He is ours and we are His;
a subtle way to remind us this
00:00:32.83\00:00:40.04
morning of the
reality of the gospel.
00:00:40.07\00:00:44.11
He is ours and we are His.
00:00:44.14\00:00:47.54
I'd like you to bow your
heads with me this morning.
00:00:47.58\00:00:52.41
Plucked From the Fire.
00:00:52.45\00:00:56.75
Let us pray. Our loving Father
in Heaven, as we bow before
00:00:56.79\00:01:05.03
Your awesome
presence to recognize what You
00:01:05.06\00:01:12.73
have done to redeem us.
00:01:12.77\00:01:14.30
Lord we pray that You will
speak to ours hearts today,
00:01:14.34\00:01:19.27
to see You for the price
You have paid to redeem us.
00:01:19.31\00:01:25.61
We pray Lord that You will give
us new eyes to see ourselves
00:01:28.32\00:01:32.52
the way that You see us, and to
fill our hearts with the courage
00:01:33.76\00:01:39.06
to continue to trust
You and to serve You.
00:01:39.09\00:01:41.36
In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:01:41.40\00:01:45.43
If you have your
Bibles with you this morning,
00:01:45.47\00:01:49.44
go with me to Zechariah.
00:01:49.47\00:01:51.24
It's not a book that
we often preach from,
00:01:54.41\00:01:57.25
but it's a powerful message.
00:01:57.28\00:01:58.61
The servant Zechariah, the
prophet Zechariah, brings in to
00:01:58.65\00:02:07.16
view the worth of the Christian.
00:02:07.19\00:02:11.99
And if I could expand
the phrase, the Christian,
00:02:14.23\00:02:17.33
allow me to personalize it.
00:02:17.37\00:02:20.17
Zechariah has been given a
vision by God to bring us into
00:02:20.20\00:02:26.91
focus to help
us to see ourselves
00:02:26.94\00:02:30.55
the way that God sees us.
00:02:30.58\00:02:32.95
And what a word picture He
gives in this vision of Joshua
00:02:32.98\00:02:39.82
given to Zechariah; the
fourth vision of Zechariah.
00:02:39.85\00:02:43.36
This one moves upon our
hearts to help us to understand
00:02:43.39\00:02:48.40
something about our standing
before God that we can sometimes
00:02:48.43\00:02:53.57
forget. Zechariah 3
beginning with verse 1.
00:02:53.60\00:02:57.01
Then he showed me Joshua the
high priest standing before the
00:02:57.04\00:03:03.75
angel of the LORD, and Satan
standing at his right hand...
00:03:03.78\00:03:10.75
The position of authority.
00:03:10.79\00:03:12.52
...to oppose him.
00:03:12.55\00:03:15.29
And I love this passage.
00:03:28.50\00:03:30.17
Father help us to see
ourselves the way You see us.
00:03:43.89\00:03:48.46
I heard a moving story
about a young lady that was
00:03:48.49\00:03:53.19
attending a college.
00:03:53.23\00:03:54.56
She was in her freshman year
in college, this college campus.
00:03:54.60\00:03:59.37
And she was an attractive
young lady, which aroused the
00:03:59.40\00:04:05.27
interest of many
of the young men.
00:04:05.31\00:04:06.88
But whenever they saw
her walking the campus they
00:04:06.91\00:04:10.31
would see her arm in
arm with a guy that was
00:04:10.35\00:04:13.62
considered hideous.
00:04:13.65\00:04:15.48
And they wondered what
she could possibly see in this
00:04:17.85\00:04:23.16
hideously disfigured young man.
00:04:23.19\00:04:26.46
But she walked the campus
proudly, arm in arm with this
00:04:26.49\00:04:30.37
young man until one day somebody
brave enough to approach her
00:04:30.40\00:04:35.50
asked her the question,
What do you see in this guy?
00:04:35.54\00:04:38.94
He's hideous! Look at him!
00:04:38.97\00:04:42.64
He's disfigured, not attractive.
00:04:42.68\00:04:48.38
What do you see in him?
00:04:48.42\00:04:51.35
And all the while as they
challenged this young lady,
00:04:51.39\00:04:54.02
they looked at her face,
and her face wouldn't change.
00:04:54.06\00:04:57.73
She just smiled
right through all their
00:04:57.76\00:04:59.46
descriptions of this young man.
00:04:59.49\00:05:00.83
And she said to them,
What I know about him,
00:05:04.73\00:05:07.04
and what you know
about him is different.
00:05:07.07\00:05:10.81
This is not just
another young man.
00:05:10.84\00:05:14.68
When I was four years old this
young man during the time of a
00:05:14.71\00:05:23.32
horrendous fire in
our home, put his life on
00:05:23.35\00:05:27.19
the line to save mine.
00:05:27.22\00:05:29.32
This hideous young
man is my older brother.
00:05:29.36\00:05:32.96
And I will be forever grateful
for what he did to save my life.
00:05:32.99\00:05:38.50
So what you see
is not what I see.
00:05:38.53\00:05:41.24
I see a beautiful young man.
00:05:41.27\00:05:43.47
I see a man who loved me
so much he was willing to put
00:05:43.51\00:05:48.14
himself in harm's way,
risk his own life to save mine.
00:05:48.18\00:05:54.05
And she continued
to telling the story.
00:05:54.08\00:05:56.42
And then her
brother took over the story.
00:05:56.45\00:05:58.12
When my sister was four years
old and our home caught on fire,
00:05:58.15\00:06:03.22
I walked through the flames,
wrapped my sister in a blanket,
00:06:05.76\00:06:09.43
and this is her today.
00:06:09.46\00:06:12.17
You know, sometimes we look at
the flaws in peoples characters
00:06:12.20\00:06:16.17
and we don't see them
the way that God sees them.
00:06:16.20\00:06:21.18
It even goes deeper than that.
00:06:23.48\00:06:24.81
Sometimes we don't see ourselves
the way that God sees us,
00:06:24.85\00:06:28.88
because we spend so much time
on the flaws in our character.
00:06:28.92\00:06:35.36
You see, this fourth vision that
God gave to Zechariah was to
00:06:35.39\00:06:39.63
help Israel understand that
in spite of their stumbling,
00:06:39.66\00:06:43.57
their failures, their
disappointing choices,
00:06:43.60\00:06:47.77
moving in the wrong direction,
doing the wrong things,
00:06:47.80\00:06:51.34
God chose Joshua, the
high priest, a man synonymous
00:06:51.37\00:06:58.08
with the Lord Himself,
Jeshua, who is our high priest,
00:06:58.11\00:07:02.68
Jesus, who is our high priest.
00:07:02.72\00:07:04.49
Faultless and upright as
Joshua lived his life, God said,
00:07:04.52\00:07:09.69
Let me choose a man that I
can equate with My very mission,
00:07:09.72\00:07:14.26
Joshua, the high priest.
00:07:14.30\00:07:15.90
And He gave the
vision to Zechariah.
00:07:15.93\00:07:19.17
And Joshua was
clothed with filthy garments,
00:07:19.20\00:07:24.54
and was standing
before the angel.
00:07:24.57\00:07:26.68
So this message is for you, if
you have ever been discouraged
00:07:26.71\00:07:31.68
about the flaws
in your character.
00:07:31.71\00:07:33.72
This message is for you if you
have ever felt like giving up.
00:07:33.75\00:07:40.69
This message is for you
if you have felt that you are
00:07:43.93\00:07:48.00
constantly reminded of your
failures, and your fallings,
00:07:48.03\00:07:51.97
and your shortcomings.
00:07:52.00\00:07:53.34
This message is for you if
you've felt that your trials
00:07:53.37\00:07:57.21
are too great to bear, or that
temptations are greater than
00:07:57.24\00:08:01.01
your ability to resist, or you
felt like your best is just not
00:08:01.04\00:08:05.01
good enough, or you think
that you are solely responsible
00:08:05.05\00:08:09.38
for being victorious over sin.
00:08:09.42\00:08:13.39
This message is
for every one of us.
00:08:13.42\00:08:16.36
Very few times though
I ever go into my library
00:08:22.16\00:08:24.97
and recycle sermons.
00:08:25.00\00:08:26.33
Pastor C. A. knows that's
the cardinal sin, to go back
00:08:26.37\00:08:30.01
and look at a past sermon.
00:08:30.04\00:08:32.44
I have about 700 or 800 sermons.
