Participants: Jac Colon
Series Code: RNN
Program Code: RNN000021
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00:19 The last chapter of the last book in the Bible,
00:26 Revelation 22:11. 00:30 Is a fascinating verse, it says that, 00:35 one day soon Jesus is gonna finish His work 00:39 in that sanctuary in heaven that we have been looking at, 00:44 is gonna stand up and say this is it. 00:51 "Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong, 00:58 let him who does right continue to do right, 01:04 let him who is holy continue to be holy. 01:10 Behold I am coming soon and my reward is with me." 01:17 Sometime and we don't know how long 01:22 but sometime before Jesus comes 01:29 He will say the righteous stay righteous, 01:34 the holy stay holy, the wicked stay wicked, 01:40 I am coming soon. 01:46 In other words before Jesus comes 01:52 the Three Angels' Messages will sound to the whole world. 01:56 Every living person on earth is going to have 01:59 the opportunity to hear the truth about God. 02:05 The Mark of the Beast will be enforced. 02:09 Everyone will be forced to choose 02:15 worship God the creator or the beast the creature. 02:21 Everyone will have been called to come out of Babylon 02:26 and worship the Creator. 02:32 God will have done everything that He could possibly do 02:35 and that's when He says it's over. 02:39 The wicked stay wicked, the righteous stay righteous. 02:43 There will be no more crossing over after that point 02:48 that takes place sometime before Jesus comes. 02:58 Verse 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel 03:01 to give you this testimony for the churches. 03:04 I am coming soon." 03:07 So Jesus is saying to the church the time is coming. 03:11 When I will say the wicked stay wicked, 03:14 the righteous stay righteous and then I am going to come. 03:17 You see, by the time Jesus comes for His church 03:20 there will be no more opportunity to change over. 03:24 No more opportunity to get saved. 03:27 Anyone that's going to get saved better do it now 03:30 because then it's going to be too late. 03:33 And just as the little aside 03:35 don't let anyone to try to tell you 03:37 that it's all happened in the past 03:40 that Jesus has already come. 03:43 Don't let anybody to try to tell you that. 03:45 Because if Jesus already has already come 03:47 then He is already said the wicked stay wicked, 03:50 the righteous stay righteous 03:52 and no one can change over 03:54 so you and I would have no hope. 03:57 Don't let anyone tell you that after Jesus comes 04:00 for the church there will be second chance 04:03 because the wicked are gonna have an opportunity 04:05 to respond to a 144,000 Jewish evangelist 04:09 that are left behind. 04:10 Don't let anyone tell you that because before Jesus comes 04:14 for His church the wicked stay wicked, 04:16 the righteous stay righteous and Jesus says 04:19 I am coming soon there will be no crossing over. 04:23 If you're gonna get right with God folks 04:25 you need to do it now. 04:31 So the question is, what will you be doing 04:38 when Jesus finally says it's finished? 04:42 The righteous stay righteous, wicked stay wicked. 04:47 There gonna stay wicked that means they can't get saved. 04:51 They gonna stay righteous then they can't get lost. 04:54 They're done, they're sealed, they're finished. 04:57 What are you gonna be doing on that day? 05:00 It could happen at anytime, it could be any day, 05:02 it can be doing what are you gonna be doing. 05:08 You want to know because the Bible tells us. 05:12 Turn to Luke turn to the Gospel of Luke 17 chapter. 05:19 In Luke 17:26. 05:23 "Just as it was in the days of Noah, 05:28 so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 05:31 People were eating, drinking, marrying, 05:32 given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. 05:36 And the flood came and destroyed them all. 05:39 It was the same in the days of Lot. 05:41 People were eating and drinking, 05:43 buying and selling, planting, building. 05:45 But the day Lot left Sodom, 05:48 fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 05:56 It will be just like this on the day 05:57 the Son of Man is revealed." 06:00 So on that day what is gonna be like? 06:02 What are you gonna be doing? 06:04 It will be just like it was in the days on Noah 06:07 like it was in the days of in the days of Lot. 06:08 Well, what were they doing then? 06:10 They were eating, drinking, buying, 06:11 selling, planting, building, marrying, 06:13 giving in marriage what's wrong with all those things? 06:16 Nothing is wrong with those things. 06:19 You see that's the very point. 06:22 On that day it will be business as usual. 06:31 The things you're doing now are the things 06:34 that you'll probably be doing then business as usual. 06:43 We're preachers of habit. 06:47 We don't like to change the things. 06:51 You even sit in the same seats every night. 06:55 We like to do things the same way all time. 06:58 You know that, that's the way we're. 07:04 And to change churches, to change believes, 07:11 to switch from Sat, Sunday to Sabbath it's not easy. 07:17 We're creatures of habit and when someone comes along 07:21 and suggest the better way we resist that. 07:27 That's why he said it will be business as usual. 07:30 We're gonna be doing the same things we do right now, 07:32 just like it was in the days of Noah. 07:34 What was it like in the days of Noah? 07:38 Noah what a man. 07:44 He had a Revelation Now that's lasted 120 years 07:50 and you're getting tired after four weeks. 