Participants: Ron Halvorsen
Series Code: 13RVT
Program Code: 13RVT000023
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00:05 In today's troubled world,
00:08 people are wondering where we're headed? 00:13 Revelation Today presents the answers. 00:17 Bible prophecy reveals what the future holds in store. 00:23 Revelation Today. 00:39 I grew up in a country 00:41 that was a member of the British Commonwealth. 00:43 That meant that the queen, 00:44 Queen Elizabeth II was the queen of New Zealand 00:48 and Queen Elizabeth II 00:50 didn't visit New Zealand very often 00:51 but when she did it was a big deal. 00:55 And as a little kid attending my little parochial school 00:58 there right on the main road we were excited to learn 01:02 that the queen was driving from one appointment 01:04 to the other right past our school. 01:07 And so we lined up outside our school 01:11 and we had little flags, I think if I remember rightly 01:14 and we waited and waited and she didn't come. 01:17 So lunch time came and I used to go home for lunch 01:20 it was in the olden days 01:22 and it was while I was going home for lunch, 01:24 I turned around and noticed the motorcade was coming 01:26 I was so excited, here was the Queen 01:27 I stood on the sidewalk she drove right by 01:29 I waved to the Queen and she waved back. 01:33 The Queen waved to me, 01:35 it was a big deal when the Queen was coming. 01:38 Years later, as an adult I was at an airport 01:42 when the Queen was back. 01:43 She came, this is out of different town 01:45 and she came and landed in the big Air Force plane 01:48 and number of us were on the runway 01:50 there watching the Queen coming and taking photographs. 01:53 When a Queen comes it's a big deal. 01:54 If you be in some place 01:55 when the president is turned up its big, 01:58 the security is there, roads are closed down. 02:02 What's it gonna be like, when the King returns? 02:06 What an event that will be? 02:09 And it's not something any of us need to miss. 02:14 I am excited to announce to you that the "King Is Coming." 02:20 That's the title of tonight's presentation 02:22 and our presenter is once again Ron Halvorsen. 02:31 God bless you. The last I save for best. 02:36 The great theme of the Bible, 02:39 I mean this great theme is that "The King Is Coming." 02:43 I mean, this is the great finale, 02:46 the second coming of Jesus Christ 02:50 and where would we better end 02:51 in the greatest and most glorious event 02:54 that is described in the Book of Revelation? 02:57 You see, this event, the second coming of Jesus Christ our King 03:01 who created all the things, who is the Savior, 03:05 who is the blessed Lord, who is the coming King, 03:08 this is the final story of hope for a hopeless world. 03:12 This is the final hope for men and women living in this earth. 03:16 This is the final hope 03:18 when Jesus welcomes home His children. 03:23 The new life lived in a new place, heaven, 03:26 the corruptible life now with incorruption, 03:29 the mortal life now with immortality. 03:32 I mean, this is the great event of all events. 03:36 The earth made new by the power of the God Himself. 03:40 The Bible says to us, 03:42 "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, 03:45 we are all men most miserable." 03:47 Now this home coming of Jesus is described in the Bible. 03:52 It is the great theme, it is the great day of parades 03:55 and angels singing and shouting words of victory 03:58 and no secret event here. 04:01 I mean, you don't hide a parade, 04:04 you can't hide a parade when either sides to come 04:07 ten thousands angelic hosts 04:09 coming down the streams through horizon, 04:12 when He comes with the trumpet playing 04:14 and the dead rising and saints being 04:17 caught up to glory its no little event 04:20 it is the climax of all that's gone before. 04:24 Jesus is coming again. 04:27 I don't care who the skeptic is, 04:29 I tell you He said it, I believe it that settles it. 04:33 It is the final act of Jesus, the home coming 04:36 is when the King of heaven welcomes us. 04:39 Now this picture is described in the Book of Revelation. 04:43 And He says, this lamb which was slain 04:46 now will come not as a slain lamb 04:49 but He will come as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 04:52 The King is coming and He's coming back 04:55 for the purpose to reach us for the glory of God. 04:59 John writes in the Revelation from that dark tank prison, 05:04 he writes of the glorious return of his Lord 05:06 and the old man's heart was beating faster and faster, 05:10 and faster soon Jesus would come back that was his prayer. 05:16 And he says, that our world would be rescued by God. 05:19 I mean, this rescue takes place at the coming of Jesus Christ. 05:22 Revelation 1, John writes, 05:25 "Behold, He cometh with clouds, every eye shall see Him." 05:29 The King is coming, glory, the King. 05:32 Those who were skeptic, those who mocked Him 05:35 those who tried to do away with Him 05:37 from the face of the earth 05:39 they will look to heavens and cry, 05:40 rocks fall on us and hide us from Him 05:43 who sitteth on the throne, Jesus Christ, King of Kings. 05:48 You wonder why I get excited? His coming is soon. 05:52 The curtain is about to fall with the finality 05:54 on the theatre of human history. 05:56 The unfolding on the drama of redemption, 05:59 the Great Controversy is all 06:01 but complete and all that remains 06:03 is the climactic return of our Lord. 06:05 The final event comes with urgency 06:08 because the Lord is coming back soon. 06:10 So we must answer His call now. 06:14 Revelation 1:7 tells us, 06:16 just the text says that "He will come in glory 06:20 and His coming every eye will see Him." 06:23 And it does not say He will come, 06:27 it says He is coming. 06:29 He's on His way. 06:31 I mean, you see, 06:32 that's the present tense, eminent, 06:36 that He is already processing His coming. 06:38 I mean, Jesus is on His way. 06:40 He was on His way long centuries before, 06:42 before light ever touched the planet called earth. 06:44 He was on His way long before the green grass sprout 06:47 and little flowers blossomed in the point tree 06:49 He pointed His fingers to the sky 06:51 and He, oak spread out its arms 06:52 and lakes cuddled down in the huddles of the glen, 06:55 rivers ran down to the sea. 06:57 He was on His way. 06:58 "Blessed is he who reads 07:00 and those who hear the words of this prophecy, 07:02 and keep those things which are written in it, 07:05 for the time is near." 07:09 It says near as a heartbeat. 07:14 It says near as a heartbeat. That's how near it really is. 07:21 When I talked to people about the soon return of Jesus 07:23 they always give me this. 07:24 Well, it could be hundred years, 07:26 it could be thousand years, it could be million years. 07:30 No, for you, it is a heartbeat away. 07:36 He is coming in this generation, 07:38 for if we die in this generation 07:40 we are raised in this generation. 07:42 So His coming is near. Even at the door. 07:47 And that's why I look for that coming. 