Galaxy Three: Why What Is Happening a Billion Light Years Away Right Now Matters to You

Galaxy Three: Galaxy Three's Third Cleansing

Speaker

Dwight K. Nelson

Dwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.

Offering

The disease the Rebel unleashed on Galaxy Three must be not just contained, but completely cleansed from the Galaxy. However, the Council declares that three separate cleansings must be conducted. The universe wonders: Why?
Saturday, November 08, 2014
Program: 
As We Begin
The Coming King Is at the Door
Charles Hall
Celebrate & Praise
Lonnie A. Kittleson with Don Dronen, Nathan Michael Edison Drysdale, Noah Raleak Drysdale with Micheal Goetz
Prayer
Micheal Goetz
Farewell to Micheal, Melanie and Cana Goetz
Children’s Story
Holy, Holy, Holy
David Winkler
Worship in Music
Charity Unfailing
Kenneth Logan
Sermon
“Galaxy Three: Galaxy 3’s Third Cleansing”
Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes, & Offerings
Closing Hymn
There Is a Fountain • st. 1-3 of 336
As We Depart
Fest-Hymn: Now Thank We All Our God
Carl Piutti

More In This Series

11/22/2014
The War approaches it's bloody end. The Rebel unleashes his full fury upon the inhabitants of Galaxy Three. The Loyalists cry out to their King for deliverance. How long must they endure? How long...?
11/15/2014
The War rages on as the Rebel releases his latest weapon upon the inhabitants of Galaxy Three: a viral infection of "self" rule. Every man, woman and child is infected. What response can the King in Galaxy One bring to counter such a powerful deception?
10/18/2014
The War rages on. The inhabitants of Galaxy Three groan under it's weight. How can such suffering go unchecked? The universe looks to the King for an answer...
10/04/2014
The War has changed. No longer a battle for territory, the Rebel and the King both desire only one thing from the inhabitants of Galaxy Three – Allegiance
09/27/2014
When the King left Galaxy One to infiltrate Galaxy Three, there were 270 days during which his whereabouts were unknown. Yet this mystery could hold the key to victory in the long war...
09/20/2014
The King commands the battle for Earth from His throne in Galaxy One. His followers in Galaxy Three are instantly provided with aid an reinforcements the moment they ask. But can such a proxy war be won?
09/06/2014
There is a disease in Galaxy Three that threatens the existence of humanity. It's effects are devastating and it carries a 100% fatality rate. But there exists a rare and costly cure...
08/30/2014
An intergalactic civil war threatens the existence of the universe. The King of Galaxies battles the tyrannical Rebel who seeks the throne. Now the fate of all life will be decided at the battle for Galaxy Three.

"Galaxy Three:

Galaxy Three’s Third Cleansing"

www.pmchurch.tv

 

  • French philosopher Paul Ricoeur concluded that the most basic of all human confessions, “reducible to no other,” is this: “I am ; I need from God.” (William Johnsson, Hebrews, 167)
  • The Three (katharizo—catharsis) of Hebrews 9:
  • #1—Of our  
    • Hebrews 9:14—“How much more will the blood of Christ cleanse our from acts that lead to death.”
    • Psalm 51:1-4, 7
  • #2—Of our
    • Psalm 51:2—“Wash away all my and cleanse me from my .”
    • Hebrews 9:22—“The law requires that nearly everything be  with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness [of sin].”
    • 1 John 1:7-9
  • #3—Of our
    • Hebrews 9:23—“It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be with these [animal] sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves [to be cleansed] with better sacrifices than these.”
    • Peter O’Brien: “ . . . with better sacrifices than these suggests that the heavenly sanctuary had also become defiled by the sin of the people. Sin affects all creation and extends even to the heavenly world. There is a solidarity between ultimate reality in heaven and its reflection on earth. The earthly cultus is inseparably connected to the situation in heaven. Sin is ‘an objective impediment to genuine access to God,’ and so a decisive cleansing was necessary, a cleansing that was ‘comprehensive in its scope, reaching even to the heavenly things themselves.’” (The Letter to the Hebrews 337)

 

  • We as Seventh-day Adventists find in Israel’s somber Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) liturgy in the earthly sanctuary a striking portrayal of God’s strategy to bring the rebellion of sin to an end in this universe.
  • Leviticus 16:29-30/Daniel 8:14
  • Leviticus 16:30—“Then, before the LORD, you will be from all your sins.”
  • Edward Heppenstall: “The living Christ of the heavenly sanctuary presses upon men the need for a spiritual revival to make them ready to stand in the judgment now proceeding. . . . Christ is not saying that His followers are going to have a bad time in this judgment, that the believer’s chances of making it are not good. Christ has no desire to be an accusing judge but a loving, saving friend. . . . He seeks earnestly to arouse in man the urgency to meet God in the judgment. But it will cost something. The Levitical Day of Atonement called upon Israel to make sure of their standing with God.” (Our High Priest 86-87)
  • Great Controversy: “Through the grace of God and [our] own diligent effort [we] must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment [the Day of Atonement] is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of of sin, among God’s people upon earth.” (425)
  • The cleansing is to be matched by a cleansing .
    • Great Controversy: “It is in this life that we are to separate sin from us, through faith in the atoning blood of Christ. Our precious Saviour invites us to join ourselves to Him, to unite our weakness to His strength, our ignorance to His wisdom, our unworthiness to His merits. . . . It rests with us to co-operate with the agencies which Heaven employs in the work of conforming our characters to the divine model.” (623)

 

“I will see that you get through.”

We Mourn

 Lorraine Drew, a long-time member of Pioneer, passed away on May 14, 2025. A celebration of her life will be held on May 25, 2025, at 4:00 PM, in the Pioneer Sanctuary. Visitation will be held in the Narthex at 3:00 PM.

