Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
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The Truth As It Is In
Jesus with Ron Halvorsen.
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Hello friends, and
once again welcome to the
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3ABN Worship Center.
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Also the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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If you've been tuning in over
the last four days, you know
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that we have been
blessed tremendously.
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Can we all say amen to that?
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Pastor Halvorsen has really
been the conduit through which
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God has sent us a
heaven born message.
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Our hearts have been renewed.
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Our vision of the Father as
we were so blessed last night.
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This morning, a fresh message
and revelation of God's grace;
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the only means
where by we are saved.
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And this afternoon, we are
going to be blessed once again
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as we continue our series.
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Actually, the final meeting;
The Truth As It Is In Jesus.
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Particularly, The
Truth As It Is In Jesus:
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About His Second Coming.
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And whether you know it or
not, Jesus is coming again.
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It's the greatest event of
all the ages yet to transpire
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before our eyes.
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And it is imperative
and urgent that we get ready
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for that glorious event.
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And so we're praying that
your heart will be opened.
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If you have friends that
are running around right now,
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if you're at church
or if you're at home,
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call your neighbors
to sit down with you.
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Because you don't want to
miss this Spirit filled message.
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If you don't know who
Pastor Ron Halvorsen is,
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maybe you're tuning in
for the very first time,
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he's a preacher
from Brooklyn, New York.
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A man raised on the
tough streets of New York City.
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But when the Lord got a
hold of his heart, he went from
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boxing in the ring to fighting
in the army of the Lord.
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And I would say, for the
last 54 years, 53 or 54 years of
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ministry, God has been
leading souls to the cross
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through this humble
servant who knows what it means
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to be in a battle for his life.
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The Lord has taken him to
many places around the world.
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He's a pastor, he has
pastored many churches.
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He has taught how to
preach, and he has preached
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many, many sermons.
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As a matter of fact, he's still
noted as one of the largest
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Wednesday night
prayer meetings ever held;
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more than 1500 people.
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And if you've heard him
speak, you understand why.
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When Jesus is the center,
the beginning, and the end
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of the message, people need
to be at the foot of the cross.
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And Pastor Halvorsen, in
more than 159 major evangelistic
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series, has made Jesus real to
those who have sat before him.
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And so after 53 years of
ministry, 54 years of marriage,
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we are here today.
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And if you have been
listening to the messages,
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I've been writing
down some of his sayings.
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Have you noticed some of those?
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For example, he says,
"We don't all sin alike,
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but we all like sin."
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Remember that one?
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Another one, "David was not only
the man after God's own heart,
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he was a man after
a few other things."
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As he can say it best.
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But the one thing that
he brought to our hearts
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this morning was, that the
grace that the Lord has made
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available to every one of
us is a grace that never stops
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bringing us to
the foot of the cross.
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And so for this next
hour, God has a message for you.
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Before we go to the message
and before we go to the song,
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let us invite the presence
of the Lord to continue with us.
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Let's bow our heads together.
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Our gracious Father in heaven,
what a blessing it is to know
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that one day it is
all going to be finished.
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When You created the world,
at the end of creation week
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You said, "It is finished."
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When You bowed Your head on
the cross as You paid the price
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for our redemption,
You said, "It is finished."
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And Father, we
were not in the garden,
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we were not there at the cross.
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But Lord, may it be our
privilege to be there in the
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future when sin and
sinners are forever removed,
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and the entire great controversy
closes with those words,
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"It is finished."
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Bless Your man
servant, Pastor Halvorsen.
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Open our hearts that we may
receive, that our great desire
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will be to be there that
day when Jesus comes again.
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In Jesus' name we ask, amen.
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There's a line that's
been drawn through the ages;
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on that line stands
an old rugged cross.
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On the cross, a
battle is raging;
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for the gain of
man's soul, or its loss.
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On one side stands
the forces of evil;
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all the demons
and devils of hell.
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But on the other,
the angels of glory;
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as they meet on Golgotha's hill.
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And the earth shakes with
the force of the conflict;
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and the sun refuses to shine.
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For there hangs
God's Son in the balance;
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and then through
the darkness He cries.
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It is finished,
the battle is over.
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It is finished,
there'll be no more war.
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It is finished, the
end of the conflict.
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It is finished,
and Jesus is Lord.
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Yet in my heart, a
battle still rages;
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not all the prisoners
of war have come home.
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There are
battles of my own making;
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for I didn't know
that the war had been won.
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Then I heard that
the King of the ages
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had fought all
my battles for me.
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And now the victory
is mine for the claiming;
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and now praise God I am free.
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It is finished,
the battle is over.
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It is finished, and
there'll be no more war.
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It is finished, it's
the end of the conflict.
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Oh, it is finished,
and my Jesus is Lord.
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Yes it is finished,
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and my Jesus is Lord.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Thank you, John.
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He comes from
Brooklyn, I come from Brooklyn.
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Why can't I sing like that?
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When I hold
evangelistic meetings, I usually
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take one night to sing.
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And I tell the people
a few weeks ahead of time
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so they can
stay home that night.
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But I can't wait to get
to the kingdom of heaven
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so I can sing.
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It's going to be
great to sing in the choir.
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And I hope they put me next
to two good bases in that choir
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so I can get along.
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I'm happy to be here.
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This is the fifth in
the series, and time flies.
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But we've been
talking about anchored;
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anchored in the
truth as it is in Jesus.
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And I think there's no
better place to end this series
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than at the
second coming of Christ.
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Anchored in the Truth as
it is in the Coming King.
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Jesus Christ, the coming King.
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But you know, whenever I deal
with a difficult theological
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subject and doctrinal subject
like the second coming of Jesus,
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and there are so many
different concepts and ideas.
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You know, we have
pre-trib, post-trib, mid-trib,
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this trib, that trib.
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Everybody gets all mixed.
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I feel like the mother
who had seven children.
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And she was going to the
store and these seven children,
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they were all in a circle.
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In one circle
looking into the circle.
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Now, mother was overwhelmed.
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I mean, all the kids
together like that and their
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attention is at the circle.
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So she went to the store, came
back, and they were still there.
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So finally she was getting
nervous and she walked over
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and looked into the circle.
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And there in the
middle of the circle was a
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bunch of baby skunks.
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Now mama didn't know what to do.
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Finally she said, "Kids, run."
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And they each
grabbed a skunk and ran.
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Well, I never know
what's going to happen in this.
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But I want us to put
away our theological concepts
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and let's look at
Jesus who is the author
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and the finisher of our faith.
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This great Bible,
which I hold in my hand
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and in my head and in my heart,
ends in the book of Revelation.
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This is the final message.
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And by the way, the
amazing thing about it,
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it's not a
message of doom and gloom.
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But of hope.
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For in these blood soaked
pages of the book of Revelation,
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the prisoner, the
old man at Patmos, John,
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dips his pen in the
red blood ink of Calvary
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and he drops his new
found faith like golden pollen
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from stems of shaking lilies,
and they sweeten the lives
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of men and women in every age.
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John writes from Patmos.
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He writes faithful and truthful
about end of all things.
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This is the climax,
Revelation, of earth's history.
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This is the climax of
all that Jesus came for
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and will come for.
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The return of Christ,
His second coming; the King.
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Now this is where
he ends, in this book.
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Not with sadness and
crying, but rather with
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singing and rejoicing.
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I mean, he ends not with
emptiness, but with fullness.
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I mean, he ends not with
death, but he ends with life;
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this eternal life.
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He ends in hope, the beginning
of a new and glorious world.
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And this event, the
second coming of Jesus,
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is the greatest event
of all time in all history.
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John introduces us to
the second coming with these
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majestic words found
in the book of Revelation
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and found in the first
chapter, and looking at verse 7.
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The Bible says:
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He describes this
event as a majestic event;
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the coronation of King Jesus.
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A magnificent and majestic
parade with banners flying and
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trumpets blaring and
sounds of mighty hoof beats
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of heaven's horses.
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I mean, this is the final
coronation of Jesus Christ.
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The second coming
of Jesus is not casual.
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It's not an unimportant event
in the list of other events
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in the Word of God.
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It is climaxed of all
that has gone before Him.
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It is the glorious event.
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Everything we
believe about Christ;
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the crib and the incarnation,
the cross and salvation,
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the resurrection and our hope,
is founded and is satisfied
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in the coronation
of Jesus in His coming.
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This event is one
event, not one of many events.
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It is an open event.
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All men will see Him,
all women will see Him.
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Not some secret event
as some would suggest.
00:14:00.22\00:14:03.39
Why would you hide a parade?
00:14:03.42\00:14:05.24
It's glorious to
the eye, the parade.
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I mean, it's
glorious to the ear.
00:14:10.52\00:14:12.39
It's glorious to the senses.
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It is a visible return.
00:14:15.22\00:14:17.43
As I read in Revelation 1:7
00:14:17.46\00:14:19.59
That's a glorious event.
