Participants:
Series Code: SUSS
Program Code: SUSS000005A
00:15 Hello, once again,
00:16 from the beautiful island of Oahu, 00:18 So happy to be here with Secrets Unsealed, 00:20 and I hope that you're being blessed here in Hawaii, 00:23 and at this moment 00:24 we're concluding in this message, 00:26 our series "Silencing Satan." 00:30 Now we've seen the process of God's elimination of evil 00:34 from its very beginnings in heaven and step by step 00:37 how He's methodically and clearly revealed 00:41 all the principles at stake in the Great Controversy, 00:44 so every eye will see 00:45 and everyone will understand and when everything is done, 00:49 we can rest assure that God has done everything 00:52 He can to save the lost 00:54 and be fair in His destruction of the wicked. 00:57 So our message now is simply entitled, 01:00 Nahum 1:9. 01:03 But, of course, before we do any study, 01:05 we always need to begin with a word of prayer. 01:06 So let us bow our heads. 01:09 Dear Heavenly Father, 01:10 I thank You so much for this beautiful day. 01:13 I thank You for life at all. 01:15 And I thank You, of course, for eternal life 01:17 which is ours in Jesus Christ. 01:19 Please, Father, condescend to be with us in this room. 01:24 And not just in a vague way, 01:25 but in a very special way and an individual way, 01:28 speak to each mind and soften each heart 01:33 to not only hear and understand 01:35 but to receive the word that You have for us today, 01:38 that we may be with You, 01:40 and by Your grace be like You, 01:42 for we pray it all in Jesus' name, amen. 01:46 Let's return to where we started our whole series 01:49 with the beginning in Matthew Chapter 13. 01:53 Matthew Chapter 13, we find starting with verse 24, 01:55 the parable of the Wheat and the Tares. 01:59 And as I mentioned in our previous message 02:01 we've taken this apart piece by piece, 02:03 but I want to draw us back to the conclusion 02:05 of the parables found in verse 28. 02:09 When the reapers or the servants of the owner 02:12 recognize that something is wrong 02:14 that there are tares in the field, 02:18 the explanation is given. 02:19 "He said to them," verse 28, 02:21 "'An enemy has done this.' 02:24 The servants said to him, 02:26 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' 02:29 But he said 'No lest while you gather up the tares 02:33 you also uproot the wheat with them.'" 02:35 Now, clearly, the owner of the field 02:37 has no problem with these people 02:40 gathering the bad out, 02:44 and reaping or harvesting his field, 02:47 but it was not to be done at that time. 02:50 Why? 02:52 Because in their zeal to uproot the bad, 02:54 they might also take out the good. 02:57 So it was the owner's motive of love for the wheat 03:02 that allowed and permitted the tares to grow a while. 03:06 Notice what he says. 03:08 Verse 30, 03:10 but "Let both grow together until," what event? 03:14 "The harvest, and at the time of harvest, 03:17 I will say to the reapers, 03:19 'First gather together the tares 03:20 and bind them in bundles and burn them, 03:22 but gather the wheat into my barn.'" 03:24 Now what I find fascinating about this, 03:25 it's the same group of people, 03:27 the same servants of the owner, the same reapers, 03:31 who would have been employed early on 03:33 but he restrained them, 03:34 no, no, no, we'll not do it yet. 03:36 That at the end at the harvest he can say, 03:38 "Now you can go." 03:41 Early on, there was no distinction 03:42 between the two, it was not clear enough 03:44 and they would do a poor job, 03:46 they would actually harm the wheat 03:47 instead of just getting rid of the tares. 03:50 But at the end, apparently, 03:51 there will be such a clear distinction, 03:53 it will be so evident 03:55 that the owner can trust the servants 03:58 to designate between the differentiate... 04:01 between the wheat and the tares. 04:04 It will be visible, it will be clear. 04:06 Verse 39, 04:08 Jesus gives the explanation of this part of the parable. 04:11 "The enemy who sowed them is the devil, 04:14 the harvest is the end of the age, 04:16 and the reapers are the angels." 04:21 So Jesus will return with His angel host 04:24 and they will gather up 04:26 either the wicked into bundles to burn or the wheat, 04:31 the righteous directly into the barn of Christ 04:34 to come home with Him. 04:37 Matthew Chapter 7, 04:38 if we go back just a few passages earlier, 04:41 few chapters earlier, Matthew Chapter 7. 04:46 Jesus speaks about that time of His own return 04:48 in the response of the wicked. 04:52 And notice what He says interestingly enough, 04:54 in Matthew 7:21. 04:58 "Not everyone who says to Me, 05:00 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, 05:04 but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.'" 05:08 Now that's an interesting thought. 05:10 Well, let's keep developing it. 05:11 He goes on to say 05:12 "Many will say to Me in that day, 05:15 'Lord, Lord, 05:17 have we not prophesied in Your name, 05:20 cast out demons in Your name, 05:22 and done many wonders in Your name?' 05:27 And then I will declare to them, 05:29 'I never knew you, depart from Me, 05:32 you who practice lawlessness!'" 05:37 Now, let's break this down a little bit. 05:39 Apparently, some will expect 05:44 to go with Christ when He returns, 05:48 but they won't be accepted. 05:50 Why? 05:51 Because according to the Lord's own words, 05:55 "He never knew them because they practiced," 05:58 what's that word? 05:59 Lawlessness. 06:02 What is lawlessness? 06:05 Well, let's look to the Bible for our definition. 06:07 Let's go to the Book of 1 John, 06:09 the first epistle of the Apostle John. 06:12 1 John 3:4, 5. 06:18 We find this succinct definition. 06:21 1 John 3:4, 5. 06:25 Says, "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, 06:30 and sin is lawlessness." 06:34 So the equivalence is made there 06:35 directly in the scripture that lawlessness, 06:38 that reason people don't know Christ 06:40 and therefore not admitted into the kingdom 06:42 is in reality a simple three letter word, sin. 06:46 Sin is lawlessness. 06:51 And then it says in verse 5, 06:52 "And you know that He was manifested 06:54 to take away our sins, 06:57 and in Him there is no sin." 06:59 So Christ says, "I have no sin in Me." 07:02 And He says to people, 07:03 oh, but we've done this in your name, 07:05 your name, you say yes, 07:06 but you practice lawlessness. 