SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

OGUN CONFERENCE
 SATURDAY / SUNDAY
THE BREAD EVERY MARRIAGE AND
FAMILY NEEDS TODAY
BY WILLIE AND ELAINE OLIVER

THE TEXT:
John 6:24-35 ESV

I. INTRODUCTION
Bread is a staple food prepared from flour dough—usually wheat—and
water, commonly baked in an oven. Throughout recorded history around the
world, bread has been an essential part of the diet of many cultures. Bread, to be
sure, is one of the oldest human-made foods, having been of remarkable
significance since the emergence of agriculture, playing an indispensable role in
both religious rituals as well as secular culture.
Bread may be leavened by naturally occurring microorganisms, like in
sourdough, chemicals like baking soda, industrially produced yeast, or high-
pressure ventilation, creating gas bubbles fluffing up bread. In many countries,
commercial bread often includes additives to improve flavor, texture, color, shelf
life, nutrition, and ease of production.
We are gastronomes. We are commonly referred to as foodies in the
United States of America, or food lovers—a more widely used phrase. One of the
places where we enjoy eating is at The Cheesecake Factory, an American
restaurant popular across the United States and also found in Several countries
around the world. We love the bread. You can have as much as you want,
especially the brown bread (aka the whole wheat baguette). The bread is so
popular—based on a Native American bread recipe—that the chain has begun to
sell it in stores.
Over the past century, massive changes have been made to how food is
prepared and delivered to people. From drive-thru restaurants to driverless cars,
our eating and drinking have been transformed by innovation.
Food delivery began in 1922. Telephone-based food ordering started at a
Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles and spread rapidly. Now, food delivery is a
$50 billion business in the United States, involving apps such as Grubhub, Uber
Eats, and others. Even supermarkets deliver food now, especially since the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Drive-thru restaurants first appeared in 1948, when In-N-Out Burger
allowed people to order and pick up food without leaving their cars. Today, up to
70 percent of fast-food sales are drive-thru, and even establishments such as
Starbucks and Chipotle are in on the act.
The McDonald’s system was created in 1955, using consistent preparation
methods and a dependable supply chain. Now, almost every fast-food restaurant
has developed a similar system, with a newcomer called Just Salad bragging that
its employees can toss a salad every minute.
Molecular gastronomy was developed in 1987 when a microbiologist made
ice cream with liquid nitrogen and invented the popular treat Dippin’ Dots.
Similar innovations, such as cooking vacuum-sealed food through a process
called sous vide (pronounced sue-veed), are being done at Panera.
Then, Instagram appeared in 2010, establishing a new relationship
between food and photo-sharing. Now, we don’t only eat food; we send and
receive pictures of it!
And finally, in 2017, robots became the latest innovation in eating.
Chowbotics is a salad maker, Cafe X is a robot barista, and Domino’s Pizza has
been delivering pizza in certain markets during the past few years via self-driving
cars. “Customers grab their order from the back,” reports Fast Company, “no
human interaction necessary.” Lidsky, D. (2017, November). Wow!
Today, we are talking about bread and how vital it is to our lives.
Nevertheless, we are not talking about just any kind of bread but about Jesus
Christ, The Bread of Life. Our topic today is titled The Bread Every Marriage and
Family Needs Today. Let’s pray.

II. THE TEXT: JOHN 6:24-35 ESV (JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE)
“24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his
disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to
Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side
of the sea, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ 26
Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me,
not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the
loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food
that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.
For on him God the Father has set his seal.’ 28 Then they said to him,
‘What must we to do, to be doing the works of God?’ 29 Jesus
answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him
whom he has sent.’ 30 So they said to him, ‘Then what sign do you
do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform?
31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He

gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ 32 Jesus then said to them,
‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread
from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and

gives life to the world.’ 34 They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread
always.’ 35 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes
to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never
thirst.”

III. EXPLICATION AND APPLICATION

MIRACLE WORKER
Jesus was a true innovator in the world of eating, but he always had a
human touch. In all four gospels (Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17;
John 6:1-14), Jesus feeds 5,000 men (and perhaps an equal number of women
and more children; so probably about 20,000 people) by the Sea of Galilee. With
just five barley loaves and two little fish, he creates a meal in which everyone
gets as much as they want, and all are satisfied.
That’s not molecular gastronomy -- that’s miraculous gastronomy!
TEMPORAL FOOD VS. ETERNAL FOOD
Then, in the Gospel of John, Jesus warns the crowd not to focus too much
on the bread he has just given them. “Do not work for the food that perishes,”
He says, “but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will
give to you…” (John 6:27). The people are curious about this “food that endures
to eternal life,” wondering what in the world Jesus is talking about. Is he speaking
about easy-to-store, vacuum-sealed food cooked with the sous vide process?
Not exactly.
The people of Galilee have already experienced innovations in eating. Not
drive-thru restaurants or food prepared by the McDonald’s system, but
miraculous bread that comes from heaven. “Our fathers ate the manna in the
wilderness;” they say, “as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to
eat’” (John 6:31).
Jesus knows all about this manna-style bread but wants to introduce
something new. “Truly, truly, I say to you,” says Jesus, “it was not Moses who
gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from
heaven” (John 6:32). Bread from heaven—the manna received in the passage
from Egypt to Canaan—is great, he seems to be saying, but not as awesome as
the “true bread from heaven.” An even more significant innovation is coming and
is now here to transform the hearts of every husband and every wife, to
transform every home and every person in the Seventh-day Adventist Church,
regardless of your status: single—never married, divorced, widowed—married,
old, middle-aged, or young. The True Bread from Heaven is available to everyone
who will have it.
“For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven,” Jesus
announces, “and gives life to the world” (John 6:33). He is talking about heavenly
bread that doesn’t simply fill the stomach but satisfies the soul, transforms
husbands and wives; changes fathers and mothers and children and people of
every country, culture, language, and tribe, and “gives life to the world.” Indeed,
he gives life to the world of every family, including your family, if you will allow
Him into your lives. You won’t find that one on the menu at The Cheesecake
Factory or at one of your favorite restaurants. This one you must seek with all
your heart. As declared by the prophet Jeremiah: “You will seek me and find me,
when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
Not surprisingly, the people respond by saying, “Sir, give us this bread
always” (John 6:34).

