The Seventh Trumpet - February 25, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

Jack was sitting on an airplane when another guy took the seat beside him. The new guy was an absolute wreck; pale, hands shaking, biting his nails, and moaning in fear.  "Hey, pal, what's the matter?" Jack asked.  "Oh man...I've been transferred to New Jersey," the other guy answered, "New Jersey's full of crazy people, and they have shootings, gangs, race riots, drugs, the highest crime rate..."  "Hold on," Jack interrupted, "I've lived in New Jersey all my life, and it is not as bad as the media says. Find a nice home, go to work, mind your own business, enroll your kids in a good school and it's as safe as anywhere in the world."  The other passenger relaxed and stopped shaking for a moment and said, "Oh, thank you. I've been worried to death, but if you live there and say it's okay, I'll take your word for it. By the way, what do you do for a living?"  "Me?" said Jack, "I'm a tail gunner on a bread truck."

Yeah.  I suspect things will be getting worse for that traveler.  The same could be said about this world in which we live.  I know some will preach to you a “pie-in-the-sky” optimism about our future.  Some teach that God is just waiting to make life a peaceful paradise for us.  But that’s not what we read in Revelation.  According to the Bible, it’s only going to get worse.

In reading the book of Revelation, we may get the impression that once the Antichrist begins to rule, things on earth will turn bad quickly.  However, I suggest to you that things will get progressively worse; that there will be a steady increase in crime, in greed, and in fear.  Jesus warns, “And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. ⁸ Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” ^[1] (Mark 13:7-8).  Jesus says there will be more to come… things will get worse.  And according to Paul, Truth will be rewritten, and morality redefined.  “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” ^[2] (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

I know we all wish the violence would stop.  We wish everyone could just get along.  We try our best to stop the tide of evil, but nothing seems to be working.  It seems to be getting worse.  How do we get things under control?  And why can’t we seem to win this battle against evil?  Why do things seem to be stacked against us?  I can tell you why; we are given the answer in John’s Revelation.  When the Seventh Trumpet is blown, we see why evil is all around us.

(Revelation 11:15-19). ¹⁵ Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”

¹⁶ The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. ¹⁷ And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. ¹⁸ The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”

¹⁹ Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm. ^[3]

As we struggle to make sense out the events in our world, I want you to notice what the voices shouted from Heaven.  They shout, “The world now belongs to the Lord and the Messiah” (verse 15).  They say, “Christ has begun to reign” (verse 17).  What do they mean by that?  Isn’t Jesus already “King of kings and Lord of lords” (see 1 Timothy 6:15)?  Hebrews 7:1-2 compares  Jesus to the “King of righteousness” and the “King of peace.”  How is He not King of this world?

Based on an odd conversation Jesus has with Satan, Christians understand that, for the time being, Satan rules the earth.  During His 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4), Satan promises to give Jesus all the kingdoms of this world (Matthew 4:9).  Satan could not have made that offer unless these things were (and still are) under his power.  So, yes, at this point in time, the world, its countries, its governments, and its people, are under Satan’s power and his influence.  And if you have any doubt, I suggest you start reading the news.

Satan has rule and influence over this world and its people.  They may not be possessed by the devil, but they are undoubtedly influenced. 

You and I are living in a world that is suffering the consequences of sin.  Sin is a “poison” that has spread throughout humanity; it has infected us all.  And sin has no morals; it has no respect for age or race.  It infects the powerful and the weak.  It leads the greatest among us into immorality.  We cheat and lie just to wear a crown (or a medal).  Sin causes us to trample the weak.  Sin entices us to become “King of the Hill.”  And sadly, there is no cure for sin in this life; there is, however, a way to overcome the influence of sin; to resist the influence of Satan.  There is a way out from under this curse, and that is through Jesus.

Christ came to break Satan’s spiritual domination and influence in the world.  And each time a person gives their heart to Jesus, Christ wins a spiritual victory one person at a time.  Soon, Satan will lose the physical battle for this earth as well.  When this 7^th trumpet sounds, Jesus will begin His physical victory.

