This morning I want to
invite you to first of all
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go with me to the book of
John, John 19 and we're going to
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look at a short
verse, verse 17...
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Let us pray...
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Lord, This morning I invite Your
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Holy Spirit to take over.
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As I was reading and studying
for this message and reading
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Your word and just filling
my mind with what You have
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given to me, Lord, it
became overwhelming to think
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that You would love us so
much that You would be willing
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to go to the place
called, "Golgotha" to redeem
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sinners like us, and
so this morning, Lord,
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it is with a humble heart
that I ask for Your Spirit
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to use me one more
time to lift Jesus up,
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that our hearts may be changed.
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We pray, Lord, that we
don't just hear this message,
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but that we receive it and
that Golgotha and the power
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released there, that
the resurrected Christ
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may be invited into us
to put self on the cross
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to allow Jesus
Christ to be seen in us.
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We pray that as we
follow Jesus to the grave,
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that self will be buried
and we will be able to come
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forth today and walk
in the newness of life...
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And so, Lord, now take this
message and take this servant
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and do what Thou wilt for Your
name's honor and glory... Amen
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"The Most Expensive Journey"
"The Most Expensive Journey"
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If you were here last week,
you had followed the life of a
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man who made many
attempts to free himself
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from the responsibility of
being guilty of the crucifixion
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and the condemnation of Jesus.
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But Pilate's attempt to
recuse himself became the act
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to accuse himself.
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He had the authority to
release Jesus, but he chose
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to give that choice to the Jews.
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Pilate condemned himself
when he said, "I am innocent
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of the blood of Jesus."
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When you have the right
to do right and choose not
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to exercise the
right to do right,
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you are guilty of doing wrong.
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All that is needed for evil
to prevail is for those that
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know to do
good... to do nothing.
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Pilate threw back into the
minds of the Jews- the choice
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"He is your God,
you decide His fate."
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Unfortunately, shamelessly,
the nation that once
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shined with the glory of God,
now proclaimed their allegiance
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with the kingdom of darkness.
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And when you think about
this very unfolding saga,
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the people to whom God
trusted, a truth for the world
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became a coalition on the
side of the enemy to proclaim
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the death of Jesus.
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In John 19:14-15, we read
these sad words of eternal
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condemnation. The Bible says...
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These words condemned
the nation of the Jews
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to a life - although
externally successful,
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spiritually deprived.
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A nation that sealed its
fate with the proclamation
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of these words, "We
have no king but Caesar."
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The people said, "His blood
be on us and on our children."
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And the servant of the Lord
said in "Desire of Ages," p.739,
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she said, "And as you
look at the history of the
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Jewish Nation, these words
become so reminiscent of the
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fulfillment of that decision
to to put His blood on them
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and on their children."
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For the Bible says,
"Terribly has it been manifested
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in the condition of the
Jewish Nation for 1,800 years."
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In other words, when you look
at what they could have been,
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and what they became,
God said they could have
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become so much more.
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Sometimes we connect financial
success with spiritual success.
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The Jews are very
financially successful,
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but spiritual success is
altogether something different.
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They call down on
themselves the judgments of God
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and God's servant said,
"Terribly will that prayer
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be fulfilled in the
great judgment day."
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Those who mocked and
smote Him will be there.
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The priests and rulers
will behold again the scene
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in the judgment hall.
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Lord have mercy
when they come forth
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in the second resurrection;
when they come forth
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in a special resurrection...
they're going to see Jesus,
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but not the way they saw
him before. Can you say Amen?
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Not bound, not an arrested,
not an incarcerated Lord,
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they're going to see a
RISEN Lord, a glorified Lord!
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She goes on to say, "Every
circumstance will appear before
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them as if written in
letters of fire - than those who
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who prayed "His blood be
on us and on our children,"
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will receive the
answer to their prayers."
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Revelation 1:7, we are told
there's not only going to be a
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resurrection, but there
is a special resurrection.
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You see, when they condemned
Jesus, they forced Him to tell
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them who He is - He
said, "I am who You say I am,
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and you will see Me again."
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And the Revelator, under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit
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said, in Revelation 1:7...
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His accusers will be there.
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In the first resurrection,
His condemners will be there.
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Those who smote
Him will be there.
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The Jewish priests
and leaders will be there.
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The Roman soldiers that bound
Him to the cross will be there.
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Pilate will be there.
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All those who said, "Crucify
Him, crucify Him" will be there.
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And for a brief moment,
they will know that this is
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the first resurrection
ONLY to have the words of Christ
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confirmed in the
condemnation of their hearing...
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This is He who you
thought was dead, but behold,
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He is alive forevermore.
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And the Bible says, "And
all the tribes of the earth
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will mourn because of Him."
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Those who made their decision
not to stand with Jesus...
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Brothers and sisters, this
is the hour, this is the time
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to make up our minds.
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Complacent as we may be,
as the message goes forth,
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you know there's a
battle going on here...
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Every Sabbath when
the message goes forth,
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There's a battle, there
are those in their own hearts
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and in their own minds,
determined to follow the path
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of those who choose
not to let Jesus be seen.
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They too must realize that
even though they don't proclaim
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with their lips,
"Crucify Him," they proclaim it
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with their lives, "Crucify Him."
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When we choose not
to let the Lord's glory
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and joy and strength
and righteousness be seen,
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when we choose to hold
on those things that bring
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no freedom to our hearts,
we stand with those who say,
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"Crucify Him, crucify Him."
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Then they took Jesus...
they took Jesus and they
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whipped Him with a
cat-o'- nine tails.
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A number of years
ago, about 15 years ago,
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I began to study, from a medical
point-of-view what happened
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to Jesus and I was so glad
that God took me back to that.
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Even this morning when I was
putting the final touches on my
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sermon, I was sitting on
the edge of my bed and tears
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were coming down my
face, my hand vibrated as I
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was just typing on my
iPad... the last few words,
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I was so consumed and so
held captive by the reality
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that MY sin caused them to
beat Jesus the way they did...
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Not just the Jews, not
just the Romans, our sin.
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Come on... Our sin.
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It's so easy to
pass it off on the Jews -
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that they crucified
Him, but it was OUR sin.
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It was our decision
and as long as we hold on
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to hearts that are refusing
to receive the forgiveness
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of Christ, we stand with
them and we will be there
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in that special resurrection.
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Some of us in the
second resurrection,
00:10:42.80\00:10:44.77
but this is the
moment, this is the HOUR
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that God gives
to every one of us.
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Then they whipped
Jesus, they gave Him all the
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energies of hell to
perform the persecution
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and the prosecution of Jesus.
00:10:55.75\00:10:57.09
They whipped Him with
the cat-o'- nine tails.
00:10:57.12\00:10:58.95
This was a leather-braided
whip with glass and nails
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sewn into its leather,
and as they whipped Jesus,
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they pulled it so that
they could tear His skin.
00:11:07.80\00:11:13.40
His skin was torn for
my sin and for your sin,
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not just for the Jews,
not just for the Romans.
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Then they crowned Jesus,
they braided a crown of thorns,
00:11:20.38\00:11:24.55
and then plunged this
crown into an innocent brow
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on an innocent head and
they took pleasure in seeing the
00:11:28.52\00:11:31.89
blood run freely from the
brow of One who was innocent.
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They did this because of My
sin and because of Your sin.
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And then sinful saliva
stained the back of the spotless
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Lamb of God - they spat on Him.
00:11:47.94\00:11:49.67
Lord have mercy - to see
Him again after carrying out
00:11:49.70\00:11:53.68
such vicious acts.
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They ripped His bloodstained
garment from the back
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that bore their sins.
