Participants:
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP210605S
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00:35 He is exalted The King is exalted on high
00:41 I will praise Him 00:43 He is exalted forever exalted 00:46 And I will praise 00:50 His name 00:55 He is the Lord 00:58 Forever His truth shall reign 01:03 Heaven and earth 01:07 Rejoice in His holy name 01:11 He is exalted 01:13 The King is exalted on high 01:19 He is exalted The King is on high 01:25 I will praise Him 01:27 He is exalted forever exalted 01:31 And I will praise 01:34 His name 01:39 He is the Lord 01:43 Forever His truth shall reign 01:47 Heaven and earth 01:51 Rejoice in His holy name 01:56 He is exalted 01:57 The King is exalted on high 02:04 He is the Lord 02:08 Forever His truth shall reign 02:12 Heaven and earth 02:16 Rejoice in His holy name 02:21 He is exalted 02:22 The King is exalted on high 02:29 He is exalted 02:30 The King is exalted on high 03:04 Blessed assurance 03:08 Jesus is mine 03:12 O what a foretaste 03:16 Of glory divine 03:21 Heir of salvation 03:25 Purchase of God 03:29 Born of His Spirit 03:33 Washed in His blood 03:37 This is my story 03:41 This is my song 03:45 Praising my Savior 03:49 All the day long 03:54 This is my story 03:58 This is my song 04:02 Praising my Savior 04:06 All the day long 04:11 Perfect submission 04:15 Perfect delight 04:19 Visions of rapture 04:23 Now burst on my sight 04:28 Angels descending 04:32 Bring from above 04:36 Echoes of mercy 04:40 Whispers of love 04:44 This is my story 04:48 This is my song 04:53 Praising my Savior 04:57 All the day long 05:01 This is my story 05:06 This is my song 05:10 Praising my Savior 05:14 All the day long 05:31 Perfect submission 05:35 All is at rest 05:40 I in my Savior am happy 05:45 And blest Watching 05:49 And waiting 05:52 Looking above 05:56 And filled with His goodness 06:01 Lost in His love 06:05 And this is my story 06:09 This is my song 06:13 Praising my Savior 06:18 All the day long 06:22 This is my story 06:26 This is my song 06:31 Praising my Savior 06:35 All the day long 06:39 Praising my Savior 06:44 All the day long 07:08 Everyone needs compassion 07:11 Love that's never failing 07:15 Let mercy fall on me 07:20 Everyone needs forgiveness 07:23 The kindness of a Savior 07:28 The hope of nations 07:37 Savior, He can move the mountains 07:43 My God is mighty to save 07:46 He is mighty to save 07:50 Forever Author of salvation 07:55 He rose and conquered the grave 07:59 Jesus conquered the grave 08:17 So take me as You find me 08:20 All my fears and failures 08:25 Fill my life again 08:30 I give my life to follow 08:33 Everything I believe in 08:37 Now I surrender 08:42 I surrender 08:47 Savior, He can move the mountains 08:52 My God is mighty to save 08:56 He is mighty to save Forever 09:01 Author of salvation 09:05 He rose and conquered the grave 09:08 Jesus conquered the grave 09:12 Shine your light And let the whole world see 09:17 We're singing For the glory of the risen King 09:24 Jesus Shine your light And let the whole world see 09:30 We're singing For the glory 09:33 Of the risen King Savior, 09:38 He can move the mountains 09:42 My God is mighty to save 09:45 He is mighty to save 09:49 Forever Author of salvation 09:54 He rose and conquered the grave 09:58 Jesus conquered the grave 10:27 Let me be filled 10:31 With kindness and compassion 10:35 For the one 10:39 The one for whom You loved and gave Your Son 10:45 For humanity 10:49 Increase my love 10:53 Help me to love with open arms 10:56 Like You do 11:00 A love that erases all the lines 11:03 And sees the truth 11:07 Oh that when they look in my eyes 11:10 They would see You 11:13 Even in just a smile 11:16 Hey would feel the Father's love 11:21 Oh how You love us 11:25 From the homeless to the famous 11:28 And in between 11:32 You formed us 11:34 You made us carefully 11:39 'Cause in the end we're all Your children 11:46 So help me to love with open arms 11:49 Like You do 11:52 A love that erases all the lines 11:56 And sees the truth 11:59 Oh that when they look in my eyes 12:02 They would see You 12:05 Even in just a smile 12:08 They would feel the Father's love 12:13 So let all my life tell of who You are 12:20 And the wonder of Your never-ending love 12:27 Oh, let all my life tell of who You are 12:34 That You're wonderful and such a good Father 12:40 So let all my life tell of who You are 12:47 And the wonder of Your never-ending love 12:54 Oh let all my life tell of who You are 13:01 That You're wonderful and such a good Father 13:08 You are wonderful and such a good Father 13:14 So help me to love with open arms like You do 13:21 A love that erases 13:23 All the lines and sees the truth 13:28 Oh that when they look in my eyes 13:31 They would see You 13:33 Even in just a smile 13:36 They would feel the Father's love 13:40 Even in just a smile 13:43 They would feel the Father's love 13:55 Almighty Father 14:00 Who dost give 14:03 The gift of life 14:07 To all who live 14:11 Look down on all earth's sin 14:17 And strife 14:19 And lift us 14:22 To a nobler life 14:29 Lift up our hearts 14:33 O King of kings 14:37 To brighter hopes 14:41 And kindlier things 14:45 To visions 14:48 Of a larger good 14:53 And holier dreams 14:58 Of brotherhood 15:04 Your world is weary 15:08 Of its pain 15:12 Of selfish greed 15:16 And fruitless gain 15:20 Of tarnished honor 15:24 Falsely strong 15:28 And all its ancient 15:32 Deeds of wrong Hear 15:38 Thou the prayer 15:42 Thy servants pray 15:45 Uprising from 15:49 All lands today 15:53 And o'er the vanquished 15:58 Powers of sin 16:01 O bring 16:04 Thy great salvation in 16:13 Almighty Father 16:18 Who dost give 16:21 The gift of life 16:25 To all who live 16:30 Look down on all earth's 16:35 Sin and strife 16:38 And lift us to 16:43 A nobler life 16:54 Oh, God, we've been much in worship. 