1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,000 I'm Pastor Jerry Johns and it's an incredible privilege to be with you for worship this morning. 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:21,000 I had a privilege of serving the Lord full time in pastoral ministry for 40 years until my retirement a few years ago. 3 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:31,000 What an incredible privilege to be able to stand in the pulpit to speak for our wonderful, wonderful Lord. 4 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:36,000 We're close to these 50-some years now. 5 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:43,000 I'm 78 years old. That is getting very, very old. 6 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,000 Please don't agree with me on that. 7 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:58,000 It's reality, isn't it? Except for the fact that knowing Jesus, knowing the promises of His Word, 8 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:07,000 knowing the reality of what He accomplished on the cross, eternal life is guaranteed to each one of us, is it not? 9 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,000 Amen. 10 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:20,000 So, in that perspective, I am very, very young. Isn't that true? Isn't that the way to look at it? 11 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,000 I would say so. 12 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:28,000 So I want to commend you as a congregation here in Ringgold. 13 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,000 You have opened up your pulpit this morning for a young person. 14 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:40,000 That's very commendable. I preach before you as a young person. 15 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:46,000 This message that I'm going to share this morning, I have it worked up on PowerPoint so you can follow in your scripture 16 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:53,000 or you can follow the text. We'll have them on the screen, whatever is comfortable for you. 17 00:01:53,000 --> 00:02:02,000 It's my favorite message. I've shared it in a number of our area churches in the last few years, 18 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:07,000 trying to help out some of the pastors, especially those that had two churches 19 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:13,000 and needed quite frequent coverage for their sermons each week. 20 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:18,000 And it's become my favorite for a number of reasons. 21 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:24,000 I'm saying number one, it's incredibly Christ-centered. 22 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,000 It actually couldn't become any more Christ-centered than it is. 23 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,000 Because we're going to take four or five passages from the Gospels. 24 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,000 We're going to review them together. 25 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:44,000 And we're going to relive, even though this happened 2,000 years ago, and praise the Lord. 26 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:52,000 In His providence, He preserved the Gospels so that you and I can go there day to day, week to week. 27 00:02:52,000 --> 00:03:03,000 We can review so much of what transpired in this amazing period of time when Christ walked here on earth. 28 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:09,000 And the accounts of those experiences, we can go back and relive. That's what we'll be doing this morning. 29 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:14,000 We're reliving those experiences. 30 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:20,000 And it's going to be fascinating, fascinating to watch Christ, to listen to Christ. 31 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:26,000 What did He have to say? What was He doing? Let's review it all. 32 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:32,000 So we're going to start in Matthew the 15th chapter, if you want to turn in your Bible, 33 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:39,000 if you want to follow on the screen, the 15th chapter and verse 22. 34 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:46,000 22, And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to him, saying, 35 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:58,000 Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David. My daughter is severely demon-possessed. 36 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:06,000 Can you even imagine what it must have been like for that mother and that daughter 37 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:11,000 and the rest of the family members to go through this incredible experience? 38 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:22,000 My daughter is demon-possessed, body, mind, and soul. Devil-possessed. 39 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:35,000 And she found Jesus that day. That was going to become the best day and the best moment of her life. 40 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:44,000 Let's go on. Verse 23, But he answered her not a word, and his disciples came and urged him, saying, 41 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:50,000 Send her away, for she cries out after us. 42 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:58,000 That's not our picture of Jesus, is it? He answered her not a word. 43 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:04,000 That seems pretty cold, doesn't it, to you and to me? 44 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:10,000 He answered not a word, and then to top it off, his disciples come rushing over, 45 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:16,000 Send her away, for she cries out after us. Oh my. 46 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:23,000 And I dare say she heard those disciples telling that to the Master. 47 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:29,000 That had to cut very, very deep, did it not? 48 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:35,000 The dear disciples of Christ had a lot to learn, didn't they? 49 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:42,000 They had a lot to learn. I don't know what it was about what she was doing. 50 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:52,000 Maybe she had a loud voice. Maybe she had some kind of appearance that was less than desirable. 51 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:58,000 It appears like she wasn't a Jew. It says she comes out of that region of Canaan, 52 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:06,000 so she wasn't a Jew necessarily, but they just wanted her to be sent away. 53 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:15,000 Thank God Jesus did not do that. He did not listen to his disciples. Let's continue. 54 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:24,000 But then he answered and said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 55 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:33,000 Then she came and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help us. 56 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:37,000 So Jesus said something again that should have discouraged her. 57 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:41,000 She could have easily walked away that moment. 