Participants:
Series Code: SCM
Program Code: SCM200013S
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00:01 A great controversy rages between good and evil
00:03 and humanity is caught in the crossfire. 00:05 Satan has crafted his most cunning end-time deceptions 00:08 but his plans are doomed to fail. 00:11 Get ready to anchor your minds in truth 00:13 as the Bible exposes his lies 00:15 and prepares us for our soon-coming Savior. 00:18 And now live from the Campus Hill Church of SDA's 00:22 in Loma Linda, California, 00:24 we bring you this presentation of: 00:30 Amen and welcome back to 3ABN Winter Camp Meeting. 00:34 It's sad but we're here down to our final meeting. 00:37 Hasn't it been a blessed day? Kind of bittersweet, isn't it? 00:40 Amen! We appreciate each one of you 00:42 being here at Camp Meeting. Thank you for joining us 00:44 at home. We know that you have been blessed 00:47 as well. We've been receiving e-mails 00:49 and, of course, comments coming in social media. 00:52 We know that you've been blessed. I wish, though, 00:54 that you could be here because this local audience 00:57 here has been very enthusiastic I have to say. 01:00 Thank you for the energy that you bring here. 01:02 And that's Jesus energy that you have inside of each one of you. 01:07 Our... Last but not least our speaker for this evening 01:11 is Pastor James Rafferty. 01:13 He's a pastor of the Fall Creek SDA Church. 01:16 He's been married 31 years and he and his wife 01:19 are proud parents of 2 children 01:22 and he told me a number of animals as well. 01:25 But before he brings us a message this evening 01:28 we have Pastor John Lomacang. He will be bringing a song 01:31 entitled There Stands The Cost. 01:33 But before he comes out I just want to say 01:35 a special thank you to Pastor James Rafferty. 01:38 He's been a long-time friend of the ministry of 3ABN. 01:41 I know it's 30 plus years. Mr. Danny says that 01:44 since almost the very beginning. 01:46 He said: "When we were all young men back then. " 01:50 He's been sharing the Word of God and his passion is for 01:52 evangelism. So at this time I'd like to invite Pr. John Lomacang 01:56 out as he shares with us There Stands The Cost. 02:15 Jesus fasted 40 days and nights 02:19 and then the tempter came 02:23 and led Him to a mountain 02:26 that overlooked the earth's domain. 02:31 Then Satan pointed to the world 02:36 displayed beneath their feet 02:39 and said: "This kingdom could be Yours 02:43 if You'll bow and worship me. " 02:48 But Jesus knew the price that must be paid. 02:55 And as He gazed toward Golgotha 03:00 you could hear Him say: 03:05 "There stands the cost. 03:12 Like a veil that has been lifted 03:16 now I see 03:20 a glimpse of what the Father has for Me... 03:27 for there beyond the splendor 03:30 lies a vision of the cross. 03:34 And the Father calls to Me: 03:37 'There stands the cost. ' " 03:45 Down through time the cross has called my name 03:50 but still my endless fear 03:53 keeps wond'ring if my spirit 03:57 will always find the faith to hear. 04:02 For it calls on me to carry it, 04:06 to daily bear its weight. 04:10 To live more like the Christ it held 04:13 and give my life away. 04:18 For He knows well 04:21 the price that must be paid 04:25 and as He calls to me right now 04:30 I can hear Him say: 04:35 "Oh, there stands 04:39 the cost. " 04:42 Like a veil that has been lifted 04:46 now I see! 04:50 I have a glimpse of what the Father 04:53 has for me 04:57 for there beyond the splendor 05:01 lies a vision of the cross 05:05 and the Father calls to me: 05:13 "Down at the cross 05:21 for sin I died! 05:24 There stands the cost. " 05:30 Like a veil that has been lifted 05:34 now I see! 05:38 I have a glimpse of what the Father 05:42 has for me 05:46 for there beyond the splendor 05:49 lies a vision of the cross 05:53 and the Father calls to me: 05:56 "There stands the cost. " 06:01 Oh, 06:04 like a veil that has been lifted 06:07 now I see! 06:12 I have a glimpse of what My Father 06:15 has for Me 06:19 for there beyond the splendor 06:22 lies a vision of the cross 06:28 and the Father calls to me: 06:33 "There stands the cost. " 06:41 "There stands 06:44 the cost! " 06:57 Amen! 06:59 I have been blessed by every sermon 07:02 and every song 07:05 at this 3ABN Winter Camp Meeting 07:09 in Loma Linda, California. Can you believe that? 07:12 I mean, for those of you who aren't from southern California 07:15 can you believe this is our Winter Camp Meeting? 07:20 My wife was born and raised in Loma Linda 07:23 and she is just kicking herself that she didn't come with me 07:27 this weekend from Oregon. 07:34 Yeah, we've been in this a long time. 07:36 I try to convince myself that I'm still very young 07:38 and that I haven't been doing ministry for 35 years 07:41 but then I have to get these out 07:44 and I'm reminded that: "Hey, you know... 07:47 this old body is moving in a direction that's... yeah. " 07:51 But the other thing I really love about 07:55 being in this for a while 07:57 is they don't make Bibles like they used to. 08:01 You know, I've had this Bible for 35 years 08:03 and unlike the newer versions this one has removable pages. 08:08 You know, so you can move around and preach! 08:12 They don't make Bibles like that. It takes a long time 08:15 to get a Bible like this, right? 08:20 So I'll be able to move around a little bit 08:22 as we look at our theme which is found in Revelation chapter 12 08:28 and verse 11. 08:30 The topic that I have been given is More Than Conquerors. 08:34 And this morning God woke me up at 4 o'clock and said: 08:36 "OK, James, I have a sermon for you. " 08:39 Much to the dismay of the translator who already had 08:42 all of my notes translated for the message I was going to give. 08:46 And He said: "No, I want you to share this message 08:52 because the theme of being a conqueror is all thru the book 08:57 of Revelation. " 08:59 And Revelation just happens to be my favorite book of 09:01 the Bible. I call it affectionately 09:05 "the 5th gospel of the Bible. " 09:07 Because it is, after all, the revelation 09:10 of Jesus Christ. 09:12 It's not the revelation of the beast; 09:13 it's not the revelation of the antichrist; 09:15 it's not the revelation of the dragon. 