Participants: Danny Shelton (Host), Pr. Wintley Phipps
Series Code: AOT
Program Code: AOT000169A
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00:12 Welcome to Anchors Of Truth,
00:14 live from the 3ABN Worship Center. 00:22 Happy Sabbath. 00:23 Thank you for joining us here at the 3ABN Worship Center. 00:28 And it's good to have all of you here in the house of the Lord. 00:30 How many are happy to be in the house of the Lord today? 00:33 Alright, I hope all of you at home that you're happy too. 00:36 Because it's a great and exciting time to be alive; 00:39 in the closing moments of earth's history. 00:41 Don't you agree? 00:42 I mean, we're living right in the middle of everything 00:45 that's happening around the world. 00:46 Everything we've read about from the time we were kids, 00:49 we're here. 00:50 Prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes. 00:53 We are blessed today, I won't give all the accolades 00:57 that I could give, for two reasons. 00:59 One is, if I gave all the accolades I could about 01:02 Wintley Phipps, the program would be mostly over. 01:06 I could do all of that. 01:07 Secondly, it's not good for people, right? 01:09 Because we want to uplift God. 01:11 So we're going to give all the glory and praise, 01:13 everything that God is doing through Pastor Phipps 01:15 around the world, his ministry, music and preaching, 01:19 we give the honor and glory, as he does, to our heavenly Father. 01:23 What I'd like to do is I want to spend just a couple of moments, 01:26 since this is Sabbath, I'd like him to come out. 01:29 And we won't do the normal intro, 01:31 but I want him to come out. 01:33 He's pastor of the Palm Bay church there in Florida. 01:35 But Brother Phipps, if you'll come out. 01:37 Oh, he's on this side of me, alright. 01:39 I heard that voice. 01:40 When you hear a voice like, "Hello," it's scary. 01:43 I always look up when I hear that. 01:45 It's like, "Yes, Lord? What is it?" 01:48 So please don't do me that way anymore. 01:51 I thought God was... 01:52 No, but what a great voice. 01:54 Doesn't he have a great voice? 01:56 - Praise God. Praise God. - Sometimes he'll call me 01:57 and I'll see it says Wintley on it, and I'll say, 02:01 "Hello brother. 02:04 How you doing?" 02:06 He laughs and then does it about twice as low, 02:09 and it's full, you know. 02:11 It's so great to have you and your wife Linda here. 02:13 And what a blessing to have you here. 02:16 I wanted to talk about, just a little bit today, 02:19 your book, Your Best Destiny. 02:22 I had the privilege of reading it. 02:23 And you let me write a little forward, 02:25 and what have you, on it. 02:26 But when I saw what you were talking about, 02:30 and I thought of the quote from Ellen White that says 02:33 Satan's last greatest attack against God is on His character, 02:37 I said, how timely this is. 02:39 And what I want to make sure is, because you're here 02:41 and we don't have much time to talk about it, 02:43 I want people to know how they can get this. 02:46 Now please, for those of you who say he's selling 02:48 on Sabbath, no he isn't. 02:50 I'm going to tell you, if we give you an address, 02:51 what have you, you call any time other than 02:53 Sabbath hours, alright? 02:55 So that will solve that. 02:56 But also, Wintley has some information 02:59 that needs to get to the world. 03:01 And so, I want you to tell us just a little bit, 03:04 you have your book and then you have your study guide. 03:07 Explain the study guide. 03:09 That's right, the book is called, Your Best Destiny; 03:12 Becoming the Person You Were Created to Be. 03:15 We were created in the image of God 03:18 to reflect, resemble, reveal the character of God. 03:22 You were talking about the devil's last attack 03:26 is on the character of God's people. 03:29 Well his first attack was on the character of God. 03:36 And it has been his most effective weapon 03:39 throughout history, is this distortion 03:43 and misrepresentation of the character of God. 03:46 And, you know, the servant of God is the most prolific writer 03:50 in the history of Christianity on the character of God. 03:55 And for about 20 years, I have been studying 03:58 the character of God. 03:59 God blessed us with these two books. 04:03 The first is, Perfecting Me; Becoming the Person 04:07 You Were Created to Be. 04:08 As the Scripture say, "The perfecting of the saints." 04:11 And the other book, Your Best Destiny; Becoming the Person 04:16 You Were Created to Be. 04:17 And we made it available on, goodsamaritanmall.com. 04:23 So that's easy to remember. 