This morning I would like
to invite you to bow your heads
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with me as we go to the Lord,
"The Most Expensive Journey"
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is the title of
the message today.
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Gracious Father in Heaven,
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As we open Your
word, we pray that You will
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open our hearts.
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Lord Jesus, we are nearing
home and sometimes it gets
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almost humdrum as we
think of the many centuries,
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the many millennia that
the promise of our soon coming
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Savior has been made,
but yet not fulfilled.
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So this morning,
Lord, strengthen our resolve
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to know that we are
living even at the door.
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Give us dedication,
Father, to follow through
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that one day we will experience
the most expensive journey.
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In Jesus name, I pray... Amen
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Galatians 4:4-5 is where
our text is taken from today.
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I thank our graphic designers
for such communication,
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"The Most Expensive Journey."
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Galatians 4:4-5,
reading and you're hearing...
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The most expensive journey
is the journey Jesus took.
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And the Bible says,
that Jesus gave His life...
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it often fades
into misunderstanding.
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Jesus did not give up a computer
company as Mr. Hayward did,
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who sold his
computer company in 2000.
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He said he had been
traveling for 5 years.
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Jesus planned a journey
that would take 4,000 years
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to complete.
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He didn't give up
a computer company.
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He laid aside His
glory, He laid down His power,
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He canceled, He
canceled His omnipresence.
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He's like us now brothers.
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He canceled His omnipresence.
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He took on sinful, human flesh,
but despite what He laid aside,
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His preexistence was
noted by David the psalmist...
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David says in Psalms
90:2, I don't know how fast
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you can turn to there,
but if you can't get there,
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I'm sure our guys will
help you with the screen...
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David, the psalmist, speaks of
the preexistence, the eternity
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of a God that chose to
clothe Himself in human flesh.
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I try to grasp that
sometimes, but I cannot figure
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how a God can clothe Himself
in human flesh, in human flesh
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not be consumed!
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I think about
Mary... Mary became a nuclear
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reactor - within her, flesh was
a power that could obliterate
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her very existence.
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She became the temporary
garden for the Rose of Sharon.
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She became the
vessel out of which
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the oil of gladness would flow.
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She became the den for the
Lion of the tribe of Judah.
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And David, the psalmist,
speaking of the preexistence
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of this great God, he said...
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... together - "You are God."
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God came down!
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God came down - if you
don't know about this God,
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we live in the perfect setting,
tonight - if God is so gracious
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to give us clear skies...
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Tonight - go into your
back yard and look up at God's
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workshop - look up
at God's handiwork.
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David, the psalmist,
says, "There is no place
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where their voice is not
heard, night after night,
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they pour forth speech."
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The "380" says,
"God put us here.
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Orion says, "God put us here."
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The Sagittarius - they
give the names that are earthly,
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but what amazes me is
God knows each star by name!
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That's the God we
serve, that's the God of love,
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that's the God who
took a vacation from hanging
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galaxies to come and
spend 33 years down here
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to accomplish my
salvation and your salvation
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that one day He can
take us on a journey and say,
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"John, let Me show
you how I made Orion.
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Let Me show you how I
hung the world in space.
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Let Me show you how I kept
the sun 93 million miles away
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just far enough so you
can be warm and not too far
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that you will freeze to
death, that's the God we serve.
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Let Me show you how I made
the atmosphere you breathe...
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Just enough oxygen and hydrogen,
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not enough oxygen to
kill you and not enough
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hydrogen to blow you up."
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God can do that and science
may try to explain the mystery
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of this God, but
they cannot do it.
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You see, God is not God
because science decided it,
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science is science
because God decided it.
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Light did not give speed to God,
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God gave speed to light.
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One day God is going to suspend
the speed that light has.
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Oh when I read the book
of Daniel and when Daniel
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began to pray... The angels
said, "At the beginning of your
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supplication, I was sent
and I'm here to tell you,
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you are greatly loved."
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Like a preacher, many
years ago, Pastor Connors,
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you don't know who that is.
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In New York City,
Pastor CNO, we called him
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"the little man
with the big mouth."
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I was raised in preaching
that would make the devil
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LEAVE church.
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He talked about the
Hebrews in the furnace.
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When they stepped into
the flame that could consume,
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how... and by the way,
this ain't even the sermon...
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When they stepped into
the furnace that can consume
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human flesh... that God
called His angels together
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and He said to one angel,
"How long will it take you
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to get down there
and bring them relief?"
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And so the angel with two wings
says, "Father, it'll take me
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3 minutes."
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God said,
"That's not fast enough."
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And He called the
cherubim together with 4 wings,
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and He says, "How long will
it take you to get down there
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and bring relief to
the Hebrew worthies?"
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And he said, "It
will take me 2 minutes."
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The Father said,
"That's not fast enough."
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Then He called His
seraphim together with 6 wings,
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and He said, "How long will
it take YOU to get down there
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to bring relief to
the Hebrew worthies?"
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He said, "Father, in a minute."
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"I'll be there in a minute."
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He said, "Not fast enough."
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And He called His Son
together and said, "How long
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would it take You?" He
said, "Father, I'm already
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there!" I'm already there! Amen!
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He's our ever
present help in time of need,
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that's the God I'm
talking about this morning!
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The most expensive
journey is the Lord Jesus
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that created the
everlasting to everlasting...
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try to mess with that.
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Everlasting to everlasting,
no beginning, no end.
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Ellen White says
in "Desire of Ages,"
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"It was Christ that spread the
heavens and laid the foundations
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of the earth."
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"It was His hand that
hung the worlds in space,
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and fashioned the
flowers of the field."
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"His strength settles
fast to the mountain."
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"The sea is His and He
made it." Psalms 65:6, 95:5.
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"It was He that
filled the earth with beauty,
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the air with song and
to put all things in earth
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and air and sky."
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Listen, He wrote the
message of His Father's love.
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When you look at the sky,
you can read the message of
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His Father's love; when
you look at the flowers,
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you can read the
message of our Father's love.
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When you hear a bird sing,
they are singing the message
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of our Father's love.
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A God that I cannot
fathom, yet a God who loved me
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so much that He came to
give back what Adam had lost...
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For you see, God gave
Adam dominion over the earth,
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but Adam forfeited
that dominion to Satan.
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Satan then had the dominion
and Jesus put into action
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a plan that had been
ordained before the earth was,
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and He came 4,000 years
later to reclaim earth from
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this viscous
landlord called, "the devil."
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When Jesus came into the
world, Satan had been waiting
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for this moment for 4,000 years
to take a second opportunity
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at defeating the
Lord where he had lost
00:10:07.80\00:10:10.01
in the courts of glory.
00:10:10.04\00:10:11.81
He had been waiting
4,000 years for this re-match,
00:10:11.84\00:10:16.34
and what we don't
know is when Jesus came,
00:10:16.38\00:10:19.28
He came to the most
undesirable place...
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He came under the
most disadvantageous
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conditions - human flesh.
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You see, we think that
sometimes Jesus couldn't fail,
00:10:26.52\00:10:29.22
but brethren, He
could have failed!
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Had He failed, we would
forever be subjects of death.
00:10:32.33\00:10:36.16
There would be no resurrection.
00:10:36.20\00:10:38.33
This earth... I sat in a
restaurant a few days ago,
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my wife and I, we were
having, oh I don't know where we
00:10:40.37\00:10:42.24
were sitting, but we
were sitting there and I said,
00:10:42.27\00:10:43.81
she read a particular verse...
reading sharing something
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from "Desire of Ages,"
and she said, "What does that
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mean?"
