For past few years,
have an age of miracles.
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Things hope for,
but never dreamed
00:01:07.82\00:01:09.90
possible have
occurred before our very eyes.
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Who would have thought
in the last few decades,
00:01:14.60\00:01:18.23
the 20th century and
beginning of the 21st century
00:01:18.24\00:01:22.16
that the Berlin
Wall would be dismantled.
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Who would have
thought that the Soviet Empire
00:01:26.78\00:01:28.98
would melt away, Nelson
Mandela would be free at last,
00:01:28.99\00:01:34.59
and South Africa would
be under new government.
00:01:34.60\00:01:39.31
Who thought that
the first acknowledgment
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by Israelis to the
Palestinians in right to exist
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and share the same country.
00:01:44.84\00:01:48.15
Who would have
thought, that we would be
00:01:48.16\00:01:50.96
in two wars in Iraq
and the war in Afghanistan.
00:01:50.97\00:01:58.16
That the twin towers,
American Tower of Babel
00:01:58.17\00:02:04.21
would crumble
into dust and ruin.
00:02:04.22\00:02:07.83
That the United
States would be in war
00:02:07.84\00:02:10.71
with terrorism around the
world, who would have thought.
00:02:10.72\00:02:14.37
Yet did you know
that all this was foretold
00:02:14.38\00:02:16.64
and prophesied in word of God.
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That no one has to
be caught by surprise
00:02:20.49\00:02:22.57
by the rapid
change of world events.
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In fact the events
that shape our destiny
00:02:26.09\00:02:28.14
is controlled by
our Sovereign God.
00:02:28.15\00:02:30.53
He rules and
reigns in His heaven.
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And He is a God of the past
and He is a God of the present,
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and He is a God of the future.
00:02:36.82\00:02:38.39
And the amazing fact is that
00:02:38.40\00:02:39.84
God is coming back
again the second time.
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Amen. In fact, He is on His way.
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I want to wrest two
passages of scripture
00:02:49.84\00:02:51.95
found in Book of Acts and if you
have your Bible turn with me,
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if not be patient
as I read it for you.
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It's the First
Chapter of Book of Acts
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and I'm looking here at
verse 9 and then at verse 11.
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The Bible says, "And when he
Jesus had spoken these things,
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while they
beheld, he was taken up,
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and a cloud received
him out of their sight."
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And then in verse 11 which
said also "Ye men of Galilee,
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why stand ye
gazing up into heaven?
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This same Jesus, which is
taken up from you into heaven,
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shall so come in like manner
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as ye have seen
Him go into heaven."
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Jesus gone, Jesus glorified.
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Now the disciples on the
other hand are still here,
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they're still on planet earth.
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His disciples the
followers are left behind.
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You know friend, it's a terrible
thing to be left behind.
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In fact, there is a
feeling of desperation
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to one who is left behind.
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There is a
feeling of helplessness
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to the one who is left behind.
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There is a
feeling of hopelessness
00:03:58.70\00:04:00.89
to the one who is left behind
and yet this is the experience
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that the disciples went through.
00:04:04.67\00:04:06.88
And even us today
to be left behind,
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to miss a plane, what a feeling.
00:04:09.26\00:04:13.66
To run through a
bus and miss the bus.
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To miss an
important appointment.
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I remember, I was
invited to a seminar to teach
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a seminar in California and
they change the dates on me,
00:04:22.85\00:04:27.29
never let me known and so
I showed up two days late.
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It's a terrible thing to show up
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two days late
and be left behind.
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I mean yet this is what happened
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to the apostles,
they were left behind.
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How would you
feel to go to church,
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I mean to sing in a choir,
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I mean to pay your tithe to
be faithful to Jesus Christ,
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to be a
disciple of Jesus Christ,
00:04:51.29\00:04:53.31
and yet at the end, lose
you at to be left behind.
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Now that's somewhat the
situation of these disciples.
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The Bibles says
that He let them out
00:05:01.12\00:05:02.79
to the other side of Bethlehem,
00:05:02.80\00:05:04.59
He lifted up His
hands into heaven
00:05:04.60\00:05:06.32
and He ascended into heaven.
00:05:06.33\00:05:08.22
And that's
somewhat the situation here
00:05:08.23\00:05:10.13
in verse 9 of the Book of Acts.
00:05:10.14\00:05:12.52
They are
desperate, the disciples.
00:05:12.53\00:05:14.20
They thought that Jesus would
setup a kingdom here on earth.
00:05:14.21\00:05:16.93
They thought that He
would rule with the rod of iron
00:05:16.94\00:05:19.50
that He would
reign over, over Rome,
00:05:19.51\00:05:21.79
but they were
mistaken, they misinterpreted,
00:05:21.80\00:05:24.39
they misunderstood. It's amazing
00:05:24.40\00:05:26.48
that even the
disciples and followers
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of Jesus did not understand
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and they were left behind.
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They were left
behind in suffering world.
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They were left
behind in a sinning world.
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They were left
behind in our hurting world.
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They were left
behind dying saints,
00:05:43.49\00:05:45.62
hopelessly facing the
future and some of them
00:05:45.63\00:05:48.95
would face it
without Jesus Christ.
00:05:48.96\00:05:52.38
Wow. Thinking of such a thing
sends chills through my spine.
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To preach to others,
and myself be a cast away.
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I mean thank God that
this chapter does not end.
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This is not the last chapter
00:06:06.16\00:06:07.67
of the Book of Acts
Chapter 1 in the Bible.
00:06:07.68\00:06:09.98
Thank God that this is not
the last verse in the Bible.
00:06:09.99\00:06:13.20
Thank God, Acts
doesn't end with verse 9.
00:06:13.21\00:06:16.19
Thank God, Jesus is
gone left without us.
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Jesus is
glorified left without us.
00:06:19.67\00:06:22.90
But Jesus will not forget us.
00:06:22.91\00:06:28.31
In fact, He hasn't forgotten
us. In fact, He is on His way.
00:06:28.32\00:06:32.41
For the Bible
says, this same Jesus
00:06:32.42\00:06:34.53
which is taken up
from you into heaven
00:06:34.54\00:06:36.51
shall so come in like manner
00:06:36.52\00:06:38.27
as you've seen
Him go into heaven.
00:06:38.28\00:06:42.06
Now there are
three things emerge
00:06:42.07\00:06:43.55
from the reading of the passage.
00:06:43.56\00:06:44.91
Three things that we've learned
00:06:44.92\00:06:45.98
from the Book of
Acts Chapter One.
00:06:45.99\00:06:47.62
First of all, there is sureness
of the return of Christ.
00:06:47.63\00:06:50.95
Secondly, there are the
signs of the return of Christ.
00:06:50.96\00:06:54.36
And finally
there is the sequence
00:06:54.37\00:06:57.03
in return of Jesus
Christ back to earth again.
00:06:57.04\00:07:00.23
Let's consider them tonight.
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First of all, there
are three dimensions
00:07:01.96\00:07:03.72
of time in this passage.
00:07:03.73\00:07:05.35
There is time past, time past,
00:07:05.36\00:07:10.55
time present, and time future.
00:07:10.56\00:07:14.40
Now in dimension of
the past, He is on His way.
00:07:14.41\00:07:17.40
"You'll see I will put enmity
between thee and the woman,
00:07:17.41\00:07:20.86
between thy seed and her seed."
00:07:20.87\00:07:23.02
He must come to history
and history verifies the fact
00:07:23.03\00:07:26.56
that He would come in
the very First Chapters
00:07:26.57\00:07:30.24
of the Book of Genesis
after man sinned against God,
00:07:30.25\00:07:33.72
after man fell into
sin, He did not forsake them,
00:07:33.73\00:07:37.23
nor did He leave them.
00:07:37.24\00:07:38.40
He said, I will come back again
and He says I will put enmity
00:07:38.41\00:07:42.26
that is the promise
that He will come again.
00:07:42.27\00:07:45.61
I mean He's coming
again, prophecy predicts it.
00:07:45.62\00:07:50.05
Time future, it is sure, I
mean it sure as I'm an old man,
00:07:50.06\00:07:56.56
not too old, but an old man.
00:07:56.57\00:08:00.01
It is sure as I stand
on this platform tonight.
