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Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021624A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:34 >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS, AND WELCOME AGAIN TO OUR VERY 00:37 SPECIAL BIBLE STUDY CALLED SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR . 00:40 COMING TO YOU HERE FROM THE GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY 00:42 ADVENTIST CHURCH. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THOSE WHO 00:45 ARE JOINING US ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. 00:47 THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART, ONCE AGAIN, OF OUR BIBLE STUDY TIME 00:50 TOGETHER. ALSO, A VERY WARM WELCOME TO THE 00:53 MEMBERS HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH ON SOMEWHAT OF A CHILLY 00:57 MARCH - NO, WHERE ARE WE? - MAY MORNING. WE HAD A LITTLE RAIN, 01:00 WHICH IS A GOOD THING. TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE STUDYING 01:03 LESSON #11 IN OUR STUDY CALLED LAST-DAY EVENTS . 01:07 WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH OUR LESSON QUARTERLY DEALING WITH 01:09 THE BOOK OF MATTHEW AND FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO ARE JOINING US, IF 01:11 YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF TODAY'S LESSON, YOU CAN GO TO THE 01:14 WEBSITE - JUST AMAZINGFACTS.ORG AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD TODAY'S 01:18 STUDY GUIDE AND YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH US. 01:21 WE ALSO HAVE A FREE OFFER; IT IS ONE OF THE AMAZING FACTS STUDY 01:24 GUIDES CALLED ULTIMATE DELIVERANCE . 01:26 THAT'S OUR FREE OFFER FOR TODAY SO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE VIEWING 01:29 THE PROGRAM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS, GIVE US A CALL ON 01:32 OUR RESOURCE PHONE NUMBER, THAT'S 866-788-3966. 01:38 AGAIN, THAT'S 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #105 AND 01:46 WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO YOU. 01:47 FOR OUR FRIENDS WATCHING INTERNATIONALLY, JUST GO TO THE 01:51 AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY DOWNLOAD A COPY OF 01:54 OUR FREE RESOURCE, THE ULTIMATE DELIVERANCE . 01:58 WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR STUDY THIS MORNING, LET'S SPEND A FEW 02:01 MOMENTS IN LIFTING UP OUR VOICES IN PRAISE. 02:03 AND WE'D LIKE TO INVITE THE CHORISTERS TO COME FORWARD AS 02:05 THEY LEAD US IN SONG. >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS. 02:13 THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE TIMES OF THE PROGRAM - IS TO 02:17 SING WITH YOU, OUR EXTENDED FAMILY FROM AROUND THE WORLD. 02:21 SO I INVITE YOU TO PULL OUT YOUR HYMNALS. 02:23 HYMN #250 - O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING. 02:26 (PIANO MUSIC) >>O FOR A THOUSAND 02:35 TONGUES TO SING MY GREAT REDEEMER'S PRAISE. THE 02:40 GLORIES OF MY GOD AND KING, THE TRIUMPHS OF HIS GRACE! 02:47 MY GRACIOUS MASTER AND MY GOD, ASSIST ME TO PROCLAIM TO SPREAD 02:56 THRO' ALL THE EARTH ABROAD THE HONORS OF THY NAME. 03:03 JESUS! THE NAME THAT CHARMS OUR FEARS, 03:07 THAT BIDS OUR SORROWS CEASE, 'TIS MUSIC IN THE SINNER'S EARS, 03:14 'TIS LIFE, AND HEALTH, AND PEACE. 03:19 HE BREAKS THE POWER OF CANCELED SIN, HE SETS THE PRISONER FREE; 03:26 HIS BLOOD CAN MAKE THE FOULEST CLEAN; HIS BLOOD AVAILED FOR ME. 03:35 HE SPEAKS, AND LISTENING TO HIS VOICE, NEW LIFE THE DEAD 03:40 RECEIVE; THE MOURNFUL, BROKEN HEARTS REJOICE; THE HUMBLE POOR, 03:48 BELIEVE. HEAR HIM, YE DEAF, HIS PRAISE, 03:54 YE DUMB, YOUR LOOSENED TONGUES EMPLOY; YE BLIND, BEHOLD YOUR 04:01 SAVIOR COME; AND LEAP, YE LAME, FOR JOY. 04:09 >>RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THAT SONG, VERSE #4, IT SAYS, "HE 04:13 BREAKS THE POWER OF CANCELED SIN, HE SETS THE PRISONER FREE;" 04:18 - I DON'T KNOW, BUT SOME DAYS I FEEL LIKE A PRISONER MANY TIMES 04:21 OVER AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR A SAVIOR THAT HAS SET ME FREE AND 04:26 THAT GIVES ME HOPE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST THE 04:31 HERE AND NOW, AMEN? AND BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM AND WE 04:34 LOVE TO SING PRAISES ABOUT HIM, WE'RE GOING TO TURN TO HYMN #251 04:38 - THE VERY NEXT ONE - HE LIVES . AND HE GIVES US HOPE. 04:41 WE'RE GOING TO SING ALL THREE VERSES OF HE LIVES. 04:45 (PIANO MUSIC) >>I SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR, HE'S 04:57 IN THE WORLD TODAY; I KNOW THAT HE IS LIVING, 05:03 WHATEVER MEN MAY SAY; I SEE HIS HAND OF MERCY, I HEAR HIS VOICE 05:10 OF CHEER AND JUST THE TIME I NEED HIM HE'S ALWAYS NEAR. 05:17 HE LIVES, HE LIVES, CHRIST JESUS LIVES TODAY! 05:23 HE WALKS WITH ME AND TALKS WITH ME ALONG LIFE'S NARROW WAY. 05:29 HE LIVES, HE LIVES, SALVATION TO IMPART! 05:35 YOU ASK ME HOW I KNOW HE LIVES? HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART. 05:48 IN ALL THE WORLD AROUND ME I SEE HIS LOVING CARE, AND THO' MY 05:54 HEART GROWS WEARY I NEVER WILL DESPAIR, I KNOW THAT HE IS 06:01 LEADING THRU ALL THE STORMY BLAST, THE DAY OF HIS APPEARING 06:08 WILL COME AT LAST. HE LIVES, HE LIVES, CHRIST JESUS LIVES TODAY! 06:17 HE WALKS WITH ME AND TALKS WITH ME ALONG LIFE'S NARROW WAY. 06:22 HE LIVES, HE LIVES, SALVATION TO IMPART! 06:29 YOU ASK ME HOW I KNOW HE LIVES? HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART. 06:43 REJOICE, REJOICE, O CHRISTIAN, LIFT UP YOUR VOICE AND SING. 06:49 ETERNAL HALLELUJAHS TO JESUS CHRIST THE KING! 06:54 THE HOPE OF ALL WHO SEEK HIM, THE HELP OF ALL WHO FIND, NONE 07:00 OTHER IS SO LOVING, SO GOOD AND KIND. 07:05 HE LIVES, HE LIVES, CHRIST JESUS LIVES TODAY! 07:11 HE WALKS WITH ME AND TALKS WITH ME ALONG LIFE'S NARROW WAY. 07:17 HE LIVES, HE LIVES, SALVATION TO IMPART! 07:24 YOU ASK ME HOW I KNOW HE LIVES? HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART. 07:41 >>I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN POSSIBLY SING THAT HYMN WITHOUT 07:43 SMILING. AT THIS TIME, PASTOR ROSS WILL 07:46 COME AND LEAD US IN PRAYER. >>I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO 07:55 BOW YOUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU 07:58 FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO OPEN UP YOUR WORD AND STUDY. 08:01 AND TONIGHT - OR TODAY - AGAIN, WE WANT TO ASK FOR YOUR HOLY 08:03 SPIRIT TO COME AND GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS. 08:05 LORD, THESE ARE IMPORTANT TRUTHS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE STUDYING 08:08 TOGETHER - THE WORDS OF JESUS - ISSUES RELATING TO THE LAST 08:11 DAYS, SO WE ASK FOR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE, IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 08:15 OUR LESSON THIS MORNING IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR 08:18 DOUG. >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS, AND YOU 08:24 ALREADY HEARD MENTION THAT WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL OFFER TALKING 08:27 ABOUT THE SECOND COMING CALLED THE ULTIMATE DELIVERANCE AND 08:31 ANYBODY THAT ASKS FOR THIS (IN NORTH AMERICA) WE'LL SENT IT TO 08:33 YOU. IT'S OFFER #105 08:34 - AND CALL 866-788-3966 AND WE'LL SEND THAT TO YOU. 08:38 I'M EXCITED TODAY BECAUSE IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME 08:42 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS COULD GET EXCITED ABOUT A BIBLE STUDY, IT 08:44 WOULD BE THE ONE ABOUT THE ADVENT, MATTHEW CHAPTER 24 - 08:49 THE SIGNS OF HIS RETURN . AND WE'RE GOING TO BE 08:50 DEALING WITH THAT TODAY. WE HAVE SEVERAL SCRIPTURES WE'RE 08:55 GOING TO BE ASKING SOME FOLKS TO READ. 08:58 HOPEFULLY YOU'VE GOT YOUR BIBLES WITH US - WITH YOU - AND WE'VE 09:00 GOT A MEMORY VERSE. THE MEMORY VERSE IS FROM MATTHEW 09:03 23:12 - 23:12 - AND IT'S IN THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION 09:08 RIGHT THERE IN YOUR LESSON. YOU READY? 