Participants: Shelley Quinn (Host), Jill Morikone, Pr. C.A. Murray, Pr. John Dinzey, Pr. Tom Ferguson
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP000038A
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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 00:10 the implanted Word, 00:11 which is able to save your souls. 00:14 And to be diligent to present yourself 00:16 approved to God 00:17 rightly dividing the Word of truth." 00:20 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:25 Our study today is the Gospel of Galatians. 00:32 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn, 00:34 and we are so glad that you are joining us 00:37 for Sabbath School Panel this week, 00:39 and I believe that you are going to enjoy this study 00:42 because we've got a great panel of wonderful friends 00:46 and brothers and sisters in the Lord, 00:48 but before I introduce them, I just want to welcome you. 00:51 Hope you have the Bible and your pen, 00:54 and I hope you already have a Sabbath School quarterly. 00:59 You know, even if this is your first time to tune in 01:03 and if you don't have one of these, 01:05 even though we are at the end, 01:08 nearly we've got just three more lessons, 01:10 or two more lessons to do. 01:12 But I want to encourage you 01:14 to get this Sabbath School quarterly 01:17 because we are studying the gospel, 01:19 the good news in Galatians of salvation 01:22 by grace through Jesus Christ. 01:24 So if you want to get this, 01:27 if you haven't gone to your Seventh-day Adventist church 01:30 or a local church to get one, 01:31 you can go to ABSG, Adult Bible Study Guide, 01:37 ABSG.Adventist.org and download that, 01:42 so you can follow along today 01:45 and throughout the remainder of the study. 01:47 Let me introduce without further ado 01:50 our wonderful panel. 01:51 Next to me, I have Pastor Johnny Dinzey. 01:54 We're so glad you're with us, Johnny. 01:55 Thank you. 01:56 It's a great pleasure to be here. 01:58 Then Sister Jill Morikone, 02:00 I started to say Sister Jill Quinn, 02:02 I don't know where that came from. 02:04 I received that. 02:05 I think it's a blessing to be here. 02:07 And then we have Pastor Tom Ferguson. 02:09 Hi. 02:10 And Pastor CA Murray 02:12 who I'm going to ask to open in prayer, please. 02:15 Glad to do so, shall we pray? 02:16 Father God, how we thank You for Your Word 02:19 which is a lamp unto our feet 02:21 and a light unto our path. 02:23 We thank You, Father, that we can know Your Word, 02:26 and understand Your Word, 02:27 and put Your Word into practice 02:29 and that in doing so, we are made like Christ Jesus. 02:34 We receive Him into our hearts, 02:36 and that the power of the Word can convict and convert us. 02:40 Thank you, Father, for this study 02:42 in the Book of Galatians 02:44 so that we can see Paul's burden for his church 02:48 and we can see Your burden for Your church. 02:52 And we are convicted once again 02:55 that we are Your people and You are our God. 02:57 Bless us, Father, as we study. 02:59 Bless us as we open this Word. 03:01 May Christ be seen and glorified, 03:03 and we thank You, dear Father, in Jesus' name, amen. 03:06 Amen. Amen and Amen. 03:08 Okay, so we are on lesson number 13, 03:10 the gospel and the church. 03:13 And in the opening here for Sabbath, 03:18 it's talking about an article 03:20 from the International Student Fellowship newsletter 03:23 from March 2007. 03:25 And basically it's telling the story 03:27 of some vegetable farmers 03:28 who as they are producing their crops, 03:32 they were keeping the biggest vegetables for themselves, 03:34 and they were planting the smaller ones 03:36 using those for seeds. 03:38 And what happened after a few disappointing harvests, 03:41 they found out that their crops 03:43 just kept getting smaller, and smaller, and smaller. 03:46 So the important lesson, it's a life lesson, 03:50 a law of life 03:51 is that the harvest reflects the planting. 03:54 If we selfishly hold on to the big things for ourselves 03:59 and we only plant the little things, 04:02 we're going to be disappointed 04:03 because it'll be a poor spiritual harvest. 04:06 In a similar vein, we're going to get to our memory text here, 04:10 so be prepared. 04:12 But what Paul is showing us 04:14 is similar to this in Galatians 6:1-10. 04:17 He's saying, "You reap what you sow. 04:19 You sow to the flesh, reap corruption. 04:22 Sow to the spirit, you're going to reap everlasting life." 04:25 And he's saying, "Don't get weary in doing good to others 04:29 because even if they don't seem to appreciate it, 04:33 you will reap the spiritual harvest." 04:36 So our memory text is Galatians 6:10. 04:39 Let's say that together. 04:40 "So then, as we have opportunity, 04:44 let us do good to everyone, 04:47 and especially to those 04:49 who are of the household of faith." 04:52 Amen. 04:53 So here he's not seeking justification by works 04:57 but living a life of abundance that God has planned for us. 05:03 We want to turn to Sunday's lesson now, 05:07 "Restoring the Falling". 05:09 And I'm going to begin with Galatians 5. 05:13 It would be helpful to be turned there, 05:14 Galatians 5:16. 05:18 Paul says, "I say then, 'Walk in the Spirit 05:22 and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." 05:28 There are two natures within every human, 05:32 every Christian I should say. 05:34 Every Christian has a nature that's the old selfish nature 05:39 that we want to please ourself, 05:42 and then there is the born-again spiritual nature. 05:46 Day by day we have to make 05:48 a constant, deliberate decision 05:52 to surrender control of our lives to God 05:54 because as we do that, 05:57 we studied last time 05:58 that the Holy Spirit, when he is in control, 06:01 he will produce the fruit of the Spirit. 06:07 And this is the only way 06:08 that we can conquer our self life 06:10 because God will work in us 06:13 by us hearing His Word 06:16 and responding to His Spirit, 06:18 He will work in us to will and to do His good pleasure. 06:20 Amen. 06:22 But, you know, one thing that I think about 06:23 is that the mind of Christ 06:26 is, "We've been given the mind of Christ," Paul says. 06:29 And I think of that as the Word of God 06:31 and the Holy Spirit. 06:33 So we've got the Word and the Spirit to guide us. 06:37 And even so, this idea of walking in the Spirit 06:43 and never fulfilling the lust of the flesh, 06:45 is it something that every Christian you just say, 06:48 "Okay, that's it. 06:50 I'm not going to, you know, I'm crucified with Christ. 06:53 That old nature is dead." 06:55 You think? I wish. 06:57 Okay. 06:58 So what we're saying is that old ugly sin nature 07:02 can rear its ugly head every now and then, 07:06 so let's look at what Paul is going to tell us 07:10 what to do 07:12 when a fellow Christian falls into sinful behavior. 