04:27 The reason for that is that whenever you share and 04:31 avail yourself of the products there, that we tithe, 04:35 we give back to God's work, you know. 04:37 Praise God. 04:39 So we help others like the good Samaritan helps others. 04:42 And so, it is the greatest want of the world. 04:48 The servant of God says the greatest want of the world 04:52 is the want of character. 04:54 In other words, men and women who cannot be 04:57 bought or sold, they are people of strong character. 05:01 And if you look around the world today, 05:03 you can see the greatest need in our world 05:06 is the need of character. 05:08 But finally, what we'll be talking about this morning 05:10 and this afternoon is, people of God who are preparing 05:16 to enter the kingdom of God, they must have 05:20 the pre-eminence of Christ-likeness 05:24 as their primary focus and goal. 05:27 Because if you get everything else right, 05:31 but you don't get the development of character 05:34 that reveals, reflects, and resembles Christ, 05:37 you've missed the boat. 05:38 Amen, amen. 05:40 Thank you so much, Pastor Wintley. 05:42 We look forward to your music. 05:43 Will you be singing for us this morning? 05:45 - That's correct. - Alright. 05:46 And then we're going to be blessed. 05:48 And we want you all right now... 05:49 In fact, let's just have a little word of prayer. 05:51 We're going to pray for a special anointing 05:53 of the Holy Spirit upon our brother. 05:56 Dear Father, we thank You again for Your 05:57 many wonderful blessings. 05:59 Lord, we thank You for this beautiful Sabbath day 06:01 that we can worship You. 06:03 We realize that You have given Brother Wintley 06:06 something that's so important for the closing 06:08 moments of earth's history; 06:10 something that maybe we as Christians, 06:11 and Seventh-day Adventist Christians, 06:13 have overlooked; 06:15 is to realize how can we perfectly resemble You. 06:20 And we can't do it of our own strength. 06:22 We can only do it as we submit and commit our lives to You, 06:25 and then, Father, go and tell what You have done for us. 06:28 Thank You that our greatest asset is our own personal 06:31 testimony of what You have done for us. 06:33 But thank You that You give us victory 06:35 as we reveal and reflect Your character 06:37 to a lost and dying world. 06:39 We pray now for a special anointing of the Holy Spirit 06:42 the remainder of this program. 06:44 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 06:46 Amen, amen. Praise God. 07:19 How can I say thanks 07:26 for all the things You have done for me? 07:34 Things so undeserved, 07:40 yet You gave to prove Your love for me. 07:48 The voices of a million angels 07:53 could not express my gratitude. 08:00 All that I am and ever hope to be, 08:09 I owe it all to Thee. 08:15 To God be the glory, 08:23 to God be the glory, 08:31 to God be the glory 08:37 for the things He hath done. 08:44 With His blood, He has saved me. 08:51 With His power, He has raised me. 08:58 To God be the glory 09:05 for the things He hath done. 09:12 Just let me live my life, 09:19 and let it be pleasing, Lord, to Thee. 09:26 And should I gain any praise, 09:33 let it go to Calvary. 09:41 Calvary. 09:45 Oh with His blood, 09:52 He has saved me. 09:55 With His power, He has raised me. 10:03 To God be the glory 10:10 for the things He hath done. 10:17 To God be the glory 10:24 for the things, for the things, 10:31 for all the things He hath done. 10:54 Praise the Lord. Let us pray. 10:58 Father, as we open Your holy Word, I ask that You would 11:01 cleanse me of all unrighteousness. 11:04 Fill my life with Your Holy Spirit's presence and power. 11:09 Speak to me, through me, and for me. 11:14 And I promise You God, I'll always give You 11:17 the honor, the glory, and all the praise. 11:22 In Jesus' name I pray, amen and amen. 11:28 Praise the God of heaven. 11:30 Do you love the Lord? 11:33 I love the Lord with all my heart. 11:36 Amen. I must tell you that I have a secret dream. 11:42 I guess once I tell you, it won't be secret anymore. 11:46 My secret dream is that one day I will be in heaven 11:52 working on my mansion with my holy hammer, 11:57 and I'll hear a knock on the door. 12:00 And when I open it, Jesus will be standing there. 12:04 Clothed in light, a crown of glory on His head. 12:08 And He'll say to me, "My Son, I'm about to go 12:12 to some parts of My universe where they've never seen 12:16 a child from earth who has been redeemed. 