The End Times 10/15/2023
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Go have fun good to see you guys today how’s everybody doing doing all right all right all right all right welcome it’s a crazy uh time in our world isn’t it and I like to say this is unusual but feels like every week or at least every month something insane happens in the
World and it’s like what is going on out there uh and it it’s just it’s really easy to be unsettled if we’re keeping our eyes on the news or keeping our eyes on the chaos we’re keeping our eyes on the storms it’s easy to live unsettled
In the midst of the storms right uh so we’re going to talk today about sort of the end times what does Jesus say about the end especially in light of of all the stuff that’s happening in Israel and all of that stuff um if you’re looking for all of
The answers and looking for me to give you like specific timelines and how you’re in the wrong spot all right you’re in the wrong spot one I was talking with a friend of I this week who’s very very knowledgeable in a lot of this stuff and we were joking that
The more confident somebody is about the end times the less we trust them the more we’re like ah you don’t be super confident about things that the Bible doesn’t make super clear so there’s things we are very confident about what will happen the Bible’s very explicitly
Clear about that but the when and the how and the order there’s a lot of a lot of movement in there that really smart people disagree with and so if my ambiguity today frustrates you know that that’s because I believe that’s how scripture gives it to us it gives us
Enough to be very clear that something is coming that these things will happen but it doesn’t give the we’re not I’m not going to give you any dates or times or hours I’m not going to you know to make any predictions but we’re going to
Talk a lot about what does the Bible say about the end times about the things that are yet to come uh especially in light of some of the stuff that’s going on in our world today I’d say if you have your Bibles open up but we’re going to be all over
The place and so if you want to try to keep up you’re welcome too um but we will end up for the most part will’ll end up in John chapter 16 and in Matthew chapter 24 is where we will end most of our time my hope today is not only to
Tell you what the Bible tells us or a few a bunch of the things the Bible tells us about the end but more importantly why why does the bible give us these things why did Jesus tell us these things and we don’t have to speculate because he said it very very clearly I
Am telling you this this because so we’ll jump in to that in light of the the happenings in Jerusalem and with Israel this week um I thought that you know we were going to keep running with Luke chapter 8 I like you know this is what’s on everybody’s heart right now so
Let’s jump into it a little bit and at least walk out of here with a little more peace if not a little bit more clarity um is this proph phcy fulfilled what’s happening right now is this are we looking over there and seeing right now these are the things that Jesus spoke of
I don’t know and I’ll say I don’t know because Jesus says there will be wars and rumors of wars and Wars are not a new thing this isn’t a sudden thing that was unexpected if you’ve paid any attention over the years uh that region in particular has been a in a constant
Repetitive uh cycle of war and this is another chap chapter in an ongoing war that dates back to Abraham and Sarah and right it’s thousands of years old uh with Hagar and the child of the promise and and all that so this is not a new thing this is
An ongoing thing but I do think it is evidence that what Jesus said would happen is happening and is coming um is Jesus coming soon maybe we know he’s coming I know today we are one day closer we’re we’re one day closer and whether Jesus is coming soon for all of
Us or he’s coming soon for you all of us are one day closer to the end whether it’s my end or the end either way I’m a day closer to the end and because of that there’s a the reality of death the reality of finality gives meaning to the moments
That we live in right if we recognize that we are not going to be here for eternity we are not going to be as we are currently for eternity there is a time when all of us are called to the Throne all of us will die someday knowing that gives meaning to the
Moments that we have every day as we walk day to day today your day has meaning my day has meaning because they are limited we are finite in this life so is this the end is this the final stuff may be maybe it’s just one more chapter
Along that path I don’t know for sure but I want to look into what what does the bible tell us is going to happen and why does it tell us that it’s going to happen so at the turn of the 19th century there was a little over
80,000 Jews living in the what was then called the Palestine area today there’s over 6 million Jews that call is Israel home the Gathering of the Jews into the official nation of Israel in 1948 is probably the most prominent and clear fulfilled Bible prophecy that we’ve ever
Seen I don’t think there’s anything else that has happened in any of our lifetimes that is as a clear of a statement that of a prophecy that happened thousands of years ago that came true in our life as far as I can tell no nation in history has ever been conquered
Dissolved and returned back to becoming that nation in its Homeland it’s only happened once in history that I’m aware of and it happens to be the nation that the Bible predicted it would happen to in 70 AD Rome destroyed the temple which Jesus prophesied would happen and there is this dispersion this
