Participants: John Lomacang (Host), John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL100015
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00:01 Hello, friends.
00:03 Grab your Bible and a friend and sit back 00:04 as we explore God's word together 00:05 on this edition of House Calls. 00:23 Welcome to the greatest show on earth, 00:25 it's not the Barnum and Bailey circus, 00:28 it's this and this is not a circus, 00:29 this is where God unfolds His word. 00:32 This is the Bible believing duo, John and John. 00:37 Glad to have you here today sit back 00:39 and hit the record button. 00:40 This is the program you do not want to miss, 00:43 because we are gonna come to you 00:44 straight from the word of God. 00:45 And we are gonna ask for the Lord 00:46 to be here, and bless us. 00:49 How are you doing today John? 00:50 I'm good, this is not a circus. 00:53 I think we know what we're doing to some degree. 00:56 Oh I think too a great degree, 00:57 God has blessed us to be able to sit here 00:59 and talk to those who are joining us via satellite 01:02 or internet or however they are watching 01:04 the program or listening on the radio. 01:06 Amen, amen! We will we continue 01:07 that trend here today with 01:09 the finishing of our topic on... 01:12 Dressing up for God. Adornment 01:13 and dressing up for God is the title 01:15 that we've assign to it so. 01:16 But have prayer for us. 01:17 Yeah, let's start with prayer. Okay. 01:19 Gracious Father, we just ask again 01:20 here for Your blessing, For your presence 01:22 to be here with us today. 01:24 Lord, every time we open up the word, 01:25 we know that You ask us to 01:27 rightly divide the word of truth. 01:29 And so we pray that will be the case again today 01:31 as we seek to understand Your will, 01:33 in Jesus name, amen. Amen. 01:37 Well, as I mention we need to get your Bibles together. 01:40 Get your Bibles and your pens and your pads 01:42 whatever you have or if you are one of those 01:44 high-techie people with the laptop or the little 01:47 iPod or iPhone or whatever you have 01:49 that maybe a device that 01:50 sends us emails, get it together. 01:52 And if you do have an e-mail questions 01:54 you can send those questions to us 01:56 here at housecalls@3abn.org, 01:59 that's housecalls@3abn.org 02:03 and org means organization. 02:05 But we think it means organize, 02:06 because we are organized, right John? 02:08 We are trying to be. We are organized. 02:10 We have some organized questions 02:11 that you sent into us. 02:13 Some of you have sent them in padded envelopes. 02:16 We appreciate those doctoral dissertations 02:18 that come in the form of thick letters, 02:21 sent it if it's really the desire of your heart, 02:24 and if it's a computer printout 02:25 John will get it, and we will answer together. 02:28 What do you have for me John? 02:29 You know I've got a good question. 02:32 Let's see it's coming from David, 02:35 and he says or he asks, 02:37 who is Elijah, who is to come before 02:40 the great and terrible day of the Lord? 02:44 Good question and verse here that he is using 02:46 or he is, he didn't actually give the verse, 02:49 but the verse that he is referring to here is in 02:52 Malachi Chapter 4 verse 5. Okay. 02:55 And in Malachi 4 verse 5 it says, 02:58 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet 03:01 before the coming of the 03:02 great and dreadful day of the Lord." 03:06 And so, we see a reference clearly there 03:10 to Elijah's appearance before the coming of Christ, 03:17 because that coming 03:18 of the great and dreadful day of the Lord 03:20 is a reference to Jesus' second coming. 03:22 That's right. Okay. 03:24 Now a lot of people can get a bit confused. 03:27 In fact in Jesus' first appearance, 03:31 He asked His disciples who did they say that He was. 03:35 And the disciples had several references, 03:38 one was Jeremiah help me remember here 03:41 and another one was I think Elijah, 03:43 in fact when He was on the cross they said 03:45 He is calling for Elijah. That's right. 03:48 So there is several things 03:49 that they suggested is to who He was and He said, 03:51 well who do you say that I'm? 03:52 And He said you are the Christ, 03:53 the Son of the living God and so. 03:57 The message there is that, there wasn't, 04:00 sometimes when it speaks in these terms 04:02 the Bible presents, it's not a literal 04:03 coming of Elijah back to life, 04:05 because the disciples clearly knew 04:07 as well as the Jews themselves that Elijah 04:10 without seeing death was ascend, 04:12 he was taken to heaven on a chariot. 04:15 And in fact as James and John and Peter saw 04:19 the transfiguration of Christ, 04:21 we know that He was met there by Moses and Elijah. 04:25 So Elijah isn't appearing here 04:28 in literal form before the coming 04:30 of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 04:31 It's the message of Elijah, 04:33 so what you really have to do, 04:34 is go back to the message of Elijah. 04:37 What did Elijah preach and who was he preaching 04:40 to before or during his time as a prophet here on earth. 04:45 That's really the question you've got to ask. 04:47 Okay, read that. And so, let me look here. 04:50 If you wanna a take a look here with me at 04:54 Elijah's message and I'm reading, 04:58 I pulled up some stuff that I did on this so. 05:01 Forgive me if I don't have 05:02 everything right there in front. 05:03 While you are looking for that, 05:04 you know you think about this 05:05 topic of Elijah, the coming of Elijah. 05:10 Some people believe that 05:11 Elijah is gonna be resurrected. 05:14 There are beliefs that people have that, 05:16 say well since Elijah was swept away 05:17 in chariot of fire, he never really dies. 05:19 So he is going to come back and visit us 05:21 shortly before the coming of Christ. 05:23 Well, you will find that those are not the points 05:25 the Bible is bringing out. 05:27 He is bringing out as John said, 05:29 the focus is on something 05:30 broader than just the man Elijah. 05:33 It's what Elijah stands for? 05:35 And what Elijah communicated 05:37 in his life when he was here on earth? 05:41 And as you know the Bible talks about 05:42 a few that didn't ascend to heaven. 05:44 Enoch walk with God, and was not because 05:47 God took him, but Elijah also had a role to fulfill 05:51 and I think the message is very clear. 05:52 Did you find that reference? 05:53 Yeah, and I think while the reference 05:55 we find is in I believe its 1st Kings. 05:59 Okay, yes. 06:05 While you are looking for that, 06:06 you want me make the reference text here? 06:07 Yeah, you go ahead. 06:08 You know when John the Baptist came preaching, 06:10 John the Baptist was one who was so significantly 06:15 connected to the coming of Christ, 06:17 he was the forerunner, he became before Christ. 06:20 And by the way they were six months apart 06:22 in natural age that is when Jesus was born, 06:25 Elizabeth is John the Baptist mother 06:28 and six months apart in age. 06:32 So John the Baptist proclaimed a message 06:34 and Jesus was concerned when the multitudes 06:37 kept going out to the wilderness 06:38 and kept talking about this man that they saw. 06:41 And you will find the narrative taken up here 06:44 in Matthew Chapter 11, as they departed 06:47 Jesus began to say that the multitude concerning John. 06:50 "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? 06:52 A reed shaken by the wind? 06:54 But what did you go out to see? 06:56 A man clothed in soft garments? 06:58 Indeed, those who wear soft clothing 07:00 are in kings' houses." 