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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We are in an amazing series,

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<i>Themes in the Gospel of John.</i>

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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, <i>Themes</i>

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<i>in the Gospel of John,</i>

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today, <i>Blessed Are Those Who Believe.</i>

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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 <i>you're</i> 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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<i>Blessed Are Those Who Believe.</i>

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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 <i>Trilogy Scripture Songs</i>

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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 <i>Trilogy Scripture Songs.</i>

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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, <i>Behold! The Lamb of God.</i>

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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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(Sabina) He was glad;

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he would rejoice. Yes, Puia.

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(Puia) I believe there was also the story

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where God asked Abraham

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to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

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Just before he sacrificed Isaac,

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the angel stopped him, and God

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provided a ram in the place of Isaac.

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And I believe God let Abraham understand

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at that point in time that in the future

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there would come a Savior, the Messiah,

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who would be sacrificed on behalf

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of the people of this world.

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And so Abraham foresaw Jesus' day.

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(Sabina) Okay, so we are seeing here

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that Jesus made this testimony

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about the revelation that Abraham had,

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and it seemed like that one of the moments

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where Jesus (and God) was

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unveiling Himself to Abraham

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was, for instance, in this episode

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that you are now reading, right?

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So we do have some passages here

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that we are going to look at today

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in the Old Testament, in Genesis,

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the very first book of the Bible,

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that will give us evidence of the ways

00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:40.758
in which Jesus was already revealing

00:13:40.758 --> 00:13:42.424
Himself to Abraham,

00:13:42.424 --> 00:13:43.822
and not only to Abraham

00:13:43.822 --> 00:13:46.995
but all the nations around him

00:13:46.995 --> 00:13:49.560
who were to be blessed by this testimony.

00:13:49.560 --> 00:13:51.720
Okay, so maybe, Puia, since you

00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:54.695
already initiated us with some

00:13:54.695 --> 00:13:56.990
of those stories, if you'll take us

00:13:56.990 --> 00:13:59.758
to Genesis 12:3.

00:13:59.758 --> 00:14:01.322
(Puia) Sure, and I'll be reading

00:14:01.322 --> 00:14:03.187
from the New King James Version,

00:14:03.187 --> 00:14:05.439
Genesis, chapter 12, verse 3:

00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:18.991
(Sabina) So we see here especially

00:14:18.991 --> 00:14:20.309
that what was happening was

00:14:20.309 --> 00:14:22.643
the call of Abraham.

00:14:22.643 --> 00:14:25.531
And already in this call of Abraham,

00:14:25.531 --> 00:14:28.331
there was a promise, and it was a promise

00:14:28.331 --> 00:14:31.140
that was pointing to Jesus.

00:14:31.140 --> 00:14:34.100
Maybe, Joshua, can you take us

00:14:34.100 --> 00:14:38.617
to Genesis 18, verses 17 and 18.

00:14:38.617 --> 00:14:40.425
(Joshua) Of course. I'll be reading

00:14:40.425 --> 00:14:42.411
from the New King James Version:

00:14:57.225 --> 00:15:00.643
(Sabina) Okay, so, is that revelation

00:15:00.643 --> 00:15:02.610
also happening here in this event?

00:15:02.610 --> 00:15:03.566
Which event is that?

00:15:03.566 --> 00:15:04.792
Do you have any thoughts?

00:15:04.792 --> 00:15:06.919
Can you see the revelation of Jesus

00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:09.762
occurring here also? Yes, Travis.

00:15:09.762 --> 00:15:11.062
(Travis) It is occurring

00:15:11.062 --> 00:15:14.767
through his son Isaac, because Jesus

00:15:14.767 --> 00:15:15.809
would end up coming

00:15:15.809 --> 00:15:18.837
through the lineage of Abraham.

00:15:18.837 --> 00:15:20.047
(Sabina) In fact, that is

00:15:20.047 --> 00:15:21.455
a very important event

00:15:21.455 --> 00:15:24.994
of the revelation of God to Abraham

00:15:24.994 --> 00:15:26.023
and to us as well.

00:15:26.023 --> 00:15:27.416
I think that's also mentioned

00:15:27.416 --> 00:15:28.438
in the New Testament.

00:15:28.438 --> 00:15:30.273
We are eventually going to get there,

00:15:30.273 --> 00:15:31.684
but there is one more passage

00:15:31.684 --> 00:15:34.472
in the Old Testament that we can look at

00:15:34.472 --> 00:15:38.295
in chapter 22, verses 13 to 18,

00:15:38.295 --> 00:15:41.654
and maybe let's have Cory take us there.

00:15:41.654 --> 00:15:44.660
And that's just another passage

00:15:44.660 --> 00:15:48.261
where we can see the revelation of Jesus

00:15:48.261 --> 00:15:50.417
already in the time

00:15:50.417 --> 00:15:53.307
of the Old Testament. Cory.

00:15:53.307 --> 00:15:57.567
(Cory) Yes, Genesis 22:13-18,

00:15:57.567 --> 00:15:59.168
in the New King James:

00:17:08.772 --> 00:17:10.312
(Derek, Team) Amen.

00:17:10.312 --> 00:17:12.672
(Sabina) So we see here not once,

00:17:12.672 --> 00:17:14.931
not twice, but at least three times

00:17:14.931 --> 00:17:16.584
in which this promise

00:17:16.584 --> 00:17:19.038
of the coming special blessing

00:17:19.038 --> 00:17:21.460
through the seed of Abraham was going

00:17:21.460 --> 00:17:24.524
to be revealed in Jesus. Yes, Travis.

00:17:24.524 --> 00:17:26.323
(Travis) I just want to make a point.

00:17:26.323 --> 00:17:29.953
In verse 8, Abraham says, "My son,

00:17:29.953 --> 00:17:31.189
the Lord will provide

00:17:31.189 --> 00:17:33.298
a burnt offering Himself."

00:17:33.298 --> 00:17:34.936
Many scholars believe

00:17:34.936 --> 00:17:36.388
that there should be a comma,

00:17:36.388 --> 00:17:38.579
"The Lord will provide <i>Himself,</i>

00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:40.710
a burnt offering," and I agree with that.

00:17:40.710 --> 00:17:43.227
I think it was revealed to him that God

00:17:43.227 --> 00:17:45.235
would provide Himself,

00:17:45.235 --> 00:17:46.923
the Lamb to be slain, as we've been

00:17:46.923 --> 00:17:49.201
talking about with John the Baptist.

00:17:49.201 --> 00:17:50.211
(Sabina) Those are

00:17:50.211 --> 00:17:51.451
very interesting thoughts.

00:17:51.451 --> 00:17:52.593
Indeed, we know for sure

00:17:52.593 --> 00:17:55.033
that it was His provision of Himself

00:17:55.033 --> 00:17:56.585
that granted us to have

00:17:56.585 --> 00:17:58.485
this blessing in Christ.

00:17:58.485 --> 00:18:00.240
So we are going to be looking now

00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:02.285
at a couple of verses in the New Testament

00:18:02.285 --> 00:18:04.020
that confirm this truth.

00:18:04.020 --> 00:18:07.230
Can we please turn to the book of Matthew,

00:18:07.230 --> 00:18:09.454
and I'm going to ask Viara,

00:18:09.454 --> 00:18:10.788
Viara, if you'll lead us

00:18:10.788 --> 00:18:13.503
to the first chapter of Matthew,

00:18:13.503 --> 00:18:15.621
and it's going to be verse 1.

00:18:15.621 --> 00:18:17.885
And we are going to be looking here

00:18:17.885 --> 00:18:20.900
at a New Testament writing that confirms

00:18:20.900 --> 00:18:22.338
the revelation that was given

00:18:22.338 --> 00:18:24.857
to Abraham about Jesus.

00:18:24.857 --> 00:18:25.777
(Viara) I'm reading

00:18:25.777 --> 00:18:27.566
from the New Living Translation:

00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:38.011
(Sabina) Okay, and do we

00:18:38.011 --> 00:18:39.362
have any thoughts here

00:18:39.362 --> 00:18:41.976
about this particular verse? Yes, Puia.

00:18:41.976 --> 00:18:43.678
(Puia) For us, I believe we take it

00:18:43.678 --> 00:18:46.319
for granted that Matthew started

00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:48.138
his account of the story of Jesus

00:18:48.138 --> 00:18:50.849
with the genealogy because we just read it

00:18:50.849 --> 00:18:52.566
like, "Oh, it's just another story."

00:18:52.566 --> 00:18:55.556
But the Jews at that point in time

00:18:55.556 --> 00:18:57.780
had been expecting the Messiah to come

00:18:57.780 --> 00:19:00.587
from the lineage of Abraham and David.

00:19:00.587 --> 00:19:04.261
And so Matthew intentionally starting

00:19:04.261 --> 00:19:06.411
the story of Jesus by pointing them

00:19:06.411 --> 00:19:08.692
back to Abraham should remind them

00:19:08.692 --> 00:19:12.576
of that promise that this Jesus, indeed,

00:19:12.576 --> 00:19:15.851
is that promised blessing from Abraham.

00:19:15.851 --> 00:19:17.024
(Sabina) That's awesome.

00:19:17.024 --> 00:19:18.733
I think it's so beautiful, the ways

00:19:18.733 --> 00:19:20.557
in which the Holy Spirit has impressed

00:19:20.557 --> 00:19:22.879
the different writers to give the witness

00:19:22.879 --> 00:19:24.592
that was important in their context.

00:19:24.592 --> 00:19:26.776
Because we see that for Matthew

00:19:26.776 --> 00:19:29.958
it was so important to refer to Abraham,

00:19:29.958 --> 00:19:32.120
while for John, he decided to even go

00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:34.070
back to Genesis, right?