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It is sure as I'm
here Spokane this evening.
00:08:03.26\00:08:06.35
I'm sure as I
preach the word of God here
00:08:06.36\00:08:09.32
from this pulpit tonight.
00:08:09.33\00:08:11.00
Jesus is coming
again sure as I speak.
00:08:11.01\00:08:13.67
Now let's look at the sureness
of the return of Christ.
00:08:13.68\00:08:17.05
To do so you must keep in mind
00:08:17.06\00:08:18.88
that the first coming of
Jesus is a matter of history.
00:08:18.89\00:08:22.23
The second coming of
Jesus is a promise of prophecy.
00:08:22.24\00:08:26.37
The first coming of Jesus,
the first coming of Jesus,
00:08:26.38\00:08:29.59
He came to redeem us.
00:08:29.60\00:08:31.26
The second
coming of Jesus Christ,
00:08:31.27\00:08:33.22
He comes to recover us.
00:08:33.23\00:08:37.22
The first
coming of Jesus Christ,
00:08:37.23\00:08:39.22
He came to regenerate us.
00:08:39.23\00:08:41.10
The second
coming of Jesus Christ,
00:08:41.11\00:08:43.00
He comes to restore us again
in His holy and divine image.
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He is coming again.
00:08:46.72\00:08:47.92
The first
coming of Jesus Christ,
00:08:47.93\00:08:49.66
He came to put away sin.
00:08:49.67\00:08:51.62
The second
coming of Jesus Christ,
00:08:51.63\00:08:53.52
He comes to put away Satan
once and for all, praise God.
00:08:53.53\00:09:00.87
Someone has counted
more than 300 verses
00:09:00.88\00:09:04.80
in the New
Testament alone concerning
00:09:04.81\00:09:07.22
the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:09:07.23\00:09:09.27
Jesus Christ in spite
of what you hear today
00:09:09.28\00:09:11.84
contrary to this glorious event.
00:09:11.85\00:09:13.94
Revelation
describes it, John writing
00:09:13.95\00:09:16.60
from the Island of
Patmos steps dips his pen
00:09:16.61\00:09:19.21
in the red blood ink of Calvary
00:09:19.22\00:09:20.98
to drop his new found
faith like golden pollen
00:09:20.99\00:09:23.91
from stems of
shaken lilies to sweeten
00:09:23.92\00:09:26.11
the lives of men
and women in every age.
00:09:26.12\00:09:28.43
And John at Patmos he says,
00:09:28.44\00:09:30.71
"Behold, He
comes with the clouds."
00:09:30.72\00:09:33.22
And by the way
friend, a king does not sneak
00:09:35.56\00:09:41.04
into His kingdom. He
comes with banners waving.
00:09:41.05\00:09:45.08
He comes with
the trumpet sounding.
00:09:45.09\00:09:47.22
He comes with power,
and He comes with glory.
00:09:47.23\00:09:50.20
The fact is He is coming again.
00:09:50.21\00:09:52.77
I told you in ages
past, He was on His way.
00:09:52.78\00:09:56.20
As a Creator, He was on his way,
00:09:56.21\00:09:58.34
I mean, long
centuries before light
00:09:58.35\00:10:00.38
ever touched the
planet called earth.
00:10:00.39\00:10:02.35
He was on His way, long century
00:10:02.36\00:10:04.63
before the
constellations were thrown
00:10:04.64\00:10:06.26
against the black
draperies of the heavens
00:10:06.27\00:10:08.43
spangling the night with
stars, He was on His way,
00:10:08.44\00:10:11.93
long century before
the green grass sprouted
00:10:11.94\00:10:14.11
and little flowers blossomed
and the pine tree pointing
00:10:14.12\00:10:16.72
its finger to the sky, and
the oaks spread out its arms,
00:10:16.73\00:10:19.26
and lakes cuddled down
in the hurdles of the glen,
00:10:19.27\00:10:21.70
He was on his way.
00:10:21.71\00:10:23.04
You see, He was on
his way as Creator,
00:10:23.05\00:10:24.98
long centuries
before clay was molded
00:10:24.99\00:10:27.93
into the first man called Adam.
00:10:27.94\00:10:30.37
He was on his way,
long century before Eve
00:10:30.38\00:10:33.39
was taken from the side
of Adam to become prime rib.
00:10:33.40\00:10:37.85
Some of you'll
get that on Tuesday.
00:10:41.85\00:10:45.93
He was on his way
long centuries before sin
00:10:45.94\00:10:49.77
brought a blush of
shame to the cheeks
00:10:49.78\00:10:51.85
of our first
parents. He was on his way,
00:10:51.86\00:10:54.52
long centuries before the
Bob Builder lifted his hammer
00:10:54.53\00:10:57.49
and God lifted
grace from the earth.
00:10:57.50\00:10:59.65
He was on His way,
long century before Abraham
00:10:59.66\00:11:02.63
took his journey with
his God to his Promised Land
00:11:02.64\00:11:05.81
and Joseph wore a
coat of many colors.
00:11:05.82\00:11:08.06
He was on his way before
Moses took off his sandals,
00:11:08.07\00:11:11.55
before he stood
before the burning bush
00:11:11.56\00:11:14.09
and before the presence of God.
00:11:14.10\00:11:15.75
He was on his way, before Joshua
00:11:15.76\00:11:17.75
Fit the Battle of Jericho
and David sinned against Uriah.
00:11:17.76\00:11:21.35
Nathan pointed his finger
00:11:21.36\00:11:23.02
and Daniel,
heard the roar of lion,
00:11:23.03\00:11:25.35
Shadrach, Meshach,
Abednego felt the heat of flame
00:11:25.36\00:11:28.74
He was on his way.
00:11:28.75\00:11:30.28
The First Advent
He was on his way.
00:11:33.03\00:11:36.50
He was on His way to
Bethlehem swaddling clothes.
00:11:36.51\00:11:40.78
He was on His way to
Calvary shameful nakedness.
00:11:40.79\00:11:44.44
He was on His
way to resurrections
00:11:44.45\00:11:46.61
unexplainable
power, He was on his way.
00:11:46.62\00:11:49.40
But friend, there
is another reality.
00:11:49.41\00:11:53.34
The first coming of
Jesus Christ assures us
00:11:53.35\00:11:56.67
of the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:11:56.68\00:11:58.93
You cannot believe
in the first coming
00:11:58.94\00:12:00.58
and not believe
in the second coming.
00:12:00.59\00:12:02.44
You cannot believe in
the crib and the cross
00:12:02.45\00:12:04.36
and not believe
in the cloud coming,
00:12:04.37\00:12:06.33
cloud in the coming
glory of Jesus Christ.
00:12:06.34\00:12:08.84
I mean, He is
coming again that's central
00:12:08.85\00:12:12.23
in the
preaching of the apostles.
00:12:12.24\00:12:13.91
That's central in preaching
of Jesus Christ Himself.
00:12:13.92\00:12:17.02
I go to prepare a place for you.
00:12:17.03\00:12:18.55
If I go I will come
again. Just as history verifies,
00:12:18.56\00:12:27.19
just as history
testifies to the First Advent
00:12:27.20\00:12:31.40
and the Old Testament,
New Testament testifies
00:12:31.41\00:12:34.01
to the Second
Advent of Jesus Christ.
00:12:34.02\00:12:37.68
Listen to the Old Testament.
00:12:37.69\00:12:39.86
Everywhere you turn,
there is that testimony,
00:12:39.87\00:12:43.54
listen to the
sureness of the second coming.
00:12:43.55\00:12:45.91
Job affirmed it, "I
know my redeemer liveth,
00:12:45.92\00:12:48.54
and that he shall stand in
a latter day upon the earth,"
00:12:48.55\00:12:51.41
Job 19 and verse 25.
Isaiah reaffirmed it and said,
00:12:51.42\00:12:55.42
"The government
would be upon his shoulders
00:12:55.43\00:12:58.00
and he would
rule forever and ever.
00:12:58.01\00:13:00.13
Jeremiah wrote he said,
00:13:00.14\00:13:01.73
"A king should reign and prosper
00:13:01.74\00:13:03.61
and the Lord shall be
king upon on the earth"
00:13:03.62\00:13:05.74
Jeremiah 14
verse 3, 4 and verse 9.
