Our scripture lesson
00:00:31.56\00:00:34.43
as was outlined comes
from the Book of Micah.
00:00:34.46\00:00:39.40
Micah...
00:00:39.43\00:00:43.34
6:8.
00:00:43.37\00:00:48.18
Gracious Father, we
ask you know to speak to us
00:00:57.95\00:01:04.76
and help us to understand
Your will for our lives,
00:01:04.79\00:01:10.53
and then help
us to do that will,
00:01:10.57\00:01:13.34
for it is in the doing that
we are made like Christ Jesus
00:01:13.37\00:01:18.27
and we thank you, amen.
00:01:18.31\00:01:22.78
The word for our
discussion is ontology.
00:01:22.81\00:01:27.42
Ontology is a branch of
philosophy or metaphysics.
00:01:27.45\00:01:34.36
And when we talk
about metaphysics,
00:01:34.39\00:01:36.02
we're talking about
the first principles,
00:01:36.06\00:01:40.20
the underlying theological
or theoretical principles
00:01:40.23\00:01:44.63
of whatever you are studying.
00:01:44.67\00:01:47.40
Metaphysics is what undergirds
whatever you're looking at.
00:01:47.44\00:01:53.51
The word meta
00:01:53.54\00:01:56.44
deals with data
that defines data.
00:01:56.48\00:02:02.62
Meta means
underlying, you hear about...
00:02:02.65\00:02:06.45
What's the word
you hear now metadata.
00:02:06.49\00:02:09.72
Metadata is data
that explains data.
00:02:09.76\00:02:15.20
It's something
that takes a big thing
00:02:15.23\00:02:18.97
and makes it simpler by
giving you clues or cues
00:02:19.00\00:02:23.44
to understand and make things
00:02:23.47\00:02:24.87
so you've got a
book, big thick book,
00:02:24.91\00:02:28.31
the metadata
would be who wrote it?
00:02:28.34\00:02:33.08
What's the subject matter?
00:02:33.11\00:02:34.98
How long is it?
00:02:35.02\00:02:36.69
Its data that helps
you understand other data,
00:02:36.72\00:02:42.32
that's metadata,
00:02:42.36\00:02:44.63
so metaphysics is
the underlying principle
00:02:44.66\00:02:51.27
that undergirds
whatever you are studying.
00:02:51.30\00:02:55.64
So ontology I told you
it was pedagogy school.
00:02:55.67\00:03:01.28
Ontology is,
00:03:01.31\00:03:04.31
is a branch of metaphysics
00:03:04.35\00:03:08.98
which deals with humanity
00:03:09.02\00:03:12.99
and existential living.
00:03:13.02\00:03:17.46
It is closely
allied with cosmology
00:03:17.49\00:03:22.86
and here's the big one
00:03:22.90\00:03:25.47
epistemology, amen.
00:03:25.50\00:03:31.17
Epistemology
deals with the human,
00:03:31.21\00:03:34.61
the limits of
human understanding.
00:03:34.64\00:03:38.05
There's only so
much you can understand,
00:03:38.08\00:03:41.02
there's so, only so
much you can dig into
00:03:41.05\00:03:44.59
and the
philosophy of epistemology
00:03:44.62\00:03:48.22
tries to understand
how much can we as humans
00:03:48.26\00:03:53.86
actually understand
about the world around us.
00:03:53.90\00:03:58.87
And epistemologists
questions everything.
00:03:58.90\00:04:03.44
So the quintessential
epistemological question
00:04:03.47\00:04:06.41
is which came first,
the chicken or the egg?
00:04:06.44\00:04:13.38
The epistemologists would say,
00:04:13.42\00:04:16.79
what chicken?
00:04:16.82\00:04:20.46
Or if you asked
an epistemologist,
00:04:20.49\00:04:23.32
why did the
chicken cross the road?
00:04:23.36\00:04:27.50
The epistemologist
would ask what road?
00:04:27.53\00:04:31.77
Was it a dirt road?
00:04:31.80\00:04:33.50
Was it a paved road?
00:04:33.54\00:04:35.54
Did that chicken
normally cross the road?
00:04:35.57\00:04:38.14
How many times have you observed
00:04:38.17\00:04:39.51
that chicken crossing the road?
00:04:39.54\00:04:40.88
And why are you so
hung up on chickens anyway?
00:04:40.91\00:04:43.95
Ontology takes epistemology
00:04:52.15\00:04:58.19
and focuses on the metaphysical
nature of human existence.
00:04:58.23\00:05:02.96
In other words,
00:05:03.00\00:05:04.33
ontology deals with being human,
00:05:04.37\00:05:07.60
not human being, being human.
00:05:07.64\00:05:12.81
Now this is important,
00:05:12.84\00:05:14.44
because all true religion
00:05:14.48\00:05:18.35
is based on a
philosophical structure
00:05:18.38\00:05:24.15
that stands on a
ontological framework.
00:05:24.19\00:05:30.36
All true religion is based
on ontological foundations.
00:05:30.39\00:05:38.07
It has
ontological underpinnings.
00:05:38.10\00:05:42.20
I'll stick with him,
we're going somewhere with this
00:05:42.24\00:05:43.97
but I said it's deductive.
00:05:44.01\00:05:45.61
So when I get there,
00:05:45.64\00:05:47.91
you'll know, but
we're not there yet.
00:05:47.94\00:05:51.65
Every true
religion has a worldview,
00:05:51.68\00:05:56.52
every religion.
00:05:56.55\00:05:58.12
Every true
religion looks at the world
00:05:58.15\00:06:00.46
through a certain lens
00:06:00.49\00:06:03.36
and that lens is
shaped by ontology.
00:06:03.39\00:06:09.00
Everybody has
some sense of ontology
00:06:09.03\00:06:14.34
and your ontology
combined with your theology
00:06:14.37\00:06:19.21
equals your faith and
your view of the world.
00:06:19.24\00:06:22.34
Even Satan
worshippers have ontology.
00:06:22.38\00:06:25.58
They have a life view,
they have a reason for living.
00:06:25.61\00:06:30.59
Now, it is wrong
and it is misguided
00:06:30.62\00:06:33.62
and it is deceived but
they have a sense of being,
00:06:33.66\00:06:40.00
they exist to serve the devil.
00:06:40.03\00:06:43.77
We exist to give glory
to God, that's our ontology,
00:06:43.80\00:06:48.70
that's our reason for living.
00:06:48.74\00:06:51.44
So then there are three
basic ontological questions
00:06:51.47\00:06:56.71
that we need to wrestle with.
00:06:56.75\00:06:59.21
All religion seeks to answer
00:06:59.25\00:07:02.22
these three basic
ontological questions.
00:07:02.25\00:07:07.26
All true religion
answers these questions.
00:07:07.29\00:07:11.23
Number one: Basic
ontological question,
00:07:11.26\00:07:15.43
where did I come from?
00:07:15.46\00:07:18.50
That's basic, you're here,
you had to get here some way.
00:07:18.53\00:07:25.44
Amen.
00:07:25.47\00:07:27.74
I said amen.
00:07:27.78\00:07:29.14
Yeah, where you come
from? Well, I came for my mama.
00:07:29.18\00:07:32.85
Where did your mama come from?
00:07:32.88\00:07:34.82
Her mama.
00:07:34.85\00:07:36.85
Where did her mama come from?
00:07:36.89\00:07:40.06
Her mama
00:07:40.09\00:07:42.09
and you go back and
you go back and back
00:07:42.12\00:07:44.33
and sometime, somewhere
there was an original mama.
00:07:44.36\00:07:49.73
Amen.
00:07:49.76\00:07:51.10
So where did the
original mama come from?
00:07:51.13\00:07:54.54
That's, that's ontology,
that's the first question,
00:07:54.57\00:07:57.34
where did I come from?
00:07:57.37\00:08:00.78
All philosophers
and all philosophies
00:08:00.81\00:08:03.18
must wrestle with that question.
00:08:03.21\00:08:05.48
And all religion,
00:08:05.51\00:08:06.85
all true religion not only
wrestles with that question,
00:08:06.88\00:08:09.95
it's got to
answer that question.
00:08:09.98\00:08:12.95
Where did we come from?
00:08:12.99\00:08:16.96
People come up with all
kind of hybrid solutions.
00:08:16.99\00:08:20.70
Deism, Deistic
Evolution, Theo Creationism,
00:08:20.73\00:08:25.13
but the truth is
there are only...
00:08:25.17\00:08:27.30
Excuse me, there
are only two choices,
00:08:27.34\00:08:31.77
only two choices.
