Can you believe it?
00:00:02.12\00:00:03.56
Can you build your faith on it?
00:00:05.29\00:00:06.97
The promises of
God's Word are sure.
00:00:08.86\00:00:12.21
They do not fail.
00:00:12.51\00:00:15.18
This book has
stood the test of time.
00:00:17.38\00:00:21.09
Oh Lord, my God,
00:00:50.83\00:00:56.83
when I in awesome wonder
00:00:57.22\00:01:03.12
Consider all
00:01:05.35\00:01:08.67
the worlds Thy hands have made,
00:01:08.97\00:01:14.96
I see the stars,
00:01:16.62\00:01:22.11
I hear
00:01:22.41\00:01:24.41
the rolling thunder,
00:01:24.81\00:01:30.75
Thy pow'r thru-out
00:01:31.72\00:01:35.23
the universe
00:01:35.53\00:01:39.33
displayed!
00:01:39.63\00:01:43.89
Then sings my soul,
00:01:44.43\00:01:50.35
my Savior God,
00:01:51.94\00:01:55.27
to Thee;
00:01:55.68\00:01:59.34
How great
00:01:59.54\00:02:02.49
Thou art,
00:02:02.79\00:02:07.10
How great Thou art!
00:02:07.50\00:02:13.46
Then sings my soul,
00:02:14.24\00:02:20.22
my Savior God,
00:02:21.52\00:02:24.67
to Thee;
00:02:24.98\00:02:28.56
How great Thou art,
00:02:29.16\00:02:35.10
How great
00:02:36.90\00:02:42.81
Thou
00:02:44.44\00:02:47.80
art!
00:02:48.10\00:02:54.09
When Christ shall come
00:03:02.02\00:03:07.24
with shout of acclamation
00:03:07.54\00:03:13.53
and take us home,
00:03:14.42\00:03:17.90
what joy will fill our hearts!
00:03:18.20\00:03:23.44
Then we will bow
00:03:23.84\00:03:27.86
in humble adoration
00:03:28.16\00:03:34.07
And there proclaim,
00:03:34.47\00:03:38.56
my God, how great Thou art!
00:03:38.96\00:03:44.47
Then sings my soul,
00:03:44.87\00:03:48.85
my Savior God, to Thee;
00:03:49.15\00:03:54.33
How great Thou art,
00:03:54.91\00:03:59.95
how great Thou art!
00:04:00.25\00:04:04.67
Then sings my soul,
00:04:05.17\00:04:08.92
my Savior God,
00:04:09.32\00:04:11.94
to Thee;
00:04:12.24\00:04:14.85
How great Thou art,
00:04:15.25\00:04:21.18
how great
00:04:25.04\00:04:31.02
Thou
00:04:32.27\00:04:37.00
art!
00:04:37.30\00:04:43.27
Our Father in Heaven,
00:05:10.08\00:05:11.46
this evening as
we open Your Word
00:05:12.76\00:05:16.46
we first, Lord, would
ask that You would give us
00:05:17.73\00:05:21.26
understanding.
00:05:22.65\00:05:23.97
Lord, may our hearts be open.
00:05:25.13\00:05:27.11
We pray that the Holy
Spirit may be here to impress.
00:05:27.41\00:05:32.60
We ask that each one of us
00:05:33.00\00:05:35.26
may understand that Thou art God
00:05:35.76\00:05:39.01
and that each one of us
need to just simply surrender
00:05:39.31\00:05:43.49
our hearts to You
00:05:43.79\00:05:45.54
and let You lead,
guide, and direct in our lives.
00:05:45.74\00:05:48.28
Bless us as we study
Your Word this evening.
00:05:48.58\00:05:51.49
For this we ask in
Christ's name, Amen.
00:05:51.79\00:05:55.28
Blind Man's Bluff
00:06:03.50\00:06:05.36
is a game that's
played by children
00:06:05.66\00:06:08.70
where they taken another
child and they blindfold them
00:06:09.00\00:06:13.47
and put them in a circle -
00:06:13.77\00:06:16.77
in the middle of a circle -
00:06:17.07\00:06:18.14
and then a child
will hit them, touch them,
00:06:18.45\00:06:22.22
and they try to
guess who touched them.
00:06:22.35\00:06:26.08
That originally was not
called Blind Man's Bluff...
00:06:26.38\00:06:31.31
it was called Blind Man's Buff
00:06:31.61\00:06:34.67
and it was from
the child hitting them.
00:06:34.97\00:06:36.72
But over the years it became
know as Blind Man's Bluff.
00:06:36.92\00:06:40.69
And today that
Blind Man's Bluff means
00:06:40.99\00:06:44.15
when somebody pulls
the wool over our eyes.
00:06:44.45\00:06:47.83
Somebody does
something that kind of tricks us
00:06:47.93\00:06:51.93
or we don't really understand.
00:06:52.13\00:06:53.96
And tonight's
subject is a subject that -
00:06:54.16\00:06:56.60
as far as I am concerned -
has kind of pulled the wool
00:06:56.80\00:07:00.25
over people's eyes and they
haven't really seen it clearly.
00:07:00.45\00:07:05.12
I had the privilege of
working with an individual
00:07:05.42\00:07:08.11
by the name of
H.M.S. Richards, Jr.
00:07:08.41\00:07:11.40
In fact, I started in
the ministry under him
00:07:11.70\00:07:14.12
and spent several
years working with him.
00:07:14.42\00:07:16.80
And he told me
that his grandfather
00:07:17.10\00:07:20.17
one day took him
and sat him on his knee
00:07:20.47\00:07:24.48
and he said to
him... He said: "Sonny,
00:07:24.78\00:07:27.13
if I had a little lamb
00:07:27.43\00:07:28.95
and I called his tail a leg,
00:07:29.25\00:07:32.79
how many legs would he have? "
00:07:33.10\00:07:35.28
"Oh, " he said, "five! "
00:07:35.58\00:07:37.19
He said: "Sonny,
if I had a little lamb
00:07:38.24\00:07:41.30
and I CALLED his tail a leg,
00:07:41.60\00:07:44.39
how many legs would he have? "
00:07:44.70\00:07:46.21
And he said: "Five. "
00:07:46.35\00:07:47.55
Said: "No! Just
because I call it something
00:07:47.85\00:07:52.77
doesn't make it so. "
00:07:53.07\00:07:55.10
OK folks?
00:07:55.40\00:07:57.60
Just because you call something
00:07:57.91\00:08:01.14
something doesn't
necessarily make it so.
00:08:01.44\00:08:04.76
So tonight we're
going to look very carefully
00:08:05.06\00:08:08.10
at a subject that
is extremely important.
00:08:08.40\00:08:11.06
Luke... Luke, the
writer of the book of Luke
00:08:11.36\00:08:16.38
and Acts... a physician. I want
you to listen very carefully
00:08:16.68\00:08:22.03
to what he says when he
started out the book of Luke.
00:08:22.23\00:08:26.67
And this is what he's
saying in Acts about that.
00:08:26.97\00:08:29.39
Notice:
00:08:29.69\00:08:30.70
Now he's writing to Theophilus.
00:08:42.21\00:08:44.25
He's writing in the
book of Acts, and he said:
00:08:44.45\00:08:45.86
"I have recorded... " how much?
00:08:46.06\00:08:48.01
Huh?
00:08:48.32\00:08:49.72
"All that Jesus began
both to do and teach. "
00:08:50.02\00:08:54.69
He said: "I have
written down all the things
00:09:05.54\00:09:08.04
that Jesus began to do and teach
00:09:08.34\00:09:10.53
from the time He started
00:09:10.83\00:09:12.03
until He ascended
back into heaven. "
00:09:12.23\00:09:14.78
So he said: "I have recorded,
Theophilus, all the things
00:09:27.78\00:09:32.27
that Jesus began
both to do and to teach. "
00:09:32.47\00:09:36.58
OK?
