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Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP220423S
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00:11 ♪♪ 04:11 ♪♪ 06:33 ♪♪ 09:45 >> And amen, and thank you, Andrews University Symphony 09:48 Orchestra. Boys and girls, when you grow 09:51 up, you can be in that orchestra someday. 09:53 That is just beautiful music, and we have much more coming. 09:57 So, good to have all of you kids here, as well. 10:01 Yeah, you can have a seat here. Nice to see you. 10:04 I want to tell you about -- since it's baseball season -- 10:07 about Oakland Athletics. Anybody -- Do you have baseball 10:09 teams? Yeah, you know about baseball 10:11 teams. 10:12 Maybe not. Probably not. In fact, I'm sure not, just looking at your faces. 10:17 But out in Oakland, California, the RingCentral Coliseum -- that's where the big 10:24 Oakland A's, the Athletics play. And they get out there and they just have a wonderful time. 10:30 And once it's spring, of course, baseball comes, and we're all so happy. 10:33 But there's a problem. Do you know that when you go to a baseball game, you have to buy 10:37 a ticket? Do you know that? Yeah, that's the problem today. 10:41 You got to buy a ticket. You can't get in without a ticket. 10:43 But you know what they discovered out there? They found out that between 30 10:47 to 40, maybe 100 visitors are getting into the RingCentral Coliseum 10:53 without buying a ticket. Now, how do you like that? Whoa! That's not good. 10:58 No! They're saying, "What are we gonna do?" 11:00 30 to 40, maybe 100 not buying tickets? Finally, they got a picture of 11:07 them. I'm gonna put it on the screen right now. 11:09 A picture of the people getting in. Well, is it people? 11:12 Let me see here. Where's the -- Let's put it on the front screen, guys, on the 11:15 monitors. There you go. Oh, there it is. 11:18 There is -- Well, what is that? >> A cat. >> That is a cat. 11:22 And he's hiding out in left field, right in front of the barrier. 11:27 And do you know what? That's not any old cat. That's a special cat. 11:31 They're called feral cats. Do you know what "feral cat" means? 11:36 That means a wild cat. That's a kitty that's run away from home and made friends with 11:41 other kitties who have run away from home, and they've all kind of grown up together and they're 11:46 hanging together and they're wandering around the city. And because of the pandemic, the 11:50 stadium was empty for a while, and those little cats got in. They sneaked in. 11:55 And now they have up to 100 feral cats, who are not paying to watch a ballgame. 12:01 Look at 'em. Freebies. And now they had a big meeting of the city board. 12:07 Yes, the city board, the Coliseum board said, "What are we gonna do with these? 12:11 We've got the --" If they hurt one of those, the whole nation would rise up and be furious, so 12:16 they can't hurt any of them that way, but they said, "You know what we're gonna do? 12:21 We're gonna fix these cats." Mm-hmm. They're gonna fix the cats. 12:25 You talk to your mom and dad about what that means. [ Laughter ] 12:28 "We're gonna fix these cats so that they can't have any more babies." 12:33 We'll let them stay, because you know one good thing about having feral cats in a baseball -- 12:37 Major League Baseball stadium? >> I know what -- >> What is it? 12:41 What's the good thing about having them? It's -- What's happening -- 12:46 What's gonna be good about it is what they're already doing. They're eating the rats. 12:50 Those cats are keeping the rats out of the stadium, and so the board said, "Let's not get rid 12:54 of the cats. Let's just make sure they can't make more kitties." 12:58 And so that little feral cat gets to go free to every ballgame. 13:03 Hey, does Jesus love feral cats? >> Yeah. >> Yep. 13:06 Does Jesus love feral boys and feral girls? Who are feral boys and feral 13:12 girls? They're the ones that don't fit in. 13:15 They're the ones that get picked on by bullies at school. Yeah, they're just picked on. 13:19 They sit alone in the cafeteria when they eat. Nobody sits with them. 13:22 They're the ferals. And they feel like nobody cares. Does Jesus love feral boys and 13:29 girls? Oh, boy, does He. And do you know how Jesus loves 13:32 them? He loves them through you, by the friendly face you have and 13:37 the loving ways and your coming and sitting by them. Nobody sits by them in the 13:41 classroom. You sit right -- Recess time, you sit right beside them. 13:45 You stand right beside them. Jesus loves feral people. And He loves them through you 13:52 and me. How many want to be a friend to Jesus? 