Well good morning and welcome
to 3ABN's Spring Camp Meeting.
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Are you enjoying it so far? Yes!
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Well I want to welcome
all of you that are here
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and what an incredible group
of people. What a good crowd.
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And I see smiles on your face...
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faces, so y'all are a happy
bunch of people this morning,
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too... happy in the Lord.
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And I want to welcome all
of you that are viewing us.
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Our viewers and our listeners.
You know, we have an audience
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on radio as well as
our television audience
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and also the Internet
and all of those other ways.
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It's just amazing. We can't
keep up with the technology
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that is putting 3ABN on
platforms all over the world.
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And so that is
an exciting thing.
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But this morning we
have Nathan Renner with us.
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And I wanted to tell you a
little... Actually, I wanted
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to tell you a lot about him,
but he is a very modest person.
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My bio on him is
only like two sentences.
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But I was in the
green room talking with him
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and something we already
know: he's been on 3ABN before.
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He's an incredible teacher.
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But what he has that
really impressed me is spark.
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He is excited,
and he has a passion
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for the things of the Lord.
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And I really am
looking forward to his sermon.
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He's the senior pastor
of the Sonora SDA Church,
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an instructor at ARISE
where he teaches classes
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on Romans, Revelation,
Bible Boot Camp, and evangelism.
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So this man has experience
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and he's got a passion
for the things of the Lord.
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But before he comes
we have Celestine Barry.
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Celestine, if you
would come on out, please.
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She's going to sing
one of my favorite songs:
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The Midnight Cry. Amen.
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I hear the sound
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of a mighty rushing wind.
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And it's closer now
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than it's ever been.
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I can almost hear the trumpet
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as Gabriel sounds
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the call.
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At the midnight cry
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we'll be going home.
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When Jesus steps out
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on a cloud to call His children,
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the dead in Christ will rise
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to meet Him in the air.
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And then those that remain
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will be quickly changed.
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At the midnight cry
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when Jesus comes again.
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I look around me
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and I see prophecy fulfilling.
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And the signs of the times
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are appearing everywhere.
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I can almost hear
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the Father
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say: "Son, go get My children. "
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At the midnight cry
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the bride of Christ will rise.
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When Jesus steps out
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on a cloud to call His children,
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the dead in Christ shall rise
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to meet Him in the air.
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And then those that remain
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will be
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quickly changed.
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At the midnight cry
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when Jesus comes again...
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At the midnight cry
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our Lord will come...
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He's coming soon...
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again.
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Amen!
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Thank you so much,
Celestine. That was beautiful!
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That was beautiful. Good
day to you 3ABN Camp Meeting!
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It's a joy to be
here with you today.
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I'd like to welcome also our
audience online and on the radio
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on the television.
Before we dive in, let's...
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let's pray together,
shall we? Let's bow our heads.
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Heavenly Father, we
thank you for this day of life.
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We thank you for Your goodness.
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We thank you for Your Word
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that teaches us
and nourishes us,
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protects us, and gives
us a great focus on Jesus.
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Lord, as we open the Word, we
pray that You would speak to us;
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that You would be our Teacher;
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that You would give us
deep and good understanding.
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And we thank you
in Jesus' name, Amen.
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Seven years ago
I took a vacation.
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and I went on that vacation
with a couple of family friends.
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And you may even
know some of these people.
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Have you ever heard
of David Asscherick?
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You know David Asscherick?
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OK. I know some people watch
3ABN. Maybe they've seen him
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a few times. So
David Asschericks' family,
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my family went on a
family vacation together.
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Also went on... and Scott
Moore was also on that trip,
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and you might also know
Scott Moore and his family.
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So it was the Asschericks,
the Renners, and the Moores
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and we went from Michigan
where we were living at the time
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to Wyoming. And we camped
along the North Platte River
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in Wyoming. Beautiful
place! Yeah, maybe you know it.
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And all three of us have
what's called a cataraft.
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It's like a white water raft
with two pontoons on each side
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or a pontoon on each side.
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So we had a cataraft...
each of us had a cataraft.
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Our families would ride
on the cataraft and then
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we would fish. And we practice
catch and release fishing.
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And so we were there camping
along the North Platte River,
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fishing that river,
floating that river,
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and just having the
absolute time of our lives.
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The first day we arrived
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we woke up after
camping that night.
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The next morning was
beautiful. Perfectly blue sky.
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Sunny,
glorious, perfect weather.
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We put our boats in the
water and we began to float.
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Now the river was
running pretty fast.
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It was running at about
14,000 cubic feet per second...
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which is a lot of water
down a medium-sized river.
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But it was safe,
and my son, actually,
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who was maybe 6 years
old at the time, was rowing.
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He was on the
sticks as we like to say.
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So he was in the oarsman's
seat and he was rowing.
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And he had been
rowing for some time.
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I was up in the front fishing,
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and we were just
having a great time.
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And Wyoming... You know,
they have a saying in Wyoming
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"If you don't like the
weather, wait five minutes. "
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And so... beauti... Do
they say that here in Illinois?
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They say that
everywhere, actually. Yeah.
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But it's
actually true in Wyoming.
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I'm telling you: Wyoming has
the fastest temperature changes,
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the fastest weather changes.
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It was blue sky and sunny
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and then literally
as if a switch flipped
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the wind was blowing
40, 45 miles an hour.
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I mean literally
just blue sky, sunshine,
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and then the switch
flips, the wind is blowing,
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And at that very
moment two rivers converged.
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Now this was our first
time floating this river
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so we didn't really know
what was going to be happening.
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So in an instant the
wind blows and at that moment
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two rivers converge. And
those two rivers converge
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at a giant bend in the river.
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Now if you've ever floated a
river you know that the bends
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are always where it gets scary
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because the water
pushes you into the corner.
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Now remember, who was rowing?
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Who was on the
sticks? My six-year-old son.
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There were 14,000 cu. ft. of
water ripping down that river
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and now the wind is
howling 40, 50 miles an hour.
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Well, I could immediately see
it was time for dad to get on
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the sticks. It was time for
dad to be in the oarsman's seat.
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So we were trying
to make that transition
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but before we
could make the transition
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the boat got pinned in
the corner against a tree
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that was leaning out
off the bank into the river.
00:12:00.85\00:12:04.82
And so now we've got
all of this water pushing
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against the side of our boat
that's pinned against this tree.
00:12:09.86\00:12:13.33
And we were tangled up
with fishing rods and dogs
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and two kids and wife, and
we're trying to switch spots
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so I can get us out.
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And I felt the
down-river side of the boat
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beginning to lift.
So before I could even
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say "Get on the high
side" literally the words
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"Get on the... " Those words
were coming out of my mouth
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and in just an instant
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the whole boat
flipped upside down.
00:12:45.73\00:12:49.06
Now I was on the high side.
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Because I was on the high side
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I bailed out
the back of the boat
00:12:54.70\00:12:56.71
and... and I was fine.
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But my family was now
trapped underneath our boat
00:13:01.18\00:13:06.65
in a river that's flowing
at 14,000 cu. ft. per second.
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And I start... I mean
obviously, I'm freaking.
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I'm... "Levi, Laurel. "
I'm just calling their names.
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I'm calling their names and
there is no Levi to be seen,
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there is no Laurel to be seen.
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There is no Becky to be seen.
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And then all of a
sudden... All of a sudden
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my son pops out
from underneath the boat.
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And I was completely relieved
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so I swam to him. I
grabbed him; I pulled him
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over to the boat. Now he and I
are there hanging onto the boat.
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And now I'm
screaming "Laurel, Becky. "
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And no Laurel and no Becky.
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"Laurel and Becky. "
I mean, I'm screaming.
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Still no Laurel; still no Becky.
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And for what
felt like an eternity
00:14:02.34\00:14:07.11
no Laurel, no Becky.
00:14:08.58\00:14:12.58
And then when it seemed
like it was just too long
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uh... I see my wife and
my daughter come out the side
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of the boat.
00:14:23.99\00:14:25.53
Now we were out in
the middle of nowhere.
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We were 10 miles from
a road... soaking wet.
