God’s Washing Machine

Our topic for this Sabbath morning is “God’s Washing Machine.” Slide
1

The story is told of a devout Christian by the name of old John who was once asked Slide
by a fisherman friend, “What keeps you going back to church every week? You go 2
to the same church every week, you greet the same people, you listen to the same
preacher, you sing the same songs. Why do you keep going back?” John said,
“Well before I answer you, let me ask you a question: Don’t you often go fishing in
the same spot and in the same water?”
His friend thought a little bit, and then responded, “Well, yes, I guess I often do.” Slide
“Oh, no,” said John. “The water you fished in yesterday is gone downstream and you 3
are fishing in different water. And it’s the exact same way for me when I go to
church. God has a fresh blessing for me each week.” I hope that will become your
experience.
We want to answer several questions in our study this morning. First of all, (1) Is it Slide
important whether or not we attend church? Secondly, (2) How often should we 4
attend church?

Third, (3) What is the purpose of attending church, and finally, and finally (4) Slide
Does it matter to God which church I attend? We’ll answer those questions this 5
morning.

Let’s start with this question, how often should we attend church? Once per year? Slide
Or maybe even twice per year? Or maybe more? Let’s notice what Jesus did. Af- 6
ter all, He’s our example.

Luke 4:16… So every Sabbath Jesus went to church. So if we want to follow Je- Slide
sus’ example, where must we go Sabbath day? We must go to church. I’ve heard 7
some people say, “Well, I don’t like to go to church because there are so many hypo-
crites in the church.” That’s the very reason you should go to church.

You need to show all those hypocrites what a true Christian is really like. Let me ask Slide
you, “Were there any hypocrites in the church in Jesus’ day? Oh yes, there was a 8
church full of them. Not only that, spies had been assigned to find a reason to put
Jesus to death. So if anyone had a good reason to stay home and do home church,
Jesus did. But is that what He did? No. Every Sabbath Jesus went to church. Now
while we’re talking about Jesus’ example, let me ask you another question.
When do you think Jesus came to church? Do you think He just barely made it to Slide
divine worship, or do you think He came to the Sabbath school (if they had such a 9
thing back then)? How many of you think Jesus skipped Sabbath school and came
only to church, let me see your hands. How many of you think He came to both Sab-
bath school and church?

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Alright, He’s our example. It seems like many people skip Sabbath school these Slide
days. But we should come to both Sabbath school and church. If you skip Sabbath 10
school you’re missing out on a huge blessing. In some places, Sabbath school has
become an endangered species. But if we want to follow Jesus’ example, we need to
come to Sabbath school and church.
Question, Do I have to go to church to worship God? Can’t I just stay home and Slide
worship Him? Well we MUST worship God every day to sustain our souls, but the 11
Sabbath is a time to gather together as a group. Lev. 23:3 calls the Sabbath a holy
convocation, or coming together. Thus, in order to truly keep the Sabbath, we need
to come together. That’s why we’re here today; we’ve gathered together to keep the
Sabbath day holy.
Another text, Heb. 10:25, the Bible says… Apparently, even back then some people Slide
thought it was OK to just stay home and worship God on the Sabbath. But Paul says 12
not to do that. As the Sabbath approaches, we are to encourage and exhort one an-
other to truly keep the Sabbath holy. Also, as the day of Christ’s coming approaches,
we must be faithfully worship God each week and exhort each other.
What’s the answer to the question, how often should we attend church? Every Slide
Sabbath. I would add to that the weekly services as well. We should come to 13
church whenever there is a spiritual service. Thus we will be edified spiritually.

