The Fatal Blow — Ty Gibson

years old and a prospective applicant for Fletcher Park in take out your glow tracks tonight hold them up hi father in heaven you see these seeds of truth anoint them with your Holy Spirit and touch a heart that these seeds of truth will impact may we be impressed upon whom we can share this truth with talking with God so that some precious life will come to Jesus this is our prayer in his name amen during the past three nights of our camp meeting pastor ty Gibson co-director and speaker for light bears ministries has carried us through a panoramic view of the great controversy between Christ and Satan through his messages entitled born to a battlefield territorial forces and rules of engagement I have to humbly admit that last night my eyes glisten and my heart was so moved as a reflected upon the two principles that he highlighted the wall' principle that God surrounds his beloved people with a promise of his protective presence and the access principle of a God who never sleeps nor slumbers but waits expectantly for his children to call upon him tonight is past a tie Gibson's last night with us at this camp meeting we'll pass out the Kleenex later but I have been so blessed with every night's message and as I've walked around these campgrounds I'd tell you we want you to know how much we have appreciated your ministry to us and tonight's topic entitled the fatal blow will give us the pledge and the promise the guarantee and the reassurance that the great controversy is going to end victoriously for all of God's people join me as we ask God's blessing upon pastor tide that's time Oh God our Father in heaven once again we come to you as we open up the Word of God to get a glimpse of how the story of redemption will end in such a grand and beautiful conclusion bless pastor ty as he opens up your word Lord I ask a special blessing upon his wife Sue and upon their three children his family and upon his continued ministry many many hearts are being impacted for your kingdom as we understand the cosmic conflict and the cosmic victory that is soon to come Oh God may the Holy Spirit bless him and as we ask for this blessing ourselves we sing this prayer upon our hearts Spirit of the Living God fall afresh [Music] Living God fall afresh on me break me melt me mold me and feel me Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me amen well good evening everybody well listen by my reckoning you have been sitting for an hour so before we launch into the material will you just stand do not leave the building just go ahead and stand for a minute and go up on your toes maybe I don't know 10 20 a thousand times every time you do that I understand that about an ounce of blood squirts up into your frontal lobe I don't know if that's true but just and do this just move around like this that doesn't look very Adventist but go ahead yeah this is being videotaped by the way and some offshoot will upload that footage and accuse this camp-meeting of charismatic apostasy all right have a seat have a seat and we will jump right into the material I have to tell you that this message this evening is the conclusion and somebody whispered I won't say who but somebody whispered to me backstage and the person looked like an authority figure he he whispered to me and he said just take as long as you need so I'm going to be employing a prophetic principle I'm going to use prophetic time tonight like you know the day for a year principle so this will be longer than 30 minutes I'm just giving you a warning so I'm gonna I'm gonna encourage you to just really you know breathe deep and try to take in what we're about to discover and if it goes past 30 minutes you will be okay you uo bri out once saw a seventh-day adventists turn into the beast of revelation 13 in church when the message went past 30 minutes or it was low blood sugar I don't know what it was but yeah just indulge me tonight as we launch into this material we have prayed but for my sake I'm gonna pray one more time Father in heaven God you are beautiful beyond our expectations there are things that we've discovered about you that are extremely attractive Lord we we find ourselves drawn to you voluntarily not forced not manipulated but we find that you are a God who who honors the dignity and freedom of our humanity after all Lord you made us in your image and if there's one thing that you don't want its control you want our freedom Lord you want us to blossom and flower with with our individuality within the parameters of your love so there are things we know about you that are impressive Lord but we also want to confess that there are things that we've believed about you that are just not true there are things that we haven't yet discovered about you that that if we would and if we could discover them we would fall more deeply in love with you so I pray father tonight that you would capitalize on this time that you would speak clearly through your word and help us to know you with deeper clarity and intimacy than perhaps ever before in Jesus name Amen in 1949 a remarkable book was published that on my shelves in my office is in a very specific place to remind me of the truth it proclaims over and over again and the truth this particular book proclaims is a truth that the author proclaimed unwittingly there is no evidence in the book that he himself was a believer but he did a lot of research and Joseph Campbell in publishing this remarkable book the hero with a thousand faces the title itself is provocative it really makes you pause and think the hero with a thousand faces there's something going on in human history that isn't evident unless you begin to traverse all of history historically and take in what people have believed and so Joseph Campbell in his research did something incredible he went throughout all the cultures that he could possibly research through throughout the world down through all of recorded history and he discovered something remarkable he discovered something that blew his mind and he didn't know what to make of it he didn't know how to interpret it what he discovered he points out in his book is mankind's one great story now that's his language not mine he says hey I've looked at all the literature I've looked at all the cultures I've looked at all the worship systems I've looked at all of mythology I've looked at all of it and there's just one story the names are changed the places are changed but the features of