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They thought that they
nailed Him to the cross,
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but what they did not
know, it was His love that
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voluntarily went to the
cross for you and for me!
00:12:04.12\00:12:10.73
In the moment of His
greatest thirst, He cried,
00:12:12.46\00:12:15.36
"I thirst, I
thirst," and they gave Him
00:12:15.40\00:12:18.47
sour vinegar and wine
to drink and He refused it
00:12:18.50\00:12:22.40
because He knew that
their end would be bitter
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than His moment.
00:12:25.84\00:12:27.78
They gambled for His
robe, but they rejected the
00:12:27.81\00:12:32.01
free gift of His grace.
00:12:32.05\00:12:34.35
They will be there in
that special resurrection.
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A Roman soldier tried to
gain, by chance, he gambled
00:12:39.69\00:12:43.56
for the robe of Jesus.
00:12:43.59\00:12:45.29
He tried to gain, by chance,
what Jesus came to give by gift,
00:12:45.33\00:12:49.90
and no amount of
money could substitute
00:12:49.93\00:12:52.03
for the gift of eternal life.
00:12:52.07\00:12:53.60
HE will be THERE in
that special resurrection,
00:12:53.64\00:12:57.61
but praise God, at the moment
that Jesus hung on the cross,
00:12:57.64\00:13:01.24
there was a Roman
Centurion whose eyes caught
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the Son of God and
he proclaimed above the
00:13:04.35\00:13:07.62
cheering crowd with
all the energy that he had,
00:13:07.65\00:13:10.89
TRULY HE WAS THE SON OF GOD!
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God found in
that crowd a convert.
00:13:14.49\00:13:17.13
At the moment of His death,
He was still saving individuals
00:13:17.16\00:13:19.53
while His blood dripped on the
ground on the hill of Golgotha
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people were still being saved.
00:13:22.96\00:13:25.87
Oh how wonderful to know
that even when it looked like
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Jesus has come to
the end of His rope,
00:13:28.34\00:13:30.21
there's rope that
never has any end to it.
00:13:30.24\00:13:33.24
So come with me to the
scene of a vicious crime...
00:13:33.27\00:13:36.98
Stand with me at the
intersection of what was
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and what will be.
00:13:39.58\00:13:41.68
Pause for a moment and inhale
the scene - like blackened soot
00:13:41.72\00:13:46.29
escaping the furnace -
the mouth of an angry furnace
00:13:46.32\00:13:49.09
the finality of
death paints the night air.
00:13:49.12\00:13:52.29
Listen carefully and you
will hear a cacophony of demons
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rejoicing - the restless
clamor of satanic praise
00:13:56.00\00:14:00.50
collides with their discordant
racket of hellborn dissonants.
00:14:00.54\00:14:04.37
They're rejoicing now.
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They believe that they
have accomplished their design,
00:14:06.01\00:14:08.81
but the orchestrators say,
themselves, of this symphony
00:14:08.84\00:14:11.88
of death - He stands
erect, proudly leading
00:14:11.91\00:14:15.18
his rebellious minions in the
chorus, and hear me carefully,
00:14:15.22\00:14:18.59
of a temporary victory,
but Jesus will come forth
00:14:18.62\00:14:22.86
for you see it is true...
00:14:22.89\00:14:24.23
You CANNOT keep a good Man down!
00:14:24.26\00:14:27.13
And from the cross,
Jesus proclaimed those
00:14:27.16\00:14:30.03
seven last words...
"Father forgive them
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for they know not what they do."
00:14:33.60\00:14:36.37
Then He looked at
Mary... "Woman, behold thy Son."
00:14:36.40\00:14:40.18
He looked at
John... "Behold thy mother."
00:14:40.21\00:14:42.81
He provided for His mother
even at the moment of His death.
00:14:42.84\00:14:49.38
He said, "I thirst."
00:14:49.42\00:14:50.75
Then He said, "My God, My
God, why has Thou forsaken Me?"
00:14:50.79\00:14:54.89
"Into Thy hand, I
commend My Spirit,"
00:14:54.92\00:14:57.86
and He bowed His head and
He said, "It is finished."
00:14:57.89\00:15:04.87
"It is finished."
00:15:04.90\00:15:07.00
You see, when He
said, "It is finished,"
00:15:07.04\00:15:08.74
Satan heard "I am
finished," for Satan had known
00:15:08.77\00:15:12.54
that this is the moment he was
trying to prevent Jesus from...
00:15:12.57\00:15:16.31
He did everything he
could to PREVENT Jesus from
00:15:16.34\00:15:19.75
accomplishing what he knew
would be the plan of salvation.
00:15:19.78\00:15:23.22
This is no normal death.
00:15:23.25\00:15:24.59
This is not another death.
00:15:24.62\00:15:26.35
This is not just ANY death.
00:15:26.39\00:15:28.12
This was the DEATH
that would buy our LIVES.
00:15:28.16\00:15:32.53
This was the Head that
went down so that one day
00:15:32.56\00:15:35.40
our head can come up.
00:15:35.43\00:15:37.20
This was the tomb that
was closed so that one day
00:15:37.23\00:15:40.54
Jesus can open it
and give us freedom.
00:15:40.57\00:15:43.30
This was no ordinary death.
00:15:43.34\00:15:44.77
He was not an accused
that was found guilty...
00:15:44.81\00:15:47.44
This was the INNOCENT
LAMB that bought our freedom.
00:15:47.48\00:15:51.81
Thank you Lord,
this morning we can stand
00:15:51.85\00:15:54.12
here in the midst of
a contemporary world,
00:15:54.15\00:15:57.09
and know that we can find
freedom today in Jesus. Amen!
00:15:57.12\00:16:00.89
Ellen White said, "Christ
did not yield up His life
00:16:00.92\00:16:03.53
until He had accomplished the
work which He had come to do,
00:16:03.56\00:16:08.46
and with His parting breath,
He exclaimed, "It is finished."
00:16:08.50\00:16:12.60
The battle had been won.
00:16:12.63\00:16:14.04
His right hand and His holy
arm had gotten Him the victory.
00:16:14.07\00:16:18.57
And as a conqueror,
He planted His banner
00:16:18.61\00:16:21.08
on that eternal height
on the hill of Golgotha,
00:16:21.11\00:16:24.18
on a cross that looked
as though it was an end,
00:16:24.21\00:16:26.92
to heaven, it was
the flag of victory!
00:16:26.95\00:16:30.65
This was the banner proclaiming
that Jesus had accomplished
00:16:30.69\00:16:34.42
His purpose.
00:16:34.46\00:16:35.79
Was there no joy among
the angels? Yes there was joy
00:16:35.82\00:16:39.59
among the angels, for you see,
00:16:39.63\00:16:41.46
the angels, not understanding
the plan of salvation,
00:16:41.50\00:16:44.07
they tried to PREVENT
Jesus at His trying moments...
00:16:44.10\00:16:47.24
They said, "Lord, we can free
You," but He said, "Stand back,
00:16:47.27\00:16:51.97
this is the moment I was
born for, this is MY hour,
00:16:52.01\00:16:55.01
I've come to free My
children. STAND BACK."
00:16:55.04\00:16:58.15
At the command of
the Most High God,
00:16:59.18\00:17:01.98
they could have
decimated the Roman Army,
00:17:02.02\00:17:04.79
but it was not for
the decimation of the
00:17:04.82\00:17:06.86
Roman Army, but to even
extend salvation to them!
00:17:06.89\00:17:10.73
And He found one convert
on the hill called Golgotha,
00:17:10.76\00:17:14.43
a Roman Centurion will come
forth in the first resurrection
00:17:14.46\00:17:18.57
to see the Lord that he
participated in crucifying.
00:17:18.60\00:17:21.87
That is baffling to me!
