Participants: John Lomacang, John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL110006
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00:01 Hello, friends.
00:03 Grab your Bible and a friend and sit back 00:04 as we explore God's word together 00:05 on this edition of House Calls. 00:21 Welcome to another House Calls program. 00:23 Thank you so much for tuning in, 00:25 as we come into your heart 00:26 and your home to bring your God's word. 00:28 My name is John Lomacang 00:29 and to my right is John Stanton, 00:33 my partner in Bible studies. 00:36 We really enjoy studying the word of God together. 00:39 We thank you so much for tuning in to invite us 00:42 into your heart and into your home. 00:43 And as you know we always have a lot of things to cover, 00:46 so before we do anything we always like to have prayer, 00:50 so John, would you have prayer for us today? 00:51 Sure, would be happy to do that. 00:53 Our Father in heaven, we appeal to you again 00:56 as we do on this program each time. 00:59 That your presence will be with us 01:00 that Your Holy Spirit will attend us 01:02 as we walk and study Your word. 01:05 And may everything we say 01:07 and drew me the words that we share, 01:08 may the picture we paint of who you are be accurate, 01:13 be clear and maybe rightly dividing of that word of truth. 01:17 In Jesus name we pray, amen. 01:19 Amen! And we also want to thank you 01:22 for your Bible questions and comments. 01:25 They don't come as a surprise to us, 01:27 but sometimes you do challenge us 01:29 and whenever there is a question that comes up 01:32 either during the program or maybe before 01:35 or after we have an email 01:37 that you can send those questions too. 01:39 You can send them if they come to your mind 01:41 to housecalls@3abn.org, that's housecalls@3abn.org. 01:46 And that's where we go and download those questions. 01:49 If you would like to submit it in the letter form 01:51 that is through the mail, 01:52 send those to the regular 3ABN address 01:55 at PO Box 220 West Frankfort, IL 62896. 02:00 But this makes the first portion 02:02 of our program very interesting, 02:04 never knowing what you are going to ask? 02:06 So John, what do you have for us today? 02:08 Well, I got a question here from let's see here, 02:12 it looks like, M, well just gives the first initial 02:16 so I can't really tell you. 02:18 But, she says that it's very strong support here, 02:21 she is very kind in her words. 02:23 She says she started watching 3ABN a few months ago, 02:26 and our program was the greatest discovery 02:28 they had made her and her husband. 02:30 Wow! Praise the Lord. 02:31 That's very nice, thank you very much. 02:33 My questions are and it's twofold. 02:36 There are actually two different questions here. 02:37 How do you get three days and three nights 02:39 from Good Friday to Sunday morning? 02:41 Okay. Okay, and that's I think 02:44 from the reference of as Jonah was in the belly of the whale, 02:48 so will the son of God be in the heart of the earth, 02:52 and referring to his crucifixion as well. 02:55 The second one is why do you celebrate Christmas, 02:58 Easter when they are clearly pagan and idolatrous origins. 03:02 When you teach the truth as strongly as you do, 03:04 I must say I was disappointed. 03:07 Anyway so she is asking us to teach the whole truth 03:11 not just the portion of it. 03:12 And so these are some questions here 03:14 both of them will deal with here as quick as we can. 03:19 The first one, three days three nights. 03:22 If you look at scripture as it's telling 03:25 the gospel story of Christ in His crucifixion. 03:30 You find that the battle that He was going through 03:34 at the cross did not start on Friday. 03:38 The battle that Jesus went through 03:40 began in the garden of Gethsemane. 03:42 You'll see that the demons of hell assailed Him, 03:46 came against Him as He asked His disciples to pray there 03:50 with Him in the garden. 03:52 And he said, it says that He poured out His heart to God 03:55 and even sweated drops of... as if they were drops of blood, 03:59 that He was the barrel for determining 04:03 to carry out the fathers will, 04:04 and allowing Him to bear the cross 04:07 and be separated from His father 04:09 began in the garden of Gethsemane. 04:13 He was there that Jesus first began to experience 04:16 the real burden of the cross, 04:19 and what it was going to mean 04:21 to His relationship with His father 04:23 in the separation that wouldn't entail. 04:26 And so we turn to Matthew Chapter 26 04:30 and you will see to the depth of despair that 04:34 at least Satan was trying to levy upon Him in these words. 04:38 And it says here in verse 37 in Matthew 26, 04:42 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, 04:46 and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 04:50 Then He said to them, 04:52 "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to what? 04:56 What's that word there? Even to death. 04:59 Stay here and watch with Me." 05:02 And then He goes out and He pours out His heart 05:04 in prayer to His father asking if it is possible 05:07 that the cup would pass from Him. 05:09 You read that, that cup is the cup of His indignation 05:11 that He was already beginning there to experience. 05:14 This word death is not a word that Jesus takes lightly. 05:19 No, not at all. 05:20 In fact, Jesus most of the time when He use the description 05:25 or use the term for describing someone dying, 05:28 he calls it a sleep. 05:30 So this death whenever you use this term death, 05:32 it's usually a reference to the second death. 05:35 Unless it needs to be in an explanatory sense 05:38 to the disciples where He says, 05:39 you know, they weren't getting it 05:41 and then He was sleeping and findings life versus dead. 05:44 For there benefit, but here Jesus is talking to His Father 05:46 and He saying, or He is talking to His friends 05:51 saying that this experience He is having is already 05:53 causing Him to sense death. 05:56 So receive there the experience of Christ 05:59 in the heart of the earth, 06:00 the belly of earth that was swallowing Him up 06:04 and the sin that was being heaped upon Him. 06:06 He began to feel the sense of that 06:07 at the garden of Gethsemane. 06:09 And that was Thursday night, 06:11 so if you are looking for three days and night nights, 06:13 you've got to begin there and that's Thursday night, 06:16 Friday night, Saturday night. 06:18 Then you have Friday, day of the crucifixion, 06:20 Saturday, Sunday the day of the resurrection. 06:23 So you have three days and three nights as well, okay. 06:27 So that's the best way to explain 06:29 or to understand the three days and three nights 06:31 that was reference there in the text with regard 06:35 to Jonah being in the belly of the whale. 06:38 But, now she adds the question here, 06:40 why do you celebrate Christmas? 06:41 Well, let me add something, before we go on. 06:44 Because there is also something that was contributed 06:46 to coming up with the three days and three nights is called 06:50 "inclusive reckoning", which meant 06:54 any part of the day meant the day. 06:59 Jesus didn't separate the day from the night. 07:02 You would find a reference in scripture 07:03 where Jesus talked about, I will you see the third day. 07:07 And if you look at the many references pertaining 07:12 to the resurrection of Christ. 