Heavenly Father, thank you so very much again for this opportunity. Thank you for
constantly teaching me and guiding me in the ways in which I should walk to draw
closer to you. Father, I ask that you please fill me with the indwelling of
the Holy Spirit today, right now, that as I speak, Father, they do not hear Shelby,
but they hear the Lord God Almighty. Father, that they don't see the young
girl, but they see the Creator of the universe standing here, speaking to their
hearts today. May we have a wonderful time being able to learn about you and
praise you today, Father. This is my wish. This is my desire. In Christ's name, amen.
Alrighty, so there's a lot of people here that weren't here the first Sabbath of
the month, right? That's when I was here last. So my name is Shelby Clark. I am a
theology major at Southern Adventist University. Wonderful school, beautiful
school. I highly recommend it, even though it's pricey. Still a great
university nonetheless. So a little fun fact about me is that I worked for It Is
Written in 2020. I was a Bible worker for them out in Indiana for the Ignite
Indiana campaign. My dad and I were able to work side by side. We went door to
door and we reached countless people before COVID hit. And even after COVID
hit, we transitioned from Ignite Indiana to another mission. We made it online. I
don't remember the name of it though. Is the Sarah remember? Where's Sarah at?
Elder Sarah. I don't see her. Do you remember? Was it Hope Awakens? That
sounds right. Amen. The elders in the house know what's going on. So yeah, we
transitioned to Hope Awakens and it was a wonderful time. We reached countless
people, even more so because we were able to go online. We even reached people
internationally. I do not remember the amount of baptisms that happened locally
for the state of Indiana. I believe we had around 10. Wish we could have gotten
more, but sadly COVID caused a lot of fear where people stayed home and
wouldn't receive even the things that were online. But now moving forward, I'm
just I'm so happy to be here with all of you today. It's such an honor to be able
to be invited back. That means a lot to me. That means what I spoke last time
was not wrong. I can't think of the other word because I lack intelligence in the
English department even though it's my one and only language. Well, soon and very
soon Hebrew will be my second language, but that's gonna take some time.
Alrighty, so now I wanted to share a little fun fact with all of you. Did you
know that the Bible is the only book in the entire world that cross-references
itself more than any other book out there? Did you know that? Some of you?
Anybody? Did you know that? Okay, some of you know that. Awesome. Okay, another fun
fact about me, I love being able to hear from the crowd back. I love to get the
church members involved because I believe that's what Christ did. We see
that biblically. So today in the house of the Lord, if we're here in Christ, then I
believe that we too should be able to, that are comfortable, speak back and
answer questions. Don't be afraid. This is what God intended for us to do.
Alrighty, so I actually am able to tell you the exact amount of times that the
Bible cross-references itself. Do you want that number? It's over 63,000 times.
The exact number in 2018 was 63,779 times. The Bible quotes itself over and
over and over again. It seems as if it never ends. And another study this year
in 2023, we have found out now that the Bible is continually cross-referencing
itself to where it's broke over 65,000 times. This is the only book in the
entire world that is able to reference itself to this degree. That must mean
that there's something important in there, huh? It keeps repeating itself over
and over again. And soon, and very soon, in fact any moment now, I'm gonna be able
to show you the map that a gentleman, a group of gentlemen put together to show
you how many times the Bible cross-references itself. It's beautiful, it's
amazing, it's immaculate. It blew my mind. There we go. Can you, oh I don't know if
you can see that map, but it's not as bright as I had hoped. Okay, can you see
it a little bit better? So it it's kind of like if you cut a cake in half and
you have that half of the oval that's right there, and it's filled with all
different colors. Anyone that's interested, you can come up and talk to me
after and I can show you the exact picture on my slide so that you can
better see what it is that I'm seeing. So the reason why this is just baffled me
and I had to share this with all of you is because if one truth was taken away,
one truth, one fundamental truth, this whole entire thing would collapse upon
itself. If you remove the state of the dead, cross-references disappear. If you
remove mercy and grace, the cross-references disappear. And that makes
me think of the human body. What happens if the big toes were to be removed from
the feet of a person? Does anyone want to? What would happen? Yes, it would be very
difficult to walk in balance. In fact, you'd probably end up falling. Now, what
if we didn't have feet all together? Wouldn't that be pretty difficult too?
