Once again good
afternoon, friends,
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welcome back to
Secrets Unsealed.
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And we're so happy to have you
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as we continue our
series "Equipping the Saints."
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Now this is the
fifth of five messages,
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it's the last one in the series.
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And what we
basically tried to do
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in this series of messages
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is to look at from
heaven's perspective,
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from God's understanding
as He gives it in His Word,
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what the work is
He wants accomplished
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through us.
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What is it He
would want us to do
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in the saving of the lost?
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And we looked at
how heaven operates
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and all of those
millions of angels
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or all ministering
spirits sent forth to minister
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to those who inherit salvation.
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We saw how Jesus ministered
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and He came not
just to do ministry
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but to train ministers.
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We saw the how
Apostolic Church ran
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that they were not
just settled pastors
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over congregations
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but they went out as evangelists
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and the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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follow that model
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during the time of
its greatest growth.
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And we saw that
Jesus gave us in the Bible,
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a template, the
agricultural cycle,
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that metaphor for how the work
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of evangelism should grow.
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That just like we
need to prepare the soil,
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sow the seed,
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we need to cultivate the crop,
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we need to
harvest and then preserve.
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We need to do the
same thing with souls.
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We need to win their confidence
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by doing works of
disinterested benevolence.
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We need to share the truth
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and sow the seed of the gospel.
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We need to give
them those Bible studies
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to cultivate that interest.
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We need to make appeals
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and draw them to Christ
in the phase of harvest.
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And then when
they're done with that,
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we need to not just
leave them there in the pew
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but we need to
train them, equip them,
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so that the
crop can be preserved
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and move forward for
seed for the next round.
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We need to make disciples,
we need to make missionaries,
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not just more
members, that's our goal.
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So in this final
message called "Discipline,"
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well, I want to talk
about that fifth phase
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of the agricultural cycle
or the cycle of evangelism,
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the one that is so often
overlooked and neglected.
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I want to talk
about the discipline
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of being a
disciple of Jesus Christ.
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But as always, before we begin,
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let's start with
a word of prayer.
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Dear Heavenly Father,
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Lord, I thank You so much
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for yet another day of life.
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I thank You for
bringing us together here
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in this place for this purpose.
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And I would ask now
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that You once again
send Your Holy Spirit
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not to just be in this room,
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but to be in our
hearts and in our minds,
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to lead us into all
truth as You've promised to do.
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So, Lord, we claim that promise,
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we ask that You
would be our teacher,
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for we pray it in
Jesus' name, amen.
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Please go to Acts Chapter 2.
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Acts Chapter 2...
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We're going to
learn a few lessons
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from the early church
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that are applicable
in the last day church.
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Acts Chapter 2...
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And as we mentioned
in the previous message,
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the Book of Acts
there in Chapter 2
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describes the Day of Pentecost,
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but it does not involve
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what we might typically
think of as Pentecostal
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in our common language today.
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It actually was
a very solemn thing
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built on a study
of the Word of God
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and straight
preaching of present truth.
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And when Peter
preached that message,
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notice what 2:41 says,
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"Then those who gladly
received his word were," what?
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"Baptized," right?
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So this is the harvest phase.
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"They were baptized,
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and that day about
three thousand souls
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were added to them."
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Notice it does not say
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they were just added
to Jesus, in a general way
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but they added to them.
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Skip down in fact,
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it says here in the
very end of verse 47,
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"And the Lord
added to the," what?
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"To the church daily
those who were being saved."
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In this simple passage,
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there are at least two
important lessons for us today.
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First lesson is that
baptism is predicated
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on an
understanding and reception
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of the Word of God.
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You don't baptize people
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just because they
might hear the name of Jesus
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or listen to a moving song
or have a heartfelt moment.
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They need to understand
the truth of God's Word
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and make an
intellectual decision
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to commit their lives to Him,
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thus baptism is
the demonstration
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of that covenant
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between the
individual and the Lord.
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Baptism is
predicated on an understanding
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and reception
of the Word of God.
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This is what Jesus
said in Matthew Chapter 28,
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when He gave the
Great Commission.
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It says here in
Matthew 28:19-20,
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standing just a few feet
from the eternal kingdom,
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He recites these words.
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"Go," verse 19,
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"therefore and make
disciples of all nations,
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baptizing them
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in the name of the
Father and of the Son
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and of the Holy Spirit,
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teaching them to
observe a few of the things
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that I have commanded you."
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Is that what he says? No.
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Nor does he say
some of the things.
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He says, "All things
which I have commanded you.
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And lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age."
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Notice that in Christ's model
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for how we're to make disciples,
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it involves
teaching people all things
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and baptizing them
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those who have been taught,
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right?
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Acts Chapter 8.
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We saw this again
in a previous message
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but Acts 8:30,
where here we see Philip,
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running to this Ethiopian,
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who has had his Bible
open, says in verses 30 and 31.
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"So Philip ran to
him and heard him reading
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the prophet Isaiah
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and said, 'Do you understand
what you were reading?'
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And he said, 'How can I,
unless someone guides me?'
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And he asked Philip to
come up and sit with him.'"
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So they have a Bible study first
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so he can
understand what he's reading.
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And then in verse 35, it says,
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"Then Philip opened his mouth
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and beginning at this Scripture,
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preached Jesus to him.
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Now as they went down the road,
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they came to some water.
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And the eunuch
said, 'See here is water.
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What hinders me
from being baptized?'"
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You recognize that the baptism
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was predicated
on his understanding
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and reception of the Word of God
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presented through Bible studies.
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"Then Philip said, 'If you
believe with all your heart,
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you may.'
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And he answered and said,
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'I believe that
Jesus is the Son of God.'
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So he commanded the chariot
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to be still and
Philips and the eunuch
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went in down into the
water, and he baptized him."
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So the first lesson
we read from Acts 2:41,
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is that the baptism
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is predicated
on an understanding
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and the reception
of the Word of God.
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Baptism has study first.
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Also, I want you to notice,
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as we highlighted in
Acts Chapter 2, again,
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that it says,
"And that day about
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three thousand
souls were added to them."
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And as we saw in verse 47,
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that they were
adding to the church,
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those who were being saved.
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Notice that when
you are baptized,
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these believers at
least in Acts Chapter 2
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were added to them.
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Baptism joins you not
merely to the idea of Jesus
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in some mystical,
personal spiritual connection,
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but by baptism,
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you become members
of the body of Christ,
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which is the church.
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Notice what the
Apostle Paul would say
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in 1 Corinthians 12:12-14.
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It says, "For as the body is one
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and has many members,
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but all the
members of that one body,
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being many, are one body,
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so also is Christ.
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For by one Spirit, we were
all baptized into one," what?
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"Body.
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Whether Jews or
Greeks, whether slaves or free,
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and we have all made
to drink into one Spirit.
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For in fact the
body is not one member
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but many."
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So you notice that
when you join the church,
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when you
understand the Bible truth
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and receive it for yourself,
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you become baptized
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and you become a
member of Christ's body,
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which is the church.
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So lesson number one, baptism
is predicated on understanding,
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receiving the Word of God.
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And number two, baptism
joins you to the church,
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not just to Jesus
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in some
mystical, spiritual sense,
00:09:09.14\00:09:10.58
but you become a
member of the Church of Christ
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here on the earth.
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Staying in Acts Chapter 2,
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there's another
lesson we need to learn
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about these
newly converted members
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of the early Christian church.
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Acts 2:42.
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After verse 41, says that,
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"That day about
three thousand souls
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were added to them,"
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watch what happens
after their baptism.
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Verse 42,
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"And they continued steadfastly
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in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship,
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in the breaking of
bread, and in prayers."
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They continued.
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Notice that after they had,
00:09:51.15\00:09:53.02
"Gladly received the
present truth of the gospel
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that Christ is in
the right hand of God
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in the heavenly sanctuary."
00:09:58.93\00:10:00.26
And after they were baptized
00:10:00.30\00:10:01.63
and after they
joined the church,
00:10:01.66\00:10:03.33
they kept studying even then.
00:10:03.37\00:10:06.33
Let me tell you
something, friends.
00:10:10.41\00:10:11.84
One problem that I have seen
in my own experience sometimes
00:10:11.87\00:10:14.58
and in the Seventh-day
Adventist Church in general,
00:10:14.61\00:10:17.18
is that oftentimes we
shun as we should the idea
00:10:17.21\00:10:21.02
that once saved, always saved.
00:10:21.05\00:10:23.05
No, no, that's not true.
00:10:23.08\00:10:24.72
You got to maintain
that relationship with Jesus.
00:10:24.75\00:10:27.79
But while we shun that notion,
00:10:27.82\00:10:29.76
we sometimes accept the idea
00:10:29.79\00:10:33.96
that once learned,
you're always learned.
00:10:34.00\00:10:37.40
So you can say I came
into the church in 1983.
00:10:37.43\00:10:40.37
I went to this evangelist
campaign held by elder
00:10:40.40\00:10:42.80
so and so and I
gave my heart to the Lord
00:10:42.84\00:10:45.01
and I joined the church
00:10:45.04\00:10:46.37
and that was maybe
the last time you studied
00:10:46.41\00:10:50.31
the truths of God's Word.
00:10:50.35\00:10:52.38
The doctrines that
make us the people we are.
00:10:52.41\00:10:56.08
But these early believers
didn't settle for that.
00:10:56.12\00:10:58.42
They received the Word.
00:10:58.45\00:10:59.79
They were
convinced that it was true.
00:10:59.82\00:11:01.56
They were
convicted cut to the heart.
00:11:01.59\00:11:03.56
They were converted
when they yield to that truth
00:11:03.59\00:11:05.79
and they and they baptized,
became members of the church.
00:11:05.83\00:11:09.36
And then what happened?
00:11:09.40\00:11:12.00
It says, then they continued
00:11:12.03\00:11:13.60
steadfastly
00:11:13.64\00:11:15.64
in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship,
00:11:15.67\00:11:19.11
in the breaking of
bread and in prayers.
00:11:19.14\00:11:24.61
Acts Chapter 17,
00:11:24.65\00:11:25.98
another group of
people is described,
00:11:26.01\00:11:28.85
who are commended
for their nobility,
00:11:28.88\00:11:32.29
their fair mindedness.
