The World Darkens, but The Word of God Shines

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What we're going to do today is come to part 3 on our little series on the
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Word of God. And after I studied this, I've been reading through commentaries throughout the week sporadically here, and then yesterday
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I dove in, I guess you could say, into some deep waters. And I assure you,
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Lord willing, we will have a part 4 on this. It's just too deep. The text before us, the
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Apostle Peter is dealing with the truth of the
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Word of God. And as you well know, the Scriptures itself is its own defense of the
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Word of God. As Brother Keith mentioned earlier about Psalm 119, that is the
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Mount Everest. It's God's commentary on His own Word. And I would like for us to have another part on this, because there's no way we're going to be able to bring this out, especially verse 20 and 21.
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I have three points, but the third point we're going to,
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Lord willing, pick up next week. So, in chapter 1 of 2
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Peter, this wonderful second epistle, notice how many times the
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Apostle is, first of all, giving us the truth, the way the believer looks like.
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Then he goes to the Word of God, and then as the direction flows by the
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Spirit of God, as he's moved by the Holy Spirit, and he speaks about this in this particular verse we're looking at today.
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He goes to chapter 2, and notice chapter 2 deals with false teachers and false prophets and their heretical teaching.
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But isn't it important to realize, to know how a false teacher looks like, what he teaches, before he is to be reproved, he must be exposed.
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What exposes him? The truth of the Word of God. Not our opinions.
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It is God's Word. And that's what Peter is actually bringing out here.
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So we're going to be picking up right there, but the title of this is The World Darkens, but the
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Word of God Shines. The World Darkens, but the Word of God Shines. So, if you're not already there, let's look at 2
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Peter chapter 1, and let me read verse 19 through 21 at the end of the chapter.
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And like I said, we're not going to finish all this today, but we're going to try to cover as much tracks as we possibly can.
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I'm reading from the New King James Version, translation. Hear the word of the living
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God, verse 19. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed.
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Or some translations would say, we also have the more sure prophetic word.
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I like that translation much better. We also have the more sure prophetic word, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
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Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.
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In verse 21, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the
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Holy Spirit. Amen and amen. May God richly bless the reading of His word from our ears to our hearts.
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Please bow with me in prayer as we seek the Lord and His blessing and His anointing.
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Our Father and our God, we come before You, O Lord. First of all, as it's already been said, we thank
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You for this precious book, or 66 books that's been compiled into one great book, the word of the living
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God. Your holy word, You have blessed it. You've blessed it to the reading of our ears, but even more so,
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Lord, You've blessed it in our lives. We have a privilege, it's such a privilege we have it in our own language, and it's cost so many, cost so many the blood of their very lives.
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Lord, You've said various times and various ways, You have spoke time past in these last days, spoken to us by the prophets, and now in these last days it's spoken to us by Your beloved
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Son. So Lord, our prayer this morning is that the same prayer the psalmist prayed in 119, deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep
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Your word. Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.
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Lord, we would pray, cause us, cause we cannot do this within our own power, cause us to see only
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Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That we would only see Jesus. So that we may look and live and behold the
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Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. And not only see
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Jesus, but to hear only Jesus. Father, You pointed this out at the Mount of Transfiguration.
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Hear ye Him. Hear ye Him. And to the end, that we may love
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You. Lord, that we may submit to Your word. Obey You. And we ask this for Your glory, in Jesus' name
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I pray. Amen and Amen. And the world darkens, but the word of God shines.
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Warren Wearsby in his commentary has a wonderful observation he gives to us in this particular section, that's very interesting.
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It's an interesting observation concerning the advancements the world has made. And I quote him here, he says this, in some respects the world is getting better.
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I thank God for the advances of medicine, transportation and communication.
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I could speak to more people. He was a very well known spokesman years past.
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He's with the Lord now. But he says I could speak, he also spoke through the Bible.
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I could speak to more people on one radio program than the apostles preached to their entire lifetimes.
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I can write books that can be spread abroad even more translated, even translated into different languages, in areas of scientific achievement.
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The world has made great progress, but the human heart, the human heart is still wicked.
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And all of our improvements and means have not improved our lives.
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Medical science enables people to live longer, but there is no guarantee they will live better.
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Modern means of communication only enables lies to travel faster.
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Jet planes enable us to get places faster, but we do not have better places to go.
