Participants:
Series Code: HCAU
Program Code: HCAU180018A
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00:01 Music...
00:20 Welcome to 3ABN Australia Homecoming. 00:25 Music... 00:29 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Australia Homecoming 2018, 00:34 it's so nice for Jill and myself to be here at 3ABN Australia 00:38 to enjoy this beautiful... 00:39 I'm calling it Camp Meeting, Rosemary... 00:41 Homecoming... whatever you want to call it, 00:43 it's been a blessing, hasn't it? 00:45 It has, what a privilege 00:46 to spend time with our 3ABN Family here in Australia, 00:50 at the Avondale Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:53 We have loved our time with you 00:54 and the anointing of the Holy Spirit 00:56 has been on the meetings and the messages. 00:59 Absolutely, it's so encouraging 01:01 to see each one of your smiling faces. 01:03 Many of you have traveled many, many hours to come here, 01:06 many of you live here in the local area 01:08 but we just appreciate the support that each one of you 01:11 give to not only 3ABN Australia but 3ABN USA, 01:14 your prayers and financial support mean a lot to us. 01:17 Amen, we're all part of the family of God 01:20 and to know that we have eternity to spend together. 01:23 Our theme for this Camp Meeting has been: Knowing God 01:26 taken from John chapter 17 verse 3, 01:29 "And this is life eternal, 01:32 that they shall know thee the only true God, 01:34 and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. " 01:37 Who is our Speaker for the hour? 01:39 Yeah, we are blessed with Pastor Ryan Day, 01:41 you've already heard him speak once 01:43 but God has given him a wonderful gift in music 01:45 but also be able to share the Word of God 01:48 through the preaching of His Word. 01:49 He is very blessed. 01:51 Amen, his topic today is: Knowing God through the Parables 01:54 before he speaks, 01:55 Pastor John Lomacang who happens to be our Pastor 01:58 from the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church 02:01 will be ministering a song in music, 02:03 "Whiter Than Snow. " 02:05 After Pastor John Lomacang shall have sung, 02:07 the next voice you will hear is that of our friend and Pastor 02:11 Ryan Day. 02:14 Pause... 02:20 Music... 02:26 Background singers: Whiter than snow 02:29 yes, whiter than snow, 02:32 Now wash me, 02:35 and I shall be whiter than snow. 02:44 Lord Jesus, 02:48 I long to be perfectly whole; 02:53 I want Thee forever to live in my soul, 03:00 Break down every idol, 03:05 cast out every foe, 03:09 Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 03:18 Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow; 03:25 Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 03:34 Music... 03:37 My Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the sky, 03:45 And help me to make a complete sacrifice; 03:53 I'll give up myself, and whatever I know; 04:02 Just wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 04:11 Background singers. 04:13 Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat; 04:21 I wait, blessed Lord, at Your crucified feet, 04:27 By faith for my cleansing; 04:31 I see Thy blood flow; 04:37 Now wash me, and I shall be 04:42 whiter than snow. 04:47 Whiter than snow, 04:52 yes, whiter than snow; 04:55 Now wash me, and I will be whiter than snow, 05:02 whiter than snow, 05:06 Now wash me and I will be 05:10 I shall be... 05:14 whiter than 05:17 snow... 05:21 snow. 05:26 Music... 05:36 Praise God. 05:38 Good day Mates... 05:39 Audience: Laughter... 05:41 God bless, how have you... 05:42 how have all of you been doing this week, so far? 05:45 Audience: Fine... 05:46 Wonderful... hasn't this been a wonderful Series? 05:48 Ah man, I've been so blessed by all of the incredible Speakers 05:53 and the amazing... 05:55 just powerful messages that God has blessed us with 05:59 over these... these past few days... 06:01 so, before we go any further, 06:03 what I would like to do is go right to the Lord in prayer, 06:05 and if you would just reverently bow your heads 06:07 as we talk to Jesus. 06:09 "Father in heaven, Lord, 06:11 we praise you and thank you so much 06:13 for the wonderfulness 06:14 that you have bestowed upon us all throughout this week, 06:17 I pray Lord that you will speak through me now 06:19 that every word, every thought, every action 06:21 be that of Jesus Christ, 06:22 and each and every one of us will be drawn 06:24 to the uplifted Savior, 06:25 we praise you and we thank you forever 06:28 and we ask these things in Jesus' holy name, amen. " 06:31 If you would turn with me in your Bibles 06:35 to John chapter 4, 06:39 we're going to start very quickly in John chapter 4 06:42 and then we are going to divert to another important passage. 06:45 Do you remember our memory text? 06:48 You should have it memorized by now, 06:51 John chapter 17... I'm having you to go to John 4 06:55 but I just want you to quote for me 06:57 what is our memory text? John 17 verse 3, 06:59 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You 07:04 the only true God, 07:06 and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent. " 07:09 Absolutely, this is a powerful text indeed, 07:11 knowing God... 07:13 and this particular message is, 07:15 "Knowing God through the Parables" 07:17 and some of us, when we think of parables, 07:19 I can't help but sometimes I kind of 07:22 in an elementary-type way get into a mode 07:24 where I think the parable is just a simple short story 07:28 that Jesus was using 07:30 to teach some type of important moral lesson 07:32 but we know indeed 07:34 that as we begin to dive deep into the many, many dozens 07:37 of parables that Jesus used 07:40 to communicate the Kingdom of God and His will, 07:43 we find very clearly that there are some deep... 07:45 very important messages 07:47 some of which communicate life or death... salvation indeed 07:51 and so, in this case, I want to start here in John chapter 4, 07:55 now, John chapter 4 is famously known 07:58 for this great conversation that Jesus is having between 08:02 Himself and, of course, the woman at the well 08:04 so He's had this incredible conversation 08:06 but what I want to draw your attention to 08:08 are the latter verses... not the very latter verses 08:11 but let's start in verse 30 here, 08:12 John chapter 4 verse 30, notice what the Bible says here, 08:16 it says, "Then they went out of the city, and came to Him. " 08:19 Now, these are speaking of the disciples 08:21 so Jesus and the disciples have shown up in Samaria 08:24 and of course, the disciples go on into the city 08:27 to gather some food and some... 08:28 some items perhaps that they need for their travels, 08:31 now, meanwhile, Jesus has been having 08:33 this incredible, amazing conversation 08:35 with this woman at the well, 08:36 now the disciples are about to return 08:39 and they're about to have an interesting conversation 08:41 with Jesus, 08:42 notice what it says here, verse 30, again, 08:44 "Then they went out of the city, and came to Him... " 08:46 verse 31, 08:47 "In the meantime, His disciples urged Him saying, Rabbi, eat... 08:51 we've been traveling, you've got to be thirsty, 08:54 you've got to be hungry, so eat... " 08:57 Notice His response here, 08:58 this is verse 32, "But He said to them, 09:02 I have food to eat of which you do not know. " 09:05 Then you can imagine the response 09:08 as they say here in verse 33, 09:10 "Therefore the disciples said to one another, 09:12 'Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?'" 