58 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,000 First of all, he doesn't speak to her in her first appeal. 59 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:50,000 Now he says he's come for the house of Israel. She's outside the house of Israel. 60 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:56,000 I'm not privileged enough. Leave. 61 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:02,000 But she stayed. And she came and it says she worshiped him. 62 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:11,000 You and I have come this morning to enter this sanctuary to worship our Heavenly Father, Heavenly. 63 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:17,000 Have you thought about the fact, because it's described here that she came crying out, 64 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:25,000 Lord, help me, with a desperate need, that that's a part of worship? 65 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:32,000 It is, isn't it? We all come here with a various and a sundry different needs, 66 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:39,000 and we all can be crying out in our hearts, Lord, help me right now. 67 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:46,000 And we are truly worshiping our God and Savior. 68 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,000 Let's continue. 69 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:58,000 But he answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. 70 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,000 Boy, that could have discouraged her too. 71 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:08,000 But she said, Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from the master's table. 72 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:15,000 She was determined. She was not leaving. She was not going to be offended. 73 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:25,000 She was clinging to that moment. And she had a belief and a conviction that Jesus could help her. 74 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:30,000 Was that conviction right? It was very right. 75 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:34,000 And we don't know. We have no idea of any background to this story. 76 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,000 We have no idea how she ever heard about Jesus. 77 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:43,000 We know, have no idea how she made her way and how far she had to travel that day 78 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:51,000 to have that moment to come into the presence of Jesus and start that dialogue. 79 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:57,000 But she had heard something and whatever she had heard had brought conviction to her heart. 80 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:02,000 Jesus may be able to help me in my desperate need. 81 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:06,000 Praise the Lord for her determination. 82 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:16,000 Then Jesus answered and said to her, Oh woman, great is your faith. 83 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:20,000 Let it be to you as you desire. 84 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:28,000 And what was the result? And her daughter was healed that very hour. 85 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,000 Praise the Lord for that account. 86 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:37,000 Praise the Lord for that determination of that mother that day. 87 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:42,000 Praise the Lord for that daughter who is now healed. 88 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,000 The demons have been dispelled. 89 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:50,000 Mind, body and soul can be restored to health and peace. 90 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:57,000 Joy can come back into her experience. She can have control of her own mind. 91 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:05,000 What must it have been life for that mother to make her way back home and to find her daughter? 92 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:10,000 No longer demon possessed. 93 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:16,000 That's account number one. Let's go to account number two. 94 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:23,000 This is recorded in Mark, the first chapter, starting in verse 23. 95 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:28,000 There was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. 96 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:32,000 And he cried out saying, Let us alone. 97 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:36,000 What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? 98 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:43,000 Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. 99 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:50,000 But Jesus rebuked him saying, Be quiet and come out of him. 100 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:55,000 That's something these demons that possess the man, they wanted to dialogue with Christ. 101 00:10:55,000 --> 00:11:02,000 And so they start shouting out this. And they said some things that were important, I think. 102 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:07,000 We know who you are. You're the Holy One of God. 103 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,000 That was correct, was it not? 104 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:14,000 It takes demons to make a correct, accurate statement. 105 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:19,000 There are many people out there in the congregation and in the group that were following this. 106 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:25,000 They had not decided in their mind or in their heart who Jesus really was. 107 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,000 They were intrigued. They came because they were intrigued. 108 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,000 They were interested. 109 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:34,000 But they hadn't necessarily come to the point where they could declare boldly, 110 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,000 He is the Holy One of God. He is the Messiah. 111 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:44,000 And yet the demons would shout this out for them to hear. 112 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:54,000 Jesus had a word to say, Be quiet and come out of him. 113 00:11:54,000 --> 00:12:02,000 When Jesus spoke those words, those demons had no choice but to obey. 114 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,000 They had no choice. They couldn't argue. 115 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,000 They couldn't say no. They couldn't resist. 116 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:16,000 They had no option but to leave the possession of that man. 117 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:20,000 That's the power of the word of our Lord. 118 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,000 And that's the message that excites me so much. 119 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:26,000 And that's why this message has become my favorite. 120 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:34,000 Because it reviews for each one of us today, 2,000 years later, the power of the word. 121 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:42,000 Not my word, not your word, but the word coming out of the mouth of our Almighty God and Savior. 