Participants: Pr. John Lomacang (Host), Jill Morikone, Molly Steenson, Pr. Tom Ferguson, Shelley Quinn
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP000025A
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00:01 The Bible tells us, "In the beginning was the Word
00:03 and the Word was with God and the Word was God." 00:07 It says, "To receive with meekness the implanted word, 00:11 which is able to save your souls 00:13 and to be diligent to present yourself 00:15 approved to God 00:17 rightly dividing the word of truth." 00:20 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel, 00:23 our study today is Feed My Sheep, 00:27 1 and 2 Peter. 00:31 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:34 My name is John Lomacang. 00:35 If you've tuned in before you might know who I am. 00:38 But if you haven't, 00:39 welcome to this very important topic 00:42 in discussing the overall theme in our Sabbath School lesson 00:46 for this quarter "Feed My Sheep'', 00:48 and it has been a journey 00:50 through the first and second epistles of the book 00:52 of the books written by Peter. 00:55 Can we all say amen to that? 00:56 Amen. That's right. 00:57 It's been a journey that taxed our mind 00:59 because, you know, as we look at our panel here today, 01:01 there have been some themes 01:02 that have overlapped in many ways have kept us 01:06 really digging into the Word of God 01:08 to find answers to things 01:10 that we thought we already had answered, 01:12 yet in fact the Lord impressed Peter so much 01:15 to reiterate these themes, 01:16 and now are brought to us the importance 01:19 that what has happened in his day 01:20 is recurring in our day. 01:22 If you like a copy of the lesson 01:24 to follow along with us, 01:25 go to this following website absg.adventist.org 01:30 and download lesson number 13, 01:32 the final one in our quarter's lesson, 01:34 the 1 and 2 epistles of Peter. 01:38 Also, I always like to reiterate 01:39 thank you for whatever you do 01:41 for the cause of God for this ministry, 01:42 prayers, your financial support, 01:45 very important we cannot do 01:46 what we do without you standing with us 01:49 as we prepare for the second coming of Jesus. 01:51 But before we go onto our Bible study, 01:53 we're gonna ask for you to bow your heads with us 01:55 and I'll ask, Mollie, 01:56 if you can have prayer for us today. 01:58 Holy Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus 02:00 and, Father, we are so grateful for this opportunity 02:03 to share Your word. 02:05 Father, we pray for everyone that is listening, 02:07 everyone that is watching, Father. 02:09 Open up all of our hearts, 02:11 Lord, that as the word goes forth it will be implanted, 02:14 it will take root, it will grow, 02:15 and it will produce bountifully for Your kingdom, 02:18 is our prayer in Jesus' name, amen. 02:20 Amen. Amen. 02:22 The major themes in 1 and 2 Peter, 02:26 there are five, 02:27 the themes are major all the way through 02:29 when we look at the Epistles of Peter. 02:31 One thing that strikes me amazingly about 02:33 the Apostle Peter is what the Lord could have, 02:37 what the Lord was able to do in his life 02:38 after he was converted. 02:40 Yes. Not before but after. 02:42 Yes. 02:44 He had an encounter with Christ, 02:45 when the Lord said to him, 02:47 "Satan desires to sift you as wheat 02:48 but I have prayed that your faith will not fail." 02:50 And then he became one of those pillars 02:52 in the development of the New Testament church. 02:55 And so, when we look at the introduction of the lesson, 02:59 there are two areas 03:01 that were big issues in the Christian church, 03:04 persecution and false teachings. 03:07 And everything was bathed in those two areas 03:10 where the devil could not persecute and discourage 03:12 he saw to distort and redirect. 03:16 And so Satan's tactics are not new, 03:19 persecution and destruction 03:21 or persecution and deception are tactics 03:25 that he often uses 03:26 which ends up in either way 03:28 to the destruction of the person 03:30 that is taken by that particular snare. 03:33 So as we look at that, let's go to Sunday, 03:35 we're gonna look at suffering, Jesus and Salvation on June 18. 03:42 And there are five particular passages 03:45 that are brought out in this lesson, 03:46 each one of them are notes is noteworthy 03:48 about the topic of salvation. 03:51 What do each of these passages say about salvation? 03:57 As you wrap up the theme though, 03:58 we'll find that Peter 04:00 when he talked about persecution, 04:02 what I liked about this 04:03 is he didn't just talk about the people 04:05 that are being persecuted in the congregation, 04:07 or the people that were being persecuted 04:09 for standing for their faith, 04:11 or the preachers that were being persecuted 04:12 for telling the truth 04:14 but he, he bended all the way 04:16 back to where it should have been 04:18 because Jesus said, "Blessed are those 04:20 who are persecuted for righteousness sake." 04:23 And what Peter is in essence saying is, 04:25 "If you're not living in harmony 04:27 with the will of God, you wouldn't be persecuted." 04:29 And so we have to keep that in mind to, 04:31 persecution doesn't come because people don't like you 04:34 but as one person once said and I like this, 04:36 "They don't like the Jesus in you." 04:37 Right. 04:39 If they didn't see something in you that cause them 04:41 to be either offended or bent in the wrong direction, 04:45 they really wouldn't feel the need to persecute you. 04:48 So, what in essence 04:49 he is saying is don't allow persecution 04:52 to be personal thing 04:54 because if Jesus said, 04:56 "They didn't like me and I'm the green tree," 04:59 how would they like you and you're not a green tree. 05:02 If they do this to a tree that produces fruit, 05:05 what would they do to a tree that does not produce fruit? 05:08 And so, a point was made in one of our lessons, 05:11 I think a while ago, 05:12 Mollie, brought out something's that I never forgot, 05:15 the difference between suffering, pruning, 05:17 and what was the other one? 05:19 Chastening. Chastening. 05:20 And chastening. 05:22 And so you've got to understand 05:23 why the Lord allows you to go through 05:25 what He allows you to go through, 05:27 but always remember this very thing, 05:29 you would not go through what you go through 05:31 except the Lord saw that one day 05:33 you'll be refined gold with no spot, 05:36 no wrinkle, or any such thing. 05:38 Amen. 05:39 So let's look at some of these motivations. 05:40 We'll first begin by going to 1 Peter 1 and, 05:46 but I want to look at the memory text together first 05:48 because we always start with that 05:50 and the memory text is taken 05:52 from 1 Peter 2:24 New Revised Standard Version 05:57 but as we read it in our lesson together we can follow, 05:59 let's read it together. 06:01 It says, "He Himself bore our sins in His body 06:05 on the cross, 06:06 so that free from sins, 06:09 we might live for righteousness, 06:11 by his wounds you have been healed." 06:13 Amen. 06:15 Sounds like Isaiah 53, by stripes we have been healed. 