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And I'll stop right there, that's pretty much what he says, and quote, I think this is so true.
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And Wiersbe gives a good observation. And he was talking all about this before the inventions of the internet and the iPhones.
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If he was around today and seeing that, he'd be quite surprised.
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But yet we're not surprised, are we? As children of the living God. And it should not be a bit surprising to us that the world is so engulfed.
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Engulfed in spiritual darkness. Zombies, I see this quite often, people just walk in the streets like zombies.
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We live in a very dark world, and it's not surprising because of sin.
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In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord Jesus Christ warned us that there would be counterfeits, there would be false teachers, no exceptions.
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That would invade the church of the living God with their false doctrines, their heresies.
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Matter of fact, let me read just a portion there. You don't have to go there, but it's a very strong portion right at the end before he concludes that wonderful, the greatest sermon ever preached on that mount.
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Matthew chapter 7, verse 15 through 20. Let me just give you a portion of this, because it's so important of the words of our
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Lord Jesus Christ that He gives to us the warnings against false teachers.
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The first thing He says as He goes into this particular section, Beware, there's the word, beware of false prophets, false teachers, who come to you in sheep's clothing, sheep's clothing, but inwardly, in their hearts, who they really are in other words, they are ravenous wolves.
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You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?
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What a question. Then He says this, Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
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That's the way the law of nature goes. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
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A very simple illustration there, but how true it is to the nature of man and to those who are not converted, and to those that are converted.
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Then He goes on to say, Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down.
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He says it's cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, He comes to the point here, and this is what real discernment does, righteous judgment.
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There is a judgment here. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.
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You will know them. And the judge is not us.
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The judge is the word of God. Now, this is a very somber and serious warning from our
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Lord, concerning false teachers. The Apostle Paul also gave similar warnings to the elders in Ephesus.
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I don't have time, but if you read it in your devotional time, Acts chapter 20. He calls the elders to come together.
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The Apostle Paul brings them together and he charges them. These are elders.
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These are leaders. These are pastors. And he warns them against false teachers, and uses the same language our
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Lord does. They will be like wolves, and they will not spare the flock. Serious.
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Wolves eat sheep. He continued to give warnings after warnings throughout all of His epistles throughout the
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New Testament. And by the way, the Apostle Paul was used so mightily of God, he gives us most of the
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New Testament. A large portion of it. Even the Apostle John, known as the
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Apostle of Love, by the way, warned us about many antichrists that will come.
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False teachers who would seek to destroy the church. Infiltrate it like leaven.
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A little leaven leavens the whole lot, Paul said. Same loving warnings against false teachers come from also the
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Apostle Jude, the Apostle James, the Apostle John, the
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Apostle Paul. Jesus Himself spoke against the false teachers. And here now the
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Apostle Peter tells us these warnings. These apostles did not expect the world, by the way, this dark world to get better, did they?
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As a matter of fact, it's going to get worse. I know that sounds like a negative statement. But it's the truth.
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False teachers will come and infiltrate the church. And we see this happening right before our very eyes.
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Just cut on the television. And they're right there. With a phony grin.
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And with a suit. Motivational speakers. But you won't hear one word about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the sufferings of Christ, the sufferings of a
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Christian, and the glory of God. I assure you of that.
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But you'll hear everything about how good you can live this life, how blessings will overflow you, and give them what they want to hear.
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Itching ears, Paul said. And these people come as wolves in sheep's clothing.
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And they are spreading and teaching their damnable heresies. Sounds harsh, but it's the truth.
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They will lead some and many astray from the faith that was once delivered to the saints. As a matter of fact, let me give you another verse here.
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We've already heard the Lord Jesus Christ, which I believe is the most serious warnings of all. But the
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Apostle Paul, again and again, warns in 1
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Timothy chapter 4, let me read verse 1 and 2. Now the
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Spirit, now notice what he says. The Spirit, the Holy Spirit, says, not
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Paul's interpretation here, not his private interpretation. It is the Spirit of God.
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The Spirit expressively says that in the latter times, some would depart from the faith.
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What happens? Giving heed to deceiving spirits, seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.
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Another translation is a scorched conscience. The conscience is scorched.
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Beloved, we are there. We are here. We are living in these days. There is a famine in the land of the
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Word of God. The world gets darker and darker, but the Word of God will shine brighter and brighter, even if it's in a small minority.
