Spring Camp Meeting

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

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Series Code: SCM

Program Code: SCM180004A


00:41 Welcome to the 3ABN Spring Camp Meeting:
00:44 The Three Angels' Messages.
00:49 Good morning and we welcome you to day #2
00:54 of our Spring Camp Meeting 2018.
00:59 We are so glad that you are here.
01:01 The Holy Spirit is here. His presence is being felt
01:04 already and we expect and are looking forward to
01:07 a grand and glorious session with the Lord this morning.
01:12 God is so very very good, is He not?
01:14 And we are in the house of the Lord among our brothers
01:17 and sisters in Christ. What a wonderful place to be.
01:21 What better place could we be than in this place
01:24 at this time. So we welcome our in-house family
01:27 and welcome to those of you who are watching and listening
01:30 from around the world. You are part of our extended family
01:33 and we are so glad that you are with us.
01:36 We have been dealing with and will continue to deal with
01:39 the three angels' messages
01:42 or you can say the three angel's message
01:45 because they are one message divided into many segments.
01:49 But today our speaker is Pastor Wesley Peppers.
01:53 He comes from the Michigan Conference.
01:55 He is the Associate Ministerial Director
01:59 and Evangelism Coordinator for the Conference.
02:02 He's been here before.
02:03 We first recognized him and met him
02:05 as a GYC speaker. He still considers himself
02:09 a young person, and I must yield to that
02:11 since I am somewhat older than he.
02:15 But by the grace of God he will give us a wonderful word
02:18 this morning as he talks about
02:20 evangelization in these last days.
02:24 Wes is the husband of one wife: Miriam.
02:27 Marian, rather, and she is a wonderful singer.
02:30 He has two children: one of each, a boy and a girl.
02:34 Levi and Leanna.
02:36 Levi is 6; Leanna is 3.
02:39 So he's got a matched set, and we praise the Lord for that.
02:44 And we look forward to his ministry this morning.
02:48 I'm going to ask you now to bow your heads with me
02:50 as we ask and invite and recognize
02:52 God's presence in this place. Father God,
02:56 how we praise You and thank you
02:58 for the Word which is a lamp unto our feet
03:01 and a light on the pathway before us.
03:05 We thank you for the preached word and the word sung in music.
03:08 We thank you for the power of the Word.
03:11 We thank you that You inhabit the praises of Your people.
03:14 We thank you that You've allowed us to wake up to see the beauty
03:17 of a new day which brings us, dear Lord,
03:21 one day closer to the coming of our Lord and Savior
03:25 Jesus Christ. May we make ample preparation
03:29 on this day for that day which is soon to come.
03:34 May You find us ready and working and waiting for you.
03:38 Bless now the speaker. Bless those of us who hear.
03:42 May Christ be glorified.
03:45 And we thank you, dear Father, in Jesus' name,
03:47 Amen.
03:49 Was thinking of and looking for a song
03:51 that would match the message concerning evangelism.
03:57 And it occurred to me that we could do no better
03:59 than singing the song I'll Tell The World
04:02 That I'm A Christian.
04:21 I'll tell the world
04:24 that I'm a Christian.
04:28 I'm not ashamed
04:31 His name to bear.
04:35 I'll tell the world
04:38 that I'm a Christian;
04:42 I'll take Him with me
04:46 everywhere.
04:49 I'll tell the world
04:53 how Jesus saved me
04:56 and how He gave me
05:00 a life brand new.
05:05 And I know
05:07 that if you trust Him
05:11 that all He gave me
05:14 He'll give to you.
05:21 I'll tell the world
05:25 that He's my Savior.
05:29 No other one
05:32 could love me so.
05:36 My life, my all
05:39 is His forever
05:43 and where He leads me
05:47 I will go.
05:54 I'll tell the world
05:58 Jesus is coming.
06:01 And it may be near
06:04 or far far away.
06:08 But we've got to live
06:11 as if that coming
06:15 could be tomorrow
06:19 or today.
06:22 For when He comes
06:26 and life is over
06:29 for those who love Him
06:33 there's more to be.
06:38 Eyes have never seen
06:42 the wonders
06:44 that He's preparing
06:47 for you and me.
06:55 Go tell the world
06:58 that you're a Christian.
07:02 Don't be ashamed
07:05 His name to bear.
07:09 Just tell the world
07:12 that you are a Christian
07:16 and take Him with you
07:20 everywhere.
07:26 I'll tell the world
07:31 how Jesus saved me
07:34 and how He gave me
07:38 a life brand new.
07:42 And I know
07:45 that if you trust Him
07:48 that all He gave to me
07:52 He'll give to you.
08:00 I'll tell the world
08:03 that I'm a Christian.
08:06 And I'm not ashamed
08:10 His name to bear.
08:13 I'll tell the world
08:17 that I'm a Christian.
08:21 I'll take Him with me
08:24 anywhere...
08:28 I'll take Him with me
08:31 anywhere.
08:46 Amen!
08:49 Thank you so much Elder Murray.
08:53 Good morning saints. Good morning!
08:56 How are you today? Doing excellent?
08:59 Are you ready for an exciting 3ABN Camp Meeting?
09:02 Yes! I'm so glad that I got you on the very first
09:06 full day in the morning.
09:07 So I get you... I saw the schedule for the Camp Meeting.
09:10 Sermons almost every hour of the day,
09:12 so I'm glad to get you at the beginning
09:14 before you get worn out. Right?
09:17 And it's good to be with you here today.
09:20 I hope my children are watching.
09:21 They said they were going to be watching
09:23 and they probably were thrilled to hear their names mentioned
09:26 here. But Levi and Leanna... Levi just turned six
09:29 last month and Leanna just turned three
09:33 last week. Actually today is her birthday.
09:36 I said last week, but we celebrated last week
09:38 but today is her birthday so Happy Birthday to my dear
09:42 daughter at home. Well, we are talking about
09:45 at the Camp Meeting the three angels' messages.
09:48 And you know, I travel around a lot of places
09:50 and I hear a lot of people say: "You know,
09:52 we don't hear messages on the three angels' messages
09:56 any more. " And how many of you would agree with that?
09:58 It's very rare. And friends, we do not want to
10:01 lose the importance of this message
10:05 because it is our identity as an Adventist people.