07:02 It's like he pray, "But what did you go out to see? 07:05 A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 07:09 For this is he of whom it is written 'Behold, 07:12 I will send My messenger before your face, 07:15 Who will prepare your way before Me." 07:17 And as you read this message you will see 07:20 that as John shares us with you it's about 07:23 something bigger than the man Jesus continued. 07:26 "Assuredly, I say to you, 07:27 among those born of women there has not 07:29 risen one greater than John the Baptist; 07:32 but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven" 07:35 And then he winds it up by saying this in verse 13. 07:39 "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 07:43 And if you are willing to receive it, 07:46 "that is His message, "he is Elijah who is to come. 07:50 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" 07:53 And so it was more about the message in. 07:55 You are focusing on that actual message 07:56 that Elijah preached. 07:57 Yeah and the Elijah message was given 08:00 through John the Baptist, 08:02 prior to Christ First Advent preparing His way, 08:05 so the people would acknowledge Him 08:06 and receive Him, just like the coming of the Elijah 08:09 message in the last days just before the second coming 08:12 would prepare the people to receive Jesus 08:15 the second time. That's right. 08:16 And so what that Elijah message, 08:18 well through John the Baptist it was repent 08:20 and be baptized and then receive Christ 08:25 and acknowledge all that he came to do for you 08:27 through His great sacrifice. 08:29 But in the last days it's also includes 08:32 an element of repenting but, 08:33 I find that it also includes another part 08:36 of the Elijah message, which we find in 08:38 1st Kings Chapter 18 and it says in verse 20, 08:43 "Ahab" that is King Ahab of Israel, 08:45 "sent for all the children of Israel, 08:47 and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel." 08:50 Now these prophets were not God's prophets. No. 08:53 They were the prophets of Baal. 08:55 And in fact if you know anything about the story, 08:59 Ahab Mary Jezebel who was not an Israelite 09:03 by far, in fact far from it. 09:05 She was and her ancestors were worshipers of Baal. 09:09 And so she set up and really cultivated that 09:16 apostle prophet group of Baal worshipers 09:19 that were really became the wise men of 09:22 "Israel" at that time. 09:24 And Ahab followed them and those were the ones 09:26 they gathered together on Mount Carmel. 09:28 As a matter fact if we read the text on Mount Carmel 09:31 there were 450 false prophets in Israel 09:34 and 400 prophets of Baal, 09:35 they had correlates together... 09:38 They were false prophets but some were from Israel, 09:40 yeah, exactly, some were actual Baal, 09:43 Baal worshipers from long ago. 09:45 Now says in verse 21, 09:46 "That Elijah came to all the people, 09:48 and said," and here is 09:49 the first part of his message to the people. 09:52 "How long will you falter between two opinions? 09:57 If the Lord is God, follow Him but if Baal, follow him." 10:02 But the people answered him not a word." 10:05 They are gonna wait and they are gonna see 10:06 what's happens on Mount Carmel. That's right. 10:09 Now the first think I recognize here 10:11 that I will take from this passage is the message 10:13 of Elijah actually comes to Elijah's people. 10:18 Okay, now that's significant and that this message, 10:22 the first time the John the Baptist came to who? 10:25 The people of Israel. 10:27 Now we find in the last days that message 10:29 also comes again to the people of Israel, 10:33 because as we read lay out to deceive 10:35 which is God's last day people. 10:37 They are also faltering between two opinions. 10:39 They are neither cold nor hot, 10:41 they go back and forth, they are lukewarm, 10:44 it's this blended lukewarmness that is affecting the church. 10:47 And so the Elijah message will help to get them 10:51 to wake up from their faltering 10:53 between the two opinions staying on fence 10:56 to get them to see who and determine, 10:58 who are they gonna worship. That's right. 11:00 And we know part of the last message 11:01 in Revelation Chapter 14 is worship God, 11:05 return to the worship of the God. 11:06 So all this harmonizes together. 11:08 And of course we know the rest the story here, 11:10 if you've read it, if you don't, 11:11 I invite you to seriously read 1st Kings 18 11:16 and this message of Elijah 11:19 and how the people saw this fantastic, 11:22 this incredible miracle working power of God 11:25 on Mount Carmel to reveal that he was God not Baal. 11:29 And we don't have time to go through that whole story, 11:31 but I will go to the end of the story. 11:32 Because I think it also is insight into God's 11:38 people in the last days and what they will face 11:40 as this Elijah message goes forth. 11:42 We find at the end as the fire came down 11:45 out of heaven consumed the altar, 11:47 consumed the rocks, consumed the water, 11:49 consumed everything on it. 11:51 To reveal that God was the true God 11:54 that it says here in verse 37, 12:01 Elijah speaks up again, this is part of his message again. 12:04 He returns to preaching to the people, 12:07 "Hear me, O Lord, hear me, 12:09 that this people" now he is taking to God first. 12:11 "That this people may know that You are the 12:13 Lord God, that You have turned 12:14 their hearts back to You again. 12:16 That's when the fire came down 12:17 and burnt sacrifice, the wood and the stones and the dust, 12:20 and it licked up the water, everything in the trench." 12:23 Now look at this, "When all the people saw it, 12:26 they fell on their faces; and they said, 12:28 "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God! 12:32 And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! 12:34 Do not let one of them escape!" 12:36 So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down 12:39 to the Brook Kishon and executed them there". 12:42 Now, think about this, 12:45 just put in this picture in your mind. 12:49 Not only are Elijah there, 12:52 the people of Israel are there, some false, 12:55 some really honestly seeking who is God, 12:58 but Satan and his host there. 13:01 And Satan being very observant is saying, 13:06 fire comes down out of heaven, 13:08 the people see that and they acknowledge God. 13:12 Wouldn't it be a neat thing if I could do that? 13:16 And so we turn to Revelation 13. 13:26 And we find in Revelation 13 part of this, 13:28 deception being set up by Satan himself. 13:31 We see in the beginning of verse 13 13:34 as you read from verse 1 down through about verse 10. 13:38 How this first beast assumes power 13:43 in seeking worship and everything it says 13:45 that when they worship him, they really worship who? 13:50 as we find in Revelation Chapter 12. 13:53 but now look at this, verse 11 of Chapter 13. 13:57 "Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, 14:00 and he had two horns like a lamb 14:01 and spoke like a' who is there again? 14:04 Dragon. 'Dragon. 14:06 And he exercises all the authority 14:09 of the first beast in his presence, 14:11 and causes the earth and those who dwell in 14:13 it to worship the first beast, 14:15 who's deadly wound was healed. 14:17 He performs great signs, so that he even makes 14:21 fire come down from heaven 14:23 on the earth in the sight of men." 14:25 And what is his goal? 14:27 Verse 14, "To deceives those who dwell 14:30 on the earth by those signs which he was granted 14:32 to do in the sight of the beast." 