Hello and welcome to
3ABN's 2014 Spring Camp Meeting.
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This is another one
of our big-themed events
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and the whole weekend we are
talking about the second coming
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of Jesus Christ. I can't
think of anything more important
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to talk about.
And we're very excited
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to have all of you here.
And I just want to say to you
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good morning. And we are
just hopeful that you are ready.
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I know you had your
cups filled yesterday,
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but we're hopeful that
you've got a little more room
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'cause we've got a
lot more that's coming.
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This morning we are
going to have James Rafferty
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as our speaker. And James
is the speaker and co-director
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of Light Bearers Ministry.
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I'll bet you all
are familiar with him.
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Have you seen their new
program that James and Ty
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and the ministry is
doing called Table Talk?
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It is one of the
favorites for most people.
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We get lots of
wonderful comments on that.
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James also has a
program on Books of the Book.
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But James early on
recognized the call
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of God on his life
to go out and preach
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the good news of
Christ crucified, of the risen
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and exalted Savior.
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And he has had the opportunity
- I'm going to read this -
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he has been sharing the
incomparable love of Jesus
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in Africa, Asia, Europe,
the Middle East, Australia,
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and all over America.
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And in addition to his preaching
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he also does seminars on the
books of Daniel and Revelation.
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So we're very very
excited. His message today
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will be The Apparent Delay.
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But first we're going
to have Celestine Barry
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and her husband Michael come.
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Michael is so talented on
the piano, and Celestine is
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an anointed singer. And
she's going to be singing
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The Power of the Cross.
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Oh to see the dawn
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of the darkest day
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Christ on the road to
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Calvary
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tried by sinful men,
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torn and beaten then
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nailed to a cross of wood
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This the pow'r
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of the cross
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Christ became
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sin for us
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took the blame,
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bore the wrath
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we stand forgiven
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at the cross
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Oh, to see the pain
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written on Your face
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bearing the awesome
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weight of sin
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every bitter thought,
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every evil deed
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crowning Your bloodstained brow
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This the pow'r
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of the cross
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Christ became
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sin for us
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took the blame,
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bore the wrath
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we stand forgiven
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at the cross
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Now the daylight flees
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Now the ground beneath
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quakes as its Maker
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bows His head
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curtain torn in two
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dead are raised to life
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"finished"
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the victory cry
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This the pow'r
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of the cross
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Christ became
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sin for us
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took the blame,
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bore the wrath
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we stand forgiven
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at that cross
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Oh, to see my name
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written in the wounds
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for through Your suffering
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I am free
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death is crushed to death
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life is mine to live
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won through Your selfless love
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This the pow'r
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of the cross
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Son of God
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slain for us
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what a love,
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what a cost
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We stand forgiven at
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the cross...
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at the cross.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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I'm assuming that you're
clapping because I'm here...
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not because of anything else.
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But you understand that
it's important for a preacher
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to have a good
illustration for his sermon...
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especially one that is somewhat
relaxing to the audience
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and gets us ready
for... Let's open our Bibles
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to II Peter
chapter 3 as we begin.
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I've heard some very good
reports about Camp Meeting
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so far, and I'm very blessed
to be part of this opportunity
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to look into one of
the most fundamental
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truths of the
Bible: the second coming.
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And of course, my
presentation this morning -
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the time that we're going
to be spending this morning
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in the Word of God - has
to do with the apparent delay.
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And there's different ways that
you can interpret that title.
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I didn't choose the
title... it was given to me.
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But one of the ways that
we can understand that title
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is the apparent delay.
It's not really a delay,
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it's just an apparent delay.
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And I think that that's
part of what I'm going to try to
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emphasize here as we look
into these Bible verses that
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talk about the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
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Because I believe that
God's purposes know no haste
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and no delay.
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Those are His purposes.
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And so we need to ask the
question in the context of that:
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what are His purposes
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as they relate to the
second coming of Jesus Christ?
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I'd like to just pause
for another moment and have
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another word of prayer
with you as we open God's Word.
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Father, we're just
thankful this morning
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for the
opportunity to open Your Word.
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We want to pause and just
ask for the blessing of Your
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Holy Spirit. You have promised
that to us, each one of us
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individually and perhaps
even more so to us collectively
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as we draw
together and seek to study.
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Father, we just want to
pray that our hearts, our minds
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will be in tune with heaven.
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That we will give Your
Holy Spirit an opportunity
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to teach us. I pray
personally and individually
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that You will
cleanse my heart, my thoughts
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that I will be a channel
just to communicate Your truth,
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Your Word. And I pray these
things in Jesus' name, Amen.
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II Peter chapter 3
beginning with verse 1:
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"This second epistle,
beloved, I now write unto you
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in both which I
stir up your pure minds
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by way of remembrance.
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That ye... " verse 2...
"may be mindful of the words
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which were spoken
before by the holy prophets
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and the
commandment of us, the apostles
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of the Lord and Savior. "
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Verse 3... II Peter 3:
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"Knowing this first that there
shall come in the last days... "
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Do you believe we're
living in the last days? Amen!
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So we're going to now
find out what the Bible says
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is going to come in the last
days that would be an indication
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or confirmation that
we're living in the last days.
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The first word here that we
read is that there will come
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in the last days "scoffers
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walking after their own lusts
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and saying... " verse 4...
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"where is the
promise of His coming?
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For since the
fathers fell asleep
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all things continue as
they were from the beginning
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of the creation. "
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Where is the
promise of His coming?
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And it indicates in
this verse and in the context
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of this second epistle of Peter
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it indicates that
these people are somewhat
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believers or
Christians or followers
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because they're
calling it a promise.
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And in the context of
this Peter warns about
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those who are
departing from the faith.
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Who are turning from the
holy commandment once delivered
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unto them. Who have
known the Lord but have
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turned away from the
power of His salvation.
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From the grace of God.
That's the context of II Peter.
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And then he goes on to
say this, verse 5: "For this
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they willingly are ignorant of
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that by the Word of
God the heavens were of old
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and the earth standing out
of the water and in the water. "
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And I would just want to
summarize there that they're
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willingly ignorant of
this one thing, and that is
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the Word of God.
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The Word of God.
That's going to be our focus
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for understanding
the apparent delay.
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There are a number of
prophecies in the Bible
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that talk about or predict
or point to the second coming
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of Jesus Christ. It seems as
though every writer of the Bible
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has a little something to
give us about the second coming
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of Jesus. I think
we're very familiar, perhaps,
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with the book of Revelation.
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That is the inspired
writings that were given to John
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about the second
coming of Jesus Christ...
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about prophecy
and end-time events.
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But John was not the only
apostle, not the only disciple
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that wrote about
the second coming.
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Matthew had a whole chapter
in Matthew 24 about the second
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coming of Jesus. Mark
also had a whole chapter
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that was designated in Mark 13.
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And Luke wasn't
left out of the picture.
00:14:02.07\00:14:04.31
He had an entire
chapter in Luke 21.
00:14:04.44\00:14:06.54
And we find Paul
talking about the second coming
00:14:06.98\00:14:11.18
in II Thessalonians chapter 2.
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And each one of these
writers was inspired to give us
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a little something that
helps us to answer the question
00:14:18.32\00:14:21.89
why the apparent delay.
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The one I want to look at
first... because we're actually
00:14:24.86\00:14:27.00
going to conclude with
II Peter... is found in
00:14:27.03\00:14:29.00
Matthew 24. And it's not
going to be much different
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from Mark 13 or from Luke 21.
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All of these eschatological
00:14:36.77\00:14:40.98
or end-time event
chapters are very similar.
00:14:41.01\00:14:44.61
Some of them have a
little bit of detail that isn't
00:14:44.75\00:14:46.75
in the other, but
we'll look at Matthew 24
00:14:46.78\00:14:48.68
just to understand this
one reason or this one point
00:14:48.92\00:14:51.69
that's being
made here in Matthew.
00:14:51.72\00:14:53.52
You may be familiar
with the fact that Matthew 24
00:14:54.49\00:14:57.59
gives us a layout of
events that were to take place
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prior to the destruction
of Jerusalem and then repeated
00:15:00.93\00:15:05.50
prior to the second
coming of Jesus Christ
00:15:05.83\00:15:08.40
at the end of the world. It's
what we call a dual prophecy.
00:15:08.44\00:15:12.34
Now we don't see that in Daniel;
we don't see that in Revelation.
00:15:12.67\00:15:15.71
It's unique to Matthew
and Mark 13 and Luke 21.
00:15:15.74\00:15:19.25
Because the disciples asked
Jesus: "What will be the end
00:15:19.58\00:15:22.42
of these things? " The temple,
where not one stone would be
00:15:22.45\00:15:25.99
left upon another...