the story it's always the same it doesn't matter where you are in time or geography the same basic narrative shows up over and over again and he goes on and he says this is interesting if the slides are on the screen he says this is what he's calling a timeless vision because it shows up everywhere he goes on and he says posing a question this is a question that he poses and doesn't really attempt to answer much in the book but he's just blown away by this and he says why is mythology everywhere the same beneath its variety of costumes why is it the same story over and over again to human beings lack creativity do we lack imagination why is it that wherever you look in history there is one basic tale being told well that story can be summarized as what we might call the universal narrative and people didn't collaborate there was no Google there was no internet this is something that is being spontaneously produced in all cultures in all of history one basic universal story and here are the features of that story every story is fixated or obsessed with what we might call the power over orientation that is the exercise of power over others the many being brought under the dominance of the few or the one which in history is called monarchy you hear the word mono monarchy is one over all one over the many and there is this orientation toward exerting power over others that's one of the features of the story second feature of the Universal story is that the hero uses force to fight evil coercion in other words this is a crucial point to notice in every story whether you're the good guys are the bad guys are you tracking with me the good guys are actually operating by the same basic principles as the best bad guys just with greater strength think of the Marvel Universe the the comics and all the superhero movies okay the bad guys in the stories operate by deception and force yes or no the good guys in the stories operate by greater deception and force there's no fundamental difference in the character of those who are playing the parts in the narrative it's may the most powerful person when and the third feature of this story is what has been called by some scholars going back maybe 40 years this term was coined to describe what's showing up everywhere in human culture it is the myth of redemptive violence now the myth of redemptive violence you hear in that language it's the idea that violence is redemptive that the way you deal with evil is to blow it up the way you deal with somebody with a proclivity to violence is with greater violence and and and it is this idea that human beings have in their heads that the way you conquer evil is with coercion force deception or essentially operating by the same character traits the same features so there's no difference between the good guys and the bad guys in psyche in their basic psychological makeup there's no difference this is the universal story this is the universal myth but check this out this is what I want to bring to you tonight Joseph Campbell is correct in noticing this universal narrative but he is incorrect in saying that there is no other narrative listen there's one time in history when a counter-narrative emerged there's a single story that Trump's the story of violence and deception there's one time in history when the hero does not resort to violence this counter narrative has three features number one it's not a power over others narrative it's a power under others narrative or orientation this is where the most powerful person in the story is a servant this is where the most powerful person in the story is wearing an apron and washing feet this is where the person with the most power voluntarily comes under people and serves upward it's profound and it's the most beautiful thing that's ever occurred in all of human history the second feature of this counter narrative is that the hero of this story the hero of this story rather than using deception and force it uses love to fight evil and it completely up ends the entire human perception we didn't see this coming in fact the third feature of the story is that contrary to the myth of redemptive violence the idea that one man with a bigger sword can conquer somebody with a littler sword a bigger gun can conquer a littler gun this is where this is where the book of Revelation warns in Revelation 13 and as some day happiness we know revelation 13 but this is a part of Revelation 13 that that we're not that familiar with and that's Revelation chapter 13 says he that kills with the sword will be killed by the sword that is the Bible defying the myth of redemptive violence so this story comes along and it's not the myth of redemptive violence this story comes along third feature give me the screen please the story the story of redemptive love not redemptive violence this story is remarkable it it takes us by surprise we didn't see it coming and it's only shown up one time in human history where the person with the most power lay down his life rather than taking the lives of others now we need to unpack this around the time of World War two Winston Churchill came to the United States to deliver a rather electric lecture at Harvard University there's one part of that lecture that stands out to me and in that lecture he said kind of prophesying there are those scholars who think that he was actually unwittingly prophesying of the cold war that was coming he said that the the empires of the future will be empires of the mind or ideology okay so communism was about to emerge and whether Churchill he was a historian but whether he understood that socialism was about to emerge or not we don't know but he was saying hey it looks to me like really the empires of the future and the Wars of the future are going to be Wars of ideology what kind of governing system is going to emerge in human history okay so I want to suggest to you on the premise of what Churchill says I want to suggest to you that men always govern out of the ideas govern out of the ideas that govern them the Bible says as a man thinks in his heart so is he if there is coercion in your inmost soul and you are put with your back against a wall you'll start throwing punches if there is manipulation deeply seated in your soul it'll show up in your marriage if in your inmost heart you're inclined to the power over others orientation you will expect your children to obey your every word until they're 95 and you will not give them freedom you'll