07:50 But when He does appear it'll be great glory. 07:53 He will be attended 07:54 the Bible says, by clouds and glory. 07:57 What a picture the saints dressed in white robes 07:59 who comping in His return. 08:01 He uses to tern the cloud of witnesses. 08:03 I mean, so bright and brilliant 08:05 and those who rose in the special 08:06 resurrection of the death 08:08 and multitudes of angels, the first Advent, 08:12 He came as a little baby wrapped 08:14 in swaddling clothes lying in the manger 08:17 and He was greeted by a choir of angels. 08:20 Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, goodwill. 08:26 Now He comes as a King. 08:28 I mean, the first Advent, 08:31 the first Advent He came and His throne was a cross. 08:35 The second Advent, 08:36 He comes as one on the great white throne of judgment. 08:40 Listen to me, the first coming of the world is the old, 08:43 the second coming of the world is new. 08:45 The Book of Revelation could be entitled 08:48 The Book of Home Comings. 08:50 When I was traveling, for a few years 08:52 I traveled alone in evangelism 08:54 and I have to leave my wife and my two children 08:57 and I would hug them, goodbye 08:59 and I take off for six weeks. 09:02 And all the time I was thinking 09:04 only five weeks, three days and 12 hours. 09:10 And I'll be checking the time, checking the time. 09:13 We're living just out of Los Angeles 09:15 and I would fly in late at night 09:17 usually into Los Angeles. 09:19 And as I came down into the base 09:21 and saw those lights, 09:23 there are stretching out before me 09:25 my heart would beat faster and faster. 09:27 I mean, I was coming home and I was looking anticipation 09:31 and the plane landed and I grabbed my bag 09:34 and ran down and picked up my suitcase 09:37 and my suitcases and I would run 09:39 and they would be waiting for me. 09:41 What a wonderful thing it was the homecoming? 09:44 I look forward to that 09:45 because I'd be in the arms of my family. 09:47 I'm looking forward to the homecoming 09:48 because I want to put my arms around my family. 09:51 I love my family. 09:52 I want to put my arms around my whole family. 09:54 I'm looking for the homecoming of Jesus 09:56 because I want to put my arms around my momma again 09:59 and my daddy again and I want to, 10:02 I want to see my grandparents. 10:04 I want to go home. 10:06 I want to see my roots in those, 10:08 Norwegians in history 10:09 who have given their lives to Jesus 10:11 and in that first resurrection. 10:14 So I'm looking for the coming of Jesus. 10:17 And John describes it 10:18 because he was looking for the same thing. 10:20 He was looking for the coming of Jesus Christ. 10:23 And he says, the coming of Jesus is glorious. 10:26 I mean, a great pathway through Orion's golden card is 10:29 in which comes the marching of God's mighty armies. 10:32 The King is coming with trumpet sound. 10:34 The King is coming with the sound of music, 10:36 angelic choirs. 10:37 I mean they are singing octaves we can't even think of. 10:43 And this majestic parade is led by Jesus Christ. 10:46 Banners are flying the sound of mighty hoofbeats 10:49 and heavens horses 10:51 and this is the final coordination 10:53 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 10:54 Keep in mind, the second coming of Jesus 10:56 is not casually unimportant event in a listed of events. 11:00 It is the climax of all that has gone before. 11:03 Everything we believe is Christian about Christ, 11:05 the crib, the incarnation that's gone before. 11:09 The cross and Calvary and salvation 11:11 finds it's satisfaction 11:13 in the coordination of Jesus Christ. 11:15 If Jesus Christ does not come back to get us 11:17 the cross means nothing. 11:19 If Jesus Christ does not come back to get us 11:21 Bethlehem means nothing. 11:23 If I tell you Jesus Christ doesn't come back to get us 11:27 all the prophecies of the Bible mean nothing. 11:29 But He is coming to get us. Amen. 11:33 My Bible says, He is coming. 11:36 Jesus, and He is coming, He is coming to get us. 11:40 I mean, the facts are everywhere. 11:42 The coming of Jesus Christ is glorious to the eye, visible. 11:45 "Therefore if they say to you, 11:46 'Look for Him in the desert' do not go out. 11:48 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' 11:50 Do not believe it. 11:51 For as the lightening comes out of east" 11:52 it's visible the coming of Jesus 11:54 "as it flashes to the west, 11:56 so also will be the coming of the Son of Man." 11:59 That will be a great day. 12:01 "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, 12:02 why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 12:04 This same Jesus, which is coming 12:06 will come in like manner as ye have seen Him 12:09 go into heaven." 12:10 I mean this is the Word of God. Facts about His coming. 12:13 His coming is glorious to the eye. 12:15 His coming is glorious to the ear, 12:17 every ear will hear Him. 12:19 The sound of a trumpet, 12:21 the thunder clap of the heavens, 12:24 the thunder clap of the heavens. 12:25 Listen to the word of God. 12:27 "Then He shall send His angle 12:28 with a great sound of a trumpet, 12:30 and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, 12:33 from one end of heaven to the other." 12:35 That's the promise of Jesus Christ. 12:37 "For the Lord Himself shall descend 12:38 from heaven with a shout, 12:40 the voice of the archangel, the trump of God, 12:43 and the dead in Christ shall rise first" 12:45 that's the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ. 12:48 He is coming back. 12:49 He is coming back and He is coming back soon. 12:51 "Then we which are alive and remain should be 12:53 caught up together with them in the clouds, 12:55 to meet the Lord in the air 12:56 so shall we ever be with the Lord." 12:58 Comfort one another with these words. 13:00 Listen to me, that's a promise 13:01 He is coming visibly, He is coming audibly. 13:04 If you hear anything else it's a total lie. 13:07 It's a prefabricated teaching of the theologian. 13:10 But He's coming, is visible. His coming is audible. 13:14 I tell you its clear to me as I read the Word of God 13:17 but the coming of Jesus Christ is not only visible, 13:21 its not only audible, it is literal. 13:24 "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, 13:25 why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 13:27 This same Jesus, which is taken up 13:30 from you into heaven shall so come in like manner 13:32 as ye have seen Him go into heaven." 13:35 It was the real Jesus. 13:37 Thomas, put your finger in my hand. 13:42 Thomas, put your hand into my side. 13:46 It was the real Jesus. 13:49 I mean, it wasn't a fake Jesus. 13:51 It was the real Jesus that was coming, 13:54 and coming in glory. 13:57 And that's what my Bible tells me 13:58 the real Jesus is going to come back again. 14:01 Satan tries to disguise it and counterfeit in 14:05 but we have enough in the Word of God 14:06 to know the coming of Jesus and how it's going to come. 14:09 "Cast not away therefore your confidence, 14:12 which hath great recompense of reward. 