Participants: Pr. Furman Fordham II
Series Code: FDOF
Program Code: FDOF000043A
|
00:17 Hello, and welcome once again to Foundation of Our Faith.
00:20 My name is CA Murray, 00:22 and it is my privilege and pleasure 00:24 to welcome you to edition number three 00:28 in this series, 00:29 where the Word of God is being preached 00:31 with power and with conviction. 00:33 Our speaker is Pastor Furman Fordham II, 00:37 powerful young man. 00:39 And I still call him a young man of God 00:41 who has been anointed by God, 00:44 and I am sure God will bless him 00:45 as he speaks to us 00:48 through his manservant on this day. 00:50 Pastor Fordham has an impressive resume, 00:53 and when you work for the Lord 00:55 and dedicate yourself to the Lord, 00:57 and give your talents to the Lord, 00:59 then the Lord is pleased 01:00 to give you fruit for your labor. 01:01 He's pastored in a number of places 01:03 across these United States 01:05 and also served as a youth pastor in Melbourne, 01:08 Australia. 01:10 So God has given him a wide breadth of experience, 01:14 and he is using that experience to serve the Lord 01:17 and to motivate his church 01:19 to do great things for the Lord. 01:22 He's pastored in several places 01:23 and is currently the senior pastor 01:25 of the Riverside Church in Nashville, Tennessee. 01:28 He is the husband of one wife, Jennifer 01:31 and the father of three sons. 01:33 So he is a busy man serving the Lord, 01:36 serving his family, serving the church. 01:39 In 2009, I want to get this in, 01:41 he coauthored a book called Mission Driven Ministry 01:45 and that seems to be the burden of... 01:49 I want to call him pop of Furman Fordham's ministry. 01:54 In that he seeks to have his church 01:58 moved out of the church in his community 02:00 and do things for the Lord. 02:03 And whenever you use that and do that for the Lord, 02:05 then God gives you His blessing and gives you His favor. 02:10 I just want to mention his son's names, 02:12 we've got Furman III, Irving, and Jennings, 02:16 young men who are growing up in the fear 02:18 and admonition of Jesus Christ. 02:20 I like this, the last little bit of the biography 02:22 that I see here. 02:24 It is saying that his purpose 02:26 and the statement of his purpose 02:29 is to be a growing Christian, an adoring husband, 02:34 an exceptional father, an excellent pastor. 02:37 In another words, he wants to serve 02:39 and serve successfully in all of these capacities, 02:42 and I think when you dedicate yourself 02:45 to serving the Lord on this wise, 02:47 then you are precisely where God wants you to be 02:50 and doing precisely what God wants you to do, 02:53 and God gives you blessings 02:55 and gives you fruit for your labor. 02:57 So we expect a powerful message from him this day 03:01 as he speaks on the subject of a prequel, 03:03 God will bless him and bless us through Him. 03:06 Our music is coming from Chavvah Lister. 03:11 In talking with her husband just a little bit ago, 03:14 you know, she stay around us, 03:15 work long enough you begin to meet the children of people 03:18 that you knew makes you feel a little old 03:20 but it also lets you know 03:21 that the work of God is in good hands. 03:23 And once one generation leaves the scene, 03:26 then God brings other young people 03:27 to carry the mantle and lift up the mighty 03:29 and matchless name of Jesus. 03:31 She will be bringing our music ministry 03:34 and after she shall have sung for the Lord, 03:37 then we will hear from our friend, 03:39 our Pastor Furman Fordham. 03:40 Would you join me now in a word of prayer? 03:42 Father God, we praise You, we thank You, 03:46 we glorify Your name, 03:48 for truly You are a God who is worthy to be praised. 03:51 We thank You for the ministry of preaching 03:55 and the ministry that is of music 03:58 as both of these lift our heads and our hearts towards heaven. 04:04 May we be pleased to sit in heavenly places, 04:08 this day, 04:09 and may You be pleased to give us Your presence, 04:13 Your power, and Your spirit 04:15 as together we seek to glorify Your name 04:18 and take one more step along that road that leads to glory. 04:25 Bless the sitting this day. 04:27 We praise You, we thank You for Your promise to hear 04:31 and answer the prayer of faith 04:32 in Jesus name, amen and amen. 04:37 And now, Chavvah Lister and after she shall have sung, 04:41 the man of God Pastor Furman Fordham II. 05:02 He promised us 05:04 That He would be a counselor 05:10 A mighty God 05:13 And the prince of peace 05:19 He promised us 05:21 That He would be a father 05:26 And that He would love us 05:29 With a love that would not cease 05:36 Oh, I tried Him 05:39 And I found that His promises are true 05:45 He's everything 05:47 He said that He would be 05:54 The finest words I know cannot begin to tell 06:01 Just to watch Jesus 06:03 Really means to me 06:10 For He's more wonderful 06:18 Than my mind can conceive 06:22 He's more wonderful 06:26 Than my heart can believe 06:30 He goes