12:20 And I want you to come go with me. 12:23 Oh, and by the way, I want you to sing just before I speak." 12:30 That's my dream. 12:35 I want you to come with me on the morning of the 12:38 third day of the encampment of the children of Israel. 12:45 They turned their eyes towards the mountain, 12:47 that holy mountain, 12:50 and they watched as God took an ordinary mountain, 12:56 draped it in sound and fury, dressed it in drama 13:02 and darkness. 13:04 And like a conductor before a symphony, 13:07 God gave to Israel a glimpse of His majesty 13:12 and divine artistry. 13:15 Starting from the top of the mountain, a dense thick 13:18 dark cloud slowly moved downward 13:21 until the holy mountain was wrapped in a curtain 13:24 of impenetrable darkness. 13:27 High above the mountain, the people heard the sound 13:31 of a celestial trumpet summoning them to draw closer. 13:35 Moses pointed his face to the mountain. 13:39 And as he led his people to the base of that mountain, 13:42 he himself prepared his heart for the 13:46 highest privilege of man. 13:48 And that is to commune heart to heart with the Creator 13:52 of the universe. 13:54 As the people drew closer, from the darkness shot out 13:58 white flashes of lightning and sharp peals of thunder. 14:03 As God's presence descended, the mountain shook and quaked, 14:07 and all the people fell upon their faces before the Lord. 14:12 And then suddenly there was silence. 14:16 The thunder ceased, the lightening stopped flashing, 14:20 The call of the trumpet was heard, 14:22 and there was nothing left but silence. 14:26 Then amidst the stillness, God spoke out of the darkness 14:32 and mystery, out of the shadows of the dim unknown. 14:36 On that mountain surrounded by angels, 14:39 shrouded in a veil of light and glory, 14:43 God spoke. 14:45 He said, "I am the Lord thy God, 14:49 who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, 14:53 out of the house of bondage. 14:56 Thou shalt have no other gods before me." 15:45 And then God spoke the last of the four commandments 15:49 pertaining to Himself. 15:53 Exodus 20:8 16:37 This fourth commandment has been a source of anx 16:42 and controversy amongst Christians. 16:46 Brothers and sisters, we cannot allow 16:50 our familiar rehearsal of this truth obscure the fact 16:55 that the fourth commandment to remember the Sabbath day 16:59 to keep it holy is and was a defining moment 17:05 in Scripture. 17:08 It places before us a clear command of God; 17:12 a requirement God introduced to us at creation. 17:18 Genesis 2, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, 17:22 and all the host of them." 17:46 And did you know that before God gave Moses 17:48 the Ten Commandments, God clearly referred 17:52 to the Sabbath as one of His commandments 17:57 before He gave the Ten Commandments. 18:00 Remember when God fed the children with manna from heaven? 18:04 He told them on Friday to gather enough manna 18:07 on Friday for the Sabbath. 18:09 But look at what it says in Exodus 16:25. 19:00 This was before God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. 19:05 He said the Sabbath is a command of the Lord. 19:12 One of the commandments. 19:14 So there were commandments before the ten were given. 19:18 Praise the Lord. 19:19 This was before God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. 19:22 The Sabbath is one of the brightest stars in the 19:25 galaxy of doctrines and creeds. 19:28 It is an axiomatic principle, 19:31 it is a fundamental tenet of our faith, 19:34 that there on Sinai God spoke for all time and for all seasons 19:38 saying, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 19:45 I am the Lord your God who created the heavens 19:48 and the earth." 20:01 Here, God is reminding us of what Isaiah says in Isaiah 44:8. 20:06 "Fear ye not..." I love this scripture. 20:08 "Fear ye not, neither be afraid." 20:11 God says, "Have I not told thee from that time, 20:14 and have declared it?" 20:16 In other words, God says to Isaiah, "Have I not been 20:19 telling you this from ages past? 20:21 Ye are even my witnesses." 20:23 God says, "Have I not declared this truth 20:28 from ages past?" 20:29 And listen to what God says. 20:31 God says, "Is there another God beside me? 20:37 No. There is no other Creator God." 20:42 And then God says, "I know not any." 20:47 God says, "If there is another God, I don't know him. 20:52 If there is another God, I've never met him. 20:55 God says, "I've paid courtesy calls to every planet." 20:58 Hallelujah. 