Participants: Nathan Renner
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000350
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00:31 Hi, I'm Pastor Nathan Renner, Pastor of the
00:34 Troy Seventh-Day Adventist Church in 00:35 Troy, Michigan. And welcome to Faith Chapel. 00:39 I'm so pleased that you are here today to study 00:42 God's word. We have a very exciting topic to 00:45 discuss today, its titled victory over the Mark. 00:49 Victory over the Mark, the Mark of the Beast is 00:53 probably one of the most 00:55 engaging topics in the Bible. 00:58 People all over the world are familiar with the 01:01 concept of the Mark of the Beast. 01:04 Now many people are confused as to what the 01:07 Mark of the Beast is, many people wonder 01:09 what the Mark of the Beast is, but people all 01:12 over the world even Non-Christians are curious 01:16 about the Mark of the Beast. 01:17 So, let's begin with prayer then I'm gonna tell you a 01:20 story and we will get into the God's word let's pray. 01:24 Father as we discuss this important topic, 01:28 we cannot do it without your help. 01:31 Please send your spirit to speak and to teach 01:37 and to bless us. Lead us God now we pray 01:41 and to teach us in Jesus name amen. 01:46 I was just out of high school and I had traveled 01:49 to Wyoming, I wanted to move to Wyoming to 01:53 climb rocks. And I move to a little town named 01:57 Lander, Wyoming and there in Lander I got a 01:59 job at a grocery store a small town grocery store. 02:02 a small town grocery store. 02:07 And one day I was running the cash register 02:09 and a women came to the register their and she her 02:14 food came down the conveyor belt and 02:16 I grabbed her first item and was ready to scan it 02:19 on the UPC scanner as we all do so many times 02:23 when we go to the store. And she stopped me, 02:28 she told me that she had a relationship with the 02:32 owner of the stores, she had spoken to the owner 02:34 and the owner had granted her permission to 02:38 not have her groceries scanned. 02:42 She would write down the total price of each 02:47 individual food item and then she would give 02:50 the cashier that list of totals the cashier would 02:53 add them up and then charge her for her food. 02:57 And I was little bit puzzled by this and so 03:02 I asked her why is it that you do not want your 03:06 grocery scanned. What is it with scanning 03:09 your groceries that is a problem to you and 03:12 she told me that she was concerned that if she 03:18 scanned her groceries with the UC code that 03:20 she would be receiving the Mark of the Beast. 03:25 Now today we are not going to figure out from 03:28 the Bible though we could what the Mark 03:31 of the Beast is. That's really not our concern 03:33 today, today our concern is not finding out whether 03:38 this woman was right or wrong. 03:40 Although, I think she wasn't right. 03:42 Today our concern is finding out how we can 03:46 avoid receiving the Mark of the Beast. 03:50 What we are gonna discover is that it is a very 03:53 spiritual issue, it's a spiritual issue. 03:58 So, today what we are gonna do is we are gonna 04:00 look at the Book of Revelation and we are 04:02 gonna look at several verses from the Book of 04:04 Revelation that talk about the Mark of the Beast, 04:07 what the issues are at the end of time and we are 04:09 gonna discover how to not receive the 04:12 Mark of the Beast. It doesn't matter even 04:15 so much what the Mark of the Beast is if we can 04:18 find out how to avoid it then we can, we are 04:22 moving the right direction. So, it's a little bit like 04:25 cancer, I don't need to understand all of the inner 04:28 workings of what cancer is, I just need to know 04:32 how not to get it. You follow, so let's begin 04:36 in the Book of Revelation, we are 04:38 gonna begin in verse 4. Now as we read through 04:41 this, we are gonna read several verses rather 04:44 quickly through the Book of Revelation 04:46 and we are gonna find out that the pulsating bottom 04:49 line message of the final crisis at the end of time 04:53 is not barcodes, its not computer chips, its not 04:57 computers or internet, its not microprocessor stuck 05:01 into your head, its something very spiritual. 05:04 Let's read it Revelation 13 verse 4. 05:08 The Bible says, And they worshiped the dragon, 05:12 for he had given his authority to the beast, 05:15 And they worshiped the beast saying, 05:18 "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" 05:23 Notice it says in verse, chapter 13 in verse 4. 05:26 They worship the dragon and they worship the beast. 05:29 Now we will read verse 8. All who dwell on the earth 05:33 will worship it, everyone whose name has not in 05:37 written before the foundation of the world 05:40 in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. 