Participants: Stephen Bohr
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR001008
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01:02 Hello, friends, and welcome to Spring Camp Meeting
01:05 here in Southern Illinois at the 3ABN Worship Center, 01:08 where the people of God are continuing to be blessed 01:11 by messages focused on the Pillars of Prophecy. 01:15 Just a moment ago we had a wonderful presentation 01:19 and we're gonna have another one now. 01:21 Pastor Stephen Bohr is going to come and share with you 01:24 a message entitle "Diamond in the Rough. " 01:27 So if you are moving around right now 01:29 and don't know what to do, let me encourage you 01:31 to take seat for the next 55 minutes or an hour, 01:34 so invite your friends and family members, 01:37 because this is in fact the day of prophecy. 01:40 The important messages of the last days 01:42 are being fulfilled right before our eyes. 01:44 And the Lord has chosen his servant today 01:47 to communicate a message from the Word of God 01:50 and we would like to thank you for all you do 01:52 for the cause of God and we like to always invite you 01:56 to bow your heads with us as we invite the presence 01:59 of the Lord to continue with us in this service. 02:03 Gracious Father in heaven, we thank You for Your goodness, 02:06 for Your mercy and for Your grace. 02:10 We thank You for the fact that prophecy is true, 02:13 it is the timetable to which the people of God march. 02:17 And we pray a special blessing on Pastor Stephen Bohr 02:22 as he brings to us this very important nugget of truth, 02:26 may our hearts absorb what the Spirit plants there. 02:31 May our minds be filled with 02:32 not only the knowledge of Christ 02:34 but a passion to serve Him 02:36 and be prepared for his soon return, 02:38 in Jesus' name we pray, amen. 02:42 Now just a little bit more on Pastor Stephen Bohr. 02:45 He is the president and speaker of Secrets Unsealed 02:47 and it fits perfectly in prophecy 02:49 because in Amos 3:7, the Bible says, 02:52 "Surely the Lord God does nothing except 02:55 he reveals his secrete to his servants, the prophets. " 02:58 If you know Pastor Stephen Bohr, 02:59 he is a servant of God. 03:01 Can you say amen? Amen. 03:02 And so the timing is right 03:03 and the man that God has chosen is correct also. 03:06 But just before he comes to speak, 03:08 the Lord has also given me the opportunity 03:10 to lay the foundation to focus the message on the one 03:14 who is the central theme and that is Jesus. 03:17 And so I pray the song encourages your heart 03:19 because the fountain that continues to flow, 03:22 filled with the redeeming blood of Christ is our only hope. 03:43 There is a fountain 03:47 Filled with blood 03:51 Drawn from Immanuel's veins 03:58 And sinners, plunged beneath that flood 04:06 Lose all their guilty stains 04:14 Lose all their guilty stains 04:22 Lose all their guilty stains 04:30 And sinners, plunged beneath that flood 04:37 Lose all their guilty stains 04:46 The dying thief rejoiced to see 04:53 That fountain in his day 05:01 And there may I, though vile as he 05:09 Wash all my sins away 05:16 Wash all my sins away 05:25 Wash all my sins away 05:32 And there may I, though vile as he 05:40 Wash all my sins away 05:51 E'er since by faith 05:55 I saw the stream 06:00 Thy flowing wounds supply 06:07 Redeeming love has been my theme 06:15 And shall be till I die 06:22 Yes, it shall be till I die 06:31 And it shall be till I die 06:39 Your redeeming love has been my theme 06:47 And shall be till I die 06:57 And it shall be 07:03 till I die 07:40 Good morning. Good morning. 07:42 Or should we say afternoon? Afternoon. 07:45 This one of those difficult hours 'cause it's about noon. 07:50 It's good to see you all again. 07:52 Are you ready to study the word? 07:54 Yes. 07:55 Praise the Lord. 07:57 Before we do, we want to ask for the Lord's presences. 08:01 So let's bow our heads. 08:04 Father in heaven, 08:06 Your people has gathered together 08:09 to open the holy book that You inspired 08:13 so many centuries ago. 08:16 We realize that without divine help, 08:19 there is no way that we can understand this book. 08:23 And so we ask for the presence of Your Holy Spirit 08:26 and we ask that You'll open our minds and our hearts 08:30 that we might understand and receive the seed of truth. 08:34 Help us not only to comprehend 08:36 but to live what we will learn today. 08:39 We thank You for hearing our prayer, 08:44 for we ask it in Jesus' name, amen. 08:50 Human beings are impressed by science, 08:56 social status, wealth, fame, 09:02 looks, degrees, and so on. 09:09 But how does God look upon these things? 09:16 I'd like to begin by sharing with you a story 09:22 that we find recorded in 1 Samuel Chapter 9 09:27 and we'll begin by reading verse 2. 09:31 1 Samuel 9:2, and we're gonna stay 09:35 in 1 Samuel for quite an extended period of time. 09:40 The time came to elect the first king of Israel. 