WEBVTT
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♪ theme music ♪
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(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,
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an in-depth, interactive study
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of the Word of God.
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I'm glad you joined us today;
we are enjoying
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a very practical series of studies,
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Ministering to "the Least of These":
People in Need,
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and our topic today:
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Living the Advent Hope.
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What does it mean to live the Gospel
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in these last days of Earth's history?
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I'm excited about the topic,
and I'm excited
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because one of our team, Stephanie,
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is going to be teaching today,
great topic.
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We've got a great team here to share,
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and you're with us, too.
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And we always love to hear
interactions from you.
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I'm excited when people write and say,
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"Here's my response to the question
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that Stephanie asked."
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You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org.
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We're glad you're part
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of our international Hope Sabbath School
family.
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And we want to thank you
for writing to us.
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Here are just a few notes.
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Tomson writes from Zambia and says,
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"I watch Hope TV, and I enjoy
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Hope Sabbath School.
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Thank you, dear brothers
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and sisters in Christ.
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May the God, the Holy Spirit,
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continue to be with us
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until the day Jesus comes." Amen?
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) You know, we've got
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lots of Hope Sabbath School members
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there in Zambia, and I want to thank you
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for being part of our team.
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You know, I had to write to this lady;
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her name is Het (H-E-T), Het Jane.
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She's from Brazil, and I had
to write and say,
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"Is that how your name is spelled,
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and how do I say it?" and it's Het.
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And Het writes and says, "We have
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an English Sabbath School class here
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at Sao Paulo Adventist University.
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Since I have decided to help the class
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as one of the teachers,
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I started to search
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the internet for some material
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and comments about Bible study,
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and I found Hope Sabbath School!"
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(Team) Amen!
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(Derek) We're glad, Het,
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that you did find Hope Sabbath School.
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She says, "It's been quite helpful to me,
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and every week I look forward
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to watch new episodes,
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not only for the task
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of leading the class,
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but for my own encouragement
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and spiritual enrichment.
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May God bless you all."
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Well, Het, we're just glad that you're
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leading an in-depth, interactive class
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there at a university
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in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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God bless you and those
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who study with you.
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Here's a hand-written note
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from a donor in California,
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"Dear Pastor, thank you
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for Hope Sabbath School.
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It's been a blessing to me.
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I found Hope Channel
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on DirecTV, channel 368,
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when I was hopeless and looking
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for someone to study the Bible with me."
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(Team) Wow. Amen.
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(Derek) "Love you; you are my family.
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God bless you all,"
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and a donation of 25 dollars.
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We are glad, California Donor,
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that you're part of our family. Amen?
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) We've learned
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we've all got one Father and one God
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who's the Creator of all.
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And we really believe
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in a study of the Word of God,
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because it points us
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to our loving Creator God and Savior.
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Marek writes to us from Poland
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and says, "I welcome you,
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brothers and sisters in Christ.
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I've not heard about a school
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like Hope Sabbath School before.
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I'm inquiring, and the Lord has led me
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to know more about the Bible with you."
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(Team) Amen!
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(Derek) "Every quoted verse
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brings me closer to revealing
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the personality of Christ
and God Himself."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) "Please pray
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for the successful completion
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of a house of prayer in my city.
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I'm praying for a blessing
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for the Bible classes
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that you are conducting.
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And you are welcome to Poland;
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it's a beautiful country."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) "God bless you, Marek."
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Well, Marek, we're just glad you're part
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of our Hope Sabbath School family,
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and if we're ever in Poland...I know
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there are probably 10,000 Mareks there,
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but we're glad that you are part
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of our Hope Sabbath School family.
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Thanks for writing to us.
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One last note, from Joe in Kenya,
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and Joe writes (we've got
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some Kenyans on our team),
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"May the Good Lord be with you.
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As I write, I'm filled with joy
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to share messages of love with you all.
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I feel the love of our King Jesus
around all of us.
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You see, my spiritual journey
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has mainly been through the internet."
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There are a lot of bad things
on the internet,
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but we need to have
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the Good Word there, too, right?
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) "I am a living testimony
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of how Christ delivers."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) "And as I sing along
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with every Bible study,
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I have joy in my heart.
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Praise be to God, for as of now,
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even on my spiritual journey,
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I've become a deacon in my church."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) "Last Christmas I shared
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a Bible study with my father
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and taught him the facts about the Bible.
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At first, he saw me as his son
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who could not teach him anything,
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but through Christ, he was amazed."
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(Team) Amen. Wow.
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(Derek) You know, I just want to thank you
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for writing to us.
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These are beautiful testimonies,
aren't they?
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"My dad still doesn't understand
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how it all came about
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to happen to me,
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but slowly, through Jesus,
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I'm going to teach him the Word of God."
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(Team) Amen!
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(Derek) "Shalom, and God bless
all of you. Joe."
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(Derek) Well, Joe, you are
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a miracle in progress,
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as are each one of us;
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we're all a miracle in progress.
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And as we prepare for the soon coming
of Jesus,
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we want to study today
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what it means to live the Advent hope,
and I'm excited.
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But before Stephanie prays
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and leads us in the study,
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we're going to sing our theme song.
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It's become one of my favorite
Scripture songs
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from 2 Thessalonians 3, verses 5 and 16,
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"Now may the Lord direct your hearts
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into the love of God."
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Let's sing it together.
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♪ music ♪
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(Derek) What a beautiful promise,
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even as we study today
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about Living the Advent Hope.
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(Stephanie) All right, let's pray
as we study.
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Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, thank You
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so much for the opportunity
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to study Your Word and to read
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the hope that we have in You.
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Teach us today; in Jesus' name. Amen.
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(Derek, Team) Amen.
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(Stephanie) So our study today
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is about the Advent hope.
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If you were going to define Advent hope,
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how would you define that? Travis.
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(Travis) I would define it
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as the Second Coming or the hope
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of the Second Coming of Jesus.
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(Stephanie) The hope of the Second Coming
of Jesus.
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So let me ask you this:
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How would you define hope? Jason.
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(Jason) If I could read a Scripture,
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would that be okay, to define it?
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(Stephanie) Sure, which Scripture
were you thinking?
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(Jason) Romans, the eighth chapter,
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and twenty-fourth verse.
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(Stephanie) Romans, chapter 8, verse 24.
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Let's see, Romans, chapter 8, verse 24,
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and this is going to define
what hope is. Okay.
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(Jason) And I'll be reading
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from the New King James Version,
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and the Bible says:
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(Stephanie) All right,
so hope is something
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that we haven't seen yet, right?
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Because if we've seen it,
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it's no longer hope.
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All right. Jason.
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(Jason) The word that comes to mind
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is an expectation,
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and in this context particularly,
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of something you're looking forward to.
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(Stephanie) Something that you're
looking forward to.
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So I have this question for you, then:
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Who needs a hope?
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Who needs the Advent hope?
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(Team) Everyone. All of us.
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(Stephanie) Everyone does, that's right.
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So, when you're ministering to someone,
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could we say that we could
minister to everyone
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by giving them the hope of the Advent,
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of the Second Coming? Yes, Travis.
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(Travis) I think that you
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really can't have hope
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unless you have a promise.
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(Stephanie) Unless you have a promise.
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Okay, so unpack that.
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(Travis) If someone's promised
me something,
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I have hope in receiving that.
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And the hope that we look for
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comes from promises that we're given
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from the Scriptures.
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(Stephanie) That's right; you're
absolutely right.
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(Derek) Good point.
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(Stephanie) Nicole.
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(Nicole) When Travis said that, I thought
it's an eager awaiting of something,
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because you're eagerly awaiting something,
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whether it's a gift,
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whether it's the Advent, whatever it is,
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it's an "eager awaiting," when I think
of the word hope.
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(Stephanie) I like that.
00:10:34.289 --> 00:10:35.341
And so we're thinking
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about this Advent hope,
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and we're looking for something
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that has been promised to us, right?
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And the reason we would hope
00:10:44.075 --> 00:10:46.178
in the Second Coming
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is because it's a better life, right?
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It's not just here and now;
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this is not our home, right?
00:10:56.035 --> 00:10:59.105
So, why would we want a better life?
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And I'm just setting a foundation here.
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Why would we want a better life?
00:11:05.090 --> 00:11:06.996
Because this world's damaged.
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It's very simple; this is not God's plan,
00:11:10.866 --> 00:11:14.463
and this is something that is not new.
00:11:14.463 --> 00:11:16.442
We know that people
00:11:16.442 --> 00:11:17.973
throughout the ages
00:11:17.973 --> 00:11:20.627
have looked at the world we live in,
00:11:20.627 --> 00:11:22.264
and they all have a common theme.
00:11:22.264 --> 00:11:23.357
So I'd like us to look
00:11:23.357 --> 00:11:25.642
at three passages as we begin.
00:11:25.642 --> 00:11:28.840
The first one is Psalm 94, and we'll
00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:30.751
be looking at verses 3 through 7.
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Gladys, if you could take that one.
00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:35.366
And then, Marcus, if you would be ready
00:11:35.366 --> 00:11:38.845
to read Habakkuk 1, verse 2,
00:11:38.845 --> 00:11:42.624
and, Evelyn, Revelation 6, verse 10.
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We're just going to read
00:11:44.105 --> 00:11:45.154
through these verses,
00:11:45.154 --> 00:11:47.201
and as we're reading, I'd like you
00:11:47.201 --> 00:11:49.007
to think about what the common theme
00:11:49.007 --> 00:11:51.360
is throughout. Gladys.
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(Gladys) I'm reading
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from the New International Version,
00:11:54.213 --> 00:11:57.641
Psalm 94, verses 3 to 7:
00:12:34.197 --> 00:12:37.090
(Stephanie) Thank you. Marcus.
00:12:37.090 --> 00:12:42.510
(Marcus) Okay, Habakkuk 1, verse 2,
00:12:42.510 --> 00:12:47.066
and I'll give everyone a moment
to get there.
00:12:47.066 --> 00:12:50.192
I'll be reading from
the King James Version:
00:13:05.586 --> 00:13:06.818
(Stephanie) And Evelyn,
00:13:06.818 --> 00:13:11.996
Revelation, chapter 6, verse 10.