13:55 Number one, you want to be a friend to Jesus. Oh, I think that's probably 13:59 every hand. Now, with the other hand, how many want to say, "Jesus, help 14:03 me to be a friend to feral boys and girls that others aren't friends with. 14:08 I'll be their friend for you." Amen and amen. Who would like to pray today and 14:15 thank Jesus for being our savior and loving us so that we can love others? 14:23 Come on up. What's your name? >> Luke. 14:25 >> Luke? Oh, I love that name, Luke. Where's that microphone for 14:28 Luke? It's coming on this side this time. 14:30 Okay, Luke, let's thank Jesus for being our savior and to help us love like He does, alright? 14:36 Let's close our eyes and fold our hands with Luke, shall we? >> Dear Jesus, thank you for 14:42 this day. Thank you so all of us are here today at church so we can praise 14:50 our loving Lord. Amen. >> Amen. Thank you, Luke, for 14:53 that beautiful prayer. God bless you. And God bless you, boys and 14:56 girls, as you go quietly and reverently back to your seats and listen to some glorious 15:01 music that's coming very soon. 15:07 ♪♪ >> Amen! 20:19 >> We play now the musical composition titled "Trial and 20:22 Triumph of Faith for Orchestra and Organ." 20:25 The music is based on words from the Biblical book 1 Peter 1 -- 20:31 "The trial of your faith, though it be tried with fire, be found 20:36 unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of 20:41 Jesus Christ." 20:43 The music explores, in the Christian's life, fiery trials and assured faith. 20:49 In the music, sometimes fiery trials seem to be alone, with no faith near. 20:54 Sparks fly. Sometimes peaceful, assured faith seems to fill the music. 21:01 Peace reigns. Often, however, trial and faith are in direct musical 21:07 opposition, the organ struggling against other instruments with their melodies of upward-looking 21:13 faith. There is much turmoil in this struggle, but faith overcomes, 21:17 asserting triumph now and ultimately triumph at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 21:24 We play now "Trial and Triumph of Faith." 21:40 ♪♪ >> Amen! 29:13 ♪♪ 30:14 >> Let's pray together. Father, our hearts are full. With majestic music, we've been 30:22 swept heavenward. The thought of moving out on behalf of our Lord Jesus, we've 30:30 been reminded of our mission on Earth. And now we hear from Jesus 30:35 Himself, in His word. Let the word be clear. We humbly pray in Jesus' name. 30:41 Amen. >> Amen. >> Everybody remembers the 30:45 Zacchaeus story. "Zacchaeus was a wee, little man, a wee, little man was he." 30:50 But the problem is, we have totally forgotten the story that 30:57 follows immediately on the heels of the Zacchaeus story. 31:01 Do you know what the story is? No, you do not. Can't look. 31:07 It may be we have forgotten because of its rather 31:11 uncomfortable punch line that we're confronted with. 31:15 But it's time we face the music, and so without further ado, open 31:18 your Bible to Luke 19. Right after the Zacchaeus story, 31:22 which ends in Verse 10, and we'll begin in Verse 11, 31:25 alright? Luke 19. 31:27 I'm in the New International today. 31:30 Luke 19. Jesus has just announced to the 31:36 house this conniving cheat of a tax collector, this social 31:42 pariah has just gotten saved. 31:45 He's been forgiven. Salvation has come to this household, the Savior declares. 31:50 And then -- He doesn't move, except into a story, and we're going to that story right now. 31:56 So, Luke 19. Drop down to Verse 11, please. And while they were listening to 32:02 Jesus, Jesus went on to tell them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and the people 32:08 thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. So Jesus needs to correct some 32:14 faulty eschatology, some faulty end-game thinking, which He probably has to do today, as 32:20 well. He says -- Now, here comes the story. 32:24 He says to the listeners -- and Zacchaeus included -- "A man of noble birth went to a distant 32:30 country to have himself appointed king and then to return." 32:34 "The only king I'm gonna be is with a crown of thorns, but I'll go to a far country and then 32:39 I'll come back." That's what he's hinting at here. 32:43 "So he called 10 of his servants and he gave them 10 minas. 