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How Jesus Christ Will Defy The Skeptics And Return To Earth

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Pr. David Asscherick

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Series Code: DP

Program Code: DP000011


00:14 I've had this conversation with the Lord already
00:16 but I've let the Lord know when I get to heaven
00:18 I want to sing bass.
00:19 I'm tired of this tenor thing, I want to sing bass in heaven,
00:23 and so you pray that my voice won't go out,
00:25 I don't think it's going to, but in the mean time
00:29 I get to sound cool.
00:30 I'm looking forward to our presentation tonight
00:34 and what I'm really looking forward to...
00:36 did you all get this handout, Scotty gave that out?
00:38 Praise the Lord! Amen!
00:40 This is so exciting, so you're all invited to be here
00:44 tomorrow morning for the Inaugural Worship Service
00:47 of our New Discovery Bible Fellowship, a brand new
00:49 spirit filled Bible believing church, right here in
00:52 Sterling Heights, all invited to attend, I'll be here
00:55 and our message tomorrow morning is entitled
00:56 Discover How to Get and to Remain Undeceived.
01:01 I'm looking forward to that, Scotty will be teaching
01:03 a class on Sabbath School, that will be very nice as well,
01:06 then tomorrow night we will get into the topic of
01:09 The Judgment, and that's going to be very, very exciting
01:12 I'm looking forward to it all.
01:13 But lets begin with a word of prayer.
01:14 We've got quite a bit of information to cover tonight
01:18 and I want to remind you that immediately after the message
01:22 just like we did last night, we'll have about fifteen minutes
01:25 of questions and answers, that's right.
01:28 If a question comes up, and you think oh,
01:30 I wish I had an answer to that, just quickly write it down,
01:33 and get those questions out and we will just take them
01:35 just like that from the floor, just as we did last night.
01:38 That seemed to be very enjoyable, I enjoyed it
01:40 and there seemed to be a real sense of enjoyment
01:41 among the group as well, so lets pray together
01:43 and we'll dive right into our message ok:
01:45 Father in Heaven, we come before you,
01:48 and we are anticipating a blessing.
01:50 Father we ask that as the two ladies have sang so beautifully,
01:57 so wonderfully, that you would come soon,
01:59 that you would return, with your Son in Glory
02:02 to take us home.
02:04 Father we know this world is not our home, as the old song
02:07 says we're just a passing through.
02:09 Our treasures are laid up somewhere up beyond the blue,
02:13 so Father tonight as we look at this topic,
02:16 the topic of the second coming, what some refer to
02:20 as the Rapture, we pray that you would come and open
02:24 our hearts as we open your word.
02:26 Father tonight we want more than knowledge,
02:28 tonight we want more than information,
02:30 tonight we need a heart transformation experience
02:35 with you, and your Son, and your Word,
02:39 through your spirit, so be with us now as we open your word,
02:43 we ask it in Jesus name, let everyone say "Amen. "
02:46 Alright lets open our study guides, right to the first
02:51 little bit there, and you'll see our message is entitled,
02:54 our presentation is entitled: Discover How Jesus Christ Will
02:59 Defy the Skeptics and Return to Earth.
03:03 Now let's begin by reading at right there at the outset.
03:05 It says the Word, what is that Word everyone?
03:08 The word Rapture does not appear where?
03:13 In the Bible.
03:14 How many of you just by a raising of hands,
03:15 have heard that term before, the Rapture?
03:17 Ok, good, I remember before I was a Christian I used to
03:19 see a bumper sticker on a car, or a van, or a truck,
03:23 that would say in case of Rapture, car will be unmanned,
03:27 and I wasn't a religious person, I didn't know anything about
03:29 the Rapture and I always wondered what that meant.
03:32 When I became a Christian and I heard that term in a
03:35 religious context, the Rapture I said oh, so that's what
03:37 all those bumper stickers meant.
03:39 Now you will notice here it says, the word Rapture does not
03:41 occur in the Bible, yet correctly understood it is a
03:44 what kind of teaching?
03:45 Biblical teaching, but notice the emphasis there,
03:48 correctly understood, like the words Trinity, or Millennium
03:53 which also do not appear in the Bible.
03:54 Some words essentially become synonymous
03:58 with certain Bible teachings, there is nothing wrong
04:01 with this per se, but we must labor to be sure
04:04 that our beliefs and teachings all come from the where?
04:07 >From the Bible.
04:08 The purpose of this lesson will be to demonstrate from the Bible
04:10 how and when the Rapture will take place in relation to
04:14 other end times events, it will be a great lesson.
04:17 So notice here on the screen the word Rapture defined,
04:20 although the word itself doesn't appear in the Bible,
04:22 the idea of the Rapture is simply this:
04:30 You write that right in the blank there.
04:31 It's the transporting of believers to heaven at the
04:36 second coming of Christ, that's what the word Rapture means.
04:40 So you won't find the word there in your Bible,
04:43 but the concept is definitely a very Biblical concept.
04:47 You will notice there also in your study guides,
04:49 right in the middle of the first page, this theme
04:51 of the Rapture of God's people to Himself is found throughout
04:55 the book of Revelation, consider for example
04:57 the following text, we have given you many of them there,
04:59 but let's just look at a couple of them, Revelation 1.
05:02 Ok we're going to the last book of the Bible,
05:04 and the first chapter of that book.
05:06 Revelation chapter 1, chapter "what" everyone?
05:09 Revelation 1, and I'm noticing in verse 7, Revelation 1:7.
05:15 The first word is Behold, "what's the word everyone?"
05:21 Behold, now what does the word behold mean?
05:23 It means to "look" right?
05:26 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, in other words
05:29 beauty is in the eye of one who is looking,
05:31 and so here it says behold which means look.
05:34 He is coming with "what" everyone, clouds and most eyes
05:39 What does it say, every eye will see Him, even they who
05:45 pierced Him in all the tribes of the earth will mourn
05:48 because of Him, even so Amen. "
05:51 So right here in the opening chapter of the last
05:52 book of the Bible, it says that when He returns
05:55 every eye will what?
05:58 Every eye will see Him, now you are still there
06:00 in Revelation, go to Revelation chapter 22.
06:02 >From the first chapter of Revelation to the last chapter
06:04 of Revelation, and notice that this is a consistent and
06:08 prominent, and pre-eminent theme throughout
06:10 the entire book, I'm in Revelation 22:7,
06:15 Revelation 22:7, it says "Behold I am coming
06:18 quickly. " Blessed is he who keeps the words
06:21 of the prophecy of this book. "
06:23 Notice verse 12: "And behold I am coming quickly, and my reward
06:27 is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work,
06:29 I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End,
06:31 the First and the Last. "
06:33 So you have this idea, this saturating here of the
06:36 book of Revelation with the second coming of Jesus.
06:38 Notice also verse 20: "He who testifies to these things
06:41 says surely I am coming quickly, Amen, even so come
06:46 Lord Jesus, the grace of our
06:48 Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen!"
06:49 There are many other passages there,
06:51 we've given you several of them: Revelation 6,
06:53 Revelation 14, Revelation 19, Revelation 11.
06:55 The idea here is that the second coming of Jesus
06:59 is the grand climax of the entire Bible,
07:02 and particularly of the book of Revelation,
07:04 and so as you study the book of Revelation, this idea
07:07 of the Rapture, or the second coming is a consistent
07:11 powerful theme.