beyond my highest hopes 06:36 And fondest 06:39 Dreams 06:44 He's everything 06:48 That my soul ever longed for 06:54 Everything He's promised 06:57 And so much more 07:00 More than amazing 07:03 More than marvelous 07:07 More than miraculous could ever be 07:14 He's more than wonderful 07:19 That's what Jesus is to me 07:31 I stand amazed when I think the King of Glory 07:37 Should come to dwell 07:40 Within the heart of man 07:46 I marvel just to know 07:49 He really loves me 07:53 When I think of who He is 07:56 And who I am 08:01 For He's more wonderful 08:09 Than my mind can conceive 08:13 He's more wonderful 08:16 Than my heart can believe 08:20 He goes beyond my highest hopes 08:26 And my fondest dreams 08:33 Yes, He's everything 08:38 That my soul ever longed for 08:43 Everything He's promised and so much more 08:50 More than amazing 08:53 More than marvelous 08:57 More than miraculous could ever be 09:03 He's more than wonderful 09:08 That's what Jesus is 09:18 He's everything, yeah, 09:23 That my soul ever longed for 09:28 Everything He's promised and so much more 09:33 More than amazing 09:36 More than marvelous 09:40 More than miraculous 09:43 Could ever be 09:47 He's more than wonderful 09:51 More than wonderful 09:55 That's what Jesus 10:00 Is to me 10:11 That's what Jesus 10:15 Is to me 10:28 Is He more than wonderful to you? 10:31 Praise God that we serve a loving God 10:34 who can be described as more than wonderful. 10:38 We want to thank Chavvah for ministering to our hearts 10:43 in song. 10:44 I also appreciate Pastor Murray for his kind introduction. 10:49 It is a blessing to be with the Dare to Dream family, 10:54 and we thank you for tuning into 10:56 our Foundation of Our Faith program. 11:00 I do believe that the Foundation of Our Faith 11:04 is the good news of God's amazing love 11:08 as communicated through Jesus Christ. 11:12 And I am hopeful that you might experience God's love 11:17 as we look at His work together. 11:20 I am beginning with 1 John 3 11:25 and I'd like to read verse 8 11:27 in the New King James Version of the Bible, 11:30 1 John 3:8 11:35 in the New King James Version of the Bible. 11:38 It reads, "He who sins is of the devil, 11:44 for the devil has sinned from the beginning. 11:49 For this purpose, 11:51 the Son of God was manifested, 11:56 that He might destroy the works of the devil." 12:02 I like to read that again, "He who sins is of the devil, 12:05 for the devil has sinned from the beginning. 12:08 For this purpose, 12:10 the Son of God was manifested, 12:14 that He might destroy the works of the devil." 12:18 I've entitled our study for this presentation, 12:23 the prequel, the prequel. 12:26 Would you pray with me? 12:29 Hover over me Holy Spirit, 12:32 bathe my trembling heart and brow. 12:36 Fill me with thy hallowed presence. 12:39 Come o come and fill me now. 12:42 Fill me now, fill me now, only you can fill me now. 12:49 So fill me with thy hallowed presence, 12:51 come please come 12:55 and fill us now. 12:59 In the name of Jesus, we pray amen. 13:04 The prequel, Francis Ford Coppola 13:10 well known movie The Godfather, 13:14 won its fair share of Oscar Awards, 13:19 when it was first presented in 1972 13:24 but two years later 13:27 it was followed by Godfather 2, 13:30 which got even more Oscar Awards 13:34 and became in the minds of many an even better picture 13:40 than its predecessor. 13:42 What was interesting about this sequel, 13:47 Godfather 2 is that it not only continued 13:53 describing the events of the Godfather and his family 13:57 picking up from where Godfather 1 left off, 14:01 but it went before Godfather 1, 14:04 it went prior to Godfather 1. 14:08 In the purest sense of the word, 14:11 it was a prequel. 14:14 It gave events 14:15 that existed prior to the movie Godfather 1. 14:21 Well, our verse today says, "He who sins is of the devil, 14:27 for the devil has sinned from the beginning." 14:30 When we think about the beginning, 14:33 we normally think about Genesis 1:1, 14:38 "In the beginning God created the heavens 14:42 and the earth and the earth was without form, 14:45 and void, and darkness was on the face of... 14:48 And we think about the creation of earth 14:53 as being the beginning. 14:55 But the Bible has a prequel, it gives us insight, 15:02 an awareness regarding a beginning 15:05 that came before that Garden of Eden beginning 15:10 and that beginning goes all the way back to heaven. 15:15 It's described in the Book of Revelation, 15:18 this prequel can be seen in a vision 15:22 that John has in Revelation 4 and 5. 15:28 As we look at Revelation 4 15:31 and read beginning with verse 1, 15:35 I want to make you aware that John is sharing his vision 15:41 while he is a prisoner on the island of Patmos. 15:46 He has been made a prisoner 15:49 because he's been preaching the Word of God. 15:52 He is the last remaining apostle, 15:55 the other apostles have all been killed 15:58 and he alone is still alive 16:01 witnessing to the good news of Jesus' death, resurrection, 16:06 and ascension, and His soon return. 