122 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,000 That's the word of power. 123 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:49,000 That's the source of power. 124 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,000 Is it not? 125 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:56,000 We have a lot of words being spoken by a lot of people today. 126 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:57,000 Half of them you can't believe. 127 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:02,000 We have politicians speaking all the time, raising their voices, saying this or that. 128 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:08,000 Most of it we can't trust. We can't know whether it's true. We can't know whether it's a lie. 129 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:13,000 But when Jesus speaks the word, you can know it's the truth. 130 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,000 You can know it's correct. You can know it's accurate. 131 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:27,000 You can live your life and you can lay down your life trusting in the word, every word coming out of the mouth of our Lord. 132 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:34,000 But not only is this power there for expelling the demons 2,000 years ago, 133 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:39,000 there was the power many thousand years before that. 134 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:46,000 The power of the word of our Creator God, which we're told was Jesus Christ himself at creation. 135 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:51,000 The power to speak life into existence. 136 00:13:51,000 --> 00:14:02,000 Can you imagine the power of the word to speak life reviewing the complexity of our human physiology? 137 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:07,000 Everything that goes on, we take it for granted because we just live in these bodies and we do what we do. 138 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:12,000 And we just don't necessarily have that much time to study into it. 139 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:17,000 Doctors do and certain other people can study into the intricacies of how we're created. 140 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:24,000 But it is complex and it is amazing and now that they can go into DNA and they can go into genetics 141 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:36,000 and they can go into the tiniest cells and see what's going on, it is astonishing what Christ did by speaking the word 142 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:40,000 and bringing Adam and Eve into existence. 143 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,000 It's just absolutely astonishing. 144 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:49,000 That also is the power of the word. 145 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,000 Let's go on. 146 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:57,000 This is the rest of this account there in verse 26 and 27. 147 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:03,000 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him, cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 148 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,000 He had no choice. He had to leave. He came out of him. 149 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:14,000 Then they were all amazed so that they questioned among themselves saying, what is this? 150 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:21,000 I would be amazed if I was standing there that day and watching this if I was part of that group. 151 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,000 What new doctrine is this? 152 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:31,000 For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. 153 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:37,000 They have to obey him. They have no other choice. 154 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:45,000 And what is the answer to that question by what authority does he do this? 155 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,000 He's Almighty God. That's his authority. 156 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:52,000 He's Almighty God. He's the creator of the universe. 157 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:57,000 Can you get any higher? You need any higher authority? 158 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,000 You need anyone on earth to confirm your authority? 159 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,000 No, you don't. 160 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:08,000 But it's good when you do have some believers who will ultimately accept that authority 161 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:18,000 and will bow down and worship the creator God, give their life unequivocally to the creator God. 162 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,000 Let's move along. 163 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:28,000 Matthew 8-16. This is the passage that our young man read for our scripture this morning. 164 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:34,000 When even had come, they brought to him many, can you imagine that? 165 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,000 Many who were demon possessed. 166 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:41,000 And he cast out the spirits. How? 167 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,000 With a word. 168 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,000 There it is again. 169 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,000 We're finding something consistent in all of these. 170 00:16:50,000 --> 00:17:00,000 With a word. The power of a word coming out of the mouth of our wonderful Lord and Savior. 171 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:05,000 And he healed all who were sick. 172 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:09,000 Oh, I would have loved to have been there to observe that, wouldn't you? 173 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:15,000 We can observe it by going back today because God has preserved these stories for us this morning. 174 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:25,000 But to be there and to, with your own eyes, watch this happening that evening in the presence of Christ. 175 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:32,000 Those people who were in dreadful conditions, whether it's a physical illness or a demon possession, 176 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:36,000 there were many with demon possession, it said. 177 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:44,000 One by one, he speaks the word and immediately, immediately, they are 100% made whole. 178 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,000 The power of the word. 179 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:53,000 What rejoicing must take place in those sessions with family members present. 180 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:58,000 What rejoicing. Celebration sessions. 181 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:02,000 The miracle worker has arrived. We were able to find him. 182 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,000 We were somehow able to track him down. 183 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:09,000 And now, we're whole. 