00:19:34.070 --> 00:19:39.894
So let's look also at Acts 3:25,26,

00:19:39.894 --> 00:19:41.324
and maybe, Jason, if you could

00:19:41.324 --> 00:19:43.154
read that text for us.

00:19:43.154 --> 00:19:44.873
(Jason) Alright, and I'll be reading

00:19:44.873 --> 00:19:46.474
from the New King James Version,

00:19:46.474 --> 00:19:51.417
Acts, chapter 3, verses 25 and 26:

00:20:01.392 --> 00:20:02.754
Verse 26:

00:20:13.681 --> 00:20:15.254
(Sabina) Yes, that's awesome.

00:20:15.254 --> 00:20:19.086
So we can see that God has preached

00:20:19.086 --> 00:20:23.374
the gospel through type and promise.

00:20:23.374 --> 00:20:25.853
You know, these prophecies that we see,

00:20:25.853 --> 00:20:28.243
even in the time of Abraham

00:20:28.243 --> 00:20:29.981
were already giving evidence

00:20:29.981 --> 00:20:31.525
of God's love and presence

00:20:31.525 --> 00:20:33.241
to them back in that day.

00:20:33.241 --> 00:20:35.787
So it's important that we keep in mind

00:20:35.787 --> 00:20:37.747
that the witness that is given to Jesus

00:20:37.747 --> 00:20:39.927
is not just about the stories that we read

00:20:39.927 --> 00:20:41.234
in the New Testament,

00:20:41.234 --> 00:20:43.443
but also all throughout eternity.

00:20:43.443 --> 00:20:46.226
From eternity to eternity, there are

00:20:46.226 --> 00:20:47.949
a lot of witnesses that we are going

00:20:47.949 --> 00:20:49.777
to hear about Jesus. Yes, Travis.

00:20:49.777 --> 00:20:51.666
(Travis) If I may, I would like to read

00:20:51.666 --> 00:20:52.862
from the book of Hebrews,

00:20:52.862 --> 00:20:54.652
because it wasn't just the writings

00:20:54.652 --> 00:20:56.185
about Abraham that confirmed;

00:20:56.185 --> 00:20:59.424
it was his life that confirmed it.

00:20:59.424 --> 00:21:04.436
Hebrews, chapter 11, verses 9 and 10,

00:21:04.436 --> 00:21:06.094
if I could read that.

00:21:06.094 --> 00:21:08.427
Hebrews, chapter 11:9,10, says:

00:21:24.533 --> 00:21:26.809
He did not just believe

00:21:26.809 --> 00:21:28.152
that the Messiah would come,

00:21:28.152 --> 00:21:29.262
he believed His mission

00:21:29.262 --> 00:21:30.380
would be successful.

00:21:30.380 --> 00:21:31.727
(Sabina) That's wonderful,

00:21:31.727 --> 00:21:32.970
thank you so much, Travis.

00:21:32.970 --> 00:21:34.393
And it's awesome to also see,

00:21:34.393 --> 00:21:35.946
just like as we witnessed

00:21:35.946 --> 00:21:38.360
in our previous studies, how God

00:21:38.360 --> 00:21:41.070
has this way of revealing Himself.

00:21:41.070 --> 00:21:42.588
You know, little by little,

00:21:42.588 --> 00:21:44.223
He puts the seed.

00:21:44.223 --> 00:21:46.226
He explores an experience of a person.

00:21:46.226 --> 00:21:49.640
Altogether, He brings us to see HIs work

00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:52.295
all throughout history. Yes, Viara.

00:21:52.295 --> 00:21:53.861
(Viara) And I guess His plan was

00:21:53.861 --> 00:21:56.980
not to just be a God of the generation

00:21:56.980 --> 00:21:59.354
of Abraham by blood, but all

00:21:59.354 --> 00:22:01.689
that spiritually would accept Jesus.

00:22:01.689 --> 00:22:03.600
And how awesome it will be if one day

00:22:03.600 --> 00:22:06.358
it says, "And He was the God of Jacob,

00:22:06.358 --> 00:22:09.012
the God of Abraham, the God of Viara."

00:22:09.012 --> 00:22:10.966
That's what I want to hear one day.

00:22:10.966 --> 00:22:12.882
(Sabina) Yes. Isn't it in Galatians,

00:22:12.882 --> 00:22:15.128
I think it's Galatians 3:8,

00:22:15.128 --> 00:22:17.119
if I'm not mistaken, but if it's not,

00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:21.612
we will find it, that actually the Bible

00:22:21.612 --> 00:22:24.586
says that even Abraham was justified

00:22:24.586 --> 00:22:26.757
by faith in Christ, right?

00:22:26.757 --> 00:22:28.450
So there is no such person

00:22:28.450 --> 00:22:31.430
that has existed or that will exist

00:22:31.430 --> 00:22:33.554
that would not require the sacrifice

00:22:33.554 --> 00:22:37.059
of Jesus as the source of their salvation.

00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:38.984
Okay, so, I sometimes hear people

00:22:38.984 --> 00:22:40.860
[ask] this question, "What happened

00:22:40.860 --> 00:22:43.414
to those that came before Jesus?

00:22:43.414 --> 00:22:46.780
Would they be able to benefit

00:22:46.780 --> 00:22:47.789
[from] the blessing

00:22:47.789 --> 00:22:49.554
of the sacrifice of Jesus?"

00:22:49.554 --> 00:22:50.660
And what is the answer?

00:22:50.660 --> 00:22:51.580
(Derek) Absolutely.

00:22:51.580 --> 00:22:52.530
(Sabina) Of course.

00:22:52.530 --> 00:22:54.147
There would be no other way.

00:22:54.147 --> 00:22:56.970
There was no plan A and now plan B

00:22:56.970 --> 00:22:58.681
or plan Z, so the plan has

00:22:58.681 --> 00:23:01.396
always been the same from eternity

00:23:01.396 --> 00:23:02.767
through eternity. Amen?

00:23:02.767 --> 00:23:03.710
(Derek, Team) Amen.

00:23:03.710 --> 00:23:04.720
(Sabina) We are going

00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:06.256
to be looking now at the witness

00:23:06.256 --> 00:23:08.402
of a beautiful, beautiful story here

00:23:08.402 --> 00:23:10.108
that was left in the book of John.

00:23:10.108 --> 00:23:12.122
It's the witness of Mary.

00:23:12.122 --> 00:23:14.001
So we move from the prophetic witness

00:23:14.001 --> 00:23:16.710
of Abraham to now learn about the witness

00:23:16.710 --> 00:23:18.907
of a person that actually spent time

00:23:18.907 --> 00:23:20.641
with Jesus and saw Jesus

00:23:20.641 --> 00:23:22.356
right in front of her.

00:23:22.356 --> 00:23:24.690
So maybe, Gladys, if you'll take us

00:23:24.690 --> 00:23:26.890
to the book of John, and we are going

00:23:26.890 --> 00:23:30.625
to start off in chapter 12,

00:23:30.625 --> 00:23:33.322
and if you'll read verses 1 to 3.

00:23:33.322 --> 00:23:34.424
And I would like us all

00:23:34.424 --> 00:23:36.161
to already be considering,

00:23:36.161 --> 00:23:39.110
why did Mary anoint the feet of Jesus

00:23:39.110 --> 00:23:42.519
with an expensive ointment? Gladys.

00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:43.693
(Gladys) And I'm reading

00:23:43.693 --> 00:23:45.370
from the New International Version,

00:23:45.370 --> 00:23:48.760
John, chapter 12, verses 1 to 3:

00:24:25.287 --> 00:24:26.682
(Sabina) So why do you think

00:24:26.682 --> 00:24:28.737
that Mary anointed the feet...?
Yes, Jason.

00:24:28.737 --> 00:24:30.375
(Jason) We understand that it was

00:24:30.375 --> 00:24:32.458
before His burial, you know, that He

00:24:32.458 --> 00:24:34.466
would be anointed, but also her devotion.

00:24:34.466 --> 00:24:36.241
I mean, this woman had been delivered

00:24:36.241 --> 00:24:37.442
from, like, seven demons,

00:24:37.442 --> 00:24:38.510
so her love for Jesus,

00:24:38.510 --> 00:24:40.730
she was always at His feet, and so this is

00:24:40.730 --> 00:24:42.624
an opportunity for her to express that

00:24:42.624 --> 00:24:44.419
in such a loving way.

00:24:44.419 --> 00:24:45.429
(Sabina) Yes, Derek.

00:24:45.429 --> 00:24:47.361
(Derek) So, I can only conclude

00:24:47.361 --> 00:24:50.120
that she was led by the Spirit to do that.

00:24:50.120 --> 00:24:52.744
This was very intimate, I mean, pouring

00:24:52.744 --> 00:24:58.113
and wiping with her hair.

00:24:58.113 --> 00:24:58.993
I don't think she

00:24:58.993 --> 00:25:00.954
thought that up by herself.

00:25:00.954 --> 00:25:03.308
I think the Holy Spirit impressed her.

00:25:03.308 --> 00:25:05.584
I'm not sure she even fully realized

00:25:05.584 --> 00:25:07.801
she was anointing for His burial.

00:25:07.801 --> 00:25:10.140
I think Jason's right; she was thinking,

00:25:10.140 --> 00:25:11.922
"Well, I love my Savior;

00:25:11.922 --> 00:25:13.940
He's delivered me."

