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00:14 ♪♪♪ 00:24 ♪♪♪ 00:34 ♪♪♪ 00:38 Shawn Brummund: Hello and welcome to another edition of 00:40 the Sabbath School Study Hour right here in the Granite Bay 00:43 Hilltop Seventh Day Adventist Church in the greater Sacramento 00:46 area of California. 00:48 It is so nice to be able to have those of you who are joining us 00:50 live through the different, various livestreams, as well as 00:53 those who are joining us here on this program through the 00:56 different, various networks and satellite television. 01:00 It is always being able to get together here on this particular 01:03 Sabbath, as we look at today's lesson study, which is lesson 01:06 study number 10, "Jesus Makes a Way Through the Veil." 01:10 We're continuing to make our way through this particular 01:14 quarterly, which is entitled, "The Message of Hebrews," 01:17 "The Message of Hebrews." 01:19 So, if you have your quarterly, you haven't gone through 01:20 it--even if you have--go ahead and grab that. 01:22 Most importantly, make sure that you grab your Bible, because 01:24 this is going to be another deep Bible study, as we look at one 01:27 of my favorite books, the book of Hebrews. 01:30 And, also, I want to make sure that you take advantage--or give 01:35 you an opportunity to take advantage of a free gift offer 01:38 that we also have for you here today, which is entitled, 01:42 "A Divine Design." 01:44 Now, that free offer is number 902, and you want to be able to 01:48 share that free offer number with the different agents that 01:50 will answer the phone for you, to be able 01:53 to get that out to you. 01:54 All you have to do is dial 1-866-788-3966. 02:00 Again, that's 1-866-788-3966, and we'll be happy to get you a 02:06 copy of this very deep study on the very same subject. 02:09 And so, if you want to dig just a little bit deeper than even 02:11 our Sabbath School Study Hour, learn a little bit more about 02:14 this great sanctuary message, then make sure you get a hold of 02:17 this free gift offer. 02:19 For those of you who'd like a digital copy, 02:21 we also offer that digitally. 02:23 And all you need to do is text the code, SH152, and you want to 02:31 dial that to 40544, and that will be available to you if 02:37 you're in the United States or the United States Territory. 02:40 As you saw on the screen, there's also a website that is 02:43 available for anybody internationally to be able to 02:45 get on the Internet and get a free digital download for that. 02:49 So, please, I want to encourage you, take advantage of that very 02:53 important study. 02:55 All right, friends, we're going to invite our musicians out, as 02:57 they share with us and lead us in worship and in song. 03:03 ♪ I'm alone yet not alone. ♪ 03:08 ♪ God's the light that will guide me home. ♪ 03:14 ♪ With His love and tenderness, ♪ 03:20 ♪ leading through our wilderness. ♪ 03:25 ♪ And wherever I may roam, I'm alone yet not alone. ♪ 03:36 ♪♪♪ 03:45 ♪ I will not be bent in fear. ♪ 03:49 ♪ He's the refuge I know is near. ♪ 03:54 ♪ In His strength I find my own. ♪ 03:59 ♪ By His faithful mercies shown. ♪ 04:03 ♪ That so mighty is His shield. ♪ 04:08 ♪ All His love is now revealed. ♪ 04:14 ♪ When my steps are lost and desperate for a guide, ♪ 04:23 ♪ I can feel His touch, a soothing presence by my side. ♪ 04:34 ♪ Alone yet not alone, not forsaken when on my own. ♪ 04:42 ♪ I can lean upon His arm and be lifted up from harm. ♪ 04:51 ♪ If I stumble or I fall, I'm alone yet not alone. ♪ 05:02 ♪ When my steps are lost and desperate for a guide, ♪ 05:10 ♪ I can feel His touch, ♪ 05:14 ♪ a soothing presence by my side, by my side. ♪ 05:23 ♪ He has bound me with His love. ♪ 05:28 ♪ Watchful angels look from above. ♪ 05:33 ♪ Every evil can be brave, for I know I will be saved. ♪ 05:42 ♪ Never frightened on my own. ♪ 05:47 ♪ I'm alone yet not alone. ♪ 05:58 ♪ I'm alone ♪ 06:00 ♪ yet not alone. ♪ 06:13 Luccas Rodor: We've been studying the lesson that has to 06:17 do with the book of Revelation--sorry, 06:19 with Hebrews, not Revelation. 06:20 I like that it's Hebrews, and it's kind of like Revelation 06:24 because it says, "In these last days," right? 06:26 And so, that's where the reference to Revelation 06:29 came in right now. 06:31 But this has been such a beautiful lesson. 06:33 The book of Hebrews, the letter of Hebrews is really a sermon. 06:37 Now, the book of Hebrews is an exhortation. 06:39 It was a sermon that was preached, and then it was 06:42 written down, and I love this letter, because it is really a 06:46 letter of triumph, of victory, right? 06:49 And I think I repeated this a few times while teaching 06:53 previous lessons. 06:55 The letter of Hebrews is an argument that Jesus is better, 07:01 better than anything that we could ever know, especially to 07:05 those people that were living in that first century, 07:07 going through the ordeals that they were going through, 07:11 they needed to hear that. 07:13 They needed to hear that what they had in Jesus, what they 07:16 received in Jesus was better. 07:18 It was better than what they had left behind. 07:20 It was even better than what they thought they 07:22 had to look forward to. 07:24 They had to look above and beyond to what 07:26 was going to happen. 07:27 And so, studying this lesson, this quarterly, and going 07:30 through the book of Hebrews has been such a blessing to me 07:32 personally that I'm so happy that we're studying it 07:36 this quarter. 07:37 Now, our memory verse today--and we're going to be studying 07:41 lesson number 10, as Pastor Shawn already repeated, the 07:44 title of the lesson is "Jesus Opens the Way Through the Veil." 07:47 Now this is a big one. 07:49 And the chapter that we're going to be studying 07:52 mostly is chapter 9. 07:54 It's a portion of chapter 9 and a portion of chapter 10, and the 07:57 memory verse this week is Hebrews 9:24 that says, "For 08:01 Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which 08:05 are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in 08:10 the presence of God for us." 08:13 Now, one thing that I--a connection or a link that I 08:17 thought very appropriate to this week's lesson is that several 08:22 times throughout His ministry, Jesus foreshadowed His death. 08:27 And multiple times with His disciples, He speaks about what 08:29 was going to happen with Him, what He was going 08:32 to be subjected to. 08:34 He also spoke several times about His resurrection, 08:36 about what was going to happen after that. 08:38 He spoke about His return to His Father, but it's almost as 08:42 though the disciples, they kind of ignored the good stuff, 08:45 right, and they focused on that one bad part--at least bad to 08:49 them--which was the fact that Jesus was going to die. 08:52 Like, they focused just on that. 08:54 Because we know that when it happened, they all fled away. 08:57 They weren't really hopeful, they weren't happy, 08:58 they weren't joyful. 