00:14:23.39\00:14:25.26
Not only the righteous
will see Him, but they which
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pierced Him will see Him.
00:14:29.67\00:14:30.94
Jesus Christ, when He told
His disciples about His return,
00:14:36.72\00:14:40.04
the coronation of Jesus,
He tells us in Matthew 24
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and verse 27 and verse
30, look at these words.
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The coming of Jesus is
visible, according to Jesus
00:15:07.52\00:15:11.39
in the book of Matthew.
00:15:11.42\00:15:12.79
But it's also audible.
00:15:13.16\00:15:14.82
Every ear will hear Him.
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In Matthew 24 verse 31,
look at the Word of God with me.
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The Bible says:
00:15:20.56\00:15:21.65
The Bible tells us when we
blow a trumpet, if I were to
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blow a trumpet downtown,
that every ear would hear it.
00:15:32.58\00:15:36.50
The wicked would hear it
and the righteous would hear it.
00:15:36.53\00:15:38.80
But for the righteous it's a day
of glory, it's a day of victory,
00:15:38.83\00:15:42.76
it's a day of the coronation
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:15:42.79\00:15:46.60
And so it's visible
to the eye, the parade
00:15:46.90\00:15:50.93
of the coronation of Jesus.
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It's audible to the ear.
00:15:53.71\00:15:55.45
1 Thessalonians
4:16 tells us that.
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There the apostle
Paul writing, he says:
00:15:58.95\00:16:01.68
Notice that.
00:16:09.82\00:16:10.82
That's the Word of God here
in the Bible in 1 Thessalonians.
00:16:10.83\00:16:15.19
But it's also literal.
00:16:15.22\00:16:16.64
The real Jesus is
coming back, not an apparition.
00:16:17.56\00:16:20.61
It's the real Jesus.
00:16:21.33\00:16:22.50
Notice Acts chapter 1,
the Bible tells us clearly and
00:16:22.53\00:16:26.49
plainly that it's Jesus
Christ who comes back literally.
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That's Acts 1 and verse 11.
00:16:29.99\00:16:32.99
The Bible says, let me turn
over here in the Word of God
00:16:33.02\00:16:35.94
and let me read it for you.
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Acts the first chapter, and
I'm reading these words here.
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Notice what the Bible says.
00:16:42.25\00:16:44.04
And he says this
in chapter 1 verse 11.
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The real Jesus.
00:17:01.23\00:17:02.56
The Jesus that touched
lame legs and men stood
00:17:02.59\00:17:04.88
and praise God in their joy.
00:17:04.89\00:17:06.41
The same Jesus that
came to blind men and touched
00:17:06.44\00:17:09.27
their eyes and they saw.
00:17:09.30\00:17:10.62
The same Jesus that called
forth Lazarus from the dead.
00:17:10.65\00:17:13.76
The same Jesus that
wept over Jerusalem.
00:17:13.79\00:17:16.31
The same Jesus that
felt the nails in His hands
00:17:16.34\00:17:18.91
and the crown of thorns upon
His brow and blood in His eyes.
00:17:18.94\00:17:22.30
This same Jesus which
came forth in resurrection
00:17:22.33\00:17:25.47
shall come in like manner as
ye have seen Him go into heaven.
00:17:25.50\00:17:29.34
Listen to me.
00:17:29.72\00:17:30.99
That's a wonderful
thing to think about.
00:17:31.02\00:17:32.98
That's a wonderful and
glorious thing when we think of
00:17:33.01\00:17:35.34
Jesus and His return.
00:17:35.37\00:17:36.91
But the point in Matthew,
the point in the apostles,
00:17:37.31\00:17:41.02
is that we are to be
ready for that coming.
00:17:41.05\00:17:43.97
Readiness is the
all important thing.
00:17:44.17\00:17:46.72
My text is taken
from the book of Hebrews.
00:17:46.75\00:17:49.27
Notice in the book
of Hebrews chapter 10.
00:17:49.30\00:17:52.05
He says, "Have
confidence in what I say."
00:17:55.00\00:17:57.42
In other words, He
says, "I made a promise.
00:18:10.17\00:18:12.52
I'm going to
fulfill that promise."
00:18:12.55\00:18:14.03
And He says,
"It'll be a little while."
00:18:14.06\00:18:16.40
And for these many years since
I first received Jesus Christ
00:18:17.54\00:18:20.28
into my life, I believed in
the second coming of Christ.
00:18:20.31\00:18:23.67
I believe He's coming, and
I believe He's coming soon.
00:18:23.70\00:18:26.40
And I hold that
dearly in my heart.
00:18:26.43\00:18:28.74
And I'm looking forward to
that great Day when I, with the
00:18:28.77\00:18:31.95
people of God, the saints
of God, be caught up together
00:18:31.98\00:18:34.79
to be with Jesus.
00:18:34.82\00:18:36.03
This afternoon, we must come
to grips with this great theme.
00:18:36.71\00:18:39.97
We've got to look at it.
00:18:39.98\00:18:41.58
We must come to grips with it.
00:18:41.59\00:18:43.22
I mean, we must
respond to its final appeal.
00:18:43.25\00:18:46.21
It may be the final
appeal for one of you listening
00:18:46.24\00:18:49.54
right now to this program.
00:18:49.57\00:18:51.34
Every time the coming of Christ
is mentioned in scripture,
00:18:52.11\00:18:55.03
it's used as the basis for the
Creator to say to His creation,
00:18:55.06\00:18:59.34
"Prepare to meet God."
00:18:59.37\00:19:01.32
Instinctively, man has always
expected a meeting with God.
00:19:01.35\00:19:05.62
Dreaded or
welcomed, but a meeting.
00:19:06.02\00:19:08.25
Two days before the trial
and crucifixion of our Lord,
00:19:08.28\00:19:10.98
the disciples asked Him
about the second coming.
00:19:11.01\00:19:14.36
"What will it be like?"
00:19:14.39\00:19:15.39
I mean, the
ultimate reunion with God.
00:19:15.41\00:19:18.21
In Matthew 24 verse 3,
He tells us about this.
00:19:18.66\00:19:22.55
The apostles believed the coming
of Christ would end the world
00:19:32.20\00:19:35.20
as we know it now.
00:19:35.21\00:19:36.36
The disciples wanted to know.
00:19:36.39\00:19:38.11
I think every
believer should want to know.
00:19:38.12\00:19:40.44
Don't you?
00:19:40.47\00:19:41.52
I think every believer in
Christ should want to know
00:19:41.72\00:19:44.17
about His coming,
because that is the final moment
00:19:44.20\00:19:47.25
of the reunion with Jesus.
00:19:47.28\00:19:48.72
All that we look
for, all that we long for;
00:19:48.75\00:19:51.10
to be with Jesus.
00:19:51.11\00:19:52.57
To be with Jesus.
00:19:53.65\00:19:55.18
They wanted to know
the end of human woe,
00:19:56.51\00:19:59.15
the end of human heartache.
00:20:00.22\00:20:01.85
They wanted to know
the end of human fear,
00:20:02.57\00:20:05.22
the end of human pain.
00:20:05.25\00:20:06.55
They wanted to know.
00:20:06.56\00:20:07.56
They wanted to know when death
would dissolve into life again.
00:20:07.57\00:20:10.50
And His answer
was a 94 verse résumé.
00:20:10.53\00:20:13.57
In this 94 verse résumé are
the signs which would proceed
00:20:14.85\00:20:18.68
His return, signs of
the times; Matthew 24.
00:20:18.69\00:20:21.94
And they go into
Matthew 25 with the bridegroom,
00:20:21.97\00:20:25.61
and the story of the
bridegroom and the virgins.
00:20:25.87\00:20:28.95
There are general signs and
then there are specific signs.
00:20:28.98\00:20:34.01
And there were secular
and there were religious.
00:20:34.59\00:20:37.54
But the hub of the whole
treatise is Matthew 24 verse 44.
00:20:37.57\00:20:41.81
The hub,
everything circles around it.
00:20:41.84\00:20:44.42
It's the hub of
the whole treatise.
00:20:44.45\00:20:45.94
Be ready, He's coming.
00:20:53.48\00:20:55.46
Readiness is the key word.
00:20:55.49\00:20:57.77
And it occurs, by the way,
several times in scripture;
00:20:58.07\00:21:00.84
this readiness.
00:21:01.12\00:21:02.11
Example, Peter says
about readiness, he says this,
00:21:02.14\00:21:04.99
"He stands ready to
pass judgment on the living
00:21:05.02\00:21:08.31
and the dead."
00:21:08.32\00:21:09.36
James says, "The
Judge standeth at the door."
00:21:09.40\00:21:12.74
It is the grand finale.
00:21:13.17\00:21:15.24
I mean, it is the final act.
00:21:15.25\00:21:17.31
It is the glorious
appearing of Jesus.
00:21:17.34\00:21:19.87
King of glory is
coming back again.
00:21:19.90\00:21:22.72
I read, "All things are ready."