00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:17.200
But sometimes I believe the Holy Spirit

00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:20.402
impresses us to do things, and later we

00:25:20.402 --> 00:25:24.472
may understand the full implications

00:25:24.472 --> 00:25:25.476
of what we're doing.

00:25:25.476 --> 00:25:27.089
(Sabina) That's right, so she was

00:25:27.089 --> 00:25:28.507
surely very devoted.

00:25:28.507 --> 00:25:30.594
She had already experienced Jesus

00:25:30.594 --> 00:25:32.027
to a point that she would do

00:25:32.027 --> 00:25:36.308
such a pouring out of the things

00:25:36.308 --> 00:25:37.540
that she had on hand

00:25:37.540 --> 00:25:39.710
as an expression of her inner experience

00:25:39.710 --> 00:25:41.274
with God. Yes, Puia.

00:25:41.274 --> 00:25:43.924
(Puia) Some have noted that she spent

00:25:43.924 --> 00:25:48.377
a year's wage on that anointment.

00:25:48.377 --> 00:25:49.384
Think about that,

00:25:49.384 --> 00:25:51.319
like one whole year's wage;

00:25:51.319 --> 00:25:53.226
that's a lot of money.

00:25:53.226 --> 00:25:56.086
And for her to be willing to dedicate that

00:25:56.086 --> 00:25:58.060
to Jesus shows that she

00:25:58.060 --> 00:25:59.874
really loved Jesus, and she was

00:25:59.874 --> 00:26:01.933
fully surrendered to Jesus.

00:26:01.933 --> 00:26:03.125
(Sabina) That's right.

00:26:03.125 --> 00:26:04.541
And you know what I think is

00:26:04.541 --> 00:26:07.087
so interesting is that Jesus is known

00:26:07.087 --> 00:26:11.544
as the Christ or also the Messiah,

00:26:11.544 --> 00:26:13.310
and if there is one time apart

00:26:13.310 --> 00:26:15.525
from when we see that Jesus

00:26:15.525 --> 00:26:17.145
was anointed in His baptism

00:26:17.145 --> 00:26:18.832
by the Holy Spirit,

00:26:18.832 --> 00:26:24.256
we would say that the only time

00:26:24.256 --> 00:26:26.792
we see in the New Testament when Jesus

00:26:26.792 --> 00:26:28.960
is actually being anointed

00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:31.103
with oil is this event.

00:26:31.103 --> 00:26:33.194
Have you considered that?

00:26:33.194 --> 00:26:36.280
So, not only do we see here the testimony

00:26:36.280 --> 00:26:39.055
of a woman who had a love for Jesus,

00:26:39.055 --> 00:26:40.957
but God was also using her

00:26:40.957 --> 00:26:42.123
in a very special way.

00:26:42.123 --> 00:26:44.759
Anointings were given to kings

00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:47.941
and to people who had a special role

00:26:47.941 --> 00:26:52.181
to play, and God used this woman,

00:26:52.181 --> 00:26:57.100
of all people, a person that had a heart

00:26:57.100 --> 00:27:01.271
to pour, to do this very anointing

00:27:01.271 --> 00:27:04.249
that was done only by the high priests

00:27:04.249 --> 00:27:06.489
in very specific situations.

00:27:06.489 --> 00:27:09.208
Okay, yes, Cory.

00:27:09.208 --> 00:27:10.994
(Cory) I was just going to add to it,

00:27:10.994 --> 00:27:12.911
and it actually goes along with what you

00:27:12.911 --> 00:27:13.980
were saying perfectly.

00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:15.555
If you've ever smelled spikenard,

00:27:15.555 --> 00:27:17.692
it's very, very strong.

00:27:17.692 --> 00:27:19.393
And so, this being done

00:27:19.393 --> 00:27:22.395
before His crucifixion, it probably was

00:27:22.395 --> 00:27:24.181
very strong on Him still

00:27:24.181 --> 00:27:25.914
throughout that whole time.

00:27:25.914 --> 00:27:27.514
So, if you think about the people

00:27:27.514 --> 00:27:30.956
He interacted with during that time,

00:27:30.956 --> 00:27:32.826
smelling the smell of kings,

00:27:32.826 --> 00:27:35.397
of the wealthy, and they're crucifying

00:27:35.397 --> 00:27:38.828
this Man who had done nothing wrong,

00:27:38.828 --> 00:27:40.757
it's another blessing

00:27:40.757 --> 00:27:42.916
or another aspect to think about.

00:27:42.916 --> 00:27:44.255
(Sabina) That's right, Cory.

00:27:44.255 --> 00:27:46.239
And not only that, but if you look

00:27:46.239 --> 00:27:48.287
a little further in John, chapter 12,

00:27:48.287 --> 00:27:51.407
we are going to see the Triumphal Entry

00:27:51.407 --> 00:27:53.579
of Jesus in this last last week,

00:27:53.579 --> 00:27:55.111
in the Passion week.

00:27:55.111 --> 00:27:58.558
So imagine that Jesus entered Jerusalem

00:27:58.558 --> 00:28:01.110
with that smell of a king.

00:28:01.110 --> 00:28:03.142
Right, think about this.

00:28:03.142 --> 00:28:05.089
So we are going to look a little further

00:28:05.089 --> 00:28:08.115
into that story, and maybe, Tendi,

00:28:08.115 --> 00:28:10.839
if you will read for us from John,

00:28:10.839 --> 00:28:13.653
chapter 12, from verses 4 to 8,

00:28:13.653 --> 00:28:15.418
and we are going to see the reactions

00:28:15.418 --> 00:28:16.767
of some of those present

00:28:16.767 --> 00:28:18.700
to this outpouring of love from her.

00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:20.478
What did they say, and how did

00:28:20.478 --> 00:28:22.697
Jesus respond to them?

00:28:22.697 --> 00:28:24.494
(Tendi) Thank you, Sabina, and I'll

00:28:24.494 --> 00:28:27.170
be reading from the New King James:

00:29:14.926 --> 00:29:16.019
(Sabina) Oh, wow.

00:29:16.019 --> 00:29:17.939
So, what are some of the reactions

00:29:17.939 --> 00:29:19.611
you see here, and how did Jesus

00:29:19.611 --> 00:29:24.361
respond to them? Yes, Jason.

00:29:24.361 --> 00:29:27.070
(Jason) Of course, it looked like
it was a waste of money.

00:29:27.070 --> 00:29:28.650
Like, why would you even do that?

00:29:28.650 --> 00:29:29.772
It could be better used

00:29:29.772 --> 00:29:31.520
for something else, like the "poor."

00:29:31.520 --> 00:29:34.125
But we understand that that wasn't
the motive of Judas.

00:29:34.125 --> 00:29:36.623
(Sabina) Right, of all people, it would be

00:29:36.623 --> 00:29:39.091
Judas who was the one criticizing

00:29:39.091 --> 00:29:41.296
her gesture, right? Derek.

00:29:41.296 --> 00:29:43.392
(Derek) I like how you emphasized

00:29:43.392 --> 00:29:46.760
that that fragrance stayed with Jesus.

00:29:46.760 --> 00:29:50.950
And I wonder if Mary looked back and said,

00:29:50.950 --> 00:29:53.548
"That was even more significant

00:29:53.548 --> 00:29:55.716
than I ever realized."

00:29:55.716 --> 00:29:58.631
In fact, when Jesus said, "She anointed me

00:29:58.631 --> 00:30:00.221
for my burial," I wonder

00:30:00.221 --> 00:30:04.415
if she [looked wide-eyed], right?

00:30:04.415 --> 00:30:07.404
We may think, well, no, she understood

00:30:07.404 --> 00:30:08.861
all of that; everything was...

00:30:08.861 --> 00:30:11.496
I imagine, back to our lives,

00:30:11.496 --> 00:30:13.030
when the Holy Spirit guides us

00:30:13.030 --> 00:30:17.016
to be a witness of Jesus, who He is,

00:30:17.016 --> 00:30:20.218
that God can do miraculous things.

00:30:20.218 --> 00:30:23.930
And we'll look back with joy and say,

00:30:23.930 --> 00:30:28.182
"God, You're amazing!" Right?

00:30:28.182 --> 00:30:29.654
(Sabina) That's beautiful.

00:30:29.654 --> 00:30:31.998
And His attitude towards her

00:30:31.998 --> 00:30:34.810
was one of acceptance, of affirmation.

00:30:34.810 --> 00:30:38.224
It was not like Judas, of trying

00:30:38.224 --> 00:30:43.240
to tell her to withhold from serving
Him in love.

00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:45.343
But I think it's very important also

00:30:45.343 --> 00:30:47.620
for me to highlight here that Judas

00:30:47.620 --> 00:30:50.390
was part of the entourage of Jesus.

00:30:50.390 --> 00:30:52.648
He had a big responsibility,

00:30:52.648 --> 00:30:55.801
the responsibility of carrying the funds

00:30:55.801 --> 00:30:57.880
that were to be used in their mission.

00:30:57.880 --> 00:31:00.530
And of all people, the one

00:31:00.530 --> 00:31:04.726
who had been entrusted with that power,

00:31:04.726 --> 00:31:06.512
he was the one who was criticizing

00:31:06.512 --> 00:31:08.111
the very person that God was

00:31:08.111 --> 00:31:11.377
about to use. Yes, Travis.

00:31:11.377 --> 00:31:15.924
(Travis) As I was reading and thinking

00:31:15.924 --> 00:31:17.737
about this story, I was most impressed

00:31:17.737 --> 00:31:20.085
with how Jesus responded,

00:31:20.085 --> 00:31:21.918
and that is, "Let her alone."

00:31:21.918 --> 00:31:22.918
(Sabina) Right.

