A Savior Is Born - December 17th, 2017 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

          A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six-year-old students.  After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"  Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."

            Yeah, I know that boy.  I think we all know that boy.

Many parents understand the nature of disobedient children.  There are more of us than most people realize.  It’s the same with sinful people; there are more of us than you may realize.  Oh, we do far more than merely misbehave.  We are people who disobey God.  We sin against the Lord.  “Our sins are piled up before God and testify against us. Yes, we know what sinners we are.” (Isaiah 59:12). 

What is the solution?  If we know we sin against the Lord, what can be done?  A long time ago an old man by the name of Eli said, “If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” (1 Samuel 2:25).  Exactly, Eli; who can intercede for us?  Since we humans sin against God, not just against each other, who would be willing to stand before God and plead for such a sinner?  Who is even worthy to stand before God?  It’s not that God didn’t look for someone.  He did, but, “He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no one to intercede;” (Isaiah 59:16a).  So we go back to Eli’s question; who can intercede?

God’s solution was to solve the problem Himself.  “He himself stepped in to save them with His strong arm” (Isaiah 59:16b).  God made a promise to redeem these people; to set them free by paying the price.  He promised that “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins” (Isaiah 59:20).  This promise was on the lips and hearts of Israel for many generations.  Father’s told it to their children.  And the children told it to their children.  God would deliver.  God would redeem.  God would send a Savior; someone to intercede between Man and God. 

Over a thousand years after Eli raised his question, an aged Temple Priest named Zacharias finally announces the arrival of this Savior.

(Read Luke 1:68-79) ⁶⁸ “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. ⁶⁹ He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, ⁷⁰ just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. ⁷¹ Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. ⁷² He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— ⁷³ the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. ⁷⁴ We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, ⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.

⁷⁶ “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. ⁷⁷ You will tell his people how to find salvation

through forgiveness of their sins. ⁷⁸ Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, ⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” ^[1]

Zacharias, who was the father of John the Baptist, exclaims that at last God had sent the One who would redeem and rescue His people; this Messiah would provide the remission of sin.  The Savior would soon come to earth. 

The Angels declared to the shepherds that Jesus was the Savior, the Redeemer; the Holy One of Israel. “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11).  Priests and prophets proclaimed Jesus as God’s salvation; a “Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” (Luke 2:30-32).

This is Christ the King, the One who would redeem His people.  “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors” writes Peter.  “And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. ¹⁹ It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. ²⁰ God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.” (1 Peter 1:18-20).  Paul confesses that Jesus “has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14).  It is Jesus who has “removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:12).

Eli asked who can intercede.  God’s answer was Jesus.  This is the Baby we sing about during the Christmas season.  The Child resting on Mary’s lap is Christ the Lord; the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior and Redeemer of humanity.  Yes, even redeeming that boy from Sunday School class; that boy who seemed to live in his own little world.  That boy was redeemed by the Messiah, and went on to become a pastor. 

And his hometown church now believes in miracles.

---

^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 1:68–79). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Lessons from a Broken Chandelier - December 10, 2017 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

          There hung a fancy chandelier in the dining room at my childhood home.  It was quite delicate and hung just a bit too low from a brass chain that was attached to the ceiling.  If you were not careful, you could bump it with your head and rattle the glass globes.  I had this terrible fear of one day knocking it too hard causing it to fall from the ceiling.

          One Saturday my parents were away, and my younger sister and I spent the day at home alone.  Let me first say that for most of the day we were well behaved.  I can’t stress that enough.  But for a brief moment, we started to horse around.  I started chasing my sister around the house for some reason I can’t quite recall, and as she headed into the dining room, she threw a chair on the floor hoping to slow me down (please note that my sister THREW a dining room chair ON THE FLOOR!).  That chair was nothing more than a small hurdle for me.  Gracefully I launched myself up and over the chair, intending to hit the ground running and continue the pursuit.  But the moment I became air born, I knew I was in trouble.  Looking back, it was probably not a good idea to flail my arms in a futile attempt to change my trajectory.

          You know how time seems to freeze when something terrible is about to happen?  I remember thinking, “I wonder if the spanking is going to hurt.”  Not only did I break a couple of the globes, but also the whole chandelier broke loose from the ceiling.

