Randy Skeete Sermon - I do Solomnly Swear
The word of God in the present world of sinners bring harmony and happiness in our lives. God bless you all.
Transcript
00:00Our subject for today, I do solemnly swear.
00:08This side, what did I say?
00:11All right.
00:14And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee
00:20out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
00:25Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
00:29Thou shalt not make unto thee any griven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven
00:37above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
00:42Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.
00:47For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon
00:54the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto
01:01thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
01:06Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him
01:12guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
01:17Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
01:20For in six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath
01:26of the Lord thy God.
01:28In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant,
01:36nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.
01:42For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested
01:49the seventh day.
01:51Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
01:56Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord
02:02thy God giveth thee.
02:05Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt
02:12not bear false witness against thy neighbor, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house,
02:18thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor
02:25his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
02:32God is good.
02:33Come on, God is good.
02:36And all the time, Psalm 100 verse 1, for the Lord is good.
02:44His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth, finish it for me, to all generations forever.
02:54I welcome you to the house of God, to worship God in spirit and in truth.
03:00Jesus said, God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and
03:08in truth, John 4, 24.
03:11Spirit is not noise.
03:14Spirit is simply that conformity to thus saith the Lord.
03:18By the way, the spirit is called the spirit of truth.
03:24There are some who presume to worship in spirit, but not in truth.
03:28You must have both, spirit and truth.
03:33Anything other than that, and God cannot accept it any more than he accepted Aaron's service
03:39when they worshiped that golden calf, he rejected it.
03:42Absolutely, it was not based on truth.
03:47May the Lord give us an increasing love for plain and simple truth.
03:51Why?
03:52Sanctify them through thy truth.
03:55Thy word is truth.
03:57John 17 verse 17, 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 3, this is the will of God, even your sanctification.
04:07It is God's will you and I be sanctified.
04:10The method of sanctification is the word of God, and the word of God is truth.
04:18Last night, I met two persons who were not Seventh-day Adventists.
04:21Is there anyone present this morning for the first time this weekend?
04:24You are not a Seventh-day Adventist, may I see your hand?
04:27First time this weekend, you are not a Seventh-day Adventist, may I see your hand?
04:33Anyone?
04:34No one?
04:37May I offer an unsolicited suggestion?
04:41Anytime you meet, whenever possible, except for board meeting and church and business
04:46meeting, invite someone if you can.
04:49Perhaps you don't have the ready access where you are in this place, but whenever you can,
04:54invite someone.
04:55An invitation is a soul-winning strategy, and it requires no special gifts, talents,
05:02or academic degrees.
05:03Let me tell you a quick story, then I'll jump into the message.
05:06I was in Uganda a long time ago to conduct an evangelistic series.
05:12I was in the lobby of the hotel where I was staying, and I saw a young lady.
05:16I began talking to her, and she told me she was in the army.
05:20She was guarding a diplomat from another country.
05:23The diplomat was in her room.
05:25She was on break, and a fellow soldier was guarding the diplomat.
05:29Then I told her why I was in Uganda, and I told her, I want you to come to the meetings.
05:34She said, I'll come, but I have no transportation.
05:37And so I said, a car will pick me up at 530.
05:40If you are ready in the lobby, we'll take you.
05:42She was ready.
05:43That was the first night.
05:44We took her.
05:45She came.
05:46She came every single night.
05:48That's about 2002, 20 years ago.
05:51What do you think happened at the end of the crusade?
05:54She got baptized.
05:56Because someone issued a plain and simple invitation.
06:01I still communicate with her by WhatsApp.
06:04She lives in Germany now.
06:06Still faithful to God.
06:08An invitation.
06:10I was in Uganda, not Uganda, Tanzania, the very next year.
06:13Same purpose, evangelistic series, and I was looking for a gym so I can work out.
06:18And the local elder was with me, and I told him to tell the young lady, the receptionist, why I was in her country.
06:25And I want her to come.
06:26Again, that was the first day of the crusade.
06:29She said, I'll come.
06:30She came that first night.
06:32She came every night.
06:34Finish the story.
06:36She got baptized.
06:39Invitations are powerful, soul-winning tools.
06:42Instead of inviting your friend to get into trouble, invite your friend to come to church with you and to listen to the word of God.
06:49Somebody say amen.
06:51A lot of people are in graveyards because a friend invited them to do something.
06:55A lot of people are in drug rehabilitation programs because a friend invited them to do something.
07:01A lot of people are in prison because a friend invited them to do something.
07:06Let it be said that a lot of people will be in God's kingdom because students at OHA invited their friends to come hear the word of God.
07:15Can you say amen?
07:17Alright, enough of that.
07:18Our subject for today, I do solemnly swear.