09:00 They really apparently forgot about the rest that Jesus had 09:03 said, and I think that's a big lesson. 09:05 We have to be careful with the things that we listen to, to 09:08 listen to the entire message. 09:09 Sometimes we only get caught up on one or another part of it. 09:12 But with the disciples, that's what happens. 09:15 And in the gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 6, 09:18 that's what we find. 09:20 Because Jesus says, in the context of what's about to 09:22 happen to Him, He says, "But now I go away to Him who sent me." 09:26 And so, we know that the disciples, they get very sad, 09:28 and they get distraught, and, you know, they're depressed 09:30 because of this news. 09:32 But in the next verse it says Jesus, in the context of their, 09:35 you know, sadness and their depression, Jesus, He comforts 09:39 them by saying--and this happens in verse 7, John 16, verse 7--He 09:43 says, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. 09:45 It is to your advantage that I go away." 09:50 Now far removed from that scene, we can ask ourselves today, 09:54 "Well, what could be good about Jesus leaving them? 09:58 What could be better than His physical presence 10:01 with the disciples?" 10:03 This seems like a bad answer, a bad comfort that Jesus 10:08 is giving them. 10:10 "Yeah, it's all right. 10:11 I'm going to go away, but don't worry." 10:12 What could be better than Jesus's physical presence? 10:15 But the thing is that Jesus, He offers an answer. 10:18 In the following verses, He has an initial statement. 10:22 Part of the answer, part of the solution to why the disciples 10:26 should look forward to this event is given by Jesus here in 10:30 verse 7, where He says, "If I do not go away, the Helper 10:33 will not come to you. 10:34 But if I depart, I will send Him to you." 10:36 So, that is part of the reason. 10:40 In part, that was the reason why they should rejoice, but it's 10:45 not the whole reason. 10:47 That's just part of it. 10:48 The other part, the other reason for Jesus's ascension to heaven 10:53 to be a good thing, to be a vital thing, a vital offering, 10:58 is found in the letter of Hebrews, and that's what we're 11:01 going to be talking about today. 11:03 You see, friends, while the atonement of Jesus on the cross 11:06 is vital, is important, it's complete, it's final, there was 11:10 yet the matter of the application of the benefits of 11:13 what He had done on the cross. 11:15 So, Jesus dies. 11:17 Then what? 11:18 You know, one of the things that sometimes we don't really 11:22 comprehend is that the cross had a purpose, 11:26 a very important purpose. 11:27 You see, on the cross, or the cross bought back God's rights, 11:31 God's authority to save us. 11:34 The cross offered that, but there was something 11:38 that the sanctuary did. 11:40 Because while the cross bought back the authority, the ability, 11:44 the possibility for us to be saved as a race, as a people, as 11:48 the humankind, the sanctuary and everything that happens within 11:53 the sanctuary has to do with the individual, with me, 11:58 with Jesus saving me. 12:01 And so, what happens in the book of Hebrews is the explanation 12:05 that Jesus's benefits through the cross in the heavenly 12:08 sanctuary are better, are complete, are whole. 12:12 They're perfect. 12:14 And that's what we're talking about today. 12:16 That's the subject of this week's lesson. 12:18 Sunday's lesson has the title, "Jesus Before the Father." 12:23 And here I'm just going to repeat, so it's fresh in our 12:25 mind, I'm going to repeat the memory verse, Hebrews 9:24. 12:28 It says, "For Christ has not entered the holy places made 12:31 with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven 12:36 itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." 12:41 Now, in the Old Testament, we know that in the Old Testament 12:45 times there were five greater feasts and two lesser, smaller 12:50 feasts, so seven in total, and three of these were moments 12:54 where Israelites were invited to come to the sanctuary, come to 12:58 the temple to give offerings. 13:01 It was an opportunity for them to celebrate specific acts of 13:04 God, specific attributes of God that revealed His character. 13:08 And these three feasts were Passover, right, the Feast of 13:12 Passover, the Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost, and the 13:16 Feast of Tabernacles, which was also known 13:18 as the Feast of Booths. 13:20 And that offered the Israelites an opportunity to come to 13:22 celebrate to God, to meet their Lord, and to celebrate specific 13:27 attributes, specific characteristics of His. 13:29 But these feasts, more than being an end in themselves, they 13:34 represented something more. 13:37 They represented something that was going to 13:38 happen in the future. 13:41 Jesus is the true antitype, the truth fulfillment who, in every 13:47 way, fulfilled completely, entirely, wholly, in every 13:51 aspect and detail, the meaning of these feasts. 13:54 You see, what had happened to the Jews, what had happened to 13:57 the Israelite nation is that they had lost 13:58 the forest for the trees. 14:00 They had gotten to consumed into the nuances of what they were 14:04 doing that they forgot why they were doing what they were doing, 14:08 in regard to many things, but also in regard to these feasts. 14:12 And again, this is something that we need to pay attention 14:17 to, because it's very easy, friends, nowadays, for us to 14:20 lose the forest for the trees, for us to get so caught up in 14:23 the nuances of what we're doing that we forget that there is 14:27 something beyond this. 14:29 We get so caught up in the church of God that we forget the 14:31 God of the church. 14:33 And so, here, the text of Hebrews, chapter 9, verse 24, 14:37 our memory verse, it describes Jesus's ascension up to the 14:40 Father into the presence of the Father, arriving in the heavenly 14:43 sanctuary, the true sanctuary, having offered a superior 14:47 sacrifice. 14:48 Remember how I said that the main theme of Hebrews is that 14:52 Jesus is better, Jesus is superior. 14:54 And here in these two chapters, we're finding that Jesus offers 14:58 a superior sacrifice than what was offered previously and what 15:01 was given before. 15:03 Through this section of the book, which is really Hebrews 9, 15:06 verse 11, to chapter 10, verse 18, the reality of Jesus's 15:11 sacrifice appears in contrast to the old system. 15:15 Everything that the old system, that the old covenant could do 15:18 or could not do, they failed to do, Jesus's blood finished and 15:24 sealed it for us. 15:27 Now, here's the thing. 15:28 I'm saying these things. 15:29 And either because we've been hearing this all our lives, or 15:33 we kind of become used to the lingo, right, to the 15:35 terminology, it doesn't strike us as much, unfortunately. 