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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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We are in an amazing series,
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Themes in the Gospel of John.
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It has been such a blessing.
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If you've missed any, go to our website,
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hopetv.org/hopess, or Google us,
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Hope Sabbath School,
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go to our YouTube channel.
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You can watch all of the past episodes
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in this series, Themes
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in the Gospel of John,
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today, Blessed Are Those Who Believe.
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We are going to look at some characters
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in the gospel story, but it's
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also a declaration for us
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that we are blessed when we believe.
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So welcome, we're glad you joined us
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for Hope Sabbath School.
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Welcome to the team.
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Take a look at each other and wave.
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We're glad you're all here today.
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You notice I'm particularly excited today
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because Sabina's going to be teaching,
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and we always are blessed
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when our team teachers share
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the Word of God.
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We've got some great team members
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joining us, too, remotely.
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And we're happy to welcome Zandile,
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good to see you with us today.
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And, Cory, great to have you back with us
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as we study the Word of God.
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And we're glad you're with us.
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You say, "Derek, I raise my hand sometimes
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when I want to make a comment."
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Write it down, send it to us,
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sshope@hopetv.org, share with us.
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It's an an in-depth, interactive study,
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not just here, but around the world.
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We're also happy when you write to us,
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because it lets us know
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that God's working, right?
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That's why we do what we do.
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So, here is Ndele who writes from Zambia.
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Do we have a lot
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of Hope Sabbath School members in Zambia?
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Ndele writes and says,
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"Hope Sabbath School is a winning team..."
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(Team) Amen!
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(Derek) "...sharing the message of hope
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and salvation all the way."
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Well, Ndele, I would remind you
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that you're part of the team,
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that we're all part of the team, right,
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because it's a global family,
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not just those of us in the studio.
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Many are downloading the outline
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and teaching interactive Bible studies
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where they live.
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We're all part of the team together.
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Thanks for writing.
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Winston writes to us from Australia.
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Winston says, "Hello,
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Hope Sabbath School."
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(Team) Hello.
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(Derek) I think they know that we'll wave
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if they say that.
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"I was home today, wasn't able
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to go to church, but I watched online,
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and then I started to watch
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Hope Sabbath School,
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and I really enjoyed the program.
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God bless you all."
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Well, some people have a sickness
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or something happens, they can't get out.
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Wherever you are, tell your friends.
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Tell people who maybe can't get to church.
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Tell them to go to Hope Sabbath School
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and study the Word of God with us.
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Here's a short, hand-written note
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from the state of Kansas
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in the United States of America,
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and a donor writes, "Please accept
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this gift in support
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of Hope Sabbath School.
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I've been watching since it started."
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I think we read one who said, "I've been
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watching since last month," right?
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One said 10 years; this donor says,
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"I've been watching since it started.
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In fact, one of your team even came
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to my Bible class and told me about it."
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Well, it's someone who's not here today.
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It's our team member Stephanie.
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Some of you know Stephanie
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who actually went to this person's church
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and told them about Hope Sabbath School.
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And a donation of 100 dollars.
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(Team) Praise God.
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(Derek) Thank you, Donor from Kansas,
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for being part of the miracle.
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We're all working together.
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And thank you to each one of you
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for being part of this mission.
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You can go to our website,
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hopetv.org/hopess, click
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on that little yellow Donate button.
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Or get an address and write to us,
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send a gift, say, "Derek, I want
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to be part of sharing
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the immeasurable, unfailing love of God,"
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a message of saving hope as we prepare
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for the soon-coming of Jesus.
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Thank you for your support.
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One last note, from Lil, Lil writes
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and says, "Since God
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brought me back to Him
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after over 25 years away from Him,
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one of the first Bible studies I found
was...," you want to guess?
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(Team) Hope Sabbath School.
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(Derek) "...Hope Sabbath School.
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I've been watching every week
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and taking notes, transcribing
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and using the study guide to facilitate
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a Bible class, both for adults
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and also for youth and for people
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who are new to the faith."
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(Team) Wow. Amen.
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(Derek) Lil, you have become
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an evangelist, right?
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Isn't that what Jesus wants
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for all of us, right?
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Blessed Are Those Who Believe.
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"I've gotten so much insight," Lil writes,
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"and other perspectives
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I didn't think about, and it has enhanced
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my love for the Scriptures
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and my love for God..."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) "...so much more that now
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I can share that every week."
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(Team) Amen.
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(Derek) I tell you, I want to meet Lil.
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I'm guessing Lil is an abbreviation
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for the English name Lillian, Lillian,
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but I suppose it could be a nickname.
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Write to us and tell us, Lil,
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sshope@hopetv.org.
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"Thank you for the dedication
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and love for Christ that you share.
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God bless you all."
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Well, I think we'd say "God bless you,
too, Lil,"
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wouldn't you say that?
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(Team) Yes.
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(Derek) She's teaching adults,
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youth, new believers.
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After 25 years away,
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Jesus brought you home.
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Well, we're glad that you're all part
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of our Hope Sabbath School family.
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That's why we do what we do,
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sharing a message of eternal hope.
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And have you downloaded the gift yet,
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the six Trilogy Scripture Songs
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from the words of Jesus,
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four from the Gospel of John,
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two from the book of Revelation?
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I sing them all the time.
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It's a great way to hide the words
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of Jesus in your heart.
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Just go to our website,
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click on the Free Gift tab.
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You know our website: hopetv.org/hopess.
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Click on the Free Gift tab, and it will
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show you how to download
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those six Trilogy Scripture Songs.
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I want to thank my wife
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for making those available to us
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as a gift to you so that you can
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hide God's Word in your heart.
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And when you're there at the website,
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you can download our theme song
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for this quarter, Behold! The Lamb of God.
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Do you like that song?
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That's a testimony of John the Baptist.
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Let's sing it together.
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♪ music ♪
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(Derek) When Jesus comes,
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the dead in Christ rise, and the redeemed
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are all gathered, caught up
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to meet Him in the air, I'm going
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to be looking for John
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the Baptist, Sabina.
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I'm going to thank him for that testimony.
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I'm going to start singing,
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and he says, "I don't know that song."
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And I'll tell him, "Let me
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teach you the song,
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but thank you for your testimony."
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And God bless you as you teach us today.
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(Sabina) Amen. Let's behold
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a little bit more of the Lamb of God
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as we study together.
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But let's start with a prayer.
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Dear Jesus, our Lord, our Savior,
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we are so thankful to be able
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to behold these words here.
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And as we learn
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about the different witnesses
[testimonies]
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that were given by all sorts of people
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that You touched
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during Your ministry on this earth,
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we are also moved to grow
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into Your likeness.
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So, as we join together here,
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we ask that Your Holy Spirit,
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just like It rested upon You,
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It will rest upon us also,
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will speak to our hearts
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and impress our minds with truth,
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with the truth that You
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are the Son of God that takes away
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the sin from the world.
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I pray in a special way for every person
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who will be watching this,
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that they will also come to witness
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about Jesus in their lives.
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In Your name we pray. Amen.
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(Derek, Team) Amen.
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(Sabina) Okay, so as we continue
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this series of studies
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on the book of John, I love
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specifically the first [and second verses]
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of the book of John that says,
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"In the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with God,
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and the Word was God.
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He was in the beginning with God."
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That gives us the clarity
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that Jesus' testimony and His work
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had not just started when He was
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first seen in Galilee or in Nazareth
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or in Jerusalem, but He had been working
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since the beginning of the world.
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And we are going to start our study
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looking at the witness of a person
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who has not had the privilege
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of seeing Jesus walking
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and ministering on this earth,
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but who has had a prophetic witness
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of the work of Jesus that was happening
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and that was about to happen
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in the future as well, and that's Abraham.
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And so, maybe, Travis, if you'll
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start us off in the study
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by taking us to John 8:56,
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and we are going to see what it was
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that Jesus talked about
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regarding the witness of Abraham
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or the revelation that was given
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to Abraham about Him.
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(Travis) And I'll be reading
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from the New King James Version:
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(Derek) Praise God.
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(Sabina) So, what was the testimony
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of Jesus regarding the revelation that was
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given to Abraham? Anyone. Yes, Gladys.
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(Gladys) That the Messiah would come.
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That revelation was given to Abraham,
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and just imagining that, he was glad.
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00:12:37,088 --> 00:12:38,123
(Sabina) He was glad;
275
00:12:38,123 --> 00:12:40,227
he would rejoice. Yes, Puia.
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(Puia) I believe there was also the story
277
00:12:42,190 --> 00:12:43,463
where God asked Abraham
278
00:12:43,463 --> 00:12:45,928
to sacrifice his son, Isaac.
279
00:12:45,928 --> 00:12:48,570
Just before he sacrificed Isaac,
280
00:12:48,570 --> 00:12:50,737
the angel stopped him, and God
281
00:12:50,737 --> 00:12:53,709
provided a ram in the place of Isaac.
282
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And I believe God let Abraham understand
283
00:12:57,285 --> 00:12:59,499
at that point in time that in the future
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there would come a Savior, the Messiah,
285
00:13:01,980 --> 00:13:04,610
who would be sacrificed on behalf
286
00:13:04,610 --> 00:13:05,947
of the people of this world.
287
00:13:05,947 --> 00:13:10,142
And so Abraham foresaw Jesus' day.
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00:13:10,142 --> 00:13:11,990
(Sabina) Okay, so we are seeing here
289
00:13:11,990 --> 00:13:14,550
that Jesus made this testimony
290
00:13:14,550 --> 00:13:17,271
about the revelation that Abraham had,
291
00:13:17,271 --> 00:13:19,312
and it seemed like that one of the moments
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00:13:19,312 --> 00:13:20,898
where Jesus (and God) was
293
00:13:20,898 --> 00:13:23,489
unveiling Himself to Abraham
294
00:13:23,489 --> 00:13:25,149
was, for instance, in this episode
295
00:13:25,149 --> 00:13:26,939
that you are now reading, right?
296
00:13:26,939 --> 00:13:28,968
So we do have some passages here
297
00:13:28,968 --> 00:13:30,682
that we are going to look at today
298
00:13:30,682 --> 00:13:32,930
in the Old Testament, in Genesis,
299
00:13:32,930 --> 00:13:35,355
the very first book of the Bible,
300
00:13:35,355 --> 00:13:38,639
that will give us evidence of the ways
301
00:13:38,639 --> 00:13:40,758
in which Jesus was already revealing
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00:13:40,758 --> 00:13:42,424
Himself to Abraham,
303
00:13:42,424 --> 00:13:43,822
and not only to Abraham
304
00:13:43,822 --> 00:13:46,995
but all the nations around him
305
00:13:46,995 --> 00:13:49,560
who were to be blessed by this testimony.
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00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:51,720
Okay, so maybe, Puia, since you
307
00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,695
already initiated us with some
308
00:13:54,695 --> 00:13:56,990
of those stories, if you'll take us
309
00:13:56,990 --> 00:13:59,758
to Genesis 12:3.
310
00:13:59,758 --> 00:14:01,322
(Puia) Sure, and I'll be reading
311
00:14:01,322 --> 00:14:03,187
from the New King James Version,
312
00:14:03,187 --> 00:14:05,439
Genesis, chapter 12, verse 3:
313
00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:18,991
(Sabina) So we see here especially
314
00:14:18,991 --> 00:14:20,309
that what was happening was
315
00:14:20,309 --> 00:14:22,643
the call of Abraham.