00:08:36.14\00:08:38.51
And what caused me to go back
and look through these messages
00:08:41.48\00:08:44.35
is that I look at my sermons
in 1996, 1987, 2001, 2011, 2015,
00:08:44.39\00:08:58.23
2017, and I read through
it and I say, Who was that?
00:08:58.27\00:09:04.11
He didn't know
what he was saying.
00:09:05.47\00:09:07.44
Because I'd go back to Bible
verses that to me then were so
00:09:10.35\00:09:13.88
elementary, and were so shallow.
00:09:13.92\00:09:15.68
I was, as it were, a water
skier just enjoying the harbor
00:09:15.72\00:09:20.82
when out in the depths of the
ocean was undiscovered elements
00:09:20.86\00:09:25.23
of God's deep and abiding truth.
00:09:25.26\00:09:27.60
And I've discovered that
as the grey begins to set in,
00:09:27.63\00:09:31.33
as the wounds begin to heal,
as the scars remind me of my
00:09:31.37\00:09:36.20
journey, I go back to
those places of my Ebenezer,
00:09:36.24\00:09:40.51
as it were, and say,
Father show me what I missed.
00:09:40.54\00:09:45.21
Because that's not the
message in this Scripture.
00:09:45.25\00:09:51.22
And I discovered that the
Christian life is a journey
00:09:51.25\00:09:54.66
sometimes of
apparent contradictions.
00:09:54.69\00:09:56.59
You know there are times
that we have to close our
00:09:56.62\00:09:59.03
eyes to be able to see.
00:09:59.06\00:10:00.56
There are times we have to plug
our ears to be able to hear.
00:10:00.60\00:10:04.57
There are times we have to learn
to bow on our knees so that
00:10:04.60\00:10:09.34
we can learn to walk.
00:10:09.37\00:10:10.71
And sometimes it's not until
we experience defeat that we can
00:10:10.74\00:10:16.28
appreciate a victory.
00:10:16.31\00:10:18.41
And this irony called
Christianity is really not
00:10:18.45\00:10:24.85
designed to appeal to
those that live their lives
00:10:24.89\00:10:27.09
in a logical world.
00:10:27.12\00:10:28.46
I mean who in their right minds
would leave the courts of glory,
00:10:31.06\00:10:38.53
a perfect sinless setting,
to put their lives on the line
00:10:38.57\00:10:43.94
for this small grain of
sand called Earth in the vast
00:10:46.17\00:10:51.01
ocean of God's creation?
00:10:51.05\00:10:54.98
Who would risk
even losing himself
00:10:55.02\00:11:02.02
to redeem a fallen world?
00:11:06.26\00:11:08.40
I've had a journey that has
reminded me that though I'm a
00:11:11.37\00:11:20.31
speck, on a speck, in a speck,
there's a God who was willing
00:11:20.34\00:11:28.12
to risk it all just to save me.
00:11:28.15\00:11:31.65
But before I go into the sermon,
the heart of the message,
00:11:31.69\00:11:35.92
I want to spend a
little time so that I can
00:11:35.96\00:11:41.63
destroy a gospel cliché.
00:11:41.66\00:11:44.10
This morning I want to destroy
a gospel cloche that we have
00:11:47.54\00:11:52.34
adopted that insults
the mission of Jesus.
00:11:52.37\00:11:55.48
And I'd like you to go
to Romans 5:19 with me.
00:11:57.41\00:12:00.28
You've got two categories.
00:12:17.70\00:12:20.60
You have sinners. Let
me put them on the left.
00:12:20.64\00:12:23.67
You have righteous on the right.
00:12:23.71\00:12:26.91
Let me methodically
destroy this gospel cleche'.
00:12:26.94\00:12:34.92
The gospel changes
our standing before God.
00:12:34.95\00:12:41.49
Before we accept
Jesus... Hear me carefully.
00:12:47.23\00:12:50.67
...we were sinners.
00:12:50.70\00:12:53.84
What word did I
say? We were sinners.
00:12:54.34\00:12:59.24
But after we accepted
Jesus, we are righteous.
00:12:59.27\00:13:05.21
Let me make that really clear.
00:13:06.61\00:13:08.65
And this thesis is not going
to be supported by my ramblings,
00:13:10.69\00:13:15.39
but by the word of God.
00:13:15.42\00:13:16.99
Is that okay? Amen!
00:13:17.03\00:13:18.59
So now let's pause for a moment.
00:13:30.54\00:13:32.17
You either have to be the
righteous one, who by God's
00:13:32.21\00:13:36.34
grace is scarcely saved,
or you have to be the ungodly,
00:13:36.38\00:13:40.22
and the sinner who
will not appear at all.
00:13:40.25\00:13:42.55
So if I were given two
categories this morning,
00:13:42.58\00:13:46.52
can I declare I'd rather be the
righteous one that's scarcely
00:13:46.55\00:13:49.82
saved than the ungodly,
and the sinner that will
00:13:49.86\00:13:52.96
have no place to stand.
00:13:52.99\00:13:54.36
Come on, can I
get an Amen? Amen!
00:13:54.40\00:13:56.43
But this is not
just a point of choice.
00:13:56.46\00:13:59.10
You see, when Jesus comes
into our lives we are no longer
00:13:59.13\00:14:02.60
sinners but saints.
00:14:02.64\00:14:04.31
We are forgiven and cleansed
of our sins, 1 John 1:9,
00:14:04.34\00:14:07.51
If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us
00:14:07.54\00:14:09.94
our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
00:14:09.98\00:14:13.82
Matthew 1:21... call his name
Jesus, for He shall save His
00:14:13.85\00:14:18.95
people in their sins.
00:14:18.99\00:14:20.42
Did I misquote it? So if
He saves us from our sins
00:14:21.32\00:14:28.43
and cleanses us from
all unrighteousness...
00:14:28.46\00:14:34.20
Let's get this now.
00:14:34.24\00:14:36.67
You just got your
car out of the carwash,
00:14:36.71\00:14:38.84
but this time it got detailed.
00:14:38.87\00:14:41.51
You can't find a speck of dust.
00:14:41.54\00:14:44.31
You bring it in the garage and
you are afraid to take it out.
00:14:44.35\00:14:48.12
Because you know as it happens
here in Southern Illinois,
00:14:48.15\00:14:52.25
all that you need to do for
it to rain is to wash your car.
00:14:52.29\00:14:55.69
So you keep it there because
you want to admire the beauty of
00:14:59.93\00:15:05.27
temporary perfection.
00:15:05.30\00:15:06.77
They have gone under the
seats, in the glove compartment,
00:15:08.00\00:15:10.21
and in the trunk.
They put it all together.
00:15:10.24\00:15:11.64
And you drive that
car home ever so slowly,
00:15:11.67\00:15:14.48
just to maintain, as it
were, the perfection that
00:15:14.51\00:15:17.41
you now are surrounded by.
00:15:17.45\00:15:19.88
That's a car that
was cleaned by man.
00:15:23.05\00:15:26.02
If man can make an
inanimate object spotless,
00:15:27.46\00:15:30.96
how much more can
the blood of Jesus
00:15:30.99\00:15:35.56
make the sinner into a saint?
00:15:35.60\00:15:38.23
How much more can
the blood of Jesus remove
00:15:38.27\00:15:41.64
the spots in our lives?
00:15:41.67\00:15:43.00
You see, when we receive
Jesus we become children of God.
00:15:43.04\00:15:46.74
We are no longer alienated.
00:15:46.78\00:15:49.18
As many as received Him to
them He gave power to become
00:15:49.21\00:15:53.35
the children of God.
00:15:53.38\00:15:54.72
This morning I, and you,
if you have accepted Jesus
00:15:54.75\00:15:58.79
you are a child of
the Most High God. Amen!
00:15:58.82\00:16:02.19
He took you out of the category
of sinner, and He put you into
00:16:02.22\00:16:07.96
the category of saint.
00:16:08.00\00:16:09.73
Now let me pause for a
moment on that word saint.
00:16:09.76\00:16:12.13
You know, we have been
so messed up over the idea,
00:16:12.17\00:16:15.87
and I want to say in some
religious circles saints have
00:16:15.90\00:16:19.14
been elevated to be
perfect beings that have died
00:16:19.17\00:16:22.24
and gone to heaven.
00:16:22.28\00:16:23.61
That's not a saint.
