This is a copy of some sermon notes given as an address on 9th Feb 2002.
For more and detailed information on Ellen G. White please go to http://www.whiteestate.org/
The Quarry (Gift of Prophesy).
Children’s Story: No food left in the cupboard (Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime No. 6): Wales. Bad winter. No food in the pantry. Children home from play – no food. Didn’t want to let on to the church because they felt bad about it. Children – why don’t we ask Jesus. On knees. Little girl spoke up – lets set table to show we believe. Hardly got off knees when knock at door. Two ladies carrying items of food. Practically strangers but felt impressed to come. Hard to know who was happiest.
Hymns: Praise ye the father (70). O brother be faithful (602). O shepherd divine (192).
Sermon: The Quarry
Story: Kalahari Bushman.
Kalahari desert. In 1953 a bushman named Sekuba had a dream. At this time there was no Christians amongst his people. One reason for this was their very peculiar language. In the dream a shining being said to him, "Go East, you need the Bible". He traveled 150 miles and found some African Bantu farmers. "Where will I find the people with the book?" Speechless. "I have come to find the people who worship God." "you speak our language!" "The shining one taught me". "This is marvellous, I will take you to our pastor". He was shown the Bible. Yes this is the book. But the angel appeared again. "This is not the true church. You must continue your search and ask for Pastor Mayo. He will not only have the book, but also 4 brown books that are really 9". Imprisoned. Set free, and finds Pastor Mayo.
The angel directed Sekuba to the church that not only had the Bible, but also had these other writings.
What is the significance to us, as a church, of these writings? What is the significance to the world of these writings?
I have a very simple approach to understanding and receiving the writings of Ellen G. White
Here are two basic facts of Christianity:
Some prophets wrote down their messages, and some did not. The Holy Bible records God’s messages to the world up until the time of Christ and His contemporaries. It gives a complete and simple account of God’s plan of salvation and provides an unerring guide to test all other teachings. Above all it presents the Person and Work of the Saviour of the human race.
But God did not stop using prophets to speak to His people and to the world when the Bible closed. The gift of prophecy has remained in the church. How do we know?
Consider three reasons:
1. The Bible says the gift of prophecy was to be in the church until the church reaches "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ"
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Eph. 4:11-13).
Have we reached this state yet, as a church? If the church reaches this state, surely it will be close to the time of Christ’s return.
2. Jesus said there would be false prophets at the end of time. If there were no true prophets He would surely have just warned against all that made any claims to such a calling.
Matthew 24
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
3. Logic. No passage to say the gift has been withdrawn. Not logical to do so: why would God withdraw the gift at a time of special need?
I believe the writings of Ellen G. White are a prophetic voice from God for us in these last days. As such, God is speaking to us through them – as He has spoken through other prophets in the past. If you have doubts the best thing to do is to spend time prayerfully reading these writings and considering the fruit of Ellen G. White’s ministry.
What are these writings all about? What is their purpose?
Let us read Hosea 6:1-5 (favourite passage of Ellen G. White):
1 ¶ Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
4 ¶ O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.
5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
"I hewed them by the prophets". This is the quarry. We are to be hewed or chiseled by the prophetic words from God. This includes especially the Bible, but also the prophetic gift in the church as manifested in Ellen G. White and any other true prophet. I believe one of the main purposes of these prophetic writings is character development. How? By uplifting Christ and His truth. We are all in the Lord’s quarry – or at least should be. 1 Peter 2:5 says, "Ye also, as lively [living] stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
Will you and I let God get us ready for the heavenly temple by hewing, squaring and polishing us through His prophetic voice?
