Participants:
Series Code: HCAU
Program Code: HCAU180017A
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00:01 Music...
00:20 Welcome to 3ABN Australia Homecoming. 00:24 Music... 00:29 Welcome to the 3ABN Australia Homecoming 2018, 00:36 our second-last sermon, 00:39 this has gone so fast. 00:41 It really has, 00:43 it's kind of a sad thing, isn't it? 00:44 There's a lot of preparation for this 00:46 but what a blessing it has been, 00:47 we want to hear a hearty "Amen" from you. 00:49 Audience: Amen. 00:50 I know that I've been blessed, 00:51 Jill and I, and the team that has come from 3ABN USA, 00:54 what a blessing it is to be here 00:56 and to meet with each one of you, it's encouraging. 00:58 So, this is number 12. 00:59 Is it really? 01:01 Yes, and that's just amazing 01:03 I just hope that everybody is... 01:05 been as blessed as we wanted them to 01:07 and you're getting to know God better. 01:10 You're getting to know different aspects of God 01:13 and to appreciate Him and to grow closer to Him 01:16 because that's what we're trying to do. 01:18 We want people to have eternal life 01:20 and to have eternal life, you need to know God personally 01:23 so He can put His character into you. 01:26 Yeah, that's really important, 01:28 for breakfast this morning, I had a Weet-Bix. 01:31 That's quite an Australian thing I understand. 01:34 You know, not only do we want to feed ourselves physically 01:37 with wonderful food from Australia, 01:39 there's good food in USA as well, 01:41 we want to feed ourselves from the Word of God 01:44 and I think that's so important, 01:46 I appreciate all the messages 01:47 that we have heard here, Rosemary, 01:49 all of Camp Meeting... all of this Homecoming... 01:51 it's been about studying God's Word... 01:53 immersing ourselves in the Word of God 01:54 because in it, there are so many treasures that we can find. 01:57 That's right and that's the way we get to know God. 01:59 Well, before we have our Speaker come on, 02:02 we have Kevin Petrie again, 02:04 he's a Lecturer at Avondale College 02:06 and I really am blessed when Kevin sings 02:10 because I find his voice very soothing 02:13 and he's going to be singing a song called, "Missing Me" 02:16 and who's speaking today? 02:19 Today, we're again blessed with Geoff Youlden 02:22 who is the Union Evangelist 02:24 and his passion is to share the Word of God with others. 02:27 And he's good at it. 02:28 Oh, he's really good and his message today is, 02:31 "Knowing God as He pursues the Lost. " 02:34 So, we'll listen to Kevin and then Geoff will come 02:37 and bless us with a message from God, thank you. 02:40 Pause... 02:49 Music... 03:13 I wonder what He thinks of 03:17 as He looks at His nail-pierced hands, 03:20 Does He think of all He suffered 03:24 as His blood fell like the sand, 03:30 And the scars upon His temple 03:33 made from thorns pressed on His head, 03:37 Does He think of all He went through 03:41 as a lamb to slaughter led 03:47 But I know He sees my face 03:50 And He does recall my name 03:54 He remembers all His love for me 03:58 That cost Him so much pain 04:02 He remembers how eternity 04:07 Would somehow never be 04:09 Quite the same for heaven 04:13 Because God would be missing me. 04:20 Music... 04:44 Hands reached out to strike 04:47 All with vented rage 04:51 Animals for cruelty 04:55 Satan's anger for all age 04:59 music... 05:00 Spitting out their venom 05:05 A hatred born elsewhere 05:07 Does it come back to His memory 05:12 How He was treated there 05:17 But I know He sees my face 05:21 And He does recall my name 05:25 He remembers all His love for me 05:29 That cost Him so much pain 05:33 He remembers how eternity 05:37 Would somehow never be 05:40 Quite the same for heaven 05:44 Because God would be missing me. 05:50 Music... 05:52 Because I know He sees my face 05:55 And He does recall my name 05:59 He remembers all His love for me 06:03 That caused Him so much pain 06:07 He remembers how eternity 06:10 Would somehow never be 06:14 Quite the same for heaven 06:18 Because God would be missing me 06:25 He remembers how eternity 06:29 Would somehow never be 06:33 Quite the same for heaven 06:37 Quite the same for heaven... 06:44 Because God would be missing 06:49 me... 06:53 music... 07:05 Pause... 07:10 Just recently, I was visiting a business 07:13 and when I went inside the front doors, 07:18 the desk was in front of me and up above the desk 07:21 was the Mission Statement of the business 07:24 and I read it with interest and... 07:27 of course we've all been to businesses... 07:29 we've all been involved with Organizations 07:32 that have mission statements 07:34 in which they try to crystalize the purpose of their being. 07:38 Jesus had a mission statement too 07:43 and I'd like to invite you to open your Bibles 07:45 to that Mission Statement over in Luke the 19th chapter. 07:49 Luke the 19th chapter and we'll notice His Mission Statement. 07:53 Pause... 07:57 Chapter 19 and verse 10 where Jesus says, 08:02 "For the Son of man is come 08:04 to seek and to save that which was lost. " 08:10 Pause... 08:13 I want to submit to you that that's Jesus' Mission Statement 08:16 pause... 08:18 crystallized into just a few words. 08:20 Pause... 08:22 To seek and to save that which was lost. 08:26 Pause... 08:30 Every great work that's ever done in this world 08:34 has someone who has great passion. 08:37 It doesn't matter whether it's a business... 08:41 setting up a business... 08:43 running an Organization... the Church... 08:47 whenever something is successful, 08:50 you will look behind it and see that the person 08:53 that organized it... that's behind it 08:56 has a deep passion for it 08:58 pause... 