Participants: John Lomacang (Host), John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL150012A
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00:01 Hello, friends.
00:02 Grab your Bible and friend, 00:04 and sit back as we explore God's word together 00:06 on this edition of House Calls. 00:26 Welcome to the place. 00:28 This is the place, 00:30 there is no place like this place 00:33 anywhere near this place, so this must be the place. 00:37 John, welcome to the Bible place. 00:40 It's good to be here. 00:41 I know you probably wonder, 00:42 what did he said at the beginning of... 00:44 Well, I always don't even come up with something. 00:46 Well, this just in case you think this is the place, 00:48 this is House calls. 00:49 And... 00:51 And its unscripted. 00:52 Unscripted, we are... 00:54 this is Bible studies unplugged. 00:56 The only thing we plug in to is the power 00:57 of the Holy Spirit. 00:59 Praise the Lord. 01:00 We need the Holy Spirit every Bible program. 01:02 Thank you for tuning in 01:03 and spending this thoughtful hour with us in prayer. 01:05 You know, you know it's gonna be good 01:08 because we talk about topics that are relevant, 01:10 that are sometimes controversial. 01:14 But as we said on one of our prior programs, 01:16 we are completely politically incorrect. 01:19 We have not been tainted by the conservative and liberals, 01:22 we are just simply... 01:24 As one person said, as I've said to one person, 01:27 "I'm affected by the gospel, infected by Jesus Christ." 01:31 There we go. 01:32 So Praise the Lord for that. 01:33 Anyway, we're gonna have some prayer in a moment here 01:35 but we'll tell you after the prayer how to get, 01:37 how to send your questions and your comments. 01:39 And then we're gonna finalize our topic on... 01:42 Baptism. Baptism. 01:43 Very important. 01:45 People need to know what it means to be baptized, 01:47 how to get ready for it, what to do after you had been, 01:50 and what the purpose of baptism really is. 01:52 And so thank you for tuning in. 01:53 But, John, before we go to our questions, 01:56 have prayer for us. 01:57 Let's do then. 01:58 Father in Heaven, we will love you, 02:00 and that's why we're here to open your word, 02:02 because this is how you speak to us. 02:05 So Lord, please speak to us today through your spirit, 02:08 send him with abundance into the lives of us to guide 02:12 and direct us but also to those who are listening, and hearing, 02:16 and viewing this program. 02:18 In Jesus' name, amen. 02:19 Amen. 02:21 And as you know, we have your questions 02:22 and if you like to send any questions to us 02:24 you can send those to the email that appears on the screen, 02:27 housecalls@3abn.org. 02:30 That's housecalls@3abn.org. 02:34 Org means organized, 02:36 organization, something to that effect. 02:37 But just use that email address. 02:39 But if you don't have any email address, 02:41 you can send it to, PO Box 220, West Frankfort, 02:46 Illinois-62896, attention: House Calls. 02:51 And that is by the way, the 3ABN address, 02:54 Three Angels Broadcasting Network. 02:58 John, what do you have for us today 02:59 as far as questions are concerned? 03:01 Yes, we got a message, 03:02 a question that comes from Trinidad and Tobago. 03:07 And I know that you have some routes there? 03:10 That's right. 03:11 And there's good question here, 03:12 "When the Sunday law will be passed, 03:16 will individual still have a chance 03:18 to make it right with Jesus? 03:21 Or probation have been closed 03:23 for those who are professed Christians?" 03:26 Good question. 03:29 The only way to really answer this is really 03:32 an in-depth step to understand 03:34 how the secrets of events are gonna come out 03:36 here in last days. 03:37 But what we find in Revelation 13 03:40 is that a test is gonna come upon the world. 03:43 That's right. 03:44 There is gonna incredible miracles, 03:47 Revelation 13: 13, 03:49 fire coming down from heaven to convince all the world 03:53 that Christ has come, but he is not. 03:55 This is the false Christ that's going to be here. 03:57 He deceives those by the signs, verse 14, 04:03 he was granted power 04:05 to give breath to the image of the beast. 04:06 And this image, if you study Prophecy, 04:09 is the uniting of a church with state to form a bond 04:15 that has ability to impose morality 04:18 and church and worship and things. 04:22 And then he causes, verse 16, all rich, small, and great, 04:25 rich, and poor, free, and slave to receive a mark 04:27 on their hand or on their foreheads. 04:30 That is those if follow them and follow the edicts 04:34 and the laws of this image brings above, 04:36 this unification of church and state. 04:38 And then no one made, buy, or sell, verse 17, 04:41 unless you have that mark. 04:43 So you can see everything here, 04:45 John, kind of is a test of will you, 04:49 will you succumb to force. 04:53 And the laws that are inactive that bring about a requirements 04:57 for morality for what they believe 05:00 is, what Christ himself was appeared 05:02 is asking them to do. 05:04 Right. 05:05 Or will you remain loyal and faithful to God 05:07 and his commandments. 05:08 And which is why the next chapter, Chapter 14, 05:12 gives a picture of the different people. 05:14 It's those that are blameless, 05:16 who have the seal of God in there forehead, 05:17 not the mark in their forehead or their hand, 05:19 but a seal of God in their forehead. 05:20 Okay. 05:22 Who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, 05:24 and that's of course, verse 12 of Chapter 14. 05:27 You have them side by side 05:29 because at the same time 05:31 these things are being enforced, 05:33 there is message going to the people of the world. 05:35 That's right. 05:37 So what I see is during this testing time, 05:41 very clearly that it is a test 05:44 because they can make a decision. 05:46 And the decision will be, do I follow the beast 05:49 in its image and the enforcement, 05:52 the legalization and enforcement 05:54 of Sunday worship, or will I follow God, 05:58 keep his commandments, 05:59 including the fourth commandment 06:00 which specifically has been added it to the point of... 06:06 a test. 06:07 Okay. 06:08 And that will determine or declare one's loyalty 06:11 to and faithfulness to God and his commandments. 06:14 So at that time, people will make their decision, 06:17 you're finally entire world enwrapped, 06:19 or at least require to make the decision 06:21 in some kind or other, and then probation will close. 06:24 You know that's... 06:26 And I say this because there are some who advocate, 06:27 I kind to know where these questions coming from, 06:29 there are some who advocate a probation closing 06:32 for the people of God before it closes for the world. 06:35 And not only can we now find that in scripture, 06:38 we don't find that in the writings 06:39 of inspiration either, Spirit of Prophecy. 06:41 It's just not there. 06:43 Probation will close, its one test, 06:45 and it causes at the same time for everybody. 06:48 Now it doesn't mean that some will make their decisions 06:50 before others, that will happen. 06:52 Right. 06:53 Well, the probation closing 06:54 where you can no longer make a decision thereafter, 06:56 it happens at one time. 06:58 Right. 07:00 Very important, very important topic, 07:01 matter fact one of the things 07:03 that I've noticed in the proliferation, 07:08 prognostication of these messages 07:10 simply mean the prophecies, 07:12 the big old words, confusing people, 07:14 what's wrong with you. 07:16 What I've noticed in these prophecies is, 07:20 you have Revelation 12 then you have Revelation 14, 07:23 nestled between that you have the references, John, 07:27 just talked about Revelation 13. 