316
00:14:22,643 --> 00:14:25,531
And already in this call of Abraham,
317
00:14:25,531 --> 00:14:28,331
there was a promise, and it was a promise
318
00:14:28,331 --> 00:14:31,140
that was pointing to Jesus.
319
00:14:31,140 --> 00:14:34,100
Maybe, Joshua, can you take us
320
00:14:34,100 --> 00:14:38,617
to Genesis 18, verses 17 and 18.
321
00:14:38,617 --> 00:14:40,425
(Joshua) Of course. I'll be reading
322
00:14:40,425 --> 00:14:42,411
from the New King James Version:
323
00:14:57,225 --> 00:15:00,643
(Sabina) Okay, so, is that revelation
324
00:15:00,643 --> 00:15:02,610
also happening here in this event?
325
00:15:02,610 --> 00:15:03,566
Which event is that?
326
00:15:03,566 --> 00:15:04,792
Do you have any thoughts?
327
00:15:04,792 --> 00:15:06,919
Can you see the revelation of Jesus
328
00:15:06,919 --> 00:15:09,762
occurring here also? Yes, Travis.
329
00:15:09,762 --> 00:15:11,062
(Travis) It is occurring
330
00:15:11,062 --> 00:15:14,767
through his son Isaac, because Jesus
331
00:15:14,767 --> 00:15:15,809
would end up coming
332
00:15:15,809 --> 00:15:18,837
through the lineage of Abraham.
333
00:15:18,837 --> 00:15:20,047
(Sabina) In fact, that is
334
00:15:20,047 --> 00:15:21,455
a very important event
335
00:15:21,455 --> 00:15:24,994
of the revelation of God to Abraham
336
00:15:24,994 --> 00:15:26,023
and to us as well.
337
00:15:26,023 --> 00:15:27,416
I think that's also mentioned
338
00:15:27,416 --> 00:15:28,438
in the New Testament.
339
00:15:28,438 --> 00:15:30,273
We are eventually going to get there,
340
00:15:30,273 --> 00:15:31,684
but there is one more passage
341
00:15:31,684 --> 00:15:34,472
in the Old Testament that we can look at
342
00:15:34,472 --> 00:15:38,295
in chapter 22, verses 13 to 18,
343
00:15:38,295 --> 00:15:41,654
and maybe let's have Cory take us there.
344
00:15:41,654 --> 00:15:44,660
And that's just another passage
345
00:15:44,660 --> 00:15:48,261
where we can see the revelation of Jesus
346
00:15:48,261 --> 00:15:50,417
already in the time
347
00:15:50,417 --> 00:15:53,307
of the Old Testament. Cory.
348
00:15:53,307 --> 00:15:57,567
(Cory) Yes, Genesis 22:13-18,
349
00:15:57,567 --> 00:15:59,168
in the New King James:
350
00:17:08,772 --> 00:17:10,312
(Derek, Team) Amen.
351
00:17:10,312 --> 00:17:12,672
(Sabina) So we see here not once,
352
00:17:12,672 --> 00:17:14,931
not twice, but at least three times
353
00:17:14,931 --> 00:17:16,584
in which this promise
354
00:17:16,584 --> 00:17:19,038
of the coming special blessing
355
00:17:19,038 --> 00:17:21,460
through the seed of Abraham was going
356
00:17:21,460 --> 00:17:24,524
to be revealed in Jesus. Yes, Travis.
357
00:17:24,524 --> 00:17:26,323
(Travis) I just want to make a point.
358
00:17:26,323 --> 00:17:29,953
In verse 8, Abraham says, "My son,
359
00:17:29,953 --> 00:17:31,189
the Lord will provide
360
00:17:31,189 --> 00:17:33,298
a burnt offering Himself."
361
00:17:33,298 --> 00:17:34,936
Many scholars believe
362
00:17:34,936 --> 00:17:36,388
that there should be a comma,
363
00:17:36,388 --> 00:17:38,579
"The Lord will provide Himself,
364
00:17:38,579 --> 00:17:40,710
a burnt offering," and I agree with that.
365
00:17:40,710 --> 00:17:43,227
I think it was revealed to him that God
366
00:17:43,227 --> 00:17:45,235
would provide Himself,
367
00:17:45,235 --> 00:17:46,923
the Lamb to be slain, as we've been
368
00:17:46,923 --> 00:17:49,201
talking about with John the Baptist.
369
00:17:49,201 --> 00:17:50,211
(Sabina) Those are
370
00:17:50,211 --> 00:17:51,451
very interesting thoughts.
371
00:17:51,451 --> 00:17:52,593
Indeed, we know for sure
372
00:17:52,593 --> 00:17:55,033
that it was His provision of Himself
373
00:17:55,033 --> 00:17:56,585
that granted us to have
374
00:17:56,585 --> 00:17:58,485
this blessing in Christ.
375
00:17:58,485 --> 00:18:00,240
So we are going to be looking now
376
00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,285
at a couple of verses in the New Testament
377
00:18:02,285 --> 00:18:04,020
that confirm this truth.
378
00:18:04,020 --> 00:18:07,230
Can we please turn to the book of Matthew,
379
00:18:07,230 --> 00:18:09,454
and I'm going to ask Viara,
380
00:18:09,454 --> 00:18:10,788
Viara, if you'll lead us
381
00:18:10,788 --> 00:18:13,503
to the first chapter of Matthew,
382
00:18:13,503 --> 00:18:15,621
and it's going to be verse 1.
383
00:18:15,621 --> 00:18:17,885
And we are going to be looking here
384
00:18:17,885 --> 00:18:20,900
at a New Testament writing that confirms
385
00:18:20,900 --> 00:18:22,338
the revelation that was given
386
00:18:22,338 --> 00:18:24,857
to Abraham about Jesus.
387
00:18:24,857 --> 00:18:25,777
(Viara) I'm reading
388
00:18:25,777 --> 00:18:27,566
from the New Living Translation:
389
00:18:36,140 --> 00:18:38,011
(Sabina) Okay, and do we
390
00:18:38,011 --> 00:18:39,362
have any thoughts here
391
00:18:39,362 --> 00:18:41,976
about this particular verse? Yes, Puia.
392
00:18:41,976 --> 00:18:43,678
(Puia) For us, I believe we take it
393
00:18:43,678 --> 00:18:46,319
for granted that Matthew started
394
00:18:46,319 --> 00:18:48,138
his account of the story of Jesus
395
00:18:48,138 --> 00:18:50,849
with the genealogy because we just read it
396
00:18:50,849 --> 00:18:52,566
like, "Oh, it's just another story."
397
00:18:52,566 --> 00:18:55,556
But the Jews at that point in time
398
00:18:55,556 --> 00:18:57,780
had been expecting the Messiah to come
399
00:18:57,780 --> 00:19:00,587
from the lineage of Abraham and David.
400
00:19:00,587 --> 00:19:04,261
And so Matthew intentionally starting
401
00:19:04,261 --> 00:19:06,411
the story of Jesus by pointing them
402
00:19:06,411 --> 00:19:08,692
back to Abraham should remind them
403
00:19:08,692 --> 00:19:12,576
of that promise that this Jesus, indeed,
404
00:19:12,576 --> 00:19:15,851
is that promised blessing from Abraham.
405
00:19:15,851 --> 00:19:17,024
(Sabina) That's awesome.
406
00:19:17,024 --> 00:19:18,733
I think it's so beautiful, the ways
407
00:19:18,733 --> 00:19:20,557
in which the Holy Spirit has impressed
408
00:19:20,557 --> 00:19:22,879
the different writers to give the witness
409
00:19:22,879 --> 00:19:24,592
that was important in their context.
410
00:19:24,592 --> 00:19:26,776
Because we see that for Matthew
411
00:19:26,776 --> 00:19:29,958
it was so important to refer to Abraham,
412
00:19:29,958 --> 00:19:32,120
while for John, he decided to even go
413
00:19:32,120 --> 00:19:34,070
back to Genesis, right?
414
00:19:34,070 --> 00:19:39,894
So let's look also at Acts 3:25,26,
415
00:19:39,894 --> 00:19:41,324
and maybe, Jason, if you could
416
00:19:41,324 --> 00:19:43,154
read that text for us.
417
00:19:43,154 --> 00:19:44,873
(Jason) Alright, and I'll be reading
418
00:19:44,873 --> 00:19:46,474
from the New King James Version,
419
00:19:46,474 --> 00:19:51,417
Acts, chapter 3, verses 25 and 26:
420
00:20:01,392 --> 00:20:02,754
Verse 26:
421
00:20:13,681 --> 00:20:15,254
(Sabina) Yes, that's awesome.
422
00:20:15,254 --> 00:20:19,086
So we can see that God has preached
423
00:20:19,086 --> 00:20:23,374
the gospel through type and promise.
424
00:20:23,374 --> 00:20:25,853
You know, these prophecies that we see,
425
00:20:25,853 --> 00:20:28,243
even in the time of Abraham
426
00:20:28,243 --> 00:20:29,981
were already giving evidence
427
00:20:29,981 --> 00:20:31,525
of God's love and presence
428
00:20:31,525 --> 00:20:33,241
to them back in that day.
429
00:20:33,241 --> 00:20:35,787
So it's important that we keep in mind
430
00:20:35,787 --> 00:20:37,747
that the witness that is given to Jesus
431
00:20:37,747 --> 00:20:39,927
is not just about the stories that we read
432
00:20:39,927 --> 00:20:41,234
in the New Testament,
433
00:20:41,234 --> 00:20:43,443
but also all throughout eternity.
434
00:20:43,443 --> 00:20:46,226
From eternity to eternity, there are
435
00:20:46,226 --> 00:20:47,949
a lot of witnesses that we are going
436
00:20:47,949 --> 00:20:49,777
to hear about Jesus. Yes, Travis.
437
00:20:49,777 --> 00:20:51,666
(Travis) If I may, I would like to read
438
00:20:51,666 --> 00:20:52,862
from the book of Hebrews,
439
00:20:52,862 --> 00:20:54,652
because it wasn't just the writings
440
00:20:54,652 --> 00:20:56,185
about Abraham that confirmed;
441
00:20:56,185 --> 00:20:59,424
it was his life that confirmed it.
442
00:20:59,424 --> 00:21:04,436
Hebrews, chapter 11, verses 9 and 10,
443
00:21:04,436 --> 00:21:06,094
if I could read that.
444
00:21:06,094 --> 00:21:08,427
Hebrews, chapter 11:9,10, says:
445
00:21:24,533 --> 00:21:26,809
He did not just believe
446
00:21:26,809 --> 00:21:28,152
that the Messiah would come,
447
00:21:28,152 --> 00:21:29,262
he believed His mission
448
00:21:29,262 --> 00:21:30,380
would be successful.
449
00:21:30,380 --> 00:21:31,727
(Sabina) That's wonderful,
450
00:21:31,727 --> 00:21:32,970
thank you so much, Travis.
451
00:21:32,970 --> 00:21:34,393
And it's awesome to also see,
452
00:21:34,393 --> 00:21:35,946
just like as we witnessed
453
00:21:35,946 --> 00:21:38,360
in our previous studies, how God
454
00:21:38,360 --> 00:21:41,070
has this way of revealing Himself.
455
00:21:41,070 --> 00:21:42,588
You know, little by little,
456
00:21:42,588 --> 00:21:44,223
He puts the seed.