09:10 "AND WHOEVER EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND HE WHO HUMBLES 09:16 HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED." ANYONE HERE DISCOVERED THAT'S 09:20 TRUE IN YOUR OWN LIFE? YEAH, THAT IS A PRINCIPLE 09:24 THAT NEVER SEEMS TO FAIL. NOW, OUR ASSIGNMENT TODAY, LET'S 09:28 JUST MAKE IT SIMPLE BECAUSE SOMETIMES, AS WE'RE GOING 09:31 THROUGH THE BOOK OF MATTHEW, WE STRUGGLE TO MAKE SURE 09:33 WE GET THROUGH IT. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO STUDY 09:36 MATTHEW 23 AND 24. THERE IS A LOT THERE. 09:40 I HAVE SEEN EVANGELISTS TAKE THREE NIGHTS TO TALK ABOUT 09:43 MATTHEW 24 AND SO WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO READ THROUGH IT. 09:47 GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, JUST TO SET UP WHAT'S HAPPENING. 09:50 YOU REMEMBER LAST WEEK IT TALKED ABOUT JESUS COMING TO JERUSALEM 09:54 DURING WHAT THEY CALLED 'THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY'. 09:57 AND THEN HE GOT INTO THE TEMPLE AND HE CHASED OUT THE MONEY 10:00 CHANGERS AND THAT CAUSED NO SMALL DEGREE OF CONSTERNATION 10:04 AMONG THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES THAT 10:08 WERE THERE. IN MATTHEW 23, NOW, THERE IS AN 10:12 ONGOING DEBATE - HE'S HEARD ALL THE RESISTANCE AND THE 10:16 CHALLENGES THAT HAVE COME FROM THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES. 10:20 AFTER HE CHASED OUT THE MONEY CHANGERS THEY WERE ALREADY 10:23 OUTRAGED. AND THEN THE CHILDREN WERE 10:25 SAYING, 'HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID.' THEY SAID, 'TELL THEM TO 10:28 BE QUIET.' JESUS SAID, 'WELL, EVEN THE VERY STONES WOULD CRY 10:30 OUT.' AND THEN THEY BEGAN TO CHALLENGE 10:34 HIM ON SEVERAL FRONTS. AND AFTER THIS ONGOING 10:38 RESISTANCE, JESUS COULD STAND IT NO LONGER. 10:42 HE THEN, BASICALLY, WARNS THE LISTENING CROWD ABOUT THE 10:47 HYPOCRISY OF THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES. 10:50 SO, MATTHEW 23, LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN HERE. 10:53 THIS IS UNDER THE SECTION BLIND GUIDES . 10:57 "THEN JESUS SPOKE TO THE MULTITUDES AND TO HIS DISCIPLES, 11:01 SAYING: 'THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES SIT IN MOSES' SEAT.'" 11:05 - WHAT HE MEANT BY THAT IS THEY'VE GOT THE AUTHORITY OF 11:07 LEADERSHIP THAT MOSES ONCE HAD - "'THEREFORE WHATEVER THEY TELL 11:10 YOU TO OBSERVE,'" - THEY'RE IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY, RESPECT 11:12 THAT - "'THAT OBSERVE AND DO, BUT DO NOT DO ACCORDING TO THEIR 11:16 WORKS; FOR THEY SAY, AND DO NOT DO. 11:18 FOR THEY BIND HEAVY BURDENS, HARD TO BEAR, AND LAY THEM ON 11:22 MEN'S SHOULDERS; BUT THEY THEMSELVES WILL NOT MOVE THEM 11:24 WITH ONE OF THEIR FINGERS. BUT ALL THEIR WORKS THEY 11:27 DO TO BE SEEN BY MEN. THEY MAKE THEIR PHYLACTERIES 11:30 BROAD AND ENLARGE THE BORDERS OF THEIR GARMENTS. 11:33 THEY LOVE THE BEST PLACES AT FEASTS, THE BEST SEATS IN THE 11:37 SYNAGOGUES,'" - YOU KNOW, WHO WAS EVER BY THE GUEST OF HONOR 11:40 AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN HONORABLE 11:43 POSITION AND WHEN THERE WAS FEAST, THEY ALL JOSTLED FOR 11:45 THOSE PLACES AND IT BECAME VERY OBVIOUS HOW THEY WERE FIGHTING 11:49 FOR THE CHIEF SEATS - THEY LOVED THE BEST PLACES AND THE - 11:56 "'GREETINGS IN THE'" - AND BY THE WAY, BEFORE I LEAVE THE 11:57 SEATS, YOU KNOW, JESUS TOLD A PARABLE ABOUT WHEN YOU GO TO A 12:01 FEAST AND THERE ARE SEATS OF HONOR. 12:03 HE SAID, 'INSTEAD OF GOING AND FIGHTING FOR THE HIGHEST SEAT OF 12:06 HONOR, GO TO THE LOWEST AND MAYBE THE HOST WILL COME TO YOU 12:10 AND SAY, 'OH, NO, NO. YOU DON'T SIT DOWN HERE AT THE 12:13 LOW SPOT, YOU SIT UP HERE AT THIS - WE'VE GOT A RESERVED 12:16 SPOT.' HE SAYS IT'S BETTER THAT YOU'RE HONORED IN FRONT OF 12:18 OTHERS, NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE CLAMORING FOR IT. 12:21 BUT HOW HUMILIATING FOR YOU TO BE JOSTLING FOR THE CHIEF SEAT 12:24 AND SOMEONE SAY, 'THAT'S NOT FOR YOU. 12:25 THAT'S RESERVED FOR SOMEONE IMPORTANT. 12:27 YOU SIT DOWN HERE.' - AND THEY LOVED THE "'GREETINGS IN THE 12:32 MARKETPLACES, AND TO BE CALLED BY MEN, 'RABBI, RABBI.''" - OR 12:36 PH.D. - DOCTOR - CONGRESSMAN - SENATOR - JUST TO HAVE THIS - 12:43 THESE TITLES OF HONOR - "'BUT YOU, DO NOT BE CALLED 'RABBI'; 12:49 FOR ONE IS YOUR TEACHER, THE CHRIST, AND YOU ARE ALL 12:53 BRETHREN. DO NOT CALL ANYONE ON EARTH YOUR FATHER; FOR ONE IS 12:57 YOUR FATHER, HE WHO IS IN HEAVEN.'" - NOW, WHEN THEY SAID 12:59 THIS, FIRST OF ALL, DO WE HAVE CASES IN THE WORLD TODAY WHERE 13:02 PEOPLE CALL RELIGIOUS LEADERS 'FATHER'? IS JESUS PRETTY CLEAR? 13:06 YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. WHY DID THEY DO IT? 13:09 WELL, CAN YOU THINK OF AN OLD TESTAMENT TIME WHERE THEY CALLED 13:12 THE RELIGIOUS LEADER FATHER? FATHER ABRAHAM - THAT'S TRUE, 13:18 THERE ARE PLACES THAT THAT IS TRUE. 13:23 THEY CALLED ABRAHAM THEIR FATHER BUT, I MEAN, DID THEY CALL - DID 13:26 PEOPLE CALL ABRAHAM THEIR FATHER WHILE ABRAHAM WAS ALIVE? 13:30 WHEN - WHEN ELIJAH WENT TO HEAVEN, WHAT DID ELISHA SAY? 13:36 'MY FATHER, MY FATHER, THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL AND THE 13:39 HORSEMEN THEREOF.' WELL, THAT WASN'T SO BAD BECAUSE ELIJAH HAD 13:43 SORT OF ADOPTED ELISHA, BUT WHEN ELISHA DIED, WHAT DID THE KING 13:47 OF ISRAEL SAY? 'MY FATHER, MY FATHER, THE 13:51 CHARIOT OF ISRAEL AND THE HORSEMEN THEREOF.' THEY BEGAN TO 13:54 CALL THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND THE PROPHETS FATHER. 13:56 NOW GOD NEVER REALLY TOLD THEM TO DO THIS. 13:59 AND THEY ALL LOVED TO BE CALLED SPIRITUAL FATHER AND HE SAID, 14:04 'LOOK, YOU'VE GOT ONE FATHER IN HEAVEN.' SO THERE'S A PRETTY 14:07 CLEAR BIBLE MANDATE NOT TO DO THIS. 14:10 BUT IT'S DONE A LOT IN THE WORLD TODAY, ISN'T IT? - 14:13 "'AND DO NOT BE CALLED TEACHERS; FOR ONE IS YOUR 14:16 TEACHER, THE CHRIST. BUT HE WHO IS GREATEST AMONG 14:19 YOU SHALL BE YOUR SERVANT. AND WHOEVER EXALTS HIMSELF WILL 14:21 BE HUMBLED,'" - THIS IS OUR MEMORY VERSE - "'AND HE WHO 14:24 HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED.'" NOW, WHY DID IT 14:27 GRIEVE THE LORD SO MUCH THAT THE CHURCH HAD FALLEN FOR SO 14:30 MUCH EXTERNAL DISPLAY? IN A MOMENT, SOMEONE'S GOING TO 14:35 READ FOR US MATTHEW CHAPTER 6:1 - WHO WILL HAVE THAT? OKAY. 14:40 I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU EXODUS 19 - AND THIS IS IN YOUR LESSON 14:43 - EXODUS 19:5, "'NOW THEREFORE, IF YOU WILL INDEED OBEY MY VOICE 14:48 AND KEEP MY COVENANT, THEN YOU SHALL BE A SPECIAL TREASURE TO 14:51 ME ABOVE ALL PEOPLE; FOR THE EARTH IS MINE. 14:55 AND YOU SHALL BE TO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS AND A HOLY NATION.' 14:59 THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT YOU'LL SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN OF 15:01 ISRAEL." HE WANTED THEM TO BE A NATION 15:04 OF KINGS AND PRIESTS, BUT THE CLOSEST THEY GOT TO FULFILLING 15:07 THIS GOAL WAS WHEN, DURING THE TIME OF SOLOMON, WHEN ALL THE 15:14 NATIONS, LIKE THE QUEEN OF SHEBA, WERE COMING TO JERUSALEM 15:17 TO FIND OUT ABOUT GOD - AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHEN THEY MET IN 15:21 THE TRADE - BECAUSE, YOU SEE, JERUSALEM - GOD STRATEGICALLY 15:24 PUT ISRAEL ON A LAND BRIDGE BETWEEN THREE CONTINENTS - ASIA, 15:30 EUROPE, AND AFRICA ALL KIND OF INTERSECTED THERE - AND SO THE 15:35 TRADE FROM THE WORLD - THEY DIDN'T ALL USE AIRCRAFT BACK 15:38 THERE. WHEN YOU TRAVELED, YOU WENT ON 15:39 FOOT OR BY CAMEL OR BY DONKEY OR BY HORSE OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY 15:46 WOULD HAVE TO MEET THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AS THEY TRAVELED 15:49 THROUGH THESE CONTINENTS. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WERE TO BE 15:52 A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS THAT TALKED ABOUT JEHOVAH. 15:55 AND, ESPECIALLY DURING THE TIME OF SOLOMON, THEY SAW HOW BLESSED 15:58 THE PEOPLE WERE, HOW WISE THE KING WAS, HOW CLEAN THE KINGDOM 16:02 WAS, HOW HOLY THE PEOPLE WERE, AND THEY BECAME A NATION OF 16:06 PRIESTS. THAT WAS GOD'S DESIGN. AND ALL NATIONS CAME TO 16:11 FIND OUT ABOUT THE TRUE GOD. LOOK HOW GOD HAD BLESSED THEM. 16:14 AND THEIR LAWS - MOSES SAID - THEY WOULD SAY, 'WHAT NATION HAS 16:18 LAWS LIKE THESE JUST LAWS?' AND EVERYONE WOULD BE IMPRESSED. 