14:14 For ye have need of patience, that, 14:16 after ye have done the will of God," 14:18 notice he says, "ye might receive the promise. 14:20 For yet a little while, 14:22 and he that shall come will come, 14:23 and will not" He will not "tarry." 14:26 And hear to me God. 14:28 Share your news with your neighbors, 14:29 and your friends and your relatives. 14:31 Help them to prepare to me God, 14:33 because pay day some day 14:34 as the old preaching used to say, 14:37 pay day some day. 14:39 And Jesus Christ, His disciples came to Him 14:41 and He told them about two signs. 14:43 He told them about the fall of Jerusalem 14:45 and He also talked about the signs 14:46 of the second coming of Christ. 14:47 By the way in Mathews 24, He begins with those words. 14:51 "Tell us, when will these things be? 14:53 And what will be the sign of Thy coming," and what? 14:55 "The end of the world." 14:56 I mean they believed in the end of age. 14:58 They believed this would be the end of all things. 15:00 I mean that's what He was saying here, end time. 15:03 They wanted to know, know when the end of human world, 15:06 the end of human heartache, the end of human pain 15:09 when it would take place. 15:10 They needed to know. 15:12 The hub of the whole treatise swings on verse 44. 15:16 "Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour 15:20 as ye think not the Son of Man" what? 15:23 "The Son of man, cometh." Be therefore ready. 15:27 Peter said about the second coming of Christ. 15:30 He says, He stands ready 15:32 to pass judgment on the living and the dead. 15:35 James says, the judge standeth at the door. 15:37 It's the grand finality, all things are ready. 15:40 "And I charge you therefore before God, 15:42 the Lord Jesus Christ, 15:43 who shall judge the quick and the dead at his" what? 15:46 "Appearing and his Kingdom. 15:48 Henceforth there is laid up for me 15:50 a crown of righteousness." 15:51 Here is the apostle who had been saved by grace. 15:54 Here is the apostle who would come to know God. 15:56 He says, "Now I've laid a crown of righteousness, 15:58 which the Lord, the righteous judge, 16:00 shall give me at that day, not to me only, 16:02 but unto all them also that love His appearing." 16:06 Do you love His appearing? Amen. 16:08 Are you expecting Him to appear? 16:11 Are you living as if He is going to appear? 16:14 That's the question here tonight 16:16 before we close these series of meetings on Revelation. 16:19 I mean, are you, are you ready for that return? 16:24 Are you ready? 16:25 All things are ready. Get ready. 16:27 Now these four things 16:29 we learned about the second coming. 16:30 The coming of Christ is imperative. 16:32 Do you hear me? 16:33 The coming of Jesus Christ is imperative. 16:36 Secondly, the coming of Jesus Christ is immutable. 16:39 Thirdly, the coming of Jesus Christ is Emmanuel. 16:43 And finally the coming of Jesus Christ is imminent. 16:46 Let me tell you, powerful forces swirl 16:49 around the mankind today. 16:51 I mean, forces destined 16:52 to bring about a profound change 16:54 in both our physical world and our spiritual world. 16:57 There are number of malignant dark forces 17:00 opposing God, opposing His word. 17:02 These forces sees upon science 17:04 and technology as prime tools for the exploration 17:08 and conquest of soul. 17:10 We talk about laser particle beams. 17:12 We talk about biological and temporal weapons. 17:15 We talk about cloning. 17:17 We talk about hi-tech surveillance. 17:19 You can't hide. 17:22 So, instead I'm gonna move out of the country 17:24 and I'm gonna get away from all this stuff and I can hide. 17:26 Don't go there, go to the city and hide. 17:30 Lot of warm bodies there. 17:32 I think they can distinguish a cow 17:34 and you run through a field. 17:40 But they can figure me out running to a crowd in Brooklyn. 17:43 We all look alike. We all look alike. 17:47 I mean, we talk about hi-tech surveillance system, 17:50 genetic engineering, robotics, 17:53 conflict in the Middle East, pollution, death, planet. 17:56 I mean, just think of the world the technology hi-tech, 18:00 the age of hi-tech arrived with magnum force. 18:02 Computers, I'm amazed at computer. 18:06 I told my wife the other day if I had a computer 18:09 when I was a young man I would have been dangerous. 18:14 I wouldn't be texting everybody, 18:15 I would be doing something of value. 18:21 But I would have been dangerous. 18:23 Google. 18:28 I would've been number one scientist in my class. 18:32 Computers, if you kids can't make it now, 18:38 I give up. 18:41 I had an excuse, I was dumb. 18:45 But you are dumb but you have something smart, a computer. 18:50 I mean, we're talking about 18:51 telecommunication satellite, drones. 18:55 You realize we've knocked off more terrorists with drones 19:01 then we do with the whole army, Navy and Air force. 19:05 I mean, look at me, I mean, this is a world, 19:08 you know Frude in a book "Intimate Machine, 19:10 Close Encounters with Computers and Robots" said this, 19:13 "Soon we shall have robots as companions 19:16 and even as sex partners." 19:19 Can you imagine? 19:21 Bowing God out and bowing man in, 19:23 there is no limit to His perversion. 19:26 Jesus-- it's imperative 19:27 that Jesus Christ comes cuts it short. 19:29 You see, if He does not come 19:30 He has to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah. 19:34 Jesus will come. 19:35 The robotics, there's material similar to human flesh, 19:38 did you know that? 19:40 They manufacture organic brains. 19:43 I'm waiting for the one that fits my head. 19:46 They already have biological computer units. 19:49 This is not science fiction malarkey, 19:52 its reality talking about 19:53 artificial eyes, artificial noses. 19:55 By the way, it distinguishes 19:57 the dozens of different flower smells. 20:01 Bert Valley, one time head of the Harvard 20:03 seven member team researchers, successfully cloned a molecule 20:07 which triggers the growth of body cells, 20:09 the generation of organs. 20:12 In the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, 20:14 biotechnologists have also been successful in another realm. 20:17 They have successfully manipulated DN chemicals 20:21 to change aged mouse cells back into young mouse cells. 20:25 Whoa! Eternal life. 20:28 Jesus needs to come, its imperative. 20:31 "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, 20:32 and seal the book until the time," what? 20:34 "Even to the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, 20:37 knowledge shall be" what? 20:38 "Increased." 20:39 I mean, you can't deny we're living in a time warp. 20:42 "We're going through this time wrap." 20:44 And I look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ. 20:46 It's imperative that He come. 20:47 I mean its imperative than you say 20:48 that Jesus Christ intervenes. 20:50 Its imperative that Jesus comes through His people 20:53 before mankind tries to wipe out His people. 