06:19 What's amazing about the New Testament writers is 06:22 that they had the constant themes 06:23 of the Old Testament writers, 06:25 in one of the prior lessons we talked about that, 06:27 the Old Testament, how it became a guiding light 06:30 and now we have the New Testament 06:31 which in fact reflects back on the things 06:33 that were hidden in the old had been revealed in the new, 06:37 and the things that have been revealed in the new 06:38 were forecast or prognosticated in the old. 06:41 But Peter now unfolds these motivations 06:43 and I'd like to... 06:45 I'd like to have us walk through 06:46 each one of these five passages 06:49 that are highlighted by the person that 06:51 or persons that compiled our lesson. 06:53 We'll begin with 1 Peter 1:2 and the question is, 06:58 read the following passages 06:59 and note what each reveals about salvation. 07:03 Let's start with the first one, 1 Peter 1:2. 07:05 Who has that for us? 07:06 Anybody has that... 07:08 Jill, would you read that for us? 07:09 "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God 07:11 the Father in sanctification of the Spirit, 07:14 for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ: 07:17 Grace to you and peace be multiplied." 07:19 Okay, now the part I want to emphasize is, 07:22 "The foreknowledge of God". 07:24 Now there is knowledge and there is foreknowledge. 07:27 I always treat foreknowledge this way, 07:29 just say you're standing on the 30th storey in a building, 07:32 you're on the 30th floor, 07:33 you're standing at the very extreme corner of the building 07:35 which means you can see to the west 07:37 and you can see to the south. 07:39 And you see two vehicles speeding 07:41 as they were to the intersection 07:43 and while they're driving, 07:44 you see someone come and remove the stop signs 07:48 and you think, "I know exactly what's gonna happen, 07:50 I didn't set anything in motion but I know exactly, 07:52 I know it's gonna happen." 07:54 Now they have knowledge that there's an intersection coming 07:56 but God has foreknowledge 07:58 as to what's going to occur if one of them doesn't stop. 08:02 And so the foreknowledge of God says, 08:04 "Before the events of humanity unfold, 08:08 I have looked into the past and seen, 08:10 I looked to the future and see." 08:13 He is the eyes of the church, He's the head of the church, 08:16 He hears for us, He sees for us, 08:19 He thinks for us, He speaks for us. 08:22 When you think about the cross, 08:23 it wasn't Jesus' mind that failed Him, 08:25 it was the body that failed Him. 08:26 You're right. 08:28 And so, when Paul, 08:29 when the Apostle Peter sees this, 08:30 he says a number of things, 08:32 one, we have to trust in the foreknowledge of God. 08:35 And the foreknowledge of God, 08:37 He allows to be revealed briefly in His word. 08:40 He only reveals those things 08:42 that He sees is necessary for our salvation. 08:44 Now here is where the danger comes in 08:46 and Peter talks about this. 08:48 When someone tries to explain something 08:50 that the Lord has not revealed, 08:53 we're going down the wrong path. 08:54 Absolutely. 08:56 He says the secret things belong to the Lord. 08:58 But the things that are revealed 08:59 belong to us and to our children. 09:01 Often the apostasies of the church go through is 09:04 when people ask questions that are not, 09:06 the answers are not revealed in the word. 09:08 For example somebody sent me a letter, 09:11 "What are we gonna eat in heaven other than fruits?" 09:14 And I responded back 09:16 and they got upset at my response. 09:17 I said, "The Bible has not revealed that knowledge to us, 09:21 but I'm sure that you will not be disappointed 09:23 when you get there." 09:24 They said, "Well, why can't you answer my question?" 09:26 I said, "Because God didn't see it necessary to say, 09:28 whether they're gonna be Vega-Links or, you know, 09:31 Big Franks." 09:33 I believe there is gonna be butter for our corn though. 09:37 But there are some people, you know, the other one, 09:39 "What was Adam's race?" 09:41 Human race, he was the father of all of us. 09:44 We've all come from one father, different mothers, you know, 09:48 "Was Jesus black, white, was He Asian, was He Hispanic?" 09:51 Well, where He's from in the world 09:53 he couldn't be European, 09:54 all these unnecessary questions. 09:56 From one blood came all nations. 09:59 And so we have to trust the sanctification 10:01 that comes through the work of the Spirit of God. 10:03 You've to trust God's foreknowledge 10:05 and the other thing 1 Peter 1:8-9, who has that? 10:08 Let's go to 1 Peter 1:8-9. 10:10 Let's try to get through the other components 10:12 that he brings out so classically here. 10:14 Do you have that, Shelly? Yes. 10:15 "Whom having not seen, you love," speaking of Christ, 10:19 "Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, 10:21 you rejoice with joy inexpressible 10:24 and full of glory, 10:26 receiving the end or the goal of your faith, 10:29 which is the salvation of your souls." 10:31 What Peter is saying here is belief is possible 10:33 even in the absence of a visible God. 10:35 Right, amen. 10:36 He's saying to the New Testament church, 10:38 "I'm preaching to you about somebody you haven't seen, 10:39 but I have. 10:42 And I am sharing this with inexpressible joy 10:45 and I'm full of the glory that I have experienced." 10:49 Even though we may, even though we do not see the Christ, 10:52 Paul is saying we could rejoice and the end result of that 10:56 or the goal of our faith, thank you for saying that 10:58 because the end result here was the goal of our faith. 10:59 Amen. 11:01 "The goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls." 11:04 So belief leads to an expression of joy 11:08 and a revelation of God's glory. 11:10 But if you don't believe, 11:11 then skepticism comes as it scoffers, 11:15 skepticism comes, but then he also says, 11:17 "Continuous faith results in the salvation of our souls." 11:21 Have to keep trusting. Let's go to the next one. 11:23 1 Peter 1:18-19, Pastor Tom, can you read that one for us? 11:28 1 Peter 1:18-19. 11:30 "Knowing that you were not redeemed 11:31 with corruptible things, like silver or gold, 11:34 from the aimless conduct received by tradition 11:37 from your fathers, 11:38 but with precious blood of Christ, 11:40 as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 11:45 Okay, so what is being said here is 11:47 when you think of the price of our salvation, 11:49 I mean, we have millionaires, billionaires, 11:51 we have a deficit that's in the trillions. 11:54 And we were visiting in England recently 11:56 and I asked, well, we saw the crown jewels, 11:59 they're in the Buckingham Palace, 12:00 no, no, in the... anyway, I don't remember... 12:04 Tower of London. 12:05 The Tower on London, the Tower of London. Thank you. 12:07 I saw the crown jewels and I said, 12:09 "Well, what is the cost, what is the worth of that?" 12:11 And the lady said, 12:13 "What's the deficit in America?" 12:14 And I said, "Well, it's in the trillions." 12:16 She said, "It will pay off the deficit and then some." 12:19 And I said, "Can we borrow that crown? 12:21 We'll give it back, I promise." 12:24 You see, there is no deficit in the righteousness of Jesus. 12:28 His blood is sufficient for our salvation 12:31 because it's not corruptible, 12:33 it's not gold or silver but the precious blood. 12:35 So salvation is not something purchased by temporary things. 12:39 Redemption is only possible 12:41 through the incorruptible blood of Jesus. 12:43 Amen. 12:45 And one last one I'll read at a great pace here, 12:47 2 Peter 2:22-25. 12:50 Second or first? Oh, 1 Peter 2:22-25. 