07:21This side.
07:24What did I say?
07:25Alright.
07:27Before I get into the message, if you don't need one of these as a Bible text, please make sure it's turned off.
07:34Let me check mine.
07:35I have to put this down.
07:37Still on.
07:44Off.
07:45Make sure yours are off as well, if you don't need them.
07:49Let me tell you another story.
07:51I was in Boston several years ago.
07:53I'm not a story man, but this came to me.
07:56It was a camp meeting held in a hotel.
07:58You work that out yourself.
08:00And I was in my room waiting for my turn to speak.
08:03And I was in my room literally pacing up and down, reading the Bible on the phone.
08:08And at the bottom of the phone, these little apps appear.
08:12Am I right?
08:13Or these little advertisements?
08:14You see them?
08:15This one, here's a preacher reading the Bible, getting ready to preach.
08:19And an advertisement came on the bottom.
08:21How to date Asian women.
08:25All I needed to do was to take one of these ten fingers and tap it.
08:31And a gallery of faces would have popped up.
08:34This can never happen with this.
08:37Is this mic working?
08:40That can never happen with this.
08:43Are you following me?
08:44Now, when you turn to your phones, and phones have a legitimate purpose in society,
08:48what is also on the phone beside the text of the Bible?
08:51WhatsApp, am I right?
08:53Instagram, am I right?
08:55Email, am I right?
08:57Skype, am I right?
08:58You named them.
08:59Snapchat, come on, you named them.
09:00You know them?
09:01Some of them, they may be your middle name.
09:02Come on, tell me what they are.
09:04You know what they are.
09:05So that a temptation exists once you open this to go look at your picture gallery
09:10and look at the boyfriend you took from your best friend.
09:12Are you following me?
09:17These temptations do not exist with this.
09:21When you open this, what do you have?
09:23Thus saith the Lord, and what else?
09:26Nothing else.
09:28So I'm old-fashioned.
09:29Wherever possible, get one of these and use this if you need a calculator.
09:35All right.
09:36Favour number two, while I'm speaking, pray for me and say,
09:39Lord, put your words in that man's mouth.
09:42Jeremiah 1, verse 9,
09:44Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth.
09:48And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth,
09:53and I want to speak God's words.
09:56Favour number two, three.
09:58Think as you listen.
10:00Isaiah 118, come now, let us do what?
10:02Reason together.
10:04Here's an example that God gives us.
10:06Jeremiah 12, verse 5,
10:08If thou hast run with the footmen,
10:10Come on, you know that verse.
10:12And they have what?
10:13Weary thee, how then canst thou contend with the horses?
10:17What is God saying?
10:18Think.
10:19Use your head.
10:20If you cannot keep up with a man, how do you plan to keep up with a horse?
10:24God calls upon us to think.
10:27I've been dating this young man for six months.
10:30In those six months, I fight more with my parents.
10:34My Bible study has gone down.
10:36My grades have gone down.
10:38I no longer go to church.
10:39Something is wrong.
10:41Think.
10:43Get rid of him.
10:45Are you listening to me?
10:46Or her.
10:49I joined a gym, trying to lose weight.
10:51After three months, I'm 30 pounds heavier.
10:53Something is wrong.
10:56Think.
10:59Let's pray.
11:01Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the gift of life.
11:05Thank you, dear God, for this high honor of speaking for you.
11:08It is a privilege angels would love to exercise.
11:11But you've given it to sinners such as I.
11:13I'm grateful, dear God.
11:15If you help me, Father, I'll do all I can to represent the truth aright.
11:20Speak through me, dear Father.
11:22Let the spirit give me impressions.
11:24Put your words in my mouth.
11:26And the humility of Christ in my heart.
11:28Bless everyone listening, dear God.
11:30Speak to them individually, Father.
11:33And if someone did not identify himself or herself as a guest, a non-SDA,
11:38give a special blessing to that person.
11:41Remember your people in Ukraine, Father.
11:43I pray for members of the household of faith first.
11:46Be merciful to them and for the country at large.
11:50Bless the government of this country, dear God.
11:52Remind them that righteousness exalteth a nation.
11:55Bless OHA in everything this institution does,
11:58that this institution may prepare many for the soon return of Christ.
12:03Bless the students, dear God.
12:05You love them so much.
12:06Young, strong, full of energy.
12:08Use them for the advancement of the gospel, dear God.
12:11And bless their families.
12:13In Jesus' name I pray.
12:15Amen.
12:17What's our subject?
12:18This side.
12:19Too slow.
12:20That side.
12:22I solemnly swear, or I do solemnly swear,
12:25in Article 2, Section 1, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution,
12:34we have these words.