LIFE GIVING BREAD

We can understand their hunger while wondering whether they really
know what they are asking for. What exactly is this bread of God that gives life to
the world? It’s not a loaf that has been shot with a blast of liquid nitrogen. It’s not
a type of bread kneaded by a robot or delivered by a driverless car. It is not the
kind of bread you can find at the supermarket or by the side of the road. This
Bread is the kind you must daily and intentionally seek, as Ellen White counsels
in Steps to Christ, p. 70: “Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this
your very first work.” White, E. G. (1892).
No, this bread of God is nothing less than Jesus himself. “I am the bread of
life;” says Jesus. “whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes
in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
The greatest of all innovations in eating is the appearance of Jesus as the
“bread of life.” For the first time, the people Jesus speaks with can receive “the
true bread from heaven,” which gives life to the world and satisfies their souls’
deepest hunger and thirst. We, too, can receive “the true bread from heaven” to
change the realities in our families by helping us manage differences of opinions
and bad attitudes, forgive past slights and hurts, and make the wrongs right
again.
So, what does it mean for Jesus to give life to the world or life to your
marriage and family relationships? Glad you asked!
 The answer to this question is both universal and very personal, and both
levels are equally important. After all, bread is a universal food, available almost
everywhere around the world. It is also very personal in the sense that it appears
in many different forms in a variety of cultures: when we visited Russia for the
first time—many years ago—we had freshly baked braided bread in our
apartment at the Euro-Asia Division Headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church in Moscow, where we stayed during our visit. This is a common
welcoming gesture in that country. The aroma of this special bread filled the
room and conveyed a welcoming spirit. Then there’s nan bread we’ve enjoyed
many times in India; chapati in East Africa; pita bread in Egypt, Israel, Jordan,
Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, and other parts of the Middle East; baguette in
France; tortillas in Mexico; and coco bread in Jamaica. And Jesus is much more
than these.
On a universal level, Jesus is the Word of God in human form. As God’s
Word, “He was in the beginning with God.” John tells us, “All things were made
through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was
life, and the life was the light of men [the Greek word for men is Anthropos;
humankind/everyone]” (John 1:2-4).
HE MADE ALL THINGS AND HOLDS ALL THINGS
Whether considering the Big Bang theory or the creation story of Genesis
chapters 1 and 2, it is important to realize that Jesus was there. Everything has
come into being through him, including life, marriage, and family. The apostle
Paul says much the same thing in his letter to the Colossians when he describes
Jesus as the firstborn of all creation. “For by him all things were created, in
heaven and on earth,” says Paul. “and in him all things hold together”
(Colossians 1:16-17).
Jesus was in the beginning with God. In him, all things hold together. This
is the universal Jesus, the eternal bread that gives life to the world. The eternal
Father that can keep marriages and families together, regardless of how
different from each other we might be. Interestingly, we believe we have so
much in common before getting married. After marriage, though, we tend to
wonder how we got together since we are as different as different. Life can be
strange sometimes because we choose to live by our feelings rather than by the
principle of love, which is “patient and kind; not envious or boastful; not arrogant
or rude; does not insist on its own way; is not irritable or resentful; does not
rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Bears all things, hopes all
things, endures all things. Love never ends…” (1 Cor. 13:4-8).
Someone once said that before marriage, opposites attract. But after
marriage, opposites tend to repel. Yet, we are here to tell you that Jesus, the
bread from heaven, can bring peace and harmony to every individual, every
marriage, and every home, even yours. If you hear His voice and open the door,
He will come in and eat with you, your spouse and family, and you with Him
(Revelation 3:20).
THE PERSONAL BREAD
But maybe this cosmic Christ is too big for us to swallow in one piece. It is
hard to take a bite out of a loaf this large. So, it’s better to drop to a much more
personal level, focusing on Jesus as the bread of life for each of us. Perhaps
that’s why he was born in the little town of Bethlehem, which means house of
bread.
As our personal bread, Jesus gives us strength to face the challenges of
personal life, of life in our marriage and family relationships—both minor
irritations and huge obstacles. Everyone knows what it feels like to be
“hangry”—that is, bad-tempered or irritable because of being hungry. A little
snack can lift your spirits and give you the strength you need to move ahead.
Long-distance runners know they cannot complete an entire marathon with the
fuel they have in their stomachs from breakfast. They must eat along the way,
fueling their muscles with gel packs, power bars, and other carbohydrates. So,
we need to snack on Jesus all day long by prayer, Bible reading, and practicing
acknowledging His presence in our lives every day—all day. He can soothe our
anxieties, calm our fears, and give us strength to forgive and ask for forgiveness.
His presence can give us patience and kindness when we need them most. Jesus
must become our personal bread.
As the bread of life, Jesus gives us the help we need to be gentle and
forgiving in our marriage and family relationships. He is the Word of God in
human form, offering us correction, guidance, and forgiveness. He is the bread of
life in human form, giving us nourishment, strength, inspiration, and kindness.
Without this living bread, we would quickly wear out and give up in the face of
the many challenges in personal life, as well as in marriage and family life. Jesus
is the One who is with us and available to us, able to satisfy and fix our hunger
and our thirst, our lack of patience and anger. Paul reminds us to seek the bread
of life when he says: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his
might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the
schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10, 11).
In this context, Ellen White shares in The Adventist Home, pp. 108-109:
“God tests and proves us by the common occurrences of life. It is
the little things which reveal the chapters of the heart. It is the little
attentions, the numerous small incidents and simple courtesies of
life, that make up the sum of life’s happiness; and it is the neglect
of kindly, encouraging, affectionate words, and the little courtesies
of life, which helps compose the sum of life’s wretchedness. It will
be found at last that the denial of self for the good and happiness of
those around us constitutes a large share of the life record in
heaven. And the fact will also be revealed that the care of self,
irrespective of the good and happiness of others, is not beneath the
notice of our heavenly Father.” White, E. G. (1952).
THE DAILY BREAD
It is no surprise, then, that this meal, this Bread of Life, needs to be offered
regularly in our homes because we all need the nourishment that comes from
the presence and influence of the Bread Jesus Christ.
On this note, Ellen White offers in Child Guidance, p. 520:
“In every family there should be a fixed time for morning and
evening worship. How appropriate it is for parents to gather their
children about them before the fast is broken, to thank the heavenly
Father for His protection during the night, and…when evening
comes, to gather once more before Him and thank Him for the
blessings of the day past.” White, E. G. (1954).
Jesus knew we would need the bread of life not just once but repeatedly,
especially as we deal with the daily challenges of marriage and family
differences. That’s why Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of
mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And
the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house,
but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:24, 25).
So, to partake of the bread of life is to build on the Words of Jesus, to build on His
teachings, to build on His values, to build on His love.
THE INNOVATIVE BREAD
To be sure, Jesus is God’s greatest innovation, the one sent into the world
“that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John
3:16). When we believe in him and eat the Bread of Life by reading His Word in
our families every day, we receive the forgiveness and inspiration we need to
face the many challenges that will inevitably emerge in our marriage and family
relationships. Nourished by “the food that endures to eternal life” (John 6:27), we
can be Christ’s people in the world, and point others to the peace, justice,
humility, patience, kindness, and salvation of the kingdom of heaven in our
marriage and family relationships despite the differences among us. In this vein,
Paul reminds us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7).
Over the centuries, there have been many innovations in eating, from food
delivery to salad-making robots. But all this earthly food eventually spoils; it is
“the food that perishes” (John 6:27). As good as it is, even cornbread spoils. In
fact—even manna—as miraculous as it was, spoiled after a day. None of it
endures for eternal life. Only by believing in Jesus and doing His will in our
marriage and family relationships each day, through love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22,
23), can we receive the bread of God which gives us and the world life, both
personally and universally, especially in our marriage and family relationships.

IV. CONCLUSION
All of us have opened the refrigerator many times to grab a snack and said
to ourselves, “I’m hungry, but don’t know what I want to eat?” Truth be told,
many of us have been snacking on junk food for far too long. It is time to get
serious about consuming and enjoying nutritious, growth-producing, life-
transforming food. Today, we need to join the crowd around Jesus in saying, “Sir,
give us this bread always” (John 6:34). It is a request we can make without
needing a smartphone or an app. It is a request we need to make every day,
every hour, in fact, every minute.
For our deepest hunger—to be sure—is for the authentic living bread,
Jesus Christ himself. He needs to be our choice in our marriage and family
relationships today and every day. As the apostle Paul declares, “…walk by the
Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh
are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these
are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do”
(Galatians 5:16, 17). As we choose to partake of the Bread of Life today, the
Bread Jesus Christ, may God bless your marriage and family today—despite your
differences—as you recognize and embrace the truth that Jesus is the bread
every marriage and family needs today.
God bless you.

