Participants: Ron Halvorsen
Series Code: AOT
Program Code: AOT000050
|
00:12 Welcome to Anchors Of Truth from the 3ABN Worship Center.
00:16 The Truth As It Is In Jesus with Ron Halvorsen. 00:21 Hello friends, and once again welcome to the 00:24 3ABN Worship Center. 00:25 Also the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:28 If you've been tuning in over the last four days, you know 00:31 that we have been blessed tremendously. 00:32 Can we all say amen to that? 00:34 Pastor Halvorsen has really been the conduit through which 00:38 God has sent us a heaven born message. 00:41 Our hearts have been renewed. 00:43 Our vision of the Father as we were so blessed last night. 00:47 This morning, a fresh message and revelation of God's grace; 00:51 the only means where by we are saved. 00:53 And this afternoon, we are going to be blessed once again 00:56 as we continue our series. 00:58 Actually, the final meeting; The Truth As It Is In Jesus. 01:02 Particularly, The Truth As It Is In Jesus: 01:05 About His Second Coming. 01:07 And whether you know it or not, Jesus is coming again. 01:10 It's the greatest event of all the ages yet to transpire 01:14 before our eyes. 01:15 And it is imperative and urgent that we get ready 01:19 for that glorious event. 01:21 And so we're praying that your heart will be opened. 01:24 If you have friends that are running around right now, 01:25 if you're at church or if you're at home, 01:27 call your neighbors to sit down with you. 01:28 Because you don't want to miss this Spirit filled message. 01:33 If you don't know who Pastor Ron Halvorsen is, 01:35 maybe you're tuning in for the very first time, 01:37 he's a preacher from Brooklyn, New York. 01:40 A man raised on the tough streets of New York City. 01:42 But when the Lord got a hold of his heart, he went from 01:46 boxing in the ring to fighting in the army of the Lord. 01:51 And I would say, for the last 54 years, 53 or 54 years of 01:54 ministry, God has been leading souls to the cross 01:57 through this humble servant who knows what it means 02:00 to be in a battle for his life. 02:03 The Lord has taken him to many places around the world. 02:06 He's a pastor, he has pastored many churches. 02:09 He has taught how to preach, and he has preached 02:13 many, many sermons. 02:14 As a matter of fact, he's still noted as one of the largest 02:17 Wednesday night prayer meetings ever held; 02:18 more than 1500 people. 02:20 And if you've heard him speak, you understand why. 02:23 When Jesus is the center, the beginning, and the end 02:27 of the message, people need to be at the foot of the cross. 02:30 And Pastor Halvorsen, in more than 159 major evangelistic 02:35 series, has made Jesus real to those who have sat before him. 02:39 And so after 53 years of ministry, 54 years of marriage, 02:43 we are here today. 02:44 And if you have been listening to the messages, 02:46 I've been writing down some of his sayings. 02:48 Have you noticed some of those? 02:50 For example, he says, "We don't all sin alike, 02:55 but we all like sin." 02:56 Remember that one? 02:58 Another one, "David was not only the man after God's own heart, 03:01 he was a man after a few other things." 03:04 As he can say it best. 03:06 But the one thing that he brought to our hearts 03:08 this morning was, that the grace that the Lord has made 03:12 available to every one of us is a grace that never stops 03:15 bringing us to the foot of the cross. 03:18 And so for this next hour, God has a message for you. 03:23 Before we go to the message and before we go to the song, 03:26 let us invite the presence of the Lord to continue with us. 03:29 Let's bow our heads together. 03:31 Our gracious Father in heaven, what a blessing it is to know 03:34 that one day it is all going to be finished. 03:38 When You created the world, at the end of creation week 03:41 You said, "It is finished." 03:44 When You bowed Your head on the cross as You paid the price 03:48 for our redemption, You said, "It is finished." 03:52 And Father, we were not in the garden, 03:55 we were not there at the cross. 03:57 But Lord, may it be our privilege to be there in the 03:59 future when sin and sinners are forever removed, 04:05 and the entire great controversy closes with those words, 04:09 "It is finished." 04:10 Bless Your man servant, Pastor Halvorsen. 04:13 Open our hearts that we may receive, that our great desire 04:17 will be to be there that day when Jesus comes again. 04:21 In Jesus' name we ask, amen. 04:40 There's a line that's been drawn through the ages; 04:48 on that line stands an old rugged cross. 04:57 On the cross, a battle is raging; 05:05 for the gain of man's soul, or its loss. 05:14 On one side stands the forces of evil; 05:22 all the demons and devils of hell. 05:31 But on the other, the angels of glory; 05:39 as they meet on Golgotha's hill. 05:48 And the earth shakes with the force of the conflict; 05:56 and the sun refuses to shine. 06:05 For there hangs God's Son in the balance; 06:13 and then through the darkness He cries. 06:22 It is finished, the battle is over. 06:30 It is finished, there'll be no more war. 06:39 It is finished, the end of the conflict. 06:47 It is finished, and Jesus is Lord. 07:00 Yet in my heart, a battle still rages; 07:10 not all the prisoners of war have come home. 07:20 There are battles of my own making; 07:28 for I didn't know that the war had been won. 07:36 Then I heard that the King of the ages 07:46 had fought all my battles for me. 07:54 And now the victory is mine for the claiming; 08:02 and now praise God I am free. 08:11 It is finished, the battle is over. 08:19 It is finished, and there'll be no more war. 08:28 It is finished, it's the end of the conflict. 08:36 Oh, it is finished, and my Jesus is Lord. 08:45 Yes it is finished, 08:48 and my Jesus is Lord. 09:06 Amen. 09:09 Amen. 09:14 Thank you, John. 09:16 He comes from Brooklyn, I come from Brooklyn. 