1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,840 I invite you to turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:11,440 Mark chapter 13 as we continue to delve into the longest 3 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:15,240 recorded answer that the Lord Jesus gives to any question that 4 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:20,720 he received. Remember, it was the Lord's 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:26,480 shocking comment about the coming destruction of the temple 6 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:31,840 in Jerusalem that prompted the disciples to inquire about the 7 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,080 timing of such an inconceivable event. 8 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,920 And more than that, also ask about His coming and the end of 9 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,680 the age. And thus far, you and I have 10 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,880 collectively examined the multiple signs leading up to the 11 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:53,040 coming of Christ. And these were known as birth 12 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,920 pains. And following the birth pains, 13 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,960 Jesus highlights one major sign and spends the most time 14 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:03,120 discussing it. And it's called and known as the 15 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,000 abomination of desolation. And we paused there and 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,600 meditated on what the implications and even what that 17 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,880 really is. And finally, if you recall, we 18 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:19,080 took a whole Sunday to discuss the events surrounding the 19 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,760 actual day when Christ comes. So not just the things leading 20 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:27,200 up to it, not just the one major sign, but also the moment. 21 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:32,400 The moment the Lord Jesus cracks through the skies and what that 22 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,760 will be like. But Christ is not finished yet. 23 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,720 As comprehensive as this discourse may be, there is still 24 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,640 more that He desires to convey to us. 25 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:49,400 There are more insights He longs to unfold for His people, and 26 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,760 that's what you and I are going to discover in three or four 27 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:59,240 verses here in Mark 13. Beginning in verse 28, we're 28 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,920 going to assess what the Spirit of God longs to reveal in these 29 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:04,720 verses. Let's read together, shall we? 30 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,280 From the fig tree, learn its lesson. 31 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,560 As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, 32 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,840 you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these 33 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:24,920 things taking place, you know that He is near at the very 34 00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:28,120 gates. Truly, I say to you, this 35 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,840 generation will not pass away until all these things take 36 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,640 place. Heaven and earth will pass away, 37 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:41,800 but my words will not pass away. If you've been with us long 38 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:46,920 enough and you know that it is the habit of this pulpit for 39 00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:50,080 thoughts from a section of Scripture to be organized under 40 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:53,680 some headings. And the reason that is done is 41 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,720 to provide a helpful format that would make the truths that you 42 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,280 hear a little bit more memorable. 43 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,720 And it's going to be no different today what we read in 44 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:03,920 these verses. I want to group under three 45 00:03:03,920 --> 00:03:05,440 things. And these three things, if you 46 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,160 remember them, I'm sure will help you recall the things under 47 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,600 them. So if anybody asks you today 48 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,640 what you learned at church, the church that you go to that 49 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:18,280 starts at 1:00 PM, you can tell them that you came to God's Word 50 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:27,080 and mark and understood #1 the certainty of Christ's coming #2 51 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:36,040 the watchfulness for His coming, and #3 the delight of His 52 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:40,200 coming. And I want to speak to you first 53 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:41,680 about the certainty of His coming. 54 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:46,200 I'm not sure if you picked up on it already, but Christ's summary 55 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:52,760 of His prophetic timetable exudes absolute assurance and 56 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,840 confidence. Look back at these verses with 57 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,680 me. You see here that He gives 58 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,600 language for us to realize that what He had just finished 59 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:08,560 explaining can be guaranteed. Looking at a verse 28, He says 60 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,400 here at the end of it, you know that summer is near. 61 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,920 Verse 29, when you see these things taking place, you know 62 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,120 that he is near. And then in verse 30 he says 63 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,320 that this generation will not pass away until all these things 64 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,840 take place. Then he echoes it here by saying 65 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,680 in verse 31, but my words will not pass away. 66 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:33,240 This generation will not pass away. 67 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,200 My words will not pass away. Before that he says, you know, 68 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:41,080 you know. And So what he wants to instill 69 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,880 in you and I right off the bat in this section at least, is for 70 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,360 you to be absolutely confident because he's communicating that 71 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,800 these events are unchangeable. They are set, they are 72 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:54,760 determined, they will take place. 73 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,160 No one or anything else can be able, can be able to alter what 74 00:04:58,160 --> 00:04:59,600 he has already declared, decreed. 75 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,040 It is set. And that is supposed to be 76 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,280 imparted in us because it's supposed to create an unshakable 77 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:12,200 expectation for his return. And that is done by the 78 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,560 strategic teaching. And I want you to consider a few 79 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:19,080 things that he provides for you to know for certainty this is 80 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,920 going to take place. He gives this lesson about a fig 81 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,040 tree. It it seems very 82 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:27,760 straightforward. And it is. 83 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,120 And this is not the only time that Jesus used a fig tree to 84 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,520 illustrate a spiritual point. You've been with us. 85 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,080 I hope throughout this study or just two chapters ago, Jesus 86 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:43,600 curses a fruitless fig tree, and we unpacked that because we 87 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,000 wanted to determine that Christ wasn't operating because he was 88 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,360 in a bad mood. He did this as a symbolic act of 89 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:56,160 judgement that in the same way this fruit tree was cursed 90 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,600 because of the lack of evidence and the thing that it's supposed 91 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,320 to contain and carry was not there. 92 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:08,000 It paralleled the bankrupt system of Israel in the 93 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:13,360 religious practice, the charade, the spiritual charade was 94 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,640 pictured in this fruitless victory from a distance. 95 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:19,480 You saw leaves when when you got close, there wasn't the fruit. 