continue even from a distance to try to manipulate and control them because principles have a way of coming to the surface in all relationships so whatever's going on deep inside of a human being comes up to the surface under pressure that's the point so men govern out of the ideas that govern them and here's here's the profound thing I'm going to suggest you tonight that is embedded in the biblical narrative in Scripture and it's this that there are really only two governing ideas to choose from there's not a list of four or five or six or ten there's only listen listen there's only two things going on in the world and once you get it you see it everywhere and you ought that right there that's the principle of self-centeredness that right there ah that's the principle of self giving love there's really only two things going on in the world at any given moment there's really only one of two things going on in your heart in your life in your marriage in your child raising in your home in your church only one of two things going on at any given moment and they are the love of power or the power of love and every one of us are in the process of mutating into one of these two characters every one of us are in process of either developing a character that is oriented toward dominance over whoever it is that we have charge of or we are becoming more and more deeply committed to the principle of self giving love one of those two things is going on in your life this very moment in my life this very moment so George McDonald one of the greatest authors in all of history in my opinion this this Scotsman put pen to paper and there was a light flying off the pages one of the best writers that ever lived because he could get to the heart of a matter and if you have a beard like that wisdoms coming out of you okay so check this out he says this just just process with with George McDonald for a minute George McDonald says is power or love the making might of the universe or the creative power the creative for well what's the thing behind the thing behind the thing behind the thing what's at the core of reality that's what he's asking is it love or is it power is love or power the making might of the universe he who answers this question I write has the key to all righteous are good or intelligent questions he's essentially saying hey if you get to the bottom of one question you answer all questions what is the fundamental reality that governs the character of God is it power or is it love you answer that question not only what the Bible come alive to you but every relationship will come alive to you so this brings us to what we need to discover this evening in our great controversy journey there is what I'm gonna refer to as the blow that the devil didn't see coming and the reason he didn't see it coming is because he is obsessed with power and there's something that goes on psychologically that Sigmund Freud introduced us to he was he was whack in my opinion but there's one thing that I think was perfectly accurate that he discovered and it was this concept of projection the concept of projections of biblical idea it's in Romans chapter 2 maybe that's where I got it I doubt it but he realized okay that human beings project onto others what they themselves are guilty of so so you've heard it expressed in all kinds of way you know one finger pointed out there's three pointing back it takes one to know one this is this is projection this is the idea that that we tend to chatter and gossip and pounce upon people for the very things that we're secretly holding on to okay so so if you hear somebody talking about the way that sisters dressed at church well the sister this criticizing the sister that's dressed like that at church secretly wants to dress like that yeah that's basically what's going on there if somebody's making a really big deal about cheese at the potluck they are scarfing down a bunch of pizza on Tuesday nights this is just the way human nature is wired okay we are dysfunctional and messed up from the word go and we don't know how dysfunctional we are until we begin to realize hey wait a minute hey wait a minute what's going on in the Satanic mind in the in the devil's psyche check this out he has accused God of being like himself so because he is power-hungry and self-censored the devil is assuming that God is power-hungry and self-serving and that's why I'm calling this the blow the devil didn't see coming and you'll see what that means in just a minute this is gonna be so fun what we're about to discover okay so Philippians chapter 2 this is Paul at-at just the the height of his theological powers this is Paul firing on all cylinders this is Paul really grasping what's going on in the gospel and he says to the Philippians and to you and and me down through history he says let this mind the word mind there is important the word mind here is let this let this bent let this leaning let this orientation let this inclination be in you which was also in Christ Jesus okay Paul what is that mind what is that bent what is that leaning what is that orientation what is Christ's inclination how is he wired okay let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus and now Paul's gonna break it down for us he says okay here's what's going on in the mind of Christ who being in the form of God is that a high position or a low position that's a high position hold on to that who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery or something to be taken robbery is when you take something right he doesn't consider it robbery or something to be taken to be equal with God can you imagine for example having a million dollars of cash and holding it with an open hand and unlocked doors taking a nap ok imagine being God and saying you know I'm willing to give that up for them imagine being equal with God and you're of such a mind that you're not obsessed with your high position like yeah I'm God I rule the universe but I love them more than my position so I'm gonna come down imagine this God's mind this is incredible so check this out he goes on let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus he has literally equal with God but he checked this language out he made himself now this language is important made himself that means he wasn't made by an external force he made himself this is a voluntary act yes or no ok so he is freely choosing this this is important he's choosing this so he made himself now I've