09:18 Why can't I sing like that? 09:24 When I hold evangelistic meetings, I usually 09:28 take one night to sing. 09:29 And I tell the people a few weeks ahead of time 09:31 so they can stay home that night. 09:33 But I can't wait to get to the kingdom of heaven 09:36 so I can sing. 09:37 It's going to be great to sing in the choir. 09:40 And I hope they put me next to two good bases in that choir 09:44 so I can get along. 09:46 I'm happy to be here. 09:47 This is the fifth in the series, and time flies. 09:51 But we've been talking about anchored; 09:55 anchored in the truth as it is in Jesus. 09:59 And I think there's no better place to end this series 10:03 than at the second coming of Christ. 10:06 Anchored in the Truth as it is in the Coming King. 10:10 Jesus Christ, the coming King. 10:13 But you know, whenever I deal with a difficult theological 10:17 subject and doctrinal subject like the second coming of Jesus, 10:20 and there are so many different concepts and ideas. 10:23 You know, we have pre-trib, post-trib, mid-trib, 10:25 this trib, that trib. 10:26 Everybody gets all mixed. 10:28 I feel like the mother who had seven children. 10:31 And she was going to the store and these seven children, 10:33 they were all in a circle. 10:35 In one circle looking into the circle. 10:36 Now, mother was overwhelmed. 10:38 I mean, all the kids together like that and their 10:41 attention is at the circle. 10:43 So she went to the store, came back, and they were still there. 10:47 So finally she was getting nervous and she walked over 10:49 and looked into the circle. 10:50 And there in the middle of the circle was a 10:51 bunch of baby skunks. 10:55 Now mama didn't know what to do. 10:56 Finally she said, "Kids, run." 10:58 And they each grabbed a skunk and ran. 11:01 Well, I never know what's going to happen in this. 11:03 But I want us to put away our theological concepts 11:08 and let's look at Jesus who is the author 11:10 and the finisher of our faith. 11:12 This great Bible, which I hold in my hand 11:15 and in my head and in my heart, ends in the book of Revelation. 11:22 This is the final message. 11:24 And by the way, the amazing thing about it, 11:26 it's not a message of doom and gloom. 11:30 But of hope. 11:31 For in these blood soaked pages of the book of Revelation, 11:34 the prisoner, the old man at Patmos, John, 11:37 dips his pen in the red blood ink of Calvary 11:40 and he drops his new found faith like golden pollen 11:44 from stems of shaking lilies, and they sweeten the lives 11:46 of men and women in every age. 11:48 John writes from Patmos. 11:51 He writes faithful and truthful about end of all things. 11:58 This is the climax, Revelation, of earth's history. 12:03 This is the climax of all that Jesus came for 12:08 and will come for. 12:10 The return of Christ, His second coming; the King. 12:17 Now this is where he ends, in this book. 12:19 Not with sadness and crying, but rather with 12:22 singing and rejoicing. 12:23 I mean, he ends not with emptiness, but with fullness. 12:27 I mean, he ends not with death, but he ends with life; 12:30 this eternal life. 12:31 He ends in hope, the beginning of a new and glorious world. 12:35 And this event, the second coming of Jesus, 12:38 is the greatest event of all time in all history. 12:43 John introduces us to the second coming with these 12:46 majestic words found in the book of Revelation 12:48 and found in the first chapter, and looking at verse 7. 12:52 The Bible says: 13:05 He describes this event as a majestic event; 13:08 the coronation of King Jesus. 13:12 A magnificent and majestic parade with banners flying and 13:16 trumpets blaring and sounds of mighty hoof beats 13:19 of heaven's horses. 13:21 I mean, this is the final coronation of Jesus Christ. 13:24 The second coming of Jesus is not casual. 13:27 It's not an unimportant event in the list of other events 13:30 in the Word of God. 13:31 It is climaxed of all that has gone before Him. 13:34 It is the glorious event. 13:36 Everything we believe about Christ; 13:38 the crib and the incarnation, the cross and salvation, 13:43 the resurrection and our hope, is founded and is satisfied 13:48 in the coronation of Jesus in His coming. 13:51 This event is one event, not one of many events. 13:56 It is an open event. 13:57 All men will see Him, all women will see Him. 14:00 Not some secret event as some would suggest. 14:03 Why would you hide a parade? 14:07 It's glorious to the eye, the parade. 14:10 I mean, it's glorious to the ear. 14:12 It's glorious to the senses. 14:15 It is a visible return. 14:17 As I read in Revelation 1:7 14:23 That's a glorious event. 14:27 Not only the righteous will see Him, but they which 14:29 pierced Him will see Him. 14:36 Jesus Christ, when He told His disciples about His return, 14:40 the coronation of Jesus, He tells us in Matthew 24 14:44 and verse 27 and verse 30, look at these words. 15:07 The coming of Jesus is visible, according to Jesus 15:11 in the book of Matthew. 15:13 But it's also audible. 15:15 Every ear will hear Him. 15:17 In Matthew 24 verse 31, look at the Word of God with me. 15:20 The Bible says: 15:30 The Bible tells us when we blow a trumpet, if I were to 15:32 blow a trumpet downtown, that every ear would hear it. 15:36 The wicked would hear it and the righteous would hear it. 15:38 But for the righteous it's a day of glory, it's a day of victory, 15:42 it's a day of the coronation of the Lord Jesus Christ. 15:46 And so it's visible to the eye, the parade 15:51 of the coronation of Jesus. 15:53 It's audible to the ear. 15:55 1 Thessalonians 4:16 tells us that. 15:58 There the apostle Paul writing, he says: 16:09 Notice that. 16:10 That's the Word of God here in the Bible in 1 Thessalonians. 16:15 But it's also literal. 16:17 The real Jesus is coming back, not an apparition. 16:21 It's the real Jesus. 16:22 Notice Acts chapter 1, the Bible tells us clearly and 16:26 plainly that it's Jesus Christ who comes back literally. 16:29 That's Acts 1 and verse 11. 