09:13 So they're looking at one another and saying, 09:15 "Hey, man what about... why did we go in town? 09:17 I thought that's why we went to town 09:19 is to grab the food and the drink for the journey, 09:20 we've been traveling, 09:21 did this brother bring a backpack lunch or something 09:23 that we don't know about?" 09:25 And so as you see here in verse 34, 09:27 notice Christ's response... very interesting, 09:29 very profound... 09:31 "Jesus says to them, 09:32 'My food is to do the will of Him Who sent me, 09:36 and to finish His work. '" 09:40 Pause... 09:43 In other words, 09:44 "My goal... the main reason I'm here... 09:49 the one string on my violin, 09:53 is to finish the work that the Father has sent me to do. " 09:58 Much of this work... all of this work... 10:02 Christ very much communicates through the many parables 10:07 that He would use to communicate the will of God 10:09 and, of course, that of the kingdom of God. 10:11 Pause... 10:13 As I was studying for this particular message, 10:15 I'm thinking, "Lord, how am I going to get through 10:17 this particular sermon 10:19 with all of these amazing parables 10:21 that I would like to talk about?" 10:23 There are dozens of parables 10:24 that Jesus was recorded to have spoken 10:26 and to use in ministry 10:28 but today, I've specifically chosen three 10:31 that I believe very clearly communicate 10:34 the very bulk... 10:35 the overall umbrella purpose of the will of God 10:38 as presented through the ministry of Jesus 10:40 and more specifically through the parables. 10:43 I want us to begin in what I believe to be 10:46 and what many people believe to be 10:47 one of the very first parables that Jesus gave in Scripture 10:51 or communicated to the people in His day. 10:54 Let's turn over to Matthew chapter 13... 10:56 Matthew chapter 13, 10:58 if you have your Bibles, I'd very much encourage you 11:00 because most of these passages 11:02 we're going to be reading today 11:03 are going to be straight from the Bible, 11:05 there will be a few texts that I will put on the screen... 11:07 but that they will put on the screen, 11:09 I want to start in Matthew chapter 13, 11:11 pause... 11:13 one of the... famously... 11:16 one of the most notorious parables 11:19 that Jesus was known to have spoken, of course, 11:21 is that of the parable of the sower 11:23 and this has... have come to known to be 11:26 perhaps maybe one of His first parables 11:29 that He would have communicated early on in His ministry. 11:32 I'm going to begin reading here in verse one, 11:36 notice what the Bible says, 11:38 "On the same day Jesus went out of the house 11:41 and sat by the sea. 11:43 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, 11:46 so that He got into a boat and sat; 11:48 and the whole multitude stood on the shore. " 11:50 So this is a powerful scene, 11:51 you can imagine Jesus in a boat 11:53 out maybe a few meters... a few hundred yards 11:55 and, of course, He's facing the shore 11:58 and just imagine all the multitudes standing on the shore 12:01 perhaps... perhaps very quietly listening... 12:03 hanging on to every word that He is about to say, 12:06 verse 3 it says, 12:08 "Then He spoke many things to them in parables, 12:10 saying: Behold, a sower went out to sow. 12:15 And as he sowed, some good seed fell by the wayside, 12:20 and the birds came and devoured them. 12:23 Some fell on stony places, 12:26 where they did not have much earth; 12:28 and they immediately sprang up 12:30 because they had no depth of earth. 12:32 But when the sun was up they were scorched, 12:35 and because they had no root they withered away. " 12:37 Verse 7, 12:39 "And some fell among thorns, 12:41 and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 12:43 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: 12:47 some a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty. 12:50 He who has an ear, let him hear!" 12:55 Pause... 12:57 My friends, when the Creator of the universe 13:00 has just reminded us that if we have ears... 13:03 and I think He would know because He created them, 13:05 He gave them to us, 13:06 if we have ears to hear, listen up 13:08 because the Creator is speaking. 13:11 Isn't that important? 13:12 Now, something else interesting happens 13:17 after He presents this parable, 13:19 because He just simply just presented the parable itself... 13:21 but then notice what the Bible continues on to say in verse 10. 13:24 "And the disciples came and said to Him, 13:27 'Why do You speak to them in parables?'" 13:29 They're going, "Well, Jesus, why are you talking to them 13:31 like this, this is weird, 13:33 why don't you just tell them plainly?" 13:35 Pause... 13:37 Notice what the Bible continues to say, verse 11, 13:39 "And He answered and said to them, 13:40 'Because it has been given to you 13:42 to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, 13:43 but to them it has not been given. 13:46 For whoever has, to him more will be given, 13:50 and he will have abundance; 13:52 but whoever does not have, 13:53 even what he has will be taken away from him. '" 13:56 Verse 13, "Therefore I speak to them in parables, 13:59 because... " notice what the Word of God says 14:01 "because seeing they do not see, 14:04 and hearing they do not hear, 14:06 nor do they understand. " 14:08 Pause... 14:09 In other words, "Look, I have to talk to them this way 14:11 because even though they have ears, 14:13 they can't really hear 14:15 and even though they have eyes, 14:16 they can't really see, 14:18 and in fact, He goes on to confirm this, 14:19 by quoting a Scripture from the book of Isaiah, 14:22 notice what it says here, 14:23 "Hearing... " and it says right here, 14:25 in the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled which says, 14:27 "Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, 14:29 And seeing you will see and not perceive; 14:31 For the hearts of this people... " 14:33 notice, now here's the thing, check this out, 14:34 it's not that the people can't hear, 14:36 it's not that the people can't see, 14:38 now, there's an ongoing message 14:41 that is falling around in the Christian world today, 14:43 and I must say, it's even floating around 14:46 and has infiltrated the Adventist church a little bit 14:49 and that's this idea of this concept of "original sin" 14:52 this concept of... "You know what? 14:54 God created me the way that I am, 14:55 I just kind of inherited all of this bad equipment 14:58 from Adam and I can't help it. 15:01 I'm just kind of prone naturally 15:03 to not be able to do what is right, 15:06 I'm prone naturally to not be able to respond 15:08 the way that God wants me to respond. " 15:10 But it's interesting here 15:12 because when God begins to speak as He talks about these people, 15:14 who have ears but cannot hear, 15:16 seeing... although they have eyes... they cannot see, 15:19 notice what He says, verse 15, 15:20 the reason for this is, their heart... 