00:09:36.88\00:09:38.58
So that makes it clear
that in the book of Acts
00:09:38.88\00:09:41.86
Luke recorded those things.
00:09:42.16\00:09:44.10
So the question that you and
I need to look at this evening
00:09:44.40\00:09:47.99
is:
00:09:48.29\00:09:49.67
Now that we've got
to take a good look at.
00:10:00.87\00:10:03.43
We need to be objective.
00:10:03.74\00:10:05.19
We need to keep our hearts open.
00:10:05.39\00:10:07.20
We need to ask ourselves:
is there such scripture?
00:10:07.50\00:10:10.55
If there is, Luke
should have recorded it
00:10:10.95\00:10:14.93
because he said: "I
recorded everything. "
00:10:15.23\00:10:17.31
OK? So let's
take a look at Luke.
00:10:17.61\00:10:20.28
He's a physician.
00:10:20.48\00:10:21.56
Luke in his
writing is more detailed
00:10:21.76\00:10:24.36
than all the other writers.
00:10:24.56\00:10:25.63
He writes and
makes it very detailed.
00:10:25.73\00:10:28.03
So we're going to take a
look at the gospel of Luke.
00:10:28.23\00:10:31.08
And we're going to
go to the 23rd chapter
00:10:31.28\00:10:33.35
and start with
verse 52 where he says:
00:10:33.55\00:10:36.08
So Luke is giving this account
00:10:57.12\00:10:59.54
and he says that
Joseph of Arimathea
00:10:59.74\00:11:03.11
went to Pilate...
asked for the body of Jesus.
00:11:04.25\00:11:06.82
It's been given to him.
00:11:07.12\00:11:08.69
He has taken it,
put it in the tomb.
00:11:08.99\00:11:11.27
They have prepared it,
and this was done on the?
00:11:11.57\00:11:14.64
Preparation Day
00:11:14.94\00:11:16.98
or the day before the Sabbath.
00:11:17.18\00:11:18.89
That's what the
scripture has told us clearly.
00:11:19.19\00:11:21.05
We all understand
that day to be what we call
00:11:21.35\00:11:26.08
Good Friday.
00:11:26.28\00:11:27.64
That's the day that Jesus died:
00:11:27.94\00:11:30.19
Good Friday.
00:11:30.29\00:11:31.55
The Preparation
Day is when He died.
00:11:31.85\00:11:33.64
But watch. Luke is recording
exactly what took place.
00:11:33.94\00:11:37.90
So watch as Luke continues:
00:11:38.20\00:11:40.33
Now I have people that say to me
00:12:01.56\00:12:03.89
"Brother Cox, do you really
00:12:04.19\00:12:05.37
think the
Sabbath is important? "
00:12:05.57\00:12:07.73
I want to ask you
a question tonight:
00:12:08.23\00:12:10.31
if those women wouldn't
even embalm the body of Jesus
00:12:11.34\00:12:16.76
on the Sabbath...
00:12:17.06\00:12:18.93
they went back home
and they kept the Sabbath
00:12:19.23\00:12:21.74
according to the commandment...
00:12:21.95\00:12:23.01
then who am I to
say it's not important.
00:12:23.31\00:12:25.43
See? So it makes it very clear
00:12:27.02\00:12:29.61
that the Sabbath comes
right after the Preparation Day.
00:12:29.91\00:12:34.86
The Sabbath
comes right after that.
00:12:35.06\00:12:36.58
That's what Luke is saying:
00:12:36.78\00:12:37.85
the next day was the Sabbath.
00:12:38.05\00:12:39.81
Luke continues in
the 24th chapter...
00:12:40.11\00:12:42.99
has this to say:
00:12:43.29\00:12:44.46
So these women are
coming to the tomb.
00:12:57.51\00:12:59.99
They're coming when?
00:13:00.29\00:13:01.94
Early in the morning
00:13:02.24\00:13:04.44
on the first day of the week.
00:13:04.74\00:13:07.53
So it says here they got there.
00:13:16.37\00:13:17.96
They went in.
Jesus wasn't there.
00:13:18.16\00:13:20.19
He had risen from the grave.
00:13:20.49\00:13:21.98
And we refer to that as?
00:13:22.28\00:13:25.19
There is nothing, folks,
nothing in this text at all
00:13:29.80\00:13:34.43
that says anything about God
taking the first day of the week
00:13:34.63\00:13:38.44
blessing it,
hallowing it, or sanctifying it.
00:13:38.74\00:13:41.81
It just simply
says that Jesus rose
00:13:42.11\00:13:44.57
on the first day of the week.
00:13:44.87\00:13:46.43
That's what it's telling us...
00:13:46.63\00:13:47.83
not any more than that.
00:13:48.13\00:13:49.57
So there's nothing here.
00:13:49.77\00:13:50.79
So with that - and Luke has
recorded all that took place -
00:13:51.76\00:13:55.15
but let's go on and take a look
00:13:56.22\00:13:57.58
at what the other
gospel writers have to say.
00:13:57.78\00:14:00.28
You'll find that they
pretty much say the same thing
00:14:00.58\00:14:03.15
that Luke said.
00:14:03.35\00:14:04.37
Matthew 28 and verse 1:
00:14:05.79\00:14:09.10
After the Sabbath
was over. They went home.
00:14:24.02\00:14:27.09
They kept the Sabbath
according to the commandment,
00:14:27.29\00:14:29.55
right? And it says
00:14:29.65\00:14:31.39
they are coming
to the tomb when?
00:14:31.59\00:14:33.43
They're coming early...
00:14:34.38\00:14:36.44
early on the
first day of the week.
00:14:36.74\00:14:38.61
Now do you know when the
gospel of Matthew was written?
00:14:38.91\00:14:43.34
You know when the
gospel of Matthew was written?
00:14:45.63\00:14:47.82
Well the gospel of
Matthew was written in 60 AD.
00:14:48.12\00:14:52.48
60 AD, folks.
00:14:52.88\00:14:55.11
This happens to be
00:14:56.07\00:14:57.55
twenty-nine years
after the death of Jesus.
00:14:57.85\00:15:02.35
OK. So the gospel
of Matthew is written
00:15:02.65\00:15:06.31
twenty-nine years
after the death of Jesus.
00:15:06.61\00:15:09.47
If there had been a
change in the day of worship,
00:15:09.77\00:15:12.98
don't you think Matthew would
have said something about it?
00:15:13.28\00:15:15.64
Huh? Why sure!
00:15:16.14\00:15:18.37
If there had been a
change there, Matthew would have
00:15:18.47\00:15:21.03
recorded it and
said something about it.
00:15:21.23\00:15:22.77
But he doesn't
say a word about it.
00:15:23.07\00:15:25.01
And in the gospel of Matthew
there is nothing that says
00:15:25.21\00:15:29.02
that He blessed,
hallowed, or sanctified
00:15:29.22\00:15:31.97
the first day of the week.
00:15:32.27\00:15:33.44
So with that, let's
go to the gospel of Mark.
00:15:33.74\00:15:37.44
Mark the 16th chapter verse 1:
00:15:39.54\00:15:42.62
So it says that these
women are coming early
00:15:56.55\00:15:59.80
on the first day of the week,
and they're coming to the tomb
00:16:00.10\00:16:03.73
for what purpose?
00:16:03.93\00:16:05.21
To anoint Him.
00:16:05.71\00:16:07.39
They are not coming, folks,
00:16:07.69\00:16:09.78
for the purpose of worship.