Next question, what is the purpose of attending church? Well, there are at least Slide
four reasons to attend church. If you’re taking notes mark these. 14

(1) For fellowship. Slide

15

Our text is 1 John 1:3. Here the Bible says… So John says, the reason we’ve told Slide
you what we have, is that you may choose to have fellowship with us. 16

Another text, Acts 2:47. This was after Pentecost. The Bible says... How were they Slide
added to the church? Let’s read Verses 41 and 42… 17

Acts 2:41… They were added to the church by the step of baptism. Slide
18

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Verse 42 now… So after joining the church, they were faithful in fellowship. I’ve Slide
always wondered why someone would join a church if he didn’t plan to attend the 19
church. That would be like getting married and not planning to live together. What
is the purpose? Why would anyone want to get baptized and not attend church? In
the apostles day, they were faithful at attending church each Sabbath Day.
So the first reason to attend church is for fellowship. As we worship, pray, and sing Slide
together, we encourage one another spiritually. I want to speak to those of you who 20
have been church members for a while. You guests can sleep for a few moments. I
give you permission to sleep during the sermon for a few seconds. Church members,
when guests come, how should we treat them? “Oh, let them sit off by themselves, I
already have my friends.” Like that?
No, we should make friends with them. We want them to feel that this is their family. Slide
I challenge you to invite some new church member or guest to your home for a meal 21
sometime. It’s a great way to get acquainted and make friends. Alright, you guests
can wake up now. The first reason for church attendance is for fellowship. Moving
on to second reason now…
(2) For instruction in the truth… Slide
22

Our text is Acts 11:25, 26. Here we read about Paul and Barnabas. Slide
23

Acts 11:25… Slide

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Verse 26… “They taught much people.” They assembled with the church, that’s Slide
fellowship. Then they taught many people. What did they teach? Truth or tradi- 25
tion? They taught the truth. The second reason to go to church is to be (2) In-
structed in the truth. And if the church I’m attending now isn’t teaching the truth, I
have every reason to ask myself if I should continue attending that church. Because
if you listen to error long enough, you will believe that error is truth.
That’s why God calls His people to come out of Babylon. Babylon, as we’ve learned Slide
in our seminar, is all those commandment breaking churches. God invites people to 26
join a church that’s keeping all Ten Commandments and teaching the truth from the
Bible. Moving on to the third reason now…

(3) For Spiritual Growth. Slide

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Turn with me to our text, Eph. 4:11-15. When you get there, put a marker there be- Slide
cause we’ll come back there this morning. Starting with verses 11, 12. 28

Slide
29

The body of Christ is the church, and these gifts were given to build up the church. Slide
So if I want to benefit from the gifts God has given the church, where should I 30
put myself? At home in my easy chair? Where? I have to go to church and feed
my soul on God’s word. Verse 13…

We’re supposed to grow up. Continuing with verses 14, 15 now… Slide
31

Slide
32

The third reason to attend church is to (3) Grow Spiritually. As we sing together, Slide
pray together, and read Bible together, we grow up together into Christ. By the way, 33
let me make something very clear this morning: The church is not just a place to feed
my spiritual soul, and warm the pew every Sabbath. If I only ate and never exer-
cised, what would eventually happen to me? I would grow, but it would be the
wrong direction. I would die of disease. Just so spiritually.
If I never exercised spiritually, I will get unhealthy spiritually and eventually die. If Slide
you only feed your spiritual soul, you will get clogged with the spiritual cholesterol 34
of pride and selfishness, and you will have a spiritual heart attack and die. Re-
member, the church was ordained for service. If you want to grow spiritually, you
must share your faith with your neighbors and friends. A church that’s not working
for souls is fighting each other.
In fact, the best way to solve church problems is to put the church to work. A church Slide
that witnesses grows, the Holy Spirit is poured out, and it becomes a vibrant, spiritual 35
church. So as we pray together, study together, sing together, pray together, and
work together, we grow spiritually.