16:10 And because of the disdain and the animosity 16:14 regarding his preaching, he has been put in prison, 16:18 and it's while John is in prison 16:21 that he receives this vision of God 16:24 and it is communicated in what we have 16:27 known as The Book of Revelation. 16:30 In Revelation 4, John lets us in on his vision. 16:35 Verse 1 says, "After these things I looked, 16:39 and behold, a door standing open in heaven. 16:44 And the first voice 16:45 which I heard was like a trumpet 16:47 speaking with me, saying, 'Come up here, 16:50 and I will show you things 16:52 which must take place after this.' 16:55 Immediately I was in the Spirit, 16:57 and behold, a throne set in heaven, 17:01 and One sat on the throne.' 17:04 "Right now John does not tell us 17:06 who is seated on the throne, 17:08 but you can imagine that if this is a throne in heaven, 17:12 then we should imagine that the King of Heaven 17:15 might be seated on the throne. 17:17 And he's described in verse 3 17:20 as one who had, jasper 17:22 and a sardius stone in appearance, 17:24 there was a rainbow around the throne, 17:27 and in appearance like an emerald. 17:29 Around the throne were 24 thrones, 17:33 and on the thrones I saw 24 elders sitting, 17:37 clothed in white robes, 17:39 and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 17:43 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, 17:47 thunderings, and voices. 17:49 Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, 17:53 which are the seven Spirits of God. 17:56 Now as we continue to read about this vision, 18:00 it would start to look like a sci-fi thriller. 18:04 Look at what John says in verse 6, 18:08 "Before the throne there was a sea of glass, 18:12 like crystal. 18:14 And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, 18:17 were four living creatures full of eyes in front 18:24 and eyes in back." 18:26 Now don't get too confused, don't get too afraid, 18:30 just imagine that John is giving us a glimpse of heaven 18:36 and he's describing these exotic creatures 18:40 who have eyes all on the front and eyes all on the back. 18:45 it's a sci-fi thriller and he says, 18:49 "The first living creature, verse 7, was like a lion, 18:53 the second living creature like a calf, 18:56 the third living creature had a face like a man, 19:00 and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle." 19:04 It may seem as if this is crazy, and foolish, 19:09 and some kind of picture 19:11 that's not worthy of our notice. 19:13 But when John is penning his vision, 19:18 while on the island of Patmos, 19:22 he has to get his letter through the hands of the guards 19:27 who probably are going to read its contents 19:31 to make sure it's appropriate for dissemination. 19:34 And if John is telling stories about crazy four faced beings 19:41 that got eyes all on the front and eyes all on the back, 19:45 his wardens are gonna say, "This old man has gone crazy. 19:48 Let his letters go back to the mainland." 19:52 And when the Christians 19:54 on the mainland read John's vision, 19:58 they are so rooted and grounded in the Old Testament Scriptures 20:04 that they pick up hints 20:06 regarding what John is describing. 20:10 If you were to turn with me in the Book of Ezekiel. 20:14 Look at Ezekiel 1, 20:16 and you'll notice starting with verse 4 20:19 that Ezekiel had a vision that was similar to John's. 20:24 Ezekiel 1:4 says, "Then I, Ezekiel looked, 20:29 and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, 20:31 and a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself, 20:35 and brightness was all around it 20:36 and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, 20:39 out of the midst of the fire. 20:41 Also from within it 20:43 came the likeness of four living creatures." 20:47 Remember, John described these four creatures 20:51 and this was their appearance, they had the likeness of a man, 20:56 "Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. 21:00 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet 21:03 were like the soles of calves' feet. 21:05 They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. 21:07 The hands of a man were under their wings 21:10 on their four sides, 21:11 and each of the four had faces and wings. 21:13 Their wings touched one another. 21:15 The creatures did not turn when they went, 21:17 but each one went straight forward." 21:19 Look at verse 10, 21:21 "As for the likeness of their faces, 21:24 each had the face of a man, 21:27 each of the four had the face of a lion 21:30 on the right side, 21:32 each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, 21:36 and each of the four had the face of an eagle." 21:40 Ezekiel is describing the same four descriptions 21:47 that John is describing. 21:49 When John's readers get the Book of Revelation 21:54 and read about his vision in chapter 4, 21:57 they automatically remember 22:00 what Ezekiel wrote about in his book in chapter 1. 