00:13:11.996 --> 00:13:14.083
(Evelyn) Revelation, chapter 6, verse 10,
00:13:14.083 --> 00:13:16.717
I'll be reading from the
New King James Version:
00:13:28.359 --> 00:13:30.087
(Stephanie) What is the common theme
00:13:30.087 --> 00:13:31.772
that you're hearing? Treva?
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(Treva) There is a crying out
00:13:33.454 --> 00:13:36.302
to the Father for justice,
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for something to be done
00:13:38.335 --> 00:13:42.566
because of some type of persecution.
00:13:42.566 --> 00:13:44.516
(Stephanie) Desire for freedom
00:13:44.516 --> 00:13:46.176
from persecution. Gladys.
00:13:46.176 --> 00:13:48.980
(Gladys) I like that the three verses
say, "How long?"
00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:50.787
So, just going back to the definition
00:13:50.787 --> 00:13:52.359
that we were giving, you know,
00:13:52.359 --> 00:13:54.136
it's like expecting something
00:13:54.136 --> 00:13:56.030
that has been promised.
00:13:56.030 --> 00:13:57.529
(Stephanie) Do these passages
00:13:57.529 --> 00:13:59.448
give you the impression that this person
00:13:59.448 --> 00:14:01.455
is feeling somewhat hopeless?
00:14:01.455 --> 00:14:02.198
(Team) Yes.
00:14:02.198 --> 00:14:03.640
(Stephanie) "What do we have?"
00:14:03.640 --> 00:14:04.775
"How long are we going
00:14:04.775 --> 00:14:06.459
to be in this state?"
00:14:06.459 --> 00:14:08.947
Where do people find hope?
00:14:08.947 --> 00:14:10.089
Let me put it this way,
00:14:10.089 --> 00:14:12.844
where do people search to find hope?
00:14:12.844 --> 00:14:17.413
Or to find a future?
00:14:17.413 --> 00:14:19.162
Marcus and then Jason.
00:14:19.162 --> 00:14:20.190
(Marcus) I would say,
00:14:20.190 --> 00:14:23.115
and in this country especially,
like politics.
00:14:23.115 --> 00:14:26.393
People always hope that the next president
00:14:26.393 --> 00:14:27.636
or the next governor
00:14:27.636 --> 00:14:28.779
or the next whoever
00:14:28.779 --> 00:14:30.859
will be there to deliver them
00:14:30.859 --> 00:14:33.187
some type of reward
00:14:33.187 --> 00:14:35.196
or restitution for their suffering.
00:14:35.196 --> 00:14:36.815
(Stephanie) So, they're looking
00:14:36.815 --> 00:14:39.651
for people to give them hope. Jason.
00:14:39.651 --> 00:14:40.730
(Jason) I think people
00:14:40.730 --> 00:14:42.646
can look for relationships,
00:14:42.646 --> 00:14:44.647
whether it's a significant other
00:14:44.647 --> 00:14:46.861
or getting into a marriage
00:14:46.861 --> 00:14:48.003
or something like that.
00:14:48.003 --> 00:14:50.019
They can think that a relationship,
00:14:50.019 --> 00:14:52.544
a friendship, just having another person
00:14:52.544 --> 00:14:54.434
will give them that hope.
00:14:54.434 --> 00:14:55.514
(Stephanie) Puia.
00:14:55.514 --> 00:14:56.810
(Puia) I think people also
00:14:56.810 --> 00:14:58.597
look for hope in possessions.
00:14:58.597 --> 00:15:01.787
It could be money or things, you know.
00:15:01.787 --> 00:15:03.177
(Stephanie) Looking for hope
00:15:03.177 --> 00:15:04.912
in people, in possessions.
00:15:04.912 --> 00:15:10.922
How about positions? Possible?
All right. Jason.
00:15:10.922 --> 00:15:12.293
(Jason) Sometimes people can
00:15:12.293 --> 00:15:14.336
look to themselves for hope,
00:15:14.336 --> 00:15:15.662
as far as what they can do.
00:15:15.662 --> 00:15:17.049
They become self-absorbed
00:15:17.049 --> 00:15:17.989
in what they can do
00:15:17.989 --> 00:15:20.061
and try to make different moves
00:15:20.061 --> 00:15:23.559
or different ways of them finding hope
00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:25.745
into the situation that they may be in.
00:15:25.745 --> 00:15:27.945
(Stephanie) All right. Now, I'd like
00:15:27.945 --> 00:15:29.966
to go over to Lamentations,
00:15:29.966 --> 00:15:33.331
chapter 3, verses 22 through 26,
00:15:33.331 --> 00:15:35.128
and, Adison, if you would be prepared
00:15:35.128 --> 00:15:37.196
to read that for us.
00:15:37.196 --> 00:15:40.669
And let's take a look at what the prophet
00:15:40.669 --> 00:15:43.295
has found his hope in.
00:15:43.295 --> 00:15:47.953
And this is during some troublesome times,
right?
00:15:47.953 --> 00:15:50.400
Lamentations, chapter 3,
00:15:50.400 --> 00:15:53.459
verses 22 through 26.
00:15:53.459 --> 00:15:54.567
(Adison) I'm reading
00:15:54.567 --> 00:15:56.658
from the King James Version:
00:16:14.603 --> 00:16:16.303
(Stephanie) I don't know about you,
00:16:16.303 --> 00:16:18.357
but when I hear those verses,
00:16:18.357 --> 00:16:22.221
it just gives me hope, right?
00:16:22.221 --> 00:16:23.188
It gives me energy.
00:16:23.188 --> 00:16:27.365
Where did the prophet find his hope,
00:16:27.365 --> 00:16:29.145
or choose to find hope?
00:16:29.145 --> 00:16:30.872
(Derek) Actually, the next verse
00:16:30.872 --> 00:16:32.443
says, "'The Lord is my portion,'
00:16:32.443 --> 00:16:35.782
says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!'"
00:16:35.782 --> 00:16:38.135
So that's where he chooses.
00:16:38.135 --> 00:16:39.716
And like you said, this is
00:16:39.716 --> 00:16:42.962
where Jerusalem has just been ransacked,
00:16:42.962 --> 00:16:45.136
the temple is in ruins,
00:16:45.136 --> 00:16:47.824
and Jeremiah is lamenting.
00:16:47.824 --> 00:16:50.218
That's where the Lamentations book
comes from.
00:16:50.218 --> 00:16:51.600
He's lamenting, but he says,
00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:53.392
"My hope is in God."
00:16:53.392 --> 00:16:55.544
(Team) Amen.
00:16:55.544 --> 00:16:57.988
(Stephanie) And through all
of that turmoil,
00:16:57.988 --> 00:17:00.305
that's where he placed his hope.
00:17:00.305 --> 00:17:02.445
And, I don't know, it just gives me
00:17:02.445 --> 00:17:04.365
such encouragement when I hear,
00:17:04.365 --> 00:17:06.126
"'The Lord is my portion,'
00:17:06.126 --> 00:17:08.028
saith my soul'...The Lord
00:17:08.028 --> 00:17:10.737
is good unto them that wait for Him."
00:17:10.737 --> 00:17:12.180
It just buoys up your spirits.
00:17:12.180 --> 00:17:14.937
Now, Jesus also speaks
00:17:14.937 --> 00:17:19.245
about where to find our hope
00:17:19.245 --> 00:17:23.261
or encourages us through a parable
00:17:23.261 --> 00:17:25.979
in Luke, chapter 18, and we'll go there,
00:17:25.979 --> 00:17:28.003
and, Billy, if you would read that for us,
00:17:28.003 --> 00:17:30.405
Luke, chapter 18, verses 1 through 8.
00:17:30.405 --> 00:17:35.304
And as we're reading through that parable,
00:17:35.304 --> 00:17:39.269
I'd like us to think about what is
00:17:39.269 --> 00:17:42.828
Jesus saying to us about finding
00:17:42.828 --> 00:17:45.011
our hope in God? Billy.
00:17:45.011 --> 00:17:46.540
(Billy) Okay, so I'll be reading
00:17:46.540 --> 00:17:47.946
from the King James Version:
00:18:26.971 --> 00:18:28.521
Is it to verse 5 or 6?
00:18:52.594 --> 00:18:55.244
(Stephanie) All right. From this parable,
00:18:28.521 --> 00:18:29.653
(Stephanie) Through 8.
00:18:29.653 --> 00:18:30.971
(Billy) Through 8, okay:
00:18:55.244 --> 00:18:57.186
what do we learn about finding
00:18:57.186 --> 00:19:01.446
our hope in God? Tricia Lee.
00:19:01.446 --> 00:19:03.876
(Tricia Lee) I think that Jesus
00:19:03.876 --> 00:19:05.726
is making an example,
00:19:05.726 --> 00:19:10.351
that even in an unjust situation -
00:19:10.351 --> 00:19:12.965
this earthly judge or court,
00:19:12.965 --> 00:19:16.039
if he was possibly unwilling
00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:17.615
to avenge her of her adversary
00:19:17.615 --> 00:19:20.048
as she's asking for the first time,
00:19:20.048 --> 00:19:21.931
eventually he did just because he was
00:19:21.931 --> 00:19:23.614
tired of hearing from her.
00:19:23.614 --> 00:19:25.043
And so He's making an example.
00:19:25.043 --> 00:19:26.296
If this earthly court
00:19:26.296 --> 00:19:27.926
or judge could act this way,
00:19:27.926 --> 00:19:29.972
your Heavenly Father, who is not tired
00:19:29.972 --> 00:19:30.984
when we call on Him,
00:19:30.984 --> 00:19:32.410
not tired when we pray to him,
00:19:32.410 --> 00:19:33.787
could never get tired of us,
00:19:33.787 --> 00:19:36.507
of course He will bring justice
to our situation.
00:19:36.507 --> 00:19:38.540
And so Jesus is asking them,
00:19:38.540 --> 00:19:40.446
when He says, "Will the Son of Man
00:19:40.446 --> 00:19:41.780
find faith on the earth?"
00:19:41.780 --> 00:19:43.600
will you still believe that God
00:19:43.600 --> 00:19:45.002
will do justice for you,
00:19:45.002 --> 00:19:46.943
even though you don't see it right away?