00:13:05.75\00:13:09.94
Should we doubt it when
he says in Paul predicts
00:13:09.95\00:13:12.84
"Lord himself should descend
from heaven with a shout,
00:13:12.85\00:13:15.27
the voice of the
archangel, the trump of God,
00:13:15.28\00:13:17.56
and the dead in
Christ shall rise first,
00:13:17.57\00:13:20.06
then we which are alive
00:13:20.07\00:13:21.36
and remain we shall
be caught up together
00:13:21.37\00:13:23.52
with them in the cloud,
to meet the Lord in the air,
00:13:23.53\00:13:26.08
so shall we
ever be with the Lord
00:13:26.09\00:13:28.21
comfort one
another with these words."
00:13:28.22\00:13:30.38
I mean, again,
again in scripture
00:13:30.39\00:13:32.22
it's verifies the sureness
of the return of Jesus Christ.
00:13:32.23\00:13:35.24
I mean, John affirms it,
He is coming with clouds,
00:13:35.25\00:13:38.25
every high shall see him.
00:13:38.26\00:13:42.23
The slogan of the early church,
00:13:45.26\00:13:47.90
when they met in
the market place,
00:13:47.91\00:13:49.94
when they met at place
of commerce and business
00:13:49.95\00:13:52.12
and even met in a
synagogue or in their small,
00:13:52.13\00:13:54.75
in their small rooms,
in their small churches
00:13:54.76\00:13:57.31
there was the word
Maranatha, He is coming again.
00:13:57.32\00:14:02.09
I think every believer today
in 21st century every believer,
00:14:02.10\00:14:05.82
that's very at the
very doors of eternity
00:14:05.83\00:14:08.39
should say
Maranatha, let say it together.
00:14:08.40\00:14:12.50
Maranatha, Praise
God that was pretty good,
00:14:12.51\00:14:15.03
say it again, Maranatha.
00:14:15.04\00:14:16.82
Maranatha, He is
coming, He is coming again.
00:14:16.83\00:14:20.07
We have sureness of
return of Jesus here
00:14:20.08\00:14:22.75
in the New
Testament, Old Testament.
00:14:22.76\00:14:26.00
But not only do
we have the sureness
00:14:26.01\00:14:27.67
of the return of Christ.
00:14:27.68\00:14:30.40
We have the signs of
the return of Christ.
00:14:30.41\00:14:35.45
I mean, must I remind you,
00:14:35.46\00:14:36.83
we are caught up in
a technological time,
00:14:36.84\00:14:39.67
a technological age,
it's the wealth of our age,
00:14:39.68\00:14:42.76
the pressure of our age.
00:14:42.77\00:14:44.18
I mean, the things
are and people are saying
00:14:44.19\00:14:46.79
even with technology, even
with this increase of science
00:14:46.80\00:14:50.09
and
understanding, yet we are still
00:14:50.10\00:14:52.29
in the Dark Ages
when it comes to morality.
00:14:52.30\00:14:56.90
We are still
living in the Dark Ages.
00:14:56.91\00:14:59.52
Something is
wrong, everywhere I go
00:15:02.06\00:15:04.85
big cities around America,
big cities around the world,
00:15:04.86\00:15:07.78
they come to and say
Ron, some thing is wrong
00:15:07.79\00:15:10.17
and I tell them yes Bible
tells us some thing is wrong
00:15:10.18\00:15:12.94
and it can only be
righted by Jesus Christ.
00:15:12.95\00:15:16.61
Sociologically we see
the death of the planet,
00:15:16.62\00:15:19.64
because the death of
love in the human heart.
00:15:19.65\00:15:23.24
If we were to place a
stethoscope of scripture
00:15:23.25\00:15:25.91
against the heart
of beat of our age,
00:15:25.92\00:15:27.71
we will understand
the sicknesses unto death.
00:15:27.72\00:15:30.15
Sociologically a
society that legalizes
00:15:30.16\00:15:33.26
and authorizes the
killing of its young
00:15:33.27\00:15:35.98
before it's even born.
00:15:35.99\00:15:37.80
A society that
made Nobel Prize winner
00:15:40.53\00:15:42.72
Dr. Francis Crick who
advocates that a child
00:15:42.73\00:15:45.53
not be registered as a person
until two days past their birth
00:15:45.54\00:15:49.50
and only if they are healthy.
00:15:49.51\00:15:51.49
And listen he
proposed that old people
00:15:55.48\00:15:58.91
be exterminated
beyond the certain age.
00:15:58.92\00:16:04.23
Come on give me a
break. Give me a break.
00:16:04.24\00:16:09.16
A society filled
with violence and crime.
00:16:11.05\00:16:15.30
Listen, so violent
we watch our young men
00:16:15.31\00:16:17.90
and young women
drowned in their own blood
00:16:17.91\00:16:20.16
on the streets of our cities.
00:16:20.17\00:16:21.79
We have in God, we
trust down upon our coins,
00:16:21.80\00:16:24.04
but not written in our hearts.
00:16:24.05\00:16:25.46
We as a nation calling
ourselves a Christian nation.
00:16:25.47\00:16:28.18
There are 21,000 or more deaths,
murders in America alone.
00:16:28.19\00:16:33.52
There are 14 million
251,400 total crimes in America.
00:16:33.53\00:16:39.47
Not only human nature, but
nature itself is messed up.
00:16:39.48\00:16:43.85
Jesus said, you're
going to see these things
00:16:45.67\00:16:47.67
look up for
redemption towards Me.
00:16:47.68\00:16:49.88
We're coming closer
and closer to that fact
00:16:49.89\00:16:52.30
that He is coming back again.
00:16:52.31\00:16:53.81
I tell you
ecological science everywhere.
00:16:53.82\00:16:56.24
We could spend a lot of
time talking about them.
00:16:56.25\00:16:58.40
Earthquake estimated more than
one million people have died
00:16:58.41\00:17:01.70
as a result of earthquakes
in the 20th century alone.
00:17:01.71\00:17:04.87
Pollutant is killing our planet.
00:17:04.88\00:17:07.23
If changes are not
made there is no doubt
00:17:07.24\00:17:10.24
whatever we will--
however, we will survive
00:17:10.25\00:17:12.82
by that time they will be
seven billion he said 2,000.
00:17:12.83\00:17:16.33
Listen 27 billion
people in the world
00:17:16.34\00:17:19.54
and five billion will be
starving, Dr. Albert Sabin.
00:17:19.55\00:17:25.56
I tell you friend, the
future is bleak without God.
00:17:25.57\00:17:29.11
Acid rain, carbon dioxide
causing greenhouse effect,
00:17:29.12\00:17:33.09
I mean, forest are
being cleared to the rate
00:17:33.10\00:17:34.65
of one to two
percent a year at the rate
00:17:34.66\00:17:37.55
30 to 40 more years before our
earth is diluted of its tress.
00:17:37.56\00:17:43.45
Wars and rumors of
wars. Someone said to me,
00:17:43.46\00:17:46.81
we had wars since
beginning of time,
00:17:46.82\00:17:48.72
but they were 100 year wars,
00:17:48.73\00:17:50.55
I mean, they war 200 year wars.
00:17:50.56\00:17:52.61
We are talking about 25 day wars
00:17:52.62\00:17:55.52
and we get nervous about that.
00:17:55.53\00:17:58.29
We're talking about
smart pumps and dump liners.
00:17:58.30\00:18:02.78
We're talking about
the invention of bomb
00:18:02.79\00:18:04.62
that is dropped that
will kill the children,
00:18:04.63\00:18:06.45
but not destroy the buildings.
00:18:06.46\00:18:08.27
Science of the
times is everywhere.
00:18:12.00\00:18:16.47
I mean, ethnic
cleansing innocent millions
00:18:16.48\00:18:19.00
have died in Eastern
Europe, Africa, Timor.
00:18:19.01\00:18:22.10
And so we've seen the sureness
of the return of Christ.
00:18:22.11\00:18:24.65
We can look and see around us
00:18:24.66\00:18:26.40
the signs of the
return of Christ.