00:16:10.08\00:16:11.82
They're coming for the
purpose of anointing Him.
00:16:12.12\00:16:16.27
Why are they coming so early?
00:16:16.57\00:16:19.97
I mean, in another text
it tells us they are coming
00:16:22.09\00:16:23.96
at the rising of the sun.
00:16:23.99\00:16:25.61
Why are they coming so early?
00:16:25.92\00:16:27.80
Well, they're coming
early because He's been dead
00:16:28.82\00:16:33.58
several days. They know
that time is of the essence.
00:16:33.88\00:16:39.40
They know they need to take
care of His body quickly now
00:16:39.70\00:16:42.44
because rigor mortis has set in.
00:16:42.64\00:16:45.03
Also, they know that
they need to do their work
00:16:45.33\00:16:49.74
while it's cool...
00:16:50.04\00:16:51.56
not while it's hot.
00:16:51.86\00:16:54.01
And they also know that
this is hard, hard work.
00:16:55.08\00:17:01.04
You have any idea how
many pounds of spices,
00:17:02.30\00:17:06.56
ointment, and that type of thing
00:17:06.86\00:17:09.33
that it took to
prepare someone's body
00:17:09.53\00:17:11.59
for burial back then?
00:17:11.79\00:17:13.41
Well, it took 300 pounds.
00:17:13.91\00:17:17.04
Three hundred pounds just to
00:17:17.34\00:17:19.97
prepare
somebody's body for burial.
00:17:20.17\00:17:22.26
And so it says: "very
early in the morning... "
00:17:22.56\00:17:24.84
They're getting
there because they know
00:17:30.59\00:17:33.00
they have to do it quickly.
00:17:33.20\00:17:34.82
They have to take care of it
00:17:34.92\00:17:36.03
because He's been
dead several days.
00:17:36.23\00:17:37.67
The scripture
says that Nicodemus...
00:17:37.97\00:17:40.37
Nicodemus himself
furnished 100 pounds
00:17:40.67\00:17:45.74
of those spices.
00:17:45.94\00:17:47.45
That's what the scripture says.
00:17:47.65\00:17:48.79
So Nicodemus himself
furnished 100 pounds of it.
00:18:02.32\00:18:06.02
So this... what I'm just
trying to get across to you...
00:18:06.32\00:18:08.93
is they're coming.
They don't think He's risen.
00:18:09.23\00:18:12.12
They're coming there to work.
00:18:12.32\00:18:13.81
There is nothing
here in the gospel of Mark
00:18:14.11\00:18:16.95
that says anything
about God taking that day:
00:18:17.25\00:18:20.29
blessing it,
hallowing it, or sanctifying it.
00:18:20.59\00:18:23.87
Nothing there, folks.
00:18:24.18\00:18:25.27
So... one other text
here in the gospel of Mark
00:18:25.58\00:18:30.89
the 16th chapter
verse 9, and it says:
00:18:31.09\00:18:33.89
Do you know how early that is
00:18:37.80\00:18:39.44
when it says Jesus rose
early the first day of the week?
00:18:39.54\00:18:44.77
Well how early that
is... it's still dark.
00:18:45.07\00:18:48.81
I'll show you a text
in just a little bit.
00:18:49.11\00:18:51.54
"He appeared first
to Mary Magdalene. "
00:18:52.77\00:18:55.94
So He appeared to her first.
00:18:56.14\00:18:57.46
But let's go on to the gospel
of John and see what it says.
00:18:57.56\00:19:00.73
It says: "Out of Mary
He had cast seven demons. "
00:19:00.87\00:19:03.58
John 20 verse 1:
00:19:03.89\00:19:06.42
She gets there
while it's still dark.
00:19:15.39\00:19:17.94
When she gets there,
she finds that the stone's
00:19:18.24\00:19:21.47
already been rolled
away and that He's risen.
00:19:21.57\00:19:23.52
So she's gotten there
early before anybody else.
00:19:27.98\00:19:31.23
Christ has already
risen from the grave.
00:19:31.53\00:19:34.67
Nothing here, folks.
00:19:34.97\00:19:36.47
Nothing here in the
gospel of John that says that
00:19:36.77\00:19:39.55
God blessed,
hallowed, sanctified it.
00:19:39.75\00:19:42.61
In fact, it goes on in
John 20 verse 2 and says:
00:19:42.91\00:19:45.62
They said: "He's taken away.
00:19:58.74\00:20:00.55
We don't know what
they have done with Him. "
00:20:00.75\00:20:03.07
Nothing there!
00:20:03.31\00:20:04.77
One more text in
the gospel of John.
00:20:05.07\00:20:08.22
Listen carefully
because I find some people
00:20:10.57\00:20:12.87
use this text as a
premise for keeping
00:20:13.08\00:20:17.37
the first day of the week.
00:20:17.57\00:20:18.65
This is what it says:
00:20:18.96\00:20:19.98
Now it says the disciples
are meeting in this room
00:20:37.60\00:20:41.75
for what purpose?
00:20:42.05\00:20:43.36
For worship?
00:20:44.85\00:20:46.16
No, they're meeting
for fear of the Jews.
00:20:46.46\00:20:49.90
They're afraid that
they're going to be taken.
00:20:50.20\00:20:52.55
That they might be
crucified as He was.
00:20:52.75\00:20:55.30
So basically what that text
is telling us is they're hiding.
00:20:55.60\00:20:59.63
That's what they're doing
when Jesus appears to them
00:20:59.83\00:21:02.55
on the first day of the week.
00:21:02.85\00:21:04.42
Nothing here, folks,
that says that He blessed,
00:21:12.72\00:21:16.23
hallowed, or sanctified
the first day of the week.
00:21:16.43\00:21:19.13
That is all the texts there are
00:21:19.43\00:21:23.51
in the gospels that mention
the first day of the week.
00:21:23.81\00:21:27.74
That's it!
00:21:28.04\00:21:29.94
OK? There are only
three more in the Bible.
00:21:30.24\00:21:34.64
One in the Old
Testament... that's all.
00:21:34.94\00:21:38.88
There's only one text
in the whole Old Testament
00:21:39.38\00:21:43.75
that mentions the
first day of the week.
00:21:44.05\00:21:45.86
There's two more
in the New Testament.
00:21:47.21\00:21:50.00
I want you to
listen very carefully
00:21:50.20\00:21:51.76
because on these next
two in the New Testament
00:21:51.96\00:21:54.99
probably 85% of all
the reasons that's given
00:21:55.30\00:21:59.02
for worshiping on the
first day of the week rest
00:21:59.22\00:22:01.47
on those two texts.
00:22:01.77\00:22:03.01
So we need to look at
them very, very carefully.
00:22:03.31\00:22:07.04
The first one is found in I
Corinthians the 16th chapter
00:22:07.24\00:22:10.06
starting here with
verse 1. And it says:
00:22:10.37\00:22:13.21
All right. A collection for who?
00:22:22.31\00:22:25.17
For the saints.
00:22:25.67\00:22:27.53
All right. So Paul is writing
out to the believers in Corinth
00:22:27.83\00:22:31.88
and he wants to take a
collection for the saints.
00:22:32.08\00:22:34.63
So Paul is writing them.
00:22:43.90\00:22:45.01
He tells them on the
first day of the week
00:22:45.31\00:22:47.01
let each one of
you lay something aside
00:22:47.31\00:22:49.72
as God has
prospered that person.
00:22:50.02\00:22:52.45
So this is what
Paul has written out.
00:22:56.16\00:22:58.37
What is the background?
00:22:58.47\00:23:00.49
What's the circumstances here?
00:23:00.69\00:23:02.88
Let's get an idea of what it is.