00:14:31.27\00:14:34.97
So once my wife and
daughter are out, my son is out,
00:14:35.44\00:14:38.67
I swim to... I
let my son go. I said:
00:14:38.81\00:14:41.81
"He's a big boy; he can swim. "
00:14:41.98\00:14:43.95
I swam to my wife and
daughter. I grabbed my daughter.
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I swam her to shore. I
sat her down on the shore
00:14:48.35\00:14:50.52
and I said: "Sweetheart,
no matter what happens
00:14:50.65\00:14:52.62
don't move from
here. Do you understand? "
00:14:52.75\00:14:55.49
"Yes. " She was like four.
00:14:55.72\00:14:57.43
'Cause now remember
we are ten miles out
00:14:58.49\00:15:02.00
in the middle of
nowhere in Wyoming, right?
00:15:02.13\00:15:06.10
So now my wife
is swimming to Levi
00:15:06.37\00:15:10.61
to swim him to shore, and
what's happening with the boat?
00:15:10.74\00:15:13.88
It's floating
down the river, OK?
00:15:15.11\00:15:17.91
It's just going.
00:15:18.18\00:15:19.51
So now I swim
downstream as fast as I can...
00:15:19.75\00:15:23.92
as fast as I can, and
eventually I catch the boat.
00:15:24.05\00:15:27.56
And then I have to
swim the boat to shore,
00:15:27.89\00:15:31.23
drag it up on the shore. I
get my wife; I get my kids.
00:15:31.36\00:15:34.76
Our friends were
actually up ahead of us.
00:15:34.93\00:15:36.93
They were like:
"Where are the Renners at? "
00:15:37.17\00:15:39.73
And they pull off to the
shore and then they start hiking
00:15:39.87\00:15:42.37
upstream to find
out what's going on.
00:15:42.40\00:15:44.47
As soon as I got my wife,
my kids, and the boat to shore
00:15:45.64\00:15:48.98
you know what we
did? We sang the doxology.
00:15:49.11\00:15:52.81
Right? Praise God, from
whom all blessings flow.
00:15:53.05\00:15:57.59
Amen? Amen! My wife told me
00:15:57.82\00:16:01.29
when I said "Get on the
high side" and the boat flipped
00:16:01.42\00:16:05.39
when I said those words
she reached out and grabbed
00:16:05.63\00:16:08.73
my daughter.
When she grabbed her
00:16:08.76\00:16:12.03
she literally had
her with two fingers
00:16:12.17\00:16:16.47
pinching her shirt.
00:16:16.71\00:16:19.17
They're under the
water bouncing off rocks -
00:16:20.24\00:16:22.64
underneath the
boat bouncing off rocks
00:16:22.78\00:16:24.98
in the raging river - my
wife literally has a hold
00:16:25.11\00:16:28.52
of our two-year-old
daughter with two fingers.
00:16:28.65\00:16:31.49
She came up off the bottom
00:16:33.79\00:16:36.66
to come up and she hit the boat
00:16:36.69\00:16:41.03
and there was nowhere to go up
00:16:41.26\00:16:44.67
'cause in the boat
the boat has a flat deck
00:16:45.53\00:16:47.54
except for in the very center.
So she comes up, she hits...
00:16:47.57\00:16:51.31
There's no place to go
up, there's no place to get a
00:16:51.44\00:16:53.34
breath. Remember,
she's holding on my daughter.
00:16:53.38\00:16:56.01
She goes back
down; she comes back up
00:16:56.14\00:16:58.61
and this time she happens
to come up in the middle.
00:16:58.65\00:17:01.78
So she tilts her head
back; she gets a breath of air.
00:17:02.02\00:17:04.49
She's still just holding onto
the daughter by this. She goes
00:17:04.82\00:17:07.16
back under and she
then gets to the side
00:17:07.29\00:17:11.89
and is able to pull our
daughter out with two fingers.
00:17:12.13\00:17:15.50
Now, why do I
tell you this story?
00:17:17.07\00:17:20.97
The only reason we survived that
00:17:23.41\00:17:26.04
is because we were prepared.
00:17:26.37\00:17:28.91
You know how we were prepared?
00:17:30.38\00:17:32.15
We were all
wearing our life vests.
00:17:33.18\00:17:35.48
Here's the thing:
when you get on a boat
00:17:37.82\00:17:39.62
in a raging river
the question isn't
00:17:40.76\00:17:44.66
if the boat's going
to flip someday, right?
00:17:44.79\00:17:48.20
The question isn't if you're
going to have an adventure.
00:17:48.63\00:17:52.17
The question is when, right?
00:17:52.40\00:17:55.07
And because you know that
someday there's going to be
00:17:55.30\00:17:59.41
a problem of some sort
00:17:59.44\00:18:01.28
someday, you know...
Therefore, what do you do?
00:18:01.51\00:18:05.91
You get ready; you
wear your life jacket.
00:18:06.85\00:18:09.12
Can you say amen to that?
00:18:09.15\00:18:10.65
I'll tell you, there
has never been a day...
00:18:11.25\00:18:13.89
I mean - you know - I
think about this all the time.
00:18:14.02\00:18:16.12
I think: "I am so glad
I was wearing my jacket
00:18:16.16\00:18:18.69
and I'm so glad my kids
were wearing their jackets.
00:18:18.83\00:18:20.96
Now, if you have your Bible, go
with me to the book of Matthew.
00:18:21.16\00:18:24.77
Matthew chapter 24.
00:18:24.90\00:18:27.24
Matthew 24 is this
great chapter about the coming
00:18:28.20\00:18:31.31
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:18:31.34\00:18:33.01
And in Matthew chapter
24 Jesus makes an incredibly
00:18:33.81\00:18:37.65
important statement. It's
very short; it's very simple.
00:18:37.68\00:18:41.32
And Jesus says...
Matthew chapter 24,
00:18:41.65\00:18:44.55
we're going to look in verse 36.
00:18:44.59\00:18:46.19
Jesus makes an
incredible statement.
00:18:46.32\00:18:48.79
Matthew 24 verse 36
00:18:49.52\00:18:51.73
Jesus says: "Of
that day and hour
00:18:51.86\00:18:56.06
no one knows... not
even the angels of heaven
00:18:56.40\00:19:01.00
but My Father only. "
00:19:01.24\00:19:03.47
Now in Matthew 24 what
we're going to see as we
00:19:03.71\00:19:06.68
study through Matthew 24
and several other texts...
00:19:06.71\00:19:09.54
what we're going to see as
we study through these texts
00:19:09.68\00:19:11.75
is this: that Jesus'
coming - the day and the hour
00:19:11.78\00:19:15.68
of Jesus' coming - is
unknown and unknowable.
00:19:15.72\00:19:19.59
That is, nobody knows
it and nobody can know it.
00:19:19.92\00:19:22.92
The only person that
knows it is God the Father.
00:19:23.99\00:19:26.23
Jesus... In fact, look
at the text. The text says
00:19:26.36\00:19:28.20
that Jesus Himself
does not even know.
00:19:28.33\00:19:31.43
The angels don't know.
It's only the Father who knows
00:19:31.77\00:19:36.81
when His coming
was or is going to be.
00:19:36.94\00:19:40.88
Now, the purpose that
Jesus tells us... Jesus tells us
00:19:41.24\00:19:45.18
over and over again that nobody
knows when He's going to come.
00:19:45.21\00:19:48.85
It's not knowable, and
what Jesus is going to tell us
00:19:49.18\00:19:52.59
after this is this: "That's
why you need to be prepared
00:19:52.62\00:19:56.89
all the time. "
00:19:57.13\00:19:58.89
You cannot know when
Jesus is going to come
00:19:59.69\00:20:02.13
so you cannot put off
being prepared for another time.
00:20:02.36\00:20:07.17
You have to be
prepared all the time.
00:20:07.54\00:20:11.47
OK. Now, let's look...