09:16 They do not own this book. 09:19 They're just kind of side notes 09:21 trying to spoil the plan that God has for us. 09:24 And God identifies them so that we can be aware of them 09:27 but not so we can focus on them. 09:29 Our focus needs to be on Jesus. 09:33 Amen! God's people are given specific instructions 09:37 in the context of the mark of the beast. 09:40 And those instructions are simple: 09:43 "Follow the Lamb wherever He goes. " 09:49 And you know the words of that old hymn: 09:51 "Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go. 09:57 Anywhere He sends me in this world below. 10:04 Anywhere without Him the best hopes would fade... " 10:09 I'm not remembering all the words. 10:11 That's age again. 10:13 But anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid. 10:18 And then the question is asked in the hymn: 10:21 Anywhere? 10:25 And then the answer is given with an exclamation point. 10:26 What's the answer? ANYWHERE! 10:29 Fear I cannot know. 10:31 Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go. 10:35 Even in the book of Revelation 10:36 with the beast and the dragons 10:38 and the plagues and the mark? 10:40 Even there can we go safely there with Jesus? 10:42 Amen! Let's pray together. Father in heaven, 10:45 tonight we want to pause in Your presence. 10:48 We want to ask that You would not "stop up" the blessings. 10:53 We're not satisfied yet. 10:56 Every song, every sermon, every story, 11:00 and the sweet fellowship we've had here 11:03 in the Campus Hill Church 11:05 has been filling us up, has been re-charging us, 11:08 has been blessing us to overflowing. But Father, 11:10 we want more still. 11:14 Please send Your Spirit to speak to us 11:18 as You've been doing meeting by meeting, song by song. 11:22 Touch our hearts again. 11:24 There has been a drought in Your church 11:28 and this is an oasis: 11:32 a place where the water of life is being poured forth 11:37 meeting by meeting. Don't let that stop now. 11:41 Lead us to Christ. 11:43 Show us Jesus. 11:46 We pray in His name, Amen. 11:49 Revelation 12:11 says this: 11:55 "And they overcame him 12:00 by the blood of the Lamb 12:04 and by the word of their testimony. 12:07 And they loved not their lives unto the death. " 12:11 You know, every nation has a national anthem. 12:16 And we Christians have a supernatural anthem. 12:20 And I believe that this verse 12:22 could actually qualify as the Christian stars and stripes. 12:26 Like this could be our supernatural anthem. 12:29 This is describing God's people. 12:31 It's describing God's people at a certain time in history. 12:38 It's describing God's people as God has always foreseen 12:42 we would be: overcomers! 12:45 More than conquerors! 12:47 And that's what that word means. That word here 12:50 is nikaó... that word, they overcame. 12:54 It's used all through the book of Revelation. 12:57 It means to subdue. 13:00 And it comes from a Greek word nike 13:05 which is spelled interestingly enough 13:07 N- I-K-E. 13:10 What we call nike or nike, right? 13:13 And it means conquest. 13:16 The means of success... the means of success 13:20 is the blood of the Lamb. Amen! 13:22 Now you, my job this evening is to make it across country 13:26 to Calvary as fast as possible. 13:29 So when we talk about the blood of the Lamb 13:31 what are we talking about? 13:35 Well the Bible makes it very clear that the life 13:38 is in the blood. And of course, we understand 13:41 that the blood of Christ was spilled. So when we talk about 13:45 the blood of Christ we're not just talking about 13:47 the life and we're not just talking about the death. 13:49 We're talking about the life AND the death 13:52 because that's what we're saved by. 13:54 We're not only saved by Jesus' death on Calvary; 13:58 we're saved by His perfect life of obedience 14:02 because that's what is required for entrance into heaven... 14:06 and none of us have that to offer. 14:09 Every single one of us falls short of God's glory. 14:13 Our record is tarnished but His is perfect 14:17 and we stand in Him as overcomers. 14:23 But it's always good to ask the question: 14:26 overcomers of what? 14:28 I mean, what is the context of this specifically? 14:32 What is the context of this verse? 14:34 What is the context of this supernatural anthem 14:38 that God has given us? What is the context 14:41 into which this verse is speaking? And to understand 14:44 this context we need to understand the journey 14:48 of all humanity: small, great, rich, poor, 14:50 free and bond... the journey that all of us have been on. 14:54 And of course, to understand that journey 14:56 we need to understand what happened to our ancestors 14:58 going all the way back to the book of Genesis... 15:02 the beginning. 15:03 In the beginning we were created in the image of God. 15:07 Male and female... that's what the Bible says. 15:10 And I tend to believe more in a Creator God 15:14 who died for me than in thousands of scientists 15:17 who don't know me. 15:18 In chapter 3 of Genesis 15:20 we're told that a certain serpent showed up 15:23 at a certain tree to tempt Eve 15:26 to partake of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil: 15:32 something God warned us to stay away from. 15:34 And I think what's most interesting about this 15:38 is the way that the serpent approached Eve. 15:43 The serpent uses a tactic 15:48 that misrepresents God's character. 15:52 The serpent accuses God 15:54 of being a withholder... a controller. 16:00 Someone whose words can't be trusted... a liar. 16:05 "God is trying to keep you down. He's trying to control you. " 16:09 "He doesn't want you to be like Him. 16:10 He doesn't want you to have that freedom. God is not really 16:13 on your side. " 16:16 And so in Genesis chapter 3 16:18 the accuser virus is intro- duced in the human DNA. 16:25 The accuser virus. 16:27 That's how this mess all started: with Lucifer 16:29 accusing God in heaven. 16:31 By the time the accuser was done with Adam and Eve 16:34 they were both infected with this accuser virus. 16:40 Adam's infection came through trusting Eve 16:44 and her word more than God's word. 16:48 For putting her love before His love. 16:50 So when God found them they were hiding from Him. 16:53 They were hiding because they were afraid. 