1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:01,600 Allen Morehouse: Thank you, Sarim. 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:06,160 Allen Morehouse: And Gina, wherever she is, thank you so much. 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:08,640 Allen Morehouse: I remember hearing her play all the time. 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,360 Allen Morehouse: And so we miss her coming up front and playing. 5 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:12,400 Allen Morehouse: So thank you, Gina. 6 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:13,600 Allen Morehouse: That was beautiful. 7 00:00:14,620 --> 00:00:19,180 Allen Morehouse: Anyway, I get the privilege to introduce Elder V uh Van Bledsoe. 8 00:00:19,420 --> 00:00:21,740 Allen Morehouse: And um for one thing 9 00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:29,360 Allen Morehouse: He's a friend that I got I met through Ed Keys many, many years ago, even before we moved here, uh we met him. 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,360 Allen Morehouse: And um him and Carolina we've we've enjoyed their friendship. 11 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,400 Allen Morehouse: Um but here's a little bio from uh 12 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:38,080 Allen Morehouse: the conference offers. 13 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:46,880 Allen Morehouse: Van Bledso is the ministerial director, evangelism, coordinator, and ASI representative for the Arizona Conference. 14 00:00:47,060 --> 00:00:52,340 Allen Morehouse: Uh Pastor Bledsoe was a student at Thunderbird Adventist Academy for all four years. 15 00:00:52,660 --> 00:00:57,220 Allen Morehouse: He also graduated from Southern Adventist University where he did his ministerial 16 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:11,680 Allen Morehouse: studies and after Southern he attended Andrews University seminar and received a Master of Counseling degree from the University um later received a Master of Counseling degree from the University of Phoenix. 17 00:01:12,020 --> 00:01:22,659 Allen Morehouse: Pastor Bledsoe started his ministry in the Gulf States Conference, where he pastored three district church district in Mississippi for four years. 18 00:01:22,860 --> 00:01:28,539 Allen Morehouse: He moved to Arizona in 1989 and was associate pastor at Glendale Church for eight years. 19 00:01:28,700 --> 00:01:34,460 Allen Morehouse: He then pastored Tempe Church for nine years, and then pastored the Apache Junction Church. 20 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:36,080 Allen Morehouse: for sixteen years. 21 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,840 Allen Morehouse: He became the ministerial director in July of 2022. 22 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,360 Allen Morehouse: Van has been married to Carolina since 1998. 23 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,080 Allen Morehouse: His marriage to Carolina required 24 00:01:46,620 --> 00:01:56,300 Allen Morehouse: Um several trips to Peru to meet her and her son Marino before marrying her and bringing her and Merino to Arizona in September 1998. 25 00:01:56,620 --> 00:01:58,300 Allen Morehouse: He enjoys playing golf. 26 00:01:58,460 --> 00:02:05,740 Allen Morehouse: When he gets a chance, he also enjoys supporting the local Arizona teams like the Suns, the Diamondback, and of course the Cardinals. 27 00:02:06,300 --> 00:02:08,540 Allen Morehouse: But he's a lifelong fan. 28 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:10,560 Allen Morehouse: of the Dallas Cowboys. 29 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,560 Allen Morehouse: Although I want to remind him that Cardinals only had three victories. 30 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,160 Allen Morehouse: And one of them was against Dallas. 31 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:30,280 Allen Morehouse: His deepest desire is to be like the Apostle Paul and not knowing but Christ and him crucified and lift up Jesus and everything that he does. 32 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:34,680 Allen Morehouse: We appreciate Elder Bledsoe and of course Carolina being here. 33 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:40,440 Allen Morehouse: Elder Bledsoe was involved very much in our search for a pastor. 34 00:02:40,660 --> 00:02:46,420 Allen Morehouse: And I was in talks with him all the time, and thank you in bringing us Pastor Dale. 35 00:02:46,660 --> 00:02:50,740 Allen Morehouse: And we miss Pastor Dale and Cheryl today as they are gone. 36 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:51,700 Allen Morehouse: So thank you. 37 00:02:51,860 --> 00:02:52,580 Allen Morehouse: God bless you. 38 00:02:56,460 --> 00:02:59,260 Pastor Bledsoe: Again, I am thankful for the opportunity to be here. 39 00:02:59,420 --> 00:03:04,140 Pastor Bledsoe: I bring you greetings on behalf of our Arizona Conference Church family. 40 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,319 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, it it's kind of mixed, I'll be very honest. 41 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:15,239 Pastor Bledsoe: It's nice to get to go to a lot of different churches, but it's also nice to be able to go to the same church on a regular basis. 42 00:03:15,460 --> 00:03:21,300 Pastor Bledsoe: I'm still a member of the Apache Junction Church and I think I get there about twice a year. 43 00:03:21,540 --> 00:03:26,580 Pastor Bledsoe: But nonetheless, you know, I'm pretty close to to my old church, but nonetheless not there. 44 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:30,280 Pastor Bledsoe: But I will mention kind of in beginning, we're thankful for the conference. 45 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:31,720 Pastor Bledsoe: Um I am ministerial. 46 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,040 Pastor Bledsoe: I'm also the evangelism director. 47 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:40,840 Pastor Bledsoe: And I know some of you if you've been at camp meeting or whatever, you've seen this slide that Elder Leach puts up on a frequent basis. 48 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:42,040 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, actually you don't see it. 49 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:42,600 Pastor Bledsoe: I see it. 50 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,720 Pastor Bledsoe: I guess you don't, if we can get that up there. 51 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:47,560 Pastor Bledsoe: Um 52 00:03:49,900 --> 00:03:50,780 Pastor Bledsoe: Thank you. 53 00:03:51,020 --> 00:03:52,060 Pastor Bledsoe: Appreciate it. 54 00:03:52,380 --> 00:03:55,660 Pastor Bledsoe: Um this is just a simple concept. 55 00:03:55,820 --> 00:04:00,860 Pastor Bledsoe: If everybody was to give one percent of their income, 56 00:04:01,459 --> 00:04:04,420 Pastor Bledsoe: the difference it would make for our Arizona Conference family. 57 00:04:04,579 --> 00:04:07,620 Pastor Bledsoe: And I mentioned it specifically in the context of evangelism. 58 00:04:07,780 --> 00:04:10,500 Pastor Bledsoe: As evangelism director, we had a 59 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:17,600 Pastor Bledsoe: Almost a half million dollars less for evangelism for 2026 than what we had for 2025. 60 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:22,400 Pastor Bledsoe: If, you know, we followed this and everybody gave one percent. 61 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:24,400 Pastor Bledsoe: We would have an extra $1. 62 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:31,759 Pastor Bledsoe: 8 million for the different Arizona Advance, $821,000 for evangelism 63 00:04:32,139 --> 00:04:41,419 Pastor Bledsoe: $328,000 for elementary education, $246,000 for Thunderbird Academy, and also for Camp Yavapines 64 00:04:41,539 --> 00:04:46,259 Pastor Bledsoe: So I would encourage you to prayerfully think about that if there is something you can do in that regard. 65 00:04:46,419 --> 00:04:50,340 Pastor Bledsoe: If you can't do one percent, you know, anything you can do helps. 66 00:04:50,580 --> 00:04:55,300 Pastor Bledsoe: But we do appreciate and you know we are ultimately dependent on what 67 00:04:55,639 --> 00:04:58,520 Pastor Bledsoe: our Arizona Conference family gives us, you know. 68 00:04:58,759 --> 00:05:00,360 Pastor Bledsoe: So we appreciate that. 69 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:08,120 Pastor Bledsoe: Anyway, moving forward here, as we begin our service this morning or the spoken word, I'd invite you to just bow your heads as we pray. 70 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:16,440 Pastor Bledsoe: Our most loving, gracious Father, we are thankful for your love, for your grace, for the hope we have in and because of Jesus. 71 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,600 Pastor Bledsoe: And as we open your word, as we take time to talk about 72 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:28,479 Pastor Bledsoe: Your love, your grace, and about Jesus, that you would open our hearts, you would open our minds, you would open our understanding. 73 00:05:28,639 --> 00:05:30,639 Pastor Bledsoe: And we thank you in Jesus' name. 74 00:05:30,879 --> 00:05:31,520 Pastor Bledsoe: Amen. 75 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:38,880 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, for last Sabbath, I ask your pastor, Pastor Dale, to send out and give out a little question. 76 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:45,600 Pastor Bledsoe: Now I'm guessing if this is how many are normally here, there's a lot of you that didn't answer that question, but that's okay. 77 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:51,040 Pastor Bledsoe: I did figure, though, if we passed it out, I'd get more answers than if I asked you to raise your hand. 78 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,760 Pastor Bledsoe: So, anyway, is there anything more important to God than our salvation? 79 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,280 Pastor Bledsoe: There were twenty people that said yes. 80 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:03,000 Pastor Bledsoe: There were three that said no, and there were two, I guess, that circled both answers. 81 00:06:03,159 --> 00:06:07,639 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, some people like to, you know, be the Switzerland, you know, not take sides and 82 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:08,960 Pastor Bledsoe: And that's okay. 83 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:13,280 Pastor Bledsoe: And I suppose depending on how you want to think of it, you could go with both. 84 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,280 Pastor Bledsoe: But I guess the question would be then if 85 00:06:18,740 --> 00:06:26,100 Pastor Bledsoe: There is nothing more important to God than if there is something more important to God than our salvation, what would that be? 86 00:06:26,980 --> 00:06:30,340 Pastor Bledsoe: What would you say is more important to God than our salvation? 87 00:06:35,180 --> 00:06:35,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Any thoughts? 