07:13 He didn't say He was gonna rise the fourth day, 07:17 but it says particularly when the king wanted 07:23 to keep Jesus from rising. 07:27 He said remember that this deceiver said 07:30 he would rise the third day. 07:33 The confusion came in when people try 07:35 to extrapolate from that 72 hours. 07:39 Now if we, if our requirement was Jesus be in the tomb 07:43 72 hours before He rise, 07:45 then we would have Him rising on the fourth day. 07:48 So be very careful as you play with that 07:51 because there are some denominations 07:52 that build an entire, 07:54 they build their entire denominational identity 07:56 around 72 hours being in the tomb, 08:00 then rising the fourth day. 08:02 That's not what the Bible says, He would rise the third day. 08:05 And not to mention too that Friday began 08:07 at sundown on Thursday night. 08:09 Right and they are different timing. 08:10 We call it Thursday night, but that's the beginning 08:13 of the new day is Thursday night, 08:15 it should be the new day or Friday. 08:17 Right and that's one of the other pictures, 08:19 so Thursday night in our reckoning 08:21 would actually be Friday night than Friday, 08:24 Saturday night than Saturday and Sunday night than Sunday. 08:28 And so what happens as you clearly see. 08:30 If you use that timeframe of reckoning time 08:34 called "inclusive reckoning" 08:35 then he was three days and three nights, 08:38 so that's the second possibility. 08:40 But the bottom line is and I remember 08:43 preaching the sermon about this, 08:45 saying the bottom line is he is not there now. 08:49 And so if you wanted really, 08:50 if you are battling over how long He was there, 08:53 then you would really forget, 08:55 the focal point of that was not 72 hours to the exact minute, 09:01 but that Jesus was going to rise the third day, 09:04 that's what He made very, very clear in scripture. 09:06 Yes, the second part of the question here, 09:09 why do you celebrate Christmas and Easter 09:11 when they are clearly pagan and idolatrous origins. 09:14 When you teach the truth is stronger 09:15 as you do I must say I was disappointed. 09:18 One of the things you have to distinguish here between 09:21 those who often many who celebrate Christmas and Easter 09:24 and the way that we "celebrate Easter" is that 09:28 we don't consider it a holy day. 09:31 Today is a simple I mean those days are simple holidays 09:34 and they are recognizing events within Christianity. 09:37 They are very important to us. 09:39 We cannot deny the importance of the birth of Christ. 09:41 We can't deny the importance of the resurrection. 09:44 Those are the two days that the Christian world 09:47 acknowledges those events 09:50 and so it would really be wise for us to utilize those events 09:55 to on those days recognize them in the context of showing that 10:00 we can unite or we can be there in tomb 10:03 with the Christian world in understanding 10:05 the importance of the events on those two days, that's it. 10:09 We do not consider them holy days. 10:11 Now one thing many don't realize John, 10:16 is that God is referred to in many ways 10:19 and he has many names, Jehovah 10:21 and then there is several many Jireh, Jehovah, Rapha, Rapha. 10:26 He has many descriptions and what many don't realize 10:29 John is that some of those names 10:32 He took from pagan God's from former nations in those areas. 10:37 Well, you know that's true, that's true. 10:39 What He is saying by that is, that God was no real God. 10:44 He said what God there is, but me. 10:46 But He says I'm the God that points 10:49 to I'm the true Jehovah, the one that protects, 10:53 the one that provides, the one that is gracious. 10:58 I'm the one that is like that, 11:00 not the God's that the nations had acknowledged. 11:03 And so Jesus or God from time and time again in the past 11:09 had taken and He didn't always do this. 11:11 But in certain occasions He would take the name 11:13 of a pagan God applied to Himself and say, 11:16 I'm the one that does that. 11:17 Right! So He doesn't have a problem doing that. 11:20 I don't think we should see 11:21 just because a day has a pagan tie, 11:25 we can't say that it has now today 11:27 a current Christian application. 11:29 We don't observe a pagan day, we observe a Christian day. 11:32 And so I do take exception to someone 11:35 strictly calling it pagan, because it is no longer pagan, 11:39 it has become a Christian holiday. 11:41 Right! Not a holy day some one would suppose, 11:43 but to me and to the Seventh-day Adventist Church 11:46 for the most part a holiday. 11:47 And to add to that John this is very important, 11:51 my anniversary, my wife, and I share a particular day 11:56 that is special to us. 11:59 But, what if in the Wicca calendar, 12:03 or the witch calendar our anniversary falls 12:07 on the same day that the witch has used 12:09 for some demonic activity. 12:11 Do I say to the to the courts of record, 12:16 well, you know, I need to change my anniversary 12:18 from May 22nd to another day 12:21 because the witches look at that day 12:24 as some high and holy day in their dark world. 12:29 In the same way many people say well December 25 12:33 was a day connected to Mithra, a pagan God. 12:38 And the pantheon was used in that observance 12:44 of this high day for Mithra, the pagan God. 12:47 Also many people will say, when you look at the churches 12:51 in Christendom in western, 12:56 the western portion of Christianity 12:59 during the time of the development 13:00 of many of these observances, 13:02 they will say, well an eastern, 13:04 in western portions of Christianity 13:06 there were different observances. 13:09 But they don't even see that in the evolution of what day 13:12 they believe Jesus was born, 13:14 some thought it was a six months earlier than December 23rd. 13:18 So, you began to see that this is not so much, 13:22 something that has to do with the per day in particular. 13:25 But this has to do with the recognition 13:27 that I'm so happy and so glad that Jesus was born, 13:31 but what advantage it gives to us. 13:34 I ask Christians is, when the world saying, 13:37 you know, joy to the world, 13:38 the Lord has come and we begin to sing 13:41 O little town of Bethlehem talking about 13:44 all these special significant observances 13:47 surrounding the birth of Jesus. 13:49 We are not saying I'm so glad for the pagan Gods. 13:52 I'm so glad for the demonic world. 13:54 We are saying we can all together 13:56 at least agree on one thing Jesus was born. 13:59 Where we disagree is we do not look at day 14:02 as a holy ordered by God observance. 14:06 Now here is what people trip, 14:08 the very people that have a stumbling 14:12 on that particular observance like Easter and Christmas. 14:16 In many cases those are the same individuals that say well, 14:19 we don't honor the Sabbath either. 14:22 So, the very thing that God has said to us to honor, 14:25 we want to encouraging you to honor. 14:27 But where there is no prohibition, 14:29 there is no violation of a godly principle. 14:32 That's right. Did you get that? 14:33 Yeah. If God says, don't observe my birthday 14:36 and we do, then we are violating a prohibition. 