15:42 I think it's also because we're so far removed 15:44 from that time, right? 15:45 It's 2000 years later. 15:46 We're so far removed from the culture, from the context, but 15:50 someone saying this to a first centrally--century, not 15:52 centrally--a first century Israelite, coming from Judaism, 15:59 this was a shock. 16:01 That Jesus' blood is better, that there is now a new 16:05 covenant, that was a shock, that was a huge thing for them. 16:10 But here that's what happens. 16:11 And the argument that he makes is that there were basically two 16:15 weaknesses in the old covenant, in the old system. 16:18 First of all, a limited access. 16:21 There was a barrier between humans and God. 16:23 There was a limited access. 16:25 And number two, there was a limited purification; because 16:28 while there was a limited access, people couldn't really 16:32 come into the presence of God. 16:34 The most that they could do is go up to the outer court of the 16:37 sanctuary. 16:38 The priest could go into the inner part of the sanctuary but 16:41 not the holy of holies. 16:43 And even the high priest could only go once a year. 16:46 So, you see that there was limited access to God. 16:48 They couldn't really step in boldly into the presence of God. 16:51 And secondly, the purification they had to bring in several 16:54 times, again and again, repeatedly. 16:57 They needed to bring in the sacrifice of bulls 16:59 and goats and lambs. 17:01 And so, with Jesus, that doesn't happen because 17:03 Jesus's sacrifice is final. 17:05 Once is more than enough. 17:07 So, these are the problems that the author, he brings forth in 17:12 what the old system represented: limited access, 17:16 limited purifications. 17:17 And these two deficiencies, as I've just said, they were 17:20 rectified, they were removed by the sacrifice of Jesus, 17:24 through His blood. 17:26 He entered into the celestial sanctuary. 17:29 And so, the author of Hebrews, he establishes a radical 17:32 contrast between what was and what now is through Jesus, a 17:37 contrast between the old sanctuary of the Mosaic 17:44 peregrination through the desert, and now the new 17:46 sanctuary in heaven. 17:51 This is a beautiful thing. 17:53 Can you imagine this for the first century Israelites, how 17:56 excited they were by listening to this, by hearing the sermon? 18:00 This was being preached by an excited evangelist, passionate, 18:03 telling them that Jesus was better. 18:05 You see, friends, shielded by His blood, we can now--and what 18:09 they were understanding is that they could now--they didn't have 18:11 a limited access. 18:13 They didn't have limited purification. 18:15 They could now come forth boldly into the presence of God. 18:19 This holy boldness--and this is also what he explains--doesn't 18:23 emanate from us. 18:24 It's not something that's coming from us as a form of, you know, 18:27 of religious pride. 18:29 "Now, now we can come." 18:30 No, it doesn't come from us, and that is what he's explaining. 18:33 Everything here comes through Jesus. 18:38 And they derive especially from two attributes, two 18:43 characteristics of Christ. 18:45 First, He understands us. 18:49 Jesus understands you. 18:52 He knows what it's like. 18:55 As our great High Priest, He walked in our shoes. 18:59 He cried our tears. 19:02 He felt our pains. 19:03 He bled our blood, and He died ultimately our death. 19:08 He understands. 19:11 He knows. 19:15 He understands our tribulations, our temptations. 19:17 He knows what it's like to be tempted. 19:20 And you know what that means? 19:22 That He knows perfectly what we need. 19:25 He knows what we need. 19:27 That's the first one. 19:29 Secondly, His blood opens the doors to a whole and a complete 19:34 purification from sin. 19:37 Friends, His blood opens the doors of the sanctuary. 19:40 He keeps them wide open, so that we may enter by faith. 19:45 So, He understands, and He is enough. 19:48 You see, friends, the blood of Christ, it doesn't provide mere 19:52 ceremonial purification in the terms of the Old Testament, but 19:56 total, complete purification. 19:59 His offering frees us from the bondage of sin. 20:02 And so while here in this world, we still have to live in the 20:05 presence of sin, because it's still all around us, we do not 20:08 have to live under the bondage of sin. 20:11 That's what Christ is offering here. 20:14 This is the purification of the conscience that goes way beyond 20:19 what the Israelites knew as ceremonial purification, because 20:23 their religion was all about that. 20:25 It was all about cleaning themselves all the time, 20:29 repeatedly, constantly. 20:31 I mean, when you read what--and this really isn't what you find 20:35 in the Old Testament. 20:36 This is what you find in the traditional oral, written law. 20:39 They were oral, and then they were written down. 20:41 You have that in the Torah. 20:42 The Mishna and the Gemara, you find what they had to do. 20:45 There were so many things that had to be done, and that's where 20:49 I said that, you know, they lost the forest for the trees. 20:52 And here is Jesus saying, "No, I'm opening the door. 20:55 It's not a purification that you do. 20:58 It's a purification that I do for you." 21:01 Friends, the heavenly sanctuary requires a better sacrifice than 21:05 that of animals, and that's what we find here in chapter 9. 21:08 We're going to read it. 21:09 Verse 23, chapter 9, 23, that says, "Therefore it was 21:12 necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be 21:15 purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with 21:19 better sacrifices than these," better sacrifices. 21:23 And after all, Jesus didn't enter the heavenly sanctuary by 21:26 the authority of the blood of goats, or lambs, or sheep, or 21:30 bulls, but with the blood of His own sacrifice. 21:33 A few verses later, 9, verse 26 and 27, that says, "Not that He 21:38 should offer Himself often," because 21:40 that's what they were used to. 21:42 They were used to often bringing sacrifices, at least three times 21:46 a year in those three feasts that I described 21:48 previously, at least. 21:50 So, that's what they were used to continuously. 21:52 But here, "not that He should offer Himself often," or several 21:56 times as the high priest enters the most holy place every year 22:00 with the blood of another. 22:02 He then would have to suffer often, since the foundation of 22:05 the world. 22:07 But now once at the end of the ages He has appeared to put away 22:11 sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 22:13 Do you see the contrast? 22:15 Here he's saying, "Look, this is what would have had to happen, 22:18 were Jesus a regular high priest, were he just another 22:21 one. 22:23 But since He is who He is, once is enough, that's it. 22:29 You don't have to worry about this anymore." 