16:56 That's what Adam said. 16:57 They were hiding from Him and the disease 17:02 or the virus had caused a disease that had basically 17:05 decimated their characters. 17:07 The peace, the love, the joy 17:10 had been replaced by accusation, by fault finding, 17:13 by fear. We know this because when God asked Adam 17:17 why he was hiding what did he say? 17:19 "I was afraid and I hid myself. " 17:22 "I was afraid! " 17:24 When God asked if he had disobeyed, like: "Have you eaten 17:28 of the tree that I told you not to eat of? " 17:32 The first thing that Adam did 17:34 because the accuser virus had set in pretty strongly 17:37 was he pointed to the woman. 17:40 Yeah... and we've been pointing the finger ever since. 17:45 The accuser virus had taken over and today mankind 17:49 is still infected. We're still hiding from God. 17:51 We're still accusing, we're still afraid. We hide from God 17:55 in drugs like alcohol and meth, 17:58 in careers and degrees and higher education. 18:01 We educate our way out of faith and trust. 18:03 We hide in material possessions and prestige 18:07 and power. In our food and our entertainment. 18:10 In sports and music and movies and media. 18:14 In our sexual pleasures. 18:16 In our personal and national attainments or status 18:20 we hide from God! 18:22 Let's be honest. 18:25 So Adam had been infected with this accuser virus 18:29 but what about Eve? Well, after God 18:32 asked Adam what was going on 18:34 He turned to Eve and He said: "Hey! " 18:37 And what did she say? 18:39 Well she saw what Adam did 18:41 and she said: "It was the serpent! " 18:44 She also was infected. 18:47 Eve had allowed the accuser virus to have full sway 18:53 and we've all been owned by the accuser virus ever since. 19:00 Some of us are manifesting the disease tonight! 19:06 We can almost... it's almost impossible for us 19:09 to help ourselves. We need a serum; we need a cure 19:13 because our story - yours and my story - 19:17 is generally we're judgmental and critical 19:22 of anything and everything. 19:24 We just are. 19:26 For some reason it just comes out of us. 19:31 Many unbelievers blame the woman. 19:37 In general we blame God. 19:39 But a lot of people blame the woman: i.e. the church, 19:42 religion, religious people for all of this trouble. 19:47 Believers actually blame the devil. 19:53 Have you ever heard that phrase "The devil made me do it? " 19:57 This is why we have a Savior. 19:59 This is why we have Jesus. 20:01 This is why Jesus came to planet earth. 20:03 He came as a man 20:06 and the devil couldn't make Him do anything. 20:10 I love that! 20:12 He conquered the accuser virus... every last bit of it. 20:16 He decimated it. 20:19 His life, His death, His resurrection 20:21 brought the accuser virus inoculation that we all need. 20:28 The accuser virus I think is even more contagious 20:30 than the corona virus. 20:35 It cannot be physically quarantined. 20:38 Every human being is already infected with it. 20:41 We must have an antivirus; we need a serum. 20:45 We need a Savior. 20:47 And we have one. Revelation chapter 12 verse 10. 20:53 "And I heard a loud voice in heaven... " 20:57 What does it say? 20:59 "Now is come salvation and strength 21:05 and the kingdom of our God 21:07 and the power of His Christ. 21:10 For the accuser of our brethren 21:13 is cast down... which accused them before God 21:17 day and night. 21:21 And they overcame him... " the accuser virus... 21:24 "they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, 21:27 by the word of their testimony. 21:30 And they loved not their lives 21:32 unto the death. " 21:34 I think that those verses are very significant 21:38 given the political climate that we live in today. 21:45 How are we going to overcome 21:47 all of this negativity that is tearing this country apart? 21:51 How are we going to do that? 21:53 I don't think the answer is in a political party 21:56 or a political leader. 21:57 I think the answer is in Jesus. 21:59 AMEN! 22:01 He tells us just how this is to work. 22:05 The accuser is cast down but the virus 22:09 still needs to be remedied within every human heart. 22:13 We've all been infected and God wants to save us. 22:19 So this is what he says: 22:20 Romans chapter 8 verse 28. 22:24 "And we know... and we KNOW 22:31 that all things work together for good 22:35 to them that love God... 22:38 to them who are called according to His purpose. " 22:42 Do you know that? 22:46 See, I'm not sure if I know that. I'm just gonna be 22:48 honest with you: I'm not sure if I know that. 22:50 I mean, there are people in this world that are doing things 22:53 that aren't really like nice. 22:57 Things that are affecting me and my family and my church 23:03 and my country. "All things work together for 23:07 good? " Are you SURE? 23:11 This is the test. 23:13 This is a test of faith that each one of us faces 23:16 because this is what the Word of God says. 23:18 The Word of God says: "All things work together for good. " 23:21 And our feelings, our experience, our emotions 23:25 tell us something different from time to time. 23:30 Don't they? 23:32 And now we have to decide are we going to believe what 23:36 God says... because if we don't, 23:43 the infection - the accuser virus - is going to continue 23:47 running its course through our minds and hearts. 23:50 But if we believe that all things work together for good 23:53 to them that love God and are called according to His purpose, 23:56 then why would we be accusing anybody of anything? 24:01 Why would we be pointing a finger at anyone else? 24:04 Why would we be blaming or criticizing? 24:07 Every opportunity, every trial, every experience, 24:10 every negative experience that we have 24:12 is an opportunity. "I wonder what God is going to do with 24:16 this? " It's like the story 24:21 told so long ago of that man who had a horse 24:25 that took off... ran away. 24:28 And the neighbors came over and they said: "Oh this is 24:30 terrible that your horse has run away... it's gone. " 24:33 And he said: "Oh, maybe so, maybe not. " 24:37 A few days later the horse came back 24:38 and there were three horses with that horse. 24:41 These wild horses, you know, that came with him. 24:44 And the neighbors came over and they said: "This is great! 