07:09 And that doesn't fit in where I live. 07:15 That's in Revelation 22 07:19 in verse 14. 07:23 Notice what it says here 07:24 about those who gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven. 07:29 "Blessed are those who do His commandments, 07:34 that they may have the right to the tree of life, 07:36 and may enter through the gates into the city." 07:42 So apparently, 07:44 heaven is a place without sin. 07:49 Now that should go without saying, 07:50 but apparently there will be no lawlessness, 07:53 no sin in the society of heaven. 07:58 And God wants to be bring us there. 08:03 So apparently we have an issue with sin. 08:05 Now we looked at the four steps of Satan's fall, 08:08 if you recall, first step, one, 08:10 Christ recognized the iniquity or the sin in His heart 08:13 and cast him out. 08:15 Step two, happened at the cross of Calvary 08:17 when all the on looking universe, 08:19 the unfallen angel hosts those sons of God 08:22 witnessed with their own eyes, the murder of Jesus, 08:25 and they lost all sympathy for Satan, 08:27 and they cast him out of their hearts. 08:30 And in the great final day, 08:32 as we studied in our last message, 08:33 even the wicked will someday 08:35 understand all the issues in the Great Controversy, 08:39 and they will recognize the rebellion of Satan. 08:43 But, you know what? 08:44 We're not living in stage one, 08:46 God took care of that some 6000 years ago. 08:50 Nor are we living in stage two 08:52 when Jesus came to die on the cross. 08:54 He did that, praise the Lord, successfully. 08:58 And we're not there yet 08:59 when Satan will be destroyed in that great final day. 09:03 We find ourselves in this continuum, 09:06 in this process 09:09 living in this step three, 09:12 which Revelation 12:11 talks about, 09:15 how they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, 09:19 by the word of their testimony, 09:20 they didn't love their lives to the death." 09:24 So there's some overcoming that needs to occur 09:26 if we're going to be citizens of God's kingdom in heaven. 09:31 And when it comes to sin, 09:34 we all have two problems. 09:38 When it comes to sin, every human being, 09:41 man and woman has these two problems. 09:45 First of all, we have to deal with a record of our past. 09:50 And then we have to deal with our prospects 09:51 for the future. 09:54 Two simple problems, 09:56 all of our past and all of our future. 10:00 Today's study is gonna look at God's solution 10:03 to those two problems, 10:04 how we can successfully come through this stage three 10:07 and enter into heaven when Jesus comes with, 10:11 into His glory. 10:13 So problem one is our past, 10:15 let's lay a biblical foundation. 10:18 You know, let's go to Isaiah Chapter 59. 10:21 And as you go there, 10:22 let me tell you a little anecdote, 10:24 a true story, in my own experience, 10:25 where I worked with a senior pastor 10:29 at one point 10:30 who made the statement to me. 10:33 "Everybody's always talking about getting saved, 10:35 getting saved, getting saved," 10:36 he said, "Let me tell you the trick." 10:37 He's like, "You got to get them lost 10:39 before you get them saved." 10:41 There are plenty of people who feel that they're saved 10:43 but they never recognized 10:44 that they were lost to begin with, right? 10:46 We have to deal with the problem first 10:49 and then look at the solution, right? 10:51 That only makes sense. 10:52 Isaiah Chapter 59 diagnosis it very succinctly. 10:56 He says here, verse 1, 10:58 "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, 11:00 that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy, 11:03 that it cannot hear. 11:05 Verse 2, what's the problem? 11:06 "But your iniquities have separated you 11:09 from your God, 11:10 and your sins have hidden His face from you, 11:12 so that He will not hear." 11:15 We all have sinned. 11:16 In fact, in Isaiah Chapter 64, if you go to the right, 11:20 that very sentiment is clearly expressed. 11:25 Isaiah Chapter 64. 11:26 And let's look at verse 6. 11:29 "Notice the holistic language employed by the prophet 11:33 to diagnose our problem." 11:37 Isaiah 64:6, 11:38 "But we are all like an unclean thing," 11:45 goes on, 11:46 "and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags, 11:51 we all fade as a leaf and our iniquities, 11:54 like the wind, have taken us away. 11:57 Notice how many times 11:58 he uses that three letter word all. 12:00 We've all sinned, all of our righteousness, 12:03 all fade as a leaf. 12:05 But notice also, it didn't just say 12:07 all of our wickedness. 12:08 What does he say? 12:09 All of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. 12:15 Friends, even the good things we do are stained by sin. 12:20 Anything that we do on our behalf, 12:22 any good deed, any righteous act 12:23 that we may do, in our estimation 12:25 compared to other people may be pretty decent, 12:27 but according to God's noble and high standard, 12:30 it still fall short. 12:32 All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. 12:35 Let's go to the New Testament Book of Romans. 12:38 The Apostle Paul drives this point home, 12:40 picks up the baton from Isaiah, 12:43 and really tells us the truth in Romans Chapter 3, 12:46 look at verse 23. 12:47 You probably know this passage by heart. 12:50 It says here, "All have sinned and fall short 12:54 of the glory of God." 12:57 By the way, there's an equivalence in scripture 12:59 between the glory of God and the character of God 13:01 and it says, "All have sinned and fall short 13:05 of the glory of God." 13:07 So over and over, 13:09 both Old and New Testaments 13:10 lays out a very grim diagnosis for our problem 13:16 that all of us have sinned 13:18 and fallen short of the glory of God. 13:21 Look at 6:23, 13:24 right there in the Book of Romans. 13:27 We've got the diagnosis, now what is the prognosis? 13:31 "For the wages of sin is," what? 13:34 "Death." 13:37 Now think about that for a minute. 13:38 Everybody sinned, that means that everybody is going to die. 13:43 Friends, that is not good news, but it is truth. 13:47 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 13:49 and the wages of sin is death. 13:51 But notice, praise God 13:52 that the sentence doesn't end with a period, 13:54 it actually goes to a comma and says, 13:56 "But the gift of God is eternal life 14:01 in Jesus Christ our Lord." 14:03 Amen? 14:04 So the wages... 