184 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,000 We're whole again. 185 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:18,000 Demon possession is probably not so frequent in our day and age. 186 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:23,000 It sounds like back in Christ's day, it was pretty prevalent. 187 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:34,000 I guess in more societies that are not as sophisticated, we have more examples of demons possession. 188 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:41,000 I only have one account in my whole ministry of these many, many years where I actually witnessed it 189 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,000 and experienced it firsthand. 190 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,000 I was down in Chicago. 191 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:51,000 Dr. Vetrano was leading out in an evangelistic series. 192 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:55,000 I was down there as a seminary student to participate. 193 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,000 And he was coming toward the end of his series, and that particular night, 194 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:03,000 he was going to have a strong appeal and altar call. 195 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,000 There had been a family that was coming, 196 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:11,000 and the daughter, I would guess she might have been in her 20s or so. 197 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:14,000 And they brought her to these meetings. 198 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:21,000 And they sat in a back alcove area where the PA could be brought into the room, 199 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:27,000 but they didn't want to be out with the full congregation, not knowing what might happen. 200 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:33,000 But I know at the end of that service, he made the call for those who wanted to give their life to the Lord, 201 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:40,000 to come down the aisle, physically come down and come to the front. 202 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:46,000 Well, I saw I was sitting up in the balcony, so I could look down on all of it happening below me. 203 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:52,000 And this family, somehow the daughter must have wanted to go forward 204 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,000 and somehow indicated it to the family. 205 00:19:55,000 --> 00:20:02,000 And so with their assistance, they came out and started, and they got about halfway down the aisle. 206 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:08,000 And her body was suddenly taken up into the air and thrown to the hard floor. 207 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:11,000 And then they were able to pick her up somehow, 208 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,000 and then they whisked out as quickly as they could, 209 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:19,000 not wanting to cause a total commotion to the entire service. 210 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:24,000 That's the only thing that I have witnessed, but it has to be a horrible thing. 211 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,000 And I don't have the rest of the story. 212 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,000 I wish I had the rest of the story to tell, 213 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:34,000 because I know the evangelists and the pastors met with the family and met with the daughter after the service, 214 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:41,000 and I'm not totally positive with the long-term outcome of that experience. 215 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:50,000 But today in our sophisticated society, Satan would choose to work in more subtle, deceptive ways. 216 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:57,000 Because if he comes with open possession like that, that might drive the person, 217 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:03,000 that might drive the family members to the Lord, and he doesn't want that to happen. 218 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:09,000 So I think he would rather work in more subtle, deceptive ways to get us to fall into temptation, 219 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:14,000 where we're still under his control, but we may not even realize it. 220 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:22,000 And so I think he's choosing to use those kind of methods to get people to fall into his clutches. 221 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,000 Let's continue. 222 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:32,000 Luke, this account is found in Luke, the ninth chapter, starting in verse 49. 223 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,000 Now John answered and said, 224 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:44,000 Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us. 225 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:54,000 But Jesus said to him, Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side. 226 00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:01,000 Oh, our disciples had so much to learn, didn't they? 227 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,000 I can just picture it. 228 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,000 I think they came rushing to Jesus at that moment, 229 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:13,000 and I think they fully expected to get patted on the back in his combination. 230 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,000 But all of a sudden, he's not agreeing with them at all. 231 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:21,000 He's, in effect, rebuking them. 232 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:29,000 Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side. 233 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,000 Even if their name isn't necessarily Seventh-day Adventist, 234 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:39,000 does that mean they can't be a Christian, that they can't be working for the Lord? 235 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:44,000 Sometimes we get that little bit of exclusive feeling, don't we, sometimes. 236 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:50,000 But I think this passage and this story helps us not to go down that road. 237 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:56,000 God has his children all across the face of the earth in all sorts of different backgrounds. 238 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:00,000 Let's be careful about categorizing. 239 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,000 We could make some big mistakes. 240 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:08,000 I'm glad that account was recorded in Luke's Gospel. 241 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,000 Now let's move to a longer one. 242 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,000 This is found in Matthew the eighth chapter. 243 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,000 We're going to start in verse 28. 244 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:18,000 This has a lot of interesting twists and turns. 