18. Worship Service - 05/01/2021 - Pastor Stephen Bohr

[Music] well good morning dear friends welcome to our secrets unsealed some tv sabbath school and worship service we're glad you decided to join us today we have a very interesting sabbath school lesson and we have a special guest pastor daniel gouveia who's the senior pastor of fresno central seventh-day adventist church who will join us in our panel discussion i want to remind you that even though the pandemic seems to be winding down in many places we should still support our local church whether in person or online our churches has suffered greatly financially as a result of the pandemic and now is the time for us to kick in and to contribute what will help the church remain solvent and reach out to fulfill the message that god has given to the seventh-day adventist church so once again welcome we're glad you decided to join us and we trust that the message today will be a blessing to your spiritual life come sing joyfully with us hymn number 279 only trust him [Music] he will save your savior [Music] is [Music] we will save [Music] the last [Music] he will save your faith [Music] well good morning dear friends welcome to our some tv secrets unsealed sabbath school class we're glad you decided to join us i want to introduce our distinguished guests we have pastor daniel govea he is the senior pastor of fresno central seventh-day adventist church the church that i had the honor of pastoring for close to 20 years pastor gover thank you for being with us my privilege thank you for the invitation and we have of course the regular uh elder melvin blue uh who helps us in many many different things here at secrets unsealed welcome melvin always my journey glad you're here and uh this morning uh we're going to ask pastor glea to please have a word of prayer and then melvin will read our text all right let us pray our father in heaven thank you for another day of grace that you are giving us thank you for your many mercies that you renew towards us every day i pray that the holy spirit may guide our conversation may it be centered in christ may be faithful to your word we pray in the name of jesus amen amen okay the scripture reading we have this morning is kind of a truncated text it comes from the end of matthew 28 20. and it says lo i am with you alway even unto the end of the world that was a kind of a short one it wasn't it was a little breath now before we get into our study i just want to mention that pastor gouveia is doing a series of bible studies online and they're very very good they last probably between 40 and 45 minutes each and basically he's covering the 28 fundamental beliefs of the adventist church and so pastor gouveia could you tell us a little bit about that series and also how people can find it yes so it's basically a series that comes out of my doctoral studies i really wanted to see how we should present our fundamental beliefs and i was inspired by some texts in the bible like first corinthians chapter 2 verse 2 that the apostle paul says i have determined not to know anything among you except jesus christ and him crucified and also some quotes by ellen white she has some quotes that where she says that we should present our bible beliefs centering each doctrine um in the cross of on the cross of calvary so in my personal youtube channel it's a small youtube channel crucified for me i have some bible reviews there but from time to time when i can i post a bible study so if people would like to check that out that's crucified for me with a number four altogether and you can go there and and watch them i think it's on the screen yeah it's on steve is putting on the exact same so make sure you check that out folks you know it's a really really good study that covers all of the doctrines from the perspective of the cross of christ which is central to the plan of salvation so i hope that you'll check it out it'll be a blessing to you thank you so now we get into the lesson and let's go directly to sunday's lesson and the title is thy shield so let's read chapter 15 of genesis verses one to three let's have pastor gover read genesis 15 1-3 and that will set the stage for talking about the shield right genesis 15 1 through 1-3 after these things the word of the lord came to abram in the vision saying do not be afraid abram i am your shield your exceedingly great reward but abram said lord god what will you give me seeing i go childless and the hair of my house is eleazar of damascus then abram said look you have given me no offspring indeed one born in my house is my hair okay so basically the title that we have for this section of the lesson sunday is that god is abraham's shield and as the lesson mentions this is the only time where god himself says that he's the shield there are many other references to god as the shield but not where he specifically says i am your shield so how do we understand that god is abraham's shield well there's there's a practical sense where he's his shield in the chapter proceeding where we read he has abraham has gone as in an excursion to rescue his nephew and god has been with him and protected him and brought back uh his nephew and and his nephew's belongings and family all that all the possessions that were taken he's brought them back safely and he's made a promise to abraham that he has nothing to fear because he's a shield but also there is a connection there is a link between abraham's faith and shield and as we were discussing before we started out this morning that in the new testament in ephesians 6 where it talks about the the christian warfare that faith is noted as the shield as the shield of faith and we know that abraham is listed in hebrews as a man of great faith not only leaving his place of of origin to go to a place where he had no idea where god was leading him but still in faith he followed god he believed that god's word was true that he was going to make him the father the great nation but he couldn't understand it seeing in our scripture reading today that he had no heir to inherit this promise that god was making and then finally in the end of course with the sacrifice of isaac again he demonstrates faith that even though god had promised to make him a great nation he had only one heir that in his mind he was going to go through this plan having faith that god would raise isaac from the dead and so he wasn't going to keep anything back from god wow that's a very very good series of ideas that you've shared so so basically abraham's response of faith to god leads god to be his shield yes yeah and i think that you know sometimes we do things almost as a out of an impulse and it is true that if we are living with god and we walk with god like i believe abraham was walking with god sometimes there are some impulses in us that are actually prompted by the holy spirit i think he just when he heard that his nephew was in danger he just acted he took his 318 servants and he just attacked four kings right in their armies he probably didn't give much thought to that he just went for it and of course god was with him he overcame the bible actually says that he slew those kings but he was fighting against four peoples four peoples that had conquered or had defeated five peoples fi four kings defeated five kings and now he goes after these four kings and yes he defeated them even killed the kings probably but the truth is that soon they could just assemble again and come after him but god comes to him and says abraham don't worry i'm your shield i'm here for you i was just reading this morning something that i think actually although written by david many years later psalm chapter 3 verses 1 through 3 says lord how they have increased who trouble me many are they who rise up against me many are they who say of me there is no help for him and god but you o lord are a shield for me my glory and the one that lifts up my head i love this passage it's so beautiful abraham was walking with god he's do he is doing the will of god satan knows that through abraham god wants to do something special to bless the whole world so of course satan is going to draw as many enemies as he can to attack abraham but god is saying don't worry i'm your shield i'm here for you i thank any believer who is doing the will of god who is really wanting to be faithful to god will be attacked by satan but this promise is wonderful god is our shield and if god is for us who can be against us uh you know it's interesting that you should mention the the idea of being obedient to the lord and god being the shield what happens when a person let's use an example like john huss who was righteous you would say not in the sense that he was righteous but he accepted christ as his savior the lord didn't appear to be his shield because he was martyred so maybe there's something deeper here of god being the shield and the emphasis being on god protecting the person from the power of satan which you were just mentioning and you know the devil could not overcome huss yes and the other martyrs and so he had them martyred so god was his shield amen in another way also god is our shield because in hebrews it tells us that all of these faithful folks died not having seen the reality of the promise made but god is their shield and he is going to allow them to see that ultimately he has you know he has protected that word that he gave them that that will come to fruition and they will see the reality of their faith amen yes so once again you have the covenant idea here of uh abraham believing trusting in god having faith in god and god keeping his end of the covenant with his shielding him from the power of satan and enabling him to be faithful to him yes yes i remember the words of jesus that said when he was praying for his disciples i do not pray that you may take them out of the world but that you may keep them from the evil one may guard them from the evil one and i yes i think that's the main idea that that shield is a spiritual shield more than if it can be a physical shield of course and i do believe god protects us from many physical evils but it is mainly a spiritual shield abraham was made righteous by faith and the shield yes is faith so and here's an interesting verse before we move on to the next section of the lesson uh psalm 5 verse 12 says for you o lord will bless the righteous