It Is Written Canada

The Promise

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Bill Santos

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Series Code: IIWC

Program Code: IIWC201310


00:01 from It Is Written International. It Is
00:04 Written International and It Is Written Canada go back together a great many
00:09 years, all the way back to George Vandeman and the incomparable Henry
00:14 Feyerabend. Well, It Is Written Canada now has a new speaker/director and
00:21 he's a friend of mine. Pastor Chris Holland will be joining you in your
00:25 living room or on your device, wherever you watch It Is Written Canada each
00:28 week. And I know that you are going to appreciate Chris' clear, simple,
00:33 direct, and powerful teaching style. Chris has been an avid student and
00:39 teacher of the Bible for a great many years, and you'll appreciate the
00:43 insights that he brings to you from the Word of God into your home as he joins
00:48 you week after week. Transitions can be challenging. I want to ask
00:53 that you would pray for Pastor Chris Holland, and prepare to be blessed
00:58 again through his ministry with It Is Written Canada.
01:16 ANNOUNCER: It has stood the test of time. God's book: the Bible, still
01:23 relevant in today's complex world. It Is Written, sharing the
01:31 messages of hope around the world.
01:44 >>Chris: Ernest Shackleton was born in Ireland, the son of a doctor. Ernest
01:49 was an avid reader and as a result of that reading developed a strong sense
01:53 of adventure. While his father had high aspirations of his son
01:56 becoming a doctor, Ernest had other ideas. The desire to explore led him
02:01 to join the merchant navy and by the young age of 24 became a master mariner.
02:09 Shackleton had a desire to explore the poles of the earth, especially the
02:13 South Pole. In 1902, Shackelton, along with fellow explorer Robert
02:19 Falcon Scott set a record for going the furthest south and coming closest
02:24 to the south pole. Shackleton had several other explorations to the
02:30 south, but the one most famous is the Trans-Antarctic expedition
02:35 of 1914. The goal was to transverse the Antarctic The adventure required two
02:41 crews, one to make the journey, the other to place the supplies for a
02:46 successful journey. Shackleton set out on that fantastic journey in the
02:51 boat, Endurance. As the Endurance drew nearer and nearer to the Antarctic,
02:56 the boat was surrounded and eventually totally blocked in by ice. They
03:01 hoped to weather the danger and wait it out until spring thaw to
03:06 continue their journey. However, the ice pressed in harder and harder on
03:12 the Endurance until it eventually breached the hull. Shackleton and his
03:17 crew were forced to abandon ship. The Endurance sank. For two
03:22 months the party camped on ice floes hoping that they would be directed toward
03:26 Paulet Island. Paulet Island would provide refuge and safety along a
03:31 commonly used shipping route. However those plans were dashed. The ice floe
03:36 they were on began to break up and the party was forced into their life
03:40 boats and they eventually found themselves on Elephant Island. Because
03:45 it was remote and away from any shipping routes, Shackleton knew that if
03:50 his crew stayed on Elephant Island, there would be no rescue and
03:55 certain death. He knew that he needed to take a risk, do something out of
03:59 the ordinary to save his men. He decided he would take five men with him and
04:05 set sail for South Georgia island in a 6 meter boat hoping to get the help
04:10 they needed. Leaving 22 men behind, he left them with a promise. He
04:16 promised that he would return to take them home. In a circumstance of
04:21 complete hopelessness, Shackleton promised that he would return.
04:29 Hopelessness. We live in a world that seems to offer very little in the way of
04:34 hope. We look around the world today and see that it seems to be falling
04:39 apart. Wars and uprisings all over this globe.Hunger and famines around the
04:44 world still going unsolved.An economy that seems to be teetering on
04:49 total implosion.The general polarization of society. What is a person
04:55 to do? This hopelessness and despair reminds me of an event in the Bible. In
05:01 the book of John, the apostle John shares the experience of the
05:07 disciples just before Jesus was arrested and eventually killed. The
05:11 disciples had just spent their last meal with Jesus. He was trying to
05:15 prepare them for all that was soon to take place. In John 13:31-35 it is
05:23 recorded,
06:10 This teaching left his disciples confused, where was their master going?
06:16 Why was He going to leave? Why couldn't they go with him? Then Peter, in his
06:21 very aggressive style engaged Jesus further in verses 36-38,
07:01 Can you imagine what a crushing blow this was for Peter to hear? Jesus was
07:07 Peter's teacher, he had spent 3 ½ years with Him. He desired to be as close
07:13 to Jesus as possible. He was a part of Jesus' inner circle and now Jesus told
07:20 him that he would betray his beloved teacher. On that night when Jesus was
07:27 trying to prepare them for the coming events, they were confused and didn't
07:31 understand. What could Jesus do? He shared words of comfort that they could
07:37 look back to and understand the events that had unfolded. Words that
07:42 would bring security in the midst of uncertainty.Listen to
07:47 Jesus' words:
08:24 Can you hear the loving voice of Jesus trying to bring comfort to Peter and
08:27 the rest of the disciples? The disciples were distraught over Jesus
08:32 predicting His death and Peter troubled by his predicted denial are given