MONDAY / TUESDAY
JUST SHOW UP!
BY CÉSAR AND CAROLANN DE LEÓN

THE TEXT
Luke 14:1,15-24
 INTRODUCTION
Our story begins with Jesus being invited to the house of a Pharisee ruler
to eat bread. It was a Sabbath day, so you might initially think this is a nice
invitation we sometimes receive to join a Sabbath-keeping family for lunch.
I remember the time when my wife and I visited a town where I had been
a college student. We had already been invited for a meal with a dear family that
Sabbath; however, after the sermon, six additional families invited us to a meal
for the following day, which was our last day in town— and nobody took no for an
answer. So, we attended six meal invitations distributed throughout the day to
honor each gracious and loving host. [Presenter can add a personal story to
connect with the audience].
However, in our story, the invitation was not coming from a loving saint.
The motive behind his invitation was not altogether virtuous. This religious
leader had invited Jesus with one evil purpose, “to be watched.” They likely
wanted to gather more data to see how they might destroy him more quickly.
Knowing their intentions, Jesus told them a story.
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to
Jesus, Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.
16 Jesus replied: A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited

many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell
those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But
they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a
field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have
just bought five yokes of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please
excuse me.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 The
servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the
house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the
streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind
and the lame.’ 22 ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done,
but there is still room.’ 23 Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the
roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house
will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste
of my banquet.’ Luke 14:15-24 (NIV)

AN INVITATION TO THE SUPER SUPPER

This invitation symbolizes the heavenly banquet our Lord is preparing for
His treasured guests to enjoy with Him. It represents heaven’s utmost effort to
attract the objects of God’s deepest affection. This banquet invitation is just a
revelation of who He is. Our God is a relational God who enjoys fellowship and
communion. This is one of the greatest realities spoken of in the Gospels.
1“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and

the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through
him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has
been made.” John 1:1-2 (NIV)
7 “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now

on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show
us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered:
“Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such
a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How
can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in
the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do
 not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me,
who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the
Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence
of the works themselves.” John 14:7-11 (NIV)
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our

likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds
in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all
the creatures that move along the ground. 27 So God created
mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)
God is a community of three persons who interrelate with each other in
love, justice, and peace. Thus, we cannot be surprised that God creates humans
and places them in the context of a family community. The image of God in us is
displayed every time we demonstrate our ability to live in harmonious, peaceful,
and loving micro-communities called families, which God wants to use to
influence and bless the greater family— the world.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and
patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of
you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave
you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all
together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.
And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly
as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through
psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with
gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or
deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God
the Father through him. Col. 3:12-17 (NIV)

SHOW UP!
At first sight, our story today seems to indicate that people at this dinner
understood the privilege of having supper with Jesus.
LUKE 14:15 (NIV)
“When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus,

“Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
So, Jesus decided to follow up with the conversation by telling them a
story. A story that would reveal that their hearts were not where their words
were. The invitees received a special invitation to be participants in this
honorable banquet. However, they were too busy to attend! The Biblical
narrative records that they “politely” excused themselves, and none of the
invitees showed up.
Let’s assume that this banquet represents our family. What is keeping us
from showing up? What are the excuses we are giving for staying away from our
families?
Where have we been when our family has celebrated important and
meaningful moments in their lives? Where have we been when our family has
had a need, whether financial, emotional, or spiritual? When our spouses have
needed us and our children have been in crisis—where have we been? Sleeping
in our beds, having family meals, and seeing our family for a few moments here
and there does not mean we are genuinely emotionally connected to them. Too
many spouses, fathers, and mothers are home physically but emotionally absent.
Sadly, being emotionally absent is typically something we do unconsciously.
Parental absenteeism is something we often practice without being aware. It is
difficult to identify when we have checked out emotionally.
Psychosocial studies have demonstrated that parents who are physically
present but are emotionally absent inadvertently cause deeper emotional
damage to their children than when they are unable to be physically present.
ILLUSTRATION
There was a young man who was profoundly bitter towards his aging
father because although the father was home while he was growing up, he was
too busy to be a part of his son’s life experiences. You see, this father was well
into his 50s when his son was born, and he was extremely busy developing his
career and making a name for himself. He simply did not have any time for his
young son. Today, his son suffers from deep depression, a fragmented sense of
self, and feelings of rejection. We were created to be a part of someone’s life, a
part of a family, a community. When a child knows he is loved, cherished, and
important to his family, he will develop emotionally and spiritually healthy.
Are we aware there may be “lost coins” (Luke 15:8-10) in our homes?
Lonely spouses losing their faith in God. Stressed-out children wondering if God
really cares. Husbands so broken, they can’t find their connection to the Father.
Exhausted single mothers losing hope as they struggle with relentless financial
and parenting challenges.
Let’s imagine this banquet invitation represents our marriage. What is
keeping us from showing up? It is not uncommon to hear spouses complaining
during the typical counseling session: “I don’t feel he is really here,” or “Our
bodies are here, but we are drifting apart, and we don’t know how to stop it.”
Sometimes, we are just too busy to show up!
The “Empty Bed Syndrome” is a relational and psychological condition
that is marring the marital experience today. Husband and wife lay in bed,
feeling deep emotional disconnection and hundreds of physical miles apart. One
sleeps on one side of the bed and the other on the opposite side, leaving a wide
space between them that is seldom occupied.
Perhaps the banquet dinner represents a relationship with one of our
children or with all our children. Maybe we just can’t find a way to connect to
them. Emotional connection is developed through frequent positive interactions.
Perhaps we have bought the satanic lie that our growing children don’t really
need us, and we have busied ourselves with piles of work or church
commitments.
“Our kids are so different”—we tell ourselves, “they think and speak
another language,” and we just drift apart as we watch them enjoying their
friends and their lives, emotionally disconnected from us. It’s just so easy to not
show up!

ILLUSTRATION
I still remember when one of my adult sons asked me if I remembered
when he played with his toys next to my home office door in the hallway. Feeling
ashamed, I told him that I did not remember. When I asked him why he would
play there under the frame of my door, he said, “Mom told me you couldn’t be
bothered because you were so busy, but still, I wanted to be close to you.” Ouch!
My conference had given me a 3-month sabbatical to complete my doctoral
dissertation. And I was too busy to notice my 4-year-old son playing at my door
during that quarter. [Presenter can use this illustration OR something more
personal].
What excuses are we giving for not showing up to the events, gatherings,
and routine family moments that are critical investments in our family’s healthy
development? It’s never too late to show up for your family. It’s never too late to
become involved in your children’s lives, whether they are 2, 12, 20, or 40 years
old.
Family theorists have clearly explained that it is easier for a child to
develop a healthy faith in God when the parents develop a healthy emotional
attachment with their children. Fowler, J. (1981). This attachment is developed
through the constant, faithful, and caring presence of the caregivers. Faith
development is a family matter. A child needs a role model to show the way to
God, just like Jesus modeled it to his disciples, “I am the way, the truth and life”
(John 14:6).
Parents are called to show their children “the way” because they have
already found it themselves. Faith in a child originates when he sees genuine
faith being lived out by the parents who have already found their identity and life
mission in a saving, healing relationship with Jesus. Faith has been and always
will be rooted in a community of believers.
“Christ’s love is deep and earnest, flowing like an irrepressible stream to
all who will accept it. There is no selfishness in His love. If this heaven-born love
is an abiding principle in the heart, it will make itself known, not only to those we
hold most dear in sacred relationships but to all with whom we come in contact.
It will lead us to bestow little acts of attention, to make concessions, to perform
deeds of kindness, to speak tender, true, encouraging words. It will lead us to
sympathize with those whose hearts hunger for sympathy.” MCP-1, 208.

AN ALL-INCLUSIVE INVITATION
Now comes the most exciting part of the story.
21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the

owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out
quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor,
the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ Luke 14: 21-23 (NIV)

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ALL-INCLUSIVE

When the well-to-do, the aristocrats, the people who have the money to
buy, sell, and can afford a wedding, are far too busy to come, heaven pivots to
the second and most important part of the plan and extends the invitation to the
ones who really need to attend.
“Go out into the streets and alleys of the town and bring . . .” the widows
and the orphans, the divorcees, the rejected, the marginalized, the homeless,
the verbally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abused. If they had been
invited first, the rich would not have come; so in an attempt to attract everyone
— the upscale and downscale, the downtown and uptowns, the people from the
valleys and the hills; Jesus began his invitation with the people that were most
difficult to attract; the picky, the uppity, the learned, the “too sophisticated,” so
that they wouldn’t have additional excuses not to attend.
When it comes to evangelism, nothing has changed since the time of
Jesus! The message of the cross has always been more attractive to the lost, the
poor, the naked, the afflicted.
“Go out into the streets” and bring the emotionally neglected, the abused
and financially broke, the elderly who have been abandoned by their children.
“Go to the alleys” and bring the sons and daughters that have been rejected and
thrown out of their homes. Bring those young people doing drugs and alcohol in
an attempt to self-medicate their empty and lonely lives. Bring those suffering
from domestic abuse, those living under threat, and those attempting to give up
that keep thinking of suicide.
 22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but
there is still room.’ 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to
the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that
my house will be full.
I just love this! Jesus’ invitation is widened. The Lord’s desire is all-
inclusive and all-encompassing. No one should be left out, the marginalized all
over the world, in every city, every town, every village, the invitation is given to
be a part of the Kingdom of God. The financially, emotionally, and spiritually
bankrupt, the dubious of character, the “losers,” the addicts, the broken, those
who are truly hungry. The invitation is for them and for you. The table is already
set!
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who
have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not
bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me,
and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3
Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an
everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
Isaiah 55:1-3 (NIV)
“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears
say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who
wishes, take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:17
(NIV) Nobody is rejected, and no one is conditionally accepted. If
you are hungry and thirsty, the banquet invitation is for you. If you
are suffering, lonely, anxious, or depressed, the invitation is for you.

