GYC 2008: For This Purpose

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Generation. Youth. Christ. (GYC)

Doug Batchelor: The Victorious Life

Doug Batchelor

Broken Chains

Father in heaven, we are grateful for this opportunity to come together in freedom in this place to open your word and to listen for the voice of your spirit.

We pray that you will be present here in this seminar this morning and help us to be transformed as a result of what is said, not only in this meeting, Lord, we know that all around this complex, young people are searching to know you better, to better understand how to draw close to you and how to serve you.

And we pray that you'll be with every seminar, with every speaker and every listener, and that there'll be a revival during this weekend.

And so please bless, Lord, be present here.

Please forgive the sins of the 1 who is to teach and to speak.

And I pray that you'll all give us ears to hear.

If you have your Bibles, I'd like to invite you to turn to the book of Mark.

In serving the Lord, in witnessing, in whatever you might do with your lives, it all begins with the first step, which is coming to the Lord just the way you are.

Now, I always like to, I say this over and over again, because it's a simple truth, but it always helps us to just keep the main thing the main thing.

There are 2 priorities in life that are summarized in what we call the Great Invitation, Matthew chapter 11, and the Great Commission, Matthew chapter 28.

We come to the Lord and that is your vertical love relationship.

You go for the Lord, that's the horizontal.

Love the Lord, this love relationship, love your neighbor.

It's this love relationship, you come to Christ, you go for Christ.

Now this is something that doesn't happen once in your life.

It should happen in a profound way at conversion, but it's something that you do daily.

Life is a daily drawing to of Christ, coming to Christ, and it is a daily going to tell others, love for God, love for your brother.

And that really summarizes what the Christian experience is.

And virtually all the problems that we have are gonna revolve around this love relationship and this love relationship.

And I always find that's a good summary, and that sort of sets the stage for what we're talking about this morning.

In Mark chapter 5, there's a story, and it begins actually with verse 1.

Well, no, I meant to say verse 35 of chapter 4, just to give you the context.

Now, Jesus had told the disciples that they were to cross the sea, and in crossing the sea, they encountered a storm that came up from nowhere, just a furious storm.

When they started out, they were probably clipping along.

They had to sail up, and everything was fine.

And then just this diabolical storm seemed to just come down from the mountains of Lebanon.

And out of nowhere, the wind began to howl.

It was almost like these arms were coming up from the deep to swallow them, and the night grew black, and they're bailing the boat as fast as they can.

And the boat was mostly full of experienced fishermen, seamen.

They knew and they feared for their lives, which tells you this was a ferocious storm.

And like Jonah, Jesus was asleep in the boat during the storm.

And like Jonah, they woke up Jesus and they said, Master, care us not that we perish.

I think probably some lightning had flashed and they saw him asleep there in the back on the tackling.

And like Jonah, Jesus was in the lowest part of the boat.

And when he was awakened, they said, don't you care that we're perishing?

You remember the captain woke up Jonah and he said, care us not, why arises thou sleep or care us not that we're perishing?

Pray to your God that we perish not, is actually what he said.

There are a lot of similarities in those 2 stories.

That's why Jesus said, no sign will be given but the sign of Jonah.

So Jesus stands up, And he quickly takes in what's going on.

Probably being human, it took him a moment to get his scruples together.

You ever wake up and are you perfectly alert?

And he looks around, he takes it in, and he just, I can just picture him hanging onto the mast with 1 hand, and he raises his other hand, and he basically says, Shalom.

He doesn't scream and yell like some Pentecostal preacher at the elements, as you've maybe heard it portrayed.

Does the Lord have to scream to get things to obey?

When God created the world, did He say, let there be light?

I think sometimes we substitute volume for substance.

And all of a sudden, the waves flattened out, The water became perfectly glassy.

And that, you know, the Bible says the disciples were really scared during the storm.

Now, after the storm is gone, they are exceedingly afraid.

Because now they're realizing that if they were ever afraid of the storm, there's someone in the boat that's more powerful than the storm.

They can see the moon reflecting off the glassy water.

But when you're rowing, you know, sailing, I've done a lot of sailing, you sort of have to turn a little bit where the wind blows and you tack back and forth.

And so, Jesus, for some reason, directed them to a desolate section of the Sea of Galilee, sort of in the southeast shore.

It had been established by Alexander the Great, Deca, 10, Polis, Cetes.

And they start rowing the boat over there, and they don't know why, because it's not a big Jewish settlement.

Like, you know, when he did the Sermon on the Mount, there were probably flowers and meadows around.

But as they get closer to the shore, the sun is now coming up at this point, and something very extraordinary happens.

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.

And when he had come out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs.

And no 1 could bind him, no, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces.

And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and he was in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

But when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran to him and worshipped him." Now that doesn't sound like what demons would want to do, but whatever was left in this man came to Jesus when he saw him from afar.

All right, I want you to just pause there.

Luke chapter 8, same story, Luke's version.

By the way, This story is found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

1 difference you're going to find is in the Gospel of Matthew, it says there are 2 men.

And I don't believe that's really a contradiction in the Bible.

