Sermon
The Lords Day - Frank Brancato 12-8-19
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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As always is the case, I do consider it to be an honor to
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speak concerning the word of God, I want to say something
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about our brothers prayer. I appreciate everything he said.
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And one of the things he said, as he prayed to God regarding
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our worship, after that, he said, and help us to give you
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all that. We are all that we have.
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Give our all for you on this day.
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You know, that's very significant not long ago.
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I preached on the subject of the Sabbath and that was because
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there was a number of questions that had come up in some private
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Bible studies on the significance of days.
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And are we under the Sabbath at all?
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Should we keep any aspect of the Sabbath and Jesus is attitude or
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his demeanor, or his behavior regarding the Sabbath.
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And we talked about how Jesus Mark the transition even during
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his life from the Sabbath. To the Lord's day or to himself.
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I want to talk about some of these things.
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Concerning the Lord's day, I want to talk about Sunday.
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When did Sunday become the the Lord's Day in Revelation,
Revelation 1 chapter mention
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chapter 1, And beginning in verse 9.
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I John both your brother and companion in Tribulation and
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Kingdom. And patience of Jesus Christ was
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on the island. That is called Patmos for the
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word of God. And for the testimony of Jesus
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Christ, and then he said, I was in the spirit on the Lord's day.
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You know, I can remember in the not-so-distant past times when
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you would see this, when Sunday actually mattered in our
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country, I remember growing up. I'm not That old that I can't
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remember. But I remember businesses in the
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home town that I grew up in Ojai.
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I remember in Oak View, I remember that I perhaps told
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some of these things to you over the years but I remember one
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particular business as you came into Oakview, it was a rental
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place where you'd rent equipment and there was a great big wooden
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sign on a chain link fence. And it said this open Monday
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through Saturday, but closed on Sunday for church.
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I remember when Sunday mattered in our country, I remember when
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there were things that shut down on Sunday.
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I remember, when you got your shopping done on Sunday, your
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yard work done, or I'm sorry on Saturday, your yard work got
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done on Saturday. I remember when Sunday didn't
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have all of those things and by the way, you know, in Youth
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Sports, there was a time when people didn't get coaches,
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didn't have practices on Day. They didn't have games on
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Sunday. You know what else?
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They didn't even have them on Wednesday.
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You know why? Because people in their minds
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understood that those that profess Christianity, there were
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going to be in Services, there were going to be worshipping on
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those days. It actually mattered and then
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all of a sudden they started having other aspects or other
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activities and they scheduled them on Sundays.
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Now, there's something every Sunday.
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You know, even in college, I remember in college, there was
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nothing scheduled on Sunday back in the 80s.
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Now everything's on Sunday. You know why?
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Because in our world and our society, Sunday became just like
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any other day. Sunday is the Lord's day.
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Sunday matters Sunday is not to be like any other day.
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I think it's sometimes a day that's treated very, casual like
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a drop by deal leaving the rest of Sunday.
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For whatever one man said, though, like a sponge with water
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squeezed out, this is the problem, by the way, in our
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country. And may I just say this to
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preface my comment hear people talk about what's wrong.
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In America. And what do people do?
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They go right to politics, right?
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Oh, it's the Republicans, it's the Democrats.
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It's the Liberals. It's the conservatives.
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Oh, no, it's those radicals, we talk about this one.
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And that one, and all that, that's not the problem in
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America. You know what, the problem in
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the United States of America is today, because we are on a
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50-year, as one man, said a 50-year experiment of living in
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a country without God, that's what's wrong.
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We forgot all about God, no prayer in school.
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No Ten Commandments, no, sermon at graduation.
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No respect for marriage and the home and this has contributed to
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many of the problems that exist today.
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That's what happens when God is removed from our life one
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teacher. For example, in an attempt to
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pull be politically correct, instructed her class to write an
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essay about the pilgrims on Thanksgiving as a assignment,
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her only requirements were these you can't mention anything about
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religion Ian, you can't say a thing about God and you cannot
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mention Church. This young girl taking a shot at
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being politically correct. Wrote The Following.
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I love this. The pilgrims came to these
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Shores seeking freedom of, you know what so that they can give
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thanks to, you know who so that we their descendants could
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worship each Sunday. You know where.
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Politically correctness, is the norm and the standard of today.