00:31:22.918 --> 00:31:24.356
(Travis) He's always concerned

00:31:24.356 --> 00:31:27.697
about His people, you know.

00:31:27.697 --> 00:31:30.298
John, chapter 10, "I have them

00:31:30.298 --> 00:31:31.866
in My hands, and no one can

00:31:31.866 --> 00:31:33.711
snatch them out of My hands."

00:31:33.711 --> 00:31:36.081
Here He's coming to her aid.

00:31:36.081 --> 00:31:37.990
She's serving Him and He says,

00:31:37.990 --> 00:31:39.618
"Leave her alone."

00:31:39.618 --> 00:31:41.190
I was just impressed by that.

00:31:41.190 --> 00:31:43.174
(Sabina) That's quite outstanding, right,

00:31:43.174 --> 00:31:45.316
especially in a context where women

00:31:45.316 --> 00:31:48.860
were not seen or regarded in society

00:31:48.860 --> 00:31:51.039
as having a word or being able

00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:53.663
to [spend so much money

00:31:53.663 --> 00:31:55.834
on something] of their own volition.

00:31:55.834 --> 00:31:57.464
I wonder if someone was wondering,

00:31:57.464 --> 00:32:00.299
"Oh, did she get permission from Lazarus?"

00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:02.948
She was a sister of Lazarus.

00:32:02.948 --> 00:32:04.720
It crosses my mind.

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:08.744
But now she is being defended by Jesus

00:32:08.744 --> 00:32:10.263
who not only accepts that

00:32:10.263 --> 00:32:11.614
but also makes sure to say,

00:32:11.614 --> 00:32:14.277
"Let her alone; she is Mine."

00:32:14.277 --> 00:32:17.761
So, let's make sure, when we also see

00:32:17.761 --> 00:32:19.663
the outpouring of an expression of love

00:32:19.663 --> 00:32:21.675
from people towards God, that we are able

00:32:21.675 --> 00:32:24.008
to recognize it and be sensitive.

00:32:24.008 --> 00:32:25.340
And how are some of the ways

00:32:25.340 --> 00:32:29.424
that we, ourselves, can also express love

00:32:29.424 --> 00:32:32.296
to Jesus as our Messiah? Yes, Viara.

00:32:32.296 --> 00:32:34.141
(Viara) I talk to more and more people

00:32:34.141 --> 00:32:35.960
who say, "Well, I'm saved, so there is

00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:38.235
nothing really I can do to deserve

00:32:38.235 --> 00:32:40.076
my salvation," or, "I can stay

00:32:40.076 --> 00:32:42.558
the way I am, and I don't have

00:32:42.558 --> 00:32:43.728
to do anything for God."

00:32:43.728 --> 00:32:46.527
But I think Jesus said, "If you love Me,

00:32:46.527 --> 00:32:48.033
you will keep My commandments."

00:32:48.033 --> 00:32:49.658
And for me, this is like when you

00:32:49.658 --> 00:32:50.518
are in a marriage.

00:32:50.518 --> 00:32:52.355
You don't have to do anything, but you

00:32:52.355 --> 00:32:54.050
do it because you love this person.

00:32:54.050 --> 00:32:56.025
And if you never talk about your husband,

00:32:56.025 --> 00:32:59.594
and if you never talk to him, about him,

00:32:59.594 --> 00:33:01.425
or listen to him, then maybe you don't

00:33:01.425 --> 00:33:03.711
have a real relationship with him.

00:33:03.711 --> 00:33:07.850
(Sabina) Okay, so [one very important way

00:33:07.850 --> 00:33:09.461
we can pour out love] towards God

00:33:09.461 --> 00:33:12.723
[is to pour out love] towards people,

00:33:12.723 --> 00:33:15.060
because this is the heart of the Law,

00:33:15.060 --> 00:33:17.050
love for God and love for people.

00:33:17.050 --> 00:33:20.539
We do those things because He loved us,

00:33:20.539 --> 00:33:24.060
and so we also are invited to be loving.

00:33:24.060 --> 00:33:26.071
Any other thoughts? Yes, Jason.

00:33:26.071 --> 00:33:27.890
(Jason) There are a plethora of things

00:33:27.890 --> 00:33:29.783
we can do to be able to show that love.

00:33:29.783 --> 00:33:31.555
But what I like to do is actually go

00:33:31.555 --> 00:33:33.275
to food pantries and help people out

00:33:33.275 --> 00:33:34.023
because I know,

00:33:34.023 --> 00:33:35.259
especially in this economy

00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:37.256
things are hard, so I am able to be there

00:33:37.256 --> 00:33:40.560
to be the feet and hands of Jesus

00:33:40.560 --> 00:33:42.351
during those times to help people out

00:33:42.351 --> 00:33:43.374
with an actual meal.

00:33:43.374 --> 00:33:45.750
(Sabina) Okay, so charitable deeds also.

00:33:45.750 --> 00:33:51.080
I also saw Zandile; you had your hand up?

00:33:51.080 --> 00:33:53.438
(Zandile) Yes, and I wanted to say

00:33:53.438 --> 00:33:58.271
that Judas was not of the same nature

00:33:58.271 --> 00:34:01.030
as Jesus Christ; he was one of the twelve

00:34:01.030 --> 00:34:02.175
when he was thinking

00:34:02.175 --> 00:34:03.504
[of things differently]

00:34:03.504 --> 00:34:06.215
from the nature of Jesus Christ.

00:34:06.215 --> 00:34:08.223
And one of the [ways in which]

00:34:08.223 --> 00:34:11.010
we can express our love to other people

00:34:11.010 --> 00:34:13.911
is to be of the same mindset

00:34:13.911 --> 00:34:15.344
as Jesus Christ and have

00:34:15.344 --> 00:34:16.880
the nature of God, the kindness

00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:19.675
of God within us, so that it flows

00:34:19.675 --> 00:34:23.941
from within us to all those around us.

00:34:23.941 --> 00:34:25.185
(Sabina) That's wonderful.

00:34:25.185 --> 00:34:27.225
So, there are many things that we can do.

00:34:27.225 --> 00:34:28.700
And I'm just going to get

00:34:28.700 --> 00:34:30.531
Cory's comment also.

00:34:30.531 --> 00:34:32.528
Cory, I want to hear you, and then we are

00:34:32.528 --> 00:34:34.960
going to move to the testimony of a person

00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:36.605
that didn't have the same type

00:34:36.605 --> 00:34:41.453
of heart as Mary. Yes, Cory.

00:34:41.453 --> 00:34:43.200
(Cory) I think a lot of these things

00:34:43.200 --> 00:34:44.873
that bubble out of us can only come

00:34:44.873 --> 00:34:46.902
from a relationship with Christ,

00:34:46.902 --> 00:34:47.756
and that is done

00:34:47.756 --> 00:34:49.473
by spending time with Him.

00:34:49.473 --> 00:34:51.199
And you see couples that, when they

00:34:51.199 --> 00:34:52.960
start dating or get married, start

00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:54.311
looking alike because they

00:34:54.311 --> 00:34:55.439
start acting alike.

00:34:55.439 --> 00:34:57.626
That's how we reflect Christ

00:34:57.626 --> 00:34:58.533
to those around us,

00:34:58.533 --> 00:35:00.490
spend time with Him, know Him,

00:35:00.490 --> 00:35:02.131
so that we can reflect Him.

00:35:02.131 --> 00:35:03.701
(Sabina) That's wonderful, yeah.

00:35:03.701 --> 00:35:05.703
I really love this testimony of Mary.

00:35:05.703 --> 00:35:07.305
I think it's so inspiring,

00:35:07.305 --> 00:35:09.920
Derek and friends, because we all

00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:12.525
are also invited to pour out everything

00:35:12.525 --> 00:35:14.540
we have to Jesus.

00:35:14.540 --> 00:35:16.097
And I wonder if there is someone

00:35:16.097 --> 00:35:18.190
watching us, and they have been

00:35:18.190 --> 00:35:20.033
withholding some parts of their life

00:35:20.033 --> 00:35:21.795
from God, maybe afraid

00:35:21.795 --> 00:35:23.161
of what could happen.

00:35:23.161 --> 00:35:25.400
Maybe it's something very precious to you,

00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:28.226
right, the salary of your whole year,

00:35:28.226 --> 00:35:29.864
or even [something much more] deep

00:35:29.864 --> 00:35:31.656
in your heart, in your mind.

00:35:31.656 --> 00:35:33.898
But, you know, don't withhold those things

00:35:33.898 --> 00:35:36.324
from Jesus, because nothing you bestow,

00:35:36.324 --> 00:35:38.595
in true worship, upon Jesus

00:35:38.595 --> 00:35:41.342
will ever, ever be wasted.

00:35:41.342 --> 00:35:42.638
Just look at what He did

00:35:42.638 --> 00:35:44.632
and how He protected this woman,

00:35:44.632 --> 00:35:47.285
and how it multiplies, as Derek

00:35:47.285 --> 00:35:49.384
was sharing, even to the cross.

00:35:49.384 --> 00:35:52.299
There is nothing that you pour upon Jesus

00:35:52.299 --> 00:35:54.415
that you are not going to see Him

00:35:54.415 --> 00:35:56.728
taking care of and multiplying it further.

00:35:56.728 --> 00:35:58.190
(Derek, Team) Amen.

00:35:58.190 --> 00:35:59.560
(Sabina) So, let's look here

00:35:59.560 --> 00:36:02.970
at the witness of Pontius Pilate.

