Walking with the Remnant
Pastor Darryl Bentley
Midland SDA Church
June 13, 2009
Homiletical Idea: It is clear in the Bible that God has had and will always have a remnant people. Those people have always been the ones who have captured the embodied the concept of primitive godliness; meaning that they adhere to the basic principles of Christianity. God’s remnant desires to express their love for the Lord by keeping His commandments and being open to the testimony of Jesus Christ which is the Spirit of Prophecy.
Always There
Throughout the history of God’s people He has always had a remnant people. He has always had a people who were willing to remain true and faithful to the cause of God, and that is exactly what we mean when we refer to the remnant church. The remnant church is the church that will be present at the end of time that models the original ideas that God has for His people. We often refer to a cloth or carpet remnant nowadays. And just like that piece of cloth that is taken from the bolt when it is new, the last piece taken from that same bolt will match in color, consistency, and texture.
God’s church is brought into focus in this comparative way. From the very beginning God has wanted His people to be a peculiar people that were different in a positive way from the rest of the world. God has always called His people to stand apart from the world. Essentially, He has asked that His people be in the world but no of the world (Rom 12:2).
Through the apostle Peter God tells us what He thinks of His people.
**Read 1 Peter 2:9**
We begin to see here that God has a special mission for His people. They are not to be as the rest of the world. They are called to be priesthood of believers. But notice that although they are called to be apart from the world they are not called to ignore the world. The last half of the verse says that they are to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
This means that we have an obligation to take the good news of the Gospel of Jesus to a world that is dying in sin. However, while we are taking that wonderful message to the world we are not to become like the world. On the contrary, we are to call the world to be like Christ. We are to call the world to walk with God’s Remnant.
Before the Flood
If we take a trip back to around 2100 B.C. we will find a glimpse of God’s remnant too. Going back to this time period will bring us to where a man named Noah was preaching that a flood would come upon the earth. At this point in earth’s history it had never rained and therefore it had never flooded. For 120 years Noah proclaimed that the earth would be covered over by water and that the only escape was to come at the appointed time into the ark that God has instructed Him to build.
Did God need a remnant at this time? You better believe it.
** Read Genesis 6:3, 5**
We see here that God appointed Noah 120 years to accomplish his task, and we see that it was because of the wicked intent of their hearts that they were only given a limited amount of time. Day after day Noah told of the coming destruction, but the masses ignored the warnings and went about their lives like nothing was going to happen.
Eventually the ark was complete and God called the animals that He had created onto the ark. Then He called His remnant. Out of all the inhabitants of the earth only a small handful was saved from the destruction. Only Noah and his family were found to be righteous, and only eight people sought refuge in the ark of God. Only Noah and his family walked with God’s Remnant.
The Father of Nations
Almost 200 years after the flood God calls another man. This time it was Abram that was called to be the leader of God’s remnant people. Notice what God said to Abram.
** Read Genesis 12:1-3**
Although we know that Abram did not always follow God’s instructions to the letter, we know that eventually he got his act together and became the father of many nations just like God promised that he would become. Although Abram and later Abraham laughed in the face of God when the Lord told him that he would have a son in his old age, when Abraham was 100 years old (Gen 21:5) Isaac was born to him.
Abraham went on to become the leader that God wanted him to be, and from his offspring came the nation of Israel through the son of promise: Isaac. Genesis 26:5 tells us that because Abraham obeyed the statues and commands of God. It was surely during this time that Abraham walked with God’s Remnant.
Out of Egypt
Moses was also called to lead God’s people and to call them out of the lands of Egypt. We will not take time this morning to examine every trial that the nation of Israel faced, but we know that they had become lazy in their faith and when adversity arose they longed to be back in Egyptian slavery. But in the midst of this seemingly endless cycle of faith and failure God had a remnant and a chosen people; through the Red Sea all the way to the Promised Land God had a remnant that was faithful to Him. God had a people who walked with the Remnant.
Denied the Promised Land
As we look back in the Old Testament and how God has always had a remnant band faithful to Him. We also see many times when His people turned away from His love and guidance. Time after time we can read about the ways that God’s so-called people have walked away from Him or hoe they have doubted His promises. Yes, some got their acts together and turned their lives around, but many did not.
