Participants: Jac Colon
Series Code: RNN
Program Code: RNN000014
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00:17 I've always been
00:20 a New Orleans Saints football fan 00:26 and had season tickets. 00:33 But I've begin to feel a real longing in my heart 00:36 for something different and I-- 00:42 I started to suspect 00:46 that it was God impressing me 00:49 to get with the real saints of God. 00:56 I started visiting different churches 01:01 and the first church I decided to go to 01:05 was right near my home. 01:08 Big impressive looking facility 01:12 and always a lot of cars there, 01:15 I thought let me check it out. 01:18 So this particular Sunday morning 01:22 I went to the early service 01:25 because there was a football game in the afternoon 01:27 and I had the hurry and get out of there 01:29 to see the other saints. 01:34 So I walked in to the building and it was stunning. 01:38 There was a band on the platform 01:41 and the music was loud and vibrating 01:45 and the lights going and people just raising their arms 01:50 and singing at the top of their lungs 01:52 and moving around and it was electric. 01:57 And I thought hmm, times have changed. 02:04 And then came time for the Lord Supper 02:08 and they passed out a little white wafer 02:11 about the size of a quarter 02:13 and picture of Jesus stamped in it. 02:16 About as thick as the potato chip. 02:20 And we all got one of these wafers 02:23 and they told us to hold it. 02:24 I held mine and then the high point of the service 02:28 that the pastor held his little wafer up high. 02:33 And then there was a drum roll and a clash of symbols 02:36 and he snapped his wafer 02:39 and everybody else snapped theirs 02:41 and I snapped mine and it just sound 02:44 like electricity all through the auditorium. 02:47 It was powerful and the music started 02:50 and people were singing and praising God 02:53 and waving their Bibles. 02:55 It was the most exciting meeting I ever been to 02:58 and on the way out I was walking next to a young fellow 03:04 and he goes phew. 03:10 We worshiped, 03:16 we worshiped. 03:21 I raised home, change clothes, 03:27 got in my car and dashed down to the stadium 03:31 to the see the saints. 03:33 Opening kickoff, the Saints receive the kickoff 03:37 and ran it back for a touchdown 03:41 and the whole stadium was up on their feet 03:44 standing on their chairs shouting 03:46 and waving their arms in the air 03:47 and I was up shouting and waving my arms in the air 03:51 and suddenly it donned on me. 03:53 Wow, that's exactly the way I felt in church this morning. 04:03 Am I worshiping now? 04:10 Revelation the 13 Chapter 04:13 "The dragon" verse 2 04:15 "gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority." 04:18 And verse 4 "Men worshiped the dragon 04:22 because he had given his authority to the beast 04:25 and they also worshiped the beast, 04:28 all the inhabitance of the earth will worship the beast. 04:32 And then the false prophet appears 04:34 and He performs signs and wonders and miracles. 04:37 And he was given power to do and because of the miracles 04:40 he caused all who refuse to worship the image to be killed." 04:47 Revelation 14:9 "The third angel followed and said, 04:51 If anyone worships the beast and his image, 04:55 and receives his mark on the forehead, 04:57 he receive the wine of the wrath of God." 04:59 In 14:7 "Fear God and give him glory, 05:04 the hour of his judgment has come, 05:05 worship him who made the heavens, the earth, 05:08 the sea and the fountains of waters." 05:11 You can't read Revelation 13 and 14 05:15 without coming to the conclusion 05:16 that the real central issue in those two chapters is worship. 05:23 The whole world is going to be divided 05:26 between those who worship the creator 05:30 and those who worship the creature who is the beast. 05:36 Worship is the issue. 05:41 What is worship? 05:44 We find the answer to that vital question 05:47 in verse 11 of chapter 14. 05:51 "There is no rest day and night, 05:53 for those who worship the beast and his image, 05:59 or for anyone who receives the mark of his name. 06:03 This calls for patient endurance 06:06 on the part of the saints 06:08 who obey God's commandments 06:11 and remain faithful to Jesus." 06:15 Notice the contrast between those who worship the beast 06:20 and take his mark 06:22 and those who are faithful saints of God 06:27 who obey the commandments of God. 06:32 You cannot separate obedience to God from worship. 06:40 Now I'm gonna show you in the next five minutes 06:45 what I call the mark of the beast principle. 06:52 And if you get the mark of the beast principle 06:56 you will know what the mark of the beast is. 07:01 It's that obvious. 07:03 I believe that Jesus laid it out clearly for us 07:07 in Matthew the 15th Chapter starting with the 2 verse. 07:12 And some of those Pharisees we talked about the other night 07:14 we're challenging him again. 07:16 They came to Jesus and they said. 07:18 Verse 2 "Why do your disciples 07:21 break the traditions of the elders?" 07:24 Now you've got to notice what their concern is? 07:29 What is their concern? 07:31 It is the tradition of the elders, 07:37 the tradition of man. 07:40 Tradition is rules or commands 07:44 that were instituted by man and not by God. 07:50 So they are worried about Jesus and His disciples 07:55 breaking the traditions of that church. 08:00 Now watch, Jesus always had the right answer, didn't He? 08:05 Watch what He does. 08:07 He replied in verse 3 08:08 "And why do you break the command of God 08:13 for the sake of your traditions?" 08:18 Wow, did He turn it around or not? 08:23 What's the matter to your disciples? 