Michigan Camp Meeting 2019: As a Witness, Matthew 24:14

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Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Plenary

John Bradshaw

Kia Kaha

Our Father in heaven, we've been blessed by beautiful music.

We are grateful tonight for your presence.

We pray that you would speak to us through your word.

The resounding chorus of amens told me that everyone here is glad.

We are thankful that there is a God who is the potter of our relationship.

We are grateful you are a creator and through Christ, Redeemer.

Lord, would you speak to us tonight so that when we leave this place, as the day dies slowly in the West, we will be able to say we have been in the presence of God.

Bless us now, please, we ask you, not because we deserve it, but because you are merciful.

World War II unfortunately provides us with many lessons, many illustrations.

That kind of conflict on that kind of scale when humanity was putting behind itself the really rather primitive methods of warfare utilized in World War I, was learning to embrace the far more advanced and far more deadly means of destruction that World War II afforded.

Tanks had been used in World War I, but they were kind of slow and kind of primitive.

By World War II, they were far more advanced and therefore far more deadly.

Aircraft by World War II were far more sophisticated and therefore more lethal than they had ever been.

Radar was first used in warfare in World War II.

They were the most important ships in any Navy.

Of course, the weaponry, the weapons themselves, were unlike anything that had heretofore been used on a battlefield.

Exhibit A was the atomic bomb which claimed the lives of roughly 250 millions of people.

Sorry, I'll say that again, roughly 250 thousands of people, there's a big difference in only 2 Japanese cities.

That someone was General Sherman, the man who was responsible, the man who gave the order for the burning of Atlanta during the Civil War.

But after a war has been fought, we celebrate the gallant, we lionize the courageous, and we honor the intrepid, and certain warriors take a special place in the annals of human history.

1 such group of warriors was the 28th Battalion, known as the Maori Battalion, part of the 2nd New Zealand Division, the fighting arm of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force during World War II.

I'm not expecting that you know much about the Maori Battalion, but that's why we're discussing this tonight.

It was a frontline infantry unit made up of volunteers, of course, volunteers, comprising 700 to 750, maybe a touch more, touch less, men, divided into 5 companies.

It was the most decorated New Zealand battalion of World War II.

Like the other infantry battalions, the Maori battalion was divided into 5 companies.

4 rifle companies of about 125 men each and a headquarters company of around 200 men.

The battalion's 4 rifle companies, creatively named ABC, and D, were organized along tribal lines.

The Maori were and still are the indigenous people of New Zealand, a native people.

So the 4 rifle companies divided along roughly at least tribal lines.

While the headquarters company, HQ company, was drawn from all over Maoridom, Tribal affiliation was not a consideration.

In the words of Lieutenant General Bernard Freyberg, who commanded the 2nd New Zealand Division, no infantry battalion had a more distinguished record, or saw more fighting, or alas had such heavy casualties as the Maori Battalion, which fought in such places as Greece, Crete, North Africa, and Italy.

It is recorded that General Rommel, Germany's Desert Fox, considered New Zealanders to be the finest troops on the Allied side.

They fought, they said, for God, King, and country.

Rommel's chief of staff said, give me the Maori battalion and I will conquer the world.

Perhaps it is what was recorded in their rallying cry, or Perhaps it was the intent, the expression, the meaning of its rallying cry.

Some translation might say, be strong always, or ever be strong.

Those words were contained in the Maori battalion song, Kia Kaha.

It was their motto, their rallying cry, Kia Kaha.

Be strong, always be strong, no matter what.

Their motto has become part of the fabric of New Zealand culture today.

After a tragedy, people are encouraged, Kia kaha, when somebody is about to enter into a sporting contest, it is not uncommon, Ye verily, it is common that somebody will say to that person, Kia kaha, be strong.

If you are entering into some arena, not necessarily sporting, some place where you must give your best, somebody will say to you more than likely, Kia kaha, be strong.

