Participants:
Series Code: SCM
Program Code: SCM190019A
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00:39 Previously on Law of Love & Liberty:
00:43 Remember it... and as I stated earlier 00:45 today we live in a world where the very commandment that God 00:48 said "Remember" is the commandment that more and more 00:51 Christians today are deceived into believing that we should 00:54 forget! I was lost... 00:57 with loving hands 01:00 He reached for me. 01:04 Get on our knees and ask the Lord: "Come into my life. 01:08 Help me to see what I'm not able to see myself: 01:11 to see myself as filthy rags in Your sight 01:13 but to see that I'm a child of Yours. 01:16 You gave Your life for me! " 01:18 Great is Thy 01:20 faithfulness... 01:29 "You shall not steal. " 01:34 This straightforward command employs no elements 01:39 of poetry or prophecy. 01:43 There are no symbols to decode. 01:45 There are no characters to explore... 01:49 no nuanced meanings hidden in the original language. 01:53 I would love to come out and say "But did you know that in Hebrew 01:56 the real... " It means steal there too. 02:01 Amen! Welcome back to Spring Camp Meeting 2019. 02:05 We've been blessed haven't we today? 02:07 AMEN! Had a wonderful lunch, great messages. 02:10 Fed physically and spiritually. 02:12 We're so glad that you're here with us. 02:13 Thank you for joining us on radio or on television, 02:17 through the Internet. We are blessed! 02:19 It's hard to believe it's already Sabbath afternoon. 02:21 Camp Meeting's gone by in a hurry. 02:22 Always tends to be. We have it marked on our calendar. 02:25 We're counting the days down and then here we are 02:27 and now it's almost done. But thank you again for being here 02:29 with us. I have the privilege of introducing 02:32 my wife. She's going to be the next speaker 02:36 for the hour... of course Jill Morikone. 02:38 I've been blessed to be married to a wonderful woman of God. 02:41 She loves the Word of God. 02:43 She studies it daily. 02:44 I think it's evident in how she presents the Word of God. 02:47 We've been married 17 years this September, and it's been 02:51 a blessed 17 years. 02:54 And it's a blessing, too, to minister together 02:57 at such a place as 3ABN. 03:00 I just count it a privilege. 03:02 Our offices are just right down the hall from each other 03:05 and that's a blessing, too. 03:07 But before she speaks Tim Parton's going to be playing 03:10 a beautiful song entitled Daystar. 03:12 And after he has sung and played we'll hear Jill 03:15 on the ninth commandment: Don't Bear False Witness. 03:24 I invite you to make this your prayer this afternoon. 03:37 Lily of the Valley, 03:41 let your sweet aroma 03:44 fill my life. 03:50 Rose of Sharon, show me 03:54 how to grow in beauty 03:57 in God's sight. 04:04 Fairest of ten thousand. 04:08 make me a reflection of Your light. 04:18 Daystar, shine down on me... 04:21 let Your love shine through me 04:25 in the night. 04:33 Lead me... Lord, I'll follow 04:37 anywhere You open up the door. 04:47 Let Your Word speak to me... 04:51 show me what I've never seen 04:55 before. 05:01 Lord, I want to be Your witness... 05:05 You can take what's wrong 05:08 and make it right. 05:16 Daystar, shine down on me... 05:20 let Your love shine through me 05:24 in the night. 05:31 Lord, I see a world that's dying... 05:36 wounded by the master of deceit. 05:44 Groping in the darkness, 05:48 haunted by the years of past defeat. 05:56 But then I see You're standing near me, Lord, 06:00 shining with compassion 06:04 in Your eyes. 06:08 And I pray: "Jesus, shine down on me... 06:15 let Your love shine through me 06:18 in the night. " 06:25 Lead me, Lord, I'll follow 06:28 anywhere You open up the door. 06:37 Let Your Word speak through me... 06:41 show me what I've never seen before. 06:50 Lord, I want to be Your witness... 06:55 You can take what's wrong and make it right. 07:03 Lord, make it right... 07:06 Jesus, shine down on me, 07:09 let Your love shine through me in the night... 07:20 Daystar, shine down on me... 07:24 let Your love shine through me 07:29 in 07:32 the night. 07:44 Amen! Thank you so much, Tim. 07:47 What a privilege to have Greg introduce me! 07:50 That's really special... my husband do that. 07:52 And thank you for that song, Tim. 07:54 Lord, I want to be Your witness. 07:56 You can take what's wrong and make it right. 08:00 Daystar, shine down on me... 08:03 let Your love shine through me in the night. 08:07 Now you might be saying: "What in the world 08:10 does that have to do with the ninth commandment? " 08:13 "You shall not bear false witness. " 08:17 Exodus chapter 20 verse 16 is where we find that 08:21 commandment. Exodus 20:16: "You shall not bear 08:25 false witness. " But by the time we get to the end of the 08:29 presentation I hope you will see the tight connection 08:33 between that song and this message. 08:37 The eighth and ninth commandments are related 08:39 even if at first glance you might think they're not related. 08:42 Eighth commandment: "Don't steal. " 08:44 Talks about theft. Not taking something from someone else 08:49 that belongs to them. It doesn't rightfully belong to us. 08:52 The ninth commandment: "Don't bear false witness" 08:56 is also a form of theft: 08:59 withholding from someone what is their rightful due. 09:04 The ninth commandment is most immediately concerned 09:07 with truthfulness in a judicial context. 09:12 Now I like teaching even more than preaching 09:15 so I'm telling you where we're going ahead of time. 09:19 We're going to look at truth versus lies. 09:22 What constitutes a true witness and a false witness. 09:26 And the most important thing: 09:28 we'll spend the balance of our time on this: 09:30 what are the characteristics of a witness? 09:34 What should be our character- istics as a true witness 09:38 for the Lord Jesus Christ? 09:40 If you and I are called to be His witness, 09:42 what does that look like? 09:44 Let's pray. Holy Father, we come before You 09:47 in the name of Jesus and we ask right now 09:50 for the outpouring of Your Holy Spirit. 