05:43 It says all who dwell on the earth shall worship it, 05:47 now we will read verse 12. It exercises all the 05:49 authority of the first beast in its 05:51 presence and makes the earth and its 05:53 inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal 05:58 wound was healed. Verse 15, And it was 06:02 allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, 06:06 so that the image of the beast might even speak 06:09 and might cause those who would not worship 06:12 the image of the beast to be slain. 06:15 Notice in verse 4, its worship, worship. 06:17 Verse 12 worship, verse 15 worship. 06:21 Now we are looking in chapter 14 verse 9. 06:25 Another angel, a third, followed them saying 06:28 with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the 06:31 beast and its image and receives a mark in his 06:34 forehead or in his hand. Verse 11, the smoke of 06:36 their torment goes up forever and ever, 06:38 and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers 06:41 of the beast and its image, whoever receives the 06:44 mark of his name." Notice the issue at the 06:47 end of time is an issue of worship, worship 06:51 worship, worship. The pulsating bottom 06:55 line issue at the end of time is not barcodes 06:59 or serial numbers or 666 tattoos, or computer chips. 07:05 The issue at the end of time is an issue of worship. 07:11 In fact its even more than worship, 07:14 when you look in Revelation chapter 13, 07:19 we are gonna look in verse 8. 07:20 We are gonna see that the issue is not just worship, 07:24 but it's also the commandments of God. 07:28 Revelation chapter 13 verse 8. 07:33 The first of the 10 commandments. 07:40 It says that we should have no other God's 07:45 before the true God. Now notice Revelation 13:8, 07:49 look what it says. All who dwell on the earth 07:52 will worship it, everyone whose name has not been 07:57 written before the foundation of the world 07:59 in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. 08:01 Here in Revelation 13 verse 8 the Bible is clear 08:05 that the antichrist is seeking the worship of 08:10 the world. The worship of the world, 08:13 which would lead the world to violate the first 08:17 of the 10 commandments. Now if you look in 08:21 Revelation chapter 13 verse 14. 08:25 We see that this antichrist power is trying to lead 08:28 people to violate the second commandment. 08:31 The second commandment prohibits the worship 08:35 of images, Revelation chapter 13 verse 14. 08:41 And by the signs that it was allowed to work in 08:43 the presence of the beast it deceive those 08:45 who dwell on the earth telling them to make an 08:48 image for the beast that was wounded by the 08:51 sword and yet lived. Now notice the beast is 08:55 looking for people to worship it thus causing 08:59 people to break the first commandment. 09:01 The beast is also trying to set up an image causing 09:05 people to violate the second commandment. 09:09 Now look in Revelation chapter 13, in verse 6, 09:17 Revelation chapter 13, verse 6, it says, 09:20 it opened its mouth to utter blasphemies, 09:23 blaspheming his name and his dwelling and 09:28 those who dwell in heaven. Notice they blaspheme 09:33 the name of God. Now the third commandment 09:37 in the Book of Exodus when he gives the 10 09:39 commandments prohibits taking the name of the 09:42 Lord our God in vain. So, now follow with me 09:47 so far what we've seen in the Book of Revelation. 09:50 We have seen that the issue at the end of time 09:53 is an issue of worship, they worship the beast, 09:55 they worship the dragon, they worship the whole 09:58 issue at the end of time is worship. 10:00 The second thing we have noticed is that this 10:03 beast is calling people to worship himself violating 10:08 the first commandment, worship images violating 10:10 the second commandment, and taking the name of 10:13 the Lord in vain. Blaspheming his name 10:15 taking the third commandment in breaking it. 10:19 Now we are seeing then that the issue at the 10:23 end of time is not barcodes, it is not 10:27 computer chips, it is not computers often 10:31 swearing with the silly name like the beast, 10:34 the issue at the end of time is an issue of 10:37 worship and obedience to the commandments of God. 10:41 The antichrist power is trying to change God's 10:43 commandments, so that people will violate them. 10:46 Now, look in Revelation chapter 14, verse 6 and 7. 10:52 Revelation chapter 14 verses 6 and 7. 10:57 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead 11:00 with the ever lasing gospel to preach to 11:03 those who dwell on the earth, to every nation 11:05 and tribe and language and people. 11:08 And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and 11:12 give him glory because the hour of his judgment 11:16 has come, now notice the language and worship 11:19 him who made heaven and earth, the sea and 11:23 the springs of water." Heaven, earth, sea and 11:28 springs of water. Now notice we have read in 11:31 Revelation 13 and 14 seven times they worship 11:35 the beast, they worship the dragon, the issue is 11:37 worship, worship, worship, worship 11:39 seven times, seven times they are said to worship 11:43 the dragon, worship the beast, worship the image 11:46 etc. One time, one time in these two chapters God 11:52 asks us to worship him and when God asks us 11:56 to worship him, he ask us to worship him as the creator. 