96 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:25,920 And so that cursing took place in between Jesus speaking about 97 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,960 the temple and its activities and the religious leaders that 98 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,240 fell so very short of what God demanded of them. 99 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,880 And So what people tend to do is because that miracle, the only 100 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,640 miracle really that Christ performed, recorded, at least 101 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:44,280 that was a miracle of judgement. OK, well, if the fig tree there 102 00:06:44,280 --> 00:06:49,480 represents Israel, then surely when we come here, the fig tree 103 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:55,840 also represents Israel. And the way they look at this is 104 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:00,680 Mark 11 speaks about the fig tree being Israel's destruction. 105 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:05,080 Mark 13, as you just read, speaks about the blossoming or 106 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:09,040 the rebirth or the reviving the restoration of the nation of 107 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,840 Israel. So how does this work? 108 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:18,880 It, it sounds exciting, but here's the the the thought that 109 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:25,920 when you see Israel restored, reinstated, that is the sign for 110 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:33,240 you that the summer is near. And people don't debate that 111 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:38,080 what Jesus said about Jerusalem in his lifetime, about the 112 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,640 destruction of the temple took place in 70 AD. 113 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,960 And those who would say that Israel is also being represented 114 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,400 in Mark 13 would say that the recent reviving of the Jewish 115 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:56,560 state is the fulfilment of Jesus prediction here and again, that 116 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:01,800 that may sound profound and may even cause sensationalism, but 117 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,040 you have to continue with that logic. 118 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:07,960 You have to be consistent with your argument if you're going to 119 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,080 say that. So here's what that means. 120 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,520 If Mark 13, where Jesus has learned from the fig, treats 121 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,880 lesson as soon as his branch becomes tender, puts out its 122 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,360 leaves, speaking about the blossoming of the people, the 123 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,280 Jewish people, then you also have to say that that is going 124 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,240 to be the sign that the summer, which is a picture of Christ's 125 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,960 return is near. And if you're going to say that 126 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,600 that is the sign, some would go as far to say when Jesus said 127 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,640 truly, I say to you in verse 30, this generation will not pass 128 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:36,200 away until all these things take place. 129 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,120 The generation that Jesus is speaking about is the one that 130 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:45,120 will be alive to witness, to witness the regathering of the 131 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:48,600 people of Israel and then flourishing again. 132 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:55,800 And if that's the case, then some would argue they did. 133 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,440 I think they're changing their mind now that the generation 134 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,920 that witnesses that will also be the generation that will welcome 135 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:05,480 the return of Christ. And so they would say, well, 136 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:11,120 yeah, a generation is 40 years, but he didn't come back, did he? 137 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:14,960 So oh, no, no, no, no, a generation's 80 years. 138 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,720 OK. Well, how long are you going to 139 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,760 keep this up? Is Jesus speaking about Israel 140 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:26,120 here when identifying the fig tree and learning from it? 141 00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:31,120 I would say no. And there's one simple reason 142 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:36,840 for that because of Luke. So turn to Luke 21 and the 143 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:45,240 parallel account and I believe here is where we get our 144 00:09:45,240 --> 00:10:01,440 clarification. Luke 21 verse 29 And he told 145 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,040 them a parable. Luke says it's a parable and he 146 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,080 told them a parable. Look at the fig tree. 147 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:14,560 You see that and all the trees, as soon as they come out and 148 00:10:14,560 --> 00:10:17,000 leave, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is 149 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:21,520 already near. So Luke records Christ not only 150 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:25,160 referring to the fig tree, but all trees that shed their leaves 151 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:29,200 on an annual basis. And so that pretty much dispels 152 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,280 the notion that the fig tree represents the nation of Israel 153 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,840 because Christ is not singling out one tree. 154 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:38,840 He's speaking about a wide spectrum of them. 155 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,160 And so with that being understood, we have to then ask, 156 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:48,080 what is Christ trying to convey when pointing our attention to 157 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,240 the fig tree? But in Luke's version, to most 158 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,440 trees, it's actually very simple. 159 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:59,680 There's no a code to crack. There's no allegory to apply. 160 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:02,360 Here's what Christ is trying to communicate. 161 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:07,840 In the same way none of us question that the summer will 162 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:13,640 follow the springtime, we should be equally convinced that the 163 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,760 coming of the Son of Man will follow the signs that he just 164 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:20,120 finished explaining. It's plain. 165 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:24,440 It's it's very clear. And here's what he's trying to 166 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:28,280 awaken in US. In the same way, there is no 167 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:33,000 doubt but absolute confidence you have concerning seasonal 168 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:39,080 change that should echo your unwavering anticipation of the 169 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:42,960 Lord Jesus Christ bringing the full manifestation of His 170 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:47,920 Kingdom. But that's not all that Christ 171 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:52,080 has to offer to fortify our faith about this truth that He 172 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,720 is coming back. Yes, he says look to the trees. 173 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:57,160 When you see the tree in your front yard or in your 174 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,880 neighbourhood and it begins to have colour and the branches 175 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:04,400 begin to soften and things begin to transpire, you don't question 176 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:06,680 that change is arriving. You know it. 177 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:11,600 I want you to have that same unshakable confidence about my 178 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:15,320 return. But he goes beyond that. 179 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:19,040 He has more to offer us to make this certainty of confidence for 180 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:21,880 you and me. Go back to Mark 13, verse 31. 