245 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,000 This is an amazing story. 246 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:26,000 When he came to the other side in country of the Gergazines, 247 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:33,000 there met him two demon-possessed men coming out of the tombs, 248 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:37,000 exceedingly fierce so that no one could pass that way. 249 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,000 And suddenly they cried out, saying, 250 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:45,000 What have we to do with you, Jesus, you son of God? 251 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:51,000 Have you come here to torment us before our time? 252 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:55,000 I can picture that, can't you, in your mind's eye. 253 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:56,000 They just came across. 254 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,000 They'd had quite an eventful night. 255 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,000 They came across in the boat. 256 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,000 They just land. 257 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:05,000 They land somewhere near the tombs. 258 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:11,000 And immediately they're accosted by these two men. 259 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,000 And the sight was something to behold. 260 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:18,000 It's a photographic description from the volume Desire of Ages 261 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:24,000 to depict these men, terrible shape they were in, 262 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:28,000 expression on their faces, chains hanging and dangling from their arms. 263 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:33,000 They've had to be ostracized from their family. 264 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:37,000 They could no longer remain with their family, no longer with their friends. 265 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:43,000 They were put out of the town, and they're dwelling, can you imagine, in the tombs. 266 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,000 I can just picture the disciples. 267 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,000 They just got out of the boat and get coming. 268 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:53,000 I can picture them kind of backing up and getting back in the boat. 269 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:56,000 But Christ was unafraid. 270 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,000 He stood his ground. 271 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,000 And now we have the interaction. 272 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,000 They too had something to say. 273 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:04,000 Isn't it interesting? 274 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:08,000 These demons want to shout out, 275 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,000 What have we to do with you, Jesus, you son of God? 276 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,000 They had it down, didn't they? 277 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,000 They knew who he was. 278 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:24,000 Even if some of the people around at that time had no idea. 279 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:25,000 Continuing. 280 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,000 Now a good way off from there was a herd of swine feeding, 281 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:31,000 so the demons begged him, saying, 282 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:36,000 If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine. 283 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:41,000 And he said to them, Go. 284 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:49,000 One word from the lips of Christ, two little letters, go. 285 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,000 And they had to go. 286 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,000 There was no choice. 287 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,000 They couldn't challenge Christ. 288 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,000 They couldn't fight back. 289 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,000 They couldn't put up any resistance. 290 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:10,000 When that word is spoken, that word will be fulfilled no matter what. 291 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,000 And so they had to go. 292 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,000 So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine, 293 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:21,000 and suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place 294 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:25,000 into the sea and perished in the water. 295 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,000 You can picture that scene too, can't you? 296 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,000 That would have been something. 297 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:37,000 And that was a pretty large herd of swine plunging to their death. 298 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:42,000 And the word went into the town, and there was an immediate reaction. 299 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:45,000 And we're going to read about that now. 300 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,000 Verse 33 and 34. 301 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:52,000 Then those who kept them fled, so the keepers of the swine fled into town. 302 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,000 They went away into the city, told everything, 303 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,000 including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 304 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:03,000 So they told everything, not just the horrible results for the swine, 305 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:09,000 losing those hundreds of swine, but what happened to the two men 306 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:13,000 who were now healed of their demon possession. 307 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,000 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. 308 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,000 Can you picture that? 309 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,000 The whole city. 310 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:25,000 Immediately the word spread like wildfire. 311 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:29,000 The whole city came out. 312 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,000 And what was their attitude? 313 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:41,000 And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from the region. 314 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:45,000 Can you imagine? 315 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,000 Jesus had just arrived. 