07:56 One hundred and twenty years Noah preached 07:59 that God was gonna destroy this world by flood. 08:04 A 120 years. He believed it. 08:08 He believe it so much that he built an Ark. 08:12 A big boat and God provided away through that Ark 08:17 for the people that wanted to trust Him to be saved. 08:23 And Noah preached his heart out. 08:25 He was a righteous man the Bible says. 08:30 Yet after 120 years 08:36 he stood in the doorway to that Ark 08:39 and he made his last alter call. 08:45 Only seven people came and there was His whole family. 08:53 Just seven family members. 09:01 I get discourage sometimes and it doesn't seem 09:04 as though the Holy Spirit is working fast enough. 09:08 And I want see more people following the lamb. 09:13 I get little discouraged but Noah 120 years. 09:22 Now I know that His sermons had to been 09:25 the most powerful sermons any one never heard. 09:29 It was listening to him, had to make sense. 09:35 I am sure that there were a lot of people 09:38 who heard Noah preached and would go away 09:42 saying I have never heard the truth so clearly before. 09:48 I have never heard anything like this. 09:52 And every single word lined up with scripture 09:57 and he compared scripture with scripture 09:59 and backed up everything he said with the word of God. 10:02 What power. 10:04 I am sure a lot of people that heard him walk the way 10:07 thinking just that but when they started 10:10 talking to other people about this 10:12 they would hear things like this 10:14 oh don't listen to that guy. 10:16 Man, he's some kind of a nutcase. 10:21 They go talking to that pastor's what about. 10:23 Oh that little old church? 10:27 Are you trying to tell me you got to join 10:28 that old boat church up on the hill in order to get saved? 10:36 The rain, flood there had never been a drop of rain 10:42 on the earth before how is gonna get 10:44 that much water to flood the earth? 10:48 And that will allow other boats around 10:52 we will just beg our own little row boat here and would be okay. 11:01 Noah even preach that the animals were gonna come out 11:07 and go up into the Ark and God was gonna save some animals. 11:15 How are you gonna do that, Noah? 11:17 How are the animals come up out of the woods? 11:22 What are you gonna do when you get all the lions 11:23 and the tigers and the sheep and the goat 11:25 they gonna eat them all up, maybe you too. 11:30 And here Noah, here's the butterfly 11:32 in that go catch some birds to put in 11:33 that too you can have some fun. 11:35 Oh, I am they had fun with the old man 11:39 telling everybody don't listen him as a call, listen to me. 11:45 As they went and talk to that pastors 11:47 I guarantee I wasn't there but I know this 11:49 because I have been doing this long enough 11:51 and I know they heard something like this. 11:53 Noah, he's the only guy. 11:57 If he was right we would all be preaching that. 12:02 You mean to say that he's right 12:03 and everybody else is wrong come on now? 12:10 Noah was the only man on this planet 12:15 that had it right everybody else was wrong. 12:25 And I want to tell you something 12:28 it wasn't long until everybody on earth became a believer. 12:36 Some were inside the Ark, some were outside the Ark 12:39 but they all came of believer. 12:43 Only difference is that some were too late. 12:47 And the time is coming when everybody on this planet 12:50 is once again gonna be a believer. 12:55 Then maybe there were those who said 12:57 well, I believe him but I'm gonna wait until I see 13:03 those animals come then I will go. 13:08 When the prophecy starts being fulfilled I am gonna go. 13:13 I hear that today too. 13:16 Well, I am glad I learn those things 13:17 how all the churches are gonna join together 13:19 and how it's starting to happen, 13:21 when I see that happen when they get together 13:23 I am gonna take my stand. 13:27 It's going to be business as usual 13:30 just like it was as usual in the days of Noah. 13:35 Eight people in that boat Noah's family. 13:41 They saw, one day they saw the animals 13:45 coming out of the woods and walking right up 13:48 the gang plank into that boat 13:49 and not one person change their mind. 13:52 They saw prophecy fulfill, they saw a miracle 13:55 with their own eyes, no one change their mind. 13:59 Why not, because its business as usual 14:04 just like it was in the days of Noah. 14:09 18 May, 1980 you know what happened. 14:15 Wasn't that far from here, Mount St. Helens, 14:20 it been spewing a little bit of steam and ash and lava around 14:26 and they were saying she is gonna blow. 14:29 And they started warning people to leave the area. 14:34 Lot of people left but you saw him, 14:39 I saw him every true man I've been 50 years 14:44 and I am not leaving for anything. 14:46 And he's still there on the Spirit Lake right now. 14:51 You see we don't want to change. 14:54 We just like it where we're 14:59 and its difficult when people come along and say, 15:03 hey, that mountain is gonna blow you better go out of here. 15:06 No, I am not moving. 15:10 And when somebody comes along 15:11 and, hey, this world is about the blow. 15:15 The churches are lining and they're all being influenced 15:19 to turn against God and rebel against His law. 15:23 You got to change, man. You got to go. 15:24 Oh, it's just too hard for me, too hard for me. 15:32 Business as usual it's the way was in the days of Noah. 15:38 Pompeii 79 AD same thing volcano Mount Vesuvius 15:41 starting to give signs it was gonna blow 15:43 and it blew and people had time to leave. 15:45 Some did but many, many were left behind. 