I know that you have
been blessed, as I have,
00:00:15.41\00:00:17.81
each evening as
Walter has sung for us.
00:00:18.01\00:00:22.18
Tonight you will be
blessed in a very special way
00:00:22.38\00:00:24.89
as he ministers to us in music.
00:00:25.09\00:00:27.32
O Lord, my God,
00:00:59.99\00:01:05.86
when I in awesome wonder
00:01:06.49\00:01:12.47
consider all
00:01:14.60\00:01:17.94
the worlds Thy hands have made.
00:01:18.24\00:01:24.18
I see the stars,
00:01:25.91\00:01:31.29
I hear
00:01:31.49\00:01:33.56
the rolling thunder...
00:01:33.76\00:01:39.69
Thy power throughout
00:01:40.90\00:01:44.37
the universe displayed.
00:01:44.87\00:01:50.84
Then sings my soul,
00:01:53.48\00:01:59.38
my Savior, God,
00:02:00.95\00:02:04.42
to Thee:
00:02:05.19\00:02:08.42
"How great
00:02:08.92\00:02:11.63
Thou art! "
00:02:12.23\00:02:16.23
"How great Thou art! "
00:02:16.43\00:02:22.44
Then sings my soul,
00:02:23.37\00:02:29.34
my Savior, God,
00:02:30.41\00:02:33.82
to Thee:
00:02:34.02\00:02:37.69
"How great
00:02:37.99\00:02:40.62
Thou art! "
00:02:41.12\00:02:45.76
"How great
00:02:46.16\00:02:52.03
Thou
00:02:53.57\00:02:57.01
art! "
00:02:57.21\00:03:03.11
When Christ shall come
00:03:11.12\00:03:16.32
with shout of acclimation
00:03:16.73\00:03:22.70
and take us home
00:03:23.30\00:03:26.97
what joy will fill our hearts!
00:03:27.17\00:03:32.67
Then we will bow
00:03:33.07\00:03:36.95
in humble adoration
00:03:37.35\00:03:43.28
and there proclaim
00:03:43.99\00:03:47.69
"My God, how great Thou art! "
00:03:47.89\00:03:53.36
Then sings my soul,
00:03:53.70\00:03:57.90
my Savior, God,
00:03:58.10\00:04:00.94
to Thee:
00:04:01.14\00:04:03.77
"How great Thou art! "
00:04:04.17\00:04:09.11
"How great Thou art! "
00:04:09.31\00:04:13.62
Then sings my soul,
00:04:14.15\00:04:17.99
my Savior, God,
00:04:18.19\00:04:21.02
to Thee:
00:04:21.22\00:04:24.06
"How great Thou art! "
00:04:24.26\00:04:30.23
"How great
00:04:34.24\00:04:40.21
Thou
00:04:41.38\00:04:46.11
art! "
00:04:46.31\00:04:52.29
Our Father in heaven,
00:05:19.01\00:05:20.45
this evening as
we open Your Word
00:05:22.02\00:05:25.55
we first, Lord, would
ask that You would give us
00:05:27.36\00:05:30.23
understanding.
00:05:31.13\00:05:32.76
Lord, may our hearts be open.
00:05:33.80\00:05:36.20
We pray that the Holy
Spirit may be here to impress.
00:05:37.37\00:05:42.34
We ask that each one of us
00:05:42.54\00:05:44.41
may understand that Thou art God
00:05:45.41\00:05:47.88
and that each one of us
need to just simply surrender
00:05:48.88\00:05:52.51
our hearts to You and
let You lead and guide
00:05:53.38\00:05:56.22
and direct in our lives.
00:05:56.42\00:05:57.75
Bless us as we study
Your Word this evening.
00:05:58.25\00:06:00.69
For this we ask In
Christ's name, Amen.
00:06:00.99\00:06:04.93
Blind man's bluff
00:06:12.60\00:06:14.40
is a game that's
played by children
00:06:14.60\00:06:17.81
where they take another
child and they blindfold them
00:06:18.11\00:06:22.54
and put them in a circle -
00:06:22.94\00:06:26.08
in the middle of a circle -
00:06:26.28\00:06:27.62
and then a child will hit them,
00:06:27.68\00:06:30.79
touch them, and they try
to guess who touched them.
00:06:30.99\00:06:35.29
That originally was not
called Blind Man's Bluff.
00:06:35.69\00:06:40.46
It was called Blind Man's Buff
00:06:40.86\00:06:43.60
and it was from the child
hitting them. But over the years
00:06:44.00\00:06:46.70
it became known
as Blind Man's Bluff.
00:06:47.10\00:06:49.97
And today that
Blind Man's Bluff means
00:06:50.37\00:06:53.17
when somebody pulls
the wool over our eyes.
00:06:53.38\00:06:56.98
Somebody does
something that kind of tricks us
00:06:57.48\00:07:00.98
or we don't really understand.
And tonight's subject
00:07:01.18\00:07:04.45
is a subject that as
far as I am concerned
00:07:04.65\00:07:07.22
had kind of pulled the
wool over peoples' eyes
00:07:07.42\00:07:11.33
and they haven't
really seen it clearly.
00:07:11.53\00:07:14.30
I had the privilege of
working with an individual
00:07:14.50\00:07:17.27
by the name of
H.M.S. Richards, Jr.
00:07:17.47\00:07:20.50
In fact, I started in
the ministry under him
00:07:20.70\00:07:23.20
and spent several
years working with him.
00:07:23.61\00:07:25.87
And he told me
that his grandfather
00:07:26.07\00:07:29.24
one day took him
and sat him on his knee.
00:07:29.64\00:07:33.62
And he said to
him, he said: "Sonny,
00:07:33.82\00:07:36.18
if I had a little lamb
00:07:36.38\00:07:37.95
and I called his tail a leg
00:07:38.35\00:07:41.86
how many legs would he have? "
00:07:42.26\00:07:44.26
"Oh, " he said, "five! "
00:07:44.66\00:07:46.23
He said: "Sonny,
00:07:46.73\00:07:48.53
if I had a little lamb
and I called his tail a leg,
00:07:48.93\00:07:53.27
how many legs would he have? "
00:07:53.67\00:07:55.27
And he said: "Five! "
00:07:55.47\00:07:56.81
Said: "No... just
because I call it something
00:07:57.04\00:08:01.94
doesn't make it so. "
00:08:02.14\00:08:04.41
OK, folks? Just
because you call something
00:08:05.08\00:08:10.19
something doesn't
necessarily make it so.
00:08:10.99\00:08:14.02
And so tonight we're
going to look very carefully
00:08:14.22\00:08:17.19
at a subject that
is extremely important.
00:08:17.39\00:08:20.23
Luke... Luke, the
writer of the book of Luke
00:08:20.73\00:08:25.53
and Acts, a physician,
00:08:25.73\00:08:28.27
I want you to listen
very carefully to what he says
00:08:28.47\00:08:32.84
when he started
out the book of Luke.
00:08:33.14\00:08:35.78
And this is what he's
saying in Acts about that.
00:08:35.98\00:08:38.35
Notice:
00:08:38.55\00:08:40.32
Now he's writing to Theophilus.
He's writing in the book of Acts
00:08:51.39\00:08:54.56
and he said: "I have
recorded... " how much?
00:08:54.76\00:08:57.27
Huh? "All that Jesus
began both to do and teach. "
00:08:57.77\00:09:03.71
He said: "I've
written down all the things
00:09:14.65\00:09:17.09
that Jesus began to do and teach
00:09:17.29\00:09:19.79
from the time He started until
He ascended back into heaven. "
00:09:19.99\00:09:23.83
So he said: "I have
recorded, Theophilus,
00:09:36.91\00:09:39.77
all the things that Jesus
began both to do and to teach. "
00:09:40.18\00:09:45.38
OK? So that makes it clear
00:09:45.98\00:09:49.48
that in the book of Acts
Luke recorded those things.