          As I stood there looking in disbelief, my sister comes back into the room.  Now, she and I have always had such a loving, caring relationship with one another.  I’ve helped her, and here was an opportunity for her to help me.  She took one look at the chandelier swinging back and forth on the electrical wire that had been pulled from the plaster and at all the broken glass, and lovingly said: “Boy, you’re really gonna get it when mom and dad get home.”

          What a troubling turn of events that day.  Did I mention that we mostly were well behaved?  But because of a series of unfortunate events, I now found myself awaiting my father’s wrath.  And my sister was no help at all. 

          I must say, those were dark times; there was much despair as I sat there looking at the clock, dreading the moment my parents came home.  I wonder if this is how the people of Israel felt.  They had really messed up, and God disciplined them big time!  The Assyrian army nearly wiped out every Jew living in the northern part of the nation.  Foreigners were living everywhere.  But, despite their sin, they never stopped being God’s children.  God never completely abandoned them.  In fact, He says, ¹Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.  ² The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine ^[1] (Isaiah 9:1-2).

Although the people in this part of Israel were living in dark times, one day they will be filled with glory.  In the area around the Sea of Galilee, the people will see a great light.  This, of course, is an apparent reference to Jesus of Nazareth, who just happened to live near Galilee.  Isaiah further describes Jesus as one who will, “rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity” ^[2] (Verse 7).

          Jews living in other parts of the nation believed this Messiah would show grace to the people of Israel, but everyone else would feel His wrath.  The Messiah (that is, Jesus) would reestablish David’s kingdom and drive the wicked people from the land (consider the way Jews hated Samaritans).  But the problem is that this Child whose birthday we celebrate this time of the year is the Prince of Peace.  God intended this Wonderful Counselor to be for all nations and for all people.  When Christ was born, God intended to offer grace and mercy to the world.  Those living in darkness and despair would see a great light.  Yes, even people who break chandeliers.

          When my parents came home that night, the first thing I did was beg for grace.  I told them that it was an accident and that I was sorry for what I had done.  My father surprised me.  He wondered if either of us was hurt.  Then he offered me grace, which really disappointed my sister. 

          The birth of Jesus was announced as Good News.  What did the angels say to the shepherds?  “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”^[3] (Luke 2:10-11).  If the Messiah’s birth was good news to all people, then God was probably not planning to make things worse.  The birth of Jesus is supposed to make things better… especially for those who need to feel grace.

          I think we sometimes forget this.  Sometimes it seems like Christians want God to punish all the wicked people out there.  But that attitude does not reflect the spirit of Christmas.  The spirit of Christmas is declared by the angels and echoed in the hearts of Christians who pray that those living in darkness might experience God’s grace, not His wrath.

          If you have indeed experienced the grace that God offers through this Christmas Child, then extend that same grace to those living around you.  Pray for them, especially if they happen to break a chandelier.

         

         

---

^[1]Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2]Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation.  Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Lk 2:10–11). Carol Stream, IL

Shake, Rattle, and Roll - December 3, 2107 sermon

     By Pastor Greg...

(Message begins with video: The Story of Christmas, According to Kids)

I love the imagination of those children.  I love the way they tell the Christmas story.  “I love you, and you’d the best baby I’d ever seen.  There.  I said it.”  When viewed through the eyes of a Child, Christmas is still something magical.  Christmas is still a special day filled with joy and love.  A child has not yet become frustrated and distracted by the worries and concerns of this life.  A child is still excited about the idea of receiving a gift and the thrill of giving a gift as well.

As a boy, my father began a tradition that I passed along to my children.  Dad would pile my sisters and me into the car and head off to shop without mother; we left her at home.  That never happened any other day of the year.  We would travel from place to place and from store to store looking for Christmas gifts; something each of us children could wrap and give to our mother on Christmas day.  I remember keeping these special gifts tucked neatly in my closet, and trying to keep them a secret.  But, as a kid, I would always let something slip.  “Boy Mom, sure would be nice if you had a warm blanket to snuggle with, huh?”