'Put this money to work,' he 32:50 said, 'until I come back.'" Now, the reason we forget this story is because of the more 32:57 popular story, "The Parable of the Talents." Everybody knows that one, right? 33:01 So, kind of a similar scenario, but he has only three servants, and he says, "Yo, guys, come on 33:06 in. I want to give you --" Let's say I'm gonna give you five bags of 33:10 gold. They're talents, but we can't calculate the worth. 33:13 Five bags of gold to you, two bags of gold to you, one bag of gold to you. 33:17 I'll be back. Adios. Okay? We know that. But not this story, which has 33:26 10 servants, not three. 10 servants summoned, and instead of five bags, two bags, 33:33 and one bag, in this parable, all 10 servants get an equal amount -- 1 mina. 33:39 What's a mina? It's the wages of a common laborer for about three months. 33:44 So, just say $10 an hour, 40 hours a week. What would that be? 33:48 That would be $400. And then it's 12 weeks to three months, so 12 times $400. 33:52 $4,800. Listen, if you came to me and said, "Dwight, I'm gonna give 33:55 you $4,800," I would not walk away from that. Would you? 33:59 >> No. >> Of course not. So we're not talking about 34:02 piddly change here. All 10 get $4,800, one mina each, with this simple 34:09 instruction -- "'Put this money to work," he said, "until I come back.'" 34:14 The King James renders that, "Occupy till I come." The New American Standard 34:18 version says, "Do business with this money until I come back." The DKN version says, "Make this 34:24 money grow." So, those are the simple instructions. 34:29 And, boom, that's what happens. "Oh, by the way," Jesus says, "I need to tell you about this 34:35 king. His subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 34:38 'We don't want this man to be our king.'" He's just painting all over the 34:41 story -- "This is really about me." But we don't comment there. 34:45 He keeps going. So, this nobleman was made a king somewhere far away. 34:48 And, finally -- We're not told how long. He finally returns. 34:52 Then he sent for the servants, all 10 of them, to whom he had given the money in order to find 34:56 out what they had gained with it. Oh, now the plot thickens. 34:59 Let's find out what happens. "The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned 35:06 10 more.'" Whew! "'Well done, my good servant!', 35:12 his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small 35:16 matter, take charge of 10 cities.'" Wow! 35:19 1,000% profit. Did you get that? 1,000%. But did you notice the servant 35:25 recognizes to whom the mina belongs? "It's your mina, sir, and all 35:29 the profit is yours, as well." The nobleman smiles. "Well, then, my good friend, you 35:33 have passed my test. I'm entrusting to you 10 cities. You're gonna administer those 35:37 cities for me. You go." "Thank you, My Lord." 35:39 Now the story just keeps going. There are 10. Jesus won't go through 10, but 35:43 here comes number two. And the second servant came forward and said, "Sir, your 35:47 mina has earned five more." Whew! Keep reading. "His master answered, 'You, 35:57 my friend, you take charge of five cities.'" Now, it's possible that all 36:02 10 servants are witnessing it, and so the master doesn't have to keep repeating the adulation 36:07 and congratulation. But what is immediately clearly confirmed is that this 1-mina 36:13 entrustment not only has been equally distributed to all, but it is now clear that not all had 36:20 either the same outcome or reward, whereas the first servant, with his 10 minas -- he 36:27 gets 1,000% and he comes up with $48,000. Well done. 36:34 The second servant hasn't enjoyed the same kind of returns. 36:37 However, with the method that he chose to invest, nevertheless, he enjoyed a 500% profit -- 36:44 $24,000. That's not bad, my man. And the nobleman smiles. 36:47 "You're under five cities for me." Now, get this. 36:51 Though all had been entrusted the same amount, not all have enjoyed the same success, and, 36:57 consequently, not all received the same reward. It clearly has been a test of 37:03 ability rewarded by productivity. "How did you do with what I gave 37:08 you?" Each promotion is proportional to the ability demonstrated. 37:12 Ha! And that's really hard for our egalitarian -- And you know what egalitarian means. 37:17 It means you got to have the same rights, the same opportunities. 