00:11:32.32\00:11:34.36
Acts 17:10, we read,
00:11:34.39\00:11:38.69
"And the
brethren immediately sent
00:11:38.73\00:11:40.16
Paul and Silas
away by night to Berea.
00:11:40.20\00:11:43.30
When they arrived they
went into the synagogue
00:11:43.33\00:11:45.23
of the Jews."
00:11:45.27\00:11:46.60
Verse 11,
00:11:46.63\00:11:47.97
"These were more fair minded
00:11:48.00\00:11:49.87
than those in Thessalonica."
00:11:49.90\00:11:52.67
Now why is that?
00:11:52.71\00:11:54.54
Were these nicer people,
were they sweeter people,
00:11:54.58\00:11:56.58
were they better looking people,
00:11:56.61\00:11:57.95
were they more
wealthy and affluent people?
00:11:57.98\00:12:00.05
What made them more laudable?
00:12:00.08\00:12:03.08
What made them more fair-minded
than the Thessalonians?
00:12:03.12\00:12:06.99
By the way, I've
always been interested.
00:12:07.02\00:12:08.36
I wonder if the
Thessalonians read this passage.
00:12:08.39\00:12:10.83
They are like, "Wait a
minute, what is he saying?"
00:12:10.86\00:12:12.19
Right?
00:12:12.23\00:12:13.56
But why is it that
Paul makes this distinction?
00:12:13.60\00:12:16.60
He explains, "These
were more fair-minded
00:12:16.63\00:12:19.17
than those in Thessalonica,
00:12:19.20\00:12:20.94
in that they received
the word with all readiness,
00:12:20.97\00:12:24.57
and searched the
Scriptures," how often?
00:12:24.61\00:12:29.28
"Daily to find out
whether these things were so."
00:12:29.31\00:12:34.05
So they didn't just hear
the message one time and say,
00:12:34.08\00:12:36.95
"Oh, that sounds good to me.
00:12:36.99\00:12:38.32
I'll take some of
that," and they're done.
00:12:38.35\00:12:40.06
They received the Word
and then they went home
00:12:40.09\00:12:42.19
and studied it for themselves.
00:12:42.22\00:12:45.53
And Paul was blessed by this.
00:12:45.56\00:12:48.53
He thought this was commendable,
00:12:48.56\00:12:50.03
this was
laudable, this is notable,
00:12:50.07\00:12:52.03
this is fair-minded,
00:12:52.07\00:12:54.04
he thought, this was wonderful.
00:12:54.07\00:12:58.14
By the way, watch
what keeps happening.
00:12:58.17\00:13:02.58
Chapter 17 continues
there, look at verse 12.
00:13:02.61\00:13:05.68
"Therefore many of them," what?
00:13:05.71\00:13:10.49
"Believed, and also
not a few of the Greeks,
00:13:10.52\00:13:13.29
prominent women as well as men."
00:13:13.32\00:13:17.36
Notice that
their fair-mindedness,
00:13:17.39\00:13:20.90
that continuing
studying attitude of the Bereans
00:13:20.93\00:13:25.23
is the reason why verse
12 begins with therefore.
00:13:25.27\00:13:30.67
So in the context,
the fact that quote,
00:13:30.71\00:13:33.41
many of them
believed in verse 12,
00:13:33.44\00:13:36.24
was a direct result of
not only hearing the Word
00:13:36.28\00:13:38.95
but searching the
scriptures daily to find out
00:13:38.98\00:13:41.35
whether these things were so.
00:13:41.38\00:13:43.05
Their continued study
00:13:43.08\00:13:45.15
established many
of them in the faith.
00:13:45.19\00:13:48.42
Again, one thing I've
noticed, is we sometimes adhere
00:13:48.46\00:13:51.36
to a once learned always learned
00:13:51.39\00:13:54.30
mentality.
00:13:54.33\00:13:57.07
It is this superficial reading,
00:13:57.10\00:13:58.70
this passive acceptance
in the place of active study.
00:13:58.73\00:14:02.90
That's one of the reasons
00:14:02.94\00:14:04.77
the personal
spiritual experience
00:14:04.81\00:14:06.81
and public
witness of our members
00:14:06.84\00:14:09.54
and their
families is often so poor.
00:14:09.58\00:14:12.48
We don't dig deep,
00:14:12.51\00:14:13.85
we don't review what we know
00:14:13.88\00:14:15.48
and we become functionally
illiterate in the things
00:14:15.52\00:14:18.62
we should be students of.
00:14:18.65\00:14:23.06
Let me give another
example from my own experience.
00:14:23.09\00:14:25.46
Once I was
preaching a wedding homily,
00:14:25.49\00:14:28.60
true story.
00:14:28.63\00:14:31.17
And in preparing for this,
00:14:31.20\00:14:33.70
I wanted to challenge the couple
00:14:33.74\00:14:35.10
that to live a life of ministry,
00:14:35.14\00:14:38.84
like the life of
Aquila and Priscilla
00:14:38.87\00:14:41.81
that we read about
in the Book of Acts.
00:14:41.84\00:14:45.25
Instead, however, when
I was giving the homily,
00:14:45.28\00:14:47.62
when I was up front in
front of the congregation
00:14:47.65\00:14:49.62
and the couple was there,
00:14:49.65\00:14:50.99
I accidentally encouraged
them to live a life of ministry
00:14:51.02\00:14:55.52
like Ananias and Sapphira.
00:14:55.56\00:14:57.43
Mercy.
00:15:00.50\00:15:02.60
You know what
the saddest part is?
00:15:02.63\00:15:05.73
Not one eyebrow was raised,
00:15:05.77\00:15:08.40
and some people even said, amen.
00:15:08.44\00:15:13.34
Now I should have
caught the blunder mind,
00:15:13.38\00:15:15.04
but it wasn't
intentional, right?
00:15:15.08\00:15:17.35
But there was a
congregation full of people,
00:15:17.38\00:15:19.18
Bible believing Christians,
00:15:19.21\00:15:20.55
all of them
they heard, oh, yeah,
00:15:20.58\00:15:21.92
that sounds about
right, I guess, I don't know.
00:15:21.95\00:15:24.89
They knew they were Bible names,
00:15:24.92\00:15:26.49
but they couldn't quite square
00:15:26.52\00:15:27.89
which one and they
were like, "Whatever,"
00:15:27.92\00:15:29.32
and they didn't
discern for themselves.
00:15:29.36\00:15:31.49
Popular as it may be today,
00:15:37.43\00:15:40.67
the word disciple,
00:15:40.70\00:15:43.37
like you're a disciple of Jesus,
00:15:43.41\00:15:45.24
the word disciple is not a verb.
00:15:45.27\00:15:50.08
It is a noun.
00:15:50.11\00:15:51.51
It's a thing that you are
not a thing that happens to you.
00:15:51.55\00:15:57.32
People will oftentimes say,
00:15:57.35\00:15:58.92
"I'm discipling or
getting discipled."
00:15:58.95\00:16:03.83
No, friends, disciple is a noun.
00:16:03.86\00:16:06.63
It's a thing that you are.
00:16:06.66\00:16:08.43
But the way that
you become a disciple
00:16:08.46\00:16:10.63
it's not through some
weird process called discipling.
00:16:10.67\00:16:15.40
It's through
something called discipline.
00:16:15.44\00:16:19.61
The root of the word
disciple is discipline.
00:16:19.64\00:16:26.31
And discipline has
gotten a bad rap in our society
00:16:26.35\00:16:28.75
and even in our
church society these days.
00:16:28.78\00:16:31.65
We think of it as punitive,
00:16:31.69\00:16:33.99
that it's cold, and
mean, and harsh, and cruel.
00:16:34.02\00:16:39.13
But discipline is
supposed to be redemptive,
00:16:39.16\00:16:43.20
and encouraging, and growing
to make you more like Jesus.
00:16:43.23\00:16:47.60
True
discipleship requires effort.
00:16:51.57\00:16:56.54
It just requires
struggle, requires practice,
00:16:56.58\00:17:01.72
it requires discipline.
00:17:01.75\00:17:06.65
Listen to the Apostle Paul
from the Book of Philippians
00:17:06.69\00:17:10.19
2:12-13.
00:17:10.23\00:17:14.86
It says, "Therefore, my beloved,
00:17:14.90\00:17:16.46
as you have always obeyed,
00:17:16.50\00:17:18.43
not as in my presence only,
00:17:18.47\00:17:20.27
but now much more in my absence,
00:17:20.30\00:17:23.47
work out your own salvation
00:17:23.51\00:17:25.87
with fear and trembling,
00:17:25.91\00:17:28.11
for it is God
who works in you both
00:17:28.14\00:17:30.68
to will and to do
His good pleasure."
00:17:30.71\00:17:33.11
Notice he says, look,
00:17:33.15\00:17:34.48
I'm not going
to be there always.
00:17:34.52\00:17:35.85
In fact, I'm not even there now.
00:17:35.88\00:17:37.29
But you need to keep working.
00:17:37.32\00:17:39.35
You need to work
out your own salvation.
00:17:39.39\00:17:42.39
Is, by the way, the
Apostle Paul promoting here
00:17:42.42\00:17:45.13
a gospel of works righteousness?
00:17:45.16\00:17:48.83
Of course, not.
00:17:48.86\00:17:51.13
How do we know?
00:17:51.17\00:17:52.50
We'll just look
at what he finishes
00:17:52.53\00:17:53.87
the statement with.
00:17:53.90\00:17:55.24
"For it is God," he said,
00:17:55.27\00:17:57.87
"who works in you both to will
and to do His good pleasure."
00:17:57.91\00:18:02.78
So clearly it is God
who is doing a work in you,
00:18:02.81\00:18:06.08
but that requires cooperation
on your part to work out
00:18:06.11\00:18:09.35
your own salvation.
00:18:09.38\00:18:10.72
He's advocating discipline,
00:18:10.75\00:18:14.16
make some choices,
change some things,
00:18:14.19\00:18:18.13
accommodate, reprioritize,
00:18:18.16\00:18:21.63
do something different,
00:18:21.66\00:18:23.00
you got to make some changes,
00:18:23.03\00:18:24.83
work it out, he says.
00:18:24.87\00:18:28.37
Listen to this statement
from Christian Education,
00:18:28.40\00:18:30.27
page 122.
