2018-07-21 - Soquel - Sabbath Morning - Henry Wright

[Applause] appreciate Steve so much for that song he'll be in concert this afternoon at 3 o'clock so you don't want to miss this that how you doing you look just just great one of my one of my joys while being here has been that a number of you who were here in 1980 when I preached my first sermon at this camp meeting have come up to me gray and wrinkled and told me how much you that wasn't nice that wasn't nice looking very healthy and looking very robust but a number of you have come up and said I was here in 1980 and I didn't realize the unique connection historical connection that Pastor vandeman had with this camp meeting but that first week I was here the summer of 1980 I did all the evening meetings but that closing Sabbath vandeman spoke so I was here with him in 1980 so God is good he has kept us and preserved us we don't deserve it my what a mighty mighty God we do serve for those of you who were not here on Thursday night we talked about the innkeeper in the story of the Good Samaritan and how the words of Jesus shaped his story jesus said to him about that man that was brought to the innkeeper's property I say Jesus because Ellen White says in Christ object lessons page 381 that the Good Samaritan represents Jesus and the Good Samaritan said to the man take of this man number one if you spend more have to spend more do it number two and I'll be back and we talked about how those words reshaped that man's priorities that man's life that man's future last night God spoke to us in a powerful way through the story of Jairus didn't he under the title ruler we learned that the Lord shaped his life Jairus pushing Christ to do things the way he wanted telling Christ how to he'll come to my house which were hands on my daughter Jesus took his time and led that man to appointed desperation because before Jesus arrived at his home the daughter died and that's when Jesus reshaped this man with the words don't worry just believed and taught Jairus there's no limits on God it not something oh we got excited about that lies there are no limits on God Jairus prayed for a healing God gave him a resurrection could you just put your hands together and thank God again for that my my my my my my my my today my sermon is entitled the Word of God shaping our story I'm going to preach on the theme directly today and you're going to see something in the Bible that you may have missed as we deal with some familiar passages that when seen in context are explosive and powerful let's pray I'm in your hands Lord amen focus not how long is what you say and I need him he's my friend I need Jesus he's my friend 53 years and a half of preaching I take you to the book of Matthew and I need you to really use your Bible or your phone or your iPad he pad you pad they pad let's get into this thing let's get into this thing I love sharing God's Word it is my life but Matthew 28 verses 19 and 20 are words that are as familiar to 7 birds there are to those of you listening online or in other places you join me to go ye therefore you see it on the screen come on let's read it together everybody go ye therefore make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always now that's that's that's that's the mission texts for Adventism isn't it yes it is it really is we love that passage go ye therefore teach baptize I'll go with you says Jesus and I'll hang with you till the end well you may not realize that the Great Commission actually appears four times in the Bible each gospel has a version of it so join me as we go to the book of Mark let's read Mark's version of the Great Commission Ark 16 verse 15 and he said go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature Hugh believes and is baptized will be saved look at those guarantees but he who does not believe will be condemned and then verse 17 mark mark enlarges on Matthews version he says and these signs will follow those who believe if my name they shall cast out demons they shall speak with new tongues didn't have something they shall take up serpents and if they drink anything deadly it will by no means hurt them they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover folk that's a part of the Great Commission for the church don't you like Mark's version well Luke also has a version of the Great Commission that's right I like to hear those pages flipping somebody all still use Bibles and not phones praise God for you Lord have a special place for you in heaven [Music] verse 36 and here's Luke's version oh I got so excited Luke 24 I said Luke 24 y'all not listening I said Luke 24 I guess I didn't okay Luke 24 36 now as they said these things Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them verse 36 peace be unto you then verse 41 but while they still did not I'm sorry verse 44 then he said to them these are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all these things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms then he says to them verse 46 thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem this is Luke's version of this Great Commission and you are witnesses of these things behold I send the promise of my father upon you but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high that's Luke's version Luke's version you're going to be a witness and I'm going to give you power that's Luke's version of the Great Commission John the book of John John also has his take on this Great Commission and here and the book of John they have gathered together and in chapter 21 Jesus says to them verse 15 Simon son of Jonah do you love me more than these he said to him yes Lord you know that I love you he said to him feed my lambs and does that three times Matthews version marks version Luke's version John's version here's the problem we read the good part and leave off the bad part let's go back to Matthew 28 that we Stas love so much Matthew 28 and now let's put