iShare 2017: His Power

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Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Plenary

Nathan Shires

You Don’t Know what You’re Asking

Father in heaven, I'm just a man, and all I have is words.

You explained that we should pray and conclude our prayers that yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

We look in Revelation where you say that all power and all glory and all honor and all praise is going to be attributed and it should be attributed to you rightfully.

And here I am speaking as your instrument and I pray for your spirit to take the simple words I've prepared and speak in a way to the parts of the listeners to where they hear you and not me.

And I submit myself to be used by you tonight in Jesus' name, amen.

When we think about power in the New Testament, the apostles so often failed to understand how they were to go about sharing his power in the world.

What would it look like to truly share his power?

So often the 12 found themselves posturing with each other and debating over who would be the greatest in this kingdom, who would have the highest position, who would exercise the most power in the kingdom of Christ.

But my premise tonight is that while the Holy Spirit was promised to the church, to the apostles, to empower them to fulfill their mission.

Christ's mission was to qualify them to share the power.

You see, there's a story in the Gospels that I believe captures what Jesus was trying to convey to his disciples and the struggle, inner struggle for power that was going on within this group.

And Tonight's message is going to be based upon this story.

So if you take out your Bibles and if you open it to Matthew chapter 20, we're going to be reading verses 20 to 28.

And throughout the reading of this, As we consider this biblical passage, we will seek to draw 3 qualifications that are prerequisites to sharing His power.

Matthew chapter 20, Verses 20 through 28.

We'll read through this entire section and then we will begin to break it down.

It says, then, beginning in verse 20, Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, bowing down and making a request of him.

She said to him, Command that these my 2 sons may sit, 1 on your right hand and 1 on your left in your kingdom.

But Jesus answered and said, you do not know what you're asking for.

Are you able to drink the cup that I'm about to drink?

He said to them, my cup you shall drink, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father in heaven." And hearing this, the 10 became indignant with the 2 brothers.

But Jesus called them to himself and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great men exercise authority over them.

It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant.

And whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." You see, as you put yourself in the setting of what's going on in this story, you have to understand that in the preceding chapters there's been a change that's come about between Jesus and his disciples.

Beginning in chapter 16, Jesus has brought them into a closer understanding of what he's come into the world to do.

And as he's called the disciples nearer, it says that he has begun to unfold to them what is going to take place when he arrives at Jerusalem.

He's on his final journey there with his disciples, and along the way He tells them 3 times in Matthew chapter 16 verse 21, Matthew 17, 22 to 23, Matthew 20, 17 through 19.

He begins to share with them that when he arrives at Jerusalem, there's something that is quite tragic that's waiting for him there.

But he says on the third day, he will rise again.

However, this prediction seems absolutely unfathomable in the minds of the disciples because they've been hearing a different storyline that's been playing out over the same amount of time.

As Jesus has been trying to get across to their minds what is awaiting him and them when they arrive at the beloved city, the disciples are hearing something entirely different.

In fact, if you follow each of these instances where he tells them, it's as if, it goes right over the top of their heads.

He tells them I'm going to die in Jerusalem.

He tells them these things and Peter rebukes him.

He says, no, no, no, never, Lord, not you.

He tells them again and they don't understand, they become anxious.

He tells them again just before he gets to the city as he's around Jericho.

And this is when right after this, this story occurs with Peter, James, and John.

I mean, I'm sorry, James and John coming and asking for these positions.

And the reason is because they've been hearing things in part of what Jesus is saying.

What they've heard is that Jesus tells them that some of you, at the end of chapter 16, will not see death until you see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.

And then the next chapter, Peter, James, and John see something that none of the other 9 see.

They see Jesus shining like the sun in a Galilean mountain.

And then a little later when the rich young ruler walks away sorrowfully and they say, how can anyone be saved if this man can't be saved?

And he says, well with God, with man it may be impossible, but with God all things are possible.

And He promises them that not 1 of them who have left houses and lands and father and mother and possessions will, not 1 of them who have left it will be lacking anything, but they will be given ample to repay them for what they've lost and then he promises them there that they will sit with him upon 12 thrones ruling the 12 tribes of Israel when he comes to his throne and that's The narrative that the apostles have been hearing that leads them to this point.