00:18:30.31\00:18:31.77
"Let no one suppose
00:18:31.81\00:18:34.21
that conversion is the beginning
00:18:34.24\00:18:36.48
and end of the Christian life."
00:18:36.51\00:18:39.55
Yet how many Christians
believe that I got converted,
00:18:39.58\00:18:41.48
I got saved, I
had that experience,
00:18:41.52\00:18:43.12
she said never
have that supposition?
00:18:43.15\00:18:45.19
"Let no one suppose
00:18:45.22\00:18:46.55
that conversion is the beginning
00:18:46.59\00:18:47.92
and the end of
the Christian life.
00:18:47.96\00:18:49.99
There is a
science of Christianity
00:18:50.03\00:18:53.06
that must be mastered."
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.66
Interesting.
00:18:55.70\00:18:57.03
There's a
science of Christianity
00:18:57.07\00:18:58.40
that must be mastered.
00:18:58.43\00:18:59.77
It's a course of study.
00:18:59.80\00:19:01.80
"There is to be growth in grace
00:19:01.84\00:19:04.51
that is constant
progress and improvement.
00:19:04.54\00:19:09.41
The mind is to be,"
00:19:09.44\00:19:11.28
and here's our
word, "disciplined,
00:19:11.31\00:19:14.68
trained, educated,
for the child of God
00:19:14.72\00:19:19.82
is to do service for God in ways
00:19:19.85\00:19:22.02
that are not natural,
00:19:22.06\00:19:24.33
or in harmony with
inborn inclination."
00:19:24.36\00:19:28.23
You know what, friends,
00:19:28.26\00:19:29.60
you might hear the
message of Jesus Christ
00:19:29.63\00:19:30.97
and have the
appeal of salvation,
00:19:31.00\00:19:32.33
want to have your sins forgiven
00:19:32.37\00:19:33.70
and be a member of
his citizenry in heaven.
00:19:33.74\00:19:36.10
That's all wonderful.
00:19:36.14\00:19:37.47
But while we're
here living on earth,
00:19:37.51\00:19:39.37
often times, more times
00:19:39.41\00:19:41.21
than not living
according to biblical principle
00:19:41.24\00:19:44.25
does not come
natural to the carnal hearts.
00:19:44.28\00:19:48.18
So think of all the
things practically speaking
00:19:48.22\00:19:50.79
that is involved in being
part of the body of Christ.
00:19:50.82\00:19:53.42
It's being a
member of His church,
00:19:53.46\00:19:55.66
being a disciple of Jesus.
00:19:55.69\00:19:59.13
There's going to
be a lot of stuff.
00:19:59.16\00:20:00.90
It's going to change.
Let me put it this way.
00:20:00.93\00:20:03.37
True religion gets into
every corner of your life.
00:20:03.40\00:20:07.67
It's going to
change your calendar,
00:20:07.70\00:20:09.34
it's going to change your plans,
00:20:09.37\00:20:10.94
it might change your job,
00:20:10.97\00:20:12.51
it might change your friends,
00:20:12.54\00:20:13.91
it might change your language,
00:20:13.94\00:20:15.31
it might change
your financial status,
00:20:15.34\00:20:18.58
it might change
all kinds of things.
00:20:18.61\00:20:21.78
It's not just some pie
in the sky theory that,
00:20:21.82\00:20:24.09
"Oh, I have this mystical
relationship with Jesus.
00:20:24.12\00:20:26.82
I'm going to continue
living as I always have."
00:20:26.86\00:20:28.89
No, no.
00:20:28.92\00:20:30.86
There's a
change, a transformation
00:20:30.89\00:20:33.03
and it's not always comfortable.
00:20:33.06\00:20:35.56
That old man tries to
come back from the dead
00:20:35.60\00:20:38.50
more times than we want to...
00:20:38.53\00:20:39.87
You have to push him down,
00:20:39.90\00:20:41.24
you have to
work it out, he says.
00:20:41.27\00:20:45.07
And I'll say it again,
00:20:45.11\00:20:46.44
as we said in
our previous series,
00:20:46.47\00:20:47.81
salvation is more
than a mere transaction
00:20:47.84\00:20:51.08
to get you into heaven.
00:20:51.11\00:20:53.45
Salvation is a transformation
00:20:53.48\00:20:56.35
to fit you into
the society of heaven.
00:20:56.38\00:21:01.72
In describing the
Christian experience,
00:21:01.76\00:21:04.69
the Bible repeatedly employs
00:21:04.73\00:21:08.30
process language.
00:21:08.33\00:21:11.27
It never is this event.
00:21:11.30\00:21:13.74
It's always an
ongoing development of growth,
00:21:13.77\00:21:17.31
a process.
00:21:17.34\00:21:20.61
1 John Chapter 3.
00:21:20.64\00:21:23.91
The Apostle John
speaks of it in these words.
00:21:23.95\00:21:26.48
1 John 3:1,
00:21:26.51\00:21:32.35
"Behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on us
00:21:32.39\00:21:36.19
that we should be
called the children of God!
00:21:36.22\00:21:39.96
Therefore, the
world does not know us
00:21:40.00\00:21:41.60
because it did not know Him."
00:21:41.63\00:21:43.70
So praise the Lord
that we're children of God.
00:21:43.73\00:21:45.37
But then he adds this,
00:21:45.40\00:21:46.74
"Beloved, now we
are children of God,"
00:21:46.77\00:21:49.50
present tense, then he adds,"
00:21:49.54\00:21:52.27
and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be."
00:21:52.31\00:21:57.75
Pause right there. Time out.
00:21:57.78\00:21:59.41
Is it possible that
you can come to Christ,
00:21:59.45\00:22:01.52
confess your
sins, believe on Him,
00:22:01.55\00:22:03.69
be accounted as righteous
00:22:03.72\00:22:05.19
and have your
citizenship in heaven?
00:22:05.22\00:22:07.49
You can be a child of God
even now, is that possible?
00:22:07.52\00:22:10.69
Yes.
00:22:10.73\00:22:13.09
Is it also the case
00:22:13.13\00:22:15.26
that even once
you've been converted
00:22:15.30\00:22:18.03
and you become a
member of the body of Christ,
00:22:18.07\00:22:20.00
you're counted as a child of God
00:22:20.04\00:22:21.70
that there is still
some growth in your life
00:22:21.74\00:22:23.91
that needs to happen
after that commitment?
00:22:23.94\00:22:26.44
Yes.
00:22:26.47\00:22:28.51
Thus he can say, "Now
we are children of God,
00:22:28.54\00:22:31.55
yet it has not been
revealed what we shall be.
00:22:31.58\00:22:36.58
But," he adds,
00:22:36.62\00:22:40.46
"we know that
when He is revealed,"
00:22:40.49\00:22:42.86
speaking of a second coming,
00:22:42.89\00:22:44.63
"we shall be
in," what condition?
00:22:44.66\00:22:47.40
"Like Him,
00:22:47.43\00:22:50.07
for we shall see Him as He is."
00:22:50.10\00:22:54.17
Verse 3, "And everyone
who has this hope in Him,"
00:22:54.20\00:22:58.07
does what?
00:22:58.11\00:22:59.51
"Purifies himself,
just as He is pure."
00:22:59.54\00:23:04.51
They work it out.
00:23:04.55\00:23:06.01
It's a process of growth
00:23:06.05\00:23:07.58
and discipline
and struggle and toil,
00:23:07.62\00:23:10.09
but God has
promised to work in you
00:23:10.12\00:23:12.09
to will and do
His good pleasure,
00:23:12.12\00:23:13.96
but you have to
make the choice to grow
00:23:13.99\00:23:18.09
and change.
00:23:18.13\00:23:20.56
2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul
00:23:20.60\00:23:22.46
shares the same
sentiment of John.
00:23:22.50\00:23:24.53
Here in 2 Corinthians 3:18,
00:23:24.57\00:23:29.60
speaks of those who are
looking at the life of Jesus
00:23:29.64\00:23:32.21
through a study of
God's Word and he says,
00:23:32.24\00:23:34.48
"But we all, with unveiled face,
00:23:34.51\00:23:36.75
beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord."
00:23:36.78\00:23:40.48
So notice when we
look at scripture,
00:23:40.52\00:23:41.92
when we look at
the life of Jesus.
00:23:41.95\00:23:43.28
Even when people
look directly at Jesus
00:23:43.32\00:23:44.92
when He was here,
00:23:44.95\00:23:46.29
it was not His
unveiled glory, face to face,
00:23:46.32\00:23:48.32
but it was as though you
were looking in a mirror.?
00:23:48.36\00:23:50.49
It was a reflection, right?
00:23:50.53\00:23:53.06
It says, "But we
all, with unveiled face,
00:23:53.09\00:23:55.03
beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord,
00:23:55.06\00:23:57.83
are being transformed."
00:23:57.87\00:24:01.57
That's a process,
doesn't say, we have been,
00:24:01.60\00:24:05.17
it says, we are
being transformed,
00:24:05.21\00:24:07.61
into what?
00:24:07.64\00:24:09.01
"Into the same
image from glory to glory,
00:24:09.04\00:24:13.35
just as by the
Spirit of the Lord."
00:24:13.38\00:24:17.59
Friends, the ultimate
goal of the Christian faith
00:24:17.62\00:24:21.42
is Christ's likeness.
00:24:21.46\00:24:26.09
Let me tell you something.
00:24:26.13\00:24:28.20
Christ's likeness
00:24:28.23\00:24:30.90
takes time and effort.
00:24:30.93\00:24:36.54
That's not to say
we earn it on our own,
00:24:36.57\00:24:38.37
it's not to say
it's apart from Christ
00:24:38.41\00:24:40.01
that we're meriting
some sort of, no, no, no.
00:24:40.04\00:24:44.61
But when Christ
calls you to do something,
00:24:44.65\00:24:46.58
He empowers you to do it,
00:24:46.61\00:24:47.95
but He expects that
you will stand up and obey.
00:24:47.98\00:24:50.55
Jesus said it this way.
00:24:53.59\00:24:54.92
Look at Luke 6:40.
00:24:54.96\00:24:57.96
Luke 6:40.
