Participants:
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP200815S
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00:26 O worship the King All glorious above
00:33 O gratefully sing His wonderful love 00:40 Our Shield and Defender The Ancient of Days 00:46 Pavilioned in splendor 00:49 And girded with praise 00:54 Thy bountiful care What tongue can recite? 01:01 It breathed in the air It shines in the light 01:07 It streams from the hills It descends to the plain 01:13 And sweetly distills 01:16 In the dew and the rain. 01:22 Lord, we gather here today 01:24 to accept Your guidance in our lives. 01:27 And, Lord, as Andrews University faculty 01:29 are coming back 01:31 and students are getting ready to come on campus 01:32 and all around Southwest Michigan teachers 01:36 are organizing at every level and around the world. 01:40 And You were doing everything we can to be safe, Lord, 01:45 and to keep others safe and to inspire our students 01:48 and to offer them love 01:52 and acceptance and encouragement. 01:55 But we have fears, Lord, 01:57 we confess these fears 01:59 and these distractions in our lives. 02:02 And we just ask, Lord, 02:03 that You would put a fire in our hearts 02:05 to turn our eyes upon You. 02:09 We ask that You would help us to accept Your peace, 02:12 Your peace that passes all understanding. 02:15 In the name of Your prayer, amen. 02:28 Like a river glorious 02:34 Is God's perfect peace 02:39 Over all victorious 02:44 In its bright increase 02:49 Perfect, yet it floweth 02:54 Fuller every day 02:59 Perfect, yet it groweth 03:04 Deeper all the way 03:09 Trusting in Jehovah 03:15 Hearts are fully blest 03:20 Finding as He promised 03:25 Perfect peace and rest 03:31 Hidden in the hollow 03:36 Of His blessed hand 03:41 Never foe can follow 03:46 Never traitor stand 03:51 Not a surge of worry 03:56 Not a shade of care 04:01 Not a blast of hurry 04:07 Touch the spirit there 04:12 Trusting in Jehovah 04:17 Hearts are fully blest 04:22 Finding as He promised 04:27 Perfect peace and rest 04:33 Every joy or testing 04:38 Comes from God above 04:43 Given to His children 04:48 As an act of love 04:54 We may trust Him fully 04:59 All for us to do 05:04 Those who trust Him wholly 05:09 Find Him wholly true 05:14 Trusting in Jehovah 05:20 Hearts are fully blest 05:25 Finding as He promised 05:31 Perfect peace and rest. 05:37 Amen. 05:39 You know this morning, 05:40 I was talking with Susan 05:41 and she said something that stuck in my mind, 05:44 she said, "The hard thing about mask wearing 05:47 is she had to tell people that she's smiling." 05:51 You know, we can't communicate in the same way 05:53 when we're wearing a mask. 05:55 And I just wanna encourage you all 05:56 to put a giant smile on your face right now. 05:59 I am so, so happy to be seeing you all this morning. 06:01 It's my first time back in church 06:03 and in the building 06:04 and to see the smile on your face, 06:07 open, open the joy in your heart. 06:10 And let's lean together 06:12 in the everlasting arms of Jesus. 06:28 What a fellowship, What a joy divine 06:32 Leaning on the everlasting arms 06:37 What a blessedness What a peace is mine 06:41 Leaning on the everlasting arms 06:46 Leaning, leaning 06:50 Safe and secure from all alarms 06:55 Leaning, leaning 06:59 Leaning on the everlasting arms 07:05 O how sweet to walk In this pilgrim way 07:10 Leaning on the everlasting arms 07:14 Oh, how bright the path Grows from day to day 07:19 Leaning on the everlasting arms 07:23 Leaning, leaning 07:28 Safe and secure from all alarms 07:33 Leaning, leaning 07:37 Leaning on the everlasting arms 08:02 Leaning, leaning 08:06 Safe and secure from all alarms 08:11 Leaning, leaning 08:15 Leaning on the everlasting arms 08:21 What have I to dread What have I to fear 08:25 Leaning On the everlasting arms? 08:30 I have blessed peace With my Lord so near 08:35 Leaning on the everlasting arms 08:39 Leaning, leaning 08:44 Safe and secure from all alarms 08:48 Leaning, leaning 08:53 Leaning 08:54 On the everlasting arms. 09:00 Can I get an amen for that? 09:01 Do you have some joy in your heart this morning? 09:04 You should. 09:06 We have a marvelous Creator and Redeemer who we worship. 09:11 We should take confidence in that. 09:15 So as we open our hearts for prayer now, 09:19 we're going to sing one more song 09:20 and the song has a special, a special word in it. 09:23 The word is just, 09:27 and it's not referring to our God, 09:29 who is just as He is. 09:32 He's the definition of justice. 09:34 It's referring to the idea of, 09:37 if I would only do this little thing, 09:42 if I would just do this. 09:44 So as we sing the song, meditate on this word. 09:49 Open your heart. 09:51 Be honest, before God. 09:55 What are you doing with just? 10:02 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus 10:08 Just to take Him at His Word 10:14 Just to rest upon His promise 10:20 Just to know 10:22 "Thus saith the Lord" 10:26 Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him 10:32 How I've proved Him O'er and o'er! 10:38 Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! 10:45 O for grace 10:47 To trust Him more 10:53 Yes, 'tis sweet To trust in Jesus 10:59 Just from sin and self to cease 11:05 Just from Jesus simply taking 11:11 Life and rest and joy and peace 11:17 Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him 11:23 How I've proved Him O'er and o'er! 11:30 Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! 