09:53 That You would hide me and that Your Word would go forth. 09:59 May Jesus be seen and glorified. 10:03 And I thank you in Jesus' name, Amen. 10:07 I heard a woman speak once. 10:10 I heard a woman speak many times. 10:13 That did not come out right. 10:15 What I meant was I heard a woman at a woman's conference 10:18 speaking, and she was telling a story 10:20 about a trip she had taken overseas. 10:24 She said she and her husband had traveled overseas, 10:26 and when she returned from over- seas she gathered some friends 10:30 together and she regaled them with stories of their journey. 10:34 She talked about the cruise that they had taken 10:37 and what it was like onboard the ship 10:40 and the food that they ate and the great friends that they met 10:45 and what it was like for she and her husband to sit on the deck 10:49 of the ship and they watched the sun set. 10:53 Now her husband's just sitting back while she is 10:56 telling this whole story about the cruise they took. 10:59 And when she got to the end of her recital 11:01 she said two words: "We flew. " 11:05 You see they never took a cruise. 11:09 They did travel overseas to the country 11:12 but they never took a cruise. 11:15 Everything... the ship, the meals, the friends, 11:18 the sunset on the deck... 11:20 that wasn't true. 11:22 What is truth? 11:25 Turn with me to John chapter 18. 11:27 Pilate asked Jesus this question: 11:30 "What is truth? " 11:32 John chapter 18. I love the book of John; 11:35 it is probably one of my favorite New Testament books. 11:39 John 13 is the foot washing of the disciples. 11:43 Jesus humbling himself as a servant 11:47 and washing the disciples' feet. 11:50 Then we have the rest of John 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17 11:54 where He gives almost as it were His last words 11:58 of wisdom, His last prayer for His disciples 12:04 because He knows that He's going to the cross. 12:07 We get to John chapter 18: 12:09 He's arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. 12:13 He goes before Annas and Caiaphas 12:16 and now He's before Pilate. 12:18 Verse 38... John 18 verse 38: 12:21 "Pilate said to Him: 'What is truth? ' " 12:26 Now obviously if Pilate asked the question 12:28 there was something that preceded that question. 12:31 So let's take a look at that. The verse before, verse 37. 12:34 "Pilate said to Him: 'Are You a King? ' " 12:36 "Jesus answered: 'You say rightly that I am a King. 12:41 For this cause I was born 12:44 and for this cause I have come into the world 12:47 that... ' What? 'I should bear witness 12:52 to the truth. ' " 12:54 "I came into the world that I should bear witness 12:58 to the truth. " Now we often said Jesus came 13:01 what? John 3:16: He came to die for our sins. 13:05 He came as our perfect substitute. 13:07 He came as our sacrifice. 13:09 He came to show us the Father. 13:12 All of those things are correct. 13:14 But He also came to bear witness to the truth. 13:19 Now, we're going to have a Greek lesson today. 13:22 But there's only one Greek word so it's not a hard lesson. 13:24 But we're going to use it repeatedly 13:27 so I want to make sure you all learn it. 13:29 That is the word mártyras. Can we say that? 13:32 Mártyras. Guess what that means. 13:35 Oh, you would think truth. It means witness. 13:39 But it doesn't just mean witness. 13:42 It means an eye or an ear witness. 13:47 Mártyras. 13:49 So this word here in John 18 13:51 Jesus said: "I came that I should bear witness 13:54 to the truth. " The word there is martyró, which comes 13:59 from mártyras which means an eye or a? 14:03 ear witness. OK. 14:08 The Old Testament... Turn with me here. 14:10 We're just setting a little bit of groundwork here. 14:13 Turn with me to Deuteronomy 19. 14:15 Witnesses were an important piece... 14:18 They are today in our judicial system 14:20 but they also were in the Old Testament underneath 14:23 the Mosaic law. Witnesses were important. 14:27 So turn with me to Deuteronomy 19 verse 15. 14:31 Deuteronomy 19 verse 15. 14:34 It says: "One witness shall not rise against a man 14:37 concerning any iniquity 14:39 or any sin that he commits. 14:43 By the mouth of two or three witnesses 14:47 the matter shall be established. " 14:51 Under Mosaic law you needed two witnesses 14:56 in order to corroborate - I can't say that very well - 14:59 a statement. You needed two witnesses. 15:02 So in other words, if my oxen... I was driving my oxen 15:06 and he ran the stop light, 15:09 what's going to happen? 15:10 You need more than one person 15:13 to say: "Jill's oxen ran that stop light. " 15:16 You need two people to see that, 15:18 two people to testify, and then two people 15:23 would provide that conclusive proof in the court of law. 15:27 Under the Mosaic law you needed two witnesses. 15:30 Under Mosaic law a valid witness to an event 15:34 must be an eye or an ear witness. 15:39 Now what was our word again? 15:41 Mártyras. Good job! Mártyras. 15:44 That's Greek, and we're in the Old Testament here, 15:46 but it's the same principle. 15:48 The witness must be an eye or an ear witness. 15:52 Under Mosaic law, the witness must speak directly to the judge 15:56 and the witness could not recant his testimony. 16:00 Now jump over to John chapter 8. 16:02 John chapter 8... This is the story of the woman 16:06 caught in adultery. 16:09 John 8 verse 11 Jesus says to her: 16:12 "Neither do I... " What's the words? "condemn you. " 16:15 "Go and sin no more. " 16:17 Then Jesus says in verse 12: "I am the Light 16:21 of the world. He who follows me shall not walk 16:24 in darkness but have the light of life. " 16:29 Now the Pharisees had an issue with that - 16:31 Jesus saying He's the Light of the world - 16:33 and so they took issue. The next verse it says: 16:36 "The Pharisees said to Him: 'You bear witness 16:39 of Yourself. Your witness is not true. ' " 16:42 Now remember, under Mosaic law you needed how many 16:45 people to testify? Two! 16:47 So they're saying: "Hey, You're just one person. 