88 00:06:36,140 --> 00:06:37,420 Pastor Bledsoe: We'll just, you know. 89 00:06:39,660 --> 00:06:41,660 Pastor Bledsoe: I thought I heard nothing out there 90 00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:48,580 Pastor Bledsoe: Now there's 20 of you that said, yes, I don't know who you are, and I'm not here to call you out, but some of you did, you know, what was the reason? 91 00:06:48,740 --> 00:06:52,580 Pastor Bledsoe: Why would you what would you say is more important to God than our salvation? 92 00:06:57,500 --> 00:06:58,060 Pastor Bledsoe: What? 93 00:06:59,580 --> 00:07:00,700 Pastor Bledsoe: Salvation of others? 94 00:07:00,860 --> 00:07:02,780 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, that's kind of tied together. 95 00:07:03,020 --> 00:07:05,580 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, let me ask a little different question. 96 00:07:06,380 --> 00:07:13,820 Pastor Bledsoe: If there is nothing more important to God than our salvation, why won't everybody be saved? 97 00:07:14,740 --> 00:07:20,100 Pastor Bledsoe: God certainly has the power, doesn't he, to make sure everybody is saved. 98 00:07:20,500 --> 00:07:22,820 Pastor Bledsoe: Why won't everybody be saved 99 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,840 Pastor Bledsoe: Free will, choice. 100 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,880 Pastor Bledsoe: God has given us free will and choice. 101 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:35,520 Pastor Bledsoe: So I would say that very simply that gives an indication that there is something more important. 102 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,000 Pastor Bledsoe: As much as God wants you and I to be saved, 103 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:42,800 Pastor Bledsoe: The price that he was willing to pay for our salvation came with a caveat. 104 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,240 Pastor Bledsoe: He knew what it would cost before he created any of us. 105 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:47,840 Pastor Bledsoe: He had a plan. 106 00:07:48,440 --> 00:08:01,480 Pastor Bledsoe: I like the way I heard one pastor describe it as you know he formed as God formed Adam in the dust of the ground, and just before he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, the father turned to the son and said, Are you sure about this? 107 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:09,180 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, I don't know that that conver But God knew what it would cost to give us free will, and yet God said it is that important 108 00:08:09,940 --> 00:08:19,620 Pastor Bledsoe: It is important for us to remember that when we want to try to control and even get people to do good things and the right thing, God has given us choice. 109 00:08:19,860 --> 00:08:21,620 Pastor Bledsoe: Do you like having choices? 110 00:08:22,020 --> 00:08:23,300 Pastor Bledsoe: I mean, I like having them. 111 00:08:23,380 --> 00:08:26,420 Pastor Bledsoe: Now I admit I don't always get some of them I'd like to have. 112 00:08:26,660 --> 00:08:28,180 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, I remember talking with my son. 113 00:08:28,340 --> 00:08:29,860 Pastor Bledsoe: Son, you always have a choice. 114 00:08:30,020 --> 00:08:34,260 Pastor Bledsoe: You don't always have the choices you would like, but you always have a choice. 115 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:36,880 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, sometimes it's difficult. 116 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:37,920 Pastor Bledsoe: They're both good. 117 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:39,520 Pastor Bledsoe: Sometimes it's an easy choice. 118 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:40,480 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, well, that's good. 119 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:41,920 Pastor Bledsoe: No, I don't want that. 120 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:43,040 Pastor Bledsoe: Sometimes it's hard. 121 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:43,440 Pastor Bledsoe: No. 122 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:45,760 Pastor Bledsoe: Sometimes neither one of them are something we like. 123 00:08:46,540 --> 00:08:49,100 Pastor Bledsoe: Can you have love without choice? 124 00:08:49,900 --> 00:08:50,220 Pastor Bledsoe: No. 125 00:08:51,500 --> 00:08:54,140 Pastor Bledsoe: You cannot really have love without choice. 126 00:08:54,300 --> 00:09:00,700 Pastor Bledsoe: You can have manipulation, you could have kind of a robotic child that, you know, did what it was told, what it was programmed to do. 127 00:09:01,399 --> 00:09:04,759 Pastor Bledsoe: But there's no real love there if there's not choice. 128 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:09,720 Pastor Bledsoe: In essence, if I cannot reject your love, I cannot accept your love. 129 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:13,560 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, Alan mentioned, you know, I went to Peru. 130 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:17,720 Pastor Bledsoe: Kind of a risk there, a long ways to go to see a young lady. 131 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,680 Pastor Bledsoe: And she could have said, no, I'm not interested 132 00:09:22,380 --> 00:09:24,060 Pastor Bledsoe: She had a choice. 133 00:09:24,540 --> 00:09:26,300 Pastor Bledsoe: We all have a choice. 134 00:09:26,620 --> 00:09:30,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we demonstrate our love by the choices we make? 135 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:32,240 Pastor Bledsoe: I would suggest we do. 136 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,120 Pastor Bledsoe: I would suggest the Bible says that we do that. 137 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:39,120 Pastor Bledsoe: Romans chapter 5, starting with verse 5 through verse 10. 138 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:52,560 Pastor Bledsoe: Now, hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 139 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:58,560 Pastor Bledsoe: When we were still without strength, in due time God died for the ungodly. 140 00:09:59,839 --> 00:10:04,399 Pastor Bledsoe: Now the simple truth is, on planet Earth there was nobody else for God to die for but the ungodly. 141 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:05,440 Pastor Bledsoe: That's all of us. 142 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:13,760 Pastor Bledsoe: For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 143 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,880 Pastor Bledsoe: But God demonstrates his own love towards us in that what? 144 00:10:20,380 --> 00:10:25,180 Pastor Bledsoe: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 145 00:10:28,340 --> 00:10:35,380 Pastor Bledsoe: Much more, then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him 146 00:10:37,100 --> 00:10:39,180 Pastor Bledsoe: For if when we were what? 147 00:10:40,220 --> 00:10:43,420 Pastor Bledsoe: Enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son. 148 00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:49,100 Pastor Bledsoe: Much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 149 00:10:49,980 --> 00:10:53,660 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, the life I need is the life of Jesus. 150 00:10:54,140 --> 00:10:57,260 Pastor Bledsoe: It is the only life that is acceptable to God 151 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,680 Pastor Bledsoe: The beauty is that it is what Jesus has given us. 152 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:01,960 Pastor Bledsoe: It is the perfect life. 153 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,720 Pastor Bledsoe: It is the one person who lived a perfect life 154 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:12,440 Pastor Bledsoe: He who knew no sin became sin for us, that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 155 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,120 Pastor Bledsoe: Simple verse that we probably all know. 156 00:11:16,279 --> 00:11:20,680 Pastor Bledsoe: If there's probably one verse memorized by more people than anybody else, this is probably it. 157 00:11:20,839 --> 00:11:23,319 Pastor Bledsoe: Verse 16, but I did throw in another one. 158 00:11:23,639 --> 00:11:30,519 Pastor Bledsoe: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have what? 159 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:33,399 Pastor Bledsoe: Everlasting life. 160 00:11:34,340 --> 00:11:38,340 Pastor Bledsoe: Now, you know, we usually stop there, so I wanted to read one more verse. 161 00:11:38,820 --> 00:11:42,100 Pastor Bledsoe: For God did not send his son into the world to what? 162 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:44,560 Pastor Bledsoe: Condemn the world. 163 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:53,200 Pastor Bledsoe: Now, folks, I don't want to get too far off track, but we're in the business when you're in the business of condemnation, I would suggest you're not in God's business. 164 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,040 Pastor Bledsoe: There are some things that have to be spoken to and addressed. 165 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:03,279 Pastor Bledsoe: For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. 166 00:12:03,519 --> 00:12:05,680 Pastor Bledsoe: God is not interested in condemning 167 00:12:05,959 --> 00:12:07,560 Pastor Bledsoe: God is interested in saving. 168 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,800 Pastor Bledsoe: He is interested in changing, in healing, and restoring. 169 00:12:12,519 --> 00:12:14,040 Pastor Bledsoe: We are saved by his life. 170 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,200 Pastor Bledsoe: We are saved by his death. 171 00:12:19,900 --> 00:12:22,860 Pastor Bledsoe: First John chapter four, verses seven and eight. 172 00:12:23,100 --> 00:12:28,380 Pastor Bledsoe: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one who loves is born of God and knows God. 173 00:12:28,540 --> 00:12:32,540 Pastor Bledsoe: He who does not love does not know God, for God is loved. 174 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:41,639 Pastor Bledsoe: Which would mean if God is love, can you have love without choice? 175 00:12:42,279 --> 00:12:43,560 Pastor Bledsoe: We mentioned this. 176 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:48,040 Pastor Bledsoe: Could God have made a world where everyone would have been saved? 177 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,760 Pastor Bledsoe: How many of you would say yes, and how many of you would say no? 178 00:12:50,839 --> 00:12:52,200 Pastor Bledsoe: How many of you say yes? 179 00:12:53,399 --> 00:12:54,839 Pastor Bledsoe: How many of you say no? 180 00:12:57,780 --> 00:12:59,700 Pastor Bledsoe: I'm going to say no, folks. 181 00:12:59,940 --> 00:13:08,820 Pastor Bledsoe: If God is love and you cannot have love without choice, then even though, yes, theoretically God had the power to do anything, 182 00:13:09,020 --> 00:13:14,460 Pastor Bledsoe: But if his character is love, then his character will not let him do something like that, will it? 183 00:13:14,860 --> 00:13:17,580 Pastor Bledsoe: Now yes, I know like I say, you could kind of argue both. 184 00:13:17,740 --> 00:13:20,060 Pastor Bledsoe: Yes, he has the power, he is all powerful. 185 00:13:20,540 --> 00:13:25,899 Pastor Bledsoe: But he only uses that power in the concepts of love, of choice. 