08:24 They are breaking the traditions of our church. 08:27 Well, why are you breaking the commandments of God 08:35 for the sake of your traditions. 08:40 And then He explains, He explains how 08:43 "God said honor your father and mother 08:45 and that means more than just lip service." 08:49 That means more than just hollering 08:50 I love you mom when you're happen to be on TV. 08:55 He shows that it even means 08:57 that we should honor them by supporting them 09:02 when they're not longer able to support themselves. 09:07 But these church people were taking the money 09:11 that should have gone to support their parents 09:15 and they were putting it in the offering plate in church. 09:19 Why were they doing that? 09:22 Because the more they gave 09:24 the more powerful they would appear in the eyes of others. 09:30 And so their tradition was what 09:33 well, if you give more maybe you can sit closer up to the front, 09:38 or higher up or wear a bigger robe but whatever. 09:43 So they were taking money that should have gone 09:46 to support their parents 09:47 and they were putting it in the offering plate in church. 09:53 And so Jesus said, verse 6. 09:56 "Thus" verse 6, "Thus you nullify the word of God 09:59 for the sake of your tradition." 10:03 Do you hear this? 10:05 You nullify the word of God for he sake of your tradition. 10:11 Nullify means you are just throwing out the word of God. 10:16 You're putting your traditions over the Scripture. 10:19 Verse 7 "You hypocrites!" Jesus said. 10:22 "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, 10:25 'These people honor me with their lips, 10:27 but their hearts are far from me. 10:29 They worship me in vain, 10:35 because their teachings are rules 10:37 taught by men traditions.'" 10:41 Now sometimes we get so close to the forest 10:46 that we can't see the forest with the trees. 10:51 And when we read a verse like this, 10:53 well, the commandment says, honor your father and mother. 10:56 He is talking about the 5th Commandment 10:59 and they were putting the money in the church offering plate. 11:01 But step back let's look at the forest instead of the trees, 11:06 let's look at the principle instead of the detail. 11:11 There is always a principle underneath the detail 11:14 the problem wasn't so much the money, 11:17 no more than for Eve when she ate the fruit, 11:20 the problem one so much the fruit 11:22 it was the fact that she didn't trust God. 11:26 So what is the principle here? 11:28 The principle is that when someone puts 11:32 the traditions of man over the commandments of God 11:39 they are nullifying the word of God, 11:41 they are making and it's as oh, it doesn't even exist. 11:44 And that means that their worship 11:47 is not really worshiping God at all. 11:51 Their worship is in vain, 11:54 because they put the traditions of man 11:56 over the Commandments of God. 11:59 Now let's take a look at it through the 4th Commandment. 12:04 The 4th Commandment says, remember the seventh day 12:10 that God blessed 12:13 and made holy and keep it holy. 12:20 And the church says we changed that one. 12:27 And now it's-- 12:28 remember the first day and keep it holy, 12:35 because that's our tradition. 12:41 Be careful now follow me. 12:46 If someone put the traditions of Rome 12:51 over the Commandments of God 12:55 wouldn't they be doing the same thing 12:59 that these Pharisees did. 13:02 When Jesus said, "You worship Me in vain 13:07 because you are putting the traditions of men 13:12 over the Commandments of God." 13:17 That's the mark of the beast principle. 13:20 Satan is no dummy. 13:23 He knows if he came up to you and say worship me, 13:27 bow down and worship me, I am Satan. 13:31 You are not gonna do that. 13:35 But what if he manage to deceive someone 13:39 into putting the traditions of the Roman church 13:45 over the Commandments of God. 13:50 And if I understand what Jesus said, 13:54 he would be accomplishing the same event, the same end. 14:00 That's the mark of the beast principle. 14:05 Well, if that's the mark of the beast principle 14:07 then what is the mark of the beast? 14:11 Turn to Revelation Chapter 7 quickly 14:13 and in the 7th Chapter verse 2. 14:15 "I saw another angel coming up from the east, 14:17 having the seal of the living God." 14:20 So God has a mark, God has a seal. 14:23 Watch this. 14:24 "He called out in a loud voice to the four angels 14:26 who had been given power to harm the land and the sea." 14:30 He said, "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees 14:33 until we put a seal 14:35 on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 14:37 So God's people are going to be marked with God's seal 14:42 before the time of great tribulation comes on this earth. 14:46 God's people have a mark, God has a mark. 14:50 But yet in Revelation 14 14:52 we discover practically the whole world worships the beast 14:55 and has his mark on their foreheads. 14:58 So John is looking ahead to the time 15:00 when the world is divided into two camps. 15:04 Those who have God's mark on their foreheads 15:07 and worship the creator of the heavens and the earth 15:10 and on the other side 15:12 those who have the beast mark on their foreheads 15:15 and worship the creature who is the beast. 