Participants:
Series Code: HC
Program Code: HC230009S
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00:01 >> Just 50 days after Jesus resurrection with his teachings
00:05 in Ascension still echoing in their hearts. Believers from 00:09 everywhere gathered in Jerusalem 00:11 as the cost on the United Nations in this pivotal moment, 00:16 define fire was 00:18 through their faith movement. Wasn't night forever. Change 00:22 the course of his join us as we explore the use of you shall 00:27 receive power. 00:30 >> Hello and welcome back to 3, A B n's fall homecoming. 00:33 Candy, we're so glad that you join us here this evening has 00:36 been a full day, hasn't 00:38 but a blessed. And thank you for joining us at home or maybe 00:41 your listening on the radio. You are missing a lot by not 00:45 being here in person, but we're so glad for technology. Are we 00:48 that if you can't make it 3ABN is still able to reach the 00:51 entire world? The satellite, of course, Internet and radio, 00:56 you know this evening, this is Evan looking forward to this. 00:58 I have the privilege of introducing my wife 01:01 tonight. She has the last message for this evening 01:05 and just last week, last Friday matter of fact, we just 01:08 celebrated 21 years of marriage. 01:13 And no, we didn't get married at 12 years of age. 01:19 You know, she is the love of my life. 01:21 And I remember when I first met her, we are in college and we 01:24 met in the college cafeteria 01:27 and we said at the same table and I said, man, I was struck 01:30 by her beauty, of course, and I said, wow, 01:34 what class for you? She said freshman and I was the he S the 01:37 freshman to. 01:39 And, you know, it's interesting. You get a lot of 01:41 impressions as young person and the impression that I got when 01:44 I was there eating lunch with her was you're going to marry 01:47 this lady one day. And I was like, yes, Lord, I hope that 01:51 comes true. And it did. We've been married again, like I 01:54 said, 21 years. And what a blessing. 01:57 You know, I have to say also that it's a blessing to be in 02:00 ministry which ill my wife or offices just down from mine. 02:03 It's incredible to be ministry together to serve the Lord 02:07 together. She's a woman of the word, 02:10 a woman who loves others and most importantly, a woman who 02:14 loves the Lord. 02:17 The message is going to bring this evening is power of self 02:20 sacrificing love 02:22 going to do something a little bit different. There's actually 02:24 going to be an appeal song toward the end of her message. 02:30 >> Thank you for the high. What a privilege to have your 02:33 husband introduce you should be kids right now. Now I think 02:36 we're we're on live television. So I think we should pause and 02:40 do that later. 02:44 Happy Sabbath. 02:47 I have been blessed by can't meeting 02:50 you shall receive power. 02:53 I need power. I want power in my life. 02:59 I was so blessed sitting backstage, supposed to be 03:01 looking at my notes. But instead I was captured by what 03:05 Doctor David Shinn shared. What a powerful message, 03:08 the power to forgive. We're looking here. The power of 03:11 self-sacrificing. Love 03:15 you work to 3ABN with China. Most you don't. You would know 03:18 that Jill needs help with the simple emails after 06:00PM. 03:23 That's because I'm a morning person. I do my best work early 03:28 in the morning and you all know what time it is right now. 03:32 It's 8 so we will pray together that the Lord will give make 03:36 coherent thoughts. Tonight, 03:39 the power of self-sacrificing laugh. 03:43 Some of my favorite scriptures in the Gospel is John, 13 to 03:48 John 17. 03:50 You see in John 13, we see the upper room experience Jesus 03:54 washing the disciples feet. 03:57 Then you come down to John 18 and Jesus is arrested in 04:02 Ghassemi. So this passage, John, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 is 04:08 Jesus is last words to the disciples. He knows he's going 04:13 to the cross. He knows that soon. He will sent his father 04:18 and he doesn't have much time left with the people that he 04:22 loves. What were those final words that he gave to those 04:25 people? We see that in John 13. 34 35 John, 13 34 35 a new 04:32 commandment. I give to you. They all become vegetarians. 04:37 Is that what it says? 04:39 A new commandment I give to you that you honor the Sabbath more 04:43 perfectly. 04:45 A new commandment. I give to you that you start paying ties. 04:51 Thank you. A new commandment I give to you that you love one 04:57 another. All of those things are important or not negating 05:01 any of them. 05:04 But he says you love one another as I've loved you. 05:10 But you also love one another by this. All will know that you 05:13 are my disciples. If you have love for one another. You go 05:19 just a couple chapters later, John, Chapter 15, we find this 05:24 first 12. This is my commandment that you love one 05:28 another as I've loved you. Greater love has no one than 05:33 this than to lay down one's life 05:38 for his friends. Power of self sacrificing love. Let's pray. 05:45 God we come before you right now. 05:50 I need you desperately. 