"and the sign of Your coming
00:15:26.02\00:15:29.26
and the end of the world? "
And so Jesus mixes the events.
00:15:29.29\00:15:32.63
Mixes the signs that
lead to both of the events.
00:15:32.76\00:15:35.46
He mixes them together,
and so when we read Matthew 24
00:15:35.50\00:15:38.30
we see... we know...
that all of these signs
00:15:38.33\00:15:41.17
in the first few verses leading
up to verse 14 and onward
00:15:41.30\00:15:45.24
all of them were fulfilled
just before the destruction
00:15:45.37\00:15:48.58
of Jerusalem and
they will be repeated
00:15:48.61\00:15:52.28
just before the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:15:52.51\00:15:54.78
But there's one sign
that I want you to look at
00:15:55.12\00:15:56.75
with me specifically, and
this sign is found in verse 14.
00:15:56.89\00:16:02.06
It answers the
question more directly:
00:16:02.29\00:16:03.99
Why the apparent delay?
00:16:04.23\00:16:06.80
Verse 14: "And this gospel
of the kingdom shall be preached
00:16:07.03\00:16:11.57
in all the world for a
witness unto all nations
00:16:11.70\00:16:15.80
and then shall... "
What? "the end come. "
00:16:15.94\00:16:18.84
Why the apparent delay?
Because according to Matthew 24
00:16:19.07\00:16:22.21
and verse 14 the gospel hasn't
been preached in all the world
00:16:22.24\00:16:26.05
for a witness unto all nations.
00:16:26.38\00:16:30.79
If you were to take all
of the signs in Matthew 24
00:16:31.52\00:16:34.12
and put them on
one side of a scale...
00:16:34.16\00:16:35.72
The wars and rumors of
wars... we've seen that.
00:16:36.06\00:16:38.43
Nation rising against nation.
00:16:38.56\00:16:40.50
Famines, pestilence, natural
disasters like earthquakes
00:16:40.83\00:16:43.60
in different places... If you
were to put all of those signs
00:16:43.63\00:16:46.07
on one side of the scale
and you would put one sign -
00:16:46.10\00:16:49.97
the one sign in
Matthew 24 and verse 14,
00:16:50.11\00:16:52.67
the gospel being preached
as a witness to all nations -
00:16:52.91\00:16:55.51
on the other side of the scale,
00:16:55.64\00:16:56.91
you know what would
happen to that scale?
00:16:57.15\00:16:58.68
It would tip this way.
00:16:59.01\00:17:01.05
Because this one sign
in Matthew 24 and verse 14
00:17:01.38\00:17:04.89
outweighs all the others.
00:17:05.02\00:17:06.39
All of these other signs can be
fulfilled, but if this one sign
00:17:07.49\00:17:10.89
isn't fulfilled... guess what?
00:17:10.93\00:17:12.89
Jesus is not coming.
00:17:13.13\00:17:15.60
Why? We're going to see this
more when we look at II Peter -
00:17:16.67\00:17:22.00
when we go back to II
Peter - but I'll just tell you
00:17:22.14\00:17:24.34
that one of the reasons why
- probably the most important
00:17:24.37\00:17:26.47
reason why - is
because God doesn't want anyone
00:17:26.51\00:17:31.75
to be lost. Amen. He
wants every single person
00:17:31.88\00:17:37.59
possible to be in heaven,
00:17:37.62\00:17:39.85
and therefore it is vital that
the gospel goes to every nation
00:17:39.99\00:17:44.26
before Jesus returns so
everyone has an opportunity.
00:17:44.69\00:17:47.46
Now Paul says that in his
day the gospel was preached
00:17:47.60\00:17:49.90
to every creature under heaven.
00:17:49.93\00:17:51.17
It is possible.
00:17:51.87\00:17:53.57
And sometimes we think:
"Well, you know, statistically
00:17:53.90\00:17:57.87
it doesn't look like
it's going to happen. "
00:17:58.11\00:18:00.28
Well the Bible is
not based on man's
00:18:00.71\00:18:05.51
statistics, is it?
00:18:06.72\00:18:09.42
I don't even want to hear
about how long it would take
00:18:10.89\00:18:13.86
at our present rate
to reach every country
00:18:13.99\00:18:15.99
and to reach every person
and to reach every kindred
00:18:16.02\00:18:17.69
and nation. I don't
even want to hear about that.
00:18:17.73\00:18:19.89
Twelve men didn't base
their preaching on that
00:18:20.13\00:18:23.16
when they took the
gospel to the entire world.
00:18:23.50\00:18:25.67
Of course it was not just
the 12 but those whom God called
00:18:25.90\00:18:29.77
through them. And we ought
not to base our thinking on that
00:18:29.80\00:18:34.28
either... because God can
finish this up just like that.
00:18:34.31\00:18:37.61
Amen. So what is the context
of Matthew 24 and verse 14?
00:18:37.85\00:18:42.95
What is it that's
causing the delay?
00:18:42.98\00:18:44.99
Well I want you to look with me
in the context of these verses
00:18:45.12\00:18:47.89
just go back a little
bit to verse 9. It says:
00:18:48.12\00:18:51.19
"Then... " And that word then
infers what's gone before...
00:18:51.33\00:18:53.96
Then when all of these
wars and rumors of wars
00:18:54.00\00:18:57.47
and all this pestilence
and famine and earthquake,
00:18:57.50\00:18:59.90
all these natural disasters...
when they increase with
00:18:59.93\00:19:02.34
intensity and frequency
like a woman in birth pains -
00:19:02.37\00:19:06.07
a woman giving
birth to a child -
00:19:06.24\00:19:08.18
more intense and more frequent,
more intense and more frequent.
00:19:08.31\00:19:10.28
Have we seen that taking place?
00:19:10.31\00:19:11.81
I was a little nervous
about traveling out here.
00:19:12.08\00:19:14.78
I was in Maryland at the
General Conference just before
00:19:14.92\00:19:17.05
I came out here, and I was
checking the weather reports.
00:19:17.09\00:19:20.96
And I heard about this extreme
weather and what was taking
00:19:23.89\00:19:26.49
place in the Midwest,
and I thought: "I wonder
00:19:26.53\00:19:28.46
if that's going to be in
Illinois? I wonder if I really
00:19:28.50\00:19:30.47
should be going out there? I
wonder, I wonder, I wonder. "
00:19:30.50\00:19:32.53
And I thought: "No, this
is a divine appointment. "
00:19:32.87\00:19:35.44
Just like I thought when I
was driving here this morning.
00:19:35.57\00:19:37.57
This is a divine appointment,
and God is going to get me there
00:19:38.84\00:19:41.11
on time. In fact,
Shelley told me, she said:
00:19:41.14\00:19:42.88
"Now there's construction
on the freeway and there's
00:19:42.91\00:19:45.31
construction in West Frankfort,
and there's construction
00:19:45.35\00:19:48.28
on the last part of the
highway there coming through.
00:19:48.32\00:19:50.39
And sometimes we have to
wait 10 minutes and sometimes
00:19:50.42\00:19:52.02
you have to wait 15 minutes.
00:19:52.05\00:19:53.22
Did you get delayed in
any of that construction? "
00:19:53.36\00:19:54.92
I said: "No, God took
me right through it all. "
00:19:54.96\00:19:56.66
Amen!
00:19:56.89\00:19:58.33
I don't know if they
were taking a lunch break
00:19:58.56\00:20:00.33
or they just hadn't shown up yet
00:20:00.46\00:20:01.80
or what was going on
but I just went "pshht"
00:20:01.93\00:20:03.77
straight through. Amen.
00:20:03.90\00:20:06.17
And I believe that this
is a divine appointment.
00:20:06.33\00:20:08.37
In fact, it was really
interesting because on the way
00:20:08.40\00:20:09.87
over here God was
giving me part of the sermon.
00:20:09.90\00:20:11.64
He was saying: "OK James, I
know you've got it all prepared
00:20:11.77\00:20:13.44
but I'd like you to
digress just a little bit.
00:20:13.58\00:20:15.21
I want you to share this
and this and this and this. "
00:20:15.24\00:20:17.01
And I said: "OK, OK, OK, OK. "
00:20:17.15\00:20:18.51
And I was ready for Dee
to call me and say: "James,
00:20:18.75\00:20:21.15
you're too late. We
found someone else to preach. "
00:20:21.28\00:20:22.98
And I was going to say:
"That's not possible because
00:20:23.12\00:20:25.15
God has given me a
message so I can't not preach...
00:20:25.19\00:20:29.32
so just sing another
song and I'll be there. "
00:20:30.53\00:20:32.63
And this is the
message: the message is -
00:20:34.00\00:20:36.36
'cause I was going to spend
the whole time in II Peter 3-
00:20:36.50\00:20:38.70
that the context of
Matthew 24 and verse 14
00:20:39.70\00:20:43.14
is a time when "you
are hated of all nations
00:20:43.27\00:20:46.34
for My name's sake.
