Participants:
Series Code: GYC
Program Code: GYC190010S
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00:35 Worthy is the Lamb
00:41 That was slain 01:00 Do you feel The world is broken? 01:03 We do 01:07 Do you feel The shadows deepen? 01:10 We do 01:13 But do you know That all the dark 01:16 Won't stop the light 01:18 From getting through? 01:21 We do 01:24 Do you wish that 01:25 You could see it all made new? 01:32 We do 01:38 Is all creation groaning? 01:42 It is 01:45 Is a new creation coming? 01:49 It is 01:52 Is the glory of the Lord to be 01:56 The light within our midst? 02:00 It is 02:03 Is it good that we remind 02:05 Ourselves of this? 02:10 It is 02:17 Is anyone worthy? 02:21 Is anyone whole? 02:24 Is anyone able to break 02:27 The seal and open the scroll? 02:32 The Lion of Judah 02:35 Who conquered the grave 02:38 He is David's root and the Lamb 02:41 Who died to ransom the slave 02:45 Is He worthy? 02:49 Is He worthy? 02:53 Of all blessing And honor and glory 02:59 Is He worthy of this? 03:06 He is 03:11 Does the Father truly love us? 03:16 He does 03:19 Does the Spirit move among us? 03:23 He does 03:26 And does Jesus, our Messiah 03:29 Hold forever those He loves? 03:33 He does 03:36 Does our God intend 03:38 To dwell again with us? 03:43 He does 03:50 Is anyone worthy? 03:53 Is anyone whole? 03:56 Is anyone able to break 03:58 The seal and open the scroll? 04:03 The Lion of Judah 04:06 Who conquered the grave 04:09 He is David's root and the Lamb 04:11 Who died to ransom the slave 04:15 From every people and tribe 04:17 Worthy 04:19 Every nation and tongue 04:20 Worthy 04:22 He has made us a kingdom 04:23 And priests to God 04:25 To reign with the Son 04:26 Is He worthy 04:28 Is He worthy? 04:31 Is He worthy? 04:34 Of all blessing And honor and glory 04:39 Is He worthy? 04:43 Is He worthy? 04:46 Is He worthy of this? 04:57 He is! 05:03 Is He worthy? 05:06 Is He worthy? 05:10 He is! 05:16 He is! 05:22 He is! 05:38 Amen. Amen. 05:42 You know I'm so humbled. 05:45 Isn't God good? Yes! 05:47 I can't wait for heaven. 05:51 All right. 05:52 I want to let you know 05:53 a lot of people have been asking, 05:56 how can they give and you can also 05:57 go to gycweb.org/give 06:02 and your investment into the future 06:06 will be muchly appreciated. 06:10 For our scripture reading for today, 06:12 if you will turn with me to Daniel Chapter 3. 06:16 Daniel 3:13-18. 06:24 Daniel 3:13-18. 06:32 Once you're there so that 06:34 I know you're there if you could say good, amen. 06:36 Amen! 06:38 Daniel 3:13-18, 06:43 the Bible says, 06:45 "The Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, 06:49 gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, 06:52 and Abednego. 06:53 So they brought these men before the king. 06:57 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, 06:59 'Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 07:04 that you do not serve my god 07:06 or worship the golden image which I have set up? 07:11 Now if you are ready at the time 07:13 you hear the sound of the horn, 07:15 the flute, the harp, and the lyre, the psaltery, 07:18 in symphony with all kinds of music, 07:21 and you fall down and worship the image 07:23 which I have made, good! 07:27 But if you do not worship, 07:29 you shall be cast immediately 07:31 in the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 07:34 And who is the god 07:36 who will deliver you from my hands?' 07:40 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered 07:42 and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, 07:45 we have no need to answer you in this matter. 07:49 If that is the case, 07:51 our God whom we serve is able to deliver us 07:53 from the burning fiery furnace, 07:56 and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 07:59 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, 08:03 that we do not serve your gods, 08:05 nor will we worship the gold image 08:09 which you have set up.'" 08:14 Our speaker for the hour 08:17 is none other than Samuel Thomas Jr. 08:21 He's the Director of the New Leaf Program, 08:24 Prophecy and Doctrinal Learning Center 08:28 and Senior Pastor of the Central Seventh-day 08:31 Adventist Church in Columbus, Ohio. 08:35 Prior to that, 08:36 he served as the Senior Pastor of the City Temple, 08:39 Seventh-day Adventist Church in Detroit, Michigan. 08:44 He has been in ministry for 34 years 08:48 and serves as a pastor. 08:51 He has ministered around the world 08:53 and his latest evangelistic efforts in India. 08:58 The Holy Spirit blessed 08:59 his meetings with 2,000 baptisms. 09:04 His personal mission in life is to acquaint pastors 09:07 and congregations with the biblical answers 09:10 to current events and spiritual growth 09:14 through the unique message 09:16 that is given to us as Seventh-day Adventist. 09:21 He's a man who loves his wife Deidra 09:25 and has four grown kids, 09:27 adult kids of whom he is very proud of. 09:31 He happens to also be a great friend of mine 09:33 and a great friend of GYC, 09:36 but above all of those things, he is a man of God. 09:41 The next person whom you will hear 09:43 after the sound of my voice, 09:45 will be none other than Pastor Samuel Thomas. 