Participants:
Series Code: PME
Program Code: PME230520S
|
00:01 ♪♪
00:13 [ Organ plays ] 00:33 >> ♪ Sanctus, Sanctus ♪ Sanctus, Dominus 00:47 ♪ Sanctus, Sanctus ♪ Deus Sabaoth! ♪ Deus Sabaoth! 01:15 >> ♪ Sanctus, Sanctus ♪ Sanctus, Dominus 01:30 ♪ Sanctus, Sanctus ♪ Deus Sabaoth! ♪ Deus Sabaoth! 02:00 >> ♪ Pleni suni coeli et terra ♪ Pleni suni coeli et terra gloria tua ♪ 02:22 ♪ Pleni suni coeli, coeli et terra ♪ ♪ Pleni suni, 02:39 pleni suni gloria tua ♪ ♪ Pleni suni ♪ Pleni suni 02:55 gloria tua ♪ 03:10 >> ♪ Pleni suni coeli >> ♪ Pleni suni coeli >> ♪ Pleni suni coeli 03:25 >> ♪ Coeli et terra >> ♪ Coeli et terra >> ♪ Coeli et terra 03:40 >> ♪ Gloria tua >> ♪ Gloria tua >> ♪ Gloria tua 03:52 >> ♪ Pleni suni coeli ♪ Coeli et terra >> ♪ Gloria tua 04:09 ♪ Gloria tua ♪ Sanctus, Sanctus ♪ Sanctus, Dominus 04:30 ♪ Sanctus, Sanctus ♪ Deus Sabaoth! ♪ Sanctus, Sanctus 04:51 ♪ Sanctus, Dominus ♪ Sanctus ♪ Deus Sabaoth! 05:09 ♪ Osanna ♪ Osanna in excelsis ♪ Amen 05:31 ♪ Amen 05:50 >> Oh, good morning, boys and girls. >> Good morning, 05:54 Pastor Dwight Nelson. >> Nice. [ Laughter ] 05:58 Well, thank you. I like formal greetings. But nice to see you. 06:03 What a sight you are. I think you're the most beautiful boys and girls 06:08 on this whole planet. 06:10 Thank you for being who you are. And what a treat to have you 06:13 here today. So I thought, 06:16 "Oh, boy, what shall I share? Our last children's story 06:20 together." And then I remembered -- 06:22 Oh, it's true. There was a children's story 06:25 we shared years ago. 06:27 You weren't even alive yet. So I knew you wouldn't remember it. 06:34 But for some reason the story got picked up online and then it just started going everywhere. 06:44 So I went on because I forgot some of the details. So I went online 06:50 and typed it in, the few words, and, bingo, there's the story. "Dwight Nelson once said..." 06:57 What? Are you tying that story to me? Actually, a Romanian lady -- 07:04 This is a true story. A Romanian lady wrote me, and she said, 07:08 "You got to hear this story." So I'm not sure if it happened in Romania or in America, but... 07:15 It's about a pet -- well, I don't want to say a pet cat, 07:20 but a little tiny kitty cat. Anybody have cats at home? Come on. 07:23 If you have cats at home. Oh, I see my three granddaughters 07:26 raising their hands. Ella. Izzy's hand went up. 07:28 And there's little Lily's hand. Yep. How about -- How about dogs? 07:33 Equal opportunity. Anybody have dogs at home? Okay, so we got them covered. 07:36 >> My mom can't have cats because she's allergic. >> She's allergic to cats, 07:39 so your mother doesn't have it. Okay, well, that makes sense to me. 07:42 I wouldn't have it either if I were allergic. But the pastor 07:47 of a church in that town, wherever that town was, walked outside 07:54 into his backyard. True story. And he saw a little kitty. 08:01 Now, little kitties come and little kiddies go, but the little kitty 08:04 had actually started climbing up into the tree in the pastor's backyard. 08:10 And you know how little kitties, they have very sharp little tiny claws. 08:13 And that little kitty just going up, up. The pastor said, "Yo, yo, stop. 08:17 Hey! Psst, psst! Meow, meow! Come here." 08:20 And the kitty just looked down. Ohh! Oh, she's not gonna go down. 08:24 And the kitty kept climbing. The pastor said, "Okay, I'm gonna climb this tree. 08:28 That's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna get up there and I'll grab that cat 08:31 and I'll bring it down, put it in my pocket. That's it." 08:34 But he couldn't get high enough in the tree, and the branches were -- it 08:38 wasn't a big tree, and the branches would -- would break. 08:42 Oh, man. He said, "I know what I'm gonna do. 08:44 Oh, she's too high now. I'm gonna get a rope and I'm gonna take this rope 08:48 and throw it around that branch where she is, get the other end and I'm going 08:52 to bend the tree back." He did. Tree started to bend. 08:58 Oh, the tree's too big. It's not bending enough. And the little kitty's 09:03 just up there. [ Meowing ] "Oh, I got to get that cat 09:09 and save its life. Oh, I know what I want to do. I'm gonna take that rope 09:14 and I'm gonna get my car. That's what I'm gonna do. And he backed up his car 09:17 right into that backyard. He had the back bumper facing the tree. 09:21 He said, "Okay, okay, now, don't go anywhere." And he tied that rope 09:26 around his back bumper. He said, "This is gonna bend the tree. 