15:19 The mark of the beast is a counterfeit 15:22 to the seal or the mark of God. 15:26 And the best way to know what the mark of the beast is, 15:28 is to know what the mark of God is. 15:31 You see, you can study the counterfeit all you want 15:34 but that's not gonna help you. 15:35 Everybody wants to know about the beast 15:37 and there are books and books 15:39 about the beast and about the mark 15:41 but you can't understand the-- 15:43 maybe you got to see, 15:44 maybe you got taken by a counterfeit $20 bill. 15:47 And you get angry and say I'll never gonna do that again, 15:49 I am gonna take that $20 bill, 15:51 I'm gonna memorize every picture, every color, 15:54 every curve, everything on it 15:56 so I'll never be deceive by a counterfeit $20 bill. 15:59 That won't help you. 16:00 You could be deceived by a different counterfeit $20 bill. 16:05 Would that make more sense to study the real thing, 16:10 to study a real $20 bill then you can spot any counterfeit. 16:15 And so instead of spending so much time 16:17 as a lot of people want to do on 16:19 what is the beast, what is the mark. 16:20 I would rather spend my time studying what is the truth. 16:26 And you'll know what the mark is. 16:29 Some of you got it already I saw you, 16:31 not in your heads you got it, 16:33 but let's go on there's a lot more. 16:35 What is God's mark? 16:36 When you see God's mark 16:38 then you will know for sure what the beast mark is. 16:41 Turn to Old Testament, Old Testament Deuteronomy 6:6. 16:46 Moses said, "These commandments that I give you today 16:49 are to be upon your hearts." 16:50 Well, he had just finished reviewing the Ten Commandments, 16:55 just finished reviewing the Ten Commandments. 16:57 Now watch what he says. 16:58 Now you're gonna be surprised, 17:00 I never saw that before. 17:02 Watch this, verse 8 "Tie them." 17:05 Tie what? 17:07 God's Ten Commandments. 17:09 "Tie them as symbols on your hands 17:13 and bind them on your foreheads." 17:17 What? 17:18 God's Ten Commandments on your hands, and on our forehead 17:24 so that to remind you 17:26 that the law of the Lord is to be on your lips. 17:30 Tie them as symbols on your hands 17:31 and bind them on your foreheads. 17:34 So God wants His law on our hands 17:37 and on our foreheads, the Ten Commandments. 17:41 Now before you start thinking 17:43 that we need to tattoo these things on. 17:47 He says, He's got lot of things He wants us on our foreheads, 17:50 the name of God, the New Jerusalem, 17:54 Mount Zion, the name of the Lamb. 17:58 The God doesn't want us walking around 18:00 like a bunch of NBA basketball players. 18:05 It's not what he's talking. 18:06 He says that to tie them as symbols on your hand 18:10 and bind them on your forehead. 18:12 Now watch this verse 18:13 in comparing scripture with scripture, Exodus chapter 13, 18:18 13th chapter the 9th verse. 18:21 This observance, underline that, 18:24 "this observance for you will be like a sign on your hand 18:30 and like a reminder on your forehead 18:33 that the law of the Lord has to be on your lips." 18:35 So observing God's instructions, 18:40 observing God's commands is like a sign on your forehead, 18:48 like a reminder on your hands. 18:51 It's the observing of the law 18:53 that is like a sign on the forehead and on the hand. 18:59 So the Bible wasn't saying, 19:01 He wants a mark of his law tattooed on our heads. 19:06 He wants us to believe His law, the head. 19:14 But it isn't enough to just believe it. 19:17 He wants us to do His law, the hand. 19:22 It's like a mark. It's not a tattoo. 19:26 It's not a laser beam. It's not a computer chip. 19:31 The law of God is like a mark. 19:35 When we observe the law, when you obey the law, 19:39 it's like having a mark on your forehead and on your hand. 19:45 The issue is worship 19:48 and worship is intimately bound to obedience. 19:52 Those who worship God obey God. 19:55 Those who worship the beast put the traditions of Rome 19:58 over the commandments of God. 20:02 As simple as that, folks. 20:10 You know, there is something else 20:11 exciting in the Book of Exodus. 20:14 God's mark of allegiance is His law, His Ten Commandments. 20:19 There's something exciting about the law. 20:24 It's the fourth commandment 20:26 right in the center of God's law, 20:31 and listen to what it says. 20:33 "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy" 20:36 because then in verse 11, 20:39 "in six days the Lord made the heavens, 20:41 the earth, the sea, and all that in them." 20:47 Now when we were Israel or in Egypt and in London 20:54 we went to the big Cairo museum in Egypt 20:57 and the big museum in London, British Museum, 21:03 we happen to see collections of ancient seals 21:08 in both of the museums. 21:10 Seal is a stamp that the King used. 21:14 It is a symbol of his authority. 21:18 Every one of those seals from way back 21:23 every seal had three components 21:28 - the king's name, his authority, 21:34 and the territorial of which he governed. 21:38 Every single one. 21:41 For example even today, 21:43 the seal of the President 21:45 of the United States of America says his name. 21:50 President, his authority 21:53 of the United States of America, the territory. 21:58 The same as the ancient Bible seal. 22:02 Now watch this in the heart of the Ten Commandments, 22:06 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" verse 11, 22:10 "For in six days the LORD, 22:14 His name Yahweh made His authority, 22:22 the creator, the heavens and the earth, 22:26 the territory over which He rules." 22:28 Wow! 22:30 Right at the heart of the love, 22:32 God is a stamp of His name, His authority, and His territory, 22:38 what gives God the right to issue a Ten Commandment law. 22:43 He has the authority to do it 22:45 because He is the creator of the heavens and the earth. 22:49 And it stamped right in the heart of His law 22:52 and it's the only commandment that deals with time 22:55 because time is the reminder 22:58 of once a week that God is the creator. 