20:56 DNA, one of the presidents of Colombia University, 20:59 formal president said the end cannot be distinct. 21:03 I mean, when we read some of those statements. 21:06 "And His thinking has been sound, 21:08 then the world is at the end of its tether. 21:10 An end of everything we call life 21:11 is close at hand cannot be evaded." 21:13 This is an evangelist H.G. Wells. 21:15 "The end, there beckons more and more 21:17 clearly general annihilation." 21:19 Albert Einstein. 21:20 He had no Christ in that picture 21:23 it was desperation. 21:25 "I cannot see any future for our known world." 21:28 Former chancellor of the University of Chicago. 21:30 Listen, this is not evangelistic talking, 21:32 not pastors talking, this is what scientist are saying, 21:35 this is what educated people are saying. 21:36 They can't see much of the future for this world. 21:38 I want to tell you 21:40 there is not much of future for the world we know 21:42 but there is a feature for the new world 21:43 that God is going to give to His people. 21:46 I mean look at this, one columnist writing about 21:49 the uncertainness of our times commented satirically. 21:52 "The very best our leaders could do 21:54 to sophisticate their actions in such a way 21:57 as to ensure the way to international hell 21:59 was paved with good intensions." 22:03 A sales clerk holding up her gadget pictures, 22:06 here is an educational toy designed to adjust a child 22:10 to live in the world today. 22:11 Anyway he puts it together its wrong. 22:15 Oh, messy. 22:17 I hope you get that by Thursday. 22:19 I don't know the way, the look you gave me 22:21 I'm surprised anyway. 22:23 Readers Digest commented, if you put all the economist 22:26 and laid them end to end 22:27 they would all point in a different direction. 22:30 Republicans and Democrats. 22:33 A businessman he was always getting lost, 22:35 and he would go hunting on a weekend 22:37 and Monday he would come he wouldn't be there. 22:39 Tuesday, finally he shows up, what happen? 22:41 I got lost, lost in the wood. 22:43 So his birthday came they gave him a compass. 22:46 And so they sent him off to the woods with his compass. 22:49 And came Monday, he wasn't there. 22:50 Came Tuesday he wasn't there. 22:51 Came Wednesday, he was lost. 22:54 And he came in and they say's 22:57 how could you get lost you had a compass? 22:59 Well, he said I started to go towards the north 23:03 and the needle kept pointing towards the southeast. 23:09 It's immutable. 23:11 All right, the second coming of Christ 23:13 is immutable as well it's changeless. 23:15 God never changes. 23:17 And if He said He's gonna come, 23:18 He's gonna come in His time, He's gonna come. 23:21 It's immutable. 23:23 But the coming of Jesus Christ is also Emmanuel. 23:28 The coming of Jesus, listen, "That by two immutable things, 23:31 in which it was impossible for God to lie, 23:34 we might have strong consolation." 23:36 He says, it's immutable. 23:37 Changeless, it can't be changed. 23:39 "We have fled the refuge to lay hold upon set before us 23:43 which hope we have as an anchor of the soul." 23:45 He says, we have an anchor of the soul, 23:46 that anchor is the second coming of Jesus Christ. 23:49 "Both sure and steadfast, 23:51 which entereth into that within the veil." 23:53 Dear brothers and sisters, the only anchor 23:55 we have in this world that holds us on the rock 23:58 is the anchor of the second coming of Jesus Christ. 24:01 That He is coming 24:02 and we're gonna hold fast till He comes. 24:05 We're gonna be faithful till He comes. 24:07 "For that which cause I also suffered these things 24:10 nevertheless I am not ashamed 24:11 for I know whom I have believed," 24:14 and then he says, "Am persuaded that he is able to keep that 24:17 which I have committed unto Him against that day. 24:21 And the Word was made flesh," this is Emmanuel. 24:24 The coming of Jesus Christ is Emmanuel. 24:26 Listen to me carefully. 24:28 "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world 24:30 but that the world through him might" what? 24:32 "Be saved." John 3:17. 24:35 The Bible says, Acts 1:11, 24:37 "Which said also, Ye men of Galilee, 24:39 why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 24:40 This same Jesus, which is taken up 24:42 will come in like manner as ye have seen him go." 24:44 The coming of Jesus Christ is immutable. 24:47 The coming of Jesus Christ is Emmanuel. 24:49 And by the way he uses that Greek present word 24:53 and he says be ready it's suggested 24:55 the second coming will be a bodily return, 24:58 great contrast at the first Advent. 25:00 Look, the first time He enters through a woman's womb 25:03 and no one saw Him enter, the second time 25:06 He comes every eye shall see Him. 25:08 The first time He came is a Lamb of God. 25:10 The second time He comes as a lion of a tribe of Judah. 25:13 The first time He came to redeem us. 25:15 The second time He comes to reign over us. 25:18 The first coming He came as king of the Jews. 25:20 Second coming He comes as King of King's 25:23 and Lord of Lord's. 25:24 The first time He comes to receive a crown of thrown. 25:27 The second time He comes to receive a crown of a glory. 25:30 You see, the first time He came in the weakness of a baby. 25:33 The second time He comes in a power of Almighty God. 25:40 The Almighty God. It's real. 25:46 Dad asks son what he want for Christmas? 25:50 I want a horse. 25:53 A wooden horse? No. 25:55 An iron horse? No. 25:58 I want a horse made of horse. 26:02 I want the real thing. And I want the real thing. 26:08 The real thing when Jesus comes back 26:09 He comes back as a real thing. 26:11 The same Jesus which has taken up 26:13 into heaven shall so come in like manner 26:15 as you have see Him go into heaven. 26:17 The coming of Jesus Christ is Emmanuel. 26:20 God with us again. 26:21 Listen to me, God came into this world to be with us. 26:24 The great thing that we love about God 26:26 is that He was not far off, 26:27 He did not like some theologians try to tell us 26:30 created a universe and then stepped back 26:32 and He sits somewhere in the darkness 26:34 of the universe not concerned. 26:36 Our God was so concerned when He created the world, 26:39 our God stepped down into the world. 26:42 Our God was so concerned about an Adam 26:43 who falls that He becomes the second Adam not to fall. 26:47 Our God was so concerned 26:48 when He saw the garden turned into a wilderness, 26:51 He came to the wilderness 26:52 to turn the wilderness back into a garden. 26:54 Our God was so concerned when man sinned and death 26:57 God came to die as a lamb slain 26:59 from the foundation of the earth. 27:01 He came to-- that's how much God is concerned about us. 27:06 That's how God-- much God is concerned about. 27:09 I tell you there is no prophetic event, 27:11 no prophetic chart, no historical event 27:13 awaits fulfillment prior to His coming for His church. 27:16 All New Testament writers exhorted us, 27:18 watch, wait, watch, look, pray, expecting at any moment 27:24 the return of Jesus Christ back to the earth again. 