Participants: Pr. David Klinedinst
Series Code: DPR
Program Code: DPR000008A
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00:09 Crown Heights New York
00:13 a jewish man loses control of his car 00:17 and accidentally strikes and kills a 7 year old 00:21 african american boy. Ambulances rush 00:25 to the sceen a crowd gathers and 00:29 rumors start to fly that it was racially motivated eventy 00:33 even though it wasnt. 3 hours later 00:37 revenge is taken when a young rabinical student is murdered just 00:41 5 blocks away these incidents threw the neighborhood into 00:45 two days of intense violence and before 00:49 the police could regain control 188 people 00:53 were injured and a whole neighbor was turned upside down with hate 00:57 and animosity. 01:01 Blacksburg Virginia. A student walks 01:04 into a dorm at Virginia Tech University and shoots 01:08 two people in cold blood. He then makes his way across 01:13 the campus to the science and engineering building where he goes from one 01:17 classroom to another indiscriminantly shooting 01:21 proffessors and students alike. When the whole massacre is 01:25 over 32 were killed 01:29 many were injured and it turned a campus upside down 01:33 the newspapers said this was the deadliest peace time shooting 01:37 by a single gunman in US histroy 01:41 some propbably remember that. Aurora, Colorado 01:45 another young man walks into a moive theater, makes his way to one of the 01:49 rooms and begins shooting. At first the people thought the gun fire 01:53 was from the movie screen but once they heard the screams 01:57 and saw blood, they all scattered in the dark and in a 02:01 matter of minutes 12 lost there lives, 58 were injured, 02:05 and families were torn apart 02:09 i would like to be able to say that these are isolated incidences 02:13 and they don't happen very mush but you know 02:17 that isnt true becasue all we have to do is read 02:21 newspapers and turn on CNN and we see that things like this 02:25 are happening on a regular basis it is part 02:29 of our society in the 21st century 02:33 and it causes people to ask the question why 02:37 what is going on here why does it seem like 02:41 our world is falling apart at the seams 02:45 in fact if you look at our world we're gonna take a look at some of the 02:49 problems many societies around this planet are facing 02:53 take a look at these statistics. We are told that 02:57 10 million violent crimes are committed just in this country alone 03:01 every single year. The bloodshed in our streets 03:05 is common thing 03:49 When you look at statistics like this 03:53 it tends to get your attention and you go back to the origianl 03:57 question why is this happening. Why 04:01 does it seem like our problems are increasing in scope and magnitude 04:05 and we cant do anything about it why are the morals 04:09 of our society continually plummeting to an 04:13 ever lower level. many people have asked that 04:17 in fact if we were to go around the room tonight and solicit everybody's opinion 04:21 most of the things you say would probably be right but did you know 04:25 in prophetic portions of the Bible God suggests 04:29 an answer. In fact God comes right out and 04:33 tells us why we are facing these things in the wrold today 04:37 so I'd like to invite you to tkae your Bibles and the first book we're 04:41 gonna go to is the book Hosea chapter 4 04:45 Hosea chapter 4 verse 1 The Bible says 04:49 hear the word of the Lord 04:53 you children of Israel for the Lord brings a charge 04:57 against the inhabitants of the land there is no truth 05:01 or mercy or knowledge of God in the land 05:05 by swearing and lying, killing and stealing 05:09 and committing adultery they break all restraint with bloodshed 05:13 upon bloodshed I want to stop there for second 05:17 it is interesting to know that as God looks 05:21 at the societies of Israel he is seeing things 05:25 that are also taking place in the pagan nations around them 05:29 as Hosea describes the society of his day Hosea 05:33 day it almost sounds like he is reading straight 05:37 from a newspaper 21st century 05:41 God says he sees lying and stealing and killing 05:45 people without self control, bloodshed upon bloodshed 05:49 sounds like our world today does in it? 05:53 but what is shocking about this God is 05:57 not speaking to the pagan nations that do not know him 06:01 he is talking about his own people the children of Israel 06:05 and then in verse 6 06:09 God comes right out in telling them why 06:13 they face these problems in fact in verse 6 he doesnt get symbolic 06:17 her doesnt beat around the bush he comes right out and says it in a way 06:21 there is no mistaking it.Lets pick it up now in verse 6 06:25 the Bible says, 06:29 my people are destroyed for (WHAT?) lack of 06:33 knowledge (that is spiritual knowledge) because 06:37 you have rejected knowledge I also will reject you from being 06:41 priest for me becasue you 06:45 have forgotten the law of your God 06:53 I also will forget your children. Now notice God gives them two main reasons 06:57 why there society is plummetting. one they have rejected 07:01 spiritual knowledge. They have turned away from the principles 07:05 of God's word and more specifically he says 07:09 you have forgotten the law 07:13 of your God. Remember how he had given the nation of Israel 07:17 principles to follow. That they were given the 10 commandment law 07:21 of God as a principle of happiness 07:25 God had told them, if you honor these principles if you keep these 07:29 laws you will have a happy healthy and stable 07:33 society that will be an example to the rest of the world 07:37 your family's will be strong, and your neighborhoods will be strong 07:41 but if you turn away from the principle of happiness 07:45 you will begin to face pain, woe,and sorrow 07:49 and things will begin to fall apart and that is exactly 07:53 what happened. God gave them his law 07:57 and they turned away from it and God said that is why 08:01 you're facing these problems in your society 08:05 do you realize we are running 08:09 almost an exact parallel of the land of Israel back in 08:13 Hosea's day because in our secular world