16:33 The Bible says, let me turn over here in the Word of God 16:35 and let me read it for you. 16:37 Acts the first chapter, and I'm reading these words here. 16:42 Notice what the Bible says. 16:44 And he says this in chapter 1 verse 11. 17:01 The real Jesus. 17:02 The Jesus that touched lame legs and men stood 17:04 and praise God in their joy. 17:06 The same Jesus that came to blind men and touched 17:09 their eyes and they saw. 17:10 The same Jesus that called forth Lazarus from the dead. 17:13 The same Jesus that wept over Jerusalem. 17:16 The same Jesus that felt the nails in His hands 17:18 and the crown of thorns upon His brow and blood in His eyes. 17:22 This same Jesus which came forth in resurrection 17:25 shall come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven. 17:29 Listen to me. 17:31 That's a wonderful thing to think about. 17:33 That's a wonderful and glorious thing when we think of 17:35 Jesus and His return. 17:37 But the point in Matthew, the point in the apostles, 17:41 is that we are to be ready for that coming. 17:44 Readiness is the all important thing. 17:46 My text is taken from the book of Hebrews. 17:49 Notice in the book of Hebrews chapter 10. 17:55 He says, "Have confidence in what I say." 18:10 In other words, He says, "I made a promise. 18:12 I'm going to fulfill that promise." 18:14 And He says, "It'll be a little while." 18:17 And for these many years since I first received Jesus Christ 18:20 into my life, I believed in the second coming of Christ. 18:23 I believe He's coming, and I believe He's coming soon. 18:26 And I hold that dearly in my heart. 18:28 And I'm looking forward to that great Day when I, with the 18:31 people of God, the saints of God, be caught up together 18:34 to be with Jesus. 18:36 This afternoon, we must come to grips with this great theme. 18:40 We've got to look at it. 18:41 We must come to grips with it. 18:43 I mean, we must respond to its final appeal. 18:46 It may be the final appeal for one of you listening 18:49 right now to this program. 18:52 Every time the coming of Christ is mentioned in scripture, 18:55 it's used as the basis for the Creator to say to His creation, 18:59 "Prepare to meet God." 19:01 Instinctively, man has always expected a meeting with God. 19:06 Dreaded or welcomed, but a meeting. 19:08 Two days before the trial and crucifixion of our Lord, 19:11 the disciples asked Him about the second coming. 19:14 "What will it be like?" 19:15 I mean, the ultimate reunion with God. 19:18 In Matthew 24 verse 3, He tells us about this. 19:32 The apostles believed the coming of Christ would end the world 19:35 as we know it now. 19:36 The disciples wanted to know. 19:38 I think every believer should want to know. 19:40 Don't you? 19:41 I think every believer in Christ should want to know 19:44 about His coming, because that is the final moment 19:47 of the reunion with Jesus. 19:48 All that we look for, all that we long for; 19:51 to be with Jesus. 19:53 To be with Jesus. 19:56 They wanted to know the end of human woe, 20:00 the end of human heartache. 20:02 They wanted to know the end of human fear, 20:05 the end of human pain. 20:06 They wanted to know. 20:07 They wanted to know when death would dissolve into life again. 20:10 And His answer was a 94 verse résumé. 20:14 In this 94 verse résumé are the signs which would proceed 20:18 His return, signs of the times; Matthew 24. 20:21 And they go into Matthew 25 with the bridegroom, 20:25 and the story of the bridegroom and the virgins. 20:28 There are general signs and then there are specific signs. 20:34 And there were secular and there were religious. 20:37 But the hub of the whole treatise is Matthew 24 verse 44. 20:41 The hub, everything circles around it. 20:44 It's the hub of the whole treatise. 20:53 Be ready, He's coming. 20:55 Readiness is the key word. 20:58 And it occurs, by the way, several times in scripture; 21:01 this readiness. 21:02 Example, Peter says about readiness, he says this, 21:05 "He stands ready to pass judgment on the living 21:08 and the dead." 21:09 James says, "The Judge standeth at the door." 21:13 It is the grand finale. 21:15 I mean, it is the final act. 21:17 It is the glorious appearing of Jesus. 21:19 King of glory is coming back again. 21:22 I read, "All things are ready." 21:26 People come to me, they're looking at the signs. 21:28 People are always wondering when this is going to happen. 21:31 When is Revelation 13 going to be fulfilled? 21:34 When is this going to be fulfilled? 21:35 Jesus Christ is a heartbeat away. 21:37 You must live for Jesus Christ every day. 21:40 Does it matter what's coming down the road? 21:42 It matters what happens to you here and now 21:44 at this very moment. 21:48 He's a heartbeat away. 21:50 All things are ready. 21:52 The believer is always to look with expectation. 21:55 We who accepted Christ, we who believe in Christ, 21:58 we who have given our hearts to Christ, 22:00 we need to live for Him, for His coming, for the coming King. 22:04 We are to live perpetually in readiness. 22:07 Readiness. 22:08 He is only a heartbeat away. 22:12 We are to live in perpetual readiness. 22:14 And that's the meaning of the heavenly bridegroom. 22:16 That's the meaning of the ten virgins. 22:17 I mean, Paul writing to this marvelous event says 22:20 in 2 Timothy 4 verse 1 and verse 8, he says these words. 22:27 This is a charge from heaven. 22:29 This is God's charge to His people. 22:31 This is God's charge to His children in the last days. 22:54 And sandwiched between the avow is, "I'm ready." 22:59 My dear brother and sister, because of the grace of God 23:01 we talked about this morning, I'm ready to fly. 23:03 I don't know about you, I'm ready to fly. 23:06 The sooner the better. 23:09 The sooner the better. 23:10 Now there are four distinct things about the 23:12 coming of Jesus in the evident of the reading of the passages. 23:16 First of all, the coming of Christ is imperative. 23:20 Secondly, the coming of Christ is immutable. 23:24 Thirdly, the coming of Christ is Immanuel. 23:28 And finally, it's imminent. 23:31 First of all, the coming of Jesus Christ is imperative. 