Participants:
Series Code: SSOS
Program Code: SSOS190010B
|
00:01 Welcome back... before the break we were looking at the Menorah,
00:04 the Candlesticks that were burning in the sanctuary 00:08 and we said that this had a two-fold significance 00:11 first of all, referred to Christ who is the Light of the world 00:15 and secondly, it refers to the church 00:18 who also is to be a light... 00:20 a reflection of Christ to the world 00:23 and we said that one of the reasons why God calls us 00:27 to be a witness for Him is because of the joy... 00:30 because of the experience and the... the satisfaction 00:35 that you get from sharing your faith with others. 00:38 Another reason is found in the book, "Desire of Ages" page 142, 00:42 "God could have reached His object in saving sinners 00:45 without our aid, 00:47 but in order for us to develop a character like Christ's, 00:52 we must share in His work. " 00:55 In other words, there can be this tendency 00:59 if you're just reading the Bible 01:01 and you're just praying 01:03 and you're just staying in your own little community 01:05 where everyone believes the same way that you do, 01:09 to become introspective and to become self-focused, 01:13 and to become this stagnant experience 01:17 where all you are doing is focusing on your own needs 01:21 and God knew in His infinite wisdom 01:25 that the only way to develop a character like Jesus, 01:31 is not a self-focus but a Christ-centered focus 01:36 that is focused on serving others. 01:39 In other words, it is through unselfish ministry for others 01:44 that we become like Jesus, 01:47 and God in His infinite wisdom 01:49 knew that if we're just receiving all the time 01:53 and never giving, it becomes a spiritual swamp. 01:56 There is one body of water in the Middle East 02:00 that's always receiving and receiving and receiving water 02:04 from the Jordan River but has no outlet. 02:08 It's called the Dead Sea 02:11 and if we were just receiving sermons and messages 02:15 and we're just breathing and praying, 02:17 but we are not an outlet for God to give His light to the world, 02:21 we become "dead" in our experience. 02:24 God wants us to share. 02:26 God calls us to share the light with the world. 02:29 An interesting idea... 02:32 notion that came forth from the Rabbinical literature, 02:36 the wicks were made from the linen robes of the priest... 02:39 the robes represent the righteousness of Christ, 02:42 and the righteousness of Christ 02:43 is what makes our witness possible. 02:45 The wicks on the Menorah, 02:47 according to Rabbinical literature, 02:49 were made from the linen robes of the priest. 02:54 This has special significance 02:56 and we know that the robes that the priests wore 02:59 represent the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 03:01 In other words, the reason our witness is made possible 03:06 is not because of our own merits, 03:08 and not because of our own righteousness, 03:11 but rather, it's because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 03:14 You can never come to the place and say, 03:16 "You know, I'm such a wonderful person... 03:18 I'm such a wonderful being... 03:20 that's why the witness for Christ is possible, 03:24 no, our witness is only made possible 03:27 because of the righteousness of Christ... 03:29 because we have the robes of Christ's righteousness. 03:34 The fire for lighting the lamps was not a common fire 03:38 but was from the brazen altar 03:40 according to Exodus chapter 30:7 through 9. 03:43 Our motivation to witness is Christ's sacrifice and love. 03:48 They were not just to come into the sanctuary 03:51 and use any old lighter to light the lamps, 03:53 no, the light for the lamps came from the brazen altar. 03:58 Now, what happened on the brazen altar in the Courtyard? 04:02 The brazen altar was the place where the Lamb of God died. 04:07 The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world 04:10 died on the brazen altar 04:11 and it was from that brazen altar 04:14 that the fire was taken 04:17 and it was taken to the Menorah 04:20 to light the Menorah. 