highlighted the words here no reputation and you'll see why in just a minute he made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men the words that are there translated with the two words no reputation the one who was equal with God made himself of no reputation is the greek word kim gnosis everybody say Kim gnosis this is a word you should incorporate into your theological vocabulary okay you need to go back to your local church and start talking about canosa's what is kenosis canosa's is a remarkable Greek word that Paul uses to describe the mind of Christ the one who was equal with God made himself kenosis the NID translates the word made himself nothing the Phillips translation says that he stripped himself of all privilege okay this is the one who is equal with God and he's voluntarily voluntarily emptying himself kenosis just means to empty so something has content you dump it out Jesus has particular content as God there are attributes that pertain to God and God alone but don't pertain to humans or angels these are things that are only true of deity God is omnipotent that is to say all-powerful God is omniscient that is to say all-knowing God knows how much everything nothing ever occurs to God he never has an aha moment God never says wow I never thought of that before no he did he thought of everything before he knows everything and then there is all a presence God is present everywhere simultaneously now this is the content that by kenosis Jesus is laying aside in Scripture demonstrates this very clearly of omnipotence he said in John chapter 5 he's performing miracles he's raising the dead people are in awe and he says hey wait a minute I can do nothing of myself what so you're raising the dead and healing the sick well Jesus points to the father this is the father's power working through me in my incarnation as a human being okay what about omniscience or all-knowing the scripture says that the child grew this is Luke chapters 1 and 2 it says that the child grew and does anybody know stature that's he grew up biologically but then it says he grew also and you know knowledge and wisdom in other words he learned things he didn't know his mother taught him isaiah 53 and said i think that has something to do with you he's like whoa he's growing up he's learning things even as an adult jesus explicitly said that his omniscience his own personal omniscience had been laid aside for you and me when he said no man knows the day nor the hour of the coming of the Son of Man not even myself but the father only Jesus literally says I don't know certain things unless God tells me if the father tells me the day in the hour of my coming then I would know but I don't know it inherently by my own exercise of personal omniscience this is amazing he laid aside through kenosis the powers and privileges that are the prerogatives of God now why is this crucial I'll tell you why it's crucial because an unprecedented revelation of God's love is underway Jesus laid aside all of that divine content he's still God by nature but voluntarily he I guess we could say put his omniscience and Jesus in that condition now goes through the events of gethsemane and calvary then this is chapter 26 of matthew then he said to them to his disciples my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death stay here and and watch with me notice this is not Calvary this is guest cemani nobody has lifted a hand to touch his body with violence the nails have not been driven through his hands yet he has not been abused by the Roman soldiers whip the crown of thorns has not been pressed upon his brow and yet with not a single blow of physical violence Jesus says right here right now in Gethsemane I'm dying at the soul level of my be my soul is exceedingly sorrowful unto death now don't trip over the word soul adventists the word here in this particular case the greek word is is psyche from which we at words like psychology talking about the mind and the emotions he's saying my mind my emotions he is so sorrowful that it's taking my life away Jesus is dying in Gethsemane before he ever reaches the cross he's dying of non physical causes let me say it to you this way even when he comes to the cross there's evidence in the Gospels that Jesus did not die of physical causes in fact the Pharisees because I wanted to keep the Sabbath sent the Roman soldiers to break their legs to make sure they would die before sundown because you don't want to be murdering God on the Sabbath you know what I mean so break all their legs so they can't continue lifting up on their legs and getting another breath of air just just just break their legs so that they'll die let those make sure they die before sundown okay so they go to the the thief on the one side they go to the criminal on the other side they break their legs they come to Jesus they don't break his legs because he's already dead which is strange because the whole point of crucifixion is a long torturous protracted agony you don't die from crucifixion quick Jesus didn't die of physical causes Jesus died because of what was going on in his what everybody his psyche in his mind in his heart well what was going on in his mind in his heart well he went a little farther from them he fell down on his face and he prayed father oh my father if it's possible that this cup it's a metaphoric cup let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as you well what is this cup if you're a seventh-day Adventist you know about this cup it's in the third angels message it's called the cup of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation revelation 14 this is Jesus taking the cup of divine justice to his lips and drinking the dregs of Justice and wrath on your behalf in mine which is to say that Jesus begins to take into himself and upon himself the sin of the whole world so much so that Luke's Gospel comes along in that gasps M&E scene and says says that then as he's sweating great drops of blood he's an agony then an angel appeared from heaven strengthening him the implication of the gospel you guys is that Jesus would have died in Gethsemane and never reached the cross if God had not intervened with an angelic visitor to say hey Jesus to strengthen him psychologically Jesus remember I know it's dark in there right now you feel separated from your father but remember the voice at your baptism this is my beloved son and who he loves you remember the Transfiguration this is my beloved son