00:19:46.943 --> 00:19:48.575
So that's really what He's saying
00:19:48.575 --> 00:19:51.617
because sometimes we ask for things,
we don't get them right away
00:19:51.617 --> 00:19:53.323
or we're still in those situations.
00:19:53.323 --> 00:19:56.513
But Jesus is saying, "Do you have faith
to continue hoping," knowing
00:19:56.513 --> 00:19:59.158
that the promise, as Travis mentioned,
is sure.
00:19:59.158 --> 00:20:03.231
(Stephanie) Pray without ceasing, right?
00:20:03.231 --> 00:20:07.918
Did anyone else have a comment?
All right, Marcus.
00:20:07.918 --> 00:20:11.560
(Marcus) Just, waiting really is
the hardest part.
00:20:11.560 --> 00:20:13.244
And when you've been
00:20:13.244 --> 00:20:15.143
through situation where you might have
00:20:15.143 --> 00:20:16.819
lost somebody close to you,
00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:18.366
and it might have happened
00:20:18.366 --> 00:20:20.986
under tragic circumstances,
00:20:20.986 --> 00:20:22.963
can you still trust and put your faith
00:20:22.963 --> 00:20:24.634
and hope in the Lord,
00:20:24.634 --> 00:20:26.789
even though it just doesn't look like
00:20:26.789 --> 00:20:28.986
the situation is going to get resolved,
00:20:28.986 --> 00:20:32.238
or there's so much grief in your heart?
00:20:32.238 --> 00:20:35.095
So I think that the relationship
00:20:35.095 --> 00:20:36.797
that you have with Christ,
00:20:36.797 --> 00:20:38.955
that you have with the Father,
00:20:38.955 --> 00:20:40.583
will help sustain you,
00:20:40.583 --> 00:20:43.962
but it's not an easy wait.
00:20:43.962 --> 00:20:46.546
(Stephanie) It's never easy
to wait, is it?
00:20:46.546 --> 00:20:47.991
So let me ask you this:
00:20:47.991 --> 00:20:49.877
When did you choose
00:20:49.877 --> 00:20:52.030
to find your hope in God?
00:20:52.030 --> 00:20:54.446
And I want to go a step further:
00:20:54.446 --> 00:20:57.167
What has your life been like
00:20:57.167 --> 00:20:59.201
since that decision?
00:20:59.201 --> 00:21:01.958
How has that changed your course? Nicole.
00:21:01.958 --> 00:21:03.769
(Nicole) It's not one decision for me.
00:21:03.769 --> 00:21:05.360
I think that I have to every day,
00:21:05.360 --> 00:21:08.381
and every time a new situation
approaches me,
00:21:08.381 --> 00:21:10.208
I have to choose my hope in God.
00:21:10.208 --> 00:21:12.616
And so, it makes it challenging,
00:21:12.616 --> 00:21:15.328
because when things don't go my way,
00:21:15.328 --> 00:21:17.874
I have to wait on what He's going to do,
00:21:17.874 --> 00:21:19.144
but I think that for me
00:21:19.144 --> 00:21:20.989
it's an ongoing decision daily
00:21:20.989 --> 00:21:22.451
to make that decision that I'm
00:21:22.451 --> 00:21:24.426
going to hope in God and His return.
00:21:24.426 --> 00:21:28.216
(Stephanie) Amen. I appreciate that.
00:21:28.216 --> 00:21:30.074
Jason and then Gladys.
00:21:30.074 --> 00:21:32.317
(Jason) I have a testimony to share.
00:21:32.317 --> 00:21:33.419
I was in the military,
00:21:33.419 --> 00:21:35.564
in the navy, specifically,
00:21:35.564 --> 00:21:38.565
and I joined without being able to swim.
00:21:38.565 --> 00:21:41.633
So, go figure, right?
00:21:41.633 --> 00:21:45.642
So, through my time in boot camp,
I tried to swim.
00:21:45.642 --> 00:21:46.916
I kept on being sent back,
00:21:46.916 --> 00:21:47.942
I was not qualified,
00:21:47.942 --> 00:21:49.519
maybe three or four times,
00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:50.670
but it came to a point
00:21:50.670 --> 00:21:51.950
that I had to pray to God,
00:21:51.950 --> 00:21:53.434
and I asked the Lord to help me
00:21:53.434 --> 00:21:55.531
because I wanted to graduate
from boot camp.
00:21:55.531 --> 00:21:57.894
It just so happened I was doing my part.
00:21:57.894 --> 00:22:00.486
I was doing my little motions
or what have you,
00:22:00.486 --> 00:22:01.413
praying and hoping
00:22:01.413 --> 00:22:03.274
that muscle memory would kick in.
00:22:03.274 --> 00:22:06.419
And when I went in the water for my test,
00:22:06.419 --> 00:22:08.574
I popped up, and I just remember
it kicked in,
00:22:08.574 --> 00:22:09.702
and I could just thank
00:22:09.702 --> 00:22:10.844
the Lord all the way.
00:22:10.844 --> 00:22:12.711
It was an Olympic-sized swimming pool,
00:22:12.711 --> 00:22:14.360
so I swam from one end to another,
00:22:14.360 --> 00:22:16.045
and I thanked God the whole way.
00:22:16.045 --> 00:22:17.527
That's when the hope kicked in,
00:22:17.527 --> 00:22:19.882
because I knew it was a miracle.
00:22:19.882 --> 00:22:21.516
I knew I didn't do this on my own.
00:22:21.516 --> 00:22:22.745
So right then and there,
00:22:22.745 --> 00:22:23.748
I was thanking God,
00:22:23.748 --> 00:22:25.331
and that's when, from that point
00:22:25.331 --> 00:22:28.331
for me, swimming, by God's grace,
00:22:28.331 --> 00:22:29.864
it just elevated my faith
00:22:29.864 --> 00:22:30.718
in Him even more.
00:22:30.718 --> 00:22:32.145
If I could trust Him in this,
00:22:32.145 --> 00:22:33.333
I knew I could trust Him
00:22:33.333 --> 00:22:35.863
in other things in my life.
00:22:35.863 --> 00:22:36.774
(Stephanie) Gladys.
00:22:36.774 --> 00:22:38.479
(Gladys) I think that sometimes,
00:22:38.479 --> 00:22:40.421
when things are going easy,
00:22:40.421 --> 00:22:42.995
we read the words of God and His promises,
00:22:42.995 --> 00:22:45.573
and we say "Amen."
00:22:45.573 --> 00:22:48.579
But it's not till the moment
of trial comes
00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:51.190
that that hope is really revealed.
00:22:51.190 --> 00:22:53.797
And I have shared with you guys before
00:22:53.797 --> 00:22:54.997
what happened with me
00:22:54.997 --> 00:22:57.723
a while ago with my surgery,
00:22:57.723 --> 00:23:02.921
and it's just like life comes
to your face,
00:23:02.921 --> 00:23:05.366
and you just say, "Do I really
00:23:05.366 --> 00:23:07.631
trust God with my life?"
00:23:07.631 --> 00:23:09.974
When it's a situation of life and death,
00:23:09.974 --> 00:23:11.840
that's when you really look
00:23:11.840 --> 00:23:13.317
at what you believe.
00:23:13.317 --> 00:23:14.560
And if you have that hope
00:23:14.560 --> 00:23:16.751
that God has you in His hands,
00:23:16.751 --> 00:23:19.448
things are just totally different,
00:23:19.448 --> 00:23:21.579
and it is not until that moment
00:23:21.579 --> 00:23:25.097
that you realize Whom you have believed.
00:23:25.097 --> 00:23:27.366
(Stephanie) And Nicole mentioned something
00:23:27.366 --> 00:23:31.384
about that hope in the Second Coming,
00:23:31.384 --> 00:23:33.625
and I'd like to look at that hope
00:23:33.625 --> 00:23:35.803
as we move on in our lesson
00:23:35.803 --> 00:23:39.162
in Matthew, chapter 24 and 25.
00:23:39.162 --> 00:23:40.663
You know that it talks
00:23:40.663 --> 00:23:43.071
about the Second Coming of Christ,
00:23:43.071 --> 00:23:46.295
and it's definitely the center
00:23:46.295 --> 00:23:47.678
of our hope, right?
00:23:47.678 --> 00:23:50.157
It's a pivotal point
00:23:50.157 --> 00:23:52.181
of where we place our hope.
00:23:52.181 --> 00:23:53.309
I'd like to take a look
00:23:53.309 --> 00:23:55.093
at what we should be doing
00:23:55.093 --> 00:23:58.683
in the interim between now
00:23:58.683 --> 00:24:00.210
and the Second Coming
00:24:00.210 --> 00:24:02.053
because I have a feeling
00:24:02.053 --> 00:24:04.611
we're not supposed to just be sitting down
00:24:04.611 --> 00:24:06.386
and twiddling our thumbs.
00:24:06.386 --> 00:24:08.081
There's something for us to do.
00:24:08.081 --> 00:24:10.881
So let's look in Matthew 24,
00:24:10.881 --> 00:24:14.661
and we'll look at verses 45 to 51,
00:24:14.661 --> 00:24:15.824
and, Travis, if you
00:24:15.824 --> 00:24:18.106
would read that for us.
00:24:18.106 --> 00:24:20.131
(Travis) Matthew, chapter 24,
00:24:20.131 --> 00:24:22.526
verses 45 to 51, I'll be reading
00:24:22.526 --> 00:24:24.822
from the New King James Version:
00:25:09.575 --> 00:25:10.899
(Stephanie) So, what does
00:25:10.899 --> 00:25:13.769
that passage say that we should be doing?
00:25:13.769 --> 00:25:15.414
(Gladys) Diligently working.
00:25:15.414 --> 00:25:18.087
(Stephanie) Diligently working.
00:25:18.087 --> 00:25:21.412
What else do you see there?
00:25:24.162 --> 00:25:26.547
Providing for the needs.
00:25:26.547 --> 00:25:27.841
"Blessed is the servant
00:25:27.841 --> 00:25:29.529
whom the Lord, when He comes,
00:25:29.529 --> 00:25:31.196
shall find him so doing."