181 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,880 He says heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not 182 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:33,640 pass away. And this is something profound 183 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:36,760 for any mere man to make. This is bold, but we know that 184 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:42,320 Christ is no mere man, and so for him to speak in this fashion 185 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,040 is strategic because he understands his immediate 186 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:48,720 audience and hopefully the audience of our time who are 187 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,240 familiar with the entirety of the word of God. 188 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,800 But let's just take it from the vantage point of the disciples 189 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:54,760 who heard Christ saying heaven and over the pass away. 190 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,720 But my words will not pass away. It would ring a familiar bell 191 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:04,760 with what they've known from the Hebrew Scriptures, because this 192 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:09,800 kind of statement is a prerogative that God alone has. 193 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:17,080 This kind of declaration is dedicated only to the God of the 194 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:19,560 Old Testament. And you know that passage very 195 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:21,640 well. I hope it's an Isaiah 40, verse 196 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,680 8, where the prophet says very clearly, the grass Withers, the 197 00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:29,760 flower fades, but what? But the word of our God will 198 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:34,000 stand forever. Do you understand what's 199 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,720 happening here? Here you have the prophet 200 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,600 declaring the exclusive trustworthiness and the 201 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:45,560 indestructible witness of God's Word, and yet Jesus of Nazareth 202 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:49,880 comes along now, and he equates his words to be on the same 203 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,520 level as God's. Remember what he says in Mark 204 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,320 1331. Heaven and earth will pass away, 205 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:01,320 but my words, my words will not pass away. 206 00:14:02,680 --> 00:14:07,560 How can you say that Jesus of Nazareth, it's only God's word 207 00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:11,400 that will stand forever, and the skeptic will deem this to be 208 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:16,240 blasphemous, but the believing will recognize that we have yet 209 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:21,240 another golden nugget shining, the deity of the Lord Jesus 210 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:25,120 Christ. That this is Christ claiming by 211 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:31,240 quoting what belongs to God alone to say my words are God's 212 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,880 words, unshakable, eternal, immovable. 213 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,160 Yes, Isaiah said that the word of our God will stand forever. 214 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,640 And I'm telling you my words will also stand forever. 215 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:45,280 Even if the whole universe collapses, my word will remain. 216 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:48,960 So what it what does this have to do with our certainty of the 217 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,640 truth of the second coming? When Jesus taught about it, he 218 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:53,640 wants to understand God is talking about it. 219 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,360 God Almighty is conveying this. God Almighty is teaching this. 220 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,840 God Almighty is convincing you of this. 221 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:06,600 If you believe God for who He is, if you are firm in your 222 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,760 trust in Him, then you can absolutely trust what Jesus says 223 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:12,760 concerning these signs. The abomination of desolation, 224 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,400 His physical and bodily return. It will happen because God said 225 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,080 it would happen. But we're not just discussing 226 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:24,440 the certainty of His coming. We're discussing also the 227 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:30,080 watchfulness for His coming. This is not just analogy. 228 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,800 This is not just parabolic teaching to challenge and build 229 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:34,720 our faith about this particular truth. 230 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,840 There is personal application laid out for us here. 231 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,680 And you might be wondering where is the instruction in this 232 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,760 section? And I'll tell you that I believe 233 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,280 it's in verse 29. It's implied, he says in verse 234 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:51,720 29. So also when you see these 235 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:59,840 things taking place, so Jesus Christ expects his people to be 236 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:05,280 alert, watchful, mindful of the very things that he said would 237 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:10,320 precede his return. And what's important about this 238 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:14,800 is clarifying that Jesus is functioning as a prophet in this 239 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:19,000 prophetic declaration. Because when Christ says when 240 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:23,120 you see these things taking place, some would limit this 241 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:28,040 application to the 12 who heard Christ in the immediate sense. 242 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,040 What do I mean by that? They would say in the argument 243 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:35,200 that what Jesus taught on that Mount of Olives concerning his 244 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,200 return, remember we talked about this more than once, was all 245 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:42,960 fulfilled in 70 AD Everything, not just some things, all of it 246 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,400 was fulfilled. And they would use this as a 247 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:50,200 proof text because Jesus says when you see these things, when 248 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,640 you disciples implying that it's going to happen in your 249 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,840 lifetime, it's going to happen in this generation. 250 00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:01,320 And so they say, see, Christ does not have a future people in 251 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:05,480 mind. But again, it's not a foreign 252 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:11,440 concept for someone in the office of a prophet to speak 253 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:15,839 about a future people not yet realized or future events yet 254 00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:19,760 not not manifested, but is directly addressing Him as 255 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,359 though He was there. Even sometimes in the Old 256 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:25,319 Testament you'll see them speaking in the second person. 257 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,560 Let me give you one example of that in Isaiah 33. 258 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,640 Again, I want to make the case here that as Christ is 259 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:37,280 prophesying, He is also speaking about a future people. 260 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:41,080 And in Isaiah 33 verse 17, here's the prophet speaking 261 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:44,520 about something not yet realized, but is communicated as 262 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:49,520 though He is facing it head on. He says in Isaiah 33, verse 17, 263 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:51,880 your eyes will behold the king in his beauty. 264 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,520 They will see a land that stretches afar. 265 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,680 Your heart will muse on the terror. 266 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,840 Where is he who counted? Where is he who weighed the 267 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:02,920 tribute? Where is he who counted the 268 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,040 towers? You will see no more the 269 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:08,240 insolent people, the people of an obscure speech that you 270 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,480 cannot comprehend, stammering in a tongue that you cannot 271 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:13,480 understand. He he's speaking about the 272 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:17,480 people being set free from the oppression of their neighbouring 273 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:21,400 nations. Behold Zion, the city of our 274 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,720 appointed feast. Your eyes will see Jerusalem and 275 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,440 untroubled habitation in a movable tent whose stakes will 276 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,920 never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken. 277 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:34,760 Like many prophecies, there's a partial fulfillment there, but 278 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,360 its ultimate fulfilment is when the King, the King of kings and 279 00:18:38,360 --> 00:18:42,320 his true beauty will make his way into the city and your eyes 280 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:47,720 will see that king. This is nowhere near Isaiah's 281 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,720 time, but as a prophet as one said, as though he was being 282 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:54,600 transported to that time and is speaking to that people. 