There are schools, high schools that have taken those words as their school motto You will see it on the school crest the monogram with the crest those words will say Kia kaha be strong always ever be strong You must give of your best always and so we encourage you with these words, Kiakaha, always be strong.

For those who have studied World War II, it is said that the name Takrauna, Takrauna, Takruna, evokes memories of some of the bloodiest hand-to-hand fighting in all of the Desert War.

Takruna was a 650 feet tall or 650 feet high rock fortress in the Sahel region of Tunisia right there in North Africa.

It was held in 1943 by German and Italian troops.

If you were to see a picture of it, you would say, that thing could not possibly be taken.

It was important because that thing blocked the advance of the 8 armies' drive towards Tunis, capital of Tunisia, which is about 45 miles in a straight line from Tacorona.

On the night of April 19 in 1943, a handful of B Company men, led by Sergeant Hanim Manahi, scaled a sheer cliff.

We wouldn't call them enemies today, but enemies in terms of warfare then.

Others of his followers reached the summit, too.

And after 3 days of desperate fighting, Takuna was taken.

He came back with a section of sea company and another platoon and successfully pushed back the Axis counterattack.

Manahe and his men took 300 prisoners over that time.

A British lieutenant general described what Menahe did as the most gallant feat of arms I witnessed in the course of the entire war.

This concept of strength will get your places in warfare and we have to remember that we God's people are involved in a combat in a warfare Paul described the Christian endeavor as being like a war.

Here we are on the eve of a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.

And God is looking for people who are prepared to be strong.

Jesus himself said in Matthew 24 and verse 13, but he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.

You might hear Jesus saying kia kaha in those words.

The word he used in the Greek was hupomeno.

And you'll find a word in Revelation chapter 14 and verse 12 that's very closely related to that word.

You read in Revelation 14 and verse 12, here is the patience of the saints.

That word is connected to the word endurance in Revelation 24 and verse 13.

Here is the patience, the steadfastness, the constancy, the endurance of the saints.

Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Right there Is that concept of grabbing hold and not letting go right there is the thought that we accept?

The task Stand up to it much forward Unflinchingly Kia, kaha It is said in Romans chapter 4 in verse 20 that Abraham was strong Strong he was the Bible says Abraham was strong now the Greek word used there is Connected directly to the word used in Romans 1 in verse 16.

I am NOT ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto salvation, you know you've heard it a hundred times that Greek word is dunamis from which we get dynamite and Abraham is said to have had dynamite faith, which is fascinating.

Mark Finley

Hope Beyond Tomorrow

Father in heaven, we just thank you that you are the awesome, wonderful God that surprises us.

You are the 1 who ministers in the sanctuary above.

You're the 1 who died for us, you're the 1 that lives for us, and you're the 1 that comes again for us.

Come, speak to us deeply inside and give us encouragement in Christ's name.

During the days of communism, the communist government very often had lecture halls in the factories.

Then they gathered factory workers together, often on a weekly basis, sometimes on a monthly basis, to give them lectures on the ideology of communism.

They knew that they had to saturate their minds with the principles of socialism and godless atheism.

On 1 particular occasion, the factory workers were gathered together in a factory in St.

And 1 of the most learned, brilliant communist philosophers was brought into that factory to lecture on the virtues of socialism and on the benefits of the principles and practices of communism.

He lectured for about 2 hours and the last part of his lecture he tried to destroy Christianity.

He talked about the myths of Christianity and he said that no intelligent person could accept Christianity.

At the end of that meeting of 2 hours of lecture, He asked if anybody had any questions.

He had a cane and he began to walk up the aisle.

Hunched over, walking with faltered step, bracing himself on the cane.

And he came up the stairs onto the platform.

And the philosopher said to him, what you old man, you have some questions, you have something to say?

Now in the Orthodox Church, the leader of worship always says to the congregation at Easter, Christ is risen.

And the audience speaks back, risen indeed.

I'll say Christ is risen and you say risen indeed.