186 00:13:26,860 --> 00:13:30,380 Pastor Bledsoe: He is the one person who can be trusted with absolute power. 187 00:13:30,620 --> 00:13:32,380 Pastor Bledsoe: Can't trust you and me 188 00:13:32,820 --> 00:13:40,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Can't trust politicians, but you can trust God with all absolute power 189 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:49,240 Pastor Bledsoe: I want to show you a simple picture that kind of makes my point for me. 190 00:13:51,779 --> 00:13:57,940 Pastor Bledsoe: How many of you know somebody that when they proposed to their spouse they had a ring in one hand and a gun in the other hand? 191 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:04,959 Pastor Bledsoe: It just kind of doesn't fit the picture, does it? 192 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:10,959 Pastor Bledsoe: And yet let's ask, would it be effective if you proposed, are you pretty sure you're going to get yes for an answer? 193 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:17,480 Pastor Bledsoe: Will it be an answer because she's really in love with you and she wants to spend the rest of her life with you? 194 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:26,200 Pastor Bledsoe: I suppose it's possible that she really does love you, but she might start questioning your love for her if that's your method of proposal. 195 00:14:27,300 --> 00:14:31,620 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, maybe there's a red flag here that I hadn't noticed before. 196 00:14:32,259 --> 00:14:35,300 Pastor Bledsoe: Maybe there's a problem in our relationship. 197 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:41,120 Pastor Bledsoe: It is a challenge. 198 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:49,440 Pastor Bledsoe: There are many who picture God kind of like this, though, don't they? 199 00:14:49,839 --> 00:14:57,120 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, he holds out, I love you, I want to save you, but if you don't, I'm gonna torment you forever and ever and ever 200 00:14:58,460 --> 00:15:00,860 Pastor Bledsoe: If you don't love me back, well you're dead. 201 00:15:01,020 --> 00:15:02,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Well no, you're not really dead. 202 00:15:02,220 --> 00:15:03,420 Pastor Bledsoe: I'm going to torture you. 203 00:15:03,580 --> 00:15:06,380 Pastor Bledsoe: That's a picture that some have created of God. 204 00:15:06,540 --> 00:15:10,780 Pastor Bledsoe: But God does not force anyone to accept his salvation, his gift 205 00:15:10,660 --> 00:15:16,260 Pastor Bledsoe: He does tell us the wages of sin is death, but he also tells us the gift of God is eternal life. 206 00:15:16,420 --> 00:15:18,420 Pastor Bledsoe: He wants us to accept that gift. 207 00:15:18,660 --> 00:15:22,900 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, I noticed that, you know, I mentioned Alan, you still got your Christmas tree up 208 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,200 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, we talk about it. 209 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,160 Pastor Bledsoe: It's to celebrate the birth of Jesus. 210 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,840 Pastor Bledsoe: And I've made the point many times in my church. 211 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:36,880 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, it's interesting how many of you on your birthday think about buying me a gift? 212 00:15:37,700 --> 00:15:38,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Anybody here? 213 00:15:39,540 --> 00:15:45,220 Pastor Bledsoe: I do have a neighbor that started doing it after I use this illustration and actually on his birthday usually buys me a gift. 214 00:15:46,020 --> 00:15:54,660 Pastor Bledsoe: But you know the irony is that Jesus to celebrate his birthday, all he wants is us to accept the gifts he has given us. 215 00:15:55,040 --> 00:16:00,800 Pastor Bledsoe: The gift of eternal life, the gift of forgiveness, the gift of transformation, of change. 216 00:16:02,399 --> 00:16:04,959 Pastor Bledsoe: God does not force anyone to accept 217 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:05,839 Pastor Bledsoe: His salvation. 218 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,240 Pastor Bledsoe: We see the first example in heaven. 219 00:16:08,399 --> 00:16:11,839 Pastor Bledsoe: Lucifer decides he's not going to do it God's way anymore. 220 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,560 Pastor Bledsoe: He takes a third of the angels with him 221 00:16:14,980 --> 00:16:19,300 Pastor Bledsoe: He comes to planet Earth, and there in the Garden of Eden, there is that tree. 222 00:16:19,380 --> 00:16:22,660 Pastor Bledsoe: Now it didn't have to be a tree, it could have been something different. 223 00:16:23,140 --> 00:16:26,580 Pastor Bledsoe: But it was a tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 224 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:32,560 Pastor Bledsoe: Adam and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit, and everything has changed. 225 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:37,600 Pastor Bledsoe: They were free to choose whether they would believe God or whether they would believe Satan 226 00:16:37,459 --> 00:16:39,620 Pastor Bledsoe: We are free to choose who we will worship. 227 00:16:39,779 --> 00:16:42,740 Pastor Bledsoe: The last battle on earth is about worship. 228 00:16:43,060 --> 00:16:47,140 Pastor Bledsoe: It's the heart of our church, of the beginning of our church. 229 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:52,280 Pastor Bledsoe: Revelation chapter 14, starting with verse 6. 230 00:16:52,440 --> 00:17:00,520 Pastor Bledsoe: Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. 231 00:17:00,759 --> 00:17:10,520 Pastor Bledsoe: Now, my friends, I'm going to pause for a moment here before we move on and remind you, if you do not have the everlasting gospel, you do not have anything to preach. 232 00:17:10,679 --> 00:17:13,160 Pastor Bledsoe: And if I can be so blunt, just be quiet. 233 00:17:15,539 --> 00:17:17,699 Pastor Bledsoe: Folks, that's where it starts. 234 00:17:17,939 --> 00:17:20,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Everything is in the context of the everlasting gospel. 235 00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:27,620 Pastor Bledsoe: There are important things we need to understand here, but if you don't understand the gospel, you will never understand the rest of it. 236 00:17:27,980 --> 00:17:29,580 Pastor Bledsoe: You will never comprehend it. 237 00:17:29,740 --> 00:17:31,660 Pastor Bledsoe: You will never benefit from it. 238 00:17:36,060 --> 00:17:42,700 Pastor Bledsoe: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come, and what? 239 00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:49,020 Pastor Bledsoe: Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water. 240 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,880 Pastor Bledsoe: What is the alternative to worshiping God? 241 00:17:52,280 --> 00:18:02,040 Pastor Bledsoe: Another angel follows, saying, Babylon has fallen, has fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fortification. 242 00:18:03,780 --> 00:18:06,260 Pastor Bledsoe: Do you notice a word because she did what? 243 00:18:07,700 --> 00:18:09,220 Pastor Bledsoe: She made all people. 244 00:18:09,380 --> 00:18:14,180 Pastor Bledsoe: She tried to compel them, force them, manipulate them, whatever it might be. 245 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,600 Pastor Bledsoe: To follow her way, not God's way. 246 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:25,680 Pastor Bledsoe: A third angel followed him, saying with a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast in his image, 247 00:18:25,740 --> 00:18:28,380 Pastor Bledsoe: And my friends, I'm going to pause here for a moment. 248 00:18:28,540 --> 00:18:31,260 Pastor Bledsoe: There are really only two options in life. 249 00:18:31,660 --> 00:18:35,500 Pastor Bledsoe: You might want more than that, and the devil will tell you you've got a lot of them. 250 00:18:35,740 --> 00:18:38,460 Pastor Bledsoe: But either you're worshiping God or you're worshiping. 251 00:18:39,019 --> 00:18:41,899 Pastor Bledsoe: The beast and his image, you're worshiping Satan. 252 00:18:42,059 --> 00:18:46,220 Pastor Bledsoe: There are no other choices that I find biblically. 253 00:18:46,860 --> 00:18:47,899 Pastor Bledsoe: That's it. 254 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:54,800 Pastor Bledsoe: If anyone worships a beast in his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand 255 00:18:55,760 --> 00:19:02,320 Pastor Bledsoe: He himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. 256 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:08,160 Pastor Bledsoe: He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 257 00:19:08,540 --> 00:19:17,900 Pastor Bledsoe: And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast in his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. 258 00:19:18,140 --> 00:19:22,460 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, there is only one place to find rest, and that is in Jesus. 259 00:19:22,700 --> 00:19:28,300 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus invites us: Come unto me, all that are labored and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 260 00:19:28,860 --> 00:19:30,059 Pastor Bledsoe: Now the devil's a liar. 261 00:19:30,139 --> 00:19:31,740 Pastor Bledsoe: He'll promise you all sorts of things. 262 00:19:31,820 --> 00:19:34,700 Pastor Bledsoe: And for a little bit it may seem like it works. 263 00:19:35,260 --> 00:19:37,419 Pastor Bledsoe: But ultimately it does not. 264 00:19:37,980 --> 00:19:40,059 Pastor Bledsoe: Here is the patience of the saints. 265 00:19:40,220 --> 00:19:41,820 Pastor Bledsoe: Here are those who what? 266 00:19:42,419 --> 00:19:46,179 Pastor Bledsoe: Keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 267 00:19:47,700 --> 00:19:50,340 Pastor Bledsoe: Folks, may I make a simple suggestion? 268 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:58,120 Pastor Bledsoe: You cannot keep the commandments without the faith of Jesus, and you cannot have the faith of Jesus and ignore the commandments. 269 00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:00,200 Pastor Bledsoe: The two go together. 270 00:20:00,919 --> 00:20:03,480 Pastor Bledsoe: It's kind of like Satan's. 271 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:11,600 Pastor Bledsoe: It's kind of like simple illustration of breathing. 272 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,440 Pastor Bledsoe: Folks, which is more important, inhaling or exhaling? 273 00:20:18,500 --> 00:20:20,340 Pastor Bledsoe: They have separate functions. 274 00:20:20,500 --> 00:20:22,020 Pastor Bledsoe: They have separate purposes. 275 00:20:22,180 --> 00:20:25,620 Pastor Bledsoe: They do different things, but you cannot separate them 276 00:20:27,180 --> 00:20:28,300 Pastor Bledsoe: They go together. 277 00:20:28,380 --> 00:20:30,940 Pastor Bledsoe: The moment you stop either one of them, what? 278 00:20:32,380 --> 00:20:35,580 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, you don't die immediately, but if somebody doesn't intervene 279 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:37,480 Pastor Bledsoe: It's going to end. 280 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:42,040 Pastor Bledsoe: If it doesn't start up again, my friends, you cannot separate. 