00:18:26.41\00:18:29.51
All this did not shock
us out of our complacency
00:18:29.52\00:18:33.71
until came that
Tuesday morning in America.
00:18:33.72\00:18:38.37
We were attacked
at our Tower of Babel,
00:18:38.38\00:18:41.14
our financial
center of our people.
00:18:41.15\00:18:45.74
We saw hatred and malice.
00:18:45.75\00:18:49.42
We saw how quickly the
events could assure us in
00:18:49.43\00:18:52.64
and assure us towards
the battle of Armageddon.
00:18:52.65\00:18:54.65
I mean, a nation held hostage.
00:18:54.66\00:18:57.45
We are late in our lives.
00:18:57.46\00:18:58.43
It's like the
old man went to bed,
00:18:58.44\00:18:59.66
his wife got to sleep
and he couldn't get to sleep
00:18:59.67\00:19:01.63
and finally heard
your grandfather clock
00:19:01.64\00:19:04.39
10, 11, 12, 13,
00:19:04.40\00:19:11.48
14, 15 just then
the old lady turned over
00:19:11.49\00:19:16.32
she says, what time is it honey.
00:19:16.33\00:19:18.39
He said it's later
than it's ever been before.
00:19:18.40\00:19:23.18
I mean, the signs of times,
the signs of the time tell us
00:19:23.19\00:19:26.68
that Jesus Christ is coming soon
00:19:26.69\00:19:28.97
and we must look up and be ready
00:19:28.98\00:19:30.65
for the return of Jesus back
to the earth the second time.
00:19:30.66\00:19:33.57
Our nation held hostage later
that it's ever been before.
00:19:33.58\00:19:39.58
And so we see the sureness
of the return of Christ.
00:19:39.59\00:19:42.84
We see the signs of
the return of Christ.
00:19:42.85\00:19:45.49
But there is the sequence
of the return of Christ.
00:19:45.50\00:19:50.24
There are two
events in the sequence
00:19:50.25\00:19:53.27
of return of Jesus back
to the earth the second time.
00:19:53.28\00:19:56.80
First He came to rescue us.
00:19:56.81\00:20:00.69
Secondly, He comes to
receive us, the two events.
00:20:00.70\00:20:06.18
He is coming to rescue us.
00:20:06.19\00:20:08.48
Paul, the
apostle of Jesus Christ,
00:20:08.49\00:20:10.13
never thinks the
entrance of the Christian life
00:20:10.14\00:20:12.55
as casual acceptance of certain
bland religious doctrines.
00:20:12.56\00:20:18.35
Small standards, giving up
little acts of self-denial.
00:20:18.36\00:20:23.34
No, he talks about
giving up your life for God.
00:20:23.35\00:20:26.46
He talks about willing to
lay down your life for God,
00:20:26.47\00:20:29.92
laying down
your life for Christ.
00:20:29.93\00:20:31.90
We got it all wrong.
00:20:31.91\00:20:33.57
He doesn't
promise us a rose garden.
00:20:33.58\00:20:36.08
He doesn't say,
it's going to be easy.
00:20:38.72\00:20:43.09
He doesn't pull punches.
00:20:43.10\00:20:44.54
Even the theology of
today tries to get us away
00:20:44.55\00:20:47.36
from tribulation, try us
to get us away from problem.
00:20:47.37\00:20:50.18
But every
generation in the Bible,
00:20:50.19\00:20:51.98
everyone who are
faithful to the Bible
00:20:51.99\00:20:53.71
went through their tribulation
to be faithful to God.
00:20:53.72\00:20:57.14
God doesn't pull
punches in this book.
00:21:01.47\00:21:05.16
Christianity is
no little matter.
00:21:05.17\00:21:08.75
He doesn't talk about little
self-righteous acts of denial.
00:21:08.76\00:21:11.50
He initiates us
into the same club.
00:21:11.51\00:21:15.37
It's not a social
club, listen to me
00:21:15.38\00:21:17.35
is not plush
membership in a plush church,
00:21:17.36\00:21:19.59
He uses strong
and stunning words.
00:21:19.60\00:21:21.78
He says, you have been rescued.
00:21:21.79\00:21:24.68
Wow, this rescuer
hears by the prophet
00:21:28.29\00:21:36.21
describe as a holy warrior.
00:21:36.22\00:21:39.43
And by the way it's
such a glorious event,
00:21:39.44\00:21:41.22
such a great rescue.
00:21:41.23\00:21:42.39
He says, He comes as a warrior
00:21:42.40\00:21:44.43
with blood red banners
and mounted on a white horse
00:21:44.44\00:21:47.46
and He gallops across
the sky conqueror to conquer,
00:21:47.47\00:21:50.85
if you please, He's
followed by the armies of heaven
00:21:50.86\00:21:57.63
coming to rescue us
10,000 upon 10,000 of angels
00:21:57.64\00:22:00.79
and 1000's of angels, I
mean, gloriously coming down
00:22:00.80\00:22:04.35
through the
vault of the heavens.
00:22:04.36\00:22:05.90
Wow. Don't you believe it?
00:22:05.91\00:22:10.92
Then listen the Bible says this.
00:22:12.85\00:22:16.76
"Who is he that
cometh from Edom,
00:22:16.77\00:22:20.92
with dyed garments from Bozrah?
00:22:20.93\00:22:23.65
This that is
glorious in his apparel,
00:22:23.66\00:22:25.76
traveling in the
greatness of his strength?
00:22:25.77\00:22:27.90
I that speak in righteousness,
00:22:27.91\00:22:29.68
mighty to save,
mighty to rescue us,
00:22:29.69\00:22:37.43
mighty to save us."
00:22:37.44\00:22:38.41
The word by the way
rescue in its original implies
00:22:38.42\00:22:40.96
rescue from a perilous
and wretched condition.
00:22:40.97\00:22:45.20
Outside of Christ,
I want to tell you,
00:22:45.21\00:22:46.95
your life is wretched.
Outside of Jesus Christ,
00:22:46.96\00:22:49.90
your life is miserable.
Outside of Jesus Christ,
00:22:49.91\00:22:52.66
and the hope found in
scripture you have no hope.
00:22:52.67\00:22:57.67
I was visiting an Ivy
League campus sometime ago.
00:22:57.68\00:23:01.53
I met a very intelligent
young man in some ways
00:23:01.54\00:23:05.44
and we got to
talk, and I told him
00:23:05.45\00:23:06.89
I was a preacher
and he is a Christian,
00:23:06.90\00:23:09.52
and he-- and I said,
00:23:09.53\00:23:10.80
"Well, what you're
gonna do with your life?"
00:23:10.81\00:23:13.49
He says, well, I'm
here at the university here,
00:23:13.50\00:23:16.36
the Ivy League University
00:23:16.37\00:23:17.59
and I'm planning to be a lawyer.
00:23:17.60\00:23:20.09
I said that's good.
When do you graduate?
00:23:20.10\00:23:21.95
I graduate in
three years, two years.
00:23:21.96\00:23:25.34
I said that's good.
00:23:25.35\00:23:26.60
I said, what
you're gonna do then.
00:23:26.61\00:23:27.58
He says, well, he says,
00:23:27.59\00:23:28.56
I'm gonna try to find
a prestigious law firm
00:23:28.57\00:23:31.75
and I guess, I will
start internship there
00:23:31.76\00:23:34.14
and get into law
and-- and I said, what then?
00:23:34.15\00:23:37.75
He says, well, he
said, I will make money,
00:23:37.76\00:23:42.67
and I says, what then?
00:23:42.68\00:23:43.65
He says, well, I
will probably get married.
00:23:43.66\00:23:50.02
I said, what then? He says,
00:23:50.03\00:23:52.80
moving to a hous
like picket fence.
00:23:52.81\00:23:57.31
What then? Well, we
will probably have children.
00:23:57.32\00:23:59.46
And what then? He says, gold.
00:23:59.47\00:24:05.97
I said what then? He
said, I guess I will die.
00:24:05.98\00:24:09.53
I said, no, no
guess. He is guessing.
00:24:09.54\00:24:14.09
Give me a break, I look
into mirror every morning.
00:24:14.10\00:24:18.45
He said, I guess I will die.
00:24:18.46\00:24:19.95
I said, what then?