14:39 Well, in many cases you have in the past, 14:41 the patriarchs setting up alters and doing things 14:44 in honor of God, that God didn't ask them to do. 14:46 Right! It come from their own heart, 14:47 it was an acknowledgement 14:50 of the importance of God in their life. 14:53 And I would say like for Christmas 14:55 I think what a great way that we can say Jesus 14:57 we thank you for coming as a child, 14:59 a messiah to save this world. 15:02 What a wonderful time to do that. 15:03 And yes it did take and replace a pagan day, 15:07 that's typically acknowledging another thing, 15:09 but it is no longer pagan, 15:10 it is acknowledged as a Christian day. 15:14 Again a holiday, not a holy day, 15:15 but yet nonetheless we can acknowledge 15:18 or at least give honor and glory to God 15:21 for sending His Son, the gift of His Son Jesus Christ 15:23 to this world to save us from our sins. 15:25 That's right. I'm sorry, 15:27 I just disagree with those, 15:28 everybody we got lots of questions on this each year, 15:31 especially this time of the year, we disagree. 15:35 That's right. Another one is when you think about 15:40 how important it is to the observance of... 15:44 to the issue of salvation, yes. 15:46 If this were an issue about salvation then surely 15:50 unequivocally we would avoid it like the plague, 15:53 but the Christmas holiday and Easter 15:58 the two times of the year, 15:59 which are solely dedicated to observing Christ, 16:02 doesn't even strike you that, 16:04 these are the very days that Satan has made 16:06 a fearful thought in our minds. 16:09 It's like, here comes Christmas, 16:11 let's become Muslim and I'm being very extreme here 16:14 in no offence to the Muslims at all. 16:17 But I know a guy and this is a true story, 16:19 I had a friend that I went to school within high school 16:21 in New York City and she said to me, 16:25 you know, anytime Christmas is coming around, 16:27 my dad becomes Jehovah's witness. 16:31 He wasn't really religious at all, 16:33 but he did that to avoid spending money 16:36 around the Christmas season. 16:37 And that's light hearted application to the idea 16:41 that to some they find ways and loopholes around 16:44 looking to Jesus as the author and finisher of their faith. 16:47 If you can reach a person who doesn't know Jesus 16:51 and he wouldn't talk or they wouldn't talk about 16:53 Jesus any time of the year. 16:55 It's a beautiful thing to walk into a store 16:57 and hear songs about Jesus. 16:59 Where other times of the air, 17:01 it will be just be rock songs or crazy songs of the world. 17:04 So let's take this as an opportunity 17:06 to let people know that we have a connection 17:09 with Jesus all year long, 17:11 not just on one day of the year, all right. 17:17 One of the commonly asked questions 17:18 that come up on the issue of the Sabbath? 17:24 Paul talked about this and I want to bring this up, 17:27 since Paul declares. 17:29 Let no one judge you regarding the Bible Sabbath. 17:32 Isn't Sabbath keeping unnecessary? 17:34 Let's go Colossians 2, I want people to see 17:37 this text Colossians 2 verse 16. 17:40 This is a verse that's often use, 17:46 as reference so that people can ignore 17:50 what the Bible says about the Sabbath, all right. 17:53 This is the question then that you had. 17:54 Yeah, okay, okay. Because I don't think 17:56 we've read your question there specifically. 17:58 Yeah I remember, so Colossians 2:16, 18:02 what does this text have to do with us observing 18:05 or not observing the Sabbath. 18:06 Colossians 2 verse 16 and verse 17. 18:13 The Bible reads, therefore let no one 18:17 judge you in food or in drink, 18:19 or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, 18:24 which are a shadow of things to come, 18:26 but the substances of Christ. 18:29 Now one of the things people miss in this verse 18:31 is the word Sabbaths and also it's not only pluralized, 18:35 but it's not capitalized. 18:37 And it's also put in the context 18:39 and whenever you find in the Bible 18:41 the grouping of this together food and drinks 18:44 and festivals and new moons and Sabbaths. 18:47 It's talking clearly making reference 18:49 of the ceremonial observances. 18:51 This is by no means, that's why it says 18:53 which are a shadow of things to come, 18:55 but the substances of Christ. 18:58 There was ceremonial Sabbaths established, 19:00 and by the way while I'm saying this, 19:02 go with me to the Leviticus Chapter 23, 19:04 Leviticus Chapter 23, 19:06 you want to see these observances. 19:08 There were many Sabbaths talking about in the Bible. 19:11 But the seventh day Sabbath which is established 19:14 at the end of creation week 19:16 long before there were any observances 19:20 pertaining to pagan rituals or ceremonial observances. 19:27 The seventh-day Sabbath was established first. 19:31 But let me go ahead now, I'll mention some of those 19:34 that you may not think of a Sabbaths, 19:35 but they were very well were. 19:38 Leviticus Chapter 23, and I'm gonna read staring with verse 1 19:45 and it says, And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 19:48 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, 19:51 'The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim 19:55 to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. 20:00 Let me start with verse 3, Six days shall work be done, 20:04 but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, 20:08 a holy convocation. 20:10 You shall do no work on it, 20:13 it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. 20:18 And then he goes, any outlines he goes from the Passover, 20:22 then he goes to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, 20:25 then he goes to the Feast of Firstfruits, 20:28 then he goes next to the Feast of Pentecost, 20:32 then he goes to the Feat of Trumpets 20:34 and the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. 20:38 And I want you to notice in verse 36 20:41 what he says, all right. 20:44 In verse 36 what he says. 20:47 He says besides the Sabbaths, 20:51 plural of the Lord, besides your gifts, 20:55 besides all your vows, 20:58 and besides all your freewill offerings 21:01 which you give to the Lord. 21:03 So what you see here with the verse 39. 21:05 Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, 21:09 when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, 21:13 you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days, 21:16 on the first day there shall be a Sabbath-rest, 21:21 and on the eighth day a Sabbath-rest. 21:24 So you find when you read in Colossians 2 21:28 Paul is saying there were many feast days 21:31 that were connected to Sabbaths pluralization, 21:36 that's what's the focus of that text... 21:37 It's the ceremonial Sabbath, 21:38 this is supposed to be law of God, 21:40 the fourth commandment Sabbath. 21:42 Which was established before sin entered the world. 21:45 So if sin never entered the world, 21:47 you only have one Sabbath. 21:49 But because of sin all these festivals 21:51 that were observed in commemoration 21:54 with all the observance as God had established 21:57 for the children of Israel, that really were a shadow, 22:00 everyone of them pointed to the coming Messiah. 22:02 So when Jesus came, 22:03 these shadows were no longer available, 22:05 and were no longer observable and were no longer necessary. 22:10 So that's why Paul said, don't let anyone judge you 22:13 about those things, because those were shadows. 