Shawn Boonstra

Voice Of Prophecy

Leave It to Beaver

First, it was Janet Jackson and her so-called wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl.

Then, about a decade later, it was Miley Cyrus and her hyper-sexual performance with Robin Thicke.

It's actually coming to the point where parents are wondering, is there anything left that my family can just enjoy?

Or has our civilization now declined to the point where our culture resembles the ancient Romans, a culture that actually imploded on itself after centuries of success?

And are the traditional boundaries we used to put around human sexuality a thing of the past?

Or did our grandparents know something that our parents' generation let go of, and are we now living with the consequences of some really bad decisions?

Today, on The Voice of Prophecy, we're going to ask the question, Was the Leave it to Beaver world of the 1950s a joke?

Or did they have something going for them?

If you've got kids, you might want to listen to this.

You know, I'm in my mid-40s now at this stage of life, and I'm the father of 2 daughters.

And I've got to say that the hyper-sexual atmosphere parents have to raise their kids in has been bothering me more than just a little bit.

It's not that I don't trust my kids to make good choices, because they usually do.

Both of my girls have really good heads on their shoulders, and I'm mostly confident that faced with a moral choice, faced with a tough decision, both of them would probably do the right thing.

But that doesn't alleviate my concern that, to be moral, today's kids have to swim upstream more than any other generation in modern history.

Ever since the 60s and 70s, and then the 80s and 90s, our culture has been steeped in an overt sexuality that hasn't exactly contributed to the health and happiness of the traditional family.

Or maybe it was the freewheeling attitudes of the hippie generation.

Or maybe it was the self-serving materialism of the 80s.

Or the fact that kids are hitting puberty younger and not getting married till they're pushing 30.

Whatever it is, a lot of the sexual boundaries we used to pay attention to have just disappeared, to the point where we actually make fun of people who try to live moral lives.

A kid that waits for marriage used to be a kid everybody could respect, the kind of kid you'd want to marry your daughter.

But now we make fun of that same kid and assume that something is wrong with him.

Because I mean, who still waits in this day and age, other than people who don't have a choice?

And of course, our whole idea of what's attractive in a human being has been shifting a lot, too.

What people think is sexy, what people call hot—I mean, to use the street language, the vernacular—that's all been skewed to the point where our most beautiful people, The beauty icons, those people who don't actually exist anywhere because you only ever see them after they're photoshopped.

So my kids and your kids, they go and look in the mirror, and they don't exactly look like the billboard or the magazine cover that they saw.

So They think there's something wrong with them.

They don't understand that those beautiful people don't exist anywhere except on a hard drive.

They waste a lot of valuable time trying to fix their looks.

Instead of acquiring the actual skills they need for a happy, productive life, instead of investing their time in the things that really matter.

And don't even get me started on the messages kids are getting from the TV shows they watch.

It used to be that our favorite fictitious families were the Cleavers from Leave It to Beaver or the Huxtables from The Cosby Show.

Those were families with a mom and a dad and relatively well-adjusted kids, and they dealt with family-type issues.

But now it seems that you can't have a TV family unless it's broken.

Or at the very least, you have a middle-aged dad who's portrayed as a moron that everyone else in the family makes fun of and tolerates.

Personally, that's 1 thing I find really troubling.

It kind of seems like middle-aged guys are the last whipping board on earth, the 1 group of people that you're allowed to make fun of with impunity.

And the fact is, I see it reflected in the attitudes of real families all the time.

He's just a lovable buffoon at best and a caveman at worst.

Look, I understand that back in the 1950s, nobody's family actually looked like Ward and June Cleaver.

Real people don't solve their problems in 28 minutes with a band-aid solution.

Families have never really looked like TV.

And families in the 50s were hardly a paradise, because people have always been abusive.

Divorce has always been a heartbreaking crisis that ruins families and damages children.

And not every problem has a happy ending.

But at least in the old days, and I can't even believe I'm talking about the old days that I'm old enough to refer to them, but in the old days With Leave It to Beaver and the Cosby Show, we were still hanging on to this dream, to this positive image.

We still believed that strong families were a good idea or even a possibility.

We still believed that marriage could actually go the distance.

That when you said for better or for worse in the church, you really meant that.

When we said in good times and bad times, we really meant that.

When we said that marriage was for life, we meant it and we kept our word.