Diaspora of the Jewish people into all the surrounding Nations and from that moment for thousands of years there was this uh this scatteredness of Israel all across the world and then in 1948 on May 14th like we said something happened that has never happened before in Israel became a nation again now
Whether you agree with that politically or not whether you no matter where I understand there are people that stand on different sides of of the political side of this the biblical side of this is very clear that in the Old Testament Jesus said God said this is going to happen and then it
Happened exactly how God said it would now where does it say that let’s look into it all right in Isaiah 11 11-2 it says it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord Lord shall set his hand again a second time to recover the remnant of his people the Lord will
Assemble the outcast of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four quarters of the earth and then again in Jeremiah 29:14 says I will be found by you declares the Lord and I will bring you back from captivity I will gather you from all the nations and places where I
Have banished you declares the Lord and I will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into Exile one commentator said it this way he said the most prophesied event in End Time Passages in the Bible is the return of the Jewish people to the promised
Land the number one sign of the times and the greatest Miracle of the 20th century is the return of the Jewish people to their Homeland from worldwide Exile many end time prophecies could not come to pass until Israel had its own statehood since Israel has done just
That all the dominoes are in motion for the rest of the Bible prophecies to unfold what a time we live in like I said I’m not going to go through all of the details of like what happens when it happens and how it happens um you can you can see plenty of
That pled that online if you’re looking it up and very very smart people disagree on how that’s going to work and you know what I’m okay with that I’m okay with the fact that we all are not in agreement exactly how this is going to to come down what we are in agreement
On though is what’s going to happen so this some of what the assembles of God believes assem of God if you’re not familiar we have what we call 16 fundamental truths and that’s basically 16 things that if you’re going to be an assembles of God Church you got
To line up with these outside of that there’s a lot of uh not to say gray area but areas where we can discuss and we can have different opinions on stuff and that’s okay but there are these 16 fundamentals that we we all would say that we would as a churches we would
Agree on the last four of those are all end times I want to talk a little bit about those one of them is the fact that there will be a Rapture of the saints that Jesus is coming back and when he does he is going to Rapture those who believe be
Caught up in the air the Bible says with him and and we were go I have a lot of friends of mine who think that the onslaught of alien rumors and activities is just a setup for them to have something to blame when all the Christians disappear I don’t know but
When all the Christians disappear they’re say oh see that’s what happened as a way to not give credit where credit is due to scripture I don’t know that’s going to be the TR case or not but something’s going to happen and it’s going to be crazy where suddenly all of
Those who are living who we’re walking in faith with the Lord will in a twinkling of an eye it says be caught up with with Christ what an incredible day that will be for the believer what a terrifying day that will be for those who are
Not we believe in what we call the millennial reign of Christ the second coming of Christ includes the Rapture of the Saints which is that blessed hope followed by the visible return of Christ with his Saints to reign Earth for a thousand years um this will be online so
You can go back and look all these up all right we’re going to put them up there for you so you can find them but I’m not going to read all of them right now but all of these references talk about this Millennial Reign where Christ Reigns on
Earth for A Thousand Years it’ll bring the salvation of national Israel there will there will be a a great turning back towards the Lord in mass of people who are actually the the Jewish people it’ll be the establishment of a universal peace as Christ Reigns we also believe what we call the
Final judgment there will be a final judgment which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works and whoever is not found written in the book of life together with the devil and his angels will be cast into the Eternal fire the Everlasting punishment what we call hell
It’s a tragic thing and those who have walked with Christ who have put their faith in Christ will’ll be given an everlasting reward in the presence of God and what we call heaven we believe in what we call the new heavens and the new Earth and this
Is just crazy to imagine I’m trying to figure out what it all means I don’t really know but there is a talk where he is going to destroy everything he has created and create a new Heaven and a new Earth and it’s going to be incredible see that in second Peter in
Revelations 21 and 22 there are things coming and God tells us to be ready so what are the signs of the end I want to go through just a couple of um scattered signs of the end uh to today’s message is going to be I think