05:52 I ask for a call from off your alter. I pray that your word 05:57 would come a life with your home. The spirit, the poor down 06:02 with Jesus be lifted up and honored and glorified God. 06:06 We want us see you tonight. We want to experience that 06:11 power of self-sacrifice seen laugh 06:14 and we ask all this in the precious and holy name of 06:18 Jesus. Amen. 06:20 I was speaking at a women's retreat some time ago 06:23 and one of my favorite things about women's retreats is not 06:28 opening up the word. Although I love to open up the word it's 06:32 to hear their stories. I love to hear the journey that God 06:36 leads each one of us on how he brings us from darkness into 06:39 light what he's done in our hearts and in our lives and 06:43 never forget this one woman we were talking, we'll call her 06:47 name and that's not her real name. 06:49 She said Chill God's doing amazing things in my life. 06:53 And just in the last year, my husband and I were reconciled 06:57 in the last year. The estrangement and our marriage 07:00 is gone away and I love him again in the leg last year. 07:06 I've come back to church and I found Jesus again. And I said 07:10 to her, what made the difference in your life? 07:14 Why did you come back to Jesus? Why did you come back to 07:16 church? Why is your marriage re store? 07:20 And she said initially, you know what? I'm not sure why. 07:23 And then she said I know exactly why my daughter 07:28 has been training for me 07:33 sometimes as young people. If you grew up in a home that's 07:36 maybe dysfunctional or not the best we could develop a victim 07:40 mentality, could we not? Well, my parents should be the 07:43 one praying for me. Well, my parents should be taking care 07:46 of me. Well, my parents should be doing something. And yet 07:50 this precious young girl prayed every day said God would do a 07:56 work in her parents life 07:59 and God showed up 08:01 greater love has no one than this than to lay down one's 08:06 life for his friends. We're dividing the message tonight 08:10 into 2 sections. The first section over here is re store 08:13 EV on lovable. How do we love people? We don't like 08:18 you have anybody you don't like. 08:20 Maybe I should go home today. 08:22 I can think of several. If I'm being honest with you right 08:25 now, 08:27 how to love people you don't like coming over here. The 2nd 08:31 half of the message we're looking at Reese and responding 08:35 to the walled. 08:37 How do we love people who want except laugh? 08:41 How do we love people that have a wall up and won't let you in? 08:48 Let's start over here. The 1st half of her message re story in 08:51 the on lovable. How do we love people that we don't naturally 08:57 like 08:58 we've all met them. Have we not the person who rubs you the 09:01 wrong way? The one who gets on your nerves. The showoff know 09:06 it all. The one who's always right? Or who puts other people 09:10 down the one who criticizes others or judges? Others. 09:15 The one who manipulates the one who's a whiner or a complainer. 09:20 The one who's lazy. Maybe it's just the one who's not like me. 09:27 You love those. You don't like 09:30 for answer. We're going to Matthew Chapter 5 terms made in 09:33 Matthew Chapter 5. This is, of course, the sermon on the Mount 09:37 Matthew Chapter 5. We're going to look at 2 verses in the word 09:41 of God. And from there, we would discover Ford Keys to how 09:45 we can love those that we don't naturally like how many kids 09:50 are going fine 09:52 for Keith. Good job. So in Matthew 5, we see these 09:55 antithetical statements. These are contrasts teen 09:59 statements. You know what Jesus said. He said you have heard 10:02 that. It was said you should not murder. But I say to you, 10:04 even if you hold hatred in your heart, it's the same thing as 10:09 murder. You've heard that it was said you should not commit 10:11 adultery, but I say to you, even if you have lost in your 10:15 heart, it's the same thing is committing adultery. What he 10:20 says he's doing was revolutionary for the people of 10:22 that time. He saying the law is wholly Justin good. It is so 10:27 much deeper and broader. It reaches into every asked. 10:32 Expect of our thoughts, our motives and our hearts. 10:38 We get to the last of these antithetical statements and 10:40 that's where we find out how to love those. We don't like where 10:44 Matthew 5, 43. And 44, 10:48 Matthew 5.43, you've heard that it was said you shall love your 10:51 neighbor and hate your enemy. That's really the people we 10:55 don't like. 10:57 But I say to you with that word, 10:59 love your 11:02 and a maze. 11:03 Key number one in learning to love those we don't like is to 11:07 recognize that love 11:09 is the principal. 11:11 It's not a family 11:12 now I am hopeless romantic. So I do believe that love has 11:18 feelings. Absolutely. However, love its foundation is a 11:25 principle. It is not feeling feelings come absolutely. 11:30 But love is a principle. 11:31 It's a command to love. He doesn't say I say to you, 11:35 well, if you like them, you can choose to love. No, he says 11:38 love your 11:41 enemies. It's a command. First on for 11, says the same 11:45 thing beloved if God so loved us. We also to love one 11:49 another. It's a command. 11:52 Keep your finger in. Matthew 5 were coming back there. 11:55 Terminated. First Corinthians 13. This is what we understand 11:57 to be the love Chapter. First Corinthians chapter 13. It's 12:02 amazing to me 12:05 because it starts out by saying this. 12:09 If you have spiritual gifts, 12:11 we think that's pretty important. Do we not? But love 12:15 is more important than that. 12:16 You see someone up front who preaches and we think wow, 12:20 look at that person. 12:21 Love is more important than that. 12:24 The gift of prophecy is that important. Love is more 12:29 important than that. The gift of faith 12:33 love is more important than that. What about the gift of 12:37 sacrifice are giving to other people to help them? Love is 12:42 more important than that. 12:46 Even the gift of martyrdom. 12:48 It's as if I give my body to be burned and we think a look at 12:52 that person and their sacrifice love. 12:56 It's even more important or we could say love is why we do all 13:02 of those things. If we keep going versus 4 through 7 0st 13:07 Corinthians 13, it says Love suffers long. Love is patient. 