Alright, the fourth reason to attend church is for (4) Safety. We read that from verse Slide
13… You see, the church provides us with the anchor of truth so we aren’t blown 36
around by the winds of doctrine. Not that there won’t be any wolves in sheep’s
clothes inside the fold, but we need not be deceived by them if we are anchored in
God’s word. The church is like the sheep fold. Outside there are dangers, there are

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wolves. So the fourth reason to attend church is for safety.
Let’s review the four reasons for attending church: (1) Fellowship, (2) Instruction Slide
in The Truth, (3) Spiritual Growth, and (4) Safety. 37

With that in mind, let’s go read Jesus’ own words from John 15:4. This is a passage Slide
that many of us are familiar with. This is Jesus’ discussion on the vine. The Bible 38
says… As a branch is part of the vine, we are to be part of Christ. One of the
ways to abide in Jesus is by attending church. Why is that?

Let’s go read Col. 1:18. Christ is the head of the body, which is the church. Slide
39

Another text, Eph. 5:23. Here the apostle Paul says… Do you have the picture Slide
now? Christ is the head; the church is the body. If I want to connect to Christ, the 40
head then I have to connect to the body, the church. If I refuse to connect to the
church, can I connect to Jesus? No.

Question, what happens to a body part cut off from the body? The body part that Slide
is cut off dies, and you never have that part again. 41

Just so, in order to live and grow spiritually, we must remain “connected” to the Slide
body, the church. If we want to abide in Jesus, we have to abide in the body—the 42
church. Many people say, “I want to be baptized into Jesus, but I don’t want to join a
church.” How can you do that? That would be like my fingers saying, we want to
connect to the head. We don’t want to be a part of that old body. No. If I refuse to
connect to body, church, I cannot be connected to Christ the head.
In order to be connected to Christ the head, we must also be connected to the body Slide
which is the church. 43

Does that mean that people who are not church members are lost? No. Rom. Slide
2:14-16 indicates that the Gentiles following all the truth they know will be saved. 44

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What about the people that can’t come to church? Maybe those who are handi- Slide
capped, or in a hospital bed. The church must reach out to those people so they can 45
stay connected. Maybe some people are so isolated they can’t connect to a church.
In those rare situations God sustains them, even though they are separated from the
body. But don’t forget this point—
God will not sustain an individual spiritually that willfully separates from the Slide
church body, or refuses to connect to the church body. To connect to head, Jesus, 46
I have to connect to the body, the church.

That brings us to the question Does it matter to God which church I attend? The Slide
answer to that question lies in the answer to the question Does God have a true 47
church? If so, He wants us to connect to that one.

The Bible says that God has a true church. 1 Tim. 3:15… Let’s read that again. God Slide
does have a true church. Are there any counterfeit churches, then? 48

For example, if we added up a column of numbers, how many right answers are Slide
there? One. How many wrong answers are there? An infinity. Just so, there is only 49
one true church but there are many counterfeits. The Bible itself says there is only
one true church.