07:15 In Galatians 6:1, 07:18 he says, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken 07:22 in any trespass, 07:24 you who are spiritual, 07:27 restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, 07:31 considering yourself lest you are also tempted." 07:36 Now let's kind of, unpack that. 07:38 In the Greek, the word here for overtaken, 07:43 it can mean that you've been caught, 07:45 you've been detected, 07:47 or it can mean you are overtaken by surprise. 07:51 And in context, this would be, 07:54 I would say that this is something 07:55 that suddenly came upon somebody 07:58 that they are being overtaken, 08:02 it's a sudden temptation that seized them 08:05 and they fell into a sin. 08:08 Now, the word in the Greek here 08:10 for trespass is paraptoma, 08:14 and that means a sin or a fault or trespass, 08:18 and it doesn't refer to a deliberate sin. 08:21 So that's why I'm saying the overtaken here 08:24 is that somebody was, they didn't mean to, 08:27 they've been walking a straight path 08:29 but somehow, it's not a deliberate defiant sin, 08:34 but they've stumbled into sin, 08:36 you might say, they've made a false step 08:39 and were caught off-guard. 08:42 So he said, "You who are spiritual," 08:45 what does it mean we who are spiritual? 08:48 It's those who are being led by the Holy Spirit, 08:51 if you are walking by the Spirit, 08:55 you know, this is the one 08:56 that should go to restore your brother. 09:01 And again, looking at the Greek, 09:03 I just love looking at the Greek words, 09:06 Catharsis, it means when he says, 09:10 "You who are spiritual, restore your brother," 09:12 that word "restore" 09:14 is the same word that they use 09:16 when they were talking about mending a fishing net. 09:19 It was also used in Greek literature 09:21 when it was talking about a doctor 09:23 that would put a broken leg back into place. 09:28 So our proper response when we see a brother 09:32 who's been walking by the Spirit 09:34 who stumbles and falls, 09:37 is not that we should be gossiping and criticizing, 09:41 but that we who have a relationship with the Lord, 09:45 should be like a doctor, 09:47 or one who's going to help them set that broken leg, 09:51 or mend their fish net, 09:52 go to them in gentleness, 09:55 showing the fruit of the spirit, 09:57 the kindness, the gentleness, 09:59 and the humility that we have, 10:02 to go before them 10:03 and help them see their way back, 10:07 all the while keeping an eye on ourselves 10:10 so that we recognize, 10:12 "Hey, we're not immune to temptation ourselves 10:14 so we shouldn't be judgmental." 10:17 Now let's look at Matthew 18. 10:21 And, Jill, would you read verses 15 and 16. 10:27 Matthew 18:15 and 16. 10:31 Mathew 18:15 and 16, 10:33 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, 10:36 go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. 10:40 If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 10:43 But if he will not hear, 10:45 take with you one or two more 10:47 that by the mouth of two or three witnesses 10:49 every word may be established." 10:51 Okay, so these are Jesus' words. 10:53 These are His guidelines for conflict resolution. 10:58 And it's interesting. 11:00 He says, "First, go talk to him by yourself." 11:04 And this is not, 11:05 I mean, this is having a straightforward, 11:08 honest conversation with someone to... 11:12 It's not really a confrontational. 11:14 I mean it shouldn't be confrontational and vindictive. 11:17 It should be going to have a gentle conversation with him 11:22 because otherwise you're going to really create a mess, 11:25 but don't gossip, don't be resentful, 11:29 don't seek revenge. 11:31 You go first to your brother but now it's interesting. 11:34 He says in the next verse 11:36 if that brother won't listen to you, 11:38 your brother or sister, 11:40 if he just doesn't listen to reason, 11:42 he says, "Take with you one or two," 11:45 and then he quotes from Deuteronomy 19:15, 11:49 "By the mouth of two or three witnesses, 11:51 every word may be established." 11:53 That's a direct... 11:55 Let me read Deuteronomy 19:15. 11:57 "One witness shall not rise 11:59 against a man concerning any iniquity 12:01 or any sin that he commits, 12:03 by the mouth of two or three witnesses, 12:06 the matter shall be established." 12:07 You know, it's interesting to me 12:09 because we talk about the Mosaic Law is no longer, 12:14 I mean, the New Covenant supersedes that, right? 12:16 But the point is this is sensible practical information. 12:22 You don't throw the baby out with the bath water, 12:24 you bring in all the good things 12:26 so we're still using this. 12:28 And then so he's saying, 12:30 you know, "Okay, first you go have a private conversation 12:32 to avoid harboring bitterness. 12:36 Now, take a couple of people with you from the church. 12:39 If they don't respond to that, go with a couple of brethren." 12:43 Then he says if in verse 17, Matthew 18:17, 12:48 "If he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. 12:52 But if he refuses even to hear the church, 12:55 let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." 12:59 In other words, he's not a true believer. 13:02 So basically, if somebody... obstinately, 13:06 if you've tried to talk with him in a gentle way, 13:08 you've taken somebody, 13:10 a couple of others with you to try to talk to them, 13:12 and then you present to the church 13:14 and they will not come around, 13:16 then cut them off temporarily from fellowship 13:20 is basically what he's saying 13:22 but we know that Paul in Corinthians 13:25 when he was writing to Timothy, 13:27 it was to be something where you cut him off temporarily 13:30 then try to restore them again 13:33 because the goal is forgiveness. 13:37 The goal is reconciliation 13:40 so that all Christians can live in harmony. 13:44 Brother, Johnny? 13:46 Thank you so much. 13:48 You know, you may be walking down the road 13:49 or may have done this already 13:52 and as you're passing by some homes, 13:54 you see the sign that says, "Beware of dog." 13:59 And surely, you take notice and you know to be careful 14:03 because there's a dog in there. 14:05 And, of course, they don't tell you what size the dog is 14:08 because some homes have a little tiny dog, 14:10 but the sign is there, "Beware of dog." 14:13 So you are warned that you may be in danger. 14:18 The lesson for Monday is entitled, 14:21 "Beware of Temptation". 14:24 And so when we look at Galatians 6:1, 14:27 which is the scripture 14:31 that Sister Shelley already worked through, 14:33 but we're going to take a look at the last part this time. 14:36 So let's look at it again, Galatians 6:1, 14:40 "Brethren, if a man is overtaken 14:42 in any trespass or fault, 14:44 you who are spiritual, 14:45 restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness 14:49 considering yourselves lest you also be tempted." 14:54 So here is a warning for us that if someone falls, 14:58 you also have to be careful 15:01 because you may be tempted as well. 15:03 So this is a warning that Paul wisely gives to Christians, 15:08 wisely gives to us 15:10 so that we can be careful. 