07:29 These two powers, the powers of the papacy 07:33 and you have the powers of the United States, 07:35 both in concert, making laws 07:39 that now bring the people of this country, 07:43 the United States, to a place where they have to decide 07:46 to follow the dictates of God, the commandments of God, 07:50 or the commandments of man, 07:52 the dictates in the laws of the land. 07:54 And so when the Bible says, that he cause, 07:56 he speaks Revelation 13: 11, 08:00 "I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, 08:02 he had two horns like a lamb but he spoke like a dragon." 08:07 The dragon Revelation 12: 9 is the devil. 08:09 So, and through legislative enactments 08:14 the United States, and I want to say this unequivocally 08:16 because you're gonna see this prophecy. 08:18 And what my statement will do 08:20 and what Revelation understanding, 08:22 it will do for you is, it will calibrate your listening. 08:27 You know... It's right. 08:29 It'll calibrate your listening. 08:31 You'll be able to hear what you haven't heard before 08:34 when you listen to news broadcast, 08:36 when you listen to the kind of relationships 08:38 that the United States has with the Vatican, 08:39 whether its Pope Francis if its him 08:41 or somebody else that comes along, 08:43 if he's no longer in power. 08:45 Doesn't really matter 08:46 who sits in the seat of the Roman hierarchy. 08:48 But their focus is to cause the world to come 08:54 under the banner of this false institution 08:56 of Sunday worship. 08:57 And its happened around the world, 08:59 around the globe. 09:00 Matter fact there is the European Sunday alliance. 09:04 You just type that in Google, 09:06 you'll see how powerful that is, 09:07 the whole of Europe is being pushed, 09:11 legislation one after the other to honor Sunday. 09:16 But what you have and this what I want to make very important 09:19 because if you wait till that time, 09:21 if you know that these things are coming, 09:24 you don't wait it for the heat to turn up... 09:26 That's right. 09:27 To make your decision. 09:28 Because if you're not making small decisions day by day 09:31 to be faithful to God and his word 09:33 and his commandments, 09:34 you're not gonna make a decision 09:36 when the furnace is heated seven times hot. 09:37 Yeah, you can't say, well, if it happens 09:38 then all make my choice now. 09:40 That's why you set yourself up for complete failure, 09:42 like the Hebrews. 09:44 The Hebrews said to Nebuchadnezzar, 09:46 and I like the way they said that. 09:48 When he thought, wait a minute, wait a minute, 09:50 these guys are in my cabinet, they are in my government, 09:53 why are they not bowing down to this image I've set up? 09:57 And when you read Revelation, an image will be set up, 10:00 people will be pointed to that image, 10:02 said, worship that image. 10:03 And that's what the United States is gonna do, 10:05 they're gonna point to the Vatican, 10:06 to Rome and its passed afflictions 10:10 and its restorations to say, 10:12 that's the beast that was wounded, 10:13 now it lives, worship whatever it establishes 10:16 as the parameters of worship. 10:18 The Hebrew said to Nebuchadnezzar, 10:20 and this is the way were the daily preparation comes in. 10:22 They said we, oh, king, live forever, salutation. 10:27 But we don't really need to address you on this matter, 10:29 we don't need to talk about this. 10:31 The God we serve was able to deliver us 10:33 but if he doesn't we're going to serve him anyway... 10:36 We've already made up our mind. 10:37 Our mind is made up. 10:38 So if your mind is made up before the image is setup, 10:41 if your mind is not made up 10:43 before the legislation is enacted, 10:45 if your mind is not made up 10:46 before it becomes a test of you can't buy or sell, 10:49 then you will really not make up your mind 10:51 when all your livelihood is on the line. 10:54 And that's what buy or sell means. 10:55 Yeah. 10:57 It takes away your ability to function in this world. 10:58 Right. 10:59 You can't get food, you can't do business, 11:01 you can't do anything 11:02 unless you're following and obeying the edicts 11:06 of this united power that is really driven by Rome. 11:09 And you know, John, 11:10 you know easiest becoming to completely 11:12 delete us from existence. 11:14 Now they're making smart phones, 11:17 so smart that they want us to put our 11:19 credit card information on there, it's a GPS, 11:22 it knows where you are anytime any moment of the day. 11:25 All your phone calls and contacts 11:26 are being monitored. 11:28 And as we saw recently on the news on CNN, 11:31 NSA, you know, this Edward Snowden thing, 11:35 we are being monitored in America 11:37 and around the world. 11:38 You know, the whole world is involved in this information 11:40 gathering of that happens. 11:43 Whether we believe it or not its happening. 11:45 But they're getting to the place 11:47 where your cell phone is everything about you. 11:49 And when you know start getting to the place 11:51 where you put your credit cards on there, 11:52 you sign your transactions, your full identity, 11:56 all that they have to say to Verizon or Sprint, 11:59 or AT&T is shut John's account down. 12:04 Which connects to your bank and everything else, 12:07 shut it down, he no longer has access to anything. 12:10 But here are the two things that you do, 12:13 here's the one thing you do to prepare. 12:15 One, what must you do to prepare? 12:19 First of all, you got to trust God. 12:21 You have to commit yourself to worshiping him 12:23 the way that he is to be worshipped. 12:25 "Fear God and give glory to Him, 12:28 worship him that made heaven and earth, 12:30 the sea, and the springs of waters." 12:31 That's honors the Sabbath, that's Revelation 14: 6 and 7. 12:36 But look at what the devil is focusing on 12:39 that is the real focus of those who are being faithful to God. 12:43 Revelation 12:17, 12:44 "The dragon the devil is in rage with the woman, 12:48 went to make war with the remnant of her seed, 12:52 which keep the commandments of God, 12:53 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 12:56 Once you keep God's commandments 12:57 and you're proclaiming His message 12:59 the devil is angry with you. 13:01 So don't fall for this idea 13:02 that God's commandments are done away with. 13:04 That's demonic talk. 13:07 If your pastor says, "It's done away with, 13:08 " he is in lien with the dragon, 13:10 he doesn't want people to keep it, 13:11 so it's either done away with. 13:13 You might even see that's dragons speak? 13:14 Does dragon speak? 13:17 Dragon, that's right. 13:19 Good title for a sermon. Dragon speaks. 13:21 Wow. 13:22 And then lastly, Revelation 14:12, 13:25 "Here is the patience of the saints, 13:27 here are those who keep the commandments of God, 13:30 and the faith of Jesus." 13:31 See, so between this test 13:33 commandment keepers are before the test, 13:36 commandment keep are patient after the test. 13:38 If you honor the commandments of God 13:40 it won't become an issue when the test comes. 13:43 But if you say, 13:44 well, I'm gonna worship the way I wanna worship, 13:46 and when test comes then I'll make a decision then. 13:48 I know somebody that said that to me. 13:50 I'm gonna go to church on Sunday 13:52 until the time comes and if this Sunday law ever does come, 13:55 well, I let those who are in my fellowship 13:58 know that this is the Sunday law, 14:00 now we got to make it change. 