12:40I do solemnly swear, or affirm,
12:45that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States,
12:50and will, to the best of my ability,
12:54preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.
13:00That is the presidential oath.
13:02And the wording is actually in the Constitution of the United States.
13:07So he can't choose, or she, his or her own wording.
13:10It is prescribed. It is laid out.
13:12I do solemnly swear, or affirm,
13:16that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States,
13:22and will, to the best of my ability,
13:25preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.
13:32This country, its foundation stone of its activity is the Constitution.
13:38Any law that is unconstitutional is supposed to be gotten rid of.
13:44Everything must be in accordance with the Constitution.
13:49I suspect every nation has a Constitution.
13:52When some people conduct a coup,
13:55and they overthrow a legitimate government,
13:57they immediately suspend the Constitution of that country
14:02in order that they might exercise tyrannical rule.
14:05The Constitution is the guide for any nation,
14:09particularly this nation of ours, the United States.
14:13Every country, every government, has a Constitution.
14:18Let me say it again.
14:20Every government has a Constitution,
14:24including the government of God.
14:31Including the government of God.
14:35In Patriarchs and Prophets, page 49, paragraph 1.
14:40I hope you'll write these references down.
14:42Patriarchs and Prophets, page 49, paragraph 1.
14:46God placed man under law
14:49as an indispensable condition of his very existence.
14:54He was a subject of the divine government,
14:57and there can be no government without law.
15:01Law and government are inseparable.
15:05There can be no government in heaven or earth without law,
15:09and the law of God is the Constitution of the government of God.
15:15The law of God is the foundation of God's government in heaven.
15:21It is also the foundation of God's government on earth.
15:26Say the Lord's Prayer with me.
15:28Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
15:33Thy kingdom come, now carefully and microscopically.
15:37Thy will be done in earth, come on, as it is in heaven.
15:43What is the will of God?
15:44The will of God is the law of God.
15:49And Jesus said, God's governmental foundation stone
15:54must be the foundation stone for his kingdom on earth.
16:00The Ten Commandments, which represent the standard of conduct in heaven,
16:06that's the same standard God requires of us on this earth,
16:10so that the government of God should be represented by his believers on this earth.
16:16Hawaii is one of the 50 states,
16:19but it is hundreds and hundreds of miles removed from the contiguous 48 states.
16:25Alaska is part of the United States,
16:28hundreds of miles removed from the 48 contiguous states.
16:32What makes Alaska part of the United States?
16:37What makes Hawaii part of the United States is what?
16:40The Constitution.
16:42They function by the same Constitution,
16:44regardless of the distance that Alaska is to the United States because of Canada
16:49and Hawaii because of the Pacific Ocean.
16:52This earth is one of the states of heaven.
16:59L.Y. says, God created the world to enlarge heaven.
17:06Let me say it again.
17:08God, Ukraine is under invasion by the Russian army.
17:16And if Russia succeeds, Ukraine will become, finish my words, a part of Russia.
17:22A few years ago, Russia invaded the southern part of Ukraine, I believe it is,
17:26and took over an area called what?
17:28The Crimea.
17:30That is now part of Russia.
17:31Are you following me?
17:33When God made this earth, he made it to be an extension of heaven
17:37so that all the standards of heaven would apply to this earth.
17:40We know sin entered, but God's standards do not change.
17:43You're saying to yourself, why am I saying that?
17:45Let us go to Exodus 25.
17:47As we continue, I do solemnly swear.
17:52We'll read some verses with which you are intimately familiar as Seventh-day Adventists.
17:58Exodus 25.
18:01We'll read from verse 8.
18:06Let me pray again.
18:07Father in heaven, as I continue, tighten your grip on my faculties, I pray.
18:11In Jesus' name, amen.
18:13And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.
18:18This is always God's desire to dwell intimately with his people.
18:21No wonder Jesus says, and if I go and prepare a place for you,
18:25I will come again and receive you where?
18:28Unto myself, because that is not the relationship we have with Christ
18:32on a three-dimensional basis.
18:34Yes, through the Spirit, he indwells us, but we can't touch him.
18:37That's not enough.
18:39Christ is coming back so that where I am, there you may be also.
18:43Clearly, we're not where he is.
18:46Christ, God believes in close relationships.
18:50Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.
18:53Verse 10.
18:54And they shall make an ark of shitting wood.
18:57Two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, a cubit and a half the breadth thereof,
19:02and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
19:05And thou shalt make what?
19:08And thou shalt overlay it with?
19:10Pure gold, without and within shalt thou overlay it,
19:13and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
19:17God is giving Moses instructions for the construction of his throne.
19:25Verse 17.
19:27And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold.
19:31Two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
19:36And thou shalt make two cherubims of what?