00:21:22.73\00:21:25.32
People come to me,
they're looking at the signs.
00:21:26.00\00:21:28.62
People are always wondering
when this is going to happen.
00:21:28.92\00:21:31.01
When is Revelation 13
going to be fulfilled?
00:21:31.04\00:21:34.23
When is this
going to be fulfilled?
00:21:34.24\00:21:35.76
Jesus Christ is
a heartbeat away.
00:21:35.79\00:21:37.93
You must live for
Jesus Christ every day.
00:21:37.94\00:21:40.43
Does it matter
what's coming down the road?
00:21:40.46\00:21:42.25
It matters what
happens to you here and now
00:21:42.28\00:21:44.83
at this very moment.
00:21:44.86\00:21:46.20
He's a heartbeat away.
00:21:48.06\00:21:49.79
All things are ready.
00:21:50.92\00:21:52.46
The believer is always
to look with expectation.
00:21:52.92\00:21:55.43
We who accepted Christ,
we who believe in Christ,
00:21:55.88\00:21:58.46
we who have given
our hearts to Christ,
00:21:58.49\00:22:00.07
we need to live for Him, for
His coming, for the coming King.
00:22:00.10\00:22:04.16
We are to live
perpetually in readiness.
00:22:04.19\00:22:06.93
Readiness.
00:22:07.81\00:22:08.83
He is only a heartbeat away.
00:22:08.84\00:22:12.15
We are to live in
perpetual readiness.
00:22:12.18\00:22:14.23
And that's the meaning
of the heavenly bridegroom.
00:22:14.24\00:22:16.12
That's the meaning
of the ten virgins.
00:22:16.15\00:22:17.60
I mean, Paul writing to
this marvelous event says
00:22:17.61\00:22:20.47
in 2 Timothy 4 verse 1 and
verse 8, he says these words.
00:22:20.48\00:22:24.93
This is a charge from heaven.
00:22:27.46\00:22:29.12
This is God's
charge to His people.
00:22:29.15\00:22:31.24
This is God's charge to
His children in the last days.
00:22:31.27\00:22:33.94
And sandwiched between
the avow is, "I'm ready."
00:22:54.40\00:22:57.89
My dear brother and sister,
because of the grace of God
00:22:59.14\00:23:01.53
we talked about this
morning, I'm ready to fly.
00:23:01.56\00:23:03.91
I don't know about
you, I'm ready to fly.
00:23:03.94\00:23:06.29
The sooner the better.
00:23:06.59\00:23:08.93
The sooner the better.
00:23:09.39\00:23:10.42
Now there are four
distinct things about the
00:23:10.45\00:23:12.36
coming of Jesus in the evident
of the reading of the passages.
00:23:12.39\00:23:16.25
First of all, the
coming of Christ is imperative.
00:23:16.59\00:23:19.52
Secondly, the coming
of Christ is immutable.
00:23:20.98\00:23:23.50
Thirdly, the coming
of Christ is Immanuel.
00:23:24.89\00:23:28.56
And finally, it's imminent.
00:23:28.94\00:23:30.63
First of all, the coming
of Jesus Christ is imperative.
00:23:31.49\00:23:35.85
Listen to me.
00:23:36.72\00:23:37.91
I don't know if you recognize
the terrifying and scary things
00:23:39.05\00:23:43.34
that are happening
in the world out there.
00:23:43.37\00:23:46.88
Millions are
facing a future in fear.
00:23:46.91\00:23:51.19
Men's hearts
failing them for fear.
00:23:51.50\00:23:53.16
I see the fulfillment of
that scripture wherever I go
00:23:53.19\00:23:55.44
around the world.
00:23:55.47\00:23:56.50
I see it in the big
cities, I see it in the country,
00:23:56.80\00:23:58.96
I see it wherever
people are gathered.
00:23:58.97\00:24:00.81
The fear, the
fear of the future.
00:24:00.84\00:24:02.86
Look around you.
00:24:02.87\00:24:03.87
There are powerful
forces swirling around mankind.
00:24:03.88\00:24:07.72
Forces destined to bring
about a profound change in both
00:24:07.75\00:24:11.26
physical world
and spiritual world.
00:24:11.29\00:24:13.80
There are a number of
malignant forces, dark forces
00:24:14.10\00:24:17.40
opposing God,
opposing His Word, and opposing
00:24:17.43\00:24:20.40
the kingdom of Christ.
00:24:20.43\00:24:21.44
Think of it.
00:24:21.47\00:24:22.51
We entered last century,
the 20th century, on horseback.
00:24:22.69\00:24:26.52
He left it in SUV's.
00:24:26.55\00:24:28.78
We lost, in the 20th century,
influenza, outhouses thank God,
00:24:30.67\00:24:35.25
lanterns.
00:24:37.37\00:24:38.73
We left with wrist
watches, atomic weapons,
00:24:39.22\00:24:42.43
and too much weight.
00:24:42.46\00:24:44.55
We arrived in the 20th
century steeped in agriculture,
00:24:46.04\00:24:49.18
working the fields.
00:24:49.21\00:24:50.51
And we left it in the
laboratory working the computer.
00:24:50.54\00:24:53.86
I mean, we arrived money
poor in the 20th century.
00:24:53.89\00:24:56.73
We left it money rich.
00:24:56.76\00:24:59.18
We entered the 20th
century spiritually rich
00:24:59.21\00:25:02.12
and we left it spiritually poor.
00:25:02.15\00:25:04.40
Judgment is at the door.
00:25:07.23\00:25:08.71
Now I know you like
pretty little sermons with
00:25:10.04\00:25:12.08
bubbling brooks, but
judgment is at the door.
00:25:12.11\00:25:14.46
If we have
conquered anything, it's time.
00:25:15.16\00:25:17.27
We entered the 20th century with
a life expectance of 43.3 years.
00:25:17.62\00:25:21.88
Now it's 80 years.
00:25:22.65\00:25:24.25
I don't even like to talk
about that when you get my age.
00:25:25.40\00:25:29.72
If we've conquered
anything, it's time.
00:25:31.17\00:25:32.90
24 hour news casts.
00:25:32.93\00:25:34.21
I mean fast food,
instant cash, atm.
00:25:34.24\00:25:36.85
I mean, your grandparents
would turn over in their...
00:25:36.88\00:25:39.04
They would be shocked.
00:25:39.07\00:25:40.71
Cell phones, iPhones,
iPads, this pad, that pad.
00:25:41.82\00:25:46.76
Listen to me, fax machines.
00:25:46.79\00:25:48.30
All things, it
unshackled us, they said.
00:25:48.33\00:25:51.18
I mean, gives us
more time for leisure.
00:25:51.21\00:25:53.24
That's a joke. Do
you have any more time?
00:25:53.27\00:25:55.47
Technology has
not made life easier.
00:25:59.46\00:26:04.00
We're caught in a whirlwind.
00:26:05.31\00:26:06.69
And these forces seized
upon science and technology
00:26:08.22\00:26:12.29
as prime tools
for the exploration
00:26:12.89\00:26:14.77
and conquest of the soul.
00:26:14.80\00:26:16.33
Laser particle beams,
biological chemical weapons,
00:26:17.79\00:26:22.01
high-tech surveillance.
00:26:22.93\00:26:23.94
You can't hide.
00:26:23.95\00:26:24.95
You can't even hide
out here in West Frankfort.
00:26:24.96\00:26:28.51
I can hardly find you.
00:26:28.54\00:26:30.26
But the time of trouble,
I'm going to run to Brooklyn.
00:26:32.83\00:26:34.93
At least there will be
a lot of bodies around me,
00:26:34.96\00:26:36.46
so it'll be harder
for them to get me.
00:26:36.49\00:26:38.20
High-tech surveillance.
00:26:39.34\00:26:40.36
They can get a
heartbeat from the universe.
00:26:40.39\00:26:43.43
Genetic engineering, robots.
00:26:45.58\00:26:47.51
Conflict in the Middle East.
00:26:48.74\00:26:50.30
Death of the planet, pollution.
00:26:50.97\00:26:52.72
Just think of the
world of technology.
00:26:52.92\00:26:54.54
We're in a high-tech age.
00:26:54.57\00:26:57.02
I mean, the age of high-tech
has arrived magnum force.
00:26:57.03\00:26:59.36
Computers,
telecommunication, satellites.
00:26:59.39\00:27:02.77
Recent achievements in
outer space by our astronauts.
00:27:03.07\00:27:05.95
Lasers and artificial life.
00:27:05.98\00:27:08.30
Mind boggling achievements
in the era of technology.
00:27:08.33\00:27:11.59
And that's why Daniel
in chapter 12 verse 1,
00:27:11.62\00:27:13.76
when he looked down the span
of time with prophetic eyes,
00:27:13.78\00:27:16.35
he saw this and he said:
00:27:16.38\00:27:18.08
And then he talks about
running to and fro upon the
00:27:27.59\00:27:31.88
face of the earth and
knowledge shall be increased.
