Welcome back to our series
titled "Three Cosmic Messages,
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Earth's Final Conflict."
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In this series we're looking
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at the prophetic
Book of Revelation
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unfolding the
prophecies of Revelation
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but specifically and distinctly
Revelation Chapter 14.
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In Revelation Chapter 14,
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God unfolds His
last day message.
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He describes that
message symbolically
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as being carried by
three angels in mid heaven.
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And it's that message
that we are unpacking,
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that message
that we're studying.
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Now if you've been with
us in previous presentations,
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you've noted that in
our first presentation,
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we looked at the
great controversy
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between good and evil.
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We studied the fact
that down through the ages,
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when Christ has been in conflict
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with Satan,
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Jesus has never lost the battle.
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Jesus wins,
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Satan loses and
that's the great theme
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of the Book of Revelation,
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that Christ is predominant,
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that He will be
victorious over Satan
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in the last days
of earth's history,
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because when you
look at Revelation,
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it talks about a mark
called the mark of the beast.
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It talks about a time
when no man can buy or sell.
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It talks about
persecution and a death decree.
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And if you allow those
images to grip your mind
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and strangle you,
you'll lose your hope.
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So the theme of
the Book of Revelation
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really is much more
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than the
persecution that's coming.
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It's the triumph of Jesus Christ
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in the last days
of earth's history.
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In our last presentation,
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we looked at the idea of harvest
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in the Book of Revelation.
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That there'll be two harvests,
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the harvest of golden grain
and a harvest of gory grapes,
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righteousness
will be fully manifest,
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unrighteousness
will be fully manifest.
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And we look there at
the Book of Revelation
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very, very carefully.
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And we noted that
in those two harvests,
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there will be
two eternal choices
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that every human being
on a planet called earth
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will make an eternal choice.
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In this presentation,
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we are going to
probe more deeply
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into Revelation 14:6,
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the first of those three cosmic
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or three angels' messages.
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So as we launch
right into our topic,
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let's pray.
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Father in Heaven,
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we thank You
with all of our hearts
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for the great messages
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that You've given in
the Book of Revelation.
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We sense that these
messages come from Christ.
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And so as we
study them more deeply,
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help us to be
able to understand them
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more fully.
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And as we
understand them more fully,
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may our lives
more fully reflect You,
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change us by Your grace,
we pray in Christ's name.
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Amen.
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My topic in this presentation
is "Hope's Grace-Filled,
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End-Time Message."
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Have you ever noticed
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how corporations have slogans,
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for example, MasterCard slogan
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is "There are some
things money can't buy,
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for everything else
there's MasterCard."
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Have you noticed
Nike slogan, "Just do it?"
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The Nike symbol, Nike,
of course, meaning victory.
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Then there is the
slogan of Apple computers,
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"Think different."
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Somebody certainly had
to be thinking differently
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when they
developed the Apple computer.
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And then you go beyond
that to the New York Times,
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"All the news
that's fit to print."
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When you read that slogan.
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You, if you know anything
about news media in America,
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you immediately think
of the New York Times.
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L'Oreal,
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the famous
cosmetic group in Paris,
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"Because you're worth it."
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Throughout these
various corporations,
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there are slogans, these
slogans are catchphrases.
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Entrepreneur
Magazine puts it this way.
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"The slogan for these businesses
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is a catchphrase or
a small group of words
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that are
combined in a special way
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to identify a
product or company."
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So you may not need
even see the product
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or know the company.
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But when you hear the
slogan or the catchphrase,
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immediately you identify
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when you see the
little swish of Nike,
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immediately you then identify
with that product brand.
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When you read MasterCard
and you see their slogan,
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those simple circles
with red and yellow or orange,
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you immediately
identify with that slogan
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for "Some things money can't buy
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but for everything
else there's MasterCard."
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You know, you
identify with those slogans.
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Israel had a statement of faith
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that identified Israel.
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It set it apart
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from all of the heathen nations.
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Their statement of faith
was found in Deuteronomy 6:4,
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written in Hebrew, but
translated into English,
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"Hear O Israel, the
Lord our God is one Lord."
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Children from the earliest
ages in the Jewish nation
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were taught by their
mothers that expression,
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"Hear O Israel, the
Lord our God is one Lord,"
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mothers rocking
their Jewish babies
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that are three
months old, six months old.
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As mama was rocking
the baby, mama sang to her,
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this is what
they called the Shema,
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"Hear O Israel, the
Lord our God is one."
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Now there was an
interesting experience
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that occurred during
the Second World War.
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Mothers continued during the war
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to teach their
children Deuteronomy 6:4,
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they did not want
these Jewish children
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to lose their sense of identity.
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And before the
children even learned to speak,
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they were taught this phrase.
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During the war,
many Jewish parents
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knowing that the
holocaust was present,
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knowing they
would be transported
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to prison camps and die,
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put their
children in orphanages.
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Some of these orphanages
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were run by
Catholic priests and nuns.
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The idea of the
Jewish parents was,
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this could save our
children and after the war,
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they will be
reunited either with us
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if we get out of
the prison camp alive
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or if we don't with relatives
or other Jewish families.
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When the war ended,
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and thousands of Jews came back
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from these terrible,
horrific prison camps,
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many of course
died, over 6 million died
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in these prison camps,
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one of the greatest
crimes against humanity
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in the history of the world.
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When many of them came back
they looked for their children,
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couldn't find them.
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On one occasion,
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two rabbis came to
a Catholic orphanage,
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and they said to the
priest who was at the orphanage,
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"We would like to look
for Jewish children here."
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He said, "There
are no Jewish children
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here at all.
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You're mistaken.
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There are no
Jewish children here."
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The rabbis left,
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the priest
wouldn't let them come
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into the orphanage
to inquire and discover
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whether there
were Jewish children.
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They came back in the evening.
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And they said,
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"Could you just at least
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let us walk through
the orphanage one time?
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Can you just let us
walk through the nursery,
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the sleeping room?"
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When the priest
allowed them to do that,
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the rabbi began to sing
the Shema, he began to sing,
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"The Lord our God is one Lord."
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And he began to
sing it in Hebrew.
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Children woke up
from their cribs,
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they began to say,
"Mama, mama, mama,"
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they recognize that Hebrew,
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they recognize that Shema,
it identified them as a people.
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And the rabbi
said to the priests,
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"That's one of
mine. That's one of mine."
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There was nothing
the priests could do.
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He had to give
those Jewish children
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back to their rightful
place in the Jewish community.
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The Shema identified them.
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Is there a Shema?
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Is there a point of
identity for God's people today?
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There is. The
Book of Revelation.
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The three angels'
messages are our Shema.
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They are our rallying point.
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They identify a
community of believers
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that God has raised up in
the divine drama of destiny
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to prepare a world
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for the second coming of Christ.
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In the book Evangelism,
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page 119, I read this statement.
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"In a special sense
Seventh-day Adventists
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have been set in the world
as watchmen and light-bearers.
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To them has been
entrusted the last warning
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for a perishing world.
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On them is
shining wonderful light
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from the Word of God."
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Now you may be a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:09:47.45\00:09:49.05
watching this
broadcast, watching this DVD,
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and if you are,
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I want to undergird this reality
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that the message
of the three angels
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is not simply something
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that is tacked on
to Adventist faith,
00:10:03.97\00:10:07.37
but it's the very foundation.
00:10:07.40\00:10:09.30
If you are not a
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:10:09.34\00:10:11.34
I invite you to journey with us.
00:10:11.37\00:10:13.81
I invite you to walk with me
00:10:13.84\00:10:16.04
as we go through these messages.
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And there's only
one body in the world
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that's preaching the
three angels' messages,
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and that's the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:10:25.35\00:10:27.56
God raised up
00:10:27.59\00:10:28.92
the Adventist
Church miraculously.
00:10:28.96\00:10:30.96
Seventh-day Adventists
believe that there's Christians
00:10:30.99\00:10:33.26
in every denomination.
00:10:33.29\00:10:35.00
Adventists believe
that there's loving,
00:10:35.03\00:10:37.67
God fearing people in
every religious communion.
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But we also believe
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that in the
divine drama of destiny,
00:10:42.77\00:10:45.61
in the
providence of God, humbly,
00:10:45.64\00:10:48.94
we believe that
God has raised up
00:10:48.98\00:10:51.11
a movement to prepare a
world for His soon coming,
00:10:51.15\00:10:54.95
and the
identification of that movement
00:10:54.98\00:10:57.99
comes in this
Revelation 14:6-12.
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These are some of the
most significant verses
00:11:02.19\00:11:04.33
in all the Bible,
00:11:04.36\00:11:05.69
and they clearly identify
God's last day people today.
00:11:05.73\00:11:09.46
So let's walk through
these verses together.
00:11:09.50\00:11:11.47
Let's study them together
and discover what they say.
00:11:11.50\00:11:15.87
In this book Evangelism,
00:11:15.90\00:11:17.24
page 119, that
statement goes on,
00:11:17.27\00:11:19.21
"They, Adventist,
00:11:19.24\00:11:20.58
have been given a work
of the most solemn import,
00:11:20.61\00:11:23.11
the proclamation
of the first, second,
00:11:23.14\00:11:25.41
and third angels' messages,
00:11:25.45\00:11:26.95
these three cosmic messages.
00:11:26.98\00:11:28.78
There is no other work
of so great importance.
00:11:28.82\00:11:31.69
They are not to
allow anything else
00:11:31.72\00:11:34.72
to absorb their attention,
00:11:34.76\00:11:36.69
there is well nothing
else to absorb their attention.
00:11:36.73\00:11:40.60
In the blazing
light of eternity,
00:11:40.63\00:11:42.63
in this cosmic battle
between good and evil,
00:11:42.66\00:11:45.57
Jesus has sent
00:11:45.60\00:11:47.20
a last day message to the world.
00:11:47.24\00:11:50.61
Jesus has sent a message
00:11:50.64\00:11:52.61
in this message
of the three angels.
00:11:52.64\00:11:56.34
Revelation is a
grace filled book.
00:11:56.38\00:11:59.75
The Book of Revelation is filled
00:11:59.78\00:12:02.45
with the grace and
love of Jesus Christ.
00:12:02.48\00:12:05.15
It's filled with
the grace of God.
00:12:05.19\00:12:07.89
Revelation 1:1 says,
00:12:07.92\00:12:10.03
"The Revelation
of Jesus Christ, "
00:12:10.06\00:12:11.69
whose Revelation is this?
00:12:11.73\00:12:13.33
It's the
Revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:12:13.36\00:12:15.50
Where did He get it?
00:12:15.53\00:12:16.87
"Which God gave Him to
show His servants things
00:12:16.90\00:12:19.93
which must shortly take place."