16:49 You're just saying 'I am the Light of the world' 16:52 so then clearly that cannot be established. " 16:55 "This word You bear witness of Yourself. " Martyró 16:58 comes from mártyras: an eye or an ear witness. 17:03 You jump down a couple verses... 17:05 In verse 18 Jesus says: "I am One who bears witness of Myself 17:11 and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me. " 17:16 There you have two. He said: "I am speaking it 17:19 and the Father also bears witness of Me. " 17:23 What is truth? 17:25 God is truth. 17:27 Isaiah 65:16. 17:30 "So he who blesses himself on the earth shall bless himself 17:33 in the God of truth. " 17:37 Jesus is truth. 17:38 John 14 verse 6: "I am the Way, 17:42 the Truth, and the Life. 17:45 No one comes to the Father but through Me. " 17:49 The Holy Spirit is truth. 17:53 I John 5:6: "It is the Spirit who bears witness. " 17:57 There's our word again. 17:58 It comes from mártyras: an eye or an ear witness. 18:03 "because the Spirit is truth. " 18:06 The Word is truth. 18:08 John 17:17. 18:10 "Sanctify them through Thy truth; 18:14 Thy Word is truth. " 18:16 And we know: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was 18:19 with God and the Word WAS God. " 18:22 So the Word is truth, but the Word is Jesus Christ. 18:26 He is the Living Word. 18:28 By contrast we see that Satan 18:32 is the father of lies. 18:35 He would be the father of false witnesses. 18:38 Would you say that's true? 18:39 The granddaddy of false witnesses. 18:42 John 8:44... Jesus speaking to the Pharisees: 18:45 "You are of your father the devil 18:48 and the desires of your father you want to do. 18:51 He was a murderer from the beginning 18:54 and does not stand in the truth 18:57 because there is no truth in him. 18:58 When he speaks a lie he speaks from his own 19:02 resources for he is a liar and the father of it. " 19:06 Before we get... The balance of our sermon today we're going to 19:09 spend on the four character- istics of a true witness. 19:12 But before we get there I want to talk just a moment 19:15 about this thing we call lying. 19:19 Now we know Satan began it in heaven. 19:22 Remember? He was successful enough that a whole third 19:25 of the angels were convinced of his lies 19:29 that God is not just, God is not fair, 19:32 God is out to take your freedom. 19:35 And a third of the angels believed his lies 19:38 and they were cast out of heaven with him. 19:41 Now he took that false witness - 19:45 those lies - and he brought it to this earth. 19:49 We're going to look at seven snapshots of a false witness 19:53 as we see it progress through the Bible. 19:56 Now of course there's many more... I'm just picking seven. 19:59 The first one here on this earth is actually the very first 20:02 falsehood in the Bible in the Garden of Eden. 20:06 Genesis chapter 3 verse 4: "The serpent said to the woman: 20:10 'You shall not surely die. ' " 20:15 A false witness lies about the truth of God's Word. 20:21 Any time someone speaks something, preaches something, 20:25 shares something that does not line up 20:29 with the truth in the Word of God 20:32 that person is a false witness. 20:36 A false witness lies about the truth in the Word of God. 20:39 "To the law and to the testimony... 20:40 if they speak not according to this Word 20:43 it is because there is no light in them. " 20:46 Snapshot #2 is Cain's lie to God. 20:50 We're just one chapter over: Genesis chapter 4 verse 9. 20:55 Remember? After Cain murdered his brother 20:56 God came for a visit. 20:58 And He said: "Where is Abel your brother? " 21:03 And Cain said: "I don't know. " 21:05 "Am I my brother's keeper? " 21:09 A false witness lies to escape responsibility for sin. 21:15 That's what Cain was trying to do: 21:17 escape responsibility for his own actions. 21:22 Snapshot #3 is Abraham and Sarah. 21:25 This is in Genesis chapter 12 21:27 when there was the famine in Canaan, remember? 21:29 And they went down to Egypt to find food. 21:32 And this always bothered me. I'll just be honest with you all 21:35 but this always bothered me. Remember when Abram told Sarai 21:38 "When the Egyptians see you... " We're in verse 12... 21:42 "they will kill me because you are so beautiful. 21:46 Please say you are my sister 21:49 that it may be well with me for your sake 21:51 that I may live because of you. " 21:54 That always "bugged" me because I thought: "Well, he certainly 21:56 didn't mind the fact that she was pretty 21:58 when he married her, 22:01 and now it clearly bothers him now when his life might be 22:05 at stake. " A false witness lies 22:09 to protect himself. 22:11 That's what Abraham was doing. 22:13 Snapshot #4: Jacob's lie to his father Isaac. 22:18 Remember? Jacob wanted the birthright 22:21 and he said: "I want that. " 22:23 And he tried to get it by deceit with a little "mess" of lentils 22:27 in the pottage. He tried to get it other avenues 22:30 and then his mom stepped in 22:32 and said: "OK... deceive your father. " 22:35 Genesis 27:24. 22:37 "Isaac said: 'Are you really my son Esau? ' 22:39 and Jacob said: 'Yeah... that's me; I'm Esau. ' " 22:44 A false witness lies to get what he wants. 22:50 A false witness lies about the truth of God's Word. 22:52 A false witness lies to escape responsibility for sin. 22:56 A false witness lies to protect himself. 23:00 A false witness lies to get what he wants. 23:03 Snapshot #5: Joseph's brothers. 23:05 Remember when they took Joseph? 23:09 They cast him in the pit and then they sold him 23:12 as a slave headed to Egypt. 23:15 They took his tunic - the coat of many colors. 23:18 They dipped it in the blood of a kid and they sent it 23:20 home to daddy. And they said: "OK, 23:24 recognize. Is this your son's tunic or not? " 23:27 Of course, he was devastated. 23:29 He said in Genesis 37: "A wild beast has devoured him! 23:33 Without doubt, Joseph has been torn to pieces. " 23:37 A false witness lies to cover sin. 23:43 Snapshot #6: the priests and elders. 23:46 This is right after Jesus died and was resurrected. 23:49 And remember: they're having a "conniption fit. " 23:52 They're saying: "I don't know what I'm going to do with this 23:55 because Jesus resurrected and what am I going to do? " 23:59 So they paid off the soldiers. Remember? 