09:30 I'll just drive it five feet. The tree will be down. I can grab that kitty 09:35 and save its life." And that's what he did. He got in the car. 09:39 He stepped on -- ooh, go easy. Don't go fast when you're driving on your own lawn. 09:44 Go slow, go slow. And so the car began to go. And sure enough, 09:50 the rope got taut and he began to pull it and pull it. And that little tree began 09:56 to bend farther than he could bend it on his own. And that tree kept bending over 10:01 and he said, "Oh, this is gonna be... Oh, no." 10:04 He looked out the window looking back, "No, that's not. 10:07 It's got to come back more." So he's backing -- he's driving the car going forward 10:11 and he's pulling that tree and it's coming down. "Oh..." he said, 10:15 "Oh, we're almost there." And he drove just a little further, 10:20 and suddenly -- Boing! [ Laughter ] The rope broke 10:28 and that little tree went -- zhoo! [ Laughter ] 10:36 The cat was gone. [ Laughter ] Gone. 10:42 Did I tell you this is a true story? The cat was gone. 10:47 Oh, no! Oh! He prayed a prayer of forgiveness. 10:55 The cat is gone. Well, maybe it came down. So he started going door to door 11:02 in that neighborhood, everywhere around, saying, "Hey, have you -- 11:05 have you seen a little kitty? A little kitty? You're missing a little kitty? 11:09 Has one shown up in your front yard, backyard, whatever?" 11:13 "No, no, no, no." "Oh. Well, I hope 11:18 God will take care of that cat." A few days later, this Romanian lady -- 11:24 who wrote this story to me, so I know it's true -- a few days later, the pastor 11:30 is in the little grocery store. He's doing a little shopping. And he bumps 11:36 into one of his church members. She's a member of his church like I have church members 11:41 in my church, and you can meet at Apple Valley Market. And he said, 11:47 "Hi, sister, how are you?" She said, "Fine, Pastor." He looked -- 11:52 pastors should never do this. He looked in the grocery cart to see what was in it. 11:58 And pastors don't want to do that ever. He looked in the grocery cart, 12:02 and he saw... >> A kitty. >> No. 12:07 Cat food. He said, "Sister, you have always 12:14 let us know at church you just do not like cats. Why are you buying cat food?" 12:23 She stops and says, "Oh, Pastor, my little girl has been begging me for weeks, 12:32 "We need to get a cat." And I said, "No, we're not, we're not, we're not." 12:37 She said, "I'm gonna pray for a cat." Mother said, "Won't 12:39 help to pray for a cat. You're not gonna pray for a cat. 12:42 You're not gonna get one. Finally, the other day, she said, 'Mommy, 12:46 just let me pray for a cat.' Mommy said okay. So she went out in her backyard. 12:54 She knelt down. She started praying for that cat. 12:59 And, Pastor, you are not gonna believe this. You are not... 13:03 You are not gonna believe this. While she was praying, 13:07 I saw it with my own eyes..." [ Laughter ] "Out of heaven... 13:15 comes a kitty with all four legs out." "I'm coming down!" 13:21 [ Laughter ] Isn't that something? True story. 13:30 The lady sent it to me. Somebody picked it up, and now it's on the Internet. 13:36 I just got it last night late from Weslaco, Texas. First Baptist Church, 13:43 March 23, 2023. So the story is still going. Well, it's a wonderful story 13:49 to keep going. You know why? Because we laugh 13:52 when our little children ask Jesus for big things. Oh, we say, "Girl, 13:58 wait till you grow up. You'll quit praying those kind of prayers. 14:01 Boy, don't -- don't ask so much from Jesus." And you know 14:06 what the Bible says? Do you know what Jesus said? He said, "Listen, you ask 14:10 and you will receive. You seek and you will find. 14:14 You knock [Knocking] and the door will be opened. Now, I know -- I know nobody's 14:20 praying for a cat, but I know that on your young little heart you have something 14:26 you want Jesus to give you soon. And I'm praying that you'll start praying and asking Jesus 14:34 for that very special gift. It may be -- I was just talking with somebody, 14:39 a mommy and a daddy having a very difficult time. It may be you want your mommy 14:44 and daddy to be able to be okay. It seems like a big prayer. And there's some grown-ups 14:51 who say, "Well, you better just quit praying that prayer because that's 14:54 not gonna happen." I'm here to tell you that you asked Jesus 14:58 with a heart that believes like a little heart does, you ask Jesus, and you let 15:03 Jesus decide how best to answer that prayer. Don't you ever quit praying. 