1 of them probably was not very well known.

He was not the 1 who spoke necessarily or spoke very much.

And so some of the gospel writers really talked about 1 man, but there were actually 2 there.

The Glorious Mount

Dear Father in heaven, we're very thankful for this opportunity to again direct our attention to the most important book in the world and Lord now as we are doing that we ask that you'll fill us with your spirit Give us wisdom help us to sense your presence here.

Please remove any evil influence that might distract us.

And Lord, if the devil tries to infect us with the spirit of dozing, I pray that you'll awaken us and help us to be attentive and alert and that the Holy Spirit will energize us with these truths.

Bless Lord again, pray that you'll be with me as I speak and all of the presentations taking place during the GYC session.

We ask in the name of your son Jesus, Amen.

This is a subject that I've been studying lately.

I put it into a small book called The Glorious Mount.

And when I read this study and I went through the Gospels where this appears, I became very excited.

And I wonder why I haven't heard more about it.

It's 1 of the most important experiences that you find in the New Testament.

You find this in Matthew, you find it in Mark, you find it in Luke.

It's something that transpires just before the crucifixion.

Now I'm going to go ahead and read these verses.

You'll also find it in Matthew chapter 16, just for your own interest, and Luke chapter 9.

And Jesus said to them, Assuredly I say to you, there are some of you standing here who will not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God come with power.

Now after 6 days Jesus took Peter, James and John and he led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them.

And his clothes became shining exceedingly white, such as no launder on earth can whiten them.

And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, it's good for us to be here.

Let us make 3 tabernacles, 1 for you and 1 for Moses and 1 for Elijah, because he did not know what to say, for they were all greatly afraid.

And a cloud came and overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved son, hear him.

Suddenly, when they had looked around, and they saw no 1 anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

And as they came down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no 1 the things that they had seen till the Son of Man be risen from the dead." This is a very, very important story.

3 people don't have the same dream at the same time.

Jesus really did talk to Moses and Elijah.

And it refers to it as a vision in 1 gospel simply meaning that they had this vision, they saw something into the supernatural, but it was very real.

Now before I go into the story, I want you to know this story is fulfillment of the last prophecy in the Old Testament.

Turn with me to the book of Malachi chapter 4 and you know this prophecy.

Verse 4, Remember the law of Moses my servant, that I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgments.

Or the law that I gave him on Mount Sinai?

I think he's specifically talking about the 10 Commandments.

Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.

You turn the page, and there in the New Testament, what 2 individuals appear with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration?

This vision, this story in the Bible is often referred to as the Mount of Transfiguration or the Glorious Mount.

Now not only is it true that John the Baptist came in the spirit and the power of Elijah, but Elijah really did come.

He appeared to Jesus, And Moses came and appeared.

Well, first of all, I want to back up, and I want to ask you, why did they go up the mountain?

It tells us in Luke chapter 9, he took Peter, James, and John up on the mountain to pray.

What are they praying about up on the mountain?

Who else did He take with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane to come apart and pray with Him?

The disciples were praying, but he asked Peter, James and John, specifically, they drew closer to him to pray with him in a special way.

When he raised the daughter of Jairus, who did he take with him into that room?

They were like the trinity of leadership among the apostles.

And if you read in the book, Desire of Ages, page 419, what are they praying about?

They go up on the mountain, here is specifically what Jesus is praying about.

He pleads that they may witness a manifestation of his divinity That will comfort them in the hour of his supreme agony with the knowledge That he is of a surety the son of God and that his shameful death is part of the plan of redemption They were getting ready to doubt that He was the Messiah.

They were getting ready to go through an hour of severe trial.

Now, Christ was going to be glorified after He ascended, but before his glory there was a great test of Gethsemane and he wanted them to have an experience on the mountaintop with Moses and Elijah before they went through this valley of the shadow of death of Calvary that would sustain them Are we going to have our faith tested soon?

Is that test going to be every bit as serious and severe as what happened with Gethsemane?

Have you read about the time of Jacob's trouble?

There's a great time of testing coming to God's people.

Matter of fact, Jesus tells us that if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived.

How are we going to endure this time of testing, this time of trouble such as there never has been since there was a nation is going to be coming upon the world.

How can we be overcomers through this trial that's before us?

Might I suggest to you that you need to follow Jesus up on the mountain and have a vision of Moses and Elijah.

We need to be praying on the mountain now to prepare us for that valley that is coming soon.

There's not very many mountains in the promised land that are like Everest or nothing as high as the Sierras.

But it could have been 1 of the mountains of Lebanon, get up 8, 000 or 10, 000 feet.

But they went up a high mountain for them.

They wanted to get as close to God as they could.

You notice in the Bible how many times when God is about to do something great, someone climbs a mountain.

When Moses got the law, he went up on Mount Sinai.

When Elijah had that glorious experience of fire coming down, he went up on Mount Carmel.

And of course, when Jesus died for us, he went up a mountain too, didn't he?

So they climb the mountain, and Jesus begins to pray.