316 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,000 Cities and towns where He had already passed through 317 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:54,000 were told that many times there was not a moan of sickness left 318 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,000 in any of those cities or towns. 319 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,000 They had that available to them. 320 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:01,000 Jesus started with the two men who confronted Him. 321 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,000 They were healed. 322 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:09,000 Their demons were thrown out. 323 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:13,000 And yet the whole city was a little more concerned 324 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:19,000 about the fate of the swine than the fate of those two men. 325 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:22,000 Can you imagine their priorities? 326 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:24,000 And they are begging. 327 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,000 It says they begged Jesus. 328 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,000 They didn't have to beg, by the way. 329 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:35,000 But they were begging Him to turn around and depart. 330 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,000 And Jesus did it. 331 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:43,000 Because Jesus is not going to go anywhere where He is not invited 332 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:47,000 nor where He is welcome. 333 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:52,000 Talk about the worst possible decision they could ever make 334 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,000 in their entire life. 335 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,000 It was that decision, that moment, that day, 336 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:03,000 to send Jesus away. 337 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:07,000 And the two men begged that they could stay with Jesus. 338 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:11,000 But Jesus said, no, you return to your home. 339 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,000 You return to your family. 340 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:17,000 Return to your city. 341 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:23,000 You are now my representatives to share what has happened to you 342 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:24,000 and to you. 343 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:30,000 You are my commissioned ministers to go back. 344 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:32,000 And that's the good news of this story. 345 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,000 This is the saddest. 346 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:39,000 This, by the way, is one of the saddest verses or scriptures 347 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,000 in all of scripture. 348 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,000 But it has a happy ending, praise the Lord. 349 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:50,000 Jesus returned later in His ministry to that region and to that city. 350 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:54,000 And He was welcomed. 351 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:56,000 He was welcomed. 352 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,000 The two men did their duty. 353 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,000 They witnessed everywhere they went. 354 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:06,000 Here's what my life was like before I met Jesus. 355 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:11,000 Here's what my life is like now after I met Him. 356 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,000 And look at the contrast. 357 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:18,000 There's nothing more powerful than a personal testimony. 358 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:24,000 And that's what you and I are given as a privilege as we try our humble 359 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:29,000 best to be a true witness for our Lord Jesus today. 360 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:36,000 The most powerful thing we can share is our own personal testimony. 361 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:39,000 This is where I was before I met Jesus. 362 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:44,000 This is where I am now after meeting Him. 363 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:50,000 The same experience can happen to you because it's happened to me. 364 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:54,000 Praise the Lord. 365 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:57,000 Okay. 366 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:01,000 I want to include one more text here because this kind of wraps it up. 367 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:04,000 This is in James chapter 1, verse 7 and 8. 368 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:10,000 And this is very helpful because we're going to try now to draw this to a conclusion. 369 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:15,000 We're going to try now to bring it ahead 2,000 years. 370 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,000 These accounts happened 2,000 years ago. 371 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:24,000 What application do they have for me and for you right now today in this 20th century? 372 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:25,000 That's what we want to do. 373 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:29,000 We want to take all of it, put it together in a package, and say, 374 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:37,000 here's the exciting good news of application for your experience, for my experience now. 375 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,000 Here's a formula in the little book of James. 376 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,000 Therefore, submit to God. 377 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:46,000 Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 378 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:51,000 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. 379 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,000 There's a formula. 380 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:58,000 And it all fits in exactly with the accounts that we've just reviewed together. 381 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,000 But it's four part. 382 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:05,000 And let me suggest this morning the order of the four are very important. 383 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:10,000 Don't try to flip the order around because it may not work. 384 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:12,000 What's number one? 385 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,000 Submit. 386 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:18,000 That's the hardest one because we're human beings. 387 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,000 And we're born with a sinful nature. 388 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:26,000 And because of the fact we're born with a sinful nature, we have a hard time. 389 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,000 We want to live our own life. 390 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:29,000 We want to live it our own way. 391 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,000 We want to make our own decisions. 