12:01 He asks us to worship him as the creator and 12:05 its fascinating the one time God asks us to 12:08 worship him, its his worship him who made 12:12 heaven, and earth, the sea and the springs of water. 12:17 Fascinating thing about the Book of Revelation. 12:19 There are 400 few more then 400 verses in the 12:22 Book of Revelation. Most every verse in the Book 12:26 of Revelation has some kind of Old Testament 12:31 background. In fact when you get a good Bible 12:36 whether it's an English Bible or a Greek Bible, 12:39 the most good Bibles give you in the margin the 12:42 Old Testament background text that 12:47 are being refer to. In fact in my Greek Bible 12:51 it's a good Bible, it's a Bible that everyone gets 12:53 when they go to college and they take Greek classes. 12:56 And in the margin of my Greek Bible it tells me 13:01 that when the Bible says worship him who made 13:02 heaven, the earth, the sea and the springs of water 13:06 that is a quote from Exodus chapter 20 13:10 one of the 10 commandments. 13:12 Let's go there Exodus chapter 20, verses 8 to 11, 13:17 we are gonna focus it on verse 11. 13:19 We will read Exodus 20: 8 to 11. "Remember the 13:22 Sabbath day to keep it holy. This is one of the 13:25 10 commandments now. Six days you shall labor 13:28 and do all your work, but the Seventh Day is a 13:30 Sabbath to the Lord your God. 13:34 On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, 13:37 or your daughter, your male servant, or your 13:39 female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner 13:42 who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord 13:46 made heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that in 13:49 them is, and rested the Seventh Day. 13:51 Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day 13:55 and made it holy. Now notice the similarities 13:58 there are in verse 11. It says in six days the 14:01 Lord made heaven, the earth, and the sea, 14:05 and all that in them is. In Revelation chapter 14 14:08 it says worship him who made heaven, earth, 14:12 and sea. Just like in Exodus 20, in fact if 14:15 you the Book of Revelation is full of 14:18 Old Testament quotes, but Revelation 14 verse 7 14:21 were it says made heaven, and earth, the sea, and the 14:25 springs of water is the longest Old Testament 14:29 quote in the Book of Revelation and its taken 14:31 from the fourth commandment, 14:32 the commandment that tells us to remember 14:35 the Sabbath day. Now its fascinating because 14:40 in the Book of Revelation now what have we seen 14:44 really, what have we seen, we have seen that 14:46 the issue at the end of time is an issue of 14:49 worship and then these beast powers are trying 14:52 to get people to worship them in a way that causes 14:56 them to violate the first commandment, 14:58 the second commandment, and the third commandment. 15:01 The one time God asks us to worship him. 15:04 He asks us to worship him as the creator and 15:08 he uses the exact language, the exact 15:12 language it's the exact language that he uses 15:16 in the fourth commandment him who created heaven, 15:20 the earth, and the sea and the springs of water. 15:22 And actually in the original languages, 15:25 the language is essentially identical. 15:28 It's a little different in the English translations 15:30 but in the original it is essentially identical 15:33 here in Revelation 14 and in Exodus chapter 20. 15:38 You see the fascinating picture, the issue at the 15:41 end of time is not barcodes and computer 15:43 chips or anything else. The issue is worship, 15:47 and worship in the context of faithfulness 15:50 to God's commandments. And they worship 15:53 breaking the first commandment, 15:54 breaking the second commandment, 15:55 breaking the third commandment 15:57 and also God calls us to worship him in the 16:01 context of that wonderful Sabbath command. 16:04 Now look there in Revelation chapter 12 verse 17, 16:11 Revelation chapter 12 verse 17, this verse 16:15 introduces the final crisis, Revelation 12 verse 17. 16:20 The dragon which is a symbol of Satan became 16:23 furious with the woman. That's God's people, 16:27 went to make war on the rest of her offspring, 16:31 on those who keep the commandments of God 16:34 and hold the testimony of Jesus. 16:37 Notice God's people are defined and described 16:41 as keeping the commandments of God. 16:45 Now look in Revelation chapter 14:12 again. 16:49 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, 16:54 those who keep the commandments of God 16:57 and their faith in Jesus. Fascinating picture, 17:02 Revelation 12:17 introduces the final 17:05 crisis by saying God's people keep the 17:07 commandments, Revelation chapter 14:12 17:10 is the conclusion of the final crisis. 