24:02 And said: "You're supposed to tell the people the disciples 24:05 came at night and they stole the body. " 24:09 A false witness lies to obtain a profit. 24:14 Last snapshot... #7: 24:15 Ananias and Sapphira. 24:17 Who did they lie to? 24:19 They lied to God... the Holy Spirit and to God 24:21 AND to Peter! 24:23 Remember? They said: "Oh yes, we sold the land 24:26 for this certain price. " We're in Acts chapter 5. 24:29 And Peter said: "Why have you conceived this thing 24:32 in your heart? You have not lied to men 24:34 but you have lied to God. " 24:36 A false witness always lies at the peril of his own life 24:41 and his salvation. 24:44 By contrast, Jesus is the faithful and true witness. 24:50 Revelation 1:4-5. 24:52 "Grace to you and peace from Him who is and was 24:55 and is to come and from Jesus Christ 24:57 the faithful witness. " 25:00 Witness. That word is? Mártyras... that's right! 25:05 An eye or an ear witness. 25:08 How is Jesus our faithful and true witness? 25:11 Because He is and He was and He is to come. 25:13 Because He is the first and the last. 25:16 He's alpha and omega. 25:18 He's the ruler of the kings of the earth. 25:21 He is the "Amen" and the first begotten of the dead. 25:25 He's the Son of Man and the Son of God. 25:27 He shuts the door and no one can open it. 25:30 He is holy and true; He is Lord. 25:34 Lion of the tribe of Judah, root of David, 25:37 Lamb of God, King of kings, Lord of lords, 25:40 and the Word of God. 25:42 THAT's why Jesus can be the faithful and true witness. Amen! 25:47 John the Baptist witnessed of Jesus. 25:50 John chapter 1 verses 6 and 7. 25:52 "There was a man from God whose name was John. 25:55 He came for a witness... " There's our word again: 25:58 an eye and an ear witness... 26:01 "to bear witness of the light. " That's Jesus Christ. 26:04 "that all through Him might believe. " 26:06 Acts chapter 1 and verse 8. 26:08 This is right before Jesus ascended to His Father. 26:11 You all know Acts 1:9-11 is when He ascended 26:15 up and the clouds received Him out of the disciples' sight. 26:19 But just before He ascended up 26:21 Acts chapter 1 verse 8 He said: "You shall receive power 26:27 when the Holy Spirit is come upon you. 26:30 And you shall be witnesses unto Me 26:32 in Jerusalem and Judea 26:34 and Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. " 26:40 You shall be witnesses. 26:41 How could they be a witness? That word is mártyras 26:44 again: an eye or an ear witness. 26:48 How could they be a witness? 26:50 Because they had seen Jesus. 26:52 They had walked with Jesus. 26:55 And they could testify first hand 26:57 what He had done in their life. 27:00 They'd spent ten days in the upper room 27:03 and then the Holy Spirit was poured out with power. 27:06 In Acts chapter 2 we see Peter's sermon. 27:09 And he says again: "This God Jesus has raised up 27:13 and we are all His witnesses. " 27:17 Now we really come to the sermon. 27:19 That is, the four character- istics of a true witness. 27:25 Four characteristics of a true witness. 27:27 I'll tell you what they are and then we'll go back 27:29 and we'll "unpack" them. 27:30 Number one: a true witness testifies 27:33 to what they have seen and heard. 27:35 Number two: a true witness tells the truth. 27:39 Number three: a true witness teaches in love. 27:44 Number four: a true witness trusts God for the result. 27:51 So let's go back to testifies to what they've seen and heard. 27:53 Turn with me to John... I John, I'm sorry... I John chapter 1. 27:58 This is John the beloved writing. 28:02 I John chapter 1 verses 1 through 3. 28:06 "That which was from the beginning 28:08 which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, 28:12 which we have looked upon and our hands have handled 28:17 concerning the Word of Life. " Jump down to verse 3: 28:21 "That which we have seen and heard we declare to you 28:25 that you also may have fellowship with us. 28:28 And truly, our fellowship is with the Father 28:31 and with His Son Jesus Christ. " 28:34 So let's go back. "That which was from the beginning 28:36 which we have heard. " 28:38 That means in the Greek to give in the audience of. 28:42 So John is not saying: "I'm sharing with you something 28:45 that I heard from Sally and Sally got it from Dawn 28:49 and Dawn got it from David... 28:50 and I don't even know where David got it from. " NO! 28:53 He's saying: "I was there 28:57 by the Sea of Galilee on the mountain when Jesus 29:01 gave the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. " 29:04 "I heard Him with my own ears. " 29:08 "That which was from the beginning which we have heard... 29:12 which we have seen with our eyes. " 29:14 That means in the Greek: to stare at or to gaze with 29:17 wide open eyes. 29:20 John said: "I have seen the miracles from Jesus. " 29:23 "I was there in the boat when it was rocking 29:25 and the storm was raging and we were bailing water 29:29 and Jesus was sleeping. 29:31 And I saw Him stand up and I heard His voice say 29:35 'Peace, be still ' 29:37 and I witnessed the calmness. " 29:40 "I saw Jesus reach His hand out and touch the eyes of the 29:43 blind and they received sight. " 29:47 "I listened to the Sermon on the Mount. " 29:50 "I heard His voice cry out: 'LAZARUS, 29:53 COME FORTH ' and I saw a man who had been dead 29:57 in the grave come forth and be resurrected. " 30:01 "I felt Jesus untie my sandals in the upper room 30:05 and wash my feet, doing the work of a servant. " 30:11 "I'm not telling you something 30:13 that I haven't seen or experienced... 30:15 I'm telling you first hand. " 30:17 We cannot share what we've never experienced. 30:21 If you don't have a walk with Jesus, 30:25 if you have never experienced Him for yourself, 30:29 you cannot share Him with someone else. 30:31 We cannot testify what we have never experienced. 30:36 I don't know about you, but I've experienced His mercy. 30:39 Amen! Lamentations 3: "Through the Lord's mercy 30:43 we are not consumed. 30:45 Because His compassions fail not, 30:48 they are new every morning. 