14:06 By the way, what's the difference 14:07 between a wage and a gift? 14:08 Wages are something you earn by doing works. 14:12 Our works have earned us 14:15 according to heaven's ledger, 14:17 the wages of sin which is death. 14:19 But the gift of God, 14:22 a gift is not something you can earn, 14:23 it's only something you can receive gratefully, 14:26 the gift of God is eternal life and where is it found? 14:29 In Christ Jesus, our Lord. 14:32 So all of us have this record of wrong, 14:34 even if we were to somehow 14:35 muster the ability to take on the future 14:38 without any help from God and still not fall, 14:40 we'd still not get in. 14:42 Because we've already, each one of us 14:44 strewn a record of sins 14:47 that we have to deal with. 14:49 So how does God deal with this sin problem? 14:54 We say, it was right there, the gift of God, 14:55 He just gives it away. 14:57 He's like, there you go. 14:58 Have some... 15:00 Have a gift, 15:02 which is true, but how does he do this? 15:05 What is the mechanism of salvation 15:07 when it comes to our record of sins in the past? 15:10 Let's go back now to the Book of Isaiah, 15:12 the same one that gives us the diagnosis of the problem 15:16 also gives us the prescription for the remedy. 15:20 Isaiah Chapter 53, 15:26 we'll start with verse 6. 15:28 The same language He used to diagnose our sin problem 15:31 He now uses again in Isaiah 53:6, 15:35 he says, "All we like sheep have gone astray, 15:39 we have turned, every one, to his own way, 15:43 and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 15:49 So there's that all again, "All have sinned." 15:52 All we like sheep have gone astray 15:54 and the Lord has laid on him 15:56 the iniquity or transgression or sin or lawlessness, 16:01 whatever word you want to ascribe to that, 16:03 He has laid that sin on Him. 16:08 That is Jesus Christ. 16:11 Go back to Isaiah Chapter 61. 16:12 Turn to the right very quickly. 16:15 Isaiah Chapter 61. 16:18 We continue our Bible study here 16:20 looking at our problem number one, 16:22 which is our past. 16:23 So what is solution number one? 16:25 Isaiah 61:10. 16:31 Notice what it says here, 16:32 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, 16:34 my soul shall be joyful in my God, 16:37 for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, 16:42 He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, 16:47 as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, 16:50 as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." 16:53 So He has laid on us 16:56 His robe of righteousness. 16:57 You notice there's an exchange, 16:59 for the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all, 17:01 and in exchange the Lord has laid on us 17:04 Christ's robe of righteousness. 17:06 Friends, the solution to problem number one, 17:08 which is our sinful record that we've already established 17:11 is the righteousness of Christ on us, 17:17 the righteousness of Christ on us. 17:19 This is such a powerful idea, 17:22 such a central pillar to the gospel 17:23 that in the Book of Zachariah Chapter 3, 17:27 an illustration of this is given. 17:30 Zachariah Chapter 3, we'll begin with verse 1. 17:35 Isaiah, I'm sorry, Zachariah Chapter 3, 17:37 beginning with verse 1, we read. 17:40 "Then he showed me..." 17:42 And me being Zachariah here, the Prophet. 17:45 "Joshua the high priest 17:47 standing before the angel of the Lord, 17:49 and Satan standing at his right hand 17:52 to oppose him." 17:53 Some version say, "To accuse him." 17:56 So get the picture. 17:57 Here's Zachariah the prophet is shown a vision, 18:01 and in that vision he sees Joshua, 18:03 and Joshua was not just your run of the mill 18:05 everyday Hebrew boy, 18:06 he is a man in the role of a high priest, right? 18:09 Joshua, the high priest, which of course, 18:12 in the Hebrew economy was a representation 18:14 of the highest position, 18:16 spiritually speaking, that one could hope. 18:19 "He showed me Joshua, the high priest 18:21 standing before the angel of the Lord, 18:25 and Satan standing at his right hand 18:27 to oppose or to accuse him." 18:30 Now, here's Joshua, the high priest, 18:31 I'm sure in those garments of fine fabric 18:37 and gold that were built 18:38 just for the high priest to wear. 18:40 And he's standing before the angel of the Lord, 18:43 but also there is Satan there 18:45 and what is Satan's purpose at this meeting, 18:48 this encounter? 18:49 It's to oppose or to accuse him. 18:54 Now, if you were standing before the judgment bar of God, 18:58 and Satan were to show up and accuse you, 19:01 would he have any legitimate grounds 19:03 to hold against you? 19:05 Now, I'm not asking for volunteers 19:07 and this is not a testimony service. 19:08 So keep your hands down, that's okay. 19:12 But each one of us 19:15 would have some legitimate record of wrong 19:18 that he could read off. 19:20 So almost it's to say, "All right judge, 19:22 I'd like to bring before you this date right here." 19:25 And just for this one day, 19:28 we have this issue, the next day, 19:30 these issues, 19:32 I hereby move that he be denied access 19:35 to your kingdom based on his record. 19:43 You notice by the way, Joshua's not saying a word. 19:46 Just standing there hearing it. 19:48 Verse 2. 19:50 "And the Lord said to Satan, 'The Lord rebuke you, Satan. 19:54 The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you," 19:57 is this speaking of Joshua, 20:00 "not a brand plucked from the fire." 20:04 Now notice that God does not say, 20:06 he did not sin. 20:09 Satan knows that He has sinned. 20:11 Joshua knows he has sinned 20:13 and the Lord knows He has sinned. 20:15 Everybody in that whole room is in agreement 20:17 about the condition of Joshua's record, 20:20 it is sinful. 20:24 Goes on to explain that in verse 3. 20:26 "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments 20:29 as he was standing before 20:31 and was standing before the Angel. 20:34 Then He answered and spoke to those 20:35 who stood before Him saying, 20:37 'Take away the filthy garments from him.' 20:42 And to him, he said, 20:43 'See, I have removed your iniquity from you, 20:46 and I will clothe you with rich robes.'" 20:50 So notice the Lord solution to Joshua's sinful problem. 20:55 His record that Satan is reading off there 20:57 is to not deny that he had sinned, 21:00 he's not going to play make believe me, 21:01 like I don't see it, I don't hear it, 21:03 la-la la-la la-la, la-la. 21:04 That's not how he does. 21:06 What instead he does is acknowledge the fact 21:09 that yes, he is sinful, 21:10 but I have a solution. 