10:08 What do you say? Amen! As a SDA church
10:12 we are prophetic movement, amen?
10:14 We're not just another denomination.
10:16 We're not just another church on the corner
10:19 but we are a prophetic movement that has been revealed to us
10:23 through prophecy - through the book of Revelation.
10:26 If you haven't ever read Revelation chapter 10
10:28 it describes the beautiful rising of the Advent movement.
10:33 And we can be sure that we're in the right place, amen?
10:36 We can be sure that we have the right message.
10:39 We can be sure that we're in the right movement
10:41 because this movement is Biblical.
10:44 Yes? And its message is Biblical.
10:47 It is Christ centered; it is Christ focused;
10:50 and it is Christ filled.
10:51 How many of you are thankful today to be a SDA Christian?
10:54 Friends, if you're not a SDA Christian today -
10:57 and we're not trying to attack the other churches here -
11:01 but we want a Bible- based Christianity, amen?
11:05 We want the full gospel... the whole gospel.
11:08 And we're going to talk a little bit this morning about
11:10 that gospel, but more important- ly we're going to talk about
11:13 proclaiming that gospel and what it means to share our faith
11:18 with others, yes? And so we're going to dive in here.
11:22 We're going to go to the book of Revelation chapter 14.
11:25 If you have your Bibles, please open them to Revelation
11:27 chapter 14. And we're just going to have a word of prayer
11:30 as we begin and then we're going to dive right to it.
11:35 Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer.
11:37 Father in heaven, we thank you so much
11:40 for the great privilege we have
11:41 to be in Your house this morning;
11:43 to be in Your presence; to be assured by Your promises,
11:47 by Your truth. And we pray today that the Holy Spirit
11:52 will be poured out upon us.
11:53 That He would not just simply be in the room
11:57 but that He would be in our hearts.
11:59 And we read in the book of Acts that when the Holy Spirit was
12:02 poured out it shook the very building that they were in.
12:06 And Lord, I pray that it would shake our very souls
12:09 to the depths of our core that we might be fully committed
12:13 to Your call. That our hearts will be turned to You
12:16 completely and totally today... this is our prayer.
12:20 We ask that You would comfort us;
12:22 we ask that You would convict us
12:24 and empower us, Lord, this morning.
12:26 We ask it in Jesus' name - let everyone say - Amen.
12:31 In Revelation chapter 14
12:33 you find three themes that John experiences.
12:38 In the first five verses
12:41 you find a description of the 144,000... correct?
12:45 In the second group of verses, verse 6 through 13,
12:50 you find the three angels' messages, correct?
12:52 Then in the third theme John sees he describes
12:57 the second coming of Jesus.
12:58 How many of you are with me so far? Right?
13:00 Amen. Now I want you to notice something very interesting
13:04 that we find. Look in Revelation 14 verse 1.
13:08 John says... The first three words of that verse says what?
13:12 "Then I looked... "
13:14 Now the word then is always des- cribbing something that happened
13:17 before that, right? So John in chapter 13
13:20 is talking about the mark of the beast and those things.
13:23 So now he's describing the beast and its power
13:26 and then in chapter 14 he's describing the people of God
13:30 standing in His power.
13:32 So he's contrasting the two. Are you with me?
13:35 Then he gives that description
13:36 down through there for the first five verses.
13:38 We're not going to read all of that.
13:40 You can go back and read that.
13:41 But then notice in verse 6 he says:
13:45 "Then I... " What? "saw... "
13:47 So John says first: "Then I looked"
13:50 then he says "Then I saw. "
13:52 And then he sees a description of the message
13:56 that God has called His people to proclaim in the last days.
13:58 Correct? Then in the last passage - verse 14-
14:02 he says again in the first three letters
14:05 "Then I... " What? Looked! "Then I looked... "
14:07 So three themes John is seeing.
14:10 He says: "Then I looked; then I saw; then I looked. "
14:13 So he's seeing three different pictures here
14:16 all connected and close together.
14:19 So in the first picture he sees the people of Christ.
14:24 In the second group he sees the message of Christ.
14:27 And in the third picture he sees the coming of Christ.
14:30 Amen? Now I would propose to you
14:33 this morning that all three of these visions
14:37 or experiences or themes that John sees
14:39 are connected by one common theme.
14:43 One common theme... and that is Revelation 14 verse 12.
14:47 It says: "Here is the patience of the saints.
14:51 Here are those who keep the commandments of God
14:53 and the... " What? "and the faith of Jesus. "
14:56 And that faith of Jesus is the core of the entire message
15:01 because it focuses on the righteousness of Christ
15:05 that God wants to place in each one of our hearts today. Amen?
15:09 The righteousness that Christ possesses
15:12 can be ours as well when we believe in Him by faith.
15:16 And by faith when we put our faith IN Jesus
15:19 it can continue to grow until it actually becomes
15:23 the faith OF Jesus.
15:24 How many can say "Amen" this morning? Amen!
15:26 And so in this picture
15:28 the people of God in verses 1-5
15:31 are possessing the righteousness of Christ.
15:34 They're what? They're possessing the righteousness of Christ.
15:37 In verses 6 through 13 then they are proclaiming
15:42 the righteousness of Christ.
15:44 They're doing what in the second scene?
15:46 They're proclaiming. And then in the third scene
15:48 they see the power of Christ's righteousness
15:52 when He returns in the clouds of heaven.
15:54 Now friends, let me tell you something:
15:56 we have a lot of dissention sometimes in the church
16:01 about the righteousness of Christ.
16:03 But let me tell you what: the righteousness of Christ
16:06 which is the perfection of the life of Jesus Christ
16:09 He wants to give to us as a free gift by faith
16:14 and He wants to replicate it in our lives.
16:17 Not just in our hearts but in the external actions
16:21 of our lives. How many of you can say "Amen" to that today?
16:24 Amen! And it is the revealing of that power,
16:27 the revealing of that righteousness,
16:30 not anything that we do on our own
16:32 but everything that He is doing in us and through us.
16:35 It is that power, that reveal- ing of the character of God,
16:39 that is the drawing power of this message that goes out
16:43 into the world. Are you with me this morning? Yes or no?