09:44 And of course we all know 09:45 that the king who was elected was Saul. 09:50 The Bible tells us that Saul was an imposing figure. 09:56 1 Samuel 9:2 describes his physical characteristics. 10:02 It says there, "And he had a choice and handsome son..." 10:07 That is Saul's father whose name was Saul. 10:13 "There was not a more handsome person than he 10:18 among the children of Israel. 10:20 From the shoulders upward 10:23 he was taller than any of the people. " 10:27 Tall and good looking, 10:31 and undoubtedly also very, very smart. 10:37 Now, God saw a lot of potential in Saul. 10:41 We know this because he was God's choice 10:46 to be king of Israel. 10:48 In verse 17 of 1 Samuel 9, 10:52 we find God's assessment of Saul. 10:57 It says there, "So when Samuel saw Saul, 11:02 the Lord said to him, 11:03 'There he is, the man whom I spoke to you. 11:09 This one shall reign over My people. '" 11:14 God saw potential in Saul. 11:19 He was tall handsome, had charisma, was intelligent 11:25 and God saw that he could have 11:29 great potential in leading Israel. 11:33 Now the Bible tells us 11:34 that Samuel was also impressed with Saul. 11:39 In fact all of Israel were greatly impressed by Saul 11:46 perhaps because of what they could see before their eyes. 11:52 In 1 Samuel 10:23, 24, 11:56 we find Saul being introduced to Israel. 12:02 And I want you to notice the reaction of the people 12:04 as they saw Saul introduced before them. 12:09 It says there in 1 Samuel 10:23, 12:13 "So they ran and brought him from there, 12:16 and when he stood among the people, 12:19 he was taller than any of the people 12:22 from his shoulders upward. " 12:25 And notice what Samuel says with pride 12:28 undoubtedly in his voice. 12:30 And Samuel said to all of the people, 12:33 "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen, 12:37 that there is none like him among all of the people?" 12:40 Was Samuel impressed? 12:42 Oh, greatly impressed, 12:45 because he saw that this man was tall 12:48 and he was handsome and he had great potential. 12:52 The people were also impressed 12:55 because we're told once again verse 24. 12:58 "And Samuel said to all of the people, 13:00 'Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen, 13:03 that there is none like him among all of the people's?' 13:08 So all the people shouted and said, 'Long live the king!'" 13:13 Everyone was impressed by Saul. 13:19 But of course you know the Bible tells us 13:21 that Saul did not pass the test. 13:25 He did not live up to his potential. 13:30 The Bible tells us that his life story was 13:33 one of disobedience, one disobedience after another, 13:38 which ultimately led him to commit suicide. 13:44 Great potential, but he did not live up to the potential. 13:51 So it became necessary to choose someone 13:54 to take the place of Saul, 13:55 to choose a new king for Israel. 13:58 So Samuel was instructed to go 14:01 to the home of Jesse who had eight sons. 14:06 And I'd like us to turn 14:12 where God instructs him to go to the house of Jesse. 14:17 It says there, "Now the Lord said to Samuel, 14:20 'How long will you mourn for Saul, 14:23 seeing that I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? 14:27 Fill your horn with oil, and go, 14:30 I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, 14:34 for I have provided Myself a king among his sons. '" 14:43 Now the interesting thing is God did not reveal to Samuel 14:48 the name of the son who would be king. 14:52 Did God know who the- 14:53 which son was going to serve as king. 14:56 Of course He did, 14:57 but He did not tell Samuel the name. 15:01 He said among his sons there is the future king. 15:05 And God had a special purpose 15:08 in not revealing the name of the son 15:12 who would be king even though God already knew. 15:16 And so in 1 Samuel 16 15:18 we have Jesse bringing his sons by order of age before Samuel. 15:24 I want you to notice that only three of those sons 15:26 are mentioned by name, the three eldest. 15:30 Notice 1 Samuel 16:6. 15:34 "So it was, when they came, 15:37 that he" that is Samuel "looked at Eliab and said, 15:42 'Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him!'" 15:47 After all, he was the oldest, the smartest. 15:52 So he must be the next candidate for king. 15:57 But it didn't happened, 15:58 God said, this is not the not one. 16:01 Verse 8, "So Jesse called Abinadab, 16:04 and made him pass before Samuel. 16:07 And he said," that is Samuel said 16:10 "'Neither has the Lord chosen this one. '" 16:14 Verse 9 "Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. 16:18 And he said, 'Neither has the Lord chosen this one. '" 16:22 And so Samuel is wondering what's happening here? 16:25 The three eldest have come by 16:27 and none of them are God's selection for king. 16:31 And eventually he goes through seven of the sons. 16:35 It's not this one, not this one, not this one. 16:38 And so Samuel says, isn't there any one else? 16:42 Aren't there any other sons? 16:45 Interestingly Jesse, he didn't- 16:46 wasn't even thinking about it, 16:48 having his youngest son appear before Samuel. 