16:23 WELL, THEY'D FALLEN VERY FAR FROM THAT. 16:24 NOW THEY WERE OCCUPIED BECAUSE OF THEIR UNFAITHFULNESS, BY 16:28 ANOTHER NATION, AND ALL OF THE RELIGION WAS ABOUT GREED AND 16:32 PRETENSE, AND IT BROKE THE LORD'S HEART. 16:35 THIS WAS NOT GOD'S PLAN FOR THEM. 16:37 WE'RE GOING BACK TO MATTHEW 23. NOW HE STARTS TO GET PRETTY 16:41 SERIOUS. VERSE 13, "BUT WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, 16:47 HYPOCRITES!" - NOT VERY NICE. HE'S CALLING THEM NAMES. 16:51 WELL, HE HAD TEARS IN HIS VOICE WHEN HE DID IT - "FOR YOU SHUT 16:55 UP THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AGAINST MEN; FOR YOU NEITHER GO IN 16:59 YOURSELVES, NOR DO YOU ALLOW THOSE WHO ARE ENTERING TO GO 17:02 IN." BY THEIR HYPOCRISY THEY WERE BLOCKING PEOPLE. 17:06 - "WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES!" 17:08 - NOW THIS WOULD INCLUDE THE SADDUCEES - "FOR YOU DEVOUR 17:11 WIDOWS' HOUSES, AND FOR A PRETENSE MAKE LONG PRAYERS. 17:14 THEREFORE YOU WILL RECEIVE GREATER CONDEMNATION." 17:18 - WHAT DID HE MEAN, 'YOU DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES'? 17:21 THEY USED THEIR RELIGIOUS PRETENSE TO TELL THE WIDOWS, 17:23 'WELL, IF YOU REALLY WANT GOD, YOU KNOW, TO FORGIVE YOUR SINS 17:26 AND TO BLESS YOUR CHILDREN, YOU NEED TO SIGN OVER YOUR PROPERTY 17:28 TO US.' AND THEN THEY'D PRAY LONG PRAYERS TO LOOK RELIGIOUS - 17:32 TO COVER IT. AND HE SAID YOU HAVE GREATER 17:35 CONDEMNATION BECAUSE YOU'RE STEALING UNDER A RELIGIOUS 17:39 PRETENSE - "SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! 17:45 FOR YOU DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES." - VERSE 15 - "WOE TO YOU, 17:47 SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! 17:49 FOR YOU TRAVEL LAND AND SEA TO WIN ONE PROSELYTE," - A 17:53 PROSELYTE IS A CONVERT TO THE JEWISH FAITH - "AND WHEN HE IS 17:56 WON, YOU MAKE HIM TWICE AS MUCH A SON OF HELL AS YOURSELVES." 18:00 - BECAUSE CONVERTS ARE OFTEN MORE ENTHUSIASTIC THAN ORIGINALS 18:04 - "WOE TO YOU, BLIND GUIDES, WHO SAY, 'WHOEVER SWEARS BY THE 18:07 TEMPLE, IT IS NOTHING; BUT WHOEVER SWEARS BY THE GOLD OF 18:10 THE TEMPLE, HE IS OBLIGED TO PERFORM IT.' FOOLS AND BLIND! 18:14 FOR WHICH IS GREATER, THE GOLD OR THE TEMPLE THAT SANCTIFIES 18:16 THE GOLD? AND, 'WHOEVER SWEARS BY THE 18:20 ALTAR, IT IS NOTHING; BUT WHOEVER SWEARS BY THE GIFT THAT 18:23 IS ON IT, HE IS OBLIGED TO PERFORM IT.' FOOLS AND BLIND! 18:27 FOR WHICH IS GREATER, THE GIFT OR THE ALTAR THAT SANCTIFIES THE 18:29 GIFT?" CAN YOU UNDERSTAND THE - THE 18:33 ABSURDITY OF WHAT WAS GOING ON? THEY WOULD MAKE VOWS AND THEY 18:35 WOULD SWEAR AND SAY, 'WELL, I SWEAR BY THE ALTAR.' 'OH, THAT 18:39 DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH AS IF YOU SWEAR BY THE GIFT ON THE ALTAR.' 18:42 THAT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, 'I MAKE A PROMISE' BUT 18:46 YOU'VE GOT YOUR FINGERS CROSSED BEHIND YOUR BACK. 18:48 ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT? THAT MEANS THE 18:50 PROMISE DOESN'T COUNT. ANYONE REMEMBER THAT? YEAH. 18:54 OR YOU'D SAY, 'I SWEAR' - THAT DOESN'T COUNT. 18:56 BUT IF YOU SWEAR ON YOUR MOTHER'S GRAVE, THEN IT'S 18:59 SERIOUS. YOU KNOW? AND THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID, 'LET 19:03 YOUR YEA BE YEA AND YOUR NAY BE NAY.' 19:06 IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, EVERYTHING YOU SAY SHOULD BE 19:09 TELLING THE TRUTH. NOW, IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG 19:12 WITH TAKING AN OATH IF YOU'RE IN COURT? 19:16 OUR FRIENDS THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES BELIEVE THAT THESE 19:19 VERSES ARE A MANDATE AGAINST EVEN TAKING ANY KIND OF A FORMAL 19:22 OATH BEFORE YOU GIVE TESTIMONY. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS 19:26 IS TALKING ABOUT. JESUS IS SAYING, IN ALL OF YOUR 19:28 COMMUNICATION YOUR YES SHOULD BE YES AND YOUR NO SHOULD BE NO. 19:32 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ FOR US MATTHEW 6, VERSE 1. 19:36 >>"TAKE HEED THAT YOU DO NOT DO YOUR CHARITABLE DEEDS BEFORE 19:40 MEN, TO BE SEEN BY THEM. OTHERWISE YOU HAVE NO REWARD 19:45 FROM YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN." >>SO CHRIST, WHEN HE BEGAN HIS 19:49 MINISTRY, IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, HE TALKS ABOUT OUTWARD 19:54 RELIGION AS OPPOSED TO INWARD RELIGION. NOW THIS IS WHAT HE'S 19:57 DECRYING HERE IN MATTHEW 23. HE SAID YOU GIVE TO BE SEEN OF 20:02 MEN, BUT IF YOU GIVE TO BE SEEN OF MEN, THE ONLY REWARD YOU HAVE 20:05 IS THE GLORY OF PEOPLE BEING IMPRESSED. 20:07 YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A REWARD FROM HEAVEN. 20:10 IF YOU PRAY TO BE SEEN - PRAY LONG PRAYERS SO PEOPLE WILL 20:13 THINK YOU'RE HOLY - I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE PRAISE OF MEN. 20:17 THAT'S ALL YOU GET. OR YOU FAST TO BE SEEN OF MEN. 20:20 IF YOU'RE FASTING SO PEOPLE WITH THINK YOU'RE HOLY AND PIOUS, 20:23 WELL, THE PRAISE OF MEN WILL BE ALL THAT YOU GET. 20:26 BUT IF YOU'RE FASTING BECAUSE YOU WANT GOD'S ATTENTION, YOU 20:29 WANT GOD'S PRAISE, THAT'S WHAT REALLY MATTERS. 20:32 AND SO, THIS IS THE SAME THING HE WAS DEALING WITH. 20:34 HE STARTED AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY TO CALL OUT THE 20:38 SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES FOR THEIR OUTWARD RELIGION AND THE 20:41 HYPOCRISY, AND NOW, JUST BEFORE HE'S CRUCIFIED HE BASICALLY 20:44 OPENS ALL HIS GUNS AND - AND WHY IS HE DOING THIS IN THE TEMPLE 20:50 PUBLICLY? WHY IS HE PUBLICLY REBUKING THEM? 20:54 THE PEOPLE NEEDED TO HEAR THAT - IT NEEDED TO BE EXPOSED. 21:00 IS THERE A TIME FOR PREACHERS TO CALL OUT PUBLIC SIN? 21:05 EVEN, MAYBE, WITHIN THE CHURCH? YEAH, PAUL SAYS - YEAH, 21:10 ESPECIALLY THERE - SO OTHERS WILL FEAR. 21:13 AND - DID JOHN THE BAPTIST DO IT? 21:17 WHEN THE PHARISEES CAME TO THE BAPTISM, WHAT DID HE SAY? 21:20 'BROOD OF VIPERS. WHO HAS WARNED YOU TO FLEE 21:23 FROM THE WRATH TO COME?' YOU THINK THAT THAT GOT 21:25 HIM ANY SPECIAL FAVORS? HE WANTED TO BE FAITHFUL TO GOD. 21:33 "WOE YOU BLIND GUIDES" - AND HE'S GOING BACK TO SWEARING. 21:38 YOU GO TO VERSE 20, "...HE WHO SWEARS BY THE ALTAR, SWEARS BY 21:41 IT AND ALL THINGS ON IT. HE WHO SWEARS BY THE TEMPLE, 21:44 SWEARS BY IT AND BY HIM WHO DWELLS IN IT. 21:46 AND HE WHO SWEARS BY HEAVEN, SWEARS BY THE THRONE OF GOD AND 21:49 BY HIM WHO SITS ON IT." - HE'S SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU 21:52 CAN'T SAY ONE COUNTS AND THE OTHER DOESN'T - "WOE TO 21:55 YOU SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! 21:57 FOR YOU PAY TITHE OF MINT AND ANISE AND CUMMIN, AND HAVE 22:00 NEGLECTED THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF THE LAW: JUSTICE AND MERCY 22:04 AND FAITH. THESE YOU OUGHT TO HAVE DONE, 22:08 WITHOUT LEAVING THE OTHERS UNDONE." 22:10 - BE FAITHFUL IN YOUR TITHE, BUT DON'T NEGLECT THE OTHER, THE 22:13 OTHER BEING WHAT? THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF 22:16 "JUSTICE AND MERCY AND FAITH." VERSE 24, "BLIND GUIDES, WHO 22:21 STRAIN OUT A GNAT AND SWALLOW A CAMEL!" 22:24 YOU EVER HEARD OF BEING PENNY WISE AND DOLLAR FOOLISH? 22:28 NOW, TECHNICALLY, GNATS ARE UNCLEAN BUGS. 22:32 YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT GNAT SALAD. THAT'S UNCLEAN. 22:37 IF YOU'RE RUNNING - ANY OF YOU EVER ADMIT THAT YOU WERE RUNNING 22:39 ALONG ONE DAY WITH YOUR MOUTH OPEN AND A GNAT FLEW IN? 22:43 YOU BEGAN TO CHOKE AND COUGH AND FINALLY REALIZED IT WOULD BE 22:45 EASIER TO SWALLOW IT? AND YOU - IT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY 22:51 DIDN'T THRILL YOU, BUT YOU SURVIVED. 22:54 WELL, THEY WERE SO AFRAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A GNAT IN THE 22:57 WATER THAT THEY HAD CHEESECLOTH - THEY'D PUT IT OVER THINGS AND 22:59 THEY WOULD STRAIN THEIR WATER AND MAKE SURE LEST A LITTLE GNAT 23:02 GOT IN THERE, BUT THEY ATE CAMEL STEAK. 23:09 THEY SAID, 'OH WELL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT IT'S TECHNICALLY 23:11 UNCLEAN AND THEY CHEW THE CUD BUT THEY DON'T - THEY'VE GOT A 23:14 PAW - THEY DON'T HAVE A HOOF, BUT OH WELL.' AND SO HE SAID, 23:18 'YOU'RE HYPOCRITES. YOU STRAIN OUT A GNAT AND YOU 23:21 EAT CAMEL.' THEY MIGHT NOT DO IT PUBLICLY. 