23:36 Listen to me. 23:39 I don't know if you recognize the terrifying and scary things 23:43 that are happening in the world out there. 23:46 Millions are facing a future in fear. 23:51 Men's hearts failing them for fear. 23:53 I see the fulfillment of that scripture wherever I go 23:55 around the world. 23:56 I see it in the big cities, I see it in the country, 23:58 I see it wherever people are gathered. 24:00 The fear, the fear of the future. 24:02 Look around you. 24:03 There are powerful forces swirling around mankind. 24:07 Forces destined to bring about a profound change in both 24:11 physical world and spiritual world. 24:14 There are a number of malignant forces, dark forces 24:17 opposing God, opposing His Word, and opposing 24:20 the kingdom of Christ. 24:21 Think of it. 24:22 We entered last century, the 20th century, on horseback. 24:26 He left it in SUV's. 24:30 We lost, in the 20th century, influenza, outhouses thank God, 24:37 lanterns. 24:39 We left with wrist watches, atomic weapons, 24:42 and too much weight. 24:46 We arrived in the 20th century steeped in agriculture, 24:49 working the fields. 24:50 And we left it in the laboratory working the computer. 24:53 I mean, we arrived money poor in the 20th century. 24:56 We left it money rich. 24:59 We entered the 20th century spiritually rich 25:02 and we left it spiritually poor. 25:07 Judgment is at the door. 25:10 Now I know you like pretty little sermons with 25:12 bubbling brooks, but judgment is at the door. 25:15 If we have conquered anything, it's time. 25:17 We entered the 20th century with a life expectance of 43.3 years. 25:22 Now it's 80 years. 25:25 I don't even like to talk about that when you get my age. 25:31 If we've conquered anything, it's time. 25:32 24 hour news casts. 25:34 I mean fast food, instant cash, atm. 25:36 I mean, your grandparents would turn over in their... 25:39 They would be shocked. 25:41 Cell phones, iPhones, iPads, this pad, that pad. 25:46 Listen to me, fax machines. 25:48 All things, it unshackled us, they said. 25:51 I mean, gives us more time for leisure. 25:53 That's a joke. Do you have any more time? 25:59 Technology has not made life easier. 26:05 We're caught in a whirlwind. 26:08 And these forces seized upon science and technology 26:12 as prime tools for the exploration 26:14 and conquest of the soul. 26:17 Laser particle beams, biological chemical weapons, 26:22 high-tech surveillance. 26:23 You can't hide. 26:25 You can't even hide out here in West Frankfort. 26:28 I can hardly find you. 26:32 But the time of trouble, I'm going to run to Brooklyn. 26:34 At least there will be a lot of bodies around me, 26:36 so it'll be harder for them to get me. 26:39 High-tech surveillance. 26:40 They can get a heartbeat from the universe. 26:45 Genetic engineering, robots. 26:48 Conflict in the Middle East. 26:50 Death of the planet, pollution. 26:52 Just think of the world of technology. 26:54 We're in a high-tech age. 26:57 I mean, the age of high-tech has arrived magnum force. 26:59 Computers, telecommunication, satellites. 27:03 Recent achievements in outer space by our astronauts. 27:05 Lasers and artificial life. 27:08 Mind boggling achievements in the era of technology. 27:11 And that's why Daniel in chapter 12 verse 1, 27:13 when he looked down the span of time with prophetic eyes, 27:16 he saw this and he said: 27:27 And then he talks about running to and fro upon the 27:31 face of the earth and knowledge shall be increased. 27:35 A Chief Executive Officer of one of America's large 27:38 computer corporations said this, 27:39 "We're going through a time warp." 27:44 The book, "The Intimate Machine: Close Encounters 27:46 With Computers and Robots" said, listen to this, "We shall have 27:50 robots as companions, even sex partners." 27:53 Jesus needs to come. 27:56 It's imperative that He come. 27:58 Bowing God out and bowing man in, 28:00 there is no limit to their perversion. 28:03 In the area of robotics, there's material similar 28:05 to human flesh now. 28:06 Did you know that? 28:07 In fact, they've manufactured organic brain. 28:11 Maybe that's what I need, a brain transplant. 28:14 I think some of my teachers thought that. 28:18 They already have biological computer units. 28:22 This is not science fiction malarkey. 28:24 I mean, it's reality. 28:25 Talking about artificial eyes, artificial noses. 28:28 By the way, the artificial nose distinguishes between 28:31 dozens of flower smells. 28:37 Bert Valley, past head of the Harvard seven member team of 28:41 researchers, has successfully cloned, listen, a molecule 28:45 which triggers the growth of body cells; 28:48 the generation of organs. 28:50 In the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, 28:53 biotechnologists have also been successful in another realm. 28:56 They have successfully manipulated, listen to this, 28:59 DNA chemicals to change aged mouse cells 29:03 back into young mouse cells. 29:06 Immortality. 29:10 It's imperative that Jesus Christ comes. 29:14 On the other hand, violent crime is on the increase. 29:19 We talk about brotherhood; there are more hoods. 29:21 Millions in our prisons. 29:23 650,000 babies are born addicted to drugs in the womb in America. 29:29 It's imperative that Jesus Christ comes. 29:32 H.G. Wells despaired, "We are at the end of the rope." 29:35 Now this is not some fanatical preacher. 29:37 This is not some evangelist. 29:38 This is H. G. Wells, "We're at the end of the rope. 29:41 The end of everything we call life is close at hand." 29:45 Listen, Albert Einstein said this, "In the end, there beckons 29:49 more and more clearly general annihilation." 29:51 What a picture. 29:53 Chancellor of Chicago University, the past president, 29:56 the first atomic bomb was developed and he said, 29:58 "I cannot see any future for our known world." 30:00 I mean, the former president of Columbia University said, 30:03 "The end cannot be far distant." 30:06 These are not preachers. 30:09 No hell fire and brimstone. 