16:52 He says come to think of it I do have another son. 16:57 He is the youngest and he is out tending the sheep. 17:03 Let's read it 1 Samuel, 1 Samuel Chapter 16. 17:09 1 Samuel 16:7. 17:13 We are going to notice now 17:14 the reason why God did not tell Samuel the name. 17:18 It's because God wanted to teach Samuel 17:22 a very important lesson about people. 17:26 1 Samuel 16:7, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 17:33 'Do not look at his countenance at his appearance 17:38 or at his physical stature, 17:41 because I have refused him. 17:44 For the Lord does not see as a man sees, 17:48 for man looks at the outward appearance, 17:52 but the Lord looks at the heart. '" 17:58 Now we know why God didn't tell the name. 18:01 He wanted to teach Samuel that it is not he who is the eldest, 18:06 the best looking, the tallest and the most able 18:10 who necessarily is God's choice to fulfill His purpose. 18:15 And so David comes before Samuel. 18:18 I want you to notice the description 18:22 in 1 Samuel 16:11, 12. 18:25 1 Samuel 16:11, 12, 18:28 this choice made absolutely no sense 18:32 when you really think about it. 18:33 Notice the description. 18:35 "And Samuel said to Jesse, 'Are all the young men here?" 18:41 Then he said, 'There remains yet the youngest' 18:46 and there he is, keeping the sheep. ' 18:50 And Samuel said to Jesse, 'Send and bring him, 18:54 for we will not sit down till he comes here. ' 18:58 So he sent and brought him in. " 19:01 Now, notice the description. 19:04 "Now he was ruddy, 19:06 with bright eyes, and good-looking. " 19:13 Didn't look like someone who could be king. 19:17 "And the Lord said, 19:18 'Arise, anoint him, for this is the one!'" 19:26 And Samuel is wondering, he says now, 19:28 is the youngest, 19:29 all he knows how to do is tend sheep. 19:31 He doesn't have any administrative experience, 19:35 He is a kid. 19:36 Why would God chose, choose him? 19:39 You see the problem is, 19:40 Samuel saw the actual were as God saw the potential. 19:49 Now how did Saul look upon David? 19:53 It's interesting to see, 19:54 how each one of these individuals looked upon David? 19:56 They all disdained him, 19:58 because of his youth and his lack of experience. 20:01 You remember when Goliath challenged Israel 20:06 every day for a period of 40 days. 20:09 David eventually comes 20:10 and he hears this threatening voice of Goliath. 20:16 And so David says, "I'll go and fight the giant. " 20:22 What did Saul say? How did Saul see David? 20:25 He sees the actual. He does not see the potential. 20:30 Notice 1 Samuel 17:33, 20:33 here is Saul's assessment of David, 20:37 1 Samuel 17:33. 20:41 "And Saul said to David, 20:43 'You are not able to go against this Philistine 20:49 to fight with him, 20:50 for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. '" 20:56 So Samuel says, I don't know why God chose this young kid. 21:02 Saul says hey, you're just a young kid. 21:05 You can't fight against Goliath. 21:08 Saul saw the actual. God saw the potential. 21:14 Now how did the three eldest sons of Jesse look upon David? 21:22 Let's go to 1 Samuel 17, 1 Samuel 17 by the way, 21:26 the three are sons are now mentioned by name again 21:31 and we're going to discover the reason why they were not chosen 21:34 because they were cowards. 21:40 See, God sees beyond what the eyes see. 21:46 1 Samuel 17:11, 21:50 "When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, 21:56 they were dismayed and greatly afraid. " 22:00 Verse 13, "The three eldest sons of Jesse 22:04 had gone to follow Saul to the battle. 22:07 The names of his three sons who went to the battle. " 22:10 The names are given now, same three names. 22:12 "Were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, 22:16 and the third Shammah. " 22:19 David was the what? 22:20 See, the God is underlining this. 22:23 "David was the youngest. 22:25 And the three oldest followed Saul. 22:28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men, 22:32 and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, 22:36 'Why did you come down here? 22:38 And with whom have you left 22:40 those few sheep in the wilderness? 22:43 I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, 22:47 for you have come down to see the battle. '" 22:49 And David says, No, I have come to fight the battle. 22:52 Amen. 22:54 Why didn't the three oldest go and fight Goliath's? 22:58 They were cowards. 23:01 But God saw something special in the shepherd boy 23:04 that could not be seen by the naked eye. 23:09 How did Goliath look upon David? 23:12 See, they all had it wrong. 23:15 Notice 1 Samuel 17, 1 Samuel 17:42-44. 23:20 We're told how Goliath considered David. 23:23 You know there is not a bigger mistake 23:26 that you can make in war than to underestimate the enemy. 23:33 It says there, "And when the Philistine looked about 23:35 and saw David, he disdained him, 23:39 for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. " 23:44 He didn't look like a warrior. 