07:13 Now if that makes sense I want you to say Amen.
07:15 Amen!
07:16 Ok, let's continue on there, you are still in your study guide.
07:18 We're going to look tonight at second coming essentials,
07:22 second coming or "Rapture essentials. "
07:24 One of them is that a full one:
07:31 It is a very consistent, prominent theme in the
07:35 New Testament, for every 25 verses in the New Testament
07:38 one of those verses has to do directly with the second coming
07:41 of Jesus Christ, and so what we're going to be looking at
07:44 is the essentials, that is how will He come ect. ect.
07:48 I learned in Journalism class, that whenever you are
07:50 going to cover any event you have to ask these essential
07:53 questions, who, what, where, when, why, and how.
07:59 Well many of these are very easy to answer,
08:00 for example the question of who, "who's coming," well
08:03 Jesus Christ is coming, what are we talking about?
08:05 We're talking about His coming or His return to earth.
08:09 "To where?" Well we just answered that
08:10 question a moment ago, to earth.
08:13 "When is that coming?" We've already studied in our
08:15 lesson when we looked at the image of Daniel 2,
08:17 in the signs of the times, all of those converging signs
08:20 indicate that Jesus' coming is near.
08:23 Is "what" everyone?
08:24 Near, and so that's the answer when, of course we don't know
08:26 exactly when
08:27 Jesus Himself says, No man knows the exact day, or the
08:30 exact hour, but we can have indications or "signs" that
08:34 it is rapidly approaching.
08:35 Who remembers those two analogies that Jesus gave
08:38 we've already studied it, what were the two analogies that
08:41 Jesus gave that alerted us to how near it was?
08:44 "Birth pains" and "the fig tree" that's right,
08:48 remember, and both of those were visible and progressive
08:52 and climactic, and so, they are not new signs, wars,
08:55 and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes,
08:57 but they were the same signs, but they would increase in
09:00 both frequency and intensity just as labor contractions,
09:04 until eventually you have a climactic event,
09:06 in the case of pregnancy of course that's the birth of
09:09 the child, and the case of the second coming of Jesus
09:11 it's "His actual arrival" on planet earth and
09:13 so that's when?
09:14 Why is He coming, well that's very simple Jesus said in
09:17 John 14, I'll just quote it for you.
09:19 John 14 beginning in verse 1, Jesus said "Let not your heart
09:22 be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me.
09:24 In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so,
09:27 I would have told you, and I go to prepare a place for you,
09:29 and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again
09:34 and receive you unto Myself,
09:36 that where I am you may be also. "
09:38 Jesus basically says I want to live with you for eternity,
09:41 and so the reason of the second coming
09:42 the why of it all is so that He can take us to live with Him,
09:46 forever. Can someone say "Amen?"
09:48 The real question that we want to focus in on tonight
09:50 is the question of "How?"
09:52 "How," that is really where the rubber meets the road,
09:56 If you would like to turn there to the second page of
09:59 your study guide.
10:00 I would like to draw your attention..., where's Glenda?
10:04 I'm looking for Glenda Cinnamon.
10:05 Where are you at?
10:07 Ok Glenda you recognize that picture don't you?
10:09 She painted that picture, absolutely beautiful!
10:11 So as we consider our forebears the Jews, we must consider
10:16 a very powerful and a very sober lesson, ok.
10:20 Top of page two in your study guide, one reason that it is
10:24 so essential that we start from the very basics
10:26 is that our forebears, the Jews, that's what you would write
10:31 in there, our forebears the Jews provide a sober example for us
10:35 to consider.
10:36 Think of it, the Jews preached and anticipated the coming
10:40 of the Deliverer, the Messiah, for more than how many years?
10:42 More than a thousand years, they longed for His coming
10:46 they prayed for His coming, they trusted in His coming.
10:49 They knew many of the details about His coming,
10:51 they taught, promoted, and heralded His coming,
10:54 yet amazingly on the whole, they missed His coming.
10:59 It almost defies reason, how could it have happened?
11:05 The answer to a great degree lies in the fact that
11:09 they missed the "How. "
11:12 That's what you would write in there.
11:14 The answer..., how is that possible, I mean really,
11:17 they had been looking and anticipating for the
11:19 second coming of the Messiah, or the first coming of the Messiah
11:22 the Mashiah for more than a thousand years,
11:24 they knew almost all of the details about it
11:27 but many of them missed it, why?
11:30 The answer to a great degree lies in the fact that
11:32 they missed the "How," that is the manner of His coming.
11:36 That's what you would write there, the manner of His coming.
11:40 How or could the Christian church be poised to do the very
11:43 same thing today with His "second coming?"
11:47 The Jews looked for a coming military deliverer who would
11:52 rescue them from their humiliating
11:54 subservience to Rome.
11:55 They understood many things about the Messiah's
11:58 first coming, but they missed the manner.
12:01 We must ensure that we do not commit the same folly,
12:04 as there are millions of dear people today, most of them Jews,
12:09 still looking for the Messiah's first coming, while you and I
12:12 await His "what" "second coming!"
12:14 So do you see how absolutely essential it is that we
12:18 understand this idea of how, yes or no?
12:21 Absolutely essential, so our forebears, the Jews
12:25 are a very sober example for us to consider.
12:32 and when in relation to end time events?
12:36 How is it actually going to happen?
12:39 That's what we are going to be spending the rest
12:41 of our time on, and so you see on your study guide
12:43 the middle of page two it says, we will answer this
12:46 question of how from the Bible text by text, we will discover
12:52 that the second coming will be characterized by how many
12:54 important elements?
12:55 6. be sure to list each one of them, with
12:58 Bible verses for support, because this is very important
13:01 stuff, so here they are, you can quickly write them down:
13:17 I'll give you time to write that down,
13:18 and while you are writing that down, you can make your way
13:21 to the book of Acts.
13:23 Acts chapter one, you say how am I supposed to do that?
13:25 Well you figure that out, that's why I fill mine out before hand.
13:29 Acts 1, that's the fifth book of the New Testament,
13:34 I will give you a moment to get there, by the way,
13:35 this slide is going to be up there several times tonight
13:37 so if you don't get it all right now, that's fine.
13:39 Visible, literal, powerful, audible, inevitable, and joyful,
13:43 I'm in Acts chapter one, here we find the story
13:49 of "The Ascension of Jesus. "
13:51 We pick it up in verse eight, chapter one verse eight.
13:55 Jesus speaking: "He said but you shall receive power
13:58 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.
13:59 and you shall be witnesses to me
14:01 in Jerusalem and in all of Judea
14:03 and Samaria and to the outer most parts of the earth,"
14:05 these are Jesus final departing words.
14:07 Verse 9, Now when He had spoken these things,
14:11 while they watched, now here is something I want you to do,
14:15 If you have a habit of underlining in your Bible,
14:17 I want you to notice that there are five occurrences
14:20 over the course of the next three verses,
14:21 that all relate to "sight. "
14:24 That all relate to "what" everyone?
14:25 Sight, see if you can pick them all of them up ok.
14:27 Verse 9. Now when He had spoken these things,
14:32 while they watched, He was taken up
14:34 and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
14:37 And while they looked steadfastly towards heaven
14:39 as He went up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel
14:42 who said "Men of Galilee why do you stand
14:45 gazing up into heaven?