14:34 So Satan is going to bring fire down 14:38 from heaven again only this time he is looking 14:41 for people to say, this first beast 14:44 and what he is wielding in power, he is God. 14:48 Yeah! He is God 14:50 and I believe within here, 14:52 Satan is the one calling down 14:54 fire from heaven, but not only that. 14:56 In appearance he is presenting himself 14:59 as God and people are going to follow him 15:02 because of that miracle working deception 15:05 that he performs in the last days. 15:07 And so part of the Elijah message 15:09 which you will find in Revelation 14, 15:12 even before this in Revelation 10 and 11. 15:15 The finishing of the mystery of God, 15:17 the unfolding of God and who he is? 15:19 Is a message that comes to the people of God 15:22 to recognize Him for who He is, 15:25 to worship Him to knowledge Him 15:27 as the creator and then at the same time 15:30 we find the devil setting this example down 15:33 on Mount Carmel trying to set up his systems of worship 15:36 calling fire down from heaven 15:38 and calling people to worship Him. 15:40 So you see the same thing repeated 15:41 and that's why I think that we find here 15:44 the Elijah message as Malachi said will be repeated, 15:48 or will come just before the second coming of Jesus. 15:50 Matter of fact when Malachi, 15:52 where exactly Malachi says I will send you 15:53 Elijah the prophet before the great 15:55 notable day of the Lord. 15:57 And so clearly you see Elijah 15:59 in the Old Testament Elijah through John the Baptist, 16:02 Elijah's message again in the end time 16:04 and it's very well put together. 16:05 It's the message that's the focus not so much 16:07 the man that makes the difference. 16:10 Anything more in that John? 16:12 No that's good. 16:13 I will tell you that is very well put together, 16:15 because Satan is a master illusionist. 16:18 He creates illusions, he is not able to create life, 16:22 he is not able to create anything. 16:24 He cannot create, he is not a creator. 16:26 So he brings in the form of an illusion 16:29 making people believe that fire has come down, 16:32 making people believe that he has given life 16:34 as he did in the Old Testament, 16:36 where Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh lay down, 16:38 Moses rod and it turned to serpent. 16:40 Well, Jannes and Jambres were the magicians 16:43 that resisted Moses and Aaron. 16:45 And the Bible talks about them, 16:46 what if they do, they also made 16:48 these rods into serpents. 16:50 But it was an illusion, it was not the 16:52 actual ability of Satan to be able to create life. 16:55 So be very careful when you expose yourself to illusions, 16:59 because the master illusionist is behind it. 17:02 Here is another question. 17:04 I thoroughly enjoy your program in a word 17:06 which is brought forth. 17:08 Can you clarify what your faith believes 17:10 in regarding baptism, specifically what are 17:15 the words said over the person as they are baptized. 17:19 Okay, this one comes up quite a bit but 17:22 since you may not have heard the answer before. 17:25 Do you baptize according to Acts 2 verse 38. 17:28 Let's go ahead and read what Acts 2:38 says, 17:32 Acts 2 verse 38 the Bible says, 17:33 "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, 17:35 and let every one of you be baptized 17:38 in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; 17:41 and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." 17:44 Well, first of all this text is not saying, 17:46 that's what he said over them, 17:50 he didn't say this over a person 17:51 before he baptized them. 17:53 He is saying when you are baptized, 17:54 be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. 17:57 And what you have to get there, 17:58 when the Bible uses the word name. 18:01 This is something John that people miss, 18:03 they miss it like a pink elephant, 18:05 you now in a wedding dress shop. 18:09 I don't know how I came up with that one, 18:11 but anyhow... Elephant in the room. 18:12 An elephant in the room. 18:18 The word name is from the Greek word authority. 18:23 When Jesus said and this is why 18:26 they pit Jesus against Peter. 18:28 And let me ask you the question, 18:30 who is greater? Jesus. 18:31 Obviously, but Peter is not fighting 18:33 of the words of Jesus and Jesus is not 18:36 dawning against the words of Peter. 18:38 There is no combat here between while I know 18:40 Jesus said that but Peters said that. 18:43 That's not that's what churches are doing now, 18:45 that they are pitting Jesus against his disciple. 18:47 They are making Peter the authority 18:49 and Jesus following Peter's word. 18:52 Jesus said in Matthew 28, 18:53 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, 18:56 baptizing them in the name of the Father 18:59 and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 19:01 teaching them to observe all things that I command you." 19:04 And people look at that and say well now 19:06 that's not what our church does, 19:08 we are the New Testament church. 19:09 Well, excuse me if Jesus' command 19:12 is not good enough for you, 19:13 then you are not a church period. 19:14 You got to follow the commands of Christ. 19:16 "Man does not live by bread alone, 19:18 but by every word that proceeds 19:21 from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4. 19:23 So the word Jesus gave here in Matthew 28 verse 18 to 20. 19:27 The commission that we call it, 19:29 the authority of the father, 19:31 the authority of the son, 19:32 the authority of the Holy Spirit, 19:34 the authority of Jesus, Acts 2 and verse 38, 19:37 it's the same thing. 19:39 There is no controversy, there is no separation, 19:42 there is no difference. 19:43 There is no well, Peter had it, 19:45 he narrowed it down to Jesus only. 19:48 There is no difference, 19:49 father, son and the Holy Spirit. 19:51 But for those who have views that believe it's different, 19:54 that's where the controversy comes in. 19:55 But we baptized in the authority of the Father 19:59 and the authority of the Son 20:00 and the authority of the Holy Spirit. 20:02 There is no other name that we should do that in. 20:05 And by the way why did Peter, 20:08 why did Paul the Apostle, 20:09 and Peter all agree that the only authority 20:12 you can baptize in as Jesus. 20:14 Because Jesus is the lamb, 20:16 we overcame by the blood of the lamb. 20:19 It is His shed blood, He is our propitiation, 20:22 He is our sufficiency, He is our substitute. 20:25 That's why we present Jesus as the lamb, 20:28 that why we accept Him as our sacrifice. 20:31 I said a mouthful there, 20:32 I hope you got something out of it, okay. 20:35 Very good, very good, well said. 20:37 One question here on Jesus 20:42 being or Jesus drinking alcohol? 20:46 And it says, I'm sure that you have dealt 20:49 with this question before, but I'm convince that 20:51 Jesus did not indulge in fermented drink. 20:54 That being said can you deal with 20:55 the verse in Matthew 11:18 and 19. 20:58 And so we will go ahead and do that Matthew 11. 21:01 Okay, turn there with us. Eighteen and nineteen. 21:07 Matthew 11, here it is. 21:09 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, 21:12 and they say, 'He has a demon.' 21:15 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, 21:18 and they say, 'Look, a glutton 21:19 and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 21:24 But wisdom is justified by her children." 21:27 Now there is no reference within 21:32 the scriptures that Jesus took a drink of 21:36 fermented alcohol of wine. 21:40 There are references to Jesus turning 21:42 watering to wine, the references to him 21:46 eating and drinking with those 21:47 who were consuming wine. 21:49 There is a reference to them trying to 21:51 force Him to drink wine on the cross, 21:54 but there was no, there is no scripture 21:57 or reference to him actually 21:59 consuming wine as part of his life. 22:02 Okay, so what they do was many that say 22:05 well let's try and find a way to, you know, 22:09 or the right to be able to drink and say well 22:12 it's only in moderation, because clearly 22:14 the Bible says, you know, you shouldn't become drunk, 22:16 because as you become drunk, 22:18 you loose your inhibitions and other things 22:20 that clearly make you do things that aren't godly. 