00:25:31.196 --> 00:25:36.569
In verse 45, "When the faithful
and wise servant,
00:25:36.569 --> 00:25:37.944
whom the Lord hath made
00:25:37.944 --> 00:25:39.259
ruler of the household,
00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:42.503
to give them meat in due season."
00:25:42.503 --> 00:25:45.165
So that means feeding those
00:25:45.165 --> 00:25:47.617
that they have responsibility over,
00:25:47.617 --> 00:25:50.022
doesn't it? Yes, Tricia Lee.
00:25:50.022 --> 00:25:52.108
(Tricia Lee) There's also conflict
00:25:52.108 --> 00:25:53.968
that's taking place here.
00:25:53.968 --> 00:25:56.272
It talks about one servant
00:25:56.272 --> 00:25:58.538
is beating another servant,
00:25:58.538 --> 00:26:00.552
or they're beating their fellow servants
00:26:00.552 --> 00:26:02.587
and start to eat and drink with drunkards.
00:26:02.587 --> 00:26:04.145
And so it's this attitude that,
00:26:04.145 --> 00:26:05.832
if you lose your sight of the hope
00:26:05.832 --> 00:26:07.197
that the Lord is coming,
00:26:07.197 --> 00:26:08.344
the whole purpose, like,
00:26:08.344 --> 00:26:09.375
what are we here for,
00:26:09.375 --> 00:26:10.576
you start to get involved
00:26:10.576 --> 00:26:12.382
in disagreements or petty arguments,
00:26:12.382 --> 00:26:14.302
like, "Why are you beating each other?"
00:26:14.302 --> 00:26:15.968
And then the eating and drinking,
00:26:15.968 --> 00:26:17.572
it's like, to your point,
00:26:17.572 --> 00:26:18.827
they're just sitting back.
00:26:18.827 --> 00:26:20.732
It's like, we have work to do.
00:26:20.732 --> 00:26:21.786
We should be preparing
00:26:21.786 --> 00:26:23.095
for the Lord to come.
00:26:23.095 --> 00:26:25.385
It's as if the party started already,
00:26:25.385 --> 00:26:27.931
and it's the wrong type of party.
00:26:27.931 --> 00:26:30.150
And so, they've completely lost sight
00:26:30.150 --> 00:26:31.227
of what the focus is,
00:26:31.227 --> 00:26:32.579
and I think that's a danger.
00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:34.459
They start to fight amongst themselves,
00:26:34.459 --> 00:26:35.963
and they start having the party
00:26:35.963 --> 00:26:37.486
a bit too early, and the wrong
00:26:37.486 --> 00:26:39.001
type of party, in fact.
00:26:39.001 --> 00:26:40.671
(Stephanie) And let's move over,
00:26:40.671 --> 00:26:42.220
thank you very much, Tricia Lee,
00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:43.753
let's move to chapter 25
00:26:43.753 --> 00:26:46.675
and look at verses 14 and 15.
00:26:46.675 --> 00:26:48.769
And, Jason, if you would be willing
00:26:48.769 --> 00:26:51.404
to read that for us.
00:26:51.404 --> 00:26:54.490
This also gives us a choice.
00:26:54.490 --> 00:26:56.848
It shows us the options that we have.
00:26:56.848 --> 00:26:58.744
Let's go ahead and read
00:26:58.744 --> 00:27:02.725
verses 14 and 15 of Matthew 25.
00:27:02.725 --> 00:27:03.823
(Jason) I'll be reading
00:27:03.823 --> 00:27:05.367
from the New King James Version,
00:27:05.367 --> 00:27:09.048
Matthew, chapter 25, verses 14 and 15:
00:27:32.528 --> 00:27:34.629
(Stephanie) So, what are the options
00:27:34.629 --> 00:27:36.845
that these individuals have?
00:27:36.845 --> 00:27:38.190
They'd been given talents.
00:27:38.190 --> 00:27:39.384
What are the talents?
00:27:39.384 --> 00:27:44.684
What does that represent? Gifts? Skills?
00:27:44.684 --> 00:27:46.216
(Derek) In that culture,
00:27:46.216 --> 00:27:49.880
a talent was 6,000 days wages,
00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:51.532
so that's 20 years wages,
00:27:51.532 --> 00:27:53.960
even to the smallest portion.
00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:58.474
So, a massive amount of resource
00:27:58.474 --> 00:28:04.708
was given, according to the Master's plan,
to each of them
00:28:04.708 --> 00:28:07.389
with no specific instructions,
00:28:07.389 --> 00:28:09.223
except maybe their relationship
00:28:09.223 --> 00:28:11.071
would determine how they
00:28:11.071 --> 00:28:12.611
would use those resources.
00:28:12.611 --> 00:28:14.629
(Stephanie) That's right. Travis.
00:28:14.629 --> 00:28:15.754
(Travis) Well, the fact
00:28:15.754 --> 00:28:17.730
that they're called "servants,"
00:28:17.730 --> 00:28:19.633
servants means there is a responsibility
00:28:19.633 --> 00:28:21.235
with the resource.
00:28:21.235 --> 00:28:23.037
And I like the fact that Derek
00:28:23.037 --> 00:28:24.463
used the word "resource,"
00:28:24.463 --> 00:28:27.153
because resource can mean many things.
00:28:27.153 --> 00:28:28.557
Resource can be information,
00:28:28.557 --> 00:28:30.426
resource can be monetary, resource
00:28:30.426 --> 00:28:33.690
can be different responsibilities,
00:28:33.690 --> 00:28:34.811
but they're servants.
00:28:34.811 --> 00:28:36.110
So, when you're a servant,
00:28:36.110 --> 00:28:38.734
and the Master gives you a resource,
00:28:38.734 --> 00:28:39.951
there's a responsibility
00:28:39.951 --> 00:28:41.438
that comes with that resource.
00:28:41.438 --> 00:28:42.668
(Stephanie) All right,
00:28:42.668 --> 00:28:44.076
so they have options,
00:28:44.076 --> 00:28:47.535
either to use that resource wisely
00:28:47.535 --> 00:28:50.387
or to choose not to use it wisely.
00:28:50.387 --> 00:28:52.151
How do we relate that
00:28:52.151 --> 00:28:56.800
to what we should be doing
in our day
00:28:56.800 --> 00:29:00.451
between now and the Second Coming
of Christ? Treva.
00:29:00.453 --> 00:29:02.959
(Treva) I think also in the Scripture,
00:29:02.959 --> 00:29:04.522
we talked about this before,
00:29:04.522 --> 00:29:05.894
where people may feel like,
00:29:05.894 --> 00:29:09.141
"Well, what can I offer? What can I do?"
00:29:09.141 --> 00:29:10.708
And this Scripture shows us
00:29:10.708 --> 00:29:13.394
that God has given us something,
00:29:13.394 --> 00:29:14.772
some type of resource,
00:29:14.772 --> 00:29:16.741
even if it's your testimony,
00:29:16.741 --> 00:29:18.644
which is one of the most powerful things
00:29:18.644 --> 00:29:23.026
you can share to bring people
closer to Christ.
00:29:23.026 --> 00:29:24.436
So, if anything, that's
00:29:24.436 --> 00:29:26.042
what we should be doing.
00:29:26.042 --> 00:29:28.149
(Stephanie) All right. Tricia Lee,
00:29:28.149 --> 00:29:30.102
I see you're ready to say something.
00:29:30.102 --> 00:29:32.607
(Tricia Lee) Just a great question
that you're asking
00:29:32.607 --> 00:29:35.544
because we all have talents.
00:29:35.544 --> 00:29:38.009
Even just this week my husband and I
were commenting
00:29:38.009 --> 00:29:40.543
about a very popular musician,
00:29:40.543 --> 00:29:43.424
someone in the music industry,
who's in trouble.
00:29:43.424 --> 00:29:45.657
And we're thinking to ourselves,
00:29:45.657 --> 00:29:46.995
"What if this individual
00:29:46.995 --> 00:29:49.475
had used these gifts for the glory of God?
00:29:49.475 --> 00:29:51.255
Like, how many lives would he
00:29:51.255 --> 00:29:53.656
have impacted with his lyrics
and his music.
00:29:53.656 --> 00:29:55.248
He's so skilled and talented,
00:29:55.248 --> 00:29:57.303
and yet it's like just headline
00:29:57.303 --> 00:29:58.975
after headline of negative things.
00:29:58.975 --> 00:30:00.480
And so we have a choice
00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:02.174
to invest in the Kingdom of God,
00:30:02.174 --> 00:30:04.240
which is spiritual, blessing others,
00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:05.922
or we have an opportunity to invest
00:30:05.922 --> 00:30:07.784
in the things that are passing away.
00:30:07.784 --> 00:30:10.400
There's no doubt that this person
is talented,
00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:12.035
but the things that he spent
00:30:12.035 --> 00:30:13.631
his time investing in
00:30:13.631 --> 00:30:15.868
have not reaped anything beneficial
00:30:15.868 --> 00:30:18.295
to anyone in the long run.
00:30:18.295 --> 00:30:20.416
And so we could focus on our job
00:30:20.416 --> 00:30:22.183
or education or on things
00:30:22.183 --> 00:30:24.533
that might get us big wins in this life,
00:30:24.533 --> 00:30:26.246
but are we thinking about how we're
00:30:26.246 --> 00:30:28.666
using our skills to bless others,
00:30:28.666 --> 00:30:30.698
to bless and build the Kingdom of God.
00:30:30.698 --> 00:30:32.861
The option is there for us,
00:30:32.861 --> 00:30:34.246
but how do we use our skills
00:30:34.246 --> 00:30:36.274
to really build God's Kingdom.
00:30:36.274 --> 00:30:38.311
(Stephanie) I like that, and let's move on
00:30:38.311 --> 00:30:40.609
and look at some practical ways.
00:30:40.609 --> 00:30:44.138
And staying in Matthew, chapter 25,
00:30:44.138 --> 00:30:48.658
we'll be looking in verses 31 through 40,
00:30:48.658 --> 00:30:50.718
31 through 40, and Puia,
00:30:50.718 --> 00:30:52.732
would you read that for us?
00:30:52.732 --> 00:30:54.616
We're looking at some practical ways
00:30:54.616 --> 00:30:58.836
of how we should be spending our time
until Christ comes.