this commission stay with me folk stay with me you have to do homework first Matthew reveals something that leaves me speechless for in context the Commission starts in verse 16 of Matthew 28 then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them and when they saw him they worshiped him but some come on y'all you don't have it yet he gave the Commission to go to people in doubt maybe y'all can get this thing he gave the Great Commission to people who still had doubts see see they know how to do Church and now I find myself thrilled there's there's there's emotion running up and down in my body because we read this commission and don't realize that at the moment Jesus gave it the disciples were still having questions about him but he did Hey he did not wait until their doubts were removed he set them with doubts knowing that as they did the mission the doubts would be removed Hey God's Word shapes your life the reason why we have so many unshaped fda's is because the process that's supposed to get you solid in God you're not engaged in it's the going that fix says you [Laughter] no wonder there's so much spiritual sickness and deadness in God's church he has a remedy for it the remedy is not sitting in church on sabbath on your posterior and saying Amen the remedy is getting up off that posterior hitting the streets doing god's word as you do it the word cleans out your doubts you want to believe more work more you want to be more assured do more you want to have greater faith do the stuff that builds faith pass out the tracts knock on the doors visit the sick see the homeless why your doubts need to be cured and they're cured as the word works through you let's go to mark's version now you beginning to understand the Great Commission for in marks version we see something else verse 14 let's go to verse 14 mark 16 at least y'all listening later he appeared now get this get this he's getting ready to give them the assignment to win the world lady appeared to the eleven as they said at the table and he rebuked their unbelief elder Carlo and hardness of heart fusses at them reduce them then says go or shoot I've got to get somebody in this sermon with me we serve a mighty marvelous God you see a lot of times folk what happens in the church is we get so busy trying to be theological and break stuff down Adventist explain stuff that nobody even cares about let alone even understand come on y'all we need to get real about the gospel talk to people about life as it is they don't care about the seven thunders they don't care if there's a sanctuary in heaven they just want to get there here they are full of full of unbelief and hardness of heart if you want to get along in church get up and work together stop sitting together because no matter how long you sit next to that sister she still came saying he's going to irritate you every Sabbath get up and knock on doors with her she can't sing but she can knock on the door hallelujah God's plan is that the strife amongst us the the hardness amongst us the unbelief amongst us will be purified by allowing the Word of God to work in us together isn't this something we have a remedy for a perfect church and we're not using it get busy get to it he didn't wait for them to be transformed before he gave them the mission he gave them the mission to transform them my my my my this was God's plan now this I got a little bit more work to do here yes now now now so so so we're picking something up God is giving the Commission the folks in doubt God is giving the Commission to folks who don't believe in our heart of heart see this this you're too calm for me that's blowing my mind because I'm saying look Laura I need I need I need to get my BA I have a BA and then and then in theology and and I have a minor and and and and Hebrew and Greek [Music] and then I went and got another degree in Old Testament and New Testament and then I have another degree in church administration now Lord I'm ready to do the Commission no he said no no no no no you could have started long before now you don't need those degrees Henry what you need is the power of the word down inside of you that will straighten you out [Applause] I'm not against degrees I think folks that you know that do special stuff I ought to know what they're doing my point simply is ladies and gentlemen God did not wait for the disciples now think about it before I go to Luke and John think about it this was a real group he was dealing with go back to Matthew 10 Matthew 10 you know Jesus really is something else verse 1 Matthew 10 and when he had called his twelve disciples to him he gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out and do all kinds and to heal all kinds of sickness all kinds of disease whoa this is at the beginning of their ministry yet three years later he's gonna say to Peter when you are converted so to the unconverted he gave power this come on y'all don't just sit there he gave them power over unclean spirits when they still were unclean [Applause] and look at this group Peter motormouth Peter Andrew pretty nice guy James and John were called the sons of thunder these were gangbangers and he's given them pow come on y'all these are these the two brothers who said to Jesus hey then people won't let us come in there send down time Bernama Christ said just a minute here you know you don't operate like that but he gave them power I see you're Matthew a white-collar crook with Swingle his own mother had a chance the doubter Thomas the downer he gave Thomas the downer power are you listening to the past of the day God has always used the work of the church to purify the church so if the church ain't working then the church ain't pure and the reason why some of you all have been half steppin and the Adventist Church all your life you've never grabbed hold of the process that was designed by God to get you ready for the kingdom of heaven you got to forget yourself forget your fears