00:36:02.970 --> 00:36:04.616
So, now we are moving from Mary,

00:36:04.616 --> 00:36:05.647
a person that had

00:36:05.647 --> 00:36:07.931
this generous heart towards God,

00:36:07.931 --> 00:36:10.378
to a person that was more reluctant.

00:36:10.378 --> 00:36:13.528
So maybe, Cory, if you will read for us;

00:36:13.528 --> 00:36:16.270
we are still going to be reading

00:36:16.270 --> 00:36:18.788
from the book of John, chapter 18,

00:36:18.788 --> 00:36:24.100
verse 38, and then chapter 19, verse 4.

00:36:24.100 --> 00:36:26.334
And then we'll be thinking of what we can

00:36:26.334 --> 00:36:28.335
conclude from the testimony

00:36:28.335 --> 00:36:33.625
of Pilate regarding Jesus.

00:36:33.625 --> 00:36:36.290
(Cory) John 18:38 to start with,

00:36:36.290 --> 00:36:38.700
out of the New King James:

00:36:55.054 --> 00:36:58.610
And then 19, verse 4:

00:37:12.251 --> 00:37:13.463
(Sabina) Thank you.

00:37:13.463 --> 00:37:14.755
So, what are your thoughts?

00:37:14.755 --> 00:37:16.081
What can we conclude

00:37:16.081 --> 00:37:18.394
from the testimony of Pilate

00:37:18.394 --> 00:37:21.298
regarding Jesus? Yes, Puia.

00:37:21.298 --> 00:37:23.179
(Puia) Pilate stood

00:37:23.179 --> 00:37:26.726
before the truth in person.

00:37:26.726 --> 00:37:29.504
Jesus is the truth, and Jesus said,

00:37:29.504 --> 00:37:30.720
"I came to make known

00:37:30.720 --> 00:37:31.882
the truth to the world."

00:37:31.882 --> 00:37:34.361
And Pilate asked what we could consider

00:37:34.361 --> 00:37:36.228
one of the most important questions

00:37:36.228 --> 00:37:37.662
that we could ever ask God,

00:37:37.662 --> 00:37:38.829
"What is truth?"

00:37:38.829 --> 00:37:43.181
But then the text said he then went away.

00:37:43.181 --> 00:37:46.993
He didn't stay to receive

00:37:46.993 --> 00:37:49.386
the revelation of God.

00:37:49.386 --> 00:37:51.381
So, there is that lesson for us

00:37:51.381 --> 00:37:54.247
to stay a little longer and allow God

00:37:54.247 --> 00:37:55.780
to reveal Himself to us.

00:37:55.780 --> 00:37:57.245
(Sabina) That's right, Puia.

00:37:57.245 --> 00:37:58.992
Maybe if Pilate had stayed

00:37:58.992 --> 00:38:00.892
a little longer, right, paid

00:38:00.892 --> 00:38:02.193
a little more attention

00:38:02.193 --> 00:38:05.006
to what he had right in front of his eyes,

00:38:05.006 --> 00:38:06.740
the story could have been different,

00:38:06.740 --> 00:38:09.600
at least for him and his family.

00:38:09.600 --> 00:38:13.082
So, I also find it interesting that he

00:38:13.082 --> 00:38:15.914
found no fault in Jesus,

00:38:15.914 --> 00:38:18.607
even though he didn't resonate with Jesus.

00:38:18.607 --> 00:38:21.606
So, in that staying a little longer,

00:38:21.606 --> 00:38:24.271
maybe we are kind of already seeing

00:38:24.271 --> 00:38:26.519
something happening, and it may not

00:38:26.519 --> 00:38:28.112
always make sense to you,

00:38:28.112 --> 00:38:30.137
because it was not making sense to Pilate.

00:38:30.137 --> 00:38:31.640
He said, "What is truth?"

00:38:31.640 --> 00:38:33.283
Like, it seemed like truth for him

00:38:33.283 --> 00:38:35.062
was not something that obvious

00:38:35.062 --> 00:38:36.635
or for Jesus it was,

00:38:36.635 --> 00:38:39.460
and he should have taken a little longer

00:38:39.460 --> 00:38:41.579
to maybe understand that, even if he

00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:43.123
couldn't reconcile that,

00:38:43.123 --> 00:38:46.407
that it was exactly what was happening.
Yes, Gladys.

00:38:46.407 --> 00:38:47.836
(Gladys) At this point, Pilate

00:38:47.836 --> 00:38:49.949
had already heard about Jesus.

00:38:49.949 --> 00:38:51.500
He had heard about His ministry.

00:38:51.500 --> 00:38:53.163
He had heard about the miracles.

00:38:53.163 --> 00:38:55.311
So, even though he didn't have

00:38:55.311 --> 00:38:57.405
the full revelation, even though he

00:38:57.405 --> 00:38:59.716
didn't take the time to spend,

00:38:59.716 --> 00:39:02.404
he could have at least been

00:39:02.404 --> 00:39:05.104
a little bit more conscious towards

00:39:05.104 --> 00:39:07.736
the Person that he was dealing with,

00:39:07.736 --> 00:39:09.388
but he chose not to.

00:39:09.388 --> 00:39:10.640
(Sabina) Right, and we are

00:39:10.640 --> 00:39:13.784
going to see further, maybe if Lezlie

00:39:13.784 --> 00:39:16.890
would take us to Matthew 27:19,

00:39:16.890 --> 00:39:18.320
that there was more revelation

00:39:18.320 --> 00:39:21.273
that was given to Pilate about Jesus.

00:39:21.273 --> 00:39:24.775
So, let's read there in Matthew 27:19,

00:39:24.775 --> 00:39:25.989
and we are going to learn

00:39:25.989 --> 00:39:27.218
about this revelation.

00:39:27.218 --> 00:39:28.189
(Lezlie) I'm reading

00:39:28.189 --> 00:39:31.703
from the New Living Translation,
Matthew 27:19:

00:39:47.016 --> 00:39:48.102
(Sabina) Oh, wow.

00:39:48.102 --> 00:39:49.516
So, what special revelation

00:39:49.516 --> 00:39:52.786
is being given here to him?

00:39:52.786 --> 00:39:55.526
He had experienced what he saw

00:39:55.526 --> 00:39:58.042
as his own witness, and now...Yes, Derek.

00:39:58.042 --> 00:39:59.677
(Derek) And even if we don't know

00:39:59.677 --> 00:40:01.450
the content of the dream,

00:40:01.450 --> 00:40:05.115
we see the love of God, that God

00:40:05.115 --> 00:40:07.423
loves Pilate, that Jesus wants

00:40:07.423 --> 00:40:10.427
Pilate to be saved.

00:40:10.427 --> 00:40:11.546
But in my favorite book

00:40:11.546 --> 00:40:13.646
on the life of Jesus, <i>The Desire of Ages,</i>

00:40:13.646 --> 00:40:15.559
it speaks about that dream given

00:40:15.559 --> 00:40:18.145
to Pilate's wife, a revelation

00:40:18.145 --> 00:40:20.395
of what would happen, including the coming

00:40:20.395 --> 00:40:22.793
of Jesus in glory.

00:40:22.793 --> 00:40:26.157
And one translation said nightmare,

00:40:26.157 --> 00:40:27.414
mine just said a dream,

00:40:27.414 --> 00:40:30.258
I don't know; it was troubling to her

00:40:30.258 --> 00:40:33.397
because this innocent man

00:40:33.397 --> 00:40:36.116
was the King of Glory.

00:40:36.116 --> 00:40:39.268
But even if we didn't know the dream,

00:40:39.268 --> 00:40:41.566
I see the love of God,

00:40:41.566 --> 00:40:44.049
"What else can I do," you know,

00:40:44.049 --> 00:40:50.041
"to reach out in a loving rescue, " right,

00:40:50.041 --> 00:40:51.710
salvation to this person.

00:40:51.710 --> 00:40:52.774
(Sabina) That's right.

00:40:52.774 --> 00:40:55.293
So, He not only gave that opportunity

00:40:55.293 --> 00:40:57.260
for him to witness for himself,

00:40:57.260 --> 00:40:59.102
and he failed to stay a little longer,

00:40:59.102 --> 00:41:00.246
as Puia was saying,

00:41:00.246 --> 00:41:01.996
but He also then took the time

00:41:01.996 --> 00:41:03.502
to communicate with the person

00:41:03.502 --> 00:41:05.329
who was the most important person

00:41:05.329 --> 00:41:08.150
in his life, I suppose, to see

00:41:08.150 --> 00:41:11.257
if maybe he would listen to his wife.

00:41:11.257 --> 00:41:13.413
Isn't that powerful, to see the ways

00:41:13.413 --> 00:41:15.669
that God is trying to find our hearts.

00:41:15.669 --> 00:41:19.683
So, how do you explain, then, the actions

00:41:19.683 --> 00:41:22.450
of Pilate in light of his testimony

00:41:22.450 --> 00:41:23.688
and special revelation

00:41:23.688 --> 00:41:25.210
that was given to him?

00:41:25.210 --> 00:41:27.437
How can we explain that he

00:41:27.437 --> 00:41:31.401
still wouldn't hear that? Yes, Gladys.

00:41:31.401 --> 00:41:33.083
(Gladys) Well, we have been talking

00:41:33.083 --> 00:41:34.597
about how Satan just blinds us

00:41:34.597 --> 00:41:37.415
and makes us deaf.

00:41:37.415 --> 00:41:39.756
And obviously in his response

00:41:39.756 --> 00:41:41.618
to the revelation he has received

00:41:41.618 --> 00:41:43.073
and his response to the dream

00:41:43.073 --> 00:41:44.550
that his wife had,

00:41:44.550 --> 00:41:47.578
he still did not open his heart

00:41:47.578 --> 00:41:50.189
to accept Jesus for whom he was seeing

00:41:50.189 --> 00:41:52.384
that He could be.