14:01 Na-ah, your decision to serve the Lord 14:04 is a day by day decision, 14:06 you don not make a decision 14:07 when the furnace is seven times hotter, 14:09 until, unless you've been making 14:11 small decisions everyday. 14:13 That's right. That's right. 14:14 You know, and I'll say it too, we're in a periods now 14:16 where it says that the first beast 14:19 who's deadly one wound was healed, its happening. 14:21 You know we used to talk about, you know we used to preach, 14:24 John, about things that will happen, 14:27 now we preach about things that are happening. 14:28 That's right. 14:29 It's a different ball game, its something different now. 14:31 We're finding a rise to power to prominence to acceptance 14:36 that is unprecedented in the United States. 14:39 We were back in JFK's days 14:40 when he was coming into president, 14:41 the protestant world was concerned 14:43 that a catholic was rising to power 14:45 and becoming the president of United States. 14:46 Now, every group is protestant and on-- 14:50 denominational or whatever you wanna say is in embracing 14:53 and welcoming Rome into the fabric of our society. 14:59 Now they see Rome as a champion a morality, 15:02 let's set a side of differences of opinion, 15:04 let set a side our doctrines and other things 15:06 for the coming good of Christianity. 15:08 We have built a platform now 15:10 for rapid movement of last day events. 15:13 And let me tell you if you are anywhere close to New York 15:16 or at least if you are in the United States 15:18 at a time where the twin towers fell at 9/11, 15:22 you find that the instant reaction 15:23 during major disasters 15:25 and struggles was to turn to God. 15:28 Whether you believe in God or not, 15:29 they were in church. 15:31 And all will take much is just something that agitate 15:35 or that destroys or some kind of disaster 15:38 and things that will turn people 15:40 may be you know a lot, 15:42 very quickly in fact toward religious issues. 15:46 And who's gonna be put in place 15:48 there to answer these questions. 15:49 But today, 15:52 the Roman catholic pontiff. 15:53 Roman, I was just, I mean, 15:54 I don't want to date this program 15:56 'cause I know it'll be seen again. 15:57 But when I went to Washington DC 15:59 to listen to the speech 16:01 that Pope Francis gave to congress, 16:05 it didn't really matter who was in the crowd, 16:08 everybody was in enamored. 16:11 They said, he's our Pope. 16:13 And I said, well, oh, you're catholic? 16:14 No. 16:15 Anglican? No. 16:17 Methodist? No. 16:18 They mentioned their denominational name. 16:20 I thought, is your Pope, he's not my Pope. 16:23 He is a Pope but he is not my Pope. 16:25 My leader is Jesus. 16:28 See, the only one that is perfect. 16:30 But here's where it's gonna come, 16:33 John 11: 50, 16:35 the same thing said about Jesus. 16:37 "It is expedient for us, 16:40 that one man should die for the people, 16:43 and not that the whole nation should perish." 16:46 Its necessary. 16:47 Lets get rid of him, 16:48 we don't wanna effect the nation. 16:50 And when you shall be hated of all nations 16:54 for his name sake, 16:55 that'll say the same thing 16:56 its necessary that they should died 16:58 than the whole nation should perish. 17:02 Anyway, thank you for that question, 17:03 John, I was, 17:04 I like those prophetic questions. 17:06 Here's another question. 17:07 "In Hebrews 9:27 it says, 17:09 'And as it is appointed unto men once to die, 17:14 but after this the judgment?' 17:16 Is this death physical?" 17:20 Yes, this is the physical death. 17:22 "If it is, 17:24 do we then die physically at the rapture?" 17:27 Well, first of all, 17:29 let me just put this in proper context 17:30 'cause when people used word rapture 17:32 I don't mean if they mean 17:34 that been caught up to meet he Lord, 17:36 well, I don't mean if they mean 17:37 the secret snatching way of the church 17:40 and all the certain people disappearing. 17:42 Whatever category that you might fit that in, 17:47 the way the Bible communicates it is in 1 Thessalonians 4, 17:52 lets go and look at that. 17:54 1 Thessalonians 4, 17:56 this is how it is going to occur. 17:58 And the only ones that die when Jesus returns, 18:01 and I like to use the phrase 'when Jesus return.' 18:03 That's the word rapture, 18:05 has so much baggage connected to it. 18:08 Jesus is first of all, not gonna return secretly, 18:12 he's gonna return audibly, visibly, 18:14 and the entire earth is gonna be effected by that. 18:16 John, could you read 1 Thessalonians 4:16 18:23 and 17. 18:25 "For the Lord Himself 18:26 will descend from heaven with a shout, 18:28 with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, 18:31 and the dead in Christ will rise first. 18:34 Then we who are alive and remain 18:36 shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, 18:38 to meet the Lord in the air, 18:39 and thus we shall always be with the Lord." 18:42 Okay, now reading this passage, 18:43 this is talking about Jesus is gonna return. 18:45 He's gonna descend from heaven with a shout, 18:47 he's not gonna touch the earth. 18:49 The rapture theory teaches 18:53 that the churches gonna be 18:54 snatched away in then seven years, 18:55 later Jesus is going to come and start 18:58 this earthly millennial reign. 19:00 He is not coming back to be with us, 19:02 he is coming back for us to be with him 19:04 and go to prepare a place to you, John 14:1-3. 19:08 But so the answer to your question, 19:11 'Do we die physically at the rapture?" 19:13 At the second coming, 19:15 the only ones that die are those 19:17 that have never given there hearts to Jesus. 19:19 Matter fact, Revelation 6, look at this. 19:23 Revelation 6. 19:26 Thought I know you were going there? 19:27 Why don't you read that one for us, 19:29 because I wanna turn to another one, 19:30 Revelation 6. 19:33 That was verse 14. 19:34 There you go, okay. 19:36 "Then the sky received this as a scroll 19:38 when it is rolled up, 19:39 and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 19:42 And the kings of the earth, the great men, and rich men, 19:44 and the commanders, the mighty men, 19:46 every slave, every free man, 19:47 hid themselves in the caves 19:49 and in the rocks of the mountains, 19:50 and they said to the mountains and the rocks, fall on us, 19:53 and hide us from the face of him 19:54 that sits on the throne, 19:56 and from the wrath of the Lamb, 19:58 For the great day of his wrath is coming, 20:00 who is able to stand?" 20:02 That's clearly a picture 20:04 of the second coming in the visible appearance, 20:07 what was just described by the apostle Paul 20:09 1 Thessalonians 4, 20:11 which is that he comes with a shout, 20:14 with the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. 20:17 And this is the response then by the wicked 20:20 who aren't in Christ, 20:22 who want to get away from his face. 20:25 They look to the rocks 20:26 and the mountains to fall on them 20:28 and they'd rather perish than face him. 20:31 In 2 Thessalonians, 20:32 he talks about 20:33 that also the wicked one who will be revealed 20:37 and consume by the brightness of the Lords coming. 20:41 So the wicked one that will be revealed, 20:44 this man of sin that Paul talks about, 20:49 who's coming is after them marvelous working of Satan, 20:52 here it is. 20:54 2 Thessalonians 2 20:57 and it starts with verse 7, all right. 21:02 And this what I see today 21:03 in the movements of the papacy, John, 21:05 to be very honest with you. 21:06 "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, 21:10 only He who now restrains 21:13 will do so until He is taken out of the way. 21:18 And then the lawless one will be revealed, 21:21 whom the Lord will consume 21:24 with the breath of his mouth 21:25 and destroy with the brightness of his coming. 