281 00:20:42,120 --> 00:20:45,640 Pastor Bledsoe: Yes, they are separate functions, separate purposes 282 00:20:46,940 --> 00:20:50,300 Pastor Bledsoe: The only way to keep the commandments of God is to have the faith of Jesus. 283 00:20:50,460 --> 00:20:55,580 Pastor Bledsoe: But when I have that faith, I want to keep the commandments because I'm in love with Jesus. 284 00:20:55,740 --> 00:20:56,940 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus puts it very simply. 285 00:20:57,180 --> 00:20:58,460 Pastor Bledsoe: If you love me, what? 286 00:20:59,019 --> 00:20:59,820 Pastor Bledsoe: Keep my commandment. 287 00:20:59,980 --> 00:21:02,539 Pastor Bledsoe: You can't keep the commandments if you don't love God. 288 00:21:02,860 --> 00:21:03,820 Pastor Bledsoe: It's impossible. 289 00:21:03,980 --> 00:21:08,539 Pastor Bledsoe: Now you may legalistically convince yourself Paul said he was legalistic righteousness. 290 00:21:08,620 --> 00:21:09,820 Pastor Bledsoe: I was perfect. 291 00:21:09,940 --> 00:21:19,860 Pastor Bledsoe: And then I met Jesus face to face, and all of a sudden my legalistic righteousness became garbage when I saw what righteousness really is. 292 00:21:22,500 --> 00:21:23,780 Pastor Bledsoe: You have a brochure. 293 00:21:23,940 --> 00:21:32,020 Pastor Bledsoe: Alan talked about it in the offering appeal, and I'm not going to spend a lot of time, but this is, quote, a religious liberty sermon and the principles. 294 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:34,279 Pastor Bledsoe: Of freedom of choice. 295 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:41,399 Pastor Bledsoe: The principles of the three angels' messages are part of the purpose of Liberty Magazine, why we do it. 296 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:44,200 Pastor Bledsoe: It's not just so we have another program. 297 00:21:44,919 --> 00:21:51,400 Pastor Bledsoe: It's about representing Christ and ultimately the concept of religious liberty, religious freedom. 298 00:21:51,559 --> 00:21:58,840 Pastor Bledsoe: And that means respecting all people's freedom, all people's choices, choices I agree with and choices I don't agree with. 299 00:21:59,220 --> 00:22:02,740 Pastor Bledsoe: It is recognizing that God has given all free will. 300 00:22:03,300 --> 00:22:11,140 Pastor Bledsoe: A God of love has given us freedom to make a choice who we will worship, whether we will worship God or whether we will worship the beast. 301 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:14,760 Pastor Bledsoe: To respect and honor the freedom and conscience of all people. 302 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:19,640 Pastor Bledsoe: Just out of curiosity, have you heard of Gerald Groff? 303 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:21,480 Pastor Bledsoe: Anybody heard of him? 304 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,480 Pastor Bledsoe: Figured there'd be a few that might have heard of him. 305 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:32,480 Pastor Bledsoe: You can get more information and it's our site for the Pacific Union, churchstate. 306 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:33,040 Pastor Bledsoe: org. 307 00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:34,240 Pastor Bledsoe: You can go there. 308 00:22:34,980 --> 00:22:41,220 Pastor Bledsoe: But Gerald Goff lost his job because he refused to work on Sunday. 309 00:22:41,380 --> 00:22:42,820 Pastor Bledsoe: That was his Sabbath. 310 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,760 Pastor Bledsoe: We supported him in that decision. 311 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:49,960 Pastor Bledsoe: You say, wait a minute, but we don't believe in worshiping on Sunday. 312 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:51,640 Pastor Bledsoe: We believe in keeping the Sabbath. 313 00:22:52,019 --> 00:22:53,139 Pastor Bledsoe: Yes, we do. 314 00:22:53,460 --> 00:22:54,740 Pastor Bledsoe: The seventh day. 315 00:22:54,980 --> 00:22:59,779 Pastor Bledsoe: But we also believe God has given free will, and we need to respect everybody's right. 316 00:22:59,940 --> 00:23:04,100 Pastor Bledsoe: You see, if you don't respect everybody, then you don't really respect anybody, do you? 317 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,880 Pastor Bledsoe: I can't ask for freedom if I'm not willing to give freedom. 318 00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:11,840 Pastor Bledsoe: That is the principle of God's government. 319 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,039 Pastor Bledsoe: To make it possible for all to make a choice. 320 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:19,400 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we really believe in religious liberty for all? 321 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,400 Pastor Bledsoe: Can liberty and the Bible go together 322 00:23:24,019 --> 00:23:25,940 Pastor Bledsoe: Now, you know, I'll admit I had a little fun. 323 00:23:26,019 --> 00:23:30,659 Pastor Bledsoe: That looks like, you know, a picture of the Statue of Liberty and Lady Liberty holding a Bible. 324 00:23:30,740 --> 00:23:31,860 Pastor Bledsoe: I don't know how well you can see it. 325 00:23:32,019 --> 00:23:35,539 Pastor Bledsoe: I tried to get it a little bigger, but you can kind of see the cross on the bottom. 326 00:23:35,779 --> 00:23:37,059 Pastor Bledsoe: Hard to see, but 327 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:38,840 Pastor Bledsoe: Holy Bible. 328 00:23:40,120 --> 00:23:42,120 Pastor Bledsoe: Kinda looks like it's real, doesn't it? 329 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,040 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, it's amazing what you can do with artificial intelligence. 330 00:23:46,120 --> 00:23:47,240 Pastor Bledsoe: In this case, Gemini. 331 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:55,720 Pastor Bledsoe: I went to Gemini and I said, can you give me a picture of the Statue of Liberty and her holding a Bible 332 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:03,080 Pastor Bledsoe: Now the first time it did it, it gave me a real large Bible right up there by the flame for the Statue of Liberty. 333 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,360 Pastor Bledsoe: And it was kind of interesting, but it wasn't really what I was looking for. 334 00:24:06,519 --> 00:24:09,799 Pastor Bledsoe: And finally when I told it, can you put a Bible in her left hand? 335 00:24:10,300 --> 00:24:11,580 Pastor Bledsoe: It put it there. 336 00:24:14,220 --> 00:24:19,260 Pastor Bledsoe: Now I mention that partially, just remember, you know, everything you see is not real. 337 00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:25,039 Pastor Bledsoe: It may look very genuine, but you know, we're in a society today, man, you can make all sorts of things look real. 338 00:24:25,919 --> 00:24:30,960 Pastor Bledsoe: I wish I had some time to talk about some of, but we don't have time to get into that. 339 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:42,640 Pastor Bledsoe: But the Bible and liberty, can they go together? 340 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:44,880 Pastor Bledsoe: Are they compatible with each other? 341 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:48,680 Pastor Bledsoe: The Bible and the law. 342 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:51,400 Pastor Bledsoe: Do they go together? 343 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:54,600 Pastor Bledsoe: Should our laws be based on the Bible 344 00:24:55,300 --> 00:24:58,420 Pastor Bledsoe: How many of you would say yes and how many of you would say no? 345 00:24:59,460 --> 00:25:01,460 Pastor Bledsoe: And how many of you will say nothing? 346 00:25:02,420 --> 00:25:04,100 Pastor Bledsoe: The overwhelming majority. 347 00:25:04,820 --> 00:25:07,620 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, and again, it kind of depends, doesn't it? 348 00:25:07,700 --> 00:25:10,020 Pastor Bledsoe: It depends on what laws you want to base on there. 349 00:25:10,180 --> 00:25:13,860 Pastor Bledsoe: And there's a danger with all of us being a little bit selective, isn't there? 350 00:25:14,940 --> 00:25:17,020 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we ever have a tendency to do that? 351 00:25:17,260 --> 00:25:19,260 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we really follow the Bible? 352 00:25:20,220 --> 00:25:22,460 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, do we follow all of it? 353 00:25:23,179 --> 00:25:24,940 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, it was interesting. 354 00:25:25,179 --> 00:25:31,100 Pastor Bledsoe: A friend of mine that I went to academy and college with, we roomed a couple of years together in college. 355 00:25:31,340 --> 00:25:32,539 Pastor Bledsoe: He's a doctor. 356 00:25:32,740 --> 00:25:40,260 Pastor Bledsoe: His daughter is now doing her last semester of law school, but we were talking and he mentioned that she went to this conference in Washington, D. 357 00:25:40,420 --> 00:25:40,660 Pastor Bledsoe: C. 358 00:25:41,380 --> 00:25:44,260 Pastor Bledsoe: , about basically religious liberty. 359 00:25:44,260 --> 00:25:46,500 Pastor Bledsoe: It was the Christian Legal Society. 360 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,000 Pastor Bledsoe: And he told me kind of about her experience. 361 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:55,440 Pastor Bledsoe: So I called him and I said, you know, would she mind just writing a short paragraph about that experience? 362 00:25:56,460 --> 00:25:59,100 Pastor Bledsoe: So this is what Jamie had to say. 363 00:26:09,919 --> 00:26:11,919 Pastor Bledsoe: based off of the Bible. 364 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:24,160 Pastor Bledsoe: Although this sounds like a benign principle that most Christians should support as part of our moral duty, this is in fact exactly what prophecy warns us against. 365 00:26:24,580 --> 00:26:28,419 Pastor Bledsoe: While participating in a Christian legal society conference in Washington, D. 366 00:26:28,580 --> 00:26:28,660 Pastor Bledsoe: C. 367 00:26:29,059 --> 00:26:32,100 Pastor Bledsoe: , I argued with another student about this very concept 368 00:26:32,140 --> 00:26:39,660 Pastor Bledsoe: His argument was that government needed to be based on black and white moral principles and that the Bible should provide those principles. 369 00:26:39,900 --> 00:26:44,700 Pastor Bledsoe: My argument as an Adventist was that black and white interpretation interpretations. 370 00:26:45,500 --> 00:26:56,299 Pastor Bledsoe: of someone would put that someone would put on the Bible and convert into legislation would remove religious liberties of those who do not agree with the interpretation. 371 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:04,880 Pastor Bledsoe: As this mentality grows, we approach the day when we will be fighting other Christians to allow us our religious liberty. 372 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:08,720 Pastor Bledsoe: Kinda sounds a little bit like Revelation 13, doesn't it? 373 00:27:09,660 --> 00:27:12,220 Pastor Bledsoe: If you haven't read it, I'd invite you to go there. 374 00:27:12,460 --> 00:27:18,780 Pastor Bledsoe: If you want some more information about what some of that means, I would suggest you can talk to your pastor, some of the elders. 