15:22 notice He says, "For the hearts of this people 15:23 have grown dull. " 15:26 Pause... 15:28 This is not something that the people are just born with, 15:32 God does not create us by default 15:35 in a situation in which we are damaged, 15:38 in other words, sin is not something that you do 15:40 as constant as breathing, we're not sin machine, 15:43 sin is a choice, 15:45 a dull heart is a choice... 15:47 not being able to see... not being able to hear... 15:50 is a choice. 15:52 Now, it's interesting, 15:55 but just notice what He goes on to say, 15:56 "their ears are hard of hearing, 16:00 their eyes they have closed 16:03 lest they should see with their eyes 16:04 and they hear with their ears, 16:06 lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, 16:09 so I should heal them. " 16:11 It goes on to say, "blessed are your eyes for they see, 16:14 and your ears for they hear, 16:16 for assuredly, I say to you 16:17 that many prophets and righteous men desired to see 16:19 what you see, and did not see it, 16:21 and hear what you hear, and have not heard it. " 16:23 In other words, "because you chose me... 16:25 because you gave me the opportunity to lead you, 16:29 you're going to see things, 16:31 you're going to experience things, 16:32 you're going to hear things that nobody else has ever heard, 16:34 nobody else has ever seen. " 16:35 Pause... 16:39 God does not create us in a default mode 16:43 in which we cannot simply see or cannot hear 16:46 the spiritual things that God wants us to see and hear. 16:49 Over in the book of 1st Corinthians chapter 14, 16:53 Paul says, "God is not the author of confusion. " 16:58 God does not want to confuse us, 17:01 Christ does not want to confuse us, 17:03 He was actually trying to present the Word of God 17:06 in such a way that people could understand 17:08 but again, He's got to get past this dull hearts 17:11 and, of course, we know that He goes on 17:13 to give us the explanation of this parable. 17:16 Let's continue on because we have little time, 17:18 time is of the essence, let's continue on, verse 18, 17:20 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower. " 17:22 Now He's going to explain, now, we've read this many times 17:25 but I just want to highlight a few things here, 17:26 notice verse 19, 17:28 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, 17:30 and does not understand it, 17:32 then the wicked one comes and snatches away 17:36 what was sown in his heart. 17:38 This is he who received seed by the wayside. " 17:41 So those who received the seed by the wayside, 17:44 they... you know, they don't really understand it, 17:46 now, they don't understand it of course by choice 17:48 you know, we meet a lot of people like this, 17:50 have you heard of someone that you go share 17:52 the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ with 17:54 and it's not that they're incapable of seeing 17:56 or hearing it or understanding, 17:57 but they simply have no interest 17:59 have you ever heard of someone like that? 18:00 they just simply have absolutely no interest 18:02 and therefore, they can't understand it 18:04 because they don't care to understanding it. 18:06 It's like taking seed and walking out on the pavement 18:10 and throwing some seed and expecting it to grow, 18:11 it's not going to happen 18:13 the devil is going to come and chuup, chuup, chuup, 18:14 chuup, chuup... snatch it up... 18:16 pause... 18:17 again, God is not the author of confusion 18:20 that He would create us in a state 18:22 that we're are absolutely incapable of understanding, 18:24 but yet, we must have a desire to understand. 18:27 Notice verse 20, 18:29 "But he who receives the seed on stony places, 18:33 this is he who hears the word 18:35 and immediately receives it with joy, 18:37 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. 18:41 For when tribulation and of course persecution arises 18:44 because of the word, immediately he stumbles. " 18:47 Now, I... I can't... I just got a few stories about this, 18:50 I'm not going to tell them all but I traveled for five years 18:54 on the road as an evangelist 18:56 So, and I think Pastor Geoff can understand this 18:59 very, very clearly, 19:00 you know, you preach the Word of God 19:02 and there's people that come by the 100s to your... 19:04 to your meetings and it's such an incredible 19:06 awesome experience, 19:08 and you will be presenting truths 19:09 that are just life-changing... 19:11 life-altering... and people will come to you 19:13 and they're so happy when they first hear the truth, 19:15 you've met these types of people... they're so happy, 19:18 "Oh Brother Day, just... that was a powerful message! 19:20 Thank you so much for giving that... 19:21 no, God gave you that message, 19:23 the Lord is really speaking to my heart, 19:24 praise the Lord that God has taught me 19:26 the truth of the Sabbath, 19:28 praise the Lord that God 19:29 has taught me the truth of the Law of God 19:30 and He's opened my mind 19:32 to all of these incredible amazing things! 19:33 Oh, I'm just so happy, 19:35 I really believe that the Lord sent that brochure 19:37 in the mail just for me 19:39 so that I can come here and learn this powerful message. " 19:41 Pause... 19:45 But then that person goes home 19:46 pause... 19:48 and life happens... 19:49 Pause... 19:51 One instance comes to my mind, 19:53 a lady came to one of my meetings 19:55 and very... very much what I just described 19:58 very excited, 20:00 in fact, we would meet outside of the meetings, 20:02 she would ask me Bible questions and, of course, 20:05 with all of my knowledge I would answer those questions 20:07 and point her back to the Word of God 20:09 she would just confirm, 20:10 "Yes, Brother Day, this is just so powerful... " 20:12 and she described, 20:13 "Yes, I grew up in the Pentecostal Church, 20:15 very much to you... 20:16 and my mother and my father are still Pentecostal Christians 20:20 and they don't like that I'm coming to these meetings" 20:21 and I said, "Well, I can imagine that, 20:24 you know, I understand where you're coming from there. " 20:26 and she said, "But I know that this is truth, 20:28 I've been seeing it in the Word of God 20:30 and I've been hearing it and I've been reading it for myself 20:32 there's no doubt in my mind that God sent me to these meetings, 20:34 to hear this truth. " 20:36 And so, she received it with joy. 20:37 She even went as far to make a decision for Jesus, 20:39 "Yes, I want to surrender all my life for Him, 20:42 yes, I believe in all of these amazing truths 20:44 that I have heard and learned throughout this entire seminar" 20:48 and then come down to the very day of the baptism... 