16:46 Yes. Without that character of Christ
16:49 the message cannot be proclaimed in the power
16:52 that it was designed to be proclaimed in.
16:55 Do you follow that today?
16:57 And Jesus wants to do that in His people.
17:00 He WILL do it in His people...
17:02 the question will be: which people?
17:06 Because there's a lot of people in the past
17:09 that He's wanted to do it through but they would not
17:12 soften their hearts. They hardened their hearts
17:14 and they resisted His attempt to do that thing in them.
17:20 The pioneers through the 1888 message resisted.
17:23 Not all of them... but some of them... resisted that.
17:27 And today we're still many times resisting it.
17:30 And so if we do not accept this message,
17:33 if we do not accept the righteousness of Christ
17:36 fully and completely, if our hearts and our lives
17:40 are not surrendered to every purpose in the plan and the will
17:44 of God for our lives, then we also will die in the wilderness
17:48 just like all the generations before us.
17:50 So God is making an invitation to us today
17:54 to full receive... Not just to believe
17:57 in thought and in just philosophy
18:03 but to actually allow the righteousness of Christ
18:06 to transform the core of our hearts
18:09 and the external actions of the person.
18:13 Yes or no this morning? Amen.
18:15 That is what God desires for each of us today.
18:17 Now friends, what that does not mean is that we all need to
18:20 tighten up our belts and become better vegans.
18:24 No, there's nothing wrong with being vegan. I love being vegan.
18:27 Amen? I love the health message.
18:30 But sometimes the health message becomes a plague to us
18:34 because the health message becomes focused on ourselves.
18:38 It becomes focused on us.
18:40 Now that's not its full intention. Its intention is
18:44 that we can have the healthiest minds and bodies
18:47 for what purpose? Just so that we can be
18:49 healthier people on this earth? No!
18:51 So that we can fully reveal the character of Christ
18:54 and proclaim His message. Amen?
18:57 Amen! And so anything that becomes self-focused
18:59 becomes a curse to us.
19:01 And I fear that many times just like ancient Israel
19:04 we are having the same experience
19:06 where in the message of God even we are becoming
19:10 so self-focused and so self-centered
19:13 that God is not able to reach others through us
19:16 but we actually become a stumbling block to those people.
19:21 And dear friends, today God is calling us
19:24 to a life of surrender. Amen?
19:29 God's purpose will be accomplished.
19:33 How many can say "Amen" today? Amen!
19:35 His people are to become like Him and deliver a message.
19:38 And the plan is that all the people on the earth
19:41 would hear and accept, and the product is that
19:45 just more than the church would hear and accept
19:49 and embrace that message.
19:51 How many can say "Amen" this morning?
19:53 But before they can be a public witness of the message
19:56 there must be a personal fitness by the message.
20:00 Amen? Amen.
20:02 Without a fitness there is no witness. What do you say?
20:05 Amen! Turn with me if you would to the book of Acts.
20:08 We're going to take a look at the people that started
20:11 the movement and the people that ended the movement...
20:14 which by the grace of God we hope to be us, don't we?
20:17 In Acts chapter 1... Acts chapter 1 you find
20:22 that Jesus had raised from the dead. Isn't that the core
20:25 of our hope today? That the resurrection of Christ...
20:28 If Christ was not resurrected from the dead and we are still
20:32 in our sins and without hope.
20:34 But Christ did raise.
20:36 Christ raised from the dead and here He's meeting
20:38 with His disciples before He ascends into heaven
20:41 and He's giving them their final and Great Commission.
20:45 If you look in verse 7
20:49 the Bible says in some of His parting words to His disciples:
20:52 "And He said to them: 'It is not for you to know
20:56 times or seasons which the Father has put
20:59 in His own authority but you shall receive power
21:02 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you
21:04 and you shall be witnesses to Me
21:07 in Jerusalem and to all Judea
21:11 and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. ' "
21:14 And so listen, friends:
21:16 before Jesus told the disciples to go out and preach the gospel
21:21 what did He tell them to do?
21:23 Go where? To the upper room for how long?
21:27 For ten days.
21:28 And so before they could be a witness to the world
21:31 they had to be fitted for that work. Yes or no?
21:34 And in those 10 days they had a powerful rich experience.
21:39 A beautiful experience.
21:41 And I'm going to read to you a couple of quotes here that
21:44 kind of describe a little bit that experience that they had.
21:47 Notice this. This comes from the book Acts of the Apostles
21:50 page 37. Says: "As the disciples waited for
21:53 the fulfillment of the promise they humbled their hearts
21:57 in true repentance and confessed their unbelief.
22:01 They reproached themselves for their misapprehension
22:03 of the Savior and like a procession scene after scene
22:07 of His wonderful life passed before them.
22:09 As they meditated upon His pure holy life
22:12 they felt that no toil would be too hard,
22:15 no sacrifice too great,
22:17 if only they could bear witness in their lives
22:20 to the loveliness of Jesus' character. "
22:24 Now friends, that is the fitness
22:26 that must take place in our hearts today
22:28 before we can proclaim a message like they did.
22:31 What was it? It was repentance; it was confession;
22:36 it was reproach; it was search- ing their own hearts to see
22:39 what is in my heart that doesn't look like Jesus?
22:43 That's all it is.
22:44 And friends, when we see... when God reveals those...
22:47 it's not when we see it because we can't even see it
22:50 until God reveals it to us, can we?
22:52 But when God reveals it to us
22:54 He calls us to surrender that thing to Him.
22:58 And in surrendering it to Him we become more like Christ.
23:02 We become more like Christ than we were when we were holding on
23:05 to that thing. And as they thought more and more about
23:08 Jesus they began to remember
23:10 the wonderful life that He lived.
23:13 And they said: "Lord, we want that life to be duplicated
23:17 and replicated in our own life. "
23:19 And they said: "Anything at all in our lives
23:23 that we're hanging on to Lord let us let it go
23:26 so that we can become more like Christ. " Amen!
23:29 And as they did they realized the life that Jesus lived
23:34 was not easy. They realized that He had a hard life of...
23:39 of laboring, of self-sacrifice
23:42 that led Him all the way to the cross.
23:45 And they said: "Lord, if we can just but be like Jesus
23:50 there will be nothing too hard for us - Amen -
23:53 because we'll have His presence and His power within us. "
23:56 And they said... It wasn't just, friends, so that they could...