21:12 And he removes those filthy garments. 21:18 And he proposes to dress him in rich robes 21:21 to clothe him 21:23 with the righteousness outside of himself. 21:28 Now that's fascinating to me. 21:29 There's this great exchange going on. 21:33 That's what the New Testament talks 21:34 about the new birth experience. 21:36 2 Corinthians Chapter 5. 21:39 Speaking of this experience of exchange 21:42 of our wickedness for Christ's righteousness. 21:46 2 Corinthians 5:17, says, 21:50 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 21:52 he is a new creation, 21:54 old things have passed away, 21:57 behold, all things have become new..." 22:00 And how did He do this? Verse 21. 22:02 "For he made Him who knew no sin..." 22:05 Which we've already established is Jesus Christ. 22:09 "For he made Him who knew no sin 22:11 to be sin for us, 22:14 that we might become 22:15 the righteousness of God in Him." 22:19 Powerful thought 22:21 that we get this new start, this fresh thing 22:23 because think back to that prophecy there in Zachariah, 22:26 that inside picture of Joshua's predicament. 22:30 He was dressed in filthy clothes 22:32 and the Lord proposed a solution. 22:34 Let me remove the filthy clothes 22:35 and in place clothe you with garments, rich robes. 22:39 Now the question is, what does the Lord do 22:42 with those filthy garments? 22:43 Does he just drop them on the floor 22:45 like some sort of, you know, typical teenager? 22:49 They are in state of no, no, no, no, no, wait a minute, 22:52 you can't just takes it off, throw it on the ground 22:54 and pretend it never existed. 22:55 That's no good. 22:58 He doesn't just throw them on the floor, 23:00 He lays them on Christ. 23:03 So the great exchange, 23:04 Christ takes His robe of righteousness 23:06 and gives it to the sinner. 23:08 And the sinner in place gives Him his robe 23:11 of iniquity and filth 23:13 and Christ bears our sins. 23:20 Thus we find this beautiful passage 23:22 in 1 John 1:9, 23:25 the promise is given, "If we confess our sins..." 23:29 That is to confess them to Jesus, 23:30 give them over to Him." 23:32 If we confess our sins, He is faithful 23:35 and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from," what? 23:40 "All unrighteousness. 23:43 Praise the Lord, there is an exchange provided 23:47 where our filthy righteousness 23:51 which is just as wicked as anything else, 23:54 can be laid upon the sinless Son of God 23:58 and we take His robe on us. 24:03 And our record of sin is smeared 24:05 with the blood of Jesus. 24:07 The righteousness of Christ is put on us 24:11 as a garment. 24:13 Does that make sense? 24:14 Therefore, problem number one is our record of sin 24:17 we've already accumulated. 24:19 And God's solution to that 24:21 is Christ's robe of righteousness, 24:23 His righteousness on us. 24:28 But remember we said when it comes to sin, 24:30 we all have how many problems? 24:31 Two problems. 24:34 We have the record of wrongs we've already done, 24:36 but what about the prospect of wrongs 24:38 we could still do? 24:40 We have to deal with our past, 24:43 and we have to still look to the future. 24:46 When it comes to sin, we all have two problems, 24:48 our past and our future. 24:50 And, friends, let me tell you right now, 24:51 the solution to both of them 24:52 is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 24:55 Solution number one, for our record in the past 24:58 is Christ's righteousness on you like a garment. 25:03 But what about solution for problem number two? 25:07 And this brings us again to the title passage 25:10 for this sermon, 25:11 Nahum 1:9. 25:14 Let's look at this passage once more. 25:19 And the statement is made this what I regard 25:22 is the biggest promise in the Bible 25:26 where God declares, 25:27 "What do you conspire against the Lord? 25:30 He will make an utter end of it. 25:33 Affliction, 25:34 or iniquity, or transgression, or sin, 25:36 whatever you want to call it 25:38 will not rise up a second time." 25:43 That is a bold declaration indeed. 25:47 It's one thing to say that 25:48 God can take care with Christ's righteousness, 25:51 our record in the past, 25:53 but how can He make this promise 25:56 that going forward, 25:57 sin affliction will not rise up a second time. 26:06 Again, we looked at this passage 26:08 before in John Chapter 14. 26:09 Remember the promise that Jesus gave, 26:11 "Let not your heart be troubled. 26:12 You believe in God, believe also in Me, 26:15 in My Father's house are many mansions, 26:17 if it were not so, I would have told you. 26:19 I go to prepare a place for you. 26:21 And if I go and prepare a place for you, 26:23 I will come again and receive you to myself 26:25 that where I am there you may be also." 26:27 And we talked about how for our perspective 26:29 as the laws looking to be saved, 26:32 we say praise the Lord provision is provided, 26:34 we can go home and live with Jesus, 26:36 but from the angels' perspective, 26:39 they have some legitimate concerns 26:41 about even letting us in 26:42 even if we've been forgiven of our sins. 26:47 Well, like I'm glad that you cleared their record. 26:49 That's graded on paper, they've been cleaned up. 26:54 But we're not gonna be living in the past, 26:56 we're going to be living into the future. 26:59 How can we be sure, how can we be certain, 27:02 how can we know 27:04 that you're not just calling them good 27:08 and they're actually still gonna be bad? 27:12 That's what we saw, Ephesians Chapter 3, 27:17 where the promise is given, 27:19 the Apostle Paul explains 27:24 in verse 10, 27:25 "To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God 27:27 might be known by the church, 27:29 to the principalities and powers 27:31 in the heavenly places," that God has a plan, 27:33 He has this wisdom in mind. 27:36 And it can't be simply proclaimed, 27:39 it must be demonstrated. 27:41 It can't just be said, it must be shown. 27:45 And what is the wisdom he wants? 27:47 The wisdom is the plan of salvation. 27:50 The wisdom is the redemption process 27:52 that is done in Jesus Christ and He says, 27:55 "Wait a minute, what?" 27:57 How can we know that this is gonna work? 28:00 And so He says, 28:03 "He's gonna teach 28:04 the principalities and powers in heavenly places 28:06 by the church." 