09:53 God bless you. 10:01 Good morning, GYC. 10:05 Well, with the thousands that are in attendance, 10:07 I believe that our voices could be stronger. 10:10 Good morning, GYC. Good Morning! 10:13 Amen. 10:15 It's good to let the folks out there 10:16 know that you're here. 10:18 This morning, 10:21 I am going to adopt you as my church. 10:27 Amen? Amen! 10:31 Throughout the years of ministry 10:33 that I have been granted from the Lord. 10:44 It has been my privilege 10:46 to pastor numerous congregations 10:49 around the country. 10:52 And when I speak on a Sabbath elsewhere, 10:57 I have to adopt you 11:00 and make you a part of my family. 11:02 I hope that you will adopt me. 11:05 Amen. 11:09 This morning we are here to venture 11:13 into an understanding 11:16 of scripture. 11:19 We have looked at this passage many times before, 11:25 but we are going to approach it 11:28 with fresh eyes today. 11:32 And before we do that, 11:33 a couple of special acknowledgments 11:36 that I want to make at this point. 11:41 Normally because the time is so precious, 11:46 there isn't given the opportunity 11:50 based on the clock that's running. 11:54 The privilege of giving special greetings, 11:57 but I'm going to take that time 11:59 and recover it on the other side. 12:04 I want to acknowledge my son, 12:10 Samuel III, 12:13 who drove from Huntsville, Alabama late last night 12:16 after a full day of work to be with his dad. 12:22 And that's meaningful to me. 12:26 And when we have so many that are so concerned 12:29 about their young people 12:31 and the direction that 12:33 they are going and the decisions 12:35 that they're making, 12:37 I am grateful and humbly honored 12:40 that my son and I 12:43 are so strongly bonded. 12:47 Amen. 12:50 I also want to give a special acknowledgement 12:52 this morning to a person 12:55 that you probably know 12:58 and Pastor Chris Holland, 13:02 you may know him from his work, 13:05 It is Written, Canada, 13:07 and also his present responsibilities 13:11 at Hope Lives. 13:12 I think it's 360 or 365 13:15 with Pastor Mark Finley. 13:19 He was my pastor for a season. 13:22 And he is a wonderful man of God, 13:25 and I appreciate him deeply. 13:27 And why am I making this a public statement 13:29 because he took the time 13:31 to coordinate a special prayer with me 13:33 this morning. 13:35 And I think that's meaningful. Amen. 13:38 Well, let's go to the Word of God. 13:40 Let's see what the Word of God has to say. 13:44 Father in heaven, 13:49 thank You 13:55 for this moment 13:58 where You have invited us into Your presence. 14:03 Give us Your Holy Spirit we pray. 14:07 In Christ's name. 14:09 Amen. 14:12 I wanna express my gratitude to Pastor Ratsara 14:17 and the GYC leadership for the opportunity 14:21 to stand here 14:23 and to share with each of you 14:25 what the Lord has laid on my heart. 14:29 I think that we are mature enough as Christians, 14:34 those who are gathered here today 14:38 to recognize that 14:43 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 14:46 we have an identity crisis. 14:50 We're not quite sure 14:52 of who we are or who we want to be. 14:58 And the purpose of our message 14:59 this morning is to bring us back 15:02 to God's calling in our lives, 15:06 individually and corporately 15:10 because ultimately, when we fail to recognize 15:13 what God has assigned to us, 15:18 we will venture into mission practices 15:23 and belief systems that are driven 15:26 by humanistic values 15:28 and the broken, carnal, sinful heart. 15:36 I believe that there's not another gathering 15:39 that I can identify where young adults 15:44 convened to spend time 15:47 building their biblical Christian experience 15:50 and congregating in prayer, 15:54 planned Bible study, 15:57 appropriate Christian socialization 15:59 and instructions and prophecy, like GYC. 16:06 This group represents a rare, unique, 16:11 special group of Seventh-day Adventist Christians. 16:15 You are indeed few among many. 16:20 Now that should not surprise any of us today, 16:24 or viewers on various media outlets. 16:31 God's people are not 16:34 and have never been the majority. 16:39 According to Google, as of December 2019, 16:43 the global population stands 16:45 at 7.8 billion people, 16:50 7.8 billion people. 16:55 The four most populous cities on the planet are Tokyo 16:59 with 38.1 million, 17:02 Delhi, India 25.7 million, 17:05 Shanghai, China 23.74 million, 17:10 Sao Paulo, Brazil 21 million. 17:17 And our global membership 17:19 as a church Google reports 17:24 as a mere 25 million. 17:28 Oh, we're proud of that number. 17:32 But in reality, we are 0.33% 17:37 of the world's total inhabitants. 17:42 We are a minority of humanity 17:45 and minority within Christianity. 17:47 We are few 17:53 or are we? 17:56 When the news story broke in California 18:01 based on their state legislature's proposal 18:03 to control the content of Christian sermons, 18:08 it came in without a whimper 18:10 from the general Christian community. 18:14 Many did not understand 18:15 the serious implication of the law being proposed. 