16:57 I have a few moments left. 16:58 We go to the Word of God together. 17:02 But as the singers just saying, 17:06 open our smiles, open our hearts, 17:08 that the world might see 17:12 the Father's love. 17:15 It may be the only chance. 17:19 So use us we pray in Jesus' name. 17:24 Amen. 17:27 We've had focaler press season. 17:31 I'm talking about since last, 17:32 the end of August till summer began this weekend, 17:36 this last weekend. 17:38 We had American apocalypse that was heavy laden. 17:40 We had the maker of all things loves and wants me. 17:42 That was heavy laden. 17:44 And we had marriage that we just finished up. 17:45 That was heavy laden. 17:47 So for a summer, come on let's do 17:49 something a bit lighter. 17:51 How about animals? 17:52 Don't you just love this graphic? 17:54 I just love that picture of those animals 17:57 for the love of an animal, four Sabbaths in a row, 18:00 summertime has begun. 18:02 What can we learn from an animal? 18:03 Well, we'll start today. 18:05 I'm not gonna tell you what today's animal is. 18:07 The title is for the Love of an Animal-Ehaw. 18:10 You'll just have to kind of guess ehaw, 18:13 but you will know. 18:14 You don't know yet until we get into it. 18:19 I grew up in a home that loved animals. 18:20 In fact when I was born, my parents had an animal 18:22 in the house, a German shepherd. 18:24 You ever owned a German shepherd? 18:25 Wow. What a dog? 18:27 The dog's name was Rhetser, a good German name. 18:30 And in fact, I just show you a picture 18:32 because I came along that year 18:36 and that was my first Christmas, 18:37 but there's that German shepherd, Rhetser. 18:40 This is my dad, handsome dad, and that's my beautiful mother. 18:44 And my dad never had the courage 18:45 to tell his brother-in-law Fernan Rhetser 18:48 that he named the dog after him. 18:52 But he needed a German name for a German dog. 18:55 Although both of us, the dog and I were born in Japan. 18:58 So I don't know how that work. 19:00 But when I was about three years old, 19:03 somewhere in there, I was playing in the backyard 19:05 there in Japan and somebody left the gate open. 19:07 So out I went gone. 19:10 My mother is frantic when she finally discovers, 19:13 the boy is not here. 19:17 She says, well, I'll go down and check the lake 19:18 where there was a city park, 19:20 and there was a lake in that park. 19:21 I'll go down and check that lake. 19:22 And when she got there, 19:24 she saw a crowd of Japanese adults and children. 19:26 They're all staring at something 19:29 and she works her way through the crowd. 19:30 And there's this little tiny American boy, 19:32 three years old. 19:34 This is in the mid 50s. 19:35 And so American boy was rather rare on those premises, 19:39 but the crowd was standing back. 19:41 You know why? 19:42 Because Rhetser had seen me leave 19:44 and had trotted along beside me, 19:46 my little guardian angel. 19:49 I grew up loving animals. You know what? 19:51 I believe we all did. 19:53 We took a show of hands right now, 19:54 we'd all raise our hands. 19:56 Oh, me too, Dwight. 19:57 I really love animals because God made us to love animals. 19:59 You know why? Because God is an animal lover. 20:02 Let me run some one-liners by you just to prove to you, 20:05 in case you had a doubt. 20:07 This is the Book of Job 12:8, 10, 20:10 "But ask the animals, Job says, 20:12 and they will teach you or the birds in the sky, 20:15 and they will tell you in the Lord's hand is the life 20:19 of every creature and the breath of all mankind." 20:21 Same God, same Creator. 20:23 We all came from His hand. 20:25 He loves animals. 20:27 The maker of all things loves and wants you and me too. 20:29 He loves all of us. Ah, come on. 20:31 Here's the great Psalm 104, 20:33 "The earth is full of Your creatures, oh God. 20:35 All creatures look to you to give them their food 20:38 at the proper time." 20:40 He's feeding the human race as best again, 20:45 hoping that will help, 20:47 but He's feeding the animal kingdom as well. 20:49 We got to feed her. 20:52 Right off our deck and the raccoon just loves it. 20:55 We put the feeder out. 20:57 The raccoon was there last night. 20:58 I checked this morning. He loves this feeder. 21:00 He thinks it's for him. 21:01 It's a Baltimore oriole feeder 21:04 where you put a jar of Welch's grape juice 21:09 and you turn it upside down. 21:10 And it just, as they eat, it just keeps going. 21:12 And the raccoon has figured it out, 21:14 old rocky raccoon. 21:15 And when he flips the feeder over, 21:17 we know he's come in. 21:18 It was flipped over this morning. 21:19 Look at it. That's God for you. He gives them. 21:21 I don't know if that's concerning 21:23 Welch's grape jelly, 21:25 but He gives them their food at the proper time. 21:29 Look at this, 21:33 hitting the wrong button, Jonah. 21:35 Okay, let's go to the Book of Jonah. 21:37 That's a great book by the way, 13 questions. 21:39 The final line in Jonah is a question 21:41 and God is asking. 21:42 You want to know what kind of animal lover God is. 21:44 Take a look at this. God is speaking. 21:47 This is petulant Jonah pouting because God didn't nuke 21:50 the city of Nineveh. 21:51 So Jonah is pouting. 