24:46 This is great! Now you've got 4 horses. You only had 1. " 24:50 He said: "Ah, maybe so, maybe not. " 24:55 And then his son - his young son - decided that 24:59 they needed to tame these horses. So he got on one of them 25:02 and was trying to break this horse and he falls off 25:05 and he breaks his leg. 25:07 Whoo! And the neighbors come over again and they 25:11 say: "Oh, this is terrible! Your son broke his leg. " 25:15 And he says: "Oh, maybe so, maybe not. " 25:21 And then a couple of weeks later the army comes through 25:26 and they're conscripting young men. 25:30 They're bringing young men right into the army. 25:32 You know, every able-bodied man goes into the army. 25:35 But guess what? He can't go... he's got a broken leg. 25:42 We don't know what's going to happen in this situation 25:48 but we do know this: God will work 25:52 everything for good. Amen! He will do that. 25:56 We can trust Him to do that. 25:57 You see, God is basically taking responsibility 26:01 for everything. We needed someone to do that. 26:03 Adam wasn't willing to do it, 26:04 Eve wasn't willing to do it... 26:06 so God did it. 26:07 The entire sin mess that we got ourselves into: 26:10 Jesus took it all upon Himself. 26:12 All the guilt; all the shame; 26:15 all the consequences. Jesus became sin for us 26:20 who knew no sin 26:21 that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 26:24 II Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21. 26:27 So God has taken responsibility for all of it! 26:30 Jesus didn't leave us infected and judgmental. 26:33 The heavenly Physician... He went to work; He went to work! 26:36 The procedure would be a long one. It would take... 26:38 it would take all heaven to make us whole again. 26:41 To recover man from the accuser virus would require 26:45 well... all that heaven could give 26:49 in the gift of His Son. 26:52 And it was a risky proposition 26:54 but heaven said: "Yes! " Amen! 26:58 Heaven was "in it to win it. " 27:00 Praise God! So understanding our infection 27:05 is key to our cure. If you're sick, if you're very sick, 27:09 a correct diagnosis is vital to the medical staff 27:16 because they need to be able to apply the correct medical 27:19 procedure. And I think Satan has been trying to 27:23 misdiagnose us for a long time 27:25 and get us into remedies that aren't working. 27:31 So what is our disease? What is our malady 27:33 according to the Bible? Diagnosis: We have all been 27:36 infected with the accuser virus 27:40 and it will destroy us and everyone around us. 27:44 Cure? Jesus is the cure. 27:50 The indwelling of Christ 27:56 is the inoculation. 27:59 His love is the only way to halt 28:02 the accuser virus disease and take it out 28:07 of our spiritual DNA forever. 28:10 So the remedy was packaged up 28:12 and it was sent to planet earth in the person of Jesus Christ 28:17 who is the Word of God made flesh. 28:20 From the beginning you know there were principalities and 28:22 powers that were working against us even receiving 28:27 the serum. You see that in Revelation chapter 12 again 28:31 in my "removable" Bible. 28:34 "The dragon... " it says... "stood ready to devour 28:37 the Child as soon as it was born. " 28:39 You see? He knew the serum was coming; 28:42 he knew the remedy was coming 28:44 and he did everything he could to halt delivery. 28:49 But Jesus lives! He resisted the accuser. 28:54 He destroyed the virus 28:56 and then "He was caught up to God and to His throne. " 28:59 Yet Jesus doesn't leave us without the serum. 29:01 He gives us a double dose: His Word and His Spirit. 29:06 And that's what we've been receiving here in this 29:09 Camp Meeting since Thursday night. 29:11 We've been receiving His Word and His Spirit: 29:13 the double portion of serum that we need. 29:16 The love, the grace... thank you, Ryan. 29:24 The presence of Jesus through His Spirit. 29:29 This is what we find in His Word. 29:32 And in a special sense we find this 29:35 in the book of Revelation. 29:39 Satan hates this book: 29:40 this last book of the Bible. You know that. 29:42 A lot of Christians are afraid of it. Why? 29:44 It's the revelation of Jesus! 29:46 He said: "Blessed are those that hear; blessed are those 29:48 that read; blessed are those that keep the things that are 29:51 written therein. " In verse 5 He says: 29:52 "I have come and I have washed them from their sins 29:55 in My blood. I have made them kings and priests" verse 6. 29:58 In Revelation chapter 1 Jesus is pictured among the 7 churches. 30:02 And then in chapters 2 and 3 30:04 we are given a detailed account of those churches. 30:07 And they are just like us! 30:12 The first church is filled with good works. 30:18 The church of Ephesus. 30:22 But the accuser virus comes in and takes advantage 30:25 of all those good works 30:28 and actually causes all of their good works to replace 30:31 their dependence on the serum. 30:34 Can you imagine? 30:35 They've lost their first love. 30:38 You move all the way through the churches and you see 30:40 the same problem de- veloping from different angles. 30:43 You get to the Laodicean church 30:45 and the accuser virus comes in with all their knowledge. 30:50 They're rich in knowledge of prophecy and doctrine 30:53 and Bible truth, and that leads them to feel like 30:55 they don't need Jesus' serum at all. 30:59 "We're good... it's all good here. " 31:02 Jesus is outside knocking on the door for entrance. 31:08 Can you imagine? 31:12 Both the 1st church of Ephesus and the last church of Laodicea 31:16 have this one thing in common: 31:18 they've lost Jesus... they've lost the serum 31:22 and they think they're going to be OK. 31:27 You see, it's not just about works or knowledge. 31:32 It's about character. Amen! 31:34 Are we going to have the character of Satan or 31:36 are we going to have the character of Christ? 31:39 That's the bottom line. 31:40 Now each church is admonished to overcome. 31:44 Nikaó... it's the same word. 31:46 All through Revelation's 7 churches the same word 31:48 that's used in Revelation 12:11. 31:51 We don't overcome according to the seven churches 31:54 by all the good deeds that we do. 31:56 That was made clear in our last presentation. 31:59 We don't overcome by our knowledge of prophecy. 32:01 The 2,300-day prophecy. 32:04 By our knowledge of Bible truth: the dead don't know anything, 32:07 the 7th day is the Sabbath. 