If you'd like
to study the Bible,
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then you've come
to the right program
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because this is 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel,
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where we love to study
the truth of God's Word.
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We've been working
our way through a study
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of Present Truth in
the Book of Deuteronomy.
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And we're in week number four,
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and this week
we're talking about
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to love the Lord your God.
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Jesus even said,
"The greatest commandment
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is to love the Lord
God with all your heart,
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mind, soul, and strength."
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And that's what we're
going to be talking about
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right here this week,
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but you may not
have a copy of the study
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and we want you to be
able to follow along with us.
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There's a couple of
ways you can get that.
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Obviously, we
encourage you to find
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your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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because it's
always good to study
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with a group of people in person
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and just ask them
for a copy of the study.
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Or you can go online
to ABSG.Adventist.org
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And, of course, you can access
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a copy of the
lesson for free online.
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So hey, get your notepads,
your pens, your pencils,
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all of that together,
gather your family around.
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And we're going to study
the Word of God right now
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as we make our way
through the Book of Deuteronomy.
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We'll see you in just a moment.
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Hello, friends,
and welcome again
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to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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As always, we are so thankful
that you are joining us.
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You could be doing
anything right now,
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but you're
studying right here with us
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wherever you are
around the world.
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And we're so thankful for that.
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Again, we're studying
this week lesson number four
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in our study through
the Book of Deuteronomy.
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And this week's
lesson is entitled
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"To Love the Lord Your God."
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And it's an exciting one.
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And I think we're
going to be able to unpack it
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with this
incredible panel as always.
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And I'm going to
introduce you guys now
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to my direct left
is Miss Shelley Quinn.
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It's always a
blessing to have you.
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Oh, it's always a
blessing to be here
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and to get to learn
from everybody on the panel.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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And, of course, new to the panel
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but not so new, because
you've been on 3ABN many times.
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Brother James Rafferty,
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it's always a
blessing to have you.
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Good to be here. Very
excited about the lesson.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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And, of course, my
brother from another mother.
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Pastor Kenny Shelton,
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it's always a
blessing to have you.
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It's good to be here
study the Word of God.
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I'm excited about this lesson.
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All right. Praise the Lord.
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And, of course, way down there
at the far side of the table,
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we have Miss Jill Morikone,
Vice President of 3ABN,
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and it's always a
blessing to hear it.
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I know you got a list.
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That might happen.
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I'm excited about this lesson
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and continuing our
study of Deuteronomy.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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And so we're gonna
get right into this.
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But before we do,
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we should always
invite the Holy Spirit
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to lead and
guide us in our study.
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And so I'm going to ask, Jill,
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if you would please
have a prayer for us?
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Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus,
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grateful for the
gift of Your Word,
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grateful for the
gift of Your Spirit.
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And we ask right now,
would You come and teach us
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and open up our minds and hearts
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to what You have for us.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen.
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Praise the Lord.
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As I'm preparing
for these lessons,
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I'm so blessed often
and there's many times
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as I'm reading
the author's words,
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and this, this sense,
it's Clifford Goldstein.
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And he's such an
amazing student of the Word
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and a great teacher.
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And as I was
reading through the studies
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that we've been
studying through this study
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on the Book of Deuteronomy,
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I just... Some ways he
just words things so well
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that I have to
put it into my study.
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And there may
be someone watching
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that doesn't have a legitimate
copy of this study yet.
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And we want to be able to share
some of those words with you.
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So I'm going to open up
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with how he opens a
Sabbath afternoon's lesson.
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And he says in
the Jewish religion,
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one of the most
important players
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which has been player's prayers,
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that's what I wanted to say.
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One of the most
important prayers
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is taken from
Deuteronomy Chapter 6.
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It is known as the Shema,
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based on the first Hebrew word
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of the prayer
from the root Shema,
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which means to
listen or even to obey,
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a word that
appears over and over,
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not just in Deuteronomy,
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but all through
the Old Testament.
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And, of course, the
first line of the Shema,
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it literally sounds like this.
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And I love the Hebrew language
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because it just sounds so great.
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But it sounds like this,
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Shema yisrael Adonai
eloheinu Adonai echad.
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You got to get that ech in there
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because that's the
way it's said, echad.
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It goes on to say, it means,
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hear O Israel, and this is words
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we've probably
heard so many times.
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Hear, O Israel: The Lord
our God, the Lord is one.
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It's literally the
holiest text in all of the Torah
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according to the Jewish faith.
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And, of course, that
comes from Deuteronomy 6:4.
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Many times when Jews pray
it, they cover their eyes.
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And, of course, the idea is
to let nothing distract them
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from thinking about God.
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Now, it make
sense, because oftentimes
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when I'm really
trying to concentrate,
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I'll close my eyes just
to kind of focus on my words
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that I want to
say, but they do that.
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In tradition,
they do that many times
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they'll close the eyes
when they say this prayer.
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Of course, the first
line of the Shema is deemed
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an affirmation of
the monotheistic nature
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of Adonai eloheinu,
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the Lord our God is
how that is translated,
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and Israel's
loyalty to him alone
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and to no other God.
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Of course, we see this repeated
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all the way
through the Old Testament,
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even into the New Testament
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that only God you will serve,
you shall serve no other gods.
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In fact, it could also be
read as the Lord is our God.
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And this one line is
part of the first speech
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that Moses gave to
the children of Israel
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as they were about to
enter into the Promised Land.
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And, of course, what
follows that opening line,
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however, is very, very powerful.
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And that's exactly what
we're going to be studying
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as we make our way
into Sunday's lesson
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which is
entitled, "To Love God."
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Okay, so as we go
down the panel today,
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we're going to be
breaking down different aspects
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of Deuteronomy Chapter 6.
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I wanna go right into
Deuteronomy Chapter 6,
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let's turn there,
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and I'm gonna
read verses 1 and 2.
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So Moses has just finished
basically his history lesson.
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And now he goes on to
instruct the children of Israel
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on in what way they need
to do or to keep the land
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and how to thrive in the
land that God has given them.
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So this is how they are to keep
that land and to thrive in it.
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And, of course, it begins
with Deuteronomy Chapter 6,
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I'm going to
read verses 1 and 2.
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The Bible says, "Now
this is the commandment,
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and these are the
statutes and judgments
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which the Lord your God
has commanded to teach you,
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that you may
observe them in the land
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which you are
crossing over to possess,
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that you may fear
the Lord your God,
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to keep all His
statutes and His commandments
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which I command you,
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you and your son
and your grandson,
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all the days of your life,
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and that your
days may be prolonged."
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So those are the opening words,
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look, this is how
you're going to keep the land
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that I've given you.
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This is how
you're going to thrive.
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And this is how you're going
to continue to be My people,
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keeping God's commandments,
His statutes, His judgments.
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Then afterwards He
delivers the great Shema.
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Deuteronomy
6:4-5, "Hear, O Israel:
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The Lord our
God, the Lord is one!
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You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart,
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with all your soul, and
with all of your strength."
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So loving God
with all of your heart,
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your soul, your
strength means to love Him,
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should be in supreme, right?
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Your love for
Him should be supreme
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for everything and every,
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for everything and everyone else
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should come secondary, right?
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And that's essentially
what we need to understand
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when we're talking about this,
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how to love the Lord God
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with all your heart,
mind, soul and strength.
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We're gonna break
this down in just a moment.
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But that's important,
love for Him should be,
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should put our
love for everything else
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in proper perspective.
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And the Hebrew word, of course,
in the Hebrew, the word your,
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okay, so your God,
your heart, your mind,
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of course, the singular
meaning that God specifically
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while He's
addressing the masses here,
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He's addressing them
on an individual level,
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your heart, your
mind, your strength,
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this is an, it's a
personal relationship
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between us and God.
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But, of course, none
of this should surprise us
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because Jesus is often quoting
Deuteronomy in His ministry.
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In fact, more
than any other book,
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we find him quoting Deuteronomy.
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And let's go to Mark Chapter 12.
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We see the words of Christ
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as He is
referencing the great Shema,
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in this case, to the greatest
first commandment of all.
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Mark Chapter 12:28-30.
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Notice what the
Bible says, of course,
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it says beginning in verse 28,
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"Then one of the scribes came,
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and having heard
them reason together,
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perceiving that He
had answered them well,
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asked Him,
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'Which is the first
commandment of all?'
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Jesus answered him,
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'The first of all
the commandments is, '"
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and here it is,
"'Hear, O Israel,
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the Lord our
God, the Lord is one.
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And you shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart,
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with all your
soul, with all your mind,
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and with all your strength.'
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This is the first
and great commandment.'"
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And so, I guess the
question we need to ask is
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what does it mean
to love the Lord God
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with all your heart, right?
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With all your heart.
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There's a song that I
sing called with all my heart.
00:09:03.10\00:09:05.61
And as I was studying
this, that song came to my mind
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and the chorus is so beautiful
because it just expresses
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how we should respond to God,
00:09:11.41\00:09:12.95
how our relationship
should be with all my heart.
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I want to love you, Lord,
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and live my life
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each day to know you more.
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All that is in me
is yours completely.
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I'll serve you
only with all my heart.
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Beautiful song, made
popular by Babbie Mason,
00:09:36.94\00:09:39.54
I sing it often
as a child growing up
00:09:39.57\00:09:41.21
and I still sing it today.
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And when I hear the words here,
00:09:42.61\00:09:44.78
to love the Lord
God with all your heart.
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You know,
looking at the word heart
00:09:47.08\00:09:48.58
in both the Hebrew and the Greek
00:09:48.62\00:09:49.95
it really comes across the same.
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The heart is in the...
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It basically
establishes the center of you.
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It's talking about
the middle or the center
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which comes from within you.
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It's not talking about
that cardiac pump in the center
00:10:01.30\00:10:03.16
of your chest, right?
00:10:03.20\00:10:04.53
It's talking
about your thoughts,
00:10:04.57\00:10:05.90
your feelings,
your inclinations,
00:10:05.93\00:10:07.27
and your understanding,
00:10:07.30\00:10:08.64
the fullness of
your understanding.
00:10:08.67\00:10:10.31
Proverbs 4:23. I
love that scripture.
00:10:10.34\00:10:13.41
It says, "Keep thy
heart with all diligence,
00:10:13.44\00:10:16.58
for out of it are
the issues of life."
00:10:16.61\00:10:19.21
That's the King James Version.
00:10:19.25\00:10:21.05
And, of course, I
went over just to see
00:10:21.08\00:10:22.78
how the NIV worded this,
very similar, above all else.
00:10:22.82\00:10:26.25
This is the NIV
of Proverbs 4:23.
00:10:26.29\00:10:28.69
"Above all else,
00:10:28.72\00:10:30.06
guard your heart for everything
you do flows from it."
00:10:30.09\00:10:33.26
Right?
00:10:33.29\00:10:34.63
So we have to guard
our thoughts, our ideas,
00:10:34.66\00:10:36.36
our inclinations, right?
00:10:36.40\00:10:37.87
Matthew 12:23,
what did Jesus say?
00:10:37.90\00:10:41.10
"Brood of vipers!
00:10:41.14\00:10:42.47
How can you being evil
speak good things?" Right?
00:10:42.50\00:10:45.31
Notice how he's talking
about speaking good things,
00:10:45.34\00:10:47.04
because he says,
00:10:47.08\00:10:48.41
"For out of the
abundance of the heart,
00:10:48.44\00:10:50.51
the mouth speaks."
00:10:50.55\00:10:52.01
So when you love
God with all your heart,
00:10:52.05\00:10:55.95
not only your
behavior reflects that,
00:10:55.98\00:10:57.82
but also what you say
00:10:57.85\00:10:59.32
is the evidence of that as well.
00:10:59.35\00:11:00.69
So how do we love the
Lord God with all our heart?
00:11:00.72\00:11:03.36
It's all of our understanding,
all of our thoughts,
00:11:03.39\00:11:06.19
all of what we say and do.
00:11:06.23\00:11:07.76
That is how we express to Him
00:11:07.80\00:11:09.70
that we love Him
with all our heart.