21:28 The coming of the lawless one 21:30 is according to the working of Satan, 21:32 with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 21:37 and with all unrighteous deception 21:39 among those who perish, 21:41 because they did not receive the love of the truth, 21:43 that they might be saved. 21:45 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, 21:48 that they should believe the lie, 21:51 that they all may be condemned 21:52 who did not believe the truth 21:54 but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 21:57 So you see here, 21:58 the wicked one is gonna be revealed. 22:01 And by the way, the wicked one, 22:05 and not only Satan 22:07 but the wicked one 22:08 who's coming is after the working of Satan. 22:12 So you have the man of sin 22:14 and you think who is the man of sin 22:16 that's gonna be revealed. 22:17 Well, look at who it's, 22:19 look at what is says in verse 4. 22:21 Matter fact, yeah, verse 4. 22:28 Well, verse 3, 22:29 "Let no one deceive you by any means 22:33 for that Day will not come 22:35 unless the falling away comes first, 22:38 and the man of sin is revealed, 22:40 the son of perdition, 22:42 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God 22:47 or that is worshiped, 22:49 so that he sits as God in the temple of God, 22:54 showing himself that he is God." 22:56 Okay, so you see... 22:57 That's the antichrist power, right there. 22:59 There it is, 23:00 so clearly indicative of the antichrist power. 23:03 First of all, 23:04 the Antichrist power is doing this because Satan said, 23:08 that's exactly what's his desire was, 23:10 I will be like the most high, I will sit in the congregation, 23:16 I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, 23:19 I will be like the most high. 23:21 So what Satan desires is exactly 23:23 what he is accomplishing through his earthly power, 23:26 through the power that represent him on earth. 23:28 And I say this as a person 23:30 whose family is predominantly a catholic, 23:32 my family is, 23:34 I say that the system of Catholicism 23:36 in all of its forms is a corrupt system 23:38 that's why when we continue proclaiming this message 23:42 that Lords people 23:44 who are there in all these systems of worship 23:47 and these systems where truth has been omitted, 23:49 well, come out of her 23:51 and be a part of God's remnant commandment keeping people. 23:55 Unequivocally that's what the Lord is called us to do. 23:57 You know you started off this by talking about 23:59 and mentioning the rapture. 24:01 Right. 24:02 And tiding with 2 Thessalonians 2, 24:04 what I wanna say is that 24:07 the rapture theory actually disarms you 24:10 from discerning antichrist. 24:15 Okay, here is how. 24:17 Because the rapture theory puts the antichrist appearance 24:21 in the middle of seven years of tribulation 24:23 when the church has already raptured. 24:24 Right. 24:25 The church isn't here 24:27 and then in that seven year period 24:29 the second chance happens 24:30 and that's when the antichrist power 24:32 prosecutes Christians 24:33 that are making their decisions, 24:34 their second chance decisions to follow Christ. 24:36 Right, that's according to the theory. 24:38 That's according to the theory. 24:39 That's what the rapture theorist believe. 24:42 But here's what it does in effect, 24:45 when Satan appears 24:47 and the antichrist is here 24:49 proclaiming to be Christ, 24:52 they will believe he's Jesus and their alarm, 24:55 they're sounding alarm will not go off, 24:57 because they will say, they will reason this, 24:59 the rapture hasn't happened yet, 25:02 so it can't be the antichrist. 25:04 Think about that. You're right. 25:05 The rapture, 25:07 the seven years of tribulation hasn't come yet, 25:08 the rapture hasn't occurred the church is still here 25:12 so this can't be the antichrist. 25:13 And here he is, 25:15 Satan himself claiming to be Christ, 25:18 performing miracles right in front of them. 25:20 And they are bowing down before him 25:22 and following his commands. 25:23 But all along it's the antichrist, 25:26 the supreme antichrist empower and in place to deceive. 25:30 And, John, you'll notice, and friends, 25:33 you'll notice that if you study history 25:35 or rather than having to study history, 25:38 if you just a peak into the way 25:40 that people set themselves up to be Gods or Demigods, 25:46 all throughout the history of humanity, 25:47 when it came to... 25:49 Well, let's use Roman as an example, 25:51 the Caesar, Augustus Caesar, 25:54 Julius Caesar, 25:56 whom July and August are named after. 25:59 These men were Gods, 26:01 the Roman leaders consider themselves Gods. 26:04 But then you go back to the Phoenicians, 26:06 the Amalekites, the Amorites, the Jebusites, 26:08 the Hittites, the Heavites, 26:10 the Canaanites, the Perizzites, 26:13 all these anti-God nations had there own God's. 26:17 The Babylonians, and notice what happened. 26:20 Here's why people will prostrate themselves 26:23 before this antichrist, 26:25 is because that is wherever anyone 26:29 or anything has been establish to be substitutions of God, 26:34 people will bow down. 26:35 Case in point, Babylon. 26:37 The Hebrew said, he said, 26:38 they say when you hear the trumpet 26:40 bow down and worship. 26:41 That's what is all based upon, you bow. 26:43 So when people see the pontiff, 26:45 when people see Pope Francis and they are bowing before him, 26:48 they preparing themselves to bow before the antichrist 26:53 when he shows up. 26:54 And it says here 26:56 and I've to just read this here so I know. 26:58 John bows down before the angel 27:01 when it's revealing these things, 27:02 Revelation 19 says, 27:04 don't do that. 27:05 Okay read it, go ahead and read it 27:07 because I think it's... 27:08 "And I fell at his feet to worship him." 27:09 That is John, before the angle. 27:12 But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! 27:14 I am your fellow servant, 27:16 and of your brethren 27:17 who have the testimony of Jesus. 27:18 Worship God! 27:20 For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 27:22 See so the angel said to John, don't bow even if to me, 27:28 worship God. 27:30 So what you see, this bowing down, bowing down, 27:33 its preparatory to, one, the antichrist, 27:36 Satan himself comes to person a Christ 27:39 that men will say Jesus has come. 27:42 So that's what the Bible says, if they say he has come, 27:45 don't believe it. 27:47 If they see, 27:48 he is in desert don't go out there. 27:50 If they say, the Christ has come, 27:51 don't believe it, 27:52 because Christ... 27:54 and here is the key, friend, 27:55 I want to readjust myself so you can kind a get this. 27:57 Okay, good. 27:58 Okay, all right here we go now that here we set. 28:03 Jesus will not touch the earth 28:08 when he returns. 28:10 Let me say that again, 28:12 we will be caught up to meet him. 28:15 So this idea that there's gonna be 28:18 an earthly millennial reign of Jesus, it is not so. 28:24 It's a part of the rapture theory 28:27 that has been formulated 28:28 by the Rome and during the dark ages. 28:33 So there's nobody gonna be touching the earth, 28:34 Jesus is gonna call us to meet him in the air 28:38 and thus we will forever be with the Lord. 28:40 He says I'm coming to prepare, 28:42 I'm coming to receive you so that where I am, 28:45 there you may be. 28:47 He's not coming to be with us, he did that first time. 28:49 Second time he's coming for us to be with him. 28:50 All right. 