283 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:00,160 And in like manner, when Christ says when you see these things 284 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,840 taking place, yes, He is addressing the disciples, but He 285 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,040 is also expanding it to those who would be alive to witness 286 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:12,360 the escalating signs of His return and the implications of 287 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:17,080 that. Every believer in every age is 288 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:23,920 called to properly discern and responsibly respond to the 289 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,920 warnings Christ said to be aware of. 290 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:31,480 Every believer in every age is called to properly discern and 291 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,880 responsibly respond to the warnings that Christ said to be 292 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:40,880 watchful of that means. And that includes you shunning 293 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:48,200 away forced interpretations of world events like many crazy 294 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:53,680 Youtubers and podcasts do, lest you succumb to illegitimate 295 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,440 fears. But it primarily means that you 296 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:01,480 and I are called to be ready when abnormal shakings or shifts 297 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:06,600 take place before us. What's so amazing about this is 298 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:08,960 that when you actually read the New Testament carefully on more 299 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,280 than one occasion, you get the impression that even at that 300 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:17,440 time the leaders of the church interpreted certain things and 301 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:20,920 prepared the Church of their time for the potential arrival 302 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:25,120 of the king. And I want to prove that to you 303 00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:27,240 in one place. And I really would want you to 304 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,280 see with your own eyes in First Corinthians Chapter 7, beginning 305 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:41,120 in verse 26, there was this sense of how Christ and his 306 00:20:41,120 --> 00:20:44,320 glorious and triumphant establishment of the Kingdom 307 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,880 could happen. And yet at the same time, the 308 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:50,800 Saint Paul, who's going to give these instructions also 309 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,680 clarified to people who falsely viewed certain things or heard 310 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:57,560 some crazy teachings about the return of Christ, says, listen. 311 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,200 We read it at one point in Second Thessalonians chapter 2. 312 00:21:00,360 --> 00:21:02,880 Listen, listen, listen. You can't be afraid of this 313 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:04,640 because this needs to happen. This needs to happen. 314 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:08,640 Go back to work. But notice what he says to these 315 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:11,840 Corinthian believers in First Corinthians Chapter 7, verse 26. 316 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,760 I, I'm going to read a few verses, so follow along with me. 317 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:17,080 This is important to see it holistically. 318 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:21,360 I think that in view of the present distress, it is good for 319 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:24,960 a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? 320 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:28,480 Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? 321 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,640 Do not seek a wife, but if you do not marry, if you do marry, 322 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,080 rather you have not sinned. And if a betrothed woman 323 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:38,440 marries, she has not sinned Yet those who marry will have 324 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,280 worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 325 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:45,600 This is what I mean, brothers. The appointed time has grown 326 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:49,360 very short. From now on let those who have 327 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:53,440 wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as 328 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,560 though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though 329 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,960 they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had 330 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:03,120 no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they 331 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:06,440 had no dealings with it. For the present form of this 332 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:10,880 world is passing away Now. I heard somebody preach from 333 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:15,720 this text before and exhorted the people as though Paul's 334 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:21,880 radical commands here apply for all people at all times. 335 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,640 Let me make this point still that I do believe that there are 336 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,200 wonderful principles specifically about developing an 337 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,360 eternal perspective as Christians. 338 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,640 I believe that's being promoted here and you can teach that, but 339 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:39,120 I believe the proper way also to frame what Paul is saying here 340 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:42,240 is how he sets it up in verse 26. 341 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:44,440 Looking at it verse 26 carefully. 342 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:52,760 He says, I think that in view of the present distress, a lot of 343 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,600 First Corinthians 7 speaks about marriage. 344 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,600 And if you don't view Paul's instructions and insights and 345 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:04,200 commands about marriage from this filter, that there was this 346 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,080 present distress that the Corinthian church was 347 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:08,960 experiencing, you might, you might develop extreme 348 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,920 understandings of what marriage is and what it isn't. 349 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:17,000 Something was happening in the day of the Corinthian church 350 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,600 when Paul wrote to them. What it is, it's not given to 351 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,080 us. Some believe that it was 352 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,440 growing, life altering, dangerous persecution against 353 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,080 Christians and it was encroaching upon the Corinthian 354 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:31,600 church. Others believe this present 355 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,840 distress might have been a crippling famine that was 356 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,720 striking at the nerve of the economy of the Corinthians. 357 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:46,680 It's not made clear, but whatever it is, Paul saw it as a 358 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:50,560 way to stimulate the believers to a certain way of life, to 359 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,760 encourage them to view it in a certain manner, and then to stir 360 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,720 them in a certain direction. What's significant about this 361 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:02,160 present distress is how he elaborates on it in verse 29. 362 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:04,000 Look at verse 29. Now, this is what I mean, 363 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,080 brothers, the appointed time has grown very short. 364 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,640 So there's this present distress. 365 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,080 And as Paul is now continuing on that thought, he's saying, 366 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,200 listen, listen, listen. I'm trying to get you to 367 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,760 understand that the appointed time has grown very short. 368 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:22,160 In other words, these perilous times reflect what the Word of 369 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:25,400 God tells us to be mindful of as we approach the end of all 370 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:30,400 things. And some would deem Paul as a 371 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,240 false prophet because he's way off. 372 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,560 It's been 2000 years, but Paul is not predicting anything. 373 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,920 He's not setting dates. All he's doing is what Jesus 374 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:46,880 commanded believers to do, to be mindful, to be watchable, to be 375 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,520 alert, to see what you need to see and to interpret them 376 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,960 responsibly and to discern and to see. 377 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:56,720 What does this ask of me? And in this case, the apostle 378 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,520 was looking what was happening in his day and used it to cause 379 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:04,520 the Corinthian believers to reconsider their priorities and 380 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:06,880 to reposition themselves to be the most effective for the 381 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,000 Kingdom of God in that very season. 