23:28 DO YOU MIND IF I GET ON YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT? 23:31 IT ALWAYS STRIKES ME AS A LITTLE BIT HYPOCRITICAL - NOW I'M A 23:36 VEGETARIAN - I'M A VEGAN VEGETARIAN - I'M NOT BOASTING IN 23:40 THAT, BUT WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE BRAG ABOUT BEING VEGETARIAN 23:44 EATING BANANA SPLITS. YOU EAT - YOU KNOW, YOU EAT OF 23:48 TON OF SUGAR AND YOU SAY, 'OH, I DON'T EAT ANY MEAT.' NOW, I 23:51 THINK YOU SHOULD BE A VEGETARIAN - I THINK YOU'D BE A LOT 23:54 HEALTHIER, BUT YOU OUGHT TO DO THE OTHER AS WELL AND MAKE SURE 23:57 THAT AMONG THOSE THINGS THAT ARE CLEAN, YOU'RE NOT BEING 24:01 EXCESSIVE IN ANY AREA. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEALTH 24:03 CONSCIOUS, BE HEALTH CONSCIOUS, RIGHT? 24:06 STRAINING A GNAT AND SWALLOWING A CAMEL. "WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES 24:10 AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! FOR YOU CLEANSE THE OUTSIDE OF 24:13 THE CUP AND DISH, BUT INSIDE THEY ARE FULL OF EXTORTION 24:18 AND SELF-INDULGENCE." - WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 24:20 IT MEANS PART OF THE CUP THAT PEOPLE SEE THEY WANT CLEAN. 24:25 BUT THE PART THAT'S ON THE INSIDE, THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE, 24:28 THEY SAY, 'OH, WELL THAT DOESN'T MATTER.' YOU KNOW, WHEN I TRAVEL 24:32 SOMETIMES, I DON'T LIKE TO IRON. KAREN IS NICE ENOUGH TO IRON MY 24:35 CLOTHES BEFORE I LEAVE AND THEN I JUST HAVE TO TOUCH THEM 24:37 UP WHEN I GET THERE. THEY USUALLY HAVE AN IRON. 24:40 NOW, ARE THERE ANY MEN OUT THERE THAT WOULD ADMIT THAT WHEN YOU 24:43 IRON YOUR SHIRT YOU JUST IRON THIS PART? 24:46 BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY PART THAT SHOWS. 24:48 COME ON, ANYONE DONE THAT? LET ME SEE - HOLD 24:50 THEM UP THERE - OKAY. THE PART THAT SHOWS - AND THEN 24:54 THE BACK'S ALL WRINKLED - IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN IRONED 24:56 BY A BLENDER, YOU KNOW? ALL CRUNCHED UP - IT'S BEEN IN 24:59 YOUR BAG FOR WEEKS BUT THIS IS ALL NICE AND STRAIGHT. 25:02 IF YOU EVER TAKE YOUR JACKET OFF, IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. 25:07 THAT'S LIKE CLEANING THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP. 25:10 AND SO JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT EVEN THE PART THAT NO ONE SEES 25:15 SHOULD BE CLEAN. WHEN MICHELANGELO, AT LEAST 25:21 THIS IS THE LEGEND I'VE HEARD, WHEN HE WAS PAINTING THE CEILING 25:24 OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL, THAT MASTERPIECE AND HE WAS PUTTING 25:28 LITTLE STAMENS ON THE FLOWERS THAT WERE UP THERE AROUND ADAM 25:32 AND EVE AND SOMEONE SAID, 'WHAT ARE YOU PAINTING?' 25:34 AND HE SAID, 'I'M PAINTING THE PETALS ON THE FLOWERS.' 'NOBODY 25:36 CAN SEE THAT FROM DOWN HERE.' HE SAID, 'I CAN SEE IT. 25:40 GOD CAN SEE IT.' AND SO HE WAS VERY FAITHFUL IN THE DETAIL 25:44 REMEMBERING THAT THIS WAS FOR THE LORD AND GOD SEES. 25:48 AND JUST, YOU KNOW, PAUL TALKED ABOUT THIS KIND OF RELIGION IN 2 25:53 TIMOTHY 3, VERSE 1, "BUT KNOW THIS, THAT IN THE LAST DAYS 25:59 PERILOUS TIMES WILL COME: FOR MEN WILL BE LOVERS OF 26:02 THEMSELVES, LOVERS OF MONEY, BOASTERS, PROUD, BLASPHEMERS, 26:06 DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS, UNTHANKFUL, UNHOLY, UNLOVING, 26:10 UNFORGIVING," - A LOT OF 'UNS' THERE - "SLANDERERS, WITHOUT 26:14 SELF-CONTROL, BRUTAL, DESPISERS OF GOOD, TRAITORS, HEADSTRONG, 26:18 HAUGHTY, LOVERS OF PLEASURE RATHER THAN LOVERS OF GOD," - 26:22 NOW HERE'S THE PART - THE REASON I READ THIS WHOLE VERSE - HAD TO 26:24 READ THE INTRODUCTION. HERE'S HOW HE SUMS IT UP: 26:28 "HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING ITS POWER. 26:32 AND FROM SUCH PEOPLE TURN AWAY!" 26:34 SO THERE'LL BE A LOT OF RELIGIOUS PEOPLE - THEY'VE GOT A 26:37 FORM OF GODLINESS BUT THERE'S CORRUPTION IN THEIR LIVES. 26:42 AND THEN HE DESCRIBES THE LOVING OF MONEY - AND THIS IS WHAT 26:45 JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT - DEVOURING WIDOW'S HOUSES. 26:49 BLIND GUIDES HE CALLS THEM - BLIND - VERSE 26 - "BLIND 26:54 PHARISEE, FIRST CLEANSE THE INSIDE OF THE CUP AND DISH, THAT 26:58 THE OUTSIDE OF THEM MAY BE CLEAN ALSO." 27:00 NOW IF YOUR HEART IS CLEANSED, WILL THE OUTSIDE START APPEARING 27:05 CLEAN? YEAH. YOU KNOW ONE WAY THAT YOU CAN 27:08 TELL THAT A FAMILY HAS BEEN CONVERTED IS THEIR 27:11 YARD BEGINS TO CHANGE. WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS IN THE 27:14 HEARTS OF THE FAMILY, SOMETHING BEGINS TO HAPPEN IN 27:18 THE YARD OF THE FAMILY. I REMEMBER HAVING NEIGHBORS - 27:22 THERE WERE ALWAYS BEER CANS AND JUNK OUT IN THE FRONT. 27:24 THE YARD WAS A MESS AND I - THEY CAME TO JESUS AND ALL OF A 27:28 SUDDEN YOU SAW THEM OUT THERE RAKING THE YARD, PICKING UP THE 27:30 CANS AND IT WAS AMAZING HOW THE WHOLE OUTSIDE WAS TRANSFORMED 27:35 BECAUSE THE INSIDE WAS TRANSFORMED. 27:37 SO IF THE INSIDE OF THE CUP IS CLEAN, THINGS WILL START TO 27:40 CHANGE ON THE OUTSIDE. YOU KNOW, BOYS SOMETIMES AREN'T 27:46 REAL PARTICULAR ABOUT THEIR APPEARANCE WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG. 27:50 AND THEY TURN INTO TEENAGERS AND DISCOVER GIRLS AND THEY SAY THAT 27:58 GIRLS DISCOVER THEY'VE BEEN DISCOVERED AND THEIR APPEARANCE 28:02 CHANGES. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BOYS 28:05 BEGIN TO GET REAL INTERESTED IN BEING CLEAN. 28:09 AND THEY START TO BRUSH THEIR TEETH - YOU NEVER KNOW, THEY 28:12 MIGHT MAKE THAT FIRST KISS. THINGS HAPPEN. 28:15 BUT WHEN SOMETHING CHANGES ON THE INSIDE, IT BEGINS TO CHANGE 28:18 THE THINGS ON THE OUTSIDE. "WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES 28:22 AND PHARISEES!" - I'M IN VERSE 25 - "HYPOCRITES! 28:25 FOR YOU CLEANSE THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP AND DISH, BUT INSIDE 28:28 THEY ARE FULL OF EXTORTION AND INDULGENCE." 28:31 - VERSE 27 - "...HYPOCRITES! FOR YOU ARE LIKE WHITEWASHED 28:35 TOMBS WHICH INDEED APPEAR BEAUTIFUL OUTWARDLY, BUT INSIDE 28:39 ARE FULL OF DEAD MEN'S BONES AND ALL UNCLEANNESS. 28:42 EVEN SO YOU ALSO OUTWARDLY APPEAR RIGHTEOUS TO MEN, BUT 28:45 INSIDE YOU ARE FULL OF HYPOCRISY AND LAWLESSNESS." 28:48 YOU KNOW WHAT INTEGRITY IS? REAL CHRISTIANITY AND INTEGRITY 28:51 IS WHAT YOU'RE LIKE WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING. 28:56 WHAT DOES GOD SEE WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING? 28:58 THAT'S WHAT REAL CHRISTIAN INTEGRITY IS. 28:59 WHAT IS JESUS CONCERNED WITH, THE OUTSIDE OR THE INSIDE? 29:04 'BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART.' AND HE WAS - HE WAS HEARTBROKEN 29:09 BECAUSE, REMEMBER WE STUDIED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO? 29:12 THEY WERE A FIG TREE WITH LEAVES BUT NO FRUIT. 29:16 HE WANTED THE FRUIT ON THE INSIDE. 29:20 "WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES!" 29:22 - I'M IN VERSE 29 - "YOU BUILD THE TOMBS OF THE RIGHTEOUS, AND 29:26 SAY, 'IF WE HAD LIVED IN THE DAYS OF OUR FATHERS, WE WOULD 29:28 NOT HAVE BEEN PARTAKERS WITH THEM IN THE BLOOD OF THE 29:30 PROPHETS.' THEREFORE YOU ARE WITNESSES AGAINST YOURSELVES 29:34 THAT YOU ARE SONS OF THOSE WHO MURDERED THE PROPHETS. 29:37 FILL UP, THEN, THE MEASURE OF YOUR FATHERS' GUILT. 29:40 SERPENTS, BROOD OF VIPERS! 29:42 HOW CAN YOU ESCAPE THE CONDEMNATION OF HELL? 29:45 THEREFORE, INDEED, I SEND YOU PROPHETS, WISE MEN, AND SCRIBES: 29:48 SOME OF THEM YOU WILL KILL AND CRUCIFY, AND SOME OF THEM YOU 29:50 WILL SCOURGE IN YOUR SYNAGOGUES AND PERSECUTE FROM CITY TO CITY, 29:54 THAT ON YOU MAY COME" - BY THE WAY, BEFORE I FINISH VERSE 35 - 29:58 JESUS IS FORETELLING - HE SAYS, 'I'M SENDING YOU' - NOT 'I SENT 30:01 YOU' - 'I'M SENDING YOU' - WHO IS HE TALKING ABOUT? 30:04 THROUGH THE CONVERTED APOSTLES AND THE DISCIPLES THAT WOULD 30:07 FOLLOW THEM FOR ANOTHER 40 YEARS, THEY WOULD PREACH IN 30:11 JERUSALEM. AND WHAT WOULD THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS DO? 30:14 SCOURGE THEM, PERSECUTE THEM, KILL THEM. WHAT DID THE - WHAT 30:17 DID SAUL DO - OF TARSUS? DIDN'T HE BECOME A 30:20 PERSECUTOR OF THE APOSTLES? AND JESUS IS PROPHESYING HERE, 30:24 HOW JERUSALEM WAS GOING TO TREAT HIS REPRESENTATIVES. 