We have a time-sensitive work today. As in the days of Noah there came a time when the ark was completed, the animals were all in, and the last appeal was made, so in our day we have a message of appeal to the world. What will we do in this hour of earth’s history?

ASI 2021: Into All the World

<p>We have a time-sensitive work today. As in the days of Noah there came a time when the ark was completed, the animals were all in, and the last appeal was made, so in our day we have a message of appeal to the world. What will we do in this hour of earth’s history?</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Plenary Sessions

Vanessa Dowdley

The Tunnel Syndrome

Members in Action

Cami Oetman

Personal Testimony: Cami Oetman

Stephen Lee

Felecia Lee

A Message for Every Nation, Tribe, Language and People

Gerald Klingbeil

Chantal Klingbeil

Finding Rest in Family Ties

Ted N.C. Wilson

Hold Fast What You Have

Steve Dickman

The Hour

What a blessing God has given us this weekend, right?

Wonderful music, God's Word being spoken to us, and the opportunity to be together for the first time in almost 2 years.

I've entitled the thoughts for this evening, The Hour.

In the context of that, Jesus was on his way to the cross and he knew it.

We find this story in Matthew chapter 16 and verse 21 and this is what it says, Matthew 16 and verse 21 From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes.

It goes on to say, and be killed and be raised again the third day.

And I would suggest to you this evening that many do not know really the hour in which we live.

I don't need to tell you, you know yourself if you watch the news or have any connection with anything that the world is in a mess.

The world is falling apart as it were and as we look at that we understand that there is some reason that God has called us personally into this time and into this place and into our relationship with Him.

You know, Jesus knew His hour for a variety of reasons, I think.

He knew He was headed to the cross because He had a personal connection with His Heavenly Father.

He knew He was headed to the cross because He had studied the prophecies of the Old Testament.

And He had an intimate knowledge of these things.

I would like to take a look at this story and its subsequent verses and learn some lessons that Evidently the disciples were hesitant to learn because we find that they did not know the hour, even though Jesus himself was telling them, this is my hour.

Let's pick up the story in Matthew chapter 16.

So Jesus is saying in verse 21, from that time forth, at a certain point in time Jesus knew that his disciples were going to face this terrible situation, and he said, now is the time for me to acquaint my disciples with what's about to happen.

And as he began to acquaint them with what was about to happen, we see that in verse 22, Peter objects.

It says, then Peter took him and began to rebuke him.

What do we do when difficult times begin to come into our lives?

Do we begin to explain to God all the reasons why this is not necessary?

Do we begin to talk to God like, you've made some mistakes here, certainly we want to get back on track here, don't we?

Well Peter attempted that, but it goes on to say, he says to Jesus, Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee.

Peter telling Jesus what He thought was best.

How often do you explain to God why a certain thing is not best?

Now, I find myself often, you know, Lord are you sure that this timing is right?

Friends, tonight I want to tell you something.

We're living in an hour of our history when we need to individually lay our plans aside and go to God and ask Him what is His plan.

Because I believe, and I don't think I'm too far from wrong, that Jesus is waiting for us to ask that question.

Jesus is waiting for us to get on board with His plans and stop thinking that we always know better.

Jesus turned, it says, and said to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offense unto me, for thou savest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

I want to ask you tonight, are we too much in tune with what the world is expecting?

Are we too much in tune with what other people are expecting and not enough in tune with what God is asking.

Just a question, do you think it was easy for Jesus to go to the cross?

Do you think that was a logical decision in light of human thinking?

Do you think that somehow that this was something that was just a part of the plan and Jesus kind of just floated down through that plan and time and said, everything's okay.

I know I'm headed to the cross, everything's okay.

No, I want to just read you from Desire of Ages.

To the heart of Christ, it was a bitter task to press His way against the fears, disappointments, and unbelief of His beloved disciples.

Jesus was pressing his way toward the cross.

His disciples, his most trusted, trained, connected disciples.

1 of his trusted disciples is telling him, don't go.

What are you saying you're going to the cross?

Jesus corrects Peter by addressing the instigator of the thoughts that Peter was having.

This wasn't so much about calling Peter Satan as it was addressing the fact that Peter was being used by Satan to tempt Christ.

1 of the disciples of Jesus being used by Satan to tempt Christ himself?

Peter had been with Jesus 3 and a half years.

Is it possible that even under those conditions, Satan could use you and I to try and get someone else off of Christ's track?

Maybe he's using us, Satan I'm saying, using us.

I hate to think that actually we could be used in such a way.

But Peter found himself an ardent disciple of Christ being used by Satan.

The desire of ages goes on to say some very interesting things, and I'm going to share just a few of those with you.

We have very limited time this evening, and so we're going to really have to compress the ideas we're sharing here.

It says this, Satan was at hand to press his temptations upon the Son of Man.

Why should he now go to Jerusalem to certain death?

All around him were souls hungering for the bread of life.

On every hand were suffering ones waiting for his words of healing.

The work to be wrought by the gospel of His grace was just begun, and He was full of the vigor of manhood in His prime.

Why not go forward to the vast fields of the world with the words of His grace, the touch of His healing power?

Why not take to Himself the joy of giving light and gladness to those dark and sorrowing millions.

Why leave the harvest gathering to his disciples, so weak in faith, so dull in understanding, so slow to act?

Why face death now and leave the work in its infancy?

The foe who in the wilderness had confronted Christ has sealed him now with fierce and subtle temptations." And then this is a very interesting sentence and I want you to take note of this because it applies to us today.

Had Jesus yielded for a moment, had he changed his course in the least particular to save himself, Satan's agencies would have triumphed and the world would have been lost." Now I'm not sure if you're hearing what I'm saying, but what I'm saying is this, God has very specific and particular plans for your life just like He had for the life of Christ.

God has very specific and particular plans for your life, just like He had for the life of Christ.

God has very specific and particular plans for my life, just like He had for the life of Christ.

Jesus told his disciples a few verses later, when you read these stories in John, he says this in John chapter 15, verse 16, I have chosen you.

Friends, tonight, you have been chosen by God at this point in earth's history.

He has a very specific plan for your life, and that specific plan for your life may not be a bed of roses.

Series

Plenary Sessions

The Hour

Transcript

Description

Parent Series

Parent Conference

Sponsor

Recorded

Plenary

Unfinished Business: A Conversation with Our World Church Leaders

1h 52m

ASI 2012 Plenary Sessions

ASI Presents

1h 57m

Plenary Sessions

Hold Fast What You Have

2h 14m

Plenary

Revived by His Spirit

2h 2m

Plenary

A Call for Urgency

39m

Plenary

No Applications, Only Commitments

58m

ASI 2010 Plenary Meetings

First Things First

1h 43m

Plenary Sessions

Members in Action

1h 58m

From Big City Basketball to Big City Evangelism

38m

Plenary

Final Charge: Partners in a Finished Work

1h 21m

Plenary

God’s Mandate for These Unusual Times

2h 9m

Plenary

Investing in Lay Ministry: The ASI Story

43m

Sound Doctrine