15:50 My wife and I had the opportunity 15:51 to visit a museum in Dallas 15:53 so it managed to get some of the artifacts 15:55 that have been excavated from Pompeii. 16:00 And so while they were there we went down, 16:02 drove down to Dallas and went to the museum 16:04 and it was unbelievable. 16:06 The art objects the sculpture 16:09 left nothing to your imagination. 16:11 It was easy to figure out 16:12 why God let Pompeii blow out like that. 16:17 Almost like USA today. 16:24 Somebody once said if God doesn't hurry and come 16:26 He's gonna have to apologize 16:28 to Sodom and Gomorrah and Pompeii. 16:34 The exhibit they caught my attention 16:36 more than anything else 16:39 and it still indelible in my mind 16:42 was the very last one at the door on the way out. 16:47 It was the large too, large glass cases. 16:53 You see when the excavated Pompeii 16:56 they discovered some anti shell like hose 17:01 where people had been 17:04 and they were just the hand full of dust 17:06 down in the bottom of this hole. 17:09 So they filled some of those holes with plaster of Paris 17:12 and after it got hard they chipped away the stone 17:15 and were left with the replica, 17:17 a perfect replica of that individual trap 17:22 at that moment of their death. 17:25 And the two that we saw were a man and a woman. 17:30 The first one was a woman 17:31 they found her laying around across 17:34 the door step to her house. 17:39 She had the opportunity to escape 17:42 but she went back into her house to get something. 17:45 That's what the sign said above the exhibit. 17:48 Because they found her laying across her doorstep 17:51 with a tiny pearl ear ring clutch tightly in each fist. 17:57 She had the opportunity to go 17:59 but she went back to get those the little ear rings. 18:02 People will die for what they had been living for all along. 18:09 That's human nature, that's why it's business as usual. 18:12 And then the other one was the man that they found 18:15 he was trying to get away. 18:17 He was running down the street, 18:19 the center of town in Pompeii 18:22 but he couldn't go fast enough 18:24 because he was carrying his big heavy chest 18:27 full of gold and silver and precious germs. 18:30 It slowed him down and it cost him his life. 18:33 People will die for they had been living 18:36 for all along on that day it will be business as usual 18:40 just like in was in the days of Noah. 18:42 They saw a miracle but nobody change their mind. 18:52 Balaam a fascinating story about a human nature 18:57 in Numbers Chapter 22, Numbers 22:3 19:03 the Bible says, "Moab was terrified 19:08 because there were so many people. 19:10 Indeed, Moab was filled with dread 19:13 because of the Israelites." 19:16 So the Israelites were going to through the wilderness, 19:19 through the desert they were coming up on Moab. 19:22 Moab heard all the stories 19:23 about what they had done to other countries 19:26 and they were shaken in their boots scared the death. 19:30 So Balak in verse 5, "Balak son of Zippor, 19:35 who was king of Moab at that time, 19:39 sent messengers to summon Balaam the son of Beor," 19:45 who was at prophet. 19:47 So king Balak sent messengers to go get Balaam 19:54 who was a prophet. 19:57 So they went to Balaam. 19:59 Verse 6, and they gave him the message from the king. 20:03 "Now come and put a curse on these people, 20:06 because they are too powerful for me. 20:08 Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them 20:10 and drive them out of the country." 20:12 Now Balaam was a prophet. 20:14 He had to know that it certainly wasn't God's plan 20:18 to curse His own people. 20:21 He knew that but he was tempted by a reward from the king... 20:29 and so Balaam told them. 20:32 He said in verse 8 "'Spend the night here,' 20:34 Balaam said, 'I will bring you back the answer 20:36 the Lord gives me.'" 20:37 In other words He told them, I'm gonna go pray 20:39 you stay here overnight that's all right. 20:41 I'm gonna go pray, I'm gonna seek God's will 20:45 and the I will see whatever God's says 20:48 and that what I am gonna do. 20:49 I want to seek God's will, so he goes and he prays. 20:56 And he said I know God's will. 21:00 He's not gonna curse His own people. 21:02 As I'm gonna seek God's will he prayed verse 12, 21:05 "God said to Balaam, 'Do not go with them. 21:08 You must not put a curse on those people, 21:10 because they are blessed.'" 21:12 Now is there anything difficult to understand about that? 21:16 Is anything confusing about that? 21:19 God is always clear and simple. 21:23 Balaam even understood it. 21:26 See it's not complicate when you look at God's will, 21:30 it gets complicated when you start looking around 21:32 and listen to what everybody else is saying. 21:35 So what's the lesson? 21:36 The lesson is, quit listening around 21:38 and keep your nose in the word of God. 21:44 Balaam don't go with them God said. 21:46 "Next morning" verse 13, 21:47 "Balaam got up and went to Balak's princes, 21:50 he said 'Go back to your own country, 21:51 Lord has refused to let me go with you.'" 21:54 Now that I mean that's Balaam understood 21:57 what God was saying. 21:59 He knew God's will. 22:02 Verse 15 but Balak the king of Moab. 22:06 "Balak sent other princes, more numerous 22:08 and the first more distinguished even. 22:11 They came to Balaam and they said" 22:12 in verse 16 "this is what Balak son of Zippor says, 22:16 do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 22:19 because I will reward you handsomely 22:22 and I'll do whatever you say. 22:23 Come and put a curse on these people for me." 22:25 Now I have to confess that I never been tempted 22:28 by a king offering me anything I wanted. 