17:13 And it says God's people keep the commandments 17:15 and there faith in Jesus. Commandments and faith 17:19 in Jesus. So, my friends I want you to notice the 17:22 picture then, the issue at the end of time is an 17:24 issue of worship and the issue at the end of time 17:28 is worship in the context of faithfulness to Jesus 17:33 Christ faith in Jesus and faithfulness to 17:36 the commandments of God. My friends we 17:39 don't need to know what the Mark of the Beast is. 17:43 I mean it maybe helpful, it maybe good. 17:46 It is helpful and it is good. But, what is 17:49 essential for us today. Today is to understand 17:54 how to avoid receiving the mark. 17:57 And the answer to that is very simple. 18:01 We must, we must understand that the 18:05 issue at the end of time is worship and faithfulness 18:08 to Jesus and his commandments. 18:13 Look in Revelation 14:12 again it says, 18:15 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, 18:19 those who keep the commandments of 18:20 God and their faith in Jesus. 18:25 We see the issue, is an issue of worship, 18:28 seven times it warns against worshiping the 18:30 beast, worshiping the beast, worshiping the 18:32 beast. One time it calls us to worship God as 18:36 creator. It tells us that he is going to try to 18:39 break the first commandment 18:41 worshiping somebody other then God. 18:43 Break the second commandment, 18:47 which is making images, break the third 18:49 commandment taking the name of the Lord in vain 18:52 and also we see that God calls us to remember the 18:55 fourth commandment and worship him as creator. 18:58 That's why it says that those people at the end 19:01 of time who do not receive the Mark are 19:04 those people who keep the commandments of 19:07 God in the faith of Jesus. Let's talk about that, 19:12 those are the two elements to avoid 19:14 receiving the Mark of the Beast. 19:15 Whatever it is you want to not receive it, 19:17 it's very simple. Tell yourself you will keep 19:21 your faith in Jesus and then you will keep the 19:24 commandments of God, faith in Jesus. 19:27 Lets look at Romans chapter 10, verses 9 to 11. 19:31 Romans chapter 10 verses to 9 to 11 tell us why 19:34 faith in Christ is so important? 19:37 Romans chapter 10 verses 9 to 11. 19:40 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord 19:43 and believe in your heart that God raised him from 19:45 the dead, you will be saved. 19:48 For with the heart one believes and is justified, 19:51 and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 19:54 For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes 19:56 in him will not be put to shame." 20:01 Very simple point, that if we believe in Jesus, 20:04 if we believe in Jesus we confess with our mouth 20:06 Jesus is Lord, we believe with our heart that God 20:09 raised him from the dead. That if we believe this 20:12 and we trust Jesus for this. 20:14 We will be saved that is absolutely foundation. 20:21 But, Revelation doesn't say, they just keep the 20:24 commandments of God or they just keep the 20:27 faith of Jesus rather. It says they keep their 20:29 faith in Jesus and keep the commandments of God. 20:34 Let's go to Hebrews chapter 10, in Hebrews 20:37 chapter 10 the New Testament describes 20:40 God's people as keeping the commandments 20:43 of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. 20:47 Hebrews chapter 10 beginning in verse 15. 20:52 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; 20:54 for after saying, "This is the covenant that 20:57 I will make with them after those days, 20:58 declares the Lord: I will put my laws on 21:02 their hearts, and write them on their minds," 21:04 then he adds, "I will remember their sins and 21:07 lawless deeds no more." In Hebrews 10, the Bible 21:12 describes God's people as keeping the 21:16 commandments of God because God comes into 21:18 their life by the power of the spirit and writes his 21:21 law on their hearts and writes his 21:24 law on their minds. My friends when the 21:27 Book of Revelation describes God's people 21:29 as keeping the commandments of God 21:32 and their faith in Jesus. He is describing God's 21:35 true new covenant people. You know sometimes 21:38 I listen to Christians talk about their new covenant 21:42 Christians. And their definition of being a 21:44 new covenant Christian is believing in the 21:47 forgiveness of Jesus and also believing that he will 21:50 let you do whatever you want to do. 21:52 Continue to live alive from sin. 21:54 My friend when I read the New Testament 21:56 and it describes God's new covenant. 21:58 It describes God's new covenant as forgiveness 22:01 of sin because of faith in Jesus. 22:03 And it describes the writing of the law of 22:05 God on the heart and on the mind by the 22:08 power of the Holy Spirit. My friend if you want to 22:13 be a New Testament Christian, you want to 22:15 be a new covenant Christian, you need not 22:17 just put your faith in Jesus, but you need to let 22:20 the power of the spirit of God in your life to write 22:24 the law of God on your heart. 22:27 My friend in the Book of Revelation it says that 22:29 those who make it through, those who do 22:32 not receive the Mark of the Beast. 