WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.877 Welcome to Lesson 3 of the Kingdom School. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I’m so excited to be with you today. Today I have a very special lesson. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This teaching will impact you a lot, if you really understand and receive it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I’ll share more about that, shortly. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Firstly, since the last video, I have been to Panama. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I went there with students from our Luke 10 school. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was beautiful. I encourage all of you to go out on mission. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Before I started to travel more widely, my family and I went out on mission. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We put the children in the car. We went to another place, or other country. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We simply started to preach Jesus and make disciples. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We did something. It was really special. How often do the days fly by? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Suddenly, weeks become months and months become years. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 After ten years, we just have a routine, the same thing every day. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We need to break out of that cycle and experience new things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We spent only five or six days in Panama. But many things happened. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 All of us experienced things. Many lives were changed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We can all do this. One friend who came with us, made a trailer video. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It’s just a few minutes long. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It has a beautiful song, called “The Revival Anthem”. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We love this song. I just want to show you this trailer. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Listen to the words. The video is about two and a half minutes long. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Listen to it and feel that call: Yes, we need to go. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We need to preach the gospel. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We need to die and be forgotten, because He deserves all the glory. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 See how many things happened in only a few days. Watch this. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 [Music] 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I will preach the gospel, die and be forgotten, as long as you get the glory. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Jesus, you're worthy of every tribe and tongue. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's all for your glory, till every soul is won. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The harvest is ready. We have to go! 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We won't stop till the whole world knows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The power in the blood to save every soul. We’re not ashamed of the gospel [Music] 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, this is beautiful and powerful. I want to challenge all of you. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Since last time, we spent a week or six days in Panama. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But what happened in your life since last time? I just want to challenge you. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Come on, guys! We need to grow. We need to make a difference. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Maybe you won’t go to Panama, but we are called to live this life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are not only called to preach about the kingdom of God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are called to live this life. Here is a picture of a person who was set free. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Look at her eyes. I encourage you to live this life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let this teaching about the Kingdom, transform your life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let it change your priorities. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 May you run the race with endurance with power. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 May you truly become a good and faithful servant. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 May you see a lot of fruit. Here is some feedback I have received: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 ‘Wow! This teaching has opened my eyes. It has helped me in so many ways. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I had so many questions about the things, you have now explained. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now I understand.’ Hallelujah! 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As we move on through this school, we will continue to build. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I believe it’ll become clearer. ‘Now I understand. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I thank God for this teaching. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I know that it will help so many people out there. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It will open their eyes and change their way of thinking.’ 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thank you for that. I love that response. Today, we’ll continue. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We’ll build on what we’ve already talked about. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Lesson 1 was called: ‘From the beginning to the new beginning’. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I talked about a timeline. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's very important for us to see the bigger picture. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Lesson 2 was called, ‘The Covenant of Abraham’. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Here are some of things I talked about there. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God gave a promise to Abraham and his seed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Abraham's children, Isaac and Jacob. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Circumcision as the sign, done with the human hand. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Circumcision cutting off the foreskin (Uncleanness). 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They were now God's chosen people (Israel). Exiles and foreigners on earth. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Heirs to the promise looking for the promised land. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I explained that these things are shadows and pictures. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They all point to Christ. The New Covenant. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The promise was to Abraham and his seed (Christ). 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are now Abraham’s children through faith in Christ. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Baptized into Christ (that is our circumcision of the heart). 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the sign done by Christ. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Baptism puts off the whole flesh that is ruled by sin and death (Uncleanness). 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This means, we don't need to walk as slaves to sin anymore. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We can walk in the freedom from sin, described in Romans 6. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I will teach about that later. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 No longer Jews and Gentiles but a new creation and now God's chosen people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are God's chosen people together with Israel. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There is still a remnant of Israel. I already explained that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are now exiles and foreigners. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are in this world but not part of this world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are heirs to the promise looking for a heavenly country and a new Jerusalem. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I spoke about those things in Lesson 2. Lesson three is called: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 'Called Out: I will be their God, and they will be my people’. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This lesson starts with something that’s a little different. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I’ll read a lot more Bible verses, almost a whole chapter. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So far, we haven’t read long parts of the Bible. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The pace may seem slow for you at the beginning. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There's a lot of information and Bible verses. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But it will become extremely powerful - when you understand what the church is. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It is those who are called out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you understand the message I’m trying to share, it will change you. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It’ll help you stop watching your neighbours, and wanting to live like them. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You’ll stop trying to make your church look like the world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You’ll stop trying to please the world. Why? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because you are not a part of this world. You are called out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That is what the church should be. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 While I was preparing this teaching, that phrase stayed in my mind: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “I'm called out.” We are called out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We need to make disciples and build churches in a way that pleases God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Why? Because we belong to Him. He called us out to be His holy people, His nation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I’ll talk about many things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The pace will slow at the beginning, but it’ll suddenly speed up. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You’ll see that. I'm excited about this. This will bless you a lot. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I want you to see this. Of course, there’ll also be a break. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I want to welcome you to this lesson. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We’ll start by reading lots of verses from Acts 7. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'll try to go through it quickly: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Leave your country and your people,” God said, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “and go to the land I will show you.” So, it all started there with Abraham. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He gave him no inheritance here, not even enough ground to set his foot on.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, Abraham did not inherit. But later, his seed (offspring) inherited the land. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “But God promised him that he and his descendants after him 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 would possess the land, even though at the time Abraham had no child. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God spoke to him in this way: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,” God said, “and afterward, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We looked at that in Lesson 2, in Genesis 15. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Stephen continued telling the story. This helps us understand what happened. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The Israelites were slaves for 400 years. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And Abraham became the father of Isaac 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and circumcised him eight days after his birth. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Later, Isaac became the father of Jacob, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and Jacob become the father of the twelve patriarchs.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, here is the story of Israel. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It includes Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the twelve tribes of Israel. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they sold him as a slave into Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I like that. Try to imagine you are Joseph. He was thrown into the pit. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He was falsely accused. He was thrown into jail. He had many troubles. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But we read here that God rescued Joseph from all his troubles. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What has happened in my life? I left my country. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have been persecuted and thrown into jail. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But I can also say that God rescued me from all my troubles. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This doesn’t mean that we won’t go through the troubles. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It means, that we’ll overcome the troubles. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We’ll find victory on the other side, because God is with us. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I love this verse here: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 bringing great suffering and our ancestors could not find food. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 he sent our forefathers on their first visit. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Why did Stephen start with this? Why didn’t he just talk about Jesus? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He needed to start with this, because it's all connected. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We often don't share these things, today. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, they were speaking to the Jews at that time. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They also talked to the Gentiles about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They went back to the history. Let's move on: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 seventy-five in all. Then Jacob went down to Egypt, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 where he and our ancestors died. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for a certain sum of money. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As the time drew near for God to fulfil his promise to Abraham, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The time had drawn near for God to fulfil His promise to Abraham. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God had a plan from the beginning. God still has a plan today. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Some things needed to happen so that Israel could become a nation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God started with the man, Abraham, who had a family. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That family became a nation, while they were in Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They entered Egypt as a family and they left Egypt as a nation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This needed to happen. Then the time drew near for God to fulfil that promise. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What promise? To set them free from slavery. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 To call them out from Egypt, so that they could worship Him. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the message that we’ll look at today. Let’s continue: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He was very evil and dishonest with our people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He beat them down. He forced them to throw out their newborn babies to die. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 At that time, Moses was born.” Here is a parallel between Christ and Moses. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 At the time of Christ, Herod gave orders to kill all the infant males in Bethlehem. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So Joseph took Jesus and fled to Egypt for a time. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then they came back to Nazareth. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But in this case, the Egyptians were trying to kill Moses. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We’ll look at that later. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “At that time, Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 For three months, he was cared for by his family. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This whole story is important. “When Moses was forty years old, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so he went to his defence and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Moses thought that his own people would realize 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It didn't go the way that Moses expected. That also often happens with us today. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “The next day, Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He tried to reconcile them by saying, “Men, you are brothers; 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 why do you want to hurt each other?” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” I like that part. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then the Lord said to him, “Take off your sandals, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Who made you ruler and judge?” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I like that. It's not so much about what people see in us. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's about God's call on us. The people had rejected Moses but God called him. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They had said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The answer is, God did. Let's read on. Then I will share something. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the Moses who told the Israelites, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is one of the most key verses that I’ll mention repeatedly. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Stephen used this story to explain this: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The Israelites in the wilderness had Moses, but we now have Jesus. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Moses spoke about Jesus. Jesus goes right back to creation and to Noah. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Jesus goes right back to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the forefathers. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Stephen spoke about Moses, the tabernacle, Joshua, David and Solomon. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He explained how Solomon made a dwelling place from God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But we know that God doesn't dwell in houses built by human hands. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Therefore, we have Christ. So, this is a long story. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Stephen talked about Joshua and David, who wanted to make a dwelling place for God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As the prophet says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What kind of house will you build for me?” says the Lord.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, this is a long story. We know that Christ came and rose again. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now Christ is building God’s house with living stones, you and me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are part of the temple of the Holy Spirit. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We can take a lot out of these verses. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 One of the key verses is when Moses said: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Who is that prophet? Christ. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Stephen went through the whole history in order to preach the gospel. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Peter had also done that a few chapters before: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then he talked about Christ and Christ having been crucified. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 saying that his Messiah would suffer.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Peter explained that Christ needed to be crucified and later ascend to heaven. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The prophets foretold this. God said that this will happen. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Notice this. Peter told them to repent, so that their sins could be wiped out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then times of refreshing will come, so that God may send the Messiah. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Was he talking about what happened before the cross? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 No, this happened after the cross. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He told them to repent, so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then God will send the Messiah. But hadn’t God already sent Him? Yes, He had. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Jesus had already died on the cross. He had already risen. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But He will be sent a second time. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We often don’t think about that, that we are waiting for God to send the Messiah. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let's read on here: “Heaven must receive him” This was after Jesus’ resurrection. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “until the time comes for God to restore everything” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When Jesus came the first time, He did not restore everything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He came to pay the price. Now, all authority has been given to him. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now, He's in heaven until the time comes when God will restore everything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 All of these things are in God's timing and His plans. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 These things include God’s promise to Abraham and what God told Moses. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So now Jesus is in Heaven until the time will come 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 For Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 from among your own people: you must listen to everything he tells you. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 These are the same words we read in Lesson 2, with the Abrahamic covenant. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Anyone who wasn’t circumcised would be cut off. from the people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They would not inherit. Now God has raised up a prophet like Moses: Jesus Christ. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now we must listen to Him. Anyone who doesn’t listen to Him will be cut off. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They will not inherit. Now, He’s in heaven. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We’re now waiting for the Messiah to come down from heaven to restore everything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God has promised that: “Heaven must receive him 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's all according to God's plan and timeline. 2 Peter 3:9: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but everyone to come to repentance.” God is not slow in keeping his promise. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Everything is part of God's timeline. But God is patient with you and me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He doesn't want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to come to repentance. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We need to preach this message. This is all part of God's timeline. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now, I will point something out from what Stephen said. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I’ll focus on that: “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Notice this: “This is he who was in the church in the wilderness 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai” Notice the word here: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “this is he who was in the church in the wilderness” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Was there a church in the wilderness at the time of Moses? Yes, there was. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We read: ‘the church in the wilderness’. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But that happened many years before Christ came. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There was no cross or church building. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There were no Sunday meetings like today with a few songs and other things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But Stephen used ‘church’ to describe the Israelites in the Old Testament. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They were the church in the wilderness, just like we’re the church today. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But how could they have been the church at that time? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We have a problem with the phrase, ‘the church in the wilderness’. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When we hear the word ‘church’, we immediately think of something else. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Many people think about a church building. People say, “I go to church.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But, the phrase ‘to go to church’ doesn’t make sense. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You can’t say, “I’m sitting in the church.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We think that the church is only a building. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 No, the building is not the church. What does the word ‘church’ mean? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In Greek, it is ‘ecclesia’. Here we can read what it means. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It means “calling out” or “called out”. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The church are the people that are called out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you are the church, you should be called out. From where? From Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The Israelites were called out from Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We saw in Lesson 1 that Noah was called out from this evil perverse generation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 1 Peter: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God's special possession” God said this to the Israelites. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But now, Peter is also not only writing to the Jews, but also to Gentiles. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We as Gentiles are also taking part in this. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 into his wonderful light.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are called out. We shouldn’t live in darkness anymore. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We should live in the light. There should a big difference between these 2 groups: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Those who are the church, God's people, and those who aren’t. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 For we are the temple of the living God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As God has said, “I will live with them and walk among them, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate,” says the Lord. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This message is for the church today. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This promise is mentioned throughout the Bible: I’ll walk among them. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. That is the promise. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Therefore, come out from them. Come out from Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Come away from this wicked perverse generation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Come out from Egypt and be separate. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. That is the promise. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Why do we need to come out? Because God is holy. He cannot dwell with sin. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the message. Peter and Paul wrote about the same thing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 1 Peter 1: “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 set your hope on the grace to be brought to you 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Be holy as I am holy. That is the message. Come out from them. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. This is what the church should be. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 However, when we look at and think about the church, do we see this? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Is the church separated from the world? Or is it part of the world? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Do people in the church dress like the world? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Do they listen to the same music and talk in the same way? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Don’t we see as much divorce and remarriage in the church as in the world? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The truth is, the church has not yet come out from Egypt as it should have done. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let’s look at this: We are the temple of the living God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God will live with us and walk among us. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He will be our God, and we will be His people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But for Him to do that, we need to: “Come out from them and be separate. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Touch no unclean thing, and then I will receive you.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God gave that promise to the Israelites. He also gave that promise to us. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let’s read here: They (the Israelites) had a promise from God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But first they needed to come out from those they were enslaved by. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then they could enter into that promise… 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They were enslaved in Egypt, and then Moses came and called them out… 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In the same way, we are enslaved by our own Egypt, by Babylon. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We need to come out and be separated in order to receive what God has promised. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Later in this lesson, we’ll see that a judgement is coming. Babylon will fall. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We must come out from Babylon, Egypt, Sodom and Gomorrah. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We must be saved from this wicked evil generation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If not, we’ll be judged together with them. What is the church? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The church is those people who have come out from this world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They have been separated from this world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They are in the world but not part of the world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The church are not people who dress up every Sunday. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They are not those that sit in a church building for a few hours and sing songs. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Those that then go home and behave like the world with worldly movies and music. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They talk and live just like their unbelieving neighbours. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If we live like this world, we’ll be judged with this world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We need to understand this. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Not only do we need to be justified, we then need to be sanctified. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Otherwise we’ll not be glorified on that day when Jesus returns. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the message. This is the gospel. We saw that with the Israelites. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What about us today? We’ve received the grace of God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But what is the grace of God? It isn’t a cover up for sin. God’s grace actually sets us free from sin. It teaches and transform us. Let’s read what Titus says here: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age” So in this present age, we’ve received the Holy Spirit. He helps us to live holy lives. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The grace of God helps us live holy lives “while we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his own, eager to do what is good.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Christ gave Himself, to redeem us from sin. He did it in order to purify a people for Himself. A people that are His own. Christ died not only to save us from our sins, but to purify for Himself His own people. A people who are separated, who don’t touch any unclean things. Then God can receive us. He can be our God and we can be His people, the church. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Those things were part of the teaching. We will move on now, and it will be very interesting. We’ll have a break now. Afterwards, we’ll look at the fall of Babylon and what that means. We’ll see how all of this is one story: God is longing for people of His own. But God is holy. If God would come down on the earth today, everyone would be destroyed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, He sent his son Jesus not only to redeem us from our sins but also to purify a people. This people will belong to God. He wanted the Israelites, in the desert, to be His people. But they didn't complete the race. They kept looking back over their shoulder. Yes, they left Egypt. But Egypt never left them. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Therefore they didn’t enter into the promised land. This is a warning for us today. We’ll look at that and other thing after the break. [Music] Now, we’ll continue with the fall of Babylon. Revelation 18: “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority. His glory filled the earth with light. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 With a mighty voice he shouted, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a place where demons live. She has become a den for every evil spirit. She has become a nest for every ‘unclean’ and hated bird. All the nations have drunk the strong wine of her terrible sins. The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways. The traders of the world grew rich from her great wealth.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Today many people discuss the identity of the mystery Babylon. But I want to bring you a message. One day, Babylon will fall. This world will be judged, as we saw in the days of Noah and with Sodom and Gomorrah. 