21:00 "I've visited the farthest star, I've walked the halls of Orion, 21:04 I've vacationed in the Pleiades. 21:06 And if there is another God," God says, "I've never met him. 21:09 He's never shown his face." 21:13 There on that mountain God spoke, not only to Israel, 21:17 God spoke to all humanity when He said, 21:21 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." 21:25 That day on Sinai, God did not lay before His children 21:29 any doubtful or uncertain word. 21:33 God did not place before us any tentative ambiguous injunction. 21:38 God said, "I am the Lord thy God." 21:41 That is so clear. 21:43 And He says, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 21:46 It is so clear. 21:47 He says, "I was the one who stood in the black void 21:51 of inner space and said, 'Let there be light.' 21:54 I was the one who called forth the moon and ordained that 21:58 the stars would light the evening sky. 22:00 I was the one who knelt down by the side of a river, 22:03 scooped up a lump of clay, and breathed into his nostril 22:08 the breath of life. 22:09 I was the one who formed you from the dust of the ground. 22:13 And the Sabbath is not a suggestion. 22:16 It is a command." 22:20 And by the time of Jesus, the leaders and Pharisees 22:24 had made the Sabbath more of a burden than a blessing. 22:30 Nothing made the priests more angry than the way Jesus 22:34 kept the Sabbath. 22:38 Christ came to not only uphold the Sabbath, 22:41 but at the same time free the Sabbath 22:45 from all the unnecessary meaningless burdensome 22:49 requirements that men had put on the Sabbath. 22:52 They took a blessing and made it a curse. 22:56 You couldn't light a candle on the Sabbath, 23:00 because that was considered work. 23:03 You couldn't carry a pocketbook. 23:05 Most of you all would have been breaking the Sabbath. 23:09 You couldn't carry a purse. 23:11 You couldn't carry a wallet. 23:13 You could put a bandage on a wound on the Sabbath, 23:19 but you couldn't put medication on the wound. 23:22 For that was considered work. 23:25 And it was for this very reason that Jesus deliberately 23:29 chose the Sabbath to perform many of His miracles 23:34 and acts of healing. 23:36 Of the thirty-three or so miracles performed in the 23:38 New Testament, Christ performed seven of them 23:42 on the Sabbath. 23:44 And these Sabbath miracles stirred up bitter opposition 23:47 to Jesus on the part of the religious leaders of His day. 23:51 One day in the synagogue, Jesus healed a man 23:54 with a withered hand. 23:55 And that made the leaders angry. 23:57 The man at the pool of Bethesda was healed 24:00 on the Sabbath. 24:01 But Jesus angered them even further, because 24:05 after He healed the man, He told him, 24:07 "Take up your bed and carry it." 24:27 On the Sabbath. 24:30 Friends, they had so taken the Sabbath and twisted it, 24:33 they wouldn't feed hungry people on the Sabbath, 24:36 for that was considered work. 24:39 Jesus came to remind the world that the Sabbath was made 24:42 for worship, but it was also made for mercy. 24:49 God does not require His children to suffer any pain 24:53 that might be relieved on the Sabbath. 24:56 Or any other day, for that matter. 24:59 Not long ago in New York City, and perhaps you saw it 25:04 on television, a mother who was a devout Sabbath keeper 25:08 believed that you could not turn off a hotplate 25:13 because it was the Sabbath. 25:16 She left it on, trying to keep the Sabbath. 25:20 And the house caught on fire, killing seven of her children. 25:26 Many families in that religious community, 25:29 get this, are now using timers on their hotplates 25:33 because their church authorities have determined 25:37 that timers can be used without breaking the Sabbath. 25:43 Jesus said, "It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 25:48 And we should never rest from doing good on the Sabbath. 25:52 Aren't you glad that when you pray prayers on the Sabbath, 25:56 God doesn't say, "You will have to wait until the 25:59 Sabbath is over before I can answer that prayer." 26:04 Aren't you glad that when we approach the throne of God 26:07 on the Sabbath, we never see a sign that says, 26:10 "Closed for the Sabbath. 26:12 Come back tomorrow." 26:14 Jesus said, "It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 26:18 In other words, it is not work to do good on the Sabbath. 26:24 The seventh day memorializes and celebrates God's creative power. 26:30 It is universal. 26:32 Everyone everywhere can keep it where they are. 26:37 Even in the places where... 