DON’T MISS THE MOST IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT

Rewind to our story. It seems like the guests forgot that attending the
banquet meant they became the recipients of all the Host’s benevolence. The
gifts and honors specifically prepared for the guests were far greater than a
mere evening of culinary pleasure. Coming to the banquet meant becoming the
recipients of a radically abundant quality of life that would permeate every
aspect of their existence.
Since the Host of the banquet is Jesus Himself, He offers Himself as the
sustaining Bread of Life, the Living Water that quenches and satisfies the
deepest needs and desires of the human heart. But like those invited guests, all
too often, we are simply too busy to participate in a life-transforming celebration
with Jesus.
The irony is that the first group of invited guests didn’t have a clue that
this invitation to the banquet was the most important appointment they needed
to attend. Who buys a field without first looking at it? Who buys animals without
first checking them out? Even the newly married groom could have brought his
bride with him to the banquet—even if for a few hours.
They would have gladly accepted the invitation if they had understood
that coming to the banquet would have resulted in all the joy and meaning their
acquisitions could never have given. I wonder how much sustainable joy and
meaning the piece of land and the five yoke of oxen or even the brand-new wife
resulted in?
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in
your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalms.
16:11 (NIV)
But they were all too busy. They all believed they had something more
important to attend to.
 Unfortunately, we can be efficient in many things in our lives but not
necessarily effective. When we say we’re too busy, it usually means we don’t
have our priorities straight. We think we are busy with important matters, but
unless our family comes first in our lives, we will have disordered priorities.
Ramsey Solutions (n.d.). offers a list of eight signs to confirm whether you
might be too busy:
You are always trying to multi-task.
You are exhausted and overwhelmed.
You must schedule things well in advance.
You have a hard time focusing and enjoying the moment.
You never take time off.
You fell out of balance.
You feel guilty a lot of the time.
You’re filling your calendar with things you don’t even want to do.
If this is you, today is an excellent day to recalibrate your values and priorities
and put your family first.

CONCLUSION
The best dish served is not eaten at the table. The greatest banquet
attended doesn’t take place in a hall. The best social gathering doesn’t take
place in the neighborhood park or the bar. It takes place at the feet of Jesus. The
best time spent is not acquiring fields, animals, or buildings— even though it’s
fine to accumulate wealth, as it can solve temporary financial problems and be a
blessing to others.
The best place to be is not at the marketplace or the meeting place; it is in
the presence of a loving God who longs to reach out to heal our broken priorities,
redeem our messed-up lives, and save us from our self-centered priorities.

THE CALL
Let’s come to the supper. There is deep nourishment awaiting. Let’s say
yes to Jesus and begin an other-focused life that prioritizes the important things
over the good things, puts people over things, and relationships over business
transactions. That counts heaven’s gifts as blessings and not as inconveniences.
That seeks to sit at the feet of Jesus before making profitable deals.
The banquet dinner is expensive. It was purchased at Calvary. The cost
was the shed blood of the Son of God because this is a matter of life or death.
Let’s drop what we’re doing and show up!
Going after material things as the primary focus of our lives is going to
leave us wanting, hungry, and thirsty. Let’s say yes to Jesus’ invitation, complete
His plan of salvation, and enlarge his family. As individuals, as families, let’s live
out the words, “I will go with my family,” and reach out to those who are in our
home and those outside our home in need of a Savior. Today I invite you,
come . . . show up! It’s never too late to show up!

WEDNESDAY / THURSDAY
TURN THE PAGE
JEFFREY O. BROWN
 THE TEXT
Jeremiah 29:4-7

PURPOSE
The purpose of this sermon is to uphold biblical standards of family life
that portray the highest standards of law and the widest levels of grace. With
regards to Family Ministries Objective 6, this sermon attempts to address:
1. Involvement in the community
2. Unity and Community
3. Retention of young adults
4. Respect for all people
5. Zero tolerance [what I’m not going to do] regarding abusing those who are
different from us. This is important, but so is intentional tolerance [what I am
going to do] regarding loving those who are different from us.

INTRODUCTION
[NOTE: PLEASE INSERT YOUR OWN ILLUSTRATION HERE OR REFERENCE
THE AUTHOR IN YOUR SERMON]. As a student missionary from Newbold College
in England, I was waiting at a bus stop in the beautiful village of Agona-Ashanti in
Ghana, West Africa. After a while, I asked the group at the bus stop, “What time
is the bus coming?” “Oh, don’t worry,” they said. “Soon come. It will soon come.”
I waited. After some time, I turned to the group again. They were laughing and
enjoying themselves. “I’m sorry to disturb you,” I said. “Is the bus coming?” “Oh,
don’t worry,” they said. “It will soon come.” It got dark. I approached the group
again. “I’m sorry, but for the last time. Is the bus coming?” They said, “Oh, don’t
worry, if it doesn’t come today, it will come tomorrow.”
I knew from that day that if my ministry in Ghana was going to be a
success, I needed to change my perspective. Turning the page means to do
some things differently. Be prepared to change your approach and look at
familiar things through new lenses. Babylon. Oh, we know Babylon. Appalling
apostasy. Revelation 14:8, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because
she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Oh, we
know Babylon. Abject failure. Psalm 137:1, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we
sat down, and there we wept when we remembered Zion.” Oh, we know Babylon.
Blatant wickedness. Revelation 18:4 says, “Babylon is the habitation of devils,
the hold of every foul spirit, a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, Come out
of her, my people.”
So John exiled on the isle of Patmos, writes to the people of God and warns
them about Babylon. They know Babylon. Where their ancestors were taken into
captivity, they know Babylon. Where their 597 BC was our 911 AD, they know
Babylon. Where their Nebuchadnezzar was our Osama bin Laden, they know
Babylon.
But rewind the tape. As bad as Babylon is, along comes Jeremiah. He
speaks to God’s people taken into captivity in Babylon and tells them to build in
Babylon. Marry in Babylon. Prosper in Babylon. How do we reconcile this
apparent contradiction? On the one hand, ‘Come out. Keep out. Stay out.’ And
then, on the other hand, ‘Move in. Live in. Stay in?’ Maybe God is saying, ‘Move
into Babylon, but don’t let Babylon move into you.’ So how do you do that? How
do you get connected with Babylon but not contaminated in Babylon? How do
you get incarnated with Babylon but not incarcerated in Babylon? How do you
get wrapped up with Babylon but not tripped up in Babylon? Our Scripture makes
it clear.