28:09 He says, "I know you've heard me say. 28:12 But now I want you to see 28:14 that my plan makes sense. 28:18 It is effective and it can work." 28:22 How can we know? 28:23 He's like, "Well, just watch what I do in these people." 28:33 Speaking of this demonstration that God intends, 28:36 we read this from Acts of the Apostles, page 9. 28:40 "From the beginning, 28:42 it has been God's plan that through His church 28:47 shall be reflected to the world 28:49 His fullness and His sufficiency. 28:52 The members of the church, 28:54 those whom He is called out of darkness 28:56 and into His marvelous light are to show forth His glory." 29:00 The church is the repository of the riches 29:03 of the grace of Christ, 29:04 and through the church 29:06 will eventually be made manifest 29:08 even to the principalities and powers in heavenly places. 29:13 The final and full display of the love of God. 29:18 But Ephesians 3:10, 29:20 where she's quoting from here, 29:22 where by the church 29:23 God's manifest wisdom will be made known 29:26 to the principalities and powers 29:27 in the heavenly places. 29:28 She explains what that means that God intends 29:31 that through His church, His wisdom 29:34 that the mystery of His plan 29:38 can be shown to be a good idea. 29:40 They can see in us what God intends to do. 29:46 Counsels for the Church, page 78, 29:48 we read the following. 29:49 "It is God's purpose to manifest through His people 29:54 the principles of His kingdom. 29:58 By beholding the goodness, 30:00 the mercy, the justice 30:01 and the love of God revealed in the church. 30:06 Think about that. 30:07 They're supposed to behold the goodness, 30:10 the mercy, the justice, and the love of God, 30:11 but where are they supposed to see it? 30:13 In the church. 30:17 The world is to have 30:18 a representation of His character 30:22 that God wants to use us 30:25 to demonstrate in our own lives 30:29 that His plan works. 30:32 The salvation isn't a theory, 30:34 but it can actually be practical. 30:38 Listen to this one from Christ's Object Lessons, 30:40 page 415. 30:42 "Those who wait for the bridegroom's coming," 30:45 that's a reference to the return of Jesus Christ, 30:49 "are to say to the people, 30:51 'Behold your God." 30:54 Now, I have always pictured the idea 30:56 that they're standing there and often the eastern horizon 30:58 they see the small cloud, the size of man's hand, 31:00 they would say, oh, behold, there he comes. 31:05 But notice where they're saying to look, 31:08 when they exclaimed, behold your God. 31:12 Again, let's read it again. 31:13 "Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming 31:16 are to say to the people, 'Behold your God.' 31:19 The last rays of merciful light, 31:21 the last message of mercy to be given 31:23 to the world is a revelation of His character of love." 31:29 Now, where is this revelation 31:30 that they can behold supposed to be seen? 31:34 The children of God are to manifest His glory, 31:38 in their own life 31:39 and character they are to reveal 31:41 what the grace of God has done for them. 31:46 It is God's intention 31:48 that people would see His character, 31:50 His goodness, His glory not just in himself, 31:54 but in those he has redeemed. 31:58 By the church, 32:00 His wisdom can be made known to the principalities 32:03 and powers in heavenly places. 32:07 So if problem number one was our record of sins 32:09 accumulate in the past that all have sinned 32:11 and fallen short of the glory of God. 32:14 And solution number one was that great exchange 32:17 where He takes our filthy righteousness 32:19 and lay unrighteousness 32:20 and lays it on His shoulders and in exchange, 32:22 we have His robe of righteousness 32:25 covering our record of sins. 32:29 Solution number one was Christ's righteousness 32:32 on you. 32:34 Solution number two, 32:36 to the problem of our future potential 32:39 is Christ's righteousness in you. 32:45 Christ's righteousness in you. 32:50 John Chapter 15, 32:51 Jesus would explain it this way. 32:56 John 15:5, 33:05 "I am the vine, you are the branches. 33:09 He who abides in Me and I," where? 33:13 "In him bears much fruit, 33:18 for without me you can do," 33:20 how much? 33:21 "Nothing." 33:23 So not only do we need Christ record over ours 33:26 and His blood to smear out the accumulated sins 33:29 that we have ourselves participated, 33:30 but we need more 33:32 than just the robe of righteousness on us, 33:34 we need Christ's righteousness in us. 33:38 'Cause He says without Me, 33:40 you can do nothing. 33:44 Friends, if we got a clean slate from the Lord, 33:46 our record was wiped blank 33:48 and we got to start fresh all over again. 33:52 Would we be ready for heaven? 33:55 No. 33:58 Because forgiveness 34:00 is just part of what Christ offers, 34:02 pardon is not the only thing He gave us at the cross. 34:06 He also gave us power to overcome, 34:10 so that we would be safe to save. 34:15 Within the Colossians Chapter 1, 34:17 speak on this same idea. 34:21 Colossians 1:26, 34:24 Paul talks about this mystery again. 34:28 Verse 26, it says, 34:29 "The mystery which has been hidden 34:30 from ages and from generations, 34:32 but now has been revealed to His saints, 34:35 to them that God will to make known 34:36 what are the riches of the glory 34:38 of this mystery among the Gentiles," 34:40 which is, "Christ," where? 34:43 "In you the hope of glory." 34:47 Friends, if we have any hope of seeing the glory of God 34:52 or participating 34:53 in that glorious character that He provides, 34:56 we must have according to scripture, 34:58 Christ where? 34:59 In you. 35:01 Christ in you is our hope of glory. 35:06 Notice what Ephesians tells us, go back two books. 35:08 Ephesians 6:10, 35:12 He gives this counsel, 35:13 "Finally, brethren be strong in the Lord 35:16 and in the power of His might. 35:18 Put on the whole armor of God 35:21 so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes, 35:26 that when we come to Christ, 35:27 we're not just looking for pardon, 35:29 we're coming to Christ for power 35:30 so that we can stand up and be counted 35:33 and remain faithful even under temptation. 35:37 Speaking of a temptation, 35:38 look what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10 35:42 and in verse 13. 35:44 1 Corinthians 10:13, says here, 35:47 "No temptation has overtaken you 35:50 except such as common to man, 35:52 but God is faithful..." 