382 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,720 So doesn't that make sense? Now he goes, I think that in 383 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,920 view of this present distress, whatever it was, evidently it 384 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,200 was, it was burdensome enough and dangerous enough for him to 385 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,680 say, if you've been considering marriage, I would probably put a 386 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:25,760 pause on that. Why? 387 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,640 Because persecution is a lot harder to handle when you have 388 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,760 wife and children. So Paul's not speaking here 389 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,920 generally about, you know, I know marriage is good, but if 390 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:37,520 you can choose not to get married, don't get married. 391 00:25:38,360 --> 00:25:41,040 See if you have to understand the context or you're going to 392 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:45,040 give terrible counsel to people, Say no because of what's 393 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:48,040 happening around us. I perceive that the appointed 394 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:52,400 time is growing very short. So let's, let's perk up here. 395 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,800 Let's sober ourselves. Don't, don't let your family 396 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:59,840 life completely consume you. Don't let your emotional state 397 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:02,800 paralyze you. Don't let your interactions in 398 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:08,120 the business world distract you. See what's happening around us 399 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:12,000 and let that sanctify you. That's all that he's doing here. 400 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,960 And I believe what Paul is doing here, it should be no different 401 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:20,000 for you and I, that yes, we should always be ready for what 402 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:23,000 can happen. But understand that there, there 403 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:26,320 is a sensitivity that you and I have to develop to give 404 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,480 ourselves even more when times call for it. 405 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,360 What's a modern day example? Oh, I don't know, the world 406 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:39,000 shutting down for a few years. I remember that this text came 407 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,760 to mind when we were told to shelter in place for two weeks 408 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:48,160 and my concern was with all that's happening. 409 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,160 Are Christians more concerned that they can't go to their 410 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:56,800 favorite restaurant or travel to their yearly destination choice 411 00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:00,440 of vacation? Or is the church strategizing 412 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:05,680 now because the battlefield has shifted dramatically? 413 00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:10,560 I think that's a clear example for modern day application 414 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:16,040 concerning what Paul is doing here and I'm not, I'm not sure 415 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,880 on the other side of it if believers really took advantage 416 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:23,360 and seize the opportunity. Many churches are seeing less 417 00:27:23,360 --> 00:27:27,920 attendance than ever. I believe Paul, if he lived in 418 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:32,840 our day would say hey wake up, don't you see what's happening 419 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:34,760 around us? This is abnormal. 420 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,640 If anything it rings true to what Christ said would take 421 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,280 place. These birth pains intensifying, 422 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:47,840 get your prayer life intact. Get serious about holiness. 423 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:53,440 If if you've been lately distracted by the the tricks and 424 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:55,760 the trinkets of the world, get rid of it. 425 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,280 And what's amazing here is that Paul's not even speaking about 426 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,360 this sin here. He's speaking about good things, 427 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:04,760 but he's trying to cause him to get a sharper eternal 428 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:11,520 perspective with current events. And so you have some Christians 429 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:14,640 who when they look out, they, they, they want to dismiss 430 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,560 everything. You have others who they make 431 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:23,120 everything something properly discerning, responsibly 432 00:28:23,120 --> 00:28:26,920 responding. We have to be watchful. 433 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:32,160 Christ demands out of us, but not just watchful. 434 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:34,240 We're not just talking about the certainty of these things. 435 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,680 We're not just talking about our call of what we need to do 436 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:40,320 during these things, but there is something that maybe we've 437 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,040 overlooked. I want to talk to you lastly 438 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:47,000 about the delight of His coming Look back on Mark 13, verse 29. 439 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:52,520 So also when you see these things taking place, you know 440 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:58,080 that He is near. You know that He is near at the 441 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:03,240 very gates. This would have meant a lot to 442 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:07,800 the apostles who were suffering from a great misunderstanding of 443 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,000 how this whole thing works. Jesus being the Messiah, him 444 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,560 ushering in that Davidic Kingdom. 445 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:16,920 And Christ is aware of that. And he's also aware that in just 446 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:21,000 a few short moments, the same apostles who hoped that Christ 447 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:24,520 would overthrow the Romans and raise up what the prophets have 448 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,840 promised are going to see their Christ taken from them and put 449 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:33,520 to death. And so the Lord throughout this 450 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:37,080 discourse is emphasizing over, and he's trying to compound this 451 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:38,960 reality. And then look, what you're about 452 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,440 to witness is not going to be the final story. 453 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:49,040 Me, me dying on a cross is not the period mark to God's 454 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,360 redemptive purpose on the earth and for human history. 455 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:55,080 There is another part to this. I'm trying to get you to 456 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,600 understand it and be prepared for what's about to transpire. 457 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,560 And more than that, I believe what Christ is teaching here is 458 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,760 supposed to instill a hope that yes, He would die, but He would 459 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,160 also resurrect and right before their eyes ascend. 460 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:10,600 And even what you read in verse 29 is supposed to comfort them 461 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:13,400 and helping them realize this is not the last time that we're 462 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:18,960 going to see Him or be near him. Because look what the Lord says 463 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:20,440 again. He says when you see these 464 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:25,240 things taking place, you know that He is near. 465 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,760 He makes it so personal. He could have said, you know, 466 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:33,120 that judgement is near. He could have said, you know, 467 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:37,360 like Luke, the Kingdom of God is near, but he doesn't say that. 468 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:39,440 He says, you know, that he is near. 469 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:47,320 And when we consider this in a broader way, you realize that a 470 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:50,160 lot of the times when the New Testament teaches about the end 471 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:54,480 of the world in so many places, that highlights the personal 472 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:59,680 appearing of Christ as the centerpiece of it, of the 473 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:04,400 ultimate expectation. In other words, the end goal of 474 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:11,640 the end times is Christ. In fact, the very book that 475 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:17,040 provides the most detailed, frightening script about the 476 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:21,720 final chapter of human history ends on that very note. 477 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:27,240 So you read in that book about disasters and death tolls of 478 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:34,000 unimaginable magnitude, demonic invasions and cosmic meltdowns 479 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:37,760 and incomparable martyrdom. And then when you come to the 480 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:48,400 final closing remarks, you read this Revelation 22 and verse 17. 