Presented By Pastor Russell Standish, recorded at the Gazeley Bible Fellowship meeting, England.
[00:00:02] I want to draw your attention this afternoon, and I will at the end give a little report as our brother has asked about our work in the Far East.
[00:00:13] I gave a much fuller report on part of it last evening.
[00:00:19] But I want to draw your attention to a very interesting occurrence which is well known to you and related in some detail in Scripture.
[00:00:30] Scripture was very early in the Christian era, not long after the day of Pentecost, that Peter and John went along to the temple and they saw that poor man who Scripture tells us was over 40 years of age.
[00:00:49] I don't know much more about his age than that, but I guess he was in his early 40s.
[00:00:55] What was his defect? He was lame, wasn't he? He was a cripple.
[00:01:02] How long had he been lame?
[00:01:09] From birth.
[00:01:12] You know, with all the great orthopedic techniques that we have today, I can assure you that you wouldn't have someone jumping and leaping around no matter how many operations he had after he had been lame for 40 years.
[00:01:27] I can just imagine that there was no physiotherapy or hydrotherapy or any help of that nature and so he would have had terrible contractures in those legs.
[00:01:39] They would have been very stiff indeed.
[00:01:43] It would have been absolutely impossible to give any motor power to those legs.
[00:01:49] I suppose there may have been neurological defects that could never be repaired, even with the most advanced surgery today.
[00:01:57] And that poor man had no means of support.
[00:02:01] And so he was begging there in the temple, hoping that as people were going in to worship God, that God would put some love for mankind in their hearts and they might be able to throw the odd might towards him.
[00:02:16] And he asked for that poor little gift from Peter and John.
[00:02:22] It seems that the ministers in the early church weren't particularly affluent.
[00:02:26] That's what I get from this story, don't you?
[00:02:30] Because what did they say?
[00:02:33] Silver and gold have I none.
[00:02:36] None.
[00:02:37] They were poverty stricken.
[00:02:39] Or were they?
[00:02:41] But such as I have, give I unto thee.
[00:02:47] Oh, that man didn't realise but he was going to get something that silver and gold, even in this day and age, could never buy.
[00:02:57] The gift of locomotion.
[00:03:02] And he was able to jump and to leap around.
[00:03:06] A magnificent miracle done under the power of our heavenly father.
[00:03:15] Well, you would have thought that there would have been great rejoicing.
[00:03:19] And there was.
[00:03:19] The people in the temple came running.
[00:03:21] They'd seen him there probably year after year.
[00:03:25] And the news soon got around.
[00:03:27] You know what it's like in the east.
[00:03:29] You know, there's lots of chatter.
[00:03:32] I know that when people come to western countries from the east, they can't believe how reserved we are.
[00:03:40] How dead the streets are.
[00:03:44] And that's true.
[00:03:46] I can remember living in places where I hardly knew what the neighbours looked like.
[00:03:54] That's pretty shameful.
[00:03:56] But that wouldn't be so in most eastern countries.
[00:04:00] Everyone chats.
[00:04:01] They don't need the times in order to know the news in most countries.
[00:04:07] It gets around by word of mouth in most of the eastern countries.
[00:04:12] And so it didn't take long for the temple to be abuzz with the news.
[00:04:16] You know, that man sitting out there.
[00:04:19] The one that, you know, he's been like it all these days.
[00:04:22] He's jumping around.
[00:04:23] He's leaping.
[00:04:24] A great miracle.
[00:04:26] And the people started rushing out.
[00:04:28] Peter saw his opportunity, didn't he?
[00:04:30] And he started to preach.
[00:04:34] Oh, brothers and sisters, don't miss an opportunity to stand up for the great message.
[00:04:41] I want you to listen to what he said.
[00:04:44] We'll read in the 12th verse of chapter 3.
[00:04:48] The book of Acts.
[00:04:51] Acts chapter 3.
[00:04:53] And when Peter saw it, he answered.
[00:04:54] That is, when he saw all the people running.
[00:04:58] He answered unto the people,
[00:05:00] Ye men of Israel.
[00:05:03] Why marvel ye at this?
[00:05:06] Well, I think he was a little bit lacking in understanding, don't you, in saying that?
[00:05:11] I think I would have been one of the marvelous, wouldn't you?
[00:05:14] Of course we would have.
[00:05:18] Why marvel thee at this?
[00:05:19] But he had something much more miraculous to discuss.
[00:05:23] And why look ye so earnestly on us?
[00:05:27] As though by our own power or holiness, we had made this man to walk.
[00:05:32] You know, it's an important thing that when we're doing God's work, let us take no credit for that.
[00:05:38] You know, one of the saddest things is when ministers and when lay people do God's work.
[00:05:46] God brings success.
[00:05:47] And then they say, this is, I have won this person to the truth.
[00:05:51] I have baptized people into, my brothers, my sisters, we've never done it once.
[00:05:58] God may have used us and praise the Lord.
[00:06:01] He has.
[00:06:02] But we have never done it.
[00:06:04] And immediately Peter said, it's not us.
[00:06:09] Make no mistake about that.
[00:06:11] I want you to know where the credit belongs.
[00:06:14] There's no special holiness in us.
[00:06:17] Or miracle working.
[00:06:20] 13.
[00:06:21] The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, have glorified his son, Jesus.
[00:06:31] Oh, what boldness to preach the name of Jesus at that time.
[00:06:35] The name of Jesus was anathema in the courts of that temple.
[00:06:42] But Peter didn't beat around the bush.
[00:06:45] He wasn't apologetic.
[00:06:47] He wasn't in a corner.
[00:06:49] He said, through the God of our fathers.
[00:06:53] He sent his son, Jesus.
[00:06:57] And I'm going to boldly proclaim his name.
[00:07:01] He did.
[00:07:02] Let's read on.
[00:07:05] Halfway through verse 13.
[00:07:07] Whom ye delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go.
[00:07:15] Well, pretty strong words.
[00:07:21] Absolutely truthful.
[00:07:25] You know, sometimes I think those old apostles, like the old prophets, they weren't too careful in the way they call sin, sin.
[00:07:40] They had a loathing for sin.
[00:07:44] And they spoke from the shoulder.
[00:07:47] I said to Roger and Gene, they must have been Australians, I think, rather than Jews.
[00:07:56] There's a bit of that sort of talk goes on in Australia.
[00:08:01] And so I can warm to it.
[00:08:04] I like that.
[00:08:05] I like that boldness that these men had.
[00:08:10] But ye denied the Holy One and the just and desired a murderer to be granted unto you and kill the Prince of Life whom God hath raised from the dead.
[00:08:22] Whereof we are witnesses and his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong whom ye see and know.
[00:08:32] Yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
[00:08:46] Oh, what a thrilling and bold statement that was.
[00:08:50] But you notice that Peter had mentioned a very sensitive doctrine.
[00:08:57] Was as sensitive in that day as the nature of Christ is in our day, the human nature of Christ.
[00:09:03] But he didn't fiddle around with it.
[00:09:05] He said, who was raised from the dead?
[00:09:10] And immediately that got back to the Sadducees.
[00:09:13] Why the Sadducees?
[00:09:14] Why were they so upset?
[00:09:17] Because they had no belief in the resurrection of the dead.
[00:09:22] That was their pet doctrine.
[00:09:25] That there was no resurrection.
[00:09:26] You know, it's an interesting fact that all through Christ's ministry, it was the Pharisees who were the most vindictive against Jesus.
[00:09:36] All through his ministry.
[00:09:37] And in fact, I get the impression that there were times when the Sadducees slightly enjoyed some of the things that Jesus was saying to the Pharisees.
[00:09:47] And we understand that never did the Sadducees call for the death of Jesus until the resurrection of Lazarus.
[00:10:00] Because the resurrection of Lazarus defeated once and for all their pet doctrine that they were not prepared to give up.
[00:10:09] And then and only then did they unite with the Pharisees in their claim that they wanted him to be destroyed.
[00:10:21] You know, it's sad when people ministers, as many of these Sadducees could be classed as, will uphold damnable error in the face of the most overwhelming evidence of truth.
[00:10:44] But you know, unless men and women, be they ministers or laity, give their lives fully to Jesus to understand his word,
[00:10:56] they will never give up any error that they feel is precious to them.
[00:11:05] Irrespective of the evidence.
[00:11:08] Irrespective of the evidence.
[00:11:10] And we have to realize that that is the situation.
[00:11:14] And now here was a marvelous miracle done in the name of the resurrected one.
[00:11:20] So what was the response of the Sadducees?
[00:11:23] Let's go over to the fourth chapter.
[00:11:28] First verse.
[00:11:29] And as they spoke unto the people, the priests and the captains of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them.
[00:11:42] Being grieved that they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
[00:11:49] And they laid hands on them and put them in hold until the next day.
[00:11:55] For it was now even tied.
[00:12:00] A most wonderful act of God had transpired.
[00:12:04] This was truly a holy occasion.
[00:12:07] Where God had come down and touched mankind.
[00:12:12] And all these men could do was to lay hold on the humble servants of God and throw them into jail.
[00:12:19] That was the response.
[00:12:20] Well, it wasn't long the next day when the trial occurred.
[00:12:30] At least the Romanians waited three days before they tried their president and executed him.
[00:12:38] These waited just overnight.
[00:12:40] Didn't have much time to get defense lawyers.
[00:12:43] Didn't get much time to get the prosecution case together.
[00:12:47] You know, I noticed that often when churches deal out justice, they give vastly less justice than you can find in the common secular courts of the land.
[00:13:03] And this was a case.
[00:13:06] Overnight they were to be tried.
[00:13:09] We read about it from the fifth verse on.
[00:13:12] Let's hear a little of the trial.
[00:13:14] And it came to pass on the morrow that their rulers and elders and scribes and Annas, the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander.
[00:13:26] And as many as were of the kindred of the high priest.
[00:13:30] A little bit of nepotism there, you see.
[00:13:32] Were gathered together at Jerusalem.
[00:13:35] And when they had set them in their midst, in the midst, they asked.
[00:13:39] By what power or by what name have ye done this?
[00:13:47] You see, Peter had just let out in an unauthorized meeting.
[00:13:51] I can assure you that as I read the scriptures, he did not have the permission of the church authorities for that message that he gave.
[00:14:00] Had he?
[00:14:02] Absolutely no permission.
[00:14:04] What right did he have to do?
[00:14:06] He didn't even get permission to do the healing.
[00:14:10] Here he was doing something of a spiritual nature.
[00:14:16] And the high priest had not been consulted.
[00:14:21] You know, the sad truth was that Peter and John, all they consulted was God.
[00:14:26] Not the high priest.
[00:14:28] Only God.
[00:14:29] That's all they consulted.
[00:14:31] And his son, Jesus.
[00:14:33] And that wasn't good enough.
[00:14:36] The authority of God certainly was not good enough in the Jewish church at that day.
[00:14:41] And so they had to answer.
[00:14:45] Because they didn't go to the highest authority in the universe.
[00:14:48] And that was the leaders of God's church, as far as their own opinion was concerned.
[00:14:54] They just went to the authority of God to do these things.
[00:14:59] And that was shameful, as far as those men were concerned.
[00:15:04] And so they asked the question.
[00:15:08] By what power?
[00:15:10] By what name have you done this?
[00:15:13] Well, Peter didn't just beat around the bush.
[00:15:17] I wonder what we would have said.
[00:15:20] Would we have been a little apologetic and bowed and scraped?
[00:15:26] What did he say?
[00:15:27] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost.
[00:15:31] How important, brothers and sisters, that little piece of information is.
[00:15:38] He wasn't filled with Peter.
[00:15:43] He wasn't defending Peter.
[00:15:46] He was filled with the Holy Ghost.
[00:15:49] And can I urge that our prayers, day by day, be that Jesus will fill us with the Holy Ghost.
[00:15:57] And empty us of that wretched thing that seems so important to most of us.
[00:16:03] And that's self.
[00:16:07] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them,
[00:16:10] Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel,
[00:16:14] If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man,
[00:16:20] by what means he is made whole?
[00:16:24] Be it known unto you all,
[00:16:26] And to all the people of Israel,
[00:16:29] That by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
[00:16:35] Whom ye crucified,
[00:16:39] Whom God raised from the dead,
[00:16:41] Even by him doth this man stand before you whole.
[00:16:45] This is the stone which was set at naught,
[00:16:49] The builders,
[00:16:51] Which has become the head of the corner.
[00:16:53] Neither is there salvation in any other,
[00:16:57] For there is none other name under heaven,
[00:17:01] Given among men,
[00:17:03] Whereby we must be saved.
[00:17:07] You know,
[00:17:08] That took the Holy Ghost's power
[00:17:12] To speak before
[00:17:14] Caiaphas
[00:17:16] And Annas
[00:17:17] And John
[00:17:19] And Alexander
[00:17:20] Not John the Apostle
[00:17:23] Another John
[00:17:26] And all those men.
[00:17:28] For Peter full well knew what had happened to his master.
[00:17:33] And he knew that he was risking the same fate
[00:17:36] In speaking with such boldness.
[00:17:39] But when the truth empowers our lives,
[00:17:42] When we are working under the power of God,
[00:17:45] The whole of hell cannot shake our faith
[00:17:49] And cannot cower our conviction.