Of in terms of uh like elevation like I can take a a picture of my house up close and I can see a lot of details of my house and I can go through all of the like how it’s laid out and what it looks like and what needs to be repaired and
All the details right but if I if I raise the elevation on that I can get a picture of my my whole neighborhood right if I raise the evolation re evolation what is an evolation I don’t know what that is elevation I can get the whole town I get
The whole state the whole country as we rise up we get less detail but we get a greater broader perspective so today I want to look at that greater broader perspective not the individual details let’s talk about some of the things that are the signs of the end in 1 Timothy
4:1 the spirit clearly says that in the later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by Demons we see that in our lifetime we see people who for years were faithful and and stuck to the faith and are now beginning this idea of deconstruction this idea of a falling away of less and less people especially in America less and less people that are leaning in towards their
Faith second Timothy and 2 Thessalonians both talk about the last days as being perilous times because of the increasingly evil character of man and people who actively oppose the truth do we see that in our days I feel like we do in Revelation 13 it says the
Antichrist is going to give have control of Commerce by forcing what we call the mark of the beast a lot of discussion on what is the mark of the beast I don’t know maybe it’s an actual like thing on like your wrist and your forehead maybe it’s actually there it might be symbolic
As well because the very next chapter I believe it is talks about how God will mark his seal on his Believers so the mark of Christ will be on his believers and the mark of the beast or be the unbelievers so maybe it’s an actual physical thing maybe it is a an
Illustration of of Allegiance you’ll be forced to give your allegiance to the the Antichrist uh you will not accidentally just put you put your mind at ease you will not accidentally end up with the mark of the beast okay I know that much you don’t have to worry like
Oh no we got credit cards and that’s that was like a thing when credit cards first started coming out right they were the mark of the beast you’re not going to be tricked it’s not the VAC vacine I heard people online saying oh if you get the vaccine they’re going to sneak
Something in there and that’s going to be the mark of the beast you will not be tricked into this whatever it is you will not go oh no I was a Christian trusting in God and suddenly I got tricked and now I have the mark of the
Beast and I’m lost forever that’s not going to happen it’s a it’s a conscious Choice a difficult one because there will be a control of Commerce you will have a harder time getting food for your family you will have a harder time buying and selling it will be be a hard
Choice it will be a forced choice but it will be a choice for the people of God we see a lot of things that are predicted that were impossible when they were predicted but are very plausible now things like this gospel will be preached in every corner of the earth to
Every Nation or every people group but today with the Advent of of the radio the television of Internet I have friends who are missionaries in Africa and they’re out there in like these Bush areas of Africa where there’s no electricity hardly there’s no running water there’s no Plumbing they it’s like
The stuff the pictures you see like huts and things like that and these people have cell phones they have cell phones and they have access to the internet via their cell phones right so the the idea that something will be communicated worldwide it makes sense so when Jesus
Comes back it says when he comes back the world will see it the world will will witness it that is impossible how can that possibly happen until television until the internet now suddenly the idea of a worldwide event that pretty much everybody has access to
And everybody can see it makes a lot of sense it’s pretty easy to think of now but that was impossible when those predictions were made in Zechariah 12:3 it says on that day when all the nations of the Earth are gathered against I will make Jerusalem an immovable Rock for for all
The nations all who try to move it will injure themselves this idea have you ever like kicked something that you thought was movable and it wasn’t you’re like oh that’s just a little rock you know and you go to kick it you’re like no it’s actually in the
Ground and you can’t you stub your toe on it it hurts it’s this idea that oh that’s just a little thing we can take that but they try the Lord will defend Jerusalem now here’s some speculation all right I just want to straight up this is speculation it might be true it
Might not I don’t know but I know this Daniel and Revelation both mention four nations or four kings that rise up against Jerusalem and and there’s some speculation as to who they might be there is a king of the north which is referred to as the bear which makes a
Lot of sense that would be Russia it could be where Russia comes down aligns itself with those who are against Jerusalem the kings of the South is described as Persia Ethiopia Libya these are the this is Egypt and the uh Arabic Islamic Nations that are around there we can pretty well pinpoint where
Those places are today those kings will rise up those Nations will rise up and that’s not a a stretch at all that’s happening and has been happening talks about the king of the East which many believe might be China it’s interesting the Bible’s word for East apparently means sun rising the