481 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:06,880 The Spirit and the Bride say come and let the one who hears 482 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:10,000 say come and let the one who is thirsty come. 483 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:13,800 Let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 484 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,840 You can do a whole conference on this one verse. 485 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,840 It is jam packed with jewels. But let me make a few comments. 486 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:30,200 What I find so striking is how the identity we are left with to 487 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:34,200 make note of concerning the people of God in the final part 488 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:39,200 of the final chapter of the Bible that deals with the church 489 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:42,880 and how she relates to these things is the picture of a 490 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:46,320 bride. You know, the Scriptures 491 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:49,960 provides many, many metaphors and comparisons of what the 492 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:54,120 church is, what the people of God are like ambassadors, a 493 00:32:54,120 --> 00:33:03,080 priesthood, a pillar, an army, and yet how the Holy Spirit ends 494 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:08,040 off out of out of the great Bank of things that the Spirit 495 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,920 ascribes to the people of God is a bride. 496 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:17,680 Why? I believe because he wants to 497 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:21,080 highlight the relational reality of our faith. 498 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:27,280 Please, please don't limit the picture of Christ being our 499 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:33,480 bridegroom and the Church being His bride to denote the covenant 500 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:36,080 keeping commitment between two parties. 501 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,440 I hope nobody got married here force forcibly. 502 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:44,320 I hope nobody got married here reluctantly. 503 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,040 A true bride will have a throbbing love for her 504 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:52,840 bridegroom, and you have to include that in the imagery of 505 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:58,320 us being the bride of Christ. There's affection there, there's 506 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:02,400 feeling there. It's not just a contract that's 507 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,680 part of it, but there's something deeper going on. 508 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:10,639 People I know, Christians that are afraid of emotion. 509 00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:15,159 They think emotions are sin. I'm persuaded that every part of 510 00:34:15,159 --> 00:34:18,480 us should be consecrated unto God, including what I feel. 511 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,360 I don't go by my feelings, I don't serve God based on how I 512 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,000 feel. But boy do I desire for my 513 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,880 feelings to be holy and set apart unto Him. 514 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:38,280 And I believe the Holy Spirit helps us love, love the Son of 515 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:42,920 God. And so the the Spirit and the 516 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:48,159 Bride say come. And I think that's a strategic 517 00:34:48,159 --> 00:34:51,960 placement there because when the church is in unison with the 518 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:55,440 spirit, when the Spirit is actually working in the church, 519 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:58,480 that relational reality will be heightened. 520 00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:03,320 And not just that relational reality, but that heart cry 521 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:09,560 where the church says come, it's strengthened. 522 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:16,160 Now beware of the temptation to step away from this and use this 523 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:20,160 as a marker to examine the church at large and to evaluate 524 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,400 her spiritual health in this regard. 525 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:27,880 Don't take this truth and say, does the church I go to teach or 526 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:31,200 believe or even behave with that relational component of our 527 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:33,560 faith? Why don't you and I ask 528 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:37,080 ourselves if it's real first in us before we think it's real in 529 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:40,160 somebody else? Because the same John who said 530 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:44,360 he heard the Spirit and the bride say come says something 531 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:47,040 from his own bosom a few verses later. 532 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:50,720 So look at verse 20 of Revelation 22 and notice what 533 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:54,520 John himself says. He who testifies to these things 534 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:57,600 says, surely I'm coming soon. Amen. 535 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:00,160 He can't help it, come, Lord Jesus. 536 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:06,160 So the church doesn't just gather because we hold to a 537 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:09,960 certain creed. Statement of faiths are 538 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:14,000 important, pure, precise theology is good. 539 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:18,080 It's necessary, non negotiable. But more than that, deeper than 540 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:21,280 that, the Church is a collection of people who on an individual 541 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:25,840 basis have this heart cry and gather to share in that holy 542 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:32,080 affection. And here's what else moves me so 543 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:36,400 deeply is that this is what the Lord wants from his people. 544 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:43,520 Can you imagine a bridegroom knowing full well that his bride 545 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:45,880 to be is not excited for that day? 546 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:49,480 It's devastating. That'd be devastating for us on 547 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:55,520 a human level and so much this Christ yearn for this to be true 548 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:59,320 in his people that he actually has reserved the reward for them 549 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:05,320 that would operate in that way. You remember Paul in his final 550 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:08,880 letter in second Timothy four, he says in verse 8, henceforth 551 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:12,320 there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, 552 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:14,920 the righteous judge will award me on that day. 553 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:19,000 And he doesn't end there. He goes and not only for me, but 554 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:25,240 also for those who have loved my appearing Christ appearing. 555 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:32,040 So there is an actual reward reserved for those who who feel 556 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:38,840 ably, who genuinely, who intimately yearn for the return 557 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:41,920 of Christ. We don't hear of this often. 558 00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:46,160 We often associate the the teaching, the doctrine and the 559 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:50,560 theology of the end times with judgement, wrath, and us being 560 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:54,360 scooped up to heaven and trying to understand the timetable of 561 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:55,720 things. That's all wonderful. 562 00:37:55,720 --> 00:37:58,280 But even at the end of the book that has the most detail 563 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:02,840 concerning that truth, we have this invitation, we have this 564 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:05,720 plea almost from the Spirit and the Bride come Lord Jesus. 