15:09 Don't you ever stop asking Jesus, because the best is yet to come. 15:13 So you stay close to Jesus and I'll be cheering you on from a distance -- 15:17 yes, I will -- knowing that you and Jesus are gonna be the best of 15:23 friends forever and ever. And on this last story time, who is gonna be the last one 15:32 to pray today? Noa, I saw your hand. I'm sorry, but Noa beat you. 15:40 Noa, come on. All right. I've known Noa all her life, and she's a sweet friend 15:46 of Jesus. And you know what? After you're through, 15:49 Noa, I want to say a prayer for the children. Would that be okay? 15:52 But let's just thank Jesus for asking us to ask Him. All right. Close your eyes. 15:57 Close your eyes and fold your hands. And let's listen to Noa. 16:01 >> Dear Jesus, thank you for this day. Please help that, whoever is 16:05 sick, lay angels around them. Please help that as we are celebrating 16:12 our last day with Pastor Dwight preaching, please help that this day we can 16:17 cherish it for the rest of our lives... >> Amen. 16:19 >> ...as he is a great pastor. Please help that we can all have a good rest of the Sabbath 16:25 and keep on preaching You forever and ever until You come wash away 16:29 all our sins that we have done In Your name we pray. Amen. 16:33 >> Amen. And dear Jesus, dear Jesus... [ Applause ] 16:37 Dear, dear Jesus, thank you for Noa's beautiful prayer. 16:44 And I pray that You will take her and every girl up front and every boy up front, 16:49 and that Your nail-scarred hands will just go around them and give them a Sabbath hug 16:54 right now. But dear Jesus, don't ever let them go. 16:58 Keep listening to their prayers. They trust You. And You know 17:04 the very best answers to give. So keep loving on them until one day we're all at -- 17:12 sitting, big people and little people sitting at your nail-scarred feet, 17:16 and You'll be telling the children's stories in heaven. And we thank You for that. 17:22 In Your name we pray. >> Amen. >> Amen. 17:25 Thank you, Noa. That's beautiful. Bless your heart. 17:28 Thank you. >> Love you, Pastor Dwight. >> I love you, too. 17:33 All right, boys and girls, quietly and reverently, let's go back to mom and dad 17:37 right now. 17:41 >> I have so much I want to say. I just want to love on you 17:46 is really what I want to do. I'm not very good at that. 17:51 And I think I've been kind of hiding behind 17:57 the line... 18:00 "Well, we'll just be gone for a year, and then we'll come back," to kind of steel me 18:10 to the very possible reality that we will never come back. I hate saying goodbye. 18:19 It's almost as if goodbye is baked into our human DNA, isn't it? 18:24 We know it all comes to an end. You think about it, the relationships 18:28 that matter the most to you will either end with a farewell, which means "fare thee well," 18:36 or with a funeral. That's the human reality. That's it. 18:47 I suppose this melancholy soliloquy on goodbye actually can draw 18:55 some strength from the fact -- and you already know this -- that "goodbye" is the 18:59 contraction of the Old English phrase "God be with ye." 19:07 "Goodbye ye." You see the "ye" at the end and the "good," 19:09 the "God," at the beginning. "Goodbye." And that's not so unique 19:14 to English. In Español it's "adios." That means "to God." 19:18 In French, it's "adieu." It means "to God." If we thought about that, 19:23 it wouldn't be so bad. "I send you to God." I send you to God. 19:28 In fact, it can mean "God be with you." God be with you. 19:35 Spent some time between services with a young friend of mine 19:40 who flew in today to be here from Baltimore. His dad was a dear friend 19:49 of mine and a prayer partner. Professor of English here at Andrews University. 19:56 His dad's name is Joe Warren. Joseph Warren. Jophy, his eldest boy. 20:07 Talking with him. Joe became an anonymous prayer partner during Net '98, 20:14 this satellite evangelistic series, and he would slide these 20:16 beautifully composed prayers under my office door every day I'd get late afternoon, 20:21 get ready for the evening program, and there would be that prayer. 20:25 Only afterwards he finally identified himself. to me, and we became 20:29 dear friends. He became a dear friend. And we became prayer partners. 20:37 So Joe used to tell me whenever we would gather to prayer, "Hey, Dwight, don't forget. 20:43 Until you hear otherwise, His previous orders still stand." 