37:20 Everybody's equal -- egalitarian. That's how we think as 37:23 Third Millennials. That really feels -- There's something wrong with this. 37:28 That's because of our culture. Well, this story is very clear that one of the equal rights and 37:34 equal opportunities is given to not just one, but all 10. But, clearly, again, I repeat, 37:40 not equal results and not equal rewards. Do you have a problem with that? 37:44 Well, think about a businessman. If you are a businessman or a businesswoman, everybody knows 37:49 anybody worth their salt is gonna invest their money where it is increasing. 37:53 True or false? >> True. >> Oh, you're not gonna keep 37:56 your money on a losing Wall Street investment. You pull your money out, 38:01 finally. "This is enough. I'm not gonna just keep losing." 38:05 No bright person would want to lose. A bright businessman is saying, 38:09 "I'm putting my money with the best returns." God is no different. 38:14 He looks at his children. They've all been given the same. Some are doing really well. 38:19 He said, "I'll put my money there. I'll put my money there." 38:24 Do you have a problem with that? No. He's a businessman. Everybody gets the same 38:29 opportunity, the same mina. But he says, "I'll go where the returns are the strongest." 38:36 Does he ignore the rest? Of course not. Why would God keep investing in 38:41 somebody who's doing nothing? Let's keep reading. "Then another servant came." 38:46 We're not gonna go through the other seven. Jesus said, "Let me just tell 38:50 you about three of them." "Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina.'" 38:55 All three got it -- "Your mina." "I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth." 38:59 Now, I need to tell you about that piece of cloth. 39:02 The Greek word is "sudarium," from the root word "sudor," 39:05 which means "sweat." It was a sweat rag. 39:07 You can wear it around your forehead. 39:09 You can wear it around your neck. 39:10 Wipe the sweat off. It's a handkerchief. 39:12 [ Blows nose ] ...into it. 39:13 Or it can be a facecloth for a corpse. 39:18 Any way you cut it, it's not a very classy thing to say. 39:23 This guy has a problem. He has an attitude. 39:26 He's got an attitude. "I've kept your little -- this 39:29 little mina of yours in my handkerchief." 39:33 Keep reading. Oh, but the attitude really becomes clear. 39:36 "'I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you do not put 39:41 in and you reap what you did not sow.'" That's -- Not only is this 39:45 servant impolite and classless, he's downright rude. He has it in for the employer, 39:50 and it's clear with this sass talk. Here's how John Beukema 39:55 describes the attitude. "The servant had simply held on to the coin. 40:00 He also referred to the money as 'your mina,' but there was no hint of humility in this. 40:05 It was an accusation. In effect, the servant said, 'Lookit, I squirreled it away so 40:09 you could have your precious coin back. You should be thankful I was so 40:13 cautious.'" Oh, please. And does the master react? 40:17 Oh, boy. Hold on to your pew. But before we notice his reaction, may I remind you what 40:22 the master has just seen? One servant walked in and returned his mina with 1,000% 40:27 profit. The second servant walks in and returns the master's mina with a 40:31 500% profit. The third servant walks in and returns the master's mina with 40:35 0% profit. I mean, you think about it. The problem with the third 40:41 servant is, he's lazy or selfish or both. He could have a half of a 40:44 percent -- Or what are they giving in the trade -- in the credit unions these days? 40:49 What are they giving? Oh, maybe 3 -- He could have had 3.5%. 40:53 He's too lazy to cross the street to Honor Credit Union here. 40:59 He just keeps it. Pbht! As John Beukema puts it, "This 41:06 servant attempted nothing, risked nothing, and gained nothing," because that -- You 41:13 get out of life what you put into it. And if you put nothing into it, 41:16 guess what you get out of it. Zero, nada, nothing. Ooh, yeah! 41:23 It's a little bit -- makes us squirm a little in our pew. Hmm. Keep reading. 41:28 The master does react. "His master replied, 'I will judge you, sir, by your own 41:35 words, you wicked servant. You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I 41:40 didn't and reaping what I did not sow? Then why didn't you put my money 41:44 on deposit so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?' 