Let's bow our
heads this morning.
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Our loving Father in
heaven, we open Your word now,
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as we open our hearts.
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And, Lord, we pray
that You will come now
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and speak to us.
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Father, the beauty of
it is you know us so well.
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You know what each
one of us needs to hear.
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And so speak to us today, Lord,
in a way that will bring us...
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to the plateau
that You know that
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You will have us to stand on.
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The plateau of
possibilities in Jesus.
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May Your word come alive in us
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and find fertile soil
to accomplish the work
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that only You can accomplish.
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This we ask in Your
precious name, amen.
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Our scripture reading
is I John 4:18 and 19.
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I'd like to invite
you to turn there with me.
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I John 4:18 and 19,
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and I'd like to read,
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with you supporting me on
that, we'll read that together.
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"There is no fear in love,
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but perfect love casts out fear,
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because fear involves torment.
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But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love."
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And verse 19 together.
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"We love Him
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because He first loved us."
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I was raised in New York City.
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There's so many
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what they might refer to as
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tourist
attractions in New York City.
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Lots of them.
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You can go almost anywhere
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and find some kind
of tourist attraction,
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whether it was the
former World Trade Center,
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the Empire State
Building, the Guggenheim Museum,
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Central Park.
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But down in lower
Manhattan where I worked,
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almost all of the jobs I
worked was in lower Manhattan.
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And right off the
coast in lower Manhattan
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was the Statue of Liberty.
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And whenever I would take lunch,
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and I would go down in that area
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to purchase lunch or
sit down and have lunch,
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I would see boat after boat
going to the Statue of Liberty.
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And it was not until
we moved out of New York
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that I came to the realization
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that I've never been
to the Statue of Liberty.
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I was raised in that city.
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I was raised there
when we were allowed to go
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all the way up into the torch,
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walk all those
spiral staircases,
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meandering, figuring our ways
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through the
little narrow openings,
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until you got to the
torch and stood out on the edge
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of that saucer-like torch tip,
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and looked over
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the magnificence
of New York City,
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never ever have I gone
to the Statue of Liberty.
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I only saw it at a distance,
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but I never had the
experience of being in it.
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While I use that
story to illustrate
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why this message to me
is so vitally important.
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You know, you would think
after 30 years of ministry,
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and being married 33 years
and growing up in the church,
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that we would have
such a clear definition
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and understanding of love that
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we could talk about it as
though it's second nature,
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but I would like to
begin by confessing.
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In all my understanding of love,
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I have been looking
at it from a distance.
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I've never been in it.
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Now, let me
clarify, being in love
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and being immersed
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is a different thing altogether.
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And so when God
actuated my heart to
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study I Corinthians
13, I recognized, wow!
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I'm actually getting in a boat
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and I'm on my way to
the Statue of Liberty,
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for the very first time,
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I'm about to get
into the Statue of Liberty
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as a New Yorker
who is now in his 50s.
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And I asked myself the question,
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what prevented me
from doing this earlier?
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And the answer is nothing.
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I just didn't think
it was that important.
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You know, when
I hear people say,
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"Are you going to
preach about God's love again?
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Is there anything
else to preach about?"
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And I thought,
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what else is
there to preach about
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than God's love.
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I mean, I, as a young man,
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I was a zealot for prophecy.
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I mean, you pull me aside
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and I will rattle
off Bible prophecy
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like a Gatling gun in the middle
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of a fight for my life,
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you got to be military
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to understand the
Gatling gun, it just...
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and I would always
win, but if I didn't win,
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I wouldn't act like I lost,
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'cause I would
think of another round,
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that's how I was
when it came to prophecy.
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When it came to
the 28 fundamentals,
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we had 27 at that
time, now we have 1 more,
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and I would be able to defend
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the 28
fundamentals like a soldier
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in a battlefield
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that will rather
die than to not win
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the argument over
the 28 fundamentals.
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But God said,
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"I want to take
you on a journey.
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We're going to go to
the Statue of Liberty."
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Liberty in the love of God,
liberty in the power of God,
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liberty in the
understanding of God's love.
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And so I want you to
go on this journey with me
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because I believe
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that as we go on
this journey together,
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there's something that
we could learn collectively,
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that we may have
missed independently,
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so when I read this text,
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"There is no fear in love,
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but perfect
love casts out fear."
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I remember that
statement made by Ellen White,
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and whenever we
read her writings,
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we bump into it where she says,
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"We ought to read I
Corinthians 13 everyday,"
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or however
frequently she recommends.
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And so I decided
to get off of the boat
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and step into that,
that picture of liberty,
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that structure of
liberty called the love of God.
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And I want you to know
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and I will tell you
this, my wife and I,
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I want you to know,
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we have been all
week long saying,
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"You know, we thought
we knew what love was."
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And just the
knowledge of God's love
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and the depth, or the depth,
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and the height, and the breath,
and the length, and the weight,
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of God's love...
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has taken us to a place
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that I wish I had been
before I left New York.
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Last week was part one.
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And what we've
learned so far about part one
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when we went to
I Corinthians 13,
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if you have your
Bibles, go there with me.
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What we learned in part
one was the three roadblocks
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that the Corinthian believers
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had to deal with
as a multi-cultural
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center of worship,
this city of commerce,
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this place in Greece,
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where languages, and
cultures, and diversity,
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is in the rich and
the poor worship together,
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the haves and the
have-nots worship together,
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the slave and the
master worshipped together,
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at this place
where people thought
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they knew it all and had it all,
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but they realized
they didn't know it all
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and didn't have it all,
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and when they came to
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the centers of
worship on Sabbath morning
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to lift up their
voice to honor God,
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they recognized, wait a minute!
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There are more of
battles with what we prefer
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than what God prefers.
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What language
should we speak in?
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And Paul says, "You can speak
in any language you want to,
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but if you don't have
the love of God of prophets,
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you're absolutely nothing."
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They had racial division
and we discovered so far
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that the
antidote, that the antidote,
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antidote to division is,
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love eradicates division
and love breaks down walls.
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I tried to figure
out how that works,
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but I read a
story, I read a story,
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when I went down to
Alabama, we went down to...
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I forgot the name of
this, Wildwood, I'm not sure,
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down in Alabama,
we were down there,
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invited down there
to do a week of prayer,
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we had a chance
to go over to the,
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to Tuskegee Airmen field,
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so now we're so close,
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you might as well just go there,
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we went from Tennessee,
00:10:25.89\00:10:27.66
I did a camp
meeting in Tennessee,
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I was a week speaker there,
for the weekend of the revival,
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then we went down to
Wildwood down in Georgia,
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whichever one is in Alabama.
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Uchee Pines.
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Thank you, I knew I
was in a different state.
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And we stopped at
the Tuskegee Airmen field
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and we went there
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and we began to read
the story of these men
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who were second class
in their time in the war
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when they were
flying these P51s.
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And we read their stories
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and one of the most
frightening stories to me that
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just almost broke me was,
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that there was a
plane in distress,
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filled with airmen
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and was looking
for a place to land.
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And when they called the
control towers, they said,
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"Well, the nearest field
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is the Tuskegee Airmen's field,"
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which was a field at that
time that was only for Negroes.
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Later known as Blacks, now
known as African-Americans,
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Lord have mercy.
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And they said,
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"Your only chance
is to land there."
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And I thank God
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that we don't live in
the time like it used to be.
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Come on, somebody, say, amen.
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I could be a pastor
in southern Illinois...
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meet people all over
southern Illinois that
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in my New York mind, I thought,
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"We would never ever even meet,
never be on the same page."
00:12:00.12\00:12:03.75
I was in Walmart Thursday,
I was in Walmart Thursday,
00:12:03.79\00:12:07.26
and this is not a
political statement,
00:12:07.29\00:12:08.72
I was in Walmart Thursday,
00:12:08.76\00:12:10.39
checking out at
the cash register.
00:12:10.43\00:12:14.03
And I'm at Walmart Kroger.
00:12:14.06\00:12:16.56
And...
00:12:16.60\00:12:17.93
can I pause here
and say something?
00:12:20.74\00:12:22.64
God, forgive us
for judging each other
00:12:22.67\00:12:25.61
based on what we see.
00:12:25.64\00:12:26.98
Lord, forgive us
00:12:30.38\00:12:32.61
for judging each other
based on what our eyes see.
00:12:32.65\00:12:37.69
I was checking out,
00:12:41.26\00:12:43.22
and there was a
lady at the counter,
00:12:43.26\00:12:45.09
in my mind's eye,
you know, we're in the...
00:12:45.13\00:12:47.36
I'm thanking you, you go
out looking for that prayer.
00:12:47.40\00:12:50.87
Our nation needs healing.
00:12:50.90\00:12:52.33
Our nation needs healing
but healing can't happen,
00:12:55.50\00:12:59.67
healing cannot
happen in the nation
00:12:59.71\00:13:01.68
if it doesn't first
happen in the church.
00:13:01.71\00:13:05.55
I'm checking out and this lady,
00:13:05.58\00:13:08.75
she just broke out
in this conversation
00:13:08.78\00:13:10.59
with my wife and I.
00:13:10.62\00:13:13.42
And, please, don't go
in any emotional place,
00:13:13.46\00:13:15.72
I'm just sharing
a story with you.
00:13:15.76\00:13:20.76
She says, "I've been following
the Obamas on Instagram.
00:13:20.80\00:13:23.97
Oh, I miss them."
00:13:24.00\00:13:27.00
And, Lord, forgive me.