00:09:49.68\00:09:53.02
So the question that you and I
need to look at this evening is:
00:09:53.42\00:09:58.26
Now that we've got
to take a good look at.
00:10:09.97\00:10:12.64
We need to be objective; we
need to keep our hearts open.
00:10:12.84\00:10:16.18
We need to ask ourselves:
"Is there such scripture? "
00:10:16.38\00:10:19.75
If there is, Luke
should have recorded it
00:10:20.25\00:10:23.92
'cause he said: "I
recorded everything. "
00:10:24.12\00:10:26.39
OK? So let's
take a look at Luke.
00:10:26.59\00:10:29.42
He's a physician. Luke, in
his writing, is more detailed
00:10:29.62\00:10:33.53
than all the other
writers. He writes and makes it
00:10:33.73\00:10:36.00
very detailed. So
we're going to take a look
00:10:36.20\00:10:38.43
at the gospel of Luke,
and we're going to go to the
00:10:38.63\00:10:41.44
23rd chapter and start
with verse 52 where it says:
00:10:41.64\00:10:45.07
So Luke is giving
this account, and he says
00:11:06.33\00:11:09.63
that Joseph of Arimathea went
to Pilate, asked for the body
00:11:09.83\00:11:15.27
of Jesus. It's
been given to him.
00:11:15.47\00:11:17.67
He has taken it,
put it in the tomb.
00:11:17.87\00:11:20.31
They have prepared it,
and this was done on the?
00:11:20.51\00:11:23.78
Preparation Day or the
day before the Sabbath.
00:11:24.08\00:11:27.98
That's what the
Scripture has told us clearly.
00:11:28.18\00:11:30.15
We all understand that day to be
00:11:30.55\00:11:33.86
what we call Good Friday.
00:11:34.06\00:11:37.09
That's the day that Jesus died.
00:11:37.29\00:11:39.29
Good Friday, the Preparation
Day, is when He died.
00:11:39.49\00:11:42.63
But watch: Luke is recording
exactly what took place.
00:11:42.83\00:11:46.97
So watch as Luke continues:
00:11:47.17\00:11:49.44
Now I have people that say to me
00:12:10.73\00:12:13.03
"Bro. Cox, do you really think
the Sabbath is important? "
00:12:13.23\00:12:16.30
I want to ask you
a question tonight:
00:12:17.53\00:12:19.40
if those women wouldn't
even embalm the body of Jesus
00:12:20.50\00:12:25.77
on the Sabbath...
00:12:26.07\00:12:27.48
they went back home
and they kept the Sabbath
00:12:28.14\00:12:30.78
according to the commandment...
then who am I to say
00:12:30.98\00:12:33.55
it's not important?
00:12:33.75\00:12:35.08
OK. So it makes it very clear
00:12:36.08\00:12:38.72
that the Sabbath comes
right after the Preparation Day.
00:12:38.92\00:12:43.89
The Sabbath
comes right after that.
00:12:44.09\00:12:45.59
That's what Luke is saying.
The next day was the Sabbath.
00:12:45.79\00:12:48.80
Luke continues. The
24th chapter has this to say:
00:12:49.00\00:12:53.40
So these women are
coming to the tomb.
00:13:06.58\00:13:09.08
They're coming when?
Early in the morning.
00:13:09.28\00:13:13.15
On the? First day of the week.
00:13:13.56\00:13:16.66
So it says here they
got there, they went in.
00:13:25.33\00:13:28.14
Jesus wasn't there... He
had risen from the grave.
00:13:28.34\00:13:30.91
And we refer to that as?
First day of the week or?
00:13:31.11\00:13:36.75
Easter Sunday.
00:13:37.15\00:13:38.71
There is nothing, folks,
nothing in this text at all
00:13:38.91\00:13:43.65
that says anything about God
taking the first day of the week
00:13:43.85\00:13:47.52
blessing it,
hallowing it, or sanctifying it.
00:13:47.92\00:13:50.79
I just simply says that Jesus
rose on the 1st day of the week.
00:13:50.99\00:13:55.50
That's what it's telling
us... not any more than that.
00:13:55.70\00:13:58.43
So there's nothing here.
00:13:58.63\00:14:00.27
So with that, and Luke has
recorded all that took place,
00:14:00.67\00:14:04.34
but let's go on and take a look
at what the other gospel writers
00:14:05.04\00:14:08.41
have to say. You'll find
that they pretty much say
00:14:08.61\00:14:11.65
the same thing that Luke said.
00:14:11.85\00:14:13.28
After the Sabbath
was over. They went home;
00:14:33.47\00:14:36.10
they kept the Sabbath according
to the commandment, right?
00:14:36.30\00:14:39.07
And it says they are
coming to the tomb when?
00:14:39.47\00:14:42.51
They're coming early... early
on the first day of the week.
00:14:43.68\00:14:47.65
Now do you know when the
gospel of Matthew was written?
00:14:48.15\00:14:52.45
You know when the
gospel of Matthew was written?
00:14:54.92\00:14:56.69
Well, the gospel of
Matthew was written in 60 AD.
00:14:57.19\00:15:01.60
60 AD, folks.
00:15:02.10\00:15:04.20
This happens to be 29 years
00:15:04.93\00:15:09.64
after the death of Jesus.
00:15:09.84\00:15:11.47
OK. So the gospel
of Matthew was written
00:15:12.41\00:15:15.48
29 years after
the death of Jesus.
00:15:15.68\00:15:18.61
If there had been a
change in the day of worship,
00:15:18.81\00:15:22.05
don't you think Matthew would
have said something about it?
00:15:22.25\00:15:24.75
Huh? Why sure. If
there had been a change there
00:15:25.55\00:15:28.99
Matthew would have recorded
it and said something about it.
00:15:29.19\00:15:31.86
But he doesn't
say a word about it.
00:15:32.06\00:15:34.13
And in the gospel of Matthew
there is nothing that says
00:15:34.33\00:15:38.23
that He blessed,
hallowed, or sanctified
00:15:38.43\00:15:40.97
the first day of the week.
00:15:41.17\00:15:42.70
So with that, let's
go to the gospel of Mark.
00:15:42.90\00:15:46.61
So it says that these
women are coming early
00:16:05.46\00:16:08.90
on the first day of the week,
00:16:09.30\00:16:11.17
and they're coming to
the tomb for what purpose?
00:16:11.37\00:16:14.14
To anoint Him.
00:16:15.20\00:16:16.54
They are not coming, folks,
for the purpose of worship.
00:16:16.64\00:16:20.58
They're coming for the
purpose of anointing Him.
00:16:21.48\00:16:25.25
Why are they coming so early?
00:16:25.65\00:16:28.98
I mean in other texts
it tells us they're coming
00:16:30.92\00:16:33.15
at the rising of the sun.
00:16:33.36\00:16:34.69
Why are they coming so early?
00:16:35.02\00:16:36.86
Well, they're
coming early because
00:16:37.89\00:16:41.00
He's been dead several days.
00:16:41.20\00:16:44.20
They know that
time is of the essence.
00:16:44.40\00:16:47.90
They know they need to take
care of His body quickly now
00:16:48.64\00:16:51.37
because rigor mortis has set in.
00:16:51.57\00:16:53.78
Also they know that they need
to do their work while it's cool
00:16:54.74\00:17:00.15
not while it's hot.