565 00:38:05,720 --> 00:38:09,640 It boils down to that, you know, if I'm studying about the end 566 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:12,480 times and it's not causing me to respond in that way, maybe I'm 567 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:16,400 studying wrong. If all I'm doing is stuffing my 568 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:20,520 head and not allowing those truths to move my heart, maybe 569 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:22,920 I'm not studying the way Christ designed me to study it. 570 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:29,040 Because in the very same book that says here it is, here's 571 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,360 here's just a highlight reel of what's to come. 572 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:33,600 Again, I want to emphasize this over and over. 573 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:37,640 You sign off on that letter with this beautiful picture of a 574 00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:39,640 bride yearning for her bridegroom to arrive. 575 00:38:41,720 --> 00:38:44,280 Can I ask you a question? I'm not here to, I'm not here to 576 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:45,520 condemn. I have no intention of 577 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:48,040 condemning anybody. But I have a duty to challenge. 578 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,600 And the preacher should challenge himself before he gets 579 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,320 up on any pulpit to challenge anybody. 580 00:38:55,160 --> 00:39:02,560 Is that notion real for you? Is there any part of you that 581 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:06,760 actually is excited for the return of Christ? 582 00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:11,160 If you're fearful you're not getting it right. 583 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:14,840 If if you're just excited about debate because your school of 584 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:17,440 thought concerning eschatology seems to be more probable than 585 00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:19,720 the next, you're probably not doing it right. 586 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:24,640 But if you allow these truths to get you to a place where it 587 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:30,480 incites worship and adoration, and even as you see these things 588 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:33,400 taking place, listen, I don't know about you. 589 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:36,120 In the past few years, I've desired heaven more than any 590 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:40,200 time in my life. I haven't lived very long, but I 591 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:48,600 know where my citizenship lies. And I'm really, really looking 592 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:50,720 forward to meeting the one I've been preaching about. 593 00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:56,000 You're saying, brother, that sounds great. 594 00:39:56,000 --> 00:40:00,760 That sounds so spiritual. But I have to honestly say, as I 595 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:05,040 put my hand on that pulse, I believe I have accurate theology 596 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:06,840 and I love the word of God. I love serving God. 597 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:09,480 But this idea of Christ returning and me being with him 598 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,640 without filter, I'm not sure if that's something I've ever 599 00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:14,680 meditated on. You know what's so encouraging 600 00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:17,040 about when we read here, the Spirit and the Bride say come. 601 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:22,320 The Spirit without any spoilage, without any interruption, 602 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:24,840 without any split devotion, constantly yearns for that. 603 00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:28,920 He wants Christ to be glorified. And the same Spirit who cries 604 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:33,360 that can help you cry, that he can make it happen in your life. 605 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:36,920 He can make it real for you. You even see it back in 606 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:39,480 Revelation 2217. It says here the Spirit and the 607 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:42,720 Bride say come, and let those who hear say come. 608 00:40:42,720 --> 00:40:45,640 So there's even an invitation for people to make that same 609 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:49,160 appeal, to make that same cry. So here you're hearing the 610 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:51,920 Spirit and the bride say, come, I'm asking you now to make that 611 00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:56,320 same cry. And, and now it shifts because 612 00:40:56,320 --> 00:40:58,960 some see this as one call that the spirit and the bride. 613 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:01,320 They're not necessarily saying come, Lord Jesus, they're 614 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:05,160 telling the unbelieving to come. I, I don't see it that way. 615 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:07,600 I believe that there's, there's a two fold thing happening here. 616 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:10,120 And the first part you have the spirit of the bride saying come 617 00:41:10,720 --> 00:41:12,760 toward the Lord. And I believe because John says 618 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:14,640 it himself. So it connects well. 619 00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:18,240 But then in the second part he says, and let those who is 620 00:41:18,240 --> 00:41:21,560 thirsty come, and let the one who desires take the water of 621 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:26,600 life without price. So it goes from an upward call 622 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:31,080 to a horizontal call. And that is the duty of the 623 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:34,360 church, that from the place of adoration or worship toward the 624 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:35,680 Lord. Now she can turn over to the 625 00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:37,440 world and say, now would you want this? 626 00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:40,720 I'm inviting you to this. I'm asking you to come to 627 00:41:40,720 --> 00:41:43,200 experience this. To come to the experience what? 628 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:47,960 Remember the language of bride. So when he says, and let the one 629 00:41:47,960 --> 00:41:50,360 who is thirsty come. Thirsty for what? 630 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:54,320 Thirsty for what? What is what is he? 631 00:41:54,320 --> 00:41:57,360 What is he invoking here? What is he trying to help people 632 00:41:57,360 --> 00:42:00,120 identify in the bankruptcy of their own soul? 633 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:01,800 What are you supposed to thirst for? 634 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:03,840 Well, I believe that context is clear. 635 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:07,440 The spirit and the bride, the spirit and the bride. 636 00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,080 What is a bride? Do you know it's not a contract, 637 00:42:10,080 --> 00:42:13,240 it's a relationship. So when he says that the one who 638 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:16,360 who's thirsty come. Do you thirst for a relationship 639 00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:20,320 with God? He's inviting you into that 640 00:42:20,320 --> 00:42:27,200 place, He's drawing you into that place and it's free and 641 00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:31,280 it's overwhelmingly glorious and it's available to anybody who 642 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:33,880 would hear it and say I will accept it. 643 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:37,760 I will accept it. That's the delight of this whole 644 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:40,600 thing. Christ tells his disciples. 645 00:42:40,720 --> 00:42:42,800 When you see these things, know that he is near. 646 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:45,480 It's all getting ready. We're going to we're going to 647 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:48,280 have a reunion and nothing will ever interrupt it again. 648 00:42:49,240 --> 00:42:53,280 I'm at the very gates. And so you learned today with me 649 00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:55,720 the certainty of His coming. We learned today about the 650 00:42:55,720 --> 00:43:02,240 watchfulness for His coming. And I believe that in these days 651 00:43:02,240 --> 00:43:04,920 ahead, watchfulness is going to be necessary. 652 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:09,560 Don't fall asleep, don't fall asleep, Don't you dare fall 653 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:11,600 asleep with what's happening around our world. 654 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:15,000 Be more on fire for Christ than ever, would you? 655 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:21,400 And the delight, the delight of His coming. 656 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:25,080 He is coming and you and I are going to behold them together. 657 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:27,720 I can't wait. Let's pray and thank Him for 658 00:43:27,720 --> 00:43:50,920 that. Lord, we thank You that we 659 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:57,320 learned something from a tree, that there's certainty that 660 00:43:57,320 --> 00:44:02,680 there is a call to watch. And more than that, there's 661 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:10,440 something to enjoy. Lord, if we have lost that sweet 662 00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:15,840 spot of relating to You, intimately, singing to You, 663 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:19,120 pouring our hearts to You, reflecting on You, even yearning 664 00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:23,200 for you, would Your Holy Spirit help us? 665 00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:29,040 Would Your Holy Spirit help us come to that place where as a 666 00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:31,880 bridegroom, you see what You desire from Your bride? 