Participants:
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP210403S
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00:12 Let's pray.
00:15 Risen Christ, we praise You today. 00:19 We thank You for this chance we have 00:22 to join together to worship You. 00:26 We thank You for another Sabbath. 00:29 And we thank You for the rest that Sabbath brings 00:32 physically, emotionally, spiritually. 00:38 And we rest in Your presence today. 00:41 We thank You for Your power, 00:44 and Your presence, and Your selfless love 00:48 that caused You to lay down Your life 00:51 for our redemption. 00:54 And that power which raised You up 00:56 gives us assurance, 00:59 as the Apostle Paul says, 01:00 "Assurance that our preaching is not empty, 01:04 that our faith is not in vain, 01:08 that our sins can be forgiven, 01:11 and that we can have hope of eternal life." 01:15 So as we worship You today, 01:18 infuse this place and or space with Your powerful presence 01:25 that we might forget about every distraction 01:28 that we might focus on you 01:30 and worship You in spirit and in truth 01:34 and that we might experience the transformation 01:38 from Your resurrection power. 01:40 We pray in Jesus' name. 01:43 Amen. 02:11 Redeemed, How I love to proclaim it! 02:15 Redeemed By the blood of the Lamb 02:19 Redeemed Thro' His infinite mercy 02:23 His child and forever I am 02:27 Redeemed, redeemed 02:31 Redeemed By the blood of the Lamb 02:36 Redeemed, How I love to proclaim it! 02:40 His child and forever I am 02:44 I think of my blessed Redeemer 02:49 I think of Him all the day long 02:53 I sing, for I cannot be silent 02:57 His love is the theme Of my song 03:01 Redeemed, redeemed 03:06 Redeemed By the blood of the Lamb 03:10 Redeemed, How I love to proclaim it! 03:14 His child and forever I am 03:19 I know I shall see in His beauty 03:23 The King in whose law I delight 03:27 Who lovingly guardeth My footsteps 03:31 And giveth me songs In the night 03:36 Redeemed, redeemed 03:40 Redeemed By the blood of the Lamb 03:44 Redeemed, How I love to proclaim it! 03:49 His child and forever I am 04:20 Your only Son no sin to hide 04:26 But You have sent Him From Your side 04:31 To walk upon this guilty sod 04:37 And to become the Lamb of God 04:46 Your gift of love They crucified 04:52 They laughed and scorned Him As He died 04:58 The humble King They named a fraud 05:04 And sacrificed the Lamb of God 05:10 Oh Lamb of God Sweet Lamb of God 05:16 I love the holy Lamb of God 05:22 Oh wash me In His precious blood 05:28 My Jesus Christ, 05:30 The Lamb of God 05:37 I was so lost I should have died 05:43 But You have brought me To Your side 05:49 To be led by Your staff and rod 05:55 And to be called a lamb of God 06:01 Oh Lamb of God Sweet Lamb of God 06:07 I love the holy Lamb of God 06:13 Oh wash me In His precious blood 06:20 My Jesus Christ, 06:22 The Lamb of God 06:26 My Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God 06:37 Amen. 06:39 Jesus, the Lamb of God made the ultimate sacrifice. 06:43 He was in dust bonds, but He has risen. 06:47 He has resurrected, He has been victorious 06:50 and we have joyful hope. 06:51 Can we say hallelujah? 06:53 Hallelujah. Amen. 06:55 So let us reflect on His sacrifice 06:58 and remember the risen Christ. 07:42 O Breath of God 07:45 Come fill this place 07:49 Revive our hearts 07:53 To know Your grace 07:57 And from our slumber 08:01 Make us rise 08:04 That we may know The risen Christ 08:16 O Word of God 08:19 So clear and true 08:23 Renew our minds 08:27 To trust in You 08:30 And give to us 08:34 The Bread of Life 08:38 That we may know The risen Christ 08:49 O love of God 08:53 So unrestrained 08:57 Refresh our souls In Jesus' name 09:04 Let us reflect 09:07 Your sacrifice 09:11 That we may know The risen Christ 09:23 May God the Father 09:27 God the Son 09:31 And God the Spirit 09:35 Make us one 09:38 In holiness 09:41 Let us unite 09:45 That we may know The risen Christ 10:47 Thank you for the cross Lord 10:54 Thank you For the price You paid 11:01 Bearing all my sin and shame 11:06 In love You came 11:09 And gave amazing grace 11:15 Thank you for this love Lord 11:22 Thank you For the nail-pierced hands 11:29 Washed me In Your cleansing flow 11:33 Now all I know 11:36 Your forgiveness and embrace 11:44 Worthy is the Lamb 11:51 Seated on the throne 11:57 Crown You now With many crowns 12:04 You reign victorious 12:11 High and lifted up 12:18 Jesus Son of God 12:24 The Darling of heaven crucified 12:35 Worthy is the Lamb 12:43 Worthy is the Lamb 12:50 Thank you for the cross Lord 12:57 Thank you For the price You paid 13:03 Bearing all my sin and shame 13:08 In love You came 13:11 And gave amazing grace 13:17 Thank you for this love Lord 13:24 Thank you For the nail-pierced hands 13:30 Washed me In Your cleansing flow 13:35 Now all I know 13:38 Your forgiveness and embrace 13:45 Worthy is the Lamb 13:52 Seated on the throne 13:58 Crown You now With many crowns 14:05 You reign victorious 14:12 High and lifted up 14:18 Jesus Son of God 14:24 The Darling of heaven Crucified 14:35 Worthy is the Lamb 14:42 Worthy is the Lamb 14:49 Worthy is the Lamb 14:57 Worthy is the Lamb 15:15 Hey, see this, Dad and Mom, come on, 15:19 children's story's on. 15:22 Good morning boys and girls. 