Now, what if we were to take away something extremely fundamental to the
body, like the spine? Then what? Someone said you would die. Probably. Really, your
life would be absolutely miserable. Imagine if we removed grace from the
spectrum from the Bible. If we removed every element of grace, there would be
nothing for us. There would be no hope. All of the fundamental truths would stand
on nothing. Nothing. There would be no foundation, only mere words that meant
nothing. The deists would be right. Do any of you know what deism is? What is it, Elder?
So, it's more of a hands-off approach that God would say to the Creator, set things in motion and said, I'll be over here.
It's a hands-off approach that God made the world, made you, maybe made you special, and then left you and
abandoned you, abandoned the entire planet to do as it pleases. But they're
wrong because grace and mercy is all throughout the scriptures. God is indeed
personal. We have the little big toes to prove it. God cared about you being able
to walk straight and walk properly. Sadly, sin does cause issues sometimes and we
suffer the effects of it, but God also gave you something essential. He gave you
a heart so that you could live. He gave you lungs so that you could breathe and
again live. God is indeed personal and we see it throughout the 65,000 cross
references in the Bible. Now, I wanted to be able to show you guys a cross
reference and it's found in Daniel chapter 9. We're gonna go ahead and we're
gonna start jumping around in the Bible and I want to show you a cross reference
that's mentioned. And by the way, the sermon title did change. It was
supposed to be about eternal fire, but now it is the reconciled. The Lord brought
this to me last night and said it needed to change, so we're dealing with a brand
new creature, the reconciled. So, turn to Daniel chapter 9, please. And let's see
here. Verse 24. What verse? Verse 24. I'm gonna be reading it from the New American
Standard Bible. It's one of my favorites, so it might not match exactly with some
of y'all's translations, but that's okay. The same point is there nonetheless.
Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24. And it reads, actually, are we there? Do we need
more time? If we're there, just give me an amen. Oh, okay, we're there. So, in
Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24, it reads, 70 weeks have been have been decreed for
your people and your holy city, and to finish the transgression and to make an
end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring an everlasting
righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.
Now, we're gonna look at the 70 weeks here. 70 weeks have been decreed for who?
For God's people. Amen. And we know this is dealing specifically with Daniel and
the people of his time. We also know that this is all the way until the time of
Christ because of the time prophecy that's given here. So, we just read the
70 weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish the
transgression. We've established that it is indeed talking about God's people, but
specifically it's talking about Daniel and the Jews. It's not talking about
Christianity at the time. It's talking about them. Now, who is the one that is
desiring to make reconciliation for those who are in iniquity? Any guesses? I
promise the verse tells you who. Not Daniel. Daniel can't forgive sins. Oh, I'm
hearing Jesus being whispered throughout the crowd. Jesus? Jesus. Amen. The most
holy, the anointed, Christ the righteous. This is who this vision is speaking
about in Daniel chapter 9 verse 24. He is the only one that can reconcile
sinners onto God. He is the only one that can take sinners and make them
righteous. Christ is the only one that can do this amazing deed and this
amazing job. Oh good, can you see the little lamb? Isn't it cute? It's so cute.
That's why I chose it. So, now that we know that we're talking about Jesus as
the most holy, as the anointed, let's read the first part again. The 70 weeks. Who
are they determined for again? For the Jews, for Daniel's people. Amen. All the
way until Christ's time as well. Now it's interesting because we're talking about
how the Bible cross-references itself. It repeats itself over and over again. So
before we we dive straight into the next cross-reference, I'm gonna help set up
something here. It says the Bible, the Bible gives us a day for a year
principle. How many of you, a Seventh-day Adventist, believe that to be true? Do
any of you know where that's located in the Bible though? Where we get that
principle? I'm seeing some head nods. I'll give you a hint. It's in the book of
Ezekiel. Does anyone know the chapter? It's okay if you don't know the chapter.
Oh, somebody knows the chapter. What chapter? Chapter four. Amen. We have a
scholar in the house today. Ezekiel chapter four and verse six. It gives us
the day for a year principle when dealing with prophecy and we can read
this if any of you would be comfortable turning to Ezekiel. Ezekiel chapter four
and verse six. And it reads, when you have completed these you shall lie down
a second time but on your right side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah.