listen to him Jesus the father's with you but that sin and that guilt that's coming upon you it's blocking your vision of his love but I'm telling you Jesus he's right here right now okay and Jesus is strengthened by the Angels little sermon and he's able to then arise and go to the cross and this is amazing so we come to the fulfillment in Christ of Isaiah's chapter 53 all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all notice that the prophecy said that the iniquity the sin of us all the collective whole of all human sin and guilt and transgression laid upon him not on his shoulders it's not a physical weight laid upon his mind laid upon his heart laid upon his conscience as though he's the guilty party in every sin that's ever been committed Jesus stands before the Justice of God Jesus stands before the throne of God guilty as charged of every murder every rape every act of child abuse every lie every gossiping whisper in the church foyer every Holocaust Jesus stands before God burying the sin of the whole world in his psyche and Isaiah 53 goes on and says that in that sacrifice in that agony something happened he poured out his soul to the point of death why because he was numbered with the transgressors what does that mean to be numbered with the transgressors as though he's one of them he is Jesus is in perfect empathetic solidarity with sinners he's chosen to unite with us in our following condition and he says if they're guilty so am i if they're sinners so am i I'll take it all I'll take it all I'll take father take it off of them the shame the guilt the self-loathing take it all out of their hearts and minds and put it on me let me bear the weight let me process it let me suffer for them the devil and the fallen angels are standing around and they didn't see this coming they're like what is going on the torture was supposed to break him and lead him to forsake you and me for himself the torture was calculated to arouse self-preservation inside of him the torture was calculated to break the tenacious hold of his love on you and me and there's nothing they could bring against him that could make him stop loving you and me until finally he came to the cross and he cried out my God my God why have you forsaken me and in that moment of utter forsaken Asst Ellen White comments with one of the most unbelievable things you will ever read by the way if you're not a seventh-day Adventist and you're joining us here welcome we're so glad that you're a part of this event we do not quote Ellen White as an authority to form doctrine but we do believe that she had the inspiration of the Holy Spirit not to contradict Scripture but to enhance our understanding of Scripture so don't trip over our use of Ellen White there I've got to tell you if you're not as some of their some of them some of our people are just quoting her non-stop and in a way that kind of gives her a bad name but that's true in all churches we all have people who are growing so be patient with us so Ellen White is not quoted here as an authority for doctrine but oh my goodness does she have some clarity here my God my God why have you forsaken me what was that like in his psyche what were those dark moments like well here's what it was like the Savior could not see through the portals of the tomb hope did not present to him his coming forth from the grave as a conqueror or tell him of the father's acceptance of the sacrifice he feared as he hung between heaven and earth he feared that sin was so offensive to God that their separation would be eternal but check this out for a sustained period of time in gethsemane and straight up through Calvary Jesus bore the weight of the sin of the whole world and it was so dark that it looked to him like his death would be an eternal death from which there would be no resurrection but he was there voluntarily and at any point in the process he could have called 10,000 angels to deliver him and he chose by an act of love to give himself forever to the darkness of death to save you and me and in that monumental act of self-sacrificing love oh my the ultimate test of God's character was brought before the whole onlooking universe in the world everyone every rational intelligent mind in the universe every angel every demon the devil himself unfallen world's and the whole human race down through the ages looking at this spectacle of gruesome suffering and beautiful love mingled and the character of God was put to the ultimate test what was that test what was that test well here's the test as Jesus hangs there between heaven and earth the devil is inspiring a constant refrain a message over and over again watch this those who passed by just the general mob who passed by and they saw him on the cross what did they say to him well they just they blaspheme him they wagged their heads at them at him and they said one thing to him you do you you who destroyed the temple and build it in three days what did they say to him hear the words save yourself if you are the son of God come down from the cross check this out that's the general mob passing by but then likewise the chief priest the religious leaders also mocking with the scribes in the elders they said he saved others himself he cannot save the message again is the same save who save yourself the soldiers mocked him they mocked him coming in offering him sour wine and saying if you are the King of the Jews here it is again save yourself and finally one of the criminals who was hanging beside him blaspheme him and said if you're the Christ here it is again save yourself and us this this is the impulse to self-preservation this is the strong overwhelming sense that when your backs against the wall you throw punches if somebody's coming at you with violence you retaliate with violence this is the idea that force is the best way to combat force this is the myth of redemptive violence and the soul Roman soldiers the criminals hanging beside him the religious leaders and the entire mob they're all infected with the principle of self-preservation it's the only way they know to think and they can't even process voluntarily allowing this to happen to yourself if you are so powerful save yourself save yourself save yourself save yourself and here's the irony it is precisely because he is the son of God that he voluntarily chooses not to save himself but rather to save others over himself Jesus in this act Jesus dealt the fatal blow to Satan's Kingdom by loving