00:12:19.97\00:12:22.14
You know, when you
read Revelation 1:1,
00:12:22.17\00:12:25.04
here is a divine chain of truth.
00:12:25.07\00:12:28.94
It says this, it
says, "Revelation..."
00:12:28.98\00:12:33.95
It is the Revelation of who?
00:12:33.98\00:12:35.45
Jesus Christ.
00:12:35.48\00:12:36.82
Where did He get
it? God gave it to Him.
00:12:36.85\00:12:38.89
What did Jesus do
when God gave it to Him?
00:12:38.92\00:12:41.96
He sent and signified it
according to Revelation 1:1,
00:12:41.99\00:12:45.79
by His angel, to whom?
00:12:45.83\00:12:47.30
To His servant John.
00:12:47.33\00:12:48.66
So God has a message
00:12:48.70\00:12:50.30
for all mankind
just at end time.
00:12:50.33\00:12:52.67
He gives it to Jesus.
00:12:52.70\00:12:54.27
Jesus gives it to the angel.
00:12:54.30\00:12:56.27
The angel flies from heaven,
00:12:56.30\00:12:57.67
impresses John who's
in the exile in his 90s,
00:12:57.71\00:13:00.81
on the island of
Patmos and John writes it down
00:13:00.84\00:13:03.78
and you and I take
that in our hands today.
00:13:03.81\00:13:06.65
This precious message
from the Book of Revelation
00:13:06.68\00:13:09.35
is not a human message.
00:13:09.38\00:13:10.75
It doesn't come to us
merely through human opinion,
00:13:10.79\00:13:14.76
it comes to us
directly from the heart of God,
00:13:14.79\00:13:17.69
directly from the
throne room of the universe.
00:13:17.73\00:13:20.26
If there is a message
00:13:20.30\00:13:21.63
that comes from the
throne room of the universe,
00:13:21.66\00:13:23.77
that message must be
critically important.
00:13:23.80\00:13:27.47
That's why we're spending
time looking at this message
00:13:27.50\00:13:31.07
from Revelation particularly,
Revelation 14:6-12.
00:13:31.11\00:13:34.94
Now notice, when
Revelation 1 sets forth,
00:13:34.98\00:13:39.35
the entire tone of the book,
00:13:39.38\00:13:41.72
it sets forth who
this Jesus actually is.
00:13:41.75\00:13:45.99
And it says, "He is
the one that loved us
00:13:46.02\00:13:48.59
and washed us from our
sins in His own blood."
00:13:48.62\00:13:51.66
So Revelation Chapter 1
00:13:51.69\00:13:53.40
sets forth this
magnificent Christ.
00:13:53.43\00:13:57.03
It sets forth this
grace filled hope filled book
00:13:57.07\00:14:00.80
in the context of God's love,
00:14:00.84\00:14:03.67
in the context of a
God that cares for us
00:14:03.71\00:14:06.74
so deeply that He doesn't
want one of us to be lost.
00:14:06.78\00:14:11.21
Revelation indeed
is a grace filled book.
00:14:11.25\00:14:15.78
There are some
people that have said to me
00:14:15.82\00:14:17.49
as I've studied
the Bible with them,
00:14:17.52\00:14:19.49
"I'm hesitant to
study the Book of Revelation
00:14:19.52\00:14:21.82
because of the fact
00:14:21.86\00:14:23.86
that I only want to
study the gospels about Jesus."
00:14:23.89\00:14:27.36
They have forgotten
00:14:27.40\00:14:28.73
that according
to Revelation 1:1,
00:14:28.76\00:14:30.80
this is the
revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:14:30.83\00:14:33.54
Other people have said
"Revelation is a closed book, "
00:14:33.57\00:14:36.27
but the very
name means unfolding.
00:14:36.30\00:14:39.21
The very name means revealing.
00:14:39.24\00:14:42.48
So the Book of
Revelation is an unfolding
00:14:42.51\00:14:45.58
or revealing of God's love
00:14:45.61\00:14:47.98
in the context
of last day events
00:14:48.02\00:14:50.59
at the end of time.
00:14:50.62\00:14:52.95
Revelation 14:6,
00:14:52.99\00:14:54.79
we begin to study
in this presentation,
00:14:54.82\00:14:57.93
this message of
the three angels,
00:14:57.96\00:14:59.79
this gospel of God's grace.
00:14:59.83\00:15:02.03
"Then I saw,"
John says, "I saw it."
00:15:02.06\00:15:05.53
What did you see, John?
00:15:05.57\00:15:07.04
"Another angel flying
in the middle of heaven
00:15:07.07\00:15:09.57
having the everlasting gospel
00:15:09.60\00:15:11.67
to preach to those
who dwell on the earth,
00:15:11.71\00:15:14.31
to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:15:14.34\00:15:18.45
So John looked up in
heaven, and in prophetic vision,
00:15:18.48\00:15:23.25
he saw an angel messenger
00:15:23.28\00:15:25.49
flying in the middle of heaven
having the everlasting gospel.
00:15:25.52\00:15:29.49
Another word for everlasting
is the eternal gospel.
00:15:29.52\00:15:33.36
So John saw this eternal gospel.
00:15:33.40\00:15:36.53
What is the gospel?
00:15:36.56\00:15:37.90
The gospel is the
very foundation stone
00:15:37.93\00:15:40.44
of the three angel's messages.
00:15:40.47\00:15:43.07
If we study the
three angel's messages
00:15:43.10\00:15:45.74
and miss the gospel,
00:15:45.77\00:15:47.81
we've missed the very foundation
00:15:47.84\00:15:49.81
of the three angel's messages.
00:15:49.84\00:15:51.28
We've missed the
very foundation stone,
00:15:51.31\00:15:54.25
that is the...
00:15:54.28\00:15:56.15
that enables us to stand solidly
00:15:56.18\00:15:58.42
on everything
that comes after that.
00:15:58.45\00:16:01.22
The gospel is that very
heart, it's the very pulse,
00:16:01.26\00:16:06.13
it's the very foundation stone
of the three angel's messages.
00:16:06.16\00:16:10.17
Now we might ask,
"What is the gospel?"
00:16:10.20\00:16:13.30
The gospel has to do
with the life, the death,
00:16:13.34\00:16:17.84
the
resurrection, the intercession,
00:16:17.87\00:16:20.38
the gospel is a big word
00:16:20.41\00:16:22.04
if we can
translate it as good news.
00:16:22.08\00:16:25.05
It's the good news of Jesus.
00:16:25.08\00:16:27.92
You know, when the
thief hung on the cross,
00:16:27.95\00:16:30.85
he experienced the gospel.
00:16:30.89\00:16:33.15
And you remember
when Jesus was dying,
00:16:33.19\00:16:35.52
there were three
crosses on the hill that day.
00:16:35.56\00:16:38.29
There was...
00:16:38.33\00:16:39.66
Christ was in the center cross
00:16:39.69\00:16:41.03
and two thieves died
on either side of Jesus.
00:16:41.06\00:16:44.80
One thief mocked Christ.
00:16:44.83\00:16:48.27
One thief said,
"If you're the Christ,
00:16:48.30\00:16:50.21
come down from the cross."
00:16:50.24\00:16:52.14
But the other
thief looked at Jesus
00:16:52.17\00:16:54.84
dying on that cross.
00:16:54.88\00:16:57.21
The other thief
heard Christ's words,
00:16:57.25\00:16:59.71
"Father forgive them,
00:16:59.75\00:17:01.42
for they know not what they do."
00:17:01.45\00:17:03.75
That thief was
impressed by the Holy Spirit.
00:17:03.79\00:17:07.69
He accepted the
fact of his own guilt
00:17:07.72\00:17:10.53
that he had gone astray.
00:17:10.56\00:17:12.29
He accepted the
fact of his sinfulness.
00:17:12.33\00:17:15.53
He accepted that in
Christ there was forgiveness.
00:17:15.56\00:17:19.77
That Christ's righteousness
could atone for his sin.
00:17:19.80\00:17:23.51
That thief that day
asked for salvation.
00:17:23.54\00:17:27.74
He said, "Lord,
00:17:27.78\00:17:29.11
remember me when You
come into Your kingdom."
00:17:29.14\00:17:32.15
And Jesus said, "I
say unto you, today,
00:17:32.18\00:17:35.28
you will be
with Me in paradise."
00:17:35.32\00:17:37.75
I say to you this day,
00:17:37.79\00:17:39.95
this day that I'm
dying on the cross,
00:17:39.99\00:17:42.26
this day that it doesn't
look like I can save anybody.
00:17:42.29\00:17:45.29
This day with the
nails through my hands,
00:17:45.33\00:17:47.86
this day with
the crown of thorns
00:17:47.90\00:17:49.73
upon my head,
00:17:49.76\00:17:51.10
this day with the
blood running down my cheeks
00:17:51.13\00:17:54.60
from the thorns in my brow,
00:17:54.64\00:17:57.51
this day with the
blood running down my wrists.
00:17:57.54\00:17:59.94
This day, I say to you,
00:17:59.97\00:18:03.41
you will be
with Me in paradise."
00:18:03.45\00:18:05.78
Jesus while He was
dying on the cross,
00:18:05.81\00:18:08.62
gave the thief the assurance
00:18:08.65\00:18:10.72
that one day he
would live with Him
00:18:10.75\00:18:13.12
forever and ever and
ever in the kingdom of God.
00:18:13.15\00:18:16.93
You see, what is grace?
00:18:16.96\00:18:19.79
Grace has to do
00:18:19.83\00:18:21.73
with the righteousness
of God manifest in Christ.
00:18:21.76\00:18:27.10
What is grace?
00:18:27.14\00:18:28.54
It is the salvation
00:18:28.57\00:18:30.44
that God freely
offers in Christ.
00:18:30.47\00:18:34.84
When Paul defines the gospel,
00:18:34.88\00:18:37.25
he defines it this way
in 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3.
00:18:37.28\00:18:41.78
You know, you can look
for a lot of human definitions
00:18:41.82\00:18:44.45
where people write books
00:18:44.49\00:18:45.82
on defining what they
believe the gospel is.
00:18:45.85\00:18:48.92
But the Apostle Paul
makes it very simple.
00:18:48.96\00:18:51.43
And God often makes
simple, things that are complex.
00:18:51.46\00:18:54.30
And the Apostle Paul says this.
00:18:54.33\00:18:56.20
"Moreover, brethren,
00:18:56.23\00:18:57.73
I declare to you the
gospel which I preached to you,
00:18:57.77\00:19:01.94
which also you
received in which you stand."
00:19:01.97\00:19:05.31
Now notice what the text says.