18:19 The headlines read, "California senate passes 18:23 resolution telling pastors 18:25 to embrace LGBTQ beliefs 18:30 carried by the Christian Broadcasting Network." 18:33 Their correspondent Andrea Morris acknowledged 18:38 that the passage of the resolution meant that 18:41 it was telling Christians, 18:43 "Telling Christians, 18:45 Christian clergy to accept and support LGBTQ ideology, 18:51 even if doing so 18:53 violated their Christian beliefs. 18:57 The Assembly Concurrent Resolution 99 ACR-99 19:03 was introduced by democratic state 19:05 Assemblyman Evan Low of San Jose on June 4 of 2019 19:10 as a way to gather support for the LGBTQ 19:15 identity and behaviors." 19:18 But Protestant America was caught off guard. 19:21 Quickly political influencers 19:24 were mobilized to construct social guardrails 19:28 for the Christian community. 19:30 They didn't see it coming. 19:32 The question needs to be asked, why didn't they see it coming? 19:36 They didn't see it coming 19:37 because they had forgotten the Holy Scripture. 19:40 In Luke 17:28, the Bible says, 19:43 Jesus says, "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, 19:48 they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, 19:51 they planted, they builded. 19:54 Lot was a resident of Sodom." 19:58 Paul further expands our view of the last days 20:01 in 2 Timothy 3:1-3. 20:04 "This know also, 20:06 that in the last days perilous times shall come. 20:08 For men shall be lovers of their own selves." 20:12 And it goes down to as it granulates 20:14 to this point without natural affection. 20:19 The Bible has warned us 20:22 about the condition of the people in the last days. 20:26 How do we respond to the crisis? 20:29 Where can we find biblical solutions 20:36 for the expanding crisis of immorality? 20:41 Can we find the answer in popular Christianity? 20:46 That's the question 20:47 I want you to ponder for just a moment. 20:50 And while you give that consideration, 20:52 and before we pursue the answer, 20:54 I invite you to consider 20:56 what the Bible says about a small group of people 21:01 in the last days. 21:04 In Revelation 14:12, the Bible describes 21:07 the characteristics of the small group. 21:10 In these words, 21:11 "Here is the patience of the saints." 21:13 If you know the passage, say it with me. 21:15 "Here is the patience of the saints, 21:17 here are they that keep the commandments of God, 21:20 and the," what? 21:21 "Faith of Jesus." 21:23 Now, let's go back to our previous question. 21:26 Can we find the solution 21:28 for the crisis in popular Christianity? 21:30 And the answer is a resounding no. 21:35 Why? 21:38 And as your pastor today, I wanna share this with you. 21:43 This is gonna be a tough statement, 21:44 but hear me 21:46 because all Protestant denominations 21:49 have forsaken the Bible as their only guide. 21:55 They profess to love Jesus, 21:58 but they failed to prove it 22:00 because obedience to God 22:02 is the evidence of love toward God. 22:06 In popular Christianity, obedience to God's Word 22:09 and His commands 22:11 are not expected or encouraged. 22:15 However, Jesus said, 22:16 If you love me, what did He say? 22:19 Keep my commandments, and they don't. 22:24 Further they corrupt 22:25 the prophetic messages of Daniel in Revelation 22:28 by their erroneous interpretations 22:29 of spirit of scripture. 22:32 Spiritualism has infiltrated their worship services 22:35 that members pursue 22:36 an emotional high through an experience 22:39 based form of worship. 22:41 Scripture is a platform 22:43 to propagate the elevation of the self, 22:48 rather than the pursuing of biblical truth. 22:51 They only wanna feel good. 22:54 They follow in the ways of Cain. 22:57 They seek to please themselves, but not God. 23:01 They trample on the plainest scriptural principles. 23:05 They openly disregard God as sovereign 23:09 by disregarding His directive to remember Him as Creator. 23:14 For human beings, this is inevitable. 23:20 Consider this, we were warned this would happen. 23:25 This is what it looks like now not only in our country, 23:29 but around the world. 23:30 In 2019, major world religions 23:33 and environmentalists expressed hope and promise 23:37 in the papal encyclical Laudato si': 23:41 On Care for Our Common Home from Pope Francis. 23:45 The papal call for environmental care 23:47 is used as a common ground 23:48 for all religious belief systems to unite. 23:53 It seems harmless, 23:55 but there is a hidden agenda behind the invitation. 23:59 This moment of promoting unity of different religions 24:02 under one banner is called an Ecumenical Movement. 24:08 Within the Documents 184 pages, 24:10 Pope Francis introduces readers to the gospel of creation. 24:16 He defines it in Chapter 2, 24:20 where he calls for humanity 24:23 to respect the laws of nature. 24:27 He writes, "This responsibility 24:31 for God's earth means that human beings, 24:34 endowed with intelligence, 24:36 must respect the laws of nature." 24:38 Along these same lines, "Rests on the seventh day." 24:43 What day did he say? 24:45 "Seventh day is meant not only for human beings, 24:48 but also 'that your ox 24:51 and your donkey may have rest.'" 24:54 He defines the meaning of seventh day in these words. 