13:14 Is patients a feeling or choice? 13:18 Well, you can feel patient clearly. But do you have to 13:21 feel patient act patient 13:25 love suffers long and he's kind. He's kindness of feeling 13:28 or choice. 13:31 You can feel kind toward other people. But do you have to in 13:34 order to have kind thoughts or kind words? 13:37 It's a choice. Love does not envy its contents, mend a 13:42 feeling 13:43 or a choice. 13:45 Love does not trade itself is not puffed up is humility of 13:50 feeling 13:51 or choice loves not behave. Rudely does not seek its own is 13:56 and selfishness of feeling 14:00 or a choice. 14:02 Love is not provoke fink's. No evil is thinking the best of 14:05 other people of feeling 14:08 or a choice loves is does not rejoice in iniquity but 14:12 rejoices in the truth 14:15 is seeking the truth. 14:17 A feeling or a choice 14:20 love bears. All things is enduring under pain and 14:24 hardship. A feeling 14:27 or a choice. 14:28 Love believes all things symbol is believing and those that 14:32 loves in spite of all appearances. Is that a feeling 14:37 or a choice? 14:38 Love hopes all things is hoping even under discouragement, 14:46 a feeling 14:48 our choice. So when we look at every story envy on lovable, 14:53 key number one is to recognize that the principle of love, 14:58 it's a choice. It is not a feeling sore. Matthew 5.44, 15:03 I say you love your enemies. 15:06 I just love recognize that it's a choice to reach out in love. 15:12 Last those who curse you. Key number 2 15:17 with kindness. You know, they're not your response to 15:20 people we don't like is what 15:24 irritation negativity, criticism on forgiveness, 15:29 bitterness, 15:31 judgment, 15:33 Molly Stinson. She was my predecessor here at 3 Angels 15:36 Broadcasting network. And she was a vice president here for 15:39 many years. A woman of God, many of you would know and 15:42 remember and love her. She had a saying that I loved. She said 15:47 watch your thoughts. 15:48 They become words. Watch words. It becomes your actions. 15:54 Watch your actions. It becomes your habit. Watch your habit. 15:58 It becomes your character. Watch your character. It 16:03 becomes your destiny. 16:06 Proverbs. 31 verse. 26. She opens her mouth with wisdom and 16:13 on her tongue is the law of kindness. 16:17 That word kindness in Hebrew. His set 16:20 means goodness and kindness. It's since this is of the 2 16:24 words. 16:25 It's always outward. Never self-seeking translated, 16:29 loving kindness or mercy. It's the same word to use the 16:35 limitations. 3, it is of the lords mercies that we are not 16:39 consumed because his compassions they fail not 16:42 you see kindness. We establish that love is a principle. 16:46 That's key number one and love is a choice. Not a feeling but 16:49 kindness. You're night using kind thoughts toward others. 16:53 And speaking kind words, guess what? That's not a feeling 16:57 either. 16:59 A choice 17:01 message up to 12 Jesus. Speaking to the Ferris sees 17:05 Matthew 12. 34 he says how can you be evil? Bring good speak 17:11 good things. In other words, whatever is in the heart is 17:15 eventually going to come out is not. We can pretend we can 17:18 think everything's fine. We can act like we are good 17:22 Christians, but whatever is truly in our heart. 17:26 There are 37, by your words, you'd be justified. By your 17:29 words, you will be can down 17:33 words come from our thoughts and our thoughts reveals our 17:37 heart 17:39 reveals a for converted. It reveals if we know Jesus, 17:41 it reveals if we falling in love with him. 17:45 The words reveal that. So when we talk about love and those we 17:48 don't like he number one is love is a principle, not a 17:52 feeling. He number 2 is says think kind thoughts, speak kind 17:57 words, key. Number 3, we've got actions now. Act with goodness. 18:02 We're still in Matthew 5.44, I say do you love your enemies? 18:06 That's real. Love is a principle. Bless those who 18:09 curse you. This is the thinking kind thoughts and speaking kind 18:12 words do good to those who hate you. You know, they say actions 18:18 speak louder, then 18:20 works 18:22 actions. Just express what's really in the heart. 18:26 Remember, Mary, she bought expensive, prefer few. She went 18:31 and anointed Jesus feet. Remember that story with the 18:35 alabaster box broke. It annoying to Jesus feet and she 18:39 watched his seat with her tears and dried it with her hair. 18:43 Now is that in action 18:45 it's an action. She had to buy the perfume. She had to go to 18:49 his feet. She had to wash them and drive them. What did that 18:52 action reveal? 18:55 It revealed. Love. 18:56 It revealed probably that she knew she'd been forgiven. 19:00 It revealed. Love by contrast. Think about Judas. He betrayed 19:05 his master with 30 pieces of silver. Now, is that an action? 19:11 What does that action reveal? 19:16 The trail? Jealousy, maybe greed. 19:21 What about Joseph of Arimathaea? 19:24 He gave his tune for the Jesus to be buried in. Now. If you 19:28 read the scriptures, Joseph was a silent disciple. He was part 19:32 of the sand he'd run. He'd been afraid to come out before 19:36 afraid to come out in in favor of Jesus. And yet at that time 19:41 when he said Jesus can have my tomb, was that an action 19:46 and what that action reveal? 19:50 Love 19:51 that he had made his choice and he was standing on Jesus sign. 19:57 What about by contrast, Jesus when he went back to Nazareth? 20:01 Remember, he spoke in the synagogue and that people got 20:04 really mad. Remember that? And they tried to push him off 20:08 the cliff to remember that story. 20:11 And Jesus does escape through their midst. 