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But the question before us today is this is Sunday just an
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arbitrary day, filled with choices of whatever we wish or
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does Sunday matter. I want to submit to you that you
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Sunday does matter. And by way of review, we talked
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about some of these things when we dealt with the Sabbath.
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But let's just go to notice a couple of these things as we
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talk about the seventh day, observance, In Genesis chapter
Genesis 2 chapter mention
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2. And the reason that I put that
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there is because sabbatarians or people that believe that we keep
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the Sabbath today. Say we still have to keep the
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Sabbath even as Christians because the Sabbath has always
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existed. In fact, the argument is it
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existed all the way back in Genesis chapter 2?
Genesis 2 chapter mention
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Well, let's notice in the creation, the Bible says that
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God looked upon everything God, created everything Oh, and he
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did. So in six days, then as it were,
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he looked upon everything that he created, and he said it was
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very good. And the Bible says that on the
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seventh day, he rested on the seventh day.
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Because he was tired. No he rested a rest of delight
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and satisfaction for all that he created.
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That's number one. And number two, he rested in
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that, he was finished and God sent back and rested on the
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seventh day. Do you know that he was the only
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one that rested that day. Man, didn't need to rest on that
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day, because man in the garden was living a life of rest.
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In fact, it was a Perpetual state of rest.
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Do you know why? Because there was no work, why
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was there? No work?
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Because there was no sin. And if there was no sin, there
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was no. Work.
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If there was no work, there was no Sabbath.
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And in Genesis chapter 2, God was the only one that rested.
Genesis 2 chapter mention
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Somebody might say, no, wait a minute.
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God told them to tend the garden.
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Didn't that work it. No, there's a difference between
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a chore and maintaining something and working by the
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sweat of your face, in order to earn your living or each your
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Brig. So in Genesis, chapter 2, only
Genesis 2 chapter mention
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God rested. Let's go further, though.
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We skip to Exodus chapter 20, and after man was delivered from
Exodus 20 chapter mention
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Egyptian bondage, God gave man a system of Sabbath's they were
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weekly, they were Lee and they weren't yearly.
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God also gave man to General Commandments, he said Thou shalt
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love the Lord thy God with all your heart, with all your soul,
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with all your mind and with all your strength and your neighbor
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as yourself. So these are two general
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Commandments then he gave a tenfold explanation of those two
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Commandments and we call those The Ten Commandments today.
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There was also the manifold explanation of all of this and
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it's found in the first five books of the law in the Old
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Testament, Genesis Exodus, Leviticus Numbers and
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Deuteronomy but In the Ten Commandments, the fourth
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Commandment was, they had to keep the Sabbath.
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Now, why did they do that? What was the effect of that?
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Well, first of all, God commanded that, and that's
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enough. But here's what they did on that
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day, it was a day to reflect on their creator.
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It was a day to reflect on all of creation and how everything
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that God created was perfect. And that it was only marred when
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man sinned it was a day to reflect on your creator.
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It was a day to reflect on the creation.
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What else? It was also a day to reflect on
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God. As the lawgiver.
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So they were commanded and God hallowed this day or elevated
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this day. And the people, the children of
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Israel had to recognize that day, that being the Sabbath day.
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Now remember this to this is my last slide from our previous
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lesson, a couple of months ago. But Jesus was the transition
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from the old to the new it may I just say too.
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There were two things that they hated about Jesus.
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Two things, especially the Pharisees hated about Jesus.
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Number one, because he said I am the Son of God they hated that
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and number two because of the way that he handled the Sabbath
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but Jesus said I'm greater than the Sabbath.
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He said I'm Lord even of the Sabbath, that's what Jesus said.
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So Jesus even while living did anything he wanted to do on the
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Sabbath because he was the transition from the old to the
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new now, Those Jews believe that their reference point between
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them self and God was the Sabbath and Jesus would teach
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them that the reference point between them self and God had to
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be Jesus himself. So here it is.
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When Jesus died on the cross and shed his blood, the transition
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from the old to the new was complete.
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What did the Sabbath represent? It was a prophetic type, if you
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will of futurist being heaven, in other words, Sabbath rest is
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a picture of Eternal rest. You remember when I said that
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when Man was created in the garden before sin, he lived in a
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Perpetual state of rest, okay? That's what we're going to get
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when we finally get to heaven, a place of Perpetual rest for all
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eternity. All right.
