Participants: Chris Holland
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201313
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00:11 ANNOUNCER: It has stood the test of time.
00:15 God's book: the Bible, still relevant in today's complex world. 00:23 It Is Written 00:25 Sharing the messages of hope around the world. 00:44 >>Chris: The humpback whale is one of the most majestic creatures on the 00:47 earth. It is massive in size and amazing in its beauty. It is almost 00:53 unimaginable that an animal that is 16 meters long, weighing over 30 00:58 tons can breach the water fully in display of it magnificent power. This 01:04 mammal has a heart that weighs around 200 kilograms and eats, during 01:08 the feeding season, 2000-2500 kilograms of plankton, krill and other 01:15 small fish every day. You can find whale watching tours all over the world. 01:21 The north, east and west coasts of Canada offer ample opportunity to see 01:26 these grand creatures. On December 3, 2012 captain Jerry Smyth, of 01:31 Aquaventures Dive Center in Baltimore West Cork, Ireland led a group of 01:36 people on tour to see this king of the sea. They were aboard the Wave Chieftan 01:42 pursuing a humback whale. As the boat stopped all the people were directed 01:48 to look to the starboard side of the ship. They looked intently waiting 01:54 for the tell tale signs that they were in the right area. They gazed 01:58 looking for the foot print left by the whale, waiting for the whale to surface. 02:04 But then, in the now famous picture, photographer Simon Duggan 02:11 captured a humpback whale breaching, but everyone on the Wave Chieftan with 02:17 their backs to the action. They were in the right place, but looking the 02:23 wrong way - they looked on the wrong side of the boat. Friends, as we watch 02:30 for Jesus in His soon return, are we watching in the right direction? Do we 02:36 know how Jesus will return? Or are we looking in all the wrong places? 02:45 Throughout history, civilizations have been concerned with 02:49 immortality. Each culture seemed to have a quest for immortality. In ancient 02:55 Egypt, the pyramids were built to immortalize the pharaoh's pursuit of 03:00 immortality. The ancient Babylonians sought after immortality, the Romans 03:04 sought for immortality. The Incas and Mayans and their great pyramids were 03:10 building quests for immortality. This shouldn't come as a 03:16 surprise to any of us for the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11, 03:31 Man was made with a natural desire to live forever. However, 03:35 throughout the course of history mankind has looked in all the wrong places. 03:40 Even today, there are some Christians looking in the wrong direction. Today, we 03:44 will study the manner in which Jesus will return We know what signs we are 03:49 to watch for. If you missed those programs you can log on to our web site 03:56 at www.ItIsWrittenCanada.ca to watch the programs 04:00 you've missed. To begin with for our study today, we will look at a 04:04 descriptive passage in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, the Bible promises, 04:45 This passage says that the corruptible will put on incorruption. Literally in 04:50 the original Greek, that word means perishable. We use this word often in the 04:55 context of food - perishable and non-perishable food. 04:58 Perishable food is that food which can spoil easily, non-perishable 05:02 foods are those foods that are canned and packaged and will seemingly last 05:06 forever. Right now, you and I are perishable goods. It may be a bit of 05:11 a morbid thought, but as soon as we are born, we begin to die - because we 05:16 are perishable. This corruptible, this mortal, will at that time put on 05:25 incorruption and put on immortality. That immortality which from 05:30 ancient times, civilizations have been striving to achieve, will 05:34 be ours. Jesus is coming again to set up a kingdom of imperishable goods. He 05:39 created us originally to last forever, but because of sin, we are bound by 05:45 its consequence of death. But Jesus died to free us from that consequence and 05:51 when He comes again that will be fully realized in His kingdom and His people 05:57 which will last forever. 06:01 After that twinkling of an eye, after that last trumpet, after we have put 06:07 on immortality, then what? We will get to see for ourselves what Jesus 06:11 really meant when He said in John 14:2,3, 06:38 Jesus has prepared a wonderful place for us and it isdescribed by the 06:43 apostle John in Revelation 21:18-21, 07:04 and then John tells us that there are 12 foundations of the city 07:07 and each of them made up of a different type of precious stone. He goes on 07:10 to say, 07:26 It will be a place of unparalleled beauty. This city and its inhabitants 07:30 will last forever. God has revealed this thrilling end-time plan in His Word 07:36 and He wants us to be watching in the right direction. He doesn't want 07:40 us to miss this beautiful and peaceful place. Jesus desires that we would see 07:46 with clear eyes and not be deceived. So let's go to the Bible with the eyes of 07:51 our hearts and our minds open and discover how this will take place. 