00:24:57.99\00:24:59.66
Jesus declares,
00:24:59.69\00:25:01.03
"A disciple is
not above his teacher,
00:25:01.06\00:25:05.00
but everyone who
is perfectly trained
00:25:05.03\00:25:07.87
will be like his teacher."
00:25:07.90\00:25:10.17
Apparently becoming like
Christ requires training.
00:25:10.21\00:25:15.54
It requires practice,
it requires discipline.
00:25:15.58\00:25:20.18
There are
essential spiritual habits
00:25:23.59\00:25:27.42
that every
Christian must develop
00:25:27.46\00:25:31.26
to be more like Jesus.
00:25:31.29\00:25:35.13
One of those habits
00:25:35.16\00:25:38.33
was alluded to in the experience
00:25:38.37\00:25:39.70
of the new believers
00:25:39.73\00:25:41.07
in Acts Chapter 2,
00:25:41.10\00:25:42.80
something that some
friends of mine have dubbed
00:25:42.84\00:25:44.51
the ministry of attendance.
00:25:44.54\00:25:47.61
Now, I might think like,
00:25:47.64\00:25:48.98
"Of all the things
that you really want to talk
00:25:49.01\00:25:50.35
to about growing in grace
00:25:50.38\00:25:51.71
and becoming more like Jesus
is the ministry of attendance?"
00:25:51.75\00:25:54.65
Well, yes, it is.
00:25:54.68\00:25:56.65
What did Jesus model in
His own life in ministry?
00:25:56.69\00:25:59.59
When He went to
Nazareth, it said...
00:25:59.62\00:26:02.29
He went to the
synagogue on the Sabbath day
00:26:02.32\00:26:04.13
as His custom was.
00:26:04.16\00:26:05.99
It was a habit, He just did it.
00:26:06.03\00:26:07.90
Did He go to church
because everybody loved Him?
00:26:07.93\00:26:10.73
No.
00:26:10.77\00:26:12.10
Everybody didn't
love Him at church,
00:26:12.13\00:26:13.97
but He went
because it was Sabbath
00:26:14.00\00:26:15.70
and that's what you do.
00:26:15.74\00:26:17.64
It's a day the Bible
says, of holy convocation,
00:26:17.67\00:26:20.21
it's a
gathering of God's people,
00:26:20.24\00:26:21.74
and that's where God says to be,
00:26:21.78\00:26:23.24
that's where I'll be.
00:26:23.28\00:26:25.41
Acts Chapter 2,
00:26:25.45\00:26:26.78
what does it say in verse 46?
00:26:26.82\00:26:28.28
"So continuing daily
00:26:28.32\00:26:32.69
with one accord in the temple
00:26:32.72\00:26:34.32
and breaking bread
from house to house,
00:26:34.36\00:26:36.26
they ate their
food with gladness
00:26:36.29\00:26:37.96
and simplicity of heart."
00:26:37.99\00:26:39.49
Notice, they
gathered together at church
00:26:39.53\00:26:42.03
and in homes,
00:26:42.06\00:26:43.40
even when it wasn't the Sabbath.
00:26:43.43\00:26:46.27
Now, you might think
00:26:46.30\00:26:47.64
as the Seventh-day
Adventist, all right,
00:26:47.67\00:26:49.00
one of my practical duties is
00:26:49.04\00:26:50.37
I need to go to
church every Sabbath.
00:26:50.41\00:26:51.74
Yes, you do.
00:26:51.77\00:26:53.11
But did you know there's
00:26:53.14\00:26:54.48
more to the life of the church
00:26:54.51\00:26:55.84
than just
attending the worship service
00:26:55.88\00:26:57.21
on Sabbath morning?
00:26:57.25\00:26:58.58
Of course, were
there for corporate worship
00:27:00.38\00:27:02.22
and study, fellowship,
00:27:02.25\00:27:05.32
but also for evangelism
00:27:05.35\00:27:06.76
and for prayer
and for encouragement
00:27:06.79\00:27:08.59
for one another.
00:27:08.62\00:27:10.23
And this is critical not
only to your own spiritual life
00:27:10.26\00:27:12.86
but to other people too.
00:27:12.89\00:27:14.23
You have a
ministry of attendance.
00:27:14.26\00:27:18.57
Friends, let me
explain it this way.
00:27:18.60\00:27:20.27
Attendance
demonstrates what you value.
00:27:20.30\00:27:25.87
It's called
voting with your feet.
00:27:25.91\00:27:28.88
The stuff you just show up to
00:27:28.91\00:27:30.85
is the stuff you
actually care about,
00:27:30.88\00:27:33.38
whether you're paid for it,
00:27:33.42\00:27:34.75
whether you're required to
00:27:34.78\00:27:36.12
just because you
want to be there.
00:27:36.15\00:27:39.59
And think about this in
your local church context,
00:27:39.62\00:27:41.82
what things would be better
if more people attended them?
00:27:41.86\00:27:44.93
Board meetings.
00:27:49.06\00:27:51.60
We need all the
board members to come up,
00:27:51.63\00:27:52.97
and most churches
board meetings are open.
00:27:53.00\00:27:54.57
Other members
can come in and see
00:27:54.60\00:27:56.27
how it's going on in the church,
00:27:56.30\00:27:57.64
learn about the budget
and the plans for evangelism,
00:27:57.67\00:27:59.37
and the building campaign
and all these other things.
00:27:59.41\00:28:02.34
Church business meetings were
not only are members allowed,
00:28:02.38\00:28:05.18
but they're expected to be there
00:28:05.21\00:28:07.42
as voting delegates of
the local church function.
00:28:07.45\00:28:10.59
Friends, at the local church
00:28:10.62\00:28:11.95
business meaning you
can control the budget,
00:28:11.99\00:28:14.09
you can control
whether you do this ministry
00:28:14.12\00:28:16.06
or that ministry, you
can do all kinds of things.
00:28:16.09\00:28:18.29
And I can tell you
00:28:18.33\00:28:19.66
from long years
of experience now,
00:28:19.69\00:28:21.06
at least seem long to me.
00:28:21.10\00:28:24.20
The church after
church, after church,
00:28:24.23\00:28:25.87
if you have 100 members,
00:28:25.90\00:28:27.24
you'll have 10 that show up
at the church business meeting.
00:28:27.27\00:28:31.87
What's happening?
00:28:31.91\00:28:35.24
What about other events like
00:28:35.28\00:28:36.61
work bees or school events,
00:28:36.64\00:28:38.18
or church
socials, or Sabbath school
00:28:38.21\00:28:40.32
or evangelist campaigns
00:28:40.35\00:28:41.75
or outreach
activities, and of course,
00:28:41.78\00:28:44.05
the unsung martyr
of the modern church
00:28:44.09\00:28:47.26
prayer meeting?
00:28:47.29\00:28:48.62
Which of those
events would be improved,
00:28:51.89\00:28:54.46
if nothing else happened,
00:28:54.50\00:28:55.83
but just more
people showed up to it?
00:28:55.86\00:28:59.60
What an
encouragement that would be.
00:28:59.63\00:29:02.37
By the way, listen to
this from Pastoral Ministry,
00:29:02.40\00:29:04.31
page 183.
00:29:04.34\00:29:05.77
"A prayer meeting will
always tell the true interest
00:29:05.81\00:29:08.71
of the church members
00:29:08.74\00:29:10.08
in spiritual
and eternal things."
00:29:10.11\00:29:13.01
Let me tell you
something, I'm a mean pastor.
00:29:13.05\00:29:15.65
I wouldn't like
me if I was a member.
00:29:15.68\00:29:19.05
In the bulletin each week,
00:29:19.09\00:29:21.12
I make sure that
we have printed up
00:29:21.16\00:29:24.03
the attendance from
last Sabbath church service,
00:29:24.06\00:29:28.76
also the attendance to
last Sabbath's Sabbath school,
00:29:28.80\00:29:33.94
and the attendance
00:29:33.97\00:29:35.30
at the last
week's prayer meeting.
00:29:35.34\00:29:36.77
So they can see, all right,
we have a membership of 324.
00:29:39.87\00:29:43.31
We have an average attendance
of the worship service of 160.
00:29:43.35\00:29:46.85
We have an average attendance
of Sabbath School of 90,
00:29:46.88\00:29:51.49
and we have an
average attendance
00:29:51.52\00:29:52.85
at prayer meeting of 9.
00:29:52.89\00:29:54.39
"And a prayer meeting will
always tell the true interest
00:29:57.79\00:29:59.83
of church members in
spiritual and eternal things."
00:29:59.86\00:30:02.10
Look, Hebrews
Chapter 10, for a moment.
00:30:06.53\00:30:09.24
Hebrews Chapter 10.
00:30:09.27\00:30:11.71
This is the quintessential
attendance passage,
00:30:11.74\00:30:14.14
but it doesn't say
00:30:14.18\00:30:15.51
what you might expect it to say.
00:30:15.54\00:30:16.91
Hebrews 10:23, says,
00:30:16.95\00:30:20.95
"Let us hold fast the
confession of our faith
00:30:20.98\00:30:23.12
without wavering,
00:30:23.15\00:30:24.49
for He who
promised is faithful."
00:30:24.52\00:30:25.89
So notice, he's
talking to people
00:30:25.92\00:30:27.29
who have been
converted and convicted,
00:30:27.32\00:30:28.89
and they are now part
of the body of Christ.
00:30:28.92\00:30:30.89
And he says,
"Hang on, stay in there.
00:30:30.93\00:30:32.49
Let us hold fast."
00:30:32.53\00:30:34.46
And then what's the first piece
00:30:34.50\00:30:36.16
of advice he has in verse 24.
00:30:36.20\00:30:38.30
"And let us consider one another
00:30:38.33\00:30:40.30
in order to stir up
love and good works,
00:30:40.34\00:30:45.61
not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together,
00:30:45.64\00:30:49.84
as is the manner of some,
but exhorting one another,
00:30:49.88\00:30:53.95
and so much the more
00:30:53.98\00:30:55.58
as you see the day approaching."
00:30:55.62\00:30:58.05
There's so many lessons here.
00:30:58.09\00:30:59.42
Let's just take a
few right off the bat.