[00:17:55] And this is a wonderful example
[00:17:57] Of that.
[00:18:07] Let's look at the next verse.
[00:18:09] 13.
[00:18:10] Now when they saw the boldness
[00:18:14] Of Peter and John
[00:18:16] And perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men,
[00:18:20] They marveled
[00:18:21] And they took knowledge of them
[00:18:23] That they had been with Jesus.
[00:18:29] Isn't that a thrilling
[00:18:31] Analysis of the situation.
[00:18:34] Oh my brothers,
[00:18:36] My sisters,
[00:18:38] And perhaps there will be others
[00:18:39] Who will listen to this tape
[00:18:41] Who do not have the privilege of being here
[00:18:45] In dear old Gaisley
[00:18:47] Where I believe
[00:18:50] That packed as this room is
[00:18:54] We are missing
[00:18:55] With our eyes
[00:18:57] Other beings
[00:18:59] That are here with us.
[00:19:00] What a thrilling thing it is
[00:19:02] That the angels of God
[00:19:05] Are sharing
[00:19:05] This meeting with us.
[00:19:08] But you know,
[00:19:09] I find that there are some
[00:19:11] Who stand for God's truth
[00:19:13] Who are apologetic about it.
[00:19:17] I don't mean that we be rude
[00:19:20] Or arrogant
[00:19:21] That wasn't what Peter was
[00:19:23] But if you want to be known
[00:19:26] To have been with Jesus
[00:19:27] You're bold about your faith
[00:19:32] You don't let yourself
[00:19:33] Be pushed in a corner
[00:19:34] Because you're believing
[00:19:35] The truth of God
[00:19:37] You stand
[00:19:39] And you're counted
[00:19:43] And it was that boldness
[00:19:45] That held up
[00:19:48] Those evil men
[00:19:50] Those evil church leaders
[00:19:52] As they were
[00:19:53] It was that boldness
[00:19:56] If they had cowered
[00:19:58] You know, the sort of courage
[00:20:00] That those men had
[00:20:01] They would have
[00:20:02] Pressed in
[00:20:03] On those cowering men
[00:20:04] Taken advantage
[00:20:06] But they were held back
[00:20:09] Because they knew
[00:20:10] The power and the conviction
[00:20:12] Of the message
[00:20:12] That these men
[00:20:14] Were repeating
[00:20:16] But it wasn't long
[00:20:17] Before the sentence
[00:20:18] Was returned
[00:20:18] Yes, they went into
[00:20:20] Conference
[00:20:20] Out of earshot
[00:20:22] And I can just imagine
[00:20:24] And the Bible indicates
[00:20:25] It went back and forth
[00:20:27] What are we going to do?
[00:20:28] We're in a terrible situation
[00:20:30] What can we do?
[00:20:32] About this
[00:20:34] We go down to the
[00:20:36] Eighteenth verse
[00:20:37] And the sentence was given
[00:20:40] May be regarded as rather mild
[00:20:42] But it was a fearful sentence
[00:20:46] A very heavy sentence
[00:20:48] And they called them
[00:20:53] And commanded them
[00:20:54] Not to speak at all
[00:20:57] Nor teach
[00:20:57] In the name of Jesus
[00:21:01] Oh yes
[00:21:02] Maybe to the secular mind
[00:21:04] That was a mild sentence
[00:21:06] They could have been
[00:21:07] Flogged
[00:21:07] They could have been
[00:21:08] Imprisoned
[00:21:09] They could have been
[00:21:12] Executed
[00:21:12] And I suspect
[00:21:18] That the Sanhedrin
[00:21:19] Thought that they were
[00:21:20] Giving the mildest
[00:21:22] Possible penalty
[00:21:23] Look, it'll be alright
[00:21:25] You just stop speaking
[00:21:26] In Jesus' name
[00:21:27] And we'll let you off
[00:21:28] This time
[00:21:30] But to those men
[00:21:31] That was a sentence
[00:21:33] That they could never
[00:21:34] Have endured
[00:21:35] For they were filled
[00:21:36] With the
[00:21:37] Holy Spirit
[00:21:39] That was an unbearable
[00:21:42] Sentence
[00:21:42] And one which they
[00:21:43] Could not tolerate
[00:21:45] But Peter
[00:21:46] And John
[00:21:46] Didn't say to themselves
[00:21:48] Thank you
[00:21:50] Brethren
[00:21:50] And then say
[00:21:52] But we will later
[00:21:53] Take advantage of this
[00:21:56] Now they stood there
[00:21:57] And they answered
[00:21:58] On the spot
[00:22:00] Verse 19
[00:22:03] What did they say
[00:22:04] But Peter and John
[00:22:05] Answered and said
[00:22:06] Unto them
[00:22:08] Whether it be right
[00:22:09] In the sight of God
[00:22:10] To hearken unto you
[00:22:12] More than unto God
[00:22:13] Judge ye
[00:22:16] For we cannot
[00:22:17] But speak the things
[00:22:19] Which we have seen
[00:22:20] And heard
[00:22:22] Is that your experience
[00:22:24] Brethren and sisters
[00:22:26] It's just impossible
[00:22:27] For a man
[00:22:28] Who's filled with the
[00:22:29] Holy Ghost
[00:22:30] To hold back
[00:22:30] On the things
[00:22:31] That he has seen
[00:22:32] And heard
[00:22:32] He's so filled
[00:22:34] With the truth
[00:22:35] And here these men
[00:22:37] Were imposing
[00:22:37] A penalty
[00:22:38] That they could not
[00:22:39] Even
[00:22:40] Fulfill
[00:22:42] It was impossible
[00:22:43] For them to
[00:22:44] Fulfill that
[00:22:44] Because they were
[00:22:45] Motivated by the
[00:22:46] Holy Spirit
[00:22:48] You know
[00:22:48] They left
[00:22:49] No doubt
[00:22:51] That they were
[00:22:51] Going to stand up
[00:22:52] And start preaching
[00:22:53] It again
[00:22:59] Well
[00:23:01] Eventually
[00:23:02] They preached
[00:23:03] And they were put
[00:23:07] In prison
[00:23:07] For it
[00:23:09] The penalty
[00:23:09] God
[00:23:10] In the secular
[00:23:11] Sense
[00:23:11] That was probably
[00:23:12] Lighter than
[00:23:13] The penalty
[00:23:14] That was given
[00:23:14] Before
[00:23:15] We go over
[00:23:16] To the fifth
[00:23:16] Chapter
[00:23:17] Read a little
[00:23:18] About that
[00:23:19] Verse 18
[00:23:20] And laid their
[00:23:21] Hands on the
[00:23:22] Apostles
[00:23:23] They had just
[00:23:23] Been preaching
[00:23:24] Again
[00:23:24] They'd given
[00:23:25] The Sanhedrin
[00:23:26] Fair warning
[00:23:27] That they
[00:23:27] Intended to
[00:23:29] So this
[00:23:30] Time
[00:23:30] It says
[00:23:31] And they
[00:23:31] Laid their
[00:23:32] Hands on
[00:23:32] The apostles
[00:23:33] And put them
[00:23:34] In the
[00:23:35] Common prison
[00:23:37] But then
[00:23:37] The angel
[00:23:38] Of the
[00:23:38] Lord
[00:23:40] By night
[00:23:41] Opened the
[00:23:42] Prison doors
[00:23:42] And brought
[00:23:43] Them forth
[00:23:44] And said
[00:23:44] Go stand
[00:23:45] And speak
[00:23:46] In the
[00:23:46] Temple
[00:23:46] To the
[00:23:47] People
[00:23:47] All the
[00:23:48] Words
[00:23:48] Of this
[00:23:49] Life
[00:23:50] That's just
[00:23:51] What they
[00:23:51] Had been
[00:23:51] Put in jail
[00:23:52] For
[00:23:53] The angel
[00:23:54] Said go
[00:23:55] And do
[00:23:55] It again
[00:23:56] Go back
[00:23:57] And don't
[00:23:58] Go to
[00:23:58] Some little
[00:23:59] Corner
[00:23:59] Of you
[00:24:00] Know way
[00:24:01] Out in
[00:24:01] The back
[00:24:02] Woods
[00:24:03] Of Judea
[00:24:04] And do
[00:24:05] It
[00:24:06] Go back
[00:24:07] To the
[00:24:07] Temple
[00:24:09] Do it
[00:24:09] In the
[00:24:10] Temple
[00:24:16] Verse 25
[00:24:20] Then
[00:24:21] came one
[00:24:22] Of them
[00:24:23] Who'd been
[00:24:24] Listening as
[00:24:24] They spoke
[00:24:25] Saying
[00:24:26] Behold
[00:24:27] The men
[00:24:28] Whom ye
[00:24:28] Put in
[00:24:29] Prison
[00:24:29] Standing
[00:24:30] In the
[00:24:30] Temple
[00:24:30] And teaching
[00:24:31] The people
[00:24:31] They were
[00:24:32] Very obedient
[00:24:33] Weren't they
[00:24:34] Went straight
[00:24:34] Back and started
[00:24:35] Teaching the
[00:24:36] People in
[00:24:36] The temple
[00:24:39] Couldn't
[00:24:40] They learn
[00:24:41] Their lesson
[00:24:41] When you
[00:24:45] And I
[00:24:45] Are motivated
[00:24:46] With God's
[00:24:47] Message
[00:24:47] When it's
[00:24:48] The truth
[00:24:49] Not these
[00:24:50] Ifs
[00:24:50] Butts
[00:24:50] And maybes
[00:24:51] That seem
[00:24:52] To be so
[00:24:53] Desired
[00:24:53] By many
[00:24:54] People
[00:24:54] But something
[00:24:55] That has
[00:24:55] Certainty
[00:24:57] We have
[00:24:58] To preach
[00:24:59] It's
[00:25:00] God's
[00:25:00] Precious
[00:25:01] Truth
[00:25:02] And so
[00:25:03] They went
[00:25:04] Back
[00:25:06] Once again
[00:25:07] There was
[00:25:08] A very
[00:25:09] Strong
[00:25:09] Ecclesiastical
[00:25:10] Command
[00:25:12] Verse 26
[00:25:13] Then went
[00:25:15] The captain
[00:25:15] With the
[00:25:16] Officers
[00:25:16] And brought
[00:25:17] Them
[00:25:17] Without
[00:25:17] Violence
[00:25:20] For they
[00:25:21] Feared the
[00:25:21] People
[00:25:21] Lest they
[00:25:23] Should have
[00:25:23] Been
[00:25:23] Stoned
[00:25:25] And when
[00:25:26] They had
[00:25:27] Brought
[00:25:28] Them
[00:25:28] They
[00:25:28] Set
[00:25:29] Them
[00:25:29] Before
[00:25:29] The
[00:25:30] Council
[00:25:30] And the
[00:25:31] High
[00:25:31] Priest
[00:25:32] Asked
[00:25:32] Them
[00:25:33] Saying
[00:25:33] Did
[00:25:34] Not
[00:25:34] We
[00:25:35] Straightly
[00:25:36] Command
[00:25:36] You
[00:25:37] That
[00:25:38] Ye
[00:25:38] Should
[00:25:38] Not
[00:25:39] Teach
[00:25:39] In
[00:25:39] This
[00:25:39] Name
[00:25:40] And
[00:25:41] Behold
[00:25:41] Ye
[00:25:43] Have
[00:25:43] Filled
[00:25:43] Jerusalem
[00:25:44] With
[00:25:44] Your
[00:25:45] Doctrine
[00:25:47] And
[00:25:48] Intend
[00:25:48] To
[00:25:48] Bring
[00:25:49] This
[00:25:49] Man's
[00:25:49] Blood
[00:25:50] Upon
[00:25:50] Us
[00:25:51] When
[00:25:55] Did
[00:25:55] This
[00:25:56] Event
[00:25:56] Occur
[00:25:56] In
[00:25:59] The
[00:25:59] History
[00:25:59] Of
[00:26:00] The
[00:26:00] World
[00:26:00] What
[00:26:03] Was
[00:26:03] The
[00:26:03] Date
[00:26:05] Just
[00:26:06] Roughly
[00:26:11] I
[00:26:12] Don't
[00:26:12] Know
[00:26:12] The
[00:26:12] Exact
[00:26:12] Date
[00:26:14] But
[00:26:15] One
[00:26:15] Thing
[00:26:15] I
[00:26:15] Can
[00:26:16] Tell
[00:26:16] You
[00:26:16] It
[00:26:16] Was
[00:26:16] Before
[00:26:16] 34
[00:26:17] AD
[00:26:17] That
[00:26:18] Much
[00:26:19] I
[00:26:19] Can
[00:26:19] Tell