22:15 But here is the one that was not a shadow, 22:17 the one that is a sign between us and our creator, 22:21 the one establish at the end of creation week 22:23 on the seventh day when God himself 22:26 sees from His labor, right. 22:29 Good, good! There is a question from how, 22:34 and he is asking here 22:39 in Daniel 9 verse 2, 22:43 it is Daniel referring to Jeremiah. 22:46 Jesus refers us to Daniel. 22:48 I'm just curious what part or prophecy in Jeremiah 22:52 is Daniel using for reference. 22:55 And so anyway so, you know, 22:57 most of the many of the prophecies spoken of 23:00 in the Bible go back to, or New Testament 23:03 go back to Old Testament prophets. 23:04 Right, that's right. 23:05 And Jesus often refers back to Daniel, 23:08 well Daniel also will refer to some 23:11 of his contemporary prophets as well. 23:14 And he referred to Jeremiah 23:16 and so let's look at Daniel 9 verse 2. 23:24 Okay, let's go to, if you have your Bible go with us 23:26 to Daniel 9 and verse 2 and follow along in this reference. 23:31 I will read verse 1 as well, 23:32 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, 23:36 of the lineage of the Medes, 23:38 who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, 23:42 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, 23:45 understood by the books the number of the years 23:48 specified by the word of the Lord 23:50 through Jeremiah the prophet, 23:52 that he would accomplish seventy years 23:54 in the desolations of Jerusalem. 23:58 So if you take a look at this word 70, 24:03 in fact you can do it easy word search. 24:05 I'm just doing it right now, 24:06 I'm popping into my computer and go to the book of Jeremiah. 24:10 You will find several references to a prophecy 24:13 that God made through him. 24:15 And there are three cases 24:17 where this prophecy of seventy years comes up, 24:19 Jeremiah 25:11, it says, 24:22 And this whole land shall be a desolation 24:25 and an astonishment, speaking of Israel 24:27 and these nations shall serve 24:29 the king of Babylon seventy years. That's right. 24:33 This is because they play the part of the Harlot, 24:35 they had waked away from their God 24:36 and God was going to allow them to experience captivity 24:40 in Babylon for seventy years. 24:44 Jeremiah 25:12, it's very next verse says, 24:48 'Then it will come to pass, 24:49 when seventy years are completed, 24:50 that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, 24:53 the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,' 24:56 says the Lord, 'and I will make it a perpetual desolation. 25:00 So what happens after the seventy years 25:01 then it's not only does He punish Babylon, 25:04 but He also will restore Jerusalem, 25:07 the people back in the city of Jerusalem. 25:10 First is the rebuilding of temple, 25:12 then next you have the rebuilding 25:13 of the city and then its walls. 25:15 Those descriptions of how that happened 25:18 are found in Ezra and Nehemiah. 25:20 So you can go back to those books for that reference. 25:23 Jeremiah 29:10, it says, For thus says the Lord, 25:26 After seventy years are completed at Babylon, 25:29 I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, 25:32 and cause you to return to this place. 25:35 A reference to returning to the place of Jerusalem. 25:38 So John, Jeremiah does refer to the seventy years 25:40 several times in the context of captivity in Babylon. 25:44 But it doesn't leave them for ever, 25:45 He brings them back to the land of Jerusalem 25:49 to rebuild the temple and the city and its walls. Okay. 25:53 So that's the reference that Daniel is referring 25:57 or that he is using for Jeremiah. 25:59 All right, well I think what I'm gonna do is, 26:01 we are gonna stop our questions here because, 26:03 there is lot to cover in this program. 26:05 We are gonna be talking about the topic 26:07 that we have never covered before. 26:09 This is the first of it's kind, and we're gonna 26:12 try to cover as much as we could within the time 26:14 that we have remaining. 26:15 However if you have any questions and comments 26:17 you would like to send to us here at House Calls, 26:19 send those questions and comments 26:20 to housecalls@3abn.org that's housecalls@3abn.org. 26:25 And we will do our diligence to go ahead 26:28 and download those questions and respond to you 26:29 as quickly and as accurately as we possibly can. 26:33 Sometimes you will find that the answer 26:36 was not to your satisfaction, 26:37 resubmit that maybe in the form of an additional question. 26:40 So that we can make it very clear, 26:42 because our goal is to make sure that 26:44 when we finish the program, 26:46 you've heard from the Lord and heard from His word. 26:50 Now I want you to open with me to the book of Mark Chapter 4. 26:54 We are going to be talking about the topic of fear, fear! 26:59 John, I noticed that we are right now 27:01 in one of the more fearful environments of human history. 27:11 There are uprisings all over the world. 27:15 There are contentions in the Middle East. 27:18 There are protests in the Midwest. 27:21 There is fear when it comes to the budget of our country. 27:26 There is fear on the real estate market. 27:29 There is fear in the job market. 27:32 There is fear in the family. 27:34 There is fear between parents and children. 27:38 We are living in an atmosphere of fear. 27:42 And I thought that will be encouraging to begin this topic 27:46 with a very important, what I would refer to as 27:51 reiteration that when Jesus said, fear not, 27:56 or let not your hearts be troubled. 27:59 There is a particular reason, but, 28:02 what I want to begin with and I told you 28:03 to turn to the book of Mark, 28:04 but we are gonna go to a story 28:06 in which this encapsulates or sets up for us 28:09 a particular picture as to why the world is so fearful today. 28:14 But, I want you to first begin with the text 28:16 that uses the word fear a number of times. 28:19 And as a matter fact, 28:20 this is one of the only passages in the Bible 28:23 where the word fear shows up four times. 28:25 It's only one passage 1 John 4 verse 18 28:29 and I will have you read that for us John. 28:31 And when you get to the word fear, 28:33 put a little bit more emphasis on it, 28:36 because it's a very important passage. 28:38 First John 4 and verse 18, listen what John has to say. 28:42 There is no fear in love, 28:45 but perfect love casts out fear, 28:48 because fear involves torment. 28:51 But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 28:54 Okay, notice that. 28:56 Fear in love, there is no fear in love, 29:00 perfect love casts out fear, getting rid of it. 29:03 Fear is something of torment, 29:05 because those who fear don't understand 29:07 what God's love is all about. 29:09 Very, very important, it brakes it down, 29:11 so if you love God, the beginning 29:13 and the end of the text says, if you love God, 29:15 then you don't have anything to fear about. 29:18 Because you know that text that we often repeat John 29:20 in Romans 8 verse 28 it says, 29:24 And we know that all things work together 29:27 for good to those who love God, 29:29 and to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29:34 Romans 8 verse 28, that's the text that we often refer to, 29:37 but I want you to go back with me now. 29:39 And John, we want to pull out some of the text in the Bible, 29:42 Old Testament and New Testament alike 29:45 that show us what fear is all about it. 29:48 And it actually uses in those text itself, 29:51 the very word fear, or fearful, or fear not. 29:55 We are gonna look at those and you will be amazed 29:58 that they are so many in the Bible. 