00:17:01.22\00:17:02.98
And they also know that
this is hard, hard work.
00:17:04.09\00:17:10.03
Do you have any idea
how many pounds of spices
00:17:11.13\00:17:15.86
and ointment and
that type of thing
00:17:16.06\00:17:18.37
that it took to prepare some-
one's body for burial back then?
00:17:18.57\00:17:21.84
Well, it took 300 pounds.
00:17:23.71\00:17:26.24
300 pounds just to prepare
somebody's body for burial.
00:17:26.74\00:17:31.15
They're getting there because
they know they have to do it
00:17:40.29\00:17:42.89
quickly. They
have to take care of it
00:17:43.09\00:17:44.99
'cause He's been
dead several days.
00:17:45.19\00:17:47.03
The Scripture says that
Nicodemus - Nicodemus himself -
00:17:47.23\00:17:51.97
furnished 100
pounds of those spices.
00:17:52.17\00:17:56.27
That's what the Scripture says.
00:17:56.47\00:17:57.81
So Nicodemus himself
furnished 100 pounds of it.
00:18:11.49\00:18:15.09
So this... what I'm just
trying to get across to you
00:18:15.49\00:18:17.93
is they're coming.
They don't think He's risen.
00:18:18.13\00:18:21.13
They're coming there to work.
00:18:21.33\00:18:22.96
There is nothing
here in the gospel of Mark
00:18:23.16\00:18:25.93
that says anything
about God taking that day,
00:18:26.13\00:18:29.40
blessing it,
hallowing it, or sanctifying it.
00:18:29.60\00:18:33.07
Nothing there, folks.
00:18:33.27\00:18:34.61
So, one other text
here in the gospel of Mark
00:18:35.11\00:18:40.22
the 16th chapter
verse 9 and it says:
00:18:40.42\00:18:42.65
Do you know how early that is
00:18:46.99\00:18:48.49
when it says Jesus rose
early the first day of the week?
00:18:50.33\00:18:53.96
Well how early that
is... it's still dark.
00:18:54.96\00:18:57.57
I'll show you a text
in just a little bit.
00:18:58.63\00:19:00.60
He appeared first
to Mary Magdalene.
00:19:01.80\00:19:05.01
So He appeared to her
first. But let's go on
00:19:05.21\00:19:07.31
to the gospel of
John... see what it says.
00:19:07.51\00:19:09.74
Says: "Out of Mary He
had cast seven demons. "
00:19:09.94\00:19:13.21
She gets there
while it's still dark.
00:19:24.39\00:19:26.90
When she gets there
00:19:27.10\00:19:28.90
she finds that the
stone's already been rolled away
00:19:29.10\00:19:31.63
and that He's risen.
00:19:31.83\00:19:33.17
So she's gotten there
early before anybody else.
00:19:37.37\00:19:40.31
Christ has already
risen from the grave.
00:19:40.51\00:19:43.65
Nothing here, folks.
00:19:44.15\00:19:45.55
Nothing here in the
gospel of John that says that
00:19:45.95\00:19:48.62
God blessed,
hallowed, sanctified it.
00:19:48.82\00:19:51.75
In fact, it goes on in
John 20 verse 2 and says:
00:19:51.95\00:19:54.72
She said: "He's taken away.
We don't know what they have
00:20:07.94\00:20:11.31
done with Him. " Nothing there.
00:20:11.51\00:20:14.14
One more text in
the gospel of John.
00:20:14.34\00:20:17.31
Listen carefully,
because I find some people
00:20:19.65\00:20:21.92
use this text as a premise
00:20:22.12\00:20:25.35
for keeping the
1st day of the week.
00:20:25.55\00:20:27.56
This is what it says:
00:20:27.96\00:20:29.29
Now it says the disciples
are meeting in this room
00:20:46.57\00:20:50.75
for what purpose?
00:20:50.95\00:20:52.35
For worship?
00:20:53.82\00:20:55.15
No... they're
meeting "fear of the Jews. "
00:20:55.65\00:20:58.75
They're afraid that
they're going to be taken...
00:20:59.15\00:21:01.56
that they might be
crucified as He was.
00:21:01.76\00:21:04.26
So basically what
that text is telling us
00:21:04.46\00:21:06.83
is they're hiding.
That's what they're doing
00:21:07.03\00:21:09.63
when Jesus appears to them
on the first day of the week.
00:21:09.83\00:21:13.20
Nothing here, folks,
that says that He blessed,
00:21:21.74\00:21:25.31
hallowed, or sanctified
the first day of the week.
00:21:25.51\00:21:28.28
That is all the texts there are
00:21:28.58\00:21:32.62
in the gospels that mention
the first day of the week.
00:21:33.52\00:21:36.83
That's it... OK?
00:21:37.63\00:21:40.93
There are only
three more in the Bible.
00:21:41.33\00:21:43.77
One in the Old
Testament... that's all.
00:21:45.13\00:21:48.20
There's only one text
in the whole Old Testament
00:21:48.70\00:21:52.77
that mentions the
first day of the week.
00:21:52.97\00:21:55.11
There's two more
in the New Testament.
00:21:56.18\00:21:58.85
I want you to
listen very carefully
00:21:59.05\00:22:01.02
because on these next
two in the New Testament
00:22:01.22\00:22:03.95
probably 85% of all
the reasons that's given
00:22:04.35\00:22:08.02
for worshiping on
the first day of the week
00:22:08.22\00:22:09.82
rest on those two texts.
00:22:10.03\00:22:11.93
So we need to look at
them very very carefully.
00:22:12.33\00:22:15.93
The first one's found in I
Corinthians the 16th chapter
00:22:16.13\00:22:19.13
starting here with
verse 1 and it says:
00:22:19.33\00:22:22.24
All right... a
collection for who?
00:22:31.48\00:22:34.32
For the saints. All right.
00:22:35.45\00:22:37.19
So Paul is writing out
to the believers in Corinth
00:22:37.39\00:22:40.96
and he wants to take a
collection for the saints.
00:22:41.16\00:22:43.93
"On the first day
of the week... " OK?
00:22:44.13\00:22:47.40
So Paul's writing them. He
tells them on the first day
00:22:52.93\00:22:55.67
of the week let each one
of you lay something aside
00:22:55.87\00:22:58.77
as God has
prospered that person.
00:22:58.97\00:23:01.58
So this is what
Paul's written out.
00:23:05.51\00:23:07.48
What is the background?
00:23:07.68\00:23:09.78
What's the circumstances here?
00:23:09.98\00:23:12.05
Let's get an idea of what it is.
00:23:12.25\00:23:13.76
The Scripture will help us
understand exactly what the
00:23:13.96\00:23:16.96
background is
because it tells us here,
00:23:17.16\00:23:19.56
I Corinthians 16 verse 3:
00:23:19.76\00:23:22.43
So Paul said: "When I come
00:23:30.21\00:23:33.34
on the first day of the week
you should lay something aside
00:23:33.54\00:23:36.31
as God's prospered you
00:23:36.61\00:23:38.81
so there'll be no
collections when I come. "
00:23:39.01\00:23:41.15
And he said: "Whoever you choose
we'll give this gift to him and
00:23:41.35\00:23:44.49
he can take it to Jerusalem. "
That's what Paul has told them.
00:23:44.69\00:23:47.59
Now why?
00:23:47.79\00:23:49.12
Well, this is
what's going on, folks.
00:23:49.69\00:23:51.66
This is what's
taking place at that time.