15:12 So when we look at the word translated 15:15 considering the lesson points out 15:18 or another word is "take care," 15:20 literally means to look at carefully, 15:24 pay careful attention to. 15:27 You can look at Romans 16:17 15:31 and we're going to ask someone to read that for us. 15:34 And who is ready, please go ahead and do so. 15:37 Romans 16:17. 15:41 "Now I urge you, brethren, 15:43 note those who cause divisions and offenses 15:46 contrary to the doctrine which you have learned 15:48 and avoid them." 15:50 Now that is a very powerful scripture as well. 15:54 Now this word "note" or "mark" as it is in some versions, 15:59 is the same word "mark" or "note," 16:03 those which cause divisions. 16:05 And so we need to be aware of temptation. 16:09 In other words, we need to be watchful 16:12 and we need to be considerate of others. 16:15 You know, this scripture that we read, Galatians 6:1, 16:21 and it says, "Through the Spirit," 16:23 and it uses the word gentleness. 16:26 Now for some people, that is something they need. 16:31 Unfortunately, some people go a little too far 16:34 and they almost make excuse 16:37 for what the person has done 16:39 which can harm the person. 16:42 We are to gently help them along 16:45 so that they will walk again with the Lord. 16:47 Let's go again to the word "beware" 16:50 or to be considering ourselves. 16:54 When I look at this concept or this idea 16:58 to be considerate of yourself as well, 17:01 I think of 1 Peter 5:8. 17:04 In 1 Peter 5:8, 17:06 and, Sister Jill, who was it that read last time? 17:09 I read last time. 17:11 You read last time, okay, Pastor Tom Ferguson, 17:13 if you can help me with 1 Peter? 17:15 "Be sober, be vigilant 17:16 because your adversary, 17:17 the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, 17:19 seeking whom he may devour." 17:21 Thank you so much. 17:22 So in this scripture it's not the same Greek word, 17:26 however it conveys the same thing 17:28 that we are to be watchful 17:30 because of temptations. 17:32 Why? 17:33 Because your adversary, 17:34 the devil is seeking whom he may devour. 17:37 And the terrible thing that is about the devil 17:41 that his object is to destroy you 17:46 and he uses things that may taste good, 17:49 things that may look good, things that may feel good. 17:53 So it's one of those... Temporary pleasures of sin. 17:55 Temporary pleasures of sin 17:56 so that the people doing it are enjoying themselves 18:01 but they're working out their own destruction 18:03 and that's why this "beware of temptation" 18:07 is one that we need to take a look at carefully 18:11 because the devil knows 18:12 as some people say, how to push those buttons. 18:15 He has studied us. 18:17 He knows what can lead us astray. 18:20 And let's continue this idea 18:24 as we look at the time, 18:26 I see that we have very little time. 18:28 In Galatians 5:26. 18:32 Let's go back to Galatians. 18:33 In Galatians 5:26, 18:36 it brings another thought 18:38 about this whole idea of considering thyself. 18:42 Galatians 5:26 states the following, 18:48 "Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, 18:53 envying one another." 18:56 This scripture helps us to understand 19:00 that when we see somebody fall in temptation, 19:05 we should not consider ourselves well, 19:08 "I wouldn't do that." 19:10 The devil takes note of those things by the way. 19:12 "I would... How could you? 19:14 How could you possibly do that?" 19:16 We need to be careful. 19:18 And the Lord is warning us here. 19:20 Paul is warning us 19:22 that we need to be mindful and be careful. 19:24 And so I encourage everyone 19:27 to take a look at this carefully as well. 19:30 When somebody falls, 19:33 you who are spiritual, 19:34 restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, gentleness, 19:38 so that you also do not fall in the same thing. 19:41 When I look at the scripture, 19:43 I'm also reminded of the danger 19:45 of thinking that you have arrived 19:48 and you could not possibly do certain things 19:52 that others do, 19:54 and I want to take a quick look at Revelation 3 19:58 concerning this 20:00 and this is familiar scripture to most Seventh-day Adventists 20:06 and most Christians, I would say. 20:08 In Revelation 3, 20:11 we are warned about being lukewarm. 20:16 And so, I'll read through that quickly 20:19 beginning at verse 14, 20:21 "And to the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write: 20:24 These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, 20:27 the beginning of the creation of God, 20:30 "I know your works, 20:31 that you are neither cold nor hot. 20:33 I wish that you were cold or hot, 20:36 so then because you are lukewarm, 20:38 neither cold nor hot, 20:40 I will vomit you out of my mouth 20:41 because you say, "I am rich. 20:43 I have become wealthy and have need of nothing, 20:45 and do not know that you are wretched, 20:48 and miserable, poor, blind, and naked. 20:52 I counsel you to buy of me gold 20:54 refined in the fire that you may be rich, 20:57 and white garments that you may be clothed, 21:00 and that the shame of your nakedness 21:02 may not be revealed, 21:03 and anoint your eyes 21:04 with eyes salve that you may see. 21:07 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. 21:10 Therefore be zealous and repent. 21:12 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 21:15 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, 21:17 I will come in to him and dine with him," 21:20 in the King James, 21:22 "Sup with him and he with me."' 21:25 So the Laodiceans have this danger also. 21:30 Not necessarily being conceited but in the sense of, "I'm okay. 21:35 I don't need to be concerned. 21:37 Oh, that's brother, so and so fellow, 21:39 but I'm not going to fall that way. 21:41 I'm okay." 21:43 And you may also remember Peter in this. 21:48 It may be not necessarily conceit, 21:50 but Jesus told them, 21:52 "I am going to go to Jerusalem." 21:54 They're going to crucify me. 21:56 And after three days, I will rise again." 22:01 And later Jesus... 22:05 Well, anyway, Peter says, 22:08 "All of you are going to, you know, run away," 22:11 basically Jesus said, "Run away." 22:13 And Peter says, 22:15 "Although all men forsake thee, Lord, 22:18 I will never forsake thee." 22:21 And so what was Peter thinking when he says that. 22:25 "I'm okay. 22:26 I can handle this. 22:27 I love you so much, Lord, 22:29 that I would not dare to do that." 22:31 But Peter did not know himself, 22:33 and so for all of us there is this danger 22:36 that when we take our eyes off Jesus, 22:39 when we take our eyes off Jesus, 22:41 we can fall, 22:42 and so the danger is there. 22:45 And so what should we do? 22:47 Well, I like to think of the scripture that says 22:49 that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. 