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Gideon had the lance. God used Gideon and his small band, and God was glorified in the small band.
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And they had the lance to bust and go forth, and they did exactly what God said.
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Verse 19 through 21, the Apostle Peter here really makes three simple but powerful affirmations about the
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Word of God. And as I was reading Warren Wiersbe, I got this simple outline for him, so I'm going to give him the credit.
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Verse 1, I'm sorry, in chapter 1, verse 19, verse 19a, it is a sure word.
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It is a sure word. Second, in verse 19b, it is a shining word.
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It is a shining word. And third, Lord willing, next week, we will pick up here, verse 20 and 21, it is the
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Spirit -given word. I love that. And I said, Brother Wiersbe, I'm going to have to borrow that.
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I'm going to give you credit. But I love that simple outline, so I'm using it. A sure word, a shining word, and a
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Spirit -given word. And then we will look at some applications at our conclusion. First of all, the
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Word of God is a sure word. We have a sure word. A more sure word, actually, what the
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Scripture says, and He says this, we also, we, have the more sure prophetic word confirmed.
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It's confirmed. I love that. There is a confirmation. And by the way, at the
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Mount of Transfiguration, there is not a contradiction, there is a confirmation.
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And what happened at the Mount of Transfiguration was foretold by the prophets. So it's not something that was out of the ordinary.
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There was a confirmation to it. These verses here, Peter's defense, his defense of his premise is really the return and the arrival of Jesus Christ.
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That is his defense. That's his target point. The coming of Jesus Christ.
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And that is a verified truth and a fact. So the apostle, for his defense of this truth, and I love the way
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Peter does this, and it's by the wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit that leads him. Peter brings forth two witnesses for his defense.
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We're going to look at these two witnesses. But if you look in verse 16 through 18, as we looked at, he introduces what he and the apostle saw concerning the transfigured
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Lord. It was a display and a preview, a foretaste of Christ's glorious return to reign in great power as King of kings and Lord of lords.
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They saw a foretaste of this. And by appealing to the facts of history,
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Jesus Himself stands as the first witness. Jesus is the first witness.
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And Peter calls into defense. That's a good witness. The Lord Himself.
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The head of the church. He introduces the second witness. And guess what the second witness is?
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The Old Testament Scriptures. How do we know this? Jesus is in the middle. And then you have
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Moses and Elijah representing the Law and the
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Prophets. They represent pretty much all that is said from God using these men of the entirety of the whole of Scripture.
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All focused on Jesus Christ. That's really what
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Peter is saying. Rather, working against each other, the revelation of Jesus Christ that was recorded in the
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Gospels affirmed all that the Prophets predicted and so worked together to affirm the certainty of Christ's return.
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And keep that in mind because that is His target. He is speaking about the truth of the second coming of Jesus.
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How often do you ever hear a false teacher talking about that? Do you hear about the coming of the
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Lord? The second coming of Jesus? No, you turn to Revelation and some pretty rough things is going to be happening.
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God is going to pour out His wrath. False teachers are not going to warn you of the wrath to come.
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Or are they going to warn you to flee from the wrath to come? As John the
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Baptist did. And Peter presents the Old Testament as His second witness.
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Peter explains three vital principles here. And let me give them to you. Every believer, first of all, must understand.
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There must be a proper knowledge. We looked at that. He speaks about that all in chapter 1 before us.
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The knowledge of God. The knowledge of the truth. The knowledge of self -control.
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You see this all. The knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. The knowledge.
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Not just intellectual knowledge. He is talking about this deep -seated knowledge of the truth that is found only in the
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Scriptures and in Jesus Christ. Which the Scriptures point to. Christ.
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So the three vital principles here is we must understand regarding the Old Testament Scriptures as we will look at that the
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Word of God is a sure, more sure Word and a shining Word and a Spirit -given Word. But we also must understand the relationship the
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Old Testament has with the New Testament. That's critical. That is very critical because and then following up after that there is a method and that method is by which we approach the
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Old Testament and the source from which we receive the Old Testament and by the way there is no one that is going to truly understand this book unless they have the
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Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God will is the one that opens our eyes to the truth.
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To perceive the truth. We will look at that in a minute. So, three vital truths given principles here our relationship and understanding the
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Old and New Testaments the method we approach it and the source from which we receive it.