00:19:05.34\00:19:08.11
Paul says, "I
declare to you the gospel, "
00:19:08.14\00:19:10.31
so he's going to explain it.
00:19:10.35\00:19:11.75
He says, "He
preached the gospel to them.
00:19:11.78\00:19:14.28
They received the gospel.
00:19:14.32\00:19:16.55
They stood in the gospel."
00:19:16.58\00:19:18.32
Well, what was this
gospel that he preached?
00:19:18.35\00:19:20.46
What was this
gospel that he received?
00:19:20.49\00:19:22.76
"For I delivered to you
first, that which I received,
00:19:22.79\00:19:26.49
that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures."
00:19:26.53\00:19:30.37
So what is the gospel?
00:19:30.40\00:19:31.97
It is Christ dying for our sins,
00:19:32.00\00:19:35.24
according to the scripture.
00:19:35.27\00:19:36.74
He continues that he was buried,
00:19:36.77\00:19:39.17
that He rose
again the third day,
00:19:39.21\00:19:41.34
and he was seen
by Cephas or Peter,
00:19:41.38\00:19:43.38
then by the twelve."
00:19:43.41\00:19:44.75
So what is the gospel?
00:19:44.78\00:19:46.11
It is the
perfect life of Christ,
00:19:46.15\00:19:48.78
atoning for our imperfect lives.
00:19:48.82\00:19:51.05
What is the gospel?
00:19:51.09\00:19:52.55
It is the death of Christ,
00:19:52.59\00:19:55.02
burying the
guilt and shame of sin
00:19:55.06\00:19:56.76
on Calvary's cross in
the place of our death.
00:19:56.79\00:20:00.26
We deserve to die.
He gives us the life.
00:20:00.30\00:20:03.06
We deserve to
wear a crown of thorns,
00:20:03.10\00:20:05.20
He gives us a crown of glory.
00:20:05.23\00:20:06.90
We deserve to hang on the cross,
00:20:06.94\00:20:09.14
He hangs on the cross
and we sit upon a throne.
00:20:09.17\00:20:12.21
We deserve to wear
00:20:12.24\00:20:14.64
the robe of
sinfulness and degradation,
00:20:14.68\00:20:18.05
He wears that robe for us
00:20:18.08\00:20:19.61
and gives us a
robe of righteousness.
00:20:19.65\00:20:21.75
Christ enters
the domain of death,
00:20:21.78\00:20:24.39
dies the second
death in our behalf.
00:20:24.42\00:20:27.42
"He who knew no
sin," 2 Corinthians 5:21,
00:20:27.46\00:20:30.56
"becomes sin for us.
00:20:30.59\00:20:32.26
Cursed is everyone
that hangs upon the tree."
00:20:32.29\00:20:34.80
Galatians 3:13.
00:20:34.83\00:20:36.67
So Jesus takes all the shame.
00:20:36.70\00:20:38.73
He takes all the guilt,
00:20:38.77\00:20:40.10
He takes all the condemnation
of sin upon Himself.
00:20:40.14\00:20:43.30
He dies the death
we should have died
00:20:43.34\00:20:45.97
so that we can live the
life that He should have lived.
00:20:46.01\00:20:48.78
What is the gospel?
00:20:48.81\00:20:50.25
It is more than Christ's death
00:20:50.28\00:20:52.45
because if Jesus died
and never resurrected,
00:20:52.48\00:20:54.45
He's just a martyr
dying for good cause.
00:20:54.48\00:20:57.05
But Christ goes into the grave,
00:20:57.09\00:20:58.42
He comes out and He's alive,
and that's what Paul says.
00:20:58.45\00:21:02.29
Paul says that "Jesus died,
00:21:02.32\00:21:05.89
but Jesus rose again."
00:21:05.93\00:21:09.80
I stood there
00:21:09.83\00:21:12.03
looking at the
Mausoleum of Lenin
00:21:12.07\00:21:16.00
at Lenin's tomb in Red Square.
00:21:16.04\00:21:18.47
And I stood there
00:21:18.51\00:21:19.84
thinking that the
Russian scientists
00:21:19.87\00:21:21.41
have preserved Lenin,
00:21:21.44\00:21:23.04
and he's in this glass tomb
00:21:23.08\00:21:24.41
and people would
come and reverence him,
00:21:24.45\00:21:26.05
they'd stand in long lines
during the heyday of communism.
00:21:26.08\00:21:29.35
But Lenin was in
his tomb, but thank God,
00:21:29.38\00:21:32.55
Jesus Christ is not in His tomb,
00:21:32.59\00:21:34.26
the tomb of Christ is empty.
00:21:34.29\00:21:36.12
Jesus is alive.
00:21:36.16\00:21:37.49
That's the gospel, and
Jesus lives for you and me.
00:21:37.53\00:21:40.60
We can come to Him.
00:21:40.63\00:21:42.00
He gives us His strength
and power to live a godly life.
00:21:42.03\00:21:46.27
Jesus delivers us
from sin's penalty,
00:21:46.30\00:21:49.10
from the condemnation of sin.
00:21:49.14\00:21:51.24
He delivers us from sin's power,
00:21:51.27\00:21:53.61
and one day finally
Jesus will deliver us
00:21:53.64\00:21:57.18
from sin's presence.
00:21:57.21\00:21:59.01
What is the gospel?
00:21:59.05\00:22:00.38
It is Christ delivering
us from the penalty of sin,
00:22:00.42\00:22:02.58
its condemnation.
00:22:02.62\00:22:03.95
Christ delivering us
from the power of sin,
00:22:03.99\00:22:05.82
the grip of sin,
00:22:05.85\00:22:07.19
and Christ delivering us
from the presence of sin.
00:22:07.22\00:22:09.82
What is the gospel?
00:22:09.86\00:22:11.19
It is the life, death, burial,
00:22:11.23\00:22:14.33
resurrection of
Christ and the promise
00:22:14.36\00:22:17.07
that the Christ that
lived, the Christ that died,
00:22:17.10\00:22:19.40
the Christ that resurrected,
00:22:19.43\00:22:20.90
the Christ
that's in heaven for us,
00:22:20.94\00:22:22.30
this Christ will
come again and save us.
00:22:22.34\00:22:25.34
The crucified Christ
00:22:25.37\00:22:27.14
redeems us from the condemnation
00:22:27.18\00:22:29.28
and guilt of our past.
00:22:29.31\00:22:31.25
The resurrected Christ
gives us power for the present,
00:22:31.28\00:22:36.15
and the returning Christ
gives us hope for the future.
00:22:36.18\00:22:39.59
This is the big huge
picture of the gospel of Christ
00:22:39.62\00:22:43.89
outlined in the
Book of Revelation.
00:22:43.93\00:22:47.73
It is this Jesus
who Paul speaks about,
00:22:47.76\00:22:50.70
this Jesus that Paul leads
us to give our entire lives to,
00:22:50.73\00:22:55.57
this is the Christ of
the Book of Revelation,
00:22:55.60\00:22:58.51
this is the cornerstone,
00:22:58.54\00:22:59.87
the foundation of
the entire message
00:22:59.91\00:23:02.74
of the three angels.
00:23:02.78\00:23:04.61
The Apostle Paul
00:23:04.65\00:23:05.98
describes the
gospel further this way,
00:23:06.01\00:23:07.68
Romans 3:24-26,
00:23:07.72\00:23:10.19
"Being justified
freely by His grace
00:23:10.22\00:23:13.56
through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus:
00:23:13.59\00:23:17.33
Whom God has set
forth to be a propitiation."
00:23:17.36\00:23:21.13
That is a ransom.
00:23:21.16\00:23:22.50
Now notice,
we're justified freely,
00:23:22.53\00:23:24.67
not justified
because of what we have done,
00:23:24.70\00:23:28.00
but justified
because of what He has done.
00:23:28.04\00:23:31.17
Not justified
because of our goodness,
00:23:31.21\00:23:33.78
but justified
because of His righteousness.
00:23:33.81\00:23:36.58
Not justified
because of the fact
00:23:36.61\00:23:41.02
that we live a perfect life,
00:23:41.05\00:23:43.65
our lives are
imperfect and sinful,
00:23:43.69\00:23:45.69
but He is the one that
lived the perfect life.
00:23:45.72\00:23:47.39
We are justified
00:23:47.42\00:23:48.76
because we
accept His perfect life
00:23:48.79\00:23:50.99
in the place of
our imperfection.
00:23:51.03\00:23:53.13
We accept His death in
the place of our death.
00:23:53.16\00:23:56.40
We accept His righteousness
in the place of our guilt
00:23:56.43\00:23:59.30
and our shame.
00:23:59.33\00:24:00.67
We're justified.
What's the next word?
00:24:00.70\00:24:02.04
You got it.
00:24:02.07\00:24:03.41
"Freely by His grace
through the redemption
00:24:03.44\00:24:05.74
that is in Christ
Jesus and God has set forth,
00:24:05.77\00:24:08.18
He is that propitiation,
00:24:08.21\00:24:09.88
He is the one that
paid the ransom price,
00:24:09.91\00:24:12.38
"Through faith in
His blood, to declare, "
00:24:12.41\00:24:14.78
whose righteousness, is it ours?
00:24:14.82\00:24:16.85
"To declare His righteousness
for the remission of sins
00:24:16.89\00:24:19.82
that are passed
through the forbearance of God,
00:24:19.85\00:24:23.22
to declare I say, at
this time, His righteousness,
00:24:23.26\00:24:26.56
that He might be just
in the justifier of him
00:24:26.59\00:24:29.80
which believes in Jesus."
00:24:29.83\00:24:31.53
When I come to Jesus,
00:24:31.57\00:24:33.27
I have
absolutely nothing to give.
00:24:33.30\00:24:36.50
When I come to Jesus, I
come with my sinfulness,
00:24:36.54\00:24:40.78
I come with my
weakness, I come with my folly.
00:24:40.81\00:24:44.31
But I come, I come,
and you can come today.
00:24:44.35\00:24:48.58
You say, "But I'm
too much of a sinner."
00:24:48.62\00:24:50.95
That's why you come.
00:24:50.99\00:24:52.39
You say, "But I've
fallen in the past."
00:24:52.42\00:24:54.02
That's why you come.
00:24:54.06\00:24:55.66
You say that
"I'm not righteous."
00:24:55.69\00:24:57.03
That's why you come.
Jesus has come unto me.
00:24:57.06\00:25:00.16
Come unto me all
you who are burdened
00:25:00.20\00:25:02.76
and heavy laden,
00:25:02.80\00:25:04.17
and I will give you rest.
00:25:04.20\00:25:05.77
This is the very heart
of God's last day message
00:25:05.80\00:25:08.54
for humanity.