22:34 The people who endure to the end are the people 22:38 who have this faith in Jesus, this faith that won't 22:41 give up in Christ and the people who by the power 22:47 of the Holy Spirit keep the commandments of God. 22:53 That's how you avoid the Mark. 23:01 My friend you can scan your groceries at the 23:03 grocery store. You don't have to worry about 23:05 barcodes, and computer chips, 23:07 and all of those things. The devil has sidetracked 23:10 the world with all of those things to get people 23:13 looking to the physical and the material and not 23:17 thinking about the issues of their own heart. 23:21 Is my heart committed to the Lord Jesus Christ, 23:24 is my life in harmony with the law of God by 23:27 the power of the Holy Spirit. 23:31 The devil is got a sidetracked and we are 23:34 looking to barcodes, and computer chips, 23:36 and all of those things as the Mark. 23:39 What we need to worry about, is how not 23:41 to receive it and that is by keeping our faith in Jesus. 23:47 By keeping our faith in Jesus and keeping the 23:49 commandments of God by the 23:51 power of the Holy Spirit. 23:57 That's what Jesus was talking about in John 23:59 chapter 14 verse 15 he says, "If you love me, 24:04 you will keep my commandments. 24:06 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you 24:08 another Helper, to be with you forever. 24:11 Jesus says if you love me keep my commandments, 24:14 if you love me you will keep my commandments 24:17 and that he is going to pray to the father and the 24:20 father is gonna send a helper. I love that word 24:23 helper there in, in this translation. 24:25 The word in the Greek is Parakletos, 24:28 its one who comes beside, 24:33 its one who comes beside 24:35 to help. Jesus says if you love me you will 24:38 keep my commandments and he will pray to the 24:42 father and the father is gonna send a helper, 24:43 this helper is the Holy Spirit. 24:47 My friends the devil as I have said before has 24:51 got the world sidetracked. People are worried about 24:55 computer chips; he has got the Christian world 24:58 sidetrack. They are worried about 24:59 computer chips and barcodes, and they 25:01 are not worried about their own spiritual house. 25:06 Is their faith formerly rooted and grounded 25:09 in the Lord Jesus Christ. And is the spirit of God 25:13 writing his law on their hearts and on their minds, 25:16 the issue at the end of time worship, worship, 25:20 worship, worship, worship, worship, worship. 25:25 Seven times in the book of Revelation in chapter 25:28 13 and 14 the issue is worship, worship of the 25:31 beast and one time God asks us to worship him. 25:36 The issue in the Book of Revelation is the 25:38 commandments they break the first 25:40 commandment, they break the second 25:41 commandment taking the name of the Lord 25:44 and worshiping idols. They break the third 25:46 commandment taking the name of the Lord in vain. 25:48 And then God says remember by fourth 25:50 commandment and worship me as creator. 25:53 The issue at the end of time is not computers, 25:57 barcodes or any of thos things; they are the 26:00 spiritual issues of a new covenant. 26:03 The new covenant in Hebrews that is the 26:06 writing of the law on the hearts, the writing 26:09 of the law on the minds, and the forgiveness of sin 26:13 through faith in Jesus Christ. 26:16 My friend today you want to stand in the final crisis, 26:21 you need to stand right now for Jesus Christ. 26:25 You want to be ready for the final difficulties that 26:28 face us then you need to make sure that your faith 26:31 is in Jesus right now. You need to make sure 26:34 that the spirit of God is the work in our life 26:37 bringing your life into harmony with the 26:39 commandments of God. There is no rebels in 26:43 heaven, there is no rebels in heaven. 26:47 We put our faith in Christ today. 26:50 The spirit of God writes the law of God on the 26:54 heart, and the mind today. I think of a millionaire 26:57 heart first woman to ever fly across the 27:00 Atlantic Ocean unassisted. Then she decides to fly 27:04 across the Pacific Ocean. When she is flying across 27:07 the Pacific Ocean, she encounters bad 27:11 weather and her aeroplane crashes. 27:13 But, before her plane crashed she radioed 27:16 in for help and she said these words. 27:19 Fuel almost gone, position doubtful. 27:23 She had no idea where she was at and she 27:25 had no fuel to get anywhere at all. 27:29 My friends that's why many people are they 27:31 don't know where they stand with God and they 27:33 have no spiritual power. If you give your life to 27:36 Christ today keep your faith in him, he will fill 27:39 you with the spirit and give you spiritual power 27:41 and that's what its gonna ultimately take to stand 27:44 at the end of time, it just it's what's it's gonna take 27:48 to stand at the end of time what you need today 27:50 is what you will need tomorrow and ultimately 27:53 what you will need at the end 27:54 of time, put your trust in him. |
Revised 2014-12-17