20:52 she didn't show up. 20:55 Pause... 20:57 I got a message later on where she told me that basically 21:00 she went home 21:02 and she had a long conversation with her mother 21:04 and her mother convinced her that this was not the right way, 21:08 she needs to walk in the way that she was raised... 21:13 again, on stony ground... 21:16 received with joy, 21:18 "Oh, it sounds good in the moment 21:20 but then the trials come, 21:21 then the pressures come and then we want to... 21:23 we want to stack up the test of truth 21:26 up against the world or man's word 21:28 and sometimes we allow men's word 21:30 to overcome that of the Word of God. 21:32 My friends, we have to be careful. 21:34 The Bible goes on to say in verse 22, 21:35 "Now he who receives the seed among the thorns 21:39 is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world 21:41 and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, 21:44 and he becomes unfruitful. " 21:46 Now, this right here, I can't say for everyone 21:49 but I sometimes believe with all my heart and mind 21:52 that this is a big issue 21:54 especially within the Adventist Church, 21:56 I would say, all of Christianity. 21:58 The fact that many people receive the truth... 22:01 they know what the truth is 22:02 they have actually accepted the truth, 22:03 there's no doubt that it's the truth 22:05 but then, because of their lifestyle... 22:06 because of their choices... 22:08 because of the cares of the world around them, 22:11 they have no room for that "truth" seed to grow. 22:14 There's no room for the truth to really set up 22:17 and allow the joy and the love of God 22:19 to continue to persevere and to grow 22:21 and to burst within their life 22:23 that they may continue down the path of righteousness 22:26 for Jesus Christ 22:27 but yet there's something else that has become a distraction, 22:30 there's something else that has become a replacement 22:32 for that of the love and the truth of Jesus Christ. 22:34 Pause... 22:36 In fact, I found this interesting quote here, 22:41 pause... 22:43 this is found in The Great Controversy, page 48. 22:47 This is what the... the prophet writes, she says, 22:50 "Why is it, then, that persecution seems 22:52 in a great degree to slumber?" 22:54 In fact, what she's... 22:55 what she's basically comparing here 22:58 is the time of the early apostles 23:01 when Christ's message of truth was really exploding 23:04 and the experiences of the early Christians 23:06 versus the Christians of today's time, 23:08 she says, "Why is it, then, that persecution seems 23:10 in a great degree to slumber?" 23:12 Notice her response, she says, 23:14 "The only reason is that the church has conformed 23:18 to the world's standard 23:23 and therefore awakens no opposition. 23:27 The religion which is current in our day 23:30 is not of the pure and holy character 23:33 that marked the Christian faith 23:34 in the days of Christ and His apostles. " 23:36 Pause... 23:38 You know what? If we could all get in 23:39 a time machine and go back to the time 23:40 of the early apostles 23:42 in which Christ and His message and the truth 23:44 it was really exploding, 23:46 many of us wouldn't really... 23:48 some of us wouldn't find any room in that particular church 23:50 because that particular experience 23:54 is one that many people don't know today. 23:56 Notice what she goes on to say, 23:58 "It is only because of the spirit of compromise with sin, 24:02 because the great truths of the word of God 24:06 are so indifferently regarded, 24:07 because there is so little vital godliness in the church, 24:10 that Christianity is apparently so popular with the world. " 24:13 And then she says this, 24:16 "Let there be a revival of the faith 24:20 and power of the early church, 24:23 and the spirit of persecution will be revived, 24:26 and the fires of persecution will be rekindled. " 24:28 Pause... 24:30 She says, "Let there be a revival of the faith. " 24:35 My friends, I want to ask you here, 24:37 do Seventh-day Adventists need a revival today? 24:39 Does our church need a revival? 24:41 do we need a... do we need a spark of fire 24:44 in each and every one of our lives 24:45 that we may respond positively and rightfully 24:47 to the calling of Jesus Christ in our life? 24:49 Huh... 24:51 It is the truth... 24:53 pause... 24:56 when you read this particular parable, it goes on to say, 24:59 "But he who received seed on the good ground 25:02 is he who hears the word and understands it, 25:05 who indeed bears fruit and produces: 25:08 some a hundred... and sixty and some thirty. " 25:10 In other words, you receive the Word of God 25:13 and you recognize the cost of following Jesus 25:16 but it doesn't matter 25:18 because He gladly gave up His life for you... 25:21 you would gladly give up your life for Him 25:24 no matter what the cost. 25:26 Pause... 25:29 You will notice that there is a heavy emphasis 25:33 on the Word of God, not just in this parable 25:37 but many of the parables that Jesus told. 25:40 All throughout the many parables, 25:43 all of which I would love to talk about 25:44 just simply don't have enough time, 25:45 but there was a heavy emphasis 25:47 and a quick reminder 25:49 in many of the messages that Christ gives us, 25:51 of going back to the Word 25:53 and I'll tell you, there is no one on this planet 25:55 more than Seventh-day Adventist Christians 25:57 that know how important the Word of God is in our life. 26:00 Pause... 26:02 We're quick to stand up very strong and say, 26:04 "Yes, we're not saved by works 26:06 but we're saved by grace through faith. " 26:09 But my friends, the Bible says that faith comes by hearing 26:11 and hearing by the... by the Word of God. 26:14 The very thing that we know we should do, 26:17 as Paul says, we don't do... 26:19 and we come to church and it's like, 26:21 "Oh! our churches are lacking something, 26:24 the people aren't coming to church. " 26:26 I want to talk to you a little bit about this 26:27 in just a few moments, 26:28 this is very, very interesting, 26:30 I want to go back to this point that it makes here 26:32 in this particular... 26:33 this particular interpretation of this text, 26:36 it says, "Now he... " this is verse 22 26:38 "Now he who received seed among the thorns 26:40 is he who hears the word, 26:41 and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches 26:43 choke the word... " 26:45 notice, it chokes the word... 26:46 you heard it... you accept it... 26:48 you know that it's true, "Yeah, that's the truth, 26:50 if I'm going to go to church, I'm going to go to that church" 26:52 it doesn't matter what kind of Christian you are 26:53 in these last days, 26:55 most Christians hold that particular idea 26:56 who profess the name of Jesus, 26:58 "Well, I know I should go to church, 26:59 yes, I know I should read my Bible more, 27:01 and if I were to go to church, I would go to that church, 27:04 if I were to attend a particular congregation, 27:05 I would go to that particular congregation... " 27:07 but my friends, at the end of the day, 27:09 it's not the hearers of the Word, 27:10 it's the doers of the Word that will enter the kingdom of God 27:13 and it's interesting that as you continue to read through this, 27:17 He tells us that the... that the work of God is choked, 27:20 in other words, you have it... 27:21 but it has no place in your life 27:23 because there are distractions, 27:25 "the distraction dilemma" as one might call it. 27:31 It's interesting... 