32:08 That's not how we overcome. 32:09 Those are great Biblical truths, 32:12 but according to Rev. 12:11 we overcome by? 32:16 "the blood of the Lamb 32:17 and the word of our testimony. " 32:21 And we don't love our lives unto the death. 32:24 As we transition to chapters 4-7 of Revelation 32:27 God gives the specific instruction 32:30 as to how to overcome. 32:33 In Revelation chapter 4 we see a door opened in heaven. 32:36 It's interesting, isn't it? That when we shut our door to Jesus 32:40 the door in heaven is still open. 32:43 Sometimes we think if our door's shut God's door is shut 32:46 'cause if we don't like Him He doesn't like us. 32:48 But God's not like us. 32:51 His door stays open. 32:53 And immediately John is in the spirit, 32:55 verse 2, and he sees a throne set in heaven 32:58 and he sees these 24 elders. 32:59 Where did they come from? They've never been there before. 33:01 Isaiah 6 didn't show us 24 elders. 33:03 Ezekiel 1 didn't show us 24 elders. 33:05 They both saw the throne room. 33:07 These 24 elders represent... 33:10 Well, all through the Bible - do a word search - 33:14 elders only ever represent human beings. 33:18 The captivity that was led captive... freed 33:23 at the death of Jesus and taken to heaven. 33:26 And they're there to testify 33:29 that we've been redeemed. But before we get there 33:32 Revelation chapter 5 shows us 33:35 a little scroll, a little book, that's sealed up with 7 seals. 33:38 And it says there in verse 2 33:40 that a strong angel proclaims with a loud voice 33:43 "Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? 33:46 And no man in earth and no man in heaven 33:49 and no man under the earth is able to open the book, 33:52 neither to look thereon. " And John weeps. 33:54 And the reason why John weeps is very simple: 33:56 this book - this scroll - represents the title deed 33:59 to planet earth. And we know that because of verse 9. 34:03 Well there are many reasons we know that, but verse 9 is... 34:05 is key. 34:08 Because when that book is taken and opened 34:12 the 24 elders say: "You've redeemed us 34:14 from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people 34:16 by Your blood. " 34:17 This is the title deed. This is what Satan himself 34:21 claims as his. Job chapter 1: "There was a day 34:27 when the sons of God came to present themselves 34:30 before the Lord and Satan came also. And God said: 34:32 'Where are you coming from? ' " 34:34 I love that! I love that God challenges Satan. 34:38 "Where are you coming from? " "Why I come from planet earth. 34:40 I've been walking to and fro back and forth. " 34:42 "It's mine... it's mine... I'm here to get that title deed. " 34:45 "No! Unh-uh." 34:49 "You haven't considered My servant Job... " 34:51 A type of Christ. 34:53 "You haven't considered My servant Job. " 34:58 And John weeps because there's no man in heaven... 35:00 Are there men in heaven? 35:02 Are there men in heaven? 35:04 Who's in heaven? 35:07 Enoch! How did Enoch get to heaven? 35:10 Man, this guy... right? He was connected! 35:15 He walked with God! 35:17 And his walk was so close to God, 35:21 way closer than any Christian today, 35:24 that one day God say: "Hey, Enoch... 35:26 we're closer to My house than we are to your house. 35:27 Why don't you come home with Me? " 35:29 Right? Can he open the book? 35:33 Can he redeem himself with all of his good walking with God? 35:37 Can he? No... no man in heaven. 35:39 No man on earth 35:42 and no man under the earth. 35:44 What does that mean under the earth? 35:45 Are there men under the earth right now? 35:47 How about Daniel? David? 35:50 The book of Acts says David is still dead and buried. 35:52 His sepulcher's with us to this day. 35:54 Daniel... look at that guy. That guy was a politician 35:58 and they couldn't find any dirt on him. 36:01 Reminds me of a certain other man that was here earlier today, 36:05 you know? 36:08 What a testimony! 36:14 Powerful witness. Amen. 36:18 Can Daniel, the blameless Daniel, blameless before 36:21 his enemies... is he worthy to open the book? 36:24 No... we are lost, lost, lost. 36:29 That's the bad news. Here's the good news: 36:31 "And I wept much... " verse 4 "because no man was found worthy 36:35 to open and to read the book neither to look thereon. 36:38 And one of the elders said unto me: 36:40 'Weep not. ' " 36:42 That's the rest of the story. 36:45 "Weep not. " 36:49 Seven letters comprising two words that bring 36:53 the gospel. "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah! 36:57 The Root of David has prevailed! " 37:00 Jesus has prevailed where we have failed. 37:03 And that word prevailed: 37:05 guess what that is in the Greek? 37:08 NIKAO... to overcome, to subdue. 37:12 The churches are admonished to overcome. 37:15 And then we're led to Revelation 4 and 5 because 37:18 how long do we have to frustrate ourselves with the failure 37:21 of overcoming? And in Rev. 4 and 5 we find Jesus, 37:24 the second Adam, the cor- porate head of the human race, 37:27 the One who takes ALL of the sin and guilt that we're 37:30 responsible for upon Himself, 37:32 who takes care, who takes res- ponsibility of the sin problem 37:35 for us AS US. 37:38 Not just in our place but as us. 37:43 Jesus didn't become a man, 37:46 a human, for 33-1/2 years. 37:50 You know that. 37:52 Jesus became a human PERMANENTLY! 37:57 It is an eternal gift that He has given to the human race. 38:03 And when Satan says 38:05 "He or she deserves to die" 38:08 Jesus said: "They did! " 38:11 "They did... in Me. " 38:13 He didn't die for His sins. 38:15 He didn't sin! 38:22 He's prevailed where we have failed. 38:25 See, Revelation 5 introduces to us Calvary. 38:32 We run smack dab into the cross of Christ right here 38:37 because John's looking for this Lion, this King 38:40 of the beasts, and as he looks it says in verse 6: 38:43 "And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, 38:45 of the four beasts, and of the four elders 38:47 stood a Lamb as it had been slain. " That could only be 38:50 referring to the cross. 38:53 The cross is in the book of Revelation! 38:56 It is! In fact, that word Lamb 39:00 identified now as the cross, as Calvary, because that's 39:03 where He was slain, is used 29 times in the book of Revelation. 39:08 The book of Revelation is all about Jesus 39:13 and how He has conquered. 