19:39Pure gold of beaten work shalt thou make them in the two ends of the mercy seat.
19:43Now, we have the box, which is the ark.
19:47We have the mercy seat, the lid.
19:50We have two cherubims.
19:53And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end.
19:58Even of the mercy seat shall he make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
20:02Verse 20.
20:03And the cherubim shall spread forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings.
20:08And their faces shall look one to another.
20:11Towards the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.
20:14What is the Bible telling us?
20:15The two angels were facing each other, but not looking at each other.
20:20They were looking down.
20:22What's down?
20:24The mercy seat.
20:25What's under the mercy seat?
20:26Look at verse 21.
20:28And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark.
20:31And in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
20:34What is the testimony? Tell me quickly.
20:37The Ten Commandments, yes.
20:38So we have the box, the lid, and on the inside, the Ten Commandments.
20:45Now, carefully, microscopically, read verse 22.
20:51And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee.
20:56From where?
20:57From above the mercy seat.
20:59From between the two cherubims, which are on the ark of the testimony.
21:03Finish that verse now.
21:04Of all things.
21:06Of what?
21:07Of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
21:12Anything I say says God.
21:15It comes from right here.
21:17Now, where is right here?
21:20The throne of God.
21:23God is called he who sitteth between the cherubims.
21:27Go to Psalm 99 quickly.
21:32Psalm 99.
21:34Let's read verse 1.
21:37Our subject, I do solemnly swear.
21:42Do you have Psalm 99?
21:44Verse 1.
21:46If you have my version, read for me.
21:48What does that say?
21:49The Lord reigneth. Come on.
21:51Let the people tremble.
21:53Keep reading now.
21:54He sitteth.
21:56Ah, yes.
21:57Let the earth be moved.
21:59Now, those two statements are virtually identical.
22:01The Lord reigneth.
22:03Let the people tremble.
22:04He sitteth between the cherubims.
22:06Let the earth be moved.
22:08He reigns.
22:09That's the place from which he reigns.
22:11Between the cherubim.
22:12That's his throne.
22:16A throne.
22:18Now, what is in the throne?
22:21The Ten Commandments.
22:23Then what is the foundation of God's government?
22:26The Ten Commandments.
22:27The law.
22:28Let me say it again.
22:29The law of God is the foundation of his universal government for heaven and for earth.
22:38What's the foundation stone of the United States government?
22:41The Constitution.
22:42God's Constitution is his law.
22:46Now, how is the United States quickly identified, particularly in foreign countries?
22:55How do you know that's U.S. possession, U.S. territory, U.S. whatever?
22:58The flag.
23:01You see, no one sees the Constitution.
23:03It's somewhere locked up somewhere.
23:04You don't see it.
23:05It's not all over the place in every supermarket you come to.
23:08Everywhere you go, you see a flag.
23:11The flag is the visual symbol of this nation.
23:17In many schools, people pledge allegiance to the flag and for the country it represents.
23:25God has a flag for his government.
23:28It's visual.
23:30It's open.
23:31It is seen.
23:33Let's go look at that flag.
23:35We took a look at Old Glory, the Star Spangled Banner.
23:39Let's look at God's flag.
23:42Let us go to Ezekiel 20.
23:45What's our subject?
23:47I do solemnly swear.
23:50It's 1156.
23:51I don't recall when I began, but please don't panic.
23:55Ezekiel 20.
23:57Let's read verse 12.
24:00Have you found Ezekiel?
24:05I can still hear pages turning.
24:09Do we have it now?
24:12Are my handsome brothers still looking?
24:14Go ahead.
24:15It's okay.
24:17Somebody help him.
24:19Ezekiel 20.
24:23He may be little brother now.
24:24Ten years from now, he may be conference president.
24:26You just don't know.
24:28Now, read that verse for me.
24:30Moreover, also I gave them my sabbaths to be what?
24:33A sign between.
24:35Stop.
24:36A sign between me and them.
24:38Not me and the world.
24:41Me and them.
24:42But the world must recognize it.
24:43That they might know what?
24:45That I am the Lord that doth sanctify them.
24:48You'll find similar words in Ezekiel 20 verse 20, Exodus 31, 12, 13.
24:54The flag of God's government is the sabbath.
24:59Are you with me?
25:01That flag is seen where God's sabbath keepers are seen.
25:12Let me say it again.
25:14God's government has a flag.
25:19That flag is the seventh day sabbath.
25:24The single most important of the ten commands.
25:30When the scribe came to Christ in Mark chapter 12 verse 28.
25:33And one of the scribes came.
25:35And having heard them reasoning together.
25:37And perceiving that he answered them well.
25:39Asked him, which is the first commandment of all?
25:42And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is.
25:45Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.