And he's praying earnestly for them that they might have this experience that would strengthen their faith when this trial came and what did the disciples do during this time?

Well, if you read in Luke 9, verse 32, same story, but Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep.

So at this critical moment, when they should have been praying, What are they doing?

That's why if you're going to sleep during a sermon during this weekend, don't sleep during this 1.

So you want to, if you see someone around you, you care about them, a sanctified elbow, they'll appreciate it.

A Double Portion of The Spirit

Could we kneel as we begin this segment with prayer?

Loving Father in heaven, thank you again for this opportunity we have to just come aside in this beautiful place and in freedom to open your word and to better understand what is truth Lord the time this afternoon will be wasted if we are not able to hear what you're saying and if we're not surrendered and willing to do what you're saying give us both ears to hear and hearts that are willing to be not only hearers but doers of the word remove every distraction I pray you'll be with me and Lord as a result may we be spirit filled and willing to go wherever you lead and willing to follow.

If you could take your Bibles please and turn to the second book of Kings.

You know, Brother Finley was going to be talking about the Holy Spirit, and so, while I don't have a four-part series on that, I do have a two-part series on the Holy Spirit.

I did want to share this message with you on the subject of the Holy Spirit and more specifically the filling of the Holy Spirit and how important the need of the Spirit is.

I like to teach theology through Bible stories.

The stories in the Bible really are a springboard to understand theology.

You'll find that the stories in the Bible don't contradict good theology, they reinforce it.

Turn please to 2 Kings 2 and we'll start with verse 1.

I think most of us know the story of where Elisha is filled with a double portion of Elijah's spirit, but with your permission, I'd like to walk through this with you and make some comparisons, both with the ministry of Christ and where we are today, what this means for us.

This isn't just written for history, this is meant for us today in 2008.

And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take Elijah into heaven, by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

Now the word Gilgal means Rolling or Circle and my son Stephen is checking in with me.

15, don't want them just wandering around.

Actually, it got the name because when they crossed over the Jordan River, they reinstituted circumcision there to roll away the reproach from the years when they had lost faith.

And each 1 of the names of the places where Elijah and Elisha go says something about our walk with the Lord.

For 1 thing, have you ever noticed that sometimes it seems like you're going in circles in your walk with the Lord?

So Elijah realizes, look, I'm getting ready to ascend to heaven.

God had revealed to Elijah through divine revelation.

I'm not sure how it happened, but not only did Elijah know, but the sons of the prophets knew that he was going up, that he was with them for a limited time.

And I'm getting a ringing in the microphone, and that's going to wreck the whole tape.

I don't know if someone knows how to control the master.

If they just bring it down a little bit here.

After you just bring that down, That's probably a little bit.

You know, if I was a kid today as when I was growing up, I would be medicated.

Because I had an attention deficit disorder and I've never gotten over it.

You can distract me so easily, it's just pitiful.

All right, so the Lord had revealed that he was going to take Elijah up into heaven supernaturally.

And before he ascends, he wants to go around and to strengthen the schools of the prophets.

Now, this is very much like what Jesus did.

By the way, the name Elijah, 2 principal characters in our story today are Elijah, which means my God is Jehovah, and Elisha, which means my God is Savior.

Matter of fact, Elisha's Jesus name is Yahshua, which is Elohim is Savior.

And Elisha's name, very much, very similar.

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, you notice he went and he appeared to the disciples and the apostles various times for about 40 days, then he ascended.

The other thing that was interesting is when Christ ascended, He then sent the Spirit.

When Elijah ascends to heaven, He gives a double portion of the Spirit to Elisha.

And so you're going to see a lot of parallels here between the ministry of Christ and what Elisha is doing.

You know, 1 thing that really thrills me with what I see happening here at GYC, and just what I've observed in the short time I've been in the Adventist church, when I say that comparatively, is that There's a grassroots movement to train laity for ministry.

And you've got these schools like Arise and like Afco and like Black Hills that are training laymen to do ministry and evangelism.

And I'll tell you, that just thrills me to the core.

Because not everybody, because of finances or where they are in their lives, can always go back to school and go the whole route of seminary.

Many of you may know that when I became a Christian, I mean, I had 3 kids and a high school dropout.

And it just wasn't practical for me to go back and start from scratch and get a theology degree.

And so the first evangelism I did was just as a layman.

I started out working with the pastor in the church I attended, and little by little, the Lord just was blessing, and I was bringing people to Sabbath school, and then bringing people to evangelistic meetings, and giving Bible studies.

And I can't tell you the whole story because we don't have enough time, but God just started opening doors, and so much of it was ministry as a layman.

But what I noticed was happening was all these pastors and conference people said, Doug, you've got gifts for ministry.

You ought to go to school to study to be a pastor, and I believe in that, don't misunderstand.

But they automatically assume that if you've got the ability to leave someone to the Lord, that you're supposed to be ordained as a pastor.

I think Every member ought to learn how to bring people to the Lord.

And not every member needs to then take over a church.

Series

Doug Batchelor: The Victorious Life

Broken Chains

Transcript

Parent Series

Parent Conference

Sponsor

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