Matthew 24 verse 36 it says:
00:20:11.71\00:20:15.98
"Of that day and hour
00:20:16.01\00:20:17.71
no one knows, not
even the angels of heaven
00:20:17.85\00:20:22.25
but My Father only. "
00:20:22.38\00:20:26.22
Now in the book of Deuteronomy,
00:20:26.49\00:20:30.63
the Bible says... and
you can go there, in fact.
00:20:30.66\00:20:32.36
Deuteronomy 29:29.
00:20:32.49\00:20:34.40
The Bible says: "The
things that are revealed
00:20:34.73\00:20:37.60
are for us and
for our children. "
00:20:37.73\00:20:43.07
Let's read it from the
beginning: "The secret things
00:20:46.21\00:20:48.31
belong to the Lord our God but
those things which are revealed
00:20:48.34\00:20:52.21
belong to us and to our
children... " For how long?
00:20:52.35\00:20:56.52
"forever... that we may do
all the words of this law. "
00:20:56.75\00:21:02.62
Now what Moses tells us
in the book of Deuteronomy is
00:21:02.89\00:21:05.96
something really important.
00:21:05.99\00:21:08.16
That the secret
things belong to God.
00:21:08.30\00:21:11.40
God is God. The Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit -
00:21:11.63\00:21:15.67
the Trinity - it's OK
for God to have secrets
00:21:15.80\00:21:21.01
inside the Trinity.
Can you say amen to that?
00:21:21.24\00:21:23.88
Right? So it's OK for God to
have secrets inside the Trinity.
00:21:24.68\00:21:28.75
And then it says that God
tells us what we need to know
00:21:28.88\00:21:33.15
in order to be
faithful followers of His.
00:21:33.29\00:21:36.96
Do you follow
that? Notice it says
00:21:37.19\00:21:39.16
"The secret things
belong to the Lord our God, but
00:21:39.29\00:21:41.33
the things which are revealed
belong to us and to our children
00:21:41.46\00:21:46.37
forever. " And
then it says this:
00:21:47.70\00:21:50.37
"that we may do all
the words of this law. "
00:21:50.41\00:21:54.71
So notice the idea here that God
tells us what we need to know
00:21:54.94\00:21:59.48
in order to be faithful obedient
followers of the true God.
00:21:59.61\00:22:03.08
Amen? So let's
just make this point:
00:22:03.42\00:22:06.62
knowing the day and the hour
would not help you spiritually.
00:22:06.76\00:22:11.29
Knowing the day and the
hour of the coming of the Lord
00:22:14.30\00:22:16.67
would not help you spiritually.
In fact, knowing the day
00:22:16.70\00:22:20.17
and the hour would actually be
a detriment to you spiritually
00:22:20.20\00:22:24.91
because it would cause
you to put off your necessary
00:22:25.14\00:22:28.54
preparation until a later hour.
00:22:28.58\00:22:31.21
So let's go back
to Matthew chapter 24.
00:22:31.85\00:22:34.05
Going back to Matthew 24...
00:22:34.28\00:22:36.58
So Jesus says in Matthew 24
00:22:36.82\00:22:39.32
that we cannot know
the day or the hour.
00:22:39.45\00:22:43.43
But Jesus actually
makes it really clear
00:22:44.06\00:22:47.93
in Matthew 24. We're
going to begin in verse 32
00:22:48.03\00:22:51.57
that though we cannot
know the day and the hour
00:22:51.80\00:22:55.30
we can know the season.
00:22:55.54\00:22:58.71
Matthew 24. Let's
pick it up in verse 32.
00:22:58.94\00:23:02.98
"Now learn this
parable from the fig tree.
00:23:05.01\00:23:08.45
When its branch has already
become tender and put forth
00:23:09.55\00:23:14.79
leaves you know
that summer is... " What?
00:23:14.82\00:23:18.86
"is near. "
00:23:19.09\00:23:21.43
I love that time of
the year, don't you?
00:23:21.66\00:23:23.77
Long, cold,
gray winter... right?
00:23:24.00\00:23:28.97
All of a sudden the trees just
have these tender little buds.
00:23:29.10\00:23:34.64
And isn't it the most
beautiful, most vibrant,
00:23:34.88\00:23:38.51
the brightest green? The first
shoots coming out of the tree...
00:23:38.55\00:23:43.59
the first buds? And
that's what Jesus says.
00:23:43.62\00:23:45.82
"The moment you start
seeing that green sprouting out
00:23:45.85\00:23:48.99
what do you know?
Summer is coming. "
00:23:49.22\00:23:52.09
I live in California. If
Jesus was telling this story
00:23:52.13\00:23:54.63
in California you
know what He would say?
00:23:54.66\00:23:56.60
"When the
dogwoods start to blossom
00:23:56.83\00:23:59.77
you know summer is coming. "
00:24:00.87\00:24:02.70
Verse 33: "So you also
when you see all these things
00:24:04.71\00:24:10.31
know that it is
near... at the doors. "
00:24:10.55\00:24:15.95
Now what Jesus has told us
earlier in the chapter, and I
00:24:17.25\00:24:20.69
want to take some time and
look at what Jesus has told us.
00:24:20.72\00:24:23.19
So what Jesus has said is: "You
can't know the day and the hour
00:24:23.53\00:24:26.36
but you can know the season.
It's like when summer is coming
00:24:26.49\00:24:29.96
and the trees
begin to blossom and bud
00:24:30.10\00:24:32.33
then you know summer
is coming. " Jesus says:
00:24:32.47\00:24:35.40
"I'm going to tell you some
signs. In fact, I have told you
00:24:35.54\00:24:38.24
some signs. And when you see
those signs, then you know...
00:24:38.37\00:24:42.04
then you know that
My coming is near. "
00:24:42.21\00:24:45.31
Can you know the
day and the hour? No.
00:24:45.45\00:24:47.12
You can't know that.
The angels don't know that;
00:24:47.15\00:24:48.98
Jesus didn't even know that when
He was here on planet earth.
00:24:49.02\00:24:51.89
So let's look. What
are some of those signs?
00:24:53.02\00:24:55.19
Look there... we're
going to look at verse 4.
00:24:55.32\00:25:01.26
Matthew 24...
Jesus tells us the signs
00:25:01.60\00:25:05.17
that indicate
what season we are in.
00:25:05.40\00:25:09.47
Matthew 24 verse 4:
00:25:10.01\00:25:12.04
"Jesus answered and said to them
00:25:12.27\00:25:14.11
'Take heed that no one
deceives you, for many will
00:25:14.24\00:25:17.18
come in My name
saying I am the Christ
00:25:17.31\00:25:20.48
and will deceive many.
00:25:20.72\00:25:23.75
And you will hear of
wars and rumors of wars.
00:25:24.02\00:25:27.09
See that you are not troubled
for all these things must come
00:25:27.22\00:25:30.63
to pass... ' Now notice
this next little phrase here.
00:25:30.66\00:25:33.50
What is the next phrase?
00:25:33.63\00:25:34.96
'but the end is not yet. ' "
00:25:35.10\00:25:39.40
Wow! Now what Jesus...
00:25:39.83\00:25:43.37
The disciples ask Jesus: "What
are the signs of Your coming? "
00:25:43.71\00:25:47.28
And Jesus says: "Well, you
guys are going to see people
00:25:47.41\00:25:50.51
claiming to be the Messiah.
00:25:50.55\00:25:51.68
You're going to
see false Christs.
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.01
They're going to
deceive lots of people.
00:25:53.55\00:25:56.12
You're going to hear
about wars and rumors of wars.
00:25:56.15\00:25:58.69
See that you are not troubled. "
00:25:59.12\00:26:01.12
Jesus says: "All these things
must come to pass, but the end
00:26:01.26\00:26:06.13
is not yet. "
00:26:06.26\00:26:09.73
So often as Christians while
we see wars and rumors of wars
00:26:10.57\00:26:14.90
and we think:
"Jesus is coming again! "
00:26:15.04\00:26:18.17
And what Jesus says is:
00:26:18.51\00:26:20.88
"Wars and rumors of wars...
00:26:21.01\00:26:22.91
don't get too
excited about that. "
00:26:23.04\00:26:25.58
Is that shocking? No.