15:23 Thank you for joining me for children's story today. 15:26 Today I wanted to talk to you about stories 15:29 about your favorite stories. 15:31 My daughter Audrey has a favorite story right now. 15:34 And it's this one, 15:35 I have it right here to show you. 15:36 It's called Bunnies Book Club. 15:39 I'm going to tell you a little bit about it. 15:41 In the story, bunny enjoys living near a library, 15:45 and he gets to hear the librarian 15:47 tell stories at story time 15:48 outside on the lawn every day. 15:51 But when winter comes, 15:52 they have to move back inside. 15:54 And bunny gets sad 15:55 because he can't hear the stories anymore. 15:57 So he comes up with a plan 15:59 to sneak into the library every night, 16:02 through the book return 16:03 and read as many stories as he wants. 16:06 His friends get involved, 16:07 the other animals that live in the forest, 16:09 and they do this together. 16:12 But after a little while, they get caught. 16:16 And this is the part of the story 16:17 when Audrey pretends to be nervous, 16:20 just like the animals in the book. 16:23 Now she knows what's going to happen, 16:25 because we've read this story many times. 16:28 But the animals don't know what's going to happen. 16:31 And so they wait. 16:32 And they're nervous, 16:34 and they are not sure 16:37 if they're going to get in trouble 16:38 for what they've been doing or not. 16:40 Well, it turns out 16:41 that the librarian 16:43 doesn't want them to get in trouble. 16:44 She just wants to give them library cards, 16:46 so that they can check out books properly. 16:48 And the story ends happy. 16:50 And I think that's why Audrey likes it. 16:51 Because even though you get worried in the middle, 16:54 it ends happy. 16:55 You know, there's another book that we have full of stories. 16:59 And that's the Bible. 17:01 We have stories of Abraham and stories of Moses, Noah. 17:06 We have the stories of Jesus in His life, 17:08 from when He's born 17:10 to the miracles He does as an adult, 17:13 and then to His death. 17:15 You know, that's a story 17:17 you're probably hearing a lot of right now. 17:20 The disciples, Jesus' friends, 17:23 they didn't know 17:25 what was going to happen after Jesus died. 17:28 And they spent a few days being very sad 17:31 and very worried, 17:32 just like the animals in the other book, 17:35 just like we do sometimes. 17:37 But Jesus knew that 17:38 everything was going to be okay. 17:41 The disciples just didn't understand. 17:44 Until a few days later, 17:45 when they heard the amazing miraculous news 17:49 that God's power had won out over death, 17:52 and Jesus was alive again. 17:54 Don't you think that they would have enjoyed 17:56 understanding that 17:58 during that time, 17:59 they wouldn't have been scared and nervous or worried at all. 18:03 You know, this Bible is full of stories. 18:06 But it also is a story. 18:07 It's our story. 18:09 From the beginning, when God created our world, 18:12 to the end 18:14 when God is coming back. 18:15 We know the end of our story. 18:18 We know that God will return and defeat Satan, 18:22 He actually already has at the cross. 18:25 And He will take us home with Him 18:27 and we will live in heaven with Him forever. 18:30 My dad likes to say that 18:32 God wrote the end of the story first, 18:34 so that we wouldn't have to worry. 18:37 And I hope you remember that, boys and girls, 18:39 as we go forward, 18:40 as we have worrisome days 18:43 and maybe share that with somebody 18:45 who's having a hard time 18:47 that that you know, that we know. 18:49 And we can read it here as many times as we want 18:54 that God is coming back, 18:55 that the end of the story is already written 18:58 and that it's a happy ending, 18:59 and we don't have to worry at all. 19:03 So thanks for joining me today 19:04 and I hope you have a happy Sabbath. 19:09 Dear Jesus, thank You for the Sabbath day. 19:12 Please help us to forgive others. 19:16 We love You, Jesus. 19:17 Amen. 22:21 Amen! 22:26 Let's pray. 22:27 Oh God, ours the cross, the grave, the skies, 22:33 it's that hope do we cling to. 22:36 A few moments left in your words 22:38 speak to us please, 22:40 don't let us leave the same way we came. 22:42 We pray in Jesus' name. 22:45 Amen. 22:46 I want you to try to imagine for a moment, 22:48 it'd be hard to do but try to imagine for a moment 22:51 what that moment was actually like. 22:55 Okay, so we're talking, we're talking about pitch, 23:00 black darkness. 