thanks of the most high a good morning it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this um come meeting program this Monday morning and it is my prayer that by the end of this day we can all testify and say that we've been with Jesus as we start this program I would like us to bow our heads and have a wonderful prayer. King Jesus we humbly come before your throne of grace this morning to seek your face. Father it is our desire to know you more that you may break us melt us shape our lives because of the high calling that we have found in Jesus Christ.  Lord bless each and every one of us and even as we start this morning to worship you in song or Lord be in our middest is our prayer and desire in Jesus name. We will start this morning by singing the song I will go the theme that comes to us from the church leadership that inspires all of us to go and tell others about Jesus as we sing may you be blessed this is our decision this morning and this week that we will go for Jesus and even as we meditate and make that decision we will sing him number 41 in Holy Spirit faithful guide may he lead us all the way him number 41 Holy Spirit faithful guide he is a friend a comforter one who leads us this side of heaven as we await the second coming of Jesus Jesus speaks to his disciples and he tells us about how our father gives good gifts to his children and he asked them how much our father desires to give us the Holy Ghost may we seek him in his sanctuary this morning we're going to sing him 566 in the church hymnal that says there's a stranger at the door may we let him in I want to glorify God so much for those nice voices that the Lord has blessed us with this morning may God bless you my sisters and brothers but bless you God bless you I know for sure some of us will be comfortable when I say good evening but here in Nairobi it is a good morning that our God has given to us and so I want to welcome you want to welcome you to this devotion as we start our day and week speaking is Pastor Michael Onyango will always be here in the devotion so that we lift the name of God as we start the day the theme is I will go with the power of the saving grace I will go with the power of the saving grace I want to thank God so much for Pastor Cesar Wamalika for exposing to us he's been exposing to us the meaning and all these things and I want to also thank God so much for Pastor David Odiambo for all that he's touching about this power of the saving grace friends this theme is a powerful one and it is a theme that comes to us at a time when the world needs our going I want to repeat I want to thank God for this theme and it is coming to us at a time when the world needs this theme I want to say something that I know for sure I know for sure we've had themes but this theme might also go to the archives without action or something that we've done with it I pray that this powerful theme makes us go this time round I accepted to come here because of this power of the saving grace and I know for sure scholars very high minds are still looking into these this grace of God the books are in trouble the libraries are full with scholars trying to know what the grace of God is friends allow me today give you the other part of the meaning of grace as these minds are going through the theory part of it allow me bring to you the practical part of grace my standing on this pulpit Nairobi central is all about this grace this is the practical meaning of the grace of God every face has a story and when I say that my standing to on this pulpit is all the grace of God every face has a story and so I thank God for this far he has brought me friends to go is meaningless if there are some few things that we don't do to go will be meaningless if there are some things we don't acknowledge we have to appreciate what the power of this saving grace has done to us for us to go we are not going friends we have to appreciate we have to acknowledge what the what God has done to ourselves before we go unless we do this our going is meaningless we have to accept we have to appreciate what is this that God has done to us immediately we know what God we appreciate what God has done to our lives then our going will be meaningful we have to appreciate this power of the saving grace we have to know what the meaning of the scars on us friends there's cars on us that some people when you're reminded of these scars they bring to you the pains of what the world has done but sometimes friends our scars only shows us what God has done to us and all these things that God has done this is the driver of our going we have to appreciate what God has done to us central church we have to appreciate what God our life today is not by the way a time like this last year central this church was not like this a time like this last year central church can we remember maybe we are forgetting too fast we have to appreciate what God has done to us and immediately we appreciate immediately we acknowledge what God has done to us then friends we will go we are going nowhere if we don't feel the presence of what God has done to us that is what i'm talking about this morning Psalms number 118 is all about us this morning there is nothing we are doing there is nowhere we are going friends we will go when we are empty if we don't acknowledge what is this that God has done to immediately we appreciate what God has done that is all what i call the power of the saving grace and that is what i say central church maybe we are forgetting too fast this year there might be people who are amongst us members in this church they are no more now is our life today is special the answer is no our going is meaningful if only when we appreciate what God has done to us that is the driver Psalms number 118 the bible goes oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good his masses endures forever let israel now say his masses endures forever let the house of arrow now say his masses endures forever let those who fear the Lord now say his masses endures forever let Nairobi central now say i did not hear you let me try again friends i am saying our going is meaningless until we recognize and appreciate what God has done to us let me tell you Nairobi central there are some people that that us in the village we really respect there was somebody in this church that i was looking forward that one day when i will go to that church i will even greet that person so good a person to my eyes Nairobi some Nairobi central you lost this man and i know you people you went to that barrio because he was one of you but me i went there i was asking god god what is this that the world can do to us what is this that the world can do to us you you are going there because he's a comrade you work with him he's a fellow professor or a doctor but for me i was going that my mentor is going god why we cannot go if we don't appreciate if we don't acknowledge what God has done to us today this world is not right and i want to share with you what brya david is telling us in this text oh give thanks to the Lord for his good his massy endures forever let israel now say his massy endures forever let the house of arrow now say his masses endures forever let those who fear the Lord now say his masses endures forever and i want to repeat let those people who are watching me and Nairobi central let you now say his masses endures forever praise the living god i am saying we will not go friends Adventist church we may be too religious but rebellious at the same the same time i may say i'm an Adventist but i am not a Christian at the same time i may be told or called to go but i am empty but am i going i've realized friends that the only thing that can drive me to going is when i look back to my scars only to see what the Lord has done to me praise the living god we cannot go unless we acknowledge what god has done to us let me repeat this let me repeat this on your hearing i know we always read this this is a poem of praise to god for giving freedom from feeling victimized by the circumstances of life did you hear this and so david is giving up is singing he's lifting the name of god for giving him freedom from feeling victimized by the circumstances of life friends this world can change your name and david knows it yes this world can change your name today you are honorable today you are a professor today you are a doctor today you're a pastor this world is not right it can change your name these are the circumstances that david is bringing to us that some of these circumstances can even force you friends listen to this listen to this my viewer i tell you the truth some people are in the streets as prostitutes not because they love it circumstances of life and so this is a poem of david he is giving for what god has done to him for giving him feeling when he giving him freedom from the circumstances of life friends some of us some of us we are living as if we are of the circumstances of life this world can change your name you can be a widow and you did not prepare for you can be an orphan when you are not prepared for this friends your name professor or a pastor can change to a dirty thing when you did not prepare for it david is exposing all these things what am i talking about how will you go how will you go when you don't know the person who has sent us how can we go friends until we recognize what god what until we feel the presence of god praise the living god and so david says this world can fix you some of us are even having human human people to salute you everywhere friends some of the human beings are on your gate they are opening they don't sleep because you are sleeping this world can fix you this world can change your status this world can change your name i've said that and that is why i'm saying friends let us not just judge too fast so david is saying he is he is he is coming out he thanked god for some of the circumstances he is thanking god for what god had done to him the power of the saving grace in it that sometimes this world can even stand like they want to stone you but the love of god tells you i've forgiven you praise the living god psalms number one eighteen from verse number one friends i want to say whether our our enemies are human or our enemies are spiritual or even both the lord is the source of our strength the lord is the source of our refuge he is our refuge the lord is the source of our living today the lord is the source of our our everything friends whether it is spiritual whether it is human enemies that we have all the combination or both or something like that the lord is the source of our comfort the lord is the steady and constant provider he is a friend at all times praise the lord we cannot go until we appreciate until we say god thank you for what you've done and we are singing every day and saying everywhere that we will go friends we are going nowhere we are going nowhere until we know what the lord has done praise the living god i said every face has a story you may be too used to this pulpit to an extent that you don't see anything here but i want to say this is the highest hey friends listen to this there is the highest the highest point that i've ever gone in my ministry as simple as you may take it i praise the lord i give thanks to the lord because the lord is good i give thanks to the lord because god is just too good praise the living god and that is why david he knows what it is that there are some circumstances that are falling to your life this world can fix you this world can change you even today some of us even say that you see i will be doing this tomorrow because when you see your account your account is speaking when you see your upstairs your upstairs is fine and now you are so so you are so sure with the tomorrow hey friends hey stop there stop there inshallah stop there stop there friends yes that is why you i mean i will go meaningless to us it is just another theme that will come and go friends this theme is so powerful it's strong it is all why the adventist church is there but what is the driver of going the driver of going is when you look back when you look back friends then you see some things and you only see what the lord has done to your life what if the lord was not on your side what if the lord was not on my side friends i would have not even stand on one of the greatest and the highest pulpits on earth today i will give thanks to the lord because the lord is too good his mass is endures forever i will always praise the living god whether our enemies are human or spiritual i will repeat this why the lord is the source of the strength the lord is our refuse the lord is our everything Nairobi central please don't don't don't forget don't forget what this world can do i want to repeat somebody was sitting next to you this year in this church that person is no longer there we must be forgetting too fast maybe we think we are special friends the power of the saving grace david knows this he does not go on to anything david only looks back and he says god god i've seen what you are now because god you want to send me i will go he's going friends the driver of our going is acknowledging what god has done to us and then making songs and then we're saying oh let us give thanks to the lord because the lord is praise the living god i saw it friend i saw it and if what i saw is anything to go by Nairobi central and those who are listening to me please let us give thanks to the lord praise the living god i saw when money was being thrown in the street i saw i don't know whether the tv's and all those things were lies i saw i saw when people were buried in graves friends i saw i saw this i saw am i staying my life today is what i'm talking about it is all what the lord has done to me praise the living god i am not special no for us to go then the first thing we have to do friends we got to acknowledge that i am living today and let me tell you you are forgetting to first friends you were not having that degree yesterday you did not have it you are not having that job you are not having that bank account yesterday that title you are not was not there that title was not there friends let us give thanks to the lord because our lord he is good for his masses and you are forever let's give thanks to the lord now i have talked i've given the gospel according to myself and i've given the gospel according to david let us listen to the gospel according to paul i'm in the book of colossians chapter number one from verse number 12 friends let's give thanks to the lord the moment we will accept that the lord is our benezah then we will go we are going nowhere events is church is this a dream that is just coming and going we are going nowhere we are going nowhere friends we are going nowhere until we acknowledge that there is god in heaven praise the living god yes now listen to the gospel according to paul friends allow me pray on this allow me pray my father and my god i thank you for choosing us and trusting us with this moment when some of the good people very special are no more father you still trust us with this mission talk to us finally in these few minutes i pray in jesus name verse number 12 i will go will just to be at them thrown into the dustbin if we don't appreciate verse number 12 of the verse the colossians 112 and the bible says giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the same thing light praise the living god friends let us give thanks to the lord let us give thanks to the lord for what the lord has done to us let us give thanks let us appreciate our qualification by grace to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light let us give thanks because i am qualified friends praise the living god i can't imagine that i am qualified that even the seat the same table that father