30:49 Great is His faithfulness! " Amen! 30:52 I don't know about you, but I've experienced His forgiveness. 30:56 Amen. I John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, 30:59 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 31:02 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. " 31:05 I've experienced His love. 31:07 I John 3:1: "Behold what manner of love 31:10 the Father has bestowed on us 31:13 that we should be called the sons and daughters of God. " 31:16 I've experienced His adoption. 31:19 Romans 8:15: "You did not receive the spirit of bondage 31:23 again to fear but you received the spirit of adoption 31:27 by whom we cry out 'Abba! Daddy! Father! ' " 31:32 I've experienced His peace and His joy 31:35 and His strength and His victory 31:39 and His deliverance. 31:42 "Therefore if the Son makes you free 31:45 you shall be free indeed. " 31:48 We cannot share what we haven't experienced. 31:51 But if you have experienced deliverance from addiction 31:54 and you have experienced deliverance from bondage 31:57 and you have walked in a night of darkness 32:00 and Jesus has turned your sorrow into joy... 32:03 If you have walked under oppression 32:06 and Jesus has lifted that, 32:09 if you have walked in fear 32:11 and Jesus has delivered that, Amen! 32:14 if you have walked in guilt and shame and condemnation 32:19 and Jesus has given you freedom, 32:21 don't you want to testify? Yes! 32:23 Don't you want to share what Jesus has done in your heart 32:28 and life? The first character- istic of a true witness: 32:32 we testify what we have seen, 32:37 what we have heard, 32:39 what we have experienced 32:43 of the life and the love of Jesus. 32:47 Testify. Second characteristic: 32:50 a true witness tells the truth. 32:55 Now definitely we are called to tell the truth from the pulpit. 33:00 Turn with me to II Timothy chapter 4 33:03 and then we'll get to everyone else 33:04 'cause you might be saying: "Well surely I'm not called 33:06 to preach so this doesn't apply to me. " 33:08 Yes it does. 33:10 Because we are ALL called to tell the truth. 33:14 II Timothy... this is the last book that Paul wrote. 33:18 You know, I Timothy was written between probably 33:20 his first and second imprisonment. 33:23 II Timothy was written during his last imprisonment 33:27 just before he was executed. 33:30 II Timothy. You remember Timothy was his son in the 33:33 faith and he's writing to him. 33:36 II Timothy 4 verse 2. 33:38 "Preach the word... be ready. " The King James says 33:42 "instant in season and out of season. 33:45 Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering 33:49 and teaching. For the time will come when 33:51 they will not endure sound doctrine 33:54 but according to their own desires because they have 33:56 itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers 34:00 and they will turn their ears away from the truth 34:02 and be turned aside to fables. " 34:05 We are called to preach the truth. 34:08 We are not called to preach something that feels good. 34:10 Although... the truth CAN feel good after it cuts. 34:15 We are not called to sugar-coat. 34:17 We are called to share an undiluted 34:21 three angels' messages... one that would counteract 34:24 the counterfeit. We are called to preach the truth. 34:27 But in case you're saying: "Well I'm not called 34:29 to preach the truth" turn with me to II Corinthians 34:32 chapter 5. II Corinthians chapter 5 verse 18. 34:40 "Now all things are of God 34:42 who has reconciled us to Himself 34:45 through Jesus Christ 34:49 and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. " 34:53 Now you might read that and say: "Well that's just 34:54 for the pastor. Definitely the pastor's ministry is a ministry 34:58 of reconciliation but I'm not sure what my role is in this. " 35:01 The word ministry there - diákonos - 35:03 is where we get our word deacon. 35:05 Remember in Acts chapter 6 when the deacons were appointed 35:08 in the New Testament church? 35:10 That's where we get our word deacon 35:11 but literally it means waiting at tables. 35:17 You ever go to a restaurant 35:18 and the waitress or the waiter comes and assists you? 35:23 It's service; it's ministry. 35:26 It's reaching out. You and I are all called 35:30 to this ministry: the ministry of reconciliation. 35:37 Turn back one chapter... II Corinthians 4 35:41 is one of my favorite scriptures. 35:43 II Corinthians 4. It says: "It is God who commanded 35:46 light to shine out of darkness. " 35:48 Do we live in a dark world? 35:50 A world of sin and suffering and oppression 35:53 and sickness and death and pain? 35:55 We live in a dark world. God has shone the light 35:59 of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ 36:03 into this dark world. 36:05 "He has shone it in our hearts 36:07 to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God 36:09 in the face of Jesus Christ. " 36:10 But we have this treasure... " What is that treasure? 36:13 That's the gospel. 36:15 "in earthen vessels 36:17 that the excellency of the power may be of God 36:20 and not of us. " 36:21 Now I have a little cracked pot here. 36:24 This actually RobbieD gave to me. 36:26 RobbieD is one of our set designers. 36:29 She worked with Scott Ellis and several others 36:31 and Michael and Rodney... and I don't want to start naming names 36:34 but on the set design here 36:36 and they do quite a bit with set design. She gave me this pot. 36:38 It looks pretty good on this side. I don't know... 36:40 Can you all see it looks pretty good on this side? 36:42 Now if I flip it around the other side 36:45 can you see that? 36:47 Can you see that? It's cracked. 36:49 It fell and it broke. 36:52 Why does God pour the light of the gospel 36:57 into you and I 36:58 cracked clay pots? 37:01 I would think He'd use something a little more professional. 37:05 We are cracked, and yet God says: "I want to use you. " 37:12 "I want to use you. " 37:14 Do you feel that you're too sinful? 37:16 God can use the crack made by sin 37:18 to create a beautiful testimony of His forgiveness 37:22 and His transforming power. 