30:29 NOW, OF COURSE, THERE WERE MANY CONVERTS, BUT OFFICIALLY, IT WAS 30:34 A FORBIDDEN RELIGION THAT THEY ATTACKED. 30:38 - "THAT ON YOU MAY COME ALL THE RIGHTEOUS BLOOD SHED ON THE 30:41 EARTH FROM THE BLOOD OF RIGHTEOUS ABEL TO THE BLOOD OF 30:45 ZECHARIAH, THE SON OF BERECHIAH." 30:47 NOW, IF YOU'RE A BIBLE SCHOLAR, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THERE'S AN 30:50 ANOMALY HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE CAUGHT IT. 30:55 IT SAYS FROM ABEL TO ZECHARIAH THE SON OF BERECHIAH, WHOM YOU 31:01 MURDERED BETWEEN THE TEMPLE AND THE ALTAR. 31:03 WHO WAS IT THAT MURDERED THE PRIEST ZECHARIAH? 31:08 DO ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE CHILD KING NAMED JOASH? 31:12 HE WAS A GOOD KING. IT'S A GREAT CHILDREN'S STORY. 31:14 IT'S IN ALL THE BOOKS. BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER 31:17 JEHOIADA HAD DIED AND HE GREW UP - HIS FRIENDS TURNED HIM FROM 31:21 GOD AND HE BEGAN TO PERSECUTE THE PROPHETS AND HE KILLED THE 31:25 SON OF JEHOIADA THE PRIEST, WHOSE NAME WAS ZECHARIAH - 31:30 KILLED HIM BETWEEN THE PORCH AND THE ALTAR. 31:33 BUT THE ZECHARIAH, THE SON OF BERECHIAH, IS THE PROPHET 31:37 ZECHARIAH - THEY'RE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. 31:41 AND SO, SOME FOLKS HAVE WONDERED, 'IS THIS A SCRIBAL 31:44 ERROR OR WAS ONE OF THE NAMES OF JEHOIADA ALSO BERECHIAH? 31:50 THEY DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S AN ANOMALY, I'M JUST TELLING YOU. 31:53 SO JESUS, IN HIS SERMON, HE'S REFERRING TO - HE SAYS, 'THE 31:56 BLOOD OF RIGHTEOUS ABEL' - THAT'S THE FIRST BLOOD SHED - 31:59 AND THEN HE TALKS ABOUT THE BLOOD OF ZECHARIAH, WHO WAS 32:02 SLAIN IN THE TEMPLE - AND THIS IS BEFORE THE TEMPLE WAS 32:05 DESTROYED - AND HE SAYS, 'THE BLOOD - ALL THAT GUILT THAT HAD 32:10 ACCUMULATED IS GOING TO COME ON THIS GENERATION. 32:13 NOW, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A GENERATION IN MATTHEW 24 IN JUST 32:15 A MOMENT. AND THEN HE CRIES AGAIN, 32:18 'OH JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM. THE ONE WHO KILLS THE PROPHETS 32:23 AND STONES THOSE WHO WERE SENT TO YOU. 32:25 HOW OFTEN I WANTED TO GATHER YOUR CHILDREN TOGETHER AS A HEN 32:28 GATHERS HER CHICKS UNDER ITS WINGS, BUT YOU WERE NOT WILLING. 32:33 SEE YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT TO YOU DESOLATE.' I REMEMBER READING 32:36 THIS READER'S DIGEST ARTICLE - THERE WAS A TERRIBLE FIRE THAT 32:40 WENT THROUGH THE WOODS AND ONE OF THE RANGERS WAS WALKING 32:43 THROUGH THE WOODS AFTER THE FIRE HAD CHARRED EVERYTHING AND HE 32:48 SAW THERE, AT THE BASE OF A TREE IN A LOW SPOT, THE BURNT CORPSE 32:53 OF A WILD GROUSE - FIELD CHICKEN. 32:59 AND HE WENT WITH HIS, YOU KNOW, HIKING BOOTS, HE KIND OF KICKED 33:03 IT AND OUT FROM UNDER THE SCORCHED WINGS OF THIS BIRD, 33:08 THESE LITTLE CHICKS CAME RUNNING. 33:11 THEY WERE ALIVE, WHICH MEANS, WHAT THE MOTHER DID IS, WHEN SHE 33:14 SAW THE FIRE COMING, SHE SPREAD HER WINGS OVER HER CHICKS AND 33:17 SHE STAYED AND WOULD NOT MOVE THROUGH THE FLAMES THAT KILLED 33:20 HER BUT KEPT THEM ALIVE. AND THIS IS WHAT JESUS SAID, 33:25 'I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE WRATH. I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE 33:26 PUNISHMENT THAT YOU COULD LIVE. HOW OFTEN I WANTED TO DO 33:29 THIS BUT YOU WOULD NOT. THEN HE SAYS, 'YOUR HOUSE IS 33:33 LEFT TO YOU DESOLATE.' VERSE 38 - NOW DON'T MISS THAT. 33:38 WHAT DOES JESUS SAY WHEN HE GOES INTO THE TEMPLE AND CLEANSES IT? 33:46 'TAKE THESE THINGS HENCE. MY FATHER'S HOUSE WILL 33:51 BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER. YOU'VE MADE IT A DEN OF 33:53 THIEVES.' 'MY FATHER'S HOUSE.' LOOK HOW DIFFERENT IT IS AFTER 33:56 HE REBUKES THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND HE MARCHES OUT. 33:59 HE SAID, 'YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT TO YOU DESOLATE.' THIS WAS THE LAST 34:04 TIME JESUS WALKED OUT OF THE TEMPLE. 34:07 A FEW DAYS LATER, WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED HIM, THE VEIL WOULD 34:09 REND IN THE TEMPLE, THERE'S AN EARTHQUAKE SHOWING THE PURPOSE 34:13 OF THIS EARTHLY TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED. HE BUILT A NEW 34:16 TEMPLE. HIS CHURCH - HIS BODY - YOU ARE THE LIVING STONES IN 34:20 THAT TEMPLE. HE IS THE CORNERSTONE, OKAY? AND THEN END 34:24 OF VERSE - CHAPTER 23, VERSE 39, "FOR I SAY TO YOU, YOU SHALL SEE 34:29 ME NO MORE TILL YOU SAY, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE 34:32 NAME OF THE LORD!'" THE LAST TIME HE LEFT THE TEMPLE. 34:34 JUST A VERY POWERFUL, VERY SOBERING CHAPTER. 34:38 NOW, AS HE'S WALKING OUT OF THE TEMPLE, THE DISCIPLES HAVE HEARD 34:41 HIM SAY SOMETHING PRETTY OMINOUS AND THEY'RE WONDERING, 'WHAT 34:43 DOES THIS ALL MEAN? SO THEY COME TO HIM, CHAPTER 24 34:47 - NOW WE'RE UNDER THE SIGNS OF THE END - AND AS HE DEPARTS 34:51 "FROM THE TEMPLE, AND HIS DISCIPLES CAME UP TO SHOW HIM 34:55 THE BUILDINGS OF THE TEMPLE." - THESE IMMENSE STONES - "AND 34:58 JESUS SAID TO THEM, 'DO YOU NOT SEE ALL THESE THINGS? 35:01 ASSUREDLY I SAY TO YOU, NOT ONE STONE SHALL BE LEFT HERE UPON 35:05 ANOTHER," - OH, DID I TAKE YOUR VERSE? YEAH, YOU'RE - GO - NO, 35:13 NOT SPECIFICALLY, GO AHEAD, READ MATTHEW CHAPTER 24, VERSE 3. 35:17 >>"NOW AS HE SAT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, THE DISCIPLES CAME TO 35:20 HIM PRIVATELY, SAYING, 'TELL US, WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE? 35:25 AND WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF YOUR COMING, AND OF THE END OF 35:28 THE AGE?'" >>THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT 35:29 VERSE BECAUSE THEY ASK THREE QUESTIONS. 35:32 THE LORD SORT OF COMBINES - HE BLENDS HIS ANSWER INTO ONE 35:37 DISCOURSE IN MATTHEW 24 - ACTUALLY GOES OVER INTO MATTHEW 35:40 25, TOO. THEY'RE ASKING WHAT? WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE? 35:45 HE SAYS THERE WON'T BE ONE STONE LEFT UPON ANOTHER IN THE TEMPLE. 35:48 NOW, YOU REALIZE WHY THAT WAS SO AMAZING, IS THAT, IN THE TEMPLE, 35:53 THEY ACTUALLY HAD SOME STONES THAT WERE PRETTY MONUMENTAL. 35:57 THERE WAS ONE STONE IN THE TEMPLE THAT WAS 150 TONS. 36:02 IT WEIGHED MORE THAN A FULL 747 FUELED WITH ALL THE BAGGAGE. 36:10 CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? AND HE SAID THERE WON'T BE - 36:12 AND IT'S STILL THERE TODAY. YOU CAN GO LOOK AT IT. 36:15 THEY STRUGGLE TO FIND EQUIPMENT BIG ENOUGH TO MOVE THAT TODAY. 36:19 AND SO, WHEN THE DISCIPLES SAID THERE WON'T - YOU KNOW, 'WHEN 36:22 WILL THESE THINGS BE?' THEY'RE AMAZED - NOT ONE STONE LEFT UPON 36:25 ANOTHER. WHAT IS THE SIGN OF YOUR COMING? 36:28 WHEN WILL THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BE? 36:30 AND OF THE END OF THE WORLD? AND SO HE NOW BLENDS HIS ANSWER. 36:34 AND LISTEN TO SOME OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT JESUS SAYS - WHEN 36:37 YOU GO TO MATTHEW 24 - HE SAYS - AND THEY'RE SITTING ON THE MOUNT 36:41 OF OLIVES - HE'S NOT TALKING TO ALL OF THEM. 36:44 ONE VERSION SAYS HE'S TALKING TO PETER, JAMES, JOHN, AND ANDREW. 36:48 FIRST THING HE SAYS IS, "TAKE HEED THAT NO ONE DECEIVES YOU." 36:51 - IN VERSE 4 - "FOR MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME, SAYING, 'I AM 36:55 THE CHRIST,' AND WILL DECEIVE MANY." 36:58 NOW, WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE WORD 'FEW' IN THE BIBLE AND THEN 37:01 YOU'VE GOT THE WORD 'MANY'. FEW MEANS FEW AND 37:04 MANY MEANS MANY. FEW MEANS THE MINORITY, 37:07 MANY MEANS THE WHAT? MAJORITY. 37:11 "MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME SAYING 'I AM THE CHRIST,' AND 37:13 WILL DECEIVE MANY." THAT VERSE HAS TWO DIFFERENT 37:15 MEANINGS - AND THEY DON'T CONFLICT EACH OTHER. 37:18 MANY WILL COME IN THE NAME OF JESUS SAYING, 'HE IS THE 37:21 CHRIST.' AND THEY DECEIVE PEOPLE. 37:25 IT CAN BE TAKEN THAT WAY. THAT COULD BE ANY PREACHER THAT 37:28 SAYS HE IS THE CHRIST AND HE DECEIVES PEOPLE. 