25:48And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength.
25:53This is the first commandment.
25:55And the second is like namely this.
25:57Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
25:59Now we know that statement splits God's commandments into two tables.
26:02We know that.
26:04The first four, love for God.
26:06The next six, come on, love for your fellow human being.
26:10Where does the sabbath fall?
26:12On the first four.
26:14Now Elowite was taken in vision.
26:16You can read this in early writings.
26:18Jesus showed her the ten commands.
26:20She said, every one of them had a light.
26:26The first four had a brighter light than the next six.
26:30Because love for God must be greater than love for a fellow man.
26:33He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.
26:37The first four had a brighter light than the next six.
26:40Then she said, the sabbath was brightest of all.
26:43And it had a halo all around it.
26:46Notice pictures of angels with halos.
26:48The sabbath had the brightest light.
26:50It had a halo.
26:52The sabbath commandment is the flag of God's government.
26:57And the constitution of God's government is his law.
27:02Now, the President of the United States, the President-elect, he takes a vow.
27:08I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States.
27:16And I will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States.
27:26Do you know God's law is supposed to be preserved, protected, and defended?
27:34When God took Adam and put him in a garden to dress it and to keep it, the word keep means protect, treasure, defend.
27:42This is how we are to love the law of God.
27:45We are to preserve, protect, defend, not simply by what we say, but by how we live.
27:54Now, God is calling upon you as citizens of his kingdom because literally you and I, by virtue of surrendering our lives to Christ, are literal citizens of the kingdom of God.
28:10One person said to me, man, go to Philippians 3, quickly.
28:15Philippians 3.
28:19Do you have that?
28:22Not yet?
28:28Philippians 3, let's read from verse 20.
28:31Our subject, I do solemnly swear.
28:35Do you have it now?
28:37Read loud with me, for our conversation is where?
28:41Stop.
28:42The translation of conversation there is citizenship.
28:49Listen to me carefully.
28:51If you are a child of God, your first level of identification is not a U.S. citizen.
28:58It is a citizen of the kingdom of God.
29:01Every other level of identification falls second, third, or fourth.
29:06If that's not the case, you'll find yourself defending earthly governments above the government of God.
29:13You are first and foremost a child of God's kingdom.
29:17That's why Jesus told Pilate, my kingdom is not of this world.
29:21If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight?
29:26That I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now is my kingdom not from hence.
29:30He told Pilate, because my disciples are citizens of the heavenly kingdom, they don't fight.
29:38You are a citizen of God's kingdom.
29:43And God wants you to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of his kingdom.
29:51What is that constitution?
29:52The law of God.
29:54Now let me show you what Christ came to do.
29:56Go to Romans chapter 8.
29:59Romans 8, let's read from verse 1.
30:01Our subject, I do solemnly swear.
30:06Three minutes after 12.
30:10You have Romans 8.
30:12Father in heaven, as I continue, continue to pour out your spirit upon me for your glory, dear God, and for the blessing of your people.
30:19In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
30:21Read with me.
30:23There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
30:31For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
30:37For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.
30:49Read verse 4.
30:51That the righteousness of the law, come on, might be fulfilled where?
30:55In us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
30:59Jesus Christ, when he came, he preserved, he protected, and he defended the law of God.
31:07Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets.
31:11I am not come to destroy, tell me the words, but to fulfill.
31:17Jesus Christ, by his love, he exampled, he displayed that you and I, through faith in him, can preserve, protect, and defend the law of God.
31:30Do you understand us Seventh-day Adventists, the issue in the last days, it has always been, but particularly the last days, is the law of God?
31:40When the Sunday law is passed, and those who choose it will have the mark of the beast, those who oppose it will come under fierce persecution.
31:50How will you choose?
31:53Will you be able to say, I will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States?
32:05And based on the Sunday law, I will preserve, protect, and defend the Sabbath commandment, not by fighting the government, but by obeying God.
32:14God, let me give an example of someone who did not use the word swear or affirm, but it amounted to the same thing.
32:21Go to Ruth chapter 1.
32:23Ruth chapter 1, we read from verse 14, our subject, I do solemnly swear.
32:31You have Ruth?
32:35Chapter 1, Ruth is an ancestor of Jesus Christ, a Moabitess, a country that practiced a terrible form of religion, but yet Christ had a relative from that country.
32:50If you study the genealogy of Christ, you can take hope if you're a very bad person or whatever you may be.
32:56Christ has some shaky people in his line, but he can save any who come to him.
33:01Do you have Ruth chapter 1, reading from verse 14?
33:04And they lifted up their voice and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her.
33:13Naomi was about to go back to her home country, Palestine, and she was in Moab for about 10 years because there was a famine in her home.