11:36 O for grace 11:39 To trust Him more 11:44 I'm so glad 11:47 I learned to trust Him 11:50 Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend 11:56 And I know That Thou are with me 12:03 Wilt be with me till the end 12:09 Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him 12:15 How I've proved Him O'er and o'er 12:22 Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! 12:28 O for grace 12:31 To trust Him more 12:41 Good afternoon everyone. 12:43 The song that Steven and I would like to sing 12:45 is a song written by our son Nicholas. 12:48 It grew out of some research that he did, 12:51 looking for the images and understandings 12:53 of who God might be in the population at large. 12:57 He talked to all kinds of people. 12:59 He was living in LA at the time. 13:01 Went to grad school. 13:03 He talked to families and people in restaurants 13:05 and people in coffee bars and people in other bars. 13:09 He told me he didn't partake. 13:10 He talked to just the rich, the poor, 13:14 everybody he could find, 13:16 to see who and how people interfaced 13:20 with the idea of God. 13:21 And what he found is also corroborated 13:24 very much in other research, 13:26 that we tend to believe that there is something more. 13:30 There is a God out there, 13:32 who has the bigger picture in mind. 13:34 And so this song grew out of that research, 13:39 but he also admits as the rest of us do, 13:42 for all we know, God is infinitely more. 13:47 He is all of this and more. 14:21 You are Father, Creator 14:26 The source of everything 14:29 And the songs We sing are different 14:34 But it's You Who makes us think 14:37 You cannot be imagined 14:41 Yet in Your image we are made 14:46 You know everything 14:49 But you still listen When we pray 14:53 Do the motherless your mother 14:57 Do they abandoned you a friend 15:01 To the falling you are Savior 15:04 Your compassion never ends 15:08 To the sick, you are healing 15:12 You are food to the poor 15:15 You are everything we need 15:19 You are all of this and more 15:23 You are all of this and more 15:27 Even beyond what You have shown 15:31 And we're standing on the shore 15:35 Of an ocean of unknown 15:39 And in the calm And in the storm 15:44 We can hear Your voice 15:47 In ways We've never heard before 15:52 You are God 15:54 You are all of this and more 16:14 You are love You are justice 16:20 You are mystery You are unknown 16:24 We are separated from You 16:28 Yet we are not alone 16:32 You allow The clouds of darkness 16:36 But your streams of light Breakthrough 16:39 You're beyond all comprehension 16:43 There is no one else like You 16:47 You are all of this and more 16:51 Even beyond what You have shown 16:55 And we're standing on the shore 16:59 Of an ocean of unknown 17:03 And in the calm And in the storm 17:08 We can hear Your voice 17:11 In ways We've never heard before 17:15 You are God 17:18 You are all of this and more 17:20 You are all of this and more 17:24 Even beyond What You have shown 17:27 And we're standing on the shore 17:32 Of an ocean of unknown 17:35 And in the calm And in the storm 17:41 We can hear Your voice 17:47 In ways We've never heard before 17:50 You are God 17:53 You are all of this and more 17:59 You are God 18:02 You are all of this 18:10 You are all of this and more 18:14 Even beyond What You have shown 18:18 And we're standing On the shore 18:23 Of an ocean of unknown 18:26 And in the calm And in the storm 18:32 We can hear Your voice 18:38 In ways We've never heard before 18:43 You are God 18:46 You are all of this and more 18:51 You are God 18:56 You are all of this. 19:27 Lord Jesus, 19:28 You are all of this and more 19:32 and You've been that to us. 19:33 Holy Spirit, you've been that to us. 19:34 Heavenly Father, You have been that to us 19:36 all of this and more. 19:38 We're glad to be alive. We're glad to be here. 19:41 And we're glad to be 19:42 on the other side of the camera. 19:44 Bless the remaining moments in the Word of God. 19:47 We need a word from Jesus. 19:49 Let the word be clear. We pray in His name. 19:52 Amen. 19:54 Isn't it amazing 19:55 how you can be sitting one moment, 19:56 just loving life, 19:58 all the joy and exuberance of life 20:00 bursting up in your heart 20:01 and you're kind of singing to yourself 20:02 zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. 20:05 Oh, my oh my, what a wonderful day. 20:10 And then just like that, 20:14 your world is turned upside down. 20:17 They just released them this week, did you see them? 20:19 I saw them from the security cameras 20:24 in the St. George 20:25 Hospital University Medical Center 20:27 in Beirut, Lebanon. 20:30 Those cameras are running full time when that, 20:35 what was it? 20:36 Ammonium nitrate explosion 20:38 levels Beirut at least the downtown. 20:41 St. George's near, 20:42 the hospital is near ground zero. 20:45 I watched those, unbelievable. 20:47 Here comes a physician. He's walking down the hall. 20:49 He walks past the nurse's station 20:50 for some reason he just feels impressed. 20:52 He goes in, boom, 20:53 the whole hall behind him in that instant disappeared, 20:56 lights out. 20:58 They had a security camera up in the lobby 21:01 of this wonderful hospital. 21:04 And teenage Lebanese kids 21:06 with their pandemic white masks on 21:08 are scurrying around out, they must have heard something, 21:11 they start to go this way, 21:12 then they start running this way and then boom. 21:16 And then there was a maternity ward. 21:19 I had to watch this 21:20 to make sure I wouldn't have told you 21:22 about it otherwise. 21:23 All the bassinets were there. 21:25 I watched it the second time, 21:26 not a baby in those bassinets, hallelujah. 