Participants: James Rafferty
Series Code: 17SCM
Program Code: 17SCM000023A
00:14 Welcome to 3ABN Spring Camp Meeting 2017,
00:18 Exposing the Counterfeit. 00:24 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn. 00:25 And once again it is so wonderful 00:28 to welcome you to Spring Camp Meeting, 00:30 this exposing the counterfeit. 00:32 Tell me how have you enjoyed this? 00:34 Have you been blessed? Yes! 00:36 Oh, I'm telling you, I cannot believe 00:38 we are down to our last message. 00:41 But we have saved one of the most incredible topics 00:45 for our last presentation. 00:47 And the topic of the hour is if I am a Christian, 00:52 should I fear the judgment? 00:55 There's so much misunderstanding. 00:57 And even within our own church about this. 00:59 So we want to welcome our pastor 01:03 that is going to give us the message this hour 01:06 is Pastor James Rafferty, 01:07 he is the co-director for Light Bearers Ministry, 01:10 that's his full time job. 01:13 Then he is a part time pastor for the Fall Creek 01:16 Seventh-day Adventist Church in Oregon. 01:19 And he said he... 01:21 I know he travels all the time but he said 01:23 full time at Light Bearers, part time as a preacher 01:27 and a time and a half as a husband. 01:30 You husbands know what he's saying, don't you? 01:33 Well, then our song tonight 01:35 is going to be at the end of his presentation, 01:39 Yvonne Lewis will be singing for us. 01:41 But right now help me welcome Pastor James Rafferty. 01:47 Amen. 01:48 Thank you, Shelley. 01:52 Good evening. Good evening. 01:54 Saints, as I've listened to the messages here 01:56 at 3ABN camp meeting. 01:58 I have been blessed. 01:59 And I've realized that God 02:01 is doing something very special. 02:03 But we're not here by accident 02:06 that we are here by God's providential leading. 02:10 And that He has blessed us with a special appointment 02:14 of the Holy Spirit 02:16 with messages that are bringing to us, 02:18 I think clarity and understanding 02:21 and conviction. 02:22 I'm thinking about John the Baptist and Jesus. 02:27 That's what has come to my mind because in this camp meeting 02:32 we have heard messages that are straight 02:36 and cutting to the heart like John the Baptist. 02:38 But they haven't neglected the focus on Calvary 02:43 and the cross and Jesus. 02:46 And I think that when you look at the ministries 02:49 of John the Baptist and Jesus, 02:51 they were very opposite, weren't they? 02:55 It seemed as though John the Baptist 02:57 was just this hardcore straight testimony preacher 03:00 out in the wilderness eating locusts and honey, 03:05 roped in camels there. 03:07 And then Jesus was more soft-spoken, 03:10 sitting with the publicans in the centers, 03:11 they called Him a glutton. 03:14 And it seemed as though the Pharisees try to divide 03:19 the ministries and the work and even the disciples of Jesus 03:24 and John the Baptist. 03:26 And I thought about that, I thought about that, 03:28 I thought about that and I thought you know what, 03:33 Satan has been trying to divide the work that God is doing 03:38 in this earth ever since the beginning. 03:41 He's trying to divide law and grace. 03:45 He's trying to divide mercy and justice. 03:49 He's trying to divide faith and works. 03:51 He's trying to divide the Old Testament 03:52 from the New Testament. 03:54 But he's not gonna do it. He's not gonna succeed. 03:58 And that's why I've been really blessed here 03:59 at 3ABN camp meeting because I really believe 04:02 that God is bringing it all together again as one. 04:09 That the messages are combining, 04:11 the straight truth and saturating it 04:14 with the love of God. 04:15 And that's what we need to do, you know, 04:16 we need to preach the truth as it is in Jesus. 04:20 We need to preach the mark of the beast. 04:23 I love that presentation by Steve. 04:25 We need to preach about the second coming 04:28 that was a powerful presentation 04:30 by Ed, Elder Ed Reed. 04:33 And that reformation history, you know, 04:36 where he revisited Luther in Wittenberg, 04:39 that was priceless, wasn't it? 04:41 That was worth the whole trip here. 04:44 Priceless gem. We've got to know that history. 04:47 We need to preach the Sabbath 04:50 and we need to preach the judgment 04:51 in the context of the love of God. 04:55 All that needs to come together and be one and harmonize, 04:59 we can't divide Jesus from John, 05:01 law from grace, faith from works, 05:03 justice from mercy, it all needs to come together 05:06 and it is coming together, 05:07 God is bringing it together again. 05:11 So I have this message and it's the closing message 05:15 for our camp meeting. 05:16 It is one that I chose. 05:18 I was given an option, I said I'd love to share that message 05:21 because the message is dear to my heart, 05:23 it is a message that is based on Revelation 14 05:25 and it's a message that we need to understand. 05:27 But the only way we can understand it 05:29 really and truly is to base it in the Word of God 05:32 and to pray for the instruction of the Holy Spirit. 05:37 Can we pray together right now? 05:39 Father in heaven, I just want to thank You again 05:41 this evening for the opportunity that we have 05:43 just to come to Your throne and find grace and help 05:47 in this time of need. 05:48 We are at the end of this camp meeting, 05:52 this meeting after meeting, truth after truth 05:57 saturated with love 06:01 and righteous revelation of truth. 06:05 And, Father, we're just thankful 06:07 that we've had the opportunity to be here, to be alive 06:09 at this time in history and to take in more 06:12 and more of the message 06:15 that is going to lighten Your earth with Your glory, 06:17 the message of this heaven sent. 06:18 And as we close it up now 06:20 and we look at the investigative judgment 06:22 and how it applies to believers. 06:23 I just pray that Your Holy Spirit 06:25 will speak to our hearts again. 06:28 Give us just a little bit more energy, 06:30 a little bit more ability to take in 06:35 more of the truth of heaven. 06:37 Father, we pray, we ask, we plead and we thank You 06:40 for hearing us in the name of Jesus Christ. 06:43 Amen. Amen. 06:45 Revelation 14:6, 7. 06:49 John says that he saw another angel 06:52 flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel, 06:56 the everlasting gospel. 06:59 Do you know why it's called the everlasting gospel 07:00 in Revelation 14:6? 