22:31 I've never been tempted like that. 22:34 Maybe we should be a little understanding of Balaam 22:40 but in verse 19 he said, 22:42 "Well you stay here to night like the others did 22:45 and I will find out what else the Lord will tell me." 22:51 In other words I'm gonna go pray about this 22:54 want to see God's will. 22:57 Was he really seeking God's will? 23:02 Why did he say I will find out what else the Lord will tell me? 23:10 Why is that what else? 23:12 Because Lord had already told him not to go. 23:15 And so if he's wanting to see what else God's gonna say 23:18 that means he's hoping that God will change His mind 23:20 and let him go. 23:23 He wasn't seeking God's will, he was seeking his own will. 23:28 He prayed, God, what do you want me to do? 23:31 Now here is the scary part. 23:36 "That night the Lord came to Balaam" 23:38 verse 20 "and He said go with them." 23:43 Go with them so Balaam says oh yeah whoopee. 23:49 I know God's will now. 23:53 Oh it tells us, "Balaam got up in the morning" 23:56 verse 21 "he saddled his donkey 23:58 and went with the princes of Moab." 24:01 Verse 22, "but God was very angry at him." 24:05 Wow, God said go 24:07 and then He gets angry at Balaam for going, why? 24:15 God doesn't work by force God works by love. 24:23 He's not gonna force any one, 24:25 He's not gonna force you to follow Him, 24:29 He's not gonna force you to worship Him. 24:34 Who were you to love Him and trust Him? 24:40 Balaam was showing he knew God's will. 24:44 God had made it crystal clear but he was showing 24:48 that he trusted himself more then he trusted God 24:51 and God isn't gonna force. 24:54 He's gonna say go your way. 24:57 It breaks His heart but He's not gonna make us obey. 25:03 He's not gonna make you change your life. 25:06 He's not gonna make you keep the Sabbath. 25:12 It has to be your choice. 25:15 Balaam made he wrong choice. 25:17 God wasn't happy but He had to let him go. 25:21 I want to tell you something. 25:26 On the surface it looked like Balaam was spiritual man. 25:35 Mean he went to see God's will, went to pray. 25:40 God, what do you want to me do? 25:45 But I am telling you it is dangerous 25:51 to seek God's will when you already know what God's will is. 26:00 Sometimes people come in Revelation 26:02 then I say oh, I studied. 26:03 I have learnt so many new things. 26:04 I should be baptized the Bible way 26:06 and when I got sprinkled it didn't really come for baptism 26:09 because I wasn't immersed. 26:10 I have learned about the Sabbath and it's on the seventh day. 26:14 Oh, this has been a good experience. 26:16 Well, that's wonderful. 26:17 I am not interested in just teaching you stuff. 26:21 I want you to follow you the Lamb. 26:24 And sometimes I ask for what? 26:26 You know, what you gonna do about it? 26:31 Well, I am gonna pray about that, pastor. 26:35 I am gonna see the what God wants me to do. 26:38 See what God wants me to do. 26:41 400 times over 400 times in the Bible God says, 26:48 keep My commands, keep My laws. 26:50 Over 400 times and we need to pray 26:53 and say God what do you want me to do? 26:59 He's gonna tell you go your way. 27:06 Balaam did, went his own way. God was angry. 27:12 Same as angel out to oppose him verse 23, 27:15 "The donkey saw the angel standing in the road 27:17 with a sword in his hand, 27:20 and so she turned off the road into a field." 27:22 Balaam didn't even see it. 27:24 He was so possessed with his own desires, 27:27 with his own evil desires. 27:29 He was so possessed with what he wanted. 27:31 He was blind to the intervention of God. 27:34 He didn't see it the donkey saw it 27:35 and Balaam got angry and beat his donkey. 27:41 Got her back on the road 27:43 and then the angel stood in a narrow path 27:45 between two vineyards, with walls on both sides 27:47 and the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, 27:49 she pressed close to the wall, 27:50 smashing Balaam's foot up against the wall." 27:53 Oh, Balaam got angry again he beat that donkey again. 28:00 And then in verse 27, 28:02 the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, 28:04 standing in a narrow part where it was too tight 28:07 he couldn't get around either side. 28:10 Poor donkey didn't know what to do 28:12 she just laid down on the road. 28:16 Balaam got so angry he was beside himself now. 28:20 He got his stick" the Bible says 28:23 "and he began to beat her with his stick" 28:27 and then verse 28 28:29 "the Lord opened the donkey's mouth, 28:32 and she said to Balaam, 28:34 'What have I done to you these three times 28:36 to make you beat me these?' 28:37 haven't I always been a good donkey?'" 28:45 Now you would think, 28:49 you would think would Balaam would suspect 28:52 something unusual happening here. 29:01 But the Bible says in verse 29 29:03 "Balaam answered the donkey," 29:10 so possessed with his own evil desires 29:15 that he turned around and talk back to that dumb beast. 29:23 "You have made a fool of me! 29:24 He said why I had a sword in my hand, 29:26 I will kill you by now." 29:30 Verse 31 "The Lord opened Balaam's eyes, 29:32 and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road 29:34 with his sword drawn. 29:36 So he bowed low and fell to the ground facedown. 29:42 And the angel of the Lord asked him, 29:44 'Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? 29:47 I have come here to oppose you 29:51 but because your path is a reckless one before me.' 29:56 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, 'I have sinned.'" 