When we look at those who traveled with Moses through the Sinai Wilderness we see that over and over again they grumbled against the Lord. They accused God of trying to starve them and to let them thirst to death. Each time God was only trying to build their faith in Him.
Sadly, those who grumbled against the Lord and His servants were not allowed to inherit the land that the Lord wanted to give them.
**Read Numbers 14:20-23**
This should be a lesson for us today to make sure that we do not fall into the trap of failing to trust God. If we as Seventh-day Adventists claim to be the remnant of Bible prophecy then we need to act like it.
Characteristics of the Remnant
We know that throughout time God has had a remnant that has remained faithful to Him. But how do we know that He will have a remnant in the last days? That is a great question and the Bible will give us a great answer. Notice how the Bible reads.
**Read Revelation 12:13-17**
It is here that we can clearly see that the Satan has been upset with God’s church—the woman—for a long time. He is upset because he always finds himself on the losing side of things. Yes, he may have a victory here and there, but overall he is a defeated foe and he knows it.
It is in this chapter that we discover some clues as to what the remnant people of God will look like.
1. First, we can see that God’s remnant will be persecuted in vs. 13.
a. Was God’s church persecuted? Yes, from 538 A.D. until 1798 God’s people were driven into the wilderness. This is the period that history calls the Dark Ages.
b. This period of 1260 years matches the period of time that the Catholic Church was in both political and religious power. All who opposed Rome and her teachings were persecuted for their faith. This was something that Pope John Paul II apologized for in 1994.
c. Earlier in chapter 12 the period of persecution is referred to as 1260 days which we understand from Bible prophecy to be 1260 years. This is restated in another way by the time, times, and half a time of verse 14.
2. It is after this persecution that God’s remnant will emerge in the end times.
a. This means that the remnant church will appear sometime after 1798 when the Catholic Church was taken out of power.
b. The Protestant Reformation officially began in 1517 A.D. but the effects of it are being felt to this very day. Although there is a movement called ecumenism that seeks to tear down the traits that distinguish Protestants from Catholics, they are still separate at this point.
3. Next we see two primary traits of the remnant people of God.
a. First they keep the commandments of God. It does not say that they keep only some so the implication is that they keep them all.
b. Secondly we see that they have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
i. Revelation 14:12 also echoes this.
ii. The testimony of Jesus is defined in Revelation 19:10 to be the Spirit of Prophecy.
Today I want us to focus on these two primary traits. I want us to take a hard look at especially the second one: they have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
When one takes the time to do a survey of all the churches that are out there, there is only one that matches the criteria given by Christ to John in Revelation. The remnant church of Bible prophecy must come along after 1798, they must keep all the commandments of God, and they must have the gift of prophecy at work in their midst. The only church to match that description is the Seventh-day Adventist church.
Adventist Roots
We will not take time to explore the history of our denomination today, but with only a brief look we see that the Adventist Church came along after 1798 and was born out of the Millerite movement of the 1840’s. The church was officially organized in Battle Creek on May 23, 1863.
At first the church was not tuned into the keeping of the fourth commandment, but eventually the Sabbath was introduced and we as Adventists around the world now observe the seventh-day Sabbath of the Bible. Thus fulfilling the mandate that God’s church must keep all of His commandments.
One our pioneers, Ellen White, was raised up and used by God to share prophetic visions with the church. Her dreams and visions have inspired millions to return to the God of the Bible. Time and time again Ellen White has called God’s people to remain faithful to Him. Again, fulfilling the mandate that God’s church will have the gift of prophecy at work in her midst.
For many years the Seventh-day Adventist church has stood as the lighthouse for God’s remnant people. The Adventist church has been taking the message of surrender and hope to a world that is in desperate need of a Savior. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is truly the remnant church of Bible prophecy.
So What?
So why I am I sharing this with you all this morning? I am sharing this today because I feel that too many in our church as a whole no longer hold fast to the teaching of the past.
Within our beloved church today there are many who do not hold the Sabbath in high regard. There are many who weekly trample on the sanctity and holiness of God’s Sabbath. There are places within Adventism that shun you if you do not throng with the masses to the local restaurants after church. It is true friends. There are many today who say that it is perfectly fine in God’s eyes to engage in any kind of buying and selling on Sabbath. But God has never said it was right! In fact, God has said the exact opposite.