23:03 All right. I'm already in trouble. 23:06 And then we're talking about no circulating air. 23:10 Bigger trouble. 23:14 In fact, if you raised right now, 23:17 your hand in front of your face, 23:18 you could not see it. 23:20 There's not a shred of light in the space. 23:23 And it is as silent as a grave. 23:30 You're alone, 23:32 you're the only living being in that space, 23:35 but there is a body 23:39 somewhere in the dark in front of you, 23:41 maybe three or four feet away. 23:45 It's not your own body. 23:47 You're not in a casket. 23:50 Your arms are just pinned to your side, 23:51 you know that. 23:52 You can move your arms 23:54 and when you try to raise them over your head 23:56 about up this high, 23:57 you hit something and you feel 23:59 it is, it's cold, it's damp. 24:02 It's the rock ceiling of a sepulcher. 24:08 And you're sealed in it, 24:12 when suddenly your heart stops 24:15 because you've been absolutely careful 24:17 not to breathe a sound 24:19 but now you hear a sound 24:22 something in the dark rustles. 24:28 And you know that a body in the dark 24:29 and if you're in that same space, 24:31 you can actually hear a body 24:35 if it moves. 24:40 It rustles, 24:42 you can hear legs just drop off a stone ledge 24:47 where they've been lying reposed 24:49 since late Friday. 24:57 Was that an intake? 25:01 Was that a quiet exhale? 25:04 Maybe they heard them both. 25:07 They try to imagine that moment, 25:09 it's just beyond me. 25:10 It could have been another way, 25:12 it could have been in that suffocating darkness. 25:14 There you are. 25:15 When in a nanosecond of a nanosecond 25:18 there is a flicker of atomic light 25:20 that fissures into a nuclear sunrise 25:24 that evaporates the darkness into dust 25:27 that collapses on the floor. 25:29 And there he is. 25:34 Hey, look, 25:35 I gotta admit, 25:37 it almost seems sacrilegious to, 25:38 to try to imagine, to try to eyewitness, 25:42 this single most important event 25:45 chronicled in the histories of the universe, 25:49 the resurrection of Christ. 25:51 Let's go to an eyewitness account, 25:53 except we can't, 25:54 there were no eyewitnesses. 25:56 Let's go to the Gospel of Matthew. 25:57 Grab your Bible. 25:59 Let's just at least read a description of the moment 26:02 that's preserved these 2000 years, 26:04 Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew. 26:06 You have your device, pull your device out. 26:08 Matthew Chapter 28. 26:11 Matthew Chapter 28, beginning in verse 1. 26:13 "Then after the Sabbath, 26:15 at dawn on the first day of the week, 26:17 Mary Magdalene, oh, you know here, 26:20 and the other Mary we don't know her, 26:22 "went to look at the tomb." 26:26 Verse 2, 26:27 "There was a violent earthquake, 26:30 for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven 26:33 and going to the tomb 26:34 rolled back the stone and sat on it." 26:38 I love that. 26:39 His appearance was like lightning 26:40 and his clothes were as white as snow. 26:43 The guards were so afraid of him 26:45 that they shook and became like dead men." 26:50 Now what feels like an eyewitness account, 26:52 I want to read this with you. 26:54 We read it together, 26:55 put it on the screen 26:56 from the classic on the life of Jesus 26:58 Desire of Ages, 26:59 "The face the guards look upon..." 27:01 So this being that shoom, that has come down. 27:05 "The face the guards look upon 27:06 is not the face of a mortal warrior. 27:09 It is the face of the mightiest of the Lord's host. 27:12 This messenger is He who fills the position 27:15 from which Satan fell." 27:17 That would have to be Gabriel, wouldn't it? 27:18 It's got to be Gabriel. 27:20 "It is he who on the heels of Bethlehem 27:21 proclaimed Christ's birth. 27:23 The earth trembles at his approach, 27:26 the hosts of darkness flee, 27:30 and as he rolls away the stone, 27:32 heaven seems to come down to the earth. 27:36 The soldiers see him removing the stone 27:39 as he would a pebble. 27:42 And they hear him cry, Son of God, come forth, 27:46 they father Calls Thee. 27:48 And He who had vanquished death and the grave 27:51 came forth from the tomb with a tread of a conqueror, 27:54 amid the reeling of the earth, 27:56 the flashing of lightning and the roaring of thunder. 28:00 I tell you what, if you wanted an eight story, 28:02 IMAX screen surround sound moment, 28:04 you just got it. 28:07 When He the maker of all things, 28:10 who loves and wants me 28:13 when He comes forth, the Lord Jesus. 28:17 Wow. 28:18 So here's the question. 28:21 Who raised Jesus from the dead? 28:25 There seems to be some conflicting testimony, 28:29 who raised Jesus from the dead? 28:31 Oh, we have this line. I'll share it with you. 28:33 This is Peter thundering away 28:37 on Pentecost morning. 