375 00:27:18,860 --> 00:27:21,020 Pastor Bledsoe: I'm sure there's people here who would be happy to study that with you. 376 00:27:21,100 --> 00:27:21,980 Pastor Bledsoe: We don't have time. 377 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,160 Pastor Bledsoe: to get into all that this morning. 378 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,200 Pastor Bledsoe: But do we follow the Bible? 379 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:33,680 Pastor Bledsoe: Are we selective in what we choose to follow and what we choose not to follow 380 00:27:34,300 --> 00:27:37,740 Pastor Bledsoe: If we're honest, we'd probably all admit that it's true. 381 00:27:38,620 --> 00:27:40,460 Pastor Bledsoe: That we are selective. 382 00:27:41,260 --> 00:27:47,180 Pastor Bledsoe: Matthew, or Jesus actually, in Matthew's gospel, the story is recorded. 383 00:27:47,260 --> 00:27:50,940 Pastor Bledsoe: Of a lawyer that comes to ask Jesus a question. 384 00:27:52,460 --> 00:27:56,539 Pastor Bledsoe: Then one of them, a lawyer, ask him a question, testing him and say 385 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:01,679 Pastor Bledsoe: Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 386 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:09,600 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 387 00:28:11,180 --> 00:28:14,140 Pastor Bledsoe: This is the first and great commandment. 388 00:28:14,940 --> 00:28:16,460 Pastor Bledsoe: And the second is like it. 389 00:28:16,620 --> 00:28:19,180 Pastor Bledsoe: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 390 00:28:19,900 --> 00:28:23,020 Pastor Bledsoe: On these two commandments hang what? 391 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,400 Pastor Bledsoe: All the law and the prophets. 392 00:28:26,799 --> 00:28:33,120 Pastor Bledsoe: Now, in this case, it would have been the Old Testament, not the New Testament, but the whole Old Testament, the whole Bible of that time 393 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,519 Pastor Bledsoe: Time hung on these two concepts, these two principles. 394 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:41,279 Pastor Bledsoe: Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. 395 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:46,000 Pastor Bledsoe: I don't want to get too far off track here. 396 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:51,920 Pastor Bledsoe: But you know, wouldn't it be nice if we saw that in our world today 397 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,960 Pastor Bledsoe: Anyway, I'm going to move on for a minute and we'll come back there. 398 00:28:58,600 --> 00:28:59,720 Pastor Bledsoe: Another one. 399 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:04,840 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus speaking in Matthew 7:12, New American Standard Bible. 400 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:09,680 Pastor Bledsoe: In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you. 401 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:11,440 Pastor Bledsoe: For this is what? 402 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:14,320 Pastor Bledsoe: The law and the prophets. 403 00:29:16,220 --> 00:29:19,580 Pastor Bledsoe: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 404 00:29:21,580 --> 00:29:22,860 Pastor Bledsoe: Simple principle. 405 00:29:23,100 --> 00:29:24,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus says 406 00:29:24,460 --> 00:29:26,060 Pastor Bledsoe: Everything summed up in that. 407 00:29:26,220 --> 00:29:29,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we follow this law, this command from Jesus? 408 00:29:30,300 --> 00:29:33,260 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we treat people the way we want to be treated? 409 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:46,160 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, I I want to be careful here, because I don't know anybody individually in that context in that well, but I know the general condition of society. 410 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:52,320 Pastor Bledsoe: Folks, if we treat people the way we want to be treated, most of us don't want anybody to be nice to us. 411 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,520 Pastor Bledsoe: There are some exceptions, thankfully, praise the Lord. 412 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:58,880 Pastor Bledsoe: There are people that are truly kind-hearted and loving 413 00:29:59,140 --> 00:30:03,540 Pastor Bledsoe: People that truly demonstrate the character of Christ and the way they treat other people. 414 00:30:03,780 --> 00:30:08,740 Pastor Bledsoe: But most people, especially Christians, sadly don't. 415 00:30:11,620 --> 00:30:21,539 Pastor Bledsoe: Again, I can't help but mention an incident that probably all of us have heard about that happened in Minneapolis. 416 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:29,360 Pastor Bledsoe: Now, I'm not here to get into all the legal ramifications and everything else, but I can't help but ask. 417 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:32,320 Pastor Bledsoe: Do you think 418 00:30:33,980 --> 00:30:38,299 Pastor Bledsoe: That those agents treated this lady the way they would want to be treated. 419 00:30:38,700 --> 00:30:41,419 Pastor Bledsoe: Well now Pastor, you don't this is long this is 420 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:49,280 Pastor Bledsoe: If we're Christians, if we're going to live on Christian principles, we need to live on Christian principles. 421 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,400 Pastor Bledsoe: And that applies to both sides, all of it 422 00:30:52,900 --> 00:30:58,420 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, I can have my opinion, you can have yours on whether or not it was justifiable or wasn't. 423 00:30:58,820 --> 00:31:05,380 Pastor Bledsoe: But my real frustration when I look and I hear the stories is the lack of compassion, concern. 424 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:12,160 Pastor Bledsoe: On those that want to justify and rationalize, well, they were just doing what they were trained to do. 425 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:14,720 Pastor Bledsoe: Maybe they need more training. 426 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:16,960 Pastor Bledsoe: Maybe they need different training. 427 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:25,920 Pastor Bledsoe: But even if all that was a hundred percent true, shouldn't there be some compassion 428 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:27,240 Pastor Bledsoe: Some sympathy. 429 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,920 Pastor Bledsoe: Yes, they did what they had to do, but it was a tragic accident. 430 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:31,720 Pastor Bledsoe: It is sad. 431 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:33,320 Pastor Bledsoe: It is none of that. 432 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:34,120 Pastor Bledsoe: I didn't hear any. 433 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:35,000 Pastor Bledsoe: Now maybe you did. 434 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:36,600 Pastor Bledsoe: I didn't hear any of that 435 00:31:37,220 --> 00:31:45,540 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, it's interesting and it depends on which side of the fence you're on, so to speak, which, you know, the Republicans or the Democrat, who you're listening to 436 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:51,720 Pastor Bledsoe: But you know when something happens to the other side, there's not much sympathy from my side. 437 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:54,680 Pastor Bledsoe: Have you noticed that? 438 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,880 Pastor Bledsoe: Am I, you know, coming up with something that's not really there? 439 00:32:00,799 --> 00:32:06,639 Pastor Bledsoe: We tend to have a lot of compassion for something happens to somebody we agree with, but not so much for those who don't. 440 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:17,080 Pastor Bledsoe: You remember a picture, and we read that first angel's message, and it talks about the hour of his what? 441 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:18,760 Pastor Bledsoe: Judgment 442 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,360 Pastor Bledsoe: And then there's Matthew 25. 443 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:24,520 Pastor Bledsoe: You remember that? 444 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:26,520 Pastor Bledsoe: Actually starts in 24. 445 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:32,920 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, 24 talks about the signs, and then Jesus gives four stories, four parables about how to be ready. 446 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,560 Pastor Bledsoe: And there is a parable of to be found doing. 447 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:40,680 Pastor Bledsoe: There is a parable of the wise and foolish virgins. 448 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:42,360 Pastor Bledsoe: There is a parable of the talents. 449 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:44,600 Pastor Bledsoe: And do you remember what the last parable is? 450 00:32:45,460 --> 00:32:46,820 Pastor Bledsoe: To judgment picture. 451 00:32:47,060 --> 00:32:57,460 Pastor Bledsoe: In the judgment, in the hour of judgment, when God judges the sheep and the goats and he separates them, what is the principle that separates those who are saved from those who are lost? 452 00:33:00,980 --> 00:33:03,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Inasmuch as you have what? 453 00:33:04,420 --> 00:33:07,780 Pastor Bledsoe: Done it to somebody else, you did it to me 454 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:13,000 Pastor Bledsoe: And the way you treat other people is the way you treat Jesus. 455 00:33:15,639 --> 00:33:19,720 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, if we're honest, we all need to do some soul searching here. 456 00:33:20,220 --> 00:33:24,220 Pastor Bledsoe: Do I really treat people the way I want to be treated? 457 00:33:26,460 --> 00:33:30,300 Pastor Bledsoe: Do I treat people the way I would want to treat Jesus? 458 00:33:35,220 --> 00:33:38,100 Pastor Bledsoe: What have you done to one of the least of these? 459 00:33:41,140 --> 00:33:43,300 Pastor Bledsoe: Can biblical laws work? 460 00:33:44,540 --> 00:33:48,460 Pastor Bledsoe: Can enforcing right biblical laws fix our country? 461 00:33:48,700 --> 00:33:52,140 Pastor Bledsoe: There would be a lot of people who would say yes, that's what we need. 462 00:33:53,260 --> 00:33:55,580 Pastor Bledsoe: Would you say yes or would you say no? 463 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:02,280 Pastor Bledsoe: I would suggest, my friends, there's a key word there, enforcing. 464 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:11,159 Pastor Bledsoe: Because you see, while God is very clear what he expects and what the result will be if we choose not to do that, God does not enforce. 