00:23:03.08\00:23:04.68
The scripture
will help us understand
00:23:04.88\00:23:06.79
exactly what the background
is because it tells us here:
00:23:07.10\00:23:10.47
So Paul said: "When I come
00:23:21.27\00:23:23.87
on the first day of the week
you should lay something aside
00:23:24.17\00:23:27.36
as God has prospered you
00:23:27.67\00:23:29.75
so there'll be no
collections when I come. "
00:23:30.05\00:23:32.06
And he said: "Whoever you choose
we'll give this gift to him
00:23:32.36\00:23:35.26
and he can take
it to Jerusalem. "
00:23:35.46\00:23:36.99
That's what Paul has told them.
00:23:37.02\00:23:38.81
Now why?
00:23:39.01\00:23:40.47
Well, this is
what's going on, folks.
00:23:40.77\00:23:42.60
This is what's
taking place at that time.
00:23:42.90\00:23:44.75
Acts 11:27: "And in these
days prophets came from... "
00:23:45.05\00:23:50.46
Where's the gift going to?
00:23:50.76\00:23:53.11
Going to Jerusalem.
00:23:53.41\00:23:55.36
The gift is going to Jerusalem.
00:23:55.56\00:23:56.65
These prophets
are coming from where?
00:23:56.85\00:23:58.37
From Jerusalem to Antioch.
00:23:58.67\00:24:01.16
Remember that name.
00:24:06.69\00:24:08.19
We're going to come back to
that name yet again tonight.
00:24:08.39\00:24:10.75
So he's been shown by God
00:24:25.89\00:24:27.48
there's going to
be a great famine.
00:24:27.68\00:24:29.07
That famine,
folks, is in progress.
00:24:29.37\00:24:31.89
And the
believers down in Jerusalem
00:24:32.29\00:24:35.15
are having a
very, very hard time.
00:24:35.45\00:24:38.57
And so Paul has asked
the believers at Corinth
00:24:38.87\00:24:42.04
to give. To give some help
00:24:42.35\00:24:44.60
to the believers
down in Jerusalem.
00:24:44.80\00:24:46.37
And he gave them
instructions about doing that.
00:24:46.67\00:24:48.98
So they made that decision
they were going to send a gift
00:25:00.45\00:25:03.05
to help them.
00:25:03.35\00:25:04.53
OK. Let's go back to that text
00:25:13.37\00:25:15.69
and begin to put some
things together about it because
00:25:15.89\00:25:18.57
we need to see what it says.
00:25:18.77\00:25:20.25
I have highlighted the
words lay something aside.
00:25:29.65\00:25:34.12
Folks, that does
not mean at church.
00:25:34.42\00:25:37.78
I have some people
read that text and they say:
00:25:38.08\00:25:41.05
"Well, that says
you're to take your offering
00:25:41.25\00:25:42.72
to the church on Sunday. "
00:25:42.92\00:25:44.24
No that does not.
00:25:44.54\00:25:45.58
In fact that text says really:
00:25:45.88\00:25:48.47
"you need to lay
something aside at home"
00:25:48.67\00:25:51.68
is what it's actually saying
00:25:51.98\00:25:54.04
"that there be no
collections when I come. "
00:25:54.24\00:25:56.62
Lay something
aside at home. Paul said:
00:26:05.05\00:26:07.74
"You need to lay
something aside at home
00:26:08.04\00:26:11.55
as God's prospered you
00:26:11.75\00:26:13.59
so there'll be no
collections when I come. "
00:26:13.80\00:26:16.98
What does he mean
"no collections? "
00:26:27.18\00:26:28.92
They're not going
to take an offering?
00:26:29.22\00:26:31.96
Is that what that's saying?
00:26:32.26\00:26:33.76
No, that's not what
that's saying, folks.
00:26:34.06\00:26:37.03
You see back then,
they used what was called
00:26:37.13\00:26:40.32
the bartering system.
00:26:40.52\00:26:41.92
They still do
over there to this day.
00:26:42.22\00:26:44.94
For instance, if you
had a bushel of wheat
00:26:45.25\00:26:50.51
and you needed a
couple bushels of corn,
00:26:50.81\00:26:54.95
you could take that down
and swap it at the market
00:26:55.15\00:26:57.14
for a couple bushels of corn.
00:26:57.34\00:26:58.84
Or you might have a chicken
00:26:59.14\00:27:00.53
and you might take
it down to the market
00:27:00.83\00:27:02.14
and swap it for a
half a bushel of wheat.
00:27:02.35\00:27:03.94
Paul said: "As God
has prospered you. "
00:27:04.45\00:27:08.25
What he's really saying, folks,
00:27:08.55\00:27:09.92
is if you have a bushel
of wheat you want to give
00:27:10.22\00:27:12.83
or a bushel of corn
or this type of thing
00:27:13.13\00:27:15.30
for the folks down in Jerusalem,
00:27:15.50\00:27:16.75
lay that aside... have it ready
00:27:17.05\00:27:19.83
so there's no
collections when I come.
00:27:20.13\00:27:22.29
So that we don't have
to gather all that up.
00:27:22.60\00:27:24.80
That's what
Paul's saying to them.
00:27:25.10\00:27:26.71
Lay it aside so it's ready
00:27:27.01\00:27:29.17
so that we don't have to wait
for you to gather all this up.
00:27:29.47\00:27:31.97
Now let's take a look
00:27:32.27\00:27:35.05
at what this text
says so we're very clear
00:27:35.35\00:27:38.67
as to what it's telling us.
00:27:38.97\00:27:40.16
Does it say that?
00:27:46.56\00:27:49.12
No. There's
nowhere in that passage
00:27:49.42\00:27:52.18
that it says that it is a
day of worship or a holy day.
00:27:52.48\00:27:56.32
Does not say that.
00:27:56.52\00:27:57.54
Doesn't say that God blessed it,
hallowed it, or sanctified it.
00:27:57.75\00:28:00.55
Secondly:
00:28:00.85\00:28:02.47
Does it do that?
00:28:07.26\00:28:09.18
No, that isn't there either.
00:28:09.49\00:28:10.97
It doesn't command the people
00:28:11.17\00:28:12.26
to worship on the
first day of the week.
00:28:12.36\00:28:13.94
That's not there.
00:28:14.24\00:28:15.30
Thirdly:
00:28:15.40\00:28:16.82
Nah, doesn't even say that.
00:28:20.98\00:28:23.12
Doesn't say there were meeting
every first day for worship.
00:28:23.32\00:28:25.62
So that's not there.
00:28:25.92\00:28:27.11
All right.
00:28:27.41\00:28:28.52
No. Says: "Lay by at home
00:28:32.14\00:28:35.46
as God has prospered you. "
00:28:35.76\00:28:37.68
So that doesn't apply either.
00:28:37.88\00:28:39.17
So you can see this text is not
talking about a day of worship.
00:28:39.47\00:28:42.84
It's not talking
about a day being set aside
00:28:43.04\00:28:45.03
as a day of worship.
It's talking about them
00:28:45.23\00:28:47.45
looking over how
God has blessed them.
00:28:47.65\00:28:50.22
In other words,
they've gone all week long...
00:28:50.52\00:28:52.42
They've gone all week
long. They've kept the Sabbath.
00:28:52.72\00:28:56.47
The very first
opportunity they've had
00:28:56.78\00:29:00.10
to look over how God has
blessed them that past week
00:29:00.40\00:29:03.61
was on the
first day of the week.
00:29:03.91\00:29:05.18
And he said: "Sit
down. Look it over.
00:29:05.48\00:29:06.92
If God has blessed
you in a special way
00:29:07.22\00:29:09.13
and you want to give an offering
for the poor in Jerusalem,
00:29:09.43\00:29:11.32
set that aside. "
00:29:11.62\00:29:13.26
That's all that text is saying.