with favor you will surround him as with the shield so there you have righteousness and shield related the person who is righteous through faith in christ will be shielded from satan doesn't mean that you might not die as a martyr it doesn't mean that you're not going to suffer but it means that he will sustain and protect you from the power of the enemy amen here's a quotation from thoughts from the mount of blessing page 118 it says the only safeguard against evil is the indwelling of christ in the heart through faith in his righteousness perfect it is because selfishness exists in our heart that temptation has power over us but when we behold the great love of god selfishness appears to us in its hideous and repulsive character and we desire to have it expelled from the soul as the holy spirit glorifies christ our hearts are softened and subdued and temptation loses its power and the grace of christ transforms the character that's a fantastic way to end the first section of the lesson yes puts it all together yes okay let's go to the next section monday the messianic promise and of course it begins with the verse in thee and in thy seed shall all of the families of the earth be blessed this is actually speaking to jacob here and and so we have the messianic promise being given to jacob now was given to abraham it was given to isaac was given to jacob it was given to david you know it was given to many people in the old testament the question is is everyone every person from every nation blessed because of abraham or is abraham only instrumental in bringing the blessing through someone else a good question because it says in in thee all nations of the earth will be blessed you know but other texts say in thy seed all nations of the earth will be blessed yes definitely i believe abraham was an instrument precious instrument in the hands of god through which the blessing would come although the blessing the main blessing definitely would come through his seed and that seed is christ ultimately of course when we think about the seed of abraham we think about his children his grandchildren the 12 patriarchs the jewish nation but ultimately that people was in the mind of god was the people that he wanted to use to draw people to his law and through the sacrificial system to the knowledge of the redeemer of christ and his sacrifice so yes abraham had a very important role to play but he was an instrument in god's hands so that through him the whole world could see the salvation of god that centers in christ it says in john chapter 8 jesus speaking he says abraham saw my day yes and rejoice so even abraham understood that all nations were not going to be blessed through him but through the messiah who would come from him yes yes yes in another sense uh it says in the in the and in thy seed well when we look back at jacob and and isaac and abraham we see there are men of faith but they're deeply flawed and in in reviewing their life and their history and their growing commitment with god it's a blessing also yes for those who wish to have that same uh journey with god the same journey of faith because we we are deeply flawed yes okay and uh it's it's it's uplifting to have them as as people that we can reflect on lives that we can reflect on yeah you know we can be very thankful that the lord raised the apostle paul to give us an exegesis of the abraham experience yes let's just go to galatians chapter 3 just for a few moments because it's brought out here in the lesson galatians 3 and verses 13 and 14. kind of bring it all together um okay if uh maybe we can have you have that i have that okay 13 and 14. galatians 3 13-14 christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree that the blessing of abraham might come upon the gentiles in christ jesus that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith so how is it that the blessing of abraham comes upon uh it says the gentiles here but really it can be translated the nations nations uh so how is it that the blessing of abraham is because of abraham in christ jesus and what is the critical the critical event that makes the blessing of abraham come this is christ redeemed us from so it's it's it's the sacrifice that christ makes yes that is instrument or that is key in in in making us heirs of the kingdom yes in other words he it says in verse 13 that jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law and then it says how becoming the curse for us and as a result the blessing of abraham can come upon who all who believe yes so basically the the critical point here is that christ is the seed that is promised yes let's read verse 16 also verse 16 which brings it out very clearly melvin you want to read that sure now to abraham and his seed with the capital s where the promise is made he does not say and to seeds plural as of many but as of one and to your seed singular who is christ so who was the seed promised to abraham christ it's not everyone it's christ christ but aren't we seen of abraham too yes yes yes we are well how does that happen i mean it says there's only one seed it says in verse 16. so how is it that we are abraham's seed well the lesson points out verse 29 says and if you are christ's then you are abraham's seed and hairs according to the promise right so when we believe in christ if we give ourselves to christ and we are faithful to christ we become abraham's seed we are we are children of the promise it's not only a physical blood seed but it's really a spiritual seed that comes through through what jesus did through who he is and you know it's amazing i was just thinking about this text and how god chooses a man and he says through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed of course we know it's in his seed it's through christ but it is true that christ came from you know the people of israel and from the jewish nation and i just a thought came to mind um that i read in in the book steps to christ by ellen white page 83 and i'm going to read it here it says the humblest and poorest of the disciples of jesus can be a blessing to others they may not realize that they are doing any special good but by their unconscious influence they may start waves of blessing that will widen and deepen and the blessed results they may never know until the day of final reward and think about abraham he knew a lot god revealed to him a lot and especially when god asks asks abraham to sacrifice isaac and then reveals the plan of salvation by providing the ram and even by putting in abraham's mouth words of faith the lord shall provide the sacrifice right so i abraham knew a lot but he was not aware of everything that we are aware today that god did through him of course it is through christ that the blessing comes but it also comes through men and women who are faithful to christ he he his life of obedience and faith even with his flaws was something that benefited all humanity that's pretty impressive if you study the characters of the bible you see how god actually even in the believers of the old testament he leads them through experiences that draw them to christ and and that they end up having a life that resembles the life of jesus in certain ways and actually they become types and prophecies of the messiah so i was i was just thinking about this quote how when you are faithful to god when you believe in christ and you become abraham's seed like abraham through you it's not about you but through you god can bless so many that you don't even know about praise the lord amen that's true in uh oh in verse 13 where it it makes this uh reference to the substitutionary nature of of of the death of christ that he becomes a curse for us he removes the curse from us by being becoming the curse for us and then when we deal with this idea of the ethnos the nations in the lineage of christ even though there's abraham there's also rahab you know and there are others who are not of the lineage of abraham so exactly who are also progenitors of the christ and here in verse 28 of uh chapter 3 paul says or 26 um he says for you are all sons of god through faith in christ jesus for as many of you who have been baptized into christ have put on christ there is neither jew nor greek and he goes on yeah yeah and so yeah this this substitutionary death of christ is sufficient not just for the lineage of abraham but for all for the ethnos for the nations amen and jesus recognized this idea in john chapter 12 if we can go there just for a moment john chapter 12 and we'll begin at verse 20. some greeks come to jesus at the time of the feast and they say we want to talk to jesus actually they want jesus to go to greece to do what he's been doing in israel and and so it says in verse 22 philip came and told andrew and in turn andrew and philip told jesus but jesus then says the hour has come that the son of man shall be glorified that's talking about his death and then he says most assuredly i say to you unless a grain of wheat that would be a seed by the way a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone that reminds us of galatians 3 16 the seed is one not many so it says it remains alone but then it says but if it dies if it's buried and dies it produces much grain and i like to use this example i have several tomato plants in my garden that i just planted a few weeks ago where did those tomato plants come from each came from one seed one little itsy bitsy seed we know how small tomato seeds are and so from that one tomato seed comes the entire plant now how many tomatoes are on that plant well it's at least dozens okay so how many seeds are in the tomatoes on the plant it's exponential and so from that one seed which is jesus who is buried and dies and then sprouts to life many seeds will come and and i think that's what galatians 3 is saying when it states that there's one solitary seed but if we are joined to christ then we are seeds of the seed and if i can just make one more remark i you know i'm not sure if melvin agrees with this but you know i believe i've reflected on revelation 12 17. okay and um and it's not specifically in the lesson but i just want to mention this um it says the dragon was enraged with a woman and he went make went to make war with the rest of offspring i like the translation in the king james with the remnant of her seed now is that talking about the descendants