24:00 that they could have the charac- ter of Christ for themselves.
24:05 But it was so they could allow it to be a witness
24:09 to others. Amen! "The disciples prayed with intense earnestness
24:14 for a fitness to meet men and in their daily intercourse
24:18 to speak words that would lead sinners to Christ. "
24:22 You see, friends, as a church we often talk about and focus on
24:26 the desire to be more like Christ. Yes?
24:30 But the reason for that is often self-serving.
24:35 We want to be like Christ because we want to be saved.
24:38 And rightly so. You should desire the righteousness of
24:41 Christ... Amen? But the ultimate purpose
24:45 of possessing the righteousness of Christ
24:47 is not just to possess it for ourselves.
24:50 It is to possess it so it is a drawing power for others
24:54 to the Savior. Amen?
24:56 As people are drawn to us we point them to the Savior.
25:00 Amen! Aren't you thankful for that today?
25:03 Amen! Notice this:
25:06 let me just point out... let me jump ahead here.
25:11 It says: "No longer were they a collection of independent units
25:14 or of discordant and conflicting elements.
25:16 No longer were their hopes set on worldly greatness.
25:20 They were of one accord, of one mind and one soul.
25:25 The advancement of His kingdom was their aim.
25:28 In mind and character they had become like their Master
25:31 and men took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.
25:35 The only ambition of the believers
25:37 was to reveal the likeness of Christ's character
25:41 and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom. "
25:45 I want you to think about that for just a minute, friends.
25:47 That was their one ambition.
25:50 These people were people of professions.
25:52 They were fishermen; they were farmers. They had jobs
25:55 just like you. You notice it doesn't say
25:58 that the only goal of the pastors was to become
26:01 like Christ. The only goal of the apostles.
26:04 But it says... there's a key word there...
26:05 "The only goal of the believers. " Who is that?
26:09 That's everybody!
26:11 So whatever your profession is... whether you're a physician
26:14 whether you're a lawyer, whether you're a janitor
26:17 or a schoolteacher or whatever it is
26:20 God has called you. Your life's ambition
26:23 is to not just possess the character of Christ
26:27 but to proclaim it.
26:29 Not to just hold it to yourself
26:31 but to reveal the character of God to the world.
26:34 To intentionally witness for Him.
26:37 Not just by a life of silence.
26:39 You know, we've gotten into this terrible habit
26:41 of... we've been so afraid of the bonsai evangelist
26:47 where people go out and they pass out all these extreme books
26:50 and knock on doors. And we say: "Oh, we don't need
26:53 to do that any more. I just need to live my life
26:55 and people will notice. "
26:58 "And so I have a neighbor that I've been neighbors with
27:00 for 30 years and I've talked with him every day
27:04 but I've never spoken to him about spiritual things.
27:08 And I've gone over and I've helped him...
27:10 and we've had meals together
27:13 but I've never talked to him about Christ.
27:15 But I don't need to. You know why?
27:17 Because every Sabbath at 9 o'clock
27:20 my neighbor sees me leaving my house in a suit... "
27:23 or a dress or dress pants, whatever you want to do.
27:27 I'm not getting into all of that.
27:33 "And when I leave my house in my hand, tucked neatly,
27:39 is my Bible. And right on top of my Bible
27:42 is my Sabbath School quarterly.
27:45 And I angle my Sabbath School quarterly
27:48 just so that he can see the SDA church logo
27:51 as he looks out the window to see me.
27:54 And every Sabbath for the last thirty years
27:57 he's seen me leave at 9 o'clock on the dot.
28:00 He knows where I'm going every Sabbath.
28:02 He knows why I don't work on the Sabbath.
28:05 He knows that I don't mow my grass or any of that.
28:07 And if he wants to know anything more
28:10 he'll... " What? "he'll ask. "
28:13 You see, friends, we used to be in the pit of
28:16 of the bonsai evangelist where we would think we should tell
28:19 the whole three angels' message to a person in 5 minutes.
28:22 Now we're on the other end where we don't say a word
28:24 to our neighbor in 30 years.
28:27 And dear friends, that is not revealing the righteousness
28:30 of Christ. Because the Bible says
28:33 that we are not just to possess the character of Christ
28:36 but we are also to what? Proclaim it.
28:40 The Bible says in verse 6
28:42 "I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven
28:44 having the everlasting gospel... " To do what?
28:48 "to preach! " And that preaching is not done by just
28:53 the pastors or the preachers.
28:55 In the book of Acts it was done by the deacons.
28:59 It was done by the lay people.
29:01 It was done by every believer. They were preaching.
29:04 They were sharing. They were revealing Christ
29:07 and telling others about His truth.
29:09 And somehow today in this world of specialization...
29:13 You know, we have doctors that are specializing
29:16 in everything... in specific things, rather.
29:19 You have heart doctors and kid- ney doctors and liver doctors.
29:23 And if you ask a doctor - nothing against doctors -
29:26 but if you ask many doctors something outside their field
29:29 they couldn't tell you anything more than a bus driver.
29:34 And somehow we thought that inside the church
29:38 it's that way also. That it's the pastor's job
29:41 to do the work. It's the conference's job to do the work.
29:45 It's 3ABN's job to do the work.
29:48 Well let me tell you what, friends: 3ABN does a wonderful
29:51 work, amen? Amen! Amen?
29:53 But let me tell you: the gospel work will not be finished
29:59 by preachers coming to 3ABN to preach.
30:04 It will be done by that in part
30:08 but it will be primarily done by the lay people
30:11 being filled with the Spirit of God
30:14 and going out to preach and to proclaim the gospel
30:17 and to share their faith with their neighbors.
30:20 Yes or no, friends? Yes!
30:22 Now listen... I want you to see this.
30:26 This was... so there was a fitness by the disciples, yes?
30:30 And then there was a witness. Now listen to this.
30:32 This comes from the book Christ Object Lessons page 120.
30:36 It says: "With great power
30:37 gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus
30:41 and great grace was upon them all. "
30:43 Again, from Education page 95.