28:40 And in the middle of that homily, Peter cries out, 28:43 "But God raised him 28:44 speaking of Jesus from the dead, 28:46 freeing him from the agony of death 28:47 because it was impossible 28:49 for death to keep its hold on him." 28:51 I want an amen to that. 28:53 Isn't that a great line? 28:54 It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 28:59 Well, clearly, the Father raised Jesus from the dead. 29:05 But then you come across this text 29:07 a little bit. 29:09 Now what are we gonna do with this? 29:10 This is Romans 8:11, Paul writing. 29:13 "And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead 29:16 is living in you, 29:18 he who raised Christ from the dead, 29:21 will also give life to your mortal bodies 29:23 because of his Spirit who lives in you? 29:27 Well, it's obviously the Holy Spirit 29:28 that raised Christ from the dead. 29:30 This is confusing. 29:31 And then it really becomes complicated 29:33 when we have the words of our Lord Himself 29:35 here in John 10: 17. 29:37 Jesus said, 29:38 "The reason My Father loves Me 29:40 is that I lay down My life only to take it up again. 29:44 No one takes it from Me, 29:47 but I lay it down on My own accord. 29:49 I have authority to lay it down 29:51 and I have authority to take it up again. 29:53 This command I received from My Father." 29:56 So who raised Jesus from the dead? 30:00 Hmm, 30:01 that's gotta be the entire three member, 30:04 Divine Trinity, right? 30:07 I mean, should we be surprised? 30:09 All three of them collaborated 30:11 in the creation of earth from scratch? 30:15 Should we be surprised all three of them collaborated 30:17 in the salvation of the human race from scratch? 30:21 And now all three of them collaborate 30:23 in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead from scratch. 30:28 Wow! 30:30 We're talking about power here. 30:33 And that's the point. 30:34 What's the big deal? 30:36 I tell you what the big deal is. 30:40 The resurrection of Christ Jesus, our Lord, 30:43 required the unleashing of divine omnipotence 30:47 equally shared among the Trinity Father, 30:50 Son and Holy Spirit, 30:52 the unleashing of divine omnipotence 30:55 that is available for you and me right now. 30:59 Do you believe that? 31:01 You're not sure, are you? 31:03 Available for you and me right now. 31:07 I love the way Paul describes this incredible unleashing, 31:12 and I just put a line of his on the screen here. 31:15 This is Ephesians 1:19-20. 31:19 When Paul describes that power, this way, 31:21 "The incomparably great power 31:24 that raised Christ from the dead." 31:28 Do you know what that word? Come on. Come on. Come on. 31:30 Do you know what this word right here means? 31:33 What is incomparably mean? 31:36 Incomparably means 31:38 that you cannot compare it with any other power, 31:41 any other power you come up with, 31:42 and we throw it up to put it beside it born new 31:47 the incomparably great power 31:50 that raised Christ from the dead. 31:52 I don't know 31:53 if you were following this story. 31:54 I was with a bit of bemusement. 31:59 I'm talking about that massive, 32:01 that massive Freightliner 200, 000 tons weighing 32:06 ever given is its name. 32:10 Did you follow the news on this thing 32:12 over the last few days? 32:13 Huh? 32:14 One thousand three hundred and forty two feet long. 32:17 That is one quarter of a mile. 32:20 It is carrying 20,000 containers 32:24 and they are filled with $9 billion of merchandise 32:28 to be sold somewhere on this earth. 32:31 And that that Freightliner 32:33 is trying to negotiate a 225 foot canal 32:37 called the Suez Canal. 32:40 And because of high winds and low visibility, 32:43 that one quarter mile long of the Freightliner twisted 32:49 in the narrow channel and you got it, right? 32:53 It got winched. It was stuck. 32:57 And the whole world watched for six days and night. 33:01 Listen to this. 33:03 They tried everything. 33:04 Every tugboat they could think of, 33:06 every winch, every bulldozer 33:09 trying to free this stuck vessel. 33:14 Well, guess who ended up doing it? 33:17 God did. 33:18 God freed the vessel. 33:20 They tried everything. 33:21 And then it happened to be a full moon 33:23 and God made sure that 33:24 those tidal forces got underneath that ship 33:27 and pulled it with a strength of the omnipotent 33:31 and pulled it right off that sandbar 33:34 and freed it up. 33:37 What man cannot do God can do. 33:41 That's the deal about this incomparably great power 33:45 when it belongs to God. 33:46 It's the divine power that raised up a dead body, 33:49 you are stand, you were sitting squatting by that body 33:53 just a few moments ago and boom, something happened. 33:57 And when that body took that in that tomb, 34:04 the door is rollback by Gabriel himself. 34:07 What does Jesus declare? 