14:46 This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven
14:50 will so come in like manner as you so saw Him go up
14:53 into heaven. "
14:54 Did you pick all of them up yes or no?
14:56 Let's look at number 1, in verse nine it says:
14:59 While they watched, a cloud
15:02 received them out of their sight.
15:04 2. Verse 10, and while they looked.
15:07 3. Steadfastly towards heaven.
15:08 Verse 11. Men of Galilee why stand ye gazing,
15:11 4. Look right there at the end of that verse,
15:14 He will come in like manner as you saw
15:16 5. Him going to heaven.
15:18 So five times in these three verses, they saw Him,
15:20 they saw Him, they saw Him, they saw Him, they saw Him,
15:23 and then they said, in like manner, as you have seen Him go
15:27 He will come again.
15:29 English is my only language, ok, it's my mother tongue
15:32 and they say that if you can speak three languages,
15:34 you are tri-lingual, and if you can speak two languages
15:37 you're bi-lingual, and if you can only speak one language
15:40 that means you are from the United States of America.
15:41 And so this is the only language I know,
15:45 but as I understand the English language, in like manner
15:50 would mean in the same way.
15:53 Are we clear on that, are we comfortable
15:56 with that conclusion?
15:57 Is that the conclusion that is supported by the language
16:00 yes or no?
16:01 Ok, so Jesus is having a conversation with them
16:03 and He is saying you are going to be witness unto me
16:04 in Jerusalem, Judea and all over the place,
16:06 and then He begins to just lift right up off the earth
16:08 like a helium balloon, and they're watching, whoa!
16:10 Never saw that before, and they are watching Him and
16:12 they probably begin to squint, and where did He go,
16:15 and then they would have been startled by these two whoa!
16:17 Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
16:20 This same Jesus, not another Jesus, this same Jesus,
16:26 will so come in like manner, as you have seen Him go.
16:32 In other words, the same way you saw Him leave,
16:35 is the same way He is going to come back.
16:38 When He left was it visible yes or no?
16:41 So when He returns will it be visible, yes or no?
16:45 And we already read that didn't we in Revelation 1:7,
16:47 it said every eye will see Him, Revelation 1:7.
16:52 Every eye will see Him!
16:55 Notice it also says here that it will be literal,
16:59 that it will be "what" everyone?
17:01 Let me go back to that slide, literal.
17:02 Notice the words of the angels, this same Jesus.
17:09 Was that the actual person of Jesus that was taken up
17:12 from them, yes or no?
17:13 That was the real Jesus, that was the literal Jesus,
17:16 that was the physical Jesus, that was the only Jesus
17:18 that there is, and they said this same Jesus, not
17:22 some spiritual Jesus, not some ghost Jesus,
17:24 not some strange mysterious invisible Jesus, no! no! no!
17:29 This same Jesus that you literally saw go up
17:31 will literally come back.
17:34 Are we all clear on that everyone?
17:35 Ok, so that's what we are looking for,
17:37 not just a visible return, but a literal return.
17:41 Now we go to powerful, and this is quite powerful,
17:45 as you might have imagined.
17:46 Luke 9:26, you can write these verses down, I'm going to
17:49 put several up on the board tonight in the interest of time.
17:51 Jesus speaking, He says:
18:08 Now beloved, that's a lot of glory.
18:10 Notice when He returns, He returns in His glory,
18:13 He returns in His Father's glory and the glory of the angels.
18:18 Notice this, Matthew 25:31:
18:32 Now you might remember the story there, when Jesus
18:34 had been laid in the tomb, and there was a group
18:38 of Roman guards that were sent there to guard the tomb.
18:43 Some say four, some say sixteen, it depends on how
18:45 you read the language there, but let's just imagine
18:47 for our purposes, that there are sixteen guards there
18:50 guarding the tomb of Jesus, and the Bible says one angel,
18:54 how many angels?
18:56 One angel came, and the Bible says that those sixteen
18:59 hardened Roman soldiers fell down like dead men
19:04 for one angel, one angel.
19:06 Now beloved the Bible says that there are thousands
19:09 of thousands, and ten thousand times
19:11 ten thousand angels in the Bible.
19:13 Now I don't know if you know your math, but ten thousand
19:15 times ten thousand is one hundred million
19:16 but it's really even more than that, because the largest
19:19 demarcation, the largest numerical demarcation
19:21 that you will find in your Bible is thousand, and so
19:24 when they wanted to say something it was "great,"
19:26 they would say thousands of thousands, and ten thousand
19:29 times ten thousand, you don't find the number trillion,
19:31 billion, quadrillion in your Bible, and so a thousand
19:34 times a thousand, and ten thousand times ten thousand
19:36 is a way of saying, a whole lot.
19:39 Now if one angel can make sixteen hardened guards
19:44 fall down flat on their faces, dead men
19:46 what will happen when all of the holy angels return
19:51 in all of their resplendent, incandescent glory?
19:54 Is that going to be a marvelous powerful experience, yes or no?
19:58 And as if that wasn't enough, where do the angels get their
20:00 glory from?
20:01 "From God!" The Bible says in 1Timothy 6:16,
20:06 you can write that down, 1 Timothy 6:16 That God dwells
20:10 in light that is so powerful that no one can approach it.
20:13 That is going to be glorious, it reminds me of the story
20:17 of Moses 1Timothy 6:16.
20:19 It reminds me of the story of Moses, Moses was there
20:21 on the top of Mt. Sinai, and he said God I want to see
20:23 what you look like, I want to see your Glory,
20:25 and God said ok I'll show you my Glory, on three conditions,
20:27 1. I'm going to put you in the cleft of the rock.
20:29 2. I'm going to put my hand over you.
20:30 3. You can not see my face, because no man can see my face,
20:35 and live, you can only see my back parts.
20:37 Now think about it, that's going to be a lot of glory,
20:39 look at it there: All the holy angels with Him
20:42 then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
20:44 So when God returns, when Jesus returns,
20:46 He comes with Himself, that's Jesus, with His Father,
20:49 in all of His glory, and every single last angel in heaven
20:54 That's going to be a mighty powerful, glorious experience,
20:59 can you say "Amen?"
21:00 So it's powerful, visible, literal, and what's the next one
21:07 powerful, now open your Bibles to the book of Matthew
21:11 first book of the New Testament.
21:13 Matthew, notice with me chapter 24,
21:19 Matthew 24, we've actually spent quite a little bit of time
21:23 in this chapter for those of you who are with us tonight
21:25 for the first or the second time, we've been here many times
21:27 but I want to show you a quick verse here Matthew 24,
21:31 and notice with me verses 30 and 31.
21:33 Matthew 24:30-31, Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear
21:38 in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn,
21:41 that's by the way the second time that we heard that,
21:43 that all the tribe will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man
21:50 so there it is again you see it's visible,
21:52 they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds,
21:54 by the way there's the second time we saw clouds today,
21:57 coming on the clouds of heaven with what, power and
22:01 and great glory, and He will send His angels with a great
22:05 sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect
22:10 from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other
22:12 so here even in verse 31 and verse 30 of Matthew 24
22:15 it says it's going to be powerful, and in the context
22:18 it says it's going to be powerful because there is
22:20 going to be such great glory there.