22:04 They are comparing the Old Testament, 22:06 and they are allowing it 22:08 to help them understand John's vision, 22:11 and we are going to do the same. 22:14 I do not want you to worry right now 22:17 about what these creatures look alike, 22:20 but notice back in Revelation 4 what they are doing. 22:25 Revelation 4:8, "The four living creatures, 22:29 having six wings 22:31 were full of eyes around and within. 22:34 And they do not rest day or night, 22:38 saying, "Holy, holy, holy. 22:43 Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" 22:50 Those four living creatures 22:52 regardless of what they look like, 22:55 doesn't matter how many eyes they have, 22:58 whether they are on the front, and in the back, 23:01 doesn't matter how spooky they look 23:03 and how crazy they look. 23:05 Notice what they are doing, they rest not day or night, 23:10 they just cry, "Holy, holy, holy. 23:16 Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" 23:22 If you were to look at these living creatures, 23:25 you would find them crying, 23:27 "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." 23:31 That's what they are doing day 23:33 and that's what they are doing night. 23:35 And then the Bible says in verse 9, 23:38 "Whenever the living creatures give glory, 23:42 and honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne." 23:45 And remember when they do it, they do it day and night, 23:50 "And whenever the living creatures 23:53 give glory and honor and thanks to Him 23:55 who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 23:59 the 24 elders, they fall down before Him 24:03 who sits on the throne. 24:05 And they worship Him who lives forever and ever, 24:09 and cast their crowns before the throne." 24:12 So these 24 elders, 24:15 whenever those four living creatures 24:18 are worshipping God, 24:19 the 24 elders cast down their crowns 24:23 and they start worshipping God. 24:25 Now remember that the four living creatures 24:28 worshipped God day and night, 24:31 that means that the 24 elders 24:34 are casting down their crowns day and night. 24:37 John is being shown a vision of heaven 24:41 where all of the inhabitants are engaged 24:46 and engrossed in 24/7 worship of God. 24:50 This is a picture of heaven in its pristine holiness 24:56 where every being just lives to worship God 25:00 and to praise God. 25:01 And the reason why they worship God 25:04 is found in verse 11. 25:06 They are worshipping Him but because they say, 25:09 "You are worthy, O Lord 25:12 to receive glory and honor and power, 25:16 for You created all things, and by Your will they exist 25:21 and were created." 25:23 The reason why the inhabitants of heaven 25:27 are worshipping God is 25:28 because they consider Him worthy, 25:33 worthy to receive their worship 25:37 because He created them. 25:40 All throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, 25:44 the children of Israel consider their God 25:48 as the only God because He was the Creator God. 25:54 All of the rest of the gods were idols 25:57 that could not speak and could not act 26:01 but their God was the Creator of heaven and earth. 26:05 The reason why we worship God 26:08 and consider Him worthy of our worship 26:11 is because He created us. 26:15 It's natural and intuitive for creatures to discern 26:21 that their Creator is worthy of worship 26:23 and it's natural and intuitive for the Creator 26:26 to recognize and expect 26:28 that the creatures ought give worship. 26:31 I remember growing up as a boy, I watched The Cosby Show. 26:37 I was the same age as Theo Huxtable, 26:41 we grew up together 26:43 and I remember that first episode 26:46 where Heathcliff Huxtable 26:49 was going into Theo Huxtable's room, 26:53 which was always dirty, and always a mess, 26:55 so he's stepping over old clothes 26:58 and stepping over pizza boxes. 27:01 And he finally has a conversation 27:03 with Theo and Theo was not understanding 27:06 the necessity of making sure he applies himself 27:10 and get good grades. 27:12 He's not recognizing that he needs to follow 27:15 the instructions of his father and his mother 27:17 and finally Heathcliff Huxtable says, 27:20 "I brought you in this world and I'll take you out." 27:25 The implication is, 27:27 "I created you and I am due respect from you." 27:33 And any parent worth their salt 27:35 recognizes and believes the same thing. 27:38 And it is understood intuitively 27:42 that creatures owe their worship 27:46 and their praise to the one who created them. 27:50 Heaven at this point, in John's vision, 27:55 is a perfect portrait of all of God's creation 28:00 recognizing that He is creator 28:03 and He is worthy of their worship and praise. 28:08 But then when we change to Revelation 5, 28:13 the scene in John's movie 28:17 adjusts its focus. 28:20 In verse 1, it says, 28:22 "And I saw in the right hand of Him 28:26 who sat on the throne a scroll." 28:30 Some kind of document, 28:32 "Written inside and on the back, 28:35 and sealed with seven seals." 