00:23:51.86\00:23:53.90
Acts 11 verse 27:
00:23:54.10\00:23:56.20
Where's the gift going to?
00:24:00.80\00:24:02.50
Going to Jerusalem.
00:24:02.90\00:24:04.24
The gift's going to Jerusalem.
00:24:04.44\00:24:05.77
These prophets
are coming from where?
00:24:05.91\00:24:07.58
From Jerusalem to Antioch.
00:24:07.94\00:24:10.31
Remember that name. We're
going to come back to that name
00:24:16.05\00:24:18.79
yet again tonight.
00:24:18.99\00:24:20.32
So he's been shown by God
there's going to be a great
00:24:34.80\00:24:37.51
famine. That famine,
folks, is in progress
00:24:37.71\00:24:40.94
and the believers down
in Jerusalem are having
00:24:41.84\00:24:44.81
a very very hard time.
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.78
And so Paul has asked the
believers at Corinth to give...
00:24:47.98\00:24:52.22
to give some help to the
believers down in Jerusalem.
00:24:52.52\00:24:55.29
And he gave them
instructions about doing that.
00:24:55.49\00:24:58.09
So they made that decision
they were going to send a gift
00:25:09.50\00:25:12.11
to help them.
"This they also did... "
00:25:12.31\00:25:16.21
OK... let's go back to that text
00:25:22.48\00:25:24.79
and begin to put some
things together about it
00:25:24.99\00:25:27.29
because we need
to see what it says.
00:25:27.49\00:25:29.19
I have highlighted the
words lay something aside.
00:25:38.77\00:25:43.10
Folks, that does
not mean at church.
00:25:43.51\00:25:46.81
I have some people
read that text and they say:
00:25:47.74\00:25:50.21
"Well that says you're to
take your offering to the church
00:25:50.41\00:25:52.28
on Sunday. " No that does not!
00:25:52.48\00:25:54.68
In fact, that text says really
00:25:55.08\00:25:57.79
"You need to lay
something aside at home"
00:25:57.99\00:26:00.72
is what it's actually saying.
00:26:00.92\00:26:02.89
"That there be no
collections when I come. "
00:26:03.29\00:26:07.00
Lay something
aside at home. Paul said
00:26:13.70\00:26:16.91
"You need to lay something aside
at home as God's prospered you
00:26:17.11\00:26:22.38
so there'll be no
collections when I come. "
00:26:22.58\00:26:26.18
What does he mean
"no collections? "
00:26:36.19\00:26:38.06
They're not going
to take an offering?
00:26:39.29\00:26:41.00
Is that what that's saying?
00:26:41.70\00:26:43.03
No, that's not what
that's saying, folks.
00:26:44.00\00:26:46.13
You see, back then
00:26:46.33\00:26:48.14
they used what was
called the bartering system.
00:26:48.34\00:26:50.81
They still do
over there to this day.
00:26:51.57\00:26:54.11
For instance, if you
had a bushel of wheat
00:26:54.61\00:26:59.68
and you needed a
couple bushels of corn
00:27:00.28\00:27:03.92
you could take that down
and swap it at the market
00:27:04.12\00:27:06.22
for a couple bushels of corn.
00:27:06.42\00:27:07.99
Or you might have a chicken
and you might take it down
00:27:08.39\00:27:10.66
to the market and swap it
for a half a bushel of wheat.
00:27:10.86\00:27:12.93
Paul said: "As God
has prospered you. "
00:27:14.00\00:27:17.30
What he's really saying, folks,
00:27:17.50\00:27:19.27
is: "If you have a
bushel of wheat you want to give
00:27:19.47\00:27:21.87
or a bushel of corn
or this type of thing
00:27:22.07\00:27:24.37
for the folks down in Jerusalem,
00:27:24.57\00:27:25.94
lay that
aside... have it ready...
00:27:26.14\00:27:28.91
so there's no
collections when I come
00:27:29.11\00:27:31.31
so that we don't have
to gather all that up. "
00:27:31.71\00:27:33.92
That's what
Paul's saying to them:
00:27:34.12\00:27:35.75
"Lay it aside so it's ready
00:27:36.15\00:27:38.29
so that we don't have to wait
for you to gather all this up. "
00:27:38.49\00:27:41.06
Now let's take a look
at what this text says
00:27:41.46\00:27:45.79
so we're very clear as
to what it's telling us.
00:27:45.99\00:27:49.10
Does it say that?
00:27:57.21\00:27:58.54
No, there's nowhere in that
passage that it says that it is
00:27:58.57\00:28:03.11
a day of worship or a
holy day. Does not say that.
00:28:03.31\00:28:06.51
Doesn't say that God blessed it,
hallowed it, or sanctified it.
00:28:06.72\00:28:09.65
Does it do that?
00:28:17.09\00:28:18.43
No... that isn't there either.
00:28:18.66\00:28:20.06
Doesn't command the people
to worship on the first day
00:28:20.26\00:28:22.56
of the week. That's not there.
00:28:22.76\00:28:24.20
Nah, doesn't even say that.
Doesn't say they were meeting
00:28:30.77\00:28:33.14
every first day for worship
so that's not there. All right?
00:28:33.34\00:28:37.48
No... says lay by at
home as God has prospered you.
00:28:42.28\00:28:46.55
So that doesn't apply either.
00:28:46.96\00:28:48.29
So you can see this
text is not talking about
00:28:48.49\00:28:51.09
a day of worship. It's
not talking about a day
00:28:51.29\00:28:53.09
being set aside
as a day of worship.
00:28:53.29\00:28:54.96
It's talking about them looking
over how God has blessed them.
00:28:55.36\00:28:59.37
In other words,
they've gone all week long...
00:28:59.57\00:29:01.44
They've gone all week
long, they've kept the Sabbath.
00:29:02.64\00:29:05.51
The very first
opportunity they've had
00:29:06.01\00:29:09.31
to look over how God has
blessed them that past week
00:29:09.51\00:29:12.71
was on the
first day of the week.
00:29:12.91\00:29:14.28
And he said: "Sit
down and look it over.
00:29:14.48\00:29:16.08
If God has blessed
you in a special way
00:29:16.28\00:29:18.19
and you want to give an offering
for the poor in Jerusalem,
00:29:18.39\00:29:20.46
set that aside. "
00:29:20.66\00:29:22.49
That's all that text is saying.
00:29:22.89\00:29:24.39
All right... One more.
00:29:25.13\00:29:27.00
This one's found in Acts 20.
00:29:27.40\00:29:30.30
Let's start with verse
7. Notice what it says:
00:29:31.30\00:29:33.87
I want to get some things
clear as we go along here.
00:29:42.91\00:29:45.35
This meeting is happening
on what day of the week?
00:29:45.55\00:29:48.62
Huh? First day of
the week. All right.
00:29:50.02\00:29:52.99
The disciples have gathered
together for what purpose?
00:29:53.39\00:29:56.32
To break bread. We'll
come back and look at that.
00:29:56.52\00:29:59.66
Paul is ready to
depart the next day.
00:29:59.86\00:30:04.37
All right...
00:30:04.77\00:30:06.40
well we passed one up.
00:30:06.60\00:30:08.54
But it says there were:
00:30:08.74\00:30:10.07
This meeting is taking
place what time of day?
00:30:16.41\00:30:19.18
Nighttime.
00:30:20.45\00:30:21.78
So upper room, they're
meeting. It's a night meeting.
00:30:21.85\00:30:25.69
All right?
00:30:25.89\00:30:27.96
This young man sat in the
window. This meeting, folks,
00:30:37.47\00:30:41.00
is taking place
on the third story.