12:54 "Who committed no sin, 12:56 nor was deceive found in His mouth, 12:58 who when He was reviled, did not revile in return, 13:01 when He suffered, He did not threatened, 13:04 but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously, 13:07 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, 13:11 that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness, 13:14 by whose stripes you were healed. 13:16 For you were like sheep going astray, 13:20 but have now returned to the shepherd 13:22 and overseer of your souls." 13:24 Oh, I love this whole thing. 13:26 Revival is only possible when we consider the price 13:28 that Jesus paid for us. 13:30 And notice how He did that. 13:32 He didn't take it even thought it was personal, 13:35 He did not allow the persecution 13:37 that He went through 13:38 to cause Him to change His course 13:40 because He had, His course was to save everyone of us. 13:44 And I'll leave it there because, you know, 13:47 when you think of the suffering, 13:48 and Jesus in salvation, 13:50 when you think of all things leveled against Him, 13:52 the question now is, how shall we live? 13:54 And, Mollie, that's today that you have to cover. 13:56 How should we live in light of all these things? 13:58 And looking at the themes in 1 and 2 Peter, 14:01 I was overjoyed 14:02 when I receive this to look into, 14:06 how should we live? 14:08 And one of the things that Peter returns 14:11 to how should we live is simply, 14:14 how should we live godly in Christ Jesus? 14:18 And 2 Peter 3:11, he states it like this, 14:24 "Since all these things 14:27 are to be dissolved in this way, 14:30 what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives," 14:34 and he says it, "Of holiness and godliness." 14:38 Now, prerequisite to this, 14:41 "Since all these things 14:42 are to be dissolved in this way." 14:44 What is he talking about? 14:46 Everything you see, everything that exists, 14:49 Pastor, can we say that 14:51 everything is going to be dissolved, 14:53 that everything... 14:55 When you live in this beautiful home 14:59 and you're so proud of this home, 15:01 look at that home because in that day, 15:04 everything you see around you is going to be destroyed, 15:08 it's going to be burned with fire, 15:10 it's going to be dissolved. 15:11 The only thing that you can take into the presence 15:15 of all mighty God is what? 15:16 And we say this so often here at 3ABN is the character. 15:21 So he says here, 15:24 "Taking into account 15:25 that everything that you hold dear right now 15:28 is going to be dissolved. 15:30 What sort of person ought you to be in leading lives of?" 15:34 And he says it, "Godliness, holiness, and godliness." 15:39 Amen. 15:40 And that's just described in plain old Christian decorum. 15:44 Now let me read to you Hebrews 12:14. 15:48 Hebrews 12:14 says, "Pursue peace with all people, 15:54 and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." 16:00 Amen. 16:01 Without holiness no one will see the Lord. 16:04 And without that perfected character 16:08 you have nothing to take 16:09 into the presence of almighty God. 16:12 So we can't be shortsighted. 16:15 This isn't all there is. 16:17 We must use this day, this time 16:21 that we have on this side of eternity 16:23 to prepare ourselves for the other side of eternity. 16:29 Holiness and godliness, those aren't scary words. 16:33 When writing the dress code 16:37 for the ladies at 3ABN, 16:41 I wanted to read you a portion of that, 16:44 it goes something like this, 16:45 actually it doesn't go something like this, 16:47 it goes exactly like this 16:49 because I copied it out of the dress code. 16:53 "Although," I tell the ladies 16:55 "We want our working environment 16:56 to be friendly and comfortable. 16:59 We must never forget that we are a Christian organization 17:04 and therefore must reflect godly decorum." 17:08 What's decorum? 17:09 It's just the way we conduct our lives, 17:11 just our daily living. 17:13 "And Christian modesty not just every now and then 17:16 but at all times." 17:18 Just live godly in Christ Jesus. 17:21 I will never have to go to any of the ladies 17:24 and tell them, "You are dressed inappropriately for work." 17:28 If they will just dressed with Christian modesty, 17:32 just that common sense, modesty and Christian decorum. 17:38 In 1 Peter, go to 1 Peter now, the first chapter, 17:42 we're going to look just at verses 15 and 16. 17:47 "But as He who called you is..." 17:50 What's that word? Holy. 17:52 "Holy, you also be holy in..." 17:55 How much of your conduct? 17:57 In all of your conduct, you've got to be holy, 18:00 "Because it is written: "Be ye holy, for I am holy."' 18:03 Now, let me ask you this because that word holy, 18:06 Pastor Lomacang, it just scares people 18:09 and I hear it and I say, I just can't do it, 18:11 so they just give up? 18:12 No, holy doesn't mean that you don't ever make mistakes. 18:16 Exactly. Or that you don't ever mess up. 18:18 Now does it? 18:20 Because if it did none of us would qualify, 18:22 that's just a fact. 18:24 Holiness means that we are dedicated 18:28 and consecrated to God. 18:30 I dedicate my life, "Lord I give myself to you. 18:33 I commit myself to you." 18:35 And I just know every time I teach, I use the scripture, 18:39 I didn't even put it in my notes thinking 18:41 I wouldn't use it this time but it's 1 John 1:9. 18:45 We just, oh, we just have to go back to that. 18:48 Oh, we want to be holy, of course we do. 18:51 We all want to be conformed 18:52 to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. 18:54 We want holiness and godliness working within us. 18:58 But if we sin, if we sin, 19:02 well, let's take the if out, what word do I put in there? 19:05 When. When we sin. 19:07 When we sinned, thank God 19:09 that we have the advocate with the Father, 19:11 we have the advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ 19:14 and we confess our sins and He's faithful 19:17 and just to forgives us and to cleanse us, 19:19 and then we stand before God with clean hands 19:22 and a pure heart once again. 19:25 So that's what He's calling us to do. 19:27 Verse 17 now that's 1 Peter 1:17, 19:31 "And if you call on the Father 19:34 who without partiality judges according to each one's work." 19:39 Yes, you are going to stand before the Father, 19:42 and yes, there is a judgment day, 19:45 "Conduct yourselves 19:47 through out the time of your stay here in fear." 19:52 So what he's saying is 19:53 as long as you're alive here on this earth 19:57 conduct your life, 19:58 that word fear doesn't mean scared. 20:01 What does it mean? 20:02 Just in reverence to God. Amen. 20:04 Oh, just be willing and obedient children. 20:08 And then he says in 1 Peter 2:1, 20:12 "He gives us attributes of one 20:16 who is living a holy life, one who has..." 20:19 And can I ask you this? 20:21 Have you dedicated your life to the Lord? 20:23 Have you said, "Oh God, look at all my imperfections, 20:27 help Lord, help." 20:29 You know, that's all you'll have to say to the Lord. 20:31 We cannot overcome in our own abilities, 20:33 not the most holy person, you know, 20:38 isn't perfected in every area. 20:39 That's right. 20:41 And though, and they haven't got to where 20:42 they are now in their own strength, 20:45 except for the work 20:46 of the Holy Spirit in their lives, 20:49 they have no hope just as, 20:51 we all have to depend on God, 20:53 by the power of His Spirit to draw us 20:55 out of darkness and into light. 20:58 Let's read 1 Peter 2:1 "Therefore, laying aside..." 