So now as we see this story I want you to transport your mind with me and picture the scene as a mother approaches Jesus with her 2 sons.

The mother of Zebedee, you need to understand that we can trace her name in the Gospels as Salome.

We know this by comparing the crucifixion account at the end of Matthew and at the end of Mark, where it describes the women who were with him.

And In 1 account it tells us that there were these 3 and then in the other account we find out that the name of the mother of the sons of Zebedee was Salome.

Now what you need to know about the mother of James and John is that she was 1 of the women who had attended Jesus as He went on His Galilean tours.

She was 1 of the women who was there at the cross and watched everything up close first hand still to come in this story.

She was 1 of the women who went to the tomb the morning of the resurrection.

She was involved, very involved in everything that was going on, but something else that you need to know.

Wilkins' account, his research in the NIV application commentary on the Gospel of Matthew.

And this is what he has to say about Salome.

He says that the best clarification of the listings of the woman identified as Salome is that she was the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

And you get this when you compare all of the references about her and then you look at John chapter 19 verse 25.

This would make her the aunt of Jesus and this would make James and John his cousins on his mother's side.

This adds a little bit of color to what's going on here.

Salome cautiously approaches Jesus, almost like a young child who is coming to their parents and yet they're hesitating, their heart is racing because they want to use the best words possible as they are making their request to have their favorite ice cream, or to get that new bicycle, or that puppy, or in these days, to get their first smartphone.

They wanna make sure they paint the picture in the best light possible as they come to their parents.

As Salome approaches Jesus with the same sense of apprehensive, she wants to use just the right words.

She wants to go about it just the right way.

And behind her are James and John coming to this private interview with Jesus.

She kneels with deference, but yet at the same time, she's come exercising her supposed privilege of kinship with Jesus as she makes her request.

In Mark's account, if you read the same story, it was just, Mark records just James and John coming.

And what we can infer from this is that this was not only their mother's desire for them, but this was also their desire as well.

As she kneels before Jesus, Jesus looks at her Searchingly and he says what do you wish?

With expressions of great anxiety Salomian treats command that your kingdom in your kingdom these 2 sons of mine may sit, 1 on your right hand and the other on your left.

She's asking that her 2 sons can be connected with Jesus in proximity, in power, in prestige.

And this request from the Zebedee family was likely inspired from Matthew chapter 19, 28 through 30 where Jesus said that the 12 apostles would sit on 12 thrones when he came into his glory.

And with far-reaching foresight, Salome wants to preempt for her 2 sons the very highest of the 2 thrones in close proximity to Jesus in his messianic kingdom.

Jesus reads the situation and takes it all in.

He's not severe in his answer, but he mingles firmness with probing.

He says, you do not know what you're asking for.

Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" Jesus' initial response, he doesn't condemn them for their request, but he puts right before their attention the price of the request that they're asking for.

You see, because it's often ignorance that seeks leadership and power and glory, and the brothers have no idea what they're asking for.

The request to reign with Jesus is in fact a request to suffer with Him.

You see the cup that he was talking about, you see he unpackages more completely in John chapter 18 verse 11.

If they wish to share in the Messiah's glory, they must be prepared to share in his suffering.

They only had a faint idea of what was yet to come for him.

You see, that cup of sorrow to him was really a cup of joy.

Janet Page

The Secret to a Successful Christian Life

Lord God, what a privilege it is to serve you, to have a God like you.

Sometimes, oh God, it's hard to keep up with you.

And Father, I just Thank you for these precious people who've come out this morning and Lord.

I don't want to disappoint them And I really pray for your Holy Spirit to speak to every heart Lord even if it's nothing I say God, You know what they each need in their lives right now.

It may not be what they think, but we give you permission, we pray for your Holy Spirit to speak and minister to everyone in this room.

And we thank you, Lord, for blessing them and for Jesus being lifted up.

We moved to the World Church headquarters to work, which is Jerry's fault.

He'd been asked to go years before and he'd said no because we had little children and he didn't want to do that much traveling.

But Jerry was praying for a number of years.

He said, Lord, when we're done in Central, would you do something where Jan and I can work together to teach people about prayer?