26:39 I visited some places where the sun never sets. 26:43 You can set aside a special time to keep the Sabbath. 26:47 And God understands. 26:49 The Sabbath is a sign of God's lordship and His creatorship. 26:53 It is the sign of God's divine authority. 26:57 It is a sign of God's right to rule as the only true God. 27:02 If the seventh day is the Sabbath of Scripture, 27:06 then why do so many Christians worship on the 27:10 first day of the week? 27:13 Well, that story is a long story. 27:17 It involves history... 27:20 ...supterfuge... 27:22 ...and spiritual espionage. 27:26 But most of all, it involves disobedience to God's commands, 27:32 and rebellion against the will of God and the character of God. 27:36 You see, behind the issue of the right day 27:40 is a bigger issue. 27:42 And that bigger issue is Satan's challenge 27:45 to God's authority. 27:48 His rebellion against the character of God. 27:51 That is the issue. 27:53 Every honest Christian church, every honest denomination, 27:57 will tell you that the seventh day Sabbath is the Sabbath 28:01 of all of the Bible. 28:03 Not just the Old Testament, but the New. 28:06 From Genesis to Revelation. 28:08 Neither Christ nor the apostles, nor any prophet of the Bible, 28:13 changed the Sabbath. 28:15 And every honest Christian denomination will tell you that. 28:19 They will tell you men changed it by themselves. 28:24 And when you presume to change God's laws, 28:27 that is an affront to God's authority, and rebellion 28:31 against the clear command of God. 28:35 You know, if I painted my house yellow, 28:39 and I went away on a vacation, 28:41 and you live next door to me as my neighbor, 28:44 and you decide while I'm gone, in my honor 28:50 you will repaint my house purple... 28:55 If you paint my house a different color, 28:59 you have challenged my authority over my house. 29:06 If you change God's commands, you are challenging 29:10 His authority over His universe. 29:14 And those who try to paint my house, quote unquote, 29:18 "in my honor," would more honor me by leaving my house 29:26 the color I painted it. 29:29 Somebody say amen. 29:32 The Sabbath was made for us to celebrate God's rulership 29:37 and authority. 29:39 Every Sabbath ought to be a celebration 29:42 where we celebrate His handiwork, His power, 29:45 His authority. 29:46 So many wonderful things we can do on the Sabbath. 29:50 We can comfort the broken-hearted. 29:52 We can bring cheer to the cheerless. 29:54 We can do justly, we can show mercy, on the Sabbath. 29:59 Adam kept the Sabbath. 30:01 Moses kept the Sabbath. 30:04 Abraham, Isaiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul 30:08 kept the Sabbath. 30:10 Jesus kept the Sabbath. 30:13 And if it was good enough for Jesus, 30:16 it surely is good enough for me. 30:20 One of the reasons I keep the Sabbath is because 30:23 when I get to glory, I want to be able to say to Jesus, 30:27 "Jesus, You kept the Sabbath, and I was only trying to 30:31 do what You did. 30:34 And I knew I could never go wrong trying to do 30:39 what You did. 30:41 Following Your example." 30:42 Friends, my highest authority for Sabbath keeping 30:48 is the life, example, and teachings of Jesus. 30:54 But one more important thing about the Sabbath. 30:57 God said He has made the Sabbath a sign 31:01 between Himself and His people. 31:05 In Exodus 31:12, "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying," 31:10 verse 13, "Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, 31:15 'Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: 31:21 for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; 31:30 that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.'" 31:38 Verse 16 of Exodus 31, Exodus 31:16, 31:42 "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, 31:46 to observe the Sabbath..." How long? 31:50 "...throughout their generations, 31:52 for a perpetual covenant." 31:54 And look at Exodus 31:17. 31:57 "It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: 32:05 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, 32:07 and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." 32:11 Now what does it mean that the Sabbath is a sign? 32:16 In the Bible, the word, "sign," and, "seal," 32:20 are applied to the same things. 32:24 Whoa. 32:25 So in Exodus 31:17, God says the Sabbath is a sign 32:29 between God and His children forever. 32:32 And in Revelation 7:2, it says a seal is applied 32:36 to those God sees as His faithful people. 