24:59 Listen carefully. 25:01 "All it takes is one good person 25:03 to restore hope! 25:05 The biblical tradition clearly shows that 25:08 this renewal entails recovering 25:11 and respecting the rhythms described in nature 25:14 by the hand of the Creator. 25:17 We see this, for example, in the law of the Sabbath. 25:22 On the seventh day, God rested from all His work. 25:25 He commanded Israel to set aside each seventh day 25:28 as a day of rest, a Sabbath." 25:32 So now listen to your pastor today. 25:35 The Sabbath he is referring to is not Saturday, 25:41 but Sunday, 25:43 not God's Sabbath. 25:47 The Ecumenical Movement 25:49 has solidified united around common interests 25:51 in vain pursuit of justice in a sin sick world. 25:55 Protestant denominations 25:56 are seeking to find peace and safety on a planet. 25:59 My Bible says, your Bible says, 26:02 it's fast hitting to an end. 26:06 They do not see the prophetic agenda. 26:10 They are promoting. 26:12 Here's a tough statement, a false gospel, 26:17 but the few should understand what is going on. 26:22 You and I should see the truth 26:24 of what is developing to believe 26:26 as we do makes us an even smaller group. 26:33 What does that look like? 26:34 Consider the headlines of November 2019. 26:38 Headlines read, "Using 'Hate' Labels to Demonize Christians, 26:44 the SPLC," that's the Southern Poverty Leadership Center, 26:49 "Put This Christian Ministry on Par 26:52 with the Ku Klux Klan." 26:56 "The D. James Kennedy Ministries, 26:58 a Christian media outlet or ministry founded in 1974 27:02 by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy 27:04 as Coral Ridge Ministries, 27:07 is fighting back against the Southern Poverty Law Center 27:10 for putting it on the center's hate map." 27:15 Why would they identify as haters? 27:18 Because they took a opposing view 27:24 of the LGBTQ agenda. 27:32 Headlines, September 12, 2019, 27:37 "Pope Francis announced an initiative." 27:40 What was it? 27:41 It was an initiative inviting global heads of state, 27:44 business leaders, academics, 27:45 sports personalities to Rome May 14, 2020. 27:49 His theme, "Reinventing 27:51 the Global Educational Alliance." 27:55 What does it mean? 27:56 Reeducating the world to a new perspective 28:00 in environmental stewardship. 28:03 His goal, the unification 28:05 of people and religions. 28:09 Why don't we hear anybody talking about this? 28:15 Why are the Protestants not able to define it 28:19 in a prophetic context? 28:23 And their silence is deafening. 28:29 What does it mean 28:31 about the current Protestant churches? 28:35 I wanna introduce you to someone, Dr. Ronald Cooke. 28:38 He's President of Breckbill Bible College in Virginia. 28:43 He is an Irish Protestant. 28:45 This is his takeaway in his book, 28:47 "The Deprotestantizing of America." 28:50 He writes, "In many ways Vatican II, 28:53 a watershed council before it, 28:55 there had been all controversy 28:57 between the Protestant Bible believers 28:59 and their Humanistic and Jesuitical opponents. 29:03 The majority of Protestants in North America 29:06 were still looked upon as conservative 29:09 in their beliefs 29:11 before Vatican II, but after Vatican II, 29:15 this was no longer the case. 29:18 Dr. Cook continues, "The new age angelicals 29:21 began to agree with the Jesuits 29:23 of the old conservative way of trying to reach people 29:27 that it was too rigid. 29:29 It was not reaching people fast enough. 29:32 And the world population 29:34 was outstripping church growth." 29:37 You ever heard that before? 29:40 Dr. Cook's response is one potential answer, 29:43 but the Bible gives us more so much more 29:47 as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. 29:50 Scripture gives us the best understanding 29:52 when we examine the context 29:54 of inspirations view of the few. 29:57 In the Book of Revelation, Christ discloses 30:00 His final representatives to the world as a small group, 30:05 He calls them a remnant. 30:10 Remnant. 30:12 A remainder or residual 30:16 that had escaped 30:19 left posterity. 30:22 And what is so fascinating 30:24 about this understanding of the remnant it is that 30:28 it is supported elsewhere, 30:31 if we actually take the time to research it. 30:37 The remnant only have value and significance 30:39 if placed in a larger meaning or context. 30:43 To be identified as a remnant of anything 30:45 there must be a setting or context, 30:50 a remnant of whom or what, why, where, and when. 30:55 What is a remnant? 30:58 Let me share this with you 31:00 from Adventist Affirm fall 1933, 31:04 Dr. Gerhard Hasel wrote. 31:07 Listen to this, 31:09 "Since there is not another religious body 31:12 today outside of Seventh-day Adventists 31:15 which uniquely and specifically 31:17 has the characteristics 31:18 of the remnant faith and carries their marks, 31:21 it follows that Adventists 31:23 as they meet all the aspects of the remnant 31:26 are the final remnant of the end-time. 31:31 This does not mean that there are no other Christians 31:33 who live temporarily on the basis of limited light. 