457
00:21:44,223 --> 00:21:46,226
He explores an experience of a person.
458
00:21:46,226 --> 00:21:49,640
Altogether, He brings us to see HIs work
459
00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,295
all throughout history. Yes, Viara.
460
00:21:52,295 --> 00:21:53,861
(Viara) And I guess His plan was
461
00:21:53,861 --> 00:21:56,980
not to just be a God of the generation
462
00:21:56,980 --> 00:21:59,354
of Abraham by blood, but all
463
00:21:59,354 --> 00:22:01,689
that spiritually would accept Jesus.
464
00:22:01,689 --> 00:22:03,600
And how awesome it will be if one day
465
00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,358
it says, "And He was the God of Jacob,
466
00:22:06,358 --> 00:22:09,012
the God of Abraham, the God of Viara."
467
00:22:09,012 --> 00:22:10,966
That's what I want to hear one day.
468
00:22:10,966 --> 00:22:12,882
(Sabina) Yes. Isn't it in Galatians,
469
00:22:12,882 --> 00:22:15,128
I think it's Galatians 3:8,
470
00:22:15,128 --> 00:22:17,119
if I'm not mistaken, but if it's not,
471
00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:21,612
we will find it, that actually the Bible
472
00:22:21,612 --> 00:22:24,586
says that even Abraham was justified
473
00:22:24,586 --> 00:22:26,757
by faith in Christ, right?
474
00:22:26,757 --> 00:22:28,450
So there is no such person
475
00:22:28,450 --> 00:22:31,430
that has existed or that will exist
476
00:22:31,430 --> 00:22:33,554
that would not require the sacrifice
477
00:22:33,554 --> 00:22:37,059
of Jesus as the source of their salvation.
478
00:22:37,059 --> 00:22:38,984
Okay, so, I sometimes hear people
479
00:22:38,984 --> 00:22:40,860
[ask] this question, "What happened
480
00:22:40,860 --> 00:22:43,414
to those that came before Jesus?
481
00:22:43,414 --> 00:22:46,780
Would they be able to benefit
482
00:22:46,780 --> 00:22:47,789
[from] the blessing
483
00:22:47,789 --> 00:22:49,554
of the sacrifice of Jesus?"
484
00:22:49,554 --> 00:22:50,660
And what is the answer?
485
00:22:50,660 --> 00:22:51,580
(Derek) Absolutely.
486
00:22:51,580 --> 00:22:52,530
(Sabina) Of course.
487
00:22:52,530 --> 00:22:54,147
There would be no other way.
488
00:22:54,147 --> 00:22:56,970
There was no plan A and now plan B
489
00:22:56,970 --> 00:22:58,681
or plan Z, so the plan has
490
00:22:58,681 --> 00:23:01,396
always been the same from eternity
491
00:23:01,396 --> 00:23:02,767
through eternity. Amen?
492
00:23:02,767 --> 00:23:03,710
(Derek, Team) Amen.
493
00:23:03,710 --> 00:23:04,720
(Sabina) We are going
494
00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,256
to be looking now at the witness
495
00:23:06,256 --> 00:23:08,402
of a beautiful, beautiful story here
496
00:23:08,402 --> 00:23:10,108
that was left in the book of John.
497
00:23:10,108 --> 00:23:12,122
It's the witness of Mary.
498
00:23:12,122 --> 00:23:14,001
So we move from the prophetic witness
499
00:23:14,001 --> 00:23:16,710
of Abraham to now learn about the witness
500
00:23:16,710 --> 00:23:18,907
of a person that actually spent time
501
00:23:18,907 --> 00:23:20,641
with Jesus and saw Jesus
502
00:23:20,641 --> 00:23:22,356
right in front of her.
503
00:23:22,356 --> 00:23:24,690
So maybe, Gladys, if you'll take us
504
00:23:24,690 --> 00:23:26,890
to the book of John, and we are going
505
00:23:26,890 --> 00:23:30,625
to start off in chapter 12,
506
00:23:30,625 --> 00:23:33,322
and if you'll read verses 1 to 3.
507
00:23:33,322 --> 00:23:34,424
And I would like us all
508
00:23:34,424 --> 00:23:36,161
to already be considering,
509
00:23:36,161 --> 00:23:39,110
why did Mary anoint the feet of Jesus
510
00:23:39,110 --> 00:23:42,519
with an expensive ointment? Gladys.
511
00:23:42,519 --> 00:23:43,693
(Gladys) And I'm reading
512
00:23:43,693 --> 00:23:45,370
from the New International Version,
513
00:23:45,370 --> 00:23:48,760
John, chapter 12, verses 1 to 3:
514
00:24:25,287 --> 00:24:26,682
(Sabina) So why do you think
515
00:24:26,682 --> 00:24:28,737
that Mary anointed the feet...?
Yes, Jason.
516
00:24:28,737 --> 00:24:30,375
(Jason) We understand that it was
517
00:24:30,375 --> 00:24:32,458
before His burial, you know, that He
518
00:24:32,458 --> 00:24:34,466
would be anointed, but also her devotion.
519
00:24:34,466 --> 00:24:36,241
I mean, this woman had been delivered
520
00:24:36,241 --> 00:24:37,442
from, like, seven demons,
521
00:24:37,442 --> 00:24:38,510
so her love for Jesus,
522
00:24:38,510 --> 00:24:40,730
she was always at His feet, and so this is
523
00:24:40,730 --> 00:24:42,624
an opportunity for her to express that
524
00:24:42,624 --> 00:24:44,419
in such a loving way.
525
00:24:44,419 --> 00:24:45,429
(Sabina) Yes, Derek.
526
00:24:45,429 --> 00:24:47,361
(Derek) So, I can only conclude
527
00:24:47,361 --> 00:24:50,120
that she was led by the Spirit to do that.
528
00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:52,744
This was very intimate, I mean, pouring
529
00:24:52,744 --> 00:24:58,113
and wiping with her hair.
530
00:24:58,113 --> 00:24:58,993
I don't think she
531
00:24:58,993 --> 00:25:00,954
thought that up by herself.
532
00:25:00,954 --> 00:25:03,308
I think the Holy Spirit impressed her.
533
00:25:03,308 --> 00:25:05,584
I'm not sure she even fully realized
534
00:25:05,584 --> 00:25:07,801
she was anointing for His burial.
535
00:25:07,801 --> 00:25:10,140
I think Jason's right; she was thinking,
536
00:25:10,140 --> 00:25:11,922
"Well, I love my Savior;
537
00:25:11,922 --> 00:25:13,940
He's delivered me."
538
00:25:13,940 --> 00:25:17,200
But sometimes I believe the Holy Spirit
539
00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,402
impresses us to do things, and later we
540
00:25:20,402 --> 00:25:24,472
may understand the full implications
541
00:25:24,472 --> 00:25:25,476
of what we're doing.
542
00:25:25,476 --> 00:25:27,089
(Sabina) That's right, so she was
543
00:25:27,089 --> 00:25:28,507
surely very devoted.
544
00:25:28,507 --> 00:25:30,594
She had already experienced Jesus
545
00:25:30,594 --> 00:25:32,027
to a point that she would do
546
00:25:32,027 --> 00:25:36,308
such a pouring out of the things
547
00:25:36,308 --> 00:25:37,540
that she had on hand
548
00:25:37,540 --> 00:25:39,710
as an expression of her inner experience
549
00:25:39,710 --> 00:25:41,274
with God. Yes, Puia.
550
00:25:41,274 --> 00:25:43,924
(Puia) Some have noted that she spent
551
00:25:43,924 --> 00:25:48,377
a year's wage on that anointment.
552
00:25:48,377 --> 00:25:49,384
Think about that,
553
00:25:49,384 --> 00:25:51,319
like one whole year's wage;
554
00:25:51,319 --> 00:25:53,226
that's a lot of money.
555
00:25:53,226 --> 00:25:56,086
And for her to be willing to dedicate that
556
00:25:56,086 --> 00:25:58,060
to Jesus shows that she
557
00:25:58,060 --> 00:25:59,874
really loved Jesus, and she was
558
00:25:59,874 --> 00:26:01,933
fully surrendered to Jesus.
559
00:26:01,933 --> 00:26:03,125
(Sabina) That's right.
560
00:26:03,125 --> 00:26:04,541
And you know what I think is
561
00:26:04,541 --> 00:26:07,087
so interesting is that Jesus is known
562
00:26:07,087 --> 00:26:11,544
as the Christ or also the Messiah,
563
00:26:11,544 --> 00:26:13,310
and if there is one time apart
564
00:26:13,310 --> 00:26:15,525
from when we see that Jesus
565
00:26:15,525 --> 00:26:17,145
was anointed in His baptism
566
00:26:17,145 --> 00:26:18,832
by the Holy Spirit,
567
00:26:18,832 --> 00:26:24,256
we would say that the only time
568
00:26:24,256 --> 00:26:26,792
we see in the New Testament when Jesus
569
00:26:26,792 --> 00:26:28,960
is actually being anointed
570
00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:31,103
with oil is this event.
571
00:26:31,103 --> 00:26:33,194
Have you considered that?
572
00:26:33,194 --> 00:26:36,280
So, not only do we see here the testimony
573
00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:39,055
of a woman who had a love for Jesus,
574
00:26:39,055 --> 00:26:40,957
but God was also using her
575
00:26:40,957 --> 00:26:42,123
in a very special way.
576
00:26:42,123 --> 00:26:44,759
Anointings were given to kings
577
00:26:44,759 --> 00:26:47,941
and to people who had a special role
578
00:26:47,941 --> 00:26:52,181
to play, and God used this woman,
579
00:26:52,181 --> 00:26:57,100
of all people, a person that had a heart
580
00:26:57,100 --> 00:27:01,271
to pour, to do this very anointing
581
00:27:01,271 --> 00:27:04,249
that was done only by the high priests
582
00:27:04,249 --> 00:27:06,489
in very specific situations.
583
00:27:06,489 --> 00:27:09,208
Okay, yes, Cory.
584
00:27:09,208 --> 00:27:10,994
(Cory) I was just going to add to it,
585
00:27:10,994 --> 00:27:12,911
and it actually goes along with what you
586
00:27:12,911 --> 00:27:13,980
were saying perfectly.
587
00:27:13,980 --> 00:27:15,555
If you've ever smelled spikenard,
588
00:27:15,555 --> 00:27:17,692
it's very, very strong.
589
00:27:17,692 --> 00:27:19,393
And so, this being done
590
00:27:19,393 --> 00:27:22,395
before His crucifixion, it probably was
591
00:27:22,395 --> 00:27:24,181
very strong on Him still
592
00:27:24,181 --> 00:27:25,914
throughout that whole time.
593
00:27:25,914 --> 00:27:27,514
So, if you think about the people
594
00:27:27,514 --> 00:27:30,956
He interacted with during that time,
595
00:27:30,956 --> 00:27:32,826
smelling the smell of kings,
596
00:27:32,826 --> 00:27:35,397
of the wealthy, and they're crucifying
597
00:27:35,397 --> 00:27:38,828
this Man who had done nothing wrong,
598
00:27:38,828 --> 00:27:40,757
it's another blessing
599
00:27:40,757 --> 00:27:42,916
or another aspect to think about.
600
00:27:42,916 --> 00:27:44,255
(Sabina) That's right, Cory.