23:46 "So the Philistine said to David, 23:48 'Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?'" 23:55 Of course he had his staff. 23:57 "And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 23:59 And the Philistine said to David, 24:01 Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds 24:03 of the air and to the beasts of the field!'" 24:05 And David said, No, it will be just the opposite. 24:10 God saw in David the potential. 24:14 All of the others saw in David the actual. 24:18 God saw David as he could become, not as he was. 24:23 And of course we all know what the result was. 24:27 David defeated Goliath and he became the king, 24:32 the greatest king in the history of Israel. 24:36 You know as I read the story, 24:40 I had to sit down and reflect myself 24:43 about the way that I looked at people. 24:51 I taught theology for six years 24:54 in Seventh-day Adventist University 24:55 in the city of Medellin, Colombia. 24:59 I had hundreds of students come through my classes, 25:02 preparing to serve in the ministry. 25:06 I had a handful of students that had perfect grades 25:10 all the way through the four years. 25:13 Perfect 4.0. 25:16 I had other students that studied hard and they struggled 25:21 because they did obviously not have the same mental capacity 25:26 or perhaps the same discipline 25:28 that the students who got good grades had. 25:34 You know as I have looked back in the course of many years. 25:40 Because I kind of keep in touch, my wife is Colombian, 25:42 so we go back once or twice a year to Colombia, 25:45 so I see a lot of ex-students. 25:47 I know what's happened to most of them. 25:50 And, you know, some of those students 25:54 who I thought couldn't miss, that it was guaranteed 25:58 that they were gonna be successful in the work 26:03 are no longer ministers. 26:06 And some of those students that I felt would never make it, 26:11 because their grades were not good 26:14 or perhaps they were not as disciplined 26:17 as I thought that they should be became 26:20 some of the most successful workers in God's cause. 26:25 I think of one young man particularly in Venezuela. 26:29 He struggled to get good grades. 26:32 He struggled to get passing grades. 26:35 And I'll tell you, I'll be honest with you 26:37 as I was teaching I wouldn't have given 10 cents for him 26:41 being successful in ministry. 26:45 Well, I was wrong, 26:47 because this young man for year after year 26:50 became the champion soul winner 26:52 in all of the country of Venezuela. 26:54 Praise the Lord. 26:57 So as I've looked back, I've to learn 27:00 that we're not supposed to look at people 27:02 as they are but as they can became. 27:05 We're not supposed to look at the actual, 27:07 but we're supposed to look beyond the visible 27:10 to the potential that people have in God's cause. 27:17 In the southern region of Venezuela where I grew up, 27:23 there is basically jungle, it's known as La Gran Sabana, 27:31 that's where David Gates by the way 27:33 lost one of his planes a few years ago. 27:37 It's never been found, its thick jungle. 27:41 And down there in the southern tip of Venezuela 27:45 are the Davis Indians. 27:48 You know, if you want to read 27:49 the interesting story of the Davis Indians, 27:51 if you can get a copy of the book, it's out of print 27:54 by Booton Herndon called The 7th Day. 27:57 Some of you might remember that book. 27:58 It tells the story of the Davis Indians. 28:02 When my dad was conferences president 28:03 there in the city of Caracas, that was part of his territory. 28:07 And the only way that you could get there, 28:09 now they have a highway that takes you down there, 28:11 but the only way that you could get there 28:13 when my dad was president was by taking a one motor, 28:17 one engine plane and flying down there 28:19 and it flew only once a week. 28:23 So my dad as he describes it, you know, 28:25 the plane would come and like 28:27 it was going to land on top of the trees 28:30 and then suddenly you had the clear landing strip 28:32 where the plane landed right in the midst of the jungle. 28:38 Now the Davis Indians and they are called the Davis Indians 28:42 because they were actually taught the gospel message, 28:46 the Seventh-day Adventist message by Elder Davis. 28:49 And probably some of you have heard the story. 28:51 The chief of the village had a dream 28:55 and in the dream God showed him 28:56 that there was a man dressed in white 28:58 who was gonna come with the black book 29:00 and they should listen to him when he came. 29:03 Sometime later Elder Davis came with his white missionary suite 29:07 and his Bible under his arm. 29:09 And the chief said this is the man that I saw in my dream. 29:13 And so Elder Davis taught them 29:14 and they became Seventh-day Adventists 29:16 and many other villages became Seventh-day Adventists as well. 29:20 Now when my dad was president, the Indians, they would-- 29:23 actually one of the main industries 29:25 that they were involved in was mining for diamonds. 