abraham will be sitting i will be there friends i have to give thanks to the lord no wonder he's given me a trust of today i have to give thanks because he has qualified me because the lord has qualified me friends because i know that i've been qualified to even get inheritance as that's that one of of of paul of paul of those people even the fathers who suffered that the adventist charge may come to africa i'm also qualified that even the trophy that they will be getting i might also i may also get the same friends i will praise the living god i will appreciate god and because i know that i am qualified i will go hallelujah i am going because of not myself but i'm going because i'm qualified i am going because i look forward i am focused to the trophy so even paul ready to receive his trophy i'm also put on the same table that you will be focused to the same glory and honor to the highest i give thanks friends one of the reasons that makes me accepted to go is that i have learned that i am qualified i am qualified to go i am qualified friends i'm qualified by grace to be partaker i part of it friends can you just imagine that's the faith that faith of abram that sometimes we even think that that faith we cannot reach that i am qualified that even me me i may glory and honor all be to god because the lord has qualified me that the executive people those people who are so dear to god and i read in the bible and all what they did the some of them even sacrificed their life that i'm today qualified to receive as they will receive may the name of god be glorified in fact i am unstoppable i am unbreakable now i will go i will go i will go because my driver is what god has done to me there is nowhere advances chart that we are going where are we going if we've dropped our caller and he accepted to even join us he says paul in romans 5 17 we didn't earn it is all by grace there is nothing friends we are today wallowing in classes and we are today wallowing and we are enjoying the wealth that god brought to us friends can we acknowledge what god has done to your family can you acknowledge can you appreciate that we were nobody but today we are some people i know i am in the city and i'm from the village i know and friends when i look at you when i look at you i don't even see somebody who was there in the village walking maybe with a shot which is torn from behind none of you because those things you don't even know them the faces i'm checking you are only people who are landing you are not arriving anywhere you are classes of run landing but i want to remind you one thing friends i want to remind you you are what you are because of the power of grace of god in all of us praise the living god you are what you are because god did it in the city i've seen the parking the cars are more than the members i don't know some of you are landing here with those machines too you are one person but the machines are too friends you are not what you are now because of yourself the power of grace is what we're supposed to drive us you hey friends listen to this hey paul says qualify that even today me friends you may belittle me here but god has qualified me hallelujah you may reduce me no no no friends hey just here but god has qualified me that i will be sitting i will be sitting i will be touching the hands of paul because we will be together i am qualified i have to give thanks to that but not only giving thanks that is my driver to go friends i will go i know what he has done to me i know i know what the lord has done to me friends and that is why i say some of my reasons may be chicken mind to us because you you think i've just told you just working on this pulpit alone this one this one is a history being written to me but you you are used to this pulpit you don't even see what what is it what is it in that paul says in fast corinthians 130 just because of the love of god i am qualified praise the living god friends you are what you are because he has qualified you i am what i am because the lord has qualified let's try let's try verse number 13 verse number 13 he has delivered us from the power of the darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love i wish somebody would even say amen i wish somebody would say amen friends listen to this for us to go let us appreciate let us appreciate let us give thanks to the lord why because the lord has delivered us from the power from the power of the darkness he has delivered us from the government of the devil and placed us into the government of heaven hallelujah i want to repeat to the night robbie sensual you are forgetting too fast let me repeat this let me repeat this the lord has delivered me hey the lord has delivered me from the powers of the darkness friends some of you here you are even inside your houses because covid was there with you but why are you alive because of your money because of your education because of your title chance the lord let us give thanks friends we give thanks because the lord has delivered us from the class of the devil the lord has delivered us from the government of the devil i know i'm speaking to somebody you've seen what the devil can do but you now praise the living god for what he has done hallelujah yes the lord has delivered us from the class i i saw it i saw it hey hey praise the living god i saw it i saw it i saw it early last year i saw it friends and i was like if it is happening where we normally fly to to search for healing and and hell you know you are in the rural we we don't we rush to Nairobi to get health but you you fly you fly but i saw it friends that way where we fly to was was sick praise the living god i saw it and i saw it when when the world was helpless friends from the village we knew for sure that after all in Kenya we have professors we have doctors we have great names they are going to save us but when we saw it when we saw it from those places where you people rush to we knew the world is done we knew the world is done friends i am here to praise his name i am here to praise his name because the lord delivered us from the class from the power of the devil and today you can come back to central church and say it i you can even watch me over this line that sometimes you are in that country where people are buried in mercy friends let's give thanks how will you go if you don't know what has taken place from the center number two he said after delivering us from the from the class from the from the government of the devil then the lord carried i love that one he conveyed he carried us he carried us safely to the kingdom of heaven i thought somebody would say amen somebody told me not somebody but even me i joined that you see the adventists adventists even if you tell somebody that god is going to give you two million in the evening they still go to the dictionaries and and and they check what what what what what is patriarchs and prophets patriarchs and kings saying about this so to a next end that even when god is when when you are shouting praise the lord they first of all wait and they don't reply until they confirm sda i love you for that because you you just don't make but let me try let me try something you know happy sabbat now why are you quiet praise the lord now you say because i've bitten you now the lord has delivered us from the class of the devil and he has conveyed us into the kingdom of god friends even when you are sitting here those people who are watching me from afar let us glorify god that we have a chance to be here today the lord has trusted us with his mission today today today finally friends let me check verse number 14 that the bible says for us to go let us know the value of the blood of jesus verse number 14 very quickly it says in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of saints i love this he is the image of the invisible god the first one ever all creation for us to go let us know the value of the blood of jesus what is about this why the blood of jesus has justified me the blood of jesus has redeemed me the blood of jesus has restored me the blood of jesus has saved me the blood of jesus had made me alive even today praise the living god we cannot go until we know the value of the blood there is no going going this theme is it's useless until we acknowledge friends we what is our driver the blood of jesus is the blood is it's the justifying factor you know everything it is the same one that has redeemed me it is the same one that has restored me it is the same one that has saved me i am alive today because of the blood of jesus i had favor unmerited favor three things we say today they're friends we cannot go unless we accept what god has done we cannot go unless we accept what the blood has done the blood of jesus is the unmerited favor it is all that declares us the rushes we cannot be right unless these blood has washed us i'm saying it is all what puts us today to the new covenant of the promise it is all about that prepares me for the vertical for the vertical friends i call upon all of us today that before we even touch the word i will go acknowledge i appreciate what god has done then our going is empty we have nothing we have nothing to carry because after all if we've decided to go today friends we are only going with the message with the gospel that the lord has done this to me what are we going it is possible friends that we may be Adventists but we are not Christians because we cannot acknowledge what god has done friends it is possible that we are too religious but we are rebellious at the same time please let us acknowledge what god has done to us what i'm saying he has justified us what i'm saying he has delivered us and conveyed us to the government of the devil and finally we know the value let us know the value of the blood of jesus and then always put together friends we will praise his name as we go because we are pregnant with all the mission all the the tools of witnessing that the lord has given to us may god bless you may god take care of you as we start this day know that there is god in heaven because he is may god bless you allow me to pray father in the name of jesus i will go i will go because god have acknowledged there are so many things not so many but all the things that you've done in my life my father you've justified me you lifted me from the close of the devil and you conveyed me to the government of heaven thank you may your name be glorified father because you lord your son jesus to die that blood i've valued what this blood can do to me i'm ready my father i'm ready it is possible that there is a sister or a friend here or online struggling god i request that you do something that that scar that scar will only show us will only prove to us that your name is god be with us in this commenting lift us to yourself because you're god always i present the name of the father the son and the holy spirit and let all of us say amen listening to the servant of god this morning i feel like those on the road to Emma also said our hearts burned as we listened to the words from his voice want to thank our pastor for that powerful message i would like us to do some singing but before we do so on my teammates to also say something by introducing themselves and we'll start with Betty praise god good morning good afternoon good evening to all of us my name is thomas accia and i'm singing tenor hello everyone team of the minor i'll be doing baby team of his voice is very clear you cannot doubt him at all we're going to sing oh sorry our pianist is mabel ok yoga it is a pleasure to have her this morning we will sing the hymn 105 in hymboza crystal it says um you hear his voice hadn't not your heart we are singing uh hymn 628 in the redemption songs send the light as we go we share this light with others this morning and good morning again and praise be to the lord god of heaven for us who are in the temple in god's church i want to say good morning good morning our god is good and all the time amen amen for those who are watching or listening we are truly in the meeting some of us are here and we hope that you will also be able to have an opportunity to be around well this morning again i'm so grateful that the lord has allowed us to come and study his word and without wasting any more time i want to pray and then we can begin father in heaven i'm so grateful for the opportunity to speak on your behalf grateful for your children that you have laid upon them the desire to listen to you as we all study your word not only for those who are present here but even those that are listening are watching from far we thank you for the power of your word because we know to them all you will minister i pray now father that you will open my mind to the things that are wonderful in your word that together we all will find fellowship in it and be able to glorify you in jesus name we pray amen we are continuing with our exploration of the book of acts book of acts i always thank god for the camp meeting because this is a period where we open our hearts more to the word of god more largely or more desirously to what god desires you and me to understand so some of these things are not ordinary in the sense of study but seeking that the camp meeting or special meetings could be places of new experiences we endeavor to go into these depths today we move into acts chapter two and as we move into acts chapter two it is not that we are done with acts chapter one these are places that we could stay and spend all the time that we have but at least we are able to capture what we consider to be the most central point in a particular chapter so in acts chapter one if you remember we were speaking about a moment when jesus has been with the disciples and he's leaving the author of the book of acts is the same author of the book of look and now he continues the narrative in the book of acts and one of the things that was highlighted in our previous discussion is that the author of the book of act tells us that these things are the things that jesus did and taught the disciples continued in the things that jesus did and taught and the principle we decided to take from that was that we also who are called to go are essentially to continue in the things that jesus did and taught that was one thing that we highlighted from verse one just from the opening and we went further to appreciate especially in verse four that jesus told the disciples that they needed to wait they needed to wait between verse one and five the apostles are told to stay in Jerusalem after jesus resurrection and jesus minister to them the thing that we decided to draw from this is to appreciate the need to wait because god wants to prepare the message we know that acts follows at least from look 24 where we saw that the disciples didn't have a correct understanding of the prophecies and jesus had to teach them correctly every child of god that is going needs to have a correct understanding of the word of god so there is a need of preparation the waiting is for me to be prepared to have the correct message but there is also the need of preparation of me as a messenger because thereof jesus will tell them you need to wait for the baptism with the holy spirit that is vast fire that is essentially significant for the messenger or else the messenger will go it doesn't matter how eloquent the messenger is it doesn't matter how appropriate the messenger is probably from a correct or right church the messenger needs to be prepared with the endowment of the power of the holy spirit and one of the things that i decided to establish was to us appreciate that each believer is baptized with the holy spirit i say that emphatically because i know we live in times when the pentecostal movement today desires that people may believe that the baptism with the