07:02 Do you know why it's called the everlasting gospel? 07:04 Because this is God's last message for the world. 07:06 And the world in the end of time thinks 07:09 that there was some time in history past 07:12 primarily in the Old Testament 07:14 that people were saved by obedience to the law. 07:19 You might knock on people's doors, 07:20 give a Bible study and talk about the truths 07:23 that we've been talking about here, about the Sabbath, 07:26 the truth of God's law and they would say, 07:27 oh, that's Old Testament, that's Old Covenant. 07:30 We're saved by grace. 07:32 And so God has put this phrase in the very last message 07:35 to the world, the everlasting gospel 07:37 to remind us that no one has ever been saved 07:39 through obedience to the law, ever. 07:43 And that's the question we need to ask people who say 07:45 we're under the new covenant, we're under grace, 07:46 now you see, you need to ask them 07:47 what does that mean that you're saying 07:49 that there are people in the Old Testament 07:50 that were saved by obedience to the law? 07:53 Because Revelation 14 says 07:55 that this is the everlasting gospel. 07:57 Jesus Christ is the only way anyone ever has been saved 08:01 or ever will be saved. 08:03 Amen. 08:04 Having the everlasting gospel preached to those 08:07 that dwell on the earth, every nation and kindred 08:09 and tongue and people saying with what kind of voice? 08:12 A loud voice, doesn't mean they're yelling, 08:15 doesn't mean they're angry, it means they're clear 08:19 and they can be heard and understood. 08:23 That's what happens when you speak 08:24 with a lower voice. 08:26 If you don't have enough voice, people can't hear you. 08:28 Do you understand? 08:29 You have to be able to speak loudly 08:32 so that people can hear what you're saying, right? 08:36 Our tech guys thought it was a problem with the mic 08:38 there for a second. 08:40 They were sweating. 08:43 So the first communication of this everlasting gospel 08:49 is fear God and give glory to Him, 08:54 for the hour of His judgment is come. 08:57 And worship him that made the heaven and the earth 08:58 and sea and fountains of waters. 09:00 That's the everlasting gospel. 09:02 That's good news because the word gospel means 09:04 good news, that's good news. 09:06 And somehow some way through some kind 09:10 of misunderstanding of communication 09:13 the world Christians, believers think 09:18 that the hour of God's judgment is scary bad news. 09:23 How did that happen? 09:25 That's not what it says here. 09:27 Revelation 14:6, 7 tell us 09:30 that the hour of God's judgment is good news, 09:32 not bad news. 09:35 Some time ago a young man came into my office 09:41 with his girlfriend. 09:43 He was a medical student 09:47 going to one of our educational institutions, 09:51 studying to be a doctor. 09:53 And she also was going to the same institution, 09:56 he was an Adventist and she was a Christian. 10:00 He was coming home to visit his parents 10:02 and he invited his girlfriend up 10:04 because he wanted to introduce her 10:06 to his parents and to me. 10:09 You see he intended to marry this girl. 10:12 But before he married her, 10:14 he wanted to make her a Seventh-day Adventist. 10:19 So he came into my office with his girlfriend in tow. 10:25 She walked into my office and before we got 10:27 hardly anywhere she said, "I am a Christian. 10:30 I am not an Adventist, 10:32 I'm not gonna become an Adventist. 10:33 I do not believe in the investigative judgments." 10:37 And she sat down and folded her arms. 10:41 And I looked at him and he looked at me. 10:46 And he said, "That's why I brought her to you." 10:57 And I said, "I would love to study with you 11:01 the investigative judgment." 11:03 See this young man had been in our camp meeting 11:05 the summer before and he had heard 11:06 a series of meetings that we had been doing 11:08 on the three angels' messages. 11:10 And as he heard those meetings, 11:11 he called me aside and he said to me, 11:14 "What is it that you're preaching right here?" 11:15 And I said, "Well, I'm preaching 11:17 the three angels' messages." 11:18 He says, "Well, I've been raised an Adventist, 11:19 I've never heard anything like this before." 11:22 And so he wanted his girlfriend to hear this. 11:25 So I watched and we began this study. 11:29 I'm not going to tell you yet how it ended. 11:33 See at first glance 11:37 the investigative judgment for believers 11:41 seems to be out of place in a gospel setting 11:45 but that's not the case. 11:47 When you look at a Bible verse with me, 11:48 it's found in 1 Timothy, or 1 Peter 4:17. 11:52 1 Peter 4:17. 11:54 See I believe that the investigative judgment 11:57 is good news of the highest order. 12:00 And it can, and any doubt we have about that 12:02 can be categorically wiped away by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 12:07 1 Peter 4:17 says this, "For the time has come 12:11 for judgment to begin," where? 12:14 "In the house of God." 12:16 That's at the house where Christians worship God. 12:21 It's not where unbelievers are. This is God's house. 12:24 This is the house of believers. 12:25 The judgment must begin at the house of God. 12:27 And it first begins with us, now follow this, 12:30 if it first begins with us what will be the end of those 12:33 who do not obey what? 12:35 The gospel of God. 12:39 I think this is very important. 12:41 It doesn't say the law of God, it says what? 12:44 The gospel. 12:45 The judgment for believers is all about the gospel. 12:49 Are you going to obey the gospel? 12:51 Judgment's coming to our house, are we obeying the gospel? 12:56 Good so far? 12:58 All right, let's keep going here. 13:00 Now I want to emphasize or clarify 13:03 that the judgment is a solemn event, 13:05 there's no doubt about it. 13:07 And yet we can see from this verse 13:11 and the verses we read in Revelation 14:6, 7 13:15 that the judgment is connected directly 13:18 with the everlasting gospel. 13:20 It's connected directly with what Jesus Christ has done 13:25 for all the human race. 13:28 1 Timothy 4:10 says, "He is the Savior of all." 13:33 1 Timothy 2:1-6 says, 13:34 "He wants everyone to come to salvation," everyone. 13:41 So really the gospel is calling every individual 13:45 to respond to what God has done for them 13:48 in the person of Jesus Christ. 