00:30:58.836 --> 00:31:00.239
(Puia) Sure, I'll be reading
00:31:00.239 --> 00:31:01.822
from the New King James Version,
00:31:01.822 --> 00:31:04.885
Matthew 25, verses 31 through 40:
00:32:29.110 --> 00:32:31.786
(Stephanie) Wow. So tell me,
00:32:31.786 --> 00:32:35.338
what have you learned from this passage
00:32:35.338 --> 00:32:37.158
as you've done your own study?
00:32:37.158 --> 00:32:39.304
Travis, and then we'll go to Gladys.
00:32:39.304 --> 00:32:41.272
(Travis) I remember reading in Matthew 7
00:32:41.272 --> 00:32:42.563
about a similar group,
00:32:42.563 --> 00:32:43.610
but this group said,
00:32:43.610 --> 00:32:45.796
"Look at what we've done,"
00:32:45.796 --> 00:32:47.218
and He said, "Depart from Me;
00:32:47.218 --> 00:32:48.866
I don't know you."
00:32:48.866 --> 00:32:50.613
And this group of people here,
00:32:50.613 --> 00:32:53.134
they're like, "When did we
do this for You?"
00:32:53.134 --> 00:32:55.034
And I remember Billy's story
00:32:55.034 --> 00:32:56.330
in a lesson or two ago,
00:32:56.330 --> 00:32:59.292
and I can imagine Jesus saying to him,
00:32:59.292 --> 00:33:02.662
"You know, I had pizza with you that day."
00:33:02.662 --> 00:33:04.547
And he's going to be like,
00:33:04.547 --> 00:33:06.197
"When did this happen?"...
00:33:06.197 --> 00:33:07.799
(Stephanie) We'll have to go back
00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:09.603
and listen to that lesson now, right?
00:33:09.603 --> 00:33:10.994
(Travis) But it's just like,
00:33:10.994 --> 00:33:12.700
when we're doing things
00:33:12.700 --> 00:33:15.057
with compassion for somebody else,
00:33:15.057 --> 00:33:18.751
Jesus resonates with each
and every person.
00:33:18.751 --> 00:33:20.799
And when you're doing something for them,
00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:22.547
it's like you're doing it for Jesus.
00:33:22.547 --> 00:33:24.067
And you didn't even realize it;
00:33:24.067 --> 00:33:25.904
that thought isn't even in your head.
00:33:25.904 --> 00:33:28.025
It's just like, "I want
to help this person,"
00:33:28.025 --> 00:33:29.936
and Jesus says, "You've done it to Me."
00:33:29.944 --> 00:33:31.755
(Stephanie) And, Travis, I appreciate
00:33:31.755 --> 00:33:33.759
the fact that you brought out that verse
00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:36.736
that says, "I never knew you,"
00:33:36.736 --> 00:33:38.389
when they showed Him.
00:33:38.389 --> 00:33:41.708
So this is not about, "I'm working
00:33:41.708 --> 00:33:43.471
my way to Heaven," is it?
00:33:43.471 --> 00:33:45.028
(Stephanie, Team) No.
00:33:45.028 --> 00:33:46.973
(Stephanie) It's talking about having
00:33:46.973 --> 00:33:49.911
that connection that allows
00:33:49.911 --> 00:33:53.255
the love to flow out through us.
Yes, Gladys.
00:33:53.255 --> 00:33:55.606
(Gladys) That is exactly what I was
going to say,
00:33:55.606 --> 00:33:57.380
that when that connection is strong,
00:33:57.380 --> 00:33:58.680
you are just reflecting
00:33:58.680 --> 00:34:00.530
the character of God.
00:34:00.530 --> 00:34:02.615
The love of God is just flowing
through you,
00:34:02.615 --> 00:34:04.114
so you don't even realize it.
00:34:04.114 --> 00:34:05.934
It just becomes part of who you are.
00:34:05.934 --> 00:34:07.780
So it is just second nature
00:34:07.780 --> 00:34:09.994
to you to help others.
00:34:09.994 --> 00:34:11.780
(Stephanie) Amen. Marcus.
00:34:11.780 --> 00:34:13.973
(Marcus) A little bit of context to add
00:34:13.973 --> 00:34:15.339
to what Travis was saying
00:34:15.339 --> 00:34:19.205
is that basically when those people said,
00:34:19.205 --> 00:34:20.454
"We did good things,"
00:34:20.454 --> 00:34:22.152
"We did good works as well,"
00:34:22.152 --> 00:34:23.702
and the Father and Jesus said,
00:34:23.702 --> 00:34:25.359
"Depart, I never knew you,"
00:34:25.359 --> 00:34:26.925
it's because their hearts
00:34:26.925 --> 00:34:28.235
weren't in the right place.
00:34:28.235 --> 00:34:29.663
So, what I'm trying to say is,
00:34:29.663 --> 00:34:32.937
a great work that is done
00:34:32.937 --> 00:34:35.743
for some type of self-glorification
00:34:35.743 --> 00:34:37.802
is not acceptable to God
00:34:37.802 --> 00:34:39.025
versus a small work
00:34:39.025 --> 00:34:41.472
that is done in self-sacrifice
00:34:41.472 --> 00:34:44.992
and with no self included in that work.
00:34:44.992 --> 00:34:47.764
So, a small work done for the Master
00:34:47.764 --> 00:34:50.323
is better than a large and great work
00:34:50.323 --> 00:34:53.284
with just a little bit of self
injected in there.
00:34:53.284 --> 00:34:54.626
So, it's not the size
00:34:54.626 --> 00:34:56.557
of the work that we do,
00:34:56.557 --> 00:34:58.197
it is whether we have
00:34:58.197 --> 00:34:59.643
surrendered to the Master
00:34:59.643 --> 00:35:01.166
and want to give all glory
00:35:01.166 --> 00:35:02.578
and honor and praise to Him.
00:35:02.578 --> 00:35:04.616
(Stephanie) And that is amazing.
00:35:04.616 --> 00:35:06.229
I definitely agree with that.
00:35:06.229 --> 00:35:08.018
I do want to say that,
00:35:08.018 --> 00:35:10.006
if someone is watching,
00:35:10.006 --> 00:35:11.778
and they say, "But that person
00:35:11.778 --> 00:35:14.530
did bless me by their acts of kindnesss,
00:35:14.530 --> 00:35:15.637
even though they had
00:35:15.637 --> 00:35:16.716
selfishness in there,"
00:35:16.716 --> 00:35:18.437
can God use that?
00:35:18.437 --> 00:35:20.538
Absolutely, He can still use people,
00:35:20.538 --> 00:35:21.893
even though their hearts
00:35:21.893 --> 00:35:25.339
may not be in the right place.
00:35:25.339 --> 00:35:28.507
Anything else that stands out to you
00:35:28.507 --> 00:35:37.129
in this passage? Yes, Puia.
00:35:37.129 --> 00:35:39.045
(Puia) Not exactly from the verse here,
00:35:39.045 --> 00:35:42.153
but I remember an experience that I had
00:35:42.153 --> 00:35:43.513
a couple of years ago
00:35:43.513 --> 00:35:45.014
when I was serving
00:35:45.014 --> 00:35:48.177
as a student volunteer in Hawaii,
00:35:48.177 --> 00:35:49.792
and there was a family
00:35:49.792 --> 00:35:51.873
that needed help with moving,
00:35:51.873 --> 00:35:52.947
as they were moving
00:35:52.947 --> 00:35:55.085
from one part of the island
to the other part.
00:35:55.085 --> 00:35:57.370
And they had so many things to carry,
00:35:57.370 --> 00:36:00.323
and they didn't have enough people
to help them out,
00:36:00.323 --> 00:36:01.591
so they invited me.
00:36:01.591 --> 00:36:03.374
So I went there, and a lot
00:36:03.374 --> 00:36:04.396
of people were busy,
00:36:04.396 --> 00:36:05.820
so they couldn't stay behind.
00:36:05.820 --> 00:36:07.670
So they asked me if I could stay
00:36:07.670 --> 00:36:09.437
a little longer, and I did.
00:36:09.437 --> 00:36:11.326
And I went inside, and I helped
00:36:11.326 --> 00:36:12.977
paint the house and all of that.
00:36:12.977 --> 00:36:15.984
And I had forgotten all about it.
00:36:15.984 --> 00:36:17.445
The end of the year came,
00:36:17.445 --> 00:36:18.585
and it was time for me
00:36:18.585 --> 00:36:19.808
to leave the island,
00:36:19.808 --> 00:36:22.468
and the family invited me over.
00:36:22.468 --> 00:36:23.751
As I walked into the house,
00:36:23.751 --> 00:36:24.926
they said, "Puia, do you
00:36:24.926 --> 00:36:25.896
remember this time?"
00:36:25.896 --> 00:36:27.160
like, "Remember this wall?
00:36:27.160 --> 00:36:28.467
This was what you painted."
00:36:28.467 --> 00:36:29.985
I was like, "Oh, wait a minute.
00:36:29.985 --> 00:36:31.454
Yes, this is what I painted!"
00:36:31.454 --> 00:36:34.242
You know, it brought joy to them
as well as me.
00:36:34.242 --> 00:36:36.635
The point is, sometimes
00:36:36.635 --> 00:36:40.864
it's not about trying to help people
all the time.
00:36:40.864 --> 00:36:43.168
I think it's about asking God
00:36:43.168 --> 00:36:44.467
to put us in places
00:36:44.467 --> 00:36:46.673
where He wants to use us.
00:36:46.673 --> 00:36:48.657
And when we place ourselves
00:36:48.657 --> 00:36:50.539
in the place where God can use us,
00:36:50.539 --> 00:36:51.998
He will bring us to the people
00:36:51.998 --> 00:36:54.793
who need our help when the time is right.
00:36:54.793 --> 00:36:56.415
(Stephanie) Being connected.
00:36:56.415 --> 00:36:57.934
Now, there's another hope
00:36:57.934 --> 00:36:59.440
that we want to take a look at,
00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:01.047
which is closely connected
00:37:01.047 --> 00:37:02.434
with the Second Coming.
00:37:02.434 --> 00:37:05.977
And this is an event
00:37:05.977 --> 00:37:08.984
that will take place at Jesus' return.