all others above himself to the other end of himself this is this is the theme that has emerged on the stage of human history that changes everything this means that the most powerful person in the universe is a God of self sacrificing other centered love who is worthy to occupy the throne and we can trust him to always do the right thing for all others above and before himself Ellen White comments looping all the way back to where we began on night 1 with born into a battlefield you remember we looked at Revelation chapter 12 verse 7 war broke out in heaven war broke out in heaven and we pointed out that the word war there is Polhemus from which we get words like politics so it was an ideological war it was a war of characters it was a war of ideas it was a war of governing principles how should the universe be run and the devil was insinuating that God is self-serving and therefore every man for himself if God is all about God then we should be all about ourselves the principle of self eNOS Ellen White comments going all the way back to Revelation 12 and just with crystal clarity she says unselfishness the principle of God's kingdom pause right there what is the principle of God's kingdom unselfishness the principle of God's kingdom is the principle that Satan hates and this is profound it's very existence he denies here's here's the core of the great controversy the devil is claiming that there is no such thing as love not in God not in you not in me love doesn't exist when it comes down to it and your backs against the wall selfishness will rise to the surface and God Himself is the ultimate self-preserving egomaniac according to Satan he denies the very existence of love check this out from the beginning of the great controversy she continues from the beginning of the great controversy Satan has endeavored to prove God's principles of action to be what this is the whole thing this is the great controversy between good and evil Martin Luther King jr. understood this when he mounted his nonviolent protest and in one of the most beautiful lines ever written or preached from a pulpit he said I'll tell you it's all coming down to this unarmed truth unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality and Jesus is that final word Jesus is the final word of unarmed truth and unconditional love you guys listen god is love full-stop in the most beautiful and selfless sense imaginable and it is precisely because God is that kind of God that he is worthy to occupy the throne of the universe he's the most powerful person in the universe and he holds power with an open hand he's the most powerful person in the universe and he spontaneously reaches for the apron Gerdes himself gets on his knees and begins doing the most menial tasks this is the god of the universe and this is what paul call calls the hidden wisdom of God the gospel is hidden wisdom yet secret wisdom in this sense Paul explains you've got to track with us if you started checking out you need to right now sit up and take notice because this is this is the homeward stretch I'm giving you a chance giving you a chance right now I'm giving you a chance take a deep breath because you need to get this okay the Apostle Paul refers to what happened at Calvary as hidden wisdom secret perspective that no one in the world saw coming okay he says in first Corinthians chapter 1 verse 18 the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing I mean come on seriously God on a cross really that doesn't make sense if you have power you use it to save your self you just do so the message of the Cross to those who are perishing is is utter foolishness but to those of us who are being saved we're in the process of being healed of the deep infection of selfishness we've gotten a taste of this love and it's not foolishness to us we're like wow that's the real deal this is amazing it may look foolish at first glance but boy when you begin to dig into it the cross is the power of God it's the most powerful power of all it doesn't look powerful but man it gets you deep in your heart in a way that you know that this is what real power is like I'll tell you what real power is like real power is when you fall deeply head-over-heels in love with the God of the universe and you know that you don't have to do anything but you want to now that's powerful the Bible calls that the New Covenant the law of God written in the heart not imposed externally from the outside with you God who you should you must but written on the inside as in I want to I desire to he's beautiful I love him tell me what you want me to do because you're amazing it's a whole different orientation so he says going on he says in verse 19 hey this cross which is the wisdom of God it is written it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise the world the world operates by a system of academic wisdom that Paul is saying isn't that wise at all it looks wise on paper he's saying that in the cross God is saying by what happened at Calvary the death of God on the cross will destroy the wisdom of the wise and it will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent people who think they know how things ought to operate the cross proves that we don't know anything about how things are supposed to operate the cross proves that the most powerful power in all of existence is the power of self giving love not the power of retaliation not the power of throwing blows back as they're coming at you the most powerful power of all is the power of self giving love in Chapter two he goes on and he says so because of this I determined not to know anything among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified this is it this is the message the cross of Christ is the message Paul says why oh this is amazing he says of the cross we speak wisdom among those who are mature he's saying hey you've got to grow spiritually to get this there has to be a certain level of maturity for this to click in your mind so he's saying we're speaking something deep here we're speaking the wisdom among the mature yet not the wisdom of this age of this world the way this world operates is not the wisdom of God our world is a power mongering meritorious system and God's system is a power deferring grace system and these are two totally opposite systems so it's not the Wiz that God's wisdom is not the wisdom of this age now watch this nor of the rulers of this age the demonic and human forces that govern the