This week, God
wants to search us
00:57:55.97\00:57:57.67
and how we honor the Sabbath,
00:57:57.71\00:57:59.97
how we treat others
and how we look at God.
00:58:00.01\00:58:02.71
Join us next week,
00:58:02.74\00:58:04.08
lesson number 12,
"Desire of Nations."
00:58:04.11\00:58:06.75
Amen.
00:58:06.78\00:58:08.15