41:48 Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has 41:53 10 minas.' And those standing by said, 'Whoa! 41:56 Sir, stop! He already has 10.'" And the master replies -- don't ever forget these words -- "'I 42:02 tell you that everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even 42:07 what they have will be taken away.'" And if you have nothing, how can 42:10 they take anything away when it's still nothing? Clever line, master. 42:15 Clever line. Wow. I love the way Eugene Peterson renders this last 42:20 verse. In fact, I've had these words taped on my wall where I have 42:25 worshipped since NET '98, from "The Message." And here are the words I look at 42:30 every morning. "Jesus said, 'Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed 42:37 of. But play it safe and end up holding the bag.'" 42:44 Isn't that good? Hmm. "Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. 42:51 Play it safe and end up holding the bag." So, what does it mean -- Here's 42:57 the question. What does it mean to risk your life for the kingdom? 43:01 Hmm? What's it mean? Well, we know what it doesn't mean. 43:04 It does not mean do nothing, right? The servants and the noblemen 43:08 are entrusted the same amount. So, guess what. The mina cannot symbolize talent 43:13 or giftedness, as "The Parable of the Talents" illustrates. In "The Parable of the Talents," 43:18 as it is with life, we are not all entrusted with the same gifts or abilities. 43:22 You -- Come on, admit it. You and I know people who are way more talented and gifted 43:28 than you and I. Kind of makes us mad, but it's the fact, right? 43:33 Mm, naw. The baby born on the backside of a jungle mountain or in the 43:38 dusty tent of a refugee camp will not be born with the same advantages you were born with. 43:43 So now we turn the tables. You're the one with the advantage, if you live in the 43:47 West. Hmm. No, the Bible is clear. "To whom much is given --" How's 43:53 it go? Luke 12:38. "To whom much is given... 43:56 much is required." But in this parable, all are given the same entrustment. 44:01 Whatever the mina represents, it is clear it symbolizes opportunity that is available to 44:08 all, which means we are not only -- we not only all receive opportunity, we are all 44:15 commanded to multiply opportunity and we all will be judged by the results of what we 44:21 did with our opportunities. Do you have a problem with that? You should. 44:27 Helmut Thielicke, the great German preacher and theologian, in his book in my library 44:33 "The Waiting Father: Sermons on the Parables of Jesus --" Here's Helmut Thielicke. 44:38 "There are really only two ways to take a thing --" Anything in life, to take it seriously. 44:44 "Either you renounce it --" bah, humbug -- "or you risk everything for it. 44:52 Either you fling away the (mina) or you use it to trade with it. There is no third choice. 44:59 Throw your Christianity on the trash heap if you want or else let God be the Lord of your 45:05 life, but don't wrap Him up in your handkerchief." >> Amen. 45:09 >> Is He the Lord of your life? Prove it. Prove it by the way you live, 45:16 servant of God. Prove it. You have two choices. 45:27 Take a risk or do nothing. It's up to you. Hmm. 45:36 What's that line again? "Jesus said, 'Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed 45:40 of, but play it safe, and you'll end up holding the bag.'" Which leads me to ask -- Come 45:48 on, think with me for a moment now. What if this mina were simply 45:51 the opportunities Jesus gives us to unselfishly love people on His behalf? 45:59 Hmm! The truth is, Jesus never defines what this mina is. Not a word, not a word. 46:04 It could be, however, it's what He has just done in the house of Zacchaeus. 46:08 And what has He done in the house of Zacchaeus? He looked on this social pariah, 46:12 this feral human being, and He says, "Salvation has come to this home. 46:20 You go, Zach." And his whole household is saved. 46:25 That's what He's just done -- in front of everybody. You have a problem with that? 46:33 The Pharisees did. Yeah. But who cares about them? What if this mina we've all been 46:40 equally given were simply the opportunity to simply love the people Jesus simply puts in our 46:45 pathways, people that are different than you? They may be straight people who 46:50 are different than you. They may be LGBTQ+ people who are different than you. 47:03 People Jesus puts smack-dab in our pathway. We can look the other way, 47:07 pretend like we didn't see them. We can act like they don't exist, but are they not people 47:12 we are given the mina of opportunity to love on behalf of Christ? 