God said to remember the seventh day to keep it holy. God says that we should not work or cause others to work needlessly. Through Nehemiah God showed us that we should not desecrate His Sabbath and conduct our business as on all other days.
**Read Nehemiah 13:15-21**
We can see clearly that God did not and does not want His people engaged in secular activity on the Sabbath. God did not and does not want His remnant people go out shopping and dining on His Sabbath. We as God’s remnant people should not engage in the activities on Sabbath which God has commanded us to refrain from doing.
Spiritual Israel
You may find this hard to believe, but I have had people tell me that this message in Nehemiah was only intended for the Jews in Jerusalem. Frankly, this is the most absurd thing I have ever heard.
The problem with this line of thinking is that we too are part of Israel. How so you may ask? Just look at Paul’s teaching in Galatians 3:26-29.
We can clearly see that all who become sons of God become by placing their faith within Jesus are then heirs to the promises given to Abraham. If you and I are heirs to that promise then we are also part of Israel in a spiritual sense; if, therefore; we are part of spiritual Israel then the teaching of Nehemiah pertains to you and I in our day and age. And if that teaching applies to us then we need to get our act together and stop desecrating God’s holy day. We need to recognize that by trampling on God’s Sabbath then we are trampling on God Himself.
Not only do we dishonor God by not honoring His Sabbath, but we also set ourselves to accept the mark of the beast which is the false day of worship or Sunday. How so? In that if we do not hold the Sabbath in the proper regard as the memorial to God’s creative power then when a death decree comes down that seeks to destroy all who hold fast to the Sabbath of God then it will be very easy to just go along with the rest of the world and accept the beast’s mark.
Now is the time that we need to get our act together and worship God like He has asked us to do. We need to cast away the ties to this world that serve as anchors of destruction and get back to worshiping God like He has called us to do. Friends it is time to walk with the remnant and look forward to the soon coming of our Lord Jesus.
Casting off the Prophet
We have looked at how the remnant has strayed when it comes to the commandments, but now let us look to see if remnant has embraced the prophet.
I wish that I could tell you today that support for God’s messenger is strong throughout the world church. I wish I could tell you that in our institutions of higher learning that the inspired teachings of Ellen White were proclaimed with a loud voice, but this too is not happening everywhere.
The sad truth is that in some places within Adventism Ellen White is relegated to a babbler of fables and a meddler in the affairs of God’s people. While I was a student at Southern Adventist University and living in Collegedale I came in contact with many Adventists. There seems to be a growing number of people who reject the writings of Ellen White. They say that she is outdated and out of touch with God’s people. They say that her writings were intended for a people of lesser cultural learning, and that in order to be relevant in today’s society we have to join arms with others of more progressive thought.
I would like to boldly say this morning that that type of thinking is dangerous at best and salvationally threatening at worst. That type thinking seeks to separate you and me from the God who longs to save us. That type of thinking undermines the very characteristics that Jesus Himself gave to be able to recognize the remnant church in the last days.
Not Adventist
I submit to you this morning that if you and I do not keep all of the commandments of God and if you and I do not heed the voice of the prophet that God sent to guide us then you and I cannot call ourselves God’s remnant.
Just like those in these days of Noah who refused to repent and enter the ark lost their lives in the great deluge, you and I will perish if we reject the teaching that God has given us.
Just like the children of Israel who grumbled over God’s leading in the Sinai wilderness did not live to see the Promised Land, you and I will not inherit the kingdom of God if we reject God’s laws and do not live according to all He has given us.
If you and I do not keep the commandments of God and hold true to the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophecy then you and I cannot call ourselves Seventh-day Adventists and we cannot say that we walk with the remnant.
Wrap-up and Appeal
Friends, today I want to remind you that God has always had a remnant. God has always had a group of people who have respected and honored Him. When Elijah thought he was the only one left among the people of God, the Lord reminded him that there were yet 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).
In the last days of earth’s history there will also be a group who will not receive the mark of the beast. Those people will be those who keep the commandments of God and who hold fast to the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophecy.
I wonder how many of you here today would like to be a part of God’s last day people? I wonder how many of you want to remain true to God and truly walk with the remnant.