So, although Jesus is not Lord of this earth yet, He is the spiritual Lord of all who believe; on the cross, He won a spiritual battle, but the physical battle still rages all around us.  We see this every day.  We should not be shocked when we hear news of some great tragedy; saddened, yes, but not surprised, for Satan still has influence in this world; sin still has power over the hearts of humanity.  It is not Gun Control we should be seeking, but rather sin control.  As Christians, we should be seeking to free those still enslaved by sin.  I don’t want to take away someone’s gun; I want to take away sin’s grip on their heart.  Until sin’s influence is removed, even a gunless person will find a way to commit a crime.

My friend, as you observe the troubles in this world today, you see the result of a world under the influence and dominion of Satan.  But, through Christ’s death, a person can be spiritually freed from Satan’s influence.  On the cross, Jesus defeated sin’s penalty.  Because of the Holy Spirit, we are no longer under sin’s power.  And one day, when Jesus returns, we will no longer be under sin’s presence.  These promises are faithful and true, for Christ has already begun to reign spiritually; if we allow Him, He will have power and influence in our heart.

This is what our world so desperately needs; not laws or restrictions, but freedom from Satan’s power and influence.  The world needs to be set free from the shackles of sin.  And the Church – Christians like us – holds the message of hope that can set them free.  We hold this treasure in jars of clay; I pray we share that treasure before it is too late.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mk 13:7–8). Carol Stream, IL.

^[2] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (2 Ti 4:3–4). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Re 11:15–19). Carol Stream, IL.

Can I Get a Witness - February 18, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

At one point during a game, the coach said to one of his young players, "Do you understand what cooperation is and what teamwork is all about?"  The little boy nodded. "Do you understand that what really matters is not whether we win or lose, but that we play together as a team?"  Again, the boy nodded yes. "Good," the coach continued. "And, when a strike is called, or you're thrown out at first, you don't argue, curse, attack the umpire with a bat, or throw dirt in the opposing team members face. Do you understand all that?"  "Well, sure, coach,” said the boy. “That's what you taught us."  "Good," said the coach. "Now, please go over there and explain all that to your mother."

Odd, isn’t it, that the same parents who want their children to be more respectful do not demonstrate respect for others in their own lives?  I’m sure you know this; I’m sure you know that children learn more by observing your behavior rather than listening to what you say.  You understand this, right?  Children and adults will know what sort of person you are by observing your actions.  If you’ve studied the Bible, you’ll recall that Jesus teaches us how a tree can be identified by its fruit… meaning that a person’s heart can be identified by their actions and their words.  “What you say flows from what is in your heart” ^[1] says the Lord in Luke 6:45.

This is called our “witness.”  And if we claim to be a Christian, we either confirm or undermine that claim by our actions.  As the saying goes; actions speak louder than words.

As if to confirm this, the Lord reveals to John a side-story in the Book of Revelation; it’s a story about two individuals who are God’s witnesses in Jerusalem.  While all the “seal and trumpet” disasters are taking place, God empowers two people to stand outside the Temple and proclaim the mighty power of the Lord.  We read of them in Revelation 11:1-14.

Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. ² But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. ³ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”

⁴ These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. ⁵ If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. ⁶ They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

⁷ When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. ⁸ And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. ⁹ And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. ¹⁰ All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.

¹¹ But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. ¹² Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.

¹³ At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

¹⁴ The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly. ^[2]

Bible scholars speculate “who” or “what” these two witnesses are, but we probably shouldn’t be trying to figure that out.  It’s clear they are real people.  People can be killed, not angels or supernatural beings.  And it’s doubtful that this represents the Church.  However, we should recognize the role they play in End-Time events.

The Olive Tree and the Lampstand reference connects us with Zechariah 4:2-14.  In that section, Joshua and Zerubbabel are said to have been empowered by the Spirit (the Lampstand) and guided by heavenly beings (Olive Trees).  In the same way, the two witnesses in Revelation 11 are empowered by the Spirit of God and the Angels of God (God grants them authority – verse 3).  They stand in Jerusalem and glorify God for three and a half years.  This happens during the first 42 months of the Great Tribulation.