30:00 As a matter fact, let me just see 30:02 if I can get a glimpse of this... 30:04 I did a quick here, hope I did the same thing on another, 30:07 on the word fear, but I did a quick search on 30:11 do not be afraid, okay. 30:13 And those consecutive words 50 times in the Bible. 30:16 Wow! Admonishing us do not be afraid, 30:20 I'm with you peace be you, be with you. 30:23 I'm here, do not be afraid. 30:25 It's like continually saying to His people, 30:28 I know you have fear, 30:29 but I don't want you to have fear. 30:31 And that is something that's difficult 30:32 when you think about it now. 30:33 Let's go and emphasizes again the reason for 30:35 the motivation behind this program 30:39 came to over the fact that you look 30:41 at the statistics in the job market. 30:43 I mean hundreds of thousands of jobs 30:45 being lost every month. 30:46 And economy where major businesses 30:49 that have establish themselves for so long 30:51 are being sold or liquidating the inventory 30:55 or just closing their doors and we drive through 30:59 our local town here and stores that were once 31:01 open are just big and empty. 31:04 And you ask yourself the question, 31:06 what's happening to the goods and services here in America? 31:09 What's happening to the markets around the world? 31:11 Why is there fear in Egypt and now in Libya 31:15 and other nations that are really tormented 31:18 by things that have been developing 31:20 for many, many years? 31:21 Well the atmosphere that we invite now, 31:23 there is a lot of that focuses on the story 31:27 that I'm gonna read to you right now in Mark Chapter 4 31:30 and go there with me, I'm gonna begin with verse 35, 31:33 this a wonderful parallel. 31:36 To the fact that we don't really need to fear 31:41 if we knew that Jesus is with us. 31:43 I will read verse 35. 31:44 And remember this is the setting of, 31:47 this is Jesus had just finish another day 31:50 of establishing many, many parables 31:54 that were obviously signs that, 31:56 were obviously little object lessons 31:58 that we are not fully understood by the multitudes, 32:01 but He explained them clearly to His disciples, 32:04 so they should know that there is no reason for us to fear. 32:08 But He is now done, the day is winding down 32:11 and He invites His disciples to go to the other side 32:14 with him on the boat. 32:15 In verse 35 starts, On the same day, 32:17 when evening had come, He said to them, 32:20 "Let us cross over to the other side." 32:22 Now when they had left the multitude, 32:25 they took Him along in the boat as He was. 32:29 That's usually be the case, 32:30 we have to accept Jesus as He is, can't change Him. 32:34 And it says, And other little boats were also with Him. 32:38 And a great windstorm arose, 32:41 and the waves beat into the boat, 32:43 so that it was already filling. 32:45 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. 32:49 And they awoke Him and said to Him, 32:50 "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" 32:54 And then verse 39, Then He arose and rebuked the wind, 32:59 and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" 33:01 And the wind ceased and there was a great calm, great calm. 33:06 But He said to them, and here is the focal point of the story 33:09 "Why are you so fearful? 33:12 How is it that you have no faith?" 33:15 And this is what amazes me John. 33:17 And they feared exceedingly, 33:20 you know, what is amazing about this, 33:21 they are fearful of the storm, He calms the storm, 33:24 He says what you are afraid of. 33:25 And now they are even more fearful 33:26 than they were in the storm and here is the reason. 33:30 And they set to one and another, 33:31 "Who can this be, that even the wind 33:33 and the sea obey Him!" 33:35 Well, first of all I want to say, 33:36 I'm so glad that in times of fear, 33:39 Jesus can calm the winds, settle the storms in our lives. 33:44 And what will happen is it's not just a calm, 33:48 but a great calm followed the spoken word of Jesus. 33:54 He spoke to the wind, and in your life 33:56 he can speak to the wind. 33:57 In your life he can speak to the waves. 33:59 He can say peace be still. 34:01 But what's amazing about that whole story is this. 34:05 In the middle of the storm what was Jesus doing? 34:10 According to the scriptures the Bible says 34:11 He was asleep on a pillow in the stern of the ship 34:16 almost seeming as though He was complacent 34:19 not caring about what the outcome 34:20 was going to be for His disciples. 34:22 But the reality of it is, He knows that no matter 34:26 how fearful the climate, 34:29 He is still in control of the winds and waves 34:32 and the obstacles and the incidences in our lives. 34:36 And what do you want to register on that John, 34:39 because it's truly amazing story. 34:41 There is also a connection in the story to the winds 34:45 that are coming against or will come against God's people, 34:47 in the last days. 34:49 There is another reference to a story 34:51 where Jesus has just finished feeding the 5,000 34:54 and He sends them out in the boat, 34:56 but He doesn't come with them this time. 34:57 That's right. He stays on the land 34:58 and He prays that they might have faith 35:01 and they might have strength, 35:02 because it's almost like if you look at the story 35:05 it's a deliberant intentional sending of the disciples 35:09 out to experience the winds. 35:12 To experience the difficulties 35:15 and the trails that come upon the sea there 35:19 indicative of the trails that come up on us 35:22 at the end of time, God's last day church. 35:25 And so, Jesus here sends them out, 35:29 the winds it says begin the blow 35:32 and here He comes to them walking on the sea 35:35 and that's the occasion where Peter when He sees Him, 35:38 after they first of all afraid and think He is a ghost. 35:40 Peter says Lord let me come out 35:42 and he goes out thinking 35:43 he can stand in his own power, 35:45 he sinks into water and Jesus which is down and saves him. 35:49 But, the whole thing there is just wonderful 35:54 and Jesus is teaching us a lesson even while 35:56 we are experiencing fearful things 35:59 that we don't need to be fearful. 36:02 From the mere fact that Jesus is always with us. 36:06 And I think that's your point is that 36:08 when Jesus is with us in the boat, 36:11 or when He comes to us 36:13 or we feel in the boat by ourselves, 36:16 we don't have anything to fear. 36:18 And so that's one of the first thing 36:19 that Jesus says when He comes to them is, 36:21 don't be afraid why are you fearing. 36:25 And I have to ask myself John and you go through this too, 36:28 the first thing we are inclined to do, 36:30 when we are facing a challenge is fear. 36:31 That's right. That's the first thing 36:33 the devil tries to get us to do. 36:35 But fear when we get into that mode is opposite 36:38 of what God wants us to do. 36:40 Jesus wants us not to be afraid to put our trust in Him, 36:43 and so these are great stories today. 36:45 The subject is great today to remind people. 36:47 Stay with God, go back to Him. 36:49 Let Him know what your fears are, 36:51 He will take them away, He will give a peace. 