13:49 That's what the gospel is calling us to. 13:52 Jesus Christ has purchased the human race with His blood 13:55 and the gospel is calling us to respond to the work 13:59 that Christ has done for us, for every individual. 14:03 So the judgment is basically a revelation 14:09 of what we've decided to do with our Savior, with Jesus. 14:13 And the way that revelation works 14:15 is by our words and actions. 14:19 Our words and actions determine what we've done with Jesus. 14:23 So a lot of people say, "Well, we're judged by," 14:25 how can we be judged by our works 14:26 and saved by grace? 14:28 Well, let's take a look at it. 14:30 Jesus says in Matthew 12:36, 37, 14:34 "That every idle word that men shall speak 14:37 they should give account there of in the day of judgment. 14:40 For by thy words thou shalt be justified 14:43 and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." 14:47 Matthew 12:36, 37 14:49 and Jesus is talking about believers here. 14:51 And that basically settles it for me. 14:53 Everyone has to give an account according to these verses 14:56 Matthew 12:36, 37. 14:58 Everyone has to give an account there of 15:00 in the day of judgments, in the day of judgment. 15:03 So the words of Jesus right here 15:05 and all the arguments on whether or not 15:08 there is a day of judgment for believers. 15:10 It's over, I don't even think we need to spend 15:13 another moment on it, really I don't. 15:16 There are other Bible verses but we don't need 15:17 to spend on that, really what we need to do 15:19 our time this evening, 15:21 the rest of our time this evening 15:22 is actually going to be spent considering that 15:27 if we as believers are going to be judged 15:31 then why, why is there a judgment? 15:38 Not whether or not there is a judgment 15:39 but why is there a judgment? 15:41 Why does God have this day of accounts? 15:44 What's the purpose? 15:46 And how does that relate to the everlasting gospel? 15:49 And I think there are probably more reasons than this 15:51 but there are at least three reasons 15:53 why we're told that God is gonna have a day of accounts. 15:56 Why we're told, Ecclesiastes 12:14 15:59 that God will bring every work into judgment 16:01 and every secret thing whether it's good 16:03 or whether it's evil. 16:05 Our works and our words are gonna testify 16:09 to what we've done with Jesus. 16:12 So reason number one, and Elder Reed was sharing 16:15 how that when truth is, it's clear, 16:19 it's broken down into short parts. 16:22 And I think he started with seven 16:24 and then he went to five. 16:25 And tonight we're doing three. 16:28 Three, reason number one, Romans 14:10-14. 16:32 Now these verses are so powerful, 16:34 these are powerful verses. 16:36 And sometimes we don't give them the credit, 16:38 we don't, we don't use them as we should. 16:41 A lot of times these verses are used 16:43 to oppose the teachings that Adventists propagate. 16:48 So we'll share about the Sabbath 16:49 and people turn to Romans 14 and they'll say, yeah. 16:51 But it says don't judge any man because one day seems, 16:54 one man it seems one day above another, 16:55 another man it seems always the same. 16:57 Let every man be fully persuaded 16:58 in his own mind. 17:00 So it doesn't matter, don't judge me 17:02 and one day I go to church. 17:04 And you guys are legalists anyway. 17:08 You say, wait a minute, didn't you read the text? 17:11 It says, don't judge. 17:14 Right? 17:15 It works both ways, doesn't it? 17:18 Don't let anyone call you a legalist. 17:20 And if they do because you're keeping the Sabbath, 17:22 take them to Romans 14. 17:24 It's our text as much as anyone else's. 17:28 God has given us these verses for a reason. 17:31 Let's read a few of them. 17:33 I want to read verses 10 through 14. 17:35 Romans 14:10-14, "Why do you judge your brother 17:38 or why do you show contempt for your brother 17:40 for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, 17:42 for it is written as I live says the Lord, 17:44 every knee will bow to me 17:46 and every tongue shall confess to God. 17:48 So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God. 17:52 Therefore let us resolve this not to put a stumbling block 17:58 or a cause to fall in our brothers' way." 18:03 Stop judging one another. 18:07 Isn't that good news? 18:09 You're off the hook, you're free. 18:11 Yeah, there may be some problems 18:13 that are taking place in your church, 18:14 in your community and your, you don't need to judge though. 18:18 God's got a day of accounts, 18:19 he's gonna settle everything up. 18:21 You do not need to take the burden of judging others. 18:25 You know, being on 3ABN is sometimes 18:26 a little bit difficult. 18:31 Not long ago we received a communication in our office 18:35 and it went like this, 18:37 tell James to stop dying his hair 18:41 so dark. 18:45 Now that's just the tip of the iceberg, 18:47 you've got to have thick skin if you're gonna be a preacher, 18:50 especially on 3ABN, it's just the facts. 18:54 So really you know we shouldn't be judging 18:57 one another and I could have gotten in my attitude of, 19:02 "Hey, what right does that person have 19:03 to judge me and demand 19:05 that I stop dying my hair so dark." 19:07 But I didn't. 19:09 Instead my response was, "Please, tell this person 19:14 that James doesn't die his hair. 19:19 That James has never dyed his hair." 19:23 My wife was six years younger than me 19:26 might not appreciate that fact but it's a fact. 19:31 And if James was gonna dye his hair, 19:34 he would probably die it blonde. 19:39 Why not? 19:41 If I'm gonna dye my hair anyway 19:43 and that would definitely relieve this person's query 19:45 because my hair would be lighter. 19:50 So other people might actually complain 19:53 that my hair was too light, you get the point. 19:56 We are off the hook, we don't have to judge others. 20:00 I love the fact that God has a judgment 20:02 because every time I'm tempted to judge another person, 20:05 I'm reminded God has a judgment, 20:07 God has a day of accounts, back up, James, back up. 20:10 Now do what you can not to be a stumbling block 20:12 to this person, get rid of that attitude that you have, 20:15 those thoughts that you have, the way that you feel. 20:18 God is just and merciful. 20:23 And you're going to wish that you could have done more 20:25 when that day of justice comes. 