00:29:13.56\00:29:15.38
All right. One more...
00:29:15.68\00:29:17.76
This one's found in Acts 20.
00:29:18.06\00:29:21.19
Start with verse
7... notice what it says:
00:29:21.49\00:29:24.80
I want to get some things
clear as we go along here.
00:29:33.55\00:29:36.28
This meeting is happening
on what day of the week?
00:29:36.58\00:29:39.49
Huh?
00:29:39.99\00:29:41.97
First day of
the week. All right.
00:29:42.27\00:29:44.14
The disciples have gathered
together for what purpose?
00:29:44.44\00:29:47.08
To break bread. We'll
come back and look at that.
00:29:47.38\00:29:50.64
Paul is ready to
depart the next day.
00:29:50.94\00:29:55.35
All right.
00:29:55.45\00:29:57.23
Well, we passed
one up, but it says:
00:29:57.53\00:30:00.33
"There were many
lights in the upper room... "
00:30:04.79\00:30:07.31
This meeting is taking
place what time of day?
00:30:07.61\00:30:10.12
Nighttime.
00:30:10.43\00:30:12.58
So they're... upper room...
00:30:12.88\00:30:14.85
They're meeting...
it's a night meeting.
00:30:15.15\00:30:16.76
All right.
00:30:16.96\00:30:18.15
This young man
sitting in the window.
00:30:27.78\00:30:30.49
This meeting, folks, was
taking place on the third story.
00:30:30.79\00:30:33.97
That's what the scripture says.
00:30:34.27\00:30:36.09
It's a warm summer evening,
00:30:36.39\00:30:38.02
and he's evidently
sitting in the window.
00:30:38.32\00:30:40.61
And it says that he fell into
00:30:40.92\00:30:44.00
a deep sleep. OK?
00:30:44.20\00:30:45.83
So he went to sleep,
00:30:53.42\00:30:56.46
fell out of the
window, and it killed him.
00:30:56.76\00:30:59.27
Now there's two things to
be learned from this passage.
00:30:59.57\00:31:02.50
One is: don't go to
sleep on the preacher.
00:31:02.80\00:31:06.16
Dangerous, OK?
00:31:06.46\00:31:09.79
The other thing is the preacher
shouldn't be long-winded either.
00:31:11.16\00:31:15.15
OK? But the boy
fell out of the window.
00:31:15.45\00:31:18.26
Took his life.
00:31:19.75\00:31:21.74
Paul goes down
and prays for him.
00:31:22.04\00:31:23.89
All right.
00:31:33.68\00:31:35.04
OK?
00:31:45.99\00:31:48.19
So it says he
fell out of the window.
00:31:51.60\00:31:53.33
It was about midnight.
00:31:53.43\00:31:54.72
His life was restored to him.
00:31:55.02\00:31:56.87
They went back
upstairs, had something to eat,
00:31:57.17\00:31:59.92
and they talked all night long.
00:32:00.12\00:32:02.41
The next morning Paul leaves.
00:32:02.72\00:32:05.45
OK, let's put together
00:32:05.75\00:32:07.93
some facts about this meeting.
00:32:08.23\00:32:09.73
This is what time of day?
00:32:10.13\00:32:12.39
Nighttime.
00:32:12.49\00:32:14.10
It's a night
meeting. There's many lights
00:32:14.40\00:32:15.71
in the upper chamber
00:32:15.91\00:32:17.16
so this is
definitely a night meeting.
00:32:17.30\00:32:19.37
Secondly, this takes place
00:32:19.57\00:32:22.23
on Paul's third
missionary journey.
00:32:22.53\00:32:26.46
If you take a look at this map,
00:32:26.66\00:32:28.25
you'll find that this is Paul's
third missionary journey here.
00:32:28.55\00:32:32.50
And this incident that
we're talking about tonight
00:32:32.80\00:32:36.15
took place up there
at a place called Troas.
00:32:36.45\00:32:39.81
That's where this
incident took place.
00:32:40.11\00:32:42.27
This is Paul's last
missionary journey, folks.
00:32:42.58\00:32:48.09
The last one he ever made.
00:32:48.39\00:32:49.94
You've got to make
sure you understand that.
00:32:50.14\00:32:51.98
Paul has gone clear
down here into Greece.
00:32:52.28\00:32:56.81
Down into Corinth,
Athens, all the way down there.
00:32:57.11\00:32:59.90
All right. Watch...
00:33:00.20\00:33:02.43
Paul is going to where?
00:33:02.74\00:33:07.22
Now let me tell
you what's happening.
00:33:07.52\00:33:09.43
The Feast of
Unleavened Bread is taking place
00:33:09.73\00:33:13.43
in Jerusalem.
00:33:13.63\00:33:14.63
Paul knows that there's
going to be Jewish people there
00:33:14.94\00:33:18.04
from all over the nation.
00:33:18.24\00:33:19.85
He knows that this will
be an excellent opportunity
00:33:20.15\00:33:23.75
for him to talk to the Jewish
people about Jesus Christ.
00:33:23.95\00:33:27.28
So he feels that he
has to go to Jerusalem
00:33:27.58\00:33:30.74
because he wants to talk
to people about Jesus Christ.
00:33:31.04\00:33:33.45
Well, the Holy
Spirit has told Paul
00:33:33.75\00:33:38.58
"If you go on to Jerusalem,
00:33:38.88\00:33:40.97
you're going to be
bound and taken to Rome. "
00:33:41.27\00:33:44.75
The Holy Spirit
has already told that.
00:33:45.05\00:33:47.65
The Holy Spirit does
not tell Paul "don't go. "
00:33:47.95\00:33:51.00
He's just telling Paul
what's going to happen to him
00:33:51.30\00:33:54.95
if he does.
00:33:55.15\00:33:56.29
But Paul is under conviction
that he needs to go to Rome.
00:33:56.49\00:34:00.27
All right, let's go on:
00:34:00.47\00:34:01.67
So Paul knows,
folks, what is before him.
00:34:33.95\00:34:38.89
No question about it.
00:34:39.09\00:34:40.25
So do the believers.
00:34:40.55\00:34:43.44
Got to remember
that... so do the believers.
00:34:43.74\00:34:45.73
This church at
Troas Paul raised up.
00:34:46.13\00:34:51.25
He's the one that
started that church.
00:34:51.55\00:34:53.20
Those people love him.
00:34:53.30\00:34:55.46
He is spending the
weekend there with them.
00:34:55.76\00:34:59.38
That's what he's doing.
00:34:59.69\00:35:00.97
This meeting is a
farewell meeting for Paul.
00:35:01.27\00:35:04.89
That's what it is... it's
a farewell meeting for Paul.
00:35:05.09\00:35:08.55
These people know they're
never going to see him again.
00:35:08.85\00:35:12.93
They know that.
00:35:13.23\00:35:14.78
So, what's happening?
00:35:15.08\00:35:17.92
Well, Paul has some
companions with him.
00:35:18.22\00:35:19.62
He has Luke and
Silas and Timothy.
00:35:19.82\00:35:24.12
He tells them to go
ahead of him and catch the ship
00:35:24.42\00:35:28.66
and sail to Assos.
00:35:28.96\00:35:31.71
How is that possible?
00:35:48.21\00:35:50.59
How is it possible
that they could go ahead
00:35:50.89\00:35:53.09
and catch the
ship, sail to Assos,
00:35:53.29\00:35:55.64
and Paul says: "I'll go
by foot and catch you? "
00:35:55.84\00:35:58.40
How could that be?
00:35:58.70\00:36:01.08
Well, let's see.