667 00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:36,240 And as days advance and years and memories and 668 00:44:36,240 --> 00:44:41,240 responsibilities accumulate, Lord, help us never lose, never 669 00:44:41,240 --> 00:44:45,000 lose that place. Strengthen it in our hearts, 670 00:44:45,040 --> 00:44:51,360 Lord and Lord, with marriage and business and family and events 671 00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:55,880 and memories and experiences. We pray like what Paul asked of 672 00:44:55,880 --> 00:44:58,320 the Corinthian church, that we would never lose sight of what's 673 00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:01,440 most important. We would never, we would never 674 00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:05,240 fail to frame everything that we experience here on this earth 675 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:10,080 with what is to come and who is the one who gave it all to begin 676 00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:14,120 with. So lo, we ask even now in the 677 00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:17,520 closing times of this service that your Holy Spirit would woo 678 00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:24,440 us once again and tenderize our hearts once again and help us 679 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:29,240 create that actual craving for that which the blood of Jesus 680 00:45:29,240 --> 00:45:33,360 purchased our eternal home with Him. 681 00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:37,120 We can't do this, no man can do this. 682 00:45:37,120 --> 00:45:42,720 This is something that only you can provoke and we we gladly 683 00:45:42,720 --> 00:45:46,080 yield to Him and ask that you make it true of us. 684 00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:50,440 In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Amen. 685 00:45:52,680 --> 00:45:55,440 As the praise team comes to lead us in our final moments of 686 00:45:55,440 --> 00:45:58,600 singing, I want to make a brief gospel call. 687 00:46:00,120 --> 00:46:02,520 I want to ask you, if you're a person sitting here today and 688 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:05,400 you've never accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, don't you see 689 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:12,320 what's happening in this world? I don't want to be a doomsday 690 00:46:12,320 --> 00:46:15,000 preacher and nor do I want to ascribe things to what's 691 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:16,440 happening that are not appropriate. 692 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:19,200 All I want to say is, as a general observation, can't you 693 00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:25,120 tell that things are different? And if anything, what Christ had 694 00:46:25,120 --> 00:46:29,160 to say about the culmination of the age makes more sense today 695 00:46:29,160 --> 00:46:33,360 than it ever has. So let me remind you today, in 696 00:46:33,360 --> 00:46:35,200 great love, you're not going to live forever. 697 00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:40,120 Neither am I. And there is a time coming where 698 00:46:40,120 --> 00:46:43,800 God, who made this world, is going to fix this world. 699 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:48,040 And the one who's going to fix this world in that process of 700 00:46:48,040 --> 00:46:53,360 regeneration has to deal with the cause of the evil in this 701 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:55,240 world. And Jesus told us that all this 702 00:46:55,240 --> 00:46:57,680 sin that we're trying to figure out and philosophy about it 703 00:46:57,680 --> 00:47:01,720 comes from the heart. And so when the Lord does 704 00:47:01,720 --> 00:47:03,760 return, he's going to judge the wicked. 705 00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:07,840 He's going to clean up house. Evil cannot inhabit his 706 00:47:07,840 --> 00:47:09,880 presence. It cannot remain before him. 707 00:47:09,880 --> 00:47:11,880 He must, in his justice, deal with it. 708 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:14,480 And if he deals with evil, he's going to deal with you and I. 709 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:18,480 It's coming. There is a Judgement Day coming 710 00:47:18,880 --> 00:47:22,280 that's not preached much today, but the apostles preached it. 711 00:47:23,720 --> 00:47:28,120 The Bible tells us about it. From old to new, all roads are 712 00:47:28,120 --> 00:47:34,520 leading to Judgement Day. But somewhere along that path, 713 00:47:34,520 --> 00:47:37,520 somewhere along that journey, that humanity is headed towards 714 00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:42,320 God and his love interrupts. He makes himself known in the 715 00:47:42,320 --> 00:47:46,840 person of Jesus Christ, and He pays the debt, the debt that we 716 00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:49,400 just sang about being free from us. 717 00:47:49,960 --> 00:47:55,240 He pays a debt, your debt. And if you receive that payment, 718 00:47:55,320 --> 00:47:59,440 you have the assurance that when God cleans up this universe, 719 00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:02,600 because he's already cleaned your heart through the blood of 720 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:05,560 His Son, you do not stand on the side of judgement. 721 00:48:06,520 --> 00:48:11,560 You stand on the side of accepted, forgiven, perfectly 722 00:48:11,560 --> 00:48:14,200 kept until all things are said and done. 723 00:48:14,320 --> 00:48:16,280 Here's my I want to be playing. I'm just going to say it 724 00:48:16,280 --> 00:48:19,800 straight. Do you have absolute confidence, 725 00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:24,720 never mind about the last days? Do you have absolute assurance 726 00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:26,560 that you have been forgiven for your sins? 727 00:48:31,480 --> 00:48:36,760 Don't postpone. You're dealing with God if 728 00:48:36,760 --> 00:48:38,440 you're a person here. Even if you're a young person 729 00:48:38,440 --> 00:48:43,000 and you have not settled your account with the Almighty, I 730 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:45,840 plead with you to realize the great love of God for you by 731 00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:47,800 sending Jesus Christ. He is real. 732 00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:52,200 And if your heart is even pricked a little bit, I would 733 00:48:52,200 --> 00:48:57,880 encourage you to entertain it further and to have a humble 734 00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:01,760 conversation with God during this time of singing and to 735 00:49:01,760 --> 00:49:04,960 receive His forgiveness for you as you realize the great price 736 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:09,520 that was paid on your behalf. And if you're a person in here 737 00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:12,160 that's doubting it or fighting it or resisting or has questions 738 00:49:12,160 --> 00:49:16,120 about it, give the leaders or maybe a believer that brought 739 00:49:16,120 --> 00:49:19,440 you today the awesome privilege of helping you understand what 740 00:49:19,440 --> 00:49:23,400 the gospel is all about. Talk to them about it. 741 00:49:23,400 --> 00:49:25,640 Time is short. I believe preaching should be 742 00:49:25,640 --> 00:49:28,400 more urgent than ever. I believe confrontational 743 00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:31,920 preaching should be loud and clear in every pulpit in 744 00:49:31,920 --> 00:49:34,760 America. Because if God doesn't have 745 00:49:34,760 --> 00:49:37,040 mercy on America, we're not going to recognize America in a 746 00:49:37,040 --> 00:49:41,640 very short time. So I, I want to do my part. 747 00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:44,360 I'm no politician. I'm no advocate for this or 748 00:49:44,360 --> 00:49:48,040 that. I'm, I'm, I'm just a poor man 749 00:49:48,040 --> 00:49:51,600 who found bread, living bread and want to tell other people 750 00:49:51,600 --> 00:49:53,000 how they can find that same bread. 751 00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:56,800 That's all I am. I'm full, my soul is full. 752 00:49:57,520 --> 00:49:59,800 And I, I want to let you know that you can also be full. 753 00:49:59,800 --> 00:50:02,600 And the only way you can be full is if you eat of him. 754 00:50:02,600 --> 00:50:08,800 In other words, you receive him and it's free. 755 00:50:09,800 --> 00:50:13,880 No price tag, no amount, no effort, no exertion, nothing. 756 00:50:14,440 --> 00:50:18,840 Just humility to say my soul is starving, it is empty, I am 757 00:50:18,840 --> 00:50:22,200 weak, I cannot perform my righteousness to please God. 758 00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:26,400 But if this, if this Jesus you speak about is willing to 759 00:50:26,400 --> 00:50:29,640 receive me as I am, and if I could just fall at his feet, 760 00:50:29,640 --> 00:50:32,520 he'll scoop me up, clothe me with his righteousness and make 761 00:50:32,520 --> 00:50:34,200 me his own. I want this Jesus. 762 00:50:34,200 --> 00:50:41,360 Why would you deny such a gift? Receive it as we sing, Say, what 763 00:50:41,400 --> 00:50:42,200 do I mean? What do I do? 764 00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:45,720 You, you speak to him from your heart under your breath. 765 00:50:45,720 --> 00:50:47,920 You speak to him. You say, Lord, I repent of my 766 00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:49,760 sins. I receive you. 767 00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:51,200 I believe that you did this for me. 768 00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:52,760 And I want to be numbered among the redeemed. 769 00:50:52,760 --> 00:50:55,080 Please, Lord, change me, transform me. 770 00:50:55,280 --> 00:50:57,120 I want to be saved. Please save me. 771 00:50:57,480 --> 00:51:00,200 Please save me and and though you may not have the vocabulary, 772 00:51:00,200 --> 00:51:02,400 if you're convinced that you're a Sinner and Christ as a Savior, 773 00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:05,560 even if your words are few, Christ can understand them and 774 00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:08,240 He'll do a work in your heart. Just be prepared to repent. 775 00:51:08,600 --> 00:51:12,120 May Christ your Lord and Savior and you'll know new life. 776 00:51:12,360 --> 00:51:13,840 Let's stand and worship the Lord together.