07:58 So, how then will Christ return and take us to that most magnificent city 08:04 described in Revelation 21? First, it will be a literal event. Luke 17:24 08:12 describes Jesus' coming, 08:30 The coming of Jesus is described as lightening. Lightening is real, it 08:34 flashes and it streaks across the sky and people see it. It can be so 08:40 bright that you can see it even with your eyes closed. In the book of 08:45 Acts, the second coming is described in a bit more detail. In chapter one 08:52 verses nine through eleven, 09:31 Jesus did not vanish from them, but he ascended to heaven. The disciples saw 09:36 Him with their eyes. Then two heavenly beings taught them that second coming of 09:42 Jesus will resemble His ascension to heaven. A real Jesus ascended to 09:48 heaven and a real Jesus Christ will descend at His second coming. Some have 09:53 talked of Jesus' second coming merely being a spiritual coming. The 09:58 Bible teaches that a real Jesus literally ascended up into heaven and that a 10:03 real Jesus will literally descend from heaven through the atmosphere to 10:07 this very planet we call home. Just as Jesus' coming will be a literal 10:12 event, it will also be a visible event John described this visible 10:18 event in Revelation 1:7, 10:30 The passage clearly states that every eye will see Him. His coming will not 10:34 just be seen by believers, but all the inhabitants of the earth will observe his 10:39 coming. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 24:30, 11:07 All the tribes of the earth is a description of the entire population. 11:11 Everyone will see the coming of Jesus because it is a literal and visible 11:17 event. His coming will also be an audible event. The apostle Paul outlined 11:23 the second coming of Jesus in his first letter to the Thessalonians in chapter 11:28 4:16-17, 12:01 Paul here continues the theme of a literal and visible event, but he 12:04 supplies the addition of an audible event. The voice of the archangel and 12:10 the trumpet of God are not silent mediums of sound. This sound will 12:16 reverberate all through the earth. The first passage we looked at 12:21 today, in 1 Corinthians 15:52 also emphasizes the audible nature of Christ's 12:28 return, 12:47 God's trumpet will sound. I don't think that can be any kind of silent 12:52 trumpet. That mighty sound will raise the dead from their sleep and slumber. 12:56 Christ's coming will be a literal event, it will be a visible event and it 13:03 will be an audible event. 13:07 And His coming will most certainly be a glorious event Matthew 16:27, 13:29 In Revelation 19, Jesus is described in His glorious appearance, 14:16 There is a real Christ coming in the sky and a real Christ who is coming 14:20 to resurrect the dead. It will be a glorious event. I know someone who was 14:26 moving to a new area. One of the homes they were considering sat directly 14:30 across from a cemetery. The children didn't like the idea of a cemetery 14:35 across the street. In an attempt to convince his children about this house, 14:40 he said, kids, when Jesus comes again you'll have front row seats. What will 14:46 that day be like when Jesus reunites families? Have you lost loved ones? 14:53 Have you lost your parents? Maybe a spouse?Possibly a son or a 14:57 daughter?Maybe a little baby? Jesus is literally coming, He is visibly 15:05 coming, His coming will be audible so everyone will hear Him and He is coming 15:12 in glory to reunite you with those loved ones that put their trust and hope 15:18 in Jesus. Why not put your trust fully in Him today? 15:26 Jesus second coming will also be a climactic event Jesus promises to us in 15:31 Revelation 22:12, 15:53 The second coming rewards each individual for the life they lived. In is the 15:59 climax of human history. Some groups will be thrilled by His return, 16:04 but others will not. Revelation 6:15-17 gives vivid details of that day, 16:46 Who is able to stand? No one need be a part of the group that trembles at the 16:52 coming of Christ. Jesus has made the provision for us to be able to stand. 2 16:57 Corinthians 1:24,tells us for "by faith you stand." We stand by faith, faith 17:08 in what? Ephesians 2:8-9 gives us the answer, 17:29 We are able to stand, by faith in the grace of Christ. We must stop 17:34 trusting in ourselves and trust fully in Jesus, He has made a way for us. 17:39 Jesus is on our side, He is not out to get us, He wants to receive us. Jesus 17:45 is coming to take us to be with Him. And When he comes, it will be literal, 17:49 it will be visible, it will be audible, it will be glorious and it will be 17:55 climactic. 17:59 But some might be wondering right now about the secret rapture and how 18:04 that fits in to all of this. Some have said that the Bible depicts Jesus is 18:09 coming as a thief, in secret. Citing Matthew 24:36, 18:44 However, these texts do not seem to be describing the manner being 18:49 secretive. These texts are referring to time as is evidenced by the usage of 18:55 the words day and hour. The timing of Jesus' return will be a secret 19:00 but not the way in which He comes. Matthew 24:44 adds clarification when it 19:07 says, 19:18 Clearly this is a reference to timing, not manner. Please notice 19:23 another reference to Jesus' coming as a thief in 2 Peter 3:10, 19:51 Did you hear that? In the same verse that describes Jesus' coming as a thief 19:54 but in the same context as great noise and fire, both audible and visible 20:02 attributes. The second coming is a surprise for those that are unprepared. 