00:11:09.73\00:11:11.27
Love Him with all our soul.
00:11:11.30\00:11:13.44
That's an
interesting one, right?
00:11:13.47\00:11:14.87
But Christianity has
a different perspective
00:11:14.90\00:11:16.50
on what the soul is, right?
00:11:16.54\00:11:18.17
But we want the
biblical perspective.
00:11:18.21\00:11:19.87
The soul, of
course, is more than
00:11:19.91\00:11:21.24
just an abstract word for life.
00:11:21.28\00:11:23.18
It is
everything that encompasses
00:11:23.21\00:11:25.08
the living individual itself,
00:11:25.11\00:11:27.28
the person or
creature as well as the mind
00:11:27.32\00:11:30.55
that speaks of deep
thought and deliberate choice.
00:11:30.59\00:11:33.46
And so in this
case, Genesis 2:7,
00:11:33.49\00:11:36.02
remember what the Bible
says when God was creating Adam.
00:11:36.06\00:11:38.63
It says, "And
the Lord God formed
00:11:38.66\00:11:40.00
man of the dust of the ground,
00:11:40.03\00:11:41.36
and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life,
00:11:41.40\00:11:43.43
and man became a," what?
00:11:43.47\00:11:45.50
"We became living."
00:11:45.53\00:11:46.87
So not that he has the soul
00:11:46.90\00:11:48.27
or that God somehow took this,
00:11:48.30\00:11:49.77
you know, translucent
or invisible substance
00:11:49.80\00:11:52.07
and said, you
know, gave it and now
00:11:52.11\00:11:54.08
we possess it as
some type of substance,
00:11:54.11\00:11:56.21
but rather we are a living soul.
00:11:56.24\00:11:58.68
And so when we serve God,
00:11:58.71\00:12:00.22
and we love Him
with all our heart,
00:12:00.25\00:12:01.68
and with all our soul, it
means with all of our living,
00:12:01.72\00:12:05.25
and the living
being that we are in God,
00:12:05.29\00:12:07.89
that life source
that He has given us,
00:12:07.92\00:12:09.79
we are to serve Him,
which is why Matthew 10:28,
00:12:09.82\00:12:12.23
we've heard this text,
00:12:12.26\00:12:13.60
and some people
get confused by it.
00:12:13.63\00:12:14.96
But Jesus says, "And do not fear
00:12:15.00\00:12:16.43
those which were
able to kill the body
00:12:16.46\00:12:17.80
but cannot kill the soul, right?
00:12:17.83\00:12:20.10
But rather fear Him
who is able to destroy
00:12:20.14\00:12:23.51
both soul and body in hellfire."
00:12:23.54\00:12:25.64
Right?
00:12:25.67\00:12:27.01
What it's talking about is,
00:12:27.04\00:12:28.38
you know, man can kill the body,
00:12:28.41\00:12:29.74
they can destroy the
body, but our eternal destiny,
00:12:29.78\00:12:32.51
our very living existence
is wrapped up only in God,
00:12:32.55\00:12:36.15
only God has control of that.
00:12:36.18\00:12:37.85
So when we love the Lord
God with all of our soul,
00:12:37.89\00:12:40.69
we're giving Him
all of our very being,
00:12:40.72\00:12:43.26
our very living existence,
00:12:43.29\00:12:44.86
encompassing all that
we are as a living being
00:12:44.89\00:12:47.63
that receives and has received
the breath of life to live.
00:12:47.66\00:12:51.27
We serve Him with all our
soul, with all our strength.
00:12:51.30\00:12:55.74
How do we serve the Lord?
00:12:55.77\00:12:57.11
With all our strength.
00:12:57.14\00:12:58.47
Lord, I'm gonna be
powerful for you, right?
00:12:58.51\00:13:00.04
I don't know.
00:13:00.08\00:13:01.41
Some people think of that
00:13:01.44\00:13:02.78
with all our
strength and all our might.
00:13:02.81\00:13:04.15
We are commanded to love Him
00:13:04.18\00:13:05.51
with the things that
make us strong, right?
00:13:05.55\00:13:07.98
We are to love Him
with our accomplishments,
00:13:08.02\00:13:10.85
our influence with all
of our tangible capacities.
00:13:10.89\00:13:14.12
1 John 3:18, I love this
text, "My little children,
00:13:14.16\00:13:17.83
let us not love
in word or in tongue,
00:13:17.86\00:13:21.63
but in deed and in truth."
00:13:21.66\00:13:24.03
Right?
00:13:24.07\00:13:25.40
So ask yourself,
what are you good at?
00:13:25.43\00:13:27.97
What is it that you're good at?
00:13:28.00\00:13:29.44
What are my strengths?
That's a good question.
00:13:29.47\00:13:31.54
What do I have going for me?
00:13:31.57\00:13:33.48
You know, are you serving
God with all of your resources,
00:13:33.51\00:13:36.91
your money, your abilities,
00:13:36.95\00:13:38.28
your influences,
your talent, your time?
00:13:38.31\00:13:41.02
What am I capable of?
00:13:41.05\00:13:42.38
That's the question
we should be asking.
00:13:42.42\00:13:43.75
We need to love
Him by using our money
00:13:43.79\00:13:45.59
that He has given for our glory,
00:13:45.62\00:13:47.06
that's
according to our strength.
00:13:47.09\00:13:49.06
Money may be your strength,
00:13:49.09\00:13:50.43
not that it's yours, it's God's,
00:13:50.46\00:13:52.03
but you're using it to serve
Him with all of your resources.
00:13:52.06\00:13:54.76
Love Him by raising
your children as unto him,
00:13:54.80\00:13:57.47
love him by spending your time
and energy listening to Him,
00:13:57.50\00:14:00.00
praising Him,
thanking Him and obeying Him.
00:14:00.04\00:14:02.90
Love Him with your ability
to create great opportunities
00:14:02.94\00:14:06.04
and growth of fellowship, right?
00:14:06.07\00:14:08.11
Creating those opportunities,
00:14:08.14\00:14:09.48
love Him with your ability
00:14:09.51\00:14:10.85
perhaps with the arts
00:14:10.88\00:14:12.21
or the talents
God has given you.
00:14:12.25\00:14:13.58
Maybe you paint, maybe
you sew, maybe you write,
00:14:13.62\00:14:16.15
maybe you sing,
whatever it is you do,
00:14:16.18\00:14:18.12
do it with all your might,
do it with all your strength.
00:14:18.15\00:14:21.26
Love Him with your
influence in the workplace.
00:14:21.29\00:14:24.13
That's important, right?
00:14:24.16\00:14:25.49
Love Him with your ability
to see into people's lives
00:14:25.53\00:14:28.06
and encourage them.
00:14:28.10\00:14:29.46
Love him, of course, I
mentioned this earlier,
00:14:29.50\00:14:31.03
but with the talent,
everyone has a talent.
00:14:31.07\00:14:33.03
I got a talent.
You got a talent.
00:14:33.07\00:14:34.77
Are you using
it for God's glory?
00:14:34.80\00:14:36.84
Are you using it to show
your love for your Creator?
00:14:36.87\00:14:39.97
Love Him with
your gifts of teaching,
00:14:40.01\00:14:42.34
with your gift of serving,
00:14:42.38\00:14:43.98
with your gift of encouragement.
00:14:44.01\00:14:45.85
Love Him with relationships,
00:14:45.88\00:14:48.08
with your
relationship with others.
00:14:48.12\00:14:49.45
There's so many ways
00:14:49.48\00:14:50.82
that we can love
God with our heart,
00:14:50.85\00:14:52.19
our mind, our
soul, our strength,
00:14:52.22\00:14:53.72
and that's what
Sunday's lesson is all about.
00:14:53.76\00:14:56.09
But I'm gonna pass it on to
Shelley for Monday's lesson.
00:14:56.12\00:14:58.99
And I'm not going
to speak In Hebrew,
00:14:59.03\00:15:00.50
I'm not gonna sing.
00:15:00.53\00:15:02.00
I used to hear
or read Mark 12:30.
00:15:02.03\00:15:05.93
And I just thought, Lord,
00:15:05.97\00:15:07.60
I can't love You
with all my heart,
00:15:07.64\00:15:09.17
soul, mind and strength.
00:15:09.20\00:15:10.67
And then one day the Lord
showed me Romans 5:5, says,
00:15:10.71\00:15:14.14
He pours His love into our heart
00:15:14.18\00:15:16.08
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:15:16.11\00:15:18.01
So it's only as
the spirit fills us
00:15:18.05\00:15:21.65
that we're able.
00:15:21.68\00:15:23.02
All of His
commandments are promises.
00:15:23.05\00:15:26.02
I'm Shelley Quinn, I
have Monday's lesson,
00:15:26.05\00:15:29.69
"To Fear God."
00:15:29.72\00:15:31.13
What do you mean,
love God, fear God.
00:15:31.16\00:15:33.50
Fear is not
contradictory to love.
00:15:33.53\00:15:37.03
Let's look at Deuteronomy 10:12.
00:15:37.07\00:15:39.57
"Now, Israel,
00:15:39.60\00:15:40.94
what does the Lord
your God require of you,
00:15:40.97\00:15:44.51
but to fear the Lord your God,
00:15:44.54\00:15:46.44
to walk in all of
His ways and to love Him,
00:15:46.47\00:15:51.75
to serve the Lord your
God with all of your heart
00:15:51.78\00:15:54.72
and with all of your soul."
00:15:54.75\00:15:57.19
You know,
according to Scripture,
00:15:57.22\00:15:59.69
fearing God is wisdom.
00:15:59.72\00:16:02.19
And as I said, that's
not contradictory to love.
00:16:02.22\00:16:06.23
We should have a sense of
awe and respect for who He is,
00:16:06.26\00:16:12.03
and for His authority and power
00:16:12.07\00:16:14.80
and His
righteousness and His justice,
00:16:14.84\00:16:18.07
particularly when
you compare Him to us
00:16:18.11\00:16:20.61
who are sinful, weakened,
00:16:20.64\00:16:23.58
or completely
dependent upon Him.
00:16:23.61\00:16:25.85
This is fear as a child would
have fear for their parent.
00:16:25.88\00:16:31.69
I used to, you
know, I loved my mother,
00:16:31.72\00:16:33.86
but I feared her having,
00:16:33.89\00:16:36.06
if she told me to do
something, I was going to have.
00:16:36.09\00:16:39.23
There was a response of respect
and submission to authority.
00:16:39.26\00:16:45.03
God has unlimited
knowledge, unlimited power,
00:16:45.07\00:16:50.14
He's perfectly
righteous and holy,
00:16:50.17\00:16:53.74
and He expects us to obey.
00:16:53.78\00:16:57.61
This is
interesting, I was looking at
00:16:57.65\00:17:00.85
researching some
things on covenant.
00:17:00.88\00:17:03.89
And in the ancient Near
Eastern covenant language,
00:17:03.92\00:17:09.22
you know what?
00:17:09.26\00:17:10.59
Covenant loyalty,
how it was described?
00:17:10.63\00:17:13.80
Covenant loyalty was
described as fear and love.
00:17:13.83\00:17:19.33
Isn't that interesting?
00:17:19.37\00:17:21.14
So let me define fear the Lord.
00:17:21.17\00:17:23.41
To fear the Lord is to honor,
submit, have reverence for Him,
00:17:23.44\00:17:28.44
have awe and worship Him.
00:17:28.48\00:17:30.55
Now, often we
stop there and say,
00:17:30.58\00:17:32.81
that's all it means.
00:17:32.85\00:17:34.18
No, I did a deep
word study on this.
00:17:34.22\00:17:36.32
To fear the Lord
also means to respect
00:17:36.35\00:17:40.59
His authority as our
Creator and Redeemer,
00:17:40.62\00:17:44.06
and to demonstrate
our allegiance to Him
00:17:44.09\00:17:47.90
by humble
submission to His commandments.
00:17:47.93\00:17:52.83
And our obedience
is motivated by love.
00:17:52.87\00:17:56.34
Let me give you
some quick benefits
00:17:56.37\00:17:58.87
of fearing the
Lord, covenant loyalty.