00:30:41.20\00:30:43.17
That's what the Scripture says.
00:30:43.84\00:30:45.17
It's a warm summer evening
00:30:45.34\00:30:47.11
and he's evidently
sitting in the window.
00:30:47.31\00:30:49.81
And it says that he:
"fell into a deep sleep. "
00:30:50.01\00:30:53.88
OK?
00:30:54.08\00:30:56.12
So he went to sleep,
00:31:02.82\00:31:05.29
fell out of the
window, and it killed him.
00:31:05.49\00:31:08.06
Now there's two things to
be learned from this passage.
00:31:08.26\00:31:11.07
One is: Don't go to
sleep on the preacher!
00:31:11.97\00:31:15.07
It's dangerous! OK?
00:31:15.47\00:31:18.01
The other thing is: the preacher
shouldn't be long-winded either.
00:31:20.68\00:31:24.01
OK?
00:31:24.41\00:31:25.75
But the boy fell
out of the window.
00:31:25.78\00:31:27.22
Took his life.
00:31:28.98\00:31:30.32
Paul goes down
and prays for him.
00:31:30.69\00:31:32.65
All right?
00:31:42.50\00:31:43.83
OK?
00:31:55.08\00:31:56.54
So it says he fell out of
the window; it's about midnight.
00:32:00.58\00:32:03.15
His life was restored to him.
00:32:03.65\00:32:05.89
They went back
upstairs, had something to eat,
00:32:06.09\00:32:08.82
and they talked all night long.
00:32:09.02\00:32:11.36
The next morning Paul leaves.
00:32:11.56\00:32:14.16
OK... let's put together
some facts about this meeting.
00:32:14.36\00:32:18.67
This is what time of day?
00:32:19.37\00:32:21.17
Nighttime.
00:32:21.47\00:32:22.80
It's a night
meeting. There's many lights
00:32:23.00\00:32:24.61
in the upper chamber.
00:32:24.81\00:32:26.14
Secondly, this takes place on
Paul's 3rd missionary journey.
00:32:29.18\00:32:35.08
If you take a look at this map,
00:32:35.28\00:32:37.39
you'll find that this is
Paul's 3rd missionary journey
00:32:37.65\00:32:41.06
here. And this incident
that we're talking about tonight
00:32:41.26\00:32:44.89
took place up there
at a place called Troas.
00:32:45.29\00:32:48.50
That's where this
incident took place.
00:32:48.80\00:32:51.13
This is Paul's last
missionary journey, folks.
00:32:51.93\00:32:56.94
Last one he ever made.
00:32:57.54\00:32:59.04
Gotta make sure
you understand that.
00:32:59.24\00:33:00.91
Paul has gone clear
down here into Greece.
00:33:01.74\00:33:05.65
Down into Corinth,
Athens, all the way down there.
00:33:05.85\00:33:08.78
All right... watch.
00:33:09.18\00:33:11.05
Paul is going to
where? Jerusalem.
00:33:13.25\00:33:16.52
Now let me tell
you what's happening.
00:33:16.86\00:33:18.19
The feast of unleavened bread
is taking place in Jerusalem.
00:33:18.59\00:33:23.40
Paul knows that there's
going to be Jewish people
00:33:23.80\00:33:26.27
there from all over the nation.
00:33:26.47\00:33:28.84
He knows that this will
be an excellent opportunity
00:33:29.04\00:33:32.71
for him to talk to Jewish
people about Jesus Christ.
00:33:32.91\00:33:36.91
So he feels that he
has to go to Jerusalem
00:33:37.11\00:33:39.61
'cause he wants to talk
to people about Jesus Christ.
00:33:39.81\00:33:42.32
Well... the Holy
Spirit has told Paul
00:33:43.22\00:33:47.56
"If you go on to Jerusalem,
00:33:47.72\00:33:49.76
you're going to be
bound and taken to Rome. "
00:33:50.16\00:33:53.60
Holy Spirit has
already told that.
00:33:54.30\00:33:56.56
Holy Spirit does not
tell Paul "don't go. "
00:33:56.77\00:33:59.87
He's just telling Paul
what's going to happen to him
00:34:00.70\00:34:03.84
if he does. But
Paul is under conviction
00:34:04.04\00:34:07.48
that he needs to go to
Rome. All right... let's go on.
00:34:07.68\00:34:10.38
So Paul knows,
folks, what is before him.
00:34:42.81\00:34:47.52
No question about
it. So do the believers.
00:34:47.68\00:34:51.25
Gotta remember
that: so do the believers.
00:34:52.19\00:34:54.49
This church at
Troas Paul raised up.
00:34:55.46\00:35:00.26
He's the one that
started that church.
00:35:00.46\00:35:02.20
Those people love him.
00:35:02.40\00:35:04.23
He is spending the
weekend there with them.
00:35:05.73\00:35:08.40
That's what he's doing.
00:35:08.70\00:35:10.04
This meeting is a farewell meet-
ing for Paul. That's what it is.
00:35:10.11\00:35:14.94
It's a farewell meeting
for Paul. These people know
00:35:15.78\00:35:18.98
they're never
going to see him again.
00:35:19.18\00:35:21.98
They know that.
00:35:22.38\00:35:23.72
So... what's happening?
00:35:24.42\00:35:26.72
Well, Paul has some
companions with him.
00:35:26.92\00:35:28.59
He has Luke and
Silas and Timothy.
00:35:28.79\00:35:32.46
He tells them to go ahead of him
00:35:32.86\00:35:36.43
and catch the
ship and sail to Assos.
00:35:36.63\00:35:40.44
How's that possible?
00:35:57.32\00:35:59.22
How's it possible that
they could go ahead and catch
00:36:00.09\00:36:02.32
the ship, sail to
Assos, and Paul says:
00:36:02.52\00:36:05.43
"I'll go by
foot and catch you. "
00:36:05.63\00:36:07.50
How could that
be? Well... let's see.
00:36:08.33\00:36:11.73
If you're looking here at Troas,
00:36:12.23\00:36:15.00
you'll find that
this is a peninsula.
00:36:15.20\00:36:18.41
And what just simply happened
is he told his companions:
00:36:19.31\00:36:22.38
"You go ahead
and catch the ship.
00:36:22.58\00:36:24.01
You sail from Troas
around the peninsula
00:36:24.21\00:36:28.62
over to Assos Sunday morning.
00:36:28.82\00:36:32.02
I'll walk across the peninsula
and catch you in Assos... "
00:36:32.39\00:36:37.23
which was 20 miles.
00:36:37.46\00:36:38.83
That's exactly what he did.
00:36:39.23\00:36:41.66
OK... so that's
what's happening here.
00:36:41.96\00:36:44.00
Why did Paul tell
them: "You go ahead? "
00:36:44.20\00:36:46.17
"You go ahead and catch
the ship; I'll spend the night
00:36:47.00\00:36:49.30
here with the believers. "
00:36:49.50\00:36:50.84
Because it's a
farewell meeting for Paul.
00:36:50.94\00:36:53.38
That's why they
stayed up all night, folks,
00:36:53.58\00:36:56.51
is because they know
they're not going to see him.
00:36:57.35\00:36:59.75
That's also why I believe
00:36:59.95\00:37:02.25
when it says
that they broke bread
00:37:02.45\00:37:05.75
I believe that that refers to
celebrating the Lord's Supper.
00:37:05.95\00:37:09.09
Because I can't think of
anything I would rather do
00:37:09.86\00:37:13.29
if I was never
going to see people again
00:37:13.70\00:37:16.23
and I knew I would
never see them again
00:37:16.43\00:37:17.83
I can't think of anything nicer
00:37:18.03\00:37:19.53
than to celebrate the
Lord's Supper with them.