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The New Covenant, though, Jesus brought in the New Covenant day
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and that is the first day of the week, and let me show you how it
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ought. Jesus makes the transition in
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Matthew chapter 28, and we begin there to her little flow here in
Matthew 28 chapter mention
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verse 1. It says, after the Sabbath, It
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says, after the Sabbath the first day of the week began to
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Dawn, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary came to see the tomb
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and we know what happened. There was the morning of the
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Resurrection. Now in verse number 9, it says,
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and as they went to tell the disciples behold, Jesus met them
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saying Rejoice. So they came and they held him
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by the feet and they worshipped him.
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Now, interestingly, it was early on Sunday morning.
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We're going to find that out to. We look at Luke 24 in Luke's
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account. So the Sabbath was over and
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those precious women went back to the Sepulchre, they went back
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to the tomb, more on that in a minute, they went to the tomb
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and all of a sudden the stone was rolled away.
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And they did evidence that Jesus is not there, Jesus is not in
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the Tomb. So the Bible says, as they went
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to tell the disciples that he had risen, Jesus met with them
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and said, rejoice and they came and they held Him by the feet
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and worshipped him. Just a little side note here.
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This is absolutely brilliant. God did all that, you know, who
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the first hand eyewitness testimony of the Resurrection,
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was it wasn't one of the Apostles.
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It was those precious women. It was the women that had no
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agenda, they had no agenda at all.
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They had nothing like that. It wasn't like one of the
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apostles who could be blamed for lying about it saying that he
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was risen and really they're just his followers.
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Therefore, they said that. No, it was these women, they
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were first hand eyewitness testimony to the resurrection,
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and when they saw Jesus, they fell down at his feet and they
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worshipped him. Yeah, there's a couple things
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that have to happen. In Prophecy, we have to
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understand two things have to happen.
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First of all, number one, when Jesus gave the prophecy as found
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in John chapter 12. And when Jesus gave that those
John 12 chapter mention
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words, when Jesus said, those words as Jonah was three days
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and I'm Excuse me, Matthew chapter 12, as Jonah was three
Matthew 12 chapter mention
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days and three nights in the whales belly, that's the King
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James. The new King James says, in the
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belly of a great fish, so shall the son of man be also three
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days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
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Now notice what has to happen, he has to be dead three days.
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He has to be buried, all three days.
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He has to be raised on the third day and we find from the
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scriptures that third day was the first day of the week or it
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was Sunday had to happen. He had to die on the day of
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preparation. He had to be buried, still that
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day. He had to still be in the Tomb
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on the Sabbath day and he had to be raised on the first day of
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the week, that is the third day. You know, we find also in Luke
Luke 23 chapter mention
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chapter 23, We find that in verse 56.
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This is what they were doing. Then they returned and prepared
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spices and fragrant oils and they rested on the Sabbath
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according to commandment. Now, there was a reason that
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they didn't go on the Sabbath. They didn't go on the Sabbath
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because they kept the Commandment.
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They didn't know that the Sabbath day or the old Covenant
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day was nailed to the cross. They didn't know that at all.
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So they didn't go to the tomb on the Sabbath day, they rested on
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the Sabbath day as God said that they would do, and they did.
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So. According To the commandant now
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spices and fragrant oils. And we know that back then they
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didn't embalm bodies. In fact, as we know in The Story
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of Lazarus, he was buried the same day that he died and by the
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fourth day and it was hot there obviously.
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And by the fourth day when Jesus arrives, he says, take away the
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stone Martha. They're saying really but
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Master, it's been 4 days. The King James says he already
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stinketh. Or he already is decaying the
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decomposition process had already happens been four days.
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You know why they didn't embalm what they did though, they had
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fragrant oils and spices that they prepared the body and when
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they bear in Jesus, Remember, John's account says that.
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Nicodemus, brought 100 pounds and wrap the body of Jesus.
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When he was buried, we know that.
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We also know this to and by way of History, the only time they
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used a hundred pounds to bury somebody of those spices.
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The only time is when they buried a King, Jesus died
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between those two thieves, like prophecy said, he would, but he
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was buried, like, the king that he is king of kings and Lord of
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lords. But on the first day of the week
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here, come these women, and they're coming with fragrant
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spices and so forth for the body of Jesus continuing there.