392 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,000 We want to do it our way. 393 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:36,000 So it's very, very tough to submit. 394 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:41,000 But what we're needing to do in spiritual experience is to get to know God so well, 395 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:50,000 get to know Jesus so well that we say, hey, this is the most wonderful being in the whole universe, 396 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:57,000 the most loving, the most merciful, the most kind, the most powerful, the most everything. 397 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,000 Why? 398 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:04,000 Why would I be so stupid to resist submitting to him? 399 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,000 He's my creator also. 400 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:07,000 He created me. 401 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,000 Come on. 402 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,000 Now he redeemed me through Christ. 403 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:16,000 He's recreated me because of Calvary's cross, the power of Christ. 404 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:17,000 I'm not worthy. 405 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,000 I'm not deserving of any of that. 406 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:23,000 But he stepped in to this sinful mess. 407 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:32,000 And he's now made it possible for me to be recreated into his image, his divine likeness. 408 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,000 So let's not be a fool. 409 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:36,000 Let's not keep fighting submission. 410 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:40,000 Let's just do it quickly and willingly and eagerly. 411 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:47,000 And oh, my, it opens the floodgates for all heaven to be poured into our heart and into our experience. 412 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,000 Submit. 413 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:50,000 Resist. 414 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:52,000 Resist the devil, number two. 415 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,000 Don't resist the devil, number one. 416 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,000 That's a mistake. 417 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:01,000 You got to submit first because God is the one that has to be called to speak the word. 418 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:08,000 If you or I try to take on the devil and his demons and all his powerful temptations, 419 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:14,000 if you and I try by our own strength, we are destined for failure. 420 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:17,000 I think most of you here this morning already have learned that. 421 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:22,000 But if not, learn it right now very emphatically. 422 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:26,000 Do not try to take on that battle in your own strength. 423 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:27,000 You are too weak. 424 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:28,000 I'm too weak. 425 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:30,000 We're all too weak. 426 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:34,000 Whether we want to admit it or not, we're all way too weak. 427 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:36,000 And he's too powerful. 428 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:37,000 He's too clever. 429 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:38,000 He's too smart. 430 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:41,000 He's going to take us all down. 431 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:48,000 But in the story we read, all these stories, call on Jesus. 432 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:51,000 Call on the Holy Spirit immediately. 433 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:55,000 Whenever that overpowering temptation comes or whatever, 434 00:34:55,000 --> 00:35:01,000 when we're being accosted by the evil one, and have him take care of it, 435 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:06,000 have him speak the word, go. 436 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:07,000 The victory is over. 437 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:09,000 It's all done. 438 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:11,000 It's immediately done. 439 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:16,000 We have enough defeats in life from other areas of living. 440 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:18,000 Spiritually, we don't need more defeats, 441 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:22,000 and it can become very discouraging in the Christian walk 442 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:26,000 if we're being defeated time and again, time and again, time and again. 443 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,000 No, none of us. 444 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:29,000 Let's learn the lesson. 445 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:32,000 Let's learn it this morning, if never before. 446 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:33,000 Call on Christ. 447 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:35,000 Call on the Holy Spirit. 448 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:41,000 Have them speak the word because their power is all powerful, and it's over. 449 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:44,000 Victory is ours immediately. 450 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:49,000 Not because anything I've done or anything I've said or anything that's good about me, 451 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:54,000 or that I'm clever or that I'm smart or I'm using some sort of great strategy. 452 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,000 No, no, none of it. 453 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,000 I just called on Jesus. 454 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,000 I just called on the Holy Spirit. 455 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:04,000 That's what I did. 456 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:07,000 And that guaranteed my victory. 457 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,000 Praise the Lord. 458 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:10,000 Submit to God. 459 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:13,000 Number two, resist the devil. 460 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:17,000 He will flee from you. 461 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:18,000 He has no option. 462 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:22,000 As long as Christ is doing it, as long as the Holy Spirit is doing it, 463 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:27,000 he has no other option but to flee. 464 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:33,000 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 465 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:43,000 Ah, that special communion, that special relationship, the excitement, the joy of that experience. 