21:53 And God said, yo boy, 21:54 should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh 21:57 in which there are more than 120,000 people 22:01 who cannot tell their right hand 22:02 from their left and also many animals? 22:05 You want me to nuke that city, I'm not gonna do it. 22:08 I'm not gonna lose that many animals. 22:10 He loves animals. 22:12 Today, you know, we call it within the bloody wars 22:14 that occupy this planet. 22:15 We call it collateral damage. 22:17 Oh, so sad, the animals got killed. 22:19 We even treat humans as collateral damage in war. 22:22 Well, we killed a few, we didn't mean to. 22:25 There's no collateral damage with the love of animals. 22:28 You know God said, 22:29 I'm not gonna take that city out. 22:32 From the very beginning, 22:34 from the get go, God has been a lover of animals. 22:37 And I'm gonna tell you something, 22:39 from the get go, 22:40 the devil has been a hater of animals. 22:43 The moment Adam and Eve yield sovereignty 22:46 to Lucifer's fallen hands. 22:48 We had this planet. 22:50 We give it to you now because we obey you. 22:53 The moment they did that, 22:55 that diabolical mind began cell by cell to disassemble 23:00 and destroy the creation and creatures of God. 23:04 Just like that it started. 23:06 Look at. 23:07 What'd you think Paul is talking about here 23:08 in Romans Chapter 8, the famous line. 23:10 Oh, you've... No doubt, read this. 23:12 Romans 8:20-22, 23:14 "For the creation was subjected to frustration." 23:17 Are you kidding? 23:18 "Not by its own choice." 23:20 Innocent creatures suffer. 23:21 You know why? Because you sin and I sin, 23:24 that's why they suffer. 23:25 They're suffering right now. 23:28 "Frustrated, not by its own choice, 23:29 but by the will of the one who subjected it in hope 23:31 that the creation itself will be liberated 23:34 from its bondage one day, 23:36 bondage to decay and brought into the freedom 23:38 and glory of the children of God." 23:40 Now keep reading. 23:41 We know that the whole creation has been groaning, 23:47 groaning as in the pains of childbirth, 23:49 right up to the present time. 23:51 This little mother that we just met a moment ago, 23:53 she's given birth to a few children. 23:55 You heard that. 23:57 She groaned to get that last child out, 24:00 didn't she? 24:01 That's what nature is doing, groaning. 24:04 When do we get delivered of this mess on the planet? 24:09 No, God is an animal lover and it kills Him. 24:14 In fact, did over the pain of this creation. 24:19 Sin has shafted the creation, shafted it. 24:24 Oh, this is Desire of Ages, 24:25 that classic on the life of Jesus. 24:27 Oh, this is a heavy reading right here. 24:29 "Satan's hatred against God 24:31 leads him to hate every object of the Savior's care. 24:35 He seeks to mar the handiwork of God, 24:37 and he delights in destroying even the dumb creatures." 24:42 They're all road kill to him. He doesn't care. 24:46 I got another one. 24:49 "It is only through God's protecting care 24:52 that the birds," and I'm adding the words, 24:54 "and the birds and the beavers and the baboons 24:56 and the blue whales are preserved to gladden us." 25:00 God is keeping this planet going. 25:02 He is the sustainer, not just to the human race, 25:06 but of the entire ecosystem. 25:08 He loves animals. Do you understand that? 25:10 He loves animals because He's an animal lover. 25:15 Loren Eisley, the great anthropologist 25:19 and naturalist, a collection of his essays. 25:21 I had to go on the amazon.com to get it. 25:23 I read it once upon a time years ago, 25:25 I found a used book and I bought it. 25:27 It's worth it. 25:28 His essays under the title, The Star Thrower. 25:32 Ooh, he's making a point. Watch this. 25:34 "Some scientific research can result in behavior 25:38 so remarkably cruel," it's talking about science now, 25:42 "behavior so remarkably cruel that it ceases to be objective, 25:45 but rather suggests a deep grain of sadism," 25:48 that's the joy over suffering 25:50 "grain of sadism that is not science." 25:52 No, it is not. 25:54 "The experiments are too revolting to chronicle here." 25:57 He writes in this particular essay. 25:59 "The cost, a half a million dollars to mutilate cats." 26:02 Somebody got a grant from the government, 26:04 half a million just to strip cats down 26:06 and kill them while they're alive. 26:10 "The cost, 26:13 it would appear," keep reading, 26:15 "lies, not alone in animal suffering, 26:17 as bad as that is, but in the dehumanization 26:20 of those willing to engage 26:22 in such blind and random cruelty." 26:25 Mercy, what have we done to this planet? 26:30 And what are we doing to the animals in our homes? 26:35 Oh, you want to talk about pets? 26:36 Why not? 26:38 This is a four-part series on animals. 26:39 You might as well. 26:41 I'm gonna share with you 26:42 one of the strangest animal stories 26:44 in all Holy Scripture, because it makes a point. 26:47 Just think the words animal cruelty 26:50 as we go to this story. 26:51 Open your Bible 26:52 'cause I'm not putting it on the screen, 26:54 Numbers Chapter 22, 26:55 open your Bible to Numbers Chapter 22. 26:57 The children of Israel are poised on the brink 27:01 of the Promised Land. 27:02 They are there. 27:04 The next steps would be to cross the Jordan. 27:06 And I wanna tell you something. 27:08 When the devil knows 27:09 that we are on the brinks of eternity, 27:10 he marshals every deception he can to destroy God's people. 27:15 Watch what's gonna happen right now in front of our eyes 27:17 here in Numbers Chapter 22. 