30:02 I have sinned. 30:04 "'I did not realize 30:05 you were standing in the road to oppose me. 30:12 Now if you are displeased, I will go back." 30:25 If you are displeased. 30:30 I stood in the road with my sword drawn 30:33 I would have killed you these three times 30:35 if your donkey had not seen me 30:36 and now if you're wanting me to I will go back. 30:45 You would think that Balaam would have got back 30:47 on that little donkey turned her round 30:49 as fast her legs would take him home. 30:53 But the Bible says, "And the angel told him, 31:00 'Go with the men, so Balaam went.'" 31:05 Unbelievable after all of that Balaam went. 31:13 Unbelievable or is it? 31:19 On that day eating, drinking, buying, selling, building, 31:22 planting, marrying, giving in marriage 31:24 it will be business as usual. 31:28 Balaam didn't change. 31:30 Most of us don't change. 31:33 It's hard to change. 31:44 Balaam heard a miracle, 31:48 days of Noah they saw a miracle none of them changed. 31:59 Last minute death bed conversions rare. 32:07 They happen, praise the Lord. 32:08 Sometimes they happen but it is dangerous to count on it. 32:15 It's dangerous to plan on it. Why? 32:18 Because we're creatures of habit, 32:20 its business as usual 32:22 and furthermore can we say no to God 32:27 when He appeals to our hearts. 32:29 Can we say, no God, not yet. 32:32 No God, I am not ready yet. 32:34 No God, I got a few more things I need to do. 32:37 No God, please later. 32:41 Paul made an impassion appeal to King Agrippa. 32:45 Now is the time to accept Jesus 32:47 and King Agrippa said in Acts 26:28 is it Paul. 32:51 You have almost persuaded me. 32:53 You came close. 32:54 Oh, I am right there but we never read 32:56 where he was ever persuaded. 33:00 We can come close but unless we take that next step 33:04 and change in our lives and we never read 33:09 where he was persuaded. 33:12 Paul appeared before the Governor Felix. 33:14 Made an impassioned appeal, appealed 33:17 and Felix said make sense it's not a good time right now. 33:25 Call me at a convenient season. 33:28 And we never read where that convenient season ever came. 33:34 And lot of people tell me I am close pastor, 33:38 but I got a few things I need to get worked out first. 33:40 It's just not quite the right time for me yet. 33:46 Folks, if we don't do it now and the Bible says, 33:51 the likely heard of doing it later is pretty, pretty slim. 33:57 We need to make our business be God's business right now. 34:02 We can't keep saying no to God, no to God. 34:05 No God, later. 34:06 After a while, Lord, I got a few things 34:08 I need to worked out right 34:09 and then we decided it's time say here I am God 34:12 because the Bible tells us Jesus Him selves said John 6:44 34:17 "No one can come to Me unless the Father 34:20 who sent Me draws him. 34:24 And I am gonna show you in our next lesson 34:27 that the time is coming soon 34:29 when the Spirit will stop drawing people to God. 34:36 We can't come to Jesus when we decide 34:39 it's time to come. 34:40 We can't say well, it's not right for me yet. 34:43 When the sprit of God convicts us 34:45 we need to respond then this is time when. 34:50 Its His time coming when he's not gonna be tugging 34:52 at our hearts anymore. 34:56 It will be business as usual 34:57 just like it was in the days of Lot. 35:00 What was it like in the days of Lot? 35:02 Genesis the 18 chapter. 35:06 Abraham sitting under a shade tree in a desert 35:08 when the Lord appeared before him 35:11 and he said Abraham, verse 20, 35:16 "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, 35:19 and their sin is so grievous. 35:21 I am gonna go down there, 35:23 and see if what they have done is 35:24 as bad as the outcry that has reached me, then I will know." 35:29 That's interesting isn't it? 35:31 did God have to go down there to see how bad it was. 35:37 He knew how bad it was, 35:40 so why did he say to Abraham I am gonna go down there 35:43 and see if it's bad what it sounds like from up there. 35:47 Why did He say that? 35:49 Because there was someone else who needed to be convinced 35:56 that God who was about destroy Sodom and Gomorrah 36:00 was doing the right thing. 36:04 "And so Abraham said to the Lord" 36:06 verse 23, "Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 36:11 What if there are fifty righteous people there? 36:14 Far be it from you," the end of verse 25. 36:17 "Far be it from you, Lord. 36:19 Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" 36:23 You need to stop for a second 36:24 and think about what's going on here. 36:26 God has just announced to Abraham 36:28 I am gonna go check on Sodom and Gomorrah 36:30 and see if there is as bad as it sounds like. 36:32 Sounds like a judgment kind of time to me. 36:35 I am gonna down there and see what they're doing 36:37 and wave it out to see if they really deserve 36:39 to be destroyed or not the judgment time. 36:43 And Abraham comes along and he says, 36:46 "Lord, will you take the righteous with the wicked? 36:49 What if they're fifty righteous people there? 36:51 Are you gonna sweep it away? 36:53 Far be it from you. 36:54 Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" 36:56 Abraham was scared the death 36:58 that God was about to do something 36:59 that would show that he was unfair. 37:05 That's the whole picture right there. 