00:16:23.65\00:16:24.98
And somebody is declared
a saint because of a miracle
00:16:25.01\00:16:27.25
that was performed.
00:16:27.28\00:16:28.62
That's not a saint.
00:16:28.65\00:16:29.98
Not according to Scripture.
00:16:30.02\00:16:31.35
A saint is one who has
been transformed from his fallen
00:16:31.39\00:16:34.66
condition to a son and a
daughter of God, who has been
00:16:34.69\00:16:38.56
adopted into the family
of a perfect heavenly Father,
00:16:38.59\00:16:42.13
and who is being molded
and shapened so that one day he
00:16:42.16\00:16:46.13
and she can fit into
a perfect environment.
00:16:46.17\00:16:50.21
You see, angels, and I
could understand angels,
00:16:50.24\00:16:53.94
because, you know, there's
some folk that are so bad
00:16:55.24\00:16:57.08
you don't want
them in your house.
00:16:57.11\00:16:58.58
We're not talking
about church members.
00:16:58.61\00:17:01.75
But sometimes you
watch a story on television,
00:17:03.25\00:17:05.59
or you hear a movie, or you hear
an account of somebody's life,
00:17:05.62\00:17:07.96
and you say, I don't
want that person in my house.
00:17:07.99\00:17:10.69
But I could only imagine how the
angels that did not fall must
00:17:10.73\00:17:14.80
feel at times because Jesus
in preparing the kingdom for us,
00:17:14.83\00:17:18.50
which He's
doing now, by the way,
00:17:18.53\00:17:20.87
I can imagine an angel
walking up to Christ and saying,
00:17:20.90\00:17:23.64
Are You sure You
want John up here?
00:17:23.67\00:17:26.94
Come on now! You know
you, and God knows you.
00:17:29.41\00:17:32.18
Amen somebody. Amen.
00:17:32.21\00:17:34.02
Are You sure You
want him up here?
00:17:34.05\00:17:36.75
And Jesus says, Yes, I'm
building a mansion for him.
00:17:39.75\00:17:42.66
And the angel says, But
I've been following him.
00:17:43.93\00:17:45.83
Are you sure You
want him up here?
00:17:49.76\00:17:51.43
And the angel opens
my record and turns back.
00:17:53.50\00:17:55.97
Ah, okay, now check this out.
00:17:56.00\00:17:57.47
Look at that Lord. Are
You sure You want him up here?
00:17:57.51\00:18:00.08
And Jesus said, I
ain't finished yet. Amen!
00:18:01.54\00:18:06.45
He who has begun a good
work in you will complete it.
00:18:06.48\00:18:12.92
Hallelujah. It has not yet
been revealed what we shall be,
00:18:12.95\00:18:18.06
but we do know that when He is
revealed we shall be like Him,
00:18:18.09\00:18:21.86
for we shall see Him as He is.
00:18:21.90\00:18:24.97
That's not a Scripture alone,
but that's a promise from God.
00:18:25.00\00:18:29.20
You see, there's a division of
Zachariah was to let the church
00:18:31.11\00:18:35.34
know, and
you've got to use this.
00:18:35.38\00:18:36.71
You've got to get out of the,
you've got to get out of the
00:18:36.75\00:18:38.55
I'm only human; I'm just a man.
00:18:38.58\00:18:40.65
I'm only human.
I'm just doing...
00:18:40.68\00:18:42.12
I was listening to that
song this week on Pandora.
00:18:42.15\00:18:44.89
I'm only human; I'm just a man.
00:18:44.92\00:18:48.46
And I started yelling back
at the radio, No, you're not!
00:18:48.49\00:18:53.26
You're not just a man.
00:18:53.29\00:18:54.63
You have been extracted from
the jaws of death, and you have
00:18:54.66\00:19:00.87
now been introduced into
the fellowship of the saints.
00:19:00.90\00:19:04.44
You are not just a man.
00:19:04.47\00:19:06.14
You have been a
recipient of a divine nature.
00:19:06.17\00:19:09.41
And God is working on you like
he's working on me so that one
00:19:09.44\00:19:12.68
day we can fit into the
environment of the sinless.
00:19:12.71\00:19:16.32
Amen, somebody. Amen!
00:19:16.35\00:19:18.09
But so often we say, Well,
you know, I'm must a sinner.
00:19:18.12\00:19:20.96
Now let's listen
to that song, too.
00:19:22.66\00:19:24.29
I'm just a
sinner saved by grace.
00:19:24.33\00:19:28.06
And I thought, No you're not.
00:19:28.10\00:19:29.63
You're a saint walking in grace.
00:19:29.66\00:19:34.04
Because I tried my best
to look through the Bible.
00:19:38.31\00:19:41.61
I went into the commentaries:
Matthew Henry Commentary,
00:19:41.64\00:19:45.71
the Eastern Commentary,
the SDA Bible Commentary,
00:19:45.75\00:19:48.42
the writings of Ellen White.
00:19:48.45\00:19:49.82
And I thought, Wait a minute,
why are we not saying what they
00:19:49.85\00:19:53.05
all agree on? and that when
you come into fellowship with
00:19:53.09\00:19:57.03
Jesus, you are no longer a
sinner, but you are now a saint
00:19:57.06\00:20:01.76
who has been entered into
a work that Jesus promises He
00:20:01.80\00:20:05.93
will complete, that we
may be in a perfect kingdom.
00:20:05.97\00:20:08.94
Now we know this. We say it
because we say that the saints
00:20:08.97\00:20:17.58
out to be equipped for the
work of the ministry, right?
00:20:17.61\00:20:20.18
For we are equipping the saints.
00:20:20.22\00:20:22.48
We are not called to
equip sinners for the
00:20:22.52\00:20:25.99
work of the ministry.
00:20:26.02\00:20:27.36
We are called to equip saints
for the work of the ministry.
00:20:27.39\00:20:30.33
And then one of our
favorite Adventist texts...
00:20:30.36\00:20:32.23
Are you Adventists ready?
00:20:32.26\00:20:34.56
Here is the
patience of the sinners.
00:20:34.60\00:20:38.73
Here is the
patience of the sinners.
00:20:42.07\00:20:44.47
Here are they... Sinners
can't keep God's commandments.
00:20:44.51\00:20:50.58
Here is the
patience of the saints.
00:20:50.61\00:20:55.78
So why do we walk
around; I'm just a sinner?
00:20:55.82\00:20:59.19
And, you know, the longer you
massage that, and the longer you
00:20:59.22\00:21:06.36
condition yourself in
that way, you live like that.
00:21:06.39\00:21:09.63
Because you're just a sinner.
00:21:10.97\00:21:13.23
And we go on sinning, believing
we cannot stop sinning,
00:21:14.54\00:21:18.61
because we're
just, come on, sinners.
00:21:18.64\00:21:22.04
But that's not
what the Bible teaches.
00:21:22.08\00:21:24.55
Ephesians 2:19.
Go there with me.
00:21:24.58\00:21:26.75
Go there with me.
00:21:26.78\00:21:28.48
When you are a member
of the household of God,
00:21:41.70\00:21:46.00
you are no longer a
sinner, but you are a saint.
00:21:46.03\00:21:49.84
Now why do we have a
hard time saying that?
00:21:49.87\00:21:53.81
Because our definition
of a saint is perfect.
00:21:53.84\00:21:58.95
Are you ready? If you're covered
by the righteousness of Jesus,
00:21:58.98\00:22:07.96
and when the Father
looks at you, you've heard it,
00:22:11.99\00:22:14.56
when the Father looks at you,
excuse me, when the Father looks
00:22:14.60\00:22:23.00
at you He sees His Son.
00:22:23.04\00:22:24.37
Now get the picture now.
00:22:26.04\00:22:27.38
You're covered by the
righteousness of Jesus.
00:22:27.41\00:22:30.21
When the Father looks
at you, He sees His Son.
00:22:30.25\00:22:34.95
His Son is pure and clean.
00:22:42.72\00:22:44.56
When He looks at me, who's
covered by the righteousness
00:22:44.59\00:22:49.96
of His Son, and He sees
His Son, what does He see?
00:22:50.00\00:22:54.77
Come on now! He sees His Son!
00:23:00.61\00:23:04.38
If we're covered by the
righteousness of His Son...
00:23:06.15\00:23:10.22
Thank You, Jesus!...
what does He see? His Son!
00:23:10.25\00:23:16.93
Now, His Son covers us
with His righteousness.