21:28 The nurses take a look at all these empty bassinets, 21:30 she goes over here 21:32 and then the window and the wall. 21:35 The camera keeps going, 21:36 dust settles she gets up, hallelujah, 21:40 everyone survives in these video clips. 21:44 One moment, the next gone. 21:49 Pandemic, one moment, 21:51 the next here we are, explosion. 21:53 It can be a phone call you get 21:55 that turns your world upside down. 21:57 In fact, Jesus wants us to understand 22:00 that even with the Second Coming, 22:02 it's going to be that way. 22:03 One moment, here. 22:07 Open your Bible with me to the words of Jesus. 22:09 Just read that words today, 22:11 because we're back together again, 22:13 a new year is about to begin, hasn't begun yet. 22:15 But Mark Chapter 13, 22:17 open your Bible Mark Chapter 13. 22:19 I'll be in the NIV again today. 22:22 Mark Chapter 13, the words of Jesus. 22:24 What's happened here 22:25 is Jesus is going to tell us a story, all right. 22:28 This is just three days before the implosion, 22:30 the explosion called Calvary three days in advance, 22:33 this is late Tuesday afternoon. 22:36 He has just laid out 22:38 to His closest friends on earth, 22:40 a series of economic indicators, 22:43 political indicators, sociological indicators, 22:46 ecological indicators, meteorological indicators 22:48 that will together form the harbinger 22:52 of His return to this planet. 22:55 He's going to tell a story. 22:57 Let's read it together. 22:59 This is Mark 13:32, but red letters in my Bible. 23:02 "But about that day or hour no one knows, 23:06 not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son," capital S son, 23:11 "but only the Father." 23:12 Whoa, pause button. 23:14 Come on, Dwight, you can't, 23:15 you don't think 23:17 Jesus really meant what He said. 23:18 You don't think He meant that He Himself 23:20 because it says its capital S. 23:21 He doesn't know the day of His return? 23:24 Do you know what scholars have a big debate about that? 23:26 They're weighing in on both sides of the question. 23:28 No, He doesn't know 23:30 because it's His son of man nature 23:32 that He's speaking through. 23:33 And after the resurrection will be His Son of God nature 23:37 that will take back over. 23:39 And it goes back and forth. 23:41 But Frederick Dale Bruner in his commentary, 23:44 talking about these words. 23:46 He kind of draws a circle around this way. 23:49 Man, I quote him, 23:50 "It is the very glory of the incarnation, 23:54 that Christ accepted those limitations of knowledge, 23:57 which are inseparable from a true humanity." 24:01 In other words, 24:02 He's one with us at that moment. 24:04 We could have gone up to Jesus right after and said, 24:06 Lord, this is fascinating what You did here 24:08 in the little apocalypse of Mark 13, 24:10 but we have a question. 24:11 Can you give us the date? 24:13 We need the date when You're coming back. 24:15 And you know what He would have said? 24:18 It has not been revealed to me. 24:22 Only My Father knows. 24:25 It's possible that even today, 24:27 Jesus so allied with us in our humanity has chosen, 24:31 "Don't tell Me father. 24:32 I'll just keep working as hard as I can 24:36 until You hit the button." 24:38 End. 24:40 Wow. 24:43 Now, Jesus is going to share two assertions 24:47 that we need to get straight in our minds. 24:49 And He's just shared assertion number one, 24:51 let's put it. 24:53 Let's put it on the screen, please. 24:54 Assertion number one, what do we know? 24:56 We know the uncertainty of His timing. 24:59 Isn't that right? Nobody knows. 25:02 Nobody knows. 25:05 But let's be clear. 25:07 The uncertainty of His timing 25:11 is not speaking, 25:15 well, just read the next slide. 25:17 Let just read the next slide. 25:19 And I'm gonna put the second assertion up. 25:21 But we need to read verse 33 first. 25:22 I was so eager to share it with you, 25:24 but let's read verse 33 first. 25:26 So he said, Hey, nobody knows the day or the hour, 25:28 nobody, nobody, nobody but the Father. 25:29 Now verse 33, "Be on guard! 25:32 Be alert! 25:33 You do not know when that time will come." 25:36 There's a second assertion. Let's put that up. 25:38 Now, I'm ready for it. 25:39 Assertion number one, the uncertainty of His timing. 25:41 Now here comes assertion number two 25:43 that Jesus makes the certainty, 25:46 not the uncertainty, the certainty of His returning. 25:50 Let us be clear, 25:52 His returning is not the uncertainty. 25:55 It's not the uncertainty, 25:56 the uncertainty is only about the timing. 26:00 That's a big deal 26:01 in this brave new pandemic world, 26:03 on the eve of the new year beginning 26:05 here at Andrews University, 26:07 it is not the returning that is up for grabs. 26:10 Jesus said, "Let not your heart be," what? 26:13 "Let not your heart be troubled, 26:15 you believe in God, believe also in... 26:17 In My Father's house are many. 26:19 If it were not so, I would have... 26:21 I go to prepare a place for you. 26:23 And if I go and prepare a place for you," let's do it. 26:25 Let's do it out loud with your hand over your mask. 26:29 "If I go and prepare a place for you," 26:31 ah, let's do it out loud, 26:32 "I would come again." 26:35 I went to a business the other day. 26:37 And the guy saw me coming. 26:39 And he knew who I was. 26:40 So he quickly said excuse me, just a minute. 26:43 He said, "I have my handmade mask on now." 26:48 Yeah, it's hard to communicate, it's hard to talk. 26:51 I will come again. 26:52 We cannot miss. 26:54 There is no uncertainty about the return of Jesus. 