Participants: Pastor Mark Finley
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000676
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01:01 Welcome to South East Youth Conference
01:03 and we especially welcome 01:04 those watching via satellite. 01:06 Our first song this evening 01:08 will be "Jesus is coming again" 01:10 lift up the trumpet for Jesus is coming again, 01:13 amen. Amen. 01:57 Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring 02:02 Jesus is coming again! 02:06 Cheer up, ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing 02:13 Jesus is coming again! 02:17 Coming again, Coming again 02:22 Jesus is coming again! 02:27 Echo it, hilltops; proclaim it, ye plains 02:32 Jesus is coming again! 02:36 Coming in glory, the Lamb that 02:43 was slain Jesus is coming again! 02:47 Coming again, Coming again 02:52 Jesus is coming again! 02:58 Nations are angry by this we do know 03:03 Jesus is coming again! 03:08 Knowledge increases, men run to and fro 03:14 Jesus is coming again! 03:19 Coming again, Coming again 03:23 Jesus is coming again! 03:34 Our next song, next hymn, 03:38 "When the roll is called up yonder." 03:59 When the trumpet of the Lord 04:01 shall sound, and time shall be no more 04:03 And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair 04:07 When the saved of earth 04:09 shall gather over on the other shore 04:12 And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there 04:17 When the roll is called up yonder 04:21 When the roll is called up yonder 04:25 When the roll is called up yonder 04:31 When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there 04:37 On that bright and cloudless morning 04:39 when the dead in Christ shall rise 04:42 And the glory of his resurrection share 04:46 When his chosen ones shall gather 04:49 to their home beyond the skies 04:50 And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there 04:55 When the roll is called up yonder 05:00 When the roll is called up yonder 05:04 When the roll is called up yonder 05:11 When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there 05:16 Let us labor for the Master 05:19 from the dawn till setting sun 05:21 Let us talk of all his wondrous love and care 05:25 Then when all of life is over, 05:28 and our work on earth is done 05:30 And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there 05:34 When the roll is called up yonder 05:39 When the roll is called up yonder 05:43 When the roll is called up yonder 05:49 When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there 06:01 "Oh! When shall I see Jesus" 06:03 it's our next hymn. 06:17 O when shall I see Jesus, 06:22 And reign with him above, 06:23 And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning. 06:29 And from the flowing fountain, 06:32 Drink everlasting love, 06:34 And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning. 06:40 O, shout, glory! 06:42 For I shall mount above the skies 06:45 When I hear the trumpet sound in that morning 06:53 Gird on the gospel armor of faith and hope and love 06:58 and you'll hear the trumpet sound in that morning 07:03 And when the combat's ended He'll carry you above 07:09 and you'll hear the trumpet sound in that morning 07:15 O, shout, glory! For I shall mount above the skies, 07:20 When I hear the trumpet sound in that morning 07:27 Our ears shall hear with transport 07:31 the host of heaven sing 07:33 And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning 07:39 Our tongues shall chant the glories of our immortal King 07:44 And shall hear the trumpet sound in that morning 07:49 O, shout, glory! For I shall mount above the skies, 07:55 When I hear the trumpet sound in that morning 08:06 Our next hymn 08:08 "My hope is built on nothing less." 08:34 My hope is built on nothing less 08:38 Than Jesus' blood and righteousness 08:43 I dare not trust the sweetest frame 08:46 But wholly lean on Jesus' Name 08:51 On Christ the solid Rock I stand 08:56 All other ground is sinking sand 09:00 All other ground is sinking sand 09:06 When darkness seems to hide His face 09:10 I rest on His unchanging grace 09:14 In every high and stormy gale 09:18 My anchor holds within the veil 09:23 On Christ, the solid Rock I stand 09:28 All other ground is sinking sand 09:32 All other ground is sinking sand 09:38 When He shall come with trumpet sound 09:43 Oh may I then in Him be found 09:47 Clad in His righteousness alone 09:52 Faultless to stand before the throne. 09:56 On Christ, the solid Rock I stand 10:02 All other ground is sinking sand 10:07 All other ground is sinking sand. 10:21 Our next hymn, next hymn it's our theme song 10:25 "Watch ye saints." 10:27 Let's rise as we sing, let's rise as we sing. 10:55 Watch, ye saints, with eyelids waking 10:59 Lo! The powers of heaven are shaking 11:02 Keep your lamps all trimmed and burning 11:05 Ready for your Lord's returning 11:08 Lo! He comes, lo! Jesus comes 11:15 Lo! He comes, He comes all glorious! 11:19 Jesus comes to reign victorious 11:22 Lo! He comes, yes, Jesus comes. 11:30 Kingdoms at their base are crumbling; 11:34 Hark! His chariot wheels are rumbling 11:37 Tell, O tell of grace abounding 11:40 While the seventh trump is sounding 11:43 Lo! He comes, lo! Jesus comes 11:50 Lo! He comes, He comes all glorious! 11:53 Jesus comes to reign victorious 11:56 Lo! He comes, yes, Jesus comes. 12:04 Nations wane, though proud and stately 12:08 Christ His kingdom has hasteneth greatly 12:11 Earth her latest pangs is summing 12:15 Shout, ye saints, your Lord is coming. 12:18 Lo! He comes, lo! Jesus comes 12:25 Lo! He comes, He comes all glorious! 12:28 Jesus comes to reign victorious 12:31 Lo! He comes, yes, Jesus comes 12:39 Sinners, come, while Christ is pleading 12:43 Now for you He's interceding 12:46 Haste, ere grace and time diminished 12:50 Shall proclaim the mystery finished 12:53 Lo! He comes, lo! Jesus comes 13:00 Lo! He comes, He comes all glorious! 13:03 Jesus comes to reign victorious 13:06 Lo! He comes, yes, Jesus comes. 13:14 I was born in India 13:17 and I lived there for 13 years. 13:21 My parents didn't own a TV so I never watched much TV. 13:29 So the only place I could watch TV 13:31 was at my neighbor's house. 13:34 The two programs that I watched 13:36 was cricket and Pastor Finley. 13:41 By the way cricket is a sport and not a insect, 13:49 even though Pastor Finley's program 13:52 would air during the time of my neighbor's afternoon nap 13:55 they would gladly forsake their nap 13:58 and join us to watch Pastor Finley speak. 