Hey, this was harder than it sounds.  The excitement would build with each passing day.  By Christmas Eve, I was about ready to burst.  When Christmas morning finally arrived, I would dance around the room in excitement.  Rushing to the tree, I would grab a gift and tell mom to open this one next.  And then, something strange would happen.  Rather than tear open the present, my mother would go into that “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” routine.  This must be something adults are supposed to do.  I mean, why not just open it and find out what it is?  But, no, my mother would analyze and scrutinize the gift, trying to figure just what was inside.  Guess what I do now that I am an adult?

I wonder if God felt the same way with His Christmas gift?  As the day of Christ’s birth drew near, did He have that same excitement?  Did He have trouble keeping the birth of Jesus a secret?  Is this why the Old Testament prophets constantly wrote about God’s gift?  It sure seems that way.  It sure seems God would let something slip; dropping a hint here and there about the Messiah; “Boy, it sure would be nice for everyone to be forgiven, huh?”  Would God have gotten excited by the waiting?  Like I said, it sure seems this way because there are many places in the Old Testament where it appears God could hardly contain Himself in anticipation of the gift He would be giving on Christmas. 

Through Isaiah, God says, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.  And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end.  He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David.  The passionate commitment of the Lord Almighty will guarantee this!” (Isaiah 9:6-7).  “The passionate commitment of the Lord,” it says at the end of verse 7.  Or, as most translations read, “The zeal of the Lord.”  Zeal is not a word we use very often.  Today we use words like passion or enthusiasm.  So, to say God’s zeal will make sure this happens is to say He is enthusiastic about giving us this Son.  One gets the impression that all Heaven was about to break loose, bursting at the seams with excitement and anticipation for the Advent of the Christ-Child. 

Isaiah also says, "You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). 

Daniel comments about this as well.  “As my vision continued that night, I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven.  He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him.  His rule is eternal—it will never end.  His kingdom will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

Other Old Testament prophets wrote about this Child.  Micah says, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah.  Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.  The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the time when the woman in labor gives birth to her son.  Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land.  And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord's strength, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.  Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored all around the world” (Micah 5:2-4).

Enthusiasm surrounded the birth of this Son; heaven was filled with passionate excitement, and the people of Israel were to sing and shout.  Zephaniah says, “Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!  For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy.  And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!  At last your troubles will be over, and you will fear disaster no more.  On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, "Cheer up, Zion! Don't be afraid!  For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you.  He is a mighty savior.  He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears.  He will exult over you by singing a happy song" (Zephaniah 3:14-17).

Now, as the people of Israel heard these words proclaimed and as they were able to read them, what must have gone through their mind?  As they thought about this “Gift” from God, were they filled with wonder?  They knew the gift was coming.  They knew what the gift would be like, especially if they read the words of these prophets.  The Chief Priests and the Scribes knew these things.  When they were asked by King Herod, they gave a pretty precise answer ("In Bethlehem,’ they said, ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: 'O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel” Matthew 2:5-6).  But instead of receiving the gift with gratitude, most if Israel gave Jesus the old “shake, rattle, and roll.”  They tried to figure Him out rather than receiving the gift of Jesus.  People do the same today.  

          Jesus was a precious gift that was given to us by God Himself.  He selected the gift that was perfect for all of us.  On Christmas day, God was dancing joyfully in anticipation of us not only receiving the gift, but opening it as well.  And so, here we stand.  We hold the gift of Jesus in our hands and yet, so many refuse to open it.  We examine Him.  We turn Him over and over in our mind.  We spend our time trying to figure out this gift instead of opening our hearts and accepting why this gift was given in the first place.  We miss the joy in the heart of the Giver.  We miss the pleasures to be found in the gift Himself.  Instead of trying to figure out the gift, instead of wondering what it is, why don’t you open your heart and find out?  

The Sixth Seal - November 26, 2017 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

During a visit to the retirement home, curious young man asked the director, "How do you determine whether or not a person should be institutionalized?"  "Well," said the Director, "We fill up a bathtub, and then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."  "Oh, I understand," said the young man. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."  "No," said the Director. "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?"

Normal people do normal things, right?  Normal people find shelter during a tornado; they do not stand at the back door and watch the funnel cloud rip through the backyard.  We read in Revelation chapter six that people sort of do the same thing.  People from all walks of life naturally try to find shelter from the cosmic events that unfold when Christ opens the Sixth Seal.  But then they do something that doesn’t make sense.