of the woman the remnant of her seed i don't think so because the seed has already been identified in chapter 12. the seed is the the individual that's in the womb and so that's the seed yes so when it says that with the remnant of her seed it's the remnant of jesus because jesus is the seed and the characteristic is that they keep the commandments of god and they have the testimony of jesus christ so in other words it's talking about the seeds seed here just like we find in galatians chapter three okay [Laughter] any other uh comments on this section of the lesson before we move on i think just to piggyback on what you were saying the fact that jesus says unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone but if it dies it produces much fruit then right in the next verse he says he who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life in verse 26 he says if anyone serves me let him follow me and where i am there my servant will be also if anyone serves me him my father will honor so that thought is precious that if we give ourselves to christ because he the seed was willing to die and to because of his death produce many seeds and be a cause of eternal salvation for millions also those who deny themselves who truly follow christ because you know there's this kind of faith in christ that is just very nominal or very apparent but when there is true faith true death to self um then god can use people to in through them create more seeds so that's a pretty powerful thought so we have to go through some similar experiences to christ that's why paul said i die daily yeah exactly and that's why revelation 17 says the remnant of the seed because it's it's it's a special group yeah they are like christ because the woman represents the church yes so the seed of the woman cannot represent the church also exactly it has to be the remnant of jesus okay let's go to the next section of the lesson i was captivated by this quotation from thomas brown at the top of this section to enjoy true happiness we must travel into a very far country and even out of ourselves yes and then the texts that are given here are first thessalonians 4 16-18 which we all know it's read at every funeral perfectly in revelation 3 verse 12 where it speaks about the tree of life so how do we understand this in order to be truly happy we have to travel into very far country what is that far country and we have an even we have to travel even out of ourselves did you reflect on that yeah i love this quote too it's beautiful and i think in a very uh tangible sense definitely to be ultimately happy we'll have to be in the new jerusalem with jesus and live enjoy heaven and the new earth forever but i really like this this last part of the quote even out of ourselves i think true happiness in christ starts maybe not the complete fulfillment but the true peace and happiness that we can enjoy in christ starts when we travel out of ourselves in the sense that we forget about ourselves so it's really in tune with what we were seeing in john chapter 12. the the purpose of life for a created being is to glorify his or her creator right and we can only do that in christ and christ teaches us the way of the cross he says if anyone wants to follow me let him deny himself take up his cross daily and follow me so i think we need to really pass beyond this great tendency to relate everything to ourselves we really should be more about the glory of god and the blessing of others so this section of the lesson uh kind of hints that when we look at what's happening in the world today it's pretty depressing yes it's kind of like the world before the flood so you know there's the tendency in the midst of this pandemic for example to be very depressed to be very negative you know to look at the world and say things are really falling apart so how can we handle this how can we keep our focus on what is coming rather than the focus on what is happening around us now i think that's what this means we need to travel into a fire country what is that for our country well that far country is uh the kingdom that we're going to live in after all this problem is over and we have bible promises can you think of any of the bible promises that we need to focus on in the midst of the trials of this world although the lesson does not point that one out to me one that comes to mind all the time is john 14 verses 1-3 let not your heart be troubled now you're going to look at all this that is happening and you're going to have trials but let not your heart be troubled you believe in god believe also in me in my house and my father's house there are many mansions if it were not so i would have told you i go to prepare a place for you and if i go and prepare a place for you i will come again and receive you or take you to myself so that where i am you may be awesome and i think true happiness for a christian is to be with christ amen spiritually today and eye to eye face to face in the great tomorrow when jesus comes back and that's our great hope right that's the beauty of being a seventh-day adventist amen you know in uh in as we reflected um about this remnant of the seed being a reflector of christ they're like christ keeping the commandments you know testimony of jesus and all that uh and also in the in john 12 25 it says he who loves his life will lose it he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal yeah and so this far country in in this day and age where everything is about me it's all self-centered yes those who are the remnant who are like christ will be about doing their father's business amen yeah and it won't be about them it'll be about serving others right yeah yeah uh so uh one of the verses that is mentioned in the lesson is first corinthians two verse nine i has not seen nor ear heard nor entered into the imagination of man the things that god has prepared for those who love him yes and um you know one of my favorite chapters in the bible have several of them is isaiah 35. and uh maybe we can go there just for a few moments uh and uh let's let's have uh melvin i know it's kind of long it has ten verses but melvin has such a good yes um you know good voice good strong voice let's have melvin uh read uh isaiah 35 and you know this will help us keep our focus about what's coming isaiah 35 what the what are we looking for the whole chapter okay all right isaiah 35 the wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing the glory of lebanon shall be given to it the excellence of carmel and sharon they shall see the glory of the lord the excellency of our god strengthen the weak hand and make firm the feeble knees say to those who are fearful hearted be strong do not fear behold your god will come with vengeance with the recompense of god he will come and save you and so that's the glorious promise now what does that involve in verses 5-10 then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the death shall be unstopped then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for water shall burst forth from the wilderness and streams in the desert the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water in the habitation of jackals where each lay there shall be grass with reeds and rushes a highway shall be there and a road and it shall come and it shall be called the highway of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for others whoever walks the road although a fool shall not go astray no lion shall be there nor shall any ravenous beast go upon it it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there and the ransom to the lord shall return and come to zion singing with everlasting joy on their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away amen that's keeping the eye on the ball we get so distracted by all of these things that are happening these terrible things that are happening and we forget that this is not our home we're camping this is a camp house yes our dwelling place is in heaven amen well let's go to the next section of the lesson april 28 wednesday a great and mighty nation why did god chose israel good question i asked the questions you guys answered it wasn't because they were great in number or strong yeah yeah exactly but because he loved them he had mercy on them yes and he had a job for them just as he had a job for abraham he had a job for abraham's lineage and he says that they were going to be a nation if they would enter into covenant with him they would be a nation of kings and priests and as i reflected on that you know um a nation of priests you know what do priests do if there's a whole nation of priests well priests intercede they minister for others and so they have to minister for and intercede for someone and that would be the surrounding nations because through amen the lineage of abraham all the nations of the earth they're going to be blessed and so since abraham is carrying the knowledge of god the knowledge of the true god then his his diaspora will intercede for others and teach them the ways of that god the only true god and in this they are a nation of priests the problem is that they are not always faithful to the government yes that's true it's a major problem but the language that that well the the lesson points out a few bible passages and the language that god uses you will be my special treasure it's really a story of love god cho chooses them because god loves them right he loved abraham he loved jacob isaac i mean you look at their lives you see there there are things that are not lovable but god loves them and god promises to do something for them and god is going to keep that promise because god is faithful to his word and when you come to this people that is just coming out of slavery where we know that they were not very faithful to god throughout those 400 years but god still loves them and god wants to enter into a covenant with them and makes amazing promises to them and god wants them to shine isaiah 60 says arise shine for your light has come and the glory of the lord is risen upon you god really wants to take this people that have nothing special about themselves in and of themselves but he wants to dwell in them and with them and through them show his light to the whole world this is a god of love this is an amazing um project that god has and i like deuteronomy maybe we could go there yeah this passage