14:02 I was impressed with his enthusiasm 14:07 and passion for Jesus Christ. 14:10 I've heard Pastor Finley speak 14:11 many times since after being introduced to him in India. 14:16 At the General Youth Conference 14:17 in 2004 in Sacramento, California. 14:21 He inspired me to make a renewed commitment 14:24 to be a medical missionary. 14:28 I believe he will motive you as he did me to be, 14:33 an active soul winner for Jesus Christ. 14:36 No matter what your major or a occupation maybe. 14:42 If there is one thing in Pastor Finley's ministry 14:46 that stands out above the rest, 14:48 it's his passion for winning souls 14:51 for Jesus Christ. 14:53 Good evening, I'm delighted to be with you this evening. 14:56 You know, I think this is probably 14:58 the second largest group of young people 15:00 I've ever spoken to. 15:02 The largest group was in Hungary one night 15:04 when they thought they were coming to a Rock Concert, 15:06 they heard me come to preach. 15:08 I need to tell you about that story, 15:10 I have an evangelistic series in Hungary 15:12 after 40 years of communism. 15:15 And the same night that I had my evangelistic meeting 15:19 in that large auditorium the most famous rock band 15:24 in Hungary was having a rock concert 15:27 starting at 9 O'clock that evening. 15:29 I started my meetings at 7, 15:32 but young people began lining up 15:34 for the rock concert at about 4 O'clock in the afternoon 15:37 and there were hundreds and hundreds 15:39 and hundreds of them outside. 15:40 I came to the auditorium and I was really excited, 15:42 because I thought these kids have come to hear me 15:44 preach that night. 15:46 When the auditorium doors were opened 15:49 these young people rushed in and surrounded the stage, 15:53 they surround, they were in the back of the stage. 15:55 They were scores of young people on the stage 15:57 and when I walked out to preach 15:59 I was not the most popular person that evening. 16:03 I preach that night 16:05 and there was a large ruckus in the crowd, 16:07 there was a lot of snickering in the crowd, 16:09 and I came home that night 16:11 and felt really badly about it. 16:13 I said, Lord, we waited 40 years 16:16 to have an evangelistic meeting 16:17 this was just at the fall of communism, it was 1989. 16:21 In fact when I was in Hungary, 16:23 the Berlin Wall fell, 16:24 a hundred thousand people marched in the street 16:27 and I was on my bed that night, 16:28 2 O'clock in the morning, 16:29 3 O'clock in the morning praying, 16:30 and I'm saying, God, 16:32 why did you allow this to happen? 16:33 You know, it was confusing, 16:35 I didn't make the message clear, 16:37 it was a real major a problem tonight. 16:40 I went back there next night and I noted 16:42 that many of those young people 16:44 some standing fore deep in the balcony 16:46 waiting for the rock concert to start putting up 16:49 with this American preacher. 16:50 I noticed that many of them 16:51 were scattered through the audience. 16:53 I notice particularly down in the front row 16:54 there were four young women, came down and talked to them, 16:56 one young woman by the name of Erica, 16:59 another by the name of Aneko. 17:00 I said, glad to have you here tonight. 17:02 One girl said, yeah, 17:03 I'm a student of Karl Marx University. 17:05 A student in the communist philosophy of economics, 17:08 I came last night to a rock concert, 17:09 I was standing fore deep in the balcony, 17:12 but when you open the Bible and began to speak, 17:14 something touched my heart, something changed my life 17:17 and I'm here tonight. 17:19 Just last week at the General Conference 17:21 I was talking to a friend of mine from Hungary. 17:24 Now those two girls were baptized 17:25 in that evangelistic series and I asked about them, 17:27 I remembered their name from 1989, 15, 16 years ago 17:31 and I said what about Aneko, is she still faithful to Jesus? 17:35 So what about Erica, is she still faithful to Jesus 17:37 and this Pastor said to me, Pastor Mark, 17:40 both of those young woman were baptized 15 years ago, 17:44 they now have married Seventh-day Adventist 17:46 Pastors young theology students. 17:49 These young man have been in the ministry 15 years, 17:51 they're some of the most powerful soul winners 17:53 in all of the nation of Hungary. 17:55 God brought those young women to that meeting, 17:58 that night, and that one night 18:00 their life was changed. 18:01 Now I don't know what your motive 18:02 is of being here tonight, but I have absolute confidence 18:05 that God is gonna speak to your heart. 18:07 I have absolute confidence that as we open God's book 18:10 that His spirit is going to speak, 18:12 we are living too late in human history 18:14 to come for common meeting and ordinary meetings. 18:16 God's spirit is gonna come down, 18:18 he's gonna touch your heart, 18:20 something's gonna happen in your life 18:21 that you may not be aware of right now. 18:23 But God is gonna touch somebody here tonight 18:25 and I invite you to bow your head with me 18:27 as we pray, as we open God's word. 18:29 Father in heaven, tonight 18:31 we pray that the spirit would come, 18:33 that it would touch our lives in unique ways, 18:36 that you would give us the hope 18:37 and the encouragement, and the confidence 18:39 that it can only come from knowing Christ. 18:41 So as we open your book, 18:43 may the spirit that inspire the book inspire our hearts. 18:46 May the spirit that transformed 18:48 lives in ages past, 18:49 who is still doing that today, 18:51 may he come and transform our lives tonight, 18:54 we pray thee, in Jesus name, Amen. 18:58 A few years ago, my wife was holding evangelistic meeting 19:01 in Apopka, Florida. 19:03 And I was there giving some support 19:05 to those meetings and assisting in them. 19:08 We stayed in the same hotel for about five weeks. 19:11 We got to know the front desk clerks at the hotel, 19:14 and the maids that cleaned our rooms. 19:17 And I noted there was a young university 19:19 student who was the front, one of the front desk clerks, 19:22 and so I struck up a conversation with him 19:24 and after about three week he knew I was a preacher. 19:27 So one day I was coming into the hotel 19:28 and he said, hey preacher. 19:29 I said, yeah. 19:30 He said, I'm an atheist. 