today 08:17 the majority has thrown away the principles of God's word 08:21 and when it comes ot his holy ten commandment law 08:25 the secular world says we dont need that any more 08:29 the 10 commandments that's archaic that's 08:33 irrelevant modern man doesnt need to be guided 08:37 by such ancient principles and as a result 08:41 our society plummets, our morals 08:45 are decreasing and we find ourselves falling into greater 08:49 woe and we can't solve the problem why? because 08:53 God says we have turned away from His principles 08:57 of happiness now that ought to tell us something 09:01 about the Love of God becasue he could have created us 09:05 and said youre on your own but God says becasue I love so much 09:09 I'm going to give you principles to follow that will bless 09:14 you for life and if you follow them you will have 09:18 happiness if you follow them you will experience 09:22 the greatest blessing of live 09:26 But our secular world has rejected them they took surveys 09:30 just a few years ago. you know how they sometimes do roving surveys out in 09:34 neighborhoods they ask people you know questions somtime when you ask kids 09:38 like you know what president was Abraham Lincoln and they want to see how many Americans 09:42 new Us history Well one they decided to 09:46 ask was "Can you name two or three of the ten 09:50 commandments?" and it was absolutely shocking that 09:54 here in the 21st century in our modern world the vast majority 09:58 people could not even name 2 or 3 of the ten commandments 10:02 there was one that they could name would like guess which on that is 10:06 Thou shall not kill. do know why do we know that one? 10:10 A couple of reason a little bit of selfishness is involved 10:14 we like that commandment why? one because we dont wanna be killed 10:18 you know almost every government on earth has that law but 10:22 beyond that commandment most people could not 10:26 even name it. You might say pastor Dave why are we studying 10:30 this subject in a prophecy seminar here is what we are going to discover 10:34 God's law becomes a big issue in the book 10:38 of Revelation did you know that? Revelation describes 10:42 God's people at the end of time as those who keep his commandments 10:46 and the great crisis that happens at the end 10:50 is gonna force people to make a choice between man's law and God's law 10:54 we are gonna see that in a few minutes so if we understand 10:58 prophecy we have to got know what God teached about his 11:02 own law. So we will spend time doing that tonight 11:06 and since we are lets go ahead and put the ten commandments on the screen 11:10 and lets just briefly go through them and see it we 11:14 can find something archaic and irrelevant for are world 11:18 today now I'm going to go through these pretty fast you could do a whole sermon on each one 11:22 Commandment number on e Thou shalt have no other gods 11:26 before me Well that make sense God want use to be faithful to Him 11:30 just as we don't wand are husband or wife going off with some one else 11:34 Commandment number two, Thou shalt have no graven image 11:38 well that one makes sense because why worship something made of 11:42 wood or stone when you can have a living God who hears you. Can you 11:46 Aman? Commandment number three Thou shalt not take 11:50 the name of the LORD thy God in vain; in others words we 11:54 should respect Gods name and you use proper language Commandment number 11:58 four Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy In other words 12:02 God give us a time to rest and to worship him and 12:06 grow in our relationship with Jesus Commandment number five 12:10 Honour thy father and thy mother God wants us 12:14 to have happy and strong family ties 12:18 numebr six Thou shalt not kill if we only 12:22 keep that one this world would be be better place. Can you say Amen? 12:26 Number seven Thou shalt not commit adultery. 12:30 Well that certainly not irrelevant God knows when marriages 12:34 fall apart there is a ton of pain in person live God wants 12:38 somthing beter for than that. Commandment number eight 12:42 Thou shalt not steal. well that one makes sense 12:46 Commandment number nine Thou shalt not bear false witness in other words 12:50 be true full about the things you say and lastly number ten 12:54 Thou shalt not covet in other words be thankful for what you have 12:58 because if you are always wanting something else that somebody has 13:02 you'll never be happy and so God has given us 13:06 these principle of happiness because he loves us 13:10 but here is something you notice. 13:14 just a few generation ago back in the early 1900s 13:18 most of society thought that those commandments were very 13:22 important most of society back then in the early 13:26 twenty century thought that we needed honor those 13:30 principles of happiness so in those early 1900s 13:34 we taught to children at home, they were taught in schoools 13:38 systems and displayed in government buildings and they 13:42 were preached from christian pulpits. but you fast forward 13:46 a hundred years, now to the early 21st century 13:50 and all that is changed there has been a 13:54 definite shift in thinking and attitude 13:58 because now we are not teaching them at home 14:02 they definitely are not being taught in school sytems, you can't display them 14:06 in government buildings, and rarely will you hear them preached 14:10 from christian pulpits today in fact 14:14 even sometimes in christianity we hear things like this. 14:18 Well God's law thats not important any more that was only 14:22 for the Jews as if God only wanted Jewish nation to be happy 14:26 oh the commandments they are a bit outdated it was 14:30 done away with at the cross we're under grace now 14:34 so the question we have to ask is does the 14:37 Bible teach those things but number two 14:42 anyone can see our societies plummeting wither you are religious 14:46 secular and if that is happen why in the world 14:50 would this planet want to do away with God's principles of 14:54 happiness and why would the religous world go right alone 14:58 with it and here's what you discover 15:02 it is no accident did you