So, during the opening of the seals and the first six trumpet plagues, these two witnesses will stand in the streets of Jerusalem, presumably just outside the Temple, and proclaim God’s truth.  I’m guessing during the suffering caused by these tribulation events, the two witnesses will point to God and remind people why they are being judged.  Talk about a voice crying in the wilderness!!

For what purpose?  For what reason?  Why send these two witnesses?  People will be tortured and killed by the forces of darkness (Revelation 9).  The word will be seduced into war.  Because of the tragedies, people will acknowledge the judgment of God (Revelation 6:16).  Yet in all these miseries, they will refuse to repent; they will not be humbled, and they will not change (for this, Jerusalem is compared to Sodom and Egypt – two other nations that did not repent despite the many signs from God).

At the prescribed time – probably half way through the tribulation – the antichrist demonstrates his true nature and defeats these two prophets.  For this, the world throws a holiday.  Maybe they think all the catastrophes will now end.  However, three and a half days later, these dead witnesses will come back to life, and God will call them to heaven.  There is an earthquake that kills 7,000 people in Jerusalem; those who survive give glory to God.

Don’t miss that point.  Finally, the people give glory to God.

Wait… now they give glory to God?  Why?  What will be different about these two witnesses?  I suppose one could argue that giving glory to God is not the same as turning to God in faith, but at least they don’t run and hide.

Please don’t miss this point; two faithful witnesses will accomplish what the horrors of hell do not.  People will give glory to God because of these two faithful individuals, but not when they experience misery and suffering.

I suggest to you that any Christian living today has within them the potential to become like these two witnesses… meaning that a Christian has the potential to cause a watching world give glory to God.  No, I’m not speaking about a Christian’s physical death and resurrection; I’m talking about a life so drastically changed that friends and family give God credit for a life transformed.

It’s true; all the teaching and preaching in this world is not nearly as effective as a life well lived.  People will believe what they see more than they will believe what they hear.  If you allow the Lord and the Spirit to change you, the world will see a difference.

And you become a witness.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 6:45). Carol Stream, IL.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 11:1–14). Carol Stream, IL:

Just Keep Preaching - February 11, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

In 1952, a young man named Jim Elliot left for the country of Ecuador, South America.  He, and several other young men, planned to take the message of Jesus deep into the jungle area around Quichua (Kee-chew-wah).  One tribe, the Waodani (Wah-o-dah-nee), lived deep in the jungle.  And they were quite violent.  They lived with a code of revenge and had killed many people in the area, including several workers from a nearby oil company.  Oddly, Jim Elliot, Pete Flemming, Nate Saint, and 2 others decided to reach these violent people, and set up camp along a river near their village.  These young missionary men spent two days making contact with the Waodani and, because of the gifts they gave, began to show some success.  But on January 8, 1956, all five of these men were killed in a raid by these savage people, and not one Waodani was led to the Lord. 

This could have been just another one of those stories where people fail to reach others in the name of Jesus, But, that’s not the end of this story.  Jim’s wife, Elizabeth Elliot, his sister, Rachael, and another woman reattempted to build a relationship with the same people who had murdered the original missionaries.  Instead of revenge, they showed grace.  And this time there was success.  A few years later, Steve Saint even befriended the very man who had killed his father, Nate.  He and Mincaye (Min-kay) ministered side-by-side to the tribal people near Quito, Ecuador.   Lives were changed where it seemed there was no hope.

We need to remember that as long as there is still time, there is always hope.

The fifth and sixth trumpet from the book of Revelation reveal the truth about humanity.  Even though Satan and his demons make life miserable, people still do not turn to God.  They didn’t turn to God during times of peace, they rejected God’s Son when He walked the earth, and they still reject the Lord when Satan kills 1/3 humanity.  Truly, the heart of Man is like stone; it will not be broken or bent.  People simply will not humble themselves and give their life to the Lord.  And if God can’t convince people to place their trust in Him, what chance does a servant of God have?

Do you think John was heartbroken?

I wouldn’t blame him if he was; that’s how I feel from time to time. 