27:28 The return of Jesus Christ back to the earth again. 27:31 And He uses that word, be ready, be ready, 27:35 be ready, again and again and again. 27:38 I used to like to play hooky. 27:41 I had my own trune office I played hooky so much. 27:45 My mother spent more time in high school than I did. 27:47 But any way, I used to like to play hooky 27:53 and we used to go down-- my brother Billy and I, 27:55 we used to go down the Belt Parkway 27:58 and we go down to the lower part of Brooklyn 28:00 that's were the ferry was to Staten Island. 28:03 And Billy and I we were always in trouble. 28:07 But we would get on the ferry across the Staten Island, 28:13 it was a cheap ride five cents in that day a nickel, 28:16 take boat ride for a nickel. 28:19 I can't start my motor for a nickel, 28:22 I took a whole boat ride. 28:24 And if you stayed on the ferry 28:26 you got a round trip ticket on the boat. 28:29 But we used to go out on the ferry 28:31 and it was very interesting 28:33 because we would get there early, 28:34 you know, and get there we had the time table. 28:37 We picked the time table off 28:38 and looked at it the ferry was gonna leave in 10 minutes 28:42 and my brother and I would get 28:43 on to ferry as soon as we could, 28:45 we want to be the first on the ferry, 28:47 and we'd be sitting there and looking out 28:49 and there would be people sitting, 28:50 standing around above the dock just talking and visiting and, 28:55 you know, just having a nice time, 28:58 and they would get closer and closer and closer. 29:01 But they're so involved in visiting relatives and friends 29:05 and they're standing on the dock 29:07 and they'd be standing there and visiting, 29:11 we'd be sitting on the ferry, and all of a sudden 29:15 and then people would realize and suddenly would run 29:18 to the ticket counter to buy their ticket. 29:21 I mean, bad enough standing around like a goon 29:24 but then running for a ticket counter 29:26 to buy a ticket. 29:29 And the ferry pulled out they'd be standing there. 29:33 Don't let the ferry pull out. Amen. 29:36 Amen, don't let the ferry pull out. 29:40 Be always ready 29:42 because readiness is the important thing. 29:46 Jesus told His disciples-- now I give you all the signs, 29:51 I show you all these things, 29:54 for the purpose that you will be ready. 29:57 And the disciples lived every day 30:00 with expectancy of return of Jesus Christ 30:05 and every one of them died with expectancy. 30:11 They were laid to rest with expectancy. 30:16 Peter, crucified upside down, expectancy. 30:23 I'm not worthy to die like my Lord, 30:25 upside down, great expectancy. 30:28 There was Andrew and there was Paul 30:34 and there was the apostles, Luke and John, well, Matthew. 30:39 And John was the only apostle of all the apostles 30:41 that lived until his death, a natural death. 30:45 But it wasn't natural getting to his death. 30:47 They boiled him in the oil, 30:50 tried to make a French fry of him, it failed. 30:53 The king got so scared at this, 30:56 he got so scared then what he did 30:59 was he put John on the isle of Patmos. 31:03 That was the Alcatraz of that day. 31:06 And he was on Alcatraz for sometime. 31:10 But you could not destroy his faith in return of Jesus. 31:14 And Jesus came to John, and He said, 31:16 look at these things, John. 31:18 In the very first chapter He says, look at these things, 31:21 I'm gonna come in glory, so watch the heavens. 31:24 And the old man I could picture Him, 31:27 is demised the old man looking out across the Aegean Sea, 31:34 looking up to the heavens waiting for his Lord. 31:39 Went back to Ephesus 31:41 and there he fell asleep in Christ, 31:44 with expectancy. 31:47 And the next thing he knows, did you hear me? 31:52 The next thing he knows breaking forth from the grave 31:56 would be Jesus coming for him, coming for him. 32:03 I don't know if I told you this once before 32:04 but I had a lovely Christian grandmother. 32:08 Well, both grandmothers were wonderful 32:09 but my Norwegian grandmother, she was faithful, 32:12 they came over to America, my grandpa was a shipbuilder 32:18 and he worked as a carpenter to get his whole family. 32:21 They were five I think, five children 32:23 and my dad was conceived in Norway 32:27 and he was born in America. 32:29 But anyway he worked his way across to America. 32:33 And my grandmother was a faithful Christian woman. 32:36 She'd go to all meetings, like these she would love it. 32:38 Me preaching? 32:41 Could you imagine what my-- and we love them. 32:47 She was stricken with a stroke and half her body, 32:54 my mama took her in 32:55 and she had half a smile on her face 32:57 and she took care of her-- I forgot how many years. 33:00 But soon she got so that my mama 33:02 couldn't take care of any longer. 33:04 And she had to put her in one of these county homes. 33:10 And every now and then I would go out there. 33:12 It was four hours each way, 33:16 subway, subway, subway, bus, bus, trains from trains-- 33:20 I carry so many train fares in my pocket, 33:24 every time I go by a bus stop now, 33:27 I feel sorry for people who have to-- 33:29 because I had to ride the buses, 33:30 I know what it's like. 33:32 And then I go in walk down the corridor, 33:34 and I go into that room it's a big room many beds 33:38 and I walked over to my grandmother. 33:40 She always had half a smile on her face, 33:42 never complained. 33:44 She know much English, 33:45 she would say things in Norwegian 33:47 which I couldn't understand but there was one thing 33:49 she always said, good boy, good boy. 33:52 Here is black leather jacket it's got blood. 33:54 Here I am-- I wasn't a good boy 33:57 but to grandma I was a good boy. 33:59 Can you imagine when Jesus Christ comes 34:01 and breaks that grave open in Brooklyn 34:03 and that woman comes off and she sees me rising up 34:07 and she says, good boy, good boy! 34:17 And then I tell her about the thousands 34:19 and tens of thousands of people 34:21 I shared the good news of the gospel 34:23 and she would be so proud. 34:26 If there's buttons on her robe, 34:28 they will pop and that's why be ready. 34:32 Well, such an hour as you think not the Son of Man comes, 34:35 He's coming to rescue us. 34:38 My brothers, listen to me, He is coming to rescue you. 34:41 It was June 2, 1995, while flying a machine 34:45 for the United States Air Force in cooperation 34:47 with the United Nations, 34:48 Captain Scott O'Grady was shot down 34:52 over Bosnia territory in Eastern Europe. 34:56 He safely ejected from his burning crashing plane, 34:59 slowly parachuting to the ground, 35:02 did so with growing fear and dread 35:05 as he saw people including enemy soldiers watching him. 35:09 And he landed in a grassy field 35:10 slightly away from the gathering crowd. 35:13 He quickly ran into the woods and he hid under bushes 35:19 and they came stamping by and they missed him. 35:24 And there it was for the rest of his time, 35:28 I mean, it was swarming with the subs. 35:30 For the next six day, 35:31 Captain O'Grady eluded there would be captives 35:34 by remaining frozen with his face in the dirt 35:36 and moving very cautiously only at night. 