00:08:31.81\00:08:33.38
I mean you got a crust
and tomato sauce and cheese,
00:08:33.41\00:08:37.51
that's a pizza.
00:08:37.55\00:08:39.25
Amen.
00:08:39.28\00:08:40.62
That's what that is.
00:08:40.65\00:08:43.95
So there are only two choices.
00:08:43.99\00:08:45.42
Where did the pizza come from?
00:08:48.76\00:08:52.03
It's either by
accident or by design.
00:08:52.06\00:08:56.73
Now you take a crust and
a jar of Ragu tomato sauce
00:08:56.77\00:09:01.94
and a lump of cheese
00:09:01.97\00:09:03.30
and let it sit
there for a billion years,
00:09:03.34\00:09:05.14
you'll never get a pizza.
00:09:05.17\00:09:06.51
You can't.
00:09:09.44\00:09:13.52
So we got here
00:09:13.55\00:09:15.15
either by accident or design,
00:09:15.18\00:09:21.89
amen.
00:09:21.92\00:09:23.26
Yeah, you are either an accident
00:09:23.29\00:09:25.59
or you are part
of someone's design.
00:09:25.63\00:09:29.00
When you looked at
the mirror this morning,
00:09:29.03\00:09:30.73
what you saw looking
back at you was an accident...
00:09:30.77\00:09:35.00
Or it was design.
00:09:39.44\00:09:42.11
That's, that's it.
00:09:42.14\00:09:44.08
Accident or design,
00:09:44.11\00:09:47.18
on purpose, accident.
00:09:47.22\00:09:50.39
Now, if you believe in design,
00:09:50.42\00:09:52.92
you must de facto
believe Larry in a designer,
00:09:52.95\00:09:58.56
amen.
00:09:58.59\00:09:59.93
You cannot have
design without a designer
00:09:59.96\00:10:05.43
because design does
not come by accident.
00:10:05.47\00:10:09.07
Look at your
fingers, look at your toes.
00:10:12.11\00:10:16.04
Accident?
00:10:16.08\00:10:17.41
So design presupposes designer.
00:10:20.78\00:10:25.89
Pizzas don't just appear,
00:10:25.92\00:10:31.29
amen.
00:10:31.33\00:10:32.93
Someone's got
to make that pizza.
00:10:32.96\00:10:37.37
It is illogical to believe
00:10:37.40\00:10:41.50
that we are the
product of billions of years
00:10:41.54\00:10:44.97
of random selection.
00:10:45.01\00:10:46.88
It simply does not make sense.
00:10:46.91\00:10:52.55
And if, we are part of
an evolutionary process
00:10:52.58\00:10:56.45
then my question is
what comes after us.
00:10:56.48\00:11:00.32
If it's evolution, do
not think you are the end,
00:11:03.73\00:11:07.36
you are a transitional state.
00:11:07.40\00:11:09.06
By the way this is
the teleological argument
00:11:12.63\00:11:16.07
for the existence of God,
00:11:16.10\00:11:18.37
there's ontological
and there's teleological
00:11:18.41\00:11:20.88
and there's one
I can't remember.
00:11:20.91\00:11:22.24
But the
teleological argument says,
00:11:22.28\00:11:24.31
"If you've got
something that is complex,
00:11:24.35\00:11:26.41
something more
complex had to make
00:11:26.45\00:11:28.08
that less complex thing."
00:11:28.12\00:11:30.99
So we are fearfully
and wonderfully made.
00:11:31.02\00:11:35.16
Who fearfully and
wonderfully made us?
00:11:35.19\00:11:38.06
It is an important
ontological question.
00:11:43.93\00:11:47.67
So if you believe in evolution
00:11:47.70\00:11:51.77
or accidental creation,
00:11:51.81\00:11:55.94
you favor natural
selection over God.
00:11:55.98\00:12:01.12
You believe that we
came from lower life forms.
00:12:01.15\00:12:06.19
You believe that
daddy was a gorilla,
00:12:06.22\00:12:09.12
mama was a chimpanzee.
00:12:09.16\00:12:10.49
You cannot believe in both.
00:12:13.50\00:12:18.27
It's either one or the other,
00:12:18.30\00:12:22.07
either God is or God ain't.
00:12:22.10\00:12:26.57
And the Bible says,
00:12:26.61\00:12:27.94
"He that cometh unto
God, must believe that he is,
00:12:27.98\00:12:33.08
and that he is a rewarder,"
00:12:33.11\00:12:34.52
Hebrews 11:6.
00:12:34.55\00:12:36.38
Seventh-day Adventism
answers those questions
00:12:36.42\00:12:40.76
from the word of God.
00:12:40.79\00:12:43.09
Genesis 1:1,
00:12:43.12\00:12:44.46
very first book in the Bible,
00:12:44.49\00:12:45.83
very first
chapter, very first verse.
00:12:45.86\00:12:48.00
"In the beginning God,"
00:12:48.03\00:12:49.53
in the Hebrew
Bereshit Bara Elohim.
00:12:49.56\00:12:53.60
John 1:3, the Bible says,
00:12:53.64\00:12:55.80
"Without him was not
anything made that was made."
00:12:55.84\00:12:58.91
The Bible makes no
apologies for its assertion
00:12:58.94\00:13:02.94
that you came
from the hand of God,
00:13:02.98\00:13:05.05
you are not an accident.
00:13:05.08\00:13:09.18
I remember I had an elder
00:13:09.22\00:13:11.59
who I asked to take
prayer meeting for me
00:13:11.62\00:13:15.12
when I was
pastoring the Ephesus Church
00:13:15.16\00:13:18.29
and he preached on the subject,
00:13:18.33\00:13:20.80
"I ain't no accident."
00:13:20.83\00:13:23.93
He was the product of
parents who were not married
00:13:23.97\00:13:30.67
and all his life they would say,
00:13:30.71\00:13:32.04
"Oh, well, he was an accident."
00:13:32.07\00:13:34.78
And he said, "I
ain't no accident,
00:13:34.81\00:13:37.48
came from the hand of God.
00:13:37.51\00:13:39.31
The fact that I'm here
means I ain't no accident."
00:13:39.35\00:13:41.88
Evolutionists then
00:13:44.95\00:13:47.42
have no right along with atheist
00:13:47.46\00:13:50.13
and I suppose agnostic
00:13:50.16\00:13:51.89
have no right to
celebrate Christmas.
00:13:51.93\00:13:53.80
How can you celebrate
the birth of the Son of God
00:13:57.40\00:14:00.00
and you don't believe in God.
00:14:00.04\00:14:03.47
So that holiday is taken.
00:14:03.51\00:14:07.44
So ontological
question number one:
00:14:07.48\00:14:10.48
Where did I come from?
00:14:10.51\00:14:13.62
Ontological question number two:
00:14:13.65\00:14:16.75
Why am I here?
00:14:16.79\00:14:22.62
And what is the best way
to behave while I am here?
00:14:22.66\00:14:28.86
Why are you here?
00:14:28.90\00:14:32.73
Why am I here is
a crucial question
00:14:32.77\00:14:37.44
to be answered.
00:14:37.47\00:14:40.51
There are some people
walking the earth today,
00:14:40.54\00:14:44.05
who have never asked
themselves the question
00:14:44.08\00:14:48.15
until they get in trouble
00:14:48.18\00:14:51.25
and then
everyone hit the answers.
00:14:51.29\00:14:55.62
Why are you here?
00:14:55.66\00:14:58.39
Have you solve
that in your life?
00:14:58.43\00:15:03.80
And it's important question
00:15:03.83\00:15:05.17
because if you
know why you are here,
00:15:05.20\00:15:09.37
when things
don't go like you want,
00:15:09.40\00:15:14.68
you can handle it
00:15:14.71\00:15:16.54
'cause you know why you're here.
00:15:16.58\00:15:19.11
I'm gonna come back
to that in a little bit
00:15:19.15\00:15:20.85
and say it a different way,
00:15:20.88\00:15:22.22
make a little more sense to you.
00:15:22.25\00:15:24.05
Part B.
00:15:24.09\00:15:26.12
How do I live while I am here?
00:15:26.15\00:15:28.49
How do I treat my neighbor?
00:15:28.52\00:15:29.86
How do I treat my wife?
00:15:29.89\00:15:31.23
How do I treat my husband?
00:15:31.26\00:15:32.59
How do I treat my coworkers?
00:15:32.63\00:15:33.96
How do I treat the planet?
00:15:34.00\00:15:35.46
How do I treat those
who don't treat me well?
00:15:35.50\00:15:39.57
How do I treat those
who are different than I am?