32:42 Amen. 32:43 Revelation 7:3 says... 32:54 The sign, or seal, represents how heaven signifies 32:59 and identifies those who belong to the Lord. 33:05 And God has designated the Sabbath as a sign. 33:11 Now the Sabbath is a sign of many things. 33:14 The Sabbath is a visible sign to the community 33:16 that we have chosen to honor the law of God. 33:21 The Sabbath is a sign that we have made a covenant with God. 33:25 A covenant that will not be changed or compromised. 33:29 The Sabbath is a sign that we acknowledge 33:32 the sovereignty of God as Creator of the world 33:36 and King of the universe. 33:38 I call Him, the supreme Monarch of the universe. 33:42 It is a sign of His power and authority. 33:44 And just like the Sabbath was a sign that Israel had 33:47 come out of slavery in Egypt, it is also a sign 33:51 that we too have come out of slavery to the world 33:55 to enter into God's perpetual heavenly rest. 33:59 The Sabbath is also a sign that we as a people 34:03 have a relationship with God, and that God has a 34:06 relationship with us. 34:08 The Sabbath is also a sign that we honor all of the 34:13 rest of the Ten Commandments. 34:17 The Sabbath is a sign of an obedient people. 34:21 Praise the Lord. 34:22 It is a sign of obedience to God. 34:25 We should never be ashamed to bear the sign 34:29 of obedience to God. 34:32 The Sabbath is a sign of loyalty to the true God. 34:35 The God who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, 34:38 and the fountains of waters. 34:40 The Sabbath is also a sign, not on your body, 34:44 but on your mind. 34:47 The mark, the sign, the seal is placed where? 34:52 In the forehead of the servants of God. 34:55 The forehead is used to show not only belief we belong to God 34:59 and we are His, but the forehead is used to show 35:02 that in our thinking, in our affections, 35:05 and in our attitudes we belong to God. 35:11 But perhaps the most important sign of all 35:17 is found in Exodus 31:13. 35:20 "Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: 35:25 for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; 35:32 that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you." 35:38 My brothers and sisters, the Sabbath is a 35:41 sign of many things. 35:43 But most importantly, it is a sign of sanctification. 35:52 The Sabbath is a sign of sanctification, 35:58 that, "I, the Lord, doth sanctify thee." 36:02 And what is sanctification? 36:04 Sanctification is harmony with the character of God. 36:11 So the Sabbath is suppose to be a sign that in our lives 36:16 and character, we resemble, reflect, and reveal 36:22 the character of God. 36:26 One of the most important quotes to me in the spirit of prophecy 36:30 I have ever read is this one. 36:32 And I want you to see this. 36:58 You see it? 37:00 The Sabbath is a sign of sanctification. 37:03 And sanctification is what? 37:05 Harmony with God, oneness with God in character. 37:12 "And it is received..." If you go back to the quote. 37:35 So friends, the Sabbath is suppose to be a sign 37:39 that we as a people have character that is in harmony 37:43 with the character of God. 37:46 It is not a sign that you know the time that the sun goes down. 37:52 Neither is it a sign that you know more Bible 37:56 than other people. 37:58 The Sabbath is suppose to be a sign that we as a people 38:02 have character that is in harmony with the 38:05 character of God. 38:06 Too many members have accepted the Sabbath 38:09 without understanding this message. 38:13 That the Sabbath is suppose to be a sign of sanctification, 38:17 or that in our character we resemble, reflect, and reveal 38:22 the character of God. 38:23 Because if you have the Sabbath and do not have His character, 38:29 the Sabbath is of no eternal benefit to you. 38:37 The Sabbath is not just our marketing brand. 38:42 It is not just our point of differentiation 38:45 in the Christian marketplace. 38:48 Nor is it just our badge of distinctive competence 38:53 in a world of theological disputes and 38:55 clerical competition. 38:58 No, the Sabbath is suppose to symbolize 39:02 our sanctification or harmony with the character of God. 39:08 The Sabbath seal is suppose to represent and symbolize 39:12 that our lives are patterned after the loving 39:17 character of God. 39:19 And if we say we have the Sabbath seal, 39:23 and we do not have what the seal symbolizes 39:27 and represents, meaning that we do not have the loving 39:31 character of God, it means we have accepted 39:34 the name, and not the character. 