1
00:00:00,006 --> 00:00:18,885
♪ theme music ♪

2
00:00:18,885 --> 00:00:20,767
(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,

3
00:00:20,767 --> 00:00:22,619
an in-depth, interactive study

4
00:00:22,619 --> 00:00:23,770
of the Word of God.

5
00:00:23,770 --> 00:00:25,692
I am excited today as we begin

6
00:00:25,692 --> 00:00:27,277
a brand new series

7
00:00:27,277 --> 00:00:30,146
on <i>God's Love and Justice.</i>

8
00:00:30,146 --> 00:00:33,148
In fact, I feel like we are walking

9
00:00:33,148 --> 00:00:35,017
on holy ground, and I'm glad

10
00:00:35,017 --> 00:00:37,219
that you joined us as we talk

11
00:00:37,219 --> 00:00:39,893
about a God who loves freely.

12
00:00:39,893 --> 00:00:42,149
So, welcome to Hope Sabbath School

13
00:00:42,149 --> 00:00:43,372
and welcome to the team,

14
00:00:43,372 --> 00:00:44,400
good to see you all.

15
00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:45,858
Thanks for being here.

16
00:00:45,858 --> 00:00:47,620
We've got some remote team members

17
00:00:47,620 --> 00:00:49,354
with us, too; let's take a look

18
00:00:49,354 --> 00:00:52,854
and see who's joining us remotely today.

19
00:00:52,854 --> 00:00:54,114
Faith, good to see you,

20
00:00:54,114 --> 00:00:56,553
glad you're with us.

21
00:00:56,553 --> 00:00:58,232
Tricia Lee, welcome back,

22
00:00:58,232 --> 00:00:59,996
always good to see you.

23
00:00:59,996 --> 00:01:01,068
And, Gleny, great

24
00:01:01,068 --> 00:01:02,647
to have you with us today.

25
00:01:02,647 --> 00:01:05,510
We're so glad that <i>you're</i> with us, too,

26
00:01:05,510 --> 00:01:06,527
because you're part

27
00:01:06,527 --> 00:01:09,947
of our global interactive study together.

28
00:01:09,947 --> 00:01:12,392
And we're always happy to hear from you,

29
00:01:12,392 --> 00:01:13,873
our Hope Sabbath School members

30
00:01:13,873 --> 00:01:14,935
from around the world.

31
00:01:14,935 --> 00:01:19,045
You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org.

32
00:01:19,045 --> 00:01:20,934
You say, "Derek, I've memorized that."

33
00:01:20,934 --> 00:01:22,477
Well, then send us a note

34
00:01:22,477 --> 00:01:25,130
and share with us how God is blessing <i>you</i>

35
00:01:25,130 --> 00:01:26,467
through a study of His Word.

36
00:01:26,467 --> 00:01:28,275
You say, "Derek, I'm actually teaching

37
00:01:28,275 --> 00:01:30,422
a class; I'm downloading the outline

38
00:01:30,422 --> 00:01:33,124
from the website, and I'm sharing

39
00:01:33,124 --> 00:01:34,472
the Word of God; praise God.

40
00:01:34,472 --> 00:01:36,041
Write to us and let us know.

41
00:01:36,041 --> 00:01:38,098
Here's a note from Kyrol

42
00:01:38,098 --> 00:01:41,493
who writes to us from Papua New Guinea,

43
00:01:41,493 --> 00:01:43,879
and he says, "I'm truly blessed

44
00:01:43,879 --> 00:01:46,837
every Sabbath since I started watching

45
00:01:46,837 --> 00:01:48,149
Hope Sabbath School

46
00:01:48,149 --> 00:01:50,306
through YouTube last year."

47
00:01:50,306 --> 00:01:51,214
Well, I don't know.

48
00:01:51,214 --> 00:01:52,545
It's always dangerous to say

49
00:01:52,545 --> 00:01:54,920
how many subscribers we have.

50
00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:56,814
It's close to [120,000],

51
00:01:56,814 --> 00:01:58,626
but probably that will be out of date,

52
00:01:58,626 --> 00:02:00,719
Travis, by the next time we read it.

53
00:02:00,719 --> 00:02:02,872
But one of them is Kyrol

54
00:02:02,872 --> 00:02:04,819
in Papua New Guinea; isn't that awesome?

55
00:02:04,819 --> 00:02:05,990
(Team) Praise God.

56
00:02:05,990 --> 00:02:08,200
(Derek) "I've watched every Sabbath
morning

57
00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,243
before I go to Bible study.

58
00:02:11,243 --> 00:02:13,830
Glory, honor and praise be to God

59
00:02:13,830 --> 00:02:15,462
for the Hope Sabbath School team."

60
00:02:15,462 --> 00:02:17,920
And we say? Praise God, right?

61
00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:19,671
"May God continue to bless

62
00:02:19,671 --> 00:02:22,779
and use all of you as His witnesses

63
00:02:22,779 --> 00:02:25,387
to share His amazing truths

64
00:02:25,387 --> 00:02:26,607
before Christ returns."

65
00:02:26,607 --> 00:02:27,890
What do we say?

66
00:02:27,890 --> 00:02:28,834
(Derek, Team) Amen.

67
00:02:28,834 --> 00:02:30,694
(Derek) Kyrol, thanks for writing to us

68
00:02:30,694 --> 00:02:32,452
from Papua New Guinea, and we're glad

69
00:02:32,452 --> 00:02:35,365
you are part of our global family.

70
00:02:35,365 --> 00:02:39,716
Well, Suwilanji writes to us from Zambia

71
00:02:39,716 --> 00:02:43,049
and says, "I am a Pentecostal preacher

72
00:02:43,049 --> 00:02:45,055
in Zambia, and I'm addicted

73
00:02:45,055 --> 00:02:46,385
to Hope Sabbath School."

74
00:02:46,385 --> 00:02:47,483
(Team) Wow.

75
00:02:47,483 --> 00:02:49,103
(Derek) Well, Suwilanji, thanks

76
00:02:49,103 --> 00:02:50,440
for writing to us.

77
00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,092
We're happy that you're sharing

78
00:02:52,092 --> 00:02:53,758
the gospel in your country

79
00:02:53,758 --> 00:02:56,347
and learning more about the Word of God

80
00:02:56,347 --> 00:02:57,498
on Hope Sabbath School.

81
00:02:57,498 --> 00:02:59,864
Thanks for your note.

82
00:02:59,864 --> 00:03:01,877
Here's a hand-written note

83
00:03:01,877 --> 00:03:04,029
from a donor in Maryland

84
00:03:04,029 --> 00:03:05,862
in the United States of America.

85
00:03:05,862 --> 00:03:07,699
For those of you who may not know,

86
00:03:07,699 --> 00:03:09,697
we actually film Hope Sabbath School

87
00:03:09,697 --> 00:03:11,453
in the state of Maryland.

88
00:03:11,453 --> 00:03:14,149
And the donor writes,

89
00:03:14,149 --> 00:03:16,523
"Hello, Hope Sabbath School."

90
00:03:16,523 --> 00:03:17,530
You know they do that

91
00:03:17,530 --> 00:03:19,207
so you'll wave, right?

92
00:03:19,207 --> 00:03:22,046
"I'm so happy to be with you once again

93
00:03:22,046 --> 00:03:24,113
to see your smiling faces,

94
00:03:24,113 --> 00:03:26,670
to be part of your interactive study

95
00:03:26,670 --> 00:03:29,885
that blesses my heart immensely.

96
00:03:29,885 --> 00:03:32,245
The study is so plain

97
00:03:32,245 --> 00:03:34,316
that even an 84-year-old

98
00:03:34,316 --> 00:03:36,973
like me can understand.

99
00:03:36,973 --> 00:03:39,406
The team members' testimonies

100
00:03:39,406 --> 00:03:42,018
are such a blessing to me.

101
00:03:42,018 --> 00:03:45,320
I thank God for the Hope
Sabbath School team

102
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,348
spreading the gospel around the world.

103
00:03:48,348 --> 00:03:50,330
Enclosed is a small contribution,"

104
00:03:50,330 --> 00:03:53,499
the donor writes, but no donation is small

105
00:03:53,499 --> 00:03:55,106
when God blesses it,

106
00:03:55,106 --> 00:03:57,544
a donation of 50 dollars.

107
00:03:57,544 --> 00:04:00,046
Thank you so much, Donor in Maryland.

108
00:04:00,046 --> 00:04:01,422
You know who you are.

109
00:04:01,422 --> 00:04:03,294
And thanks to each one of you.

110
00:04:03,294 --> 00:04:04,936
We're a donor-supported minsitry.

111
00:04:04,936 --> 00:04:06,745
You say, "Derek, could I have a part?"

112
00:04:06,745 --> 00:04:08,700
Absolutely! Go to our website,

113
00:04:08,700 --> 00:04:11,625
hopetv.org/hopess,

114
00:04:11,625 --> 00:04:13,245
click on the yellow button

115
00:04:13,245 --> 00:04:15,458
and give online, or you get an address

116
00:04:15,458 --> 00:04:16,372
and write us a note

117
00:04:16,372 --> 00:04:18,077
just like this donor did.

118
00:04:18,077 --> 00:04:19,255
Thank you to each one

119
00:04:19,255 --> 00:04:20,753
for being part of this miracle.

120
00:04:20,753 --> 00:04:23,627
One last note, and I'm looking at Travis

121
00:04:23,627 --> 00:04:25,593
over here, Travis, because Nadine

122
00:04:25,593 --> 00:04:27,438
is writing from Guyana.

123
00:04:27,438 --> 00:04:29,099
So, I don't know if we can all

124
00:04:29,099 --> 00:04:32,178
give her a wave, but, Nadine, we want

125
00:04:32,178 --> 00:04:33,950
you to know one of our team members,

126
00:04:33,950 --> 00:04:35,800
Travis, was just in Guyana

127
00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:37,685
holding some meetings, and so that's

128
00:04:37,685 --> 00:04:40,183
a special place in [his] heart.

129
00:04:40,183 --> 00:04:41,468
"Thank you," Nadine writes,

130
00:04:41,468 --> 00:04:42,831
"for Hope Sabbath School.

131
00:04:42,831 --> 00:04:45,716
You are such a blessing to us.

132
00:04:45,716 --> 00:04:48,004
An interactive study of the Word of God

133
00:04:48,004 --> 00:04:49,643
helps me to have

134
00:04:49,643 --> 00:04:51,706
a closer relationship with Jesus."

135
00:04:51,706 --> 00:04:52,412
(Team) Amen.

136
00:04:52,412 --> 00:04:53,753
(Derek) That's why we do it!

137
00:04:53,753 --> 00:04:55,226
You know, the demons know a lot

138
00:04:55,226 --> 00:04:58,094
about the Bible, and people

139
00:04:58,094 --> 00:05:03,044
could win a Bible quiz and be lost.

140
00:05:03,044 --> 00:05:05,663
But when you study the Bible and have

141
00:05:05,663 --> 00:05:07,535
a closer relationship with Jesus,

142
00:05:07,535 --> 00:05:10,612
that's eternal salvation, isn't it?
Awesome.

143
00:05:10,612 --> 00:05:12,349
"May God continue to bless you all.

144
00:05:12,349 --> 00:05:14,409
We love you all. Nadine."

145
00:05:14,409 --> 00:05:16,409
Well, Nadine, thanks for writing to us,

146
00:05:16,409 --> 00:05:18,892
and I'm excited that you are all part

147
00:05:18,892 --> 00:05:20,427
of our global family.

148
00:05:20,427 --> 00:05:21,750
We would love to hear

149
00:05:21,750 --> 00:05:23,561
from you, so, write to us.

150
00:05:23,561 --> 00:05:25,417
I noticed a lot of you put comments

151
00:05:25,417 --> 00:05:27,240
on the YouTube channel when you watch,

152
00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,025
and that's great, too, but you can

153
00:05:29,025 --> 00:05:33,605
also write to us at sshope@hopetv.org.

154
00:05:33,605 --> 00:05:35,504
Well, today we're going to learn

155
00:05:35,504 --> 00:05:36,891
a new theme song.

156
00:05:36,891 --> 00:05:39,557
It is 3,000 years old.

157
00:05:39,557 --> 00:05:41,114
We sing Scripture songs here

158
00:05:41,114 --> 00:05:42,337
on Hope Sabbath School.

159
00:05:42,337 --> 00:05:44,987
It is Psalm 63, and it says,

160
00:05:44,987 --> 00:05:47,737
"O God, You are my God;

161
00:05:47,737 --> 00:05:49,337
early will I seek You,"

162
00:05:49,337 --> 00:05:50,940
but we lost the tune somewhere

163
00:05:50,940 --> 00:05:52,928
in the last 3,000 years,

164
00:05:52,928 --> 00:05:55,181
so my wife put a new tune to it.

165
00:05:55,181 --> 00:05:56,649
And you can go to our website

166
00:05:56,649 --> 00:05:59,033
and download the song free

167
00:05:59,033 --> 00:06:00,724
and the sheet music, if you'd like

168
00:06:00,724 --> 00:06:03,009
to sing it in your Bible study group.