00:13:27.04\00:13:30.01
I looked at the
color of her skin,
00:13:30.04\00:13:33.07
I'm confessing, and I thought,
00:13:33.11\00:13:35.38
I would not expect
her to miss the Obamas.
00:13:35.41\00:13:41.38
But she kept going
on and on and on and on.
00:13:41.42\00:13:45.12
And I said,
well, as I walked out,
00:13:45.15\00:13:47.92
I said, "Lord, forgive me."
00:13:47.96\00:13:51.36
Because you know what?
00:13:51.39\00:13:52.73
And I know that
all of us learned this,
00:13:52.76\00:13:55.23
we live in a world where
00:13:55.26\00:13:56.60
there is
prejudice and preference
00:13:56.63\00:13:58.57
on both sides of the things.
00:13:58.60\00:14:00.27
I was raised in
New York, I know.
00:14:04.27\00:14:07.88
And I'm not going
down this path too long,
00:14:07.91\00:14:09.41
I'm just going to
peek there and leave it.
00:14:09.44\00:14:11.91
But I remember growing up in a,
00:14:11.95\00:14:13.28
and I didn't finish
the Tuskegee story yet.
00:14:13.31\00:14:15.68
Okay.
00:14:15.72\00:14:17.05
But I remember
growing up in New York City,
00:14:17.09\00:14:18.42
at Bethel
Seventh-day Adventist church,
00:14:18.45\00:14:19.79
in the middle of Brooklyn,
00:14:19.82\00:14:21.16
in the middle of the inner city,
00:14:21.19\00:14:25.76
and if a person of another color
00:14:25.79\00:14:27.13
came to church on Sabbath,
00:14:27.16\00:14:28.86
everybody would be looking.
00:14:28.90\00:14:30.33
Who's friend is that?
00:14:35.40\00:14:38.81
And now, it
fits into the article
00:14:38.84\00:14:40.18
that I read to you last Sabbath,
00:14:40.21\00:14:43.04
that the weekend in church
00:14:43.08\00:14:44.41
is probably one of the
most segregated days of the week
00:14:44.45\00:14:48.05
but not here in Thompsonville.
00:14:48.08\00:14:49.42
Come on, somebody,
00:14:49.45\00:14:50.79
not here in Thompsonville.
00:14:50.82\00:14:53.05
Not here in Thompsonville.
00:14:53.09\00:14:57.09
To finish the story...
00:14:57.13\00:15:02.50
the pilot was told
00:15:02.53\00:15:03.87
that your only
chance of making it
00:15:03.90\00:15:06.80
is to land in
the Tuskegee Airfield
00:15:06.84\00:15:10.17
and his response was,
00:15:10.21\00:15:11.54
"I would rather die
than land in that field."
00:15:11.57\00:15:16.91
The sad reality of it,
17 airmen lost their lives
00:15:16.95\00:15:21.32
because one pilot decided
00:15:21.35\00:15:23.62
that his feelings
about another person
00:15:23.65\00:15:26.45
was more powerful than
the life of somebody else.
00:15:26.49\00:15:30.99
When we cannot
get past our feelings
00:15:31.03\00:15:33.66
about each other,
00:15:33.70\00:15:35.56
it could claim the
life of someone else.
00:15:35.60\00:15:40.30
And then and only then
did I began to understand,
00:15:40.34\00:15:42.97
is I begin to understand
00:15:43.00\00:15:44.57
that the
antidote to division is,
00:15:44.61\00:15:46.37
love breaks down
walls, eradicates division.
00:15:46.41\00:15:49.54
The antidote to
thinking so much of ourselves,
00:15:49.58\00:15:52.38
love moves
mountains, not intellect.
00:15:52.41\00:15:54.88
Intellect does
not move mountains,
00:15:54.92\00:15:56.65
God's love moves mountains.
00:15:56.69\00:16:00.56
The antidote to self
appreciation thinking that
00:16:00.59\00:16:03.26
we've got it all and we,
nobody else should have it,
00:16:03.29\00:16:06.73
the antidote to that is
disinterested benevolence,
00:16:06.76\00:16:09.96
doing for someone
00:16:10.00\00:16:11.33
without expecting
anything in return.
00:16:11.37\00:16:13.47
But as I said last week
00:16:18.21\00:16:19.54
and I say this again as
I dive into the message,
00:16:19.57\00:16:22.44
that the issue
of the Corinthian,
00:16:22.48\00:16:24.61
that they faced was not
that the church was in Corinth
00:16:24.65\00:16:29.18
but that Corinth
was in the church.
00:16:29.22\00:16:32.02
The issue that we face
00:16:32.05\00:16:33.39
is not that the
church is in the world
00:16:33.42\00:16:35.69
but that the
world is in the church.
00:16:35.72\00:16:39.89
Vow to God that we
get back to the gospel,
00:16:39.93\00:16:43.30
I'm saying this,
00:16:43.33\00:16:46.03
vow to God that we
get back to the gospel,
00:16:46.07\00:16:49.77
and focus more on
the things that unify us,
00:16:49.80\00:16:54.04
than the things that divide us.
00:16:54.08\00:16:58.08
How clever the enemy is!
00:16:58.11\00:16:59.48
There was a time that
00:16:59.51\00:17:00.92
we wouldn't do this or do that
00:17:00.95\00:17:02.82
but now we have
come down to labels,
00:17:02.85\00:17:05.72
conservative, liberal,
independent, tea party,
00:17:05.75\00:17:10.96
hot chocolate party,
all these ridiculous things
00:17:10.99\00:17:14.20
that divide us, useless,
00:17:14.23\00:17:16.16
we spend our energies on things
00:17:16.20\00:17:17.90
that can't get us
an inch off the ground,
00:17:17.93\00:17:19.87
when the Lord is
coming to us and He says,
00:17:19.90\00:17:22.04
"I want to revolutionize
something about My people.
00:17:22.07\00:17:24.91
I want to change them."
00:17:24.94\00:17:26.51
And what I've discovered
00:17:26.54\00:17:27.94
is the
commission to the Christian
00:17:27.98\00:17:30.11
is to impact the
world with greater force
00:17:30.15\00:17:33.68
than the world has
impacted the church.
00:17:33.72\00:17:38.45
I mean, the Lord said,
"It's possible, it can happen."
00:17:38.49\00:17:41.09
He said, "The gates of hell
00:17:41.12\00:17:42.86
will not prevail
against the church."
00:17:42.89\00:17:45.79
Meaning when the
church goes forward
00:17:45.83\00:17:47.46
in the way that God
intends for us to go forward,
00:17:47.50\00:17:50.83
united, filled with love,
00:17:50.87\00:17:53.20
supporting each
other, upholding one another,
00:17:53.23\00:17:55.94
forgiving one
another, embracing one another,
00:17:55.97\00:17:58.71
when we go forward like that,
00:17:58.74\00:18:01.34
the gates of hell
00:18:01.38\00:18:02.71
cannot prevail against
that kind of divine bulldozer.
00:18:02.74\00:18:05.58
When I understood that text,
00:18:08.65\00:18:10.19
"The gates of hell
will not prevail against..."
00:18:10.22\00:18:12.29
I recognized that
00:18:12.32\00:18:13.66
this is not
something that's human,
00:18:13.69\00:18:15.02
this is something that's divine.
00:18:15.06\00:18:17.03
And the greatest journey
00:18:17.06\00:18:20.03
that the Jesus embarked on
00:18:20.06\00:18:21.70
is getting
finite sinful humanity,
00:18:21.73\00:18:25.10
finite sinful humanity, us,
00:18:25.13\00:18:29.14
to the place
00:18:29.17\00:18:30.64
where we can reveal and reflect
00:18:30.67\00:18:32.34
the love of the
infinite sinless God.
00:18:32.37\00:18:37.55
Finite, infinite.
00:18:37.58\00:18:40.98
Sinful, sinless.
00:18:41.02\00:18:44.99
What was Jesus thinking about
00:18:45.02\00:18:47.79
when He came down here
00:18:47.82\00:18:49.56
to try to get us
to love each other?
00:18:49.59\00:18:54.30
Matthew 5:43,
00:18:54.33\00:18:56.43
"You have heard
that it was said,
00:18:56.46\00:18:58.87
'You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemies.'
00:18:58.90\00:19:03.44
" And I can imagine if
Jesus stopped right there,
00:19:03.47\00:19:05.01
they would have said, "
You're right, you're right."
00:19:05.04\00:19:07.84
But He didn't stop
there, notice what He said,
00:19:07.88\00:19:09.71
"But I say to you," Together.
00:19:09.74\00:19:12.71
"Love your enemies,
bless those who curse you,
00:19:12.75\00:19:16.38
do good to those who hate you,
00:19:16.42\00:19:18.82
and pray for those
who spitefully use you
00:19:18.85\00:19:22.86
and persecute you."
00:19:22.89\00:19:24.26
Why, Lord?
00:19:24.29\00:19:26.49
"That you may be sons
of your Father in heaven,
00:19:26.53\00:19:30.37
for He makes
00:19:30.40\00:19:31.73
His sun rise on the
evil and on the good,
00:19:31.77\00:19:34.87
and sends rain on the
just and on the unjust.
00:19:34.90\00:19:37.91
For if you love
those who love you,
00:19:37.94\00:19:39.74
what reward have you?
00:19:39.77\00:19:42.58
Do not even the tax
collectors do the same?
00:19:42.61\00:19:45.58
If you greet your brethren only,
00:19:45.61\00:19:49.75
what do you do more than others?
