We Have This Hope, We Have This Treasure

**I decided to upload this, to simply share with you what I was convicted of. This is in no way intended to be a criticism or condescension, or offense toward the subjects of this article.**

Not too long ago, I went to a Non-denominational sunday worship service. It was not out of personal curiosity or other reasons but as a company for an adventist friend who was invited to this church. (My friend had invited this person to an SDA church in exchange) What I found there was terrifying and also eye-opening.

I've always noticed that this church is packed full on certain days of the week. Their large parking lot is always full, making a small traffic in neighboring streets. From the outside, the church building looks like anything but a church, seeming rather like a day care centre from the slides and swing set at the back of the lot.

So I drove in and parked at the back end of the lot, as I was directed by a whole team of parking crew. As I walked toward the entrance, I noticed many people walking in, with the Bible in their hands. "That's good" I thought. But as I made my way into the "sanctuary", I got the funny feeling in my stomach. There were large screens all over the wall, with a picture of motorcycle and a ticking clock, counting down toward the beginning of the service. There was a rock music playing in the background. It was as if I was walking into a movie theater. People were dressed casually in Jeans, I must have been the most well dressed person (dress shirt and a gray pants) besides my SDA friend, including the pastoral staff of the church. 

Then it began. Very loud music and the drums. Everyone on their feet. Hands up in the air. Then it caught my attention. "Wait a minute...!" The song was "Born To Be Wild" with some lyrics replaced by "Christian" languages. I couldn't miss it, because my coworker has this crazy rat doll that dances to this tune on top of his desk. I sat down. I was furious, sad, in disbelief, offended, and felt like crying all at the same time. "This is what they call the house of God and a house of worship??" 

The music went on, longer than I could stand. I was the only person sitting. (My friend stood, to witness to this invitee despite the disgust she felt also). I noticed that most of the lyrics sang of our feeling and actions in the first person. "I am" this and that.

Then the preaching started. Attractive and casual, but well spoken lady pastor. (Her husband is a minister too). She spoke of "living by faith" and "making sacrifices" based on a lesson from a group of motorcyclists who went to this big biker's gig in South Dakota. "It takes faith to ride a motorcycle without a helmet." "We have to be a bald Christian, not timid, just as such in riding bikes." ...etc.

The Bible was made available to everyone in the audience who didn't bring it. She opened the Bible and read from a story of Jesus calming the storm and a few more passages. But somehow, the words left me feeling empty. She said all the right words that we too often hear being preached. "We have to believe in God's promises", "You have to let go of things that prevents you from serving the Lord." She had the right text from the Bible to back them up too. But I felt empty. Was I biased? Maybe. I have thought before, "Okay, as long as the word of God is being preached...". But I couldn't feel like that. At least not this time. It was missing something, despite the fact that she used familiar phrases and texts, even the Bible.

What was missing? This is my humble observation and a personal conviction. First thing that was missing was the power. The life-changing power that is contained in the word of God. When the word of God is preached with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, there is power. It changes our hearts and lives. This is not about emotions of "conversion experience" but the true change in our lives. None of that were mentioned as she spoke of "faith". The preacher spoke of claiming Gods promises that brings success in our lives. But what about a faith that endures even the hardships? What about the power of the Holy Spirit that gives us power to live a changed life by faith?

Second thing that was missing was the spirit of obedience and self-denial. "Making a personal sacrifices for God" was being preached, but what about "total surrender"? What about taking up our own cross to follow Christ?

Then the third. What about living this life with eternity in view? There was one brief mention of the return of Christ in Second Coming, but it was just briefly added as "F.Y.I." literally. What about the hope we have in Jesus Christ as our Savior, who has saved us and is coming back soon? Isn't that what our faith is based on? Isn't that what gives us the power to live changed lives? We HAVE this HOPE. We have to talk about it -- over and over again. ...Every chance we get.

And the thing was, that the people there, and the church staff or the ministers, I'm sure, are all sincerely seeking Christians. Trying to do God's work. But whatever it was, led them to be in that place at that time. This church, booming in popularity, is growing, and VERY FAST. and I felt helpless at that. But when Elijah felt that he was utterly alone and helpless being hunted down for his life, God told him that "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." God has His people who stand up for His work, in this very town. Can we be a part of that army?

After all, I realized, it's not what the church offers to the congregation that makes a difference.  Ultimately, the way that the message is presented  or style of worship is not what attracts people. It's how we live changed lives by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the word of God that we receive, and the way we share it with others that makes the difference. Friends, as we just heard from our pastor, "We HAVE this TREASURE." We have this HOPE. God has given us a message to share with the whole world. It's a message that has power - power that changes lives, and it's in the word of God. The disciples took the messages and went out, and changed the world forever. We too, can do the same. " Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. - Matthew 28:9-20."

