Participants: Mike Lemmon (Host)
Series Code: SCS
Program Code: SCS000001
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00:32 Chapter 1: God's Love for Man.
00:37 Hello and welcome to Steps to Christ in Song. 00:40 This is the first in a 13 part series, where we will 00:43 be focusing on this little book Steps to Christ. 00:46 When this book was first released in 1892, it 00:49 became an instant bestseller. And within 00:51 the first six weeks of its publication it had to be 00:54 reprinted three times. Today this book has been 00:57 published in more than a 150 languages with well 01:00 over a 100 million copies in circulation. 01:03 I love reading Steps to Christ. I don't know how 01:06 many times that I've read it, but what I personally 01:09 like about Steps to Christ is that every time I read 01:11 it, it gives me real solid biblical truths which help 01:15 me and my walk with Jesus. You will see no 01:18 professional actors or musicians in this series, 01:21 instead it has been produced by High school 01:23 students along with their teachers and staff here at 01:26 Fountainview Academy. One of the reasons why 01:29 we have filmed this series in nature. Is because there 01:33 is something about being out in nature that makes 01:36 us feel so much closer to God, have you ever 01:39 experienced the time when you were either 01:41 walking though the woods or maybe just 01:43 working in the garden when you felt particularly 01:46 close to God. Steps to Christ says that nature 01:49 speaks to us of the Creator's love. Well today 01:53 we're gonna be looking at the first chapter Steps to 01:55 Christ entitled God's Love for Man. 01:58 Why don't you join us as we explore this incredible 02:00 book, to begin I'm gonna ask Melissa to 02:03 lead us in a word of prayer. 02:07 Dear heavenly Father, I just wanna thank you 02:10 for your unconditional love. You know being 02:13 out here in nature reminds me yet again of your 02:16 amazing love for us. And I wanna ask you to be 02:19 with us, as we talk and sing about this love, 02:22 in Jesus name we pray, Amen. 02:31 When I look at the incredible beauty around me. 02:33 I'm inclined to think that who ever made these 02:36 things was inspired. Inspired with a sense of 02:39 balance, with a sense of color, with a sense of 02:44 texture. The Bible says the God is love, that he 02:48 made all of these things for us to enjoy, just as a 02:52 Father does good things for his children. 03:34 O Lord my God! when I in awesome wonder 03:44 Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made, 04:06 I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, 04:16 Thy power throughout the universe displayed: 04:25 When through the woods and forest glades I wander 04:33 And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; 04:41 When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur 04:49 And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze: 05:00 Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee: 05:09 How great Thou art, how great Thou art! 05:22 Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee: 05:29 How great Thou art, how great Thou art! 05:59 And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, 06:08 Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; 06:28 That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, 06:38 He bled and died to take away my sin: 06:45 When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation 06:53 And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! 07:01 Then I shall bow in humble adoration, 07:08 And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art! 07:19 Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee: 07:28 How great Thou art, how great Thou art! 07:41 Then sings my soul! My Savior God, to Thee: 07:47 How great Thou art, how great Thou art! 08:01 Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee: 08:09 How great Thou art, How great Thou art, 08:21 Then sings my soul! My Savior God, to Thee: 08:28 How great Thou art, How great Thou art, 08:51 How great Thou art. 09:06 Wow! God is amazing and we see how big and 09:10 great he is through things he creates, things like the 09:14 stars, the galaxies, even small things like these 09:18 cherries that grow on these tress here. 09:21 But, you know I think there is a different side to 09:25 God's greatness. A side that's personal, that 09:29 relates to you, to me and this you an see this 09:35 through the sacrifice that God made for us. 09:40 He sacrificed everything so that 09:42 we can live with him eternally. 