465 00:34:11,620 --> 00:34:14,420 Pastor Bledsoe: Force us to do what he wants us to do. 466 00:34:14,740 --> 00:34:23,140 Pastor Bledsoe: And yet there are a lot of people, sadly, a lot of Christian people, and maybe some Seventh-day Adventist Christians who think that's what we need to do. 467 00:34:26,020 --> 00:34:27,940 Pastor Bledsoe: Daniel chapter 3. 468 00:34:28,340 --> 00:34:30,179 Pastor Bledsoe: Do you remember the story? 469 00:34:30,500 --> 00:34:31,620 Pastor Bledsoe: The king had a dream. 470 00:34:31,700 --> 00:34:33,220 Pastor Bledsoe: That's in Daniel 2 471 00:34:34,700 --> 00:34:36,859 Pastor Bledsoe: And he tried to change God's revelation. 472 00:34:37,020 --> 00:34:38,779 Pastor Bledsoe: God told him what the future was going to be like. 473 00:34:38,859 --> 00:34:39,579 Pastor Bledsoe: He mentioned the kingdom. 474 00:34:39,659 --> 00:34:41,419 Pastor Bledsoe: You're the head of gold, Nebuchadnezzar. 475 00:34:41,579 --> 00:34:46,940 Pastor Bledsoe: Then there's going to be another kingdom, silver, Medo Persia, Bronze, Greece, Rome. 476 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:55,040 Pastor Bledsoe: The legs will be part of iron, part of clay, the toes, it will be a divided kingdom, and then ultimately God is going to set up his kingdom. 477 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:00,680 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, Nebuchadnezzar thinks he has a better idea. 478 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:03,400 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we ever think we have a better idea than God? 479 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:07,160 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, well, God said this, but I think this would be better 480 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:08,920 Pastor Bledsoe: And so he sets up his own image. 481 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:10,120 Pastor Bledsoe: It's all gold. 482 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:14,520 Pastor Bledsoe: And he gives, he calls all of the people, you know, that are anybody to come. 483 00:35:14,680 --> 00:35:19,080 Pastor Bledsoe: And when the music plays, you're all to bow down and you're to worship my image. 484 00:35:20,260 --> 00:35:22,260 Pastor Bledsoe: Sound a little bit like revelation? 485 00:35:23,220 --> 00:35:25,300 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, worship my image. 486 00:35:26,500 --> 00:35:32,740 Pastor Bledsoe: But you know, there's three people in the audience who have the audacity to disobey Nebuchadnezzar. 487 00:35:34,140 --> 00:35:39,020 Pastor Bledsoe: And they are told very simply, if you don't obey, the penalty will be death. 488 00:35:39,180 --> 00:35:41,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Sounds kind of like Revelation 13, doesn't it? 489 00:35:43,380 --> 00:35:45,860 Pastor Bledsoe: You'll die in a fiery furnace. 490 00:35:46,260 --> 00:35:52,420 Pastor Bledsoe: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo will not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's image 491 00:35:54,620 --> 00:35:58,620 Pastor Bledsoe: And of course, there's always people that are happy to report. 492 00:35:59,660 --> 00:36:03,500 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, when it's somebody else not doing what they're supposed to be doing 493 00:36:04,260 --> 00:36:06,020 Pastor Bledsoe: And they are brought before the king. 494 00:36:06,099 --> 00:36:13,460 Pastor Bledsoe: And I wish we had time to, you know, spend more on Daniel chapter 3, but I love their statement of faith to Nebuchadnezzar. 495 00:36:13,859 --> 00:36:15,619 Pastor Bledsoe: And I probably won't get it word for word. 496 00:36:15,700 --> 00:36:16,900 Pastor Bledsoe: I didn't put it up there. 497 00:36:17,060 --> 00:36:20,740 Pastor Bledsoe: But O King, we don't need time to think about this, to question it. 498 00:36:20,980 --> 00:36:22,820 Pastor Bledsoe: Our God will deliver us. 499 00:36:23,220 --> 00:36:25,619 Pastor Bledsoe: But even if He does not deliver us. 500 00:36:26,460 --> 00:36:32,700 Pastor Bledsoe: We will not worship your image because ultimately God is going to deliver us. 501 00:36:32,859 --> 00:36:38,539 Pastor Bledsoe: It may be here, it may be doing something spectacular like he does, or it may be at the resurrection. 502 00:36:39,460 --> 00:36:43,940 Pastor Bledsoe: But we will trust in God, and He will take care of this problem for us. 503 00:36:45,460 --> 00:36:48,420 Pastor Bledsoe: We are first and foremost accountable to God. 504 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:50,760 Pastor Bledsoe: Now we do have a civic responsibility. 505 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:54,839 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus said, render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, unto God what is God's. 506 00:36:55,079 --> 00:36:56,920 Pastor Bledsoe: But my first priority is God. 507 00:36:57,079 --> 00:36:57,480 Pastor Bledsoe: If 508 00:36:57,740 --> 00:37:02,860 Pastor Bledsoe: Caesar asks me to do something that doesn't violate God's law, I need to be willing to do it. 509 00:37:03,100 --> 00:37:05,900 Pastor Bledsoe: I may not like it, may not agree with it. 510 00:37:07,180 --> 00:37:08,700 Pastor Bledsoe: But nonetheless, they do. 511 00:37:08,860 --> 00:37:10,220 Pastor Bledsoe: They stand firm. 512 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:13,720 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, you know the story. 513 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:17,560 Pastor Bledsoe: Nebuchadnezzar has the furnace heated seven times hotter. 514 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:22,440 Pastor Bledsoe: The men throwing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo, the heat kills them. 515 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:23,560 Pastor Bledsoe: It's so hot. 516 00:37:24,620 --> 00:37:29,260 Pastor Bledsoe: And you know, I can just kind of picture Nebuchadnezzar, okay, that's a lesson learned. 517 00:37:29,340 --> 00:37:30,700 Pastor Bledsoe: That'll teach him. 518 00:37:31,260 --> 00:37:34,140 Pastor Bledsoe: And then he bounces up out of his seat. 519 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:35,120 Pastor Bledsoe: Wait a minute. 520 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:37,600 Pastor Bledsoe: Didn't we throw three people in the furnace? 521 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:39,440 Pastor Bledsoe: Why do I see four? 522 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:40,400 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, it's interesting. 523 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:42,400 Pastor Bledsoe: Nebuchadnezzar, and I don't know. 524 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:46,080 Pastor Bledsoe: I wonder if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo saw the fourth person. 525 00:37:46,540 --> 00:37:48,860 Pastor Bledsoe: No, we're not told they may have, they may not have. 526 00:37:49,020 --> 00:37:51,020 Pastor Bledsoe: Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth person. 527 00:37:51,260 --> 00:37:56,220 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, whether you see Jesus when you're in the furnace or whether you don't, he's there. 528 00:37:56,920 --> 00:37:59,560 Pastor Bledsoe: Whether you know it or whether you don't, he's with you. 529 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,200 Pastor Bledsoe: He has promised, I will never leave you. 530 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:06,040 Pastor Bledsoe: I will never forsake you 531 00:38:07,140 --> 00:38:15,060 Pastor Bledsoe: You can't count on often maybe the person even sitting next to you, but you can count on Jesus 532 00:38:16,060 --> 00:38:18,860 Pastor Bledsoe: Well anyway, part of bringing it up. 533 00:38:19,180 --> 00:38:25,740 Pastor Bledsoe: Going to the end of the chapter, Nebuchadnezzar makes another decree, another proclamation. 534 00:38:25,740 --> 00:38:39,020 Pastor Bledsoe: Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo shall be cut in pieces, and their house shall be made an ash heap, because there is no other God who can deliver like this. 535 00:38:39,460 --> 00:38:41,220 Pastor Bledsoe: Congratulations, Nebuchadnezzar. 536 00:38:41,380 --> 00:38:42,660 Pastor Bledsoe: You got it right, right? 537 00:38:43,540 --> 00:38:43,860 Pastor Bledsoe: No. 538 00:38:44,740 --> 00:38:46,260 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, he's got part of it right. 539 00:38:46,340 --> 00:38:49,460 Pastor Bledsoe: There is no other god like the god of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 540 00:38:50,860 --> 00:38:56,220 Pastor Bledsoe: But it's not your job to force anybody to follow him 541 00:38:59,339 --> 00:39:02,940 Pastor Bledsoe: Does he rightly represent God? 542 00:39:03,579 --> 00:39:04,700 Pastor Bledsoe: Is what he said true? 543 00:39:04,859 --> 00:39:07,820 Pastor Bledsoe: Yes, the problem is force versus choice. 544 00:39:08,660 --> 00:39:12,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Simple statement in the books Prophet and Kings talking about this. 545 00:39:21,760 --> 00:39:24,960 Pastor Bledsoe: shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill. 546 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:30,720 Pastor Bledsoe: There is no other God, he urges, as the reason for the decree that can deliver of this sort 547 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:43,960 Pastor Bledsoe: And these and like words the king of Babylon endeavors to spread abroad before all peoples of the earth his conviction that the power and authority of the God of the Hebrews was worthy of supreme adoration. 548 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:55,120 Pastor Bledsoe: And God was pleased with the effort of the king to show reverence, to make a royal confession of allegiance as widespread as was the Babylonian realm. 549 00:39:55,620 --> 00:39:59,780 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, there's nothing wrong with me sharing my convictions. 550 00:40:00,420 --> 00:40:04,180 Pastor Bledsoe: There is a problem when I try to enforce my convictions. 551 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:15,240 Pastor Bledsoe: It was right for the king to make public confession and to seek to exalt the God of heaven above all other gods, but endeavoring to force his subjects to make a similar confession of faith. 552 00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:20,640 Pastor Bledsoe: and to show similar reverence, Nebuchadnezzar was exceeding his right as a temporal sovereign. 553 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:26,160 Pastor Bledsoe: He had no more right, either civil or moral, to threaten men with death for not worshiping God. 554 00:40:26,359 --> 00:40:31,800 Pastor Bledsoe: Then he had to make the decree consigning them to the flames, all who refused to worship the golden image. 555 00:40:32,119 --> 00:40:35,079 Pastor Bledsoe: God never compels the obedience of man. 556 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:40,359 Pastor Bledsoe: He leaves all free to choose whom they will serve. 557 00:40:40,700 --> 00:40:47,820 Pastor Bledsoe: There is a principle there, folks, a very important principle that we need to remember, that we need to understand 558 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:53,760 Pastor Bledsoe: In the book Desire of Ages. 559 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:57,520 Pastor Bledsoe: I like the simple way that it's summarized there. 