34:08 I am the resurrection and the life. 34:11 She who believes in me, 34:14 he who believes in me 34:15 though they may die... 34:17 Come on read that last line out loud with me, 34:20 yet shall they? 34:22 What's that word? 34:23 They shall live." 34:26 Incomparably great power 34:31 that's what we're here to celebrate today. 34:35 What man cannot do God can do. 34:38 Your life right now by the way, 34:39 your life right now is jammed like that Freightliner, 34:42 you are stuck and you know it. 34:44 I don't know what's going on in your life. 34:46 But you are stuck right now, 34:47 you can't go forward, you can't go backwards. 34:49 You're dead in the water. 34:52 The some of you right now. 34:54 Your academic seemed pin down 34:56 and unable to get forward traction. 34:59 It looks like you're going to have to give up your dream 35:02 of that major 35:04 that you have worked so hard so far, 35:07 but you can't. 35:09 Some of you, your finances are intractable, 35:13 running out by the hour 35:14 and there is not a single dollar bill in sight 35:17 and you know what I'm talking about? 35:19 That's what as you trapped today. 35:21 Some of you are struggling with deteriorating health 35:25 and everything they throw at it 35:28 does not seem to reverse it. 35:33 Some of you are half of a marriage 35:38 on the rocks. 35:41 And it looks like 35:42 this marriage is not salvageable. 35:48 That's what we're talking about. 35:52 And then along comes this incomparably great power 35:57 of the resurrected Christ. 35:59 I love what this same Gabriel, the one that was at the tomb, 36:02 this same Gabriel who really is... 36:05 Well, it was Jesus' guardian angel 36:07 if you wish to know. 36:08 This same Gabriel shows up 36:09 to the teenage virgin named Mary 36:12 and he speaks these words 36:14 and I don't want you to ever forget him. 36:15 Here is Gabriel speaking, 36:17 "No word from God will ever fail, 36:20 for with God nothing will be impossible." 36:23 Jot that down, Luke 1:37. 36:26 Isn't that amazing? 36:29 Mary must have, you know, 36:31 I love the Katie's children's story 36:32 a moment ago about, you know, parents keep telling the story. 36:35 Mary must have told her little boy Jesus 36:37 the story about the angel 36:38 who showed up and said this, 36:40 because Jesus when He grew up quotes His mother 36:42 who is quoting Gabriel on that day 36:45 when that rich young ruler, crestfallen, 36:49 convinced it's impossible to follow this Christ, 36:52 Jesus said, 36:53 "Hey, guys, see that? 36:57 With man, come on, put Jesus on the screen. 37:00 "With man, this is impossible, 37:04 but with God all things are possible." 37:09 I need you to get this, 37:10 I need you to just lock this in your solar souls 37:13 what man cannot do, God can do. 37:23 A marriage can look lost on every front 37:29 except the divine front 37:32 and its incomparably great power. 37:38 Now, one of the joys of living in this little community 37:43 in this parish is that 37:45 we live pretty close to each other, 37:47 in the dorms, even in the community. 37:51 And that can be good. 37:53 But sometimes that can be not so good. 37:57 It's hard for a marriage to struggle in this community. 38:01 I'll just be honest with you. 38:02 Why? Because everybody knows. 38:05 And people who don't deserve to know, 38:07 try to find out. 38:11 It's not good. 38:13 There's some downsides 38:14 to living in an Adventist ghetto, 38:17 as we do, 38:19 but one of the great upsides, come on, 38:21 one of the great upsides 38:22 is how people come to the side of those 38:24 who are suffering, 38:26 and they journey alongside them. 38:29 They don't take sides, 38:31 you never take sides, you can't, 38:32 you'll destroy any hope of a marriage being restored. 38:35 You can't take sides, 38:36 you just be at the side of the ones who suffer. 38:43 Now, this isn't rocket science, 38:45 everybody here knows this. 38:46 Marriage is facing some immense challenges 38:50 the world over. 38:52 So I'm listening to a podcast the other day, 38:54 because Albert Mohler, who is just a bright mind, 39:00 he is the president 39:02 of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 39:05 in Louisville, Kentucky. 39:07 And he has a podcast called Thinking in Public, 39:10 there's a couple of them. 39:11 I love listening to him because he's got a bright mind. 39:13 And I say you go, Albert, 39:16 I'd love to meet him someday. 39:17 But anyway, this particular day, 39:19 he's interviewing Mark Regnerus, okay? 39:23 And who is Mark Regnerus? 39:25 He is a tenured sociologist, all right, 39:27 a professor of sociology 39:28 at the University of Texas, Austin, 39:30 and he's the author of a brand new book 39:32 called The Future of Christian Marriage. 39:34 And it's published by Oxford University Press. 