00:30:59.45\00:31:00.99
First of all,
00:31:01.02\00:31:02.52
I take great comfort
00:31:02.56\00:31:06.33
in knowing that even in
the early Apostolic Church,
00:31:06.36\00:31:11.77
it was already
becoming a problem
00:31:11.80\00:31:14.77
for some to skip out on
joining in the worship service.
00:31:14.80\00:31:18.94
It says, "As is
the manner of some,"
00:31:18.97\00:31:21.04
some are already skipping out
on church and Sabbath School,
00:31:21.08\00:31:23.88
and they're
disconnecting themselves
00:31:23.91\00:31:25.71
in the fellowship of
other believers and whatnot.
00:31:25.75\00:31:28.88
And he says, "We
don't need to do that,
00:31:28.92\00:31:30.39
please don't do that."
00:31:30.42\00:31:33.69
And he says,
00:31:33.72\00:31:35.06
"What should be our motivation
00:31:35.09\00:31:36.73
for attending these gatherings?"
00:31:36.76\00:31:38.29
Look again at verse 24.
00:31:38.33\00:31:39.79
"And let us consider," whom?
00:31:39.83\00:31:41.76
"One another!"
00:31:41.80\00:31:43.13
Not ourselves.
00:31:43.16\00:31:44.50
People will say,
"Well, I go to church
00:31:44.53\00:31:45.87
whenever I get a blessing
00:31:45.90\00:31:47.24
or I like the music
or I like the preacher,
00:31:47.27\00:31:48.90
I like this."
00:31:48.94\00:31:50.27
But Jesus didn't go over
church for those reasons,
00:31:50.31\00:31:52.34
He went to minister
not to be ministered to.
00:31:52.37\00:31:55.94
And here the
apostle says the same thing.
00:31:55.98\00:31:58.28
"Let us consider one another
00:31:58.31\00:31:59.65
in order to stir up
love and good works."
00:31:59.68\00:32:02.12
I like that analogy, stir up.
00:32:02.15\00:32:04.99
You know, there's two kinds
of peanut butter in this world.
00:32:05.02\00:32:07.19
And I'm not talking
about crunchy and creamy.
00:32:07.22\00:32:08.92
I'm talking about
healthy and the other kind.
00:32:08.96\00:32:12.99
And you know when
you're in the store,
00:32:13.03\00:32:15.66
which one is healthy
and which one is not,
00:32:15.70\00:32:18.93
just by looking at it.
00:32:18.97\00:32:22.54
What is the
distinctive characteristic
00:32:22.57\00:32:24.87
of healthy peanut butter?
00:32:24.91\00:32:27.98
Separation, right?
00:32:28.01\00:32:29.44
It's got that nice
thick layer of oil on the top
00:32:29.48\00:32:32.28
and underneath is
some peanut butter
00:32:32.31\00:32:34.22
flavored concrete, right?
00:32:34.25\00:32:36.89
And when you open that up,
00:32:36.92\00:32:38.99
if you were to pour
off that oil into the sink
00:32:39.02\00:32:41.29
and just eat what's left,
00:32:41.32\00:32:42.76
it is a tasteless
mass, barely, it's no good.
00:32:42.79\00:32:47.86
But if you were to just
take that oil and smear,
00:32:47.90\00:32:49.90
you can't have
that either, right?
00:32:49.93\00:32:51.27
So what do you have to do
00:32:51.30\00:32:52.63
when you get that
healthy peanut butter?
00:32:52.67\00:32:54.00
You got to take a knife
00:32:54.04\00:32:55.37
and you got to get in
there and stir it up, right?
00:32:55.40\00:32:58.17
And when you first put
that spoon or knife in there,
00:32:58.21\00:33:01.88
you start to turn
and it is a challenge.
00:33:01.91\00:33:06.01
It is the way
the Lord has given us
00:33:06.05\00:33:07.62
to develop our muscles, right?
00:33:07.65\00:33:09.35
You just, uh... You
get that first turn.
00:33:09.38\00:33:11.95
But as the oil
starts to seep in that,
00:33:11.99\00:33:13.99
it gets a little
easier, little easier,
00:33:14.02\00:33:15.36
and by the way, finally
it becomes a little smooth.
00:33:15.39\00:33:18.46
And it's nice and you
got peanut butter finally.
00:33:18.49\00:33:21.20
That imagery is
what comes to mind
00:33:21.23\00:33:22.93
when I hear the
apostle here telling us
00:33:22.96\00:33:24.70
that we go to
church in order to stir up
00:33:24.73\00:33:27.44
love and good works.
00:33:27.47\00:33:29.34
Apparently there are potential
latent love and good works
00:33:29.37\00:33:33.58
in the people at church,
00:33:33.61\00:33:34.94
but that needs to be stirred up.
00:33:34.98\00:33:38.71
And how do you stir it up?
00:33:38.75\00:33:40.28
By showing up.
00:33:40.32\00:33:41.98
You stir it up by showing up.
00:33:42.02\00:33:45.72
And he's telling people,
00:33:45.75\00:33:47.09
the first thing you need to do
00:33:47.12\00:33:48.46
to hold fast your
faith is to go to church,
00:33:48.49\00:33:51.79
attend everything in the church,
00:33:51.83\00:33:54.43
as God's led...
00:33:54.46\00:33:55.80
By the way, the third
lesson we can learn from this,
00:33:55.83\00:33:57.23
notice what he
concludes there with verse 25.
00:33:57.27\00:34:00.00
"And so much the more
00:34:00.04\00:34:02.10
as you see the day approaching."
00:34:02.14\00:34:03.71
Friends, is Jesus coming soon?
00:34:03.74\00:34:05.74
Yes, indeed.
00:34:05.77\00:34:07.11
Have the prophecies
expired and are expiring
00:34:07.14\00:34:09.44
even in our lifetime?
00:34:09.48\00:34:10.81
Yes, indeed.
00:34:10.85\00:34:12.38
I believe that Jesus is
coming in this generation.
00:34:12.41\00:34:16.12
And if you believe that
00:34:16.15\00:34:17.62
apparently
according to the Bible,
00:34:17.65\00:34:19.35
one of the ways we demonstrate
00:34:19.39\00:34:21.12
our belief in the
soon coming of Jesus
00:34:21.16\00:34:23.29
as we increase our
attendance at the local church.
00:34:23.32\00:34:28.43
As God's last
day remnant movement,
00:34:28.46\00:34:32.47
do we not see
the day approaching?
00:34:32.50\00:34:35.40
Does not this passage
have particular significant
00:34:35.44\00:34:38.21
to Seventh-day Adventists?
00:34:38.24\00:34:40.98
I urge you, friends,
determine in your heart.
00:34:41.01\00:34:46.11
When you go
home from this event,
00:34:46.15\00:34:50.69
that you will develop a
habit of faithful attendance
00:34:50.72\00:34:54.16
at the functions
of your local church,
00:34:54.19\00:34:57.33
not only as a way to be blessed
00:34:57.36\00:35:00.20
which, incidentally,
you will receive a blessing.
00:35:00.23\00:35:03.60
But more importantly,
as a way to be a blessing
00:35:03.63\00:35:07.30
and an encouragement to others,
00:35:07.34\00:35:09.34
so we can finish this work
and hasten the coming of Jesus.
00:35:09.37\00:35:14.08
There is a
ministry of attendance.
00:35:14.11\00:35:17.61
You don't have
to prepare anything.
00:35:17.65\00:35:19.95
You don't have to make
a dish or write a talk,
00:35:19.98\00:35:23.15
or really even say a
word, just come in and sit down.
00:35:23.18\00:35:27.39
And here's the
extra credit bonus.
00:35:27.42\00:35:30.03
Sit down front.
00:35:30.06\00:35:33.13
So many times I've seen churches
00:35:33.16\00:35:34.56
that hold 300 and 30 show up
00:35:34.60\00:35:36.67
and they all sit
in different corners
00:35:36.70\00:35:38.20
and parts of the
church, scattered flock.
00:35:38.23\00:35:41.37
Come down and be a part
of something, sit together,
00:35:41.40\00:35:44.81
just like fire is built
00:35:44.84\00:35:46.17
when sticks
come together, right?
00:35:46.21\00:35:47.84
Why don't we stir
up love and good works?
00:35:47.88\00:35:51.35
Be part and parcel
00:35:51.38\00:35:54.35
of the work of the church.
00:35:54.38\00:35:56.02
Now that's just one example
00:35:56.05\00:35:57.45
of the
incredibly practical counsel
00:35:57.49\00:35:59.25
that so often is not
given to new believers.
00:35:59.29\00:36:03.96
Was lofty
rhetoric, grand oratory,
00:36:03.99\00:36:07.00
big speeches and
stirring sermons?
00:36:07.03\00:36:11.93
But we don't take those
lessons and make them practical.
00:36:11.97\00:36:14.14
What does it mean
in the daily life?
00:36:14.17\00:36:18.31
Just like
attendance at Sabbath School,
00:36:18.34\00:36:20.01
church and prayer meeting,
00:36:20.04\00:36:21.38
many other areas of your
life require some pointed,
00:36:21.41\00:36:24.05
purposeful and
sometimes painful acclamation,
00:36:24.08\00:36:28.45
when you decide to
walk the high road of faith
00:36:28.48\00:36:30.95
in Christ.
00:36:30.99\00:36:33.05
Let's think
about a few other these
00:36:33.09\00:36:34.59
with the time we have remaining.
00:36:34.62\00:36:37.66
Besides Sabbath keeping,
00:36:37.69\00:36:39.39
and all other church commitments
00:36:39.43\00:36:41.06
we've already mentioned,
00:36:41.10\00:36:42.46
we must not
neglect the vital practice
00:36:42.50\00:36:44.87
of taking time for personal
devotion in family worship.
00:36:44.90\00:36:49.87
True religion gets
into your calendar,
00:36:49.90\00:36:52.81
it rearranges your schedule,
00:36:52.84\00:36:54.84
you might have to get up
earlier than you thought,
00:36:54.88\00:36:57.18
you might have to
make sure that happens
00:36:57.21\00:36:58.91
by going to bed earlier
than you might usually do.
00:36:58.95\00:37:03.28
You might need
to develop a habit
00:37:03.32\00:37:05.19
of reading your
Bible in the morning,
00:37:05.22\00:37:07.52
of setting
apart time for prayer.