09:45 That's so true. You know we think of that song 09:47 Jordan, how great thou art, it sounds like God is 09:51 great, he created all these things and he's almost 09:54 like he's distant from us. But, the words when 09:58 Christ shall come to take us home, he wants us to 10:00 be home, he wants us to be close to him, how do 10:03 you think of God you know practically in your 10:05 life, a practical illustration of 10:09 how God is close to you? Well, you know that 10:14 sacrifice that Jesus showed is really what to 10:19 me shows that he really cares, my dad when he 10:25 went to high school, he skipped college and went 10:28 on with his life and then he had family and he had 10:32 my sister and I, and he really wanted to go on 10:38 and further his education, but he had to put my 10:42 sister and I through school. And for me I'm 10:47 here at high school and it's a lot to put two kids at 10:51 the same time to go to school and it shows how 10:54 much he really cares that he would put aside his 10:57 personal wants, his personal needs for us. 11:02 That he would like he put aside a better life for 11:07 himself, and make it better for us. 11:10 So, your dad made that great sacrifice and for you 11:14 that's an illustration of God's great love yeah, 11:16 for you. Thanks for sharing that experience. 11:21 There are many good reasons to accept God's 11:23 offer of salvation. But, living eternally in a place 11:27 of perfectness is not the greatest incentive we 11:30 have. Neither as escaping from the torments of hell. 11:35 You see what should really motivate you is a 11:37 thought that God is waiting to be reunited 11:40 with you in heaven. And that he loves you 11:42 more than anyone else could. When God gave 11:46 Jesus to be our substitute, he give us the greatest 11:50 gift that heaven has to offer 11:53 and he did this because he loves you. 12:24 The love of God is greater far 12:29 Than tongue or pen can ever tell 12:35 It goes beyond the highest star 12:40 And reaches to the deepest hell 12:45 The guilty pair, bowed down with care 12:51 God gave His Son to win 12:57 His erring child He reconciled 13:02 And pardoned from his sin 13:11 O love of God, how rich and pure! 13:17 How measureless and strong! 13:22 It shall forevermore endure 13:27 The saints' and angels' song 13:36 When years of time shall pass away, 13:42 And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall, 13:47 When men, who here refuse to pray, 13:52 On rocks and hills and mountains call, 13:58 God's love so sure, shall still endure, 14:02 All measureless and strong; 14:07 Redeeming grace to Adam's race 14:12 The saints' and angels' song. 14:20 O love of God, how rich and pure! 14:26 How measureless and strong! 14:31 It shall forevermore endure 14:36 The saints' and angels' song 14:58 Could we with ink the ocean fill 15:03 And were the skies of parchment made, 15:08 Were every stalk on earth a quill 15:13 And every man a scribe by trade 15:18 To write the love of God above 15:23 Would drain the ocean dry 15:28 Nor could the scroll contain the whole 15:34 Though stretched from sky to sky 15:43 O love of God, how rich and pure! 15:48 How measureless and strong! 15:54 It shall forevermore endure 15:59 The saints' and angels' song. 16:13 Pen or tongue can never tell everything about the 16:16 love of God. Something we just don't quite 16:19 understand, the words are inadequate to describe it. 16:24 You know here on this earth we have a distorted 16:26 view of love. Our love just ends sometimes and 16:31 our promises are like ropes of sand but God's 16:34 love never ever ends. It's so wide, it's so deep 16:38 it goes on forever. God's love goes on 16:43 forever, and that is the comfort and we hope 16:46 that we have, but in this world we still see that 16:49 there are thorns on the roses and we see a lot of 16:52 pain in people's lives. As Christians, Luke what do 16:57 you think God would have us do to alleviate this pain, 17:01 to deal with the problem of pain in this world? 