22:22 So far so good.
22:24 Notice our next one that it will be audible,
22:26 now we have already seen here in verse 31, that He returns
22:33 with the great sound of a trumpet, in fact there are
22:38 several times in the New Testament where Jesus
22:40 is referred to as returning with a sound of a trumpet.
22:43 You want to write another one down 1 Corinthians 15:52
22:47 you can write that down.
22:48 1 Corinthians 15:52 says He will return with the sound
22:54 of a trump, ok, a trumpet.
22:57 I used to play the trumpet and I taught myself how to
22:59 play at the age of 21, when I was living in my Mom's house.
23:01 She will tell you that trumpets can be obnoxiously loud,
23:05 any trumpet player here tonight?
23:07 Ok, you know, I should have had you bring your trumpet
23:09 and play for me.
23:10 I did that one time except there was a nice sweet older
23:11 lady sitting in the front row, and I blew it as hard as I could
23:13 and it looked like she was going to die on the spot
23:15 that's why I decided I wouldn't do that anymore.
23:17 I just remind you that trumpets are very loud.
23:19 Jesus said He will return with the sound of a trumpet,
23:23 so it's visible, yes, it's literal, yes, it's powerful,
23:27 yes, what else is it, it's audible, that's exactly right.
23:30 Open your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians, we go from
23:33 Matthew, we'll be coming back here by the way,
23:34 so if you would like to slide a little pen or something
23:36 in there, if you've got one of these fancy dancy red ribbons
23:39 like I've got, you can put it in there, 1 Thessalonians
23:42 chapter 14, 1 Thessalonians, that's Galatians, Ephesians,
23:47 Philippians, Colossians, then you come to the Timothy's,
23:50 pardon me, then you come to the Thessalonians just before
23:52 you come to the Timothy's.
23:53 1 Thessalonians 4:16, what verse everyone?
24:02 16, it says for the Lord Himself, there it is again,
24:07 this same Jesus, right, the Lord Himself will descend
24:14 from where everyone?
24:15 >From heaven with a shout, a shout is loud or a
24:20 shout is quiet, it's loud, that's exactly right.
24:23 If you would like a demonstration I could bring
24:24 either of my two boys in here and they can show you what
24:25 it's all about.
24:27 Better yet I'll send them to your house at 5:00
24:28 in the morning, which is when they get up at my house.
24:30 I have two little alarm clocks that don't let me sleep in.
24:32 With a shout, with a voice of an arch angel,
24:36 now has anyone here ever heard an arch angel?
24:38 Me neither, but I'm going to imagine in context,
24:41 that it's quite loud.
24:42 With a shout, with the voice of the arch angel
24:46 and with the trumpet of God, there it is again.
24:49 The trumpet of God, in fact this is so loud,
24:51 my Mom used to say to me, you know I get up in the morning
24:53 in fact my wife still says it to me to this day,
24:55 she'll say sweetie you were loud,
24:56 but I feel like I'm being so quiet, but my mom would say
24:58 your loud, you are so loud you could wake the dead.
25:01 Well that's exactly what happens when Jesus comes back,
25:03 notice this it says in verse 16, the trumpet of God
25:07 and the dead in Christ, "what?" They rise first, they wake up.
25:12 Verse 17, And we who are alive and remain shall be caught up
25:14 together with them in the clouds, there it is again
25:16 clouds, that's the third time we've seen that tonight
25:19 We will meet the Lord "where?" in the air, and thus we shall
25:22 always be with the Lord, verse 18, Therefore comfort
25:24 one another with these words.
25:25 So there's a shout, there's the voice
25:28 of the arch angel, and the trumpet, trumpet, trumpet.
25:30 In other words, it's not going to be a quiet event,
25:33 It's going to be a loud event, are we all clear on that?
25:35 So it's visible, it's literal, it's powerful, and it's audible,
25:41 that's exactly right.
25:42 Now we're going to continue on here,
25:43 it's also inevitable, notice this Psalm 50:3:
26:01 By the way, that fire is His glory.
26:03 The Bible says in Hebrews 12:29, you want to write that down,
26:07 Hebrews 12:29, Our God is a consuming fire,
26:13 that light, that unapproachable light that surrounds God.
26:16 is perceived by the wicked, as being like fire,
26:20 that's exactly right.
26:21 It appears also as fire to the righteous, but the righteous
26:23 are not burned up by it.
26:45 Notice what He says, God will come and He will not
26:50 keep silent, so far so good everyone.
26:52 Ok, lets go back to Matthew 24, back to Matthew 24,
26:58 and notice with me, verse 23, Matthew 24 let's go back there.
27:04 Notice with me verse 23: Then if anyone says to you
27:11 words of Jesus in red, then if anyone says to you, Look
27:14 here is the "Christ" or there Jesus says, run out as quickly
27:20 as possible, is that what He says?
27:23 Do not believe it, so if someone comes and says oh yeah
27:27 by the way Jesus is here, you didn't hear that,
27:30 Jesus is here, He's in Tokyo right now, Jesus is in Miami
27:33 right now, no! no! no!, in fact we actually looked at that
27:35 the other night, in our Signs of the Times message,
27:37 and we looked at that man, do you remember his name?
27:39 Dr. Jose Louis De Jesus Miranda who today claims to be Jesus
27:45 and has somewhere between the most conservative estimate
27:47 let's say two million followers and some say up to 10 million
27:50 people who think he's Jesus on earth today.
27:52 Jesus said hey listen, if they say to you, oh by the way
27:55 Jesus is here and He lives in the suburb in Miami,
27:58 what did Jesus say?
28:00 Don't believe it.
28:02 Don't go, well why not, why not Jesus,
28:04 how can we be sure, maybe this guy is the guy.
28:05 Verse 24, For false Christ's and false prophets will arise
28:10 and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible
28:15 even the elect.
28:16 Verse 25, See I have told you before hand,
28:18 Verse 26, Therefore, remember in the Bible when you see
28:20 the word therefore, ask yourself,
28:21 hey what's that there for?
28:22 What's it doing there?
28:24 Therefore if they say to you look He's in the desert,
28:27 do not go out, or look He's in the inner rooms,
28:29 do not believe it, look He is in Miami, no! no! no! no!
28:32 don't believe any of that why?
28:33 Verse 27, For or because as the lightning comes from the
28:40 east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming
28:43 of the Son of Man be.
28:44 Now lightning is one of those things in a true
28:47 lightning storm, you can literally close your eyes
28:51 as still see the flash of brightness,
28:53 is that true yes or no?
28:55 So Jesus says hey listen, listen, listen.
28:56 They say to you oh yeah, Jesus is in Miami,
28:59 Jesus is in Jerusalem, Jesus is in Tokyo,
29:01 bla bla bla, don't believe it, don't buy it for a moment
29:04 because when Jesus returns, every eye will see Him,
29:06 it will be like lightening flashing from the east
29:08 to the west, it will be literal, visible, powerful, audible,
29:12 you will know, you won't have to put it on CNN
29:14 beloved when Jesus comes back, you're going to know.
29:17 "Amen!" You'll know! You'll know ok!
29:22 So look at this, we're still there in Matthew,
29:24 well actually we'll just go beyond that verse, I think
29:27 the point is well made.