00:37:07.56\00:37:09.92
Again, we read in 1 Peter 2:2,
00:37:15.96\00:37:18.37
"As newborn babes,
00:37:18.40\00:37:19.73
desire the pure
milk of the word,
00:37:19.77\00:37:21.10
that you may grow thereby."
00:37:21.14\00:37:22.87
If you have been
born into the church
00:37:22.90\00:37:24.94
as a disciple of Jesus Christ,
00:37:24.97\00:37:26.64
you need the Word of
God to continue to grow.
00:37:26.68\00:37:30.25
You must feed on it.
00:37:30.28\00:37:31.61
Someone said, "The Bible
is not intended to be cake
00:37:31.65\00:37:34.08
for an occasional
eating, for occasional dessert,
00:37:34.12\00:37:36.89
it's supposed to be
bread for daily eating," right?
00:37:36.92\00:37:41.52
Listen to this.
00:37:41.56\00:37:42.89
Our High Calling, page 215,
00:37:42.92\00:37:44.69
talking about new
members of the church.
00:37:44.73\00:37:48.86
It says, "No renewed heart
00:37:48.90\00:37:51.70
can be kept in a
condition of sweetness
00:37:51.73\00:37:55.14
without the daily
application of the salt
00:37:55.17\00:37:57.77
of the Word of God.
00:37:57.81\00:38:00.34
Divine grace must
be received daily,
00:38:00.38\00:38:03.35
or no man will stay converted."
00:38:03.38\00:38:08.45
You cannot stay converted,
00:38:08.48\00:38:11.22
just drifting on
last week's experience.
00:38:11.25\00:38:14.06
You got to have a daily
feeding on the Word of God.
00:38:14.09\00:38:18.19
True religion takes discipline.
00:38:18.23\00:38:21.36
You know why it's
called a devotional life?
00:38:21.40\00:38:25.80
Because you have
to be devoted to it.
00:38:25.83\00:38:28.64
It requires devotion.
00:38:28.67\00:38:31.47
It requires discipline.
00:38:31.51\00:38:35.44
How about this,
does true religion
00:38:35.48\00:38:36.85
get into your pocket book?
00:38:36.88\00:38:39.31
Yes, indeed.
00:38:39.35\00:38:42.82
You know, and if
you ever noticed this
00:38:42.85\00:38:44.19
in any conversation,
00:38:44.22\00:38:45.72
things get real when
money comes into the picture.
00:38:45.75\00:38:48.62
It's all fun and games,
00:38:48.66\00:38:49.99
we can philosophize and theorize
00:38:50.03\00:38:51.96
and back and forth,
we can go and banter.
00:38:51.99\00:38:54.40
But when money comes into play,
00:38:54.43\00:38:57.97
things get real.
00:38:58.00\00:39:00.34
What does Malachi 3:8 say?
00:39:00.37\00:39:03.07
In the Old Testament
right before the Matthew
00:39:03.10\00:39:05.57
begins the New Testament...
00:39:05.61\00:39:06.94
Malachi 3:8,
00:39:06.98\00:39:08.68
the Lord asked this
rhetorical question,
00:39:08.71\00:39:10.48
"Will a man rob God?
00:39:10.51\00:39:13.52
Yet you have robbed Me!
00:39:13.55\00:39:18.09
But you say, 'In what
way have we robbed You?'
00:39:18.12\00:39:20.36
In tithes and offerings.'"
00:39:20.39\00:39:22.22
Please notice.
00:39:22.26\00:39:24.13
We often talk
about the need to return
00:39:24.16\00:39:25.93
a faithful
tithe with this, true.
00:39:25.96\00:39:27.40
But what does God call robbery,
not returning faithful tithes
00:39:27.43\00:39:31.57
and giving offerings?
00:39:31.60\00:39:35.14
Verse 9, "You are
cursed with acurse,
00:39:35.17\00:39:36.84
for you have robbed Me,
00:39:36.87\00:39:38.21
Even this whole nation."
00:39:38.24\00:39:40.04
So what's the remedy?
00:39:40.08\00:39:41.41
"Bring all the
tithes into the storehouse,
00:39:41.44\00:39:44.35
that there may
be food in My house,
00:39:44.38\00:39:47.02
and try Me now in
this,' says the Lord of hosts,
00:39:47.05\00:39:50.25
'If I will not open for
you the windows of heaven
00:39:50.29\00:39:52.52
and pour out for
you such blessing
00:39:52.55\00:39:55.49
that there will not be
room enough to receive it.'"
00:39:55.52\00:39:57.99
Think about how...
00:40:01.43\00:40:02.76
We look at this as a
biblical principle, say,
00:40:02.80\00:40:04.30
we should tithe, we
should give offerings.
00:40:04.33\00:40:05.90
That's good, that's good.
00:40:05.93\00:40:08.47
But imagine you've
just joined a church family,
00:40:08.50\00:40:12.11
and you've never
once in your life
00:40:12.14\00:40:13.74
returned a faithful tithe
nor given generous offerings.
00:40:13.78\00:40:16.81
Will that necessarily
already fit in your budget?
00:40:20.35\00:40:24.79
Nope.
00:40:24.82\00:40:27.39
In America, today,
00:40:27.42\00:40:29.72
it is common for
people to live on 100%
00:40:29.76\00:40:33.80
or for being honest,
00:40:33.83\00:40:35.30
more than 100%
00:40:35.33\00:40:37.63
of their monthly paycheck.
00:40:37.67\00:40:41.57
But God demands,
00:40:41.60\00:40:43.47
He requires a faithful 10% tithe
00:40:43.51\00:40:47.68
of our gross income and
generous offerings beyond.
00:40:47.71\00:40:54.25
For many people,
it is nothing short
00:40:54.28\00:40:56.28
of an act of pure faith
00:40:56.32\00:40:58.39
to give 10%, 15%, 20%
00:40:58.42\00:41:02.36
or more to the
Lord and His work.
00:41:02.39\00:41:05.89
It's one thing to hear,
00:41:05.93\00:41:07.26
oh, a message
that Jesus loves you
00:41:07.30\00:41:08.63
and you commit your life to Him.
00:41:08.66\00:41:10.00
But what happens when He says,
00:41:10.03\00:41:11.37
"All right, if you love
Me, keep My commandments."
00:41:11.40\00:41:13.84
And one of those is
return a faithful tithe.
00:41:13.87\00:41:16.60
You're gonna say...
00:41:16.64\00:41:17.97
True religion gets
in your pocketbook,
00:41:21.88\00:41:24.11
it gets in your
wallet, it changes things.
00:41:24.15\00:41:29.85
How about food?
00:41:29.88\00:41:32.29
You think
conversion to Jesus Christ
00:41:32.32\00:41:34.26
and joining the
great remnant movement
00:41:34.29\00:41:35.76
is going to
change the way you eat?
00:41:35.79\00:41:39.59
Probably, so.
00:41:39.63\00:41:42.56
Go back to Genesis Chapter 1.
00:41:42.60\00:41:44.67
I'll show you a
little overlooked passage
00:41:44.70\00:41:46.27
in the Bible.
00:41:46.30\00:41:47.64
Genesis 1:26-28,
00:41:47.67\00:41:52.87
to where God makes man in
His image, in His likeness,
00:41:52.91\00:41:57.35
gives him
dominion over the planets
00:41:57.38\00:42:00.55
and all that is in it.
00:42:00.58\00:42:02.25
And oftentimes we skip there
00:42:02.28\00:42:03.62
and say, "Okay,
that's the end of that."
00:42:03.65\00:42:04.99
And we go on to Chapter 2.
00:42:05.02\00:42:06.35
But look at verse 29.
00:42:06.39\00:42:08.69
What is the very, and I
mean, very first instruction,
00:42:08.72\00:42:13.90
given to man,
00:42:13.93\00:42:17.17
after the whole, be fruitful
and multiply, of course?
00:42:17.20\00:42:20.94
What is the first practical
instruction for daily living,
00:42:20.97\00:42:23.91
that God gives
mankind in the Scripture?
00:42:23.94\00:42:27.74
What does it have to deal with?
00:42:27.78\00:42:30.25
Believe it or not, food.
00:42:30.28\00:42:32.78
Look at verse 29.
00:42:32.81\00:42:34.22
"And God said, 'See,
00:42:34.25\00:42:36.08
I have given you
every herb that yields seed
00:42:36.12\00:42:38.49
which is on the
face of all the earth,
00:42:38.52\00:42:40.29
and every tree
whose fruit yields seed,
00:42:40.32\00:42:42.19
to you it shall be for food.'"
00:42:42.22\00:42:45.26
He tells him,
not only who he is,
00:42:45.29\00:42:47.70
but what he is supposed to eat.
00:42:47.73\00:42:50.67
By the way, if you
go to Genesis Chapter 3,
00:42:50.70\00:42:52.63
even after the
fall, Genesis Chapter 3.
00:42:52.67\00:42:57.04
Notice what we read
in verse 17, and onward.
00:42:57.07\00:42:59.37
"Then to Adam He said,
00:42:59.41\00:43:00.74
'Because you have
heeded the voice of your wife,
00:43:00.78\00:43:02.84
and have eaten from the
tree which I commanded you,
00:43:02.88\00:43:04.71
saying, 'You
shall not eat of it.'
00:43:04.75\00:43:06.68
Cursed is the
ground for your sake,
00:43:06.72\00:43:08.68
in toil you shall eat of it.'"
00:43:08.72\00:43:10.89
So you notice in Chapter 1,
00:43:10.92\00:43:12.55
the very first
instruction is about food.
00:43:12.59\00:43:14.82
And now in Chapter 3,
00:43:14.86\00:43:16.32
as soon as sin
comes into the picture,
00:43:16.36\00:43:17.83
he has to
readdress this issue of food.
00:43:17.86\00:43:22.76
"Cursed is the
ground for your sake,
00:43:22.80\00:43:24.17
in toil you shall eat of
it all the days of your life.
00:43:24.20\00:43:26.77
Both thorns and thistles
it shall bring forth for you,
00:43:26.80\00:43:29.40
and you shall eat
the herb of the field,
00:43:29.44\00:43:31.94
"which used to be animal food
has now become people food."