28:38 The being who is seated on the throne 28:41 is now shown with a document, as if he's been served papers. 28:48 And the Bible goes on in verse 2 to say, 28:51 "Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 28:56 "Who is worthy to open the scroll 29:00 and to loose its seals?" 29:03 Now there are two ways of interpreting 29:07 this strong angel's question. 29:11 The strong angel could be like a cheerleader 29:15 at a high school basketball game 29:17 and the strong angel is giving the cheer 29:20 and expecting a response, "Who's worthy?" 29:24 "God's worthy." 29:25 "Who's worthy?" "God's worthy." 29:27 It can be a positive question, 29:31 eliciting and expecting a positive response 29:35 or a strong angel 29:38 could be asking a challenging question, 29:43 a probing question. 29:45 Almost like some of those African-American ladies 29:49 that I'm familiar with who know how to twist the neck 29:53 and shake the head 29:54 and he might be saying with his hands on his hip, 29:57 "Who's worthy?" 30:00 And when we look at the response 30:05 from the inhabitants of heaven it becomes clear 30:10 that the latter interpretation is preferred. 30:15 This angel, this strong angel 30:19 is not just asking but actually challenging, 30:24 challenging whether or not God is worthy? 30:28 Who is worthy 30:30 to open the scroll and to loose its seals? 30:33 The expectation is that all of the inhabitants of heaven 30:39 would respond by pointing to the King 30:41 who's on the throne. 30:43 They just got finished worshipping Him 30:46 day and night 24/7 casting crowns 30:50 before His feet 30:52 because they considered Him worthy. 30:54 And now that the question is asked regarding who is worthy? 30:59 I'm expecting everyone to say, "God is worthy." 31:04 But the Bible says in verse 3 of chapter 5, 31:08 "No one in heaven or on the earth 31:13 or under the earth 31:15 was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. 31:20 So I wept much, 31:22 because no one was found worthy to open 31:28 and read the scroll, or to look at it." 31:33 John is pictured as weeping 31:35 because he recognizes the significance of this scene 31:41 in his movie. 31:43 He recognizes that there is now a question 31:47 concerning whether or not God is worthy. 31:53 All of creation is in peril, 31:58 if there is a powerful being who is not loving, 32:04 and gracious, and kind, 32:06 and interested in the life of His creatures. 32:10 If God is not a loving God 32:13 and not worthy of His creatures worship, 32:16 then that means that God is an angry God. 32:20 God is a God who is not interested in the life 32:25 and the blessing of His creatures, 32:27 He is to be feared, and He is to be hidden from, 32:32 and the whole universe would be in peril, 32:36 if God is not worthy. 32:40 And John is now weeping 32:42 because there is a question in heaven 32:49 concerning whether or not 32:51 God is worthy to receive worship? 32:56 I believe that this 33:00 interlude in the movie 33:04 that John is been given in Revelation 4 33:07 and Revelation 5 is eluding to the crisis, 33:12 the war that took place in heaven 33:15 where there was a question regarding the character of God 33:20 and whether or not He was worthy to be worshiped. 33:24 The readers of John's vision 33:27 would go back to that Book of Ezekiel 33:30 and they would research to find more cues. 33:33 I want to encourage us to also go back to Ezekiel. 33:37 This time Ezekiel 28, 33:41 and I want us to notice 33:42 what the Bible says in Ezekiel 28 33:46 beginning with verse 11. 33:48 Ezekiel says, 33:49 "Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, 33:52 saying, 'Son of man, take up a lamentation, 33:56 a sad song, a funeral dirge for the king of Tyre.'" 34:02 Tyre was an ancient city 34:04 similar to the cities of our day. 34:06 The King of Tyre would have been the equivalent 34:09 of a mayor of a city or a governor of a state, 34:13 and Ezekiel is being told to sing a sad song 34:17 for the King of Tyre. 34:19 But as he sings about the King of Tyre 34:22 and talks about his future and his end, 34:25 it becomes obvious that he's comparing him 34:29 to another figure 34:31 who is highlighted 34:33 in Ezekiel 28:12, 13, 14, and 15. 34:39 "Son of man, 34:40 take up a lamentation for the King of Tyre, 34:42 and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God, 34:45 'You were the seal of perfection, 34:49 full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 34:53 You were in Eden, the garden of God, 34:57 every precious stone was your covering 35:00 the sardius, topaz, and diamond, 35:03 Beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, 35:07 and emerald with gold. 35:08 The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes 35:11 was prepared for you on the day you were created. 35:15 You were the anointed cherub who covers, I established you. 35:21 You were on the holy mountain of God. 35:24 You walked back and forth 35:26 in the midst of the fiery stones. 