00:24:19.96\00:24:21.31
You see the Bible offers for us
a solution for the, what then.
00:24:24.15\00:24:30.71
He is coming back.
Let's say I believe,
00:24:30.72\00:24:32.90
He is coming
back the second time,
00:24:32.91\00:24:34.55
and He is going to rescue us.
00:24:34.56\00:24:38.39
He describes our lives
outside of Christ there
00:24:38.40\00:24:40.74
as a dark
dungeon of the private,
00:24:40.75\00:24:42.71
if you read it
there in Epistles.
00:24:42.72\00:24:44.10
I mean, it describes as
imprisoned and by the way
00:24:44.11\00:24:46.78
we're in prison
without Christ, I mean,
00:24:46.79\00:24:48.59
He is only one
that can set us free.
00:24:48.60\00:24:50.40
I could not get free from
the habits that are killing me.
00:24:50.41\00:24:53.36
He had to set me free.
00:24:53.37\00:24:54.89
I could not get free
from my mind and the thoughts
00:24:54.90\00:24:57.60
that ran through my
mind. He had to set me free.
00:24:57.61\00:25:00.51
I could not walk in
peace through my neighborhood.
00:25:00.52\00:25:03.35
He had to set me
free, that's rescue.
00:25:03.36\00:25:06.25
He describes us
as being rescued.
00:25:13.44\00:25:19.40
And by the way, we're
helpless to help ourselves.
00:25:19.41\00:25:23.31
In Venice, there is
one of the most distressing
00:25:23.32\00:25:25.48
sites on earth in-spite
of its magnificent beauty.
00:25:25.49\00:25:29.40
It's called the
"Bridge of Sighs."
00:25:29.41\00:25:32.06
I don't know if any of
you've been there and seen it.
00:25:32.07\00:25:35.70
But let me, it
expands the romantic canal,
00:25:35.71\00:25:37.74
it connects the whole of
justice with the prison house.
00:25:37.75\00:25:43.75
And when men were condemned,
00:25:43.76\00:25:47.13
they will let him change
across the Bridge of Sighs
00:25:47.14\00:25:52.97
to be in prison in
a narrow stone cell
00:25:52.98\00:25:57.62
for the reminder of their lives.
00:25:57.63\00:26:02.72
Where the rays of
the sun never pierced.
00:26:02.73\00:26:05.82
Where joy comes to the
heart and where hope dies.
00:26:05.83\00:26:12.01
To be rescued by
Christ, listen to me.
00:26:14.37\00:26:20.16
To be rescued by Christ
00:26:20.17\00:26:24.17
is like being released
from a prison house of doom
00:26:24.18\00:26:27.68
and despair and hopelessness.
00:26:27.69\00:26:33.11
And by the way the word
rescue implies something,
00:26:33.12\00:26:35.18
it implies it's a costly rescue.
00:26:35.19\00:26:37.06
I mean, it cost God everything.
00:26:39.21\00:26:42.31
He would rather give up
His son and give up on you,
00:26:42.32\00:26:46.36
that's costly to
give the dearest thing.
00:26:46.37\00:26:50.33
Now I might die for my son,
00:26:51.84\00:26:55.13
but I'm sorry I don't
think I will die for your son.
00:26:55.14\00:26:57.65
That's a costly rescue.
00:27:00.53\00:27:02.16
For God so loved the world
that He gave, that's costly,
00:27:03.41\00:27:09.57
that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish,
00:27:09.58\00:27:12.68
but have everlasting life.
00:27:12.69\00:27:16.68
Christian friend,
listen to me tonight.
00:27:17.84\00:27:20.12
Don't rob the new
believer of their joy.
00:27:22.79\00:27:25.91
I mean, don't you let Jesus free
00:27:29.09\00:27:31.40
sinnders and rescue sinners,
and then you imprisonment
00:27:31.41\00:27:34.71
in your little provincialism.
00:27:34.72\00:27:37.09
Let them be
free to grow and live
00:27:39.85\00:27:44.24
and praise and learn God's love.
00:27:44.25\00:27:48.78
He has rescued them.
00:27:48.79\00:27:50.58
Don't you imprison them
for He is coming back again.
00:27:50.59\00:27:53.71
Listen my friend, I
stand here tonight to tell you,
00:27:53.72\00:27:56.12
He is coming back to
rescue us from the prison house.
00:27:56.13\00:27:58.96
Paul said, the Lord
will descend from heaven
00:27:58.97\00:28:00.95
with the shout, with
the voice of the archangel,
00:28:00.96\00:28:03.19
and by the way it's
not a silence shout.
00:28:03.20\00:28:07.67
Give me a break He is
coming with the shout,
00:28:15.53\00:28:22.51
the voice of the
archangel and the trumpet of God
00:28:22.52\00:28:25.60
and the dead in
Christ shall rise first,
00:28:25.61\00:28:28.13
that's the sequence.
00:28:28.14\00:28:29.77
He has come to rescue
you from the prison house
00:28:29.78\00:28:32.22
and give you salvation by
grace and faith in Christ.
00:28:32.23\00:28:35.33
Secondly, He comes to
rescue the dead in Christ.
00:28:35.34\00:28:38.57
They've been in the
prison house of death
00:28:38.58\00:28:40.69
and that was going to
break the bonds of death.
00:28:40.70\00:28:43.10
He is going to call them for.
00:28:43.11\00:28:44.52
I hope, I'm in
Brooklyn when Jesus comes.
00:28:44.53\00:28:47.79
Because I've a dear
Christian grandmother.
00:28:50.69\00:28:54.00
When I was growing up,
00:28:54.01\00:28:55.04
I had a lovely,
Norwegian Christian grandmother.
00:28:55.05\00:28:58.34
She loved God with
all her heart, served God.
00:28:58.35\00:29:03.30
She was stricken with paralysis.
00:29:03.31\00:29:06.10
My mother took care
of her for five years,
00:29:06.11\00:29:07.64
trying to take care of her.
00:29:07.65\00:29:08.64
Finally she had to
put her in a county home.
00:29:08.65\00:29:12.16
And while she was there,
I would walk in the room,
00:29:12.17\00:29:15.13
black leather
jacket skull blood.
00:29:15.14\00:29:16.92
She would look up
smile with half a face
00:29:16.93\00:29:19.40
that's all she
could smile, half a smile.
00:29:19.41\00:29:21.57
That's better than
most Christians today.
00:29:21.58\00:29:23.76
And she would take my hand
00:29:26.54\00:29:27.79
and she would says
good boy, good boy.
00:29:27.80\00:29:33.33
Sometimes we get on to
subway, we have to go two hours
00:29:33.34\00:29:35.68
and get on the bus
and transfer another bus
00:29:35.69\00:29:37.71
four hours out to
that county hospital
00:29:37.72\00:29:39.73
and I walked down,
the beds were lying up,
00:29:39.74\00:29:41.68
and I walked over
to my grandmother,
00:29:41.69\00:29:43.26
half a smile on
her face. Good boy.
00:29:43.27\00:29:47.83
I can't wait for Jesus to come.
00:29:49.65\00:29:52.98
I will see my grandmother again.
00:29:52.99\00:29:55.46
And my grandmother
is going to look at me
00:29:55.47\00:29:56.59
first thing she will
say, good boy, good boy.
00:29:56.60\00:30:02.66
He comes to rescues
those that are in grave.
00:30:02.67\00:30:04.75
Husband weep no
more for that wife,
00:30:04.76\00:30:06.35
God is gonna
give her back to you.
00:30:06.36\00:30:08.07
I told you last night
about that South African family.
00:30:10.06\00:30:13.68
I talked to them just an
hour so before I came here.
00:30:13.69\00:30:19.06
He has two weeks to live.
00:30:19.07\00:30:22.01
And what a
wonderful godly church there
00:30:22.02\00:30:24.14
that they would
go into worshiping,
00:30:24.15\00:30:26.36
and they were so moved,
00:30:26.37\00:30:28.64
they've been
ministering to that family.
00:30:28.65\00:30:30.09
Here they are 5,000
miles from their home
00:30:30.10\00:30:32.43
just trying to make,
work out a living in America
00:30:32.44\00:30:34.63
just to be free
for their children.