00:17:21.90\00:17:23.97
He participated
in the crucifixion,
00:17:24.01\00:17:26.01
but he found redemption!
00:17:26.04\00:17:27.88
That's the kind of God
we serve. What do ya say?
00:17:27.91\00:17:30.41
Ellen White says,
"All heaven triumphed
00:17:31.38\00:17:33.92
in the Savior's victory.
00:17:33.95\00:17:35.28
Satan was defeated and he
knew that his kingdom was lost!
00:17:35.32\00:17:41.22
That's what this
morning is all about.
00:17:41.26\00:17:42.82
He knew his kingdom was lost.
00:17:42.86\00:17:44.79
The chief priest and
Pharisees accomplished their
00:17:44.83\00:17:47.50
evil desires and yet in
the recesses of their minds,
00:17:47.53\00:17:51.23
there was something
about the name "Jesus"
00:17:51.27\00:17:53.30
that refused to
release them from their fears.
00:17:53.34\00:17:57.44
What is it about this
Man, unable to dismiss the
00:17:57.47\00:18:00.38
possibility of His
divinity, they devised a plan...
00:18:00.41\00:18:03.38
Look what is stated
in Matthew 27:62-64...
00:18:03.41\00:18:06.61
They devised the plan in
the event that He is divine,
00:18:06.65\00:18:10.52
let's try to find another
way to keep Him in that tomb.
00:18:10.55\00:18:14.06
The Bible says... in
verse 62 of Matthew 27...
00:18:14.09\00:18:17.23
Lord have mercy!
00:18:31.77\00:18:33.94
But I want to say today,
the divinity of His life led
00:18:52.16\00:18:54.40
them to question the
permanence of His death.
00:18:54.43\00:18:57.03
The divinity of His life,
the spotlessness of the Lamb
00:18:57.07\00:19:00.67
led them to
question whether or not
00:19:00.70\00:19:03.10
He is going to stay in there.
00:19:03.14\00:19:04.47
You see, when you're
pure, you will come out!
00:19:04.51\00:19:06.74
And I can almost hear
the Jewish contingencies
00:19:06.78\00:19:09.21
say to Pilate, "In the
event that He is the Christ,
00:19:09.24\00:19:12.45
we need to make sure
He's not going to come out.
00:19:12.48\00:19:15.55
If He is the Christ, we
need to do all in our power
00:19:15.58\00:19:19.05
with the cooperation of hell
to keep him behind that stone."
00:19:19.09\00:19:23.46
You see, Satan
said, "Shut Him up,
00:19:23.49\00:19:25.33
but what they did not know
that in less than 72 hours,
00:19:25.36\00:19:27.90
the Father would
say, "Get Him up."
00:19:27.93\00:19:31.23
There's a difference between
"shut him up" and "get him up."
00:19:31.27\00:19:33.60
Pilate's hands were washed,
but his heart was troubled.
00:19:33.64\00:19:36.67
He says in verse 65,
"Pilate said to them,"
00:19:36.71\00:19:39.77
"Pilate said to them,
"You have a guard, go your way.
00:19:39.81\00:19:44.31
Make it as
secure as you know how."
00:19:44.35\00:19:46.85
"So they went and
made the tomb secure,
00:19:46.88\00:19:49.08
sealing the stone
and setting the guard."
00:19:49.12\00:19:52.89
An act of futility is
what you just read about.
00:19:52.92\00:19:56.56
You cannot glue Jesus in!
00:19:56.59\00:19:58.46
You can't cement Him in.
00:19:58.49\00:20:00.50
Come on you sleeping
saints, listen to the message.
00:20:00.53\00:20:02.83
Some of you are under
Satan's spell even right now.
00:20:02.86\00:20:05.53
Can't even stay awake to
hear about your redemption.
00:20:05.57\00:20:09.10
Keep your eyes open.
00:20:09.14\00:20:10.61
Keep your ears open.
00:20:10.67\00:20:12.07
Listen to the story of your
redemption and my redemption.
00:20:12.11\00:20:14.64
The tomb had been
sealed, the Roman centurions
00:20:14.68\00:20:18.65
manned their post.
00:20:18.68\00:20:20.02
Deceived by the
darkness of understanding
00:20:20.05\00:20:22.02
the betrayers of Christ,
were willingly ignorant of
00:20:22.05\00:20:24.75
the fact that by the
death of Jesus, the plan of
00:20:24.79\00:20:27.82
salvation was accomplished.
00:20:27.86\00:20:29.52
Satan thought that Jesus
was assassinated but heaven knew
00:20:29.56\00:20:33.23
that Jesus would
be vindicated. Amen!
00:20:33.26\00:20:36.00
This was the moment He came for.
00:20:36.03\00:20:38.37
The redemptive promise,
though 4,000 years delayed
00:20:38.40\00:20:42.04
could not be
denied... for you see,
00:20:42.07\00:20:43.91
outside of the
gates of man's perfection,
00:20:43.94\00:20:46.01
Jesus declared,
in Genesis 3:15...
00:20:46.04\00:20:48.98
Satan only bruised
the heel of our Savior,?
00:20:58.99\00:21:02.06
but thank God, He
bruised the head of the serpent.
00:21:02.09\00:21:05.43
If you want to kill somebody,
you step on their head.
00:21:05.46\00:21:08.26
You want to wound somebody,
you step on their heels.
00:21:08.30\00:21:11.33
He only wounded our
Lord, but Jesus made sure
00:21:11.37\00:21:15.34
that this was the battle that
would remind the devil again
00:21:15.37\00:21:20.58
that there could only
be one victor in battle.
00:21:20.61\00:21:22.84
He beat him in heaven...
thank the Lord for that!
00:21:22.88\00:21:25.18
He beat him at the cross
and there's going to be one
00:21:25.21\00:21:27.08
more hurrah - that's why
the devil has come down with
00:21:27.12\00:21:29.32
great wrath - knowing he
has but a short time. Amen!
00:21:29.35\00:21:33.59
A short time!
00:21:33.62\00:21:37.06
I want you to know
today that His death was not
00:21:37.09\00:21:39.63
orchestrated by hell.
00:21:39.66\00:21:41.00
His death was
ordained by heaven.
00:21:41.03\00:21:43.57
The Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world...
00:21:43.60\00:21:48.47
Jesus, himself, said, "No
one takes My life from Me,
00:21:48.50\00:21:51.87
but I lay it down of myself.
00:21:51.91\00:21:53.71
I have power to lay it down and
I have power to take it again.
00:21:53.74\00:21:57.45
This command, He
said, I have received
00:21:57.48\00:22:00.42
from my Father. John 10:18
00:22:00.45\00:22:03.49
How could you take the
life of One who is Life?
00:22:03.52\00:22:06.99
"I Am, I Am"
00:22:07.02\00:22:10.86
"In Him was life, the
Bible says and the life
00:22:10.89\00:22:14.23
was the light of men."
00:22:14.26\00:22:15.60
Ellen White says, "In Christ
is life, original, unborrowed,
00:22:15.63\00:22:20.47
and underived."
00:22:20.50\00:22:21.90
A few months ago, I had to
cut somebody off of Facebook.
00:22:21.94\00:22:25.74
Some twisted
person down in Australia.
00:22:25.77\00:22:29.44
Every Friday evening,
he got on the internet
00:22:29.48\00:22:31.41
denying the divinity of
Jesus, and I hit him back with
00:22:31.45\00:22:36.18
Scriptures - I wanted
to be a zealot of Jesus.
00:22:36.22\00:22:38.49
I'd do anything to defend
the righteousness of Jesus.
00:22:38.52\00:22:40.89
So he kept saying to me...