in this phenomenal isn't it oh wow four six through eight yes yes exactly um it says there's there's conditions yeah they're conditions but then the promises are so great i actually i i would like to start with verse five says surely i have taught you statutes and judgments just as the lord my god commanded me that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess therefore be careful to observe them for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people now let me pause here just for a second sometimes we seventh-day adventists have this temptation to think that we we have to forget a little bit about what we believe so that we can come into more favor with other peoples around us that's nonsense the more faithful we we are to the bible and the spirit of prophecy the more people say wait a minute these guys are on to something amen right amen because it's wisdom it's from god it's not from us it's not we haven't invented it so then verse 7 says for what great nation is there that has god so near to it as the lord our god is to us for whatever reason we may call upon him now again this is not because the people of israel was better than other people so we should not it's not because we seventh-day adventists are better than others that's not what we think that's not what we believe but god has revealed his ways to us if we are faithful he is near amen that's powerful right who what what nation what great nation is there that has god so near to it as the lord our god is to us for whatever reason we may call upon him and what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which i set before you this day wow so the honor and glory is with god of course the status comes from him of course the wisdom comes from him the covenant comes from him the promises come from him the grace comes from him i mean how can we boast so the closer that we obey him the better we project who he is yes that's reflected in the in the history of israel the the the more they're in the covenant relationship the more they adhere to the government relationship the more the outside nations are enamored by what's going on yes you know you know i looked at this you know back a while and you know i looked at all these feasts and and all these celebrations they had you know it seemed like half the year there yeah in jerusalem they're not at home in the field they're in the you know but yet you know the poor are fed uh you know everyone is taken care of uh you know they flourish as a nation they are mighty in battle no one can overcome them and they are a centerpiece of god's goodness yes and mercy and other nations you know the queen of sheba and exactly you know who come to visit hezekiah and you know from babylon yeah they look at this and they say you know i think these guys have something yeah yeah so so basically uh the closer we follow god's plan the more the world sees an image of who god is the more we go astray from god's plan the lest the world understands what the character of god is really like there's a distinction of course between the old testament plan and the new testament planet still to reach the world but in the old testament as israel followed god's statutes and god's commandments they would be so prosperous that the nations would come to them like the queen of sheba and say what's the secret i mean your crops you know they they grow bigger and they're they're better they're the pests don't eat them up you know what's your secret and then they would have a chance to share about the true god but in the new testament now it's go exactly go ye therefore to all nations but it's still the purpose of revealing the glorious character of god through his people to the world amen yes definitely okay any other uh remarks on this um on this particular section of the lesson there's a there's a verse in the bible i think it's in zechariah that says we want to go with you because we have heard that god is with you right zechariah 8 i think it is yeah so that's a phenomenon that's an amazing passage i think it's verses 20 to 23. if you are um if you are with god people are going to hear about it and they're going to know it's i think why don't you read that zechariah 8 20 to 23. all right all right so it says thus says the lord of hosts peoples shall yet come inhabitants of many cities the inhabitants of one city shall go to another saying let us continue to go and pray before the lord and seek the lord of hosts i myself will go also yes many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the lord of hosts in jerusalem and to pray before the lord thus says the lord of hosts in those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a jewish man saying let us go with you for we have heard that god is with you right so in romans chapter 2 we find that the the the jews are those that now are following christ like in the circumcision of the circumcision of the heart so i do believe that this prophecy god wants to fulfill it today in his church today amen if you are really following god if you are faithful to god covered by the mercy of christ of course we cannot be faithful to god without god's grace but if we are truly following jesus i always like to remember that the word faith in the new testament pistes is not only about believing like a sent a sentiment or a feeling but it has to be also with faithfulness it's the same word right so if you are faithful to christ by his grace of course by the power of the holy spirit working in you and living in you people know that god is with you people see something it's not to glorify you but it's like i want what he has i want which he has you know right they have something they have something there with jesus and i want that amen amen okay let's go to the last section of the lesson thursday make your name great and there's two texts that contrast here uh genesis 11 verse 4 which deals with the building of the tower of babel and genesis 12 verse 2 both of them talking about making the name great what is the difference between god making abraham's name great and the builders of the tower of babel one in a great name what what's the difference that's probably the difference between false religion and true religion religion is based on man's works to glorify men and true religion is based on the grace of god revealed to man to bless men and to bless all humanity through christ so uh these people in building the tower of babel says let's let's make a name for ourselves right the glory of man the attempt to reach heaven through human works and when god says to abraham i will make your name great it's a completely different ballgame it's god blessing a human being but basically telling him i want you i want through you to bless everybody because through you my son will come so it's a it's two opposing uh religious worldviews yeah if actually it's god who makes abraham's name great exactly whereas the builders of the tower of babel said let us make ourselves exactly a great name which basically they're saying you know let us let our names be recognized till in posterity until the end of the world if there's going to be such a thing so so one is arrogance and the other is god doing it exactly it's interesting as well is the idea that they're both connected to work yes because the builders of the tower of babe will say let us build let's let's do this work you know and it's generated from self-interest but abraham also according to hebrews is working he's he's god says go and he's doing what god says he ought to do but in this case following god god makes his name great yeah it's it's his belief in god that's his work the doing of what god says for him to do that causes him to have a great name and so basically succinctly what made have abraham great is that he had this covenant relationship with the lord he trusted the lord and his trust in the lord was revealed in his behavior in his conduct right and his conduct became an example to the whole world at that time which is work yeah it's considered works works of faith works of faith as as opposed to works of the flesh and ill and white states that abraham built an altar wherever he went yes and she says that as individuals who were not israelites went by the place they would look at the altar and they would think of abraham you know and the faithfulness of abraham so he was giving a witness even though he wasn't there and and the interesting thing is that he's his name becomes great exactly because of his faith in god and god is the one getting the glory even though god says i will make your name great but the lesson actually asks an important question why would god promise that to anyone it's not for the glory of the individual is really so that the glory of god may be shown through that life of faith and obedience so that's an amazing thought that a creature of dust and ashes like abraham knew he was right and we all are can be used by his creator through the grace of christ to bless so many and to make the name of god great amen and as god is making his name great through an individual of course that individual also becomes known but yeah the glory is for god not for him amen only for god amen amen um that was one of the one of the five solas of the prophet reformation solely of glory exactly glory to god alone yeah uh well let's go to uh james chapter two this will be our final remarks because time is winding down yes um james chapter two and uh let's begin at verse 21 and read all the way through verse 23. let's uh whoever finds it first pastor okay 21-23 yes was not abraham our father justified by works when he offered isaac his son on the altar do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect and the scripture was fulfilled which says abraham believed god and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of god so what is the definition of a friend of god it's someone who is justified by faith a faith that works you know i've said many times one is not saved by works alone one is not saved by faith alone one is not saved by faith plus works one is saved by a faith that works amen amen and because faith that does not work is not truly faith exactly you know if you believe god you're going to do what god says you're going to trust god so you know it reminds me of a story that i heard several years ago there was a little a child caught in the second story of a