forget your issues and just go out there and help somebody that very process shapes your story I needed a man right now so this is the group now and and and and and I mean it takes it takes the work a while because same bruise Andrew Luke 22 these were some brothers these these this this was awful bunch of people I mean Luke 22 don't tell me I didn't give you the chapter Luke 22 Luke 22 he's having the Last Supper he's been at it now three and a half years they've been ministering for three and a half years sometime I'm gonna show you now how long it takes the work to get you straight when they started they were messed up he gave them power over unclean spirits that's like putting a rolls-royce in the hands of a five-year-old go out there in Chapter ten they go out and have great success so forth and so on but to show you that it takes a while see once once once you get busy for God oh look at these precious singers have been helping me all this week just wonderful wonderful wonderful the uh to get to get straight for the power to do its work you got you can't just start once you get involved in the mission of God you have to stay with it why because life is constantly tossing you issues to get you off track am i telling the truth so you can't just get involved on the ministry and say well I've done it for four or five years let somebody else take over no you stay with it cost your carcass still needs to be cleaned up for the kingdom in fact that one White says she says that if God revealed to you all of a sudden all the stuff and needs to be straightened out in you be to be saved she said you wouldn't get up the next morning not kind of that's my wording of her holy works totally were all holy words the point is there's a lot needs to happen so so here they are now three and a half years later verse 15 chapter 22 Luke then he said to them with fervent desire pieces are so sweet I've desired to eat this passover with you before i suffer he gathers all them together these twelve clowns verse 24 this is communion now I'm upset communion you're least come to communion straight verse 24 now there was a dispute among them as to which would be the General Conference president I mean that would be considered the greatest there sitting at the communion table three and a half years of the word in them and they're sitting there discussing who's going to be the greatest folk we have problems go on go on turn somebody right now and say I got problems go on and save the artist no say it say it was more fervent that wasn't straight say it strong say it again I got problems I mean you've been working with Jesus for three and a half years and at the communion you're fussing about whose will be the greatest you got a problem fella in fact sitting there at the table was Judas with thirty pieces of thirty pieces of silver already tucked under his belt and sitting at the table was spineless Peter who was a who was going to deny him three times and sitting at the table whereas the rest of those Joker's who the Bible says in Matthew 27 56 at the time that Christ needed them they would all forsake him and flee we ought not be surprised then that when he was resurrected and showed up they had doubts you see it when he was resurrected and showed up they had belief and they were had hardness of heart because the gospel had not yet subdued them look at Luke's version just when to go there was first in this Great Commission I didn't read everything in Luke's version of the Great Commission I'm gonna start now in verse 36 36 as I did before but now look at verse 37 now as they said these things Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them peace be to you but they were terrified and frightened this is what's keeping a number of us from allowing the word to save our story worse we're scared you know when the Lord first called me to preach and I've always been amazed that he did because as a child growing up I was afraid to stand up in front of people on 13th Sabbath remember the old days a young folk you young folk no nothing about this you've told the folk remember we used to say the 13 versus you know all the little kids line up up front and Jesus said say all 12 verses or that you know I wouldn't do it scared to death scared to death and so when the Lord called me to ministry I remember saying to the Lord you haven't thought this through sort of sit on my knees I say yeah yeah you thought this thing through I don't like to be up in front of people looking at me and and and and and remember like my my first sort of the local at Auckland University I don't remember anything I said I was so afraid my eyes turned to glass blurry glass couldn't see anything over the years I've never lost the fear of preaching yeah every time I preach on its impacted with your nervous and nervous I can be I look calm I pick it out will calm they think oh he's past writing something scared to death here's my point they were terrified God needs your fear he turns it into energy if I walk out here and my heart's pounding and as soon as I pray see you laughter them short prayers the Lord comes down on him you're right all of a sudden I'm as bold as a bull my point is this fear they had this hesitancy they had give your fears to Jesus that's energy for success in fact not only were they afraid all were they are afraid but but but but look at verse 44 then he said to them these are the words I'm in Luke 22 still talk about that Commission was supposed to do I spoke you I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses the prophets the Psalms concerning me now look at verse 46 he's about to send them out and he opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures yo didn't read that he's getting ready to send them out and they don't have the understanding yet y'all messed up I'm going over here so I thought you were on my side Pope do you see it they're sitting there yet you're responding now you don't want to