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What Difference do 3 Angels Make - Part 1Brendan Pratt -Surf shop in Mildura – no underlying reason to exist -Bambill football club in the Millewa – no football team. The Three angels is a special message that gives reason for existence Adventist church grew up in a specific time with a specific message. On a specific scale it’s the ‘Three Angels’ Take a look at these three angels Three angles are all about Jesus being at the centre – how do you get that? Don’t they talk about judgement, Babylon and the beast? Yes but its firmly with Jesus at the centre. Jesus vs doctrines People think that to be friendly to Jesus you have to be unfriendly to doctrine and the other way – not how healthy religion works. The three angles message is all about intimacy with Jesus which gives life – EGW Tell the world that the final deception has begun and that Jesus is the solution to that deception. Three angels is our unique contribution to the religious world The three angles messages must be presented as the only hope for salvation of a perishing world Its an urgent warning – the type of warning when crisis is near. The type of warning you yell to a child that’s about to run onto the road. Three angles in our history: Back at the end of the last century there was a growth in adventism in the subject of Jesus and His righteousness, faith and hope only in Him. Some people got nervous and wrote to Ellen White – Why are we emphasising Jesus righteousness, everyone knows that – our real message is the Sabbath, state of the dead , the 2300 days and the second coming. EGW replies. Several have written me inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angels message. I have answered – It is the three angles message in verity. How do you get that? Some background bits and pieces Rev 13 – Chaotic conditions which precede the final end of human history People who have found ultimate security in their commitment to Jesus Christ and the principles of His kingdom (They follow the Lamb wherever he goes Rev 14;14) They experience victory not by own means but through the grace of Jesus Christ Angel 1 We often race over it and get to where we think the real action is. The action is in this one. The Subject is you. – You fear God You give glory to Him You worship Him -Everlasting gospel – to muslims, buddhists everyone Glory -Give Him glory – love, respect, awe verses the disease of works – Romans 4:2 and 20 – The person who gives glory to God is the person is doing it by faith The person who is hooked on the disease of works as his method of salvation is always going to give glory to himself even though he knows how to use the right words so that it will be socially and religiously acceptable. There is no glory for the works of man in the plan of the gospel. All the glory goes to Jesus Christ. Old hymn – Oh that will be Glory for me. Galations 6:14 – God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even in church gatherings we can play the glory game – I’m so thankful that.. the Lord has blessed me… we can really be advertising our own success and achievements disguised as glory to God. The Lord has really blessed me I was walking down the street, met this man …… Then I raised the most for ingathering , praise the Lord – ill-disguised glory sessions. Jeremiah 9:23-24 Glory in this – that he understands and knows me Help us not only understand but experience that in knowing Him Today we have the ability to get it there like no other time – see it all coming together Revelation 15:3 Judgement & mercy – the beatitudes and judgement Judgement is God’s character vindicated Dan 12:1 – judgement – pleading for it – Habakkuk – pleading for it U.S elections – order out of chaos Human philosophy has robbed us of the concept of a personal God 86% believe in God but don’t worship Him. Bette Middler – from a distance Warning against self-worship and an invitation to something deeper Worship Him Six days worshipping self – how hard is it to then worship him on the seventh – unnatural. Babies get into routine – They don’t just automatically change on the Sabbath. We’re a bit the same. Who has your heart? who has your love? who do you love to worship? Worship motivated by awe, reverence and deep respect Worship – return to the beginning – last day book goes back to start. Our inventions won’t provide endtime security – God is the only answer Creation – Evolution – If humanity evolved we are not accountable to a supreme being – if not accountable there’s no need for judgement – there’s no sin. No coincidence that ‘origin of the species’ was first printed in 1844 (putting up deceptions) -Sabbath – memorial to creation Exodus 20 "Like a desperate father calling a lost child, God calls the human race to leave the pigpens of human ideas and come back to Genesis – home to the Sabbath
