GYC SE 2010: Infinity - The Pursuit of Excellence

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GYC Southeast

The Great Controversy, The Great Explanation

Dave Fiedler

The Great Controversy Part 1: The Biblical Overview

The Great Controversy Part 2: Packaging the Truth

The Great Controversy Part 3: Wrapping the Package

This would be the closing presentation to a non-Adventist audience built on the idea of the great controversy and how it all comes to a culmination at the end of time.

I will probably cut some corners and not explain some things that, as Adventists, you should already know.

But it's really the interrelation of the ideas, not the documentation of every point that I'm after.

Otherwise, you may be scratching your head and saying, what is the guy doing?

Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer, please.

Father, we ask that you would be with us now.

We pray again for your spirit to teach, to lead, to guide.

Help us to understand and to be wise to present, no matter how we do it, that we might rightly represent your government, we ask in Jesus name, amen.

This last 1 is entitled Finishing the Puzzle, Getting the Pieces in Place, and that's drawn from an analogy that I'd used a couple of sermons back in the series of how when you, truth has to, has to hook together, okay?

That's the great thing about systematic theology, okay?

I'm going to jump partway in, skip over the introduction I would give to a non-Adventist audience and just simply say that all along the first 9 sermons we've established the idea that God is seeking to demonstrate the principles of his government.

Demonstration is very important and hasn't changed at all.

The plan always has been to have God's people live by the principles of his kingdom.

So Jesus says things like this, you have heard that it was said you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you, love your enemies, lest those who curse you." And you're familiar with the verse, so I'm not going to read it all.

And the importance of that comes out in Philippians 2.

And again, this is the description of Christ who made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in appearance of a man as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross.

Therefore God has also highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, and that the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, and those in heaven, those on earth, those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Through the series, we've established the fact that it was Jesus' life that entitled him to this status that he now has.

Because he lived like this, he's entitled to that name.

And there's a demonstration that is to be made.

And what we want to look at now is specifically the demonstration which must be made to end the Great Controversy.

We've spent 9 sermons talking about different aspects of it coming along.

You've got people squirming in the government of the United States right now, you know, how do you end the war on terror?

You've got people saying this is a war that will never end.

We are now very much involved in a situation like Jews versus Arabs.

So how do you end a war, in this particular war?

Christians are supposed to live the same way Christ lived.

That's what it means to take the name Christian.

And that's why Jesus told Pilate, my kingdom is not of this world.

If my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight?

Okay, if Christ's servants were of this world they'd fight, But they're not.

Christians turn the other cheek because their kingdom is not of this world any more than their king's kingdom was.

And in all this, We are called to be a part of the demonstration of heaven's principles just as Jesus was.

In fact, it was according to the eternal purpose which God accomplished in Christ Jesus that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.

And we're right back again to the role of demonstration by the church.

We have got to demonstrate, God has got to demonstrate through us, however you want to word that, A couple of things.

And the most logical thing is, is it safe to take people like you and me to heaven?

Why would you say the great controversy is over and take people to heaven if they're not safe to take.

Jesus lived the way he lived and was exalted.

Even if we stop sinning, you know, are we safe?

And it's not just a matter of simply put safe.

Look what God's talking about doing to human beings who overcome, I will grant to sit with me on my throne.

As I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne.

Angels don't sit down on the throne of God.

God's going to take us and put us where no angel has ever been or ever will be, near as I know.

Not only that, remember the verse we always use when we talk about conditional immortality and state of the dead?

He's going to give immortality to human beings.

Immortality is not the same as eternal life.

He had eternal life on condition of obedience.

But humans are going to be made immortal.

Do you want to make somebody immortal who was once a sinner?

You better be sure that you've got evidence that that's a safe thing to do.

Gabriel has every reason in the world to be a little concerned about this.

Aren't they all just happy to go with what God says?

They trusted God more than they trusted Lucifer.

But, remember, God went to a lot of trouble to demonstrate in the Book of Job.

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The Great Controversy, The Great Explanation

The Great Controversy Part 3: Wrapping the Package

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