20:50 I'd never heard that before. But I tucked that away in my heart. 20:57 And whenever Karen and I would come to those moments of just 20:59 wrestling, "God, what should we do?" the words of Joe 21:04 would come back. "Until you hear otherwise, His previous orders still 21:13 stand." So... we finally heard otherwise. 21:23 And that's why we're all here today. I want Karen to come 21:28 and stand by me just so that you know, when I say we're loving on you 21:34 with gratitude and deep, deep honor and appreciation, it's not just the boy saying it. 21:43 It's the boy and the girl. Because you have been... just an incredible family to us. 21:54 Okay? So... I want to say also, 22:02 while we're standing here together, that I owe my life, 22:07 I owe my ministry to this woman who's standing beside me. [ Applause ] 22:28 Long before we fell in love at the age of 19, God picked her out. 22:33 Said, "Boy, I got somebody for you. Keep yourself for her." 22:45 I got a letter from one of you. I was reading it yesterday. "Forgive my assumption, 22:52 but I think Karen is the one who keeps you grounded." [ Laughter ] 23:00 "Her common sense has been a pillar for you, and that may be her biggest 23:04 contribution to PMC." [ Laughter ] You're absolutely right. 23:10 As a wife, as a mother, as a Grammy, as a nurse, as a professional, as just a -- 23:17 a disciple of Jesus who has stood by me all these years. 49 coming up in June. 23:26 Yeah. I am what I am because of her. And that's why Kirk 23:32 and Krissy, our two kids that we love to death, one day 23:36 they're gonna stand up with their spouses, who we also love dearly -- 23:41 Chelsea for Kirk, and Andrew for Krissy -- they're gonna 23:46 stand up one day as Proverbs 31 declares, and they will announce 23:51 to the world... 23:58 I forget how that wording goes in Proverbs 31. [ Laughter ] 24:07 >> She was a handful. >> No, "They will rise up..." Here it is. 24:12 "They will rise up and call her blessed." And Ella and Izzy, 24:19 who's sound asleep right now, and Lily, who's out with Mom, loving on Grammy. 24:25 Okay, so enough of this. [ Laughter ] What was your comment, Ken? 24:31 By the way, thank you for your kind remarks. It was very 24:34 thoughtful of you. And we love Ken and Pat. We've known him, as he said, 24:39 forever. Um... But what was that you said? 24:44 You said, "Since it's the last day, it doesn't matter how long you go"? 24:48 Didn't you say that, Mr. Union President? Didn't you say that, 24:51 Mr. Union President? >> "What can we do about it?" >> Yeah, "What can I do about 24:55 it?" >> Oh, okay. I thought you meant 24:58 since this is the last day, we can go as long as we want. >> "What are you gonna do about 25:02 it?" >> [ Chuckling ] Ahh. Anyway. 25:08 People ask, "So, what are you two gonna do now?" Thanks for asking. 25:14 We don't know. Well, we do. We're gonna stay 25:18 in our house for a while. And I'm gonna tell you a little secret. 25:24 The new pastor -- I'm gonna talk about him a little bit later -- 25:28 because the whole point of a leader is you prepare the way for the leader who follows you. 25:32 And my farewell sermon was last Sabbath. Sorry to let you in on this. 25:38 This is now the preparation for what's to come, okay? But I want to tell you 25:43 something. He bought a house four doors down from us. 25:47 [ Laughter ] If he thought he was getting away from Dwight, 25:50 he's not getting away from Dwight now. I'll be out there 25:54 every Sabbath morning, "Yo, Shane, you're a little late today, aren't you? 25:58 Man. What do they teach you in Virginia?" 26:04 You're gonna love him and Darlene and the two girls. But anyway, so we're gonna 26:08 stay in that house. 26:14 And we're gonna stay put because until we hear otherwise, His previous order 26:17 still stands. You got that part? That's locked in our minds. 26:20 So we're gonna love on our kids, we're gonna love on our 26:22 grandkids this summer. We're going to love on our family 26:25 spread out all over the country. And just Karen says, "Dwight, three months. 26:30 That's what we do." Man, I'm... >> Or more. 26:32 >> Okay. [ Laughter ] Is that a speech 26:36 you want to give? >> No speech. >> Because I was gonna ask 26:40 her if she wanted to say anything. >> No. 26:42 >> Hold on to it because I'm getting to the end right here. 26:49 So here's the deal. Now I'm talking from my heart to you, 26:53 and you already know my heart. Things are continuing to heat up on this planet 26:59 and in this nation. And I do not want to be far from the action. 