26:57 In fact, you know what I've noticed? 26:58 I find this rather illuminating. 27:00 How many of you have earnestly concluded 27:02 and I've been hearing from you. 27:04 You have concluded, you know what? 27:06 I'm even more certain 27:07 Jesus is returning soon than I was before the pandemic. 27:10 I'm more sure now that He's returning soon. 27:12 Something has happened to us. 27:15 We are not the same people 27:16 that went into this pandemic six months ago. 27:18 We are not the same people. We have changed. 27:21 And not all for the bad. 27:26 Oh, I tell you what? 27:28 There's a video that's gone viral. 27:30 I'm going to tell you about in a moment 27:31 from a Baptist pastor. 27:35 Something's changed in America. 27:39 Yeah. 27:40 Now let's be very clear, ladies and gentlemen, 27:42 can we put those two up again, please? 27:43 The uncertainty of His time, 27:45 the uncertainty is about the timing, 27:47 not the returning. 27:48 The return is sure, I will come again. 27:52 You can count on me. 27:53 I'll be there. 27:55 So now He tells, now He tells a story. 27:58 Once upon a time there was a man 28:00 in a lovely mansion, 28:01 and he had a lot of servants. 28:03 And one day he went, 28:04 "Yo, everybody got to talk, got to talk. 28:07 Hey, listen, I need to tell you something. 28:09 I'm going on a trip. 28:12 I'm going to be gone for a while. 28:15 I need you each of you, you know, you do this. 28:17 Yeah, you know what, you just keep doing. 28:18 You keep doing that really helpful. 28:21 You, you, you, you, you, 28:23 and then I'm going to come back. 28:25 Is that clear?" 28:27 "Clear, Master clear." 28:28 But before he could walk away. 28:30 "Excuse me, Master?" 28:32 "Yes." 28:34 "When are you coming back?" 28:38 He smiles. 28:40 "That's a deal. 28:41 I can't tell you. 28:43 I will be back though." 28:47 Yeah, that's the story, let's read it. 28:49 Come on, red letters. Here it is. 28:51 It's like a man, verse 34. 28:52 "It's like a man going away: 28:53 He leaves his house 28:55 and he puts his servants in charge, 28:56 each with their assigned task, 28:58 and he tells the one at the door to keep watch. 29:01 'Therefore keep watch 29:03 because you do not know 29:05 when the owner of the house will come back.' " 29:07 Now, I want to put, 29:09 hold that verse right on the screen here 29:10 because you have both assertions again, 29:12 now he gave them once in the preamble to the story 29:14 and now he repeats them. 29:16 Therefore keep watch, you do not know. 29:19 Assertion number one, 29:20 the uncertainty of His timing, right? 29:24 But then he quickly says you do not know when 29:27 and he's making an assertion, 29:28 the owner of the house will come back, 29:31 hallelujah. 29:33 And that's the certainty of His returning. 29:39 It's the timing that's the question. 29:46 Jesus is going to speak three words. 29:50 And He's going to keep repeating 29:52 those three words. 29:53 Let's go back to 35 and pick it up 29:55 which would take it to the end of his story. 29:57 Verse 35, "Therefore keep watch 29:58 because you do not know 29:59 when the owner of the house will come back," 30:02 two assertions there, they are, 30:04 "whether in the evening or at midnight, " 30:07 this is there four watches of the Roman night, 30:09 you got evening, then you got midnight 30:11 or when the rooster crows or at dawn. 30:14 If he comes, verse 36, "If he comes suddenly, 30:17 do not let him find you sleeping." 30:19 Verse 37,"What I say to you, I say to everyone, Watch!" 30:24 Watch. 30:25 What's Jesus point? 30:27 You just got it. That's it. 30:28 In the Greek Gregoreuo. 30:31 I have a brother named Gregory. 30:33 And his name, 30:35 I'm absolutely convinced 30:36 is from this Greek word, Gregoreuo. 30:38 What's Gregoreuo mean? It means keep watch. 30:40 It's just be watchful, be watchful. 30:43 Three times, 30:45 you just look through it and count yourself three times, 30:47 watch, watch, watch, watch, watch, 30:49 it go as more than three. 30:50 That's the whole point. Just keep watching. 30:55 No question. 30:57 Jesus bottom line, 30:58 the uncertainty of His timing 31:00 is joined to the certainty of His returning. 31:04 The two of them are bound to each other. 31:07 And listen, let's say you and I, 31:09 we got all the servants together, 31:10 the master is gone, we find out the house, 31:12 and we show up and we knock at the door 31:15 and the door keeper answers 31:16 and we say listen, "Can we come in? 31:18 We just want to ask the servants who work here 31:21 three simple little questions. 31:22 Would that be okay?" 31:24 He's a friendly guy. Yeah, come on in. 31:26 Yo, everybody take five, come on down to the entryway, 31:29 we got some guests. 31:31 So all the servants come tumbling down the stairs 31:33 and from the back of the house. 31:35 And we say listen, 31:36 thank you for letting me 31:38 interrupt your obviously very busy morning. 31:39 We have three simple questions to ask you. 31:41 Question number one. 31:44 We have learned that your master has left. 31:47 Do you know when he's coming back? 31:50 Hands shoots up? 31:51 I don't know. 31:53 Another hand shoots up. 31:54 I feel it's soon. 31:56 Another hand yo, 31:58 well, it's sure a lot closer to today than when he left. 32:04 That's good. 32:06 Question number two, we want to ask you. 32:08 Could it be? 32:10 Do you suppose your master has been delayed? 32:14 Hmm. 32:16 Everybody's thinking and then somebody says, 32:17 "Well, how could that be?" 32:19 The voice pipes up, "He never told us. 32:20 He never told us 32:22 when he was returning, returning." 