29:28 Now the Parable of the Wheat and Tares,
29:30 this is an essential concept that we grasp
29:33 and what we're going to be doing here,
29:34 is sort of debunking a very popular but non-Biblical idea,
29:40 I want to say something about that,
29:41 ideas may be popular, but, popular ideas are not
29:45 necessarily Biblical ideas, can you say Amen.
29:47 Now we learned that just yesterday about the Sabbath,
29:49 I mean Sunday is a hugely popular idea,
29:52 but we looked last night to see if there was any evidence
29:54 from the Bible that Sunday observance is Biblical,
29:57 or that it's taught in the Bible.
29:58 No, there's not one iota of evidence, in fact last night
30:00 I told you I would give you ten thousand dollars cash
30:01 for every text you can produce on that.
30:03 So and idea might be popular but that doesn't mean that it's
30:07 true or Biblical.
30:10 Go to Matthew 13, and let's ask the question
30:12 well when does all this happen, and how does this happen.
30:15 We've seen this is visible, we've seen this is literal,
30:17 we've seen it's audible, we've seen it's powerful,
30:19 we've seen it's inevitable, and of course it's going to be
30:22 joyful for the believer, we'll come back to that point.
30:24 Well look at Matthew 13, we've been to this parable many times
30:27 let's re-visit it.
30:28 Verse 24, Matthew 13:24, another parable He put forth
30:31 to them saying, the kingdom of heaven is like a man
30:34 who sowed what kind of seed in his field?
30:35 Good seed, but while men slept, his enemy came and
30:38 sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
30:40 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop,
30:41 then the tares also appeared, so the servants of the owner
30:44 came to him and said: 'Sir, did you not sow good seed
30:47 in your field? How then does it have tares?'
30:49 Where did the weed come from, is what they wanted to know.
30:51 Verse 28, He said to them, what were those five words?
30:53 an enemy has done this, you've got it, very good class.
30:58 How then does it have tares, an enemy has done this
31:00 do want us then to go gather them up?
31:02 What did he say?
31:03 No, don't do that, lest while you gather up the tares
31:05 you might also root up the wheat with them.
31:08 Now look at verse 30, look at verse 30,
31:10 don't miss verse 30, verse 30 is so easy to understand
31:14 my little five year old boy Landon could understand this.
31:16 Let both, who's both?
31:19 The wheat and the tares, let both grow,
31:21 what's the next word?
31:22 Together, what does the word together mean?
31:24 The word together means together, that's exactly right,
31:31 alright! Sandy we need you to write a dictionary
31:34 that we all can understand.
31:36 Here we go, let both grow together until the harvest
31:40 at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers,
31:44 first gather together the tares and bind them in bundles
31:47 to burn them, but to gather the wheat into my barn.
31:48 Now I'm going to ask you to do two things here:
31:50 1. The main point: notice that they both grow together
31:52 until the harvest, now here's the second thing
31:55 I'm going to ask you to do
31:56 take that word first, see where it says first
31:58 to gather, does everyone see that, first take that first
32:03 and hang it on a hook in your mind because we are going to
32:05 come back to it, just hang on to that one.
32:07 So who's gathered first, the tares which are the wicked,
32:11 oh I wonder what this parable means, Jesus spoke in
32:13 such a mysterious language, such cryptic imagery,
32:16 what could it possibly mean, well let's have a vote
32:19 and decide, no! no! no! Jesus tells us what it means.
32:21 Look at verse 36, Then Jesus sent the multitude away
32:24 and went into the house, and His disciples came to Him
32:26 saying, explain to us the parable of the Tares and
32:28 the field, and He said ok, he who sows the good seed
32:31 the Son of Man, who's the Son of Man?
32:33 Jesus, the field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of
32:37 the Kingdom, the tares are the sons of the,
32:39 I'm going to ask you again real quick, just to be sure
32:42 it's on that hook in your mind, who was bound first?
32:44 The tares, we're going to come back to that,
32:47 and you're just going to be blown away.
32:48 I guarantee that many of you in this room are going to be
32:50 floored tonight when we come back to that verse.
32:52 Verse 39: The enemy who sowed them is the Devil,
32:55 the harvest is the end of the age, or the end of the world,
32:59 the reapers are the angels, therefore as the tares are
33:02 gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end
33:04 of this age, the Son of Man will send out His angels
33:07 they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend
33:10 and those who practice lawlessness,
33:11 and will cast them into the furnace of fire.
33:13 There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
33:15 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the
33:18 kingdom of their Father.
33:19 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
33:21 Can you say Amen?
33:22 Now this is not a difficult parable to understand,
33:24 not at all.
33:25 Jesus says basically there was a man, he went out he
33:28 sowed some seed in his field and the weeds came up with the
33:31 good stuff, and they said hey do you want us to gather all up
33:34 no! no! no!, don't gather them up, because if you gather up
33:36 the bad, you might pull up some of the good,
33:38 let both grow together until the harvest, ok, now the harvest
33:43 is the "when," the end of the age,that's exactly right.
33:47 I want you to notice this, that the same time
33:51 that the wicked are gathered out of the kingdom, is the same
33:55 time that the righteous shine forth.
33:57 Do you see that yes or no?
33:59 There is no different timing here, they are all having
34:02 the same experience.
34:03 What did it say there? Every eye will see Him,
34:07 so the righteous and the wicked, is that right?
34:11 We've actually already seen twice tonight,
34:12 that when every eyes sees them it says they will all mourn.
34:16 Now how many people in this room think they are going to be
34:19 mourning when Jesus returns?
34:20 How many people are going to be shouting for joy
34:24 when Jesus returns?
34:25 So who is mourning when Jesus returns?
34:28 That would be the wicked, so that would mean then
34:31 that the wicked see Jesus come.
34:33 Yes or no, are we all clear on that?
34:35 That's what it must mean, that's what it must mean.
34:37 Now let's continue, this is going to get better,
34:39 as my friends in Australia like to say, the penny
34:42 is about ready to drop.
34:44 That's what they say, wait until the penny drops.
34:48 as we have already seen.
34:49 So the second coming of Jesus is let's say it together:
34:58 Ok, that's what we are looking at, how is it going to happen?
35:00 Now what about the so called secret rapture,
35:02 you're there on the third page.
35:04 How many of you have heard of this idea of the secret rapture?
35:06 Raise your hand, secret rapture, alright, let's see.
35:11 I'm at the top of the third page.
35:13 The concept of the secret rapture as we have seen
35:15 is very difficult to harmonize with the Biblical picture
35:18 presented, there is simply nothing secretive or clandestine
35:22 about it, in fact it will be the most non-secret event
35:25 the world has ever seen.
35:26 Every eye will see Him, says Revelation 1:7,
35:30 some kind of secret that is, a secret that everybody knows.
35:33 It defies both grammar and logic, yet this idea is rather
35:39 popular in this day and age, it has been made so in no small
35:42 part by a series of fictitious scenarios depicted in the novel
35:45 series: Left Behind, we've got that here for you, written by
35:47 Timothy Lahaye and Jeremy Jenkins.
35:49 Now I don't know these men, fine Christian men,
35:51 I don't doubt they might love the Lord Jesus Christ
35:54 with all their hearts, but I want you to notice what I say
35:55 here, while this series may make for exciting reading
35:59 and gripping adventure fiction, it makes for poor theology.