27:20 So there's this king of Moab named Zippor. 27:24 All right. 27:25 So he's the king of the Moabites. 27:28 And when he sees this, 27:30 as he calls it hoard of liberated slaves 27:34 that it now surround his kingdom, 27:36 tents as far as the eye can see. 27:38 He says, I gotta do something, I gotta have. 27:40 I'm gonna curse. 27:42 I'm gonna have these people curse. 27:43 That's what I'm gonna do. 27:44 He knows that there is over near the Euphrates River. 27:46 There is a prophet of the Most High God 27:50 who believes in the God of creation. 27:52 He says, I'll get Balaam. That's what I'll do. 27:54 I'll get Balaam and I'll gonna offer him money. 27:56 And I'll say, boy, come over here 27:58 and curse these people because I know 27:59 that what you curse gets cursed 28:01 and what you bless gets blessed. 28:02 So I'm calling you. 28:04 So he sends a delegation of his officials, 28:06 Midianite, Moabite officials, and they show up 28:09 near the Euphrates River. 28:11 They show up, that's a long way to go for a curse. 28:13 They show up and they say, 28:15 we're from King Zippor's greetings. 28:19 We want you to do something for us. 28:20 And they read the message of the king, curse these people. 28:23 You know what Balaam says, guys, 28:25 you might as well spend the night with me, 28:26 'cause I have to talk to God tonight. 28:28 So drop down to verse 8. That's what he says. 28:30 Spend the night here, Balaam said to them, 28:32 and I will report back to you 28:34 with the answer the Lord gives me, 28:36 so the Moabite officials stayed with him 28:38 and guess who shows up at night? 28:41 Here comes God. 28:43 'God came to Balaam," verse 9, 28:45 "and He asked, 'Who are these men with you?'" 28:49 Why this? 28:50 Why are they bunking up with you? 28:53 "Balaam said to God, well, 'Balak the son of Zippor, 28:55 king of Moab, has sent this message. 28:57 A people that has come out of Egypt 28:58 that covers the face of the land, 28:59 come and put a curse on them, 29:01 perhaps then 29:02 I may be able to fight them and drive them away." 29:05 That's what he told me. 29:06 "But God said to Balaam," 29:08 this seems pretty clear to me, "Do not go with them. 29:12 You must not put a curse on those people 29:14 because they are blessed." 29:16 That's the divine passive. 29:17 The divine passive in Hebrew means God is the subject. 29:21 And what God is really saying is, 29:23 I blessed them. 29:24 Don't you touch them, don't you put a finger on them. 29:26 I blessed them. 29:29 So Balaam the next morning, wakes the guys up and said, 29:32 guys, you might as well hit the road because I just got 29:34 the message from God. 29:38 Verse 13, "Go back to your own country, 29:40 fellas, for the Lord has refused 29:42 to let me go with you." 29:44 Now, I'll tell you, this is how Balaam said it. 29:46 My mommy won't let me come out and play. 29:49 My daddy said I can't play any more baseball with you. 29:53 Petulant child, that's what Balaam is. 29:58 The delegation goes back to Moab. 29:59 They said, "Oh great King Zippor, 30:01 guess what? 30:02 He says, no." No, you can't be serious. 30:04 Offer him more money. 30:06 And now he says, I'm sending the top 30:07 officials of my kingdom. 30:09 And that's exactly what he does. 30:10 They show up, the top officials. 30:13 Now and they got baksheesh. They have money to spare. 30:19 We'll pay you handsomely and notice Balaam's response, 30:23 which was pretty good until he kept going. 30:25 All right? So here is his response in verse 18, 30:28 "But Balaam answered them," the second delegation, 30:30 "even if Balak gave me all the silver 30:33 and gold in his palace, 30:35 I could not do anything great or small 30:37 to go beyond the command of the Lord, my God." 30:39 And he finally calls God 30:41 the names of the Israelites have given him. 30:43 Yahweh, that's my God. 30:47 If he had just stopped there, we'd have been fine. 30:52 Israel had been okay, but oh no, 30:56 he's got a cash register with dollar signs in his eyes. 31:01 And he goes on. He should have stopped. 31:03 He goes on and says, "Listen, why don't you spend 31:04 the night here so that I can find out 31:06 what else the Lord might tell me?" 31:07 You know what? 31:09 Balaam is just like you and me, we know it's wrong. 31:11 Our conscience tells us it's wrong. 31:13 God has told us it's wrong. 31:14 We keep going back to God and say, you know what? 31:15 How about this time? 31:18 This time is surely will be right. 31:19 This time will be okay with you God. 31:23 Stay here, I'll ask him again. 31:26 Oh, brother. 31:27 I wouldn't want to be Balaam now. 31:29 Verse 20, "That night God came to Balaam 31:31 and he said, 'Since these men have come to summon you, 31:33 go with them, but do only what I tell you.'" 31:36 You know why God said that? 31:37 Because there's no sense in saying no. 31:39 God has been saying, 31:40 God has said to Balaam which side... 31:41 Which part of the no do you not understand, 31:44 the N or the O? 31:47 I don't understand, Balaam says. 31:48 I mean, do you want me to do this? 31:50 It's really not clear to me. 31:51 Give me a break, God says. 31:53 Okay, you go, but you say only what I say, 31:55 what I tell you. 31:57 So that's exactly what happens. 31:58 But Balaam got up in the morning 31:59 and saddled his donkey. 32:01 There it is, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding 32:02 today's animal, boys and girls. 32:04 We just saw it. 32:06 He saddles up his donkey 32:08 and he went with them all by the officials. 