00:30:34.64\00:30:36.32
And that church, in
one Sabbath morning,
00:30:36.33\00:30:39.50
they took up an offering
$13,000 to put them on plane
00:30:39.51\00:30:43.55
and send them home to die.
00:30:43.56\00:30:46.14
That's
Christianity, do you hear me?
00:30:46.15\00:30:48.87
That's Christianity,
but I tell you one thing
00:30:48.88\00:30:52.11
I told to Cory, I said Cory,
00:30:52.12\00:30:56.93
I said thank God that he
is in hands of Jesus now.
00:30:56.94\00:31:02.29
And I expect, I
believe and I have confidence
00:31:02.30\00:31:08.34
that in that day, there
will be the resurrection.
00:31:08.35\00:31:12.61
He will be brought forth
00:31:12.62\00:31:13.78
from the prison
house of death, amen.
00:31:13.79\00:31:17.27
Can you say amen here? Amen.
00:31:17.28\00:31:20.78
Christ breaks the dismal
darkness like blazing glory.
00:31:20.79\00:31:24.20
The rescue Paul says,
00:31:24.21\00:31:25.27
takes place at
a specific moment,
00:31:25.28\00:31:27.26
by the way it's
a decisive moment.
00:31:27.27\00:31:29.21
We don't know the day or hour,
but we do know the seasons,
00:31:29.22\00:31:32.27
but when He comes, He
comes at that decisive moment.
00:31:32.28\00:31:38.39
I'm amazed that theologians,
thin headed theologians today.
00:31:38.40\00:31:42.36
They sent me their
little charts through the mail
00:31:42.37\00:31:45.50
and they figured it out.
00:31:45.51\00:31:48.29
If Jesus Himself
doesn't even know the day,
00:31:48.30\00:31:51.86
what makes them think they do?
00:31:51.87\00:31:54.86
For they will come at
time in eternity I understand
00:31:54.87\00:31:58.08
when the father
will say, all right, son
00:31:58.09\00:32:01.05
go get your children.
00:32:02.26\00:32:04.08
And like a blaze of
glory across the sky
00:32:04.09\00:32:06.52
from the eastern sky
first a pinpoint of light,
00:32:06.53\00:32:09.01
then like the
hand of fist in larger
00:32:09.02\00:32:11.36
and larger and
brighter and brighter.
00:32:11.37\00:32:12.96
CNN point their cameras,
3ABN will point their cameras.
00:32:12.97\00:32:19.43
But of course, they
will know what that is.
00:32:19.44\00:32:22.25
They have
better wisdom than CNN,
00:32:22.26\00:32:25.39
and they wonder what that
is coming through the sky.
00:32:25.40\00:32:27.38
We will know believe it,
00:32:27.39\00:32:28.74
it's Jesus Christ
coming back again, amen.
00:32:28.75\00:32:31.22
He is coming back
to rescue us from sin.
00:32:31.23\00:32:33.37
He is coming back to receive
us on to Himself that were I'm,
00:32:33.38\00:32:37.06
there He may be also.
00:32:37.07\00:32:38.55
You see in Christ readiness
is the important thing.
00:32:38.56\00:32:42.38
By the way in Matthew 24
Chapter into the 25 Chapter,
00:32:42.39\00:32:46.79
there is a 92 verse resume
about the coming of Christ.
00:32:46.80\00:32:49.62
You don't have to be confused.
00:32:49.63\00:32:50.95
You don't have to go
to Hagee or television
00:32:50.96\00:32:53.51
or some
televangelist to understand
00:32:53.52\00:32:55.67
the second coming of Jesus.
00:32:55.68\00:32:56.97
All you have to
do is go to Matthew.
00:32:56.98\00:33:00.43
And in the 24th
Chapter, he outlines the signs
00:33:00.44\00:33:03.22
and what's going to happen.
00:33:03.23\00:33:04.36
He is going to outline the
way Jesus is going to come,
00:33:04.37\00:33:07.43
what's going to happen,
everything is clearly outlined,
00:33:07.44\00:33:10.11
but the hub of
the whole treat is,
00:33:10.12\00:33:12.71
the hub of the whole
treat is, is verse 44 it says,
00:33:12.72\00:33:16.47
"Be ye also ready" Be ready
00:33:16.48\00:33:23.44
I remember some years ago,
00:33:23.45\00:33:24.77
I was invited, I
was a college pastor
00:33:24.78\00:33:26.47
and I was invited to go
to seminar in California
00:33:26.48\00:33:28.86
and so I thought it
will be a break for my church
00:33:28.87\00:33:31.07
and I agreed to
go, and my boy Ronnie,
00:33:31.08\00:33:34.27
he was just a teenager,
my girl was just a teenager,
00:33:34.28\00:33:36.70
and, you know, how it
when you have to go away
00:33:36.71\00:33:38.59
and leave the
two teenagers home.
00:33:38.60\00:33:40.76
The Ten Commandments become 250,
00:33:40.77\00:33:42.68
you know, how it is,
00:33:42.69\00:33:44.70
and you always
put it in a good spot,
00:33:44.71\00:33:45.91
you don't put it
in granite or rock,
00:33:45.92\00:33:47.93
you put it on the
refrigerator door.
00:33:47.94\00:33:52.76
And so I made big
mistake with my son,
00:33:52.77\00:33:54.80
I didn't make too may,
bit I did make a big one,
00:33:54.81\00:33:56.67
I said, son you are old,
I want you to be in-charge,
00:33:56.68\00:33:58.69
never do that when there
is year and half difference.
00:33:58.70\00:34:03.85
So I get out of the house,
00:34:03.86\00:34:04.85
my wife and I we
flew out the California.
00:34:04.86\00:34:07.00
Now I said, son I'm
gonna to be back on Thursday
00:34:07.01\00:34:10.30
and take care of things.
00:34:10.31\00:34:13.20
Flew out to California
when I got there I walked in,
00:34:13.21\00:34:16.56
I got my program, I noticed
that I was going to finish
00:34:16.57\00:34:18.65
on Wednesday
afternoon, I said, wow.
00:34:18.66\00:34:20.83
I said, honey, look at this.
00:34:20.84\00:34:22.21
I thought I had to be
here till Thursday, Wednesday.
00:34:22.22\00:34:25.07
I said, let's fly
home and surprise the kids.
00:34:25.08\00:34:28.04
And my wife
looked at me, she says,
00:34:30.47\00:34:34.01
I don't think
that's a good idea,
00:34:34.02\00:34:35.74
but me thinking I was brilliant,
00:34:35.75\00:34:38.30
I thought that
was a brilliant idea.
00:34:38.31\00:34:39.67
I said, no honey, it would
be great just to surprise them.
00:34:39.68\00:34:42.21
They will be so happy.
00:34:42.22\00:34:44.22
See well, let's call them first,
00:34:44.23\00:34:45.27
I said, oh no, we got
to really surprise them.
00:34:45.28\00:34:48.81
We changed our tickets
and flew back to Dallas,
00:34:48.82\00:34:51.32
Texas and got off the
plane it was late at night
00:34:51.33\00:34:53.32
and my wife said, well,
let's call from the airport.
00:34:53.33\00:34:55.04
I say oh no, honey, let
really surprise them in,
00:34:55.05\00:34:56.90
and so I called the
Nush a deacon up and I said,
00:34:56.91\00:34:58.99
deacon, will you
come down and pick us up.
00:34:59.00\00:35:00.70
And he says,
well, where is your car.
00:35:00.71\00:35:02.80
I said, oh, oh know, you
see you don't understand,
00:35:02.81\00:35:06.67
I want to surprise the kids.
00:35:06.68\00:35:09.08
And there was silence for
the space of the half hour
00:35:09.09\00:35:11.20
and he finally
came back and said what?
00:35:11.21\00:35:13.80
Say, what? Well, I, they think
00:35:13.81\00:35:16.62
I'm coming in tomorrow,
I want to surprise them.
00:35:16.63\00:35:18.68
Will you please pick me up?
Well, I'm happy you to pick up,
00:35:18.69\00:35:20.75
but I don't know
if that's good idea.