2 Peter 2: “Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the message. God has given us these examples, to show what will happen to ungodly people. “But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick” I would say, sick to his stomach “of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.” Lot lived in Sodom and Gomorrah. While he was there, his righteous soul was torment because of all the wickedness he saw. He was sick to the stomach. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The truth is, I also feel sick to my stomach because of the sin I see. Not only do I see sin in the world, but also in the church. We haven’t come out of Egypt. Instead, we’ve brought Egypt into the church. Here is a message for all of us. Firstly, as a born-again believer living a righteous life, you should be sick to your stomach about the evil you see. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You can see it on TV, and you can hear it in the music. But the truth is we have become so used to it. We fill ourselves up with many things. We aren’t tormented in our righteous soul anymore, with everything that happens around us. Why not? We should feel like that, when we see all these things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But, this message is relevant for today. Jesus also talked about it. Luke 17: “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting, and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulphur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.” So, that’s how it will be. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You can see in the Bible, how people were called to leave this wicked world: e.g. Egypt, Sodom and Gomorrah. Now we must leave Babylon. We need to come out of the system of this world. We should not be conformed to this world, but be renewed in our mind. We should be transformed and purified as God's people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 1 Peter 2: “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles” We are the same. We should see ourselves as foreigners, exiles, pilgrims and sojourners on a journey. We’re in the world but not part of the world. We are coming out from Egypt, from Babylon. We’re being purified to be God's holy people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then we’ll not be judged with the rest, when fire comes down from heaven. “I urge you as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” Live like this amongst the pagans. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A disciple of Christ is not someone who is part of the world and believes that Christ covers our sin. A disciple is someone who is in the world, but not part of it. We’re still here. But we live a godly life among the pagans, who don’t know God. But we don’t live like them. The other day, I heard about some friends. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A friend has just left his wife and found another woman. They are getting divorced. My wife Lene saw it on Facebook and showed it to me. I was shocked and asked, “What is happening?” My wife and I talked about it and agreed: If you try to live like the world, you will fall. You cannot be a Christian, if you live like everyone else. Many people say that they love Jesus. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They have accepted Jesus but were never truly separated from this world. They try to live according to the normal standards of this world. They build houses and have cars. They work and busy themselves like this world. Slowly the world creeps in more and more. It’s much easier to live as a disciple, if you are radical. You need to live a life of revival. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Understand who you are as God's chosen people, a holy nation. We live among the pagans. But we don't live like the pagans. We are foreigners and exiles. We abstain from sinful desires. We live among them but we don’t live like them. We’ll look at the problem with the Israelites in the Old Testament. They were truly called by God. They physically left Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But Egypt never left them. They kept looking back over the shoulder, saying that life was better in Egypt. They kept on sinning. They were like Lot’s wife. She looked over the shoulder and became a pillar of salt. We should not look over our shoulder, back to the old life. We should move forward. We should focus on where we are going. The Israelites had everything that we have. They were the church in the wilderness. They had it all but they still didn’t enter the promised land. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is a strong warning to us. Paul said this to the church: “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses” We are baptized into Christ “in the cloud and in the sea.” This is a picture of the Spirit and the water. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “They all ate the same spiritual food” This manna that came down from heaven, is a picture of the heavenly bread of communion today. “and drank of the same spiritual drink;” We are commanded in Ephesians, not to get drunk by wine but keep on being filled with the spirit. They had it all. “for they drank from the rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Christ was with them in the wilderness. The Rock was Christ. They were the church in the wilderness. Here is another whole story. The Rock was Christ. David threw a STONE (Christ), which killed Goliath. The prophet Daniel prophesied that the kingdoms of the world will be destroyed. That small rock, the stone, will become a great mountain. I have a lesson about that later. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We’ll look at King David, the Book of Daniel and Revelation. We need to understand that the church in the wilderness had it all. “Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” So the Israelites had it all. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We, the church today, should read their story. We need to see that they were the church, who was called out from Egypt. We should learn from how they went wrong. But I feel many haven’t learned from it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There isn’t any difference between them and the world. Most of the Israelites didn’t enter the promised land. Also, many people in the churches today will not enter the promised land. Why not? They’ve never been separated from Egypt. Maybe they left Egypt, but Egypt are still inside them. They continue looking back over their shoulder. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Paul continues to warn us: “Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did – and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We should not test Christ, as some of them did - and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble” I like that. Grumbling is listed with everything else - “as some of them did - and were killed by the destroying angel.” Don’t grumble: ‘Oh, it was better then. Oh, it's hard to be a Christian and follow Christ. It was better when I was in the world. At that time, I could just live in sin and ignorance.’ 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We shouldn’t speak like that. Yes, we may be walking in a desert wilderness. Yes, we’re exiles here on Earth. We are thirsty and it’s not easy. But we have a goal, which is the promised land. We don’t look back to where we came from. We must look forward to what’s coming. That is where the strength is. When I was in jail, I could have grumbled about everything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Many things were not good, including the food. Sometimes the food had small maggots and bugs. Sometimes it wasn’t cooked. Sometimes the whole pod went on strike and didn't want to eat the food. They complained, hammered on the doors and made a lot of noise. Then the guards came in and locked us down. People continued to complain. But I knew that it didn’t help me to complain. It helped if I had the right attitude. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Our focus is what makes the difference. So, people came me in jail and asked me: “Torben, why are you so happy and free? You shouldn’t be like that. You’ve been treated unfairly. But you don't complain or grumble.” No, I rejoice. Why? Because my focus is on the right thing. I know I'm on a journey, in a race. I don't want to be disqualified in this race. I want to be purified. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God is purifying me through my trials. Then I can become more like Him. I'm called out. I'm His church. We are the church. Then Paul wrote: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down” So, the story of how the Israelites, the church in the wilderness, were saved out of Egypt, was written down “as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Paul wrote something else before this, but there is a chapter division there. It's a mistake that we have divided the letters into chapters, because it’s all connected. A few verses before, Paul wrote this: “Do you not know?” I want to say that to you too. Do you not know “that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?” Think about the Israelites. They were slaves in Egypt. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They were saved out of Egypt. But that wasn’t the end of the race, but the beginning. In Lesson 4, we’ll look at how they were saved out of Egypt. The unleavened bread was the repentance. The blood of the lamb is the blood. The Red Sea and the pillar of fire and the cloud represents our new birth. They were saved out of Egypt, like we are being saved out of Babylon. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They were pilgrims and strangers walking through the desert with the focus on the promised land. In the same way, we are now in a race that we need to finish. But I've seen many people who think that they are completely like saved now. They say, “Hallelujah” and just stand there, waiting for Christ to come. They’re not being purified. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They don’t understand that there’s a race. That we need to run this race to get a crown that’ll never perish or fade away. We run to receive eternal life. Paul wrote: “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” What is this prize? The promise. Eternal life. The inheritance. “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They do it to get a crown that will not last, we do it.” What do we do? We go into strict training “to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave” So, you shouldn’t follow fleshly desires. You need to strike that body and make it obedient as your slave: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” I am preaching to you right now. But I can still be disqualified for the prize. Then Paul explained how the Israelites had it all. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Christ the Rock was with them. They left Egypt. They were baptized into Moses, in the cloud and in the sea. They ate of the spiritual food: the manna, the communion. They had it all. But they were still disqualified. They were saved out of Egypt but they didn’t enter into the promised land. Some people say the phrase: ‘Once saved, always saved.’ They tell people if they’ll just pray a prayer, you will be saved and that nothing can take that away from them. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That is a lie. We are not saved yet. Only those who are victorious, will inherit all of this. We need to wash our garments in the blood of the Lamb. If we are clean, then one day we’ll enter through the gate. We’ll take from the Tree of Life and live forever. Do you know this? Don’t you know that we’re in a race? Do you go into strict training? Do you strike a blow to your body and make it obey you? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Do you fear to be disqualified? This is how it should be. The church is people that are called out - God's holy nation. God gave a promise: I will walk with you. I will be your God and you will be my people. But for that to happen, we need to come out from them. We need to be separated and touch no unclean thing. Then God will be our God. We’re in the world but not part of the world. We must come out from Babylon before its fall and judgment. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God said, He will raise up a prophet like Moses. The Israelites had Moses and the law of Moses. We have Christ and the law of Christ. Obey Him. We’ll look at those things later. “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?” This is about a real Kingdom coming down from heaven. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, a new heavenly Jerusalem and the Garden of Eden. Wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were.” But you were called out and separated. “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Some of you today were like that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We’ve read that we should touch no unclean and be separated. Later, we’ll look at the law of Moses and the law of Christ. We’re not under the law of Moses. We don’t need to become monks and go to a monastery. But we should be transformed and renewed. We should put off the old life and put on the new life. Colossians: “Since you have been raised to a new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God's right hand.” Do you think about Christ sitting in heaven at God's right hand right now? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Do you consider that He will return here soon? That will be when the time has come for God to send the Messiah. He’ll set up the kingdom as promised. We’ll get a new heavenly body and our reward. Set your sights on the things of heaven, not the things on earth. Most Christians think more about earthly things than heavenly things. They think that heaven is far away from them. What are our desires? What do we live for? Do we just want to buy a house and a car? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Do we just want an education? These things are all part of this world. We think that we can live for this world, before it simply disappears, and then we’ll go to heaven. But we are on this journey now. We are pilgrims, aliens and strangers running the race, walking this journey toward the promised land. We have received a warning that we should not act like the Israelites. We should set our sights on the reality of heaven and not earthly things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” We were justified. We are now being sanctified. One day, we’ll share in His glory. We’ll be glorified. That is our journey. The Israelites were saved out of Egypt. They should’ve been transformed and purified in the desert. They could then have entered in to the promised land, but they failed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They were not sanctified. They kept going back. This was a warning to us. The church in the wilderness didn’t make it. Many in the church today also won’t make it, if we don't heed this message. “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” This is a strong warning. Paul continues: “Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.” Then, you were part of Egypt, of Babylon, of this world. You had the mindset of this world. Now, you are the church. What does that mean? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You are called out of this world. So, we are not part of this world anymore. “But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander, and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.” Firstly, you must get rid of some things. Then you put other things on. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilised, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you” – God called you out to be His ecclesia, His church. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “Since God chose you to be the holy people, he loves” We are the holy people, God loves. We are His church. That is how it should be. “you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” What beautiful verses these are. This is the church. This is our calling. This is our desire. There should be a transformation. When people come into our churches, they should see this. But some church meetings I’ve been to were almost like concerts, like the world. People speak, dress and behave like the world and then say, “We are the church.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 May we take the Bible’s warning about the Israelites seriously. Then we will not be disqualified from the race. “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That is the message I wanted to share. Don’t think of the church as a building, a non-profit organization or as a church denomination. It’s not about the meetings or activities you go to. It’s a group of people who are called out of this world. They are called to be transformed, and holy like God is holy. Then one day, those people can be glorified with Him. We’ll look at that later, when we focus on justification, sanctification and glorification. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Lesson 4 will show that the way in which Israelites were called out of Egypt, is the same way we are called out of this world. It’s not about a nice prayer. It’s not about asking Jesus to come into your heart and hearing: ‘Congratulations! You are called out.’ What have we learned already? God wants a people that is His. That is the whole message of the Bible from the Garden of Eden onwards. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 God wants a people that are His people. God longs to have a people who will be His. He wants to be their God. He wants to walk with them in the cool of the day, as He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. After the Fall and the Flood, God found Abraham and gave a promise to him. From Abraham came Isaac and Jacob. Israel became a nation. But they were still in Egypt, enslaved to this world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So He found Moses to call them out from Egypt, to worship him in the wilderness. Then we have the church. The church in the wilderness did not understand that they were God's called-out people, a Holy Nation. They continued in sin and looked back to the old life. In the end, they were rejected and did not enter into the Promised Land. This serves as a warning for you and me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 “They” here refers to the majority of that generation who didn’t enter in. But we know that Joshua and Caleb took the following generation into the land. Moses didn’t enter in, himself. He only saw the promised land. But he actually did enter in later on the Mount of Transfiguration and talked with Christ Himself. We’ll look at that later. Before then, Moses had only seen the land. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It’s a very interesting story there. Moses brought them to the promised land, but he could not bring them in. He needed another person, who was Joshua. Joshua’s name is directly linked with the name of Jesus. So, Moses brought them to the promised land. But Jesus brought them into the promised land. In the same way, the law can bring us only part of the way. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But Christ brings us in. So, the church in the Old Testament serves as a warning for us. Put off and put on. We become God's called out (or God's Church) through repentance, baptism in water and receiving the Holy Spirit. But it doesn't stop there. Now we must put off the old way of thinking and living. Instead, we must put on the new man, being renewed to become like God our Father. One day glorified. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When we are justified in Christ, the grace of God (by the Holy Spirit) teaches us and transforms us. This is also called sanctification. If we let Him do that and continue in Christ, one day we’ll be glorified - then we’ll enter into the promised land. That’s what I wanted to share today. I really encourage you to follow the whole school. We’ll see more and more pieces of the whole puzzle. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We will see how each piece fits in, one after another. Then, suddenly you will see the whole picture. Everything will make sense in a new way. You need to understand this message from today: There was a church in the Old Testament. It was called out from Egypt. We have now been called out, so we’ll not be judged together with this world. We’re now being sanctified, so we can be glorified one day. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In Lesson 4, I'll look at how the church was called out. It is the same way we are called out today. But before the end of Lesson 3, let me pray for all of you out there. God, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the truth and for what we’ve heard today. God, help us not to be deceived or disqualified. Help us to run the race in front of us. Help us to understand that we are pilgrims and strangers on this journey, here on earth. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are walking through the wilderness, toward the promised land. I pray for everyone who’s seen this. I pray that you will speak to them. I pray that the true fear of you will come into their hearts. Help them to understand that they cannot be like this world. They cannot live like this world and then inherit what you have for them, God. They need to be separated. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They need to be the called-out church, the true church. God, come with your Holy Spirit. Remind them of things they need to get rid of in their lives. Help them to put on this new life, God. Help us, God, to learn from this. God, come with your Holy Spirit. Open our eyes. Help us to continue running the race. Help us to serve you as disciples, preaching the gospel of the kingdom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Help us to demonstrate the power thereof, God, in healing the sick, casting out demons, and helping people get born again. God, come with your Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus. Amen. God bless you all out there. Again, go in and share this series with other people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Invite others to join. This is important. As we move on, it’ll become much stronger and clearer as more pieces fall into place. Then we’ll see the bigger picture of this life, this journey and this race we are on. God bless you. Bye bye.