00:20:46.57\00:20:48.01
Then shall they deliver
you up to be afflicted... "
00:20:48.24\00:20:49.94
verse 9 says...
"and they shall kill you
00:20:50.08\00:20:51.68
and you will be hated of all
nations for My name's sake. "
00:20:51.81\00:20:53.82
Not only that, but "then in that
time... " verse 10... "many will
00:20:53.85\00:20:57.35
be offended and
shall betray one another
00:20:57.39\00:21:00.06
and hate one another. "
00:21:00.09\00:21:01.82
The church will look
like it's about to fall.
00:21:01.86\00:21:03.43
It doesn't fall.
00:21:03.46\00:21:04.79
Company after
company is going to go out.
00:21:05.76\00:21:07.96
Our test will be to
gather warmth from the coldness
00:21:08.20\00:21:10.87
of others. "Many false
prophets... " verse 11...
00:21:10.90\00:21:16.94
"will rise and
shall deceive many.
00:21:16.97\00:21:18.84
And because iniquity
shall abound... " verse 12...
00:21:19.17\00:21:21.41
"the love of many will wax cold.
00:21:21.54\00:21:23.81
But he that endures until
the end the same shall be saved.
00:21:24.08\00:21:26.82
And this gospel will be
preached as a witness. "
00:21:27.05\00:21:30.09
That's the context.
00:21:30.32\00:21:31.92
The context is not the
present time. Not the ease and
00:21:32.05\00:21:35.52
prosperity that the
church is experiencing right now
00:21:35.56\00:21:38.03
where we send out missionaries,
you know, on these little
00:21:38.16\00:21:40.50
ten-day visits and these
two-week visits and these
00:21:40.53\00:21:42.50
three-week visits
to India and to Africa.
00:21:42.53\00:21:44.87
You know, we
struggle and we wrestle with
00:21:45.10\00:21:47.90
living in these different con-
ditions, but we're all doing it
00:21:48.04\00:21:51.31
for the Lord and
it's really a good thing.
00:21:51.34\00:21:52.84
And it's a blessing to us
and it's a blessing to others.
00:21:52.87\00:21:54.58
That's all good, but the
time we're talking about here
00:21:54.71\00:21:59.91
is the time when
that becomes the reality
00:21:59.95\00:22:01.98
that never ends.
00:22:02.12\00:22:04.02
When there's no more cushy bed
and there's no more luxury car
00:22:04.35\00:22:07.79
and there's no
more clean, nice clothes
00:22:07.92\00:22:09.86
and there's no more adulations
and applause and kudos
00:22:09.99\00:22:13.16
because you went out
there to India and you braved it
00:22:13.19\00:22:16.40
for a few weeks and
you won souls to Jesus.
00:22:16.43\00:22:18.77
Well people hate you because
you're preaching the gospel...
00:22:18.80\00:22:20.94
they don't love you. They don't
like what you're doing at all.
00:22:20.97\00:22:23.81
When it looks like
the church has vanished.
00:22:24.14\00:22:26.71
When we don't have
anyone to pat us on the shoulder
00:22:26.94\00:22:30.48
and say "Good job! "
00:22:32.81\00:22:34.55
When we're just
doing it because of Him
00:22:34.78\00:22:39.19
and our focus is on Jesus.
Are we ready for this time?
00:22:39.42\00:22:44.19
I have to say
honestly that I'm not.
00:22:47.60\00:22:49.23
It's very difficult for me
to be in a situation where I
00:22:49.26\00:22:52.00
don't have nice accommodations,
especially at my age.
00:22:52.03\00:22:54.77
I know this
audience thinks that's funny.
00:23:01.28\00:23:06.15
And by the way, just so you know
00:23:06.18\00:23:10.59
don't tell him
that I told you this
00:23:11.69\00:23:14.19
but today is Ty's birthday.
00:23:14.52\00:23:17.76
I'm 51
00:23:22.46\00:23:24.43
and I can't tell you how old
he is, 'cause he wouldn't like
00:23:27.04\00:23:29.74
me to tell you that, but
today Ty and I are the same age.
00:23:29.77\00:23:35.51
What?
00:23:36.64\00:23:38.31
Now I'll be 52 in a month,
so we are only the same age
00:23:44.25\00:23:47.86
for about a month.
00:23:47.99\00:23:49.62
I've been preaching for 30 years
00:23:53.09\00:23:55.86
and I feel... I FEEL
different than I used to feel
00:23:56.30\00:24:00.94
when I was a kid. And if
you think I still look young
00:24:00.97\00:24:03.37
you can only imagine
what people used to think
00:24:03.41\00:24:06.74
30 years ago when
I got up to preach.
00:24:06.88\00:24:08.78
Like: "What's that
kid doing up there? "
00:24:08.91\00:24:10.75
But I know that I'm not ready.
00:24:16.58\00:24:18.72
I am reminded of that
when I'm inconvenienced.
00:24:19.15\00:24:22.69
I am reminded of that
when I have a difficult time
00:24:22.92\00:24:26.59
because I'm not appreciated
as I think I should be.
00:24:26.73\00:24:29.46
Hatred of the world?
00:24:30.53\00:24:33.47
Love waxing cold?
00:24:33.90\00:24:35.57
Nobody appreciating...
everyone opposing?
00:24:36.00\00:24:39.37
Being considered by the world
as a terrorist of some kind?
00:24:39.81\00:24:44.48
The enemy of everyone
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.55
and being able to
preach the gospel as a witness?
00:24:47.78\00:24:50.39
Having a love
that doesn't wax cold?
00:24:50.62\00:24:52.59
Why the apparent delay?
00:24:53.62\00:24:55.59
Well you know
why and I know why.
00:24:55.82\00:24:57.16
We know in our heart of hearts.
We know when we look in the
00:24:58.29\00:25:00.26
mirror... we know when we
face the reality of who we are
00:25:00.30\00:25:02.26
we know why the apparent delay.
00:25:02.30\00:25:03.87
Because this one sign
outweighs all the others
00:25:04.30\00:25:06.77
and we're not ready.
00:25:08.00\00:25:09.84
God is so
merciful, isn't He? Amen!
00:25:11.01\00:25:13.34
We talk about all the
signs that are taking place
00:25:13.38\00:25:15.31
in the world. We know
it's becoming more intense
00:25:15.34\00:25:18.98
and more intense and more
frequent and more frequent.
00:25:19.01\00:25:21.58
And somehow we want to be ready.
00:25:22.22\00:25:26.49
We want to be motivated.
00:25:26.72\00:25:28.42
But none of that is
really going to motivate us...
00:25:28.66\00:25:31.09
at least not as we
need to be motivated.
00:25:31.46\00:25:35.63
Paul talks about in
II Corinthians 5 verse 14
00:25:35.76\00:25:38.80
the only thing that
actually can motivate us,
00:25:38.83\00:25:40.47
and he says it's
the love of Christ.
00:25:40.60\00:25:42.50
The love of Christ
compels us or motivates us.
00:25:42.74\00:25:46.51
That and only that can
take us through because
00:25:46.74\00:25:49.51
it's that love that will
not grow cold, will not wax cold
00:25:49.64\00:25:53.52
when the whole world hates us.
00:25:53.75\00:25:56.35
Why the apparent delay?
Well II Peter was written
00:25:58.25\00:26:00.96
back in the
day... 2,000 years ago.
00:26:01.09\00:26:02.89
And Paul in II Thessalonians
tells us about this apparent
00:26:03.02\00:26:07.60
delay and why this
apparent delay would be.
00:26:07.60\00:26:10.57
He talks here in II
Thessalonians chapter 2
00:26:10.80\00:26:13.67
about the second
coming of Jesus. He says:
00:26:13.80\00:26:15.84
"Now we beseech you brethren
by the coming of our Lord
00:26:15.97\00:26:19.04
Jesus Christ and by our
gathering together unto Him
00:26:19.07\00:26:21.81
that ye be not
soon shaken in mind... "
00:26:21.94\00:26:25.48
Verse 2... II
Thessalonians chapter 2:
00:26:27.42\00:26:29.88
"or troubled, neither by
spirit nor by word nor by letter
00:26:30.02\00:26:35.09
as from us as that the
day of Christ is at hand. "
00:26:35.12\00:26:39.26
Don't be troubled about this;
don't be shaken about this.
00:26:39.29\00:26:41.80
But the Thessalonians were
shaken, they were troubled.
00:26:43.30\00:26:46.20
They struggled to
understand what was going on.