22:31 No, friends, His sacrifice was more than enough. 22:35 Verse 28, "Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. 22:40 To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second 22:45 time, apart from sin for salvation." 22:47 What is it saying? Why apart from sin? 22:50 Because the first time Jesus appeared, He appeared in the 22:53 context of sin. 22:54 Jesus, Jesus's incarnation was in the context of our life, our 22:59 world, sinners all around Him. 23:01 But the second time, uh-uh. 23:04 The second time will be perfect--not that the first one 23:07 wasn't perfect for the context in which it was--but the second 23:10 one won't involve those aspects of what happened. 23:14 This is why, friends, Jesus's sacrifice brought all others to 23:17 an end. 23:19 That's why we don't go anywhere today to sacrifice goats, and 23:21 bulls, and sheep, and lambs. 23:24 They were no longer necessary. 23:25 They are no longer necessary. 23:26 It was no longer necessary for them to 23:30 look forward to anything. 23:31 You'll remember that in the Old Testament times, people--what 23:34 did they live for? 23:35 What was their--Jesus's second coming for us, right? 23:38 We have Jesus' second coming. 23:39 What was their advent? 23:41 It was that one day the Messiah would come. 23:45 That's what they waited for. 23:46 That's what they spent thousands of years waiting for. 23:50 But at this moment now, that had been fulfilled. 23:54 That was done. 23:55 They didn't have to look forward to that anymore. 23:58 It was complete in Christ, and this is what the preacher here 24:02 is trying, with all his heart, to bring forth, to explain. 24:06 The antidote had been provided. 24:09 The price had been paid. 24:11 And that segues into Monday, Monday's lesson, because here we 24:14 have an invitation, but it's not really an invitation on the 24:17 terms of what we really expect. 24:19 The main text here is Hebrews chapter 12, verse 18 through 21, 24:24 and this is the description. 24:26 It's a reference to a scene in the Old Testament, 24:29 and it's a curious scene. 24:31 Look at what it says. 24:33 Hebrews 12:18-21, it says, "For you have not come to the 24:36 mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to 24:40 blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a 24:43 trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it 24:46 begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 24:50 For they could not endure what was commanded. 24:54 And if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall 24:57 be stoned or shot with an arrow. 25:00 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, 'I am 25:04 exceedingly afraid and trembling.'" 25:07 Friends, here we find that God gives them an order. 25:10 All right? 25:11 This is when the children of Israel, 25:13 they approach Mount Sinai. 25:14 This is in the context of everything that is happening 25:16 there, God becoming their legislator, and them accepting 25:20 that, and a moment of terror falls upon them, and this is the 25:23 description that we just read. 25:25 And in God's order here to them, we find three basic 25:29 characteristics that really, they're the watermark of God's 25:33 character, of His personality. 25:35 We find these three characteristics throughout all 25:37 of God's commandments. 25:38 And the three characteristics are--the first one is it's 25:43 clear. 25:45 God's commandment to the children of Israel here in this 25:48 scene, it was clear. 25:49 They knew what they had to do. 25:51 They understood it. 25:52 No one needed an extensive theological training to 25:55 understand what God was asking them. 25:57 No one needed to get confused, doubtful, or obscure. 26:02 It was clear as day. 26:04 Don't touch the mountain. 26:06 Second, they were protective. 26:08 God was trying to protect them. 26:11 Everything that God asks or demands, friends, everything 26:15 that He asks or demands is for our protection. 26:20 You know, sometimes humans have a hard time with that. 26:23 Because when you look at it, the basic struggle between God and 26:26 us, between the Holy Spirit and us is that God tells us this, 26:30 but we want to do this. 26:34 The classic Hebrew term for sin--there are quite 26:38 a few of them. 26:39 There are at least eight in the Old Testament. 26:41 But the classic one is translated for rebellion. 26:46 And that's at the foundation of sin. 26:48 When God says, "But I choose." 26:50 God knows, "But I think." 26:53 Can you relate to that? 26:57 The things that God forbids are the things that would prevent us 27:00 from living the best lives that we can live. 27:03 You see, God's commandments in the Bible, they're not meant to 27:06 bore your life. 27:08 They're meant to protect your life, to give you quality of 27:11 life. 27:13 And that's a great misunderstanding, also, that 27:14 people have sometimes about the biblical God. 27:16 He doesn't want to bore your life. 27:18 I promise you, once you live within his will, you will live 27:22 life in abundance. 27:25 Life will be full. 27:29 So, first of all, God's words are clear. 27:33 Secondly, they are protective. 27:36 And finally, they are immutable. 27:39 And what this means is that we are the ones that when we keep 27:43 them, we are, by His grace, transformed and adjust our lives 27:50 to what He's commanded. 27:53 It's human arrogance that sometimes wants to get what God 27:55 says and then fit it into what they prefer. 27:59 Have you ever heard anyone--maybe this is something 28:02 that you said yourself in your exodus through this life. 28:05 You know, "I haven't found the right church yet. 28:07 I haven't found the church that fits me." 28:09 Have you ever heard anyone say that? 28:11 "I haven't found the church that fits me." 28:12 What does that mean? 28:15 Most of the times, it means that people are trying to find God's 28:19 words as they prefer it, and that's dangerous. 28:24 Because at that point, you're making a god unto yourself. 28:27 Your preference, your comfort is what is god to you. 28:32 You see, friends, we're not called to take the Bible and fix 28:36 it, mold it, box it in to what we are. 28:39 It's the other way around. 28:41 I take truth, and I adjust myself to that truth. 28:47 That's easier said than done, I understand, I acknowledge, but 28:51 that's what the path of sanctification is for. 28:53 It's where, by God's grace, our rough edges are chipped out, 28:56 filed out, and we fit His mold, the mold of Christ. 29:02 It's human arrogance that seeks out alternatives to His 29:05 directions. 29:06 Just like Naaman, we have the freedom of not accepting God's 29:10 recommendations, but the result of that is that if we do that, 29:14 we will remain lepers. 29:16 We will remain lepers. 29:19 Now, this text that we just read, it falls under this last 29:22 category. 29:23 God, through Moses, provided necessary instructions to 29:26 prepare the people to meet Him. 29:28 They needed to consecrate their conscience. 