31:37 They too are children of God. 31:40 But until they join the commandment-keeping, 31:43 faith-of-Jesus holding remnant, 31:45 they are not part of the final remnant. 31:49 In the course of time all children of God 31:52 whether in Christian churches or non-Christian religions, 31:55 who listen to the Spirit of God 31:57 and follow His wooings will be drawn by the faithful, 32:01 global proclamation of the 'everlasting gospel' 32:06 of the final remnant of faith, 32:09 which even now proclaims 32:11 this message with power and conviction." 32:16 The scripture reveal 32:18 a more comprehensive view of the few, 32:21 by example, or as tight for us to study. 32:26 There are three Hebrew young men 32:30 who are a type of the few, the remnant. 32:36 In the Book of Daniel, 32:37 we read the historical documentation 32:39 about King Nebuchadnezzar 32:40 sending an invitation to gather all the rulers 32:44 of the provinces to come 32:46 to the dedication of the image he had set up. 32:50 The catch, he wanted the attendees 32:53 to worship an image of himself. 32:57 It was prompted by music and motivated by ecumenism, 33:01 the integration of all religions. 33:04 All those who came had to bow down. 33:09 Does this sound familiar 33:11 with what Christ said will happen 33:12 in the end-times? 33:15 A supreme leader of a civil religious power 33:18 will command the people 33:20 of the world under his banners 33:22 to worship the image he has created. 33:28 Among the people who gathered there, 33:30 three Hebrew men refused 33:33 to worship the king and his image. 33:37 They were the few who stood and withstood. 33:42 They kept the commandments of God. 33:46 Daniel 3:13, let's go back to it. 33:48 This is what the Bible says, 33:49 "Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage 33:51 and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, 33:54 and Abednego. 33:56 And then they brought these men before the king. 33:57 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, 34:00 'Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 34:03 do not ye serve my gods, 34:05 nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 34:07 Now if ye be ready that at what time you hear 34:10 the sound of the cornet, the flute, the harp, 34:13 the sackbut, the psaltery, and the dulcimer, 34:16 and all kinds of music, you fall down 34:19 and worship the image which I have made, 34:21 well, but if you worship not, 34:24 you shall be cast the same hour 34:26 into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." 34:30 What a choice. 34:36 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 34:38 by faith, intersected with obedience 34:42 and fulfilled the first half of Revelation 14:12, 34:46 they kept the commandments of God, 34:50 but the verse does not stop there. 34:52 The second half of the verse says of Revelation 14:12 34:55 that they have the faith of Jesus. 34:57 Let's see how they stand up to that test. 35:01 Verse 16 says, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 35:04 answered and said to the king, 35:06 O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer 35:08 thee in this matter." 35:10 In the margin, it literally is translated 35:12 like this, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered 35:15 and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, 35:18 we have no need to return a word to you in this matter." 35:23 Do we have that kind of boldness? 35:27 Do we have that kind of determined commitment? 35:32 Are we as focused on serving the Lord, 35:36 not in doing something for the Lord, 35:38 but not bending toward evil? 35:44 They continue speaking, "If it be so, 35:48 our God whom we serve is able to deliver us 35:51 from the burning fiery furnace, 35:52 and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king." 35:56 Now pay attention to this next verse. 35:58 Listen to what it says, 35:59 "But if not, be it known unto thee, 36:01 O king, that we will not serve thy gods, 36:04 nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." 36:09 They have the faith that God is indeed 36:13 able to fulfill His promise in Isaiah 43:2. 36:18 Isaiah 43:2 says, if you're not familiar with it, 36:22 listen to what it says, 36:23 "When thou walkest through the fire, 36:26 you shall not be consumed." 36:29 Amen. 36:31 But even if God did not deliver them, 36:33 they will keep His commandments. 36:36 Where did they get that kind of power? 36:37 Where did they get that kind of conviction? 36:39 Where do they have that kind of source? 36:41 What source do they have to be 36:43 able to stand fast and make that declaration 36:46 in the face of power? 36:52 They echo the word of Job, 36:55 "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, 37:01 but I will maintain mine own ways before him." 37:05 These three men were the few. 37:09 We often put them as supersized heroes, 37:12 almost like a Marvel comic book 37:15 out on the plain of Dura, 37:16 not recognizing that all around them were people 37:20 who were related to them, if not by end, 37:24 if not by direct blood, by ancestry. 37:29 Have we even thought about 37:30 what the peer pressure must have been like 37:32 on the plain of Dura? 37:35 And generally, when we go to any event, 37:38 we always go with our friends. 