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And I said, "Honey, let's
just think about it this way...
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If Jesus had lost... you
see, we see sin in drops.
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You know, we hear about
ISIS and we remember Hitler,
00:11:02.62\00:11:06.03
and we remember the terrible
atrocities of 6 million Jews
00:11:06.06\00:11:10.33
and we think of slavery,
of the millions of blacks that
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died there and we
think of Egyptian bondage.
00:11:13.77\00:11:16.30
We think of all the world
wars and the multiple millions
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yea - more than a
billion that have perished,
00:11:19.71\00:11:23.01
but I said, "Honey, that's
nothing - just think of a world
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where Satan has
complete control where demons
00:11:26.45\00:11:31.45
are not hidden any longer,
they're running up the walls of
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the buildings into
the homes and hearts,
00:11:34.52\00:11:36.02
not where evil is
happening arbitrarily,
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but it is only evil continually.
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Think of a world where there
is nothing good any longer.
00:11:42.63\00:11:46.33
Satan would have had
complete control of this world
00:11:46.37\00:11:49.70
had Jesus failed
and the breath we take,
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when we take our last breath,
if it had not been for Jesus,
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we would never rise again,
but thank you for Jesus!" Amen!
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I say, "Yes George is resting,
but we're going to see George
00:12:03.62\00:12:07.76
in the new
version of George one day,
00:12:07.79\00:12:10.53
the tall version of George."
00:12:10.56\00:12:12.63
He shall grow up
and we shall too...
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So I speak to you... Jesus
didn't come to be pampered.
00:12:16.73\00:12:21.54
He came to die.
00:12:21.57\00:12:23.61
We're going to talk
about the willingness of Jesus
00:12:23.64\00:12:27.48
to participate in
our eternal destiny.
00:12:27.51\00:12:31.91
The willingness of Jesus
to get me from here to there!
00:12:31.95\00:12:36.99
The willingness of Jesus
to be willing to lose it all,
00:12:37.02\00:12:41.16
that I could
one day have it all.
00:12:41.19\00:12:43.83
The willingness of Jesus!
00:12:43.86\00:12:46.49
Matthew 26, Matthew 26,
come with me, come with me
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to the Passover scene...
00:12:54.54\00:12:56.57
Come with me where
Jesus has now been brought
00:12:56.60\00:13:02.08
face-to-face, face-to-face
with the ominous reality
00:13:02.11\00:13:08.88
that in just two more days,
this plan of nearly 4,000 years
00:13:08.92\00:13:17.36
would have its
greatest impact on his life.
00:13:17.39\00:13:21.83
Matthew 26, and we're going to
look together at verse 1 and 2
00:13:21.86\00:13:31.04
Matthew 26:1-2,
the Bible says...
00:13:31.07\00:13:40.15
Now stop... When
Jesus echoed those words,
00:14:00.30\00:14:07.31
there were disciples
there that had seen Jesus
00:14:07.34\00:14:11.55
in precarious
situations before...
00:14:11.58\00:14:14.32
They had heard how Jesus,
when there were several attempts
00:14:14.35\00:14:18.49
made to arrest
Him, to incarcerate Him,
00:14:18.52\00:14:22.52
that Jesus just
vanished, He disappeared.
00:14:22.56\00:14:25.69
His father removed Him
from the scene because His hour
00:14:25.73\00:14:28.43
had not yet come, but
now in the words of Jesus,
00:14:28.46\00:14:33.03
He is saying,
"The Son of Man will be
00:14:33.07\00:14:35.70
delivered up to be crucified."
00:14:35.74\00:14:37.51
What do You mean, Lord?
00:14:37.54\00:14:38.87
You see, there was a man
there that had made it up,
00:14:38.91\00:14:43.91
an action of life to get
financial gains by selling
00:14:43.95\00:14:48.95
his Lord on several occasions
and he always came out richer.
00:14:48.98\00:14:53.19
What many people don't
know is that the moment you
00:14:53.22\00:14:55.72
play with God, the
moment you play with God...
00:14:55.76\00:14:59.36
your actions will become
your chains and Judas used
00:14:59.39\00:15:05.63
God for personal gain,
personal aggrandizement.
00:15:05.67\00:15:09.17
While the Passover was
being prepared, Judas was laying
00:15:09.20\00:15:13.64
the groundwork for
the betrayal of Jesus.
00:15:13.68\00:15:16.44
Look at Psalm
55:12-13, Psalm 55:12-13...
00:15:16.48\00:15:21.98
"These things were prophesied,
Jesus came to fulfill the words
00:15:22.02\00:15:25.35
that were prophesied in some
cases 700 years, 1,000 years,
00:15:25.39\00:15:29.92
500 years before Jesus came
00:15:29.96\00:15:32.29
to fulfill all
the words of prophecy.
00:15:32.33\00:15:34.33
The psalmist, David, says
in Psalm 55:12-13, he said...
00:15:34.36\00:15:38.50
Notice what he said...
Jesus was speaking about man,
00:15:56.58\00:15:59.72
and He says, "A man
my equal," in other words
00:15:59.75\00:16:03.56
Judas, you and I are
just like each other.
00:16:03.59\00:16:08.10
The difference though
between you and Me is the
00:16:08.13\00:16:10.93
prince of this world has
come and he does have something
00:16:10.97\00:16:13.70
in you, but the prince of
this world has come and he has
00:16:13.74\00:16:16.77
NOTHING in Me, but
we are equal, I'm a man
00:16:16.81\00:16:20.54
just like you're
a man, my companion,
00:16:20.58\00:16:23.65
and my acquaintance.
00:16:23.68\00:16:25.05
Judas made up his mind
to use Jesus for his own
00:16:25.08\00:16:32.25
personal advancement for
his own personal financial gain.
00:16:32.29\00:16:37.39
And Zachariah tells exactly
what Judas' intentions were.
00:16:37.43\00:16:42.66
Zachariah 11:12- it's
not an easy book to find,
00:16:42.70\00:16:46.37
but it's going to be on
the screen, follow carefully...
00:16:46.40\00:16:48.90
In other words, if this price
that I said is not good enough,
00:16:59.98\00:17:02.35
then don't give it to me.
00:17:02.38\00:17:03.72
The Bible says...
00:17:03.75\00:17:05.09
Money gained that is
the betrayal of Christ
00:17:08.39\00:17:12.66
the wages of sin will
always be what? Death.
00:17:12.69\00:17:16.83
In Matthew 26:14-16 now
reveals to us the fulfillment
00:17:16.87\00:17:24.57
of the words of
Zachariah the prophet.
00:17:24.61\00:17:27.11
Matthew 26:14-16...
00:17:27.14\00:17:31.45
I want to pause for a moment...
00:17:41.92\00:17:43.43
This in and of itself
is a scary proposition.
00:17:46.36\00:17:51.13
It's an odd thing to
consider that a man who spends
00:17:51.17\00:17:55.24
every day with Jesus...
00:17:55.27\00:17:58.77
How can you spend EVERY
DAY with Jesus and end up
00:17:58.81\00:18:04.75
betraying Jesus?
00:18:04.78\00:18:08.32
Judas had privileges that
we will not know in this life.
00:18:08.35\00:18:13.05
Judas was there
when Jesus fed the 5,000.
00:18:13.09\00:18:16.73
He was there when Jesus healed
the sick and in some cases
00:18:16.76\00:18:20.86
raised the dead.