00:25:08.57\00:25:09.90
I saw another angel John says,
00:25:09.94\00:25:12.11
flying in the middle of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel,
00:25:12.14\00:25:16.95
to preach to those
that dwell on the earth,
00:25:16.98\00:25:18.75
to every nation, kindred,
tongue and people, the gospel,
00:25:18.78\00:25:22.85
the good news that you can come.
00:25:22.88\00:25:25.05
Come to the cross,
00:25:25.09\00:25:26.79
and let the drops of blood
symbolically fall upon you.
00:25:26.82\00:25:30.76
Let that blood cover your
sin and cleanse you from sin.
00:25:30.79\00:25:34.60
Knowing that as you
reach out to Christ,
00:25:34.63\00:25:37.43
He's already
reaching out to you,
00:25:37.47\00:25:39.60
that desire you
have to know Jesus,
00:25:39.63\00:25:41.70
that desire you
have to be forgiven
00:25:41.74\00:25:43.51
by Christ,
00:25:43.54\00:25:44.87
that desire you have
to be free from guilt,
00:25:44.91\00:25:47.01
that desire you have
to live the new life,
00:25:47.04\00:25:49.24
that desire has been implanted
in your heart by Jesus,
00:25:49.28\00:25:52.38
He is drawing you to Himself.
00:25:52.41\00:25:54.38
Jesus said in John 12:32,
00:25:54.42\00:25:56.45
"And I, if I be lifted
up will draw all men to me."
00:25:56.48\00:25:59.85
The cross is drawing you,
00:25:59.89\00:26:01.52
the love of God is
indeed drawing you.
00:26:01.56\00:26:04.16
We are
justified freely by grace.
00:26:04.19\00:26:06.83
Grace is a declaration
of God's righteousness.
00:26:06.86\00:26:10.23
We are not righteous,
He is, we receive that.
00:26:10.27\00:26:12.60
Through grace God justifies
those who believe in Jesus.
00:26:12.63\00:26:16.04
What does it
mean to be justified?
00:26:16.07\00:26:18.01
Simply saying, it
means I stand before God,
00:26:18.04\00:26:21.84
clothed in the
robe of righteousness,
00:26:21.88\00:26:23.81
surrounded by God's
grace, filled by God's love,
00:26:23.85\00:26:27.08
just as if I had never sinned.
00:26:27.12\00:26:29.32
God accepts me, just
as He accepts His own son.
00:26:29.35\00:26:34.49
Now that
thought is overwhelming.
00:26:34.52\00:26:36.89
In fact, it's a
mind boggling thought,
00:26:36.93\00:26:40.30
that when I come to
Christ, I am accepted.
00:26:40.33\00:26:44.00
The Bible says in
Ephesians 2, "In the beloved."
00:26:44.03\00:26:46.77
I'm accepted in heaven,
00:26:46.80\00:26:49.80
just as Jesus is
accepted in heaven.
00:26:49.84\00:26:52.91
You see, is it that simple?
00:26:52.94\00:26:54.64
It is that simple.
00:26:54.68\00:26:56.01
Reach out by faith
to His righteousness.
00:26:56.04\00:26:59.71
Reach out by
faith to His goodness.
00:26:59.75\00:27:03.18
Romans 5:6-8 says,
00:27:03.22\00:27:05.22
"For when we were
still without strength,"
00:27:05.25\00:27:07.76
we were without what?
00:27:07.79\00:27:09.12
Strength.
00:27:09.16\00:27:10.49
"In due time," what's that mean?
00:27:10.53\00:27:11.86
In the right time.
00:27:11.89\00:27:13.23
"Christ died for the ungodly."
You and I have been ungodly.
00:27:13.26\00:27:16.90
"For scarcely
for a righteous man
00:27:16.93\00:27:19.30
will one die,
00:27:19.33\00:27:20.67
yet perhaps for a good man,
00:27:20.70\00:27:22.57
someone would even dare to die.
00:27:22.60\00:27:24.11
But God demonstrates
His own love toward us."
00:27:24.14\00:27:27.68
What does God
demonstrate toward us?
00:27:27.71\00:27:29.88
His own what? Love.
00:27:29.91\00:27:31.55
"In that while we
were still sinners,
00:27:31.58\00:27:33.42
Christ died for us."
00:27:33.45\00:27:35.78
Here we find that
God in love reaches out.
00:27:35.82\00:27:39.59
When Adam and Eve sinned,
00:27:39.62\00:27:42.02
God could have
pushed this universe
00:27:42.06\00:27:43.69
to the far reaches of space
00:27:43.73\00:27:45.46
and quarantined it
00:27:45.49\00:27:46.83
and let sin
destroy and kill us all.
00:27:46.86\00:27:49.50
When Adam and Eve sinned,
00:27:49.53\00:27:50.87
God could have blotted them out
00:27:50.90\00:27:52.23
like some mosquito and
started all over again.
00:27:52.27\00:27:55.80
But God's love was
too great for that.
00:27:55.84\00:27:58.14
While we were yet sinners,
00:27:58.17\00:27:59.51
God's love reached
out to us to save us,
00:27:59.54\00:28:01.61
and God's love is reaching
out to you today, my friend.
00:28:01.64\00:28:04.71
God's grace is unmerited.
00:28:04.75\00:28:06.61
God's grace is undeserved.
00:28:06.65\00:28:08.58
God's grace is unearned,
but it is ours in Christ,
00:28:08.62\00:28:12.85
that is the gospel.
00:28:12.89\00:28:14.39
I love the way it's put
00:28:14.42\00:28:15.76
in a book called Desire of Ages,
00:28:15.79\00:28:17.39
one of the most
outstanding books
00:28:17.43\00:28:18.76
ever written in the
history on the life of Christ.
00:28:18.79\00:28:22.60
It's on page 753, it says,
00:28:22.63\00:28:25.13
"Upon Christ as our
substitute and surety
00:28:25.17\00:28:28.87
was laid the iniquity of us all.
00:28:28.90\00:28:31.41
He was counted a transgressor,
00:28:31.44\00:28:34.08
that He might redeem us
00:28:34.11\00:28:35.44
from the
condemnation of the law.
00:28:35.48\00:28:37.75
The guilt of
every descendant of Adam
00:28:37.78\00:28:40.05
was pressing upon His heart."
00:28:40.08\00:28:41.78
So when Jesus hung
on Calvary's cross,
00:28:41.82\00:28:45.12
He was counted a transgressor.
00:28:45.15\00:28:47.99
The judgment bar of God
was set up on Calvary's cross,
00:28:48.02\00:28:51.96
and Christ, who had
lived a perfect righteous life
00:28:51.99\00:28:55.33
was counted,
00:28:55.36\00:28:57.07
He's adjudged as a sinner.
00:28:57.10\00:28:59.77
That's why in Hebrews 2:8, 9
00:28:59.80\00:29:02.50
says "He tasted
death for every man."
00:29:02.54\00:29:04.74
So He
experienced the eternal death
00:29:04.77\00:29:07.78
that you and I should have
died on the cross that day.
00:29:07.81\00:29:11.98
He could not see
Himself coming through the tomb.
00:29:12.01\00:29:16.42
He only saw the darkness of tomb
00:29:16.45\00:29:18.09
because of the guilt of sin.
00:29:18.12\00:29:19.49
This statement goes on,
00:29:19.52\00:29:21.02
"The wrath of God,"
Desire of Ages, page 753,
00:29:21.06\00:29:24.43
"against sin,
00:29:24.46\00:29:25.79
the terrible
manifestation of His displeasure
00:29:25.83\00:29:28.03
because of iniquity,
00:29:28.06\00:29:29.40
filled the soul of His
son with consternation.
00:29:29.43\00:29:32.57
All His life
00:29:32.60\00:29:34.27
Christ had been
publishing to a fallen world
00:29:34.30\00:29:36.34
the good news of
the Father's mercy
00:29:36.37\00:29:38.61
and pardoning love.
00:29:38.64\00:29:39.97
Salvation for
the chief of sinners
00:29:40.01\00:29:41.88
was His theme.
00:29:41.91\00:29:43.24
But now with a terrible
weight of guilt He bears,
00:29:43.28\00:29:46.75
He cannot see the
Father's reconciling face.
00:29:46.78\00:29:49.72
The withdrawal of
the divine countenance
00:29:49.75\00:29:51.65
from the Savior in
this hour of supreme anguish
00:29:51.69\00:29:54.72
pierced His heart with a sorrow
00:29:54.76\00:29:57.59
that can never be
fully understood by us."
00:29:57.63\00:29:59.53
Can you imagine that?
00:29:59.56\00:30:01.00
Jesus lived with a Father
00:30:01.03\00:30:03.26
from the
ceaseless ages of eternity.
00:30:03.30\00:30:05.77
Christ is the eternal Christ.
00:30:05.80\00:30:07.40
He never had a beginning
and will never have an ending.
00:30:07.44\00:30:11.21
Do you have a son or a daughter?
00:30:11.24\00:30:13.01
Are you a parent?
00:30:13.04\00:30:14.48
What if you had this sense
00:30:14.51\00:30:16.68
that you would
never see your son again?
00:30:16.71\00:30:19.18
You'd never see
your daughter again?
00:30:19.21\00:30:21.25
What if you had this sense
00:30:21.28\00:30:23.42
that your son or daughter
was going to be eternally lost
00:30:23.45\00:30:26.65
and you'd never see them again?
00:30:26.69\00:30:28.36
What if you have a
wonderful relationship
00:30:28.39\00:30:29.72
with a father or mother
00:30:29.76\00:30:31.09
and you sense
00:30:31.13\00:30:33.86
that you were
separated with them forever,
00:30:33.90\00:30:35.93
however much you
love a son or daughter,
00:30:35.96\00:30:38.13
however much you
love a father and mother,
00:30:38.17\00:30:40.47
that cannot reflect one
drop in the ocean of God's love
00:30:40.50\00:30:44.24
for His Son and
the Son for the Father.
00:30:44.27\00:30:46.17
Their love was
unending, undying,
00:30:46.21\00:30:48.74
their love was infinite.
00:30:48.78\00:30:50.98
And as Jesus hung on the cross
00:30:51.01\00:30:52.61
bearing the
guilt and shame of sin,
00:30:52.65\00:30:54.45
all He could see was that
guilt and shame certainly,
00:30:54.48\00:30:57.32
He said, "You destroy this body,
00:30:57.35\00:30:58.69
in three days I'll
raise it up again."
00:30:58.72\00:31:00.36
But at the point of
His death on the cross,
00:31:00.39\00:31:02.32
all He saw was
the darkness of sin.