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So it would retard. And the decomposition process
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and Luke, 24 and verse 1. It's a different day.
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Now, on the first day of the week, Now I'm the Sabbath they
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didn't, but on the first day of the week, very early in the
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morning they in certain other women with them came to the
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tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.
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Again, this was New Covenant day.
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It was the first day of the week.
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Notice this please. This New Covenant day, he was
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dead on Saturday. Okay New Covenant days.
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The first day of the week very significant he's dead on
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Saturday. Therefore the Sabbath also died
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on Saturday when Jesus was dead when he died on the cross.
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On the day of preparation on Friday.
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Still, what else? He's alive on Sunday.
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The first day of the week. So what do we know when Jesus
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died the Sabbath? It died but also when Jesus rose
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from the dead, he brought in the New Covenant day.
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That's not a day of tradition. We didn't just one day say, you
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know what we'll do, I'll tell you what, we'll do.
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We'll just go ahead and have church on Sunday.
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It's not tradition. We're going to find out this is
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mandated by God, but none of us is by accident.
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It All Began on the first day, or Sunday.
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The first day of the week notice also they travel that morning,
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there was a disciple by the name of cleopas and another disciple
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that we don't know who it was some Scholars.
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Think it might have been Luke because Luke wrote Luke.
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Therefore he didn't include his name, we don't know.
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It doesn't matter. Play a piss.
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There is going along with another disciple and they're
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leaving. I'm going on a trip of about 7
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miles and it's from Jerusalem to a little village called Emmaus.
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And they're walking along and they're talking about all these
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things. They're talking about the things
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that had happened. And the Bible says this as
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they're going along, they're speaking about the things that
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had happened on that journey and notice Jesus appears and after
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he said the words, he said, what manner of communications are
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these that you speak of and are sad and they said, oh, you must
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be a visitor around here and don't know what we're talking
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about and Jesus said what things And they said, well about Jesus
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of Nazareth how we thought he was a prophet.
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In fact, we thought he was going to restore Israel, we thought
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he's going to set up a kingdom and it's the third day and we
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don't even have the body of Jesus.
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So all of a sudden after Jesus allowed them to unburden their
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aching Hearts, it says this and beginning at Moses and all the
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prophets he expounded to them in.
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All the scriptures the things concerning himself.
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Did you get that? What happened on this day?
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It began with worship now, it's the first Sunday.
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Jesus is resurrected from the dead, okay?
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That morning began with worship those precious women, fell at
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the feet of Jesus and worshiped him.
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Little later that day, though, by the way, on this very
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significant day, it's about afternoon, no doubt time.
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Jesus shows up and he gives the first expository sermon,
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preached about himself, from the Old Testament scriptures on the
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same day. What a it day.
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Big day, New Covenant Day, first day of the week, very first,
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expository sermon being preached.
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It is a day of significance. May I also say to the greatest
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kind of preaching there is, is expository preaching.
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Use the holy spirit's outline, take the word of God and teach
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the word of God and expound upon it and explain the word of God.
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That's what Jesus did. What a great example, the
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greatest preacher, the world ever knew the greatest man that
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ever lived. He begins with Moses and all the
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prophets and he expounded to them in all the scriptures, the
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things concerning himself. Do you know what I think about
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sometimes? People are looking for an
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experience. Sometimes people are looking for
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some kind of special experience. Now picture in your mind's eye,
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you got two disciples Jesus appears before them and they
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don't know it's him. He preaches from the Old
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Testament, the things concerning himself.
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They come near to the little village.
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The Bible says he acts as though, he's going to keep going
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by and they compelled him to join them in the house.
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There's a picture there. There's a picture there.
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Jesus will never force himself on somebody.
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You have to invite him in. You have to want him and he
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standing at the door knocking, but the doorknob or the latch is
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on your side. They compel Jesus to join them.
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They still don't know which Jesus, they sit down in the
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Bible says they begin to eat and he reveals himself to them in
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the breaking of bread, sis. And then he was gone.
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Pretty good experience, right? Impressive.
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Let me talk about what was really impressive.
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This is what they said. They said this.
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And they said to one another did not our heart burn within us
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while he talked with us on the road.
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And while he opened the scriptures to us, Of all the
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things they could have been impressed by and impressed with.