00:17:58.91\00:18:02.54
Benefit number one,
if we fear the Lord,
00:18:02.58\00:18:05.28
we will not depart from Him.
00:18:05.31\00:18:08.28
Now what happens
without fear of the Lord?
00:18:08.32\00:18:10.49
Jeremiah 2:19.
00:18:10.52\00:18:12.95
Jeremiah 2:19 says,
this is God speaking,
00:18:12.99\00:18:17.16
"Your own
wickedness will correct you,
00:18:17.19\00:18:19.16
and your
backslidings will rebuke you.
00:18:19.19\00:18:21.66
Know therefore and
see that it is an evil
00:18:21.70\00:18:25.70
and bitter thing that you
have forsaken the Lord your God,
00:18:25.73\00:18:29.17
and the fear of
Me is not in you,
00:18:29.20\00:18:31.97
says the Lord your host."
00:18:32.01\00:18:33.78
You know, there's
consequences to sin.
00:18:33.81\00:18:36.41
And often, even when
we get forgiven by God,
00:18:36.44\00:18:39.81
if we confess our sin,
00:18:39.85\00:18:41.25
He is faithful and just
to forgive us of our sin.
00:18:41.28\00:18:44.02
But those consequences have
already been put into action.
00:18:44.05\00:18:47.32
Then what happens
when we do fear the Lord?
00:18:47.36\00:18:51.53
In Jeremiah 32:38-41, it says,
00:18:51.56\00:18:55.73
"They shall be My
people, and I will be their God;
00:18:55.76\00:18:58.43
then I will give them
one heart and one way,
00:18:58.47\00:19:02.10
that they may fear Me forever,
00:19:02.14\00:19:05.07
for the good of them and
their children after them.
00:19:05.11\00:19:09.34
And I will make an
everlasting covenant with them,
00:19:09.38\00:19:13.15
that I will not turn away
00:19:13.18\00:19:17.25
from doing them good,
00:19:17.29\00:19:19.95
but I will put My
fear in their hearts
00:19:19.99\00:19:23.06
so that they will
not depart from Me."
00:19:23.09\00:19:25.76
Hallelujah. Then he goes on.
00:19:25.79\00:19:27.60
He says, "Yes, I
rejoice over them to do good."
00:19:27.63\00:19:31.23
So the first
benefit of fearing the Lord
00:19:31.27\00:19:35.27
is we will not depart from Him.
00:19:35.30\00:19:37.61
The second benefit is the
fear of the Lord brings wisdom.
00:19:37.64\00:19:41.21
Job 28:28 says, "Behold,
00:19:41.24\00:19:45.11
the fear of the
Lord, that is wisdom,
00:19:45.15\00:19:48.12
and to depart from
evil is understanding."
00:19:48.15\00:19:53.99
Psalm 111:10.
00:19:54.02\00:19:56.49
Psalm 111:10, says,
00:19:56.52\00:19:58.93
"The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of wisdom,
00:19:58.96\00:20:02.30
a good
understanding have all of those
00:20:02.33\00:20:05.23
who do His commandments."
00:20:05.27\00:20:08.37
We are living in a
redemptive relationship
00:20:08.40\00:20:11.84
with our Lord.
00:20:11.87\00:20:13.21
There should be reverential awe,
00:20:13.24\00:20:15.94
submissive fear.
00:20:15.98\00:20:17.45
This is the foundation
00:20:17.48\00:20:19.05
of spiritual
knowledge and wisdom.
00:20:19.08\00:20:21.68
The third benefit,
00:20:21.72\00:20:23.08
the fear of the Lord
keeps us walking in His ways.
00:20:23.12\00:20:26.69
Deuteronomy
10:12," And now, Israel,
00:20:26.72\00:20:29.56
what does the Lord
your God require of you,
00:20:29.59\00:20:31.86
but to fear the Lord your God,
00:20:31.89\00:20:34.66
to walk in all of
His ways, to love Him,
00:20:34.70\00:20:37.73
to serve the Lord your God
00:20:37.77\00:20:39.47
with all your heart
and with all your soul."
00:20:39.50\00:20:42.77
Who is the
wisest man supposedly?
00:20:42.80\00:20:45.87
Well, now, I guess you would say
00:20:45.91\00:20:47.24
ever lived was Solomon.
00:20:47.28\00:20:49.08
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
00:20:49.11\00:20:52.61
Solomon is
considering everything
00:20:52.65\00:20:54.85
that's going on in the world.
00:20:54.88\00:20:56.38
And he says, you know what?
00:20:56.42\00:20:58.35
Everything is vanity.
00:20:58.39\00:20:59.75
And then he comes
down to the point, he said,
00:20:59.79\00:21:01.92
Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter.
00:21:01.96\00:21:05.76
"Fear God, and
keep His commandments,
00:21:05.79\00:21:10.57
for this is man's awe,
00:21:10.60\00:21:13.64
for God will bring
every work into judgment,
00:21:13.67\00:21:16.91
including every secret
thing, whether good or evil."
00:21:16.94\00:21:20.91
So does fear of the Lord
00:21:20.94\00:21:24.08
play a part in the
New Testament Church?
00:21:24.11\00:21:26.21
Let's look at it, Acts 9:31.
00:21:26.25\00:21:28.92
It says, "The
churches throughout all Judea,
00:21:28.95\00:21:32.02
Galilee, and Samaria
had peace and were edified."
00:21:32.05\00:21:35.52
And this is Acts 9:31,
00:21:35.56\00:21:39.89
"Walking in the fear of the Lord
00:21:39.93\00:21:43.63
and in the comfort
of the Holy Spirit,
00:21:43.67\00:21:45.50
they were multiplied."
00:21:45.53\00:21:48.07
2 Corinthians 7:1 says,
00:21:48.10\00:21:50.94
"Therefore,
having these promises,"
00:21:50.97\00:21:53.11
Paul tells the
Corinthians, "beloved,
00:21:53.14\00:21:55.78
let us cleanse ourselves
00:21:55.81\00:21:57.78
from all filthiness
of the flesh and spirit,
00:21:57.81\00:22:02.65
perfecting holiness
in the fear of God."
00:22:02.68\00:22:08.46
Oh, see, when we honor Him
and respect Him and love Him,
00:22:08.49\00:22:12.73
and we submit to His authority.
00:22:12.76\00:22:15.93
God can then
perfect holiness in us.
00:22:15.96\00:22:18.73
And, of course, you
know, Revelation 14:7,
00:22:18.77\00:22:21.84
when the first angel comes
and says, with the loud voice,
00:22:21.87\00:22:24.77
"Fear God and give glory to Him,
00:22:24.81\00:22:28.44
for the hour of
His judgment has come.
00:22:28.48\00:22:31.78
Worship Him,
00:22:31.81\00:22:33.15
who made the
heavens and the earth."
00:22:33.18\00:22:36.15
Now the four things.
00:22:36.18\00:22:37.62
God...
00:22:37.65\00:22:38.99
This is the fourth
benefit to fearing God.
00:22:39.02\00:22:41.36
God takes pleasure
in those who fear Him.
00:22:41.39\00:22:43.99
Psalm 147:11.
00:22:44.03\00:22:45.83
It says, Psalm 147:11,
00:22:45.86\00:22:50.13
"The Lord takes
pleasure in those who fear Him,
00:22:50.17\00:22:53.84
and those who
hope in His mercy."
00:22:53.87\00:22:57.87
So, you know, fear and
love are just totally...
00:22:57.91\00:23:02.01
They're so intertwined,
it's hard to separate them.
00:23:02.04\00:23:05.78
Malachi 3:16-17.
00:23:05.81\00:23:08.88
Malachi 3:16-17,
00:23:08.92\00:23:11.72
"Those who feared the
Lord spoke to one another,
00:23:11.75\00:23:13.92
the Lord
listened and heard them,
00:23:13.96\00:23:15.49
so a book of
remembrance was written
00:23:15.52\00:23:19.23
before Him for
those who fear the Lord
00:23:19.26\00:23:24.13
and who meditate on His name.
00:23:24.17\00:23:27.64
And God say, 'Oh,
they shall be Mine.
00:23:27.67\00:23:31.07
On that day I will
make them My jewels.
00:23:31.11\00:23:34.44
I will spare them
00:23:34.48\00:23:36.04
as a man spares his
own son who serves him.'"
00:23:36.08\00:23:39.88
Beautiful.
00:23:39.91\00:23:41.25
Number five, God
accepts those who fear Him.
00:23:41.28\00:23:46.72
Acts 10:34-35.
00:23:46.76\00:23:49.29
Acts 10:34-35.
00:23:49.32\00:23:51.53
Peter said, "In
truth I perceive,
00:23:51.56\00:23:55.66
God shows no partiality.
00:23:55.70\00:23:58.93
But in every
nation whoever fears Him
00:23:58.97\00:24:01.74
and works righteousness
is accepted by Him."
00:24:01.77\00:24:05.87
Oh, the psalmist
in Psalm 112:1 said,
00:24:05.91\00:24:09.71
"Blessed is the
man who fears the Lord,
00:24:09.74\00:24:11.95
who greatly delights
in His commandments."
00:24:11.98\00:24:16.69
And Luke 1:50 says,
00:24:16.72\00:24:18.05
"His mercy is on
those who fear Him
00:24:18.09\00:24:20.36
from generation to generation."
00:24:20.39\00:24:22.69
Number six, God hears the
cries of those who fear Him.
00:24:22.72\00:24:27.56
Psalm 110, excuse me,
00:24:27.60\00:24:30.17
Psalm 103:11-14,
00:24:30.20\00:24:34.07
"As the heavens are
high above the earth,
00:24:34.10\00:24:36.50
so great is His mercy
toward those who fear Him.
00:24:36.54\00:24:41.18
As far as the
east is from the west,
00:24:41.21\00:24:44.71
so far He has removed
our transgressions from us.
00:24:44.75\00:24:50.72
As a father pities his children,
00:24:50.75\00:24:54.22
so the Lord pities
those who fear Him.
00:24:54.26\00:24:58.36
For He knows our frame,
00:24:58.39\00:25:00.06
He remembers we are but dust."
00:25:00.10\00:25:03.33
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:25:03.37\00:25:04.70
To fear the Lord
of reverential awe,
00:25:04.73\00:25:06.30
respect and honor
that only God deserves.
00:25:06.33\00:25:09.07
Thank you so
much, Shelley, for that.
00:25:09.10\00:25:10.87
Don't go anywhere.
00:25:10.91\00:25:12.24
Don't change the channel.
00:25:12.27\00:25:13.61
Don't stop
watching this program.
00:25:13.64\00:25:15.08
We're just going
to take a short break
00:25:15.11\00:25:16.44
and we'll come right back.
00:25:16.48\00:25:17.81
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Welcome back to 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
00:25:53.15\00:25:55.28
We're going to kick it
to Pastor James Rafferty
00:25:55.32\00:25:57.49
with Tuesday's lesson.
00:25:57.52\00:25:58.85
You know, one of the
benefits of sitting next to you,
00:25:58.89\00:26:00.86
Shelley, is that I don't
have to turn my Bible as much,
00:26:00.89\00:26:02.96
I get to look at
your notes I read.
00:26:02.99\00:26:06.23
The only time that
becomes a hindrance as you're,
00:26:06.26\00:26:08.56
you know, so if you just keep
those arms down to your side,
00:26:08.60\00:26:12.60
let me review, okay.
00:26:12.63\00:26:14.00
All right.
00:26:14.04\00:26:15.37
I'm Pastor James Rafferty,
and I have Tuesday's lesson
00:26:15.40\00:26:17.57
which is entitled,
"He First Loved Us."
00:26:17.61\00:26:21.71
And I am amazed
00:26:21.74\00:26:24.15
at the Bible verses
there in this lesson.
00:26:24.18\00:26:25.81
We're just going to
start by reading a few of them.
00:26:25.85\00:26:27.58
They start in Deuteronomy 4:37.
00:26:27.62\00:26:31.85
Deuteronomy 4:37, here we go.