mess up this time do you yeah they're sitting there they still don't fully understand the theology of sanctification and justification and works by faith they don't have the understanding of Revelation 12 and revelations hasn't been written at that time they don't have the understanding of all the writings of the Bible Jesus gives them a quick Bible study and then says get out there folk you want to understand the scriptures do the work I know as a pastor that because you're doing the work of God the Lord expands your mind and you see things you didn't see before but you got to be busy so the people in doubt the people who are afraid to people who don't fully understand the Bible he says go see your theme is magnificent God's Word shaping your story as you do the work the Word of God begins to change your mind solidify you and straighten you out and give you confidence and as I told you last night some of you are gonna live till Jesus comes so you got to be strong and stiff and solid as a rock unmovable filled with god's word the word works in you that's why you need to read god's bible every morning the word works and you pray the word works in your worship the word works in you but you can't just do the first three you got to get out there and get busy and the word turned you into a powerhouse for God in John it gets even more pathetic what Jesus was dealing with but these guys ease oh I tell you when you study Jesus and the disciples you see a story of love that leaves you speechless because I would have given up on them yokels and found me twelve more is a working just Peter James and John stuff this is not working this spine Jane and Joe and Oscar see we can do some with them this is not getting it here they are now Jesus has been crucified Jesus has risen Jesus is about to go back to heaven here's Peter big mouth Peter verse two chapter 21 Simon Peter Thomas called the twin we know him as the doubter Nathanael of Cana in Galilee nice fella the sons of Zebedee we know about the ambles of the gangbangers and two others of his disciples were together verse three that's time to get busy Peter said to them I'm gone fishing fishing was his old business listen to me fishing was his old trade he basically is saying I'm out of here just when the real work lord help us was about to start Jesus Peter says I'm going back to fishing late fishing ladies and gentlemen let the past renounce you today the real work is just about to get going this is no time for the church to go back to fishing what do you say up there now's the time to be gearing up we whatever we've done in this conference whenever we have accomplished Eldar whatever program just carried on you ain't seen nothing yet God is about the show with Holy Ghost power thousands shall be baptized in a day you will touch people faint you'll be healed you pick up snakes god help you and they will not bite you you will be a rock for about why the best days are ahead forget the fishing pole brother get to work I get excited thinking about it I'm so sorry I'm 76 but I tell you this don't mess with me I got a lot of fire left in this furnace and I believe that I still can do retired great things for God cuz it's not age it's not a race it's not culture it's not language it's Jesus Christ the power of the Holy Ghost working down in somebody that is how it gets done and you don't have to have a degree you don't have to have a long list of outstanding relatives just trust God God will do it for you God will do it for you God will do it for you so Jesus says to Peter but the fishing boat town please and go feed my sheep I remember reading afresh as we do the Bible lessons and Sabbath school lessons and acts just the other week Jesus gathering those pitiful eleven hurting because Mullah them had really gone astray he's about to leave them now they had doubts [Music] they had fears I have to fight the tears when I talk about the Apostles they're so like us those 12 men don't put him on a pedestal they are so like us Jesus slept with them talk to him walk with him they saw miracles they heard and preached the Sermon on the Mount were there only ears and it didn't get anywhere listen to me don't tell me about how many years you've been in the church I don't care it means nothing if the word has not reshaped your life [Music] [Applause] [Music] so Jesus gathers them together and to show you how hard it is for God to get to us those eleven pitiful men say are we gonna get the kingdom now [Music] they still didn't get it and Jesus is about to go back to heaven Jesus so patient so loving says that's that's don't don't be concerned about that I'm going to give you power Jesus said after three and a half years I realized you you you you you you you can't do this yourself and I'm gonna talk about that this afternoon he said I'm gonna give you power III got to overshadow you with something bigger than you hey the third person of the Godhead he's gonna walk down the aisles of God's church meanness backbiting slovenly nosov in God of tithe having to be beg to give an offering for camp-meeting all that the Holy Ghost says and we'll take care of it and we'll break them down to power I'm gonna leave them nothing but Jesus inside of them and it wasn't hardly a few days later when those same eleven broken pitiful doubting afraid didn't know the Bible want to go back fishing men stood up in the city of Jerusalem where Jesus had been crucified and they said Ye men of Galilee hey here's why we're here that same man you crucified and now the Word of God is beginning to do its work it's reshaping their lives and later on those who heard them said we perceive these unlearned and ignorant men have been with Jesus ladies and gentlemen I yearn for the day when the church will be so focused that everybody who runs into one of God's seven day Adventist Christians will say that person knows the Lord Jesus Christ [Music] [Applause] [Music] someday our journey will be or [Music] we will see that distant Shore and when we stand on the golden streets we will not boast we will simply say Jesus led me all the way [Music] and I shall watch that distant Shore [Music] Jesus [Music] thank you [Music] I will tell it shakes and angels as I write my murders [Music] you were invited to camp-meeting by the holy spirit somebody today needs to respond to that spirit he wants to Warsh him with the word he wants to reshape the rest of your story maybe you've been taking Bible studies in some local church that never made the decision to become a full member of God's people maybe like Peter you went back to fishing and you need to make a fresh start in commitment in God's church no general appeal today [Music] if no one comes forward that's between you and the holy spirit today I'm asking for people to get up and come down who want to commit himself to Christ and to his church or recommit themselves and if you're in this audience child teenager young adult or senior I want you to come down where are you ladies sing come on God [Music] come on don't be not about anybody but you and Jesus all the way back up there in that balcony you can come [Music] jeez [Music] [Applause] [Music] you may be sitting next to someone who needs your courage to come down bring them down bring them down to those who have come already let me say Henry Wright gets no credit for this I [Music] am [Music] and have always been [Music] a sinner saved by grace you see the day's sermon is about me the only way the Lord could give me to the kingdom was to use the word and sharing the word to get me there I'm living this [Music] he's used the word in me going through me to reshape my story be sitting there you're thinking about what you want to do is get on up and those have come some of you will have to make a call to your pastor when you get back home follow through on this decision don't let the devil take this away from you don't you do that you fight for this moment like you're fighting for a breath of air others are coming last first ladies [Music] [Music] and Jesus [Music] jeez [Music] jeez [Music] now Jackie I think the group would like to sing it with you the whole congregation Jesus let me all the way singing [Music] everybody's singing [Music] oh geez [Music] let's do it again everybody standing [Music] me [Music] I'll pray now what you feel good right now is God's presence in this place right now can't you feel it oh he loves us so much folk [Music] I listened as your president earlier in the service today passionately challenged us to get back to that mission now we understand the purpose of the Great Commission it was given to the broken to fix them don't forget that the Great Commission was given to the unfinished that they might finish the work and be finished are you listening to me let's pray father many have come today you've read their hearts and why they came and we leave that between you and them but I want to lift before you now this church and before I finish this prayer elder Karl kakano want you to come and stand money to the pastor this congregation [Music] please sir honor me thank you I want to pray a short prayer that I want you to pray father we have a great Commission now I understand is to get me ready and I resubmit myself to you faster prey [Music] or of heaven my heart is filled with gratitude what a solemn moment this is but father to realize that in the Reese's in the halls of the conference when we spend an entire year 'lord preparing for this day for this camp meeting it is amazing to me Father how you are working overtime hmm even to come up with a theme to come up with testimonies to come up with individuals Lord that have been touched by the word to connect with the broken and seen how they have been healed father thank you for making your word plain through your manservant and I pray that we will not be coming here father just to say we've been to camp meeting hmm please lord help us to take him meeting with us help us to interpret the biblical principles father in living form that our hands will interpret our feet and our semblance sometimes father we walk around as if with a frown help us father to stop playing church but that our churches will be revived and and become relevant in our communities and that we stop saying I'm gonna wait for the pastor I'm gonna weigh for the elder I'm gonna wait for the conference father no and I'd like to echo the words of a leader that you placed in the White House some years ago when he said let not your country I'm having ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country so I say father that our people will embrace this thought ask not what the church can do for you thank you about what you can do for your church you have placed a hundred and forty five churches Lord in this community that we call central and beyond as lighthouses for them to be transformative and may we truly reflect the vision reflecting Christ transforming communities and father help us as we leave this encampment that you put a face to the things that we have heard today that we will be able to say to you father thank you you've laid out a a road ahead of us Lord with a road that's already been paid with the blood of Jesus and so help us to be in harmony with your will for our lives we're all so different and yet all together we complete we complete what you're wanting to do in our communities and we thank you so much help us to be that spark that will get that fire going in our local churches yes it is about transforming but I pray father now that we will be transformed by your word as we take a step forward in service for others let us be a church that loves and a church that serves in the name of Jesus Christ we thank you amen [Music] we've just heard a room

Channel: Vince Gonzalez

Views: 18,109

Rating: 4.7037039 out of 5

Keywords:

Id: z66e8PjB_9w

Length: 55min 59sec (3359 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 22 2018