09:00 and any significant accomplishment 09:03 will have that deep passion 09:05 and Christianity... if it's going to be successful 09:09 must be driven by people with a deep passion. 09:12 Pause... 09:14 The message of the three angels of Revelation chapter 14, 09:18 "To every nation, kindred, tongue and people... " 09:21 I would like to suggest to you 09:23 that that has to be driven by people with passion. 09:27 Pause... 09:29 Unfortunately, we live in an age 09:32 in which passion has been diluted by worldliness 09:36 and today, all of us are affected by prosperity. 09:40 Pause... 09:44 And there's a tendency for us to look after ourselves 09:47 and then, our passion comes second. 09:51 Pause... 09:54 A new convert told me that he went to his church 09:58 and he was enthusiastic about 10:02 spreading the gospel that he'd just learned 10:04 pause... 10:06 and some older member said to him, 10:08 "Just settle down... 10:10 in a few years' time, you'll be just like the rest of us. " 10:16 Audience: Laughter... 10:18 That's a tragedy really, isn't it? 10:19 Audience: It is. 10:20 I mean, the angels, I think, are going to over their epithet 10:25 pause... 10:27 and that would be a sad angel that does it. 10:30 Light but no heat... 10:32 and for passion, we must have both. 10:36 I want to read you a modern parable. 10:40 See if things that you understand and know... 10:44 you can identify with this parable. 10:46 Pause... 10:48 On a dangerous sea coast where shipwrecks often occur, 10:51 there was a crude little life-saving station. 10:55 The building was just a hut and there was only one boat 11:00 but the few devoted members 11:02 kept a constant watch over the sea 11:03 and with no thought for themselves or their safety, 11:07 they went out day and night 11:09 tirelessly searching for the lost. 11:11 Many lives were saved by this wonderful life-saving station 11:16 so it became famous. 11:18 Some of those who were saved 11:21 and various others in the surrounding area, 11:23 wanted to become associated with the Station 11:25 and give their time and money and effort 11:28 for the support of its work. 11:29 New boats were bought and new crews were trained 11:33 and the little Life-saving Station grew. 11:36 Some of the members of the Life-saving Station were unhappy 11:40 that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. 11:44 They felt, a more comfortable place should be provided 11:48 as the first refuge of those who were saved from the sea. 11:51 So, they replaced the emergency cots and beds 11:55 and put together furniture in their large building. 11:58 Now the Life-saving Station became a popular gathering place 12:03 for its members 12:04 and they decorated it beautifully 12:06 and furnished it exquisitely 12:09 because they used it as a sort of a club. 12:12 Fewer members were now interested in going out to sea 12:16 on life-saving missions 12:18 so they hired lifeboat crews to do that work for them. 12:21 The life-saving motif still provided 12:24 in the club's decorations 12:26 and there was a liturgical lifeboat in the room 12:28 where club initiations took place. 12:31 About this time, a large ship was wrecked off the coast 12:35 and the hired crews brought in loads of cold, 12:39 wet and drowned people. 12:41 They were dirty and sick 12:43 and the beautiful new club considerably was messed up. 12:46 So the Property Committee 12:49 immediately had a shower house built outside the club 12:52 where the victims of shipwrecks 12:54 could be cleaned up before coming inside. 12:56 Pause. 12:59 At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. 13:01 Most of the members 13:02 wanted to stop the life-saving activity altogether 13:05 because it was unpleasant 13:06 and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. 13:10 Some members insisted upon life-saving 13:13 as their primary purpose. 13:14 They pointed that that they were still called 13:17 a Life-saving Station 13:19 but they were finally voted down 13:21 and told that if they wanted to save the lives 13:24 of various kinds of people 13:25 that were shipwrecked in those waters, 13:27 they could begin their own Life-saving Station 13:30 down the coast... which they did. 13:32 As the years went by 13:35 the new station experienced the same changes 13:37 that occurred in the old... 13:38 it evolved into a club... 13:40 and yet another Life-saving Station was founded 13:43 and history continued to repeat itself 13:46 and if you visit that coast today, 13:48 you'll find a number of exclusive clubs along the shore. 13:51 Shipwrecks are still frequent in those waters 13:55 and most of the people drown. 13:59 There's a deep message for those of us 14:02 who belong to God's church in that story 14:05 because there are alarming similarities. 14:09 I'd like you to take your Bibles again 14:12 and read Jeremiah chapter 9 with me 14:15 and the first verse, 14:16 Jeremiah chapter 9 and verse 1 14:19 and here is an interesting statement made by Jeremiah, 14:23 of course, Jeremiah is often known 14:25 as the weeping prophet isn't he? 14:27 And this verse would be supportive of that, 14:32 look at Jeremiah chapter 9, verse 1. 14:34 "Oh that my head were waters, 14:37 and my eyes a fountain of tears, 14:40 that I might weep day and night 14:43 for the slain of the daughter of my people!" 14:45 Pause... 14:49 You know, that emotion is very, very foreign to us today, 14:52 very foreign. 14:55 You know, if you start to get excited about things, 14:59 people begin to think that 15:01 maybe you're bordering on being a fanatic. 15:03 "You know, you've just got to be peaceful and quiet 15:07 and don't get involved with emotion. " 15:10 When I read Jeremiah, his eyes, he said, are full of tears. 15:15 "I just don't have enough tears... " he's saying here 15:18 "to contain my sorrow. " 15:20 Pause... 