00:18:20.90\00:18:22.56
Judas had first
hand inside information
00:18:22.60\00:18:27.14
into prophecies that the
multitudes had never heard.
00:18:27.17\00:18:30.24
The Bible says when Jesus
was alone with His disciples,
00:18:30.27\00:18:33.48
He gave them insights...
He gave them insights
00:18:33.51\00:18:38.58
that the multitudes
would never receive,
00:18:38.61\00:18:41.82
and Judas had this
inside information, he had the
00:18:41.85\00:18:45.65
knowledge of the Son of
God that almost all humanity
00:18:45.69\00:18:49.82
did not have the
privilege to embrace,
00:18:49.86\00:18:53.03
and yet Judas... that's
why you can't play with sin
00:18:53.06\00:18:58.27
because sin, what
happens when sin comes in,
00:18:58.30\00:19:01.34
we are no longer in
control of something that's more
00:19:01.37\00:19:04.87
powerful than us.
00:19:04.91\00:19:06.34
So Judas allowed sin to
come in and there was no
00:19:06.37\00:19:09.48
telling and I say this
today... There is no telling
00:19:09.51\00:19:11.91
to the depths that sin
will take a person once we
00:19:11.95\00:19:15.48
open the door to
it, so as we read this,
00:19:15.52\00:19:17.85
Judas is not in control.
00:19:17.89\00:19:21.02
What are you willing to give me?
00:19:24.33\00:19:28.46
The words should
have frightened him.
00:19:28.50\00:19:30.97
What are you willing to
give me if I deliver Him to you?
00:19:31.00\00:19:38.11
And they counted out
30 pieces of silver... 30
00:19:38.14\00:19:48.02
Judas should have
asked himself the question...
00:19:48.62\00:19:52.42
"Can I buy eternity
for 30 pieces of silver?"
00:19:52.45\00:19:59.36
And the sad
commentary in verse 16...
00:19:59.39\00:20:01.70
And I did the
translation for $3,840,
00:20:06.63\00:20:13.44
Judas sold the King of Eternity.
00:20:13.48\00:20:23.49
Now they're sitting at
the Feast of Unleavened Bread
00:20:23.52\00:20:27.62
and verse 21 comes into play...
00:20:27.66\00:20:30.19
And the Bible says, "And they
were exceedingly sorrowful."
00:20:43.81\00:20:47.74
This is not in my script.
00:20:47.78\00:20:49.11
Can you see it?
"Is it I?" "Is it me?"
00:20:56.08\00:20:59.49
"Is it me? Is it I?"
00:20:59.52\00:21:02.12
And the Bible says...
00:21:02.16\00:21:03.53
And I could
imagine at that moment,
00:21:15.27\00:21:17.11
the most uncomfortable setting,
the disciples begin to examine
00:21:17.14\00:21:21.24
each other's faces and
surely there's one that did not
00:21:21.28\00:21:27.42
scan the room - he's
sitting there in the most
00:21:27.45\00:21:29.08
uncomfortable of a situation
choosing not to draw any
00:21:29.12\00:21:35.59
attention to himself
which, in fact, draws
00:21:35.62\00:21:39.59
attention to himself.
00:21:39.63\00:21:41.36
You know the harder you
try not to draw attention,
00:21:41.40\00:21:44.67
the easier it gets for
somebody to see your intentions.
00:21:44.70\00:21:48.24
Judas is sitting there and then
the words of Jesus are echoed
00:21:48.27\00:21:53.64
in verse 23 and 24 and
I summarize it this way...
00:21:53.68\00:21:57.05
"Woe to the man by whom
the Son of Man is betrayed.
00:21:57.08\00:22:02.65
It would have been good for that
man if he had not been born."
00:22:02.68\00:22:09.02
When I read that text, my
mind fast-forwarded to the day
00:22:18.70\00:22:23.30
when Jesus said,
"Behold I come quickly."
00:22:23.34\00:22:25.64
Then He says, "Every
eye will see Him, even those
00:22:25.67\00:22:30.98
that pierced Him."
00:22:31.01\00:22:35.88
That day, Judas bought
reservations in that crowd.
00:22:35.92\00:22:42.76
Not the every eye that
will meet Him in peace,
00:22:42.79\00:22:45.79
but the eyes of
those that betrayed Him...
00:22:45.83\00:22:49.43
the Jewish leaders, the
Sanhedrin's, the Pharisees,
00:22:49.46\00:22:53.40
the Scribes...
00:22:53.44\00:22:54.97
You see, Satan found a way
into the disciples' hearts.
00:22:55.00\00:22:58.57
Judas, he led him to betray;
Peter, he led him to deny;
00:22:58.61\00:23:05.41
and there were disciples that
were about to abandon Jesus.
00:23:05.45\00:23:09.92
Look at verse 45 and verse 46
of Matthew 26, the Bible says...
00:23:09.95\00:23:18.39
Jesus is with His disciples;
they choose not to remain awake.
00:23:36.41\00:23:40.85
And Jesus, seeing Judas
approaching with the mob
00:23:40.88\00:23:44.49
to arrest Him, said, "See
my betrayer... and I must say,
00:23:44.52\00:23:47.99
I don't know about you,
but it would have been a shock
00:23:48.02\00:23:50.13
to me to see one of
my elders in the crowd
00:23:50.16\00:23:54.13
that is about to betray me.
00:23:54.16\00:23:57.10
Is that one of my deacons?
00:23:57.13\00:24:00.04
Is that one of the
Sabbath School teachers?
00:24:00.07\00:24:03.71
Is that who I think it is?
00:24:03.77\00:24:08.24
And I could almost see the
expression on the disciples'
00:24:08.28\00:24:10.81
faces as they see Judas
approaching for the Lord
00:24:10.85\00:24:14.42
knew it and He said,
"He's going to betray Me;
00:24:14.45\00:24:18.22
He's going to betray
Me, He's going to kiss Me
00:24:18.25\00:24:21.32
on My cheek and
He's going to betray Me."
00:24:21.36\00:24:24.39
And Judas made the
pact, "The one that I kiss,
00:24:24.43\00:24:26.90
that's the one."
00:24:26.93\00:24:28.56
Betrayed the Lord with a kiss.
00:24:28.60\00:24:36.64
And He spoke these words
that opened the ears of Judas...
00:24:36.67\00:24:40.24
He spoke these words
to the arresting mob,
00:24:40.28\00:24:44.41
and He said in Luke 22:53...
00:24:44.45\00:24:48.65
The hour had come
that had foreshadowed
00:25:01.30\00:25:07.44
the price of our redemption.
00:25:07.47\00:25:10.04
The hour had come that your
redemption and my redemption
00:25:10.11\00:25:16.81
demanded a sacrifice.
00:25:16.85\00:25:18.85
The hour had come for
the spotless Lamb to begin
00:25:18.88\00:25:24.02
to give His life, to
shed His blood, to be broken
00:25:24.05\00:25:27.92
for your sin and for my sin.
00:25:27.96\00:25:30.06
The hour had come and in human
flesh, Jesus dreaded the hour,
00:25:30.09\00:25:35.46
but as the Divine One,
He said, "This is your hour,
00:25:35.50\00:25:39.20
and the power of darkness."
00:25:39.23\00:25:40.84
On one side, humanity
would have run for his life,
00:25:40.87\00:25:44.71
but on the other
side, Divinity submitted.
00:25:44.74\00:25:47.44
Can you say "Amen" to that?
00:25:47.48\00:25:49.28
He submitted because He
thought not of the cross
00:25:49.31\00:25:53.01
and the shame... He
thought - oh listen...