37:25 Are you a new Christian? 37:26 God can use the crack of inexperience. 37:29 Do you feel that you're too old? 37:31 God uses the crack of experience and wisdom. 37:36 Nothing is wasted. 37:37 No experience that we've been through 37:39 is too dark that He can't lighten. 37:41 No pit is too deep that He cannot pull us out of. 37:45 Everything... every cracking experience 37:49 you've ever had in your life: 37:51 your past, present, and what's going to come in the future... 37:54 can be used for His glory 37:56 to enable us to become His witness. 37:59 And why are we cracked clay pots? 38:02 So that we can never take the glory to ourselves. Amen! 38:05 We can never say we were the one who shared the gospel. 38:08 We were the one who did such a great job of it. 38:12 He doesn't transform us to be focused on ourselves 38:15 or we take glory to ourselves. 38:17 On the contrary, He empower us 38:20 to be His witness. 38:23 II Timothy 2 talks about in the great house 38:26 there are vessels of gold and silver, 38:28 of wood and clay. Some for honor; some for dishonor. 38:34 I want to be a vessel of honor. 38:38 I want to be a vessel that God can pour through. 38:41 The master was searching for a vessel to use. 38:44 On the shelf there were many. 38:46 Which one would he choose? 38:48 "Pick me" cried the gold one... 38:50 "I'm shiny and bright. 38:52 I'm of great value and I'll do things just right. 38:55 My beauty and luster will outshine the rest 38:58 and for someone like you, master, 39:01 I would be best. " 39:02 Unheeding, the master passed on to the brass. 39:05 It was wide-mouthed and shallow and polished like glass. 39:09 "Here, here" cried the vessel, "I know I will do. 39:12 Place me on your table for all men to view. " 39:15 "Look at me" cried the goblet of crystal so clear. 39:19 "My transparency shows that my contents are dear. 39:23 Though fragile am I... I'll serve you with pride 39:25 and I know I'll be happy in your house to abide. " 39:30 The master came next to a vessel of wood. 39:33 Polished and carved it solidly stood. 39:37 "Use me, dear master" the wooden bowl said. 39:39 "But I'd rather you use me for fruit, please, not bread. " 39:45 Then the master looked down 39:47 and saw a vessel of clay. 39:49 Empty, broken it helplessly lay. 39:53 No hope had that vessel that the master might choose 39:56 to cleanse and make whole, to fill or to use. 40:01 "Ah, this is the vessel I've been hoping to find. 40:05 I'll mend it and use it and make it all mine. 40:10 I need not a vessel with pride in itself 40:13 nor the one so narrow who sits on the shelf. 40:15 Nor the one who's big-mouthed and shallow and loud... 40:18 nor the one who thinks he can do all things just right. 40:23 But this plain, earthen vessel 40:26 filled with my power and might. " 40:29 Then gently he lifted the vessel of clay. 40:32 Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day. 40:35 He spoke to it kindly: "There's work you must do. 40:38 You pour out to others and I will pour into you. " 40:45 God calls us to testify what we've seen and heard. 40:49 Number two: He calls us to tell the truth from the pulpit 40:52 but to tell the truth in our own lives as His ambassador. 40:57 We can all share Him with neighbors and co-workers 41:00 and friends and community. 41:02 Number three: He calls us to teach in love. 41:07 Teach in love. 41:10 Ephesians 4:14-15. 41:13 "That we should no longer be children 41:16 tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine 41:20 by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness 41:23 of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love 41:26 may grow up in all things into Him who is the head... 41:30 even Christ. " How do you react without being judgmental? 41:34 You ever wondered that? 41:36 Without being hypocritical or hateful? 41:38 How do you speak the truth but still be kind about it? 41:42 Still be caring? Still be tactful? 41:47 Turn with me to John chapter 4. 41:49 John chapter 4. This is the encounter of Jesus 41:52 with the woman at the well. 41:56 John chapter 4... we'll pick it up in verse 8. 42:01 When I read this there's many things we can gain from it, 42:04 but I see very quickly in just a brief summary 42:06 that there's four keys to teaching the truth in love 42:10 just from this passage. 42:11 Key #1 is that the setting matters. 42:15 That's in verse 8... John 4 verse 8. 42:17 His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 42:22 So remember that they always went to the well when? 42:25 In the early morning and in the evening. 42:28 Nobody went to the well mid-day. 42:30 And why did she go mid-day? 42:31 Because she'd been with five different husbands, remember? 42:34 There was shame and guilt and condemnation about her. 42:39 Maybe she wanted to avoid the whispers of the townspeople. 42:42 Maybe she just wanted to be alone. 42:45 She went to the well at noon. 42:46 The disciples had gone in to buy food and Jesus is alone 42:52 with her. The setting matters. 42:55 Sometimes we approach people in the middle of a public 42:57 setting and we think we need to speak the truth to them 43:00 at that time. Have you ever experienced that? 43:03 Sometimes we approach people in the open on social media. 43:07 And there is a time and a place to speak the truth. 43:09 I'm not saying that. 43:11 But we need to be conscious and sensitive 43:14 to the right setting, 43:16 the right time to share the truth. 43:21 Be sensitive to other peoples' needs and what's going on 43:23 around them. 43:26 Key #2 is that time and understanding matters. 43:30 Go back one verse. 43:31 It says: "A woman of Samaria came to draw water. 43:33 Jesus said to her: 'Give Me a drink. ' " 43:37 Now... He understood her shame and guilt. 43:40 He knew her sense of condemnation 43:45 and He didn't lead with any of those questions, right? 43:47 Remember later He said: "Go call your husband. " 43:49 But He didn't start with that. 43:51 He COULD HAVE started with that. 43:52 "So tell me about who's your husband right now. " 43:55 He could have started with that. 43:57 Instead He started with something seemingly innocuous: 43:59 "Will you give me a drink? " 44:02 There's a right time and a right place 44:06 to bring up the truth. 