00:19:49.78\00:19:51.99
Do not even the
tax collectors do so?
00:19:52.02\00:19:55.26
Therefore you shall
be..." What is the next word?
00:19:55.29\00:19:58.99
"Perfect, just as your
Father in heaven is perfect."
00:19:59.03\00:20:05.53
I cannot make a confession.
00:20:05.57\00:20:08.74
I'm not perfect yet.
00:20:08.77\00:20:12.67
If you are,
00:20:12.71\00:20:14.04
meet me in the office
and tell me how you did it.
00:20:14.08\00:20:16.81
But let me pause and
say another statement,
00:20:16.85\00:20:19.28
"We can be perfect in Christ."
00:20:19.31\00:20:22.42
Amen.
00:20:22.45\00:20:23.79
What I learned in that statement
00:20:23.82\00:20:25.15
was Jesus wasn't saying,
00:20:25.19\00:20:26.52
"You need to try
hard to be perfect."
00:20:26.55\00:20:28.36
He said, "All you
need to do is implement
00:20:28.39\00:20:31.13
and allow into your life
00:20:31.16\00:20:33.86
a love that right now
is off the coast for you."
00:20:33.90\00:20:37.40
You've been
looking at it for years,
00:20:37.43\00:20:39.37
but I want you to get
into that boat of faith,
00:20:39.40\00:20:42.00
take a journey to the
island of possibilities,
00:20:42.04\00:20:44.81
and step into a place
that you've never been before,
00:20:44.84\00:20:47.48
that is the divine
elevating love of God,
00:20:47.51\00:20:49.91
so that
somewhere along the line,
00:20:49.94\00:20:51.58
when your torch is lit,
00:20:51.61\00:20:53.21
people can see
that God's love radiates
00:20:53.25\00:20:55.98
and emanates
from every one of us.
00:20:56.02\00:20:58.22
A man by the name of
Rodney H Delaney once said,
00:21:02.79\00:21:07.16
"Love builds bridges
where there were none."
00:21:07.20\00:21:10.53
And he was right.
Love has no boundaries.
00:21:10.57\00:21:13.17
In love, everything is possible.
00:21:13.20\00:21:14.97
Love doesn't see differences,
00:21:15.00\00:21:17.71
it doesn't see
the ethnic dimension
00:21:17.74\00:21:19.84
or tension between families,
00:21:19.87\00:21:22.28
it doesn't see
popularity and social groups,
00:21:22.31\00:21:25.81
it doesn't see
separation between people,
00:21:25.85\00:21:28.12
love views everyone the same,
00:21:28.15\00:21:31.35
because it happens to all of us,
00:21:31.39\00:21:33.76
whether it is
loving your family,
00:21:33.79\00:21:35.59
loving your spouse,
or loving your friends.
00:21:35.62\00:21:41.23
He goes on to say,
00:21:41.26\00:21:42.60
"Love makes what was
deemed impossible possible.
00:21:42.63\00:21:45.70
In love, there is hope.
In love, there is trust.
00:21:45.73\00:21:48.47
In love, there is respect.
In love, there is strength.
00:21:48.50\00:21:51.47
With all that is in love,
00:21:51.51\00:21:53.21
it has the
strength to build bridges
00:21:53.24\00:21:55.14
where there were
none, it has the power,
00:21:55.18\00:21:58.01
it has the power to
make things happen."
00:21:58.05\00:22:02.52
God's love.
00:22:02.55\00:22:05.15
And so when,
when, when, when, when,
00:22:05.19\00:22:07.52
when Peter had
this confrontation
00:22:07.56\00:22:09.82
with Jesus, "Lovest thou me?"
00:22:09.86\00:22:13.50
"Lord, you
know." "Do you love me?"
00:22:13.53\00:22:15.83
"Lord, you
know." "Do you love me?"
00:22:15.86\00:22:18.17
"Lord, you know."
00:22:18.20\00:22:19.53
When the Lord had this
00:22:19.57\00:22:20.90
interrogating
confrontation with Peter,
00:22:20.94\00:22:24.14
divinity was speaking
to the natural tendencies
00:22:24.17\00:22:27.04
in a carnal man
00:22:27.08\00:22:28.41
who had not yet been broken down
00:22:28.44\00:22:30.45
to the place
where we can understand
00:22:30.48\00:22:32.01
what Jesus was asking
him, "Do you love me?"
00:22:32.05\00:22:35.02
"Yeah." "Do you
love me?" "You know."
00:22:35.05\00:22:36.38
"Do you love me?"
"Lord, come on, you know."
00:22:36.42\00:22:38.55
And Jesus interrogated...
00:22:43.93\00:22:48.36
the minister in Peter.
00:22:48.40\00:22:50.37
He interrogated
the minister in Peter.
00:22:50.40\00:22:53.27
You know why I say
the minister in Peter
00:22:53.30\00:22:55.40
because Jesus
had plans for Peter
00:22:55.44\00:22:58.07
on the day of Pentecost
that could not have happened,
00:22:58.11\00:23:02.54
if Peter had not been
broken and converted in Christ.
00:23:02.58\00:23:08.88
Couldn't happen.
Listen to Desire of Ages.
00:23:08.92\00:23:11.49
The question that Christ had
put to Peter was significant,
00:23:11.52\00:23:14.89
He mentioned only one condition
of discipleship and service.
00:23:14.92\00:23:18.69
"Lovest thou Me," He said.
00:23:18.73\00:23:22.93
This is powerful
00:23:22.96\00:23:24.30
This is the
essential qualification,
00:23:24.33\00:23:26.84
loving God first.
00:23:26.87\00:23:28.97
Now, let's, let's not
separate the two and say,
00:23:29.00\00:23:31.11
"Okay, we have to love
God and love our fellowman."
00:23:31.14\00:23:33.58
No, it is one.
00:23:33.61\00:23:34.94
If we can love God,
00:23:34.98\00:23:39.18
we don't have the
power to love our fellowman,
00:23:39.21\00:23:44.75
as I go into the gas station to,
00:23:44.79\00:23:47.66
you know, you fill your
heart with the fuel you need
00:23:47.69\00:23:51.33
to take the journey
that is ahead of you,
00:23:51.36\00:23:53.36
Jesus fills us
with the divine fuel
00:23:53.40\00:23:55.56
we need to take the journey
00:23:55.60\00:23:57.63
of loving one
another that is ahead of us.
00:23:57.67\00:24:00.74
You don't go to the gas station,
00:24:00.77\00:24:02.10
your car got to be beautiful
but it ain't going anywhere.
00:24:02.14\00:24:04.81
You don't get filled
with the love of God first,
00:24:04.84\00:24:07.78
and always, and
you know what happens?
00:24:07.81\00:24:10.41
Isn't it
amazing that when we see
00:24:10.45\00:24:12.05
our needle going
low, what do we do?
00:24:12.08\00:24:13.95
We look for a gas station.
00:24:13.98\00:24:17.19
Vow to God we did the same thing
00:24:17.22\00:24:19.15
when we sense our
love was going low.
00:24:19.19\00:24:22.96
Vow to God we did the same thing
00:24:22.99\00:24:25.09
when we sense we're
losing love for someone
00:24:25.13\00:24:27.70
and our journey is
about to end with that in...
00:24:27.73\00:24:29.73
Vow to God that we pulled after,
00:24:29.76\00:24:31.33
I got to find a
love tank somewhere,
00:24:31.37\00:24:36.60
'cause my
journey is going to end
00:24:36.64\00:24:37.97
if I don't get filled up again.
00:24:38.01\00:24:42.01
Ellen White goes on to say,
00:24:42.04\00:24:44.41
"Though Peter might
possess every other,"
00:24:44.45\00:24:47.02
that is every
other qualification,
00:24:47.05\00:24:48.82
"Yet without love,
without the love of Christ,
00:24:48.85\00:24:51.52
he could not be
a faithful shepherd
00:24:51.55\00:24:53.82
over the Lord's flock.
00:24:53.86\00:24:56.06
Knowledge, benevolence,
00:24:56.09\00:24:57.83
eloquence, gratitude, and zeal,
00:24:57.86\00:25:00.56
are all aids in the good work
00:25:00.60\00:25:04.07
but without the love
of Jesus in the heart,
00:25:04.10\00:25:06.94
listen, the work of
the Christian minister
00:25:06.97\00:25:10.14
is a failure."
00:25:10.17\00:25:12.07
I was reading a
devotion by Oswald Chambers
00:25:12.11\00:25:14.81
and he talked about
how Peter, James, and John.
00:25:14.84\00:25:17.01
Peter, James, and
John slept on Jesus.
00:25:17.05\00:25:21.45
And instead of Jesus giving them
00:25:21.48\00:25:23.08
the one, two,
three, He said to them,
00:25:23.12\00:25:25.59
"And now, let's
move on to another place.
00:25:25.62\00:25:30.29
Let's move on
to the next thing."
00:25:30.33\00:25:33.19
Jesus didn't spend time
accentuating their failures,
00:25:33.23\00:25:37.33
He said, "I can't
do a thing about that,
00:25:37.37\00:25:38.97
you slept, can't go
back and wake you up,
00:25:39.00\00:25:42.74
so now let's move
on to the next thing."
00:25:42.77\00:25:44.57
And so often, many
of us find ourselves
00:25:44.61\00:25:46.34
in the place where we
recognize our failures,
00:25:46.37\00:25:49.31
our shortcomings, and
we spend so much time there
00:25:49.34\00:25:52.51
that we are not only
00:25:52.55\00:25:53.98
not moving on to the next thing
00:25:54.02\00:25:55.78
but until we move
on to the next thing,
00:25:55.82\00:25:58.22
we are incapable of
allowing somebody else
00:25:58.25\00:26:02.02
to move on to the next thing.