Think about John’s life for a moment.  He was one of the apostles who walked with Jesus.  He watched the Lord heal the sick, feed the hungry, rescue the outcast, and love the sinner.  However, despite all the miracles of Jesus, John witnessed a large number of people stop following the Lord (John 6:66).  It must have been frustrating for John.  He knew Jesus as the Son of God; he walked with the Messiah, but many refused to believe (John 1:11).  John ministered for nearly 60 years; he too healed the sick and helped the lame walk again… all in the name of Jesus.  Yet he watched every other apostle become a martyr; they were killed because of their faith.  And now, here he was, a prisoner on an island; forced by Rome to work the mines because of his faith.  Do you think he had moments of discouragement?  Do you think he ever spent time wondering if all the sacrifices he made were worth the heartache?  And if that were not enough, God demonstrates just how stubborn people truly are through these End Time events.  People simply will not turn to God – not during times of peace, not during suffering, and not during war. 

God gives John a glimpse into the future, and it is not pretty.  And apparently John was becoming discouraged.  After all, remember that he had the heart of an evangelist.  His desire was to see people turn to Christ and be saved.  But if God’s revelations were true, the salvation of humanity seemed hopeless.  It’s no wonder that John became discouraged and was ready to quit.

Apparently, the Lord saw the discouragement in John’s heart.  So, during an interlude between the sixth and the seventh trumpets, John is given a vision that applies to him, not End Time events.  Chapter 10 of Revelation is a message for John, but I think it is also a message for anyone who becomes discouraged about reaching people who do not know Jesus.

Revelation 10:1-11.  Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire. ² And in his hand was a small scroll that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. ³ And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered.

⁴ When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Keep secret what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down.”

⁵ Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand toward heaven. ⁶ He swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, “There will be no more delay. ⁷ When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets.”

⁸ Then the voice from heaven spoke to me again: “Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. “Yes, take it and eat it,” he said. “It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!” ¹⁰ So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach.

¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”

This lesson reminds me of the parable Jesus tells in Matthew 24.  In that chapter, the Savior is also talking about End Time events.  Speaking to His disciples, Jesus encourages them to stay focused and alert.  They are to keep serving and caring for others up to the very end (Matthew 24:46).  A believer is to keep watch and be ready all the time, “for the Son of Man will come when least expected” (Matthew 24:44).

It can be discouraging for the Christian who keeps praying for someone, but never sees a change.  It can be frustrating to invite people to church, but no one seems to come.  The message we have is "sweet," yet the anguish we feel for those who do not respond is "bitterness" in our soul.  However, ...

We are not to quit; we cannot give up.  Even yet, there will be some who give glory to God (Revelation 11:13).  And we will talk about that next week.  But the message God gives John is the same message He has for you and me.  Never stop praying; never stop inviting.  It's not over until Christ returns.  Until the day the Lord returns, we must be faithful - caring for the people of this world and talking to them about Jesus.

There still might be one more person who is saved.

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The Sixth Trumpet - February 4th, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

A school teacher asked the class to name their favorite animal.  Young Calvin said, "Fried chicken."   She said he wasn't funny, but everyone else laughed.  Calvin said he was just being honest.  Fried chicken is his favorite animal. He loved animals, especially chicken… and pork… and beef. 

Anyway, the teacher sent him to the principal's office.  Calvin told him what happened, and he laughed, too. Then he told the young man not to do it again. 

The next day in class, the teacher asked the students to name their favorite live animal. When she came to Calvin, he told her it was chicken. She asked why, so he told her it was because you could make them into fried chicken. She sent him back to the principal's office. He laughed, and told Calvin not to do it again.

The poor child went home confused.  His parents had taught him to be honest, but his teacher apparently doesn’t like it when he is.  What was he supposed to do?  The next day the teacher asked the class to name a famous person they most admired.

Calvin told her, "Colonel Sanders."

I guess every classroom has a Calvin – that kid who never seems to change.  Teachers try and try to get through to them, but nothing seems to work.