I have assigned it to you for 40 days, a day for each year. If you read the full
context of this chapter I promise you'll see that there is a prophecy going on.
And so now if we continue with this a day for a year principle and we do a
little bit of math, which I'm not a fan of math guys. I'm not a fan of math. I've
never done good in it. But this math is really simple. God is speaking to his
prophet about prophecy and God gives him the equation to prophetic time. So
instead of 70 literal weeks it would be 70 times 7. Because we have seven days
throughout the week. So the 70 weeks times 7 and that gives us how many years?
What was that? 490. So 490 years is what Daniel chapter 9 verse 24 is speaking
about. Now isn't that interesting the 70 times 7. This is where we start
connecting the dots. Where else in the Bible is 70 times 7 mentioned? For
forgiveness. Amen. Peter asks a question to Jesus and that question is found in
Matthew chapter 18 and verse 21. Let's go ahead and turn there. Matthew chapter
18 and verse 21. 22. Give me an amen when you're there and mercy if you need some
more time. Sounds like we need a little bit of mercy but nobody asked so I will
not grant it. Matthew chapter 18 verses 21 through 22 starting in verse 21. Then
Peter came and said to him, Lord how often shall my brother sin against me
and I forgive him? Up to seven times? I want to stop right there in verse 21.
Peter was being what I call a smarty pants because he took what was true but
he was being aggressive about it. Why would Peter say up to seven times? What
was significant to the Jews about the number seven? Little bit louder.
Perfection. Okay we have perfection. We had the Sabbath so seven was something
very significant. It was essential. It was huge to the culture. Seven was perfect.
So Peter being a little smarty pants as I call it said what up to seven times
Jesus? But Jesus said to him, I do not say to you up to seven times but up to
seventy times seven. Isn't that interesting? The Bible is cross
referencing itself. It's building up things here and what's interesting is
that Peter asked this question to Jesus who is the God of reconciliation. Isn't
this amazing? Peter asked Jesus about reconciliation and then Jesus points to
him to himself the God of reconciliation in the Old Testament
specifically from Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24. You know the most holy the
anointed one? Peter. That's me. Even though he didn't say specifically to
Peter in that moment that that's him he gave him a Bible study pointing him to
the God of reconciliation. You mess up and God doesn't close the doors after
your seventh failure. Instead Christ dealing with continues to deal with you
and work with you until the day you draw your last breath. God is the God of
reconciliation. Now if we continue to look at Daniel we see that it isn't just
determined for the people but it said it was also for the city. Now what do you
need to have in order to be able to build a city? What do we need? We building
materials that's true but before we can build we need a place to build it on
right? So we need land amen. We need land in order to build a city. So isn't this
crazy? The Bible talks about how we're supposed to treat the land. Did you know
this? You might not have known this because I didn't know this. This is found
in Leviticus chapter 25 and verse 4. Again Leviticus what chapter? Chapter 25
and verse 4 and it tells us how we're supposed to treat the land. What's
interesting is how we're supposed to treat the land is also connected with
the Sabbath. Leviticus chapter 25 in verse 4 and I'm gonna go ahead and start
reading here and it says but during the seventh year the land shall have a
Sabbath rest. A Sabbath to the Lord you shall not sow your field nor prune your
vineyard. Isn't that interesting? When the Jews were being rebellious, rebelling
against God saying I know better you don't have to provide for me I can
provide for myself. We saw that type of attitude in the book of Exodus before
they even received land to become a city but as they were being rebellious
against God they kept breaking the law of God. They weren't keeping it as they
were commanded to. Many nations would then begin to attack Israel for at least
490 years. We had the siege of the Babylonians, the Medes and the Persians,
the Greeks and then the Romans. If the land was supposed to receive a Sabbath
every seventh year and the Jews can't work the land for around 490 years then
how many Sabbaths would the land receive? Oh I think I heard the answer. How'd you
get there? I did say it earlier. So if you take 490 and now you divide it by 7
you get 70. Isn't this interesting? The cross references, the connections, some of
you might not be seeing it that's okay but I'm beyond excited. I'm getting
filled up with joy right now because God isn't just reconciling people unto
himself he's trying to recover the land that the enemy had been damaging and
destroying. God doesn't just care about you he cares about the animals he cares
about the very land that we have been destroying for so long. God is coming to
bring reconciliation. God came to bring rest not only to us but to his land and
now continuing on the route of reconciliation turn with me to 2nd
Corinthians please. 2nd Corinthians this is Paul's writings. 2nd Corinthians
chapter 5 verses 18 through 20. 2nd Corinthians what chapter? 5 amen and
verses 18 through 20. Give me some amens if you're there please. Oh wonderful okay
let's go ahead and read this. Well I guess we won't read it all together.