04:22 Now, think about the significance of this. 04:25 In other words, the fire... 04:28 the motivation for being a witness 04:32 does not come because I have to. 04:34 You know, sometimes as a Minister, 04:37 you feel like getting up front and saying, 04:39 "Oh, you need to witness... " 04:40 no, that's not the proper motivation at all, 04:42 we don't go out there and share literature 04:44 because it's a duty... 04:46 because it's something that I have to do 04:48 to get my literature out for the day... 04:51 my ten pieces 04:52 to get my merits to work my way to God, 04:54 that's not our motivation at all, 04:57 the fire comes... the motivation comes 05:00 because we are so touched 05:03 by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary 05:06 and when we are touched by the love of God, 05:09 that motivation burns in our hearts 05:13 like a fire in our bones 05:16 and like the book of Acts says, "We cannot help but share. " 05:21 In other words, witnessing is not a delight... 05:26 is not a duty, I should say, rather, it is a delight. 05:30 You love to share because of what God has done for us. 05:35 Going back to our screen here, 05:37 we're told that we need a daily filling, 05:40 the lampstand was filled with oil daily... 05:42 morning and evening. 05:44 Our power to witness is from the daily filling of the Holy Spirit 05:47 according to Scripture. 05:48 Now, an important part of the responsibilities of the priest 05:53 in regards to the Menorah... the Lampstands was... 05:58 it was not "once filled... always filled" 06:02 the lights never went out in the sanctuary 06:06 which meant that the daily responsibility of the priest, 06:10 morning and evening... was to take oil into the sanctuary 06:15 and fill the lamps with oil. 06:19 Now, who did the priest represent? 06:20 Jesus Christ. 06:22 What did the oil represent? 06:23 The Holy Spirit... 06:25 and we represent the light to the world... God's church 06:29 and so, here is the significance, 06:31 the only way that we can continue 06:32 to be a light to our community and to our world 06:35 is not a dependency upon ourselves 06:38 but a dependency upon the Spirit of God. 06:41 In other words, we need a daily filling of the Holy Spirit. 06:45 It's not, "Once filled... always filled. " 06:49 It's not as though you say, "Lord, on January 1, 06:53 I want to be filled for the whole year 06:55 and that's it... 06:56 no... we are porous vessels, 06:59 we need a daily, continual filling of the Holy Spirit 07:03 in order to burn for Him. 07:05 Important application of this daily filling. 07:07 This is from the evangelist, D.L. Moody, 07:09 "Many think that because they were filled once, 07:12 that they are filled forever. 07:14 Oh my friend, we are porous vessels. 07:19 it is necessary for us 07:21 to constantly remain under the fountain 07:25 in order to be full. " 07:28 In other words, in order to be a witness... 07:32 in order to be effective in being a light to the world 07:39 and to the Community, 07:40 we cannot burn without the Holy Spirit 07:43 and we cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit once... 07:47 we need a daily filling of the Holy Spirit 07:49 so, each and every day, in our prayer life, 07:52 we should say, "Lord, I want to ask for the Holy Spirit today, 07:55 I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit... " 07:58 and in the book of Luke, it says that God is more willing 08:01 to give the Holy Spirit 08:03 than parents to give good gifts to their children. 08:07 Now, think about that... 08:08 and the Holy Spirit brings all other blessings in His train, 08:13 in other words, if you have the Holy Spirit, 08:15 you have the greatest gift 08:17 that heaven wants to bestow upon men, 08:18 we should ask for the Holy Spirit, 08:20 heaven longs to give the Holy Spirit 08:22 and the Holy Spirit is essential 08:25 for us to be a light to the community and to the world. 08:29 Acts of the Apostles, page 50, 08:32 "For the daily baptism of the Spirit 08:34 every worker should offer his petition to God. " 08:39 One of my favorite stories in the gospel 08:43 is the story of these four men 08:47 that are carrying this paralytic to Jesus. 08:52 In the gospels, it talks about how this man 08:57 was physically paralyzed. 08:59 Now, we don't know if he was a quadriplegic 09:01 or paraplegic, 09:02 but he was physically immobilized. 