169
00:06:03,009 --> 00:06:07,300
Just go to hopetv.org/hopess,

170
00:06:07,300 --> 00:06:09,687
that's our web address,

171
00:06:09,687 --> 00:06:11,971
and you can download the song,

172
00:06:11,971 --> 00:06:13,791
sheet music, and sing it.

173
00:06:13,791 --> 00:06:16,286
We'd like to teach it to you right now.

174
00:06:16,286 --> 00:06:30,045
♪ music ♪

175
00:09:22,511 --> 00:09:24,660
(Derek) Amen? Wow, that was beautiful.

176
00:09:24,660 --> 00:09:26,238
I hear you sing, too.

177
00:09:26,238 --> 00:09:28,137
You say, "Derek, you couldn't hear us,"

178
00:09:28,137 --> 00:09:29,930
but I was just imagining you singing.

179
00:09:29,930 --> 00:09:31,873
And I just want to challenge us

180
00:09:31,873 --> 00:09:33,486
with the thought, when the enemy

181
00:09:33,486 --> 00:09:36,483
comes upon us like a flood,

182
00:09:36,483 --> 00:09:38,050
we just sing that song, "O God,

183
00:09:38,050 --> 00:09:39,058
You are my God;

184
00:09:39,058 --> 00:09:40,841
early will I seek You," right?

185
00:09:40,841 --> 00:09:42,766
We can run to God, a God

186
00:09:42,766 --> 00:09:45,424
of love and mercy who will welcome us

187
00:09:45,424 --> 00:09:46,246
with loving arms.

188
00:09:46,246 --> 00:09:47,382
Well, great to see

189
00:09:47,382 --> 00:09:48,796
our remotes singing, too.

190
00:09:48,796 --> 00:09:50,678
I know we can't see you all,

191
00:09:50,678 --> 00:09:52,359
but you're singing the Word, too,

192
00:09:52,359 --> 00:09:54,350
and we're hiding that Word in our hearts.

193
00:09:54,350 --> 00:09:56,890
Today, we're going to study

194
00:09:56,890 --> 00:09:58,189
how <i>God Loves Freely.</i>

195
00:09:58,189 --> 00:10:00,473
It's an amazing study, and we invite you

196
00:10:00,473 --> 00:10:02,589
to pray with us as we

197
00:10:02,589 --> 00:10:03,834
open the Word of God.

198
00:10:03,834 --> 00:10:05,603
Father in Heaven, thank You

199
00:10:05,603 --> 00:10:09,222
for the revelation in the Word of God.

200
00:10:09,222 --> 00:10:10,334
The Scripture is given

201
00:10:10,334 --> 00:10:12,146
by inspiration of God

202
00:10:12,146 --> 00:10:14,153
and is profitable for us.

203
00:10:14,153 --> 00:10:16,753
Guide us in our interactive study today

204
00:10:16,753 --> 00:10:17,921
by your Holy Spirit.

205
00:10:17,921 --> 00:10:21,391
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

206
00:10:21,391 --> 00:10:22,608
(Team) Amen.

207
00:10:22,608 --> 00:10:24,253
(Derek) Well, we're going to start

208
00:10:24,253 --> 00:10:25,768
in the book of Exodus,

209
00:10:25,768 --> 00:10:26,868
that's the second book

210
00:10:26,868 --> 00:10:29,419
of the Hebrew Scriptures, the second book

211
00:10:29,419 --> 00:10:31,724
of the Pentateuch as it's called.

212
00:10:31,724 --> 00:10:35,835
In Exodus, chapter 33, and, Puia,

213
00:10:35,835 --> 00:10:38,062
I'm going to ask you to begin our study

214
00:10:38,062 --> 00:10:41,636
today by reading verses 12 to 19.

215
00:10:41,636 --> 00:10:44,631
I want to invite you and those joining

216
00:10:44,631 --> 00:10:46,648
around the world to listen

217
00:10:46,648 --> 00:10:48,469
to what revelation we see

218
00:10:48,469 --> 00:10:52,669
of the character of God,
here in Exodus 33.

219
00:10:52,669 --> 00:10:54,198
(Puia) Sure, and I'll be reading

220
00:10:54,198 --> 00:10:55,723
from the New King James Version,

221
00:10:55,723 --> 00:10:58,499
Exodus 33, verses 12 to 19:

222
00:12:25,016 --> 00:12:27,268
(Derek) Wow, that is amazing dialogue

223
00:12:27,268 --> 00:12:29,507
between the Lord and Moses.

224
00:12:29,507 --> 00:12:31,621
What are some lessons we can learn

225
00:12:31,621 --> 00:12:32,858
just from hearing it if we

226
00:12:32,858 --> 00:12:34,351
just had that one Scripture?

227
00:12:34,351 --> 00:12:35,257
What could we learn

228
00:12:35,257 --> 00:12:38,713
about the character of God? Kylynda?

229
00:12:38,713 --> 00:12:41,024
(Kylynda) God wants to be with us.

230
00:12:41,024 --> 00:12:43,491
(Derek) So, He's a relational God,

231
00:12:43,491 --> 00:12:45,391
which, by the way, we ought not to take

232
00:12:45,391 --> 00:12:47,496
for granted because a lot of pictures

233
00:12:47,496 --> 00:12:49,564
of God are like, "Well, He did something,

234
00:12:49,564 --> 00:12:50,904
and then He left." Harold?

235
00:12:50,904 --> 00:12:52,666
(Harold) Very personable, because you

236
00:12:52,666 --> 00:12:54,140
can talk to Him as a Person.

237
00:12:54,140 --> 00:12:55,796
(Derek) He wants a relationship,

238
00:12:55,796 --> 00:12:57,499
and He's communicating.

239
00:12:57,499 --> 00:12:59,255
Alright. Yes, James.

240
00:12:59,255 --> 00:13:01,129
(James) He is a God of companionship.

241
00:13:01,129 --> 00:13:03,078
Moses asked for a companion,

242
00:13:03,078 --> 00:13:05,073
and God said, "I will be your Companion."

243
00:13:05,073 --> 00:13:05,934
(Derek) "I will go

244
00:13:05,934 --> 00:13:07,321
with you," that's right.

245
00:13:07,321 --> 00:13:09,120
Gleny, what do you hear in this text

246
00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:10,770
that impresses you

247
00:13:10,770 --> 00:13:13,460
about the character of God?

248
00:13:13,460 --> 00:13:15,342
(Gleny) Besides all that was mentioned,

249
00:13:15,342 --> 00:13:17,289
we see that He is good,

250
00:13:17,289 --> 00:13:18,775
He shows a lot of compassion,

251
00:13:18,775 --> 00:13:21,015
and He desires to be known.

252
00:13:21,015 --> 00:13:24,223
(Derek) Alright, that's a good point
Gleny makes.

253
00:13:24,223 --> 00:13:27,243
His goodness, don't take that

254
00:13:27,243 --> 00:13:28,638
for granted, you know?

255
00:13:28,638 --> 00:13:31,419
It's that God is good.

256
00:13:31,419 --> 00:13:35,814
He wants a relationship with us. Don?

257
00:13:35,814 --> 00:13:37,377
(Don) Also with the first text,

258
00:13:37,377 --> 00:13:39,441
"I know you by your name."

259
00:13:39,441 --> 00:13:41,392
(Derek) Thank you for pointing that out.

260
00:13:41,392 --> 00:13:43,255
So, talk about companionship

261
00:13:43,255 --> 00:13:46,915
but not just with Moses, He wants

262
00:13:46,915 --> 00:13:48,536
a personal relationship with us.

263
00:13:48,536 --> 00:13:50,923
Now, to put that in context,

264
00:13:50,923 --> 00:13:53,270
Sophia, if you could go back one chapter

265
00:13:53,270 --> 00:13:57,232
with us, take us back to Exodus 32

266
00:13:57,232 --> 00:13:59,420
and read the first three verses.

267
00:13:59,420 --> 00:14:01,011
Let's have a little context.

268
00:14:01,011 --> 00:14:02,790
God is saying, "I want a relationship

269
00:14:02,790 --> 00:14:04,004
with you; I want to show

270
00:14:04,004 --> 00:14:05,178
My compassion and love."

271
00:14:05,178 --> 00:14:07,522
Let's see what's just happened

272
00:14:07,522 --> 00:14:09,428
as part of the exodus.

273
00:14:09,428 --> 00:14:10,573
(Sophia) I'll be reading

274
00:14:10,573 --> 00:14:12,099
from the New King James Version,

275
00:14:12,099 --> 00:14:14,325
chapter 32, verses 1 through 3:

276
00:14:44,636 --> 00:14:47,629
(Derek) And what did they do with that,
anybody remember?

277
00:14:47,629 --> 00:14:48,718
(Team) Golden calf.

278
00:14:48,718 --> 00:14:50,412
(Derek) They made a golden calf!

279
00:14:50,412 --> 00:14:52,670
And not only did they make a golden calf,

280
00:14:52,670 --> 00:14:54,596
but what did they say?

281
00:14:54,596 --> 00:14:55,887
(Sophia) "This is our god."

282
00:14:55,887 --> 00:14:57,902
(Derek) That, "you're the god that brought

283
00:14:57,902 --> 00:14:58,719
us out of Egypt"!

284
00:14:58,719 --> 00:15:01,125
I mean, it's like, terrible!

285
00:15:01,125 --> 00:15:03,753
And yet, in the context of that,

286
00:15:03,753 --> 00:15:05,635
God shows His love.

287
00:15:05,635 --> 00:15:07,637
Now, I want to ask Tricia Lee a question.

288
00:15:07,637 --> 00:15:09,168
Tricia Lee, we always appreciate

289
00:15:09,168 --> 00:15:10,824
hearing from you.

290
00:15:10,824 --> 00:15:12,431
Tricia Lee, it says, "I will

291
00:15:12,431 --> 00:15:14,365
have compassion on whom I

292
00:15:14,365 --> 00:15:16,259
will have compassion,"

293
00:15:16,259 --> 00:15:18,140
but tell me somewhere else

294
00:15:18,140 --> 00:15:20,255
in the Scripture, how many people

295
00:15:20,255 --> 00:15:22,282
does God have compassion on?

296
00:15:22,282 --> 00:15:23,943
(Tricia Lee) God has compassion

297
00:15:23,943 --> 00:15:25,304
on <i>all</i> people; we know that

298
00:15:25,304 --> 00:15:28,043
from John, chapter 3, verse 16.

299
00:15:28,043 --> 00:15:29,714
(Derek) And what does it say there?

300
00:15:29,714 --> 00:15:30,902
Have you memorized it?

301
00:15:30,902 --> 00:15:32,399
(Tricia Lee) It says, "For God

302
00:15:32,399 --> 00:15:33,961
so loved the world that He gave

303
00:15:33,961 --> 00:15:37,149
His only begotten Son, that whosoever

304
00:15:37,149 --> 00:15:39,811
believes in Him should not perish

305
00:15:39,811 --> 00:15:42,496
but have everlasting life."

306
00:15:42,496 --> 00:15:44,308
(Derek) So, I just don't want a person

307
00:15:44,308 --> 00:15:46,498
to say, "Well, I guess He has compassion

308
00:15:46,498 --> 00:15:47,809
on the ones," and then pick

309
00:15:47,809 --> 00:15:51,030
a few here and have compassion on them.

310
00:15:51,030 --> 00:15:53,059
As Tricia Lee quoted (I think she's got

311
00:15:53,059 --> 00:15:55,410
another comment to share),
"God so loved..."?

312
00:15:55,410 --> 00:15:56,484
(Team) "...the world."

313
00:15:56,484 --> 00:15:58,465
(Derek) Right. You want to add to that?

314
00:15:58,465 --> 00:16:00,480
(Tricia Lee) When I think about that verse

315
00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,010
in Exodus, "I'll have compassion

316
00:16:02,010 --> 00:16:03,437
on whom I'll have compassion,"

317
00:16:03,437 --> 00:16:04,392
" I will be gracious

318
00:16:04,392 --> 00:16:06,161
to whom I will be gracious," I think

319
00:16:06,161 --> 00:16:07,275
about it in the context

320
00:16:07,275 --> 00:16:09,195
of the immediate request that Moses

321
00:16:09,195 --> 00:16:10,798
made to God where he said,

322
00:16:10,798 --> 00:16:12,845
"Show me Your glory."

323
00:16:12,845 --> 00:16:14,989
And we know that no one can see God's face

324
00:16:14,989 --> 00:16:17,532
or His full glory and live, and so I think

325
00:16:17,532 --> 00:16:19,917
that was just God responding and saying,

326
00:16:19,917 --> 00:16:22,849
"Yes, I will be gracious in showing you

327
00:16:22,849 --> 00:16:24,034
who I am, and I will be

328
00:16:24,034 --> 00:16:26,487
compassionate enough to let you survive

329
00:16:26,487 --> 00:16:28,780
this encounter and experience with Me."

330
00:16:28,780 --> 00:16:30,755
I think it was just more God expressing

331
00:16:30,755 --> 00:16:33,278
that in this request, "Show me Your face,

332
00:16:33,278 --> 00:16:35,384
show me Your glory," that He was saying,

333
00:16:35,384 --> 00:16:37,497
"Yes, I can answer and honor

334
00:16:37,497 --> 00:16:40,496
that special request for you, Moses."