32:11 But God was very angry when he went. 32:14 You know, the maker of all things 32:15 loves and wants us. 32:16 I get it. 32:18 But don't you forget that the maker of all things 32:19 can get pretty angry 32:21 when His creation is at stake 32:23 or His friends are threatened, He gets angry. 32:29 And so God was very angry 32:31 when He went and the angel of the Lord, by the way, 32:33 code language in Hebrew, oftentimes for the second 32:37 person of the triune God, 32:39 this would be the pre-incarnate Christ. 32:41 He often shows up as the angel of the Lord. 32:44 "But the angel of the Lord stood in the road 32:48 to oppose him." 32:49 Balaam was riding on his donkey 32:51 with his two servants who were with him and went. 32:54 Now, go get this and went. 32:55 Verse 23, "The donkey saw the angel 32:57 of the Lord standing in the road 32:59 with a drawn sword in his hand." 33:04 And he's pouring in the sword. 33:07 And you know what that drawn sword is saying? 33:09 One more step. 33:14 And the donkey who in this story 33:17 turns out brighter than Balaam. 33:20 The donkey knows what that means. 33:25 Balaam is so ticked off. 33:27 He takes the end of that, those rings. 33:29 When that donkey gets him out in the middle of the field, 33:30 he's just a bad set, whipping. 33:34 You stupid, dumb creature. 33:37 Oh Balaam he knows who the dumb one here? 33:39 You are such an idiot. 33:44 He gets a donkey back on the road. 33:50 They're going now. 33:51 Then verse 24, "The angel of the Lord 33:53 stood in a narrow path 33:55 through the vineyards with walls on both sides. 33:57 And when the donkey saw the same angel of the Lord 34:00 with the sword, it press close to the wall, 34:03 crushing Balaam's foot against his." 34:06 Aw, oh, you, you, you, 34:10 have you ever seen a man kick a dog? 34:13 Ever seen a woman throw a cat across the room? 34:16 Animal cruelty is not relegated 34:19 to the story of Balaam's donkey. 34:23 Animal cruelty happens all around us 34:26 and sometimes among us. 34:27 I'm not talking about spousal abuse now, 34:29 that's a whole another sermon. 34:31 I'm talking about animal abuse. 34:33 You want social justice in your repertoire. 34:37 Once you take up animal cruelty, 34:39 that'll keep you busy for a while. 34:43 Then in verse 26, "The angel of the Lord moved 34:46 on ahead and stood in a narrow place 34:48 where there was no room to turn 34:49 either to the right or to the left. 34:51 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, 34:53 there was nothing left to do. 34:55 He just collapsed in, on all fours. 34:58 Maybe, I don't know, 35:00 maybe Balaam's legs got cut or pinched under the donkey. 35:05 We don't know, but it gets worse. 35:07 It's not the rains now. 35:09 Balaam reaches into his little saddle 35:11 and you know what he pulls out? 35:13 Verse 27, "When the donkey saw and laid down, 35:16 Balaam was angry and he beat it with his staff." 35:20 He brings out a wooden staff. 35:22 I wish there was... 35:24 I wish this was a sword. I'd get you right now. 35:26 I would lock that old dumb head of yours off your body, 35:29 but I'm gonna beat you now until you never forget this, 35:31 bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, you get it? 35:36 Do you get it yet? 35:37 Hey, donkey, how does this feel? Huh? 35:40 Some people treat their wives that way. 35:43 Some people treat their children that way. 35:46 It's sad. It's tragic. 35:49 But this is an animal just as sad I suppose. 35:55 Animal lovers looking on as we are. 35:59 But the story gets even stranger. 36:02 Verse 28, then the Lord opened the donkey's mouth. 36:06 Look out, when God opens a donkey's mouth, 36:08 you better just get out of there. 36:09 That's I'm telling you 36:11 if you meet a talking donkey again, 36:13 just get out, just go. 36:16 "Then the Lord opened the donkey's mouth 36:18 and it said to Balaam." 36:20 I love this exchange. 36:21 "What have I done to you 36:24 to make you beat me these three times? 36:26 Balaam answered the donkey." 36:28 That's the funniest part of all. 36:30 This is his donkey. 36:32 This is his donkey. 36:33 Who's the donkey now? 36:37 Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me." 36:40 Balaam, you already did a good job yourself. 36:44 You made a fool of me. 36:45 If only I had a sword in my hand, 36:47 I would kill you right now." 36:49 And the donkey is not through. 36:50 "The donkey says to Balaam," yo, wait a minute. 36:52 "Am I not your donkey?" 36:54 Balaam mentioned, Yeah. Yeah, you are. 36:56 "Would you have always ridden to this day?" 36:58 yeah, yeah. It's a good point, you are. 37:01 "Have I been in the habit of doing this to you before?" 37:05 No, I don't ever recall ever come to think of it. 37:08 And then the Lord who's opened the donkey's mouth 37:12 opens Balaam's eyes. 37:18 And he's down on all fours, just like the donkey. 37:22 Verse 31, "Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes 37:25 and he saw the angel of the Lord 37:26 standing in the road with his sword drawn 37:28 and he bowed down low and fell face down." 37:30 Now watch this. It's not over quite. 37:32 "The angel of the Lord asks him, 37:34 'Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? 37:36 I have come here to oppose you because your path 37:38 is a reckless one before me." 37:40 How many times do we set out on a path 37:42 that's already reckless and we know it, 37:43 but we go into that path anyway. 37:46 "It's a reckless one before me and the donkey saw me 37:48 and the donkey turned away wisely 37:50 from me these three times. 