house and the firemen came and he said to the child jump jump and the child wouldn't budge you know the child stayed there and then the mother came running and she says jump guess what happened the child jumped the child jumped why because the child knew the mother entrusted the mother she did what her mother said and so i think that that is the gist of the covenant it's god's initiative salvation is by grace grace through faith amen and this not of yourselves it is the gift of god amen well time is up when you're having a good time time flies by thank you pastor go ahead thank you melvin may god bless you hope to see you next time well folks i trust that the sabbath school class for this morning was a blessing to your spiritual life and now as we are about to enter our worship service we want to plead for the lord's presence so i invite you to bow your heads for prayer father in heaven we come before your awesome throne in the powerful name of jesus now as we enter the worship service we long for your presence and so we ask that you will be with us through the ministry of the holy spirit enlighten our minds and strengthen our hearts to be faithful to you we pray in the precious name of jesus amen hello boys and girls this is auntie louisa last time i told you about our miracle cat moonshine and how we were moving from california to michigan and we know that the angels brought our cat to us when she was run away and she didn't want to come back to us so this is kind of a continuation of that um off of our move from michigan here to california we had been driving for about three days and we were hot because it was in the end of june and we were tired my husband myself our three boys two dogs and one cat traveling in two cars across the country it's exhausting well to make matters worse one of our dogs our big irish setter named paulie she does not like cats and she really did not like our cat moonshine so every time we stopped for the night we had to be really careful how we got out of the cars and how we went into the hotel rooms well on our last night of traveling we weren't as careful as we should have been and all the dogs and all the cats got out at the same time and our dog polly chased moonshine and she boom like she did she just ran away she had her harness on and her leash and she just took off it was in the middle of st george utah there was a highway right next to our hotel it was probably 10 o'clock at night it was dark outside and now this miracle cat that god gave it back to us in michigan she was gone again what were we gonna do so immediately we started praying lord please help us find our kitty help her not to go near the highway you know where she is send your angels again keep her safe so i went and i helped get everybody into the hotel room while my husband and our middle son went to look for the cat and i was on my knees in the hotel room just praying lord you gave us this miracle kitty we're so close to being at our new home please let us get all the way let's let's we need to be there as a whole family with all of our pets please help us find our kitty and not a minute later my son came in and he said mom we found moonshine we found her she was she was under a car kind of hiding behind the tire and they couldn't quite reach her so he wanted me to bring some water out to her because it was hot and so i brought a little bucket of water and she came out to me and i grabbed her harness and brought her back into the hotel room and we put we've been locking her in the bathroom because when the dogs and the cats don't like each other someone has to be separated so the poor kitty had to be staying in the bathroom but we were so grateful that god again preserved our sweet kitty that she didn't get hit on the road that she didn't run away that that she kept he god kept her safe under the tire under the wheel well of that car and i want to remind you today that god does love you he cares for you and your pets and he wants you to ask him for help if there's anything you're worried about if something is lost like a kitty he wants to help you thank you for listening our scripture reading this morning comes from the book of hebrews hebrews chapter 5 verse 12 through chapter 6 verse 3 for though by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of god and you have come to need milk and not solid food for everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness for he is a babe but solid food belongs to those who are of full age that is those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of christ let us go on to perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward god of the doctrine of baptisms of laying on of hands of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment and this we will do if god permits may the lord add a blessing to the reading and the hearing of his word oh shady green pastures so [Music] children alone [Music] [Music] fire but all through his blood some through great sorrows what god gives the song [Music] oh before us and satan opposed [Music] god through faith we shall conquer defeat all our force god leads his dead children along some through the water some grow the floods [Music] but god gives a song in the night season and all the days [Music] some tv is a worldwide christian ministry providing christ-centered programs with clarity and power on topics such as bible prophecy in time events bible interpretation tips for helpful living cooking demonstrations and much more our programs provide practical counsel for daily life and assurance in these uncertain times download the free some tv app or watch online at some tv.org you will be blessed shall we pray father never now as we open the bible your word to us we ask for the guidance of the spirit that inspired that holy book help us understand the urgency of the times that we're living in and to prepare a character that will withstand the great trials ahead and we thank you for hearing our prayer for we ask it in jesus name amen throughout much of the history of the seventh-day adventist church we have become known as the people of the book although we believe in the message of the entire bible we also believe particularly that god has given three books to mold seventh-day adventist present truth theology and those three books are daniel revelation and the book of hebrews because these books deal with prophetic events and with the sanctuary service two topics that are very close to the heart of adventist theology these books are particularly important to us so in our study this morning i want to focus on one of those books which is the book of hebrews now the book of hebrews is organized in a particular way the writer presents a theological section and after the theological section he makes a practical exhortation then he goes to another theological section followed by another passage that deals with exhortation the exhortation sections of the book of hebrews help us understand the specific problems the recipients of the book had at that particular time the book of hebrews reveals that those who receive the book began their christian experience with great enthusiasm however as time passed discouragement and despondency despondency ensued because the coming of jesus was delayed much longer than they expected therefore they became intellectually and spiritually lazy and started slipping away from their first confidence let's examine some texts from the book of hebrews primarily from the exhortations sections of the book that reveal this slow almost imperceptible sliding of the hebrews into apostasy go with me to hebrews chapter 2 and verse 1. here paul whom i believe to be the writer of the book of hebrews wrote this therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard so notice more earnest heed that means that they were not heeding earnestly what he had said so once again there were therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we now notice the expression lest we drift away it's the expression used for a boat that is going away from port it's slipping away from the port it continues saying for if the word spoken through angels that is in the old testament period proved steadfast and every transgression in disobedience received a just reward now he speaks to new testament christians how shall we escape if we neglect notice the word that is used if we neglect so great of salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the lord and was confirmed to us by those who who heard him that is by the apostles and so you know notice the expressions here we must give more earnest heed so that we don't drift away let us not neglect so great a salvation notice hebrews chapter 3 and verses 12 and 13. beware brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living god notice once again the idea of departing drifting away it continues saying in verse 13 but exhort one another daily while it is called today lest any of you be hardened its passive voice in other words the hardening is something that is happening slowly to them so it says lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin for we have become partakers of christ listen carefully now if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end what is paul saying he's saying that we need to hold the beginning of our confidence like the hebrews did steadfast to the end jesus said he who endures unto the end will be saved notice hebrews chapter 6 verses 11 and 12 we're diagnosing the problem now that the hebrews had they're drifting away their hearts are being hardened they need to pay more earnest heed to what the apostle paul was teaching they're departing from the living god notice hebrews 6 11 and 12 and we desire that each of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end in other words he's saying a good beginning is not enough you have to go and persevere till the end so once again and we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end that you do not become here's a key word sluggish that you do not become sluggish but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises notice hebrews chapter 12 and verse 3 for we consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself lest now he speaks to the hebrews lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls are you catching the picture we need to pay more earnest heed there's danger of