political structures of the world he send nope they don't get it they don't understand this wisdom they're operating at a ten-year-old level of moral development this is at a genius level of moral development Paul is saying this is the way God's mind works how does God's mind work it is the wisdom that the rulers of this age don't comprehend and he says and they those systems and those who run them are coming to nothing because there's only one check this out there's only one eternally sustainable principle there's only one eternally sustainable relational dynamic it's love and he goes on and he blows our minds now he says but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery this is counter-intuitive he's telling us it's the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory I thought it was all about God's glory no this wisdom is for the elevation of man this is for this is for the dignifying and elevation of the human race to operate psychologically emotionally and behaviorally the way we were designed to operate this wisdom he's saying if you get it if you let it register it changes every relationship it changes everything it is wisdom that is ordained for our glory for our elevation as human beings in the way that we should be elevated to humility and love and then he said this is the line I want you to catch this hidden wisdom is a wisdom which none of the rulers of this age knew not the devil the Fallen Angels not Herod not Pilate not the priests and the religious rule nobody saw this coming for had they known they would not have crucified him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory listen if the devil knew what was happening he would not have instigated the mob to crucify Christ he thought in crucifying Christ he was winning but in crucifying Christ he was losing in exalting himself he was going down and in taking Christ down Christ was coming up in three days to occupy the throne of the universe and the devil didn't see it coming he was like what no stop he can't die while loving them the whole goal of the devil at Calvary was to break the tenacious hold of the love of God on you and me he wanted to see Jesus snap under pressure and give up on us and he never did so the cross I'm going to suggest to you the cross is the most unexpected surprising and utterly counterintuitive act in history it's the one counter-narrative it's the one thing nobody saw coming it's the one thing that nobody could compute or process or anticipate even the disciples were so baffled by it that when he prophesied of his crucifixion they kept pushing back on it pushing back they wanted a military Messiah they wanted a political leader they wanted Jesus to occupy a throne to take down the Romans and to exalt Israel to the pinnacle of military and political power they wanted a power over a kind of Messiah they wanted a coercive manipulative Messiah they wanted a messiah that would operate by the same principles they were governed by and he gave them the diametric opposite of anything that they could have anticipated the cross is the most unexpected completely surprising encounter intuitive act in history and once you and I get it worship won't be formal it won't be cultural it won't be merely intellectual assent you will find yourself spontaneously lifting your heart lifting your hands even that would be weird for you but you would do it if you really get this you'll just be oh god I love you please please just let it register you will find yourself spontaneously being set free from all legalism rationalism some of you here tonight you are intellectual believers but you're emotional atheists you subscribe to the facts and figures of the 2728 how many do we have now 28 you subscribe to the facts and figures but you're not head over heels in love with the Savior and the cross of Christ is the only power powerful enough to break the power of religious formalism the cross is the most unexpected surprising and charon counterintuitive act in history Friedrich Nietzsche the guy who popularized the god is dead idea prominent for pushing back on all of religion by all accounts an atheist the German philosopher looked at everything happening in human history all of religion and check this out even Nietzsche the atheists looked at Calvary and said modern man hardened at mart modern men hardened as they are to all Christians II no longer appreciate the horrible extravagance which for all ancient tastes lay in the paradox of the formula God seriously God on a cross never before never before in all of history never before had there been anywhere such an audacious inversion in Jesus all of reality was flipped on its head the whole thing was turned upside down and inside out never before had there been set anywhere such an audacious inversion never anything so terrifying so challenging and challenge Abal as this formula God on a cross he's referring back to it promised the cross of Christ promised a transvaluation of all ancient values now he's a little wordy but here's what he's saying Nietzsche is saying all of history is the powerful exerting their power and there's one act in which God laid down his power and flip the entire world system on its head the most powerful person in the universe changed everything because Jesus my friends is the warrior we didn't see coming he is the unarmed warrior and that means that his victory is a victory that is complete and has a cosmic scope now by cosmic spoke scope this is what we mean and this is the homeward stretch if you're wondering don't worry we're almost done but you have to get this final point this is important so his victory was so complete that it is of cosmic proportions what do we mean by that listen when Jesus died on the cross yes according to Ephesians chapter 3 verses 7 & 8 yes when Jesus died on the cross he achieved the forgiveness of our sins personal salvation praise God yes personal salvation yes Jesus achieved our personal salvation according to Paul but Paul's not done not only did Jesus when he died on the cross achieved the forgiveness of my sins and your sins personally but check this out he also when died and when he died on the cross he made known a mystery what's the mystery that he made known it's the mystery of God's will which is the good pleasure which God has always purposed in himself this is the thing this is God's secret agenda this is what God's been up to all along and nobody understood it we barely understand it as we put forth