601
00:27:44,255 --> 00:27:46,239
And not only that, but if you look
602
00:27:46,239 --> 00:27:48,287
a little further in John, chapter 12,
603
00:27:48,287 --> 00:27:51,407
we are going to see the Triumphal Entry
604
00:27:51,407 --> 00:27:53,579
of Jesus in this last last week,
605
00:27:53,579 --> 00:27:55,111
in the Passion week.
606
00:27:55,111 --> 00:27:58,558
So imagine that Jesus entered Jerusalem
607
00:27:58,558 --> 00:28:01,110
with that smell of a king.
608
00:28:01,110 --> 00:28:03,142
Right, think about this.
609
00:28:03,142 --> 00:28:05,089
So we are going to look a little further
610
00:28:05,089 --> 00:28:08,115
into that story, and maybe, Tendi,
611
00:28:08,115 --> 00:28:10,839
if you will read for us from John,
612
00:28:10,839 --> 00:28:13,653
chapter 12, from verses 4 to 8,
613
00:28:13,653 --> 00:28:15,418
and we are going to see the reactions
614
00:28:15,418 --> 00:28:16,767
of some of those present
615
00:28:16,767 --> 00:28:18,700
to this outpouring of love from her.
616
00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:20,478
What did they say, and how did
617
00:28:20,478 --> 00:28:22,697
Jesus respond to them?
618
00:28:22,697 --> 00:28:24,494
(Tendi) Thank you, Sabina, and I'll
619
00:28:24,494 --> 00:28:27,170
be reading from the New King James:
620
00:29:14,926 --> 00:29:16,019
(Sabina) Oh, wow.
621
00:29:16,019 --> 00:29:17,939
So, what are some of the reactions
622
00:29:17,939 --> 00:29:19,611
you see here, and how did Jesus
623
00:29:19,611 --> 00:29:24,361
respond to them? Yes, Jason.
624
00:29:24,361 --> 00:29:27,070
(Jason) Of course, it looked like
it was a waste of money.
625
00:29:27,070 --> 00:29:28,650
Like, why would you even do that?
626
00:29:28,650 --> 00:29:29,772
It could be better used
627
00:29:29,772 --> 00:29:31,520
for something else, like the "poor."
628
00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,125
But we understand that that wasn't
the motive of Judas.
629
00:29:34,125 --> 00:29:36,623
(Sabina) Right, of all people, it would be
630
00:29:36,623 --> 00:29:39,091
Judas who was the one criticizing
631
00:29:39,091 --> 00:29:41,296
her gesture, right? Derek.
632
00:29:41,296 --> 00:29:43,392
(Derek) I like how you emphasized
633
00:29:43,392 --> 00:29:46,760
that that fragrance stayed with Jesus.
634
00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,950
And I wonder if Mary looked back and said,
635
00:29:50,950 --> 00:29:53,548
"That was even more significant
636
00:29:53,548 --> 00:29:55,716
than I ever realized."
637
00:29:55,716 --> 00:29:58,631
In fact, when Jesus said, "She anointed me
638
00:29:58,631 --> 00:30:00,221
for my burial," I wonder
639
00:30:00,221 --> 00:30:04,415
if she [looked wide-eyed], right?
640
00:30:04,415 --> 00:30:07,404
We may think, well, no, she understood
641
00:30:07,404 --> 00:30:08,861
all of that; everything was...
642
00:30:08,861 --> 00:30:11,496
I imagine, back to our lives,
643
00:30:11,496 --> 00:30:13,030
when the Holy Spirit guides us
644
00:30:13,030 --> 00:30:17,016
to be a witness of Jesus, who He is,
645
00:30:17,016 --> 00:30:20,218
that God can do miraculous things.
646
00:30:20,218 --> 00:30:23,930
And we'll look back with joy and say,
647
00:30:23,930 --> 00:30:28,182
"God, You're amazing!" Right?
648
00:30:28,182 --> 00:30:29,654
(Sabina) That's beautiful.
649
00:30:29,654 --> 00:30:31,998
And His attitude towards her
650
00:30:31,998 --> 00:30:34,810
was one of acceptance, of affirmation.
651
00:30:34,810 --> 00:30:38,224
It was not like Judas, of trying
652
00:30:38,224 --> 00:30:43,240
to tell her to withhold from serving
Him in love.
653
00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,343
But I think it's very important also
654
00:30:45,343 --> 00:30:47,620
for me to highlight here that Judas
655
00:30:47,620 --> 00:30:50,390
was part of the entourage of Jesus.
656
00:30:50,390 --> 00:30:52,648
He had a big responsibility,
657
00:30:52,648 --> 00:30:55,801
the responsibility of carrying the funds
658
00:30:55,801 --> 00:30:57,880
that were to be used in their mission.
659
00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,530
And of all people, the one
660
00:31:00,530 --> 00:31:04,726
who had been entrusted with that power,
661
00:31:04,726 --> 00:31:06,512
he was the one who was criticizing
662
00:31:06,512 --> 00:31:08,111
the very person that God was
663
00:31:08,111 --> 00:31:11,377
about to use. Yes, Travis.
664
00:31:11,377 --> 00:31:15,924
(Travis) As I was reading and thinking
665
00:31:15,924 --> 00:31:17,737
about this story, I was most impressed
666
00:31:17,737 --> 00:31:20,085
with how Jesus responded,
667
00:31:20,085 --> 00:31:21,918
and that is, "Let her alone."
668
00:31:21,918 --> 00:31:22,918
(Sabina) Right.
669
00:31:22,918 --> 00:31:24,356
(Travis) He's always concerned
670
00:31:24,356 --> 00:31:27,697
about His people, you know.
671
00:31:27,697 --> 00:31:30,298
John, chapter 10, "I have them
672
00:31:30,298 --> 00:31:31,866
in My hands, and no one can
673
00:31:31,866 --> 00:31:33,711
snatch them out of My hands."
674
00:31:33,711 --> 00:31:36,081
Here He's coming to her aid.
675
00:31:36,081 --> 00:31:37,990
She's serving Him and He says,
676
00:31:37,990 --> 00:31:39,618
"Leave her alone."
677
00:31:39,618 --> 00:31:41,190
I was just impressed by that.
678
00:31:41,190 --> 00:31:43,174
(Sabina) That's quite outstanding, right,
679
00:31:43,174 --> 00:31:45,316
especially in a context where women
680
00:31:45,316 --> 00:31:48,860
were not seen or regarded in society
681
00:31:48,860 --> 00:31:51,039
as having a word or being able
682
00:31:51,039 --> 00:31:53,663
to [spend so much money
683
00:31:53,663 --> 00:31:55,834
on something] of their own volition.
684
00:31:55,834 --> 00:31:57,464
I wonder if someone was wondering,
685
00:31:57,464 --> 00:32:00,299
"Oh, did she get permission from Lazarus?"
686
00:32:00,299 --> 00:32:02,948
She was a sister of Lazarus.
687
00:32:02,948 --> 00:32:04,720
It crosses my mind.
688
00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,744
But now she is being defended by Jesus
689
00:32:08,744 --> 00:32:10,263
who not only accepts that
690
00:32:10,263 --> 00:32:11,614
but also makes sure to say,
691
00:32:11,614 --> 00:32:14,277
"Let her alone; she is Mine."
692
00:32:14,277 --> 00:32:17,761
So, let's make sure, when we also see
693
00:32:17,761 --> 00:32:19,663
the outpouring of an expression of love
694
00:32:19,663 --> 00:32:21,675
from people towards God, that we are able
695
00:32:21,675 --> 00:32:24,008
to recognize it and be sensitive.
696
00:32:24,008 --> 00:32:25,340
And how are some of the ways
697
00:32:25,340 --> 00:32:29,424
that we, ourselves, can also express love
698
00:32:29,424 --> 00:32:32,296
to Jesus as our Messiah? Yes, Viara.
699
00:32:32,296 --> 00:32:34,141
(Viara) I talk to more and more people
700
00:32:34,141 --> 00:32:35,960
who say, "Well, I'm saved, so there is
701
00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:38,235
nothing really I can do to deserve
702
00:32:38,235 --> 00:32:40,076
my salvation," or, "I can stay
703
00:32:40,076 --> 00:32:42,558
the way I am, and I don't have
704
00:32:42,558 --> 00:32:43,728
to do anything for God."
705
00:32:43,728 --> 00:32:46,527
But I think Jesus said, "If you love Me,
706
00:32:46,527 --> 00:32:48,033
you will keep My commandments."
707
00:32:48,033 --> 00:32:49,658
And for me, this is like when you
708
00:32:49,658 --> 00:32:50,518
are in a marriage.
709
00:32:50,518 --> 00:32:52,355
You don't have to do anything, but you
710
00:32:52,355 --> 00:32:54,050
do it because you love this person.
711
00:32:54,050 --> 00:32:56,025
And if you never talk about your husband,
712
00:32:56,025 --> 00:32:59,594
and if you never talk to him, about him,
713
00:32:59,594 --> 00:33:01,425
or listen to him, then maybe you don't
714
00:33:01,425 --> 00:33:03,711
have a real relationship with him.
715
00:33:03,711 --> 00:33:07,850
(Sabina) Okay, so [one very important way
716
00:33:07,850 --> 00:33:09,461
we can pour out love] towards God
717
00:33:09,461 --> 00:33:12,723
[is to pour out love] towards people,
718
00:33:12,723 --> 00:33:15,060
because this is the heart of the Law,
719
00:33:15,060 --> 00:33:17,050
love for God and love for people.
720
00:33:17,050 --> 00:33:20,539
We do those things because He loved us,
721
00:33:20,539 --> 00:33:24,060
and so we also are invited to be loving.
722
00:33:24,060 --> 00:33:26,071
Any other thoughts? Yes, Jason.
723
00:33:26,071 --> 00:33:27,890
(Jason) There are a plethora of things
724
00:33:27,890 --> 00:33:29,783
we can do to be able to show that love.
725
00:33:29,783 --> 00:33:31,555
But what I like to do is actually go
726
00:33:31,555 --> 00:33:33,275
to food pantries and help people out
727
00:33:33,275 --> 00:33:34,023
because I know,
728
00:33:34,023 --> 00:33:35,259
especially in this economy
729
00:33:35,259 --> 00:33:37,256
things are hard, so I am able to be there
730
00:33:37,256 --> 00:33:40,560
to be the feet and hands of Jesus
731
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:42,351
during those times to help people out
732
00:33:42,351 --> 00:33:43,374
with an actual meal.
733
00:33:43,374 --> 00:33:45,750
(Sabina) Okay, so charitable deeds also.
734
00:33:45,750 --> 00:33:51,080
I also saw Zandile; you had your hand up?
735
00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:53,438
(Zandile) Yes, and I wanted to say
736
00:33:53,438 --> 00:33:58,271
that Judas was not of the same nature
737
00:33:58,271 --> 00:34:01,030
as Jesus Christ; he was one of the twelve
738
00:34:01,030 --> 00:34:02,175
when he was thinking
739
00:34:02,175 --> 00:34:03,504
[of things differently]
740
00:34:03,504 --> 00:34:06,215
from the nature of Jesus Christ.