And he kept praying this and praying this.

And he'd tell me he was praying it, and he'd claim promises.

But do you know, for the past 7 years now, that's what we've been doing?

We go together everywhere, almost sometimes separately, but the majority of the time we're together and it's been such a blessing to our marriage.

And just, we get paid to share about Jesus and how real he is in our lives.

It is so incredible what God will do in our lives.

But anyway, this prayer group that prays every Tuesday, I just want you to know they've been praying for you all summer, and they will continue, because 1 thing I have written on their list, and I meet with them as often as I can, I'm traveling a lot so I don't too much, is pray for them as they go back to school or their jobs, whatever they're doing.

I can't tell you how many times through the years I've had young people tell me at the end of the summer, will you please keep praying?

It's easier to be spiritual when I'm selling the books, when we're together doing this.

And we know it is, and just know you're being prayed for as you do this.

Now I just want you to know this isn't just some old lady up here talking to you that knows nothing about selling books.

I sold books, I sold the big books for 9 months and I don't know what it's like with the MAGA books, the ones you do.

I went out 1 time with some students doing that, but we had to learn and memorize pages and pages of information about the books.

And I remember going to the first home, and I wasn't doing cold door, you know, you're following leads and I went to this home and I was Selling medical books in the Bible stories and the lady Invites me into her home.

I start to spread out my books and she said how much are they?

Well I was taught you do not tell them how much it is you give them the full canvas before you come in with the clothes of how much it costs and so I said well I can't tell you yet I need to explain to you about the books and she says but I want to buy the books and I said well you let me explain about the books and this poor woman sat there a couple of times asked me just tell me how much they are she had her checkbook there with her pin and I said no I have to explain to you about the books and I made that poor woman sit she finally just and let me explain about the whole books and then she bought them and I left and I thought that was really stupid but I was trying to be obedient to what I'd been taught.

It did get better after that, but sometimes, you know, the woman would invite me in.

She wanted the Bible stories and she quickly wanted to pay for them.

She said, I don't want to hear about them.

But you know a lot of Bible studies got started out of it and I tell you when the time comes Jerry and I retire, I want to do it again with you.

I don't know that I can take the heat but God has been working on my heart lately I wanna start going door-to-door you know I've done surveys Bible surveys and that kind of thing but we've got a world to reach and Jesus is coming soon And what you have done this summer is so important.

We pray all the time God Don't let those books sit in the corner Get people to read them let them fall out of the bookcase shelves and that they will read those books and learn that truth Of what you want God I have to tell you that I told you I'd share the 1 huge secret on having a successful Christian life.

I want you to know I'm going to share that, but not right now because I don't want you to leave.

And I thought if I save it to the end, you might stay, otherwise you might get up and leave and on me.

I was in bed sick with a bad chest cold and I don't know who it was, a Bible teacher or a student friend called me up and said you got to come to school.

There's a week of prayer going on and the speaker, you got to hear the speaker.

And so I crawled out of bed and I went over to hear this speaker.

His name was Glenn Kuhn, which probably you don't know that name, but he wrote a book, many books on prayer, and 1 of them was the ABCs of Prayer.

And Glenn Coon was teaching us about claiming Bible promises.

And I know a lot of you know this and do this.

Some people make fun of it and say, oh yeah, we're going to put our finger on the promise and claim it like it's no big deal.

God's word is full of his life and power.

I listened to story after story and I started saying, okay, I'm going to do this.

1 of the big things that I started with was my grades.

My education in elementary had not been good and not a stable situation.

But it was important to my mother that I make good grades and I'd get into college.

And I'd kneel down by my bed and I would open my Bible to James 1 5 and I'd put my finger on that promise and I'd say, God, you promised wisdom here.

Lord, I need wisdom, so I'll make good grades and make my mother happy.

And every day, morning and night, I would claim that promise and put my finger on it.

Though I started having a desire to study.

And instead of watching the TV, and I'd go back in my room and I started studying.

And I was so shocked when the grades came out.

And then I realized, no, I didn't do this.

God gave me the motivation to start studying and doing that more.

It wasn't that he suddenly instilled me with brains, but just gave me the incentive to start studying.

