Sermon on 29 January 2023 by Ps Justin
Some topics covered would be the rapture of the church, the tribulation timeline and the new Heaven and Earth.
Eschatology is the study of the end time and future events. To understand the end times, you must understand the history of Israel. Abraham is the founding father of Israel. God, through Israel, blessed the whole world and gave His beloved Son. When you understand the history of Israel, you would be amazed by the astounding things that are already happening.
Genesis 12:3 - “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.””
The end is imminent. Jesus is coming soon. His return is near. But how near? The Bible says He is outside the door. We are not looking at the exact day and time. The Bible tells us that no one, not even the angels in Heaven, will know about when the Second Coming of Christ is. We focus on what we can do to prepare ourselves as we live in the end times.
Revelation 22:7 - ““Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book. ””
In the book Revelation, there are seven beatitudes. It would be a blessing if you read those seven beatitudes. They focus on keeping and doing holiness.
Revelation 22:12 - ““Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.”
We will receive all things that are done through this body, good or bad. We all have to appear in-front of God. The reward is with our Lord and we will appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
Revelation 22:20 - “He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”
When you see all these things, know that He is near. He is just outside the door. The word soon in Greek is ‘Tachy’. It means shortly, quickly. A day is like a thousand years to the Lord. When you read Isaiah, you understand the words of prophecy of the First Coming of Christ. When it starts to unfold, it moves so quickly. The prophecies in Daniel are also happening so quickly. We need to be ready and prepare ourselves for His coming. It’s so near.
Matthew 24:33 - “In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.”
Matthew 24:27 - “For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes.”
Revelation 22:6 - “Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon.””
2 Peter 3:8 - “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.”
Matthew 24:36 - ““However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”
Romans 1:16 - “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”
2 Timothy 4:2-4 - “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”
You must be bold. You must not be ashamed of the gospel. The gospel needs to be preached to the whole world. This generation has got greater opportunity at influencing the eternal destiny of people than previous generations. This generation is also facing more temptations than ever. Don’t feed your flesh until it’s so fat. We are supposed to be ready all the time.
We should continue to walk with Jesus, shine for Jesus and help others come to Jesus. Let others see that we are servants of God. The only requirement to be a steward is faith.
1 Corinthians 4:1 - “So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.”
1 Thessalonians 5:8 - “But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.”
Put on the breast plate of faith, love and hope. Walk in the light and share the gospel. We are so close now to the next coming and the return of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 - “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.”
2 Timothy 1:7 - “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
By living in it, living through it and encouraging all with it! Shine for Christ and preach the word. Fulfil the ministry that God has called you into.
How do we prepare?
Remain. To prepare is to remain in Christ.
Revelation 16:15 - ““Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.””
1. Remain truthful and don’t be deceived
There will be many people who depart from the faith in the last days. This doctrine of demons is going all out to the world. These are the seeds of Satan. They receive you with a Bible in their hands. It is easy to identify a wolf in sheep's clothing but it is harder to identify a sheep in wolf clothing.
Matthew 24:11 - “And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.”
Matthew 24:24 - “For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.”
Galatians 1:8 - “Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.”
2. Remain faithful as disciples of Christ
Without faith, you cannot please God. With faith, you can be fruitful. It will be easy for you to be humble and obey. Love one another as Christ have loved you.
John 13:34-35 - “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””
Matthew 24:13 - “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Hebrews 10:25 - “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Revelation 3:11 - “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.”
3. Remain prayerful for revival
Revival comes when we all pray, not by looking at numbers. Revival for a believer happens when there is a change in heart. You confess your sins genuinely. It is with a genuine faith and good conscience. You would see a great harvest of souls.
Romans 12:12c - “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 - “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”
4. Remain fruitful in drawing people to Jesus
If you continue to lead a life according to what you think or what, instead of remaining faithful, you are living in the world.
1 Corinthians 4:1 - “So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.”
Acts 1:8 - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””
Let us remain fruitful in drawing people to Christ even in the most vehement opposition.
Isaiah 45:22 - “Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other.”
Amen.
コメント