holy spirit is a second experience that members have but i want to suggest to us that baptism with the holy spirit is an initial experience for every believer because jesus says in john seven that when you believe then you will be you will have a heart of living water and there is a qualification for that in verse 38 of john chapter seven that says jesus spoke in reference to the holy spirit so the baptism of the holy with the holy spirit is essentially our initial experience and the significance of it as we said is to bring you in unison with the lord jesus verse corinthians chapter 12 verse 13 tells us that we've been baptized into the body of christ and i think that's what for me gives a lot of meaning so the messenger needs to be prepared he needs to get the correct message before he goes and if you're listening to me well you will know that these are the two points where the going has found fault or has found hindrance the going is not so much about people going into fields that are prepared for them but the going has suffered much from a messenger who is not prepared or a messenger who has not the correct understanding of the message that they have to preach and the message is essentially christ and that's why we saw as you look at acts chapter one just the setting of it we didn't get into that but we spoke about the promise that jesus gave and essentially for the power because he says that in verse eight that you shall receive the holy ghost acts chapter one and the holy ghost shall give you power that you be my witnesses the witnesses that you will give to all of them is that will enable them to go and testify of him it's not so much of what they have to say but what they have encountered a witness is not only a person who has wrought memory of certain messages but a witness is one who has encountered an experience that he has to give and i think that is what the bible wants us to appreciate in verse eight acts chapter one and then the bible tells us that christ in verse nine to eleven it tells us that christ had to go to heaven this is all the proof that the promise will be fulfilled when jesus in john 16 spoke about the holy spirit he says it's necessary that i go to the father so that when i go the father will give you the holy spirit he will give you one who will testify of me so when you look at act chapter nine all through to verse 11 we see the experience of jesus ascension jesus had to leave because unless he left the holy spirit could not come the bible tells us in the time that he was around that there were with the spirit but the spirit was not in them surprised that to go and we see that testimony in verse nine you can go and look at that and then we are told from there that the disciples after christ went and they got the witness that you will come again the same manner in verse 12 to 13 we are told that the disciples still in the preparation were praying in the upper room you can see how necessary it was for them to wait they had to get together and pray but they did not only pray but they had to get together and reorganize themselves and in reorganizing themselves we're able to see that in the experience of prayer i want to believe in that waiting they had to be united in purpose today we have a tendency of ministry where it seems to be a one-man army ministry we have it so that you know it's like it's all about me doing what god wants me to do but as i read this part of the scripture the lord seems to impress upon me that god desires this to be a united front ministry they come together to reorganize themselves they appreciate that there's one of them that needs to be replaced you know the essence of going is about the kingdom of god the essence of going is about the body of christ i know today you will bear me witness if you're listening to me ministry has become sort of a thing of a celebrity and prominence and at times it appears that i need to go because i am the best but as i said i am impressed when i read this chapter that the whole book of acts has two men that seem to be prominent peter from chapter one to 12 and then paul takes over from 13 to 28 but inside we still hear and we read about other men and women who are also involved they may not have been prominent but they were involved and they were supporting the ministry and that was making a point that god help you you may not be the one on top but allow yourself to be involved for that is what god is calling us but i wanted to say something about the celebrity mentality of ministry where people would desire to be the one who is going god calls us for a joint front and that's what we see in the latter part of chapter one of acts i want to move on having given that particular background of chapter two to make certain points that capture my mind we are not to preach sociology as we know how today it is all about what can bring us together but we are preaching the salvation that is given to us as thompson has rightly put it god is not called men and women to preach about coming together as a community or a people that are able to you know hang out together we are called to preach the salvation god is calling people to salvation now this this sometimes has to make us uncomfortable if this is the message god is calling us to preach we may find ourselves uncomfortable because those whom god is bringing into the church are those who sometimes are not people whom we would want to be with so god is not calling us for sociology to socialize he's calling us for salvation he's not calling us for economics but for evangelism again there is a time today where people also make emphasy on what people can gain paul says in fast Corinthians 15 if our message is only for this life then we among all people should be pitted by many people should sympathize with us if all about the message we preach is for the gains we can have in this life then we should people should pity us a lot we are not called for economics but we are called for evangelism we are not called for reform i know there are some points where this seems to be the best that people want to offer it is good but above all god calls us for redemption god seeks to restore people back to the image that he created them in his own image as the bible tells us now god is not calling us to a culture our message is not about a culture things that not you know do not fit in our culture god is calling men and women for conversion in fact no good person is going to heaven only converted people are taking to heaven god is not calling us to progress but people to be brought to seek pardon with god god is not calling us for a social order but a new bath born again people god is not calling men for revolution but regeneration new men and women not for renovation but a revival of godliness that is what god is not for our restoration of a church but resurrection the power of the Holy Spirit as it is evident in the life of jesus christ not for a new organization but a new creation and not for democracy but the gospel not for civilization but for christ and above all that we may account ourselves to be ambassadors as we are told in second Corinthians chapter five that we are ambassadors of god as of vif god is reconciling the world in us not to be diplomats but these are indeed the words that care has penned and I appreciate them as we move into chapter two so children of god chapter one disciples are equipped the message and the messenger chapter two the closing chapter now having jesus gone up jesus has given them a promise of the Holy Spirit we are now moving into chapter two jesus has accomplished what god had given him to do on earth he's gone back to the father and now the father is responding to the perfect work of christ man this is significant at times experience of the Holy Spirit or the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church has been seen to depend on what I am doing as a person but I want to suggest to god's children that the experience of the Holy Spirit yes has something to do with you but that is not all that it is all that is about the Holy Spirit is god's response to what jesus has done in your life in the life of the church so god sends the Holy Spirit because as we read in acts one five the father has promised it's upon him and you know the bible tells us he's a faithful god who leaves to what he promises his people so please I want you to come with me to acts chapter two having given that background a long one though but it's all right today we may only do three verses in acts chapter two as we develop this particular message remember my whole desire is that in these seven days we can do the whole book of acts but I know that it's quite ambitious and therefore wherever the lord will stop us will praise his name and probably will have got a cue to continue studying on and therefore today I want us to move in acts chapter two let me do a little reading for us of the first 13 verses please open your bibles with me and try to read allow something to strike you this is a bible study so just try and read from the text that you have your translation there is something that will pop out this is the word of god and it's leaving just try and read listen to me if you can but try and also follow up from your text the bible says and when the day of pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly they came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting and they appeared unto them cloven tongues like of fire and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with a holy ghost and they began with other began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance and they were dwelling in Jerusalem devote men devote men out of every nation and the heaven and when this was noise abroad and the multitude came together and were confounded because that every man had them speaking his own language and they were all amazed and marveled saying one to another behold are not all these speaking Galileans and how here we every man in our own tongue were in were born where in we were born the pantheons the meds the elamites the dwellers of Mesopotamia in Judea and Capodicea Pontus and Asia Pigeon Pamphylia in Egypt and parts of Libya and Seren and strangers of Rome and Jews and the proselytes and creators are Arabians we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God and they were all amazed and were and were in doubt saying one to another what means this other smoking said the men are full of a new wine this chapter follows what has just come out from chapter one Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit so we are going to see at least three things in this chapter one we are going to see the evidence of the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit essentially we are going to see the baptism with the Holy Spirit that the disciples have been promised and then we are going to see what are the effects of that particular promise that had been given and finally we are going to see what explanation is given about that so in case we are not able to come to the end of those verses you want to remember that this section indeed brings out those three elements first of all it gives us the evidence of what has been promised of the Holy Spirit and then follows with the effects and finally gives us the explanation of what it means and that gives us the model ourselves because we all know how much people are being trapped with this element of baptism with the Holy Spirit and especially the Pentecostal experience now when I'm reading when I'm reading this I'm so encouraged because I was looking at what Sister White has said in one of the letters 32 in 1910 she says this let us read and receive and present to others the second chapter of acts we need a deeper piety and a sincere makeness of the great teacher I am instructed that the whole book of acts is our lesson book all of us need to humble need to humble our own individual hearts and be converted daily that's what she says in her commentary on this particular chapter how significant is that I appreciate what she says we all need this deep piety this deep piety you know this deep devotion to God we all need you know this deep life that is cautious that is cautious you know men and women of God if there is a need that I believe the church needs today are men and women that are pious cautious you know they are pious and cautious they walk in the fear of God this is what I guess she wants us to appreciate as we read this part but moving into the chapter please with me the apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit and the Bible says they begin to speak other times at this point we see God's plan for the church through the Holy Spirit we see the power that is promised in acts one five now evident in the lives of the apostles we see the purpose of God of why the spirit of God comes upon his children it is all that he be glorified among all nations listen to the names of the nations that are listed here they are from east to west beginning from the countries of patheons the medis these are all east elamites these in Babylon going to mesopotamia this is the land between the two rivers any good student of geography I guess it was will remember mesopotamia is the place of civilization these are the places then you move to Judea coming all the way these sides meaning God is trying to give us a picture of what he desires that his name will be glorified to all the ends of the world that people will not only go within their own ethnic groups but people will go to the next cultures and even to the far end of the world as God has purpose this is the reason why this chapter is for us so when you look at this chapter verse 1 to 13 where we are going to consider this morning is all about that but verse 14 which we will consider later on also tells us of what now the spirit does to the crowd that is present when he comes upon the apostles and verse 37 will see the response and it's so interesting to see how the church lives in environment of the Holy Spirit from verse 45 to 47 it's quite convicting children of God when we read the model of God of what it means to be a church and also what it means to go but we'll look at that later on so let's consider our chapter 2 the disciples are now being empowered they have been equipped now they're being empowered and the promise of Jesus is coming to pass now this is a transitory moment it's a passing moment there is there is a division here there is a moment that is significant in chapter 2 there is a new thing that is beginning in chapter 2 and that's why it is quite dramatic in God's redemptive history the spirit could not happen until Jesus departed but now the spirit that dwelt only in prophets and kings and probably some priests the spirit now is coming upon all flesh there is something new that is happening here people of God in chapter 2 the spirit that was only for the selected few God now is fulfilling a prophecy where the spirit is dwelling among all now this is a picture prophecy but it's also for all of us who live today as we saw yesterday now we see as the Bible begins it says when the day of Pentecost was fully come I want us to stop there a little bit the Bible says when the day of Pentecost was fully come we all believe in the inspiration of the word of God we want to believe every word the spirit chooses to use has significance now we are not told that when the disciples had prayed or when the disciples had waited or when the disciples had fulfilled certain spiritual requirements or even when the disciples had paid the price then this happened we are told that when the Pentecost had fully come when the Pentecost had fully come I want to suggest at this point that God is drawing our attention to his timetable of how he's acting how he's walking and this is evident if you go