00:37:19.73\00:37:21.57
So Paul celebrated the
Lord's Supper with them.
00:37:22.47\00:37:25.34
Spent all night
with them. Sunday morning
00:37:25.54\00:37:28.14
he takes out and walks 20 miles
00:37:28.34\00:37:30.68
over to Assos to
catch the ship there.
00:37:30.88\00:37:34.02
That was Sunday morning...
00:37:43.29\00:37:44.86
So this is a night meeting.
00:37:54.90\00:37:57.41
They spend all night there.
00:37:58.64\00:38:00.84
All right... now
let's look at something.
00:38:02.71\00:38:04.55
This is the only text, folks,
00:38:04.75\00:38:06.88
in the Old Testament that men-
tions the 1st day of the week.
00:38:07.08\00:38:10.62
But it has a
very important point.
00:38:11.59\00:38:14.16
Genesis 1 verse 5:
00:38:14.36\00:38:16.19
Now there's certainly
nothing in that text that says
00:38:27.00\00:38:29.64
that God blessed,
hallowed, or sanctified
00:38:29.84\00:38:31.31
the first day of the
week. It's just simply saying
00:38:31.51\00:38:33.74
on the first day of the
week God created the light
00:38:33.94\00:38:35.78
and the darkness. But it tells
you something very important.
00:38:35.98\00:38:38.51
He tells you when the
day starts and when it ends.
00:38:39.28\00:38:43.32
It says there the
what? "So the evening
00:38:43.82\00:38:49.19
and the morning
were the first day. "
00:38:49.39\00:38:51.89
The Scripture tells you
that the day begins at sunset.
00:38:52.09\00:38:55.33
That's what it's saying.
00:38:56.20\00:38:57.53
The day begins at
sunset and goes to sunset.
00:38:57.60\00:39:01.47
That's the way God made it.
00:39:01.87\00:39:03.47
And as you read the Scripture
you'll find that over and over
00:39:03.67\00:39:07.04
that the Bible's simply
telling you that the day starts
00:39:07.24\00:39:10.01
here at sunset
and goes to sunset.
00:39:10.21\00:39:15.25
Now... my point:
00:39:16.69\00:39:18.35
if this is the
first day of the week,
00:39:20.16\00:39:22.16
which it is... the
first day of the week,
00:39:23.12\00:39:26.53
and it's in the dark part
of the first day of the week,
00:39:28.00\00:39:31.93
then when is it?
00:39:33.03\00:39:34.60
Has to be Saturday night.
00:39:36.27\00:39:39.61
You see, the first day of the
week starts on Saturday night.
00:39:39.81\00:39:43.78
Sunset Saturday
night to sunset Sunday
00:39:43.98\00:39:47.18
is the first day of the week.
00:39:47.38\00:39:48.72
If you move it
to Sunday evening,
00:39:48.75\00:39:50.89
that's the
second day of the week.
00:39:51.09\00:39:52.75
Now you say "Well, Bro. Cox, are
you really sure about that? "
00:39:54.39\00:39:57.23
Well let me show you the way the
New English Bible translates it.
00:39:58.03\00:40:01.66
This is what it says:
00:40:02.16\00:40:03.50
Well, let me give you
another one: Leviticus 23:32,
00:40:05.47\00:40:08.60
excuse me, says:
00:40:08.80\00:40:10.21
That means from sunset to sunset
00:40:15.54\00:40:19.98
you shall
celebrate your Sabbath.
00:40:20.18\00:40:22.05
OK... now the statement
from the New English Bible.
00:40:22.25\00:40:24.95
Acts 20 verse 7, and it says:
00:40:27.76\00:40:29.96
See, Bible scholars recognize
00:40:36.13\00:40:37.97
that night meeting
was Saturday night.
00:40:38.17\00:40:40.20
Had to be in order to be
the first day of the week.
00:40:40.60\00:40:43.07
So what I'm trying
to tell you, folks,
00:40:43.27\00:40:45.07
is there is nothing here
00:40:45.27\00:40:47.58
in this scripture
that says that God blessed,
00:40:47.78\00:40:51.15
God hallowed, or God sanctified
the first day of the week.
00:40:51.35\00:40:54.85
In fact, the Bible says
that the first day of the week
00:40:55.65\00:41:00.26
is a work day.
Did you know that?
00:41:00.46\00:41:04.23
That's what the Bible says.
00:41:04.99\00:41:06.39
Ezekiel 46:1:
00:41:06.59\00:41:08.50
So the Scripture
says very clearly
00:41:30.29\00:41:32.12
that the first day of
the week is a work day.
00:41:32.32\00:41:35.72
That's all the
scriptures there are, folks.
00:41:36.69\00:41:38.46
There's not any more.
00:41:38.66\00:41:40.00
Now we live in a
day of computers.
00:41:40.83\00:41:44.70
You know, I have to
travel. Because I travel a lot
00:41:45.40\00:41:49.90
I cannot haul
my library with me.
00:41:50.11\00:41:53.31
Impossible. I'd
love to but I can't.
00:41:53.51\00:41:56.41
Fortunately, computers
make it possible that you can
00:41:57.11\00:42:00.58
have you library
in your computer.
00:42:00.78\00:42:02.58
You can get all kinds... You
know, all books. Lots of books
00:42:02.98\00:42:06.22
in the computer. And of course
I have my Bible in the computer.
00:42:06.42\00:42:10.79
And so what I did is I just
simply asked the computer...
00:42:10.99\00:42:14.76
On my Bible in
the computer I said:
00:42:14.96\00:42:17.80
"Give me all the
texts in the Bible
00:42:18.00\00:42:20.74
that mention the
first day of the week"
00:42:21.04\00:42:22.97
and it printed them out for me.
00:42:23.37\00:42:25.67
That's what I
just shared with you.
00:42:26.07\00:42:27.78
These are all the
texts in the Bible
00:42:27.98\00:42:31.68
that mention the first
day of the week: nine of them.
00:42:31.88\00:42:34.78
Right there... all listed.
00:42:34.98\00:42:37.85
OK?
00:42:38.05\00:42:39.39
Then I said to the computer:
00:42:39.59\00:42:41.12
"Give me all the
texts in the Bible
00:42:41.32\00:42:43.69
that mention the Sabbath. "
00:42:44.09\00:42:45.96
And it did.
00:42:46.46\00:42:47.86
I'd like to share them with you.
00:42:50.60\00:42:52.20
Now
00:43:03.91\00:43:06.21
if you want to see on which
side the amount of evidence is,
00:43:09.42\00:43:12.95
it's quite obvious - see -
00:43:13.36\00:43:15.99
that God never...
never blessed, never hallowed
00:43:16.19\00:43:19.63
the first day of the week.
00:43:19.83\00:43:21.66
So I guess what we
need to ask is since God...
00:43:21.86\00:43:25.70
There's not any...
00:43:35.91\00:43:37.35
then what
brought about the change?
00:43:37.55\00:43:40.12
Let me read some
statements to you.
00:43:40.32\00:43:43.25
These are
statements by other beliefs.
00:43:43.55\00:43:47.56
This is by Dr. Edward Hiscox,
00:43:47.72\00:43:51.36
the author of
the Baptist Manual.
00:43:51.56\00:43:53.76
I want you to listen
to what he has to say.
00:43:53.96\00:43:55.86
That's what he says.
00:44:43.61\00:44:44.95
Quite clear where he stands.
00:44:45.21\00:44:47.88
Why do we have that today?