29:29 There are many, many diamonds in that region. 29:31 So one day the Indians said to my dad, 29:34 "Would you like to go with us, 29:35 and we'll show you how we mine diamonds? " 29:38 And my dad said, "That would be interesting. " 29:40 So they went and the Indians started working in a cave 29:46 where they were looking for diamonds 29:48 and there were all sorts of stones there, piled up. 29:53 And my dad, as he describes it. 29:55 You know, the Indians would work through the stones 29:58 and then they would pick up a little stone 29:59 that look pretty much like the other ones 30:01 and the Indian would say, this is a diamond. 30:08 My dad says, he looked at it, he says that's a diamond? 30:12 Yes, that's a diamond. 30:15 He says, but, it's not beautiful. 30:19 You know he--my dad actually describes it, 30:21 have you ever seen a piece of glass 30:22 that has been in the ocean 30:23 for an extended period of time, 30:25 in the course of time that gets smooth and opaque. 30:29 That's what diamonds in the rough look like. 30:32 It's only cut diamonds that are beautiful. 30:35 But diamonds in themselves are actually pretty ordinary. 30:40 And so my dad says, these can't be diamonds, 30:42 I've seen diamonds before, 30:44 they're bright and shiny and beautiful. 30:46 look like just a little pieces a glass. 30:49 And the Indian said, oh, but when they're cut, 30:53 they're beautiful. 30:55 And my dad, that day the Indians gave him 30:57 22 small diamonds and actually he brought them back 31:04 to the city of Caracas, I don't know if he still has 31:06 those in a little bag but, but I remember 31:08 seeing them in our home. 31:14 That's the way people are. 31:16 They might look ordinary to the naked eye 31:22 but when they're cut and when they're polished by the Lord, 31:27 they can do great things for the Lord. 31:30 They can be beautiful in the Lord's hands. 31:34 You know, it kind of makes me think of the sons of Jacob. 31:39 We think of them as being pretty nice guys. 31:43 But when you look at their stories, 31:45 you wonder how God would choose them 31:47 to found the nation of Israel. 31:50 Let me just mention a few of them. 31:53 First of all you have Simeon and Levi. 31:57 Nasty characters. 32:01 Let me just tell you a story 32:03 so you know what they were like. 32:05 You know, there was a young man called Shechem, 32:08 the name of the city where he lived was also Shechem. 32:13 And Shechem fell in love with Dinah, 32:14 the lone sister that all these 12 brothers had, 32:19 and she became pregnant, 32:23 but Shechem loved Dinah and so he said-- 32:28 he went and he talked to Jacob and he said 32:30 "Jacob, would you please allow my son to marry Dinah. " 32:38 And Simeon and Levi heard about it 32:41 so they said to him to Jacob, 32:48 okay or to Hamor rather, 32:52 if you have all of men in Shechem circumcised, 32:59 then we will allow our sister to marry him 33:07 because we cannot allow her to marry an uncircumcised pagan. 33:12 So all of the men of Shechem agreed 33:15 because it wasn't only Shechem who had to be circumcised, 33:19 all of the men who lived in Shechem had to be circumcised 33:23 and so they were all circumcised. 33:26 And after a period of three days, 33:28 when they were in the utmost pain 33:31 because of the circumcision, 33:33 Simeon and Levi came against Shechem and Hamor 33:39 and all of the men of Shechem and slew them. 33:44 That's the kind of men that Simeon and Levi were 33:48 but as we all know Levi, the descendants of Levi 33:53 at Mount Sinai stood for the Lord 33:56 and they became the priest in Israel. 34:00 And then of course you have Reuben 34:04 who had the backbone of a jellyfish. 34:09 When it came to delivering Joseph and saying 34:12 what you're thinking about doing to Joseph is wrong. 34:18 He didn't take a stand. 34:20 He said I'll comeback later 34:22 and take him out of the cistern, 34:24 then it was too late. 34:26 The Bible also tells us that Reuben committed incest 34:30 with his father's concubine. 34:34 What about Judah? 34:36 Judah slept with Tamar, his son's wife. 34:44 Who would have ever given 10 cents for these guys? 34:47 But God saw in them potential. And you know what? 34:54 Their names are immortalized on the gates 35:01 of the New Jerusalem forever and ever. 35:06 Notice Revelation 21:17, 35:10 actually it's verse 12, Revelation 21:12. 35:13 Notice what it says about the twelve sons of Jacob. 35:17 It says "Also the city had a great and high wall with 35:21 twelve gates and twelve angels at the gates 35:26 and names written on them, which are the names 35:30 of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel." 35:34 Three gates on the east, three gates on the north, 35:37 three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 35:42 How could God put the names of 12 individuals, 35:48 who had serious defects with character, 35:51 some of them had savage characters as we've noticed. 