27:04 Okay? Thank you for that prayer, Pastor Rodlie. 27:08 I do not want to be far from the action. I don't know what that means. 27:14 I just know that I love the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 27:18 I believe it is the apocalyptic -- It represents the apocalyptic 27:23 remnant of God. I'm a fifth-generation Adventist, 27:27 a fourth-generation preacher. And I remind my seminarians every time 27:33 I teach a class there, Romans 11:29 -- "Both the gifts and the calling 27:37 of God are irrevocable." Once God gifts you, the gift stays. 27:42 You can mess up, but the gift stays. He does not withdraw it. 27:47 Irrevocable. So I must continue to preach. That's all I know. 27:54 And God will show -- the God who has given the gift will provide the way 28:00 to exercise it for His glory. Which leads us straight to our last story. 28:10 Did you want to say anything? >> No. >> Okay. 28:13 [ Laughter ] >> Can I sit down yet? >> You may. 28:17 >> Thank you. [ Laughter ] >> I just love holding her hand. 28:24 I could stand up here and just hold her hand the whole way. 28:33 Before the story of prayer. Let us pray. O God. 28:37 Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, dominus. Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty. 28:44 God of our fathers and mothers. God of the pioneers for whom this church is a memorial. 28:51 One last time we are gathered together with You in 28:56 this house of prayer for all people. Be glorified. 29:00 Please be glorified in our midst. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. 29:07 Amen. >> Amen. 29:10 >> Once upon a time, there was a man named Moses who was 29:13 also a shepherd. 40 years a shepherd. 29:19 With one flock. I know the feeling. 29:23 Not knowing that there would be 29:24 another 40 years with a very different kind of flock. 29:27 The kicking and bucking of the children of Israel. 29:32 Two 40-year terms. "Until you hear otherwise, 29:37 Moses, your previous order still stands. 29:40 Did you hear me, boy?" "I got it." 29:45 >> Well, on the day he heard otherwise, at the end of 40 long, 29:51 repetitious, uneventful, utterly unglamorous years, 29:54 Moses, who remains faithful and contented to remain for the rest of his life 30:00 a simple shepherd who leads his flocks in blessed anonymity, all of that changes 30:07 on that afternoon. And we love the story "The Prince of Egypt." 30:13 My little granddaughters, I've watched it with them, 30:17 when that former prince of Egypt, now forgotten shepherd -- 30:24 and we always see it before he does. Have you notice that? 30:28 We always see what's burning on the rocky slope of this crag called Mount Horeb. 30:33 We see it and we say, "Whoa!" And we watch as he looks up and starts running towards it. 30:41 "Stop, stop, stop! Back, Back!" Because there on that shaly slope 30:52 is a desert mountain scrub shrub. Probably an Acacia nilotica. 30:59 The plant that eventually can grow up meters high into a tree. The Hebrews called it sneh. 31:09 In the story, it's called sneh. From which many believe 31:14 the name Sinai came from. Sneh. The burning bush. 31:21 A bush this afternoon that is engulfed in roaring flames, 31:26 but it's still green. Enveloped in fire. And it's preserved. 31:35 The crackling is of the flames, not the bush. All alone with the sheep 31:44 pushed back, Moses is gonna check it out. And we love that moment again 31:51 when, as he draws nearer and a voice speaks from the flames and Moses practically 31:57 leaps out of his skin. And the voice calls his name. Let's go to it. 32:06 Exodus. Exodus 3. I'm gonna save the time and 32:11 put it right here on the screen. 32:52 R. Arthur Mathews, in his book "Born for Battle: Studies on Spiritual Warfare" 32:57 makes a point I had never -- in this story -- a point I had never thought of before. 33:04 And I got to share it with you. I'll put Mathews on the screen. 33:36 Wow. Nothing in the bush is feeding the fire. 33:41 It just keeps roaring brighter and more orange. What's up with that? 33:49 But by focusing on the bush that doesn't burn, could it be we've been missing 33:53 the greater miracle the whole time? Mathews says, "Yep, you have." 33:59 "What do you mean?" 34:16 >> Amen. >> Isn't that something? It's not about the bush 34:21 that is burning up. It's about the fire that is not running out. 34:27 >> Amen. >> My. How did he put it? 34:32 "Not the burning bush but the fuel-less fire." You get what he's saying? 