I. EXPECT GOD’S PAIN IN BABYLON

Firstly, expect God’s pain in Babylon. It’s in the text. Jeremiah 29:4. “Thus
saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away
captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon.”
Your sins may have caused your punishment, but I have chosen your
punishment, says God. You will live in Babylon, so expect that there will be pain.
You’re living among people in your neighborhood that don’t worship like you do;
expect that there will be pain. Your children are in school with kids who don’t
behave like yours; expect that there will be pain. You’re working at a job where
people’s language and attitudes, the way they treat you, and sometimes just the
way they look at you may be painful. The Bible says, “All that will live godly in
Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). The rain will fall on the
just and the unjust, expect that there will be pain. The wheat and the tares must
grow together, expect that there will be pain. You’re not in New Jerusalem yet. In
His wisdom, God has placed us in certain communities, even in Babylon, home of
every unclean bird and beast. Why? Because He wants every unclean bird and
beast to be saved!
So, expect God’s pain in Babylon. I don’t know what your pain is today.
Sometimes, it’s the pain of depression. Sometimes, it’s the pain of divorce. And
sometimes, it’s the pain of discouragement. But sometimes, ours is the pain of
personal discomfort. I just don’t like people like that being so close to me. Peter
understood this. Peter went up on the roof to pray. God gave him a vision of
recorded in Acts 10. Peter saw a huge sheet knotted at the four corners coming
down from heaven. In this sheet were every species of quadrupeds. Wild and
domestic. Reptiles and fowls. Beasts, birds, and bugs. And if this was not
alarming enough, Peter receives a message from God, “Arise Peter, kill and eat”
(Acts 10:11). The word ‘kill’ seems to imply slaughter and destruction, but it
really involves sacrifice and dedication. It is the same word Paul used when he
said in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service.”
Up to that moment, acceptable sacrifices had always been from clean,
pure animals. God was now saying, ‘Come close to the unclean.’ He was not
talking about animals; He was talking about the Gentiles. He was talking about
people and saying, ‘Prepare to change perspectives—even long-held
perspectives.’ When the Holy Ghost starts to move, He pushes the positions that
you prefer. He bulldozes the baggage that you bring. He trashes the traditions
that you treasure. And He crushes the customs that you cherish. Make way for
the Gentiles! Then, expect that there will be pain.
Who is Babylon for you? Who makes you uncomfortable? Maybe it’s
people in the world who are different from us. God may try to get your
attention by bringing a sheet to a church near you. It may contain all kinds of
people: tattered jeans, tattooed skin, multi-colored hair, pierced body parts,
tobacco on their breath, alcohol in their hands, and drugs in their veins. Persons
with alternative sexualities, addictions, criminal records, pedophiles… ‘I know it
may be uncomfortable for you,’ says the Lord, ‘but guess what, I can’t clean
them up if you don’t let them in.’ You say, ‘But Lord, I have never let them into
my church before.’ And God says, ‘I know, that’s why I startled you, that’s why I
gave you this vision!’ You say, ‘That will be too painful for my church,’ well,
newsflash, it’s not your church. The Bible says, “My house shall be called a house
of prayer for all people” (Isaiah 56:7).
Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 386, “They may be ragged, uncouth, and
seemingly in every way unattractive; yet they are God’s property. They have
been bought with a price and are as precious in His sight as we are. They are
members of God’s great household, and Christians, as His stewards, are
responsible for them.” In these last days, God is bringing in people to help Him
reach people you and I don’t want to reach, to help Him touch people you and I
don’t want to touch, because with or without our vote, God is going to finish His
work.

II. EXPLORE GOD’S PLEASURE IN BABYLON

Not only does the text tell us to expect God’s pain in Babylon, but,
secondly, it tells us to explore God’s pleasure in Babylon. Jeremiah 29:5-7a.
“Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take
wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your
daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there,
and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into
exile and pray to the LORD on its behalf.”
In Jeremiah, God’s people are exiled to Babylon. And the fundamental
question of the prophets is, ‘How long?’ False prophets tell the people of God in
Babylon that it won’t be long. But from his outpost in Egypt, Jeremiah lets them
know that the exile will last 70 years. So, settle down and live. Jeremiah tells the
exiles not to just move into Babylon, go to school, get a career, buy a house, get
married, start a family, take out life insurance, or get a retirement plan. Lord, I
don’t understand. On the one hand, come out of Babylon, and on the other hand,
move into Babylon. Where should I be, in the world or not in the world? In
Babylon or not in Babylon? The text gives us the answer. You may experience
God’s pain in Babylon, but you must also explore God’s pleasure in Babylon. And
His pleasure is that you should contribute to the welfare of your society.
You may be in Babylon, but you must explore God’s pleasure for you
there. What is God’s pleasure? 3 John 2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that
thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Jeremiah
29:7. “Seek the prosperity of the city where I have sent you into exile” (NASB).
We are called to be salt and light with people in the world. Mix with them and be
a blessing to them—but prepare to be misunderstood. Some may accuse you of
compromising. They said of Jesus, “This man receives sinners and eats with
them” (Luke 15:2). Thy called Him a winebibber and a glutton. But don’t let your
zeal for correctness overshadow your burden for compassion. God wants us to
love the least, the last, and the lost. That’s our mission.
Religious educator Findley Edge said, “It is to the world to which we are
called. We are not sent to serve the church but to the world as an instrument of
redemption. Thus, we are not called to attend meetings in the institutional
church merely to keep certain organizations alive and growing. It is the world we
are seeking to save, not the institution. The church is to lose its life; as it does
so, it will find that it has fulfilled its calling.” Tucker, M. R. (1975).
[NOTE: PLEASE INSERT YOUR OWN ILLUSTRATION HERE OR REFERENCE
THE AUTHOR IN YOUR SERMON].
When I was president of the church in Bermuda, the media would call and
ask for our stance on issues affecting families and the community because we
were a major church in that country. They asked, “What is the Seventh-day
Adventist position on gambling?” I gave them our position:
Society pays the escalating cost of associated crime, victim support,
and family breakdown, which erodes the quality of life. Seventh-day
 Adventists have consistently opposed gambling as it is incompatible
with Christian principles. Seventh-day Adventist Church. (n.d.).
They asked, “What is the Seventh-day Adventist position on
homosexuality?” I gave them our position:
Seventh-day Adventists believe that sexual intimacy belongs only
within the marital relationship of a man and a woman. This was the
design established by God at creation. Sexual acts outside the circle
of a heterosexual marriage are forbidden … For these reasons
Seventh-day Adventists are opposed to homosexual practices and
relationships. Seventh-day Adventist Church. (n.d.).
They asked, “What is the Seventh-day Adventist position on selling alcohol on
Sundays?” I gave them our position:
Seventh-day Adventists abstain from the use, manufacture, or sale
of alcoholic beverages, the use, manufacture, or sale of tobacco in
any of its forms for human consumption, and from the misuse of or
trafficking in, narcotics or other drugs. Seventh-day Adventist
Church. (2022).
As I repeatedly gave the church’s official positions, people started writing
letters to the newspaper and blogs online. They asked, ‘Why were the Adventists
meddling in other people’s lives?’ They wondered why we couldn’t mind our own
business. We seemed to be always negative, always disapproving, always saying
no. I saw a study about how young people view today’s church. Seventh-day
Adventist Church. (2022).
Boring -- 68%
Insensitive to others -- 70%
Out of touch with reality -- 72%
Overly political -- 75%
Old-fashioned -- 78%
Hypocritical -- 85%
Judgmental -- 87%
Anti-homosexual -- 91%
I decided it was time to turn the page. So, I sent a letter to the news
reporter. I quoted the survey and said I was sorry for being insensitive. I said we
make no apologies for our biblical standards and positions, but I said our church
prefers to be known by what it is for rather than what it is against. “From now
on,” I said, “I want us to be positive. I want to be part of the solution, not part of
the problem. We have wonderful schools, wonderful churches, and wonderful
young people. We want to focus on health and well-being. We want to seek the
welfare of our community.” Bell, J. (2013, November 13).
The reporter wrote back. He said,
“Thank you, Dr Brown. I’m not personally religious in the church sense,
but I recall the Adventists giving out free gasoline to people a couple of years
ago. I heard a lot about that simple act of compassion, which no doubt cost your
membership a pretty penny. That act meant a lot to people as you prayed with
them while filling their tanks. Your church and others ensure that many people
out there who don’t have food get something to eat and a little community while
they eat it. When the school year started, your church handed out school bags
and supplies just a couple of months ago. I’m not speaking as a reporter here,
just as one person to another. I appreciate the response you’ve sent, by the way.
You certainly don’t rank as insensitive in my book, for what it’s worth.”
The Royal Gazette’s blogosphere had a new tone. One person wrote that
this “focused on the real purpose of the church in the community instead of the
small stuff.” But the real heart warmer was when one of our own young people
called. He had stopped going to church. He said to me, “When people don’t like
things in the conference, they don’t hesitate to call. But you wrote something in
the Royal Gazette that I liked, and I knew I had to call. What you wrote about the
church now striving to be more compassionate in the community was so
heartening to me.” He concluded, “That’s the kind of church I want to belong to.”
He came back to church, got rebaptized, got married, and now he and his wife
are lay leaders in his church.
Desire of Ages, p. 639, “His followers are not to feel themselves detached
from the perishing world around them. They are a part of the great web of
humanity; and Heaven looks upon them as brothers to sinners as well as to
saints.”