30:11 This is reality. 30:13 I mean, the planet is swinging through space; 30:16 doomed, damned, crushed, bound for hell. 30:20 And it's imperative that Jesus Christ interrupt man's pursuit. 30:29 But all this forward moving technology 30:31 has not helped us really. 30:33 We're going backwards. 30:34 The explosion of the single parent families. 30:38 The declining influence of religion, 30:40 even in Christian homes. 30:43 Increasing hedonistic culture fueled by drugs, sex, and 30:47 a lost sense of shame. 30:49 They don't even blush. 30:51 Filthy mouths, unbridled tongues, talk trash, 30:56 and wonder why their life is trash. 30:59 Our greatest challenge is not conquering disease or poverty, 31:03 but conquering our own personal weaknesses. 31:06 We've met the enemy, and he is us. 31:10 He is us. 31:11 The clock is about to strike midnight. 31:15 Are you ready? 31:17 The coming of Jesus Christ is imperative. 31:19 Secondly, the coming of Christ is immutable. 31:21 It's a changeless fact. 31:23 The Bible tells us, Paul writing to the Hebrews, 31:25 in chapter 6 and verses 18 and 19: 31:47 He says, "Look, it is immutable. It's changeless." 31:53 One columnist writing about our times 31:55 and the uncertainty of our times commented, 31:58 "The very best our leaders, political leaders, could do 32:01 is sophisticate their actions in such a way as to ensure 32:05 the way to international hell is paved with good intentions." 32:11 A sales clerk holding up a toy, a gadget, she says, 32:15 "Here's an educational toy designed to adjust your child 32:19 to live in the world today. 32:20 Anyway he puts it together, it's wrong." 32:26 Readers Digest commented, "If all economists were laid 32:29 end to end, they'd all point in a different direction." 32:35 You heard about the business man who was always getting lost. 32:39 And his birthday came up. 32:41 And he'd get lost and come back on Tuesday instead of a Monday. 32:44 And kept getting lost in the woods, 32:46 but he loved to go hunting. 32:48 So it came his birthday. 32:50 So they all chipped in and bought him a compass. 32:54 So they handed him the compass and he said, 32:55 "I'm going hunting this weekend. I'll be back on Monday." 32:59 And so, well, they gave him a compass. 33:00 They thought this was enough. 33:03 And so he went out in the woods, and come Monday he wasn't there. 33:07 It came Tuesday, he wasn't there. 33:08 Finally he showed up on Wednesday. 33:10 And they said, "But what happened? 33:11 We gave you a compass." 33:13 He said, "I know." 33:14 He said, "I went in the direction of north, 33:19 but the compass kept pointing to the southeast." 33:27 The believer accepts the promise. 33:29 It's immutable. 33:31 Jesus said it, I believe it. That seals it. 33:35 His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection; unchanging. 33:39 "I will come again." 33:43 But thirdly, the coming of Jesus Christ is Immanuel. 33:51 John 1, the Bible tells us that this is God with us. 33:57 John 1 and verse 14, he says: 34:17 The coming of Jesus will be Immanuel, will be personal. 34:20 Just as the incarnation was personal. 34:23 Just as Jesus put flesh on so that we might touch Him, 34:26 that we might feel Him, that we might see Him in action. 34:29 He lived that perfect life that we too might understand 34:33 fully the grace of Jesus Christ, the glory of God. 34:40 You see, the first advent, the first time He came, 34:43 He enters through a woman's womb. 34:46 And no one saw Him enter. 34:49 The second time He comes and every eye will see Him. 34:53 You see, the first coming, He came as the Lamb of God. 34:56 The second coming, He comes as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. 35:01 The first time He came, He came to redeem us. 35:03 The second time He comes, He comes to reign over us. 35:07 The first coming, the first time, 35:08 He came as the King of the Jews. 35:10 The second time, He comes as King of kings and Lord of lords. 35:16 The first time, He comes to receive a crown of thorns. 35:22 The second time, He comes to receive a crown 35:25 of righteousness. 35:26 He will come, Jesus Christ. 35:28 The first time, He came in the weakness of a baby. 35:31 The second time, He'll come in the power of God; God Almighty. 35:34 The outlook for our world is dark. 35:36 But the up look is bright. 35:40 He's coming literally to this earth. 35:43 A dad asked his son, "What do you want for Christmas, son?" 35:47 The boy looked for a little while and he scratched his head. 35:52 I guess he had a big list in his head. 35:54 And so he had to narrow it down. 35:56 "What do you want?" 35:57 And so he finally said, "I want a horse." 36:01 "Oh, you want a horse." 36:03 "Do you want a wooden horse?" "No." 36:07 "Do you want an iron horse?" "No." 36:11 "You want a plastic horse?" 36:12 "No, I want a horse made of horse." 36:16 That's the real thing; horse made of horse. 36:19 Come on, the real thing is coming back. 36:21 Come on, He's coming back in glory, this real thing. 36:23 I mean, this Jesus. 36:25 This Jesus, no apparition. 36:30 No mystery. 36:32 Jesus Christ, the real. 36:35 This same Jesus which is taken up from you in heaven 36:37 shall come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven. 36:43 So the coming of Jesus Christ, my dear friend, 36:46 is a glorious event. 36:48 As earth's history comes to its conclusion, 36:51 as the battle goes on between man and between God and Satan, 36:55 as the battle goes on... 36:56 In my book, "Prayer Warriors," I talk about 36:58 the spiritual battle between Christ and Satan, 37:01 the great controversy. 37:02 But that battle is not only about Jesus and Satan. 37:05 That battle is you and Satan. 37:09 And that struggle is going on. 37:11 And so Jesus says, "I need to come. 37:14 It's imperative that I come back again. 37:15 Because if We let the world go as it's going, 37:18 man will destroy himself." 37:23 And so He says it's immutable. 