35:29 It's obvious that Ezekiel 35:32 is not just speaking about a human king 35:36 who resides in Tyre. 35:38 He's comparing him to another being, 35:42 a being who was an anointed cherub, 35:45 an angel who God set on the very mountain of God. 35:51 He was right there beside God as God's right hand man. 35:55 I remember growing up in the 80's 35:58 we would take these pictures, these banquet pictures 36:01 where you'd sit in this huge wicker chair 36:04 and you'd have your partner beside you 36:07 who would have like the palm branch. 36:09 And we would take these pictures 36:11 as if the king was in the wicker chair 36:13 and the right hand man was right beside us. 36:15 Where God is describing it 36:17 as if this angel is His right hand man, 36:21 right on the holy mountain of God. 36:24 Well, if you are on the holy mountain of God, 36:27 if you are right beside God, 36:30 and all of the inhabitants in heaven 36:34 consider God worthy of worship and worthy of praise, 36:39 and all they do 24/7 is worship God. 36:44 And thank God, and honor God, and give praise to God, 36:49 then as the right hand man beside God, 36:53 you see countless beings 36:55 continually giving God worship and praise. 36:59 The environment of heaven at first was one 37:02 where God would give life and in response to the life 37:07 His creatures would give praise, 37:09 God would give blessings, 37:11 and God would give glory, and God would give wisdom, 37:15 and God would give honor 37:16 and in response all of His creatures would give worship. 37:20 And this angel, this cherubim 37:23 who is on the right hand of God 37:25 is right there beholding it all. 37:29 But then Ezekiel 28:15 says, 37:36 "You were perfect in your ways 37:39 from the day you were created 37:42 till iniquity was found in you." 37:47 Iniquity is another word for sin. 37:50 There was some kind of sin 37:54 that was found inside of God's right hand man. 37:59 It goes on to say in verse 16, 38:02 "By the abundance of your trading..." 38:05 He was trading something, he was selling something, 38:09 "By the abundance of your trading 38:12 you became filled with violence within, 38:14 and you sinned. 38:16 Therefore, I cast you as a profane thing 38:19 out of the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, 38:22 O covering cherub, 38:24 from the midst of the fiery stones." 38:25 Verse 17, "Your heart was lifted up 38:30 because of your beauty, 38:32 you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. 38:37 I cast you to the ground, laid you before kings, 38:41 that they might gaze at you." 38:43 Ezekiel is describing his vision 38:46 where this angel who was right on the right hand of God 38:50 is now filled with iniquity and his heart is lifted up 38:55 because of his beauty. 38:57 The beauty that God gave 38:59 is supposed to elicit a worship response 39:04 in the recipient. 39:05 But this being, now has his heart lifted up, 39:10 he's developing a sense of pride 39:13 because of what he's been given. 39:16 And slowly but surely 39:18 what's happening in the heart of this creature 39:22 is not a desire to acknowledge God 39:26 and thank God for the gifts he's received, 39:29 but being filled with pride he wants to be affirmed. 39:34 He wants to be thanked, 39:36 he wants to be acknowledged for the beauty, and the wisdom, 39:41 and the gifts that he possesses. 39:44 A shift has occurred and Ezekiel 28:18 says, 39:50 "You defiled your sanctuaries 39:52 by the multitude of your iniquities, 39:55 by the iniquity of your trading." 39:58 He started selling something, started advertising something. 40:04 We compare this portion of Scripture 40:08 with another Old Testament prophet Isaiah. 40:12 Notice what Isaiah says 40:14 in Isaiah 14:12. 40:21 Isaiah says, 40:23 "How you are fallen from heaven, 40:27 O Lucifer, son of the morning. 40:30 How you are cut down to the ground, 40:34 you who weakened the nations." 40:36 Then he answers his question by saying, 40:41 "You've said in your heart, 'I will ascend into heaven, 40:46 I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. 40:50 I will also sit on the mount of the congregation 40:54 on the farthest sides of the north. 40:56 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. 41:00 I will be like the Most High.'" 41:03 Isaiah is describing the same being 41:06 that Ezekiel was describing 41:08 and I am suggesting that it is the same situation 41:13 that John was seeing. 41:15 There was a strong angel 41:17 who was on the right hand of God 41:20 who observed all of these beings 41:23 worshipping God 24 hours a day. 41:26 And while he is observing them worshipping God, 41:30 no one ever pauses to say to him, 41:34 "Lucifer, you look quite brilliant today. 41:38 You look quite dazzling today." 41:41 And Lucifer over a period of time 41:45 starts coveting the desire to be affirmed for his beauty, 41:51 to be acknowledged for his gifts, 41:54 and pride rather than wanting to worship God 41:59 for the life and gifts that have been given, 42:03 he wanted to be worshipped as God. 42:09 A shift has taken place 42:12 and one of God's creatures 42:17 is now yearning, desiring, 42:22 ye plotting and planning 42:25 how he can be worshiped as God. 42:32 Bible says in Isaiah 14, 42:36 he said, "I will set my throne 42:41 above the heights of the clouds. 