19:32 I don't know why he said that I thought he, 19:34 he may wanted to engage this preacher 19:37 in a little debate or argument. 19:39 And he said, hey preacher, I'm an atheist 19:41 and I looked at him and I said, 19:42 well if I had enough faith I might be an atheist too. 19:44 But because I have more reason than faith, 19:48 I believe in God but if you can teach 19:50 how to have enough faith 19:51 I might become an atheist, I'll see you later. 19:54 And I was walking across the hotel lobby, 19:56 he looked at me and said, hey preacher, 19:57 come back here, I wanna talk to you. 19:59 He said what are you talking about? 20:01 You have to have enough faith to be an atheist. 20:03 I said, well, you know what I think you have to have 20:04 more faith to be an atheist 20:06 than you have to be a believe in God. 20:08 He said, what do you mean? 20:09 I said, didn't you ever take biology 101. 20:11 He said, yeah I took biology 101. 20:12 I said, well didn't your professor tell you, 20:14 that learned professor in that distinguish university 20:16 you went to, didn't he tell you 20:17 in biology 101 that Life begets life. 20:21 That's a fundamental principle of biology, 20:23 non-living things don't produce living things, 20:26 but you as an evolutionist have faith 20:28 that if enough time goes by non-living things 20:30 will produce living things. 20:31 Oh! I'm sorry, but I don't have that faith, 20:33 I just believe biology 101, life produces life. 20:36 Secondly, in biology 101, when I took it, 20:39 they were teaching life produced life. 20:41 But you say, if you just have enough time 20:43 there will be aberrations, you call them mutations, 20:45 and life will not produce life. 20:47 But I don't know, it's tough for me 20:49 and I learned about the, 20:51 about the laws of thermodyanmics one of them 20:53 said that from chaos you can't produce water, 20:56 but from water you can produce chaos. 20:57 Will you believe that there was chaos 20:59 in that produced water, so to me, 21:02 you need to have a lot more faith, 21:04 young man, than I do. 21:08 And he said, you know what, 21:10 I like to talk to you a little more sometime. 21:12 I have time now, but I will talk to you a little more, 21:13 you know, you don't give them everything all at once. 21:17 And you beat them a little bit 21:19 until the spirit creates an interest 21:21 and so we developed a relationship, 21:23 my brother-in-law is a pastor in Orlando. 21:27 So one day I called Eric, I said, Eric, come on over, 21:29 I've got a young man I want you to meet 21:31 and they began a series of Bible studies 21:33 where this young man began to probe God's word. 21:36 I am profoundly convinced 21:39 that if you don't understand the origins at creation, 21:42 you don't understand the purpose of your life 21:45 and you don't understand your destiny. 21:47 And tonight I want to talk you about three words 21:49 that summarize the entire Bible. 21:52 From Genesis to Revelation in three words. 21:55 These three words talk about a Garden called Eden, 21:58 they talk about a hill called Calvary, 22:01 and they talk about a land called heaven. 22:03 These three words talk about our origin, 22:06 they talk about our purpose 22:07 and they talk about our destiny. 22:09 These three words summarize the entire Bible, 22:12 and if you have your Bible 22:13 I invite you to take it tonight 22:14 and turn to Genesis, the second Chapter, 22:16 three words, these three words are used 22:19 in four places in the Bible, 'it is finished.' 22:24 It is finished at creation, it is finished at the cross, 22:29 it is finished at the close of probation, 22:31 and it is finished when Jesus comes again. 22:34 Three words, 'it is finished.' 22:36 I would like you to take your Bible 22:37 and turn to Genesis the second Chapter. 22:40 These three words speak of why we exist, 22:44 these three words speak of where we come from. 22:46 These three words speak of our ultimate fate. 22:49 And if you don't understand the beginning 22:51 it's a difficult thing for you 22:52 to understand the ending. 22:54 And if you want to understand the beginning and the ending, 22:56 you don't understand what's in the middle. 22:57 Genesis Chapter 2, we will look there 23:00 Genesis 2 and verse 1, 23:03 "Thus the heavens and the earth 23:05 and all the host of them were finished". 23:07 God said, it is finished, creation week is done. 23:11 I've created the daffodils and daisies, 23:13 and the day lilies. 23:15 I've created the parrots and the peacocks, 23:17 I have created the pansies. 23:19 God said, it is done, God said it is finished, 23:22 he spoke and it was done. 23:24 He spoke and green grass appeared, 23:26 he spoke and fruit trees gave off 23:29 their marvelous fruit. 23:31 He spoke and flowers bloomed, he spoke and bird sang, 23:35 he spoke and human beings were created. 23:38 God said, Genesis 2 verse 1, 23:40 "Thus the heavens and the earth 23:42 and all the host of them were finished", it's done. 23:44 Verse 2, And on the seventh day 23:46 God ended His work, which He had done. 23:50 And He rested on the seventh day 23:52 from all His work which He had done. 23:54 Those two verses indicate the creation 23:57 is something that God had done. 24:00 We did not evolve, 24:02 we are not simply products of fortuitous chance. 24:05 We're not simply skin covering bones, 24:08 we're not simply a genetic biological accident. 24:11 The Bible says in Genesis Chapter 2 verse 1, 24:15 this is something that God has done, 24:19 God created us, God fashioned us, 24:21 God made us. 24:22 And if that is true and is that God created us. 24:25 It means we are not simply a cosmic speck of dust. 24:30 We're not simply like a dented Pepsi can 24:33 run over by a tractor trailer truck out on I-75, 24:37 that is discarded worth nothing. 24:40 God doesn't make junk and when God fashioned you, 24:43 when God created you, when God need you 24:46 he is through away the pattern. 24:48 You can lift your head with dignity, 24:50 you're not some biological accident, 24:52 you are a son or a daughter 24:54 of the King of the Universe. 24:56 You have royal blood running through your veins. 24:59 The King of the Universe fashioned you, 25:01 he made you, he created you. 25:04 Isaiah Chapter 43 verse 1 25:07 tonight if you're discouraged, 25:08 tonight if you're disappointed, 25:10 tonight if you're down-hearted, 25:12 tonight if you're wondering 25:14 what is the purpose of my life? 25:17 God has created you, and the God that named 25:21 the stars has not forgotten your name. 25:24 He knows about the struggles 25:26 you have to get through school. 