(Revelation 6:12-17) ¹² I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. ¹³ Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. ¹⁴ The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.

¹⁵ Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. ¹⁶ And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. ¹⁷ For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?”^[1]

This is for real.  This is pretty wild stuff.  Sun darkened.  Moon turns red.  Stars fall from the sky.  Mountains and islands moved out of their place.  This is a scene straight out of Hollywood.  Movies like Independence Day or Close Encounters depict this great ominous cloud rolling across the sky.  The world is thrown into darkness, and people realize that this great power is descending to the earth (Cloverfield, District 9, War of the Worlds, and Super 8 are other classic examples).  However, I don’t think John wants us to focus on these events.  Rather, he draws our attention to the way people react to them.

Something more happens here; something more than a dark sun and a red moon.  There must be because the people of the earth run and hide to escape the presence of God and the wrath of the Lamb.  And I find their reaction to these events interesting and, at the same time, a little odd.  It’s interesting because somehow, in the midst of these catastrophes, people will recognize God.  They will realize that very soon, Jesus will be passing judgment.  How do they know this?  How will they know this is the Almighty and His Son, the Alpha and Omega?  I don’t know the answer, but somehow, deep in their heart, they will know God has come to earth, and His visit will not be very pleasant.

I also find their reaction a little odd.  You see, people have constantly been complaining that God doesn’t reveal Himself to the world.  “Where is God,” wrote Michael Gerson in last year’s Washington Post.  “If God really exists, why doesn’t he show himself in some dramatic, undeniable way?” he writes.[2]  But when God does reveal Himself, rather than rejoicing that at last, they have their proof, the people flee in terror.  Isn’t that rather odd?

I suppose not because we see a foretaste of this today.  Even today, people tend to run from God.  It seems a little odd.  If they know they are sinful, why not cry out for mercy instead of hiding?  Why act like Adam and Eve?  “They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden” ^[3] (Genesis 3:8).  But, this is what happens when His holiness confronts our evil.  It makes us nervous. It makes us uncomfortable.  And yet, if people would just stop running and hiding, they might be quite surprised at what they will find. 

In Isaiah 40, the prophet reveals the awesome power of our God.  He says that the “glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.”  God reminds them that “people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. ⁷ The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people.”  Yet rather than destroy these people by His presence, the Almighty God “will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart” ^[4] (Isaiah 40:5-11).  This is what actually happens when His holiness confronts our evil.  If people would just hang around long enough, they would learn about God’s mercy and love found in Jesus the Messiah.  But they don’t.  They scurry off in fear of what they don’t know.

Yes, a day is coming when the Lord God and the Messiah will pull back the Heavens and reveal themselves to this world.  That Day of Judgment will come.  The light will shine in the darkness, and those with darkness in their hearts will run and hide.  But… that day is not yet upon us.  That day has not arrived.  Today is a day for Salvation (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

Yes, today is the day of salvation.  In Luke 12:58-59 Jesus teaches us that it is better to settle things before we face the judge… meaning that while we have the opportunity, we should find a way to deal with our sin before that Great Day of Judgment.  And this is what Jesus is offering to do.  By accepting the offer of Jesus, He wraps us in a robe of righteousness (as we discussed last week).  In His mercy, God sent His Son ahead of time so that you and I might have an opportunity to be spared that Day of Wrath; so we would not run and hide from God. 

This just seems to make sense.  Since we know that we are sinners and since we know God is going to judge us for that sin, doesn’t it make sense that we would find a way to have our sin forgiven?  In His mercy, God has told us how we might be saved from the Day of the Lord.  It seems to me that a normal person would accept God’s offer found in Jesus Christ.  But people still chose to run and hide.

Isn’t that rather odd?

---

^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 6:12–17). Carol Stream, IL.

[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/where-is-god/2016/12/23/495ebfca-c881-11e6-85b5-76616a33048d_story.html?utm_term=.52262064ca51

^[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ge 3:8). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Is 40:11). Carol Stream, IL.