33:21Now she's going back, her two sons have died, she has two daughters-in-law who are widows now.
33:25And one daughter-in-law, Orpah decides to stay.
33:28I'm going back, stay where I'm familiar, my own people.
33:32Ruth made it evident she wants to follow Naomi.
33:35And she said, behold, thy daughter-in-law is gone back unto her people and unto her gods.
33:41Return thou after thy sister-in-law.
33:44And Ruth said, now read with me.
33:47Now this is equal to I do solemnly swear and affirm.
33:50Listen to Ruth, read with me.
33:52And Ruth said what?
33:53Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee.
33:58For whither thou goest, come on, I will go.
34:01Where thou lodgest, I will lodge.
34:04Thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God.
34:08Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried.
34:11The Lord do so to me and more.
34:14Finish that verse.
34:15If aught but death part thee from me, only death can keep me from following you.
34:24Listen to verse 18.
34:27Read it for me.
34:28When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to do what?
34:34To go with her.
34:35Finish the verse.
34:36She left speaking unto her.
34:38Let's apply that to the devil.
34:40As we continue, I do solemnly swear.
34:44Many times the devil keeps coming to us because he gets success.
34:49You see?
34:50When he tempted Christ three times, the Bible says he left him for a while.
34:53He was probably exhausted because Christ just hit him over the head with the Bible.
34:57It is written, it is written.
34:58So he took off to catch his breath.
35:01We must let the devil see that he's wasting time.
35:06Naomi realized, I am wasting time talking to Ruth.
35:12Why?
35:13Because Ruth, in a very practical sense, had solemnly sworn, I am following you.
35:20Where you go, I'm going.
35:23The hotel you book into, I'm booking into.
35:26The God you worship, I'll worship.
35:29The people you claim as your own, I'll claim as my own.
35:32Where you die, I'll die.
35:34Where you're buried, I want to be buried.
35:37Now how do you stop a person like that?
35:40Now, Jesus wants you and me to say,
35:45Where you send me, I'll go.
35:49What you tell me to speak, I'll speak.
35:52What you tell me to eat, I'll eat.
35:55How you tell me to dress, I'll dress.
35:57How you tell me to spend my money, I'll spend it.
36:00When you tell me how to conduct a romantic relationship, I'll do that.
36:03Only death can stop me.
36:09When this is the mindset, Satan goes after someone he has greater success with.
36:14Because a person like that gives the devil a migraine.
36:18He doesn't know what to do.
36:20Nothing I do will change that person.
36:22Shadrach, well let's use Hebrew names, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah.
36:27Nothing Nebuchadnezzar could do.
36:29And he, at that point in his life, personified the devil.
36:34The threat of death.
36:37And those three boys virtually said,
36:39We do solemnly swear that we will preserve, protect, and defend
36:44the commandment that forbids worshipping idols.
36:48Daniel 6, a law was passed.
36:51Pray to Darius.
36:52Daniel virtually said, I do solemnly swear
36:55I will preserve, protect, defend the law that says
36:58Thou shall have no other gods before me.
37:00I'll face the lions.
37:02The three boys, I'll face death by fire.
37:05Jesus Christ, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me nevertheless.
37:11Not my will.
37:12I'm going to that cross.
37:17That's what God wants from you and me.
37:21I do solemnly swear
37:25to the best of my ability, I will not take that exam on Sabbath.
37:30I do solemnly swear that by the grace of God,
37:33when it comes to God and his law, it has to be by his grace.
37:36By the grace, I will not work on Sabbath.
37:39I was, many years ago, there was a retired minister who was assisting me.
37:42I was running a little church outside Detroit.
37:45And he was my assistant.
37:46Retired minister.
37:47Lovely man.
37:48And he and I were talking one Sabbath afternoon after potluck.
37:50And he said to me, he said,
37:51Older Skeet, many years ago as a young man, I was married, two sons, no job.
37:55My wife got jobs cleaning people's houses.
37:57I couldn't get a job that did not require Sabbath work.
37:59And I determined not to work on Sabbath.
38:01He said, one day I was in the house.
38:03My wife was working, cleaning someone's house.
38:05And I looked at my two little boys just watching me.
38:09And he told me these words.
38:10He said, I said to God,
38:13I will watch those two sons of mine starve to death
38:19before I work on Sabbath.
38:23When he said that to me, he was about 88, 89.
38:27A strange strength came over him.
38:29You could see him, he pumped his arm.
38:31I will watch them starve to death before I work on Sabbath.
38:36Veins bulging in his neck.
38:37And I said, man, this man is serious.
38:42There's nothing the devil can do with him.
38:45I was told a story in the 1970s or the 80s.