00:15:43.10\00:15:45.41
Does the word, does
my church address that?
00:15:49.81\00:15:53.31
Well, indeed it does.
00:15:53.35\00:15:56.48
Ontological
question number three:
00:15:56.52\00:16:01.16
What happens when I'm gone?
00:16:01.19\00:16:06.19
Amen.
00:16:06.23\00:16:08.46
What happens to the world
00:16:08.50\00:16:10.63
and most
importantly what happens to me?
00:16:10.67\00:16:16.14
How did I get here?
00:16:16.17\00:16:18.24
How do I stay here?
00:16:18.27\00:16:20.48
What happens when I ain't here?
00:16:20.51\00:16:23.71
If you go to a church
00:16:26.88\00:16:29.68
and their study
of the word of God
00:16:29.72\00:16:32.09
does not address or redress
00:16:32.12\00:16:35.16
these three basic
ontological questions
00:16:35.19\00:16:40.60
then dare I say
00:16:40.63\00:16:42.66
that church is not
doing you any good.
00:16:42.70\00:16:48.10
It is a waste of time.
00:16:48.14\00:16:51.54
It may even be a cult,
00:16:51.57\00:16:54.08
because all true
religion has got to wrestle
00:16:54.11\00:16:58.25
with the basic
ontological questions,
00:16:58.28\00:17:01.88
where did I come from?
00:17:01.92\00:17:03.65
How did I get here?
00:17:03.69\00:17:05.15
What's the best way to
behave while I am here?
00:17:05.19\00:17:07.46
And when I leave
here, what happens?
00:17:07.49\00:17:11.56
So if your church
doesn't deal with that,
00:17:11.59\00:17:13.29
it can't help you
00:17:13.33\00:17:14.66
and you forgive my
pejorative English,
00:17:14.70\00:17:16.40
sure enough can't save you.
00:17:16.43\00:17:18.23
You see the Christian,
00:17:22.77\00:17:24.11
the difference between a
Christian and a non-Christian
00:17:24.14\00:17:29.84
is not that Christians
are better than non-Christian,
00:17:29.88\00:17:32.81
you know that's not true.
00:17:32.85\00:17:35.82
The difference between a
Christian and a non-Christian
00:17:35.85\00:17:39.79
is that Christians in some form
00:17:39.82\00:17:44.29
or another have asked
00:17:44.33\00:17:46.76
and answered
those basic questions.
00:17:46.80\00:17:51.67
If a person says, "I
don't believe in God.
00:17:51.70\00:17:54.14
I don't go to
church. I don't pray."
00:17:54.17\00:17:56.44
What they are telling
you is I haven't wrestled
00:17:56.47\00:18:00.11
with the existential
ontological issues of life.
00:18:00.14\00:18:04.38
They are saying, "I
don't know why I am here."
00:18:04.41\00:18:09.35
And, ladies and gentlemen,
that's a horrible way to live.
00:18:09.38\00:18:11.99
Honestly answering
those three questions
00:18:15.59\00:18:18.99
forces you into
the arms of Jesus
00:18:19.03\00:18:22.33
if you're honest with yourself.
00:18:22.36\00:18:24.07
Now you can dance around them.
00:18:24.10\00:18:27.64
But if you're honest
with yourself and you ask,
00:18:27.67\00:18:30.34
where did I come from?
00:18:30.37\00:18:31.71
Why am I here?
00:18:31.74\00:18:33.07
Where am I going?
00:18:33.11\00:18:34.44
What happens when I'm not here?
00:18:34.48\00:18:35.81
You got to go to God
to get those answers.
00:18:35.84\00:18:38.41
Why?
00:18:42.92\00:18:44.42
Because there are
only two, one is go to God,
00:18:44.45\00:18:49.09
the other is I don't know.
00:18:49.12\00:18:51.26
So where you came
from is where you're going.
00:18:54.70\00:19:01.47
If you came from God,
you're going to God, amen.
00:19:01.50\00:19:07.91
If you came from I don't know...
00:19:07.94\00:19:09.41
where you going?
00:19:13.18\00:19:15.05
I don't know.
00:19:15.08\00:19:17.09
So you got to
answer those questions.
00:19:20.89\00:19:24.66
And if you don't know,
00:19:24.69\00:19:26.83
they used to say in New
York you better ask somebody.
00:19:26.86\00:19:30.57
So let's dig down
just a little bit deeper,
00:19:30.60\00:19:32.77
one more layer.
00:19:32.80\00:19:34.90
What?
00:19:34.94\00:19:36.27
1 Peter 2:9,
00:19:36.30\00:19:38.74
1 Peter 2:9,
00:19:38.77\00:19:42.18
Bible says,
00:19:42.21\00:19:43.55
"But you are a chosen
generation a royal priesthood,
00:19:43.58\00:19:45.28
a holy nation, his
own special people."
00:19:45.31\00:19:48.95
I'm in a New King James,
00:19:48.98\00:19:50.32
"that you may
proclaim the praise of him
00:19:50.35\00:19:52.72
who has called you
out of darkness into this,
00:19:52.75\00:19:55.89
into his marvelous light."
00:19:55.92\00:19:59.83
So we are among other things
00:19:59.86\00:20:02.26
to show forth the praises of him
00:20:02.30\00:20:05.90
who called us
from darkness to light.
00:20:05.93\00:20:08.57
Can you say amen?
00:20:08.60\00:20:10.74
Two,
00:20:10.77\00:20:12.74
how do we do that?
00:20:12.77\00:20:14.64
1 Corinthians
10:31, what book did I say?
00:20:14.68\00:20:17.91
1 Corinthians 10:31.
00:20:17.95\00:20:19.71
You may be saying to yourself,
"Oh, this is tough stuff."
00:20:26.15\00:20:28.52
Well, this is not even a sermon.
00:20:28.56\00:20:30.13
It's just preamble.
00:20:34.76\00:20:37.83
1 Corinthians 10:31.
00:20:37.87\00:20:41.47
"Therefore, whether you eat
or drink or whatever you do,
00:20:41.50\00:20:45.04
do what?
00:20:45.07\00:20:46.41
Do all to the glory of God."
00:20:46.44\00:20:47.78
So that's how it's done.
00:20:47.81\00:20:49.14
Whatever you do, do it
so that God gets glory.
00:20:49.18\00:20:54.85
Amen.
00:20:54.88\00:20:56.22
Yeah.
00:20:56.25\00:20:57.59
God has called
us so God now says,
00:20:57.62\00:21:01.52
anything that
takes place in your life,
00:21:01.56\00:21:03.93
whatever you do order yourself
00:21:03.96\00:21:07.60
so that God gets
glory from your living,
00:21:07.63\00:21:10.90
that's how you do it, why?
00:21:10.93\00:21:17.01
Why were we created?
00:21:17.04\00:21:18.94
Ephesians 2:10,
what book did I say?
00:21:18.97\00:21:22.14
That's what I
said, Ephesians 2...
00:21:22.18\00:21:24.21
Ephesians 2:10
00:21:35.56\00:21:40.36
"For we are," the
Bible says his what?
00:21:40.40\00:21:44.03
"Workmanship, crafted by Christ,
00:21:44.07\00:21:47.50
created in
Christ Jesus" for what?
00:21:47.54\00:21:51.37
"For good works, which
God prepared beforehand
00:21:51.41\00:21:55.28
that we should walk in them."
00:21:55.31\00:21:57.21
So the Bible is saying
00:21:57.25\00:21:59.41
we were created to do good.
00:21:59.45\00:22:04.19
Amen.
00:22:04.22\00:22:05.62
That's why you exist.
00:22:05.65\00:22:07.26
You exist to do good.
00:22:07.29\00:22:10.43
God made you to do good.
00:22:10.46\00:22:13.63
You draw breath on
the earth to do good.
00:22:13.66\00:22:18.23
Your goal in life is to do good.
00:22:18.27\00:22:23.51
You are created to do good.
00:22:23.54\00:22:26.68
Well, God what is good?
00:22:26.71\00:22:31.08
Scripture lesson for today.
00:22:31.11\00:22:32.45
Micah 6:8.
00:22:32.48\00:22:35.95
Micah 6:8,
00:22:35.98\00:22:38.79
"He has showed thee
00:22:38.82\00:22:41.46
O man, what is good."
00:22:41.49\00:22:46.36
So God's telling you to do good,
00:22:46.39\00:22:48.16
He's not gonna leave you
questioning what good is,
00:22:48.20\00:22:52.90
He's going to
show you what good is.
00:22:52.93\00:22:55.77
Amen.