37:43 So doubtless, when Hananiah, 37:45 Azariah, and Mishael attended that event, 37:48 they didn't go by themselves, 37:50 but they are the only three standing, 37:52 what's happening to the rest of the Hebrews 37:55 that are around them? 38:00 What's happening to the rest of the Hebrews 38:01 who say they believe in God, 38:03 who say they trust God, who say they love God? 38:13 These three Hebrew men are the few. 38:17 They represent the remnant. 38:21 They are type of those who throughout the ages displayed 38:25 an unshakeable loyalty to Christ. 38:27 They are a type of the remnant of Bible prophecy. 38:31 I wanna be a part of the remnant. 38:33 How about you? Amen! 38:36 We as Seventh-day Adventists have a tremendous advantage. 38:41 And let me dispel this notion now that 38:46 when these types of messages are preached, 38:48 we always default to wow, 38:52 there we go saying that we're better than others. 38:56 No, that is not what we are saying. 39:00 If you ever without a pilot's license, 39:04 head to the cockpit, 39:07 before the plane actually taxis to the runway 39:12 and you get in the pilot seat, 39:14 without the experience required 39:16 to fly the plane that I am on, 39:18 I'm getting off. 39:22 It's not about better then, 39:24 it is really about us understanding that 39:27 God has given us a special assignment. 39:30 And that assignment looks different 39:32 than any other Christian faith. 39:36 GYC, God has given us a job. 39:42 It's time to do it. 39:45 It's time to do it with faith and boldness and courage. 39:49 It's time for us to believe the message, 39:55 the truth, 39:57 the prophetic declarations for this time. 40:02 And I know that 40:04 when we hear messages like this, 40:05 we are prone to say, 40:07 but we live in an imperfect world 40:11 and there are so many imperfect elements 40:13 within the church. 40:14 Well, obviously, 40:18 we have imperfections. 40:22 Clifford Goldstein makes 40:23 this profound statement 40:25 in his book The Remnant, he said, 40:26 "The Seventh-day Adventist Church, 40:28 like ancient Israel, 40:30 has been given far more light than any other faith, 40:35 and that light alone gives it 40:37 corporate remnant status." 40:43 Like the ancient Israelites, 40:46 with all of our corporate and individual imperfection, 40:49 Christ has assigned us the distinct classification 40:52 as His remnant people. 40:55 We are the remnant people of Bible prophecy. 40:58 Amen. 41:02 We know that God will have to purify the church. 41:05 And the time will come when the harvest is ready 41:08 and the tares and the wheat are fully matured 41:10 and God will separate the wheat from the tares, 41:14 it must come, it will surely come. 41:17 But the question is not will it come 41:20 or when will it come, 41:22 but which one will you be? 41:27 Consider the sobering message from Ezekiel 18:20, 41:31 "The soul who sins shall die. 41:33 The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, 41:35 nor the father bear the guilt of the son. 41:37 The righteousness of the righteous 41:39 shall be upon himself, 41:40 and the wickedness of the wicked 41:42 shall be upon himself." 41:43 Friends, salvation, 41:44 although we are in a corporate remnant, 41:47 salvation is an individual matter. 41:53 The Hebrew background of Hananiah, Azariah, 41:55 and Mishael did not save them. 41:58 It wasn't because they hung out as a group 42:03 that they were saved. 42:05 They had to decide 42:07 for themselves to stand for Jesus. 42:10 How is your standing with Jesus? 42:13 What are you really like 42:15 when you leave these types of gatherings? 42:19 What do you like in your home, 42:21 on your job, and your schools? 42:28 I want us to learn 42:30 three lessons today 42:32 about Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. 42:37 I used their Hebrew names intentionally 42:40 because ultimately, 42:43 their names have meaning. 42:47 The first thing Nebuchadnezzar could not comprehend 42:50 about those three men was he had brought them 42:53 forcibly to Babylon as they conquered people, 42:57 but they were determined 42:59 not to become Babylonians. 43:03 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael purposed in their heart 43:06 that they would not defile themselves 43:08 with the lifestyle of the Babylonians. 43:10 The goal of the Babylonians did not impress them. 43:13 The opulence and power did not entice them. 43:17 And although they were few, 43:19 they constantly rely on the power of Jesus. 43:23 Christ made them stalwart in conviction, 43:26 focused in commitment and determined in attitude. 43:29 They belonged to Jesus, 43:32 and they would not break that bond. 43:34 They defied the influence of culture and paganism. 43:40 When you go in so many of our circles, 43:42 the question has to be asked, 43:43 what is the most important thing to you? 43:46 And when it comes to Americans, 43:49 the most important thing for them, 43:51 I'm an American. 43:54 But the answer should be, 43:56 I'm a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. 