Land of the Rising Sun there’s also a king described in Revelation that will lead this massive March of an army numbering 200 million soldiers which would make sense of all the C countries that are in in existence today that’s probably the one country that has the capacity it them are
India to March a 200 million person Army and it’s interesting in that 200 million person Army in that description it says that this is how it’s described in Revelation nine it says the heads of the horses looked like the heads of lions fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths and
Onethird part of all men were killed by the fire and smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths could you imagine having never seen a tank or never seen a rocket or never seen anything like that that technology was was thousands of years away from being created and seeing
A vision of it and trying to describe it in the words that you had at the day it would probably sound a lot like that what could explode out of the mouths with fire and kill a third of the population I don’t know maybe King of the West this this was
Interesting there’s a lot there’s a lot of interesting stuff in this uh they think the King of the West might be America or the United Kingdom or or those that have been associated with that there’s this really interesting thing it says the ships of tarses and their Villages uh will will come against
Either to defend or to take over Israel they will fight against these other kings um again this is I keep saying it but I just don’t want you to feel like I’m preaching this like I’m confident all right this is interesting to me and it might be so the ships of Tarsus that
Was actually Spain is our closest connection to where this came from and the Kelts the people of that region as they migrated that’s where we get Great Britain that’s where we get a lot of the the British Isles all of those sort of people all of the colon colonies that
Came out of that area um all of those can have this connection To no sorry can have this connection to uh the king’s that are coming in from the east or from the West we don’t know but it’s interesting how these things seem to line up in our day and age just so you know I asked her to take a bunch of pictures because one
She’s a professional photographer look ridiculously good amazingly talented but also we want to do some updates on our website we want to have some pictures not just stock photos of things we find online but of you guys because you’re awesome uh so that’s we I’ve asked her please get creative take pictures make
Us look good because she can do that um so I appreciate you thank you for doing this and so after his victory these nations attack and after the victory over these attacking Nations says that Jesus is going to come and he’s going to stand on a specific location this is one
Of those things we get that’s not real ambiguous it’s pretty clear what’s going to happen in Zechariah 14:4 it says on that day his feet will stand in the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives and the Mount of Olives
Will be split in two from e east to west forming a great valley with half the Mountain Moving North and half moving south now is that split going to be a geographical split is there going to be a earthquake and like a splitting of the mountain or is that a reference of a
Division of the nation we don’t really know but we know that Jesus will come back he will stand at the Mount of Olives and there’ll be a great split that happens at that time why did God give us so much information about the end this is just a
Fraction of the stuff that’s in there but do it in such a way that it’s almost impossible to really nail down the meaning or the timing of it and this is so you think about this this is why I kind of don’t trust people who are really confident the Israel’s greatest
Minds its greatest Bible scholars all had done the main thing that they were figuring out was who is the Messiah and when is the Messiah going to come back right so they were obsessed with this idea of the Messiah who is he where is he going to come from what is he going
To do and when Jesus showed up They Crucified him so who are we to say we can interpret prophecy so much better that we still won’t miss some things if we don’t hold this Loosely to some extent so why did Jesus give why did the Bible give us so much information but do
It in a way that’s still somewhat difficult to nail down I look at two passages where Jesus talks about the end times and and look at not only why what he says but why he says it what does it mean to me so first we’re going to look we’re going to look
At John Chapter 13 through John chapter 16 we won’t won’t read the whole thing but we’re going to kind of spread that whole that whole area right there so he’s talking to his disciples in John 13:18 and he tells his disciples I am going to be betrayed my death is coming but it’s
Going going to bring glory to the father but in this process I am leaving and I will not be with you anymore now this is normal to us because we know how the story ends right it’s like watching the Titanic you know how it’s going to end and so when things go
Crazy you’re okay but if you imagine being on the Titanic you don’t know how it’s going to end when you’re actually on the you don’t know how the story ends you’re like wait what’s going on so they had this belief that the Messiah would come and that he would not only save
Israel but he would overthrow Rome and that he would Reign forever right then and there so when they saw Jesus and they believe that he was the Messiah they’re expecting him to overthrow Rome and to take over and then he says you know what guys I’m going to get betrayed