00:31:02.36\00:31:06.16
And all He saw was the tomb,
00:31:06.19\00:31:08.36
and He sensed
that because of sin,
00:31:08.40\00:31:10.03
He would be separated
from the Father forever,
00:31:10.07\00:31:11.93
but he said, if
this saves Mark Finley,
00:31:11.97\00:31:14.84
I'm willing to do it.
00:31:14.87\00:31:16.20
If this saves Tom or
Harry or Mary or Jane,
00:31:16.24\00:31:18.57
I'm willing to do it.
00:31:18.61\00:31:19.94
Christ was willing to
have His heart torn apart,
00:31:19.97\00:31:24.71
and to have the pain of sin
00:31:24.75\00:31:27.12
separate Him from
the Father forever,
00:31:27.15\00:31:30.19
if He could save you or me,
00:31:30.22\00:31:31.55
that is a love that
is incomprehensible.
00:31:31.59\00:31:33.59
Notice what it says,
00:31:33.62\00:31:34.96
"Hope did not
present to His coming forth
00:31:34.99\00:31:37.89
from the grave a conqueror,
00:31:37.93\00:31:39.26
or tell Him of the
Father's acceptance
00:31:39.29\00:31:40.70
of the sacrifice.
00:31:40.73\00:31:42.06
He feared." What did Jesus fear?
00:31:42.10\00:31:44.10
What was Jesus'
greatest fear on the cross?
00:31:44.13\00:31:46.03
Was it the nails? Was
that the greatest pain?
00:31:46.07\00:31:48.04
Was it the crown
of thorns? Not at all.
00:31:48.07\00:31:49.44
"He feared that sin
was so offensive to God
00:31:49.47\00:31:53.27
that their
separation was to be eternal."
00:31:53.31\00:31:57.21
Christ on the cross feared
00:31:57.25\00:31:59.71
that the
separation from the Father
00:31:59.75\00:32:02.12
was to be eternal.
00:32:02.15\00:32:04.19
"Christ felt the anguish
that the sinner will feel
00:32:04.22\00:32:08.02
when mercy shall no longer plead
00:32:08.06\00:32:09.92
for the guilty race.
00:32:09.96\00:32:11.29
It was the sense of sin,
00:32:11.33\00:32:13.09
bringing the Father's wrath
00:32:13.13\00:32:14.60
upon Him as the
sinner's substitute,
00:32:14.63\00:32:16.83
that made the cup
He drank so bitter,
00:32:16.87\00:32:19.07
and broke the
heart of the Son of God."
00:32:19.10\00:32:21.07
So as Christ hung there,
00:32:21.10\00:32:22.80
the guilt of
sin, the shame of sin,
00:32:22.84\00:32:24.54
the condemnation
of sin was so great
00:32:24.57\00:32:27.24
that He felt the anguish
00:32:27.28\00:32:29.41
that the sinner will feel
when he's lost at the end.
00:32:29.44\00:32:35.18
What is the essence of hell?
00:32:35.22\00:32:37.85
The essence of hell
00:32:37.89\00:32:39.85
is the sense of
abandonment by God,
00:32:39.89\00:32:42.99
the sense of no longer
having the presence of God.
00:32:43.02\00:32:46.76
It is the pain
and mental anguish
00:32:46.80\00:32:49.20
and agony
00:32:49.23\00:32:50.57
where there's weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
00:32:50.60\00:32:51.93
Certainly, there will
be physical pain in hell,
00:32:51.97\00:32:54.87
but that physical
pain of the flames of hell
00:32:54.90\00:32:58.17
when the individual is consumed
00:32:58.21\00:32:59.67
and gone from
God's presence forever,
00:32:59.71\00:33:01.64
that is not the deepest pain.
00:33:01.68\00:33:04.55
The deepest pain is this sense
of separation from God forever.
00:33:04.58\00:33:09.12
Jesus felt that on the cross.
00:33:09.15\00:33:12.49
And He was willing to
experience that forever,
00:33:12.52\00:33:17.03
because He loves you so much.
00:33:17.06\00:33:19.06
That's what this message
00:33:19.09\00:33:20.43
of the first
angel was all about.
00:33:20.46\00:33:22.36
I saw another angel
flying in the midst of heaven,
00:33:22.40\00:33:25.60
having the everlasting gospel
00:33:25.63\00:33:27.44
in a generation starve for love.
00:33:27.47\00:33:30.34
The gospel presents love
00:33:30.37\00:33:32.71
beyond what we
could ever imagine.
00:33:32.74\00:33:35.88
It presents a
Christ that did for us
00:33:35.91\00:33:39.31
what is unimaginable,
00:33:39.35\00:33:41.32
offering His
divine life on the cross.
00:33:41.35\00:33:45.02
The story of the cross
is the story of boundless,
00:33:45.05\00:33:48.32
it's the story of unfathomable,
00:33:48.36\00:33:50.29
it's the story
of incomprehensible,
00:33:50.33\00:33:52.46
it's the story of undying,
it's the story of unending,
00:33:52.49\00:33:55.76
it's the story of
infinite love of Christ,
00:33:55.80\00:33:58.43
who longs to be with us forever.
00:33:58.47\00:34:00.80
And as Jesus hung
His head and died,
00:34:00.84\00:34:03.51
the Father said, "Son,
the sacrifice is accepted."
00:34:03.54\00:34:07.84
And all of heaven
sang, all of heaven rejoiced.
00:34:07.88\00:34:13.82
Jesus Christ died once
00:34:13.85\00:34:18.15
so that when He comes
again the second time,
00:34:18.19\00:34:20.62
He could take you home.
00:34:20.66\00:34:21.99
Were you worth
Christ' sacrifice?
00:34:22.02\00:34:24.03
Were you worth
Christ' sacrifice?
00:34:24.06\00:34:25.59
Were you worth
what Christ gave for you
00:34:25.63\00:34:27.30
that ends the
life of the Son of God?
00:34:27.33\00:34:29.26
You say, "Pastor
Mark, I'm not worth it."
00:34:29.30\00:34:32.63
If you are not worth
00:34:32.67\00:34:34.00
the sacrifice
Christ paid for you,
00:34:34.04\00:34:36.17
Christ got cheated.
00:34:36.20\00:34:37.77
He thinks you're worth it.
00:34:37.81\00:34:39.57
You are more valuable
than you can possibly imagine.
00:34:39.61\00:34:43.35
And if Christ looses
you, He can never replace you.
00:34:43.38\00:34:48.65
The value of an object
00:34:48.68\00:34:51.02
is dependent on the
price paid for the object.
00:34:51.05\00:34:56.42
You are valuable and
Christ gave all for you.
00:34:56.46\00:35:00.96
And we give all to Him.
00:35:01.00\00:35:03.57
Sin no longer
reigns in our life.
00:35:03.60\00:35:05.77
We may fail
00:35:05.80\00:35:07.44
but sin no longer has dominion
00:35:07.47\00:35:09.20
because the love of Christ
breaks the bondage of sin.
00:35:09.24\00:35:12.61
Romans 8:15 says,
00:35:12.64\00:35:14.18
"For you did not
receive the spirit of bondage
00:35:14.21\00:35:16.14
again to fear,
00:35:16.18\00:35:17.51
but you received
the spirit of adoption
00:35:17.55\00:35:19.71
by whom we cry
out, 'Abba, Father.'"
00:35:19.75\00:35:22.12
We are no longer
in the bondage of sin.
00:35:22.15\00:35:24.65
Since guilt is gone,
since condemnation is gone,
00:35:24.69\00:35:28.92
the chains that
hold us are gone.
00:35:28.96\00:35:31.39
Why?
00:35:31.43\00:35:32.76
Because love has
broken those chains
00:35:32.79\00:35:35.76
and love has
broken that bondage.
00:35:35.80\00:35:39.13
The plan of salvation
was not an afterthought.
00:35:39.17\00:35:42.27
It was not
something that Christ said,
00:35:42.30\00:35:43.64
"Hey, we got an emergency,
we better deal with it."
00:35:43.67\00:35:45.91
Not at all.
00:35:45.94\00:35:47.28
1 Peter 1:18-20, "For you know,"
00:35:47.31\00:35:50.35
not you think, not you guess,
00:35:50.38\00:35:51.71
not maybe, not perhaps you know,
00:35:51.75\00:35:53.48
"that it was not
with perishable things
00:35:53.52\00:35:55.22
such as silver or
gold that you were redeemed
00:35:55.25\00:35:57.85
from the empty way of life
00:35:57.89\00:36:00.16
handed down to you
from your father's,
00:36:00.19\00:36:02.52
but with the precious
blood of Jesus Christ,
00:36:02.56\00:36:05.89
a lamb without
blemish or defect,
00:36:05.93\00:36:08.20
He was chosen..."
00:36:08.23\00:36:09.56
Now don't miss this.
This is what we need to get.
00:36:09.60\00:36:11.10
"He was chosen
00:36:11.13\00:36:12.47
before the creation of the world
00:36:12.50\00:36:14.30
but was revealed
00:36:14.34\00:36:15.67
in these last
times for your sake."
00:36:15.70\00:36:17.44
So before the world was created,
00:36:17.47\00:36:20.38
the Father and Son,
00:36:20.41\00:36:22.28
knowing that if
they gave the human race,
00:36:22.31\00:36:24.65
the freedom of choice,
or the capacity of choice,
00:36:24.68\00:36:27.78
that Adam and Eve
could make the wrong choice,
00:36:27.82\00:36:29.88
but God did not
want robot creatures,
00:36:29.92\00:36:32.92
He did not want mere puppets.
00:36:32.95\00:36:35.72
God gave the freedom of
choice, knowing full well,
00:36:35.76\00:36:39.39
the situation
that of Adam and Eve,
00:36:39.43\00:36:41.76
that God would come,
00:36:41.80\00:36:43.16
He would give them every reason
00:36:43.20\00:36:44.53
to make the right choice.
00:36:44.57\00:36:45.90
But the point of
salvation was put into effect
00:36:45.93\00:36:49.67
even before Adam and Eve fell.
00:36:49.70\00:36:53.07
God loved the human race so much
00:36:53.11\00:36:55.24
that He wanted to ensure
00:36:55.28\00:36:58.35
the salvation of the human race
00:36:58.38\00:37:00.65
and that plan was put
into action in heaven.
00:37:00.68\00:37:04.52
It is the everlasting gospel.
00:37:04.55\00:37:06.39
What is Revelation 14:6 say?
00:37:06.42\00:37:08.99
"I saw another angel
flying in the middle of heaven
00:37:09.02\00:37:10.76
having the," what?
00:37:10.79\00:37:12.13
"The everlasting gospel."