back and see why are the Pentecost is scheduled in the Old Testament calendar I believe time is not on our side to be able to go into the details but Pentecost was an annual festival that was held 50 days after the Passover I believe you all are able to relate to the Passover because we celebrate the Passover in the name of the Lord supper all the time it signifies the death of our Lord Jesus Christ so the Bible tells us 50 days after the death the celebration of the death of Jesus Christ I'm trying to apply it for us today then the Passover will come or the Pentecost will come we are going to see that Pentecost is actually a Greek word for 50 and therefore it tells us of the name or the days that have been spent this is a festival that is also called the feast of harvest or the feast of the weeks the Pentecost feast among the Jewish festivals now you could go to Leviticus 23 and read all this Pentecost or these festivals that are given to us but I want to draw your attention quickly on the significance of this particular festival this was one of the major ones among others that we can be able to read please go to Leviticus 23 you will be able to see them they pass over the feast of unleavened bread and the fast fruits you will see all of them there but the Pentecost follows a day after the fast fruits so the Pentecost falls in the divine chronology please follow with me here because there's something I want us to appreciate I've already said that the Pentecost happens within God's timetable and it's a fulfillment of a prophecy of God now we all appreciate that in prophecy we have things we call the type and the anti-type in prophecy we have a word that God gives like the ones we read in the book of Daniel we have the word of prophecy that is given but also they are prophecy which are anti-type the type and anti-type the things that point to things ahead and they are fulfilled and that's what we see in this place we see here a picture prophecy which is giving us a fulfillment of what had been already given and what is that the day of Pentecost is a predictive prophecy of type it was a type in the day in the Old Testament the Spirit was coming was not a response to people's prayer or even the place where they were in the upper room you know how sometimes that becomes the majoring of many of God's children upper room it is good by the way I'm not trying to discredit that I'm not even trying to discredit our prayers we need to pray and in fact I would only say that your prayer moment or your place that you choose to be in your prayer is you're creating an environment where God can dwell with you I'm not saying you shouldn't do it I'm only saying that is not what God waits on to fulfill the only condition that God waits on to fulfill this prophecy or this particular promise is Christ exalted that remains at Pentecost Jesus was above exalted in heavenly but that should have also applied in the hearts of men that Jesus was Lord indeed in their hearts that their will was surrendered to him as the one who controls their life God is not dishing out the Holy Spirit to people for in any way trying probably to gain popularity God is not giving us the Holy Spirit in any way to set us up to be prominent God is giving us the Holy Spirit to attest that Jesus is Lord amen is not doing it any for any other reason so the Spirit is coming not in response to any other thing but at this particular time in the sovereignty timetable of God God is fulfilling a promise of what he had said so the explanation here is as it were with Israel when they became a nation that God wanted to use to go to the nations of the world they failed God is beginning a new nation in the name of the church at this particular time God is starting this particular nation of God's people the church of God has been around but listen to what Paul says in the book of Ephesians chapter 3 that even though the church of God has been around all this while but it has remained a mystery but at this time it is revealed please if you have your Bible open with me chapter 3 of Ephesians I know somebody will wonder is this the time that the church is starting no the church of God has been there but it has been a mystery a mystery for many it's not been one of the things that people have been able even the ministers themselves have been able to appreciate looking at Ephesians 3 listen to how Paul speaks about the church now he says this from verse 7 wherefore I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power and to me who am less than least of all the saints is the grace given and I should preach among Gentiles and suchable reaches of Christ please read with me and to make to all men listen to this see what is the fellowship of the mystery which is from the beginning the world has been hidden in God who God created all things by Jesus Christ the Bible says that this mystery has been hidden so true indeed the church of God has existed from Genesis but it's been hidden it's been hidden and now Paul says he has been endured and trusted the ministry to this ministry which is mysterious of the fellowship vasten to the intent that now and to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God so why are you going you are going to bring revelation of this mystery of God and verse 11 says according to his internal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord to whom we have boldness and access with confidence by faith so the thing I want to say children of God that as we listen and we come to Pentecost there is something that God is revealing something that has hidden and that is the church the bath of the church as the spirit comes upon us people called out from different nation in this particular place the church is born is born in the sense it's been there taking an analogy of a pregnant woman could have been hidden like a baby in the womb but now the bath of the church has come to be I am excited about this because when I look at the feast of Pentecost among the Jewish feast the first fruit the first fruit were the gathering of the first harvest that were presented before God but when we come now to the Pentecost which was a festival that followed the first fruit we are now getting a picture of the loaf the first loaf now I want you to follow what I'm saying here Passover the three major feast Passover pictured the death of Jesus the feast of the first fruit happened the next day after the Sabbath of the Passover and this picture there is a resurrection of Jesus Christ if you are with your Bible read with me first Corinthians chapter 15 first Corinthians chapter 15 first Corinthians 15 and verse 10 and you'll see that Jesus is called the first fruit first Corinthians 15 15 23 sorry I'm at it's 23 actually reading from verse 21 to get the context first Corinthians 15 verse 21 you could even begin verse 20 but now is Christ's reason from the dead and has become what has become what people of God the first fruit of them that have slept now Paul draws that language from the feasts of the first fruit so the first fruit and then for sins by man came death and by by man came also the resurrection and as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his order Christ is the first fruit after they that are Christ's at his coming Christ is the first fruit of those that are gods at his coming so Pentecost completed the pattern of what was there at least for those who were going to be God's children now we also know that after Jesus death that after his resurrection there were many that came out of the graves and we understand for many of us as good adventists know that they form part of the 24 elders in heaven and we know that they too are presented before God as a first fruit in this case so the spirit came dwelt upon these people on Pentecost they are the ones that now the church is formed as a body just like after the presentation of the first gathering before God in the Old Testament there was the first loaf or that which was formed of when so the church becomes the loaf that is going to be presented before God the church presents all that are gathered together bound together in the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore Pentecost gives us that particular that particular picture for those whom God is calling to be together in the Lord Jesus Christ I want to bring this to an end by saying that the point of Pentecost is mission the goal of mission is that the church may be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God we probably will build up on some things tomorrow but I want you and to appreciate as you go that as you read Acts chapter 2 as you read Acts chapter 2 please you can see how much there was there but as you read Acts chapter 2 the Bible says they were all gathered in one place all the apostles at least 120 of them people have always debated whether this was in the church or this was just in a room but the question may not be of great significance than what is happening but I like what follows the Bible says that suddenly they came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were all sitting remember the topic we are dealing with is the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Bible says the presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested suddenly this is a good place to end today suddenly for me suggests that the coming of the Holy Spirit on God's children is not in human arrangement it's a sudden happening even on an individual basis it doesn't matter how long the week of prayer will be but it only depend on your individual preparation for you to experience now again probably you're wondering but you say that the baptism of the Holy Spirit happened on my belief and in joining to Jesus Christ yes there are two things that we are appreciating the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the feeling of the Holy Spirit which are all given in the Bible the child of God as Sister White as rightly say desires to continually receive special grace from God and that's why we'll consider Ephesians 5 if you have time to read that Ephesians 5 and verse 18 the Bible say be filled with the Holy Spirit we are now talking of a call to go if God is calling us to go then we all would desire to be filled we truly are baptized in the Holy Spirit as we become members of the church but the experience of the feeling is truly a daily and a continuous experience depending on the calling that God gives you and me so we are not going to be static because we are already baptized with the Spirit which could have been a problem for many but I have come to challenge you if we are going then God will indeed need or each one of us may indeed to seek for God's feeling for the spatial assignment that is given now this is not anything for you or for your conversion but this is for the sake of the assignment and children of God this is true in the language of Adventists and even the Bible we talk of a latter rain the latter rain is not intended for people's conversion the latter rain is intended for people's ability to work or to do what God needs them to do so that's why we speak of a latter rain Sister White will call it also special grace so what we are saying people of God Pentecost in our experience is indeed true at the time of our conversion it was dramatic on the day of Pentecost because this was a pivotal time in the redemptive history of God's people but Pentecost is not repeating itself I say that again Pentecost is not repeating itself but the Pentecost experience for every conversion it is true but for all those that are converted those all who are in the body of Christ those who all have been enjoined by baptism to be of the Lord Jesus as we go we need the presence of the Holy Spirit in the sense of seeking God coming or seeking the Holy Spirit for a new ability that God would desire you to accomplish so this morning I want to stop in verse two please and probably if there is any question because these are very very I guess some places controversial points or maybe at times could be difficult to comprehend please I would request that you write some questions and forward them to any of the leaders that you see I could begin by addressing them I'm not so ambitious to go forward unless we appreciate some of the things that God wants us to appreciate in every instance of this text so may the Lord bless us may the Lord give you his blessings for the moment for what you have to do wherever he wants you to go wait for him that he may feel you with his spirit and he may enable you may the Lord bless you as we pray now Father we are grateful indeed for you have promised that you will not leave us alone that you will abide with us to the end of the world as we continue considering this special grace of the Holy Spirit how I pray that each one of us you will lay the burden upon our hearts to be empowered even as your servant has testified in her writings that no indolent member will be endured with this special grace of thy spirit Father lay it upon your people to seek your presence and create that environment in which you can choose to dwell in their lives have mercy on me have mercy upon your people in Jesus name we pray and we believe amen God bless you to Ammetengama Ajabu, Hakunawa Kulingan Nishwanaipwana, Diye Anastahili Sifah, Tuimbe Sifah Zabwana Wetu, Ammetengama Ajabu, Hakunawa Kulingan Nishwanaipwana, Diye Anastahili Sifah. Ammetengama Ajabu, Hakunawa Kulingan Nishwanaipwana, Diye Anastahili Sifah, Tuimbe Sifah Zabwana Wetu, Ammetengama Ajabu, Hakunawa Kulingan Nishwanaipwana, Diye Anastahili Sifah, Tuimbe Sifah, Tuimbe Sifah, Tuimbe Sifah, Wetu, Ammetengama Ajabu,朱 segment Commander, Diye Anastahili Sifah, Tuimbe Sifah, Tuimbe Sifah, Tuimblana, Diye Anastahili Sifah, Diye Anastahili, G 分民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民民, We show out our kohakazikaz and our kufika pade, we show out our kohakuru. Now we're going zangu and we're fasi, our akisha un gali na muda, o kiwana yo ima ni kuake, we show out our kohakazikaz and our kufika pade, we show out our kohakuru, we show out our kufika pade, we show out our kohakuru, we show out our kufika pade, we show out our kufika pade, him 435 in the Seventh Day Adventist hymnal, the song is called the Glory Song and the songwriter speaks about this hope that burns in our hearts that when our labors are over we shall live with our master Eternally, let us sing together him 435. Thank you very much Kuaia for the beautiful number. Good morning everyone, welcome to the prophecy class. We are ready, like we said you need a pen and a notebook so that you can make some notes to facilitate your further study. Let's pray. Father we thank you again for the privilege to continue with our study and we pray that you will go closer to us so that you can help us to appreciate what you have revealed for purposes of preparing us to get to the time when you come again. Invite your presence to lead us in this discussion, in Jesus' name we pray. We say prophecy is God's way of communicating revelation. Now perhaps you have a question as to what difference there is between the usual revelation and prophecy. There is no difference. Revelation is what God packages and reveals and gives to the prophet, the apostles, the kings and farmers. You know people who turned out to be prophets and others who are doing other things like I said even diplomats became prophets. So that message that is packaged and given to the prophet or an apostle or a summist or a wise person like Solomon is what is called revelation. Often people say I have a revelation and I want to share. Now there is a slight correction I want to make there. Once you have a revelation what do you do with it? You then translate that message to a language that is easy to appreciate, easy to understand. And that means you address your audience