39:16 How Jesus has come to inoculate us from the virus 39:22 of accusing, criticizing, and condemning 39:25 and how He will take us safely through 39:31 the 7 last plagues and into the city of God. 39:34 Past the beast and the dragon and the mark 39:38 and land us with Himself on Mount Zion. 39:42 He's going to do that! 39:44 And what He asks us to do is to follow Him wherever He goes. 39:48 "Just follow Me! " Behold the Lion 39:53 of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. " 39:57 And you know, it's really interesting here 39:59 because Revelation... I've been reading and studying 40:02 and listening to this book, you know, for 35 years. 40:05 I just love this book. But when I first started 40:07 I got to this place in Rev. 5 where it says: "And they sang 40:09 a new song" and I was like: "Well in Revelation 4 40:11 the angels are singing "Holy, holy, holy. " 40:13 We already had the sing part and now we've got the sing part 40:15 again in Revelation 5 and it's verse 9. 40:18 And then it goes on here and talks about it in verse 11 40:21 and 12 and 13 and 14 and I'm like 40:23 "You know, all these verses are just dedicated to all this 40:26 song and this praise and I want to get into prophecy. " 40:30 You know? That's what I used to think. 40:32 "I want to get into prophecy. " And then I go to Revelation 7 40:35 and again they're around the throne and they're waving palm 40:37 branches and they're singing to God. I'm thinking: 40:39 "OK, OK, OK, OK, OK... prophecy! " 40:44 And now 35 years later I'm like: 40:46 "I wonder where else in Revelation they're singing? " 40:49 What are some more songs in here, you know? 40:54 God dwells in the praises of His people 40:57 and Jesus sang continually to the Father. 41:00 And there's something about praising God that decimates 41:04 the accuser. 41:06 Song is powerful... it is so powerful! 41:10 It touches my heart. 41:14 Don't let it leave your life. 41:19 And then we move to Revelation chapter 7 41:21 and this theme is continued... you know, this antidote is 41:24 continued. God is screaming at us in Revelation 11. 41:26 With a loud voice it says in Rev. 7... excuse me, 11, 7 vs. 2 41:30 With a loud voice. Four angels are told: "Hold back those winds 41:33 of strife. We need to seal up God's people. 41:36 They're still struggling with this accuser virus. 41:38 Things are getting intense in the church. 41:40 Things are getting intense in the world 41:42 and their natural disposition, you know, is to criticize 41:45 and accuse and condemn. " 41:46 It's like a cancer you know. You fight it; 41:48 you think you're over it; it comes back 41:50 and you need more of that serum, you need more of that antidote. 41:54 We need more of Jesus than we've ever needed before 41:57 in the history of the world! 41:59 And so God reminds us in the sealing. You know, this is... 42:02 this is our problem. You know, the 144,000- 42:04 the 12 tribes that are sealed - like we're all about: 42:06 "It's literal... symbolic. It's literal... symbolic. " 42:08 "No it's right... " And we're just arguing 42:10 about all the theology and that just evidences 42:13 how infected we are. 42:16 And yet what God is telling us here in Revelation 7 42:19 is He's pointing out the seriousness of our condition 42:22 actually. Because in Revelation chapter 7 you have 42:25 these 12 tribes that are sealed. 42:27 And if you look at them carefully 42:29 and compare them with the original 12 tribes in Gen. 49, 42:33 Jacob's original 12 sons, you're going to find 42:36 that the list in Revelation 7 is different 42:41 than the list in Genesis 49. 42:44 You're going to find that the list in Revelation chapter 7 42:48 is missing one of the original tribes 42:51 that is described in Genesis 49 verses 15 and 16. 42:55 It's the tribe of Dan. 42:58 And that word... you know, names were significant 43:01 of character. That word Dan means to judge. 43:05 Daniel means God is judge but Dan means to judge. 43:09 And Dan is described by Jacob, his father, as 43:12 serpent in the way, as an adder in the path 43:14 that bites the horses' heel so the rider falls backwards. 43:18 See, Revelation 7 is talking about character. 43:22 And we're all sidetracked with literal and symbolic. 43:26 God is giving us a message about this accuser virus 43:30 and the antidote, and He's pointing us to the story 43:33 of Joseph. Really... Joseph, because the tribe that 43:38 replaces Dan - 'cause there's still 12 there, 43:41 right? There's still twelve - the tribe that replaces Dan 43:44 is the tribe of? Does anyone know? 43:47 Manasseh, Manasseh. 43:49 Manasseh was Joseph's first son. 43:51 Now to understand why he called him Manasseh 43:54 you have to go all the way back to the story 43:56 of Joseph's betrayal by his brothers. 43:59 Ever been betrayed by your brothers and sisters? 44:04 You ever come to church and no one says "Hi? " 44:08 You should read Paul's account of what he went through 44:11 with his brethren the Jews. 44:13 But you know, sometimes coldness and contempt 44:15 can be harder to endure than martyrdom. 44:20 I know it's been a long day and we're a little bit tired. 44:26 But this is amazing when you think about it because 44:29 Manasseh means causing to forget. 44:35 It's the root word for forgiveness. 44:38 Joseph named his first son Manasseh because he said 44:41 "God has caused me to forget 44:44 everything my brothers did to me. " 44:46 "All things work together for good. " 44:48 And when his brothers show up, you know, he tests them. 44:50 We don't have to put ourselves under the power and influence 44:52 of abusers, right? We don't have to stay 44:55 in the atmosphere of people that are abusing us 44:59 verbally or physically or any other way. 45:00 So he tests them... he kept some distance. 45:03 He finds that they've changed. 45:05 And then he tells them... this is what he tells them... 45:07 really interesting because they sold him into slavery 45:09 and got some money out of it. He says: 45:11 "Don't be upset with yourselves. 45:14 GOD sent me to Egypt. " 45:17 What? "All things work together for good. " 45:22 Amen! "God sent me here. " 45:24 "What for? " "To save your lives you rascals. " 45:30 "He sent me here to save your lives, and that's exactly 45:33 what I'm going to do. I'm not going to do 45:35 what I should do to you because of how you treated me. 45:38 I'm going to do what God sent me here to do... " 45:41 Amen. 45:43 "Because the accuser virus is gone. 45:47 I've got the serum... I've got the antidote. " 45:49 This is the message of Revelation 7. 