00:37:12.16\00:37:13.80
Why is the gospel everlasting?
00:37:13.83\00:37:16.36
It's everlasting, number one,
00:37:16.40\00:37:18.23
because it was put
into motion in heaven,
00:37:18.27\00:37:20.97
in the ceaseless
ages of eternity.
00:37:21.00\00:37:22.90
It's everlasting, number two,
00:37:22.94\00:37:24.61
because it speaks
to every generation,
00:37:24.64\00:37:27.78
it speaks to every culture,
00:37:27.81\00:37:29.48
it speaks to every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:37:29.51\00:37:32.11
It's everlasting, number three,
00:37:32.15\00:37:33.48
because it'll never get old.
00:37:33.52\00:37:34.98
The story of the
cross, the story of Christ,
00:37:35.02\00:37:38.15
the story of His love,
the story of His grace,
00:37:38.19\00:37:40.62
the story of His mercy
will indeed never get old.
00:37:40.66\00:37:44.16
It is love that
breaks our hearts.
00:37:44.19\00:37:46.90
It's love that
changes our lives.
00:37:46.93\00:37:49.03
Forced allegiance is
contrary to God's very nature.
00:37:49.06\00:37:52.17
The beast uses force.
00:37:52.20\00:37:54.10
The beast in the last
days of earth's history says
00:37:54.14\00:37:57.04
that "Unless you follow me,
00:37:57.07\00:37:58.64
no man can buy, no man can sell.
00:37:58.67\00:38:01.28
You'll be
imprisoned, you'll be beaten,
00:38:01.31\00:38:03.04
you'll be
ridiculed, you'll be mocked,
00:38:03.08\00:38:04.65
and you'll be put to death."
00:38:04.68\00:38:06.01
That's what the beast says.
00:38:06.05\00:38:07.38
The beast tries to
use forced allegiance.
00:38:07.42\00:38:09.58
But Christ
appeals to us with love.
00:38:09.62\00:38:11.79
And when we see the love of God
00:38:11.82\00:38:13.19
it breaks our
hearts, we were made to love,
00:38:13.22\00:38:16.93
our hearts are starved for love.
00:38:16.96\00:38:19.36
And it is God's
love revealed on Calvary
00:38:19.39\00:38:22.26
that does change our lives.
00:38:22.30\00:38:24.37
In Desire of
Ages, page 22, it says,
00:38:24.40\00:38:26.84
"The plan for our
redemption was not," a what?
00:38:26.87\00:38:29.80
We read it in 1
Peter, didn't we?
00:38:29.84\00:38:31.44
"An afterthought,
00:38:31.47\00:38:32.81
a plan formulated
after the fall of Adam.
00:38:32.84\00:38:35.28
It was a
revelation of the mystery
00:38:35.31\00:38:38.45
which has been kept in
silence through times eternal."
00:38:38.48\00:38:41.88
What is that mystery
00:38:41.92\00:38:43.59
that has been kept in
silence from times eternal?
00:38:43.62\00:38:46.99
It is the mystery of God's love,
00:38:47.02\00:38:49.02
it is the
mystery of God's grace,
00:38:49.06\00:38:51.16
and it is that
mystery of His love and grace
00:38:51.19\00:38:54.10
that is to be proclaimed
to the end of the earth
00:38:54.13\00:38:56.56
in a generation
starved for love.
00:38:56.60\00:38:58.77
In this era, in the generation,
00:38:58.80\00:39:00.94
the earth has to be
lightened with the glory of God
00:39:00.97\00:39:03.20
and what is God's glory?
00:39:03.24\00:39:04.61
It is His love,
it's His character,
00:39:04.64\00:39:06.68
and that love
changes people's heart.
00:39:06.71\00:39:09.64
Desire of Ages, page 22 again,
00:39:09.68\00:39:11.38
"It was the
unfolding of the principles
00:39:11.41\00:39:13.58
that from eternal ages
00:39:13.62\00:39:14.95
have been the
foundation of God's throne."
00:39:14.98\00:39:17.49
And what are those principles?
00:39:17.52\00:39:18.95
To love God supremely
00:39:18.99\00:39:20.69
and to love one
another in relationship.
00:39:20.72\00:39:24.96
To a generation
starved for genuine love,
00:39:24.99\00:39:27.66
longing for
meaningful relationships,
00:39:27.70\00:39:30.07
the gospel speaks of
acceptance, forgiveness,
00:39:30.10\00:39:32.63
belonging, and
life changing power."
00:39:32.67\00:39:35.37
There is an old
country western song
00:39:35.40\00:39:37.14
that said
00:39:37.17\00:39:38.51
"Only if
somebody knew who I was.
00:39:38.54\00:39:40.98
Only if somebody loved me."
00:39:41.01\00:39:43.24
For a generation
starved with love,
00:39:43.28\00:39:45.35
young people looking for love,
00:39:45.38\00:39:47.78
looking to fill
that aching void within.
00:39:47.82\00:39:52.02
Husbands, wives,
looking for love.
00:39:52.05\00:39:54.52
Have you ever noticed
00:39:54.56\00:39:55.99
that however much
your parents love you,
00:39:56.02\00:39:57.93
you still feel love deficit
00:39:57.96\00:39:59.89
However much a
husband or wife loves you,
00:39:59.93\00:40:01.96
there's still that
love deficit in your life.
00:40:02.00\00:40:04.93
Have you ever noticed
00:40:04.97\00:40:06.30
that you can never
get enough of love?
00:40:06.33\00:40:08.64
The reason for that
00:40:08.67\00:40:10.31
is because God has
made us to love Him.
00:40:10.34\00:40:14.11
God has placed a divine
vacuum within our hearts,
00:40:14.14\00:40:17.78
a divine hole, if you please,
00:40:17.81\00:40:19.81
within our hearts
that can only be filled up
00:40:19.85\00:40:22.82
with His love.
00:40:22.85\00:40:24.19
And to a
generation starved for love,
00:40:24.22\00:40:26.76
to a generation longing
for meaningful relationships,
00:40:26.79\00:40:30.09
to a generation
00:40:30.13\00:40:31.53
that spends more
time with technology
00:40:31.56\00:40:34.50
than it does with
open communication
00:40:34.53\00:40:36.83
one with another,
00:40:36.87\00:40:38.20
sharing our heart
needs, sharing our burdens.
00:40:38.23\00:40:41.20
Some time ago,
00:40:41.24\00:40:43.04
my wife and I were at a meeting
00:40:43.07\00:40:44.67
and we were walking
00:40:44.71\00:40:46.04
to a speaking
appointment that I had,
00:40:46.07\00:40:47.51
and I saw a group
of five young people
00:40:47.54\00:40:49.44
sitting on the
wall, they were teenagers,
00:40:49.48\00:40:51.48
and they had
their cell phones out
00:40:51.51\00:40:52.85
and they were texting
and I didn't think much of it
00:40:52.88\00:40:54.92
until I stopped and said,
00:40:54.95\00:40:56.82
"Hey, that's
kind of interesting.
00:40:56.85\00:40:59.05
You guys are all sitting here
texting, everybody's texting.
00:40:59.09\00:41:01.02
Who you're texting? One another.
00:41:01.06\00:41:03.02
They're sitting on a wall
00:41:03.06\00:41:04.39
and they're not
communicating verbally,
00:41:04.43\00:41:06.70
eye to eye, face to face,
they're texting one another.
00:41:06.73\00:41:10.37
Could it be any question
00:41:10.40\00:41:12.40
why we're starved
for human relationships?
00:41:12.43\00:41:15.84
Has technology
actually taken the place
00:41:15.87\00:41:19.17
at times of relationships,
00:41:19.21\00:41:21.18
sharing, opening our
hearts to one another?
00:41:21.21\00:41:24.41
God can fill
that relationship void
00:41:24.45\00:41:26.41
in your heart.
00:41:26.45\00:41:27.78
He can fill
your heart with love,
00:41:27.82\00:41:29.28
so that you can reach
out in love and kindness
00:41:29.32\00:41:31.82
to others around you.
00:41:31.85\00:41:33.39
And one day when
Jesus Christ comes
00:41:33.42\00:41:35.36
and He returns,
00:41:35.39\00:41:36.73
we are ushered into
eternity to see Him face to face
00:41:36.76\00:41:39.93
and experience
the joy of His love
00:41:39.96\00:41:41.93
forever and ever and ever.
00:41:41.96\00:41:43.73
The Christ that
died on the cross
00:41:43.77\00:41:45.73
is coming again to take us home.
00:41:45.77\00:41:48.80
Now some time ago,
00:41:48.84\00:41:50.34
Ellen White was
asked the question
00:41:50.37\00:41:53.31
"Is this message
of the three angels
00:41:53.34\00:41:56.85
the message of
justification by faith
00:41:56.88\00:41:59.05
that you've been talking about?
00:41:59.08\00:42:00.65
Is it that message of
justification by faith
00:42:00.68\00:42:02.62
in the Bible?"
00:42:02.65\00:42:03.99
In the Review and Herald,
April 1, 1890, she wrote,
00:42:04.02\00:42:06.65
"Several have written to me,
00:42:06.69\00:42:08.02
inquiring if the message
of justification by faith
00:42:08.06\00:42:11.09
is the third angel's message,
00:42:11.13\00:42:13.19
and I have answered,
00:42:13.23\00:42:14.56
'It's the third
angel's message in verity.'"
00:42:14.60\00:42:17.23
Let me summarize that
very, very quickly for you.
00:42:17.27\00:42:20.84
The gospel is the message
00:42:20.87\00:42:23.10
that righteousness is in Christ,
00:42:23.14\00:42:24.94
not in ourselves.
00:42:24.97\00:42:26.34
That's the
first angel's message.
00:42:26.37\00:42:28.14
First angel's message leads
us to open our hearts to Christ,
00:42:28.18\00:42:33.18
to commit our lives to Christ,
00:42:33.21\00:42:34.62
to accept Christ as the only one
00:42:34.65\00:42:36.38
who can stand for
us in the judgment.
00:42:36.42\00:42:38.22
Second angel's message,
00:42:38.25\00:42:39.59
which we'll study more
deeply in another presentation,
00:42:39.62\00:42:41.82
is Babylon is fallen is fallen.
00:42:41.86\00:42:43.36
What's Babylon all about?
00:42:43.39\00:42:44.89
It's self-centered,
00:42:44.93\00:42:46.26
self-inflated importance
00:42:46.29\00:42:48.63
that substitutes human
opinion and human ideas
00:42:48.66\00:42:51.93
for the grace of Christ.
00:42:51.97\00:42:53.40
It substitutes human traditions
00:42:53.44\00:42:55.14
and teachings for
the Word of Christ.