22:52 So it says how... 22:54 I say, "How shall we face temptation? 22:56 Looking unto Jesus, 22:59 the author and finisher of our faith." 23:01 So the warning is there for us 23:03 and we should take heed. 23:04 There is another scripture 23:06 that I would like to bring out, 23:08 1 Corinthians 10:12 to finish this woman off. 23:13 1 Corinthians 10:12, 23:16 and it seems like Sister Shelley 23:17 might be able to quote this from memory. 23:20 Thank you, Stan. Yes. 23:22 Amen. You're in trouble. 23:24 You're in trouble too. If you read it for us? 23:27 Oh, certainly. 23:28 "Therefore, let him who thinks he stands 23:31 take heed lest he fall." 23:33 Thank you so much. 23:34 So you have to take that into context and it says, 23:38 "If you think you stand, take heed lest you fall." 23:41 Stay close to Jesus, keep your eyes on Him, 23:44 and you will have victory through Jesus. 23:46 Amen. Amen. 23:48 Thank you, Brother John, and that's powerful. 23:49 What I like about what we're studying this week, 23:52 the first, you can say, 23:54 10 verses of the Chapter in Galatians 6 23:58 is that it's practical Christianity. 24:01 Paul has done scripture arguments, 24:03 he's done other things. 24:05 He's come at the topic of justification by faith 24:07 from many different angles, 24:09 but to me this is just practical. 24:10 What you talked about is 24:12 what do we do when someone falls? 24:13 That's practical Christianity. 24:14 That happens in the church. 24:17 What you talked about, handling temptation. 24:19 What are you supposed to do? 24:20 That's practical. 24:22 And my part is practical too on Tuesday. 24:24 We're in burden bearing. 24:25 Turn back to Galatians 6. 24:28 In Galatians 6, and I was just telling Pastor Tom 24:31 before we started, 24:33 we have some of the same verses, 24:35 so hopefully we'll come at it from a different perspective 24:38 because we don't really know what's going to come forth. 24:41 Galatians 6, mine is burden bearing, 24:44 and yours is the law of Christ. 24:45 And they're both contained in the same verse. 24:48 Galatians 6:2, 24:50 "Bear one another's burdens 24:53 and so fulfill the law of Christ." 24:56 The Greek word for burden, 24:58 the lesson brought out is "baros". 25:00 It literally refers to a heavy weight or load 25:03 that someone had to carry a long time. 25:06 Not only that, it could refer to the weariness 25:09 or the heavy labor during the day, 25:12 a burden, trouble, load, or even a moral fault. 25:16 And I know you referred to that in verse 1, 25:19 being someone who would slip up and slip into sin. 25:23 This word occurs six times in the New Testament. 25:26 And when someone staggers, 25:29 we want to help steady the load. 25:31 If they're straining under it, 25:33 we want to help bear the burden. 25:36 If they stumble, we want to lift them up. 25:40 Carrying burdens, in ancient days 25:42 for a soldier or a slave was mandatory. 25:46 But Paul is saying, 25:47 "Don't do it because you have to, 25:49 do it to fulfill the law," 25:51 what does it say, "So fulfill the law of Christ." 25:54 Do it out of love for Christ. 25:56 It reminds me of Romans 13:10. 25:58 "Love does no harm to a neighbor, 26:00 therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." 26:05 I remember, in college, we did some agriculture work. 26:09 And one day, we had all these hanging baskets, 26:14 and I don't remember how big they were, 26:15 but they were full of dirt, they had the plants. 26:18 We were transporting them. 26:20 My job was to reach down, pick up the hanging basket, 26:23 and reach it out to the person across the, 26:26 it was like a row here across the aisle, 26:28 so I'm reaching out with this heavy basket. 26:31 Now, it didn't seem very heavy at the beginning. 26:34 It's only this. That's not too bad. 26:37 We did these 10 baskets, 20 baskets, 26:41 50 baskets, a 100 baskets. 26:44 You know what started to happen? 26:46 I started to shake. 26:47 And I was kind of embarrassed about it. 26:49 I'm reaching out with a basket 26:51 and the gentleman who picked up the basket, 26:53 and incidentally, 26:54 he's a pastor now in the Michigan Conference 26:56 and he's reaching to pick it up 26:58 and I'm going like this, my hand literally, 27:00 because my muscles are so tired from carrying those baskets. 27:04 And I was embarrassed. 27:06 I thought, "Jill, surely you can do this." 27:09 But I couldn't and I could not stop the shake. 27:11 And I'm going like this 27:12 and he says, "Sister Jill, I see what's going on here. 27:17 The burden is becoming heavy." 27:20 So Paul says, "Bear you one another's burdens." 27:24 There's one other thing I want to look at. 27:26 And then we'll look at the burdens 27:27 that we carry for each other. 27:29 It says, "Bear one another's burdens." 27:33 In the Greek, you know in the Greek, you look at it. 27:35 And sometimes, it says it's a noun or a verb. 27:39 This is a reciprocal pronoun. 27:43 Now if you think about a reciprocal pronoun, 27:46 that would be used to indicate 27:47 two or more people carrying out an action 27:49 but they both receive benefits 27:52 or consequences of that action. 27:54 For instance, Brother Johnny, I could say, 27:57 "You and I are talking to each other," 27:59 meaning, I'm talking but you're talking as well. 28:02 Or I could say, "Shelley, we are... 28:05 You and I are giving each other gifts," 28:07 meaning, I give you a gift 28:09 but you give me a gift as well. 28:11 So I think, that's important to keep in mind 28:13 when we look at Galatians 2. 28:15 Paul is not saying, 28:16 "I'm supposed to bear Pastor Tom's burdens 28:19 and then he goes his merry way, 28:21 and then I bear Pastor CA's burdens 28:23 and he goes on his way, 28:24 and then I bear Brother Johnny's burdens," 28:27 we're supposed to bear each other's burdens. 28:31 What burdens do we carry? 28:33 Of course, there is the burden of sin. 28:34 You touched on that, Shelley, if someone slips up into sin, 28:38 there's that burden of sin. 28:41 There is also a burden of sickness. 28:43 I think of the paralytic, 28:44 remember the four men who came and helped carry, 28:49 they broke open the roof 28:50 where Jesus was teaching 28:52 and they lowered that down. 28:54 They literally carried him, 28:56 bore his burden, carrying him to Jesus. 28:59 Now he had a heavy burden of sin 29:01 and he bore that weight. 29:03 So that's why Jesus said, 29:04 "First your sins are forgiven you." 29:06 But He also had the burden of sickness 29:09 that Jesus healed as well. 29:11 Sometimes it's a moral or spiritual burden, 29:14 maybe it's the burden of guilt or shame, 29:16 or it could even be financial or employment 29:19 or some other burden, 29:21 so how do we carry someone else's burdens? 29:25 I don't know. 29:26 Sometimes I think we become busy 29:29 and it's hard to see outside yourself 29:32 and see when someone else is struggling, 29:35 someone else has a burden that they are bearing. 