47:21 What about Whites? What about Blacks? 47:30 What about drug addicts? What about alcoholics? 47:40 What about illegal aliens, "wetbacks"? 47:48 What about social misfits? People that sit in the cafeteria all by themselves 'cause nobody 47:56 wants to be a friend with her or with him. Hmm. What if loving others were 48:05 the mina God has given to all of us, this God-given chance to break out of my selfish 48:11 self-centeredness and do something unnoticed and unrecognized, to love somebody 48:17 else for Christ? 48:19 What would happen if I invested that opportunity and acted? 48:27 And, listen, you don't have to be a hugger. 48:33 To love the unlovable, you don't have to be a hugger. 48:35 You don't have to be sappy about it. 48:37 You can just show up and help and, by that helping, love just 48:42 like Jesus. I know a guy who goes around 48:45 this community and shows up, drops in on elderly people who 48:48 are homebound and just loves on them, without getting, as I say, 48:52 sappy and drippy. 48:54 He just visits them. Doesn't tell them he loves them, but they can tell he does. 49:00 As Woody Allen once said, "90% of life is just showing up." 100% of loving is just being 49:07 there. Of course it's risky. What would people think if you 49:11 showed love and compassion to a person like that? Love is always a risk. 49:19 When you love those others have rejected and have gone on record rejecting -- when you love 49:26 people like that, yeah, it's a risk. They may talk about you. 49:32 Maybe you have a problem. 49:38 You may be misunderstood. Misused? Yeah, probably. Just like Jesus. 49:45 How did Jesus put it? "Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. 49:55 Play it safe and end up holding the bag." Because that's the way love 50:00 works. As Thielicke said, "Either you renounce loving this way or you 50:08 risk everything to love this way. Play it safe and love nobody, 50:12 and you will have nobody to share the love wherewith you have been loved." 50:17 What a lonely life you live when you do not love. "Oh, I love all my friends." 50:24 That's the problem. Those are the only people we hang with, our friends, our own 50:29 type. You're not gaining a penny of profit for the master with that. 50:35 Anybody can love their friends. Even atheists can love their friends. 50:38 But you have to be a follower of Christ to love the unlovable. And that's the only way you'll 50:45 get a return on your loving. You want to love safe? Doesn't count. 50:49 Just go ahead and do it 'cause you'll feel better. Can't think of anybody to love? 50:53 Is that the problem? Well, here are two actions you can take right now. 50:56 Action number one -- You want to be love on the move? Number one -- pray for people 51:02 you can love for Jesus. That's not hard. Pray for people you can love for 51:08 Jesus. I love the way Bruce Wilkinson puts it in that classic 51:12 best seller of his, "The Prayer of Jabez." I think Wilkinson's right. 51:17 "Our God specializes in working through normal people --" that would be you and me -- "who 51:22 believe in a supernormal God who will do His work through them. What God is waiting for is the 51:29 invitation. (Ask Him and) God will bring opportunities and people into 51:35 your path. You'll nearly always feel fear when you begin to take new 51:40 territory on for Him." Sure, you will. When you start loving the 51:43 unlovable, you're gonna be a little bit afraid. You're gonna say, "But what's 51:46 gonna happen to me? Maybe they'll take advantage of me, and maybe I'll be used by 51:51 somebody." You'll be afraid. "When you take on new territory, 51:56 you'll always feel fear, but --" keep reading -- "you'll also experience the tremendous thrill 52:02 of God carrying you along as you're doing it." Doing what? Loving on people. 52:09 Two action steps. Number one -- pray for people you can love for Jesus. 52:13 Number two -- volunteer for people you can love for Jesus. Sign up as a volunteer to love 52:19 and serve others. Be a volunteer. Sign up and show up. 52:25 Grab a broom or a shovel or a bedpan and quietly love the people you have volunteered to 52:33 serve. I mean, if -- please -- we only love our friends, we are leaving 52:39 Jesus' mina uninvested. Got an e-mail from a faculty leader on this campus -- kind of 52:48 glad to get it -- who said, "You know, this series has made me think." 