335
00:16:40,496 --> 00:16:42,448
(Derek) Well, with such an amazing view -

336
00:16:42,448 --> 00:16:44,357
and, Travis, I want to hear your point -

337
00:16:44,357 --> 00:16:46,725
with such an amazing view

338
00:16:46,725 --> 00:16:50,703
of the character of God loving the world,

339
00:16:50,703 --> 00:16:53,581
why are there so many people

340
00:16:53,581 --> 00:16:55,206
with distorted views

341
00:16:55,206 --> 00:16:56,693
of the character of God?

342
00:16:56,693 --> 00:16:58,586
If you want, make your comment first,

343
00:16:58,586 --> 00:17:00,913
Travis, and then build on that question.

344
00:17:00,913 --> 00:17:03,874
(Travis) So, when I read those verses,

345
00:17:03,874 --> 00:17:06,461
and I read that God would be gracious

346
00:17:06,461 --> 00:17:07,933
to whom He would be gracious,

347
00:17:07,933 --> 00:17:09,907
I immediately thought there are people

348
00:17:09,907 --> 00:17:11,645
in the world that we may see that we

349
00:17:11,645 --> 00:17:14,743
would believe shouldn't be extended grace.

350
00:17:14,743 --> 00:17:17,240
And then I remembered, anyone who calls

351
00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,069
on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

352
00:17:20,069 --> 00:17:23,383
And I think the reason that that was

353
00:17:23,383 --> 00:17:25,779
written in there is that we may

354
00:17:25,779 --> 00:17:28,765
in our human minds believe that a person

355
00:17:28,765 --> 00:17:30,122
shouldn't be extended grace.

356
00:17:30,122 --> 00:17:31,897
But God says, "I will have compassion

357
00:17:31,897 --> 00:17:33,771
on whom I will have compassion."

358
00:17:33,771 --> 00:17:36,730
(Derek) Wow, so people that we

359
00:17:36,730 --> 00:17:39,367
may not think deserve...

360
00:17:39,367 --> 00:17:41,150
That could have been us at some point

361
00:17:41,150 --> 00:17:42,687
in our lives, right? Samantha?

362
00:17:42,687 --> 00:17:44,348
(Samantha) To answer your question

363
00:17:44,348 --> 00:17:47,501
about why people have...

364
00:17:47,501 --> 00:17:48,758
(Derek) Distorted views?

365
00:17:48,758 --> 00:17:50,645
(Samantha) Yes, I feel like it's

366
00:17:50,645 --> 00:17:52,019
just what the devil does.

367
00:17:52,019 --> 00:17:54,565
He tries to discredit who God is,

368
00:17:54,565 --> 00:17:57,161
and so he puts the wrong thoughts

369
00:17:57,161 --> 00:17:59,187
of God in peoples' minds.

370
00:17:59,187 --> 00:18:01,136
Instead of having them believe

371
00:18:01,136 --> 00:18:04,514
that, "Okay, yes," he has them think,

372
00:18:04,514 --> 00:18:06,474
"Why would a loving God cause

373
00:18:06,474 --> 00:18:08,366
your family member to die?"

374
00:18:08,366 --> 00:18:09,871
"Why would a loving God cause

375
00:18:09,871 --> 00:18:12,473
your wife to become sick?"

376
00:18:12,473 --> 00:18:14,437
And so, I feel like it just all a part

377
00:18:14,437 --> 00:18:16,640
of that Great Controversy where Satan

378
00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:18,741
tries to discredit who God is.

379
00:18:18,741 --> 00:18:20,562
And people who do not have

380
00:18:20,562 --> 00:18:23,443
that full understanding of Him, it's easy

381
00:18:23,443 --> 00:18:24,637
because if you don't have

382
00:18:24,637 --> 00:18:27,180
that full armor, then you can easily fall

383
00:18:27,180 --> 00:18:29,553
for anything that the devil brings to you.

384
00:18:29,553 --> 00:18:31,126
(Derek) And unfortunately, if you

385
00:18:31,126 --> 00:18:32,122
look, for example...

386
00:18:32,122 --> 00:18:34,730
And I see Gleny's hand and Kylynda's, too,

387
00:18:34,730 --> 00:18:35,994
and Harold; there are lots

388
00:18:35,994 --> 00:18:37,132
of hands raised here.

389
00:18:37,132 --> 00:18:38,404
Unfortunately, if you look

390
00:18:38,404 --> 00:18:41,733
at medieval art, you know, God looks

391
00:18:41,733 --> 00:18:44,697
like a horrible Person, and He's

392
00:18:44,697 --> 00:18:46,813
just trying to torture people,

393
00:18:46,813 --> 00:18:51,523
so it's not just in my imagination.

394
00:18:51,523 --> 00:18:54,236
There have been people teaching

395
00:18:54,236 --> 00:18:57,261
false ideas about the character of God.

396
00:18:57,261 --> 00:18:58,608
I'm going to take the hands,

397
00:18:58,608 --> 00:18:59,897
and we're going to move on.

398
00:18:59,897 --> 00:19:01,783
Kylynda, Gleny and Harold.

399
00:19:01,783 --> 00:19:03,736
(Kylynda) To go off what you said, Derek,

400
00:19:03,736 --> 00:19:05,087
in the end of Luke 11, Jesus

401
00:19:05,087 --> 00:19:07,134
critiques the religious leaders,

402
00:19:07,134 --> 00:19:08,897
and He says, "You know, you're

403
00:19:08,897 --> 00:19:11,333
overburdening people, you're making God

404
00:19:11,333 --> 00:19:13,275
seem like a tyrant that's only concerned

405
00:19:13,275 --> 00:19:16,120
about the smallest external effects,

406
00:19:16,120 --> 00:19:18,589
not the internal transformation."

407
00:19:18,589 --> 00:19:20,544
So some of our perception of God

408
00:19:20,544 --> 00:19:23,045
can, unfortunately, be distorted

409
00:19:23,045 --> 00:19:25,257
by different religious leaders

410
00:19:25,257 --> 00:19:27,179
or religious mentors who portray God

411
00:19:27,179 --> 00:19:29,467
in a way that isn't compassionate,

412
00:19:29,467 --> 00:19:31,051
that isn't relational.

413
00:19:31,051 --> 00:19:32,989
(Derek) False teaching.

414
00:19:32,989 --> 00:19:35,848
Gleny and then Harold.

415
00:19:35,848 --> 00:19:37,643
(Gleny) Yes, I just wanted to support

416
00:19:37,643 --> 00:19:39,164
Kylynda's point, too.

417
00:19:39,164 --> 00:19:40,985
You have your early caregivers,

418
00:19:40,985 --> 00:19:43,277
like maybe even your parents, teachers,

419
00:19:43,277 --> 00:19:45,297
as you had mentioned, people who are

420
00:19:45,297 --> 00:19:48,533
set up to give a representation of God,

421
00:19:48,533 --> 00:19:50,755
a good example of God, but somehow failed.

422
00:19:50,755 --> 00:19:53,064
And that makes you wonder, "If the people

423
00:19:53,064 --> 00:19:55,466
I looked up to had inflicted

424
00:19:55,466 --> 00:19:57,560
and caused so much pain,

425
00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:59,605
then God must be the same, too."

426
00:19:59,605 --> 00:20:01,721
(Derek) Ahh. Harold?

427
00:20:01,721 --> 00:20:03,281
(Harold) And I just want to add,

428
00:20:03,281 --> 00:20:04,995
because, yes, the issue of suffering

429
00:20:04,995 --> 00:20:07,022
and evil are some of the biggest questions

430
00:20:07,022 --> 00:20:08,888
that everybody has, even atheists have.

431
00:20:08,888 --> 00:20:11,331
It's like, how can a loving God reconcile

432
00:20:11,331 --> 00:20:13,034
the suffering that is in the world?

433
00:20:13,034 --> 00:20:15,044
But we cannot forget that our God

434
00:20:15,044 --> 00:20:16,605
also suffered with us.

435
00:20:16,605 --> 00:20:19,064
He is not indifferent to our suffering.

436
00:20:19,064 --> 00:20:21,282
Now, as to why He allows suffering,

437
00:20:21,282 --> 00:20:22,732
many times we do not know,

438
00:20:22,732 --> 00:20:24,761
but He does give us the courage

439
00:20:24,761 --> 00:20:26,112
because He suffered with us,

440
00:20:26,112 --> 00:20:28,088
and He tells us, "I'll be with you.

441
00:20:28,088 --> 00:20:29,491
I will give you the strength

442
00:20:29,491 --> 00:20:31,298
that you'll need to go through this,"

443
00:20:31,298 --> 00:20:33,013
and eventually we'll know the truth.

444
00:20:33,013 --> 00:20:34,744
There is a battle behind the scenes

445
00:20:34,744 --> 00:20:37,370
in the spiritual realm, and God
will give us the answer.

446
00:20:37,370 --> 00:20:38,918
(Derek) Do you know the amount -

447
00:20:38,918 --> 00:20:40,943
and we're going to move on - 
but the amount

448
00:20:40,943 --> 00:20:42,610
of interaction right now - and it's

449
00:20:42,610 --> 00:20:44,360
like I said, there are 11 of us

450
00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:47,431
on the team and 14 hands raised -

451
00:20:47,431 --> 00:20:50,077
shows that this is really,

452
00:20:50,077 --> 00:20:51,722
we have an expression in English,

453
00:20:51,722 --> 00:20:54,014
like a hot-button issue.

454
00:20:54,014 --> 00:20:55,283
People are like, "What is

455
00:20:55,283 --> 00:20:57,243
the character of God like?"

456
00:20:57,243 --> 00:21:00,046
We start with a clear revelation

457
00:21:00,046 --> 00:21:02,091
that God is good, He wants

458
00:21:02,091 --> 00:21:03,500
a personal relationship,

459
00:21:03,500 --> 00:21:05,301
He knows us by name,

460
00:21:05,301 --> 00:21:07,831
and He loves the whole world.

461
00:21:07,831 --> 00:21:10,092
Now, before we come back to talk

462
00:21:10,092 --> 00:21:12,859
about how we can show that to the world,

463
00:21:12,859 --> 00:21:15,180
because there is a lot of distortion,

464
00:21:15,180 --> 00:21:17,925
let's think about some stories

465
00:21:17,925 --> 00:21:22,047
in the Bible which show God's love

466
00:21:22,047 --> 00:21:24,614
for people who either ignore

467
00:21:24,614 --> 00:21:26,514
or don't appreciate His love.

468
00:21:26,514 --> 00:21:27,803
Because you said He loves

469
00:21:27,803 --> 00:21:30,603
even the unworthy people, right?

470
00:21:30,603 --> 00:21:32,821
Can anybody think of a story?

471
00:21:32,821 --> 00:21:34,741
Don, can you think of a story?

472
00:21:34,741 --> 00:21:38,279
(Don) This reminds me of the Prodigal Son.

473
00:21:38,279 --> 00:21:41,355
The Prodigal Son when he [told] his dad,

474
00:21:41,355 --> 00:21:44,425
or his father, "Give me my inheritance,"

475
00:21:44,425 --> 00:21:45,736
but the problem was he

476
00:21:45,736 --> 00:21:47,840
squandered it all, right?

477
00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:51,795
But if we compare this to God's love,

478
00:21:51,795 --> 00:21:53,634
God's love is steadfast.

479
00:21:53,634 --> 00:21:56,773
His love remains toward us.

480
00:21:56,773 --> 00:21:58,383
(Derek) But in that same story,

481
00:21:58,383 --> 00:21:59,882
when he does come home,

482
00:21:59,882 --> 00:22:02,012
how does the father respond?

483
00:22:02,012 --> 00:22:04,116
(Don) He accepts him back fully.

484
00:22:04,116 --> 00:22:05,280
(Derek) What does he do?

485
00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:06,713
(Team Member) Throws a feast.

486
00:22:06,713 --> 00:22:08,547
(Derek) He throws his arms around him,

487
00:22:08,547 --> 00:22:09,813
he kisses him on the neck,

488
00:22:09,813 --> 00:22:11,372
he throws a party for him.

489
00:22:11,372 --> 00:22:13,245
And by the way, I don't know about you,

490
00:22:13,245 --> 00:22:14,505
but some people say, "Oh,

491
00:22:14,505 --> 00:22:16,247
terrible Prodigal Son," but the son

492
00:22:16,247 --> 00:22:18,504
that stayed home wasn't very nice,

493
00:22:18,504 --> 00:22:21,357
and yet the father loved him, too, right?

494
00:22:21,357 --> 00:22:22,887
Anybody else, think of a story,

495
00:22:22,887 --> 00:22:26,445
Tricia Lee, a story where it's obvious

496
00:22:26,445 --> 00:22:27,811
that God is showing love

497
00:22:27,811 --> 00:22:29,211
even to the people that may

498
00:22:29,211 --> 00:22:35,350
ignore His love or not welcome His love.

499
00:22:35,350 --> 00:22:36,324
(Tricia Lee) I think

500
00:22:36,324 --> 00:22:38,262
about an Old Testament story,

501
00:22:38,262 --> 00:22:40,512
the story of the people of Nineveh

502
00:22:40,512 --> 00:22:42,402
of this Assyrian Empire.