00:27:31.91\00:27:34.45
A Chief Executive Officer
of one of America's large
00:27:35.66\00:27:38.04
computer corporations said this,
00:27:38.07\00:27:39.87
"We're going
through a time warp."
00:27:39.90\00:27:41.61
The book, "The Intimate
Machine: Close Encounters
00:27:44.17\00:27:46.94
With Computers and Robots" said,
listen to this, "We shall have
00:27:46.97\00:27:50.34
robots as
companions, even sex partners."
00:27:50.37\00:27:53.44
Jesus needs to come.
00:27:53.75\00:27:55.98
It's imperative that He come.
00:27:56.40\00:27:58.43
Bowing God out
and bowing man in,
00:27:58.81\00:28:00.80
there is no limit
to their perversion.
00:28:00.83\00:28:02.98
In the area of robotics,
there's material similar
00:28:03.01\00:28:05.72
to human flesh now.
00:28:05.75\00:28:06.87
Did you know that?
00:28:06.88\00:28:07.88
In fact, they've
manufactured organic brain.
00:28:07.89\00:28:10.88
Maybe that's what I
need, a brain transplant.
00:28:11.13\00:28:13.62
I think some of my
teachers thought that.
00:28:14.71\00:28:16.58
They already have
biological computer units.
00:28:18.81\00:28:22.04
This is not
science fiction malarkey.
00:28:22.07\00:28:24.57
I mean, it's reality.
00:28:24.58\00:28:25.61
Talking about artificial
eyes, artificial noses.
00:28:25.62\00:28:28.38
By the way, the artificial
nose distinguishes between
00:28:28.41\00:28:31.76
dozens of flower smells.
00:28:31.79\00:28:34.39
Bert Valley, past head of
the Harvard seven member team of
00:28:37.93\00:28:41.59
researchers, has successfully
cloned, listen, a molecule
00:28:41.62\00:28:45.86
which triggers the
growth of body cells;
00:28:45.89\00:28:48.00
the generation of organs.
00:28:48.03\00:28:49.95
In the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem,
00:28:50.79\00:28:53.11
biotechnologists have also been
successful in another realm.
00:28:53.14\00:28:56.62
They have successfully
manipulated, listen to this,
00:28:56.65\00:28:59.48
DNA chemicals to
change aged mouse cells
00:28:59.51\00:29:03.95
back into young mouse cells.
00:29:03.98\00:29:06.15
Immortality.
00:29:06.18\00:29:07.42
It's imperative
that Jesus Christ comes.
00:29:10.74\00:29:12.82
On the other hand, violent
crime is on the increase.
00:29:14.14\00:29:16.39
We talk about brotherhood;
there are more hoods.
00:29:19.09\00:29:21.15
Millions in our prisons.
00:29:21.99\00:29:23.76
650,000 babies are born addicted
to drugs in the womb in America.
00:29:23.79\00:29:29.11
It's imperative
that Jesus Christ comes.
00:29:29.14\00:29:31.74
H.G. Wells despaired, "We
are at the end of the rope."
00:29:32.29\00:29:35.43
Now this is not
some fanatical preacher.
00:29:35.46\00:29:37.66
This is not some evangelist.
00:29:37.67\00:29:38.93
This is H. G. Wells,
"We're at the end of the rope.
00:29:38.96\00:29:41.54
The end of everything we
call life is close at hand."
00:29:41.55\00:29:45.83
Listen, Albert Einstein said
this, "In the end, there beckons
00:29:45.86\00:29:49.30
more and more clearly
general annihilation."
00:29:49.33\00:29:51.58
What a picture.
00:29:51.61\00:29:52.60
Chancellor of Chicago
University, the past president,
00:29:53.01\00:29:55.98
the first atomic bomb
was developed and he said,
00:29:56.01\00:29:58.07
"I cannot see any
future for our known world."
00:29:58.10\00:30:00.72
I mean, the former president
of Columbia University said,
00:30:00.75\00:30:03.89
"The end cannot be far distant."
00:30:03.92\00:30:06.15
These are not preachers.
00:30:06.18\00:30:07.62
No hell fire and brimstone.
00:30:09.41\00:30:11.21
This is reality.
00:30:11.83\00:30:13.13
I mean, the planet is
swinging through space;
00:30:13.48\00:30:16.81
doomed, damned,
crushed, bound for hell.
00:30:16.84\00:30:19.50
And it's imperative that Jesus
Christ interrupt man's pursuit.
00:30:20.01\00:30:25.69
But all this
forward moving technology
00:30:29.05\00:30:31.02
has not helped us really.
00:30:31.55\00:30:33.08
We're going backwards.
00:30:33.79\00:30:34.85
The explosion of the
single parent families.
00:30:34.88\00:30:37.19
The declining
influence of religion,
00:30:38.15\00:30:40.16
even in Christian homes.
00:30:40.80\00:30:42.48
Increasing hedonistic culture
fueled by drugs, sex, and
00:30:43.01\00:30:47.25
a lost sense of shame.
00:30:47.28\00:30:49.19
They don't even blush.
00:30:49.60\00:30:51.32
Filthy mouths,
unbridled tongues, talk trash,
00:30:51.96\00:30:56.03
and wonder why
their life is trash.
00:30:56.04\00:30:58.33
Our greatest challenge is not
conquering disease or poverty,
00:30:59.54\00:31:03.02
but conquering our
own personal weaknesses.
00:31:03.57\00:31:06.04
We've met the
enemy, and he is us.
00:31:06.07\00:31:09.54
He is us.
00:31:10.36\00:31:11.66
The clock is about
to strike midnight.
00:31:11.98\00:31:13.92
Are you ready?
00:31:15.41\00:31:16.53
The coming of Jesus
Christ is imperative.
00:31:17.49\00:31:18.97
Secondly, the coming
of Christ is immutable.
00:31:19.00\00:31:20.95
It's a changeless fact.
00:31:21.47\00:31:22.92
The Bible tells us,
Paul writing to the Hebrews,
00:31:23.57\00:31:25.81
in chapter 6 and
verses 18 and 19:
00:31:25.84\00:31:28.63
He says, "Look, it is
immutable. It's changeless."
00:31:47.17\00:31:51.21
One columnist
writing about our times
00:31:53.36\00:31:55.46
and the uncertainty
of our times commented,
00:31:55.49\00:31:58.43
"The very best our leaders,
political leaders, could do
00:31:58.46\00:32:01.96
is sophisticate their actions
in such a way as to ensure
00:32:01.99\00:32:05.93
the way to international hell
is paved with good intentions."
00:32:05.96\00:32:09.82
A sales clerk holding up
a toy, a gadget, she says,
00:32:11.03\00:32:15.27
"Here's an educational toy
designed to adjust your child
00:32:15.30\00:32:19.25
to live in the world today.
00:32:19.28\00:32:20.75
Anyway he puts it
together, it's wrong."
00:32:20.78\00:32:23.26
Readers Digest commented,
"If all economists were laid
00:32:26.36\00:32:29.36
end to end, they'd all
point in a different direction."
00:32:29.39\00:32:32.31
You heard about the business
man who was always getting lost.
00:32:35.23\00:32:39.03
And his birthday came up.
00:32:39.83\00:32:41.12
And he'd get lost and come back
on Tuesday instead of a Monday.
00:32:41.15\00:32:44.39
And kept getting
lost in the woods,
00:32:44.66\00:32:46.50
but he loved to go hunting.
00:32:46.51\00:32:47.96
So it came his birthday.
00:32:48.94\00:32:49.97
So they all chipped in
and bought him a compass.
00:32:50.00\00:32:52.16
So they handed him
the compass and he said,
00:32:54.18\00:32:55.74
"I'm going hunting this weekend.
I'll be back on Monday."
00:32:55.75\00:32:59.07
And so, well, they
gave him a compass.
00:32:59.10\00:33:00.48
They thought this was enough.
00:33:00.51\00:33:01.74
And so he went out in the woods,
and come Monday he wasn't there.
00:33:03.17\00:33:07.50
It came
Tuesday, he wasn't there.
00:33:07.51\00:33:08.69
Finally he
showed up on Wednesday.
00:33:08.72\00:33:10.27
And they said,
"But what happened?
00:33:10.77\00:33:11.91
We gave you a compass."
00:33:11.94\00:33:13.57
He said, "I know."
00:33:13.60\00:33:14.64
He said, "I went in
the direction of north,
00:33:14.67\00:33:19.24
but the compass kept
pointing to the southeast."
00:33:19.27\00:33:22.75
The believer
accepts the promise.
00:33:27.82\00:33:29.69
It's immutable.
00:33:29.72\00:33:31.13
Jesus said it, I
believe it. That seals it.
00:33:31.94\00:33:35.23
His birth, His life, His death,
His resurrection; unchanging.
00:33:35.93\00:33:39.75
"I will come again."
00:33:39.78\00:33:43.01
But thirdly, the coming
of Jesus Christ is Immanuel.