43:59 Somebody say amen. Amen! 44:01 That needs to be 44:02 what's important in our thinking, 44:05 in our minds, in our outlook. 44:09 The second thing is that Nebuchadnezzar could not 44:11 comprehend that he had changed their names, 44:15 which represents a change in identity and character, 44:18 but they had not changed their loyalty to God. 44:23 Every time Hananiah, Azariah, 44:25 and Mishael stepped out of their prayer closet, 44:27 they knew who they were, and they knew whose they were. 44:32 They were in Babylon, but Babylon was not in them. 44:35 They had prayed and ask our Savior 44:37 to give them His heart, 44:39 His mind, His convictions, His desires, His thoughts, 44:42 His outlook, His values, His vision. 44:45 Every day they stepped 44:46 into their positions of leadership 44:48 and responsibility, 44:49 they had a simple objective 44:51 to live a sold-out life to Jesus. 44:56 They were captives, but they were free. 45:00 They were in bondage, 45:02 yet they had unrestricted faith. 45:07 Thirdly, Nebuchadnezzar could not comprehend that 45:12 he had moved Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael 45:16 far away from the sanctuary. 45:19 Somebody is gonna hear this, 45:21 this morning, far away from the sanctuary, 45:23 but he could not erase 45:24 the significance of the sanctuary out of them. 45:28 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael 45:30 knew the significance 45:31 of the Shekinah Glory evidenced above 45:35 or over the mercy seat, 45:37 above the Ark of the Testament 45:39 were in were the tablets of a covenant, 45:41 The Ten Commandments. 45:42 They knew the sanctuary's importance. 45:45 Do we still remember the importance? 45:48 They knew the importance and history 45:50 and position in relationship to their personal salvation. 45:53 They knew serving Jesus 45:54 was not cultural, but relational with Jesus. 45:58 They knew obedience was not circumstantial, 46:01 but transcendent location and environment. 46:05 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael 46:08 would not succumb to peer pressure. 46:11 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael 46:14 would not relinquish their convictions. 46:17 The more civil 46:18 and religious pressure was applied, 46:20 the more determined they were to live for Christ. 46:24 They exhibited a resistance to unbiblical values 46:29 and unbiblical diet and unbiblical worship. 46:33 How is it with you, GYC? 46:37 They model the characteristics of the final remnant. 46:43 Let me take a page 46:45 out of Dr. Norman McNulty's book 46:47 recently published by Remnant. 46:51 Commentary in the Book of Daniel - Practical Living 46:53 in the Judgment Hour. 46:54 He writes, "The war raged 46:56 on the remnant is seen in Revelation 13 46:59 with the issue of worship and the image to the beast. 47:03 Ancient Babylon specifically King Nebuchadnezzar manifested 47:07 the same wrath toward 47:09 the Faithful Remnant of Daniel 3, 47:13 by ordering the three Hebrew boys 47:15 to be killed 47:16 just as there will be a death decree in Revelation 13 47:20 placed upon those who do not worship the image 47:23 or receive the mark of the beast." 47:27 When Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael 47:29 stood and faced the tyrannical ruler Nebuchadnezzar, 47:33 everything about their visage, demeanor, their posture, 47:37 their stalwart gaze spoke more loudly than their words. 47:43 They weren't going to change their minds. 47:46 They weren't going to change their convictions. 47:49 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael 47:51 were not going to change their allegiance. 47:53 They were all in. 47:56 Dr. McNulty clarifies how this became a focused few, 48:02 in this statement, 48:03 "The three Hebrew young man glorified God in their decision 48:07 to put their lives on the line and not worship the image. 48:12 And God decisively honored them 48:15 by sending His Son to be in their midst 48:18 and preserve their lives 48:20 from being consumed by the flames." 48:23 Amen. 48:25 When Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael 48:27 were thrown into the furnace of destruction, 48:29 they have proven their love, their loyalty, 48:31 and their devotion to the Savior. 48:34 Therefore, Jesus made Himself personally responsible 48:38 for their outcome. 48:40 They made Christ everything 48:42 and Christ took them seriously. 48:46 Notice, if you will that when Jesus showed up, 48:52 He had stopped all of His celestial business. 48:57 He disrupted His heavenly operations. 49:01 Suspended His heavenly schedule 49:04 and appeared in their midst. 49:07 Amen. 49:08 GYC, we have a very, very, very difficult day 49:14 or days ahead of us. 49:16 We know the players. 49:19 We have seen Satan's agenda. 49:21 We have studied the significance of the battle 49:23 revealed in the 1260 years of papal oppression. 49:28 We have been forewarned that Christ, 49:31 propped by Christ's prophet to the remnant church 49:34 recorded that we are not prepared. 49:39 The final onslaught is overrunning the shores 49:42 of our predictable sometimes placid lives, 49:46 and we have a semblance of peace like this Sabbath, 49:50 but a violent storm is rapidly approaching. 