00:26:46.33\00:26:50.04
Paul had written them an epistle
00:26:50.21\00:26:53.34
that seemed to indicate in
chapter 4 that some of them
00:26:53.88\00:26:57.98
would be remaining
until the coming of Jesus.
00:26:58.11\00:27:01.15
Some had fallen
asleep and some would remain.
00:27:01.38\00:27:03.08
Those of us who remain
will be caught up with them
00:27:03.22\00:27:06.42
in the air to meet the Lord.
00:27:06.55\00:27:07.99
And then we're
wondering why? why? why?
00:27:08.79\00:27:10.96
And I'm thinking that
these words in this situation
00:27:11.09\00:27:13.40
are so applicable to
us... some of us who may be
00:27:13.43\00:27:16.43
second, third, fourth, or
fifth generation Adventists.
00:27:16.56\00:27:20.27
Why the delay? Why the
delay? Why the apparent delay?
00:27:21.30\00:27:24.77
And Paul says: "Well wait
a minute. Don't be shaken;
00:27:24.91\00:27:26.84
don't be troubled in spirit. "
00:27:26.88\00:27:28.38
"Let no man deceive you
by any means for that day
00:27:28.54\00:27:31.31
shall not come except
there be a falling away first
00:27:31.35\00:27:35.02
and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition. "
00:27:35.25\00:27:38.32
Now we could spend a
lot of time on these verses.
00:27:39.65\00:27:41.66
We're not going to because
we really need to get back
00:27:41.69\00:27:43.63
to II Peter chapter 3. But just
in passing, we need to recognize
00:27:43.66\00:27:48.30
that this man of sin lines
up with Daniel's prophecies,
00:27:48.43\00:27:54.50
specifically Daniel chapter 7,
00:27:54.64\00:27:56.54
and Revelation's prophecies,
00:27:56.71\00:27:58.37
specifically
Revelation chapter 13.
00:27:58.41\00:28:00.44
And we know that from Paul's
time until the time of the end
00:28:01.48\00:28:06.08
this power
ruled for 1,260 years.
00:28:06.21\00:28:09.42
And we also know that a wound
was inflicted which was to be
00:28:10.69\00:28:14.59
healed and he was to
be restored to power.
00:28:14.62\00:28:17.93
And we see that taking
place right now more and more.
00:28:18.16\00:28:21.06
A deadly wound
takes some time to heal.
00:28:21.23\00:28:24.30
And it is point by
point steadily increasing
00:28:25.50\00:28:29.77
in the healing process.
00:28:30.01\00:28:32.07
So Paul tells us instructively
that there are these prophecies
00:28:32.31\00:28:37.01
that are to be fulfilled.
There are these time prophecies
00:28:37.05\00:28:39.95
leading to certain events
that are going to transpire
00:28:40.08\00:28:42.95
in relation to
this man of sin power
00:28:42.98\00:28:45.39
that is going to be re-
established in the earth
00:28:45.52\00:28:47.76
in the end of time.
00:28:47.79\00:28:49.32
So it's not just about us...
it's also about Bible prophecy.
00:28:49.76\00:28:53.86
But in the context of both
of those there's a conflict
00:28:54.30\00:28:57.53
taking place. Because one of the
things that this power is doing
00:28:57.57\00:29:01.70
is in concert with a
couple of other powers
00:29:01.94\00:29:07.94
on planet earth.
It's seeking to undermine
00:29:08.08\00:29:11.78
the message of the
everlasting gospel.
00:29:11.91\00:29:14.05
To block it if you will.
00:29:14.18\00:29:15.82
To hinder it; to stop it.
00:29:16.05\00:29:18.62
This power does it in many ways.
00:29:20.92\00:29:22.69
It sets up counterfeits
00:29:22.82\00:29:24.59
or it works through the world
to get our minds distracted
00:29:25.83\00:29:29.46
and focused on other
things other than Jesus Christ.
00:29:29.60\00:29:32.60
It would, in fact, enjoy
it if we would just focus on
00:29:33.70\00:29:37.27
this power, talk
about this power,
00:29:37.31\00:29:39.37
identify this power.
00:29:39.51\00:29:41.34
Spend all of our time
just directing people to the
00:29:41.58\00:29:46.65
wonder of this power.
00:29:46.78\00:29:48.48
Because it says the world
will wonder after this power.
00:29:48.72\00:29:50.59
And in the process
know everything about this -
00:29:50.92\00:29:55.49
code name Babylon -
00:29:55.72\00:29:58.13
and lose sight of Jesus.
00:29:58.36\00:30:00.96
That's why it's so
important for us to recognize
00:30:03.26\00:30:05.33
that when Matthew
24:14 is fulfilled
00:30:05.47\00:30:08.87
in the context of
Revelation it takes first place.
00:30:09.00\00:30:12.81
We see this in two ways.
00:30:14.01\00:30:15.98
In Revelation chapter 14 and
verse 6 the everlasting gospel -
00:30:16.21\00:30:20.72
Matthew 24 verse 14- is
preached to every nation,
00:30:20.85\00:30:23.72
kindred, tongue, and
people with what kind of voice?
00:30:23.75\00:30:26.15
A LOUD voice.
00:30:26.42\00:30:28.16
In Revelation
chapter 14 and verse 8
00:30:29.22\00:30:32.09
the second angel's
message follows and announces
00:30:32.23\00:30:35.43
the fall of Babylon
in what kind of voice?
00:30:35.46\00:30:37.57
No... read the text.
00:30:38.53\00:30:42.54
There's no loud voice.
00:30:42.77\00:30:44.57
The first angel is
given in a loud voice...
00:30:46.04\00:30:49.64
the first angel's message.
The second angel's message
00:30:49.78\00:30:51.75
doesn't have the loud voice.
00:30:51.88\00:30:53.68
There's no loud voice on
the second angel's message.
00:30:54.12\00:30:56.28
The fall of Babylon is
not given with a loud voice
00:30:56.32\00:30:58.42
because the fall of Babylon
doesn't take the precedence
00:30:58.65\00:31:02.06
of a loud
voice... the gospel does!
00:31:02.19\00:31:05.13
Preach the gospel
with a loud voice.
00:31:06.23\00:31:08.20
And then the second reason
is because the first angel
00:31:09.33\00:31:12.53
goes first...
not the second angel.
00:31:12.67\00:31:16.94
We do not preach the fall
of Babylon with a loud voice.
00:31:17.27\00:31:20.44
We preach the
gospel with a loud voice.
00:31:20.58\00:31:22.18
And we preach the gospel first
because the gospel is the only
00:31:22.41\00:31:25.61
thing that can
bring Babylon down. Amen!
00:31:25.75\00:31:28.75
The second angel is
waiting for the first angel.
00:31:28.78\00:31:31.25
The second angel is
waiting for the first angel
00:31:31.49\00:31:34.66
to preach the
everlasting gospel.
00:31:34.69\00:31:36.12
"Preach that everlasting
gospel with a loud voice
00:31:37.09\00:31:39.93
and I'll follow you and I will
announce the fall of Babylon. "
00:31:40.06\00:31:43.13
Because Babylon will fall when
the gospel is preached. Amen!
00:31:43.37\00:31:47.30
We could spend a lot of
time focusing on Babylon
00:31:48.04\00:31:50.47
and we can never bring it down.
00:31:50.61\00:31:51.97
Because it is so
intricate and so detailed
00:31:52.11\00:31:54.01
we'll never be able to figure
out everything about Babylon.
00:31:54.04\00:31:56.14
But if we will focus on the
gospel, the everlasting gospel,
00:31:56.38\00:31:59.48
and preach that with a loud
voice, IT will bring Babylon
00:31:59.61\00:32:02.68
down. Guaranteed. Amen.
00:32:02.72\00:32:05.55
And so in II Peter
we have this powerful
00:32:07.76\00:32:12.49
admonition and I love it.
00:32:12.63\00:32:15.16
Because it's reminding us
that there's only one thing
00:32:15.40\00:32:19.13
that we are ignorant of in
the context of understanding
00:32:19.27\00:32:23.87
the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:32:23.91\00:32:25.54
Willingly ignorant
of the Word of God...
00:32:25.77\00:32:29.94
which to me is powerful.
00:32:30.18\00:32:32.81
Thirty years ago I accepted
Jesus Christ as my Savior.
00:32:33.05\00:32:35.45
Many of you know that I
was not a Seventh-day Adventist
00:32:35.78\00:32:38.69
at that point. I had
been raised a Catholic
00:32:38.82\00:32:41.22
and I accepted Christ and was
not affiliated with any church
00:32:41.46\00:32:44.43
but began attending the
Calvary Chapel church because
00:32:44.56\00:32:47.23
the person who introduced
me to the sinner's prayer
00:32:47.23\00:32:51.07
was going to Calvary Chapel.