741
00:34:06,215 --> 00:34:08,223
And one of the [ways in which]
742
00:34:08,223 --> 00:34:11,010
we can express our love to other people
743
00:34:11,010 --> 00:34:13,911
is to be of the same mindset
744
00:34:13,911 --> 00:34:15,344
as Jesus Christ and have
745
00:34:15,344 --> 00:34:16,880
the nature of God, the kindness
746
00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,675
of God within us, so that it flows
747
00:34:19,675 --> 00:34:23,941
from within us to all those around us.
748
00:34:23,941 --> 00:34:25,185
(Sabina) That's wonderful.
749
00:34:25,185 --> 00:34:27,225
So, there are many things that we can do.
750
00:34:27,225 --> 00:34:28,700
And I'm just going to get
751
00:34:28,700 --> 00:34:30,531
Cory's comment also.
752
00:34:30,531 --> 00:34:32,528
Cory, I want to hear you, and then we are
753
00:34:32,528 --> 00:34:34,960
going to move to the testimony of a person
754
00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:36,605
that didn't have the same type
755
00:34:36,605 --> 00:34:41,453
of heart as Mary. Yes, Cory.
756
00:34:41,453 --> 00:34:43,200
(Cory) I think a lot of these things
757
00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:44,873
that bubble out of us can only come
758
00:34:44,873 --> 00:34:46,902
from a relationship with Christ,
759
00:34:46,902 --> 00:34:47,756
and that is done
760
00:34:47,756 --> 00:34:49,473
by spending time with Him.
761
00:34:49,473 --> 00:34:51,199
And you see couples that, when they
762
00:34:51,199 --> 00:34:52,960
start dating or get married, start
763
00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:54,311
looking alike because they
764
00:34:54,311 --> 00:34:55,439
start acting alike.
765
00:34:55,439 --> 00:34:57,626
That's how we reflect Christ
766
00:34:57,626 --> 00:34:58,533
to those around us,
767
00:34:58,533 --> 00:35:00,490
spend time with Him, know Him,
768
00:35:00,490 --> 00:35:02,131
so that we can reflect Him.
769
00:35:02,131 --> 00:35:03,701
(Sabina) That's wonderful, yeah.
770
00:35:03,701 --> 00:35:05,703
I really love this testimony of Mary.
771
00:35:05,703 --> 00:35:07,305
I think it's so inspiring,
772
00:35:07,305 --> 00:35:09,920
Derek and friends, because we all
773
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,525
are also invited to pour out everything
774
00:35:12,525 --> 00:35:14,540
we have to Jesus.
775
00:35:14,540 --> 00:35:16,097
And I wonder if there is someone
776
00:35:16,097 --> 00:35:18,190
watching us, and they have been
777
00:35:18,190 --> 00:35:20,033
withholding some parts of their life
778
00:35:20,033 --> 00:35:21,795
from God, maybe afraid
779
00:35:21,795 --> 00:35:23,161
of what could happen.
780
00:35:23,161 --> 00:35:25,400
Maybe it's something very precious to you,
781
00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,226
right, the salary of your whole year,
782
00:35:28,226 --> 00:35:29,864
or even [something much more] deep
783
00:35:29,864 --> 00:35:31,656
in your heart, in your mind.
784
00:35:31,656 --> 00:35:33,898
But, you know, don't withhold those things
785
00:35:33,898 --> 00:35:36,324
from Jesus, because nothing you bestow,
786
00:35:36,324 --> 00:35:38,595
in true worship, upon Jesus
787
00:35:38,595 --> 00:35:41,342
will ever, ever be wasted.
788
00:35:41,342 --> 00:35:42,638
Just look at what He did
789
00:35:42,638 --> 00:35:44,632
and how He protected this woman,
790
00:35:44,632 --> 00:35:47,285
and how it multiplies, as Derek
791
00:35:47,285 --> 00:35:49,384
was sharing, even to the cross.
792
00:35:49,384 --> 00:35:52,299
There is nothing that you pour upon Jesus
793
00:35:52,299 --> 00:35:54,415
that you are not going to see Him
794
00:35:54,415 --> 00:35:56,728
taking care of and multiplying it further.
795
00:35:56,728 --> 00:35:58,190
(Derek, Team) Amen.
796
00:35:58,190 --> 00:35:59,560
(Sabina) So, let's look here
797
00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,970
at the witness of Pontius Pilate.
798
00:36:02,970 --> 00:36:04,616
So, now we are moving from Mary,
799
00:36:04,616 --> 00:36:05,647
a person that had
800
00:36:05,647 --> 00:36:07,931
this generous heart towards God,
801
00:36:07,931 --> 00:36:10,378
to a person that was more reluctant.
802
00:36:10,378 --> 00:36:13,528
So maybe, Cory, if you will read for us;
803
00:36:13,528 --> 00:36:16,270
we are still going to be reading
804
00:36:16,270 --> 00:36:18,788
from the book of John, chapter 18,
805
00:36:18,788 --> 00:36:24,100
verse 38, and then chapter 19, verse 4.
806
00:36:24,100 --> 00:36:26,334
And then we'll be thinking of what we can
807
00:36:26,334 --> 00:36:28,335
conclude from the testimony
808
00:36:28,335 --> 00:36:33,625
of Pilate regarding Jesus.
809
00:36:33,625 --> 00:36:36,290
(Cory) John 18:38 to start with,
810
00:36:36,290 --> 00:36:38,700
out of the New King James:
811
00:36:55,054 --> 00:36:58,610
And then 19, verse 4:
812
00:37:12,251 --> 00:37:13,463
(Sabina) Thank you.
813
00:37:13,463 --> 00:37:14,755
So, what are your thoughts?
814
00:37:14,755 --> 00:37:16,081
What can we conclude
815
00:37:16,081 --> 00:37:18,394
from the testimony of Pilate
816
00:37:18,394 --> 00:37:21,298
regarding Jesus? Yes, Puia.
817
00:37:21,298 --> 00:37:23,179
(Puia) Pilate stood
818
00:37:23,179 --> 00:37:26,726
before the truth in person.
819
00:37:26,726 --> 00:37:29,504
Jesus is the truth, and Jesus said,
820
00:37:29,504 --> 00:37:30,720
"I came to make known
821
00:37:30,720 --> 00:37:31,882
the truth to the world."
822
00:37:31,882 --> 00:37:34,361
And Pilate asked what we could consider
823
00:37:34,361 --> 00:37:36,228
one of the most important questions
824
00:37:36,228 --> 00:37:37,662
that we could ever ask God,
825
00:37:37,662 --> 00:37:38,829
"What is truth?"
826
00:37:38,829 --> 00:37:43,181
But then the text said he then went away.
827
00:37:43,181 --> 00:37:46,993
He didn't stay to receive
828
00:37:46,993 --> 00:37:49,386
the revelation of God.
829
00:37:49,386 --> 00:37:51,381
So, there is that lesson for us
830
00:37:51,381 --> 00:37:54,247
to stay a little longer and allow God
831
00:37:54,247 --> 00:37:55,780
to reveal Himself to us.
832
00:37:55,780 --> 00:37:57,245
(Sabina) That's right, Puia.
833
00:37:57,245 --> 00:37:58,992
Maybe if Pilate had stayed
834
00:37:58,992 --> 00:38:00,892
a little longer, right, paid
835
00:38:00,892 --> 00:38:02,193
a little more attention
836
00:38:02,193 --> 00:38:05,006
to what he had right in front of his eyes,
837
00:38:05,006 --> 00:38:06,740
the story could have been different,
838
00:38:06,740 --> 00:38:09,600
at least for him and his family.
839
00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:13,082
So, I also find it interesting that he
840
00:38:13,082 --> 00:38:15,914
found no fault in Jesus,
841
00:38:15,914 --> 00:38:18,607
even though he didn't resonate with Jesus.
842
00:38:18,607 --> 00:38:21,606
So, in that staying a little longer,
843
00:38:21,606 --> 00:38:24,271
maybe we are kind of already seeing
844
00:38:24,271 --> 00:38:26,519
something happening, and it may not
845
00:38:26,519 --> 00:38:28,112
always make sense to you,
846
00:38:28,112 --> 00:38:30,137
because it was not making sense to Pilate.
847
00:38:30,137 --> 00:38:31,640
He said, "What is truth?"
848
00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:33,283
Like, it seemed like truth for him
849
00:38:33,283 --> 00:38:35,062
was not something that obvious
850
00:38:35,062 --> 00:38:36,635
or for Jesus it was,
851
00:38:36,635 --> 00:38:39,460
and he should have taken a little longer
852
00:38:39,460 --> 00:38:41,579
to maybe understand that, even if he
853
00:38:41,579 --> 00:38:43,123
couldn't reconcile that,
854
00:38:43,123 --> 00:38:46,407
that it was exactly what was happening.
Yes, Gladys.
855
00:38:46,407 --> 00:38:47,836
(Gladys) At this point, Pilate
856
00:38:47,836 --> 00:38:49,949
had already heard about Jesus.
857
00:38:49,949 --> 00:38:51,500
He had heard about His ministry.
858
00:38:51,500 --> 00:38:53,163
He had heard about the miracles.
859
00:38:53,163 --> 00:38:55,311
So, even though he didn't have
860
00:38:55,311 --> 00:38:57,405
the full revelation, even though he
861
00:38:57,405 --> 00:38:59,716
didn't take the time to spend,
862
00:38:59,716 --> 00:39:02,404
he could have at least been
863
00:39:02,404 --> 00:39:05,104
a little bit more conscious towards
864
00:39:05,104 --> 00:39:07,736
the Person that he was dealing with,
865
00:39:07,736 --> 00:39:09,388
but he chose not to.
866
00:39:09,388 --> 00:39:10,640
(Sabina) Right, and we are
867
00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:13,784
going to see further, maybe if Lezlie
868
00:39:13,784 --> 00:39:16,890
would take us to Matthew 27:19,
869
00:39:16,890 --> 00:39:18,320
that there was more revelation
870
00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:21,273
that was given to Pilate about Jesus.
871
00:39:21,273 --> 00:39:24,775
So, let's read there in Matthew 27:19,
872
00:39:24,775 --> 00:39:25,989
and we are going to learn
873
00:39:25,989 --> 00:39:27,218
about this revelation.
874
00:39:27,218 --> 00:39:28,189
(Lezlie) I'm reading
875
00:39:28,189 --> 00:39:31,703
from the New Living Translation,
Matthew 27:19:
876
00:39:47,016 --> 00:39:48,102
(Sabina) Oh, wow.
877
00:39:48,102 --> 00:39:49,516
So, what special revelation
878
00:39:49,516 --> 00:39:52,786
is being given here to him?
879
00:39:52,786 --> 00:39:55,526
He had experienced what he saw
880
00:39:55,526 --> 00:39:58,042
as his own witness, and now...Yes, Derek.
881
00:39:58,042 --> 00:39:59,677
(Derek) And even if we don't know
882
00:39:59,677 --> 00:40:01,450
the content of the dream,
883
00:40:01,450 --> 00:40:05,115
we see the love of God, that God
884
00:40:05,115 --> 00:40:07,423
loves Pilate, that Jesus wants
885
00:40:07,423 --> 00:40:10,427
Pilate to be saved.
886
00:40:10,427 --> 00:40:11,546
But in my favorite book
887
00:40:11,546 --> 00:40:13,646
on the life of Jesus, The Desire of Ages,
888
00:40:13,646 --> 00:40:15,559
it speaks about that dream given
889
00:40:15,559 --> 00:40:18,145
to Pilate's wife, a revelation
890
00:40:18,145 --> 00:40:20,395
of what would happen, including the coming
891
00:40:20,395 --> 00:40:22,793
of Jesus in glory.