15:23 And as I said, that's very, very foreign to us. 15:26 I, over the years, and I'm sure, some of you 15:29 would be able to quote me stories like 15:32 I'm going to share with you 15:33 where people have left the church 15:38 because of trivial bad things... 15:42 for example, I know some people who get upset 15:44 because someone sits in the seat 15:46 that they normally sit in in church. 15:48 Audience: Laughter. 15:49 It's true, 15:51 "You know, I have my seat just up there, 15:52 everyone knows that it's my seat, 15:55 I sit there every week. 15:56 And someone comes in and sits in their seat, 16:01 or, they do something in the church and... and... and... 16:05 we're very grateful for what they do 16:07 but no one recognizes it, 16:09 no one says anything to them 16:12 and they get put out as a result of it. 16:15 Pause... 16:16 And in some churches, it might be like here, 16:19 I have a certain parking spot out there that I always park in, 16:23 it's just close to the toilets and it's close to the... 16:25 and if it rains, I can get in quickly 16:27 and someone has parked their car there today. 16:31 Audience: Laughter. 16:33 And I get my nose out of joint 16:35 and I want to leave the church, 16:38 well, you know, we smile but I tell you, it's tragic. 16:41 When I went to Edinborough 16:44 and those of you who've been to Edinborough, Scotland, 16:46 pause... 16:48 so many famous things in Edinborough... 16:51 the code of the Royal Mile... 16:53 that's the mile... I don't know whether it's an exact mile 16:57 but they call it, "The Royal Mile" 16:59 between two castles. 17:01 The Edinborough Castle... on the top end 17:04 and down the bottom end is Holyrood Castle 17:07 pause... 17:09 and you may know that Queen Mary Queen of Scots 17:12 Catholic Queen Mary 17:15 was imprisoned in Holyrood Castle for a period. 17:19 Now she was the... the queen 17:22 when John Knox was the Reformer in Scotland. 17:27 Now, John Knox founded the Presbyterian Church, 17:31 I don't know whether he set out to do that 17:34 but that's how the Presbyterian Church was established. 17:37 I was brought up in the Presbyterian Church 17:40 so I have a little bit of oatmeal porridge 17:43 and Scottish in my background too, you see, 17:47 pause... 17:48 but what impressed me is that Queen Mary 17:52 said that she feared more... the sermons more of John Knox 17:59 than all the armies in Europe. 18:01 Pause... 18:03 Now that means that he must have been 18:05 a very, very lively preacher, wouldn't you think? 18:08 In fact, someone said, 18:10 "So mighty was he in his yearning for lost souls 18:14 that it was thought 18:15 that he would break the pulpit into bits. " 18:18 Audience: Laughter. 18:19 So what does it indicate when he was up the front? 18:21 You think he just stood there passively 18:24 and had a little chat to everyone? 18:26 That's not John Knox. 18:28 Pause... 18:30 You read some of his books 18:32 pause... 18:34 and he thundered against the apostate church in those days 18:39 and he turned Scotland around 18:43 and made them "Pro... testants" well, Protestants. 18:47 Then there was John Wesley who, it is said, 18:53 saved England from the revolution like France had 18:58 because of his preaching 19:00 and stirring the social conscience in England. 19:03 He travelled 350,000 kilometers in his life 19:10 mostly on foot but on horse as well. 19:15 Pause. 19:17 He gave away 200,000 dollars. 19:20 Now you think of it, that's the end of the 1700s 19:23 200,000 dollars... huge amount! 19:27 And he lived in a most careful way. 19:32 Never spent a single penny more than he had to. 19:36 He dressed very simply. 19:39 He preached two-and-a-half thousand sermons in his life 19:44 and he stirred the soul of England. 19:47 I went down there to Bristol in England 19:50 and there you can see the monument 19:52 that's been erected to John Wesley 19:54 who used to get up and preach at 4 a. m. in the morning 19:58 and he would be preaching to the coal miners 20:01 who were going to go down into the coal mines. 20:04 Now, those of you who have lived in England 20:08 and been to England in the winter 20:09 will know how bitterly cold the place gets. 20:12 Pause... 20:14 How the British live there, I don't know. 20:16 Audience: Laughter. 20:17 But they successfully do. 20:20 It's so bitterly cold 20:22 and the crowd egged on by those who were opposed 20:28 to what Wesley was teaching, 20:29 mainly the popular church in England, 20:31 encouraged those who were the dissidents among the group 20:37 to pick up rotten eggs and tomatoes 20:41 and as he was preaching, they would throw them at him. 20:45 Pause. 20:46 You know, we think sometimes 20:48 we get a little bit of opposition, 20:49 but I want to tell you 20:51 it's nothing compared to what those amazing men 20:55 who have lived before 20:56 and to my mind, John Wesley was the greatest of the Reformers 20:59 pause... 21:01 and we have a lot in common with what John Wesley taught. 21:06 He had a passion for the lost 21:08 and I... every time I read about Wesley, 21:11 I pray a prayer that God will give me the same passion... 21:15 the same conviction... 21:17 some of the ability that Wesley had... 21:22 in order to be able to reach the lost 21:26 and to lead them to Jesus. 21:28 I think of George Whitfield. 21:31 He was a contemporary of Wesley. 21:35 George Whitfield had such zeal 21:38 that he lived in patched clothing. 21:40 Pause. 21:42 Often during the night, 21:45 he would spend all night in prayer 21:47 agonizing with God to give him the Holy Spirit 21:50 so he could reach more people 21:52 and those who were writing up his biography, 21:56 will tell you that he would wipe away the sweat 22:01 from his forehead in the middle of winter in Bristol 22:07 because of his deep passion for the lost. 22:12 John Newton who wrote "Amazing Grace" 22:17 said, "I don't know who is the second best 22:20 preacher in the world 22:21 but I certainly know who was the best... 22:23 George Whitfield... " 22:26 and he was an amazing man. 22:29 Then I think of the passion and the commitment 22:32 that James and Ellen White had. 22:36 It would do us good to read some of the early works... 