00:22:55.80\00:22:57.14
He has showed
you man what is good,
00:22:59.91\00:23:02.71
and what does the
Lord require of you.
00:23:02.74\00:23:04.55
What is required of me?
00:23:04.58\00:23:08.72
One of those words
you know what it means,
00:23:08.75\00:23:10.09
just hard to explain.
00:23:10.12\00:23:12.22
Means you got to do it.
00:23:12.25\00:23:15.89
Do justly,
00:23:15.92\00:23:18.36
love mercy
00:23:18.39\00:23:20.36
and walk humbly with thy God.
00:23:20.40\00:23:22.43
Amen.
00:23:22.46\00:23:24.33
That's what it is.
00:23:24.37\00:23:25.73
He has showed you what is
good and what God wants of me,
00:23:25.77\00:23:28.04
He wants you to do justly,
00:23:28.07\00:23:30.91
that means, be
fair with everybody.
00:23:30.94\00:23:35.98
Amen.
00:23:36.01\00:23:37.35
If you own a store, be fair.
00:23:37.38\00:23:39.71
If someone is working
for you, don't cheat them.
00:23:39.75\00:23:43.85
Amen.
00:23:43.89\00:23:45.22
Be fair, when you
go to work punch in,
00:23:45.25\00:23:48.39
when you go in,
00:23:48.42\00:23:50.43
and punch out
00:23:50.46\00:23:52.39
when you go out.
00:23:52.43\00:23:53.76
Do justly, be fair,
00:23:56.83\00:23:58.17
don't put your
finger on the scale.
00:23:58.20\00:23:59.77
Come on,
00:24:04.07\00:24:07.04
do justly, be fair, don't steal.
00:24:07.08\00:24:11.95
You find an
envelope with a $1000 in it,
00:24:11.98\00:24:15.02
that's not your
birthday present.
00:24:15.05\00:24:19.22
Somebody lost that money
00:24:19.25\00:24:21.59
and God doesn't
have to bless you
00:24:21.62\00:24:23.12
by making somebody else suffer.
00:24:23.16\00:24:24.69
Do justly.
00:24:29.40\00:24:32.03
Amen.
00:24:32.07\00:24:33.64
Number two: Love mercy,
00:24:33.67\00:24:37.37
not just be merciful, love it.
00:24:37.41\00:24:43.51
Now that's tough.
00:24:43.55\00:24:45.78
Somebody does you wrong
and you've got to love mercy.
00:24:45.81\00:24:52.49
Well, Lord, let me
just pop him one time,
00:24:52.52\00:24:54.12
then I'll be merciful.
00:24:54.16\00:24:55.49
No, love mercy,
00:24:59.16\00:25:00.50
that's got to be
the way you function.
00:25:00.53\00:25:02.73
You cannot return evil for evil.
00:25:02.76\00:25:06.40
So just because
someone is doing you wrong,
00:25:06.43\00:25:09.27
doesn't give you
license to do them wrong.
00:25:09.30\00:25:13.71
Amen.
00:25:13.74\00:25:15.08
Love mercy.
00:25:15.11\00:25:18.58
That's why God put
us in some situations.
00:25:18.61\00:25:22.22
Got to love mercy.
00:25:22.25\00:25:25.09
Then you got to walk
humbly with your God.
00:25:25.12\00:25:27.76
Amen.
00:25:27.79\00:25:29.59
Walk humbly.
00:25:29.62\00:25:32.06
Does anyone know
00:25:32.09\00:25:33.43
what's the number one sin
in the church is by the way?
00:25:33.46\00:25:37.40
Number one sin in the church.
00:25:37.43\00:25:38.77
I think I heard it.
00:25:38.80\00:25:40.14
Pride, pride,
00:25:40.17\00:25:41.97
Number one sin in the
world is envy and jealousy.
00:25:42.00\00:25:45.17
Number one in church is pride.
00:25:45.21\00:25:47.91
Everyone says a pride.
00:25:47.94\00:25:51.85
Very difficult to detect,
00:25:51.88\00:25:56.02
almost impossible to cure.
00:25:56.05\00:26:00.36
And just, just about
everybody has got so.
00:26:00.39\00:26:04.63
Look at the person next to you.
00:26:04.66\00:26:07.43
Yeah, that person
got pride problem,
00:26:07.46\00:26:10.77
so do you.
00:26:10.80\00:26:14.37
Everybody's got some.
00:26:14.40\00:26:15.80
That's why
00:26:18.81\00:26:21.08
the Lord has you
sometimes working next to people
00:26:21.11\00:26:23.68
who don't like you.
00:26:23.71\00:26:27.25
And He wants you
to stay right there.
00:26:27.28\00:26:29.88
Amen.
00:26:29.92\00:26:32.12
And wants to ask for another job
00:26:32.15\00:26:33.66
or move to another
position, stay right there,
00:26:33.69\00:26:36.09
'cause He's
working on your pride.
00:26:36.12\00:26:39.46
And if they've got
a problem with you,
00:26:39.49\00:26:42.33
that's not your problem.
00:26:42.36\00:26:44.43
That's their problem.
00:26:44.47\00:26:46.50
Amen.
00:26:46.53\00:26:47.90
Your problem is that
you got a problem with them.
00:26:47.94\00:26:52.27
Amen.
00:26:52.31\00:26:54.54
So God's saying stay put
00:26:54.58\00:26:57.25
because your pride
needs to be worked on.
00:26:57.28\00:27:02.18
Amen.
00:27:02.22\00:27:04.65
Number one sin in
the church, pride.
00:27:04.69\00:27:07.29
And yet praise God,
00:27:10.29\00:27:11.96
He can even take
care of our pride.
00:27:11.99\00:27:16.06
Onto logical issue number three:
00:27:23.04\00:27:27.01
What happens when
I'm no longer here?
00:27:27.04\00:27:29.91
Solomon wrote a diary.
00:27:29.94\00:27:32.85
Does anybody know what that is?
00:27:32.88\00:27:35.45
It is the Book of...
00:27:35.48\00:27:37.09
Ecclesiastes,
Ecclesiastes, it's a diary,
00:27:40.46\00:27:44.69
he speaks of
himself in the third person,
00:27:44.73\00:27:46.06
the preacher said this,
00:27:46.09\00:27:47.43
the preacher said
that, that's his diary.
00:27:47.46\00:27:48.80
It's a diary of his
experiment with life.
00:27:48.83\00:27:51.13
We think of ladies
usually keeping diaries.
00:27:51.17\00:27:53.03
But the wisest man who
ever lived kept a diary
00:27:53.07\00:27:57.04
and when it was done last verse,
00:27:57.07\00:27:59.41
last chapter he said,
00:27:59.44\00:28:01.31
"Fear God
00:28:01.34\00:28:03.81
and keep His commandments,
00:28:03.85\00:28:07.12
this is the whole duty of man."
00:28:07.15\00:28:11.29
After going
throughout his whole life
00:28:11.32\00:28:12.92
with this experiment, he said,
00:28:12.95\00:28:14.69
let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter.
00:28:14.72\00:28:16.83
Let's just end
it. Let's sum it up.
00:28:16.86\00:28:18.63
"Fear God, keep
His commandments,
00:28:18.66\00:28:20.33
that's all you got to do.
00:28:20.36\00:28:22.96
Amen.
00:28:23.00\00:28:24.33
Because
00:28:27.60\00:28:30.24
God shall bring
every work in the judgment
00:28:30.27\00:28:32.97
as it happens after you're gone.
00:28:33.01\00:28:37.35
Now, there are only two
additional issues to deal with,
00:28:37.38\00:28:42.35
then we're done with this part.
00:28:42.38\00:28:45.69
They seem worldly
00:28:48.86\00:28:50.19
but they are actually spiritual,
00:28:50.23\00:28:52.29
they are two
essential ingredients,
00:28:52.33\00:28:58.33
they are purpose and focus.
00:28:58.37\00:29:04.01
Purpose and focus,
00:29:04.04\00:29:09.78
purpose and focus.
00:29:09.81\00:29:14.55
Purpose is the reason why
something exists by design,
00:29:14.58\00:29:20.12
it exists for a purpose.
00:29:20.16\00:29:24.69
Things exist for a
purpose and as it pleases God
00:29:24.73\00:29:29.80
and the Holy Spirit
you exist for a purpose.
00:29:29.83\00:29:35.24
Teleology, that branch,
00:29:35.27\00:29:37.87
that other rational
aspect for who God is
00:29:37.91\00:29:42.94
says that
everything has a final cause,
00:29:42.98\00:29:47.28
an ultimate cause.