503
00:22:42,402 --> 00:22:44,661
They were known for being very violent

504
00:22:44,661 --> 00:22:47,361
and cruel, not just to others they

505
00:22:47,361 --> 00:22:49,808
were conquering but also to themselves.

506
00:22:49,808 --> 00:22:52,032
And God sent a prophet to warn them

507
00:22:52,032 --> 00:22:53,316
to correct their ways,

508
00:22:53,316 --> 00:22:55,931
and he traveled over a whole sea,

509
00:22:55,931 --> 00:22:58,111
took a ship to reach them,

510
00:22:58,111 --> 00:23:00,330
But He loved them enough to send them

511
00:23:00,330 --> 00:23:02,019
a warning message and give them

512
00:23:02,019 --> 00:23:04,248
an opportunity to change their ways,

513
00:23:04,248 --> 00:23:06,019
which they did take advantage of.

514
00:23:06,019 --> 00:23:08,129
And I thought that was an act of love.

515
00:23:08,129 --> 00:23:09,695
He didn't just leave them

516
00:23:09,695 --> 00:23:12,142
to just destroy themselves,
or destroy them

517
00:23:12,142 --> 00:23:13,945
without a warning, but He gave them

518
00:23:13,945 --> 00:23:16,461
an opportunity to really realize,

519
00:23:16,461 --> 00:23:18,954
"You can do better; you can live better."

520
00:23:18,954 --> 00:23:20,619
(Derek) So, He shows love to them

521
00:23:20,619 --> 00:23:22,054
even though the prophet Jonah

522
00:23:22,054 --> 00:23:24,496
complained about it, like, "God,

523
00:23:24,496 --> 00:23:26,983
You're really too loving."

524
00:23:26,983 --> 00:23:28,377
It would be easy to talk

525
00:23:28,377 --> 00:23:30,718
about the Ninevites who were very violent,

526
00:23:30,718 --> 00:23:32,933
like Tricia Lee mentioned,

527
00:23:32,933 --> 00:23:34,862
but actually His own people,

528
00:23:34,862 --> 00:23:36,005
the children of Israel,

529
00:23:36,005 --> 00:23:37,666
were very wayward, too.

530
00:23:37,666 --> 00:23:41,575
I want someone to summarize the mission

531
00:23:41,575 --> 00:23:43,740
of the prophet Hosea,

532
00:23:43,740 --> 00:23:46,138
what God asked him to do,

533
00:23:46,138 --> 00:23:49,454
and what was God trying to teach

534
00:23:49,454 --> 00:23:52,336
about the extent of His love?

535
00:23:52,336 --> 00:23:54,774
Anybody want to try a summary? Kylynda.

536
00:23:54,774 --> 00:23:56,494
(Kylynda) Hosea was a prophet

537
00:23:56,494 --> 00:23:58,276
for the children of Israel in a time

538
00:23:58,276 --> 00:24:00,935
when they were often backsliding from God.

539
00:24:00,935 --> 00:24:02,855
So God [told] the prophet, "I want you

540
00:24:02,855 --> 00:24:04,478
to marry a woman that you know

541
00:24:04,478 --> 00:24:06,063
will be unfaithful to you."

542
00:24:06,063 --> 00:24:06,855
(Derek) Ouch!

543
00:24:06,855 --> 00:24:09,996
(Kylynda) Right? Quite harsh, but Hosea

544
00:24:09,996 --> 00:24:11,347
follows God's command.

545
00:24:11,347 --> 00:24:12,464
He marries Gomer,

546
00:24:12,464 --> 00:24:15,178
and what happens, happens.

547
00:24:15,178 --> 00:24:17,756
She has multiple children;

548
00:24:17,756 --> 00:24:18,982
they're not Hosea's.

549
00:24:18,982 --> 00:24:21,217
Hosea gives them names that indicate

550
00:24:21,217 --> 00:24:22,506
this kind of separation

551
00:24:22,506 --> 00:24:24,249
between God and His people,

552
00:24:24,249 --> 00:24:27,944
like a child named "Not My People."

553
00:24:27,944 --> 00:24:30,190
And eventually, even though it's

554
00:24:30,190 --> 00:24:33,236
not quite clear in the Bible, Gomer

555
00:24:33,236 --> 00:24:35,800
falls into slavery; it's implicated

556
00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,523
that this [is of] a sexual nature.

557
00:24:38,523 --> 00:24:43,019
And God says, "Go back to her, be faithful
to her even though she's

558
00:24:43,019 --> 00:24:44,230
not faithful to you."

559
00:24:44,230 --> 00:24:45,545
(Derek) Doesn't he have

560
00:24:45,545 --> 00:24:46,977
to actually purchase her back?

561
00:24:46,977 --> 00:24:49,441
(Kylynda) He redeems her from slavery
with money.

562
00:24:49,441 --> 00:24:50,657
(Derek) Is that a picture

563
00:24:50,657 --> 00:24:51,595
of the love of God?

564
00:24:51,595 --> 00:24:53,032
I hope you're listening today,

565
00:24:53,032 --> 00:24:53,987
that God loves us

566
00:24:53,987 --> 00:24:56,561
with an immeasurable and unfailing love.

567
00:24:56,561 --> 00:24:58,628
But just telling that story,

568
00:24:58,628 --> 00:25:01,754
putting ourselves as a spouse,

569
00:25:01,754 --> 00:25:03,827
whether a husband or a wife,

570
00:25:03,827 --> 00:25:06,928
with an unfaithful spouse,

571
00:25:06,928 --> 00:25:10,789
it would be easy for us to say what?

572
00:25:10,789 --> 00:25:13,366
"I'm done. I'm done," right?

573
00:25:13,366 --> 00:25:14,578
(Don) Ready to separate.

574
00:25:14,578 --> 00:25:16,597
(Derek) Right, but God continues,

575
00:25:16,597 --> 00:25:19,002
and you're saying, even when she's

576
00:25:19,002 --> 00:25:21,738
in some kind of enslaved situation.

577
00:25:21,738 --> 00:25:23,270
(Kylynda) Yes, Hosea goes back.

578
00:25:23,270 --> 00:25:25,912
He redeems her; he purchases her debt,

579
00:25:25,912 --> 00:25:28,503
and he loves her, and he says,

580
00:25:28,503 --> 00:25:29,922
"What's past is past.

581
00:25:29,922 --> 00:25:31,842
Now we'll be faithful to each other.

582
00:25:31,842 --> 00:25:33,422
You'll be faithful."

583
00:25:33,422 --> 00:25:35,053
(Derek) So, I'm going to ask James

584
00:25:35,053 --> 00:25:37,679
to take us to that little book of Hosea,

585
00:25:37,679 --> 00:25:40,903
to chapter 14, because there is

586
00:25:40,903 --> 00:25:46,195
a beautiful revelation, again,

587
00:25:46,195 --> 00:25:49,384
as Sophia read with the Exodus revelation,

588
00:25:49,384 --> 00:25:50,906
they had just been dancing naked

589
00:25:50,906 --> 00:25:52,753
around a golden calf and calling it

590
00:25:52,753 --> 00:25:55,214
the god that delivered them.

591
00:25:55,214 --> 00:25:59,848
And here, waywardness typified

592
00:25:59,848 --> 00:26:02,997
by Gomer's behavior, let's see

593
00:26:02,997 --> 00:26:06,539
how the Lord speaks in chapter 14

594
00:26:06,539 --> 00:26:08,425
of Hosea, verses 1 to 4.

595
00:26:08,425 --> 00:26:10,026
(James) Sure, and I'll be reading

596
00:26:10,026 --> 00:26:11,933
from the New King James Version:

597
00:26:56,637 --> 00:26:57,854
(Derek) What do you think

598
00:26:57,854 --> 00:27:03,657
about that immeasurable, unfailing love

599
00:27:03,657 --> 00:27:06,778
of God even with such waywardness?
Sophia?

600
00:27:06,778 --> 00:27:09,016
(Sophia) He's such a forgiving Person.

601
00:27:09,016 --> 00:27:10,581
(Derek) Yeah, forgiving.

602
00:27:10,581 --> 00:27:12,353
(Sophia) Even when He was so angry,

603
00:27:12,353 --> 00:27:14,161
you know, cast them away from Himself.

604
00:27:14,161 --> 00:27:16,286
(Derek) Is it okay to be angry

605
00:27:16,286 --> 00:27:18,485
when things like that happen?

606
00:27:18,485 --> 00:27:20,445
Doesn't Scripture say, "Be angry and..."?

607
00:27:20,445 --> 00:27:21,415
(Harold) Do not sin.

608
00:27:21,415 --> 00:27:22,916
(Derek) "Don't sin," right?

609
00:27:22,916 --> 00:27:25,083
So, there's every reason to be angry.

610
00:27:25,083 --> 00:27:29,605
Actually, not so much angry at the person,

611
00:27:29,605 --> 00:27:32,667
but angry at what sin is doing

612
00:27:32,667 --> 00:27:36,341
to damage someone that you love, right?

613
00:27:36,341 --> 00:27:38,477
"I will heal their backsliding.

614
00:27:38,477 --> 00:27:42,320
I will love them freely." Yes, Puia.

615
00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:43,887
(Puia) A verse like this, Derek,

616
00:27:43,887 --> 00:27:46,496
gives me hope that there is forgiveness

617
00:27:46,496 --> 00:27:49,459
and a new start for everyone.

618
00:27:49,459 --> 00:27:51,504
There may be someone here

619
00:27:51,504 --> 00:27:52,998
listening or among us...

620
00:27:52,998 --> 00:27:55,477
You know, oftentimes we fall,

621
00:27:55,477 --> 00:27:57,272
and we make mistakes, and the guilt

622
00:27:57,272 --> 00:27:59,283
and shame that comes along with it

623
00:27:59,283 --> 00:28:01,080
is too much to bear for us.

624
00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:04,201
But here we see God letting us know

625
00:28:04,201 --> 00:28:05,987
that, "I will heal you.

626
00:28:05,987 --> 00:28:07,181
You can have a new start,

627
00:28:07,181 --> 00:28:09,221
a new beginning," what a hope.

628
00:28:09,221 --> 00:28:11,252
(Derek) I'm going to ask Faith a question.

629
00:28:11,252 --> 00:28:15,885
Faith, did you grow up...

630
00:28:15,885 --> 00:28:17,612
I don't know the answer, by the way,

631
00:28:17,612 --> 00:28:19,806
so there's no right or wrong answer,

632
00:28:19,806 --> 00:28:22,700
but did you grow up with that perspective

633
00:28:22,700 --> 00:28:25,772
of the love of God, that even when we

634
00:28:25,772 --> 00:28:29,920
make terrible choices like Gomer made,

635
00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,450
right, like the children of Israel made

636
00:28:32,450 --> 00:28:34,791
at various times, that God was

637
00:28:34,791 --> 00:28:36,947
relentless in His pursuit

638
00:28:36,947 --> 00:28:38,279
of them to love them?

639
00:28:38,279 --> 00:28:40,265
Did you grow up with that kind of picture

640
00:28:40,265 --> 00:28:41,479
of the love of God?

641
00:28:41,479 --> 00:28:43,676
(Faith) Yes, I think that picture

642
00:28:43,676 --> 00:28:46,339
was also shown in my parents.

643
00:28:46,339 --> 00:28:49,882
Obviously they disciplined, but they

644
00:28:49,882 --> 00:28:53,399
taught us, and they continued to pursue us

645
00:28:53,399 --> 00:28:55,962
to steer us in the right direction

646
00:28:55,962 --> 00:28:57,605
and guide us and say, "Oh, this is

647
00:28:57,605 --> 00:28:58,894
the right thing to do,"

648
00:28:58,894 --> 00:29:00,820
and never give up on us.

649
00:29:00,820 --> 00:29:02,581
And I think as I got older,

650
00:29:02,581 --> 00:29:05,583
and now I'm in college, I have

651
00:29:05,583 --> 00:29:07,920
a big community, and I also continue

652
00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:10,149
to read the Bible daily, which allows me

653
00:29:10,149 --> 00:29:12,394
to see that God won't give up.

654
00:29:12,394 --> 00:29:15,219
And it's like Puia was saying,

655
00:29:15,219 --> 00:29:18,349
you have that shame and guilt,

656
00:29:18,349 --> 00:29:20,283
but you've got to make sure you

657
00:29:20,283 --> 00:29:21,659
go directly to God,

658
00:29:21,659 --> 00:29:23,299
and you don't sit in that.

659
00:29:23,299 --> 00:29:24,469
So, yeah, I did grow up

660
00:29:24,469 --> 00:29:26,485
with that picture of God.

661
00:29:26,485 --> 00:29:27,689
(Derek) Thank you so much

662
00:29:27,689 --> 00:29:28,864
for sharing that, Faith.

663
00:29:28,864 --> 00:29:31,394
This leads me to a question,

664
00:29:31,394 --> 00:29:32,980
an interaction question for us,

665
00:29:32,980 --> 00:29:35,372
because Faith said she saw that

666
00:29:35,372 --> 00:29:37,369
revealed in her parents, right?