37:52 If it had not turned away, 37:53 I would certainly have killed you by now, 37:56 and I would have spared the donkey." 37:59 Wow. That's pretty heavy language. 38:03 "Balaam says to the angel of the Lord, 38:05 'Oh, I have sinned. 38:06 I did not realize you were standing in the road 38:08 to oppose me. 38:09 Now if... 38:11 What? Did you see this? 38:13 If you are displeased. 38:18 Man, when you wanna sin you're just gonna sin 38:20 no matter what God says to you, if you are displeased Balaam, 38:24 what do you think he is? 38:25 Happy? 38:27 "If you are displeased, I will go back. 38:29 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, 38:30 'Go with these men, but speak only what I tell you.'" 38:33 So Balaam went with Balak's officials 38:37 and guess what? 38:38 That's the end. That's the end for us. 38:41 The story, the story doesn't end there 38:43 because Balaam can't say what he wants to say. 38:45 So there's no money in that. 38:47 Instead he concocts a strategic plan. 38:49 The people of God are on the verge of the Promised Land 38:52 and Balaam designs a sexual assault 38:56 strategy on Israel through fornication, 38:58 adultery and sex gone mad. 39:01 How sad? 39:03 Makes you wonder when the people of God to come 39:05 to the borders of eternity, 39:07 will the M-O-B the same for the same Satan, 39:11 will he turn sex loose 39:14 amongst the people of God? 39:19 Wow! 39:23 Did God bless that donkey? 39:24 And He did for the powerful appeal. 39:29 The story that that domesticated 39:32 creature brings to us, 39:33 the powerful appeal are these two words, 39:36 human kindness, 39:39 human kindness. 39:42 Would Jesus had treated 39:44 Balaam's donkey the way Balaam did? 39:46 Give me the answer. What is it? 39:48 Of course not. Are you kidding, Dwight? 39:50 Jesus, can you imagine that? 39:53 Not only was Jesus, by the way, 39:54 the pre-incarnate creator of donkeys, 39:57 His very first bassinet or cradle was a wooden box 40:00 of donkey feed, we call a manger. 40:04 He is close to donkeys. 40:07 His first bedroom 40:09 is a smelly barnyard, animal's stable. 40:17 He loves animals. 40:18 His story began surrounded by animals. 40:22 Don't ask me, does Jesus love animals? 40:25 They're sprinkled in the stories about him. 40:28 They're embedded in the stories from Him, 40:30 His parables, animals, animals, animals. 40:33 Jesus was a lover of animals. 40:37 That's the truth 40:39 is that love or the lack there of for animals 40:44 says something very major about human character. 40:50 Very major 40:54 to the place in the organization. 40:56 You ever heard of PETA, the organization P-E-T-A? 40:58 Yeah, you have. 41:00 People for the ethical treatment of animals. 41:01 They have gained a global reputation 41:03 for animal care and animal rights. 41:05 Oh, listen to this. I went to their home page. 41:07 Although I discovered by the way, 41:08 finding their home page, that there's a big controversy 41:10 out there about PETA strategies 41:12 because PETA's strategy is simple. 41:13 Just euthanize every animal you can get a hold 41:15 of and deliver that animal from its suppression, 41:18 which is kind of a crazy, in some terms strategy. 41:24 But in the name of animal rights, 41:25 look what PETA advocates. 41:27 Let me put this on the screen. This is from their home page. 41:30 So speaking of animals, the question is not, 41:34 can they, can animals reason nor can they talk, 41:38 but the question is, can they suffer? 41:40 And that's what PETA is telling us. 41:42 And in that passage, Jeremy Bentham, 41:45 who deals with moral philosophy. 41:46 Okay? 41:48 So Jeremy Bentham points to the capacity for suffering 41:51 as the vital characteristic that gives a being the right 41:54 to equal consideration. 41:56 I want to challenge that thinking. 41:58 As PETA founder, Ingrid Newkirk has said, 42:01 I'm quoting her now. 42:02 "When it comes to pain, love, joy, loneliness, and fear, 42:07 a rat is a pig, 42:09 is a dog, is a boy. 42:13 Each one values his or her life and fights the knife." 42:19 I beg to differ with you 42:20 Sister Newkirk, 42:25 because I disagree with your statement 42:27 that conflates animal creatures 42:29 into some sort of moral equivalence 42:31 in value with human beings. 42:32 I can understand somebody embracing Darwinism 42:35 to embrace what you've just suggested. 42:37 But as a Christian, I thoroughly believe 42:39 that of all the creatures that the Creator created, 42:42 there's only one creature 42:43 given the divine as the theologians 42:46 call it the Imago Dei, the image of God. 42:51 There's only one creature. 42:52 There's no misunderstanding in God's mind. 42:54 Let's see, is the pig the same, is the... 42:56 No, there's no misunderstanding. 42:58 I reject this business of a rat as a pig, 43:03 as a dog, as a boy, that sort of symbiosis 43:06 and conflation, they are not the same, 43:09 which however, let us be quick to remind ourselves 43:12 that does not diminish our human responsibility 43:14 to provide creation care for creation creatures. 43:19 I like the way the SPCA puts it. 43:21 You've heard of the SPCA, haven't you? 43:23 Society for the prevention of cruelty to what? 43:26 Animals. 43:28 The local chapter here in Southwest, Michigan 43:30 on their front page, home page, the... 43:34 I'm quoting now, "The SPCA of Southwest Michigan 43:36 is a no kill shelter," we don't kill our animals, 43:40 "dedicated to working for the well-being," 43:42 and I say bravo to them, 43:43 "dedicated to working for the well-being of animals 43:45 and creating an adoption focus community 43:48 in Southwest Michigan. 