20:28 Not only for others but for yourself. 20:30 Reason number two is found in Matthew 7:21-23. 20:33 Matthew 7:21-23, here's what it says, 20:36 we know these verses probably too well. 20:39 "Not everyone that says unto me, 20:43 'Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven 20:47 but he that doeth the will of My Father 20:49 which is in heaven.' 20:51 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, 20:54 have we not prophesied in thy name 20:56 and in thy name have cast out devils 20:57 and in thy name done many wonderful works. 20:59 And then I will I profess unto them, I never knew you, 21:04 depart from me, he that work iniquity." 21:10 In other words there are many people 21:13 who profess faith in Christ who are only professors. 21:18 Now remember, we can't judge, right? 21:22 We can't judge. 21:24 There are many people who are only professing 21:27 to take the name of Christian. 21:30 And these people are doing many wonderful works 21:33 but they are workers of iniquity. 21:35 You know what that means, workers of iniquity. 21:37 It means they're transgressing God's law. 21:40 They do many wonderful works 21:41 but they're transgressors of God's law, 21:43 and the reason they're transgressors of God's law 21:44 is because they don't really know Jesus 21:47 because the laws are transcript of His character. 21:50 They don't really know Jesus, they don't really understand 21:52 the words of Christ in John 14 when He said, 21:55 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." 21:59 They don't really get that. 22:05 What do they get? 22:07 Well, they get the idea that they should be in heaven 22:08 because of their works, that's what they get. 22:12 Let me in look at all the stuff I've done. 22:16 And so reason number two for the judgment 22:17 and this is really important. 22:19 We are not saved by our works, we're not saved by our works, 22:24 it doesn't matter how many wonderful things 22:26 you do for Jesus, you are lost, lost, lost 22:31 without the gift of salvation that comes solely from Him. 22:33 Amen. 22:35 Now reason number three is probably the most significant 22:39 so we'll spend the rest of the time on this one. 22:41 This third reason is found in the Book of Revelation 12:10. 22:46 Revelation 12:10, beautiful picture, 22:48 Revelation 12 of the whole great controversy 22:52 from beginning to end. 22:53 And the salvation that was wrought out 22:55 through Jesus Christ at the cross. 22:58 And then it produces this remnant people 23:00 who keep the commandments of God 23:01 and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 23:04 Revelation 12:10 says, 23:05 "And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, 23:08 'Now it's come salvation.' 23:09 Speaking of Calvary pointing to the cross and strength 23:12 and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ 23:15 for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them 23:20 before our God day and night." 23:24 Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 23:28 365 days a year, we have an accuser. 23:31 And he never takes a vacation, he never takes a holiday, 23:35 he doesn't observe the Fourth of July 23:38 or your birthday. 23:40 He's on the job all the time, accusing and condemning, 23:45 and accusing and condemning. 23:49 He leads us into sin and then he turns around 23:55 and accuses us for the very thing 23:57 he led us to do. 24:01 This work of Satan is also found 24:04 in the Old Testament, in the Book of Zechariah 3:1. 24:10 Zechariah 3:1, he showed me Joshua the high priest 24:12 standing before the angel of Lord 24:14 and Satan was standing at his right hand to resist him, 24:17 resisting, resisting, resisting. 24:19 Satan is resisting the salvation 24:21 that God has accomplished for us 24:22 in Jesus Christ, he's resisting. 24:25 He points to our failures and he's pointing to our sins 24:28 and he's pointing to our defects, 24:29 he's pointing to all of the things 24:32 that he knows about us, our entire history, 24:34 he is just bombarding us at times, 24:38 bombarding us with the idea that you might as well give up, 24:41 you're not going to make it. 24:43 You've been to this 3ABN camp meeting 24:45 but you're still thinking these negative evil thoughts. 24:48 You're still selfish, you're still un-Christ like, 24:51 you're still impatient. 24:53 Do you see the picture? 24:55 Because the investigative judgment is real 24:58 and it's happening now. 25:01 And soon, I don't know how soon it's gonna transfer 25:04 from the dead to the living. 25:06 And you're preparing for it right now. 25:08 The thoughts and the condemnation, 25:11 the guilt that Satan is trying to press upon you 25:14 is going to intensify as we enter into these end days. 25:18 We need an advocate and that advocate can't be, 25:21 "Oh, I go to church on the right day 25:23 and I believe the right doctrines, 25:24 and I pay tithes and I'm..." 25:25 That can't be our advocate. 25:28 Because the Bible says very clearly in Romans 3:10, 25:31 "As it is written there is none righteous, 25:34 know not one." 25:36 So Satan has a point. 25:38 And there's no way we can defend ourselves 25:40 from his accusations by heaping up good works. 25:43 We already saw that in Matthew 7:20-23, 25:45 it doesn't work. 25:49 Yet unworthy and unrighteous as we are, 25:53 we have one who speaks in our defense. 25:57 Amen. 25:59 1 John 2:1, "My dear children, 26:04 I write this to you so that you will not sin." 26:06 We'll get back to that point in just a second. 26:08 "But if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks 26:11 to the Father in our defense Jesus Christ, 26:13 the righteous one." 26:15 That's the NIV. 26:17 I use that version every once in a while just for clarity, 26:21 but I still have my KJV, you understand. 26:25 Jesus speaking in our defense. 26:27 Now notice this, He doesn't want us to sin. 26:30 Why doesn't He want us to sin? 26:31 Because He knows the guilt and the shame 26:33 and the condemnation that sin brings. 26:35 He knows that we're just loading the weapon 26:37 of Satan against us, He knows that. 26:39 He doesn't want us to go through all that torment. 26:41 He wants us to be free from all that guilt. 