39:37 And I want to tell you something, 39:38 if you ever get a book published 39:40 by Oxford University Press, 39:42 we will all rise up and call you blessed, 39:44 because they are very particular 39:47 about what they put their imprimatur to. 39:51 So we're not talking about 39:52 some kind of Wal-Mart book on marriage. 39:56 This is a bright man. 39:58 And I listen to them go back and forth. 40:00 I'm so impressed 40:01 that I immediately got down in my little laptop, 40:03 and I ordered the book 40:04 and it just finished reading it. 40:06 It turns out 40:07 marriage is in an unusual sort of trouble these days 40:08 on this planet. 40:10 I hadn't heard about this. 40:11 Mark Regnerus, who by the way, is a practicing Christian, 40:16 a Presbyterian, I believe, and he's very upfront about it. 40:20 He is not set out 40:22 to provide a biblical defense of Christian marriage. 40:25 That's not his point at all. 40:26 He's not set out to show 40:28 how you can be happy in your marriage. 40:30 He's a sociologist. 40:31 He's studying seven regions of the world, 40:33 the United States being one of them. 40:35 And he's trying to understand 40:37 what is happening to marriage today. 40:38 And you know what's happening in the marriage today? 40:40 Fewer and fewer people are getting married, 40:42 because they're waiting longer and longer 40:44 and longer and longer. 40:45 And marriage is an institution 40:47 is facing what it's never faced before. 40:51 Oh, 40:52 and we'll deal with that next week and beyond 40:54 this little short one month series. 40:58 Now, this, I'm not telling you anything, 41:00 but we live in a culture right now, 41:01 you know this, 41:03 where there is a swath of people, 41:08 academics and seculars alike 41:10 who believe marriage is an outdated institution 41:12 that needs to be replaced by a more egalitarian 41:15 user friendly for this age kind of relationship. 41:18 And we'll talk about that as well. 41:22 But I need to, 41:24 I need to have you hear from a ethicist 41:27 from University of Chicago. 41:29 He's the late Don Browning. 41:31 He was very much a believer in marriage. 41:33 Now Mark Regnerus quotes Don Browning. 41:37 So I'm gonna put it on the screen for you. 41:38 Okay. 41:39 Marriage is not, so this is Brown. 41:41 This is Browning now talking, the great ethicist. 41:43 All right. 41:45 Marriage is not a popular topic. 41:47 Boy, you got that right. 41:49 It is often referred to as the M word, 41:54 almost in the same category as other dirty words. 41:57 Of course, it is not a dirty word, 42:00 still quoting Browning. 42:01 But it is a word that makes people uncomfortable 42:03 as a topic of serious conversation. 42:05 People start squirming 42:07 when you say let's talk about marriage. 42:08 Why? Because we don't know what to do with it. 42:12 We survive ourselves, but we're not sure. 42:15 And, yeah, now Regnerus goes on. 42:19 Add Christianity to marriage as a topic of conversation, 42:23 and you get the holy grail of unfashionable pairings 42:28 in the scholarly world. 42:29 Don't you bring that up at all. 42:32 Oh my. 42:34 Has the M word, 42:36 a marriage lost its benefits for this society? 42:41 Question. 42:43 Answer. 42:45 Are you kidding? 42:47 Let me run this by you. 42:48 We just read Regnerus. 42:51 I went ahead and put some numbers in, 42:52 so you're gonna, we're gonna count 42:54 how many benefits 42:55 could we just count on our pinkies right now, 42:57 if we were trying to get some together? 42:58 Here we go. 43:00 The data on marriage remains solid, 43:01 even if you want to go on the record admitting it. 43:04 Man, it's not really that great. 43:06 Come on. 43:08 Notice this, marriage is by far, 43:09 I put the number in, 43:11 one, the optimal context for child rearing. 43:14 I get that. 43:16 Two, married men and women accumulate more education 43:19 and wealth and are more likely to own a home 43:22 than are unmarried adults 43:24 even similarly situated cohabiting, 43:27 that means not married, but living together, 43:30 cohabiting or single adults. 43:33 Hmm! 43:34 Three, they are also more likely 43:37 to have jobs at all, 43:38 even when controlling for other factors 43:40 such as race and education. 43:43 Number four, marriage also consolidates expenses 43:46 like food, childcare, electricity and gas. 43:49 You want to get married and save money? 43:51 Come on. 43:54 Keep reading, 43:55 and over the life course 43:56 of those who engage in marriage, 43:59 marriage drastically reduces 44:00 the odds of becoming indigent, 44:03 a homeless person or dependent on the state. 44:06 And those are just the economic emphasis 44:08 his benefits of marriage. 44:10 He says, I got more. 44:11 I say, okay, tell me more. 44:13 Recent high quality research 44:14 suggests that marriage is associated 44:16 with five higher life satisfaction, 44:18 six, greater happiness, seven... 44:24 Seven who's changing these? 44:27 Oh, that's me, okay. 44:28 Seven, better mental and physical health. 