667
00:29:37,369 --> 00:29:39,678
So, the question I wanted to ask,

668
00:29:39,678 --> 00:29:41,988
and I think this is a good time:

669
00:29:41,988 --> 00:29:45,287
With so many distortions

670
00:29:45,287 --> 00:29:46,592
of the character of God -

671
00:29:46,592 --> 00:29:47,860
and we see God here,

672
00:29:47,860 --> 00:29:51,033
loving freely, relentlessly -

673
00:29:51,033 --> 00:29:53,182
how can we help, Harold,

674
00:29:53,182 --> 00:29:55,156
how can we help people

675
00:29:55,156 --> 00:29:57,094
to see a clearer revelation

676
00:29:57,094 --> 00:29:58,634
of the character of God?

677
00:29:58,634 --> 00:30:00,687
(Harold) Well, in my case, I believe

678
00:30:00,687 --> 00:30:01,957
that you need to meet them

679
00:30:01,957 --> 00:30:04,603
where they're at, reflect God's character.

680
00:30:04,603 --> 00:30:06,713
If they need a companion, be there.

681
00:30:06,713 --> 00:30:08,397
If they need help, provide the help

682
00:30:08,397 --> 00:30:10,018
that they need, because at the end

683
00:30:10,018 --> 00:30:12,362
of the day, we are ambassadors of Christ.

684
00:30:12,362 --> 00:30:14,032
We are to represent Him.

685
00:30:14,032 --> 00:30:16,450
And even Paul says, "The only reason

686
00:30:16,450 --> 00:30:18,838
why the Gentiles blaspheme the name of God

687
00:30:18,838 --> 00:30:22,048
is because of you, of your example,

688
00:30:22,048 --> 00:30:24,058
because you do things, you're hypocrites."

689
00:30:24,058 --> 00:30:25,895
We're all hypocrites; I've been there.

690
00:30:25,895 --> 00:30:27,824
(Derek) ...a personal question, Harold,

691
00:30:27,824 --> 00:30:29,460
because I know you didn't grow up

692
00:30:29,460 --> 00:30:31,490
in a very strong Christian family.

693
00:30:31,490 --> 00:30:35,759
So, who helped you - because some people

694
00:30:35,759 --> 00:30:37,611
have heard a little of your testimony,

695
00:30:37,611 --> 00:30:40,409
it's quite amazing - but who helped you

696
00:30:40,409 --> 00:30:43,438
to see that revelation of a God

697
00:30:43,438 --> 00:30:45,037
who loves freely?

698
00:30:45,037 --> 00:30:47,411
(Harold) Well, it took, after I was

699
00:30:47,411 --> 00:30:49,529
introduced to God, maybe 15 years later.

700
00:30:49,529 --> 00:30:50,689
It was a friend of mine

701
00:30:50,689 --> 00:30:52,467
in Rochester, New York.

702
00:30:52,467 --> 00:30:55,902
I never heard that representation of God

703
00:30:55,902 --> 00:30:57,878
the way she presented it to me.

704
00:30:57,878 --> 00:30:59,691
I mean, she was not perfect, you know,

705
00:30:59,691 --> 00:31:02,516
she had her flaws, yet all these years

706
00:31:02,516 --> 00:31:05,527
I thought God was very demanding,

707
00:31:05,527 --> 00:31:07,818
very vindictive, and I was

708
00:31:07,818 --> 00:31:08,910
always afraid of Him.

709
00:31:08,910 --> 00:31:09,960
But when she said,

710
00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:11,730
"God is very compassionate.

711
00:31:11,730 --> 00:31:13,933
You can talk to Him as a friend,"...

712
00:31:13,933 --> 00:31:15,271
I always had to talk to Him,

713
00:31:15,271 --> 00:31:17,806
like, with this reverence of like,

714
00:31:17,806 --> 00:31:19,575
"Oh, yes, Sir," "No, Sir," but I talk

715
00:31:19,575 --> 00:31:21,075
to Him as a friend.

716
00:31:21,075 --> 00:31:24,516
And I believe that He can forgive.

717
00:31:24,516 --> 00:31:26,373
I did not believe He forgave, before.

718
00:31:26,373 --> 00:31:27,446
Even though I've heard

719
00:31:27,446 --> 00:31:28,787
the message of forgiveness,

720
00:31:28,787 --> 00:31:30,569
I did not believe he actually forgave

721
00:31:30,569 --> 00:31:32,000
because I was too full of sin.

722
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:33,393
I thought I had to be perfect

723
00:31:33,393 --> 00:31:34,989
before I would present myself...

724
00:31:34,989 --> 00:31:36,754
(Derek) Accepted by Him.

725
00:31:36,754 --> 00:31:40,222
Gleny, I see your hand; how would you

726
00:31:40,222 --> 00:31:42,422
like to add to the discussion?

727
00:31:42,422 --> 00:31:44,476
(Gleny) As a therapist, I had been working

728
00:31:44,476 --> 00:31:46,925
with a client at a residential

729
00:31:46,925 --> 00:31:49,242
depression/anxiety recovery program,

730
00:31:49,242 --> 00:31:51,546
and he was so blown away,

731
00:31:51,546 --> 00:31:53,467
but also simultaneously confused

732
00:31:53,467 --> 00:31:55,040
with the compassion and love

733
00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:56,879
he was experiencing around him.

734
00:31:56,879 --> 00:31:59,006
I remember he mentioned that he

735
00:31:59,006 --> 00:32:01,344
doesn't want to be like the people.

736
00:32:01,344 --> 00:32:03,357
He knew who would get so rigid

737
00:32:03,357 --> 00:32:05,082
and dictatorial when they would read

738
00:32:05,082 --> 00:32:07,294
the Word and understand God, and he said,

739
00:32:07,294 --> 00:32:09,547
"I just don't want to be like that."

740
00:32:09,547 --> 00:32:12,383
And I asked him, like, there are many

741
00:32:12,383 --> 00:32:13,864
of us who understand and read

742
00:32:13,864 --> 00:32:15,032
the Word of God; do you

743
00:32:15,032 --> 00:32:17,364
think that we are the same?

744
00:32:17,364 --> 00:32:19,509
And he said, "Oh, wait, that's right.

745
00:32:19,509 --> 00:32:22,246
You guys are some of the first people

746
00:32:22,246 --> 00:32:24,763
I've met who had a different response,

747
00:32:24,763 --> 00:32:27,469
actually a very positive response

748
00:32:27,469 --> 00:32:30,091
after intentionally learning about God."

749
00:32:30,091 --> 00:32:32,362
So, by their fruits, you shall know them.

750
00:32:32,362 --> 00:32:34,849
And he was drawn to God by the way

751
00:32:34,849 --> 00:32:36,692
we were working with him.

752
00:32:36,692 --> 00:32:38,336
(Derek) So, we're hearing a theme.

753
00:32:38,336 --> 00:32:39,556
Thank you so much, Gleny.

754
00:32:39,556 --> 00:32:41,283
We're hearing a theme that, with all

755
00:32:41,283 --> 00:32:42,050
of the confusion

756
00:32:42,050 --> 00:32:43,712
about the character of God

757
00:32:43,712 --> 00:32:46,663
that followers of God, you said,

758
00:32:46,663 --> 00:32:49,045
could actually be part of the problem.

759
00:32:49,045 --> 00:32:51,091
We could even have false teachers

760
00:32:51,091 --> 00:32:53,381
who are religious teachers, right,

761
00:32:53,381 --> 00:32:55,632
who give a confused picture of God.

762
00:32:55,632 --> 00:32:59,008
Or we can be a living example
of that. Travis.

763
00:32:59,008 --> 00:33:00,581
(Travis) Derek, one of the things

764
00:33:00,581 --> 00:33:01,978
that I've learned about being

765
00:33:01,978 --> 00:33:03,573
a powerful witness for Jesus

766
00:33:03,573 --> 00:33:05,991
is in Acts, chapter 1, verse 8,

767
00:33:05,991 --> 00:33:07,987
It says, "You will receive power

768
00:33:07,987 --> 00:33:09,912
to be my witnesses."

769
00:33:09,912 --> 00:33:12,253
And we're not that smart,

770
00:33:12,253 --> 00:33:14,362
and God will give us the power

771
00:33:14,362 --> 00:33:17,697
to be appropriate witnesses of the gospel.

772
00:33:17,697 --> 00:33:19,372
(Derek) So there is a revelation.

773
00:33:19,372 --> 00:33:21,404
I see Sophia, and then, Tricia Lee,

774
00:33:21,404 --> 00:33:22,761
I see your hand.

775
00:33:22,761 --> 00:33:24,150
(Sophia) Just the distortion

776
00:33:24,150 --> 00:33:25,482
of the character reminded me

777
00:33:25,482 --> 00:33:29,267
of the Puritans in 1600s America.

778
00:33:29,267 --> 00:33:31,865
They came to America to escape

779
00:33:31,865 --> 00:33:33,094
religious persecution,

780
00:33:33,094 --> 00:33:35,309
and right after they made their colony,

781
00:33:35,309 --> 00:33:36,431
they began to persecute

782
00:33:36,431 --> 00:33:37,812
everyone around them

783
00:33:37,812 --> 00:33:40,042
because of their strict
religious standards.

784
00:33:40,042 --> 00:33:41,654
(Derek) To be fair, we might say

785
00:33:41,654 --> 00:33:43,199
some of them began to persecute

786
00:33:43,199 --> 00:33:44,978
those around them because there were

787
00:33:44,978 --> 00:33:46,667
probably some who really did reveal

788
00:33:46,667 --> 00:33:47,998
the love of God, right?

789
00:33:47,998 --> 00:33:51,317
But it's easy for us to fall into that,

790
00:33:51,317 --> 00:33:54,823
that we don't reflect

791
00:33:54,823 --> 00:33:56,354
the immeasurable, unfailing love

792
00:33:56,354 --> 00:33:58,212
of God. Tricia Lee?

793
00:33:58,212 --> 00:33:59,760
(Tricia Lee) There's a Scripture

794
00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,240
I'd like to share in Jeremiah,

795
00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:08,094
chapter 32, verses 38 through 40.

796
00:34:08,094 --> 00:34:10,458
(Derek) What translation are
you reading from,?

797
00:34:10,458 --> 00:34:11,657
(Tricia Lee) I'm reading

798
00:34:11,657 --> 00:34:16,595
from the New King James Version,
and it reads:

799
00:34:50,093 --> 00:34:52,608
And "fear" being that loving respect.

800
00:34:52,608 --> 00:34:54,418
I love this Scripture because it

801
00:34:54,418 --> 00:34:57,619
reminds me of this idea of a covenant,

802
00:34:57,619 --> 00:34:59,690
and that that is what God's love is.

803
00:34:59,690 --> 00:35:02,213
And repeatedly in this passage He says,

804
00:35:02,213 --> 00:35:05,926
"I will, I will, I will."

805
00:35:05,926 --> 00:35:08,012
So often in our human experience,

806
00:35:08,012 --> 00:35:10,245
love is like a transaction,

807
00:35:10,245 --> 00:35:12,395
"I'll do this if you do that."

808
00:35:12,395 --> 00:35:13,476
"If you do this,

809
00:35:13,476 --> 00:35:15,234
then I'll always do this."

810
00:35:15,234 --> 00:35:17,436
But God's everlasting love

811
00:35:17,436 --> 00:35:19,331
is a covenant to us,

812
00:35:19,331 --> 00:35:21,726
that, no matter what we do,

813
00:35:21,726 --> 00:35:24,566
He will never stop loving us,

814
00:35:24,566 --> 00:35:26,442
and that He has committed

815
00:35:26,442 --> 00:35:28,141
to what He will do.

816
00:35:28,141 --> 00:35:30,022
And so, there are times where there are

817
00:35:30,022 --> 00:35:32,047
conditional promises and things like that,

818
00:35:32,047 --> 00:35:34,860
but His love is everlasting, and it's

819
00:35:34,860 --> 00:35:36,290
always a promise

820
00:35:36,290 --> 00:35:39,038
of "I will, I will, I will."

821
00:35:39,038 --> 00:35:41,104
And I think that's very different

822
00:35:41,104 --> 00:35:43,412
than how we treat each other.

823
00:35:43,412 --> 00:35:45,637
You know, you don't hear someone

824
00:35:45,637 --> 00:35:47,364
in a marriage ceremony saying,

825
00:35:47,364 --> 00:35:48,650
"I will do these things

826
00:35:48,650 --> 00:35:50,274
only if you do that."

827
00:35:50,274 --> 00:35:51,546
You always state your vows

828
00:35:51,546 --> 00:35:52,942
as what you're committing

829
00:35:52,942 --> 00:35:55,143
to that person, and in a way,

830
00:35:55,143 --> 00:35:56,479
this everlasting covenant is

831
00:35:56,479 --> 00:35:58,028
how God has committed

832
00:35:58,028 --> 00:36:02,457
His unfailing, immeasurable love to us.

833
00:36:02,457 --> 00:36:03,302
(Derek) Thank you

834
00:36:03,302 --> 00:36:05,175
so much for sharing that.

835
00:36:05,175 --> 00:36:06,736
There was a word that Tricia Lee

836
00:36:06,736 --> 00:36:08,382
was repeating over and over again

837
00:36:08,382 --> 00:36:09,920
that leads us into the next part

838
00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:11,676
of our study, and that is

839
00:36:11,676 --> 00:36:13,771
the everlasting love of God.