35:40 He stumbled upon, upon that was fully of dead bodies 35:45 and he had to lay there in those dead bodies to hide. 35:50 Those days and nights were filled with terror. 35:53 He gave a tremendous testimony when he had been delivered. 35:56 He said I prayed for a lot of things. 35:59 He delivered throughout the entire time, 36:02 he said when I prayed for rain, 36:04 He gave me rain. 36:07 One night he prayed to hear someone, 36:08 just someone's voice and that very night 36:11 he heard the voice of T.O. Hanford. 36:14 On the sixth day, 36:15 he got a radio contact with a US plane 36:18 and the rescue team came to get him home. 36:22 And when he was in the helicopter, 36:23 he kept saying thank you, thank you, thank you. 36:29 Captain Scott O'Grady was rescued from the enemy. 36:36 How much more should we be thankful 36:40 that one day our experience of life ends 36:45 that one day Jesus Christ is going to, what? 36:49 He's is going to deliver us. I want Him to come. 36:54 I'm tired to know 36:55 the two-thirds of the world's population 36:57 goes under nourished, I'm tired of that. 36:59 I'm sick of the crime and the rape 37:01 and the murder and the mayhem, 37:03 tired of reading about killings and rapes 37:07 and I want to see Him with my eyes. 37:10 I want to touch Him with my hands. 37:13 I mean, I want to thank Him with these lips 37:18 and hold Him in these arms. 37:23 When I was at seminary I married my wife, 37:25 I told you the beautiful girl and we thought 37:27 two mouths are cheaper to feed than one, 37:29 sooner there were three mouths. 37:33 And then she was pregnant for the fourth mouth. 37:36 I was at the seminary I had no money, 37:38 I had no-- we didn't even have any kind of medical, 37:41 I mean, no medical at all 37:44 and we were wondering what's gonna happen? 37:46 How were gonna have this baby? 37:47 I don't have any money, I'm working fulltime 37:50 to pay for our apartment and pay for our seminary 37:53 and my wife she is working and she was a waitress 37:58 and she is working and I'm working 37:59 and we're getting nowhere and finally she said, 38:02 well, may be I should go back East of Vermont to my uncle. 38:05 He's a doctor that's better then Medicare 38:10 or Obama Care or whatever care it is. 38:12 I mean, it's better than anything. 38:15 And so I had to send her back, 38:16 I had to send my boy Ronny back. 38:18 It was a terrible moment there in that railroad station 38:22 when they were going back East, 38:23 I was going West to-- 38:24 I hold a field school in California 38:26 or to be in a field school in California. 38:29 I was gone for almost three months. 38:31 While I was there I got a telegram, 38:34 "Diane, 8 pounds" whatever was born. 38:39 But you know, you can't burp a telegram come on. 38:43 I mean, what's in personal about a telegram? 38:46 But when my time went up I went back to the seminary, 38:49 I got a car and I drove. 38:51 My wife had moved from Vermont over to New York State 38:54 to be with her grandmother who raised her. 38:57 I drove through Canada 38:58 because it was five miles an hour faster 38:59 and I went ten miles an hour faster. 39:02 And I remember when I drove into that 39:04 I wanted to see my babe-- 39:05 I haven't even seen my baby and drove into that driveway. 39:11 Came to a stop, ran out, ran to the door 39:13 no one was home they've gone somewhere 39:16 and I sat there two and half hours 39:17 but then a car came in, my wife got out 39:20 with the little baby Diane in her arms 39:24 and I put my arms around her and my baby 39:27 and held her for the first time. 39:29 You talk about joy for the first time. 39:33 Little Ronny he was trying to figure 39:34 who I was, my little boy and then finally he realized, 39:40 daddy, daddy and leaped into my arms. 39:43 What a home coming that was. 39:45 When I was finally united with the ones I love, 39:47 my dear friend, what a home coming it's gonna be 39:50 when we are united with the once we love. 39:52 That's why Jesus is coming again. 39:56 That's why Jesus is coming again. 39:58 And I want to say to you here, 40:00 you who believe I want to say 40:02 "Look up, lift up your head your redemption draweth nigh." 40:08 Your redemption draweth nigh. 40:49 Good evening, everyone. 40:50 Time to take a look at some Bible questions, 40:52 I'm glad we can do that, let's do that now. 40:54 And here is the first question. 40:57 Our Bible question is, 41:00 "can you explain the unpardonable sin?" 41:03 Let's look at in Bible in Matthew Chapter 12 41:06 and we'll start off in about verse 30. 41:08 Matthew 12:30 or so. 41:11 The unpardonable sin, 41:12 that sounds serious, doesn't it? 41:14 Before we read that verse or a little passage here 41:17 I want to say this, I'm glad and I hope 41:20 that you are glad that God is a forgiving God. 41:24 1 John 1:9 reassures us. 41:26 If we confess our sins, 41:28 He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins 41:32 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 41:36 God is a forgiving God. 41:40 For unfortunate woman who'd been set up 41:43 was dragged into the presence of Jesus one day by men 41:45 who were willing to stone her 41:48 and she said to him at the end of the exchange, 41:52 where are your accusers? 41:53 She's what, they are not here anymore. 41:55 Jesus said, I don't condemn you either, 41:57 go and sin no more. 41:59 He forgave her, He could have thrown the book at her, 42:01 they could have thrown stones at her, 42:05 but Jesus is in the business of forgiving, excuse me. 42:08 In another place, the Bible says 42:10 that God is not willing that any should perish, 42:12 but they all should come to repentance. 42:14 God is in the business of getting people saved, 42:16 He wants people to be in heaven. 42:20 But there is somebody 42:21 who can do something about that, 42:23 there is somebody who can frustrate God's plans 42:26 and that somebody is you. 42:27 God won't drag you to heaven kicking, 42:29 and screaming over your objections, 42:31 you have a choice to go 42:32 and if you want to choose not to go, 42:34 He will sadly or with some sadness honor your choice. 42:39 So let's read here in Matthew Chapter 12 42:42 where Jesus speaks and says this, 42:44 "He that is not with Me" verse 30 "is against Me, 42:47 and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad." 42:51 Jesus wants us to be a 100% with Him. 42:53 With Him not fighting against Him. 42:55 Verse 31, "Wherefore I say unto you, 42:59 all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, 43:03 but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost 43:08 shall not be forgiven unto Him or unto men. 43:11 And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, 43:14 it shall be forgiven him, 43:15 but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, 43:17 it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, 43:20 neither in the world to come." 43:21 We're not talking about a one off event 43:23 where you say oh, I don't believe in the Holy Spirit. 