[00:26:19] You
[00:26:19] Somewhere
[00:26:20] Between
[00:26:20] 31
[00:26:21] And
[00:26:21] 34
[00:26:22] Because
[00:26:23] Chapter
[00:26:23] 6
[00:26:24] We're
[00:26:24] Reading
[00:26:24] Chapter
[00:26:24] 5
[00:26:25] What's
[00:26:26] That
[00:26:26] About
[00:26:28] No
[00:26:28] Chapter
[00:26:29] 6
[00:26:30] That's
[00:26:31] The
[00:26:31] Selection
[00:26:32] Of
[00:26:33] The
[00:26:33] Deacons
[00:26:33] There
[00:26:33] Wasn't
[00:26:34] Even
[00:26:34] A
[00:26:34] Single
[00:26:34] Deacon
[00:26:35] In
[00:26:35] The
[00:26:35] Church
[00:26:35] When
[00:26:36] That
[00:26:36] Was
[00:26:36] That
[00:26:37] Event
[00:26:37] Occurred
[00:26:37] And
[00:26:38] Then
[00:26:38] The
[00:26:39] Seventh
[00:26:39] Chapter
[00:26:39] Tells
[00:26:40] Us
[00:26:40] About
[00:26:40] The
[00:26:41] Stoning
[00:26:42] Of
[00:26:42] Stephen
[00:26:42] And
[00:26:43] Of
[00:26:43] Course
[00:26:43] That
[00:26:43] Was
[00:26:43] The
[00:26:43] Time
[00:26:44] In
[00:26:45] Which
[00:26:46] The
[00:26:48] Jewish
[00:26:49] Church
[00:26:49] Ceased
[00:26:50] To
[00:26:50] Be
[00:26:50] God's
[00:26:50] Church
[00:26:51] But
[00:26:52] At
[00:26:52] The
[00:26:52] Time
[00:26:52] That
[00:26:53] This
[00:26:53] Occurred
[00:26:53] I
[00:26:53] Want
[00:26:54] Us
[00:26:54] To
[00:26:54] Remember
[00:26:55] That
[00:26:56] This
[00:26:56] Was
[00:26:56] God's
[00:26:57] Church
[00:26:57] This
[00:26:59] Was
[00:26:59] An
[00:26:59] Event
[00:27:00] Occurring
[00:27:01] Before
[00:27:02] God
[00:27:03] Finally
[00:27:04] Looked
[00:27:05] To
[00:27:05] The
[00:27:06] Gentiles
[00:27:08] When
[00:27:09] The
[00:27:09] Jewish
[00:27:09] Church
[00:27:10] Still
[00:27:10] Was
[00:27:11] His
[00:27:11] Church
[00:27:12] And
[00:27:13] These
[00:27:13] Were
[00:27:14] The
[00:27:14] Leaders
[00:27:14] Of
[00:27:14] God's
[00:27:15] Church
[00:27:15] And
[00:27:16] They
[00:27:16] Said
[00:27:16] Didn't
[00:27:17] We
[00:27:17] Straight
[00:27:17] Way
[00:27:18] Command
[00:27:18] You
[00:27:18] We've
[00:27:19] Got
[00:27:19] Ecclesiastical
[00:27:20] Authority
[00:27:21] We're
[00:27:22] The
[00:27:22] Leaders
[00:27:28] Nine
[00:27:28] And
[00:27:29] Peter
[00:27:29] And
[00:27:29] The
[00:27:29] Other
[00:27:29] Apostles
[00:27:30] Answered
[00:27:31] And
[00:27:31] Said
[00:27:32] We
[00:27:33] Ought
[00:27:34] To
[00:27:34] Obey
[00:27:35] God
[00:27:37] Rather
[00:27:37] Than
[00:27:37] Men
[00:27:39] My
[00:27:40] Brothers
[00:27:40] My
[00:27:40] Sisters
[00:27:41] We
[00:27:41] Ought
[00:27:42] To
[00:27:42] Obey
[00:27:42] God
[00:27:43] Rather
[00:27:43] Than
[00:27:43] Any
[00:27:44] Religious
[00:27:44] Leader
[00:27:45] In
[00:27:45] This
[00:27:45] World
[00:27:46] Now
[00:27:47] That
[00:27:47] Is
[00:27:47] Not
[00:27:49] Something
[00:27:52] That
[00:27:53] Gives
[00:27:53] Us
[00:27:59] Correct
[00:28:01] And
[00:28:02] Holy
[00:28:03] Decision
[00:28:04] Made
[00:28:04] By
[00:28:05] The
[00:28:05] Leaders
[00:28:05] Of
[00:28:05] God's
[00:28:05] Church
[00:28:06] Which
[00:28:07] Are
[00:28:07] Compatible
[00:28:08] With
[00:28:08] God's
[00:28:09] Word
[00:28:10] We
[00:28:11] Must
[00:28:11] Uphold
[00:28:12] We
[00:28:13] Must
[00:28:16] To
[00:28:16] Follow
[00:28:17] God
[00:28:17] Is
[00:28:17] Not
[00:28:18] To
[00:28:18] Be
[00:28:18] In
[00:28:18] Rebellion
[00:28:19] With
[00:28:19] God's
[00:28:19] Church
[00:28:20] It's
[00:28:20] To
[00:28:20] Uphold
[00:28:20] It
[00:28:21] It
[00:28:22] Is
[00:28:22] To
[00:28:23] Uphold
[00:28:23] It
[00:28:23] And
[00:28:24] Let
[00:28:25] Us
[00:28:25] Never
[00:28:25] Mistake
[00:28:26] That
[00:28:26] Fact
[00:28:27] But
[00:28:28] My
[00:28:28] Brothers
[00:28:29] My
[00:28:29] Sisters
[00:28:30] In
[00:28:30] Peril
[00:28:31] To
[00:28:31] Our
[00:28:31] Soul
[00:28:32] No
[00:28:32] Matter
[00:28:32] If
[00:28:33] It
[00:28:33] Be
[00:28:33] The
[00:28:33] President
[00:28:33] Of
[00:28:34] The
[00:28:34] General
[00:28:34] Conference
[00:28:34] If
[00:28:35] He
[00:28:35] Asks
[00:28:35] Us
[00:28:36] To
[00:28:36] Do
[00:28:36] Something
[00:28:36] Which
[00:28:37] Is
[00:28:37] Contrary
[00:28:37] To
[00:28:37] The
[00:28:38] Plain
[00:28:38] Word
[00:28:38] Of
[00:28:38] God
[00:28:38] We
[00:28:39] Better
[00:28:39] Obey
[00:28:40] God
[00:28:40] Rather
[00:28:41] Than
[00:28:41] Man
[00:28:41] That's
[00:28:42] What
[00:28:43] It
[00:28:43] Amounts
[00:28:43] To
[00:28:44] We
[00:28:45] Better
[00:28:45] Obey
[00:28:46] God
[00:28:46] Rather
[00:28:47] Than
[00:28:47] Man
[00:28:48] And
[00:28:49] I
[00:28:49] Am
[00:28:49] Afraid
[00:28:51] As
[00:28:51] I
[00:28:52] See
[00:28:52] The
[00:28:52] Trends
[00:28:53] In
[00:28:53] The
[00:28:53] Seventh
[00:28:53] Day
[00:28:54] Adventist
[00:28:54] Church
[00:28:54] That
[00:29:01] God
[00:29:01] The
[00:29:01] Voice
[00:29:02] Of
[00:29:02] God
[00:29:02] In
[00:29:03] His
[00:29:03] Word
[00:29:04] How
[00:29:05] Tragic
[00:29:07] How
[00:29:08] Tragic
[00:29:10] Oh
[00:29:10] I
[00:29:11] Pray
[00:29:13] That
[00:29:13] Each
[00:29:13] One
[00:29:14] Of
[00:29:14] Us
[00:29:15] Will
[00:29:16] Not
[00:29:16] Allow
[00:29:17] That
[00:29:19] To
[00:29:19] Be
[00:29:19] The
[00:29:19] Voice
[00:29:20] Of
[00:29:20] God's
[00:29:20] Church
[00:29:20] Now
[00:29:22] I
[00:29:23] Find
[00:29:23] In
[00:29:24] Many
[00:29:24] Committee
[00:29:24] Meetings
[00:29:25] That
[00:29:25] People
[00:29:25] Can
[00:29:26] Get
[00:29:26] So
[00:29:26] Excited
[00:29:27] About
[00:29:27] Their
[00:29:28] Little
[00:29:28] Piece
[00:29:29] Of
[00:29:29] Territory
[00:29:30] You
[00:29:31] Know
[00:29:31] If
[00:29:31] You're
[00:29:31] The
[00:29:31] President
[00:29:32] Of
[00:29:32] Some
[00:29:32] Mission
[00:29:32] Or
[00:29:33] Some
[00:29:33] Union
[00:29:33] You
[00:29:34] Know
[00:29:34] You'll
[00:29:34] Fight
[00:29:35] Tooth
[00:29:35] And
[00:29:35] Or
[00:29:35] If
[00:29:36] You're
[00:29:36] The
[00:29:36] President
[00:29:36] Of
[00:29:36] A
[00:29:37] College
[00:29:37] Or
[00:29:37] Of
[00:29:37] A
[00:29:38] Hospital
[00:29:38] For
[00:29:39] That
[00:29:39] Little
[00:29:39] Piece
[00:29:40] Of
[00:29:40] Territory
[00:29:42] Or
[00:29:42] For
[00:29:42] Some
[00:29:43] Extra
[00:29:43] Salary
[00:29:44] For
[00:29:44] Yourself
[00:29:44] Or
[00:29:45] Any
[00:29:45] Of
[00:29:45] Those
[00:29:45] Things
[00:29:45] It's
[00:29:45] Amazing
[00:29:46] How
[00:29:46] Excited
[00:29:46] But
[00:29:47] How
[00:29:47] Few
[00:29:47] People
[00:29:47] Seem
[00:29:48] To
[00:29:48] Get
[00:29:48] Excited
[00:29:48] About
[00:29:49] Defending
[00:29:49] The
[00:29:50] Faith
[00:29:50] Of
[00:29:50] God
[00:29:51] And
[00:29:52] The
[00:29:52] Integrity
[00:29:53] Of
[00:29:53] God's
[00:29:53] Word
[00:29:55] That
[00:29:56] Is
[00:29:56] A
[00:29:56] Tragedy
[00:29:58] I
[00:29:58] Sit
[00:30:18] Can
[00:30:22] You
[00:30:22] To
[00:30:22] Every
[00:30:23] Nation
[00:30:23] At
[00:30:24] People
[00:30:26] We
[00:30:26] Could
[00:30:26] Tell
[00:30:27] Every
[00:30:27] Person
[00:30:27] Of
[00:30:28] The
[00:30:28] Message
[00:30:28] Of
[00:30:28] Jesus
[00:30:29] I
[00:30:29] Wish
[00:30:29] We
[00:30:29] Had
[00:30:30] In
[00:30:30] The
[00:30:30] Whole
[00:30:30] Of
[00:30:31] The
[00:30:31] British
[00:30:31] Isles
[00:30:32] That's
[00:30:32] Not
[00:30:32] Going
[00:30:33] To
[00:30:33] Bring
[00:30:33] Jesus
[00:30:33] Back
[00:30:33] Yes
[00:30:34] That's
[00:30:34] Part
[00:30:34] Of
[00:30:35] It
[00:30:35] But
[00:30:36] If
[00:30:37] That's
[00:30:37] Where
[00:30:37] We
[00:30:37] Began
[00:30:38] And
[00:30:38] Where
[00:30:38] We
[00:30:39] Ended
[00:30:40] Jesus
[00:30:41] Would
[00:30:41] Not
[00:30:41] Come
[00:30:42] Back
[00:30:42] It's
[00:30:42] Got
[00:30:42] To
[00:30:42] To
[00:30:43] To every nation.
[00:30:44] Kindred and tongue and people.
[00:30:48] Every individual on this world.
[00:30:50] And we as Seventh-day Adventists must have an interest
[00:30:54] in what is happening around the world.
[00:30:57] But there is parochialism.
[00:31:00] But precious little defence of God and His faith.
[00:31:04] Precious little.
[00:31:06] And here was this great statement.
[00:31:10] We ought to obey God.
[00:31:13] God's rather than men.
[00:31:17] We ought to obey God rather than men.
[00:31:20] Could you bring me that volume three of the testimonies, brother?
[00:31:26] I'm just wondering.
[00:31:30] As I see the Church of God in various parts of the world,
[00:31:35] especially in the Western world.
[00:31:37] And I'm thinking mainly about the United Kingdom.
[00:31:42] Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
[00:31:45] Although what I'm saying applies, thank you,
[00:31:48] probably to virtually every country on earth.
[00:31:50] I am afraid as I see the growing power of the ministry.
[00:31:58] I hear of ministers who overrule boards, church boards.
[00:32:11] I hear of that.
[00:32:12] And cancel meetings.
[00:32:14] Even in this fair country that was supposed to be a founder of liberty and freedom.
[00:32:20] My brother, that is not the right of a minister.
[00:32:23] We are not ordained as ministers to go and lord it over the laity.
[00:32:28] And to overrule the laity.
[00:32:31] A pastor is a shepherd.
[00:32:34] A servant.
[00:32:36] Yes, he does have a ministry of reproof.
[00:32:42] But so often that is being exerted in the wrong direction.
[00:32:45] It is not the duty of a minister to do such things.
[00:32:49] And it's not the duty of a minister to tell us what we shall listen to and what we shall preach.
[00:32:56] Now, of course, if we're preaching that which is contrary to the plain word of God,
[00:33:01] the minister has a duty to reprove.
[00:33:03] To bring that to the attention.
[00:33:06] But I find that very little is done when error is preached.
[00:33:12] And today, the reproof goes to those who believe the precious truths of God's word.
[00:33:18] But that's where the reproof is going.
[00:33:22] Let us read from Volume 3 of the Testimonies.