27:32 I was doing a little bit of research, 27:34 haven't been a Seventh-day Adventist very long 27:37 but I... I went to church all my life 27:39 and I've been a part of many different churches, 27:41 I've studied with many different congregations 27:43 I went on the NAD... well not NAD... 27:46 I looked at some NAD statistics, 27:48 I even looked at some of the South Pacific Division 27:51 statistics, isn't that what you guys are? 27:53 All right, so check this out, 27:54 now, I'm going to read the South Pacific Division 27:57 statistics first 27:59 because while you guys might find 28:00 that there is a rapid decline here even in Australia, 28:02 it's probably not as bad as what I'm about to read to you 28:05 from North America where I am from. 28:06 Pause... 28:07 Do you know how many members there are listed on the books 28:11 in the South Pacific Division? 28:14 Now I recognize Australia is not... 28:16 it's not just Australia there are other regions 28:18 that are included in this but on the books... 28:21 according to the statistical reports that I found, 28:24 the 2018 Annual Statistic... static... lllil a little bit... 28:27 that's a word... that's a mouthful! 28:29 St... st... st... st... statistical report... 28:31 we'll get it out one day, 28:33 I'm not speaking in tongues, I promise. 28:34 Laughter... 28:36 On the books, right here in the South Pacific Division, 28:41 you guys have... on the books 512,055 members 28:46 according to the most recent report. 28:48 512,055 members. 28:54 Now, as I was scrolling down this report, 28:57 I was reading to determine 28:59 how many of those people actually 29:01 are active members of their church. 29:04 How many of those people actually find it important 29:08 to live a life of a Christian 29:10 and follow the counsels of the Bible 29:12 to not just live a life for Jesus 29:13 but if you're truly living a life for Jesus, 29:15 then you know Jesus said, 29:16 "Look, I'm the Head, the church is the body" 29:17 and guess what? 29:19 You separate the head from the body, 29:20 you separate one person from the body, 29:21 you've separated yourself from the head of the body... 29:23 guess what? 29:24 You're not following the counsels of the church, 29:26 now I recognize... or the Bible... 29:28 I recognize that going to church does not save you. 29:30 Okay, I want to make that very clear, 29:32 why I'm not reading this... 29:33 because I'm trying to communicate 29:34 that I believe that by attending church, 29:36 you're going to be saved. 29:37 A daily, devoted relationship with Christ, 29:39 everywhere you are is... is how you'll be saved 29:42 but this is a good indication 29:45 of where we are spiritually in our church 29:47 and in our lives individually as Christians, 29:50 512 members on the books 29:53 but according to the South Pacific Division records, 29:56 only 217,000 actually attend on average... 30:00 on average... that's less than half, 30:03 okay. 30:05 I looked at the North American Division, 30:07 this one... ooo... had to sit down for this one. 30:11 Okay, North American Division, we have on record 30:15 one... a little over 1.2 million members on the book 30:19 so, specifically, 1,249,715 members on the books 30:25 okay, check this out. 30:26 How many of those people, 30:27 now, we're talking about the entire Division... 30:29 we're not just talking about the United States, 30:30 okay, the entire Division... 30:34 on average, 188,236 people attend average... 30:42 pause... 30:45 that's like a little less... a little more than 30:48 maybe a little less than one sixth 30:51 of the members listed on the books. 30:54 Now again, I want to reiterate the fact that I don't believe 30:58 in and of itself, church-going saves us 31:02 pause... 31:04 but my friends, it's a good indicator 31:07 of where we are in our spiritual walk with God. 31:10 When our people don't find it important enough 31:13 to attend the house of worship... 31:15 and to support the ongoing mission of the church 31:18 as we have been counseled in the Bible 31:20 and in the Spirit of Prophecy 31:22 pause... 31:24 because the Word is being choked... 31:29 our experience with Christ is being snuffed out. 31:35 Pause. 31:37 You say, "Brian, 31:39 I mean, I recognize that the Word of God 31:41 is important but you know... " 31:43 I actually gave a survey in a class back home... 31:46 a few of the... 31:47 I gave a question in a survey, I'm not going to say who it was, 31:49 but I gave a survey to this group of... 31:51 of Adventist Christians 31:52 and I actually asked the question, 31:54 "Do you find it as important and necessary 31:57 for Christians to have a daily devoted life 32:00 of Bible reading and Bible study 32:01 to have a relationship with Jesus?" 32:04 I was very interested to know that at least one third 32:07 or almost half of the people marked 32:09 that they didn't believe that it was vitally important 32:11 to read the Bible or to study the Bible on a daily basis. 32:14 Pause... 32:16 Well, that's interesting to me. 32:17 I want to continue on because we're losing time. 32:21 I want to go to our last parable. 32:23 I'd like for you to turn with me to Luke... 32:27 this is going to be found in Luke chapter 15, 32:30 turn with me to Luke chapter 15... hmmm... 32:34 pause... 32:38 I'm going to read the parable 32:41 and then we're going to begin dissecting this. 32:42 I don't have a lot of time but I want to get to where we're 32:44 what our main focus is today 32:46 so we see that there's a heavy emphasis on the Word of God. 32:49 We see that though the parables and knowing God, 32:52 Christ is always pointing us back to His Word. 32:54 He's saying, "Look, if you want to know me... 32:56 if you want to know who I am... 32:58 if you want to know My will for your life, 33:00 if you want to know the requirements for you 33:02 to enter the kingdom of God, 33:03 I love you, I want you there 33:05 but you got to know that it's found in my Word, 33:07 you got to get back in the Word. 33:08 You got to be obedient to My Commandments, 33:12 why? because I've told you, 33:13 'If you love Me, you will do what?' 33:15 You will keep My Commandments. " 33:17 Now we come to this last parable, 33:19 now, this is the parable of the prodigal son... 33:22 or what we would call the prodigal son. 33:24 There's those people who say, 33:26 "You're right, I've heard this message all my life. 33:28 I've heard this message that tells me 33:29 that I should be a good person and do good things 33:32 and have good behavior 33:33 and keep all the Commandments of God 33:35 and do that Law real good so that I can be a good Christian, 33:38 have the character of God and receive the Seal of God 33:40 and make it into the kingdom of God. 33:41 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah... " 33:43 pause... 