26:45 You know how it is, you know how you feel. 26:49 But notice 26:51 and I think you should note this point with care 26:54 that Jesus speaks to the Father in our defense 26:57 from the context of what we read so far, 26:59 not because the Father is against us and Jesus is for us, 27:03 not because Jesus has to persuade 27:04 the Father to love us. 27:06 God so love the world, Jesus says, 27:08 "The Father himself," in John 16:27, 27:11 "The Father himself loves you." 27:12 What we've read here tells us that the reason 27:15 why Jesus speaks to the Father in our defense is because 27:17 we have an accuser 27:19 and Jesus is defending us before a righteous judge, 27:22 a just judge, a fair judge from that accuser. 27:28 He's standing in our defense 27:31 to withstand the accusations of Satan. 27:36 So what the accusations 27:37 does Satan have to do with judgment? 27:39 Well, everything really because see 27:40 rebellion began in heaven and Satan was cast out. 27:43 Now we don't know what God did, 27:44 we don't know the process God went through, 27:45 we don't know how hard He worked 27:48 and moved to draw Satan away from posse, 27:50 but eventually there was nothing else He could do 27:53 and Satan was kicked out 27:55 as a rebel against the law of God, 27:57 the foundation of his throne and character, 28:00 he was kicked out. 28:01 And he brought his deceptions, his misconceptions about God, 28:05 his misrepresentations of the character of God. 28:07 He brought them down to the earth 28:08 and he was able to deceive the woman. 28:11 God doesn't really love you, if He did, 28:15 He wouldn't restrict you from this tree. 28:17 He knows that if you eat this tree you'll be like Him, 28:19 He's withholding from you. 28:22 See it wasn't just about eating a piece of fruit, 28:25 that piece of fruit 28:27 and the taking of that piece of fruit 28:29 and eating that piece of fruit was assimilating 28:33 and accepting a distortion of the character of God. 28:38 That's the issue that God is seeking to correct. 28:42 The meeting we just had, Doug said 28:45 it was one of his favorites, I agree. 28:48 He is disarming the distortions of the character of God. 28:53 That's what the world needs, that's what we need, 28:54 we need to see what God is really like. 28:58 His character needs to be seen as it really is. 29:02 And that's why the hour of His judgment, 29:03 it's not just about us, it's about Him. 29:07 The hour of His judgment includes Him. 29:09 When Mary Magdalene poured that alabaster box of oil 29:14 upon Jesus' feet and began to wipe them 29:17 with the hair of her head, she was accused. 29:22 And do you remember what the accusation was? 29:27 This man if He were a prophet 29:31 would know what kind of woman she is, for she's a sinner. 29:35 Jesus was involved in the accusation 29:37 against the woman and Jesus is involved 29:39 in the accusation against us because He's saving us. 29:43 How can you save them? 29:45 You kicked me out of heaven for violating the law. 29:46 How can you save them? 29:48 That's not fair. 29:49 You're not being just, you're not being righteous God. 29:53 I love the story of Mary Magdalene because 29:56 when the accusations came, you know what Mary did? 29:59 She stood behind Jesus. 30:02 That's what the gospel said, she stood behind Jesus. 30:04 And then Jesus vindicated her, 30:06 Jesus defended her, leave her alone. 30:11 And Jesus said, whatever the gospel is preached 30:15 this also that this woman has done will be preached. 30:20 That's what we're doing tonight. 30:22 We're understanding the story of judgment 30:25 in the context of the gospel in the heart of God. 30:29 And His desire to vindicate us 30:32 because we can't vindicate ourselves, 30:34 no matter how good we become. 30:37 No matter how many veggie links we eat 30:39 and how much soy milk we drink. 30:42 It's true. 30:43 I prefer rice milk personally. 30:46 I guess I need to tell 3ABN that. 30:50 The next time they invite me to camp meeting. 30:57 So when man sinned, God had one or two choices, 31:00 either allow justice to be visited on men 31:04 for breaking His commandments and end it 31:07 or God could do away with His law and His justice 31:11 and sinners live as they please. 31:15 The second option wasn't a real option, 31:18 you understand. 31:20 He chose the first one but He immediately implemented 31:24 the plan of salvation and the second Adam, 31:28 the new head of the race was promised 31:30 and he would be the man that would receive the justice. 31:35 He would be the one upon which our sins 31:39 and our guilt was served. 31:42 Romans 3, again the NIV, verses 25 and 26 say this, 31:48 "God presented him, Jesus, as a sacrifice of atonement 31:52 through faith in His blood, 31:53 He did this to demonstrate His justice." 31:57 What? 31:59 He did this to demonstrate His justice, why? 32:01 Why did God need to demonstrate His justice? 32:03 Because in the controversy, Satan was accusing God, 32:06 that's not fair, that's not just, 32:07 that's not fair, that's not just. 32:09 And so God did this to demonstrate His justice 32:11 because notice this, in His forbearance 32:15 He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. 32:19 You realize that from Adam and Eve 32:21 all the way down through time 32:24 that God has left sin unpunished. 32:28 Now I'm saying that in the light of the sermon 32:30 that was just preached where illustrations were used 32:32 like Sodom and Gomorrah. 32:34 But I want to remind you here this evening 32:37 that the destruction that took place 32:41 upon Sodom and Gomorra 32:43 though it was the type of the final destruction, 32:47 was not punishment for their sin 32:49 in the fullest sense. 32:54 Those people will be resurrected. 32:58 You following me? They will be resurrected. 33:01 God has never fully punished sin 33:05 except in the person of Jesus Christ. 33:10 And that is the gospel. 33:13 It's an amazing revelation. 33:16 As Steve said today in that powerful message, 33:20 the finger that wrote the Ten Commandments 33:25 was also on the hand that was nailed to the cross. 33:29 That was such a powerful message. 33:31 Praise God. 33:33 He did this to demonstrate His justice 33:34 because in His forbearance He left the sins 33:37 committed beforehand unpunished. 33:38 He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time 33:41 so as to be just and the one who justifies those 33:45 who had faith in Jesus. 33:47 God is fair, God is just, God is merciful 33:49 and in the cross mercy and justice meet together. 33:56 Righteousness and peace kiss each other. 