35:54 How could God place their names 35:58 on the gates of the New Jerusalem? 36:01 Names immortalized forever 36:04 because God did not see them as they were, 36:08 God saw them as they could become 36:10 through His grace and through His power. 36:15 And what could we say about the 12 apostles. 36:21 What a bunch of guys? 36:24 There was bigmouth fisherman, Peter. 36:29 By the way, his name means pebble, 36:34 pebble is moved back and forth, 36:36 that's the way Peter was fickle. 36:40 And then you have Simon the Zealot, 36:44 The Zealot's was a political party 36:46 in the days of Christ. 36:47 They were intending 36:49 on overthrowing the Roman Government, 36:50 he was a gorilla fighter, if you please. 36:55 And then you have James and John 36:58 whom Jesus called the sons of thunder 37:05 and then you have doubting Thomas 37:09 who had the philosophy to see is to believe 37:16 and then you have Matthew the IRS agent 37:24 and Judas the conniving politician 37:27 who was the tallest and the keenest 37:30 and she says that the apostles. 37:31 The other disciples said he can't miss. 37:36 He's going to be the greatest. 37:39 Who would have given 10 cents 37:42 for this group of guys that were chosen by Christ? 37:47 Jesus did not look at them as they were, 37:51 but as they could become. 37:54 God did not look at the actual, He looked at the potential. 38:00 He saw what was beyond human eyes 38:04 what they could become 38:05 through His grace and through His power. 38:10 And lo and behold, the foundations 38:13 of the wall of the city will immortalize the names 38:19 of the 12 apostles minus Judas forever. 38:23 says as much, 38:28 Revelation 21:14, speaking about the wall of the city. 38:32 It says "Now the wall of the city had 38:34 twelve foundations, and on them were the names 38:39 of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." 38:45 God saw them as they could become, not as they were. 38:52 Let's refer specifically to Simon Peter. 38:55 You remember Peter in Pilate's court, 38:58 he was pretty sure of himself. 38:59 He said to Jesus "I will never deny you. 39:03 Everyone might deny but I won't. 39:07 You can take it to the bank, Lord. " 39:11 And then when he is in Pilate's court, 39:15 the man who was sure of himself 39:20 denied Jesus Christ three times, 39:22 and the third time he used fisherman's language. 39:27 He actually cursed according to scripture, 39:29 he used profanity to deny that he even knew Jesus. 39:35 And by the way it wasn't that Peter was afraid 39:40 because just shortly before this, 39:42 he had taken out the sword, 39:43 he was willing to die for his master. 39:47 Do you know why he betrayed Christ? 39:50 Because Christ wasn't panning out 39:53 the way that he thought the Messiah was gonna be. 39:56 Ellen White says that he was embarrassed 39:59 to be associated with Christ. 40:06 And yet Jesus chose him as one of the 12 apostles. 40:11 Because Jesus did not see he who would deny Him three times, 40:17 Jesus saw the potential that Peter had after his conversion. 40:24 Of course, we all know the difference between Peter 40:28 when he denied Christ and Peter on the day of Pentecost. 40:31 A transformation had taken place. 40:34 Now you have the potential coming through. 40:39 In fact, if you turn with me to Acts 4:13, Acts 4:13, 40:47 we find a description of the change 40:49 that Peter had gone through. 40:53 It says, "Now when the saw the boldness 40:57 of Peter and John, 41:00 and perceived that they were uneducated. " 41:04 The Greek word for uneducated is "agrammatos" 41:10 in Greek you know "grammatos" would mean 41:13 where we get the word grammar from. 41:16 In Greek when you put an A 41:18 before the word it means the opposite. 41:22 In other words, they had no grammar. 41:28 They were unlettered in other words. 41:31 They were not studied if you please, 41:34 but the next word is even more interesting. 41:37 So it says, "Now when the saw the boldest 41:40 of Peter and John, and perceived that 41:41 they were uneducated" un-agrammatos "and untrained. " 41:46 The word untrained in Greek is idiotes 41:52 where we get our word idiot from. 41:59 So they were unlettered and idiots, 42:05 "they marveled." 42:07 See they were agrammatos and idiotes in the actual 42:13 but not in the potential, they marveled 42:18 and they realized that they had been with Jesus. 42:24 There's the factor that changed things. 42:26 They have been with Jesus. 42:28 Jesus fulfilled their potential. 42:32 In fact you remember, when the disciples 42:34 were fishing Jesus says, "Follow me. " 42:37 Notice Jesus doesn't say, 42:39 "Follow me and I will show you how to fish. " 42:42 He says, "Follow me and I will make fishers of men. " 42:48 Jesus saw in these men a potential 42:52 to fish for the master not fish fish, but souls. 43:02 Was Peter embarrassed of Christ when He died? 43:06 Do you know what? 43:07 He was embarrassed to die as Christ died. 43:13 You read Acts of the Apostles, 43:15 you know the Romans before his death, 43:17 before he was crucified with his head upside down 43:22 and that wasn't because of the choice of the Romans, 43:24 it was because of Peter's choice. 