892
00:40:22,793 --> 00:40:26,157
And one translation said nightmare,
893
00:40:26,157 --> 00:40:27,414
mine just said a dream,
894
00:40:27,414 --> 00:40:30,258
I don't know; it was troubling to her
895
00:40:30,258 --> 00:40:33,397
because this innocent man
896
00:40:33,397 --> 00:40:36,116
was the King of Glory.
897
00:40:36,116 --> 00:40:39,268
But even if we didn't know the dream,
898
00:40:39,268 --> 00:40:41,566
I see the love of God,
899
00:40:41,566 --> 00:40:44,049
"What else can I do," you know,
900
00:40:44,049 --> 00:40:50,041
"to reach out in a loving rescue, " right,
901
00:40:50,041 --> 00:40:51,710
salvation to this person.
902
00:40:51,710 --> 00:40:52,774
(Sabina) That's right.
903
00:40:52,774 --> 00:40:55,293
So, He not only gave that opportunity
904
00:40:55,293 --> 00:40:57,260
for him to witness for himself,
905
00:40:57,260 --> 00:40:59,102
and he failed to stay a little longer,
906
00:40:59,102 --> 00:41:00,246
as Puia was saying,
907
00:41:00,246 --> 00:41:01,996
but He also then took the time
908
00:41:01,996 --> 00:41:03,502
to communicate with the person
909
00:41:03,502 --> 00:41:05,329
who was the most important person
910
00:41:05,329 --> 00:41:08,150
in his life, I suppose, to see
911
00:41:08,150 --> 00:41:11,257
if maybe he would listen to his wife.
912
00:41:11,257 --> 00:41:13,413
Isn't that powerful, to see the ways
913
00:41:13,413 --> 00:41:15,669
that God is trying to find our hearts.
914
00:41:15,669 --> 00:41:19,683
So, how do you explain, then, the actions
915
00:41:19,683 --> 00:41:22,450
of Pilate in light of his testimony
916
00:41:22,450 --> 00:41:23,688
and special revelation
917
00:41:23,688 --> 00:41:25,210
that was given to him?
918
00:41:25,210 --> 00:41:27,437
How can we explain that he
919
00:41:27,437 --> 00:41:31,401
still wouldn't hear that? Yes, Gladys.
920
00:41:31,401 --> 00:41:33,083
(Gladys) Well, we have been talking
921
00:41:33,083 --> 00:41:34,597
about how Satan just blinds us
922
00:41:34,597 --> 00:41:37,415
and makes us deaf.
923
00:41:37,415 --> 00:41:39,756
And obviously in his response
924
00:41:39,756 --> 00:41:41,618
to the revelation he has received
925
00:41:41,618 --> 00:41:43,073
and his response to the dream
926
00:41:43,073 --> 00:41:44,550
that his wife had,
927
00:41:44,550 --> 00:41:47,578
he still did not open his heart
928
00:41:47,578 --> 00:41:50,189
to accept Jesus for whom he was seeing
929
00:41:50,189 --> 00:41:52,384
that He could be.
930
00:41:52,384 --> 00:41:53,830
(Sabina) Yes, Zandile, I see
931
00:41:53,830 --> 00:41:57,637
you have your hand up.
932
00:41:57,637 --> 00:41:59,228
(Zandile) As you were questioning
933
00:41:59,228 --> 00:42:01,456
I thought of the fact that Pilate
934
00:42:01,456 --> 00:42:05,649
and his wife were Romans,
935
00:42:05,649 --> 00:42:09,778
but we find God revealing Himself
936
00:42:09,778 --> 00:42:13,389
to the Romans, the Gentiles at that time,
937
00:42:13,389 --> 00:42:14,911
people who did not have anything
938
00:42:14,911 --> 00:42:16,564
to do with God, people who did not
939
00:42:16,564 --> 00:42:18,257
know Him, but He comes to them.
940
00:42:18,257 --> 00:42:19,649
Even Jesus, He was
941
00:42:19,649 --> 00:42:22,299
about to be a sacrifice for everybody,
942
00:42:22,299 --> 00:42:23,686
but God is saying,
943
00:42:23,686 --> 00:42:25,123
"Hey, listen, have nothing..."
944
00:42:25,123 --> 00:42:26,650
He is revealing Himself to show
945
00:42:26,650 --> 00:42:29,264
that He cares for all humanity,
946
00:42:29,264 --> 00:42:32,029
for everyone, not only the Jews.
947
00:42:32,029 --> 00:42:33,432
But in light of the question
948
00:42:33,432 --> 00:42:35,368
that you just asked, I wanted to say
949
00:42:35,368 --> 00:42:38,336
that God had already said,
950
00:42:38,336 --> 00:42:40,120
"I have given today
951
00:42:40,120 --> 00:42:42,460
in front of you life or death.
952
00:42:42,460 --> 00:42:45,233
It's up to you to, you know, choose life
953
00:42:45,233 --> 00:42:46,966
or you choose death."
954
00:42:46,966 --> 00:42:47,668
(Derek) Wow.
955
00:42:47,668 --> 00:42:49,832
(Sabina) Yes. Puia, I see your hand up.
956
00:42:49,832 --> 00:42:52,337
Would you take us to John 19,
957
00:42:52,337 --> 00:42:53,779
verses 1 and 16.
958
00:42:53,779 --> 00:42:54,756
We are going to see
959
00:42:54,756 --> 00:42:55,913
a little bit more there,
960
00:42:55,913 --> 00:42:57,305
and then maybe you can add...
961
00:42:57,305 --> 00:42:59,193
(Puia) Sure, and I'll be reading
962
00:42:59,193 --> 00:43:01,945
from the New King James Version,
963
00:43:01,945 --> 00:43:03,366
John 19, verse 1:
964
00:43:07,549 --> 00:43:09,542
And verse 16:
965
00:43:18,165 --> 00:43:20,715
What I wanted to comment on, Sabina,
966
00:43:20,715 --> 00:43:22,863
was that Pilate was
967
00:43:22,863 --> 00:43:25,437
pressured by the crowd.
968
00:43:25,437 --> 00:43:28,507
It may be easy, to kind of, blame him,
969
00:43:28,507 --> 00:43:30,810
but I believe there is also danger
970
00:43:30,810 --> 00:43:33,225
for us today that we, too, can
971
00:43:33,225 --> 00:43:35,424
be pressured to go along
972
00:43:35,424 --> 00:43:37,250
with the majority.
973
00:43:37,250 --> 00:43:39,674
It's not fun to be different
974
00:43:39,674 --> 00:43:43,781
from the crowd, so one reason Pilate,
975
00:43:43,781 --> 00:43:46,383
while knowing that Jesus was innocent,
976
00:43:46,383 --> 00:43:48,730
why did He still deliver Jesus
977
00:43:48,730 --> 00:43:50,033
to be crucified?
978
00:43:50,033 --> 00:43:52,457
Well, because he gave in
979
00:43:52,457 --> 00:43:54,250
to the pressure of the crowd.
980
00:43:54,250 --> 00:43:55,846
(Sabina) That's right, he gave in
981
00:43:55,846 --> 00:43:57,261
to the pressure of the crowd.
982
00:43:57,261 --> 00:43:58,443
And he also had a role,
983
00:43:58,443 --> 00:44:00,264
and sometimes the pressure can even be
984
00:44:00,264 --> 00:44:02,788
because of a certain profession
that you have.
985
00:44:02,788 --> 00:44:04,872
Because he had a role to play,
986
00:44:04,872 --> 00:44:07,370
and part of his role to play
987
00:44:07,370 --> 00:44:09,594
was to make sure that all parts
988
00:44:09,594 --> 00:44:12,699
and communities were satisfied and happy.
989
00:44:12,699 --> 00:44:15,332
So one day [he had to satisfy one group]
990
00:44:15,332 --> 00:44:16,858
and another day [another group],
991
00:44:16,858 --> 00:44:19,829
so he had to reconcile his call
992
00:44:19,829 --> 00:44:24,205
as a leader with the witness of Jesus
993
00:44:24,205 --> 00:44:26,200
that was right in front of him.
994
00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:29,300
And it seems like he failed. Yes, Travis.
995
00:44:29,300 --> 00:44:30,874
(Travis) I was thinking of a song
996
00:44:30,874 --> 00:44:32,357
that I sang as a kid, Stand up,
997
00:44:32,357 --> 00:44:34,461
Stand up, for Jesus.
998
00:44:34,461 --> 00:44:37,070
Jesus was going to the cross,
999
00:44:37,070 --> 00:44:41,355
whether Pilate flogged Him or not,
1000
00:44:41,355 --> 00:44:43,752
because it was His time.
1001
00:44:43,752 --> 00:44:46,691
But he could have taken a stand for Jesus,
1002
00:44:46,691 --> 00:44:48,959
and he chose, as mentioned,
1003
00:44:48,959 --> 00:44:49,875
not to take a stand
1004
00:44:49,875 --> 00:44:51,598
because of popular opinion.
1005
00:44:51,598 --> 00:44:53,844
And I think there is a lesson
1006
00:44:53,844 --> 00:44:55,902
for us to learn, as when we're asked
1007
00:44:55,902 --> 00:44:57,904
to take a stand, we
1008
00:44:57,904 --> 00:44:59,515
might not change a situation,
1009
00:44:59,515 --> 00:45:01,599
but we can stand.
1010
00:45:01,599 --> 00:45:02,768
We can stand for Jesus.
1011
00:45:02,768 --> 00:45:03,815
(Sabina) Yes. So I see
1012
00:45:03,815 --> 00:45:06,166
many hands up, and I would love
1013
00:45:06,166 --> 00:45:07,717
to continue talking about that,
1014
00:45:07,717 --> 00:45:08,880
but we are going to move
1015
00:45:08,880 --> 00:45:10,040
to our next witness.
1016
00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:12,292
And, Cory, if you will help us there.
1017
00:45:12,292 --> 00:45:13,598
We are going to be looking
1018
00:45:13,598 --> 00:45:15,966
at the witness of Thomas,
1019
00:45:15,966 --> 00:45:17,947
Thomas who struggled to believe
1020
00:45:17,947 --> 00:45:20,319
that Jesus was risen from the dead.
1021
00:45:20,319 --> 00:45:22,245
So we already know, we heard
1022
00:45:22,245 --> 00:45:24,896
from the story of Mary and her testimony.
1023
00:45:24,896 --> 00:45:26,469
We've seen here in the testimony,
1024
00:45:26,469 --> 00:45:28,000
also, of Pilate, who was
1025
00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:29,960
a completely different person than Mary,
1026
00:45:29,960 --> 00:45:31,135
a different background,
1027
00:45:31,135 --> 00:45:32,142
a different response.
1028
00:45:32,142 --> 00:45:34,455
Now, let's look at Thomas, who was
1029
00:45:34,455 --> 00:45:37,669
one of those close followers of Jesus.
1030
00:45:37,669 --> 00:45:40,547
So, if you'll read for us from John,
1031
00:45:40,547 --> 00:45:46,119
chapter 20, from verses 19 to 24, Cory.