42:45 I will be alike the Most High." 42:50 It's interesting to me that he didn't say, 42:53 "I will be above the Most High." 42:57 You know, you can't even conceive of an above God. 43:03 Our minds can't even grasp a greater than God. 43:07 So the most that this angel 43:10 could aspire to is being like God, equal to God. 43:16 But if you could make yourself 43:20 appear to be equal to God, 43:23 how are you going to get worship from other creatures 43:28 who know that God is God. 43:32 That means that this angel 43:35 is going to have to pull off a coup. 43:39 He has to remove God from His throne 43:42 so that he can set himself on God's throne. 43:47 And he comes up with the idea 43:51 that if he can pull down God's character, 43:57 if he can distort God's picture, 44:01 If he can make God's creatures think 44:05 that God is not worthy of worship, 44:08 that God is it not loving and other centered, 44:12 that God does not care about His creatures. 44:15 If he can deface the picture of God, 44:20 the image of God, 44:21 if he can change the movie 44:23 and the minds of God's creatures 44:26 regarding the character of God, 44:28 then God's creatures will not worship God 44:33 and they might worship him. 44:37 And that's exactly what he does. 44:40 The selling, the trading, 44:42 that's being described in Ezekiel 44:46 is him going around suggesting, implying, 44:51 insinuating that God is not worthy to be worshiped, 44:56 that God does not have 44:58 the best interest of His creators in mind. 45:01 That God is only interested in beings 45:06 who are controlled by Him and respond to His every win, 45:10 but God at heart is not a loving being. 45:15 And there's a question now 45:17 in the minds of the inhabitants of heaven. 45:21 The universe is confused 45:23 because they no longer have confidence 45:27 that God is worthy to be worshiped 45:33 and that's where we found John and his vision. 45:37 In Revelation 5 where he is weeping, 45:42 because there is no certainty 45:45 that God is worthy to be worshiped. 45:51 The prequel, prior 45:54 to the beginning of earth's history 45:57 is that there was an angel in heaven 46:00 who wanted to be worshiped as God 46:03 and in an effort to secure worship 46:06 that only belongs to God, he discredited God's character, 46:11 started a smear campaign, 46:13 deceived the inhabitants of heaven into thinking 46:18 that God was not worthy of their worship. 46:23 That God was not love. 46:30 Bible says in Revelation 5:4 that John wept much 46:36 because no one was found worthy to open 46:40 and read the scroll or to look at it. 46:44 But then verse 5 gives hope, 46:47 "But one of the elder said to me, 'Do not weep. 46:53 Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, 46:56 the root of David has prevailed 46:58 to open the scroll and to loose it seals.'" 47:01 Whenever the Bible uses the word 47:04 but, there is a transition going on from some bad news 47:09 to some good news. 47:11 The wages of sin is death 47:13 but the gift of God is eternal life. 47:17 Weeping may endure for a night, 47:19 but joy comes in the morning time. 47:22 So I wept much 47:24 because no one was found worthy to open 47:27 and read the scroll or to look at it, 47:29 but one of the elder said to me, 47:33 "Do not worry, John. 47:34 Do not weep, John, 47:36 behold the lion of the tribe of Judah." 47:40 That's code word for Jesus the Christ. 47:43 Jesus is the lion, 47:44 the king who came down to this jungle of earth. 47:48 He was the word that was with God, 47:50 who was God, the same that was in the beginning with God 47:54 and the word became flesh and dwelt among us. 47:59 Jesus Christ is the word that became flesh 48:03 and He's the lion of the tribe of Judah. 48:06 His family tribe was the Judah tribe 48:10 and He's the root of David 48:13 talking about the descendant of King David, 48:16 coming from the family line of David. 48:19 John is being told, don't weep, don't worry, Jesus is coming, 48:25 He's prevailed to open the scroll 48:29 and to loose its seals. 48:31 "And I looked..." 48:32 Verse 6, "And behold, in the midst of the throne 48:37 and of the four living creatures, 48:39 and in the midst of the elders, 48:42 stood a lamb 48:45 as though it had been slain." 48:50 The way 48:53 that Jesus prevailed 48:58 and served the crisis 49:01 concerning the character of God 49:05 was by dying on the cross 49:11 to save God's creation, 49:16 and Jesus who is God, 49:20 who reveals God, 49:23 is manifesting God 49:26 by dying for the creation of God. 49:32 The Lamb that John see slain 49:36 is Jesus on the cross. 49:41 The surface unspiritual might see it as foolishness, 49:46 but those who are enlightened with the spiritual eye, 49:51 know it is the power of God for our salvation. 