20:15 Was that an action? 20:17 Would you say pushing someone off a cliff or attempting to is 20:19 that in action? 20:21 So what did that act? Shannon reveal 20:25 they hated him. What else would have revealed? They were 20:28 jealous of him. 20:31 He's from that and that's our hometown. We grew up with this 20:35 guy. We know him. 20:37 How can he claim to be the messiah? How can heal all these 20:40 people? Lot of people make such a fuss over him. What about the 20:44 woman with the issue of blood? Remember, she reached out and 20:48 touch the hand of Jesus garment. Is that in action? 20:52 What did it reveal? 20:55 It revealed that she had faith 20:58 that he could heal her. 21:00 By contrast, the man who was born blind. You find the story 21:03 in John Chapter 9. He was born blind. Jesus healed him and 21:08 restored his eyesight. And then what happened? The parents, 21:11 he's cast him out of the synagogue. 21:14 Is that an action? 21:16 And what did that action reveal? 21:19 Selfish 21:21 hate JAL lists, right? If you are a leader of a synagogue in 21:26 this other guy brought a lot more followers and when you 21:29 feel a little jealous of him. So the point is actions reveal 21:34 the state of our heart 21:37 and you might be saying, well, I can't conjure up good 21:39 actions. Of course not. Jeremiah tells us that the 21:41 Ethiopian can't change the color of his skin and a leopard 21:45 can't take the spots off his hide, right it. Then it says 21:48 then you may. You also do good who are accustomed to doing 21:53 evil. In other words, our righteousness is filthy rags. 21:58 There's nothing in and of ourselves that we can do to be 22:02 changed. 22:03 Only the blood of Jesus. 22:06 Only his forgiveness, only Jesus coming in and changing us 22:12 from the inside out. That's the only way any actions are going 22:17 to change. So let's look at key for 22:19 key. One is love is the principal. 22:21 It's not a feeling. He too is its think kind thoughts and see 22:26 Baek kind words. He 3 act with goodness. And that only comes 22:33 because God has taken up residence to the power of the 22:36 Holy spirit and your heart. And in mind, key number 4 is to 22:41 pray for those people that you do not like. 22:46 I say. Do you love your enemies? Bless those who curse. 22:49 You do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who spite 22:52 fully use you and persecute you? 22:55 Probably 10 years ago I stepped into a room. It was a large 22:58 room almost the size of this room 23:00 and I stepped into the room and I'll never forget that there 23:03 was a woman at the other end. And she she was my friend and 23:08 I'm super excited. I'm going to go see my friend and I started 23:11 halfway across the room 23:13 and I did discover that she was talking about me. 23:17 There's a whole crowd of people around her. 23:20 And the words just came out 23:22 critical 23:25 the little wing 23:27 and I thought there were lies. 23:30 I never forget. I stopped in the middle of the room and I to 23:32 stop. 23:34 I thought we were friends. 23:37 You know, the sense of betrayal. You can 23:40 and everybody turned around and I ran out to my car and I just 23:44 sat there and cried. 23:47 And then I did what any good Christian woman thinks they 23:51 ought to do. And what's that? 23:53 I chose not to gossip. I said, well, you know, most woman 23:57 talk. So I'm going to do the Christian. I'm going to be a 23:59 big girl. I would do the Christian thing and I will not 24:02 cost up about her. I would not talk badly about her. And when 24:06 I saw her, I put on a little plastic smile and I said, 24:09 hi, how are you? 24:12 I buried my bitterness. 24:15 I buried my and forgiveness. 24:20 Time passed a week a month 24:24 a year. 24:25 And I did not realize that it was still buried in my heart 24:30 because I pushed it down so deeply. And one day I was 24:34 working on memorizing new scripture for me at the time it 24:38 was he was 12, 14 15 24:40 and it says follow peace with all men and holiness, without 24:43 which no one shows. See God looking diligently. Plus 10 24:48 years you fail of the grace of Christ. Let any route of 24:54 bitterness springing up trouble you and there by many people be 24:59 defiant. And when I read that Tripp, sure immediately got 25:03 brought to my mind and heart chilly. You have bitterness in 25:06 your heart. It's buried so deep, but it is there. And if 25:10 you hang onto this bitterness, it would destroy you. 25:14 It would destroy your marriage and it will destroy your 25:18 ministry. 25:19 And I remember going before God and saying, I don't want this. 25:24 I want your life. I want your forgiveness. I don't know how 25:29 to change me. You haven't been there God. I can't change that. 25:34 I can't change was inside. And he like me on a journey. 25:38 This is the first key. He led me on a journey to pray for 25:41 this woman. 25:43 Now, you know, Jill wanted to do. 25:46 I'm trying, but I can pray. Maybe she had a car accident. 25:51 What's that? That's revenge is not. 25:54 And I didn't mean anything serious. I just want to take a 25:57 break or hand, you know, got just something to make spurious 26:00 some pain. 26:03 He said, I want you to pray, bless scenes over her. And I 26:06 said, God, that's hypocritical. You know, I don't mean that. 26:09 And he said, I want you to pray it anyway, because, again, 26:13 it's a choice. 26:15 It's going to get to pray. 26:16 And I remember the first day getting on my knees and I felt 26:19 like such a fake Christian. 26:22 And I remember I said, God, would you bless her today? 26:25 And he said keep going. 