35:54 Can you say amen? 35:57 Who will not allow you to be tempted at all," 36:00 is that what it says? 36:02 Nope. 36:03 Friends, by the way, you should know right now 36:05 that the Bible always refers to temptation as a when? 36:10 Like, it's an unavoidable certainty. 36:13 When you're tempted, 36:15 but you know what's also interesting? 36:17 Is the Bible never says when you sin, 36:19 it says if you sin. 36:21 Temptation is a when but sin is an if. 36:26 And He says here 36:27 "No temptation has overtaken you 36:29 except such as common to man 36:31 but God is faithful, 36:32 who will not allow you to be tempted 36:34 beyond what you are able to bear." 36:38 But with the temptation, 36:39 He will also make the way of escape 36:42 that you may be able to bear it. 36:43 So notice that God will allow you to be tempted 36:46 but not beyond what you can bear. 36:47 He will give you the strength for every temptation 36:49 if you rely on Him. 36:52 With the temptation will also make the way of escape 36:55 that you may be able to bear it. 36:58 Go back to the right to the Book of Philippians, 37:01 the Apostle Paul tells us what we should be confident in, 37:04 Philippians 1:6, he says, 37:10 "Being confident of this very thing, 37:13 that He who has begun a good work," where? 37:16 "In you will complete it 37:20 until the day of Jesus Christ." 37:24 What a powerful promise that the same God 37:26 who started to work in you 37:27 if you allow Him will continue to work in you 37:30 so that you can be made a citizen of God's kingdom, 37:34 a trusted responsible member of the society of angels. 37:39 What a powerful thought that is. 37:41 This very thing 37:42 that He who has begun a good work in you 37:44 will complete it 37:45 until the day of Jesus Christ. 37:49 Now, 37:50 I know there's a theory floating around 37:52 that we will just continue to fall 37:53 and continue to fall and continue to sin 37:55 until the moment Jesus comes 37:56 and then all of a sudden we'll be changed. 37:59 In fact, doesn't the Bible use that same language 38:01 that when Jesus comes, we will be changed? 38:03 It does. 38:05 But my question for you is when Christ returns, 38:08 what actually changes for us? 38:12 Let's take a look 38:13 at the scripture record about this. 38:14 Go to Book of 1 Corinthians. 38:16 When Christ returns, what actually transpires? 38:21 What change occurs? 38:23 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. 38:31 The Apostle writes, "Behold, I tell you a mystery: 38:34 We shall not all sleep..." 38:36 Now sleep here is a reference to death. 38:40 Some will be dead when Christ returns, 38:42 but others will be alive. 38:43 And he says, "We will not all sleep, 38:45 but we shall all be changed." 38:48 So the dead, of course, are going to be changed. 38:51 They're going to go from dead to alive. 38:55 But apparently we all get changed, 38:57 even those who are already alive. 38:59 So what changes about us, even those who are living? 39:03 Well, it's going to happen in a moment, 39:04 verse 42 says, 39:05 "In the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. 39:08 For the trumpet will sound, 39:10 and the dead will be raised incorruptible, 39:12 and we shall be changed." 39:16 Beautiful, fantastic. 39:18 You can say there it is. 39:20 There's where I'm going to become righteous. 39:25 No! 39:26 Is that the change the Apostle was talking about? 39:30 That's when we'll be made good is on the way up. 39:35 No. 39:36 He goes on to explain for what he means, 39:38 "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, 39:41 and this mortal must put on immortality." 39:45 In fact, he gets even more clear about it, 39:46 go to the gospel, 39:48 I'm sorry, the Book of Romans 39:51 Chapter 8 39:53 in go to verse 11. 39:55 We're going to try to analyze what the Apostle Paul says, 39:57 we're gonna receive and be changed 40:00 at the coming of Christ. 40:01 What does that entail? 40:03 Romans Chapter 11, 40:04 I mean 8:11, it says, 40:06 "But if the Spirit of Him 40:07 who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 40:10 He who raised Christ from the dead 40:12 will also give life to your mortal," what? 40:15 "Bodies that through His Spirit who dwells in you." 40:20 If you skip down to verse 23, 40:21 he comes back to that same refrain. 40:24 "Not only that, but we also 40:25 who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, 40:28 even we ourselves groan within ourselves, 40:30 eagerly awaiting for the adoption, 40:33 the redemption of our," what? 40:36 "Body." 40:40 Apparently, 40:42 well, let's find one more passage 40:43 to talk about this. 40:45 Philippians... 40:46 I wanted to be a confirmed 40:47 by two or three witnesses at least. 40:49 Philippians, Galatians, Ephesians, 40:50 Philippians 3:20-21, 40:55 spells it out even more clearly. 41:01 Philippians 3:20, says, 41:03 "For our citizenship is in heaven..." 41:07 By the way, don't you praise the Lord 41:08 that we are accounted as citizens of heaven 41:10 the moment we come to Jesus Christ 41:11 that even while we're still here, 41:14 we have dual citizenship, 41:15 amen? 41:18 And speaking of heaven, he says, 41:19 "From which we also eagerly await the Savior, 41:23 the Lord Jesus Christ, 41:25 who will transform our lowly," what? 41:30 "Body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, 41:34 according to the working 41:35 by which He is able even to subdue 41:37 all things to Himself." 41:38 Friends, what changes about us at the Second Coming of Jesus? 41:43 Is it our character? 41:45 No, what is it? 41:46 It's our body. 41:48 And I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a new body. 41:53 Amen. 41:55 You know, I'm not even that old, 41:57 but I'm already starting to feel it 41:58 and even show it sometimes, you know. 42:02 The knees aren't quite what they used to be, 42:04 I could use a new back. 42:05 I could be even taller, I'd be happier, 42:07 that I could be fitter, I could be... 42:08 There's a lot of things if I started go, 42:10 it's a little recession back. 42:11 Well, let's not talk about those things. 42:13 But my point is 42:16 that already I can see the need and if the Lord should tarry, 42:19 I expect things are only gonna get worse. 42:23 Praise the Lord... 42:25 People who need new bodies, 42:26 let's talk about the dead, right? 42:28 What happens to their body? 42:30 We don't even wanna think about that, right? 42:32 But the Lord's gonna have to give... 42:33 But by the way, has the Lord 42:34 ever given people life from the dust before? 