22:24 And that is also true, but we find here 22:27 in this text is sometimes people argue 22:30 that he was drinking with those 22:32 he was hanging out with and so they called him 22:36 a winebibber or a friend of sinners 22:40 is another reference in scripture. 22:42 But in fact it doesn't say that 22:44 Jesus was drinking, it says simply 22:47 that He associated with those in this 22:49 "party scene" and so they spoke this way of Him, 22:54 not that He actually did this. 22:56 So read that verse very carefully, 22:59 Sin, fermentation and alcohol was actually 23:03 a symbol of sin, of something that was tainted 23:08 with sin just like leaven in bread 23:11 was a reference or a symbol of sin. 23:13 So when you have communion, 23:15 they say that you should have your bread without leavening. 23:18 That means there is no tainted or no sin 23:21 evident in the body of Christ 23:23 as Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice for us. 23:27 Similarly in the juice, in the wine 23:30 which represents His blood and others the body 23:34 we already talked about, now his blood. 23:36 To say that it was also tainted with alcohol 23:39 or that wine which have alcohol in it, 23:41 is saying that Jesus Himself was somehow 23:43 tainted by sin, that's also not true. 23:46 So there are many indications here 23:48 although not direct scripture references, 23:49 many indications that, Jesus did not, 23:53 would not have partaken of any fermented wine, 23:56 but that would have been, 23:58 juice fresh from the wine. 24:00 John, it looks you are looking for few things 24:02 here as well to add to this, 24:04 but the rest of scripture actually 24:06 is pretty clear and pointing to the 24:07 effects of wine and how that, you know, 24:11 impacts a person who drinks it. 24:13 You know the interesting thing John is that 24:15 just on the surface, if you think of everything that 24:18 is associated with alcoholic drinking. 24:21 Parting up and everything that goes 24:23 along with that, I just can't put Jesus in that scene. 24:28 I see Him reaching them in a mission 24:31 to pour out His love upon them to draw them to Him, 24:34 to pull them out of that scene, 24:35 but I don't see Him becoming part 24:37 or remaining part of that scene. 24:40 I don't know there is no clear indication 24:43 or any suggestion in the Bible that He would do that. 24:46 He removed Himself from that kind of situation. 24:50 Let me go ahead and put this whole controversy to rest, 24:55 not that I'm the final word on it. 24:57 But let me go ahead and just share 24:59 with you a couple of passages here that I believe shed more 25:02 than just adequate light on this. 25:04 Okay, let's first start with how 25:07 Jesus was being designated. 25:11 Matthew 2 verse 23, go there with us, 25:14 Matthew 2 verse 23. 25:18 You know, John I actually 25:20 come to the conclusion this is not in epiphany 25:23 that it really pays to study your Bible 25:25 and for years of Bible study, I have like 5 or 6 Bibles 25:29 and I go back and I could see them, you know, 25:31 all the markings, markings and we get 25:32 another Bible marker again, 25:33 another Bible marker again. 25:35 And from doing that the Bible text 25:37 come back to our minds when we need them. 25:40 Right, yeah. 25:41 And I remember first of all, 25:43 let's talk about Samson, Samson was a Nazirite 25:47 and as a result of being him a Nazirite, 25:50 he was not to eat anything unclean, 25:55 he was not to drink wine nor strong drink. 26:00 All right, okay. 26:01 It wasn't even to partake of juice 26:04 from the wine at all. 26:05 Right not at all, not at all. 26:07 Now listen to this. 26:09 When it comes to refereeing to Jesus 26:11 oh that right, I said Matthew 2 didn't I? 26:14 Well, I'm in Matthew 3, here we are. 26:15 Two twenty three. Okay, Matthew 2 verse 23. 26:18 Now, let's start with verse 22, 26:26 "But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning 26:29 over Judea instead of his father Herod, 26:31 he was afraid to go there. 26:33 And being warned by God in a dream, 26:35 he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 26:39 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, 26:45 that it might be fulfilled which was 26:47 spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a" what? 26:51 'Nazarene". Now this is something else. 26:56 To be called a Nazarene you fall into the 26:59 very same category as did Samson. 27:01 You cannot drink wine, nor strong drink. 27:07 And Jesus is in fact, he was from the city of 27:10 Nazareth, so that the words of the prophet 27:12 might be fulfilled, He was a Nazareth 27:16 the very same thing that's the 27:17 scriptural support of the fact that 27:19 He will never drink strong drink nor wine. 27:23 That's the strongest evidence we have 27:26 that Jesus did not do that, because He is a Nazarene. 27:30 The scriptures are being fulfilled, 27:32 that's why He went to Nazareth. 27:33 And so when you find these references 27:35 in the Bible, when you find these references 27:38 in the Bible and I will make reference 27:40 of the one I talked about a moment ago. 27:42 Judges 13 verse 7, 27:43 "Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. 27:46 Now drink no wine or similar drink, 27:51 nor eat anything unclean, 27:53 for the child shall be a Nazirite to God 27:56 from the womb to the day of his death." 27:58 And one of the things that Nazirite 28:00 is they had long hair 28:05 and they couldn't shave their head. 28:07 When they shave their head, 28:08 there were no longer under the Nazirite creed. 28:13 That's why when Samson 28:16 shaved his head he lost his strength. 28:19 Paul talks about being a Nazirite also. 28:21 And so you see clearly then the Bible takes about 28:23 this particular decision that they made to follow. 28:26 It was showing that with the description of being 28:29 a Nazarene, certain rights came with it. 28:32 One was no strong drink, no wine 28:35 and Jesus was a Nazarene. 28:37 And so when he says, "He was a glutton, 28:39 a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!" 28:42 It's talking about the people that he sought to reach. 28:45 The people that He hung out with, 28:47 and that's why they titled Him so 28:49 and the Jews who titled Him so 28:51 were the once that rejected Him. 28:54 Jesus was not a winebibber, 28:55 He was not a glutton, He did not drink 28:59 with tax collectors, harlots and sinners, 29:02 but He sought to reach them. 29:05 Okay, I think I said enough? 29:07 Yeah, it's a very good point to... 29:09 Because you couldn't be a Nazarene 29:10 and drink strong drink, you could not be, could not be. 29:14 Anyway we have a lot of questions 29:15 that we've covered today. 29:17 Thank you for your questions and comments. 29:18 I had another one that we will have to cover 29:19 on another program, but not about this particular topic. 29:22 But if you have any more questions and comments 29:24 you could send them to us here at 3ABN. 29:26 You can go to housecalls@3abn.org, 29:29 that's housecalls@3abn.org, 29:32 and you can reach us right there 29:35 and send those questions to that email, 29:38 we do appreciate it very much. 29:41 Today we are gonna try to wind up 29:42 on this topic of adornment. 29:44 There is so much to say in reference to it, 29:48 but what I want to do by catapulting into this, 29:52 because I want to start with a principal. 