00:23:17.83\00:23:23.30
So what's left? If you've ever
seen a house covered before,
00:23:23.33\00:23:32.47
that they decide to
refurbish, and rebuild,
00:23:35.84\00:23:38.55
you only see the covering.
00:23:38.58\00:23:41.85
You don't see the house.
00:23:41.88\00:23:43.22
But when they remove the
covering, then you see what has
00:23:43.25\00:23:46.29
been done in the house.
00:23:46.32\00:23:48.29
You see, we are covered by the
righteousness of Jesus so that
00:23:48.32\00:23:52.33
we appear before His
Father as He sees His Son.
00:23:52.36\00:23:56.26
But where's the
work still continuing?
00:23:56.30\00:23:59.13
The work is
continuing where? in us, in us.
00:23:59.17\00:24:05.11
He's working on
these clothes closets.
00:24:05.14\00:24:08.58
Come on, somebody! He's
working on the junk room.
00:24:08.61\00:24:11.91
He's working on the movie room.
00:24:11.95\00:24:14.15
Come on! He's
working on the attitude room.
00:24:14.18\00:24:17.59
He's working on the
stuff hidden in the basement.
00:24:17.62\00:24:19.79
For it is God who works
in us both to will and to do
00:24:19.82\00:24:25.63
of His good pleasure.
00:24:25.66\00:24:27.50
But while He's working
in us, we are covered by the
00:24:27.53\00:24:35.60
righteousness of Jesus. Amen!
00:24:35.64\00:24:38.24
You see, some of you
have been raised to think,
00:24:38.27\00:24:41.44
and this is the
statement that's messed you up.
00:24:41.48\00:24:43.65
Sanctification is
the work of a lifetime.
00:24:48.12\00:24:53.09
But then the thief
on the cross ain't going
00:24:53.12\00:24:54.89
to be in the kingdom.
00:24:54.92\00:24:56.26
Let me say that for those of you
who are grammatically correct.
00:24:58.33\00:25:01.33
The thief on the cross
will not be in the kingdom.
00:25:01.36\00:25:05.23
The imputed and imparted
righteousness of Jesus is
00:25:07.00\00:25:10.07
something that we've got
to familiar ourselves with.
00:25:10.11\00:25:12.41
You see, when you wake up in
the morning and you say, Lord,
00:25:12.44\00:25:15.88
I give You my
heart, I give you my life.
00:25:15.91\00:25:17.91
Take my plans; change them.
00:25:17.95\00:25:20.05
Whatever is not like
You, Lord, cancel it.
00:25:20.08\00:25:23.72
And we walk in the
humble righteousness of Jesus.
00:25:23.75\00:25:28.32
And Christ is working in us.
00:25:28.36\00:25:30.69
I want to tell you what I
like about our God is when He
00:25:30.73\00:25:33.93
begins work He is faithful
to complete what He has started.
00:25:33.96\00:25:37.07
Amen! But until we see
ourselves the way He sees us,
00:25:37.10\00:25:43.20
we will always embrace the
title that we are just sinners.
00:25:45.67\00:25:50.75
So you have a
new homework project.
00:25:56.48\00:26:00.32
You've got a new
homework project.
00:26:00.36\00:26:01.86
Go home and read your Bible,
and you tell me anywhere in
00:26:01.89\00:26:06.59
Scripture, where
after we are redeemed
00:26:06.63\00:26:09.86
God still calls us sinners.
00:26:09.90\00:26:13.54
He calls us His saints.
00:26:13.57\00:26:17.21
Paul made it clear.
00:26:17.24\00:26:18.57
For God is not the author
of confusion, but of peace,
00:26:18.61\00:26:21.88
as in all the churches of
the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:33.
00:26:21.91\00:26:29.55
Now why this sermon?
00:26:29.58\00:26:30.92
And why the title, Plucked From
the Fire? after the children of
00:26:30.95\00:26:35.02
Israel returned from
Babylonian captivity.
00:26:35.06\00:26:37.63
When you're in captivity, and
you live the life of a slave,
00:26:37.66\00:26:41.90
and you lose your standing
before God, that is in your own
00:26:41.93\00:26:47.00
mind, you see yourself
as nothing but a slave.
00:26:47.04\00:26:50.97
But when they returned and
began to rebuild their cities,
00:26:51.01\00:26:54.71
began to rebuild their lives, in
the process of their building,
00:26:54.74\00:26:59.25
in the process of their
refurbishing, in the process of
00:26:59.28\00:27:02.08
getting their lives together,
it concerned Satan that these
00:27:02.12\00:27:06.89
who were formally
slaves, had been set free.
00:27:06.92\00:27:11.83
They were no longer
in Babylonian captivity.
00:27:11.86\00:27:14.73
They were now free
citizens of their own land.
00:27:14.76\00:27:17.60
In the restoration of God's
deliverance they were getting
00:27:17.63\00:27:21.00
their lives together,
and it concerned Satan.
00:27:21.04\00:27:25.97
And so, in the process,
God gave Zachariah the vision,
00:27:26.01\00:27:31.35
chose Joshua as the perfect
picture, as a substitute of the
00:27:31.38\00:27:35.75
righteousness of Christ.
00:27:35.78\00:27:37.12
And he said, I want you to see
yourself the way that I see you.
00:27:37.15\00:27:45.13
If you're no longer in slavery,
then you're no longer a slave.
00:27:46.73\00:27:50.23
If you've been extricated
and delivered from battle,
00:27:50.27\00:27:52.63
and honor Egypt, you're no
longer in Babylon, or in Egypt.
00:27:52.67\00:27:55.50
But God begins the work of
restoring us to prepare us to be
00:27:55.54\00:27:59.97
all that He
knows that we can be.
00:28:00.01\00:28:01.51
I'm in the process.
00:28:01.54\00:28:04.41
Amen somebody? But
while I'm in the process,
00:28:04.45\00:28:08.22
I still rely every day on
the righteous life of Jesus.
00:28:08.25\00:28:14.66
I cannot live my
life from day to day.
00:28:14.69\00:28:17.43
You know, if you take
your time and look at yourself,
00:28:17.46\00:28:20.20
if you spend all your time
looking at yourself trying to
00:28:22.10\00:28:24.80
figure out whether or
not you can make the kingdom,
00:28:24.83\00:28:26.60
you ain't going
to make the kingdom.
00:28:26.63\00:28:27.97
Because there's
nothing that you can do.
00:28:28.00\00:28:30.17
There's nothing that you can do.
00:28:30.21\00:28:32.04
There's nothing that you can do
that can get you an inch off the
00:28:32.07\00:28:36.64
ground if you
keep trying to fix you.
00:28:36.68\00:28:39.18
But if you look at Christ,
if you allow Him to impart His
00:28:39.21\00:28:43.05
righteousness to you,
when you keep your eyes on Him,
00:28:43.08\00:28:47.09
what happens? the
contention, the lack of joy,
00:28:47.12\00:28:53.63
the lack of assurance.
00:28:53.66\00:28:55.40
That's why Jesus
says often, Look unto Me,
00:28:55.43\00:28:58.73
the author and
finisher of your faith.
00:28:58.77\00:29:00.70
Look unto Me and be
saved. Isaiah 4:22, Look at Me.
00:29:00.74\00:29:06.68
Then the prophet says, He
will keep us in perfect peace
00:29:08.64\00:29:12.05
whose mind is stayed on Him,
because we what? trust in Him.
00:29:12.08\00:29:19.39
You see, the advancement
of the Israelites caused
00:29:19.42\00:29:23.96
Satan consternation.
00:29:23.99\00:29:25.86
Ellen White says in
Prophets and Kings, page 582,
00:29:25.89\00:29:28.76
The steady advancement made
by the builders of the temple
00:29:28.80\00:29:32.17
greatly discomforted and
alarmed the hosts of evil.
00:29:32.20\00:29:37.47
You see, to appreciate God
they began to compare where they
00:29:37.51\00:29:40.64
were, where they are
with where they used to be;
00:29:40.68\00:29:44.48
what they were to
what they had become.
00:29:44.51\00:29:46.95
And sometimes God
allows us, and I know this.
00:29:46.98\00:29:49.58
Historically this is a
fact, and experience in my life.
00:29:49.62\00:29:51.89
I know that sometimes God has to
allow us to face the trials of
00:29:51.92\00:29:56.32
disobedience so that
we can experience the
00:29:56.36\00:29:59.79
blessings of obedience.