466 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:44,000 That's what you're learning. 467 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:46,000 That's what I'm learning. 468 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:50,000 As we walk with the Lord day to day, moment to moment, 469 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:55,000 that is the most special communion in all the world. 470 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:58,000 Nothing is more important than that communion. 471 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:03,000 I want to close now with two quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy. 472 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:07,000 This first one comes from Desire of Ages, page 493. 473 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:09,000 Here's what we're told. 474 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:16,000 There are Christians who think and speak altogether too much about the power of Satan. 475 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:19,000 They think about their adversary, they pray about him, 476 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:23,000 and he looms up greater and greater in their imagination. 477 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:26,000 It is true that Satan is a powerful being. 478 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:34,000 But thank God we have a mighty Savior who cast out the evil one from heaven. 479 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:38,000 Satan is pleased when we magnify his power. 480 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:41,000 Why not talk about Jesus? 481 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:48,000 Why not magnify his power and love? 482 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:50,000 That's good, isn't it? 483 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:51,000 That's good. 484 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:53,000 Why not talk about Jesus? 485 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:58,000 Why not magnify his power because that's the source of the power we need. 486 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:03,000 Sure, the adversary is a powerful foe, but he's been defeated. 487 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:06,000 He's a defeated foe. 488 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,000 Now let's focus on Jesus. 489 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,000 That's the secret of our success. 490 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:12,000 One more. 491 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:19,000 We'll close with this. 492 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:26,000 First of all, in Testimonies 341, man is naturally inclined to follow Satan's suggestions, 493 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:36,000 and he cannot successfully resist so terrible a foe unless Christ dwells in him. 494 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,000 There's a secret. 495 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:45,000 God alone can limit the power of Satan. 496 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,000 You and I cannot. 497 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:50,000 Let's not try because we're attempting an impossibility. 498 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:52,000 Let's not even try. 499 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:54,000 Let's connect with Jesus. 500 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:59,000 Let's make sure he's the one that's invited in to take care of the battle. 501 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:08,000 Satan knows better than God's people the power that they can have over him when their strength is in Christ. 502 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:12,000 The weakest believer, and that's me and you, 503 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:20,000 the weakest believer relying firmly upon Christ can successfully repulse Satan and all his hosts. 504 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:22,000 Good news, my friends. 505 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:23,000 There it is. 506 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:25,000 Good news this morning. 507 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:28,000 You can leave with good news. 508 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:29,000 There it is. 509 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:38,000 The weakest believer relying firmly upon Christ can successfully repulse Satan and all his hosts. 510 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:43,000 I need to be captive under the power of the enemy. 511 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:48,000 I can be freed because of Jesus. 512 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:54,000 I can enjoy that wonderful, marvelous freedom. 513 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:58,000 I do not have to be under bondage one more moment. 514 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:06,000 Even walking here in this very sinful world, this planet is under sin. 515 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,000 It is a terrible situation. 516 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:14,000 It has been from the beginning, and it's only getting worse in these last days. 517 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:20,000 But I can live above it because of Jesus. 518 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:24,000 Praise the Lord. 519 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,000 Loving Lord, we thank you. 520 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:28,000 We thank you for bringing us here this morning. 521 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:36,000 We thank you for this chance to review these accounts from so many centuries ago. 522 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:40,000 We're uplifted. We're encouraged. We're inspired. 523 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,000 Help us now to apply what we have learned. 524 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:54,000 Give us great success, not in trusting in ourself or our own strength, but give us great success trusting in you and your power, 525 00:40:54,000 --> 00:41:00,000 the gift of your Holy Spirit and the principles of your Holy Word that give us direction. 526 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,000 Thank you for all of these. We treasure them. 527 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:06,000 Go with us as we dismiss from your presence. 528 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:11,000 Walk with us and take us right into your heavenly kingdom in that glorious day. 529 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,000 We believe you're coming soon. 530 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:19,000 Prophecies are being fulfilled all around us so rapidly right now. 531 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:21,000 Your coming is so very soon. 532 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:27,000 May that day be soon. May we be ready in your loving name. Amen.