[00:33:25] Page 265.
[00:33:29] Volume 3 of the Testimonies.
[00:33:31] 265.
[00:33:39] The prejudice which has arisen against us.
[00:33:41] This is Sister White speaking of she and her husband.
[00:33:44] Because we have reproved the wrongs that God has shown me existed.
[00:33:50] And the cry that has been raised of harshness and severity are unjust.
[00:33:55] Does that have a little deja vu with any of you here?
[00:34:01] Bring a few thoughts to your remembrance?
[00:34:05] You stand up and preach that sort of message today.
[00:34:11] And you will be treated as Pastor and Sister White were treated.
[00:34:18] Let me read that again.
[00:34:20] The prejudice which has arisen against us.
[00:34:23] That's Pastor James White and Sister White.
[00:34:26] Because we have reproved the wrongs that God has shown me existed.
[00:34:31] And the cry that has been raised of harshness and severity are unjust.
[00:34:38] And then I want you to hear the next brief sentence.
[00:34:42] And to think about it.
[00:34:44] Ponder it.
[00:34:46] God bids us speak.
[00:34:48] And we will not be silent.
[00:34:53] God bids us speak.
[00:34:55] And we will not be silent.
[00:34:58] Shades of Peter and John, isn't it?
[00:35:02] 1,800 years later.
[00:35:05] The same response from members of the church.
[00:35:13] And the same response of godly leaders.
[00:35:19] If wrongs are apparent among His people.
[00:35:23] And if the servants of God pass on indifferent to them.
[00:35:27] They virtually sustain and justify the sinner.
[00:35:31] And are alike guilty.
[00:35:33] And will just as surely receive the displeasure of God.
[00:35:36] You thought about that?
[00:35:38] Dare you?
[00:35:40] When wrongs occur.
[00:35:43] I don't mean going around snooping and trying to find fault.
[00:35:47] I can't stand that sort of thing.
[00:35:50] I'm talking about blatant wrongs that glare you in the face.
[00:35:55] My brother, my sister, if you stand silent.
[00:35:58] If you zip up your lips.
[00:36:01] You are equally responsible to the perpetrators.
[00:36:05] And you will receive a similar penalty.
[00:36:07] It's pretty awesome, isn't it?
[00:36:10] It's quite awesome.
[00:36:12] The ministry of reproof is never popular.
[00:36:14] But I must say.
[00:36:19] That if we do not raise our voices.
[00:36:23] When God gives us opportunity.
[00:36:27] We are guilty.
[00:36:30] We are guilty.
[00:36:31] It's so easy to be silent.
[00:36:33] It's so hard to speak.
[00:36:35] I find myself.
[00:36:38] Very trembly at times.
[00:36:40] When these things occur.
[00:36:44] I know I'm not as bold as I ought to be.
[00:36:48] So much easier to keep silent.
[00:36:51] So much easier.
[00:36:53] It's a popular thing to do.
[00:36:57] You know, so often we as ministers.
[00:36:59] And I want to speak to you.
[00:37:02] As a minister myself.
[00:37:04] A pastor.
[00:37:06] We can be so.
[00:37:08] So disloyal to God's church.
[00:37:13] And this is a tragedy.
[00:37:15] I hear accusations.
[00:37:21] Against God's faithful people of disloyalty.
[00:37:27] And the thought is that.
[00:37:29] Like Peter and John.
[00:37:31] They refuse to listen to the commands of ministers.
[00:37:35] Were not in accordance with God's will.
[00:37:38] Or of other leaders.
[00:37:40] And therefore they're branded as disloyal to the church.
[00:37:47] Our definition of the church.
[00:37:50] Has become.
[00:37:51] That of.
[00:37:53] The church pastor.
[00:37:55] He is the church in the local.
[00:37:57] He is the church in the local church.
[00:38:00] Or in a conference.
[00:38:01] The.
[00:38:03] Officers of the conference.
[00:38:05] The president.
[00:38:05] The treasurer.
[00:38:06] And the secretary.
[00:38:07] In a union or division.
[00:38:10] And basically.
[00:38:11] This is becoming.
[00:38:14] This is becoming.
[00:38:16] The definition.
[00:38:17] Of.
[00:38:17] The church.
[00:38:18] In our midst.
[00:38:20] But that's not God's definition.
[00:38:22] Of the church.
[00:38:58] The church.
[00:39:00] New Zealand.
[00:39:02] Conference office.
[00:39:03] And spoke with the president.
[00:39:04] Who I'd known as a young boy.
[00:39:07] And.
[00:39:07] The secretary.
[00:39:09] Who I'd also known when he was a young boy.
[00:39:12] And they were somewhat hostile.
[00:39:16] And the young secretary.
[00:39:18] Of the.
[00:39:19] Conference said to me.
[00:39:21] He said.
[00:39:23] You have no official.
[00:39:26] Approval.
[00:39:28] For these meetings.
[00:39:31] That you intend to hold.
[00:39:34] From the church.
[00:39:37] Well I said.
[00:39:38] We most certainly do.
[00:39:41] He said.
[00:39:42] You don't.
[00:39:44] Oh.
[00:39:45] I said.
[00:39:45] I understand.
[00:39:46] What you're saying.
[00:39:47] Are you.
[00:39:48] Telling us.
[00:39:49] That you and the president.
[00:39:50] Are the church.
[00:39:51] In north New Zealand.
[00:39:53] And we don't have.
[00:39:54] Your approval.
[00:39:55] People.
[00:39:55] I said.
[00:39:56] As I read God's word.
[00:39:57] The church is God's people.
[00:40:00] God's humble people.
[00:40:01] And I said.
[00:40:02] On the basis of that.
[00:40:03] We are fully authorized.
[00:40:05] To come here.
[00:40:06] Because we have been invited.
[00:40:07] By the church.
[00:40:08] God's people.
[00:40:09] All.
[00:40:10] It isn't the president.
[00:40:11] Of the conference.
[00:40:12] Or the secretary.
[00:40:13] Of the conference.
[00:40:13] That is taking to themselves.
[00:40:15] An authority.
[00:40:16] That God has never given.
[00:40:18] And let us remember that.
[00:40:20] The church is not.
[00:40:21] The administration.
[00:40:22] Of the church.
[00:40:23] The church is a humble.
[00:40:24] People in the pews.
[00:40:26] And if we say otherwise.
[00:40:28] We are people.
[00:40:31] You see.
[00:40:32] In a Roman Catholic church.
[00:40:33] The priest has absolute control.
[00:40:35] He can tell you.
[00:40:36] You can't have the hall.
[00:40:38] He can tell you that.
[00:40:40] That's his authority.
[00:40:41] He can do that.
[00:40:45] But not in a seventh day.
[00:40:47] Adventist church.
[00:40:48] My brothers.
[00:40:49] My sisters.
[00:40:50] When we give that power.
[00:40:51] To ministers.
[00:40:53] We are doing them.
[00:40:54] An awful injustice.
[00:40:59] When we say.
[00:41:02] That we have to.
[00:41:04] Obey that.
[00:41:05] Which the pastor said.
[00:41:07] That might mean.
[00:41:08] That we get a pastor.
[00:41:09] Of a different color.
[00:41:10] I'm not speaking of skin color.
[00:41:11] I'm speaking of doctrinal color.
[00:41:14] Next time.
[00:41:17] And so we jump.
[00:41:18] From point of view.
[00:41:19] To point of view.
[00:41:20] Depending upon.
[00:41:22] The.
[00:41:23] Views of ministers.
[00:41:24] For today.
[00:41:25] There is no unanimity.
[00:41:27] Of opinion.
[00:41:28] On the word of God.
[00:41:28] As there used to be once.
[00:41:30] In the ministry.
[00:41:31] Of the seventh day.
[00:41:32] Adventist church.
[00:41:33] And so.
[00:41:33] If you're going to follow.
[00:41:34] The minister of your church.
[00:41:35] When it comes to your faith.
[00:41:36] You'll be hopping.
[00:41:37] From the left foot.
[00:41:38] To the right.
[00:41:40] And doing.
[00:41:41] A pretty little dance.
[00:41:42] Before you're through.
[00:41:43] Your life.
[00:41:43] I want to tell you that.
[00:41:46] That's what will be happening.
[00:41:51] God says.
[00:41:52] To us.
[00:41:54] That we.
[00:41:55] Are to obey God.
[00:41:57] Rather than men.
[00:41:59] And the time has come.
[00:42:02] For us to recognize.
[00:42:04] That fact.
[00:42:05] That it is not.
[00:42:06] The authority.
[00:42:07] Of the pastor.
[00:42:08] Now that does not mean.
[00:42:10] We do not support our pastors.
[00:42:12] That we do not uphold them.
[00:42:14] In our prayers.
[00:42:15] And in their ministry.
[00:42:17] All brethren and sisters.
[00:42:19] Don't misinterpret.
[00:42:20] What I'm saying.
[00:42:22] Not at all.
[00:42:25] Those men.
[00:42:26] Have been asked.
[00:42:26] To do a duty of God.
[00:42:31] But I want to say.
[00:42:33] That.
[00:42:33] When it comes.
[00:42:35] To interfering.
[00:42:36] With that.
[00:42:37] Which God has commanded.
[00:42:38] Of you.
[00:42:38] And me.
[00:42:39] We better obey God.
[00:42:42] Rather than me.
[00:42:43] And any minister.
[00:42:46] That takes to himself.
[00:42:48] That authority.
[00:42:50] To stand between the people and God.
[00:42:54] And their conscience.
[00:42:56] Is taking vastly too much to himself.
[00:43:00] Look.
[00:43:01] I think of myself.
[00:43:04] I mean.
[00:43:06] I don't have to tell you.
[00:43:08] What an ordinary person I am.
[00:43:11] I just thank God.
[00:43:12] That somehow.
[00:43:13] He has called someone.
[00:43:14] As ordinary.
[00:43:16] As myself.
[00:43:17] To be a minister.
[00:43:18] For him.
[00:43:21] I couldn't explain it.
[00:43:23] If you asked me.
[00:43:23] To give a rational explanation.
[00:43:25] For it.
[00:43:26] I couldn't do it.
[00:43:27] It's impossible.
[00:43:28] For me to do that.
[00:43:31] But I would be devastated.
[00:43:33] If any of you people.
[00:43:34] Went away.
[00:43:35] From this meeting.
[00:43:36] And said.
[00:43:37] Well Pastor Stan.
[00:43:38] He said this.
[00:43:39] And Pastor Stan.
[00:43:40] Said that.
[00:43:41] And that was your authority.
[00:43:45] Brethren and sisters.
[00:43:46] Someone like me.
[00:43:49] In that position.
[00:43:53] And yet.
[00:43:54] People just like me.
[00:43:55] We're investing.
[00:43:56] With that sort of authority.
[00:43:59] I mean.
[00:44:00] I work in the union.
[00:44:02] I sit on the union committee.
[00:44:04] I tend to many committees.
[00:44:06] In the divisions.
[00:44:12] But what does that got to do.
[00:44:14] With me standing between.
[00:44:15] Your conscience.
[00:44:17] Your understanding.
[00:44:18] Of God's word.
[00:44:21] And God.
[00:44:23] I'm not in that position.
[00:44:25] I want you to go back.
[00:44:27] And read.
[00:44:28] This account.
[00:44:28] That I have given.
[00:44:31] Under the guidance.
[00:44:32] Of the Holy Spirit.
[00:44:34] And then read.
[00:44:35] The book.
[00:44:35] Acts of the Apostles.
[00:44:38] Which I was so pleased.
[00:44:41] To hear.
[00:44:44] Was a.
[00:44:45] An infallible.
[00:44:46] Divine commentary.
[00:44:47] This morning.
[00:44:48] As one of the books.
[00:44:50] Of the spirit.
[00:44:50] Of prophecy.
[00:44:52] You go back.
[00:44:53] And do that.
[00:44:54] And anything.
[00:44:55] That I have said.
[00:44:56] That is false.
[00:44:57] By that.
[00:44:58] Praise the Lord.
[00:45:00] If you will reject it.
[00:45:01] With all your heart.
[00:45:03] It's not my place.
[00:45:07] To stand between you.
[00:45:09] And your God.
[00:45:10] And no man.
[00:45:12] No matter how.
[00:45:13] Elevated in God's church.
[00:45:15] Has that right.
[00:45:18] Has that right.
[00:45:19] I would be terrified.
[00:45:21] If people put me in that position.
[00:45:25] Absolutely terrified.
[00:45:27] And yet.
[00:45:28] So many of our members.
[00:45:30] And I hope some.
[00:45:31] Who are not here.
[00:45:32] May hear this.
[00:45:33] Take.
[00:45:33] Well think again.
[00:45:34] They are putting.
[00:45:36] Puny men.
[00:45:37] Like myself.
[00:45:39] In that sort of position.
[00:45:41] Oh the conference president.
[00:45:43] Says this.
[00:45:44] Praise the Lord.
[00:45:45] If he is upholding.
[00:45:46] The truth of God.
[00:45:47] God.
[00:45:48] But if he is not.
[00:45:50] Reject it.
[00:45:51] Brethren and sisters.
[00:45:53] It's not.
[00:45:55] Worth.
[00:45:55] Anything.
[00:45:58] And I say that.
[00:45:59] About anything.