00:32:51.20\00:32:52.57
Shortly after that I was also
attending a Pentecostal church.
00:32:53.50\00:32:56.40
Going to both of these churches,
00:32:56.54\00:32:58.84
one on Sunday and one on
Wednesday with the youth group,
00:32:58.97\00:33:01.34
I was introduced to
Adventism through my sister
00:33:01.58\00:33:05.48
who was
studying with Adventists.
00:33:05.65\00:33:07.25
And immediately she
began to share with me
00:33:07.58\00:33:10.89
some of the unique
teachings of Adventists
00:33:11.02\00:33:13.99
like the idea of
going to church on Saturday
00:33:14.22\00:33:16.99
instead of Sunday.
00:33:17.23\00:33:19.09
My concern led me to
study with Adventists
00:33:19.43\00:33:22.93
to get my sister
out of the church.
00:33:23.16\00:33:25.90
Not to get in the
church but to get out.
00:33:28.00\00:33:30.34
My mother was also concerned
being a Roman Catholic,
00:33:30.77\00:33:33.78
Irish, that my
sister was joining a cult.
00:33:34.21\00:33:38.35
In her mind anything that wasn't
Roman Catholic was a cult.
00:33:38.48\00:33:40.75
And so I as her brother -
my mother was living in England
00:33:40.98\00:33:43.55
at the time - it was my duty
to get her out of this church.
00:33:43.59\00:33:46.05
And I did everything
I could to get her out.
00:33:46.19\00:33:47.52
With my mother's help.
With help from my friends
00:33:47.56\00:33:50.03
in the Pentecostal church and
my friends in Calvary Chapel.
00:33:50.06\00:33:52.46
With everything on my
side to get my sister out
00:33:53.29\00:33:58.73
except for
this... the Word of God.
00:33:58.87\00:34:03.41
With all of those motives
tending to pull my sister out
00:34:05.07\00:34:08.88
of the Adventist church
there was only one thing
00:34:08.91\00:34:11.31
that was working to put
me in the Adventist church...
00:34:11.35\00:34:14.05
and that was the
Word of God. Amen!
00:34:14.18\00:34:16.92
For this one thing they
are willingly ignorant of.
00:34:16.95\00:34:19.82
Willingly in the
sense that they know better.
00:34:20.16\00:34:22.89
They ought to know better.
00:34:23.12\00:34:24.46
And that is the power of
the Word of God... the creative
00:34:24.79\00:34:28.36
power of the Word of God
00:34:28.50\00:34:29.96
to create in us a clean heart.
00:34:30.20\00:34:32.37
To renew in us a right spirit.
00:34:32.50\00:34:34.87
To convert us
from the inside out.
00:34:35.00\00:34:36.54
And you may say: "Well,
I've fallen, Well I've failed.
00:34:36.77\00:34:38.97
Well I've been an Adventist;
I just haven't lived up to... "
00:34:39.11\00:34:41.51
Stop focusing on yourself
- Amen - for just a moment
00:34:41.84\00:34:46.38
and get your focus
back on the Word of God.
00:34:46.55\00:34:49.28
I recently watched a video
00:34:52.32\00:34:54.49
of a young runner by the
name of Heather Dorniden.
00:34:54.72\00:35:00.43
She was running in a
600-meter relay in 2008
00:35:00.76\00:35:06.47
at a Big Ten Conference
track meet for Minnesota.
00:35:06.77\00:35:12.21
She was a favorite to win. There
were four runners in the race.
00:35:12.51\00:35:14.81
One was her fellow
teammate and two others.
00:35:14.84\00:35:17.28
And as they went around
the lap - the first lap -
00:35:17.51\00:35:20.68
the runner behind her -
she was in first place -
00:35:22.02\00:35:24.82
caught her heel and
immediately she went down.
00:35:25.05\00:35:29.39
She fell hard... cut her face.
00:35:31.66\00:35:35.13
But in an instant
she popped up again.
00:35:36.10\00:35:39.30
Back on her feet.
00:35:39.53\00:35:41.04
Now she was well behind
the runners in front of her
00:35:41.27\00:35:44.84
who had not lost their pace.
00:35:44.97\00:35:46.44
They were way
ahead, but as she jumped up
00:35:46.68\00:35:50.31
she picked up her
pace and she began to run
00:35:50.45\00:35:52.85
and run and run.
00:35:53.18\00:35:55.68
And in a short time she
caught up with the last person.
00:35:56.02\00:35:58.89
As they were coming around
the corner for the last stretch
00:35:59.15\00:36:02.29
she caught up
with the second person,
00:36:02.52\00:36:04.09
and as they came to the finish
line she passed the first person
00:36:04.33\00:36:09.16
and won the race.
00:36:09.20\00:36:10.70
Now it would have
been something for her
00:36:11.03\00:36:13.57
if she would have
just won the race.
00:36:13.80\00:36:16.30
Just if she would have won
that would have been amazing.
00:36:16.54\00:36:19.24
Just to win the race.
00:36:19.57\00:36:21.31
But the fact that she
fell and still won the race...
00:36:21.54\00:36:25.51
now that is
something else. Amen!
00:36:27.12\00:36:29.68
Don't focus on the falling...
don't focus on the failure.
00:36:30.72\00:36:34.56
Don't focus on
what you haven't done.
00:36:34.69\00:36:36.79
Get your focus on Jesus,
the Author and the Finisher.
00:36:37.06\00:36:39.76
"Run with patience the
race that is set before you
00:36:40.00\00:36:42.33
looking unto Jesus, the
Author and the Finisher. "
00:36:42.46\00:36:46.23
Amen! And what will
happen then will be greater.
00:36:46.47\00:36:50.57
Amen! Just like
it was for Heather.
00:36:50.71\00:36:53.84
An inspiration for us all.
00:36:54.18\00:36:56.98
"A just man falls... "
Proverbs 24 verse 16...
00:36:57.41\00:37:00.65
"seven times and
rises up again. "
00:37:00.78\00:37:03.95
It's not in the falling...
it's in the rising! Amen!
00:37:03.99\00:37:06.89
And when you fall beneath
the billows of this world
00:37:07.06\00:37:10.86
reach out that hand for
Jesus and say: "Lord, save me
00:37:10.99\00:37:15.20
or I perish. " And He
will be there for you.
00:37:15.23\00:37:17.63
Amen. Don't be ignorant of
the power of the Word of God.
00:37:17.77\00:37:22.70
"Whereby the world that then
was, being overflowed with water
00:37:25.07\00:37:28.38
perished. But the heavens
and the earth... " verse 7...
00:37:28.41\00:37:30.81
"which are now by the
same Word are kept in store
00:37:30.95\00:37:33.18
reserved unto fire
against the day of judgment
00:37:33.31\00:37:36.95
and perdition of ungodly men.
00:37:36.99\00:37:38.39
But beloved... " verse 8...
00:37:38.55\00:37:41.42
"be not ignorant
of this one thing. "
00:37:42.66\00:37:45.19
And here is where
we're just going to
00:37:45.33\00:37:47.86
finish up our focus
on the apparent delay.
00:37:48.00\00:37:52.07
We're just going to spend
the rest of our time right here
00:37:52.20\00:37:54.17
in these next
few verses primarily.
00:37:54.30\00:37:57.47
"Beloved, be not
ignorant of this one thing. "
00:37:57.71\00:38:02.31
Now before we finish that verse
00:38:02.54\00:38:04.45
though some of
you may have already
00:38:04.58\00:38:06.05
I want to ask a question
that will help us to understand
00:38:06.28\00:38:09.18
what follows. "Be not
ignorant of this one thing. "
00:38:09.22\00:38:12.15
What is that? What is
the implication there?
00:38:12.29\00:38:14.96
Wouldn't it be that
there's something that we could
00:38:16.09\00:38:19.46
possibly be ignorant of.
Something that isn't in the
00:38:19.59\00:38:22.53
forefront of our brain?
Something that we don't think
00:38:22.56\00:38:24.33
about often? Something
that Peter has a burden for?
00:38:24.37\00:38:28.14
"I want you to remember this;
I don't want you to forget this.
00:38:28.17\00:38:31.27
Don't be ignorant of
this; don't not know this. "
00:38:31.31\00:38:33.44
"Know this. Understand
it. Let it be in the forefront
00:38:33.68\00:38:36.34
of your brain. This
is really important;
00:38:36.38\00:38:38.41
this is really significant.
00:38:38.45\00:38:39.68
I'm talking here
about Bible prophecy. "
00:38:39.81\00:38:42.25
Context of II Peter?
More sure word of prophecy
00:38:42.38\00:38:44.82
where you do well
that you take heed.