21:02 Who does the laying aside? We do. 21:05 See, we are actively involved but when, it says, 21:09 "All malice, all deceit, all hypocrisies, 21:12 envy, and evil speaking." 21:14 And I'm going to touch on this evil speaking. 21:16 But let's choose that word deceit, 21:18 let's say, what was deceit, 21:20 that would be like lying, Shelley. 21:22 So, let's say you have this strong propensity to lie, 21:25 and you have said, "God, I am not gonna lie anymore." 21:28 And you know what you find yourself doing? 21:31 You tell a lie, and you say, 21:33 "Oh, I said, I was never going to do that again." 21:36 Do you know, in your own strength 21:38 and in your own ability, you cannot. 21:41 But if you come before the Lord, 21:42 this dedication and consecration 21:44 I'm talking about, and you say to God, 21:47 "God I don't want to lie, 21:49 I don't want to be a liar, I don't want to be a deceiver. 21:52 But God, I'm trying and I'm doing it anyway, 21:56 oh God, would you help me?" 21:58 You know what He's gonna say? 21:59 He's gonna say, "Oh yes, I would love to help you. 22:02 I will help you." 22:03 And now I'm going to show you how He does it, 22:06 the other portion was, and I believe it said, 22:09 evil speaking, yeah, evil speaking. 22:13 In that process of laying aside, 22:15 that's that sanctification process. 22:18 Laying aside, all of these things 22:20 and I wanted to touch on James 3:6. 22:24 Go to James 3:6, it says, 22:26 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, 22:29 the tongue is so set among our members, 22:32 that it defiles the whole body, 22:34 and sets on fire the course of nature, 22:38 and it is set on fire by hell." 22:41 And so we are not to do... 22:43 to allow evil speaking, Ephesians says, 22:46 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, 22:50 but that which is good, good to the use of edifying 22:54 that it may minister grace to the hearers." 22:56 So this tongue, it's a little member, 22:59 but it's set on fire of hell, 23:01 and so we don't want evil speaking 23:03 to proceed out of our mouth, we don't want to lie. 23:06 So here is what we can do. 23:08 We can pray and ask God to put a guard over our mouth. 23:13 That would be Proverbs 13:13, 23:17 "He who guards his mouth preserves his life, 23:20 but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction." 23:24 And so we are going to ask God, 23:26 by the power of His Spirit to put a guard 23:29 over our mouth and what He will do, 23:31 I promise you He will do this. 23:33 When you start to lie, 23:34 when you start to do evil speaking, 23:36 hypocrisies, malice, all of these things, 23:39 He will quicken you by the power of your spirit 23:41 and you will know that He is... 23:44 the Holy Spirit is quickening you 23:45 not to tell that lie, not to, 23:48 not to let that evil speaking come out of you. 23:50 Now you can do one of two things, 23:52 you can be obedient to the spirit 23:54 and shut your mouth or you can override the spirit 23:58 and go ahead and sin against God. 24:01 But it's in your court and we want to live godly 24:06 and holy lives everyone of us. 24:08 Amen. 24:10 Shut your mouth. 24:12 That's too cute. 24:14 You know, I have choose this lesson 24:15 and it's hope in the second coming 24:17 and it's interesting 24:19 that out of the five scriptures that are listed, 24:22 that four of them are on judgment and hellfire 24:27 and it's just the first one that's about hope. 24:29 But there are three 24:31 that are particularly about judgment, 24:32 1 Peter 1:17, where God is the judge, 24:35 1 Peter 4, 5 and 6 Christ is the judge, 24:38 and 1 Peter 4:17, that judgment begins with the church. 24:43 So, I'm looking and I'm thinking, 24:45 "How is this all, why is it titled, 24:47 Hope in the Second Coming?" 24:49 And here's the conclusion that I've come to. 24:51 He begins with, and let's turn to 1 Peter 1:4, 24:54 because that's a great beginning 24:56 in 1 Peter 1:4. 24:58 The crucial issue that was facing 25:02 the church members was that they were being persecuted, 25:06 they were weary, 25:08 and he's comforting his readers right now. 25:10 Those who through faith in Christ 25:12 and through accepting the gospel 25:14 and having new birth, 25:16 that they had this promise of eternal life. 25:20 And he says in 1 Peter 1:4 that, 25:23 "We have been saved to an inheritance 25:26 incorruptible, and undefiled, 25:29 that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you." 25:33 That's a covenant promise for covenant people. 25:37 So Peter is telling them, "No matter what happens here, 25:40 your future reward is in heaven." 25:43 And hallelujah, because that's something 25:45 that we have such a difficult time with, 25:48 but now I'm going to skip the next three 25:50 that I just mentioned to you. 25:52 Turn to 2 Peter Chapter 3, because I think that 25:55 there's still a few more things 25:57 and the writer who compiled this lesson for us. 26:01 This passage, 2 Peter Chapter 3, 26:04 we're gonna see if we can get through all 10 verses. 26:08 What this does is it highlights the last judgment 26:11 in the fiery destruction of the evil. 26:14 And showing that not only can you have hope 26:17 in your eternal inheritance reserved in heaven 26:23 but you can have hope in the second coming 26:26 that God is going to destroy the wicked, 26:29 He's gonna destroy those who persecuted you. 26:32 And you know, sin is not going to rise again. 26:34 Nahum 1:9 says, right? So, hallelujah. 26:37 He says, "Beloved, I now write to you, 26:40 this second epistle, in both of which I stir up 26:43 your pure minds by way of reminder 26:45 that you may be mindful of the words, 26:47 which were spoken before by the holy prophets." 26:49 He's talking about that 26:51 more sure word of prophecy, isn't he? 26:52 That's right. Excuse me. 26:55 "And of the commandment of us..." 26:57 The commandment that the Lord, Jesus Christ 26:59 gave to the apostles to deliver and what he says, 27:06 "The apostle of the Lord and Savior." 27:08 So, he's referring to now not only the Old Testament 27:12 but portions of the New Testament 27:14 that have been written as we looked at last week 27:16 that he considers Paul's writings, 27:21 the New Testament authority as authoritative 27:23 as the Old Testament. 27:25 So verse 3, "Knowing this first, 27:27 that scoffers, mockers, will come in the last days, 27:30 walking according to their own lusts." 27:34 You know, based on the teachers of the Old Testament 27:36 and the apostles, they knew what was gonna happen 27:39 in the last days. 27:40 They knew that this was coming and what was gonna happen. 27:43 And he's warning them, "Don't be led astray." 27:46 These were sensual minded men and they didn't look forward 27:51 to the coming of Jesus that those false teachers 27:55 and they really didn't want Him to come again, 27:57 because they have to straighten up. 27:59 Verse 4, "And saying, 28:01 where is the promise of His coming, His perusal? 28:06 Where is the promise of His second coming?" 28:09 Now here they're referring, these false teachers 28:11 are thinking back on 28:12 what all that the Old Testament had to say 28:15 and what Paul's had to say, and Peter say, all right. 28:19 You know, all of these promises. 28:21 "We don't see anything that's change," 28:23 they say, "For since the fathers fell asleep..." 28:25 Referring to the sleep of death 28:27 as Jesus referred to Lazarus sleep of death 28:30 and Paul referrers to it in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 28:34 he says, "All things continue 28:36 as they were from the beginning of creation..." 