26:27 And I said called you, would you bring people into her life 26:30 that would encourage her 26:32 God. You bless her with health. We do bless her marriage and 26:36 her ministry and her children. Would you open up doors for 26:40 heard minister and every word I said so fake because I didn't 26:46 want it. I couldn't feel it. And yet I wanted in the depths 26:51 of my heart to honor God. 26:54 And I knew that he wanted me to do this. And still the first 26:58 day pass to nothing happened in the second day passed and 27:01 nothing happened and the 3rd day passed and nothing happened 27:04 and it's been so many years. I couldn't tell you how many 27:07 days it was 27:08 that I know 27:10 I still remember the day got broke my heart. 27:13 I was praying the same prayer feeling the same hypocritical 27:17 sense. 27:18 And this one day I was praying 27:21 and a change of heart 27:22 that bitterness that desire for revenge. That Ames was released 27:29 from my heart 27:31 and he flooded me with laugh. You know what that experience 27:34 taught me? 27:35 I struggle with forgiveness. 27:38 I teach me how to forget. 27:41 I can hold a grudge 27:43 called teach me how to let go. 27:48 I care about what other people think of me. If I didn't care 27:52 or her words wouldn't bother me. 27:54 God teach me how to live for the audience of one. 27:59 I struggle with pride. 28:02 God teach me your humility. 28:06 I don't know who in your life, you know, like. 28:10 But I want to challenge you 28:12 as we close out this first section on loving those. 28:15 You don't like 28:17 practice these principles. 28:20 Recognize that love is a principle, not a feeling 28:25 speak kind words, think kind thoughts 28:28 back to his goodness. And that only comes when God transforms 28:32 our hearts. All of these things take place because a prayer. 28:38 When we play when we get in the word dog changes our hearts and 28:44 the actions change in the stock exchange. And even that feeling 28:48 of love changes 28:51 from a practical perspective in my own personal journey, 28:55 one of the ways that helps me the best in loving those I 28:58 don't like is to learn a little bit about their own journey. 29:02 You know, when you see here a person's past, when you hear 29:05 the things they have gone through, it gives you and the 29:08 sea and it gives compassion. We're sometimes before we're a 29:13 little resistant. 29:14 What about responding to the walled? 29:16 How are we to love those 29:19 who have walls? Who won't except love? 29:23 Why did people wall off 29:26 times 29:28 maybe on the one they don't like? 29:31 Is that possible? Of course it is. So there are times maybe 29:35 there are walled off 29:38 because they hold a grudge toward you or toward me. 29:41 That's possible. 29:42 I think one of the main reasons people wall off 29:46 as they don't think that there were easy 29:49 to accept or receive other people's laugh. 29:53 You see if you can accept yourself or love yourself, 29:56 how can you accept and receive love from other people. 30:01 When you look at the key of responding to the walled, 30:06 how do we reach out to people who have won walls and barriers 30:10 erected? 30:12 I think the first key you're going to say, Joe, this makes 30:14 no sense at all. 30:16 But stay with me. The first key is to offer unconditional love 30:21 and you say, oh, I don't even understand that. So I have 30:24 their walled. So why would I even offer them love? 30:29 I was a young teacher, fresh out of college, innocent, 30:32 naive. She was a beautiful girl, upper classmen academy, 30:38 blond hair, peaches and cream complexion, 30:41 even white teeth. 30:43 I was so caught up 30:46 in the business of teaching for the first time that it really 30:51 didn't take time to sit down and ask about her heart to see 30:55 how she was really doing inside. 30:59 You see she was walled 31:01 and I didn't know it every time. I say how you doing 31:04 today, she would smile so sweetly and she was so kind and 31:10 she would say miss chill on doing really well. 31:13 But she actually wasn't. 31:17 She was walled. 31:19 You know, sometimes we think the wall people are prickly. 31:22 The wall people locked, respond with irritation. The wall. 31:25 People don't love us back. But sometimes you can't even 31:28 tell a person's Wald. They look the part they dress the part. 31:33 They smile. They do all the right things. And you don't 31:37 know that they're dying inside because they hide that behind a 31:42 wall. And that was the case with this beautiful young girl. 31:45 We went on retreat a few months into the school year. 31:49 And I never forget, she said Miss John, can I talk to us at, 31:52 of course. 31:53 And so she pulled up her sleeve 31:55 and on her forearm, I saw that she'd been cutting. 32:01 And I said, I'm so sorry. She said, no, no, you don't 32:05 understand. And she turned her arm and I could see she had 32:10 herself to spell the word help 32:15 H 32:16 e 32:21 you see she was wall 32:22 White. 32:24 I didn't know there was pain in her life and I was so busy and 32:29 so glib. But I see how you do in Sweden today. All missed 32:33 fight 32:35 and she's cutting help on her arm. 32:37 She's in pain and she's hurting. 32:41 If you want to get behind the wall that other people are 32:47 holed up. 32:49 All for unconditional laugh 32:54 awakens left 32:55 love. Never forces were not compelled to follow God. 32:59 We follow God because he first loved Us. 33:02 Love Awakens. Love 33:05 from us 5. You know, I love the book of Romans from us. 5 33:09 versus 6 when we were still without strength and time 33:13 Christ died 33:16 for the ungodly 33:17 wind chill 33:19 spat in his face. 33:21 When I was watched 33:22 when I wanted to do my own thing when I didn't want to 33:26 follow God 33:28 when God said chill come my daughter and I said God, 33:31 I want anything to do with you. He loved to me and died for me. 33:38 Love weakens laugh 33:41 for scarcely for righteous men were in verse 7 33:44 scarcely for Righteous man. One die to perhaps for a good 33:48 man. 33:49 Some would even dare to tie 33:53 but demonstrates his love for us. 33:58 And that while we were yet centers, 34:02 he died for us. The word yet in Greek means still 34:07 even now 34:09 when I'm walking in Sen 34:12 he died for me. 34:14 Never under estimate. The power of left 34:18 change only occurs because of laugh. 