But to this generation, it all kind of seems naive.

And the models and boundaries we used to have for marriage and sex and the family, well, it's not even that people don't believe in them anymore.

A lot of kids don't even know about them.

And if they do know about them, they have no idea why, for thousands of years, human beings thought those boundaries were a good idea.

It might as well be written in hieroglyphics or scrawled on a sheepskin with a feather quill.

You know, we've actually come to the point where 3 out of 10—and you heard that number right—3 out of 10, 30% of American girls are going to be pregnant before the age of 20.

Now, historically, that's not all that shocking because in past generations, a lot of kids were married by the time they were 20 or even a little bit younger.

Today, it's almost as common to be born out of wedlock as it is to be born in wedlock.

It's almost as common to be born to 1 parent as it is to 2.

And I know that some of you are scratching your heads as you're listening and you're thinking, well, what's wrong with that?

Who says you have to be married to have a baby?

And I guess biologically speaking, that's absolutely true.

If having a baby is just a function of nature, if it's nothing but a biological process, I guess you can start having them whenever you want.

You just have to hit puberty and you start making babies.

And I guess if you don't believe that kids should have a mom and a dad and a little bit of permanence and stability in their life, then go right ahead.

But before you do it, don't ignore some of the realities.

Don't ignore the follow-up that comes in the wake of a decision like that.

We have something like 750, 000 teen pregnancies in the United States every single year.

That's well on its way to becoming a million kids getting pregnant every year.

It's 1 and a half million kids getting involved in parenthood every single year because, frankly, it takes 2 kids to create a pregnancy.

1 and a half million children becoming parents.

And statistically, it has devastating consequences, particularly for girls, because more often than not, a teenage dad either just disappears into the woodwork or he's encouraged to go away.

80% of teen dads are never going to marry the girl.

So if the girl is lucky, she'll have some family support, but then again, the statistical odds against her are not very pretty.

According to some studies that I've seen, less than 2% of pregnant teens actually manage to finish college before the age of 30.

And parenthood is the number 1 reason that teenage girls just drop out of school altogether.

Now, that's not to say that a teenage mother can't make it.

If you happen to be a teenage parent, please don't misunderstand what I'm saying.

Plan of Salvation

Jimmy France

FPB Seminars

Plan of Salvation: How to Overcome Sin Like Jesus Did

This evening we're going to conclude our weekend presentation on how to have the character of Christ and with it the assurance of salvation inside the context of the pre-edment judgment and assurance of salvation.

What we're going to do this evening is actually look at the last of the 3 expectations that for me summarize my walk with Christ and hopefully yours as well.

And so what we're going to do is actually do the repeat of what we've done so far.

We're going to look at the expectation, then the steps, and then the promises.

And there are some very powerful promises, 4 of them specifically, that I'd like us to take a look at this evening.

So to begin with, we're going to see what God expects.

Just like that employer, the more sharply we know our employer or our Savior's expectations, the better we are able to comply with those expectations with His strength.

God's goal in this part of plan of redemption is to conform our entire will to His will, which is pictured by Eve there at the tree, contrasted with a picture of Christ saying, not my will, your will be done in Gethsemane in that picture.

The first 1, like the other 2 expectations, begin with beholding Christ.

And when we behold Christ here in Gethsemane, we see Him and hear Him saying what's recorded there in Matthew 26, verse 39, not my will, yours be done.

And so the question would be, is that step simple?

The difficult part is when my will says I want to do differently, but the step is still simple.

All the children in the world, big, young, small, every 1 of us can.

So the very first step is to see Christ submitting to his Father and we follow suit.

The second step of these 4 steps is to notice that our thought life follows our beholding life.

And in this case, 1 of the thoughts that comes to our minds is that actually Christ as seen here in the Garden of Gethsemane really truly is the most unique, awesome being in the entire universe.

The king humbled himself and said, not my will, your will be done.

And as we think about that, we ask God, help us to be like you.

And in Proverbs 23, verse 7, we hear the wisest man who ever lived, of course, other than Christ saying, as we think in our heart, so are we.

In other words, our thought life is going to produce step number 3, and that is to obey Christ.

Obey is another word for submitting, and so here we have this verse that's rather unique.

It says, if you love me, keep my commandments.

So what is the step before obeying, according to that verse?