know that in 15:05 Bible prophecy God warned us that this 15:09 shift in thinking would happen. Did you know that? in book Daniel 15:13 God warned us that the spirit of 15:17 Antichrist would be woking in this world and to try to pull 15:21 people from God and to pull away from His Holy Law 15:25 i want to take you to a very revealing 15:29 passage in the book of Daniel this on of our a key passage 15:33 for tonight id like you to take your bibles and go to Daniel 15:37 chapter 7 and verse 25 15:41 becasue I think we all realize there has been a defined shift in attitude 15:45 towards God's law. now if some of your grandparents 15:49 or great grandparents happen to be alive you ask them sometime 15:53 what society thought of those principles back when they were young 15:57 and they will tell you that society sought to honor 16:02 them a lot more than we do today Daniel is going to tell us 16:06 why that shift is taking place Daniel 16:10 chapter 7 and we are going to read verse 25 16:14 now here in Daniel chapter 7 this entire 16:18 chapter describes the work of antichrist 16:22 God reveals to us what the things antichrist 16:26 will do in this world how whe will try to pull people away 16:30 from God later in this seminar we are gonna spend 16:34 2 whole nights on this chapter but just for tonight 16:38 i want to scratch the surface by drawing your attention 16:42 to something in verse 25 about what antichrist's 16:46 will do now don't miss this Daniel 7 verse 25 16:50 The bible says, 16:54 He shall speak pompous words against (againt who?) 16:58 the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, 17:02 And shall intend to change times 17:06 and law or if you have the King James it say He shall 17:10 to change times and laws: Then the 17:14 saints shall be given to his hand for a time, times, 17:18 and half a time. Now we are goign to dig deaply into that a little later, but 17:22 here is what I want you to notice it says that antichrist works against who? 17:26 the Most High and his saints or his people 17:30 and it specifically said he would think to change 17:34 times and laws 17:38 in its context it is talking about God's law 17:42 because the phrases right above that 17:46 say that he or it is woring against the Most High 17:50 so what the bible is telling us is that the spirit of antichrist 17:54 will be working in this world to do away with 17:58 to try to obliterate or turn us away from 18:04 God's law and that is exactly what you see happening today 18:08 it is being fulfilled even in the last hundred years 18:12 as you see a definite change in thinking towards God's 18:16 principles of happiness in fact 18:20 I want you notice waht Revelation says about God's law 18:24 because I'm not just pulling this out of a hat saying that this is important 18:28 in bible prohecy we just read in Daniel that antichrist 18:32 would think to change God's times and God's laws 18:36 but now want you to notice what the book of Revelation says 18:40 about God's people at the end of time 18:44 this one I have written out on the screen for you. Revelation 14 18:49 The Bible says 19:01 Now let's stop for second 19:05 Revelation here is describing God's people at the end times 19:09 it is describing God's church if you will in the last days 19:13 that is the saints and it specifically describes 19:17 them as those keeping commandments of God because 19:21 of their faith in Jesus Christ in fact 19:25 what you'll discover if you read just a few before that, 19:29 the third angel of Revelation 14 is warning 19:33 people about worshipping the beast and his image now we'll get into that a little bit 19:37 later, but what Revelation is telling us is that in the last days 19:41 there will clearly be two groups of people one group 19:45 follows the beast and worship his image God's people 19:49 keeping His commandments so what ever the final crises 19:53 involves Revelation has already told us that it revolves 19:57 around the commandments of God in some way 20:01 one group follows man's law the other group follows 20:05 God's law at all cost 20:09 and so if we want to clearly understand the issue in the 20:13 book of Revelation we have got to know what does 20:17 the Bible teach about God's law becasue 20:21 on one hand there is a group of thinking that says 20:24 well that was nailed to the cross it is not important anymore 20:28 and being under grace says we dont need to worry about those principles 20:32 but yet the book of Revelation describes God's chruch at the end 20:35 as keeping His commandments so since there are 20:39 these two conflicting schools of thought we need to pause right 20:43 now and before we go any futher in the book of Revelation we have to make sure 20:47 we understand what the scriptures teach concerning this 20:51 subject because if revelation brings it up that means 20:55 it is important can you say amen so what we are gonig to do now 20:59 we're just start in the Old Testamnet and make our way all the way 21:03 to the New Testamnet and see what does God's word teaches 21:07 on this subject see that is the way you study revelation when it 21:11 brings up a subject we need more information about before you go 21:15 on in Revelation aand try to fil in the blanks with our own opinions, 21:20 go to the Bible and get a clear understanding 21:24 that is how you let the Bible interpret itself that is what 21:28 we seek to do everynight in this seminar 21:32 so what we wanna do just now I want you turn to the Old Testament 21:36 and begin this journey in the book of Exodus 21:40 that hould com as no surprise I want yoe to turn to Exodus chapter 21:44 Exodus 31 and verse 18 21:48 Exodus chapter 31 verse 21:52 18 and here is what we are going to read God 21:56 had given Moses the ten commandments 22:00 and as God gives this to Moses 22:04 surprise I want you to notice how it is describe in the Bible because there is two important 22:08 things in this verse Exodus 31 and verse 22:12 18.The Bible says, 22:16 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount 22:20 Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the 22:24 Testimony, tablets of (what?) stone 22:28 written with? the finger of God 22:32 lets stop