34:38 It's a big point. For that reason and that reason alone. 34:43 Any old bush will do. Now we're to the point. Any old bush will do. 34:53 There's been a lot of fuss and hoopla about the pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church 34:57 these last few weeks. Some people have put attractive material together 35:01 summarizing the outgoing pastor's life and ministry. And I've been blessed. 35:05 I have felt the love of the kind words multiplied in this last lap 35:12 of the race. But in the end, the bush -- the pastor -- 35:20 really doesn't matter. 35:26 Because as it turns out, the miracle is not the bush that does not burn. 35:30 The miracle is the flame that does not go out. That's the point. 35:36 That's the point. [ Applause ] 35:44 Which rightfully, by the way, shifts the focus from the bush to the God who ignites the bush, 35:51 shifts the focus from the human to the divine behind the human. And on the side of the human. 36:00 In fact, it's not about the pastor at all. It's about the God 36:05 who has always led his people and very humble sheep who become shepherds. 36:11 How do you like that? The pastor is not some super shepherd. 36:14 The pastor is a sheep who gets called to lead the other sheep. 36:20 And through a long succession of pastors and spiritual leaders, that's how God has chosen 36:25 to lead his people on Earth. I get it. Whoever's turn is done, leaves. 36:32 Whoever's turn is next, comes. That's what happens. But the fact is, 36:37 any old bush will do. It's not about the bush. Here's a way... 36:47 I like the way some people think. Someone has said that 36:50 a new pastor is like a new baby that comes to the family. Right? 36:57 When that new baby comes into that family, what does that family do? 37:03 Well, let's just decide a minute. Let's just decide. 37:06 Do we like him as much as the older kid? You know? 37:13 Shall we keep the baby or not? No. It's a no-brainer. When a new baby comes, 37:20 the family immediately, automatically, throws wide its arms and says, 37:25 "Welcome to the family. You're the newest one here. And we're loving on you now." 37:32 You don't lose anybody when you welcome somebody. >> Amen. 37:37 >> Because it's all about the bush, and any old bush will do, and bushes will come and bushes 37:42 will go, but the fire stays. And hopefully goes with those who go. 37:51 And comes with those who come. Wow. The story of Moses 37:59 is a reminder that the locus and focus of the story is not Moses. 38:06 It's not Moses. It's God. "I am the father 38:14 of your fathers. The God of the universe." And who is this God 38:21 who's fuel-less fire -- code term for "glory" -- can ignite any old bush? 38:28 That's exactly what Moses wants to know. Because God is saying, 38:31 "Hey, boy, you're gonna go for me now." "Oh, really? 38:35 And who shall I..." Well, let's just read it right here. 38:40 "Moses said to God, 'Suppose I do go to the Israelites to say'" -- 38:45 God's gonna set you free because God's heart is always burdened and crushed when 38:49 His people are under bondage. 38:52 And right now, in the history of this earth, 38:54 His people are under bondage. They are under attack night 38:59 and day. The enemy of us 39:00 all has his sights on you and his sights on me. 39:04 "I'll get her yet. I'll get him yet. 39:06 Till my dying day." That's how long we need to go. 39:11 Till His dying day. God's heart is moved at the end 39:16 of Exodus 2 as he looks on his people 39:19 and he hears their cries for deliverance. 39:22 He needs somebody to go for Him. 39:49 I AM. Wow. And who is this great I AM 39:58 that sends shepherds and pastors wherever He chooses? Who is He? 40:03 I love this corroborating red-letter identification of the God 40:07 inside the burning bush. We'll let Jesus tell us. John 8. 40:12 Thank you, William. One of our kids in our office staff that grew up as a boy, 40:18 and now he's a handsome young adult. Yeah. 40:25 His mother's our treasurer. "Jesus replied" -- because he's -- the hierarchy 40:31 of the temple, are gunning for him. We're getting closer 40:35 to the end of the Gospel. They are gunning. Jesus replies to the 40:39 countercharges. 41:03 Ha ha ha! 41:06 'Very truly I tell you' -- now, this is code language, a literary device that only 41:10 the Gospel of John uses, and it's always only in red letters. 