36:03 If you want to know what the Bible says, be sure to spend
36:07 some time actually reading the Bible, not just books
36:11 about the Bible.
36:13 Now these books were hugely popular, and still maintain
36:18 much of their popularity to this day,
36:19 in fact it's the number one selling book series
36:22 in the history of the human race.
36:24 The number one selling book series in the history
36:27 of the human race, I mean it was amazing when they
36:29 were in their zenith, they were out selling even Grishim
36:32 and Danielle Steele, and other secular authors.
36:35 I remember going into airports four or five years ago,
36:37 as seeing all kinds of people suddenly very interested
36:41 in religious topics, everybody had the Left Behind series
36:44 looking into it.
36:45 Now listen I didn't actually read the books myself,
36:47 but I know what's taught there and the idea is this,
36:50 I did see the movie though with Kurt Cameron,
36:52 it was kind of interesting, I give it a thumbs down.
36:57 Back to the point, the idea here is this, nothing wrong,
37:01 I shouldn't say nothing wrong, if you want to read a book
37:04 for just pure enjoyment, for pure entertainment purposes
37:06 knock yourselves out, though I would say
37:08 we should be sure that the things that we are reading
37:10 are consistent with the principles that God
37:12 has laid out for us in His Word, Amen.
37:13 I'm not saying go out and look at any old nasty thing
37:16 I mean why would we want to be entertained by the very thing
37:18 that put Jesus Christ on the cross, this is unclear to me.
37:21 Why would a Christian want to go to a rated R movie?
37:22 Some people say to me, well, I'm a Christian,
37:24 I'm free in Christ.
37:25 Why would you want to?
37:27 Why would you want to go watch the very thing that
37:29 put Jesus on the cross, why would you want to look at
37:31 illicit sex or terrible viol..., I'm confused about that
37:34 the Bible says in Philippians 4:8 whatever things are true,
37:37 and just, and pure, and holy, these are the things
37:39 we should be thinking about, Amen!
37:41 So many good Christian people read this series and said oh,
37:45 well maybe that must be what's true,
37:46 but beloved, you can not do any better than this book
37:50 to know what this book teaches, Amen!
37:53 So again, this is not an effrontery to these men
37:56 they might be fine Christian men as I've said,
37:57 I've never met them, but I just want to talk about this
37:59 theory that's been popularized, this idea of a secret rapture.
38:03 In the movie there Kurt Cameron and others were just sitting
38:06 in their chair, just sort of minding their business,
38:08 and all of a sudden, fooom people were gone,
38:10 I mean all over the world people just suddenly
38:12 disappeared and he looked over and there was neatly
38:14 folded clothes, I don't find that anywhere in the Bible,
38:17 just, oh, oh, what happened and the pilot was raptured
38:21 fortunately the co-pilot was a sinner, and he wasn't raptured
38:23 so he could still land the plane, these kinds of things.
38:25 Now I'm not just saying these things to make fun
38:28 the reality is, is that, this is an idea that many people
38:32 believe, but I want you to know there is not one scintilla of
38:36 Bible evidence that supports the idea that people are going
38:38 to suddenly disappear and leave their clothes folded.
38:40 Ok, it's just not there, now you say well wait a minute
38:44 explain then, well I'm going to do my very best to explain.
38:46 A thief in the night, we are in the middle of page three,
38:50 how many have heard the term that Jesus is going to come
38:52 like a thief, ok, now He is going to come like
38:55 a thief, but you have to be clear on what that means.
38:58 Look at what it says, the Bible does in fact teach
39:01 the second coming will resemble in some sense a thief
39:03 in the night, but what does this mean, that it is a secret
39:09 that no one knows.
39:10 Is that what it means?
39:12 Now let us see, we are going to look at two passages here
39:14 Matthew 24:36, Jesus speaking: Jesus says,
39:27 but who only knows, ok, so what only does the Father know?
39:30 The day and the hour, you've got it, so let's continue.
39:44 In other words, if the individual who was guarding
39:47 his house knew when it was going to happen,
39:49 he wouldn't have left the thief come, so watch this:
39:59 Now let me ask you a question, what comes like a thief?
40:01 The event or the timing, according to this verse
40:05 it's the timing that's like a thief.
40:06 Come on, in what possible sense could it be like a thief
40:11 in the terms of His manner of coming, it's visible,
40:13 it's climactic, it's loud, it's audible, it's powerful,
40:17 all the holy angels, the glory of God,
40:19 everything is happening in one cocofinism,
40:22 amazing tempestuous event, that's not a secret.
40:25 What is apparently a secret, or what appears to be somewhat
40:28 like a thief in the night, is the timing,
40:30 is the "what" everyone?
40:32 Look, Jesus says it there for you, Be ready for the Son of Man
40:36 is coming at an hour that you don't expect.
40:38 Now look at this one, here's the other passage that's
40:40 sometimes sited, there both right there in your handout.
40:44 But the day of the Lord will come as a what?
40:47 Notice what it doesn't say, it doesn't say the Lord
40:49 will come as a thief.
40:50 Look at the verse, it says you have to learn the importance
40:54 of the English language, does that verse say that the Lord
40:56 will come as a thief in the night?
40:58 What does it say will come as a thief in the night?
41:00 The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night
41:03 and it always helps to read the context.
41:05 Ok, look at this: in which the heavens will pass away
41:08 with a great noise, that's some secret isn't it.
41:11 The heavens will pass away with a great noise!
41:14 It's going to be a secret!
41:15 It doesn't make any sense, it's not that the Lord comes
41:19 as a thief, but what comes as a thief?
41:21 The event, the day, the timing, comes as a thief,
41:24 in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise.
41:25 The element will melt with fervent heat:
41:27 Why, why are they melting? Because of the fire that
41:29 surrounds God, His amazing glory, both the earth and
41:32 the works that are in it will be burned up.
41:34 Look at your study guide here, notice what it is that comes
41:38 like a thief, it's not the Messiah, but the day
41:41 and the hour, you've got it.
41:44 That is to say that the timing is like a thief,
41:47 no good thief calls ahead to alert you of his arrival.
41:50 Unfortunately all of those thieves are in jail,
41:53 the good ones are not in jail, right! I just want to
41:56 let you know that I'll be over tomorrow night at about three,
41:57 will three work for you? Three works for me, ok,
41:58 I'm going to rob your place, no! no! no!
42:00 He times His coming so that you won't expect it
42:04 only in this sense is the second coming like a thief.
42:07 Notice the last paragraph here, A word of caution is in order
42:11 here, God is not out to get us, or to surprise us,
42:15 can someone say "Amen?"
42:16 So that we will be lost, no! no! no!
42:18 In fact as we remember in our presentation
42:20 on The Signs of the Times, we see that He is actually
42:23 trying to do the very opposite.
42:24 Remember what Jesus, and Peter and Paul, and John urged
42:26 us to do, they said watch, you remember, that's right, watch.
42:31 Why! So we would be aware of the lateness of the hour,
42:35 so that we would be prepared.
42:36 This highlights and important point, the second coming
42:40 is a surprise only to the unprepared.
42:43 That is a critical point, the second coming is a surprise
42:47 to the unprepared, not to the committed watchful believer,
42:51 this makes the thief in the night text so very easy
42:54 to understand:
42:58 Can you say "Amen?"