28:38 And then this is what false teachers are saying, 28:41 but then here's what Peter says, 28:43 "They willfully forget, 28:45 they deliberately shut their eyes to the facts 28:47 that by the Word of God, by His powerful creative word, 28:53 the heavens were of old 28:54 and the earth standing out of water 28:56 and in the water..." 28:59 That's when God was preparing the earth 29:02 as a habitation for man 29:03 when he gathered the waters into one place. 29:06 He said, "By which the world that then existed perished 29:10 by those same waters being flooded with water." 29:14 It's, you know, some people say, 29:16 "Oh, a rain of forty days and forty nights 29:19 could not have flooded the entire earth." 29:22 But what they're missing is that, the Bible says, 29:26 "That the fountains of the deep broke open, 29:29 so, these waters are coming up, as water is coming down. 29:33 So, but here's the part that I just absolutely love. 29:38 Well, let me... 29:39 Let me go back to verse 6 first, 29:41 he says, "By which the world had been existed 29:43 being flooded with water, but the heavens, 29:47 and the earth which are now preserved. 29:50 So, by the God same word, are reserved for fire 29:55 until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 30:00 God destroyed the ungodly by turning the world 30:04 into a lake of water. 30:07 That's right. That's the first time. 30:10 But the second time, God is going to destroy 30:14 the ungodly by turning the world into a lake of fire. 30:20 The same lake of fire that Revelation 20 and 21 mentions 30:24 and this will be the second death, 30:27 the second death it's mentioned. 30:29 And we don't have time to turn there 30:31 but write these down, Revelation 2:11, 30:34 Revelation 20:6, 30:40 and Revelation 21:8, 30:43 four times in Revelation, 30:44 it talks about the second death, 30:47 this is that eternal death. 30:49 So then, everybody's saying, "Where is that like of fire? 30:52 Where is hellfire?" 30:54 It's when God comes and destroys the world 30:58 by this firestorm. 31:00 So verse 8, he says, "But beloved do not forget 31:02 this one thing that with the Lord, 31:04 one day is to as a thousand years 31:07 and a thousand years as a day." 31:08 This is not a prophetic time, time score way to keep... 31:13 He just saying that God's divine, 31:15 He does not operate on our timetable. 31:19 As a matter of fact, 31:20 there are several times in the Bible, 31:22 where it says, "Before time began, 31:25 before time began." 31:27 And now physicists have proven 31:28 that time did not begin before our world. 31:32 So God doesn't, you know, when God decrees something, 31:38 He keeps it, it happens and even though 31:42 it hasn't happened yet, we can count on it happening. 31:45 But I want to say that, we need to, 31:49 even though we are to expect any, any day 31:52 'cause we don't know, today could be my last day, 31:54 I could be hit by a Mack truck on the way home. 31:57 So, I need to live as if today is the day 32:02 that I might meet the Lord. 32:04 But even if He should delay His coming, 32:08 I am to occupy until, you know, I heard someone say 32:12 and I forget who said that that, 32:14 "When they were younger that they were told, 32:18 "Oh, maybe we shouldn't get married 32:19 and have children because Christ is coming back." 32:22 No, no, no. 32:23 God said, "Be fruitful and multiply, 32:25 go out and occupy." 32:27 So we are to go forward. 32:30 Oh, I just don't have much time, 32:31 let me, let me run down here too. 32:34 I do want to hit on verse 10, "The day of the Lord, 32:38 God's judgment on the earth, that's Christ's return, 32:40 will come as a thief in the night, 32:41 sudden and unexpected for unbelievers 32:44 in which the heavens will pass away 32:45 with the great noise roaring flames, 32:49 the elements will melt with fervent heat. 32:52 Matter is just going to dissolve 32:54 and both the earths, the earth and the works 32:57 that are in it will be burned up." 32:59 All material things that we work so hard 33:03 to obtain are going to be reduced to ashes. 33:08 So we should spend our time striving 33:11 for Christ like character, not for more possessions. 33:14 I want to read Malachi 4:1-3, 33:20 it says, "For behold the day is coming 33:22 burning like an oven and all the proud, 33:24 yea, all who do wickedly will be stubble. 33:27 The day which is coming, shall burn them up, 33:29 says the Lord of host, 33:31 it will leave them neither root nor branch." 33:34 And then in Malachi 4, 33:36 jump down a couple scriptures verse 3, 33:39 he says, "You shall trample on the wicked 33:42 for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet 33:44 on the day that I do this." 33:47 So Paul tells us, if we're Christians, 33:50 we don't have to worry about. 33:52 We should have an idea when He's coming, 33:54 that's in 1 Thessalonians 5, I believe. 33:57 But here's the point, even though God is delaying, 34:03 second return of Christ, 34:05 because He wants to give everyone 34:07 an opportunity to be saved. 34:09 His patience is not inexhaustible 34:12 and there will come in the fullness of time, 34:16 Christ will return for us. 34:18 We have an inheritance, incorruptible in heaven 34:21 and all who are wicked will be destroyed. 34:24 Amen, thank you, Shelley, thank you so much. 34:26 Pastor Tom, order in society and in the church, 34:29 as a pastor you might know something about that. 34:31 Yeah, and you know what I was just thinking about 34:34 which Shelley just shared is actually God's strange act. 34:38 Yes, it is. 34:40 He is the life giver 34:41 and the good news of the judgment like this, 34:44 is the fact that sin is done away with. 34:47 Amen. 34:49 But you know, I was thinking about this, 34:51 let's go to 1 Peter 2. 34:55 I know that throughout the quarter, 34:57 we've gone to these verses over and over. 34:59 So I want to kind of, to have us turn to that page 35:03 but also maybe look at verse 18, 2 Peter 2... 35:07 Excuse me, 1 Peter... 1 Peter or 2? 35:09 Okay. Boy, wow. 35:10 1 Peter 2 35:13 and we're gonna look at verse... 35:15 Let's start with 13. 35:18 "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man 35:20 for the Lord's sake." 35:23 You know, I decided to do a little search on government 35:27 and types of government that are out there 35:29 and then the reason for this government. 35:33 And it says here, first of all we have local government 35:36 that might be our town or city. 35:39 We have the boroughs or the villages 35:41 depending on the size of our community. 35:43 Then we have those townships and then the county 35:46 and then we have the state and the federal government. 35:50 And these are, you know, in Illinois 35:53 and they're throughout this country and in the world, 35:55 I'm sure there's different governments 35:56 that are out there. 35:58 But what is the purpose of local government? 36:02 So, I did a little Google search on that, 36:03 trying to find out what I could find. 36:05 And it says, "The peace for the peace order 36:08 and good government of their municipal districts, 36:12 peace and order." 36:15 And so government, it has a vital role in society. 36:19 Yes. 36:21 There is a purpose for it. 36:22 And as Christians I know sometimes 36:26 we have someone approaches, telling us, you know, 36:28 you don't need to be paying taxes. 36:30 You know, you can honor God, not have to pay taxes. 