00:37:08.984 --> 00:37:10.564
It was a precious truth
00:37:10.564 --> 00:37:12.886
that was boldly proclaimed
00:37:12.886 --> 00:37:15.663
by the early Christians
00:37:15.663 --> 00:37:18.673
found in Acts, chapter 4, verse 33.
00:37:18.673 --> 00:37:20.471
And, Tricia Lee, if you
00:37:20.471 --> 00:37:22.330
would read that for us.
00:37:22.330 --> 00:37:26.800
Let's find out what that truth
and promise is.
00:37:26.800 --> 00:37:28.367
(Tricia Lee) Certainly, reading
00:37:28.367 --> 00:37:30.741
from the New King James Version:
00:37:41.378 --> 00:37:42.765
(Stephanie) What did they
00:37:42.765 --> 00:37:46.979
give testimony or witness to?
00:37:46.979 --> 00:37:49.996
(Stephanie, Team) The resurrection.
00:37:49.996 --> 00:37:54.192
(Stephanie) The resurrection. What had
they just gone through?
00:37:54.192 --> 00:37:56.532
If you think about Acts, chapter 1,
00:37:56.532 --> 00:37:58.977
what had they just seen?
00:37:58.977 --> 00:38:01.247
The ascension, they had just seen
00:38:01.247 --> 00:38:07.368
their crucified, buried, and risen Savior
00:38:07.368 --> 00:38:10.007
leave in Acts, chapter 1.
00:38:10.007 --> 00:38:11.689
And so they are able to proclaim
00:38:11.689 --> 00:38:15.509
with power, "My Savior died,
00:38:15.509 --> 00:38:17.840
and He rose again," okay?
00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:21.906
Now, here's my question for us:
00:38:21.906 --> 00:38:26.405
What is the importance, why is it
00:38:26.405 --> 00:38:32.057
so important or pivotal to our hope,
00:38:32.057 --> 00:38:35.567
that Jesus rose again?
00:38:35.567 --> 00:38:37.264
And I'd like us...Travis, can you
00:38:37.264 --> 00:38:40.317
take us to 1 Corinthians, chapter 15?
00:38:40.317 --> 00:38:42.780
And we'll take a look
00:38:42.780 --> 00:38:47.049
at a few verses, 12 through 19,
00:38:47.049 --> 00:38:49.377
and then, Treva, if you would read
00:38:49.377 --> 00:38:52.997
verses 20 through 23.
00:38:52.997 --> 00:38:54.818
Let's see what the Bible says,
00:38:54.818 --> 00:38:57.745
how pivotal this truth
00:38:57.745 --> 00:38:59.633
of the resurrection is
00:38:59.633 --> 00:39:03.612
to Christians living today.
00:39:03.612 --> 00:39:04.780
(Travis) I'll be reading
00:39:04.780 --> 00:39:06.390
from the New King James Version,
00:39:06.390 --> 00:39:09.482
1 Corinthians, chapter 15, 12 through 19:
00:39:59.631 --> 00:40:01.391
(Stephanie) So if Christ didn't rise,
00:40:01.391 --> 00:40:04.392
then what is the natural conclusion?
00:40:04.392 --> 00:40:07.045
We're still in our sins.
00:40:07.045 --> 00:40:08.704
There's no resurrection.
00:40:08.704 --> 00:40:12.913
We're miserable, there's no hope,
that's right.
00:40:12.913 --> 00:40:16.720
Let's look at verses 20 through 23, Treva?
00:40:16.720 --> 00:40:18.004
(Treva) And I'll be reading
00:40:18.004 --> 00:40:20.356
from the New King James translation,
00:40:20.356 --> 00:40:22.722
1 Corinthians, chapter 15,
00:40:22.722 --> 00:40:24.912
starting with verse 20:
00:40:56.380 --> 00:40:58.607
(Stephanie) So it's good news
00:40:58.607 --> 00:41:01.131
that Christ rose again, right?
00:41:01.131 --> 00:41:02.168
Now, does that mean
00:41:02.168 --> 00:41:05.785
that death is not a problem?
00:41:05.785 --> 00:41:07.565
No, death is an enemy.
00:41:07.565 --> 00:41:09.132
That's what the Bible says.
00:41:09.132 --> 00:41:11.658
It's an enemy, and it will be destroyed.
00:41:11.658 --> 00:41:13.731
But as Christians, Paul says
00:41:13.731 --> 00:41:16.088
that we don't sorrow
00:41:16.088 --> 00:41:17.968
as those who have no hope.
00:41:17.968 --> 00:41:19.788
I'd like us to turn over, and, Nicole,
00:41:19.788 --> 00:41:21.320
if you would read this for us,
00:41:21.320 --> 00:41:24.922
1 Thessalonians 4, verses 13 through 18,
00:41:24.922 --> 00:41:30.888
and see why we can have this hope. Nicole?
00:41:30.888 --> 00:41:34.009
(Nicole) 1 Thessalonians 4,
00:41:34.009 --> 00:41:35.485
verses 13 through 18,
00:41:35.485 --> 00:41:37.793
from the New International Version says:
00:42:38.394 --> 00:42:39.665
(Stephanie) Amen. Have you
00:42:39.665 --> 00:42:40.669
ever been encouraged
00:42:40.669 --> 00:42:45.190
by the truth of the resurrection? Puia.
00:42:45.190 --> 00:42:48.272
(Puia) I never got to see my grandfather.
00:42:48.272 --> 00:42:51.133
He passed away before I was born,
00:42:51.133 --> 00:42:53.549
my grandfather from my father's side.
00:42:53.549 --> 00:42:54.886
And last year, when I had
00:42:54.886 --> 00:42:56.624
the opportunity to go back home
00:42:56.624 --> 00:42:59.124
to my country, Myanmar,
00:42:59.124 --> 00:43:00.811
I asked my grandmother
00:43:00.811 --> 00:43:05.526
if we could visit my grandfather's grave,
00:43:05.526 --> 00:43:06.971
you know, the tombstone,
00:43:06.971 --> 00:43:08.546
because, to be honest,
00:43:08.546 --> 00:43:10.658
I never really remembered
00:43:10.658 --> 00:43:12.255
that I'd ever visited
00:43:12.255 --> 00:43:14.240
that place, the cemetery.
00:43:14.240 --> 00:43:16.310
So we went over there, and we realized
00:43:16.310 --> 00:43:21.473
that there were no more markings.
00:43:21.473 --> 00:43:22.750
It was just a stone,
00:43:22.750 --> 00:43:24.987
and the markings were almost gone.
00:43:24.987 --> 00:43:26.946
So I told my grandma, "Grandma,
00:43:26.946 --> 00:43:28.769
we have to do something about this.
00:43:28.769 --> 00:43:31.297
We need to create a new,
00:43:31.297 --> 00:43:33.146
at least a good-looking tombstone,
00:43:33.146 --> 00:43:35.277
so that people in the future, you know,
00:43:35.277 --> 00:43:37.655
maybe, who knows, in the future
00:43:37.655 --> 00:43:39.419
our families would like to come back
00:43:39.419 --> 00:43:40.903
and know that this is where
00:43:40.903 --> 00:43:42.511
our grandfather is laid at rest."
00:43:42.511 --> 00:43:44.506
Now, the thing about my grandfather was
00:43:44.506 --> 00:43:47.186
he was once an alcoholic.
00:43:47.186 --> 00:43:49.674
I knew at least that much about him.
00:43:49.674 --> 00:43:51.585
So in my mind, growing up,
00:43:51.585 --> 00:43:54.859
I used to wonder, question, you know,
00:43:54.859 --> 00:43:55.912
will I ever get to see
00:43:55.912 --> 00:43:57.809
my grandfather again,
00:43:57.809 --> 00:43:59.934
because, if he was an alcoholic,
00:43:59.934 --> 00:44:02.753
and if he did not really accept Jesus,
00:44:02.753 --> 00:44:04.546
then I didn't know
00:44:04.546 --> 00:44:06.229
if there could be any hope.
00:44:06.229 --> 00:44:07.367
That was the question
00:44:07.367 --> 00:44:08.795
that I had growing up
00:44:08.795 --> 00:44:10.099
because nobody ever told me
00:44:10.099 --> 00:44:11.157
much about his life,
00:44:11.157 --> 00:44:12.758
and all I knew was that he was
00:44:12.758 --> 00:44:14.420
never really someone who liked
00:44:14.420 --> 00:44:16.514
to go to church or read the Bible.
00:44:16.514 --> 00:44:18.686
So my grandmother said sure,
00:44:18.686 --> 00:44:20.863
so we called our family.
00:44:20.863 --> 00:44:22.631
We had a get together, we had a meal,
00:44:22.631 --> 00:44:25.303
and we talked about repairing the place
00:44:25.303 --> 00:44:27.110
where my grandfather is laid to rest.
00:44:27.110 --> 00:44:29.695
And in that process, one of my uncles
00:44:29.695 --> 00:44:31.098
stood up and shared
00:44:31.098 --> 00:44:33.074
a story about my grandpa.
00:44:33.074 --> 00:44:35.317
And one of the things he said was
00:44:35.317 --> 00:44:37.839
that just before my grandfather
passed away,
00:44:37.839 --> 00:44:39.929
he said my grandfather was
00:44:39.929 --> 00:44:43.205
going through that moment of repentance.
00:44:43.205 --> 00:44:45.232
He said my grandfather was crying,
00:44:45.232 --> 00:44:47.712
he said, on his deathbed,
00:44:47.712 --> 00:44:50.990
saying, like, "Oh, am I to meet Jesus
00:44:50.990 --> 00:44:53.385
without bringing anyone along with me?"
00:44:53.385 --> 00:44:56.506
You know, without bringing anyone to Him.
00:44:56.506 --> 00:44:59.257
"Am I to meet my Lord?"
00:44:59.257 --> 00:45:01.754
With those dying words,
00:45:01.754 --> 00:45:03.327
my grandpa passed away.
00:45:03.327 --> 00:45:05.339
So, when he said that,
00:45:05.339 --> 00:45:07.481
I realized, "Wait a minute.