39:41 And if we have the name, and not the character, 39:45 we will still be lost. 39:48 It is not enough to make a profession of faith in Christ, 39:51 that our names are registered on the church roll. 39:55 Whatever our profession, it amounts to nothing 39:58 unless Christ is revealed in works of righteousness. 40:04 Where I live in my community, 40:06 we have my dry cleaners that I go to. 40:09 It's called, 60 Minute Dry Cleaners. 40:12 And one day I took a load of clothes to be dry cleaned. 40:15 And the lady behind the counter said to me, 40:17 "When do you need them back?" 40:18 I said, "In about an hour." 40:20 She said, "Oh, no, no, no, no. 40:21 That's just the sign on the door." 40:23 She said, "We can't have it back until Thursday." 40:28 If we do not have His character, that name, "Sabbath keeper," 40:35 is just a sign on a door. 40:42 Listen to this. 40:44 The servant of God says, "Sins of a grave character 40:49 are among us in our borders." 40:50 Sabbath keepers. 40:52 "Unless there is an awakening such as we have never seen 40:56 for some time which will convict and convert 41:00 professed Sabbath keepers," 41:03 she says those Sabbath keepers, "will die in their sins." 41:11 Many Sabbath keepers die in their sins. 41:16 Because no one ever taught them that the Sabbath is suppose 41:20 to be a sign that we as a people have character 41:24 that is in harmony with the character of God. 41:27 So if you have the name, Seventh-day Adventist, 41:29 on the bumper of your car and don't have the character, 41:35 the name, Seventh-day Adventist, is just, for you, an empty logo. 41:42 It's just a sign on the door. 41:46 Not a sign of sanctification. 41:47 Remember, the servant of the Lord says, "To those who 41:49 keep holy the Sabbath day, it is the sign 41:54 of sanctification. 41:56 And true sanctification is harmony 41:58 with the character of God." 42:00 The Sabbath is to be a sign that the one who created us 42:03 has the power to re-create us in His likeness. 42:09 Sabbath keepers, by definition, are suppose to have 42:13 the character of the One who created the Sabbath. 42:18 And if you just have the name of Sabbath keeper, 42:21 and don't have the character of God, 42:24 you are misrepresenting Adventism. 42:34 You are misrepresenting God. 42:37 "Sabbath keeper," is suppose to mean that we are a people 42:41 of faith and virtue. 42:43 It's supposed to mean that we are a people of 42:45 knowledge and self-control. 42:47 We're supposed to be a people of patience and godliness. 42:52 We're supposed to be a people who hold the law 42:54 and will of God sacred. 42:56 "Sabbath keeper," is suppose to mean that we are a people 42:59 of kindness. 43:03 We're a people of love. 43:07 When we resemble, reflect, and reveal the true character 43:10 of God, did you know that this opens to us 43:14 opportunities to witness to the world. 43:18 But we've begun to believe that we can win people anyway. 43:23 Whether or not we reflect His character. 43:26 When we don't resemble, reflect, and reveal the character of God, 43:29 like the scribes and Pharisees, we believe just as long as 43:33 we keep the Sabbath, we don't have to fully 43:36 reflect the character of God in the way we live 43:39 and in the way we treat each other. 43:40 Remember, friends, the scribes and Pharisees 43:44 kept the Sabbath more strictly than you will ever keep it. 43:48 And yet, they crucified our Savior on the cross. 43:52 Why? Because they had the Sabbath, 43:55 but did not have His character. 43:59 The only reason they crucified Jesus. 44:02 They had the Sabbath, but they did not resemble, reflect, 44:06 and reveal the character of God. 44:08 You know, one of my favorite stories, I love to share it, 44:12 it is about the farmer who was being inspected. 44:16 His farm was being inspected by a state official one day. 44:21 And he told the state official, "You know, you can go 44:26 all over my farm. 44:29 But the backside of the farm, 44:32 I have a dangerous bull over there. 44:36 Stay out of that area." 44:38 That state official said to the farmer, 44:41 "Do you see this badge? 44:44 This badge means I have the right to inspect 44:48 every inch and area of your farm." 44:52 The state official went away to do his inspection. 44:55 Twenty minutes later, the farmer heard a lot of 44:58 screaming and commotion. 45:00 He ran outside to find the state official 45:03 being chased by the bull. 45:06 And as he ran, he was shouting to the farmer, 45:08 "Help me, help me." 45:11 The farmer shouted back at the state official, 45:13 "Show him your badge." 