37:07 In this little story the whole picture 37:09 of what we've been talking about all along from Genesis 3:15 37:13 when God promised the serpent He would send his seed 37:16 to crush the serpent head all the way 37:18 through to Revelation when we discover there 37:20 and the great judgment day that God demonstrates 37:23 once in for all when he saves the righteous 37:26 and destroys the wicked. 37:27 He's doing the right thing Abraham gives as a peak 37:30 at that great judgment there right now 37:32 back in the time of Sodom and Gomorrah. 37:36 Won't the judge of all the earth do right? 37:39 God has to demonstrate that when He finally wraps 37:44 this thing up and brings it a close 37:46 He is doing the right thing. 37:48 He's not gonna sweep away the righteous with the wicked. 37:52 What a story. 37:57 And so God says no. 37:59 If they are 50 I want to destroy the city. 38:02 Abraham starts to counting them up 38:04 and couldn't come up with 50. 38:06 Were there five less? 38:07 No, 45 I won't destroy. 38:10 Well, what if there are 30 there, 38:11 35 not no, I won't. 38:13 Thirty, no. Twenty, no. 38:14 Ten, no. I won't. 38:17 Says, don't be angry at me. 38:19 God, don't be angry at me. 38:21 What if there are only 10? 38:24 I don't why he stop at 10. 38:28 Maybe he fell like he pushed God too far already 38:31 or maybe thought surely, surely there are 10. 38:37 But the truth is there weren't even four, 38:41 not even four. 38:47 Chapter 19:1 The two angels arrived 38:49 and Sodom and Lot" 38:51 that's Abraham nephew who had come down 38:53 with Abraham when he went to the Lamb 38:56 and settled in Sodom. 38:58 "He was sitting in the gateway of the city." 39:01 Now that's more then just sitting 39:02 in the shade of the gate 39:03 where the little thing over your head. 39:07 That's meant that he was 39:08 important person in the community. 39:10 He sat on the city council for example. 39:14 And so he's sitting there he's in the gateway of the city 39:16 and these two angels have coming in 39:18 and they see him and he says 39:20 "My Lords" they look like men. 39:22 He says, "My Lords, 39:23 'please turn aside to your servant's house. 39:25 You come to my house, 39:26 You can wash your feet and spend the night.' 39:28 No they said we want to go to the square. 39:31 We want to see what Sodom is like?" 39:33 And Lot says, oh, you don't want do 39:35 that it's a wicked place. 39:37 You don't want to be there in a square. 39:38 I have guess so--yeah we want to go to the square 39:40 we want to see Sodom. 39:42 So Lot insisted so strongly verse 3 39:45 that they did go with him and they went to his house. 39:47 And when they are sitting around the supper table eating, 39:51 "All the men from the city young and old it says 39:53 surrounded the house and they called out the Lot. 39:55 Where are those men who came to you to night? 39:58 Bring them out here to us 40:00 so that we can have sex with them." 40:02 And that gives you a little idea what Sodom was like. 40:07 "Lot went outside to meet them. 40:09 He says, no my friends. 40:10 Don't do this wicked thing." 40:11 Now these were his friends. 40:13 They don't do this wicked thing. 40:14 "Who do you think you're get out of that way 40:16 we'll treat you worse and then them we would them. 40:19 And the angels inside" 40:21 verse 10 "they had to reach out there 40:23 and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. 40:26 And then they struck the men 40:28 who were at the door of the house, 40:29 young and old, with blindness." 40:34 Now you would think after being struck blind 40:40 that they would suspect something unusual going on here. 40:44 But the Bible says they didn't. 40:48 They wearied themselves groping for the door. 40:53 So possessed with their own evil desires 40:57 they will blind for the divine intervention of God. 41:05 See that's human nature. 41:09 We can't even see unless we submit to God, 41:15 we can't even see that we're doing wrong. 41:19 You can read it the Bible, you can understand it, 41:22 you can say it back and memorize it and quote it 41:26 but unless we're willing to submit to God 41:29 to change our lives we will never see it. 41:35 Blind to the intervention of God 41:40 wearied themselves broken for the door. 41:43 "And so then the two men said to Lot, 41:46 'do you have anyone else here? 41:48 Sons, sons-in-law, daughter, daughters-in-laws 41:50 anybody else in the city that belongs to you. 41:52 Get them out of here 41:53 because we're gonna destroy this place. 41:56 They outcry at Lord against his people 41:58 so great he send us to destroy it." 42:00 Verse 14 "So Lot went out and spoke 42:02 to his sons his daughters his sons, 42:05 he went to his children to his family." 42:10 In the middle of the night, dad. 42:16 Wow! What time is it. 42:18 What were you are doing here now. 42:22 God's gonna destroy Sodom to night 42:24 we need to get out of here. 42:25 Pack up, get your stuff, come on let's go. 42:28 He says they thought he was joking, 42:32 they thought he was joking. 42:33 Dad you kept me serious. 42:37 God doesn't except us to get out of here in the middle of night 42:39 and leave our houses and looters 42:41 will come to take everything we have 42:42 and just leave like that. 42:44 Oh God isn't that way. 42:45 He is not that rash and unreasonable. 42:50 Surely He would give us a lot of time and lot of warning. 42:52 We need to think about it a little bit, prepare for it. 42:55 Besides that dad you were always telling us 42:57 the stories about how you and Uncle Abraham 43:00 left to come down here and how God led you 43:03 and He led you right here to settle in these cities. 43:06 If God let us here then why would He want to say uproot 43:09 and go somewhere else. 43:13 No dad, you just had a bad day. 43:15 I want you to go home and take aspirin 43:17 or two you'll feel better in the morning. 