560 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:03,040 Pastor Bledsoe: In the work of redemption, there is no compulsion. 561 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:05,760 Pastor Bledsoe: No external force is employed. 562 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:11,520 Pastor Bledsoe: Under the influence of the Spirit of God, man is left free to choose whom he will serve. 563 00:41:11,720 --> 00:41:13,160 Pastor Bledsoe: You and I are free to choose. 564 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:15,720 Pastor Bledsoe: God tries to bring conviction to my heart. 565 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:19,240 Pastor Bledsoe: He tries to draw me, but he will not force me. 566 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:21,079 Pastor Bledsoe: He will not compare me. 567 00:41:21,640 --> 00:41:22,680 Pastor Bledsoe: Compel me. 568 00:41:25,380 --> 00:41:26,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Page 487. 569 00:41:27,940 --> 00:41:29,620 Pastor Bledsoe: Just a little different. 570 00:41:31,780 --> 00:41:35,700 Pastor Bledsoe: It is no part of Christ's mission to compel men to receive Him. 571 00:41:35,940 --> 00:41:36,660 Pastor Bledsoe: It is who? 572 00:41:37,860 --> 00:41:46,340 Pastor Bledsoe: Satan and men actuated by his spirit that seek to compel the conscience under a pretense of zeal for righteousness 573 00:41:46,620 --> 00:41:54,460 Pastor Bledsoe: Men are confederated with evil angels, bringing suffering upon their fellow men in order to convert them to their ideas of religion. 574 00:41:54,620 --> 00:42:00,460 Pastor Bledsoe: But Christ is ever showing mercy, ever seeking to win by the revealing of his love. 575 00:42:01,820 --> 00:42:13,579 Pastor Bledsoe: He can admit no rival in the soul, nor accept of partial service, but he desires only voluntary service, the willing surrender. 576 00:42:14,539 --> 00:42:17,099 Pastor Bledsoe: Of the heart under the constraint of love. 577 00:42:17,819 --> 00:42:27,579 Pastor Bledsoe: There can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess the spirit of Satan than the disposition to hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our work. 578 00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:30,000 Pastor Bledsoe: or who act contrary to our ideas. 579 00:42:31,600 --> 00:42:38,560 Pastor Bledsoe: Now folks, it's talking in a spiritual context, but we see it everywhere in the world. 580 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:46,320 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, it's almost gotten to the point, you know, if you don't share my beliefs, we can't be friends. 581 00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:49,040 Pastor Bledsoe: We can't even have a civil conversation. 582 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:51,599 Pastor Bledsoe: There's a problem there. 583 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:57,320 Pastor Bledsoe: Doesn't mean I have to compromise that I can't stick to my beliefs and my values. 584 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:01,720 Pastor Bledsoe: But the problem is we don't have any mutual respect. 585 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:04,360 Pastor Bledsoe: A lot of problems there. 586 00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:18,760 Pastor Bledsoe: But there can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess the spirit of Satan and the disposition to hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our work or act contrary to our ideas. 587 00:43:24,580 --> 00:43:26,500 Pastor Bledsoe: We studied the book of Joshua. 588 00:43:26,660 --> 00:43:29,300 Pastor Bledsoe: And there's some difference, you know, this last quarter. 589 00:43:29,620 --> 00:43:31,380 Pastor Bledsoe: The end of through the end of December. 590 00:43:31,620 --> 00:43:38,100 Pastor Bledsoe: Some difficult things there in that story that we talked about, but I ultimately, you know, Joshua's conclusion 591 00:43:38,420 --> 00:43:44,500 Pastor Bledsoe: as he's about to finish his time, as the land has been basically divided up. 592 00:43:47,640 --> 00:44:00,039 Pastor Bledsoe: Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the river, are the gods of the Ammonites, in whose land you dwelt, but for me and my house what? 593 00:44:01,240 --> 00:44:04,040 Pastor Bledsoe: We will serve the Lord. 594 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:07,400 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, God has given us a choice. 595 00:44:09,380 --> 00:44:11,859 Pastor Bledsoe: Did Israel choose to serve God? 596 00:44:12,579 --> 00:44:21,779 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, there were brief periods, occasionally, where they did, but for the most part, their history was a history of rebellion, of disobedience, of not serving God. 597 00:44:22,420 --> 00:44:32,260 Pastor Bledsoe: Their history is filled with choosing to worship other gods, and finally they ultimately reject Jesus when he comes in the flesh, when he comes among them. 598 00:44:33,260 --> 00:44:35,660 Pastor Bledsoe: Our scripture reading that we had this morning. 599 00:44:37,020 --> 00:44:44,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus, as he's weeping over Jerusalem, over their choice to reject him as a nation 600 00:44:44,620 --> 00:44:50,300 Pastor Bledsoe: Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. 601 00:44:50,780 --> 00:44:56,700 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, folks, if we don't accept the message, we'll probably try to kill the messenger. 602 00:44:58,100 --> 00:45:00,260 Pastor Bledsoe: It's a biblical concept. 603 00:45:01,700 --> 00:45:05,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who stoned who kills the prophets 604 00:45:05,240 --> 00:45:06,840 Pastor Bledsoe: And stones those who are sent to her. 605 00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:12,840 Pastor Bledsoe: How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but what? 606 00:45:14,039 --> 00:45:15,960 Pastor Bledsoe: You were not willing. 607 00:45:16,359 --> 00:45:20,359 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, there's only one reason any of us will not be saved. 608 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:22,839 Pastor Bledsoe: It is because we were not willing. 609 00:45:23,040 --> 00:45:27,840 Pastor Bledsoe: To accept Jesus' message, to accept his salvation, to accept his grace. 610 00:45:28,080 --> 00:45:30,560 Pastor Bledsoe: His grace is sufficient to save all. 611 00:45:33,180 --> 00:45:38,859 Pastor Bledsoe: His death was sufficient to pay the price for all our sins, every one of them. 612 00:45:39,099 --> 00:45:41,020 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to come to him? 613 00:45:41,420 --> 00:45:43,099 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to accept him? 614 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:47,120 Pastor Bledsoe: See, your house is left to you desolate. 615 00:45:47,280 --> 00:45:52,560 Pastor Bledsoe: For I say to you, you shall see me no more, till you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 616 00:45:52,800 --> 00:45:55,040 Pastor Bledsoe: Your house is left desolate 617 00:45:56,840 --> 00:45:58,840 Pastor Bledsoe: Why is it desolate? 618 00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:02,440 Pastor Bledsoe: Because they have rejected Jesus. 619 00:46:02,680 --> 00:46:08,280 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, there is no more desolate position than to be without Jesus in your life. 620 00:46:08,700 --> 00:46:11,740 Pastor Bledsoe: Ultimately, Jesus sees what's going to happen to the temple. 621 00:46:11,900 --> 00:46:14,380 Pastor Bledsoe: They believe that the temple is going to save them. 622 00:46:14,620 --> 00:46:18,460 Pastor Bledsoe: And they've rejected everything the temple, the sanctuary service pointed to. 623 00:46:18,620 --> 00:46:20,620 Pastor Bledsoe: It all pointed to Jesus coming. 624 00:46:20,660 --> 00:46:24,420 Pastor Bledsoe: And dying for their sins, but they've rejected they've trusted in the building. 625 00:46:25,060 --> 00:46:30,580 Pastor Bledsoe: And when the destruction comes in 70 AD, they go and they think, you know, if we're the temple, we're okay 626 00:46:30,740 --> 00:46:32,340 Pastor Bledsoe: We can't be touched here. 627 00:46:32,580 --> 00:46:34,740 Pastor Bledsoe: God says, no, your house is left out. 628 00:46:34,900 --> 00:46:36,740 Pastor Bledsoe: I've left the building. 629 00:46:37,300 --> 00:46:40,660 Pastor Bledsoe: You didn't want me in your life, and I've left. 630 00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:44,320 Pastor Bledsoe: It's not what he wanted, it's what they chose. 631 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:51,440 Pastor Bledsoe: And it breaks God's heart when he has to give us what we choose because we choose to reject him. 632 00:46:52,220 --> 00:46:59,900 Pastor Bledsoe: But he will honor that choice as much as it hurts, as much as it saddens him, as much as it breaks his heart 633 00:47:02,900 --> 00:47:04,180 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing? 634 00:47:05,140 --> 00:47:07,380 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to come to Jesus? 635 00:47:07,620 --> 00:47:09,780 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to serve Jesus? 636 00:47:10,100 --> 00:47:12,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to give your heart to Jesus 637 00:47:13,420 --> 00:47:17,820 Pastor Bledsoe: Why is it that the Jews in his day rejected Jesus? 638 00:47:19,980 --> 00:47:22,380 Pastor Bledsoe: Well, my friends, may I suggest it's very simple. 639 00:47:22,540 --> 00:47:24,460 Pastor Bledsoe: They were not interested in his kingdom. 640 00:47:24,700 --> 00:47:27,740 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus says, My kingdom is not of this world. 641 00:47:27,820 --> 00:47:31,500 Pastor Bledsoe: It was based on a different principle, a different concept. 642 00:47:31,660 --> 00:47:33,580 Pastor Bledsoe: It was not a worldly kingdom. 643 00:47:35,340 --> 00:47:37,020 Pastor Bledsoe: It is a spiritual kingdom. 644 00:47:37,180 --> 00:47:40,140 Pastor Bledsoe: It is a kingdom to save us from our sins. 645 00:47:40,200 --> 00:47:44,040 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, let me ask you, do you want power over your sins? 646 00:47:44,359 --> 00:47:47,320 Pastor Bledsoe: Now we'd all raise, of course we'd raise it, but do you really? 647 00:47:48,280 --> 00:47:50,920 Pastor Bledsoe: Or do you want power over other sinners 648 00:47:52,060 --> 00:47:54,620 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, if we're honest, sometimes that's kind of what we want. 649 00:47:54,700 --> 00:47:56,140 Pastor Bledsoe: That's what the Jews wanted. 650 00:47:56,380 --> 00:47:59,100 Pastor Bledsoe: They wanted power over their enemies. 651 00:47:59,420 --> 00:48:04,620 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we want power over our enemies, or do we want power to love our enemies? 652 00:48:05,339 --> 00:48:11,660 Pastor Bledsoe: That while we were yet enemies with God, he was willing to die for us 653 00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:20,440 Pastor Bledsoe: Do we want his kingdom? 654 00:48:20,680 --> 00:48:22,200 Pastor Bledsoe: It's a different kingdom. 655 00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:28,200 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus said, if my kingdom were of this world, my disciples would fight, but it's not of this world. 