III. EXPERIENCE GOD’S PROMISE IN BABYLON

Not only does the text call us to expect God’s pain in Babylon and to
explore God’s pleasure in Babylon, but finally, it calls us to experience God’s
promise in Babylon. Jeremiah 29:7, “But seek the welfare of the city where I have
sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will
find your welfare.”
God says, ‘Not only have I made their salvation dependent upon how
much they associate with you, but I have made your salvation dependent upon
how much you associate with them.’ Look at the text. Jeremiah 29:7 in the Clear
Word Paraphrase says, “Pray for that country, because if it prospers, so will you.”
That’s the promise! We talk so much about unity, and we think it means we
should all believe the same thing or all practice the same thing, but that’s not
what it means. It’s not about just uniting with each other; it’s about uniting with
the world! Desire of Ages, p. 641, “The love of the Redeemer will draw hearts
together in unity... And when His parting words are fulfilled, ‘Love one another,
as I have loved you’ (John 15:12); when we love the world as He has loved it,
then for us His mission is accomplished. We are fitted for heaven.” If it prospers,
so will you!
What is it that makes you uncomfortable? For some of us, maybe it’s
people in the world who are different from us. For others of us, maybe
it’s people in the church who are different from us. Reminds me of
what Jackie Lynton said. Jackie was the founder of National Change Day,
sponsored by the British National Health Service and duplicated worldwide.
After a long and brave fight with cancer, Jackie passed away. In a
presentation entitled “Harnessing the community” she said, “We must
activate the mavericks, the radicals, the rebels, and the heretics. Because
without them, the storyline never changes.” It sounds like preaching
professor Brett Younger, who said, “The church does not need any more
reasonable ministers. We need ministers who will set their own hair on fire for
what is right. The church has more than enough predictable, conventional,
cookie-cutter ministers. We need ardent, zealous, fervent, fiery, incensed,
inflamed, enraged, obsessive, impassioned, hot-blooded, and fanatical
ministers.” Younger, B. (2013).
Who is it that makes you uncomfortable? You see, while God requires
from some of them a change in behavior, God requires from some of us a
change in attitude. We may be uncomfortable with people who are different
from us. We may be uncomfortable with people in the church who are
different from us. Or we may be uncomfortable with people in other
churches who are different from us. What do they have to teach us, we
ask?
 [NOTE: PLEASE INSERT YOUR OWN ILLUSTRATION HERE OR REFERENCE
THE AUTHOR IN YOUR SERMON].
When I pastored in Toronto, one of my Apple Creek Church members
had a fine tradition. Married to a Christian from another denomination, she
would invite her pastor and family to have lunch with her husband’s pastor
and family. In the course of our conversation, I asked him about hobbies or if
he had written anything. I knew I had written one or two books, so I was
ready for him. “Oh, I’ve done a little writing,” he said meekly. “What book
have you written?” “Oh, I don’t write books,” he responded. “What do you
write, then?” “I write hymns.” “Hymns!” I said. “What’s the name of one of
your hymns?” “Oh, I don’t think you’ve heard of it.” “Try me.” He said, “Days
are filled with sorrow and care, Hearts are lonely and drear; Burdens are
lifted at Calvary, Jesus is very near.” I was conscious that my mouth was wide
open. It’s number 476 in the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. I was humbled. I
would gladly have exchanged all my books for just one stanza of that hymn
by my new friend, John Moore.
What might persons in other churches have to teach us? Perhaps a
whole lot. Great Controversy, p. 390, “Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness
and alienation from God that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon,
the great body of Christ’s true followers are still to be found in their
communion.”

APPEAL
So, should we move out of Babylon? Or should we move Into Babylon?
Jesus solved the dilemma in John 17:15 when He said, “I pray not that you should
take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil.” Move
into Babylon, but don’t let Babylon move into you. Don’t turn your back; instead,
turn the page. Do it for their sakes. And they’ll tell us,
I know you read, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world” (1 John 2:15), but I’m so glad you turned the page and read, “For God so
loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16).
I know you read, “Friendship of the world is enmity with God and
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James
4:4), but I’m so glad you turned the page and read, “For God sent not his Son
into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be
saved” (John 3:17).
I know you sang, “This world is not my home,” but I’m so glad you turned
the page and sang, “This is my Father’s world.”
I know you preach, “Come out of Babylon,” but I’m so glad you turned the
page and moved into Babylon. Now, the Jesus you serve is my Jesus, too. The
church you go to is my church, too. And the heaven you are going to is my
heaven, too.
That is them. What about you? Aren’t you glad that Jesus turned the page
for you?
I know you read, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), but aren’t
you glad Jesus turned the page and said, “But the gift of God is eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I know you read, “The thief cometh but to steal, kill, and destroy” (John
10:10), but aren’t you glad Jesus turned the page and said, “But I have come
that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.”
 I know you read, “Weeping may endure for a night” (Psalm 30:5), but
aren’t you so glad Jesus turned the page and said, “But joy” … wonderful joy …
glorious joy … “comes in the morning.”
Turn the page. Turn the page. Turn the page.

FRIDAY / SATURDAY
PRAYING FOR YOUR FAMILY
BY PAVEL GOIA
THE TEXT
1 Sam. 12:23

PURPOSE
This sermon shows the process of praying for our family members in the
example of Hannah, Samuel’s mother.

INTRODUCTION
Most of us know that prayer is essential, especially when petitioning God
on their behalf. But have you ever thought about this: It is not only a vital duty to
pray for your family, it is a sin against God not to pray for them.
[NOTE: PLEASE INSERT YOUR OWN ILLUSTRATION HERE OR REFERENCE
THE AUTHOR IN YOUR SERMON].
My wife, Daniela, and I are blessed with two wonderful boys: Gabriel
(Gabe) and Ovidiu (Ovi). They are good-looking, like their mother, hardworking;
they love Jesus, and they love us. They call and talk to us daily. They pray and
study the Word, get involved in the church, and so on. However, that was not
always the case for one son. Our older boy, Gabe, decided he didn’t want or
need God anymore when he was about 17 years old. He just wanted to have fun
and determined that church spoiled his fun. So, he no longer wanted to attend
church, pray, or study the Bible. In fact, he said, “Leave me alone with your
religious stuff. It is for old people; when I retire, I will come back to church.”
We educated them and raised them in love for God and the Word. And
they had free will to make their own choices. Friends have such a powerful
influence over children. Good friends can pull them up, while bad friends can
push them down. Our son made friends that, let’s just say, were not the best
influence on him. He stopped going to church, started to get bad grades in
school, decided to speed, and, consequently, got speeding tickets and was
involved in car accidents. The list goes on.
My wife and I prayed for them both faithfully. Daniela even fasted every
Wednesday. I fasted every single day, but never more than five hours
consecutively!