00:25:53.05\00:25:55.82
He thought of the eternal
fellowship with you and me!
00:25:55.85\00:26:01.06
And I could hear the angels
say, "Father, are You sure
00:26:05.76\00:26:09.80
You want those
people to come up here?"
00:26:09.83\00:26:14.40
And Jesus said...
Now I don't have any
00:26:17.11\00:26:20.81
proof to this, but
I think I'm right...
00:26:20.84\00:26:23.45
"Jesus said, "When I'm
done, they'll be all right
00:26:23.48\00:26:29.05
to come into the kingdom."
00:26:29.08\00:26:31.55
He who has begun a good work
in you will do what? Finish it.
00:26:31.59\00:26:34.59
Brethren, it has not yet
been revealed what we shall be,
00:26:34.62\00:26:39.09
but we do know that
when He is revealed,
00:26:39.13\00:26:41.63
we shall be like Him for
we will see Him as He is.
00:26:41.66\00:26:46.00
I'm staying in there!
00:26:46.03\00:26:47.74
God is still filing
me... Come on somebody!
00:26:47.77\00:26:50.47
God is still chiseling me.
00:26:50.51\00:26:52.64
I plan on the redemption of
Christ being applied to my life.
00:26:52.67\00:26:57.58
I don't deserve a robe,
but God has loved me so much
00:26:57.61\00:27:02.05
that He has a robe
with my name on it.
00:27:02.08\00:27:04.75
It's gonna
fit... Come on somebody!
00:27:04.79\00:27:06.59
It's gonna fit, He's got a
mansion being built for me.
00:27:06.62\00:27:09.76
I plan on occupying that!
00:27:09.79\00:27:11.49
The saddest story
of all, Lord Jesus...
00:27:11.53\00:27:16.56
The saddest
commentary of all was uttered by
00:27:16.60\00:27:21.50
Jeremiah the
prophet, "The harvest is past,
00:27:21.54\00:27:25.11
the summer is ended
and we are not saved."
00:27:25.14\00:27:33.45
If, for whatever reason,
my eyes are closed in death
00:27:33.48\00:27:36.82
before Jesus
comes, I want reservations
00:27:36.85\00:27:41.56
in the first resurrection. Amen!
00:27:41.59\00:27:45.36
I don't want to come out
of my dusty bed 1,000 years
00:27:45.39\00:27:47.96
later thinking that this
IS the first resurrection.
00:27:48.00\00:27:51.70
I want to hear the
words, "Well done thou
00:27:51.73\00:27:53.80
good and faithful servant."
00:27:53.84\00:27:56.00
I want to hear the words,
"Come ye blessed of my Father,
00:27:56.04\00:27:58.61
inherit the kingdom
prepared for you," and I've seen
00:27:58.64\00:28:01.91
some things that might be termed
00:28:01.94\00:28:03.91
kingdoms, but I
want to tell you this...
00:28:03.95\00:28:05.38
There is no "Disney World" that
can match the creative ability
00:28:05.41\00:28:09.45
of God Almighty!
00:28:09.48\00:28:10.82
There are no penthouses
that Trump could build;
00:28:10.85\00:28:15.12
there is no Taj Mahal
that the Indian architects
00:28:15.16\00:28:18.09
can put together - the most
perfect building in the world,
00:28:18.13\00:28:20.66
they say, until they
see the New Jerusalem,
00:28:20.70\00:28:23.77
they will not know perfection.
00:28:23.80\00:28:27.27
But I don't want
heaven for the kingdom,
00:28:27.30\00:28:28.90
I don't want
heaven for the mansion...
00:28:28.94\00:28:31.47
If I only have a sleeping bag,
I'll be glad that I'm there.
00:28:31.51\00:28:35.98
I want to be able
to thank my Savior,
00:28:36.01\00:28:42.15
that when this
adversary sought to consume me,
00:28:42.18\00:28:46.49
my Lord was there to rescue me.
00:28:46.52\00:28:49.89
When the adversary sought
and fought with every known
00:28:49.92\00:28:55.86
sin of mine to remind the
Savior that I'm not worthy
00:28:55.90\00:28:59.20
of eternal life, Jesus
said, "My blood, My blood,
00:28:59.23\00:29:03.61
I apply to him My blood
and he will be in My kingdom!"
00:29:03.64\00:29:12.61
The high priest, Caiaphas,
hired the Roman leader,
00:29:12.65\00:29:16.92
Valerius Gratus, and
his intentions are revealed
00:29:16.95\00:29:26.26
in Matthew 26:57.
00:29:26.29\00:29:30.10
When I read that
verse, I thought to myself,
00:29:44.31\00:29:46.88
"This had to be a
plan," because you know what?
00:29:46.92\00:29:49.38
You can't lay hold of Divinity!
00:29:49.42\00:29:54.46
You can't arrest
God! Did you get it?
00:29:54.49\00:30:00.20
You can't handcuff Divinity!
00:30:00.23\00:30:05.03
Jesus, by thought,
could have turned the ropes
00:30:05.07\00:30:08.57
of the arresting mob into water!
00:30:08.60\00:30:11.61
They could have been
trying to tie Jesus' hands,
00:30:11.64\00:30:14.64
but they could not
get a knot because Jesus
00:30:14.68\00:30:16.95
just thought them loose.
00:30:16.98\00:30:18.48
You ever thought about it?
00:30:18.51\00:30:20.22
In the garden, He is
arrested... this is deep...
00:30:20.25\00:30:23.52
In the garden, Jesus is arrested
and Peter takes His sword
00:30:23.55\00:30:26.72
and cuts off one of
the ears of the soldiers...
00:30:26.76\00:30:28.52
Jesus loses Himself,
fixes the ear back and then
00:30:28.56\00:30:33.46
binds Himself again. Come on!
00:30:33.50\00:30:36.67
He says, "Hold on, let Me
uncuff myself for a moment,
00:30:36.70\00:30:40.04
he needs a surgery,"
puts the ear on and just
00:30:40.07\00:30:43.94
puts himself back into the
restraints of the soldiers.
00:30:43.97\00:30:47.28
They laid hold on
Jesus... how can you lay hold on
00:30:47.31\00:30:50.71
the Alpha and the Omega!
00:30:50.75\00:30:53.08
How can you arrest
the beginning and the end?
00:30:53.11\00:30:55.82
How can you arrest the
one who gives you breath?
00:30:55.85\00:31:00.32
He could have looked at
them and they could have
00:31:00.36\00:31:01.96
ceased to breathe!
00:31:01.99\00:31:05.63
But He loved us so much that
He submitted to the process.
00:31:05.66\00:31:11.87
And they accused
Jesus until they found...
00:31:11.90\00:31:13.97
They continued accusing
Jesus until they found something
00:31:14.00\00:31:16.91
that He was guilty of.
00:31:16.94\00:31:18.61
They found something
that Jesus was guilty of...
00:31:18.64\00:31:23.28
Matthew 26:64... Yes, He was
guilty - what was He guilty of?
00:31:23.31\00:31:28.05
Listen to what
He was guilty of...
00:31:28.08\00:31:29.85
You know Jesus was
silent for a long time,
00:31:29.88\00:31:32.55
but there came a moment
when Jesus broke His silence
00:31:32.59\00:31:34.86
because they hit a
chord of truth and Jesus
00:31:34.89\00:31:37.79
only responded so that
the words He said to them
00:31:37.83\00:31:42.26
will be remembered when He
breaks the clouds of glory.