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It wasn't the experience Jesus appeared before them and the
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first thing they said is didn't our hearts burn within us.
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When he showed us the scriptures along the way, But now it was
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time though. Is time to go to the upper room,
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we find and these disciples, by the way, they traveled seven
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miles to Emmaus. And I don't know about you, but
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I don't walk 14 miles a day. Back then no doubt.
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That's exactly how they got around.
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You know, if you're going to go 14 miles or seven miles in each
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Direction, you're getting in the car and you're firing it up and
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you're driving, you might ride a bike, I doubt you'd ride a
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skateboard and really you're probably not going to walk.
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They were so impressed with what Jesus had said to them.
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They couldn't wait. They had to leave Emmaus and go
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back to Jerusalem and go back to the upper room and tell them
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what they saw. And all of a sudden as they said
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these things, as they told the others Jesus himself stood in
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their midst and said peace to you.
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You know the Bible says also there That they were afraid
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because they thought they saw a ghost.
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They thought they saw a spirit and they were afraid.
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First of all, when Jesus says, peace to you, he wasn't wishing
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them a good day. He was giving them peace, he is
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the Prince of Peace. Therefore, he is the author of
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Peace. So the author of Peace was
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giving peace to them and they were afraid And they were scared
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because I thought wait a minute, there's a ghost Among Us and
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Jesus says get this is very important for another passage
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later on. He said, hey, you said handle
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me, touch me. He said, because the spirit
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doesn't have flesh and Bone. What he's saying is this, I'm
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here in the flesh. My body has been resurrected,
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and here I am. Look at my hands feel my hands
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handle me. And if I was a ghost, I wouldn't
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have bones. I wouldn't have flesh.
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Now then this is what happens, he said to them these words, he
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said these are the words that I spoke to you while I was still
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with you. That in all things must be
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fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses and the
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prophets and the Psalms concerning me.
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And he opened their understanding that, they might
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comprehend the scriptures. What a great first Sunday.
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It began with worship later on there was an expository sermon
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about Jesus Christ from the Old Testament preached by the master
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of the greatest one that ever lived.
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We're still not done, it's still Sunday.
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It's Sunday night time and you know what the Lord is going to
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do. He appears before them and by
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the way, he erased, all doubt, when he said you have anything
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to eat and they gave him fish and honeycomb and he ate that.
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So obviously they were not afraid anymore.
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Then he says these words and he uses the law.
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Of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms the three distinct
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categories of the Old Testament. and he says concerning me, he
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opened up their understanding that they might comprehend the
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scriptures, what a great Sunday, What a great Sunday it was, but
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there's more then he says this. Then he said to them, thus it is
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written and thus, it was necessary for Christ to suffer
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and to rise from the dead. The third day, and that
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repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name,
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to All Nations, beginning at Jerusalem and you are witnesses
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of these things. Behold I send the promise of my
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father upon you but Terry in the city of Jerusalem until you be
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endued with power from on high. So he said this is exactly what
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I've said to you before its time now.
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Now and you're going to preach repentance and remission of
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sins, you're going to do that. No one else you're going to get
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the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you're going to get the power of
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the Holy Spirit. I'm going to imagine.
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They went from scared to encouraged.
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This is quite a Sunday, launching New Covenant day.
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It's repeated over and over the phrase first day of the week
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over and over, because the first day of the week has great
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significance. Now notice also in John chapter
John 20 chapter mention
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20 in John chapter 20, this is John's account of the very same
John 20 chapter mention
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thing. And we want to talk about this
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because I don't want, I don't want us to think that there's a
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contradiction, okay? Jesus told them to handle me in
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one, passage in this passage. Jesus said, do not cling to me.
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Now is there a contradiction? No, first of all.
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He said do not cling to me for I have not yet ascended to my
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father. Now we know what that can't be.
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We know that that cannot be that he's talking about his Ascension
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chapter 1, 40 days later. We know it can't be that.
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Why? Because in between there, he
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told his disciples handle me. Me later and we'll get to that.
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He told Thomas put your hands in my hands.
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Touch me. So we know it can't be that.
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And I'll tell you, you can read all kinds of commentaries and
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they'll tell you all kinds of things about this.
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I'm going to tell you, I agree with what the old-time preachers
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used to preach. I think this is right in the
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words of my father-in-law of us is free, okay?