43:50 Our goal is to end senseless animal euthanasia 43:53 and Southwest Michigan, 43:55 and provide all animals with a loving, caring home. 43:59 Now I think that's a rather creative solution. 44:02 Don't euthanize them, just find homes for them. 44:06 It's still a challenge. I'm sure, 44:10 but we need to stand you and I against cruelty 44:12 toward animals, the kind of cruelty that Balaam 44:14 has demonstrated very vividly before our eyes this morning, 44:18 or listen up now, 44:19 the kind of mass produced slaughter house animal cruelty 44:22 that keeps America's fast food counters 44:24 and home table supplied with animal flesh 44:28 and animal products. 44:30 Now nobody is listening. 44:32 I believe social justice for animals, Dwight, 44:33 but don't talk to me about diet. 44:36 No, I'm not talking to you about diet. 44:39 We must stand against such cruelty. 44:41 I get it. 44:42 You want social justice? 44:44 Defend the way these animals are being slaughtered 44:47 by the thousands for America's appetite, 44:50 by the thousands. 44:52 Look at the methods of slaughter. 44:55 Just look. 44:58 I like the way John Peckham in his brand-new book, 45:00 Divine Attributes describes what we're faced with. 45:06 It's a wonderful book by the way. 45:08 And I'm two-thirds of the way through the book. 45:12 He describes God's sovereign care 45:14 for His creation and His creatures. 45:16 And in that chapter, He makes this statement. 45:19 I want you to get it. 45:21 "God calls humans to be stewards, 45:23 even in some sense corulers 45:27 of this planet as Genesis 1:28, makes very clear. 45:30 Humans are to be caretakers rather than dominators, 45:33 valuing fellow creatures as God's creation 45:36 and taking care of creation as best we can. 45:39 We might pay closer attention to our diet, 45:42 fostering ethical eating, and moving toward diets 45:45 that are more earth friendly. 45:47 And as he writes, my colleague Rahel Wells puts it. 45:51 She teaches in the undergrad religion department, 45:53 cruelty free. 45:55 Oh, I like that. A cruelty free diet. 45:58 As Scripture repeatedly emphasizes 46:00 God cares for animals, 46:03 and a righteous man has regard for the life of his animal. 46:07 Proverbs 12:10.' We just looked at that moment ago. 46:13 To return to the point, 46:14 Jesus was obviously an animal lover. 46:19 He not only talked the talk, 46:22 but He walked the walk 46:24 and displayed kindness to people and animals. 46:29 Oh, I've got to share this with you. 46:30 This is such a beautiful depiction of Jesus here. 46:33 This is Desire of Ages again. 46:34 "Jesus was the fountain of healing mercy for the world, 46:37 and through all those secluded years at Nazareth." 46:40 I mean, we know He went to the temple when He was 12, 46:42 but what happened before 12 and what happened after 12? 46:45 Through all those secluded years at Nazareth, 46:48 His life flowed out in currents of sympathy and tenderness. 46:52 The aged, these are the people He loved on, the aged, 46:55 He was kind to the aged, 46:57 the sorrowing and the sin burdened, 47:00 the children at play in their innocent joy, 47:02 the little creatures of the groves, 47:04 the patient beasts of burden, 47:06 all were happier for Jesus' presence. 47:09 Could that be said about you when you leave a room 47:12 or you leave a neighborhood all were happier 47:14 because you were there. 47:16 Wow. Wow, indeed. 47:19 "He whose word of power upheld the worlds 47:22 would stoop to relieve a wounded bird." 47:25 He didn't have the power. 47:27 Your birdie broken wing, be healed. 47:29 He didn't do that. He couldn't do it. 47:32 Didn't want to do it, 47:33 but He stooped to relieve a wounded bird. 47:36 I'll take you home birdie. I see that wing. 47:38 Ooh, I think we can set it and get a little wood 47:40 from my carpenter shop. 47:41 I think we can set it out for you till you're strong 47:43 and then we'll let you go. 47:44 "There was nothing beneath Jesus, notice, 47:46 nothing to which He disdained to minister." 47:50 Amazing. 47:52 He was kind, He was kind to animals. 47:54 He was kind to humans. 47:56 Jesus was a kind man. And guess what? 47:58 We must be kind men and women 48:00 and teens and children and young adults. 48:03 We must be a kind people. 48:08 Didn't get one amen for that? Amen. 48:10 You love the Balaam part 48:12 but now you're just sitting there. 48:14 We must be kind people. 48:16 1 Corinthians 13:4, 48:18 Love is kind. 48:21 We gotta be kind people. 48:22 When we walk out of a room, 48:24 they're saying those are kind people. 48:27 Those are my kind of people. Yeah. 48:31 Abraham Joshua Heschel, the great rabbi and scholar. 48:36 "When I was young, I admired clever people. 48:39 Now that I am old, I admire kind people." 48:44 Are we kind? 48:47 Are we known, are you known as a kind person? 48:52 I'm gonna confess something to you. 48:55 When I was younger in ministry, 48:58 I used to think of leaders, 49:00 good leaders as take charge, kind of people, 49:04 you know, they know where they're going. 49:05 They know how they're gonna get there. 49:07 And oh, boy, they would just demonstrate 49:09 that kind of aggressive forward thinking. 49:12 They were not unkind. 49:14 Don't misunderstand me, 49:15 but they were not so focused on kindness. 49:18 In fact, I came to the place 49:20 where I saw kindness as a trait, 49:22 almost on the edge of weakness. 49:27 You know, I mean please. 