Angel 2 -Rev 18: 1-9 Come from the tower of Babel – self-saving Gen 10:10, 11:1-9 Isaiah 14:14 Fornication – illicit relationships outside of the marriage status – when two parties not supposed to get together get together Dan 4: 26-28 Is this not great Babylon that I have built Is this not great profession that I have gained Isn’t this a great house I have built Isn’t this a great car I have earnt Isn’t this a great face I can see in the mirror Habakkuk and Babylon Modern Babylon – a powerful religious system that wants to dominate the world. Sooner or later those that keep the commandments if God and have the faith of Jesus are bound to get in the way. She stands for a false religion that is willing to compromise principle and distrust the word of God for the sake of material gain or wordly security. Two pictures – two scales EGW tribal religions, occultism, spiritualism – requires ones works to save oneself SDA’s if depending on anything else but Jesus to save them Belief system 1 – Saving oneself 2 – God’s laws nailed to the cross – trash god’s laws Primary purpose of law is to know God Take out part you are not getting God’s freedom in full Rev 13, Dan 7 – 10 identifying factors Original attack on Eve A clear direction amidst the devils smoke screens 1 – You don’t have to keep god’s commandments 2 – If you eat of this you won’t die 3 – If you eat you’ll be like god – appealing to self glory Babylon is not something we can smugly say we are not part of. It’s not a day it’s who the day centres on. Its not knowing the truth – its experiencing it. -Put into files – explain implications for how your life changes this week. What would it take for you to give yourself 100% to God and let all glory go to Him?
What Difference do 3 Angels Make - Part 2Brendan Pratt We live in a world of imitations. Sow catalogues from this weeks mail - Imitation furniture, cherries, trees, Celine Dion concert... That’s fine – but it’s not fine when we have imitation religion and imitation worship. It’s not fine when we have the forms of Godliness but deny the power. Angel one re-cap -You, everlasting gospel. Who you give glory to, ‘Good News’ judgement, worship, Getting back to basics – creation and the Sabbath. Second angel Rev 14:8 What’s Babylon and what does it have to do with my everyday life? History of Babylon First mention of Babylon in revelation Tower of Babel - Self serving 11:1-9 ‘gate of the gods’ Later confusion OT Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the temple Dan 5:22-23 – Pride even though you knew When I becomes the centre we become like what we adore – beholding we become changed. We become lifeless, unfeeling, hard – like the idols we worship. I always been at the centre of sin. First century it’s a cryptic title for Rome Modern Babylon: Rev deals with churches and spiritual conditions. Rev 13 – Religious. Rev 18 Beast and Babylon together. A perverted religious system that wants to dominate the world Sooner or later those that keep the commandments and have the faith of Jesus are bound to get in the way. Ever since the fall of ancient Babylon Satan has sought through one power after another to control the world and probably would have succeeded had it not been for repeated diving intervention. Undoubtedly most successful was the attempt by the papacy in the middle ages In Rev it is symbolic of all apostate religious organization down to the close of time Your righteousness instead of Jesus It’s About Saving Yourself Saving yourself Tribal religion, occultism, spiritualism also rely on one’s own work to save oneself. If depending on anything else but Grace for salvation than we’re in the same boat. Adventism is accused of works religion – it’s the very opposite – in its purest form. You can get distorted Advetism but that’s not what is at the heart. Vendon – When the majority of church members are finding no time day by day to spend seeking Jesus and His salvation they are trying to save themselves, regardless of the words the speak. No matter what our testimony of Holy Living if its not in a devotional relationship with Jesus it’s a pathetic little tower in the sky like the tower of Babel. Its About Fidelity When two parties not supposed to be together get together Loyalty programs, adultery is very normal today Madness – chaos Fidelity to God Church-state fornication – when we sell out for approval and popularity we sell out to God. Message, but keep relevant. James 4 – fornication – money, status, recognition. Nothing wrong with pleasures (Eph 4:7) but there is a problem when its at the expense of obeying God Worldliness – we have a bad definition. Nightclubs and loud music. Anything that keeps us from God. Pharisees. Group that looked most like Jesus came in for harshest rebukes. Its About Real Worship Who will you worship? Centred in an image rather than centred in God. Scripture repeats again