00:26:31.89\00:26:36.26
"And because he
loved thy fathers,
00:26:36.29\00:26:39.63
therefore he chose
their seed after them,
00:26:39.66\00:26:42.60
and brought
thee out in his sight
00:26:42.63\00:26:45.23
with his mighty
power out of Egypt."
00:26:45.27\00:26:47.60
Now, I want to pause
there for just a second.
00:26:47.64\00:26:50.34
Notice here what
this verse is telling us.
00:26:50.37\00:26:52.47
This verse is telling us
that God's love motivate Him,
00:26:52.51\00:26:56.44
motivated Him to
do for us what He did.
00:26:56.48\00:26:58.78
And when I say
for us, I'm talking,
00:26:58.81\00:27:00.15
of course, about
the children of Israel.
00:27:00.18\00:27:01.75
I'm talking about the Hebrews,
00:27:01.78\00:27:03.18
but I'm also
talking about us today.
00:27:03.22\00:27:05.49
God's love motivates us,
00:27:05.52\00:27:07.36
so it's not our
goodness that motivates Him.
00:27:07.39\00:27:09.66
It's His love that
motivates Him to do for us.
00:27:09.69\00:27:12.29
That's good. Yeah.
00:27:12.33\00:27:13.66
Okay.
00:27:13.70\00:27:15.03
Now let's go to the next verse.
00:27:15.06\00:27:16.40
The next verse is
found in Deuteronomy 7:7.
00:27:16.43\00:27:20.24
Deuteronomy 7:7,
00:27:20.27\00:27:22.00
we'll actually read
verses 7 and 8 of Deuteronomy 7.
00:27:22.04\00:27:24.64
Again, we're
looking for this theme
00:27:24.67\00:27:27.28
in the Book of Deuteronomy,
00:27:27.31\00:27:28.64
because we've understood
that Book of Deuteronomy
00:27:28.68\00:27:31.05
is the Book of the
Law, the Book of the Law.
00:27:31.08\00:27:33.98
Well, guess what?
00:27:34.02\00:27:35.35
There's no way God is
going to establish His law
00:27:35.38\00:27:38.39
in any way on this earth,
00:27:38.42\00:27:40.09
on this planet, in our
hearts, in any religion,
00:27:40.12\00:27:43.36
any group of people without
first establishing His love.
00:27:43.39\00:27:48.23
So the Book of Deuteronomy
is not just God's law,
00:27:48.26\00:27:51.30
the Book of God's law,
it's the Book of God's love.
00:27:51.33\00:27:53.80
No wonder it was
Christ's favorite book.
00:27:53.84\00:27:55.67
No wonder
Christ quoted so often.
00:27:55.70\00:27:57.64
And I didn't realize
this about Deuteronomy
00:27:57.67\00:28:00.01
until I started
reading these verses
00:28:00.04\00:28:01.64
one after another
from today's lesson.
00:28:01.68\00:28:04.15
So Deuteronomy Chapter 7,
let's look at it again here.
00:28:04.18\00:28:06.51
Verse 7, "The Lord did
not set His love upon you,
00:28:06.55\00:28:10.79
nor choose you
00:28:10.82\00:28:12.15
because you were more in number
than any people, for you have,
00:28:12.19\00:28:15.59
you were the
fewest of all people."
00:28:15.62\00:28:16.96
You know, many times
we choose our church,
00:28:16.99\00:28:18.63
we choose our group, whatever,
00:28:18.66\00:28:20.00
oh, that's a big church.
00:28:20.03\00:28:21.36
That's where I'm going to go.
That must be a popular place.
00:28:21.40\00:28:23.23
I'll go over there.
Look at all those people.
00:28:23.26\00:28:24.63
This place is... Oh,
yeah, we had a ton of people.
00:28:24.67\00:28:26.63
This was really a
good meeting, you know?
00:28:26.67\00:28:28.04
No, God didn't choose
us because of our numbers.
00:28:28.07\00:28:30.91
Right.
00:28:30.94\00:28:32.27
He set His love upon us
when we were the fewest.
00:28:32.31\00:28:35.58
Verse 8 says,
00:28:35.61\00:28:36.95
"But because the Lord
loved you," the Lord did what?
00:28:36.98\00:28:40.12
"He loved you
00:28:40.15\00:28:41.48
and because He
would keep the oath
00:28:41.52\00:28:43.25
which he had sworn
under your fathers,
00:28:43.28\00:28:45.49
hath the Lord brought
you out with a mighty hand
00:28:45.52\00:28:48.19
and redeemed you out
of the house of bondmen,
00:28:48.22\00:28:50.59
from the land of
Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
00:28:50.63\00:28:53.19
from the hand of
Pharaoh, king of Egypt."
00:28:53.23\00:28:54.56
So again, the same
point is emphasized.
00:28:54.60\00:28:56.97
This is why God did for
you what He did for you.
00:28:57.00\00:28:58.83
This is why God does for
you what He does for you.
00:28:58.87\00:29:01.14
He does it, He did
it because He loves you.
00:29:01.17\00:29:04.47
Okay, next verse.
00:29:04.51\00:29:06.61
Deuteronomy Chapter 7.
00:29:06.64\00:29:08.21
We're not going any further
than this chapter right now
00:29:08.24\00:29:10.41
in verse 13, Deuteronomy 7:13.
00:29:10.45\00:29:14.62
We've read the verses
that tell us why God did it.
00:29:14.65\00:29:17.25
That's kind of a past tense,
00:29:17.29\00:29:18.62
this is why He did
it because He loves you.
00:29:18.65\00:29:19.99
And notice what it
says here in verse 13,
00:29:20.02\00:29:21.79
"And He will love thee,
00:29:21.82\00:29:23.63
and He will love
thee and bless thee."
00:29:23.66\00:29:25.86
See, this is what it means
when it says, I don't change.
00:29:25.89\00:29:28.93
I'm the same today,
yesterday and forever.
00:29:28.96\00:29:31.23
Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today and forever.
00:29:31.27\00:29:32.87
I'm the Lord
God, I don't change.
00:29:32.90\00:29:34.64
That's the context of the verse.
00:29:34.67\00:29:36.00
In Malachi, "Therefore you
sons of Jacob are not consumed."
00:29:36.04\00:29:39.51
Not I'm the Lord
God, I don't change,
00:29:39.54\00:29:40.88
therefore keep the
Sabbath because the laws...
00:29:40.91\00:29:42.31
No, love comes
before law keeping.
00:29:42.34\00:29:45.38
Jesus said, "If you love Me,
00:29:45.41\00:29:47.32
you're going to
keep My commandments.
00:29:47.35\00:29:49.08
It's gonna be a
natural consequence.
00:29:49.12\00:29:50.92
So God says, I love you,
00:29:50.95\00:29:52.72
and that's why
you're not consumed.
00:29:52.75\00:29:54.09
And when that dawns
upon us, we're like, wow,
00:29:54.12\00:29:56.12
and that dawned upon
me like, my whole life,
00:29:56.16\00:29:58.43
Satan was trying to take me out.
00:29:58.46\00:29:59.96
And then I
realized, the only reason
00:30:00.00\00:30:01.33
he didn't take me out is
00:30:01.36\00:30:02.70
because God loved me
even when I didn't know Him,
00:30:02.73\00:30:04.70
have relationship
with Him, He loved me.
00:30:04.73\00:30:07.17
I said, whoa, this
motivates me to live for God.
00:30:07.20\00:30:10.07
He has put His love upon me,
I want to respond to that love,
00:30:10.11\00:30:14.54
and I want to live for Him.
00:30:14.58\00:30:16.01
And this is what
we're finding here
00:30:16.04\00:30:17.51
over and over
again in Deuteronomy.
00:30:17.55\00:30:19.85
"He will love
thee, He will bless thee,
00:30:19.88\00:30:21.85
He will multiply thee,
00:30:21.88\00:30:23.22
He will also bless
the fruit of thy womb
00:30:23.25\00:30:24.89
and the fruit of thy land,
thy corn, thy wine, thine oil,
00:30:24.92\00:30:27.86
the increase of thy
kine, the flocks thy sheep,
00:30:27.89\00:30:31.46
and in the land
in which he swear
00:30:31.49\00:30:32.99
unto the fathers to give thee."
00:30:33.03\00:30:34.36
God is going to continue.
00:30:34.40\00:30:36.67
He has loved you.
00:30:36.70\00:30:38.03
He's gonna continue to love you.
00:30:38.07\00:30:39.40
He will never stop loving you.
00:30:39.43\00:30:40.77
He will not
change from loving you.
00:30:40.80\00:30:42.20
He will love those who are lost.
00:30:42.24\00:30:43.81
He will love
those who are destroyed.
00:30:43.84\00:30:46.11
He is love.
00:30:46.14\00:30:48.31
There's no option
for God, God is love,
00:30:48.34\00:30:50.68
and He will continue
to love no matter what.
00:30:50.71\00:30:52.98
All right, the next verse
00:30:53.01\00:30:54.35
we want to look at
is Deuteronomy 10:15.
00:30:54.38\00:30:58.82
Deuteronomy
10:15, didn't realize
00:30:58.85\00:31:01.79
were so many love
verses here in Deuteronomy.
00:31:01.82\00:31:03.99
I mean, it's almost
like we're in 1 John, right?
00:31:04.03\00:31:06.06
Right.
00:31:06.09\00:31:08.06
The love epistle.
00:31:08.10\00:31:09.43
Only, verse 15 says,
00:31:09.46\00:31:10.80
"Only the Lord hath a delight
in thy fathers to love them,
00:31:10.83\00:31:16.07
and he chose
their seed after them,
00:31:16.10\00:31:17.87
even you above all the
people as it is this day."
00:31:17.91\00:31:22.24
And again, we're going to
read this in Deuteronomy 33:3.
00:31:22.28\00:31:26.01
Deuteronomy 33:3, "Yea,
00:31:26.05\00:31:30.99
he loved the people, all
his saints are in thy hand:
00:31:31.02\00:31:34.86
and they sat down at thy feet,
00:31:34.89\00:31:37.16
every one shall
receive of thy words."
00:31:37.19\00:31:41.26
So there they are.
00:31:41.30\00:31:42.63
Love, love, love, love, love.
00:31:42.66\00:31:45.80
And we're in the Old Testament,
we're in the Book of the Law.
00:31:45.83\00:31:49.50
And we know why it's here.
00:31:49.54\00:31:51.44
We know it, because
God has to first love us
00:31:51.47\00:31:55.51
before we can love Him.
00:31:55.54\00:31:57.41
It doesn't work
the other way around.
00:31:57.45\00:31:58.95
It won't work, it won't happen.
00:31:58.98\00:32:00.65
There's no way we
can love God first.
00:32:00.68\00:32:03.05
This is the
message of the Bible.
00:32:03.08\00:32:04.75
It's the message
of the Old Testament,
00:32:04.79\00:32:06.29
as well as the
message of the New Testament.
00:32:06.32\00:32:07.92
So it wouldn't be surprising
to go to the New Testament,
00:32:07.96\00:32:10.53
and realize and understand
00:32:10.56\00:32:13.19
how important it is
that God loves us first.
00:32:13.23\00:32:16.97
The reason why
God loves us first,
00:32:17.00\00:32:19.00
the reason why He must
love us first and get this,
00:32:19.03\00:32:21.40
the reason why we as preachers,
00:32:21.44\00:32:23.94
teachers of the Word of God
00:32:23.97\00:32:25.31
must encourage
other people to understand
00:32:25.34\00:32:26.78
that God loves us first,
00:32:26.81\00:32:28.18
is because that's the only thing
00:32:28.21\00:32:30.51
that will motivate us
to love God in response.
00:32:30.55\00:32:32.28
Amen.
00:32:32.31\00:32:33.65
You love God in response, whoo.
00:32:33.68\00:32:35.22
And so Paul
really gets into this.
00:32:35.25\00:32:36.72
I mean, he really nails this
00:32:36.75\00:32:38.82
in Ephesians Chapter
00:32:38.85\00:32:41.26
1, 2, and 3,
00:32:41.29\00:32:45.09
Paul spends his
entire time focusing on
00:32:45.13\00:32:49.90
the Gospel of Jesus
Christ and the love of God.