00:29:47.32\00:29:50.45
So we accomplish God's purpose
00:29:50.49\00:29:54.39
by maintaining our focus, amen.
00:29:54.42\00:30:00.60
Which is why
Satan does all he can
00:30:00.63\00:30:04.40
to distract you from Jesus.
00:30:04.43\00:30:08.47
He wants you to lose focus
00:30:08.50\00:30:13.44
and Satan knows
if you lose focus,
00:30:13.48\00:30:18.48
he can thwart God's purpose
00:30:18.51\00:30:22.82
because we
accomplish our purpose
00:30:22.85\00:30:25.49
by maintaining our focus.
00:30:25.52\00:30:27.76
That was a little
different kind of sermon
00:30:27.79\00:30:29.39
but this will make
my head back to that.
00:30:29.42\00:30:32.03
That's why in
Isaiah 26:3 the Bible says,
00:30:32.06\00:30:34.83
"Perfect peace of they
00:30:34.86\00:30:36.20
whose minds are
stayed on Jesus."
00:30:36.23\00:30:38.47
That's the text
that's demanding focus.
00:30:38.50\00:30:42.17
You only get perfect peace
00:30:42.20\00:30:44.04
when you keep
your mind on Jesus,
00:30:44.07\00:30:47.08
not an occasional
thought about Jesus,
00:30:47.11\00:30:49.14
not letting Jesus kind
of run through your mind
00:30:49.18\00:30:50.85
and going back to other stuff.
00:30:50.88\00:30:52.21
Perfect peace have they
00:30:52.25\00:30:53.85
whose minds are
stayed on Christ.
00:30:53.88\00:30:56.65
It is a text demanding focus.
00:30:56.69\00:30:59.85
Peace comes...
00:31:03.09\00:31:04.43
there used to be a
song we used to sing back...
00:31:04.46\00:31:05.93
back at Oakwood
Yvonne with a mate of mine,
00:31:05.96\00:31:10.23
I've got heaven in my view.
00:31:10.27\00:31:13.44
That's focus.
00:31:13.47\00:31:14.80
And these days we
fulfill our purpose
00:31:17.51\00:31:20.68
by maintaining our focus.
00:31:20.71\00:31:22.71
Behavioral scientists say
00:31:22.74\00:31:24.15
and I stayed in
school long enough
00:31:24.18\00:31:26.61
that I got a degree in
behavioral science also
00:31:26.65\00:31:30.55
between the basketball games
00:31:30.59\00:31:32.45
and other stuff that I
actually went to school.
00:31:32.49\00:31:37.46
And behavioral sciences say
00:31:37.49\00:31:42.73
that...
00:31:42.76\00:31:44.10
intelligence...
00:31:46.80\00:31:49.34
Well, there's I have,
00:31:49.37\00:31:52.11
I have three doctorate degrees,
00:31:52.14\00:31:54.84
one earned and two
honor as caused it.
00:31:54.88\00:31:57.05
Do not be
impressed because I am not.
00:31:57.08\00:32:00.25
Here's the thing.
00:32:00.28\00:32:01.65
You don't have to be that smart
00:32:01.68\00:32:04.42
to get a doctorate's degree.
00:32:04.45\00:32:08.82
You've got to stick
with it, let us be a genius
00:32:08.86\00:32:13.40
'cause I got three
and I hit that upright...
00:32:13.43\00:32:15.96
you just got to stay with it,
00:32:19.87\00:32:21.20
and if you stay
with it long enough
00:32:21.24\00:32:22.60
and gave him enough money,
they will give you the degree.
00:32:22.64\00:32:24.94
So when somebody says I'm a PhD.
00:32:29.38\00:32:31.51
Okay, praise the Lord,
00:32:31.55\00:32:33.65
just don't be
impressed with that.
00:32:33.68\00:32:37.29
Behavioral
sciences will tell you
00:32:37.32\00:32:39.55
that intelligence
00:32:39.59\00:32:43.43
is simply a measure of capacity.
00:32:43.46\00:32:46.73
We talk about, oh,
she's so intelligent,
00:32:46.76\00:32:48.10
he's so intelligent,
he's not so intelligent,
00:32:48.13\00:32:50.40
it's just a measure of capacity.
00:32:50.43\00:32:52.10
Some people have a little
more capacity than others,
00:32:55.37\00:32:59.01
but do not be
impressed with that
00:32:59.04\00:33:01.51
because the truth is
00:33:01.54\00:33:03.71
most people have
about the same intelligence.
00:33:03.75\00:33:08.02
Most people have
average intelligence
00:33:08.05\00:33:11.25
and you can get most things
00:33:11.29\00:33:13.76
done in life that you want to do
00:33:13.79\00:33:16.09
with average intelligence.
00:33:16.12\00:33:18.53
You don't need to be a genius.
00:33:18.56\00:33:20.90
Most folk are average.
00:33:20.93\00:33:23.87
The reason they call it average
00:33:23.90\00:33:25.77
is because most
folk are average.
00:33:25.80\00:33:29.20
Now, you have some
00:33:33.64\00:33:35.88
who are really, really bright,
00:33:35.91\00:33:40.05
they are really smart,
00:33:40.08\00:33:43.85
really intelligent,
00:33:43.89\00:33:45.75
then you got average people,
00:33:45.79\00:33:48.76
then you got some folk...
00:33:48.79\00:33:50.13
they are little challenged.
00:33:53.06\00:33:54.40
But most folk are average.
00:34:02.17\00:34:05.37
Now the truth is
00:34:05.41\00:34:07.38
that an average
intelligence person
00:34:07.41\00:34:11.71
who sticks to it
00:34:11.75\00:34:14.58
will accomplish more
00:34:14.62\00:34:16.25
than a really smart
person who has a deal of time,
00:34:16.28\00:34:21.12
in and out of everything
00:34:21.16\00:34:23.59
because most of the
stuff you want to do,
00:34:23.63\00:34:26.19
you, can do with average
intelligence and focus, amen.
00:34:26.23\00:34:31.87
Not to be a genius,
00:34:31.90\00:34:33.23
just stay at it and
you can get it done.
00:34:33.27\00:34:36.81
Amen.
00:34:36.84\00:34:38.77
Don't have to have 160 IQ.
00:34:38.81\00:34:41.91
Just stay at your work,
00:34:41.94\00:34:43.28
do what you have to do
and you will get there.
00:34:43.31\00:34:45.48
Now, intelligence is
a measure of capacity.
00:34:45.51\00:34:48.42
I know I'm giving
you a lot of stuff
00:34:48.45\00:34:49.78
but I'm gonna bring this
together in a little bit.
00:34:49.82\00:34:54.22
These two vessels
hold the same amount...
00:34:54.26\00:34:57.16
so they are the
same intelligence by,
00:35:00.20\00:35:06.00
but there is also
something called aptitude.
00:35:06.03\00:35:10.94
Aptitude is the
ability that you have to
00:35:10.97\00:35:16.14
if, if intelligence is capacity,
00:35:16.18\00:35:19.28
then aptitude is the
opening in the vessel
00:35:19.31\00:35:23.95
that allows
information to come in.
00:35:23.99\00:35:26.92
Amen.
00:35:26.96\00:35:28.32
Now which one of
these can you fill faster?
00:35:28.36\00:35:34.10
Yeah, the glass
00:35:34.13\00:35:36.13
because the aptitude
00:35:36.16\00:35:38.43
the aperture is wider.
00:35:38.47\00:35:42.77
Now they both hold the
same but this one fills faster.
00:35:42.80\00:35:47.44
Now there are some
people who get it really fast.
00:35:47.48\00:35:51.75
Amen, and praise the Lord.
00:35:51.78\00:35:54.85
There are some people
who take a little more time,
00:35:54.88\00:35:58.49
they fill up a little slower.
00:35:58.52\00:36:00.72
But they get it.
00:36:00.76\00:36:04.03
Yeah, they get it.
00:36:04.06\00:36:05.39
It just takes a little
longer to get in there.
00:36:05.43\00:36:08.76
So this person
shouldn't be ashamed
00:36:08.80\00:36:10.93
because it takes
them a little longer
00:36:10.97\00:36:12.43
than this person.
00:36:12.47\00:36:14.27
Amen.
00:36:14.30\00:36:16.27
I'm gonna get there,
others need a little more time.
00:36:16.30\00:36:19.97
There are some people
who go through the tests
00:36:20.01\00:36:21.71
down in ten minutes
00:36:21.74\00:36:25.31
and some take a little longer,
00:36:25.35\00:36:28.88
but they gonna get there.
00:36:28.92\00:36:30.45
Amen.
00:36:30.49\00:36:31.82
So intelligence is capacity.