33:59 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound 34:01 that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost 34:04 but now I'm found, was blind but now I see, now I see. 34:09 The cross has answered the accusations of Satan 34:13 once and for all. 34:15 God is just and God is merciful. 34:18 And you look at the cross and that's what you see, 34:20 you see them blended together as one 34:23 and they cannot be separated, don't separate them, 34:26 that's what Satan's been trying to do, 34:27 you can't separate them. 34:29 You can't separate the Old and New Testament. 34:31 Some people say the Old Testament 34:32 is full of God of justice. 34:35 And the New Testament is full of God of mercy. 34:39 And they're one. 34:41 And the God of the Old Testament 34:42 is Jesus Christ. 34:44 And the God of the New Testament 34:46 is Jesus Christ. 34:49 And, of course, the Father and the Holy Spirit. 34:52 So in giving His son to pay the price for our sins, 34:56 God has demonstrated that He's just and merciful. 35:01 Psalms 85:10 says that mercy and truth 35:03 have met together and righteousness and peace 35:05 have kissed each other, they've reconciled once again. 35:09 God has been faithful to the principles of justice 35:12 and at the same time He has poured upon the world 35:15 abundant mercy, 35:17 yet Satan still accuses God of being unfair. 35:20 How could you let them be saved? 35:22 They're sinners, they've broken Your law, 35:24 they deserve to die. 35:25 Now these accusations come to all of us. 35:28 The Bible tells us in Revelation 12:10 35:32 and in John 12:31, 32 that these accusations 35:37 no longer have weight in heaven. 35:39 He's been cast out, 35:41 there were questions in the minds 35:42 of the unfallen universe but no more, they see it. 35:45 When the cross was manifested, 35:49 they saw Satan who he really was 35:50 and the disguise was taken away. 35:54 But the world hasn't seen it yet. 35:57 We have a message to proclaim to the world 35:59 that is to reveal the true heart 36:01 and character of God, His justice and His mercy. 36:05 And until then Satan still has a foothold 36:08 in the minds of mankind and this is why 36:10 he's come down to the earth with great power. 36:13 He knows his time is short and he's to block us, 36:17 he's to send his distractions like the frogs of Egypt, 36:19 they need to be in our bedrooms, 36:21 in our kitchens and in our bathrooms, 36:22 they need to be everywhere, 36:24 we need to be distracted from these truths, 36:25 these beautiful truths that set us free. 36:28 And then as we're set free, God uses us as channels 36:31 to set others free. 36:33 So Satan is doing everything he can to distract us. 36:36 So we will not understand this beautiful message 36:39 of salvation. 36:41 Satan comes to accuse. 36:43 And you know how it is, you know how you feel. 36:47 You know the condemnation the guilt 36:49 presses upon your shoulders. 36:51 The Book of Isaiah communicates 36:54 the awesome truth of this gospel message 36:57 in these beautiful words. 36:58 Here they are, Isaiah 54:17, 37:01 "No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper. 37:05 And every tongue that rises against the in judgment 37:10 thou shalt condemn." 37:12 This is the heritage, 37:15 do you know what that word means, heritage? 37:18 Give me another word. The inheritance. 37:22 This is your inheritance, this is the heritage, 37:24 this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord 37:26 and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord. 37:31 Our righteousness is Jesus Christ. 37:34 And we get that righteousness as an inheritance. 37:37 And because we have His righteousness, 37:39 no tongue is formed us against us 37:41 in the judgment is gonna prosper, 37:43 all the weapons are gonna be destroyed. 37:44 That's why judgment takes place before probation closes. 37:50 'Cause after probation closes, there's no more mediation. 37:52 And in order for us to get through the judgment, 37:54 guess what we need? 37:56 A mediator. 37:58 An advocate. 38:01 Jesus is our defender and He defends us 38:03 with His righteousness. 38:05 He opposes the tongue, the railing tongue of Satan 38:07 and his cohorts, be they men or demons. 38:11 By the fact that he died for us, 38:14 God is merciful, God is just. 38:16 He's going to allow everything to be hurt. 38:19 But he's not really going to trust Satan's record. 38:23 So God keeps a record. 38:27 He keeps an account 38:30 because he wants to be faithful to us 38:34 in advocating and vindicating us 38:36 from Satan's accusations. 38:38 So He keeps an account. 38:41 And in His advocacy He includes not only us 38:48 but the entire world. 38:51 The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, "The Satan goes about 38:53 like a roaring lion seeking who he may devour." 38:57 He's seeking to destroy and devour. 38:58 And so we need 'cause that's what John 10:10 says, 39:01 he came to do nothing but to kill and destroy. 39:04 So we need an advocate. 39:07 We need an advocate, but guess who else needs an advocate? 39:11 The entire world. 39:13 Look at these verses with me again 39:15 because they're really powerful. 39:16 1 John 2, we didn't actually read 39:18 verse 2, we just read verse 1, 39:19 but we're gonna read in both now. 39:20 "My little children these things 39:22 that I write unto you that you sin not. 39:24 And if any man sin we have an advocate 39:26 with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 39:30 Here's the next verse, verse 2. 39:32 "And He is the propitiation, the atonement. 39:36 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins." 39:40 But not for ours only. 39:43 Are you still with me? But not for ours only. 39:48 But also for the sins of the whole world. 39:52 You see it's only sacrifice, He's the propitiation, 39:54 He's the advocate, He's the defender 39:57 for the sins of the whole world. 39:59 This is global mediation. 40:01 That's why God ask Christians to mediate for all men, 40:05 for kings, politicians. 40:10 Can I divert here for just a second? 40:13 Without talking about 40:15 whether you're a democrat or republican? 40:18 And tell you right now 40:21 that if you're not praying for the president 40:24 it's because you've been poisoned by the media 40:26 and not instructed by God. 40:31 Even if that president 40:33 would have been Hillary Clinton. 