00:45:07.481 --> 00:45:09.584
My grandfather repented of his sin
00:45:09.584 --> 00:45:12.917
just before he passed away,
and accepted Jesus!
00:45:12.917 --> 00:45:15.632
And that gave me so much hope,
00:45:15.632 --> 00:45:17.290
knowing that one day,
00:45:17.290 --> 00:45:19.065
when Jesus comes again,
00:45:19.065 --> 00:45:21.770
I will get to see my grandfather again.
00:45:21.770 --> 00:45:24.413
(Stephanie) Amen. I think all of us,
00:45:24.413 --> 00:45:25.565
I don't know about you,
00:45:25.565 --> 00:45:26.540
but in our minds,
00:45:26.540 --> 00:45:28.104
we're thinking about that person
00:45:28.104 --> 00:45:30.999
that we're going to meet.
00:45:30.999 --> 00:45:35.127
I know that I am, and, you know,
00:45:35.127 --> 00:45:36.478
as I think about that,
00:45:36.478 --> 00:45:37.804
we have such a hope
00:45:37.804 --> 00:45:40.395
in that resurrection morning.
00:45:40.395 --> 00:45:43.957
But some people are fearful of death,
00:45:43.957 --> 00:45:45.531
and they're fearful of death
00:45:45.531 --> 00:45:47.104
because of the judgment.
00:45:47.104 --> 00:45:48.857
They know, the Bible speaks
00:45:48.857 --> 00:45:52.674
that at the time of judgment,
00:45:52.674 --> 00:45:56.653
we will stand before the Judge,
00:45:56.653 --> 00:45:58.677
and the question is,
00:45:58.677 --> 00:46:02.557
who is going to be with us, and what hope
00:46:02.557 --> 00:46:07.375
do we have in this judgment?
00:46:07.375 --> 00:46:09.201
So I'd like us to take a look
00:46:09.201 --> 00:46:11.395
at John, chapter 5,
00:46:11.395 --> 00:46:16.781
and verses 22 through 24,
00:46:16.781 --> 00:46:19.207
and see what the Bible says
00:46:19.207 --> 00:46:21.177
about the hope that we can have
00:46:21.177 --> 00:46:23.250
even in the judgment.
00:46:23.250 --> 00:46:27.515
John, chapter 5, verses 22 through 24,
00:46:27.515 --> 00:46:31.374
and, Adison, would you read that for us?
00:46:31.374 --> 00:46:32.871
(Adison) Sure, and I'm reading
00:46:32.871 --> 00:46:34.632
from the King James Version:
00:47:08.137 --> 00:47:09.634
(Stephanie) So, where do you
00:47:09.634 --> 00:47:12.692
find hope in that passage? Tricia Lee.
00:47:12.692 --> 00:47:15.872
(Tricia Lee) I think about the criminal
justice system in the U.S.
00:47:15.872 --> 00:47:18.275
There is a court, there is a judge,
00:47:18.275 --> 00:47:20.333
there is a jury, there are
00:47:20.333 --> 00:47:24.490
typically lawyers, prosecution
and defense,
00:47:24.490 --> 00:47:26.759
and there could be witnesses
here or there.
00:47:26.759 --> 00:47:28.224
If we read through the whole
00:47:28.224 --> 00:47:30.260
Great Controversy themes of the Bible,
00:47:30.260 --> 00:47:32.891
we're told that our great adversary,
00:47:32.891 --> 00:47:35.148
the devil, is always trying to accuse us.
00:47:35.148 --> 00:47:37.109
But here it's as if the system
00:47:37.109 --> 00:47:39.086
is rigged in our favor, that the Person
00:47:39.086 --> 00:47:41.261
who is advocating for us is Jesus,
00:47:41.261 --> 00:47:44.751
the Person who is our
greatest sacrifice is Jesus,
00:47:44.757 --> 00:47:46.695
the One who is witnessing on our behalf
00:47:46.695 --> 00:47:48.408
is still Jesus and the Holy Spirit
00:47:48.408 --> 00:47:50.832
who knows the conversion process
we've been through.
00:47:50.832 --> 00:47:53.344
And now we find out that the judgment
00:47:53.344 --> 00:47:55.465
is also being given to Jesus.
00:47:55.465 --> 00:47:57.415
It's not as if we should take it lightly,
00:47:57.415 --> 00:47:59.265
we can live our lives any way we want,
00:47:59.265 --> 00:48:00.831
but we're seeing here that God
00:48:00.831 --> 00:48:03.132
is literally doing everything He can
00:48:03.132 --> 00:48:05.283
so that the ruling is in our favor.
00:48:05.283 --> 00:48:07.385
If we accept His mercy and His sacrifice,
00:48:07.385 --> 00:48:08.682
what He's doing for us,
00:48:08.682 --> 00:48:10.606
it's like, how can we lose
00:48:10.606 --> 00:48:13.235
when judgment is in favor of the saints?
00:48:13.235 --> 00:48:15.229
it's in favor of His people.
00:48:15.229 --> 00:48:17.758
(Stephanie) Amen. That's beautiful.
00:48:17.758 --> 00:48:19.461
And I'd like for you to think
00:48:19.461 --> 00:48:21.111
of maybe a Bible verse.
00:48:21.111 --> 00:48:23.176
There's someone who may be watching today.
00:48:23.176 --> 00:48:26.176
You may be watching us for the first time,
00:48:26.176 --> 00:48:28.184
and you're wondering, "How can I
00:48:28.184 --> 00:48:30.917
have hope in the time of judgment?"
00:48:30.917 --> 00:48:33.012
So, what would you say to someone
00:48:33.012 --> 00:48:35.781
who is wondering, "How do I
00:48:35.781 --> 00:48:38.538
find hope even in the judgment?" Travis.
00:48:38.538 --> 00:48:39.846
(Travis) I think of Romans,
00:48:39.846 --> 00:48:41.676
chapter 5, verse 20.
00:48:41.676 --> 00:48:43.701
(Stephanie) Romans, chapter 5, verse 20?
00:48:43.701 --> 00:48:45.458
Would you like to read that for us?
00:48:45.458 --> 00:48:46.543
(Travis) Sure, sure.
00:48:46.543 --> 00:48:48.578
(Stephanie) Romans, chapter 5, verse 20,
00:48:48.578 --> 00:48:50.799
and we're looking at hope
00:48:50.799 --> 00:48:54.249
in the time of judgment.
00:48:55.699 --> 00:48:58.052
All right, Romans, chapter 5,
00:48:58.052 --> 00:48:59.230
(Travis) I'll be reading
00:48:59.230 --> 00:49:00.927
from the New King James Version:
00:49:09.966 --> 00:49:12.204
(Stephanie) So, unpack that a little bit.
00:49:12.204 --> 00:49:14.152
What would you say to that person?
00:49:14.152 --> 00:49:15.883
(Travis) So somebody who is fearful
00:49:15.883 --> 00:49:17.821
of the judgment, has thought,
00:49:17.821 --> 00:49:19.735
"I have so many sins in my life.
00:49:19.735 --> 00:49:21.857
I have so many things in my life,"
00:49:21.857 --> 00:49:23.898
but Jesus says if you confess your sins,
00:49:23.898 --> 00:49:26.020
He is faithful to forgive us
00:49:26.020 --> 00:49:27.973
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
00:49:27.973 --> 00:49:29.390
(Stephanie) First John 1:9?
00:49:29.390 --> 00:49:31.050
(Travis) Yeah, and then I think,
00:49:31.050 --> 00:49:33.187
"How could He ever do this?"
00:49:33.187 --> 00:49:35.820
And we can go to Romans 5:20 and say,
00:49:35.820 --> 00:49:37.542
"Where sin abounds,
00:49:37.542 --> 00:49:39.383
grace abounds much more."
00:49:39.383 --> 00:49:42.854
He has more grace than you have sin.
00:49:42.854 --> 00:49:45.217
(Stephanie) Was there another verse?
Yes, Jason.
00:49:45.217 --> 00:49:47.690
(Jason) I've got an oldie but a goody.
00:49:47.690 --> 00:49:49.848
(Stephanie) What verse would you
like to read?
00:49:49.848 --> 00:49:50.910
(Jason) It's Psalms,
00:49:50.910 --> 00:49:54.293
the eighty-sixth chapter, verse 5.
00:49:54.293 --> 00:49:57.899
(Stephanie) Psalm 86 and verse 5,
00:49:57.899 --> 00:50:00.463
and we're looking at promises
00:50:00.463 --> 00:50:04.006
for hope in the time of judgment.
00:50:04.006 --> 00:50:04.920
(Jason) I'm reading
00:50:04.920 --> 00:50:07.753
from the New King James Version,
00:50:07.753 --> 00:50:09.094
and the Bible says:
00:50:19.478 --> 00:50:21.297
So it just shows that God,
00:50:21.297 --> 00:50:24.321
He's ready to forgive.
00:50:24.321 --> 00:50:25.587
He's sitting there waiting
00:50:25.587 --> 00:50:27.242
for us to come unto Him, you know,
00:50:27.242 --> 00:50:29.632
to be forgiven of our sins,
our trespasses,
00:50:29.632 --> 00:50:31.182
so that He can just embrace us
00:50:31.182 --> 00:50:33.705
like that picture in the Prodigal Son.
00:50:33.705 --> 00:50:35.426
You know, the father, just waiting,
00:50:35.426 --> 00:50:37.678
looking for his son to come to him,
00:50:37.678 --> 00:50:39.069
so that he can embrace him,
00:50:39.069 --> 00:50:40.762
so that's what I get from that.
00:50:40.762 --> 00:50:41.673
(Stephanie) Derek.
00:50:41.673 --> 00:50:43.091
(Derek) And that Scripture song
00:50:43.091 --> 00:50:44.268
that Jason just read
00:50:44.268 --> 00:50:46.420
was written by someone
00:50:46.420 --> 00:50:48.187
who had committed adultery
00:50:48.187 --> 00:50:51.119
and murdered someone and lied,
00:50:51.119 --> 00:50:52.894
and damaged his family,
00:50:52.894 --> 00:50:55.323
but had the courage to say,
00:50:55.323 --> 00:50:58.421
"Create in me a clean heart, O God."