Offering for May 24, 2025

Michigan Advance Partners

The COVID-19 pandemic caused thousands of deaths around the world and made people rethink their purpose in life. We’ve all been affected by this. Recent wars displaced millions from their homes creating major cultural, political, and population shifts. These crises created openness in spiritual things.

People are searching for meaning and peace. They’re hungry to make sense out of all the chaos in the world. Churches in our conference can be that haven and point of contact for people to hear about Jesus.

Offerings collected monthly for Michigan Advance Partners give opportunities for ministries in all churches to be funded so it can plant seeds of hope and love. Now is the time to invest in God’s work. Why not ask God for bigger requests so He can bless us abundantly? We don’t need to wait until we have more to give more. We can flex our faith in God now.

Note the promise, "The time has come when we are to expect large blessings from the Lord. We must rise to a higher standard on the subject of faith... The Word of God is our endorsement. We must take it, simply believing every word. With this assurance we may claim large things, and according to our faith it will be unto us” (That I May Know Him, p. 226). Today, let’s lay all on the altar and give our all to God. 

North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Widow and Widowers Bird Watching Brunch
11356 S Lake Chapin Rd, Berrien Springs, MI 49103

We are inviting all widows and widowers to join us for a nature walk at 9:00 AM, June 1, at the home of Dave and Terri Village. We will also be having a vegetarian potluck and a birdwatching presentation with boat rides to follow. We hope to see you there! 
 

Andrews Academy’s Graduation Weekend Events

Congratulations, Andrews Academy seniors! May the same Lord who got you here lead you into the uncharted adventure ahead! “I am with you always,” is His promise.  Everyone is invited to attend graduation weekend events.

  • Class Night May 22, 7:00 PM at Andrews Academy
  • Consecration May 23, 8:00 PM at Village SDA Church
  • Baccalaureate May 24, 11:45 AM at Pioneer Memorial Church
  • Commencement May 25, 11:00 AM at Pioneer Memorial Church

Pioneer Business Session

Dear Valued Pioneer member, please plan to attend the upcoming Business Session to be held on May 27, at 7:00 PM. The topics to be discussed and voted upon include the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year budget which has been inserted in your bulletin.

Something in Common Sabbath School

Something In Common Sabbath School presents The Five Love Languages DVD series.

  • May 17- Love Language One: Words of Affirmation
  • May 24- Love Language Two: Quality Time
  • May 31- Love Language Three: Receiving Gifts
  • June 7- Love Language Four: Acts of Service
  • June 14- Love Language Five: Physical Touch
  • June 21- Growing in Love

Everyone is welcome to join us in PMC Room 141 each Sabbath morning from 10:30 - 11:30 AM.

Mission and Strategy Statements Town Hall Meetings

The Elders have finished! After many months of prayerful and concerted work, the draft of Pioneer's potential new mission and strategy statements are ready for your review.  

Please join us at any of the identical Town Hall/Q & A sessions listed below to hear Pastor Shane and our elders present the drafts for your feedback.  Our goal is to take your input, modify the drafts as needed, sent them back to the church board for final review, and begin implementation in the Fall.  

Please join us for any of these important and impactful meetings that will help guide Pioneer's witness for years to come!

  • May 13, Tuesday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
  • May 18, Sunday, 9:00 - 11:00 AM
  • May 22, Thursday, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (Zoom only)
House of Prayer Series Led By Pastor Dwight Nelson

“How to Pray for Rome NOW: Following Jesus in Today’s Headlines” 

House of Prayer Spring Series, 7 PM, Pioneer Earliteen Loft, May 2025 

  • May 7 “The Sea Beast and Jesus” (Revelation 13) 
  • May 14 “The Little Horn and Jesus” (Daniel 7 & 2 Thessalonians 2) 
  • May 21 “The Purple and Scarlet Woman and Jesus” (Revelation 17) 
  • May 28 “The Babylonian Queen and Jesus” (Revelation 18) 

“Prophecy is fast fulfilling. More, much more, should be said about these tremendously important subjects. The day is at hand when the destiny of every soul will be fixed forever. This day of the Lord hastens on apace. . . . Great pains should be taken to keep this subject before the people. The solemn fact is to be kept not only before the people of the world, but before our own churches also, that the day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly. The fearful warning of the prophecy is addressed to every soul. Let no one feel that he is secure from the danger of being surprised. Let no one's interpretation of prophecy rob you of the conviction of the knowledge of events which show that this great event is near at hand.” (Fundamentals of Christian Education 335)

Mission and Strategy Statements Town Hall Meetings
Pioneer Youth Chapel

The Elders have finished! After many months of prayerful and concerted work, the draft of Pioneer's potential new mission and strategy statements are ready for your review.  

Please join us at any of the identical Town Hall/Q & A sessions listed below to hear Pastor Shane and our elders present the drafts for your feedback.  Our goal is to take your input, modify the drafts as needed, sent them back to the church board for final review, and begin implementation in the Fall.  

Please join us for any of these important and impactful meetings that will help guide Pioneer's witness for years to come!

May 13, Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 PM

May 18, Sunday, 9:00-11:00 AM

May 22, Thursday, 7:00-9:00 PM (Zoom only)

Holding Onto Jesus

Sunday, May 25, 3-5 PM Pioneer Youth Chapel What do we do when our life is shaken by illness, a great loss, or some other devastation? How do we find God when it feels like He isn’t there? Women of all ages are invited to hear Emily Gibbs share her testimony, and explore ways that we can have resilience in the midst of difficult experiences. Register by texting TRIALS to 269-281-2345. Questions? Email women@pmchurch.org.

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