36:52 That's right. And this is so important 36:56 because there are many of us 36:58 that are gonna go through things that are gonna shake 37:00 the very foundation that we're on. 37:02 Revelation 2:10, we have to look beyond 37:06 the present movement to down the road, 37:11 whether it's gonna be next week, 37:13 next month and in some cases, next year. 37:15 I think of when I first got injured, 37:18 my throat injury a couple of years ago. 37:21 And I was so fearful because it was such a severe injury, 37:24 that doctor said to me, you know, 37:26 had that happened, had this been quarter 37:29 or half an inch further from the spot that it's now, 37:32 you may never have been able to sing again. 37:36 And for person that sings, that was a fearful thing 37:39 and I was just humbled by the idea that God protected me 37:46 from something that was worst in its scope. 37:50 When I think about what could have happened 37:51 as compare to what it happened. 37:53 And then the doctor said to me John, 37:56 he says your healing process could be as much as 18 months. 38:01 Translated in my mind, you won't be able 38:03 to sing again till 18 months are gone. 38:06 And God in a beautiful way was able to allow me to sing, 38:10 more and more and more as the healing process continue. 38:12 So the second thing I would say in that is 38:15 when God is preparing for your deliverance. 38:17 Don't forget that God is also in the fire, 38:20 in the furnace with you. 38:21 Delivering the Hebrews from the fire, 38:23 God delivers us from the things that we will face. 38:25 And so Revelation 2:10, notice what the Lord says. 38:29 And He says this to His people, 38:31 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. 38:36 Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, 38:39 that you may be tested, 38:41 and you will have tribulation ten days. 38:44 But be faithful unto death, 38:45 and I will give you the crown of life. 38:49 So when you think about that, 38:51 the things we face are not the sum total 38:56 of all the experiences of our lives, 38:58 but they are speed bumps that cause us to slow down 39:01 and take inventory of where we are now walk with God, 39:04 because it doesn't develop character in fearful times, 39:07 it reveals what kind of character we have. 39:09 So, it says if you are really fearful, groping and crying 39:13 and wondering where God is. 39:15 It could mean that you don't have 39:17 a connected relationship with Him, 39:19 outside of those trials and tribulations. 39:21 Now I can hear people in their response 39:25 to what we are saying here. 39:27 I can hear them saying, 39:29 but we're commanded to fear God and give glory to Him. 39:33 And so I think we need to recognize here 39:35 that there are several uses although the same word fear, 39:38 there are several uses of this word that are positive. 39:43 That's true. Are negative, and so in looking 39:47 at that text from Revelation 14 verse 7, 39:50 A cry from this angel the First Angel's Message it says, 39:54 ''Fear God and give glory to Him, 39:56 for the hour of His judgment has come." 39:57 You will find that often the positive sign, 40:01 the positive aspect of fear, 40:02 the one things God wants us 40:03 to have it's an issue of respect. 40:05 It's an issue of understanding that God is ultimately our judge 40:10 and that He will render a decision at the end of time 40:13 for the saints and against the wicked. 40:16 So this fear is... it's a motivating factor 40:20 in helping us to side with God, 40:22 to stay close to God and to respect Him 40:25 and to order our life in harmony with His ways 40:27 because of it is a fearful thing, one verse says, 40:31 to fall into the hands of living God. 40:32 That's true. So there is a healthy fear, 40:35 but they are shaking fearful aspect 40:38 of that is what God wants to take away from us, 40:40 when we are in a relationship with Him. 40:42 It's almost like, if you are not in a relationship with Jesus, 40:45 you have something to fear. 40:47 If you are in a relationship with Jesus, 40:48 you don't have anything to fear, 40:50 because you already are fearing Him, 40:52 in the way that He wants you to a helpful way. 40:54 That's right. So that make sense. 40:56 I understand what you are saying, 40:57 you are fearing Him. 40:58 In other words the word there fear, 41:00 is more amplified, you are giving honor, 41:02 you are giving recognition, you are leaning upon the Lord, 41:05 you are giving homage to Him. 41:06 So the fear is removed. 41:08 One of the examples I find in scriptures is Hebrews 11:27. 41:13 When God was leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, 41:16 Pharaoh was continually resisting any advancement 41:18 that they would make. 41:19 And there are many of you that are in circumstances 41:22 where your advancement is at a threat. 41:24 Somebody maybe blocking your job. 41:26 There maybe a lack of advancement 41:28 in your relationships. 41:30 But the reason why you don't push 41:31 to change your circumstances 41:34 because you fear what men can do to you. 41:36 And you want to remember that example in the Bible 41:39 first of all in Hebrews 11 verse 27. 41:44 It speaks about who we should fear 41:46 more than our circumstances. 41:49 And says by faith he forsook Egypt. 41:52 Not fearing the wrath of the King, 41:54 so when Moses left Egypt, he was not fearful about 41:58 what Pharaoh could do to him. 41:59 He knew that God had opened the door for him to go forward 42:01 and he feared less about what was gonna happen 42:04 when God opened the doors of opportunity. 42:06 So it says, not fearing the wrath of the king, 42:09 for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 42:12 He didn't see the end result and he didn't even see the one 42:16 who was offering him the protection that he needed. 42:18 But, I want to add one more verse 42:19 before I throw it back over to you John. 42:21 Hebrews 13 in verse 6, So we may boldly say, 42:25 "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. 42:29 What can man do to me?" 42:30 I mean it's really the question, 42:32 what can man do to us? 42:33 Well, the most they could do us is threaten us, 42:37 or in the extreme sense take our lives, 42:41 but the Lord when we read that text 42:43 in Revelation 2 in verse 20 42:45 He says you will have tribulation, 42:47 but be faithful unto death 42:48 and I will give you the crown of life. 42:50 So the fear that man brings to us, 42:53 is nothing compared to the blessings that God brings to us. 42:59 That's right, you know, it says in Psalm 27:3, 43:02 Though an army may in camp against me, 43:05 my heart shall not fear, 43:08 though war may rise up against me, 43:10 in this I will be confident. 43:13 And who is he confident in? Confident in the Lord. 43:15 In his God. That's right. 43:17 His God will protect him and will watch over him. 43:21 And so over and over again we find that 43:23 we have confidence in Christ, 43:24 that as long as we are aligned with Him. 43:26 As long as we are fearing Him in a respectful way 43:28 and a relationship with Him is firmly established, 43:30 we have nothing to fear around us. 43:32 Probably, John one of the most popular, 43:34 one of the most common talked about passages of the Bible 43:39 with regard to fear doesn't even have the word fear in it. 43:42 Okay, which one is it? 43:44 It's found in Matthew Chapter 6. 