Participants: Pr. Louis Torres
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000715
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01:00 Good evening and welcome to "Digging Up the Future."
01:04 Are you excited about studying Bible Prophecy? 01:07 Have you enjoyed what we've been learning? 01:09 What I have enjoyed is that we've been studying 01:11 not only prophecy but things that can prepare us to be ready 01:15 when the prophecies are fulfilled. 01:17 You know, like how to deal with pain and suffering. 01:22 We've talked about human suffering, 01:23 we've talked about many practical things. 01:25 And what good is it know, 01:27 you know, when the time prophecies and if you're ready, 01:29 how many will like to be ready, 01:32 when they end as well. 01:33 So this has been a wonderful seminar. 01:35 We're thankful that Pastor Torres is with us 01:38 and he is-- it's just been great. 01:39 I've just enjoyed it very much. 01:40 Tonight's topic is a, is something that 01:43 I think lot of people struggle with. 01:45 Not only here perhaps here 01:47 but those that are viewing as well. 01:50 And that is "What should I do with Guilt." 01:53 Have you ever been guilty about anything? 01:56 If not see me afterwards. 01:57 But maybe you should be guilty about 01:59 not being guilty if that's the case. 02:01 But really this is a significant problem 02:03 and what do with that. 02:06 You know, sometimes we don't have guilt that's the problem, 02:08 sometimes we have too much. 02:10 Tonight, we're gonna be talking about that Pastor Torres is. 02:13 He is going to be explaining that 02:14 how to get rid of your guilt. 02:17 How many of you thing we should pray 02:18 before we talk about something like that? 02:20 I believe so too. 02:21 Let's just bow our heads and ask the Lord's presence. 02:24 Father in heaven, today we're thankful for the Holy Spirit. 02:29 And we invite Holy Spirit, 02:30 Your presence here this evening. 02:32 Bible says You'll convict of sin and of righteousness 02:35 and of judgment to come. 02:38 And we ask that you would do that this evening 02:41 not just convict us of what's wrong 02:43 but show us what's right. 02:45 And we especially uplift our speaker 02:48 and those that will be bringing 02:51 the message and music to us tonight. 02:54 And each person here and each person watching 02:56 and we come in Christ name, amen. 02:59 From night, tonight 03:00 we've had some wonderful music, haven't we? 03:03 I thought man we should be hearing some singing too. 03:06 How many of you it would be good to hear some singing? 03:08 So tonight we're going to hear some singing 03:09 and Marion Peppers is going to sing for us tonight 03:14 "In Your Mercy." 03:56 In Your mercy 04:00 You have shown me 04:02 Your salvation 04:08 Undeserving of Your favor I am free 04:18 And I'll never be the same 04:24 All my life I will remain 04:30 In Your mercy 04:33 Tender mercy shown to me 04:47 In your mercy You have promised to be near me 04:57 I am resting in the shelter of Your wings 05:07 Every fear I leave behind 05:12 Every confidence I find 05:18 In your mercy 05:21 Tender mercy shown to me 05:29 So great is Your love 05:35 Higher than the heavens 05:39 Your faithfulness reaches the sky 05:48 Be exalted O Lord 05:53 Over all the earth 05:58 Let Your glory be seen in my life, 06:07 in my life 06:31 In Your mercy 06:35 You have given of Your life blood 06:43 One last heartbeat and redemption was complete 06:52 What a debt of love You paid 06:58 With Your death, my soul was saved 07:09 In Your mercy 07:15 Tender mercy shown to me 07:57 Amen, thank you so much. Wasn't that a blessing? 08:00 Like you know, when you hear someone sing 08:03 you like to sing too, don't you? 08:04 So let's stand together and sing our theme song, 08:07 before we begin our meeting 08:10 with Pastor Torres this evening. 08:12 "Marvelous Message We Bring." 08:20 Marvelous message we bring 08:24 Glorious carol we sing 08:27 Wonderful word of the King 08:31 Jesus is coming again 08:35 Coming again, coming again 08:42 Maybe morning, maybe noon 08:46 Maybe evening, but surely soon 08:50 Coming again, coming again 08:57 Oh what a wonderful day it will be 09:03 Jesus is coming again 09:12 Amen, you sound wonderful. You can be seated. 09:26 Well, good evening to you. Good evening. 09:29 It's so good to see you again and especially 09:31 I was blessed by that message and song. 09:36 One day I was holding a series of meetings 09:41 and after this presentation 09:44 an elderly lady approached me. 09:48 She wanted to talk with me privately. 09:55 So after everyone left we sat down 09:58 the lady was troubled, she began to cry. 10:03 And she said, "let me share with you what's in my heart. 10:10 When I was a young bride, young wife, 10:17 the time came when I finally got pregnant. 10:22 And I was so excited that we're gonna have a child. 10:29 And I broke the news to my husband 10:32 that I was expecting fully anticipating 10:36 that he would have the same excitement as I have. 10:42 But I was shocked, he said, get rid of it. 10:53 I couldn't believe my ears." 10:59 She said, "how can I, it's our child." 11:05 He said, "I tell you get rid of it. 11:07 We don't need a child now." She was heartbroken. 11:12 She wept and she thought that 11:18 he wasn't that serious but he was 11:22 and finally he said to her "It's either it or me." 11:31 You will need to make up your mind. 11:40 She told me that she just couldn't bare the thought. 11:47 She was caught between the big twigs. 11:50 She dearly loved her husband. 