00:22:40.92\00:22:42.66
"He cannot be... He had to be
created somewhere in eternity."
00:22:42.69\00:22:46.49
I said, "Well, if He
was created, He could not be
00:22:46.53\00:22:48.60
the Creator."
00:22:48.63\00:22:50.00
Nothing was made
that was not made by Him."
00:22:50.03\00:22:53.03
He kept arguing back and forth.
00:22:53.07\00:22:57.27
He got so upset that he
tried to mar my character.
00:22:57.31\00:23:02.58
Began to put on Facebook...
"You know some is wrong
00:23:02.61\00:23:05.91
at 3ABN when even Pastor John
denies the divinity of Jesus."
00:23:05.95\00:23:10.92
And people began to send
me emails and call me from
00:23:10.95\00:23:13.42
different places of the world.
00:23:13.46\00:23:15.12
And they said, "Pastor, we
know that's not true because
00:23:15.16\00:23:17.79
when we hear your
messages, you uplift Jesus.
00:23:17.83\00:23:19.83
You know He is the divine One."
00:23:19.86\00:23:21.93
But that's how the
devil is, that's what he does.
00:23:21.96\00:23:26.43
When Jesus came, He
came to be what He was not,
00:23:26.47\00:23:30.61
so that one day, we can
be what we could not be.
00:23:30.64\00:23:34.94
The Bible says, "He
made Him who knew no sin
00:23:34.98\00:23:36.85
to be sin for us,
that we might become
00:23:36.88\00:23:39.31
the
righteousness of God in Him."
00:23:39.35\00:23:41.62
Satan thought that
Jesus had been brought down,
00:23:41.65\00:23:44.09
but heaven knew that
Jesus had to be lifted up.
00:23:44.12\00:23:48.29
"If I am lifted
up from the earth,
00:23:48.32\00:23:49.89
I draw all men unto me."
00:23:49.92\00:23:52.43
You see, the secret of
bringing people to Christ
00:23:52.46\00:23:55.26
is not the ability to preach,
but the responsibility of
00:23:55.30\00:24:00.24
lifting Jesus up.
00:24:00.27\00:24:02.30
Too often we preach
things that don't lift Jesus up.
00:24:02.34\00:24:06.31
The science of
salvation is lifting Jesus up.
00:24:06.34\00:24:09.78
When He is lifted up, He said,
00:24:09.81\00:24:11.15
"I will draw all
men unto myself."
00:24:11.18\00:24:13.72
You don't need
craft, you don't need skill,
00:24:13.75\00:24:16.65
you don't need art,
you don't need education...
00:24:16.69\00:24:18.85
You just need a tongue
to lift Jesus up. Amen!
00:24:18.89\00:24:22.39
"If I am lifted up,"
He said, "I will draw..."
00:24:22.42\00:24:24.69
not your
education, not your degrees,
00:24:24.73\00:24:27.90
not your skill,
not your eloquence,
00:24:27.93\00:24:30.33
not your ability to
speak, but to lift Him up.
00:24:30.37\00:24:34.30
From the lowest to the
highest, if we lift Him up,
00:24:34.34\00:24:37.84
"He will draw all men unto
Himself." Can you say, Amen?
00:24:37.87\00:24:41.81
It's easy to blame the Jews,
00:24:41.84\00:24:43.51
but Isaiah 53:5
says, listen carefully...
00:24:43.55\00:24:46.72
And by His stripes... TOGETHER..
WE are healed. WE are healed!
00:24:57.86\00:25:05.27
I tell you brethren...
00:25:05.30\00:25:06.63
His betrayer
should have known better.
00:25:06.67\00:25:08.14
The Lord says,
"It's better that they had
00:25:08.17\00:25:12.31
not been born." Mark 14:21...
00:25:12.34\00:25:16.31
It would have been better
for Pilate not to be born.
00:25:31.16\00:25:33.83
It would have been
better for Judas NOT to be born.
00:25:33.86\00:25:36.80
For those that called Him
and chose Barabbas in His place,
00:25:36.83\00:25:41.94
it would have been better
for them NOT to have been born.
00:25:41.97\00:25:44.87
But somebody
had to betray Him...
00:25:44.91\00:25:47.58
The reality of it is, if
we don't live the righteous
00:25:47.61\00:25:50.65
life that He calls us to
live, we betray Him day-by-day.
00:25:50.68\00:25:56.95
Yes, we have sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God,
00:25:56.99\00:26:01.22
but when God extends to
us the opportunity to ask for
00:26:01.26\00:26:04.43
forgiveness and to be forgiven,
then we are CALLED to go
00:26:04.46\00:26:11.33
forth and proclaim,
not only by our lips,
00:26:11.37\00:26:15.27
but through our lives,
the wonderful grace of God,
00:26:15.30\00:26:18.67
the transforming power of God,
the freedom we find in Jesus.
00:26:18.71\00:26:25.61
There ought to be a
difference between the joy of
00:26:25.65\00:26:30.25
the world and the
joy of the kingdom.
00:26:30.29\00:26:32.35
The joy of the
kingdom should never end!
00:26:32.39\00:26:35.39
They get excited in the world
about things that are temporal,
00:26:35.42\00:26:37.59
things that money
can buy, but we will get
00:26:37.63\00:26:40.26
excited about things
that only Jesus can buy. Amen!
00:26:40.30\00:26:43.06
Our salvation...
Amen somebody? Amen!
00:26:43.10\00:26:45.47
The news of the death of
Jesus was echoed through the
00:26:45.50\00:26:48.57
limitless regions
of unfallen worlds.
00:26:48.60\00:26:50.94
You see, when Jesus
bowed His head in death...
00:26:50.97\00:26:53.48
Go to Revelation
12:10... When Jesus bowed His
00:26:53.51\00:26:56.21
head in death, these were
the words that were proclaimed
00:26:56.24\00:26:59.58
and all the unfallen
worlds heard the proclamation
00:26:59.61\00:27:04.55
of this innocent tongue.
00:27:04.59\00:27:06.12
Listen to the words of John the
revelator - Revelation 12:10.
00:27:06.15\00:27:10.76
The Bible says...
00:27:10.79\00:27:13.66
Come on, let's
read this together...
00:27:18.53\00:27:19.87
Day and night has been - what?
00:27:33.35\00:27:35.22
Has been cast
down. Can you say, Amen?
00:27:35.25\00:27:38.45
See, what you
don't understand...
00:27:38.49\00:27:39.82
It was not until Jesus died and
rose again - that the plan of
00:27:39.85\00:27:45.36
salvation was secure.
00:27:45.39\00:27:46.80
If the devil could
have kept Him from dying,
00:27:46.83\00:27:49.60
and giving His life
as an innocent lamb,
00:27:49.63\00:27:52.60
the plan of salvation
would have been defeated.
00:27:52.63\00:27:54.97
He couldn't defeat Him there.
00:27:55.00\00:27:56.54
The next plan was to
keep Him in the tomb.
00:27:56.57\00:27:58.54
If he could have kept
Him in the tomb, the plan of
00:27:58.57\00:28:00.84
salvation would
still have been defeated...
00:28:00.88\00:28:02.54
But every step of the
way, when Divinity plans,
00:28:02.58\00:28:06.55
Divinity's plan will
always come to fruition
00:28:06.58\00:28:10.09
for God is always greater than
00:28:10.12\00:28:11.99
the enemy that
stands against Him.
00:28:12.02\00:28:14.02
All the worlds heard
echoing throughout the
00:28:14.06\00:28:17.09
kingdom of heaven,
throughout all the limitless
00:28:17.13\00:28:19.33
worlds - "Now has come
salvation and strength,"
00:28:19.36\00:28:22.46
and they must have
been rejoicing because...