34:21 He saw me and he pursued me. I've been rereading Jose, 34:27 especially Hosea Chapter 11. I want to write you to turn 34:30 their Hosea Chapter 11. 34:33 Jose M is though Prophet who gave the last divine appeal to 34:40 the northern tribes of Israel. They were taken away into 34:44 captivity to assyria and 7.22. BC and this is just a few years 34:48 before that time 34:50 now, remember, Israel had split. There was David. He 34:53 ruled the United Israel 10 following David Solomon. 34:57 His son ruled remember what happened after Solomon. The 35:00 kingdom was split and Renton to the 10. Northern tribes 35:05 followed with a young upstart by the name, a terrible the 2 35:10 southern tribes when with Solomon's son, his name was 35:14 Rehoboam. 35:15 So there was this split. But even though there was a 35:19 split, both the North and the South, we're spiritually 35:23 bankrupt, both of them 35:26 worshipped idols. Both of them had turned their back on God. 35:32 Now the 2 southern tribes. Remember, they were taken about 35:34 100 years later into Babylonian captivity. Remember that they 35:39 were there 70 years. They re Penn did and God brought them 35:43 back to the land of drew slump. 35:45 But that same thing did not happen with the 10 Northern 35:47 tribes. 35:49 Remember, they were taken to assyria 35:52 completely annihilated 35:55 as a people. Now, that doesn't mean you that there wasn't 35:59 forgiveness is extended to people within that. But as a 36:02 people, a group they cease to exist after that time. 36:07 The theme of Hosea is the anguish of Steadfast Love. 36:13 You see if a person's life is temporary and fickle, then 36:16 unreturned love or rejection presents. No major problem 36:21 week. Love it simply seeks another object. What I mean by 36:26 that 36:27 if I love somebody here and they say, you know what do I 36:30 do? Love you today. 36:32 Be like, okay, fine. I'll go find someone else to love. 36:35 Is that strong lover week? Love. 36:37 It's week. Love 36:39 by contrast. When love is steadfast, rejection 36:44 and unfaithfulness caused unspeakable pain. 36:49 Love goes on. Even when the object of a love know longer 36:53 returns it and tremendous suffering results. That's what 36:58 we see in the book of Hosea. We see a dog who has steadfast 37:02 love. He's not saying OK, Israel, I'm done with you. 37:05 I'm going to find someone else to live. He loved them with an 37:09 everlasting love and they say we don't want you. 37:12 Where do our own thing. We don't care about you. 37:16 The tremendous suffering we see in the heart of God and yet 37:21 their walls are they not children deserve God. We don't 37:24 care about you. They have their walls up 37:27 and God says I love you 37:29 and he keeps extending unconditional love story. 37:32 Hosea 11 verse 3, Jose Leaven 3. This is from the new living 37:37 translation. I like how this passage reads there. I'm a 37:41 south to Israel how to walk leading the him. By the hand. 37:47 He's saying I love you from baby hood 37:50 but he doesn't know or even care 37:53 that it was. I who took care of him. God saying I love you is 37:56 they're saying we're walled. We don't care. We don't care 37:59 that you took care of us where a child. We don't care that you 38:02 love us. God. We don't. 38:05 First 4, 38:06 I like Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love. 38:10 He says I love you. I'm extending kindness to you. 38:14 I lifted the yolk from his neck and I might self. This is 38:19 stopped speaking. I stooped to feed them verse 5. He should 38:25 not return to the land of Egypt but the Assyrian should be his 38:28 king. This is that prediction taking place that would come in 38:31 just a few short years when the Assyrians would come 38:35 because why would the Assyrian be as King? Because they 38:38 refused to repent. They're walled off. 38:42 My people 38:44 are bent on backsliding from me, 38:48 though. They called the most high. None at all 38:51 exalt him verse 8. 38:54 This verse commentators say is one of the most amazing 38:59 descriptions of God's inner struggle and the scriptures 39:02 many times we don't see into the heart of God. We don't know 39:05 why he does what he does. We can guess from outside and 39:09 we know God is love. But this is his inner struggle over 39:13 Israel. The people he loves so steadfastly and yet there 39:18 walled they don't want anything to do with him. First date, 39:23 how can I give you up is rat? 39:27 How can I let you go? 39:30 How can I just Roy? You like Admiral demolished? You like 39:33 the boy. Those were 2 cities that were overthrown when S**** 39:37 and Gomorrah were overthrown. 39:39 My heart is torn within me that were torn similar to an inner 39:44 earthquake. 39:47 My compassion 39:48 overflows. 39:50 So how to we 39:52 love those who won't except laugh. 39:57 Key number one is to offer unconditional love like the 40:00 large resistant 40:02 to Israel as we saw just there. 40:05 But we understand that that love is not always return 40:10 as it was in this case. 40:12 God's people 40:13 never 40:15 returned back to him as the people now. And there could be 40:19 individuals return back but never did as a people. Key. 40:22 Number 2 is to be patient. 