TWISTING GOD’S ARM

How long should we pray? You see, if you pray “petition” prayers, if you
ask God for temporary things like a bigger house, a nicer car, a higher-paying
job, an ivy-league school, better health—things related to this life—what you are
doing is trying to impose your will on God. Instead of twisting God’s arm to do
what you ask, be like Jesus in the garden, and say, “May Your will be done,” and
then accept God’s will and trust in His love, wisdom, and promises. Wait for His
answer in His time. The Bible promise in Isaiah 40:31 refers to those who “WAIT
on the Lord.”
But if you pray “intercessory” prayers and plead to God on behalf of
someone else’s salvation for eternal things, keep praying and never stop. We
cannot take anything to heaven except the people we work and pray for. God
gave us freedom of choice, and He respects our choice. When we pray for
someone who doesn’t desire a relationship with God or has rejected God, our
prayers give God opportunities to work on their heart where He is not yet invited.
BACK TO THE STORY
My wife and I earnestly prayed for Gabe. We prayed every single day; we
labored in prayer. We decided not to let God go before He did something about
our son. We wanted to know what God wanted us to do; we didn’t want to push
Gabe too far, nor did we want to do nothing. We even asked God to do whatever
it took to save our son; what’s the benefit of having things yet having him lose
eternal life?
It took more than two years of fervent, determined prayer, a time when
the situation didn’t seem to get better. In fact, at times, it seemed to get worse.
We could not afford to get discouraged and stop praying. We said, “We will pray
as long as we live.”
Our son started to have all types of incidents.
One Sabbath, while waterskiing with his friends, he had an accident. While
showing off, he jumped up in the air, trying to roll over, and dropped the rope the
boat was pulling him with. The handle bounced up and hit him in the back of the
head. There was blood all over. The doctor said that he would have died if the
handle had hit him one more inch towards the middle of his head. He called us
and said he would change his life. He didn’t.
Another time, he was driving home from college for Christmas vacation. It
was snowing; he was speeding and fell asleep while driving. When he opened his
eyes, he was just about to careen into a concrete pillar. He yanked the wheel,
spun the car, flew off the road, over an embankment, and down into a swamp
covered with weeds. The vehicle slowly sank into the water, and the weeds
surrounded and partially covered the car.
He tried to open the door with no success. The windows didn’t work either.
The car had no power, lights, horn, or anything—he was stuck inside. The water
started slowly filling the car. He started to pray and made God all types of
promises. Instantly, the power came back on, and he lowered the window and
escaped the sinking vehicle.
He promised to change. . . but he didn’t. In fact, after he thought about it,
he tried to explain away the miracle of the car’s power being restored and
vehemently asked us to stop praying for him, implying that we and our prayers
were the cause of his accidents.
We kept praying.
Months later, on a Sabbath, Gabe went with his friends four-wheeling on
all-terrain vehicles (ATV). Some of them tried to go up a mountain, but it was too
steep, so they decided to go around. He wanted to show off, so he gunned the
ATV and charged up the steep incline. He didn’t get far before the ATV flipped
upside down and trapped the right side of his head between it and a rock. The
helmet was shattered, pieces of his skull were scattered over the rock, splinters
of bone were lodged in his right eye, etc.
His friends rushed Gabe to the hospital. The doctor called us and said that
the damage was bad and that our son probably didn’t have much time to live.
We drove the 11-hour trip in 9.5 hours. We prayed all the way. In the beginning,
we prayed for God to save his life. Eventually, I was impressed to pray for his
salvation. I knew that God heard our prayers, and He would ultimately make the
decision. We needed to say, “Your will be done,” and mean it. As parents, those
were very difficult words for us to say to God. But we decided to surrender our
son’s life into God’s hands.
Soon after that decision, we got there and waited. The doctor came and
informed us that they saw no brain injury—he would make it! They later tested
his eye, and the optical nerve was not touched—he would have normal vision.
Gabe had plastic surgery; 5 titanium plates were put on the right side of his head
to replace the missing bone.
When he woke up, his head was in bandages, except for the right side and
right eye.
“Dad, am I dead, or will I die?” he asked me.
“Son, dead people don’t talk, you are ok, and you will make it.”
“Will I be paralyzed?”
“Unfortunately, no,” I said.
“Why unfortunately?”
“Because you will still be able to do stupid stuff.”
“Do I have brain injuries?”
“That would be impossible,” I replied.
“Why?” he questioned.
“You cannot have brain injuries because you don’t have a brain.
What was in your head to go up that mountain?”
“Hee, hee, hee. Please don’t make me laugh; it hurts. Dad, God
saved my life again.”
“Yes, son, He did. He has been trying hard to get your attention and
wake you up.”
“Dad, I want to change, but I have no power.”
“Son, who told you that you have the power to change yourself?
Only God can change you. Invite God’s presence daily and
continually into your life. ‘Whoever calls the name of the Lord shall
be saved’ ” [Rom. 10:13]. It will be a life-long process, but as long
as His presence is IN you, working with you, you are safe. Only
when you separate from Him and Satan attacks you, can you not
have victory. Start today, and then every day.”
We prayed together. He prayed a very simple, short prayer. From that day
on, he started to daily spend quality time in communion with God to invite God
into his life.
His life has changed completely. His surgery was extremely successful,
with no marks. You cannot even see that he had an accident. We could not have
dreamed for better. He loves God and loves us, loves his wife and daughters,
works hard, gets involved in the church, and so on.
But it took a lot of persevering prayer.

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

How do you pray for your family? Should you ever stop? It is never too late
to start, and it is our duty to always pray to ask God for His Spirit in our families
and His presence.
In the Bible, we have many examples of prayer. One of them is in First
Samuel chapter 1. The story takes place in the early eleventh century B.C. In this
story, let’s highlight the most important points related to prayer for our families.
 Elkanah had two wives. Although God created one man and one woman to
be together, and the Bible clearly underlines that anything outside that is sin, in
time, after many generations, Israel slowly started to copy the habits of the
nations around them. At that time, if you had children, people thought you were
blessed by God. And if you had no children, you were considered cursed. Hannah
had no children. The other wife, Peninnah, continually ridiculed, mocked, and
made Hannah’s life miserable. Hannah had no joy and no peace. Her everyday
life was filled with heartache. Hannah had been praying for a while for a child,
but with no results. At that time, the temple in Jerusalem was not yet built, so
Elkanah and his family would travel to Shiloh once a year for Yom-Kippur, the
Day of Atonement. While others were eating, Hannah was so miserable and
overwhelmed that she didn’t eat but went to the Tabernacle to pray.