00:26:28.52\00:26:31.92
Jesus says then: "For nation
will rise against nation... "
00:26:33.09\00:26:36.83
I'm in verse 7:
00:26:36.86\00:26:38.06
"kingdom against kingdom.
00:26:38.39\00:26:40.46
And there will be famines
and pestilence and earthquakes
00:26:40.70\00:26:44.63
in various places... " And
then notice what Jesus says:
00:26:44.77\00:26:49.07
"All these are the
beginning of sorrows. "
00:26:49.94\00:26:55.91
Really?
00:26:57.18\00:26:58.88
The disciples say:
"What are the signs?
00:26:59.21\00:27:01.38
What are the signs
that You're coming soon? "
00:27:01.42\00:27:03.22
Jesus says: "Wars,
rumors of wars, earthquakes,
00:27:03.35\00:27:06.45
famines, pestilence,
kingdoms against kingdoms,
00:27:06.49\00:27:09.22
nations against nations. These
things are just the beginning. "
00:27:09.36\00:27:13.93
Verse 9:
00:27:17.07\00:27:18.50
"Then they will deliver you
up to tribulation and kill you
00:27:21.57\00:27:25.07
and you will be hated by all
nations for My name's sake. "
00:27:25.31\00:27:29.84
Jesus says: "All right, you're
going to see wars, rumors of
00:27:32.18\00:27:34.48
wars, famines,
pestilence, all these things.
00:27:34.52\00:27:37.45
These are just the
beginnings of sorrows.
00:27:37.59\00:27:40.39
They're going to
deliver you up to tribulation.
00:27:40.76\00:27:44.26
There will be persecution
and you will be killed.
00:27:44.59\00:27:47.60
You will be hated by all
nations for My name's sake. "
00:27:47.86\00:27:51.17
Verse 10: "Then
many will be... " What?
00:27:51.40\00:27:54.84
"offended and will
betray one another. "
00:27:55.07\00:27:59.01
The word offend in the original,
it's related to the word
00:28:00.21\00:28:04.98
stumble. And so what Jesus
is saying is this. It's very
00:28:05.01\00:28:08.28
amazing: "Wars, rumors of
wars... don't get too worried
00:28:08.48\00:28:10.89
about that. Famines,
pestilence, earthquakes...
00:28:11.02\00:28:12.72
Yeah, the end is not yet.
That's just the beginning.
00:28:12.85\00:28:15.46
When they start
persecuting then you can know
00:28:15.59\00:28:18.73
you're getting close. "
00:28:18.86\00:28:20.33
And then it says:
"Then people will be offended
00:28:20.56\00:28:23.60
because of Me. " What
Jesus is saying there is
00:28:23.73\00:28:26.10
that believers -
professed believers -
00:28:26.33\00:28:29.97
are going to be
offended. And the word there...
00:28:30.01\00:28:32.47
It's the word stumble, and
so it's like let's say we're...
00:28:32.71\00:28:36.18
we're friends and
we're both Christians
00:28:36.21\00:28:38.11
and there's famines
and pestilence. OK, OK.
00:28:38.25\00:28:40.05
And now all of a
sudden there's persecution
00:28:40.18\00:28:42.02
and somebody starts to stumble.
00:28:42.15\00:28:44.09
That's what it means to say
people will become offended.
00:28:44.52\00:28:48.36
Believing people are
going to start stumbling
00:28:48.69\00:28:52.16
over the gospel
because of persecution.
00:28:52.33\00:28:55.73
That's what Jesus was saying.
00:28:55.86\00:28:57.80
And then they will
betray one another.
00:29:00.14\00:29:03.00
So Jesus is saying that
when times get really difficult
00:29:03.34\00:29:07.84
for us who confess Christ
00:29:07.88\00:29:11.18
when we start to betray...
when we start to stumble
00:29:11.31\00:29:15.68
because of Jesus,
we start to abandon...
00:29:15.82\00:29:18.69
People start to
abandon the faith
00:29:18.82\00:29:20.59
then those people
that abandon the faith
00:29:20.82\00:29:22.99
will begin to betray the people
they used to associate with.
00:29:23.12\00:29:27.36
"Then Jesus said:
'At that time... '
00:29:28.10\00:29:33.84
Verse 11: 'then many
false prophets will rise up. ' "
00:29:33.87\00:29:39.27
OK. So tribulation comes
and then people start to stumble
00:29:39.81\00:29:44.75
out of the Christian faith.
They begin to betray the true
00:29:44.88\00:29:48.28
Christians and then it
says that in that context
00:29:48.32\00:29:53.76
many false
prophets will then arise
00:29:53.89\00:29:57.09
and they will deceive many.
00:29:57.23\00:29:59.79
Verse 12: "And because
lawlessness will abound
00:30:03.13\00:30:07.57
the love of many
will grow cold. "
00:30:08.84\00:30:11.74
The focus of this
text is not the world.
00:30:13.27\00:30:15.48
The focus of this
text is the church.
00:30:15.61\00:30:17.58
So what Jesus is saying: "Yeah,
famines, pestilence, wars,
00:30:18.68\00:30:22.12
rumors of wars... don't
get too worked up about that.
00:30:22.25\00:30:24.72
The end is not yet.
When tribulation comes
00:30:24.75\00:30:27.69
for the people of God, then
you're getting a little closer.
00:30:27.82\00:30:30.49
When the tribulation
gets so intense so that people
00:30:30.83\00:30:33.86
are stumbling out
of the Christian faith,
00:30:34.00\00:30:35.90
then you know you've got
some serious issues going on.
00:30:36.06\00:30:39.70
Then those people that
stumble will begin to betray
00:30:39.93\00:30:42.57
and their love will grow cold
00:30:42.70\00:30:45.31
and then people will begin
to fail to endure to the end. "
00:30:45.64\00:30:51.55
Look at verse 13:
00:30:51.68\00:30:52.78
"He who endures to the end
shall be... " What? "saved. "
00:30:52.91\00:30:58.55
Verse 14 is the punch line
of this section of scripture
00:31:02.12\00:31:05.19
and verse 14 is actually
one of the most important
00:31:05.33\00:31:08.83
and powerful verses here.
"And this gospel of the kingdom
00:31:08.96\00:31:13.27
will be
preached in all the world
00:31:13.40\00:31:17.31
as a witness to all the nations
00:31:17.44\00:31:20.28
and then the end will come. "
00:31:20.41\00:31:24.75
You know what the real sign
that Jesus is coming soon is?
00:31:25.08\00:31:30.42
It's not wars.
It's not rumors of wars.
00:31:30.85\00:31:34.26
Those have been happening
for thousands of years.
00:31:34.49\00:31:36.96
Famines... pestilence?
00:31:37.29\00:31:39.09
That's been happening
for thousands of years.
00:31:39.33\00:31:41.70
Tribulation, persecution?
Yes, that's been happening.
00:31:42.76\00:31:45.77
It will intensify as we
get near to the end, but
00:31:46.80\00:31:49.57
the greatest sign of the
soon coming of our Savior
00:31:49.70\00:31:53.78
is the gospel being
preached to all the world.
00:31:54.11\00:31:58.28
Can you say amen to that? Amen!
00:31:58.31\00:32:00.25
Now what Jesus says
is: "You can't know the day
00:32:01.05\00:32:04.72
or the hour. " OK?
00:32:04.75\00:32:06.35
So if somebody comes
to you and says: "Jesus is
00:32:06.39\00:32:08.72
coming on such and such a
date such and such a time"
00:32:08.86\00:32:11.53
or even you
know... then you can know
00:32:11.66\00:32:14.66
that guy has not been reading
the Bible carefully enough.
00:32:14.83\00:32:18.27
But Jesus is pretty clear:
"Though you cannot know the day
00:32:20.80\00:32:24.07
and the hour you
can know the season. "
00:32:24.11\00:32:26.14
And the season where
Christ is soon to come
00:32:27.94\00:32:32.78
is the season where the gospel
is going to all the world.
00:32:33.11\00:32:37.52
The season where
Christ is soon to come
00:32:37.95\00:32:40.86
is the season where God's
people begin to be persecuted
00:32:40.99\00:32:44.79
and people begin
to betray one another.