30:45 It says: "Then there was such a revelation of the glory
30:48 of Christ as had never before been witnessed by mortal man. "
30:53 And so that was the level of power
30:56 that was taking place through the preaching of the gospel
30:59 by the early church. Not just the apostles
31:01 but all the what? All the believers, yes?
31:04 All the believers.
31:06 Now I want you to see this, dear friends.
31:09 From Christ Object Lessons page 21
31:11 notice this powerful statement.
31:14 Talking about the scenes of the early church
31:17 this is what it says:
31:18 "These scenes are to be repeated. "
31:22 They're to be what? Repeated. Repeated!
31:26 "And with... " It doesn't even say as much power, but it
31:29 says: "with greater power. " With what kind of power?
31:31 Greater. Greater power!
31:33 So the great manifestation of power that took place
31:37 in the early church is to be repeated again
31:41 with even greater power.
31:43 When and where do you suppose that that's going to take place?
31:47 In the fulfillment of Revelation chapter 14.
31:54 It says: "The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day
31:56 of Pentecost was the former rain
31:58 but the latter rain will be more abundant.
32:01 The Spirit awaits our demand and reception.
32:04 Christ is again to be revealed in His fullness
32:08 by the Holy Spirit's power. "
32:11 So friend, this is something that God wants repeated again
32:16 but with greater power in your life and in my life today.
32:20 He wants our churches to come alive. Amen!
32:24 He wants our churches to be living lights in the
32:26 communities. He wants His people to be
32:29 little candles of light wherever they go, pointing people to the
32:33 greatest light of Jesus. Amen!
32:36 Friend, today we are sitting in our churches
32:39 looking and waiting for the pastor do to the work
32:42 that God has called you and I to do.
32:45 We're sitting around waiting for someone else
32:47 to do the work. We sit in churches of 40, 50 people
32:52 or sometimes 700 or 800 people...
32:55 the church I just pastored.
32:56 And people will sit and look around and they'll think:
32:59 "Man, I see this big sea of people here.
33:02 Surely SOMEBODY will do the work. "
33:06 "Surely somebody's going to be at that outreach. "
33:09 You just look at 800 people in a congregation
33:12 and just by statistics they ought to have enough people
33:15 "they don't need me. " Listen friends: God needs you.
33:20 God wants you... He wants to fill you with His power.
33:23 You don't have to have a church office. to do the work of God.
33:26 You don't have to be a deacon or an elder
33:29 to do the work of God. They have specific work,
33:32 but we are... It's insane what we're doing in our churches
33:37 is that we are... The elders are doing...
33:41 I'm sorry... the elders are doing the work of the deacons
33:47 and the deacons are doing the work of the members.
33:49 And the pastor is doing the work of the elders.
33:52 And then we hire a Bible worker to do the work of the pastor.
33:56 If everybody was doing what they should be doing,
33:59 you wouldn't need Bible workers
34:01 and you wouldn't even need pastors. Amen!
34:04 Are you with me? Amen!
34:07 Because God's people are called... deacons are called
34:10 to do more than just open doors and take up offerings.
34:15 Elders are called to do more than read the scripture
34:19 and call for the offering.
34:21 They are called to preach.
34:23 Deacons are called to preach.
34:25 We're called to do the work of personal laboring ministry.
34:29 And we have sat on our "cans" long enough
34:32 looking and waiting for the pastor to do it.
34:35 Let me tell you something, friends: I was in
34:38 a few years ago at a NAD Pastor's Convention.
34:41 There were 5,000 pastors at that convention.
34:46 And I thought about that. I said: "You know, what is the
34:48 population of Houston where the convention was taking place? "
34:51 It was about 7 million.
34:54 And I said: "With all the pastors of North America
34:57 and many from around the world here at this convention -
35:00 5,000- it would still mean that each person
35:04 would have to reach about 1,500 people. "
35:06 Just in one city.
35:09 Now friends, do you think the pastors are going to finish
35:11 that work? No! No, they're not going to finish that work.
35:14 It's up to you. There must be a fitness,
35:16 and the fitness comes when we're on our knees
35:19 pleading with God to do something great in our lives.
35:22 When we're on our knees pleasing with God to transform
35:24 our churches, to change our lives, to change our churches,
35:28 to change our pastors, to change our elders and deacons.
35:31 But it starts with ourselves!
35:34 It starts with getting up every morning and going to that
35:36 closet with God. It starts with gathering our families around
35:40 and having family worship together...
35:42 teaching and training our children. People say: "Well,
35:45 we can't go out and do this work because
35:48 we've gotta have family time. "
35:51 How about if you spent family time baking some bread together
35:55 to take to your neighbors? Amen!
35:57 How about spending family time as a family
36:00 inviting another family over to have a Bible study
36:03 on a Tuesday night?
36:04 How about spending family time in the mission work of God
36:08 so that we can train our children to be missionaries
36:13 rather than worldlings?
36:18 So God calls His people: Revelation 14:12.
36:22 "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those that keep
36:24 the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. "
36:26 God calls His people to the same experience
36:30 that the early disciples had.
36:32 And there must be a fitness for this proclamation
36:36 before there can be a witness of it... yes or no?
36:39 And we need to be on our knees, friends,
36:41 searching our hearts. Saying: "Lord, prepare me.
36:44 Here I am... send me. "
36:46 Some people say: "Well it may take me 20 years
36:48 to be ready. " No... it takes you 20 seconds
36:50 when you're on your knees asking the Lord Jesus
36:53 to do something in your life.
36:54 Amen! You can go home today
36:56 and begin doing something for the Savior.
36:59 The faith of Jesus is what we need, friends. Amen!
37:03 There were three things, quickly, that made up
37:06 the faith of Jesus. Number 1: Jesus was in God.
37:11 He was what? He was in God.
37:14 What does that mean? It means that Jesus had total
37:16 dependence upon His Father.
37:20 Even though He was divinity veiled in humanity
37:23 it was also true that He was humanity
37:26 enshrined in divinity.
37:29 And all that He needed in humanity
37:31 the Father would dwell in Him because He emptied Himself
37:35 and He would work it out through Him.
37:37 Are you with me today? Yes!
37:39 And listen, friends, the reason I tell you this
37:41 is because that is the same experience
37:44 that God wants to give you today.