A WOMAN OF PRAYER
“She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord, and wept in
anguish” (1 Sam. 1:10). Hannah longed for a child. She had been praying. We
don’t know how many years she had been praying, but we do know from verse 8
that it was years. Yet verse 10 says she continued to pray before the Lord. The
word used for “continued” is Rabah, meaning many, abundant, excessively, and
numerous.
We can certainly conclude that Hannah didn’t just pray routinely or only in
crisis, but that prayer was a lifestyle for her. People who pray a lot focus more
and more on God. The more you pray, the more you focus on God. The more you
focus on God, the less you think of yourself, so the more you surrender to God.
Your relationship with God builds stronger and stronger.
SHE FOCUSED ON GOD
Hannah’s relationship with God, including her prayers, started changing
the more she prayed.
She went from asking God for something–a child– to committing the child
to the Lord. She said in First Samuel 1:11, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed
look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your
maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to
the Lord all the days of his life.” She focused on God and His service, not herself
and her needs. She surrendered her greatest longing to God.
SHE IS MEEK
The next part of Hannah’s story provides an insight into how prayer
changes people and how it is a process.
“And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli
watched her mouth” (v. 12). As she was pouring her heart before God, Eli, the
high priest, is watching her. “Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips
moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli
said to her, ‘How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!’ ” (vv.
13, 14). This is very interesting. She was in anguish and suffering and would
expect comfort and support especially from the pastor. Yet she is misinterpreted
and judged, although she’s innocent.
Did she get angry and allow herself to feel hurt and offended? No! In fact,
with humility and kindness and in a calm voice, she says, “ ‘No, my lord, I am a
woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but
have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not consider your maidservant a
wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have
spoken until now” (vv. 15, 16). She showed meekness, patience, and kindness.
People who are in continual communication with and focus on God no longer
take offense easily, judge, condemn, or criticize others; they don’t feel the need
for revenge. They don’t think of themselves, as their eyes are on God.
SHE KNOWS GOD’S VOICE
People who pray a lot and spend time in God’s presence also get used to
God’s voice and learn to distinguish it from other voices. “Then Eli answered and
said, ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have
asked of Him.’ And she said, ‘Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.’ So,
the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.” (vv. 17, 18).
Unbelievable! She had no proof whatsoever that God had answered her
prayer. They had tried for many years, again and again, to have a child. She
probably started a natural food diet. They went to the best doctors, prayed, and
did anything they could do, with no results. And now, the pastor says, “May God
answer your petition,” and she recognizes God’s voice.
SHE HAS STRONG FAITH
“Then she went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad” (v. 18).
Amazing, instantly Hannah goes back with joy, eats, and rejoices. Rejoices based
on what? Faith. No proof, no evidence, just pure blind faith.
We see here that not only is she a woman of prayer, but she is also a
woman of faith. Nothing has happened yet, and there is no human possibility for
a child, no proof, yet she believes strongly that God has already answered her
prayer, and she gets up and eats, although she refused to eat before, and is no
longer sad. People who pray a lot get to know God, and the more they know God,
the more they trust in Him, they have faith.
SHE HAS JOY AND PEACE
Verse 18 says that Hannah was no longer sad. People who pray know God,
focus on Him and trust in Him. Those who put their trust in God have peace and
joy. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed
on You, Because he trusts in You.” She had peace and joy, not based on
circumstances but on Her close relationship with God and her trust and faith in
Him.
SHE HAS PATIENCE
“So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore
a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, ‘Because I have asked for him from
the Lord’ ” (v. 20). People who pray much develop patience. Hannah didn’t get
pregnant right away; we don’t know how long it took, yet she patiently waited in
faith and joy. She knew God and had peace and joy as if God had already given
her a son—like it was a done deal, past tense. She is now praising God for his
answer, just patiently waiting for the delivery of the answer. To rejoice before
you see it as you have already received it.
[NOTE: PLEASE INSERT YOUR OWN ILLUSTRATION HERE OR REFERENCE
THE AUTHOR IN YOUR SERMON].
When my son, Ovi, was young, he really wanted a tricycle. And not just
any trike; he would tell anyone who would listen that he wanted a blue tricycle
with three wheels and peddles. One day, he came up to me and asked me, for
what seemed like the hundredth time, if I could buy him a blue trike with three
wheels and peddles. His mother and I had discussed it and decided it was time.
So, I told him, “Tomorrow after work, I will go buy your tricycle.”
He was so excited! He jumped up and down and then ran around the
whole neighborhood, telling his friends, “I have a trike! It’s blue, with three
wheels and peddles!”
His friends said, “Wow, where is it?”
“It’s coming tomorrow at 5 p.m.”
 Ovi had spent so much time with me and knew me so well that he trusted
me, his father, and believed I would keep my promise to him. Therefore, he was
confident and talking like he already had the tricycle.
Hannah didn’t need to see God’s answer to believe. She had spent so
much time with God that she knew and trusted Him. God set into motion a
miracle, and she conceived. Imagine her faith paying off! She prayed for the
baby before she was pregnant, during pregnancy, and after he was born. She
was always praying.
That’s what we should also do: always pray for our families. Commentator
Matthew Henry stated, “It is the duty of the parents to pray for their children and
the great thing we should desire is, that they may be kept in covenant with Him,
and may have grace to walk before him in uprightness.” Henry, M. (1834).
We don’t have a lot of time to pray and work for our children and families,
so we should use that time wisely. And even if we have not prayed much up to
this point, it is never too late to start praying diligently for them!

COMPLETE SURRENDER
Hannah vowed before the Lord that the child would be given to Him. “Now
when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah
of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh.
And the child was young” (v. 24).
Samuel was about six years old. It is heartbreaking for a parent, moreover
a mother, to be separated from their child so early. We have cell phones now,
but Hannah didn’t. She would only see him once a year.
First Samuel 1 verses 25 through 27 say, “Then they slaughtered a bull,
and brought the child to Eli. And she said, ‘O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord,
I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. For this child I
prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.’ ” You
would think that maybe Hannah would be so sad to leave her only son that she
would cry in a corner and pray something like, “Lord, give me strength, help me,
it is not easy to let go of my son...”
We should also look at the context in which the child was to live. Eli’s two
sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were absolutely corrupt (1 Sam. 2:12, 17). The Bible
says that all Israel knew about them. So, Hannah had many reasons to be
concerned and not leave Samuel there. But she made a covenant and knew God
enough to trust Him. In fact, she trusted in God more than in herself. She knew
that God would do a better job than she would. Notice how she prays, “And
Hannah prayed and said: ‘My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in
the LORD. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation’ ” (1 Sam.
2:1).
She didn’t focus on herself or the child. She didn’t say, “Oh Lord, it is
going to be really hard for me. . . and the influence around little Samuel will be
so bad. . .” She surrendered Samuel into the service of Eli and fulfilled her
promise to God.
It is our duty to daily surrender our families to God. Whatever we keep, we
lose. We don’t have the power to preserve and protect. Whatever we surrender
and give to God is what we save. Only He can protect, preserve, and bless. To
give your family to Him is the best thing for them.

NEVER STOP PRAYING

But she never stopped praying. First Samuel 2 verses 18 and 19 say, “But
Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.
Moreover, his mother used to make him a little robe and bring it to him year by
year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.” What did
Samuel have as a constant reminder that his mother never stopped praying for
him? She made a coat that he would cover himself with when he would go to
serve and pray. The message was clear, “Samuel, you are covered with prayer.”
Author Ellen White stated, “From the earliest dawn of intellect she
[Hannah] had taught her son to love and reverence God and to regard himself as
the Lord’s. By every familiar object surrounding him she had sought to lead his
thoughts up to the Creator. When separated from her child, the faithful mother’s
solicitude did not cease. Every day he was the subject of her prayers. Every year
she made, with her own hands, a robe of service for him; and as she went up
with her husband to worship at Shiloh, she gave the child this reminder of her
love. Every fiber of the little garment had been woven with a prayer that he
might be pure, noble, and true. She did not ask for her son worldly greatness,
but she earnestly pleaded that he might attain that greatness which Heaven
values—that he might honor God and bless his fellow men.” White, E. G. (1890).
She didn’t say, “Lord be with me and my son,” or, “Lord, bless him and
help him to get a good education and a good job.” She prayed that he would love
and serve God, not that he would be blessed but that he would be a blessing to
others.
She had been praying constantly for him, and she continued to pray. She
never stopped. Prayer for our families is a duty, a blessing, and a privilege. God
calls us to pray daily for our families. To ask for His protection and presence
daily, for His Spirit to fill them and lead them, to cover them in prayer.
Will you be a Hannah? Will you be in constant communication with the
Lord, pleading for His will to be done in the lives of your children and your family
members?
“If the Savior of men, with His divine strength, felt the need of prayer, how
much more should we feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of prayer—fervent,
constant prayer. . . . He committed Himself to God and, through earnest prayer
and perfect submission to the will of His Father, came off conqueror. Those who
profess the truth for these last days, above every other class of professed
Christians, should imitate the great Exemplar in prayer.” White, E. G. (1938).
We are living in the last days of this earth’s history. We must grow our
relationship with God by constantly connecting with Him, just like Jesus did.
Prayer is a process! Less than 10 percent of prayers answered in the Bible were
answered instantly. Keep your family before the altar daily and leave them in
God’s hands joyfully.