00:41:52.384 --> 00:41:53.830
(Sabina) Yes, Zandile, I see

00:41:53.830 --> 00:41:57.637
you have your hand up.

00:41:57.637 --> 00:41:59.228
(Zandile) As you were questioning

00:41:59.228 --> 00:42:01.456
I thought of the fact that Pilate

00:42:01.456 --> 00:42:05.649
and his wife were Romans,

00:42:05.649 --> 00:42:09.778
but we find God revealing Himself

00:42:09.778 --> 00:42:13.389
to the Romans, the Gentiles at that time,

00:42:13.389 --> 00:42:14.911
people who did not have anything

00:42:14.911 --> 00:42:16.564
to do with God, people who did not

00:42:16.564 --> 00:42:18.257
know Him, but He comes to them.

00:42:18.257 --> 00:42:19.649
Even Jesus, He was

00:42:19.649 --> 00:42:22.299
about to be a sacrifice for everybody,

00:42:22.299 --> 00:42:23.686
but God is saying,

00:42:23.686 --> 00:42:25.123
"Hey, listen, have nothing..."

00:42:25.123 --> 00:42:26.650
He is revealing Himself to show

00:42:26.650 --> 00:42:29.264
that He cares for <i>all</i> humanity,

00:42:29.264 --> 00:42:32.029
for everyone, not only the Jews.

00:42:32.029 --> 00:42:33.432
But in light of the question

00:42:33.432 --> 00:42:35.368
that you just asked, I wanted to say

00:42:35.368 --> 00:42:38.336
that God had already said,

00:42:38.336 --> 00:42:40.120
"I have given today

00:42:40.120 --> 00:42:42.460
in front of you life or death.

00:42:42.460 --> 00:42:45.233
It's up to you to, you know, choose life

00:42:45.233 --> 00:42:46.966
or you choose death."

00:42:46.966 --> 00:42:47.668
(Derek) Wow.

00:42:47.668 --> 00:42:49.832
(Sabina) Yes. Puia, I see your hand up.

00:42:49.832 --> 00:42:52.337
Would you take us to John 19,

00:42:52.337 --> 00:42:53.779
verses 1 and 16.

00:42:53.779 --> 00:42:54.756
We are going to see

00:42:54.756 --> 00:42:55.913
a little bit more there,

00:42:55.913 --> 00:42:57.305
and then maybe you can add...

00:42:57.305 --> 00:42:59.193
(Puia) Sure, and I'll be reading

00:42:59.193 --> 00:43:01.945
from the New King James Version,

00:43:01.945 --> 00:43:03.366
John 19, verse 1:

00:43:07.549 --> 00:43:09.542
And verse 16:

00:43:18.165 --> 00:43:20.715
What I wanted to comment on, Sabina,

00:43:20.715 --> 00:43:22.863
was that Pilate was

00:43:22.863 --> 00:43:25.437
pressured by the crowd.

00:43:25.437 --> 00:43:28.507
It may be easy, to kind of, blame him,

00:43:28.507 --> 00:43:30.810
but I believe there is also danger

00:43:30.810 --> 00:43:33.225
for us today that we, too, can

00:43:33.225 --> 00:43:35.424
be pressured to go along

00:43:35.424 --> 00:43:37.250
with the majority.

00:43:37.250 --> 00:43:39.674
It's not fun to be different

00:43:39.674 --> 00:43:43.781
from the crowd, so one reason Pilate,

00:43:43.781 --> 00:43:46.383
while knowing that Jesus was innocent,

00:43:46.383 --> 00:43:48.730
why did He still deliver Jesus

00:43:48.730 --> 00:43:50.033
to be crucified?

00:43:50.033 --> 00:43:52.457
Well, because he gave in

00:43:52.457 --> 00:43:54.250
to the pressure of the crowd.

00:43:54.250 --> 00:43:55.846
(Sabina) That's right, he gave in

00:43:55.846 --> 00:43:57.261
to the pressure of the crowd.

00:43:57.261 --> 00:43:58.443
And he also had a role,

00:43:58.443 --> 00:44:00.264
and sometimes the pressure can even be

00:44:00.264 --> 00:44:02.788
because of a certain profession 
that you have.

00:44:02.788 --> 00:44:04.872
Because he had a role to play,

00:44:04.872 --> 00:44:07.370
and part of his role to play

00:44:07.370 --> 00:44:09.594
was to make sure that all parts

00:44:09.594 --> 00:44:12.699
and communities were satisfied and happy.

00:44:12.699 --> 00:44:15.332
So one day [he had to satisfy one group]

00:44:15.332 --> 00:44:16.858
and another day [another group],

00:44:16.858 --> 00:44:19.829
so he had to reconcile his call

00:44:19.829 --> 00:44:24.205
as a leader with the witness of Jesus

00:44:24.205 --> 00:44:26.200
that was right in front of him.

00:44:26.200 --> 00:44:29.300
And it seems like he failed. Yes, Travis.

00:44:29.300 --> 00:44:30.874
(Travis) I was thinking of a song

00:44:30.874 --> 00:44:32.357
that I sang as a kid, <i>Stand up,</i>

00:44:32.357 --> 00:44:34.461
<i>Stand up, for Jesus.</i>

00:44:34.461 --> 00:44:37.070
Jesus was going to the cross,

00:44:37.070 --> 00:44:41.355
whether Pilate flogged Him or not,

00:44:41.355 --> 00:44:43.752
because it was His time.

00:44:43.752 --> 00:44:46.691
But he could have taken a stand for Jesus,

00:44:46.691 --> 00:44:48.959
and he chose, as mentioned,

00:44:48.959 --> 00:44:49.875
not to take a stand

00:44:49.875 --> 00:44:51.598
because of popular opinion.

00:44:51.598 --> 00:44:53.844
And I think there is a lesson

00:44:53.844 --> 00:44:55.902
for us to learn, as when we're asked

00:44:55.902 --> 00:44:57.904
to take a stand, we

00:44:57.904 --> 00:44:59.515
might not change a situation,

00:44:59.515 --> 00:45:01.599
but we can stand.

00:45:01.599 --> 00:45:02.768
We can stand for Jesus.

00:45:02.768 --> 00:45:03.815
(Sabina) Yes. So I see

00:45:03.815 --> 00:45:06.166
many hands up, and I would love

00:45:06.166 --> 00:45:07.717
to continue talking about that,

00:45:07.717 --> 00:45:08.880
but we are going to move

00:45:08.880 --> 00:45:10.040
to our next witness.

00:45:10.040 --> 00:45:12.292
And, Cory, if you will help us there.

00:45:12.292 --> 00:45:13.598
We are going to be looking

00:45:13.598 --> 00:45:15.966
at the witness of Thomas,

00:45:15.966 --> 00:45:17.947
Thomas who struggled to believe

00:45:17.947 --> 00:45:20.319
that Jesus was risen from the dead.

00:45:20.319 --> 00:45:22.245
So we already know, we heard

00:45:22.245 --> 00:45:24.896
from the story of Mary and her testimony.

00:45:24.896 --> 00:45:26.469
We've seen here in the testimony,

00:45:26.469 --> 00:45:28.000
also, of Pilate, who was

00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:29.960
a completely different person than Mary,

00:45:29.960 --> 00:45:31.135
a different background,

00:45:31.135 --> 00:45:32.142
a different response.

00:45:32.142 --> 00:45:34.455
Now, let's look at Thomas, who was

00:45:34.455 --> 00:45:37.669
one of those close followers of Jesus.

00:45:37.669 --> 00:45:40.547
So, if you'll read for us from John,

00:45:40.547 --> 00:45:46.119
chapter 20, from verses 19 to 24, Cory.

00:45:46.119 --> 00:45:46.977
(Cory) I'm reading

00:45:46.977 --> 00:45:48.327
from the New King James:

00:46:55.184 --> 00:46:56.331
(Sabina) Okay, so, Cory,

00:46:56.331 --> 00:46:58.609
just stick with us a little longer here.

00:46:58.609 --> 00:47:00.134
I saw you had your hand up,

00:47:00.134 --> 00:47:02.020
and you just read this text.

00:47:02.020 --> 00:47:03.662
Why do you think that Thomas

00:47:03.662 --> 00:47:04.976
was struggling to believe

00:47:04.976 --> 00:47:06.684
that Jesus was risen from the dead?

00:47:06.684 --> 00:47:08.915
What are your thoughts?

00:47:08.915 --> 00:47:10.163
(Cory) I think some people

00:47:10.163 --> 00:47:11.870
just need to [feel and] see things

00:47:11.870 --> 00:47:13.385
with their own hands and eyes,

00:47:13.385 --> 00:47:14.798
and there were so many doubts

00:47:14.798 --> 00:47:16.356
because he really believed Jesus

00:47:16.356 --> 00:47:19.683
was going to be a king on Earth right now.

00:47:19.683 --> 00:47:23.200
And [with] his belief, he doubted

00:47:23.200 --> 00:47:24.660
everything that was going on,

00:47:24.660 --> 00:47:27.148
so he needed to see it himself.

00:47:27.148 --> 00:47:28.722
(Sabina) Okay, thank you so much.

00:47:28.722 --> 00:47:29.864
And we are going to look

00:47:29.864 --> 00:47:31.213
a little further here.