25:28 He understands the difficulty 25:30 in financing an education in this day and age. 25:33 God knows that, God knows about the struggles you face 25:37 with your boyfriend, your girlfriend. 25:39 God knows all about that. 25:41 God knows the struggles you are facing at home 25:43 and the smile you're putting on tonight 25:45 is not really the smile at all. 25:47 But your parents are going through 25:49 the trauma of a divorce 25:50 and there is somebody sitting here tonight 25:52 that has that problem at home. 25:54 God knows that mother 25:56 that's has been diagnosed with cancer, 25:58 God knows about the problems your dad is facing, 26:01 God knows about your brother 26:02 that's strung out on drugs tonight 26:04 and your heart is broken for him. 26:06 God understands all that 26:08 because you're not cosmic junk, 26:10 God created you, God fashioned you, 26:12 God cares for you. 26:13 God knows your name. 26:14 Isaiah Chapter 43. 26:17 Isaiah the 43 Chapter. 26:19 See creation makes all the difference, 26:21 if I am just a biological accident, 26:23 if I am jus skin covering bone. 26:26 If I am just an intelligent animal 26:28 just a little more intelligent than a dog, 26:30 a cat or an ape. 26:32 Then I wonder through life with little meaning, 26:34 with little purpose, but if God created me 26:37 and God shaped me, 26:38 if the all wise God of the universe 26:40 and the all powerful God of the universe has created me. 26:43 I can put my life in his hand and trust him. 26:46 Isaiah the 43 Chapter we look there. 26:49 Isaiah 43 verse 1, the scripture says, 26:56 But now, thus saith the Lord, 26:57 who created you O Jacob, And who formed you, O Israel, 27:02 Fear not for have redeemed you, 27:04 I have called you by your name, you are Mine. 27:08 When you pass through the waters, 27:09 I will be with you, and through the rivers 27:11 they will not overflow you. 27:12 When you walk through the fire 27:13 you will not be burned, 27:14 nor shall the flame scorch you. 27:16 For I am the Lord, your God, 27:18 the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. 27:20 I have Egypt for your ransom, 27:22 Ethiopia and Seba in your place. 27:24 Since you are precious in My sight, 27:26 you've been honored, and I've loved you. 27:27 God says you're precious. 27:28 God says, I've honored you, God says I've loved you. 27:30 You do say come on, preacher, 27:32 what are you talking about. 27:33 There are some six billion people 27:34 on the face of planet earth, how can God care for me? 27:39 How can God be interested in me. 27:42 I mean, come on now, if I am lost 27:43 it's not gonna make any difference in the world. 27:45 Because God has another billion, 27:50 two billion, three billion, five billion people. 27:52 They're gonna be saved anyway. 27:53 How could I make that difference to God. 27:55 I mean, and then if I'm lost, 27:57 come on now, he's got the cherubims, 27:58 the seraphims, and all the angels. 28:00 Are you trying to suggest 28:02 or even think we indicate 28:05 that there is a place in God's heart only for me. 28:10 And then if for some reason I am lost, 28:13 the creator of the universe will be lonely for me 28:19 through the ceaseless ages of eternity. 28:22 You know, I may not be fully able to illustrate it, 28:24 but let's suppose I am walking over here and, 28:26 let's suppose this is a porcelain vase 28:29 and I am little careless tonight 28:30 and I kicked the vase. 28:31 And the thing goes falling down on the flour 28:34 and as it falls, it crashes and breaks 28:36 and so I'll go to the president 28:37 of the college after, and I've looked 28:39 at the porcelain vase. 28:40 And I say now, Dr. Beats, I was a little careless, 28:43 I was kind of not watching where I was going 28:45 and I tripped and fell over the vase 28:47 and knocked it on the floor. 28:49 And I'm looking and I realized that 28:51 I got my allowance this month and so I've got about $15. 28:55 And I say, you know what? 28:57 I will pay you $15 28:59 that's about what that vase is worth. 29:01 Now I notice Dr. Beats' mouth drops, 29:05 and his eyes get bigger and bigger, 29:07 and he said, could you please come in to my office. 29:10 And so I go to the president of the college office 29:13 and we sit down. 29:14 He said, now Mark, I have got to explain something to you. 29:17 Southern Adventist University got that vase 29:20 and it was donated by a benefactor 29:23 and there is only one like it in the world one other, 29:27 and it's been in an antic store in New York City. 29:30 You see that was a Persian Vase 29:33 and it dates more than 2,500 years old. 29:39 And for your program tonight 29:40 since you were tapping on 3ABN 29:42 we wanted to put our vase there 29:47 and it's worth $250,000. 29:52 And there is only one like it in the world. 29:55 What made the vase so valuable? 29:58 Its uniqueness made it value. 30:01 That which cannot be replaced, 30:04 that which is irreplaceable become of immense value. 30:10 Suppose here is a woman, she has five children 30:13 and one of those children playing football, 30:17 running out for a pass, 10-year-old boy, front lawn. 30:20 Runs out for the pass, looks over the shoulder, 30:22 runs out into the road, 30:24 a car comes down the road 30-40 miles an hour, 30:27 the man can't stop, hits the brakes, skids, 30:29 hits the boy, kills him. 30:32 A pastor friend of mine are on our way 30:34 to counsel the woman, and I say, 30:37 don't worry about this, I've got this one covered, 30:39 I'll counsel her. 30:40 You sit back, don't worry about it, 30:42 let me handle this. 30:43 So we go into the house and she is living over here 30:46 in Collegedale and I sit down. 30:47 And she said, oh Pastor Finley, 30:48 it's so good to see you. 30:50 I said, now, we're gonna pray with you 30:51 and I wanted to talk a little bit about your boy, 30:53 I was thinking about it a little bit. 30:55 You know, I want you to think positively about this. 30:59 Because when you actually analyze it, 31:02 now you don't have to send five kids through academy. 31:06 Elementary, school, academy, and college, 31:08 I want you to figure out the money 31:09 you're gonna save just on this one boy. 31:11 I mean, think of that money. 31:13 Second thing I want you to think about is this, 31:16 did you ever pick up after him in the house, 31:17 you don't have to do that anymore. 