and again God’s hatred for idols and His love of people. Tie in with the commandments. Coercion – made Drinking the wine is symbolic of going against God – Rev 13:12 – looks like drinking the wine will bring peace but no it doesn’t. Deception Final deception has begun and that Jesus is the solution to that deception, Final deception is one that keeps people from seeing Jesus. See a distorted picture Loud voice Rev 18:1-9 – Moving on from 1844 Have I drawn my faith from scripture or from spurious representations of truth’ State of dead etc Sabbath Babylon is with the ‘change times and laws beast’ of Dan 7 Some people leave and are deceived. Others flood in when the true issues are know Nations will come to you RH July 1906 ‘Large numbers will be admitted who in those last days, hear the truth for the first time – (Why didn’t you tell me earlier) Deep appeals for a world gone mad – Calling to dogs - Fou Fou and Kala on the motorway Righteousness By Faith And The Second Angel How do you respond to God’s urgent appeals and how does this change the way you see people around you who are far from God? What Difference do 3 Angels Make - Part 32 December 2000 Choices: -Example form NZ Herald where in the School Certificate Maths exam there was a question where all choices were incorrect. -Everyday choices e.g getting the shave cream mixed up with the mouse The third angel is all about choices. Re-cap Angel 1 – A warning about worshipping ourselves. Anyone who is not worshipping God and giving Him the glory is worshipping self. Satan’s Kingdom is built on self. Angel 2 – Accept Christ as your only hope of salvation. ‘The three angles are righteousness by faith in verity’ The third angle is the most severe warning in all of scripture It is urgent – the type of warning you shout when your child is on the motorway It’s about worship. Worship has been a central issue since the beginning of the great controversy. Satan and worship, Cain and Abel, Daniel and now in Revelation as we see the controversy nearing conclusion. The Beast: Rev 13n Dan 7 link – 10 way package of identifying beast. ‘The beast pure and simply is indicating a group of organised self worship’ No room for smugness – any church, whatever they profess, if worshipping self is in the same rowboat. Image to the Beast: Rev 13 – first half – religious and political Protestant America resurrects the beast (explain) and sets up replica of it. Sells out to self values. Great Controversy 445 ‘When the leading churches in the US unite on such points of doctrine as are held by them in common and shall influence the state to enforce their decree and to sustain their systems then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy.’ When Ellen White wrote these words it would have seemed far-fetched – today you can see things falling into place. If anything but love for God motivates a church than we have a problem, Good-looking beast – does great wonders rev 13:13-14 it looks to be solving problems. It’s number 666 has been the topic of all sorts of speculation. -Pagan Egyptian amulets which add up to 666 -Greek God Bavilisco – adds up to 666 -Vicarus Fili Dei – adds up to 666 -I Kings 10:14 – Solomon’s wealth represented as 666 -Nebs Image – 60x6 Jews had a ‘doom upon the number 6 – it was man’s number and equalled unrest – to triple it intensified man’s unrest – 7 was perfection, 8 – victory. In short it is all about man serving himself and in so doing inherently selling out to Satan’s system. How does the Sabbath fit into it? -Sabbath becomes a symbol of loyalty to God or a self-system. -We have to be careful the we do not make Sabbath+Salvation rather it is an expression of loyalty – a fruit of Salvation in time. Read Norman Gulley – ‘Christ is Coming’ pgs 359 & 365 ‘I’d rather be a Sunday keeper who loves the Lord than a Sabbath keeper who doesn’t’ Rathe be a Sunday keeper who has a relationship with God than a Sabbath keeper who does not – easier to change a day than a relationship. The urgent warning about Hell: Explain the wider Biblical view of Hell (2 Peter 2:9, Matt 13:40-42, Rev 20:7,9 & 15) 182 times hell will end 6 not so clear Isaiah 34:12 – Edom, smoke rising forever – forever equals consequences, not event. There really is heaven and there really is eternal annihilation Urgency because real people end up in both situations. This is not some game, this is life and death. These people are people in your street, your work, your school, your family. Rev 15:1-4 Victory is in trusting God How many of us need to pray today ‘Holy Sprit I’m ready for you to nudge and poke me regarding urgently reaching out to the people in my life – I will not be lulled by complacency – I will re-order my life around your urgent messages for today. Who has your heart? Who has your love? Who do you love to worship?
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