00:43:31.97\00:43:35.18
Till you returned to the ground,
00:43:38.31\00:43:40.52
for out of it you were
taken, for dust you are,
00:43:40.55\00:43:42.55
and to dust you shall return."
00:43:42.58\00:43:47.82
Did you notice that
even after the fall into sin
00:43:47.86\00:43:52.83
that we were supposed
to eat a plant based diet?
00:43:52.86\00:43:58.37
It was God's original idea.
00:43:58.40\00:43:59.80
It's not until
after the flood occurs
00:43:59.83\00:44:02.27
that God allows the
eating of flesh foods.
00:44:02.30\00:44:04.71
And even then
there are restrictions,
00:44:04.74\00:44:06.74
clean versus unclean, no
blood, it had to be all...
00:44:06.78\00:44:10.45
There were restrictions on it.
00:44:10.48\00:44:13.52
God's original intent
is that we be plant based,
00:44:13.55\00:44:17.79
whole foods eaters.
00:44:17.82\00:44:21.02
Now imagine...
00:44:21.06\00:44:22.39
Of course, of course,
00:44:22.42\00:44:23.76
this doesn't
apply to any of you,
00:44:23.79\00:44:25.13
but imagine you grew up
00:44:25.16\00:44:26.49
not necessarily eating
the most healthful foods.
00:44:26.53\00:44:28.86
Do you have a
taste for, you know,
00:44:28.90\00:44:31.13
unclean meats or
richly prepared foods
00:44:31.17\00:44:34.04
with lots of extra additives,
00:44:34.07\00:44:35.40
stripped of their
nutrients and deep fried?
00:44:35.44\00:44:37.17
You know, I used to...
00:44:37.21\00:44:41.11
Confession is good for the soul.
00:44:41.14\00:44:42.48
So here we go.
00:44:42.51\00:44:44.48
I always grew
up as a vegetarian.
00:44:44.51\00:44:47.22
I'd never eaten any meat in
my life and I still haven't.
00:44:47.25\00:44:51.55
Clearly, doesn't
stunt your growth but...
00:44:51.59\00:44:55.42
But I would often look down
00:44:55.46\00:44:56.83
at people who might
have a lean turkey sandwich
00:44:56.86\00:44:59.16
or something like that,
00:44:59.19\00:45:00.53
they don't know
about the health message.
00:45:00.56\00:45:02.16
Oh, well, I was eating
deep fried cheese sticks
00:45:02.20\00:45:04.67
in ranch sauce
with a Dr. Pepper.
00:45:04.70\00:45:08.27
I'm like, "Oh, no, they
got meat on their plate."
00:45:08.30\00:45:10.27
They doesn't
know the truth, right?
00:45:10.31\00:45:14.61
I know plenty of vegetarians
00:45:14.64\00:45:16.34
who don't really eat vegetables.
00:45:16.38\00:45:17.91
The idea is to go back
from God's perspective and say,
00:45:20.98\00:45:23.92
"What is the most
wholesome healthful way
00:45:23.95\00:45:25.95
I can go about eating,
00:45:25.99\00:45:27.32
so I can care for this
body that God has given me
00:45:27.36\00:45:29.59
in the way His Word prescribes?"
00:45:29.62\00:45:32.56
Listen to Proverbs 23:1.
00:45:32.59\00:45:35.36
For any of you struggling
with diet and lifestyle,
00:45:35.40\00:45:37.00
here's one for you.
00:45:37.03\00:45:38.70
"When you sit down
to eat with a ruler..."
00:45:38.73\00:45:41.04
Now I'll pause right here.
00:45:41.07\00:45:43.37
You know, it's only been a
relatively recent invention
00:45:43.41\00:45:47.84
that has allowed each of us
to live like kings and queens.
00:45:47.88\00:45:52.41
There was a time when if
you wanted a pizza at 2 AM,
00:45:52.45\00:45:56.25
there wasn't
somewhere available to get it.
00:45:56.28\00:45:59.95
If you wanted burgers and fries
and tacos and all kinds of it,
00:45:59.99\00:46:03.59
right now we live in it.
00:46:03.63\00:46:04.96
If you go down to
Honolulu right now,
00:46:04.99\00:46:07.23
anytime of the day or night
00:46:07.26\00:46:08.60
you can get any type of
food in any quantity you want
00:46:08.63\00:46:10.70
for relatively inexpensive.
00:46:10.73\00:46:12.53
And they can do it
real quick minutes,
00:46:12.57\00:46:15.17
you'll have the
food right on the plate.
00:46:15.20\00:46:17.37
But think back in ancient times,
00:46:17.41\00:46:18.74
were there are many people
00:46:18.77\00:46:20.11
who could have those
deep fried cheese sticks
00:46:20.14\00:46:21.48
anytime they wanted them?
00:46:21.51\00:46:22.84
Of course, not.
00:46:22.88\00:46:24.21
They had to work for it.
00:46:24.25\00:46:25.58
The only people who could live
00:46:25.61\00:46:27.25
the American lifestyle diet wise
00:46:27.28\00:46:30.15
were the wealthy,
the rulers of the time.
00:46:30.19\00:46:35.26
And Proverbs 23:1 speaks about
00:46:35.29\00:46:37.56
when you go to eat in
that kind of environment
00:46:37.59\00:46:40.03
and those kind of circumstances,
00:46:40.06\00:46:41.56
here's the counsel.
00:46:41.60\00:46:42.93
"When you sit down
to eat with a ruler,
00:46:42.96\00:46:45.10
consider carefully
what is before you."
00:46:45.13\00:46:48.40
Notice this biblical
principle before you eat.
00:46:48.44\00:46:52.01
Think.
00:46:52.04\00:46:53.38
Friends, when you come to Jesus,
00:46:56.44\00:46:58.71
He's going to start meddling
around in your cupboard,
00:46:58.75\00:47:02.55
He's going to
get into your pantry,
00:47:02.58\00:47:05.29
He's going to change
the way you grocery shop,
00:47:05.32\00:47:07.32
it's going to change
things, it takes discipline.
00:47:07.36\00:47:09.92
Notice what the
discipline here is,
00:47:09.96\00:47:11.96
"When you sit down
to eat with a ruler,
00:47:11.99\00:47:13.33
consider carefully
what is before you,
00:47:13.36\00:47:15.50
and put a knife to your throat
00:47:15.53\00:47:19.37
if you are a man
given to appetite."
00:47:19.40\00:47:22.80
Again, I don't know
00:47:22.84\00:47:24.17
if he's speaking
in broad language
00:47:24.21\00:47:25.54
and hyperbole or if he means
00:47:25.57\00:47:26.91
you're literally
supposed to take that knife
00:47:26.94\00:47:28.44
and before you pick
up that greasy, salty,
00:47:28.48\00:47:30.75
whatever nasty
food that looks so sweet
00:47:30.78\00:47:33.52
and delicate at the time,
00:47:33.55\00:47:34.88
he says think and put
a knife to your throat,
00:47:34.92\00:47:38.99
if you're prone to
an indulgence here.
00:47:39.02\00:47:41.56
Goes on to say,
00:47:41.59\00:47:43.32
"Do not desire his delicacies,
00:47:43.36\00:47:46.23
for they are deceptive food."
00:47:46.26\00:47:51.70
It might look like food,
it might smell real good,
00:47:51.73\00:47:54.80
but it is not the
food that is best for you
00:47:54.84\00:47:57.41
that God prescribes in His Word.
00:47:57.44\00:47:58.87
If that wasn't pointed enough,
00:48:02.54\00:48:05.71
and I don't think
I've ever heard a counter
00:48:05.75\00:48:07.12
more pointed than put
a knife to your throat.
00:48:07.15\00:48:09.45
Maybe Jesus when He
said, "Pluck out your eye,
00:48:09.48\00:48:12.55
or cut off your hand,"
00:48:12.59\00:48:14.02
but the Bible makes some
pretty intense statements,
00:48:14.06\00:48:18.06
does it not?
00:48:18.09\00:48:21.26
Listen to this one,
00:48:21.30\00:48:22.63
Testimonies for the Church,
volume 9, page 153 and 154.
00:48:22.66\00:48:27.24
"Those who have received
instruction regarding the evils
00:48:27.27\00:48:30.41
of the use of flesh
foods, tea and coffee,
00:48:30.44\00:48:33.31
and rich and
unhealthful food preparations,
00:48:33.34\00:48:36.04
and who are
determined to make a covenant
00:48:36.08\00:48:37.88
with God by sacrifice,
00:48:37.91\00:48:39.51
will not continue to
indulge their appetite
00:48:39.55\00:48:42.02
for food that they
know to be unhealthful.
00:48:42.05\00:48:45.52
God demands that the
appetites be cleansed,
00:48:45.55\00:48:49.22
and that
self-denial be practiced
00:48:49.26\00:48:51.46
in regard to those
things which are not good.
00:48:51.49\00:48:54.76
This is a work that
will have to be done
00:48:54.80\00:48:57.37
before His people
can stand before Him
00:48:57.40\00:48:59.93
a perfected people.
00:48:59.97\00:49:01.30
You mean when I come to
Christ and I get baptized,
00:49:05.74\00:49:07.68
I got to start coming to
church and not just church,
00:49:07.71\00:49:09.61
but Sabbath
School and prayer meeting
00:49:09.64\00:49:11.21
and then social meeting
and the business meeting?
00:49:11.25\00:49:14.05
Yes.
00:49:14.08\00:49:16.12
And then I got to have
my daily devotional life
00:49:16.15\00:49:18.29
with prayer and Bible study?
00:49:18.32\00:49:20.26
Yes. And family worship?
00:49:20.29\00:49:21.89
Yes.
00:49:21.92\00:49:23.76
And I need to return
tithes and offerings?
00:49:23.79\00:49:26.83
Yes.
00:49:26.86\00:49:28.20
And I need to change...
00:49:28.23\00:49:29.56
Do you recognize
that the disciple life,
00:49:29.60\00:49:31.30
it takes discipline?
00:49:31.33\00:49:34.14
That is not natural
to the unconverted heart
00:49:34.17\00:49:36.64
that we need the
power of Christ in our lives
00:49:36.67\00:49:38.91
to make the
change that He requires.
00:49:38.94\00:49:41.21
Notice that she
doesn't merely say
00:49:45.68\00:49:47.25
that this is a
choice, she calls it a work.