11:53 She couldn't bear the taught of her husband leaving her. 11:58 And she fearing 12:02 that he would follow through with his threat 12:06 decided that she will have an abortion. 12:12 She went through it. 12:16 But she said, 12:19 that she has suffered ever since. 12:24 That she told me, 12:26 "I have never heard any peace since then. 12:35 I wonder if God will ever forgive me," she said. 12:42 And I said to her "my sister, God has a promise." 12:50 You all know it, don't you? If we confess our, what? 12:55 Our sins, He is faithful and what else and just. 13:00 Aren't you gland for that, He is faithful and what else? 13:03 And just to forgive us our sins. 13:06 But it doesn't stop there and cleanse us. 13:10 And what else? Cleanse us. 13:14 From how much? All unrighteousness. 13:19 She said "but how can that be true." 13:24 I said "my sister, the problem is 13:28 that you've been listening to the accuser 13:30 all of this time rather than to the forgiver. 13:38 You need to listen to the forgiver 13:40 and not your accuser." 13:43 That was a new thought for her, a new revelation. 13:46 Sixty nine years, that woman carried her guilt. 14:00 Pardon me, 59-years, 14:03 59-years she carried her guilt 14:11 and finally at last she accepted the promise. 14:17 And we knelt down together and with tears 14:22 she expressed thanksgiving to that God 14:28 who is able to abundantly pardon. 14:35 How do you get rid of guilt and that's the subject tonight. 14:37 But let us pray together as we open toward. 14:40 Our Father, thank You so much 14:42 that we can study your holy word about the subject. 14:44 So many, so many all over the world are suffering 14:50 because of this terrible thing called guilt. 14:53 And I pray that by Your grace as we go through the word 14:58 that those who are carrying great burdens 15:01 can finally find peace. 15:04 It's our prayer in Jesus name, amen. 15:09 The problem with guilt is that we as human beings 15:15 are always the ones perpetrating 15:17 or doing something that's wrong. 15:19 In fact the scripture tells us in the Book of Jeremiah 13:23 15:24 "Can the Ethiopian change his skin." 15:28 You know an Ethiopian has what color of skin? 15:32 Black or dark brown. 15:34 "Can an Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his" what? 15:39 "His spots. 15:40 Then" it says "may ye also do good 15:44 at are accustomed to do" what? 15:46 "To do evil." 15:49 And so we have the nature the tendencies to propensities 15:53 to do what's wrong. 15:55 And when we do what's wrong 15:57 there is no question that we suffer separation 16:00 and that's why the Bible says 16:01 "But your iniquities have separated 16:03 between you and your" what? 16:05 "And your God and your sins have hid his face from you, 16:09 that he will not hear you." 16:10 In other words friends, sin separates. 16:14 Sin what? 16:15 Sin separates and the scripture says then 16:19 that we are with the propensities to sin 16:24 and therefore because we have those propensities 16:28 then we have that which is called guilt 16:31 which is the result of sinning. 16:35 Now in the Book of Revelation, 16:37 we focus tonight on the one who is able to remove sins. 16:44 But the problem is this God has a huge problem 16:51 and that huge problem is this. 16:54 How many of you have sinned in your life? 16:56 Any of you? 16:58 How many of you sinned once? 17:00 How many of you have lost count? 17:03 Okay. 17:06 Now because it is part of our nature 17:10 God has the problem of how to destroy sin 17:17 without destroying the sinner. 17:24 And since its already part of our nature 17:26 you can understand God's great problem, right. 17:29 Because if He destroys what will He destroy? 17:32 The sinner. 17:33 But His desire is not to destroy the sinner, 17:34 His desire is to destroy sin. 17:37 And so how does God do it? What process that He use? 17:43 And how can you and I avail ourselves of the process 17:46 which helps us then to get rid of this thing called sin 17:50 so that we do not suffer then the consequence 17:53 and the terrible result that comes from guilt. 17:58 In the Book of Revelation 17:59 Jesus is portrayed as a divine glorified being. 18:06 The Bible says that when John heard the voice 18:10 he turned around and he said that 18:11 he saw someone with hair like wool 18:14 and cloths with a long garment. 18:17 And then it says that he in his hand he had stars 18:21 and that he walked in the midst of candlesticks. 18:26 Now that's an interesting portrayal of Christ. 18:33 In fact, I want to tell you that this particular picture 18:37 that John writes to us concerning the Revelation 18:41 that Christ made of Himself 18:43 is a picture of an Old Testament priest. 18:47 Picture of what? Old Testament priest. 18:52 It speaks about candle, seven candlesticks 18:54 and by the way there after in the scriptures 18:57 you don't hear anything more about "seven candlesticks." 19:02 The reason for it is this, 19:04 that in order for us understand Revelation 19:06 we must then go to the rest of Bible to find the quotes 19:11 that will unveil or open up for us 19:14 these particular symbols that God has unfolded to us. 19:19 And so in order to understand this candlesticks 19:22 and Christ walking in the midst of candlesticks he says 19:25 "then that the candlesticks represent the seven churches. 19:28 And also he says the stars represent 19:32 the seven angels to the seven churches. 19:34 But let's beyond that and go to the Old Testament 19:37 and find out what these candles really represent 19:42 and where does this scene come from. 19:45 In the Old Testament God had told Moses 19:50 that he wanted to dwell with his people. 