52:52 That's good. "I've realized I need to volunteer. 52:57 So I clicked that little, you know, sending the code word to 269-281-2345, and I got a reply. 53:07 And, sure enough, you know, the reply came within a day or two, and they're saying, 'Hey, would 53:11 you be willing to do this?' And I said, 'Now, I'm gonna think about that.' 53:16 And then I heard you last Sabbath, on Easter Sabbath, pray that belief in the risen Savior 53:24 always results in service for the risen Savior." Not sometimes, always, if you 53:31 really believe. "And when I heard that, I said -- I wrote the person that 53:37 wrote me and said, 'Sign me up.'" That's the way it works. 53:40 Sign up as a volunteer, and you'll have more people to love than you have ever had before, I 53:47 promise you. Get out of your little cocoon. Break out of that shell. 53:57 Move among people as Jesus does. You want to keep your mask on? Keep it on, but still move among 54:02 people. Don't use your fear for your own health as an excuse for not 54:07 interacting and loving others. That's a crutch now. It's no longer saving your life. 54:13 It's actually hurting your life. You can't use it as a crutch. How does it work? 54:23 Well, you can text, today, "Signup5" to the number 54:27 269-281-2345. And if you do, you'll get this 54:32 little letter that you can send. "Dear Volunteer Engagement 54:34 Committee: Here's my name -- sign me up! -- I want to love 54:37 and serve people for Jesus." I mean, it's that simple. 54:40 You just heard a well-known faculty leader on this campus do 54:43 it, and it works, so now you know. 54:48 How's it work? Jesus says -- What did Jesus say? 54:50 I love this. Jesus says, "Listen, freely, you have received, freely give." 54:54 Where did we freely receive Jesus' love? Tell me where it was that we 54:58 freely received Jesus' love poured out for us? Where was that place? 55:02 Give me the name of that place. >> Calvary. >> Calvary. 55:05 At the cross, He opens up His heart that bleeds His love for the lost human race. 55:12 We have been loved freely by the God and creator of this universe. 55:18 "Freely, you have received." Jesus says, "Now you go out and freely love." 55:23 Well, we can put it that way, can't we? "Freely you have been loved, 55:26 freely love." Why? Because, as we heard in our Scripture a moment ago with 55:30 Jessica, "Love one another...as I have loved you." Just love. 55:37 "I gave you a mina, the opportunity to love others for me. 55:41 Just love, please." 55:47 I hope you do. I hope you do sign up. There's a place with your name 55:53 written all over it. God's already picked it out for you. 55:56 You watch. You'll get the one God chose for you. 55:58 You will. And if you get three of them -- "Dwight, now which one did God 56:01 choose?" Well, if you get more than one, then God says, "You have to help 56:04 me choose." You'll do it. The right choice, I mean. 56:10 Just sign up. God needs you. And so do we. Let's pray. 56:17 O God, wow, so simple. Everybody has the same? Same mina? 56:24 Same opportunity to love? Well, how shall we invest this opportunity to love? 56:31 Feral human beings? Yeah. People in need? Yes. People that need desperately to 56:40 be loved with compassion? Yep. O God, you won't find them 56:46 sitting at home. If we can get out, Father, show us how and where. 56:54 Sign us up, please. Sign us up. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. 57:06 We've been really blessed by the financial support that comes 57:09 from our viewers, and we've made a conscious decision not to 57:12 continually appeal to you for that support. 57:14 The fact is, as everyone in the industry will tell you, we're 57:17 needing to make constant upgrades to our technology. 57:20 So if God has blessed you and you'd like to further the work 57:23 of this ministry, we invite you to partner with us. 57:26 Not a single penny of your donation will go to me. 57:29 Every bit of your gift goes to the mission of blessing your 57:32 community and our world. You can donate on our website, 57:35 newperceptions.tv. Or call the number. 57:38 You know the number -- 877-HIS-WILL. 57:41 Again, that number is 877 -- the two words "HIS-WILL." 57:45 And may the God who has blessed you continue to pour into your 57:48 life the gifts of His joy and His hope. 57:51 Thank you. And I'm looking forward to 57:53 seeing you, right here, again, next time. 57:59 ♪♪ |
Revised 2022-05-05