00:32:49.93\00:32:52.43
It's really interesting,
00:32:52.47\00:32:53.80
you know, if you read carefully,
00:32:53.84\00:32:55.17
and I'm gonna just challenge
you to do this, read carefully.
00:32:55.20\00:32:56.77
Ephesians 1, 2, and 3.
00:32:56.81\00:32:59.54
You're going to find, in fact,
00:32:59.57\00:33:00.91
let's just open there
to Ephesians Chapter 3,
00:33:00.94\00:33:02.48
just for a second because,
00:33:02.51\00:33:03.85
well, maybe for
more than a second,
00:33:03.88\00:33:05.21
how about two seconds.
00:33:05.25\00:33:06.58
Because Ephesians Chapter 3
00:33:06.61\00:33:08.08
has this really
interesting ending.
00:33:08.12\00:33:10.32
Look at this, Paul, Paul goes
through Ephesians 1, 2 and 3,
00:33:10.35\00:33:14.09
and then he closes out
in Ephesians 3 with this,
00:33:14.12\00:33:17.36
this word that he uses,
amen, like, end of story,
00:33:17.39\00:33:21.60
like that's it, like we're done.
00:33:21.63\00:33:23.23
Okay? Amen.
00:33:23.26\00:33:24.80
And he's acting
00:33:24.83\00:33:26.43
as though he doesn't
have three more little,
00:33:26.47\00:33:28.57
you know, chapters here.
00:33:28.60\00:33:29.94
We divide them into
chapters to finish up Ephesians.
00:33:29.97\00:33:32.04
He's acting like
there's no more to it.
00:33:32.07\00:33:33.41
Right.
00:33:33.44\00:33:34.78
That's because there's a
certain point he's making it.
00:33:34.81\00:33:36.21
Ephesians 1, 2, and 3,
00:33:36.24\00:33:37.58
there is nothing in
there about obedience.
00:33:37.61\00:33:40.32
There's nothing in
there about responding to God,
00:33:40.35\00:33:42.95
I mean, I shouldn't
say responding to God,
00:33:42.98\00:33:44.62
doing what God wants us to do.
00:33:44.65\00:33:45.99
There's nothing.
00:33:46.02\00:33:47.36
The first three
chapters of Ephesians
00:33:47.39\00:33:48.72
are just chock-full
of God's foreknowing,
00:33:48.76\00:33:53.03
predestining and in love for us,
00:33:53.06\00:33:55.80
His inclusive love
for the whole of humanity.
00:33:55.83\00:33:58.30
In fact, Paul closes out
here in Ephesians Chapter 3,
00:33:58.33\00:34:00.90
and this is what he says.
00:34:00.94\00:34:02.70
He says, "For
this cause," verse 14,
00:34:02.74\00:34:04.67
"I bow my knees unto the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:34:04.71\00:34:06.84
of whom the whole family
in heaven and earth is named,
00:34:06.88\00:34:09.54
that He would grant you
00:34:09.58\00:34:10.91
according to the
riches of His glory,
00:34:10.95\00:34:12.28
to be strengthened with might,
by His Spirit in the inner man,
00:34:12.31\00:34:15.45
that Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith,
00:34:15.48\00:34:17.19
that you being
rooted and grounded in love,
00:34:17.22\00:34:20.26
may be able to
comprehend with all saints
00:34:20.29\00:34:21.86
what is the breadth,
and what is the length,
00:34:21.89\00:34:24.36
and what is the depth,
00:34:24.39\00:34:25.73
and what is the height
and to know the love of Christ
00:34:25.76\00:34:27.93
which passes knowledge
that you may be able to."
00:34:27.96\00:34:30.93
Chapter 4, "Be good
citizens in this world."
00:34:30.97\00:34:33.90
Chapter 5,
00:34:33.94\00:34:35.27
"Have good
relationships in your family.
00:34:35.30\00:34:37.21
Chapter 6, "Relate
well in your workplace."
00:34:37.24\00:34:40.84
The whole rest, the whole other
half of the Book of Ephesians
00:34:40.88\00:34:43.95
tells us what love produces,
00:34:43.98\00:34:46.28
in the family, in
life, in our community,
00:34:46.31\00:34:49.98
in relationship to other people,
00:34:50.02\00:34:51.99
in relationship to
our children, our parents.
00:34:52.02\00:34:54.42
The first half tells us
love, love, love, love, love,
00:34:54.46\00:34:57.03
and the second half tells
us how that love is manifest.
00:34:57.06\00:35:00.10
That's what the
Book of Deuteronomy does.
00:35:00.13\00:35:01.80
That's what the
Book of Ephesians does.
00:35:01.83\00:35:03.80
And by the way,
friends, just a little plug here
00:35:03.83\00:35:06.74
for Salvation in
Symbols and Signs.
00:35:06.77\00:35:08.44
That's what the
Book of Revelation does.
00:35:08.47\00:35:10.91
You know, the Book of Revelation
00:35:10.94\00:35:12.27
does not reveal the people
00:35:12.31\00:35:13.74
who keep the commandments of God
00:35:13.78\00:35:15.14
until you get to
Revelation 12:17.
00:35:15.18\00:35:17.81
Never mentioned, no
commandment keeping is mentioned
00:35:17.85\00:35:19.91
in Revelation Chapter
1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3,
00:35:19.95\00:35:21.85
Chapter 4, Chapter
5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7,
00:35:21.88\00:35:23.69
Chapter 8, Chapter 9,
Chapter 10, Chapter 11,
00:35:23.72\00:35:26.25
no commandment keeping.
00:35:26.29\00:35:27.62
But once that
first half of the book
00:35:27.66\00:35:29.92
establishes God's salvation
plan in our hearts, guess what?
00:35:29.96\00:35:34.16
It is manifested.
00:35:34.20\00:35:35.86
It reveals the people
00:35:35.90\00:35:37.47
who keep the
commandments of God.
00:35:37.50\00:35:38.83
The whole Bible
is all about this.
00:35:38.87\00:35:40.44
Deuteronomy is about it.
00:35:40.47\00:35:41.90
Ephesians is about it.
00:35:41.94\00:35:43.27
Revelation is about it.
00:35:43.30\00:35:44.64
And all of it is
summarized at this one phrase,
00:35:44.67\00:35:47.01
Jesus Christ, John 14:15.
00:35:47.04\00:35:49.71
"If you love Me, you
will keep My commandments."
00:35:49.74\00:35:52.61
Praise God.
00:35:52.65\00:35:53.98
Amen. Amen.
00:35:54.02\00:35:55.58
Praise the Lord.
00:35:55.62\00:35:57.39
That's such a good foundation.
00:35:57.42\00:35:59.09
And that's, that's love,
00:35:59.12\00:36:01.06
you know, and then I'm
gonna go on Wednesdays lesson,
00:36:01.09\00:36:03.66
I'm Pastor Kenny Shelton.
00:36:03.69\00:36:05.03
We're going to be
looking at, "If you love Me,
00:36:05.06\00:36:07.53
keep My commandments."
00:36:07.56\00:36:08.90
So you set that
beautifully. Thank you.
00:36:08.93\00:36:10.27
If you love Me, keep.
00:36:10.30\00:36:11.63
So we have the
foundation of love.
00:36:11.67\00:36:13.74
Praise God for that.
00:36:13.77\00:36:15.10
Now there's
something that goes beyond
00:36:15.14\00:36:16.84
the love and then keep.
00:36:16.87\00:36:18.81
So we're gonna look at
that a little bit closely here
00:36:18.84\00:36:20.54
on Wednesdays lesson.
00:36:20.58\00:36:21.91
We're challenged, you
know, at least as I study this,
00:36:21.94\00:36:24.55
you could go several
different directions with it.
00:36:24.58\00:36:27.42
You know, the old
fashioned Bible study
00:36:27.45\00:36:28.88
as it were or whatever.
00:36:28.92\00:36:30.25
Or let's look at
00:36:30.29\00:36:31.62
what the lesson
kind of brings out.
00:36:31.65\00:36:33.89
If I ask these three questions,
before we go over this part,
00:36:33.92\00:36:37.79
I wonder what our answers
might be after we go over.
00:36:37.83\00:36:40.63
What might they be different?
00:36:40.66\00:36:42.00
Okay.
00:36:42.03\00:36:43.37
I'm gonna give you
those three questions
00:36:43.40\00:36:44.73
we have right now.
00:36:44.77\00:36:46.10
What kind of experience have
you had in seeking to obey God?
00:36:46.13\00:36:50.94
Interesting.
00:36:50.97\00:36:52.31
What kind of
experience when you,
00:36:52.34\00:36:53.78
you know, you're seeking
God, you want to obey Him?
00:36:53.81\00:36:55.64
Number two,
what are your motives
00:36:55.68\00:36:58.61
in obeying God?
00:36:58.65\00:36:59.98
Amen.
00:37:00.02\00:37:01.35
Motives always play a
part here, something going on.
00:37:01.38\00:37:02.75
Number three, should it
be done out of love for Him
00:37:02.78\00:37:05.82
or which had been
brought out fear or maybe both?
00:37:05.85\00:37:09.62
And, of course, we
need and we begotten
00:37:09.66\00:37:11.39
I think very well,
00:37:11.43\00:37:12.83
a biblical understanding
of love and of fear.
00:37:12.86\00:37:17.47
And I may be wrong here.
00:37:17.50\00:37:20.37
This is, I'm gonna refer
to my brother writing songs.
00:37:20.40\00:37:23.61
And because we say what is love,
00:37:23.64\00:37:25.34
and I think he wrote the
song Calvary means love to me.
00:37:25.37\00:37:27.71
Am I correct on that?
00:37:27.74\00:37:29.08
Yes.
00:37:29.11\00:37:30.45
Okay. So I want to continue.
00:37:30.48\00:37:31.81
Calvary means love to me.
00:37:31.85\00:37:33.18
So if I'm looking to
biblical definition of love,
00:37:33.21\00:37:35.12
I've got to look at Calvary.
00:37:35.15\00:37:36.69
I've got to look at Calvary.
00:37:36.72\00:37:38.05
I've got to consider
Calvary because that,
00:37:38.09\00:37:39.59
that's what true
love is, is all about.
00:37:39.62\00:37:41.66
That's right.
00:37:41.69\00:37:43.02
And then another he wrote,
I think was written in red.
00:37:43.06\00:37:46.33
Yes.
00:37:46.36\00:37:47.70
Now I've always loved those
songs that's written in red.
00:37:47.73\00:37:49.63
If your brother is Danny. Yeah.
00:37:49.66\00:37:51.00
Danny. Yeah.
00:37:51.03\00:37:52.37
Written in red.
Yeah, I think it still is.
00:37:52.40\00:37:53.74
Yeah, he still is.
00:37:53.77\00:37:55.10
Yeah, no, written in red.
00:37:55.14\00:37:56.47
It's just a
beautiful song written in red.
00:37:56.50\00:37:58.71
This is what it's all
about in our life here.
00:37:58.74\00:38:01.04
And if you love Me,
keep My commandments,
00:38:01.08\00:38:02.64
because it's
written, it's written in red
00:38:02.68\00:38:04.55
or something there and
you can't separate the two.
00:38:04.58\00:38:08.08
I thought about fear
because we talked about fear.
00:38:08.12\00:38:11.29
Fear is a lack of
trust and faith in God.
00:38:11.32\00:38:16.09
You know, perfect love,
we know cast out all fear.
00:38:16.12\00:38:18.49
But if you
don't have that faith,
00:38:18.53\00:38:20.00
and you don't have trust,
00:38:20.03\00:38:21.36
and then we go around afraid.
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.06
I'm meeting a lot of
people nowadays, they're afraid.
00:38:23.10\00:38:25.47
They're afraid of
what's going on in the world.
00:38:25.50\00:38:26.90
They're afraid of
what's gonna happen tomorrow,
00:38:26.94\00:38:28.70
and they're not living what God
would have them to live today.