00:32:44.93\00:32:48.13
Former believers begin
to stumble out of the faith
00:32:48.36\00:32:51.53
and then there is this
urgent call to God's people
00:32:51.67\00:32:55.17
to love and not become
lawless and to endure to the end
00:32:55.30\00:33:00.68
preaching and teaching
the gospel to all nations.
00:33:00.81\00:33:03.48
That is the sign
that we are in the season
00:33:03.71\00:33:07.95
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:33:08.18\00:33:10.45
Amen? Amen! By the
way, I would say that
00:33:10.69\00:33:14.09
we are in that season. Amen?
00:33:14.22\00:33:16.83
We are in that season.
Now, I am so encouraged
00:33:17.16\00:33:21.30
by the progress that the gospel
is making around the world.
00:33:21.53\00:33:26.27
Are you encouraged by that?
00:33:26.30\00:33:28.07
But is it possible that I
can be simultaneously encouraged
00:33:28.87\00:33:33.14
and discouraged
at the same time?
00:33:33.27\00:33:35.04
Absolutely.
00:33:36.71\00:33:38.28
OK. So in one sense
I'm totally encouraged.
00:33:38.31\00:33:42.52
I mean, look at what God
has done through ministries
00:33:42.65\00:33:44.55
like 3ABN. Right?
00:33:44.59\00:33:46.89
The good news of Jesus is
going all around the world
00:33:47.02\00:33:49.72
with great power through radio
and television and the Internet.
00:33:49.76\00:33:53.16
But there are
6,829 people groups
00:33:54.00\00:34:00.04
who have never
heard even the name Jesus.
00:34:00.17\00:34:04.71
Hard for you to
believe that, isn't it?
00:34:07.74\00:34:09.64
It's hard to believe that.
00:34:10.08\00:34:11.58
See, often as Seventh-
day Adventist Christians
00:34:11.71\00:34:14.88
we're patting ourselves on the
back because we've got a mission
00:34:14.92\00:34:18.42
in every part of the world.
We do! In almost every country
00:34:18.45\00:34:22.66
we are represented. The
problem is is that just because
00:34:22.79\00:34:25.93
you have a mission
office in Turkey doesn't mean
00:34:25.96\00:34:29.16
that anybody in
Turkey's ever really met Jesus
00:34:29.30\00:34:32.10
except for the one guy who
moved there to run the mission.
00:34:32.23\00:34:34.64
No offense, by the way, if
you run the mission in Turkey.
00:34:35.74\00:34:38.21
I'm not picking on you.
00:34:38.24\00:34:39.97
You follow that? Yes or no?
00:34:46.85\00:34:48.68
So you have a
country like Turkey
00:34:50.25\00:34:52.52
where there is less
than .01% of the population
00:34:52.85\00:34:56.86
that's Christian.
00:34:56.89\00:34:57.99
These people have no...
They're not going to tune in.
00:34:58.43\00:35:02.90
They don't know anything.
00:35:03.13\00:35:05.33
In fact, this
6,829 people groups
00:35:05.87\00:35:10.21
represent about
2.74 billion people.
00:35:10.34\00:35:16.38
So in one sense
we can be encouraged.
00:35:19.88\00:35:23.39
We don't know the day or
the hour. We can know the season
00:35:23.52\00:35:25.92
and the gospel is spreading
around the world in remarkable
00:35:25.95\00:35:29.02
ways, amen? And yet
there are 2,74 billion people
00:35:29.06\00:35:34.86
who need an opportunity.
00:35:35.00\00:35:37.27
If we want to be the
generation that sees Jesus come,
00:35:38.37\00:35:42.20
the mission work of this world
needs to be front and center
00:35:43.00\00:35:46.88
in our thinking. Amen?
00:35:47.01\00:35:48.74
Now, Jesus is clear. No
one knows the day or the hour.
00:35:49.08\00:35:54.08
Only the Father knows;
not even the angels know...
00:35:54.22\00:35:57.25
but we can know the season.
00:35:57.39\00:35:59.22
And when we see
famines and pestilence
00:35:59.25\00:36:00.99
we don't get too
worried. When we see...
00:36:01.02\00:36:02.69
I mean we get worried for
the people that are suffering.
00:36:02.82\00:36:05.09
We see earthquakes we
don't get worried Jesus is
00:36:05.23\00:36:07.66
coming soon. But
when we see persecution
00:36:07.73\00:36:10.53
and when we see the
gospel going around the world
00:36:10.67\00:36:13.17
then we get excited
because we know that we are in
00:36:13.30\00:36:17.67
the season when Jesus
is going to come. Amen?
00:36:17.71\00:36:21.98
Now let's look down
at Matthew chapter 24.
00:36:22.71\00:36:28.38
Matthew chapter 24.
00:36:28.85\00:36:30.99
And we're just going to
pick it up in verse 32 again.
00:36:33.15\00:36:37.36
We've read it already,
but let's read it again.
00:36:37.59\00:36:39.36
So Jesus says: "Learn
this parable from the fig tree.
00:36:39.69\00:36:42.83
When its branch is already
become tender and puts forth
00:36:43.16\00:36:48.24
leaves you know
summer is... " What? "near.
00:36:48.37\00:36:52.37
So you also, when you
see all these things... "
00:36:52.61\00:36:55.71
When you see the things that
Jesus has just talked about...
00:36:55.84\00:36:58.68
the tribulation, the
gospel going to the world.
00:36:59.01\00:37:02.12
When you see all of that:
"You can know that it is near,
00:37:02.25\00:37:05.42
at the doors. " Verse
34: "Assuredly I say to you
00:37:05.65\00:37:10.56
this generation
will by no means pass
00:37:10.89\00:37:14.13
till... " What?
"all things take place. "
00:37:14.30\00:37:18.73
You know what Jesus is saying?
00:37:18.97\00:37:20.24
The generation that experiences
the gospel going to the world
00:37:20.57\00:37:23.57
and the generation that
experiences the tribulation
00:37:23.81\00:37:28.64
that He has described
will be the generation
00:37:28.78\00:37:31.41
to see Jesus come again.
00:37:31.45\00:37:33.58
Now, Jesus then says in
verse 35: "Heaven and earth
00:37:34.22\00:37:38.39
will pass away but My... " What?
00:37:38.55\00:37:41.59
"words will never pass away.
00:37:41.72\00:37:44.09
But of that day and hour... "
00:37:44.43\00:37:47.60
Who knows? "no one knows.
00:37:47.73\00:37:50.93
"not even the angels of
heaven but My Father only. "
00:37:51.87\00:37:55.47
Now what Jesus begins to do
now is to illustrate this fact
00:37:55.60\00:37:59.34
that nobody knows
the day or the hour. OK?
00:37:59.37\00:38:01.98
How does Jesus
illustrate it? Verse 37:
00:38:02.14\00:38:03.91
"As the days of Noah were
so also will the coming of
00:38:04.05\00:38:08.22
the Son of Man be. For as
in the days before the flood
00:38:08.25\00:38:12.92
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage
00:38:13.05\00:38:15.99
until the day
Noah entered the ark. "
00:38:16.02\00:38:17.93
And notice it says, verse 39:
00:38:18.16\00:38:20.10
"And did not know until
the flood came and took them
00:38:20.23\00:38:24.33
all away. So also will the
coming of the Son of Man be. "
00:38:24.37\00:38:28.74
Now what I want you to
notice here, my friends: Jesus
00:38:29.17\00:38:31.24
starts in verse
36 "no one knows. "
00:38:31.37\00:38:34.31
Then He says: "It's going
to be like in the days of Noah.
00:38:34.48\00:38:36.78
People are eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage.
00:38:36.91\00:38:39.58
Things are going along, and they
didn't know until the flood came
00:38:39.71\00:38:44.52
and swept them away. "
00:38:44.65\00:38:46.19
And so, my friends, I
want you to think about this:
00:38:46.62\00:38:49.42
did Noah know the season
that the flood would come?