Eph. 4:4, 5. The Bible says… “There is one body.” What is the body? The Slide
church. Why is there only one true church? Because there’s only one Lord, one 50
head. Question, how many bodies do you connect to one head? Only one. A body
with more than one head is what? A beast. A body with no head is a? Corpse. And
there are many churches without a divine head. Why? Because there is only one
head, so there is only one true body or church. What about a head with more than
one body? That is impossible. You won’t find that anywhere in the natural or in the
spiritual world. Because there is only one head, there is only one true body—the
church.
Jesus says there is only one true church. John 10. This is the chapter on the good Slide
shepherd. John 10:14 says… Who is the good shepherd? Jesus. Who are the 51
sheep? I hope that is you. Verse 16 now.. Since Christ is the shepherd and His fol-
lowers are the sheep, what then is the fold? The church. Reading on… There will
be one fold—one church. Jesus says that He has other sheep who aren’t in the true
fold. What is the fold? The church. And Jesus has people who aren’t yet part of His
church.
Where are they then? They’re in another fold, or they’re lost somewhere in the Slide
world. And Jesus said that He will seek His sheep out and bring them to the one true 52
fold. If you want the Old Testament parallel passage, mark down Ezek. 34:6, 11, 12,
and 16. Christ says in Ezek. 34:6 that His sheep are scattered over the world. In
verses 11, 12 God says that He will seek out His sheep. Verse 16 says that God will
bring His sheep back from their wanderings. To where will God bring His sheep?
He says where.
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Jesus says in John 10:16, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them Slide
also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one 53
shepherd.” Where will Christ bring His sheep? To the one true fold or the one
true church. If you are not yet in Jesus’ true church but you are one of His sheep,
what will Jesus do? He will bring you to His one true church. That’s the Good
Shepherd’s work—to bring His sheep to His true fold. I’ve heard people say, “I
don’t like to be led about like a sheep.
I don’t want anyone telling me what to do and where to go to church.” Question, who Slide
originated that attitude? It was the devil who told God, “I don’t want anyone tell- 54
ing me what to do. I want my freedom.” So God said, “OK, I give you your free-
dom.” You can see the results of that in this world of sin we live in. If you want to
be truly happy, serve God. But serving God takes a commitment. You’ll have to
abandon all the other things you serve. It’s kind of like marriage. Marriage in-
volves a commitment. Let’s imagine that we’re at the marriage of John and Sue.
And before the vows, John leans over to Sue and says, “Now Sue, I want to make Slide
something very clear before we get married. I don’t plan to spend every day with 55
you. I don’t plan to spend every night with you. I’ve got to have my freedom.”
Well if Sue has any sense at all, what will she tell John? “Until you’re ready to
commit yourself to me 100% forsaking all other women, I won’t marry you.” Smart
woman. It is exactly the same spiritually. If you want to follow Jesus, it involves a
commitment. What kind of commitment? A 95% commitment?
No you must commit 100% to God. And there is only one reason to make the Slide
commitment. What is that reason? Well, question, why do a man and woman 56
people get married? Because of love. The reason to make any commitment for Je-
sus is because you love Him. There’s only one reason to unite with the church.
What is that reason? Because you love the shepherd of the church.
So, which is the TRUE church? Slide
57

I praise God that He hasn’t left us to doubt which is the true church. We found 8 Slide
identifying marks of God’s true church. There is only one church in the world that 58
meets all eight of these identifying marks. That is the Seventh-Day Adventist
Church. If you are not a Seventh-Day Adventist, the Good Shepherd is drawing you
to His fold, to the one true church.
John 10:27, 4, 16. If you’re one of God’s sheep, you know His voice. Verse 4 Slide
now… Why do the sheep follow the Good Shepherd? Because they know His voice. 59
Verse 16 says… If you are one of Jesus’ sheep and yet not part of His own true fold,
you will hear His voice calling you to join His fold. Question, who decides whether
you are one of his sheep? You do. God doesn’t predestinate anyone. If you chose
to follow Jesus, you’re choosing to be one of His sheep.
After picturing Babylon or all the apostate churches who break God law in Rev 18, Slide
the Good Shepherd says, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her 60
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” My friend, that is the shepherd’s per-
sonal call to you this morning. And I was so glad for those of you who have re-
sponded to the Shepherd’s call.

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When you come into church, what might you find? A perfect church, right? Hardly. Slide
What often happens when people come into the Seventh-Day Adventist Church is 61
that they start making other sheep their example. They say, “Oh, look there’s a sick
sheep over there! I thought this was a sanctuary for saints, not a sheep hospital. And
over there, I see a sheep that looks dead. Is this a sheep mortuary? And look what
that sheep is eating! I thought the sheep manual said that sheep were not supposed to
eat that stuff. And look what that sheep is wearing! It has gold on. And I don’t like
the way that sheep looks at me. It gives me an evil eye.”
My friend, don’t follow the sheep, follow the shepherd. Not every sheep in the fold Slide
is following the shepherd. That’s exactly why it is dangerous to follow the sheep in- 62
stead of the shepherd. If you want to be spiritually safe, make Jesus your example.
Follow the Good Shepherd, then you can be safe.