00:33:43.96\00:33:49.97
John 1, the Bible tells
us that this is God with us.
00:33:51.11\00:33:57.09
John 1 and verse 14, he says:
00:33:57.12\00:34:00.44
The coming of Jesus will
be Immanuel, will be personal.
00:34:17.53\00:34:20.89
Just as the
incarnation was personal.
00:34:20.90\00:34:23.37
Just as Jesus put flesh on
so that we might touch Him,
00:34:23.40\00:34:26.72
that we might feel Him,
that we might see Him in action.
00:34:26.75\00:34:29.56
He lived that perfect life
that we too might understand
00:34:29.59\00:34:33.07
fully the grace of Jesus
Christ, the glory of God.
00:34:33.10\00:34:36.90
You see, the first
advent, the first time He came,
00:34:40.13\00:34:43.71
He enters
through a woman's womb.
00:34:43.74\00:34:45.27
And no one saw Him enter.
00:34:46.65\00:34:48.31
The second time He comes
and every eye will see Him.
00:34:49.81\00:34:52.24
You see, the first coming,
He came as the Lamb of God.
00:34:53.26\00:34:56.54
The second coming, He comes as
the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
00:34:56.87\00:35:01.22
The first time He
came, He came to redeem us.
00:35:01.25\00:35:03.85
The second time He comes,
He comes to reign over us.
00:35:03.88\00:35:07.26
The first
coming, the first time,
00:35:07.29\00:35:08.74
He came as the King of the Jews.
00:35:08.75\00:35:10.66
The second time, He comes as
King of kings and Lord of lords.
00:35:10.67\00:35:15.54
The first time, He comes
to receive a crown of thorns.
00:35:16.95\00:35:21.76
The second time, He
comes to receive a crown
00:35:22.06\00:35:25.26
of righteousness.
00:35:25.27\00:35:26.68
He will come, Jesus Christ.
00:35:26.71\00:35:28.88
The first time, He came
in the weakness of a baby.
00:35:28.91\00:35:30.97
The second time, He'll come in
the power of God; God Almighty.
00:35:31.00\00:35:34.15
The outlook for
our world is dark.
00:35:34.18\00:35:36.38
But the up look is bright.
00:35:36.41\00:35:39.01
He's coming
literally to this earth.
00:35:40.51\00:35:43.00
A dad asked his son, "What
do you want for Christmas, son?"
00:35:43.40\00:35:47.07
The boy looked for a little
while and he scratched his head.
00:35:47.73\00:35:51.15
I guess he had a
big list in his head.
00:35:52.00\00:35:54.08
And so he had to narrow it down.
00:35:54.80\00:35:56.09
"What do you want?"
00:35:56.10\00:35:57.10
And so he finally
said, "I want a horse."
00:35:57.11\00:36:00.04
"Oh, you want a horse."
00:36:01.60\00:36:03.30
"Do you want a
wooden horse?" "No."
00:36:03.94\00:36:06.39
"Do you want an
iron horse?" "No."
00:36:07.64\00:36:11.54
"You want a plastic horse?"
00:36:11.88\00:36:12.88
"No, I want a
horse made of horse."
00:36:12.89\00:36:15.69
That's the real
thing; horse made of horse.
00:36:16.84\00:36:19.42
Come on, the real
thing is coming back.
00:36:19.45\00:36:21.51
Come on, He's coming back
in glory, this real thing.
00:36:21.54\00:36:23.83
I mean, this Jesus.
00:36:23.86\00:36:25.63
This Jesus, no apparition.
00:36:25.64\00:36:29.49
No mystery.
00:36:30.22\00:36:31.44
Jesus Christ, the real.
00:36:32.40\00:36:35.21
This same Jesus which is
taken up from you in heaven
00:36:35.24\00:36:37.86
shall come in like manner as
ye have seen Him go into heaven.
00:36:37.89\00:36:43.06
So the coming of Jesus
Christ, my dear friend,
00:36:43.57\00:36:46.59
is a glorious event.
00:36:46.62\00:36:48.02
As earth's history
comes to its conclusion,
00:36:48.52\00:36:51.11
as the battle goes on between
man and between God and Satan,
00:36:51.14\00:36:55.29
as the battle goes on...
00:36:55.30\00:36:56.30
In my book, "Prayer
Warriors," I talk about
00:36:56.33\00:36:58.69
the spiritual battle
between Christ and Satan,
00:36:58.72\00:37:01.46
the great controversy.
00:37:01.47\00:37:02.63
But that battle is not
only about Jesus and Satan.
00:37:02.64\00:37:05.24
That battle is you and Satan.
00:37:05.27\00:37:06.73
And that struggle is going on.
00:37:09.34\00:37:11.40
And so Jesus
says, "I need to come.
00:37:11.43\00:37:14.05
It's imperative
that I come back again.
00:37:14.08\00:37:15.91
Because if We let the
world go as it's going,
00:37:15.94\00:37:18.39
man will destroy himself."
00:37:18.42\00:37:20.43
And so He says it's immutable.
00:37:23.89\00:37:25.34
"I made up my mind. In
eternity, I made up my mind."
00:37:25.37\00:37:29.08
Long before light
ever touched this earth,
00:37:29.09\00:37:30.97
long before the green grass
sprouted, and little flowers
00:37:30.98\00:37:33.41
blossomed, and pine trees
pointed its fingers to the sky,
00:37:33.44\00:37:35.80
and the oaks spread out
it's arms, and lakes curled down
00:37:35.83\00:37:38.11
in the huddles of the glen,
and rivers ran down to the sea.
00:37:38.14\00:37:40.88
Long before Adam
breathed the first breath,
00:37:40.89\00:37:43.29
and Eve was taken from the
rib of man to become prime rib.
00:37:43.32\00:37:48.08
"I'm on my way."
00:37:50.36\00:37:51.84
Long centuries before
Noah picked up the hammer
00:37:52.34\00:37:55.19
and God put down His grace.
00:37:55.49\00:37:58.01
Long centuries before.
00:37:58.04\00:37:59.24
Long centuries before
Abraham took the long journey.
00:37:59.27\00:38:01.82
Long centuries before
Moses stood before the mountain
00:38:01.83\00:38:04.55
and before the Law of God.
00:38:04.58\00:38:05.86
Long centuries before the
Israelites came out of Egypt.
00:38:05.89\00:38:09.82
Long centuries
before, He was on His way.
00:38:09.85\00:38:12.11
He had made a promise.
00:38:12.14\00:38:13.34
He had said, "I
will come again."
00:38:13.37\00:38:15.88
It's changeless.
00:38:15.91\00:38:17.92
The armies of the
Philistines could not change it.
00:38:19.04\00:38:21.74
The great enemies of the early
church could not change it.
00:38:21.75\00:38:26.14
The dark ages and the enemy of
the church could not change it.
00:38:26.17\00:38:29.61
Revelation says the antichrist
will not be able to change it.
00:38:29.64\00:38:33.19
Again and again, the
Bible says, "I will come again."
00:38:33.22\00:38:36.78
And He says, that
will be a prophetic event.
00:38:36.81\00:38:39.91
And there's no
prophetic event after that.
00:38:39.94\00:38:42.69
There's no
prophetic chart after that.
00:38:42.72\00:38:45.13
There's no historical
event that awaits to be
00:38:45.16\00:38:47.48
fulfilled after that.
00:38:47.51\00:38:49.19
Prior to His coming for His
church, all the New Testament
00:38:49.20\00:38:51.97
writers exhort us
to do is to watch.
00:38:51.98\00:38:54.43
Watching,
waiting, looking, praying.
00:38:54.46\00:38:58.51
And expecting at
any moment His return.
00:39:00.08\00:39:04.83
That's a beautiful thing.
00:39:05.64\00:39:07.06
That's a marvelous thing.
00:39:07.71\00:39:09.31
To be waiting for the
return of Christ to the earth.
00:39:09.79\00:39:14.23
Be ready.
00:39:14.24\00:39:15.24
I was once, when I
was a young preacher...
00:39:15.25\00:39:17.08
That was many years ago.
00:39:17.11\00:39:18.27
But at one time I
was a young preacher.
00:39:18.55\00:39:21.03
And, you know, I
was ready for bear.
00:39:21.81\00:39:24.39
You know, I like to debate.
00:39:24.40\00:39:25.75
You know, I like to come in
conflict with other theologians
00:39:25.78\00:39:30.81
and discuss things.
00:39:30.84\00:39:32.42
And I was invited
to go to a seminary
00:39:32.62\00:39:35.03
and let the seminary know
what I believed as a Christian,
00:39:36.23\00:39:38.76
as a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian.
00:39:38.79\00:39:40.63
So I got all ready for this and
got to this ivy league seminary.
00:39:41.84\00:39:46.81
They brought me up
in this high pulpit and
00:39:47.76\00:39:50.00
very distinguished place.
00:39:50.03\00:39:52.07
A well known seminary.