33:45 but many of us... some of us feel like a prodigal, 33:46 it's like, "You know what? I've walked away from God 33:48 for so long 33:49 and there's just no hope for me. " 33:51 Let's read this, 33:52 Verse 11, 33:55 "A certain man had two sons: 33:58 And the younger of them said to his father, 34:00 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. ' 34:03 So he divided to them his livelihood. 34:07 He gave the inheritance, okay, 34:10 we're going to come back to that. 34:12 "And not many days after 34:13 the younger son gathered all together, 34:15 journeyed to a far country, 34:17 and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 34:20 But when he had spent all, 34:22 there arose a severe famine in the land, 34:25 and he began to... " notice... "be in want. " 34:27 Then he went and joined himself 34:30 to the citizens of that country... " 34:31 "and he... " notice... 34:33 "he sent him into a field... fields of... to feed swine... " 34:37 so, notice verse 16, "And... " it says, 34:39 "and he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods 34:42 that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 34:45 But when he came to himself... " 34:48 I'll say that one more time, "when he came to himself, 34:53 he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants 34:56 have bread enough and to spare, 34:59 and I perish with hunger! 35:01 I will arise and go to my father, 35:03 and will say to him, 35:05 "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 35:07 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 35:10 Make me like one of your... "' 35:11 notice, "hired servants. " 35:13 Go on to verse 20, it says in here, 35:15 "He arose and came to his father's house 35:17 but when he was still a great way off, 35:19 his father saw him and had compassion, 35:21 and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. " 35:23 What a reception, huh? 35:25 Notice verse 21, "And the son said unto him, 35:28 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, 35:31 and am no longer worthy to be called your son. ' 35:33 "But the father said to his servants, 35:34 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, 35:36 and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 35:39 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, 35:42 and let us eat and be merry, 35:43 pause... 35:47 for this my son was dead and is alive... 35:49 he was lost and is found' 35:52 And they began to be merry. 35:55 Now his older son was in the field. 35:57 And he came and drew near to his house 35:59 and he heard music and dancing. 36:01 So he called one of the servants and asked him, 36:02 'what do these things mean?' 36:04 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, 36:08 and because he has received him safe and sound, 36:10 your father has killed the fatted calf. ' 36:12 "But he was angry and would not go in. 36:14 Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 36:18 So he answered and said to his father, 36:20 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; 36:22 I never transgressed your commandment... " 36:24 notice... "at any time 36:25 and yet you never gave me a young goat, 36:27 that I may make merry with my friends. 36:31 But as soon as this son of yours came, 36:34 who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, 36:36 you killed the fatted calf for him. ' 36:39 "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, 36:42 and all that I have is yours. 36:44 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, 36:47 for your brother was dead and is alive again, 36:50 and was lost and is found. '" 36:52 Pause... 36:54 I'm not going to finish this message before that time ends 36:56 but I want to make some major points here 37:00 and then we're going to continue. 37:02 Pause... 37:03 Most of us, when we read this parable, 37:05 we read it from a western cultural perspective. 37:09 Pause... 37:10 in other words, when we read this parable, 37:12 we see it as... you know, the son goes off, 37:14 he has his fun... he gets in the world 37:15 and then he comes back 37:16 and he sees how great daddy's home was 37:18 and how the great stuff of the home was good for him 37:20 and now, he wants to come back... 37:21 he don't want to... he don't want live out there anymore 37:23 and so then the daddy goes and runs at him 37:25 and just falls on him and father says, 37:26 "Ah, thank you, welcome back son, I love you, 37:27 it's so good to have you back... " 37:29 and then a great happy ending right? 37:31 But there's much more to this 37:33 when you consider it from a Middle Eastern perspective. 37:36 Pause... 37:38 there's much more to this... 37:39 when I was looking into this and studying this, 37:41 I found something interesting, 37:42 pause... 37:45 you see, 37:48 in the Middle East, 37:50 you don't go ask for the inheritance. 37:52 Pause... 37:56 Asking for the inheritance in the Middle East 37:59 would get you stoned. 38:00 Pause... 38:06 When the father ran out there to him, 38:08 he wasn't running because he was just simply happy... 38:13 I'm sure he was happy, don't get me wrong, 38:14 he was very happy 38:15 but the fact that the father ran to him and fell on him 38:19 was an effort in which he was trying to save his son 38:23 from being stoned by the local villagers in that area 38:27 by putting his life in the place of his son's. 38:31 Pause... 38:34 I want to encourage everyone at this moment 38:36 to get in the Word of God. 38:39 There's much more for us to see that God has for us 38:44 than just on the surface 38:45 and we may be that prodigal that has ran away 38:49 but there is hope 38:51 if we just see Jesus now there is hope. 38:55 Pause... 39:01 more pause... 39:05 There was a man by the name of Kenneth Bailey 39:09 he was given a... 39:12 an assignment from the Dean of the Seminary 39:15 pause... 39:17 to do a sermon on the prodigal son. 39:19 After completing his sermon, he was left with one question, 39:23 "Why did this young man ask for the inheritance?" 39:25 So he went over... 39:28 he went to his boss after the sermon, 39:30 he said, "I want to take a four-week sabbatical. " 39:32 They granted him the sabbatical, 39:34 you know how long that sabbatical lasted? 39:36 not four weeks, but 40 years. 39:39 He went over to the Middle East and he began to study 39:43 and he began to... 39:44 and he went 4,000 miles this way... 39:46 4,000 miles this way... 39:47 not at all the big cities but the smaller cities 39:50 trying to determine what it was this parable about, 39:52 why did he ask for the inheritance 39:54 and he found a very common answer, 39:56 and the answer was that there really... 39:59 there's really only one answer, that is, 40:01 "It's impossible. " 40:02 It's impossible for someone to come... ask for the inheritance, 40:07 is impossible 40:09 pause... 