840
00:36:13,771 --> 00:36:15,400
And I'd like someone to read

841
00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:19,809
John 17 and verse 24.

842
00:36:19,809 --> 00:36:22,749
John 17, Faith, do you have that?

843
00:36:22,749 --> 00:36:25,650
John 17 and verse 24?

844
00:36:25,650 --> 00:36:28,274
Let's see what testimony Jesus gave

845
00:36:28,274 --> 00:36:30,797
regarding the everlasting love of God.

846
00:36:30,797 --> 00:36:32,126
(Faith) And I'll be reading

847
00:36:32,126 --> 00:36:33,660
from the New King James Version,

848
00:36:33,660 --> 00:36:36,549
John 17, verse 24:

849
00:36:51,878 --> 00:36:54,250
(Derek) Alright, so there's a revelation.

850
00:36:54,250 --> 00:36:55,418
You say, "Oh, no, that's

851
00:36:55,418 --> 00:36:59,549
just that the Father loved His Son

852
00:36:59,549 --> 00:37:01,511
before the foundation of the world."

853
00:37:01,511 --> 00:37:04,131
What evidence do you find, anybody,

854
00:37:04,131 --> 00:37:08,365
in the Scriptures that God's love for <i>us</i>

855
00:37:08,365 --> 00:37:10,590
is also everlasting?

856
00:37:10,590 --> 00:37:13,958
It's not bound by time, you know,

857
00:37:13,958 --> 00:37:15,310
kind of like a time clock,

858
00:37:15,310 --> 00:37:18,050
"You've got three years left," right,

859
00:37:18,050 --> 00:37:21,428
or three mistakes left, or something,

860
00:37:21,428 --> 00:37:22,996
but that it's everlasting.

861
00:37:22,996 --> 00:37:25,458
Jesus said, "The Father has loved Me

862
00:37:25,458 --> 00:37:27,471
since before the foundation of the world."

863
00:37:27,471 --> 00:37:31,468
Anybody think of a Bible text?
Yes, Samantha.

864
00:37:31,468 --> 00:37:32,711
(Samantha) Well, I thought

865
00:37:32,711 --> 00:37:35,943
of Romans 8, verses 38 and 39.

866
00:37:35,943 --> 00:37:36,977
(Derek) Okay, give us

867
00:37:36,977 --> 00:37:38,263
a moment to find that.

868
00:37:38,263 --> 00:37:40,575
Romans, chapter 8?

869
00:37:40,575 --> 00:37:42,871
(Samantha) Verses 38 and 39.

870
00:37:42,871 --> 00:37:44,427
(Derek) And the letter

871
00:37:44,427 --> 00:37:47,335
to the Romans was written by?

872
00:37:47,335 --> 00:37:49,986
Anybody? The Apostle Paul, that's right.

873
00:37:49,986 --> 00:37:51,290
So, these are to Christians

874
00:37:51,290 --> 00:37:53,380
living in Rome, and you're reading

875
00:37:53,380 --> 00:37:55,145
verses 38 and 39.

876
00:37:55,145 --> 00:37:57,406
(Samantha) Yes, from the New
King James Version.

877
00:37:57,406 --> 00:37:58,485
(Derek) How does...?

878
00:37:58,485 --> 00:37:59,414
(Samantha) It says:

879
00:38:24,153 --> 00:38:26,059
(Derek) Somebody excited about that?

880
00:38:26,059 --> 00:38:27,791
That's pretty amazing, isn't it?

881
00:38:27,791 --> 00:38:30,120
Nothing can separate us. Puia.

882
00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:32,788
(Puia) So, back to John 17:24

883
00:38:32,788 --> 00:38:34,787
that we read earlier, what I see here

884
00:38:34,787 --> 00:38:38,070
is that before creating the world,

885
00:38:38,070 --> 00:38:40,704
God had already enjoyed

886
00:38:40,704 --> 00:38:43,198
being in a relationship of love.

887
00:38:43,198 --> 00:38:44,431
So, in a sense, God

888
00:38:44,431 --> 00:38:46,246
didn't need to create us.

889
00:38:46,246 --> 00:38:51,330
He didn't owe us this existence, nor love.

890
00:38:51,330 --> 00:38:54,833
So this idea of God loving us freely,

891
00:38:54,833 --> 00:38:59,360
voluntarily, is all an act of sacrifice

892
00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:03,613
in a way, and we don't deserve

893
00:39:03,613 --> 00:39:06,681
this level of love from God.

894
00:39:06,681 --> 00:39:10,833
(Derek) But it's who God is, right?

895
00:39:10,833 --> 00:39:13,617
Isn't there a text that says, "God is..."?

896
00:39:13,617 --> 00:39:16,486
(Derek, Team) "...love."

897
00:39:16,486 --> 00:39:18,029
(Derek) He doesn't just love,

898
00:39:18,029 --> 00:39:20,916
He does love, but He loves because it's...

899
00:39:20,916 --> 00:39:21,891
(Puia) His nature.

900
00:39:21,891 --> 00:39:23,036
(Derek) The very essence

901
00:39:23,036 --> 00:39:24,087
of who He is. Harold?

902
00:39:24,087 --> 00:39:25,587
(Harold) I was going to read...

903
00:39:25,587 --> 00:39:26,617
(Derek) Yes...

904
00:39:26,617 --> 00:39:30,115
(Harold) It's in Lamentations, chapter 3.

905
00:39:30,115 --> 00:39:31,753
(Derek) Lamentations doesn't sound

906
00:39:31,753 --> 00:39:34,234
like a very happy book, does it?

907
00:39:34,234 --> 00:39:36,746
But the prophet Jeremiah has

908
00:39:36,746 --> 00:39:38,530
a beautiful promise there.

909
00:39:38,530 --> 00:39:40,952
Lamentations, chapter 3 and verses?

910
00:39:40,952 --> 00:39:42,578
(Harold) 22 to 24.

911
00:39:42,578 --> 00:39:44,189
(Derek) 22 to 24, my wife

912
00:39:44,189 --> 00:39:46,912
likes to sing this, so how does that read?

913
00:39:46,912 --> 00:39:48,402
What translation are you...?

914
00:39:48,402 --> 00:39:49,568
(Harold) I'll be reading

915
00:39:49,568 --> 00:39:52,623
from the English Standard Version,
and it reads:

916
00:40:12,548 --> 00:40:13,964
(Derek) Beautiful, that's one

917
00:40:13,964 --> 00:40:15,639
of my favorite verses, by the way.

918
00:40:15,639 --> 00:40:18,475
And by the way, the context of that

919
00:40:18,475 --> 00:40:20,647
is not that everything is going perfectly.

920
00:40:20,647 --> 00:40:22,055
What's just happened?

921
00:40:22,055 --> 00:40:24,401
(Harold) The Israelites were
under captivity.

922
00:40:24,401 --> 00:40:26,658
(Derek) They had just been taken
into captivity.

923
00:40:26,658 --> 00:40:27,668
(Harold) To Babylon.

924
00:40:27,668 --> 00:40:29,504
(Derek) That's right, Daniel, Ezekiel,

925
00:40:29,504 --> 00:40:31,459
and all those prophets are there.

926
00:40:31,459 --> 00:40:33,284
Jeremiah is left in Jerusalem.

927
00:40:33,284 --> 00:40:39,143
It's been ransacked, and he's lamenting.

928
00:40:39,143 --> 00:40:41,257
But he says, "Through the Lord's mercies,"

929
00:40:41,257 --> 00:40:42,914
I'm quoting the New King James,

930
00:40:42,914 --> 00:40:45,215
"we are not consumed,

931
00:40:45,215 --> 00:40:47,113
because His compassions fail not."

932
00:40:47,113 --> 00:40:48,126
Thank you for sharing

933
00:40:48,126 --> 00:40:49,667
that text, beautiful. Yes, Don.

934
00:40:49,667 --> 00:40:52,575
(Don) Another unfailing love from God,

935
00:40:52,575 --> 00:40:55,891
if you'll allow me to read Isaiah 54?

936
00:40:55,891 --> 00:40:58,158
(Derek) Give us a chance to find it.

937
00:40:58,158 --> 00:40:59,018
(Don) I'm reading

938
00:40:59,018 --> 00:41:00,259
from the New King James.

939
00:41:00,259 --> 00:41:01,958
(Derek) Hold on just a minute then,

940
00:41:01,958 --> 00:41:05,466
"Eye-ZAY-ah" or "Eye-ZY-uh," chapter 54.

941
00:41:05,466 --> 00:41:06,535
(Don) Verse 10.

942
00:41:06,535 --> 00:41:07,706
(Derek) And verse 10,

943
00:41:07,706 --> 00:41:09,538
and what translation?

944
00:41:09,538 --> 00:41:10,540
(Don) New King James.

945
00:41:10,540 --> 00:41:11,732
(Derek) New King James,

946
00:41:11,732 --> 00:41:14,183
"Eye-ZAY-ah" or "Eye-ZY-uh," 54:10.

947
00:41:14,183 --> 00:41:15,328
(Don) And it says:

948
00:41:32,905 --> 00:41:34,497
(Derek) We could find many texts,

949
00:41:34,497 --> 00:41:37,505
I'm sure, in the Scripture that speak

950
00:41:37,505 --> 00:41:40,596
about the everlasting love of God,

951
00:41:40,596 --> 00:41:43,717
but one of the reasons

952
00:41:43,717 --> 00:41:46,955
that people struggle is because they've

953
00:41:46,955 --> 00:41:48,324
been in a relationship

954
00:41:48,324 --> 00:41:50,777
where love has failed.

955
00:41:50,777 --> 00:41:52,417
And they go, "Well, maybe God's

956
00:41:52,417 --> 00:41:53,494
just like that, too."

957
00:41:53,494 --> 00:41:55,096
"I thought it was

958
00:41:55,096 --> 00:41:58,632
a loving, safe environment."

959
00:41:58,632 --> 00:42:01,175
It may be a family member left,

960
00:42:01,175 --> 00:42:03,004
like a parent or a spouse

961
00:42:03,004 --> 00:42:05,198
or a close relationship,

962
00:42:05,198 --> 00:42:07,772
and it's like it's hard for us

963
00:42:07,772 --> 00:42:09,563
not to think, "Well, maybe God

964
00:42:09,563 --> 00:42:11,310
is that way, too."

965
00:42:11,310 --> 00:42:14,750
Anybody have an experience like that,

966
00:42:14,750 --> 00:42:21,558
yeah, challenged that, but somehow God

967
00:42:21,558 --> 00:42:23,473
made a clear picture that He

968
00:42:23,473 --> 00:42:26,931
would not abandon you that way?

969
00:42:26,931 --> 00:42:30,396
I don't know if anyone can relate to that.

970
00:42:30,396 --> 00:42:33,575
I see a couple of reticent hands going up.

971
00:42:33,575 --> 00:42:35,336
That's a tough question, isn't it,

972
00:42:35,336 --> 00:42:37,159
but could you see how that could...

973
00:42:37,159 --> 00:42:40,283
You know, daddy leaves, and it's like,

974
00:42:40,283 --> 00:42:41,859
"Well, maybe my heavenly Father

975
00:42:41,859 --> 00:42:44,071
is like that, too; maybe some day

976
00:42:44,071 --> 00:42:47,021
He will just stop being there," right?

977
00:42:47,021 --> 00:42:48,895
It's very real, isn't it? Harold?

978
00:42:48,895 --> 00:42:51,797
(Harold) Well, my father, it got

979
00:42:51,797 --> 00:42:53,019
to a point that I stopped

980
00:42:53,019 --> 00:42:55,120
calling him father.

981
00:42:55,120 --> 00:42:56,831
He was a very angry person.

982
00:42:56,831 --> 00:42:58,595
He was a womanizer.

983
00:42:58,595 --> 00:42:59,753
We would go to the park,

984
00:42:59,753 --> 00:43:01,379
and he will tell me, "This will be

985
00:43:01,379 --> 00:43:04,720
your new mom," and I'm like, "Excuse me?"

986
00:43:04,720 --> 00:43:12,947
And I barely saw him, so...

987
00:43:12,947 --> 00:43:15,242
(Derek) It's hard.

988
00:43:15,242 --> 00:43:17,992
(Harold) It did hurt because I

989
00:43:17,992 --> 00:43:21,603
always wanted a father, and I want

990
00:43:21,603 --> 00:43:27,393
to be there for my daughter, too.

991
00:43:27,393 --> 00:43:29,994
Not to mention the family was not good

992
00:43:29,994 --> 00:43:33,939
because my mom also had her problems

993
00:43:33,939 --> 00:43:37,827
growing up, so I did feel alone,

994
00:43:37,827 --> 00:43:42,048
so, oh, I'm sorry.

995
00:43:42,048 --> 00:43:47,023
(James) It's alright, it's alright.
Tell your story.

996
00:43:47,023 --> 00:43:49,225
(Harold) I did feel alone.

997
00:43:49,225 --> 00:43:53,357
I didn't have the family that I wanted

998
00:43:53,357 --> 00:43:56,283
because I didn't have birthdays...