00:44:50.82\00:44:53.66
What brought about the change?
00:44:53.86\00:44:55.26
Well, the Jewish
people are in revolt
00:44:55.66\00:45:00.06
against Rome.
00:45:00.90\00:45:02.36
If you have never
read about it, then I would
00:45:02.56\00:45:05.73
invite you to read
about it. Read about Masada
00:45:05.93\00:45:09.20
and some of those
things, and it'll tell you about
00:45:09.60\00:45:11.64
the revolt of the Jewish
people against the Roman Empire.
00:45:11.84\00:45:15.41
Because they were in
revolt against the Roman Empire
00:45:16.28\00:45:20.55
the Romans sent soldiers in
00:45:20.85\00:45:24.02
and they killed...
slaughtered the Jewish people.
00:45:24.22\00:45:27.16
But since the Christians...
since the Christians
00:45:27.46\00:45:31.86
kept the Sabbath as
well as did the Jews
00:45:32.06\00:45:35.73
they slaughtered Christians.
00:45:35.93\00:45:37.50
And so in an effort
00:45:38.63\00:45:40.94
to try to show a
difference between the Jews
00:45:41.14\00:45:44.77
and the Christians some of them
started keeping the first day
00:45:44.97\00:45:48.31
of the week.
That's what brought about
00:45:48.51\00:45:52.25
a change. No
scripture for this, folks.
00:45:52.45\00:45:55.02
No scripture at all
00:45:55.42\00:45:56.75
but just simply
trying to make a distinction.
00:45:56.82\00:45:59.05
And so you find many
Christians kept the Sabbath
00:45:59.25\00:46:01.86
and they kept Sunday - both.
00:46:02.06\00:46:03.39
But by the time you reach 300 AD
00:46:03.49\00:46:07.76
almost half of the
Roman Empire is now Christian.
00:46:08.26\00:46:13.37
Christianity has
spread that much.
00:46:13.77\00:46:15.70
The emperor's
name is Constantine.
00:46:16.67\00:46:20.34
Constantine can see
that it would be politically
00:46:21.54\00:46:26.08
advantageous for him
to become a Christian.
00:46:26.28\00:46:29.18
So he tells the
people that he had a dream.
00:46:31.05\00:46:33.39
In the dream he saw a cross
00:46:34.26\00:46:36.49
and that he was going
to become a Christian.
00:46:37.29\00:46:39.39
Never did.
00:46:39.59\00:46:41.56
But he even took his army and
marched them through the river
00:46:41.76\00:46:45.10
and told them they
had all been baptized
00:46:45.30\00:46:46.67
and were now Christians.
00:46:46.87\00:46:48.20
But in order to make
00:46:49.30\00:46:51.54
Christianity
appealing to the pagan -
00:46:51.94\00:46:56.41
that's what he's trying
to do: to make Christianity
00:46:56.61\00:46:58.65
appealing to the pagan -
00:46:58.85\00:47:00.18
Constantine signed into
effect what was known as the
00:47:00.22\00:47:03.82
Edict of Constantine
321 AD. Listen to it:
00:47:04.02\00:47:08.49
In fact, Constantine
even put a penalty on it
00:47:32.98\00:47:36.08
if they didn't do that.
00:47:36.28\00:47:37.69
The church leaders
after a period of time
00:47:38.62\00:47:41.26
at the Council of
Laodicea they accepted that.
00:47:41.46\00:47:44.36
And thus you find now
00:47:45.09\00:47:47.10
the state is enforcing the keep-
ing of the 1st day of the week.
00:47:47.30\00:47:51.63
This is what history tells us:
00:47:52.03\00:47:53.67
That was the stand that
the Council of Laodicea took.
00:48:11.95\00:48:16.89
And so you find
that the change came.
00:48:17.09\00:48:20.36
And so you and I today
00:48:26.33\00:48:28.97
because of tradition
00:48:29.17\00:48:31.64
many of you like myself
were brought up keeping Sunday.
00:48:31.84\00:48:35.98
Didn't know any different.
00:48:36.18\00:48:37.51
That's the way I was taught
from the time I was a child.
00:48:37.71\00:48:40.32
But when I picked up God's Word
00:48:41.22\00:48:43.59
and I began to
look in the Scripture
00:48:44.09\00:48:46.05
I began to find it
was strangely absent.
00:48:46.45\00:48:49.49
Just wasn't there.
00:48:50.43\00:48:52.59
And I had to take a
good look at it and say:
00:48:53.26\00:48:55.90
"What does the Bible say?
What does it teach here? "
00:48:56.30\00:48:59.37
Many religious leaders
00:49:01.74\00:49:04.34
have understood this.
00:49:04.84\00:49:06.68
Some have made very
strong statements about it.
00:49:06.88\00:49:09.78
This is a statement:
The Creeds of Christendom
00:49:09.98\00:49:13.05
Phillip Schall. This
is a statement, folks,
00:49:13.25\00:49:16.95
made by Martin Luther.
00:49:17.15\00:49:19.35
This is made by Martin Luther.
00:49:19.85\00:49:22.76
Want you to listen:
00:49:22.96\00:49:24.33
Said: "That's
contrary to the Decalogue. "
00:49:39.11\00:49:41.01
He said... That's there...
that's Luther's own statement.
00:50:00.80\00:50:04.27
So there are many church leaders
00:50:04.67\00:50:07.34
quite well aware that
this is what took place.
00:50:07.54\00:50:11.97
If you want to
take a look at the Bible
00:50:12.91\00:50:14.94
and look at what it has to say,
00:50:16.08\00:50:18.38
it will tell you
clearly there is no other day
00:50:18.58\00:50:21.88
but the Sabbath.
00:50:22.08\00:50:23.69
In fact, it refers to the
Sabbath all the way through
00:50:23.89\00:50:28.52
as the Sabbath of the?
00:50:28.72\00:50:32.13
Lord. It does not say
00:50:34.16\00:50:36.80
the Sabbath of the people.
00:50:37.00\00:50:39.07
It says it is the
"Sabbath of the Lord. "
00:50:39.27\00:50:43.51
'Cause He's the One that gave
it; He's the One that made it.
00:50:44.54\00:50:46.84
Another statement.
00:50:49.38\00:50:50.75
That is what the
Catholic church says.
00:51:13.13\00:51:15.87
That's their statement.
00:51:16.07\00:51:17.41
So to you that are here tonight,
00:51:18.01\00:51:21.81
those of you who are
watching by television,
00:51:22.01\00:51:23.98
I would just simply say to you
00:51:24.91\00:51:26.61
that you have to
look at God's Word
00:51:26.92\00:51:29.28
and decide where you're
going to build your faith.
00:51:29.48\00:51:32.85
If you're going to
build your faith on church...
00:51:34.06\00:51:37.26
Is that where
you're going to build it?
00:51:39.96\00:51:41.30
Let me tell you something:
you never, never, never
00:51:42.20\00:51:47.14
find truth by a church.
00:51:47.34\00:51:50.11
You don't find it there.
00:51:51.54\00:51:52.87
I don't care what
church you're talking about.
00:51:52.97\00:51:54.58
You don't find
truth by the Baptists.
00:51:54.88\00:51:57.25
You don't find
truth by the Methodists.
00:51:57.45\00:51:59.51
You don't find it
by the Presbyterians.
00:51:59.71\00:52:01.72
You don't find
it by the Lutherans.
00:52:01.92\00:52:03.65
You don't find
it by the Catholics.
00:52:03.85\00:52:05.52
You don't find it by
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:52:05.72\00:52:07.56
You do not find
truth by a church.