23:00 No wonder then you'll show the little horn as the antichrist 23:05 who would think to change God's set times and laws. 23:13 Dragon gave the beast his authority? 23:19 God's authority is that 23:21 He is the creator of the heavens and the earth. 23:24 So now the Bible points to the Sabbath 23:28 as the sign of God's authority, a seal of His authority. 23:34 And not just here, I am not just making it up, 23:38 I am not just assuming it. 23:40 Exodus chapter 31, 23:43 God said through Moses, verse 13, 23:47 "You must observe my Sabbath, 23:50 this will be a sign between me and you 23:53 for the generations to come 23:55 so that you may know that I am the Lord who makes you holy." 24:00 The Sabbath God said is a sign between us and Him, 24:05 so that we can know that He makes us holy. 24:09 Now folks I am not interpreting anything here. 24:13 This is not interpretation. 24:15 This is just reading what God said. 24:18 I didn't say it. God did. 24:20 God said to Moses, "Tell my people this will be a sign 24:24 between me and you for the generations to come 24:27 so that you may know that I am the Lord who makes you holy." 24:31 Why do I need the Sabbath as the sign 24:34 so that I can know God sanctifies me, 24:37 saves me, makes me holy. 24:39 Why do I need the Sabbath? 24:40 Because it takes the same creative power of God 24:45 to recreate us, to pick up the broken pieces, 24:49 to put them into something special 24:52 and make it may be a new creation in Jesus Christ. 24:55 It takes the same creative power 24:57 as it did in the beginning to create man at first. 25:01 And the Sabbath is a sign that God is our creator, 25:06 but it's also a sign that God is our savior, 25:09 our redeemer, He makes us holy 25:12 because only the creator can save us. 25:16 Do you think it was a co-incidence 25:18 that Jesus did His work for us 25:21 and on the preparation day He finished his work 25:24 and He died and He rested on the Sabbath 25:28 and rose again on the first day of the week. 25:30 He was finished with his work of salvation for us. 25:34 He rested on the Sabbath. 25:35 The Sabbath is a reminder that he is our creator 25:40 and a reminder that he is our re-creator 25:43 through the cross of Jesus Christ. 25:46 Oh, no wonder the devil hates it, and he does. 25:57 We are not saved because we keep the Sabbath. 26:01 The Sabbath is a sign, 26:04 that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. 26:11 We are not saved because we obey God. 26:15 We obey God because He takes His miserable, rebellious sinner 26:20 and turns him into one who loves Him 26:24 and has his law written on our hearts 26:27 sealed with the mark of the creator 26:30 of the heavens and the earth. 26:33 No wonder Revelation 14 says in the First Angels message, 26:37 "Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, 26:40 the sea and all that is in them." 26:42 It is quoting that part of the Fourth Commandment 26:45 that contains the seal of the Living God, 26:49 because the beast is going around claiming to be God. 26:55 Now you see why we had to spend the little time, 26:59 studying some of these other issues. 27:03 And now as it getting clear, 27:04 the seal of God is a sign of obedience to God 27:09 as our creator and redeemer and the Bible says. 27:11 Not Colon, the Bible says that's the Sabbath. 27:17 So it has nothing to do with church. 27:20 No matter which church you go to or I go to, 27:22 it doesn't have anything to do with that. 27:24 It has everything to do with the word of God. 27:30 We obey God because He saved us. 27:35 The Old Testament's clear, 27:37 but folks the New Testament is even clearer, stronger. 27:43 Turn to 1 John 2:3. 27:48 John had already written in his Gospel 27:50 this is life eternal that we know Jesus Christ. 27:56 Anybody have a problem with that? 27:59 Are you with me? 28:01 All right. 28:02 This is life eternal that we know Jesus Christ. 28:05 Amen. Amen. 28:06 Okay, so just so stunned 28:08 I am sure that you don't know what to say. 28:12 This is life eternal. We know Jesus Christ. 28:17 But how do we know if we know Him? 28:20 How do you know that you know Jesus? 28:23 Listen to what John said. 28:25 We know, verse 3, 28:26 "We know that we have come to know Him 28:29 if we obey His commands." 28:33 How do we know we know Jesus? 28:35 If we obey His commands. 28:37 But what if we don't obey His commands? 28:39 Listen I would never have the courage to say this, 28:42 so I am not gonna say it. 28:44 I am gonna let John say it. 28:46 I'll read his words. 28:48 So if you want to get mad at somebody get mad at John not me. 28:52 "The man who says I know Him 28:55 but does not do what he commands 28:58 is a liar and the truth is not in him." 29:03 What if somebody says I know Jesus 29:05 but they're not willing to keep his commands? 29:07 John said that person is a liar. 29:15 Doesn't matter how good they may appear. 29:17 Doesn't matter how sincere they might seemed. 29:20 If they claim to know Jesus 29:22 and do not do what He commands is a liar. 29:27 The truth is not in them. 29:30 But if anyone obeys His words, 29:31 God love is truth and may complete in Him, 29:33 this is how we know we are in Him. 29:35 "Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus walked." 29:38 What does that mean? 29:39 It means follow the Lamb. 29:43 How do you know you are in Him? 29:44 Follow the Lamb. 29:47 It's so simple. 29:50 God's way is always simple. 29:52 John Calvin, one of the great reformer said that 29:55 obedience to the Sabbath, 29:57 of course he was thinking of Sunday, 29:59 is a symbol of obedience to God. 30:03 You think about it. 30:06 If you keep the Sabbath, 30:09 you're lot less likely to lie, 30:11 to steal, I am not saying it's perfect. 