44:31 I'm so excited about this. 44:33 Eight, and greater longevity 44:34 even after controlling for baseline health. 44:37 The guy knows what he's talking about. 44:39 Keep reading. 44:41 Marriage is connected to, 44:42 nine, higher levels of meaning and purpose in life, 44:45 10, more positive relationships, 44:47 11, less loneliness. 44:50 How many disciples were there? 44:52 Okay, we need 12. 44:54 At 12, greater social support, 44:57 even controlling 44:59 for financial status and education. 45:01 Twelve benefits. 45:02 You just saw them on this screen. 45:04 Cohabitation, 45:05 living together reflects uncertainty 45:07 and diminished commitment while splitting up ends its, 45:12 lends itself to emotional and financial struggles. 45:16 I could go on, he writes. 45:21 Well, looks like there's some benefits. 45:26 It looks like there's some benefits 45:29 to this thing 45:32 that's getting a bad rap these days. 45:36 The M word, marriage. 45:40 If I sound like the Chamber of Commerce 45:42 pushing marriage for these next few weeks, 45:46 you got it right. 45:48 That's my mission as a pastor. 45:50 Push it, Dwight. 45:53 Well, Dwight, what about the singles? 45:55 Come on. Come on, cut us some slack. 45:57 Now this isn't about singles. 45:58 This is about marriage. 46:01 We'll cross this, 46:03 we'll cross the bridge that you're not sure about, 46:07 we'll cross it. 46:09 So whatever you've heard about marriage, 46:11 here's the deal. 46:12 If you're not married, doesn't matter, 46:14 or whatever you concluded to the contrary about marriage 46:17 if you are married or were married, 46:19 the research simply shows 46:21 that the institution of marriage 46:23 brings huge benefits to human beings the world over, 46:27 which doesn't make every marriage happy. 46:30 I understand that. 46:33 And which doesn't necessarily mean 46:35 every marriage is fixable or repairable, 46:39 because sometimes, now listen to me carefully. 46:41 Sometimes the choice is taken out of your hand. 46:46 Right? 46:47 She did this, he did this. 46:51 This is not my choice. 46:53 And I understand that as well. 46:54 You're absolutely right. 46:56 Nobody's trying to pin a bad marriage on anybody. 47:01 But we're thinking about it out loud. 47:05 Because if you take two people 47:07 who decide to call upon the incomparably great power, 47:12 that is unleashed by the risen Christ, 47:14 all bets are off. 47:17 If both of you are willing, 47:19 that's what I stand before you today to announce. 47:22 If both of you are willing, 47:26 what seems impossible to man, 47:30 it's possible to God. 47:34 That's the point 47:37 because we are standing you and I right here, 47:40 in the gaping mouth. 47:42 I remind you of an empty sepulcher. 47:47 It's empty. Do you understand that? 47:50 He is alive. 47:52 He is well, 47:53 He is here through His Spirit right now. 47:57 And He is the Lord of hope. 47:59 And He's breathing hope into your mind right now. 48:01 He is breathing promise into your soul. 48:03 And He is telling you I don't care 48:05 how many bad marriages you have had. 48:07 I can still give you one 48:12 that could turn your life around. 48:15 Jesus would love the woman at the well. 48:18 I know you've had four bad marriages 48:20 and the guy you're living with now, 48:21 cohabitation is not your own. 48:25 Come on, girl. 48:26 Follow me. 48:28 See what I can do for you. 48:31 We dismiss it too quickly. 48:33 What was Gabriel's? 48:34 What was Gabriel suggestion to virgin teenager Mary? 48:37 No word from God will ever fail girl, 48:40 I'm promising you that for with God, 48:42 nothing will be impossible. 48:45 And I know what you're thinking. 48:46 You're saying, Dwight, 48:48 I just love all this celestial beings 48:50 that you're deciding to quote today. 48:51 Give me somebody human for Pete's sake. 48:54 Okay, I will, I'm gonna give you Job. 48:58 Job. 48:59 Job apparently didn't have it just a really hot marriage. 49:03 Because after he got really bummed out, 49:04 his wife said, 49:06 "Why don't you just curse God and die." 49:07 She's just kind of ready for the same end. 49:10 So don't look at Job as a model for how to deal with crises 49:15 as far as Mrs. Job is concerned. 49:18 All right. 49:19 But Job at the end of his book, 49:21 he's finally speaking to God. 49:22 He said, "Oh, man, I have been so wrong about you." 49:25 And God says, guess what? 49:27 You're right now. 49:30 Job says to God, 49:31 "Oh, God, I know You can do all things, 49:34 no purpose of yours. 49:35 Give me what this word is? Can be what? 49:37 What's this word? 49:39 Can be thwarted, can be stymied, 49:41 can be blocked, can be wedged 49:43 can be stopped, no purpose of yours. 49:46 This guy have a purpose for marriage? 49:48 Take a look. 49:49 Genesis, 49:50 "It is not good for the man, adam, to be alone. 