44:08 Be sensitive to peoples' needs and their pain 44:12 and know the right time to share the truth in love. 44:16 The third key is that Jesus matters. 44:19 Verse 14: "Whoever drinks of the water I shall give him 44:22 will never thirst. But the water I shall give him 44:26 will become in him a fountain of water 44:28 springing up into everlasting life. " 44:33 Who's He talking about? Himself. 44:35 Jesus... the Water of Life. 44:39 Whenever we present truth it must always 44:44 lead back to Jesus. 44:46 If truth is not couched... if Jesus is not the center 44:51 of what we present we're wasting our time. 44:55 We can have educated Seventh-day Adventists, 44:59 educated Christians, 45:00 and that means nothing without Jesus 45:05 at the center of everything that we teach. 45:09 And finally... truth matters. 45:12 That's an important piece, too. 45:13 At the very end of this encounter with the woman 45:16 at the well, verses 25 and 26, 45:19 the woman said to Him: 45:21 "I know that Messiah is coming who is called Christ. 45:24 When He comes He will tell us all things. " 45:26 "Jesus said to her: 'I who speak to you am He. ' " 45:31 Speak the truth plainly 45:33 so that there is no room for confusion. 45:37 We're called to testify what we've seen and heard. 45:40 We're called to tell the truth and to teach in love. 45:42 And finally we're called to trust God 45:46 for the results. Amen! 45:49 Trust God for the results. 45:52 My sister has four boys. She lives in North Carolina. 45:56 And every time she has a new baby 45:58 I always go to visit her and spend a week 46:02 because when you just have a baby you need a lot of help. 46:05 And she's with a new baby 46:07 and then I can watch the older kids. 46:09 Well the littlest one is six 46:11 so I think we're done with having new babies. 46:13 But six years ago when he was born 46:17 I went out there for a week watching the older three boys. 46:20 And they were really little at that time. 46:23 And one of their favorite games to play with Auntie Jill 46:25 is hide and seek. 46:27 And so I'm in the kitchen starting to count. 46:30 One, two three... and I can hear their little stocking feet 46:34 as they scamper off to go hide. 46:36 They LOVE hide and seek. 46:37 Four, five, six... and I can hear the baby cry 46:41 in the bedroom, and my sister's trying to soothe him 46:44 and calm him down. 46:45 Seven, eight, nine, ten... 46:47 ready or not, here I come! 46:48 So here I just start out of the kitchen 46:50 and I hear: "Caleb here. " 46:54 Now what is the object of hide and seek? 46:58 It's to hide, right? That's the object 47:00 is you're supposed to be hidden. 47:02 But Caleb was only two 47:03 so Caleb didn't know that you're supposed to actually be 47:06 quiet when you hide. 47:08 So I ignored him, and I went into the living room. 47:11 "Maybe Caleb's here behind the couch. " No. 47:14 "Maybe Caleb's in the front closet. " No. 47:17 "Caleb here... " and I could hear him from the bedroom. 47:21 So I ignored him and I went into the bathroom. 47:24 "Maybe Caleb's behind the shower curtain. " 47:28 No... Caleb's not there. 47:29 "Maybe he's by the washer and dryer. " 47:31 No... Caleb's not there. 47:33 "Caleb here. " He was getting insistent. 47:36 "OK Auntie Jill... get with the program. 47:38 I've been calling you and you haven't come and found me yet. " 47:42 So I went in the bedroom and there he lay. 47:45 Head underneath the bed. 47:47 Arms, torso, legs 47:52 sprawled out in plain view. 47:56 I ignored him, and "Maybe Caleb's in the closet. " 48:01 So I could hear giggles from underneath the bed 48:03 'cause he's so proud of his hiding place 48:05 and the fact that Auntie Jill can't find him. 48:08 So I look in the closet... no Caleb. 48:11 "Maybe Caleb's behind the chair. " 48:13 More giggles from under the bed. No Caleb. 48:16 Finally I've looked every place I can think to look 48:18 so here he is: "Caleb! He's under the bed! " 48:22 So he comes out and his little baby face 48:25 he's so happy. So I gave him a hug 48:28 and he starts off to play because you know he's not 48:31 holding still for long. 48:32 And when he went off I just kind of sat back 48:35 and it was like God spoke to my heart. 48:37 Not an audible voice but in my spirit. 48:40 And He said: "Jill, that's exactly 48:43 how I feel about you. " 48:46 "You wake up in the morning 48:47 and you give your heart to Me as best you know how. " 48:51 "God, I surrender my heart to You just now. " 48:55 Little realizing that there's a whole "mess" of me 48:59 lying out in plain view in the middle of the room. 49:03 I might have surrendered this part 49:06 but the rest of me full of undiscovered sins 49:10 sticking out in the room. 49:12 And yet, Jesus had never criticized me. 49:15 Not once... not ever. 49:18 He's never said: "You know, Jill, there's a whole "mess" 49:21 of you lying out in plain view. 49:23 Don't you think you could realize that and grow up? " 49:26 Instead, every day 49:29 as I opened up His Word 49:31 He showed me a little piece of my heart. 49:35 As I went in to work, as I shared with my husband 49:39 or encountered situations throughout the day 49:41 He showed me another place where I was not abiding 49:46 in Him. John 15... He was not abiding in me. 49:52 Another area of my life that He wanted me to surrender. 49:57 Philippians 1:6... I love that verse: 49:59 "Being confident of this very thing: 50:01 that He who has begun a good work in you 50:06 will carry it forward to completion. " 50:10 What does that mean? 50:12 That means as long as I have Christ in me, 50:14 as long as I am clothed with His righteous white robe, 50:18 as long as every day, moment by moment, 50:22 when He calls to my heart 50:26 I say: "Yes, Lord. I choose Your will and Your way. " 50:30 He is responsible for showing me those things 50:34 in my life. He is responsible for cleaning me up. 50:39 He is responsible for completing the work 50:43 He began and perfecting His character in me. 50:49 It was a cold, rainy day and I forgot my umbrella... 