30:14 We all make mistakes. 30:17 But if you keep the Sabbath, 30:19 doesn't that lift up the others in importance too. 30:24 Now sometimes people tell me, 30:25 "Pastor, all you want to talk about is the Sabbath?" 30:29 That's not true. 30:31 I've talked about a lot of other things. 30:34 "Pastor, you just single out the Sabbath 30:37 and you make it more important 30:38 than any of the other commandments." 30:39 That's not true. 30:42 I do not single out the Sabbath. 30:46 The Sabbath is no more important 30:49 than any other of the Ten Commandments. 30:55 Those who say that it is not important 30:59 they are the ones that are singling it out. 31:03 Not me. 31:06 And they are the ones that are forcing me to talk about it 31:08 a lot more than I would have to 31:10 if they would teac what the Bible says. 31:14 So I am not singling it out. 31:16 I am having the answer questions. 31:21 But we are having the answer questions 31:22 because we want to know what God says. 31:25 Sabbath is no more important 31:27 than any of the other commandments. 31:28 Not less important than any of the other commandments. 31:30 But in this one sense, 31:32 the Bible singles it out as a sign of allegiance to God 31:36 and in the last day a sign of allegiance to God 31:40 contrasted with the sign of allegiance to the beast. 31:44 What could be a better distinction? 31:46 What could be a better test as to whether or not we trust God? 31:52 Look at the Ten Commandments. 31:54 A lot of people don't even claim to believe in God 31:57 won't lie or steal or kill, 32:00 they are lot of decent people who won't do this. 32:03 They won't commit adultery. 32:05 They know these things are wrong. 32:06 If you kill someone you know that you have done wrong. 32:09 There is something inside you 32:11 that instinctively let you know these things are wrong. 32:16 Even worshipping idols and taking God's name in vain. 32:21 I have friends don't even claim to be believers 32:25 and they get offended when you take God's name in vain. 32:28 There is something about these things 32:30 that just don't seem right. 32:33 But you'll never wake up on a Saturday morning 32:37 and go mow your lawn and be struck in with pains of guilt 32:43 because it's a Sabbath day. 32:48 The Sabbath day is no different from the first days. 32:50 It's 24 hours. 32:53 You are not gonna wake up, smells like Sabbath, 32:58 unless your wife lights candles. 33:01 It smells sweet for Sabbath. 33:04 The air doesn't feel any different on Sabbath. 33:08 There is only one way for you to know 33:11 that Saturday, the seventh day is a Sabbath day 33:14 and that's because God said I blessed it and made it holy. 33:17 And so in that sense it becomes the sheer test 33:21 as to whether or not we believe God. 33:24 It becomes a sheer test in faith, not works but faith. 33:27 Did God mean it when He said I blessed it and made it holy? 33:31 Did He mean it when He said I work six days, 33:34 I rested on the seventh day. 33:36 Come, join with Me and My rest on the seventh day. 33:39 Did He mean it? 33:41 The only way you can know that 33:42 is by faith and trust in the word of God. 33:46 In that sense it becomes the perfect test. 33:51 Do we really trust God? 33:54 It becomes a test. 34:03 Up until now we talked about the Sabbath. 34:06 A lot of you said, yeah, perhaps I believe that. 34:10 It's clear. It's in the Bible. 34:11 But then I ask, 34:12 well, have you thought about keeping the Sabbath yet? 34:15 Well, I don't know how important that is. 34:19 I mean I always been taught all my life 34:22 that Sunday is the Lord's day 34:24 and, you know, after all we set aside a day 34:27 that's what is really important. 34:31 You know, I didn't argue up until now. 34:34 I haven't said much about it until now. 34:37 But I am saying it now, 34:40 that I believe it's important for us to do 34:42 what God says to do. 34:44 No matter who else says anything different, 34:47 are you with me? 34:49 It's important to do what God says to do. 34:53 Well, if the Sabbath then is a sign of allegiance 34:58 to God's authority as a creator of the heavens and the earth 35:01 and a re-creator through the cross of Christ, 35:03 if the Sabbath is God's sign, God's mark, 35:06 then what does Rome point to as a mark of her authority? 35:11 That's the question. 35:14 And that's a rhetorical question. 35:15 Don't holler it out, I will answer it. 35:19 Because I know a lot of you got it already. 35:23 Martin Luther, as we have learned 35:27 was a Roman Catholic priest teaching a class 35:30 on the Book of Romans at the University of Wittenberg 35:32 and Luther discovered from Romans 35:34 that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, 35:38 not by works and he began to teach that. 35:40 And Rome said no Luther, we are not saved by faith alone, 35:44 we are saved by faith plus good works. 35:48 And Luther said, but the Bible says 35:51 we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone 35:54 and not by good works. 35:55 And the Church said, Luther, you don't understand. 35:59 The Bible isn't the final rule of authority. 36:03 It's the Bible and the traditions of the Church. 36:08 And Luther said, maybe for you but not for me. 36:14 For me it's a scripture and the scripture alone. 36:19 And the scripture says we are saved by grace 36:22 through faith in the cross of Jesus Christ, period. 36:28 And the Church said, Luther, 36:30 you must abide by the traditions of the Church. 36:33 And Luther said... 36:38 now I know who the antichrist is. 36:45 And the protestant reformation was born. 36:49 Thousands and thousands of protestors, 36:52 protesting Rome's stand on tradition following Luther... 