29:38 Not only that, I believe that because of media today 29:42 we are overloaded, 29:44 you could say, with the burdens of everyone in society. 29:48 Remember Jesus said, "Don't worry about tomorrow. 29:52 Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." 29:54 But you think about what did they know about evil. 29:57 They knew in their own immediate family circle, 29:59 they would know in their synagogue or temple 30:01 what was going on, and perhaps if something happened in Rome 30:05 that was of vital importance they would hear about it 30:07 if the news would filter to them 30:09 and they would find out. 30:10 But today we find out everywhere, 30:14 all over the world 30:15 someone was killed, someone went in 30:17 and there was this school shootings, 30:18 someone was raped, someone was... 30:20 a constantly instead of just your own little circle 30:23 we're bombarded with that. 30:25 And I think because of that we become almost apathetic 30:29 or indifferent to the burdens of our brothers and sisters, 30:34 so I think the beautiful thing 30:37 if God calls us to bear each other's burdens 30:40 and I'm apathetic 30:41 or I'm too busy and I look inward, 30:45 God calls me to look at my brother and sister 30:48 instead of turning in. 30:50 But let's look at Philippians. Philippians 2, verses... 30:56 we'll read more than verse 4. 30:59 I love this passage, the mind of Christ. 31:04 Philippians 2:2, 31:08 "Fulfill my joy by being likeminded, 31:12 having the same love, 31:14 being of one accord, of one mind. 31:17 Let nothing be done 31:18 through selfish ambition or conceit, 31:21 but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others 31:23 better than himself. 31:26 Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, 31:29 but also for the interest of others." 31:32 And then verse 5, 31:33 "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus." 31:36 So God calls us to get out of my own self-interest, 31:40 my own busyness, my own burdens even, 31:43 and look at the needs of other people, 31:47 bear each other's burdens. 31:49 But in addition we talked about in Galatians 2, 31:52 we're to bear each other, 31:53 so it's not only me reaching out 31:55 and bearing someone else's burden, 31:58 now to do that we could pray for the person, 32:00 we could not gossip about them, we could not judge them 32:05 but to reach out in love, in gentleness. 32:08 Maybe they need help, 32:09 maybe we could reach out physically 32:11 and do some physical help as well, 32:14 but not only does God call us to reach out, 32:17 we are to give other people 32:18 we could say the privilege of bearing our burdens. 32:22 Now I'm just being honest with you. 32:24 This is a difficult one for me. 32:26 It's easier for me to say, "Oh, what's your issue 32:30 and let me pray for you." 32:31 But it's difficult for me to sometimes open up 32:36 and to share, "You know what? 32:38 I'm struggling here. Or I need special prayer here. 32:42 I'm having a burden here." 32:44 I think certain things keep me 32:47 from allowing other people to carry my burden. 32:49 Sometimes it's my pride, 32:51 I want to seem like I got it all together 32:53 and I don't want to tell people, 32:55 in my own self-sufficiency I got this, I can do this, 32:59 sometimes it's my shame and guilt over something, 33:02 and sometimes it may be fear or can I trust this person, 33:07 and that's a very valid concern 33:10 because not everyone can bear a burden, 33:13 not everyone we should trust our stuff with. 33:17 So that's the thing too to find, 33:20 who is safe, and who we can trust with. 33:22 So I think Paul's counsel to the Galatians church 33:24 here is to bear each other's burdens 33:27 and by doing that, we fulfill the Law of Christ 33:30 which is esteeming other people as better than ourselves. 33:33 Pastor, Tom. 33:34 Well, before I get into what I was going to do, 33:36 I just want to say that I think as you grow as a Christian 33:38 and in pastoral ministry 33:40 you got to watch out for what you said 33:41 being too proud to be ministered to 33:43 because you're busy giving, giving, giving, 33:45 and that is if you see someone 33:48 that maybe struggles with depression, 33:51 make sure you reach and encourage them. 33:52 If the Holy Spirit pricks your conscience, 33:55 just do something for them. 33:56 Maybe it's a shut in that's lonely 33:59 and you know that no one's recalling them, 34:01 no one's reaching out, 34:03 not only encourage others but do it yourself. 34:05 If it's someone that hasn't been in church for a while, 34:08 maybe it's a single parent, 34:09 you find that things are happening around you 34:12 and if you have a ministry mindset in your thinking 34:15 that you are loving people 34:17 as God would calls us to love them, 34:18 He's empowering you to do so, 34:20 you're sensitive to all of that 34:22 and that's what I wanted to share. 34:24 Let's go to Matthew 22, 34:28 the law of Christ... 34:33 and I want us to look at verses 37-39. 34:39 But before we start reading it, 34:40 I was wondering if, Pastor John, 34:43 if you'd be willing to read those verses 34:44 when we get into that. 34:46 But you know what's happening here 34:47 is there's an argument taking place. 34:49 The Sadducees and Pharisees are trying to trip Jesus up, 34:52 they're trying to get Him. 34:54 Now, there's about 630 laws 34:56 and they're arguing the finer points. 34:58 I think there's five different sects or groups 35:00 that are actually arguing the finer points. 35:02 It was one of their exercises to get into this debate 35:05 at what was the most important. 35:07 Well, then there's the rogue Jesus. 35:09 Let's see what He has to say. 35:11 So the question is, what is the greatest law? 35:14 And let's go ahead and read what He says. 35:17 This is the law of Christ, now. 35:19 Matthew 20...? 35:20 22:37-39. Very good. 35:24 "Jesus said to him, 35:26 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart 35:29 and all your soul and with all your mind, 35:31 this is the first and great commandment 35:33 and the second is like it: 35:35 You shall love your neighbor as yourself."' 35:38 And then He says that, 35:39 "On these two commandments 35:41 hang all the law and the prophets." 35:43 It sums it all up. 35:45 And it's interesting because He's quoting, 35:47 is He quoting from the New Testament by the way? 35:49 It didn't exist then? 35:50 He's quoting from the Old Testament. 35:52 That's right. 35:53 And, of course, they tell me He's answering well, 35:56 this is a great answer. 35:57 But He's saying to them 35:59 the first thing of the law of Jesus 36:00 was to love the Father 36:02 with all of his heart, mind, and soul. 36:05 And the second thing, that is a product of that, 36:08 is to love the neighbor as himself. 36:11 And what an amazing... 36:12 Not only call on His life but a call on our lives 36:15 to be like Christ in all things. 