22:41 she lived not far from here 22:43 pause... 22:45 known as that little old lady that did so much good 22:49 in the neighborhood... 22:50 pause 22:53 lived very frugally. 22:54 Then I think of John Loughborough 22:58 and Joseph Bates 23:01 who sold his ship to advance the cause of Christ. 23:06 Everything that he had, he put into the cause of Christ 23:10 and when I read about our pioneers... 23:13 those intrepid men and women, 23:15 pause... 23:17 I am forced to bow my head in shame. 23:21 When I think of the passion and the conviction 23:26 that each of those people had 23:29 to advance this cause, 23:31 pause... 23:33 and often the thing that concerns me today 23:35 is that we're still living off the fruits 23:39 of those who have lived before 23:43 and I wonder what type of legacy 23:46 that we're going to leave for the generation to follow. 23:49 Pause... 23:52 Amazing people... 23:54 pause... 23:55 O for that flame of living fire 23:59 which shone so bright in the saints of old; 24:04 which bade their souls to heaven aspire, 24:08 Calm in distress, in danger bold! 24:13 Remember, Lord, the ancient days; 24:17 Renew Thy work, Thy grace restore; 24:21 And while to Thee our hearts we raise, 24:25 On us Thy Holy Spirit pour. 24:29 There's another hymn that we need to sing often. 24:33 Pause... 24:35 You know what I love about the hymns 24:37 pause... 24:40 compared to many of the songs that are composed in our day, 24:44 is the fact that most of the hymns... 24:46 if you check the stories are written by men, usually, 24:50 but some women too... some amazing women... 24:52 who have written experiences and they've put them into words. 24:59 Pause... 25:02 you take that hymn, "God moves in a mysterious way" 25:08 that man was going down to commit suicide 25:11 and his horse lost the way 25:13 and as a result of that 25:16 he believed that Lord had his hand over his life 25:18 and he wrote: God moves in a mysterious way. 25:21 Pause... 25:23 That song, "It is well with my soul" 25:26 is a song of experience, 25:29 of a man who lost his daughters in the sea, 25:34 you know the story... 25:35 pause... 25:38 devastated... 25:40 any parent that's lost a child 25:43 pause... 25:48 can identify with the emotions 25:52 that would have been associated 25:54 with that man 25:58 and he's put it into words and we still sing it, 26:02 "It is well with my soul. " 26:04 Pause... 26:07 That's why the hymns are going to last until Jesus comes 26:10 and we'll still be singing them in the next generation. 26:14 We need to tell our young people about those stories 26:18 to remind them... 26:20 to instill in them a passion for the truth. 26:27 Now, Jesus also had amazing passion, 26:32 I want to read to you some of that passion 26:34 over in Matthew chapter 9. 26:35 Matthew the 9th chapter 26:37 if you will turn with me please, 26:40 Matthew chapter 9 and verse 35. 26:43 Matthew 9 and verse 35. 26:47 Pause... 26:53 "Then Jesus went out to all the cities and villages, 26:57 teaching in their synagogues, 26:59 preaching the gospel of the kingdom, 27:00 and healing every sickness... 27:02 every disease among the people. " 27:04 But when He saw the multitudes... " 27:07 what does the next line say? 27:08 "He was moved with... " what? 27:10 "compassion... " 27:12 What does that mean? 27:13 What does it mean that Jesus was moved with compassion 27:16 when He saw the multitude... 27:18 as it goes on to say, 27:20 "because they were weary and scattered, 27:24 like sheep having no shepherd. 27:26 Then He said to the disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, 27:31 but the laborers are few. 27:34 Please pray... the Lord of the harvest 27:36 to send out laborers into the harvest. '" 27:39 There's the appeal that Jesus is saying to us, 27:41 "Pray that God would lay upon people a burden to preach. " 27:45 because the harvest is ready. " 27:48 I don't know of a time in... in history 27:51 when the harvest is not more ready to be reaped 27:53 than it is at the moment. 27:54 You know, when I became a Christian 27:57 and understood these three messages... 27:59 you heard about an earthquake every now and again, 28:02 I'd never heard of the word, "Tsunami" when I was growing up, 28:06 wouldn't have known what it was. 28:08 Earthquakes... 28:11 everywhere... almost weekly... 28:16 and then what about all the fires and the droughts 28:20 and the floods... 28:21 almost every day there's some serious issue 28:25 going on somewhere in the world, isn't that right? 28:28 If that not ought to wake us up. 28:31 When we read the Bible, 28:35 and Jesus here says that these things are going to take place 28:41 and what we're seeing is not something new 28:43 because there's always been those issues in the world 28:46 but what we're seeing is the intensity of those things. 28:49 They're gathering momentum. 28:51 Pause... 28:53 And Jesus is saying, "The harvest is ready... " 28:58 but the problem is the reapers... 29:01 God help and lay upon people today 29:05 a burden to share the gospel. 29:07 Pause... 29:09 In fact, Jesus told the three parables 29:11 over in Luke chapter 15, 29:14 I would just like you to have a look at these three parables 29:17 because they again emphasize what Jesus is saying here 29:22 about the lost. 29:24 This is Luke the 15th chapter and verse 1, it says, 29:27 pause... 29:29 "Then all the tax collectors and the sinners 29:31 drew near to Him to hear Him. " 29:32 It's interesting the people came to hear Jesus, isn't it? 29:35 Pause... 