37:00 and the scripture and the scripture alone. 37:02 So many that Rome had to do something 37:05 to stop this massive outflow. 37:14 And finally they called a meeting, 37:18 The Council of Trent. 37:20 Eighteen years the Church met deliberating 37:25 how are we going to stop this massive outflow. 37:28 One of very first things they did, 37:31 "The Roman Church stood firmly on the basis 37:34 that tradition not scripture 37:36 is the rock upon which the Church is built. 37:39 Catholic Doctrine is defined by the Council of Trent, page 157." 37:45 Tradition not scripture, that's the rock. 37:50 But somehow they had to show that these protestors, 37:55 these protestants protesting Rome. 37:57 In spite of all the noise they were making 37:59 about the Bible and the Bible alone, 38:02 in spite of all the fuss "Sola Scriptura" 38:05 in Latin "The scripture and the scripture alone." 38:07 No matter how loud they shout it, 38:09 we've got to show them somehow that they respect 38:12 and honor the traditions of Rome over the scripture. 38:16 How can we do it? 38:18 And at the very end 38:19 towards the very end of the Council of Trent, 38:22 the Archbishop of Reggio made a very powerful speech 38:27 when he said here is the answer. 38:31 "He openly declared 38:33 that traditions stood above the scripture 38:36 because the Church has changed the Sabbath 38:40 from the seventh day of the week to Sunday, 38:43 the first day of the week not by the command of Christ, 38:47 but by its own authority." 38:50 So Rome points to the change of the Sabbath 38:55 as a mark of her authority over the scripture. 39:06 Cardinal Gibbons wrote in his book, 39:08 Question Box, page 179 39:10 "If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian, 39:13 then the Seventh-day Adventist is right in observing Saturday." 39:18 Interesting, huh! 39:20 Isn't that strange 39:21 that those who make the Bible their only teacher 39:24 should inconsistently follow in this matter 39:27 which is the tradition of the Catholic Church? 39:32 I agree with the good Cardinal. 39:34 He is right. 39:36 C.F. Thomas, chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons, 39:38 "Of course the Catholic Church claims," 39:40 listen to the language I don't believe it's a co-incidence. 39:44 "Of course the Catholic Church changes--claims that 39:47 the change was her act 39:48 and that act is the mark of her power 39:52 and authority in religious matters." 39:55 We changed the Sabbath and as a mark of our authority. 40:00 But it was the dragon who gave his authority to the beast. 40:06 And to honor that authority 40:09 is to recognize and worship the beast. 40:15 No matter how sincere somebody might seem. 40:19 Real issue, folks, 40:22 is not so much the day when you go to Church. 40:28 That's not so much the issue. 40:29 Of course we've seen the Sabbath 40:31 as a day of sacred assembly the Bible says, 40:34 but the issue is much deeper than that. 40:38 The issue is who do we trust? 40:44 God said I have blessed the seventh day. 40:48 I made it holy. 40:49 Come and rest with Me. 40:52 And the Church says no, we have changed it 40:55 to the first day of the week, not the seventh day. 40:58 Come with us. 41:02 And by our actions we show who we trust 41:07 because we worship the one that we choose to obey. 41:15 Cardinal Gibbons goes on to say, 41:17 "Reason and common sense demand the acceptance of one 41:19 or the other of these two alternatives: 41:22 either be a Protestant and the keep holy Saturday 41:26 or be a Catholic and keep holy Sunday." 41:29 Compromise is impossible and he is right. 41:34 He is right. 41:37 The issue is clear. 41:40 The Bible says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 41:42 Six days you will labor and do all of your work, 41:44 but the seventh day is a Sabbath," 41:46 and the Church says no. 41:48 We have changed it to the first day of the week. 41:51 And lo, practically entire the world 41:54 follows in wonder after the beast. 41:58 Look around, folks. 42:01 You have seen that prophecy fulfilled. 42:10 A lot of people have a couple of questions at this point. 42:16 What about my mom and dad, 42:20 and grandma and grandpa, 42:23 and great grandma and great grandpa? 42:26 They have been sincere Christians. 42:27 They followed Jesus. They did the best they knew. 42:30 But they kept Sunday. They are dead now. 42:32 Are they lost? 42:36 God isn't like that. 42:39 We maybe but He isn't. 42:43 James makes that clear. 42:44 He said, he who knows what is right 42:47 and does it not for him it is sin. 42:54 God doesn't hold us accountable for things we don't know. 43:01 Sometimes people say what about me? 43:03 I went to church this morning. 43:08 I have done it all my life. 43:10 Am I sinner? 43:13 First of all, it's never wrong to go to church, folks. 43:18 Never wrong. 43:22 When God said work six days, rest on the seventh day 43:25 and don't work on that day 43:27 and keep it holy for me then if we don't do it, it's wrong. 43:31 But I haven't been doing that. 43:32 Have I been sinning all these years, 43:34 he who knows what is right and does it not. 43:38 And one lady said, you mean folks don't even go there. 43:43 She said, you mean if I wouldn't have come tonight 43:47 then I wouldn't have known, 43:49 that I have to come to revelation. 43:51 Hey, don't be afraid of the truth. 43:55 If what I am saying is not true you have nothing to worry about. 43:59 Keep doing what you are doing. 44:01 But if what I am saying is true from the word of God 44:04 then you still have nothing to worry about 44:06 because the truth will set you free. 44:08 You need to be afraid not to know the truth. 