00:26:02.06\00:26:04.86
So we hold them at that place
because we are at that place.
00:26:04.89\00:26:09.03
Are you following me?
00:26:09.06\00:26:10.67
Some of us want
people to stay where we are.
00:26:10.70\00:26:13.67
I don't like you, so
you better not like me.
00:26:13.70\00:26:18.74
'Cause your liking of me
00:26:18.77\00:26:20.11
is going to make
me uncomfortable,
00:26:20.14\00:26:21.81
so as long as we stay at
odds, I'm good with that.
00:26:21.84\00:26:25.91
There's some Christians
that battle every week.
00:26:25.95\00:26:29.15
Don't like each other, let
it be known to other folks,
00:26:29.18\00:26:31.69
"I don't like her.
00:26:31.72\00:26:33.05
I don't like him
either." And I'm serious.
00:26:33.09\00:26:38.76
Then there are those that forget
00:26:38.79\00:26:40.13
God forgave them,
00:26:40.16\00:26:42.66
so they lord over the
$20 that you owe them,
00:26:42.70\00:26:48.10
and forget that God
just forgave them of
00:26:48.14\00:26:50.34
$10,000,000 worth of sin.
00:26:50.37\00:26:54.01
You've got to read that story.
00:26:54.04\00:26:55.38
Man that was in jail
00:26:55.41\00:26:56.85
'cause he couldn't pay his debt,
00:26:56.88\00:26:58.45
he got out, and
I read that story,
00:26:58.48\00:27:00.12
and I recognized
00:27:00.15\00:27:01.48
that the amount of money he owed
00:27:01.52\00:27:04.25
was in the millions
of today's currency.
00:27:04.29\00:27:07.82
He got...
00:27:07.86\00:27:09.56
His debt was
forgiven, he was set free,
00:27:09.59\00:27:12.16
and he went out on his
way home and he saw Bob
00:27:12.19\00:27:15.13
that owed him $20,
00:27:15.16\00:27:17.53
and he grabbed him
by the collar and said,
00:27:17.57\00:27:19.10
"You better give me my money."
00:27:19.13\00:27:22.54
And the judge heard it and said,
00:27:22.57\00:27:25.34
"Go, get that guy
and put him back in jail.
00:27:25.37\00:27:27.71
He didn't learn his lesson."
00:27:27.74\00:27:29.18
You see those of us
00:27:29.21\00:27:30.55
who are forgiven
much loveth much.
00:27:30.58\00:27:34.42
But when we think
that everybody else
00:27:34.45\00:27:36.82
has the problem, but us.
00:27:36.85\00:27:40.56
When we think everybody else
00:27:40.59\00:27:41.92
need to come up
to our expectation...
00:27:41.96\00:27:43.66
until they come up
to our expectation,
00:27:47.13\00:27:49.10
they are not
deservant of my love.
00:27:49.13\00:27:51.90
If God were that way,
00:27:51.93\00:27:53.50
90% of us wouldn't
be sitting here today.
00:27:53.54\00:27:58.27
Thinks no evil.
00:27:58.31\00:28:00.11
When you are under
the constraint of love,
00:28:00.14\00:28:01.54
love does not search
for the faults in others
00:28:01.58\00:28:03.85
or even suggest
00:28:03.88\00:28:05.21
that someone's actions
are selfishly motivated.
00:28:05.25\00:28:08.68
Paul held the Corinthian, Paul,
00:28:08.72\00:28:11.29
one of that church he
raised up to succeed so much,
00:28:11.32\00:28:14.86
that he said, he
was specific about
00:28:14.89\00:28:18.16
the issues that
00:28:18.19\00:28:19.53
the Corinthian
believers struggle with,
00:28:19.56\00:28:21.70
and I thought to myself,
00:28:21.73\00:28:23.06
"Well, maybe some of us are like
00:28:23.10\00:28:24.43
the Corinthian believers.
00:28:24.47\00:28:25.80
Maybe we might find ourselves
00:28:25.83\00:28:27.47
in something they struggle with,
00:28:27.50\00:28:29.24
because maybe we
struggle with that too."
00:28:29.27\00:28:33.14
So as I read through these,
00:28:33.17\00:28:34.51
I'm not saying that
you do struggle with this,
00:28:34.54\00:28:37.05
I'm saying you might, we might.
00:28:37.08\00:28:40.85
well, it goes on
to say, verse six.
00:28:40.88\00:28:45.05
"Does not rejoice in iniquity."
00:28:45.09\00:28:48.99
I told you these
Bible commentators
00:28:49.02\00:28:50.73
were under the
influence of God's Holy Spirit
00:28:50.76\00:28:52.99
when they put
these comments down.
00:28:53.03\00:28:55.33
Man, as we walk through this,
00:28:55.36\00:28:57.63
and my wife and I
did this last week
00:28:57.67\00:28:59.03
and this week, together.
00:28:59.07\00:29:01.70
Walking through these together.
00:29:01.74\00:29:04.47
Love does not rejoice
over the vices of others,
00:29:04.51\00:29:10.11
or find happiness
00:29:10.15\00:29:11.48
because others are
found guilty of wrongdoing.
00:29:11.51\00:29:14.78
Ever heard people
say, "Good, good for him."
00:29:14.82\00:29:18.49
Finally, got what was coming to.
00:29:18.52\00:29:21.09
Love doesn't do that.
Come on, somebody, say, amen.
00:29:21.12\00:29:24.29
It does not take
malicious delight
00:29:24.33\00:29:26.29
in hearing a report
that someone else has fallen.
00:29:26.33\00:29:31.23
Finally, got
her. Finally, got his.
00:29:31.27\00:29:34.80
That's a love, that's a
love that when Jesus came
00:29:34.84\00:29:37.94
and, you know, when we
read the stories in the Bible,
00:29:37.97\00:29:40.71
we love John 3:16,
00:29:40.74\00:29:42.58
but would somebody
read the next text already,
00:29:42.61\00:29:45.31
"For God sent not His Son
00:29:45.35\00:29:48.22
into the world to
condemn the world,
00:29:48.25\00:29:52.22
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:29:52.25\00:29:54.99
That was not just
00:29:55.02\00:29:56.36
the declaration of Jesus' agenda
00:29:56.39\00:29:58.99
but He lived
that out in His life
00:29:59.03\00:30:01.26
and we look at the woman at the,
00:30:01.30\00:30:02.90
we look at the woman at the well
00:30:02.93\00:30:05.20
who couldn't get it together,
00:30:05.23\00:30:07.60
and God, Jesus got
it together for her.
00:30:07.64\00:30:10.44
We'll look at Mary
00:30:10.47\00:30:11.81
who was found at
the feet of Jesus
00:30:11.84\00:30:13.17
as guilty as all
daylight and He said,
00:30:13.21\00:30:15.54
"Neither do I condemn thee.
00:30:15.58\00:30:16.91
Go and sin no more."
00:30:16.95\00:30:18.68
We looked at the
man who was paralyzed
00:30:18.71\00:30:20.48
and Jesus knew his
own choices got him
00:30:20.52\00:30:23.49
on that bed
00:30:23.52\00:30:24.95
and Jesus forgave
him and healed him.
00:30:24.99\00:30:29.42
Sometimes, sometimes
we rejoice in iniquity.
00:30:29.46\00:30:34.26
And we say, "Finally now,
00:30:34.30\00:30:36.90
Mr Perfect got
what he deserved."
00:30:36.93\00:30:40.20
We got to pray to
God to root that out.
00:30:40.24\00:30:43.07
We got to pray for God
00:30:43.10\00:30:44.44
to take that kind
of spirit out of us
00:30:44.47\00:30:46.37
and you'll find out
as I get to the end,
00:30:46.41\00:30:48.01
you'll find out exactly
00:30:48.04\00:30:49.38
why it's important
for God to root that out
00:30:49.41\00:30:51.31
because when we hear,
00:30:51.35\00:30:53.25
you know, we sing the song,
00:30:53.28\00:30:54.62
"When one has a
heartache, we all shed a tear,"
00:30:54.65\00:30:57.15
I wish that were true.
00:30:57.19\00:30:58.52
In some cases, I'm
not white-washing it
00:31:01.96\00:31:03.89
but it would be so nice
00:31:03.93\00:31:05.43
that if we hear our brother
or sister struggling somewhere,
00:31:05.46\00:31:08.20
that it will hurt us so much
00:31:08.23\00:31:10.03
that we will rush to their side,
00:31:10.07\00:31:13.44
to help them
through their difficulty,
00:31:13.47\00:31:16.77
rather than saying, "You go.
00:31:16.81\00:31:18.67
Now you go."
00:31:18.71\00:31:21.31
Can't go.
00:31:21.34\00:31:22.68
"Love rejoices in the truth,"
00:31:26.68\00:31:29.52
verse six,
00:31:29.55\00:31:30.92
"love finds pleasure not in vice
00:31:30.95\00:31:33.66
but in virtue of others."
00:31:33.69\00:31:35.42
Love says, "I just love Bob.
00:31:35.46\00:31:41.40
Man, he loves to
talk. He talks about Jesus.
00:31:41.43\00:31:44.67
Larry always says, 'Thank
God for another beautiful day.'
00:31:44.70\00:31:48.50
I love that about Larry."