17:06 I can best explain that with an example from my life. 17:10 At my previous school during my junior high 17:13 years, there was one girl an particular that always 17:16 sticks out in my mind. She was very emotionally 17:19 unstable, she was physically abusive, 17:21 verbally abusive and was rejected by everyone. 17:26 I can imagine that. But, my dad had been 17:30 teaching me something, he said be kind to unkind 17:34 people they need it the most. So, I decided to do 17:38 just that, then one day she grabbed me, pulled me 17:46 aside and said Luke I need to show you something. 17:48 So, this is the same girl, and you've been very 17:50 kind to her, that's not an easy thing, when 17:54 someone is unkind to you. It wasn't. No? 17:58 She pulled me aside and sat me down and she 18:01 rolled up her sleeves and there were just scars 18:08 everywhere. And she said these are all the time I've 18:11 cut myself from all the pain I've been 18:12 experiencing. And not one inch on her arm 18:16 was left unscaved. That must have been shocking. 18:21 Then she looked at me and said Luke thank you 18:27 for all the kindness you've shown me. 18:30 I never truly seen any type of love really in my 18:35 life, then she got up and just walked away. 18:43 And, just this flood of emotions overcame me 18:48 and just we were in a private school, we were 18:51 in a Christian school. But, no one had 18:55 shown her the love of Christ. 18:58 That reminds me of that verse in the scripture 19:01 where it says that we love because he first loved us 19:05 and that love it casts out all fear. And certainly in 19:11 her case she was able to feel love because you 19:16 showed kindness towards her. And I think that's 19:19 what God wants us as Christians to do, to 19:21 elevate the problem of pain that we find in this 19:24 world, thanks for sharing that Luke. 19:27 God is good, but our enemy Satan has made 19:32 him out to be a stern and severe judge watching 19:35 over our shoulder and taking notes of our 19:37 mistakes in order to punish us. 19:40 But, in Exodus 34 verses 6 and 7, God told Moses 19:44 that he was merciful and gracious, long suffering 19:48 and abundant in goodness and truth. 19:51 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving 19:54 iniquity and transgression and sin. I believe God is 19:58 on our side, but how can we know for sure who is 20:02 telling the truth about his character. God knew that 20:06 there was confusion about the subject, so he send his 20:09 son Jesus to represent him, Jesus went about 20:13 showing compassion for those in need. 20:16 He healed the sick, cast out demons, forgave sins 20:19 and lived a life of self denial. His life proved 20:24 that God really is love. Jesus did more and that 20:28 simply showed that God is love, he come to rescue 20:31 us from the slavery of sin. By paying the penalty for 20:35 our transgressions. He come to exchange his 20:38 righteous life for our sinful lives. 20:42 This exchange was so incredibly difficult and 20:44 costly that God himself in a person of Jesus had to 20:49 made the sacrifice, this he willingly did. 20:54 Jesus himself said in John 3:16 that God so loved 20:58 the world that he gave his only begotten son that 21:02 whosoever believes in him should not perish, 21:06 but have everlasting life. 21:13 In my darkness Jesus found me 21:20 Touched my eyes and made me see 21:26 Broke the chains that longed had bound me 21:33 Gave me life and liberty O glorious love that 21:42 Christ my Lord, divine That made Him stoop to 21:49 save a soul like mine Through all my days and 21:55 then in heaven above My song will silence never 22:04 I'll worship Him forever 22:07 And praise Him for His glorious love 22:14 Oh amazing truth to ponder 22:21 He whom angel hosts attend 22:27 Lord of Heaven thou somewhat wonder 22:34 He became the sinners friend 22:41 O glorious love of Christ my Lord, divine 22:48 That made Him stoop to save a soul like mine 22:54 Through all my days and then in heaven above 23:01 My song will silence never 23:04 I'll worship Him forever 23:07 And praise Him for His glorious love 23:14 My song will silence never 23:16 I'll worship Him forever 23:20 And praise Him for His glorious love 23:26 And praise Him for His glorious love 23:33 And praise Him for His glorious love 23:48 You know that song O glorious love reminds 23:51 me of a verse in the Bible. Romans 5 verse 8 23:56 says, While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 