00:38:49.56\00:38:54.23
Yes or no? Of course he did.
00:38:54.36\00:38:56.16
God had him building
the ark. The ark gets built.
00:38:56.30\00:38:58.50
And OK, now the ark is built...
we know we're getting close.
00:38:58.73\00:39:02.37
In fact, interestingly enough
Methuselah died right around
00:39:02.90\00:39:06.27
that time. And you know the
name Methuselah: when he dies
00:39:06.31\00:39:09.78
it will come.
00:39:10.01\00:39:11.95
His name was a prophecy.
00:39:12.18\00:39:14.62
So Noah knew the season.
00:39:15.75\00:39:18.52
Noah knew the season, but he
didn't know the day or the hour.
00:39:18.85\00:39:21.32
Then God says: "All
right, Noah, get on the boat. "
00:39:21.76\00:39:24.29
All right. So
Noah gets on the boat.
00:39:24.43\00:39:26.63
Now how long's Noah on the boat
before the rain starts to fall?
00:39:26.86\00:39:29.56
Noah's on the boat seven days
before the rain starts to fall.
00:39:29.80\00:39:32.63
For those seven
days the people were like
00:39:32.87\00:39:35.00
"Noah built a boat on dry land.
00:39:35.24\00:39:39.77
Now he's in the boat on dry land
00:39:40.04\00:39:42.84
with the door closed
and all those animals.
00:39:42.88\00:39:45.28
Noah is mentally ill. "
00:39:45.61\00:39:48.55
All right. Isn't that
what everybody was saying?
00:39:49.78\00:39:52.49
No question. Everybody's
"Noah: he's mentally ill.
00:39:52.72\00:39:56.39
There's no question about it. "
00:39:56.42\00:39:58.99
And then the first pitter-patter
of rain began to fall.
00:39:59.33\00:40:05.30
And then the fountains of
the great earth broke forth
00:40:05.63\00:40:09.50
and swept them away.
00:40:09.74\00:40:13.88
And they were totally surprised.
00:40:14.31\00:40:18.18
Even though Noah had
been preaching for 120 years
00:40:18.55\00:40:22.95
they were still
completely surprised.
00:40:23.28\00:40:28.42
Jesus says no one
knows the day or the hour.
00:40:31.03\00:40:33.23
It's going to be
like in the days of Noah.
00:40:34.63\00:40:36.77
It's going to be a
shock to those who are lost.
00:40:36.90\00:40:41.50
Verse 40 He
illustrates it: "Two men will be
00:40:41.54\00:40:44.27
in the field. One will
be taken; the other left.
00:40:44.41\00:40:46.57
Two women will be
grinding at the mill...
00:40:46.71\00:40:48.44
one will be
taken; the other left.
00:40:48.58\00:40:51.35
Watch therefore... " Now
this is Jesus' punch line:
00:40:51.68\00:40:55.08
You know the
season; this is Matthew 24.
00:40:55.32\00:40:57.99
You know the season. You
don't know the day or the hour.
00:40:58.12\00:41:01.99
It's going to be
a complete surprise.
00:41:02.32\00:41:05.16
"Watch therefore... "
That's the punch line.
00:41:05.39\00:41:08.83
"Watch therefore
for you do not know
00:41:09.16\00:41:14.17
what hour your Lord is coming. "
00:41:14.40\00:41:18.14
My friends, really
what I want you to do
00:41:18.47\00:41:21.24
as a result of this sermon
is be vigilant in your life.
00:41:21.48\00:41:26.18
I want you to be a
vigilant, serious Christian
00:41:27.68\00:41:32.22
living before
Christ comes. Watch.
00:41:32.65\00:41:37.03
That His point:
"Watch... be vigilant. "
00:41:37.16\00:41:39.36
"Watch therefore for you do
not know what hour your Lord
00:41:40.00\00:41:44.10
is coming. "
Verse 43: "But know this
00:41:44.13\00:41:47.27
that if the master of the house
had known what hour the thief
00:41:48.67\00:41:53.17
would come he
would have... " What?
00:41:53.31\00:41:56.31
"he would have watched
and not allowed his house
00:41:56.64\00:42:00.05
to be broken into. " I
mean, wouldn't it be nice...
00:42:00.18\00:42:02.95
Wouldn't it be nice if the thief
before he's going to break into
00:42:03.08\00:42:05.65
your house texted
you ahead of time?
00:42:05.69\00:42:07.69
You know, like: "I'm
going to be there at midnight. "
00:42:07.92\00:42:10.36
"OK, I got your text. What are
you going to do at midnight? "
00:42:11.83\00:42:15.00
You're going to be there, right?
00:42:15.23\00:42:17.93
You're going to be there.
This is southern Illinois...
00:42:18.27\00:42:20.50
you might be there
with your shotgun, right?
00:42:20.64\00:42:23.47
So
00:42:26.91\00:42:28.18
Jesus says: "If you know
what time the thief is coming
00:42:32.45\00:42:37.15
you're going to be awake...
you're going to be watching...
00:42:37.29\00:42:40.39
you're going to be paying
attention. " But check this out:
00:42:40.62\00:42:43.89
But you don't know
what hour Jesus is coming
00:42:44.23\00:42:47.86
so you need to
stay awake all the time.
00:42:48.10\00:42:50.80
You follow that?
You need to be vigilant
00:42:51.03\00:42:54.84
all the time. In
other words, my friends,
00:42:54.97\00:42:57.64
there is no time where
you can say: "You know what?
00:42:57.77\00:43:00.68
Jesus isn't coming
for a few more years
00:43:01.01\00:43:04.31
so I'm going to just kind
of chill. I'm going to let my
00:43:04.45\00:43:06.85
spiritual guard down;
I'm going to just coast. "
00:43:06.88\00:43:09.22
Right?
00:43:09.45\00:43:10.55
Because the moment that you
begin to let your guard down
00:43:10.89\00:43:14.59
as a Christian, it's at that
moment that disaster's going to
00:43:14.62\00:43:18.39
strike in your life.
00:43:18.43\00:43:20.06
Jesus' point is He's
going to come like a thief.
00:43:20.30\00:43:24.30
Jesus is coming like a thief.
You don't know when He's coming
00:43:24.43\00:43:27.77
and so don't let your
guard down. Be a vigilant,
00:43:27.80\00:43:31.41
sober-minded Christian.
Not just when you think
00:43:31.54\00:43:35.71
Jesus is coming. You
need to be a vigilant
00:43:35.84\00:43:38.38
sober-minded
Christian right now.
00:43:38.51\00:43:41.52
Now in Matthew
chapter 24 verse 42
00:43:41.85\00:43:47.12
Jesus - or 43, excuse me -
Jesus uses this illustration
00:43:47.26\00:43:50.49
of a thief. Now, this
is actually a very common
00:43:50.63\00:43:55.50
metaphor that is
now picked up from Jesus
00:43:55.63\00:43:59.90
and used by other
authors in the New Testament
00:43:59.93\00:44:03.74
to describe the coming of Jesus.
00:44:03.87\00:44:06.01
This thief metaphor is
designed to let us know
00:44:06.14\00:44:09.68
we can't know the day
or the hour. That concept
00:44:09.81\00:44:12.88
became a very important theme
00:44:13.01\00:44:16.08
for other writers in
the New Testament. In fact,
00:44:16.22\00:44:18.85
it's used by 5 other
authors or in 5 other places.
00:44:18.99\00:44:23.32
And we don't have time
to look at all of them, but
00:44:24.23\00:44:26.36
let's go to I Thessalonians
5 where Paul uses it.
00:44:26.49\00:44:29.33
I Thessalonians 5...
00:44:29.56\00:44:31.77
I Thessalonians 5...
we'll start in verse 1.
00:44:43.08\00:44:47.28
"But concerning the
times and seasons... "
00:44:49.82\00:44:52.75
I Thessalonians 5
beginning in verse 1...
00:44:52.89\00:44:55.86
"But concerning the
times and seasons, brethren,
00:44:58.16\00:45:00.93
you have no need
that I should write
00:45:00.96\00:45:03.13
for you yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the
00:45:03.47\00:45:07.04
Lord comes as a... "
What? "thief in the night. "
00:45:07.07\00:45:10.67
Where did Paul get that?