36:33 They are insubordinate for a government, 36:35 toward government. 36:36 But in reality the government is put in place by God, 36:41 is allowed by God and set up and established for peace 36:43 and order in society. 36:45 There are four main purposes of government, 36:47 maintenance of social order, 36:51 maintenance of social order. 36:54 Number two, providing public services 36:58 and the one thing I find is the larger the municipality 37:01 the more public services that are needed. 37:05 Also providing national protection, 37:08 government helps to protect the people. 37:12 And we also have the fourth thing, 37:14 making economic decisions 37:17 that impact all of the society at large. 37:22 Public services are also provided 37:24 by government and transportation, 37:27 transportation, education, hospitals 37:29 and public welfare 37:31 are all under the auspice of government. 37:34 So that's why it says, 37:35 if you go to verse 17 in 1 Peter 2, 37:38 it says, "Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. 37:42 Fear God. Honor the King." 37:45 Because government is, is one of the tools 37:48 that God uses to hold all things together. 37:52 Now I want to shift into 37:55 for the remaining time the mission, 37:57 the church side of this, this lesson. 38:00 And you know, the word mission really means a purpose. 38:06 Every church needs a mission, a purpose. 38:11 And you know, in the Illinois Conference 38:13 we have a mission statement because there is a focus 38:17 throughout the conference 38:18 to make healthy disciple making churches, 38:23 spiritually healthy 38:25 that are making disciple making churches. 38:28 So when we came to the, that in my district, 38:32 I approached the church 38:34 and said, "What do we want to do 38:35 for a mission statement that lines up 38:37 with the focus of the conference?" 38:39 And what we discovered is, 38:40 why not be a healthy disciple making church. 38:45 In other words, be exactly what the focus 38:47 in the conference is being as we look 38:50 at the governmental system here, 38:52 but also realizing this is about the mission 38:55 that God has for us. 38:56 I'd like us to go to what God has already commissioned 38:58 a very popular verse, let's go to Matthew 28. 39:03 But I want to point out a couple of things 39:04 in this scripture. 39:06 Matthew 28, we're going to go ahead 39:08 and look at both verses 19 and 20. 39:16 Matthew 28, begin with verse 19, 39:19 it says there go, 39:20 this is Jesus commissioning the church, 39:22 "Go therefore and make disciples." 39:24 I think a lot of times we overlook that very thing. 39:27 To be a disciple making church, go make disciples. 39:30 It's in line with a very great commission 39:32 that God has given us, disciples of whom? 39:34 Of Jesus. Amen. 39:36 "Of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, 39:39 the Son and the Holy Ghost, 39:41 teaching them to observe all things 39:43 that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always 39:45 even to the end of the age." 39:47 You want to think about the goal. 39:49 You know, what was it? What does this ministry say? 39:51 The blessing is on the go. 39:54 You know, do you realize what the word go is, 39:56 it's referencing ministry of presence and compassion. 40:01 Say that again. 40:02 Ministry of presence and compassion. 40:04 Be there for the people, be compassionate. 40:07 And that's not only in the church 40:09 but that's to those that are unchurched. 40:11 For instance, if your church disappeared 40:13 with the community notice, 40:16 that is something I think every church 40:18 needs to ask themselves. 40:19 If we weren't here, would anybody ever really care? 40:23 Are we going for Jesus? 40:24 Baptizing is actually the ministry of soul winning. 40:28 It is important that that's infusion of life 40:30 in the church. 40:32 So Christ is saying to baptize them. 40:35 Then the third thing I want to point out is teach, 40:38 that's the ministry of nurture and spiritual growth. 40:41 That is something that must be in the churches 40:45 is all three aspects, going, baptizing and instructing, 40:49 and nurturing, and this is how we grow 40:52 healthy disciple making churches. 40:54 You know, I've been focusing on this 40:56 and trying to wrap my mind around this 40:58 'cause I think pastors throughout 40:59 the Illinois Conference are having to rethink 41:01 how we minister and how we can actually 41:04 put into practice the mission statement. 41:07 And one of the things that I find myself going to is, 41:10 these quick start guides. 41:12 We have, I think I counted 46 different ministry 41:17 titles in the church. 41:18 You know, from elder, deacon, deacon, 41:20 all those different titles. 41:22 Yeah, it could be a webmaster, 41:23 it could be any kind of ministry 41:25 that's out there that we have quick start guides for. 41:28 Now it sounds kind of, I don't know Germaine 41:30 or something to be quick start guide 41:32 but wow, I want to point out some of the things, 41:34 this is the greeter ministry. 41:37 You know, I have come across Christians 41:38 that have intentionally visited, 41:40 they were leaders, they have intentionally visited 41:41 other churches to see how they would be treated. 41:45 Doesn't matter, you know, how fancy the message is 41:47 and the rest of it, but how are they been treated. 41:49 They come in, go through the whole services 41:51 and leave and no one even said hello. 41:54 The greeter might have handed them a bulletin 41:57 and nodded and said, "Hi," and that was it, 41:59 but they were just doing a job. 42:01 Do you realize that the, 42:03 I think one of the most important ministries 42:05 in the church is the Greeter ministry. 42:06 Yeah. 42:08 Because you are the face of the church, 42:09 you're the first one they meet. 42:12 I don't have a lot of time but I'm going to share 42:14 a couple of things out of here. 42:16 I really believe and I'm gonna constantly tell 42:18 the members this, 42:20 that you don't have a position of the church, 42:21 you have a ministry, you're on a ministry team 42:24 and you have a ministry. 42:25 There are different types of guests 42:27 that come to our churches, the unchurched, 42:29 people from other church denominations, 42:31 Adventists who attend occasionally 42:32 but very seldom. 42:34 Adventists from our own town or other local, out of town, 42:37 people brought to our church by friends, 42:39 relatives or acquaintances. 42:40 Each group has its own expectations, 42:43 fears and preconceived ideas. 42:46 So here's the greeters ministry is really looking like 42:49 something that's vital for the church. 42:51 If you're a team leader of the greeter ministry, 42:54 host the fellowship meal, brainstorm, 42:57 have a brainstorming session, 42:58 hold a training session for greeters, 43:00 plan troubleshooting sessions, discuss types of greetings 43:04 that are appropriate for your community 43:06 and have time to celebrate, recruit new church members, 43:09 develop training, recruiting. 43:10 Every ministry in the church, 43:12 we've got a ministry training guide. 43:14 And it really has assumes that everyone 43:17 is part of a ministry team and we need to see ourselves 43:20 as a small group ministry team and I believe, 43:23 this is what God is calling His church to. 43:27 And if you haven't used the quick start guides, 43:29 it's Advent source, is where you can acquire these 43:33 probably at the Adventist book center. 