The Fifth Seal - November 19, 2017 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

April 20^th, 1999, two armed gunmen entered Columbine High School in Colorado.  12 students and one teacher were killed.  Most famous was a girl named Cassie Bernall whom witnesses say was asked if she believed in God just before she was shot to death.  She was killed, some people say, because she said yes.

If the exchange between this teenage girl and her killer are true, then she would be what is considered a Christian Martyr.

History is filled with individuals who were killed in cold blood because of their faith.  There were godly men and women killed during Old Testament times.  And Christians like Stephen or Apostles like James were killed in New Testament times.  For thousands of years, violent people have been killing believers because of their faith in the Lord.

And the Lord knows each of them by name.

A lot of people are killed by violent, cruel individuals.  And not every Christian is killed because of their faith.  But some are.  Some are asked to denounce their faith in Jesus or recant their beliefs while staring at the end of a gun or the edge of a sword.  Some Christians are forced to renounce their faith while fellow believers are tortured (consider the events depicted in the 2016 movie Silence).  What’s troubling is that this is going to continue.  Christians are going to be martyred up until the day Jesus calls all believers to Heaven.  And, even after the rapture, men, women, and children who finally believe in Jesus will be killed because of their faith.

When will it end?  When will the world stop killing people because of their faith in Jesus?  When will Jesus make this wicked world pay for spilling the blood of innocent believers?  That is a question these martyrs will ask Jesus one day.

Remember that Scroll God gave to Jesus – the one with the Seven Seals?  Every time Jesus breaks one of those seals, a specific End Time event unfolds.  The first four events focused on what the Antichrist will do to the world.  However, this fifth seal takes us back to heaven, and the throne of God.

⁹ When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. ¹⁰ They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” ¹¹ Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters*—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them ^[1] (Revelation 6:9-11).

In his previous visions, John had not seen these martyrs.  But now they are present; men, women, and children who had been killed because they would not renounce their faith.  They were not seeking revenge, but they did wonder how much longer God was going to tolerate the presence of evil.  It sure seemed that God was condoning the wickedness of humanity.  Good people were being killed, and the wicked were not being punished.  It made God appear indifferent or uncaring.

In response, God gives each of these martyrs a white robe.  That’s significant.  Although the world condemned them for their faith, the Lord commends them.  He dresses them in a spotless white gown; not just forgiving their sin, but treating them just as if they had never sinned.  They are justified. 

I wonder, will the only Christians permitted close to God be those who were killed because of the faith?  What kind of gown does the rest of us get to wear?

I doubt most of us will be killed because of our faith… although it has happened in our nation.  But nevertheless, this world makes living like a Christian quite difficult.  It may not kick in the front door and shoot us with a gun, but it does pester and nag and tempt us all the time.  And, let’s face it, sometimes we slip.  Sometimes we feel our Christian witness slipping away.  Sometimes we “soil” ourselves with wicked thoughts or careless actions.  What must the Lord think of us?  Will we find ourselves standing off and alone wearing old tattered rags stained by sin?

The Bible repeatedly teaches that even those Christians who die a natural death will be honored for their faith.  God will take away those soiled clothes and dress us in festival robes (Zechariah 3:4).  He will cover us in a “garment of salvation” (Isaiah 61:10).  The truth here is that a person does not need to be killed to receive a white robe.  They simply need Christ.  The image of these martyrs symbolizes their “right” to join Jesus in judging the people of this world (Revelation 20:4).  But each of us will radiate the glory of the Lord when we get to heaven.  For the first time in our life, we will be spotless and blameless; without blemish or wrinkle.  We will be holy and without fault (Ephesians 5:27).

You and I may never have our blood shed because of our faith, but we will face daily temptations to “quit the race” (compare Hebrews 12:1).  Don’t give up.  Keep holding on to what you have been taught.  Fix your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).  Today, we may not be perfect.  Today, we may stumble.  Today, we may sin.  But we still press on toward the goal.

“Brothers and sisters, I can’t consider myself a winner yet. This is what I do: I don’t look back, I lengthen my stride, and ¹⁴ I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God’s heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus” ^[2] (Philippians 3:13-14).

---

^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Re 6:9–11). Carol Stream, IL.