00:38:28.74\00:38:31.41
Today's the day,
you know, of salvation,
00:38:31.44\00:38:33.94
and proper fear produces
fruits of righteousness.
00:38:33.98\00:38:38.21
Amen.
00:38:38.25\00:38:39.58
And I need that in my own life.
00:38:39.61\00:38:40.95
I don't know about anybody here,
00:38:40.98\00:38:42.32
but I need the fruits of
righteous in my own life.
00:38:42.35\00:38:43.89
Now if, if we've been redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb.
00:38:43.92\00:38:47.39
Now, I'm not going to cut
down like Brother Ryan did
00:38:47.42\00:38:49.36
and I've been redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb.
00:38:49.39\00:38:51.83
But I'm gonna say it that way.
00:38:51.86\00:38:53.86
I've been redeemed by
the blood of the Lamb.
00:38:53.90\00:38:55.56
If you've been redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb,
00:38:55.60\00:38:57.30
there's something
exciting about that.
00:38:57.33\00:38:59.67
To be redeemed, to
get up every morning, say,
00:38:59.70\00:39:01.57
by the blood of the
Lamb, I've been redeemed.
00:39:01.60\00:39:04.27
Amen.
00:39:04.31\00:39:05.64
And then, because
we have been redeemed,
00:39:05.67\00:39:07.38
kind of what
everybody was saying here,
00:39:07.41\00:39:09.34
because we've been redeemed,
00:39:09.38\00:39:10.88
we want to respond our natural
response is we want to obey.
00:39:10.91\00:39:15.38
It's just natural response.
00:39:15.42\00:39:16.75
You don't have to, we
want to respond to Him.
00:39:16.79\00:39:20.09
Moses many times reminded Israel
00:39:20.12\00:39:22.76
after they had been
redeemed from Egypt.
00:39:22.79\00:39:26.53
He kept saying,
love and obey God.
00:39:26.56\00:39:29.36
Use those two things together,
love and obey God and what?
00:39:29.40\00:39:33.80
That's simply a response
for what He had done for them.
00:39:33.84\00:39:37.71
I like the natural
response, I don't like force,
00:39:37.74\00:39:40.18
I don't like you have to
or, you know, if you don't,
00:39:40.21\00:39:42.64
you're not, just
natural response.
00:39:42.68\00:39:45.48
We love God, we fear God.
00:39:45.51\00:39:46.95
The Word of God is clear.
00:39:46.98\00:39:49.48
It doesn't say, I think
maybe you brought this out.
00:39:49.52\00:39:51.42
It doesn't say
just way He loves us.
00:39:51.45\00:39:54.26
But He has revealed that love.
00:39:54.29\00:39:57.13
You know, a lot of people talk.
00:39:57.16\00:39:59.33
There's a lot of talk goes on
00:39:59.36\00:40:00.70
in Christian
circles a lot of time.
00:40:00.73\00:40:02.06
A lot of, you know, love and...
00:40:02.10\00:40:05.60
But love is what
we're talking about here
00:40:05.63\00:40:07.77
that love for us is
by what He has done,
00:40:07.80\00:40:10.84
what He is still doing
00:40:10.87\00:40:13.14
and what He's going
to continue to do for us,
00:40:13.17\00:40:14.88
it just goes on,
praise God for that.
00:40:14.91\00:40:17.45
And then that
demands a response from me
00:40:17.48\00:40:20.02
That's right.
00:40:20.05\00:40:21.38
That demands
that tremendous love,
00:40:21.42\00:40:23.55
even when I'm
bad, He still loves me.
00:40:23.59\00:40:27.12
That's right.
00:40:27.16\00:40:28.49
He may not approve,
but He still loves me
00:40:28.52\00:40:29.86
and He gonna keep drawing
me into His, in His arms.
00:40:29.89\00:40:32.96
I appreciate that so very much.
00:40:32.99\00:40:34.73
So we show our love to
God by simply by our actions.
00:40:34.76\00:40:38.47
You know you want
to bring that into.
00:40:38.50\00:40:39.83
As Christians, we say
we love God and we should.
00:40:39.87\00:40:43.74
But so you have obedience
and then you have love.
00:40:43.77\00:40:46.88
They're linked together.
00:40:46.91\00:40:48.24
I don't think you can separate.
00:40:48.28\00:40:49.61
Some people
think you can separate.
00:40:49.64\00:40:50.98
I don't think that you
can't separate those things.
00:40:51.01\00:40:53.68
Now the couple of passages
of scripture, two verses here.
00:40:53.72\00:40:56.28
We may have went over
them, it's okay in our lesson.
00:40:56.32\00:40:58.32
John says, 1 John 5:3, he says,
"For this is the love of God,
00:40:58.35\00:41:02.76
for this is the love of God."
00:41:02.79\00:41:04.39
So what it says,
and I'm looking that up,
00:41:04.43\00:41:05.76
and I'm saying,
this is the love of God.
00:41:05.79\00:41:07.13
Okay, that's God's love.
00:41:07.16\00:41:08.50
This is our love.
00:41:08.53\00:41:10.57
Yes.
00:41:10.60\00:41:11.93
This is our, that makes it
little more personal for me.
00:41:11.97\00:41:13.94
This is our love for God
that we keep His commandments,
00:41:13.97\00:41:18.34
what it says
here, isn't that right?
00:41:18.37\00:41:19.74
Yeah.
00:41:19.77\00:41:21.11
And, of course, you know,
00:41:21.14\00:41:22.48
you talk about
in 1 John 5:2 says,
00:41:22.51\00:41:24.35
"By this we know."
00:41:24.38\00:41:26.95
That's why I love
that. By this we know.
00:41:26.98\00:41:28.62
That's right.
00:41:28.65\00:41:29.98
Praise God for that.
00:41:30.02\00:41:31.35
And then John 14:15 has
been said several times here.
00:41:31.39\00:41:34.26
If you love Me, then keep them.
00:41:34.29\00:41:37.56
I mean, that's one of the most,
00:41:37.59\00:41:38.93
probably one of first
ones I probably memorized.
00:41:38.96\00:41:40.30
I don't know
growing up in church,
00:41:40.33\00:41:41.66
what, if you love
Me, keep My commandment.
00:41:41.70\00:41:43.03
First one, we always,
00:41:43.06\00:41:44.40
you know, response to
somebody if we're doing the,
00:41:44.43\00:41:46.13
you know, commandments,
00:41:46.17\00:41:47.50
and should we
keep them and so on.
00:41:47.54\00:41:48.87
If you love Me, keep them.
00:41:48.90\00:41:50.24
Two verses express what
we've been talking about,
00:41:50.27\00:41:53.14
love to God must
always be expressed,
00:41:53.17\00:41:56.91
to me, at least by actions.
00:41:56.95\00:41:58.38
It must be, obedience to Him.
00:41:58.41\00:42:00.78
It's always been,
it's always will be,
00:42:00.82\00:42:02.98
it's never going to
change, this obedience.
00:42:03.02\00:42:06.12
And we just break it
down just a little bit.
00:42:06.15\00:42:07.89
This obedience to
God is surely means
00:42:07.92\00:42:09.92
obedience and
get it, to His law.
00:42:09.96\00:42:13.36
And it means to the
seventh day Sabbath,
00:42:13.40\00:42:15.76
I just bring that in,
00:42:15.80\00:42:17.23
you know, and you
say, "Well, I don't know."
00:42:17.27\00:42:18.60
That's it.
00:42:18.63\00:42:19.97
Yeah, all of those, you know,
00:42:20.00\00:42:21.34
including the fourth
day, keep this in mind.
00:42:21.37\00:42:22.70
I just, you know, I hear
someone say, oh, legalism.
00:42:22.74\00:42:24.77
You hear that a lot.
00:42:24.81\00:42:26.14
You keep the law,
oh, legalism, legalism.
00:42:26.17\00:42:27.81
Well, you know,
it's no more legalistic
00:42:27.84\00:42:30.31
than keeping the other nine,
00:42:30.35\00:42:32.58
that I can figure
out in my own mind,
00:42:32.61\00:42:34.18
even though... Yeah,
even though if we keep them
00:42:34.22\00:42:37.32
for the wrong
reasons, it can't be legalism,
00:42:37.35\00:42:38.95
and sometimes we
approach it that way.
00:42:38.99\00:42:40.69
We've met people that way.
00:42:40.72\00:42:42.06
We talk to people
and so on so forth.
00:42:42.09\00:42:43.49
We want to do it
God's way, don't we?
00:42:43.53\00:42:45.23
We're asked to
look to several texts.
00:42:45.26\00:42:47.06
And we'll just have
time just for a few of those,
00:42:47.10\00:42:49.00
since we've been
going in Deuteronomy.
00:42:49.03\00:42:51.03
And I'm like you, I love.
00:42:51.07\00:42:52.40
I love Deuteronomy.
00:42:52.43\00:42:53.77
I mean, it just really opens
up your eyes and your heart
00:42:53.80\00:42:55.94
and again, that you and
I are reading Deuteronomy,
00:42:55.97\00:42:57.91
I'm thinking, I'm
reading New Testament,
00:42:57.94\00:42:59.57
which is good because
right from Old Testament,
00:42:59.61\00:43:01.44
we bring it right on
over to the New Testament.
00:43:01.48\00:43:03.45
Deuteronomy 5:10 says,
00:43:03.48\00:43:04.91
"In showing mercy unto
thousands of them that love Me
00:43:04.95\00:43:08.68
and keep My commandments."
00:43:08.72\00:43:10.05
It's good.
00:43:10.09\00:43:11.42
It's beautiful,
showing mercy to them.
00:43:11.45\00:43:12.79
Praise God for His mercy.
00:43:12.82\00:43:15.12
Thank God for
His long suffering.
00:43:15.16\00:43:16.86
I can tell you right
now, wouldn't for that,
00:43:16.89\00:43:18.23
I wouldn't be here.
00:43:18.26\00:43:19.59
Amen.
00:43:19.63\00:43:20.96
I don't know about
you guys, but I just,
00:43:21.00\00:43:22.33
I know I wouldn't be here.
00:43:22.36\00:43:23.70
And praise God
for that mercy. Amen.
00:43:23.73\00:43:25.07
It's thousands of them.
00:43:25.10\00:43:26.43
Only those who love
God can possibly obey Him.
00:43:26.47\00:43:29.24
Amen.
00:43:29.27\00:43:30.61
You've got to love
Him and then, of course,
00:43:30.64\00:43:32.24
obedience comes natural.
00:43:32.27\00:43:34.34
You have a
spirit, we talked about,
00:43:34.38\00:43:35.71
without the spirit of obedience,
00:43:35.74\00:43:37.65
all we have is the letter.
00:43:37.68\00:43:39.48
Right?
00:43:39.51\00:43:40.85
All we have is
the letter of the law.
00:43:40.88\00:43:42.22
Always going to be
careful, the outward form,
00:43:42.25\00:43:44.52
and can I use
the word worthless?
00:43:44.55\00:43:46.22
Yes.
00:43:46.25\00:43:47.59
That's worthless.
00:43:47.62\00:43:48.96
Yes. Okay.
00:43:48.99\00:43:50.33
Just please, we're in second,
and Deuteronomy 7:9, says,
00:43:50.36\00:43:52.06
"Know therefore that the
Lord thy God, He is God."
00:43:52.09\00:43:55.26
I love that. No
question about it.
00:43:55.30\00:43:56.97
He is God.
00:43:57.00\00:43:58.33
Now this says, the faithful God.
00:43:58.37\00:44:00.17
So I hear that, I just
get so encouraged about this.
00:44:00.20\00:44:02.30
I say, oh, He's faithful.
00:44:02.34\00:44:03.67
And He's just,
faithful means He's supportive.
00:44:03.71\00:44:06.07
That means He's
gonna stay with it.
00:44:06.11\00:44:07.91
That means He's
going to be, He's firm,
00:44:07.94\00:44:09.64
but He's going to be
right there all the time.
00:44:09.68\00:44:11.15
He's not going to
waver back and forth.
00:44:11.18\00:44:12.88
And I like it. He's dependable.