45:54 It's the message of exchanging our bitterness, our critical 45:59 faultfinding, judgmental attitude 46:01 for the forgiveness of Manasseh that comes to us 46:04 through Jesus Christ. 46:06 We're not sealed yet... we're not sealed yet. 46:08 We've got the right day; we've got the right doctrine. 46:11 We've got all that stuff goin' on. 46:13 But the accuser virus... is it coming back? 46:18 See, there's no way we're going to make it into that final 46:21 trial when the whole world hates us, H-A-T-E-S... 46:25 HATES us, if we don't have the serum. 46:28 Right? I mean, if you've been walking with the footmen 46:31 and they've wearied you Jeremiah 12:6 says 46:34 how are you going to contend with the horses? 46:38 Even a day of peace... you're tired. 46:41 What are you going to do in a day of battle? 46:43 And so God is preparing us. We need to just say: 46:45 "Thank you, Jesus. Praise God for every trial! " 46:49 Oh, that is hard to say. I KNOW it is hard to say. 46:51 Believe me... I know that. 46:56 You might not be able to say it right away. 46:58 It might take a few weeks or a few months to say it. 47:02 But by faith you can believe it. 47:04 God's gonna work this out. 47:06 And then Revelation chapter 8. Now I've gotta do a plug for 47:08 Salvation in Symbols and Signs. 47:10 Some people get that all mixed up like symbols and salvation 47:12 signs and symbols and sal... 47:14 Salvation is the first word. 47:16 Always salvation, and then there's symbols and signs 47:19 you know. Revelation... symbols and signs. 47:21 Salvation in Symbols and Signs. I can't tell you the details 47:24 here, but Ivor and I along with the help 47:27 of Yvonne and Jason - we just follow their cues - 47:32 have been able to spend seventy-two 30-minute sessions 47:36 on the book of Revelation and we go as slow as necessary 47:42 to just take it all apart, 47:44 identify the symbols, and get the message out there. 47:48 And the message is all about Jesus. 47:50 The outpouring of His Spirit. That's what we see here 47:53 in Revelation chapter 8 verses 3 through 6. 47:56 We see the disciples getting together 47:58 on the Day of Pentecost. And it says 48:01 "they were all of one accord. " 48:03 You're like: "How did that happen? " 48:06 I mean, do you remember those guys? 48:07 They followed Jesus at a distance, and Jesus said: 48:10 "What are you guys talking about? " "Oh, nothing. " 48:11 "I'm going to be number 1. " "No, I'm going to be number 1. " 48:13 "He likes me better. " "No! He likes ME better. " 48:17 Right? I mean, it's the very same thing that we are 48:21 dealing with today. 48:25 And it's a side issue. 48:28 Satan is trying to get us distracted, 48:31 discouraged, and separated 48:36 so that when the test comes upon us 48:39 we can't lean on each other. 48:41 We don't trust each other anymore. 48:45 Don't let him do it. 48:47 Don't let him in. 48:49 Don't let that accuser in. 48:51 So they were all in one place in one accord 48:53 and the Holy Spirit came down and it filled them. 48:57 And all they could talk about was Jesus. 49:01 And you know what they did to these Jesus talkers? 49:04 You know what they did? They beat 'em. 49:05 They put 'em in jail; they stoned them. 49:07 Man, Paul went through some terrible, TERRIBLE stuff! 49:11 I mean, it makes our trials look like nothing. 49:14 Nothing. And you know how they responded? 49:19 They just started praising God. 49:21 They were just praising the Lord. 49:23 Oh! Paul and Silas are in jail and they're just praising Jesus. 49:27 They've been whipped and beaten and they're in the 49:29 innermost prison with shackles on their hands and feet 49:33 and they're just praising God. 49:35 And you know, when you praise God, God inhabits the praises 49:38 of His people and so God comes down. 49:40 The doors come flying open... there's an earthquake. 49:44 And the jailer wakes up and he thinks all the prisoners 49:48 have escaped. He's about to end his life 49:49 and you know what Paul says 49:51 to that jailer who put him in that cell 49:53 with those shackles? You know what he said? 49:55 "Do yourself no harm. " 49:58 His first concern is for that guy: "Do yourself no harm. " 50:01 And you know, that guy says to him... he says: 50:05 "What must I do to have that? " 50:10 I mean, we say: "What must I do to be saved? " 50:12 But being saved is so confused right now. 50:15 I mean, it's just all over the place. 50:17 Like being saved, what does that look like? 50:19 I'll tell you what it looks like: it looks like what Paul 50:20 and Silas had when they were in that jail. 50:22 THAT'S what it looks like! 50:23 And that jailer knew what it was. 50:25 It's like: "I want that experience! " 50:30 You see, the gospel's gotta go as a witness 50:32 before this is all over... and it will. 50:35 It'll be a powerful witness. And then we get to Rev. chapter 12. 50:37 Now Revelation chapter 12 is our destiny. 50:40 Revelation chapter 12 is where God wants us to get to because 50:43 Revelation chapter 12... We haven't actually hit 50:46 the dragon yet. The sea beast and the land beast 50:50 they're not here yet. 50:51 God is getting us ready. 50:53 He's connecting us with Jesus because when we get to the place 50:56 where we're going to be dealing with the beasts 50:58 and the dragon... Well, it's going to be scary. 51:01 Some of us are already scared. But remember... 51:03 remember the words of that hymn: "Anywhere with? " 51:05 "Jesus I can safely go. " 51:10 Anywhere? Anywhere! 51:13 Fear I cannot know. 51:15 That's what the early disciples had. 51:17 In Revelation chapter 12 verse 1- 51:19 another plug for Salvation in Symbols and Signs - 51:21 there are symbols here... a lot of symbols. 51:23 But the one we want to look at is the one where it says 51:25 "The woman... " That's God's church - II Corinthians 11, 51:29 Ephesians 5- "is clothed with the sun. " 51:33 Now Malachi 4 verse 2 tells us 51:36 that the S-U-N sun is the Son of Righteousness. 51:40 It's Jesus! 51:42 You see, this woman has a remnant 51:45 in verse 17 who keeps the commandments of God 51:49 and has the testimony of Jesus. 