00:29:59.83\00:30:01.23
Sometimes you've got to
go through the dark valley
00:30:03.57\00:30:05.20
to appreciate the sunlight.
00:30:05.23\00:30:06.74
Sometimes you have to go through
the hard times to know that the
00:30:06.77\00:30:08.94
good times are
just ahead of you.
00:30:08.97\00:30:10.31
God sees us as we are,
but He also sees us in the
00:30:10.34\00:30:14.48
righteousness of His Son.
00:30:14.51\00:30:16.28
And what's so wonderful
about the story of the vision of
00:30:16.31\00:30:18.28
Zachariah is, as we are told
in inspiration, that the journey
00:30:18.31\00:30:22.48
of the children of Israel,
the very same way that God freed
00:30:22.52\00:30:25.45
them from Babylon, and
God freed them from Egypt,
00:30:25.49\00:30:28.29
and God began to work in their
lives so that they could reflect
00:30:28.32\00:30:31.29
His glory to the world.
00:30:31.33\00:30:32.66
The same way that
God worked on them.
00:30:32.69\00:30:35.76
And it upset the
Devil then the same way God
00:30:35.80\00:30:39.93
is working on us now.
00:30:39.97\00:30:41.30
But there's a difference.
00:30:41.34\00:30:42.67
The fury of Satan is
more intense as we're getting
00:30:42.70\00:30:45.87
toward the end of time.
00:30:45.91\00:30:48.31
The Bible says he's come down
having great wrath because he
00:30:48.34\00:30:51.81
knows that he has but
a what? but a short time.
00:30:51.85\00:30:55.82
So how do we boast?
00:30:55.85\00:30:57.52
Galatians 6:14.
Notice the Scriptures.
00:30:57.55\00:31:06.09
God forbid that I should boast.
00:31:22.18\00:31:25.65
We cannot boast about who
we are, what we have done,
00:31:25.68\00:31:29.35
where we have been, what
we have, what we possess.
00:31:29.38\00:31:32.82
We can only glory
in the cross of Christ.
00:31:33.12\00:31:37.16
And what does that mean?
00:31:38.99\00:31:40.50
That means when we begin to
see ourselves the way that Satan
00:31:40.53\00:31:44.50
presents us before God,
there'll be no reason to glory.
00:31:44.53\00:31:47.54
But when we see ourselves
the way that God sees us,
00:31:47.57\00:31:51.57
there will be reason for glory.
00:31:51.61\00:31:54.61
Walk with me.
Zachariah 3, Zachariah 3.
00:31:54.64\00:31:59.18
Let's go to verse 1
again, to verse 1 again.
00:31:59.21\00:32:02.95
Then he showed me Joshua
the high priest standing before
00:32:08.39\00:32:18.80
the angel of the Lord, and
Satan standing at his right
00:32:18.83\00:32:21.94
hand to oppose him.
00:32:21.97\00:32:23.30
Satan was not opposing God.
00:32:23.34\00:32:25.17
Satan was opposing Joshua.
00:32:25.21\00:32:27.48
Satan was not opposing
God, because he could not.
00:32:28.24\00:32:32.25
But he was opposing Joshua.
00:32:32.28\00:32:33.72
He was saying of
Joshua, Look at your condition.
00:32:33.75\00:32:36.89
Look at yourself.
Look at what you've done.
00:32:36.92\00:32:40.16
Look at the people of Israel.
00:32:40.19\00:32:42.12
Look at how faulty they are.
00:32:42.16\00:32:43.63
Look at how broken they are.
00:32:43.66\00:32:45.03
Look at all their sins.
00:32:45.06\00:32:46.39
Look at, look at
what they've done to get
00:32:46.43\00:32:47.76
themselves into captivity.
00:32:47.80\00:32:49.13
And I want to tell you Satan's
job is to amplify our faults.
00:32:49.16\00:32:53.37
But Jesus' job is
to erase our faults.
00:32:53.40\00:32:57.47
He discourages us by
holding before us the
00:33:07.62\00:33:11.75
imperfections of our character.
00:33:11.79\00:33:14.16
But you say, Well, Pastor John,
how could the imperfections
00:33:14.19\00:33:16.89
of our character, and the
righteousness of Jesus even
00:33:16.93\00:33:21.06
correlate together?
00:33:21.10\00:33:22.43
How could we be imperfect, but
be covered by the righteousness
00:33:22.46\00:33:25.33
of Jesus at the same time?
00:33:25.37\00:33:26.74
Well, that's simple.
00:33:26.77\00:33:28.10
The righteousness of
Jesus covers our imperfection.
00:33:28.14\00:33:31.74
Amen! Have you ever
seen Extreme Makeover?
00:33:33.04\00:33:36.85
And when the house is
all done what do they say?
00:33:36.88\00:33:39.75
Move that bus! And we all,
we always hate it when they say,
00:33:39.78\00:33:45.22
Move that bus. It
goes to a commercial.
00:33:45.25\00:33:46.99
Do you know what
I'm talking about?
00:33:48.56\00:33:49.89
Oh, we say! We cannot wait
till the commercial is over,
00:33:49.92\00:33:55.96
because we, as everybody else,
we say, Is that the same house?
00:33:56.00\00:34:02.54
And why the people are so
excited is because they know
00:34:05.44\00:34:08.14
that it's on the same lot,
but it ain't the same house.
00:34:08.18\00:34:11.65
God does not slap a new coat of
paint on our outside and leave
00:34:13.75\00:34:17.39
the inside putrid,
and spoiled, and rancid.
00:34:17.42\00:34:20.76
He's cleaning us on
the outside, and He's
00:34:20.79\00:34:23.22
cleaning us on the inside.
00:34:23.26\00:34:24.59
Amen, somebody. And He's doing
it in such a way that sometimes
00:34:24.63\00:34:28.10
you feel the filing, sometimes
you feel the chiseling,
00:34:28.13\00:34:32.27
sometimes you feel the lapping
of the flames burning away
00:34:32.30\00:34:35.64
the imperfections
in your character.
00:34:35.67\00:34:37.44
Sometimes you know that the
reason why that Scripture hurt
00:34:37.47\00:34:42.51
is because it reminded us that
God is not finished with us yet.
00:34:42.54\00:34:46.58
But I want to tell you, He has
invested Himself, not just to
00:34:46.61\00:34:49.88
forgive us, but to release us.
00:34:49.92\00:34:52.15
Hebrews 2:14,
15. Go there with me.
00:34:52.19\00:34:55.16
The mission. Hebrews 2:14, 15.
00:34:55.19\00:34:58.66
Notice, the mission
of Jesus is not just to
00:34:58.69\00:35:01.03
forgive, but to release us.
00:35:01.06\00:35:02.93
And there are some
individuals that based on their,
00:35:02.96\00:35:05.47
based on their
estimate of themselves,
00:35:05.50\00:35:07.94
they, all their lives, they were
held in bondage. Notice this:
00:35:07.97\00:35:11.61
And what does he do in verse 15?
00:35:34.56\00:35:35.90
You see, the plan of salvation
is not just to change our
00:35:44.57\00:35:47.84
condition, but the plan of
salvation is to break Satan's
00:35:47.88\00:35:51.51
hold on the human family,
and rescue us from his power.
00:35:51.55\00:35:56.52
Now unless you know
about his power that wouldn't
00:35:58.95\00:36:02.06
even make any sense.
00:36:02.09\00:36:03.43
Unless you've been
where you don't want to be,
00:36:03.46\00:36:06.43
unless you've done
what you don't want to do,
00:36:06.46\00:36:08.56
unless you can go back
in your own record and say,
00:36:08.60\00:36:12.83
Please let that
record remain sealed.
00:36:12.87\00:36:15.94
Unless you have seen
yourself, and then seen Christ,
00:36:17.11\00:36:21.01
that statement would not
even make any sense to you.
00:36:21.04\00:36:23.41
Satan comes to
accuse the brethren.
00:36:23.45\00:36:26.95
Whenever we get involved,
whenever we get involved in
00:36:26.98\00:36:30.15
giving our lives to Christ,
whenever we decide that we're
00:36:30.19\00:36:32.85
going to live for the Lord, it
upsets the forces of darkness.
00:36:32.89\00:36:36.62
Over every soul, Prophets
and Kings, 585, listen to this:
00:36:36.66\00:36:40.43
Over every soul that has
rescued from the power of evil,
00:36:40.46\00:36:43.87
and whose name is registered
in the Lamb's book of life,
00:36:43.90\00:36:47.80
the controversy is repeated.