00:31:42.30\00:31:47.27
Verse 64... "Jesus said
to him, "It is as you said."
00:31:47.30\00:31:53.71
What did they ask
Him? WHAT did they ask Him?
00:31:53.74\00:31:58.88
Verse 63...
00:31:58.91\00:32:02.25
Can you see Jesus saying
"Nevertheless?" "Nevertheless.."
00:32:19.17\00:32:22.80
What a day that will be!
00:32:29.94\00:32:32.45
No longer a crown of
thorns, but a crown of glory.
00:32:32.48\00:32:36.75
No longer robes
stained with blood,
00:32:36.79\00:32:38.89
but the pure, white garment
of the risen, all powerful,
00:32:38.92\00:32:42.49
saving King no
longer bound, but FREE!
00:32:42.52\00:32:48.36
No longer
chastised but glorified!
00:32:48.40\00:32:53.03
No longer locked in a
tomb but free for all eternity.
00:32:53.07\00:32:57.77
You're going to see
me, but not like this!
00:32:57.81\00:33:01.18
You gonna see me
again, but don't get mixed up,
00:33:01.21\00:33:03.88
I'll remember you even
if you don't remember me.
00:33:03.91\00:33:08.28
I'm not gonna look like
this, so get a good look!
00:33:08.32\00:33:10.75
See, you see, we would
have really worked that good!
00:33:10.79\00:33:12.62
But in the humility of His
heart, He didn't rub it in.
00:33:12.65\00:33:15.82
He said, "You're
going to see Me."
00:33:15.86\00:33:18.19
And in Matthew
27:1-2... They take Him to the
00:33:18.23\00:33:23.50
Roman governor...
00:33:23.53\00:33:25.73
They take Him to the Roman
governor, Pontius Pilate...
00:33:25.77\00:33:29.07
What AMAZED me is these
were Sabbath-keeping folk!
00:33:34.51\00:33:41.52
They kept the Sabbath!
00:33:41.55\00:33:46.39
They had the right diet...
00:33:46.42\00:33:51.23
Oh I must say this -
it fits right here...
00:33:51.26\00:33:55.56
You gotta have more than the
right diet and the right day,
00:33:55.60\00:33:57.90
you gotta have the
right relationship. Amen!
00:33:57.93\00:34:02.07
Clean colons can still
result in corrupt hearts.
00:34:02.10\00:34:08.64
They plotted against
Jesus to put Him to death...
00:34:08.68\00:34:14.18
They said, "Wait, let me put
on my robes, let me put on my
00:34:14.22\00:34:19.29
elder, my Pharisee
robe, my scribe robe,
00:34:19.32\00:34:22.26
let me put on my best
garment and let's present
00:34:22.29\00:34:26.76
ourselves to the
governor." Verse 2...
00:34:26.80\00:34:28.43
Oh, if I could have
been an angel at that scene!
00:34:37.31\00:34:43.01
I must say to you
today... Jesus was not in the
00:34:43.04\00:34:47.65
journey by Himself, I
am sure that the angels
00:34:47.68\00:34:51.32
of heaven... hear me carefully,
the ANGELS of heaven were
00:34:51.35\00:34:54.82
told by the Father
- "Do NOT intervene."
00:34:54.86\00:35:02.86
I can almost hear the
anxious flapping of the tips
00:35:02.90\00:35:05.67
of the angels wings...
"Just give me the word,
00:35:05.70\00:35:07.80
just give me the word,
just give me the word."
00:35:07.84\00:35:13.27
Oh, one angel -
in the Old Testament,
00:35:13.31\00:35:15.61
how many did they kill, I
forgot the number, 186,000,
00:35:15.64\00:35:19.68
but that's when
they mess with man,
00:35:20.92\00:35:23.32
but now you're messing
with my Redeemer, my Creator.
00:35:23.35\00:35:25.62
You are messing with THE MAN!
00:35:25.65\00:35:27.82
"Father, just give us the word."
00:35:27.86\00:35:30.76
I could see the
angels... "Just tell us."
00:35:30.79\00:35:34.40
They would have turned
that arresting mob into VAPOR
00:35:34.43\00:35:39.83
had the Father given the
word. "Just give us the word!"
00:35:39.87\00:35:44.67
The EARTH would have shook
in trepidation at the mighty
00:35:44.71\00:35:49.71
forces unleashed in the
hearts of those loyal angels.
00:35:49.74\00:35:56.05
The earth would have
resonated like an atomic
00:35:56.08\00:35:59.55
blast at the rapid pace of
these angels to come and to
00:35:59.59\00:36:04.23
secure the release of Jesus.
"Father just give us the word."
00:36:04.26\00:36:11.00
But the Bible says,
"God said, "Don't do it."
00:36:11.03\00:36:13.80
They allowed Him to be
brought into the hall of Pilate.
00:36:13.84\00:36:17.14
The "Desire of Ages"
said, "When the Savior was
00:36:17.17\00:36:19.07
brought into the judgment
hall, Pilate looked upon Him
00:36:19.11\00:36:21.98
with no friendly eyes."
00:36:22.01\00:36:24.21
You ought to take the time to
read that in "Desire of Ages."
00:36:24.25\00:36:26.38
It will pull you
in... It will pull you in.
00:36:26.41\00:36:30.45
We read the whole
chapter... It will pull you in.
00:36:30.49\00:36:33.76
See, Ellen White says
that "Pilate was so used to,
00:36:33.79\00:36:37.19
he was so accustomed to
condemning even innocent men,
00:36:37.23\00:36:42.56
that having been awakened
urgently, his intention was
00:36:42.60\00:36:47.44
to just take care
of this real fast."
00:36:47.47\00:36:50.34
When he walked in,
he had to look like...
00:36:50.37\00:36:52.04
"Who is this guy?" "Who is HE?"
00:36:52.07\00:36:56.75
But when he saw
the face of Jesus,
00:36:58.51\00:37:05.49
the innocence of the
Lamb, this pure Lamb arrested
00:37:05.52\00:37:14.10
his attention for he understood
what Jesus was accused of,
00:37:14.13\00:37:18.73
but when he looked in
His face, Ellen White said,
00:37:18.77\00:37:22.74
"He had had to deal
with all kinds of criminals,
00:37:22.77\00:37:30.31
that is Pilate did, but
NEVER before a Man bearing
00:37:30.35\00:37:35.32
marks of such goodness
and nobility had been brought
00:37:35.35\00:37:41.06
before him. On His
face, he saw no sign of guilt,
00:37:41.09\00:37:44.89
no expression of fear,
no boldness or defiance.
00:37:44.93\00:37:48.66
He saw a Man of calm
and dignified bearing whose
00:37:48.70\00:37:53.94
countenance bore not the
marks of a criminal, but the
00:37:53.97\00:37:58.91
signature of
heaven." Who is this guy?
00:37:58.94\00:38:05.45
Being troubled by the
peace on the face of Jesus,
00:38:05.48\00:38:07.95
Pilate turned to the Jewish
leaders and he went out to them.
00:38:07.98\00:38:14.26
"What accusations do
you bring against this Man?"
00:38:14.29\00:38:20.86
When you read the story,
you find that God over and over
00:38:20.90\00:38:22.96
tried to save Pilate over and
over, He tried to save Pilate,
00:38:23.00\00:38:26.17
but Pilate's trap was -
he was more concerned about
00:38:26.20\00:38:29.54
maintaining his
POSITION than he was in humbling
00:38:29.57\00:38:35.91
his heart.