42:38 Has He created bodies from the ground? 42:40 Yes! 42:42 Friends, making a body for Jesus Christ is no problem. 42:46 He's done it before, He'll do it again. 42:50 The body is not the hard part. 42:54 He's gonna do that in a moment, 42:56 in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump. 43:01 The challenge is the character. 43:04 Listen to the statement from Our High Calling, 43:06 page 278. 43:08 "When Christ shall come, 43:10 our vile bodies are to be changed 43:13 and made like His glorious body, 43:17 but the vile character 43:19 will not be made holy then. 43:23 The transformation of character 43:26 must take place before His coming." 43:32 Now why would that be? 43:37 Because we have to understand how character is formed. 43:46 A body is something that can be given as a gift. 43:52 But a character has to be built by choice. 44:00 I don't know as a pastor, if I'm allowed 44:01 to have a favorite passage in the scripture, 44:03 but go to 1 John Chapter 3, 44:05 and this has got to be in the top five, okay? 44:08 Keep going to the right to 1 John Chapter 3. 44:13 1 John 3:2-3, 44:18 notice what we have here. 44:19 "Beloved, 44:21 now we are children of God," 44:24 that sounds just like 44:25 what the Apostle Paul said when he said, 44:27 "Now our citizenship is in heaven," right? 44:30 Present tense. 44:31 Now it says, "We are children of God," 44:34 but then it goes on and in addition, 44:38 "and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be." 44:42 Is it possible to be a child of God 44:44 reckoned on the books of heaven as a citizen of His kingdom, 44:48 and yet still be changing down here? 44:52 Yes. 44:53 "Now we are children of God, 44:55 and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, 44:57 but we know that when He is revealed," 45:01 which is a reference to the Second Coming of Jesus, 45:04 "We shall be," what? 45:07 "Like Him." 45:08 Please note, it does not say we will be made like Him. 45:12 It says, we will be like Him. 45:14 And the evidence is clear. 45:16 "For we shall see Him as He is." 45:20 You know, that's an interesting paradox in scripture. 45:22 The Bible says, "No man can see My face and live," 45:25 yet the promise is given in Revelation 45:27 that they will see His face. 45:30 And, friends, I don't know if that's good news. 45:33 But apparently, the redeemed can look at the face of Jesus. 45:37 And unlike the wicked who turn away 45:39 and run for the rocks and mountains, 45:41 they're able to say, "Lo, this is our God, 45:42 we have waited for Him and He will save us." 45:47 "For we shall see Him as He is," 45:51 and that's what's the application, verse 3, 45:53 "and everyone who has this hope in Him, 45:55 purifies himself, just as He is pure." 46:00 Apparently, we can be accounted righteous now, 46:03 but still being made righteous in our life. 46:10 Friends, the same God who formed Adam 46:12 from the dust can make you a new body in a moment 46:15 because a body can be given, 46:18 but character must be grown. 46:23 Though He can give you a body fit for heaven, 46:26 the one thing Jesus can't give you, 46:30 apart from your cooperation, 46:33 is a character fit for heaven. 46:36 When it comes to the new body, I'm not gonna be like, 46:38 "Oh, let me help you out with that. 46:39 Let me, you know." 46:41 When it comes to the character, 46:43 I have to participate 46:46 because character is built on decisions that I make. 46:52 And Christ that does not allow Satan 46:55 nor does He allow Himself 46:58 to make decisions for us. 47:01 Both Satan and Christ want to influence our decisions 47:03 and draw us one way the other. 47:06 But He won't force, He won't coerce, 47:10 He'll convict, He'll convince, 47:13 but He'll never coerce. 47:16 That's why the Bible says things like, 47:18 "Choose you this day whom you will serve." 47:23 By the way, it's an interesting fact 47:25 that all in scripture, 47:27 you see this, 47:29 "Choose you this day," 47:31 and today is the day of salvation. 47:33 If anyone hears, do not harden your heart as they... 47:39 Why is it so important 47:40 to make that decision today? 47:44 Now, you might say, 47:46 "Well, we're living in the time of the end, 47:47 and you never know when Jesus is gonna come," 47:48 which is true. 47:50 Praise the Lord! 47:51 We're living in the last days of earth's history 47:52 and those were momentous times as we see around us 47:55 and the signs are fulfilling the times of expire, 47:57 Jesus surely is coming very soon. 47:59 My great hope is that He will come in my lifetime. 48:06 But when the scripture said, "Choose you this day," 48:09 they weren't writing from the perspective of Jesus 48:11 who come at any moment, they were saying that 48:15 even before the First Coming of Christ. 48:18 Why was this so important to choose that day? 48:20 You might say, "Well, all right, 48:21 if Jesus isn't coming." 48:23 If Jesus coming isn't your worry, 48:24 then maybe what you should be concerned about 48:26 is your own death. 48:28 Maybe He's not coming to you, but you're going, 48:29 you're speeding along to Him, you know, with your death. 48:35 And that's true. 48:36 We should all keep in mind our own mortality. 48:39 Life is fragile. 48:41 We never know what problem might occur. 48:48 But the newness of Christ coming 48:52 or the possibility of an imminent death 48:58 aren't the reasons 49:01 that we need to get ready now, 49:02 we sure not the primary reasons. 49:05 The reason we need to choose today 49:08 is because the decisions you make today 49:10 influence the decision you'll make tomorrow, 49:15 because it works like this. 49:19 Character is formed through a process of your choosing. 49:23 So every decision, individual decision 49:26 impacts the next thing that you do, 49:29 and decisions repeated 49:33 become habits in the life, 49:36 right? 49:38 If you've ever struggled with an addiction of some sort, 49:40 you can remember the time when you didn't do that thing, 49:42 and then the first time you tried it, 49:45 and then you did it again, 49:46 you found the second time a little bit more comfortable, 49:48 a little bit more natural, a little easier to do, 49:50 and then all sudden, it's not just a thing you did. 49:53 It's a thing you do regularly. 49:57 Your decision one time becomes a habit. 50:01 And those habits if repeated, if continued, 50:06 become your lifestyle. 