08:39 hope. What is the hope that Jesus provides? Hope in the second coming. Hope
08:46 that even though Jesus was going to leave them, He would come back for them.
08:51 The second coming of Jesus is the hope of every person on this earth. The
08:57 second coming of Jesus can be your hope today. Through all types of
09:01 turmoil and through every challenge faced in life, the hope for the helpless
09:07 planet is the return of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul had these words to
09:12 say in Titus 2:11-14,
09:56 Notice that Paul refers to the second coming as the blessed hope. Why does the
10:00 second coming give us hope? Well, let's first ask, what is hope?
10:05 According to the Random House dictionary, hope is defined as
10:09 the feeling that what is w anted can be had or that e vents will turn out for th
10:15 e best. Jesus wants to assure us that things will turn out for the best? How
10:22 so? John 3:16 contains that answer, a verse that is well known,
10:40 But reading the next verse brings even mor hope and comfort -- Verse 17 of John 3
10:59 Notice that Jesus was sent to save the world not condemn it. Too often
11:05 Christianity presents the idea that God is out there somewhere with a watchful
11:10 eye, waiting for you to make just the wrong move and then zap! He's got
11:13 you. But no, Jesus hasn't come with the intention of condemning people, He did
11:19 not come to destroy people; Jesus came to save you and He is coming again
11:24 to take you home with Him.
11:29 Do you remember those words that Jesus spoke in John 14?.Let not your
11:33 hearts be troubled. There may be great disappointment in your
11:38 life, you may be facing challenges very unexpected challenges. Maybe you're
11:43 fighting through cancer, maybe you're going through a divorce or maybe, maybe
11:48 life seems to be overwhelming you from all sides. Jesus draws near
11:53 and says, "Don't let your heart be troubled." Why? Because Jesus says you
11:59 believe in God, believe also in Him. Then Jesus promises that in heaven
12:06 there are many mansions or some of the modern versions of the Bible
12:11 translate it rooms. The promise here is not based on materialistic riches
12:16 but on proximity. Proximity to Jesus. Jesus promises that He has gone
12:24 to heaven to prepare a place for you. Not just a general you, but for you
12:29 personally. In fact, when you repeat the verse, why not use the word.me. Jesus
12:35 has gone to prepare a place for me and for you. That is where He lives,
12:41 you may also live there. This was the whole purpose of Jesus' first coming.
12:46 That He would pave the way for us to be reunited with Him forever. But we all
12:53 face a huge problem. Romans 6:23 states,
13:02 "For the wages of sin is death" and then Romans 3:23 further emphasizes
13:13 that problem, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
13:21 This does not give us good prospects for the future. The wages of sin is death
13:25 and all have sinned. Our destiny seems bleak. But you know, I didn't read
13:31 the latter part of Romans 6:23, it goes on to say,
13:48 This is why Jesus is coming again, to give us the full fulfillment of
13:53 that promise of eternal life. This is why Jesus can say in John 14, "and
13:59 if I go and prepare a place, I will come again. Do you hear those words?
14:05 I will come again.
14:10 Now, let me share with you some insight on those words that bring an even
14:14 greater depth of hope. As we read, "I will come again," we know that in
14:18 the English language that phrase is in the future tense. However, in the
14:23 original language it was not. As you may already know, the New Testament of
14:27 the Bible was originally written in Greek. And in Greek, it is actually
14:32 written in the present tense. You see, when John wrote these words he
14:37 employed a grammatical technique - now I know, grammar may not have been
14:42 your favorite subject, but just stick with me - he employed a grammatical
14:46 technique called the futuristic present. What does that mean? An author
14:52 would write something in the present tense but have a future meaning to convey
14:57 that the event was so sure, was so definite that it was to be written as if
15:03 it was already happening or had happened. John lays out the assurance that
15:09 Jesus is coming again. And remember He is coming for you, He is coming for me -
15:15 in fact He's prepared a place for you, He's prepared a place for me.
15:19 What does this all mean? Well friend, Jesus loves you so much that He wants
15:25 to spend eternity with us, but the question is, do you want to spend eternity
15:30 with Him? It's a choice He freely gives to you. But what will you decide?
15:35 Jesus wants you there.
15:39 But, today many people have discounted the words of the Bible. Some poke
15:45 fun of this Book. And numerous people have discounted the promises of
15:50 His second coming. But this shouldn't surprise us. Peter warned us almost
15:55 two thousand years ago, in his second letter, in chapter three and verses
16:00 three and four,
16:24 A scoffer is someone who ridicules things and doesn't believe. Peter
16:30 warns that there will be people who will ridicule those who believe in the
16:33 second coming of Jesus. They will say that the earth has always existed
16:37 and it will continue to exist without any interruption. They will
16:41 say, Jesus isn't coming, you're silly to believe in such fairy tales.
16:48 But friends by just reading or listening to the news, we realize the
16:52 turmoil of this earth. Paul wrote these words in Romans eight verses twenty
17:00 to twenty-two,
17:36 The whole earth itself was subject to the curse of sin and all the upheaval