29:36 "And the Pharisees and the scribes complained... " 29:40 they are the critics... 29:42 "This Man receives sinners and eats with them. " 29:46 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 29:48 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, 29:50 if he loses one of them, 29:51 does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, 29:53 go after one which is lost until he finds it? 29:56 And when he has found it, 29:58 he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 30:00 And when he comes home, 30:01 he calls together his friends and neighbors, 30:04 together, and saying to them, 30:06 'Rejoice with me, 30:07 for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 30:09 And I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven 30:15 over one sinner who repents 30:17 than over ninety-nine just persons 30:20 who need no repentance. " 30:21 Pause. 30:23 This would be very much understood 30:25 in an agrarian society that Jesus was living in. 30:28 Everyone understood about sheep and shepherds... 30:32 and it was a very serious thing to be a shepherd 30:35 because there was a fair amount of responsibility 30:38 and accountability for example, 30:40 if one of those sheep were lost, 30:42 then the shepherd was held responsible. 30:45 That's why he had to go out and find that sheep 30:50 and if the sheep was devoured by some wild animal, 30:55 he had to gather up the carcass and take it back 30:59 because otherwise, he might be accused of stealing the sheep 31:03 because they're extremely valuable in that society. 31:07 Pause. 31:09 So, look for it until it's found... you find it. 31:12 What is Jesus trying to illustrate here? 31:14 He's trying to illustrate to us 31:16 the value that He puts on a soul. 31:19 Pause... 31:20 That's what He's telling us in this story 31:23 because the Lord Jesus is the good shepherd 31:25 and here we have the... the picture of the 90 and 9 31:29 when one goes astray and He counts them through 31:32 and you know when you're trying to count sheep, 31:35 it's not an easy thing. 31:36 Pause... 31:38 And He starts again... and He got 99... 31:42 they start again... 31:45 one of them moves again so you've got to start again 31:47 but eventually He's convinced that there's 99 31:50 and then, He realizes the one that's missing 31:52 is the one that's got that black mark on its... on its head, 31:55 and it's got a mark on its right paw... leg... 31:59 pause... 32:01 because He's got a photographic memory of those sheep, 32:05 He knows them all... 32:06 in fact, He even has a name for each of them 32:10 pause... 32:12 and He goes out and finds that sheep 32:15 and when He does find the sheep, 32:18 He rejoices. 32:19 You know, sheep are a most defenseless animal 32:24 and those of us who've got a tender heart 32:28 don't like to understand a picture of a lion or a bear 32:32 or a wolf attacking a sheep 32:36 because the sheep would have no defense at all, 32:39 it's finished... 32:40 pause... 32:43 and they're a senseless animal. 32:45 You know, a dog and a cat 32:46 can find its way home, isn't that right? 32:49 You know, people have tried to lose their cats 32:52 and found it a week or two later, 32:55 that things turns up again, amazing! 32:58 Dogs... the same... 32:59 but a sheep... hopeless. 33:02 I was down in... 33:05 in New South Wales some years ago 33:07 and I was running some meetings 33:10 and I needed to visit this sheep farmer 33:12 and it was in the dead of night, 33:15 there was no moon out, it was cloudy 33:17 and stars were not there... it was just black... 33:20 and I drove into this farm, opened the gate 33:23 and then, drove in, closed the gate behind me 33:25 and as I was driving up toward the house, 33:27 I could see the light in the distance, 33:30 pause... 33:31 there was a flock of sheep, 33:33 so I had to stop the car 33:35 while these sheep ran in front of me. 33:39 I sat there for over five minutes 33:42 I thought, "Dear, oh dear, there's plenty of these sheep, 33:45 where are they all coming from?" 33:46 and I sat there patiently 33:49 then I decided that I would just get out 33:53 to see where they were coming from, 33:55 you know what I found? 33:56 They were running around the... around the car like this... 33:59 so there weren't a lot of them really at all, 34:02 around and around and around... 34:04 and I thought, "That's just like sheep, 34:07 they just follow one another" 34:08 and I've never forgotten that... that experience. 34:13 They're also helpless, 34:14 I mean, they can't provide for themselves, 34:17 a camel can smell water a long distance away, 34:20 but a sheep... absolutely hopeless, 34:23 cannot do anything for itself 34:26 and Jesus is teaching in this parable, 34:29 the importance of a soul 34:31 even if the person is defenseless 34:33 and has no idea... 34:35 pause... 34:38 Jesus is illustrating how He regards each of us 34:42 and it teaches me that I must have compassion for the lost... 34:46 for those who do not understand what the Bible teaches. 34:50 Pause... 34:52 Jesus understands the wounds 34:54 that sin brings to a person's heart. 34:57 You've probably seen like I have, 35:00 parents interviewed on television 35:03 when their child is lost 35:04 pause... 35:06 and the passion and the emotion 35:11 and the concern those parents have for a lost child. 35:14 Pause... 35:16 Remember this, 35:18 that passion that we have for our children, 35:21 who put that passion there? 35:24 God did because it's a reflection... 35:28 particularly mother's love. 35:29 God put mother's love in her heart 35:34 because mother's love is the closest illustration 35:38 that God has given to us of God's love for us 35:42 pause... 