I’m going to be killed and I’m going to be leaving you that shook them to the very Foundation of their belief systems what does that mean how could that be are you who we thought you were and he says in verse or Chapter 14 verse one he says don’t let your hearts be
Troubled you believe in God like yeah okay then believe also in me you trust in God well yeah trust trust me he said my father’s house has many rooms if that were not so I would have told you or would I have told you that I’m going
There to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come back and I will take you to be with me that you also may be where I am he says look I’m going away but it’s okay be at peace because I’m coming back
Again in verse 27 he says I’m going to give you peace so don’t let your hearts be troubled he says it again what does that mean it means their heart will have reason to be troubled you’re going begin to see a pattern here in John 14:29 he says this
Again I’ve told you this before it happens so that when it does happen you will believe why did Jesus give us all of these prophecies why did the Bible give us all of these prophecies I have told you these things that are going to happen before they happen so when they
Do happen you can live at peace you can trust in me you can believe more fully because I’ve told you that it’s coming I’m going away trouble’s coming verse 30 talks about how the prince of this world is coming and he will attack but that his attacks will only
Prove that Jesus is from the father as I looked at verse 14 verse 30 I really think he’s talking about the cross that when the enemy comes he will he will appear to have won but his apparent vict Victory will be his ultimate defeat and we see that in the
Cross that moment where it seems like Darkness won well where it seems like the enemy has won where it seems like this is as bad as it can get but in reality this was exactly the plan of God because this was as good as it was going
To get Jesus dying on the cross for our sins offering us salvation what the enemy intended for evil God intended for good I’m warning you about these things so that when trouble increases the increase of trouble doesn’t destroy your faith then he tells them in chapter 15
Anyone who doesn’t remain in him is a branch that is withered and will be cut off it’ll be thrown away and it’ll be burned I’m not going to get into it but there’s a a thread throughout where Israel is is a branch is the vine that
And he’s saying look if you’re not in me he will be withered and burned he puts himself at the center of the Salvation of all people at the end of chapter 15 Jesus says that in spite of the fact that they’re going to hate you he says look
They’re going to hate you because of me they will hate you you think they hated me wait till you see they’re going to hate you too because you are part of me because you are with me he says because they hate you what I
Need you to do as I need you to talk about me I need you to boldly declare what you know why because you know me you can see this at the end of chapter 15 he says not only they’re going to hate you but they’re going to kill you
And when they kill you they’re going to feel righteous in doing it they’re not going to kill you and feel bad about it they’re going to kill you and think they’re doing the right thing because they hate me so much and because they’re going to hate you and
Because they’re going to kill you what I need you to do is speak boldly about who I am the first verse of chapter 16 I’ve told you this so that you will not fall away I made these predictions I’m giving you this prophecy I’m telling you that the difficulties and the
Hardships and the challenges that are yet to come so that when it happens you won’t fall away he goes on to say when they kick you out of the synagogues when they claim that it’s God’s will that you’re killed verse four when persecution comes he says remember I warned
You the very next section 16 ver7 says the holy spirit is going to be at work in this season so again you’re seeing this bounce back and forth back back and forth back and forth we’re going to see it more he says the end is going to be
Hard it’s going to be painful it’s going to be difficult there’s going to be trials and tribulations and they’re going to attack and they’re going to murder and people are going to fall away and hard things are going to happen I’m telling you all of this so when it happens your faith is
Strengthened you have more belief more faith more trust more boldness more capacity more determination to go out and to do what I’ve called you to do because you know that this is not an evidence that what you’re believing is untrue it’s proof that it’s all
True and so as we see the world descend into chaos as we see those around us hate us for our Biblical beliefs and our Biblical morality the the pressure from the world the pressure from culture the th those things should give us an evidence that this is true because this
Is exactly what Jesus said was going to happen he repeats the pattern again in 1620 very truly I tell you you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices you will grieve but your grief will be turned into Joy like a woman giving birth has pain because her time has come but when
Her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her the joy that her child is born into the world so with you now is your time of grief but I will see you again and you will rejoice and no one will take away your joy you will weep
You will suffer you will grieve But ultimately you will rejoice because you will see the birth of the promise and you will have a joy that nobody can take away the purpose of the prophetic word words that God gives us is for the Assurance of the Saints in the coming times of