there for a second important things 22:36 are mentioned here do you notice when Moses went up 22:40 to get the commandments on what type of material 22:44 did God put his principles of happiness you tell me 22:48 stone. now notice he didnt put it on paper 22:52 or papyrus He didn't put it and any other material where 22:56 something could happen to it rot away etc. He 23:00 wrote it on stone that ought 23:04 to tell us something about the permancy of that God attches 23:08 to His Holly Law. Infact when you think about it we have a 23:12 figure of speech that we even use in our world today that is very much 23:16 connected to what we just read here in the bible think about it 23:20 when we want to communicate to something or when we want communicate 23:24 to someone that something is never gonna change and last forever what 23:28 what do we say it is written stone 23:32 that means it has no ending that figure of speech actually 23:36 comes all the way from the Bible here in Exodus 23:40 in addition to that do you notice what instrument God uses to write 23:44 What is it? His finger notice He didn't use 23:48 a pen or whatever they had in those days, He did not dictated 23:52 to Moses for him to write down God wrote it 23:56 with His very own finger 24:00 Now think about that for a second do you know 24:04 that means the ten commandments it is 24:08 the only part of God Word that God 24:14 wrote himself. Now think about that 24:19 we are told that when it comes to the rest of the canon of scripture 24:23 that holy men of old were under inspiration of the holy spirit 24:27 and God inspired them with divine thought and they wrote 24:31 them down in their words in human language to comunicate 24:35 it. He did not dictate the Bible word for word 24:39 but when it comes to His law God wrote it with his 24:43 very own finger that is how important it must be 24:47 now soemtimes we have the impression 24:51 well right here on Mount Sinai that is the beginning of God's law right? 24:55 actually it is not! God's law existed long 24:59 before this notcie in Genesis 26:5 25:03 Abraham is described as keeping God's commandments 25:07 the Bible saya, 25:19 Abraham the father of the faithful honored the commandments of God 25:23 but actually God's 25:27 law existed even before Abraham becasue we can go 25:31 all the way back to the beginning of this earth's history even all 25:35 the way back to Adam and Eve you say well how do you know that 25:39 Let me show you something I'm going to put a picture on the screen I wanna see if you 25:43 know what that it is thats right thats 25:47 Cain and Abel. So let me ask you a question 25:51 when Cain killed Abel was that a sin. Yes or No 25:55 How many people agree that is a sin let see your hand its not a trick 25:59 question or anything let me ask you something then 26:03 if the ten commandments didnt exist back then 26:07 how could God punish Cain 26:11 for something he didnt know was wrong 26:15 if thou shall not kill didnt exist in the beginning 26:19 how could God punish cain for something 26:23 he was unaware of becasue did God punish cain? 26:27 He did He put a mark on him he was wander of the earth 26:31 so right here it tells us that Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve 26:35 familiar with God's Law, God shared it with them, orally 26:39 you say how do you know that back in Genesis 26:43 1 it says that God walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening 26:47 they had regular communion together God had 26:51 shared his principles of happiness with them it wasnt 26:55 unitl the time of Moses that God decided to put it on stone 26:59 do you know why He put it on stone? becasue 27:03 he already witnessed numerous times how apt man is to forget 27:07 think about it not long after they were created 27:11 apparently Cain and Abel came along and Cain killed Abel 27:15 his law was forgotten about by the time 27:19 that you get only five chapters into the bible it says the world 27:23 was filled with such wickedness God had to destroy it with a flood 27:27 the world forgot and even not long ater that 27:31 you read about the tower of babel where the world rebelled 27:35 against God and he confused their language 27:39 and even all the way at the time of moses 27:43 becasue knows how man forgets He said now instead of sharing 27:47 orally I'm going to write it on stone 27:51 and amazingly enough even after that 27:55 it only took 40 days to forget 27:59 because here in Exodus 31 this is the second time 28:03 Moses goes up to get the commandments 28:07 remember the first time he was gone 40 days and when he came down the mountain 28:11 What were the Israelites already doing dancing and worshipping 28:15 around the golden calf and Moses was so frustrated 28:19 with them because they has heard God speak those commandments 28:23 from the cloud above the mountain He went up to get it in stone in 40 days 28:27 they are already break them, he throws the commandments down 28:31 this in away symbolizing what Israel had done God 28:35 knows that man would forget so now He puts it 28:39 stone, but believe it or not 28:43 you can go actually everfarther back than the beging of this world 28:47 God's Law has existed from all 28:51 of eternity becasue God's Law 28:55 is really a description of his character it is the prinicples 28:59 of his government how he operates and when you think about it 29:03 who was the first being 29:07 to break Gods Law, the very first on 29:11 Lucifer remember how we studied how 29:15 Satan was once a mighty angel in the court of Heaven 29:20 but he lost his love for God and he began to 29:24 deceive the other angels into believing that God was not love 29:28 that God could not be trusted that 29:32 His law was not imprtant for angelic being to follow 29:36 and as a result Lucifer and the angels that followed him 29:40 were cast out of heaven becasue they brought woe and suffering even 29:44 to the courts of heaven when you think about it Lucifer 29:48 broke at least three of those commandments Number one Thou shall 29:52 have no other gods before me, because Satan wanted to be 29:56 his own god. You know when you think about it 30:00 that is the one