45:21 We have this belief that all we have to do as Adventists 45:28 to win people is to show them our badge. 45:34 Our badge is important, but it is not enough. 45:37 There is no power in our badge. 45:42 The power is in the character that reflects, resembles, 45:46 and reveals the character of God. 45:49 The world will never be impressed with our badge 45:52 if they don't see the character of Christ 45:55 that is behind the badge. 45:58 When the world sees that we have, not just the seal, 46:02 but what the seal represents, which is sanctification, 46:08 or congruence and harmony with the character of God, 46:11 only then will they be impressed. 46:17 When the world sees that we have, not just the mark and 46:21 the sign, but what the sign represents, 46:25 and that is characters that are in harmony with the 46:28 character of God... 46:29 Why do you think we are having such a hard time evangelizing? 46:36 We are showing them our badge, 46:40 when they're not impressed until they see the character 46:45 of Christ behind the badge. 47:05 Can I read that again? 47:58 When the world finally hears... 48:00 Ellen White says, when the world finally hears... 48:03 Oh, look at this; when the world finally hears, 48:07 not just our profession of faith, but sees that the 48:13 character of God is reproduced in the lives and characters 48:18 of the people, the people who wear the badge, 48:21 people who have the sign and seal of sanctification, 48:24 only then will they be impressed. 48:30 They will see in our lives, in our schools, in our homes, 48:34 in our churches... 48:36 One of the great blessings that come when people 48:39 reflect the character of God is healthy relationships. 48:47 Can I say that again? 48:48 One of the great blessings that come when people 48:52 reflect the character of God is healthy relationships. 49:00 There is nothing the world craves more than loving 49:04 healthy relationships. 49:07 And if they see it in us, they will be moved 49:11 and touched and impressed. 49:13 That's why Ellen White said... 49:36 Healthy relationships are a by-product of godly character. 49:43 Oh what happens when people are living out 49:46 the character of God in their homes and in their churches. 49:50 You know, we must ask ourselves, are we as a people known 49:55 for unusually healthy relationships? 50:01 Or are we just as dysfunctional as the rest of society? 50:07 Is their new normal our new normal? 50:12 How can we ever inspire them and impress them, 50:16 to help them believe that the Sabbath can make a difference 50:19 in their lives when it does not make a difference in ours. 50:26 Watch this quote. 50:54 Praise the Lord. 50:58 As I close, the violin maker, Stradivari, 51:03 he had a rule: 51:05 No violin was to leave his shop 51:09 until it was as close to perfection as humanly possible. 51:14 He once said, "God needs violins to send His 51:17 music into the world. 51:19 If my violins are defective, God's music will be spoiled." 51:24 As the music begins to play, he said, "I believe the lives 51:29 we live are God's music to the world." 51:34 And in order for the music to be as beautiful as possible, 51:39 our lives must reflect the beauty of the character of God. 51:45 Listen to the message in the song. 51:55 Humming... 52:31 Oh Lord. 52:33 Humming... 52:38 Oh Lord. 52:39 Humming... 53:02 Amazing Grace, 53:09 how sweet the sound, 53:14 that saved a wretch like me. 53:25 I once was lost, 53:33 but now I'm found; 53:37 was blind, but now I see. 54:09 Through many dangers, 54:16 toils, and snares 54:20 I have already come. 54:31 'Twas Grace has brought me 54:38 safe thus far, 54:44 and Grace will lead me home. 55:03 When we've been there ten thousand years, 55:13 bright shining as the sun; 55:23 we've no less days to sing God's praise 55:33 than when we first begun. 55:43 Hallelujah, hallelujah. 55:47 Amen. 55:53 Hallelujah, hallelujah. 55:57 Amen. 56:03 Hallelujah, hallelujah. 56:09 Amen. 56:21 Let us pray. 56:23 Oh Father, thank You that the Sabbath 56:30 is the sign of a people who resemble, reflect, and reveal 56:38 Your character. 56:41 Help us, Lord, as we strive to resemble Your character. 56:50 Help us, oh God. 56:54 The character of God is our goal; 56:59 to be transformed into the likeness, the moral image 57:06 of the One who created us. 57:10 May this be our eternal destiny. 57:15 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 57:20 Amen. 57:21 Praise God. 57:24 Let the church say amen, amen. |
Revised 2016-03-02