in a manner that they understand. Now that packaged message that is passed on to the audience is not called revelation it's called inspiration. So the prophets having received a revelation packaged the message in languages or in such packages that could be understood. And the prophets or the agents, communication skills would come very, very important. And God chose three languages to communicate his revelations. He chose Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Let me say it again. He chose Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Three important media of communicating his revelation. But in between the language and the revelation is the agent, the prophet. And they would then use their skills depending on the level of education and exposure somebody would express himself or herself accordingly. So what do we consume? We consume inspiration. We consume inspiration. Which is the end product of a revelation and several factors in between. And I said the agent or the prophet, apostle or summits or a teacher. They write what has been revealed in a language understood or what is generally called the lingua franca, what is generally understood by everyone. If there was such a revelation in our time, the lingua franca would be what? Swaili or English. Now what about the translations then? We have translations of the Bible. Where do we locate them in this process? We would locate translations to inspiration. The end. Because what happens in translation is they take the original content in the language. I mentioned the three languages and then through a process of interpretation and translation. So some translations are interpretations and some translations are translations. This is a big difference. To translate is to transpose, to take from one language to another. That's translating. And such terms as transliteration are important because you are literating what you have in the revelation. I'll give an example for you to appreciate this. When the Swaili language came to us in Kenya in our various dialects and languages, there are things that came in the language packaged as Swaili. Call that or equate that to inspiration, what has been written. Just equate it. And what is written is what we read in the Bible in the translations. So Swaili came and various languages asked themselves what is this they are saying. For example they said ka. In English the Swaili people say gari. And the languages had to figure out what that is. The Kisi didn't find a better way of saying it, they said erori. Because there was a ka that is a lori. The Jaluo people said uto ka. The Kalijin people said karit, karit, ka, karit. Let me use another one. Meza, meza, table for the Swaili word for the table. Meza. The Lua people said, what do we call this one? Meza. And the Kalijin people said to taite anini, meze. And the Kisi people said what? A meza. And so forth and so forth. You understand that? It's called transliterating. You're getting a message that is given to you but you move it to your understandable language. Transliterating. Another very common example is the name of Jesus. Jesus is Jesus. The original name given by the angels.  So he traveled through the years and through the various languages and the translators in our time had to wrestle with it. What do we call this one? How do we quit this? How do you translate literate it? And they said, the Kikuyu said Jesus. Swaili said, Jesus. The Lua said, Jesus. And the Luiya said, the Luiya in the house. Okay, who said? Jesus. And the Lua? Yes, you get that. Jesus, Jesus, and it's from Jesus.  It should be called Yahshua. It's ignorance. That is Syria's ignorance. Nobody is exposing his ignorance. It's like telling the Lua people, you're saying, yes, you should be saying Jesus. You should be saying Jesus. You understand that? So the message of prophecy came as revelation. But the agent used the common language, the acceptable languages of the time, the lingua franca, Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic to write. So when we read it, we need help. And this is where the translators come and they translate into the various dialects or languages. So some people then have said, then do we trust the Bible? Because this is the work of men. Men have tampered with the original. The simple answer is yes, trust. Get as many translations as you can. Place your hands on them. Because they are the various shades of translation. But if you have the privilege to read it in the original, then you can compare it with the original. That being the case, then, we should never get to the point where people can begin to cast doubt on any version of the Bible. Even what is generally called the Dewey Bible, the Catholic Bible. We accept it. But we know we can pick the errors. If not errors, what do we call it? Yes, you can pick the errors in quotes. The things that were inserted. You can single them out from the original. I want to give you an example. I know you are saying pastor, tell us prophecy. I want to prepare a lay ground for you. Because sometimes we listen to lessons of prophecy and people have a problem. Have a problem. What is this preacher saying? You begin to have a problem with the agent and not the message. You should understand that it is revelation we are dealing with. A message from God that is given to a person. And that person uses the lingua franca. For our case, we are looking at three original languages that have been used to translate the messages of prophecy. And so never get to the point of having a problem with the agent. It is like saying God has revealed this to Daniel, prophet Daniel. And Daniel has written in Hebrew and Aramaic. His book is split in two languages. He writes the first chapter and two, he writes in Greek, in Hebrew. And then the second part of the book from chapter three to the end, he writes in Aramaic. Then someone will say, I think I have a problem with Daniel. That will be questioning the revelation. God chose agents in spite of their weaknesses or with their weaknesses to express it the best way they understood. That therefore means the 70th Adventist Church takes what you call revelation that is in the mind. Messages packaged by God and given into the mind of the writer. I know you're saying give us something to help us understand this. Revelation, let's go to Revelation one. Revelation one, Revelation chapter one and verse one, two and three. The Bible says the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants. Things which must shortly take place and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John. Did you hear that? The relation is of who? Of who? Of Jesus Christ. Why Jesus Christ? Is Jesus become a prophet now? No, Jesus is the incarnate God, God who has come to live at our level. If you like, it's God scaled down to our level. So the revelations of God have now been brought closer to us through Jesus. And Jesus wants to show it or reveal it to his servants. But in this particular passage, John says or records that he uses angels to help John or the writer. That shows you there's a whole process, a whole process from the beginning to the end. I want to single out Jesus Christ for now, although I will have to relate it to the prophets. Why Jesus is an important person in this discussion we will have. Let's go to Hebrews chapter one. I'll go back to Revelation though. I'll go back to Revelation chapter one. But I just want to jump to Hebrews and then go back to Revelation one. Hebrews chapter one and verse number one. What does it say? God who at various times, God who at various times and in various ways spoke in the time past to the fathers by the prophets. So God spoke to us in various times and through various ways. Now let me post there for a minute. Now God did not reveal himself in prophecy only. He revealed himself also in Psalms. This week I will refer to Psalms and surprise you how the Psalms are full of revelation that has been written as inspiration. So God spoke through various ways and I want to list them quickly. Through prophecy, through history, they are historical parts of the Bible. Through wisdom. Now also quote from wisdom. Proverbs for example, for you to see how God revealed himself through wisdom. And then prophets, major prophets and minor prophets. I'll quote from them. And then he also revealed himself through apostles. I'll read from the apostles. And then he says, our fathers. He spoke to our fathers through the prophets. So the various gender, we call them gender, the various types of inspiration in the Bible are only expressions of revelation. So please don't be tempted to think that there is something called really inspiration in the Bible and some less inspiration. All of them have been inspired and expressed as inspiration. In the various genres and various types of the written word of God. Now, fathers here represent us, all of us. Fathers of faith, family of faith, community of faith. God spoke through various ways and various... Come on, come on class. This is a class, I'm not preaching. He spoke in various ways and in various times. Okay, now I want us to go a step further. That is verse 2. Verse 2 says, has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed here of all things through whom also he made. The world and who being the brightness of his glory and the expressed image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power. When he had by himself parked our sins, sat down at the right hand of the most high. Very loaded person, very loaded person. And I don't know if it will eat our time, but I just want you to understand one thing. This is where the great controversy, the great controversy finds its explanation. You see, for many of us, we have never quite understood. We try to figure out, I know we gamble, it's like tumbling. What is it tumbling? Fumbling, like fumbling, like fumbling. You want to locate, how did a perfect creature have a problem with God? Let me put it in a language you understand. How could pastor JP, now you understand me as a man of God, a pastor, how would I have a problem with God or the church? It would trouble you as a church member. I mean, he should understand the church, he should understand God. He serves God, he should understand. Now we have a creature, the best of all creation, best. His name Lucifer, Lucifer, meaning the bright morning star. By the way, did you know that is the name of Jesus Christ? Jesus is called the bright morning star, Revelation 22. And he gave that name to an angel, a creature. He gave his name to a creature. He was therefore not just the best created, he had the best name, the name of God. What's the problem with God? See here, God in the latter end of the last days. Now let's explain that in a little while. In the last days, God has not now spoken through the prophets, but he has spoken to us through his son. Now let me simplify that. It means God is given the Revelation to who? The Jesus Christ? God has translated Revelation into a person. So Jesus becomes the embodiment of Revelation. He becomes the Revelation. He becomes the ultimate Revelation. Now let me explain. Let me explain. I know these are heavy stuff, but let me explain. One of the disciples, before Jesus leaves, you know, they were walking to Jerusalem, chapter number 13 of John. They're just beginning to walk towards Jerusalem. And Peter has a problem with it because Jesus says, we must go to Jerusalem where I'll be crucified. He says, you can't, you can't be crucified. You remember the conversation? And Jesus says, go behind me certain. You remember that? And then Jesus goes a little farther. They're walking, they're walking. John writes as this thing happens real time. You know, I'm not saying he's dictating, but he's explaining the real time thing. So it's the talk while they walk. If I tell him why it says, he wasn't walking normal this time. He wasn't walking normal. Jesus walked as if he was carrying a burden. His pace of walking had changed. Jesus had a heartbeat, a heartbeat type of walk. So that when you walk with a heartbeat, you can tell stories while walking without getting tired. You know, that was his style of walking and telling stories while they are traveling. He had a heartbeat type. So one, two, one, two, one. You can't stop to gasp for air. You just tell stories as you go. But this time round, he is struggling as if carrying a burden. And then why it says he actually would have fallen twice. He would have fallen down as if crushed by the burden. But his disciples supported him. This is where John talks very interestingly. He said, do not be troubled. I go to my father and your father. No, no, I go to my father. No, no, no, no. Let me say it properly. I'm, I'm, I'm, but a phrase. He says chapter 14, John, he said, in my father's house, there what? Yeah. But he starts with, do not be troubled. Let your heart not be troubled because you can be sure what was going on in the minds of the Apostles. Seeing that the events and the way things are unfolding, they must have really, really gotten worried. He says, do not worry. Do not, do not let your hearts be overwhelmed. In my father's house are many. You had what the preacher said the other day, the Greek idea of preparing a place. Yeah. You see the Africans, we have, we have, we have a problem when we say, sit in the sitting room. Let me prepare where you can rest. You'd be moving beds. You'd be moving beds to create space because the bedroom is crowded. You know, when an African says, give me a few minutes. It means there is trouble, but, but when there is no trouble, they will say, Karibu, Karibu, Karibu, Karibu, Karibu, Karibu, Karibu, Karibu, Karibu, Karibu. With no restraint, no worries because there is enough space. There's, there's no worries. But when he said, just a minute, just a minute, there is trouble. They have to move beds. But the Greeks have a different idea. Yeah. Going home to my father to prepare a place for you. When I'm done, I'll come back. So that way I am you. And one of them says, Lord, show us the father. Show us the father. The question that many, we often by fast, we just read in passing. Show us the father. And Jesus is a powerful expression. He says, you ask me to show you the father and I've been with you all this time. You can guess what happened. He must have been shocked. What? You mean there was something we were supposed to have seen? Yeah, it's true. He says, he who has seen me, has seen the father. I know you don't understand. Even you don't understand. The way you look at me, you don't understand. Allow me to, for purposes of explaining. For purpose, this is our class. And we will go at our pace so we understand everything. Go to the book of John 1. Go to the book of John 1. The Gospel. John 1. It begins with very interesting words that says, in the beginning was the Word, right? And the Word was with God. And the Word was, now I want you to jump to verse number 14 of that chapter 1. Verse 14 says, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory. The glory as of the only... Now, James has a problem. They say the only begotten Son.  