I like to think of the church as a washing machine. You’re in the washing machine Slide
right now—the church. Reading from Eph. 5:25-27. Here we’ll see baptism symbol- 63
ized. Starting in verses 25, 26 the Bible says…

Slide
64

Can you see the washing machine there? Reading verse 27 now… Slide
65

Slide
66

God has taken the church through the cleaning process. And the church is like a Slide
washing machine where God cleanses His people. Have you watched a washing ma- 67
chine? It turns, and then it stops, turns, and stops. And the soap is cutting away at
the sins and dirt in the lives of the saints. I can just imagine that high-class shirt that
thinks so highly of himself gets some dirt on it, and is thrown into the washing ma-
chine. And it’s not a pleasant process to be turned and stopped, turned and stopped.
And as the shirt is sloshing around in the washing machine, I can imagine that it gets Slide
itself all tangled up in a dirty pair of trousers. And the shirt says, “How did you get 68
in here? I didn’t know they put stuff like you in here. If you’re in here I’m getting
out.” So the shirt crawls out of the washing machine. No, the best thing for the shirt
is to stay in the washing machine and get cleaned up. My friend, when God puts you
in the washing machine, He intends to clean up your life and prepare you for eternity.

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Don’t miss this one. Someday God Himself will sort the laundry. Jesus says He’ll Slide
separate the sheep from the goats. 69

What is the difference between sheep and goats? Well, if you’ve ever had goats you Slide
know what they’re like. The goat is the most stubborn, disobedient, independent 70
thinking animal on the farm. If you put a goat behind fence, he wants to get on the
other side of the fence. If you tell him don’t eat it, he wants to eat it. If you tell him
don’t get up on that, he wants to try it. Goats are generally stubborn animals. And
you really can’t lead a goat. Sheep will follow you, goats will only follow you if you
have something they want.
There are a lot of Christians like that—they only follow the Lord as far as they want Slide
to. But when it crosses their will, they refuse to follow any further. Here’s the good 71
news: a goat can be transformed into sheep. It’s called conversion. If you’re a goat,
you need to pray for a change of heart. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true—a
sheep can become a goat. I’m sorry to have to say this, but it is true: There are a lot
of goats in Christ’s fold. I hope you aren’t one of them.
The church is God’s washing machine. I challenge you friend, stay in the washing Slide
machine—the church—and let god clean you up! 72

Let’s go back to John 10. We’re going to end here in John 10. John 10:27-29. Slide
We’re reading the words of the Good Shepherd. Starting in verse 27 the Bible 73
says… Christ’s true sheep will hear His call. Verses 28, 29. If you give yourself to
God, no one can take you out of His hands. You have the assurance of Christ’s pro-
tection as well as the protection of the Father. The only one who can take you out of
God’s hands is who? Yourself. You can take yourself out of the Good Shepherd’s
hands by refusing to follow Him.
The Bible says in Rom. 8:38, 39… Slide
74

If you are not yet a SDA, God is guiding you to His fold. Slide
75

He says, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, Slide
and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd” (John 76
10:16).

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The good shepherd is calling you to become part of His fold. And I’d like to extend Slide
that invitation once more to you. 77

We’re going to have a card passed at this time… Whether you are a member or not, Slide God’s Washing
Machine Revela ions

78
of
Prophecy

please take a card. q

q
me.
I choose to follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd, wherever He leads

To show my love and commitment to Jesus, I would like to be

baptized (re-baptized) soon.

q I have heard the call of the Good Shepherd, and would like to
join
His true church—the Seventh-day Adventist church—in the near
future.

q I would like additional reading material on the beliefs of the

Seventh-
day Adventist church.
Name: _____________________________________________ Phone_________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________
Are you a church member? q Yes q No # of lectures _____________
If so, what church do you attend?_______________________________________________

Sing the song, “I Will Follow Thee, My Saviour” to close with. Song, slides 79-88. Slide
79

Is that your desire, to follow the Shepherd? The path we will be required to Slide
travel will be painful at times, but it leads to glory. Let’s pray as we close our 89
meeting this morning…

Don’t forget, we have one more topic. That will be tonight at 18:00. Look for- Slide
ward to seeing you! 90

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