19:53 He wanted to what? Dwell with His people. 19:56 Now you must understand this 19:58 that for God to dwell with us 20:00 means that there can be no sin in us 20:03 in order for Him to dwell with us. 20:05 So God desires to be with His children. 20:08 It was the Lord who spoke to Adam and Eve, 20:11 and communicated with him. 20:12 It was the Lord that actually spoke to Adam and Eve 20:15 when Adam and Eve fell into sin. 20:18 And of course through out the scriptures 20:20 you'll see in the Old Testament that Jesus appears to Abraham. 20:24 He appears to Jacob, 20:26 He appears in many different occasions, 20:29 sometimes as an other human being 20:33 and sometimes He appears as an angle. 20:36 But the point is this, 20:39 God always delights to be with His children. 20:44 What do you say? 20:45 I think that you as parents for example, 20:48 if you have children, 20:50 hopefully you love your children 20:51 and the desire you have is that 20:53 those children be near you. 20:54 Is that correct? 20:56 I have children and I would love for them to be near me. 20:59 But unfortunately one is in New York City, 21:02 the other one is in Cleveland, Ohio 21:04 and my youngest one my daughter 21:06 is in out on Okinawa. 21:08 Well, she happens to be the one that's most productive 21:11 and she has four children. 21:13 And so the grandchildren are over there. 21:16 And I've often thought if I had known 21:19 that grandchildren are so great I would have them first. 21:27 I'd love for them to be 21:28 and when they come over it's such a joy. 21:30 My daughter has two twin little girls 21:32 and it's such a joy to play with those little girls. 21:36 They just go all over grandpa, 21:38 you know crazy about grandpa. 21:42 We love to have those we love with us. 21:46 God is no different. 21:48 In fact God's love intensifies 21:51 beyond our own 21:52 and if you desire to be with those you love 21:55 you can well understand how anxious God is 21:57 to be with His children. 21:58 What do you say? 22:00 But He has this terrible problem, 22:01 the sin problem. 22:04 So what does God do? 22:06 Well He tells Moses, "And let them me" what? 22:10 "A sanctuary that I may" what? 22:12 "Dwell among them." 22:14 And so in that sanctuary 22:17 there is several articles of furniture. 22:21 For example, you see right there the candelabra. 22:25 This particular lamp stand was in the sanctuary. 22:30 The sanctuary had two apartments 22:31 we'll explain that later. 22:32 But look at Exodus 25:37 and it says. 22:35 "And thou shall make seven lamps thereof 22:38 and they shall light the lamps thereof 22:40 that may give light over against it." 22:43 Speaking about inside this tabernacle. 22:45 But notice it says seven, what? 22:48 Lamp stands. 22:49 How many lamp stands was it there in Revelation 22:52 where Jesus is walking? 22:53 Seven. Seven. 22:54 So now we find then that, that typology 22:58 really comes from all over in the Old Testament, okay. 23:02 Now what is that God intended to do in this sanctuary? 23:07 Why did He ask to him to make the sanctuary? 23:11 Well, I want you to take a look at the actual sanctuary. 23:17 This is a clip of the sanctuary 23:21 and I'm sorry that those out there in the viewing 23:23 audience cannot see it 23:24 but those here present are able to see it. 23:26 You can see the sanctuary here how it was put together. 23:31 Then of course, I want to give you 23:33 a bird's eye view of the sanctuary. 23:36 A what? 23:37 A bird's eye view. 23:38 So I want you to notice this clip. 23:39 This clip will take us 23:41 right into the actual sanctuary. 23:44 If you notice here there is the court. 23:46 There is the what? The court. 23:48 And then of course, there is a tabernacle. 23:50 This is the laver. 23:53 This is where the priest would wash himself. 23:55 This is the altar of sacrifice. 23:57 When sacrifices where made 23:59 this is where they would burn the sacrifices. 24:02 But I want you to notice then 24:03 as we go in through the opening here 24:07 and come over the altar of sacrifice 24:11 we will also come over the laver 24:13 and then we'll go right into the actual sanctuary 24:16 and you will see then the both sides-- 24:18 on one on the right side 24:20 you'll see the table of showbread 24:21 on the left side you'll see the candlesticks 24:23 and right in front the altar of incense 24:25 and right beyond that there is another apartment 24:29 called the most holy place 24:30 and that is where the presence of God was. 24:34 You see the table of showbread, the lamp stand, 24:37 the altar of incense right there you see it 24:39 and then right inside 24:41 this is where the holy Shekinah was. 24:45 And this is where the presence of God was. 24:51 And inside that particular article 24:55 which is called the ark of the testament 24:58 inside of that God had commanded Moses 25:03 to take the tables of stones 25:04 that He had written with His own fingers 25:06 and placed them in there showing then 25:09 that government of God sits 25:12 over the Ten Commandments or in other words 25:14 it's a foundation of God's government 25:16 on His wonderful moral laws. 25:18 What do you say? 25:20 Okay, now the thing about this is 25:23 however that no one could enter 25:26 into the most holy place except the high priest. 25:28 Except who? The high priest. 25:31 And so the other priest could enter into the other places 25:34 but not into the most holy place. 25:38 Now here is the scene of the tents around-- 25:44 the Israelites who always made the tabernacle, 25:48 the centre of everything that they did. 25:51 Here is the altar of sacrifices I've mentioned et cetera. 