So, let us experience the quarry in action. This can be painful. This can be challenging. But it will be healthy if we come with the right spirit. I will be using the writings of Ellen G. White in this quarry session (rather than the Bible) because that is what this sermon’s focus is on:
In testimonies for the Church Volume One, page 187, it says:
"God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested and tried a little closer. If the professed people of God find their hearts opposed to this straight work, it should convince them that they have a work to do to overcome, if they would not be spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Said the angel: "God will bring His work closer and closer to test and prove every one of His people." Some are willing to receive one point; but when God brings them to another testing point, they shrink from it and stand back, because they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here they have opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus. They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of time to see if they will sacrifice their idols and heed the counsel of the True Witness. If any will not be purified through obeying the truth, and overcome their selfishness, their pride, and evil passions, the angels of God have the charge: "They are joined to their idols, let them alone," and they pass on to their work, leaving these with their sinful traits unsubdued, to the control of evil angels. Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation."
This passage talks about preparation for the latter rain. One of the tests spoken about in this passage must surely be that of confession and forgiveness. This can be seen from the experience of the disciples before Pentecost.
This last passage was powerful chiseling. It was painful to the natural feelings. But in the quarry there are soothing, healing words too:
In The Desire of Ages, page 483, it says:
"Through all our trials we have a never-failing Helper. He does not leave us alone to struggle with temptation, to battle with evil, and be finally crushed with burdens and sorrow. Though now He is hidden from mortal sight, the ear of faith can hear His voice saying, Fear not; I am with you. "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." Rev. 1:18. I have endured your sorrows, experienced your struggles, encountered your temptations. I know your tears; I also have wept. The griefs that lie too deep to be breathed into any human ear, I know. Think not that you are desolate and forsaken. Though your pain touch no responsive chord in any heart on earth, look unto Me, and live. "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isa. 54:10."
The quarry is in action again with the words of Testimonies for the Church Volume Six, page 408:
"To those who are indifferent at this time Christ's warning is: "Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth." Revelation 3:16. The figure of spewing out of His mouth means that He cannot offer up your prayers or your expressions of love to God. He cannot endorse your teaching of His word or your spiritual work in anywise. He cannot present your religious exercises with the request that grace be given you.
Could the curtain be rolled back, could you discern the purposes of God and the judgments that are about to fall upon a doomed world, could you see your own attitude, you would fear and tremble for your own souls and for the souls of your fellow men. Earnest prayers of heart-rending anguish would go up to heaven. You would weep between the porch and the altar, confessing your spiritual blindness and backsliding."
Again the quarry offers polishing soothing words for the wounded, repentant soul: Steps to Christ, page 64:
"There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, "These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, "The Father Himself loveth you." John 16:27. He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance."
Above all let us remember that being in the quarry will give us clearer views of the saviour. In Testimonies for the Church Volume Two, page 214 it says:
"bodily pain was but a small part of the agony of God's dear Son. The sins of the world were upon Him, also the sense of His Father's wrath as He suffered the penalty of the law transgressed. It was these that crushed His divine soul. It was the hiding of His Father's face--a sense that His own dear Father had forsaken Him--which brought despair. The separation that sin makes between God and man was fully realized and keenly felt by the innocent, suffering Man of Calvary. He was oppressed by the powers of darkness. He had not one ray of light to brighten the future. And He was struggling with the power of Satan, who was declaring that he had Christ in his power, that he was superior in strength to the Son of God, that the Father had disowned His Son, and that He was no longer in the favor of God any more than himself. If He was indeed still in favor with God, why need He die? God could save Him from death."
Brothers and sisters, if we are not in the Lord’s quarry we have a big problem. I invite you to let the prophetic word do its work in your life. It says in Luke 12:48 "everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required". We are responsible for the opportunities we have been given.
Practical suggestions:
Reading Conflict of the Ages books in series with the Bible.
Testimonies workbook. (Personal experience)
Finally, some statements about the importance of the prophetic gift as given
to us in the writings of Ellen White:
1. Third Selected Messages pages 83 and 84 it says: "all who believe that
the Lord has spoken through Sister White and has given her a message will be
safe from the many delusions that will come in these last days" (1906).
2. Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 84 (or Letter 156, 1903). "One thing is
for certain: those Seventh-day Adventists who take their stand under Satan's
banner will first give up their faith in the warnings and reproofs contained in
the Testimonies of God's Spirit."
3. Testimonies, Vol.5, p. 678. "If you lose confidence in the Testimonies
you will drift away from Bible truth."