Trouble and the coming seasons of difficulty and hardship is an Evidence of our so for our soul of the Assurance of not only the holy spirit with us through it but the Salvation that will come at the end and it’s to motivate us to obey his
Commands until he returns he says I want you to have faith in the hard times but I want you to know that when things get hard Now’s the Time to move Now’s the Time to speak Now’s the Time to to reach out Now’s the Time to
Go when things get hard you guys know how it is we’re all we’re human our human nature is like this when things get hard we want to just enclose ourselves and isolate ourselves and get quieter the more we are attacked you ever like in high school or in junior
High this is usually when it happens for the first time you step up and you do something and you’re mocked and ridiculed for it and your the response is for some people a lifetime of saying I’m never going to do that again we put our heart out there and it’s broken and
So we want to close it up and we don’t never want to reach out he says no no no no just the opposite when you put yourself out there and you are attacked in response go all the more trust all the more serve all the more give all the more all in because
This is evidence that the time is coming this is evidence of a labor pain you don’t quit when you’re in the middle of Labor ladies you’re in the middle of Labor you don’t be like no this too hard I’m done I’m not doing this you might want to but
It’s not an option because that baby’s coming he’s saying look look the the baby’s coming the promise is coming salvation is coming the hope is coming the Redemption is coming it’s on its way the the Blessed hope of Eternal salvation for those who trust in Jesus it’s on the way it’s happening but
There’s going to be some birth pains in the process so don’t respond in fear don’t respond trying to avoid or trying to change it but lean in and Trust I want to close by walking through Matthew 24 and then we’ll wrap up from there Matthew 24 Jesus gives this whole list
Of things that are going to happen at the end times verse two he says the destruction of the temple is a sign of the end times that’s happened it also talks about how there’s going to be a rebuilding of the temple and from rumor has it the reports I’ve
Seen everything is in place for the temple to be rebuilt reestablished and for sacrifices to begin and the one guy I was listening to he said it could happen within 3 or 4 days that when they take control of the Temple Mount of where the temple actually is right now that’s that is
Controlled by a Muslim Mosque but so if that time comes where Israel regains control of that within 4 days they can have the sacrificial system up and running and the temple reestablished which is another one of the prophecies the Bible gives us verse four of Matthew 24 says many
Will come saying they are the Messiah that has happened and that is happening again there are reports there’s video of a of a young Rabbi who’s walking around claiming to be the Messiah and he has a huge following right now they’re claiming he’s doing Miracles says Nation will rise against Nation Kingdom against
Kingdom famine earthquakes says you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death verse n you’ll be hated by All Nations because of me there is an increasing hatred towards anything that is of Christ in our world you can you cannot speak ill of any belief system of any lifestyle of
Anybody but you can Christianity all day long and nobody blinks an eye nobody uses Muhammad’s name in vain nobody cusses using the name of Buddha verse 12 or verse 11 says many false prophets will appear and deceive many people it doesn’t take much I’ve seen what people share on Facebook
People are easy to deceive all right can I just tell you you don’t need to post anything that says I don’t give Facebook any right to my content or my stuff and because I’m posting this this is now a legal binding agreement that they can’t charge me $11 47 cents every month if
You see stuff like that don’t post it it’s dumb it’s it’s but it’s so easy for people to be deceived over little things things we want to believe things are true and we’re naturally inclined to it it is so so easy to be deceived you’ve
Got to be in the word don’t take my word for it take the word for it if the only word you’re getting is the word I’m giving you you’re in trouble I pray that I’m faithful to God’s word but you need to be in the word you need to know the
Word so that we’re not deceived says there will be an increase in wickedness and the love of most will grow cold do you see a lack of love a lack of community a lack of care does the world feel colder now than it ever has before this Gospel of the Kingdom will
Be preached in the whole world we talked about that as a n testimony to All Nations and then the end will come verse 21 there will be great distress unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equal again if those days had not been cut short no
One would survive but for the sake of the elect those days have been shortened verse 29 says immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened the moon will not give its light and I don’t know what this means but the Stars will fall from the
Sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken verse 30 says the there will appear this sign of the son of man in heaven and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the son of man coming in the Clouds Of Heaven with power and