49:55 I will make a helper suitable for him." 49:57 Does guy have a purpose for the human race? 49:59 Yes, He does. 50:01 And it's the M word, marriage. 50:06 Doesn't mean everybody has to get married. 50:09 But it's the plan for the human race today, 50:16 incomparably great power. 50:21 Just remember that when it comes to marriage, 50:23 what man cannot do God can do, 50:27 for His purpose cannot be thwarted. 50:32 And some of you have your heart on being married one day. 50:34 Good for you. I'm proud of you. 50:37 Don't you let this culture talk you out of it? 50:40 And don't you let this culture, 50:41 we'll talk about this next week. 50:42 Don't you let this culture tell you well, 50:44 they'll come a time manyana, manyana 50:45 too many parents have said manyana, manyana, manyana 50:47 until it's too late, 50:48 now their children don't want to be married. 50:51 That's true. 50:53 Don't let anybody talk you out of it. 50:55 You don't have to marry today. 50:57 But if God has put it on your heart 50:59 because it's a divine purpose for the human race, 51:01 and He's put it on your heart, hang on to that. 51:03 He has incomparably great power 51:05 and He'll step in for you, you watch. 51:07 Don't count Him out. 51:09 Don't count Him out. 51:12 I want to close with a story. 51:13 This is a story of Scott and Sherry Jennings. 51:17 In 2005, 51:19 we had every reason in the world 51:20 to believe our marriage was over. 51:23 My husband Scott was living with another woman 51:29 and I could see no indication 51:31 that he would ever turn his heart back 51:32 to our marriage and family. 51:34 Everyone had advice to offer me, 51:37 kick them to the curb girl, move on. 51:39 You deserve better than this, you go. 51:44 But God also placed two strong women in my life 51:46 to encourage me with the truth. 51:49 I should love and respect my husband unconditionally 51:51 honoring the covenant I made with God. 51:53 They told me as long as you are breathing, 51:56 there is hope. 52:00 In September of 2005, 52:01 on the day of our 14th wedding anniversary, 52:04 we divorced. 52:10 Three days later, 52:12 Christ invaded Scott's heart, 52:14 and we remarried each other 52:16 after a period of reconciliation. 52:21 Today, we like to tell people, 52:23 our divorce just didn't work out. 52:27 I like that. 52:30 Yet, the truth is that 52:31 we decided to intentionally walk with God and each other 52:34 and it worked. 52:36 We find ourselves asking if no one tells couples, 52:39 how will they know that as long as they are breathing, 52:42 there is hope for their marriage. 52:49 Don't ever sell yourself short 52:52 of the incomparably great power of the risen Christ. 52:59 There is a reason the tomb is empty today. 53:04 And you are that reason? 53:10 Let's pray. 53:12 Oh, God, 53:15 do not let him give up. 53:18 Do not let her give up. 53:20 Not yet, not yet. 53:22 Not before Your incomparably great power 53:25 can be unleashed for him, unleashed for her. 53:29 All because he lives 53:33 because he lives. 53:39 Amen. 54:27 God sent His son 54:30 They called Him, Jesus 54:34 He came to love 54:38 Heal and forgive 54:42 He lived and died 54:46 To buy my pardon 54:49 An empty grave is there 54:52 To prove my Savior lives 54:57 Because He lives 55:01 I can face tomorrow 55:05 Because He lives 55:09 All fear is gone 55:13 Because I know 55:17 He holds the future 55:21 And life is worth the living 55:24 Just because He lives 55:29 How sweet to hold 55:33 A newborn baby 55:37 And feel the pride 55:41 And joy He gives 55:45 But greater still 55:49 The calm assurance 55:53 This child can face Uncertain days 55:57 Because He lives 56:01 Because He lives 56:05 I can face tomorrow 56:09 Because He lives 56:13 All fear is gone 56:17 Because I know 56:21 He holds the future 56:25 And life is worth the living 56:29 Just because He lives 56:34 Because He lives 56:38 I can face tomorrow 56:42 Because He lives 56:46 All fear is gone 56:51 Because I know 56:55 He holds the future 56:59 And life is worth the living 57:03 Just because He lives 57:16 Think back to your last heartfelt, 57:17 meaningful prayer. 57:19 Has it been a while? 57:20 Has your prayer life felt stale, 57:21 routine or boring? 57:23 I want to take an extra moment at the end of our worship today 57:26 to share with you a new way to pray. 57:28 I invite you to reenergize your devotional life 57:30 with this little prayer journal. 57:32 In fact I'd love to send you a copy. 57:34 Just call 877, those are three numbers 57:36 877 the two words, HIS WILL. 57:38 That's it 877-HIS-WILL. 57:41 One of our friendly operators will be happy to assist you. 57:44 I believe this new way to pray 57:45 can raise a prayer bar for all of us. 57:48 So I hope you'll take advantage of it. 57:49 Again call us 877-HIS-WILL. 57:52 And I hope I'll see you right back here next time. |
Revised 2021-04-23