The old man simply began saying Christ is risen and the audience said, risen indeed.

And the old man said, Christ is risen and the audience said, risen indeed.

Well pretty soon it swelled to this loud crescendo And the philosopher knew he lost the audience.

And with great humility and embarrassment, he bowed his head and walked off the stage.

Because you see, the resurrection of Christ is the key to understanding His divinity.

It's the key to understanding the cross and His second coming.

Because if Christ had not risen from the dead, but only died on the cross and was still in his grave, he would have been a martyr dying for a good cause.

If Christ was not risen for the dead, he might give you principles by which you can live, but he could not give you the power to live those principles.

But the incredible good news is that the Christ that died for us lives for us.

And if Jesus was not in the tomb, if Jesus was in the tomb, He certainly could never come again.

So in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the Apostle Paul links the second coming of Christ with the death and resurrection of Christ.

So Let's go back and look at 1 Corinthians the 15th chapter.

Because here you have Christ's resurrection linked to the resurrection of the righteous when Christ comes again, and linked to His return and His reception of the eternal kingdom.

So Paul begins in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 14, and if Christ is not risen, then your preaching is vain and your faith is vain.

So if Christ is not risen from the dead, your faith is what everybody?

Yes, we are found false witnesses of God.

Because the Bible declares that Christ is risen from the dead.

And if he has not risen, we are false witnesses of that, and Christ is merely a good man, a martyr dying for a good cause.

Because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead do not rise.

For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen." In other words, if there is no resurrection of Christ, then the rest of the dead have no hope for the resurrection.

Verse 17, for if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile.

Then also, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, or of all men most miserable, why?

Because then the grave is a dark hill on the ground.

Then death is a long night without a morning.

Then the atheistic philosophy is true, but he goes even further, verse 20 and onward.

But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those that have fallen asleep.

For since by man came death, by man came the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

But each 1 of us in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, after those who are Christ's at His coming.

Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet and the last enemy that will be destroyed is death." So the resurrection of Christ is a powerful testimony that the grave cannot hold your loved ones.

The resurrection of Christ is a powerful testimony that Jesus, the divine Son of God, went into the grave and He came out.

Therefore He can resurrect our loved ones, that father, that mother, that son, that daughter, that sister, that friend who died so unexpectedly, who sleeps in that grassy grave on a hillside someplace in Michigan.

They have the hope of the resurrection because Christ was resurrected from the dead.

And Christ's resurrection is proof positive that He has victory over the grave.

Tonight I want to share with you 5 vital lessons from the resurrection story.

Take your Bible and turn to Matthew 28th chapter.

Lessons that were given in the first century but speak to us hope in the 21st century.

Lessons that were given in another time and another place, but speak to us in this time and this place.

Lessons that break upon us, like a sunrise over Lake Michigan in a beautiful morning.

Like the dew sparkling on Michigan roses.

Lessons that touch our hearts in this generation.

We begin Matthew chapter 28, we look there at verse 1.

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and other Mary came to see the tomb.

Very often in the study of the Bible we rush over texts and fail to grasp their significance.

Notice the simplicity yet the profoundness of that first phrase, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn.

I'd like you to think about the disciples thoughts on that Sabbath.

The last time they had seen Christ, he was hanging on a cross with nails through his hands and blood spurting about out of his wrists.

The last time they had seen Christ, There was a crown of thorns jammed upon his head and blood was running down his face, matting in his beard.

The last time they had heard Christ, they heard him cry out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

They saw the darkness that enshrouded the cross, the thunder that clapped, the rain that fell.

They heard the words, Father, into thy hands I commend thy spirit.

They were disappointed and discouraged and downhearted.

Their hopes danced away like a shadow, like a bottle thrown against the wall and broken in a thousand pieces, like sand flowing through their fingers.

Had they followed cunningly divine fables?

Think about those disciples that Sabbath.

It was the longest Sabbath of their life.