00:31:48.54\00:31:52.24
We look at the good in people
and we accentuate that so much,
00:31:52.27\00:31:57.48
that people say,
I wanna meet Larry.
00:31:57.51\00:31:59.38
What's up with this guy
00:31:59.41\00:32:00.75
that talks about
another beautiful day?
00:32:00.78\00:32:02.12
When Larry
doesn't do it, Bob says,
00:32:02.15\00:32:03.49
"Well, since Larry is not here,
00:32:03.52\00:32:04.85
I wanna thank God for
another beautiful day."
00:32:04.89\00:32:08.02
And, you know,
00:32:08.06\00:32:09.39
any day above
the ground is what?
00:32:09.42\00:32:11.09
A beautiful day.
00:32:11.13\00:32:14.73
Don't have to
have 85 degree weather,
00:32:14.76\00:32:16.56
although it would be nice.
00:32:16.60\00:32:19.20
But if you're breathing,
00:32:19.23\00:32:20.57
if you can feel
cold, it's a beautiful day.
00:32:20.60\00:32:25.34
"Love bears all things."
This was a hard one for me.
00:32:25.37\00:32:29.71
The commentator
said, "Love conceals.
00:32:29.74\00:32:34.12
Love conceals and is
silent about such things
00:32:34.15\00:32:38.72
as the faults of others,
00:32:38.75\00:32:42.99
which the selfishness
00:32:43.02\00:32:45.23
of the natural heart
would gladly expose."
00:32:45.26\00:32:52.00
Like the three
guys at the golf course,
00:32:52.03\00:32:53.44
you heard that story.
00:32:53.47\00:32:56.40
Three guys at the golf course,
00:32:56.44\00:32:58.17
three pastors
playing golf together.
00:32:58.21\00:33:01.04
And they decided to go
ahead and bear all their sins
00:33:01.08\00:33:03.14
to each other since
they're all pastors.
00:33:03.18\00:33:05.48
One guy said, "Oh."
00:33:05.51\00:33:08.15
One guy said, "Just
as that we bear all the,
00:33:08.18\00:33:09.55
you know, we're all clergy,
00:33:09.58\00:33:10.92
let's just tell each
other each other's dirt."
00:33:10.95\00:33:13.15
One guy said,
00:33:13.19\00:33:14.52
"All right, all
right, all right, all right.
00:33:14.56\00:33:15.89
Okay. Let's pause a second."
00:33:15.92\00:33:17.36
One guy says, "I gotta confess.
00:33:17.39\00:33:20.10
I, every now and then,
00:33:20.13\00:33:21.46
I take a little sip of alcohol."
00:33:21.50\00:33:26.94
And since that guy
felt good about that,
00:33:26.97\00:33:29.30
the other guys said, "Oh, okay.
00:33:29.34\00:33:30.94
Since he told his
dirt, let me tell mine.
00:33:30.97\00:33:32.57
Every now and then,
00:33:32.61\00:33:34.78
I take a little
wig of a cigarette."
00:33:34.81\00:33:39.48
Talking about their faults,
00:33:39.51\00:33:42.98
and the third guy said,
"And my fault is gossip.
00:33:43.02\00:33:45.82
I can't wait to leave here
00:33:45.85\00:33:47.66
to tell somebody
about what I just learned."
00:33:47.69\00:33:50.13
I mean, come on now,
you know, why we laugh?
00:33:54.76\00:33:56.46
'Cause that's how some of us is.
00:33:56.50\00:33:59.33
Am I right? That
burning knowledge.
00:33:59.37\00:34:05.17
We say, "I can't
tell you but if I could,
00:34:05.21\00:34:08.11
I would tell you.
00:34:08.14\00:34:09.88
I'm not going to
tell you who it is
00:34:09.91\00:34:11.31
but they're tall,
well, I hear let's pray.
00:34:11.35\00:34:16.18
Not going to tell
you that he sings,
00:34:16.22\00:34:17.75
but he might be able to.
00:34:17.79\00:34:20.42
Not going to tell
you that he's a, well,
00:34:20.46\00:34:23.29
you know, I can't
give you more details
00:34:23.32\00:34:25.03
'cause you might
figure out who it is,
00:34:25.06\00:34:27.00
but I like his car."
00:34:27.03\00:34:28.90
You know.
00:34:28.93\00:34:30.43
You might as well just
say it and remember this,
00:34:30.47\00:34:34.10
this is crazy.
00:34:34.14\00:34:36.47
If it's a secret,
don't tell nobody...
00:34:36.50\00:34:38.54
'cause it ain't
no secret no more.
00:34:44.31\00:34:47.12
There's something
00:34:47.15\00:34:48.48
that should be only
known between you and God.
00:34:48.52\00:34:52.35
Bears all things, it
goes on, verse seven.
00:34:52.39\00:34:55.39
Love conceals,
well, I said that.
00:34:55.42\00:34:58.83
Now it believes all things.
00:34:58.86\00:35:00.20
This is the attitude of love
00:35:00.23\00:35:01.56
because love seeks
to make others happy
00:35:01.60\00:35:03.50
and will not believe anything
00:35:03.53\00:35:05.23
to their detriment
except on irrefutable evidence.
00:35:05.27\00:35:10.01
I want to say to people,
when somebody says something,
00:35:10.04\00:35:11.84
rather than you going
crazy about it, check it out.
00:35:11.87\00:35:15.14
Check it out, don't just be
00:35:15.18\00:35:17.41
the bird that
flew out the window.
00:35:17.45\00:35:19.08
That's why Peter
says in I Peter 4:8,
00:35:19.11\00:35:20.98
"And above all things
00:35:21.02\00:35:22.35
have fervent
love for one another,
00:35:22.38\00:35:24.59
for love will cover
a multitude of sins."
00:35:24.62\00:35:28.72
Fervent love.
00:35:28.76\00:35:30.66
The alcoholic
don't need to be told
00:35:30.69\00:35:32.03
he's an alcoholic.
00:35:32.06\00:35:33.70
The drug addict
don't need to be told
00:35:33.73\00:35:35.06
he's a drug addict.
00:35:35.10\00:35:36.53
The person that
00:35:36.56\00:35:37.90
stole something don't
need to be told he's a thief.
00:35:37.93\00:35:39.97
He knows that. We
know what we did wrong.
00:35:40.00\00:35:42.87
When we accentuate that,
00:35:42.90\00:35:44.54
we fail to be the redemptive arm
00:35:44.57\00:35:46.61
that God wants us to be.
00:35:46.64\00:35:48.91
Don't be the broken
arm, be the redemptive arm.
00:35:48.94\00:35:51.38
Amen, somebody.
"Then hopes all things."
00:35:51.41\00:35:54.72
Verse seven.
00:35:54.75\00:35:56.08
However dark appearances may be
00:35:56.12\00:35:58.29
and whatever
grounds there may be
00:35:58.32\00:36:00.26
for questioning the
sincerity of others,
00:36:00.29\00:36:04.03
love still hopes
00:36:04.06\00:36:05.86
that everything
will be well in the end.
00:36:05.89\00:36:11.20
Hopes all things,
and not only that,
00:36:11.23\00:36:13.74
because of love,
00:36:13.77\00:36:15.10
they will maintain this position
00:36:15.14\00:36:16.81
until all possibility
00:36:16.84\00:36:19.74
of its being
confirmed has disappeared.
00:36:19.77\00:36:21.98
Now I've got to break that down.
00:36:22.01\00:36:23.85
Sometimes, we don't
want to move forward
00:36:23.88\00:36:25.48
until we have,
00:36:25.51\00:36:26.85
until we're sure
it's going to work out.
00:36:26.88\00:36:29.38
You, follow me.
00:36:29.42\00:36:30.75
Some people say,
00:36:30.79\00:36:32.12
"No, I'm not
going to commit to it
00:36:32.15\00:36:33.49
if I know it's not
going to work out."
00:36:33.52\00:36:34.86
You know what?
00:36:34.89\00:36:36.22
Anything that we commit o
the Lord, He will keep it.
00:36:36.26\00:36:38.56
Anything that we say,
00:36:38.59\00:36:39.93
"God, you've got to solve this."
00:36:39.96\00:36:41.30
He will solve it.
00:36:41.33\00:36:42.66
You don't need
irrefutable evidence
00:36:42.70\00:36:44.03
that God will solve it.
00:36:44.07\00:36:45.40
You just simply
need to trust Him
00:36:45.43\00:36:46.97
that God is able to
keep what you commit to Him
00:36:47.00\00:36:49.64
and He can solve it.
00:36:49.67\00:36:51.01
It's called the process.
00:36:55.28\00:36:57.81
Some people don't
commit to the process
00:36:57.85\00:36:59.81
because they want evidence
00:36:59.85\00:37:01.18
and let me take,
let me get even further,
00:37:01.22\00:37:02.55
let me get deeper
here, are you ready?
00:37:02.58\00:37:05.09
Some people say, "I forgive you,
00:37:05.12\00:37:06.45
but I'll never ever give you
00:37:06.49\00:37:08.49
a second chance
to do that again."
00:37:08.52\00:37:11.59
Well, then, you
haven't forgiven them.
00:37:11.63\00:37:15.86
Now let me tell you why.
00:37:15.90\00:37:17.57
The vulnerability of
Christ was that He put Himself
00:37:17.60\00:37:21.27
in the hand of man who He knew,
00:37:21.30\00:37:23.47
He knew Judas was
going to betray Him.
00:37:23.51\00:37:28.41
But He put Himself...