23:59 And you know we didn't deserve it, but Christ 24:02 loved us so much he came down from heaven 24:04 to this world to save us. 24:08 That shows us that God's love is permanent, 24:12 it eternal, its unlimited. You've earned in your life 24:18 can you think of a person who has clearly revealed 24:22 the love of God to you. 24:24 Yeah, my Father, God has blessed us with so many 24:29 thing that we take for granted and growing up 24:33 my father was a huge blessing in my life. 24:36 I had so many far-fetched ideas, impossible dreams 24:40 and an obsession for animals. And I remember 24:44 the day he joined our nice town golf course and 24:48 every time he wanted to go golfing, I would want 24:51 to come along with my net and my jar. And while 24:54 he was focusing on getting a putter, I would 24:56 just be wading through the creeks getting filthy. 24:59 And to top it off, after that I would run through 25:02 the sprinklers, but when he was done and he 25:04 wasn't embarrassed of how, how horrible 25:08 I looked, and dirty. He just took me by the hand 25:11 and led me to the car and took me down the road to 25:13 get a Popsicle. And I remember another time 25:16 I wanted him to build me a tree house. And he had 25:19 so many stuff going on, he just didn't really have 25:22 the time, but one day I looked out my window 25:24 and he was out there on his 14 foot ladder in the 25:28 humid weather, it was just horrible outside and 25:31 he was up there building it for me. And another 25:34 time I wanted to raise baby turkeys 25:36 to give away as pets. Why would you do that? 25:39 I just loved animals and I thought that would 25:41 just be coolest thing, so. To have turkeys? Yeah, okay. 25:46 So, my dad was like okay it's your responsibility, 25:51 but he was out there with me every night, building 25:53 stuff for them watching them run around, he 25:56 wanted me to be there with him to enjoy every 25:58 thing and he made my dreams reality, he left the 26:02 world of business and seriousness and came 26:05 down to my child like level and became a kid again. 26:09 And it reminds me of Jesus because he left 26:12 heaven and everything perfect and he stepped 26:14 down here to be one of us, to go through what we 26:17 go through and showed us how much he loved us. 26:20 And I think God knew that my father had what it 26:23 takes to make my life heaven on earth. 26:26 And to show me a reflection of my heavenly 26:27 Father. And even though my father was a great 26:32 example there were times when he marred God 26:34 image to me. When we argued and when we had 26:37 disagreements but he always came and asked 26:39 my forgiveness. And I just think that we need 26:43 to really look and notice all the beauty around us 26:45 that God has given us. Because he didn't have 26:47 to put it there, it might not always be there. 26:50 It's like a little note from our heavenly Father that 26:53 it says dear son or dear daughter, I love you, Jesus. 26:57 Wow! That's a clear picture and that's a 27:01 special experience that you have with your 27:04 father, to show you how much God loves you. 27:10 Thanks for sharing that with us. 27:14 You know God is so good to us, he's revealed his 27:17 love to us in so many different ways, through 27:19 family relationships, through friendships, 27:23 the clearest revelation though of his love we 27:25 find in the Bible in the story of Jesus Christ. 27:29 In the story of the Cross. Let's pause for a moment 27:33 to thank him for his great love for each one of us. 27:37 Heavenly Father, I think you Lord for the way in 27:40 which you've shown your love to us, through family 27:43 members, through friends and through the Bible. 27:46 Most of all I thank you for Jesus and his death on 27:48 the Cross, so that we can live with you eternally. 27:52 We thank you and we praise you. In Jesus name, Amen. 28:02 Steps to Christ in Song is a 13 part series 28:04 from Fountainview Productions 28:06 designed to be an easy non-threatening way 28:08 to share the good news about Jesus Christ 28:11 with friends, relatives and co-workers. 28:13 Order your copies now 28:17 by calling 1-877-490-4141 28:20 or visit us online at www.fountainviewproductions.com 28:25 Steps to Christ in Song is also available at your local 28:30 ABC Christian Bookstore. |
Revised 2014-12-17