00:49:47.28\00:49:51.95
Friends, you don't go
00:49:51.99\00:49:53.32
from pork chops to
carrot sticks on a whim.
00:49:53.36\00:49:55.86
Giving up alcohol, cigarettes
and Coca Cola, coffee,
00:49:59.16\00:50:04.20
it isn't easy.
00:50:04.23\00:50:06.33
It takes discipline.
00:50:06.37\00:50:09.00
Well, I'm already
offending most everyone.
00:50:14.91\00:50:19.08
Let's go to one
more area of life
00:50:19.11\00:50:20.58
that the Bible gives us counsel
00:50:20.62\00:50:21.95
that we don't
often want to hear.
00:50:21.98\00:50:24.79
How about
clothing and adornment?
00:50:24.82\00:50:26.29
As we mentioned, a
life of faithfulness
00:50:30.06\00:50:31.79
to God word invades
every corner of your life,
00:50:31.83\00:50:34.40
your pantry, your bank
account, your Google Calendar,
00:50:34.43\00:50:37.47
and yes, even
your clothes closet.
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Notice what the Bible
tells us about Jesus Christ
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in Isaiah 53:2.
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It says, "He shall grow up
before Him as a tender plant,
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and as a root out of dry ground.
00:50:48.48\00:50:50.45
He has no form or comeliness.
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And when we see Him,
00:50:53.38\00:50:54.92
there is no beauty
that we should desire Him."
00:50:54.95\00:50:57.35
You know, Christ
could have come down here
00:50:57.39\00:50:58.92
in the most ornate regalia,
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He could have been
glowing with the divinity.
00:51:00.66\00:51:03.26
People could have just looked
at Him from miles away and say,
00:51:03.29\00:51:05.26
"Oh, my!
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There goes the Son of God.
00:51:06.66\00:51:08.13
Just look at Him."
00:51:08.16\00:51:11.23
But He didn't do that.
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He was beautiful
but from the inside out
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His character was what
He wanted people to see,
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He wanted to reveal the
glory of God in His good deeds.
00:51:19.97\00:51:26.15
And that's exactly what
the Bible tells us to be like.
00:51:26.18\00:51:28.25
Listen to Philippians Chapter 2,
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said, "Let this mind be in
you which was also in," whom?
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"Christ Jesus."
00:51:36.09\00:51:37.46
And explain what that includes.
00:51:37.49\00:51:38.83
"Who made
himself of no reputation,
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taking the form
of a bondservant,
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and coming in
the likeness of men."
00:51:46.47\00:51:50.97
Friends, let me
just put it this way.
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One evidence, I'm
not saying the evidence,
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but one evidence of genuine
conversion is simplicity,
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economy and
modesty of our apparel.
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Look at Genesis Chapter 35.
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Genesis 35:1,
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a revival in the
household of Jacob,
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and look what we find.
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"Then God said to
Jacob," there in Genesis 35:1,
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"'Arise, go up to
Bethel and dwell there,
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and make an altar there
to God, who appeared to you
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when you fled from the
face of Esau your brother.'
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And Jacob said to his household
and to all who are with him,
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'Put away the foreign
gods that are among you,
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purify yourselves, and
change your garments.'"
00:52:35.25\00:52:39.69
He said, we're going
to be getting back to God,
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we're going to
make things right,
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we're going to
practice the biblical lifestyle
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and it include
changing their clothes
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and it goes on to
explain what that meant.
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Verse 3, "'Then let us
arise and go up to Bethel.
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And I will make an
altar there to God,
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who answered me in
the day of my distress
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and has been with me in
the way which I have gone.'
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So they gave Jacob
all the foreign gods
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which were in their hands,
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and the earrings
which were in their ears.
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And Jacob hid them
under the terebinth tree
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which was by Shechem.'"
00:53:05.98\00:53:07.32
Why did he hide the
earrings and the idols?
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Was it like a
squirrel burying an acorn
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so they can come
back and get it later?
00:53:11.95\00:53:14.32
No, it was so that
they would leave it there
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and walk away permanently.
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You find the same
thing in the Book of Exodus
00:53:21.53\00:53:23.03
Chapter 33,
00:53:23.06\00:53:24.40
after the whole
golden calf incident,
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and the Lord had great
displeasure with His people,
00:53:26.43\00:53:29.54
they needed to revive
and reform themselves.
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Exodus 33:6,
notice what it says.
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"So the children of
Israel stripped themselves
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of their
ornaments by Mount Horeb."
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By the way, most
Bible translations
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get the tense of that verb,
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"Stripped them
of their ornaments,"
00:53:46.79\00:53:48.56
correctly when it says
they wore jewelry no more.
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It wasn't just for
that one day of the week
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or that one off handed event,
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it was from then on,
they change their apparel,
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and their ornamentation to
be more simple, more modest,
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more in line with
biblical principle.
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Thus the Apostle Peter
can say in 1 Peter 3:3-5.
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"Do not let your
adornment be merely outward."
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And he gives
examples, "Arranging the hair,
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wearing gold or
putting on fine apparel.
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Rather, let it be the
hidden person of the heart,
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with the incorruptible beauty
of a gentle and quiet spirit,
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which is very
precious in the sight of God."
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Now, clearly, we're not supposed
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to go make
ourselves gazing stocks
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and aim to be ugly.
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That's not what God wants.
00:54:33.90\00:54:35.24
We should be beautiful,
00:54:35.27\00:54:36.60
but with the beauty of holiness,
00:54:36.64\00:54:38.47
with a character
that is like Christ
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that they can see our good works
00:54:40.61\00:54:42.24
and glorify our
Father who is in heaven.
00:54:42.28\00:54:45.18
Friends, if
time would permit me,
00:54:45.21\00:54:46.72
we could go on to touch
on other areas of our lives
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that a walk with Christ
necessitates pointed change,
00:54:49.22\00:54:53.66
entertainment, language,
relationships, temperament,
00:54:53.69\00:54:59.69
etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
00:54:59.73\00:55:01.83
Couple of years ago now,
00:55:08.00\00:55:09.34
the Seventh-day Adventist
Church lost a spiritual giant,
00:55:09.37\00:55:11.54
a hero of the
faith, Elder CD Brooks.
00:55:11.57\00:55:16.51
One of the
remnant's most prolific
00:55:16.54\00:55:18.01
and faithful evangelists
is now sleeping in Jesus.
00:55:18.05\00:55:24.15
I knew he'd been
ill for some time,
00:55:24.19\00:55:25.72
but when I heard
the news, I still cried.
00:55:25.75\00:55:31.09
I went back and re-listen
00:55:31.13\00:55:32.46
to one of his
innumerable powerful messages.
00:55:32.49\00:55:34.50
This one entitled "I
Want My Church Back."
00:55:34.53\00:55:38.63
And speaking to fellow
pastors and evangelists,
00:55:38.67\00:55:40.90
he appealed to them saying,
00:55:40.94\00:55:43.47
"Young and old
need the discipline
00:55:43.51\00:55:46.71
of the Word of God.
00:55:46.74\00:55:48.91
When people feel like
they can do what they please,
00:55:48.94\00:55:52.38
then the church
loses its premium value,
00:55:52.41\00:55:55.65
but feel goodism is
pervading our congregations,
00:55:55.68\00:56:01.69
creeping in and our churches
00:56:01.72\00:56:03.32
and our schools are floundering.
00:56:03.36\00:56:05.46
We fail our people.
00:56:05.49\00:56:07.50
When we water
down and compromise,
00:56:07.53\00:56:09.53
and undermine, and repudiate
00:56:09.56\00:56:12.07
the message that
God has given us,
00:56:12.10\00:56:14.60
to bear and to live."
00:56:14.64\00:56:15.97
Brothers and sisters,
00:56:19.47\00:56:21.88
the world will tell
you to follow your heart.
00:56:21.91\00:56:26.01
But Christ says follow the Word.
00:56:26.05\00:56:29.48
He says in verse, Romans 12:1,
00:56:29.52\00:56:31.69
"I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:56:31.72\00:56:33.05
by the mercies of God,
00:56:33.09\00:56:34.82
that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice."
00:56:34.86\00:56:39.26
James 1:22, says,
00:56:39.29\00:56:41.06
"Be doers of the
word, and not hearers only,
00:56:41.10\00:56:44.57
deceiving yourselves."
00:56:44.60\00:56:47.74
Friends, the deepest
blessings God has to offer
00:56:47.77\00:56:50.27
come not from a
mere hearing of the word,
00:56:50.31\00:56:52.27
but a doing of the word
by the grace of Christ Jesus.
00:56:52.31\00:56:56.68
If that is your desire,
00:56:56.71\00:56:58.68
to not merely appreciate
but to purposefully apply
00:56:58.71\00:57:03.05
the principles of
inspiration in your life today,
00:57:03.08\00:57:07.02
would you join with me,
00:57:07.06\00:57:08.72
as we rededicate our
lives to Christ even now?
00:57:08.76\00:57:11.93
Let's bow our heads.
00:57:11.96\00:57:14.93
Dear Heavenly Father,
00:57:14.96\00:57:17.33
Lord, we thank You
for creating us at all.
00:57:17.37\00:57:22.60
And even after we sinned
and rebelled against You,
00:57:22.64\00:57:25.77
You send Your Son to redeem us,
and to bring us home with You.
00:57:25.81\00:57:32.28
Lord, there is no value
00:57:32.31\00:57:33.95
that we can estimate
to place on salvation.
00:57:33.98\00:57:37.05
And we cannot ever repay
You nor we can merit anything,
00:57:40.16\00:57:45.76
in spiritual areas.
00:57:45.79\00:57:48.23
But You have asked us
to be co-laborers with You
00:57:48.26\00:57:50.63
and to work out
our own salvation.
00:57:50.67\00:57:53.23
Lord, please
give us the strength
00:57:53.27\00:57:55.10
to apply the Word
to not just be hearers,
00:57:55.14\00:57:57.61
but to be doers of the Word
00:57:57.64\00:57:59.94
that through
discipline, we can be disciples,
00:57:59.97\00:58:02.81
and we can follow
Jesus and become like Him,
00:58:02.84\00:58:05.75
for we pray it in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:58:05.78\00:58:08.68