00:36:01.39\00:36:02.93
If you're looking
here at Troas, you'll find
00:36:04.46\00:36:07.43
that this is a peninsula.
00:36:07.73\00:36:09.63
And what just simply happened
is he told his companions
00:36:09.93\00:36:13.58
"You go ahead
and catch the ship.
00:36:13.78\00:36:15.26
You sail from Troas
around the peninsula
00:36:15.46\00:36:19.69
over to Assos Sunday morning.
00:36:19.99\00:36:23.24
I'll walk across the peninsula
and catch you in Assos... "
00:36:23.44\00:36:28.39
which was twenty miles.
00:36:28.59\00:36:29.91
And that's exactly what he did.
00:36:30.21\00:36:32.60
OK, so that's
what's happening here.
00:36:32.90\00:36:35.21
Why did Paul tell
them "You go ahead? "
00:36:35.51\00:36:37.31
"You go ahead
and catch the ship.
00:36:37.61\00:36:39.54
I'll spend the night
here with the believers. "
00:36:39.74\00:36:41.69
Because it's a
farewell meeting for Paul.
00:36:41.99\00:36:44.47
That's why they
stayed up all night, folks,
00:36:44.77\00:36:47.63
is because they know
they're not going to see him.
00:36:47.93\00:36:50.55
That's also why I
believe when it says
00:36:50.65\00:36:54.48
that they "broke bread"
00:36:54.78\00:36:56.70
I believe that refers to
celebrating the Lord's Supper
00:36:57.00\00:37:00.20
because I can't think of
anything I would rather do
00:37:00.50\00:37:04.47
if I was never
going to see people again
00:37:04.77\00:37:07.30
and I knew I would
never see them again
00:37:07.50\00:37:08.99
I can't think of anything nicer
00:37:09.29\00:37:10.60
than to celebrate the
Lord's Supper with them.
00:37:10.80\00:37:12.64
So Paul celebrated the
Lord's Supper with them,
00:37:12.95\00:37:16.46
spent all night with them.
00:37:16.76\00:37:18.04
Sunday morning he
takes out and walks 20 miles
00:37:18.34\00:37:21.76
over to Assos to
catch the ship there.
00:37:22.06\00:37:25.18
That was Sunday morning...
00:37:34.28\00:37:35.93
So this is a night meeting.
00:37:45.97\00:37:49.78
They spend all night there.
00:37:50.08\00:37:51.95
All right, now
let's look at something.
00:37:52.45\00:37:55.64
This is the only text,
folks, in the Old Testament
00:37:55.94\00:37:59.32
that mentions the
first day of the week...
00:37:59.62\00:38:01.85
but it has a
very important point.
00:38:02.15\00:38:05.27
Genesis 1 verse 5:
00:38:05.57\00:38:07.09
Now, there's certainly
nothing in that text that says
00:38:17.38\00:38:20.66
that God blessed,
hallowed, or sanctified
00:38:20.86\00:38:22.62
the first day of the
week. It's just simply saying
00:38:22.82\00:38:25.06
on the first day of
the week God created
00:38:25.09\00:38:26.60
the light and the darkness.
00:38:26.80\00:38:27.90
But he tells you
something very important.
00:38:28.00\00:38:29.81
He tells you when the day starts
00:38:30.11\00:38:32.58
and when it ends.
00:38:32.88\00:38:34.73
It says there
the what? So the...
00:38:35.03\00:38:39.15
"evening and the
morning were the first day. "
00:38:39.45\00:38:42.99
The scripture tells you
that the day begins at sunset.
00:38:43.29\00:38:46.35
That's what it's saying.
00:38:46.85\00:38:48.11
The day begins at
sunset and goes to sunset.
00:38:48.41\00:38:52.36
That's the way God made it.
00:38:52.66\00:38:54.62
And as you read the scripture,
you'll find that over and over
00:38:54.92\00:38:58.16
that the Bible is simply
telling you that the day starts
00:38:58.36\00:39:01.13
here at sunset
00:39:01.33\00:39:03.71
and goes to sunset.
00:39:03.74\00:39:07.63
Now, my point:
00:39:07.93\00:39:09.96
if this is the
first day of the week,
00:39:10.26\00:39:13.74
which it is... the
first day of the week,
00:39:14.04\00:39:17.34
and it's in the dark part
of the first day of the week,
00:39:17.74\00:39:23.02
then when is it?
00:39:23.32\00:39:26.13
Has to be Saturday night.
00:39:26.43\00:39:30.50
You see, because the
first day of the week
00:39:30.80\00:39:32.59
starts on Saturday night.
00:39:32.79\00:39:35.06
Sunset Saturday
night to sunset Sunday
00:39:35.36\00:39:38.25
is the first day of the week.
00:39:38.45\00:39:39.66
If you move it
to Sunday evening,
00:39:39.96\00:39:42.07
that's the
second day of the week.
00:39:42.27\00:39:43.91
Now you say: "Well,
Brother Cox, are you really sure
00:39:45.63\00:39:47.66
about that? "
00:39:47.86\00:39:49.13
Well let me show you the
way the New English Bible
00:39:49.44\00:39:51.80
translates it.
00:39:52.00\00:39:53.10
This is what it says:
00:39:53.40\00:39:54.53
Well, let me give you
another one. Leviticus 23:32.
00:39:56.61\00:39:59.66
Excuse me. Says:
00:39:59.87\00:40:01.10
That means from sunset to sunset
00:40:06.72\00:40:11.08
you shall
celebrate your Sabbath.
00:40:11.38\00:40:13.00
OK. Now the statement
from the New English Bible.
00:40:13.30\00:40:16.04
It's Acts 20
verse 7, and it says:
00:40:16.34\00:40:21.00
See, Bible scholars recognize
00:40:27.20\00:40:29.18
that night meeting
was Saturday night.
00:40:29.48\00:40:31.60
Had to be in order to be
the first day of the week.
00:40:31.90\00:40:34.19
So what I'm trying to tell you,
folks, is there is nothing here
00:40:34.49\00:40:38.58
in this scripture
that says that God blessed,
00:40:38.88\00:40:42.07
God hallowed, or God sanctified
the first day of the week.
00:40:42.27\00:40:46.16
In fact, the Bible says
that the first day of the week
00:40:46.46\00:40:51.26
is a work day.
00:40:51.56\00:40:54.28
Did you know that?
00:40:54.58\00:40:55.80
That's what the Bible says.
00:40:56.10\00:40:57.47
So the scripture
says very clearly
00:41:21.37\00:41:23.27
that the first day of
the week is a work day.
00:41:23.57\00:41:26.72
That's all the
scriptures there are, folks.
00:41:27.02\00:41:29.60
There's not any more.
00:41:29.90\00:41:31.01
Now we live in a
day of computers.
00:41:31.51\00:41:35.63
You know, I have to travel.
00:41:35.93\00:41:39.50
Because I travel a lot, I
cannot haul my library with me.
00:41:39.60\00:41:44.36
Impossible. I'd
love to but I can't.
00:41:44.66\00:41:47.52
Fortunately, computers
make it possible that you can
00:41:47.82\00:41:51.76
have your
library in your computer.
00:41:51.96\00:41:53.71
You can get all
kinds... you know...
00:41:54.01\00:41:55.96
all books - lots of
books - in a computer.
00:41:56.16\00:41:58.16
And, of course, I have
my Bible in the computer.
00:41:58.46\00:42:01.59
And so what I did
is I just simply asked
00:42:01.89\00:42:04.98
the computer on my Bible
00:42:05.18\00:42:07.70
in the computer I
said: "Give me all the texts
00:42:08.01\00:42:10.90
in the Bible that mention
the first day of the week. "
00:42:11.11\00:42:13.64
And it printed them out for me.