25:55 Now what does this have to do 25:58 with separating sin from the sinner 26:00 and getting rid of guilt? 26:03 God here opens up to us wonderful lessons 26:08 that we must understand 26:10 if we're to understand how God is finally 26:13 going to eradicate sin in the future, okay. 26:16 In other words, if you and I are going to cooperate with God 26:20 in terms of this process 26:21 of separating sin from the sinner 26:24 then we must understand it and then be able to prepare 26:28 for that glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 26:31 Now I want you to understand what had to take place. 26:35 In this particular sanctuary God demonstrated the process 26:39 and here's what took place. 26:41 Let's suppose that you were an Israelite 26:43 and you lived in the days 26:45 when you're in the wilderness 26:47 and there were all these tents pitched around. 26:49 Let's supposed that was the case. 26:51 And let's suppose that you made the mistake. 26:54 You got upset with your wife and you said something to her 26:56 that you shouldn't have said, okay. 26:59 And I'm picking on the husbands now, all right. 27:02 And let's suppose that was the case. 27:04 Well, if you wanted to make sure 27:07 that thing did not keep you from God 27:10 because to the Jewish man 27:12 he always had to go and worship and it was important 27:15 and if you went to worship before God 27:16 that he went without sin. 27:18 Went without what? Without sin. 27:20 And by the way today friends, 27:22 God wants us to come to Him just as we are 27:27 but He doesn't want us to stay as we are. 27:30 Did you hear what I've said? 27:32 God wants us to come to Him as we are 27:35 but He does not intend that we stay as we are. 27:39 And so the Israelite then who felt bad about what he did 27:44 now had that chore of getting himself a sacrifice. 27:48 And the sacrifice usually was an animal, a lamb 27:52 that he was raising. 27:54 And usually these are animals were very cute little pets 27:57 and I don't know if you've ever had lambs around you 28:00 but they're cute little animals, aren't they? 28:03 I remember when I was in Armenia not too long ago 28:07 and we're looking for Noah's Ark. 28:11 And we happened to stop at Yerevan 28:14 which is the one of the cities of Armenia 28:17 and it turns out 28:18 that in Armenia they still sacrifice lambs. 28:22 And I was just troubled with all these little lambs 28:25 in the streets on the sidewalks 28:28 by the stores with their legs tied 28:31 and ready to be sold to somebody 28:33 so that they could sacrifice it. 28:34 And then have a meal from the lamb. 28:37 And I wished at that time that I was well enough to do 28:40 so that I could buy the lambs and set them free. 28:47 The sinner now had to bring a lamb. 28:49 But think about it, 28:50 suppose you happened to live way out there, 28:52 okay and you did something 28:55 and now you've to go to the tabernacle. 28:57 Where did you have to go to? To the tabernacle. 29:00 You see this man here. 29:02 Okay, you have to go to the tabernacle. 29:04 So here you come with the lamb 29:06 and there are all the Israelites watching you. 29:10 Okay. 29:11 Wonder what he did now. 29:14 Do you understand that's how we think right? 29:16 Wonder what he did now. 29:18 He didn't matter what people thought. 29:21 What matter to the individual was what God thought? 29:24 What do you say? 29:27 They wanted to be right with God 29:29 then it was important to go to God 29:31 and to go to what God had ordained 29:34 as a process of removal of sin. 29:36 So the sinner then came and he came into the court. 29:41 He brought his sacrifice 29:43 and now he had to go through several steps. 29:46 Number one, we're told that the individual 29:50 had to confess his sin 29:53 whatever it was, to do what? 29:56 To confess his sin. 30:00 Now it was important that he was specific with his sin. 30:04 Notice it said "It shall be, when he shall be guilty." 30:07 Be what? There is that word. 30:10 What that's we're talking about tonight? 30:11 Guilt. 30:13 Therefore where and that 30:15 which "he is guilty in one of these things, 30:17 that he shall confess that he has sinned in" What? 30:21 "In that thing." 30:22 Have you ever heard in the church somebody say 30:25 "brethren, if I offended somebody forgive me." 30:28 Have you ever heard that? Can I see your hands? 30:31 All right, let me ask you a question. 30:33 Did that person confess what they actually did? 30:37 Isn't it interesting that sometimes 30:39 we use that as an albeit to get away from actually admitting 30:43 that we have done something. 30:45 Now that doesn't mean that there is some sincere people 30:48 who are really a concern. 30:50 Maybe they've done something they didn't know 30:51 and they just want to make sure 30:52 that it's all right and so they said look, 30:54 if I had done something let me know so I can clear it. 30:57 But friend, for us to say 30:59 brethren, if I have done something 31:00 so our friend is somebody, forgive me. 31:03 When you know that you've done something 31:05 have you confessed the sin? 31:07 Yes or no? 31:09 You see my friends, either its hard to die to self. 31:15 It is what? It is hard to die to self. 31:20 Pride just does not allow us to be honest 31:27 and that's why we need divine grace. 31:31 Now the scripture then reveals that as the person came 31:36 and confessed the sin one of the things he had to do 31:40 was that he had to put his one hand on the lamb 31:44 and then lean over on the lamb 31:47 therefore putting his weight upon the lamb. 31:50 Now you may ask the question 31:52 why did he have to put his weight on the lamb? 31:56 Because in the scriptures 31:58 when John the Baptist saw Jesus Christ 32:01 what did he say of Jesus? 