37:32 'MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME SAYING, 'I AM THE CHRIST' AND 37:34 THEY'LL DECEIVE PEOPLE. THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO COME 37:36 IN HIS NAME SAYING, 'I AM THE CHRIST' - THERE'LL BE FALSE 37:39 CHRISTS THAT CLAIM THAT THEY ARE THE CHRIST AND DECEIVE MANY. 37:42 YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BOTH. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE SAY 37:44 THEY REPRESENT JESUS, THAT HE IS THE CHRIST, AND THEY'LL DECEIVE 37:47 PEOPLE AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY 37:48 GOING TO CLAIM TO BE JESUS. NOW HAVE WE SEEN THAT? 37:53 THERE'S - THERE ARE PROBABLY SEVERAL WALKING THE EARTH TODAY 37:56 THAT SAY THEY ARE JESUS INCARNATE OR CLAIMING TO BE THE 38:00 SON OF GOD. SOME OF THEM ARE JUST DERANGED 38:03 AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY SERIOUS. 38:06 NOW, AS HE TALKS ABOUT THE SIGNS OF DESTRUCTION - I'VE GOT TO 38:08 HURRY BECAUSE THERE'S QUITE A BIT HERE. 38:12 HE SAYS, 'YOU'LL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS' - VERSE SIX 38:17 - "SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT TROUBLED; FOR ALL THESE THINGS 38:19 MUST COME TO PASS, BUT THE END IS NOT YET." 38:22 NOW WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS AS A SIGN OF THE 38:25 END, BUT WHAT IS JESUS SAYING? HE'S ACTUALLY SAYING, 'DON'T GET 38:28 ALL STIRRED UP BECAUSE OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS. 38:31 THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE END OF TIME.' NOW NEVER HAVE WE 38:35 HAD WARS LIKE WE HAD LAST CENTURY WHERE YOU HAVE WORLD 38:38 WARS. AND SO THE FREQUENCY OF THE 38:41 WAR, THE INTENSITY OF THE WAR, INCREASES AS CHILDBIRTH 38:47 PAINS AS YOU NEAR THE END. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. 38:51 AND IT SAYS HERE THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF - OH, I'M SORRY, 38:55 VERSE 7, "FOR NATION WILL RISE AGAINST NATION, AND KINGDOM 38:58 AGAINST KINGDOM. AND THERE WILL BE FAMINES, PESTILENCES, AND 39:01 EARTHQUAKES IN VARIOUS PLACES. ALL THESE ARE THE 39:04 BEGINNING OF SORROWS. THEN THEY WILL DELIVER YOU UP TO 39:08 TRIBULATION AND KILL YOU, AND YOU WILL BE HATED BY ALL 39:11 NATIONS FOR MY NAME'S SAKE. AND THEN MANY WILL BE OFFENDED, 39:15 WILL BETRAY ONE ANOTHER, AND WILL HATE ONE ANOTHER. 39:18 THEN MANY FALSE PROPHETS WILL RISE UP AND DECEIVE MANY." 39:20 - THERE YOU'VE GOT THE FALSE CHRISTS AGAIN - "AND BECAUSE 39:23 LAWLESSNESS WILL ABOUND, THE LOVE OF MANY WILL GROW COLD." 39:28 - SO ONE OF THE SIGNS IN THE LAST DAYS IS LAWLESSNESS. 39:30 DOES HE MEAN LAWLESSNESS IN THE WORLD OR IN THE CHURCH OR BOTH? 39:35 HARD TO IMAGINE YOU COULD HAVE LAWLESSNESS IN THE CHURCH, BUT 39:37 IT MEANS THAT EVEN IN THE CHURCH THEY WILL BE WITHOUT LAW. 39:42 AND, AS A RESULT OF THAT, LOVE GROWS COLD. 39:46 BUT HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED. 39:49 NOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND COMING THERE'S A FEW 39:52 BIG GROUPS. ONE GROUP SAYS THIS TRIBULATION 39:55 THAT JESUS SPEAKS OF HAPPENS AFTER THE RAPTURE. 39:59 THAT CHRISTIANS WILL ALL BE SUDDENLY WHISKED AWAY IN THE 40:02 SECRET RAPTURE AND THEN THERE'LL BE A TRIBULATION. 40:06 NOW ALL CHRISTIANS AGREE - VIRTUALLY ALL - THAT THE BIBLE'S 40:09 PRETTY CLEAR THERE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT TRIBULATION. 40:13 DANIEL CHAPTER 12 - 'AT THAT TIME MICHAEL STANDS UP, THE 40:17 GREAT PRINCE THAT STANDS FOR THE CHILDREN OF THY PEOPLE AND THERE 40:20 WILL BE A TIME OF TROUBLE SUCH AS THERE NEVER HAS BEEN SINCE 40:22 THERE WAS A NATION, EVEN UNTO THAT SAME TIME.' GREAT TIME OF 40:25 TROUBLE. JESUS TALKS ABOUT THIS GREAT TRIBULATION. 40:29 THE QUESTION IS, WHEN DOES THE LORD RAPTURE UP THE SAINTS? 40:34 TECHNICALLY WE ARE CAUGHT UP - 'THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND 40:38 FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT. THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL.' WE 40:41 ARE CAUGHT UP TO MEET HIM IN THE AIR, BUT WHEN DOES THAT HAPPEN? 40:44 BEFORE THE TRIBULATION OR AFTER THE TRIBULATION? 40:48 THE TERMS THAT ARE USED AMONG CHRISTIAN PASTORS AND SCHOLARS 40:51 ARE - YOU'VE GOT 'PRE-TRIB', 'MID-TRIB', 'POST-TRIB' - 40:55 THERE'S THOSE THAT BELIEVE IN THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE. 40:59 THAT WOULD BE THE LEFT BEHIND GROUP. THEY THINK THE CHURCH IS 41:02 GOING TO BE RAPTURED PRIOR TO OR PRE-TRIBULATION. 41:07 THEN YOU'VE GOT MID-TRIB - SOME THINK THAT THE ANTICHRIST POWER 41:11 WILL BE IN JERUSALEM THREE AND A HALF YEARS AND THEN - THEY 41:13 BELIEVE THE TRIBULATION IS SEVEN YEARS - BY THE WAY, WHERE IN THE 41:16 BIBLE DOES IT SAY 'SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION'? 41:19 THERE'S REALLY NO VERSE THAT SAYS THAT. 41:23 3 CORINTHIANS SAYS THERE'S A SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION? 41:26 3 CORINTHIANS - YOU'RE TALKING - THANKS - YEAH, 3 CORINTHIANS. 41:30 YEAH, THAT'S WHERE IT IS. IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO 2 HEZEKIAH. 41:36 YEAH, NO, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT. 41:37 THE CLOSEST YOU CAN GET IS THAT NOAH WAS ON THE ARK FOR SEVEN 41:40 DAYS BEFORE THE FLOOD CAME. SOME SAY A DAY EQUALS A YEAR. 41:44 OR THEY TAKE THE LAST WEEK OF DANIEL CHAPTER 9 - THE 490-YEAR 41:48 PROPHECY - THEY PULL IT AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE PROPHECY 41:51 AND HAVE IT FLOATING AT THE END OF TIME AND SAY, 'THAT'S THE 41:53 SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION.' YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY DON'T SEE THAT. 41:57 MATTER OF FACT, MOST OF THE TIME IN THE BIBLE, THE TRIBULATIONS - 41:59 THE FAMINES - THEY'RE ALL THREE AND A HALF YEARS. 42:01 YOU'VE GOT THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF PERSECUTION. 42:04 YOU'VE GOT THREE AND A HALF YEARS IN THE DAYS OF ESTHER. 42:06 THREE AND A HALF YEARS IN THE PERSECUTION OF THE APOSTLES AND 42:09 SO I'M NOT SETTING A DATE. NO ONE KNOWS, BUT IT DOESN'T 42:13 SAY SEVEN YEARS OF TRIBULATION. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR 42:17 POST-TRIB - THAT'S WHERE WE FALL. 42:19 THAT FOLLOWING THE TRIBULATION - THAT'S WHY JESUS SAYS, 'HE THAT 42:22 ENDURES TO THE END' - ENDURES WHAT? 42:25 THE TRIBULATION - 'THE SAME WILL BE SAVED.' THEY SAY, 'WELL, NO, 42:28 IT'S ONLY THE JEWS THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE TRIBULATION. 42:31 THERE'LL BE 144,000 JEWS THAT WILL BE PREACHING TO THE WORLD' 42:34 - THAT THEY'RE LITERAL JEWS AND THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS, 42:37 THEOLOGICALLY, WITH THAT, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FIND 12,000 42:40 PEOPLE FROM THE TRIBE OF ISSACHAR TODAY. 42:42 AND SO, ANYWAY, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THIS TOO DEEP BUT LET'S 42:47 KEEP READING HERE. SO HE TALKS ABOUT THIS GREAT 42:49 TRIBULATION, THERE'S FALSE CHRISTS - WILL SATAN SEEK 42:51 TO IMPERSONATE JESUS? I BELIEVE HE WILL. 42:57 HE TALKS ABOUT THE DEMISE OF JERUSALEM. 42:59 HE SAYS, 'HE THAT ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED' - VERSE 14, 43:02 "AND THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM WILL BE PREACHED IN ALL THE 43:05 WORLD AS A WITNESS TO ALL THE NATIONS, AND THEN THE END WILL 43:08 COME." YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS 43:10 THAT YOU KNOW THAT JESUS WAS A PROPHET - THAT'S A PRETTY 43:14 OUTRAGEOUS THING TO SAY - 'MY TEACHING IS GOING TO GO INTO ALL 43:16 THE WORLD' - WELL, HE WAS RIGHT. IT DID, DIDN'T IT? 43:21 AND HE SAID, "THEN THE END WILL COME". 43:23 WELL, THERE'S STILL A FEW CORNERS WHO HAVEN'T HEARD IT, 43:25 BUT DO WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TODAY, WHERE THE GOSPEL CAN GO 43:28 INTO ALL THE WORLD? THROUGH TELEVISION AND - 43:31 THE INTERNET IS EVERYWHERE. THERE ARE MORE CELL PHONES IN 43:36 AFRICA THAN IN NORTH AMERICA. DID YOU KNOW? 43:39 YEAH, IT'S AMAZING. AND THE GOSPEL IS GOING 43:44 INTO ALL THE WORLD. WE'RE VERY EXCITED TODAY. 43:47 SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST BAPTISM WE HAD HERE AT GRANITE 43:51 BAY WAS MR. WU - DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? 