00:37:28.44\00:37:29.78
under the influence
of a man who He knew,
00:37:33.45\00:37:35.65
his heart was
turned against Him.
00:37:35.68\00:37:40.09
He walked around
with guys that He knew
00:37:40.12\00:37:42.39
didn't have right motives.
00:37:42.42\00:37:45.43
He walked around with guys
00:37:45.46\00:37:46.80
that were just as frail
and broken as every one of us.
00:37:46.83\00:37:49.06
"Endureth all things."
00:37:56.20\00:37:59.34
Love suffers quietly
under all difficulties,
00:37:59.37\00:38:01.74
trials, and prosecutions,
and injuries inflicted by man.
00:38:01.78\00:38:07.08
And all the
attacks, this is powerful,
00:38:07.12\00:38:09.78
and all the attacks
that God may see fit
00:38:09.82\00:38:14.46
to allow the adversary to make.
00:38:14.49\00:38:18.69
I want to say that again.
00:38:18.73\00:38:20.36
Did God allow
Satan to attack Job?
00:38:20.40\00:38:23.60
Yes or no. Of course, He did.
00:38:23.63\00:38:26.37
Did the Lord allow
Satan to sift Peter?
00:38:26.40\00:38:29.27
Yes or no.
00:38:29.30\00:38:30.64
He never said,
00:38:30.67\00:38:32.01
"I'm not going to
let the devil sift you."
00:38:32.04\00:38:33.64
He says, "He
desires to sift you."
00:38:33.68\00:38:37.41
And He allowed the
adversary to sift Peter.
00:38:37.45\00:38:42.38
He allowed the Hebrews to end up
00:38:42.42\00:38:45.55
in the fiery furnace.
00:38:45.59\00:38:47.42
He allowed Daniel to
end up in the lions' den.
00:38:47.46\00:38:51.89
You see, it's
not where we end up,
00:38:51.93\00:38:53.76
it's the attitude we have
because of where we end up,
00:38:53.80\00:38:57.87
that's what made
all the difference,
00:38:57.90\00:38:59.90
it's the attitude,
00:38:59.93\00:39:01.27
what happens to us in our spirit
00:39:01.30\00:39:03.10
when we end up where we
don't think we should be,
00:39:03.14\00:39:05.54
that's the big question here.
00:39:05.57\00:39:06.91
Because a lot of
us are in situations,
00:39:06.94\00:39:08.61
we say, "How did I
get myself into this?
00:39:08.64\00:39:11.98
Or how does somebody,
how could I let that happen?"
00:39:12.01\00:39:15.08
And we're there,
we're in the lions' den,
00:39:15.12\00:39:18.75
rather than
trusting God and saying,
00:39:18.79\00:39:21.42
"I know that in the morning,
He's going to get me out."
00:39:21.46\00:39:24.63
We complain all night long.
00:39:24.66\00:39:25.99
And, you know, why we do that?
00:39:29.36\00:39:31.07
Because we haven't had
a connection with that God
00:39:31.10\00:39:32.77
before we got
into the lions' den.
00:39:32.80\00:39:34.94
You see, you can't
trust God in difficulty
00:39:34.97\00:39:37.77
if you haven't
trusted Him in prosperity.
00:39:37.81\00:39:41.61
If you don't know His address
00:39:41.64\00:39:43.28
when He was
living next door to you,
00:39:43.31\00:39:45.31
you're not going to
be able to trace Him
00:39:45.35\00:39:46.68
when He moves.
00:39:46.72\00:39:49.68
If you're not staying connected
with Him on a day-by-day basis,
00:39:49.72\00:39:52.32
when difficulty comes,
00:39:52.35\00:39:53.69
you won't even
know what to call Him
00:39:53.72\00:39:56.32
because you have no evidence,
00:39:56.36\00:39:58.16
you have no experience
00:39:58.19\00:40:00.23
that He's ever
been there for you
00:40:00.26\00:40:01.60
because you've never sought Him
00:40:01.63\00:40:04.07
That's why He says,
"Seek me while I may be found.
00:40:04.10\00:40:06.94
Call upon me while I am near."
00:40:06.97\00:40:09.80
That's a deep love,
00:40:09.84\00:40:11.17
that's a love that
endures all things.
00:40:11.21\00:40:14.61
Love is prepared to look upon
00:40:14.64\00:40:16.75
the unfavorable
conduct of others,
00:40:16.78\00:40:20.25
and with an understanding,
00:40:20.28\00:40:21.62
patience, and
sympathy, inspired by God,
00:40:21.65\00:40:24.75
we look at
people that are broken
00:40:24.79\00:40:26.49
and messed up and jacked up.
00:40:26.52\00:40:30.03
And we look at them with
the patience and sympathy
00:40:30.06\00:40:33.83
that Jesus looks
at a person with.
00:40:33.86\00:40:38.03
So what is that?
00:40:38.07\00:40:39.67
No wonder, in the
Laodicean message,
00:40:39.70\00:40:41.80
the prayer is, "Lord,
00:40:41.84\00:40:44.64
anoint my eyes with
eye salve that I may see."
00:40:44.67\00:40:48.31
It's not see prophecy,
00:40:48.34\00:40:50.45
it's not see your
future and your destiny,
00:40:50.48\00:40:53.68
the anointing of
the eyes with eye salve
00:40:53.72\00:40:56.35
is that we might be
able to see each other
00:40:56.38\00:40:58.82
like God sees us.
00:40:58.85\00:41:03.16
But we think that
if He anoints our eyes
00:41:03.19\00:41:04.53
with eye salve
00:41:04.56\00:41:05.89
we'll have a better
understanding of prophecy,
00:41:05.93\00:41:07.40
I'm not done yet,
00:41:07.43\00:41:09.10
but I'm going to move
more with a greater pace.
00:41:09.13\00:41:11.90
Verse eight. "Love never fails."
00:41:11.93\00:41:14.70
Love never fails.
00:41:14.74\00:41:16.07
I'm going to move at
a greater, greater pace.
00:41:16.10\00:41:17.44
Love never fails.
00:41:17.47\00:41:18.81
When I got to that
verse I had to pause
00:41:18.84\00:41:20.18
because the
commentator said so much about
00:41:20.21\00:41:22.31
that kind of love that
has forced me to pause,
00:41:22.34\00:41:25.01
and to just take up,
00:41:25.05\00:41:26.38
you know, you know, when you,
00:41:26.41\00:41:27.75
when you sweep your
carpet with a broom,
00:41:27.78\00:41:29.62
have you ever done that before?
00:41:29.65\00:41:31.15
Sweep your carpet with a broom,
00:41:31.19\00:41:32.72
you can't take up as
much as when you vacuum it.
00:41:32.75\00:41:36.76
This text made me
get the vacuum out.
00:41:36.79\00:41:40.40
And pull out of
it everything that
00:41:40.43\00:41:41.80
the Lord wanted me to get
00:41:41.83\00:41:43.16
and this is a
powerful illustration,
00:41:43.20\00:41:45.03
you see, the illustration
00:41:45.07\00:41:46.40
that commentators
use is the flower,
00:41:46.43\00:41:48.84
the flower, it says, the flower,
00:41:48.87\00:41:52.77
when the flower
has given its fragrance
00:41:52.81\00:41:54.88
and beauty during
the hours of sunshine,
00:41:54.91\00:41:58.35
it has served its purpose.
00:41:58.38\00:41:59.85
That's what flowers
do, when the sun is out,
00:41:59.88\00:42:01.95
you go to the botanical
gardens and it smells so good
00:42:01.98\00:42:04.09
because the sun is out
00:42:04.12\00:42:05.45
and it's
radiating on those flowers
00:42:05.49\00:42:07.16
but go there in the winter time,
00:42:07.19\00:42:09.32
and you'll discover that
the cold winds and frosts
00:42:09.36\00:42:12.29
cause that same flower to wither
00:42:12.33\00:42:15.40
and to fall off of its stem.
00:42:15.43\00:42:20.94
And you'll say, what
happened to the flower?
00:42:20.97\00:42:23.41
And the commentator
said, love is not like that,
00:42:23.44\00:42:26.71
love never
falls off of its stem.
00:42:26.74\00:42:30.28
Love is there
when the sun is out,
00:42:30.31\00:42:32.61
love is there
when the ice is there,
00:42:32.65\00:42:34.45
in the days of
stress and strain,
00:42:34.48\00:42:37.39
as well as when it
is all bright and fair,
00:42:37.42\00:42:40.12
love remains the same,
00:42:40.16\00:42:42.72
shedding its
fragrance of trust and hope
00:42:42.76\00:42:45.19
and faith all around.
00:42:45.23\00:42:49.40
When I bought my wife
roses for Valentine's Day,
00:42:49.43\00:42:51.90
whether you believe it
or not, I bought her roses.
00:42:51.93\00:42:55.87
I thought a
wealthy man could have gone
00:42:55.90\00:42:57.54
into that same
store and bought roses,
00:42:57.57\00:42:59.71
or a man with
just a few cents left
00:42:59.74\00:43:02.38
could have gone in that store,
00:43:02.41\00:43:03.75
store, and
bought the same roses,
00:43:03.78\00:43:06.35
and took it home to his
wife who has very little,
00:43:06.38\00:43:08.95
or took it home to
his wife who has so much,
00:43:08.98\00:43:12.09
you know what?
00:43:12.12\00:43:13.52
They both will be
cheered just the same,
00:43:13.56\00:43:16.83
the wealthy and the poor smiles,
00:43:16.86\00:43:20.23
just the same.