32:03 "Behold" what? "The Lamb of God that" what? 32:08 "Taketh" the actual Greek work means beareth. 32:12 What does that it mean? 32:13 Beareth or bearers the sins of the world. 32:16 In other words "behold the Lamb of God 32:18 that takes the weight of sin of the world." 32:21 That does what? Take the weight. 32:24 So here comes the man. 32:27 He has the lamb the innocent victim 32:30 but he knows that there is no other way 32:32 if he is going to be right with God 32:34 he must get rid of that sin. 32:38 But why an innocent victim? 32:40 Simply because my friends, 32:42 if you die for your sin you'll never live again. 32:48 You cannot atone for your sin. 32:51 You're life is not holy enough to meet the just law 32:56 that God has as a standard of holiness. 32:59 In other words the only thing 33:01 that could atone fore the violation 33:04 of a holy law is a holy life. 33:08 What did I say? 33:10 The only thing that can atone for the holy law is a what? 33:14 A holy life. 33:19 And so an innocent victim is brought, 33:23 their weight is placed upon it and then with his own hand 33:27 he was to take the knife and take the life of that lamb. 33:33 Now you can understand what God is trying to say. 33:38 You see friends, the problem with sin is that often times 33:43 we do not see how bad sin is. 33:46 What did I say? We do not see how bad sin is. 33:53 And because we do not see how bad sin is 33:55 and we don't understand the cost 33:58 God had to create some mechanism to help us 34:02 to understand the pain that sin brings. 34:06 Friends, does sin bring pain? Yes or no? 34:09 Yes or no? Yes. 34:10 And listen let me illustrate it this way so you can understand. 34:15 There was a man who just woke up and found out 34:18 that he hadn't heard the alarm clock. 34:20 And so he was late for work. 34:21 He jumps out of bed puts on his clothing, 34:24 dashes over to the kitchen, gulps down the glass of juice, 34:27 enters into his garage, gets into his car turns it on, 34:31 pushes the button for the automatic door to open up. 34:35 The door opens up and he begins to back down 34:38 only to feel the car going over something. 34:41 Upset that somebody had left something in the way of the car 34:45 he stops the car, gets out, goes to the back of the car 34:48 to pullout whatever it is only to discover 34:51 that he has run over his little boy. 34:57 Now let me ask you a question. 35:02 Do you think that man will ever again 35:05 hurry out of his driveway? 35:08 Yes or no? No. 35:10 Why? 35:13 Because he has experienced the pain 35:16 of that mistake has brought. 35:24 God intended that a human beings 35:27 who have become careless because of sin. 35:29 Listen friends, we're born and brought 35:31 in so much all the time with iniquity 35:34 on television every place we go 35:36 that it is hard for us to understand 35:38 why is something so bad, correct. 35:42 I think you'll hear people say what's so bad about that? 35:46 Is that true? 35:48 What's so bad about that? Well, let me put it this way. 35:53 How many of you have children as you mother prepare some cake 35:57 or some pastry or some cookie 36:00 how many of you remember being tempted? 36:10 How many of you like sweets, can I see your hands? 36:13 All right. 36:15 I mean to tell a child not to take something 36:17 when you put it right then in the refrigerator it hard. 36:19 Mother had six boys. 36:21 How many? Six boys. 36:22 Well, six boys and mother oftentimes 36:25 when she bought pastries 36:26 you know what she had to do? 36:28 She had to hide them. 36:30 She had to what? Hide them. 36:32 And you know what we would do? 36:34 We would try to sniff it out. You understand. 36:37 We're like bloodhounds, where is it. 36:42 Well sometimes she'd buy bigger cake you know 36:44 and she would say boys don't touch it. 36:45 Do you hear what I have said? 36:46 She was a little lady but she had an iron fists, 36:49 do you understand. 36:50 And when she grabbed the whole of you, and forget about it. 36:53 There is no mercy. 36:54 Do you understand? So she said don't touch it. 36:57 Well, you know what she meant that 36:58 but sometimes temptation was too great. 37:02 And now you try to figure out how to maneuver yourselves 37:04 so that you can accomplish 37:05 what you want to without her knowing it, you know. 37:08 So I remember at one time you know thinking okay 37:13 I will swipe it right from behind. 37:15 And when she comes to see it she'll look at the front. 37:18 See you understand. 37:19 So I just swipe from behind and I get myself a taste 37:22 she'll never know it, okay. 37:24 I opened the refrigerator 37:26 and as the refrigerator door opens there it is. 37:30 Do you understand? 37:32 And there I'm about to take a swipe all right. 37:37 All of a sudden I hear of some footsteps. 37:40 Let me ask you question. 37:43 Where do you think I would wish mom wasn't there at that time? 37:48 Somewhere else. 37:51 Do you think I would wish she was by my side yes or no? 37:54 All right, but listen, listen to this point. 37:58 At that moment 38:00 I prefer to satisfy my desires 38:06 than to have my own mother abide me. 38:10 At that moment my yielding to temptation means more to me 38:15 than the one that I'd say I love. 38:19 Sin separates, doesn't it? 38:21 Now supposed, supposed you did take the cookie 38:24 and your mother caught you with it. 38:26 Now she says, you're sentenced to death. 