^[2] GOD’S WORD Translation. (1995). (Php 3:13–14). Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group.

The First Four Seals - November 12, 2017 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip.  Some hours after they laid down for the night, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend, "Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see."  Watson replied, "I see millions and millions of stars."  "What does that tell you?" Holmes asked.  Watson pondered for a minute. "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is all-powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. Why?  What does it tell you?"

Holmes was silent for a minute, then spoke, " Someone has stolen our tent!"

You can almost hear Sherlock Holmes say, “Why, the answer is elementary, my dear Watson.”  However, I wonder what people will say when a large percentage of the population disappears.  How will the world leaders explain the Rapture?

The Rapture if the Church is the day Jesus calls all believers to Heaven; the day the Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth.  How will the event be explained?  Christian teachers and leaders have a theory, based on some actual comments made by “New Age” mystics and psychics.  Israeli mystic Uri Geller wrote, “[extra-terrestrials] would not interfere until, in a single night, at the peak of the conflict, they would remove millions of humans who resist this initiation into a higher spiritual consciousness and ‘re-educate’ them before returning them to Earth a few years later.”[1]   Another example comes from Barbara Marciniak, a mystic, and psychic channeler.  In her book “Bringers of the Dawn” she writes, “The people who leave the planet during the time of Earth changes do not fit in here any longer, and they are stopping the harmony of Earth. When the time comes that perhaps 20 million people leave the planet at one time there will be a tremendous shift in consciousness for those who are remaining.”[2]

So, in their minds, people who resist change or who resist the initiation into a higher spiritual consciousness will be taken away by some alien force.  The idea is that Mother Earth or some cosmic being will finally rid the earth of those who interfere with “oneness” and “unity.”  These comments are why some biblical scholars feel government leaders will attribute the Rapture to “alien abduction.”

It is essential for us to understand the emotional climate of the world once Christians are taken away.  If we understand this, we can better understand the events which follow once Jesus begins to open the Scroll. 

In Revelation 6, John says, As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” ² I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory.

³ When the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living being say, “Come!” ⁴ Then another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to take peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere.

⁵ When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ And I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, “A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. And don’t waste the olive oil and wine.”

⁷ When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living being say, “Come!” ⁸ I looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named Death, and his companion was the Grave. These two were given authority over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and disease and wild animals. ^[3]

It is implied that the rider on these horses is the same individual.  The color of the horse changes, but not the one who sits on the horse.  Significantly, this rider enters the scene on a white horse.  He comes as a victor but does not fight a single battle.  He has a bow, but no arrows.  He is given a crown (a stephanos; a victor’s crown, not a diadema; a kingly crown).  He unites the world without a single battle.  The world government he establishes will happen without warfare. 

I used to wonder how that could happen.  How is it possible that many of the nations in this world will openly embrace the leadership of this Antichrist? 

I don’t have that answer.  I am not exactly sure.  I may not know precisely why or how this will happen, but considering the growing loathing for Christian values and morals in this world, it’s not hard to imagine that those left behind will breathe a deep sigh of relief.  At last the world will be freed of all unenlightened buffoons; the deplorables will finally be gone.  Naturally, when a leader arises calling all like-minded nations to unite, most people on the earth will gladly surrender to his leadership.  He is precisely the kind of leader the world has wanted.  However, not everyone on earth will be so enchanted by the Antichrist.

After the Rapture of Christian men, women, and children, some who are left behind will finally believe in the message preached by the Church.  The good news is they will be saved in eternity; the bad news is they will not be spared these great trials and tribulations.  Probably also present on the earth will be many other religions.  There will still be Jews in the world; this much is certain.  But perhaps we will even see Hindus, Buddhist, Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, etc.  Certainly, they will not fawn over this leader’s plan for a one-world government and a one-world religion.  They will resist.  And although the Antichrist assumes power without going to war, he will lead his followers into battle attempting to annihilate every other form of religion.  Revelation 6:8 says 25% of the people on this earth will be wiped out…except for the Jews.  For whatever reason, this Antichrist will “protect” the Jewish people from these great battles.  He will pretend, at least for three and a half years, to be their friend; their “savior.”