31:19 And the other thing I want you to think about is this, 31:21 you've got four kids, you know, my wife 31:23 and I have three and, 31:24 you know, that takes us time and, 31:26 you know, but you've got four. 31:28 So what difference does it make 31:30 if you lost one, if you got four. 31:32 Is that the way I'd counsel some Southern woman. 31:36 Do Southern woman have rolling pins 31:38 they hit crazy preachers over the head with. 31:41 What would she say to me, 31:43 she would say, nobody can replace Billy. 31:46 You know, I can have Johnny, 31:47 I can have Pete, I can have Mary, 31:48 and I can have Sally, 31:49 but nobody is gonna replace Billy. 31:50 Nobody replaces his smile, 31:53 there is a place in my heart only for him, 31:56 and you can tell me about all my other kids, 31:59 but I'm lonely for my boy that I don't have. 32:02 There is a God in heaven 32:05 that has the infinite capacity to love 32:08 and he loves you more than you can ever recognize. 32:11 And when He had created you, 32:13 he broke the mold and through over the pattern 32:15 and there is nobody else like you in the Universe. 32:18 This God created you, 32:20 you want an amazing text in the Bible? 32:22 Psalms, Chapter 33, just like a mother 32:27 has an individual love for every child 32:30 and if she has three, she doesn't split her love, 32:33 one third, one third, one third among the three. 32:37 If she has 10 she doesn't give 32:39 everyone 10% of her love. 32:42 She gives everyone all of her love. 32:46 All of her love. 32:48 Psalms 33, and we're looking there 32:51 at verse 13, 14, and 15. 32:54 The Lord looks from heaven, He sees all the sons of men. 32:58 From the place of His habitation He looks. 33:03 On all the inhabitants of the earth, 33:05 He fashions their hearts individually, 33:08 He considers all their works. 33:09 The scripture says, what, what does God do? 33:12 He fashions their hearts individually, God knows you. 33:16 He knows your joys, He knows your sorrows, 33:19 He knows your heartache, He knows your disappointment. 33:21 God knows you, He knows your ups 33:24 and you knows your downs. 33:25 Walk through life with dignity, 33:27 walk through life with your head up, 33:29 walk through life with a smile on your face, 33:32 walk through life with a sense of purpose, 33:34 a sense of meaning. 33:35 Walk through life with a sense 33:36 that the God of all the universe created you. 33:41 You are precious to Him, you mean something to Him 33:46 and if you are lost, 33:49 and where ever you are watching today, 33:53 this broadcast around the world, 33:55 if you are lost there will be an emptiness 33:58 in God's heart forever. 34:02 Because He longs for you, it is finished at creation. 34:08 Creation is something God did. 34:12 I noticed, the Berkeley Student Newspaper, 34:14 in Berkeley, California this week. 34:18 Student Newspaper advertising 34:22 Ten to thirty five thousand dollars 34:25 for female student's eggs. 34:28 Ten to thirty five thousand. 34:30 now you have to have a SAT score over 1300 34:33 and you have to be have a model like figure. 34:37 Model like figure. 34:39 Why do geneticists want those eggs? 34:45 Obviously to sell them off to highest bidders, 34:49 to try to produce some kind of super child. 34:55 God has already produced a super person in you, 34:58 he's already produced a super person in you. 35:01 When the genes and chromosomes 35:03 came together for the unique biological structure, 35:05 your personality, 35:08 God said, this one is special, 35:11 this one is special. 35:13 God said I've created you, creation it is finished. 35:16 The second time it is finished 35:18 is used in Bible is John 19, 35:20 take your Bible and turn. 35:21 It is finished in the garden, 35:24 it is finished on a hill called Calvary, 35:28 and it is finished at the end in the book of Revelation. 35:31 John Chapter 19, it is finished 35:33 in the Garden speaks of works, 35:36 it is finished on the hill called Calvary, 35:39 speaks of freedom from guilt, 35:41 it speaks of freedom from the bondage of sin. 35:44 It speaks of freedom from the fear of death. 35:47 John the 19th Chapter. 35:49 We look there at John Chapter 19, 35:50 verse 30 leading up to that verse Jesus has taken out 35:54 and he climbs Golgotha's mountain. 35:58 And there, nails are driven through Jesus hands, 36:00 there a crown of thorns is placed upon his head, 36:03 their blood is running down his face. 36:06 There he hangs between heaven and earth, 36:08 Jesus is dying, Peter has denied Him, 36:12 Judas has forsaken Him. 36:15 The disciples have turned their backs on Him, 36:19 the Jews have cried out, crucified Him 36:22 and the Romans have driven nails through his hands. 36:24 It is Friday, dark, dark, Friday. 36:27 The clouds roll in that Friday, 36:30 the thunder rolls that Friday, 36:32 the lightening flashes that Friday, it is dark, 36:35 dark Friday and the son of God 36:37 with blood running down his face. 36:39 And sweat tinged on his brow 36:42 hangs between heaven and earth. 36:44 Who is this man with bloody, 36:47 with blood running down in his hands? 36:49 Who is this man with such a agony in His eyes, 36:52 who is this man with such a sorrowful look on his face? 36:55 Who is this man that hangs 36:57 His head in the rain and dies? 36:58 He is Jesus. 37:00 The divine son of God, 37:01 He is the one worshiped by millions of angels, 37:04 He is the one at whose very name angels 37:06 wing their way to worlds afar, 37:08 and sang holy, holy, holy. 37:10 He is the one that Cherubims 37:12 and Seraphims worship and sing hosanna. 37:16 He is the one that spoke 37:17 and the worlds came into existence. 37:19 He is the one that commanded and it stood fast. 37:22 He is the one that brought forth worlds and stars 37:26 and planets and set all of creation in motion. 37:30 But now on a cross he hangs his head and dies, 37:33 and He says, it, verse 30. 37:37 John 19, verse 30, 37:38 so when Jesus had received the sour wine, 37:41 he said, "It is finished." 37:43 Now notice it does not say He is finished, 37:45 it was finished, but He was not finished. 37:49 It was finished, but he was not finished. 37:51 And scripture doesn't say he was finished. 37:53 'Cause you don't finish you off with nails 37:55 the divine son of God. 37:58 Jesus rested in the tomb and three days later, 38:01 he came out in all his glory. 