00:42:55.17\00:42:57.04
It is human centered.
00:42:57.07\00:42:59.04
What about the message
on the mark of the beast?
00:42:59.07\00:43:00.81
What is that?
00:43:00.84\00:43:02.18
The essence of the mark
of the beast is egotistical,
00:43:02.21\00:43:05.75
man's thinking
he has the authority
00:43:05.78\00:43:08.08
to change the very Word of God.
00:43:08.12\00:43:09.98
So what is
righteousness by faith?
00:43:10.02\00:43:12.09
Righteousness by faith
00:43:12.12\00:43:13.46
is trusting
Jesus for my salvation.
00:43:13.49\00:43:15.66
Righteousness by faith
is trusting Jesus' power
00:43:15.69\00:43:18.73
so that I can live a godly life.
00:43:18.76\00:43:20.53
Righteousness by faith
is accepting Christ' Word
00:43:20.56\00:43:23.43
as He has spoken it.
00:43:23.47\00:43:25.33
Righteousness by faith
00:43:25.37\00:43:26.70
is putting my confidence
in Jesus, in His Word,
00:43:26.74\00:43:28.97
and living in harmony with that.
00:43:29.00\00:43:31.61
Jesus saves us not
because we are good
00:43:31.64\00:43:34.04
but because He is good.
00:43:34.08\00:43:36.04
All of our good works
are motivated by His love
00:43:36.08\00:43:39.31
and empowered by His grace.
00:43:39.35\00:43:41.48
We come to
Christ just as we are,
00:43:41.52\00:43:44.22
but we do not remain as we are,
00:43:44.25\00:43:46.39
we are changed by His grace.
00:43:46.42\00:43:48.32
Righteousness by faith
is God's unending love.
00:43:48.36\00:43:51.36
It's His abounding grace
00:43:51.39\00:43:53.03
there at the very heart of
these three angels' messages
00:43:53.06\00:43:56.43
that we're studying
00:43:56.46\00:43:57.80
that we're going to unfold
00:43:57.83\00:43:59.17
more and more and more
00:43:59.20\00:44:00.84
each
presentation in this series.
00:44:00.87\00:44:04.11
2 Corinthians 5:14 tells us
00:44:04.14\00:44:07.94
that if we're
motivated by Christ's love,
00:44:07.98\00:44:10.15
changed by Christ's love,
00:44:10.18\00:44:11.95
that the love of
Christ compels us.
00:44:11.98\00:44:14.25
What is it that
causes men and women
00:44:14.28\00:44:17.09
to go to the ends of the earth,
00:44:17.12\00:44:18.99
leave family and
friends, leave for missions,
00:44:19.02\00:44:22.92
it is because
they've been charmed
00:44:22.96\00:44:24.83
by His love,
changed by His grace,
00:44:24.86\00:44:26.83
redeemed by His power.
00:44:26.86\00:44:29.06
The three angels' message
00:44:29.10\00:44:30.60
according to Revelation
14:6 is to go to all the world.
00:44:30.63\00:44:36.67
The message of the
three angels leads us
00:44:36.71\00:44:38.97
from the preoccupation
with our own self-interest
00:44:39.01\00:44:42.64
to a passion
for Christ' service.
00:44:42.68\00:44:44.98
You cannot come to the
cross and remain silent.
00:44:45.01\00:44:48.18
The cross changes you, the
cross makes you over again.
00:44:48.22\00:44:52.52
Matthew 19:20 says,
00:44:52.55\00:44:54.62
"All authority
has been given to me
00:44:54.66\00:44:56.29
in heaven and on earth.
00:44:56.32\00:44:57.83
Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations."
00:44:57.86\00:45:00.63
Jesus' last words were
00:45:00.66\00:45:02.60
"Go, go to the ends of the earth
00:45:02.63\00:45:04.50
and make
disciples to all nations."
00:45:04.53\00:45:06.53
Revelation 14:6 says
00:45:06.57\00:45:08.20
"I saw another angel
flying in the middle of heaven
00:45:08.24\00:45:10.84
with the everlasting
gospel to preach," to who?
00:45:10.87\00:45:14.14
"To every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people."
00:45:14.18\00:45:17.05
This message will not
die out in some whimper.
00:45:17.08\00:45:20.08
This message will not go
out like some candle in the wind
00:45:20.12\00:45:24.25
blown out into insignificance.
00:45:24.29\00:45:26.19
This message of the three angels
00:45:26.22\00:45:27.99
will rise to its destiny.
00:45:28.02\00:45:30.49
It will leap across
geographical boundaries,
00:45:30.53\00:45:33.70
it will go,
penetrate language groups,
00:45:33.73\00:45:36.87
the message of Jesus
Christ, people, men and women,
00:45:36.90\00:45:41.20
boys and girls,
committed to Christ,
00:45:41.24\00:45:44.47
changed by Christ
00:45:44.51\00:45:46.17
will go to the ends of the earth
00:45:46.21\00:45:47.91
proclaiming His message
00:45:47.94\00:45:49.48
in the last day
of earth's history.
00:45:49.51\00:45:51.58
There's an interesting
book called The Quest for More,
00:45:51.61\00:45:54.78
Living for Something Bigger
Than You by Paul David Tripp
00:45:54.82\00:45:57.65
that has a statement
that really stunned me
00:45:57.69\00:46:00.16
when I read it.
00:46:00.19\00:46:01.52
"Human beings were created
to be part of something bigger
00:46:01.56\00:46:03.99
than their own lives.
00:46:04.03\00:46:05.36
Sin causes us
to shrink our lives
00:46:05.39\00:46:07.80
down to the size of our lives.
00:46:07.83\00:46:10.27
The grace of Christ
is given to rescue us
00:46:10.30\00:46:14.40
from the claustrophobic confines
00:46:14.44\00:46:17.21
of our own little
self-focused kingdom
00:46:17.24\00:46:20.14
and frees us to live
for the eternal purposes
00:46:20.18\00:46:23.35
and satisfying
delights of the Kingdom of God.
00:46:23.38\00:46:26.35
We live in a culture
00:46:26.38\00:46:28.05
that has
institutionalized self-focus
00:46:28.08\00:46:31.09
and personal entitlement.
00:46:31.12\00:46:33.36
If you look around,
00:46:33.39\00:46:34.72
it's very clear that
we need to be rescued
00:46:34.76\00:46:36.66
from ourselves.
00:46:36.69\00:46:38.19
Things like debt,
addiction, obesity, divorce,
00:46:38.23\00:46:42.26
are the fruits of a
culture of self-focus,
00:46:42.30\00:46:44.87
where we look for meaning
where meaning cannot be found.
00:46:44.90\00:46:48.50
There is freedom
to be found in living
00:46:48.54\00:46:50.97
for something
bigger than yourself...
00:46:51.01\00:46:53.07
Ultimately it means
living for the glory of God
00:46:53.11\00:46:56.31
and the success of His
agenda for the world He made."
00:46:56.34\00:46:59.45
If you want to be part
of something big for God,
00:46:59.48\00:47:02.28
you want to be a part
of something great for God,
00:47:02.32\00:47:04.45
you're a young person
00:47:04.49\00:47:05.82
looking for
meaning in your life.
00:47:05.85\00:47:07.39
You have been
maybe playing church,
00:47:07.42\00:47:09.69
you are an adult
00:47:09.72\00:47:11.06
and you've been simply
coming and sitting in the pew,
00:47:11.09\00:47:13.40
there's something
bigger and grander
00:47:13.43\00:47:15.86
than the
self-occupation and self-focus.
00:47:15.90\00:47:19.53
That is a life
committed to sharing His love.
00:47:19.57\00:47:22.67
A life committed to
taking the Word of God.
00:47:22.70\00:47:26.01
Dear friends and neighbors,
00:47:26.04\00:47:27.74
this message of
the three angels,
00:47:27.78\00:47:29.91
this message of God's grace
00:47:29.94\00:47:31.68
is to go to every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:47:31.71\00:47:34.58
God is inviting you to
something big and grand
00:47:34.62\00:47:37.69
and large to be
part of something
00:47:37.72\00:47:40.36
that is spanning the
earth and lightening it
00:47:40.39\00:47:42.72
with His very glory.
00:47:42.76\00:47:45.09
God is inviting you
00:47:45.13\00:47:46.49
not simply to
take a stand for Christ
00:47:46.53\00:47:49.76
and sit in the pew,
00:47:49.80\00:47:51.53
God is inviting you
00:47:51.57\00:47:52.90
to something
big, something grand,
00:47:52.93\00:47:54.27
something great for
His eternal kingdom.
00:47:54.30\00:47:57.34
This gospel of the
kingdom," Matthew 24:14,
00:47:57.37\00:48:01.21
"shall be preached,"
not it might be preached,
00:48:01.24\00:48:03.28
"in all the world as
a witness to all nations
00:48:03.31\00:48:05.41
then shall the end come."
00:48:05.45\00:48:06.78
You can be part of
something big for God,
00:48:06.82\00:48:08.68
you can be part of
something grand for God,
00:48:08.72\00:48:11.25
you can be part of
something that is much larger,
00:48:11.29\00:48:13.69
it will go to the world
as a witness to all nations,
00:48:13.72\00:48:17.69
not going to die out
in a whimper, not at all.
00:48:17.73\00:48:20.93
Abraham La Rue was a shepherd,
a wood cutter from California.
00:48:20.96\00:48:27.30
He became a Christian,
00:48:27.34\00:48:29.60
and a committed
Adventist Christian.
00:48:29.64\00:48:31.64
When he was in his 60s,
00:48:31.67\00:48:33.98
he was 65 years old
00:48:34.01\00:48:35.44
and the Lord laid a
burden on his heart.
00:48:35.48\00:48:38.01
Take the gospel
message to China.
00:48:38.05\00:48:41.65
Abraham La Rue wrote
a letter and he wrote it
00:48:41.68\00:48:44.25
to the Seventh-day
Adventists headquarters.
00:48:44.29\00:48:46.35
And he said, "God has
laid a burden on my heart
00:48:46.39\00:48:48.16
to take the gospel to China."
00:48:48.19\00:48:49.52
Now remind you, he
didn't know Chinese,
00:48:49.56\00:48:51.19
remind you, he
didn't have any money.
00:48:51.23\00:48:53.19
He was 65 at the time,
00:48:53.23\00:48:55.43
General Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists
00:48:55.46\00:48:56.80
wrote back and they said
00:48:56.83\00:48:58.23
"Brother, La Rue,
00:48:58.27\00:48:59.60
you're a little old
for this assignment.