49:55 Jesus' death on the cross 49:58 is a picture of the character of God. 50:02 What does 1 John 4 say? 50:05 Turn with me to 1 John 4, 50:08 and notice what the Bible says beginning in verse 9, 50:12 "In this the love of God was manifested toward us." 50:17 This is how the love of God was revealed to us. 50:22 "That God sent His only begotten Son into the world, 50:27 that we might live through Him. 50:30 And this is love, not that we love God, 50:33 but that He loved us 50:35 and sent His Son to be the propitiation, 50:39 the sacrifice for our sins." 50:42 The love of God is revealed 50:45 when God is in Christ 50:48 reconciling the world unto Himself. 50:52 Jesus dying on the cross 50:55 shows us God. 51:00 The Bible says in John 1:18, 51:07 "No one has seen God at any time, 51:11 but the only begotten Son, 51:15 who is in the bosom of the Father." 51:17 It means He is so close to God 51:20 because He is God, He has declared Him, 51:23 He has made him known. 51:26 Going back to our original text, 1 John 3:8, 51:32 "He who sins is of the devil, 51:37 for the devil has sinned from the beginning." 51:41 The original sin, 51:44 the prequel to the Garden of Eden, 51:48 the sin that took place in heaven was Lucifer, 51:53 God's created angel in pride 51:57 wanting to be worshipped as God, 52:00 exchanging other centered love for selfish self-exaltation, 52:06 that is the root and the core of sin. 52:10 And the devil sinned from the beginning 52:13 and he advanced this sin by deceiving God's creatures 52:19 concerning the character of God. 52:21 Because if you think God 52:23 is not worthy of being worshipped, 52:26 if you think God at His core is not loving, 52:29 if you think He does not have 52:32 the best interest of His creatures at heart, 52:35 then you will not love and worship God. 52:39 So what Lucifer who became Satan did, 52:43 was he deceived the world 52:47 concerning the character of God. 52:51 Knowing that if you see God as untrustworthy, 52:58 if you see God as a being whose anger must be appeased, 53:05 if you see God as a fiendish ogre, 53:10 who is yearning to cruelly stoke his children 53:14 in an eternally burning hell, 53:18 there is no way that you will love, and trust, 53:25 and worship that kind of God. 53:29 God knew that His creatures 53:33 could only trust Him 53:37 if they could truly see Him, 53:42 and in order to see God most clearly, 53:48 God could not just give them a religion, 53:54 God could not just give them theological doctrine, 53:59 God had to give them Jesus, 54:03 Jesus shows us God. 54:09 And when we see the loving, 54:14 selfless, 54:16 unconditional heart of Jesus, 54:22 it convicts us regarding the character of God, 54:27 1 John 3:8, "He who sins is of the devil, 54:31 for the devil has sinned from the beginning. 54:33 For this purpose, 54:35 this is why the Son of God was manifested, 54:39 that He might destroy the works of the devil." 54:44 The devil had convinced us that God did not love us, 54:48 that God was not interested at us, 54:51 that at the most 54:52 God would be interested in busting us, 54:55 consuming us, 54:57 having us to burn forever in the flames of hell. 55:01 But Jesus was sent to reveal the true heart of God, 55:08 to paint an accurate picture of God 55:11 and we see it most clearly when Jesus as God, 55:18 not demanding that His creatures earn His love, 55:23 or show that they deserve His love, 55:26 or try to win His love. 55:28 But while they are yet sinners rebelling against His love, 55:34 Jesus unconditionally displays His love, 55:40 that's God. 55:46 And that 55:47 loving picture of God 55:54 takes away the distorted image produced 56:00 and painted in the prequel. 56:04 And the Bible goes on 56:07 to show the sequel of what takes place 56:11 when people see Jesus and recognize that He's God. 56:16 Revelation 5:9, 56:20 And they sang a new song, saying, 56:23 "You are worthy to take the scroll, 56:26 and to open its seals. 56:28 For you were slain, 56:29 and have redeemed us to God by Your blood. 56:32 Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 56:36 and have made us kings and priests to our God 56:39 and we shall reign on the earth. 56:41 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels 56:44 around the throne, the living creatures, 56:45 and the elders, 56:47 and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000, 56:50 and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 56:53 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, 56:55 to receive power and riches, and wisdom, 56:58 and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. 57:01 And every creature 57:03 which is in heaven and which is on earth 57:05 and under the earth and such as are in the sea, 57:07 and all that are in them, I heard saying, 57:10 Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him 57:14 who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" 57:19 When we see Jesus and worship Jesus, 57:24 it makes us know that we should worship God, 57:29 for He is worthy to be praised. |
Revised 2017-10-19