28:52 So anyway, 28:53 I think that's kind of where we gonna go with these topics. 28:55 Very good. 28:56 We're gonna transition to the winding down 28:58 of the topic on baptism. 28:59 If you have any questions 29:01 you like to send to us or comments, 29:03 you can end those to the following email address 29:06 at housecalls@3abn.org, 29:08 housecalls@3abn.org, 29:11 and that's where we'll be able to get your questions, 29:14 your comments. 29:15 And thank the Lord 29:16 we'll be able to respond to them by the veracity, 29:19 and the validity, 29:22 and the authority of God's word. 29:26 Okay where are we going now? 29:29 The topic of baptism, right? Yes, yes, yes. 29:31 I'm looking up a verse here. 29:33 Okay, you go ahead and look it up, 29:35 I'll lay some foundation of baptism. 29:37 Well, what I thought, I can lay the foundation. 29:38 What I thought of doing here is, 29:42 You know as you're preparing, one is preparing for baptism, 29:45 okay. 29:46 We've talked about the baptism is by immersion, 29:48 there's only one kind of baptism, it's by immersion. 29:50 We talked about what it means, dieing to self, living for God, 29:54 receiving his resurrection power to live for him. 29:56 Well, the last program 29:57 will give the practical aspects of what that look like, 29:59 committing our self to him and walking in his ways. 30:01 Right. 30:02 That takes effort, 30:04 causing openness to God's leading and his spirit leading. 30:07 Now we're gonna give some last nuance of baptism. 30:11 And one of them is, 30:12 another question I hear all the time is, well, 30:15 when you got baptized, how do you prepare for baptism? 30:19 And I think one of the best scriptures 30:21 is where Jesus talks counting the cost. 30:24 Okay. 30:26 And I was looking for that here, 30:27 and I can't remember which passage that was. 30:29 I think its Luke 14, does that sound familiar? 30:35 It may be a Matthew as well, but I'm thinking, 30:37 I'm thinking Luke 14. 30:42 Okay, yes. 30:45 Luke 14: 28. 30:46 So I'm going to start with verse 26, 30:49 because that word Jesus is speaking, 30:50 answering some questions. 30:53 "If anyone comes to me 30:54 and does not hate his father and mother, 30:56 wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, 30:58 and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." 31:01 Discipleship has a high cost 31:04 because when you're being baptized, 31:05 you're getting baptized 31:07 you're actually declaring you're now a disciple of Jesus. 31:09 That's right. 31:10 This is the beginning of discipleship. 31:11 And Jesus is talking about 31:13 cutting off anything that prevents you 31:15 and anyone that prevents you form God. 31:17 People say, well, that word hate, 31:19 I don't hate my father. 31:20 This is not talking about we, 31:22 what do you think he's talking about? 31:23 All right, this not talking about... 31:24 Hate is simply, it's a word that saying, 31:27 you need to put Jesus first. 31:29 This is you know, 31:30 keeping at a lower priority than Jesus. 31:35 Even your life, it says, 31:37 to hate your life, and we know elsewhere it says, 31:39 you need to love and respect your life 31:41 and you have to treat your body well and thing, so. 31:43 Anyway, then it says in verse 27, 31:44 "Whoever does not bear his cross 31:46 and come after me cannot be My disciple. 31:48 For which of you, intending to build a tower, 31:52 does not sit down first and count the cost, 31:55 whether he has enough to finish it, lest, 31:58 after he has laid the foundation, 32:00 and is not able to finish, 32:01 all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 32:07 'This man began to build and was not able to finish'" 32:11 I think that's an interesting, 32:13 I do apply this clearly 32:15 Jesus is applying this to discipleship, 32:18 to leaving everything else behind 32:20 and beginning to walk with Jesus. 32:22 And your baptism 32:25 is the initiating right into discipleship. 32:28 Okay. 32:29 So, another verse, when you're baptized, 32:31 you have to have counted the cost before hand. 32:34 Right. 32:36 I've got to sit down, so as pastors, 32:38 we sit down when someone who wants to be baptized 32:40 and we need to say, 32:41 do you realize what you're actually making, 32:45 as far as the decision, 32:46 what you're stating in regard to baptism? 32:48 And so counting the cost of losing our own life, 32:51 losing everything around us, 32:53 even some friends or family members 32:54 that we know that are not happy 32:56 with this decision we're making, 32:57 that cost has to be counted. 32:59 And then there are other parts to preparing for baptism 33:02 which is part of counting the cost, 33:05 which is what are the teachings of Christ as a disciple. 33:08 If I don't understand the teachings of Jesus, 33:11 how can I make a decision to follow and his teachings? 33:14 In other words, If I say, okay, I counted the cost, 33:17 I'll leave everything behind for Jesus, 33:18 and then I had begin walk 33:20 with him and I say, you know what, 33:21 I don't like some of things he teaches. 33:22 Right. 33:25 It doesn't make sense, 33:26 you need to count that cost as well, 33:28 because we mention this during the question answer period, 33:31 unless you willing to make the decision 33:35 to follow Jesus and to obey his word, 33:39 the longer you put that word, the obedience of the word off, 33:42 the bless likely who are going to be to follow through 33:44 and make the decision as a disciple of Jesus, 33:46 so why even we baptize in the first place. 33:48 Yeah, and so when the word 'hate' there, 33:50 I just kind of little, 33:51 little Greek word search here 33:53 and looked up the definition, 33:55 it means to love less than 34:00 to get to point of detesting. 34:03 I detest the idea 34:04 that you're trying separate me from Christ. 34:07 I am, I don't, 34:09 and so the word here is a powerful word, 34:12 matter of fact it's using number of times 34:15 in the very context like the Bible says, 34:17 'Thou shalt...' 34:18 you've it has been said, 34:19 "Thou shalt love the thy neighbor, 34:21 and hate thine enemy." 34:22 See, 34:23 that's the same hate the word there in the Greek. 34:25 But when it says hate, 34:28 it means don't let anything separate you form the Lord. 34:32 And people will try to do that. 34:33 We have people in our church today that say, 34:35 this church is my family 34:37 because my actually family turn their backs on me. 34:40 And pastor CD Brooks, 34:41 he is worthy of being quoted 34:43 because he's been in this so long. 34:45 One person said, "Well, what about my friends?" 34:47 He said, "Don't worry, 34:49 when you accept Christ 34:50 your friends will get rid of you." 34:52 You see. Right. It's true. 34:54 They'll hate you. 34:55 Have you noticed, if a person says, 34:57 if a person stands on the street corner and says, 34:59 "Tonight I'm gonna drink till I am, 35:01 till I just fall over." 35:06 "Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999." 35:08 "You go," you know, "You go get 'em, man. 35:11 You go, girl." 35:12 "Tomorrow I'm gonna give my life to Jesus." 35:14 "Are you crazy? 35:16 Have you lost your mind? 35:18 Do you realize what you're saying? 35:20 Have you flipped? 35:22 Are you okay? Is there a screw loose?" 35:24 I mean, people look like... 35:26 and family members do that. 35:27 Yeah. 35:28 "Do you realize..." 35:30 I had a young man stand up once when his wife decided to, 35:31 when he decided to get baptized, 35:33 his wife said, 35:34 "If you make that decision to get baptized 35:36 I'm leaving you as soon as you get home." 35:39 He sat down, he was a sailor, they're both in the military. 