29:54 We talked about this and I generally 29:55 mentioned it over and over. 29:58 Let's go to a point O sheet there 30:04 and we are gonna go to Exodus Chapter 25 and verse 8. 30:08 And then we are gonna catapult ourselves 30:10 to the New Testament. 30:12 Well, and remember, we said, 30:13 we come back to Ezekiel 16. 30:15 That's the biggest part, let's springboard 30:17 from there and then go into. 30:21 You know, we usually don't it's funny 30:22 because people have asked me, 30:24 do you guys, you know, have a script? 30:26 You know, and we don't. 30:28 We don't script this, but we will bring notes, 30:30 or we will bring things sometimes 30:32 and in front of us as a general guide. 30:34 And sometimes actually that can be a little confusing 30:36 because we bounce around anyway. 30:38 You and I tend to let the spirit lead 30:41 and kind of go all over the place, so. 30:42 Right and we are organized honestly, we really are. 30:47 Some people say well, you know, 30:48 you guys pull the scripture here 30:49 and pull the scripture there. No! 30:51 We allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us 30:52 and if our mind is in one area and we need 30:54 to be in the other, he will let us know. 30:56 We are in Ezekiel 16 and by the way I was 30:58 talking about the story, right? 31:02 How the Lord was ordaining, 31:05 how the Lord was adorning His people. 31:07 He talked about how they were when He met them. 31:10 We read Ezekiel 16, we read from verse 1 31:13 down to verse 9 and then we are going to see 31:17 how the Lord changed. 31:20 How the Lord changed our standing with Him? 31:23 And John why don't you go ahead and start by 31:25 unfolding that for us in verse 10. 31:30 Okay, "I clothed you in embroidered cloth 31:34 and gave you sandals of badger skin; 31:37 I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 31:41 I adorned you with ornaments, 31:43 put bracelets on your wrists, 31:44 and a chain on your neck. 31:46 And I put a jewel in your nose, 31:47 earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 31:52 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, 31:54 and your clothing was of fine linen, 31:56 silk, and embroidered cloth. 31:58 You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. 32:02 You were exceedingly beautiful, 32:03 and succeeded to royalty. 32:07 Your fame went out among the nations 32:09 because of your beauty, for it was perfect 32:12 through My splendor which 32:13 I had bestowed on you, " says the Lord God." 32:17 Notice interesting your fame went out 32:20 because of your beauty for it was 32:22 perfect through My splendor. 32:24 Okay, now I want to get this. 32:26 Now I want to get the beautiful story here, 32:28 because I know that, say that again about My splendor. 32:33 It was God's splendor in what He was doing to their life. 32:38 Not that He was doing or literally 32:41 putting these jewels on their body. 32:43 And if you go back to the beginning of the story 32:45 this is what people often miss 32:47 the beauty of the story which connects us 32:49 right away to Revelation Chapter 21. 32:52 Jesus was talking about what He did 32:54 to Jerusalem, not just what He did. 32:58 This was not what He did to his people, 33:00 but He said this is what we may 33:03 refer to as metaphoric language. 33:07 You have simile, you have, 33:13 you have parables, but you have metaphors. 33:16 And this is the metaphoric language used 33:18 on how He made Jerusalem to be glorious. 33:21 How He brought glory to His people. 33:23 How He took them out of shame, 33:24 and out of abandonment and reflected on them His glory. 33:30 And He use this entire language 33:32 is the beautiful description of an oriental wedding. 33:36 What they do, they dress with all kinds of jewels 33:40 and ornaments and the pastries 33:42 and the honey and all the food at the wedding. 33:45 This is the kind of language that is used 33:47 in this particular story all the way through. 33:50 But if you want to find the reference to it 33:52 what he is saying again verse 1, 33:54 "Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 33:56 'Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations.' 34:01 "So, he is talking about "and say "in verse 3, 34:05 "and say, 'Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem." 34:08 You see He is talking to his city, 34:10 and He is saying this is what's happened 34:12 because of the people and because of 34:14 what they have done in the city. 34:15 And I've redeemed you, and I have beautified you, 34:17 I've covered all of that shame 34:19 and that nakedness and that why 34:21 verse 14 as you pointed out John. 34:24 "For it was perfect through My splendor 34:29 which I had bestowed on you, " says the Lord God." 34:31 And so that was the picture 34:32 that was give here not so much. 34:34 If you go little further too you look at verse 17 34:37 taking about you know 15 through 17 goes into 34:40 how they corrupted that and in verse 17 it says, 34:43 "You have taken your beautiful jewelry 34:45 from My gold and My silver." 34:48 And God didn't literally hand them ear rings, 34:51 this is handing down gold from heaven. 34:53 This is what He made them into, 34:55 they even corruptive that. 34:57 You know if I think about it John, 34:59 you know Jesus plan for the Jews was it they 35:02 would be a light to the Gentile. 35:04 God's plan from the very beginning was it that 35:05 He would so bless them in so many ways 35:08 that people will be drawn to them 35:11 and see that they are of a different character 35:13 of a godly character. 35:15 It wasn't about this wasn't a prosperity gospel, 35:17 this wasn't bless them so much with 35:19 gold and silver in its literal form, 35:21 although Solomon had plenty of that, 35:24 but it wasn't his goal to show them, 35:26 that to show the world the prosperity gospel. 35:29 He is to show the world a character change gospel. 35:33 And that's what this really is all about. 35:37 If you take this in its literal form 35:39 and you will apply it today and say, okay, 35:42 see we can decor ourselves out with all the stuff. 35:45 What you are actually saying is 35:46 that God will bless you with material goods 35:49 and that will be evidence that you are a godly person. 35:52 And that is far from you even know in principle 35:56 that is far from the truth of God's word. 35:58 That's right as a matter... 35:59 So this has to be metaphorical, 36:00 this cannot be in literal, 36:02 it's cannot be taken literally. 36:03 I'm so glad you have mention that John, 36:05 because let's go ahead. 36:06 Before we finish this, let's go to the Book of Hosea, 36:09 and I didn't include this is our syllabus here, 36:11 but this matter of fact I sure did. Hosea 2:13. 36:14 Go with us to Hosea and by the way 36:16 you will see this picture once again 36:18 when the Lord talks about His people. 36:20 One of the most beautiful stories 36:21 in Bible is the story of Hosea and Gomer. 36:24 And how the Lord said, "Go, marry a harlot!" 36:28 He tells Hosea to, marry a harlot 36:30 and the harlot's name is Gomer. 36:32 But, then He talks about the beauty, 36:33 He takes about the way that she apostatize, 36:36 He talked about His relationship 36:38 with His people, Jerusalem. 36:40 And then through the story of Hosea and Gomer, 36:44 He gives this picture. 36:45 Here it is Hosea Chapter 2 and let me go ahead 36:52 and give you the very beginning of the story. 36:56 Okay, okay here it is. 37:02 Verse 13, where I'm now? 37:05 "I will punish her" and you were talking 37:07 about this earlier for. 37:09 "I will punish her for the days of the Baals 37:13 to which she burned incense." 