41:14 It's a double ameen. Whenever the double ameen appears, it'll be translated 41:19 either "verily, verily" or "very truly." "'Very'" -- ameen, ameen -- 41:23 "'I tell you,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, 41:30 I AM!'" What?! The very next line reads, 41:35 "They picked up stones." Why? Blasphemy. He claims 41:38 to be the self-existent one. Get it. That's right. He is the self-existent one. 41:45 In our flesh. Animated dust, just like you and me. 41:51 Came down, the pre-incarnate Christ of the burning bush. 41:56 "I AM!" And it's Jesus. Wow. 42:04 And who is he... of whom the angels sing sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, 42:11 holy, holy, holy? Who is He? He's the maker of all things, 42:16 who loves and wants me. He's the maker of all things, who loves and wants you. 42:21 That's who He is. He's, by the way, the very same I AM that sends Abraham 42:25 to the top of a mountain, another mountain, called Moriah. "Take your only 42:33 beloved son and sacrifice him to me." And when that knifed hand 42:40 goes up and Abraham has made the decision -- 42:45 "I will put my trust in Him." The seven-word credo of Jesus. And the hand 42:50 starts to come down. Boom! Stop! Abraham, Abraham. People God loves, 42:56 He calls twice. Moses, Moses. Abraham, Abraham. 43:06 Saul, Saul. When you hear your name twice, it's God loving on you 43:12 with some very strong language. 43:18 And Mount Moriah becomes the foretelling of Mount Calvary. 43:24 When Jesus says, "Abraham saw my day and was glad," he saw Calvary for Moriah. 43:30 Geographically there here. But he saw the Gospel. And he believed. 43:37 "Desire of Ages" explains it this way... 44:00 For you and for me. He gives his only son to save us from our sins. 44:12 Jesus, the Lord of Calvary, was and is and ever will be the great I AM. 44:21 You know what that means? That means -- now, here's the application. 44:27 No more pastors now. This is you. That means that what the 44:32 pre-incarnate Christ did to that scrub shrub he can do to you. 44:41 Any old bush will do. God doesn't expect -- "Show me your credentials. 44:46 Then I'll decide what I can do with you." You can have zero credentials, 44:50 zero education, zero money, zero friends, zero anything, and God says, "I can do business 44:57 with you." That's all I need is a scrub scrub. 45:06 No matter your age or your station. No. 45:11 I told the teens the other day, I went into their Sabbath school. 45:13 Pastor Lindsey said, "Dwight, come on, just say something to the teens," 45:16 about two weeks ago. And I told the teens, man, I love you sitting up 45:23 there in that balcony. I think it's the greatest place in the world 45:25 for you to be sitting. And every time I step up, I look in the balcony. 45:29 How many teens are here today? You know why? Because you are 45:38 the miracle of God in progress now. And this church desperately 45:44 needs what you already have. And we're not talking about the the no money you don't have. 45:51 I'm talking about the gift that God irrevocably has already placed in your heart in life. 45:56 You're a teen because He's called you. You're disciple of Jesus 46:00 because he's loving on you, the maker of all things, who loves and wants you. 46:04 Man. Hey, this isn't just for teens, but I carry 46:08 this little piece of paper. It's "Christ's Object Lessons." One of the 46:12 great unnoticed treasures in many libraries. It's "Christ's Object Lessons." 46:19 So I go to our church copier because I've read this many times, and I 46:23 get it done color so that this will just stand out. 46:25 And I want to read just a little paragraph here because if Jesus can do that to 46:30 a bush, think of what he can do to you, through you. Okay. Come on. Let's go. 46:38 "You need not go to the ends of the earth" -- the writer of "Christ's Object Lessons," 46:44 writing to me and to you... 46:57 Some of you are saying, "My time on this earth is over. My contribution to earth 47:02 is finished." It is not. 80 years old, 47:05 God is just warming up with Moses. Don't you ever use your age 47:09 as an excuse. >> Amen. >> You're never too old 47:12 and you're never too young. You don't have to go to the ends of the earth. 47:17 God is near. It's not what you can do now that matters anyway. 47:20 Keep reading. 47:43 Watch this. "He can sharpen the intellect." "Well, you don't know. 47:49 My parents had me take an IQ test when I was a kid, and then I found out 47:53 what the score was. My life is nothing." Rubbish. 47:57 Rubbish. They shouldn't have showed you the score anyway. 