00:35:20.76\00:35:24.59
As I think it's brilliant,
so I waited, he got there,
00:35:24.60\00:35:28.18
we drove back to Keene,
00:35:28.19\00:35:29.67
it's a quite
little Christian town,
00:35:29.68\00:35:31.18
there is a Christian university
there that I was a pastor
00:35:31.19\00:35:34.29
and I taught
there at the university
00:35:34.30\00:35:35.80
and--drove in the
town it was dark and quite,
00:35:35.81\00:35:39.16
and all the saints have gonna
to bed saying their prayers.
00:35:39.17\00:35:44.22
And I drove up to wood
one, I drove up to my house,
00:35:44.23\00:35:46.42
the lights were
out, everything was nice,
00:35:46.43\00:35:48.02
the lawn was cut,
everything looked good.
00:35:48.03\00:35:50.80
I said, honey look at this.
00:35:50.81\00:35:53.34
I said look that chips
of the old block come on.
00:35:53.35\00:35:57.12
We got out of the
car and walked up,
00:35:57.13\00:35:58.96
she said, ring the
bell. I said, no, no,
00:35:58.97\00:36:01.30
we want to surprise them,
00:36:01.31\00:36:02.86
so I quietly put the
key and opened the door,
00:36:02.87\00:36:05.25
walked in quietly as
I could close the door,
00:36:05.26\00:36:09.20
flipped on the
light to my living room.
00:36:09.21\00:36:10.95
It wasn't my living room,
00:36:10.96\00:36:12.11
it couldn't have
been my living room.
00:36:12.12\00:36:14.65
I mean, dirty socks,
shoes, pants, shorts,
00:36:14.66\00:36:19.74
I mean, every-I've
to move to see my couch
00:36:19.75\00:36:25.46
and I went to
the kitchen, amazing.
00:36:25.47\00:36:27.59
How many dishes could be used
00:36:29.85\00:36:31.27
in two and half
days with two teenagers?
00:36:31.28\00:36:36.10
I mean, piled up to the ceiling,
00:36:36.11\00:36:37.82
peanut butter and
jelly hand marks all over in,
00:36:37.83\00:36:41.33
so I quietly walked down
the hallway to my son's room
00:36:41.34\00:36:44.34
and I got down to the son's room
00:36:44.35\00:36:45.91
and quietly opened the
door and flipped on the light.
00:36:45.92\00:36:50.06
Ronnie sat up, rubbing
the sleep from his eyes
00:36:50.07\00:36:52.70
and daddy, you're
supposed to come tomorrow.
00:36:52.71\00:36:54.61
I said, be ye
ready, be ye ready.
00:36:54.62\00:37:00.07
My Bible says, be ye
ready for in such an hour
00:37:04.87\00:37:08.22
you think not,
the son of man comes,
00:37:08.23\00:37:11.68
I will come again and that's
the hope of every believer.
00:37:11.69\00:37:15.24
The hope of every believer
will not be to be left behind.
00:37:15.25\00:37:18.59
The hope of every believer
that will lift up their hands,
00:37:18.60\00:37:20.91
say Lord, this is our God,
we waited for Him patiently
00:37:20.92\00:37:24.14
and with great faith that
we are ready for His return.
00:37:24.15\00:37:27.49
Readiness is the all thing,
00:37:27.50\00:37:28.69
the great hope of every age
is the coming of Jesus Christ.
00:37:28.70\00:37:32.41
The promise that
Christ made through the ages
00:37:32.42\00:37:35.06
is a promise
that we came to today,
00:37:35.07\00:37:37.39
in a mad rush of madness
today there are men and women.
00:37:37.40\00:37:40.45
There is
remnant around the world
00:37:40.46\00:37:42.21
who are looking
with great expectancy,
00:37:42.22\00:37:44.47
who are looking
with great longingly
00:37:44.48\00:37:46.29
to the return of Christ,
00:37:46.30\00:37:47.54
for that's the
only hope for mankind?
00:37:47.55\00:37:49.93
I was a young preacher,
00:37:49.94\00:37:50.93
I was visiting in
Morganton, South Carolina.
00:37:50.94\00:37:53.44
I'm an old
preacher, but I still visit.
00:37:53.45\00:37:55.33
People tell me today, you know,
00:37:57.52\00:37:58.65
I get sophisticated
ministers everywhere.
00:37:58.66\00:38:01.21
Well, you know, brother,
we have office hours from--
00:38:01.22\00:38:03.99
Listen to me,
nowhere I read in scripture,
00:38:04.00\00:38:05.71
the Jesus had office hours.
00:38:05.72\00:38:10.30
Well, anyway I get off that.
00:38:10.31\00:38:11.95
I don't want to get no
preaches nervous around here.
00:38:13.48\00:38:16.59
But I visited
then, I visited now.
00:38:16.60\00:38:18.69
And by the way, people
are so friendly, even now.
00:38:18.70\00:38:22.55
So you can get in
the home that serve.
00:38:22.56\00:38:24.45
So I went visiting
Morganton, North Carolina
00:38:26.88\00:38:30.92
or South Morganton--
North Carolina, is North,
00:38:30.93\00:38:34.01
North or South and
whatever you're really in one,
00:38:34.02\00:38:36.05
you're in the other
but anyway same thing.
00:38:36.06\00:38:37.55
Yeah, I come
back again same voice,
00:38:37.56\00:38:40.14
anyway so it was Morganton,
I think its North Carolina
00:38:40.15\00:38:42.57
but anyway Morganton.
00:38:42.58\00:38:44.68
My wife should
help me out in this one,
00:38:44.69\00:38:45.94
she is back in our table.
00:38:45.95\00:38:47.80
We have our tapes back there
00:38:47.81\00:38:49.07
and that's for
our missionary work.
00:38:49.08\00:38:51.01
We have a
ministry that we're helping
00:38:51.02\00:38:52.97
and that's what we
do when we wake with.
00:38:52.98\00:38:54.96
Anyway I think it was
North Carolina, Morganton,
00:38:54.97\00:38:57.41
does anyone know Morganton?
00:38:57.42\00:38:59.88
All right, North Carolina, good.
00:38:59.89\00:39:01.21
I'm in the right state,
00:39:01.22\00:39:02.21
I want to be in the right state.
00:39:02.22\00:39:03.21
This is authentic story.
00:39:03.22\00:39:04.54
And so I was in Morganton
I had the name of person
00:39:06.23\00:39:08.63
to invite to the
meetings and so I went down,
00:39:08.64\00:39:10.69
drove down, got there,
the preacher was with me,
00:39:10.70\00:39:12.81
we walked up to the
door and knocked in the door,
00:39:12.82\00:39:14.76
little girl
answered. And I said, honey,
00:39:14.77\00:39:18.62
I said, is your mommy here?
00:39:18.63\00:39:19.71
And she said, no mommy
is down at the cemetery
00:39:19.72\00:39:22.05
and she began to cry.
00:39:22.06\00:39:24.46
And I'm looking at this
little girl crying before,
00:39:24.47\00:39:25.95
you know, I'm crying.
00:39:25.96\00:39:27.62
I don't even know
what I'm crying about.
00:39:27.63\00:39:30.58
And so I knelt
down, I said, honey,
00:39:30.59\00:39:31.98
tell me, she's
down at the cemetery.
00:39:31.99\00:39:36.01
I said what happened Jesus?
00:39:36.02\00:39:37.42
She says, baby
sister died last week.
00:39:37.43\00:39:38.87
Now you know, I'm crying.
00:39:38.88\00:39:40.17
And I said, honey,
where is the cemetery?
00:39:44.31\00:39:47.72
And she said, it's
down the road of peace in
00:39:47.73\00:39:50.38
just behind the
little Baptist Church there.
00:39:50.39\00:39:54.17
So I had a little
prayer with the girl
00:39:54.18\00:39:56.42
and told the preacher he said
00:39:56.43\00:39:58.35
we better visit
her some other time.
00:39:58.36\00:39:59.55
I said, no, she needs us now
00:39:59.56\00:40:00.68
and so we got into
the car and drove down,
00:40:00.69\00:40:02.41
parked the car, walked
around the little Baptist Church
00:40:02.42\00:40:04.73
and there was
out in the cemetery.