00:36:47.84\00:36:50.04
Never is one received into the
family of God without exciting
00:36:50.07\00:36:54.18
the determined
resistance of the enemy.
00:36:54.21\00:36:57.01
Have you ever felt it?
00:36:57.05\00:36:58.38
Have you ever tried to study
your Bible and you can't do it?
00:36:59.78\00:37:02.38
Or while you're reading a
Scripture you get discouraged?
00:37:05.65\00:37:07.69
Because the enemy whispers
into your ear your faults,
00:37:07.72\00:37:10.79
your failures,
your shortcomings.
00:37:10.83\00:37:13.09
And sometimes an experience
comes back to your mind
00:37:13.13\00:37:15.63
and you wonder, Why
am I remembering that now
00:37:15.66\00:37:17.97
at the time of my Bible study?
00:37:18.00\00:37:19.77
Because we feel ourselves in the
faulty and failure places of our
00:37:19.80\00:37:24.51
lives, and we forget
that when the Lord rebukes,
00:37:24.54\00:37:27.41
He rebukes completely.
00:37:27.44\00:37:29.18
I thank God today that when
Satan reminds me of my past,
00:37:29.21\00:37:34.78
God tells him about His future.
00:37:34.82\00:37:38.15
So verse 2 is powerful to me.
00:37:41.42\00:37:43.26
Verse 2 is powerful for me.
00:37:43.29\00:37:45.76
Why does Zachariah say that?
00:38:05.48\00:38:07.68
You see, Matthew, the apostle
Matthew, the disciple says,
00:38:07.72\00:38:13.49
that hell is prepared just
for the Devil and his angels.
00:38:13.52\00:38:18.99
It's not for me,
it's not for you.
00:38:19.03\00:38:20.40
Come on, somebody! Amen!
00:38:20.43\00:38:21.90
Hell is prepared for
just the Devil and his angels.
00:38:21.93\00:38:25.60
So it does not make any sense.
00:38:25.63\00:38:27.77
You know, the older you get,
do you ever have one of those
00:38:27.80\00:38:30.81
moments where you
you've got to say to yourself,
00:38:30.84\00:38:32.27
What are you doing?
00:38:32.31\00:38:33.64
Do you ever have those moments
when you talk to yourself?
00:38:33.68\00:38:35.54
Come on, get real!
You're in the mirror.
00:38:35.58\00:38:36.91
I'm getting too old for this.
00:38:36.95\00:38:38.61
You've have those moments?
00:38:41.12\00:38:42.45
What was that all about?
00:38:42.48\00:38:44.75
Did I do that?
You've had those moments?
00:38:44.79\00:38:47.92
You've got the, What
was I thinking moment?
00:38:49.99\00:38:52.33
How did I get
into that situation?
00:38:52.36\00:38:54.23
How can I get myself out?
00:38:54.26\00:38:55.60
You've ever had those moments?
00:38:55.63\00:38:57.07
But when God brings you
out here's what the Devil does.
00:38:57.10\00:39:01.14
Remember those moments?
00:39:01.17\00:39:02.74
Remember when you did fall?
00:39:02.77\00:39:04.81
The accuser of our brethren.
00:39:04.84\00:39:07.51
He points to the transgressions
of Israel as to the reason why
00:39:07.54\00:39:11.65
they should not be
restored to the favor of God.
00:39:11.68\00:39:14.38
He claims them as his
prey, and demands that they be
00:39:14.42\00:39:18.45
given into his hands.
00:39:18.49\00:39:20.26
It reminds me of the dream
that I read about Martin Luther,
00:39:20.29\00:39:23.73
the great reformer.
00:39:24.43\00:39:25.76
Martin Luther had a dream.
00:39:25.79\00:39:27.66
He said that it frightened him.
00:39:27.70\00:39:29.30
He dreamed that his sins
were written on a scroll.
00:39:29.33\00:39:36.44
Some of you may have
heard the dream before.
00:39:37.51\00:39:39.84
And in the dream the Devil
just rolled out his scroll,
00:39:39.87\00:39:44.31
and all along that scroll Martin
Luther's sins were chronicled.
00:39:45.28\00:39:49.02
Everything he had ever done
was chronicled on that scroll.
00:39:49.05\00:39:52.69
And Martin Luther said
he fainted within himself.
00:39:54.42\00:39:57.36
He became weak and discouraged.
00:39:57.39\00:40:00.70
But he said he looked again
at the scroll, and then he saw
00:40:02.36\00:40:06.37
over his sins, the
blotter of Jesus over his
00:40:06.40\00:40:13.91
sins saying,
FORGIVEN, PARDONED, BLOTTED OUT!
00:40:13.94\00:40:19.35
Come on somebody!
FORGIVEN, PARDONED, BLOTTED OUT!
00:40:19.38\00:40:23.65
Had it not been for the
grace of God, where would we be?
00:40:23.69\00:40:27.12
Where could we be?
Discouraged by our faults.
00:40:27.16\00:40:31.29
But the Lord doesn't stop there.
00:40:31.33\00:40:32.79
He doesn't just rebuke the
Devil, but look what He does.
00:40:32.83\00:40:35.06
Verse 3 and 4. Look what
He does. Look what He does.
00:40:35.10\00:40:38.63
And, by the way, when
you read the story clearly,
00:40:48.68\00:40:51.15
Joshua could not
change his standing.
00:40:51.18\00:40:52.91
But he's standing
before the angel almost
00:40:52.95\00:40:55.42
in a helpless setting.
00:40:55.45\00:40:57.12
Standing before the angel
wondering what do I do next?
00:40:57.15\00:41:01.86
And the command comes:
00:41:01.89\00:41:04.69
Let's get our robes again.
00:41:33.15\00:41:34.49
By the way, it ain't your robe.
00:41:36.56\00:41:38.29
It's His robe.
Somebody say Amen. Yes!
00:41:38.33\00:41:41.03
I knew I had a
hankie for a reason.
00:41:41.06\00:41:43.63
Take away his garments, and
clothe him with a rich robe.
00:41:45.40\00:41:54.88
He didn't say just get
something and put on them.
00:41:54.91\00:41:57.75
See the
righteousness of Jesus is rich!
00:41:57.78\00:42:01.12
We've got to study that.
00:42:03.35\00:42:04.69
That's our
message; the righteous.
00:42:04.72\00:42:06.42
Our message is not the Sabbath.
00:42:06.45\00:42:09.52
Our message is not about...
00:42:12.03\00:42:13.86
I don't want to get
some of the saints upset.
00:42:17.47\00:42:19.07
Because you ain't
sinners, you're saints.
00:42:19.10\00:42:20.57
But saints can get upset.
00:42:20.60\00:42:23.10
Our message is about good
health, but our salvation is
00:42:23.14\00:42:28.24
not based on good health.
00:42:28.28\00:42:30.18
It's based on the
righteousness of Jesus. Amen!
00:42:32.91\00:42:37.39
So often when we meet
people... I'm on a new kick now,
00:42:37.42\00:42:41.56
so bear with me for a moment.
00:42:41.59\00:42:43.26
When I did the sermon called
Why? you know, Pastor C. A.
00:42:43.29\00:42:46.49
and I, we had a
chance to, you know,
00:42:46.53\00:42:48.73
pow wow about this whole idea.
00:42:48.76\00:42:50.23
You see, when I meet somebody
and they say, What are you?
00:42:50.27\00:42:58.44
I've learned that what I
am, and how I do what I am,
00:43:00.08\00:43:04.81
is not as important
as why I am what I am.
00:43:04.85\00:43:07.62
See, why do I need Jesus
in my life is the question,
00:43:09.38\00:43:16.26
not are you a Baptist?
00:43:20.46\00:43:22.16
Are you a Pentecostal?
00:43:22.20\00:43:23.53
Are you a Presbyterian?
00:43:23.57\00:43:24.90
Are you a Catholic?
00:43:24.93\00:43:26.27
Are you a Methodist?
00:43:26.30\00:43:27.64
All of these categories;
the people of God are
00:43:27.67\00:43:30.21
sprinkled everywhere.
00:43:30.24\00:43:31.57
But there's a message that calls
them from a partial gospel,
00:43:31.61\00:43:35.61
from a partial truth to
an abundant glorious light.