00:38:45.05\00:38:46.72
That's I Peter chapter 1.
00:38:46.76\00:38:48.39
Context of II Peter...
Excuse me, II Peter chapter 1.
00:38:49.26\00:38:52.86
Context of II
Peter? Present truth.
00:38:52.99\00:38:55.16
This is present truth.
The only place in the Bible
00:38:55.50\00:38:58.17
that present truth is
ever mentioned is II Peter
00:38:58.30\00:39:01.10
chapter 1 and verse 12.
00:39:01.24\00:39:03.30
"Wherefore I will not be
negligent to put you always
00:39:03.54\00:39:05.77
in remembrance of
these things so you know them
00:39:05.81\00:39:08.04
and be established
in the present truth. "
00:39:08.08\00:39:10.11
By the way, the context
of what we need to remember
00:39:10.45\00:39:12.38
is God's love and forgiveness.
00:39:12.41\00:39:14.52
And the context again
following it is Bible prophecy.
00:39:14.75\00:39:17.39
Don't be negligent of
this; don't be ignorant of this.
00:39:17.62\00:39:21.09
What is following is HUGE.
00:39:21.32\00:39:23.29
It's big; it's
important and significant.
00:39:23.32\00:39:25.96
Are you ready for it now?
00:39:26.19\00:39:27.86
Are you ready
for it now? Yes! OK.
00:39:34.27\00:39:36.37
"Be not ignorant of this
one thing: that one day is with
00:39:37.74\00:39:40.34
the Lord as a thousand years
00:39:40.38\00:39:41.58
and a thousand
years is as one day. "
00:39:41.71\00:39:43.71
There it is.
00:39:44.05\00:39:45.28
That's it.
00:39:49.18\00:39:50.59
I don't know how that
fits into Bible prophecy.
00:39:52.09\00:39:54.59
I know a day for a year
prophetic time, but I'm not sure
00:39:54.72\00:39:57.76
how this... where
this fits. How this applies
00:39:57.79\00:40:00.23
and how significant it is
in our prophetic timelines.
00:40:00.36\00:40:05.93
But it is important
because Peter said it was.
00:40:06.10\00:40:08.34
I don't know how it helps us to
understand the apparent delay.
00:40:08.67\00:40:12.94
I don't even know if anyone
ever preaches on this verse.
00:40:13.38\00:40:16.78
If you've ever heard
a sermon on this verse?
00:40:16.91\00:40:19.71
But for some reason Peter
is telling us that this verse
00:40:19.95\00:40:23.35
is very significant.
Don't be ignorant of it.
00:40:23.39\00:40:26.76
That with the Lord one
day is like a thousand years
00:40:28.56\00:40:32.49
and a thousand
years is as a day.
00:40:32.63\00:40:34.36
We're all familiar with
the different time zones
00:40:37.20\00:40:41.04
in the United States, aren't we?
00:40:41.17\00:40:42.57
We have Eastern Standard
Time and Central, Pacific Time
00:40:43.10\00:40:47.98
or Standard Time and
Pacific Standard Time.
00:40:48.11\00:40:52.08
I live in Pacific Standard Time
and so I have a difficult time
00:40:52.21\00:40:54.82
when I get over to
Eastern Standard Time or Central
00:40:54.85\00:40:56.79
Standard Time or
Australian Standard Time...
00:40:56.82\00:40:59.19
when I'm way off kilter.
00:41:00.29\00:41:02.49
But have you ever heard of
the time zone that could be
00:41:03.66\00:41:07.60
characterized as
Eternal Standard Time?
00:41:07.60\00:41:10.70
Eternal Standard Time.
00:41:13.00\00:41:14.87
Peter is telling us here that in
eternity when you live forever,
00:41:15.77\00:41:19.67
when there's never
any end to anything,
00:41:19.81\00:41:22.18
when it just goes on
and on and on and on,
00:41:22.21\00:41:25.11
when a million years
turns into a billion years
00:41:25.25\00:41:27.35
turns into a trillion years
turns into a nonillion years
00:41:27.38\00:41:29.65
turns into a zillion
years turns into a googolplex,
00:41:29.78\00:41:31.99
and then eternity is
just beginning, in that time
00:41:32.12\00:41:35.62
a thousand years goes by
and it's just like one day
00:41:35.86\00:41:40.93
in that time. Don't
be ignorant of this.
00:41:41.93\00:41:44.00
You think that Jesus has
been gone for a long time
00:41:44.23\00:41:47.50
but you're not living in
eternity, you're living on this
00:41:49.70\00:41:51.84
earth. And when I was a kid
00:41:51.87\00:41:56.18
it took a long time
to get to double digits.
00:41:56.61\00:41:59.55
And it seemed like it'd
take even longer to get to be
00:42:02.68\00:42:05.65
16 years old and
get my driver's license.
00:42:05.69\00:42:07.99
And from there to 18 was
just like taking eternity.
00:42:08.32\00:42:11.13
And then to 21. Oh man, the days
were just going by so slowly.
00:42:11.26\00:42:16.10
And then once I got to
21 vr voom voom voom voom.
00:42:16.23\00:42:18.27
Here I am 51 years old!
Just like it was yesterday.
00:42:18.63\00:42:22.40
Nothing to it.
00:42:22.57\00:42:24.71
"Ahhh, " some of you say.
"Oh to be 51 again, " right?
00:42:26.41\00:42:29.98
BUT that is insignificant.
00:42:32.68\00:42:36.38
When you get into eternity
a thousand years goes by
00:42:36.92\00:42:41.39
and it's like one
day... twenty-four hours.
00:42:41.42\00:42:43.16
Which means if you think
about it, if we could live for
00:42:43.39\00:42:45.63
a hundred years...
let's just say we could...
00:42:45.66\00:42:49.10
We exercise; we
eat our vege-dogs;
00:42:49.33\00:42:53.10
we drink our soy milk.
I like rice milk, but...
00:42:53.23\00:42:55.87
And we get to
100 years, 100 years,
00:42:56.10\00:42:59.07
in eternal time 100 years
based on 24 hours = 1,000 years
00:42:59.24\00:43:04.95
would be equivalent
to 2 hours and 24 minutes
00:43:04.98\00:43:09.38
in eternal time. Two
hours and 24 minutes.
00:43:09.82\00:43:12.69
So let's just say
we're all granted 100 years.
00:43:16.52\00:43:18.93
Some of us have an hour left.
00:43:19.36\00:43:22.23
Half an hour left.
00:43:23.80\00:43:25.90
Some of us have a
couple hours left.
00:43:26.17\00:43:27.80
But 2.4 hours in
the context of eternity.
00:43:28.24\00:43:32.97
Don't be ignorant of
this; don't be ignorant of this.
00:43:33.14\00:43:35.74
When Jesus says repeatedly
in the book of Revelation
00:43:36.01\00:43:39.35
"Behold I come
quickly; behold I come quickly"
00:43:39.48\00:43:41.88
we say: "Wow! What
did He mean by that? "
00:43:42.02\00:43:45.62
Well He meant what He said, but
He was speaking in eternal time.
00:43:45.85\00:43:49.46
Peter is talking about
the second coming here.
00:43:49.69\00:43:52.09
He's talking
about the second coming.
00:43:52.33\00:43:53.43
This isn't taken out of context.
00:43:53.63\00:43:55.63
He's saying: "Listen!
Don't be ignorant of this.
00:43:55.76\00:43:58.47
Remember this.
With God in heaven
00:43:58.60\00:44:02.30
a thousand years is like a day.
00:44:02.54\00:44:04.94
So Jesus didn't say:
"I'll be back in 2,000 years. "
00:44:05.17\00:44:07.38
He said: "I'll
be back in two days!
00:44:07.41\00:44:10.58
Two days. I'll be back in
two days. I'm coming quickly.
00:44:10.81\00:44:12.75
I'll be back in
a couple of days. "
00:44:13.08\00:44:14.92
The Bible admonishes us we
need to sit in heavenly places
00:44:15.15\00:44:19.49
with Christ Jesus. We need to
think about this from heavenly
00:44:19.62\00:44:22.06
realities. God's purposes
know no haste and no delay.
00:44:22.09\00:44:26.63
So when I was a
brand new Christian
00:44:27.76\00:44:30.80
and accepted Christ as my Savior
00:44:30.93\00:44:33.07
and then became a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:44:33.30\00:44:36.57
what else can you do if
you're going to follow this?
00:44:36.71\00:44:39.17
What else could I do?
I was in love with Jesus.
00:44:39.41\00:44:41.58
He had forgiven me
for all of my sins.