32:23 And then the wise person at the back of the group says, 32:25 "Yeah, right." 32:26 So how could you possibly call it a delay 32:28 when we have no date 32:30 by which to determine the delay? 32:33 You and I get in this little habit, 32:34 little pity party. 32:35 Well, he's been delayed, he's been delayed. 32:37 He's been delayed. 32:38 How can you call it the delay, he never gave a date. 32:41 Right? 32:42 Okay, but we want to ask three questions. 32:45 All right. What's your third one? 32:46 Here it is. 32:48 Knowing all that, 32:50 how do you know 32:52 how to live 32:53 when you don't know when he's returning? 33:00 Hmm. 33:02 And, of course, that's Jesus point, 33:04 watch, watch, watch. 33:07 Let's read it one more time, verse 35. 33:09 "Therefore keep watch 33:11 because you do not know 33:13 when the owner of the house will come back, 33:15 whether in the evening, or at midnight, 33:17 or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 33:20 If he comes suddenly, 33:22 do not let him find you sleeping. 33:25 So what I say to you, I say to everyone, "Watch!" 33:30 Because, ladies and gentlemen, we know He's coming back. 33:34 Let's put that first line up. 33:37 We know He's coming, don't we? 33:39 I mean, don't you know that Jesus is coming back? 33:41 You're not conflicted on this, are you? 33:44 You know, He's coming, don't you? 33:46 Of course, you do. 33:47 You know, the people say, 33:48 "Hey, you know, I'm an Adventist, 33:50 but I don't know that He's coming back." 33:52 You know, that kind of comments, 33:54 that's not an Adventist comment. 33:55 That's a sadventist. 33:57 We live for the return of Jesus because we know He's coming. 34:02 Next line, please. 34:03 "Even though we don't know when He's coming," 34:07 third line please, 34:09 "we live our lives as if it were," 34:14 what's that last word? 34:15 "Today." 34:16 Yeah, we live our lives as if it were today. 34:20 Shh, Jesus says, "Don't fall asleep. 34:21 I'm telling you, stay awake, stay alert. 34:24 Stay awake. 34:25 I'm coming." 34:27 And so we live our lives 34:30 as if it were today. 34:34 William Miller, 34:36 our great Baptist forefather 34:40 came to that compelling conclusion 34:42 when he and his fellow little a Adventist, 34:45 all right, not capital A as you and me. 34:47 The little a Adventist 34:48 when they were so bitterly disappointed 34:51 when they did exactly what Jesus had told them. 34:53 You can't do, they set a date for His return. 34:57 So disappointed is William Miller 34:59 that he sits down on November 10, 1844. 35:05 Grabs his writing utensil, 35:08 and he scribbles out a letter to his friend Joshua Himes. 35:11 Let me put the words on the screen for you. 35:14 This is Miller, 35:15 "Although I have been twice disappointed, 35:20 I am not yet cast down or discouraged. 35:24 God has been with me in spirit, and has comforted me." 35:29 That's beautiful. 35:30 "I have now much more evidence 35:33 that I do believe in God's Word. 35:37 And my hope in the coming of Christ 35:39 is as strong as ever." 35:41 Is there an Adventist in this crowd 35:42 that might say an amen to that? 35:44 Amen and amen. 35:46 But he, that same William Miller 35:48 on the screen, 35:49 so what date are you working for now, 35:51 William? 35:53 "I have fixed my mind upon another time, " 35:55 he has a date now. 35:57 "I have fixed my mind upon another time 35:59 and here I mean to stand until God gives me more light." 36:02 Here it comes. 36:04 "And that is Today" and he underlines it, "TODAY, " 36:08 and he puts it in all caps, and then for the third time, 36:11 "and Today, 36:13 until Jesus comes, 36:15 and I see him for whom my soul yearns." 36:19 Ain't that beautiful? 36:21 I fixed my mind on another date now. 36:24 In the middle of this pandemic, 36:26 I fixed my mind on another date 36:28 and that date is today 36:30 and today and today until He comes 36:31 because Jesus said, watch, watch, watch until I come. 36:38 Wow. 36:40 Put that sequence up again, please, 36:43 because we know He's coming. 36:45 Even though we don't know when He's coming, 36:47 we live our lives as if it were today. 36:52 Hey, listen, listen, listen, 36:54 you don't have to be a rocket scientist 36:55 to realize the world is exponentially worse, 36:58 and we are exponentially closer to Jesus return 37:01 than Miller could have possibly imagined. 37:07 And here we're on the brink of a new year, 37:09 brave new pandemic year at Andrews University, 37:12 at every other school in the land. 37:17 There's another Baptist preacher, 37:19 I just hinted at him a moment ago. 37:22 This one is very much alive today, 37:25 who through a series of dreams which have now gone viral. 37:29 He's put them on the internet, they have gone viral. 37:33 Through a series of dreams, he is warning America 37:35 of what will befall this country this fall. 37:42 I don't know people are hearing about this, 37:43 I had a friend let me know. 37:45 I would never found it otherwise, 37:47 I'm not giving his name. 37:49 One of these days I am going to talk about 37:51 what he is publishing. 37:54 Now this you need to understand. 37:55 In my own mindset here, the man is not a seer. 37:59 He is not a prophet. I don't believe that. 38:04 But the very fact that He has chosen 38:05 to articulate these dreams, 38:07 which are planting unbelievable suggestions 38:10 in the minds of Americans 38:12 and the fact that this has gone viral 38:14 so that Americans are hungry. 38:16 Somebody speak to me about certainty 38:18 in the midst of this awful uncertainty. 