43:35 But Advent source is where you can actually, 43:37 I believe, see these online, 43:40 you can actually download the different... 43:41 If you are in certain, 43:43 if you're a personal ministries leader, 43:44 you can download the personal ministries. 43:46 But I remember real quickly, I was in the Marion church 43:49 and it was between the services 43:51 and I came out to my car to put my quarterly in it, 43:54 so I didn't forget it in the church like 43:56 I've done to many times. 43:58 I see a man sitting in his car 44:00 with his window down right next to my car. 44:02 The Lord brought me to that point. 44:04 He lived about 40 miles from the church, 44:07 he's not churched, 44:08 had been listening or watching 3ABN 44:11 for a number of years. 44:13 And he came to the church because he has cancer 44:17 and he's very ill, and he wanted to come inside 44:19 but wasn't sure, if he had the courage to do it. 44:23 And I went into the church 44:24 after having a conversation with him 44:26 because I said, "I'll be praying for you, brother, 44:27 I would love to see you inside," 44:29 I said, "I've got to go in and I'll love to see you." 44:32 When I went in, the greeters, I told them, 44:35 there's a man out there, they went out and met him. 44:38 Oh, precious. And invited him in. 44:40 And I want you, you know, in this particular situation, 44:42 this man did not end up entering 44:44 and I ended up trying to contact him later. 44:47 But there are souls that come into our parking lot, 44:49 that need to be ministered to by those 44:51 that are the face of the church. 44:53 Amen. Very good, Pastor Tom. 44:55 Very good, I like the direction you took that lesson, 44:58 the order of the church is important, 44:59 how we treat each other at the local level 45:02 and the first point of contact, the greeter ministry, 45:04 thank you for that. 45:05 Jill, the primacy of scripture. Absolutely. 45:09 I was thinking as you were talking, Pastor Tom. 45:11 God calls each one of us as church members, 45:14 no matter what our position 45:15 to ministry, to outreach, to evangelize 45:18 and we can't do any of that without the Word of God. 45:20 So, as you mentioned, Pastor John, 45:22 it is the primacy of scripture. 45:24 And what we're looking at today 45:26 is really what should be the role of scripture 45:28 in our lives and in our faith. 45:30 Well, look at a couple scriptures, 45:33 let's turn to 2 Peter. 45:35 I'm in Matthew right now, let me get back to 2 Peter. 45:38 2 Peter 3:2. 45:44 Well, I guess, we'll start with verse 1, 45:46 "Beloved I now write to you, the second epistle in both 45:49 of which I stir up your pure minds 45:51 by way of remembrance." 45:53 Verse 2, "That you may be mindful of the words 45:57 which were spoken before." 46:00 A pause just a moment there, mindful literally means 46:03 to bring to remembrance, to purposely remind oneself. 46:09 I remember, when I was 18 is when I left home, 46:14 raised in a godly Christian home, 46:16 praise the Lord for my parents. 46:18 And at the age of 18, I left home 46:20 500 miles away to go to college. 46:22 And I remember my mom and dad sitting me down 46:25 in the living room before we made this journey 46:28 and they said, "Remember, Jill, wherever you go, 46:32 whatever you do, you carry the family name 46:36 and you carry the name of Christ." 46:41 And so we are to remember, as I was at school 46:45 that counsel came back to my remembrance, 46:49 I thought, "Be careful what you say, 46:52 what you do, how you act, you are carrying 46:55 the family name to other people." 46:58 And you know, as Christians, 47:00 we carry the name of Christ to other people. 47:05 So carry in remembrance. 47:08 Be mindful of the words, to think back, 47:11 remember what we have learned in scripture. 47:13 "Be mindful of the words which were spoken before 47:15 by the holy prophets and of the commandments of us, 47:19 the Apostles of the Lord and Savior." 47:22 So, Shelley, you mentioned this, 47:23 two different things he is reminding them of, 47:26 remember the words for the prophets 47:28 which would be the Old Testament 47:30 as you mentioned and as the apostles 47:32 which is the New Testament. 47:34 Read the scriptures as a source of doctrinal 47:38 and moral authority. 47:40 And we are to keep in mind, remember what we learned. 47:44 Let's turn to Deuteronomy 11, when I think of keeping in mind 47:48 and remembering what we learned, 47:49 I think of this passage. 47:51 Deuteronomy 11, we'll read verses 18 and 19. 47:58 Does anybody have that Deuteronomy 11? 48:02 "Therefore you shall lay up these words of my in your heart 48:05 and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, 48:09 and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 48:12 You shall teach them to your children speaking of them 48:15 when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, 48:17 when you lie down, and when you rise up 48:20 and you shall ride them on the doorpost of your house 48:23 and on your gates." 48:25 Amen, so, we are to read the scriptures 48:26 as a source of doctrinal authority 48:29 and moral authority. 48:30 But we are to call to remembrance, 48:33 every day, throughout the day what we have read, 48:37 what we have learned in the Word of God. 48:40 And if you're a parent, 48:41 to bring it before your children often. 48:45 The second scripture we're going to look at 48:47 in 2 Peter is 2 Peter, we're still in 2 Peter 3, 48:50 let's go back to 2 Peter 3. 48:52 We're going to look at verses 15 and 16. 48:57 And we read this on our previous lesson, 49:00 verse 14 says, 49:01 "Beloved looking forward to these things, 49:03 be diligent, to be found by him in peace 49:06 without spot and blameless. 49:08 And consider that the long suffering 49:11 of our Lord is salvation. 49:15 As also our beloved brother Paul, 49:17 according to the wisdom given to him has written to you. 49:20 As also in all his epistles 49:21 speaking in them of these things 49:23 and which are some things hard to understand. 49:26 Which untaught and unstable people 49:28 twist to their own destruction, 49:31 as they do also the rest of the scriptures?" 49:34 That word twist is to twist or pervert language 49:38 and it literally refers 49:40 to an instrument of rack or torture like, 49:42 you would imagine the inquisition 49:45 and they did that, 49:47 that torture to twist scripture. 49:48 So the second point is to be careful 49:50 how you interpret scripture, 49:52 be careful not to take the scripture 49:54 and to twist it to our own opinions, 49:57 our own thoughts to study the Word of God, 50:00 and say, "I'm going to prove my brother wrong. 50:02 So I'm going to study with my own presupposition." 50:05 No, instead of that. Right. 50:06 We are to go over the Word of God 50:08 with an open mind, with an open heart, 50:11 with prayer inviting the Holy Spirit 50:13 as we study the Word of God, 50:15 comparing scripture with scripture, 50:16 Isaiah 8:20, "To the law and to the testimony: 50:19 if they speak not according to this word, 50:21 it is because there is no light in them." 50:24 So compare scripture with scripture, 50:26 study scripture in context 50:28 and always keep Jesus as the center of our study. 50:34 And as we talk about keeping Jesus as the center, 50:36 we're going to go to 1 Peter 1. 50:40 1 Peter 1:10-12. 