999
00:43:56,283 --> 00:43:59,899
Like, I got very indifferent about things

1000
00:43:59,899 --> 00:44:03,647
that people do as a family.

1001
00:44:03,647 --> 00:44:06,090
So, I just tried to protect myself

1002
00:44:06,090 --> 00:44:07,962
by trying to be indifferent

1003
00:44:07,962 --> 00:44:12,331
to these things so I could move on in life

1004
00:44:12,331 --> 00:44:14,452
because it's like, you know what, I cannot

1005
00:44:14,452 --> 00:44:16,964
allow these things to control me

1006
00:44:16,964 --> 00:44:19,279
or to dictate how I should live.

1007
00:44:19,279 --> 00:44:20,877
I need to do something.

1008
00:44:20,877 --> 00:44:23,898
So I do thank God that He did put people

1009
00:44:23,898 --> 00:44:26,550
along the way that started painting

1010
00:44:26,550 --> 00:44:29,767
this picture of God and trying to show me

1011
00:44:29,767 --> 00:44:31,625
who God really is.

1012
00:44:31,625 --> 00:44:33,119
And thankfully my mom,

1013
00:44:33,119 --> 00:44:34,612
even with her problems, she did

1014
00:44:34,612 --> 00:44:35,802
introduce me to the Bible

1015
00:44:35,802 --> 00:44:37,686
at a very young age.

1016
00:44:37,686 --> 00:44:40,371
So, I started reading and trying

1017
00:44:40,371 --> 00:44:43,228
to understand God from that angle.

1018
00:44:43,228 --> 00:44:46,755
So, then eventually, of course, I said,

1019
00:44:46,755 --> 00:44:48,636
like my friend from Rochester,

1020
00:44:48,636 --> 00:44:51,290
she eventually painted this bigger picture

1021
00:44:51,290 --> 00:44:53,230
of God to help me, like, "Oh, wow,

1022
00:44:53,230 --> 00:44:55,481
this is who God truly is;

1023
00:44:55,481 --> 00:44:56,985
I can call You my Father

1024
00:44:56,985 --> 00:44:59,173
because I always wanted a father,

1025
00:44:59,173 --> 00:45:01,070
but You are my Father that has been..."

1026
00:45:01,070 --> 00:45:03,018
Even though I did suffer, it was painful.

1027
00:45:03,018 --> 00:45:05,850
I did go through experiences that you

1028
00:45:05,850 --> 00:45:07,420
would think like, "Why would You

1029
00:45:07,420 --> 00:45:08,364
allow that, God?"

1030
00:45:08,364 --> 00:45:10,748
I mean it was done to me personally.

1031
00:45:10,748 --> 00:45:12,408
I mean, I cannot share

1032
00:45:12,408 --> 00:45:15,840
because of probably younger children,

1033
00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:18,686
but it's like, sure, I did

1034
00:45:18,686 --> 00:45:20,630
go through this experience, but I

1035
00:45:20,630 --> 00:45:22,087
cannot blame God because I am

1036
00:45:22,087 --> 00:45:23,408
in a broken world.

1037
00:45:23,408 --> 00:45:24,825
There are so many distortions

1038
00:45:24,825 --> 00:45:28,125
of God in the world, but yet we are

1039
00:45:28,125 --> 00:45:30,065
accountable for these things.

1040
00:45:30,065 --> 00:45:31,709
We are accountable, and we need

1041
00:45:31,709 --> 00:45:33,049
to take responsibility.

1042
00:45:33,049 --> 00:45:35,657
I cannot always put the blame on God.

1043
00:45:35,657 --> 00:45:37,693
But at the end of the day, I do praise God

1044
00:45:37,693 --> 00:45:44,012
that I was able to find a loving wife,

1045
00:45:44,012 --> 00:45:46,787
my family, and I don't want

1046
00:45:46,787 --> 00:45:51,331
to live like that; I really hated it.

1047
00:45:51,331 --> 00:45:53,875
I just want to be there for Sophia.

1048
00:45:53,875 --> 00:45:57,091
I want to give her a good representation

1049
00:45:57,091 --> 00:46:00,414
of who God really is.

1050
00:46:00,414 --> 00:46:02,722
(Derek) That's beautiful, Harold.

1051
00:46:02,722 --> 00:46:05,045
For those of you who don't know,

1052
00:46:05,045 --> 00:46:06,946
Brittany, who is one of our team members

1053
00:46:06,946 --> 00:46:08,531
and actually will be teaching one

1054
00:46:08,531 --> 00:46:10,934
in this series, but Brittany and Harold

1055
00:46:10,934 --> 00:46:12,820
just had a beautiful little girl.

1056
00:46:12,820 --> 00:46:15,004
And the name Sophia was mentioned,

1057
00:46:15,004 --> 00:46:18,315
so I can repeat it publicly.

1058
00:46:18,315 --> 00:46:22,278
And I'm really blessed

1059
00:46:22,278 --> 00:46:25,222
by what Harold just shared, and that is,

1060
00:46:25,222 --> 00:46:28,267
"I want my little girl to see

1061
00:46:28,267 --> 00:46:30,132
a true representation of the character

1062
00:46:30,132 --> 00:46:32,577
of our loving heavenly Father," right?

1063
00:46:32,577 --> 00:46:33,316
(Harold) Amen.

1064
00:46:33,316 --> 00:46:35,287
(Derek) And whether we're a parent

1065
00:46:35,287 --> 00:46:39,462
or a friend, right, or a child

1066
00:46:39,462 --> 00:46:41,505
to a parent, we want to be

1067
00:46:41,505 --> 00:46:43,338
a living representation

1068
00:46:43,338 --> 00:46:44,897
of what the loving character

1069
00:46:44,897 --> 00:46:47,760
of God looks like.

1070
00:46:47,760 --> 00:46:50,495
Whew, that's pretty intense,

1071
00:46:50,495 --> 00:46:52,645
but I need to move us on

1072
00:46:52,645 --> 00:46:54,547
to the last section,

1073
00:46:54,547 --> 00:46:58,559
because let's start again:

1074
00:46:58,559 --> 00:47:00,532
How many people does God love?

1075
00:47:00,532 --> 00:47:01,542
(Team) Everybody.

1076
00:47:01,542 --> 00:47:03,953
(Derek) He loves everyone,

1077
00:47:03,953 --> 00:47:07,150
but somehow we have a choice to make

1078
00:47:07,150 --> 00:47:08,970
whether we will accept

1079
00:47:08,970 --> 00:47:10,352
that intimate relationship

1080
00:47:10,352 --> 00:47:13,629
that we studied about.

1081
00:47:13,629 --> 00:47:16,406
Let's go to a story that Jesus told

1082
00:47:16,406 --> 00:47:21,799
in Matthew 24, verses 1 to 14,

1083
00:47:21,799 --> 00:47:26,488
Matthew 22, excuse me, verses 1 to 14,

1084
00:47:26,488 --> 00:47:29,388
and let's look; Kylynda, maybe you

1085
00:47:29,388 --> 00:47:31,418
could read it for us.

1086
00:47:31,418 --> 00:47:32,991
You say, "What has this got to do

1087
00:47:32,991 --> 00:47:34,213
with the love of God?"

1088
00:47:34,213 --> 00:47:38,027
Well, let's listen, because apparently,

1089
00:47:38,027 --> 00:47:40,492
lots of people are invited to a banquet.

1090
00:47:40,492 --> 00:47:41,698
So, how does this story

1091
00:47:41,698 --> 00:47:43,127
read in your Bible?

1092
00:47:43,127 --> 00:47:44,425
(Kylynda) I will be reading

1093
00:47:44,425 --> 00:47:46,219
from the New Living Translation:

1094
00:49:23,069 --> 00:49:26,363
(Derek) Wow, that's a pretty intense
story.

1095
00:49:26,363 --> 00:49:28,893
Why would the king, if he said,

1096
00:49:28,893 --> 00:49:31,359
"Go find any," both good and?

1097
00:49:31,359 --> 00:49:32,591
(Team) Bad.

1098
00:49:32,591 --> 00:49:35,017
(Derek) So that would include us, right?
Praise God.

1099
00:49:35,017 --> 00:49:36,562
Don't tell me which one you are,

1100
00:49:36,562 --> 00:49:37,571
but we're all saved

1101
00:49:37,571 --> 00:49:39,459
by the grace of God, right?

1102
00:49:39,459 --> 00:49:41,290
We're saved by the grace of God.

1103
00:49:41,290 --> 00:49:43,162
Why would the king be upset

1104
00:49:43,162 --> 00:49:44,714
if one person didn't have

1105
00:49:44,714 --> 00:49:46,828
a wedding garment on?

1106
00:49:46,828 --> 00:49:49,828
The only logical conclusion is?

1107
00:49:49,828 --> 00:49:50,954
(Sophia) He needed one.

1108
00:49:50,954 --> 00:49:52,820
(Derek) Well, he obviously needed one.

1109
00:49:52,820 --> 00:49:57,765
(Don) He needed to be really genuine
or to fully accept the invitation.

1110
00:49:57,765 --> 00:50:01,370
(Derek) Who provided the wedding garment?

1111
00:50:01,370 --> 00:50:03,281
(Travis) He was unwilling to put it on.

1112
00:50:03,281 --> 00:50:04,465
(Derek) He was unwilling

1113
00:50:04,465 --> 00:50:06,632
to put on a wedding garment

1114
00:50:06,632 --> 00:50:09,957
that was provided!

1115
00:50:09,957 --> 00:50:12,094
If he had said, "Well, I didn't have one.

1116
00:50:12,094 --> 00:50:13,276
Nobody gave it; I stood

1117
00:50:13,276 --> 00:50:14,638
in the wrong line."

1118
00:50:14,638 --> 00:50:20,668
He's speechless because he's
without excuse.

1119
00:50:20,668 --> 00:50:23,064
He's without excuse.

1120
00:50:23,064 --> 00:50:27,301
The wedding garment, that righteousness

1121
00:50:27,301 --> 00:50:31,451
which covers us, is a gift of God's grace.

1122
00:50:31,451 --> 00:50:35,252
To show up thinking we're okay without it

1123
00:50:35,252 --> 00:50:37,844
is a fatal mistake, right?

1124
00:50:37,844 --> 00:50:40,041
So, what does this last verse mean

1125
00:50:40,041 --> 00:50:43,186
in the story that Kylynda read?

1126
00:50:43,186 --> 00:50:48,911
"Many are called, but few are chosen"?

1127
00:50:48,911 --> 00:50:51,341
How many is the many who are called? Puia?

1128
00:50:51,341 --> 00:50:52,363
(Puia) All.

1129
00:50:52,363 --> 00:50:54,282
(Derek) It's everybody; how do you know?

1130
00:50:54,282 --> 00:50:55,705
(Harold) Good and bad were...

1131
00:50:55,705 --> 00:50:57,252
(Derek) Good and bad, everybody.

1132
00:50:57,252 --> 00:50:59,031
Everybody is called.

1133
00:50:59,031 --> 00:51:00,490
So, what does it mean?

1134
00:51:00,490 --> 00:51:03,113
"Many are called, but..."?

1135
00:51:03,113 --> 00:51:06,151
What does it mean, "Few are chosen"?

1136
00:51:06,151 --> 00:51:08,301
(Samantha) Only those who accept

1137
00:51:08,301 --> 00:51:10,310
that invitation and decide

1138
00:51:10,310 --> 00:51:12,721
to receive God's grace will be able

1139
00:51:12,721 --> 00:51:15,102
to enter into the Kingdom,
will be chosen to enter.

1140
00:51:15,102 --> 00:51:16,871
(Derek) ...sounds like poor English,

1141
00:51:16,871 --> 00:51:21,379
but those who choose to be chosen, right?

1142
00:51:21,379 --> 00:51:24,430
Who wants to be chosen? Right?

1143
00:51:24,430 --> 00:51:26,400
Everyone is given the invitation.

1144
00:51:26,400 --> 00:51:28,990
The garment is provided.

1145
00:51:28,990 --> 00:51:30,303
Some people don't even want

1146
00:51:30,303 --> 00:51:32,300
to come, right?

1147
00:51:32,300 --> 00:51:33,644
In fact, most of the people

1148
00:51:33,644 --> 00:51:36,768
don't want to come.

1149
00:51:36,768 --> 00:51:39,440
But then some show up

1150
00:51:39,440 --> 00:51:42,479
without putting on the garment.

1151
00:51:42,479 --> 00:51:44,248
We have a choice to make. Travis?

1152
00:51:44,248 --> 00:51:45,632
(Travis) Interestingly, Jesus

1153
00:51:45,632 --> 00:51:46,831
starts out the beatitudes

1154
00:51:46,831 --> 00:51:48,403
in Matthew, chapter 5, verse 3,

1155
00:51:48,403 --> 00:51:49,657
[by saying], "Blessed are

1156
00:51:49,657 --> 00:51:51,502
the poor in spirit," those who realize

1157
00:51:51,502 --> 00:51:54,243
their brokenness, "for theirs <i>is</i>

1158
00:51:54,243 --> 00:51:55,358
the Kingdom of Heaven."

1159
00:51:55,358 --> 00:51:56,357
(Derek) Praise God.