Glory and he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call and he will gather his elect from the Four Winds from one end of the Heavens to the other verse 36 says about that day our hour nobody knows not even the angels in heav Heaven nor the son but only the
Father as it was in the days of Noah so it will be in the coming of the son of man that’s an interesting analogy as it was in the days of Noah so it will be in the coming in the days of the son of man uh for hundreds of years right for
Decades Noah was building an ark and telling everybody who would listen God has prophesied that there will be a flood you need to get right with God and they all mocked him because there was no flood that day and every day what I’ve read there had never been rain I don’t
Know how they know that or prove that but apparently there had never been rain before and they’re Inland and there’s never been a flood you’re like what are you talking about Noah this is ridiculous the things you’re saying are going to happen have never happened and
Every day they woke up and it still didn’t happen and it didn’t happen the next day and it didn’t happen the next day and it didn’t happen every single day until it did and then it was too late the son the coming of the son of
Man will be just like in the days of Noah the predictions are there the prophecies are there the promis is there it is coming and every day it doesn’t happen and the world mocks the idea that Jesus is coming again and they will mock that idea every day it doesn’t happen
Happen until it does and they will stand there mourning saying I wish I would have listened as destruction Falls he immediately follows all of this in Matthew 25 he says this he goes at that time the kingdom of heaven will be like and he tells three Parables so we we usually read these
Parables out of context we take them each in and of themselves but in context Jesus says the end is coming all of these things are happening and in those days when these days come the Kingdom of Heaven this is what it’s going to look like so these three
Parables that he tells are direct connection to the story or to the prophecies that he’s given us about how it’s all going to end so what does God tell us about how we should live today in light of the fact that the end is coming how do we live he says these three
Things first Parable is the parable of the 10 virgins five are prepared with oil in their lamp ready for their bridegroom to show up and five are unprepared and they miss it when he comes because they did not endure through the night be prepared be ready let that lamp
That fire continue to burn within us we cannot grow cold we cannot grow complet we can’t say I’ll come back to Jesus when it’s time I’m going to have my fun I’m going to go away I’m going to do my thing I’m going to come back again we
You can’t live in such a way that says when it gets serious I’ll get serious because like in the days of Noah it’ll be too late and we’ll miss it we have to stay vigilant we have to stay on guard aware ready for the return of
Christ the next story he tells is the 10 bags of gold or of the bags of gold and one one guy is given five bags of treasure one’s given two one’s given one and the the owner the master leaves he says here’s your your talents here’s your Treasures this is mine but
I’m going to put it in your hands to take care of and I’m leaving and he leaves and they don’t know when he’s going to come back but when he comes back they are each held accountable based on what they were given we have to be ready and we have to be good
Stewards of the time that we have your time talent and treasure right the time that you’ve been given are you a good Steward of the time for the kingdom of God the talents that you’ve been given are you using the talents and the gifts that God’s given you for the reasons and
The purposes for which he gave it to you the treasure the resources that he’s allowed us to have some of us have five bags of resources some of us have one are we using the he didn’t come back and and tell the tell the one I’m I’m
Mad at you because you don’t have five he says I’m not he goes he was mad he was he was upset because the took what he had and he buried it and it was useless what has God given you what time what talent what treasure what capacity has God given you what has
He called you to and how are we using it we will be held accountable when he comes back and he is coming so to be ready to be good stewards and the last one is the story of the the sheep and the goats of these people that come before the Lord at the
Final judgment and and he looks at some he says I was hungry I was thirsty I was all these things and you never took care of me they’re like what are you talking about and there’s others he looked at he says I was hungry I was thirsty I was
Naked I was in need and you cared for me they’re like what are you talking about he tells him says when you did the this to the least of these you did it for me when you cared for the people that nobody else cared for when you did the
Right thing and you did the good thing and you gave and you clothed and you fed and you cared for it and you sacrificed when you gave of yourself to those who are in need you were doing that for me I saw that to serve and to love Jesus by serving and loving
People who says what’s the kingdom of God like when all the fire rains down when all the tribulation comes when things get hard the kingdom of God looks like a people who are ready it looks like a people who are good stewards of the time and the
Resources they have and what does it mean to be a good Steward it means you’re taking care of the people around you means we’re living in outward life and others focused life caring for those around us it’s why we want to do things like bless people with stuff because