35:42 The next month 35:44 he decided to get baptized in another church, 35:45 she stayed with him. 35:47 Now you know why she decided to do that? 35:48 The devil got in her heart. 35:50 The devil didn't want her 35:53 to allow him to join the Sabbath keeping, 35:57 commandment keeping church. 35:58 The devil doesn't care where you are 36:00 as long as truth is not important. 36:01 But did you finish the text? 36:03 Yeah, 36:04 we went down in counting the cost 36:06 and making sure 36:07 that you have the ability to build that. 36:08 And which you're building here is a new life I Christ, 36:10 that's what really Jesus is talking about here. 36:12 This is a whole new life 36:13 from the one that you had before. 36:15 New family members, new inclinations, 36:18 new desires, new everything, 36:20 and unless you're willing to build that don't come after, 36:23 don't follow me. 36:25 And there also is a righteousness that, 36:28 that now comes to us, John, 36:30 that has a high price tag to it. 36:34 Well, when I say price tag, it's not saying, 36:38 man I can't reach that, the standard is to high. 36:42 No, it says, that's where you are aiming, 36:46 we're now elevating our walk, 36:48 we're becoming more, more like Jesus everyday. 36:52 And so when you think that, 36:54 when you decide to minimize 36:56 the importance of living a righteous life, 36:58 you fall into this category, 36:59 Matthew 5:20, "For I say to you, 37:02 that unless your righteousness 37:04 exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, 37:09 you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." 37:12 So being a Christian, 37:15 as you've seen in the verses we just read in Luke 14, 37:18 it's a high calling, it's a high calling. 37:21 I would even add this that a lot of the, 37:23 the majority of the world is adverse to following Christ, 37:27 they resist it 37:29 because of the example they've seen in Christians 37:31 who say they follow Christ. 37:34 So they don't glorify them, they're very, 37:38 it's like Paul's words, 37:40 the clay, and brass, and symbols. 37:42 It's just, it really is... 37:44 I mean, 37:45 the signs they hold out 37:47 in front of some of these rallies. 37:49 Right. 37:50 You know, God hates, whatever, 37:52 and these people that are so in your face in regard to Muslims, 37:58 you know, and regard to you know, 38:00 they wanna burn a Quran and things like that, 38:01 those kinds of examples, 38:03 those don't set an example of Christ like behavior. 38:05 No, not at all. 38:06 That's very antichrist behavior. 38:08 Right. 38:09 And I think that makes people 38:11 really not want to be Christian, 38:14 because they see God as something that he's not. 38:17 You see, 38:18 the devil is on a smear campaign. 38:20 He's trying to destroy God's character, 38:23 he's trying to reveal that God has something, 38:26 he's just trying to show others 38:27 that God is something that he's not. 38:28 Right. 38:30 And I think that hurts our witness, 38:32 it hurts our ability. 38:33 So the only thing that will convince them 38:34 is to have a real Christ likeness to you, 38:37 and to be change, 38:38 and transform into the lightness 38:40 and the character of Jesus. 38:41 And so I always say that the, 38:44 there's lots of phrases about this. 38:46 But the, 38:47 sometimes a worst example 38:49 of what the true religion in of Christ 38:52 is the Christian himself. 38:55 Say it again. 38:57 One of the worst examples 38:59 of the religion of Christ is often the Christian himself. 39:03 And that's a horrible testimony. 39:05 And you know why, 39:08 the devil doesn't fight 39:10 to give the false concept of Buddhism, 39:14 or Islam. 39:17 You know the Islam extremists, which is really in fact, 39:22 in my recent education 39:23 came to find out that these extreme groups like 39:26 ISIS and all really, really, 39:27 really don't live by the principle of the Quran. 39:30 They are using it for other... 39:32 They are using it to shadow their bad behavior. 39:34 But the devil is not interested 39:36 in distorting anything that does not include Jesus. 39:42 Because the issue is 39:44 he wants people to repel or to resist Jesus. 39:48 He wants people to now want to accept him. 39:51 That's why in some cultures Jesus has been outlawed. 39:54 You know, having travel, I've seen that. 39:56 So when you think about the standard 40:00 of what it means to be a Christian, 40:02 it means to be in a relationship with Jesus. 40:05 That's why the devil fight so hard among Christians, 40:07 he wants them to communicate the false message. 40:09 So you have, so look at some of the ways, 40:11 and I'll read a couple of text here. 40:13 Look at some of the... 40:14 And as you're doing that, 40:15 I want to clarify your statement, 40:17 'cause I know some people will think 40:18 that people have outlawed Jesus. 40:19 What you're saying by that 40:21 is there are rules and laws in many countries 40:24 against proselytizing in the name of Christ at all. 40:26 Like convert or... 40:27 Yeah, 40:29 and so that it effect has outlawed Jesus. 40:30 Right. 40:31 And that's what you're saying, 40:33 I know that's what you're saying. 40:34 I just don't want people to think anything different. 40:36 Thank you for the clarification. 40:37 And so when you think about I that particular, 40:41 how impacting that has become 40:44 then it leads people to the place where they... 40:49 they don't desire to have Jesus in their lives. 40:52 Or you have this popular thing now-a-days 40:54 we're finding more and more saying, 40:57 "I got saved" or "I got Jesus in my life, 40:59 " by some of the celebrities. 41:01 But yet their lifestyle 41:03 and what they do is very much like the world. 41:06 And so the other thing it can do is not repel Jesus, 41:08 it can cause someone and say, "Well, 41:10 I want Jesus too 41:11 because look the reason he give me." 41:12 And it's a different concept of Jesus 41:14 they're actually portraying not the true life of Christ. 41:16 Even the prosperity gospel in Christianity 41:19 is distorting beauty of who Jesus is. 41:22 You know as one person once said, 41:23 and I think he used this phrase on one of the prior programs, 41:26 somebody once says, "Well, 41:27 if he left the church he really wasn't saved." 41:30 Now the prosperity teachers have taught people, well, 41:32 if you didn't get the blessings you really weren't converted. 41:35 You really didn't have enough faith. 41:36 Right. 41:38 Or you didn't plant the seed of faith. 41:39 And it so distorting, 41:40 but there's something that is important. 41:43 I want to go to Acts 3:19, 41:45 Acts 3:19. 41:46 But as you're turning there, 41:47 let me cap of this section that we were talking about. 41:50 You have to really watch out for what you love. 41:53 When the Bible says, 41:55 "Do not love the world 41:56 nor the things that are in the world. 41:58 If anyone loves the world 41:59 the love of the Father is not in him." 42:00 And then he goes on to say, 42:02 "For all that is in the world 42:06 is the lust of the flesh, 42:08 the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 42:12 it's not of the Father but is of the world. 42:15 And the world is passing away 42:16 in the lust of it 42:18 but he who does the will of God abides forever." 42:21 So don't get caught up in the things of the world, 42:24 the Christianism covenanting 42:26 to separate him/herself form the world 42:29 and to become more like Jesus. 42:31 Separating in the sense, not becoming a monk, 42:33 not becoming monk or ostracizing yourself, 42:36 or isolating or sequestering yourself 42:39 in a mountain somewhere long ways outside the city, 42:43 but to separate yourself from the world in the practices 42:46 that you allow to come into your life. 42:49 Now Acts 3:19, is that where you are? 42:51 I am. 42:52 Okay, 42:54 there's something else that is required of us 42:56 when we give our lives to Jesus, 43:00 this is so important. 