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But I think, I think the old-time preachers were right
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about this. I remember Linwood used to
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preach about this, what he was talking about is and that phrase
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right there, literally means stop clinging to me in the
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original, What it means. It didn't mean don't touch me.
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It meant they were touching him and he says, stop clinging to
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me. Now, the phrase, therefore I
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have not yet ascended to my father.
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I think this is the phrase, I agree with this.
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You remember under the law of Moses, the high priest took the
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blood of the sacrifice, to the holy of holies, that the Ark of
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the Covenant, in the presence of God and brought the blood,
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sacrifice for the sins of the people.
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Into the place where God was or God's presence was, if that is
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the prophetic type, then the Fulfillment of that prophetic
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type is Jesus ascending to his father as our high priest and
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bringing the blood sacrifice to the presence of God.
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All that's free. But it makes sense.
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It makes sense. It is the antitype of what has
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been done under the Old Law. No contradiction just simply
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means stop clinging to me. Now, another interesting thing
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is found in John chapter 20, When they came to the Sepulchre,
John 20 chapter mention
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they came to the to the grave and they went in there and they
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found the handkerchief. some translations, say napkin and the
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handkerchief was placed over his face and when they got in there
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and his body was gone and they found the Linens in one place,
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it says that the handkerchief or the napkin was placed in another
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place and it was folded Now I'll just tell you what, I read about
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that, I read that. There is a tradition says, I
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guess, you might say, but very customary back then when
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somebody would sit at the table and eat when they were finished
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eating, but they had to get up from the table, they would take
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their napkin and their handkerchief, whatever it was
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and they would throw it down with all of the other Linens,
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all kind of piled there and it was basically, to say I'm done,
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I won't be a back. But then I had read by way of
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custom Jewish custom, what they did is when they were going to
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get up from the table. But they were going to return.
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They folded the napkin. They kept it separate from the
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other Linens and it was a sign saying I'm not finished.
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I'm coming back. When they got in there and they
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open it looked into the grave and found that the body of Jesus
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was gone. They saw the Linens but
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separate. Folded was the handkerchief
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saying I'll be back. I will return.
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Jesus is one day going to come back.
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I want to notice something in verse 24, please.
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Thomas called the twin one of the twelve was not with them
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when Jesus came my whole life. I've heard doubting Thomas
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doubting Thomas, doubting Thomas and yeah I guess he doubted.
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But you know Thomas did not get the information that the others
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got. The others were afraid and Jesus
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proved that it was him. Maybe in his mind he reflected
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back and he thought about what Jesus had told them.
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When he walked on the face of the Earth, beware of those that
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come and say they're me, beware of those that would come those
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false teachers, just maybe. So on this particular occasion,
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guess what? Thomas was not there.
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He didn't see that he missed out. you know, I thought of this
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this morning, I thought about this day, this great day.
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And Thomas missed out. You know, I think that's kind of
-
what happens when we miss services.
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We miss out. We just miss out.
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He missed out on here in the Lord.
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Preached a sermon and teach the word of God.
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He missed out on seeing Jesus. That was presented before them.
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He missed that too. He missed all of that.
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He wasn't there. Think that's sometimes what
-
happens to us, but that's not all in John chapter 20 verse 26.
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After eight days, his disciples were again inside and Thomas
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with them. Jesus came and the doors being
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shut and stood in the midst and said, peace to you.
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Now, what day was that? Now remember we're talking about
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the significant of days, significance of days.
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We're talking about that, we're talking about, it's the Lord's
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day is the first day of the week.
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We're talking about this first Sunday.
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Okay. And Thomas is not there, but
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then it says this after 8 days. What day was that?
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Eight days later. Would have been the first day of
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the week. Also, it would have been Sunday,
-
you know why? Because that's exactly how the
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Jews. Counted the days.
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You count the day you're on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,
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Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, after eight
-
days. The Lord could have done
-
anything that he wanted to do. He could have appeared before
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Thomas any other day. He waits till win.
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Eight days later. First day of the week Sunday.
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Pretty significant. Could have done anything you
-
wanted to, I think that's pretty significant.
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You know, that's really not hard for us to grasp either.
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Because you might say, hey, Frank.
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What are you doing? I held an AA meeting eight days.
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Yeah, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
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Saturday, Sunday. Same thing.