40:35 Our orders come from heaven 40:37 and heaven says in 1 Timothy 2:1, 40:40 "Pray for all men, for kings and those are in authority." 40:44 That's our work, that's our job. 40:46 Those are orders. We're ambassadors for Christ. 40:49 Oh, there are some wicked men out there. 40:52 When Paul wrote that 40:54 he was about ready to be beheaded by Nero. 40:58 Think about it. 41:00 Because if we're not ready, if we're not ready 41:02 to occupy this position is because 41:05 we've been poisoned by the media. 41:07 We need to step out of the world, friends, 41:09 we've got to step out of the world. 41:10 You're gonna have to shut off the news. 41:12 A lot of people tell me, I don't watch TV, 41:13 I just watch the news. 41:16 I think there's some programming on TV 41:18 I'd rather have you watch than the news. 41:21 Because it's just mind control nowadays, 41:23 it's just telling you what to think 41:24 and what to believe and how to act to shut it off. 41:27 Your orders come from heaven. 41:31 That's why God calls us to pray for these, 41:33 for these kings and for those in authority, 41:35 pray for our enemies he says in Matthew 5. 41:37 Pray for your enemies. 41:40 In 1 John, he says we need to intercede, 1 John 5, 41:44 you see any man sin we need to pray for them too, 41:46 the God would give him life for those that sin 41:48 not unto death, there's a sin unto death, 41:49 don't pray for that. 41:53 This is powerful when you think about it. 41:56 Jesus Christ is our advocate in the judgment 41:59 and He wants us to come into the judgment 42:00 with boldness, with boldness. 42:03 That's what it says in 1 John. 42:06 You know the verse I'm talking about, 42:08 1 John 4:14, 16, 17. 42:10 We have and we have seen and we do testify 42:13 that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 42:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has to us, 42:19 God is love and He that dwells in love dwells in God 42:25 and God in Him. 42:26 Here in is our love made perfect 42:28 that we may have what? 42:30 Boldness in the day of judgment. 42:33 Why? 42:34 Because as He is so are we in this world. 42:37 Well, how is He? How is Jesus? 42:38 Well, Jesus is perfect, Jesus is sinless, 42:42 Jesus is righteous. 42:43 As He is so are we in this world 42:46 because we have Jesus, we have boldness. 42:49 You don't have to be scared of the judgment, 42:51 you have to begin, but the Bible says he was for, 42:54 come boldly to the throne of God. 42:56 You're gonna receive help and grace in time of meet, 42:59 once you just got it. 43:05 This is good news of the highest ordain. 43:07 I remember I'm in a Bible study with these two, 43:09 these two young people, right? 43:10 I'm having a Bible study with them. 43:12 So at this point I say, I want to give you an illustration, 43:15 I want to give you an illustration 43:16 of how the investigative judgment works. 43:18 Young man raised in a godly home 43:22 through his teenage years, even gets baptized. 43:27 And then as he gets later into his teenage years 43:29 he gets around with the wrong crowd, 43:32 some of his friends are going the wrong way, 43:33 he gets caught up in that. 43:34 And one thing leads to another and pretty soon 43:37 the guy is not only out but he is committing crimes 43:43 that eventually lead him to death row. 43:47 By the way what I'm telling you right now 43:50 is a true story. 43:53 It's a true story. 43:55 Perhaps it's happened more than once 43:56 but I know of this one time. 44:01 The young man dies, 44:04 now because at one time in his life he believed in God, 44:10 his name comes up in the judgment. 44:14 Perhaps it's already come up, I don't know. 44:17 And because he's dead and the time has come 44:20 for judgment to begin in the house of God, 44:21 it begins with the dead. 44:23 And when his name comes up the record, 44:25 now think about this, Satan is that he's less like, 44:28 he's mine, he's mine, he's mine. 44:30 The angels are like, well, wait a minute, you know, 44:32 early because they've got the record. 44:33 That you can't trust Satan's record, 44:34 God doesn't trust Satan's record, 44:36 you know that, right? 44:37 God's got a record, we think, "Oh, God, 44:38 He could track of everything because He's really, 44:40 you know," no, no, want to wait a minute, 44:42 God loves us. 44:44 He's keeping track of everything 44:45 because He wants to vindicate us. 44:47 And He's not trusting Satan's record. 44:50 So his life comes up, page after page turns 44:54 and it gets darker and darker and darker 44:56 and Christ is the advocate, you can't have him, 44:58 you can't have him, you can't have him, 44:59 wait, wait, wait. 45:01 Wait, back up, Satan. 45:04 Gets the last day. 45:07 It's looking pretty bleak. 45:09 The last hour. 45:11 Still dark, the last moment of his life. 45:17 Jesus says, is there anything the angels are looking, 45:20 looking, looking, they come down to the very end 45:23 and one of the angel says, "Well, 45:25 at the very end of his life he did say, 45:30 'Father, no, Lord, remember me 45:36 when you come into your kingdom.'" 45:38 I told you it was a true story. 45:43 And Jesus said, "Good enough, he's in." 45:47 And we know that, don't we? We know that. 45:50 Because Jesus said to the thief on the cross, 45:54 "Today, I promise you, 45:58 you will be with Me in paradise." 45:59 Amen. 46:00 And that is the investigative judgment in a nutshell. 46:03 In a nutshell. That's it. 46:06 Christ will vindicate us when we put our trust in Him. 46:12 And I'm sharing the story with this couple, 46:14 I'm telling them, point by point by point 46:17 how the investigative judgment works 46:19 and why it's the best news on the planet. 46:21 I'm explaining to them that that when I was a young man 46:25 and I lived in England that I really wanted a bike, 46:27 my best friend had a bike and I wanted a bike 46:30 but my mom said, "We're moving to America 46:32 and I don't want to get you a bike 46:33 because we'll have to leave it here." 46:34 And so we moved to America, and we got to America 46:36 things weren't as easy as they had been in England. 46:39 So my mom couldn't buy me a bike right away, 46:41 I still wanted one, you know as a kid 46:42 I'm still kind of bugging her but we moved 46:44 from place to place, we finally settled down. 46:46 I got myself a paper out and I was able to get a bike. 46:48 And when I got that bike, 46:49 that bike went with me everywhere. 