you and I struggle the most 30:04 you say oh no I don't struggle with that one when you 30:08 think about the principle behind that commandment it 30:12 probably is because we want to be are own god 30:16 We may not say I want to be divene Lord I want to seat on your throne 30:20 but when we say Lord I know what your word says 30:24 but I'm going to do something else Lord I 30:28 know what your will is but it is inconvenient for me 30:32 so when I chose ignore what God says and 30:36 do what I say I'm am placing myself above 30:40 God I'm being my own god it all comes back 30:44 to self and not having a surrendered heart I assure you 30:48 that is the one I struggle with the mostand probably that's the one 30:52 you'll find that the majority people in the world with. just say 30:56 Lord I surrender myself to you I wanna put your word and 31:00 your truth first. Lucifer broke commandment nmmber 31:04 9 you shall not bear false witness he lied the the other angels 31:08 about the character of God and lastley number 10 31:12 he coveted the throne so much that was willing 31:16 to instigate full scale rebellion to get it 31:20 and so if turning away from the 31:24 if that brought suffering even in heaven 31:28 what makes us think turning away from Gods law wont do the same thing 31:32 on this earth see Lucifer he is doing the same rebellion 31:36 here the more we turn away from the principles of happiness 31:40 that God gave us in the beginning the more our societies 31:44 and homes and neighborhoods plunge deepera and deeper 31:48 into the pit and many times the world turns 31:52 around and blames God for it even though 31:56 He already gave us the principles of happiness from the beginning 32:00 see folks the fact that God gives us his law 32:04 tells us that he loves us so much we tend to think God is just being 32:08 a party pooper cant do this cant do that how many of you 32:12 have children raise your hand do ever tell your childern 32:16 thou shall not, oh come now do you do you ever 32:20 tell your childern thou shall not you may not use those word but I know in the homes here 32:24 say don't do this don't do that is happen a lot in our family why do we 32:28 tell our children not to do something because there is danger involved 32:32 you know I tell our girls don't you dare cross the street 32:36 without use being there it that because were are a bunch of party pooper's 32:40 we don't know how to have fun, well they might think but 32:44 as they get older they understand that when you cross the boundary 32:48 potential danger in that street and mommy and daddy 32:52 want something better for you that is how God is He 32:56 gives us boundaries not because He is trying to keep happiness from us 33:01 but becasue he wants to give us ultimate happiness and to keep us 33:04 away from the deceptions fo the Devil bringing heart ache into our lives 33:08 what would we say about aparent that says to there child you what 33:12 I don't care what you do just go off and do whatever we would say they 33:16 don't love their child very much why would we want God 33:20 to be like a bad parent why would we want God to says you know 33:24 what ever you want I don't care that is not the way God is 33:29 He loves us and He is intently 33:32 involved in our lives so He gives us the principle 33:37 of His law but lets go a little farther 33:41 thus far we have looked up things in the old testament 33:45 lets go to the new becasue sometimes it is said well 33:49 the ten commandments are nailed to the cross so lets go into the New Testament 33:53 so lets go see what Jesus teached about the subject because I reckon 33:57 if anyone know about Gods law it ought to be Jesus himself Can You Say Amen 34:01 so lets go to Matthew 5 and verse 17 34:05 the sermon on the Mount now I wnat you 34:09 think about what this is this by far the greatest sermon ever preached. 34:13 Jesus gave us the principles of Christianity 34:17 in three chapters can you believe that 34:21 he gave us the basic summary of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus 34:25 and to follow the religion of christ in three simple 34:29 chapters that is it and of all the 34:33 things he could have covered one of the things that He covered 34:37 He thought was essential is what our attitude should be 34:41 towards Gods Law Matthes 5 verse 17 34:45 The bible says do not think that I came 34:49 to destroy the law or the prophets, I did not come 34:53 to destroy but to do What? fulfill. for For assuredly, 34:57 I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, 35:01 one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law 35:05 until all is fulfilled then notice verse 19 35:09 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, 35:13 and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom 35:17 but whoever does and teaches them, 35:21 he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 35:25 there is a few things there as a minister 35:29 verse 19 really gets my attention 35:33 do you know why? Jesus 35:37 actually pronounces a woe on anyone 35:41 that teacehs others to ignore his law 35:45 i dont want Jesus to pronounce a woe on me 35:49 that is a serious thing He says they there will be least in the kingdom of heaven and that is 35:53 really a play on words becasue they are not gonna be in the kingdom of heaven 35:57 see that is a temptation for a minister you say what do you mean 36:01 I'm gonna let you into the heart of a minister for the next minute or two is that ok 36:05 I'm going to share with some of temptations we face 36:09 is in many ways ministers have a human nature just like you 36:13 and like many people in the world we want to be liked 36:17 we dont like to have enemies we don't like to have anybody 36:21 criticize us it hurts and so as 36:25 a result there are times when we are tempted to say you know what 36:29 i dont wanna preach that part of God's Word becasue it is too straight forward somebody 36:33 might get upset with me tempted to maybe pick and chose 36:37 certain things in the Word of God you know not upset anybody and 36:41 dont talk about sin, dont step on toes dont lovingly 36:45 challenge a church to grow becasue when you 36:49 