43:28 The Romans said "one last request" 43:32 and Peter says, "You know, 43:34 I cannot die the way my Master died. 43:39 It would be too much of a shame 43:44 for me just to die the way Jesus died. " 43:46 He said, "Please crucify me with my head down 43:50 because I can't die like my Master did. " 43:56 Had Peter changed? 43:58 Oh, he had radically changed. 44:00 He was no longer embarrassed to die for his Master. 44:05 Turn with me now to Acts 15:36-40, Acts 15:36-40. 44:13 You know, the Apostle Paul was a great preacher, 44:19 but like all of us he had some flaws, 44:24 one of the flaws that he was so task oriented 44:28 that he had a tendency to look at the actual 44:31 and not to see the potential, the great Apostle Paul. 44:38 You see, now how's that. 44:40 Notice what we find in Acts 15:36, 44:44 "Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, 44:48 'Let us now go back and visit our brethren 44:50 in every city where we have preached 44:52 the word of the Lord and see how they're doing.' 44:56 So let's go back and visit the churches that we established. 45:00 Verse 37, "Now Barnabas was determined to take with them 45:03 John called Mark, but Paul insisted that 45:08 they should not take with them the one who had departed 45:11 from them in Pamphylia 45:14 and had not gone with them to the work. 45:18 Then the contention became so sharp 45:22 that they parted one from another 45:23 and so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, 45:27 but Paul chose Silas and departed being commanded 45:31 by the brethren to the grace of God." 45:35 Strife between the Apostle Paul and Barnabas 45:40 over the issue of whether to take 45:42 John Mark with them or not? What was the problem? 45:48 I'd like to read from Acts of the Apostles, 45:50 page 169 and 170. 45:52 How Ellen White describes the reason 45:54 why Paul did not want to take John Mark with him. 45:59 The reason basically is because he saw John Mark 46:01 as he was and not as he could become. 46:06 She says, "It was here in Pamphylia 46:11 that Mark, overwhelmed with fear 46:14 and discouragement, wavered for a time in his purpose 46:18 to give himself wholeheartedly to the Lord's work. 46:22 Unused to hardships, he was disheartened 46:26 by the perils and privations of the way. 46:30 He had labored with success under favorable circumstances 46:33 but now, amidst the opposition perils 46:36 that so often be set the pioneer worker, 46:40 he failed to endure hardness 46:43 as a good soldier of the cross. 46:47 He had yet to learn to face danger and persecution 46:50 and adversity with the brave heart. 46:53 As the apostles advanced 46:55 and still greater difficulties were apprehended, 46:58 Mark was intimidated and, losing all courage, 47:02 refused to go further and return to Jerusalem." 47:06 And the Apostle Paul held it against him. 47:08 The Apostle Paul said, "Oh, this young man 47:11 all he likes is the comforts of life. 47:13 You know, he's not willing to put up with hardships. 47:17 Apostle Paul saw him as he was, he saw the actual 47:23 but Barnabas saw the potential in this young man. 47:28 Ellen White continues describing, she says, 47:30 "This desertion caused Paul to judge Mark unfavorably, 47:36 and even severely for a time. 47:40 Barnabas, on the other hand, was incline to excuse him 47:44 because of his inexperience. 47:46 He felt anxious that Mark 47:48 should not abandon the ministry, 47:50 for he saw in him qualifications 47:53 that would fit him to be a useful worker for Christ. 47:58 In after years, his solicitude in Mark's behalf 48:02 was richly rewarded, for the young man gave himself 48:05 unreservedly to the Lord and to the work of proclaiming 48:09 the gospel message in difficult fields. 48:12 Under the blessing of God 48:14 and the wise training of Barnabas, 48:19 he developed into a valuable worker." 48:24 Was Paul ever reconciled to John Mark that he realized 48:28 that he had committed a mistake in misjudging him? 48:32 Acts of the Apostles, page 170, 48:34 Ellen White says "Paul was afterward reconciled to Mark 48:38 and received him as a fellow laborer. " 48:45 You now what our problem is many times 48:47 is that our eyes are distorted 48:51 and we need the glasses of God to see people 48:55 according to the potential that God has given them. 49:01 In other words, we need the heart of Jesus. 49:05 We need to see people as Jesus saw them. 49:09 We need to see not the actual but the potential, 49:12 not people as they are but as they can become 49:16 through the power of Jesus Christ. 49:20 I'd like to bring this to a conclusion 49:22 by reading a statement from the Spirit of Prophecy, 49:26 which is found in the book In Heavenly Places, page 267. 49:33 You know, we are all diamonds in the rough 49:38 and God has a lot of work of cutting to do. 49:43 Notice how Ellen White describes God's people. 