17:41 in the world we see is the very earth itself groaning to be freed by the coming
17:47 of Jesus. Everything happening around us points to Jesus' soon return. But
17:53 wait, don't those scoffers have a point - it has been 2000 years from the time
17:57 when Jesus gave that promise. But notice again what Peter says in that
18:04 second letter in chapter three and verses eight and nine,
18:34 For God, time is irrelevant. He is not confined by our rendering
18:39 of time. But more importantly, the Bible says that Jesus isn't
18:44 slack or relaxed concerning the promise of His return. But He is
18:49 longsuffering. A very special word that conveys an extraordinary patience.
18:55 Why is He so patient and hasn't returned? Because He doesn't want any to
19:02 perish, Jesus came to this earth so that no one had to die eternally but that
19:09 all would come to repentance and be saved.
19:14 Ernest Shackleton and his five men left Elephant Island for South Georgia.
19:18 Aware of the great difficulties they would face on their 1800
19:22 nautical mile journey, Shackleton packed only 4 weeks of supplies. He knew
19:28 the crew wouldn't survive any longer that that. Through treacherous seas
19:33 and a storm that produced winds strong enough to sink a five hundred ton
19:38 boat, that crew finally made it to South Georgia Island. Once arriving on
19:44 the shores of the island, Shackleton and part of his crew still had to hike
19:49 over 50 kilometers to get to the whaling station. He knew that many lives
19:55 depended upon him and the whaling station was the only part of the island
19:59 that was inhabited. After finally arriving at the whaling station,
20:03 Shackleton gathered another crew for the rescue mission. Now, came
20:08 the most daunting task of returning to Elephant Island for that promised
20:13 rescue. Four months after leaving Elephant island,Shackleton returned
20:19 to save his men. At times, some of those men may have wondered if he was really
20:23 returning. They may have wondered if he would keep his promise. However, not
20:30 one of Shackleton's crew was lost, each one was saved. While they lost the
20:37 ship Endurance, each one of them endured to the end.Shackleton delivered
20:43 on his promise. Shackleton was proclaimed a hero.
20:50 Jesus has made a promise. He has promised that He is coming again. He is coming
20:57 to take His children home. That home, which is pictured in the book of
21:01 Revelation chapter twenty one verses one through five,
22:10 No more suffering, no more pain - all things new. Everything working the way
22:17 that it was originally intended to be. Perfect. Perfect harmony. Perfect
22:24 peace. This is what Jesus wants for you and He wants for me. It is what He
22:31 promised. Today, do you want to ask Jesus into your heart and make a
22:36 decision to follow Him fully. Jesus desires to take you home. He says
22:43 these words as recorded in Revelation three and verse twenty,
22:59 Jesus knocks today, will you let him in?
23:03 The apostle Paul also gives us comfort and hope in describing the day
23:08 Jesus returns in his first letter to the Thessalonians in chapter
23:13 four and verses fifteen through eighteen,
23:59 We shall always be with the Lord. No wonder that we are to comfort one
24:04 another with these words. Whatever your situation may be today, Jesus wants
24:09 to encourage you - He wants to give you hope. Are you facing an illness,
24:13 Jesus says do let your heart be troubled? Are you facing marital challenges,
24:19 Jesus wants to give you assurance? Are you facing a problem in the work
24:23 place, Jesus reaches out to encourage you? Whatever you face today, in this
24:29 hopeless and helpless planet Jesus gives you hope. Today, I invite you
24:36 to cling to that hope of Jesus' soon return. Today is your opportunity
24:41 toinvite Him into your heart and commit yourself to Him. Jesus invites you
24:48 today, in His words of Matthew 11:28-29,
25:12 Let's Pray. Oh father in heaven, we live in a hopeless and helpless
25:17 planet. Things are happening all around in the world and we wonder,
25:23 what are we to do? In our own lives, we are struggling, facing great
25:29 issues. But today you've given us a message of hope. And so let us live
25:36 with that hope in our heart. Let us be encouraged to follow you
25:40 because there is a day soon coming where you will bring all things to an end
25:45 and we will live forever with you. Keep us strong to follow you, that we
25:51 would be ready for that day. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
26:12 Maybe the subject material we covered today is new to you or maybe you're simply
26:16 looking for additional study on the subject of the hope of Jesus' soon
26:20 coming. I want to offer you today the Discover Bible guide. The Discover
26:25 Bible guide is a wonderful resource that will help you in your spiritual
26:30 growth. Here's the information you need to get that guide.
27:18 >>Chris: The second coming of Jesus Christ provides great hope. Maybe you'd
27:23 like to see this program again or maybe you'd like to show it to one of your
27:26 friends. I'd invite you to go to our website, itiswrittencanada.ca, or
27:31 to our youtube channel, youtube.com/iiwcanada. There you can watch
27:37 archived broadcasts over and over again. I thank you so much for watching
27:43 this week and I invite you to come back again next week to watch the program.
27:47 Until then, it is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
27:54 word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
28:29 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


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Revised 2015-02-05