43:46 All right let's go there, Matthew 6 and what verse? 43:48 Matthew 6, it says in verse, 43:56 let's start with verse 26. 43:58 All right. No, it's even before that, 25. 44:02 All right verse 25. Therefore I say to you, 44:04 do not worry about your life, 44:06 what you will eat or what you will drink, 44:08 nor about your body, what you will put on. 44:10 Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 44:14 Look at the birds of the air, 44:15 for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, 44:18 yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 44:20 Are you not of more value than they? 44:22 That's right. Which of you by worrying 44:24 can add one cubit to his stature? 44:27 So why do you worry about clothing? 44:29 Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, 44:31 they neither toil nor spin, and yet I say to you 44:33 that even Solomon in all his glory 44:35 was not arrayed like one of these. 44:37 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, 44:40 which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, 44:43 will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 44:46 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' 44:50 or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 44:52 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. 44:55 For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 44:58 But seek first the kingdom of God in His righteousness, 45:02 and all these things shall be added to you. 45:05 And then he ends, Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, 45:09 for tomorrow will worry about its own things. 45:12 Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 45:16 Not once does it say fear, but we know worry is based on 45:20 fear of tomorrow, fear of things around us, 45:23 fear of circumstances. 45:24 God says clearly Jesus is saying don't fear, 45:27 don't worry about these things. 45:29 Sometimes fear can be removed by simply doing 45:33 what you know is necessary, 45:35 I know that in this fearful climate, 45:38 there are some individuals that had been 45:39 going through conventionary measures, 45:41 traditional measures to find a job, 45:44 to establish a business, 45:46 they go through conventional measures. 45:47 But there are those individuals that rise above so to speak 45:51 they think out of the box, and they say okay, 45:53 well since the conventional way is not working. 45:55 Let me be creative, let me think differently, 45:59 let that is in regards to gaining an income, 46:04 doing something different to really establish 46:07 and sustain themselves through difficult times. 46:10 But if you sit down and just say, oh what's gonna happen. 46:14 Nobody wants to hire me. 46:16 My house is going through foreclosure. 46:19 All the things that I have saved up, 46:21 I don't have any place to put my things 46:22 and I'm gonna be put out of my house 46:23 and about two hours or two weeks or two months. 46:26 And then this becomes an internalizing cancer 46:31 that eats the person up. 46:32 But when you go back to what you just read here John, 46:34 this is great food, God is saying 46:37 have you ever seen any birds 46:39 in front of your window protesting? 46:42 Well, they do protest in front of my window, 46:44 I must say that, because my wife and I love to feed them. 46:47 And whenever we forget to put their feed out there, 46:50 they dive into the windows and where they chirp 46:52 and chirp and the squirrel we feed them too. 46:54 And when we forget to do that, 46:56 they stand on the railing and they wag their tails. 46:59 But what that says to me, in the way that God provides 47:02 for their needs through nature, God provides for our need, 47:06 through His resources that will never be languished, 47:09 that will never be dried-up. 47:10 And so the fear factor so to speak, 47:14 is a good way of thinking about the sermon, 47:17 but I want to also point out 47:19 is something very, very important. 47:21 If you are going through fear 47:22 the question is where did it come from? 47:26 And more particularly if you are a Christian remember, 47:29 there is not also, there is not just the spirit of depression, 47:32 there is not the spirit of anxiety, 47:35 they are not just evil spirits, 47:36 but there is the spirit of fear. 47:40 There is the spirit of prophecy, but there is a spirit of fear. 47:44 Now this is not saying like a Holy Spirit of fear 47:47 or some inspired spirit of fear, 47:49 it simply saying there, there are those of us 47:52 who operate in the mode of fear 47:54 and we have the spirit about us, 47:56 but it didn't come from God. 47:58 Second Timothy 1 verse 7, For God has not given us 48:01 a spirit of fear, but of power and of love 48:05 and of a sound mind. 48:08 So when Noah heard that the flood was coming, 48:10 the Bible says he moved with godly fear. 48:15 He did something that seemed completely irrational 48:19 and to those who are the onlookers, 48:22 it's seemed as though what he was doing 48:24 had no warranted foundation of relevance. 48:28 But he moved with godly fear. 48:30 In other words, God has not given us 48:32 the spirit to cause us to be fearful. 48:34 But if we trust God and rely on Him more, 48:37 the things that we do are based on godly fear. 48:40 It's coming, God has warned me 48:41 there is something that I need to do. 48:45 Great, you know, there is... 48:49 Okay I can think of some of the passages where, 48:53 it's not just the command to fear God in a way 48:55 that we respect Him. 48:56 There is a command that 48:57 God should be feared in certain ways. 49:01 And the command seems to be centered on the wicked. 49:06 Oh, yes. Not the righteous, 49:08 the righteous do not have anything to be afraid off. 49:12 But, the wicked have something to be afraid off, 49:16 and what they fear is judgment 49:20 and I'm trying to find the text here. 49:23 While you are looking for that, I'm gonna read... 49:25 Okay, go ahead, you bring one up. 49:26 In Hosea, on the flip side of the blessings 49:32 not coming into our lives, sometimes it happens 49:35 because we do not fear the Lord. 49:38 The Bible says the fear of the Lord 49:40 is the beginning of wisdom. 49:42 It doesn't mean, like the three shaky characters 49:49 in the Wizard of Oz. 49:51 But, it means because we do not consider 49:55 that the wisdom that we get from a God 49:58 who thinks nothing but good for us. 50:00 If we don't consider that He is the way, 50:03 He is the director, He is the foundation, 50:05 He is the source of all of our blessings 50:07 and we choose not to fear Him. 50:09 Then what happens is then we end up living 50:12 in fear of the Lord. 50:14 You see, we choose the fear of the Lord. 50:18 We choose the way of the Lord. 50:20 But you'll find that all the reasons why 50:23 Israel often have difficulty in their walk with God 50:25 is they did not fear the Lord. 50:28 In Hosea 10 in verse 3 talks about that particular station 50:33 that Israel was in the near past. 50:34 Yeah, and they did have something to fear 50:37 when they were in that state. 50:39 You know, this issues of God is not to be feared, 50:45 that we should just be, oh, you know, 50:47 He is so gracious, He is so lovingly. 50:49 We don't anything to worry about. 