00:39:52.10\00:39:53.35
There I was just a young
preacher and just starting out.
00:39:53.75\00:39:57.59
And I was a little
nervous, I have to admit.
00:39:57.79\00:40:00.03
But I had my Bible.
00:40:00.06\00:40:01.84
And I stood up there and I said,
"I believe that the Word of God
00:40:02.98\00:40:05.93
is the infallible Word of
God, that it's God inspired."
00:40:05.96\00:40:10.38
And I talked about the
Word and how important the
00:40:10.41\00:40:12.99
Bible was to me as a
preacher, and how important it
00:40:13.02\00:40:15.53
was to the people of God.
00:40:15.56\00:40:17.06
And this Book was written
under the direction of God.
00:40:17.16\00:40:20.75
They tried to burn it,
they tried to destroy it,
00:40:20.76\00:40:23.47
they tried to kill
those who wrote it.
00:40:23.50\00:40:25.53
But it lives on,
the Word lives on.
00:40:25.56\00:40:27.84
I told about the
belief in the Bible.
00:40:27.87\00:40:30.13
I spoke about the creation, how
God spoke things into creation.
00:40:30.16\00:40:33.83
If I reject Genesis 1, I
might as well reject Matthew 1.
00:40:33.86\00:40:37.80
If I reject Genesis 2, I might
as well reject Revelation 2.
00:40:37.83\00:40:41.69
I mean, they come together.
00:40:41.72\00:40:43.31
They are one together.
00:40:43.32\00:40:44.69
I spoke about the
creation, the God who spoke
00:40:45.43\00:40:47.63
things into existence.
00:40:47.66\00:40:49.24
I'm amazed that we can
create a child in 9 months,
00:40:49.27\00:40:52.47
but we can't believe that God
could create a day in one day.
00:40:52.50\00:40:56.23
He's God, isn't He?
00:40:57.06\00:40:58.50
How big is your God?
00:40:58.80\00:41:00.34
Anyway, I spoke
about the creation.
00:41:00.84\00:41:02.65
I went on through.
00:41:02.68\00:41:03.74
I talked about some of
those great themes in the Bible.
00:41:03.75\00:41:06.02
I talked about salvation that
came through faith in Christ
00:41:06.05\00:41:08.47
by the grace of God.
00:41:08.77\00:41:10.32
I talked about grace.
00:41:10.42\00:41:11.47
You know I love to preach
about grace and about faith.
00:41:11.48\00:41:14.74
I talked about a living faith.
00:41:14.77\00:41:16.82
I talked about the cross
and at that moment, Christ
00:41:16.85\00:41:19.86
at that moment
satisfied the broken law.
00:41:19.89\00:41:23.90
At the moment, my
Christ died for my sins.
00:41:23.93\00:41:28.52
I talked of the resurrection.
00:41:28.97\00:41:30.67
I talked about the
great themes of judgment and
00:41:31.08\00:41:33.50
took them through the
great prophecies of judgment.
00:41:33.51\00:41:36.09
And I went on and I got
to many of the great things;
00:41:36.12\00:41:39.93
the baptism by emersion
and some of these great things
00:41:39.96\00:41:43.13
we believe as Bible believers.
00:41:43.16\00:41:45.69
And I saved the best for last.
00:41:46.57\00:41:51.08
I said, "I believe in
the imminent return of Christ
00:41:52.22\00:41:54.81
to the earth a second time."
00:41:55.95\00:41:57.71
Now remember, I had
taken them through the Bible.
00:41:59.16\00:42:01.13
I had taken them through
the great themes of the Bible.
00:42:01.14\00:42:03.01
And now I said, "But
now, here is the capstone.
00:42:03.04\00:42:06.95
I believe that Jesus Christ
is coming back visibly, audibly,
00:42:08.86\00:42:12.69
literally to the
earth for His children.
00:42:12.72\00:42:15.26
And that coming is imminent."
00:42:16.51\00:42:18.92
And I finished.
00:42:20.28\00:42:21.42
Then it was time for questions.
00:42:22.29\00:42:23.62
Now I'm always
good at questions.
00:42:23.65\00:42:26.23
I'm not so great at the answers.
00:42:26.26\00:42:27.53
So now I'm really nervous.
00:42:27.56\00:42:29.65
This high brow seminary.
00:42:30.04\00:42:33.12
And as I stood there,
after saying I believe in the
00:42:33.89\00:42:36.16
imminent return of
Christ, the first question
00:42:36.19\00:42:39.12
one of the professors stood
in the back and they all looked.
00:42:39.79\00:42:43.78
And they listened
for his profound ideas.
00:42:44.39\00:42:52.37
And he said, "Young man..."
00:42:52.96\00:42:54.58
And I was a young man.
00:42:55.09\00:42:56.63
He said, "Young man..."
And he introduced himself.
00:42:57.94\00:43:00.86
Dr. so and so, PhD, ThD,
DDT. I don't know, but anyway.
00:43:00.89\00:43:07.37
As if he could impress me.
00:43:10.21\00:43:12.21
I've been taught
at the feet of Jesus.
00:43:13.38\00:43:15.78
And he's going to
impress me with his degrees?
00:43:16.26\00:43:18.70
And he said,
"Young man, that could be
00:43:22.22\00:43:25.48
a thousand years from now."
00:43:25.51\00:43:27.97
A thousand years from now?
00:43:33.58\00:43:35.62
I said, "Mister, put
your hand on your heart.
00:43:35.65\00:43:39.45
For you, it's not a
thousand years from now.
00:43:41.25\00:43:43.70
Be ye therefore ready."
00:43:43.73\00:43:45.48
He got the drift.
00:43:46.48\00:43:48.06
I want Him to come.
00:43:52.04\00:43:53.47
I'm tired of all this chaos,
this unrest, this uncertainty.
00:43:56.06\00:43:59.21
I tired of laying
people that I love to rest.
00:44:00.78\00:44:03.34
I'm tired of seeing the ones
that I love the most and they
00:44:04.77\00:44:06.82
have to be laid to
rest because He hasn't come.
00:44:06.85\00:44:10.25
I tell people when I
preach, I say, "I hope I'm in
00:44:12.17\00:44:14.19
Brooklyn when Jesus comes."
00:44:14.22\00:44:16.03
And I'll go from
Brooklyn to Long Island.
00:44:17.29\00:44:19.37
But I want to be in Brooklyn.
00:44:19.40\00:44:20.89
I remember my grandmother,
my little Norwegian grandmother.
00:44:23.17\00:44:26.11
She was a faithful Christian
long before I ever found Christ,
00:44:26.14\00:44:29.17
long before my
family ever knew Christ.
00:44:29.20\00:44:31.18
She was a godly Christian woman.
00:44:31.21\00:44:33.03
And I want to be
there when she comes up.
00:44:33.50\00:44:36.63
And she's going to see me.
00:44:36.66\00:44:38.01
And she's going
to say, "Good boy."
00:44:38.24\00:44:40.08
She always called me a good
boy even when I was a bad boy.
00:44:40.11\00:44:42.20
Now, if a grandmother
could see a good boy in me,
00:44:42.21\00:44:44.18
surely God can see a
good girl and good boy in you.
00:44:44.68\00:44:47.47
Don't you see that?
00:44:47.50\00:44:48.94
I want to be in Brooklyn.
00:44:50.84\00:44:52.10
Then I want to go to
a place in Long Island.
00:44:53.90\00:44:57.32
I want to go.
00:45:01.99\00:45:03.11
In Brooklyn, I want to see
my mom and dad I led to Christ.
00:45:04.32\00:45:07.36
I had the privilege
of seeing them baptized
00:45:08.75\00:45:10.17
in the kingdom of God.
00:45:10.20\00:45:11.39
I want to see them
lifted up, raised up.
00:45:14.17\00:45:16.06
You think you can
shake me out of my faith?
00:45:17.69\00:45:19.83
That I would lose
such an important event?
00:45:21.39\00:45:25.20
Do you think for a
moment that I'd let go and
00:45:26.64\00:45:29.96
miss that important reunion?
00:45:29.99\00:45:32.17
I'm tired of this old chaos.
00:45:33.73\00:45:35.21
I'm tired of laying
to rest people I love.
00:45:35.24\00:45:38.51
I'm tired of all the pain.
00:45:40.01\00:45:42.24
I'm tired of the suffering.
00:45:43.72\00:45:45.20
The death in this old world.
00:45:47.04\00:45:48.21
I'm tired of the hurt and the
sorrow and the emotional pain.
00:45:48.24\00:45:50.96
I'm tired to know that
two-thirds of the world's
00:45:50.99\00:45:53.34
population are under
nourished in this world.
00:45:53.37\00:45:55.88
I'm tired, I'm sick of crime
and rape and murder and mayhem.
00:45:55.90\00:45:59.91
I'm tired, aren't you?
00:45:59.94\00:46:01.86
Don't you want
something better for your life?
00:46:03.49\00:46:06.02
For your family?