37:46 Everything that Jesus experienced on the earth
37:50 all the elements of faith... of God written in Him
37:55 we're told that God will do the same thing for us.
37:58 And I've seen it! I've seen stories of people
38:02 in all kinds of places in all kinds of ministries
38:05 where God worked absolutely impossible miracles
38:09 for them and He'll do it for us today!
38:12 Amen!
38:13 The second thing is that Christ's life was with God.
38:18 It was what? With God.
38:20 He was in God because He was totally dependent
38:23 upon the Father. If we're totally dependent upon God,
38:27 do you suppose that God would do something great for us?
38:29 What do you think?
38:30 Do you suppose that He'll just leave us hanging today?
38:33 The problem is we're not totally dependent upon Him...
38:35 we're mostly dependent upon ourselves.
38:37 That's our problem today.
38:39 That's the whole problem of Laodicea: we're rich
38:42 and increased with goods... we don't need anything!
38:45 Not even the Holy Spirit.
38:48 Christ's life was with God because He had a special
38:52 communion and fellowship with Him.
38:56 He received from God what He gave to the world
38:59 and He was totally empty and dependent upon Him.
39:02 And then lastly: Christ's life was for God.
39:05 First He was in God because He was totally dependent.
39:09 Secondly He was with God because He communed with Him
39:12 and received the power which He needed to share with others.
39:15 And then thirdly: His life was FOR God.
39:18 Christ spent His whole life in service to His Father.
39:23 His whole life.
39:25 All the strength... Day by day He walked up and down
39:28 the streets ministering to the people,
39:30 pouring Himself out to them.
39:33 And then He poured Himself out completely
39:36 upon the cross. All the strength He received from the Father
39:41 in hours of prayer went to ministry.
39:43 He kept nothing back for His own benefit, OK?
39:46 How many can say "Amen" to that?
39:47 How many of you are thankful today that we have such
39:50 an example as Jesus?
39:52 We have such a Savior who would hold nothing back
39:54 to save you and save me.
39:56 Amen! But He doesn't just want to save you and me
39:59 even though He would if we were the only ones.
40:01 But He wants to save many others - countless others -
40:04 who are your neighbors and your friends.
40:06 And so this was the faith of Jesus that we find in
40:10 Revelation 14:12.
40:12 That in His total dependence upon God
40:15 He had a life in God.
40:17 And now having a life in God He maintained it
40:20 by fellowship with God
40:22 and the power He gained was spent in a life for God.
40:26 How many of you can say "Amen" today? Amen!
40:29 Aren't you thankful for that?
40:31 Now a question for you: is the message of the 3 angels
40:35 intended to be received by all who haven't heard it?
40:38 Yes or no? I mean it's a simple answer.
40:41 Yes! Then wouldn't it be given by all who have heard it?
40:48 Who's that? Us. Not just us, but I want you
40:53 to say it singularly. Me...ME.
40:56 And Isaiah said... Because when we say us we tend to think
41:00 "Yeah us... but that means that person over there. "
41:03 "Not even way over there but just the person next to me,
41:06 Lord... send them! "
41:08 No, no, no... God says... Isaiah says: "Here I am
41:11 send... " Who? "send me. "
41:14 Send you specifically
41:16 to do a personal work for someone
41:19 that no one else can do.
41:21 Is this a message to be given just by the pastors?
41:24 What do you think? No. No!
41:26 We've heard so many messages that we are in overload
41:30 of information. We don't need more information;
41:34 we need transformation that leads to proclamation.
41:37 What do you think? Amen!
41:40 Revelation 14:6 says preaching will continue to be the method
41:44 that God uses until the end of time.
41:46 Aren't you thankful for that? Yes!
41:48 We need not just a proclamation but a demonstration. Amen!
41:52 And that only comes by God's people
41:55 being totally and completely surrendered to His cause
41:59 and His purposes. Listen friends;
42:01 if we could give as many Bible studies
42:06 as the number of sermons we have heard in our life
42:11 I think we'd have been in heaven a long time ago.
42:13 Amen! You might have been in heaven before 1980
42:17 when I was born. I'm thankful to be born, amen?
42:21 In some ways selfishly I'm thankful the work is delayed
42:24 so I could be born, right?
42:27 But we want the work to end. Amen?
42:29 And I'm praying and I'm counting on you
42:31 that the Lord will come before my children get too old
42:34 to experience the foolishness of this world. Amen?
42:37 That's what I'm praying for.
42:39 Well listen: God is not looking for just mundane members
42:42 but devoted disciples and mighty missionaries today.
42:48 Do we think that God's purpose for us is just simply
42:51 fill the pews each week?
42:55 Is that what we bring people into the church for?
42:57 Just to have more members because we don't want those
43:00 seats to be empty? No friends.
43:03 It is active personal labor that increases our faith
43:08 day by day so that our faith in Jesus
43:11 becomes the faith of Jesus
43:14 so that we will have a life that is in God...
43:17 totally dependent upon Him.
43:19 That we will have a life that is with God
43:21 and beautiful communion and fellowship with Him.
43:25 And it is the faith of Jesus that will allow our lives
43:28 to be lived completely and totally for God's purpose.
43:32 And listen friends... what I'm telling you today is this:
43:35 that service that I'm talking about is not writing bigger
43:40 checks to the church. All right!
43:45 There ain't nothin' wrong with doin' that by the way.
43:48 Nothing wrong with giving that offering at 3ABN. Amen?
43:52 That's right! Because they are doing a wonderful work.
43:55 But it is a call to active labor to get out of our comfort zones.
44:01 Amen! To be actively engaged.
44:03 To be face to face with people not just hiding behind checks
44:08 and hiding behind support. All those things are good.
44:11 Don't stop those things!
44:14 But to actually be a part of the work - Amen -
44:17 that God has called us to.
44:19 If you go with me to Luke chapter 12
44:22 I want to tell a real quick story.
44:24 and then I'm going to tell one more story
44:27 and then we're going to be done. Luke chapter 12.
44:32 The cure for spiritual apathy is soul-winning activity, amen?
44:39 Amen. Luke chapter 12
44:44 verse 16: "Then He spoke a parable to them saying:
44:48 'The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully
44:50 and he thought within himself saying: what shall I do
44:54 since I have no room to store my crops?