1032
00:45:46,119 --> 00:45:46,977
(Cory) I'm reading
1033
00:45:46,977 --> 00:45:48,327
from the New King James:
1034
00:46:55,184 --> 00:46:56,331
(Sabina) Okay, so, Cory,
1035
00:46:56,331 --> 00:46:58,609
just stick with us a little longer here.
1036
00:46:58,609 --> 00:47:00,134
I saw you had your hand up,
1037
00:47:00,134 --> 00:47:02,020
and you just read this text.
1038
00:47:02,020 --> 00:47:03,662
Why do you think that Thomas
1039
00:47:03,662 --> 00:47:04,976
was struggling to believe
1040
00:47:04,976 --> 00:47:06,684
that Jesus was risen from the dead?
1041
00:47:06,684 --> 00:47:08,915
What are your thoughts?
1042
00:47:08,915 --> 00:47:10,163
(Cory) I think some people
1043
00:47:10,163 --> 00:47:11,870
just need to [feel and] see things
1044
00:47:11,870 --> 00:47:13,385
with their own hands and eyes,
1045
00:47:13,385 --> 00:47:14,798
and there were so many doubts
1046
00:47:14,798 --> 00:47:16,356
because he really believed Jesus
1047
00:47:16,356 --> 00:47:19,683
was going to be a king on Earth right now.
1048
00:47:19,683 --> 00:47:23,200
And [with] his belief, he doubted
1049
00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:24,660
everything that was going on,
1050
00:47:24,660 --> 00:47:27,148
so he needed to see it himself.
1051
00:47:27,148 --> 00:47:28,722
(Sabina) Okay, thank you so much.
1052
00:47:28,722 --> 00:47:29,864
And we are going to look
1053
00:47:29,864 --> 00:47:31,213
a little further here.
1054
00:47:31,213 --> 00:47:32,994
Maybe, Joshua, if you'll read
1055
00:47:32,994 --> 00:47:37,296
for us John 20:25,26, and we are
1056
00:47:37,296 --> 00:47:38,275
going to be thinking
1057
00:47:38,275 --> 00:47:39,848
[of what more we can learn]
1058
00:47:39,848 --> 00:47:42,870
about Thomas from these two verses?
1059
00:47:42,870 --> 00:47:44,454
(Joshua) Alright, I'll be reading
1060
00:47:44,454 --> 00:47:49,445
from the New King James Version,
John 20:25-26:
1061
00:48:18,441 --> 00:48:19,868
(Sabina) So, what can we learn
1062
00:48:19,868 --> 00:48:21,448
about Thomas? Yes, Gladys.
1063
00:48:21,448 --> 00:48:23,880
(Gladys) I think that he is like what Cory
1064
00:48:23,880 --> 00:48:25,470
was saying, that he is somebody
1065
00:48:25,470 --> 00:48:28,261
that needs something tangible,
1066
00:48:28,261 --> 00:48:30,141
that needs tangible evidence
1067
00:48:30,141 --> 00:48:31,980
before they can believe.
1068
00:48:31,980 --> 00:48:35,424
But I just love that Jesus, even though He
1069
00:48:35,424 --> 00:48:38,874
knew that he didn't believe,
1070
00:48:38,874 --> 00:48:41,393
He's so loving, the love of God
1071
00:48:41,393 --> 00:48:43,447
is so big, that He reaches
1072
00:48:43,447 --> 00:48:45,151
even beyond our unbelief
1073
00:48:45,151 --> 00:48:48,130
and reveals Himself to us.
1074
00:48:48,130 --> 00:48:49,926
(Derek) I always struggled
1075
00:48:49,926 --> 00:48:53,390
with calling him "Thomas the Doubter."
1076
00:48:53,390 --> 00:48:54,648
I think he's a skeptic.
1077
00:48:54,648 --> 00:48:56,657
I think, like Cory said, he may need
1078
00:48:56,657 --> 00:48:58,970
a little more tangible evidence.
1079
00:48:58,970 --> 00:49:02,649
But I want us to note that he is there
1080
00:49:02,649 --> 00:49:05,501
in the upper room, right,
1081
00:49:05,501 --> 00:49:07,380
eight days later; he is there.
1082
00:49:07,380 --> 00:49:12,709
So, his heart is open, and I'm so thankful
1083
00:49:12,709 --> 00:49:13,900
for what happens next,
1084
00:49:13,900 --> 00:49:15,690
because while Jesus says,
1085
00:49:15,690 --> 00:49:17,947
"Blessed are those who believe
1086
00:49:17,947 --> 00:49:19,666
even though they don't see,"
1087
00:49:19,666 --> 00:49:23,744
He doesn't say, "Thomas, you're a loser.
1088
00:49:23,744 --> 00:49:26,995
Leave the room."
1089
00:49:26,995 --> 00:49:29,251
I see the love of Jesus there.
1090
00:49:29,251 --> 00:49:31,643
But I want to affirm Thomas,
1091
00:49:31,643 --> 00:49:34,726
even though he was struggling,
1092
00:49:34,726 --> 00:49:37,291
he showed up with the people of God.
1093
00:49:37,291 --> 00:49:38,381
(Team) Amen.
1094
00:49:38,381 --> 00:49:40,143
(Sabina) So, looking to that,
1095
00:49:40,143 --> 00:49:42,521
maybe, Jason, if you'll read for us.
1096
00:49:42,521 --> 00:49:44,113
We are going to look at the way
1097
00:49:44,113 --> 00:49:47,930
that Jesus encourages Thomas
1098
00:49:47,930 --> 00:49:50,220
and also how Thomas
1099
00:49:50,220 --> 00:49:52,847
finally responds to Jesus,
1100
00:49:52,847 --> 00:49:55,465
so verses 27 to 29,
1101
00:49:55,465 --> 00:49:56,748
if you'll read that for us.
1102
00:49:56,748 --> 00:49:59,177
(Jason) My pleasure, and the Bible says:
1103
00:50:27,721 --> 00:50:28,722
(Sabina) Thank you.
1104
00:50:28,722 --> 00:50:30,118
So, first of all, how did
1105
00:50:30,118 --> 00:50:33,480
Jesus encourage Thomas?
1106
00:50:33,480 --> 00:50:36,331
Do you have any thoughts about it?
Yes, Travis.
1107
00:50:36,331 --> 00:50:40,079
(Travis) I'm just really impressed, first,
1108
00:50:40,079 --> 00:50:43,449
by Thomas' request, and then Jesus giving
1109
00:50:43,449 --> 00:50:45,699
him exactly what he needs to believe.
1110
00:50:45,699 --> 00:50:47,388
We've been going through this study
1111
00:50:47,388 --> 00:50:49,193
of John, and many people were asking
1112
00:50:49,193 --> 00:50:52,786
for signs; Jesus didn't give them a sign.
1113
00:50:52,786 --> 00:50:54,575
And here now Thomas is saying,
1114
00:50:54,575 --> 00:50:57,184
"Unless I see this....," I think it has
1115
00:50:57,184 --> 00:50:59,041
to do with the condition of the heart.
1116
00:50:59,041 --> 00:51:00,159
I think Derek is right.
1117
00:51:00,159 --> 00:51:03,693
He wanted to believe,
1118
00:51:03,693 --> 00:51:05,416
but he wanted evidence.
1119
00:51:05,416 --> 00:51:07,628
And I've been in this situation
1120
00:51:07,628 --> 00:51:09,495
with Thomas before, and God
1121
00:51:09,495 --> 00:51:10,927
has revealed Himself to me
1122
00:51:10,927 --> 00:51:12,322
in a powerful way.
1123
00:51:12,322 --> 00:51:14,761
When your heart is willing and receptive,
1124
00:51:14,761 --> 00:51:16,295
God knows what you need, and He
1125
00:51:16,295 --> 00:51:18,420
will give it and reveal Himself to you.
1126
00:51:18,420 --> 00:51:20,660
(Sabina) Puia. I see so many hands up.
1127
00:51:20,660 --> 00:51:23,496
We're always stirred up with that story.
Yes, Puia.
1128
00:51:23,496 --> 00:51:25,889
(Puia) I am very encouraged by this story,
1129
00:51:25,889 --> 00:51:27,828
because I myself struggle with doubts
1130
00:51:27,828 --> 00:51:29,612
quite a lot of the time.
1131
00:51:29,612 --> 00:51:32,477
And there could be two types of doubters.
1132
00:51:32,477 --> 00:51:35,227
One group would be doubting towards faith,
1133
00:51:35,227 --> 00:51:36,306
and one group would be
1134
00:51:36,306 --> 00:51:38,600
doubting towards unbelief.
1135
00:51:38,600 --> 00:51:40,417
What we see from Thomas is that, yes,
1136
00:51:40,417 --> 00:51:41,860
he was struggling with doubts,
1137
00:51:41,860 --> 00:51:44,127
but he was doubting towards faith.
1138
00:51:44,127 --> 00:51:46,145
So, if we are struggling
1139
00:51:46,145 --> 00:51:47,470
with doubts today, there is
1140
00:51:47,470 --> 00:51:49,349
a lot of encouragement from this story,
1141
00:51:49,349 --> 00:51:50,810
that Jesus doesn't condemn.
1142
00:51:50,810 --> 00:51:53,168
Instead, the words of Jesus said,
1143
00:51:53,168 --> 00:51:55,194
"Blessed are those who have not
1144
00:51:55,194 --> 00:51:57,820
seen Me but believe."
1145
00:51:57,820 --> 00:51:59,453
He's talking about us.
1146
00:51:59,453 --> 00:52:01,409
(Sabina) Yes, so at the same time, Thomas
1147
00:52:01,409 --> 00:52:03,757
was encouraged by Jesus,
1148
00:52:03,757 --> 00:52:06,112
so Jesus listens to Thomas, He comes
1149
00:52:06,112 --> 00:52:07,957
towards Thomas and his needs
1150
00:52:07,957 --> 00:52:09,863
in that moment, but at the same time,
1151
00:52:09,863 --> 00:52:12,263
He uses Thomas' story
1152
00:52:12,263 --> 00:52:13,429
as an object lesson,
1153
00:52:13,429 --> 00:52:16,345
let's put it this way, for all of us.
1154
00:52:16,345 --> 00:52:18,545
So we that are here, and we do have
1155
00:52:18,545 --> 00:52:20,405
the chance right now to be like, "Oh,
1156
00:52:20,405 --> 00:52:22,719
Jesus, can I touch it?"
1157
00:52:22,719 --> 00:52:26,013
But He is going to make sure that we know
1158
00:52:26,013 --> 00:52:28,583
that we are more blessed than Thomas
1159
00:52:28,583 --> 00:52:30,785
if we are able to believe without having
1160
00:52:30,785 --> 00:52:33,300
that same experience that he had.
1161
00:52:33,300 --> 00:52:36,462
So, Gladys, just to conclude this part
1162
00:52:36,462 --> 00:52:38,435
about Thomas, what encouragement
1163
00:52:38,435 --> 00:52:40,814
do you find in this story for your life?
1164
00:52:40,814 --> 00:52:42,527
(Gladys) Well, I feel like the man
1165
00:52:42,527 --> 00:52:45,349
that Jesus asked if he believed,
1166
00:52:45,349 --> 00:52:46,564
and he said, "I believe,
1167
00:52:46,564 --> 00:52:48,762
but help my unbelief."