37:25 "I made up my mind. In eternity, I made up my mind." 37:29 Long before light ever touched this earth, 37:31 long before the green grass sprouted, and little flowers 37:33 blossomed, and pine trees pointed its fingers to the sky, 37:35 and the oaks spread out it's arms, and lakes curled down 37:38 in the huddles of the glen, and rivers ran down to the sea. 37:40 Long before Adam breathed the first breath, 37:43 and Eve was taken from the rib of man to become prime rib. 37:50 "I'm on my way." 37:52 Long centuries before Noah picked up the hammer 37:55 and God put down His grace. 37:58 Long centuries before. 37:59 Long centuries before Abraham took the long journey. 38:01 Long centuries before Moses stood before the mountain 38:04 and before the Law of God. 38:05 Long centuries before the Israelites came out of Egypt. 38:09 Long centuries before, He was on His way. 38:12 He had made a promise. 38:13 He had said, "I will come again." 38:15 It's changeless. 38:19 The armies of the Philistines could not change it. 38:21 The great enemies of the early church could not change it. 38:26 The dark ages and the enemy of the church could not change it. 38:29 Revelation says the antichrist will not be able to change it. 38:33 Again and again, the Bible says, "I will come again." 38:36 And He says, that will be a prophetic event. 38:39 And there's no prophetic event after that. 38:42 There's no prophetic chart after that. 38:45 There's no historical event that awaits to be 38:47 fulfilled after that. 38:49 Prior to His coming for His church, all the New Testament 38:52 writers exhort us to do is to watch. 38:54 Watching, waiting, looking, praying. 39:00 And expecting at any moment His return. 39:05 That's a beautiful thing. 39:07 That's a marvelous thing. 39:09 To be waiting for the return of Christ to the earth. 39:14 Be ready. 39:15 I was once, when I was a young preacher... 39:17 That was many years ago. 39:18 But at one time I was a young preacher. 39:21 And, you know, I was ready for bear. 39:24 You know, I like to debate. 39:25 You know, I like to come in conflict with other theologians 39:30 and discuss things. 39:32 And I was invited to go to a seminary 39:36 and let the seminary know what I believed as a Christian, 39:38 as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. 39:41 So I got all ready for this and got to this ivy league seminary. 39:47 They brought me up in this high pulpit and 39:50 very distinguished place. 39:52 A well known seminary. 39:53 There I was just a young preacher and just starting out. 39:57 And I was a little nervous, I have to admit. 40:00 But I had my Bible. 40:02 And I stood up there and I said, "I believe that the Word of God 40:05 is the infallible Word of God, that it's God inspired." 40:10 And I talked about the Word and how important the 40:13 Bible was to me as a preacher, and how important it 40:15 was to the people of God. 40:17 And this Book was written under the direction of God. 40:20 They tried to burn it, they tried to destroy it, 40:23 they tried to kill those who wrote it. 40:25 But it lives on, the Word lives on. 40:27 I told about the belief in the Bible. 40:30 I spoke about the creation, how God spoke things into creation. 40:33 If I reject Genesis 1, I might as well reject Matthew 1. 40:37 If I reject Genesis 2, I might as well reject Revelation 2. 40:41 I mean, they come together. 40:43 They are one together. 40:45 I spoke about the creation, the God who spoke 40:47 things into existence. 40:49 I'm amazed that we can create a child in 9 months, 40:52 but we can't believe that God could create a day in one day. 40:57 He's God, isn't He? 40:58 How big is your God? 41:00 Anyway, I spoke about the creation. 41:02 I went on through. 41:03 I talked about some of those great themes in the Bible. 41:06 I talked about salvation that came through faith in Christ 41:08 by the grace of God. 41:10 I talked about grace. 41:11 You know I love to preach about grace and about faith. 41:14 I talked about a living faith. 41:16 I talked about the cross and at that moment, Christ 41:19 at that moment satisfied the broken law. 41:23 At the moment, my Christ died for my sins. 41:28 I talked of the resurrection. 41:31 I talked about the great themes of judgment and 41:33 took them through the great prophecies of judgment. 41:36 And I went on and I got to many of the great things; 41:39 the baptism by emersion and some of these great things 41:43 we believe as Bible believers. 41:46 And I saved the best for last. 41:52 I said, "I believe in the imminent return of Christ 41:55 to the earth a second time." 41:59 Now remember, I had taken them through the Bible. 42:01 I had taken them through the great themes of the Bible. 42:03 And now I said, "But now, here is the capstone. 42:08 I believe that Jesus Christ is coming back visibly, audibly, 42:12 literally to the earth for His children. 42:16 And that coming is imminent." 42:20 And I finished. 42:22 Then it was time for questions. 42:23 Now I'm always good at questions. 42:26 I'm not so great at the answers. 42:27 So now I'm really nervous. 42:30 This high brow seminary. 42:33 And as I stood there, after saying I believe in the 42:36 imminent return of Christ, the first question 42:39 one of the professors stood in the back and they all looked. 42:44 And they listened for his profound ideas. 42:52 And he said, "Young man..." 42:55 And I was a young man. 42:57 He said, "Young man..." And he introduced himself. 43:00 Dr. so and so, PhD, ThD, DDT. I don't know, but anyway. 43:10 As if he could impress me. 43:13 I've been taught at the feet of Jesus. 43:16 And he's going to impress me with his degrees? 43:22 And he said, "Young man, that could be 43:25 a thousand years from now." 43:33 A thousand years from now? 43:35 I said, "Mister, put your hand on your heart. 43:41 For you, it's not a thousand years from now. 43:43 Be ye therefore ready." 43:46 He got the drift. 43:52 I want Him to come. 43:56 I'm tired of all this chaos, this unrest, this uncertainty. 