00:48:59.63\00:49:02.04
You know, there are no believers
00:49:02.07\00:49:03.84
that we have in China
00:49:03.87\00:49:05.21
and we don't have
the money to send you.
00:49:05.24\00:49:06.74
But you know what?
00:49:06.78\00:49:08.18
Hawaii, that's out
in the Pacific someplace
00:49:08.21\00:49:10.95
if you could happen to get there
00:49:10.98\00:49:12.65
and maybe you could
sell Christian literature."
00:49:12.68\00:49:15.12
So La Rue got a
lot of books together,
00:49:15.15\00:49:17.85
Christian books, and
he raised this money,
00:49:17.89\00:49:21.86
went out to Hawaii.
00:49:21.89\00:49:23.43
But then after he
sold a few books there,
00:49:23.46\00:49:25.19
the next boat, he could find,
00:49:25.23\00:49:28.40
La Rue on his own
money went to China,
00:49:28.43\00:49:32.33
and there began selling books.
00:49:32.37\00:49:34.87
And there this man
now in his late 60s,
00:49:34.90\00:49:37.97
labored year
after year after year,
00:49:38.01\00:49:41.54
and after years of labor,
there were six people baptized.
00:49:41.58\00:49:45.68
But today, because of the roots,
00:49:45.71\00:49:48.42
that the seeds that man sowed,
00:49:48.45\00:49:50.95
and the roots that
sprouted up and the fruits,
00:49:50.99\00:49:53.46
today, there are
hundreds of thousands
00:49:53.49\00:49:56.73
of Adventist
Christians all over China.
00:49:56.76\00:49:59.03
Who would have thought
00:49:59.06\00:50:00.40
that God could use a
65 year old layperson
00:50:00.43\00:50:05.07
to open the doors for
the gospel to go to China?
00:50:05.10\00:50:09.94
He got a sense of the
bigness, the grandness,
00:50:09.97\00:50:13.61
the greatness of this
message called the three angels.
00:50:13.64\00:50:17.41
And here he caught
00:50:17.45\00:50:18.78
the significance
of Revelation 14:6,
00:50:18.81\00:50:21.05
"I saw another agent
fly in the midst of heaven,
00:50:21.08\00:50:23.05
having the everlasting
gospel of God's grace
00:50:23.08\00:50:25.55
to preach to them
that dwell on the earth,
00:50:25.59\00:50:27.06
and to every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people."
00:50:27.09\00:50:29.36
God is calling you
into your neighborhood.
00:50:29.39\00:50:31.46
God is calling you
into your community.
00:50:31.49\00:50:33.43
God maybe lay a burden
on you for mission service.
00:50:33.46\00:50:36.46
The everlasting gospel
00:50:36.50\00:50:38.13
is to go to the
ends of the earth.
00:50:38.17\00:50:41.57
Great
Controversy, page 612 says,
00:50:41.60\00:50:43.67
"Servants of God,
00:50:43.71\00:50:45.24
with their faces lighted up
00:50:45.27\00:50:46.84
and shining with
holy consecration,
00:50:46.88\00:50:49.04
will hasten from place to place
00:50:49.08\00:50:50.95
to proclaim the
message from heaven.
00:50:50.98\00:50:53.35
By thousands of
voices, all over the earth,
00:50:53.38\00:50:56.25
the warning will be given."
00:50:56.28\00:50:57.72
The earth is
going to be lightened
00:50:57.75\00:50:59.09
with the glory of God.
00:50:59.12\00:51:00.46
The message of the three angels
00:51:00.49\00:51:01.82
is going to go to
the ends of the earth,
00:51:01.86\00:51:03.73
the message of
the gospel of Christ
00:51:03.76\00:51:05.39
is going to be carried.
00:51:05.43\00:51:06.76
You can be part of
something big for God.
00:51:06.80\00:51:09.43
It is almost time
for the Lord to come.
00:51:09.46\00:51:11.97
Do you sense the
moving of God's Spirit?
00:51:12.00\00:51:14.74
Do you sense in the
conditions of our world,
00:51:14.77\00:51:17.51
that it's time to
move out for Christ?
00:51:17.54\00:51:20.71
It's time to make a
decision for Christ.
00:51:20.74\00:51:23.14
It's time to share the
Word of God with others.
00:51:23.18\00:51:26.58
It's time to give Bible studies,
00:51:26.61\00:51:28.32
it's time to
pass out literature.
00:51:28.35\00:51:30.15
Time to invite people
00:51:30.19\00:51:31.52
to watch godly
television programs.
00:51:31.55\00:51:33.72
It's time to get
involved for Christ
00:51:33.76\00:51:36.36
and be part of
something big and grand for God.
00:51:36.39\00:51:38.43
It's almost time
for the Lord to come.
00:51:38.46\00:51:39.79
Do you believe it?
00:51:39.83\00:51:41.16
Listen as Charles sings,
00:51:41.20\00:51:42.53
catch the spirit of
this Advent movement
00:51:42.56\00:51:46.00
of every
nation, kindred, tongue,
00:51:46.03\00:51:47.57
and people
proclaiming God's grace,
00:51:47.60\00:51:49.14
Charles.
00:51:49.17\00:51:50.51
Tis almost time
for the Lord To come
00:51:54.54\00:51:59.75
I hear the people say
00:51:59.78\00:52:04.09
The stars of
heaven Are growing dim
00:52:04.12\00:52:10.19
It must be The
breaking of the day
00:52:10.23\00:52:14.96
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:52:15.00\00:52:19.90
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:52:19.93\00:52:25.04
The night is almost
gone The day is coming on
00:52:25.07\00:52:31.11
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:52:31.15\00:52:36.02
The signs foretold
In the sun and moon
00:52:36.05\00:52:41.19
And earth and sea and sky
00:52:41.22\00:52:45.69
Aloud proclaim to all mankind
00:52:45.73\00:52:51.70
The coming Of the
Master draweth nigh
00:52:51.73\00:52:56.71
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:52:56.74\00:53:01.64
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:53:01.68\00:53:06.75
The night is almost
gone The day is coming on
00:53:06.78\00:53:12.69
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:53:12.72\00:53:17.39
O it must be time
For the waiting church
00:53:17.43\00:53:22.90
To cast her pride away
00:53:22.93\00:53:27.27
With girded
loins And burning lamps
00:53:27.30\00:53:33.17
To look For the
breaking of the day
00:53:33.21\00:53:38.05
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:53:38.08\00:53:42.92
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:53:42.95\00:53:48.19
The night is almost
gone The day is coming on
00:53:48.22\00:53:54.10
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:53:54.13\00:53:58.77
So go quickly out In
the streets and the lanes
00:53:58.80\00:54:04.27
And in the broad highway
00:54:04.31\00:54:08.74
And call the maimed The halt,
00:54:08.78\00:54:12.45
And the blind
00:54:12.48\00:54:14.85
To be ready For
the breaking of the day
00:54:14.88\00:54:19.75
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:54:19.79\00:54:24.76
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:54:24.79\00:54:30.07
The night is almost
gone The day is coming on
00:54:30.10\00:54:36.17
O it must be The
breaking of the day
00:54:36.20\00:54:41.28
O it must be
00:54:41.31\00:54:43.28
The breaking
00:54:43.31\00:54:46.82
Of the day.
00:54:46.85\00:54:52.32
God is leading you
00:54:58.29\00:55:02.23
to know Him more deeply,
00:55:02.26\00:55:04.93
to trust Him more fully,
00:55:04.97\00:55:08.60
to be committed to Him
00:55:08.64\00:55:12.04
in a way that you've
never been committed before.
00:55:12.07\00:55:16.28
We're living on the
knife edge of eternity.
00:55:16.31\00:55:20.02
We're living in a crisis
hour of this earth's history.
00:55:20.05\00:55:24.19
We're living with
uncertainty all around us.
00:55:24.22\00:55:28.99
We sense it in our hearts.
00:55:29.02\00:55:32.06
We feel it deep within.
00:55:32.09\00:55:35.30
And God is
leading each one of us
00:55:35.33\00:55:39.37
to step out from
comfortable convenience.
00:55:39.40\00:55:44.01
As the song says,
go out into the lanes,
00:55:44.04\00:55:48.28
the highways,
00:55:48.31\00:55:50.45
go knock on
your neighbor's door,
00:55:50.48\00:55:52.95
develop a loving relationship
with them and share Christ.
00:55:52.98\00:55:56.72
Share Christ with the
people in your workplace.
00:55:56.75\00:56:00.19
Share Christ
there in your community.
00:56:00.22\00:56:06.33
Share Christ
00:56:06.36\00:56:08.90
as He opens doors
of opportunity for you.
00:56:08.93\00:56:13.54
Would you like to
make a commitment right now
00:56:13.57\00:56:15.64
as I pray,
00:56:15.67\00:56:17.54
that for you it's no
more business as usual,
00:56:17.57\00:56:20.31
no more pleasures as
usual, no more life as usual,
00:56:20.34\00:56:25.21
that you have a great desire,
00:56:25.25\00:56:27.22
as God opens
doors of opportunity
00:56:27.25\00:56:29.15
to share His love with others,
00:56:29.18\00:56:31.89
to share this great
message of Bible truth,
00:56:31.92\00:56:34.69
the message of the three angels.
00:56:34.72\00:56:36.26
Let's pray, Father in heaven,
00:56:36.29\00:56:38.46
we thank You with
all of our hearts,
00:56:38.49\00:56:40.10
that we can live
00:56:40.13\00:56:41.46
for something
bigger than ourselves,
00:56:41.50\00:56:43.37
something
greater than self-focus,
00:56:43.40\00:56:45.63
something greater
than the preoccupation
00:56:45.67\00:56:48.20
with our own needs and desires.
00:56:48.24\00:56:50.74
The gospel breaks our hearts,
00:56:50.77\00:56:52.27
the love of Christ
sends us out into the world,
00:56:52.31\00:56:55.08
and that love
leads us to be committed
00:56:55.11\00:56:58.15
to share Your love with others.
00:56:58.18\00:57:00.02
Thank You, in Jesus name, amen.
00:57:00.05\00:57:02.58
Friend of mine, Jesus
Himself is calling you.
00:57:02.62\00:57:07.89
Stay with us
through this entire series.
00:57:07.92\00:57:11.86
Next presentation
00:57:11.89\00:57:14.10
we're going to talk
about Revelation 14:7
00:57:14.13\00:57:17.70
and the judgment bar of God.
00:57:17.73\00:57:20.20
What is the judgment?
00:57:20.24\00:57:22.00
And how can you have confidence
00:57:22.04\00:57:23.81
to pass the judgment?
00:57:23.84\00:57:25.17
And God bless you in this room.
00:57:25.21\00:57:27.11