09:04 He could not come to Jesus on his own. 09:06 His only way to Jesus 09:08 was through his friends. 09:11 Now, think about the implications of this. 09:13 Here is Jesus... here is this man... 09:17 and the only connection between this man and Jesus 09:22 are his friends. 09:24 They are the link. 09:25 He is physically incapable of coming to Jesus on his own 09:29 and so, the story goes that Jesus is preaching in this house 09:33 the house is full 09:34 and these men are trying to bring their friend to Jesus 09:37 but they can't. 09:38 They run into an obstacle. 09:39 It's not easy to bring a friend to Jesus 09:42 and so, they went to this obstacle 09:44 and they could have stopped 09:45 but they thought in their own hearts and minds, 09:47 they said, "If we don't bring this man to Jesus today, 09:50 we might not have another opportunity. " 09:52 And so they go to the roof 09:54 and you can imagine as Jesus is preaching in this place 09:57 suddenly there's a skylight 09:59 and the skylight starts getting bigger 10:00 and suddenly dust starts falling from the ceiling 10:04 and the people look up and these four friends... 10:07 have you ever been in a situation 10:08 where you're doing something... 10:09 you're a little bit embarrassed, I don't know, 10:11 it might have been a little bit awkward 10:12 and these friends are boldly bringing their friend to Jesus.. 10:18 lower him down in front of Jesus. 10:21 There is an important part of this story 10:24 that I want to reflect upon... 10:25 a lesson... 10:27 the only connection between this man and Jesus 10:32 was his friends. 10:34 In other words, there may be people in the world 10:39 that may not be physically paralyzed 10:42 but they are spiritually paralyzed 10:46 and the only connection... 10:48 the only Jesus they may ever see and know is you 10:52 and you are their connection to bring them to Jesus... 10:56 but it's not easy. 10:58 There may be obstacles 10:59 and it takes boldness to bring your friend to Jesus 11:02 and notice what the gospel says, 11:03 the gospel says... when Jesus saw their faith... 11:07 plural... 11:09 it didn't say, "When Jesus saw his faith" 11:12 it says, "When Jesus saw their faith" 11:15 in other words, 11:17 it was the faith of the collective group... 11:19 it was the faith of the friends 11:21 that made an impact and brought this man to Jesus 11:26 that brought healing and restoration 11:28 spiritually and physically 11:30 and my question to you today is 11:33 to ask God to allow you to be a light to the community 11:39 and to the world. 11:41 What are you willing to do to bring your friend to Jesus. 11:47 What are you willing to do to bring your friend to Him? 11:50 You may be the only Jesus that person may ever know 11:53 and you have the unique opportunity 11:56 to be a light... to shine... to bring that friend to Jesus 12:01 and in our prayer life, we can intercede 12:04 and ask God to intervene 12:06 above what He would normally be able 12:09 to bring our friend to Jesus. 12:11 This is something that we can pray in our daily lives 12:14 and I pray that you pray it with me, 12:16 "Lord, give me the opportunity to share You today. " 12:23 Do you know that all of heaven is invested 12:29 in the plan of salvation. 12:31 All the resources... 12:33 all of the activity is centered on saving you and me 12:40 and when you pray this prayer and say, 12:42 "Lord, give me the opportunity to share You today" 12:45 the angels are like, "Praise God, 12:47 we have a partner, 12:49 we have someone that's going to cooperate with us... " 12:51 and throughout your day, 12:52 you will see God moving circumstances and events... 12:56 "This person is searching... " 12:58 they'll move David over here, 12:59 "Let's connect him in a conversation 13:01 because David is open to our leading 13:03 to be a light to the community and to the world... " 13:07 we can partner with God in the salvation of souls... 13:10 partner with the Holy Spirit to bring others to Him 13:14 to be a light to the community and to the world. 13:18 Won't you pray with me today 13:20 to ask God for us to be a light to the world? 13:23 Continue to join us and study with us, 13:26 as we study the sanctuary, salvation and our Savior. |
Revised 2019-10-15