I'll have to explain that. Please underline that Word. I'll have to explain it. The only begotten. Underline it in your Bible, wherever you find it. But the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. I want you to jump to verse number 18. Go to verse number 18. Verse number 18 says, verse number 18 says what? No one has seen. Come on, come on class. You read with me. No one has seen. Allow me to post. You mean you came to church without a Bible? I'm seeing some people who are just sitting pretty. You know Gormaya, right? You know Gormaya. It's a very popular team in this country. It's very popular in Nairobi. Because it has fun from Kibira and Madari. When you're playing in Nairo Stadium, you just find time and go sit somewhere near T-Mall. And see how Kibira men flow into Nairo Stadium. On foot. Because they are going to watch Gormaya. And I know you know that. They even cause traffic snarl. People have to give way for Kibira funds. Their cars have to be packed on the roadside. For them to go to Thaddeum. But they don't go empty handed. They carry stones in the pocket. Just in case. So if people go to Thaddeum with stones, how dare you come to church without a Bible? Okay, I made my point. I made my point. I don't want you to watch and look at me as if you're watching. Some movie star. This is a class. So class 18 again. What does it say? No one has seen God. Yes, no one has seen God at any time. Is there a full stop or a comma? What does a full stop mean? End of story. There are no exceptions. No exceptions.  Never. And you say, what? But I heard somewhere God was saying show me your back. Moses was saying show me your back then. And Moses saw his back. Did you see something like that? So who was that? Let me explain for you to understand what I'm saying. So no one has seen God. Let's read on. No one has seen God at any time. The next verse should have it should have been a semicolon. It should have been a semicolon or even a colon. Actually a colon should have been a better one. Yes, it says what? It's a colon. Yes, punctuation should be colon. And what does it say? It says the only begotten son. I told you again, underline that word. Yes, the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father has done what? Ah, has revealed him. The word used in Greek is exegesis. The noun for that. Exegesis is an equivalent of revelation. I'll explain. Let's go back. Let's go back again. Let's go back to our Hebrews chapter one. Hebrews chapter one. Wait a minute. Why are we not doing prophecy? Yes, we are doing prophecy. We are doing prophecy. Because the things I will talk about. I don't want you to leave this church or whatever you are because some people are watching online. I don't want you to go and begin to look at my way instead of looking at the message. Because it has always been when there is revelation, you don't end up asking who is speaking? Who is saying that? You look at the message.  To help you understand. I'm telling you the things I will say this week. I'd say it in the introduction. It will shock some of us. Maybe all of us. Because it has shocked me. Back to Hebrews one. And verse two. In the last days spoken to us by his son. Whom he has appointed here of all things. Through whom he also made the world. And then verse three says what? Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person. There is a comma but I want you to post also. Post there. Do you understand that? That God has revealed himself. That God has revealed himself in this letter time through his son. Is that clear? But do you understand the bit that says he has made him hair of everything. You understand that? Wasn't he God? Why should God made him a hair? I'll leave that for Bible teacher to explain. Why is Jesus called the firstborn of God? Why is he called that? Was he really given birth? Did some woman give birth to him? How does Jesus become the hair of all things? I'll leave it there. Maybe. Maybe. The Lord is impressing me to just clarify. So that you don't go away. Jesus is not just the son of God. He is God the son. Please understand there's a difference. Jesus is the son of God because of being made hair.  Now the difference here, the difference between the terms is what we call incarnation. He came to us. What the preacher in the first day said, I will go meant God came down. That incarnation process is what gave Jesus us. Sorry, gave Jesus us because he came and died and then on the cross he was able to draw all of us to himself. And when we believed we were baptized. And when we were baptized, we were sealed. No, no, no, no. Sorry. When we believed we were sealed and then baptized. And the ones who were baptized, we became children of God. Sons and daughters. And Paul says those he called, he predispined to conform to the likeness of his son. Romans 8, verse number 30. Those he called, 29 and 30. Those he called, he predispined to conform to the likeness of the image of his son. So the calling is what we have received, the gospel. And once we received, we were made children of God. But Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren. Have you seen that passage somewhere? No, because he was the first to be resurrected. The first after dying the second death, he is the first. In fact, according to Romans number seven, verse one to four, he is the only one.  So Jesus then becomes the rightful heir of all things. But please don't confuse that with God, the Son. That is called in theology the pre-incarnate Christ. Before he came, he had a form. That form, Hebrews 1.3 says is the express image of the Godhead. Let me explain that for you to understand. You see, you cannot see God.  But the Son is the expression of the Godhead. What does that mean? If you are to use a binoculars to focus on God, just as you focus to get clarity, the picture that will come to the camera is what? Or not camera, the binoculars is what? Jesus Christ. But not Jesus Christ as we know now. The Son, it is God, the Son. He is the body of God. So when they say let's create man in our image. The image, which image? The one that Jesus had. Because he represents the others physically. And this is what the devil or Lucifer had a problem with. He did not understand how a person with hands and eyes and feet should be worshiped. He had a problem. This is an angel. After all, he doesn't have wings. He just has a form. Like angels but less because he doesn't have wings. So he said he's not worthy. The great controversy simplified means Lucifer saying Jesus is not worthy. And not Jesus in the name of Jesus but God, the Son, is not worthy to be worshiped. And so we will have to fight over this matter until the end of sin. And the Bible then says every knee will bow at that point. Including who? Lucifer who became satan. He will be the last one to say you are worthy. Oh Lord God. And then God will end the controversy. So when we are going to study and wrestling with prophecy. I want you to understand that in the heart of this discussion is Jesus Christ. He's first called God, the Son. But at the latter time or the end of time. No, the latter times which means in our time. He is called Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate revelation of God. It is him who embodies the secrets of God revealed to us. So whatever we will do, whatever we will do in our study. Remember this. We will be looking to trace Jesus. Oh Lord. But I mentioned that I'll have to also open up for you who Lucifer who turned the devil. For you to appreciate this discussion. And show him his real self and his real job or career if you like. That should be able to show us why we must study prophecy. But according to Peter, according to Peter he says when we study prophecy. The morning star will finally be revealed to us. And it's true. We should end up with Jesus our Lord. Alright. Now, having said that. I wanted to end this discussion by then setting the stage for the next. I want to discuss briefly what only begotten son means. Just to get rid of any burdens we might carry. I don't want us to carry any baggage. So we move on knowing who our Lord is. He is the revelation we need.  And tried and struggled. Say Lord, I want to know you. I want you to understand that he has given us revelation ultimate. Par excellence. Jesus Christ. The revelation of our God. And it is my joy and privilege to spend this week. Just do that. Please don't misunderstand me. Because the last time I handled, I remember the last time there were very hard questions. I mentioned things and some people were completely confused. Please don't be. I point you to Jesus Christ. The Lord and Savior of your life. It's my privilege to do that this way. Amen. So tomorrow we pick up from the only begotten. And then we go into what has he said. What has then Jesus said. What has Jesus said in this letter type. Let's try and understand the revelation he has given. Of course we would be forced more or less like focus on what he has said in revelation. That's simply what it means. Because that's the revelation that he gave to his servants through John. We should be centering on revelation. But I'll be going back to Daniel. Because Daniel was told in chapter 12 seal the prophecy. So I'll have to go back there. What is it that was sealed that John falls or unseals? Okay. If you have any question, kindly write it down. Pass it on to the desk of the elders, the decons or the communication team. I'll be glad to hear what you think. And as a reflection or even as feedback so we can move together going forward. Let's stand up and pray. Our Father we thank you this morning for the sweet privilege we have to open the oracles and to see with our own naked eyes what you have revealed through Jesus Christ the ultimate revelation. We pray that you'll help us to appreciate this and to find you Lord. To find you Lord in this sweet revelation that you've given. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. This service as we listen to the prophetic word. I know you have been blessed. We want to sing and we want to sing from Neboza Christo. Him 132. And the Psalmist says the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want. And this is the reality of our Christian experience. So we'll sing together him 132 in Neboza Christo. In fact the Psalmist says that in the house of my Lord even the spar has found a dwelling place. We're going to sing him 632 until then singing until the day God calls me home. Let us sing together. Thank you so much the choristers for that beautiful number. Good morning saints of the living God. Good morning again. We want to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to the Divine Service the program that follows shortly. And to thank everyone who has been with us from morning. We have been really blessed right from eight o'clock starting from the devotion that we got from our pastor followed by the Bible study. And then the prophecy which has just crowned it in a little while. We are now entering into the Divine Service and we want to invite everyone of you to this program those who are in the church and those who are following us from your homes. You are most welcome. We have had a blessed moment from the time we started on Sabbath and the Lord has been with us. His spirit has guided these programs to this point in time. You do recall that from the beginning we kept telling you that our main speaker was not able to make it to this place. We are happy to let you know that eventually he has now arrived into Kenya and is ready to minister to us in a little while. What do we say to that? What do we say to that again? We praise God that he has been faithful and he has brought him here even as we thank Pastor Sisah for stepping in very heavily from the beginning and blessing us this far. It has been a wonderful moment having him minister to us and as the guest speaker now takes over from there we welcome him in a very special way. So just to bring to you those who will be serving us shortly we'll have Sister Gedeo Chudo give us the scripture reading. We'll have Elder Joan O'Combo give us the pastoral prayer. We'll have our pastor, Pastor Siaya give us the children's sermon and then the guest speaker Pastor Geman Gete from Monrovia will give us the bread of life. I want to take this opportunity to welcome all of you who are scheduled to participate. The heritage singers, heritage family will give us the special item and I want to thank you for being here so that you can minister to us. You are most welcome. May the Lord be with each and every one of us. Fill at the feet of Jesus most welcome. Thank you so much. Good morning church. Good morning church once again. Our scripture reading today comes from the book of Matthew chapter 27 verses 55 and 56. I repeat, Matthew chapter 27 verses 55 and 56. I will read from the New King James Version. You can follow from your various translations. I read, and many women who follow Jesus from Galilee ministering to him what they are looking on from afar.  May the Lord bless the reading. Good morning church. Take this opportunity to call both physical congregation, the viewers, the listeners, that we are here today. Thank you. Good morning church. Take this opportunity to call both physical congregation, the viewers, the listeners, that we humble ourselves so that we can have a word of prayer. Our heavenly grace, Father. We come before thy throne of mercy this morning to give thanks and glory for the many gifts you have given us. Jehovah God, we thank thee for the privilege you have given us to come and worship thee in thy house of worship. In whatever means, Jehovah God, we are both vital and physical congregation. We invite thy presence to be amidst us, Lord, as we are starting the program. Jehovah God, we thank thee for thy grace. We thank thee for thy favor. We thank thee for thy divine protection. You have been so kind and merciful to us to give us this day. Holy Father, we thank thee for the gift of life. Jehovah God, we thank thee for sending thy son, Jesus Christ, to come and die for us at the cross of Calvary.  It is our turn, Holy Father, to go back to Jesus and pay the ransom he paid for us at the cross of Calvary by accepting him fully as our personal savior. Jehovah God, convert us fully to Jesus Christ so that we can accept him as our personal savior. This particular moment, Holy Father, we bring all our family members before thee. Wherever they are locally and abroad, Jehovah God, touch them. Draw them closer to thee, Holy Father. Enhance their spiritual growth so that they can draw closer to thee, Jehovah God. Whatever they do, Jehovah God, let them do it to the glory of thy name. Holy Father, this moment, we come to thee when we are heavily led. We are bad ends of various challenges. Jehovah God, you are the only one we can turn to. We are bad ends of financial problems. We are bad ends of marital constraints. We are bad ends of health issues, but we are the only one, Holy Father, whom we can present all our needs and wants and our petitions and supplications. Holy Father, have mercy on us. After we are talking now, Jehovah God, there are many of thy servants who are lying in hospital beds. Jehovah God in great agony, wailing and wondering whether you really exist, Holy Father. You are the greatest physician. We seek thee, Lord, that you extend. They tend the healing hands to them. When they wake up and go back and resume the animal activities, Jehovah God, honor and glory will be to thee. We come to thee and seek thee, Lord, also to consider and remember. All those church members, non-church members, relatives and non-relatives who have lost their beloved ones. The times are hard, Holy Father. We pray that you give them comfort from above. Jehovah God, you are the only one who can console them. Give them the consolation which comes from thee, Jehovah God. Provide for them the resources which they can use, Lord, to go and lay to rest the remains of their beloved ones in a proper presentation. Jehovah God in good congregation, Lord, lead us so that whatever we do, we know we are fast and there is nothing we can do without coming to thee. Lord God, there are many who are also troubled in many other ways, remember them. Holy Father, we are also praying.  Some are thy servants and they are going to do thy work. Give them journey masses. Holy Almighty Father, we also pray for those people who are troubled, Lord, on the roads. Jehovah God, we pray for our roads.   