29:31 They needed to consecrate themselves first. 29:34 And disobedience to this it was very severe for them. 29:36 It meant death. 29:37 Now, you might say, "Well, wow, God is being severe 29:40 here with them." 29:41 Disobedience meant death. 29:42 Friends, we have to understand who these people were. 29:44 These were a nation of people that for the past 200 years had 29:48 been treated as slaves, and for the past 400 years had been in 29:51 the context of Egypt. 29:54 And the sad truth about humans is that when you treat someone a 29:58 certain way for a long time, they will start 30:01 acting like that. 30:03 And these people had been treated as slaves. 30:06 And in their mind, they were slaves. 30:09 And so, God bringing them out and trying to make a nation out 30:12 of them, of course, He had to be strict. 30:15 He had to be straight with them. 30:17 That's how you discipline young children--not with death, of 30:23 course--but you discipline them with, "Because mom said so," 30:27 "because dad said so." 30:29 You don't really explain that much to a two-year-old. 30:33 But as they grow, you progressively 30:35 broaden their discipline. 30:38 Isn't that true? 30:39 You're not going to discipline a two- or three-year-old as a 30:41 ten-year-old, and you're not going to discipline a 30:42 ten-year-old as a twenty-year-old. 30:44 It doesn't work that way. 30:45 And so God did with the children of Israel, and you'll see a 30:47 progressive shift throughout the Bible 30:49 of how God dealt with them. 30:52 But at this moment, at this moment, disobedience was met 30:57 with a severe punishment. 30:59 The divine instruction in Exodus 19:13 was, "When the trumpet 31:02 sounds long, they shall come near the mountain." 31:05 And as the lesson puts it, He wanted them to have the 31:08 experience Moses and the leaders of the people would have when 31:12 they ascended the mountain and beheld God and ate and drank 31:14 with Him in His presence. 31:15 The people later recognized that they had seen God's glory and 31:19 that it was possible for God to speak with man and still live. 31:23 Now, what did God intend with this request? 31:26 To teach the importance of obedience, perhaps, the 31:29 importance of sanctity? 31:31 What we see here is that while God guided Israel towards 31:35 Himself, they grew afraid. 31:38 They were terrified of Him. 31:40 The description given here in Hebrews of these events 31:43 describes a lack of faith. 31:44 Why were they afraid of God? 31:49 Because they lacked faith--an apostasy of the people with the 31:53 golden calf and how they feared meeting God because of their 31:56 sin. 31:57 So, the question, "Why were they afraid of encountering God?" 32:01 Friends, it's because they didn't love Him, not the way 32:04 they should have. 32:05 Because 1 John chapter 4, verse 18, said, "There is no fear in 32:08 love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves 32:13 torment. 32:14 But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." 32:19 Now, this text is not talking about fear in the sense of 32:21 respect, of honoring God. 32:24 Right? 32:25 We know through multiple verses that the fear of the Lord is the 32:27 beginning of wisdom and such verses. 32:30 The fear that is being mentioned here is the fear of being 32:32 afraid, of being terrified. 32:34 We're not called to be terrified of God. 32:38 We're call to respect Him, to honor Him, not to be terrified 32:41 of Him. 32:42 The segue here into Tuesday's lesson is perfect because the 32:46 Greek term here that we find in Tuesday's lesson, the Greek term 32:51 used here in these chapters for the word "veil," is the Greek 32:54 word katapetasma. 32:56 And you'll find this in the lesson, and this could really 32:58 refer to a few different things, a few different meanings. 33:01 It could refer to, for example, the screen of the court. 33:05 It could refer to the screen at the entrance of the outer part 33:08 of the sanctuary, and it could also refer to the veil that 33:12 separated the holy from the most holy place. 33:14 In Leviticus chapter 16, verse 1 and verse 2, after the divine 33:19 punishment given due to their irreverence and disdain--and 33:22 this is talking about Aaron's sons. 33:24 Remember that moment where Aaron's sons, they bring in this 33:27 foreign fire? 33:28 And then they're destroyed by God's holiness, by God's glory. 33:33 And at this point, Aaron is warned not to go in casually 33:37 beyond the veil. 33:39 Right? Just once every year. 33:42 Now, friends, in an era of widespread cynicism and disdain 33:47 for what is sacred and for what is holy, God's divine actions 33:51 and protections of what is holy and His righteous punishment to 33:56 mockery and disdain, to what He considers to be holy, that may 34:01 be misunderstood, right? 34:04 Our world today is infested with cynicism, with mockery. 34:13 Wherever you go--we live in the age of entertainment. 34:16 And the thing about modern entertainment is that it's 34:18 completely irreverent. 34:24 But if fallen humans were simply given a free reign to 34:27 disconsider what is pure, what is holy, very little would be 34:31 left of true biblical religion. 34:35 Consider the examples in the Bible of when God deals with 34:38 mockery, with disdain and scorn for what He holds sacred. 34:42 In the book of Galatians, the apostle declares in Galatians 6 34:45 or 7, he says, "Do not be deceived. 34:47 God is not mocked. 34:48 For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." 34:52 Sometimes it might seem that people get away with whatever. 34:57 But the reality is that sooner or later, a reckoning comes to 35:00 everyone. 35:02 And you know what? Praise God for that. 35:04 Imagine if it didn't. 35:06 Praise God for His judgment. 35:09 God's judgment comforts me. 35:13 There is someone to be held accountable to. 35:17 Praise God for that. 35:19 Friends, the very geography of the sanctuary, its location in 35:22 relation to the tribes indicated its centrality. 35:26 As the lesson says, Jesus, as our High Priest, has also been 35:31 our veil. 35:32 Through His incarnation, God pitched His tent into our midst 35:35 and made it possible for us to contemplate His glory, and 35:38 that's found in John chapter 1, 14 through 18. 35:41 He made is possible for a holy God to live in the midst of an 35:44 imperfect people. 35:47 And that reveals the beginning of Wednesday's lesson, which is 35:51 the new and living way through the veil. 35:53 Friends, I don't know if you ever--maybe this is something 35:57 that you've said yourself. 35:58 I know that I have said this on multiple occasions. 36:00 Sometimes I have said, as a child, "I wish I were one of the 36:04 Old Testament Israelites that witnessed all the patriarchs, 36:08 the prophets, the miracles, you know, the cloud of fire by day, 36:11 and the cloud by day and the fire by night." 