It’s an open door to say we love you like Jesus loves you all of the prophecy is given to motivate us to faithfulness through the trials to Joy when it gets hard to a stronger belief when things look bad to motivate us to speak and to serve
And to love and to give while the World falls apart around around us to not live in fear but a faithful unshakable Faith you bow your heads with me I don’t know if this current conflict in Israel is a signs of the times or if it’s another tragic
War in a series of tragic Wars I do know that we are one day closer today we are one day closer than we were yesterday I do know that when things get hard when our faith is not welcomed and celebrated when we are persecuted in large and small ways because we speak
Boldly the name of Jesus in the in the morality and the expectations and the standards of Jesus not only as Savior but as Lord that we will find persecution and when those things happen I know that we can dig deep and say this is that which Jesus predicted these days are are difficult
Days less for us than most in the world but increasingly for us may the the prophecy the prediction the promises of of Christ motivate you and I to more belief in the storms and a greater urgency to obey in the limited time that we have because time is running out
Jesus thank you for your warnings thank you that you sp spoke clearly to us in your word that in the end these things will happen and Lord when these things happen when the trials and the struggles and the hardships and the persecutions when there’s great falling away when there’s
People who want to murder your people because they are your people may we not see this as a sign of fear to fear but we see this as the evidence that the birth pains are happening but the promise is on the way the promise is on the way your faithfulness will
Endure your joy will come in the morning your promises are yes and amen your salvation is assured and we can stand boldly in the face of any persecution and any hardship and any distraction and anything that tries to come against us as your people we can stand even more boldly when those
Things happen because we know in whom we believe and we know in whom we have placed our trust and you are worthy of it all if you’re in here today and you say you know what Pastor Jason I’m far from God I don’t even know if the Rapture
Were to happen if God were to come back and to take his church to take all of those who have faith in him I don’t know that I would go I don’t know if the end is near but if my end is near I don’t know what happens next I have no
Confidence in my salvation let me tell you today the Bible says today is the day of your salvation that Jesus died on the cross and he rose again for you and for me he died for our sins he took our sin and our shame and he crucified it on
That cross so if we trust in him he will forgive us of our sin says he is faithful and just to forgive us of all unrighteousness and to save us not because we are good but because he is if you’re in here today you say I
Don’t know but I want to know I want to fully give my heart to Jesus today I want to walk with him so when whether it’s the end or it’s my end when the end comes I can stand in confidence that I’m saved through the blood of Jesus I want
My sins forgiven given I want to trust in Jesus today if that’s you and you want to do that today would you raise a hand if you’re in here today all right thank you thank you if you’re online please shoot us a message we would love to pray for you contact
You and just just pray over you Lord for those that raise their hands we often say a sinner’s prayer we call it uh but there’s no magic Words what your your word expects of us is that we declare with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and that God raised him from the dead and so we declare that today in boldness Jesus you are Lord you are king
You are Master you are savior you are over my life completely I submit my ways to your ways I ask you to forgive me for my sin wash me clean and te teach me what it means to trust in you if you prayed that prayer and you
Believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord you are saved there is no ambiguity about that there’s no question on that you are saved you’re not perfect but you’re saved for the rest of us it’s easy to live in fear it’s easy to live when things get
Hard when the world goes to chaos it’s easy to to question can I just encourage us to live in faith and trust and confidence and joy in the midst of the hardship not in ignorance of it but joy in the midst of it Lord encourage your people today encourage us our time is
Short Our Lives matter we are a priesthood of Believers every one of us called to expand and to share and to to grow your kingdom to share your good news to speak boldly and confidently and carefully about your good news in our world Empower every one of us whether we
Have five talents or two or one to be faithful with what you’ve given us to multiply into this world what you’ve entrusted into us because you are coming soon we thank you for that we rejoice in that in Jesus name we pray amen amen as you go go with a sense of
Urgency but also with a sense of Faith right we have that tension there’s an urgency in US time is short but there’s faith in us we get to do some incredible things for God while we’re here God bless have a great week if you need prayer for anything please come on up I
Would love to pray for you pray over you it’d be my honor but other than that God bless you guys uh go in faith and enjoy today amen