38:48After Amin was thrown out in Uganda,
38:50a fellow called Milton Obote came back into rule.
38:53And his soldiers would do whatever they wanted to do.
38:55They would come from house to house,
38:56abduct girls and take them away and whatever else,
38:58or take away people who were worshiping on the Sabbath.
39:01And one night they came to a house
39:02looking for Adventists or Christians.
39:06Are there any Christians in this house?
39:07They said, no.
39:08Then the soldiers said, who lives next door?
39:10They said, there's an old man.
39:12Is he a Christian?
39:13Yes, he's an Adventist.
39:15The soldiers said, okay, let's go get him.
39:17The people said, you're wasting your time.
39:20You're wasting time.
39:21There is nothing you can do to that old man
39:24to get him to stop worshiping God.
39:28And the soldiers just left him alone.
39:31Went off to another house.
39:33Now, it's not a funny story, but I want to stress,
39:35they realized they would have to shoot that old man.
39:41I'm keeping the Sabbath.
39:43Kill me.
39:44But this is not strange.
39:45Down through the years, martyrs have said,
39:47we do solemnly swear
39:50that we will preserve, protect, and defend
39:53the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.
39:56And they went to the stake.
39:58They burned.
39:59They went to the Roman, what's that,
40:01Colosseum eaten by lions.
40:04Taken into dens by the Inquisition
40:06and torn in pieces
40:10because they were determined,
40:12I will preserve, protect, and defend
40:17the constitution of God's government, his law.
40:22Let me tell you again, at 1213,
40:24there is soon to come upon this world
40:27a situation that will require each of us to say,
40:31I do solemnly swear that I will preserve, protect,
40:35defend the constitution of God's government,
40:37or I do unwillingly agree to preserve, protect,
40:42and defend the constitution of this country,
40:44which will include at that point a man-made Sabbath.
40:49And you and I will have to choose
40:50between obeying God and obeying man.
40:53Acts 5.29, we ought to obey God rather than man.
40:58The Bible never calls us to be rebellious.
41:00It calls us to be obedient,
41:02and sometimes, frequently, obedience to God,
41:05well, all the time, brings us into conflict
41:08with the enemy of our souls.
41:11You are young, and young people are brave
41:15and courageous and sometimes fearless.
41:20Should I give you the statistic?
41:25I was listening to a young man on television.
41:27He had broken his legs, and he was saying why.
41:32I think he was door-dashing or something like that,
41:34and there were some young men in the house where he went.
41:36They were doing some silly stuff,
41:37jumping off roofs and whatever they do,
41:39and they asked him to do it.
41:42Anyway, he jumped.
41:43They said, ah, can you jump higher, from a higher height?
41:46And because there were several young guys watching him,
41:48he felt, I had to do it.
41:50So he jumped from a higher height,
41:52and now he had two broken legs.
41:54What am I saying to you?
41:57Young people are willing to take risks,
42:01not because they're bad,
42:02because they're exploring the world.
42:05God says, fine, take that risk for me.
42:10Take that risk for me.
42:13If you lose your life, you lose it for me.
42:15He that looseth his life for my sake shall find it.
42:20But I'm not calling upon you to lose your life.
42:22I'm calling upon you to adopt a frame of mind
42:26that in all that you do and say,
42:28you will say in your heart,
42:31I do solemnly swear by the grace of God
42:36that I will preserve, protect, and defend
42:40the constitution of God's government.
42:42And what is that constitution?
42:44The law of God.
42:45In the judgment,
42:47let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
42:49Fear God and keep his commandments,
42:51for this is the whole duty of man.
42:55For God shall bring every work into judgment
42:57with every secret thing.
42:59The standard in the judgment is the law of God.
43:03But let me tell you this before I close,
43:05before you accuse me of legalism.
43:08Is Jesus the bread? Yes or no?
43:11Yes.
43:12Is Jesus the shepherd? Yes or no?
43:14Is he the vine?
43:15Is he the door?
43:17Is he the sheep?
43:19He's also the law.
43:22Ah, you missed it, my fault.
43:25Jesus is the law.
43:27Question for you.
43:29Where was the laver placed in the sanctuary system?
43:31Where was the laver?
43:33The outer court.
43:34Was that holy?
43:36Yes.
43:37But was it as holy as the holy place?
43:39No.
43:40Where was the table of shoe bread?
43:43Was that holy?
43:45Holier than the outer court?
43:47Yes.
43:48But as holy as the holiest?
43:49No.
43:50Where was the seven-branched candelabrum?
43:53The holy place.
43:54The seven-branched candelabrum.
43:56The holy place.
43:57Where's the altar of incense?
43:58The holy place.
43:59All.
44:00Altar of incense, prayer.
44:02The candelabrum, the light of the word.