00:46:07.00\00:46:07.99
And I want for mine.
00:46:08.02\00:46:09.69
For your children?
00:46:11.06\00:46:12.49
For your children?
00:46:13.83\00:46:15.20
This King is coming back.
00:46:16.64\00:46:20.65
And He talks about
readiness in Matthew 24:44.
00:46:21.87\00:46:25.27
The King, listen, my King.
00:46:25.99\00:46:29.32
The Bible says my
King is King of the Jews.
00:46:29.35\00:46:31.91
The Bible says my
King is King of Israel.
00:46:31.94\00:46:34.08
The Bible says my King
is King of righteousness.
00:46:34.09\00:46:36.40
The Bible says my King
is the King of the ages,
00:46:36.41\00:46:39.23
the King of heaven.
00:46:39.24\00:46:40.24
My King is King of glory.
00:46:40.25\00:46:43.32
I want Him back.
00:46:43.33\00:46:45.16
I wonder tonight
if you know my King.
00:46:46.92\00:46:48.89
The Bible says my
King is sovereign God.
00:46:50.28\00:46:53.20
My King is the sovereign King.
00:46:53.23\00:46:55.14
No means or measure can
define His limitless love.
00:46:55.17\00:46:58.09
He's enduringly
strong, entirely sincere.
00:46:58.12\00:47:01.47
The Bible says He
is steadfast, my King.
00:47:01.48\00:47:03.75
He's immortally
graceful, my King.
00:47:03.78\00:47:05.97
He's impartially powerful.
He is impartially merciful.
00:47:06.00\00:47:10.44
Do you know my King?
00:47:10.47\00:47:11.66
The Bible says He is the
greatest phenomena that has
00:47:11.69\00:47:14.81
ever crossed the
horizon of this world.
00:47:14.84\00:47:16.78
The Bible says my
King is God's Son.
00:47:16.81\00:47:19.26
The Bible says He
is the sinner's Savior.
00:47:19.29\00:47:21.64
He is the
centerpiece of civilization.
00:47:21.67\00:47:23.76
He is unparalleled,
He is unprecedented.
00:47:23.79\00:47:27.11
He is the loftiest
idea of literature.
00:47:27.14\00:47:29.56
He is the highest
personality of philosophy.
00:47:29.59\00:47:32.06
He is the fundamental
doctrine of true theology.
00:47:32.09\00:47:34.87
I hear wild eyed
preachers trying to tell us
00:47:34.90\00:47:37.44
who the king of the north is,
who the king of the south is.
00:47:37.47\00:47:40.38
I want to know who
the King of heaven is.
00:47:40.41\00:47:43.45
He is the only one qualified...
00:47:46.88\00:47:49.14
...to be all sufficient Savior.
00:47:51.35\00:47:53.31
I wonder if you know Him.
00:47:54.38\00:47:56.71
The Bible says that my
King, He supplies strength
00:47:57.15\00:48:00.85
in our weakness.
00:48:00.88\00:48:02.75
He is available for
the tempted and the tried.
00:48:02.76\00:48:05.31
You are not alone, friend.
00:48:05.34\00:48:06.80
When the devil comes
up against you, call upon
00:48:06.83\00:48:09.32
the name of Jesus.
00:48:09.35\00:48:10.71
You are not alone
in your temptation.
00:48:10.74\00:48:12.35
You are not alone in your fall.
00:48:12.38\00:48:14.29
He is there to lift
you up, to pick you up.
00:48:14.73\00:48:17.52
Don't you see that in God?
00:48:17.55\00:48:19.47
When my boy was
born, my little boy,
00:48:19.50\00:48:21.69
he was just a little thing.
00:48:22.18\00:48:23.52
He's six foot eight now,
but he was a little thing.
00:48:23.55\00:48:25.74
And I bought him
a baseball glove.
00:48:26.70\00:48:28.25
I figured he'd be out
playing ball in a few weeks.
00:48:28.28\00:48:31.09
And I remember how...
00:48:35.50\00:48:36.59
You know how it is parents.
00:48:36.62\00:48:37.99
You talk in another language.
Come on, you talk in tongues.
00:48:38.02\00:48:40.82
You know.
00:48:43.35\00:48:44.46
And he's getting up
there, little skinny legs.
00:48:45.53\00:48:48.49
My wife was holding him
over there in the chair and
00:48:49.83\00:48:52.16
I was sitting across the room.
00:48:52.17\00:48:53.24
She was holding his hands
and his legs are wobbling.
00:48:53.90\00:48:57.11
Finally I said, "Come to daddy."
00:48:57.62\00:49:00.59
Spoken in that unknown
tongue only parents know.
00:49:00.62\00:49:03.62
And that kid took two
steps and fell flat on his face.
00:49:05.21\00:49:08.61
What did I say? "Dumb
kid fell on his face."
00:49:08.64\00:49:11.58
No, I said,
"Honey, he's walking."
00:49:11.61\00:49:13.98
Don't you see this
almighty God, the God of heaven,
00:49:14.01\00:49:17.10
looks down upon this earth.
00:49:17.13\00:49:18.52
When He sees His children
on wobbly knees falling down,
00:49:18.55\00:49:21.94
He doesn't say, "Ha, fallen."
00:49:21.97\00:49:24.39
He says, "Whoa, he took a step."
00:49:24.40\00:49:27.31
My King.
00:49:30.28\00:49:31.33
My King.
00:49:32.34\00:49:33.51
He strengthens and sustains.
00:49:34.68\00:49:36.84
He guards and He guides.
00:49:36.87\00:49:38.63
He heals the sick,
He cleanses the leper.
00:49:38.66\00:49:41.77
I mean, my King.
00:49:41.78\00:49:43.72
The Bible says that my
King, He forgives sinners.
00:49:43.75\00:49:46.04
He delivers captives.
00:49:46.07\00:49:47.52
He helps the helpless.
00:49:47.55\00:49:48.80
He defends the feeble.
00:49:48.83\00:49:50.15
Blesses and
serves the unfortunate.
00:49:50.18\00:49:52.28
He rewards the diligent.
00:49:52.31\00:49:54.01
My King is your King.
00:49:54.04\00:49:55.97
My King.
00:49:55.98\00:49:56.98
He is the key of
knowledge, my King.
00:49:56.99\00:49:58.87
He is the
wellspring of wisdom, my King.
00:49:58.88\00:50:01.27
He is the doorway to
deliverance, my King.
00:50:01.30\00:50:04.15
And our problem; we
know all doctrine but we
00:50:04.18\00:50:06.62
don't know deliverance.
00:50:06.65\00:50:09.26
He is the pathway to peace.
00:50:12.05\00:50:14.40
Is He your King?
00:50:16.29\00:50:17.54
This is the King that's
coming with an army of angels.
00:50:19.08\00:50:23.31
10,000 upon 10,000 upon
10,000 upon 10,000 of angels.
00:50:23.34\00:50:28.10
And they'll descend
from heaven with a shout,
00:50:28.71\00:50:30.28
with the voice the archangel.
00:50:30.31\00:50:31.47
And that voice will
pierce the graves in Brooklyn,
00:50:31.50\00:50:34.99
and they will come forth.
00:50:35.02\00:50:36.51
He'll pierce the graves on Long
Island and they'll come forth.
00:50:36.54\00:50:39.84
He'll pierce the
graves in England and Europe
00:50:39.87\00:50:44.65
and around the world, and
Australia and New Zealand,
00:50:44.68\00:50:47.36
and they'll come forth.
00:50:47.39\00:50:48.70
Our King.
00:50:49.00\00:50:50.49
And we will be with Him.
00:50:52.88\00:50:54.21
We will be with Him forever.
00:50:55.69\00:50:58.87
Is He your King?
00:51:02.83\00:51:04.03
Why not say, "Be my King."
00:51:05.52\00:51:09.33
The best time is right now.
00:51:09.36\00:51:11.17
Don't you want to
see Him with your eyes?
00:51:11.87\00:51:13.86
Don't you want to
touch Him with your hands?
00:51:15.14\00:51:17.26
Don't give up now, you're
that close to the kingdom.
00:51:18.01\00:51:20.86
Don't give up now.
00:51:20.89\00:51:22.38
He's near, even at the door.
00:51:24.42\00:51:26.09
And the Bible says, "Be ready."
00:51:26.75\00:51:28.16
When my children were
young, we use to travel a lot.
00:51:29.05\00:51:31.59
And every now and then,
I had to leave them behind.
00:51:33.22\00:51:35.12
And that's the hardest thing.
00:51:35.15\00:51:36.38
And one time, my wife and I were
called out to put on a seminar
00:51:38.25\00:51:41.95
in California, a
minister's seminar.
00:51:41.96\00:51:44.59
I had to go, and my
children were teenagers then.
00:51:44.89\00:51:47.31
I was the pastor of the
college church and my boy was in
00:51:47.82\00:51:50.60
high school, and my girl.