36:14 And have you ever said that? Have you ever wondered that? 36:16 That's something that I've said many times, and I've read it 36:20 many times in different books. 36:22 And sometimes they seem so privileged, you know, that they 36:25 lived in those times. 36:27 Well, you know, you have to ask yourself, were they really? 36:31 Was it really so? 36:33 I mean, we frequently hear this, but what about when we actually 36:36 get into what this means? 36:38 Because this isn't the perspective of the book of 36:41 Hebrews. 36:42 In the book of Hebrews, that's not so. 36:44 Actually, contrary to this idea, the author sees the God of the 36:47 Old Testament separated by numerous barriers. 36:51 And he's right. 36:53 They were separated from their God because of sin. 36:56 It wasn't as easy to approach God as we have it today. 37:00 The people living in the Old Testament times, they couldn't 37:04 just come out boldly into the presence of God as we are 37:08 invited to. 37:09 So, the question, you know, the assertion that they had it 37:14 better--really? 37:16 Not really, not in my opinion and especially not in the 37:19 opinion of the author of the book of Hebrews. 37:22 Because his argument is that we have it better because we can 37:26 boldly enter into His presence. 37:29 And the contrast that He makes here is to emphasize, is to 37:32 emphasize exactly the contrast between the Old Covenant and the 37:36 New Covenant, what they had before and what they now had 37:39 in Jesus Christ. 37:41 For example, in the Old Covenant, the people could only 37:43 come up--and I've said this before today--they could only 37:46 come up to the gates of the sanctuary. 37:48 Only the priests could enter the tent of the congregation, and 37:51 only the High Priest could go into the holy of holies once a 37:54 year and with several safeguards. 37:58 The experience of the Sinai was a scene of terror, friends. 38:02 This is terrifying, what we just read, his description of that 38:05 encounter on Sinai. 38:06 Observe the very descriptive narrative of Hebrews, you know. 38:12 "For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched--" 38:14 This is Hebrews 12:18-21. 38:16 We already read it. 38:17 "--that may be touched and that burned with fire into the 38:20 blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sounding of the 38:22 trumpet, and the voice of words, so that those who heard it 38:26 begged that the word should not be spoken anymore." 38:28 They begged that the word should not be spoken anymore. 38:30 "For they could not endure what was commanded. 38:32 And if so, much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall 38:35 be stoned or shot with an arrow." 38:37 And so terrifying it was that Moses himself said, "I am 38:41 exceedingly afraid and trembling." 38:43 Now, again, the reason why the author describes it this way is 38:46 to create a contrast between what was and what now 38:49 is in Christ. 38:51 You see, friends, Christians are invited to boldly, by the blood 38:55 of the Lamb, to enter into the sanctuary, into the very 38:57 presence of Christ without fear or trembling. 39:02 We're called to draw near in absolute certainty, not like at 39:06 the Sinai in the desert, but into the heavenly Sinai. 39:11 As verse 22 and 23 puts it of chapter 12, "But you have come 39:14 to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly 39:18 Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels 39:21 to the general assembly." 39:23 Friends, in Jesus, all the barriers are broken. 39:25 His blood introduces us to the very presence of God. 39:30 Hebrews chapter 9, verse 9 and 10 tells us that the sacrifices 39:33 of the Old Covenant could not perfectly--or could not perfect 39:35 the conscience of the worshiper. 39:39 They were merely temporary symbols and signs, fleshly 39:43 ordinances. 39:44 But Hebrews 9:13 states a vital reality, that the blood of bulls 39:49 and goats sanctified for the purifying of the flesh, but only 39:52 the blood of Christ was capable of purifying the conscience from 39:57 the dead works. 40:00 Hebrews 10:1-2 argues that because the Old Testament 40:03 sacrifices needed to be repeated, it was clear that they 40:06 were not permanent. 40:08 They couldn't permanent, and they were certainly not enough 40:11 to purify the conscience. 40:13 But then Hebrews chapter 10, verse 22, it adds to this by 40:17 saying, "Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of 40:22 faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil 40:26 conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 40:29 You see, those under the New Covenant come to the very 40:31 presence of God with a true heart, in full assurance of 40:36 faith, having our hearts sprinkled 40:38 from an evil conscience. 40:40 Friends, that is what is guaranteed in Jesus. 40:43 That is what is assured in Jesus. 40:45 In Him, our contaminated conscience--and you know what 40:48 I'm talking about. 40:51 This contaminated conscience, stained by the guilt of sin, can 40:55 be perfected, can be cleansed, and can be purified. 41:00 The lesson says that it is Jesus who intercedes for us. 41:03 And through His sacrifice and faithfulness, He claims 41:07 salvation for us. 41:10 Friends, with this kind of intercessor, there is no 41:16 hopeless cause. 41:18 There is no hopeless case. 41:20 You cannot say that your case is hopeless, that you've gone too 41:23 far. 41:25 That is kind of blasphemous because there is no way that you 41:30 are a better sinner than Jesus is a Savior. 41:36 Finally, Thursday's lesson. 41:39 The main point of Thursday's lesson--and here we have a few 41:41 minutes left. 41:43 The main point of Thursday's lesson is found in chapter 12, 41:45 verse 22 through 24. 41:46 And we read this previously. 41:48 And once again, here, this author, for the sake of a 41:51 contrast, he argues that the believers in Christ come, or 41:56 they have come to Mount Zion, to the celestial Jerusalem, through 42:01 faith. 42:02 And what that means is that their experience anticipates the 42:05 future. 42:07 Please understand what I'm saying. 42:09 Those who believe in the sacrifice of Jesus--our 42:11 experience can anticipate the very future. 42:15 So, Jerusalem truly isn't, here in this context, it's not that 42:20 old Israelite dream city, but the heavenly city that pertains 42:25 to the realm of things hoped for, evidence of things not 42:29 seen, assured by Him who does not lie. 42:34 By faith in Christ, future promises, friends, invade our 42:37 lives retrospectively. 42:39 And they are already ours today. 42:43 This is how we come to Mount Zion, boldly into the presence 42:47 of God through our great representative, Jesus Christ. 42:52 It's not by chance that in Ephesians Paul tells us that 42:55 through Christ we already sit in heavenly places. 42:58 Do you understand this? 43:02 This is incredible. 