So we behold Him, we love Him, and therefore we obey Him.

And we've asked many Protestant churches who say that they are willing to obey Christ except for the fourth commandment, we ask them, if you talk about love, why don't you obey Him, including the fourth commandment?

And they can say, Adventist friend of mine, that is a valid question.

And that is, if you obey Him, seventh-day Adventist on the fourth commandment, do you love Him?

So again, we need to remember that of the 4 steps, the first 1 is behold, then yes, God, I love you, and then I obey what God says.

That's a simple step, and every child can do this, every adult can do this.

But notice this right here, you see a person building a house or the foundation and what we notice is as we do these first 3 steps, behold, love and obey, we are forming the foundation as is pictured in this little bitty picture, step number 4.

Now I want you to look at this next verse that we're looking at and notice the sequence of those words, submit and resist.

Notice what it says, James under inspiration says, submit yourself to God, resist the devil, and then he will flee from you.

Notice that here we have the Resistance, step 4, coming after step 3, submit, which comes after love and after behold.

And what I notice in my own life, how many times have I tried to resist the devil at the tree of knowledge of good and evil before I submit to God.

Until I submit to God, like Christ did, I will never have a lasting resistance to the devil there.

Now let's notice that those 4 steps, as we repeat those, they become a habit.

A habit of beholding Christ, a habit of loving Christ, a habit of obeying Christ, A habit of resisting temptation.

As we repeat the habit of beholding Christ, we form the character of beholding Christ, we form the character of loving Christ, we form the character of obeying Christ, we form the character of resistance, of temptation.

As we, with God's help, fix a character, what we've just seen in the previous slide, we form a destiny, heaven, in which everyone in heaven beholds Christ, loves Christ, obeys Christ, and resists temptation.

So when we step from this life with Christ's help, having formed that character of loving Him, obeying Him, and resisting the devil, we step into a heaven that does the very same thing and we feel right at home.

So that is your simple process by which we go from Eve, shall I obey, to Christ, yes.

Now at this point I want us to transition into the next section and that is the promises.

Again, I don't know what you have inherited from your parents, I don't know what you've inherited from your grandparents, or as far back as you want to go.

But the promise is that every 1 of us can go from Eve of the Tree to Christ in Garden of Gethsemane.

And we're going to look at 4 specific promises that show us this.

This 1 right here I find rather fascinating.

It's something I put together a while back, and it's a slightly different take on a passage that we've seen in Ezekiel.

But I believe it's going to hopefully enrich our lives, namely that this transition from Eve at the tree to Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane takes a lifetime.

I can tell you as a 45 year old Seventh-day Adventist Christian, it's taking my life to learn Christ's way and unlearn my way, namely live for others versus self, live for God versus rebellion against Him.

But here's the thing that's rather interesting.

We've heard many times correctly that the Sabbath is a sign of our sanctification.

In the account in Genesis 1 and 2 we see a marriage between Adam and Eve on Friday, day 6.

Everything's created, there's a marriage.

If you see this at the beginning of this arrow, you have sundown happening right here.

I had always thought that at the end of the sixth day, the seventh, excuse me, the end of the sixth day, I thought that God sanctified the Sabbath right there Friday evening and He moved into a sanctified day.

The Bible nor the Spirit of Prophecy bears that out.

It's actually the reverse and it's beautiful relative to what we're seeing here in a moment.

So let's look again, like I was saying, put the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.

If you as Seventh-day Adventist youth will combine those 2, you will be a head and not the tail in theological walks with God.

So here we're going to start with the Bible first.

It says in Genesis 2, 1, he finished his work, then he rested, then he sanctified." Now watch this.

From the Spirit of Prophecy, I apologize for the tiny print, 1 of these days it will be larger, But in this quotation we find this statement, Patriarchs and Prophets 47 paragraph 3, after resting upon the seventh day God sanctified it and set it apart as a day of rest.

Now that may be just a lot of texts, quotations, verbiage.

This means in a very real sense, Adam and Eve entered a day that was being created.

They walked into a day with their creator.

24 hours were being made at the end of which that seventh day was sanctified.

Now let's take a look at the application to our walk from tree of knowledge of good and evil in our life to Christ and Gethsemane, not my will, your will be done.

Plan of Salvation: Doable Christ-centered Obedience

Let's begin then by looking at the expectation that we have in this section.