-
What happened? His disciples were again inside
-
and Thomas with them. Jesus came and the doors being
-
shut stood in the midst and said, peace to you.
-
What else the church was born on this day on the day of Pentecost
-
and a passage taken in The Book of Leviticus chapter 23, what's
Leviticus 23 chapter mention
-
Pentecost Leviticus chapter, 23, verses, 15 and 16?
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And you shall count for yourselves from the day after
-
the Sabbath from the day that you brought the Sheaf of a wave
-
offering. Seven.
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Sabbaths shall be completed count, 50 days to the day after
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the seventh Sabbath, then you shall offer a new grain offering
-
to the Lord. So notice Seven sabbaths would
-
be complete seven times. Seven is forty-nine, there would
-
be a Passover. Jesus died on Passover Sabbath.
-
He spends 40 days with his disciples. 10 days later was
-
Pentecost day and that was the first day of the week that was
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Sunday and at 9 a.m. the great event begins.
-
What else did they do? Gospel sermon is being preached
-
churches, established. They worshipped and they
-
continued steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine and fellowship
-
and in Breaking of bread and in prayers.
-
Again, this is the Lord ordaining this day.
-
The first day of the week is very significant and really in a
-
conversation in a Bible study not long ago.
-
Somebody asked, well, what was the acts that show us in the
-
Bible that the first day of the week is significant?
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Why is that? What were showing is we're
-
showing everything is happening on the first day of the week, he
-
was raised from the dead. The first day of the week.
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He was worshipped the first day of the week.
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He preached an expository sermon on the first day of the week, he
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expounded from the Old Testament scriptures and explain them that
-
night on the first day of the week.
-
Eight days later, he waste to the first day of the week and
-
appears before his Disciples and Thomas is present.
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Then he ascends to Heaven 10 days later.
-
Pentecost day and the church was established.
-
The gospel was preached. The Holy Spirit came and they
-
continued and they worshipped on this day and Hebrews chapter 10
Hebrews 10 chapter mention
-
and verse 25. Now, understanding these were
-
Hebrew Christians. That were greatly being
-
persecuted for their faith. And by the way, historically,
-
many of the Hebrew Christians, because of the great
-
persecutions that were happening in their life because they were
-
Christians, you know what they did?
-
They turn their back and go back to the ways of Moses.
-
In fact, that's why they did that.
-
They thought, wait a minute. It's a lot easier that we'll
-
just go back to the law of Moses.
-
So, the writer of Hebrews writes, this inspired by the
-
Holy Spirit. He said, wait a minute, not
-
forsaking the assembling of ourselves.
-
Of us together, don't do it. He said, as the manner of some
-
is, Very significant day, very significant day of worship.
-
Assembling ourselves together. But exhorting, one another and
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so much the more as you see the day approaching.
-
Now, there are various schools of thought about what the day is
-
of the day. Approaching some say, the day is
-
the first day of the week. Some say, the day is the end of
-
time. I happen to believe,
-
contextually the day approaching happens to be the destruction of
-
Jerusalem, so just a few short years before ad 70.
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When this letter was written, it was to encourage Hebrew.
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Has to keep the faith and continue to worship and don't
-
turn your back on worship as you see that day approaching.
-
But either way, guess what, that day is still the first day of
-
the week Acts 20 and 7. Now, on the first day of the
-
week, when the disciples came together, to break bread, Paul
-
ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his
-
message until midnight. Can you imagine if one of us
-
start doing that till midnight? I'm going to tell you something.
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Nobody has ever said to me, okay?
-
You know, I like tearing your Frankfort, man.
-
You don't talk long enough. I don't think I've ever heard
-
that. I've heard a little bit of the
-
flipside man Frank's getting a little long-winded these days.
-
Oh man. Yeah kind of long never do.
-
Have I ever heard somebody say what you really need to do is
-
just preach way longer. In fact, take us to midnight,
-
absolutely not. What I'm saying is it was the
-
first day of the week. It wasn't the day or the hour
-
for the Lord. It was the day for the Lord and
-
in this we don't know what time they started or they assembled.
-
Originally we just know it was the first day of the week.
-
It was on Sunday. It was the time of the bread
-
breaking service and incidentally little side note.
-
If the Lord Wills Don King and I will leave for the Philippines
-
in January again. Okay and customarily.