43:04 Ephesians 2:4-7, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His 43:08 great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in 43:12 our trespasses, He made us alive together with Christ. 43:15 By grace you have been saved and raised us up together and made 43:19 us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in 43:23 the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His 43:26 grace and His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus." 43:29 Friends, at this point, the ascension of Jesus isn't really 43:32 a matter of faith anymore. 43:33 It's a matter of fact. 43:35 The recipients of Hebrews, they're told here, they're 43:39 exhorted to hold on to the confession of their faith. 43:42 You see, in Christ, God resurrected us with Him because 43:47 we are dead. 43:49 If you look at this world today, people are half alive--or 43:54 better, they're half dead. 43:59 The world is dead, friends. 44:02 People are empty, are lost, are sad, are terrified. 44:08 And you see this. The world is breaking. 44:12 The world is throwing up its demons, letting us know that 44:17 it's broken. 44:21 But here we have a promise that in Christ we can be resurrected. 44:26 We can be made new. 44:28 You see, with Him, we already trail the paths of paradise. 44:34 Colossians 3, verse 1, argues the same point. 44:36 It says, "If you were raised with Christ, seek those things 44:40 which are from above, where Christ is, sitting at the right 44:43 hand of God." 44:44 You see, friends, in Christ, we were resurrected, and we have 44:47 been introduced into the very presence of God. 44:50 Together with Jesus, we breathe the air of a new world, a new 44:54 existence. 44:56 The excitement of the book of Hebrews, friends, it's palpable. 44:59 I can imagine this author enraptured by what he's trying 45:04 his best to preach. 45:08 I can feel it, and I'm not him. 45:12 To Him, we can finally sing glory hallelujah. 45:16 The eternal realties already belong to us, through Jesus. 45:21 Just look at Hebrews 6:19. 45:23 "This hope we have is an anchor of the soul, both sure and 45:27 steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil, where 45:31 the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become 45:34 High Priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." 45:37 And this way, friends, the entire letter of Hebrews is an 45:40 extraordinary hymn of victory. 45:43 In Christ, everything is guaranteed. 45:46 It's the typology of the first two feasts 45:49 of the yearly peregrination. 45:50 Passover and Pentecost were fulfilled. 45:53 Then according to Hebrews' answer of the book of 45:55 Revelation, the third feast this final peregrination, the Feast 45:59 of Tabernacles, will also completely be fulfilled. 46:03 That is guaranteed. 46:05 You can take it to the bank. 46:09 We will celebrate with Jesus when we finally meet Him in that 46:13 city, the final, permanent habitation of the saints, where 46:18 we will be reunited with the eight--with the saints of all 46:20 ages in the glorious feast of the centuries. 46:25 And as promised, we will see His face without any obstacle, 46:29 without any veil. 46:31 Friends, the ascension of Jesus guarantees our victory. 46:37 I've said this before. I'll say it a million times. 46:39 You don't leave your house every morning to win, to gain victory. 46:43 Do you know why? 46:45 Because Jesus already guaranteed it for you. 46:48 You just need to accept it. 46:50 Revelation 22, verse 3 through 5, "And there shall be no more 46:53 curse. 46:55 But the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His 46:57 servants shall serve Him. 46:59 They shall see His face, and His name shall be 47:01 on their foreheads. 47:03 There shall be no more night there. 47:05 They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God 47:09 gives them the light. 47:10 And they shall reign forever and forever." 47:14 Friends, as is argued in the book of Hebrews, to the 47:16 primitive members of the church of the first century that have 47:20 left the imperfections of the old system, and that had 47:23 embraced the faith of Jesus, there is therefore no reason to 47:27 give up or to give in. 47:28 There is no reason to turn back. 47:30 In Christ, the future blessings are already ours. 47:34 And with Him, we breathe the atmosphere, the atmosphere of a 47:37 new world. 47:39 And so, glory hallelujah, maranatha. 47:44 "Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen." 47:47 I'd like to invite you, if this message in any way inspired you 47:52 to learn more about this, to claim this victory, this 47:55 promise, not based on yourself, because thank God it's not based 47:58 on you or on me, but on Jesus, I'd like to invite you to take 48:01 advantage of this free offer. 48:03 It's beautiful. "A Divine Design." 48:06 If you would like this free offer, please do call 48:08 866-788-3966. 48:11 Ask for offer number 902 in the USA, SH152 to 40544. 48:18 And outside of North America, you can go to 48:20 study.aftv.org/SH152. 48:24 I'd like to pray with you before we finish, 48:26 after this marvelous study. 48:28 Dear Lord, thank you so much for--thank you 48:32 so much for the Bible. 48:33 Thank you so much for the book of Hebrews. 48:35 Thank you so much for knowing, Father, that in Christ all of 48:38 the promises that we find in here are guaranteed. 48:41 There's no doubting. There's nothing uncertain here. 48:46 It's all sure. 48:47 These things that we take as faith, Lord, or by faith, they 48:50 become fact in the lives of those who believe. 48:53 Now, Lord, at the same time, we live in a broken world, where 48:57 it's easy for us to come to church and sometimes, you know, 49:00 hear something, hear a sermon, hear a song, hear, and then we 49:04 become motivated, but then we go back home. 49:07 And over the days of the week and the day-to-day, we just 49:11 become so dismotivated. 49:12 So, Father, please allow Jesus to sit in 49:15 the throne of our heart. 49:16 Allow us to crucify the old man, the old woman on the cross of 49:20 the heart and allow Jesus to sit in control and in command. 49:24 Use us, Father, bless this church. 49:26 And Lord, glory hallelujah to your name. 49:29 Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 49:30 And it is in Jesus' name I pray, amen. 49:34 God bless you. 49:36 announcer: Don't forget to request today's life-changing 49:39 free resource. 49:40 Not only can you receive this free gift in the mail, you can 49:43 download a digital copy straight to your computer 49:45 or mobile device. 49:46 To get your digital copy of today's free gift, simply text 49:50 the key word on your screen to 40544 or visit the web address 49:54 shown on your screen. 49:56 And be sure to select the digital download option on the 49:58 request page. 50:00 It's now easier than ever for you to study God's Word with 50:03 Amazing Facts, wherever and whenever you want, and most 50:06 important to share it with others. 