drifting away we need to hold fast to our first faith we can't escape if we neglect such a great salvation thus the danger of the heart being hardened now let's notice hebrews chapter 12 verses 12 and 13. therefore strengthen the hands which hand hang down notice what's happening to their hands they're hanging down therefore strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees they're having shaky knees when it comes to their spiritual stamina and spiritual connection with the lord therefore strengthen the hands which hang down and then feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed so actually the apostle paul is saying that they are lame their hands are hanging down and their knees are feeble in other words they're in the process of losing their faith notice hebrews chapter 13 verse 9 do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines for it is good that the heart notice this be established by grace not with foods speak speaking about spiritual food the bible not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them notice hebrews chapter 10 24-25 there's all kinds of ways in which the apostle paul describes the disease of the hebrews hebrews 10 24-25 and let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works in other words let's have fellowship together not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together some had even quit coming to church according to this so he says not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching notice hebrews chapter 10 hebrews chapter 10 verses 35 to 38 therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward for you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of god you may receive the promise and now this promise comes from the book of habakkuk for yet a little while and he who is coming will come and will not tarry now the just shall live by faith but if anyone draws back that's speaking about apostasy going to what they were before they accepted the lord but if anyone draws back my soul has no pleasure in him notice hebrews chapter 10 and verse 35 but we are not of those who draw back to perdition but of those who believe to the saving of the soul did you catch the picture that the apostle paul is portraying here he's telling to them be more earnest in heeding what you're hearing don't drift away don't neglect so great a salvation he's saying you might have an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living god let not your heart be hardened hold fast to what you believe from the beginning until the end you're not showing diligence in following the path that you should you have become sluggish you have become weary and discouraged your hands are hanging down and your knees are feeble you are lame the apostle paul is saying don't be carried about here and there but be established in the message don't forsake the congregation as some people are doing don't cast away your confidence you need endurance don't draw back remain firm are you seeing the problem that the hebrews had they were about to go back to what they were before they knew the lord now in the first five chapters of hebrews the apostle paul began a study on jesus and the sanctuary service but then at the end of chapter 5 the apostle paul interrupted the flow of thought on the sanctuary to express his frustration with the fact that the listeners and readers of his message had not been able to grasp or understand what he was trying to teach them paul was about to embark in hebrews chapter 7 and following upon the profound meaning of the sanctuary services but before he does he tells the hebrews the dangers that they face if they draw back if they don't hold their confidence until the end let's notice hebrews chapter 5 and verse 11. here the apostle paul is going to begin expressing his frustration with the hebrews he says in hebrews chapter 5 verse 11 of whom now that of whom can mean either the subject of the sanctuary that he has been discussing or it could refer to jesus of whom we have much to say in other words we have much to say about jesus or we have much to say about the sanctuary and then the apostle paul writes and hard to explain in other words i have a lot of profound things to teach you however it's hard to explain it to you why since you have become dull of hearing in other words you have become lazy you have become sluggish in your understanding and then the apostle paul continues for though by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of god and you have come to need milk and not solid food did you notice this in other words the apostle paul is telling them you should be teachers by now but you have to be students again you need to eat solid food but you think that you still need milk now there's nothing wrong folks with baby formula if you are a baby but paul was addressing adults that wanted to continue eating like a baby they were adults who intellectually had failed to grow up now the bible has two sets of texts that appear to be contradictory but they are not one group of texts says that we should be like children and the other group of texts says that we should not let's read first of all what jesus said about becoming like a child matthew 18 verses 3 and 4 assuredly i say to you unless you are converted and become as little children you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven however there is a another group of texts where we are told not to be like children that were supposed to grow up now is there a contradiction between these two groups of texts absolutely not you see jesus was telling us that we should have the simple faith and trust of a child for example if i say that there was a world global flood that destroyed every inhabitant except for knowing his family in the ark some people would doubt because they think they're too sophisticated they say do you really believe that or when you teach the virgin birth of christ they say how is that possible or you teach that god created everything by speaking the sophisticated and educated ones many times say you know that's that goes beyond reason it's hard to understand and hard to believe however jesus says we should be like children we should have the simplicity of faith and trusting in what the bible has to say and so on the other hand paul is telling us that we should grow in our knowledge of the truth we should have the trust and simplicity of a child but the mind of an adult now let's continue in hebrews chapter 5 verses 13 and 14. the apostle paul writes for everyone who partakes only by the way that word only is added to the text it's not actually part of the text it's added by the translators for everyone who partakes only of milk in other words those who stay at the elementary level of christian knowledge of knowledge of the bible is unskilled in the world of in the word of righteousness for he is a babe are you catching the picture so if a person is drinking milk all of the time the apostle paul is saying that person is unskilled in the word of righteousness because that person is still a baby although he has said you should be teachers by this point and so in verse 14 he says but solid food that is a profound sanctuary theology that paul is trying to teach them but they're sluggish because they have not advanced intellectually he says but solid food belongs to those who are of full age in other words those who have grown spiritually and intellectually it continues saying solid food belongs to those who are of full age those who by reason of use in other words they they've gotten into the word they've exercised in the word they've assimilated the word they've studied the word so it says those who by reason of use have their senses that is spiritual discernment exercised to discern both good and evil so the apostle paul is telling them you are babies when you should be adults you are students in elementary school again when you should already have graduated and been in post graduate school you have become sluggish you have refused to get into the word to grow and to study and so now we find in hebrews chapter 6 verses 1 and 2 a continuation of the apostle paul's argument he says there in hebrews chapter 6 verse 1 therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of christ what are the elementary principles we're going to see that in a few moments let us go on to perfection that word perfection really should be translated to maturity in other words saying leave the discussion of the basic principles of christ of the christian faith and let us go on to maturity not laying again the foundation this is the kids stuff by the way not laying again the foundation of now he's going to give a list repentance from dead works and faith toward god and of the doctrine of baptisms the laying on of hands that is ordination resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment the apostle paul is saying these are the elementary things these are the basic things you learn these things when you enter the faith but you need to go far beyond that you need to grow and and paul is frustrated because he's trying to teach the profound theology of the sanctuary and these people who have been christians for some time have failed to grow and they're not able to grasp what the apostle paul is trying to teach them you know sometimes i think that seventh-day adventist theology seventh-day adventist practice uh fails in two particular stages of evangelism you state you say well how is that you know i like to compare the task of evangelism with five stages of the gross growth of a child first of all you have uh the mother and the father sitting down and planning together you know that they're going to have a child and they lay out a plan for having that child so you have the planning stage then secondly you have conception third you have gestation fourth you have birth and fifth you have growth after birth now we can apply this spiritually to individuals who come into the church first of all the church plans the evangelistic outreach the conception is the moment when the church makes the contact contact with the unbeliever then you have the conception that's the conception period now the gestation period is a period in which we give bible studies to people to prepare them for the next stage which is birth or baptism and then after baptism of course we continue teaching the baby and the child so that