42:59 Can you imagine the thief coming with a great noise,
43:01 the thief announcing! no! no! no! no!
43:03 What comes like a thief is the timing, the day, the hour,
43:07 not the event itself, if this makes sense say "Amen!"
43:09 You think that's good, buckle your safety belts,
43:13 ok there you go, Dot's got her safety belt buckled.
43:17 Be sure to buckle your safety belts, because you are about
43:19 ready to a bomb shell of a Bible truth right here, ok.
43:22 Here we go, at the last page at the top:
43:25 One will be taken, the other will be left,
43:27 how many have heard that before?
43:28 That's what the whole title of the series comes from,
43:30 "Left Behind,"you want to be taken because the wicked
43:34 are going to be left and suddenly wished away.
43:37 Right, ok, I'm going to show you something fascinating,
43:40 you do not want to be taken!
43:43 If you believe the Bible, you don't want to be the ones
43:49 that are taken away, you're thinking, What!
43:50 what's he talking about, he's talking in parables,
43:52 ok, watch this, this is phenomenal.
43:55 The Left Behind series that we mentioned earlier
43:58 derives it's name from Luke 17:36, The claim is made
44:01 that the righteous will be wished away in a secret rapture
44:03 we have seen that this imaginative scenario
44:06 simply cannot be harmonized with the teaching of scripture.
44:08 Once more it utterly fails to grapple with the issue of who is
44:12 taken and who is left.
44:15 Watch carefully as the picture unfolds in the Bible.
44:18 Go to Matthew 24, ok are you ready for this?
44:21 I hope you are, I think some of you are just going to be
44:24 floored, but it's good to be floored, as long as it's by
44:27 Bible truth, "Amen!"
44:28 Matthew 24:36 I want everyone there, you've got to see this
44:37 for yourselves in the Word.
44:38 Matthew 24:36, Jesus says: But of that day and hour,
44:44 no one knows, not even the angels of heaven
44:46 but My Father only.
44:47 37. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the
44:53 coming of the Son of Man be.
44:54 So He gives us here an analogy as the days of Noah.
44:56 38. For as in the days before the flood, they were
45:00 eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
45:02 until the day that Noah entered the ark,
45:04 Now there's nothing wrong with eating and there's nothing
45:05 drinking, there's nothing wrong with being married,
45:07 or giving in marriage, but what Jesus is saying here
45:09 is that their lives are just going on and on and on
45:11 same old, same old, day in day out, with no expectancy
45:14 no plan for the return of Jesus, so far so good everyone?
45:18 They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
45:20 until the day that Noah entered the ark,
45:22 39. and they did not know, by the way, did Noah know the flood
45:26 was coming? That's exactly right!
45:28 So no one knew, did the righteous know?
45:31 Just like the second coming, ok.
45:33 until the day the flood came and notice this verse 39,
45:36 you've got to see this, and did not know until the flood
45:40 came and took them all away, now I want to ask you a question?
45:45 in context, who is taken away?
45:49 Now you hang on this is phenomenal, ok, let's read it.
45:52 until the flood came and took them all away, so also
45:55 will the coming of the Son of Man be.
45:56 Then, now He's talking about the second coming,
45:59 two men will be in the field, one will be taken,
46:02 the other will be left, Two women will be grinding
46:05 at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
46:08 42.Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour
46:11 your Lord is coming.
46:12 Now keep you finger, if you've got one of these ribbons,
46:14 right here, go to the book of Genesis, let's go look at the
46:17 story of Noah, let's see who was taken in the days of Noah.
46:19 Are you ready for this? Go to the book of Genesis,
46:23 Genesis 7, ok I want everyone to see this, we're going
46:32 to go right back to Matthew 24.
46:33 Genesis 7, I still hear those pages turning, first book
46:36 of the Bible, seventh chapter, Genesis 7:21,
46:39 It says and all flesh died, I'm in verse 21, Genesis 7,
46:45 all flesh died that moved on the face of the earth,
46:47 birds, and cattle and beasts and creeping things,
46:50 that creeps on the earth, and every "what?"
46:52 Man, by the way, how many were in the ark?
46:54 Eight, that's exactly right!
46:56 Verse 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of
46:59 the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died.
47:05 23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face
47:08 of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird
47:11 of the air. They were destroyed
47:14 from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him
47:19 in the ark remained alive.
47:23 You watch something, do you see in your Bible,
47:27 the word alive is italicized, do you see that?
47:30 Do you know what that means?
47:32 It means that it was supplied by the translators
47:36 to help it make more sense in English.
47:38 What we are going to do is we're not going to read that
47:40 word, because it's not in the Hebrew, listen to what it says
47:43 now, the last part of verse 23, only Noah and those who were
47:47 with him in the Ark remained.
47:50 That's interesting isn't it!
47:52 Noah remained but the wicked were destroyed from the earth.
47:57 Do you see that yes or no?
48:00 Ok, go back to Matthew 24, it gets incredible,
48:04 this is just the beginning, Matthew 24.
48:06 Now go to your study guide, in Matthew 24:36-42,
48:13 Jesus compares the second coming to the days of Noah,
48:15 He said that in the flood scenario, the flood came
48:18 and took them all away, ok, who was taken away?
48:22 The wicked were taken away right?
48:24 Who remained?
48:26 Noah remained, you've got it, one group remained,
48:30 one group was taken away.
48:31 Now remember it is the very next verse that Jesus says
48:34 one shall be taken and one shall be left.
48:36 It's the very next verse in Matthew 24,
48:40 He's using the example of Noah, and as we have already said
48:43 the flood took them away, Noah remained.
48:48 Notice it goes on here, in Noah's day who was taken
48:52 away by the flood?
48:53 The wicked, you've got it, see Genesis,
48:55 we just looked at that, see especially verse 23
48:58 it says that Noah only, and those who were with him
49:00 remained alive, notice that alive is in Italics,
49:02 and that it was supplied by the translators.
49:04 The verse actually reads, only Noah and those who were
49:07 with him in the ark remained, Wow!
49:09 Noah wasn't taken, he remained, the wicked were taken
49:13 swept away by the flood.
49:14 But it gets even more amazing.
49:17 Go look at Luke 17, Luke 17.
49:20 Matthew 24 and Luke 17, are the same chapters,
49:27 their describing the same event, The Olivet Discourse,
49:31 is what it's called, that's what the theologians call it.
49:33 We're in Luke 17 and we're looking at verse 26.
49:38 Are we all there Luke 17:26, Jesus speaking, you will
49:43 recognize the words immediately: And as it was in the days
49:46 of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
49:49 now watch this, They ate... is this sounding familiar?
49:52 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were
49:55 given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
50:00 and the flood came and destroyed them all.
50:04 That's the same language that Jesus just used in Matthew 24
50:07 but in Matthew 24, he said until the day that Noah entered
50:09 into the ark and took them all away, and here he said
50:12 until the day that Noah entered into the ark and destroyed
50:14 them all.
50:15 So those that were taken away were "destroyed!"
50:19 Just as plain as can be.
50:21 But it gets even better, it goes on and he talks about
50:25 the day of Lot, now jump down to verse 34.