00:44:41.71\00:44:43.01
I accepted Him as
my personal Savior
00:44:43.04\00:44:44.65
and then I was confronted with
the truth and the reality of the
00:44:44.78\00:44:46.72
Sabbath which I
though was always Sunday
00:44:46.75\00:44:48.78
but then the Bible showed me
verse after verse after verse
00:44:48.92\00:44:51.39
and there it was
time and time again
00:44:51.52\00:44:53.42
in the Bible clear in prophecy,
example in Christ's life...
00:44:53.56\00:44:57.49
In every way, shape,
and form there it was.
00:44:57.63\00:44:59.93
And then that final verse where
Jesus said: "If you love Me... "
00:44:59.96\00:45:02.63
All right - "keep
My commandments. "
00:45:02.90\00:45:04.90
I said: "Well I
love Jesus! - Amen! -
00:45:04.93\00:45:07.30
"Because He first
loved me. " Praise the Lord!
00:45:07.44\00:45:10.57
So it just wasn't even an issue.
00:45:10.71\00:45:12.27
And I remember the first
time I got up in front of that
00:45:13.61\00:45:15.58
Adventist congregation I was
giving my testimony and sharing.
00:45:15.61\00:45:18.51
And this was my
verse: II Peter 3 verse 9.
00:45:19.95\00:45:22.92
This was my
verse. This was THE verse
00:45:22.95\00:45:25.32
that God gave to me 30
years ago as a new believer
00:45:25.55\00:45:30.03
in His second coming.
00:45:30.19\00:45:31.69
"The Lord is not slack
00:45:31.93\00:45:35.26
concerning His promise
as some men count slackness
00:45:35.40\00:45:39.83
but is longsuffering
to usward, not willing
00:45:41.20\00:45:46.47
that ANY should perish but that
ALL should come to repentance. "
00:45:46.71\00:45:51.51
Will all come to repentance? No.
00:45:51.75\00:45:54.38
Unfortunately they won't...
and it will break His heart.
00:45:54.82\00:45:59.42
He will wipe away our tears;
who will wipe away His tears?
00:45:59.79\00:46:04.59
There will be an empty space
in His heart for all eternity
00:46:06.03\00:46:08.93
because He has graven us
upon the palms of His hands.
00:46:09.26\00:46:12.83
He is not slack
concerning His promise.
00:46:16.84\00:46:19.54
And I remember
telling the congregation
00:46:19.77\00:46:21.84
in Spokane, WA, in 1984
00:46:22.08\00:46:25.01
"This is the verse
that God shared with me.
00:46:26.61\00:46:28.72
He's been waiting for me. "
00:46:28.85\00:46:30.42
And I'm so glad He
waited for me. Amen!
00:46:30.75\00:46:33.59
Brand new believer.
So glad He waited for me.
00:46:34.59\00:46:37.13
There are
thousands, yea, maybe millions
00:46:37.46\00:46:41.63
that God is waiting for
00:46:41.76\00:46:44.40
that are going to be so
thankful for this verse.
00:46:44.63\00:46:47.14
That are going to be so
thankful for the longsuffering
00:46:47.27\00:46:49.77
of God. Amen!
00:46:49.80\00:46:52.57
They're waiting...
and God is waiting.
00:46:53.01\00:46:57.48
What is He looking for?
00:46:59.71\00:47:01.72
Well according to Matthew
24 He's looking for a people
00:47:02.35\00:47:05.22
who keep their focus on Jesus,
00:47:07.79\00:47:09.99
who spend all of their
time directing their attention
00:47:10.43\00:47:15.16
to Him. According
to Revelation 14 they
00:47:15.30\00:47:19.40
"follow the Lamb
wherever He goes. "
00:47:19.43\00:47:23.51
I long by the spirit of
God to be part of that people.
00:47:25.91\00:47:30.35
My flesh doesn't long for it.
00:47:30.58\00:47:32.25
My flesh pulls me
in other directions,
00:47:32.38\00:47:34.35
but the Spirit of God is
willing though my flesh is weak.
00:47:34.48\00:47:39.25
I want to be
part of that people.
00:47:39.49\00:47:41.89
And I know as I follow
Jesus He's going to direct me
00:47:42.02\00:47:44.89
to witness and share and
do the things that He wants me
00:47:45.03\00:47:48.43
to do and live the way
that He wants me to live.
00:47:48.46\00:47:50.40
But my needs... the vital
key for success in my experience
00:47:50.53\00:47:56.04
is to keep my focus on Jesus.
And Satan does everything he can
00:47:56.17\00:47:59.27
to sever that connection.
00:47:59.31\00:48:01.38
To break up... to pull
me away from that focus.
00:48:01.51\00:48:04.41
Because he knows that
when we have that focus
00:48:06.51\00:48:09.85
and we see the heart of
God we recognize His longing
00:48:09.98\00:48:14.02
for the world. That
we will be... verse 11...
00:48:14.06\00:48:20.10
"Seeing then that all
these things shall be dissolved
00:48:20.33\00:48:24.37
what manner of
persons ought you to be
00:48:24.60\00:48:26.47
in all holy
conversation and godliness?
00:48:26.50\00:48:29.24
Looking for and hastening
unto... " - or hastening the day
00:48:29.57\00:48:34.81
as the Greek actually says -
00:48:36.14\00:48:38.11
"hastening the coming of the
day of God wherein the heavens
00:48:40.18\00:48:44.95
being on fire shall be dissolved
and the elements shall melt
00:48:45.09\00:48:48.56
with fervent heat.
00:48:48.72\00:48:49.76
Nevertheless, we according
to His promise... " verse 13...
00:48:49.99\00:48:52.39
"look for a new
heavens and a new earth
00:48:52.53\00:48:55.03
wherein dwells
righteousness. " Amen!
00:48:55.26\00:49:00.24
I've got one of
these new contraptions.
00:49:02.44\00:49:06.01
It's new for me. You know,
at my age you have a hard time
00:49:06.44\00:49:08.98
adapting to stuff like
this. Amen. But it works.
00:49:09.01\00:49:13.55
It works, and I like
it from time to time.
00:49:14.02\00:49:17.89
It becomes handy.
My Bible is wearing out
00:49:18.12\00:49:21.32
and I'm very loathe to
exchange it. I've had this Bible
00:49:21.46\00:49:24.73
for 30 years and
I've got it all marked up.
00:49:24.86\00:49:27.50
But more than that, I
know where the verses are.
00:49:27.66\00:49:30.60
I may not know the
chapter and the verse
00:49:32.03\00:49:36.84
but I know where they are.
00:49:36.87\00:49:38.47
It's the left side of the
page... it's the top part.
00:49:38.81\00:49:41.31
I know where they are.
00:49:41.44\00:49:43.41
And I can't find
another Bible just like this one
00:49:43.75\00:49:47.52
that has the
verses in the same place.
00:49:47.75\00:49:49.88
So I am loathe to
give it up at my age
00:49:50.02\00:49:51.69
'cause I know where they are
00:49:52.12\00:49:53.79
and I want to be
familiar with my Bible.
00:49:53.92\00:49:55.99
And the thing that I
recognize in this context
00:49:56.42\00:50:01.33
is that when, verse 10:
"the day of the Lord comes... "
00:50:01.46\00:50:05.87
And it's going to come
as a thief in the night.
00:50:06.00\00:50:08.80
That's what it says here.
It says: "The day of the Lord
00:50:09.04\00:50:10.94
will come as a
thief in the night. "
00:50:11.17\00:50:13.17
But it doesn't say that
the Lord will come as a thief
00:50:14.98\00:50:18.28
in the night. The
verse doesn't say that.
00:50:18.31\00:50:21.18
It says the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night.
00:50:21.72\00:50:24.49
But the Lord's not coming as
a thief, 'cause when He comes
00:50:24.72\00:50:26.62
we're going to know
it. Amen! But the day...
00:50:26.65\00:50:29.29
That day is going to be a
surprise to a lot of people.
00:50:29.62\00:50:32.73
But in that day the
heavens are going to pass away
00:50:33.16\00:50:37.03
with great noise and the
elements are going to melt
00:50:37.17\00:50:39.07
with fervent heat
and the earth also.
00:50:39.10\00:50:40.47
And the works that are therein
are going to be burned up.
00:50:40.60\00:50:42.80
God is longsuffering with us
because He knows what the day
00:50:43.14\00:50:45.67
of the Lord is going to bring.
00:50:45.71\00:50:47.28
As W. W. Prescott said
in his sermons in Armidale,
00:50:49.28\00:50:52.61
Australia, in 1895:
"In that day God's people
00:50:54.88\00:50:59.92
cry unto Him for deliverance,
00:51:00.09\00:51:01.99
but He seems to put off
the day of delivering them
00:51:02.32\00:51:06.43
because we shall
have come to that time
00:51:06.56\00:51:10.07
when the deliverance of
God's people means the death
00:51:10.30\00:51:14.87
of our adversaries. The
deliverance of God's people
00:51:15.00\00:51:18.87
from their foes can only
be followed by the coming
00:51:18.91\00:51:21.14
of the Lord Jesus and the
destruction of their enemies.