-
They don't they don't have what we have.
-
In terms of we have Sunday morning services at 10:30 and
-
that's our bread, breaking service.
-
And then later on at 5:00 here plans road, we have another
-
service but it's not a bread breaking service.
-
Some people have 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock Services, 130 Services,
-
whatever it is in the afternoon on Sunday, okay?
-
That's kind of our custom of doing that.
-
In the Philippines. They don't have that on the
-
Lord's day, whatever time that they decide to meet it, is their
-
bread breaking service. So, whatever time it was here,
-
no doubt. They only met once.
-
But the only time that or the time that it was here, whatever.
-
That was, it was the first day of the week for the purpose of
-
breaking bread and Paul went on and preach to midnight and we're
-
so thankful when eutychus fell out of the window dead, we're
-
lucky. He got brought back to life.
-
But that's what happened on that particular day.
-
It's the first day of the week. It's the day of worship.
-
Now, I'm not saying this. I'm not saying that you can't
-
enjoy other things on this day. And there are no real.
-
There are no restrictions. In the New Testament concerning,
-
what you are not allowed to do on the first day of the week.
-
You can go to work if you if you if your boss schedules you and
-
you say listen I have to be there to assemble with the
-
church at 10:30 but by 12:30 or so, by the time we're done, I
-
can drive over there. I'll go to work.
-
There's nothing wrong with that. There's no restrictions
-
regarding that. But the question is this, if you
-
had your druthers, if you have the choice, what choice would
-
you make? And I know this, I know this, I
-
understand this, sometimes things happen that are beyond
-
our control and sometimes we're doing.
-
Absolutely all that we can I'm not talking about that, I'm not
-
talking about extenuating circumstances and I'm not
-
talking about when you're just you're traveling and you're on a
-
trip somewhere. I'm talking about your daily
-
life. There's a difference between
-
can't and won't. Aunt.
-
Big difference. Just apply it as you can but the
-
Lord knows whether you can or whether you want.
-
Are we giving him as our brother parade?
-
Everything we have on this day. Let's go back to our
-
introductory text and I'm just about finished.
-
Here it is. John said, I John both your
-
brother and companion in Tribulation and Kingdom.
-
And patience of Jesus Christ was on the island.
-
That is called Patmos for the word of God, for the testimony
-
of Jesus Christ. I was in the spirit on the
-
Lord's day, okay? That's our introductory text, by
-
the way, this day has a name, it's the Lord's Day.
-
It's the Lord's day. Something else.
-
Very significant happened in the same Revelation letter on the
-
same day. I thought it was kind of
-
interesting. I'll pass it along.
-
It's found right here in verse 20.
-
The Mystery of the Seven Stars, which you saw in my right hand
-
and the Seven, golden cat, lampstands the Seven Stars are
-
the Angels of the seven churches and the Seven lampstands which
-
you saw are the seven churches, isn't it?
-
It interesting. that the One Vision about the church
-
happened, On the Lord's Day. New Covenant day.
-
It. So it's a significant day.
-
It's not the Lord's hour. It's the Lord's Day.
-
Is your heart centered on worship on this day.
-
Is your heart centered today on the remembrance of our savior
-
does worship. Means something to you.
-
Would you rather be somewhere else?
-
I have a friend of mine that was as an outdoors person.
-
He doesn't profess to be anything religiously and I'm
-
saying this in closing. But I remember he wrote
-
something in a little book and it said, and you probably heard
-
this phrase. He said, it's better to be in
-
the mountains, thinking about God.
-
Then it is to be in church. Thinking about the mountains.
-
And while that may be true. It's not good to be here,
-
thinking, of something else. I'm going to tell you.
-
There's nothing more important than our being here to worship
-
God. And it's not about me and it's
-
not about you. It's not about us.
-
It's about God. We are here for God today.
-
On his day, are you here today? You're not a Christian.
-
If you're not a child of God, you need to be one.
-
We can assist you in that. Come believing in Jesus.
-
Repent of your sins confess, his name as the Son of God and be
-
baptized in water for the remission of your sins and added
-
to the body of Christ today. We thank you for listening to
-
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
-
Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional
-
information or you would like to receive a free Bible
-
correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at
-
search of Christ. Bakersfield.com, our service
-
times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays
-
at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us.
-
We would love for you to be our honored guest.