20:10 Often those who believe the secret rapture teach that the church will be 20:14 raptured or removed before the tribulation. However, Revelation 16:15, again 20:22 describes Jesus' second coming as a thief after the first six plagues or 20:29 tribulation, 20:48 Jesus' coming as a thief surprises those who have not daily prepared for 20:53 that day. But some ask, what about the expression "one taken and the other 20:59 left?" Let's look at the passage, in Luke 17:36, 21:17 But let's remember the context. In just a few verses previous, Jesus 21:23 said in Luke 26 and 28, 21:45 Was the flood of Noah's day a secret? How about the destruction of Sodom 21:49 and Gomorrah? No, each of these communities were thoroughly warned and the 21:53 events were literal, visible, audible and climactic in nature. The 22:00 issue of one taken and one left let's us know that before the coming of Jesus 22:05 there will only be two classes of people, one saved and one lost. There 22:13 is no additional chance. Right now we are living in our time to decide. There 22:19 is no second opportunity, the time to get serious is now. Paul admonishes us, 22:26 in 2 Corinthians 6:2, 22:38 Our eternal destiny is being settled by the choices we make today. 22:47 Christ's coming will be a literal event, a visible event, an audible event, a 22:53 glorious event and a climactic event. Equally important the second 22:59 coming of Jesus will be a joyous event Paul's encouraging words in Titus 23:07 2:13, 23:24 The second coming of Jesus is the only real hope we have in this hopeless and 23:30 helpless world. His second coming will make us new. It will reunite us with 23:36 long lost family members and we will be able to cry out the words of Isaiah 23:42 25:9, 24:00 My dear friends Jesus desires you as a friend. He wants you to be in His 24:05 kingdom. He is coming again to take you home. He has made every provision 24:12 for you to be there. He wants you to be there. He has given us signs of His 24:19 return and He has told us how He will return. Today, won't you commit your life 24:27 to Him. Maybe you're sitting there home watching on television, 24:31 maybe you're watching on your computer and you have been movedby today's 24:37 message. You are moved because you know that you have lived your life 24:43 trying to do things your own way. Maybe you are sensing the call to come 24:50 to Jesus. Maybe you're hurting because life has dealt you very difficult 24:56 situations. Jesus is calling for you to come to Him. In Zechariah 1:3, the 25:04 Lord says return to Me and I will return to you. You haven't gone too far. 25:11 Jesus will accept you wherever you are. He is coming again and He brings 25:18 hope for the future, but He also brings hope for today. Do you desire that 25:23 hope? Do you want to be filled with that hope? Let's pray and ask the 25:30 Lord to give us hope. Oh dear Father in heaven we know that Jesus is coming 25:37 soon. The signs of the times point to His soon coming. But we also know 25:44 the manner in which he will return and we look for the visible, literal, 25:51 that audible, that climactic glorious and joyous event. We long to 25:59 be reunited with our loved ones. We long to live in that peaceful harmonious 26:05 place. But today we invite you Lord into our hearts, that you would change us. 26:13 We've struggled immensely and now we know that we have hope in you that you 26:21 want to save us. Everything that could be done has been done to save 26:28 us. And so today, we give our heart to you. Please Lord save us make us 26:35 ready. We pray in Jesus name, amen. 26:46 It Is Written Canada is please to present internationally acclaimed 26:49 Christian recording trio "Selah" in 2 amazing concerts. 26:56 September 20 in Surrey British Columbia 26:58 and October 11 in Red Deer, Alberta. 27:04 For more information and to purchase tickets log on to ItIsWrittenCanada.ca 27:09 Or call 905-404-6510. 27:14 Friend, after today's study maybe you would like to deepen your 27:17 relationship with Jesus or maybe you would like to learn how to have a 27:20 relationship with Jesus. We are offering for free the Discover Bible Guides. 27:26 Here is the information that you need. 28:01 >>Chris: Thank you so much for watching. You can find additional resources at 28:06 our web site www.ItIsWrittenCanada.ca There you will find our 28:10 Youtube channel where all of our programs are archived. Or you can go to 28:14 our facebook page and "like" us. Or follow us on twitter. I hope to see you 28:19 again next week. Until then remember, it is written, man shall not 28:25 live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of 28:29 God. 28:34 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ |
Revised 2015-02-05