38:21 America is ready and ripe for about anything right now. 38:25 You want to be messiah, 38:26 you just stand up and say follow me 38:28 and there'll be people who will follow you. 38:30 That's how bad it's come. 38:32 This is America. 38:36 I'm concerned, speaking of this gentleman, 38:39 seems like a gracious guy. 38:41 As a young guy, 38:43 I'm concerned that his dreams might become 38:47 self-fulfilling prophecies just by the suggestion. 38:52 He's predicting a meltdown between now and the election 38:56 in America. 38:59 But that word prophecy. 39:00 Hmm. 39:02 Do you know what? 39:03 That's what has so many Christians confused. 39:06 I've gone online and listen to a few of their YouTubes, 39:08 absolutely confused about prophecy. 39:11 And by the way, I'm sorry to say this. 39:13 There are so many Adventists 39:15 who are just as confused about prophecy. 39:18 Most have forgotten 39:19 the prophecies of their childhood 39:21 that they were taught. 39:23 We have a new generation arriving. 39:24 They're called Gen Z, they're here in hours, 39:28 met a bunch of them in first service. 39:31 Nobody, they don't know diddly-squat about prophecies 39:33 because nobody's ever talked to them 39:35 about prophecy. 39:36 It's for them and for you and me 39:40 that I feel compelled to plunge together with you 39:44 into a journey, into prophecy 39:46 like we've never journeyed before. 39:49 We're going to call it American apocalypse. 39:54 What is past is prologue. 39:56 William Shakespeare wrote that line, 39:58 he wrote it in "The Tempest," what is past is prologue. 40:01 You look at that, 40:02 takes you a little while to get it. 40:04 There's a huge lesson there 40:06 and we're going to tap that lesson 40:08 pretty quickly into this new series 40:09 American apocalypse. 40:11 And we're only going to look at prophecies 40:13 that relate to America. 40:15 We're not going to go to the whole image. 40:18 Look at the whole world. 40:20 No, we're not going to look at all the history, 40:21 we're only looking ahead, only looking ahead. 40:23 We will have to look at the past, 40:25 to inform what's coming. 40:28 I hope your journey, it begins next week, 40:32 it begins next week. 40:35 And I hope you'll be a part of it. 40:37 You got family and friends 40:38 that don't even live in this community, 40:40 you let them know, you let them know. 40:44 To accompany this new season of pandemic urgency, 40:46 we are changing our worship services 40:48 in this way, beginning next week. 40:50 We are now going to incorporate an extended prayer focus 40:54 beginning next Sabbath. 40:56 And you'll see what I'm talking about. 40:59 And we are going to add a new testimony time in worship 41:02 beginning next week. 41:04 Because we cannot go back to the way we were worshiping 41:06 when this pandemic struck. 41:08 I know what worship was like around here. 41:10 I was a part of it and so were you. 41:11 We cannot go back to that 41:13 and just pretend like life is just hunky dory, 41:15 and we're all back to normal. 41:16 We are not back to normal 41:18 and we will not be back to normal. 41:19 This world, America and the world 41:22 are running out of time. 41:24 Do you understand that? 41:26 Capital A Adventists, do you understand that? 41:28 We're running out of time. 41:32 And I would be judgment bound before God 41:35 if I didn't tell you what I just told you now. 41:38 Oh, Dwight, you're just using scare tactics. 41:40 I am not. 41:44 My favorite author of the 19th century, 41:45 as she put it, God of heaven, wake us up. 41:50 We're waiting for this little pandemic 41:52 to go away and then, oh, boy, 41:53 now we can go play ring around the Rosie 41:55 just like we used to do it. 41:56 No, no, no, we cannot go back. 41:58 We cannot go back. 41:59 And our worship needs to reflect our conviction 42:01 that life has changed and we have changed with it. 42:08 And by the way, I don't say all of this 42:10 because of the pandemic but listen carefully now. 42:12 It's not because of the pandemic, 42:14 but rather because 42:15 the pandemic has exposed fault lines 42:17 that are the harbinger of collapse in this nation. 42:21 We now see those fault lines. 42:22 We didn't see them before. 42:24 Everybody said, "Nah, no, it's not that. 42:25 No, no, no." 42:26 We see them now. 42:30 And in stunning detail, 42:32 Revelation's prophecies concerning this nation 42:34 will reveal the measure and nature of that collapse. 42:37 American Apocalypse, just you wait. 42:41 You will see. 42:43 You'll see. 42:46 So a couple weeks ago, I'm walking out 42:47 of the University Medical Clinic, 42:48 and I bumped into a faculty friend of mine and his wife, 42:52 he's wearing a mask and I'm wearing a mask, 42:54 so we're talking there in the parking lot. 42:57 And I said to him, I said, "Yo, how's it going? 43:02 Getting ready for this brave new year?" 43:06 And with his mask on, 43:07 he looks back at me and he says, "Dwight, 43:10 you're not going to believe it." 43:13 Said, "I would be in the classroom 43:14 and there's going to be physical distancing. 43:16 There may be some in another room. 43:19 But I'm going to be in the classroom, 43:21 they'll all be masked. 43:22 Oh, yeah, they'll all be masked. 43:25 But while I'm lecturing to them, 43:26 I'm going to have a laptop sitting right here. 43:27 And I have to keep looking at that laptop 43:29 because there are people on remote 43:31 who will be also taking this class, 43:32 and we need to upload the class lecture online 43:35 so that other people 43:36 can take advantage of this class 43:38 and that lecture." 