38:31 You're what? 38:33 You're sentenced to death, okay. 38:35 But let me ask you a question 38:36 how many of you feel that you want to die 38:39 because you took a cookie? 38:40 Any of you let me see your hands? 38:43 None of you. 38:44 But listen, listen to this point, 38:48 what was it that Eve took? 38:55 Let me ask you a question. 38:57 Did Eve deserve death? 39:02 In essence you just took a cookie from the cookie jar. 39:08 Is that true? God said don't take it. 39:12 And what did she do? She took it. 39:15 You mom says don't take it and what do you do? 39:18 You'll take it. Eve dies and you don't. 39:22 And if I were to ask you was God right 39:26 in allowing death to pass upon man 39:29 because of that one act? 39:31 Today you would say no. 39:35 And that's the problem. 39:37 We have become so desensitized 39:40 that we do not understand the challenge that God has 39:44 with this little thing called sin. 39:46 And my friends, unless you and I can understand 39:48 what God is dealing with 39:50 we will never cooperate with God, 39:52 we will never understand 39:53 why God is so concerned with it. 39:55 And listen, let me ask you a question. 39:57 How many cancer cells do you have to have 40:00 in order to get cancer? 40:02 How many? One. 40:05 How many? One. 40:07 And if that cancer cell remains in you 40:10 what will it ultimately do? It will destroy your life. 40:17 Can you understand God's problem, yes or no? 40:22 I know for example that Stephen Hawking 40:26 would like people to go to Mars. 40:27 My friends, can you imagine transporting our contamination 40:31 from here on earth to another planet. 40:35 We have no idea what we're doing. 40:37 We do not understand what God is dealing with, 40:40 the challenge that he has with this thing called sin. 40:45 And that's why we don't because we don't understand it 40:49 when God is trying to help us to wrestle with sin we'd say 40:52 "what do you so up trying about God. 40:54 What's so important about it? It's just a little sin." 41:01 But every sin brings pain to the heart of God. 41:06 And my friends, the cross is simply an emblem of the pain 41:10 that sin has brought to the heart of God 41:13 from the very inception. 41:15 God aches over this. 41:19 And so He is anxious that we do what? 41:21 That we separate from the sin. 41:23 Now listen, when the man understands it, 41:28 and understand the way the sin is death 41:30 and when he understands how bad sin is, 41:32 he is going to want to get rid of it. 41:33 What do you say? 41:35 Is that true yes or no? Oh, God take it from me. 41:38 And that's what the people did in those days. 41:41 They brought their lambs, they sacrifice the lambs. 41:45 And when they confessed their sins by faith believing 41:49 that the Lamb of God will come in the future 41:51 they could then leave their sin behind and go free. 41:55 And that's what God wants. 41:56 He wants you to leave the sin behind. 41:58 And so here's what happened. 42:00 The sinner comes with the sin, by confessing his sin 42:03 he transfers his sins to the lamb. 42:05 The lamb then dies. 42:07 Then that blood from the lamb 42:09 that is been shed is taken into the sanctuary. 42:13 And now the sin is carried into the sanctuary. 42:18 And now that sin is sprinkled before the curtain. 42:24 And now the sin is transferred into the sanctuary. 42:29 Man knows the sinner now goes free. 42:33 He no longer has to feel the guilt 42:35 because he has now has found atonement for his sins. 42:41 Good news what do you say? 42:44 But the sin has come in 42:46 all through the year until once a year 42:49 there was something called the Day of Atonement. 42:50 And when that Day of Atonement took place 42:52 it was the Day of Judgment. 42:53 A what? A Day of Judgment. 42:56 And this Day of Judgment the trumpet would sound. 42:58 All the Jews would gather together. 43:00 The priest then would take two goats 43:02 and would select one as the Lord's goat 43:04 and one as the devil's goat, the Azazel. 43:06 Once the Lord's goat was chosen 43:09 then the sins of the whole nation 43:11 for that year will confessed over that goat. 43:14 The goat was then killed or slain as an atonement. 43:18 And you'll ask the question, why a goat? 43:21 Just like what Moses put up the wrath, 43:23 remember what the serpent. 43:24 Why was it the serpent, why not a lamb upon the stick? 43:27 Because Jesus had to be treated as the sinner. 43:31 As the what? The sinner. 43:33 He had to bear the sins of the world 43:35 and he was treated as the one responsible for sin. 43:40 But ultimately who is the one who is responsible for the sin. 43:44 Satan. 43:45 So Christ had to be treated as we deserved 43:48 that you and I could be treated as He deserves. 43:53 So they took the goat, the goat is slain. 43:56 Then the high priest took the blood of the goat 43:59 and went before the very presence of God 44:01 and sprinkled the blood doing this time 44:04 all the people are searching their hearts 44:06 to make sure that there is not one sin 44:08 that would separate them from the camp and from God. 44:12 This was called the Day of Atonement. 44:14 And they at one meant to reunite God and His people. 44:18 The Jews call it Yom Kippur, 44:20 you've heard of that haven't you. 44:22 And so this is the time of judgment, 44:24 a time when it was, 44:27 it was necessary to get rid of everything. 44:29 This is the time when you went to your brother and said "look 44:31 I have told to forgive me. 44:33 Here its take back. 44:34 I don't want it you can have it. 44:35 I'll even give you four times the amount 44:37 if you'd take it back." 44:38 Do you understand simply because 44:39 it was more important to be at peace with God 44:42 than to have that peace of material thing? 