effort to understand it it blows our minds that the most powerful person in the universe could be so utterly humble and beautiful and here we are and Paul says yes personal salvation forgiveness of sins but there's a secret that has now come to the surface and it's this that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times that is when time shall have reached its maturity when human history finally reaches its climax and the whole plan of salvation comes to a conclusion watch this that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might here's the secret gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him now if you've been here with us each evening you know that when scripture speaks of heaven it's speaking of a populated heavens full of angels and principalities and powers and sons of God and populated worlds and in Christ not only was your personal salvation and - Eve but the stability of the universe was achieved listen what we're saying is this the great controversy perspective enlarges our view of the atonement of the cross to include more than human salvation more than my individual salvation the cross of Christ achieves more than my personal salvation I need to broaden my perspective here and see something it is she's something more what's the something more that it achieves it achieves a cosmic level atonement so that all of the angelic unfallen universe is now has the evidence of God's love before them as well they look at Calvary and they also are stabilized in their loyalty and their trust the goal of the gospel is not merely the personal salvation of the individual Center it includes that hallelujah but it's not limited to my personal individual salvation Ellen White says it this way this is kind of a little bit just just track with this is a little bit of a long quote it's actually three quotations strung together the Angels the Angels everybody unfallen Angels the Angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ check this out for even they are not secured except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God it is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy without the cross they the unfallen angels would be no more secure against evil than worthy angels before the fall of Satan Christ in his life and his death has forever settled the deep and comprehensive question what's the deep and comprehensive question hanging in the balances before the universe whether there is self-denial with God and whether God is light and love that's the question that Jesus answers there was this was the question agitated in the heavens above which was the beginning of Satan's alienation from God the whole great controversy is premised on this misconception through Christ's redeeming work the government of God stands what say that we're not loud justified through the redeeming the cross yes my personal salvation but the cross also achieves the vindication the justification of God's government the way God operates the omnipotent one is made known at Calvary as the God of love st. ins charges are refuted and his character unveiled rebellion can never again arise sin can never again enter the universe through eternal ages through eternal ages all are secure from apostasy by Love's selfless sacrifice what was God's mechanism what was his means by loves self loves self-sacrifice the inhabitants of the earth yes and the inhabitants of heaven are bound to their Creator in bonds of indissoluble Union we are forever connected with our Creator voluntarily not because we have to but because we want to not because he happens to be more powerful than we are and we had better or else but because he is a God of such irrefutable beautiful love that we are willing captives of his will we're smiling for eternity we're jumping up and down for joy we are saying you alone should occupy the throne we love you you're amazing you're beautiful there's no one like you you're incredible you're incredible God you are so beautiful the bigger goal of the gospel therefore is the salvation of the entire populated universe from the principle of selfishness that's what's going on in Christ the cross achieves stated in a positive way the cross achieves the restoration of self giving love as the only principle of action in God's universe when Jesus died on the cross for you and me he set in motion a series of events by releasing that powerful love in to our world he set in motion a series of events that led you and me to be exactly where we are right here tonight so that we could encounter this and say what the gospel has been preached and it is good news it is such good news that if you have been trekking you find something strange going on inside of you you're strangely warmed inside you're like oh well it's God really that good is it is it really that beautiful yes yes it's he is tigh exaggerating no no he's not it's time making it better than it is as he is this superlatives it is he exaggerating for effect no he's not no this is it you guys the god of the universe is beautiful beyond compare and worthy of our eternal loyalty and Trust and praise because of who he is and the cross of Calvary proves that definitive irrefutable proof that God is love please pray with me Father in Heaven lord thank you for the kind of God that you are thank you for loving us the way you love us we look at Jesus Lord and and we are just amazed we are astounded that that when his back was fully against the wall and and all there was for him was darkness and suffering and for a sustained period of time it looked like he would have to give his eternal life to save us that he chose voluntarily by the pure integrity of his love he chose us over himself God how can we ever ever turn away from you there is nothing in this world no job no profession no money no material goods no praise of men no position in the company no house better than somebody else's house there's literally nothing in this world that in any way can compare to the beauty of your love so father we voluntarily respond to you right now father you have loved us with an everlasting love and we say to you tonight dear God in heaven we love you back in Jesus name Amen

Channel: CarolinaConfSDA

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Keywords: camp, meeting, lake, junaluska, carolina, conference, seventh, day, 7th, seventh-day, adventists, north, south, waynesville

Id: sJtd3yyqMSg

Length: 72min 40sec (4360 seconds)

Published: Wed Jun 06 2018