44:56 So he said "I will do this:
44:58 I will pull down my barns and build greater
45:01 and there I will store all my crops and my goods. "
45:03 And I will say to my soul: "Soul, you have many goods
45:07 laid up for many years. Take your ease...
45:10 eat, drink, and be merry. " ' "
45:12 Friends, I honestly believe that this parable is speaking
45:16 about our generation today. Amen!
45:18 It's speaking about the Laodicean church
45:21 that God wants to wake up.
45:24 Because when He says: "The ground of a certain rich man
45:28 yielded plentifully... " This man was a farmer.
45:32 He was called to sow the seed.
45:34 We are called to sow the seed.
45:36 God gave him an abundant harvest.
45:39 God has richly blessed the SDA church, yes or no?
45:43 Yes. He has given us a wealth of spiritual truth.
45:46 He has blessed us spiritually as a people;
45:49 He has blessed us physically as a people.
45:51 We have many people that are very successful in the world
45:55 through the medical work and through business
45:57 and through other things. He's blessed us in every way.
46:00 He's given a plentiful harvest
46:02 to his people just like He blessed ancient Israel.
46:05 Yes? We're spiritual Israel today.
46:07 He's blessed us. Amen!
46:10 And this man was called to do something special
46:15 with that blessing. You know, sometimes
46:17 we think about God tempting us. Not tempting us but trying us.
46:23 When we think of trials we think of... Well, let me just say:
46:28 we think that God is testing us we think of trials, right?
46:31 But sometimes God gives us blessings
46:35 to see what we're going to do with it.
46:37 Because He wants faithful people who will be not just a blessing
46:41 to themselves but a blessing to others. Yes?
46:44 So this man is here and he has all this produce.
46:48 He says: "What am I going to do? "
46:50 So notice what it says:
46:53 It says, verse 17: "And he thought within himself... "
46:56 Who did this man counsel with?
46:59 He counseled with himself; he didn't' counsel with God.
47:02 He didn't counsel with a godly person.
47:04 He counseled with himself.
47:06 And the worst thing that you can do when it comes to the
47:09 work of God is counsel with yourself
47:12 because yourself will tell you every time to be selfish.
47:16 Yourself will say: "Oh, you know, what if somebody slams
47:19 the door in your face? "
47:21 "What if instead of that blessing
47:23 financially you could leave to the church
47:25 you could buy this new boat or this new piece of property? "
47:28 Yourself will always teach you to be selfish.
47:31 Don't consult yourself. Consult the Lord of the work. Amen?
47:35 And He'll tell you what to do with your money, with your time,
47:38 with your talents, and with your resources.
47:42 The man decides to tear down his barns.
47:46 Now listen to this: is a barn worth a lot of money? Yes or no?
47:49 I have a barn at my house. It's a little pole barn
47:52 and it's about the most basic barn you could have.
47:56 It has posts, it has trusses,
48:00 it has tin all around it, and it has a mud floor.
48:03 That's it. I moved into the house
48:06 I put electricity into it. None- theless, the insurance company
48:09 said: "If something comes and destroys that barn,
48:12 they will write me a check for $30,000 to replace it.
48:17 So are barns cheap. Yes or no?
48:19 No they're not cheap. Anybody that's built a barn
48:21 knows. Even if you build it yourself it costs you some money
48:23 right? And so this man built his barn
48:28 and he's actually going to tear it down to build a bigger one
48:32 just to minister to his own comfort.
48:37 The man had to actually spend money just to be selfish!
48:42 Think about that.
48:45 Now friends, reflect on your own lives today
48:48 and ask yourself the question:
48:50 "Have I ever done the same thing? "
48:53 Now I'm not just talking about money.
48:56 I'm talking about time.
48:58 Some of you ain't got a dime to you name but you've got
49:00 a lot of time. Some of you ain't got any time
49:03 but you've got a lot of money.
49:04 Some of you have got a lot of talents;
49:06 some of you have got a few talents.
49:08 It doesn't matter... Jesus covers them all.
49:10 He covers the one with 1 talent, 5 talents, and 10 talents!
49:14 Amen! He covers it all.
49:16 And He says: "Whatever I've given to you
49:18 I'm calling you to use it faithfully for My work. "
49:21 Amen. Amen?
49:23 So this man... In the book Christ Object Lessons
49:26 it describes him. It says: "He did not think of God
49:30 from whom all his mercies had come.
49:32 He did not realize that God had made him a steward of His goods
49:35 that he might help the needy. "
49:37 So this man you could say was like an Adventist atheist.
49:41 He was a Jew so he proclaimed God
49:44 but his life said something different.
49:46 This man lived as if there was no God.
49:50 And today, dear friends, I fear that there are a lot
49:52 of Adventist atheists among us.
49:55 That we proclaim one thing that we are not living.
49:58 We proclaim a message that we do not carry to others.
50:01 We proclaim a message that we keep to ourselves
50:04 and we're not telling others of the beautiful richness.
50:07 Now listen to this, friends: "The situation of the poor,
50:10 the orphan, the widow, the suffering, the afflicted
50:13 was brought to the rich man's attention.
50:15 There were many places in which to bestow his goods. "
50:18 So he knew that there were people in his community
50:21 that had a need. He knew that there were people in his
50:24 community that needed to know and be comforted
50:28 and to be strengthened and to be encouraged.
50:30 But this man decided to close his heart to those things.
50:35 Listen to this: "The Lord had heard the prayers
50:39 of the needy. " So these people had been praying:
50:41 "Lord, please provide for our needs. "
50:44 "My children are hungry, Lord. My children have no clothing. "
50:47 "My children have needs that I cannot supply. "
50:50 "Lord please, hear my prayer and do something about it! "
50:53 The man had known this. God heard those prayers
50:58 and He actually blessed that man
51:01 so that he would be able to share with others.
51:04 Right now today there are people in your community
51:07 praying that God would show them the truth.
51:09 There are people in your community praying that God
51:13 would help meet their needs.
51:14 There are people today praying in the community: "God, is there
51:17 anyone in the world that has a care for my life? "
51:21 "God, do You have a purpose for me? "
51:23 There are people... might even be your next-door neighbor.
51:25 Might be the co-worker you've worked beside for 20 years.