He got that from the teachings
00:45:10.81\00:45:13.17
of Jesus. "When they
say 'peace and safety'
00:45:13.31\00:45:18.01
then sudden
destruction comes upon them
00:45:18.05\00:45:20.28
as labor pains
upon a pregnant woman
00:45:20.42\00:45:22.98
and they shall not escape.
00:45:23.12\00:45:24.72
But you, brethren, are not
in darkness so that this day
00:45:24.95\00:45:29.19
should overtake
you as a... " What?
00:45:29.32\00:45:32.23
OK, now what is
Jesus saying here?
00:45:32.46\00:45:34.60
Jesus is saying that
those who don't follow Jesus,
00:45:34.83\00:45:39.67
those people, the
day of Jesus' coming
00:45:39.70\00:45:42.40
is going to burst on them like
a complete and total surprise.
00:45:42.44\00:45:46.94
But then he says: "But the
day is not going to come on you
00:45:48.81\00:45:52.15
like a thief. " Why? 'Cause
we're going to stay awake.
00:45:52.28\00:45:57.29
Amen? We're going to stay awake.
00:45:57.42\00:46:00.16
We're going to stay vigilant;
we are going to pay attention.
00:46:00.19\00:46:03.69
You know what we're going to do?
00:46:03.73\00:46:04.99
We're going to make sure
to have our life jacket on.
00:46:05.73\00:46:07.96
Amen? We're going to
keep our life jacket.
00:46:08.40\00:46:11.93
We're not going to: "Oh, you
know, the river's nice and calm.
00:46:12.07\00:46:14.10
There's no reason to
keep... Let's just relax,
00:46:14.14\00:46:16.64
take our
jackets off. We're OK. "
00:46:16.67\00:46:18.94
He said: "No! That day is
not going to come on you like
00:46:19.37\00:46:24.28
a thief. "
Notice what Paul says:
00:46:24.31\00:46:26.41
Verse 5: "You
are sons of the light
00:46:26.55\00:46:29.65
and sons of the day.
We are not of the night
00:46:29.78\00:46:35.26
nor of the darkness.
Therefore let us not sleep
00:46:35.39\00:46:38.43
as others do, but let
us watch and be sober.
00:46:38.56\00:46:44.40
For those who
sleep sleep at night,
00:46:48.17\00:46:50.61
and those who get
drunk are drunk at night.
00:46:50.74\00:46:53.51
But let us who are
of the day be sober
00:46:53.74\00:46:56.68
putting on the
breastplate of faith
00:46:56.71\00:46:58.71
and love and as a
helmet the hope of salvation.
00:46:58.75\00:47:03.39
For God did not appoint
us to wrath but to obtain
00:47:04.35\00:47:07.49
salvation through
our Lord Jesus Christ:
00:47:07.52\00:47:09.86
He who died for us
that whether we are
00:47:10.09\00:47:12.66
awake or asleep... " Now
that means alive or dead.
00:47:12.79\00:47:15.86
"we should live together
with Him. Therefore comfort one
00:47:16.00\00:47:20.07
another and edify one another
just as you also are doing. "
00:47:20.10\00:47:25.21
You follow what Paul is
saying? What Paul is saying here
00:47:25.44\00:47:27.88
is something really
simple. Jesus' coming...
00:47:27.91\00:47:31.01
nobody knows the day,
nobody knows the hour.
00:47:31.15\00:47:34.12
For the wicked it's going to be
a complete and total surprise.
00:47:34.35\00:47:38.25
When they're saying
"peace and safety; everything is
00:47:38.39\00:47:41.32
great, " it's at that
moment that sudden destruction
00:47:41.36\00:47:44.06
comes. But for us, it's not
going to be a total surprise
00:47:44.09\00:47:47.20
because we are not
getting drunk. We are sober.
00:47:47.40\00:47:50.27
We're awake;
we're paying attention.
00:47:50.53\00:47:53.44
And what we're doing is this:
00:47:53.67\00:47:56.77
and I like what he says
at the end. He says that we
00:47:56.81\00:47:59.77
should comfort one
another and edify each other.
00:47:59.81\00:48:05.85
So... what do we do
as we're staying awake?
00:48:06.61\00:48:09.72
We are awake looking
for the coming of our Lord
00:48:10.62\00:48:14.09
and we are
encouraging each other.
00:48:14.32\00:48:17.33
Amen? Now, go with me
00:48:17.56\00:48:23.53
to Revelation 16. I
want you to see the very
00:48:23.67\00:48:27.67
last time that Jesus says
00:48:27.80\00:48:33.34
that He's coming like a thief.
00:48:33.48\00:48:36.21
It's the last time.
00:48:36.44\00:48:39.15
It's Revelation 16 verse 15.
00:48:39.38\00:48:43.02
I actually find this to
be a very interesting text.
00:48:45.02\00:48:49.06
I mean shockingly interesting.
00:48:49.09\00:48:51.46
Now Revelation 16 is
the section of scripture
00:48:52.39\00:48:56.73
that deals with what is referred
to as the seven last plagues.
00:48:56.77\00:49:01.67
OK. Now, the name
seven last plagues
00:49:02.00\00:49:06.21
means that they are the
very last judgment of God
00:49:06.34\00:49:10.45
to fall on the earth. OK?
00:49:10.58\00:49:12.48
And there are
seven of these plagues.
00:49:12.71\00:49:14.55
And just to give you an idea,
the first one is terrible sores
00:49:14.98\00:49:19.69
on people's
bodies. The second one
00:49:19.72\00:49:21.86
is the sea turns to blood.
00:49:21.99\00:49:23.99
The third one is the
rivers turn to blood.
00:49:24.13\00:49:26.23
The fourth one is
the sun scorches people.
00:49:26.46\00:49:29.46
The fifth one is
darkness covers the earth
00:49:29.50\00:49:32.23
and people are in pain.
00:49:32.27\00:49:34.00
Now, do those seem really
dramatic and obvious? Yes or no?
00:49:34.17\00:49:38.47
I'd say if that was happening
00:49:39.17\00:49:41.58
we would all be pretty clear:
00:49:41.71\00:49:44.18
"OK, we've got the
seven last plagues going on. "
00:49:44.31\00:49:46.82
Right? Right? Yeah?
I mean you pickin' up?
00:49:47.52\00:49:50.99
She's picking up
what I'm laying down.
00:49:51.02\00:49:52.75
Look in verse... Then
you get the sixth plague, OK?
00:49:54.02\00:49:59.09
Now notice what Jesus says
in the midst of the 6th plague:
00:49:59.53\00:50:04.07
"Behold... " I'm in verse 15.
00:50:06.20\00:50:08.67
"Behold I'm
coming as a... " What?
00:50:08.80\00:50:13.27
"thief. " Are you kidding me?
00:50:13.31\00:50:16.01
I mean, people
are covered in sores.
00:50:17.28\00:50:20.25
The sea has turned to blood...
the waters have turned to blood.
00:50:20.38\00:50:24.69
People are being
scorched by the sun.
00:50:24.82\00:50:26.86
Darkness descends and people
are in tremendous pain, and
00:50:26.99\00:50:30.49
then it says in the 6th plague:
"I'm coming like a thief. "
00:50:30.53\00:50:35.33
My friends, could it be...
00:50:38.50\00:50:41.17
Could it be that
though we can know the season
00:50:41.30\00:50:45.27
right? Could it be that
though we can know the season
00:50:45.51\00:50:51.28
we even will be shocked
00:50:51.51\00:50:54.75
by the rapidity of
the final movements?
00:50:54.98\00:50:58.39
Notice what it goes on to say.
00:50:59.62\00:51:02.22
"Behold I'm coming as a
thief. Blessed is he who watches
00:51:03.36\00:51:08.06
and... " What? "keeps his
garments lest he walk naked
00:51:08.20\00:51:13.60
and they see
his... " What? "shame. "
00:51:13.74\00:51:18.07
In ancient times
there was a group of people
00:51:18.71\00:51:23.68
whose job it was
to be the policemen
00:51:23.81\00:51:26.48
for the sanctuary.