38:03 It is finished, now, 38:04 what does he mean when he says, it is finished? 38:07 Those words, "it is finished," 38:08 echo and reecho down the centuries 38:11 and they speak to us 38:12 at Southern Adventist University tonight. 38:15 What is the significance of those words 38:19 "it is finished," how does it relate to, 38:22 how do they relate to a junior biology major? 38:26 How do the words, "it is finished" 38:27 on the cross related a chemistry major, 38:30 theology major, business major, nursing major. 38:34 How are those words cracking through my life, 38:38 living 2000 years plus after the event? 38:42 I like to probe them for a little while with you, 38:44 I like to look at their relevance. 38:47 To me there are three aspects 38:49 of significance in these words, "it is finished." 38:53 First, what is finished? 38:57 When Jesus died on the cross, 39:00 the guilt of sin is gone. 39:03 There is no condemnation to those 39:05 that live in Christ Jesus. 39:08 No matter how much you have failed this week 39:11 or this month, there is somebody 39:13 sitting here tonight thinking, you know, 39:18 I've really failed, I've really blown it in my life. 39:23 I haven't lived the way I wanted to live. 39:26 And I wonder is there any hope for me? 39:29 Echoing and reechoing from a cross, 39:32 Jesus speaks to you, it is finished. 39:35 All of that guilt, all of that shame, 39:38 all of those Saturday night's excursions, 39:42 you know what I'm talking about, 39:44 somebody here tonight. 39:45 All of those Saturday night forays in Chattanooga. 39:50 You know, God says to you, 39:53 bring all that guilt and all that shame to me. 39:56 I wanna make you a new man, 39:58 I wanna make you a new woman. 39:59 I wanna change your life. 40:02 It is finished. 40:04 The guilt that that we bear in our lives 40:08 need no longer crush out our joy. 40:13 That guilt at the cross is finished, 40:15 because on that cross, 40:16 Jesus bore the condemnation of your sin, 40:19 and Jesus bore the condemnation of my sin. 40:22 He bore the shame of it all. 40:25 "It is finished." 40:26 Now, there is a second thing that was finished 40:28 when Jesus said, it is finished on the cross. 40:30 Second thing, it's this. 40:33 Satan threw at Jesus throughout His life, 40:36 all of his temptations, 40:39 he threw at Jesus all of his life, 40:42 all of his temptations, 40:46 everything that you can throw at him. 40:49 But what happened? 40:51 Jesus facing those temptations 40:53 was an over comer. 40:55 The bondage of sin was broken at the cross 41:00 because even rejection, ridicule, physical, mental, 41:05 emotional, psychological pain 41:08 could not get Jesus to yield. 41:11 And because Jesus was an over comer, 41:14 His grace not only pardons our past, 41:17 but it gives us strength to live in the present. 41:23 Grace, is grace that is sufficient to deal 41:27 with my past guilt, but it is grace 41:30 that is sufficient to empower me 41:33 to be a new man, new woman in Christ. 41:37 Sometime ago, in fact it was just a couple of months ago, 41:40 my wife and I were visiting on behalf 41:42 of the general conference in a country 41:47 that does not have religious freedom. 41:50 We're visiting Adventist believers. 41:53 I was scheduled to preach in that particular country, 41:56 but the government after reading my sermon, 41:59 and knowing who I was, 42:01 refused me the opportunity to preach. 42:04 But I was allowed to go 42:05 and visit with our believers. 42:07 While I was in that particular country, 42:09 I came to one church and the pastor said, 42:12 "Pastor Mark, we wanted to give greetings." 42:15 I said, "fine, how long should my greetings be? 42:17 He said, my sermon will be 7 minutes, 42:19 your greetings should be one hour." 42:22 You cannot preach, but need to give greetings. 42:25 So I came to the prophet and I said, 42:28 I wanna give you greetings from the Apostle John, 42:32 he lived 2000 years ago, 42:35 he can't be here to talk to you tonight. 42:38 Soon I like to bring greetings from him 42:40 and I would like to say what he would say 42:42 if he could be here. 42:43 He wrote a book, and I wanna talk to you 42:46 about that book. 42:50 I cannot preach to you, 42:52 but I can give you greetings from John. 42:54 So I gave them greetings from John 42:57 and a few of the other apostles, 42:59 some of the prophets in the Old Testament. 43:02 They were giving him greetings. 43:04 After the sermon, the pastor 43:07 and two of his associates said to my wife and I, 43:12 we wanna talk to you. 43:13 So we came into a little room privately 43:16 and as we talked, we talked about faith 43:18 in that particular country, 43:19 we talked about what God was doing? 43:21 How God was moving there 43:23 in spite of the difficulties and hasn't told me 43:26 about yourselves, that you always been 43:28 Seventh-day Adventists? 43:30 And the senior pastor said, 43:31 well I will start the story 43:34 and then my associate will finish it. 43:36 He said, now you're aware that 43:37 in this particular country it is not possible 43:42 to print Christian literature. 43:46 And he said, in one of our unnamed, 43:50 unmentioned presses, if you understand, 43:54 we were printing Desire of Ages 43:56 and other books by Ellen White. 43:58 With one of the elders of the church, he said, 44:01 I brought these books to a train station 44:05 to deliver them to our believers. 44:06 We're gonna go on a train and deliver them. 44:08 On the way, I was stopped by the police 44:10 and arrested for bringing these books. 44:13 The elder and I went into prison 44:15 and the preacher said, 44:17 they only keep me for 24 hours, 44:18 but keep the elder for 14 days. 44:21 All those of you thinking about 44:22 going into the ministry. 44:24 You know, the preacher was only there 44:26 for 24 hours, the elder for, 44:27 the lay person for 14 days. 44:29 If that doesn't motivate you to go 44:30 into the ministry, you missed it. 44:32 You have to let your girlfriend explain it to you. 44:34 Okay, so, 44:39 Preacher said, I was there for 24 hours, 44:42 but the elder stayed 14 days. 44:44 Then he said, when the elder was in prison 44:47 for the first 48 hours, 44:50 he was beaten up two or three times. 44:53 What happens is, as your initiation 44:55 to that particular prison, 44:57 the toughest guys in prison, 44:58 and I mean they're tough, 45:00 they beat you to a pulp. 45:02 Black in your eyes, blood in your nose, 45:05 and the elder had come to the cross. 