44:00 I tired of laying people that I love to rest. 44:04 I'm tired of seeing the ones that I love the most and they 44:06 have to be laid to rest because He hasn't come. 44:12 I tell people when I preach, I say, "I hope I'm in 44:14 Brooklyn when Jesus comes." 44:17 And I'll go from Brooklyn to Long Island. 44:19 But I want to be in Brooklyn. 44:23 I remember my grandmother, my little Norwegian grandmother. 44:26 She was a faithful Christian long before I ever found Christ, 44:29 long before my family ever knew Christ. 44:31 She was a godly Christian woman. 44:33 And I want to be there when she comes up. 44:36 And she's going to see me. 44:38 And she's going to say, "Good boy." 44:40 She always called me a good boy even when I was a bad boy. 44:42 Now, if a grandmother could see a good boy in me, 44:44 surely God can see a good girl and good boy in you. 44:47 Don't you see that? 44:50 I want to be in Brooklyn. 44:53 Then I want to go to a place in Long Island. 45:01 I want to go. 45:04 In Brooklyn, I want to see my mom and dad I led to Christ. 45:08 I had the privilege of seeing them baptized 45:10 in the kingdom of God. 45:14 I want to see them lifted up, raised up. 45:17 You think you can shake me out of my faith? 45:21 That I would lose such an important event? 45:26 Do you think for a moment that I'd let go and 45:29 miss that important reunion? 45:33 I'm tired of this old chaos. 45:35 I'm tired of laying to rest people I love. 45:40 I'm tired of all the pain. 45:43 I'm tired of the suffering. 45:47 The death in this old world. 45:48 I'm tired of the hurt and the sorrow and the emotional pain. 45:50 I'm tired to know that two-thirds of the world's 45:53 population are under nourished in this world. 45:55 I'm tired, I'm sick of crime and rape and murder and mayhem. 45:59 I'm tired, aren't you? 46:03 Don't you want something better for your life? 46:07 For your family? 46:08 And I want for mine. 46:11 For your children? 46:13 For your children? 46:16 This King is coming back. 46:21 And He talks about readiness in Matthew 24:44. 46:25 The King, listen, my King. 46:29 The Bible says my King is King of the Jews. 46:31 The Bible says my King is King of Israel. 46:34 The Bible says my King is King of righteousness. 46:36 The Bible says my King is the King of the ages, 46:39 the King of heaven. 46:40 My King is King of glory. 46:43 I want Him back. 46:46 I wonder tonight if you know my King. 46:50 The Bible says my King is sovereign God. 46:53 My King is the sovereign King. 46:55 No means or measure can define His limitless love. 46:58 He's enduringly strong, entirely sincere. 47:01 The Bible says He is steadfast, my King. 47:03 He's immortally graceful, my King. 47:06 He's impartially powerful. He is impartially merciful. 47:10 Do you know my King? 47:11 The Bible says He is the greatest phenomena that has 47:14 ever crossed the horizon of this world. 47:16 The Bible says my King is God's Son. 47:19 The Bible says He is the sinner's Savior. 47:21 He is the centerpiece of civilization. 47:23 He is unparalleled, He is unprecedented. 47:27 He is the loftiest idea of literature. 47:29 He is the highest personality of philosophy. 47:32 He is the fundamental doctrine of true theology. 47:34 I hear wild eyed preachers trying to tell us 47:37 who the king of the north is, who the king of the south is. 47:40 I want to know who the King of heaven is. 47:46 He is the only one qualified... 47:51 ...to be all sufficient Savior. 47:54 I wonder if you know Him. 47:57 The Bible says that my King, He supplies strength 48:00 in our weakness. 48:02 He is available for the tempted and the tried. 48:05 You are not alone, friend. 48:06 When the devil comes up against you, call upon 48:09 the name of Jesus. 48:10 You are not alone in your temptation. 48:12 You are not alone in your fall. 48:14 He is there to lift you up, to pick you up. 48:17 Don't you see that in God? 48:19 When my boy was born, my little boy, 48:22 he was just a little thing. 48:23 He's six foot eight now, but he was a little thing. 48:26 And I bought him a baseball glove. 48:28 I figured he'd be out playing ball in a few weeks. 48:35 And I remember how... 48:36 You know how it is parents. 48:38 You talk in another language. Come on, you talk in tongues. 48:43 You know. 48:45 And he's getting up there, little skinny legs. 48:49 My wife was holding him over there in the chair and 48:52 I was sitting across the room. 48:53 She was holding his hands and his legs are wobbling. 48:57 Finally I said, "Come to daddy." 49:00 Spoken in that unknown tongue only parents know. 49:05 And that kid took two steps and fell flat on his face. 49:08 What did I say? "Dumb kid fell on his face." 49:11 No, I said, "Honey, he's walking." 49:14 Don't you see this almighty God, the God of heaven, 49:17 looks down upon this earth. 49:18 When He sees His children on wobbly knees falling down, 49:21 He doesn't say, "Ha, fallen." 49:24 He says, "Whoa, he took a step." 49:30 My King. 49:32 My King. 49:34 He strengthens and sustains. 49:36 He guards and He guides. 49:38 He heals the sick, He cleanses the leper. 49:41 I mean, my King. 49:43 The Bible says that my King, He forgives sinners. 49:46 He delivers captives. 49:47 He helps the helpless. 49:48 He defends the feeble. 49:50 Blesses and serves the unfortunate. 49:52 He rewards the diligent. 49:54 My King is your King. 49:56 My King. 49:57 He is the key of knowledge, my King. 49:58 He is the wellspring of wisdom, my King. 50:01 He is the doorway to deliverance, my King. 50:04 And our problem; we know all doctrine but we 50:06 don't know deliverance. 50:12 He is the pathway to peace. 50:16 Is He your King? 50:19 This is the King that's coming with an army of angels. 50:23 10,000 upon 10,000 upon 10,000 upon 10,000 of angels. 50:28 And they'll descend from heaven with a shout, 50:30 with the voice the archangel. 50:31 And that voice will pierce the graves in Brooklyn, 50:35 and they will come forth. 50:36 He'll pierce the graves on Long Island and they'll come forth. 50:39 He'll pierce the graves in England and Europe 50:44 and around the world, and Australia and New Zealand, 50:47 and they'll come forth. 