00:47:31.213 --> 00:47:32.994
Maybe, Joshua, if you'll read

00:47:32.994 --> 00:47:37.296
for us John 20:25,26, and we are

00:47:37.296 --> 00:47:38.275
going to be thinking

00:47:38.275 --> 00:47:39.848
[of what more we can learn]

00:47:39.848 --> 00:47:42.870
about Thomas from these two verses?

00:47:42.870 --> 00:47:44.454
(Joshua) Alright, I'll be reading

00:47:44.454 --> 00:47:49.445
from the New King James Version,
John 20:25-26:

00:48:18.441 --> 00:48:19.868
(Sabina) So, what can we learn

00:48:19.868 --> 00:48:21.448
about Thomas? Yes, Gladys.

00:48:21.448 --> 00:48:23.880
(Gladys) I think that he is like what Cory

00:48:23.880 --> 00:48:25.470
was saying, that he is somebody

00:48:25.470 --> 00:48:28.261
that needs something tangible,

00:48:28.261 --> 00:48:30.141
that needs tangible evidence

00:48:30.141 --> 00:48:31.980
before they can believe.

00:48:31.980 --> 00:48:35.424
But I just love that Jesus, even though He

00:48:35.424 --> 00:48:38.874
knew that he didn't believe,

00:48:38.874 --> 00:48:41.393
He's so loving, the love of God

00:48:41.393 --> 00:48:43.447
is so big, that He reaches

00:48:43.447 --> 00:48:45.151
even beyond our unbelief

00:48:45.151 --> 00:48:48.130
and reveals Himself to us.

00:48:48.130 --> 00:48:49.926
(Derek) I always struggled

00:48:49.926 --> 00:48:53.390
with calling him "Thomas the Doubter."

00:48:53.390 --> 00:48:54.648
I think he's a skeptic.

00:48:54.648 --> 00:48:56.657
I think, like Cory said, he may need

00:48:56.657 --> 00:48:58.970
a little more tangible evidence.

00:48:58.970 --> 00:49:02.649
But I want us to note that he is there

00:49:02.649 --> 00:49:05.501
in the upper room, right,

00:49:05.501 --> 00:49:07.380
eight days later; he is there.

00:49:07.380 --> 00:49:12.709
So, his heart is open, and I'm so thankful

00:49:12.709 --> 00:49:13.900
for what happens next,

00:49:13.900 --> 00:49:15.690
because while Jesus says,

00:49:15.690 --> 00:49:17.947
"Blessed are those who believe

00:49:17.947 --> 00:49:19.666
even though they don't see,"

00:49:19.666 --> 00:49:23.744
He doesn't say, "Thomas, you're a loser.

00:49:23.744 --> 00:49:26.995
Leave the room."

00:49:26.995 --> 00:49:29.251
I see the love of Jesus there.

00:49:29.251 --> 00:49:31.643
But I want to affirm Thomas,

00:49:31.643 --> 00:49:34.726
even though he was struggling,

00:49:34.726 --> 00:49:37.291
he showed up with the people of God.

00:49:37.291 --> 00:49:38.381
(Team) Amen.

00:49:38.381 --> 00:49:40.143
(Sabina) So, looking to that,

00:49:40.143 --> 00:49:42.521
maybe, Jason, if you'll read for us.

00:49:42.521 --> 00:49:44.113
We are going to look at the way

00:49:44.113 --> 00:49:47.930
that Jesus encourages Thomas

00:49:47.930 --> 00:49:50.220
and also how Thomas

00:49:50.220 --> 00:49:52.847
finally responds to Jesus,

00:49:52.847 --> 00:49:55.465
so verses 27 to 29,

00:49:55.465 --> 00:49:56.748
if you'll read that for us.

00:49:56.748 --> 00:49:59.177
(Jason) My pleasure, and the Bible says:

00:50:27.721 --> 00:50:28.722
(Sabina) Thank you.

00:50:28.722 --> 00:50:30.118
So, first of all, how did

00:50:30.118 --> 00:50:33.480
Jesus encourage Thomas?

00:50:33.480 --> 00:50:36.331
Do you have any thoughts about it?
Yes, Travis.

00:50:36.331 --> 00:50:40.079
(Travis) I'm just really impressed, first,

00:50:40.079 --> 00:50:43.449
by Thomas' request, and then Jesus giving

00:50:43.449 --> 00:50:45.699
him exactly what he needs to believe.

00:50:45.699 --> 00:50:47.388
We've been going through this study

00:50:47.388 --> 00:50:49.193
of John, and many people were asking

00:50:49.193 --> 00:50:52.786
for signs; Jesus didn't give them a sign.

00:50:52.786 --> 00:50:54.575
And here now Thomas is saying,

00:50:54.575 --> 00:50:57.184
"Unless I see this....," I think it has

00:50:57.184 --> 00:50:59.041
to do with the condition of the heart.

00:50:59.041 --> 00:51:00.159
I think Derek is right.

00:51:00.159 --> 00:51:03.693
He wanted to believe,

00:51:03.693 --> 00:51:05.416
but he wanted evidence.

00:51:05.416 --> 00:51:07.628
And I've been in this situation

00:51:07.628 --> 00:51:09.495
with Thomas before, and God

00:51:09.495 --> 00:51:10.927
has revealed Himself to me

00:51:10.927 --> 00:51:12.322
in a powerful way.

00:51:12.322 --> 00:51:14.761
When your heart is willing and receptive,

00:51:14.761 --> 00:51:16.295
God knows what you need, and He

00:51:16.295 --> 00:51:18.420
will give it and reveal Himself to you.

00:51:18.420 --> 00:51:20.660
(Sabina) Puia. I see so many hands up.

00:51:20.660 --> 00:51:23.496
We're always stirred up with that story.
Yes, Puia.

00:51:23.496 --> 00:51:25.889
(Puia) I am very encouraged by this story,

00:51:25.889 --> 00:51:27.828
because I myself struggle with doubts

00:51:27.828 --> 00:51:29.612
quite a lot of the time.

00:51:29.612 --> 00:51:32.477
And there could be two types of doubters.

00:51:32.477 --> 00:51:35.227
One group would be doubting towards faith,

00:51:35.227 --> 00:51:36.306
and one group would be

00:51:36.306 --> 00:51:38.600
doubting towards unbelief.

00:51:38.600 --> 00:51:40.417
What we see from Thomas is that, yes,

00:51:40.417 --> 00:51:41.860
he was struggling with doubts,

00:51:41.860 --> 00:51:44.127
but he was doubting towards faith.

00:51:44.127 --> 00:51:46.145
So, if we are struggling

00:51:46.145 --> 00:51:47.470
with doubts today, there is

00:51:47.470 --> 00:51:49.349
a lot of encouragement from this story,

00:51:49.349 --> 00:51:50.810
that Jesus doesn't condemn.

00:51:50.810 --> 00:51:53.168
Instead, the words of Jesus said,

00:51:53.168 --> 00:51:55.194
"Blessed are those who have not

00:51:55.194 --> 00:51:57.820
seen Me but believe."

00:51:57.820 --> 00:51:59.453
He's talking about us.

00:51:59.453 --> 00:52:01.409
(Sabina) Yes, so at the same time, Thomas

00:52:01.409 --> 00:52:03.757
was encouraged by Jesus,

00:52:03.757 --> 00:52:06.112
so Jesus listens to Thomas, He comes

00:52:06.112 --> 00:52:07.957
towards Thomas and his needs

00:52:07.957 --> 00:52:09.863
in that moment, but at the same time,

00:52:09.863 --> 00:52:12.263
He uses Thomas' story

00:52:12.263 --> 00:52:13.429
as an object lesson,

00:52:13.429 --> 00:52:16.345
let's put it this way, for all of us.

00:52:16.345 --> 00:52:18.545
So we that are here, and we do have

00:52:18.545 --> 00:52:20.405
the chance right now to be like, "Oh,

00:52:20.405 --> 00:52:22.719
Jesus, can I touch it?"

00:52:22.719 --> 00:52:26.013
But He is going to make sure that we know

00:52:26.013 --> 00:52:28.583
that we are more blessed than Thomas

00:52:28.583 --> 00:52:30.785
if we are able to believe without having

00:52:30.785 --> 00:52:33.300
that same experience that he had.

00:52:33.300 --> 00:52:36.462
So, Gladys, just to conclude this part

00:52:36.462 --> 00:52:38.435
about Thomas, what encouragement

00:52:38.435 --> 00:52:40.814
do you find in this story for your life?

00:52:40.814 --> 00:52:42.527
(Gladys) Well, I feel like the man

00:52:42.527 --> 00:52:45.349
that Jesus asked if he believed,

00:52:45.349 --> 00:52:46.564
and he said, "I believe,

00:52:46.564 --> 00:52:48.762
but help my unbelief."

00:52:48.762 --> 00:52:52.131
You know, sometimes we have this doubt,

00:52:52.131 --> 00:52:55.587
but God finds a way to just reveal Himself

00:52:55.587 --> 00:52:58.864
in a personal way to [move]

00:52:58.864 --> 00:53:01.274
towards belief, like Puia was saying.

00:53:01.274 --> 00:53:02.665
You have doubts, but, yes,

00:53:02.665 --> 00:53:04.715
[He will] move you closer to Him

00:53:04.715 --> 00:53:06.371
towards believing in Him.

00:53:06.371 --> 00:53:07.862
(Sabina) Isn't He loving?

00:53:07.862 --> 00:53:10.427
Isn't He so caring, that even if we are

00:53:10.427 --> 00:53:13.327
in that moment of doubt, of challenges,

00:53:13.327 --> 00:53:14.999
He is going to make sure to come

00:53:14.999 --> 00:53:16.824
towards you because He loves you.