00:38:35.94\00:38:37.28
He was thinking about -
"If I give in and let Him go,
00:38:37.31\00:38:41.72
and they declare Him innocent,
and turn over the verdict
00:38:41.75\00:38:44.99
of the Jews, they'll
no longer have my support,
00:38:45.02\00:38:47.26
I'll no longer have theirs and
I may get voted out next term.
00:38:47.29\00:38:50.63
Well you know the
rest of the story,
00:38:50.66\00:38:54.03
he lost his position anyhow.
00:38:54.06\00:38:56.13
But when he asked the
priests what accusation
00:38:56.16\00:39:02.20
do you bring against this Man,
Ellen White says the priests had
00:39:02.24\00:39:05.04
hoped that Pilate would now
inflict the death penalty on
00:39:05.07\00:39:08.68
Jesus without giving
him a hearing, but there was
00:39:08.71\00:39:11.48
something in the
prisoner that held Pilate BACK!
00:39:11.51\00:39:18.35
"Why can't I condemn Him?"
00:39:18.39\00:39:25.06
So Pilate decided...
John 18:31, Pilate decided,
00:39:25.09\00:39:34.90
"I've got to find a
way, I've got to find a way."
00:39:34.94\00:39:38.64
He had the authority,
but he chose not to use it.
00:39:38.67\00:39:44.61
In John 18:31 reveals
the heart of Pilate...
00:39:44.65\00:39:47.98
In other words, "Pilate,
we need your help to carry
00:39:57.46\00:40:00.96
this out," but when you read
the story, it is very clear...
00:40:01.00\00:40:03.83
the Jews had condemned,
they had tried, they had
00:40:03.87\00:40:08.17
convicted and they
had condemned Jesus.
00:40:08.20\00:40:10.74
That is why when you look at
the history of the Jewish Nation
00:40:10.77\00:40:14.11
...hear me carefully...
When you look at the history
00:40:14.14\00:40:16.81
of the Jewish
Nation, and they said,
00:40:16.85\00:40:19.31
"His blood be on us
and on our children,"
00:40:19.35\00:40:22.25
the hardship that the
Jewish Nation has forged was a
00:40:22.28\00:40:27.96
voluntary hardship they
called down on themselves
00:40:27.99\00:40:33.53
the judgments of God.
00:40:33.56\00:40:36.63
It's clearly
delineated in Scripture.
00:40:36.67\00:40:39.00
They just asked for Rome to
sponsor their derision of Jesus.
00:40:39.03\00:40:44.44
It was not a coincidence.
00:40:44.47\00:40:45.81
Even though Jesus
died for you and for me,
00:40:45.84\00:40:48.31
Satan used the
instrument of the Jewish leaders
00:40:48.34\00:40:52.41
to lead even the nation
itself and to this very day,
00:40:52.45\00:40:56.18
you go to New York...
we're natives of New York.
00:40:56.22\00:40:58.39
You go to New York - Jews
have no dealings with Gentiles.
00:40:58.42\00:41:04.89
But I praise God
there is a movement called,
00:41:04.93\00:41:08.13
"Jews for Jesus," no
salvation outside of the
00:41:08.16\00:41:13.37
name of Jesus.
00:41:13.40\00:41:15.04
You see, what Pilate
did not know he was paused
00:41:15.07\00:41:17.27
between life and
death, heaven and hell.
00:41:17.31\00:41:19.17
So when the Jewish
leaders refused to cooperate,
00:41:19.21\00:41:21.48
Pilate turned to them
and said, in Matthew 27:11,
00:41:21.51\00:41:25.18
look at what he
said, look at what he said!
00:41:25.21\00:41:27.55
He turned to Jesus,
when he could not get a
00:41:27.58\00:41:31.25
satisfactory response from
the Jews, he turned to Jesus.
00:41:31.29\00:41:36.62
The Bible says
in Matthew 27:11...
00:41:36.66\00:41:37.99
And Ellen White said, "That
when Jesus repeated those words,
00:41:51.47\00:41:57.81
His countenance
lighted up as if a sunbeam
00:41:57.85\00:42:04.19
was shining upon Him.
00:42:04.22\00:42:06.05
For a moment Divinity
flashed through humanity
00:42:06.09\00:42:11.46
and Pilate saw it and it
frightened him at that moment.
00:42:11.49\00:42:15.40
"It is as you say,"
and all of a sudden the
00:42:15.43\00:42:18.80
light of God's glory shined
through the flesh of humanity.
00:42:18.83\00:42:23.71
But God was
working on saving Pilate...
00:42:26.68\00:42:29.34
God loved even Pilate!
00:42:29.38\00:42:34.48
Trying to find a
way to save the man,
00:42:34.52\00:42:36.72
so He gave his wife a
dream, Matthew 27:19...
00:42:36.75\00:42:43.39
Oh, my brethren, when
I read - when I read...
00:42:59.84\00:43:05.15
thank God for
insight behind the curtain.
00:43:05.18\00:43:10.39
Servant of the Lord revealed
the agony that Pilate's wife
00:43:10.42\00:43:16.22
suffered because of the purity
and the justness of Jesus.
00:43:16.26\00:43:24.93
And she sent him
a text, she said...
00:43:24.97\00:43:27.44
"Don't have anything
to do with that man."
00:43:27.47\00:43:32.01
God showed her...
Ellen White says she saw
00:43:32.04\00:43:35.91
Jesus on trial in
the judgment hall.
00:43:35.94\00:43:38.65
She saw His hands tightly bound
as the hands of a criminal.
00:43:38.68\00:43:42.15
She's dreaming - God
is giving her a dream.
00:43:42.18\00:43:45.35
She saw Herod and his soldiers
doing their dreadful work.
00:43:45.39\00:43:49.06
She heard the priests and rulers
filled with envy and malice,
00:43:49.09\00:43:52.99
madly accusing Jesus.
00:43:53.03\00:43:55.76
She heard them say: "By
our law, he ought to die."
00:43:55.80\00:44:01.97
She saw Pilate give Jesus
to the scourging after He had
00:44:02.00\00:44:05.17
even declared, "I
find no fault in Him."
00:44:05.21\00:44:07.44
He said, "I find no
fault, but I'll whip Him
00:44:07.48\00:44:09.88
and then I'll let Him go."
00:44:09.91\00:44:12.08
How do you whip a man
that you declare innocent?
00:44:12.11\00:44:15.08
She heard the condemnation
pronounced by Pilate,
00:44:15.12\00:44:17.49
and saw Him give
Christ up to the murderers,
00:44:17.52\00:44:20.69
and she said, that
when Pilate could not...
00:44:20.72\00:44:24.76
The Bible said
when Pilate could NOT...
00:44:24.79\00:44:27.23
make a decision, he
gave Jesus to the mob,
00:44:27.26\00:44:31.17
and Inspiration says that
had it not been for the Roman
00:44:31.20\00:44:36.81
soldiers, the mob
would have torn Jesus apart.
00:44:36.84\00:44:41.04
But there was a prophecy
that had to be fulfilled,
00:44:41.08\00:44:45.21
"Not a single
bone would be broken."
00:44:45.25\00:44:48.32
God's plan knows no
haste, but it knew no delay,
00:44:48.35\00:44:53.89
Jesus must not
die before the cross,
00:44:53.92\00:44:59.13
but Jesus must die on the cross.
00:44:59.16\00:45:03.73
She saw the cross
uplifted on Calvary.
00:45:03.77\00:45:07.50
She saw the earth
wrapped in darkness and heard
00:45:07.54\00:45:10.37
the mysterious cry of
Jesus, "It is finished."