35:45 and a mother's love is so strong, 35:47 it's stronger than iron. 35:48 Pause... 35:51 Jesus is illustrating that that's His love for us. 35:54 Then He told a second parable, after the lost sheep, 35:57 He then told another parable. 35:59 This time, it concerned a coin. 36:01 Have a look at verse 8, it says, 36:04 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, 36:07 if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, 36:12 sweep the house, and search carefully 36:14 until she finds it? 36:15 And when she has found it, 36:18 she calls her friends and neighbors together saying, 36:20 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my piece 36:24 which I lost!' 36:25 Likewise, I say to you, 36:27 there is joy in the presence of the angels of God 36:30 over one sinner who repents. " 36:33 This time, Jesus illustrates with a lost coin. 36:37 Very precious to her, I mean, back in those days, 36:40 a denarius or a... like a penny... 36:43 we would say a cent... that was a day's wage 36:47 so, you can imagine, a silver coin... 36:50 that would be worth a lot. 36:51 She had ten of them 36:53 because back in those days there were no banks 36:55 and you had to look after your own money 36:58 which was very dangerous 37:00 because you could very easily lose it 37:03 and so, she was distraught over the fact 37:07 that she had lost this coin, 37:08 so, you know what it's like, when you lose something, 37:12 you got to try to remember, where was I last? 37:14 And you go back and have a look there 37:16 and couldn't find it, looked under the cupboard 37:19 may have rolled under the cupboard and she got down... 37:22 tried to have a look, couldn't find it anywhere. 37:26 So she contacts her friends where she last visited 37:29 yeah... she traces her steps... 37:31 "Did I leave it at my friends?" 37:33 And they... and she asks them to help her find it 37:37 and eventually she finds the coin 37:40 and she is so happy that she's found this coin 37:43 as the Bible says she... "Rejoice with me, 37:46 for I have found the piece that I had lost!" 37:49 What is Jesus trying to illustrate here? 37:51 The joy that's in heaven over one person who comes to Jesus. 37:57 Pause... 37:59 And then, He told another story. 38:01 The story that we're probably much more familiar with 38:04 and that is starting in verse 11, 38:06 the parable of the lost boy. 38:08 Actually there were two lost boys in this story, 38:11 we often refer to it as the story of the lost boy 38:15 but there were two boys involved with this story 38:18 and I'm not going to read the whole story 38:19 because you know it very well, 38:21 but if you go down to verse 22, 38:23 it says here, 38:25 "But the father said to his servants, 38:28 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, 38:31 and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 38:34 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, 38:37 and let us eat and be merry; 38:41 for this my son was dead and is alive again; 38:45 he was lost and is found. ' 38:49 And they began to get merry. " 38:50 Pause... 38:53 Now, that merriness had a reaction 38:55 because if you go down to verse 32, it says, 39:00 the father... because the oldest son now objects 39:04 to all this merriment over this boy that was lost, 39:09 and finally the father says, 39:11 "It was right that we should make merry and be glad, 39:13 for your brother was dead and is alive again, 39:16 and was lost and now is found. " 39:20 What is this chapter about? 39:22 Why has Jesus put these three parables together? 39:25 Because they're basically saying the same thing. 39:27 Pause... 39:29 What's the key word that you find in every parable? 39:32 Pause... 39:34 Yes, there's... there's a positive adjective though 39:39 what's the positive word that's used... 39:43 Audience: Rejoice... 39:44 Rejoice... it's picturing God Who is rejoicing 39:51 because who's the father in the prodigal son's story? 39:55 That's God. 39:57 God is pictured as rejoicing. 39:59 Who's leading the party? 40:02 God. 40:03 And also, who is leading the rejoicing? 40:07 It's God... and the picture that the Bible is giving to us 40:12 is how happy and how rejoicing 40:14 the great party that's being held in heaven 40:16 over even a single soul that's lost... that's come back. 40:20 Pause... 40:23 And verse seven gives us a clue 40:25 of chapter 15 verse 7, it says, 40:28 "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven 40:32 over one sinner who repents 40:34 than over ninety-nine just persons 40:37 who need no repentance. " 40:39 Do we get the message? 40:41 God is very excited when people are won to Him. 40:46 When they've come from sin into salvation... 40:50 God rejoices... Heaven rejoices... 40:53 I wonder whether we have that same concern. 40:56 Pause... 40:58 As long as we're happy 41:00 and, you know, we come to church 41:02 and have a nice time, 41:04 is that our... our aim... 41:07 is that really what church is all about? 41:09 Or is church... 41:11 should be church about training us 41:13 so that we can become more effective 41:16 in helping our neighbors and our friends and family 41:20 because Jesus said, "The harvest truly is plenteous" 41:24 now, either He's telling a fib when He says that 41:28 or it's true. 41:30 I happened to believe it's true... 41:32 that there's plenty of people everywhere 41:36 that are wistfully looking to heaven. 41:40 Pause. 41:42 No, they're not going to come to us usually... 41:45 we've got to go to them. 41:46 The sheep was lost, it didn't even know it was lost, 41:49 the coin didn't know it was lost 41:51 and in the majority of cases, we have to find those people. 