656 00:48:29,880 --> 00:48:37,720 Pastor Bledsoe: Daniel chapter 2, the story of that image, the kind of final part of it, at the end 657 00:48:38,860 --> 00:48:40,460 Pastor Bledsoe: Verses 44 and 45. 658 00:48:40,780 --> 00:48:46,700 Pastor Bledsoe: In those days the kings, in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom. 659 00:48:46,760 --> 00:48:50,440 Pastor Bledsoe: Which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people. 660 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:55,640 Pastor Bledsoe: It shall break in pieces and consume all those other kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 661 00:48:55,880 --> 00:48:58,360 Pastor Bledsoe: Inasmuch as you saw the stone was what? 662 00:48:59,940 --> 00:49:02,180 Pastor Bledsoe: Cut out of the mountain with what? 663 00:49:03,140 --> 00:49:06,180 Pastor Bledsoe: Without human hands, without hands 664 00:49:07,260 --> 00:49:12,780 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, may I stop for a minute and say something very simple but very basic that we need to remember? 665 00:49:13,100 --> 00:49:15,740 Pastor Bledsoe: God has not asked us to help set up his kingdom. 666 00:49:16,060 --> 00:49:18,380 Pastor Bledsoe: God doesn't need your help or my help setting up. 667 00:49:18,460 --> 00:49:20,220 Pastor Bledsoe: It's cut out without hands. 668 00:49:21,260 --> 00:49:24,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Folks, it's not going to be a Republican kingdom. 669 00:49:24,300 --> 00:49:26,140 Pastor Bledsoe: It's not going to be a Democratic kingdom. 670 00:49:26,300 --> 00:49:28,060 Pastor Bledsoe: It's not going to be an American kingdom. 671 00:49:28,220 --> 00:49:29,420 Pastor Bledsoe: It's not going to be a Chin 672 00:49:29,500 --> 00:49:30,700 Pastor Bledsoe: East Kingdom of Russia 673 00:49:31,320 --> 00:49:33,080 Pastor Bledsoe: It's going to be the kingdom of God. 674 00:49:33,160 --> 00:49:36,120 Pastor Bledsoe: And God will set it up without help from you or from me. 675 00:49:36,280 --> 00:49:38,840 Pastor Bledsoe: Now He has to ask us to do something. 676 00:49:39,160 --> 00:49:43,320 Pastor Bledsoe: We read it in the beginning of those three angels' messages. 677 00:49:43,720 --> 00:49:47,079 Pastor Bledsoe: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him. 678 00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:48,359 Pastor Bledsoe: For the what? 679 00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:50,599 Pastor Bledsoe: Hour of his judgment has come. 680 00:49:50,760 --> 00:49:52,039 Pastor Bledsoe: But it started with something else. 681 00:49:52,119 --> 00:49:53,079 Pastor Bledsoe: What was it? 682 00:49:53,580 --> 00:49:54,860 Pastor Bledsoe: Having the what? 683 00:49:55,420 --> 00:49:58,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Remember, we stopped there, the everlasting gospel. 684 00:49:59,660 --> 00:50:03,820 Pastor Bledsoe: God has simply asked us to tell the world that He is setting up a kingdom. 685 00:50:04,040 --> 00:50:07,320 Pastor Bledsoe: And he wants each and every one of us to be a part of that kingdom. 686 00:50:07,480 --> 00:50:08,920 Pastor Bledsoe: We are invited to be a part. 687 00:50:09,080 --> 00:50:12,120 Pastor Bledsoe: We are invited to ask others to be a part of that kingdom. 688 00:50:12,280 --> 00:50:15,080 Pastor Bledsoe: We are invited to share our convictions with others. 689 00:50:15,059 --> 00:50:21,460 Pastor Bledsoe: Of what God has done like Nebuchadnezzar, we are not invited to try to compel anybody, to try to force them to accept it. 690 00:50:25,520 --> 00:50:33,200 Pastor Bledsoe: Inasmuch as the stone was cut out without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, the gold 691 00:50:33,260 --> 00:50:36,940 Pastor Bledsoe: The great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. 692 00:50:37,100 --> 00:50:39,180 Pastor Bledsoe: The dream is certain and what? 693 00:50:39,660 --> 00:50:41,660 Pastor Bledsoe: The interpretation is sure. 694 00:50:41,820 --> 00:50:43,980 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, you can count on what God said. 695 00:50:44,140 --> 00:50:46,220 Pastor Bledsoe: You can't necessarily count on what the pastor says. 696 00:50:46,300 --> 00:50:47,820 Pastor Bledsoe: I'm sorry to tell you that. 697 00:50:48,440 --> 00:50:51,880 Pastor Bledsoe: You can't count on what any human says. 698 00:50:52,200 --> 00:50:55,640 Pastor Bledsoe: You can count on what God says in this book. 699 00:50:56,200 --> 00:51:00,600 Pastor Bledsoe: And my friends, I can't help but believe that that stone's going to be cut out very soon. 700 00:51:01,740 --> 00:51:03,420 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus is coming soon. 701 00:51:03,740 --> 00:51:04,620 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you ready? 702 00:51:04,860 --> 00:51:06,300 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to take him? 703 00:51:06,620 --> 00:51:08,620 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you interested in a savior? 704 00:51:10,300 --> 00:51:12,780 Pastor Bledsoe: Matthew chapter 1 verse 21. 705 00:51:13,580 --> 00:51:18,140 Pastor Bledsoe: You know, we tend to read it at the end of the year at kind of Christmas time, Advent time. 706 00:51:19,180 --> 00:51:21,180 Pastor Bledsoe: We ought to read it every day. 707 00:51:21,500 --> 00:51:26,220 Pastor Bledsoe: And she will bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will what? 708 00:51:27,180 --> 00:51:33,900 Pastor Bledsoe: Save his people from the Romans, from the Republicans or the Democrats or the whoever. 709 00:51:34,380 --> 00:51:37,420 Pastor Bledsoe: He will save his people from their sins. 710 00:51:38,480 --> 00:51:41,280 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, what we need is a savior. 711 00:51:41,840 --> 00:51:44,960 Pastor Bledsoe: Now we could use some better politicians, I'll be honest. 712 00:51:46,560 --> 00:51:48,960 Pastor Bledsoe: But the best politicians aren't going to solve. 713 00:51:49,280 --> 00:51:53,360 Pastor Bledsoe: What we need is a Savior who will save us from our sins. 714 00:51:54,560 --> 00:51:56,800 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you interested in a Savior? 715 00:51:57,760 --> 00:51:59,760 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to accept Him? 716 00:52:00,299 --> 00:52:01,819 Pastor Bledsoe: Jesus puts it very simply. 717 00:52:01,980 --> 00:52:03,900 Pastor Bledsoe: Revelation 3 verse 20. 718 00:52:04,140 --> 00:52:08,059 Pastor Bledsoe: Behold, I stand at the door and watch and knock. 719 00:52:08,299 --> 00:52:12,059 Pastor Bledsoe: If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, 720 00:52:12,240 --> 00:52:14,720 Pastor Bledsoe: I will come in and dine with him and he with me. 721 00:52:14,880 --> 00:52:18,400 Pastor Bledsoe: And if he doesn't hear my voice and doesn't open, I'm going to break it down. 722 00:52:20,420 --> 00:52:24,260 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, Jesus will only come in if I open the door. 723 00:52:24,500 --> 00:52:28,420 Pastor Bledsoe: The only way my house will not be desolate is if I open the door. 724 00:52:28,500 --> 00:52:30,180 Pastor Bledsoe: And I invite Jesus to come in. 725 00:52:30,340 --> 00:52:31,140 Pastor Bledsoe: He's knocking. 726 00:52:31,300 --> 00:52:33,540 Pastor Bledsoe: He's longing to come into your heart and mine. 727 00:52:33,780 --> 00:52:39,780 Pastor Bledsoe: He's longing to fill me with his grace, with his peace, with his love, with all the things that I'm missing. 728 00:52:40,940 --> 00:52:42,620 Pastor Bledsoe: How will you respond? 729 00:52:44,780 --> 00:52:46,860 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to open the door? 730 00:52:47,740 --> 00:52:50,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Are you willing to invite Jesus? 731 00:52:51,339 --> 00:53:00,700 Pastor Bledsoe: Into your heart, into your life, are you willing to serve Jesus with all your heart 732 00:53:03,960 --> 00:53:06,440 Pastor Bledsoe: Will your house serve the Lord? 733 00:53:06,839 --> 00:53:09,160 Pastor Bledsoe: Or will your house be left desolate? 734 00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:13,800 Pastor Bledsoe: Because you choose to reject Jesus as your Savior, as your Lord 735 00:53:14,580 --> 00:53:18,100 Pastor Bledsoe: You remember there in that judgment scene with Pilate? 736 00:53:18,260 --> 00:53:21,140 Pastor Bledsoe: They cry out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. 737 00:53:21,300 --> 00:53:23,780 Pastor Bledsoe: Pilate says, Shall I crucify your king? 738 00:53:23,940 --> 00:53:28,500 Pastor Bledsoe: The chief priests answer, We have no king but Caesar. 739 00:53:29,780 --> 00:53:31,460 Pastor Bledsoe: Who is your king today? 740 00:53:31,620 --> 00:53:32,980 Pastor Bledsoe: Is it Jesus? 741 00:53:33,300 --> 00:53:34,180 Pastor Bledsoe: Is he your king? 742 00:53:34,340 --> 00:53:35,460 Pastor Bledsoe: Is he your Lord? 743 00:53:35,700 --> 00:53:37,140 Pastor Bledsoe: Is he your Savior 744 00:53:37,620 --> 00:53:39,060 Pastor Bledsoe: I'm going to ask you to respond. 745 00:53:39,220 --> 00:53:42,260 Pastor Bledsoe: I'm going to ask you to come forward as we have our closing song. 746 00:53:42,420 --> 00:53:43,300 Pastor Bledsoe: As they sing 747 00:53:45,160 --> 00:53:50,360 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, if you want to accept Jesus as your Savior, I want to accept him as my Savior. 748 00:53:50,520 --> 00:53:52,360 Pastor Bledsoe: Maybe you haven't been baptized like Jesus. 749 00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:54,120 Pastor Bledsoe: If you need to be baptized. 750 00:53:54,880 --> 00:53:59,200 Pastor Bledsoe: You want to choose, can we whoops, can we get that back up there? 751 00:53:59,599 --> 00:54:00,400 Pastor Bledsoe: Sorry. 752 00:54:05,100 --> 00:54:06,060 Pastor Bledsoe: Thank you. 753 00:54:07,180 --> 00:54:13,580 Pastor Bledsoe: If you want to be baptized like Jesus, if you want to by his grace to choose to serve him, I invite you to respond. 754 00:54:13,660 --> 00:54:16,700 Pastor Bledsoe: If you're watching online and you want to respond, you can text a number. 755 00:54:16,780 --> 00:54:17,900 Pastor Bledsoe: There's a number there. 756 00:54:18,240 --> 00:54:20,160 Pastor Bledsoe: Text and we'll respond to you. 757 00:54:20,320 --> 00:54:22,240 Pastor Bledsoe: But my friends, the question is very simple. 758 00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:24,800 Pastor Bledsoe: How do you want to respond to Jesus? 759 00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:28,320 Pastor Bledsoe: My friends, if Jesus is speaking to your heart 760 00:54:28,980 --> 00:54:31,380 Pastor Bledsoe: Telling you maybe that your house is desolate. 761 00:54:31,540 --> 00:54:39,380 Pastor Bledsoe: Maybe it's been desolate for a while and you've just gotten comfortable with it because you've rejected Jesus as your Savior and Lord. 762 00:54:39,559 --> 00:54:49,559 Pastor Bledsoe: And you want to respond to him, you want to accept him, then I invite you to come forward as we sing the Savior is waiting to enter your heart 763 00:54:49,740 --> 00:54:51,740 Pastor Bledsoe: Why don't you let him come in? 764 00:54:51,980 --> 00:54:54,780 Pastor Bledsoe: There's nothing in this world to keep you apart. 765 00:54:55,020 --> 00:54:56,700 Pastor Bledsoe: What is your answer to him? 766 00:54:57,260 --> 00:55:04,140 Pastor Bledsoe: As we sing, if Jesus is speaking to your heart, I invite you to say yes, and I invite you to come forward. 767 00:55:04,140 --> 00:55:05,660 Pastor Bledsoe: Shall we stand together?