48:04 "He can sharpen the intellect." There's no excuse. You're able. 48:12 "He can give tact and skill. Put your talents into the work, 48:16 ask God for wisdom, and it will be given to you." Amen. 48:21 >> Amen. >> "Just give me the bush. Give me your life. 48:27 Give me your life. I'll take your life, and I'll do for you what you can 48:31 never do for yourself. Just give me your life." You're a mid-aged professional. 48:37 That's what you are. And your career is pretty much locked in now 48:40 for the rest of your life. 48:42 Well, my friend, I need you to know that God 48:45 can step into that mid-aged moment and do a miracle 48:49 in your life and set the fire. The maker of all things, 48:55 who loves and wants us. That blaze in your heart and 48:58 life. "I will ignite such a fire 49:01 of divine love in you," He says, as we end. 49:05 "I will ignite such a fire of divine love in 49:09 you that people will, in astonishment, 49:13 walk over to where you work. Walk over to where you live." 49:18 Like Moses, they see something they've never seen before 49:21 and they will see your life set ablaze by the great I AM. 49:27 And that's you. >> Amen. >> That's you. 49:36 So that's my prayer for Pioneer. That you will be that people 49:41 that he can ignite for his glory in the next chapter that begins soon. 49:49 That you personally will be that person set ablaze for Him. 49:57 In the words of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, the very famous paleontologist, 50:04 on the screen. 50:26 >> Amen. >> Oh, I love that. The fuel-less fire. 50:33 of the love of God, who loves and wants the whole world. 50:39 and will use any old bush like you to do just that. Amen. 50:46 >> Amen. >> And amen. You're gonna have a chance 50:51 to pray in one second. But I have to pray right now. Father, here they are. 51:00 They're your children. They're your people. You granted me a few years, 51:10 with great honor, in Your presence, to come to You on behalf of my people. 51:20 But they're Your people again. And I pray that you will so infill them 51:30 with the glory of self-sacrificing love that the truth about the maker 51:37 of all things who loves and wants me will spread through them across the land 51:45 around the world. The fire is Yours. We the bushes are Yours. 51:56 Do with us as You wish for your glory. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. 52:06 Amen. 52:12 You willing to give your life to Jesus to be used? Are you? 52:19 Yeah, me too. I'm gonna ask you to stand right now. 52:29 In my humble opinion, the best worship tradition of the Pioneer Memorial Church 52:37 happened the first Sabbath of the school year in 1983. September. 52:45 At the end of September. We were on quarters back then. It happened then, when 52:52 at the end of the first Sabbath of the year, we stood to our feet 52:59 and we sang together out loud the Lord's Prayer. I have never 53:05 been the same since. It is a cherished tradition in this family, 53:12 and I know that it will remain. 40 times now we've done that. But today, for the 41st time, 53:23 our last time, let's do it. Okay? Yeah. Charles, Brenton, Kenneth. 53:35 Let's sing it together. 53:37 [ Organ plays ] 56:47 >> We've been really blessed by the financial support 56:49 that comes from our viewers. And we've made 56:52 a conscious decision -- and you know this is true -- 56:54 not to continually appeal to you for that support. 56:57 But the fact is, as everyone in the industry will tell you, 57:00 we need to be making constant upgrades to our technology. 57:04 While I'll be leaving Pioneer soon, I'm confident that God 57:06 has a plan to continue growing the media 57:09 ministry here with the new leader. 57:11 The new lead pastor will need your support, 57:14 in prayer and financially. If God has blessed you 57:18 and you'd like to further the work of this ministry, 57:20 we invite you to partner with us. 57:22 Every bit of your gift goes to the mission of blessing 57:25 your community and our world. You can donate 57:27 on our website. Here's the website -- 57:29 pmchurch.org. Then click "Giving" up at the 57:33 top and then select "Media Ministry." 57:35 Or you can call the number -- 877-HIS-WILL. 57:39 Again, that number is "877" and then the two words 57:42 "HIS WILL." My prayer is that the God who 57:45 has blessed you will continue to pour into your life 57:48 the gifts of His joy and His hope. 57:51 So thank you in advance for your gracious generosity. 57:59 ♪♪ ♪♪ 58:18 ♪♪ |
Revised 2023-05-31