40:11 because in all of the people that he had talked to 40:13 for those 40 years, 40:15 he only found two exceptions. 40:16 One story of a young man who went and asked his father 40:19 for the inheritance and guess what the father did? 40:21 It broke his heart so much that three days later 40:23 his father killed himself 40:24 because it brought so much shame. 40:26 Pause... 40:29 Another instance in which the young man 40:31 actually asked for the inheritance, 40:35 the father gave the inheritance to him 40:38 and he went out... very similar to this 40:41 and when he came back years later, 40:42 the villagers basically entrapped the young man 40:47 and the father himself actually came out 40:49 and shot his own son 40:50 for bringing so much shame on the family. 40:52 Pause... 40:54 more pause... 41:03 In this parable the father runs at the son, 41:05 he throws himself on him, 41:08 what Jesus was telling in this parable 41:12 was completely counter cultural 41:13 pause... 41:15 because what He was actually communicating 41:17 was that the death penalty that His son deserved... 41:21 He wasn't going to have it, 41:22 and you'll notice that He'd done several things, 41:26 He put a robe on him, 41:27 you know what the robe represents? 41:29 Pause... 41:31 Now, we're traditionally told that the robe 41:33 was represented... righteousness 41:35 but actually what the father was doing is 41:36 in that particular culture, he was presenting a veto right, 41:39 in other words, he was vetoing the idea 41:41 that, "You know what? You can't have my son, 41:43 you can't kill him, we're not doing that... " 41:44 in other words by... 41:47 by rejecting the murder of the son 41:50 and what he deserved in that particular culture, 41:52 he was actually bringing even more shame upon himself. 41:55 Hang with me, I'm not going to keep you very long 41:58 but I want you to see this, 41:59 pause... 42:01 the Bible says, he also put a ring upon him, 42:04 you know what that ring represents? 42:05 Go study this from a Middle Eastern perspective, 42:08 see, a ring was almost like giving the son the check book. 42:11 Underneath the ring 42:14 there would have been a name engraved there, 42:16 the family name... 42:17 it was almost like he was saying, 42:19 "All that's mine is yours again and more... " 42:21 and then lastly, or secondly, it says, 42:26 "he put shoes on him. " 42:28 Pause... 42:30 Now, up to the 17th and 18th century, 42:33 I did some research, up to the 17th and 18th century, 42:35 do you realize that servants in the house of God 42:38 or anyone in the house of God to a certain age, 42:41 did not wear shoes 42:42 but to wear shoes actually meant freedom. 42:45 If you were a servant or you were a slave 42:48 and you were given shoes, you were free 42:51 pause... 42:53 and then, lastly, it says that he killed the fatted calf... 42:56 he had them to kill the fatted calf for his son, 42:58 now, there in the Middle Eastern perspective, 43:01 there were only three reasons why the fatted calf 43:03 would be killed 43:04 and it still goes on today, notice this, 43:07 Number one, the birth of a child. 43:08 Number two, a wedding 43:12 or Number three, some type of business transaction 43:15 but not in this case, 43:17 that's why the brother was very upset. 43:19 You know, sometimes I feel like we have that same situation, 43:24 maybe even amongst our brethren. 43:26 Is it possible to live in the father's house 43:32 and not know the father's heart? 43:33 Pause... 43:35 Is it possible? 43:37 Pause... 43:39 more pause... 43:42 My friends, because Jesus gave Himself completely for us... 43:46 completely... 43:48 the Bible says... He endured the cross, 43:52 He despised the shame 43:54 when comprehend those events that transpired at Calvary, 44:00 something happens. 44:02 As I read in one of my previous sermons, 44:05 you don't walk away from a gift like that. 44:07 Martin Luther... one of his famous sayings was this, 44:11 "When I look unto myself, 44:13 I don't know how I could ever be saved 44:15 but when I look unto Jesus, 44:19 I don't know how I could ever be lost. " 44:21 Pause... 44:24 Isn't that powerful? 44:25 Pause... 44:26 more pause... 44:30 John chapter 12 verse 32, you know what Jesus says, 44:33 He says, "If I... 44:37 if I be lifted up from the earth, 44:44 I will draw all peoples unto Myself. " 44:48 Pause... 44:50 I normally would not continue on past this time 44:52 and I may get in trouble for it, 44:54 but I sense that there's a little bit of a revival 44:57 occurring in some of our hearts in this Series, 44:59 I know it has mine, 45:01 I've heard some powerful messages over the past few days 45:04 that have stirred up in me 45:06 a reason to desire and want Jesus more in my life, 45:09 pause... 45:11 more pause... 45:13 my friends I heard a... I heard a minister one time 45:19 that I was listening to, he said, 45:21 "It's not about what you do, it's who you know 45:26 and who you know changes what you do. " 45:29 There are a lot of people falling in and out of the church 45:33 for whatever reason, 45:36 many of us just in strict rebellion 45:39 to the fact that they know it's the truth 45:41 but there's something inside us 45:43 that's just fighting against the truth, 45:44 it's saying, "You know what? 45:46 it's too hard, it's too difficult, 45:47 I can't keep the Commandments, 45:48 I can't obey God, I can't please God... " 45:50 and so it's all behavioral focused 45:54 and I'm not going to stand up here and say, 45:56 the behavior is not important, 45:57 because I know that inside my heart and mind, 46:00 I desire to act and represent my best 46:02 before my brethren and before God 46:05 but it's not about what you do, 46:08 it's who you know 46:10 and who you know changes what you do. 46:13 So for so long we've had our mind fixed on the rules 46:17 and the rules are important 46:19 but my friends, the rules don't save you, 46:21 it's the Ruler that saves us. 46:23 When we take our mind off the rules for a moment 46:26 to put our eyes upon the Ruler... the Savior, 46:29 then the Savior begins to do a mighty, 46:31 wonderful work in our life, 46:32 He begins to help formulate our lives 46:35 and shape ship it in harmony with those rules. 46:38 it's not about what you do, it's who you know. 46:41 I want to end with this story, it's a true story 46:44 of an Indian family over in the State of Assam. 46:47 I didn't realize this was a true story 46:51 until I had done some research, it really is a true story. 46:53 There was a family over in the State of Assam, India. 46:56 There was a Christian missionary that had come through 47:00 and they were seeking to do Bible Studies 47:02 with this particular village, 47:04 it was a rather large village but out of all the people there, 47:07 there was only one family willing to do Bible Studies 47:10 with this particular missionary. 47:12 Weeks go by and after several Bible Studies, 47:15 this family, as a whole, made a decision, 47:18 by the leadership of the father, to step out in faith 47:21 and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior 47:23 and to completely give up 47:24 all of those thousands and thousands of Hinduistic gods 47:27 that they were following... false gods. 47:29 They gave their hearts to Jesus, 47:31 now news begins to spread around this village 47:34 which was primarily Hinduistic 47:36 pause... 