00:43:35.64\00:43:39.01
Amen somebody! Amen!
00:43:39.05\00:43:40.52
But as God works in their lives
to lead them, we've got to know
00:43:40.55\00:43:47.99
why we are who we are.
00:43:48.02\00:43:51.93
And when I ask the
question, Why do I need Jesus?
00:43:51.96\00:43:57.27
The answer always comes
back, If it were not for Jesus,
00:43:57.30\00:44:01.14
I would surely be lost.
00:44:01.17\00:44:03.54
And so why was
Satan so hard on Joshua?
00:44:09.51\00:44:13.01
Because he knew that if he could
remind him of his failures,
00:44:13.05\00:44:19.35
he could not see the
righteousness of Jesus.
00:44:19.39\00:44:23.53
If you remind him of
where he was, he could not
00:44:23.56\00:44:27.20
see where he's headed.
00:44:27.23\00:44:28.56
And if you could get him to
spend more time looking back
00:44:28.60\00:44:30.77
he wouldn't have the
courage to to go forward.
00:44:30.80\00:44:32.47
He tries to crush and press.
00:44:32.50\00:44:34.44
And that's why she says
continually, Satan knows that
00:44:34.47\00:44:37.04
those who ask for pardon
and grace will obtain it.
00:44:37.07\00:44:41.31
Therefore he presents their sins
before them to discourage them.
00:44:41.34\00:44:46.38
And I like the way she
finishes this quotation,
00:44:46.41\00:44:48.48
But God is faithful. Amen!
00:44:48.52\00:44:51.39
Never indulge the feeling.
00:44:57.29\00:45:00.30
The what? The
feeling that you are not
00:45:00.33\00:45:04.57
esteemed as you should be.
00:45:04.60\00:45:07.54
Some people say
they don't like me.
00:45:07.57\00:45:10.77
Well, I'm not good enough.
00:45:10.81\00:45:12.97
Nobody pays attention to me.
00:45:13.01\00:45:15.38
I'll never be a
part of that group.
00:45:15.41\00:45:18.15
Never indulge the feeling
that you are not esteemed as you
00:45:20.08\00:45:23.82
should be, that your
efforts are not appreciated,
00:45:23.85\00:45:27.02
that your work is too difficult.
00:45:27.06\00:45:29.46
But do this, let the memory
of what Christ has endured
00:45:29.49\00:45:34.63
for us silence
every murmuring thought.
00:45:34.66\00:45:39.83
And here's why. We were
treated better than our Lord.
00:45:39.87\00:45:44.84
You might feel like you got
nailed to a tree, but I haven't
00:45:53.01\00:45:55.55
seen anybody nailed to
trees in Thompsonville.
00:45:55.58\00:45:57.29
I haven't seen
anybody hanging from a tree.
00:45:57.32\00:46:00.19
But I want to go
to another level.
00:46:08.40\00:46:09.83
Guard against self-pity.
00:46:09.86\00:46:11.20
But here's another one.
00:46:11.23\00:46:12.57
Don't live your life doing what
Satan has pledged himself to do.
00:46:14.57\00:46:22.78
Let me go ahead and read it.
00:46:25.25\00:46:26.61
Christ's Object
Lessons, 168 and 169.
00:46:26.65\00:46:31.89
The work of Satan as an accuser
of the brethren began in heaven.
00:46:31.92\00:46:39.59
This has been his work on
earth ever since man's fall.
00:46:39.63\00:46:44.13
And it will be his work in
a special sense as we approach
00:46:44.17\00:46:50.31
nearer the close of
this world's history.
00:46:50.34\00:46:52.27
As he sees that his time is
short he will work with greater
00:46:52.31\00:47:01.02
earnestness to
deceive and to destroy.
00:47:01.05\00:47:04.75
To destroy what?
our faith in God.
00:47:04.79\00:47:08.22
He works to deceive us
of our character before God.
00:47:08.26\00:47:10.76
He works to get us to fear that
we've not worthy of anything.
00:47:10.79\00:47:13.23
He accuses us, but
then he goes even further.
00:47:13.26\00:47:16.70
He uses us to accuse others.
00:47:16.73\00:47:19.37
He uses us to point out that
persons fault, and that persons
00:47:19.40\00:47:23.71
fault, and that persons failure,
and that person's shortcoming.
00:47:23.74\00:47:27.11
And somehow in the process
we think that we have arrived
00:47:27.14\00:47:29.94
when in fact by doing his work,
we ourselves fall short again
00:47:29.98\00:47:35.15
of the glory of God.
00:47:35.18\00:47:36.52
Don't allow yourself to be used
by the enemy to accuse others.
00:47:36.55\00:47:41.66
You are standing on the same
ground, under the grace of God,
00:47:41.69\00:47:44.69
as they are.
Amen, somebody! Amen!
00:47:44.73\00:47:46.93
The Lord didn't stop there.
00:47:46.96\00:47:48.50
He didn't just
change His garments.
00:47:48.53\00:47:50.07
He didn't just
put on Him rich robes,
00:47:50.10\00:47:52.83
but He did something else.
00:47:52.87\00:47:54.20
Verse 5. Notice what He did.
00:47:54.24\00:47:56.27
Zachariah 3:5.
00:47:58.77\00:48:00.21
Now why did they end with the
Angel of the Lord stood by Him?
00:48:18.86\00:48:25.27
I studied this a little bit last
night and something that amazed
00:48:25.30\00:48:28.80
me... Summer if you could come.
00:48:28.84\00:48:32.91
Something that
amazed me about that picture
00:48:32.94\00:48:35.78
that I had never seen before.
00:48:35.81\00:48:37.35
Couldn't wake up my wife.
00:48:38.41\00:48:39.75
I was going to rejoice.
00:48:39.78\00:48:41.68
I had to rejoice quietly.
00:48:41.72\00:48:43.35
I leaned back in my seat so
fast I almost threw it over.
00:48:49.02\00:48:52.33
Yes! Why is the angel of
the Lord standing by him?
00:48:52.36\00:48:59.93
Joshua just went
through an extreme makeover.
00:49:08.74\00:49:12.05
The Lord cleaned
up his character,
00:49:13.62\00:49:15.65
purified him of all of his sin,
took off his filthy character,
00:49:18.79\00:49:25.13
put on the clean robes
of Christ's righteousness.
00:49:25.79\00:49:31.43
Then he put on
his head a turban.
00:49:31.47\00:49:36.10
The word there, turban, can
also be synonymous to a crown.
00:49:36.14\00:49:39.77
So that Joshua's
identity would be that of a
00:49:42.78\00:49:48.12
person of royal standing.
00:49:48.15\00:49:50.59
But why did the
angel stand by his side?
00:49:52.85\00:49:54.52
He didn't just
stand by Joshua's side.
00:50:03.87\00:50:06.30
If you look at the Hebrew there
as Joshua walked he continued
00:50:08.14\00:50:13.04
to stand by Joshua's side, to
present Joshua wherever he went.
00:50:13.07\00:50:19.18
This is the
righteousness of the Lord.
00:50:19.21\00:50:22.15
Wherever Joshua went he
presented, this man represents
00:50:22.18\00:50:27.42
the righteousness of the Lord.
00:50:27.46\00:50:29.32
And there was one more
function that the angel had.
00:50:29.36\00:50:31.43
The angel prevented anyone from
touching the righteousness of
00:50:32.09\00:50:40.00
the Lord. Come
on, somebody! Amen!
00:50:40.04\00:50:41.77
Don't touch him!
Don't mess with him!
00:50:41.80\00:50:44.57
God cleaned him up,
filled him up, covered him,
00:50:46.57\00:50:52.75
changed his
standing, forgave his sin,
00:50:52.78\00:50:58.55
robed him in righteousness, and
He assigned an angel on one side
00:50:58.59\00:51:04.29
and the other. And the
angel said, Don't touch him.
00:51:04.33\00:51:08.33
I wondered about that
because I thought to myself,
00:51:08.36\00:51:11.90
Now I got an answer.
00:51:11.93\00:51:13.27
Because you know what? if the
Devil could touch us after God
00:51:13.30\00:51:17.17
redeemed us, he would
have killed us a long time ago.
00:51:17.21\00:51:20.88
But there's an angel,
and I found the quote.
00:51:20.91\00:51:24.48
Prophets and Kings, 587.