50:29 I tell you that in the night..., this is phenomenal,
50:32 I tell you that in the night there will be two men in one
50:34 bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.
50:38 Now just based on the context, just based on the "what?"
50:41 not based on novels, not based on ideas,
50:44 not based on David Asscherick's words, based on the context,
50:47 If that series of books had never been published
50:50 and you never saw the movie with Curt Cameron,
50:51 based on what the Bible says, would you want to be taken
50:54 or left?
50:55 You would want to be left, because the wicked were taken
50:59 to destruction.
51:01 But it gets even better, ok, so verse 34.
51:03 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:
51:05 the one will be taken and the other will be left.
51:07 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken
51:09 and the other left.
51:10 Two men will be in the field: The one will be taken and
51:12 the other will be left.
51:14 Now look at verse 37, phenomenal!
51:16 And they answered and said to Him, this is the disciples,
51:19 they say to Jesus, what do they ask Him? "Where, Lord?"
51:24 Ok, now I want you to think about the question
51:27 that they are asking, Jesus has just said,
51:28 one's going to be taken, one's going to be left,
51:31 one's going to be taken, one's going to be left.
51:32 And then they say where, what are they asking, where what?
51:37 Where are they going to be taken, they wouldn't be
51:39 asking where are they going to be left.
51:41 Does that make any sense?
51:44 Jesus where are they left?
51:45 What do you mean where are they left?
51:46 They were left in the same place they were before the others
51:49 were taken, of course what they are asking is "taken!"
51:51 "Where"
51:53 Look at this, what's Jesus' answer?
51:55 Taken away to glory!
51:56 Verse 37 He said wherever the body is, the eagles will
52:02 be gathered together.
52:04 Do you know what Jesus is describing?
52:05 He is describing exactly what's described all over
52:08 especially in the book of Revelation, where there will be
52:11 all of the wicked.
52:12 The Bible says in the book of Jeremiah, there will be so
52:14 many that they won't even be gathered, there will be no one
52:16 to bury them, and the vultures and the eagles and the
52:19 birds of prey are feasting on their flesh.
52:22 They are taken away to destruction.
52:26 Jesus says one will be taken, and one will be left,
52:28 one will be taken, and one will be left,
52:30 one will be taken, and one will be left.
52:31 "Where Lord?"
52:32 Where are they taken?
52:34 They are taken to destruction where the eagles
52:35 will eat their bodies.
52:37 Now let me ask you a question?
52:38 Based on the Bible, on the "what" everyone?
52:41 You want to be taken or left?
52:43 You want to be left beloved!
52:46 What was that word I told you to hang on a hook in your mind?
52:49 First! Go back to Matthew 13, you remembered it, good for you.
52:54 Look at this, ok, go back to Matthew 13, this is powerful!
53:00 So let's get the picture in our mind,
53:01 This man plants a field, there's the wheat and the tares,
53:06 and they are all growing how?
53:08 "Together!" Until the time of the harvest,
53:12 so far so good?
53:13 Now this is Phenomenal!
53:15 So then Jesus says, He is going to send His reapers,
53:19 and His reapers are the angels, now look at verse 30.
53:25 Let both grow together until the harvest, at the time of the
53:29 harvest I will say to the reapers, so Jesus is speaking
53:32 to the angels, first gather together the who?
53:38 - "Tares!" - Who's gathered first?
53:40 - "Tares!" - Exactly as it was in the days
53:44 of Noah, the wicked were taken away to destruction.
53:47 Notice that, first gather together the tares,
53:50 as if that is not enough, look over at verse 47.
53:52 Look over at verse 47: again Jesus tells another
53:56 parable, He says the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet,
53:58 they threw a net out into the sea, it was cast out into
54:01 the sea and they gathered some of every kind.
54:03 48 Which when it was full they drew it ashore and they
54:06 sat down and gathered the good in the vessels,
54:08 but they threw the bad away, so it will be
54:10 at the end of the age.
54:11 49. The angels will come forth, separate the "who?"
54:16 Wicked! Now notice the language here.
54:18 from "among" the just.
54:21 Is that what your Bible said?
54:23 The wicked are separated from among the just.
54:27 Picture in your mind here, just imagine with me,
54:28 there are ten people standing right here.
54:30 Ten people, five are righteous, and five are wicked.
54:33 Here's the ten, and it's just like the dragnet,
54:37 it's thrown out, and we gather them all in,
54:38 oop! here's ten, five righteous, five unrighteous.
54:41 Now it's the second coming the angels are going
54:43 and here's the ten, who many?
54:44 Ten, five are wicked, and five are righteous
54:47 and the angels are told to go and gather who
54:50 from among who?
54:51 The wicked from a..., so if I gather the wicked
54:55 from among the righteous and I take them away
54:58 to bind them, to destruction, who is left?
55:00 - "The righteous!" - You got it!
55:02 This is the consistent teaching of scripture beloved.
55:04 Easy to understand!
55:06 Easy to understand! Yet we all get swept away
55:09 because somebody writes a novel and it's fascinating.
55:11 The second coming of Jesus will be "what?
55:21 Most of all for the righteous, for those who put their faith
55:24 in the Lord Jesus Christ, "it will be joyful. "
55:28 Hallelujah! Behold I tell you a mystery
55:30 said Paul, we're not all going to sleep, that means
55:32 we're not all going to die, but we shall all be changed.
55:36 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
55:41 It doesn't say the last flute, it doesn't say the last piccolo,
55:44 it says the last trumpet.
55:55 That means you are going to trade in this old rickety body
55:57 for a righteous, glorious, heavenly body like the
56:00 Lord Jesus, "Amen!"
56:01 I'm still young, thirty four, but I tell you what,
56:04 there's not as much spring in my step as there used to be.
56:05 You're thinking really, man he must have used to have a lot
56:07 of spring in his step.
56:08 My back even hurts me every now and then,
56:10 anyone in here have a sore back?
56:11 The Lord's going to give you a new back, Amen!
56:14 You got sore lungs, the Lord's going to give you new...,
56:16 I mean the Lord is going to take care of you,
56:17 and we are going to live forever, that's what it says.
56:20 Amen! Whew!
56:22 Look at this Isaiah 25:9:
56:38 Is it going to be joyful?
56:40 It is going to be joyful, Jesus said I will come again.
56:44 Beloved I want to be ready for that day.
56:47 How about you?
56:48 Jesus will defy the skeptics and return to earth,
56:51 and I want to be ready, how many of you want to be ready?
56:53 Let's pray together, Father in Heaven,
56:56 we want to be ready, and not because of who we are.
57:01 We have no righteousness, we don't have one ounce
57:05 of righteousness on our own, but we are trusting in the
57:09 righteousness of Jesus our Savior.
57:10 Father we want to thank you for your mercy and kindness,
57:15 we believe that this day can not be far away.
57:18 Father this earth is going crazy and it's out the window,
57:22 and it's coming apart at the seams, upside down,
57:25 and black is white, and white is black,
57:26 and it's insanity oh God.
57:29 I fear, I think of trying to raise my two boys, and
57:34 this culture gone insane.
57:37 Father we have children, and we have loved ones,
57:42 outside of the faith, and we're saying oh Father as soon as
57:45 can be, "come home!", come and take us home.
57:50 We ask in Jesus name, let everyone say "Amen!"


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Revised 2014-12-17