00:51:21.18\00:51:23.65
God is slow to pour out
His wrath upon those who have
00:51:24.08\00:51:28.18
rejected Him and He seems almost
to have deserted His people.
00:51:28.22\00:51:33.36
But God will avenge His own
elect which cry day and night
00:51:33.49\00:51:38.16
unto Him though He
bear long with them. "
00:51:38.29\00:51:42.16
Do you understand
what he's saying here?
00:51:44.37\00:51:46.40
There is in God's heart
this struggle that He has.
00:51:46.84\00:51:52.37
He loves His people; He
wants to deliver His people.
00:51:52.54\00:51:54.71
But He knows delivering us means
00:51:54.84\00:51:57.25
the end of our enemies.
00:51:57.38\00:52:00.95
His children. Children of
wrath but children nonetheless.
00:52:01.18\00:52:07.22
You know how that is,
don't you parents? Grandparents?
00:52:07.99\00:52:10.36
You know how that is
00:52:10.79\00:52:12.49
to have a wandering son
or daughter or granddaughter.
00:52:12.73\00:52:15.40
Someone that you
love... adopted or real.
00:52:15.73\00:52:18.27
Connected... biological...
you know how that is
00:52:18.53\00:52:23.47
to be concerned for their
future, for their eternity.
00:52:23.94\00:52:28.24
For wanting to do anything
and everything to reach them.
00:52:28.68\00:52:31.71
For wanting time to
stand still so it doesn't come
00:52:31.85\00:52:35.35
to an end. That's
the heart of God! Amen!
00:52:35.38\00:52:39.35
And yet we're told
- and we know this -
00:52:39.52\00:52:42.29
that there is coming a
day when Jesus will say
00:52:42.42\00:52:44.76
"It's finished... it's done. "
00:52:45.09\00:52:47.23
But He will only say that
because if He looks out upon
00:52:47.60\00:52:51.00
this world He can say: "He
that is holy will be holy still.
00:52:51.13\00:52:56.50
And he that is righteous
will be righteous still.
00:52:56.54\00:52:58.14
And he that is filthy
will be filthy still; and he
00:52:58.27\00:52:59.84
that is unrighteous
will be unrighteous still.
00:52:59.87\00:53:01.64
Nothing will make a difference.
00:53:01.88\00:53:03.35
Not another year, not
another month, not another week,
00:53:03.58\00:53:05.75
not another day,
not another moment.
00:53:05.88\00:53:08.38
Everyone has made a
decision for or against Me.
00:53:08.42\00:53:11.39
It's time to close it up.
00:53:11.62\00:53:13.36
There's no reason for sin
and pain and evil and suffering
00:53:14.12\00:53:17.09
to continue on. I
need to close this up. "
00:53:17.13\00:53:20.30
But that can only
come when this gospel
00:53:20.63\00:53:23.67
we're told in Revelation
18 lightens the whole earth
00:53:23.90\00:53:26.80
with the glory of God.
00:53:26.84\00:53:28.17
With the character of
God, with the heart of God,
00:53:28.40\00:53:30.01
with who He is, with how
He feels about all of us.
00:53:30.04\00:53:34.14
O Thou that from eternity
upon Thy wounded heart has
00:53:34.31\00:53:39.28
worn each pang and cry of misery
00:53:39.31\00:53:41.42
wherewith our
human hearts are torn.
00:53:41.55\00:53:44.02
Thy love upon the grievous cross
00:53:44.15\00:53:46.55
the flow, the
beacon light of time
00:53:46.69\00:53:49.19
forever sharing pain and loss
00:53:49.32\00:53:51.99
with every man in every clime.
00:53:52.13\00:53:54.56
How vast, how
vast Thy sacrifice!
00:53:54.76\00:53:57.27
As ages come and ages go
00:53:57.50\00:54:00.04
still waiting till it
shall suffice to draw the last
00:54:00.17\00:54:05.11
cold heart and slow.
00:54:05.34\00:54:09.08
That's why the delay.
00:54:10.21\00:54:11.71
God is longsuffering toward us.
00:54:12.15\00:54:16.25
He is not willing
that any would perish.
00:54:16.48\00:54:19.49
He wants everyone - all
- to come to repentance.
00:54:19.62\00:54:23.43
So we could sum it up this way.
00:54:24.36\00:54:28.10
We could say from a
Biblical perspective
00:54:28.43\00:54:32.13
that God has been
waiting and is waiting
00:54:32.37\00:54:36.77
because - number one
- there are developments
00:54:37.01\00:54:41.18
that need to take
place in Bible prophecy.
00:54:41.31\00:54:43.85
Always have been.
00:54:44.18\00:54:45.65
And as we follow the
projection of Bible prophecy,
00:54:45.98\00:54:49.02
we follow the
timelines of Bible prophecy,
00:54:49.05\00:54:50.75
we follow the fulfillment
of Bible prophecy we know
00:54:50.79\00:54:52.82
why it is we're still here.
00:54:52.85\00:54:54.86
Number two: God
is waiting for us.
00:54:55.29\00:55:00.96
He wants us to be ready.
00:55:01.16\00:55:03.06
He wants us to be prepared
00:55:03.50\00:55:05.77
to be His
witnesses... to share His truth.
00:55:05.90\00:55:07.90
Number three:
00:55:08.94\00:55:10.64
God is reluctant
00:55:11.51\00:55:15.68
to destroy even
the children of wrath.
00:55:15.81\00:55:18.45
He longs for them to be saved.
00:55:18.81\00:55:20.55
He longs for one more
sinner... one more person
00:55:20.88\00:55:24.49
to accept Jesus Christ
as their personal Savior.
00:55:25.72\00:55:29.62
To believe in the gift
that has been given to them
00:55:29.66\00:55:31.59
in Jesus Christ. And
then to sum it all up:
00:55:31.63\00:55:35.30
we must remember...
we must not be ignorant
00:55:35.63\00:55:39.97
of this one thing:
00:55:40.20\00:55:41.84
with God in eternal time
00:55:42.07\00:55:45.24
a day? Like a thousand years.
00:55:45.57\00:55:48.44
A thousand
years? It's like a day.
00:55:48.68\00:55:51.11
It's an apparent delay
but Jesus is coming quickly.
00:55:51.35\00:55:54.92
And in eternity, when I am
a thousand and 51 years old,
00:55:55.25\00:56:00.42
when I am a
million and 51 years old,
00:56:00.76\00:56:03.86
when I am a
billion and 51 years old,
00:56:03.99\00:56:06.49
when I am a
decillion and 51 years old,
00:56:06.63\00:56:08.66
when I am a
googolplex and 51 years old
00:56:08.90\00:56:11.43
I'm going to look back on
this earth and I'm going to say:
00:56:11.57\00:56:13.50
"Wow! A week of sin and
evil and pain and misery.
00:56:13.64\00:56:18.87
Six thousand years... six days.
00:56:21.84\00:56:25.95
A week of sin
and pain and misery.
00:56:27.12\00:56:30.79
Don't even
remember it; it's forgotten.
00:56:31.02\00:56:34.39
Not even worthy to be compared
with the glory that shall be
00:56:35.42\00:56:37.76
revealed in us. "
Let's pray together.
00:56:37.79\00:56:40.90
Father in heaven, we
want to thank you this morning
00:56:41.00\00:56:43.47
for helping us to understand
00:56:43.83\00:56:45.77
the reasons for
the apparent delay.
00:56:45.80\00:56:47.87
For reminding us not to be
ignorant of this one truth,
00:56:48.20\00:56:50.61
this one reality: that
You are indeed coming quickly
00:56:50.64\00:56:54.41
and that You are reluctant
to punish those who have
00:56:54.64\00:56:57.85
rejected You. To give
them the ultimate consequence
00:56:57.88\00:57:01.62
of what they are
choosing... death.
00:57:01.75\00:57:05.29
That You are longsuffering
to usward, not willing that any
00:57:05.65\00:57:08.76
would perish but that
all would come to repentance
00:57:08.79\00:57:10.99
and that You want to
use us... Your people...
00:57:11.33\00:57:13.53
as a witness in a
time when love waxes cold
00:57:13.66\00:57:18.07
and hatred prevails toward us
00:57:18.23\00:57:21.80
and that we're now in the
quarry... the testing time.
00:57:21.97\00:57:25.41
Not just loose,
idle rocks in the quarry
00:57:25.94\00:57:28.28
but rocks that feel the
hammer and the chisel...
00:57:28.31\00:57:31.75