[00:46:00] That I would say.
[00:46:02] Or any other speaker.
[00:46:04] That you hear.
[00:46:05] Just coming to Gaisley.
[00:46:07] Is no.
[00:46:07] Great.
[00:46:08] Certainty.
[00:46:09] That you are going to hear the truth.
[00:46:13] Don't say.
[00:46:14] Well I am coming to Gaisley.
[00:46:15] Therefore we are going to hear the truth.
[00:46:16] Praise the Lord.
[00:46:17] If that is true.
[00:46:18] I pray it is.
[00:46:20] Because I dare not.
[00:46:21] Stand up here.
[00:46:22] Without first asking God.
[00:46:23] To guide.
[00:46:26] That I will speak nothing.
[00:46:28] Contrary to his will.
[00:46:31] But let's be like the Bereans.
[00:46:35] If they had to check up on Paul.
[00:46:37] How much more do you have to check up on Russell Standish?
[00:46:41] It's obvious isn't it?
[00:46:43] It's not worth making a comparison.
[00:46:47] If the people in Berea.
[00:46:49] Did right in checking up on Paul.
[00:46:52] Any speaker you hear.
[00:46:54] You are not going to hear any Pauls here.
[00:46:55] I don't care.
[00:46:57] I don't care who you bring.
[00:46:58] You can bring your Ron Spears here.
[00:47:01] You can bring your Rady Cut.
[00:47:04] You can bring them all.
[00:47:08] But you are not going to hear Paul.
[00:47:10] But Paul was nothing.
[00:47:13] Apart.
[00:47:14] From as he preached the word of God.
[00:47:16] And as it could be verified.
[00:47:19] From the precious word of God.
[00:47:20] And he was a writer of scripture himself.
[00:47:23] Most books of the Bible.
[00:47:26] Of any writer.
[00:47:29] But nevertheless.
[00:47:30] The people had to confirm his message.
[00:47:34] And so.
[00:47:35] As Sister White says here.
[00:47:37] Don't be silent.
[00:47:40] Don't.
[00:47:41] Be silent.
[00:47:45] What is the work of a minister?
[00:47:49] Well I just want to give a few.
[00:47:51] Clues.
[00:47:52] And this is what we can.
[00:47:54] Ask of a minister.
[00:47:56] Volume 3 again.
[00:47:57] Page 229.
[00:47:59] You just listen to this.
[00:48:06] Volume 3 of the testimonies.
[00:48:11] Page 229.
[00:48:17] It is not the work of a gospel minister.
[00:48:20] To lord it over God's heritage.
[00:48:24] That would be a surprise.
[00:48:26] To even some Seventh-day Adventists.
[00:48:29] It is not the work of a gospel minister.
[00:48:31] To lord it over God's heritage.
[00:48:33] But in lowliness of mind.
[00:48:35] And with gentleness and long forbearance.
[00:48:38] Forbearance to exhort.
[00:48:40] Reprove.
[00:48:41] Rebuke.
[00:48:41] With all long suffering.
[00:48:44] And.
[00:48:45] Doctrine.
[00:48:49] All long suffering.
[00:48:51] And doctrine.
[00:48:52] I'll mention that.
[00:48:54] With doctrine.
[00:48:56] In a little while.
[00:48:57] You know.
[00:48:58] Too many of our ministers.
[00:49:00] Have no interest in unity.
[00:49:02] I was in a church very recently.
[00:49:04] Where I found that a big segment of the church.
[00:49:08] Had no office whatsoever.
[00:49:13] No office whatsoever.
[00:49:16] And so I asked those folk.
[00:49:18] Had they rejected office?
[00:49:21] I found that they had not sought it.
[00:49:23] And I praise God for that.
[00:49:24] We should never seek office.
[00:49:27] But I said.
[00:49:28] Were you offered office?
[00:49:30] And you rejected it.
[00:49:31] Because if they had.
[00:49:32] I would have regarded them as very divisive.
[00:49:36] But I found.
[00:49:39] That by a deliberate act.
[00:49:41] They had not been offered any office in the church.
[00:49:44] I want to tell you.
[00:49:45] The perpetrator of that.
[00:49:47] Who was.
[00:49:49] The pastor.
[00:49:50] Was a very divisive pastor.
[00:49:53] And I love unity.
[00:49:54] Brothers and sisters.
[00:49:55] I cannot understand.
[00:49:57] A minister being so divisive.
[00:49:59] As to cut people off.
[00:50:01] From the work of the church.
[00:50:02] When they are members.
[00:50:03] In good and regular standing.
[00:50:08] And it's about time.
[00:50:09] We stood up against the divisiveness.
[00:50:11] Of a minister.
[00:50:12] Who would be so divisive.
[00:50:14] In God's church.
[00:50:18] And also.
[00:50:19] It's disloyal.
[00:50:20] To God's church.
[00:50:23] Because it is mistreating.
[00:50:26] Those who are.
[00:50:28] God's flock.
[00:50:32] And I think it's about time.
[00:50:34] We asked the ministers.
[00:50:36] Who upheld.
[00:50:37] The unity of the church.
[00:50:39] And the loyalty of God's church.
[00:50:42] And were loyal to God's people.
[00:50:52] Page 236.
[00:50:55] Volume 3.
[00:51:04] You have the example of ministers.
[00:51:07] Who have exalted themselves.
[00:51:09] And who have coveted the praise.
[00:51:12] From the people.
[00:51:15] They were petted.
[00:51:17] And flattered.
[00:51:18] By the indiscreet.
[00:51:19] Until they became exalted.
[00:51:21] And self-sufficient.
[00:51:22] And trusting in their own wisdom.
[00:51:25] Made shipwreck of faith.
[00:51:27] They thought.
[00:51:28] That they were so popular.
[00:51:31] That they could take almost any course.
[00:51:33] And yet retain their popularity.
[00:51:37] You know.
[00:51:38] It is a terrible sin.
[00:51:40] To cast flattery.
[00:51:43] Upon our ministers.
[00:51:44] That's right.
[00:51:45] We are endangering their salvation.
[00:51:47] When we do that.
[00:51:48] You know.
[00:51:49] It's so easy to do.
[00:51:52] You get a successful.
[00:51:53] And even a very godly.
[00:51:56] Evangelist.
[00:51:57] You know.
[00:51:58] You've been.
[00:51:58] In your little church.
[00:52:00] Church.
[00:52:00] For so many years.
[00:52:02] With your 30 or 50 members.
[00:52:04] And an evangelist comes in.
[00:52:05] And he baptised 30 or 40 people.
[00:52:09] What a wonderful minister.
[00:52:11] Oh pastor.
[00:52:12] You don't know how I admire what you have done here.
[00:52:16] Oh what a.
[00:52:16] You know.
[00:52:19] And it would take a great minister.
[00:52:21] To.
[00:52:22] Not start thinking.
[00:52:24] Hey.
[00:52:24] I'm a pretty good preacher.
[00:52:25] Aren't I?
[00:52:26] Yes.
[00:52:27] Oh yes.
[00:52:31] See.
[00:52:31] We're endangering those ministers.
[00:52:34] Please don't.
[00:52:35] Go.
[00:52:35] And do.
[00:52:36] Yes.
[00:52:37] The Lord.
[00:52:38] For a message.
[00:52:39] When you hear a good message.
[00:52:41] Don't say to the pastor.
[00:52:43] I greatly enjoyed your presentation today.
[00:52:45] Just say.
[00:52:46] I thank God.
[00:52:47] For his message today.
[00:52:49] That is an appropriate response.
[00:52:51] When you hear a good message.
[00:52:52] I appreciated the message.
[00:52:55] That God.
[00:52:56] Sent through you today.
[00:52:58] They're appropriate responses.
[00:53:01] But.
[00:53:02] This.
[00:53:02] Oh.
[00:53:03] I really love your presentations.
[00:53:05] I really enjoy the way you.
[00:53:08] Present the message.
[00:53:09] Does something.
[00:53:11] Rethren and sisters.
[00:53:13] Don't do it.
[00:53:15] Don't do it.
[00:53:17] You're in danger.
[00:53:18] Injury.
[00:53:20] The spiritual life.
[00:53:22] Of the minister.
[00:53:23] Many ministers.
[00:53:24] Have lost their way.
[00:53:27] Because people have put them.
[00:53:29] Halfway between earth and heaven already.
[00:53:33] We mustn't do it.
[00:53:35] The work of the ministry.
[00:53:37] Is to be a humble servant.
[00:53:40] Used of God.
[00:53:41] But let us be very.
[00:53:44] Very careful.
[00:53:46] You know.
[00:53:46] I see some ministers.
[00:53:47] That.
[00:53:48] Some people.
[00:53:50] The only thing they do.
[00:53:51] Is listen to their tapes.
[00:53:52] Over and over.
[00:53:53] And over again.
[00:53:55] You've heard of them.
[00:53:57] It's especially true.
[00:53:58] In your country brother.
[00:54:00] Especially true.
[00:54:02] Where some people.
[00:54:03] The only messages.
[00:54:04] That they think are in value.
[00:54:06] Is some pastor.
[00:54:07] Oh.
[00:54:08] I listened to his tapes.
[00:54:09] Oh.
[00:54:10] I.
[00:54:10] You know.
[00:54:11] And they never bother.
[00:54:12] To compare them with scripture.
[00:54:16] Tragic.
[00:54:17] Tragic.
[00:54:18] And that individual.
[00:54:19] He hears that thousands.
[00:54:21] Of their tapes.
[00:54:22] Are going out.
[00:54:22] People write back.
[00:54:23] And say.
[00:54:25] And he starts to feel.
[00:54:27] You see.
[00:54:29] Yes.
[00:54:30] I'm.
[00:54:31] I'm a good speaker.
[00:54:32] There's no question.
[00:54:33] About that.
[00:54:34] Oh yes.
[00:54:34] I admit.
[00:54:35] Of course.
[00:54:36] That God has given me.
[00:54:37] That talent.
[00:54:38] But.
[00:54:38] You know.
[00:54:40] That's more or less.
[00:54:42] Just.
[00:54:43] Mock.
[00:54:44] Modesty.
[00:54:45] Mock.
[00:54:45] Modesty.
[00:54:47] Now of course.
[00:54:48] There are ministers.
[00:54:48] Who will stand up.
[00:54:49] Against that.
[00:54:50] There are ministers.
[00:54:52] Who are equal.
[00:54:53] To that angel.
[00:54:53] In the 22nd chapter.
[00:54:55] Isn't it?
[00:54:55] In Revelation.
[00:54:58] Even the angel.
[00:54:59] Would not take.
[00:55:00] The adoration.
[00:55:01] Of a man.
[00:55:02] There's a.
[00:55:03] A good saying.
[00:55:04] From.
[00:55:05] Was it.
[00:55:05] John Wesley.
[00:55:06] He.
[00:55:07] Preached a good sermon.
[00:55:09] Once.
[00:55:09] And someone.
[00:55:10] Came up to him.
[00:55:11] Gave him praise.
[00:55:12] And he said.
[00:55:13] Do you know.
[00:55:13] He said.
[00:55:13] The devil.
[00:55:14] Already told me that.
[00:55:15] Before he came to the.
[00:55:16] Clube.
[00:55:19] Did you hear what was said?
[00:55:22] Someone stood up.
[00:55:24] John Wesley.
[00:55:25] Preached a message.
[00:55:26] That someone felt.
[00:55:27] Was very.
[00:55:29] Appropriate.
[00:55:29] And an excellent message.
[00:55:30] And he came.
[00:55:31] To the door.
[00:55:32] And he said.
[00:55:33] To John Wesley.
[00:55:36] Oh.
[00:55:37] That was a.
[00:55:38] Really.
[00:55:39] Wonderful.
[00:55:39] Message.
[00:55:39] That you preached.
[00:55:40] Tonight.
[00:55:40] Was that effect.
[00:55:41] And John Wesley.
[00:55:43] He said.
[00:55:43] Oh.
[00:55:43] I know.
[00:55:43] The devil.
[00:55:44] Told me that.
[00:55:45] Before.
[00:55:45] I preached.
[00:55:47] You see.
[00:55:48] That's correct.
[00:55:50] Flattery.
[00:55:50] Comes from the devil.
[00:55:54] And sometimes.
[00:55:55] The devil derails.
[00:55:56] It's another thing.
[00:55:56] We've got to be careful.
[00:55:57] When we're standing for truth.
[00:55:59] Occasionally.
[00:56:00] The devil won't.
[00:56:00] When we're in.
[00:56:01] When there's opposition.
[00:56:03] We'll stand out.
[00:56:04] Very strongly.
[00:56:06] So the devil.
[00:56:06] Tries a new tact.
[00:56:09] He gives us.
[00:56:11] Popularity.
[00:56:11] All of a sudden.
[00:56:12] We're an elder again.
[00:56:13] We're a deacon again.
[00:56:15] And we've got a duty in the church.
[00:56:17] And so we say.
[00:56:18] Well.
[00:56:18] You know.
[00:56:19] We better.
[00:56:21] Be a bit more cautious.
[00:56:22] In what we say.
[00:56:25] You know.
[00:56:26] I think more people.
[00:56:27] From.
[00:56:28] Are going to be destroyed.
[00:56:29] That way.
[00:56:30] Than by opposition.
[00:56:33] Let me say that.