44:04The shoe bread, the word of God.
44:07The laver, the water, Christ is the living water.
44:10The altar of sacrifice, Calvary.
44:13What was in the most holy place?
44:16The law.
44:18Now think with me.
44:19Could not God have put the law in the outer court?
44:25I'm all by myself.
44:27Nobody's listening.
44:30Could not God have put the law in the outer court?
44:34Yes.
44:35He could have put it in the holy place.
44:37He put it in the most holy.
44:39Why?
44:40Because the entire problem of sin has to do with violation of God's law.
44:48And if the veil represents Christ,
44:52if the altar of sacrifice represents Christ,
44:55if that shoe bread represents Christ,
44:58if the incense represents Christ,
45:01if the candelabrum represents Christ,
45:03surely the law, finish my words, represents Christ.
45:08L.Y. says Christ was both the law and the gospel.
45:11So when you preserve, protect, and defend the law,
45:14you are preserving, protecting, and defending the very righteousness of Christ.
45:22In colleges, there are organizations called fraternities.
45:27And they have a satanic practice called hazing.
45:31And people die.
45:33People die from this hazing.
45:37God doesn't haze.
45:40God just calls you to be a part of this heavenly fraternity or sorority.
45:45Give your life to me.
45:47And be willing to die for me.
45:52This is not symbolic language.
45:54Be willing literally to die for me.
45:57To die rather than sin.
46:01I solemnly swear,
46:04that I will, to the best of my ability,
46:07preserve, protect, defend the constitution of God's government.
46:14I do solemnly swear or affirm,
46:16to the best of my ability,
46:18I will preserve, protect, and defend the historical teachings of this church.
46:24I do solemnly swear,
46:26that by the grace of God, to the best of my ability,
46:29I will preserve, protect, defend everything OHA stands for.
46:36And by the grace of God,
46:38I do solemnly swear,
46:40that I will preserve, protect, and defend others from any negative influence I may exert.
46:49My brothers and sisters,
46:51God needs people,
46:53whose entire life is a defense of his law.
46:58Is a defense of righteousness.
47:02How many of you will say with me,
47:04by the grace of God,
47:06now it's not necessary for an earthly government,
47:09but for God's government,
47:10by the grace of God,
47:13to the best of my ability,
47:15I will preserve, protect, defend the constitution of God's government.
47:20Can I see your right hand?
47:22Mm-hmm.
47:23I believe you're serious.
47:24Stand up with me.
47:32Your age makes no difference.
47:36No difference at all.
47:39Heads bowed.
47:41Eyes closed.
47:43Our Father in heaven,
47:45we thank you for your word.
47:47We thank you, dear God, for the high standard you've set for us.
47:51It shows us what a loving father you are.
47:54Because as verily as earthly parents set high standards for their children,
47:59you have set a high standard for us.
48:01It is your very character, your very righteousness.
48:03That's why we're told in the scriptures,
48:05let this mind be in you.
48:07We're told to partake of your holiness.
48:09We're told that we may partake of the divine nature.
48:13Father, we are heavenly citizens temporarily stranded on this earth.
48:18We're pilgrims on our way home.
48:20But while we are temporarily stranded, dear God,
48:24we ask you to give us the mind of Christ,
48:27who preserved, protected, and defended with his life
48:33the constitution of his Father's government.
48:36Please, God, give us that seriousness of mind,
48:41that intense devotion to you,
48:45that we might say in everything we do,
48:47and it might be seen without any verbal communication,
48:51that we are preserving, protecting, and defending
48:55the constitution of God's government,
48:58and that constitution is his law,
49:00but ultimately the law is Christ.
49:04Please, God, give us an affection for your government.
49:09Give us a love for your law.
49:11As David says in Psalm 119, verse 97,
49:14Oh, how love I thy law.
49:18Let us understand the law is really Christ within.
49:23Bless everyone who's listened to this message.
49:26Bless those with a particular struggle in their lives, dear God.
49:29We may look sinless, we may look like saints,
49:32but we all have private struggles.
49:34Help your sons and your daughters, dear God.
49:36Grant them victory over their struggles,
49:39and as we leave this service,
49:41let's meditate on what we've heard,
49:45and let us remember, by the grace of God,
49:50to the best of our ability,
49:52humanity cooperating with divinity,
49:54we will preserve, protect, and defend
49:57the constitution of God's government.
49:59That constitution is his law,
50:01and that law is personified in Jesus Christ himself.
50:05Hear this humble prayer, Father.
50:07Bless all that we will do for the remainder of this day.
50:10Let's do it in a way that glorifies your name.
50:13I pray for my heart in Jesus' name.
50:15Let God's people say amen and amen.
50:19Amen.