00:36:31.85\00:36:34.22
Aptitude determines your ability
00:36:34.26\00:36:35.89
to get it in, get it out.
00:36:35.92\00:36:37.33
So don't,
don't, don't be ashamed
00:36:37.36\00:36:39.79
if it takes you
a little bit longer
00:36:39.83\00:36:41.36
'cause you're still God's child.
00:36:41.40\00:36:43.47
Amen.
00:36:43.50\00:36:44.83
You got a rabbits
and you got tortoises,
00:36:44.87\00:36:49.04
tortoises get there to.
00:36:49.07\00:36:52.64
The Bible says,
00:36:52.67\00:36:54.28
maintain your focus
00:36:54.31\00:36:57.41
and you will get what you want,
00:36:57.45\00:37:01.05
very smart, not
so smart, it's okay,
00:37:01.08\00:37:04.15
your capacity is
your intelligence
00:37:04.19\00:37:07.49
and that's what counts.
00:37:07.52\00:37:08.86
And then by the way,
00:37:08.89\00:37:10.23
now they taught us
this in school, they said,
00:37:10.26\00:37:12.13
"You are born with a certain IQ,
00:37:12.16\00:37:14.20
certain intelligence
and it does not change."
00:37:14.23\00:37:17.73
Ellen White
says, it does change.
00:37:17.77\00:37:20.80
She says, Bible Study,
not just Bible reading,
00:37:20.84\00:37:25.47
Bible study makes
you more intelligent.
00:37:25.51\00:37:31.55
Amen.
00:37:31.58\00:37:32.91
So Bible study
increases your capacity.
00:37:32.95\00:37:37.85
Amen.
00:37:37.89\00:37:39.22
It may not open the neck more
00:37:39.25\00:37:43.26
but it does
increase your capacity
00:37:43.29\00:37:45.86
if you study the word of God,
00:37:45.89\00:37:47.23
so if you're not the sharpest,
sharpest knife in the drawer,
00:37:47.26\00:37:50.80
study the word of God.
00:37:50.83\00:37:53.13
Amen, you'll get smarter.
00:37:53.17\00:37:55.67
Purpose and focus,
00:37:58.77\00:38:04.15
most of the things I say again
00:38:04.18\00:38:05.51
you want to
accomplish you can do so
00:38:05.55\00:38:08.95
through focus.
00:38:08.98\00:38:13.05
There are 23 separate
scriptural texts in the Bible
00:38:13.09\00:38:18.19
that speak on the idea of
focus to the people of God.
00:38:18.23\00:38:22.86
They never use the word focus
00:38:22.90\00:38:24.83
but their idea is focus.
00:38:24.87\00:38:28.70
You can do a lot,
00:38:28.74\00:38:30.24
you can accomplish a
lot by staying with stuff
00:38:30.27\00:38:34.48
that you won't,
you won't accomplish
00:38:34.51\00:38:36.18
if you give up quick.
00:38:36.21\00:38:37.58
I'm sure Evelyn
Haney and Meghan Everton
00:38:37.61\00:38:40.08
have had to say
to kids many times.
00:38:40.12\00:38:41.68
Don't give up just
because you fail one time,
00:38:41.72\00:38:43.59
stay with it.
00:38:43.62\00:38:44.95
Focus, stay on
it, you'll get it.
00:38:44.99\00:38:48.09
May take you some time,
but you'll gonna get it,
00:38:48.12\00:38:51.49
just stay focus.
00:38:51.53\00:38:54.73
The Bible says
those who finish the race,
00:38:54.76\00:38:57.23
those who focus on stuff,
00:38:57.27\00:39:01.94
get the prize
00:39:01.97\00:39:03.81
because focus helps you
00:39:03.84\00:39:06.07
fulfill your purpose.
00:39:06.11\00:39:10.21
Don't be
distracted, don't be dissuaded,
00:39:10.25\00:39:12.05
don't be
disappointed, don't be deluded,
00:39:12.08\00:39:13.68
don't be discouraged,
don't be disgruntled,
00:39:13.72\00:39:15.18
don't be dismayed,
00:39:15.22\00:39:16.55
don't be disaffected, focus.
00:39:16.58\00:39:22.42
And let me add this.
00:39:22.46\00:39:24.93
Knowing your purpose
00:39:24.96\00:39:27.20
helps you get
through life's trials.
00:39:27.23\00:39:31.07
Amen.
00:39:31.10\00:39:32.43
So when you know
why you are here,
00:39:35.14\00:39:39.91
when you know that
you are God's child,
00:39:39.94\00:39:43.71
it helps you get
through stinky stuff.
00:39:43.75\00:39:47.35
Anybody had stinky
stuff happen in your life?
00:39:50.79\00:39:53.39
Be honest, I've
had stinky stuff.
00:39:53.42\00:39:57.23
Knowing that you belong to God
00:39:57.26\00:39:58.93
helps you deal
with stinky stuff,
00:39:58.96\00:40:02.70
and everybody
gets some stinky stuff.
00:40:02.73\00:40:05.67
No stink free people
here, we get some stinky stuff.
00:40:05.70\00:40:10.41
But knowing that
you belong to God
00:40:10.44\00:40:11.77
helps you roll
with the stinky stuff,
00:40:11.81\00:40:13.54
and if you haven't had
sticky stuff in your life,
00:40:13.58\00:40:15.41
keep on living,
stinky stuff is coming.
00:40:15.44\00:40:17.65
Because you know, your purpose,
and when life's trials come,
00:40:23.39\00:40:27.36
you stay strong
and you stay focused.
00:40:27.39\00:40:29.42
So when the doctor tells you,
00:40:29.46\00:40:31.53
you need to come in
because we need to talk.
00:40:31.56\00:40:35.96
You don't fall apart.
00:40:36.00\00:40:37.33
You know someone
told me the other day,
00:40:41.20\00:40:42.54
when I hit 65, 65 hit me back
00:40:42.57\00:40:48.54
and it's been
hitting me ever since.
00:40:48.58\00:40:49.91
Well, when a
doctor called and says,
00:40:49.94\00:40:51.28
"You need to come in,
00:40:51.31\00:40:52.65
he's not going to
tell over the phone.
00:40:52.68\00:40:54.02
You need to come in."
00:40:54.05\00:40:57.35
You don't fall apart,
00:40:57.39\00:40:59.29
you go ahead and
hear what he has to say,
00:40:59.32\00:41:03.32
and you maintain your focus
00:41:03.36\00:41:06.06
because you know your
purpose, that makes sense.
00:41:06.09\00:41:09.36
When we forget our purpose
00:41:16.60\00:41:19.04
and lose our focus
God's name is disgrace,
00:41:19.07\00:41:23.31
our faith is misplaced
00:41:23.35\00:41:25.88
and spiritual and
physical death can take place.
00:41:25.91\00:41:30.49
The country is Brazil.
00:41:38.99\00:41:43.10
It is a late summer evening.
00:41:43.13\00:41:48.27
And a taxi driver
00:41:48.30\00:41:51.64
is driving along a road
00:41:51.67\00:41:53.68
that borders the ocean.
00:41:53.71\00:41:59.21
He comes across the
body of a young man,
00:41:59.25\00:42:03.15
who was obviously the
victim of a hit and run drive.
00:42:03.18\00:42:06.35
Someone has hit this young man,
00:42:09.76\00:42:11.69
15, 16, 17 maybe a little
older and left him to die.
00:42:11.73\00:42:14.86
Now I need to say two
things before we go on this,
00:42:14.90\00:42:17.23
one, this is a true story.
00:42:17.27\00:42:21.00
You can always tell
00:42:21.04\00:42:22.37
when a pastor is
telling you a true story
00:42:22.40\00:42:23.74
because he'll
just tells the story.
00:42:23.77\00:42:25.87
If it's apocryphal
he'll say the story as told.
00:42:25.91\00:42:30.11
It's a true story.
00:42:30.15\00:42:31.48
And somebody in
the story is Adventist,
00:42:31.51\00:42:34.95
so I want you to
hold on to the facts
00:42:34.98\00:42:36.42
because you're going to
be quizzed when it's over.
00:42:36.45\00:42:39.32
You need out find
out who the Adventist is?
00:42:39.35\00:42:42.12
So this taxi
driver sees this young man
00:42:42.16\00:42:45.19
who has been hit,
00:42:45.23\00:42:47.00
someone has left him to die
00:42:47.03\00:42:49.26
and he puts this
young man in his cab
00:42:49.30\00:42:54.50
and heads off to
some place to get help.