[00:56:34] Can I give you that warning.
[00:56:36] Stand for truth.
[00:56:37] Doesn't matter what position.
[00:56:38] The Lord gives you.
[00:56:39] Stand for truth.
[00:56:41] And.
[00:56:42] In conclusion.
[00:56:43] To what I wanted to say.
[00:56:44] About this.
[00:56:44] I just want to turn.
[00:56:46] To.
[00:56:46] Perhaps the best.
[00:56:49] Book of the Bible.
[00:56:50] When it comes to.
[00:56:51] Ministers.
[00:56:54] Timothy.
[00:56:55] Yes.
[00:56:56] Marvellous.
[00:56:57] But that wasn't the one.
[00:56:57] That I was going to.
[00:57:01] Well.
[00:57:02] You see.
[00:57:03] Our brother's probably right.
[00:57:04] You see.
[00:57:05] You go back.
[00:57:05] And you check.
[00:57:06] You might.
[00:57:07] Hear that I'm saying.
[00:57:08] Something that's wrong.
[00:57:09] But Timothy.
[00:57:10] Is a marvellous.
[00:57:11] Book on the ministry.
[00:57:12] But the one.
[00:57:13] That impresses me.
[00:57:14] Is Titus.
[00:57:16] Let's turn to Titus.
[00:57:20] First chapter.
[00:57:21] We'll look at verses.
[00:57:25] Six and seven.
[00:57:28] If any be blameless.
[00:57:29] The husband of one wife.
[00:57:31] Having faithful children.
[00:57:33] Not.
[00:57:34] Not accused.
[00:57:35] Of riot.
[00:57:36] Or unruly.
[00:57:37] For a bishop.
[00:57:38] Must be blameless.
[00:57:39] As a steward of God.
[00:57:42] Not self-willed.
[00:57:44] Not soon angry.
[00:57:46] Not given to wine.
[00:57:48] No striker.
[00:57:50] Not given to filthy lucre.
[00:57:54] Blameless.
[00:57:55] You know.
[00:57:57] As ministers.
[00:57:58] We have to ask.
[00:58:00] But more than anyone else.
[00:58:03] For that characteristic.
[00:58:06] Blamelessness.
[00:58:10] It's the hardest thing in the world.
[00:58:11] For a minister.
[00:58:12] To fulfil that qualification.
[00:58:15] In his own strength.
[00:58:17] It's impossible.
[00:58:17] I think it's harder for a minister.
[00:58:22] Than a lay person.
[00:58:24] That's what we should be seeking.
[00:58:26] In our ministers.
[00:58:27] In the ninth verse.
[00:58:29] There's something else.
[00:58:30] Holding fast.
[00:58:31] The faithful word.
[00:58:33] As he have been taught.
[00:58:35] That he may be able.
[00:58:37] By sound doctrine.
[00:58:39] Both to exhort.
[00:58:40] And to convince against those.
[00:58:42] I think that's one of the.
[00:58:43] The chief weaknesses.
[00:58:45] In the seventh day.
[00:58:45] Adventist ministry today.
[00:58:47] If I was to find.
[00:58:51] The chief weakness.
[00:58:52] I would say that.
[00:58:54] There are now.
[00:58:55] Thousands of seventh day Adventists.
[00:58:57] Who wouldn't know sound doctrine.
[00:58:59] If they fell over it.
[00:59:01] How different.
[00:59:03] From the days of old.
[00:59:07] You know.
[00:59:07] I was told in a letter.
[00:59:09] That I received.
[00:59:11] Well.
[00:59:12] Maybe ten days ago now.
[00:59:13] From a pastor.
[00:59:17] Who had preached.
[00:59:18] That the Bible.
[00:59:20] Was part.
[00:59:22] Divine and infallible.
[00:59:23] And part.
[00:59:24] Human and fallible.
[00:59:27] He said.
[00:59:29] When I.
[00:59:30] Took him to task over it.
[00:59:32] He said.
[00:59:32] That he was shocked.
[00:59:34] At someone.
[00:59:34] Who claimed.
[00:59:35] And I'd never claimed that.
[00:59:36] To him.
[00:59:37] To be such a.
[00:59:39] Expert.
[00:59:40] On the spirit of prophecy.
[00:59:41] I brethren and sisters.
[00:59:42] I've never claimed that.
[00:59:43] And I never would.
[00:59:44] But I'm.
[00:59:46] Very humble.
[00:59:47] Humbled.
[00:59:48] I should say.
[00:59:49] When I study the spirit of prophecy.
[00:59:51] To find.
[00:59:52] I've read it again.
[00:59:54] And I.
[00:59:54] I don't ever remember reading.
[00:59:56] Parts that I've been before.
[00:59:58] That's how my memory.
[00:59:59] How bad my memory is.
[01:00:02] But at any rate.
[01:00:03] He made that.
[01:00:05] That I was so ignorant.
[01:00:07] And he tried to make out.
[01:00:08] That Sister White taught.
[01:00:09] That the Bible was part.
[01:00:11] Fallible.
[01:00:12] And.
[01:00:13] Which he does not.
[01:00:15] And.
[01:00:16] Then he said.
[01:00:18] So all I've been teaching is.
[01:00:20] Stand at old time.
[01:00:22] Seventh day.
[01:00:22] Adventist doctrine.
[01:00:24] I wrote back to him.
[01:00:25] I said.
[01:00:26] My brother.
[01:00:27] When you and I were boys.
[01:00:29] We never heard a pastor.
[01:00:30] Stand in the pulpit.
[01:00:32] And tell us that the Bible.
[01:00:33] Was part fallible.
[01:00:34] I said.
[01:00:35] I could find any infidel.
[01:00:36] That will tell me.
[01:00:37] That the Bible has got some truth.
[01:00:39] And some error in it.
[01:00:40] I don't have to ask a seventh day Adventist.
[01:00:43] For that sort of a decision on the scripture.
[01:00:47] Even the worst infidel will tell you.
[01:00:49] That there are a few bits of truth in the Bible.
[01:00:57] A minister.
[01:01:00] The pastor of one of the biggest churches.
[01:01:02] In the nation.
[01:01:03] Where he is.
[01:01:04] If not the largest.
[01:01:05] And a part time lecturer.
[01:01:07] At one of our best known colleges.
[01:01:09] To the theology students.
[01:01:10] Is it wonder.
[01:01:11] Any wonder.
[01:01:12] That when those ministers.
[01:01:13] Come out from college.
[01:01:14] They hardly know how to win a single soul.
[01:01:17] To the truth of God.
[01:01:20] How can you?
[01:01:21] Because you never know.
[01:01:22] Whether you're teaching.
[01:01:23] Something that's fallible.
[01:01:24] Or infallible.
[01:01:26] What I might think is fallible.
[01:01:28] You might say.
[01:01:29] No that bit's infallible.
[01:01:30] And then.
[01:01:31] We might be confused.
[01:01:32] In the opposite direction.
[01:01:33] You might think one bit's fallible.
[01:01:35] And I might say.
[01:01:35] No no no.
[01:01:36] That's the bit that is infallible.
[01:01:40] In the end.
[01:01:40] We'd be just picking out the bits.
[01:01:42] We liked.
[01:01:43] And saying that's infallible.
[01:01:44] And the bits.
[01:01:45] That hit our consciences.
[01:01:47] Too hard.
[01:01:48] We'd say.
[01:01:48] Oh no.
[01:01:48] I can see the hand of man in that.
[01:01:53] Oh what a dangerous doctrine.
[01:01:56] What does the scripture say.
[01:01:58] That a minister should be doing.
[01:02:00] Holding fast the faithful word.
[01:02:02] As he has been taught.
[01:02:05] That he may be able.
[01:02:06] By sound doctrine.
[01:02:07] Both to exhort.
[01:02:08] And to convince the gainsayers.
[01:02:12] And finally.
[01:02:13] Let's look at the 14th verse.
[01:02:14] Another criterion.
[01:02:17] Not giving heed to Jewish fables.
[01:02:20] And the commandments of men.
[01:02:22] That turn from the truth.
[01:02:26] I'm very afraid today.
[01:02:29] Hasn't happened in Britain.
[01:02:30] But it's happening in America.
[01:02:31] And Australia.
[01:02:32] And I.
[01:02:33] I hope it won't happen here.
[01:02:35] But I fear it will.
[01:02:37] We're going charismatic.
[01:02:41] We don't call them charismatic Adventist churches.
[01:02:45] We call them celebration churches.
[01:02:46] That's what they're called today.
[01:02:48] We have one in Sydney.
[01:02:50] I know there's one in the.
[01:02:52] In Southern California.
[01:02:53] And one in Oregon.
[01:02:55] Maybe there are others.
[01:02:56] In Australia.
[01:02:57] We keep taking people over to America.
[01:02:59] On the so-called.
[01:03:01] Church growth.
[01:03:03] To us.
[01:03:04] I want to tell you.
[01:03:06] I'm fed up with church growth.
[01:03:09] It's of the devil.
[01:03:11] The church growth movement.
[01:03:12] I mean.
[01:03:13] I don't mean the growth of God's church.
[01:03:16] Let me hasten to add that.
[01:03:18] The church growth movement.
[01:03:20] Is of the devil.
[01:03:21] Hell.
[01:03:22] It's full of psychological gobbledygot.
[01:03:25] That's all it is.
[01:03:28] I spoke to one minister.
[01:03:30] And he said.
[01:03:30] I've read 42 books on church growth.
[01:03:33] I said.
[01:03:34] Shame on you.
[01:03:38] What a waste of time.
[01:03:39] My brothers.
[01:03:40] My sisters.
[01:03:41] And we've got to give an account.
[01:03:42] As one of our talents.
[01:03:43] As time.
[01:03:44] I said to him.
[01:03:46] I want to tell you.
[01:03:48] That it is all right.
[01:03:49] To read about church growth.
[01:03:50] And I said.
[01:03:51] I've got three books to suggest to you.
[01:03:54] On church growth.
[01:03:56] Or he said.
[01:03:57] What are they?
[01:03:58] And I found that he hadn't read one of them.
[01:04:01] I said.
[01:04:02] The first one.
[01:04:03] Is called.
[01:04:03] Testimonies to Ministers.
[01:04:05] The second one.
[01:04:07] Is called.
[01:04:07] Gospel Workers.
[01:04:08] And the third one.
[01:04:09] Evangelism.
[01:04:10] I said.
[01:04:11] If you can't find all the principles of church growth.
[01:04:14] In those three textbooks.
[01:04:16] Then.
[01:04:17] I feel sorry for you.
[01:04:20] But you see.
[01:04:21] What is happening.
[01:04:22] Is.
[01:04:22] That they're leading these ministers.
[01:04:24] Over to America.
[01:04:25] And they go.
[01:04:26] Mainly.
[01:04:27] To charismatic churches.
[01:04:29] To that silly.
[01:04:30] Crystal cathedral.
[01:04:31] A so-called.
[01:04:32] It's a glass church.
[01:04:33] I think.
[01:04:35] Where thousands of people.
[01:04:37] In San Diego.
[01:04:39] And now they're starting to include.
[01:04:41] The two celebration churches.
[01:04:43] In the United States.
[01:04:46] Yes.
[01:04:46] People are dashing to them.
[01:04:48] All the liberals.
[01:04:49] In the.
[01:04:50] Los Angeles area.
[01:04:52] Of course.
[01:04:53] Find it worthwhile.
[01:04:54] To go to such a church.
[01:04:55] Where they can raise their hands.
[01:04:57] And you know.
[01:04:58] Hallelujah.
[01:04:58] You're on.
[01:04:58] And carry on.
[01:05:02] And so.
[01:05:03] There are going to be more.
[01:05:06] And the form of church.
[01:05:08] Is just changing.
[01:05:09] My wife and I.
[01:05:10] Attended a church.
[01:05:11] In Melbourne.
[01:05:13] In August.
[01:05:17] And the incredible fact.
[01:05:18] Was.
[01:05:18] That we were in the church service.
[01:05:20] For 20 minutes.
[01:05:21] Before we realized.
[01:05:22] We were.
[01:05:23] Now.
[01:05:24] I thought I understood.
[01:05:25] Adventist church services.
[01:05:27] Reasonably well.
[01:05:28] I thought I did.
[01:05:34] But I've never seen anything like it.
[01:05:37] What.
[01:05:38] The start of the church service.
[01:05:40] Which I now know.
[01:05:41] Was the start.
[01:05:41] But of course.
[01:05:42] I didn't realize at the time.
[01:05:44] It was cool.
[01:05:45] Being winter time.
[01:05:46] End of winter.
[01:05:48] But.
[01:05:49] The man that walked onto the platform.
[01:05:51] Wasn't dressed for God's.
[01:05:54] Church.
[01:05:56] Didn't have a coat on.
[01:05:57] He had a.
[01:05:58] Old cardigan.
[01:05:59] With a zip.
[01:06:00] Which was open.
[01:06:01] And so he looked rather untidy.
[01:06:03] He sorted up.
[01:06:04] To the thing.
[01:06:05] To the rostrum.
[01:06:07] By himself.
[01:06:10] It was a little higher.
[01:06:11] I admit.
[01:06:12] And so he just lulled.
[01:06:14] On the side of that.
[01:06:15] Like this.
[01:06:16] Although it was up like this.