51:27 They're praying: "God... where are You? "
51:31 And God says: "I'm going to show myself to you
51:36 through them. " Through you!
51:38 This man had that opportunity but notice what happens.
51:42 "Abundant provision was made by the rich man but he closed
51:45 his heart and he decided 'I will pull down my barns
51:48 and build greater. ' " So when the man decided
51:51 to indulge himself rather than use that blessing
51:55 to meet the needs of others
51:57 the prayers of those people seemed to go what?
52:02 Unanswered. And in their hearts
52:06 their faith waned because they said: "I prayed this prayer
52:11 to God and He did not answer me. "
52:16 And let me tell you friends of the SDA movement
52:19 there are people praying to know the message that we know!
52:25 And if we do not sacrifice all we have
52:28 and all that we are as Jesus did
52:32 for that message - for those people -
52:34 their prayers will appear to have gone unanswered.
52:38 And those prayers we will be faced with
52:40 in the judgment of God.
52:43 Dear friends, I don't say that to scare you
52:47 or to overwhelm you.
52:49 But it is the reality that we are called to live
52:52 as Jesus lived. We are called to live the faith of Jesus.
52:56 Yes or no today? Amen!
52:58 I'm going to tell you a closing story.
53:01 I was in South Africa just a few months ago
53:04 preaching a series on a public university.
53:07 26,000 students: the most secular place I've ever been to.
53:11 And there were actually posters where they would have meetings
53:14 that were specifically anti-Christian.
53:18 That was the purpose of the meeting.
53:19 So I preached the meetings and on the way home
53:22 I was on the flight to come back to Atlanta
53:25 and the flight was cancelled because of engine failure.
53:28 And I would like to tell you more of the details
53:31 but I'll just cut to the point.
53:33 And so they were going to put us up in a hotel.
53:35 And I had to actually stay two nights
53:38 because the night they wanted us to fly was on a Friday night
53:41 and I said: "I'm not going to fly on the Sabbath
53:42 because I'm not going to spend my time on a plane
53:46 when I need to be in church. " Amen?
53:48 That's where I wanted to be.
53:50 So there was a man that I met in line. I noticed
53:52 that all the workers were hovering over this man.
53:55 And they were meeting him and attending to him.
54:01 And finally we ended up in line together
54:03 and we began to talk. And he asked me about
54:04 my son, my 5-year-old - he was five at that time -
54:07 was with me and he was getting tired.
54:09 And he said: "You know, I have the greatest concern for your
54:12 son. " This very humble man, very kind.
54:15 So when we get to the hotel I'm in line with him again
54:19 and I'm talking with him again.
54:21 The next morning I go to breakfast.
54:24 This was Friday morning, and I'm on the phone with my wife
54:28 so I'm in and out of the line.
54:31 Finally I get back in the line
54:34 and guess who I'm behind.
54:35 I'm behind this man, right?
54:37 So we start talking again and the waiter says:
54:40 "Would you guys like to sit together and have breakfast? "
54:42 And we said: "Sure. " So we went and got our food
54:45 and we came back and sat down.
54:46 And here's the bottom line:
54:48 I was sitting with a man who was a king in the country of Ghana
54:54 in Africa. Wow! This man was also a Christian.
54:57 He has three Ph.D.'s. He's the chancellor of two universities.
55:02 He knows Ben Carson. He knows many Adventist public figures.
55:07 And he had received some awards from the president.
55:11 He actually lives in N. Carolina and flies back and forth
55:15 to do his kingly duties. He was showing me pictures
55:18 of him on his throne. Pictures of military welcomes
55:22 from various countries and all these different things.
55:25 And I was just blown away. I said: "Lord,
55:26 I'm in the presence of the king... of a king! "
55:29 Not THE king... well, the king but the king of Ghana
55:32 but not the King of Kings. Amen?
55:34 We're always in His presence, yes?
55:35 And so as he was talking to me I was just blown away.
55:40 This man is not just a king but he's also a pastor.
55:43 He said: "I have pastored a net- work of about 2,000 churches
55:46 all across the world. "
55:48 He says: "But I gave it all up and now I'm just the pastor
55:50 of one church of about 800 members. "
55:53 And he says: "Now, I want you to tell me about you. "
55:56 I said: "Well... " I just perked up
56:00 and I said: "Well, sir, I'm a Seventh-day Adventist pastor. "
56:04 And I just smiled because I love to say that to people.
56:07 And he says: "Really? " He says:
56:09 "You're a SDA pastor? " I said: "Yes! "
56:11 He says: "Listen... " He says: "I used to think that
56:14 you people were a cult! "
56:17 He says: "But I began to study your message"
56:20 and he says: "I believe what you believe. "
56:22 He says: "I believe in the Sabbath. "
56:24 "I believe in the health message; I don't eat any unclean
56:27 foods. " "I believe in all these things that you believe. "
56:30 He says: "In fact, many times when I travel
56:34 I go to an Adventist church if I can't go to another church
56:38 if my travel is interrupted. "
56:39 He says "I love Adventist people;
56:41 they're wonderful people...
56:42 some of the best people I've met on the earth. "
56:45 And I said: "Well you know... " Being the pastor I said:
56:47 "Well, why don't you become an Adventist? "
56:50 And he says; "Well, I've actually thought about it. "
56:53 And he said: "I'm actually in the process of considering it. "
56:58 And he says: "If I become an Adventist,
57:00 all the people that follow me, my churches,
57:04 they'll probably come too. "
57:06 He says: "But I have one problem with your church. "
57:09 I said: "Oh, no, here it comes. What is it? What could it be? "
57:12 And this is what he said: "I have one problem with your
57:14 church: that you are not LOUD enough. "
57:19 He said: "You people have the message of truth
57:21 and you're too quiet! "
57:23 He said: "You don't proclaim this message. "
57:26 He says: "Nobody knows who an Adventist is. "
57:28 He says: "Who are you people? "
57:30 He says: "With the message that you have you ought to be
57:33 proclaiming it into all the world! "
57:36 He says... Friends, I'm telling today
57:39 I'm appealing to you: preach the message of Christ.
57:44 Jesus has promised us
57:47 His power. He's promised us His presence
57:52 and He's given us a book full of promises.


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Revised 2018-07-16