37:15 Notice the comparison between Ezekiel God 37:19 adoring His people, but look at what says here. 37:22 "She decked herself." Herself that's right. 37:27 "With her earrings and jewelry." 37:32 Notice, her earrings and jewelry and it says, 37:36 "went after her lovers; 37:39 But Me she forgot, says the Lord." 37:42 So notice this I've said to people today 37:44 this is the beautiful thing about the story. 37:45 And people say, well see God believes in jewelry, 37:47 because He said she decked herself. 37:49 Yes, here is the principle, 37:51 first of all our body is the temple of God. 37:53 We are gonna talk about that in a broader sense. 37:56 The body temple is the temple inside and out. 37:59 We don't pollute the inside, 38:00 nor do we hang foreign God's on the outside. 38:03 You find that in Genesis and Exodus so and so forth. 38:06 But the second principle I want to bring out is 38:09 yes, you could wear all the jewelry you want 38:15 as long as God puts it on you. 38:19 He says in Revelation 3, 38:21 "Buy of me gold tried in the fire." 38:26 That you may be rich, so if your gold is not gold 38:31 tried in the fire, that you brought from God, 38:33 then that's inappropriate jewelry, 38:37 or inappropriate adornment. 38:39 The one directing the program today, 38:40 I mentioned something and I will mention it here. 38:43 Do you see the character change here? Totally. 38:46 Where it says that she decked herself 38:49 with earrings and jewelry and then what did she do? 38:51 She went after her lover's and forgot the Lord. 38:54 How often it is that those who get caught up 38:57 in jewelry and adornment and all the other things, 39:00 tend to kind of go out and be like the 39:01 world more, not follow God's plan 39:04 and God's design for them. 39:06 You can even see some of the evidences 39:09 within the church of that. 39:12 You know it's a natural tendency to look at 39:14 somebody when they are all decked out 39:16 and think a little bit in your heart and mind fakey. 39:20 I mean it's just, it's a natural thing for us to think 39:22 on all of this, they are really decked out, 39:25 about tones of makeup and all the other stuff, 39:28 you know, really caked it on and the hair 39:30 and everything, boy they look really kind of fakey. 39:34 And I can bring up some you know TV evangelists 39:38 and wives and stuff which we won't name them, 39:40 but some that have looked really fakey 39:42 and that's been kind of a problem, a crutch for them. 39:44 It can actually be a crutch for the sharing of the gospel 39:47 to be so focused on that. 39:50 And I think it's really important to know 39:53 that even in Hollywood, when beauty is spoken off, 39:58 they tend to name the ones 40:00 that have a more natural beauty. 40:03 Audrey Hepburn often comes up as being like 40:06 the natural beauty of all beauties 40:10 and I'm just talked about the way they look. 40:12 I'm not talking about character now. 40:15 We just naturally are more drawn to a natural beauty. 40:19 But, when we deck ourselves, 40:20 it tends to be well, they are just kind of putting that on. 40:22 And I believe that we can do that even in our character. 40:26 And this verse really says a lot, 40:28 it says volumes to me of the change 40:30 that is involved in a person that really begins to 40:32 adorn themselves rather than letting the Lord adorn them. 40:37 And that is really a big issue 40:38 here the issue of adornment, 40:40 is it the righteousness of Jesus, 40:43 is it His glory that's being reflected 40:46 or is it some jewelry that you brought 40:48 in the store local somewhere. 40:49 And by the way when we continue the topic 40:51 you will discover that the Bible doesn't 40:52 talk about modest jewelry. 40:54 And nowhere does it mention modest jewelry. 40:58 Jewelry is not mentioned in the sense of, well, 41:00 get the small ones or the steadier rings or 41:03 just the little tiny ones, it's hard to see. 41:06 While those things may look cute 41:08 and may be in fashion and style. 41:10 God is not the one who follows the styles 41:13 and fashions of the worlds. 41:14 He moulds us to reflect His glory. 41:17 And all you have to do nowadays 41:18 John to be unusual is not to wear jewelry, 41:21 not to have a tattoo, not to pierce your ears, 41:24 not to have something that's hung above 41:26 your eyebrow, and not to form their vein, 41:28 and it's almost a place, it's almost at a place 41:30 where you are pressured into it in society 41:33 with this great pressures tend to try to mould us 41:35 to be what God doesn't intend for us to be. 41:38 Here is the principle brought out again 41:40 in Isaiah and we connect Ezekiel, Hosea. 41:43 Now look at Isaiah Chapter 4 verse 1 41:46 it's the very same thing, the very same principle, 41:50 the very principle brought out. 41:52 Isaiah 4 verse 1 and it says, "In that day seven women, 41:58 'seven churches as depicted there 42:01 'shall take hold of one man" the man Christ Jesus, 42:06 "We will eat our own food." 42:09 Meaning our own bread, our own teachings 42:13 and wear our own apparel. 42:15 Notice how he uses apparel in the sense of righteousness. 42:20 "Only let us be called by your name, 42:22 To take away our reproach." 42:24 Give us the name Christian. 42:26 And today honestly friends so much of Christianity 42:28 looks so much like the world, but in what sense? 42:31 We aren't looking at the heart, 42:33 we are not talking about the heart here, 42:34 so you want to get the picture here. 42:36 We are not talking about the heart, 42:37 but we are saying if the heart is in the 42:40 same place as the life, then what's happening 42:42 on the inside is often reflected on the outside. 42:47 You know you can't say that well it doesn't 42:48 really matter what you see in the outside, 42:50 it does matter because what's going on the 42:52 inside often happens on the outside. 42:54 Lot of people say, why is she so angry? 42:57 Or why he is so angry. 42:59 It's something that's being shut up 43:00 in the heart, that's happening on the outside. 43:02 In the same way if the world is on the inside, 43:05 the world is gonna be seen on the outside. 43:07 If Christ is on the inside, 43:09 He is gonna be seen on the outside 43:10 and what does He say, "Let your light so shine". 43:15 Now John, More people are saying they spend 43:17 all their time in the Old Testament, 43:19 and we are under the new covenant, 43:21 we are New Testament Christians. 43:22 All right, so now let's go to the New Testament. 43:25 And the time we have which we've only 43:27 had about 15 minutes here left. 43:29 Let's bring out a few texts here that usually 43:33 you know these passage in the 43:34 New Testament reference the old. 43:36 They are teachings from the old, 43:37 because those are the scriptures they use. 43:39 So these are principles found in the Old Testament 43:42 and then written about in the New 43:44 and we will see that pretty clearly. 43:46 That's right, which one you want to go to first? 43:47 First Corinthians I think you have that? 43:49 Okay, 1st Corinthians, Chapter 6, 43:53 Chapter 3 verse 16 and 17. 43:55 This is beautiful because you know in the 43:56 Old Testament one of reasons 43:58 when you read this, okay here I'm. 44:02 You want to read that one for us John? 44:04 Yeah, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God 44:06 and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 44:08 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. 44:11 For the temple of God is holy, 44:13 which temple you are." That's right. 44:15 So that's the foundation, 44:17 that's the principle that even when God was 44:19 adorning His temple on earth 44:21 the Earthly Sanctuary, He told them 44:23 what needed to be on it. 44:25 And so He is providing the work 44:27 of the adornment with us. 44:30 I think it was good that you said, 44:32 you can wear all the jewelry you want 44:34 as long as the Lord puts it on you. 44:35 Because it is the Lord's temple, 44:37 you are the Lord's temple. 