43:54 HOW MANY REMEMBER THAT? MR. WU IS HERE TODAY. 43:56 HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING BECAUSE HE DOESN'T SPEAK 43:58 ENGLISH. HEY - HAVE HIM STAND UP FOR A SECOND. THERE HE IS. 44:05 DO YOU WANT TO SAY HELLO, MR. WU? 44:07 HE'S BACK FROM CHINA TO VISIT US. 44:09 HE'S BEEN OVER THERE PREACHING. HALLELUJAH, AMEN! 44:13 THANK YOU. XIE XIE NI. (LAUGHS) THE GOSPEL'S GOING TO 44:17 ALL THE WORLD - EVEN IN CHINA. AND THROUGH THIS SATELLITE AND 44:21 THROUGH THE INTERNET AND THROUGH DVDS AND PRINT AND A THOUSAND 44:27 DIFFERENT WAYS - AND HE SAID, 'THEN THE END WILL COME.' HE 44:31 DIDN'T SAY EVERYBODY WOULD BELIEVE. 44:33 HE SAID, 'AS A WITNESS TO ALL NATIONS.' NOTICE THIS, 44:37 "THEREFORE WHEN YOU SEE THE 'ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,' 44:41 SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE PROPHET, STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE' 44:45 (WHOEVER READS LET HIM UNDERSTAND)," - WHAT IS HE 44:47 WANTING YOU TO READ? DANIEL - AND YOU CAN READ IN 44:51 DANIEL 9, YOU CAN READ IN DANIEL 12, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT DANIEL 44:54 11, I BELIEVE, TALKS ABOUT THE ABOMINATION THAT MAKES DESOLATE. 44:58 AND THEN HE SAID, "THEN LET THOSE WHO ARE IN JUDEA FLEE TO 45:03 THE MOUNTAINS. LET HIM WHO IS ON HIS HOUSETOP 45:06 NOT GO DOWN AND TAKE ANYTHING OUT OF HIS HOUSE." 45:10 LAST WEEK I WENT UP TO OUR CABIN IN COVELO WITH A COUPLE OF OUR 45:15 AMAZING FACTS CREW AND WE VIDEOTAPED A SEGMENT ON COUNTRY 45:20 LIVING. WE TRIED TO GIVE A BALANCED 45:22 APPROACH ABOUT REACHING THE CITIES, BUT JUST TALKED ABOUT 45:25 SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES AND THE COUNSEL OF COUNTRY LIVING. 45:28 AND HERE, IS THERE A TIME COMING WHEN WE MIGHT NEED TO FLEE TO 45:31 THE HILLS? AND YOU SO, 'OH, THAT WAS BACK 45:33 THEN FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM.' YEAH, BUT WHAT 45:36 JESUS SAID HERE IS GOING TO BE REPEATED IN THE FUTURE. 45:39 THE SIGNS THAT PRECEDED THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, MANY 45:43 OF THOSE WILL BE REPEATED, IN A MORE SPIRITUAL NATURE, BEFORE 45:47 THE SECOND COMING. BECAUSE THEY'RE ASKING, 45:49 'WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE?' - DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM - 45:51 WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF YOUR COMING AND THE END OF THE WORLD? 45:55 BACK THEN IT WAS JERUSALEM SURROUNDED BY ARMIES. 45:58 BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE AS WELL. 46:01 BY THE WAY, YOU'LL FIND THAT IN LUKE CHAPTER 21 - JERUSALEM 46:04 SURROUNDED WITH ARMIES. DANIEL 9:27 - YOU'LL FIND THE 46:07 ABOMINATION THAT MAKES DESOLATE, TALKING ABOUT THIS BEAST POWER 46:11 HEDGING IN GOD'S PEOPLE WITH LAWS. 46:14 NONE OF THE BELIEVERS WERE DESTROYED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF 46:16 JERUSALEM BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THE WORD OF JESUS. 46:20 WHEN THE ROMANS FIRST SURROUNDED JERUSALEM - AND IT WAS A 46:24 TERRIBLE SIEGE - THERE WAS A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP AND THE 46:29 GENERAL NEEDED TO RETREAT AND WHEN THEY BROKE CAMP AND LEFT, 46:34 THE CHRISTIANS KNEW, 'THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO ESCAPE' AND ALL 46:36 THE CHRISTIANS FLED AND THEY DIDN'T COME BACK INTO JERUSALEM 46:39 WHEN THE ROMANS CAME BACK. THEY WENT UP NEAR PELLA, BY 46:43 THE SEA OF GALILEE AND ALL THE CHRISTIANS SURVIVED THERE WHEN 46:46 JERUSALEM WAS DESTROYED AND YOU CAN ALSO READ ABOUT THAT IN THE 46:50 BIBLE COMMENTARY CHAPTER 5, PAGE 499. ANYWAY, CHRIST SAYS IT'S 46:57 GOING TO BE VERY TOUGH FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN JERUSALEM. 47:00 "BUT WOE TO THOSE WHO ARE PREGNANT AND TO THOSE WHO ARE 47:02 NURSING BABIES IN THOSE DAYS! AND PRAY THAT YOUR FLIGHT MAY 47:05 NOT BE IN WINTER OR ON THE SABBATH. 47:08 FOR THEN THERE WILL BE GREAT TRIBULATION, SUCH AS HAS NOT 47:11 BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL THIS TIME, NO, NOR 47:14 EVER SHALL BE." NOW DID JESUS BELIEVE HIS 47:17 FOLLOWERS WOULD STILL BE KEEPING THE SABBATH? 47:21 EVIDENTLY OR HE WOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT, RIGHT? 47:24 AND HE SAID IT WILL BE SO SEVERE THAT IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, EVEN 47:28 THE VERY ELECT WOULD BE DESTROYED - OR DECEIVED - "AND 47:31 UNLESS THOSE DAYS WERE SHORTENED, NO FLESH WOULD BE 47:34 SAVED; BUT FOR THE ELECT'S SAKE THOSE DAYS WILL BE SHORTENED." 47:37 IT'S GOING TO SEEM LIKE MAN IS GOING TO SELF-DESTRUCT. 47:40 THINGS ARE GOING TO BE SO SEVERE IN THAT TIME. 47:43 ALRIGHT, WHAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THE LORD WARNS US 47:46 AGAINST? SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR ME 47:48 MATTHEW 24, VERSES 4 AND 5. ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THE LORD 47:52 TELLS US TO BE ON GUARD FOR JUST BEFORE HE COMES. 47:55 NOW, I'M GOING TO READ MATTHEW 24:23 AGAIN, "THEN IF ANYONE 48:00 SAYS TO YOU, 'LOOK, HERE IS THE CHRIST!' 48:02 OR 'THERE!' DO NOT BELIEVE IT. 48:04 FOR FALSE CHRISTS AND FALSE PROPHETS WILL RISE AND SHOW 48:08 GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS" - EVEN SATAN, HIMSELF, PERHAPS 48:12 IMPERSONATING CHRIST - "TO DECEIVE, IF POSSIBLE, EVEN THE 48:15 ELECT. SEE, I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFOREHAND. 48:17 THEREFORE IF THEY SAY TO YOU, 'LOOK, HE IS IN THE DESERT!' 48:19 DO NOT GO OUT; OR 'LOOK, HE IS IN THE INNER ROOMS!' 48:21 DO NOT BELIEVE IT.' GO AHEAD, READ FOR US 24, VERSES 4 AND 5, 48:26 >>"AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO THEM: 'TAKE HEED 48:29 THAT NO ONE DECEIVES YOU. FOR MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME, 48:33 SAYING, 'I AM THE CHRIST,' AND WILL DECEIVE MANY." 48:36 >>MAIN THING JESUS WARNS AGAINST - THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF 48:40 DECEPTION - A LOT OF DECEIVERS - EVEN SIGNS AND WONDERS AND 48:43 MIRACLES. FALSE CHRISTS SAYING, 'OH, HE'S 48:45 OUT IN THE DESERT.' 'HE'S IN INNER CHAMBERS.' 'HE'S IN THAT 48:47 CHURCH - IN THAT TEMPLE - IN THAT SANCTUM - GO' - DON'T EVEN 48:51 LOOK BECAUSE YOU'LL BE PUTTING YOURSELF ON ENCHANTED GROUND. 48:55 SO, IF CNN REPORTS 'THIS GLORIOUS BEING HAS APPEARED IN 49:02 JERUSALEM, CLAIMING TO BE CHRIST - WE'RE ABOUT TO GET AN 49:04 INTERVIEW.' SHOULD YOU WATCH THE 49:06 INTERVIEW? I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING, YOU KNOW? 49:11 I'M EVEN - I'M EVEN SURPRISED AT HOW MANY PROTESTANTS, WHEN THEY 49:15 WATCH THE POPE ON TELEVISION, THEIR WHOLE ATTITUDE ABOUT 49:18 CATHOLICISM CHANGES BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A NICE GUY WHEN WE SEE HIM 49:22 THAT THEY'RE JUST BEING SWEPT UP IN IT ALL. 49:26 'HE'S JUST - HE'S SO LOVING. HE JUST EXUDES KINDNESS AND 49:29 HUMILITY AND' - BE CAREFUL. WHAT THEY BELIEVE 49:33 HAS NOT CHANGED. AND SO HE SAYS, 'DON'T GO FORTH! 49:37 DON'T EVEN LOOK, BECAUSE YOU COULD BE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE 49:40 DECEIVED.' NOW, I'M ABOUT OUT OF TIME AND I'VE GOT A LITTLE LIST 49:43 I WANT TO GO THROUGH. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS OF 49:46 CHRIST'S RETURN THAT JESUS GIVES US? 49:50 FIRST OF ALL, FALSE CHRISTS - WE TALKED ABOUT. 49:53 WARS AND DISASTERS IN THE WORLD. KNOWLEDGE WILL INCREASE. 49:59 NOW THIS IS ACTUALLY FROM DANIEL CHAPTER 12, 'MANY WILL RUN TO 50:02 AND FRO AND KNOWLEDGE WILL INCREASE.' ARE PEOPLE TRAVELING 50:04 TO AND FRO MORE TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE? 50:07 OH, ABSOLUTELY. AND HAS KNOWLEDGE INCREASED 50:10 EXPONENTIALLY NOW MORE THAN ANY OTHER GENERATION? 50:13 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE GRANDPARENTS THAT LIVED BEFORE 50:17 THERE WAS TELEVISION, RADIO, AND AIRPLANES? 50:22 YOU'RE DATING YOURSELF, AREN'T YOU? 50:24 WHEN YOU DO THAT. AND THEY PROBABLY USED KEROSENE 50:26 LIGHTS AND WERE BORN AT HOME AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD HORSES 50:30 THAT CAME UP TO THE HOUSE. I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT 50:35 NOW, NOT IF YOU CAN HAVE A FOUR-WHEELER. 