00:42:13.94\00:42:16.79
That's what I
just shared with you.
00:42:17.09\00:42:18.86
These are all the
texts in the Bible
00:42:19.16\00:42:23.13
that mention the
first day of the week.
00:42:23.44\00:42:24.96
Nine of them right there.
00:42:25.26\00:42:26.87
All listed.
00:42:27.17\00:42:29.12
OK?
00:42:29.42\00:42:30.51
Then I said to the computer
00:42:30.81\00:42:32.23
"Give me all the
texts in the Bible
00:42:32.53\00:42:34.91
that mention the Sabbath. "
00:42:35.21\00:42:37.00
And it did.
00:42:37.30\00:42:39.18
I'd like to share them with you.
00:42:41.63\00:42:43.21
Now
00:42:55.23\00:42:56.76
if you want to see on which
side the amount of evidence is,
00:43:00.19\00:43:04.08
it's quite obvious - see? -
00:43:04.38\00:43:07.21
that God never...
never blessed, never hallowed
00:43:07.52\00:43:10.81
the first day of the week.
00:43:11.01\00:43:12.89
So I guess what
we need to ask is...
00:43:13.19\00:43:15.76
Since God never...
00:43:16.06\00:43:17.09
There's not any.
00:43:27.31\00:43:28.48
Then... what
brought about the change?
00:43:28.78\00:43:31.28
Let me read some
statements to you.
00:43:31.58\00:43:34.36
These are
statements by other beliefs.
00:43:34.66\00:43:38.67
This is by Dr. Edward Hiscox,
00:43:38.78\00:43:42.39
the author of
the Baptist Manual.
00:43:42.59\00:43:44.74
I want you to listen
to what he has to say.
00:43:45.04\00:43:47.02
That's what he says.
00:44:33.68\00:44:36.00
Quite clear where he stands.
00:44:36.30\00:44:38.93
Why do we have that today?
00:44:42.03\00:44:44.80
What brought about the change?
00:44:45.10\00:44:46.45
Well the Jewish
people are in revolt
00:44:46.75\00:44:51.09
against Rome.
00:44:51.59\00:44:53.71
If you have never
read about it, then I would
00:44:54.01\00:44:57.18
invite you to read
about it. Read about Masada
00:44:57.38\00:45:00.27
and some of those things.
00:45:00.57\00:45:01.84
And it will tell you about
the revolt of the Jewish people
00:45:02.14\00:45:04.35
against the Roman Empire.
00:45:04.65\00:45:06.67
Because they were in
revolt against the Roman Empire,
00:45:06.97\00:45:11.48
the Romans sent soldiers in
00:45:11.78\00:45:15.04
and they killed them.
Slaughtered the Jewish people.
00:45:15.34\00:45:18.26
But since the Christians...
since the Christians
00:45:18.56\00:45:23.03
kept the Sabbath as
well as did the Jews,
00:45:23.33\00:45:26.92
they slaughtered Christians.
00:45:27.22\00:45:28.81
And so in an
effort to try to show
00:45:29.11\00:45:33.54
a difference between
the Jews and the Christians
00:45:33.84\00:45:36.89
some of them started keeping
the first day of the week.
00:45:37.19\00:45:40.04
That's what
brought about a change.
00:45:41.46\00:45:44.20
No scripture for this, folks.
00:45:44.40\00:45:46.19
No scripture at all...
00:45:46.49\00:45:47.73
but just simply
trying to make a distinction.
00:45:48.03\00:45:50.09
And so you find many
Christians kept the Sabbath
00:45:50.29\00:45:52.85
and they kept Sunday both.
00:45:53.05\00:45:54.40
But by the time you reach 300 AD
00:45:54.70\00:45:59.01
almost half of the
Roman Empire is now Christian.
00:45:59.31\00:46:04.30
Christianity has
spread that much.
00:46:04.60\00:46:06.68
The emperor's
name is Constantine.
00:46:07.88\00:46:11.42
Constantine can see
that it would be politically
00:46:12.63\00:46:17.28
advantageous for him
to become a Christian.
00:46:17.58\00:46:20.13
So he tells the
people that he had a dream.
00:46:21.51\00:46:24.49
In the dream he saw a cross
00:46:24.79\00:46:27.78
and that he was going
to become a Christian.
00:46:28.08\00:46:30.58
Never did.
00:46:30.89\00:46:32.75
But he even took his army and
marched them through the river
00:46:32.95\00:46:36.07
and told them they
had all been baptized
00:46:36.27\00:46:37.83
and were now Christians.
00:46:38.03\00:46:39.35
But in order to make
Christianity appealing
00:46:40.36\00:46:45.92
to the pagan - that's
what he's trying to do...
00:46:46.12\00:46:48.52
to make Christianity
appealing to the pagan -
00:46:48.82\00:46:50.84
Constantine signed into
effect what was known as the
00:46:51.14\00:46:55.01
Edict of Constantine 321 AD.
00:46:55.21\00:46:58.70
Listen to it:
00:46:58.90\00:46:59.96
In fact, Constantine
even put a penalty on it
00:47:24.06\00:47:27.24
if they didn't do that.
00:47:27.44\00:47:28.51
The church leaders
after a period of time
00:47:29.77\00:47:32.25
at the Council of
Laodicea they accepted that.
00:47:32.55\00:47:35.54
And thus you find now
the state is enforcing
00:47:35.84\00:47:40.06
the keeping of the
first day of the week.
00:47:40.36\00:47:42.92
This is what history tells us.
00:47:43.22\00:47:44.81
That was the stand that
the Council of Laodicea took.
00:48:02.86\00:48:07.96
And so you find
that the change came.
00:48:08.26\00:48:11.47
And so you and I today
00:48:17.29\00:48:19.93
because of tradition
many of you like myself
00:48:20.23\00:48:24.64
were brought up keeping Sunday.
00:48:24.94\00:48:27.05
Didn't know any different.
00:48:27.35\00:48:28.38
That's the way I was taught
from the time I was a child.
00:48:28.69\00:48:31.35
But when I picked up God's Word
00:48:31.85\00:48:34.65
and I began to
look in the scripture,
00:48:34.95\00:48:37.20
I began to find it
was strangely absent.
00:48:37.50\00:48:40.53
Just wasn't there.
00:48:40.83\00:48:43.54
And I had to take a
good look at it and say
00:48:43.84\00:48:46.92
"What does the Bible say?
What does it teach here? "
00:48:47.22\00:48:50.38
Many religious
leaders have understood this.
00:48:52.02\00:48:57.60
Some have made very
strong statements about it.
00:48:57.70\00:49:00.88
This is a statement -
Creeds of Christendom -
00:49:01.18\00:49:04.17
Phillip Shaff. This is a
statement, folks, made by
00:49:04.47\00:49:08.89
Martin Luther.
00:49:09.09\00:49:10.66
This was made by Martin Luther.
00:49:10.96\00:49:13.86
I want you to listen:
00:49:14.06\00:49:15.15
Said that's what they say.
00:49:21.00\00:49:22.69
Said it's
contrary to the Decalogue.
00:49:29.75\00:49:32.10
They said "that's there. "
That's Luther's own statement.
00:49:50.83\00:49:55.41
So there are many
church leaders quite well aware
00:49:55.71\00:50:01.25
that this is what took place.
00:50:01.55\00:50:03.15
If you want to take
a look at the Bible,
00:50:03.45\00:50:06.02
look at it...
what it has to say,
00:50:06.32\00:50:09.14
it will tell you
clearly there is no other day
00:50:09.44\00:50:12.94
but the Sabbath.