We pray, Jehovah God, that you help all the travelers. Holy Father, there are many people who are also coming to thee. When they cry, Lord, because they are heavily leavened. Lord, Lord, you are the only one who can rely on Jehovah God because you are burdened. All of our burdens, you are the ones who can carry them. Teach us how to work with thee, Jehovah God. We know, we are praying that you lead us so that we earn eternity. Jehovah God, heaven is for the righteous. We can only come to thee, Holy Father, when you wrap us up with the robe of righteousness. Holy Father, we seek that our names remain in the book of life. So that when you come a second time, we'll be amongst the people who will be able to receive the other clouds of heaven. You'll be letting holy lawyer to take us home. Jehovah God cover us with the garment of salvation. We pray for our church, the Nairobi Central SD Church. Holy Father, remember all the pastors, the elders and the other church officers. Holy Father, remember our conference. Remember our union and remember our division and the general conference. We are the remnant church, Holy Father. We are the ones to accomplish the mission and vision of the church so that your second return, Lord, can be hastened. Be with us, Jehovah God. We are not forgetting to put the whole universe into their own hands, Jehovah God. The world is gripped with fear and despondency because of the pandemic virus, Jehovah God.  The world is confused. Many deaths have occurred because of the COVID. Many jobs have been lost, Jehovah God. Holy Father, your churches are not fully functional. The education system is not fully functional.  We are at difficult times. Holy Father, we know we have eyes, but we don't see. We have ears, but we don't hear. We seek to give us the wondrous things in thy word so that we can understand our relationship with thee. Thy servant has come all the way to feed us with the spiritual nourishment. Holy Father, help Pastor Getty Jehovah God to give us the words that come from thee.  Jehovah God, we cry to thee. Let me we adopt the humility of thy Son, Jesus Christ, Holy Father. Fill our hearts and our minds with the Holy Spirit so that we can be guided in all our endeavors without going astray. May thy gracious spirit, Lord, lead us to what is our farm standing so that we walk towards the road that can lead us to eternity. We know there are many things we need to ask thee but we cannot mention all of them. Jehovah God, whatever we have not mentioned, mention them on our behalf, Holy Father. Teach us how to do thy will. Always cry to thee and ask trusting in the Holy Name in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Good morning and hallelujah. Hallelujah. What a gracious day it is. We are delighted to be in Nairobi Central SDA church and more so for a wonderful occasion that brings us back to the feet of Christ that stems from the Passover and a moment that brings us from our chosen duty so that we come and worship Jesus as we get revived. This morning I wish to encourage all of us to give bountifully and at this moment I'm seeking that we go to our platforms of paying so that we can return some tithe and offering to the Lord so that we can also remember the fact that we have our camp meeting expenses. Remember we have our guests, we have the running of the church especially during this high week so we are beseeching you that kindly give graciously and more so you can do it using our M-Pesa platforms. You can use also Airtel money. You can also go ahead to send your checks to the church bank account and also those of you who would like to get envelopes in church, those of you who are here, our deacons are on standby to give you envelopes and just raise your finger, your hand and an envelope shall come to you and it is in giving that you receive because in the book of Malachi the Lord has sicked that just try him and you'll get to see how bountiful he will restore you because his house will have sufficient meat and this is the greatest blessing that many of us should always embrace because giving and tithing is also a part of worship. I just wish to seek that as that is done I also wish to pray for this offering. May we pray him. Precious Lord in heaven, we want to thank you most graciously for giving us the opportunity of the means such as father we are able to return a portion of it because silver and gold belongs to you. We are seeking that father. You bless each one of us, those who are able to give and even those who do not have. For the Lord prepare a moment that they shall also be able to give next time. Bless them in a special way. Be with us Lord and may this offering come to you for we seek all this trust you and believe in Jesus mighty name. Amen and amen. Thank you so much. Amen. As we give our tithing and our offerings we want to sing a song written by one of us. It's always nice to sing a song written in the year 2021 and not 1888. So we are singing a song that says I will go wherever he may lead me. I will go for Jesus bids me. And as we sing together, I pray that you will be blessed. Good morning boys and girls. It's very cold this morning. I can't wait for the sun to come out completely so I can go and relax in the sun. For those who do not know who I am, I am Pastor Tuvele Llanadestas Yomara Cianobes. See that is so hard for you. So just stick to I am Pastor Popcorn. I am Pastor Popcorn and those who know when it's time to pop will pop. But now it's not time for popping. We'll pop in the evening. So make sure you come for the evening divine service for the children. So now right now we're going to have our children's story and our children's story is about going with love. So before we have our children's story, shall we pray? You say Jesus loves me.  Dear Jesus, thank you so much for your love and your mercy and your kindness towards us. Now as we learn from your word, please teach us something new and teach us how to love. We pray all this believing and trusting in your mighty name, King Jesus, amen. So, I was thinking yesterday I taught you a song in the evening. There should be another song for divine service. So I'll sing through it once. I'm sure by the second time my awesome pianist would have gotten it. And then the third time you would join. Now just sing the first part and we'll keep learning it until the week is over. The song goes love, give it away until you give it away then that's love. So love is not love until you give it away and today we're going to learn from an awesome Bible story found in Luke chapter 15. The story of the prodigal son. Now before we even go there, we know the Bible says God is love. So for you to be able to love your brother, your sister, your mother, your father, your uncle, and that person you find very annoying in class, you must have the love of Christ in your heart. And Philippians 2 verse 5 says, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ. So as we're learning about the prodigal son, this morning I want us to listen carefully about how love responds, or how love how do you say it responds in Swahili? Love in me. Love responds. They will teach me how love responds. Now the story goes on to say a long time ago there was an awesome father. So remember we said when we read the Bible, we try to bring the Bible to life.    So this child thought how will I how will I get to do this? I know my father. My father wants to give each of his children an inheritance when he dies. But I don't want to wait for him to die. I want to use my money now. So he went to the father and said Daddy Daddy, do you love me? And how do father respond? And you say do you love me? How would the father respond? Obviously my child. Obviously I love you. Ah, Daddy if you love me, give me my inheritance. What did you say? Give me my inheritance daddy. I know you want to give it to me when you die. But I want to use my money now while I have energy. While there's still pizza in and Nando's whatever it is I have to eat. So the father reluctantly gave his son that money. I don't know how much it would be. Let's say if it was in US dollars, maybe it was 5 million US dollars or 50 million shillings. I don't know, but it was a lot of money. And I want to imagine you are so excited. You immediately went out bought a large pizza after the large pizza. I thought, huh, what is the one country I've never been to? I've never been to Dubai. I think I should go to Dubai. So he bought a first class ticket, got into the plane, went all the way to Dubai, a far away land when no one knew him. And in that land he used this money however when they slept in the best hotels ate the best food. But he did not notice that the money was quickly finishing. Guess what? Before he knew it he had no money left. Now if you're in Dubai and you don't have money no they do to you, they deport you. You have to have money in Dubai. So what they did, they deported him back to Kenya. But now he was too embarrassed to go to his father and ask and ask and eat with his father. Since he left with all the riches. He decided to go to a nearby farm and eat what was being fed to the pigs there. And I don't know, have you ever seen pigs? They are not the most amazing animals to eat with.  So he was there, the pigs are eating he's also there eating with the pigs and he's working in that farm. Then he said no, no, no, no, no. Let me run back to my father. You know in my father's house the servants dress better than me and eat better than me. Let me run back to my father and I want us now to turn to our Bibles and see how the father responded because we want to learn how does love respond. Do you have your Bibles? Go quickly to Luke chapter 15 verse 20 Luke chapter 15 verse 20 and the story says and he arose and he came to his father. But when he was still a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Now I want to imagine if it was my father, Mr. Siaya. If I had taken my father's riches and I went to a faraway land and I came to my senses and I came back to Zimbabwe and I wanted to go back to my father's farm. One, I don't think my father would be sitting there waiting for me. Two, if my father saw me now you are back. What were you thinking going to a faraway land? You thought Dubai was going ahead. What were you thinking? What were you thinking? Now let me see what punishment can I give you. I can imagine maybe that is what my father would have done. But no, this story says maybe the father was sitting waiting, looking, waiting for the son. When will my son come back waiting, looking at the road, looking at the gate and when he saw his son the Bible says he ran and he kissed his son. He responded with love. He kissed his son and he spoke to his son. You are so happy to see his son. Dear boys and girls, this morning I want us to learn how to love. How to love the way God expects us to love. Another story I can think of is when Jesus walked on water Peter tried to walk on water too and as Peter was trying to walk on water the Bible says at one point he lost his view of Christ and he began to think and as he was thinking he cried out help, help and the Bible says immediately immediately Jesus helped him and boys and girls that is how love is supposed to respond. Whenever you find your brother and sister doing something that you don't expect them to do you don't say what are you doing in my room? How does love respond? And when we go into the world we should think how would Jesus want me to respond in this situation? Because when Peter was thinking Jesus did not say aha you thought you could be like me walking on water, drink a few more cups of water drink, drink Peter drink drown for a few more minutes I'm waiting no, no, no boys and girls Jesus reached down he picked Peter up love responds immediately and he responded in love in 1 Corinthians 13 verse 4 it says love is patient love is kind and if you want to have the love like Christ you must think like Christ love is not love until you give it away so just to remind us the song we learned earlier on love is not love until you give it away when we go into the world Jesus expects us to do one thing to give his love to each and everyone we meet our brothers, our sisters our schoolmates, whoever it is we meet we must give them the love of Christ so we're going to sing that song one more time and then we're going to pray let's go love until you give it away give it away then you know that's love give it away may Jesus help you to go everywhere you go with the love of Jesus in your heart your heads are bowed, your eyes are closed we are praying our dear heavenly Father we know it is impossible to love without having a mind like Jesus and without having a heart like Jesus I ask you this morning to help us to teach each and every one of the boys and girls mothers and fathers, uncles and aunties each and every one of us how to love the way Jesus loves teach us King Jesus how to think like you how to respond the way you would respond in every situation so that's when people see us in our homes, in our schools as we walk around Nairobi wherever we are they will see us and glorify your name because they can see the love of Jesus in our hearts continue to prepare us for your soon coming and help us truly to love the way you expect us to love bless us now and forever more we pray in your mighty name King Jesus Amen God bless you have a lovely day Thank you Thank you, thank you, good choir for that beautiful and inspiring song you have given us. And once again thank you all for tuning in from our various platforms, our online members and those who physically are here in the church. We thank you for choosing to come and wait upon these blessings the Lord has given us for this week. The time and hours come when we need to listen from the voice of God speaking to us through the scriptures. And as I mentioned here on Sabbath that our main speaker was still on the way coming. We were praying for him. I'm glad to let us all know that he was able to arrive this morning and he is right here with us to start and continue through the week speaking to us every morning and every evening on this great theme, I will go. So as I said our speaker is known to us, man of God, Pastor Imanigete who comes to us from Monrovia in Liberia where he serves as a pastor of Monrovia Central SDA Church. And he is a friend of this church and as it were a friend of God. Before he stands to speak I want to invite you that you purpose to silently be saying a prayer for him that the Lord may use him to reach out to us. Number two I also want to once again remind us as it was announced last evening that we continue reminding us that we are preparing for the whole communion and so we are requesting all our members and visitors who would want to be interested in you know, fellowshiping with us on the whole communion to register your names. We have a Google form so you can go to our website and you can see that from there you're going to register your names and those who are coming to church every day physically right at the entrance of the church there is a form there for you there will be decons waiting for you that you may register yourself. We need your registration for us to be able to prepare and quickly as we prepare for the whole communion. May the Lord bless you and now man of God is the time to share the word. Praise the Lord. Are you excited to be in the presence of the Lord this morning? We are so grateful to the Lord for the privilege of worship. It's been a long time coming but we gave him the glory for bringing us here safely. I bring you greetings from my family Corinna, Nathaniel and Mary. Greet you and are excited that you extended us this opportunity, this invitation to come and share Jesus. I also greet you on behalf of my congregation. I'm now with King Immanuel, Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Preston Truth Company and they all greet you. It is a blessing to be able to join you in this year's meeting with such a profound theme. I will go. I will go. A theme wish happens to be the quinquennial theme of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, a theme which is missional, which has as its goal the involvement of every member of the Church. So as we reflect this week on this profound theme, I pray that the Holy Spirit will put the Word of God on our lip as we share His Word. Thank you so much the committee, committee and my brothers who are serving you here as pastors for the invitation to join you for worship and to share God's Word this week. I want us to, if you will, turn your Bibles to the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah chapter 6 and Isaiah chapter 6 is the key text that the key text of the General Conference for this theme I will go. Isaiah chapter 6 verses 1 through 8. Isaiah chapter 6 verses 1 through 8. This is the text we will be considering and as you flip the pages of your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 6, permit me to affirm my belief in the Bible as the Word of God. Brothers and sisters, I believe in the supremacy of the Bible. I believe that this is the ultimate authority. If you believe that women say amen, I also affirm the Bible's sufficiency that the Bible is sufficient to make one wise unto salvation. You believe that women say amen to God. And finally, I affirm the Bible's summation. I believe that all scripture comprising the old and new testaments only and 66 books only is God's inspired Word. You believe that women say amen to God. We will look at Isaiah chapter 6. We're going to read verses 1 through 8. The Bible says in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up, and a tree of his robe filled the temple. Above it stood Seraphim. Each one has six wings. With two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts.  