Like the last section, we're going to look at this in 3, or 4 actually, structures, 4 sections.

We're going to look at the expectation first.

Second, we're going to look at the process by which through Christ we can meet that expectation.

Third, we're going to look at the promise and promises actually and there are some powerful promises in this section.

I'm looking forward to actually showing this to you this morning.

And then finally we'll review what we've just gone over.

So let's take a look at this expectation is to obey Christ.

Do you realize that any 1 of us can actually take a look at Christ and find in His Word what He expects?

For example, our sitting here this morning gives evidence of the fact that we believe expectation of keeping the seventh-day Sabbath.

Also diet, that's another, the way we dress, our entertainment, things like this.

But the bottom line is this, If I do not believe that my heavenly Father cares for me, guess what my result is to Him?

I mean I can sugarcoat that with all kinds of words.

I love Him, but in reality if I don't think that my Heavenly Father cares for me, I won't care for Him.

If I truly am convinced that my Heavenly Father and His Son, Prince Charming Jesus Christ, really cares for me and that actually the prince of darkness, the devil, does not, my heart is after Christ.

And actually that is the place that we're going to find the strength to obey God.

So let's again begin with the expectation.

Component or step number 1 is simply, I have to know what pleases Christ.

And so the place that we go in the Bible is in Psalm 119, 105, you have, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

In other words, if I want to know what God expects as a Christian, this is my ultimate how-to book to know what He expects, seventh-day Sabbath, tithe, whatever happens to be his expectation, this is the place, I find that.

The thought next would be, is this expectation simple and reasonable and doable?

And how many of us can actually keep the Sabbath day?

It certainly doesn't come from me, I can tell you that.

But what you're going to actually find is that the verse that Pascal read this morning, that we've read many, many times, actually hints at where the strength comes from.

This is actually relatively new to me and perhaps to you too, but I want us to take and look this, take a look at this process.

There is a gentleman, I don't know how many people have had the privilege of hearing Ravi Zacharias, that's spelled R-A-V-I, Ravi Zacharias, his title says it all, Let My People Think.

And so what I'm hoping through the next several slides, we have 20 this morning, is actually help God's people, us, to think.

So on this promise we have Philippians 4, 13, I can do all things through Christ who does what?

But have you ever paused to ask yourself where and how He strengthens me?

I didn't know this until I started reading the material in the Scriptures, and like the Bible says, the Holy Spirit will guide us.

Take a look at this next verse on your screen.

In Proverbs 24, verse 5, it says, a wise man is strong, yea a man of what?

So according to the scriptures where does strength come from?

So if we tie these pieces together, where does my strength come from?

It has to be knowledge of something or someone.

Those of you who love the book of Daniel, this should helpfully open up just, not just visions of medals and dates, etc.

This should begin to open up the very place where we should see it is in knowing God.

It says, Daniel 11, verse 33 ties these 3 verses together by saying, the people that do what?

Why is it that David is down there on the field of battle and his taller king, like we said last night, is not.

It's because David knew his God and was down on the battlefield and won, and Saul was not.

But what specifically about God's character?

Notice this, 2nd Corinthians 4 6, For God who commended the light to shine out of the darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory, and God's glory is what?

When Moses said, show me your glory, God showed him not a big bank account, but his character, love, mercy, etc.

Tying all these together, we see that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me through a knowledge of the character of my God.

I don't know if you've ever seen that before, that's relatively new to me.

I can know that the seventh day Sabbath is the 1 I'm supposed to keep, but outside of a knowledge of the character of God, I have no power to do it, period.

So now you understand why Christ says in John 17, 3, this is a life eternal, not just knowing a whole bunch of facts.

It is to know you and Jesus Christ whom you've sent.

Back to Menu

All Teachings

Leave It to Beaver

30m

Plan of Salvation: How to Overcome Sin Like Jesus Did

30m

Plan of Salvation: Doable Christ-centered Obedience

41m

Plan of Salvation: How to Be Forgiven

41m

Plan of Salvation: Introduction

36m

Daniel 2: Part 2

54m

Daniel 2: Part 1

42m

Daniel 2: Introduction

43m

Gifts, Jobs, and Homosexuality

32m

Responsibility in Communication

49m

Accountability and the Judgment

52m

Bad Habits

49m

Sound Doctrine