50:12 This just becomes a pattern for your life. 50:13 It becomes the default setting that you just fall into. 50:16 You don't even choose anymore, you just kind of routine, 50:19 this is what we do. 50:21 And that lifestyle, 50:25 if continued, forms your character. 50:30 No longer is sin a thing you do, 50:33 it becomes just what you are. 50:44 Which is why I said earlier, 50:45 the salvation is more than merely getting into heaven. 50:53 Salvation 50:56 is the power of God to fit us 50:59 into the society of heaven, 51:02 is to form Christ within, 51:05 which is our only hope of glory. 51:11 Listen to how succinctly and clearly 51:15 Sister White puts it in the Signs of the Times, 51:17 July 31, 1893. 51:22 For our note takers, that's St. July 31, 1893. 51:27 She writes in this single sentence 51:29 and listen to it carefully. 51:31 "If we would see heaven, 51:35 we must have heaven below." 51:39 And she adds, 51:41 "We must have a heaven to go to heaven in." 51:48 That's a deep thought. 51:50 "If we would see heaven, we must have heaven below. 51:53 We must have a heaven to go to heaven in." 51:58 What does she mean? 52:00 She means the principles of heaven. 52:04 The life that will be lived there must be lived here. 52:08 We must have a heavenly influence, 52:10 a heavenly atmosphere, 52:11 a character that will fit into the sight of heaven. 52:13 If we plan on going there, we need to take heaven with us. 52:19 Listen to this statement from In Heavenly Places, 52:21 page 142. 52:24 "We are individually now 52:26 testifying to the world of the power 52:28 of the grace of Christ 52:29 in the transformation of human character 52:31 from glory to glory, 52:33 from character to character. 52:37 In beholding Christ our pattern, 52:39 who is pure and holy and undefiled, 52:42 we are being prepared for the society 52:44 of the heavenly angels. 52:46 Now listen to this, 52:48 the simplicity of this statement. 52:53 This rhetorical question is so profound. 52:56 Just hear it out. 52:58 "If Christ is to be our head and Prince 53:01 in the heavenly courts, 53:03 it becomes us to inquire," not a great phrase. 53:07 "It becomes us to inquire," 53:09 which simply means 53:10 it would be a good idea to ask this question first. 53:13 "It becomes us to inquire, 53:16 what is Christ to us now?" 53:21 You know, when you go to heaven, 53:23 Jesus is gonna be there 53:26 the whole time, 53:30 the whole time, 53:31 not just like on day one for introductions 53:33 and handshakes and crown dispenses 53:35 and all this kind of stuff. 53:37 When you wake up the next day, 53:38 He's still gonna be there and the day after that, 53:40 and the day after that, 53:41 Jesus is gonna be there for all eternity. 53:44 And the question we need to ask now, 53:46 is that really good news? 53:48 You know, when I was younger, 53:50 much younger, 53:54 my mom would sometimes ask this question, 53:56 if I were being particularly naughty, 54:01 which of course is hypothetical. 54:02 This is, that never actually happened. 54:04 But it if, 54:09 should say, Cameron, 54:13 if Jesus were here with you, 54:15 could you do 54:18 whatever I was doing? 54:21 I hated that question. 54:25 Of course, I couldn't do 54:26 what I'm doing now, if Jesus were here. 54:27 He would mess it up, right? 54:30 I can't say those words or watch those things 54:32 and think those thoughts or do that actually, 54:34 I can't do that stuff with Him. 54:38 I just have to sit here and be good. 54:42 And spoil all my fun, right? 54:45 But, friends, there are many people 54:47 who fully expect to go to heaven 54:49 and slide down the drafts next 54:50 and swim with the dolphins and fly another world, 54:53 well, let's go, completely mindless of the fact 54:55 that Jesus will be there. 54:59 And if you don't want to hang out with Him now, 55:02 what in the world makes you think 55:04 that you want to do it for eternity? 55:08 It becomes us to inquire, 55:11 what is Christ to us now. 55:14 It's not like, on the way up and we're like, 55:16 "Well, we're gonna learn to like Him." 55:19 No! 55:25 We should ask this incredibly simple question. 55:29 Do we even want to go? 55:35 Do we even want to go to heaven? 55:37 Is that something that appeals to us? 55:42 Do we see in Christ just a, 55:44 you know, 55:45 good luck charm 55:46 or some sort of handy thing to get our ticket in, 55:48 so when we get there, we can do whatever we want? 55:50 Or do we actually want to be with Jesus? 55:52 Imagine, if heaven weren't such a paradise, 55:55 what if it wasn't perfect weather 55:57 and streets of gold, 55:58 and all we got was the world just like this one, 56:01 the only difference is we had Jesus 56:02 and everybody lived according to His rules? 56:05 Would you still want it? 56:09 Sometimes, I think we focused on the place 56:11 and we mistake the central theme 56:12 is the person of Jesus Christ. 56:17 I'm going to heaven 56:18 not for all that other stuff, 56:20 but I actually wanna be with Jesus. 56:24 1 John 2:28, 56:28 we'll close with this passage. 56:35 "And now little children," 56:36 here's the solution to our sin problem 56:39 as God's not only calling us good 56:40 but making us good. 56:41 And it says here, "And now little children 56:44 abide," where? 56:46 "In Him 56:47 that when He appears, 56:50 we may have confidence and not be ashamed 56:52 before Him at His coming." 56:54 How many of you here wanna have confidence 56:56 when Jesus comes back and not be ashamed 56:58 when He returns? 56:59 Praise the Lord! Me too. 57:01 Let's bow our heads for word of prayer. 57:03 Dear Heavenly Father, we wanna thank You so much 57:07 for being the solution to our sin problem. 57:11 Lord, we each have sinned 57:13 and fallen short of the glory of God. 57:16 Each one of us has a record of iniquity 57:18 and transgression 57:19 as long as our life has been. 57:21 And we are so thankful for Your promise 57:23 to pardon and to forgive, 57:26 to cleanse our record by the blood of the Lamb. 57:30 But, Lord, we also know that 57:32 we have prospects for the future 57:33 and temptation still is inevitable. 57:38 So, Lord, we need from You not only pardon, 57:39 we also need power. 57:42 Please, Lord, come into our lives, 57:44 fill us. 57:45 Let the righteousness of Christ be in us. 57:48 And we may abide in Him that when He appears, 57:51 we may have confidence and not be ashamed 57:53 before Him at His coming. 57:55 Lord, this is our prayer and we pray it in Jesus' name. 57:59 Amen. |
Revised 2019-05-23