43:26 You've committed the unpardonable sin. 43:28 That's not what God is getting at you. 43:31 Jesus said, that one thing the Holy Spirit would do 43:35 would be to convict us of sin. 43:38 That's one of the Holy Spirit's great works. 43:41 So-- excuse me, 43:44 you're carrying on in a certain way, 43:46 the Spirit will say wrong way, 43:49 and it's calling you to turn around. 43:51 You are not going in certain direction 43:53 the Spirit says you need to go down this way 43:55 and we'll urge you that way. 43:57 You're about to say something you shouldn't say, 43:59 it's the Spirit that says, uh-uh, 44:02 you're sitting there in your chair doing nothing 44:03 and it's the Spirit that says this is for you to do. 44:07 So now when the Holy Spirit calls you to follow God 44:11 according to the Bible and you say no-- 44:16 excuse me again and you say no. 44:20 What you are saying is 44:22 I'm not agreeing with the Holy Spirit, 44:24 I'm not gonna follow God. 44:25 You are speaking as it were against the Holy Spirit. 44:30 The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, 44:32 when He does so, you confess your sins, 44:35 when you do so, God forgives your sins. 44:39 The sins that cannot be forgiven 44:40 are the ones that are not confessed. 44:43 So when Jesus is calling you to a deeper experience, 44:46 I'm on full surrender and you say oh, no. 44:51 Then you are resisting the Holy Spirit 44:53 who is speaking to your heart. 44:55 And if you don't turn it around and say, 44:56 okay, Lord, take my heart. 44:58 You will ultimately commit the unpardonable sin. 45:02 That's why it's dangerous to dilly-dally 45:04 around with the Word of God, 45:06 that's why it's dangerous to delay repenting, 45:09 that's why it's dangerous to play fast 45:11 and loose with what the Bible says 45:13 because you can imagine when you say no to God today, 45:16 you might come to the place 45:17 where you never say yes to God. 45:20 And it's important that we say yes to God, 45:24 vitally, vitally important. 45:25 You know how it is right, you can have an alarm clock, 45:28 when it rings, it wakes you up, 45:30 but after a week or a month or a year 45:32 that thing can ring in, ring in, ring in, 45:33 you can sleep on as though it isn't even ringing at all. 45:38 You get used to it, you can shut out the voice, 45:41 you know, how you can do that with your spouse, right? 45:44 Okay, I'm kidding, I hope you don't, 45:45 but you can do that with people. 45:47 Someone can be speaking to you. 45:48 Notice a child engrossed in reading a book, 45:50 engrossed in playing a game 45:52 and you are speaking to the child 45:53 they're not hearing you. 45:55 It's not that they disrespect you, 45:58 they just got engrossed with something 45:59 and you can get engrossed with sin to the point 46:02 that you failed to hear God speaking. 46:05 When you don't hear the voice of the Holy Spirit anymore 46:08 and the Spirit cannot get through to you 46:10 because you said, no, no, no, no, no 46:12 so many times you come to the place 46:15 where you commit the unpardonable sin. 46:18 God does not want that for your life. 46:21 The way around that, the way to avoid 46:22 that is to say yes to Jesus 46:25 when Jesus speaks to your heart, 46:27 to surrender rather than to resist. 46:31 Another Bible question and here it is. 46:33 What did Jesus mean when He said in Mark 1, 46:36 "The time is fulfilled?" 46:38 Well, let's turn to Mark Chapter 1 and find out. 46:42 Mark Chapter 1, and I believe you're talking about verse 14. 46:45 There it is. 46:47 "Now after that John was put in prison, 46:48 Jesus came into Galilee, 46:50 preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God." 46:52 Verse 15. 46:54 "And saying, the time is fulfilled, 46:58 and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, 47:01 and believe the gospel." 47:04 What time could He been talking about? 47:08 What had happened? 47:09 Well, Jesus had just been baptized. 47:12 And what was the significance of that? 47:15 The significance of that is, that the baptism of Jesus 47:18 was according to a time prophecy in the Bible. 47:22 Which one? Tune with me, I'll show you. 47:24 Book of Daniel, Chapter 9. 47:27 The Book of Daniel Chapter 9 would find 47:28 a time prophecy there. 47:31 Its remarkable, it speaks to the baptism of Jesus. 47:34 Did you know that the baptism of Jesus was prophesied of? 47:38 Oh, sure. And the death of Jesus. 47:40 The timing of those things were prophesied of. 47:44 Yes, that's correct. 47:45 So let's look here, Daniel Chapter 9 47:48 and we'll pick it up in verse 24. 47:52 I'll read some of verse 24 and then we'll go on. 47:56 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people 47:58 and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, 48:02 to make an end of sins," and so on. 48:04 And number of things are gonna happen in seventy weeks. 48:09 Now verse 25 "Know therefore and understand, 48:13 that from the going forth of the commandment 48:15 to restore and to build Jerusalem 48:19 unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, 48:25 and threescore and two weeks." 48:28 Excuse me. 48:29 There will be a 69 week period 48:33 from the decree issued giving permission 48:38 to rebuild Jerusalem and reestablish society. 48:42 From then to the coming of the Messiah, 69 weeks. 48:49 Now we know that that decree was issued years ago, 457 BC. 48:56 You read about that decree in Ezra Chapter 7, 48:59 its written right there, it's laid out for you. 49:02 The decree was issued by King Artaxerxes in 457 BC. 49:07 So 69 weeks after that, it would have been 456 BC. 49:12 Except in Bible prophecy, a day represents a year, 49:16 a week, seven years. 49:18 Sixty nine week is 483 years. 49:21 Now you start in 457 BC you stretch off 483 years, 49:26 you get to the year 27 AD. 49:28 So in 27 AD the Jewish scholars 49:31 would have been looking at their-- 49:33 looking at their scrolls, consulting their sundials, 49:37 looking at each other and saying 49:40 according to Messiah-- according to the scriptures 49:43 Messiah should be here about now, they would say. 49:46 Now Jesus could hardly walk into the temple of Jerusalem 49:49 and say, ladies and gentlemen, I'm the Messiah. 49:52 They would have taken Him as a whacko, 49:54 or as a conspiracist or a troublemaker. 49:57 They would have taken Him as an insurrectionist. 49:59 So Jesus after His baptism, when He was baptized 50:03 that's when He became the Messiah, 50:05 He was anointed. 50:06 Read about it in Acts 10:38, anointed when He was baptized. 50:13 I need to check that just to make sure 50:14 I've given you the right text. 50:16 I don't want you to turn there now 50:17 and say, oh, boy, was he ever wrong. 50:21 Acts Chapter 10-- 50:23 oh, back of the page and verse 38. 50:29 "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 50:30 with the Holy Ghost and with power." 