[01:06:18] Admittedly.
[01:06:19] And he said.
[01:06:20] Let's sing a few choruses.
[01:06:21] I thought.
[01:06:21] Oh this is some young buck.
[01:06:23] Out of the congregation.
[01:06:24] They must.
[01:06:25] They must have a.
[01:06:27] A song service here.
[01:06:28] Between church.
[01:06:29] And Sabbath school.
[01:06:30] Over Sabbath school and church.
[01:06:32] Well I wasn't going to get out of phase with that.
[01:06:35] So.
[01:06:35] They had an overhead.
[01:06:37] Where he put the.
[01:06:39] The choruses on.
[01:06:40] So.
[01:06:41] Away we sang for 10 minutes.
[01:06:42] And then he said.
[01:06:43] Brother so and so.
[01:06:44] Has one announcement.
[01:06:45] He'd like to make some.
[01:06:46] That brother came up.
[01:06:48] Then he said.
[01:06:50] Another.
[01:06:51] Some more choruses.
[01:06:52] I thought.
[01:06:52] Man.
[01:06:53] This is a pretty long.
[01:06:54] Song service.
[01:06:55] That they have in this church.
[01:06:58] And.
[01:07:01] So about 20 minutes.
[01:07:03] Has gone.
[01:07:03] He said.
[01:07:03] Now's the time for the.
[01:07:05] Pastoral prayer.
[01:07:05] This was the church pastor.
[01:07:07] And this was his service.
[01:07:10] And so we had.
[01:07:12] Very unusual.
[01:07:13] Church prayer.
[01:07:14] I've got to say that.
[01:07:15] But.
[01:07:15] But.
[01:07:16] Nothing like any.
[01:07:17] Anything I'd ever heard before.
[01:07:18] Was three prayers.
[01:07:19] With.
[01:07:20] With.
[01:07:21] Responsive prayers.
[01:07:22] In between.
[01:07:23] I'm not.
[01:07:24] It was different.
[01:07:25] I'm not going to say one thing.
[01:07:27] Or the other on that.
[01:07:29] Then he said.
[01:07:30] I thought.
[01:07:31] Well sure.
[01:07:32] And they took up the offering.
[01:07:33] And I thought.
[01:07:34] Well for sure.
[01:07:35] We'll start getting the sermon.
[01:07:36] He said.
[01:07:36] Let's sing a few more choruses.
[01:07:39] So we have another 10 minutes of choruses.
[01:07:41] Choruses.
[01:07:41] And then he said.
[01:07:45] Now the children come up the front.
[01:07:47] And I'll tell you a story.
[01:07:49] So.
[01:07:49] The children came up.
[01:07:50] And we got some story.
[01:07:52] Then he said.
[01:07:53] Let's have some more choruses.
[01:07:55] I tell you.
[01:07:56] By this stage.
[01:07:57] The choruses were wearing very thin.
[01:07:59] Why do they say that?
[01:08:01] And when we got very close to midday.
[01:08:04] He said.
[01:08:05] Now let's open the word of God.
[01:08:07] I suppose somewhere between five or seven minutes.
[01:08:10] We got a little homily.
[01:08:11] But I can't even remember what it was about.
[01:08:15] And then he asked some woman to come up and play a violin solo.
[01:08:20] And that was the end of the service.
[01:08:25] Well.
[01:08:27] If everybody had felt the same way about.
[01:08:30] The emptiness of the whole procedure as I did.
[01:08:35] Maybe something could have been done about it.
[01:08:37] But the interesting fact was.
[01:08:39] We'd attended that church the week before.
[01:08:41] Because my parents years ago used to go there.
[01:08:45] And it was only one third full.
[01:08:48] That church.
[01:08:49] It was a sort of regular service.
[01:08:50] They didn't have this type of program that day.
[01:08:55] And I was so sad to see how the church had gone down in numbers.
[01:09:02] And so I happened to be amazed this particular day when the church was packed.
[01:09:07] Quite a difference between a third full and a packed church.
[01:09:11] And that wasn't a little.
[01:09:12] Particularly little church.
[01:09:15] And then I found out that this young minister was a sort of pied piper.
[01:09:20] Wherever he went.
[01:09:22] People from all over.
[01:09:23] Young people from all over Melbourne followed.
[01:09:25] Because he was such an inspiring preacher.
[01:09:31] And they enjoyed the messages that he got.
[01:09:34] And I thought.
[01:09:35] Is this the fair?
[01:09:36] And so next week he'd be somewhere else.
[01:09:38] And the church was back to a third full again.
[01:09:40] Of course there.
[01:09:41] And so another church would be filled up.
[01:09:43] With people coming from Ngunna Wadding Church.
[01:09:45] And Dandenong Church.
[01:09:46] And Preston Church.
[01:09:48] And Pran Church.
[01:09:49] And all the many.
[01:09:50] There are many churches in Melbourne.
[01:09:52] All coming following this pride.
[01:09:54] Pride piper you see.
[01:09:55] Because he was so good.
[01:09:57] That's the tragedy.
[01:09:59] That is the fair that is satisfying.
[01:10:02] Many of our young people today.
[01:10:04] And the thing that a poor man.
[01:10:06] An old member of the church.
[01:10:08] Who I've known for many years.
[01:10:10] As he's coming out.
[01:10:11] He said.
[01:10:11] Wasn't that marvellous Dr. Stenich?
[01:10:15] Wasn't it marvellous?
[01:10:18] Well I was pleased that somebody got a blessing out of it.
[01:10:21] And I didn't want to take away his blessing.
[01:10:23] So I said.
[01:10:24] Oh I'm glad you appreciated the message brother.
[01:10:28] And said no more.
[01:10:30] Maybe I was a dumb dog that didn't bark on that occasion.
[01:10:35] My brothers, my sisters.
[01:10:37] We are living in desperate times.
[01:10:41] And as there is a paucity.
[01:10:44] Of doctrine and faith.
[01:10:46] And fidelity.
[01:10:48] And standards.
[01:10:49] And the spirit of God in our church.
[01:10:51] We're going for these empty shells.
[01:10:56] And so people.
[01:10:57] Will be going more and more.
[01:10:59] For the so-called celebration churches.
[01:11:01] And I will be surprised.
[01:11:03] But very happy.
[01:11:05] If they don't start in this fair land.
[01:11:10] For they are catching on.
[01:11:11] At a rapid rate.
[01:11:13] It's becoming the in thing.
[01:11:16] In Australia.
[01:11:18] And in the United States.
[01:11:21] And as they get an apparent success.
[01:11:23] And the devil will see that for a little while.
[01:11:26] As they get an apparent success.
[01:11:30] Ministers who cannot.
[01:11:32] Give any decent reports to the conference.
[01:11:34] Because they have no message.
[01:11:36] To say this is the way to go.
[01:11:38] This is the way to church growth.
[01:11:40] Growth.
[01:11:43] And you'll find all sorts of.
[01:11:46] High larking and carrying on.
[01:11:48] And it won't be long.
[01:11:50] Before even the use of tongues.
[01:11:53] I believe will come into our church.
[01:11:55] Church.
[01:11:56] I'm not suggesting that it has already.
[01:11:58] It may have somewhere.
[01:12:00] But I don't think it will be very long.
[01:12:02] The devil.
[01:12:03] Once he starts you down a certain track.
[01:12:05] He has a great knack of taking you all the way down.
[01:12:09] And I just feel that we need to be praying.
[01:12:13] You don't know how often I pray for the people.
[01:12:16] At Gaisley.
[01:12:18] And what that represents.
[01:12:19] I don't really use the word Gaisley.
[01:12:22] I always say.
[01:12:23] For God's people in Britain.
[01:12:25] That's what I say.
[01:12:27] And I pray.
[01:12:28] I don't know what it is.
[01:12:30] But there's something about Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Britain.
[01:12:36] That's happening very in common ways.
[01:12:40] And I always put those four together.
[01:12:43] I don't believe they're the only countries that need to be prayed for.
[01:12:47] But somehow they're very heavy on my heart.
[01:12:50] I'm just devastated.
[01:12:52] When I think of what a wonderful church we had in Australia.
[01:12:57] We had the privilege of Sister White for nine years living there.
[01:13:01] And you had the privilege of her living here at a much shorter period.
[01:13:04] But she lived down at Southampton.
[01:13:10] She chose the church site for Southampton.
[01:13:15] And I think up in, where was it, Grimsby Way?
[01:13:18] She was up there too.
[01:13:22] And she left an indelible impression.
[01:13:25] But it's all been destroyed.
[01:13:28] And now, as I told some of you, the disgraceful things that have happened to godly ministers like Pastor Austin Cook,
[01:13:38] who has been a blessing to many of you people here.
[01:13:42] And I just want us to remember to pray.
[01:13:46] To pray very earnestly for God's church.
[01:13:51] Not just here in Britain, although it needs it.
[01:13:54] You know, when I see that a despicable religion like the Mormons can muster 148,000 members,
[01:14:02] and we are still sticking around the 15,000.
[01:14:06] Still excusing ourselves that it's hard to get conservative Englishmen to join the Church of God.
[01:14:13] Not stuck in a state church, an Anglican Church.
[01:14:17] That's the excuse that I hear over and over again.
[01:14:20] It doesn't seem to stick people in from Mormonism, which is such a pitiful religion.
[01:14:27] 80 or 90,000 Jehovah's Witnesses.
[01:14:31] I was talking to someone.
[01:14:33] In Aberdeen alone, the Mormons have 500 members.
[01:14:38] We don't have 300 members in the whole of Scotland.
[01:14:45] I don't know what it is about Scotland.
[01:14:47] Because the Scottish people that went to Australia, America, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa,
[01:14:52] and those places make wonderful Seventh-day Adventists.
[01:14:57] But somehow the ones that stayed behind in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Perth, and Dundee
[01:15:05] don't seem to have an interest in our faith.
[01:15:07] Or is it that we haven't stood up and preached the three angels' messages?
[01:15:13] That is the only message that's going to convict Scottish people.
[01:15:17] Or English people.
[01:15:19] Or Welsh or Irish or any person around this world.
[01:15:23] And I pray that God will bless us to stand up.
[01:15:27] Stand up and be counted.
[01:15:30] Be true to God.
[01:15:32] Be true to this faith.
[01:15:34] Be true to His church.
[01:15:37] Oh, I believe that.
[01:15:39] With all my heart.
[01:15:40] I wouldn't be a church worker.
[01:15:42] A denominational worker.
[01:15:43] I'm just so proud to be in God's work.
[01:15:47] And I want to say that you can't help but notice the difference,
[01:15:52] although it's far from perfect,
[01:15:55] of the attitude of the missionaries with which we work in the Far East.
[01:16:01] I am just so proud, and I just mentioned this to you,
[01:16:06] of the, to be associated.
[01:16:08] In that union office there is wonderful friendship.
[01:16:12] Wonderful friendship.
[01:16:14] And we're a mixture.
[01:16:17] I'm the only Australian, but there are four Americans.
[01:16:21] In the, uh, and then there are Chinese.
[01:16:27] Very highly educated.
[01:16:30] And very humble people.
[01:16:33] And then there's a Kadazan.
[01:16:37] I guess you don't know what a Kadazan is.
[01:16:40] Only wish you could meet Kadazan people.
[01:16:43] I'm very impressed with them.
[01:16:46] Extremely impressed.
[01:16:47] They are brilliant people.
[01:16:51] Um, Kadazans are inhabitants of what used to be British North Borneo.
[01:16:57] Sabah, it's called today.
[01:16:59] It's part of Malaysia now.
[01:17:00] On the north of Borneo.
[01:17:03] And they are tremendous people.
[01:17:05] I've had a little girl, when I was on my own,
[01:17:08] come in and do some washing for me.
[01:17:09] She's a girl from a college.
[01:17:12] And she was a little Kadazan girl about this high.
[01:17:16] Uh, four foot eleven, I'd say.
[01:17:18] But she was so bright.
[01:17:20] You know, you just tell her once and, and...
[01:17:24] What I like about the Kadazans is nothing,
[01:17:26] no feeling of inferiority,
[01:17:29] and no feeling of superiority.
[01:17:31] Just very wonderful.
[01:17:33] Um, people.
[01:17:35] And, uh,
[01:17:37] she was helping me put up a picture of snow.
[01:17:40] Never thought she'd ever seen it, you see.
[01:17:43] And I said, have you ever seen snow?
[01:17:45] And she said, yes.
[01:17:46] I was a bit amazed.
[01:17:47] Because in summer,
[01:17:48] just tropical,
[01:17:49] you don't see any snow.
[01:17:50] Even though it's got the highest mountain in Southeast Asia,
[01:17:53] at 13,000 feet,
[01:17:54] it never gets snow.
[01:17:57] And, uh,
[01:17:58] I said, where did you see snow?
[01:18:00] She said, in Torquay.
[01:18:02] I said, you've been to England.
[01:18:04] Rather amazed me.
[01:18:05] She said, yes.
[01:18:06] I said, what were you doing in England?
[01:18:08] She said, when I was a girl,
[01:18:09] my father was over there.
[01:18:12] So I realised that her father must have been more than an ordinary person.
[01:18:16] I said, what was he?
[01:18:17] And she said, he's studying administration.
[01:18:20] He's a district officer at the time.