36:18 And love... 36:20 He also says in John 15:12, 36:23 "To love one another as I have loved you." 36:25 Let's go to John 15. 36:30 And verse... 36:31 Let's read verse 12 and 13. 36:33 Jill, would you be so kind. 36:35 "This is My commandment, 36:36 that you love one another as I have loved you. 36:40 Greater love has no one than this 36:43 than to lay down one's life for his friends." 36:46 Lay down your life for your friends. 36:48 And in other words don't be so self-absorbed 36:52 that you're insensitive to the needs 36:53 of the people around you. 36:55 Lay down your life for your friends. 36:56 And God's call to that is different 36:58 at different times in our lives. 36:59 And it is a reciprocal thing, as it was mentioned before. 37:03 If it's a one-way street, 37:04 you're wearing out one of the saints 37:06 in order to have another saint feel totally full, 37:09 and eventually you burn out from that and you, 37:12 sometimes you retract 37:13 and you don't want to do it again. 37:15 But it's a reciprocal thing 37:16 if everyone is responding to the Spirit. 37:20 You know, in Micah 6:8, God says to love mercy. 37:23 In Matthew 5:44, He says, love your enemies. 37:28 Let's go to Matthew 5. 37:34 And we're going to look at verse 44. 37:40 5:44? Yeah. 37:43 "But I say to you, love your enemies, 37:47 bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, 37:51 and pray for those 37:53 who spitefully use and persecute you." 37:56 Wow. 37:57 You know, it made me go to something else. 37:59 I thought about that and I thought 38:01 well there's another verse in a different study 38:04 that I had looked up 38:05 and I believe it was earlier in our quarter 38:07 and I was preparing to present wasn't involved, 38:10 but I looked it up for preparation. 38:13 Let's go to Proverbs 25. 38:19 And we're going to look at verses 21 and 22. 38:27 Proverbs 25 beginning with verse 21 38:30 and, Pastor CA, would you be so kind to read that? 38:34 "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, 38:37 and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink." 38:41 22, "For so, you will heap 38:47 coals of fire on his head, 38:49 and the Lord will reward you." 38:51 That reminds me of on a previous lesson 38:54 when Shelley was saying, "I don't get mad, I get even." 38:56 You know, it's sort of like you could read that... 38:58 I didn't say that, I ever said, I'd say. 38:59 No, no, no, no. I knew she was wrong. 39:02 No, no, no, no, that's not me... 39:03 I knew that was coming. Yes, I also... 39:04 Least favorite statement. Yeah. 39:06 Sorry. Sorry. 39:07 I have to be very exact, I forgot. 39:09 Yes. 39:11 Yes, she does not like that statement but referenced it 39:13 that a lot of times we say we don't get mad, we get even. 39:16 And this text here, if you're in that mindset, 39:18 you read that and you go, 39:19 "All right, coals on their head and God's going to reward me 39:23 because I'm doing stuff that is really contrary." 39:26 But is that really what God is saying? 39:28 As a matter of fact, if you go to, 39:29 let's go to Romans 12. 39:31 Could I add something here? Yes, go right ahead. 39:33 Did you know that during that time 39:36 when someone was walking in repentance, 39:39 they would tie this pan to their head 39:43 and they would put coals of fire on their head 39:46 and that meant they were walking in repentance. 39:49 So when he's saying that when you are good to your enemy 39:53 and that is heaping coals of fire, 39:56 that's what brings him to repentance, 39:58 that's what, you know, softens their heart 40:01 'cause suddenly they realize... 40:04 Thank you for sharing that 40:05 because I was doing a study on it. 40:06 I'm going to share some of the things 40:08 I came up with. 40:09 What you said is a great background to that. 40:11 Let's go to Romans 12:20-21. 40:16 Shelley, would you, obviously be kind to us to read that one? 40:18 Yes. 40:19 Romans 12:20-21 says this, 40:24 "Well said, because of unbelief they were broken off 40:27 and you stand by faith do not be haughty 40:30 but fear for if God did not..." 40:33 Is that Romans 12? 40:34 That's a beautiful text but it's not Romans... 40:35 Romans 11 is where I'm reading. It's still a good text. 40:39 Romans 12... 40:41 That happens to all of us, doesn't it? 40:43 20, 21. 40:44 "Therefore if your enemy is hungry feed him, 40:46 if he's thirsty give him a drink. 40:48 For in doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head. 40:53 Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good." 40:57 So there's an overcoming evil 40:59 that is occurring as a result of the ill will. 41:01 You know, one of the things 41:02 that I get out of our commentaries 41:04 as I was reading through this is 41:05 coals will burn up the ill will of the offender. 41:09 Amen. Okay? 41:11 And that is where the commentators, 41:13 kind of, settle on that. 41:14 Now, I'm going to do something a little risky, 41:16 I'm going to go a little further on that 41:17 because remember what Jesus on the cross, 41:20 what did He say? Forgive them for... 41:23 "Forgive them for they know not what they do." 41:26 Yeah. 41:27 So when you do good to someone who's your enemy, 41:30 you're actually forgiving them. 41:32 It's actually... it's a... 41:34 it has a transformational effect. 41:36 It does. Amen. 41:38 Okay? 41:39 And then we see that that is not only something 41:40 that Jesus was able to do, it's something 41:43 that His followers are able to do, Stephen, 41:46 he says, "Do not hold this sin against them." 41:49 Now, who was in the crowd when Stephen said that? 41:51 Paul. Saul. 41:52 Saul turned Paul. 41:54 And it had, as a matter of fact, 41:56 if you read in Acts of the Apostles 41:58 you discover that when Stephen went through that experience 42:01 and Paul saw it, it had an impact on him. 42:03 Yes. It did. Yes. 42:04 That eventually he was thinking through things, 42:07 it did not have a full converting effect 42:09 but the encounter with Christ thereafter did, 42:11 so that was transformational forgiveness, 42:15 which will bring that repentance. 42:18 In other words, why is it that we love God? 42:20 Because He first loved us. 42:22 He calls us His friends. 42:24 The wretched refuse that we are, 42:25 we are His friends that He will die for. 42:28 And I look at the fact that when we are good to the enemy, 42:32 we're actually all enemies of God 42:36 and He is good to us 42:37 and it has a transformational effect on us. 42:40 He can actually through us, through that forgiveness 42:43 that He gives us towards someone else 42:45 which is truly forgiving them that only He can produce, 42:48 that will have a transformational effect 42:50 on them. 42:51 Amen. 42:53 And it can be someone who maybe is your spouse 42:55 who is not converted, that is abusive, 42:59 and under the wrong spirit, 43:00 the spirit of the enemy, 43:01 you exercise that forgiving spirit towards them 43:03 and in time it will have a converting effect. 