00:42:54.54\00:42:58.27
Now where he goes is not a,
00:42:58.31\00:43:00.64
it's not a full hospital
00:43:00.68\00:43:02.01
it's a, it's a wayside
clinic and evidently in Brazil
00:43:02.04\00:43:04.45
they have a number
of these small clinics
00:43:04.48\00:43:06.11
that dot the landscape,
00:43:06.15\00:43:07.48
everybody can't
afford a hospital
00:43:07.52\00:43:08.85
they go to this wayside clinics.
00:43:08.88\00:43:10.29
He brings this young bleeding
young man to the clinic,
00:43:10.32\00:43:14.06
he runs inside,
it's a Sunday evening,
00:43:14.09\00:43:16.06
there's not much
going on, doctor there,
00:43:16.09\00:43:18.99
an orderly and a
nurse three people
00:43:19.03\00:43:20.90
and he's excited,
he's hyperventilating,
00:43:20.93\00:43:24.27
you got to
come, you got to come,
00:43:24.30\00:43:25.63
you got to come,
you got to come now,
00:43:25.67\00:43:27.00
you got to come
now, you got to come now.
00:43:27.04\00:43:28.37
I've got a young man in my cab.
00:43:28.40\00:43:29.97
He's hit, he's bleeding.
00:43:30.01\00:43:31.44
I brought him here
and you got to help me,
00:43:31.47\00:43:32.87
you got to help
me, you got to help me,
00:43:32.91\00:43:34.24
come, come right now.
00:43:34.28\00:43:35.61
And the doctor says not so fast.
00:43:35.64\00:43:39.41
There are some things
we need to take care first.
00:43:43.05\00:43:46.99
Does the young
man have insurance?
00:43:47.02\00:43:51.49
It's the question that is asked.
00:43:51.53\00:43:54.20
Well, I don't know
if he has insurance,
00:43:54.23\00:43:55.56
I just found him on
the road, I picked him over
00:43:55.60\00:43:56.93
and I brought him here,
he is dying, he's bleeding,
00:43:56.97\00:43:58.87
he's dying, you got
to come, you got come.
00:43:58.90\00:44:02.14
Wait a minute.
00:44:02.17\00:44:03.51
You sure he
doesn't have any insurance?
00:44:06.71\00:44:08.18
I don't think so,
00:44:11.31\00:44:13.72
I didn't go through his pockets
00:44:13.75\00:44:16.38
but I didn't see
a lot of money...
00:44:16.42\00:44:17.75
but you need to come.
00:44:20.92\00:44:22.26
Well, okay, hold a
second. Do you have any money?
00:44:22.29\00:44:24.56
No.
00:44:27.83\00:44:29.90
Sunday evening is kind of slow,
things aren't going so well,
00:44:29.93\00:44:33.17
I got a couple of dollars
but I don't have a lot of money
00:44:33.20\00:44:35.87
but you got to come
because this guy is in trouble.
00:44:35.90\00:44:38.47
You got to
come. You got to come.
00:44:38.51\00:44:39.84
Well, well, hold a
minute, hold a minute.
00:44:39.87\00:44:42.71
Because we have,
we have a problem
00:44:42.74\00:44:46.28
and the problem is
00:44:46.31\00:44:48.98
that if he
doesn't have any insurance
00:44:49.02\00:44:53.39
and you don't have
any money for a deposit.
00:44:53.42\00:44:56.79
I don't know
00:44:56.83\00:44:58.99
if there's anything I can do.
00:44:59.03\00:45:00.60
But doctor you don't understand,
00:45:08.14\00:45:12.71
if we don't help this
kid, he is going to die.
00:45:12.74\00:45:18.61
But so you got to
understand my problem.
00:45:21.62\00:45:24.92
I am the doctor here,
00:45:24.95\00:45:29.12
we wouldn't be in
business very long,
00:45:29.16\00:45:32.69
if we gave out medical treatment
00:45:32.73\00:45:36.00
and didn't get paid for,
00:45:36.03\00:45:40.27
this is a business
00:45:40.30\00:45:43.17
and how long we will last
if we just dispense medications
00:45:43.20\00:45:48.21
and gave
treatment and got no money.
00:45:48.24\00:45:51.05
So I don't know
00:45:55.45\00:45:57.39
if there's anything I can do.
00:45:57.42\00:45:59.82
I don't make the rules here,
I work here and the rules are,
00:45:59.85\00:46:03.86
"No money, no service."
00:46:03.89\00:46:06.59
And so the cab driver says,
00:46:12.27\00:46:15.64
"Okay,
00:46:15.67\00:46:17.17
why don't you just
00:46:17.21\00:46:22.68
tell me what to do."
00:46:22.71\00:46:26.72
And maybe I can bandage
him up and do something.
00:46:26.75\00:46:30.35
Doctor thinks,
00:46:30.39\00:46:33.86
no, no, can't do it.
00:46:33.89\00:46:37.53
Because if something goes wrong,
00:46:37.56\00:46:40.80
they're not going to
come after your license
00:46:40.83\00:46:42.66
because you don't have one.
00:46:42.70\00:46:45.37
They're going to come after me.
00:46:45.40\00:46:48.14
So if I give you a
method of treatment
00:46:48.17\00:46:50.67
and it goes wrong
00:46:50.71\00:46:52.57
the person who will
suffer is me not you.
00:46:52.61\00:46:55.94
So I can't treat him
00:46:55.98\00:46:57.58
and it makes no sense
to tell you to treat him
00:46:57.61\00:46:59.65
because my
license is on the line.
00:46:59.68\00:47:01.98
It just doesn't make
sense, not much I can do.
00:47:02.02\00:47:05.05
And so the doctor says
00:47:09.66\00:47:11.96
or rather the cab
driver says, okay, okay, okay,
00:47:11.99\00:47:16.50
let's why don't you just
come outside and look at it.
00:47:16.53\00:47:23.30
So you can just kind of evaluate
00:47:23.34\00:47:25.24
what kind of shape he's in.
00:47:25.27\00:47:27.38
No, no,
00:47:32.51\00:47:35.58
doesn't make any
sense to look at him
00:47:35.62\00:47:37.05
because I can't treat him
00:47:37.09\00:47:39.59
and I can't tell
you how to treat him.
00:47:39.62\00:47:42.56
So looking at him
doesn't make any sense.
00:47:42.59\00:47:47.10
Remember, I told
you is a true story
00:47:47.13\00:47:49.13
and somebody in the
story is Adventist...
00:47:49.16\00:47:51.03
so after half
hour, forty minutes
00:47:55.60\00:47:57.81
in change have gone,
00:47:57.84\00:47:59.17
this taxi driver realizes
nothing's going to happen here
00:47:59.21\00:48:04.15
and the doctor
says what you need to do
00:48:04.18\00:48:06.15
is take that young
man to a public hospital
00:48:06.18\00:48:09.28
that takes in these patients
who don't have any money
00:48:09.32\00:48:12.05
and get him taken care of there.
00:48:12.09\00:48:14.22
And so the taxi driver
jumps back into his cab
00:48:14.26\00:48:17.09
high heels it all
the way across town,
00:48:17.13\00:48:20.60
but the lapse in time,
00:48:20.63\00:48:24.53
the bumpy roads,
00:48:24.57\00:48:26.33
the dirt and the dust,
00:48:26.37\00:48:28.44
by the time they get
over to this public hospital,
00:48:28.47\00:48:33.34
this young man is
pronounced dead on arrival.
00:48:33.38\00:48:38.21
Now how do you tell a parent,
00:48:42.88\00:48:46.76
any parent that...
00:48:46.79\00:48:51.96
your child was
hit and left to die
00:48:51.99\00:48:57.27
by a hit and run driver
00:48:57.30\00:49:00.24
and then when
00:49:00.27\00:49:04.21
he is put in the hands
00:49:04.24\00:49:05.64
of the medical community.
00:49:05.67\00:49:10.45
It is the medical
community that assures is dead.
00:49:10.48\00:49:13.75
How do you tell a parent
that and yet when they found out
00:49:13.78\00:49:18.05
who the family
was that's the story
00:49:18.09\00:49:22.62
that the police had
to take to the house.
00:49:22.66\00:49:28.16
And they told
the grieving mother,
00:49:32.40\00:49:35.30
your child is dead.
00:49:35.34\00:49:36.67
Later on that evening
00:49:41.64\00:49:45.21
the father comes home
00:49:45.25\00:49:47.52
and it just so happens
that he is a doctor also
00:49:47.55\00:49:50.69
but he works at a
large private hospital
00:49:50.72\00:49:54.42
and as he is want to
do, he kisses his wife,
00:49:54.46\00:49:59.03
picks up and hugs
his little daughter
00:49:59.06\00:50:01.40
and the next
question is where's our son.