45:11 He knew that in Christ, his guilt was gone, 45:14 he knew that in Christ, 45:15 the bondage of sin in his life was broken 45:20 and he resisted any retaliation. 45:24 For two days he was beaten. 45:26 A thief, a rebel rouser standing in the corner, 45:30 saw this man and he saw the way 45:34 that in the cross of Christ he gloried. 45:38 And this man said, my Jesus had nails 45:40 through his hands and he did not retaliate. 45:43 My Jesus had a crown of thorns upon his head 45:45 and he did not retaliate. 45:47 My Jesus said, Father, 45:48 forgive them for they don't know 45:49 what they are doing and I want to reach out 45:51 to forgive you because you don't know 45:52 what you're doing either. 45:54 The young rebel rouser thief in the corner 45:56 seeing the beating that the elder took, 46:02 said to him, I wanna talk to you 46:03 about this Christ of the cross. 46:05 This Christ that forgives, 46:07 this Christ that breaks the bondage, 46:08 this Christ that enables you 46:10 not even to fear death, see when Jesus said 46:12 that it is finished on the cross, he meant, 46:14 guilt is finished, shame is finished, 46:16 condemnation is finished. 46:17 He meant secondly that the bondage 46:19 and shackles of sin are finished. 46:20 He meant thirdly, the fear of the death is finished, 46:22 because Jesus went into the grave and came out. 46:26 That young thief and the elder took, 46:29 had Bible studies in prison. 46:31 When the thief got out of prison, 46:33 three years later he came to the Adventist church. 46:35 And today, years later, 46:37 the thief who saw the elder beaten in prison 46:41 is the associate pastor of that church 46:43 in that unnamed country. 46:46 Because the power of Jesus is still available 46:52 to enable men and women to have their sins forgiven 46:56 and the bondage of sin broken in their lives. 46:59 It is finished at creation says, 47:01 you have worth in God's sight. 47:03 It is finished on a hill called Calvary says, 47:05 all the shame and guilt can be gone, 47:07 you need don't to bear that guilt and shame 47:09 in your life anymore. 47:10 It is finished all that condemnation. 47:13 All that pains of conscience when you violate 47:16 those inner moral convictions 47:18 that the spirit has placed in your heart, 47:20 at the cross all that is finished. 47:22 At the cross, the bondage of sin, 47:24 the falling, again and again on the same point 47:27 that's broken and at the cross 47:28 the fear of death is gone, 47:29 because Jesus went into the grave and came out. 47:32 When you come to the book of Revelation 47:33 you have the last two expressions. 47:34 "It is finished" Revelation Chapter 16. 47:37 Revelation the 16th Chapter, 47:40 it is finished at creation, speaks of our origin, 47:43 it speaks of our worth. 47:44 It is finished on Calvary's hill, 47:46 speaks of redemption that is in Christ. 47:49 And it is finished in Revelation Chapter 16, 47:53 Church and state unite, 47:56 universal death degree is enforced, 47:59 no man can buy or sell. 48:01 When every human being has made 48:02 their final irrevocable decision, 48:06 plagues report out. 48:07 Revelation Chapter 16, 48:10 Revelation Chapter 16 verse 17. 48:14 Then the seventh angel 48:15 poured out his bowl upon the air, 48:17 and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven 48:20 from the throne, saying, "It is done." 48:22 In other words, it is finished. 48:24 What is finished? 48:25 What is it talking about in Revelation 16? 48:27 Every man, every woman, every boy, 48:29 every girl has made their final irrevocable decision 48:33 for or against Christ. 48:35 It is done, probation does not close in heaven 48:40 merely because of an arbitrary act 48:43 on the part of God. 48:44 It is not that God is run out of mercy, 48:46 it's not that God is run out of love. 48:48 This idea that probation may have closed already 48:51 and you maybe lost. 48:52 It's not biblical, it's not biblical. 48:56 When scripture says it is done in heaven, 48:59 when it talks about the close of probation, 49:02 it is revealing the eternal truth, 49:06 that one day every human being will fully make 49:09 their decision for or against Christ. 49:12 Every seed will go to harvest. 49:15 It's not that if God waited another two years, 49:18 three years, two months, three months, 49:20 a thousand more people would be saved. 49:22 There comes a point in the divine drama of destiny. 49:26 There comes a point in the panorama 49:28 of the controversy between good and evil. 49:30 That issues are so clear 49:32 that everybody makes their decision, 49:34 and it's at that point that probation closes. 49:37 If God waited another week, another month, 49:40 another two years, another five years, 49:42 another hundred years, nobody else will be saved 49:45 because they have sealed their decision for eternity. 49:48 Kind of reminds me a little bit of years ago, 49:53 traveling up to Alaska. 49:54 The Alaskan highway was a muddy road of ruts, 49:59 and there was a sign 50:00 at the beginning of that road went 500 miles. 50:03 Sign at the beginning of the Alaskan highway 50:04 that said this, "choose your rut carefully, 50:09 you will begin it for the next 500 miles." 50:12 There comes a point, based on the decisions 50:16 that we make everyday that shapes 50:19 and molds our characters. 50:22 Today, in the decisions you make, 50:25 you're settling your destiny. 50:28 And it's never too late to begin 50:30 to make good decisions, never too late 50:34 to begin to make good decisions. 50:35 It is finished, probation is closed, 50:38 decisions have been made. 50:40 The door of mercy is open tonight, 50:43 and may be you've been going one way 50:45 with the decisions you've been making and God said, 50:49 soon, every human being will make 50:52 their final irrevocable decision 50:55 for or against Christ. 50:56 Soon, every human being will make decisions 51:02 either for heaven or for hell, 51:06 for eternity and salvation or for eternal loss. 51:10 And Jesus says to you and to me tonight, 51:13 my heart longs to save you. 51:16 I'll be lonely forever if you are lost. 51:20 I died for you. 51:22 All the shame and guilt and accusation can be gone. 51:26 The power of sin can be broken. 51:28 The fear of death can be gone. 51:31 Jesus has come, come to me. 51:35 Revelation Chapter 21, Last time in the Bible, 51:40 it is finished at creation, 51:43 it is finished on a hill called Calvary, 51:46 it is finished at the close of probation. 