00:28:22.50\00:28:25.53
You see, Satan got
kicked out because of sin,
00:28:25.57\00:28:28.30
and I could imagine they said,
00:28:28.34\00:28:29.67
"Are you letting
THOSE sinners into heaven?"
00:28:29.70\00:28:32.07
Come on now... You
gonna let them into heaven,
00:28:32.11\00:28:34.84
those liars, those
murderers, those adulterers,
00:28:34.88\00:28:38.01
those thieves,
those conniving...
00:28:38.05\00:28:40.68
You gonna let them in heaven?
00:28:40.72\00:28:42.08
The Lord Jesus said,
"No, I'm not done yet."
00:28:42.12\00:28:45.45
You see, the plan of salvation
takes us from where we were
00:28:45.49\00:28:48.09
to where we are going to be.
00:28:48.12\00:28:50.09
It takes a
sinner, makes him a saint!
00:28:50.13\00:28:52.13
It takes a lie
and makes him honest.
00:28:52.16\00:28:54.63
It takes a man who is
lost to make him saved.
00:28:54.66\00:28:57.17
It takes somebody
you could not trust
00:28:57.20\00:29:01.54
and know that you
can trust him in Jesus.
00:29:02.10\00:29:05.71
It takes a person
who knew no light...
00:29:05.74\00:29:08.41
to again know no darkness.
00:29:08.44\00:29:11.21
It takes a person
from hopelessness to joy.
00:29:11.25\00:29:14.28
Jesus came not
to save good folk,
00:29:14.32\00:29:17.82
he came to save
folk like us. Amen!
00:29:17.85\00:29:21.09
You see, the plan of salvation
can DO something for you
00:29:21.12\00:29:25.09
if you know you need to
be saved, but if you are
00:29:25.13\00:29:27.30
already righteous,
this sermon ain't for you.
00:29:27.33\00:29:29.46
If you are already
locked in and sealed,
00:29:29.50\00:29:31.87
and you don't have no
sin, this sermon ain't for you.
00:29:31.90\00:29:34.17
You can go ahead and sleep.
00:29:34.20\00:29:35.54
But if you know you're a sinner,
like I know I'm a sinner,
00:29:35.57\00:29:38.04
this sermon is for you.
00:29:38.07\00:29:39.87
The Bread of Life
was broken for me.
00:29:39.91\00:29:42.34
The blood of the
covenant was poured out for me!
00:29:42.38\00:29:45.31
The Passover Lamb was slain;
00:29:45.35\00:29:47.05
the price of redemption
was paid for ME! Amen!
00:29:47.08\00:29:51.69
You could join me
if you're a sinner...
00:29:51.72\00:29:53.66
it was paid for ME! Amen!
00:29:53.69\00:29:56.19
And now Jesus laid in His tomb;
00:29:56.22\00:29:58.73
at last Jesus is at rest.
00:29:58.76\00:30:03.23
A long day of shame and torture
is finally come to an end.
00:30:03.26\00:30:10.11
The son of God lay in the
tranquility of Joseph's tomb,
00:30:10.14\00:30:14.78
His work completed;
His hands - as the servant
00:30:14.81\00:30:19.18
of the Lord says,
"Folded on His chest in peace."
00:30:19.21\00:30:24.29
The last rays of the setting
sun fade on the quiet horizon
00:30:24.32\00:30:29.02
which not too long before that
00:30:29.06\00:30:30.93
was a hill of
jarring and mocking...
00:30:30.96\00:30:34.40
And the dust of
Golgotha is now settled
00:30:34.43\00:30:37.30
with the dried blood of
the Savior still on the ground.
00:30:37.33\00:30:41.17
The darkness of the
night cast its shadow of doubt
00:30:41.20\00:30:47.14
over all creation.
00:30:47.18\00:30:49.48
But I need to say, in
the lyrics of a song writer
00:30:49.51\00:30:54.62
many years ago, "what a
difference a day makes..."
00:30:54.65\00:30:57.42
Twenty-four short
hours, it is amazing how
00:30:57.45\00:31:00.99
the rising sun can
chase away the darkness.
00:31:01.02\00:31:03.32
ALL of a sudden, the
Jewish leaders begin to remember
00:31:03.36\00:31:07.23
the declaration of
Divinity, John 2:18-19...
00:31:07.26\00:31:11.43
Listen to what happens...
00:31:11.47\00:31:13.00
Attempting to trap Jesus,
the Jews asked this question...
00:31:13.03\00:31:16.87
And they remembered
as the sun began to rise,
00:31:16.91\00:31:20.04
on the third day, they
remembered the words of Jesus...
00:31:20.08\00:31:24.65
They thought He meant a stone
wall - no He meant a flesh wall.
00:31:35.82\00:31:40.00
They thought He meant a
building put together by clay,
00:31:40.03\00:31:42.50
no - a building put
together by the Father.
00:31:42.53\00:31:45.50
"A body Thou
hast prepared for Me."
00:31:45.53\00:31:47.17
When Jesus came into the
frailty of a young woman,
00:31:47.20\00:31:50.34
Mary became all of a sudden
a temporary reactor for the
00:31:50.37\00:31:54.68
nuclear device of heaven.
00:31:54.71\00:31:56.95
She had more power in her
than all the bombs in China,
00:31:56.98\00:32:01.18
and Korea and the
United States put together.
00:32:01.22\00:32:05.79
Jesus could have
annihilated humanity had He come
00:32:05.82\00:32:08.79
to this earth without
clothing Himself in humanity.
00:32:08.82\00:32:13.83
But now the day is coming,
the sun is rising and slowly
00:32:13.86\00:32:17.63
but surely, slowly but surely,
the doubt in the minds of the
00:32:17.67\00:32:21.64
Jewish leaders are still
there and Ellen White says
00:32:21.67\00:32:23.87
in "Desire of Ages,"
p.780, listen to the words
00:32:23.91\00:32:26.88
of inspiration - she says,
"The night of the first day
00:32:26.91\00:32:29.41
of the week had
worn slowly away.
00:32:29.44\00:32:32.18
The darkest hour just
before daybreak had come.
00:32:32.21\00:32:36.69
Christ was still a
prisoner in His narrow tomb.
00:32:36.72\00:32:39.99
The great stone
was in its place.
00:32:40.02\00:32:42.59
The Roman seal was unbroken.
00:32:42.62\00:32:44.36
The Roman guards
were keeping their watch,
00:32:44.39\00:32:47.03
and there were unseen watches,
00:32:47.06\00:32:50.97
angels that
never left the scene.
00:32:51.00\00:32:54.07
The angels that were with Jesus
at His birth were still there.
00:32:54.10\00:32:57.84
The angels that were assigned
to Jesus to walk with Him
00:32:57.87\00:33:01.01
through His life,
they never left His side.
00:33:01.04\00:33:04.21
You see, a King always
has His guards with Him.
00:33:04.25\00:33:07.95
They were unseen watchers.
00:33:07.98\00:33:10.59
Hosts of evil angels were
also gathered about the place."
00:33:10.62\00:33:14.92
And she goes on to
say... "Had it been possible,
00:33:14.96\00:33:17.33
the prince of darkness,
with his apostate army,
00:33:17.36\00:33:20.83
would have kept forever sealed
the tomb of the Son of God."
00:33:20.86\00:33:25.60
But I want to say this
today, even in death Jesus had
00:33:25.63\00:33:28.84
secret serve
protection. Come on, say "Amen."
00:33:28.87\00:33:32.04
She says in
"Desire of Ages," p.779...