43:40 He looked at me and he shook his masked face, 43:43 he said, "Dwight, you have no idea." 43:49 And I look back at him with a smile, 43:52 which he could not see, 43:53 and I said, "I do believe, you are right." 43:59 Folks, most of us here have absolutely no concept 44:02 of what our colleagues in educational leadership. 44:08 I'm talking about staff at the university. 44:10 I'm talking about faculty at the university. 44:11 I'm talking about the administration 44:13 of the university, 44:14 we have no clue to the stresses they now are living with 44:17 and will continue to live with 44:19 over the uncharted journey in front of us. 44:23 They not only deserve 44:24 in this brave new world of COVID-19, 44:26 they not only deserve our heartfelt thanks, 44:29 they deserve our heartfelt prayers 44:31 and intercessions every single day. 44:36 And it's not just this school, it's every school in the land. 44:38 It's Andrews Academy. 44:39 It's Ruth Murdoch Elementary School. 44:41 Everybody's living with this question mark. 44:45 Jesus says, "Watch, watch, watch." 44:49 And then in John 14, 44:50 just in case we missed the three watches 44:52 at the end of Chapter 13, Jesus adds one more line. 44:55 Watch and pray. 45:00 You want a solution for this? 45:02 You want to live through this and survive this? 45:05 Watch and pray. 45:10 There isn't a soul here 45:11 who knows how this year is going to turn out. 45:13 I don't mean just Andrews, I mean America. 45:16 I mean, Adventism. 45:18 We have no idea 12 months from now, 45:21 where will we be? 45:22 I don't know. 45:25 But we serve the same Jesus of long ago, 45:29 who loved on His disciples that day, 45:31 three days before His crucifixion. 45:33 And He's the one who is loving 45:34 on the likes of you and me right now. 45:36 And He's saying, "Don't you worry. 45:39 Don't you worry. 45:41 I am coming back. 45:43 And until I'm back, 45:45 I will be with you always to the end of the world. 45:49 I'm never leaving you." 45:51 Trust me, He promises. 45:56 Boy, I say to one, 45:58 I say to all, watch, watch and pray. 46:01 There is our hope, leaning hard on Jesus. 46:04 Boy, when they were singing leaning hard on Jesus, 46:06 could you, did you start singing it 46:07 and break the rules? 46:09 Man, that's one of my favorite hymns. 46:11 I want to break the rules right now 46:12 and stand up and sing out loud, but we can't. 46:18 You just keep leaning on me, boy. 46:20 Girl, you just keep leaning on me. 46:22 Watch. 46:23 Pray. I'm with you. 46:25 Keep talking to me. Talk to me, talk to me. 46:29 Ellen White, 46:31 in a little booklet called an Adventist Apocalypse. 46:34 These are her words on the screen. 46:36 "If the followers of Christ watch and pray," 46:39 oh, we've heard that, 46:40 "they may have light to comprehend 46:43 and appreciate the maneuvers of the enemy." 46:45 Hold it right there, 46:46 maneuvers of the enemy for what? 46:47 For you. 46:49 Do you understand 46:50 that when the pandemic has upped the anti, 46:52 it's up the spiritual anti as well. 46:54 There's somebody who's gunning for you and me. 46:56 It's not like 46:58 we're just having a namby-pamby sweet ride 46:59 through this. 47:01 No, this is high stakes playing for our souls. 47:05 Now we have nothing to be afraid of. 47:07 But when we watch and pray, 47:08 that the council is when we watch and pray, 47:11 when we watch and pray, 47:12 we can appreciate the strategy and be on the alert. 47:16 Jesus comes to Peter in Chapter 14, 47:18 He says, "Yo Peter, what? 47:19 You're sleeping. 47:21 I'm dying. 47:22 You're sleeping. I asked you to watch." 47:25 Oh, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 47:27 Watch and pray. 47:29 Could you not watch just for one hour? 47:36 Watch and pray. 47:38 Oh, she goes on. Please. 47:41 "Commotions in the nation, 47:43 "she's speaking about the United States. 47:44 Isn't this something? 47:45 "Commotions in the nation 47:47 will bring such scenes in the world 47:49 as we have heretofore been strangers." 47:51 Stuff is going to happen we have never seen before. 47:57 Last line, "As watchmen and watchwomen, 48:01 entrusted with a special message, 48:03 we are to keep before the people..." 48:05 That's the people living all around you 48:08 that don't have the hope you have. 48:09 "We are to keep before the people 48:11 the nearness of the end." 48:18 We're running out of time. 48:21 Watch and pray. 48:22 No, you're not going to know when I come, 48:24 you're not going to know. 48:25 You just watch Him pray, 48:27 you'll be fine, lo, I'm with you. 48:30 We've contacted three of you and asked, 48:32 would you please stand before us 48:34 so that we might pray over you? 48:37 And I'm going to invite the three of you 48:38 that we've contacted from our staff Tom Straman, 48:42 he works with the custodial services. 48:44 Tom, come on up. 48:46 From our faculty Getahun Merga. 48:49 In the chemistry department, Getahun, come on up. 48:52 And representing our administration this 48:53 morning is our president, Andrea Luxton. 48:56 We're going to invite her to come up. 48:58 And Pastor Jenifer. 49:00 Jenifer Daley is our brand new administrative pastor 49:02 on our team. 49:03 We just introduced her, July 11. 49:04 We're so delighted to have her. 49:06 She's going to pray a prayer of dedication over these. 49:10 Please join us in prayer. 49:14 Heavenly Father, we come to You today, 49:20 knowing that You are the answer 49:23 to everything we need, and more. 49:28 I've never been a university president. 