50:45 You have that, Pastor Tom? Sure. 50:47 1 Peter 1:10, 50:48 "Of this salvation, the prophets have enquired 50:51 and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace 50:55 that should come unto you: Searching what, 50:58 or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ 51:01 who was in them was indicating, 51:04 when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, 51:08 and the glories that would follow. 51:10 To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, 51:14 but to us they were ministering the things, 51:17 which now have been reported to you 51:20 through those who have preached the gospel to you 51:23 by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, 51:25 things which angels desire to look into." 51:29 Amen, verse 11 says, 51:30 "The Spirit of Christ testifies," what? 51:33 "Of the sufferings of Christ 51:35 and the glories that would follow." 51:37 As we study the center of all scripture is salvation 51:41 by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. 51:43 It is salvation by grace through faith. 51:46 The center of scripture is Jesus and the glories 51:49 that are coming here after that He has laid up 51:52 or prepared for those who love Him. 51:54 So, as we study scripture, keep the focus on Jesus. 51:59 Now the center of all scripture is Jesus, 52:02 but you can study scripture 52:03 and as we mentioned the previous point twisted 52:06 or rest it for your own opinion 52:08 instead of keeping Jesus as the center. 52:10 I remember, I went through a period in my life where, 52:15 I did not keep Jesus, is just being candid with you 52:18 and with you at home, I did not keep Jesus 52:21 as the center of my walk, as the center of my life 52:25 and I became focused on externals... 52:30 Yes. 52:31 Focused on lifestyle which God calls us 52:35 to live godly in Christ Jesus, God calls us. 52:38 And in Peter, you see that, we call it Peter's ladder, 52:42 the graces, the virtues that we are to exhibit 52:45 as sons and daughters of God. 52:47 So that is biblical but I was putting the cart 52:50 before the horse as it were 52:52 and I was thinking of my own strength 52:55 and my own power, 52:56 somehow I had to become righteous, 52:59 I had to do all of these things in order to earn salvation. 53:03 How did that work for you? 53:04 It didn't work. 53:06 I was discouraged 53:07 and I thought I'm never gonna make it 53:09 and so then you want to throw in the towel, right? 53:12 Okay, if I'm never gonna make it, 53:14 I might as well... 53:15 Go out and live it up because I can't... 53:17 I can't make it, so when I found Jesus, 53:22 when I found Jesus in the scriptures 53:24 and I discovered Jesus for myself, 53:27 it made all the difference knowing that it is God 53:29 who works in us both to will 53:31 and to do of His good prayer of pleasure. 53:34 The last scripture, I think we have time 53:36 for the last one in 2 Peter 1. 53:40 2 Peter 1:16-20. 53:45 We won't read the whole passage, 53:46 we've read this in the past verse 16, 53:48 he says, "We don't follow cunningly 53:49 the wise fables." 53:51 "But we're eyewitnesses of His Majesty." 53:54 But then, verse 19, King James says, 53:57 "We also have the more sure word of prophecy." 54:00 And not only it's saying that 54:02 the Word of God trumps even our experience. 54:06 Now we can say, "Oh, I experienced this, 54:09 so I feel therefore this is," so, any experience we have, 54:14 we have to take that back to the Word of God. 54:16 And if it does not line up with the Word of God, 54:18 we have to cast that aside. 54:20 Amen. 54:22 So as we come to the end of our study of 2 Peter. 54:27 I want to encourage you to get into the Word of God, 54:29 study God's Word. 54:31 Open it up every morning, spend time with Jesus, 54:35 find out who He is for yourself. 54:38 You may never have experienced Jesus. 54:40 You may never have accepted Him into your life 54:42 as your personal Savior. 54:44 We want to appeal to you, choose Jesus, 54:47 ask Him into your heart and study His word 54:50 and watch the transformation 54:52 that He wants to do in your life. 54:55 Wow. Well, Praise the Lord. Thank you, Jill. 54:57 Thank you, Pastor Tom, Shelley and Mollie. 54:59 We have a little bit more time on our at the closing 55:02 out of this lesson and this study of... 55:04 Of the Feed My Sheep portion of first and second epistle 55:07 of Peter has been a blessing, has it not? 55:09 Oh, yes. 55:10 And would like to let you know that 55:12 we're going to be looking forward 55:13 to having you come back again, 55:15 as we look at the next quarter's lessons 55:18 which is the gospel of Galatians. 55:20 What a book! 55:21 Galatians and Romans, those are books 55:24 that have been wrestled with, 55:26 as we just found out to some people's destruction. 55:31 It deals a lot about the things that were very well known 55:34 to the culture of the Jews in their days, 55:36 the laws versus 55:38 the ceremonial laws versus the moral laws. 55:40 And we're gonna be talking about that 55:41 in our next quarter's lessons. 55:43 But I want to give each of you an opportunity 55:44 because Mollie, when you, when you delve 55:46 into your lesson study, 55:48 might be a few seconds here or... 55:50 kind of summarize what you want the viewers 55:52 and listeners of this lesson study to remember. 55:56 For over the last 13 weeks, 56:00 the thing that I would want to hope 56:03 that everybody caught and I think everyone of you 56:05 have said this at one time or another is the power of God 56:09 to change your life. 56:11 We look at Peter, impetuous Peter, 56:14 when we first meet him and then Peter, 56:17 who isn't even willing to die the same way that Christ died. 56:21 He wanted to be crucified upside down 56:24 because he didn't feel like he was worthy 56:27 to be crucified in the same manner as Christ. 56:29 What a change the power of God can effect upon a person. 56:34 If He can do it for Peter, 56:36 He can do it for every one of us. 56:37 That's right. Shelley? 56:38 Now what I think of this 1 Peter 1:18, 56:41 that, we were not bought 56:43 or redeemed with corruptible things, 56:45 but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ 56:49 and you are worth nothing less 56:51 than the price God paid for you, 56:53 to redeem you from sin. 56:55 He used His own Son's life blood. 56:58 But the other scripture that is my favorite 57:01 in Peter's writings is in 2 Peter 1:3-4, 57:07 that says, "His divine power has given to us 57:09 all things for life and godliness," 57:13 and then he says, 57:14 "That He has given us His exceedingly great 57:17 and precious promises." 57:19 So that through the power of these promises, 57:21 through His Word, we can escape the corruption 57:24 that's in the world for blessed 57:26 and actually be partakers of His divine nature. 57:32 Pastor Tom, ten seconds. 57:35 To watch Peter go from the one that need 57:37 to be instructed to the one who before his death 57:39 was instructing others was nothing less than 57:41 short of than the power of God in his life 57:44 and that it can be true for you as well. 57:46 That's right. Jill? 57:47 1 Peter 1:22, "Live the truth, obey the truth 57:50 and reach out and love toward other people." 57:52 Amen. Wow. 57:53 If the Lord can change Peter, what can He do for us? 57:55 Amen. 57:57 Our encouragement is not that we're telling you what to do, 57:58 but that you will follow the example of Jesus, 58:00 so that one day we will all see what we can all be in Christ. 58:04 Until that time, God bless you, till we see you again. 58:08 Amen. Amen. |
Revised 2024-06-10