49:54 The commitment of today 49:56 is your resistance for tomorrow. 49:58 The trust of today is your assurance in tomorrow. 50:03 The submission of today 50:05 is your transformation for tomorrow. 50:09 I wanna close with this admonition 50:11 for what the pen of inspiration says we must be. 50:16 As in the days of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 50:19 so in the closing period of earth's history, 50:22 the Lord will work mightily 50:24 in behalf of those who stand steadfastly 50:27 for the right. 50:28 He who walked with the Hebrew worthies 50:31 in the fiery furnace will be with his followers 50:34 wherever they are. 50:35 In the midst of a time of trouble, trouble, 50:38 such as has not been since there was a nation, 50:41 His chosen ones will stand unmoved. 50:44 Angels that excel in strength will protect them 50:47 and in their behalf, Jehovah will reveal Himself 50:51 as a God of gods able to save to the uttermost 50:56 those who have put their trust in Him. 51:01 So how do we get there? 51:07 How do we get there? 51:12 Ellen White gives us these sobering words. 51:16 It is intended for men and women alike, 51:21 "The greatest want 51:24 of the world is the want of men. 51:29 Men who will not be bought or sold, 51:33 Men who in their in most," what everybody? 51:37 "Souls are true and honest, 51:42 Men who do not fear to call sin 51:46 by its right name, 51:48 Men whose conscience is as true to duty 51:52 as the needle to the pole, 51:56 Men who will stand for the right 51:59 though the heavens fall." 52:03 Do you wanna have these qualities? 52:06 Do you wanna be a part of the few 52:09 who will stand for the right 52:12 though all men forsake you? 52:16 The quote continues, 52:19 "But such a character is not the result of accident, 52:24 it is not due to special favors or endowments of Providence. 52:30 A noble character 52:31 is the result of self-discipline, 52:34 of the subjection 52:35 of the lower to the higher nature, 52:37 the surrender of self 52:40 for the service of love to God 52:43 and man." 52:46 GYC, will you follow Jesus 52:53 wherever He leads? 52:57 Will you be the few? 53:06 The hymn that he's playing is entitled Just As I Am, 53:12 without one plea, 53:15 but that thy blood was shed for me. 53:19 O Lamb of God, I come! 53:23 I come! 53:27 But the third verse is what's important. 53:31 Just as I am, though tossed 53:33 about with many a conflict, 53:37 many a doubt fightings within 53:42 and fears without. 53:46 O Lamb of God, I come. 53:51 I'm gonna make a very unique appeal today. 53:58 People follow their leaders. 54:03 And leadership today 54:04 is more important now than ever. 54:10 There are three categories of leaders 54:12 that are in our midst today. 54:16 They are church leaders, 54:20 pastors, and parents. 54:25 Doesn't matter what your occupation is. 54:29 Those three categories I want to challenge you 54:33 to be an example to those who are here today, 54:37 these youth and young adults to make it known 54:42 by taking a stand 54:45 that you're all in. 54:49 If you're all in for the Lord, and we don't know 54:52 what 2020 holds, we don't know what 2021 holds. 54:55 I invite you, leader, pastor, 55:01 parent to get up from your place 55:04 and come down front and let's pray together. 55:09 Youth and young adults, I don't want you to move yet. 55:13 I want you to see who's coming. 55:32 But that Thy blood 55:36 Was shed for me 55:40 And that Thou bid'st me 55:46 Come to Thee 55:49 O Lamb of God 55:54 I come! 55:57 I come 56:03 Just as 56:06 I am, and waiting not 56:12 To rid my soul of 56:17 One dark blot 56:20 To thee whose blood 56:24 Can cleanse each spot 56:28 O Lamb of God 56:33 I come, I come 56:40 Leaders you have so much 56:44 that is hanging on your influence 56:49 with those you lead and those you parent, 56:55 they're watching you. 56:58 Your influence with them 57:02 is only as good as your life 57:07 and your relationship with Jesus Christ. 57:11 You cannot say one thing to them 57:15 and do another. 57:18 The greatest test of your influence 57:22 with your children is them being able to say, 57:27 my parents, my parents are consistent 57:31 in their walk with Jesus. 57:35 That's the most powerful gift 57:38 your children can give to you, 57:43 your members, 57:45 and all those with whom you have influence. 57:50 And now that you are here, 57:52 and there's really not much room for anybody else. 57:56 You can see that you are in fact, 57:59 the most important link in GYC 58:02 be what it needs to be. 58:05 The youth, the young adults will follow you. 58:10 They may not always 58:12 like the role that you're taking, 58:13 they may not always like the instruction given, 58:16 they may not always understand the wisdom 58:18 that you impart, 58:19 but if you are willing to be bold, 58:22 if you're willing to be strong, 58:24 if you're willing to be faith-filled and faithful, 58:27 God will do something through you. 58:34 Now for my young people, 58:37 these leaders have made a decision. 58:41 I want you to make a decision too. 58:44 If you're all in, 58:46 in 2020 and beyond, 58:51 I want you to stand to your feet 58:53 right where you are. |
Revised 2020-09-04