41:58 Verse 10, "Likewise, I say to you, 42:02 there is joy in the presence of the angels of God 42:05 over one sinner who repents. " 42:06 Some people say, "Well the angels rejoice. " 42:09 Well, actually, it doesn't say that does it? 42:12 although I do believe the angels do rejoice 42:15 but it's not saying that in that text, is it? 42:18 Pause... 42:20 Where is the rejoicing taking place? 42:22 In the presence of the angels 42:26 which would suggest... who's rejoicing? 42:28 The Godhead... 42:33 and of course, I believe the angels would be... 42:35 would be involved in that too because they are part of heaven. 42:39 Why did Jesus come to seek and to save the lost? 42:44 Because that brings Him joy, that brings Him great happiness. 42:48 All heaven rings when a soul comes to Jesus. 42:54 Pause. 42:55 And if that is true, 42:57 how important it is for you and for me 43:00 to be involved in helping heaven to rejoice 43:03 because God has given to us that responsibility. 43:06 He didn't have to give it to us, 43:09 He could have done a lot better if He had given it to the angels 43:12 but He didn't choose to do that 43:15 because you and I need to be involved 43:17 and if we're going to grow in our own experience, 43:20 you and I need to be involved in helping others to know Jesus. 43:23 Pause... 43:25 And Jesus called each of the disciples to be evangelists 43:29 He said, "I want to make you fishers of men. " 43:33 And you know, when you think about those disciples, 43:37 they were a pretty thick lot weren't they? 43:40 Pause... 43:41 I mean, He spent three years training them... 43:43 three years... 43:46 and even at the end of the three years, 43:48 they weren't very wise, were they? 43:53 And they had spent three years with the greatest teacher 43:57 that's ever lived on this earth. 43:58 That ought to give us some encouragement... 44:01 those of us who are involved in the church 44:05 and we find that there are some sleepy ones... 44:06 some disinterested others... 44:09 give us encouragement 44:12 but even Jesus had those problems, 44:15 they were a tough lot. 44:16 In fact, if you look at Matthew chapter 13, 44:20 the parables of Matthew chapter 13, 44:22 and we haven't got time to look at them all 44:26 but that's the wheat and the tares 44:27 and the mustard seed and so forth, 44:29 all of those parables, 44:31 chapter 13 is full of them... Matthew... 44:34 all of those parables are dealing 44:38 with the evangelistic situation of what needs to take place 44:43 when we go out into the earth 44:44 and to... and to win... 44:45 each one of those parables has to do 44:48 with the type of reception that we're going to meet, 44:52 you look at them all and read them through. 44:55 The wheat and the tares... 44:57 the sower... 44:58 how apt is that story of the sower. 45:02 You know, when I was over in Israel a few years ago, 45:06 I... I just happened to be driving up north 45:09 to the Sea of Galilee from Jerusalem 45:12 and the morning sun was just coming up, 45:15 it was a beautiful morning and I couldn't believe my eyes, 45:19 for there in the field was a sower... sowing the seed 45:23 with a horse 45:26 and the horse was digging up the ground 45:29 and then, I presumed it was his wife 45:33 coming behind, 45:35 throwing the seed, 45:37 and I thought, "How wonderful is that!" 45:39 Because I could just picture 45:41 that Jesus saw something like that 45:43 to... to inspire Him to tell that story. 45:46 Pause... 45:48 And then, Matthew 10, 45:49 if you look at the parables in Matthew 10, 45:52 you'll find that they're all to do with the... 45:54 with the opposition... 45:58 with the type of reception 46:00 that the disciples were going to get 46:01 when they went forth 46:03 because it always wasn't going to be easy 46:04 and you read through the parables of Matthew 10 46:07 with that in mind and they make wonderful sense. 46:10 So that was the instruction 46:12 that Jesus was giving to the disciples 46:14 because remember this, 46:15 the parables weren't given to the Pharisees 46:19 and the Sadducees, were they? 46:21 Why did Jesus tell parables? 46:24 The Bible says, "To hide it from those 46:27 who didn't have a heart to want to listen 46:31 and it was instruction to the disciples, 46:33 it says that in the Bible 46:35 so the... the parables are for instruction 46:39 for God's people in the church, 46:41 and what amazing hidden truth there is 46:47 in each of those... those parables 46:50 Jesus said, "I want you to become fishers of men. " 46:52 Then, finally He gave the instruction 46:55 to go out into all the world in Matthew chapter 28 and verses 18 47:00 "Go into all the world... preach... 47:05 teaching them to observe 47:07 everything that I have instructed you... " 47:10 this was the last instruction that was given to the disciples 47:14 before Jesus went back to heaven. 47:15 Pause... 47:19 And then, in Acts chapter 1 and verse 8, 47:21 would you just come over to Acts 1 and verse 8, 47:24 once again, these texts are known to us all 47:26 but it's good to remind ourselves of these things, 47:30 Acts chapter 1 and verse 8 47:33 where Jesus' instruction was given as to where to go. 47:40 Acts 1 verse 8, Jesus said this. 47:42 "But you shall receive power 47:46 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; 47:48 and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, 47:53 and in all Judea and Samaria, 47:59 and to the uttermost part of the earth. " 48:04 Pause... 48:06 You know, someone has pictured the disciples 48:09 gathered around Jesus when He talked this way to them 48:13 and the look of amazement 48:18 on the disciples' faces when He said this. 48:21 "Lord, You're not asking us to go back to Jerusalem 48:26 where they crucified You, are You?" 48:31 Is that what You're saying? 