1160
00:51:56,357 --> 00:51:57,709
So, I'm going to have you do

1161
00:51:57,709 --> 00:51:59,213
a little computer scan.

1162
00:51:59,213 --> 00:52:01,068
I want our remotes to be engaged here,

1163
00:52:01,068 --> 00:52:03,361
I'm going to ask you to be involved
in that.

1164
00:52:03,361 --> 00:52:05,560
Can you think of someone

1165
00:52:05,560 --> 00:52:08,883
who received an unexpected invitation

1166
00:52:08,883 --> 00:52:10,314
to be part of the banquet -

1167
00:52:10,314 --> 00:52:11,371
which means to be part

1168
00:52:11,371 --> 00:52:13,624
of God's eternal kingdom, and experience

1169
00:52:13,624 --> 00:52:16,873
His immeasurable, unfailing love forever -

1170
00:52:16,873 --> 00:52:18,130
someone who received

1171
00:52:18,130 --> 00:52:22,120
an unexpected invitation and accepted it?!

1172
00:52:22,120 --> 00:52:25,695
Someone share a story with me,

1173
00:52:25,695 --> 00:52:27,045
unexpected invitation

1174
00:52:27,045 --> 00:52:29,924
and accepted it. Yes, Puia.

1175
00:52:29,924 --> 00:52:31,570
(Puia) It reminds me of Zacchaeus.

1176
00:52:31,570 --> 00:52:32,838
(Derek) Okay, Zacchaeus,

1177
00:52:32,838 --> 00:52:34,487
you don't need to read the story,

1178
00:52:34,487 --> 00:52:36,078
but tell us; Zacchaeus was a...?

1179
00:52:36,078 --> 00:52:37,138
(Puia) Tax collector.

1180
00:52:37,138 --> 00:52:38,141
(Derek) Very wealthy.

1181
00:52:38,141 --> 00:52:40,141
(Puia) And he probably didn't expect Jesus

1182
00:52:40,141 --> 00:52:43,171
to even know his name or invite him,

1183
00:52:43,171 --> 00:52:45,490
or, you know, dine with him.

1184
00:52:45,490 --> 00:52:48,094
That story just came into my mind.

1185
00:52:48,094 --> 00:52:50,981
(Derek) So, Luke 19, great story,

1186
00:52:50,981 --> 00:52:52,935
"I'm going to eat at your house today,

1187
00:52:52,935 --> 00:52:54,633
but more than that, salvation comes

1188
00:52:54,633 --> 00:52:58,341
to this house today," right,
amazing story.

1189
00:52:58,341 --> 00:53:00,949
Someone else, an unexpected invitation.

1190
00:53:00,949 --> 00:53:04,608
I see Tricia Lee's hand raised.
Tricia Lee?

1191
00:53:04,608 --> 00:53:05,828
(Tricia Lee) Yes, I think

1192
00:53:05,828 --> 00:53:07,518
about the thief on the cross.

1193
00:53:07,518 --> 00:53:10,294
He is guilty, and he is in the midst

1194
00:53:10,294 --> 00:53:13,747
of being punished for his crime or crimes,

1195
00:53:13,747 --> 00:53:16,823
and God extends salvation to him.

1196
00:53:16,823 --> 00:53:19,394
He has no chance to come down and live

1197
00:53:19,394 --> 00:53:22,104
a reformed life or do good things.

1198
00:53:22,104 --> 00:53:24,498
It is simply the faith, grace, and mercy

1199
00:53:24,498 --> 00:53:26,851
of God because we believe and know

1200
00:53:26,851 --> 00:53:30,793
that He is saved still hanging
on that cross.

1201
00:53:30,793 --> 00:53:32,231
(Derek) Beautiful. Wow, that's

1202
00:53:32,231 --> 00:53:33,745
an amazing one.

1203
00:53:33,745 --> 00:53:35,793
I see Gleny's hand raised, too.

1204
00:53:35,793 --> 00:53:37,901
Gleny, somebody else that received

1205
00:53:37,901 --> 00:53:40,546
an unexpected invitation to be part

1206
00:53:40,546 --> 00:53:43,701
of this banquet which symbolizes

1207
00:53:43,701 --> 00:53:45,917
the Kingdom and said, "Yes!"

1208
00:53:45,917 --> 00:53:47,861
(Gleny) There's Matthew, who was

1209
00:53:47,861 --> 00:53:51,987
a very bad candidate for being a disciple

1210
00:53:51,987 --> 00:53:53,691
of Christ's because he was hated

1211
00:53:53,691 --> 00:53:55,659
as a tax collector, but he accepted

1212
00:53:55,659 --> 00:53:57,369
the invitation to follow Christ.

1213
00:53:57,369 --> 00:53:58,980
(Derek) Yeah, I hope that Matthew

1214
00:53:58,980 --> 00:54:00,776
and Zacchaeus got to be good friends,

1215
00:54:00,776 --> 00:54:02,994
you know, both tax collectors. Sophia.

1216
00:54:02,994 --> 00:54:03,775
(Sophia) Paul.

1217
00:54:03,775 --> 00:54:06,973
(Derek) Saul of Tarsus, what was he doing

1218
00:54:06,973 --> 00:54:09,060
before he accepted the invitation?

1219
00:54:09,060 --> 00:54:11,226
(Sophia) Persecuting Christians,
killing them.

1220
00:54:11,226 --> 00:54:12,707
(Derek) Persecuting Christians!

1221
00:54:12,707 --> 00:54:15,806
Killing people, forcing them to blaspheme

1222
00:54:15,806 --> 00:54:17,744
the name of Jesus!

1223
00:54:17,744 --> 00:54:19,118
And he gets an invitation.

1224
00:54:19,118 --> 00:54:21,556
Where was he when he got the invitation?

1225
00:54:21,556 --> 00:54:23,410
On the Damascus road, and when he

1226
00:54:23,410 --> 00:54:25,911
got to Damascus, he gets the invitation,

1227
00:54:25,911 --> 00:54:28,567
and he says, "Yes."

1228
00:54:28,567 --> 00:54:29,803
Now, tragically, I wish we

1229
00:54:29,803 --> 00:54:30,869
could just end there,

1230
00:54:30,869 --> 00:54:32,324
but remember there's a choice.

1231
00:54:32,324 --> 00:54:33,725
So, someone, you're watching,

1232
00:54:33,725 --> 00:54:35,456
and you're going, "But you're saying

1233
00:54:35,456 --> 00:54:36,415
people could say no.

1234
00:54:36,415 --> 00:54:37,905
Maybe everybody will be saved."

1235
00:54:37,905 --> 00:54:39,725
Can you think of someone who received

1236
00:54:39,725 --> 00:54:43,365
a surprise invitation and said no?

1237
00:54:43,365 --> 00:54:44,973
(Samantha) The rich young ruler.

1238
00:54:44,973 --> 00:54:46,668
(Derek) Alright, Samantha mentioned

1239
00:54:46,668 --> 00:54:49,172
the rich young ruler who Jesus says,

1240
00:54:49,172 --> 00:54:51,632
"Get rid of the stuff

1241
00:54:51,632 --> 00:54:55,084
that's getting in the way and follow Me,"

1242
00:54:55,084 --> 00:54:57,097
and he walked away.

1243
00:54:57,097 --> 00:54:59,267
Anybody else? Yes, Harold.

1244
00:54:59,267 --> 00:55:01,507
(Harold) Judas Iscariot, unfortunately.

1245
00:55:01,507 --> 00:55:02,618
(Derek) After being one

1246
00:55:02,618 --> 00:55:05,202
of the close team members of Jesus,

1247
00:55:05,202 --> 00:55:11,886
Judas Iscariot rejected the invitation.

1248
00:55:11,886 --> 00:55:12,605
And, of course,

1249
00:55:12,605 --> 00:55:17,010
there's a shocking realization

1250
00:55:17,010 --> 00:55:18,480
that when we walk away

1251
00:55:18,480 --> 00:55:20,546
from the love of God,

1252
00:55:20,546 --> 00:55:25,551
there is no hope, there really isn't.

1253
00:55:25,551 --> 00:55:29,735
And tragically, he hangs himself.

1254
00:55:29,735 --> 00:55:31,212
But the love of God gives us

1255
00:55:31,212 --> 00:55:34,353
a reason to live.

1256
00:55:34,353 --> 00:55:35,899
What's the most important lesson

1257
00:55:35,899 --> 00:55:37,543
you've learned in our study today?

1258
00:55:37,543 --> 00:55:39,234
We've got a few seconds to wrap up.

1259
00:55:39,234 --> 00:55:41,718
Most important lesson, anybody. Puia.

1260
00:55:41,718 --> 00:55:43,460
(Puia) God is faithful even when we

1261
00:55:43,460 --> 00:55:44,749
are not faithful.

1262
00:55:44,749 --> 00:55:46,414
(Derek) But we can then choose...

1263
00:55:46,414 --> 00:55:47,536
(Puia) To be faithful.

1264
00:55:47,536 --> 00:55:49,905
(Derek) ...and to receive His love.
Yes, Samantha.

1265
00:55:49,905 --> 00:55:51,862
(Samantha) God's love knows no bounds.

1266
00:55:51,862 --> 00:55:53,172
(Derek) It knows no bounds.

1267
00:55:53,172 --> 00:55:57,732
What's its only limit?

1268
00:55:57,732 --> 00:55:58,451
(James) Us.

1269
00:55:58,451 --> 00:56:00,588
(Derek) Us, that's right, James.

1270
00:56:00,588 --> 00:56:01,744
I want to appeal to you.

1271
00:56:01,744 --> 00:56:02,993
We're starting a series

1272
00:56:02,993 --> 00:56:05,323
on <i>God's Love and Justice.</i>

1273
00:56:05,323 --> 00:56:07,957
I want to testify by the Word of God

1274
00:56:07,957 --> 00:56:09,855
that Jesus loves you.

1275
00:56:09,855 --> 00:56:12,402
He came to reveal the Father's love

1276
00:56:12,402 --> 00:56:13,685
who has loved you

1277
00:56:13,685 --> 00:56:15,697
since the foundation of the world.

1278
00:56:15,697 --> 00:56:18,444
And He wants you to experience

1279
00:56:18,444 --> 00:56:20,102
an intimate relationship with Him,

1280
00:56:20,102 --> 00:56:22,365
to spend forever with Him.

1281
00:56:22,365 --> 00:56:23,902
You say, "Derek, you don't know

1282
00:56:23,902 --> 00:56:24,980
the things I've done."

1283
00:56:24,980 --> 00:56:26,715
It doesn't matter what you've done;

1284
00:56:26,715 --> 00:56:28,246
He can cleanse you, forgive you

1285
00:56:28,246 --> 00:56:29,634
of your sin, and give you

1286
00:56:29,634 --> 00:56:31,313
the gift of eternal life.

1287
00:56:31,313 --> 00:56:32,422
I want to appeal to you

1288
00:56:32,422 --> 00:56:33,667
to accept His love today.

1289
00:56:33,667 --> 00:56:35,888
You say, "Derek, I did that long ago."

1290
00:56:35,888 --> 00:56:37,878
Then, would you tell someone around you?

1291
00:56:37,878 --> 00:56:40,497
Would you tell someone who needs to know

1292
00:56:40,497 --> 00:56:43,438
really what God is like?

1293
00:56:43,438 --> 00:56:44,407
Let's pray together.

1294
00:56:44,407 --> 00:56:45,415
Father in Heaven,

1295
00:56:45,415 --> 00:56:47,585
we're just starting this journey,

1296
00:56:47,585 --> 00:56:49,597
studying about Your love and justice.

1297
00:56:49,597 --> 00:56:52,007
And I pray that Your Holy Spirit

1298
00:56:52,007 --> 00:56:54,417
would give supernatural revelation,

1299
00:56:54,417 --> 00:56:56,893
even as a result of this study,

1300
00:56:56,893 --> 00:56:59,530
of Your beautiful character of love,

1301
00:56:59,530 --> 00:57:01,787
that You will never stop loving us.

1302
00:57:01,787 --> 00:57:03,505
May we open our hearts to receive

1303
00:57:03,505 --> 00:57:05,257
Your love, even today.

1304
00:57:05,257 --> 00:57:07,118
In Jesus' name. Amen.

1305
00:57:07,118 --> 00:57:08,232
(Team) Amen.

1306
00:57:08,232 --> 00:57:09,617
(Derek) Thanks for joining us

1307
00:57:09,617 --> 00:57:10,774
for Hope Sabbath School.

1308
00:57:10,774 --> 00:57:13,395
This is going to be an amazing journey.

1309
00:57:13,395 --> 00:57:15,175
You say, "Derek, it's going to change

1310
00:57:15,175 --> 00:57:17,197
my picture of God." Praise God!

1311
00:57:17,197 --> 00:57:19,663
See God for the awesome loving God

1312
00:57:19,663 --> 00:57:20,810
that He really is.

1313
00:57:20,810 --> 00:57:22,110
And, friend, don't keep

1314
00:57:22,110 --> 00:57:24,260
that good news to yourself.

1315
00:57:24,260 --> 00:57:26,021
Go out and be a blessing

1316
00:57:26,021 --> 00:57:27,020
to those around you.

1317
00:57:27,020 --> 00:57:52,123
♪ theme music ♪