49:32 Kinder people are a bit weaker, you know, I saw it. 49:36 Less aggressive, less destined for great things. 49:40 I had a father whom I love dearly. 49:42 And do to this day though he sleeps in Jesus. 49:46 He was very kind. 49:49 He was fun to be around. He was a hoot sometimes, 49:51 but he was a kind person and he was a leader. 49:54 But I confess this to my shame. 49:57 I wondered sometimes if he wasn't too kind, 50:00 he didn't make the right moves. 50:02 He didn't set himself up for something. 50:04 He was always looking out for the other people. 50:07 Why would you do this? 50:10 But as the years have gone by, 50:13 and I suppose life has a way of mellowing us. 50:18 I've come to realize how wrong I have been. 50:22 I have discovered kindness is not a weakness. 50:26 It is a towering strength, 50:31 strength. 50:38 My father possessed that strength. 50:40 And I've seen others who do as well. 50:42 Listen to me carefully. 50:44 If you have to abandon kindness to get to where you're going, 50:47 okay, I'm talking to you now. 50:49 If you have to abandon kindness to get to where you're going, 50:52 then where you are going isn't worth going to. 50:56 Do you understand me? 50:58 I repeat that. You didn't get it. 50:59 If you have to abandon kindness 51:01 to get to where you are going, then where you are going 51:04 isn't worth going too. 51:09 We're in a political season in this nation 51:12 where the press and the public 51:15 reward men and women who are unkind to others, 51:18 who publicly belittle and make fun of their opponents, 51:21 whose trash talk is somehow a virtue to aspire to. 51:26 That's the America we live in now. 51:30 To the place those who advocate 51:33 kindness or demonstrate it 51:34 or attempt to live it are mocked. 51:36 They're belittled, sadly rejected by a public 51:39 that has become as unchrist like as its political leaders 51:43 or maybe it's the other way around. 51:45 The leaders have become like the people. 51:48 Now look at, I am not suggesting 51:51 all political leaders must be Christian, 51:54 but I'll tell you this. 51:56 I am saying, as clearly as I know how, 51:59 that all leaders of moral worth 52:03 will be kind people 52:08 because kindness is a virtue, 52:11 a noble virtue, a strength. 52:13 And you know what? 52:15 I will not follow a leader 52:19 who is not kind. 52:22 I will not catch my wagon 52:27 to his destiny or her destiny. 52:34 Why? 52:37 I'm not saying all politicians ought to become Christians. 52:41 I'm saying everybody needs to be kind just like Jesus. 52:47 And I wanna be like Jesus. 52:50 You say, "Dwight, how can I be like Jesus?" 52:52 I'll tell you how. 52:54 You just follow this universal law. 52:57 What we behold, we become. 53:00 Never forget that. You can't break that law. 53:05 It can break you. You can't break it. 53:08 What you behold, you become. 53:13 So I promise you 53:15 that if you will set aside some quiet time every morning 53:18 to focus your mind and your heart on Jesus, 53:22 read one of the gospels through one story a day, 53:25 one story at a time. 53:27 Read the Desire of Ages through, 53:28 be my guest, one story at a day, 53:31 one story at a time, 53:32 I promise you that if you will spend your time, 53:35 sometime at the beginning of every day, 53:39 beholding Jesus. 53:42 I promise you that 53:45 you will become imperceptibly to you, 53:49 but noticeable to those around you, 53:52 you will become more 53:54 and more like Jesus. 53:59 And that's what I wanna be. 54:01 I wanna be kind like Jesus. 54:07 Let's pray. 54:08 Oh God have mercy on us. 54:14 We all stand convicted. 54:23 Thank You for loving us through this. 54:26 Please love us out of it, our unkindness. 54:31 Love us out of our unkindness. 54:34 Let us become more and more like Jesus 54:39 who was strong, 54:42 who was kind, and who was God. 54:47 We wanna be like Him in His name we pray. 54:52 Amen. 54:55 Amen. 55:22 Earthly pleasures vainly call me 55:27 I would be like Jesus 55:32 Nothing worldly shall enthrall me 55:37 I would be like Jesus 55:43 Be like Jesus this my song 55:49 In the home and in the throng 55:54 Be like Jesus all day long 56:01 I would be 56:04 Like Jesus 56:09 Be like Jesus this my song 56:15 In the home and in the throng 56:20 Be like Jesus 56:23 All day long 56:27 I would be like Jesus 56:37 I would be like Jesus 56:42 I would be like Jesus 56:47 Help me walk 56:49 Through daily growth 56:53 More and more 56:56 Like Jesus 57:07 Thank you for taking the time to join us in worship today. 57:10 I'd like to spend another moment 57:11 with you here at the end of our program 57:12 to share a word of hope. 57:14 In fact, that's what this sort of book is all about 57:16 in these uncertain times, and let's face it, 57:18 they're uncertain all over this planet. 57:20 This book entitled, 57:21 The Great Hope will help you understand 57:23 not just what God has planned for your future, 57:25 but for the future of the entire human race. 57:28 Light keep shining on this dark old world 57:30 and new truths long forgotten 57:32 are being constantly rediscovered. 57:34 If you need a fresh dose of hope for your life 57:36 these days, or you know somebody else 57:38 who could sure use that gift of hope. 57:40 Then I'd like to invite you to grab your phone, 57:42 dial our toll free number 877 the two words HIS-WILL, 57:46 877-HIS-WILL. 57:48 And at no charge to you, 57:49 we'll get a copy in the mail to you right away. 57:52 Till the next time we meet, 57:53 may the peace and hope 57:55 of the Lord Jesus be with you 24/7. |
Revised 2021-07-01