44:11 It's not true because I said. 44:13 It is true because he says it. 44:14 So the question for you is, did he say it? 44:16 Don't trust Colon. Don't trust me. 44:18 Don't trust any man or any church. 44:20 Trust what the Bible says. 44:22 I am not afraid to put my faith 44:23 to the acid test of the word of God. 44:25 Don't you be afraid. 44:29 Test it out. 44:33 And then people ask me... 44:38 do I have the mark of the beast now? 44:41 Since I have been keeping Sunday, do I have the mark? 44:47 No one has the mark of the beast now. 44:51 Did you hear me? 44:53 Does anybody have the mark of the beast now? 44:55 Tell me. 44:57 Does anyone have the mark of the beast now? 45:00 Does anyone at all have the mark of the beast now? 45:03 No! 45:06 Now why did I do that? 45:08 Because no matter how many times I do it, 45:11 somebody is going to leave here 45:12 and say that preacher said everybody who goes on Sunday 45:16 has the mark of the beast. 45:17 If you say that, you're bearing false witness 45:22 because that's not what I am saying. 45:25 The time is coming 45:27 when Sunday observants will be the mark of the beast. 45:32 I want to be crystal clear about that. 45:35 It will be. 45:37 But not until it is enforced by boycott and a death decree, 45:45 will anyone take the mark? 45:50 How can that ever happen? 45:52 Here. 45:53 We will live in America. 45:56 We're just sing about it. 45:58 This is the land of the free 46:00 and we are free to worship God as we choose. 46:04 So how can anybody force me to worship the beast? 46:11 Back to Revelation 13. 46:14 Revelation 13, 12:17, 46:18 "The dragon was angry at the woman, 46:19 and went to make war against the remaining of her offspring, 46:21 those who obey God's commandments 46:22 and hold the testimony of Jesus." 46:24 That's it. That's the issue, folks. 46:26 Is it getting plain now? 46:28 "And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea 46:30 and saw a beast coming up out of the sea." 46:33 These we've already identified, 46:34 Medieval Church at Rome 538 till 1798 46:38 when he received the deadly wound. 46:40 And then in verse 2, at the end of the verse 46:42 "The dragon gave the beast his power 46:44 and his throne and great authority." 46:47 So the beast gets his authority from the dragon. 46:51 Verse 4, "Men worship the dragon 46:53 because he had given his authority to the beast 46:55 and they worship the beast." 46:58 Well, how does this happen? 46:59 Verse 8, "All the inhabitants here that worship the beast 47:02 except for those whose names 47:03 are written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb," 47:05 all the inhabitants of the earth, how does that happen? 47:08 Chapter 13 verse 11, 47:10 "Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, 47:13 he had two horns like a lamb but he spoke like a dragon. 47:16 He exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf 47:19 and he made the earth and its inhabitants 47:21 worship the first beast whose fatal wound have been healed." 47:25 After the fatal wound had been inflicted, 1798, 47:29 we should see another nation rising to power from the earth. 47:33 First beast came up from the water. 47:36 Revelation 17:15, the waters represent multitudes of people. 47:41 First beast the Roman power 47:43 ascended in Rome in the middle of the civilized world 47:45 among the multitude of people, 47:47 but the second beast comes up out of the earth, 47:50 a relatively quiet portion of the world 47:52 compared to the one that came out of the water. 47:56 It was sometime around the late 1700s 47:58 that it started rising to power. 48:01 And this beast coming up out of the earth 48:03 late 1700s had two horns like a lamb. 48:06 It would look like a Christian nation. 48:13 We haven't put it all together yet. 48:15 You live there. 48:18 There's only one major power, rising power, 48:22 the late 1700s there was a Christian nation 48:26 in a relatively quiet part of the world. 48:31 The United States of America, Protestant America, 48:39 with the freedom to worship God as we choose, 48:44 but she would speak like the dragon. 48:50 Protestant America is gonna change. 48:54 I want to say something, I am not non-American, 48:57 I am not anti-American, and I am not non-patriotic. 49:01 I love my country. 49:03 I risked my life for the principles of freedom 49:08 that we hold so dear in United States of America. 49:13 But I don't like what the prophet says is gonna happen. 49:17 And I don't like what I see happening right now 49:20 because in case you haven't noticed yet, 49:22 gradually and not so gradually 49:25 your rights and freedoms are being stripped away. 49:34 Just look around. 49:37 The United States of America is going to change. 49:42 And force the world to acknowledge 49:44 the authority of the beast, 49:48 change the word of God. 49:52 How is it going to happen? 49:54 Referring back to the Sunday laws 49:56 and the days of Constantine, John Paul II said, 50:01 "Only in the 4th century 50:02 Constantine's time did the civil law, 50:05 the Roman empire recognized the weekly recurrence, 50:08 determining that on the day of the sun, 50:11 the judges, and the people of the cities 50:13 and various trade corporations would not work. 50:16 When through the centuries, 50:18 the Church has made laws concerning Sunday rest, 50:22 the Church has had in mind 50:24 above all for everyone 50:27 to keep the Lord's day holy." 50:32 In other words, the Pope is concerned for legislation 50:36 to enforce everyone to keep the Lord's day holy. 50:41 And it's exactly 50:43 what is cited in his Catholic catechism 50:50 that Sunday should be a matter of legislation 50:53 so that all can keep holy, the Lord's day. 50:57 What if you don't want to do it on Sunday? 