44:45 Do you understand what I'm saying? 44:46 And so this took place in once a year as a Day of Atonement. 44:51 But when the goat was slain 44:55 and the blood was sprinkled to make the atonement 44:57 then the priest came with all the sins 45:00 and confessed them over the life goat 45:02 or Azazel's goat or the devils goat 45:05 and then that goat was led out 45:07 into the wilderness to die itself. 45:10 Thus the process of separation of sin 45:15 from the sinner was accomplished. 45:18 God's purpose had been reached, 45:21 man felt troubled and felt repentant for what he did 45:26 and thus he brought to God the atonement 45:31 and man then was forgiven, cleansed and justified. 45:37 Now that was in the Old Testament 45:39 how does that apply to us today? 45:41 Remember, we're digging up the future, correct. 45:43 So the scripture says then 45:45 "When did the earthly sanctuary services come to an end?" 45:48 Obviously, we don't have it anymore, correct. 45:49 There is no temple in Jerusalem, is that true. 45:52 So when did it come to an end and why did it come to end? 45:56 Well, the scripture reveals then 45:58 in Daniel 9:27 and in Colossians 46:02 that "Jesus would cause the sacrifice 46:05 and oblation to cease." 46:07 Now the word oblation means offerings 46:09 and sacrifice says all offerings to cease. 46:11 In other words when the Messiah 46:13 actually came as the Lamb of God 46:15 and offer up His life as an atonement for mankind 46:19 He caused to sacrifice and oblations to cease. 46:23 There was no more need 46:24 to offer the sacrifices the animal sacrifices 46:28 because they pointed to whom? 46:30 To Jesus, the true Lamb came. 46:31 And so then what happened was that very moment 46:35 that Jesus criedout "it is finished" 46:38 on the cross and gave up the ghost 46:40 that very moment the priest who were in the temple 46:43 ready to sacrifice the lamb all of a sudden saw the curtain 46:47 and which was about 70 feet high 46:48 ripped from top to bottom. 46:56 The earthly sanctuary had come to an end. 46:58 Type had met antitype. 47:01 All the longing of the people 47:04 who loved God and who wanted to be at peace with God 47:07 finally saw their hope satisfied in Christ as He died. 47:14 Remember John said 47:15 "Behold the Lamb of God it takes away." 47:17 That does what? 47:18 Takes away the sins of the world. 47:20 And so all of those pointed to Christ. 47:23 So then my friends, 47:26 when the veil was torn in half then what took place? 47:29 Well, the scripture says that when Jesus died He rose again. 47:33 And what did He do? He entered where? 47:36 According to Hebrews 9:24. 47:39 "Christ is not entered 47:40 into the holy places made with" what? 47:43 "With hands, which are the" what? 47:45 "The figures of the true." So where did He go? 47:49 "Into heaven itself not to appear 47:52 in the presence of God for" whom? 47:53 "For us." 47:54 In other words friends, 47:55 the local priest in the sanctuary service 47:59 also represent the Christ. 48:01 And when a sinner came 48:03 that priest then represented the Messiah, the Christ. 48:09 When the sanctuary service finally came to an end 48:13 since all of it pointed to Christ, 48:15 Christ then was not only the Lamb 48:17 but Christ also became the priest. 48:20 What did He become? The priest. 48:23 And so it says He didn't enter into the earthly one 48:27 but He entered into the heavenly one. 48:29 And other ones-- pardon me 48:31 in other words the earthly sanctuary 48:33 was only a copy of the heavenly sanctuary. 48:37 Now, when the Lord then went into the heavenly sanctuary 48:44 He went into the sanctuary 48:46 for the purpose of carrying your sin and my sin 48:51 before the presence of God. 48:53 Just as the high priest had to come 48:54 before the presence of God with the sins of the people 48:57 so Christ when He went to heaven 48:59 had to also represent His people 49:03 before God in the sanctuary. 49:08 So the question is this. 49:10 If the earthly sanctuary then had to have a cleansing 49:13 which took place once a year 49:15 then what about the heavenly sanctuary? 49:17 That's not it has to be cleansed. 49:19 I want you to notice the statement 49:20 in the Book of Hebrews again verse 22 and 23. 49:23 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood 49:28 and without the shedding of blood is no remission. 49:30 It was therefore necessary 49:31 that the pattern of the things in the heavens 49:34 should be purified with better things." 49:38 That is in the better sacrifices 49:41 in the heavenly sanctuary. 49:43 So since the earthly one had to be purified 49:45 the heavenly one had to be purified also 49:48 but it had to be purified 49:49 not with the blood of bulls and goats 49:51 but with the blood of Christ Himself. 49:55 When Christ died then 49:56 He went to represent us with His own blood. 50:00 What do you say? 50:01 Now He is then been ministering in our behalf all this time. 50:06 Notice in Daniel 8:14 then it says 50:09 "that the time would come 50:10 when the sanctuary would be" what? 50:12 "Will be cleansed." 50:13 The problem is that in Daniel 8:14 50:15 there is no sanctuary. 50:16 The sanctuary was destroyed 50:17 and Daniel is in Babylon as a captive. 50:20 So what sanctuary it is talking about? 50:22 A heavenly sanctuary. 50:23 The heavenly sanctuary had to be cleansed with better things. 50:26 And that was with the blood of Christ. 