upset people for teaching that which truth 36:53 sometimes your church may not be the biggest in twon 36:57 sometimes the attendance goes down 37:02 when the attendance goes down that means 37:06 less offering in the plate and when there less offerings are in the palte 37:10 you cant pay the bills and when you cant pay 37:14 the bills guess who doen't get paid 37:18 the minister you see the 37:22 temptaion sometimes us minister to skip and chose 37:26 only preach bubbling brooks and things make people happy 37:30 and never address serious subject I think we all 37:34 realize that there are true ministers and there are minsters who are not genuine 37:38 now it's not up to me to that judge only God can read the heart Cna you say Amen? 37:42 but i think we know like any proffession there are people in it for 37:46 the wrong reasons but see the word of God tells me 37:50 I cannot skip things because they are difficult it might 37:54 me easier for me to say, hay don't worry about the principles of God's Law 37:58 but God says i need to preach the whole council of his word 38:02 and so yes I realize I do say somethings in this seminar maybe 38:06 not what the popular belief is but it is becasue I take seriously 38:10 we need to uplift the Word of God becasue it is His Word 38:14 that set us free and it is His word that brings us ultimate happiness 38:18 can you say amen so I take it seriously when God talks about 38:22 pronouncing a woe the other thing you notice is God 38:26 law. He says specifically concerning his Law and even the prophets 38:30 also talking about the Old testament Scriptures He says as long 38:34 as heaven and earth are here, nothing will pass from his law 38:38 not even a jot or a tittle 38:42 now that is not a words we use in the 21st century very much you say what is a jot or 38:46 tittle you know what that means it is basically the crossing of 38:50 a t or the dotting of an i. that is a jot or a title 38:54 just like a legal contract you got to across your t's and dot your i's 38:58 Jesus said as long as heaven and earth are still here 39:02 we are going to need the pricnicples of His Law to 39:06 have healthy happy stable society 39:10 families and lives. can you say amen 39:14 but you know Jesus said soemthing else infact the next verse 39:18 is one sentence long we probably could have go on 39:22 home but i figured you wanted to get a full sermon tonight so we did more than on verse 39:26 it is John 14:15 notice that Jesus said 39:34 now notice it is almost 39:38 just as important what he didnt say he didnt say, 39:42 if you wanna earn your way to heaven keep my commandments if you wanna be 39:46 a legalist keep my commandments if you don't believe in grace keep 39:50 keek My commadment if you wanna gain righteousness keep My 39:54 commadments That not want He said, He said if 39:58 you love me if you appreciate what I have 40:02 done for you on the cross calvary if you recognize 40:06 I have given you a gift that you could never give 40:10 to yourself that I have given you righteousness so that you can enter 40:14 kingdom of heaven. if you recognize that and if you love me 40:18 then keep my commandments see i dont keep the 40:22 commandments becasue I'm trying to get saved we keep the commandments 40:27 because we already are saved through the blood of Jesus 40:31 it is our way to show appreciating and when people see the 40:35 holy spirit living those commandments out in our life 40:39 hopefully, in our work places in our homes and in our neighborhoods people can look at us 40:43 and see a little picture characterof Jesus in 40:47 our lives. lets illustrate it actually with 40:51 marriage. Now my wife is not here so i can use this 40:55 illustration she not here to tell if I got it wrong but she wouldn't say that any way because 40:59 she knows the story now i think we all realize that that you believe I 41:03 love Marquita, let me see your hands great most of you put your hands up 41:07 well when I married Marquita back in 41:11 1995 there will be a lot of laws of marriage 41:15 that went into effect weren't there. When we said I do that meant that mend pretty much 41:19 everything I have belong to her as well the laws of marriage 41:23 say that I got to treat her well be kind to her I shouldn't abuse her 41:27 I should try to support he the laws of marriage I really shouldn't be flirting 41:31 with other women or sleeping around with other women or going dates 41:35 other people I hope all agree those are pretty much the laws of marriage 41:39 do you think I get up every morning I got to pickup those Laws 41:43 of marriage and I say OH I guess I have to be nice to Marquita 41:47 today OH I guess I better kind and gentle or she 41:51 might divorce me and take everything I have OH I better 41:55 home a pay check OH I better be OH I can't 41:59 flirt with any women in the work place I sleep with any body else 42:03 Oh what a burden it is to love Marquita 42:07 Do think I would say that? well now you better be more emphatic 42:11 than that. Do think I would say that? certainly not 42:15 I love to honor the laws of marriage becasue Im'in love 42:19 Marquita so those law are already written on my 42:23 Marquita it's a natural thing. 42:27 that's the way it is God's Law becasue of what Jesus has done for 42:31 me He lets His prefect count me 42:35 his rigtheousness is put in my record book 42:39 and so when God looks at my mistake filed life 42:43 he doesn't see my sins he sees the prefect life of Jesus 42:47 that counts for me because Jesus prefectly kept 42:51 the law when he was on this earth so that perfection 42:55 counts in may place as a result you 42:59 and I came be saved that why is say if you love me 43:03 keep my commandments 43:07 but there is another verse in the new testament I almost hesitate to go 43:11 to this one this one of the ones you are tempted to skip 43:15 becasue it is one of the most straight forward verses in the Bible 43:19 but since i just talked about sharing whole counsel God's word I dare not 43:23 skip it. So I want you turn to 1st John 2 43:27 verse 4 but as we read it I want you to understand 43:31 I didn't say it God said it 1st John 43:35 chapter 2 verse 4 now I