00:33:32.07\00:33:34.14
"A heavenly host
surrounded the sepulcher,
00:33:34.18\00:33:38.01
angels that excel in
strength were guarding the tomb,
00:33:38.05\00:33:40.78
and waiting to
welcome the Prince of Life."
00:33:40.82\00:33:43.99
You see, Operation
Countdown was about to become
00:33:44.02\00:33:48.26
Operation Recovery. Amen!
00:33:48.29\00:33:51.59
They counted down
the hours of His death,
00:33:51.63\00:33:54.46
but they were standing
guard, waiting for the Father
00:33:54.50\00:33:57.27
to give them the
word to go get His Son...
00:33:57.30\00:34:00.24
And like a
polished Stealth Bomber,
00:34:00.27\00:34:03.34
the Angel Gabriel
positioned his majestic frame
00:34:03.37\00:34:08.08
on the launch pad
of the Holy City...
00:34:08.11\00:34:10.61
And the Father said to
Gabriel, "Go get My Son!"
00:34:10.65\00:34:14.35
This fully armored warrior
tucks his wings as he leans his
00:34:14.38\00:34:17.99
frame over the
portals of heaven,
00:34:18.02\00:34:19.82
and the constellations of
earth move aside as Gabriel,
00:34:19.85\00:34:24.39
and now in full flight,
comes to deliver the message...
00:34:24.43\00:34:28.66
"It's time to get UP!
00:34:28.70\00:34:30.50
The Bible says in Matthew 28...
00:34:30.53\00:34:32.47
AMEN!
00:34:41.11\00:34:42.61
"Brave soldiers," Ellen
White says that had never been
00:34:42.64\00:34:45.85
afraid of human
power are now captive,
00:34:45.88\00:34:48.68
taken without sword or spear.
00:34:48.72\00:34:50.75
The face they look upon is not
the face of a mortal warrior,
00:34:50.79\00:34:54.22
it is the face of the
mightiest of the Lord's host.
00:34:54.26\00:34:56.86
This messenger is he
who fills the position
00:34:56.89\00:35:00.66
from which Satan fell.
00:35:00.70\00:35:02.06
It is he, who on the
hills of Bethlehem, proclaimed
00:35:02.10\00:35:05.30
Christ's birth - the
earth trembled at His approach.
00:35:05.33\00:35:09.37
The host of darkness flee
and as he rolls away the stone,
00:35:09.40\00:35:13.34
heaven seems to
come down to earth
00:35:13.38\00:35:16.85
His countenance, the
Bible says, was like lightning.
00:35:16.88\00:35:20.02
His clothes as white as
snow and the guards shook
00:35:20.05\00:35:23.28
for fear of Him and
became like dead men!
00:35:23.32\00:35:26.45
Ellen White said, "The
guards stayed alive long enough
00:35:26.49\00:35:29.16
to see the stone rolled away,
long enough to see the angel,
00:35:29.19\00:35:31.99
and they began to
flee, but they lost strength
00:35:32.03\00:35:34.53
in their running and
just fell to the ground
00:35:34.56\00:35:36.90
in utter exasperation - we could
not get away from the power
00:35:36.93\00:35:40.64
of divinity.
00:35:40.67\00:35:42.24
Clothe with the
splendor of God, this angel left
00:35:42.27\00:35:45.57
the heavenly courts - the
bright beams of God's glory
00:35:45.61\00:35:48.48
went before Him and
illuminated His pathway."
00:35:48.51\00:35:51.45
Somebody saw a shooting star,
did not know it was Gabriel.
00:35:51.48\00:35:55.98
Somebody said, "Those
planets are moving tonight,"
00:35:56.02\00:35:57.99
did not know it was Gabriel.
00:35:58.02\00:35:59.49
The planets move, let us make
00:35:59.52\00:36:01.96
way so that he can
go get our Redeemer.
00:36:01.99\00:36:04.59
Ellen White said, "The soldiers
see him removing the stone
00:36:04.63\00:36:08.43
as he would a pebble
and they hear him cry,
00:36:08.46\00:36:12.23
"Son of God, come forth,
thy Father calleth Thee."
00:36:12.27\00:36:17.14
Jesus comes forth and
victoriously proclaims...
00:36:17.17\00:36:20.88
... through time and eternity
He stands erect and He says,
00:36:20.91\00:36:24.68
"I am the
resurrection and the life."
00:36:24.71\00:36:28.22
The trembling Roman
soldiers wipe their eyes
00:36:28.25\00:36:30.49
in astonishment; the
demonic forces are pushed
00:36:30.52\00:36:33.09
pushed back by
heaven's finest warrior."
00:36:33.15\00:36:35.92
I must go back to "The Desire
of Ages," come with me, p.780.
00:36:35.96\00:36:40.86
"Christ came
forth from the tomb."
00:36:40.90\00:36:44.07
"Christ came
forth from the TOMB!"
00:36:44.10\00:36:47.24
I wanna say it again,
"Christ came forth from the tomb
00:36:47.27\00:36:50.91
glorified and the
Roman guard beheld Him.
00:36:50.94\00:36:54.54
Their eyes were riveted
upon the face of Him whom they
00:36:54.58\00:36:57.48
had so recently
mocked and derided.
00:36:57.51\00:37:00.98
In His glorious being, they
beheld the prisoner whom they
00:37:01.02\00:37:04.12
had seen in the judgment
hall, the One for whom they had
00:37:04.15\00:37:07.79
plaited a crown of thorns.
00:37:07.82\00:37:10.13
This was the One who had
stood unresisting before Pilate
00:37:10.16\00:37:14.40
and Herod, His form
lacerated by the cruel scourge.
00:37:14.43\00:37:18.50
This was He who had
been nailed to the cross,"
00:37:18.53\00:37:21.40
but the servant of God
says, ... oh hear me church,
00:37:21.44\00:37:24.27
"Mountains piled upon mountains
over the sepulcher could not
00:37:24.31\00:37:28.94
have prevented Him
from coming forth." AMEN!
00:37:28.98\00:37:33.55
Put Mt. Everest over
there and try to stop Him.
00:37:33.58\00:37:35.68
Put Mt. Vesuvius,
put Mt. Kilimanjaro...
00:37:35.72\00:37:38.69
You can put them all
together and Jesus would have
00:37:38.72\00:37:40.96
burst through forth victoriously
over every one of them.
00:37:40.99\00:37:44.79
But I want to say to you today,
the life of Jesus was not just
00:37:44.83\00:37:48.46
substitutionary,
but provisionary.
00:37:48.50\00:37:51.13
Provisionary means -
water flowed from His side
00:37:51.17\00:37:54.07
to wash away OUR guilt.
00:37:54.10\00:37:55.90
Blood flowed from HIS side
to cleanse us from OUR sin.
00:37:55.94\00:37:59.41
He died of a broken heart that
He might mend OUR broken hearts.
00:37:59.44\00:38:03.28
He was pierced so that
we might be made whole,
00:38:03.31\00:38:06.61
that's provisionary.
00:38:06.65\00:38:07.98
But it was also substitutionary,
He came down so that
00:38:08.02\00:38:11.19
one day, we can go up!
00:38:11.22\00:38:13.02
He walked our road so that
one day, we can walk His road.
00:38:13.05\00:38:16.86
He was arrested so that we could
be set free - come on church!
00:38:16.89\00:38:19.46
He was declared guilty so that
we could be declared INNOCENT!
00:38:20.50\00:38:24.33
He was condemned so
that we could be pardoned.
00:38:24.37\00:38:27.17
He was treated as a
criminal that we might be
00:38:27.20\00:38:30.44
treated as royalty. Amen!
00:38:30.47\00:38:32.77
He was stripped so
that we can be covered.
00:38:32.81\00:38:35.21
The blood of His robe
was upon HIM so that His
00:38:35.24\00:38:40.62
spotless robe
could be upon us. Amen!