00:43:20.26\00:43:21.63
And for years,
00:43:28.04\00:43:29.60
when Valentine's Day came,
00:43:29.64\00:43:32.84
we said, "I ain't
getting drawn into that.
00:43:32.87\00:43:36.98
It's just flowers,
and chocolate, and cards,
00:43:37.01\00:43:40.02
it's just another
commercial thing."
00:43:40.05\00:43:43.15
But as I was studying this,
00:43:43.18\00:43:46.22
see, we don't, we
don't get into that,
00:43:46.25\00:43:47.76
we've never got
into Valentine's Day,
00:43:47.79\00:43:50.36
but as I was
studying about love...
00:43:50.39\00:43:52.86
go get some
flowers for your wife.
00:43:56.36\00:44:00.37
Go get her a car and tell
her how much you appreciate her.
00:44:00.40\00:44:03.61
You see, what I'm after,
00:44:03.64\00:44:05.14
get up off of your hind parts
00:44:05.17\00:44:06.64
and think that you
have it all put together.
00:44:06.68\00:44:09.74
And I said to my wife, "Honey,
00:44:09.78\00:44:12.05
this, every
chance I get to tell you
00:44:12.08\00:44:15.05
how much I love you
00:44:15.08\00:44:17.05
will never pass by
unnoticed ever again."
00:44:17.09\00:44:22.59
It's so funny.
00:44:22.62\00:44:24.53
My wife looked at Facebook,
00:44:24.56\00:44:27.40
her brother bought his wife
00:44:27.43\00:44:29.60
the same car I bought my
wife and he lives in Florida.
00:44:29.63\00:44:34.44
Great minds think alike.
00:44:34.47\00:44:37.87
We got to understand the flower,
00:44:37.91\00:44:39.67
the fragrance of
love is for everyone.
00:44:39.71\00:44:43.11
And then Paul goes on
to say in verse eight,
00:44:43.14\00:44:45.91
he continues,
00:44:45.95\00:44:47.28
"But whether they
are prophecies..."
00:44:47.32\00:44:48.65
Come on now,
"Whether they are prophecies,
00:44:48.68\00:44:50.02
they will..."
00:44:50.05\00:44:51.39
What? "Fail."
00:44:51.42\00:44:53.32
Prophecy will only lead
us to the coming of Jesus
00:44:53.36\00:44:56.52
but after that, we
don't need prophecy anymore,
00:44:56.56\00:44:59.33
but we will need love
00:44:59.36\00:45:00.93
throughout the
ceaseless ages of eternity.
00:45:00.96\00:45:03.37
Prophecies gonna...
00:45:03.40\00:45:04.73
Don't get hung up
in prophecy so much.
00:45:04.77\00:45:06.87
It's important, it's necessary
to understand what's coming
00:45:06.90\00:45:09.60
but a prophecy is
more important to you
00:45:09.64\00:45:11.61
than love, then you
are on the wrong journey,
00:45:11.64\00:45:15.04
whether there are tongues,
00:45:15.08\00:45:16.41
so many Christians
say, "I speak in tongues."
00:45:16.44\00:45:17.91
Fine.
00:45:17.95\00:45:19.28
Are you saying you love
me in a different language?
00:45:19.31\00:45:22.92
If you ain't doing that,
00:45:22.95\00:45:24.29
your tongues and you will cease.
00:45:24.32\00:45:28.69
Whether there is knowledge,
some people got more degrees
00:45:28.72\00:45:31.16
and they have letters in
their first and last name,
00:45:31.19\00:45:34.03
and the Lord says,
"Whether there is knowledge,
00:45:34.06\00:45:36.16
it will vanish away."
00:45:36.20\00:45:37.53
You can't take your D,
your PhD, your MD, your M Div,
00:45:37.57\00:45:40.50
your whatever, you
can't take that to heaven,
00:45:40.54\00:45:42.94
you got to take
your BA, born again.
00:45:42.97\00:45:45.21
What was being said by
the Bible commentators here,
00:45:49.94\00:45:52.15
is God has given
us, Jesus has supplied,
00:45:52.18\00:45:55.42
the Holy Spirit has
equipped us with everything
00:45:55.45\00:45:57.59
we need to preach the gospel,
00:45:57.62\00:45:59.62
but when the gospel is finished,
00:45:59.65\00:46:01.16
you don't need prophecy,
you don't need tongues,
00:46:01.19\00:46:03.86
you don't need
knowledge, but you need love.
00:46:03.89\00:46:07.63
So whenever we have
these prophecy seminars,
00:46:07.66\00:46:09.40
Lord, have mercy,
00:46:09.43\00:46:10.77
can somebody do a
seminar on God's love?
00:46:10.80\00:46:13.30
Had to say that.
00:46:17.24\00:46:19.61
People on prophecy know,
00:46:19.64\00:46:20.98
what people need is an
understanding of God's love.
00:46:21.01\00:46:26.18
Here's why verse nine and ten,
"Prophecy, knowledge, tongues,"
00:46:26.21\00:46:31.25
put all that together,
"For we know in part..."
00:46:31.29\00:46:33.52
We don't know it all,
"And we prophecy in part..."
00:46:33.56\00:46:35.66
We don't understand
everything about prophecy,
00:46:35.69\00:46:38.13
"But when that
which is perfect has come,
00:46:38.16\00:46:40.10
then that which is in
part will be done away."
00:46:40.13\00:46:42.80
Don't hold on to things
like your life depends on it,
00:46:42.83\00:46:46.80
other than if your
life depends on it,
00:46:46.84\00:46:49.40
and my life and my end
00:46:49.44\00:46:50.97
depends on the
love of God for me.
00:46:51.01\00:46:56.91
Look at I John 4:20,21.
00:46:56.95\00:46:59.21
Jesus was ruthless.
00:47:02.22\00:47:05.55
When it came to getting all
this nonsense out of the way
00:47:05.59\00:47:08.56
and revealed His love.
00:47:08.59\00:47:10.39
"He who says, 'I love God,'
00:47:10.43\00:47:12.49
and hates his brother is a liar,
00:47:12.53\00:47:13.86
for he does not love his brother
00:47:13.90\00:47:16.03
whom he has seen..."
00:47:16.06\00:47:17.80
The next word is powerful.
00:47:17.83\00:47:19.70
"How can he love God
00:47:19.73\00:47:23.44
whom he has not seen?"
00:47:23.47\00:47:28.08
You don't even, when
last have you seen God.
00:47:28.11\00:47:30.58
No man has seen God at anytime.
00:47:30.61\00:47:33.05
How you can love
somebody you haven't seen,
00:47:33.08\00:47:35.58
when you can't love
those that you do see?
00:47:35.62\00:47:38.75
That's transforming.
00:47:38.79\00:47:41.16
And the Lord allows
people to be in our space,
00:47:41.19\00:47:44.93
that are like
iron sharpening iron,
00:47:44.96\00:47:48.10
so we can discover
how dull we really are
00:47:48.13\00:47:51.50
until somebody
of the same fabric
00:47:51.53\00:47:54.17
and intensity just like us,
00:47:54.20\00:47:55.74
as hard headed as us,
as recalcitrant as us,
00:47:55.77\00:47:59.07
as determined to hold onto
their past as us sometimes are,
00:47:59.11\00:48:02.08
as we sometimes are,
until iron sharpens iron,
00:48:02.11\00:48:05.45
we will never get sharp.
00:48:05.48\00:48:08.02
Why does God allow
difficulty to come?
00:48:08.05\00:48:10.09
So you can be sharper in
the future than you are now.
00:48:10.12\00:48:13.82
We want to avoid those folks,
00:48:13.86\00:48:15.19
so we got this island that isle,
00:48:15.22\00:48:16.56
we avoid them, we
don't talk to them,
00:48:16.59\00:48:17.93
we don't hug,
00:48:17.96\00:48:19.29
and we don't confess our sin,
we don't ask for forgiveness,
00:48:19.33\00:48:21.83
we don't try to
bring reconciliation,
00:48:21.86\00:48:23.57
we don't want their
iron to touch our iron,
00:48:23.60\00:48:25.57
but the Lord said, "If you
let their iron touch your iron,
00:48:25.60\00:48:27.90
you're both
going to end up sharper
00:48:27.94\00:48:29.30
than you used to be."
00:48:29.34\00:48:31.21
That's God's plan
and He ends by saying.
00:48:31.24\00:48:35.24
"And this
commandment we have from Him,
00:48:35.28\00:48:37.58
that he who loves God
must love his brother also."
00:48:37.61\00:48:43.59
You see, Jesus came to people
00:48:43.62\00:48:44.95
that had deep
scriptural knowledge.
00:48:44.99\00:48:47.69
John 5:41 to 43.
00:48:47.72\00:48:50.73
John 5:41 to 43.
00:48:50.76\00:48:52.96
Don't slow me down,
I'm about to wind up.
00:48:52.99\00:48:55.86
John 5:41 to 43.
00:48:55.90\00:48:57.57
Notice the word Jesus
said to these scripturally
00:48:57.60\00:48:59.97
deep Pharisees and scribes,
00:49:00.00\00:49:01.90
listen to what He said.
00:49:01.94\00:49:03.41
He said, "I do not
receive honor from man,
00:49:03.44\00:49:06.78
but I know you,
00:49:06.81\00:49:08.34
that you do not have
the love of God in you."
00:49:08.38\00:49:11.41
That's why Jesus
didn't receive honor,
00:49:11.45\00:49:13.45
'cause they didn't
have God's love in them.