This is what will happen one day in the future.  The Church will be taken away, and the world will rejoice.  A world leader will rise to power.  He will call the “enlightened” to unite with him in the battle against those who resist, notably, those who embrace a different religion.  The world will go to war.  Many will suffer and die.

Now, what I have given you this morning are some facts and a few speculations.  But like you, I still wonder why this information is essential.  I mean, we believe, and the Lord has promised to spare us these trials and tribulations.  Why then does the He show us these things?  I think the answer is found in what John wrote at the beginning of this book.  “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” ^[4] (Revelation 1:3).  In John’s words, there is a call to do more than merely read these words, but to hear and heed… meaning a person is to speak the message and follow the message.  And if this is a lesson for the Church, then we need to do more than merely learn a few facts.  Christians need to get to work NOW. 

We need to stop being so indifferent.  We need to start making personal sacrifices for the good of others; for those who are still wandering around lost in the world.  They don’t know Christ.  They don’t know hope.  They don’t know peace or love.  They only know pain, agony, and sorrow.  They are alone – like sheep without a shepherd.  They are still being deceived by the world.  They are still held captive by sin and death.  And if they are still alive once the Church is raptured away, they will face global trials and tribulations.  They may end up spending eternity in hell; forever separated from the Lord. 

It seems the Lord has revealed these things to the Church so we might consider the fate of those who are still lost.

But, it seems, some Christians have more important things to do.

---

[1] As mentioned by Jim Sayers in his report The Shocking Truth About UFO’s, Ghosts, and Psychic Powers.  You can read the article at http://theendtimeschurch.org/articles/The%20Shocking%20Truth%20About%20UFO.pdf

[2] https://library.abundanthope.org/index_htm_files/BRINGERS_OF_THE_DAWN.pdf

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 6:1–8). Carol Stream, IL.

^[4] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Re 1:3). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

The Last Week - November 5, 2017 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

Watching that video makes us wonder if what we are seeing in the world today are signs of the “end times.”  Well, the chaos in our world might resemble the end time events in Revelation, but they are not the specific events.  They are a foretaste of what will come.

We even see this in the Bible.  For example, consider what happened to the people of Jerusalem.  Before Babylon conquered them, a priest named Ezekiel was given an interesting revelation.  In a vision, he saw God’s throne leaving the Temple, allowing the Babylonian army to destroy the city.  Because God was no longer protecting Jerusalem, the king of Babylon destroyed everything, even the Temple.  Without God, Jerusalem was exposed to the wickedness of humanity… and their world fell into utter chaos; a foretaste of what happens in the book of Revelation.

John the Apostle was also given an interesting revelation.  He too saw God’s throne (compare Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4).  In both cases, the Spirit of the Lord had been withdrawn, except in John’s vision, the Spirit had been withdrawn from the entire earth.  In Revelation, the Spirit brings with Him every Christian man, woman, and child, leaving the rest of humanity exposed to the wickedness of Satan.  And when the Spirit of God departs, the whole world will fall into utter chaos.

So, anything we witness right now is a foretaste of things to come, not the actual events described in Revelation 6.  I know life can seem kind of chaotic at times.  Sometimes it feels like life is falling apart.  But you need to know that our Heavenly Father is in control of things.  He is mindful of all things.  He is not blind.  He has not lost control.  “Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately,” says the Lord in Luke 21:9.  All these things are happening according to God’s timeline.

Really.  Nothing happens by chance.  Everything that is happening is according to God’s plan and His timing.

I know; that’s a rather bold statement.  But it’s true.  Nothing happens a day sooner or later than God intends.  In fact, let me show you just how precise God’s timeline truly is.

I know.  I’m digressing from the study of Revelation; you’re all ramped up about the seals on the scroll.  But trust me; this rabbit trail is important.

Take, for instance, a man named Daniel (he was a Jewish man taken captive by the Babylonian army sometime in 605 B.C.).  One day, Daniel had a very troubling vision.  He had been wondering how long it would be until God would restore the Jews to their homeland (he was asking God about his timeline).  As Daniel prayed, the angel Gabriel came and gave him an odd answer. 

According to Gabriel, “A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. ²⁵ Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times” (Daniel 9:24-25).