43:07 They can be your co-worker 43:09 that maybe or maybe your immediate boss 43:12 that just feels this is their chance 43:14 to be bullying everyone else around them. 43:17 You can have a transformational effect on those around you 43:21 that do not know God 43:22 and maybe some of them are even in the church. 43:26 And it's something that God calls us to. 43:29 This is the law of Christ. 43:30 The love of God with all your heart, mind, and soul 43:33 and love your enemy, I mean, love your neighbor, 43:36 and the ultimate is to love the enemy. 43:38 Amen. 43:40 And Abraham Lincoln, I think, it was said, 43:42 how do you destroy your enemies? 43:44 You know, by making them your friends. 43:48 And you know, he had an opponent 43:50 that fought him tooth and nail 43:51 that later on he had in his cabinet. 43:53 And they asked him why? 43:55 "It's because he's good at his job." 43:56 And God sees what we can be, 43:59 not where we are apart from Him. 44:00 Amen. Praise the Lord. 44:02 Amen. Well said. 44:04 Thursday we deal with sowing and reaping. 44:08 And as has been stated, 44:14 Paul is moving into pragmatic Christianity, 44:18 just bedrock, 44:19 rubber meets the road applied Christianity. 44:23 And I need to say this idea of sowing and reaping 44:25 is really a transcultural idea. 44:27 Paul has it here but there were other cultures 44:29 that had that same idea that you reap what you sow. 44:32 And perhaps the Galatians had even been familiar 44:36 with this kind of idea 44:38 because there were several cultures 44:39 that had this idea 44:41 that you don't sort of get off scot-free. 44:43 You can't put out a lot of negativity 44:44 and expect positive to come back to you. 44:47 I want to read Galatians 6 44:52 and we're picking up, 44:55 or we'll go 6 through 9 44:56 since we read 10 as our scripture lesson, 44:59 our memory text a little bit ago. 45:00 To him, who has taught the word share 45:03 in all good things, with him who teaches. 45:07 "Do not be deceived. 45:08 God is not mocked, 45:10 for whatever a man sows that he will also reap." 45:13 I'm reading from the New King James. 45:15 "For he who sows to his flesh 45:17 will of the flesh reap corruption, 45:20 but he who sows to the Spirit 45:22 will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." 45:24 And 9, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, 45:30 for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." 45:35 Amen. 45:37 The lesson talks about this word mocked 45:40 or God is not mocked. 45:42 Mukterizo, it occurs only here in the New Testament 45:47 which I found was interesting 45:49 though it often appears 45:50 in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. 45:54 It means literally the lesson gives 45:57 to turn one's nose up in contempt. 45:59 Now, that's a uniquely American kind of thing, 46:02 you know, the turning your nose up. 46:04 So I did a little research into the root word, 46:07 which I found is very interesting. 46:09 It comes from a root 46:12 that means the bellowing of an animal. 46:15 The lowing of a cow or the loud noise of an animal 46:19 or noise coming from the snout of an animal 46:22 which I thought was very, very interesting that, 46:26 this distasteful noise that comes from an animal. 46:33 Jeremiah 30:7 talks about this also. 46:38 Jeremiah says everybody derides me, 46:39 of course, you know, 46:41 Jeremiah's ministry was a tough one 46:42 because he was trying to correct some evils and ills 46:46 that had become resident in Jewish society 46:48 and he's pushing back against that. 46:50 So he's saying everybody is deriding me 46:52 and everybody is mocking me. 46:55 The Hebrew word there is lawag 47:02 and it means interestingly enough 47:06 it has to do with derision, 47:08 but also acting like a foreigner. 47:12 It's sort of a pejorative term that when you mock someone, 47:17 you're acting like a foreigner, 47:18 and it kind of shows sadly the contempt sometimes 47:21 which the Jewish nation had for foreign people. 47:24 But that's, you are speaking babble, 47:26 you're acting like a foreigner, you're acting uncharacteristic 47:29 and that's what Jeremiah was trying to say. 47:33 And then we have another text in 2 Chronicles 36:16, 47:37 won't take time to go to that. 47:38 But there is a point in lesson I want to say. 47:42 I want you to take a look at. 47:43 Paul's point is that people may ignore God 47:46 or even flout His commandments, but they cannot outwit God. 47:51 I remember once I got a pretty good spanking 47:55 and I think I got extra lashes 47:58 because my father thought I was trying to outfox him. 48:02 It wasn't that you committed this infraction, 48:04 that's bad enough, but now you think I'm stupid, 48:07 you know, and so, 48:09 I'm going to tap you a couple of extra times 48:11 because you think I'm as dumb as you 48:13 and you know that kind of thing, 48:15 basically I lived a little long, 48:17 you know, I've seen this before, 48:18 you know, so you can't do that. 48:21 So Paul's point is here that you can ignore 48:25 and you can front, but you can't outwit Him. 48:29 If we can keep records on computer, 48:31 certainly God can keep records of our lives. 48:34 He is the ultimate judge, and in the end we'll have to... 48:40 And in the end we'll have to pay the price 48:42 for their actions. 48:47 Paul goes on to talk about sowing to the flesh 48:51 and reaping in the flesh 48:53 and the examples that he gives are, 48:54 they're really too long to have us to read 48:57 but in Acts 5:1-5, 49:00 you know, we're dealing with Ananias and Sapphira story. 49:03 Yes. Oh, yes. 49:04 And what's sad about that is 49:06 they conspired among themselves to hold back the price 49:09 and they didn't have to. 49:11 There was no reason to develop that cabal. 49:16 You can give what you want. 49:17 You know, you sell a land, I'm going to give you half 49:19 and I'm going to keep half for a rainy day or whatever 49:21 but then to say I'm giving you all 49:22 and then hold it back, you know... 49:26 you're lying to the Holy Spirit 49:28 because I don't know what's in your heart. 49:30 So the only person that knows the truth is the Holy Spirit, 49:32 you're not lying to me, you're lying to God. 49:34 And I think one of the things we can say 49:37 is that anytime we prevaricate, anytime we lie, anytime we sin, 49:42 there is an object to that sin. 49:45 But the ultimate object is to, is to God. 49:49 Joseph said how can I sin and do this great wickedness 49:52 and sin against God. 49:54 So the ultimate accountability is to God. 49:59 Luke 22:3 50:03 is the betrayal of Judas on Christ. 50:08 Again, if you look at the overall context, 50:11 he figured he's making a pretty good bargain. 50:15 Pick up a couple pieces of silver, 50:17 get Jesus to do what I know he should do, 50:20 and they're shocked and surprised 50:22 and Christ allows Himself to be taken 50:24 because He's training, His mindset was, 50:27 He's going to sit on the throne 50:29 and I'm going to give him a little push. 50:31 And then he realized 50:32 that he had made a grand mistake. 