00:52:09.62\00:52:14.10
You find truth
by the Word of God.
00:52:15.46\00:52:18.83
That is where you
must build your faith.
00:52:19.23\00:52:24.37
You see, if I'm going
to start out here and say
00:52:24.77\00:52:27.28
"Well I'm going to
build my faith on a church"
00:52:27.48\00:52:29.88
that's a long road, friend,
00:52:30.68\00:52:33.95
'cause there are over
300 major denominations.
00:52:34.15\00:52:37.62
Are you going to go through
all 300 of them to make sure
00:52:37.82\00:52:39.75
you've got the truth?
00:52:39.95\00:52:41.29
No... you can't do that.
00:52:41.82\00:52:43.59
You've got to build your
belief on the Word of God.
00:52:43.79\00:52:47.33
You've gotta stand here;
you've gotta say "This is what
00:52:47.73\00:52:49.86
the Word of God teaches. "
00:52:50.07\00:52:51.40
"This is where I stand. "
00:52:51.43\00:52:53.10
And if I will stand solidly
00:52:53.30\00:52:57.04
on the Word of God
you'll never be let down.
00:52:57.44\00:53:01.84
You know, once you
build your faith on the Book
00:53:02.68\00:53:05.21
you never have to
say: "Well, you know... "
00:53:05.85\00:53:09.82
It reads the same every
time; you can believe it.
00:53:10.02\00:53:14.26
You can stand there.
And I can tell you tonight
00:53:14.46\00:53:17.16
that God will wonderfully
marvelously bless you
00:53:18.09\00:53:23.57
if you'll stand
on the Word of God.
00:53:24.63\00:53:27.37
He won't fail; He
won't let you down.
00:53:27.77\00:53:30.91
He'll be there; He'll
guide and direct your life
00:53:31.31\00:53:34.41
in a very very definite way.
00:53:34.61\00:53:37.88
I can tell you...
00:53:38.38\00:53:39.71
I can tell you
out of experience.
00:53:41.02\00:53:43.18
When I came face to
face with this question
00:53:45.62\00:53:51.56
I was 17 years old.
00:53:52.06\00:53:54.80
Some of the things
that you are seeing here
00:53:57.30\00:53:59.83
the ideas were given
to me as just a young man.
00:54:00.90\00:54:05.04
'Cause a man came to our house
00:54:05.97\00:54:08.18
and he took a window shade -
and old pull-down window shade -
00:54:09.18\00:54:12.95
You know what I'm talking about?
00:54:13.15\00:54:14.48
and he had painted in
color all these prophecies
00:54:14.58\00:54:17.95
that I've been
talking to you about.
00:54:18.15\00:54:19.85
And he would come and roll that
out across our living room floor
00:54:20.06\00:54:22.76
and teach us.
00:54:22.96\00:54:24.29
And it was from him
that I came face to face
00:54:25.03\00:54:29.00
with the
question of the Sabbath.
00:54:29.20\00:54:30.53
I was 17 years old.
00:54:34.84\00:54:36.44
My father became
violently opposed.
00:54:37.97\00:54:42.74
Opposed enough that every time
00:54:44.35\00:54:48.42
I went to church on the Sabbath
00:54:49.02\00:54:51.65
when I came back he whipped me.
00:54:52.55\00:54:54.59
I didn't have to take it.
00:54:56.83\00:54:58.33
I was 17 years old.
00:54:59.06\00:55:01.30
My father was crippled.
00:55:01.70\00:55:03.47
But I stood there and I took it
00:55:05.43\00:55:07.57
week after week after week.
00:55:08.70\00:55:12.51
And I will tell you tonight
00:55:13.81\00:55:15.58
if I had to do it
over I'd do it again.
00:55:16.61\00:55:18.98
Because God simply promises
00:55:20.98\00:55:24.69
that if you and I
will stand with Him
00:55:24.89\00:55:28.82
and believe Him,
take Him for what He says,
00:55:29.59\00:55:32.46
that He will bless you
00:55:32.86\00:55:35.16
and bless you abundantly.
00:55:35.56\00:55:37.50
And I can tell
you right now tonight
00:55:37.90\00:55:40.04
if I had my life
to live over again
00:55:40.77\00:55:43.24
I'd do exactly what I have done.
00:55:44.17\00:55:46.61
'Cause I have
seen the hand of God;
00:55:46.81\00:55:49.34
I've seen how He's
blessed over and over
00:55:49.54\00:55:52.31
and He'll bless your
life in a very special way
00:55:52.51\00:55:56.35
if you just follow Him.
00:55:56.55\00:55:57.89
Jesus said in
John the 6th chapter
00:55:57.95\00:56:00.62
"I am the Living Bread
that cometh down from heaven
00:56:00.82\00:56:03.36
that a man may eat
thereof and not die.
00:56:03.56\00:56:07.00
He who comes to Me will
never hunger or never thirst. "
00:56:07.40\00:56:11.37
He went on to say:
00:56:11.67\00:56:13.00
"The words that
I speak unto you:
00:56:13.17\00:56:15.54
they are spirit
and they are life.
00:56:15.74\00:56:17.97
Just as the Father sent Me
00:56:18.17\00:56:20.11
and I live because of the Father
00:56:20.31\00:56:22.11
so he who eats of this Bread
00:56:22.31\00:56:24.45
will live because of Me. "
00:56:24.65\00:56:27.62
So many people in this world
are literally starving and weak
00:56:29.38\00:56:33.42
because they do not
feed on the Word of God.
00:56:33.62\00:56:36.32
Their minds are filled with
matters of minor importance.
00:56:36.73\00:56:39.86
Instead of eating the Bread
which came down from heaven
00:56:40.26\00:56:42.96
if they would only
eat the Bread of Life
00:56:43.16\00:56:46.03
they would be
regenerated and renewed.
00:56:46.23\00:56:48.90
The Bread sent down from
heaven would give them new life.
00:56:49.10\00:56:52.04
The Holy Spirit would
show them things of God.
00:56:52.44\00:56:54.98
As we feed upon the Word
00:56:55.18\00:56:57.28
we will become new
creatures in Christ.
00:56:57.48\00:57:00.45
Our whole ministry
exists for one purpose only:
00:57:01.98\00:57:05.09
to bring the Bread of
Life to those who are hungering
00:57:05.49\00:57:07.92
and thirsting for truth.
00:57:08.12\00:57:09.46
I wish you could
see the eagerness
00:57:09.82\00:57:11.83
with which they take
hold of the spiritual food
00:57:12.03\00:57:14.26
that we offer them.
00:57:14.46\00:57:15.80
I wish you could see the light
that comes on in their eyes
00:57:15.83\00:57:18.57
as they accept
Him as their Savior.
00:57:18.77\00:57:20.84
Christ is able,
Christ is willing,
00:57:21.24\00:57:24.31
Christ is longing to save
all who will come unto Him.
00:57:24.51\00:57:28.98
Please pray for these souls.
00:57:29.51\00:57:31.35
And I hope you will
consider supporting our ministry
00:57:31.75\00:57:35.42
as we continue to offer
Jesus, the Bread of Life,
00:57:35.62\00:57:39.02
to all who are hungering
and thirsting for new life.
00:57:39.22\00:57:42.79
We thank you for your support.
00:57:43.19\00:57:45.53
If the Holy Spirit impresses
you to support this ministry,
00:57:46.59\00:57:49.33
please send your
tax-deductible gifts to:
00:57:49.73\00:57:51.90
Thank you for helping us
to bring the gift of salvation
00:58:05.38\00:58:08.25
to millions all over the world.
00:58:08.45\00:58:10.45