51:51 The problem is that before you can be the remnant of the woman 51:56 you actually have to hook up with the woman. 51:59 The woman isn't described as keeping the commandments of God. 52:02 Are you following me? 52:03 The woman is described as being clothed with the 52:06 righteousness of Jesus Christ: His perfect life, 52:09 His penalty-satisfying death is gifted to them. 52:13 And because of that they keep the commandments of God. 52:18 That's what happens. Jesus said: "If you love Me... " 52:22 I didn't come to Christ in the Adventist church. 52:26 I was raised a Catholic, 52:28 and I came to Christ through Calvary Chapel. 52:33 I gave my heart to Jesus 52:35 and I KNEW that I was saved. 52:39 I'm not talking about saved like going to heaven. 52:41 I'm talking about saved like I don't drink alcohol anymore; 52:43 I don't go to bars any more. 52:45 I'm not doing the stuff I used to do. 52:47 I'm a different person. THAT saved. 52:50 And then my sister came over to my house and she said to me 52:53 now that I was goin' to church: 52:55 "You should come to my church. " 52:57 I said: "Sure! You can come to my church on Sunday 52:59 and I'll go to your church the next Sunday. " She said: 53:01 "No, no, no, no. You can come to my church 53:03 Saturday and I'll go to your church Sunday. " 53:06 And I said: "What? " 53:07 "No one goes to church on Satur- day; that's not in the Bible. " 53:17 I knew the Our Father and the Hail Mary by heart 53:20 and that was about it. 53:24 And I learned very quickly 53:27 as I tried to get my sister OUT of the Adventist church. 53:30 That was my goal! That was my motive. 53:33 I learned very quickly what the Bible had to say, 53:36 and when I read that verse "If you love Me, keep My 53:40 commandments... " it's like I'm totally in love with Jesus. 53:42 Like I am sold out for Jesus. 53:44 I mean, that is it for me. 53:47 So as we move through Revelation chapter 12 we see 53:51 the great controversy... God describes it. 53:53 He identifies the accuser of the brethren 53:55 in heaven. That's where it started. 53:56 He identifies the accuser virus. That's where it was 54:00 formed... in the courts of heaven. 54:02 And it was brought down to this earth and then Jesus came 54:05 to decimate it; to destroy it; to get rid of it. 54:09 And victory was proclaimed in heaven because it's gone! 54:12 The accuser virus is gone from the unfallen worlds 54:16 and now it needs to be gone from those who dwell on the earth. 54:20 And it WILL be gone by those who take the serum. 54:27 So the book of Revelation is directing us to Jesus. 54:33 I'm just slipping through all of my notes here because 54:35 I want to just get to one last point. 54:38 And that is this: based on the Biblical evidence 54:43 each one of us needs to let the Holy Spirit 54:49 to get into us so that we can be inoculated 54:53 against the accuser virus. Amen! 54:55 We need to surrender to God. 54:57 But how do we do that? 55:00 It's not difficult. 55:02 I didn't know anything about God 55:05 and someone said: "Just get on your knees and ask Jesus 55:07 to come into your life, to be your Savior. 55:09 Give Him your sins, 55:11 and expect Him to do what you've asked Him to do. " 55:14 And that's what I did, and my life has never been the same. 55:16 Amen! 55:19 Just open the door of your heart to Jesus 55:22 when you get up in the morning, even right now. 55:24 Every morning as you wake, 55:27 as you go to sleep. In the morning; in the evening; 55:30 through the day, open your heart to the Word of God. 55:33 Read the Bible; think about a verse. 55:35 Let the Bible speak to you; let God be your best friend. 55:38 TALK to Him; claim His promises. 55:44 Get counsel; get direction; get rebuke; get encouragement. 55:48 The other morning I woke up and I read this verse 55:50 in Psalm 16 verse 8: "I have set the Lord always 55:52 before me. Because He is at my right hand 55:54 I shall not be shaken. " And then I prayed this prayer: 55:57 "Heavenly Father, please help me to set You 56:00 always before me. 56:02 Forgive me where I fail to do this. 56:04 Thank you for promising to be at my right hand 56:07 so that I will not be shaken. " That's it! 56:10 It's not complicated. 56:11 Salvation is not locked up in some university. 56:16 It's not all wrapped up with these long, 56:19 deep theological terms. 56:21 I don't have any kind of theological education. 56:25 Came out of high school; started preaching the Word of God. 56:27 Amen! 56:28 It's that simple. 56:31 I'm not saying there's anything wrong with education. 56:33 It has its place. 56:36 But salvation is ours... yours and mine. 56:41 And the Word of God is our serum. 56:47 The Word of God... Jesus Christ made flesh. 56:50 Amen! Let's pray together. Father in heaven, 56:52 thank you so much tonight 56:53 for each and every word that You've given to each and every 56:57 person. Thank you for speaking to us 57:00 this weekend through this Camp Meeting. 57:03 Thank you for recharging us. Thank you for every one of the 57:06 musicians, every one of the speakers, 57:10 every one of the staff on camera, on mic, 57:14 those that have been doing the children's programs. 57:16 Thank you for bringing us this water in the desert. 57:20 Thank you for the pastor and his wife, 57:22 for their courage to open this church 57:28 to reach out to this community 57:31 and to recognize that all of us are in different places. 57:34 We're conservative; we're liberal or progressive. 57:37 We're unbelievers, we're atheists; we're whoever we are. 57:41 But all of us need that serum that is Jesus Christ. 57:47 Help us to start on a new walk with You today. 57:53 Help us not to leave this place the same. 57:55 Not to leave this place thinking "Well, I've had my fill 57:59 for a couple of weeks or a couple of months. " 58:01 No! Help us to take Jesus with us. 58:04 Help us to arrange our lives so that He's the center, 58:07 so that we're surrounded by His presence 58:10 so that we overcome by His blood, His life, and His death. 58:15 So that we have a testimony 58:18 of His goodness every single day. 58:20 You can do that for us, Father. You've done it for me. 58:23 You can do that for each one of us. 58:26 And we ask You to do it tonight, even now, in Jesus' name. |
Revised 2020-06-17