00:51:24.51\00:51:26.98
The servant of the Lord
says, Angels of God will walk on
00:51:28.02\00:51:33.02
either side of us in this world.
00:51:33.05\00:51:36.52
And they will stand at
last among the angels that
00:51:36.56\00:51:41.26
surround the throne of God.
00:51:41.30\00:51:43.26
So when I walk out of here
today, you ain't going to see
00:51:43.30\00:51:45.83
it, but I've got
an angel over here,
00:51:45.87\00:51:48.04
and I have an angel over here.
00:51:48.07\00:51:50.07
Come on somebody! Amen!
00:51:50.11\00:51:51.61
You know what? You
have one, too, Robbie D.
00:51:51.64\00:51:53.78
And Jim, you have one, too.
00:51:53.81\00:51:55.14
You have one, too, Irma.
00:51:56.71\00:51:58.11
I mean, pardon
me, I called you Irma.
00:51:58.15\00:51:59.78
Irma, Adima, you have one, too.
00:51:59.81\00:52:02.98
Will, you have one, too.
00:52:03.02\00:52:04.85
Don't look!
They're watching your back.
00:52:04.89\00:52:08.09
The angel of the Lord encampeth
round about those that fear
00:52:08.12\00:52:15.76
Him, and deliver them.
00:52:15.80\00:52:17.33
How else can Jill
and Greg reflect the
00:52:17.37\00:52:21.17
righteousness of Jesus?
00:52:21.20\00:52:23.00
How else can Jeff and Charletta
allow God's glory to be seen?
00:52:23.04\00:52:29.21
How else? Because
God cleaned them up.
00:52:29.24\00:52:33.21
And as the enemy is coming they
said, Back! Don't touch him.
00:52:33.25\00:52:36.82
So today I want you to
leave here knowing this,
00:52:36.85\00:52:41.26
my final quote: Nothing in the
world is so dear to the heart
00:52:41.29\00:52:46.59
of God as His church.
00:52:46.63\00:52:48.60
It is not His will that worldly
policy shall corrupt her record.
00:52:51.20\00:52:55.70
He does not leave His
people to be overcome by
00:52:55.74\00:52:58.44
Satan's temptations.
00:52:58.47\00:52:59.81
He will punish those
who misrepresent Him.
00:52:59.84\00:53:03.24
But He will be gracious
to all who sincerely repent.
00:53:03.28\00:53:07.55
To those who call upon Him for
strength, for the development
00:53:07.58\00:53:14.16
of Christian character He will
give all the help they need.
00:53:14.19\00:53:19.46
Plucked from the fire.
00:53:21.06\00:53:23.23
Is there somebody
here today that wants to
00:53:24.53\00:53:32.51
stand with their angel?
00:53:32.54\00:53:33.88
That wants to acknowledge
that they have been redeemed
00:53:36.51\00:53:38.81
by the blood of the Lamb?
00:53:38.85\00:53:40.95
And they're going to walk out
of here like those with divine
00:53:43.02\00:53:47.39
secret service protection.
00:53:47.42\00:53:49.56
And when the angel, when
the enemy comes in like a flood,
00:53:50.36\00:53:53.33
God is going to lift
up a standard against him.
00:53:53.36\00:53:56.16
So that as He's working on,
as He's working in His children,
00:53:56.20\00:54:01.54
so that what's on the outside
reflects what takes place on the
00:54:01.57\00:54:07.94
inside we need not
walk this world fearful,
00:54:07.98\00:54:13.42
with
intrepidation, and hesitation.
00:54:13.45\00:54:16.58
We need not walk this world
thinking that somehow we are
00:54:16.62\00:54:21.72
just not good enough,
for we are today the sons
00:54:21.76\00:54:27.96
and daughters of God. Amen
00:54:28.00\00:54:29.53
An angel on my right.
00:54:31.00\00:54:32.33
You know it's transformed
the way I live my day.
00:54:32.37\00:54:34.94
Did you hear what I said?
00:54:37.84\00:54:40.04
If you know you've got an angel
right here, and you know you
00:54:40.08\00:54:43.51
have an angel right here.
00:54:43.55\00:54:44.91
I don't know their names.
00:54:46.05\00:54:47.38
I'll meet them sooner or later.
00:54:47.42\00:54:48.75
And you're faced in a moment.
00:54:50.92\00:54:52.79
I'm living in
this reality right now.
00:54:53.15\00:54:55.49
And you're faced with a
moment of temptation, or tests.
00:54:55.52\00:54:59.43
Your angel said, Don't do it.
00:55:01.93\00:55:03.60
The angel said,
Whatever he said: Don't do it.
00:55:06.23\00:55:09.70
Then I say, You guys with me?
00:55:12.01\00:55:14.54
We ain't going anywhere.
00:55:15.94\00:55:17.28
They're going to walk
with me through this life.
00:55:17.31\00:55:20.25
And when we walk through the
gates into the New Jerusalem,
00:55:20.28\00:55:23.39
I got a guarantee there are
going to be at least twice as
00:55:23.42\00:55:28.16
many angels as there are
people walking into the gates
00:55:28.19\00:55:32.46
of the New Jerusalem.
00:55:32.49\00:55:33.83
That day, that day, Mike, Pam,
that day you're going to see
00:55:33.86\00:55:39.17
your angel walking
into the gates with you.
00:55:39.20\00:55:42.90
Today I want to thank our
Heavenly Father that He has
00:55:42.94\00:55:45.71
plucked every one of us by
His grace from the fire that is
00:55:45.74\00:55:52.85
waiting to eradicate
sin and suffering eternally.
00:55:52.88\00:55:58.39
Father in Heaven, it's
hard to think that one day we're
00:55:58.42\00:56:09.20
going to be just as
perfect as You see us:
00:56:09.23\00:56:11.70
spotless, sinless, glorified,
clothed with Your righteousness,
00:56:11.73\00:56:21.71
redeemed by the blood of
the Lamb, forgiven, in a perfect
00:56:21.74\00:56:28.18
environment where
there is no sin and
00:56:28.22\00:56:30.75
suffering, no death, no pain.
00:56:30.79\00:56:32.35
Lord, there's nothing in this
world that can offer us that
00:56:32.39\00:56:38.89
kind of eternal hope,
that kind of eternal assurance.
00:56:38.93\00:56:44.03
There's nothing in this life
that is worthy embracing and
00:56:44.07\00:56:51.11
trading for joy
and peace forevermore.
00:56:51.14\00:56:56.41
But Father, the enemy
wants to point our sins out.
00:56:56.44\00:56:59.91
He wants us to feel less
than, unworthy, faulty, sinful.
00:56:59.95\00:57:06.59
He wants us to spend time
rummaging through the records
00:57:06.62\00:57:10.56
of our past failures that
we might lose courage for the
00:57:10.59\00:57:14.90
journey ahead of us.
00:57:14.93\00:57:16.26
But today, Lord,
that's not the message.
00:57:16.30\00:57:17.63
Take off his filthy robes.
00:57:17.67\00:57:19.93
Put a turban on him.
00:57:19.97\00:57:21.67
Clean him up and
stand by his side.
00:57:21.70\00:57:26.44
And so gracious Father today
we accept the category of saint,
00:57:26.47\00:57:31.75
as you have redeemed us
from the walk of a sinner.
00:57:31.78\00:57:38.02
Send us forth today, Father,
from this place to reflect in a
00:57:38.05\00:57:42.86
powerful way Your
glory and Your righteousness.
00:57:42.89\00:57:48.06
And when people hear us, and
when they see us, may they hear
00:57:48.10\00:57:52.27
and see those who have
been transformed by your grace.
00:57:52.30\00:57:55.54
May they see Christians,
saints, under construction.
00:57:55.57\00:58:01.14
And, Lord, when You finish
the project, oh what a day of
00:58:01.18\00:58:05.11
rejoicing that will be.
00:58:05.15\00:58:06.78
But keep us ever before Your
throne of grace on our knees
00:58:06.82\00:58:10.89
that we may stand, on our
backs that we may look up,
00:58:10.92\00:58:14.06
looking forward to
find grace and strength,
00:58:14.09\00:58:17.16
and walking
with Jesus every day.
00:58:17.19\00:58:19.43
This is our desire.
00:58:19.46\00:58:20.96
This is our prayer.
00:58:21.00\00:58:22.43
Accomplish it
Father as only You can.
00:58:22.46\00:58:26.63
In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
00:58:26.67\00:58:31.61