00:45:10.41\00:45:13.07
And still another
scene met her gaze...
00:45:13.11\00:45:16.14
Pilate's wife saw Christ seated
upon the great white cloud
00:45:16.18\00:45:20.12
while the earth reeled in
space, and His murderers fled
00:45:20.15\00:45:24.19
from the presence of His glory.
00:45:24.22\00:45:25.82
With a cry of horror,
she awoke and at once,
00:45:25.85\00:45:29.12
wrote to Pilate the words...
00:45:29.16\00:45:31.66
"Have nothing to
do with this man."
00:45:31.69\00:45:40.60
Instead of letting
Him go, Pilate said,
00:45:40.64\00:45:46.47
"I am innocent of
the blood of Jesus."
00:45:46.51\00:45:52.78
And he made the
worse mistake of his life.
00:45:52.81\00:45:59.05
I'm beginning to
close the message...
00:45:59.09\00:46:01.66
The choice... John
18, turn there with me.
00:46:01.69\00:46:08.20
John 18- This story covers
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
00:46:08.23\00:46:12.30
each one giving a vignette
of the trial, the scourging,
00:46:12.33\00:46:18.87
the crucifixion of Jesus.
00:46:18.91\00:46:21.48
John 18- You see there
was a pagan custom that was
00:46:21.51\00:46:30.15
somewhat of an "out."
00:46:30.19\00:46:32.39
When the governor could
not come up with a verdict,
00:46:32.42\00:46:35.29
he left it to the people to
decide and at the annual feasts,
00:46:35.32\00:46:42.40
Pilate would give the
people the choice as to which
00:46:42.43\00:46:46.80
prisoner to free
- a pagan custom.
00:46:46.84\00:46:50.84
And he thought by doing this,
he would disconnect himself
00:46:50.87\00:46:55.58
from the betrayal of Jesus.
00:46:55.61\00:46:59.21
And so we pick up the story
in John 18 and we're going to
00:46:59.25\00:47:04.85
look together at verse 39...
00:47:04.89\00:47:10.06
How do you look
at an innocent Jesus?
00:47:34.95\00:47:38.19
How do you look in
the face of your Redeemer?
00:47:38.22\00:47:43.06
How do you look at the Man
that gave you a name, a life,
00:47:43.09\00:47:51.83
a mission, a message?
00:47:51.87\00:47:54.40
How can the Jewish leaders
look at the Savior that gave
00:47:54.44\00:47:58.64
them the standing
that they have and say,
00:47:58.67\00:48:05.88
"We don't want
Him, we want Barabbas."
00:48:05.91\00:48:13.09
Inspiration tells us and excuse
me for using so many quotes
00:48:13.12\00:48:22.73
today, but I tell ya, I
couldn't put it better...
00:48:22.76\00:48:26.63
I couldn't even find
my own words to replace
00:48:26.67\00:48:32.47
these words of Inspiration.
00:48:32.51\00:48:35.04
"Desire of Ages," and by the
way, the "Library of Congress,"
00:48:35.08\00:48:40.02
the "Library of
Congress" has listed the book,
00:48:40.05\00:48:45.45
"Desire of Ages," a secular
source - has listed the book
00:48:45.49\00:48:53.19
"Desire of Ages" as
the best book ever written
00:48:53.23\00:48:57.97
about the life of Christ! Amen!
00:48:58.00\00:49:01.37
Preachers of so many different
denominations quote this book.
00:49:01.40\00:49:06.88
It doesn't matter what they
are and you can tell when they
00:49:06.91\00:49:09.41
preach where they got it from.
00:49:09.44\00:49:11.65
She says, "Christ had been
rejected, Barabbas had been
00:49:11.68\00:49:15.62
chosen...
Barabbas they were to have.
00:49:15.65\00:49:19.72
Listen carefully...
In making this choice,
00:49:19.75\00:49:22.56
they accepted him, who
from the beginning, was a liar,
00:49:22.59\00:49:27.83
and a murderer.
00:49:27.86\00:49:29.30
Satan was their leader.
00:49:29.33\00:49:31.23
As a nation, they were
to act out his dictation.
00:49:31.27\00:49:36.40
His works they would do,
his rule, they must endure.
00:49:36.44\00:49:42.98
That people who chose
Barabbas in the place of Christ,
00:49:43.01\00:49:46.85
Listen carefully...
were to feel the cruelty of
00:49:46.88\00:49:51.75
Barabbas as long
as time should last.
00:49:51.79\00:49:58.39
You trace the
history of the Jewish Nation,
00:49:58.43\00:50:00.86
not coincidental, let His blood
be on us and on our children.
00:50:00.90\00:50:08.37
And now my closing
words... if somebody could come
00:50:08.40\00:50:10.27
and play the piano,
just play something softly
00:50:10.31\00:50:13.34
for me, Danielle.
00:50:13.38\00:50:15.58
You see, today, before
we continue to the next trek
00:50:15.61\00:50:19.15
of the trial - the
redemptive journey of Jesus,
00:50:19.18\00:50:24.55
we've got to make
a decision today...
00:50:24.59\00:50:27.56
For to go to the next
stage in this journey,
00:50:27.59\00:50:32.86
if you don't
know Him as your King,
00:50:32.89\00:50:36.03
you'll fall into the
same trap as did the Jews.
00:50:36.06\00:50:43.00
The last text, John 19:15: "But
they cried out, "Away with Him,
00:50:43.04\00:50:51.35
away with Him, crucify
Him." And Pilate said to them...
00:50:51.38\00:51:01.22
One more
attempt to free Jesus...
00:51:01.26\00:51:04.23
"Shall I crucify your King?"
The chief priest answered,
00:51:04.26\00:51:11.23
"We have no king but Caesar."
00:51:11.30\00:51:16.54
Inspiration tells us...
"They had rejected God as
00:51:16.57\00:51:24.71
their King, henceforth,
they had no deliverer.
00:51:24.75\00:51:30.75
They had no king but Caesar.
00:51:30.79\00:51:34.52
As I close, I
must ask you today...
00:51:35.82\00:51:41.36
"Who is your king?"
00:51:41.40\00:51:45.87
Is it the rulers of
this earth that are temporary
00:51:45.90\00:51:51.71
and fleeting?
00:51:51.74\00:51:53.31
Is it the life you want
to sustain apart from the
00:51:53.34\00:51:59.01
life of Christ?
00:51:59.05\00:52:00.42
Who is your king?
00:52:00.45\00:52:04.02
There is no one that can
choose anybody other than Jesus
00:52:04.05\00:52:08.52
that can find peace and
hope and everlasting assurance
00:52:08.56\00:52:15.73
outside of choosing Christ.
00:52:15.76\00:52:18.73
So my question to you
today is quite simple...
00:52:18.77\00:52:23.27
If you choose Jesus as
your King and you want His life
00:52:23.30\00:52:33.01
to be applied to yours,
His blood to purge your sin,
00:52:33.05\00:52:37.95
His righteousness
to cover your guilt,
00:52:37.99\00:52:40.86
His plan of salvation to
replace your plan of despair...
00:52:40.89\00:52:47.40
If today you want to be in
the kingdom of the redeemed,
00:52:47.43\00:52:51.53
walk the road of
the shame that one day,
00:52:51.57\00:52:54.30
you'll share the
road of the glorious.
00:52:54.34\00:52:57.04
If that's your desire today,
I want you to stand with me...