40:27 You know, when we extend unconditional love to others, 40:30 it takes time, does it not? We continue to love and 40:33 sometimes they say, but I don't know if your love is fickle. 40:36 I don't know if you're going to change. I remember my poor mom, 40:40 mom. 40:41 I was very difficult when I was an early teenager and 40:46 she and heard. 40:47 Thank you, Bruce. 40:49 She under a great deal of 40:52 ship because of me. And I remember lain awake it night, 40:59 dreaming up ways to make her mad. 41:02 And I thought I'm going to make her mad. I'm going to make her 41:06 mad. 41:09 But when God got ahold of my mom's life, it didn't matter 41:12 what but not push. It didn't matter how hard I push it 41:15 didn't matter anything because she loved me unconditionally 41:21 and she extended God's love to me and she exemplified Jesus. 41:29 And that's the reason I chose Jesus for myself 41:32 because I saw that Christianity worked. 41:35 I saw that it was not just a bunch of rules or stories in 41:41 the word 41:42 that there was power 41:44 in Jesus and then the Holy Spirit. And when Jesus comes 41:48 into our heart and life, the transformation is like night 41:53 and day. So my mom was patient. She was clearly patient was 41:56 made during those years. 41:59 Let's look at the Maia. 42:01 I knew I picked up my baba for reason. Nehemiah. We're going 42:04 to Nehemiah chapter 9. 42:06 Love this. We see this 42:09 Fuld cyclical pattern exemplified in the life of the 42:15 Israelites. 42:16 You can see this Nehemiah chapter 9 again, give you what 42:19 the 5 are. And then we'll look at this. New mine. 9 is kind of 42:22 or recapture of the history of the children of Israel 42:27 and the 5 fold. His first day walk and disobedience. They're 42:31 walled. The wall goes up, God, we don't want you God. We don't 42:35 live. You were going to do our own thing. Number 2, God brings 42:38 judgment upon the people. He says I have to do something 42:44 to breach the wall to get through. To show you that I 42:49 love you. I always say God uses the gentlest means possible 42:55 to get our attention. 42:57 And if the dental means doesn't work, sometimes he uses some 43:01 stronger means. 43:02 So we have disobedience. Then we have judgment to me. 43:07 Every pen tense, the people, the wall comes down. God will 43:11 let you in God. We want you to love us. Then it always closes 43:16 with mercy and for deliverance. So let's look at this. We're in 43:21 the Miami 9 0st. 26 Nehemiah 9.26. Nevertheless, they were 43:27 disobedient. Remember, the first step was always 43:29 disobedience. So wall goes up. They rebelled against gone to 43:34 cast their lot behind their backs. The killed your profits 43:37 who testified against them to turn them to yourself and they 43:41 worked. Great provocations are blasphemy. So the people are 43:46 disobedient. They are wall called this a God. We don't 43:50 want you God. We want to do our own thing. 43:54 Then here comes judgment, verse 27 there for you. Deliver them 43:58 into the hand of their enemies who oppress them and men. 44:02 And what did the judgment bring 44:04 repentance and the time of the trouble when they cry to use, 44:08 they're crying out God, we're sorry, God, we want to repent, 44:12 God, we want the wall to come down 44:16 and what happened. Mercy and deliverance. According to your 44:18 abundant mercy. He's you gave them deliverance. Who saved 44:23 them from the hand of our enemies and what happens the 44:25 next first after they address the addenda again did even 44:28 before you did you catch that? 44:31 God had just delivered them. They had every pen today in the 44:34 wall came down, God delivered them. And what did they say? 44:39 Wow, walking right back into disobedience and more happens. 44:43 Judgment comes there for you, left them in the hand of their 44:46 enemy. So they had to inning over them yet hair comes 44:49 repentance again. When they return to cry to you. You heard 44:53 from have been here comes the liver is combined with mercy 44:58 and many times you deliver exam according to your Mursi's. 45:04 Now it's happened twice. Are we done 45:08 yet the active proudly and did not heed your commandments but 45:11 sinned against you, judge. We are going back to 45:12 disobedience 45:14 yet which if a man does he show live by them, they shrug their 45:17 shoulders and stiffen their necks and would not here. 45:19 Yet many years were in verse 30. You had patience with them 45:25 and testified against him by your spirit and your profits 45:28 yet they would not 45:31 listen. 45:33 Therefore, here comes the judgment again. You gave them 45:36 into the hand of the people of the lands and then we see God's 45:41 Mursi's and deliverance when the people repent. 45:45 That passage tells me it's a whole lot of scripture. It 45:49 tells me simply this 45:52 God's patients 45:54 with me. 45:56 It's incredible. 45:59 How many years is that? 46:01 How many years did they say God? We're doing our own saying 46:04 God, we want to walk in our own way. God, we're wall as it were 46:10 God. We don't want to follow you 46:11 and he says all, but I love you. And would you please come 46:14 back to me and they re penton. He says over reconciles again 46:20 and I love you and I want you. 46:24 And then Jill says all things are going really good right 46:27 now. I think I can make it without God. 46:30 He didn't really help me that much before I'm going to do my 46:33 own saying net. 46:35 And then he says, oh, please, we do come back to me. The 46:39 patients have gone 46:42 is incredible. 46:46 How do we love those who are walled? How do we love those 46:51 who will not accept laugh, 46:55 reach out, offer that unconditional love and extend 47:01 patients. 