00:49:13.48\00:49:14.82
What did they have?
00:49:14.85\00:49:16.18
They had degrees,
they had knowledge,
00:49:16.22\00:49:17.55
they had, Pharisees,
00:49:17.59\00:49:19.05
scribes, Sadducees, Essenes,
00:49:19.09\00:49:21.76
high priests, low priests,
00:49:21.79\00:49:23.12
priest priest, they had it all,
00:49:23.16\00:49:25.79
and they
infected their followers
00:49:25.83\00:49:27.56
to reject the Christ
00:49:27.60\00:49:29.03
because they did not
have the love of God in them.
00:49:29.06\00:49:31.53
He says, "I have
come in My Father's name,
00:49:31.57\00:49:33.30
and you do not receive me,
00:49:33.34\00:49:34.74
if anyone comes in his own name,
00:49:34.77\00:49:37.11
him you will receive."
00:49:37.14\00:49:39.37
You see, when we get to heaven,
00:49:39.41\00:49:40.74
there will be revelations
00:49:40.78\00:49:42.11
that have never
made sense in this life,
00:49:42.14\00:49:44.51
until then, everything
about this life is in parts,
00:49:44.55\00:49:47.62
it's reflective, it is dim,
00:49:47.65\00:49:50.09
you can't understand it fully.
00:49:50.12\00:49:52.92
What about love?
00:49:52.95\00:49:55.12
Philosophy cannot
describe the nature of love.
00:49:55.16\00:49:58.46
Psychology can't
deny the power of love.
00:49:58.49\00:50:01.30
Anthropology cannot
explain the origin of love.
00:50:01.33\00:50:04.70
Death cannot kill love.
00:50:04.73\00:50:06.23
Darkness cannot hide love.
00:50:06.27\00:50:08.04
The grave cannot bury
love, that's why Jesus says,
00:50:08.07\00:50:12.11
"Now abides faith,
hope, and love, these three,
00:50:12.14\00:50:17.55
but the greatest of these..."
00:50:17.58\00:50:18.91
Together is...
00:50:18.95\00:50:21.05
Now why?
00:50:21.08\00:50:23.12
I like to invite
the musician to come.
00:50:23.15\00:50:24.72
Why?
00:50:24.75\00:50:26.19
Why is the
greatest of these, love?
00:50:26.22\00:50:28.22
Let me tell
you, the last message
00:50:28.26\00:50:29.62
is not going to be
about the mark of the beast,
00:50:29.66\00:50:31.89
amen, somebody, the last message
00:50:31.93\00:50:34.40
that the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:50:34.43\00:50:35.76
has been given to
preach is not about Babylon,
00:50:35.80\00:50:38.00
not about the
seven last plagues,
00:50:38.03\00:50:39.67
not about the seven trumpets,
not about any of that stuff.
00:50:39.70\00:50:43.81
Ellen White says in
Christ Object lessons,
00:50:43.84\00:50:45.67
page 415 and 416,
00:50:45.71\00:50:47.48
"The last message of
mercy to be given to the world
00:50:47.51\00:50:51.25
is a revelation of
His character of love.
00:50:51.28\00:50:56.65
The children of God..."
00:50:56.69\00:50:58.09
The who, church?
00:50:58.12\00:51:00.39
Talk to me, the who?
00:51:00.42\00:51:01.99
"The children of God
are to manifest His glory."
00:51:02.02\00:51:05.33
How?
00:51:05.36\00:51:06.70
"In their own
life and character,
00:51:06.73\00:51:09.56
they are to reveal
what the grace of God
00:51:09.60\00:51:12.20
has done for them."
00:51:12.23\00:51:16.00
What has God's love done for us?
00:51:16.04\00:51:18.57
So now you see why,
00:51:18.61\00:51:20.71
when the love of God
has done something for you,
00:51:20.74\00:51:22.44
there is no fear in love,
00:51:22.48\00:51:24.51
perfect love casts out fear
because fear involves torment.
00:51:24.55\00:51:29.58
But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love,
00:51:29.62\00:51:32.49
so why should we love Him?
00:51:32.52\00:51:34.56
Because He first loved us.
00:51:34.59\00:51:36.89
You see, we cannot
love the invisible God,
00:51:36.93\00:51:42.56
if we don't love the
visible brother and sister.
00:51:42.60\00:51:46.84
So how many want to love
the visible brother and sister,
00:51:46.87\00:51:50.51
so that we can let
the world know that
00:51:50.54\00:51:52.54
we are connected to
the invisible loving God?
00:51:52.57\00:51:56.01
We have to stand
together and sing that song,
00:51:56.04\00:51:58.41
"More love to thee."
00:51:58.45\00:52:00.38
Let that be our
testimony, is that it?
00:52:00.42\00:52:03.99
More about
Jesus, more about Jesus.
00:52:04.02\00:52:07.19
That's right,
let's sing that song.
00:52:07.22\00:52:09.69
Let that be our testimony today,
00:52:09.72\00:52:11.33
more about Jesus.
00:52:11.36\00:52:15.23
More about Jesus
00:52:15.26\00:52:18.73
I would know
00:52:18.77\00:52:22.10
More of His grace to others show
00:52:22.14\00:52:29.04
More of His saving fullness see
00:52:29.08\00:52:36.28
More of His love who died for me
00:52:36.32\00:52:41.79
Raise that chorus together.
00:52:41.82\00:52:43.99
More, more about Jesus
00:52:44.03\00:52:50.73
Give me more, more about Jesus
00:52:50.77\00:52:58.57
More of His saving fullness see
00:52:58.61\00:53:06.28
More of His love who died for me
00:53:06.31\00:53:12.62
More about Jesus let me learn.
00:53:12.65\00:53:14.89
More about Jesus...
00:53:14.92\00:53:18.96
Let's raise
that chorus together.
00:53:18.99\00:53:20.96
More of His holy.
00:53:21.00\00:53:22.33
More of His holy will
00:53:22.36\00:53:29.40
Spirit of God, my teacher be
00:53:29.44\00:53:36.88
Showing the
things of Christ to me.
00:53:36.91\00:53:44.09
Give me more, more about Jesus
00:53:44.12\00:53:51.59
I need more, more
00:53:51.63\00:53:55.06
About Jesus
00:53:55.10\00:54:00.00
More of His saving fullness
00:54:00.04\00:54:06.68
Together.
00:54:06.71\00:54:08.04
More of His love
00:54:08.08\00:54:11.31
Who died for me
00:54:11.35\00:54:16.45
As the music is played
softly, Father in heaven,
00:54:16.48\00:54:21.26
how are we going
to show the world
00:54:21.29\00:54:25.39
Your love,
00:54:25.43\00:54:29.10
unless Your love abides
in our hearts, in our minds,
00:54:29.13\00:54:36.04
unless Your love is practiced
through thick and thin,
00:54:36.07\00:54:40.41
through the uphill
climb, and the downhill slide?
00:54:40.44\00:54:46.55
How can we let others know
00:54:46.58\00:54:48.82
about the
beauty of this message,
00:54:48.85\00:54:51.52
if they don't sense the
love of God in our hearts
00:54:51.55\00:54:54.46
and hear Him in our voice,
and sense Him in our lives?
00:54:54.49\00:55:00.40
Lord, you've given us a
task that seems impossible
00:55:00.43\00:55:02.93
but you said to us,
00:55:02.96\00:55:05.47
"Christ in you is
the hope of glory."
00:55:05.50\00:55:07.07
So, Lord, today,
come in and renew us
00:55:07.10\00:55:10.21
that we will not
be children anymore
00:55:10.24\00:55:14.74
in our display of
love but we will be mature,
00:55:14.78\00:55:18.38
we will grow, we will reflect,
00:55:18.41\00:55:22.92
we will reveal, by Your grace,
00:55:22.95\00:55:25.35
and Your power,
and Your strength,
00:55:25.39\00:55:27.42
and Your ability,
00:55:27.46\00:55:28.79
we will by what you do in us,
00:55:28.82\00:55:32.09
let the world know
that we are Your disciples.
00:55:32.13\00:55:37.57
We will forgive as you forgave,
00:55:37.60\00:55:39.87
and care as you cared
and embrace as you embrace,
00:55:39.90\00:55:43.74
we will look beyond
the faults and failures,
00:55:43.77\00:55:46.47
not only of
others but of our own.
00:55:46.51\00:55:51.11
We will hold ourselves
00:55:51.15\00:55:52.48
to a higher
place of accountability
00:55:52.51\00:55:54.02
than we require that of others.
00:55:54.05\00:55:58.72
And finally, we will
say, Father, love through me,
00:55:58.75\00:56:04.96
speak through me.
00:56:04.99\00:56:07.20
Turn the light
of Your divinity on,
00:56:07.23\00:56:09.36
through me,
00:56:09.40\00:56:11.30
that when we come in
contact with someone,
00:56:11.33\00:56:15.37
that may even be
difficult to love,
00:56:15.40\00:56:18.91
that the love of
Christ will constrain us,
00:56:18.94\00:56:23.45
and that heart will
be broken to find Jesus,
00:56:23.48\00:56:26.58
so, Lord, now, send
us forth from this place
00:56:26.61\00:56:29.78
but never from Thy presence,
00:56:29.82\00:56:32.99
and may your constraining love
in all of its glory and power
00:56:33.02\00:56:37.66
make a difference in
our hearts, in our lives,
00:56:37.69\00:56:41.26
and in this church.
00:56:41.30\00:56:43.67
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:56:43.70\00:56:47.64