43:01 Go ahead Acts 3:19. 43:03 "Repent therefore and be converted, 43:05 that your sins may be blotted out, 43:07 so that times of refreshing 43:08 may come from the presence of the Lord" 43:11 Okay, so repent and convert. 43:14 Right. Repent and convert. 43:16 And it was the blessing of that 43:18 when you are repentant of what you've done 43:21 and conversion now begins to occur, 43:24 your sins are... 43:26 Blotted up, Blotted up. 43:27 when the time of refreshing 43:29 may come from the presence of the Lord, 43:30 your sins well, have been permanently removed. 43:34 But we have to separate membership from conversion 43:39 or membership from just being a part 43:44 of the movement of Christianity. 43:46 Those two things, membership and Christianity 43:49 must accompany repentance and conversion. 43:53 We just did a recent program on repentance. 43:56 So if you want to write in and get to that program, 43:58 if you didn't get a chance to see it, 44:00 Repentance is a huge parts. 44:02 I think we gave Seven Steps to Repentance. 44:03 Dynamic. 44:05 Over three programs, 44:06 and that's a real important thing to consider 44:09 as you're looking to be baptized, 44:11 to make your decision 44:13 to follow Jesus with all your heart. 44:14 So repentance is clearly the prerequisite for conversion 44:20 and baptism is also a clearly part of that. 44:24 In Romans 2:4, 44:25 I want you to look at that one also, John, 44:27 because this is important. 44:29 What would bring a person to want to repent, 44:32 is a big question. 44:33 Why would I even want to repent? 44:35 Well, look at this, and I think that 44:37 when you consider the reign 44:38 is shining on the just and the unjust, 44:41 when we consider that there're Christians 44:44 that die in disasters, 44:45 and there are worldly people that die in disasters. 44:47 But what leads a person to want to even repent? 44:51 Romans 2:4. 44:53 "Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, 44:55 forbearance, and longsuffering, 44:58 not knowing that the goodness of God 45:00 leads you to repentance?" 45:04 Now the emphasis here is repentance 45:08 does not move God to love you. 45:15 God's love remove moves us to repent. 45:18 I wanna say that one time. 45:20 Repentance does not say to God, well, now you could love them, 45:24 but because he already loves us, 45:26 it should move us to want to repent. 45:28 There you go. 45:29 We love him because he first loved us. 45:33 And even while we were still sinners. 45:35 In that while we were sinners Christ died for us. 45:40 So don't look at repentance and say, oh, 45:42 all now that I repented I think Jesus would love me. 45:45 I've heard people say, I don't... 45:46 I'm not sure that loves me. 45:48 Well, 45:50 you don't have to be sure that he loves you, 45:51 but he's sure he loves you. 45:53 God is love. 45:54 How do I know that God loves you? 45:56 Because he is love, he can't do anything but love. 45:59 So when you think about that remember this, 46:04 God's goodness leads us to repentance, 46:07 repentance doesn't lead us to God's goodness. 46:12 God does not move, 46:14 God is not gonna love us 46:17 because we repent 46:18 but God loves us even before we repent. 46:22 So, 46:23 repentance is something that is actually in our lives 46:27 and in our hearts when we say, Lord, 46:29 thank you for your blessings and thank you for your love. 46:32 Because you know, John, even the wicked, 46:34 even the wicked benefit from the, you know, 46:39 lot of the attributes that can only come from God. 46:43 I remember once, 46:44 now this is a story that's important. 46:46 Are you ready for your text? 46:47 No, no, I'm listening. Okay. 46:49 I remember once I was, 46:50 my wife and I were down in Southern California 46:52 and this one, 46:53 we lived in Northern California, 46:54 we went to visit Southern California. 46:56 And we just driving around LA, 46:59 we don't really know it that well, 47:00 but we ended by this big hall, 47:04 this movie theatre, 47:07 not movie theatre but big convention hall. 47:12 And we saw all these limousines, 47:14 then we tried to finagle our way through the traffic, 47:17 and we saw all these red carpet, 47:18 and we thought wow, wow this is the awards. 47:21 This is the, 47:22 what ever they call it, this is the red carpet. 47:24 We saw the camera lights flashing, 47:26 reflecting off the building. 47:27 And then we looked again, limousines were everywhere. 47:32 And we thought... 47:34 What do we naturally think 47:35 when we see limousines everywhere? 47:36 There are famous people in these cars. 47:38 So here we are in our Honda, 47:42 at the time, Honda Prelude. 47:44 Here we're looking, waiting, 47:46 all the glasses blacked out. 47:48 Keep looking if we see anybody. 47:49 So we saw this window come down half way. 47:52 And we saw person 47:54 just kind of stick their eyes and nose. 47:55 Now we couldn't tell who it was 47:57 but we said, "Look, look, look there's a famous person." 47:58 As we know somebody that's famous, behind that, 48:00 you know, we get drawn to that sometimes, 48:03 Lord help us. 48:04 And I thought to myself, so... 48:09 But we never actually saw anyone famous, 48:11 and I thought as I was driving home, 48:13 I said, that's not fair, there's this black glass, 48:16 we can't see. 48:18 And the Lord brought this to me, 48:19 John, in such a beautiful way, 48:22 which allow me to appreciate my relationship with him. 48:25 He said, John, 48:26 they have blackened out the glass 48:29 so you don't see what they posses. 48:34 But the table is gonna turn one day, 48:36 I'm not saying that they're lost or saved, 48:38 but the table's are gonna turn one day 48:40 because the walls of the New Jerusalem are clear. 48:43 So one day they're gonna see what they, what you posses. 48:47 See, they black out the glass 48:48 so we can't see what they posses, 48:50 but one day 48:51 because of the clear walls on the New Jerusalem, 48:54 they will see what you posses. 48:55 Yeah. 48:57 And I said, I feel lot better now. 48:58 I'm not really missing the world, 49:00 they're missing the kingdom. 49:02 So sometimes you get pulled in. 49:03 So the reason I said that is because 49:07 that's the goodness of God that leads me to repentance. 49:10 What do you want a Limousine or Golden city? 49:12 Yeah. 49:13 And that's not what we wanna be want to be saved. 49:15 We have to be careful 49:16 that we just don't let intellectual ascent. 49:20 Well, recognition of a set of doctrines or something 49:23 be our driving force for being baptized. 49:25 Right. 49:26 Because sometimes I think we do that, 49:27 we give them a whole set of all these doctrines 49:31 and then when they're convicted that, 49:32 that is the truth about the Bible 49:34 then I'm gonna follow Jesus. 49:36 You're not following doctrines, you're following Jesus. 49:40 Jesus will lead you into the truths, 49:42 these doctrines and he will give a context. 49:46 But if you're just following intellectually 49:49 what you use recognize is truth 49:51 and there is no commitment to Christ himself 49:54 then you don't have the truth as it is in Jesus. 49:58 You have just stale cold truths. 50:00 Right. 50:02 And I think a lot of members we have in the church today 50:04 are so focus and so emphasizing truths from error 50:07 that they are missing conversion, 50:10 the relational element of those truths 50:13 and how they tie into Jesus. 