they grow physically now where do i believe that seventh-day adventist theology has failed to a great degree in two of those stages the first stage is gestation is it perhaps true that we are so anxious to see people baptized that we do not teach them the principles of the faith before they're baptized you see folks a baby is not conceived and born on the same day the baby is conceived that's when the church makes contact with the unbeliever and then there's nine months of growth in the womb and then comes the baptism or the birth is it just possible that we're rushing people to be baptized we're rushing people to be born in other words so the first stage where many times our evangelism fails is that we fail to teach people well the fundamentals before they're baptized the second stage where i think many times we fail is the growth stage in other words we fail to do a follow-up with people and teach them go in depth into um some of the distinctive beliefs of the adventist church the sanctuary bible prophecy the spirit of prophecy etc now the apostle paul after saying therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of christ let us go on to perfection or maturity not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward god of the doctrine of baptisms of laying on of hands of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment and then in verse 3 the apostle paul writes and this we will do if god permits in other words he says we are going to go to the profound theology we're not going to repeat all over the foundational principles of the christian faith and then paul makes this very very dire announcement or warning for it is impossible for those who were once enlightened this is when they had elementary knowledge by the way when they just began their christian experience and this we will do if god permits for it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the holy spirit that's when we believe and have tasted the good word of god and the powers of the age to come if they fall away this is what the hebrews are in danger of doing if they fall away to renew them again to repentance since they crucify again for themselves the son of god and put him to an open shame wow what a dire warning paul is saying if you don't grow up if you don't eat solid food if you don't get into the word in depth be on the surface and you fall away he even goes so far as to say it is impossible to renew them to repentance since they crucified him for themselves the word of god and put him to an open shame in other words if we not are not progressing we are regressing and then the apostle paul gives an illustration of what he's just described in chapter six verses three through six verse seven says for now now he's going to give an example for the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it we might say this is the early rain that we receive when we first believe for the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated receives blessing from god in other words if it grows and it bears fruit god blesses it but there's another side to the coin but if it bears thorns and briars it is rejected and near to being cursed whose end is to be burned and then the apostle paul says to the hebrews i expect better things from you let's read verses 9 through 12. but beloved we are confident of better things concerning you yes things that accompany salvation though we speak in this manner the apostle paul is saying you know i'm speaking strong words to you but i expect better things from you verse 10 for god is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown notice this is in the past in the present they're drifting away but the apostle paul is saying god is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward his name in that you have ministered this is in the past to the saints and do minister and we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end in other words stay firm until the end he who endures unto the end will be saved but you'll notice that getting into the word growing spiritually through a knowledge of the truth has a lot to do with whether we will endure till the end verse 12 that you do not become sluggish but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises apostasy does not take place overnight it is a long almost imperceptible process of neglect indolence spiritual lethargy that culminates in being insensible to the voice and calling of the holy spirit that eventually leads to what the bible calls the unpardonable sin paul has dealt in depth with the theology of the sanctuary and he says to the hebrews you've become dull i can't explain these things to you because you say it's too difficult because you have not grown in your capacity to grasp ellen white had an interesting comment to make about the problem that the hebrews had this quotation is from the review and herald june 16 1903 this is what she wrote paul could not speak to the jewish converts as plainly as he desired regarding the mystery of godliness because of their spiritual weakness their lack of perception he could not utter the truth which could they have heard a right with intelligent comprehension would have been to them a savior saver of life unto life the fault was not with their instructors but with themselves they were dull of understanding abundant advantages had been given them they could have increased in understanding regarding christ his work his power to save to the uttermost all who come to him but they had not pressed onward and upward improving their opportunity to learn more and still more of the savior because they had not received in faith the truths imparted to them their memory was weak they could not retain in their minds the truths essential to success in character building the apostle calls their attention to their fault in this respect which had become their spiritual infirmity their misconceptions gave them an indistinct view of christ's power to make his people a praise in the earth is it just possible that we as seventh-day adventists have a similar problem that's why i've titled the message a warning for immature adventists individuals have been in the church 40 years they say i have 40 years experience in the church but really what has happened is we've had 40 years repeating the same year the same yes you see the real problem that we have is that we have become spiritual couch potatoes spiritual junkies the so-called mtv generation has spoiled our interest and desire to study the bible in depth to go beyond the surface to tackle difficult questions in a word we're fast-paced we're so fast-paced and we love such exciting entertainment that this is what rules the day and therefore there is little interest in sober in-depth bible study ellen white described many of the revivals that exist in the world today in the christian world today this is great controversy page 463 popular revivals are too often carried by appeals to the imagination by exciting the emotions by gratifying the love for what is new and startling converts thus gained have little desire to listen to bible truth little interest in the testimony of prophets and apostles unless a religious service has something of a sensational character it has no attractions for them a message which appeals to the unimpassioned reason awakens no response the plain warnings of the word of god relating directly to their eternal interests are unheeded several years ago george knight wrote the book the apostolic vision and the neutering of adventism are we erasing our relevancy in this book he shows how far we have gone from our seventh-day adventist roots how far we have gone from our prophetic understanding and our sanctuary understanding we have become spiritually lazy laodicean if you please we can tell by prayer meeting attendance how many are truly interested in studying scripture people want easy listening gospel light gospel snacks entertaining stories upbeat worship services nothing that challenges the intellect to the utmost it is so much easier to watch a skit or a puppet show than to struggle with the deep questions that the bible presents god has instructed us to go beyond the childhood stage and develop and tax our intellect to the utmost so that we can distinguish between good and evil which is very necessary in these days to escape satan's delusions thus the apostle paul wrote in ephesians chapter 4 verses 14 and 15 the following words that square with what we've noticed in hebrews here the apostle paul wrote that we should no longer be children see it's very similar to hebrews we shouldn't be children anymore tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things unto him who is the head christ so he begins by saying we should no longer be children blown here and there by every wind of doctrine but we shall grow up in all things into him who is the head christ ellen white explained the importance of bible study in the book councils on education page 37 we find these words as an educating power the bible is without rival nothing will so impart vigor to all the faculties as requiring students to grasp the stupendous truths of revelation why isn't the bible used more in the church why isn't it used more in the school why isn't it used more in the home if ellen white states nothing will so impart vigor to all the faculties as requiring students to grasp the stupendous truths of revelation she continues the mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell if occupied with commonplace matters only to the exclusion of grand and lofty themes it will become dwarfed and enfeebled what happens with the mind if it deals only with commonplace matters it becomes dwarfed and enfeebled she continues if never require if never required to grapple with difficult problems or to put to the stretch to comprehend important truths it will that is the mind it will after a time almost lose the power of growth so which is the most important book that we should be studying the bible folks some of our teachers and preachers think that we need to imbibe the literary works of the great writers of the world yet ellen white wrote the following about what we really should be studying this is in the book fundamentals of christian education page 172 let believers in the truth for this time turn away from authors that teach infidelity in other words that which destroys faith let not the