44:39 That's right, that is the major principle. 44:41 Somebody will say, well, you know, 44:42 can't we eat unclean food or can we 44:44 drink alcohol every now and then, 44:46 that's why so many people struggle over 44:47 whether or not Jesus drink wine when he was 44:49 on the cross, because it say you can't even 44:51 drink a little bit, you can't even sip it 44:52 and they know that, that's why they often say, 44:54 well, did He not get defeated when he 44:57 took off the vinegar and the wine 44:59 that the Roman soldiers offered Him. 45:00 Well, He didn't drink it. 45:02 He did not ingest that into his body. 45:04 Even if we find any support that He tasted 45:07 it and spit it out, He did not ingested into His body. 45:10 And so we find the fact that we often go to 45:12 those references because we say well, 45:14 He could not do that and be our Savior. 45:16 And that's the whole point friends, 45:17 the body being the temple of the Holy Spirit 45:20 is the place where the Lord abides. 45:22 And we know what we shouldn't and should do. 45:25 That's why we often set those standards for ourselves 45:27 and the word of God makes 45:28 that principle very, very clear. 45:30 In the context here is referred to 45:31 up in verse 12 because it talks about, 45:33 "Builds on this foundation with gold, 45:34 silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 45:37 "all the things of the world and then it saying 45:40 your body though is the temple of God, 45:41 so this clearly is a reference. 45:43 A connection here to at least an inference 45:48 to jewelry worn on the body, 45:50 to putting yourself or decking yourself up. 45:51 And that's why verse 11 says, 45:53 there is no other foundation you can lay, 45:55 except the one that Jesus lays 45:56 which is in fact Himself. 45:58 He is the foundation, He is the stone, 46:00 He is the sure foundation, the unmovable one. 46:03 And so it says now when Jesus is your foundation, 46:06 don't you know that your body is His temple. 46:10 1st Corinthians Chapter 6, 46:11 go to that one next John, are you there, 46:13 or you in another passage. 46:14 Oh, I jumped ahead, you read that one. 46:15 Okay, I will read that one 46:17 1st Corinthians Chapter 6, verse 19 and 20. 46:20 And the way that Paul says it, it says, 46:22 "Or do you not know" 46:24 Chapter 6, verse 19 and verse 20. 46:28 "Or do you not know that your body 46:30 is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, 46:32 whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 46:35 For you were bought at a price; therefore. 46:38 Get this friends glorify God in your body 46:42 and in your spirit, which are God's." 46:44 Notice, we don't just glorify God in our spirit. 46:47 Some people say I'm in the spirit, 46:48 I'm singing in the spirit, 46:49 I'm walking in the spirit. 46:50 Jesus says yes but you are 46:51 walking your body in the spirit. 46:54 You are worshiping me in spirit and a truth, 46:56 but you are doing that through 46:57 what you do with your body. 46:58 And that's why Paul says Romans 12 verse 1 and 2. 47:01 Present your body as a living sacrifice 47:04 holy expectable to God, which is your reasonable service. 47:08 Now get this, when the lamb was presented to the Lord, 47:11 it couldn't have blemished, 47:13 it couldn't have cuts, it couldn't have tattoos, 47:15 it couldn't have holes in it. 47:17 So when you present your body as a living sacrifice, 47:19 no cuts, no tattoos, no holes. 47:21 If in fact that was the case, 47:22 then the Lord is a redeeming God 47:24 and those issues become no more effective, 47:26 when you give your life to the Lord. 47:28 There's some individuals that have 47:29 tattoos they can't get rid of. 47:31 You can't uncut or un-hole your ear, 47:34 you can take the jewelry out. 47:36 You can un-tattoo some of the things 47:39 have a tattooed, unless you want to 47:41 go through some severe pain. 47:43 Matter of fact I know this is a funny story. 47:45 I know a pastor I'm gonna be very vague here 47:48 who has a tattoo on his arm of a lady. 47:52 A pastor who has a tattoo on his arm 47:54 of a lady, a naked lady. 47:56 On his arm and I, I looked at that night 47:57 I kind a suggested that you know, 48:00 aren't you a pastor, shouldn't you remove that, 48:02 he says he keeps it there 48:03 to a remind him of his formal life. 48:06 Well, I probably would take it off. 48:07 Boy! I wouldn't wear a short sleeve shirt, 48:10 you know, that's my whole point. 48:12 But the redemption factor is he reminds him 48:15 of us formal life, and I believe that 48:17 in the same context, I would or would not, 48:20 that's not my decision. 48:22 But I wouldn't display it, 48:23 because it could send the wrong message. 48:25 Right, you know, there is a couple other verses, 48:27 we've got to hit that before we finish up today. 48:31 I think one is real good, 48:33 which is 1st Peter 3:3 and 4. 48:36 But before we go there, I want to read the one 48:37 from the 1st Timothy that we have 48:39 reference here in Chapter 2, 48:40 okay and it says beginning in verse 8. 48:43 "I desire that the men pray everywhere, 48:46 lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." 48:49 Interesting though reference there, 48:51 pray lifting up holy hands. 48:53 How people have the problem with others 48:55 lift up their hands and it is biblical. 48:57 It's surely is biblical. 49:00 Verse 9, "In like manner also, 49:01 that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, 49:04 with propriety and moderation, 49:06 not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 49:10 but, which is proper for women 49:11 professing godliness, with good works." 49:15 So interesting here the connection of 49:17 your profession what you wear, 49:18 what you dress and what you are? 49:20 On the outside is a profession of 49:22 what you are on the inside... There it is. 49:26 If you profess Christ, if you profess godliness, 49:29 you should look Christ, you should look godliness. 49:32 Your characters reflected on what you have on the outside. 49:36 And on this text, when it says broided hair, 49:38 some of the translation is lost 49:39 when it says braided hair. 49:41 It's not braided, its broided hair. 49:44 In fact what they did was a practice was, 49:46 you may have seen this today people with braids 49:50 and lot of hair, they embroider into their hair, 49:52 strands of gold and pearls and jewels. 49:56 Right, it becomes an item of jewelry. 49:58 I'll elaborate, exactly, they make it an article 50:00 of jewelry they make it into the very elaborate setting. 50:03 And so Lord says, that's not what I'm desiring. 50:05 You will find He says, I like what it says, 50:09 professing, godliness, women professing godliness. 50:12 And John I've this magazine article 50:16 I was intended to bring with me today, 50:17 but there pictures not an Adventist magazine, 50:19 but there is a picture a lady coming into 50:23 a church building scantily clad, 50:26 very, very high heels, short dress back out, 50:29 you know, just look at the clothing of a club 50:33 and or should standing by the door 50:35 and it's a black magazine and the caption is, 50:39 I know you are not coming up 50:41 here dress like that, it's a church. 50:44 And in this magazine which is a contemporary 50:48 Christian magazine, it showing that even 50:51 in churches that are not Seventh-day Adventist 50:55 by profession are saying enough is enough. 50:58 Come on ladies, come on gentlemen 51:01 just like godly people. 