51:00 What if you want to do it the way the Bible says to do it? 51:05 When it becomes the law of the Lamb 51:09 and not just in America. 51:11 But I have an article that I have just the other day. 51:16 The Pope has been a strong advocate 51:18 for the revival of keeping Sunday 51:21 and he's trying to enforce Sunday observance 51:23 into the constitution of the European Union. 51:28 And he says "Without Sunday worship we cannot live." 51:32 That's Benedict XVI. 51:35 He declared during the mass on September 9 last year, 51:38 "Without Sunday worship we cannot live." 51:41 He said Sunday observance is a necessity for all people. 51:46 That's his goal. That's his dream. 51:50 But what about here in America? 51:52 After 9/11 things have changed 51:54 and people have been looking 51:55 more and more to the government to protect us. 52:00 But every time they pass a law 52:02 to protect you from the terrorists, 52:04 they're taking away some of your rights. 52:08 Remember that. 52:10 And the balance is how much of our rights can they take away 52:14 and still claim that we have freedom here. 52:20 In 1961 the Supreme Court ruled that Sunday blue laws, 52:25 laws enforcing Sunday observance are now constitutional. 52:30 That's a fact. 52:32 And since a terrorist attack, 52:34 we're witnessing a resurgence of prominent religious leaders 52:37 saying that the problem with America 52:40 is that we've gotten away from the Ten Commandments. 52:42 And we need to get back to the Ten Commandments 52:44 and protestant religiously evangelical leaders 52:47 have even instituted Ten Commandment Day every year. 52:56 Further more, in emphasizing the Ten Commandments 53:01 noted television speaker Dr. D. James Kennedy, 53:04 Coral Ridge, who passed away and I respect him so much 53:09 because I've learned much about 53:10 the gospel of Jesus Christ from this man. 53:14 And I loved him. 53:16 And it was a great loss to Christianity, 53:18 but I don't agree with everything he said. 53:21 And in his sermon the gift of rest on the Ten Commandments 53:24 when he got to the Sabbath, 53:27 he said, "The benefit to the human race 53:28 that has come through the institution of the Sabbath, 53:31 can hardly be overestimated." 53:33 Folks this is the chilling part. 53:35 Remember when he says Sabbath, 53:37 he's thinking Sunday. 53:41 This is the chilling part. 53:43 "There is an old maxim that states: 53:45 'As goes the Sabbath so goes the nation.'" 53:50 Are you hearing that? 53:54 "And we might do well to ponder that thought 53:56 and what it portends for America. 53:59 As the Sabbath is desecrated, 54:01 church attendance is ignored 54:03 and the nation sinks deeper into the mire of sin. 54:07 And there are those today who are now saying 54:09 the low moral condition of America 54:12 is related to our breaking the Sabbath." 54:17 So it doesn't take much imagination 54:20 to see how this mindset, however true it maybe, 54:23 when coupled with a desire of the masses 54:25 for the government to protect us 54:27 and the false prophet begins working miracles, 54:30 gaining incredibility for his message, 54:32 the reason God is punishing America 54:34 we're not keeping the commandments. 54:36 It's time to install Sunday as a national day of worship. 54:40 It doesn't take much imagination for us to see 54:43 that those who refuse to go along 54:46 with a national day of worship 54:47 will be blamed for the calamities 54:50 that are facing the country. 54:52 Didn't Jesus said? 54:54 He did. 54:56 He said don't be surprise my brothers 54:57 that the world hates you 55:00 and that in John 16:2, 55:03 he said, a time is coming when anyone who kills you 55:05 will think he's offering a service to God. 55:07 Let me say, well, I don't know 55:09 how that can happen here, just wait. 55:10 I'm gonna show you some stuff going on right now 55:13 that is gonna straighten your hair out. 55:17 It's already straight, it's gonna curl it up. 55:19 And ladies you get a free perm. 55:22 You're not gonna want to miss that night. 55:26 But I think it's clear for us to see now 55:29 that the issue is not so much which day 55:32 that you go to church as much as who do you serve, 55:37 the Creator and His law of the creature and His tradition, 55:43 that's the choice. 55:48 Years ago when a Pope had died, 55:49 the bishops met cast their votes for a new Pope. 55:54 And the high point of the coronation scene came 55:57 when Cardinal Deacon lifted 55:59 the beautiful triple tiara placed it on his head 56:02 and said, "I now crown you, Pope 56:04 King of heaven and earth and hell." 56:09 And practically every television set 56:12 was tuned in wondering after the beast. 56:18 But I am thinking of another carnation scene. 56:23 This king didn't look like a king. 56:26 He didn't wear a triple tiara. 56:29 He wore a crown of thorns. 56:33 And he hung on the cross. 56:36 He didn't look like a king. 56:42 He died. 56:46 He didn't look like a king. 56:50 He was buried but he rose again. 56:53 Amen. 56:55 Send it to heaven. 56:58 One day soon he's gonna come again. 57:00 Amen. 57:02 Those of us who stay faithful to him 57:05 are gonna be caught up to meet him in the clouds. 57:09 And we're gonna join that big choir in the sky. 57:13 We're gonna cast our crowns at his feet 57:17 and sing out, "All hail the power of Jesus' name." 57:24 Let angels' prostate fall. 57:28 Bring forth the royal diadem 57:31 and crown him, Lord of all. 57:36 Amen. 57:39 Jesus said, he was Lord... 57:44 even of the Sabbath. |
Revised 2014-12-17