00:50:01.43\00:50:05.17
Now, I need to
say though he works
00:50:05.20\00:50:06.94
he is employed at a
large private hospital
00:50:06.97\00:50:09.54
occasionally,
occasionally on Sunday evenings,
00:50:09.57\00:50:12.17
he picks up some extra
money working at small clinics.
00:50:12.21\00:50:17.05
And so now the
wife tells her husband
00:50:17.08\00:50:22.45
this tale of woe
00:50:22.48\00:50:25.42
and as she unfolds the story,
00:50:25.45\00:50:29.49
he is forced to the conclusion
00:50:29.52\00:50:32.96
because he remembers,
00:50:32.99\00:50:34.33
yeah, there was a cab driver
came into the clinic today,
00:50:34.36\00:50:37.53
but I couldn't
do nothing for him,
00:50:37.57\00:50:39.07
you know the
rules of the clinic.
00:50:39.10\00:50:41.40
So I sent him off
to a public hospital.
00:50:41.44\00:50:46.41
So the wife is telling the story
00:50:46.44\00:50:47.84
and he is now forced into
conclusion that the child,
00:50:47.88\00:50:50.65
the child, the
child he refused to treat,
00:50:50.68\00:50:56.72
a child he refused
00:50:56.75\00:50:58.55
even to see
00:50:58.59\00:51:03.22
was indeed and in
fact is his own child.
00:51:03.26\00:51:07.46
That's his kid.
00:51:10.90\00:51:12.33
If that were
the end of the story
00:51:18.67\00:51:21.78
as printed in the newspaper,
00:51:21.81\00:51:24.25
I would be sad enough
00:51:24.28\00:51:25.61
but the last
paragraph said this,
00:51:25.65\00:51:30.42
it said,
00:51:30.45\00:51:32.99
"The doctor has seized
a practice of medicine.
00:51:33.02\00:51:38.66
He is confined to an institution
00:51:38.69\00:51:43.26
suffering from
chronic depression
00:51:43.30\00:51:47.74
and irreconcilable guilt."
00:51:47.77\00:51:53.27
So before we
dismiss ourselves today,
00:51:53.31\00:51:55.61
one question I have to
ask you is what went wrong?
00:51:55.64\00:52:01.92
Because something
terrible went wrong.
00:52:01.95\00:52:03.65
Do you think had he known
that was his child in that cab
00:52:03.69\00:52:08.26
that any amount of
money, any set of rules,
00:52:08.29\00:52:10.99
any set of
regulations would have kept him
00:52:11.03\00:52:13.46
from dealing with that child.
00:52:13.50\00:52:17.03
So what went wrong?
00:52:17.07\00:52:18.40
Two words
00:52:22.47\00:52:24.84
purpose
00:52:24.87\00:52:27.78
and focus.
00:52:27.81\00:52:31.11
He forgot his purpose
00:52:31.15\00:52:36.92
and he lost his focus
00:52:36.95\00:52:41.69
and when you forget your purpose
00:52:41.72\00:52:45.99
and lose your focus,
00:52:46.03\00:52:49.43
the name of God is disgraced.
00:52:49.46\00:52:52.33
Faith is misplaced
00:52:52.37\00:52:54.90
and spiritual and physical death
00:52:54.94\00:52:58.67
takes its place.
00:52:58.71\00:53:02.54
He lost his focus.
00:53:02.58\00:53:05.55
He forgot his purpose
00:53:05.58\00:53:10.29
and a life will scarify.
00:53:10.32\00:53:15.82
You can never forget
00:53:15.86\00:53:18.29
why you are here
00:53:18.33\00:53:22.33
in good times, in bad times
00:53:22.36\00:53:26.07
when everybody's praising you
00:53:26.10\00:53:28.50
or when they're
cursing you to your face.
00:53:28.54\00:53:31.27
You got to
remember your purpose.
00:53:31.31\00:53:36.44
You are here to
give glory to God
00:53:36.48\00:53:40.98
and the way you do that
00:53:41.02\00:53:43.49
is by maintaining your focus.
00:53:43.52\00:53:48.19
You got to keep
heaven in your view.
00:53:48.22\00:53:51.53
You don't have to
respond to every slight
00:53:51.56\00:53:54.43
or every bad word
00:53:54.46\00:53:55.96
or every sometimes
someone talks about you
00:53:56.00\00:53:57.90
or every time someone
does something evil toward you.
00:53:57.93\00:54:00.20
You've got to
remember your purpose,
00:54:00.24\00:54:01.80
your purpose is to glorify God.
00:54:01.84\00:54:06.74
And you do that
by maintaining focus.
00:54:06.78\00:54:09.61
Now, two things and we're done.
00:54:09.64\00:54:11.88
I did say it's a true story.
00:54:11.91\00:54:13.25
I also did say that
somebody in this story
00:54:13.28\00:54:15.25
was a Seventh-day
Adventist, did I not?
00:54:15.28\00:54:18.05
Who do you think
the Adventists was?
00:54:18.09\00:54:21.32
You're praying,
it's the cab driver.
00:54:21.36\00:54:23.39
Well, if it pleases you
00:54:27.46\00:54:29.43
to think that the cab
driver was an Adventist
00:54:29.46\00:54:32.93
then be pleased, he was, amen.
00:54:32.97\00:54:37.64
What if I told you he
was not the only Adventist?
00:54:37.67\00:54:40.14
Whole bunch of
Adventists in this story.
00:54:44.75\00:54:48.05
What if I told you
the doctor was Adventist.
00:54:48.08\00:54:53.59
What if I told you the reason
that that particular cab driver
00:54:53.62\00:54:56.06
went to that particular
clinic in because he knew
00:54:56.09\00:54:58.29
he had a brother
00:54:58.33\00:55:02.00
in a faith there.
00:55:02.03\00:55:03.37
He forgot his purpose.
00:55:09.90\00:55:13.14
His purpose is to glorify God,
00:55:13.17\00:55:17.55
and he lost his focus
00:55:17.58\00:55:20.02
and somebody died.
00:55:20.05\00:55:21.78
You see in maintaining purpose
and focus the life you save
00:55:24.82\00:55:28.39
may well be your own.
00:55:28.42\00:55:30.83
You've got to hold on to
Jesus through tough times
00:55:34.30\00:55:36.36
'cause tough times are coming.
00:55:36.40\00:55:39.37
Stuff you relied on,
people you relied on,
00:55:39.40\00:55:42.94
things you relied
on, jobs you relied on,
00:55:42.97\00:55:46.68
health you relied on,
00:55:46.71\00:55:49.91
one day it may not be there.
00:55:49.94\00:55:53.05
And all you may have is Jesus.
00:55:53.08\00:55:58.42
And I say this
over and over again,
00:55:58.45\00:55:59.95
you'll never know
that Jesus is all you need
00:55:59.99\00:56:02.32
until Jesus is all you got.
00:56:02.36\00:56:04.86
Where did I come from?
00:56:10.30\00:56:12.03
Jesus.
00:56:12.07\00:56:14.07
What's the best way
to live while I'm here?
00:56:14.10\00:56:16.50
In Jesus.
00:56:16.54\00:56:18.37
Where do I go when I'm gone?
00:56:18.41\00:56:20.34
To Jesus.
00:56:20.38\00:56:21.71
Maintain your purpose.
00:56:26.35\00:56:28.55
You're here for a reason.
00:56:28.58\00:56:31.15
You're God's child.
00:56:31.19\00:56:33.62
Stay focused on Him.
00:56:33.66\00:56:38.76
And one day you will
see Him face to face.
00:56:38.79\00:56:43.53
Amen.
00:56:43.57\00:56:45.03
That's God's promise.
00:56:45.07\00:56:48.90
The Bible says all
His promises are sure.
00:56:48.94\00:56:54.58
Father God,
00:56:54.61\00:56:56.95
help us
00:56:56.98\00:57:00.55
never to forget
00:57:00.58\00:57:02.48
whose we are
00:57:02.52\00:57:05.29
and why we are here.
00:57:05.32\00:57:08.69
Help us Lord,
00:57:08.72\00:57:10.46
to maintain our focus on You,
00:57:10.49\00:57:16.36
so that we may
fulfill our purpose
00:57:16.40\00:57:22.00
to give glory to our
Father which is in heaven
00:57:22.04\00:57:27.28
and we thank you dear
Father in Jesus' name, amen.
00:57:27.31\00:57:32.71
Amen.
00:57:32.75\00:57:34.28