51:02 Yeah, speaking to the membership that have 51:05 a higher responsibility. Right. 51:07 To follow the plans of God, the ways of God, 51:10 you know, and we are not advocating 51:13 to call everybody out when they came to the church, 51:15 because there are some people who don't know 51:17 who maybe dressing little scantily, 51:18 because that's all they know, 51:20 and you got to be careful not to 51:21 wound that soul and push them out 51:23 before they even get in, that's not we are saying. 51:26 We are simply saying the standard must be 51:29 is higher for those who call themselves 51:31 Christian to look the part that is that 51:36 part within that has been a transform life in Christ. 51:39 And I think that's one of the things that 51:41 Paul is writing to Timothy about that what you look 51:43 like on the outside reflex what you are on the inside. 51:47 First Peter let's read that one. 51:49 Yes. First Peter Chapter 3. 51:51 Verse 3 and 4, yeah, read that one. 51:53 Verse 3 and 4, "Do not let your adornment 51:57 be merely outward, arranging the hair, 51:59 wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel, 52:02 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, 52:06 with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, 52:09 which is very precious in the sight of God." 52:11 And by the way some of the... 52:12 The word merely is added, 52:13 I know what you are gonna say. 52:14 No, but in the King James is, 52:19 "with the incorruptible beauty" when it says 52:21 with the "ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, 52:24 "in the King James Version. 52:25 But also if you look at the New King James Version 52:27 the merely outward, some people will say 52:29 will see it's merely that means 52:30 that saying that you can also do the 52:32 outward of wearing this, but also as long as 52:34 you have the good heart you okay. 52:36 And merely was add. 52:37 But merely was added, it actually says, 52:39 "Do not let your adornment be outward." 52:41 Right exactly, but the point that 52:44 we don't want to miss is the 52:46 thing that is important to God, 52:48 is the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, 52:53 which is precious in the sight of God. 52:55 That's was being emphasize, 52:56 which is precious in the sight of God. 52:59 You may point a moment ago I want to chime in on 53:02 and I will mention that now. 53:04 Let's go to Revelation because our time is 53:05 running up and we haven't more, 53:07 we will go ahead and try to cover that but, 53:11 but go to Revelation showed two picture there. 53:13 You know one of the reasons why so much 53:16 articles of clothing are shown or sold nowadays, 53:20 got my essence together, like basketball jerseys, 53:25 designer jeans, designers sneakers 53:27 is because young people tend to emulate 53:29 the people that they admire the most. 53:32 And that is called power in advertising 53:34 that's what's it called. 53:36 That's why you have certain clones and, 53:38 I remember years ago they have this perfume 53:40 says wind songs stays on your mind 53:42 and you get that scent and is associates 53:44 and you have Britney Spears perfume and Jennifer Hudson 53:49 and Jennifer Lopez and Elizabeth Taylor. 53:54 Everybody wants to identify with their Icon and, 53:56 so they buy the thing that identifies the most 53:58 and then they have the little one diamonds offer, 54:00 if diamonds are girl's best friend. 54:02 So people get to the point of identity 54:04 and start saying will this is the person I want to emulate, 54:07 this is my favorite basketball star, 54:08 so I'm gonna dress like him, 54:10 by her perfume, by her jeans 54:12 and that's what's happening in the world today. 54:14 That's why the church is so emulated, 54:16 that's why the church is emulating to 54:18 a great degree the world and what was saying 54:20 and nut shell is come on let's pullback and let's get 54:22 to the point where reflected the glory of God. 54:24 And the glory of God is in that gentle and quiet spirit. 54:28 Peaceable spirit and a natural beauty 54:32 that God is giving you from the very beginning. 54:34 I think God did a good job and we were born. 54:36 I agree. Okay. 54:38 Two women representing two churches in the 54:41 book of Revelation, the first ones introduce 54:44 in Revelation Chapter 12, verse 1, 54:46 "Now a great sign appeared in heaven: 54:47 a woman clothed with the sun, 54:50 with the moon under her feet, 54:52 and on her head a garland of twelve stars." 54:55 Guess who put that on her. The Lord did. 54:57 The Lord did, so this woman is a pure woman 55:01 one that is look at the same reference to this 55:05 woman a couple Chapters later in verse 14, 55:08 speaking of the servants which are part of this 55:11 woman it says, "These are the ones who were 55:12 not defiled with women, for they are virgins. 55:14 These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. 55:16 These were redeemed, 55:18 And in their mouth was found no deceit, 55:20 they are without fault before the throne." 55:21 See there is pure character in this woman. 55:25 And the people that it represents. 55:27 Beautifully said John it shows 55:29 the connection with God, and but on the converse 55:32 you find in Revelation Chapter 17, 55:34 we are not gonna read all the verses, 55:35 but you know it talks about the 55:36 great harlot in verse 1, but what kind of picture 55:39 does it give and we have to ask ourselves 55:41 the question when we wind this program up, 55:43 whom do we best represent, 55:45 and I think the picture here. 55:47 "The woman was arrayed in purple" verse 4, 55:49 "and scarlet, and adorned with gold 55:51 and precious stones and pearls, 55:53 having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations 55:56 and the filthiness of her fornication." 55:59 Notice the picture there and by the way 56:00 purple and red are not bad colors, 56:02 but what color is missing, the color blue. 56:04 When you look at the temple curtains 56:06 it was purple, red and blue. 56:08 Blue representing the law of God 56:10 so the woman here does not represent the law God. 56:13 The law of God is kicked out Revelations Chapter 12, 56:16 the woman there keeps the commandments of God. 56:19 But the woman here doesn't reflect the glory of God, 56:21 but what substitute that she have 56:23 gold and precious stones and pearls. 56:25 And so ask Christians who do we best represent? 56:29 The woman of Revelation 12 56:31 or the woman of Revelation 17? 56:34 The one that God wants to reflect his glory 56:36 and on that robbing the glory of God. 56:38 Yeah, but the other one that place the harlot. 56:39 And that's same reference to Hosea with the harlot. 56:43 She decked herself and went out 56:45 and played the hard the rule of the harlot. 56:46 And this church is also doing 56:48 that as we find in Revelation 17. 56:50 So the church is come a long way, 56:52 the Satan is trying to get the church to become 56:55 reactive and a body that starting to go backward. 56:59 We are saying it's time to go forward in Christ. 57:01 Any points on that John before we closed it. 57:03 No, no close it out. 57:04 Okay, well friends you know God has 57:06 a plan for your life in a beautiful way, 57:08 he said let your light so shine before man 57:11 that they may see your good work 57:14 and glorify your father which is in heaven. 57:16 Let the glory of God shine forth from your life. 57:19 Not the things that are temporary, 57:21 not the things that are transient, 57:22 not the things made by the world. 57:24 God has given us a glory to reflect 57:26 let it be his righteousness and his salvation 57:29 when that is seen Jesus will be uplifted, 57:32 God bless you and accept Jesus today. |
Revised 2014-12-17