[01:18:23] I said, what does he do now?
[01:18:25] She said, oh, he's a member of the state parliament.
[01:18:27] He's a Seventh-day Adventist.
[01:18:29] And, uh,
[01:18:30] then I asked her,
[01:18:31] I said, well, how did you get on in your O-levels?
[01:18:35] She said, I got a class one.
[01:18:38] I said, how did you get on in your A-levels?
[01:18:42] I didn't think she'd done the A-levels.
[01:18:44] And she said, I've got five principles.
[01:18:47] I tell you,
[01:18:48] to get five principles in Malaysia,
[01:18:50] it's the most difficult thing in the world.
[01:18:53] I suppose it's difficult here, too.
[01:18:56] Because they maintain the old British standard.
[01:18:59] And she had five principles.
[01:19:01] They're great little people.
[01:19:04] Not all of them are little, either.
[01:19:06] You would be surprised.
[01:19:08] The president of our sub-emission,
[01:19:10] Pastor Charles Garvin,
[01:19:11] he has a PhD from America.
[01:19:14] The secretary has a PhD.
[01:19:16] There are not too many conferences here.
[01:19:18] You'd be surprised at the education level.
[01:19:21] Not that that is anything as a guide.
[01:19:23] But our people do not understand the mission field.
[01:19:27] But they are mad on education in the Far East.
[01:19:31] I want to tell you that.
[01:19:33] And you see, our education director, Dr. David Wong,
[01:19:37] he's a PhD from America in education.
[01:19:44] And within our union,
[01:19:47] there are just loads of people with PhDs and master's degrees
[01:19:52] because they're just very highly educated.
[01:19:56] Same in our hospital in Penang.
[01:19:58] Our Malaysian doctors are easily the best doctors there.
[01:20:01] Fantastic, highly qualified people.
[01:20:05] And you would be very thrilled with that side of it.
[01:20:10] But I don't see the letting down of doctrines and standards,
[01:20:16] although there is some coming.
[01:20:18] I want to say that.
[01:20:19] The signs are there.
[01:20:21] The devil knows when he's on a winner.
[01:20:23] He knows it.
[01:20:25] But it hasn't reached the level of what I see in the United Kingdom,
[01:20:28] Australia, New Zealand,
[01:20:30] and the United States.
[01:20:32] It hasn't reached that level yet.
[01:20:34] And the wonderful thing is to see the work.
[01:20:37] And I just want to tell you one experience.
[01:20:40] We have on the staff of the hospital in Singapore.
[01:20:44] On the staff of our hospital in Singapore,
[01:20:48] we have a wonderful doctor, Dr. Clarence Ng.
[01:20:51] He's Chinese, American-born Chinese.
[01:20:54] His wife was born in Singapore.
[01:20:56] She is even more dynamic in many ways than he is.
[01:21:01] And he runs health programs in association with the hospital.
[01:21:04] But all they're interested in is winning souls.
[01:21:08] And they live opposite me on the compound.
[01:21:11] And so every time I'm back on Sabbath afternoons and Monday nights,
[01:21:16] I go over to their Bible study groups
[01:21:18] and they get me to take some Bible studies for them.
[01:21:21] But I am just so impressed with the caliber of the people
[01:21:25] that they are bringing into the Adventist church
[01:21:28] and their dynamism.
[01:21:30] And they are teaching the very messages
[01:21:33] that you and I are loving here in Gaisley.
[01:21:35] They're not teaching modified Adventism.
[01:21:38] And I can still see May In.
[01:21:43] That's the wife.
[01:21:44] She was going away for six weeks.
[01:21:46] And the last time I was there,
[01:21:47] she brought in these people and she said,
[01:21:50] you know, I thought to myself,
[01:21:52] I'm going away for six weeks
[01:21:53] and I hadn't told you about the Sabbath.
[01:21:56] And wouldn't it have been a terrible thing
[01:21:58] if I'd gone away and not told you
[01:22:00] about how important the Sabbath is?
[01:22:02] And, you know, these people are saying,
[01:22:05] yes, oh, you know,
[01:22:07] and they're just amazed when they hear the truth.
[01:22:10] Christianity seems to be rising in Singapore.
[01:22:13] I'm surprised to see that now
[01:22:15] about 20% of Singaporeans are Christian.
[01:22:18] Well, that's very high by what it was 20 years ago.
[01:22:22] It wouldn't have been 5%.
[01:22:23] So there's a real increase,
[01:22:25] but it's largely charismatic.
[01:22:28] Largely charismatic, their growth.
[01:22:31] And so, and what they do is
[01:22:34] they have the people that they've baptised
[01:22:36] and ones who have been studying for a while
[01:22:38] and the new ones all together
[01:22:40] and the ones who've been baptised,
[01:22:41] they're encouraging the new.
[01:22:43] Look, we were like you just, you know,
[01:22:45] three or four years ago.
[01:22:46] This is a marvellous mess.
[01:22:47] Keep coming to these Bibles.
[01:22:49] You know, it's a wonderful mix
[01:22:53] to win people.
[01:22:54] I see these Yips,
[01:22:57] brother and sister Yip.
[01:22:58] He's a, oh, they're a very impressive,
[01:23:02] superior sort of couple.
[01:23:03] I mean, he has his company car,
[01:23:05] which is a beautiful Mercedes.
[01:23:07] Don't think they're backward sort of people in any way.
[01:23:10] And he is now the business manager
[01:23:14] of the biggest software firm in Singapore.
[01:23:17] And I want to tell you,
[01:23:18] he'd be getting a very, very high salary
[01:23:21] in that sort of position.
[01:23:22] He had been the financial officer for the MRT.
[01:23:25] That's a mass rapid transport system.
[01:23:28] That's their underground railway in Singapore,
[01:23:30] which is a superb,
[01:23:32] the best I've seen anywhere,
[01:23:33] superb mass rapid transport.
[01:23:36] And this man was rare to rank Buddhist.
[01:23:40] Had no interest in Christianity.
[01:23:42] None.
[01:23:43] At all.
[01:23:45] In fact,
[01:23:46] he was into ancestor worship,
[01:23:48] all these sorts of things.
[01:23:50] That's what his parents taught him.
[01:23:52] And his wife had gone to a Christian school.
[01:23:55] She's a Singaporean.
[01:23:56] He's a Malaysian.
[01:23:57] And she had gone to a Christian school.
[01:24:00] And she got a bit of an idea of Christianity.
[01:24:02] I think it was an Anglican school.
[01:24:05] And so she said to him,
[01:24:06] I wish we could go and learn a bit about Christianity.
[01:24:09] No, no, no.
[01:24:10] Not interested in Christianity.
[01:24:11] But after the Holy Spirit must have been working on him,
[01:24:14] and after about 10 years,
[01:24:17] he decided that he would go along
[01:24:19] to some Bible studies with her.
[01:24:21] Well, they decided to do it fully
[01:24:24] because they went to three.
[01:24:26] One was a Catholic.
[01:24:27] One was a Pentecostal.
[01:24:29] One was a Presbyterian.
[01:24:31] Three different nights of the week.
[01:24:34] And they had wonderful social time with those people,
[01:24:37] but they weren't very satisfied.
[01:24:40] She got a bit interested in health
[01:24:42] and somehow went up to our hospital in Singapore.
[01:24:46] Maying met her.
[01:24:48] And the first thing Maying will nearly say to anybody,
[01:24:51] she'll say,
[01:24:51] you should come to our Bible study group.
[01:24:53] I only wish I had the sort of boldness that may.
[01:24:56] And yet she's a very feminine, lovely woman, you know.
[01:25:01] And so she said,
[01:25:04] another one?
[01:25:05] We're going to three Bible study groups.
[01:25:08] And she said,
[01:25:09] oh, well, come to ours too.
[01:25:11] When is it on?
[01:25:12] Monday night.
[01:25:12] Well, it just so happened
[01:25:13] that wasn't one of the nights
[01:25:14] where the other three were on.
[01:25:16] So she thought,
[01:25:17] oh, no, my husband will never go to another one.
[01:25:19] But she mentioned it to him.
[01:25:21] He said,
[01:25:21] oh, well, he said,
[01:25:22] we're going to three already.
[01:25:23] We'll go to another one.
[01:25:24] What have we got to lose?
[01:25:26] So they went.
[01:25:29] And May, in her simple way,
[01:25:32] she just started off
[01:25:33] with the wages of sin is death.
[01:25:38] The gift of God is eternal life.
[01:25:40] Sin is the transgression of the law.
[01:25:43] Not that sin is a broken relationship, you know.
[01:25:47] No, no.
[01:25:48] Sin is the transgression of the law.
[01:25:51] And the simple plan of salvation.
[01:25:55] You know,
[01:25:56] Brother Yip said to me,
[01:25:58] when we went home,
[01:25:59] we just,
[01:26:00] tears rolled down our eyes.
[01:26:03] For the first time,
[01:26:05] we'd heard the Bible
[01:26:06] in its simplicity and its clarity.
[01:26:10] And we knew we'd heard something different.
[01:26:13] And they are two very exciting
[01:26:16] baptized members.
[01:26:18] They had a Filipino girl
[01:26:20] working in their home.
[01:26:21] She's now baptized.
[01:26:22] His father is now baptized.
[01:26:24] Very hard to win these old,
[01:26:26] old Chinese Buddhists,
[01:26:28] I want to tell you.
[01:26:29] And the mother is preparing for baptism.
[01:26:32] You know,
[01:26:34] when you see things like that,
[01:26:36] it just thrills you.
[01:26:38] I want you to pray.
[01:26:39] I pray at least twice a day
[01:26:41] for that group of people
[01:26:42] that are studying.
[01:26:44] And, you know,
[01:26:45] I took a study for them
[01:26:46] on the various translations.
[01:26:47] I think you people know
[01:26:49] a little bit about that.
[01:26:50] They hadn't known much about it.
[01:26:53] I'll never forget the response.
[01:26:55] This was only about four weeks ago.
[01:26:57] The response.
[01:26:59] They said,
[01:27:00] this is thrilling to hear this.
[01:27:03] They just,
[01:27:04] and they're so perceptive.
[01:27:07] You know,
[01:27:08] there are no flies on Chinese people.
[01:27:10] And they're so perceptive.
[01:27:12] They just pick these things up
[01:27:13] so quickly.
[01:27:14] And it's now part of their life.
[01:27:17] Part of their life.
[01:27:18] And I want you to continue to pray
[01:27:21] for the work.
[01:27:22] There's so many exciting things happening.
[01:27:25] I told the people last night about my,
[01:27:26] I'm not going to tell you
[01:27:27] about my trips to Vietnam.
[01:27:31] Pray for God's work there.
[01:27:32] Our people are standing strong and true.
[01:27:35] I've just come away from Saigon and Hanoi.
[01:27:39] And it's thrilling to go there
[01:27:41] and see what God is doing
[01:27:42] under the most trying circumstances.
[01:27:45] And I just thank God
[01:27:47] that he's given me the opportunity
[01:27:49] to be in a situation
[01:27:51] where I can be at the cutting edge
[01:27:53] of God's work.
[01:27:54] Because in our union,
[01:27:55] we've got Cambodia,
[01:27:57] we've got Laos,
[01:27:58] we've got Vietnam,
[01:27:59] we've got Brunei,
[01:28:01] as well as Thailand,
[01:28:02] Malaysia and Singapore.
[01:28:03] The most exciting union,
[01:28:05] I would think,
[01:28:06] in the whole world.
[01:28:07] And I'm lucky enough to be there
[01:28:09] working in all these countries,
[01:28:13] going from place to place,
[01:28:15] uplifting the great message
[01:28:17] that you and I love.
[01:28:19] And preaching the great messages
[01:28:21] of the truth of God.
[01:28:23] There's no holding back on truth,
[01:28:24] I want to tell you,
[01:28:25] when we go around in these places.
[01:28:28] May God bless you all.
[01:28:29] And may each one of you stand true
[01:28:32] to God and his word,
[01:28:34] to his church,
[01:28:36] and in loyalty and fidelity,
[01:28:39] prepare for the great day
[01:28:41] that I believe is coming
[01:28:43] very, very soon.
[01:28:45] Let us just rise
[01:28:46] and we'll ask God
[01:28:47] to bless each one of us.
[01:28:56] Our Father in heaven,
[01:28:57] how much we thank you
[01:28:59] for your love,
[01:29:00] your goodness and your care.
[01:29:03] Oh, give us fidelity.
[01:29:06] Fill us with thy spirit.
[01:29:08] Give us holy boldness
[01:29:10] to stand for truth.
[01:29:13] Help us to love thee,
[01:29:17] thy church,
[01:29:18] the members of thy church,
[01:29:21] the ministry,
[01:29:22] in such a way
[01:29:23] that our influence
[01:29:25] for truth
[01:29:28] will be paramount
[01:29:29] in God's church.
[01:29:30] We want to see
[01:29:31] thy work finished
[01:29:32] in the United Kingdom.
[01:29:35] and we pray
[01:29:36] that those who are standing
[01:29:39] for thy truth
[01:29:40] will be a catalyst
[01:29:43] for that result.
[01:29:45] This we pray
[01:29:46] in Jesus' name.
[01:29:47] Amen.
[01:29:48] Amen.
[01:29:49] Amen.
[01:29:49] Amen.