Follow along. Now all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. So where did Paul just
get this verse from? He got this from the Old Testament we've been reading it.
Where did he get this from? Daniel chapter 9 verse 24. The most holy the
anointed one would come to bring reconciliation and Paul through his
studies realized Jesus Christ was the anointed the most holy. He came and he
brought reconciliation through himself. Not only that but he gave us the
ministry of reconciliation. It is a gift namely that God was in Christ reconciling
the world to himself not counting their trespasses against them and he has
committed to us the word the word of reconciliation. Therefore we are
ambassadors for Christ as though God were making an appeal through us. We
beg you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God. Isn't this absolutely
amazing? God is a God of reconciliation. He wants to make things right again. God
wasn't just trying to reconcile his people to himself. He was working to
reconcile all things to him once again. That's what Daniel chapter 9 is all
about. He came and took dominion back from the prince of this world to give us
the freedom to choose. To choose reconciliation or damnation. To choose
life everlasting or misery and torment. We know Christ did indeed accomplish
this goal of reconciliation because the father allowed his son to live again.
Jesus rose from that grave. He overcame the devil and now has given us the right
to be heirs of salvation. To come boldly to the throne of God. Proudly now we can
proclaim because of the sacrifice of Christ that we are heirs of salvation.
Not because of ourselves but because of the suffering Savior's sacrifice for it
was sufficient. Isaiah chapter 53 it tells us how we can be partakers of the
reconciliation. Titus tells us through whose power we are able to receive the
reconciliation. Christ has done this for all of us but now we have been called to
reconcile to one another. Acts chapter 7 and verse 26 I'm gonna summarize it to
you. It tells us to stop wronging each other. To reconcile with one another. If
you are lying to your brother and your sister stop lying to them. If you are
doing wrong unto the brotherhood stop doing wrong. Seek what is good. Seek what
is right. Seek reconciliation. Speak to them. While Jesus says in Matthew chapter
5 verse 24 reconcile with your brother and then you yourself go and bring a
gift to the one. To your brother. Isn't that interesting? So that means even if
you weren't the one that did the wrong your brother did wrong to you and you go
and you seek them out and you're saying hey we're divided. This isn't of God let
us work it out. Let's communicate. Let's make things right. Let's reconcile like
God has commanded us to do. Let us work it out. After you've then reconciled even
if you were the one in the right and didn't do the wrong go and humble
yourself and bring them a gift. Isn't that interesting? Jesus Christ came down
from heaven and said father let me reconcile mankind unto myself. They have
done what is wrong and what is evil and what is wicked. They have been deceived
by the enemy and believe that we are evil and wicked and that we don't care
about them but let me show them. Let me show them that the enemy was wrong. Let
me reconcile them unto ourselves that they may live with a life they can't
even begin to imagine. And then after Christ reconciled us onto himself he
gave us something something profound. He gave us eternal life. He gave us a gift
that none of us deserve. Eternal life with God forevermore. It's ours to have
if we would just learn to reconcile with God and with fellow man. Now how many of
you today want to take a pledge before God? Today how many of you want to pledge
that you'll strive to learn what it means to be reconciled in Christ? I want
that. Does anyone else want that today? Amen. I'm so glad that that is the
desire of our hearts today. So with that with that desire let us pray. Heavenly
Father thank you so very much for today. Thank you for your Sabbath. Thank you for
your Holy Spirit. Now Father we just ask that you send your Holy Spirit to dwell
on our hearts today. Teach us of the heavenly reconciliation. Teach us to
abide at the feet of Jesus that we may learn to overcome the flesh and have
victory over the darkness. Give us the Holy Spirit we pray in Jesus name amen.