works of skeptics appear on your library shelves where your children can have access to them in other words don't have the works of writers who destroy faith and trust in god's word she continues let those who have tasted the good word of god now she's alluding to hebrews chapter 6 let those who have tasted the good word of god and the powers of the world to come that's hebrews chapter 6. she continues no longer deem it an essential feature of a good education to have a knowledge of the writings of those who deny the existence of god and pour contempt upon his holy word give no place to the agents of satan since there is nothing by which to vindicate their doings a clean thing cannot come out of the unclean powerful words from the spirit of prophecy the mind is dwarfed when we allow it to dwell on the works of individuals who do not cause our faith to grow in our intellect to be taxed to the utmost you know i receive all sorts of emails and texts on the events that are taking place in the world people say in the financial world the political world the religious world the social world there are tremendous signs of the end which is soon to come but folks it's not enough for us to know that the world is falling apart and that the end is near we have to prepare in order to stand in the crisis ahead and what does that mean it simply means folks that we need to strengthen our minds with the truths from the scriptures ellen white states that only those who have fortified their minds with the truths of the scripture will remain firm in the final crisis ellen white wrote in the book selected messages volume 2 page 386 the following words our people have been regarded as too insignificant to be worthy of notice you know you ask people uh in an airplane and i've done this before once we begin a conversation and say well you know what church do you attend well you know i attend such and such a church and then they ask me what church do you attend and i say well i'm a seventh-day adventist more often than not they say what's that they usually don't ask who's that you usually ask what's that most people in the world don't have the foggiest idea that seventh-day adventists even exist and that's what ellen white is saying our people have been regarded as too insignificant to be worthy of notice but now notice this but a change will come the movements are now being made the christian world is now making movements listen carefully which will necessarily bring the commandment keeping people to notice there is a daily suppression of god's truth for the theories and false doctrines of human origin there are plans of movements being set on foot to enslave the consciences of those who would be loyal to god the law-making powers will be against god's people every soul will be tested did you hear that every soul will be tested and then she exclaims oh that we would as a people be wise for ourselves and by precept an example impart that wisdom to our children every position of our faith will be searched into listen once again every position of our faith will be searched into and if we are not thorough bible students established strengthened settled the wisdom of the world's great men will be too much for us wow what did she say again she says those who through bible study are not established strengthens and settled in the truth when they appear before the great men of the world they will be blown away by the arguments presented by the great men of the world in another statement volume two of the testimonies page 191 ellen white expressed the dangers of god's people reaching the close of probation without the necessary intellectual knowledge and strength gained through bible study i want you to notice the particular words that she uses here it's not a rejection of the truth it is simply being indifferent to the truth not longing for the coming of jesus the sin of neglect notice this statement it's rather long but powerful when jesus ceases to plead for man the cases of all are forever decided this is the close of probation this is the time of reckoning with his servants now key words that we're going to notice to those who have neglected not rejected to those who have neglected the preparation of purity and holiness which fits them to be waiting once to welcome their lord the sun sets in gloom and darkness and rises not again probation closes christ's intercessions cease in heaven this time finally comes suddenly upon all and those who here's the word again those who have neglected not rejected neglected to purify their souls by obeying the truth are found sleeping they became listen to the words they became weary of waiting and watching they became indifferent in regard to the coming of their master they longed not for his appearing and thought there was no need of such continued persevering watching they had been disappointed in their expectations and might be again they concluded that there was time enough yet to arouse they would be sure not to lose the opportunity of securing an earthly treasure in other words where is their focus their focus is on accumulating stuff by the way the more stuff we have the more the lord is going to have to burn our home is not on this earth we have so many things that god has prepared for us in heaven that go far and above anything that we have in this world so she says they would be sure not to lose the opportunity of securing an earthly treasure it would be safe to get all of this world they could and in securing this they lost this object they lost all anxiety and interest in the appearing of the master they became indifferent and careless as though his coming were yet in the distance but while their interest was buried up in their worldly gains the work closed in the heavenly sanctuary and they were unprepared what a powerful statement and then the apostle paul ends in hebrews chapter 6 and verse 11 the discussing discussion that he has been entertaining the apostle paul is going to end on a positive note he's going to say you know i'm sure that there's better things from each of you he says in hebrews 6 11 but beloved we are confident of better things concerning you yes things that accompany salvation though we speak in this manner paul is saying you know i've spoken strong words i've told you not to remain at the baby stage but to develop intellectually to to assimilate the word of god to make it part and parcel of your life i've appealed to you i've spoken this because i want you to grow up i want better things from you now we find in the gospel of mark as well as in the gospel of luke some very interesting words that i would like to end our study together with let's go to mark chapter 13. luke mentions this in different words but let's go to mark chapter 13 and verse 11 the time is coming folks when we will have to appear before the great men of the earth to give a reason for our faith and l ellen white tells us that only those who have strengthened their minds with the truths of scripture will be able to stand let's notice how jesus expressed it in mark chapter 13 but when they arrest you and deliver you up do not worry beforehand or premeditate what you will speak because when you reach that point where you have good to give witness for your faith don't think at that moment what i'm going to say no no because you've studied the word god has placed the word in your mind and in your heart you're going to have plenty to say so it continues but whatever is given you in that hour speak that for it is not you who speak but the holy spirit and then jesus says now brother will betray brother to death and a father his child and children will rise against their parents and cause them to be put to death and you will be hated by all by all for my name's sake but he who endures till the end shall be saved and the gospel of luke says that we will have to appear before rulers and governors and so folks we need to get down to business we need to shake the dust off of the word of god and we need to start reading it not only reading it but studying it can we give a reason for our faith can we explain those difficult texts on the state of the dead on the sabbath on the law of god are we able to give a reason for our faith not to win an argument but in the hopes that through the arguments that god has placed in our minds through a study of the word we will be able to reach people and bring them to salvation that's the whole purpose not only to strengthen us but also to give us the ability to reach others and so the book of hebrews has a powerful message not only for the hebrews of times past but it has a powerful message for those who claim to be god's remnant people today today i trust that our study today has been a benefit and that it has encouraged us to get back into the word let's leave everything aside that destroys our relationship with jesus you know we spend so much time texting on our phones and checking what's on the internet and you know talking on the phone and just wasting time that is precious where we could be in god's word preparing for the great events ahead i trust that each of us will be inspired by what we've studied today that we will not be like the hebrews who are slackening off who had hangs hands that were hanging and feet that were not wanting to go but that we will be with those who endure until the very end may god bless us and may god help us to live in harmony with what we have studied today come lift your voices and sing with us hymn number 272 give me the bible [Music] the last [Music] combining [Music] when my heart is broken [Music] holy message [Music] an eternal [Music] teach me the dangers of these [Music] [Applause] is shall we pray father in heaven we thank you for ministering to us through the study of your word this morning we realize that as we grow physically you have made us beings to grow spiritually as well by exercising our mind to the utmost to understand your holy word so i ask that as we've studied this uh concept from the book of hebrews that your holy spirit will touch hearts and minds so that we may grow to the full stature of our lord and savior jesus christ thank you for having been with us and for answering our prayer for we ask it in jesus name amen [Music] you

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Length: 118min 30sec (7110 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 29 2021