49:31 What does a university president need 49:33 during this time, 49:35 during these days? 49:37 What does a custodian need? 49:39 What does a faculty member need in these times? 49:43 Whatever they need, God, 49:45 we come because we're assured 49:48 that You can provide all of that and more. 49:53 Because You promised in Your Word 49:56 that You are able to do exceeding 49:59 abundantly above everything we ask 50:03 or think. 50:05 And so our great God, 50:07 we acknowledge that there is no God like you. 50:11 We acknowledge that whatever we need, 50:13 You can supply. 50:15 We acknowledge Your Word that says, 50:17 before we call You will answer. 50:21 We acknowledge Your Word that says, 50:23 we ought not to be afraid or be discouraged. 50:28 We acknowledge Your Word that says, 50:30 You are Creator, and Recreator 50:33 and there is nothing that is too difficult for You. 50:37 And so today we bring Andrea Luxton, 50:40 Getahun Merga, and Tom Straman before You. 50:44 They are Your children, 50:46 and You have called them to serve You 50:49 in the different areas in which they serve. 50:52 And we praise You for their commitment 50:54 to serve You. 50:56 But these are unusual days, God, 50:58 these are days of uncertainty and challenge. 51:02 And so we pray a special blessing 51:05 upon each of them in their personal lives. 51:10 You know what they need, 51:11 You know the challenges they face, 51:14 but more so in their professional lives. 51:17 God, we ask for Your special anointing 51:19 upon them. 51:21 We ask not just for them, but for those they represent, 51:25 that You will pour out Your Spirit 51:29 in a new, in a powerful way 51:33 in them, on them, through them. 51:37 Do what you will, God, 51:39 for we are desperately in need of You. 51:42 And so I pray, God, 51:44 anoint them from the crown of their head 51:46 to the soles of their feet. 51:49 And I pray for each of them, 51:51 that You will add to their faith knowledge, 51:55 to knowledge goodness, 51:57 to goodness perseverance, to perseverance self-control, 52:03 to self-control godliness, 52:06 to godliness brotherly kindness, 52:09 and to brotherly kindness love, 52:11 that they may possess these qualities 52:14 in increasing measure, 52:16 that You might be able to use them 52:19 like You never have in these challenging times. 52:23 So I pray Your wisdom upon them. 52:25 I pray Your Spirit in them. 52:27 I pray Your power for them. 52:30 Empower them, ennoble them, 52:33 enable them and, Lord, use them. 52:37 They are making themselves available, 52:40 they are standing for You 52:41 as representatives of moral leadership. 52:45 And, Lord, You promised that You will be there for them 52:49 that You will help them if they just call on You. 52:52 And so we're calling 52:53 and we thank You now for what You will do for them 52:57 and in them and through them. 52:59 And not just for them only God, 53:02 but for who they represent at Andrews Academy 53:05 and Ruth Murdoch Elementary, 53:07 and all our public schools 53:08 and all our schools in our area. 53:11 So, Lord, as a people, we look to You, 53:14 we expect from You and we wait on You. 53:18 In Jesus' name I pray, amen. 53:20 Amen. 53:22 Would you like to join me in standing with them? 53:27 And let's rededicate ourselves 53:31 to the chapter that spreads before us 53:33 no matter who we are or where we are. 53:36 We're going to sing a chorus, I want to invite you to stand. 53:40 Chorus maybe you've sang as a child growing up. 53:43 It's been a favorite for a lot of us. 53:46 Our friend Steve and Susan Zork 53:48 are going to lead us in the chorus. 53:50 I want to be ready when Jesus comes. 53:51 Do you know that one? 53:53 I want to be ready when Jesus comes 53:54 and we can't sing it with Him, 53:57 but let's just be sending that prayer of Jesus, 53:59 count me in on this new beginning, 54:03 this New Year with you. 54:20 I want to be ready 54:24 When Jesus comes 54:28 I want to be ready 54:32 When Jesus comes 54:37 Earth's pleasures grow dim 54:41 While I'm waiting for Him 54:46 Lord, keep me 54:49 Till Jesus comes 54:56 I want to be ready 55:00 When Jesus comes 55:04 I want to be ready 55:08 When Jesus comes 55:13 Earth's pleasures grow dim 55:17 While I'm waiting for Him 55:23 Lord, keep me 55:26 Till Jesus comes. 55:32 Let's hum it one more time. 56:24 Our Great Father, 56:25 we all want to be ready when You come. 56:29 We surrender our hearts to You today 56:32 and ask that You will help us to be ready. 56:36 Help us to watch and wait and pray and work. 56:42 So that when Jesus comes, we will be ready. 56:46 Amen. 57:07 We've been really blessed by the financial support 57:09 that comes from our viewers, 57:10 and we've made a conscious decision 57:12 not to continually appeal to you for that support. 57:16 Fact is, as everyone in the industry 57:17 will tell you, 57:19 we're needing to make constant upgrades 57:20 to our technology. 57:22 So if God has blessed you, 57:23 and you'd like to further the work 57:25 of this ministry, 57:26 we invite you to partner with us. 57:27 Not a single penny of your donation will go to me. 57:30 Every bit of your gift goes to the mission 57:32 of blessing your community and our world. 57:35 You can donate on our website, 57:36 newperceptions.tv 57:37 or call the number, 57:39 you know the number 877-HIS-WILL. 57:42 Again that number is 877, the two words, HIS-WILL. 57:46 And may the God who is blessed you 57:47 continue to pour into your life 57:49 the gifts of His joy and His hope. 57:52 Thank you, 57:53 and I'm looking forward to seeing you right here 57:55 again next time. |
Revised 2020-10-17