50:32 The Spirit rested upon Him when He was baptized in 27 AD. 50:37 So Jesus after His baptism begins His ministry 50:40 and He says to people 50:42 who are looking at the time prophecies, 50:44 "The time is fulfilled." 50:48 Now it's hard to find a parallel for this day and age 50:52 because back then that was the big time prophecy, 50:56 Messiah must be coming right about now. 51:00 Jesus was essentially saying, its Me. 51:03 That time prophecy in Daniel talking about 51:06 the Messiah being anointed, that's Me. 51:09 You all know I was baptized, you were there, many of you, 51:13 I'm the Messiah. 51:14 So when Jesus said the time is fulfilled, 51:15 He was saying I'm here to announce my Messiahship, 51:20 the time prophecy of Daniel 9 has been fulfilled. 51:24 Fantastic prophecy. And now another Bible question. 51:29 "I can't reconcile the God of love with the God 51:31 who would destroy the wicked." 51:34 Okay, that wasn't the Bible question, 51:35 that was a Bible statement. 51:36 I cannot reconcile the God of love with the God 51:39 who would destroy the wicked. 51:41 All right, then, well, imagine this, 51:44 eternity stretches before us, sin is like a disease 51:49 and its just inflicting more and more and more of the world 51:53 and therefore the universe if I can put it that way. 51:56 What does God need to do with sin? 51:58 The whole plan of salvation 52:00 deals with God getting rid of sin. 52:04 Now if you've got a mangy dog in your backyard 52:09 and that dog is somehow connected to sin. 52:12 Well, maybe I don't need to talk about your dog, 52:13 you love your mangy dog. 52:14 If it is a rattlesnake or a crocodile 52:16 or a disease or pollution and these things 52:21 you're associated with sin then when sin is disposed off, 52:24 these things will be disposed off as well. 52:27 You don't expect that throughout eternity, 52:29 we're going to have AIDS and tuberculosis and Ebola, 52:32 those things will be done away with, 52:34 because they are caused by sin. 52:37 What about unrepentant sinners? 52:40 Now that's an important one. Unrepentant sinners. 52:44 Is God gonna save them for eternity 52:47 so that they can live in the earth made new 52:49 and be miserable and make others miserable 52:51 and spread their sin or would you suggest 52:56 that what God does is He zaps their minds 52:59 and make saints out of sinners. 53:01 So that now instead of wanting to be 53:03 sinful throughout eternity they wanted to be holy. 53:07 If they have chosen to reject Jesus 53:09 what right does Jesus have to force them to accept Him? 53:13 That's just not true. 53:14 Well, it wouldn't it be more merciful 53:15 if God just took people to heaven 53:17 and changed their minds. 53:19 Wouldn't that-- wouldn't that be God being a dictator. 53:22 And imagine someone who didn't love God on earth 53:24 going to heaven. 53:25 They're suddenly gonna love God there? 53:28 They didn't like purity on earth, 53:29 they'll like purity in heaven? 53:31 They didn't like unity on earth, 53:34 they're gonna like unity in heaven? 53:37 Understand something, the Bible says, way back, 53:39 choose you this day whom you will serve. 53:41 God gives us the power to choice-- of choice. 53:45 And let me read this to you 53:46 because I'll put it into a more 53:48 contemporary narrative biblically speaking. 53:50 In Romans Chapter 6 it says this, in verse 16, 53:56 "Don't you know, that to whom 53:58 you yield yourselves servants to obey, 54:01 his servants you are to whom you obey, 54:03 whether of sin indeed unto death, 54:06 or of obedience unto righteousness?" 54:08 We get to choose who we're going to obey. 54:11 Now God is not a malicious torturer 54:13 and I will agree with you that in spite of all I've said, 54:17 the idea of anyone being blotted out for eternity 54:21 is a solemn and sovereign thought. 54:23 The only way we can balance 54:24 that up really is to say God is just. 54:27 God's given them all the opportunity to be saved. 54:30 God has demonstrated that He is loving. 54:34 People had access to the Word of God. 54:38 And God cannot allow sin to exist throughout eternity, 54:42 so He's going to get rid of it. 54:44 The fact is God getting rid of sin 54:47 is proof that God is a God of love. 54:49 He loves you too much 54:50 to let sin be with you through eternity 54:53 and He loves sinners too much to make them 54:55 miserable by dragging them to heaven a place 54:58 they would hate as long as time lasts. 55:02 Thank you. Great question. 55:05 Another Bible question, let's read it now. 55:07 This question says, 55:08 "How can rejecting the Holy Spirit 55:11 be worse than a sin like murder?" 55:13 Oh, let me tell you, 55:16 can you think of a person in the Bible 55:18 who is a murderer and has already gone to heaven? 55:23 Yes, you can, that person is Moses. 55:25 Moses murdered. 55:27 And then if you read in the Book of Jude, 55:30 you'll read in Jude 55:31 that there was a dispute about Moses' body 55:34 and Moses was specially resurrected 55:36 and Moses was taken to heaven. 55:37 How do we know that? 55:38 Because He appeared with Jesus 55:39 on the mountain of the transfiguration. 55:42 Moses died, saved, 55:45 in spite of the fact that he was a murderer. 55:49 The Apostle Paul if he wasn't a murderer himself 55:51 was plotting to murder an enabled murder 55:54 and unjustly dragged people to their murderous death. 55:57 Christians know this. And why did he do that? 56:00 Because he was motivated by a spirit 56:02 that was not the spirit of God, 56:03 but we know that he repented. 56:05 Will we see Paul in heaven? Yes, certainly. 56:08 He will come up in the resurrection, 56:10 a saved man, he will not be lost eternally. 56:16 So now when we consider our question, 56:18 it's important that we think about this. 56:21 Why is rejecting the Holy Spirit 56:24 worse even than murder? 56:26 Because murderers can repent. 56:28 I've met many murderers 56:31 who have repented of their sin and become children of God. 56:34 That happens, and thank God that God is that merciful. 56:38 Well, I'm not taking murder lightly, 56:40 it's a terrible sin. 56:42 But God, thank God, 56:44 He is able to forgive even a murderer. 56:47 Now when someone commits the unpardonable sin, 56:49 rejects the Holy Spirit of God, God can't forgive them, 56:53 because they're not acknowledging their sin 56:56 and confessing it before God, it could be anything. 56:59 When you refuse to yield something to God. 57:01 If a murderer says, I'm a murderer 57:03 and I'm so sorry, forgive me of my sin. 57:05 God can forgive that person. 57:07 But if someone says I'm selfish 57:08 and I want to be selfish, I'm dishonest, 57:11 and I want to keep being a thief, 57:12 I'm lustful and I want to keep committing adultery. 57:15 How can God forgive that? 57:17 So that rejection of the Holy Spirit 57:19 ends up being worse than, well, anything, 57:22 because anything can be forgiven 57:24 except a refusal to repent. 57:29 Thanks for your questions. 57:30 I have appreciated to having the opportunity to answer them. 57:34 God bless you tonight. |
Revised 2015-01-29