50:49 Our King. 50:52 And we will be with Him. 50:55 We will be with Him forever. 51:02 Is He your King? 51:05 Why not say, "Be my King." 51:09 The best time is right now. 51:11 Don't you want to see Him with your eyes? 51:15 Don't you want to touch Him with your hands? 51:18 Don't give up now, you're that close to the kingdom. 51:20 Don't give up now. 51:24 He's near, even at the door. 51:26 And the Bible says, "Be ready." 51:29 When my children were young, we use to travel a lot. 51:33 And every now and then, I had to leave them behind. 51:35 And that's the hardest thing. 51:38 And one time, my wife and I were called out to put on a seminar 51:41 in California, a minister's seminar. 51:44 I had to go, and my children were teenagers then. 51:47 I was the pastor of the college church and my boy was in 51:50 high school, and my girl. 51:53 And so, we had to get ready and we had to tell them that 51:57 they had to do those things they had to do. 52:00 You know how 10 commandments become 250 when you leave home. 52:03 Have you noticed that? 52:04 Isn't that amazing? 52:08 Moses had the 10 commandments, the Israelites made 250. 52:12 Some of us have made 310. 52:16 But anyway. 52:17 And I put it right where you should put it; 52:19 on the refrigerator. 52:22 And I told my son... I made this mistake. 52:24 I said, "Son, you're the oldest." 52:26 He was a year and a half older. 52:29 Well, close enough. 52:31 I said, "You're in charge." 52:33 Never do that. 52:36 He was like Saint Simon the Greek. 52:38 Boom, he was the boss when we left. 52:41 So my daughter had to move out and move 52:43 over to a friend's house. 52:45 But anyway. 52:46 He ruled the roost. 52:48 And so I told them just before I left, I said, 52:50 "Children, I'm going to be back on Thursday. 52:52 Thursday night. 52:54 I want you to be ready. I want things to be ready." 52:58 So we flew off to California and got to the auditorium 53:02 where we were suppose to give our lectures and our talk. 53:05 And I took the program and I noticed, 53:07 "Wow, I'm done on Wednesday." 53:11 I said, "Wow." 53:13 I said, "Honey, look at this. 53:15 I'm getting done a day and a half, or a day, early. 53:23 Let's fly back and surprise the kids." 53:27 She looked at me. 53:29 You can see who has the brains in this house. 53:31 She looked at me. 53:32 She shook her head and said, "Honey, I don't 53:34 think that's a good idea." 53:35 I said, "Oh honey, I really think that's a wonderful idea." 53:39 I said, "We'll just surprise the kids." 53:41 She said, "I don't know." 53:43 I said, "Oh, come on." 53:46 So in those days you just change your ticket. 53:48 You know, nowadays they pick your pocket 53:50 on the way to the gate. 53:53 And so, I got to the airport in LA, and my wife, 53:58 and flew back to Dallas, Texas. 54:01 We got there and it was late at night. 54:04 She said, "Let's call the kids." 54:05 I said, "Oh no, we're going to surprise them. 54:09 We don't want to call them. We going to surprise them" 54:11 She said, "I don't know if that's a good idea." 54:13 And so I called my deacon, one of my deacons. 54:15 I said, "Deacon, we're here at the airport and I was wondering 54:17 if you'd come pick us up." 54:18 He said, "What about your son?" 54:19 I said, "Oh no. You see, we're here a day early. 54:21 We're going to surprise them." 54:23 There was silence for the space of a half hour. 54:27 He's figuring what had gone wrong with the pastor. 54:30 He said, "Well, I'll come, but..." 54:32 "No," I said, "I'm going to surprise them." 54:33 So he drove out and picked us up and we drove into Keene, 54:36 into that little Christian community. 54:39 The saints had said their prayers, gone to bed. 54:42 We drove in, it was quiet and nice. 54:45 Drove up to our house and the lights were out. 54:49 Looking around, it looks beautiful. 54:50 I said, "Honey, look." 54:51 Got to the doorbell, she said, "Well, let's ring the doorbell." 54:54 I said, "Oh no, we're going to surprise them, honey. 54:56 We're this close." 54:59 And so I took the key out and I unlocked the door. 55:03 Opened the door and walked in and turned on the 55:05 light to the living room and looked. 55:07 That wasn't my living room. 55:08 That couldn't have been my living room. 55:09 I mean, there were sweatshirts and underwear and footballs 55:14 and a basketball. 55:15 I mean, I had to pull things off to see it was my couch. 55:21 Went into the kitchen. 55:23 I'm amazed. 55:28 The dishes were piled to the ceiling. 55:32 Pots and pans. 55:34 For peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? 55:36 Come on, give me a break here. 55:39 Oh no. 55:41 So what I did... 55:42 I quietly walked down the hall to my son's room. 55:50 I pulled open the door, flipped on the light. 55:52 My son sat up rubbing sleep out of his eyes. 55:54 He said, "Daddy, you're suppose to come tomorrow." 55:56 I said, "Be ye ready." 56:00 Be ye ready. 56:05 My Bible tells me for us to look with great longing, 56:11 expectancy, for His return. 56:16 Don't get weary because of the delay. 56:21 The only reason for the delay is, He wants so many more 56:26 to enjoy the kingdom. 56:29 And so, wait and watch and trust. 56:35 When you go to work in the morning, look up. 56:39 When you go socializing, look up. 56:43 When you come home, look up. 56:46 When you wake up, look up. 56:47 Because He that said He would come will come 56:50 in the clouds of glory. 56:51 And out of the eastern sky, a tiny pinpoint of light. 56:53 And it will grow brighter and brighter and brighter. 56:57 And men will turn their cameras to the heavens 56:59 and there He will come with 10,000 upon 10,000 57:03 upon thousands of angels. 57:05 He will come in glory, this Christ. 57:07 For He is my King and He is your King. 57:10 And the parade will cross the heavens and men will look. 57:13 Too late, sinner. 57:18 "Welcome home, My children. 57:23 Welcome home." 57:25 Is He your King tonight? 57:28 He can be, He should be. |
Revised 2014-12-17