00:51:50.63\00:51:52.80
And so, we had to get ready
and we had to tell them that
00:51:53.74\00:51:57.10
they had to do those
things they had to do.
00:51:57.13\00:52:00.07
You know how 10 commandments
become 250 when you leave home.
00:52:00.10\00:52:03.17
Have you noticed that?
00:52:03.20\00:52:04.25
Isn't that amazing?
00:52:04.97\00:52:06.15
Moses had the 10 commandments,
the Israelites made 250.
00:52:08.65\00:52:11.61
Some of us have made 310.
00:52:12.83\00:52:14.89
But anyway.
00:52:16.14\00:52:17.13
And I put it right
where you should put it;
00:52:17.76\00:52:19.24
on the refrigerator.
00:52:19.27\00:52:20.75
And I told my
son... I made this mistake.
00:52:22.56\00:52:24.90
I said, "Son,
you're the oldest."
00:52:24.93\00:52:26.41
He was a year and a half older.
00:52:26.44\00:52:28.82
Well, close enough.
00:52:29.29\00:52:30.55
I said, "You're in charge."
00:52:31.64\00:52:33.46
Never do that.
00:52:33.49\00:52:34.77
He was like
Saint Simon the Greek.
00:52:36.79\00:52:38.89
Boom, he was the
boss when we left.
00:52:38.92\00:52:41.68
So my daughter had
to move out and move
00:52:41.71\00:52:43.95
over to a friend's house.
00:52:43.98\00:52:45.05
But anyway.
00:52:45.08\00:52:46.07
He ruled the roost.
00:52:46.10\00:52:47.51
And so I told them
just before I left, I said,
00:52:48.47\00:52:50.23
"Children, I'm going
to be back on Thursday.
00:52:50.26\00:52:52.27
Thursday night.
00:52:52.30\00:52:53.90
I want you to be ready.
I want things to be ready."
00:52:54.78\00:52:56.75
So we flew off to California
and got to the auditorium
00:52:58.21\00:53:02.30
where we were suppose to
give our lectures and our talk.
00:53:02.33\00:53:04.84
And I took the
program and I noticed,
00:53:05.78\00:53:07.85
"Wow, I'm done on Wednesday."
00:53:07.88\00:53:10.10
I said, "Wow."
00:53:11.17\00:53:12.79
I said, "Honey, look at this.
00:53:13.28\00:53:14.82
I'm getting done a day
and a half, or a day, early.
00:53:15.68\00:53:22.16
Let's fly back and
surprise the kids."
00:53:23.10\00:53:25.34
She looked at me.
00:53:27.10\00:53:28.34
You can see who has
the brains in this house.
00:53:29.17\00:53:31.16
She looked at me.
00:53:31.17\00:53:32.21
She shook her head
and said, "Honey, I don't
00:53:32.24\00:53:34.26
think that's a good idea."
00:53:34.29\00:53:35.64
I said, "Oh honey, I really
think that's a wonderful idea."
00:53:35.67\00:53:38.95
I said, "We'll
just surprise the kids."
00:53:39.63\00:53:41.12
She said, "I don't know."
00:53:41.15\00:53:42.71
I said, "Oh, come on."
00:53:43.01\00:53:44.46
So in those days you
just change your ticket.
00:53:46.48\00:53:48.43
You know, nowadays
they pick your pocket
00:53:48.46\00:53:50.70
on the way to the gate.
00:53:50.73\00:53:52.73
And so, I got to the
airport in LA, and my wife,
00:53:53.48\00:53:58.32
and flew back to Dallas, Texas.
00:53:58.35\00:54:01.06
We got there and
it was late at night.
00:54:01.63\00:54:02.97
She said, "Let's call the kids."
00:54:04.36\00:54:05.47
I said, "Oh no, we're
going to surprise them.
00:54:05.50\00:54:07.66
We don't want to call
them. We going to surprise them"
00:54:09.43\00:54:11.63
She said, "I don't
know if that's a good idea."
00:54:11.99\00:54:13.40
And so I called my
deacon, one of my deacons.
00:54:13.43\00:54:15.05
I said, "Deacon, we're here at
the airport and I was wondering
00:54:15.08\00:54:17.52
if you'd come pick us up."
00:54:17.53\00:54:18.53
He said, "What about your son?"
00:54:18.56\00:54:19.83
I said, "Oh no. You
see, we're here a day early.
00:54:19.86\00:54:21.92
We're going to surprise them."
00:54:21.95\00:54:23.05
There was silence for
the space of a half hour.
00:54:23.99\00:54:26.05
He's figuring what had
gone wrong with the pastor.
00:54:27.61\00:54:29.77
He said, "Well,
I'll come, but..."
00:54:30.37\00:54:31.90
"No," I said, "I'm
going to surprise them."
00:54:32.20\00:54:33.91
So he drove out and picked
us up and we drove into Keene,
00:54:33.94\00:54:36.66
into that little
Christian community.
00:54:36.69\00:54:39.09
The saints had said
their prayers, gone to bed.
00:54:39.12\00:54:41.53
We drove in, it
was quiet and nice.
00:54:42.01\00:54:45.16
Drove up to our house
and the lights were out.
00:54:45.98\00:54:47.98
Looking around,
it looks beautiful.
00:54:49.26\00:54:50.67
I said, "Honey, look."
00:54:50.70\00:54:51.68
Got to the doorbell, she said,
"Well, let's ring the doorbell."
00:54:51.83\00:54:53.97
I said, "Oh no, we're
going to surprise them, honey.
00:54:53.98\00:54:56.23
We're this close."
00:54:56.63\00:54:58.31
And so I took the key
out and I unlocked the door.
00:54:59.06\00:55:02.76
Opened the door and
walked in and turned on the
00:55:03.88\00:55:05.85
light to the
living room and looked.
00:55:05.86\00:55:07.26
That wasn't my living room.
00:55:07.27\00:55:08.31
That couldn't have
been my living room.
00:55:08.34\00:55:09.41
I mean, there were sweatshirts
and underwear and footballs
00:55:09.44\00:55:14.73
and a basketball.
00:55:14.76\00:55:15.85
I mean, I had to pull things
off to see it was my couch.
00:55:15.88\00:55:19.21
Went into the kitchen.
00:55:21.45\00:55:22.61
I'm amazed.
00:55:23.97\00:55:25.69
The dishes were
piled to the ceiling.
00:55:28.96\00:55:31.64
Pots and pans.
00:55:32.64\00:55:34.12
For peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches?
00:55:34.49\00:55:36.49
Come on, give me a break here.
00:55:36.52\00:55:38.08
Oh no.
00:55:39.32\00:55:40.61
So what I did...
00:55:41.19\00:55:42.20
I quietly walked down
the hall to my son's room.
00:55:42.87\00:55:45.95
I pulled open the
door, flipped on the light.
00:55:50.21\00:55:52.34
My son sat up rubbing
sleep out of his eyes.
00:55:52.37\00:55:54.95
He said, "Daddy, you're
suppose to come tomorrow."
00:55:54.98\00:55:56.64
I said, "Be ye ready."
00:55:56.67\00:55:58.33
Be ye ready.
00:56:00.83\00:56:02.56
My Bible tells me for us
to look with great longing,
00:56:05.55\00:56:10.55
expectancy, for His return.
00:56:11.66\00:56:15.38
Don't get weary
because of the delay.
00:56:16.24\00:56:20.77
The only reason for the
delay is, He wants so many more
00:56:21.33\00:56:25.24
to enjoy the kingdom.
00:56:26.78\00:56:28.27
And so, wait
and watch and trust.
00:56:29.11\00:56:34.70
When you go to work
in the morning, look up.
00:56:35.57\00:56:37.74
When you go
socializing, look up.
00:56:39.62\00:56:42.14
When you come home, look up.
00:56:43.27\00:56:45.03
When you wake up, look up.
00:56:46.14\00:56:47.69
Because He that said
He would come will come
00:56:47.72\00:56:50.24
in the clouds of glory.
00:56:50.27\00:56:51.46
And out of the eastern
sky, a tiny pinpoint of light.
00:56:51.47\00:56:53.86
And it will grow brighter
and brighter and brighter.
00:56:53.89\00:56:57.37
And men will turn
their cameras to the heavens
00:56:57.40\00:56:59.51
and there He will come
with 10,000 upon 10,000
00:56:59.54\00:57:03.12
upon thousands of angels.
00:57:03.15\00:57:04.97
He will come in
glory, this Christ.
00:57:05.00\00:57:06.98
For He is my King
and He is your King.
00:57:07.01\00:57:10.06
And the parade will cross
the heavens and men will look.
00:57:10.09\00:57:13.30
Too late, sinner.
00:57:13.33\00:57:15.11
"Welcome home, My children.
00:57:18.93\00:57:22.81
Welcome home."
00:57:23.87\00:57:24.95
Is He your King tonight?
00:57:25.92\00:57:27.64
He can be, He should be.
00:57:28.66\00:57:30.61