00:50:13.24\00:50:14.57
In fact, it refers to the
00:50:14.87\00:50:17.61
Sabbath all the way through
00:50:17.81\00:50:19.58
as the Sabbath of the...
00:50:19.88\00:50:23.17
Lord. It does not say
00:50:25.05\00:50:27.94
the Sabbath of the people.
00:50:28.24\00:50:29.93
It says it is the
Sabbath of the Lord.
00:50:30.24\00:50:34.59
He's the One that gave
it; He's the One that made it.
00:50:34.89\00:50:37.97
Another statement:
00:50:38.27\00:50:42.05
That was what the
Catholic church says.
00:51:04.44\00:51:06.86
That's their statement.
00:51:07.16\00:51:08.68
So to you that are here tonight
00:51:08.98\00:51:13.02
those of you who are
watching by television
00:51:13.32\00:51:15.06
I would just simply say to you
00:51:15.37\00:51:17.80
that you have to
look at God's Word
00:51:18.10\00:51:20.64
and decide where you're
going to build your faith.
00:51:20.95\00:51:23.91
If you're going to
build your faith on church...
00:51:24.21\00:51:28.51
That where you're
going to build it?
00:51:28.81\00:51:32.27
Let me tell you
something. You never, never,
00:51:33.63\00:51:37.27
never find truth by a church.
00:51:37.57\00:51:41.34
You don't find it there.
00:51:41.65\00:51:43.81
I don't care what
church you're talking about.
00:51:44.01\00:51:45.59
You don't find
truth by the Baptists.
00:51:45.69\00:51:48.43
You don't find
truth by the Methodists.
00:51:48.74\00:51:50.71
You don't find it
by the Presbyterians.
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.80
Don't find it by the Lutherans.
00:51:53.10\00:51:54.47
You don't find
it by the Catholics.
00:51:54.67\00:51:56.50
You don't find it by
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:51:56.80\00:51:58.68
You do not find
truth by a church.
00:52:00.17\00:52:05.42
You find truth
by the Word of God.
00:52:05.72\00:52:10.16
That is where you
must build your faith.
00:52:10.46\00:52:15.37
You see, if I'm going
to start out here and say
00:52:15.67\00:52:18.52
"well I'm going to
build my faith on a church, "
00:52:18.82\00:52:21.50
that's a long road, friend...
00:52:21.81\00:52:25.13
because there are over
300 major denominations.
00:52:25.33\00:52:28.73
You going to go
through all 300 of them
00:52:29.03\00:52:30.41
to make sure you got the truth?
00:52:30.62\00:52:31.83
No, you can't do that.
00:52:32.14\00:52:34.75
You've got to build your
belief on the Word of God.
00:52:35.06\00:52:38.30
You've got to stand here.
00:52:38.60\00:52:39.81
I've got to say: "This is
what the Word of God teaches.
00:52:40.01\00:52:42.31
This is where I stand. "
00:52:42.61\00:52:43.93
And if I will stand solidly
00:52:44.23\00:52:47.58
on the Word of God,
00:52:48.08\00:52:49.95
you'll never be let down.
00:52:51.62\00:52:53.01
You know, once you
build your faith on the book
00:52:53.32\00:52:56.40
you never have to say:
"Well, uh... " you know.
00:52:56.70\00:53:00.89
It reads the same every time.
00:53:01.19\00:53:02.89
You can believe it;
you can stand there.
00:53:03.19\00:53:06.56
And I can tell you tonight
00:53:06.86\00:53:09.72
that God will wonderfully,
marvelously bless you
00:53:10.02\00:53:14.51
if you'll stand
on the Word of God.
00:53:15.11\00:53:18.44
He won't fail; He
won't let you down.
00:53:18.74\00:53:22.07
He'll be there to
guide and direct your life
00:53:22.37\00:53:25.45
in a very, very definite way.
00:53:25.75\00:53:29.05
I can tell you...
00:53:29.35\00:53:31.12
I can tell you out of experience
00:53:32.14\00:53:35.02
when I came face to
face with this question
00:53:36.82\00:53:42.75
I was 17 years old.
00:53:44.08\00:53:46.07
Some of the things
that you are seeing here
00:53:48.47\00:53:51.11
the ideas were given
to me as just a young man.
00:53:52.61\00:53:56.11
Because a man came to
our house, and he took
00:53:56.41\00:54:00.89
a window shade - an old
pull-down window shade -
00:54:01.09\00:54:04.00
you know what I'm talking about?
00:54:04.03\00:54:05.06
and he had painted in
color all these prophecies
00:54:05.16\00:54:08.98
that I've been
talking to you about.
00:54:09.19\00:54:10.96
And he would come and roll that
out across our living room floor
00:54:11.16\00:54:14.02
and teach us.
And it was from him
00:54:14.22\00:54:18.19
that I came face to face with
the question of the Sabbath.
00:54:18.49\00:54:21.42
I was 17 years old.
00:54:25.98\00:54:27.76
My father became
violently opposed.
00:54:29.16\00:54:33.92
Opposed enough that every time
00:54:35.40\00:54:39.28
I went to church on the Sabbath
00:54:39.58\00:54:42.81
when I came back he whipped me.
00:54:43.11\00:54:45.86
I didn't have to take it.
00:54:47.24\00:54:49.42
I was 17 years old.
00:54:49.72\00:54:52.10
My father was crippled.
00:54:52.40\00:54:54.80
But I stood there and I took it
00:54:56.61\00:54:58.66
week after week after week.
00:54:58.96\00:55:03.80
And I will tell you tonight
00:55:04.10\00:55:07.14
if I had to do it
over, I'd do it again.
00:55:07.44\00:55:09.95
Because God simply
promises that if you and I
00:55:11.71\00:55:17.32
will stand with
Him... And it's believing...
00:55:17.82\00:55:21.79
take Him for what He says
00:55:22.09\00:55:23.96
that He will bless you
and bless you abundantly.
00:55:24.26\00:55:28.58
And I can tell
you right now tonight
00:55:28.88\00:55:31.13
if I had my life
to live over again,
00:55:31.43\00:55:34.42
I'd do exactly what I have done
00:55:34.72\00:55:37.69
because I have
seen the hand of God.
00:55:37.99\00:55:40.40
I've seen how He's
blessed over and over.
00:55:40.70\00:55:43.46
And He'll bless your
life in a very special way
00:55:43.76\00:55:47.23
if you just follow Him.
00:55:47.53\00:55:49.04
Where He leads me
00:55:51.70\00:55:55.16
I will follow.
00:55:55.36\00:56:01.30
Where He leads me
00:56:01.74\00:56:05.58
I will follow.
00:56:05.78\00:56:11.77
Where He leads me
00:56:12.61\00:56:16.20
I will follow.
00:56:16.50\00:56:22.49
I will follow
00:56:23.58\00:56:27.36
all the way.
00:56:27.66\00:56:33.63
Let's bow our heads
for a word of prayer.
00:56:35.38\00:56:36.91
May God be with
each of you as we look
00:56:37.99\00:56:43.69
at what His Word has revealed.
00:56:43.99\00:56:47.42
We pray, Lord, that
You will bless each one.
00:56:47.72\00:56:51.93
May they find
comfort; may they find strength
00:56:53.34\00:56:57.37
in You that You will
guide and direct their lives.
00:56:57.67\00:57:01.51
That they may
reach out in faith,
00:57:02.01\00:57:04.28
take hold of Your hand,
00:57:04.58\00:57:06.98
walk with you all
the way into the kingdom.
00:57:07.28\00:57:10.34
For this we ask
in Christ's name.
00:57:10.64\00:57:13.00
To obtain a copy of this
program or for more information,
00:57:17.13\00:57:20.05
please write to:
00:57:20.25\00:57:21.44