49:49 She says, Christians are Christ's jewels. 49:55 "They are to shine brightly for Him, 50:00 shedding forth the light of His loveliness, 50:04 their luster, listen carefully, 50:06 their luster depends on the polishing they receive." 50:13 Is it painful? Is the polishing painful? 50:15 It takes cutting, remember 50:18 we studied yesterday cutting with a sword. 50:24 She continues saying "They may choose to be polished 50:29 or to remain unpolished. 50:31 But everyone who is pronounced 50:34 worthy of a place in the Lord's temple 50:37 must submit to the polishing process." 50:43 Without the polishing that the Lord gives, 50:47 they can reflect no more light than a common pebble. 50:54 Christ says to man "You are mine, 50:59 I have bought you, you are now only a rough stone 51:07 but if you'll place yourself in my hands, 51:10 I will polish you and the luster 51:14 with which you shall shine shall bring honor to My name. 51:20 No man shall pluck you out of My hand, 51:24 I'll make you My peculiar treasure 51:28 on My coronation day, 51:31 you will be jewel in My crown of rejoicing. " 51:36 Isn't that magnificent statement 51:38 of what Jesus wants to do with us 51:40 and how we should look at other people? 51:44 We should see in other people the potential 51:47 for what they can do for Jesus Christ, 51:51 to bring honor and glory to His name. 51:57 You know, it's been pretty cloudy here, 52:01 this weekend but there are some evenings in Illinois 52:07 where the sky is nice and clear. 52:11 One should imagine one of those clear nights, 52:14 you go outside and you see 52:19 that beautiful full moon lighted 52:24 and there's no city lights 52:26 but the light of the moon is so bright 52:28 that you can see at a distance 52:30 even without our artificial lights. 52:33 So now you look at the moon, you say, 52:36 oh, look the moon, it is so beautiful tonight. 52:43 It's only half true. 52:47 Where does the light of the moon come from? 52:50 It comes from the sun, so what you should really say 52:54 is how beautiful the sun is tonight. 53:00 The moon has no beauty, it's actually a pretty ugly 53:07 heavenly body full of craters 53:14 and yet when the light of the sun shines on the moon, 53:19 the moon is beautiful and brings light to the earth. 53:25 Jesus said, "I'm the light of the world. " 53:29 But you know that Jesus said, 53:31 "Ye are the light of the world. " 53:33 So the question is who is the light of the world, 53:35 is it Jesus or is it us? 53:39 It's explained by the relationship 53:41 between the sun and the moon. 53:43 Jesus is the sun and we're moons. 53:48 Sometimes we think that we're suns 53:52 but in us there is no light, in us there is no glory, 53:57 the glory and the honor of the moon is for the sun. 54:05 God sees in us moons. 54:10 Moons that will allow the light of Jesus 54:13 to shine upon them 54:17 that we might then project the light of Christ 54:21 to those around us that His name 54:25 might be honored and glorified as the light of the world. 54:32 They want me to pray that the Lord will give us that 54:37 special grace and virtue of seeing people 54:40 as they can become through the grace of Christ. 54:45 That's what it's all about. 54:47 We can know all things about Bible prophecy, that's good. 54:51 I love Bible prophecy as you know. 54:53 I preach a lot on Bible prophecy, 54:55 but folks, if we don't realize 54:58 that it's all about loving people 55:02 and reflecting the glory of Christ. 55:05 Ellen White says, that the greatest revelation 55:09 at the end of time of that angel that fills the earth 55:13 with the glory is a revelation of the love of Christ 55:17 for a falling and lost world. 55:20 We need to pray that the Lord will help us, 55:23 have the glasses that will adjust our vision 55:27 and help us see people not as they are 55:31 but as they can become 55:34 as a result of the cutting process 55:36 and the polishing process of God. 55:39 Let us pray. 55:40 Father in heaven, we thank You 55:43 that You have not looked upon us as we are, 55:47 we would all be lost. 55:50 We thank You that You see in all of us great potential 55:54 as we place ourselves in Your hands to cut us 55:58 and to polish us that we might shine 56:01 for Your honor and for Your glory. 56:04 Father, I ask this morning that You will transform 56:08 and change our hearts 56:10 that You will give us the mind of Christ 56:13 that we might be able to see in each soul 56:16 that we come across, a candidate for the kingdom, 56:20 a diamond in the rough that can shine 56:23 for the honor and glory of Jesus. 56:26 Father, I ask that You will give us 56:28 that way of seeing 56:31 that we might be able to see things 56:33 as they can become not as they are, 56:35 that we might be able to see 56:36 the potential and not the actual. 56:40 We realize that this is by Your power 56:42 and Your divine grace. 56:44 We thank You Lord, for answering this prayer, 56:48 for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus, amen. |
Revised 2015-04-09