50:34 Well, in contrast, we also have Daniel 1:8. 50:38 This is Daniel purposing in his heart 50:40 that he will not defile himself with the king's meat. 50:45 And then finally Matthew 4:1 50:50 which is Jesus in the wilderness 50:51 resisting temptation by the devil. 50:53 The point being that... 51:00 if you sow to the flesh, you will reap to the flesh. 51:02 If you sow to the flesh negativity 51:06 and a negative result has to happen. 51:10 If you show to the spirit, 51:11 it is a spiritual law 51:13 that put in good, good will come out. 51:17 Amen. 51:18 Lead with Christ, it's going to be good. 51:20 I remember years ago a fellow came to our church 51:23 and he said, 51:24 "If you eat fat greasy food, 51:26 you're going to be a fat greasy dude." 51:30 And that was 50 years ago, I just remember that. 51:32 Never forget that one, would you? 51:34 It was a health lecture, 51:36 you know, garbage in garbage out. 51:38 If you sow to the flesh, you're going to reap, 51:41 and I hadn't thought about that in almost 50 years, 51:43 I was a kid. 51:44 He said, you eat fat greasy food, 51:46 you're going to be a fat greasy dude. 51:48 Basically if you sow to the flesh, 51:50 you will reap to the flesh. 51:52 Yes. 51:53 Couple more things and then I'm done. 51:56 The lesson also says this, 51:58 a modern equivalent is that we are free to choose 52:02 but we are not free to choose the consequences of our choice. 52:05 Now that's, that's very, very important. 52:06 Yes. 52:08 You can choose to reject, neglect God. 52:14 We are free moral agents. 52:16 But the truth is 52:18 there are a series of consequences 52:20 that accrue from that rejection 52:24 and you have no control over that. 52:26 You know, you don't. 52:27 You can reject the commandment 52:31 to be faithful to your wife 52:34 and you can go and sleep in, in my book, 52:37 thou shall fear no evil. 52:39 I had a woman in my church, beautiful, lovely, 52:42 monogamous, heterosexual woman 52:45 whose husband chose to go out 52:48 and brought back AIDS to the marriage. 52:51 Now when he left, 52:54 I don't think it was his intention 52:58 to bring that back to his wife 53:00 but when you step outside the commandments 53:02 you have no, you have no control 53:04 over where that's going to end. 53:06 You try something, 53:07 you experiment with something 53:08 and then there are consequences 53:11 that you simply have no control over. 53:13 So you can choose to reject God. 53:15 Yeah. 53:17 You can choose to go away from God, 53:19 but then you open the door to a series of consequences 53:21 and you never know where it's going to lead. 53:24 You have no control which is, which is why if you look at, 53:27 if you look at all the sins today 53:29 that accrue from rejecting the commandments of God. 53:33 What a world pastor this would be? 53:35 Shelley, Jill, Johnny, 53:37 if everyone kept the commandments of God, 53:41 could you imagine 53:43 the kind of world we would be in... 53:44 Heaven on earth. 53:46 It truly would be heaven on earth. 53:47 Yes. 53:48 We wouldn't have to lock our doors, 53:50 we don't have to worry about so many things 53:52 that are just a part of our life now. 53:54 And I'll close with this. 53:56 I don't know what heaven is going to be like 54:00 and nobody does. 54:01 Eye has not seen, nor ear heard. 54:03 I simply know what it's not going to be like. 54:05 Amen. 54:06 You know, it's not going to be like what I see every day. 54:09 It's not going to be like this earth. 54:10 It's not going to be like 54:12 what I hear on the news every night. 54:13 It's not going to be like what I have to experience 54:15 and wade through each and every day of my life 54:17 and that is enough for me. 54:19 The fact that it's not going to be this, 54:22 that's good. 54:24 I know there are some things I don't know 54:26 but what I do know I don't like 54:27 and it's not going to be that, so praise the Lord. 54:29 Amen. 54:30 You know, so be not deceived. 54:32 Don't fool yourself. 54:34 God is not mocked. 54:36 If you live to the flesh, 54:37 you're going to die in the flesh. 54:40 You're going to reap what you sow. 54:41 But praise God, 54:43 the truth is also that if I walk with Jesus 54:48 and I talk with Jesus and I live with Jesus, 54:52 it has been predestined, predetermined 54:56 that one day I will reign with Jesus. 54:58 Amen. Amen. 54:59 And that is as solid as the God who made that promise. 55:03 Amen. So I need not fear. 55:05 I need not be afraid 55:07 because all of the promises are... 55:09 Yes and amen. Yes and amen. 55:11 Christ Jesus. Hallelujah, thank you so much for that. 55:14 You know, last week we studied "Living by the Spirit". 55:18 And now what we've done in this week's lesson 55:24 is the gospel in the Church. 55:26 We are seeing if we're living by the Spirit, 55:29 how it will be manifested in the church. 55:33 When we live by the Spirit, we will forgive one another, 55:36 we'll bear each other's burdens. 55:39 We're going to fulfill the law of Christ 55:42 by loving others like we love ourself, 55:45 and it's so wonderful 55:46 when you think of this sowing and reaping principle 55:50 is the law of life. 55:51 I mean, you can't sow corn and expect to reap wheat. 55:54 So this is just something 55:56 that we all need to be aware 56:02 that God wants us to have 56:06 this personal experience with Him, 56:10 this love experience, 56:12 so that He can pour His love into our hearts 56:14 by the power of the Holy Spirit 56:16 and we can turn around and love others 56:18 and introduce them to the love experience. 56:20 It's just beautiful. 56:22 Well, I just want to thank you 56:26 especially for joining us today. 56:27 But I want to thank our panel, Brother John Dinzey, 56:31 Sister Jill Morikone, 56:33 and we thank you so much Pastor Tom Ferguson 56:36 for coming to join us. 56:37 That's very special. 56:39 Well, we're glad to have, you know, 56:40 I've had a number of people who have said 56:43 you've been a great addition to this panel. 56:44 That's right. Amen. 56:46 Praise the Lord. Praise God. 56:47 And then Pastor CA Murray. Pleasure. 56:49 Our prayer for you as always is that 56:52 you are enjoying the programs that 3ABN airs. 56:59 We try to produce 57:01 Christ-centered programs for you, 57:03 and we want to thank you for demonstrating your love 57:06 by praying for us 57:07 and through your offerings to this ministry, 57:13 but we want you to know that our prayer for you is that 57:16 you will have that intimate relationship 57:19 with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 57:21 And our prayer is that 57:23 the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 57:26 the love of the Father and the fellowship 57:27 of the Holy Spirit will be with you, 57:30 not only today but always. 57:33 Please join us next time 57:35 as we study Boasting in the Cross. |
Revised 2024-07-02