00:50:58.421 --> 00:51:00.050
So he confessed his sins,
00:51:00.050 --> 00:51:02.027
"Renew a right spirit within me."
00:51:02.027 --> 00:51:04.715
And now he can write that testimony
00:51:04.715 --> 00:51:06.814
because he's experienced it.
00:51:06.814 --> 00:51:08.254
And I think hope comes,
00:51:08.254 --> 00:51:10.451
even though we don't see, like you said,
00:51:10.451 --> 00:51:13.514
we have seen what God is doing now,
00:51:13.514 --> 00:51:15.999
and that gives us confidence
in His promise.
00:51:15.999 --> 00:51:18.554
(Stephanie) Yes, and that reminds me
00:51:18.554 --> 00:51:20.557
of the verse in 1 John 4.
00:51:20.557 --> 00:51:25.236
We won't read it, but there's
no fear in love.
00:51:25.236 --> 00:51:26.556
And when you have this,
00:51:26.556 --> 00:51:28.911
when you know that God loves you,
00:51:28.911 --> 00:51:30.382
and that Jesus loves you,
00:51:30.382 --> 00:51:32.250
that fear at the time of judgment,
00:51:32.250 --> 00:51:37.180
because He's standing
beside you, it is, it's gone.
00:51:37.180 --> 00:51:42.010
We want to move on to our last hope
00:51:42.010 --> 00:51:43.652
that we're going to look at,
00:51:43.652 --> 00:51:45.080
which is hope realized
00:51:45.080 --> 00:51:47.907
in the new heavens and the new Earth.
00:51:47.907 --> 00:51:49.745
And I'd like us to take a look.
00:51:49.745 --> 00:51:52.755
We know that from 2 Peter
00:51:52.755 --> 00:51:56.424
that this new heavens and a new Earth,
00:51:56.424 --> 00:52:01.562
this is where righteousness dwells.
00:52:01.562 --> 00:52:06.298
When you hear that, what do you think of?
00:52:06.298 --> 00:52:07.615
What comes to your mind?
00:52:07.615 --> 00:52:09.713
(Derek) My favorite Hebrew word,
Hallelujah,
00:52:09.713 --> 00:52:11.656
you know, because it doesn't dwell here.
00:52:11.656 --> 00:52:14.671
I mean, we seek to let righteousness
be revealed
00:52:14.671 --> 00:52:16.410
but there's so much darkness
00:52:16.410 --> 00:52:18.048
in this present world.
00:52:18.048 --> 00:52:20.169
(Stephanie) Right, and we
can't even imagine.
00:52:20.169 --> 00:52:25.363
I think that we're so blinded
00:52:25.363 --> 00:52:27.103
to the reality of what sin
00:52:27.103 --> 00:52:29.495
has done to our world
00:52:29.495 --> 00:52:31.118
that we can't even imagine
00:52:31.118 --> 00:52:32.660
what that would look like,
00:52:32.660 --> 00:52:37.418
except Revelation, chapter 21 and 22,
00:52:37.418 --> 00:52:39.242
and, you know, I think we're
00:52:39.242 --> 00:52:40.347
just going to go ahead
00:52:40.347 --> 00:52:42.097
and read verses 1 through 5
00:52:42.097 --> 00:52:44.641
in Revelation, chapter 21.
00:52:44.641 --> 00:52:46.142
And, Evelyn, if you
00:52:46.142 --> 00:52:47.703
would read that for us.
00:52:47.703 --> 00:52:50.757
And then we'll read verses 1 through 5
00:52:50.757 --> 00:52:54.256
in chapter 22 of this same book
in Revelation.
00:52:54.256 --> 00:52:57.363
And, Jason, would you
00:52:57.363 --> 00:52:59.422
be prepared to read that.
00:52:59.422 --> 00:53:03.875
So, Revelation 21, verses 1 through 5.
00:53:03.875 --> 00:53:05.138
(Evelyn) I will be reading
00:53:05.138 --> 00:53:07.022
from the New King James Version:
00:54:01.639 --> 00:54:04.052
(Stephanie) True and faithful words.
00:54:04.052 --> 00:54:06.935
Jason, would you read for us
00:54:06.935 --> 00:54:10.074
Revelation 22, verses 1 through 5?
00:54:10.074 --> 00:54:11.226
(Jason) I'll be reading
00:54:11.226 --> 00:54:12.760
from the New King James Version,
00:54:12.760 --> 00:54:14.441
Revelation, chapter 22,
00:54:14.441 --> 00:54:16.265
verses 1 through 5:
00:54:59.290 --> 00:55:01.168
(Stephanie) Amen. And, by the way,
00:55:01.168 --> 00:55:02.404
in the next verse, it says
00:55:02.404 --> 00:55:05.502
that these words are faithful and true.
00:55:05.502 --> 00:55:07.204
So, some people think
00:55:07.204 --> 00:55:09.793
that this is a fairytale.
00:55:09.793 --> 00:55:12.122
Do you believe the Word of God?
00:55:12.122 --> 00:55:13.351
(Team) Yes.
00:55:13.351 --> 00:55:14.746
(Stephanie) Can you imagine
00:55:14.746 --> 00:55:21.037
what that will be like? Wow.
00:55:21.937 --> 00:55:24.219
(Derek) And the reason we can
believe, Stephanie,
00:55:24.219 --> 00:55:25.851
is because He's been so faithful
00:55:25.851 --> 00:55:28.414
with the other promises He's given us.
00:55:28.414 --> 00:55:30.692
He's given us freedom
00:55:30.692 --> 00:55:32.500
from the guilt of sin.
00:55:32.500 --> 00:55:34.294
He's given us a new heart.
00:55:34.294 --> 00:55:36.410
We've seen the miracles, healings
00:55:36.410 --> 00:55:38.664
that he's done in our friends' lives.
00:55:38.664 --> 00:55:41.029
This is not just something
we're imagining.
00:55:41.029 --> 00:55:43.855
It's based on our relationship with Him,
00:55:43.855 --> 00:55:47.822
that we trust His promise.
00:55:47.822 --> 00:55:49.852
(Stephanie) As you think about it...
00:55:49.852 --> 00:55:52.870
And we've looked at the hope
00:55:52.870 --> 00:55:55.288
that we have in God. Why?
00:55:55.288 --> 00:55:56.560
Because we know that we're
00:55:56.560 --> 00:55:58.210
in a broken world.
00:55:58.210 --> 00:56:00.666
We have hope in God.
00:56:00.666 --> 00:56:05.830
We have hope in the Second Coming
of Jesus.
00:56:05.830 --> 00:56:08.143
We have hope in the resurrection
00:56:08.143 --> 00:56:11.192
because of Jesus.
00:56:11.192 --> 00:56:14.107
We have hope at the time of judgment
00:56:14.107 --> 00:56:17.837
because Jesus will stand beside us.
00:56:17.837 --> 00:56:22.985
And we have hope in eternity with Jesus.
00:56:22.985 --> 00:56:25.345
Isn't this something that we want
00:56:25.345 --> 00:56:27.653
to share with others?
00:56:27.653 --> 00:56:29.960
There are people that need
00:56:29.960 --> 00:56:33.646
to hear about Jesus.
00:56:33.646 --> 00:56:37.461
The hope that we have in Jesus,
this Advent hope,
00:56:37.461 --> 00:56:39.666
doesn't it make us want
00:56:39.666 --> 00:56:43.033
to just get up and do something?
00:56:43.033 --> 00:56:44.624
I hope that that's what we'll
00:56:44.624 --> 00:56:46.175
walk away with today,
00:56:46.175 --> 00:56:47.557
as we think about that,
00:56:47.557 --> 00:56:49.880
that our hope really is in Jesus,
00:56:49.880 --> 00:56:52.088
and we need to share that with others.
00:56:52.088 --> 00:56:53.333
(Team) Amen.
00:56:53.333 --> 00:56:54.509
(Derek) And I'm so glad
00:56:54.509 --> 00:56:56.470
it's called Hope Sabbath School
00:56:56.470 --> 00:56:58.831
because we've been talking
about hope today.
00:56:58.831 --> 00:57:00.973
And really that's just God's leading
00:57:00.973 --> 00:57:03.844
because without hope, people die.
00:57:03.844 --> 00:57:05.412
But we have hope in Jesus.
00:57:05.412 --> 00:57:07.259
Thank you, Stephanie; thank you, team.
00:57:07.259 --> 00:57:08.761
Thank you to you for joining us
00:57:08.761 --> 00:57:10.135
for our study today.
00:57:10.135 --> 00:57:12.485
And, yes, how can we keep
00:57:12.485 --> 00:57:13.887
that hope to ourselves?
00:57:13.887 --> 00:57:18.259
We need to share that hope,
that Advent hope
00:57:18.259 --> 00:57:19.564
with those around us.
00:57:19.564 --> 00:57:21.235
Let's pray; Father in Heaven,
00:57:21.235 --> 00:57:23.154
we're so blessed as we come
00:57:23.154 --> 00:57:24.257
and believe Your Word.
00:57:24.257 --> 00:57:25.571
You've been so faithful
00:57:25.571 --> 00:57:27.599
to all of the other promises
00:57:27.599 --> 00:57:29.987
that have been already fulfilled
in our lives.
00:57:29.987 --> 00:57:31.451
Thank You that Your Words
00:57:31.451 --> 00:57:33.208
are faithful and true.
00:57:33.208 --> 00:57:35.024
And thank You that we can
00:57:35.024 --> 00:57:36.694
live the Advent hope
00:57:36.694 --> 00:57:38.243
and share that hope with others.
00:57:38.243 --> 00:57:40.396
In Jesus' name. Amen.
00:57:40.396 --> 00:57:41.327
(Team) Amen.
00:57:41.327 --> 00:57:42.488
(Derek) How can you keep
00:57:42.488 --> 00:57:43.795
that hope to yourself
00:57:43.795 --> 00:57:44.800
when there are people
00:57:44.800 --> 00:57:46.504
who feel hopeless all around us.
00:57:46.504 --> 00:57:48.422
Take that Advent hope
00:57:48.422 --> 00:57:49.742
and make a difference
00:57:49.742 --> 00:57:51.475
in the lives of those around you.
00:57:51.475 --> 00:58:29.091
♪ theme music ♪