00:40:04.74\00:40:06.85
She was kneeling
down by new dug grave,
00:40:06.86\00:40:08.82
way back in the
back of the cemetery,
00:40:08.83\00:40:10.78
as I got closer and
closer I notice that
00:40:10.79\00:40:12.78
she had a little
white picket fence,
00:40:12.79\00:40:14.48
she had put around in
and a little Styrofoam lamb
00:40:14.49\00:40:16.89
and a little plastic flowers
00:40:16.90\00:40:18.51
and some kids
had come through in,
00:40:18.52\00:40:20.01
knocked them over
and scattered them
00:40:20.02\00:40:21.49
and she was trying to
make something of the grave.
00:40:21.50\00:40:24.99
By the way friend, listen to me,
00:40:25.00\00:40:26.24
you can't make
anything of a grave.
00:40:26.25\00:40:29.26
It's not sealed in
the blood of Christ.
00:40:29.27\00:40:33.64
And so I walked
up and she looked up,
00:40:33.65\00:40:35.14
I said, I'm just the preacher,
00:40:35.15\00:40:36.58
can I help you
straighten the grave
00:40:36.59\00:40:38.06
and so I knelt
down, I was helping her
00:40:38.07\00:40:41.08
and I said, you know young lady
00:40:41.09\00:40:42.15
I said Jesus is
going to come soon.
00:40:42.16\00:40:45.31
He is gonna pick up your baby
00:40:45.32\00:40:46.51
and He is going to lay
that baby in your arms.
00:40:46.52\00:40:47.95
She said, wish I
could believe that.
00:40:47.96\00:40:50.81
She said, my
whole world has ended.
00:40:50.82\00:40:53.47
I says, oh no,
it's just beginning,
00:40:53.48\00:40:56.88
gives my beloved sleep.
00:40:56.89\00:41:00.10
I said, we're
starting series of meetings
00:41:00.11\00:41:01.76
over the little
church down the road
00:41:01.77\00:41:03.39
and I would like
to invite you to come.
00:41:03.40\00:41:05.46
She said, well, I
work night and she said,
00:41:05.47\00:41:07.65
oh, but I do get off
for an hour for my meal.
00:41:07.66\00:41:13.44
She said, I could run over
and what time do you start,
00:41:13.45\00:41:16.14
I told her, she said,
well I'll take that hour.
00:41:16.15\00:41:18.99
And so I stood up to preach,
00:41:19.00\00:41:19.99
it was just about time
to stand up and preach,
00:41:20.00\00:41:21.71
I got up walk to
just then she walked in
00:41:21.72\00:41:24.11
and sat in the last
row and I didn't preached
00:41:24.12\00:41:26.00
all the--I preached to that one.
00:41:26.01\00:41:28.04
By the way if one
person finds Christ,
00:41:28.05\00:41:29.80
if one person is
saved, there is joy in heaven.
00:41:29.81\00:41:35.35
I preach that night and
next night and she kept coming.
00:41:35.36\00:41:39.96
She looks so pitiful.
00:41:39.97\00:41:42.84
But the more she
heard God's word,
00:41:42.85\00:41:44.74
the more she heard the promise,
00:41:44.75\00:41:45.99
the more she
understood the sureness
00:41:46.00\00:41:47.76
and understood the
signs I told His time was near
00:41:47.77\00:41:50.80
and the more she
understood all those things,
00:41:50.81\00:41:53.10
the brighter her face became.
00:41:53.11\00:41:56.07
Until that evening
she gave heart to Christ.
00:41:56.08\00:41:59.48
She was baptized
in the kingdom of God
00:41:59.49\00:42:01.59
and baptize in the spirit.
00:42:01.60\00:42:05.26
The other meeting I
preached the last night
00:42:05.27\00:42:07.06
and everybody
left with this woman,
00:42:07.07\00:42:08.37
she came up to me and
she gave me a holy hug.
00:42:08.38\00:42:13.35
And she says,
Pastor Ron, and she says,
00:42:13.36\00:42:16.56
when we get to heaven
00:42:16.57\00:42:18.99
I want to
introduce you to my baby.
00:42:19.00\00:42:22.60
I looked at her eyes tear filled
00:42:22.61\00:42:24.68
but this time differently,
there is different tears.
00:42:24.69\00:42:28.55
And I said, sister,
you better believe it.
00:42:28.56\00:42:31.04
You look for that tall,
00:42:31.05\00:42:32.25
ugly guy by the right hand
of the throne of God that's me.
00:42:32.26\00:42:36.92
And we have an
appointment in heaven.
00:42:36.93\00:42:41.77
Do you wonder why in every
circumstance of discouragement,
00:42:41.78\00:42:44.61
I don't remain discouraged?
00:42:44.62\00:42:48.17
In every moment of criticism
00:42:48.18\00:42:49.52
or whatever I
don't remain discourage,
00:42:49.53\00:42:51.48
because I know
that there is sureness,
00:42:51.49\00:42:55.46
there are the
signs, there is a sequence,
00:42:55.47\00:42:59.35
and it says, I will come
again as a young teenager
00:42:59.36\00:43:07.32
standing at that
academy in that chapel,
00:43:07.33\00:43:09.19
I wanted the Lord Jesus to come.
00:43:09.20\00:43:12.50
As a young
minister, I stood my pulpits,
00:43:12.51\00:43:15.65
I wanted the Lord
Jesus Christ to come.
00:43:15.66\00:43:19.25
And now as an old man
00:43:19.26\00:43:23.95
I stand before you tonight
about to finish my course.
00:43:23.96\00:43:31.32
I want Jesus to come.
00:43:31.33\00:43:34.16
Don't you Maranatha.
00:43:34.17\00:43:38.25
He is coming. He is coming.
00:43:38.26\00:43:40.06
Again, Father,
which ought in heaven,
00:43:40.07\00:43:41.65
I thank you for that promise.
00:43:41.66\00:43:46.90
Lord, it's been a
wonderful few evenings
00:43:46.91\00:43:48.79
that we had together.
00:43:48.80\00:43:52.58
I've been so
impressed by the Holy Spirit,
00:43:52.59\00:43:54.64
the visionary people
that have built this thing.
00:43:54.65\00:44:01.44
We say cast your bread upon
the water as it is comes back.
00:44:01.45\00:44:04.89
My translation cast
your bread on the water,
00:44:04.90\00:44:07.21
it comes back buttered.
00:44:07.22\00:44:11.31
And I know Father, that
they've not done this in vain.
00:44:11.32\00:44:18.87
Bless us and
keep us each faithful,
00:44:18.88\00:44:22.69
keep us each
walking towards the kingdom.
00:44:22.70\00:44:26.02
Eyes looking
upward for He that said,
00:44:26.03\00:44:29.22
He will come, will
come, and will not tarry.
00:44:29.23\00:44:35.90
With every head
bowed and every eye closed
00:44:35.91\00:44:39.91
are they not some here I think
00:44:39.92\00:44:41.83
are they not many here tonight.
00:44:41.84\00:44:46.11
They want to lift
their hands to heaven
00:44:46.12\00:44:48.65
and say to Jesus Christ,
come quickly, come quickly.
00:44:48.66\00:44:53.05
Lift up your hands now
while I close with this prayer.
00:44:53.06\00:44:57.46
Father you see the
hands lifted to heaven,
00:44:57.47\00:45:00.82
touch them with the
promise that you will come
00:45:00.83\00:45:06.28
and may we be faithful
even unto the end of the world.
00:45:06.29\00:45:13.57
Amen and amen. God bless you.
00:45:13.58\00:45:18.24
Are you gonna
make an announcement
00:45:18.25\00:45:19.30
or shall I close
the meeting right now?
00:45:19.31\00:45:21.67
Close the meeting. All
right listen to me here,
00:45:21.68\00:45:24.64
you may leave this place,
00:45:24.65\00:45:27.27
but you never leave
the presence of God.
00:45:27.28\00:45:29.95
He loves you, He will
go on loving you forever.
00:45:29.96\00:45:34.01
Good night, God bless you
00:45:34.02\00:45:36.13
and if you don't see
again here look for the big,
00:45:36.14\00:45:38.56
tall, ugly guy right
hand of the throne of God.
00:45:38.57\00:45:41.69
Good night God bless you.
00:45:41.70\00:45:44.32