46:51 I slept with that bike, I ate with that bike. 46:54 It was in my bedroom at night. 46:56 And I rode that bike, 46:57 it was me and the bike and the bike and me. 46:59 And pretty soon some of the parts of that bike 47:01 need to be replaced, one of the pedals 47:02 kind of broken, there was a few bolts 47:04 that got loose and got lost. 47:05 So I went with my paper out money, 47:07 I went to Sears Roebuck to buy me the parts 47:10 that I needed but I realized in short order 47:13 when I got there that I didn't have enough money 47:15 to buy everything that I wanted 47:16 but being a young man I wanted to get everything 47:18 right then and there. 47:20 I want to get the job done now. 47:22 So I came up with an idea. 47:24 Never done it before my life but I decided 47:28 since I was buying some of the parts 47:31 that I could get away with stealing the rest. 47:34 Because I'd never done it before I was really nervous. 47:38 So I spent quite a bit of time casing out the joint, 47:42 you know, walking up and down the aisles 47:44 making sure people weren't looking at me, 47:46 I was nervous, I was... 47:48 And I imagine that those department guys 47:50 looked at me and thought if anyone's 47:52 gonna steal something this kid is. 47:55 Went to the counter after I stuffed the stuff 47:58 in my coat pocket, paid for my goods, 48:02 started walking out the door and I heard this voice, 48:04 "Young man." 48:07 I ignored it pretended they were talking 48:09 to somebody else, proceeded out the door 48:11 and then I felt a hand on my shoulder. 48:18 Went into the back room in tears. 48:22 Then they called my mom and I really started crying. 48:25 Single parent mother. 48:27 That wasn't gonna work. 48:29 But that was what? 48:33 Forty years ago? 48:35 Has it been that long? 48:36 I was baptized since then, 48:38 accept the Christ as my Savior, 48:39 my sins have been cast in the depths of the sea. 48:41 Surely, they're not gonna come up in the judgment. 48:45 What does the Bible say? 48:48 Every work, whether it's good or evil, why? 48:52 Why? 48:54 Because we have an accuser in the judgment 48:57 and he's going to bring up the entire history 49:00 everything he can against us, 49:02 because he's trying to convince you and me 49:06 that there's no hope for us. 49:08 I don't know if you've experienced this 49:09 but there are times when you're gonna be 49:12 confronted with sins that you thought were forgiven 49:16 and forgotten a long time ago. 49:18 And you're gonna feel guilt over them, 49:19 you're gonna struggle over them. 49:22 But praise God, we have an advocate. 49:24 Amen. 49:25 Do not, do not let go 49:30 of your trust in Him. 49:33 So we finished 49:35 and the young lady was crying, weeping, 49:38 I said, "What's wrong?" 49:40 "I don't want to become an Adventist." 49:45 I said, "What do you mean?" 49:50 She said, "I was raised a Christian, 49:51 I was raised in a Christian home, 49:53 I was raised loving God, 49:54 I went to school with people who love the Lord. 49:56 We praise God, we're just like on fire. 49:57 He an Adventist 50:02 and his friends they go to Nevada 50:04 and they gamble all the time, they drink, 50:08 they do all kinds of stuff and then they want me 50:10 to go to church with them on Sabbath." 50:12 She said, "I'm afraid if I become an Adventist." 50:14 The guy squirming in his seat right now you understand. 50:17 "I'm afraid if I become Adventist, 50:18 I'm gonna become like him." 50:22 Do you get it? 50:24 You see where we are and where we need to be? 50:28 I said to that young lady, I said, 50:31 "Do not reject biblical truth 50:34 because we are failing to live that truth." 50:39 God does not now want to bring a lot of people in the church 50:41 because they would stumble of our backslidings 50:43 but I want to praise God. 50:45 No one who places their trust in the Lamb 50:47 needs to fear the judgment because the judgment 50:50 will bring an end to Satan's accusations. 50:53 So how many of you this evening want to say with me, 50:56 God investigate me. 51:00 Open my record, vindicate me 51:02 before the accusations of the enemy, 51:04 deliver me to me my inheritance, 51:07 the righteousness of Jesus Christ 51:09 and silence the accuser on my behalf. 51:11 If you want to say yes to that, please, 51:13 please raise your hand. 51:15 Praise God. God sees every hand. 51:17 Father in heaven, we're thankful this evening 51:20 for the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 51:21 We're thankful for the message of the judgment. 51:23 We're thankful that You are going to vindicate us 51:25 from the accusations of Satan. 51:27 We're thankful that we depend on Jesus 51:28 and not on ourselves. 51:30 We're thankful that we can have boldness 51:31 in this day of judgment. 51:33 We're thankful that even though we're judged by our works 51:35 because our works testify as to what we've done to Jesus, 51:39 what we've done with Jesus, 51:40 what we've done in responding to Him 51:42 that we are saved by grace. 51:45 And Father calls us to be saved by grace. 51:49 So that when those works appear the first one that appears 51:54 is that we believe with all our heart, mind and soul 51:57 on the Lord Jesus Christ. 51:58 Father we pray this in His name and that everyone say, amen. 52:02 Amen. 52:05 Thank you. Amen. 52:07 Praise God. 53:07 Praise the Lord 53:14 From whom all blessings flow 53:20 For He has washed 53:26 And made me white 53:32 As snow 53:35 I'm redeemed 53:41 From all my sin and shame 53:48 For now and forever 53:56 Praise His holy name 54:03 Praise His holy name 54:10 Praise His holy name 54:17 To God be the glory 54:21 Now and forever 54:24 Praise His holy name 54:53 God is great 54:59 And greatly to be praised 55:06 Above all others 55:14 Let His name be raised 55:21 Saints and angels 55:28 Ever more proclaim 55:34 That He alone is worthy 55:41 Praise His holy name 55:48 Praise His holy name 55:55 Praise His holy name 56:02 To God be the glory 56:06 Now and forever 56:09 Praise His holy name 56:16 Praise His holy name 56:23 Praise His holy name 56:30 To God be the glory To God be the glory 56:37 To God be the glory 56:44 To God be the glory 56:48 Now and forever 56:58 Praise His holy name 57:16 Praise His name 57:23 Praise His name 57:31 To God be the glory 57:35 Now and forever 57:39 Praise His 57:43 Holy name |
Revised 2023-05-02