00:38:40.65\00:38:43.82
Jesus wore our thorns so that
one day we could wear His crown.
00:38:43.85\00:38:47.92
He suffered the
shame of OUR death
00:38:47.96\00:38:49.82
so that we can share
the glory of HIS life.
00:38:49.86\00:38:53.03
You see, let me make it
clear today as I close...
00:38:53.06\00:38:55.60
The Rose of
Sharon would bud again.
00:38:55.63\00:38:59.37
The Oil of
Gladness would flow again.
00:38:59.40\00:39:02.80
The line of the tribe
of Judah would roar again.
00:39:02.84\00:39:07.04
The power of sin
would forever be broken.
00:39:07.08\00:39:10.98
The voice that
cried from the cross...
00:39:12.68\00:39:16.99
The voice that cried from
the cross - "It is finished,"
00:39:17.02\00:39:20.62
was heard among the dead.
00:39:20.66\00:39:23.66
It pierced the walls of
the sepulcher and summoned
00:39:23.69\00:39:27.20
the sleepers to arise.
00:39:27.23\00:39:29.30
Oh, I want to hear you today...
00:39:29.33\00:39:30.87
"Thus it will be when the
voice of Christ shall be heard
00:39:30.90\00:39:34.27
from heaven when He comes again.
00:39:34.30\00:39:36.50
You see, for the Bible says,
"The Lord Himself shall descend
00:39:36.54\00:39:40.18
from heaven with a shout
with the voice of the archangel
00:39:40.21\00:39:43.31
with the trumpet call of
God and the dead in Christ
00:39:43.35\00:39:45.95
will rise first!"
00:39:45.98\00:39:47.65
Today, I know for sure
my mother is going to rise.
00:39:47.68\00:39:52.55
The mother that gave
me life is going to rise.
00:39:52.59\00:39:55.36
The mother that raised me
to know Jesus is going to rise.
00:39:55.39\00:39:58.83
My friends are going to rise.
00:39:58.86\00:40:01.10
You got somebody laying in
the tomb, they're going to rise.
00:40:01.13\00:40:03.47
The Lord Himself,
He's not sending anybody...
00:40:03.50\00:40:06.13
He's coming for us Himself.
00:40:06.17\00:40:09.07
He's getting my mansion and
your mansion together today.
00:40:09.10\00:40:12.37
The servant of the Lord
says, "The voice that cried
00:40:12.41\00:40:17.45
"It is finished," was
heard among the dead."
00:40:17.48\00:40:19.35
It pierced the
walls of the sepulcher
00:40:19.38\00:40:21.35
and some of the
sleepers to arise.
00:40:21.38\00:40:24.15
Thus it will be when the
voice of Christ shall be heard
00:40:24.19\00:40:28.42
from heaven again.
00:40:28.46\00:40:30.39
That voice will penetrate the
graves and unbar the tombs...
00:40:30.43\00:40:35.53
can you say Amen?
00:40:35.56\00:40:38.20
God is going to roll
away tombstones in New York,
00:40:38.23\00:40:41.04
and in Alabama, and in
Mississippi, and in Florida,
00:40:41.07\00:40:45.27
and in Washington D.C.
00:40:45.31\00:40:46.98
God is going to roll away
tombstones in Thompsonville,
00:40:47.01\00:40:49.88
and in Chicago.
00:40:49.91\00:40:51.25
God is going to look for
His saints wherever they are,
00:40:51.28\00:40:54.58
and call them forth
from their sleeping graves.
00:40:54.62\00:40:58.49
To God be the glory!
00:40:58.52\00:41:00.09
That voice will penetrate
the graves and unbar the tombs,
00:41:00.12\00:41:04.63
and the dead in
Christ shall rise.
00:41:04.66\00:41:07.43
God's servant said, "At
the Savior's resurrection
00:41:07.46\00:41:10.63
a few graves were open,
but at His second coming,
00:41:10.67\00:41:13.97
"All the precious
dead shall hear his voice,
00:41:14.00\00:41:17.87
and shall come forth to
glorious immortal life."
00:41:17.91\00:41:21.98
The same power that
raised Christ from the dead
00:41:22.01\00:41:25.38
will raise His church
and glorify it with Him
00:41:25.41\00:41:28.48
above all principalities,
above all powers,
00:41:28.52\00:41:32.39
above every name that is
named not only in this world,
00:41:32.42\00:41:36.46
but also in the world to
come, and then we will begin
00:41:36.49\00:41:42.36
the most expensive
journey to our heavenly home
00:41:42.40\00:41:48.17
then the King will say to
those on His right hand...
00:41:48.20\00:41:51.07
"Come ye blessed of my Father."
00:41:51.11\00:41:54.14
You want to be there? Amen!
00:41:54.18\00:41:55.78
"Come ye blessed of my
Father, inherit the kingdom
00:41:55.81\00:42:00.85
prepared for you from
the foundation of the world."
00:42:00.88\00:42:05.55
Now I envision one
day... heaven will take out
00:42:05.59\00:42:09.42
the final checklists to
make sure that the plan of
00:42:09.46\00:42:14.73
salvation has been completely
exonerated and ratified,
00:42:14.76\00:42:20.60
and the questions
will echo throughout the
00:42:20.64\00:42:22.47
portals of eternity as Jesus
is approaching the New Jerusalem
00:42:22.50\00:42:26.51
with His saints
clothed in immortal glory.
00:42:26.54\00:42:31.15
Somebody is going
to ask the question,
00:42:31.18\00:42:32.98
"What about the
plan of salvation?"
00:42:33.01\00:42:34.75
and Jesus is going to
say, "It is finished."
00:42:34.78\00:42:37.29
What about the battle
against Satan and his angels?
00:42:37.32\00:42:39.79
Jesus is going to
say, "It is finished."
00:42:39.82\00:42:41.99
What about the
redemption of humanity?
00:42:42.02\00:42:43.96
"It is finished."
00:42:43.99\00:42:45.33
What about the
resurrection of the righteous?
00:42:45.36\00:42:47.43
"It is finished."
00:42:47.46\00:42:48.80
What about the end
of pain and suffering?"
00:42:48.83\00:42:50.90
"It is finished."
00:42:50.93\00:42:52.57
What about victory
over sin? "It is finished."
00:42:52.60\00:42:56.50
What about victory over
death? "It is finished."
00:42:56.54\00:43:00.28
Oh brothers and sisters,
one day it will be said,
00:43:00.31\00:43:03.71
"It is finished,
the battle is over."
00:43:03.75\00:43:06.21
"It is finished,
there will be no more war."
00:43:06.25\00:43:09.78
"It is finished, the end of
the conflict - it is finished."
00:43:09.82\00:43:13.42
And Jesus Christ is Lord!
00:43:13.46\00:43:16.16
Today, I want to give
God the glory as I sing
00:43:16.19\00:43:18.86
this closing song - if you want
to be in that redeemed number,
00:43:18.89\00:43:22.16
if you want to be in
that redeemed host today,
00:43:22.20\00:43:24.83
and God is saying
to your heart today,
00:43:24.87\00:43:26.80
"I wanna be in that
host when Jesus comes..."
00:43:26.84\00:43:30.51
As I sing this song, I
just want you to stand in
00:43:30.54\00:43:33.78
testimony to the
glory of God in your life...
00:43:33.81\00:43:36.18
to the glory of God as He
reveals Himself through you.
00:43:36.21\00:43:40.68
One day the most
expensive journey bought and
00:43:40.72\00:43:45.15
purchased by the blood of Jesus
will be ours to enjoy today
00:43:45.19\00:43:50.16
as I sing this song - make
your decision to be in that
00:43:50.19\00:43:53.96
redeemed host.