00:52:57.07\00:53:03.55
for you see, Jesus was arrested
that we could be set free.
00:53:03.58\00:53:09.32
He was declared guilty that
we can be declared innocent.
00:53:09.35\00:53:13.59
He was condemned
that we could be pardoned.
00:53:13.62\00:53:16.16
He walked our road that
one day we can walk His road!
00:53:16.19\00:53:21.60
One day, we, by His grace
shall be those that experience
00:53:21.63\00:53:30.61
the most expensive journey.
00:53:30.64\00:53:34.21
One day we shall mount up
with the wings of the redeemed
00:53:34.24\00:53:39.85
for the most expensive journey.
00:53:39.88\00:53:42.68
One day Jesus will escort us
as we near our heavenly home,
00:53:42.72\00:53:50.39
and He will say to those
guarding the gates of the
00:53:50.43\00:53:53.06
New Jerusalem, "Lift up your
heads, oh ye gates and be ye
00:53:53.09\00:53:58.27
lifted up ye everlasting
doors and we in the train of His
00:53:58.30\00:54:01.44
glory, covered by the
light of His righteousness,
00:54:01.47\00:54:04.61
shall be filled with the awesome
realization that we are nearing
00:54:04.64\00:54:09.71
home! We are nearing home!
00:54:09.74\00:54:12.85
And Jesus will call
through time and eternity...
00:54:12.88\00:54:15.88
"Lift up your heads, oh
ye gates and be ye lifted up
00:54:15.92\00:54:19.45
ye everlasting doors
and the King of Glory
00:54:19.49\00:54:21.52
shall come in.
00:54:21.56\00:54:22.89
In the train, the redeemed
of the ages, no longer marred
00:54:22.92\00:54:27.13
by sin, no stain of disease,
perfect in His righteousness,
00:54:27.16\00:54:33.37
covered in His glory,
no sadness, no despair,
00:54:33.40\00:54:41.58
and we will hear the
conversation between Jesus
00:54:41.61\00:54:44.25
and the angels
guarding the gate.
00:54:44.28\00:54:46.31
Ellen White says that to
get into the New Jerusalem,
00:54:46.35\00:54:49.62
you gotta have a gold card.
00:54:49.65\00:54:51.15
Every angel has a gold card!
00:54:51.19\00:54:53.62
Don't know what it
means, but I believe it means
00:54:53.66\00:54:55.96
the righteousness of
Jesus, what do you say?
00:54:55.99\00:54:58.96
And Jesus will say, "Lift
up your heads, oh ye gates,
00:54:58.99\00:55:02.93
and be ye lifted up
ye everlasting doors
00:55:02.96\00:55:05.80
and the King of glory
shall come in," and the angel
00:55:05.83\00:55:08.50
hearing the
retinue of the redeemed,
00:55:08.54\00:55:11.17
on the trail of
Jesus, heaven, time and space
00:55:11.21\00:55:15.71
being split as we
thunder to our eternal home...
00:55:15.74\00:55:20.35
The angel will say,
"Who is the King of Glory?"
00:55:20.38\00:55:23.49
And Jesus will say in
our behalf, "The Lord,
00:55:23.52\00:55:27.12
the Lord strong and mighty,
He is the King of glory."
00:55:27.16\00:55:31.29
I say again, "Lift up your
heads oh ye gates and be ye
00:55:31.33\00:55:35.30
lifted up ye everlasting doors
and the King of glory shall
00:55:35.33\00:55:37.83
come in," and Isaiah the prophet
says, "The words of Jesus
00:55:37.87\00:55:43.04
open wide the gates
that the nation that keepeth
00:55:43.07\00:55:48.11
His law may enter in. Amen!
00:55:48.14\00:55:52.11
And we're going to come...
00:55:52.15\00:55:53.48
I don't know how
it's going to happen,
00:55:53.52\00:55:54.92
but I'm gonna be
there. Come on somebody!
00:55:54.95\00:55:56.95
You gonna be there? Yes!
00:55:56.99\00:55:58.52
I'm going to be there by God's
grace - I'm going to be there.
00:55:58.55\00:56:00.96
I may be sinful, but I
serve a sinless Savior. Amen!
00:56:00.99\00:56:07.40
And he's going to cover
me one day with that robe.
00:56:07.43\00:56:10.10
He's going to cover me
one day with that robe and I'm
00:56:10.13\00:56:12.20
gonna look for who I used to
be and I'm not gonna find me.
00:56:12.23\00:56:15.10
I'm gonna get a new
name, a name of anonymity.
00:56:15.14\00:56:17.57
I will no longer be
called by my former name.
00:56:17.61\00:56:20.28
But He will give us double
honor by His redemptive grace.
00:56:20.31\00:56:24.98
Even when He
called... The other day my wife
00:56:25.01\00:56:28.18
and I were having
prayer on the bed together...
00:56:28.22\00:56:30.49
And there are days when she
prays for me and there are days
00:56:30.52\00:56:33.09
I pray for her and I said
to her, "Honey, when Jesus
00:56:33.12\00:56:38.43
... we are so connected...
I said, "When Jesus calls
00:56:38.46\00:56:42.33
the names of the
redeemed to give their crowns,
00:56:42.36\00:56:47.54
He might say, "Tom, come
get your crown; Mike, come get
00:56:47.57\00:56:54.18
your crown; Jason, come get
your crown, but He's going to
00:56:54.21\00:56:58.31
say, "John and
Angie, come get your crown."
00:56:58.35\00:57:01.52
I said, "Honey, we are so
inseparable, He is going to
00:57:01.55\00:57:03.82
call us together!"
00:57:03.85\00:57:06.59
"You wanna be there?" She
said, "I'm gonna be there."
00:57:06.62\00:57:08.19
I said, "I'm
gonna be there too."
00:57:08.22\00:57:11.29
Today brothers and sisters,
we've all got the privilege
00:57:11.33\00:57:13.93
of being there - not for
the crown but for the glory!
00:57:13.96\00:57:19.20
Not for what we have to
gain, but because of what Jesus
00:57:19.23\00:57:25.84
was willing to lose that
we might have eternal life.
00:57:25.87\00:57:31.01
Our heads are bowed,
our eyes are closed...
00:57:31.05\00:57:33.72
Heavenly Father, As we
look at the train of trial
00:57:33.75\00:57:41.29
and tribulation... as
we once again contemplate
00:57:41.32\00:57:46.39
the scenes of Your
great redemptive act,
00:57:46.43\00:57:52.03
we are moved with
hearts of decision and today
00:57:52.07\00:57:59.97
every one of us standing
here, we must make a decision.
00:58:00.01\00:58:03.91
Who is our
King? Who is our King?
00:58:03.95\00:58:09.02
May we leave here today
knowing that JESUS is our KING.
00:58:09.05\00:58:15.66
No longer a crown of
thorns, but a crown of glory.
00:58:15.69\00:58:19.43
No longer a slain
Lamb, but a risen Lamb.
00:58:19.46\00:58:26.07
Lord Jesus when that day
comes, when that day comes,
00:58:26.10\00:58:30.91
help us to know
that we can only make it
00:58:30.94\00:58:33.38
because we need You every hour.
00:58:33.41\00:58:37.25
And so, Father, every
moment, every hour of every day
00:58:37.28\00:58:43.72
work out in us, through us
and for us this eternal plan
00:58:43.75\00:58:50.63
of redemption.
00:58:50.66\00:58:51.99
In Jesus name we pray...
And God's people said, Amen!
00:58:52.03\00:58:57.27