50:10 announcer: Amazing Facts, Changed Lives. 50:19 male: I'd have to say that I had a wonderful childhood 50:21 growing up. 50:23 I went to a private school up until the seventh grade, until 50:26 junior high. 50:27 I believe it was at that point in junior high that my life 50:31 began to change. 50:33 I went from a Christian education into a public school. 50:36 It was a big difference. 50:38 There was a lot of secular influence, of peer pressure. 50:42 And for me, it was the music. 50:44 I started listening to heavy metal music. 50:47 Every concert that would come to town, I was there. 50:50 It had a profound effect on me. 50:52 I started using marijuana probably at the age of 14. 50:58 I started drinking, using a lot of cocaine, and that led to 51:02 methamphetamine, and that completely changed my life. 51:06 I dropped out of high school my sophomore year, 51:08 and went to work. 51:11 I would get off of work, and we'd go into the bar until 2 51:14 o'clock in the morning. 51:16 I'd get back up at 5, and I'd go back at it again, six, seven 51:19 days a week. 51:24 At the age of 20, I lost my dad to a heart attack. 51:28 I didn't know how to handle the loss. 51:31 So, I tried to mask my pain with alcohol and drugs. 51:35 Got three DUIs in one year, was arrested. 51:37 They gave me a year in the county jail. 51:41 And the moment I got out, I went back to doing the same thing, 51:45 hanging with the same people, the same crowd. 51:47 I was involved in a hit and run motorcycle accident, and I was 51:51 charged with a felony DUI. 51:53 Even though at the time of the accident I was not under the 51:55 influence, I still had methamphetamine in my system. 51:58 At my sentencing date, I left the court room, and I didn't 52:03 come back, and that left me with a felony warrant. 52:06 And I had fallen asleep at a park, and I woke up to a park 52:12 ranger knocking on my window. 52:14 I knew I was wanted, and I knew that I was not going 52:16 to just turn myself in. 52:20 I turned to him, and I made the comment, "Not today," 52:23 and I took off. 52:25 I led five different agencies on about a 35-minute chase. 52:29 And I realized at that point that I wasn't going to get away 52:32 and that this was going to end up either me 52:34 killing somebody or myself. 52:37 And so, I made the decision to pull over. 52:40 At that point, everything that I had, I lost. 52:44 I was sentenced to two years in state prison, and it was there 52:48 that God got a hold of me, and it was through Amazing Facts 52:54 Ministries, I remember listening on my radio 52:57 to Pastor Doug Batchelor. 53:00 I wanted to get to know the Bible, I wanted to know God. 53:03 And so my Aunt Marilyn sent me an Amazing Facts Study Guides, 53:09 and it was there that my relationship with Christ began. 53:15 I had called home, and I knew my mother wasn't doing well, but I 53:21 didn't realize that she had cancer. 53:26 She had about a 30% chance of making it through her surgery. 53:32 She had told the doctors that she was not going to have chemo, 53:35 and she was not going to have radiation, that if her God was 53:37 going to save her, then He would save her. 53:40 I remember hanging up the phone to what I thought was my last 53:44 conversation with my mom. 53:48 I turned around, I got down on my knees, and I prayed to God. 53:53 I said, "God, if you're there, please save my mother. 53:57 Wherever you need me in life, whatever you want me to do, 54:01 I am yours." 54:03 And I had a feeling of such peace, that I knew that my 54:07 mother was going to be okay, and now my life was going to change. 54:13 There are no words that I can adequately express to Amazing 54:16 Facts and to Pastor Doug to say thank you. 54:19 To all those people who support the ministry, I am a product of 54:23 your support. 54:24 My life is changed because of this ministry, and I thank you 54:30 from the bottom of my heart. 54:34 ♪♪♪ 54:44 ♪♪♪ 54:49 Casey: I would go out and go drinking, and I just 54:52 wanted to have fun. 54:53 I was working a lot at the time, going to school, and just wasn't 54:58 really interested in really following God. 55:01 I would have people tell me, "Why don't you just have faith," 55:04 if I was going through some type of trial during my life. 55:07 I didn't understand what that meant. 55:09 I would pray, but I didn't feel any less stressed about or 55:15 worried about a situation. 55:17 I didn't understand God's Word. 55:19 It seemed like it contradicted itself. 55:21 And so, I struggled with that a lot. 55:25 My ex-husband and I, we had began dating, and within seven 55:30 months we got married, which was really fast. 55:34 After we got married, he was very disrespectful, and he was 55:39 cheating a lot. 55:42 I found out he was cheating when I was pregnant 55:44 with my first son. 55:46 I tried to get him help, and he checked himself out of rehab a 55:49 week later, living homeless in our hometown. 55:53 He was saying and doing things that he shouldn't be doing. 55:57 He was committing crimes. 55:59 It always started with alcohol and then pot or marijuana, and 56:03 then he would go to the meth. 56:05 So, it was just a really ugly chain of things, and that's when 56:09 I moved in with my sister. 56:12 We were staying with her and her husband, and I started doing 56:19 studies with my sister. 56:21 She was studying with some people, and I joined the 56:23 studies, and I learned a lot of different things that I had 56:28 never known about the Bible, and it started opening up to me and 56:32 making sense. 56:34 So, my sister had installed the satellite, 56:37 and I found Amazing Facts. 56:40 The one thing I love about Doug Batchelor is he uses his own 56:43 life situations, and he uses really good stories to connect 56:49 stories from the Bible or teachings. 56:54 I didn't understand why he was always bringing up the Sabbath 56:56 and why it was so important. 56:58 And I was asking my sister, "Why does he keep talking about the 57:00 Sabbath?" 57:03 And later on, I found out, through studying more and 57:07 listening to his teachings about it, the truth about the Sabbath. 57:11 I know that I started changing as a person. 57:14 I wanted to follow the truth. 57:16 I wanted to have a closer relationship with Christ 57:19 and be closer to God. 57:22 So, after doing the studies and learning the truths that I had 57:25 been learning, I decided to take that next step and give my life 57:30 to Christ through baptism. 57:32 Besides learning these messages, these truths about the Bible 57:36 through Amazing Facts, all of these wonderful people from 57:41 Amazing Facts, the way they reached out to me, they really 57:45 showed me that they have caring hearts, that they're 57:48 Christ-like, because that's what a Christian is. 57:52 My name is Casey. Thank you for changing my life. 57:55 ♪♪♪ 58:03 ♪♪♪ 58:13 ♪♪♪ 58:23 ♪♪♪ |
Revised 2022-02-24