43:22 He goes to another daughter. 43:25 Wow, dad you got to be kidding me. 43:28 You want me to get up and get the kids and leave. 43:30 You know, my husband is not one of us 43:32 he's a good man. 43:34 Does a lot of good things, he works for the Red Cross 43:36 and he helps people but he don't believe like we do. 43:42 I just need a little more time. 43:45 Besides that he also has a little bit of temper. 43:47 Well, he tear this place a part 43:49 if I just packed up and took the kids out like that. 43:54 And surely God wouldn't want to leave him behind. 43:59 You see we can have all kinds of reasons 44:01 to not do what God says and they always make sense. 44:08 Poor Lot is not sure what to do 44:12 but he goes to the next one, same thing. 44:16 Dad, got to be kidding me. 44:18 Look at all the good people here. 44:19 You know, they don't believe the way we do 44:21 but they're good people. 44:23 And they go to that temple 44:25 and they worship that God's very week. 44:26 Not the God but you know they doing. 44:29 Okay, he's not gonna destroy him is He? 44:34 Maybe they keep the wrong day 44:35 they don't it like he says 44:37 but he's not gonna destroy Him for that. 44:42 And besides that dad, have we just brought 44:44 that big plot of land on the west side of town. 44:46 We're gonna build a big mall remember. 44:48 We'll make a lot of money 44:49 and we give more to the church that way. 44:51 Surely God would want that. 44:56 Poor Lot he went home that night the Bible said, 45:02 he hesitated, verse 16. 45:06 Sat down on his big easy chair, his mind whirling. 45:11 Didn't know what he was gonna do he hesitated 45:17 and I love this part of the story. 45:19 "When he hesitated, the men took his hand 45:22 and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters 45:24 and led them safely out of the city." 45:28 God uses people to save people 45:36 to come by the hands it's time to go. 45:40 We need to get out of here. 45:42 Come on let's go. 45:46 Sometimes some of you fell like preacher. 45:50 You coming along too strong back off a little bit. 45:55 I can't help it. God uses people. 46:01 I think He uses me, He uses you. 46:06 Don't be upset if somebody comes to you and says, 46:09 you know, I know it's hard to make a change. 46:13 I know that you have lot of friends there 46:17 and it's difficult but God is gonna destroy this place. 46:22 We need to get out of here. 46:26 Won't you come with us? 46:28 Don't resend that. 46:32 God uses people to reach people. 46:39 And so they took them by the hands. 46:42 Lot and his wife and his two daughters 46:48 and led him out to the very edge of the city. 46:54 And said, flee for your lives. 46:59 Don't look back. 47:04 They took him just so far 47:06 but the next step was up to Lot and his wife. 47:11 God can't force us 47:15 and I am sure that was not easy for Lot 47:17 as he stood there on the edge of the city. 47:21 All the years and everything that he had worked 47:23 for and build up was behind him. 47:27 There was nothing for him out there. 47:31 Don't even look back just flee for your life. 47:37 Oh, it couldn't have been easy. 47:41 But he had a daughter in each hand 47:43 and that first step 47:44 I am sure was a deliberate difficult painful step 47:49 just like it is for some reason. 47:52 But the more he went the more he realized the grace, 47:55 the love of God and those steps 47:58 got easier and easier and easier. 48:02 He and his two daughters fled for their lives. 48:06 There was somebody else there that night Mrs. Lot 48:12 and she's standing at the edge of the city 48:16 and she has to make her own mind. 48:17 Husband can't save wives, wives can't save husbands. 48:22 She had to decide for herself. 48:26 Her husband was going, two daughters were going, 48:30 but everything she had was back there. 48:35 Big brand new-- biggest house in Sodom, 48:38 brand new, Lot just built it. 48:40 Three brand new camels parked in the garage. 48:46 Her daughter was about to get married. 48:48 They had the biggest wedding plan that Sodom had ever seen. 48:51 Rented the biggest hall in town, it was gonna be something. 48:55 And the more she thought about it this is just too hard for me. 49:00 I can't do it. 49:03 She was torn wanting to go wanting to stay. 49:08 You ever felt torn like that. 49:11 Pulled in one direction 49:13 and then the other some of you are right there. 49:16 You will be in tugged to follow the Lamb 49:18 but then everybody will say, 49:20 no, you don't need to do that and you are torn. 49:25 Finally she realized I just can't do it. 49:27 I can't go on. 49:28 She turned to look back on froze into a pillar of salt. 49:36 Lot's wife was right there just one step 49:42 but it was business as usual for her. 49:45 And now she's an eternal remainder for everyone 49:48 who has come so close but they couldn't take the next step. 49:52 Some of you are right there. 49:56 You have been studying and you know what's right 49:59 because it all comes 50:01 for the straight from the word of God. 50:03 But yet there is that attachment to where we have been going 50:06 and what we did before and feeling tugged 50:08 to the old church, new church pulling. 