Sometimes I wonder if this is how God feels about humanity.  He tries and tries to reach people, but some just will not change.  Take, for instance, the events in Revelation 9.  At first He tried suffering; then He tries war.  But nothing seems to change the hearts of the people. (Read Revelation 9:13-21).

The fifth trumpet brought suffering; the sixth one brings death.  200 million mounted troops wage war against humanity and one-third of the people on this earth are killed.  They are killed by the three “plagues” that billow from the mouth of these horse-like creatures; the fire, smoke, and burning sulfur.  If you combine the 25% killed when the Fourth Seal is broken and this one-third, at least 50% of the world’s population has been annihilated (100% - 25% = 75%.  One-third of 75% is 25%).

It’s possible this army is the same one mentioned in Daniel 11:40-45 and Revelation 16:12-16.  It is clear that this army serves the antichrist; this is a demonic army under the control of four demons (Holy angels are not bound).  In Daniel’s vision this army wages war with another army from the south (the area around Egypt).  Once the army in Africa is conquered, the mounted troops turn back north, stopping in a broad plain between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean Sea.  There, this wild, demonic army will meet its demise.  In Revelation 16, this broad plain is called Armageddon.

Like the creatures from the fifth trumpet, these horses and their riders are demonic in origin, not some earthly nation waging biological warfare.  The horses remind me of a dragon more than anything else.  They can attack from the front and from behind.  And these creatures are just as frightening as the locust-like creatures from the first “woe” (Revelation 9:1-12).

How are we supposed to respond to these words?  Why has the Lord given them to us?  As a Christian, why is it important I know of these “Seals and Trumpets?”  Should I use them to warn my unsaved friends?  Are they intended to scare someone into heaven?  If they do, then I guess that’s okay, but I feel the whole reason the Lord revealed these things is to demonstrate why the wicked people of this world should be condemned.

The two trumpets in this chapter reveal some of the greatest anguish the world has ever seen… will ever see (these events are still in the future).  According to Jesus, “unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones” ^[1] (Matthew 24:22).  You would think that after 6 months of torment (fifth trumpet) and after the massive death toll from a demonic army (sixth trumpet), the world would be beating a pathway to the Lord.  But instead of rushing to Jesus and repenting of their sinful ways, these people continue in their sin.  Even after these four demonic angels wipe out 1/3 of the population, humanity still worships demons and idols.  They still murder one another, participate in the occult, are sexually immoral, and steal from one another.  Nothing changes. 

Here, we learn an interesting lesson about humanity.  These people did not repent during a time of peace, and they did not repent during a time of strife.  Repentance does not always happen during a time of suffering.  Oh, I know it happens every now and then, but for the most part, suffering doesn’t change a person’s opinion about themselves or about God.

People repent when they become aware of their guilt, and when they become aware of God’s grace.  Pain or anguish seldom produces this awareness.  Tragedy does not often lead to revival.  Sure, many people will turn to God in a crisis, but not because they feel remorse for their sin.  Rather, they want God to take away their suffering.  For example, only one of the ten lepers healed by Jesus returned to worship the Lord (Luke 17:17).  Here, the people suffering during this demonic war continue in their sin; they do not repent.

For this reason, I believe, God teaches us about these “Seals, Trumpets, and later, about the Bows of Wrath.”  He is revealing His future plans so on the Day of Judgment, when all humanity stands before God, everyone will know that the Lord’s judgment is justified.  He gave mankind every opportunity to repent.  He called to humanity during times of peace, and many refused to listen.  He sent His Son to plead with people, and instead, they nailed Him to a cross.  He sent distress and suffering, yet humanity continued to do evil.  What more could He have done (Isaiah 5:4)?

The Good News for you and I is that this demonic-led army is something that will happen in the future.  I don’t know how far in the future, but it probably takes place about 7 years after the Church is called to heaven.  The good news is that there is still time to turn to God in this day of peace.  God is working today with a ministry of Grace.  Through Christ, God is redeeming those who admit their sin and turn to Christ (to truly repent).  Today is a day of salvation; tomorrow it will be a day of judgment and plagues and suffering.

So, turn to Christ as your Savior today; God is watching for the prodigal to come home.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Mt 24:22). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.