50:14 And we have to make sure we keep our eyes on Jesus, 50:18 and the doctrines will come but they are not the emphasis. 50:22 That's right. 50:23 In a nutshell, remember these three steps: 50:27 In preparation for baptism learn what God requires. 50:31 So many people enter this because of membership. 50:35 And I know they love the Lord, but when we don't understand 50:38 what God requires then we can sometime 50:42 make a commitment that... 50:43 We're not carrying the cost. 50:45 Say it again. We're not carrying the cost. 50:46 That's right. 50:48 You got to make sure you have, the faith in the commitment 50:50 to continue to go to the process... 50:52 Cost of discipleship. And you... 50:54 The what? Cost of discipleship. 50:55 Okay. So learn God's requirement. 50:58 Secondly, believe the truth of God's word. 51:00 And thirdly, repent and turn away from your sins 51:04 and experience conversion. 51:05 That makes a huge difference in a person's walk. 51:08 You know, John, may be what we got to do, 51:09 as we're finishing up here, 51:12 how does baptism tie 51:15 into the communion service? 51:19 Oh, beautiful. Oh, wow, wonderful. 51:22 We need to tie this in because some people have said, well, 51:26 I was baptize a while ago but you know, 51:30 I've committed some sins and I need to be re-baptized. 51:34 And we get this all the time, its one thing to be baptized 51:36 when you're kid, walk totally away from God 51:39 and later in life come and to be re-baptized, 51:42 as your declaration or your statement of now 51:44 the true faith and trusting Jesus, 51:46 and in relationship with Jesus. 51:48 But we get this once in a while were, 51:50 well, you know, I've made some mistakes 51:52 so I need to be re-baptized. 51:53 But there is a tie. 51:55 And so kind of bring us in there, 51:57 talk to us little bit about what this means. 51:59 I think we're gonna go to John 13, right? 52:02 Here we are, John 13. 52:05 John 13 is such a beautiful chapter. 52:07 In that it brings us to a place 52:11 and the focus of this story 52:16 is a man by the name of Peter 52:19 and a Lord by the name of Jesus. 52:23 This exchange between a man who didn't understand 52:28 what Jesus was doing, 52:31 and a Jesus who wanted the man to understand... 52:35 Start with verse 5. 52:36 And so, well, go ahead, John. 52:38 I was, I've being talking my head off. 52:39 "After that, Jesus poured water into a basin 52:43 and began to wash the disciples' feet, 52:45 and to wipe them with a towel with which He was girded." 52:50 Now this is in the upper room 52:52 prior to going to the garden of Gethsemane 52:55 on the night that he was taken to be to put on trial, 52:59 judged, and crucified the next day. 53:01 So this is his last, almost his last rites or words 53:05 he's giving to the disciples. 53:07 And it says then that, "He came to Simon Peter. 53:10 And Peter said to Him, 'Lord, are you washing my feet?' 53:13 And Jesus answered and said to him, 53:15 'What I am doing you do not understand now, 53:17 but you will understand after this.' 53:19 Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' 53:23 Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, 53:26 you have no part with me. 53:28 Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only, 53:31 but also my hands and my head." 53:34 Isn't Peter like the, he's one of the extremes, 53:37 he is the disciple that went from one end of the extreme 53:39 to the other end extreme, he does it very quickly, 53:41 you can see the emotional fervency that he has. 53:45 Jesus said to him, verse 10, 53:47 "He who is bathe needs only to wash his feet, 53:51 but is completely clean, 53:53 and you are clean, but not all of you." 53:56 Okay. 53:58 So there is a statement he who is bathe or baptized 54:02 means only to wash his feet but it's completely clean. 54:06 That's right. 54:08 So part of the communion service we have 54:11 is a Seventh-day Adventist church 54:13 is to abide by all three of the things, 54:15 the elements of what we believe 54:17 what happened in the upper room. 54:19 The administration, the transition to the bread, 54:23 using the bread and the wine 54:25 as the body and blood of Christ. 54:27 As well as the washing, the foot washing service 54:30 which is the symbol of humility of Christ toward his disciples 54:34 in the upper room. 54:37 And I think sometime, John, with how churches have 54:40 kind of set a side the foot washing service, 54:44 it actually goes to speak a little bit about 54:48 their lack of attention to the commitment 54:51 we have in our relationship with Jesus 54:53 to walk in a newness of life, and the cleanliness, 54:58 and the blamelessness of Christ, 55:00 and the holiness of Christ. 55:02 And when you don't have the foot washing service, 55:05 what is there to remind you 55:06 that there are sins to be forgiven 55:08 and a road to walk on with Jesus? 55:11 And so this is evidently, this is what part of Jesus 55:15 was telling to Peter. 55:16 He says, listen, you've baptized, 55:18 you've already been washed totally for your sins 55:21 and there are some sins that you've been committed, 55:24 you've committed recently 55:25 and we want to take care of those, 55:27 but you don't do with re-baptism. 55:28 Right, you don't have to. 55:29 You take care of it with the foot washing service. 55:32 So if your church is not doing a foot washing service 55:36 you're missing out an a key element 55:38 of the on going call to be purified 55:43 by the righteousness of Jesus 55:44 and cleanse from the sins that you commit 55:47 after you've been baptized. 55:50 And it's important to be involved in that part 55:53 of the communion service. 55:54 Right, and some people just get this feeling, 55:56 because the spirit of God move them, they say, 55:58 "But I want to get baptized again." 56:01 You go to ask, "Okay, where has the relationship 56:04 between you and God been broken?" 56:06 And you know, what if the spirit of God 56:08 is impacting your heart to get things right 56:11 between you and the Lord, praise the Lord. 56:13 Its not up to us to pre-empt that 56:15 or to edit or that. 56:17 That's right. 56:18 If the Lord is moving upon your heart to do that, 56:19 to God, be the glory. 56:21 You and He knows the true natures 56:24 and the true challenges of your life. 56:26 But what was being pointed out here 56:28 is it is not naturally imperative 56:30 to always get baptism. 56:32 I know some people that have been 56:33 same denomination, baptized over, and over, 56:35 and over, and over, and over again. 56:37 And I say, why is this, 56:41 why do you feel this constant need 56:42 to have this ceremony happen again? 56:45 Well, you know, I've lost my temper last week, 56:48 or I've cursed at my wife or I've bruised up my kids. 56:52 That's, that's the carving portion of your walk, 56:57 the Lord will carve that out of your life, 56:59 but unless you've broken and violated that relationship 57:02 and walked away form the Lord, 57:03 there is no need to be recovered, 57:05 or to be restored. 57:06 Or re-renewed into repentance. Right. 57:09 You know, the baptism is about the baptism of repentance. 57:11 That's right. 57:12 As well as a new life in Christ. 57:14 So we need to make sure that re-baptism really is generated 57:16 from the right, the right desire and motive. 57:18 The right desire and motive. That's right. 57:20 And so, friends, the Lord wants you to be 57:22 all that he has provided for you to be. 57:24 If you take hold of his righteousness, 57:27 eternal life will be yours and you'll have the promise 57:30 that when he comes you'll go with him. 57:32 May God bless you, until we see you again. |
Revised 2016-08-29