00:44:12.91\00:44:14.48
Amen.
00:44:14.52\00:44:15.85
He is so dependable and
this you can count on him.
00:44:15.88\00:44:18.19
Don't get discouraged
by all, I can't count.
00:44:18.22\00:44:20.66
You can count on God.
00:44:20.69\00:44:22.02
He's always going to be there.
00:44:22.06\00:44:23.39
You might be the issue
and I might be the issue,
00:44:23.43\00:44:25.33
but God's not the issue.
00:44:25.36\00:44:27.26
So reading along with
it, which keep the covenant,
00:44:27.30\00:44:29.46
notice this, keep the
covenant and mercy of them
00:44:29.50\00:44:32.93
that love Him and
keep His commandments.
00:44:32.97\00:44:35.47
Again, mercy, we're
talking steadfast love,
00:44:35.50\00:44:37.81
we're talking
about selflessness.
00:44:37.84\00:44:40.41
We're talking about grace.
00:44:40.44\00:44:42.04
We're talking about favor.
00:44:42.08\00:44:43.41
We're talking about love.
00:44:43.45\00:44:45.85
All combined in here
in the whole ball of wax.
00:44:45.88\00:44:48.28
I mean, it's
wonderful when you look at that.
00:44:48.32\00:44:50.52
time's about up.
00:44:50.55\00:44:52.79
Deuteronomy 10:12
says, "And now Israel,
00:44:52.82\00:44:54.96
what doeth the
Lord require of thee."
00:44:54.99\00:44:57.39
And I like, I pick out,
00:44:57.43\00:44:58.76
I think was six
things real quick here.
00:44:58.79\00:45:00.33
What does the Lord require,
that was required of us today?
00:45:00.36\00:45:02.76
It says, but to,
notice it, on our lesson,
00:45:02.80\00:45:05.23
fear the Lord
thy God, notice this,
00:45:05.27\00:45:07.54
and then walk
in all of His ways.
00:45:07.57\00:45:09.14
Number three, love Him.
00:45:09.17\00:45:10.54
That's right.
00:45:10.57\00:45:11.91
Number four, serve Him.
00:45:11.94\00:45:13.27
Number five, all your heart.
00:45:13.31\00:45:15.48
And notice number
six, with all your soul,
00:45:15.51\00:45:18.01
which has been covered
so well right up to that.
00:45:18.05\00:45:20.48
It's just saying what
we have been studying.
00:45:20.52\00:45:22.85
And we can be
encouraged by that today.
00:45:22.88\00:45:25.15
What does God
require, His request,
00:45:25.19\00:45:27.26
what's His desire for us?
00:45:27.29\00:45:28.62
Reverence for Him.
00:45:28.66\00:45:29.99
Just simply have a
right attitude toward Him,
00:45:30.03\00:45:33.16
to walk in His power,
to walk in His strength,
00:45:33.19\00:45:36.10
and develop, I like
this, to develop His character.
00:45:36.13\00:45:38.50
Amen.
00:45:38.53\00:45:39.87
You know, may God help me,
00:45:39.90\00:45:41.24
help each one of you
to develop His character.
00:45:41.27\00:45:43.91
And the only way I know to
do is by studying the Word,
00:45:43.94\00:45:45.91
by praying, and by
beholding the Lamb of God.
00:45:45.94\00:45:49.08
We behold the Lamb of God
00:45:49.11\00:45:50.45
where our character is going
to be changed into his image,
00:45:50.48\00:45:52.71
that's always waiting for,
00:45:52.75\00:45:54.08
that character is fully
reproduced in us, He will come.
00:45:54.12\00:45:57.79
Amen.
00:45:57.82\00:45:59.15
Hallelujah.
00:45:59.19\00:46:00.52
Pastor Kenny would say glory.
00:46:00.56\00:46:01.89
That's right.
00:46:01.92\00:46:04.36
Thank you so much.
00:46:04.39\00:46:05.73
I love sitting in
Thursday because you get to hear
00:46:05.76\00:46:08.03
from each one of the panelists.
00:46:08.06\00:46:09.40
What an incredible study.
00:46:09.43\00:46:10.77
I love that.
00:46:10.80\00:46:12.13
I'm Jill Morikone,
and I have Thursday,
00:46:12.17\00:46:13.70
which is "The
First Commandment."
00:46:13.74\00:46:15.50
You know, to me,
00:46:15.54\00:46:16.87
as I've been
listening to each one of you.
00:46:16.91\00:46:18.47
Each one of your days
is all about connections.
00:46:18.51\00:46:21.41
Ryan, you're about
the connection between us
00:46:21.44\00:46:23.11
and God, which is love.
00:46:23.14\00:46:25.05
We're called to love
God with everything we have.
00:46:25.08\00:46:27.45
Shelley, yours
was the connection
00:46:27.48\00:46:28.82
between fearing
God and loving God.
00:46:28.85\00:46:31.49
Pastor James, the
connection between us and God,
00:46:31.52\00:46:33.56
again being loved
because He loved us first.
00:46:33.59\00:46:36.46
He demonstrated
that love for us.
00:46:36.49\00:46:38.76
Pastor Kenny, the connection
between love and obedience.
00:46:38.79\00:46:41.26
I love that.
00:46:41.30\00:46:42.63
I have a connection as well.
00:46:42.66\00:46:44.00
There was a
point to all of this.
00:46:44.03\00:46:45.53
The connection is... My
lesson is the connection
00:46:45.57\00:46:48.30
between the Old
and the New Testament.
00:46:48.34\00:46:50.91
Jesus quoting
from the Old Testament,
00:46:50.94\00:46:53.48
and we see that, but
before we get to that,
00:46:53.51\00:46:56.31
and His
reference to Deuteronomy.
00:46:56.34\00:46:58.31
Let's just talk just a
moment about that connection
00:46:58.35\00:47:00.45
between the Old
Testament and the New Testament.
00:47:00.48\00:47:02.92
You know, in the Old Testament,
we have the sacrificial system
00:47:02.95\00:47:05.42
that was established
for the children of Israel,
00:47:05.45\00:47:07.99
and we call that the type
00:47:08.02\00:47:10.13
and then the
antitype Jesus coming.
00:47:10.16\00:47:12.89
And then we see how he fulfilled
00:47:12.93\00:47:16.20
the sacrificial system.
00:47:16.23\00:47:17.57
We see how it was
like a foreshadowing
00:47:17.60\00:47:20.10
of the things to come.
00:47:20.14\00:47:22.17
In the Old Testament,
what did they sacrifice?
00:47:22.20\00:47:24.17
A lamb without spot
and without blemish.
00:47:24.21\00:47:27.24
It was killed or slain
for the sins of the people.
00:47:27.28\00:47:30.55
In the New
Testament, in 1 Peter 1:18-19,
00:47:30.58\00:47:35.58
"we see knowing that
you were not redeemed
00:47:35.62\00:47:37.95
with corruptible
things like silver or gold,
00:47:37.99\00:47:40.76
from your aimless conduct
00:47:40.79\00:47:42.52
received by
tradition from your fathers."
00:47:42.56\00:47:44.53
What were we redeemed with?
00:47:44.56\00:47:46.33
With the
precious blood of Christ,
00:47:46.36\00:47:49.40
as the lamb without
blemish, without spot.
00:47:49.43\00:47:53.70
In the Old Testament,
blood was spilled to cover sin.
00:47:53.74\00:47:57.87
It was the blood of
lambs and goats and calves,
00:47:57.91\00:48:00.31
but in the New
Testament, Hebrews Chapter 9,
00:48:00.34\00:48:03.21
we know, if the
blood of goats and calves
00:48:03.24\00:48:06.48
was spilled,
sanctified in the Old Testament.
00:48:06.51\00:48:08.78
In verse 14, Hebrews 9:14,
00:48:08.82\00:48:11.65
"How much more
shall the blood of Christ,
00:48:11.69\00:48:15.39
who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself
00:48:15.42\00:48:18.26
without spot to God,
00:48:18.29\00:48:20.16
cleanse your conscience
00:48:20.20\00:48:22.53
from dead works to
serve the living God?"
00:48:22.56\00:48:25.27
In the Old Testament,
00:48:25.30\00:48:26.63
the sins were symbolically
placed on the head of the lamb.
00:48:26.67\00:48:30.94
In the New Testament,
00:48:30.97\00:48:32.31
Jesus Christ
became our sin bearer.
00:48:32.34\00:48:35.98
John 1:29,
"Behold, the Lamb of God
00:48:36.01\00:48:38.65
who takes away
the sin of the world."
00:48:38.68\00:48:40.75
In the Old Testament,
Christ dwelt with His people
00:48:40.78\00:48:42.98
through the sanctuary.
00:48:43.02\00:48:44.39
Exodus 25:8, "Let
them make Me a sanctuary,
00:48:44.42\00:48:47.52
that I may dwell among them."
00:48:47.56\00:48:50.13
In the New Testament,
00:48:50.16\00:48:51.53
Christ dwelt with
His people in person.
00:48:51.56\00:48:53.56
John 1:14, "And the
Word, it was made flesh,"
00:48:53.60\00:48:57.13
that's Jesus, "and He
came and dwelt among us."
00:48:57.17\00:49:01.10
In the Old Testament,
we have earthly priests,
00:49:01.14\00:49:04.07
and an earthly sanctuary.
00:49:04.11\00:49:06.24
In the New Testament,
in the Book of Hebrews,
00:49:06.27\00:49:08.38
we have Christ, the high priest,
00:49:08.41\00:49:11.25
we have the heavenly sanctuary.
00:49:11.28\00:49:14.15
In the Old
Testament, Moses mediated
00:49:14.18\00:49:16.95
between the people and God.
00:49:16.99\00:49:18.89
In the New Testament,
Christ became our mediator.
00:49:18.92\00:49:22.89
Hebrews 9:15,
00:49:22.92\00:49:24.79
"He is the mediator
of the New Covenant."
00:49:24.83\00:49:28.56
You know, the New Testament
writers quote extensively
00:49:28.60\00:49:31.37
from the Old Testament.
00:49:31.40\00:49:32.87
There's at least now,
this is not, you could look up
00:49:32.90\00:49:36.87
and probably see
different references to this,
00:49:36.91\00:49:39.07
but there's at
least 295 direct quotes
00:49:39.11\00:49:42.81
to Old Testament
scriptures in the New Testament.
00:49:42.84\00:49:45.61
Now if you're
looking at allusions,
00:49:45.65\00:49:47.48
the figures are
much higher than that.
00:49:47.52\00:49:50.19
CH Toy says there's
613 instances or illusions.
00:49:50.22\00:49:55.49
William Dittmar,
however you pronounced his name,
00:49:55.52\00:49:58.59
says, there's 1,640 references.
00:49:58.63\00:50:02.36
Eugene Huehn says
00:50:02.40\00:50:04.30
4,105 passages
00:50:04.33\00:50:08.50
in the New
Testament are reminiscent
00:50:08.54\00:50:10.77
of Old Testament Scriptures.
00:50:10.81\00:50:13.48
Jesus quoted extensively
from the Old Testament.
00:50:13.51\00:50:16.51
Matthew has the most
Old Testament references
00:50:16.54\00:50:19.15
followed very
closely by the Book of Luke.
00:50:19.18\00:50:21.72
The Book of Romans
00:50:21.75\00:50:23.08
has a great deal of
Old Testament references.
00:50:23.12\00:50:25.22
Some people say 35%
of the book is references
00:50:25.25\00:50:28.72
to the Old Testament,
00:50:28.76\00:50:30.73
153 references in
the Book of Romans
00:50:30.76\00:50:34.03
to the Old Testament,
00:50:34.06\00:50:35.40
and Romans has 433 verses.
00:50:35.43\00:50:38.07
In the Book of Hebrews,
00:50:38.10\00:50:39.43
69% is references
to the Old Testament,
00:50:39.47\00:50:43.57
210 references to
the Old Testament,
00:50:43.61\00:50:46.47
and there's 303 verses.