48:33 And Jesus says calmly to them, 48:37 "I want you to go back to Jerusalem 48:39 and tell that murderous lot 48:43 that there's hope for them all 48:47 and Peter, I want you particularly 48:50 to find the man that spat in My face 48:54 and Peter, I want you to tell him 48:57 that I'm preparing a home for him in glory 49:00 and Thomas, 49:03 I want you to find the man who made that crown of thorns 49:10 and shoved it into My brow... and I want you to find him 49:17 and I want you to tell him 49:20 that I am preparing a crown in heaven for him 49:23 but tell him Thomas, 49:26 there'll be no thorns in My crown for him 49:31 and James, I want you to find the man 49:35 that pierced My side... 49:37 that shoved that spear into My side 49:41 and I want you to tell him, James, 49:45 there's a much closer way to My heart than that. " 49:48 You know the... the forgiveness 49:51 of the Lord Jesus Christ is amazing. 49:55 Pause... 49:57 Absolutely incredible. 49:59 I was talking to a man who was attending my meetings recently 50:05 and he said, "I just don't believe the story of Jesus, 50:08 it's a myth... it's made up. " 50:10 Well, I said to him, "I got a problem with that, 50:14 the problem I have is this, 50:17 'if Jesus didn't exist... who made the story up?' 50:24 Pause... 50:26 Because the story of Jesus and His forgiveness 50:32 is so far beyond 50:36 which any human being would ever be able to do... 50:41 it would be impossible for a human being 50:44 to think up that story, 50:46 impossible... 50:47 so if you deny that Jesus exists, 50:51 please tell me, who made the story up 50:55 because all the other religious leaders... 50:58 they took their holy book in one hand 51:00 and the sword in the other 51:02 and then if you didn't accept the book... 51:03 then the sword finished you off. 51:05 That's how their message was taken around the world... " 51:09 pause... 51:11 and there are some religions that still use that tactic today 51:14 pause... 51:16 but Jesus said, "Love your enemies... 51:20 pause... 51:23 bless them that curse you... 51:25 pause... 51:28 and be kind to those who say terrible things about you 51:34 and when they do that, leap for joy. " 51:37 I notice that most of us leap, all right, 51:40 when people say things about us 51:43 but we don't leap for joy, is that right? 51:47 But Jesus said, "Forgive your enemies. " 51:51 That's the Savior I need. 51:55 You know, I was over in Washington, D.C. 51:58 a few years ago and I went to the 52:02 Holocaust Museum in Washington, 52:05 it's quite a place... 52:09 and I remember sitting there having the pictures and so forth 52:12 and then I sat down and watched a film of this lady 52:16 who was telling her experiences 52:20 in the 2nd World War... the holocaust... 52:23 and I just sat there and I... 52:25 it was just terrible to listen to... 52:27 it was excruciating... 52:28 that poor lady... and what she'd been through 52:31 pause... 52:33 but what impressed me most was what she said at the last, 52:36 she said, "I will always remember 52:41 but will never forgive. " 52:45 Pause... 52:49 You see, that's... 52:52 that's the indication of someone without Jesus 52:55 because it's only Jesus that can give us grace to forgive. 53:05 Audience: Amen. 53:07 Pause... 53:10 It is so different... 53:12 it is so far away from our natural tendencies 53:16 because when someone kicks you, what do you want to do? 53:20 Only a bit harder, isn't that right? 53:23 Of course, we all understand because that's our nature. 53:28 All of us are like that 53:30 but Jesus taught us to be different to that 53:35 pause... 53:38 and it's only the righteousness of Jesus 53:42 in a man and a woman's life 53:44 that can enable him to do that. 53:46 You know, sometimes I pray the Lord's Prayer and you do too 53:51 and there's a part of the Lord's Prayer 53:54 that causes me to tremble every time I read it 53:58 and I pray it. 53:59 You know what part it is? 54:00 Pause... 54:02 "Lord, 54:04 forgive me for my sins... " 54:07 what does the rest of the verse say? 54:10 "as I forgive those who sin against me. " 54:15 I tell you, do you feel like forgiving some people? 54:21 Pretty hard isn't it? 54:23 Pause... 54:25 Pretty hard... 54:27 and that's why we need the grace of Jesus in our hearts 54:31 to forgive... and when we forgive, 54:36 God enables us to have a passion... 54:41 passion for the lost... 54:45 pause... 54:48 and today, the church needs men and women, 54:53 young people... who will stand and stand for truth, 54:58 stand for everything that is right... 55:03 pause... 55:04 and turn their back on perhaps well-paying jobs 55:09 so that they can devote their life 55:11 like those who have lived before us 55:13 for the cause of Christ. 55:15 Pause... 55:18 Today we live with an opportunity 55:23 of being faithful to God and I pray... 55:25 and my prayer today is that we will be faithful, 55:28 that we will ask God to fill us with His righteousness, 55:32 as we discussed before, 55:35 the work of Christ not only for us but in us 55:39 to change my life, to make me like Jesus 55:42 so that I can forgive like He taught me to forgive. 55:47 Let's just bow our heads in prayer. 55:50 "Our Father in heaven, 55:52 I just want to thank you again today 55:54 for the marvelous story of Jesus. 55:57 I want to thank you for a Savior like we have... 56:02 the Savior that has forgiven us 56:05 and has taught us by His power that we can forgive those 56:09 who sin against us, 56:11 Lord, we confess that this is probably the hardest thing 56:15 that ever a person has to confront 56:18 but I pray Lord, that you will give us 56:20 such an outpouring of Your Spirit 56:22 that we will be faithful 56:24 and that we will do what you want us to do 56:27 to spend time with Jesus so that He can change our life, 56:30 bless us to this end please 56:31 and keep us faithful until the day when Jesus comes 56:35 is my prayer today, for Christ's sake, amen. " |
Revised 2019-04-16