00:43:54.00\00:43:58.83
On that line stands
an old rugged cross.
00:44:19.52\00:44:28.16
On that cross a battle is raging
00:44:28.20\00:44:35.94
for the gain of
man's soul or it's loss.
00:44:35.97\00:44:45.71
On one side march
the forces of evil,
00:44:45.75\00:44:53.22
all the demons and devils,
00:44:53.25\00:45:01.40
On the other,
the angels of glory
00:45:01.43\00:45:10.21
As they meet on Golgotha's Hill,
00:45:10.24\00:45:18.88
And the earth shakes with
the force of the conflict,
00:45:18.91\00:45:27.36
As the sun refuses to shine,
00:45:27.39\00:45:36.06
For there hangs
God's Son in the balance,
00:45:36.10\00:45:44.84
And then through
the darkness He cried...
00:45:44.87\00:45:53.62
It is finished,
the battle is over.
00:45:53.65\00:46:01.86
It is finished,
they'll be no more war.
00:46:01.89\00:46:10.07
It is finished, it's
the end of the conflict.
00:46:10.10\00:46:17.61
It is finished,
and my Jesus is Lord.
00:46:17.64\00:46:29.42
Yet in my heart, a
battle still rages,
00:46:29.48\00:46:41.16
Not all the prisoners
of war have come home.
00:46:41.20\00:46:50.84
There are
battles of my own making,
00:46:50.91\00:46:59.05
For I didn't know
that the war had been won.
00:46:59.08\00:47:07.72
Then I heard that
that the King of the Ages
00:47:07.76\00:47:16.56
Had fought for
my battles for me,
00:47:16.60\00:47:24.71
And now the victory
was mine for the claiming,
00:47:24.74\00:47:32.98
And now praise
His name I am free.
00:47:33.01\00:47:42.19
It is finished,
the battle is over.
00:47:42.22\00:47:49.86
It is finished,
there will be no more war.
00:47:49.90\00:47:59.27
It is finished, it's
the end of the conflict.
00:47:59.31\00:48:06.48
It is finished,
and my Jesus is Lord.
00:48:06.51\00:48:21.86
It is finished,
and my Jesus is Lord.
00:48:21.90\00:48:37.18
Father in Heaven,
Lord, we stand this morning
00:48:37.21\00:48:42.82
we stand this morning
because Christ, the Lord,
00:48:42.88\00:48:48.46
is risen today.
00:48:48.49\00:48:53.13
There's no tomb that
holds His marred frame.
00:48:53.16\00:48:59.20
He is risen never to die again.
00:48:59.23\00:49:04.21
Never to face the
cruel scourging and mocking
00:49:04.24\00:49:10.85
and derision for our
sin, He is risen today.
00:49:10.88\00:49:14.78
And because He is
risen, we can be risen.
00:49:14.82\00:49:18.29
Oh Lord Jesus, help us
rise above our selfish hearts.
00:49:18.32\00:49:23.09
Help us to know it's not
about us, it's about You.
00:49:23.12\00:49:29.03
Bring to us the freedom of
our minds and of our lives.
00:49:29.06\00:49:34.64
Some of us hold on to
sin as though it's a trophy.
00:49:34.67\00:49:39.21
It's about us -
it's not about You.
00:49:39.24\00:49:42.91
Today the message of freedom
00:49:42.94\00:49:45.05
echoes from the
portals of eternity.
00:49:45.08\00:49:46.82
Today the blood of Jesus is
still efficacious to change us,
00:49:46.88\00:49:50.22
to deliver us, to make
us whole, to make us free...
00:49:50.25\00:49:54.96
But when it's about us,
we stay bound in darkness
00:49:54.99\00:50:00.46
in the shroud of our
own self-justification.
00:50:02.13\00:50:07.10
But Lord, today, break us that
it may no longer be about us,
00:50:07.14\00:50:12.87
but about Jesus - for one day,
there will only be two camps,
00:50:12.91\00:50:20.38
the redeemed and the lost.
00:50:20.42\00:50:22.48
And Father, You've
made every provision
00:50:22.52\00:50:24.75
for the most expensive purchase
and the most extensive journey.
00:50:24.79\00:50:30.96
And so Lord, come today through
Your Holy Spirit and break
00:50:30.99\00:50:34.50
those who are bound.
00:50:34.53\00:50:35.86
Break those who
refuse to be set free.
00:50:35.90\00:50:41.67
Break the chains of
those who, although forgiveness
00:50:41.70\00:50:46.47
is extended, create
their own chains as a testament
00:50:46.51\00:50:50.98
to their selfish altars.
00:50:51.01\00:50:53.82
Break we pray, in this
congregation, those who for
00:50:53.85\00:50:57.59
whatever reason have
found no reason to say,
00:50:57.62\00:50:59.95
"He is my King, He is my Lord,
He is my soon coming Savior."
00:50:59.99\00:51:09.16
For one day, Lord, this
moment will be replaced with the
00:51:09.20\00:51:11.63
most glorious - the
proclamation of the voice
00:51:11.67\00:51:14.70
of our Lord.
00:51:14.74\00:51:16.07
And so Father, save us all
for we cannot save ourselves.
00:51:16.10\00:51:20.31
Change us because we
cannot change ourselves.
00:51:20.34\00:51:23.71
Break through our
recalcitrant wall of constant
00:51:23.75\00:51:27.05
me-ness and I-ness.
00:51:27.08\00:51:34.69
Break down our own altars
we have built to ourselves.
00:51:34.72\00:51:40.60
Lord, I pray that today
You'll break the altars of those
00:51:40.63\00:51:43.06
who are sinless among us who
feel that they are righteous,
00:51:43.10\00:51:47.34
that they have
nothing to be free from.
00:51:47.37\00:51:53.38
Break those today
who feel guiltless.
00:51:53.41\00:51:56.18
Break those today who feel
that the cross is for sinners,
00:51:56.21\00:52:00.72
but not for me.
00:52:00.75\00:52:08.62
And where there's no
liberty, Lord, extend that today
00:52:08.66\00:52:14.93
so that when the final
voice calls the sleeping saints
00:52:14.96\00:52:19.97
to rise with the living saints,
none of us will look at that
00:52:20.00\00:52:24.77
moment with regret in our hearts
00:52:24.81\00:52:26.88
for we too will
have found freedom.
00:52:26.91\00:52:30.75
And so, Lord, we are going
to sing today for Your glory.
00:52:30.78\00:52:33.31
We're going to sing
today for Your honor,
00:52:33.35\00:52:35.98
but even more than
singing, we're going to live
00:52:36.02\00:52:38.19
for Your glory and
live for Your honor.
00:52:38.22\00:52:42.39
We're going to proclaim as
the tomb could not hold You
00:52:42.42\00:52:45.13
down - Lord, bring us
out of our tombs today.
00:52:45.16\00:52:49.43
Bring us out of our
place where we have become
00:52:49.46\00:52:51.90
comfortable with our own death.
00:52:51.93\00:52:55.00
Roll away our stones,
send an angel to deliver us
00:52:55.04\00:53:00.41
that we may know the
power of Your resurrection.
00:53:00.44\00:53:03.98
And many others come to
know about You through us,
00:53:04.01\00:53:07.88
that the kingdom may
be furnished with souls
00:53:07.92\00:53:12.59
redeemed by Your precious blood.
00:53:12.62\00:53:16.73
So hear this prayer,
Father, and accomplish Your work
00:53:16.76\00:53:20.30
in every one of our lives.
00:53:20.33\00:53:23.23
In Jesus name I pray... Amen
00:53:23.26\00:53:27.84