00:51:26.61\00:51:28.75
That was their job.
00:51:30.19\00:51:31.72
And we have ancient
Jewish documents that say
00:51:32.52\00:51:36.06
if one of those guys was
found sleeping on the job
00:51:36.19\00:51:39.03
they took his clothes away.
00:51:39.26\00:51:41.16
Now I don't know about
you but that would motivate me
00:51:45.33\00:51:47.20
to like not fall
asleep at 2 in the morning.
00:51:47.24\00:51:49.90
Amen? Amen!
00:51:50.14\00:51:52.47
I don't want to be the guy that
has to walk through Jerusalem
00:51:52.71\00:51:56.18
naked. You get home... You
know, you knock on your door...
00:51:56.61\00:52:00.62
You come home; your
wife and kids are there.
00:52:00.65\00:52:02.65
They're like:
"Dad, what's going on? "
00:52:02.78\00:52:05.05
"Oh, I fell asleep
at work last night. "
00:52:05.49\00:52:08.19
You want to be that guy?
00:52:08.56\00:52:10.39
I don't want to be that guy.
00:52:10.63\00:52:12.19
Now check this out:
00:52:13.43\00:52:15.23
at the very end of time
00:52:16.73\00:52:19.50
five of the seven
last plagues have fallen.
00:52:21.14\00:52:24.17
It should be so obvious.
00:52:24.31\00:52:27.48
And you know what Jesus says?
00:52:27.81\00:52:29.98
"Even at the very end
you can go to sleep. "
00:52:30.61\00:52:34.32
Even when it appears com-
pletely and totally obvious
00:52:35.62\00:52:39.75
you could still fall asleep.
00:52:40.86\00:52:44.79
Stay awake. Amen? Stay awake.
00:52:45.73\00:52:49.23
Go with me... Luke 12.
00:52:49.46\00:52:50.83
I'm going to wrap
this up in Luke 12.
00:52:50.97\00:52:52.47
Same story... Or
excuse me... not Luke 12.
00:52:52.70\00:52:55.27
I'm going to go to
Luke 21. Go to Luke 21.
00:52:55.30\00:52:57.77
It's the same story; it's
the fig tree illustration.
00:52:59.14\00:53:02.51
Luke 21... but
Luke adds something
00:53:02.78\00:53:05.15
and I want you to
see what Luke adds.
00:53:07.78\00:53:11.19
Luke 21, we're
going to look in verse 29.
00:53:15.22\00:53:17.43
"Jesus spoke to them a parable:
00:53:24.13\00:53:27.47
'Look at the fig
tree and all the trees. "
00:53:27.70\00:53:30.67
I like that. Luke was
writing to the Gentiles.
00:53:31.04\00:53:33.74
He knew that his book
would go all over the world...
00:53:33.98\00:53:36.04
maybe even places
without fig trees.
00:53:36.08\00:53:38.15
Right? Matthew was
writing to the Jews
00:53:38.38\00:53:40.65
so when Matthew writes to
the Jews what does he say?
00:53:40.78\00:53:42.88
"The fig tree" because Matthew
is the gospel for the Jews.
00:53:43.12\00:53:46.32
Luke is for the Gentiles.
00:53:46.55\00:53:47.69
There might not be fig trees
everywhere, so Luke expands it
00:53:47.82\00:53:50.16
a little bit.
"Look at the fig tree.
00:53:50.19\00:53:51.56
Actually, look at
all the trees... "
00:53:51.59\00:53:53.70
Amen?
00:53:53.93\00:53:55.10
"and see and know for yourselves
that summer is now near.
00:53:55.46\00:53:59.87
So you also when you see
all these things happening,
00:54:00.37\00:54:03.67
all the signs, know
the kingdom of God is near.
00:54:03.71\00:54:06.64
Assuredly I say to you
this generation will by no means
00:54:07.08\00:54:09.98
pass till all
things take place. "
00:54:10.11\00:54:11.51
Verse 33: "Heaven and
earth will pass away; My words
00:54:11.65\00:54:13.82
will by no means pass away. "
00:54:13.85\00:54:17.29
Verse 34: "But take
heed to yourselves... "
00:54:17.52\00:54:21.89
OK? This is the
last exhortation for us.
00:54:22.89\00:54:26.90
"take heed to yourself
lest your hearts be weighed down
00:54:28.40\00:54:32.33
with carousing, drunkenness,
00:54:32.57\00:54:37.04
and cares of this life
00:54:37.27\00:54:39.44
that that day will come upon
you... " How? "unexpectedly. "
00:54:40.34\00:54:46.15
"For it will come as a snare. "
00:54:49.55\00:54:51.79
Now I don't know if you've
ever seen an animal caught
00:54:51.92\00:54:53.79
in a snare? It's just going
along just fine and then ching.
00:54:53.82\00:54:58.06
Completely out of
nowhere snapped up.
00:54:58.39\00:55:01.26
"It will come as a snare
on those who dwell on the face
00:55:03.33\00:55:06.27
of the whole earth. " Verse 36:
00:55:06.30\00:55:08.57
"Watch therefore
and... " What? "pray always. "
00:55:08.90\00:55:14.61
Now my translation - I'm
reading the New King James -
00:55:15.84\00:55:18.11
says "that you may be
counted worthy to escape. "
00:55:18.15\00:55:21.28
Many of the other translations
say "that you may have the
00:55:21.72\00:55:25.62
strength to escape. "
00:55:25.75\00:55:28.99
In fact, you check the
margin in your New King James.
00:55:30.23\00:55:32.46
It says: "that you may
have the strength to escape
00:55:32.59\00:55:37.10
all these things that
will come to pass and to stand
00:55:38.53\00:55:43.00
before the Father. "
00:55:43.27\00:55:44.51
My friends, we want to
be ready when Jesus comes.
00:55:45.71\00:55:50.18
Amen? And if we want to
be ready when Jesus comes
00:55:50.41\00:55:54.18
we have to stay awake.
We have to keep watching
00:55:54.32\00:55:56.18
because no one knows
the day or the hour...
00:55:56.32\00:55:58.39
so there's no time we can
go on a spiritual vacation.
00:55:58.52\00:56:01.32
We need to stay awake.
We need to stay vigilant.
00:56:01.56\00:56:03.99
And Jesus tells us
through Luke how to do that.
00:56:04.13\00:56:08.10
How do we do that?
We watch and we pray.
00:56:08.23\00:56:11.97
And as we watch and pray
we find strength from God.
00:56:12.10\00:56:16.87
Amen? When we watch and pray
00:56:17.01\00:56:20.54
we find strength from
God that we may escape
00:56:20.68\00:56:24.18
through these
things. And then it says
00:56:24.21\00:56:26.68
"and stand before Christ. "
00:56:26.82\00:56:29.78
Amen? The day's
going to be a surprise.
00:56:30.02\00:56:34.09
You don't want
to be caught naked.
00:56:34.32\00:56:36.79
Amen? You don't want to
be found sleeping on the job.
00:56:37.03\00:56:40.30
You don't want to be
caught in this unexpected coming
00:56:40.53\00:56:44.23
of Christ. You
want to watch and pray
00:56:44.27\00:56:48.14
and find strength from
your relationship with Christ
00:56:48.27\00:56:51.47
so that you will be able to
stand on that last great day.
00:56:51.71\00:56:55.28
Let's bow our heads together.
00:56:55.61\00:56:57.91
Heavenly Father, that
day could come unexpectedly
00:57:00.32\00:57:05.29
for any one of us.
00:57:05.42\00:57:07.32
It would be easy for
us to lose our footing.
00:57:08.42\00:57:12.39
It would be easy
for us to fall asleep.
00:57:12.56\00:57:16.03
It would be completely possible
00:57:17.03\00:57:20.74
for us to be among those who
get caught sleeping on the job.
00:57:21.00\00:57:26.51
Please Lord... keep us safe,
Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:57:26.64\00:57:31.28