51:48 Revelation Chapter 21, 51:51 and we look there starting with verse 3, 51:53 Revelation 21, verse 3. 51:55 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 51:57 Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, 52:00 and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, 52:03 and God himself shall be with them, 52:05 and be their God. 52:06 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, 52:09 and there will be no more sorrow, 52:11 nor death, nor crying. 52:13 There will be no more pain for the former things 52:14 are passed away. 52:16 Verse 5, And he that sat upon the throne said, 52:18 Behold, I make all things new. 52:20 And he said to me, 52:21 write for these words are true and faithful. 52:23 And he said to me, it is done, 52:24 it is finished, it is finished. 52:27 Disease and disaster and death are over, 52:30 it is finished, war and worry 52:32 and want are over, it is finished. 52:36 Pollution and poverty and pestilence are over, 52:39 it is finished. 52:40 Hurricanes and horror are over, it is finished. 52:44 One day the earth will shake, 52:47 one day the sky will be illuminated 52:49 with the glory of God. 52:51 One day Jesus will come 52:53 with 10,000 times 10,000 angels. 52:57 No more distended bellies for children crying out 53:01 because their mothers milk is dried up. 53:04 One day there will be no more bombs 53:06 that drop that blow off innocent 53:08 children's hands and legs. 53:11 One day there will be no more drug shot 53:15 in back alleys in the great cities of America. 53:19 One day no more drunken men coming home 53:22 to blacken their wives eyes. 53:24 One day no more tears, no more sorrow, 53:28 no more cancer, no more heartache, 53:30 no more death. 53:31 One day, one pulse of gladness 53:35 and harmony will be throughout the vast creation. 53:37 And all things that God has created 53:40 will declare God is love. 53:43 History is not some circular evolutionary cycle. 53:47 Seventh-day Adventists are Seventh-day Adventists 53:50 because they're Adventists. 53:52 They believe that God created the world 53:55 at a moment in time. 53:56 They believe that Christ broke through history 53:58 at a moment in time, and died on the cross. 54:01 And they believed that history will not go 54:03 round and round and round. 54:05 There is hope for a really war torn world. 54:07 There is hope for a poverty stricken polluted planet. 54:10 There is hope to the world that's in deep trouble. 54:13 When the sociologists and the psychologists 54:16 and the political scientists 54:18 and the great political leaders 54:19 cannot solve the problems of our world, 54:21 Jesus Christ can. 54:24 If there is ever a time for young people 54:26 to stand up, it's today. 54:28 If there is ever a time that God needs 54:30 young people to give a message of hope to a world 54:33 that's in deep trouble, it is today. 54:36 This is our hour, this is our time. 54:40 This is the time for a group 54:41 of Adventist young people to say, 54:44 we live to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus. 54:49 Whatever God has called you to do as a profession, 54:54 something beyond your profession is a calling. 54:58 You may be a computer scientist, 55:01 you may be a chemist, you may be a biologist, 55:06 you may be an engineer, you may be a teacher, 55:10 you may be a nurse. 55:11 That is your profession, or your occupation. 55:15 God has called you to be a witness for him. 55:21 In the last generation, would you like today 55:24 to say "I wanna stand for you." 55:27 I wanna stand for you. I love that song. 55:30 Stand up, stand up for who? For Jesus. 55:33 We're going to sing it from the screen, 55:34 you wanna stand right now for me? 55:36 Let's stand together, we're going to sing. 55:38 This song was written by Dudley Ting in, 55:42 actually by George Duffield, 55:44 Dudley Ting was a preacher, Great Revival, 55:48 Great Revival in the City of Philadelphia, 55:50 5000 people coming out to Dudley Ting's meetings, 55:53 he was 28 years old. 55:54 At the end of one of the meetings, 55:55 he left, got in an accident, was killed instantly. 56:00 But as he was lying there, his last words, 56:04 this 28 year preacher, last words, 56:09 he had just had a thousand come forward 56:11 in an alter call, 56:14 Dudley Ting looked at George Duffield. 56:17 Duffield was holding Ting in his arms, 56:20 Dudley Ting said, 56:24 "Pastor George, tell my people to stand up, 56:29 stand up for Jesus." 56:31 George Duffield preached that weekend 56:33 and he went home, wrote the song, 56:35 "stand up, stand up for Jesus." 56:37 If there ever is a group, 56:41 if God ever had a need for a group of young people 56:43 to stand up for Jesus, it's today. 56:45 We're going to sing the first verse of this song, 56:46 let's sing together. 56:57 Stand up, stand up For Jesus! 57:01 Ye soldiers of the cross Lift high His royal banner, 57:11 It must not suffer loss. 57:16 From victory unto victory His army shall He lead, 57:25 Till every foe is vanquished, 57:30 And Christ is Lord indeed. 57:35 We're going to pray. 57:37 Oh my Father, 57:40 we come tonight and stand before you, 57:43 believing that you created us, 57:46 believing that we were fashioned 57:48 and shaped by a loving God. 57:51 And Father, we know that the one 57:53 that created has not forgotten us. 57:55 If there is somebody here in this auditorium tonight 57:57 bearing a great burden, lift that burden, 58:00 help them to know that the God that created them 58:04 loves them with immense love. 58:07 Father, there is somebody watching this program tonight 58:10 that needs your loving touch. 58:12 The warmth of your arms around them, 58:14 they may feel that presence of God right now. 58:17 And Father, we sense that at the cross, 58:20 all of our guilt and all of our shame 58:23 and all of our weakness and all of our powerlessness, 58:26 and all of our fear of death, all that is gone. 58:30 Oh Father, if Jesus came to die for us, 58:35 the least we can do is live for him. 58:38 And we hear the call in the final generation, 58:41 that one day the suffering and sorrow, 58:44 and heartache and horror 58:45 and disappointment of the world, 58:47 with all of its sickness and all of its war, 58:48 all of its famine, and all of its emptiness 58:52 and shallowness and superficiality will be gone. 58:55 Oh Father, may we be that generation. |
Revised 2014-12-17