I had a brother, a brother that, I still have a brother fortunately, But he was living wild, running around, and for the first time that I could remember, I saw my mother in her bedroom on her knees pleading and praying for my brother.

And I realized this is serious, you know?

And so I started hunting through Glenn's books.

And I found 1 John 5, 16 that says, if you see your brother sinning a sin that does not lead unto death, you know, you can claim this promise and God will give him life.

It doesn't say you can claim this promise, but it says God will give him life.

So I started putting my finger on that promise from my brother.

Anil Kanda

David’s Mighty Men

Father in heaven, we just thank you again for that special promise where 2 or 3 are gathered in your name, there you are.

And Lord, we trust that you keep your word even tonight.

And God, as we are in the middle of transition, different kinds of transition, We pray that you would speak to us and that heaven would give its war cry to its people tonight.

You know, I had a really powerful experience 1 year.

I had to go teach at our teen Bible academy.

And I had to go teach about devotions and studying the word of God.

And I remember this as I was just like that morning thinking to myself, what am I going to be talking about?

I started praying and I just remembered this old Asian legend.

It was about these samurais, these warriors, who actually studied out their swords.

And by studying out their swords, they became better swordsmen.

And I thought, wow, that's just a great analogy.

All I need is a sword that has writing on it Pretty simple right so what I did like every cheap Indian.

I looked up on Craigslist and I was looking for swords, and it was just like, I gotta take off in the next hour.

I looked at all the Craigslist ads, and they were like 60, $70 for a sword, and I thought, look, a sermon analogy is not worth that much.

I went to the office where I was pastoring, and I just got some stuff when all of a sudden I get a knock at the door, And it is the janitor from the school who happened to be there.

And he knocks on the door and I said, come on in.

He comes on in, and he was talking to me about some fire alarm that went off at the school.

And I said, this cannot be happening right now.

And then I said to him, I mean, just imagine, this old man opens the door and he's holding a katana blade.

And so I said, hey, why are you holding that sword?

I was cleaning out 1 of the warehouses at the school and I just found this sword.

And then I said, yes, and this is what happened.

I took that sword and I opened up the sword and there was writing all along the sword.

It was like Japanese words for like courage and bravery.

And I thought to myself, 1 day I'm going to give this to my son.

It's right by my bed, just in case anybody attacks me.

People ask me, why do you have a sword by your bed?

And I said, it's a long story I'll share with you 1 day.

But friends, the word of God is the sword of God.

And this is no ordinary sword, This is a living sword.

If you have your Bibles put them up in the air and Look at the person next to you with the judgment to look for not bringing their Bibles to the eyeshare conference You know tonight we're gonna be taking a good look at a very powerful story in the Bible.

And it's the story of a man by the name of King David.

Now King David went through so many different experiences that ended up shaping the man he would become.

Experiences that would shape his leadership and his influence and leave a legacy for the rest of his life, but not just for the rest of his life, but for all of eternity.

We're gonna be taking a good look at a very interesting episode in the life of King David.

Everybody take your Bible, let's go to 1 Samuel, chapter 22.

And if you don't have a Bible, You can turn to the person next to you and use that Bible with them.

You know, we were part of our Teen Bible Academy experience this year, and it was so interesting.

For our Teen Bible Academy, what we do is the first week we go out into the woods, learn how to do solitude.

We have different teachers and preachers come on in.

The third week we do is we go to a different location and we do service activities.

So when I stepped into leading the Teen Bible Academy, the first thing I thought to myself is, we need to find out which trails are going to be good for about 36 students and about 12 different staff.

So I went hiking with some friends and we hiked literally about close to 40 miles of trails the weekend prior before Team Bible Academy started.

The reason why is because there was a late season, all the other trails were snowed in in fact there was 1 trail That I went on with my friend.

He knew the trail we jumped into his CRV that had bald tires and We went to this location, And we passed this snow bump.

We jumped over no problem We got to the spot we began hiking checking out the trail on the way back We're like okay.

It's time for us to take off its night There was that snow bump, But the problem is is that it there was no longer a slope on the other side of the snow bump It was just flat and we're like what are we gonna do?

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Plenary

David’s Mighty Men

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