00:50:46.51\00:50:48.28
And in Revelation,
00:50:48.31\00:50:49.68
it's over 100% if
you count references.
00:50:49.71\00:50:53.52
There's 605 references
found within the 404 verses.
00:50:53.55\00:50:58.49
So let's look at
the first commandment,
00:50:58.52\00:51:01.02
I'm going to
reference the same thing
00:51:01.06\00:51:02.39
that Ryan started
out with Mark Chapter 12.
00:51:02.42\00:51:05.13
So let's go to Mark Chapter 12.
00:51:05.16\00:51:07.30
This is, of
course, Jesus referencing
00:51:07.33\00:51:10.40
that Old Testament
scripture where we started,
00:51:10.43\00:51:12.73
which was our memory
text there in Deuteronomy 6.
00:51:12.77\00:51:15.57
But let's look at Mark 12:28,"
00:51:15.60\00:51:21.11
Then one of the scribes came,
00:51:21.14\00:51:23.38
and having heard
them reasoning together,
00:51:23.41\00:51:26.48
perceived that He
had answered them well,
00:51:26.51\00:51:29.18
asked Him,
00:51:29.22\00:51:30.55
'Which is the first
commandment of all?'"
00:51:30.59\00:51:33.52
Now the Jewish rabbis
counted 613 commandments
00:51:33.56\00:51:38.16
that they said that
the people needed to keep,
00:51:38.19\00:51:41.96
248 positive,
00:51:42.00\00:51:44.73
and 365 negative.
00:51:44.77\00:51:48.10
There were 613 in total.
00:51:48.14\00:51:51.37
To capture the
essence of a rabbis' thinking
00:51:51.41\00:51:53.71
and enquirer
would pose a question,
00:51:53.74\00:51:55.68
such as a scribe as Jesus.
00:51:55.71\00:51:58.08
So trying to
distill down to the bottom
00:51:58.11\00:52:00.68
of what is Jesus teaching?
00:52:00.72\00:52:02.15
He said,
00:52:02.18\00:52:03.52
"Which is the first
commandment of all?"
00:52:03.55\00:52:05.69
So let's look at Jesus' answer.
00:52:05.72\00:52:07.69
It's in verse 29.
00:52:07.72\00:52:09.66
"Jesus answered him,
00:52:09.69\00:52:11.06
'The first of all
the commandments is,
00:52:11.09\00:52:13.16
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God,
00:52:13.19\00:52:16.97
the Lord is one.'"
00:52:17.00\00:52:18.87
Now this, of
course, is a direct quote
00:52:18.90\00:52:21.24
to what Ryan
referenced at the beginning,
00:52:21.27\00:52:23.47
Deuteronomy 6:4,
you call it the Shema?
00:52:23.51\00:52:27.58
The Shema.
00:52:27.61\00:52:29.21
That Jesus quoted that.
00:52:29.24\00:52:30.91
Every pious Jew would have
quoted the Shema every morning,
00:52:30.95\00:52:34.78
and every evening.
00:52:34.82\00:52:36.99
It reaffirmed the
Jews belief in monotheism.
00:52:37.02\00:52:39.75
And it also
affirmed by Jesus quoting it,
00:52:39.79\00:52:42.02
it affirmed His
belief in monotheism.
00:52:42.06\00:52:45.66
And he goes on in
verse 30, Mark 12:30,
00:52:45.69\00:52:48.46
"You shall love
the Lord your God,
00:52:48.50\00:52:50.23
with all your
heart, with all your soul,
00:52:50.27\00:52:51.73
with all your mind,
with all your strength.
00:52:51.77\00:52:53.60
This is the first commandment."
00:52:53.64\00:52:56.07
Now is this a direct quote
00:52:56.10\00:52:57.74
from Deuteronomy 6:5, yes or no?
00:52:57.77\00:53:00.98
That's not meant to
be a trick question.
00:53:01.01\00:53:02.74
It is almost a direct quote.
00:53:02.78\00:53:05.78
But there's one
phrase that Jesus added,
00:53:05.81\00:53:09.38
that was not in the
Book of Deuteronomy.
00:53:09.42\00:53:13.15
You see, Deuteronomy 6:5, says,
00:53:13.19\00:53:15.72
"You shall love the
Lord God with heart,
00:53:15.76\00:53:17.73
with all your soul,
with all your strength,"
00:53:17.76\00:53:19.66
that leaves out
with all your mind.
00:53:19.69\00:53:21.06
Now, it's
interesting, Jesus added that,
00:53:21.10\00:53:23.93
when He said that,
with all your mind.
00:53:23.97\00:53:26.67
I think of the heart and
soul as being the emotional part
00:53:26.70\00:53:30.21
of our being.
00:53:30.24\00:53:31.77
The strength, of
course, being physical,
00:53:31.81\00:53:33.44
or as Ryan
brought out so beautifully
00:53:33.48\00:53:35.31
with our talents,
and our abilities,
00:53:35.34\00:53:38.18
and all of those
things that we use
00:53:38.21\00:53:40.42
and serve God
with all our strength.
00:53:40.45\00:53:42.35
But the mind
especially, is intellectual.
00:53:42.38\00:53:45.69
We're called to serve
God with everything we have,
00:53:45.72\00:53:47.99
with our heart, with our mind,
00:53:48.02\00:53:49.52
with our
intellect, with our strength,
00:53:49.56\00:53:51.33
with everything we have,
we are called to serve Him.
00:53:51.36\00:53:56.43
Would you serve
someone that you do not know?
00:53:56.46\00:53:59.23
It could be
difficult, could it not?
00:54:02.34\00:54:04.01
You might serve
them out of fear.
00:54:04.04\00:54:06.01
You might serve
them, because it's your job
00:54:06.04\00:54:07.88
and you're paid to do it.
00:54:07.91\00:54:09.24
Would you serve
someone you didn't know?
00:54:09.28\00:54:10.61
Someone you didn't love?
00:54:10.65\00:54:12.45
Would you obey
someone that you did not know?
00:54:12.48\00:54:16.12
Someone that you did not love?
00:54:16.15\00:54:18.79
Would you die for
someone you did not know?
00:54:18.82\00:54:22.36
You did not love?
00:54:22.39\00:54:24.29
You know, it's amazing to me.
00:54:24.33\00:54:26.09
Turn with me to 2 Peter.
00:54:26.13\00:54:27.50
2 Peter Chapter 3,
it's amazing to me.
00:54:27.53\00:54:31.93
How can we serve
a God we don't know?
00:54:31.97\00:54:34.57
How can we honor
a God we don't know?
00:54:34.60\00:54:37.01
How can we worship
a God we don't know?
00:54:37.04\00:54:39.54
How can we explain,
and teach, and preach,
00:54:39.57\00:54:42.41
and share a God
that we do not know?
00:54:42.44\00:54:45.58
It behooves us to
find out who God is,
00:54:45.61\00:54:48.68
to learn about Him.
00:54:48.72\00:54:50.15
And then and only
then can we serve God
00:54:50.19\00:54:53.66
with everything we have.
00:54:53.69\00:54:55.52
2 Peter 3:18 I love
the scripture. It says.
00:54:55.56\00:54:57.89
"Grow in the grace and knowledge
00:54:57.93\00:54:59.86
of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ."
00:54:59.89\00:55:02.56
We are called to grow
in grace and knowledge.
00:55:02.60\00:55:05.07
To me, this is the same thing
that Jesus was talking about,
00:55:05.10\00:55:07.87
about loving
with heart, and mind,
00:55:07.90\00:55:10.41
and soul, and
strength, it's the whole person.
00:55:10.44\00:55:12.97
In this case, we don't just grow
00:55:13.01\00:55:15.84
in knowledge,
which is the intellect.
00:55:15.88\00:55:17.51
We need to grow in knowledge.
00:55:17.55\00:55:18.88
We need to grow
in our understanding
00:55:18.91\00:55:20.25
of the Word of God.
00:55:20.28\00:55:21.62
Neither do we just grow in grace
00:55:21.65\00:55:24.62
and leave out the knowledge,
00:55:24.65\00:55:25.99
leave out the
biblical understanding.
00:55:26.02\00:55:28.22
It is a synthesis of the two,
00:55:28.26\00:55:30.76
we are called to grow
in grace and knowledge.
00:55:30.79\00:55:33.50
We are called to
love God with our mind,
00:55:33.53\00:55:35.96
yes, with intellect and
understanding who He is.
00:55:36.00\00:55:39.83
But we're also called to
love God with everything,
00:55:39.87\00:55:42.07
every fiber of our being,
00:55:42.10\00:55:44.57
and we're called
to share that God
00:55:44.61\00:55:47.54
with our lost and
dying world, not just share,
00:55:47.58\00:55:50.31
hit people over the
head with the Bible.
00:55:50.35\00:55:51.91
We're called to share
the truth in the Word of God.
00:55:51.95\00:55:54.98
But we are called to
share it with the love of Jesus.
00:55:55.02\00:55:58.45
Amen.
00:55:58.49\00:55:59.82
Beautiful.
00:55:59.85\00:56:01.19
This whole panel was on fire.
00:56:01.22\00:56:02.56
Amen.
00:56:02.59\00:56:03.93
Praise the Lord.
00:56:03.96\00:56:05.29
Well, let's get
some final thoughts.
00:56:05.33\00:56:06.66
I just wanted to say
this one final thought is,
00:56:06.70\00:56:10.57
we should pray for the fear
of the Lord in Psalm 86:10-13.
00:56:10.60\00:56:16.07
I won't read the whole thing.
00:56:16.10\00:56:17.91
But the psalmist says,
00:56:17.94\00:56:19.47
"Unite my heart
to fear Your name."
00:56:19.51\00:56:23.35
There's so many
benefits in understanding
00:56:23.38\00:56:26.45
that fear
doesn't contradict love.
00:56:26.48\00:56:28.32
Amen.
00:56:28.35\00:56:29.68
Amen.
00:56:29.72\00:56:31.05
Any steps we take to Christ
00:56:31.09\00:56:33.15
must begin with
God's love for us.
00:56:33.19\00:56:35.86
It all starts, our
journey to Christ all starts
00:56:35.89\00:56:38.49
with God's love for us.
00:56:38.53\00:56:39.86
Amen.
00:56:39.89\00:56:41.43
Part of that I
drew out of this lesson
00:56:41.46\00:56:42.86
is like all the promises,
00:56:42.90\00:56:44.57
they are contingent upon
our obedience to God's command.
00:56:44.60\00:56:47.87
By God's grace, we
are obedient to Him.
00:56:47.90\00:56:50.37
And I like that
He'll cause us to ride
00:56:50.41\00:56:52.07
upon the high
places of the earth.
00:56:52.11\00:56:53.51
Amen. Amen.
00:56:53.54\00:56:55.14
Psalm 34, it says, "Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
00:56:55.18\00:56:58.05
Blessed is the man or
woman who trusts in Him."
00:56:58.08\00:57:00.82
So just invite you to check out,
00:57:00.85\00:57:02.98
taste and see who He is.
00:57:03.02\00:57:04.89
Amen.
00:57:04.92\00:57:06.25
We love Him
because He first loved us.
00:57:06.29\00:57:08.99
And you know what?
00:57:09.02\00:57:10.36
That's what next week's
lesson is really all about
00:57:10.39\00:57:12.23
in the sense that
because we love Him...
00:57:12.26\00:57:16.16
He first loved us, right?
00:57:16.20\00:57:17.53
That's why we love Him.
00:57:17.57\00:57:18.90
Well, that also
applies to our fellow man.
00:57:18.93\00:57:20.40
If we love them,
00:57:20.44\00:57:21.77
they will also
love us in return.
00:57:21.80\00:57:23.14
We have to show
forth the love of God.
00:57:23.17\00:57:25.04
Next week's lesson is entitled,
"The Stranger in Your Gates."
00:57:25.07\00:57:28.68
Can you love the
stranger in your gates?
00:57:28.71\00:57:30.75
Well, you got to tune
in next week right here
00:57:30.78\00:57:32.75
at 3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:57:32.78\00:57:34.42
God bless.
00:57:34.45\00:57:35.78