have been talking I got to look it up myself 43:39 1st John chapter 2 verse 4 43:43 just go to revelation go about three books backwards and you will be in 1st John 43:47 actual four books backward 1st John chapter 2 43:51 and verse 4 before I read this I got to tell you 43:55 Who wrote this? John What do you know about John character 43:59 gentle John was fairly gentle 44:03 loving he was the disciple of love. Peter was the one RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR you know 44:07 but I want you to notice in 1st John I don't what 44:11 was going on with John but here he goes from be gentle 44:15 to basically tell it like it is notice what he say 44:19 1st John 2 verse 4 The Bible says 44:23 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep 44:27 His commandments, is a What? liar, and the truth 44:31 is not in him. woohoo 44:35 talk about cutting knife I don't knowwhat bee was 44:39 in John's bonnet you what he utters a profound truth 44:43 now John was John there when Jesus said 44:47 if you love me keep my commandments sure 44:51 was he there for the sermon of the mount? when Jesus that nothing would pass from His Law until all was fulfilled 44:56 he feard that so all he is doing is reiterating 45:00 what Jesus said except in differnt words and so John 45:04 says that if I say that I love Jesus and I am a disciple 45:08 of Christ but in my live I purposely and 45:12 willfully refuse to follow His commandments John is saying 45:16 I am a liar. there something not genuine and insincere 45:20 about my witness that is not pleasant to 45:24 to be told when you think about now this isnt talking 45:28 about people who make genuine mistakes we all fall we sin and don't realize it 45:32 and have to go back say Lord forgive that's not what John is talk about 45:36 John is talking about the person who says I love the Lord but I see 45:40 what he has written in his Law and it cost too much it is inconvenient 45:44 I absolutely refuse to follow it, but I'm still a disciple of Jesus Christ this what 45:48 John says that's not sincere that's not genuine 45:52 because my actions do not match my profession 45:56 that doesnt mean I'm save by my works 46:00 when the Holy Spirit lives in us there is good works in our lives isn't that correct 46:04 becasue people should see Jesus in us but those good works 46:08 are simply evidence that show a higher power is living 46:12 and working in me because the truth is when you I do good works that's not us 46:16 doing them any way human nature can't do good works that God 46:20 working thorugh us so those good works dont save us 46:24 but they do show who is in control 46:28 of my life now lest go back marriage illustration let's illustrate it this way 46:32 let's go back to me and Marquita again you have heard me say 46:36 I love Marquita I'm in love with her but if on the off 46:40 night of this seminar you saw me in down town Springfield 46:44 hanging around with other women my arm aound their waist 46:48 giving them a pick on the cheek maybe 46:52 see me walking into a motel with another woman but then see me 46:56 coming here on the weekends professing how much I'm in love with my wife 47:00 would you belive me? no becasue my actions 47:04 would contradict my profession 47:08 no matter what i say what is coming out in my life is showing different 47:12 You say I am not genuine and I am insincer and 47:16 need help we all need help that is why 47:20 we go to Jesus. That is why Revelation at the end 47:24 of time describes God's people like thiswe have already read this verse 47:36 notice commandment keeping and a 47:40 faith relationship with Jesus always goes hand in hand 47:44 particularly in the book of Revelation 47:48 see in the last days we must choose 47:52 do we follow man law or God Law 47:56 do we go along with the spirti of antichrist that wants do away with 48:00 Gods time Gods Law and say it is irrelevant 48:04 it is archaic and not important any more 48:08 you know the only law ever nailed to the cross 48:12 and usually i do a whole sermon on this. there was a law nailed to the cross 48:16 but when you read the verses in context it is not the ten commandments 48:20 becasue we read how that law is eternal how his people 48:24 end of time are honoring it. the only law ever nailed to the cross 48:28 was moses law of ceremonies sacrificing those 48:32 lambs and those goat they were required to do in the sanctuary 48:36 because all those pointed to Jesus, when Jesus finally 48:40 came the true lamb was here so there was no need to do 48:44 those things any more because you could go directly to Jesus. Can you say 48:48 Amen? and see that is why sometimes people 48:52 or even churches may avoid the book of Revelation Now I'm just gonna 48:56 be blunt if I am saying that Gods law 49:00 is done away with and is not important but then Revelation 49:04 14:12 says people at the end time will keep His commandments I 49:08 have a proplem there that means im either going to have to change my belief 49:12 or going to have to changge the Bible so as not 49:16 to deal with that sometimes we purposely skip over the book of Revelation 49:20 because it brings to forefront deep and important truths 49:24 that we need for the end of time 49:28 lastly one more verse then I want to the illustration 49:32 you may say so ok what is the purpose of God's law? 49:36 romans 3:20 says is so beautifully Romas 3:30 49:40 The Bible says Therefore by the deeds of the law 49:44 no flesh will be justified in His sight, 49:48 how many people are justified by law NONE 49:52 for by the law is (waht?)the knowledge of sin. 49:56 in other words the law can't make me clean 50:00 it can't make me perfect and righteous 50:04 the job is to show me that I fall short of God's standards 50:08 to show me that I have sin in my life 50:12 so that it will point to me to the one who can take care of that sin 50:16 Jesus Christ the righteous see that means the 50:20 law propose is to point me to Jesus 50:24 the law pionts me to the cross now put 2 and 2 together 50:28 that is why the devil hates God's law 50:32 that's why he works through the spirit of antichrist to do away 50:36 with God's times and God's laws becasue