And the post of the door was shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said, woe is me, for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For my eyes I've seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then one of the Seraphim flew you to mean having in his hand a life core which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with eight and said, behold, this has touched your lips. Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? Then I said, yeah am I, sent me. Now let's add just a few lines or a few words from verse nine. Verse nine says, and he said, go. And he said, go. The theme that you've chosen is I will go. And I've been inspired by the Lord to actually present series of messages on the theme, I go, joining with Jesus. I go, joining with Jesus. There are actually two series in this one series of messages. In the mornings by God's grace, we will be considering the question who or with whom are we to go? With whom are we to go? We will be establishing in our series of messages that the commission that we are fulfilling is not possible, you know, to be fulfilled without the companionship of the one who has commissioned us. So we are going, but we are going with Jesus. And in the evenings, we will consider the question with what are we going? With what? And we will be exploring the message of the cross. We will be exploring the three angels' messages, which the seven of the Lord tells us is the gospel or the message of justification by faith in verity. So in the mornings we'll consider with whom we are going, we are going with Jesus. And in the evening, we will consider with what are we going? We are going with the gospel of Jesus. So let's introduce this series of messages with our study of this key text, Isaiah chapter six versus one through eight. Isaiah chapter six versus one through eight. And today we will consider the topic, I go, Lord sent me. Lord sent me. I want to read the text again and then we pray. The Bible says, in the year that King Uzair died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the treeing of his robe filled the temple. Above it stood Seraphim. Each one had six wings, with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts.  And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said, Oh, it's me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of people with unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then one of the Seraphim flew to me having in his hand a life call, which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it and said, Behold, this has touched your lips. Your iniquity is taken away and your sin is purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord say, Whom shall I send and who will go for us? Then I said, Yeah, I am I, sent me. And verse nine says, And the Lord said, Go, let us pray, Father, in the name of Jesus we thank you for the privilege of Bible study. As we open your trustworthy, inspired, infallible word. We ask that the Holy Spirit who inspired your word in its entirety will illuminate Isaiah chapter six, verses one through eight, and will give us insight for living. And as it has pleased you, O God, to use a frail, a filthy, and a feeble vessel as myself. I do not ask for mighty words of human wisdom to move the audience. All I ask now, O God, is that humanity will diminish and that divinity will dominate as you speak to us pointedly, powerfully, and personally in the name of Jesus and the people of God say, Amen. I go, Lord, send me. Friends, today in our study of Isaiah chapter six, verses one through eight, we will consider Isaiah's motivation for mission. And we will see as we try to assess this motivation of the seven of God, Isaiah, why many are called, but few are chosen. Why many are not actively fulfilling the Great Commission. Why many are not motivated for mission. What is it that motivates the church to be involved in the mission of God? That's what we'll explore today as we consider Isaiah's call to ministry. What is it that motivated Isaiah? What is it that made him to so readily respond to the resounding call of God to reach the world with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? And the big idea we wish to actually put forward today in our study is mission is motivated by manifestations of the master. That's the big idea. Mission is motivated by manifestations of the master. To say another way, mission begins with meeting the master. Want to say that again? Mission begins with meeting the master. It is only when we have met the master that we can effectively go on the master's mission. Without an encounter with the master, we will most likely not be motivated for mission. And we will most likely not be effective in our missional responsibilities. What is it that motivated Isaiah to readily respond to the call of God for mission? The call of God to go on his mission. And today we'll explore three important things from Isaiah's encounter with the Lord. What is it that swayed Isaiah, that bored Isaiah, that motivated Isaiah, that enthused or made him see the expediency of preaching Christ to him crucified? The first thing we see in the text is Isaiah was swayed by the sovereignty of the Savior. What is it that motivated Isaiah to readily respond to God's universal call for a messenger with this message? What is it that swayed him? He was swayed. He was motivated by the sovereignty of God. In other words, Isaiah saw the sovereignty of God. Look at the Bible. The text says in verse 1 of Isaiah chapter 6, in the year that King Yusiah died. In the year that King Yusiah died. Brothers and sisters, in this first verse, we see that the sovereignty of God is seen in his eternity. In other words, God's sovereignty, which simply means God's ability, God's prerogative, God's capacity to do whatever he wishes, and God's immeasurable power, or God's sovereignty was seen by Isaiah and it served as a means of swaying or motivating him for mission. He encountered the manifestation of the sovereignty of God. And how was that sovereignty experienced? How was that sovereignty seen? Isaiah saw God's sovereignty expressed in the eternity of God. The Bible says in the year that King Yusiah died. Isaiah saw the Lord. In the year that King Yusiah died, this is a king who had become king at the age of 16. And for 52 years, he ministered to the nation of Judah. It is said that Isaiah was an aristocrat. He was actually part of the, you know, the kingly family. It is said that he was related to the king. So as a man, he had access to the king and I believe he always or as often as he could saw the face of the king. But now the Bible says King Yusiah died and Isaiah saw another king. At the demise of one king, Isaiah encountered another king. Yet it's one king who has died and yet it's another king who never dies. The eternity of God, Isaiah saw the eternity of God. God never dies as our king. He is eternal. The Bible says in Psalm 29 verse number 10, the Lord sat enthroned at the flood, the flood. And then it says, and the Lord sits as king forever. The Lord sat enthroned at the flood. The Lord sits as king forever. He is an eternal king. King Yusiah died, but the king of kings never dies. God's sovereignty is expressed in his eternity. But that is now all. If you look at the text, the text says, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne.  God's throne is eternal. He says I saw the Lord sitting on its throne. It is said that when King Yusiah seemed by entering into the house of the Lord to perform a priestly function, he actually was struck with leprosy. And as a result, he could now rule. So he made his son to become a co-region with him. So he saw, as Isaiah saw, one king faded away, but there is a king whose kingdom never fades. Now take note of this. When King Yusiah died after serving his people for 52 years, his son took over, and then another person came on, the kingdom of Judah, which under the leadership of King Yusiah had experienced military success, had experienced financial prosperity, had experienced all manner of successes, the kingdom began to fade away, and it would soon be destroyed by the Babylonians. So here is one king who has died. Here is a kingdom that is fading away, but brothers and sisters, God is sovereign in that. Number one, he never dies. Number two, his throne never perishes. He is alive forevermore, and he remains enthroned forevermore. God's sovereignty is expressed in his eternity. God's sovereignty was seen by Isaiah in his eternal kingdom. But that is not all. Look at the text. The text says he was high and lifted up. Now you need to take note of this, brothers and sisters. The text says, Isaiah saw. The word there, saw, means to see with perception. It's not just mere scene. It is seen with perception or seen with understanding. So what Isaiah is experiencing here is not just a vision. It is also a revelation. Isaiah gets a revelation. That is not all. The text says that he saw the Lord sitting. Now you are seated here. This does not make this place your home. But that word sitting in original language of the Bible actually means it carries the sense of habit. In other words, God sits on a throne as one who is the resident coordinator of the universe. He is seated residentially. He is seated eternally. That is what we mean by the eternal kingdom of God. He saw God sitting residentially at his residence, the resident bishop of the universe, the resident coordinator of the universe. That is God's residence. God resides on that throne. That throne is his place of abode. That throne is the place where he is eternally seated. He is eternally enthroned. So we see that number one, the sovereignty of God is expressed in his eternal nature, his essence. The sovereignty of God is expressed in his eternal kingdom. God never ceases to be king of the universe. He remains king forevermore. But there is something else that expresses or that brings home to us the eternity or rather the sovereignty of God. And that is in verse number one. It says he was high and lifted up. High and lift up. The word high there suggests that he was or is the highest. He is incomparably high. His is incomparably high. He is high. In other words, he is the highest, the greatest, the most powerful. It speaks of his might. It's of his omnipotence. It speaks of his great power. But then the text says he's lifted up. Couldn't you say this throne is high and then lifted up. Lifting brothers and sisters, that expression lifted up is somewhat, you know, passive, which means somebody is performing their action. What that suggests brothers and sisters is, because of the eternal nature of God, the power of God, the greatness of God, his throne is exalted, is elevated. So the sovereignty of God is expressed in his eternal, his eternity, in his eternal kingdom, his exalted status. But look at it again. The Bible says, and the train of his robe failed the temper. The fourth thing I wanted to see that brings to Isaiah the sovereignty of God is God epiphanic display. Epiphanic is an Old Testament or a manifestation of Jesus Christ. It is the manifestation of God. So this is an epiphanic display. The Bible says the train of his robe failed the temper. The train of his robe failed the temper.  This is what is depicted here that God's train failed the temper. The temper was absolutely occupied by his presence. God's display. And then we see finally what revealed to Isaiah the sovereignty of God is his exalted eternal veneration. His exalted eternal veneration. You ask me, what is the sovereignty of God that Isaiah saw? Isaiah saw that the king is eternal. Isaiah saw that his kingdom is eternal. Isaiah saw that he has exalted status. Isaiah saw that there was an epiphanic display. And then we see his exalted eternal veneration. The Bible says, notice this, verse number two, above it stood Seraphim. Seraphim. By the way, this is the first and only place that word occurs in the Bible. Seraphim. What does this mean? The Hebrew actually means burning ones. Isaiah saw these exalted beings. He saw these great and celestial beings. And the Bible says each one had six wings. Now it is important to note that the Bible says, with two, they covered their faces in the presence of God as exalted and as celestial as these beings where they could not behold or look straight into the face of the one who sat on the throne, nor they could not, out of humility, they covered their faces in the presence of the king. And the Bible says they covered their feet as well in humility and submission, they covered their feet. And the Bible says with two, they flew in the presence. It speaks of readiness to go on God's errand. It speaks of readiness to go on the mission of God. It reminds me of what the Bible says in Revelation chapter 14. Then I saw another angel having everlasting gospel to preach to all who dwell on the earth. He said, I saw another flower in the midst of heaven. Readiness, willingness, the kind of speed with which we go on the mission of God. Now here is the point. Exalted, eternal veneration as exalted, as celestial, as powerful as this being where. The Bible says these beings went on singing to God. Holy, holy, holy. Exalted, eternal veneration. These beings are so celestial. These beings are so holy. These beings are so exalted, but as great as they are. As novel as they are. Yeah, they are worshipping the king of kings. Yeah, they are having as their primary preoccupation the mission to simply worship God throughout eternity, shouting holy, holy, holy. Brothers and sisters, the Seraphim worship God. Exalted, eternal veneration. The greatest of all beings in the universe created by God are eternally worshiping the majesty of our master. So yeah, it's what made Isaiah to say, yes, Lord sent me. He had an encounter with the sovereignty of God. He got a revelation of the sovereignty of God. The Bible says in Isaiah 46 verses 9 and 10, Isaiah will little, yeah, the Lord say to him, remember the former things of old, for I