1168
00:52:48,762 --> 00:52:52,131
You know, sometimes we have this doubt,
1169
00:52:52,131 --> 00:52:55,587
but God finds a way to just reveal Himself
1170
00:52:55,587 --> 00:52:58,864
in a personal way to [move]
1171
00:52:58,864 --> 00:53:01,274
towards belief, like Puia was saying.
1172
00:53:01,274 --> 00:53:02,665
You have doubts, but, yes,
1173
00:53:02,665 --> 00:53:04,715
[He will] move you closer to Him
1174
00:53:04,715 --> 00:53:06,371
towards believing in Him.
1175
00:53:06,371 --> 00:53:07,862
(Sabina) Isn't He loving?
1176
00:53:07,862 --> 00:53:10,427
Isn't He so caring, that even if we are
1177
00:53:10,427 --> 00:53:13,327
in that moment of doubt, of challenges,
1178
00:53:13,327 --> 00:53:14,999
He is going to make sure to come
1179
00:53:14,999 --> 00:53:16,824
towards you because He loves you.
1180
00:53:16,824 --> 00:53:19,445
He is not trying to make it hard,
right, Gladys, for us?
1181
00:53:19,445 --> 00:53:20,318
(Gladys) He's not.
1182
00:53:20,318 --> 00:53:22,613
(Sabina) He's trying as much as He can
1183
00:53:22,613 --> 00:53:25,139
to attract us to Him.
1184
00:53:25,139 --> 00:53:27,340
Thank You, Jesus, for that.
1185
00:53:27,340 --> 00:53:29,679
And so, maybe, Lezlie, if you'll take us
1186
00:53:29,679 --> 00:53:31,487
to the final part of our study, we are
1187
00:53:31,487 --> 00:53:33,034
going to be looking at the way
1188
00:53:33,034 --> 00:53:36,527
in which John concludes his own witness
1189
00:53:36,527 --> 00:53:38,361
because John is also a witness
1190
00:53:38,361 --> 00:53:40,942
of all that, and he gives that witness
1191
00:53:40,942 --> 00:53:43,537
of many things that he saw
1192
00:53:43,537 --> 00:53:45,447
and what he thinks of Jesus.
1193
00:53:45,447 --> 00:53:47,292
So, if you'll take us to John,
1194
00:53:47,292 --> 00:53:50,955
chapter 20, verses 30 and 31, please.
1195
00:53:50,955 --> 00:53:52,385
(Lezlie) Okay, I'm reading
1196
00:53:52,385 --> 00:53:54,288
from the New Living Translation:
1197
00:54:13,198 --> 00:54:14,535
(Derek, Team) Amen.
1198
00:54:14,535 --> 00:54:15,978
(Sabina) So, what testimony
1199
00:54:15,978 --> 00:54:20,000
is John giving here? Yes, Travis.
1200
00:54:20,000 --> 00:54:21,868
(Travis) I'm going to make the argument
1201
00:54:21,868 --> 00:54:23,505
that that should be the last verse
1202
00:54:23,505 --> 00:54:24,899
of the Bible, because I think
1203
00:54:24,899 --> 00:54:26,595
that encapsulates all of Scripture.
1204
00:54:26,595 --> 00:54:27,837
I think that's the reason
1205
00:54:27,837 --> 00:54:30,219
all of Scripture was written.
1206
00:54:30,219 --> 00:54:33,296
But John wanted to be sure
1207
00:54:33,296 --> 00:54:36,330
that we knew that that was the reason.
1208
00:54:36,330 --> 00:54:38,122
As a matter of fact, now when I study
1209
00:54:38,122 --> 00:54:39,594
the book of John, and I
1210
00:54:39,594 --> 00:54:41,638
have that understanding, wow,
1211
00:54:41,638 --> 00:54:43,124
there's a whole new revelation.
1212
00:54:43,124 --> 00:54:44,900
You read the Bible in a different way
1213
00:54:44,900 --> 00:54:46,485
when you know that that's why
1214
00:54:46,485 --> 00:54:47,595
it was written.
1215
00:54:47,595 --> 00:54:49,605
(Sabina) Yeah, it seems like John's desire
1216
00:54:49,605 --> 00:54:52,413
was that you and I would believe
1217
00:54:52,413 --> 00:54:53,580
those things, you know?
1218
00:54:53,580 --> 00:54:55,431
Ultimately, [it was] all he wanted,
1219
00:54:55,431 --> 00:54:56,874
and through the Holy Spirit he
1220
00:54:56,874 --> 00:54:58,751
was inspired because he knew
1221
00:54:58,751 --> 00:55:01,767
that if we have the life of Jesus,
1222
00:55:01,767 --> 00:55:02,846
we have eternal life.
1223
00:55:02,846 --> 00:55:04,529
If we belong to Jesus,
1224
00:55:04,529 --> 00:55:05,702
we have eternal life.
1225
00:55:05,702 --> 00:55:07,541
And just to conclude here, do you have
1226
00:55:07,541 --> 00:55:09,207
a story of your own,
1227
00:55:09,207 --> 00:55:10,561
your testimony about Jesus?
1228
00:55:10,561 --> 00:55:12,423
We are going to say that in short;
1229
00:55:12,423 --> 00:55:14,040
we don't have much time.
1230
00:55:14,040 --> 00:55:15,969
Is there something that you can say here
1231
00:55:15,969 --> 00:55:25,480
that you are inspired to share.
Yes, Tendi.
1232
00:55:25,480 --> 00:55:27,615
(Tendi) How I came to the church,
1233
00:55:27,615 --> 00:55:30,271
it was a trying time for me,
1234
00:55:30,271 --> 00:55:33,492
but I held onto the fact that, leaving
1235
00:55:33,492 --> 00:55:35,590
my job to honor the Sabbath
1236
00:55:35,590 --> 00:55:38,450
and being unemployed for three years,
1237
00:55:38,450 --> 00:55:42,125
Jesus will honor my fidelity one day.
1238
00:55:42,125 --> 00:55:44,694
I stood firm to the belief that I had
1239
00:55:44,694 --> 00:55:46,326
and the conviction I had.
1240
00:55:46,326 --> 00:55:47,275
(Team) Amen.
1241
00:55:47,275 --> 00:55:48,698
(Sabina) Thank you, Tendi.
1242
00:55:48,698 --> 00:55:50,796
I think that each one of us here
1243
00:55:50,796 --> 00:55:53,243
(if I start asking, we won't have time)
1244
00:55:53,243 --> 00:55:54,930
would have a testimony to share
1245
00:55:54,930 --> 00:55:56,436
of the many ways in which Jesus
1246
00:55:56,436 --> 00:55:58,101
has been touching our lives.
1247
00:55:58,101 --> 00:55:59,920
And that's my invitation also for you
1248
00:55:59,920 --> 00:56:02,635
who are watching us.
1249
00:56:02,635 --> 00:56:05,162
I'm sure that Jesus has been working
1250
00:56:05,162 --> 00:56:07,488
in your life even before you were alive.
1251
00:56:07,488 --> 00:56:08,857
He was thinking of you
1252
00:56:08,857 --> 00:56:10,898
when He made you and knitted you together
1253
00:56:10,898 --> 00:56:12,002
in your mother's womb.
1254
00:56:12,002 --> 00:56:13,567
He had a plan for you.
1255
00:56:13,567 --> 00:56:15,013
He has a desire for your life,
1256
00:56:15,013 --> 00:56:16,830
and that desire is that you would come
1257
00:56:16,830 --> 00:56:19,480
to believe in Him and have life.
1258
00:56:19,480 --> 00:56:22,050
So just please take this invitation
1259
00:56:22,050 --> 00:56:24,130
from Jesus, it's a gift,
1260
00:56:24,130 --> 00:56:26,390
and not only receive the witness
1261
00:56:26,390 --> 00:56:28,887
that we see in the Bible from Thomas
1262
00:56:28,887 --> 00:56:31,435
or from Mary or the prophetic witness
1263
00:56:31,435 --> 00:56:34,434
of Abraham or the witness of Tendi,
1264
00:56:34,434 --> 00:56:37,937
Puia, Derek, but also see the witness
1265
00:56:37,937 --> 00:56:39,619
of what the things are that Jesus
1266
00:56:39,619 --> 00:56:40,866
will do in your life.
1267
00:56:40,866 --> 00:56:43,233
I look forward to learning of the ways
1268
00:56:43,233 --> 00:56:45,090
in which we are witnessing His work
1269
00:56:45,090 --> 00:56:47,385
in you for eternity. Amen?
1270
00:56:47,385 --> 00:56:51,100
(Derek, Team) Amen.
1271
00:56:51,100 --> 00:56:53,754
(Derek) What a powerful study.
1272
00:56:53,754 --> 00:56:55,178
(Team) Amen.
1273
00:56:55,178 --> 00:56:56,658
(Derek) And, "Blessed are those
1274
00:56:56,658 --> 00:56:59,880
who believe," is not just those back then,
1275
00:56:59,880 --> 00:57:01,915
but could we testify, "We are
1276
00:57:01,915 --> 00:57:04,222
blessed because we believe"?
1277
00:57:04,222 --> 00:57:05,157
(Team) Amen.
1278
00:57:05,157 --> 00:57:06,324
(Derek) We believe what?
1279
00:57:06,324 --> 00:57:08,039
We believe that Jesus is the Christ,
1280
00:57:08,039 --> 00:57:11,648
the Son of God, and that by believing
1281
00:57:11,648 --> 00:57:13,549
we have life in His name.
1282
00:57:13,549 --> 00:57:15,933
Thank you, Sabina, for sharing with us.
1283
00:57:15,933 --> 00:57:18,484
And thank you for joining us.
1284
00:57:18,484 --> 00:57:20,021
I just want to appeal to you
1285
00:57:20,021 --> 00:57:22,201
as Sabina has; don't let this
1286
00:57:22,201 --> 00:57:23,520
just be information.
1287
00:57:23,520 --> 00:57:25,167
John said these stories
1288
00:57:25,167 --> 00:57:26,870
are not just to entertain you
1289
00:57:26,870 --> 00:57:28,384
but so you could be saved
1290
00:57:28,384 --> 00:57:30,351
forever in God's Kingdom.
1291
00:57:30,351 --> 00:57:31,334
Let's pray together.
1292
00:57:31,334 --> 00:57:33,870
Father in Heaven, may the testimonies
1293
00:57:33,870 --> 00:57:36,218
of those who believed, that we have
1294
00:57:36,218 --> 00:57:40,413
shared today, including present testimony,
1295
00:57:40,413 --> 00:57:42,760
remind us that You are not trying
1296
00:57:42,760 --> 00:57:45,281
to hide from us, but You want
1297
00:57:45,281 --> 00:57:48,461
to find us and save us and use us
1298
00:57:48,461 --> 00:57:50,200
to bless others with a word
1299
00:57:50,200 --> 00:57:52,245
of hope through You.
1300
00:57:52,245 --> 00:57:55,479
Thank you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
1301
00:57:55,479 --> 00:57:56,570
(Team) Amen.
1302
00:57:56,570 --> 00:57:57,969
(Derek) Thanks for joining us
1303
00:57:57,969 --> 00:57:59,944
for Hope Sabbath School - what a journey.
1304
00:57:59,944 --> 00:58:01,677
Take what you've learned, my friend,
1305
00:58:01,677 --> 00:58:03,842
go out and be a blessing
to those around you.
1306
00:58:03,842 --> 00:58:27,543
♪ theme music ♪