the devil hates 50:40 any tool that points to Jesus antichrist 50:44 hats any tool that will piont people the the cross 50:48 so the easiest way is is just to do away with it 50:52 and let it be lost sight of and that is why Daniel 50:56 and Revelation tells us in the end God's 51:00 law is going to be the issue that the great 51:04 controversy and great crisis centers around 51:08 so you and I we must choose if wand to follow God tomorrow 51:12 then by His grace we need to choose to follow him 51:16 today I would like do that illustration 51:20 so what id need to do I'm going do an illustration from James 51:24 chapter 1 so I'm going to go in the back room for about 51:28 60 seconds you wont see me the seminar is not over 51:32 so so don't get up and leave the cameras are still going to be rolling but I need 51:36 go back there and im gonna sin for about 60 seconds ok 51:40 so dont go anywhere I'm just going keep talking into the mic while im back there 51:44 and im gonna enjoy a little sin before this seminar is over 51:48 hang tight and smile and meditate up on Gods word here 51:52 so the door is closed can you still hear me? if you can say Amen 51:56 alright so I'm back here and I am doing my 52:00 dirty deeds and no body can see 52:04 me this is alot fun but you know i fear 52:08 the newspaper might a hold of thisand then tomorrow you will see it in the paper 52:13 a prophecy speaker sins in front of congregation 52:17 and theyll be a big scandalabout it so I'm enjoying my sin 52:21 time is all most up no body can see me oh 52:25 did I enjoy that low and behold I must come back 52:29 the congregation at this time so I've finished 52:33 my dirty deed now we got come back finish the sermon we need to finish 52:37 we need to finish the last few text on here so now 52:41 we are ready to go 52:45 there is dead silence 52:49 would someone be so kind as to tell me why are you laughing 52:53 someone tell me I've got 52:57 dirt on my face how many people say I have dirt on my face let me see your hands 53:01 there is something on my face well I got news for you 53:05 I can't is it how do i know youre not just pulling my 53:09 leg and my face is perfectly clean what do i need 53:13 in order to tell if I have dirt on my face? 53:17 I need a mirror and low and befold there is a 53:21 mirror right here so I pick up the mirror 53:25 and i look into it oh in deed I have 53:29 got dirt on may face now I got two choice 53:33 here i can take the mirror 53:37 and start rub it with my face to try to cleean htis dirt off of me 53:41 will that slove the problem? no in fact it will make it worse 53:45 you know I can say what I hate the dumb old 53:49 mirror this foolish mirror tells me I have dirt on my face let's just do away 53:53 with the mirror does it solve my problem? 53:57 I still have dirt on my face 54:01 the purpose of the mirror is simply 54:05 to point me to the one who can cleanse me 54:09 of my sin, so it points me to go to the foot 54:13 of the cross filled from Emmanuel's veins He 54:17 washed me and made me clean 54:21 that is what we do we come to Jesus just as we are 54:25 with all our sin with all of our short comings 54:29 with all of our mistakes and the Bible says He washes us 54:33 and He make us clean 54:37 aw yes it feels good to be 54:41 clean now how many people say I'm clean am I clean yet 54:45 there still remnants there I didn't stay on my knees long enough 54:49 I hope I commit the unpardonable sin there we go 54:53 am I clean now I not clean now 54:57 mercy me I must have realy done something in that back room 55:01 the other side I didn't put it on the other side 55:05 there we go am I clean I'm not then what do I need 55:09 do I need to look in the mirror and low and behold 55:13 yes I am mostly and now Jesus makes me fully 55:17 clean because of His death on the cross 55:21 now I have to ask you a question is my face clean 55:25 you say it is, now before I looked in the mirror 55:29 did I now my face was clean you could have been lying to me when I go Walmart 55:33 afterwards the clerk is going to like at I'm craze 55:37 I look in the mirror I see indeed the charter of Jesus 55:41 is starting to be formed in me I am clean 55:45 because of what Jesus has done for me the law is a 55:49 mirror that points me to Jesus 55:53 bother and sisters I understand 55:57 as we look our live you may say pastor 56:01 today my live is not in with God's law 56:05 I fall so short and sometimes the Devil 56:09 throws in our face our faults our weakness 56:13 choses we made in the past maybe 56:17 the habits patterns we struggle with today 56:21 we struggle with that sense of shame and guilt and 56:25 unworthiness if you are struggling with that today 56:29 Jesus has a beautiful promise in Matthew 11:28 56:33 Jesus said 56:45 if you are tired of the burden of sin 56:50 and are wanting guilt and stain to be removed 56:54 and if you're just simply wanting peace wanting Jesus perfect 56:58 life to count for you Jesus says come to me 57:02 I will give you rest I'll give you confidence I will 57:06 give you the assurance of salvation tonight are you 57:10 willing to say in your heart Loard Jesus I want you transform me 57:14 I want you to change Lord I you permission 57:19 to write the principles of your law on my heart 57:23 If that is your desire tonight, if just want say Lord I don't claim 57:27 to be perfect of myself but Lord I want you to begin 57:31 the principles of your law my heart if that your desire 57:37 would stand with me as we have a closing pray 57:39 Heavenly Father 57:43 so often we are well aware where 57:47 we fall short and you know Lord how the Devil 57:52 seeks to throw that in our face and take away the assurance of salvation 57:56 but Lord to night we present ourselves to you 58:00 we understand there is a controversy that's surrounding your law 58:04 and tonight we give permission Lord as a church as your people 58:09 we want you to change and transform us we want you Lord to write that Law 58:13 in our hearts so people can see Jesus in us 58:17 we want to experience that peace we want experience the happiness that 58:21 your law brings so this we ask you do 58:25 in Jesus we pray |
Revised 2018-12-04