47:03 And to be clear, when we talk about loving those who are 47:06 walled, I should have brought this up before. We're not 47:08 talking about abuse, 47:10 completely different situation. So if you are in an abusive 47:15 situation, God is not saying that you don't have any 47:19 boundaries and you allow yourself to be abused. That's 47:21 not what we're talking about here. 47:24 What we're talking about is those times and places 47:29 where people are walled around us and God says I want to break 47:34 fat 47:38 in 19 0 for William Board and graduated from high school in 47:42 Chicago. He was heir to his family's fortune as his 47:46 graduation present. He got a trip around the world 47:51 hit a growing burden for the hurting people that he 47:54 discovered when he came back. He said I want to be a 47:56 missionary. Remember, he was heir to his family's fortune 48:00 and people said you're throwing your life away to be a 48:03 missionary. Your intellectual, your rich, why would you be a 48:09 missionary? 48:10 >> And he wrote in the back of his Bible, 48:12 2 words, 48:13 no reserve. 48:16 >> You see when God calls you and I to reach out to those we 48:21 don't like 48:22 when God calls you and I to reach beyond the wall and to 48:27 offer unconditional love for others. We need to do that with 48:33 no reeser. 48:34 In 19 0, 5, he went to Yale University as a freshman. 48:40 He was deeply spiritual. 48:42 He began to pray with other students. And by the end of his 48:45 freshman year, 3 100 students Met Weekly for Bible study and 48:52 prayer. 48:53 By the end of his senior year, over 1300 students Met Weekly 48:59 for Bible study and prayer. 49:02 He founded the Yale Hope Mission to help rescue those 49:06 who were drunk. He reached out to the orphans and the windows 49:12 at the time of prayer 49:13 and they would pray for people on campus. And there's a 49:17 particular person who was walled. Other people didn't 49:21 like maybe a little prickly, maybe a little difficult to get 49:25 through. He would always say give that person to make. 49:29 And I want to pray for that. 49:32 He graduated from Yale, turned down several high pain job 49:36 offers 49:38 and accepted a call as a missionary to the Muslim people 49:43 in China. 49:44 He wrote in the back of his Bible. 2 more words, 49:50 no retreat. 49:53 You see when we put our hand to the plow when you and I reach 49:58 out and say, yes, God, I want to reach out in love. Yes, 50:02 Scott, I want to reach out. 50:05 We cannot turn back. 50:08 He went 50:10 to do graduate work at Princeton Seminary. This is 50:13 preparing himself to be a missionary to those in China, 50:17 the Muslim people, he sale to Egypt to study Arabic en route 50:22 to China to work with the Muslims. While he was in Egypt. 50:26 He contracted spinal meningitis and died within a month. 50:32 They found in the back of his Bible to more words written no, 50:39 we grant 50:40 [MUSIC] 50:43 so you can look at his life and say maybe he felt 50:47 he could have 50:48 Don a lot successful. 50:50 And yeah, he answered the call of God on his life 50:55 and no matter what the end result is, there is 51:00 no we can't 51:02 I don't know of as I have been talking here this evening. 51:07 Is there someone in your life 51:10 who came to mind 51:12 when I said, how do we love people? We don't like 51:16 someone come to mind. 51:18 Is there someone in your life that's Wald 51:23 that's hard for you to get through 51:25 for whatever reason. You can't seem to help them know that you 51:30 love them. They won't let that wall down. 51:36 Who does God 51:37 one us to laugh? 51:39 Maybe your wall. 51:43 You're sitting here tonight. 51:46 A smile on your face were in church. Weren't 3ABN can't 51:51 meeting. 51:52 I'm doing great. 51:54 And yet you're like a girl who cut herself and wrote how fun 51:59 here are endured. I mean, inside 52:03 [MUSIC] 52:06 Reggie and Lady and Danny, 52:08 we're going to sing one of my favorite songs. 52:12 I am loved. 52:14 I can raise loving you 52:17 for the Ron knows me back. Loves me. Most you see when you 52:24 and I are for given 52:27 we can dare to love our brothers. When were forgiven, 52:31 we can reach out and take the hand. And as they sing this 52:38 song 52:39 on a vine you if you're feeling wall tonight on a fight to come 52:44 for, 52:45 pray together at the end it 52:47 if you have people in your life who are walled, take God wants 52:52 you buy them power of his spirit to reach out and touch 52:55 it hatch and to extend Christ's love. Drew you to that person. 53:01 Would you come forward? Just? 53:04 [MUSIC] 53:09 [MUSIC] 53:14 [MUSIC] 53:19 [MUSIC] 53:20 >> I can to. 53:25 [MUSIC] 53:29 We need to use 53:37 [MUSIC] 53:40 >> you well into my 53:47 [MUSIC] 53:54 we. 53:59 [MUSIC] 54:01 >> Ice. And if you knew me. 54:05 [MUSIC] 54:10 [MUSIC] 54:13 >> I mean, but I'm too. 54:16 >> This space. I will. 54:17 >> And 54:20 [MUSIC] 54:24 >> in my time 54:26 my scars go to. 54:29 [MUSIC] 54:35 >> For you. 54:39 >> Then 54:42 [MUSIC] 54:51 >> too. 54:55 >> See that 55:01 I love seeing. 55:06 [MUSIC] 55:09 >> You are too. He came I. 55:17 >> We are. 55:21 >> We? 55:29 >> I mean, he gets I look easy. 55:35 >> And 55:40 >> we the fuel line little did I really still and 55:49 [MUSIC] 55:54 [MUSIC] 55:57 >> I? 56:00 [MUSIC] 56:04 >> I reached out to sea. 56:07 [MUSIC] 56:12 [MUSIC] 56:17 [MUSIC] 56:19 [MUSIC] 56:23 >> Well, you know, the mayor has 56:29 hello. 56:34 [MUSIC] 56:39 >> Well, to be th we 56:53 [MUSIC] 56:58 [MUSIC] 57:03 these. 57:07 >> We. 57:11 >> And 57:23 >> thank you so much. Thank you. God that you love us and 57:26 we open up our hearts to be loved in return. She since name 57:31 [MUSIC] 57:36 [MUSIC] 57:41 [MUSIC] 57:46 [MUSIC] 57:51 [MUSIC] 57:56 [MUSIC] |
Revised 2023-12-12