50:29 But just as it had to be cleansed 50:32 in the earthly sanctuary 50:34 so in the heavenly sanctuary it would also be cleansed 50:38 and this was also called a time of judgment. 50:40 Now notice it says "unto 2300 days 50:42 then shall the sanctuary be what be," what? 50:45 "Be cleansed." 50:46 2,300 days, each day for a year, 2,300 years. 50:52 When does the 2,300 year prophecy begin 50:55 and when does a prophecy meet its fulfillment then? 50:57 Well, it began in 457 BC 51:00 and I don't have all the time to explain that to you. 51:03 But it began in 457 BC and it ended in what year, 1844. 51:10 Now according to the scriptures then 51:12 we are in what is called the judgment hour. 51:15 We're in the what? The judgment hour. 51:18 Notice it says here the hour of His judgment 51:21 will come-- is come. 51:24 In other words friends, 51:25 according to Revelation 14:7 the ministration of Christ 51:29 has been taking place for centuries 51:31 but it must also come to an end 51:34 just as the earthly sanctuary also came to an end. 51:38 Which means then that you and I 51:42 and planet earth has a time provision 51:44 in order for us to get rid of sin. 51:48 But how do we get rid of sin? 51:49 First of all we must sense how bad sin is. 51:53 We must repent of it. But how do you repent? 51:56 Well, the Spirit of God is the one that enables us to repent. 51:59 But what is repentance? 52:01 Repentance is a sorrow and a turn away from sin. 52:04 What is it? 52:05 A sorrow and turn away from sin. 52:08 Now it doesn't matter what sin you commit God will forgive. 52:14 We know that because 52:16 we know that David sin and God forgive him. 52:19 Yes, we know that Paul sinned, didn't he and God forgave him. 52:22 In other words friends 52:23 you and I irrespective of what we have done 52:26 in our lives can be forgiven. 52:28 Now, how can we be forgiven? 52:32 Well, the Bible says that that Revelation reveals 52:36 that "The temple of God is seen open" where? 52:39 "In heaven" do you see that? 52:41 And what's seen there. "The ark of His covenant." 52:46 Well, the ark of a covenant 52:47 then representing the time of judgment 52:49 when the high priest came before that ark 52:51 to sprinkle his blood on that ark. 52:54 So Christ with His own blood represents you and me 52:59 when you and I confess our sins 53:02 the Lord then takes that sin upon Himself 53:05 and represents us before the Father 53:08 by His own blood and ask forgiveness in our behalf. 53:12 That's why you and I can be forgiven. 53:14 What do you say? 53:15 And when we believe that through by faith we're forgiven 53:20 then we can leave our guilt behind. 53:22 What do you say? 53:23 But often times what happens is you may confess your sin 53:26 and it's the devil that brings it back to you 53:28 and back to you and back to you. 53:30 Like Luther one time he had a dream 53:32 that the devil appeared before him 53:34 and had a whole list in front of him of all he ever did. 53:38 And so he said yes, I did that 53:40 and yes, I did that and yes, I did that. 53:43 And the devil had his hand over one last item. 53:46 And so Luther said remove your hand I want to see it all. 53:50 And the devil won't remove it. 53:51 Finally he said "remove it all I want to see it all." 53:54 And the devil removed it and it said 53:56 "covered by the blood of Christ." 53:59 My friends, where sin is balanced 54:04 grace is much more abound. 54:07 And the Bible says that we have mediator in heaven. 54:10 "My little children, 54:11 these things I write unto you, that you" what? 54:14 "That you sin not. 54:16 And if any man sin, we have a" what? 54:18 "An advocate with the Father" and who is that? 54:21 "Jesus Christ the righteous." 54:22 Our friends, we have a lawyer. 54:25 We have a what? A lawyer. 54:27 A mediator for there is one God and one what? 54:31 Mediator between whom? God and man who is that? 54:35 The man Jesus Christ. Have you sinned? 54:39 Have you've offended someone? 54:44 Have you been carrying guilt around? 54:47 Have you done something that you wished nobody knew 54:49 about things that you're truly ashamed? 54:53 Something that has troubled you for years and years? 54:57 My friends, there is process if we confess our sins. 55:02 He is what? Faithful and just to do what? 55:05 Forgive us our sins and to cleanse us 55:08 from all unrighteousness. 55:10 How many of you would like to put your faith 55:12 in that advocate in heaven? 55:13 Can I see your hands? 55:15 How many of you've sense a need to have your life cleansed 55:19 so that you could be at peace with God? 55:21 Amen. 55:22 Well, tonight I want to sing a song with you 55:24 and I want you to sing it with me. 55:26 Will you do that with me? 55:28 Yes, I'm sure you know that tune. 55:31 I'm gonna Raphael if he could play it for me right now 55:34 and you'll recognize the tune. 55:35 It's the tune Edelweiss. 55:36 How many of you have remembered Edelweiss? 55:39 Well, I've written some different words to that song 55:42 and I want you to sing them with me. 55:44 Would you do that tonight? Here they are. 56:02 Will you sing it with me? 56:05 May our Lord Jesus Christ 56:12 Represent you in heaven 56:20 May His grace be supplied 56:27 Every moment you need Him 56:34 Peace and power will He provide 56:41 For your needs there's plenty 56:48 Trust Him now thou are now 56:56 Yes, to keep you from safety 57:01 Would you pray with me? 57:03 Oh, Lord, we're so grateful that we have a Savior, 57:08 an advocate who represents us in heaven. 57:12 Accept us, cleanse us 57:14 and make us ready for your kingdom. 57:16 We pray in Jesus name, amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17