Peter and John had left a prosperous fishing business to follow Him.

They had risked their future and their fortune on this itinerant Jewish preacher from Nazareth.

Lightened With His Glory

Our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we come to you thankful tonight.

We've been encouraged to pray, so we are praying now.

We ask that because we've come to camp meeting, or as we've come to camp meeting, your Holy Spirit would work powerfully in our lives, in our hearts.

We believe that 1 day, Jesus is going to return, wake the sleeping saints, and take the redeemed, both living and dead, to heaven.

We believe that there is an eternity stretching before us.

And so, Father, tonight, place a great burden in our hearts to know you, love you, serve you, and to truly be yours.

Let your word be quick, powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword.

We ask you tonight, in Jesus' name, amen.

About 5 miles from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, is the Extreme light laboratory at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

A couple of years ago, scientists at UNL succeeded in doing something rare.

They produced a beam of light 1 billion times brighter than the surface of the Sun, which I think we can agree is bright.

Now that flash of light lasted for only 30 billionths of a millionth of a second, but still that was a bright light.

There was definitely some scientific utility arising out of this experiment, but it's hard to get away from the fact that at the end of the day, somebody created a really, really, really bright light.

They increase when there is plenty of light and therefore our happiness is affected in a positive sense.

And it's hard not to be impressed by beautiful displays of light.

If you've seen the Eiffel Tower at night, if you've seen Niagara Falls at night, Christmas we like in part because of the bright lights.

It would not surprise me at all if there is some way you habitually go at Christmas time in order that you might enjoy the light displays.

You may be surprised to know that there is a light bulb, if you are from Chattanooga or Mississippi or Alabama someplace, a light bulb.

There's a light bulb in Livermore, California that has been burning continually for 117 years.

And you say to yourself, how can I get my hands on 1 of those light bulbs?

Because right around 100 years ago, a group of light bulb manufacturers got together in Geneva, Switzerland.

This cartel was called the Phoebus cartel, P-H-O-E-B-U-S, the Phoebus cartel.

And there were manufacturers, all the manufacturers that you recognize today, many of them, GE and others.

And they said, gentlemen, and it was gentlemen, we have a problem because light bulbs last too long.

We will not sell many more if they all last for 100 years.

And so penalties were levied against anybody who produced a light bulb that lasted longer than 1, 000 hours.

And now you know why it's been so hard for so long to get a light bulb that lasts.

It's a beautiful thing if you are a light bulb manufacturer, not so if you burn plenty of light bulbs.

The Bible speaks of light, of course it does.

In the beginning, God created the most famous words, I would say, in all of literature.

And we know that on day 1, God spoke into the darkness and He said, Let there be what?

God provided light to the children of Israel during the plague of darkness down there in Egypt.

He sent with His people a pillar of fire to provide them with light and guidance.

There was a seven-branched candlestick in the holy place of the sanctuary.

It burned and light glittered and gleamed and reflected off the golden walls in there.

It was beautiful inside the walls in there, off the walls in there.

The bible says that god's lamp Sorry, god's word is a lamp to our feet and a what a light to our path.

That's right David wrote in psalm 119 if you believe he wrote psalm 119 and I do the entrance of God's word gives what?

It gives light and it gives understanding to the people.

Jesus declared himself to be the light of the world.

You read it in John 9 in verse 5, where Jesus said, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world but then the plot thickens when Jesus says in Matthew 5 and verse 14 you are the light of the world a city that is set on an hill cannot be hidden Jesus tells us your purpose and mine our purpose in this world is to give light that would be to reflect light to shine And there is a part of me that doesn't much like that, because deep within all of us, and hopefully deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, there is this thought struggling for expression.

That we don't want to be crucified daily.

We want time off the clock to not be on duty But Christ's injunction does not contemplate you or myself being part-time lights but full-time lights We live in a desperately dark world, a sinful and a wicked world.

And you don't have to look too far to find wickedness and sin.

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