47:38 then this was like a thorn in the flesh 47:40 to most of the major leaders of this village 47:42 and so, one day, 47:44 they rounded up this family and they brought them to the square, 47:50 the village square 47:52 and they put them on trial 47:53 and the chief of the village says to the man 47:58 and the head of the household he says, 47:59 "Look, if you and your family recant 48:01 and give up this Christian God, 48:03 then, you can save your lives 48:04 pause... 48:06 but if you're not willing to do that today, 48:08 then, you will all lose your lives right here today. " 48:10 Pause. 48:12 Well, this particular Indian fellow, 48:16 months before... as he had begun to accept Christ 48:22 truthfully in his heart, 48:23 God gave him the most beautiful words 48:26 to one of the most powerful... 48:28 or would become one of the most powerful Christian songs 48:30 that we sing today, 48:31 pause... 48:35 and as the chief presented his fate and the fate of his family, 48:40 to recant or die, 48:43 the first verse of that song came to his mind, 48:48 I have decided 48:54 to follow Jesus 48:59 I have decided 49:04 to follow Jesus 49:08 I have decided 49:13 to follow Jesus 49:17 No turning back 49:23 No turning back. 49:28 They murdered his little girls in front of him, 49:31 pause... 49:35 so the chief looks at him and says, 49:38 "You have an opportunity... this is it, 49:40 you can save you and your wife's life, 49:42 just have to give up this false Christian God. " 49:45 Pause... 49:48 With tears in his eyes, he looked at his wife 49:52 he looked back at the chief and he says, 49:56 "Though none go with me 50:01 still I will follow... 50:35 They took the life of his wife, 50:37 pause... 50:40 and with one last effort, they said, 50:43 "You can save your own, you have one last chance. " 50:49 Pause... 50:52 He began to sing... 51:33 and they killed him. 51:35 Pause... 51:38 It's a sad story, right? 51:39 Pause... 51:45 Months had passed 51:47 and all the Chief could think about 51:50 is that man and his family 51:56 willing to give up their life for this Jesus. 52:02 Who is this Jesus 52:04 that this guy and his family would die? 52:10 You know the good news is 52:14 is that the lives that were lost that day 52:17 sowed a seed in the heart of that Chief 52:20 and many of the villagers 52:21 in Assam, India, 52:23 and still to this day 52:26 if you go over to that particular village, 52:28 a large vast majority of that village 52:32 is Christian 52:34 because of the sacrifice of those few for Jesus. 52:40 My friends, we may never have to give up our lives like that 52:44 maybe... maybe not... 52:45 but, you know, I have to believe that 52:47 over the course of these last few days, 52:50 someone's heart has been stirred by the Holy Spirit. 52:55 Someone's heart has been pricked by the Holy Spirit 53:00 and the gospel of Jesus Christ 53:01 pause... 53:04 and I know this has been a little bit longer than expected 53:06 but I would be doing a disservice to myself... 53:10 I would be doing a disservice to you 53:11 and more than importantly, 53:13 I would be doing a disservice to our Creator, 53:15 if I did not give a proper call 53:17 for someone to give their heart to Jesus today, 53:21 it is a daily walk 53:25 but it can start with a simple surrender 53:28 to Jesus in prayer, 53:30 pause... 53:35 I would like at this time to invite 53:37 anyone who feels convicted to simply start over. 53:45 You may feel like that prodigal 53:49 and say, "I went too far... 53:52 I can't... I can't... I can't do it. " 53:55 Oh, but the Father is waiting for you 53:58 and He's waiting to run to you and embrace you 54:02 and accept you back. 54:04 There may be someone here tonight who says, 54:06 "Oh Ryan, I've been in church all my life, 54:08 I've... I've... I've done everything that I know to do 54:11 but yet I still feel 54:12 the tug of the Holy Spirit in my heart 54:14 to re-dedicate my life to Him, 54:16 that can happen right here today 54:17 and I'm going to kneel and I'm going to pray 54:22 and if there is someone who would like to walk forward 54:25 and join me in prayer, 54:27 to re-dedicate their life to Jesus, 54:29 it's just as simple as stepping out 54:32 just as Jesus stepped out for you, 54:37 you can step out with Him, amen, 54:41 praise God... 54:43 praise the Lord. 54:45 Piano... 54:51 Sing that verse together... 54:52 I have decided 54:56 to follow Jesus, 55:01 I have decided 55:06 to follow Jesus 55:11 I have decided 55:15 to follow Jesus, 55:21 No turning back, 55:25 No turning back. 55:30 I'm going to kneel and pray, 55:31 if you want to kneel you can 55:33 you don't have to, 55:34 but if would just reverently bow your heads, 55:36 let's pray to Jesus now. 55:37 Audience kneeling. 55:40 "Father in heaven, 55:43 as we have brought this incredible Series to an end, 55:49 pause... 55:51 Lord, we just want to first and foremost 55:55 praise you and thank you for being our God, 55:58 for You are worthy... 56:00 You are holy 56:02 and you are deserving of every aspect of our life, 56:05 pause... 56:10 Lord, I have to believe with all my heart 56:11 that you have sent Your Spirit 56:13 like a shockwave across this land... across this room, 56:16 over the last few days and there are probably many of us 56:20 as presented here today 56:23 who are humbling themselves before you 56:26 and simply responding to your call 56:29 where you say, 'If you will humble... 56:31 my people who are called by My name... 56:33 if they'll humble themselves and pray... and seek My face' 56:36 that you will forgive their sins and heal their land. 56:38 Lord, we're here and we're asking you 56:41 to have mercy on us as sinners 56:43 pause... 56:45 that you will burn the stubble of sin in our life 56:49 and that you will fill us up with your joy and peace 56:52 and that we may have the leading guiding power 56:56 of the Holy Spirit each and every day 56:58 to fix our eyes on Jesus every moment of every day. 57:03 In the world that we're living, Lord, 57:05 You know that You need a people 57:07 and I believe that You have a people 57:09 that are willing to stake their faith 57:10 and plant their feet on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, 57:13 and on His Word 57:15 and stand firm in the faith that we have been given, 57:18 Lord, I've been guilty of not following that faith as I should 57:21 but Lord, we place it before you 57:24 because You are a Champion, 57:26 You are a Master at dealing with sin, 57:29 pause... 57:32 save us oh God, 57:34 embrace us oh Lord, 57:36 create a revival in us, Lord, 57:40 and create a clean heart in us oh God, 57:43 and renew a right spirit within us. 57:46 We thank you for Your love, 57:49 Your never-ending mercy and grace 57:52 and we ask these things in Jesus' holy name, 57:55 amen, amen. " |
Revised 2019-04-24