We live in this world, this nation, and in this town, where so many people do not have this HOPE, or have hope or faith in the wrong things. They may read the same Bible that we read, but do not realize the TREASURE they have in their hands. Many do not realize the awesome power of God that can work in the very lives of ours when we surrender wholly. Yet, thousands by thousands of people are attracted to the form of Christianity that offers comfortable message and merely scratches the surfaces of the powerful word of God. We are called to be co-laborers with God, and few are answering the call. We are called to serve in this largest-scale rescue mission in the history of mankind. The task is not easy, and our rescue work may not be well-appreciated, but our rewards are in heaven. And if God is on our side, who can be against us?

"Why hover about the churches? Study the parable of the lost sheep, and go forth as true shepherds, seeking the lost ones in the wilderness of sin. RESCUE the perishing -- Ellen G. White".

SAR SS 003 - What is SIN?

All have “sinned” and fall short of the glory of God

1. 1.Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
2. 2. Romans 3:19-20
   1. 2.1.Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
   2. 2.2.THE LAW = TEN COMMANDMENTS

The law is the standard

1. 1.Exodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments
2. 2.Matt 22:36-39
   1. 2.1.“36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
3. 3.1 Sam 12:15 “... if you do not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord...”

Having another master

1. 1.Joshua 22:29
   1. 1.1.Far be it from us  that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn from following the Lord this day, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the Lord or God which is before His tabernacle.
2. 2.Making the choice
   1. 2.1.Joshua 24:15 “Choose for yourselves this day, whom you will serve.”
   2. 2.2.1 King 18:21 “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow Baal.”

The architecture of temptation

1. 1.Questioning the word of God
   1. 1.1.Gen 3:1 “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
2. 2.Turning the God’s word against itself... to cause doubt
   1. 2.1.“You will not surely die”
3. 3.Then make you believe something that God has never said
   1. 3.1.“For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
4. 4.Leading up to trusting our own judgment over the word of God
   1. 4.1.So when the woman SAW that the tree was good for food,that it was PLEASANT to the EYES, and a tree DESIRABLE to make one wise...she took of it’s fruit and ate.

Jesus’ temptation

1. 1.Temptation to follow the natural inclination
   1. 1.1.“If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
2. 2.Misuse of the word of God
   1. 2.1.Matt 4:6-7 “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written ..... Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”
3. 3.Making a choice between God and everything else
   1. 3.1.“All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

EGW Quotes

1. 1.Patriarchs and Prophets
   1. 1.1.p. 421 “It is not in the power of earth or hell to compel anyone to do evil. Satan attacks us at our weak points, but we need not be overcome. However severe or unexpected the assault, God has provided help for us, and in His strength we may conquer.”
   2. 1.2.p. 305 10 commandments broken down.

Discussion

1. 1.God’s glory = God’s character (from Rom 3:23)
2. 2.1 John 3:4 - Sin is the transgression of the Law
3. 3.Rom 5:12 - “through one man sin entered the world...”
4. 4.Gal 5:19-21 - “the work of flesh” also Romans 1:18-32
5. 5.Matt 15:18-20 “18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
6. 6.John 3:18 unbelief condemns
7. 7.Exodus 9:34 - repetition of sinning hardens the heart even more (plagues progressively worsened)

SAR S.S. 002 - To be called the children of God

What makes us the sons and daughters of God?

1. 1. Romans 2:29
   1. 1.1.“but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”
2. 2.1 John 3:1-3
   1. 2.1.“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Chosen People of God

1. 1.God chose us first
2. 2.Eph 1:4-5
   1. 2.1.“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundations of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”
3. 3.Deut 7:6-8 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the poles on the face of the earth. the Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you.”
4. 4.1 Peter 2:4-10
   1. 
      4.1.8-9 “They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light who once were not a people but are now the people of God”
5. 5.Deut 4:34-36
   1. 5.1.“Or did god ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God, did for you in Egypt before your eyes?’ ‘To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God there is none other besides Him.”

Keys to being chosen

1. 1.Believe in God
   1. 1.1.John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to the m He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name”
2. 2.Have the Holy Spirit
   1. 2.1.Matt 12:18 / Isaiah 42:1-4 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him...”
   2. 2.2.Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together”
   3. 2.3.Eph 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
3. 3.Obey the word
   1. 3.1.1 Peter 2:8 “They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed”
4. 4.To proclaim the Gospel
   1. 4.1.Acts 22:14 “The god of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.”
   2. 4.2.1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
5. 5.Purify the character
   1. 
      5.1.1 John 3:3 “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
6. 6.To glorify God
   1. 6.1.1 Cor 1:26-28 “26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
7. 7.Stand on God’s side
   1. 7.1.Revelation 17:14 “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
   2. 7.2.Joshua 24:15 “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve”

Discussion

1. 1.John 10:34-36 “34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
2. 2.Act 17:29-31 - repentance
   1. 2.1.29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
3. 3.Jeremiah 31:33-34 - The new covenant
   1. 3.1.“33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
4. 4.John 12:35-36 “35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
5. 
   5.Ephesians 5:8-10 “8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
6. 6.Gen 1:26 “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
7. 7.1 John 5:4-5 > Goes with Revelation 17:14
   1. 7.1.For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
8. 8.Philip 3:3 “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh”
9. 9.John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”