50:10 The Lamb pulling one way and everything inside of us 50:14 pulling the other way. 50:15 God knows it's like that, He understands you, 50:17 He'll strengthen you, but you got to ask Him. 50:22 You're so close, don't look back. 50:27 Just look our head and follow the Lamb. 50:31 Lord, we thank You. 50:34 We're living in a tough world, 50:37 we're living in a world where sometimes 50:40 even the people dearest to our hearts 50:42 are tugging at us in the wrong direction 50:45 and is never easy to follow the Lamb. 50:47 Oh, we can sit here in our padded pews and say amen, amen. 50:52 But when we get outside the walls 50:53 and start facing realities of life it's never easy. 50:59 And some to night Lord, 51:01 are so close standing right on the edge of that city. 51:06 I just pray that You'll strive with our hearts. 51:09 Let them take that step, let them move forward, 51:11 let them follow the Lamb. 51:14 While every head is bowed, every eye closed in prayer 51:17 I just want to take it's not gonna be long invitation 51:21 but just a few minutes to give some of you 51:22 an opportunity to respond 51:24 because some of them hesitating just like Lot 51:27 when he sat down in that big easy chair. 51:30 I want to give you an opportunity 51:31 to get out of that chair and to stand up 51:33 and to take your stand for Jesus. 51:36 Come down to the front it's like standing 51:37 at the edge of the city. 51:39 Take that step, come down and by coming down you're saying, 51:42 Lord, I'm following You. 51:44 I don't care what happens. 51:45 I don't care who's trying to get me to do anything else. 51:48 Lord, I'm following You. 51:52 Maybe you've never accepted Jesus 51:54 before I want you to come right now. 51:56 Maybe you have, you've went to the off 51:58 far from where God want you to be, 52:00 you need to come back right now today, right now. 52:04 Maybe you've been a Christian all along 52:07 but you've learned some new things, 52:10 you've learned some new things and you need to take a stand, 52:15 could be lifestyle issues, alcohol, tobacco, 52:17 drugs whatever, could be a baptism, 52:21 to be baptized like Jesus was, 52:24 could be to keep the God's day holy. 52:27 You got people tugging in one direction saying 52:29 it's not important and Jesus saying, 52:31 if you love Me, keep My commands. 52:38 Could be to be part of a church, 52:40 it's not afraid to pick up the Three Angels' Messages 52:43 and proclaim it to the whole world. 52:47 Whatever God is saying to you, want you just respond right now, 52:49 would you do that? 52:50 Just stand right now. 52:52 Hello. I'm Lynn Bryson, 52:54 pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 52:56 here in McMinnville, Oregon. 52:57 Well, we've been filming this Revelation now series, 52:59 on this set that you can watch it on your television. 53:03 You may have some questions right now 53:05 and perhaps you would like to receive Jesus in your heart 53:07 but you're not quite sure how to do that. 53:09 If that's your desire, 53:11 then I invite you to bow your head with me and pray 53:13 and repeat the words after me. 53:15 Dear Lord and Father. 53:18 Thank You, for sending Jesus to be my Savior. 53:22 I want to invite Him into my heart right now. 53:26 Please come in and forgive me for my sins. 53:30 And thank You, for the free gift of salvation. 53:34 I know that Jesus is preparing a place for me in your house 53:39 and I'm eager to see you. 53:43 Thank you, for this day in Jesus name, amen. 53:50 If you pray that prayer with me then congratulations 53:53 because you have received Jesus into your heart. 53:56 Now you will be wondering right now 53:58 what I'm supposed to feel. 53:59 Perhaps you're feeling the peace coming into you 54:01 that you've never felt before, both are normal. 54:05 Don't rely on your feeling so, believe God's word 54:08 and believe that what He has said is true 54:10 that He loves you and that He is forgiven you. 54:14 This is the perfect time to find answers 54:17 to some of your questions and if you do have questions, 54:20 I'd invite you to locate 54:21 a Seventh-day Adventist Church in your local area. 54:25 Seventh-day Adventist Churches are listed in the phonebooks 54:27 and you can find one by going to the Yellow Pages 54:29 or the White Pages or you can get on the internet, 54:32 and do a Google search for Seventh-day Adventist Churches 54:35 or may want to just go ahead 54:37 and call the McMinnville Church right here in Oregon. 54:39 If you're calling from the United States, 54:41 our phone number is 503-472-7841. 54:47 Or you can email us at sdachurch@onlinemac.com 54:52 or go to our web page at www.mcminnvilleadventist.org. 54:58 These are the most exciting days to be alive in. 55:00 These are the days that prophet saw in vision 55:03 and wish they could've been alive for. 55:05 Jesus is about to come. 55:07 In the meantime, He can give you a piece of heart 55:10 to give you trust daily as you pray to Him 55:12 and come to Him with your concerns. 55:14 In the meantime, remember to always 55:16 to look to Him in faith and follow the Lamb. 55:21 Lord, we send our prayers up to You. 55:30 Praying for You to touch the hearts of those 55:33 who have a decision to make. 55:36 Some told me and yet they still hesitate. 55:42 So Lord, I just pray that You'll strive with their hearts 55:47 and let there be no rest 55:50 as long as that door stands open 55:54 or let Him come before the big door 55:57 the Arks swing to shut for the last time. 56:03 I thank You, for each person 56:05 who's given their heart to you. 56:09 Up until now, we've seen many Lord, 56:12 some for the first time and some just re-dedicating 56:15 but we rejoice for each one 56:18 and I know how heaven rejoices right now. 56:22 So Lord, we thank You and praise You 56:25 for all that You've done 56:28 and help us to continue to follow the Lamb. Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17