These “70 periods” are broken down into three segments; he says there will be 7 sets of 7 with 62 sets of seven added on, and then 1 set of seven.  The he says, “After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing” (Verse 26).  So, in God’s timeline, the Anointed One will be killed after “Seven sets of seven plus 62 sets of seven.”  This accounts for 69 of the 70 sets of seven Gabriel mentioned at the beginning.  Finally, he tells Daniel that a “ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end. ²⁷ The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him” (verse 27).

Like I said, it is a strange answer.  So, let me help clarify a few things.  In this Jewish culture, they functioned in sets of sevens.  Every seventh year they were supposed to take a Sabbath rest (Leviticus 25:1-7).  After 7 sets of seven (which equals every 49 years) they were to celebrate the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-12).  So, 70 sevens equals 490 years.  Anyway, in his message, Gabriel tells Daniel that 483 years will pass until the Anointed One appears in Jerusalem.

What you may not know is that according to some very accurate records,[1] the Jews were sent back to Israel and commanded to rebuild on March 5, 444 B.C. (Nehemiah 2:8).  The 69 sets of seven – the 483-year span – extended to March 30, 33 A.D.  The day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Palm Sunday).  Jesus rode into Jerusalem precisely when God had planned.  His hour had finally come.

Jesus didn’t experience some bad luck that week.  It wasn’t “fate” or “destiny.”  It was God’s timeline.  He arrived precisely on time; exactly according to God’s plan.  And the reason this should be important for us is because it clearly demonstrates that things are happening according to God’s plan.  He is intimately involved in life.  He has a timeline, and things will unfold precisely when He has determined.  In fact, your Bible says that God has determined the full number of people who will become Christians (Romans 11:25) and the number of those who will be killed because of their faith in Jesus (Revelation 6:11).  Jesus says God knows us so well that nothing happens in our life beyond His knowledge (see Matthew 10:30).  King David suggests that God knows our thoughts, where we are, what we are doing, and even counts out each of our days before we are born (Psalm 139).  For example, consider Nathaniel.  Jesus knew who he was and what he was doing long before the two ever met in person (John 1:47-48).

So, I understand that the chaos in our world causes us to fear.  We become alarmed and tend to worry about things.  But isn’t that exactly what Satan wants us to do?  He wants us to worry and lose faith.  He wants us to live in fear.  He feeds our fears; trying to convince us we don’t have enough material things.  He uses the media to spread panic and alarm.  It happens, but we must not allow our “Fears for today or our worries for tomorrow” to overpowers us (Romans 8:38).  We must “let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts” (Colossians 3:15).  Although it seems like our world is filled with chaos today, things are not nearly as bad as they will be on the day Jesus begins to open that scroll.

Oh, I almost forgot the Last Week mentioned by Gabriel; that final set of sevens.  This last week is a seven-year span where a ruler will act like he is helping Israel, but part way through, he will turn against them.  This, of course, is when the antichrist rises to power.  Now, the big question scholars ask is whether that week has happened or is yet to come.  Are the events we are witnessing in the world today part of this “last week?”

In Luke 21:24, Jesus indicates that an interlude in these 70 “weeks” was about to take place.  He mentioned a period called “The time of the Gentiles,” and that once this came to an end, Jerusalem would no longer be trampled down by foreign kingdoms.  So, according to conservative scholars, we are presently living in something called the Church Age – that interlude between the 69^th week (the death of Christ) and the 70^th week mentioned by Gabriel (where Christ returns at the end).  As I said in an earlier message, the events associated with the “Seven Seals” in chapter six do not happen until the Church is called to Heaven. 

Listen, I know somedays it’s difficult to imagine that God is still in control.  It sure seems like we are living in chaotic times.  And I struggle with the understanding that God is intimately involved in my life.  Maybe you do as well.  But to me, this whole section from Daniel confirms that, yes, God is still in control.  The end of things is in the Lord’s hands.  The Father and the Son are in control of everything. 

³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?  ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us (Romans 8:35 & 37).  God is in charge, not humanity.  He has given authority to Jesus, and Jesus will determine when and where it all ends.

The Scroll is in His hands

And so is your life.

---

[1] Harold W. Hoehner. (1977). Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.