50:54 which is not unusual... and I was running into Wal-Mart 50:56 to get groceries. And I went into the shampoo aisle 51:00 and I saw a lady - kind looking face, 51:03 hair kind of swept up away from her face. 51:06 Her hand was wrapped with a bandage. 51:08 And instantly I felt the Holy Spirit say: 51:10 "Jill, go over and talk to her. " 51:12 I said: "OK. " So I went over to her 51:14 and I said: "Hey, my name's Jill and I noticed your hand. 51:18 What's goin' on with your hand? " 51:20 And she said: "Oh, I don't know. 51:22 I've been even to Mayo Clinic 51:24 and I don't know what's wrong with my hand. " 51:26 And then I felt the second impression of the Holy Spirit. 51:29 "Jill... pray for her. " 51:31 And I thought: "God, we're in Wal-Mart. 51:34 Did You forget that? 51:36 OK, we're in the middle of a public thoroughfare 51:39 and there's a lot of people here. 51:41 That could be embarrassing. " 51:44 So I said: "No. " Instead... 51:50 this is not obedience. This is walking in Jill's own 51:53 self-will... instead I said: "Oh, what's your name? 51:57 My husband I keep a prayer journal 52:00 and we'd love to pray for you at home. " 52:02 That's not what He asked me to do. 52:04 So she said: "Oh, honey. Thank you for being willing 52:07 to pray for me. My name's Jan. " And I wrote it down 52:09 and I left. And the Holy Spirit said: 52:11 "I asked you to pray now. " 52:14 And I said: "Well, I should have and I recognize that, God, 52:18 but too late. " 52:20 And so I came around the corner 52:22 five minutes later... candle aisle. 52:25 There's Jan. 52:27 And the Holy Spirit said: "I gave you another opportunity, 52:30 Jill... pray with her. " 52:32 And I said: "No. " 52:35 "God, it's too embarrassing. I should have prayed before. 52:39 I recognize that now, but it's too late for me 52:42 to go back. And how am I going to explain? 52:45 'Excuse me. I was supposed to pray for you before 52:48 but I wasn't obedient to God 52:50 so I just want to know if I can pray... ' 52:52 That's awkward so I'm not goin' there. " 52:54 So I just kept walking and 5, 10 minutes later 52:57 I'm in the chip aisle. There's Jan. 53:00 The Holy Spirit said: "Jill, will you pray? " 53:04 And I said: "No. " 53:08 I kept walking. She went to the back of the store... 53:10 the butter and egg section 53:13 and I'm in the baking aisle... 53:15 you know, the chocolate chip aisle? 53:18 And I'm in that aisle and the Holy Spirit said: 53:24 "Jill, how many times do I have to ask you to obey 53:31 before you will walk in obedience? " 53:35 And I said: "God, I'm so sorry. 53:37 Can You forgive me? " 53:39 And He said: "Of course, right now. " 53:42 And then I said: "Will You give me an opportunity 53:46 to make it right? " 53:49 And so I went to the end of the chocolate chip aisle 53:52 and I peeked to the back - the butter and egg section - 53:55 and she was there still! 53:57 And so I ran to the back and I said: "Oh, God please, 54:00 will You give me an opportunity? 54:02 'Cause I'm not sure about how to go about doing this 54:04 but I want to walk in obedience as Your witness 54:10 because I have experienced what You've done in my life 54:14 and I want to share that. " 54:16 And so just as I walked up to her 54:18 there was another couple there and they walked off 54:20 and she said: "Oh, this couple is from my church 54:23 and I had just told them about the nice girl I met 54:27 in Wal-Mart who said she's going to pray for me. " 54:29 And it was the opening. God gave me the opening! 54:32 And I said: "Jan, that's why I came back. 54:34 Can I pray for you now? " 54:36 She said: "Oh, honey, I'd like that. " 54:37 She held out her good hand and we held hands there in Wal-Mart 54:41 and petitioned the throne of grace knowing 54:45 that we find grace, mercy, and help in our time of need. 54:49 Amen! 54:50 The story doesn't end there. I saw Jan in Wal-Mart 54:52 just a couple of months later 54:55 and she said: "Who's your pastor? " 54:57 "What church do you go to? " 54:59 And I said: "I go to the Thompsonville SDA church. " 55:03 She said: "Oh, I know your pastor: Pr. John Lomacang. 55:07 I listen to him on the radio. " 55:12 Sharing Jesus and witnessing for others 55:16 doesn't come from a Bible study... 55:18 although it CAN come from a Bible study. 55:20 It doesn't always come from the preacher in the pulpit... 55:23 although it CAN come from the preacher in the pulpit. 55:26 It doesn't always come from knocking on strangers' doors. 55:29 It is simply walking with Him 55:33 and obeying His voice when He speaks to our hearts. 55:38 It's being willing to say: "I want to be Your witness, 55:41 Lord. You can take what's wrong 55:44 and make it right. 55:47 Lead me; let Your love shine through me in the night. " 55:53 We started with what is truth. 55:56 Pilate said: "What is truth? " 55:58 Truth is not an abstract concept. 56:01 It's not something we hold onto when it's convenient... 56:04 when it's easy... when we feel like it... 56:08 when it benefits us. 56:10 Truth is not optional and it's not secondary. 56:15 It is life changing. 56:17 It is liberating. 56:19 Truth is not a what... it's a who. 56:23 Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 56:28 "You shall know the truth 56:31 and the truth shall set you free. " 56:34 You want to be set free? 56:37 Do you want to experience the power of Jesus in your life? 56:42 Do you want to experience what it's like to walk with Him 56:46 and talk with Him and see that He can give you 56:50 freedom and deliverance and victory? 56:54 And He never changes us so that we just sit on it. 56:59 He changes us so we can be a witness: 57:03 an eye and an ear witness 57:06 of what He has done in our lives. 57:10 Are you thankful for what Jesus has done in your life? 57:12 Amen! Do you want - at home - 57:15 do you want to be His witness? 57:17 Do you want to say: "Yes, Lord! 57:20 Today and forever I will be your mártyras. 57:25 I will be Your witness. " 57:27 That's my prayer and I hope it's yours as well. |
Revised 2019-10-09