50:50 Once we accept Jesus there is no accountability, 50:53 that's the word, there is accountability for our actions 50:56 from that point on. 50:57 It's just mistaken and I'm reading now 50:59 from Hebrews Chapter 10 verses 26 and 27. 51:02 Okay, let's go there. 51:03 Let's think how an appropriate fear kind of comes into it, 51:05 because the writer of Hebrews very clear here on that 51:09 fear does have a part to play in making us accountable to God. 51:13 Verse 26, "For if we sin willfully 51:17 after we have received the knowledge of the truth, 51:20 there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. 51:23 In other words once we come into the truth, 51:24 we accept Jesus as our Savior. 51:26 But then we continue to practice the old way of life, 51:29 to practice the sins that we, that He has delivered us from. 51:33 Then it says there is no longer remains 51:35 the sacrifice for those sins. 51:37 In other words Christ death on the cross 51:40 does not benefit us any longer. 51:42 That's right. Now look at verse 27. 51:44 "But what happens, a certain fearful expectation of judgment, 51:49 and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries." 51:53 So this is what remains in front of us 51:56 and this judgment becomes fearful only 51:59 when you are not living in harmony with God's ways. 52:05 And so when someone says, do I, 52:06 should I fear the judgment? 52:07 Yes if you are the wicked. 52:09 No, if you are trusting in Christ, 52:11 because Jesus by His own merits, by His own life, 52:15 who He has given to you as He exchange them for your sins, 52:19 stands before the judgment seat in perfection. 52:22 Your sins are not coming up for judgment, 52:25 that is a good thing. 52:27 That's what in Christ we should not fear the judgment. 52:31 But notice here what Jesus says about the same event, 52:36 the certain fiery indignation that we should fear 52:39 if there we are not walking in God's ways. 52:42 Matthew 10:28 says do not fear those who kill the body, 52:46 but cannot kill the soul. 52:49 In another words they can take your life, 52:52 they can end it, but when it comes to your soul. 52:55 When Jesus comes back in the resurrection to raise you up, 52:58 you will live forever with Him. 53:00 That's right. Your soul is preserved, right. 53:02 Okay, this isn't a separate soul from the body, 53:03 this is just the essence of who you are. 53:05 Thank you. And then go on it says, 53:08 But rather fear Him, 53:10 speaking of His Father who is able to destroy 53:14 both soul and body in hell. 53:16 Oh, good text. 53:18 So, this is something we should fear, 53:20 and the only one that can destroy soul and body, 53:23 in other words there is no more at all. 53:26 There is no more coming back. 53:27 There is no more coming back beyond that, is God Himself. 53:32 So when we talk about, we shouldn't fear. 53:35 Let's put this in proper context. 53:37 Those who are following Christ have no reason to fear, 53:40 but those who are not God is wooing them 53:43 and drawing them to hear to Him. 53:45 But as long as they resist Him and the closer 53:47 they get to the end of time, 53:50 they do have something to fear by rejecting His extension, 53:54 His offer for salvation. 53:56 That's right, and so this passage 53:58 and I want to reiterate what you just read a moment ago. 54:02 We should fear the one who was able to destroy 54:04 both body and soul, completely wipe us out of existence. 54:09 But I want to continue with verse 29, 54:11 because this is a very wonderful passage 54:13 in Matthew Chapter 10, because you find this 54:15 very theme continuing. 54:17 You find this very theme continuing 54:19 in the sense of provision now. 54:21 It says, Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? 54:25 And not one of them falls to the ground apart 54:29 from the Father's will. 54:31 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 54:35 That's great. Do not fear...Do not fear. 54:39 Do not fear, yeah, therefore, good emphasis 54:43 you are more valuable than many sparrows. 54:48 Isn't that wonderful? 54:49 And He is talking to His children, 54:50 He is talking to His brothers and sisters but God's children, 54:53 right, do not fear. 54:54 So what you are fearful off. 54:56 There is not a sparrow that falls to the aground 54:58 that the Father doesn't notice. 54:59 And, you know, what, I know what that's like, 55:01 John in the backyard, it's really funny. 55:04 People come to my house and they say, 55:06 why do have blue tape on your widows? 55:08 Well, there is a reflection that comes off our lake 55:11 in the backyard, and it reflects on the window 55:14 and it brightens up and the sparrows 55:15 and the bird's think that it's another outside 55:19 they see the window and they think that 55:20 by flying into the window they are sill outside 55:23 and I went outside a number of occasions 55:25 and found birds I heard the bang 55:27 and I saw them laying on the ground 55:29 struggling for their lives. 55:31 A number of cases ended tragically 55:34 but on the other side of that when they felt to the ground, 55:37 I noticed it and I went out one day 55:39 I picked up a little small gray and black sparrow 55:41 and picked him up he was upside down, 55:43 his wings were both out and he had blood 55:44 coming out of side of his mouth. 55:46 I don't want to be gruesome, this has a very good ending. 55:48 And I picked him up and I put a red towel 55:50 on the table in my backyard, 55:52 I got a small little saucer of water, 55:54 small enough for him to put his face in, 55:56 and I just started just touching his mouth, 55:58 so he can sense there was water nearby 56:00 and he began to drink it. 56:01 And I close my eyes, my wife said, what are you doing? 56:03 And I said I'm praying, I'm praying. 56:05 She said, what are you praying for? 56:06 And I said I'm praying God don't let this one die, 56:10 because I had seen sometimes I miss them 56:12 and I've saw them, seen the birds die. 56:14 And then I put a little bit, put little handful of bird seeds 56:19 and put it in my hand and I had my hand around him. 56:22 In most cases they get fearful. 56:25 But, I had my hand to warm him up, 56:27 and as I close my eyes and pray, 56:30 then I put him down on the cloth 56:31 and at that point he stood up I turn my back 56:34 and as I turn back to look and see what happen, 56:36 he flew away. 56:38 And I said, oh thank you Lord, 56:40 this sparrow got your notice when he fell to the ground, 56:44 you got my notice and together, 56:47 this sparrow flow away. 56:48 And friends that's what God is like, 56:50 He doesn't look at us and stay apart from us 56:53 in a time of fear, He provides our needs. 56:56 That is wonderful. 56:57 What a great analogy of what God actually does for us. 57:00 That's right. He sees that we've run into a wall. 57:02 We have fallen, but He has picked us up 57:05 and He said I will not let this one die. 57:08 And He has died in our place, so that we might have life. 57:11 That's right, you know, the Lord says to all of us 57:13 in these fearful time, fear not for I'm with you, 57:16 be not dismay, I'll uphold you, 57:19 I'll up hold you with my righteous right arm. 57:21 Whatever the case maybe, don't settle for fear. 57:26 Choose God instead and you will find that 57:28 as He has done in the past, 57:30 He will do for you in the future. 57:31 God bless you until we see you again 57:33 and have a great day in Christ. |
Revised 2014-12-17