00:53:16.824 --> 00:53:19.445
He is not trying to make it hard,
right, Gladys, for us?

00:53:19.445 --> 00:53:20.318
(Gladys) He's not.

00:53:20.318 --> 00:53:22.613
(Sabina) He's trying as much as He can

00:53:22.613 --> 00:53:25.139
to attract us to Him.

00:53:25.139 --> 00:53:27.340
Thank You, Jesus, for that.

00:53:27.340 --> 00:53:29.679
And so, maybe, Lezlie, if you'll take us

00:53:29.679 --> 00:53:31.487
to the final part of our study, we are

00:53:31.487 --> 00:53:33.034
going to be looking at the way

00:53:33.034 --> 00:53:36.527
in which John concludes his own witness

00:53:36.527 --> 00:53:38.361
because John is also a witness

00:53:38.361 --> 00:53:40.942
of all that, and he gives that witness

00:53:40.942 --> 00:53:43.537
of many things that he saw

00:53:43.537 --> 00:53:45.447
and what he thinks of Jesus.

00:53:45.447 --> 00:53:47.292
So, if you'll take us to John,

00:53:47.292 --> 00:53:50.955
chapter 20, verses 30 and 31, please.

00:53:50.955 --> 00:53:52.385
(Lezlie) Okay, I'm reading

00:53:52.385 --> 00:53:54.288
from the New Living Translation:

00:54:13.198 --> 00:54:14.535
(Derek, Team) Amen.

00:54:14.535 --> 00:54:15.978
(Sabina) So, what testimony

00:54:15.978 --> 00:54:20.000
is John giving here? Yes, Travis.

00:54:20.000 --> 00:54:21.868
(Travis) I'm going to make the argument

00:54:21.868 --> 00:54:23.505
that that should be the last verse

00:54:23.505 --> 00:54:24.899
of the Bible, because I think

00:54:24.899 --> 00:54:26.595
that encapsulates all of Scripture.

00:54:26.595 --> 00:54:27.837
I think that's the reason

00:54:27.837 --> 00:54:30.219
all of Scripture was written.

00:54:30.219 --> 00:54:33.296
But John wanted to be sure

00:54:33.296 --> 00:54:36.330
that we knew that that was the reason.

00:54:36.330 --> 00:54:38.122
As a matter of fact, now when I study

00:54:38.122 --> 00:54:39.594
the book of John, and I

00:54:39.594 --> 00:54:41.638
have that understanding, wow,

00:54:41.638 --> 00:54:43.124
there's a whole new revelation.

00:54:43.124 --> 00:54:44.900
You read the Bible in a different way

00:54:44.900 --> 00:54:46.485
when you know that that's why

00:54:46.485 --> 00:54:47.595
it was written.

00:54:47.595 --> 00:54:49.605
(Sabina) Yeah, it seems like John's desire

00:54:49.605 --> 00:54:52.413
was that you and I would believe

00:54:52.413 --> 00:54:53.580
those things, you know?

00:54:53.580 --> 00:54:55.431
Ultimately, [it was] all he wanted,

00:54:55.431 --> 00:54:56.874
and through the Holy Spirit he

00:54:56.874 --> 00:54:58.751
was inspired because he knew

00:54:58.751 --> 00:55:01.767
that if we have the life of Jesus,

00:55:01.767 --> 00:55:02.846
we have eternal life.

00:55:02.846 --> 00:55:04.529
If we belong to Jesus,

00:55:04.529 --> 00:55:05.702
we have eternal life.

00:55:05.702 --> 00:55:07.541
And just to conclude here, do you have

00:55:07.541 --> 00:55:09.207
a story of your own,

00:55:09.207 --> 00:55:10.561
your testimony about Jesus?

00:55:10.561 --> 00:55:12.423
We are going to say that in short;

00:55:12.423 --> 00:55:14.040
we don't have much time.

00:55:14.040 --> 00:55:15.969
Is there something that you can say here

00:55:15.969 --> 00:55:25.480
that you are inspired to share. 
Yes, Tendi.

00:55:25.480 --> 00:55:27.615
(Tendi) How I came to the church,

00:55:27.615 --> 00:55:30.271
it was a trying time for me,

00:55:30.271 --> 00:55:33.492
but I held onto the fact that, leaving

00:55:33.492 --> 00:55:35.590
my job to honor the Sabbath

00:55:35.590 --> 00:55:38.450
and being unemployed for three years,

00:55:38.450 --> 00:55:42.125
Jesus will honor my fidelity one day.

00:55:42.125 --> 00:55:44.694
I stood firm to the belief that I had

00:55:44.694 --> 00:55:46.326
and the conviction I had.

00:55:46.326 --> 00:55:47.275
(Team) Amen.

00:55:47.275 --> 00:55:48.698
(Sabina) Thank you, Tendi.

00:55:48.698 --> 00:55:50.796
I think that each one of us here

00:55:50.796 --> 00:55:53.243
(if I start asking, we won't have time)

00:55:53.243 --> 00:55:54.930
would have a testimony to share

00:55:54.930 --> 00:55:56.436
of the many ways in which Jesus

00:55:56.436 --> 00:55:58.101
has been touching our lives.

00:55:58.101 --> 00:55:59.920
And that's my invitation also for you

00:55:59.920 --> 00:56:02.635
who are watching us.

00:56:02.635 --> 00:56:05.162
I'm sure that Jesus has been working

00:56:05.162 --> 00:56:07.488
in your life even before you were alive.

00:56:07.488 --> 00:56:08.857
He was thinking of you

00:56:08.857 --> 00:56:10.898
when He made you and knitted you together

00:56:10.898 --> 00:56:12.002
in your mother's womb.

00:56:12.002 --> 00:56:13.567
He had a plan for you.

00:56:13.567 --> 00:56:15.013
He has a desire for your life,

00:56:15.013 --> 00:56:16.830
and that desire is that you would come

00:56:16.830 --> 00:56:19.480
to believe in Him and have life.

00:56:19.480 --> 00:56:22.050
So just please take this invitation

00:56:22.050 --> 00:56:24.130
from Jesus, it's a gift,

00:56:24.130 --> 00:56:26.390
and not only receive the witness

00:56:26.390 --> 00:56:28.887
that we see in the Bible from Thomas

00:56:28.887 --> 00:56:31.435
or from Mary or the prophetic witness

00:56:31.435 --> 00:56:34.434
of Abraham or the witness of Tendi,

00:56:34.434 --> 00:56:37.937
Puia, Derek, but also see the witness

00:56:37.937 --> 00:56:39.619
of what the things are that Jesus

00:56:39.619 --> 00:56:40.866
will do in your life.

00:56:40.866 --> 00:56:43.233
I look forward to learning of the ways

00:56:43.233 --> 00:56:45.090
in which we are witnessing His work

00:56:45.090 --> 00:56:47.385
in you for eternity. Amen?

00:56:47.385 --> 00:56:51.100
(Derek, Team) Amen.

00:56:51.100 --> 00:56:53.754
(Derek) What a powerful study.

00:56:53.754 --> 00:56:55.178
(Team) Amen.

00:56:55.178 --> 00:56:56.658
(Derek) And, "Blessed are those

00:56:56.658 --> 00:56:59.880
who believe," is not just those back then,

00:56:59.880 --> 00:57:01.915
but could we testify, "We are

00:57:01.915 --> 00:57:04.222
blessed because we believe"?

00:57:04.222 --> 00:57:05.157
(Team) Amen.

00:57:05.157 --> 00:57:06.324
(Derek) We believe what?

00:57:06.324 --> 00:57:08.039
We believe that Jesus is the Christ,

00:57:08.039 --> 00:57:11.648
the Son of God, and that by believing

00:57:11.648 --> 00:57:13.549
we have life in His name.

00:57:13.549 --> 00:57:15.933
Thank you, Sabina, for sharing with us.

00:57:15.933 --> 00:57:18.484
And thank you for joining us.

00:57:18.484 --> 00:57:20.021
I just want to appeal to you

00:57:20.021 --> 00:57:22.201
as Sabina has; don't let this

00:57:22.201 --> 00:57:23.520
just be information.

00:57:23.520 --> 00:57:25.167
John said these stories

00:57:25.167 --> 00:57:26.870
are not just to entertain you

00:57:26.870 --> 00:57:28.384
but so you could be saved

00:57:28.384 --> 00:57:30.351
forever in God's Kingdom.

00:57:30.351 --> 00:57:31.334
Let's pray together.

00:57:31.334 --> 00:57:33.870
Father in Heaven, may the testimonies

00:57:33.870 --> 00:57:36.218
of those who believed, that we have

00:57:36.218 --> 00:57:40.413
shared today, including present testimony,

00:57:40.413 --> 00:57:42.760
remind us that You are not trying

00:57:42.760 --> 00:57:45.281
to hide from us, but You want

00:57:45.281 --> 00:57:48.461
to find us and save us and use us

00:57:48.461 --> 00:57:50.200
to bless others with a word

00:57:50.200 --> 00:57:52.245
of hope through You.

00:57:52.245 --> 00:57:55.479
Thank you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

00:57:55.479 --> 00:57:56.570
(Team) Amen.

00:57:56.570 --> 00:57:57.969
(Derek) Thanks for joining us

00:57:57.969 --> 00:57:59.944
for Hope Sabbath School - what a journey.

00:57:59.944 --> 00:58:01.677
Take what you've learned, my friend,

00:58:01.677 --> 00:58:03.842
go out and be a blessing
to those around you.

00:58:03.842 --> 00:58:27.543
♪ theme music ♪