50:39 I KNOW IF YOU WHISTLE THE HORSE'LL COME, BUT I DON'T HAVE 50:43 TO FEED MY FOUR-WHEELER ALL THE TIME, WHETHER I USE IT OR NOT. 50:46 THAT'S A DIFFERENT SUBJECT. BUT LOOK HOW MUCH THE WORLD 50:49 HAS CHANGED IN ONE GENERATION. FOR 6,000 YEARS PEOPLE FOUGHT 50:56 WITH BOWS AND ARROWS AND SWORDS. THOSE WERE THE WEAPONS. 51:00 ANOTHER PROPHECY, IT SAYS MAN'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY THE 51:03 EARTH. DOES MAN? AND THAT'S IN REVELATION 11:19, 51:10 'GOD'LL DESTROY THOSE THAT DESTROY THE EARTH.' NOW WE HAVE 51:12 WEAPONS THAT CAN DESTROY THE EARTH. 51:13 WE HAVE CHEMICALS AND POLLUTION THAT CAN DESTROY THE EARTH. 51:16 THEY DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT THAT TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO. 51:18 THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT TIME WE'RE LIVING IN. 51:21 VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM IS ONE OF THE SIGNS. 51:24 MEN'S HEARTS FAILING FOR FEAR. WHAT IS TERRORISM? 51:27 IT'S DESIGNED TO STRIKE TERROR IN PEOPLE'S HEARTS. 51:30 THEY'RE AFRAID TO GO ANYWHERE, GET ON A PLANE - BECAUSE THEY'RE 51:33 IT'S FEAR - AND THE CONSTANT WAR - THE SEA AND THE WAVES ROARING 51:39 - TSUNAMIS AND EARTHQUAKES - AND YOU JUST LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON 51:43 IN THE WORLD TODAY AND, FOR ME, OF ALL THE SIGNS, KNOWLEDGE 51:47 INCREASING, GOSPEL GOING TO THE WORLD, SELFISHNESS, PEOPLE'S 51:51 HEARTS GROWING COLD, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE ENVIRONMENT, 51:54 THE POPULATION, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE CHURCH, TO ME, 51:59 IT SAYS, 'IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YOU THINK NOT' - WHEN THE CHURCH IS 52:01 SLEEPING - THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE SIGNS. 52:04 BUT DO WE SEE THE SIGNS OF JESUS COMING ALL AROUND US? 52:07 ALRIGHT, BACK TO MATTHEW 24. BY THE WAY, WHEN WE POST OUR NOTES 52:11 ONLINE, I USUALLY - GOOD OR BAD - I USUALLY SEND MY NOTES IN. 52:14 YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THEM IF YOU WANT. THOSE OF YOU WHO TEACH, 52:17 I'LL PUT IN SOME OF THE SIGNS OF CHRIST'S RETURN AND IT'S GOT 52:20 SOME OF THE SCRIPTURE REFERENCES IN THERE AS WELL. 52:24 AND THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY, "HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS 52:27 AWAY," - VERSE 35 - "BUT MY WORDS WILL BY NO MEANS PASS 52:30 AWAY." ONE MORE THING. 52:33 I WANT TO GO BACK TO VERSE 34 - VERSE 33, "SO YOU ALSO, WHEN YOU 52:38 SEE ALL THESE THINGS, KNOW THAT IT IS NEAR-AT THE DOORS! 52:41 ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, THIS GENERATION WILL BY NO MEANS PASS 52:45 AWAY TILL ALL THESE THINGS TAKE PLACE." 52:50 JESUS MADE THIS PREDICTION IN ABOUT 30 AD. 52:54 WHO KNOWS WHEN THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED? 52:57 70 AD. HOW LONG IS A BIBLE GENERATION? FORTY YEARS. 53:04 WHEN THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL LOST FAITH HE MADE THEM WANDER UNTIL 53:06 THAT GENERATION DIED OFF. HOW LONG DID THEY WANDER? 53:10 FORTY YEARS. AND YOU GO THROUGH THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 53:12 YOU CAN SEE WHEN THAT GENERATION DIED OFF THEY HAD PEACE FORTY 53:15 YEARS OR THEY HAD WAR FORTY YEARS. 53:17 AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING WAS IN GEN - DAVID 53:19 REIGNED FORTY YEARS, SOLOMON REIGNED FORTY YEARS - SAUL 53:22 REIGNED FORTY YEARS. INTERESTING, FIRST THREE 53:23 KINGS, FORTY, FORTY, FORTY. MOSES SPENT FORTY YEARS IN 53:27 EGYPT, FORTY IN THE WILDERNESS, FORTY LEADING THEM FROM EGYPT 53:30 THROUGH THE WILDERNESS. SO JESUS SAID THIS GENERATION 53:33 WILL NOT PASS AWAY UNTIL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED. 53:36 HE'S TALKING, PRINCIPALLY, THERE FROM THOSE SIGNS TO THE 53:40 DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. IT FIT PERFECTLY. 53:43 HE - FROM 30 AD TO 70 AD THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED. 53:49 IT'S NEVER BEEN REBUILT - BUT IT'S INTERESTING. 53:51 HE SAID JERUSALEM WOULD BE TRODDEN DOWN TO THE GENTILES 53:54 UNTIL THE TIME OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED. 53:57 CAN YOU PLEASE POINT TO ME ANY OTHER NATION IN THE WORLD THAT 54:00 COMES CLOSE TO DOING WHAT THE JEWS HAVE DONE, IN BEING 54:03 DISPOSSESSED FROM THEIR LAND THREE TIMES, IN A FOREIGN 54:07 COUNTRY, COMING BACK AND GETTING THEIR PROPERTY BACK AGAIN. 54:12 THEY WERE DISPOSSESSED WHEN THEY LEFT IN THE DAYS OF JACOB, THEY 54:15 WERE DISPOSSESSED IN THE TIME WHEN THE BABYLONIANS CARRIED 54:18 THEM OFF, THEY WERE DISPOSSESSED 1,900 YEARS FROM 70 AD TO 1948 54:24 AND NOW THEY'RE A NATION AGAIN. NO OTHER NATION HAS EVEN 54:27 SURVIVED HAVING THEIR OWN IDENTITY, BEING 54:29 DISPOSSESSED, FOR 200 YEARS. BUT THE JEWS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE 54:34 THE SCRIPTURES AS AN ANCHOR FOR WHAT THEIR BELIEF AND THEIR 54:37 CULTURE IS, HAVE SURVIVED MILLENNIA. AND GOD SAID THEY'D 54:41 BE TRODDEN DOWN UNTIL THE TIME OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED. 54:44 THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS, AND I'M NOT 54:46 SURE I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT YOU CAN'T DENY THAT WHAT'S 54:50 HAPPENED WITH THE NATION OF ISRAEL IS AT LEAST REMARKABLE. 54:54 AND YOU WONDER, SOMETIMES, HOW FAR IS IT? 54:59 HOW MUCH LONGER CAN THE WORLD LAST UNTIL JESUS COMES? 55:03 HE SAID, 'IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YOU THINK NOT, THE SON OF MAN 55:05 COMES.' THAT MEANS IT WON'T BE - I DON'T THINK JESUS IS GOING TO 55:08 COME WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD IS HANGING BY A TOTAL THREAD. 55:11 HE SAID THERE'LL BE PLANTING AND BUILDING. 55:14 THERE'LL BE MARRYING - THOSE ARE THINGS - I MEAN, YOU PLANT WHEN 55:17 YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT A FUTURE. YOU BUILD WHEN YOU THINK 55:19 YOU'VE GOT A FUTURE. YOU MARRY WHEN YOU THINK 55:20 YOU'VE GOT A FUTURE, RIGHT? THEY'LL BE DOING THINGS AS 55:23 THOUGH THEY THINK THERE'S SOME FUTURE LEFT. 55:26 AND THEN IT'LL TAKE THEM AS AN OVERWHELMING SURPRISE. 55:30 IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH, WHERE VIOLENCE 55:33 FILLS THE LAND. ARE PEOPLE ENTERTAINED WITH 55:37 VIOLENCE, NOW, ALL OVER THE WORLD? 55:40 AND SO WE JUST SEE - YOU'VE GOT THESE SIGNS EVERYWHERE AROUND 55:43 US. WELL, FRIENDS, I BELIEVE 55:44 JESUS IS COMING SOON. I HOPE YOU'LL SEND FOR THE 55:47 FREE OFFER WE MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LESSON. 55:50 AND THERE ARE A FEW VERSES I DIDN'T GET TO, BUT I THINK WE 55:53 COVERED THEM IN SPIRIT. THE ULTIMATE DELIVERANCE - 55:56 ULTIMATE DELIVERANCE - AND CALL 866-788-3966. WHEN YOU READ 56:01 THIS, IT'S A LESSON ON THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS. 56:03 IT'S GOT SOME OF THE VERSES WE SHARED - AND ASK FOR OFFER #105. 56:08 THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR OUR SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY 56:12 HOUR FOR TODAY. >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH 56:15 AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 56:18 NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING, VISIT 56:22 THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY AT 'AFTV.ORG'. 56:27 AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN ENJOY VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATIONS AS 56:31 WELL AS PRINTED MATERIAL ALL FREE OF CHARGE, 24 HOURS A DAY 7 56:36 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. 56:39 VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'. >>(CRICKETS) (SPRINKLERS) 56:48 (OMINOUS MUSIC) (DOG BARKING) (FIRE ALARM) 57:28 >>MOMMY, DADDY, HELP ME. 57:32 >>NO, I DON'T THINK SO. YOU DIDN'T DO VERY WELL ON YOUR 57:35 REPORT CARD THIS LAST QUARTER SO, NO. 57:38 >>YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PULLING YOUR WEIGHT AROUND HERE LATELY. 57:41 YOU WANT HELP? WELL, I WANTED HELP WITH 57:43 THE DISHES LAST NIGHT. HELP YOURSELF. 57:46 >>HUH? >>HONEY, DID YOU BRING THE 57:49 MARSHMALLOWS? (SIRENS) (MUSIC) |
Revised 2016-06-07