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So we must understand this by God's help and grace as we study to show ourselves approved unto
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God to rightly divide the Word of Truth so that we will be a workman that needs not to be ashamed.
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So we saw last Lord's Day that Peter makes a link a bridge, so to speak if you will between what he just stated in verses 16 through 18 of the
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Transfiguration. Now let me comment about this again to give us up to speed.
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It is necessary that we follow his train of thought because his train of thought within these next few verses verses 19 through 21 is really the backdrop is the
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Transfiguration of Jesus Christ the preview of the Second Coming of Jesus. That's the backdrop that's really what he's aiming at.
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So the first question we will look at pretty much it's been answered by the text itself is it must be answered whether Peter pits the prophetic word against the witness
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Transfiguration or does he use both the prophetic word and the
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Transfiguration to advance his argument? So pretty much that's what he does the
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Transfiguration, the experience that happens there that happened there is not pitted against the
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Scriptures. It's actually the prophetic Scriptures that foretold it.
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See, it confirms, that's why he said it's a more sure prophetic word that's confirmed
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You see his train of thought there. So it's very critical that we understand that.
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The we, notice he calls into witnesses Peter calls into James speaks of the
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Apostle James he speaks of the Apostle John but also it could mean the other
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Apostles as well but specifically at the Mount of Transfiguration he's speaking specifically about James and John referred to in verse 16 -18 now the
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Apostles here and he also does he has someone else in mind or does he?
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No. We will consider these questions as we look at but Peter first establishes a connection between what the
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Apostles witnessed and saw and the Scriptures that actually predicted this glorious event by the way, it was a glorious preview way to it fully comes in its fullness when he comes back
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I'm telling you the whole earth and the heavens will shake nations will be stricken down he provides an encouragement too by the way just not warnings there is encouragement to the readers to keep searching the
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Scriptures so long as they are preserved because they are profitable they are profitable for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished through all good works the point
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Peter really is making is in verse 19 the word of God is sure don't you love that?
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there is an affirmation and by the way the gospel itself affirms the prophets the gospel itself affirms the prophets and when
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I say the gospel I'm talking about Jesus I'm talking about his person I'm talking about his works
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I'm talking about his life and all that he did from the moment he was born into the stable to his humiliation to the cross his death on Calvary's cross everything that the whole entire
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Bible focuses on is on Christ and we're going to see that but Peter says we also have a more sure prophetic word and by the way the apostates and the apostates is a serious term this is someone that claimed to be a believer that knows the knowledge they've tasted of the word of God the book of Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews deals with this that's why it's called apostasy apostates they know this truth and yet they turn against the
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Lord willingly and blasphemy because of their hate for the truth satanic and this is where Satan works the most he's got the world folks they're in darkness but it's within he's trying to infiltrate and he does it through the false teachers we see this you and I talk to people that's been brainwashed by these false teachers and given them what they want to hear the flesh just soaks it up and it's everything that the devil offered to Jesus while Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness same devil and you see what he does and notice you go back to the garden of Eden the garden of Eden where God dwelled and met man to commune with him
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Satan targets the real target just was not yes it was
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Adam to bring down the human race but he does it through casting doubt on God's character and God's word that was where the cross hairs was aimed at and Satan went after it because he's the father of all lies and Jesus says that's who we're dealing with and notice when
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Jesus defeated him from those temptations Jesus had to come back it is written again it is written again the word of Lord God's word and here's the living word quoting the written word how much more should we?
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it's sobering well the apostates will attempt to discredit the promise of Christ is coming naturally there's judgment to come a false teacher will not talk about this folks take it to the bank challenge anybody that listens to Joel Osteen Benny Hinn or any of these heretics
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I can guarantee you they do not preach about the judgment to come but this
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Bible is all about this and if you're outside of Jesus Christ there will be no hope
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Jesus is the only way the only truth the only life the only hope so if they see but what these false teachers want to present they want to have their cake and eat it too they basically want the millennium promises given to them they want a crown without a cross but Jesus knew he desired the cross he knew the joy before him he knew there was a crown because this is the king of glory so he goes to the cross but he knew the way to that glorification is through the cross and by the way there's no escape in it for any of us all disciples to be the disciples of Jesus Christ will have to bear a cross deny ourselves these false teachers teach that you can jump that you can skip that impossible 2
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Peter 3 .3 I've already quoted it last week knowing this first scoffers will come in the last days walking according to their own desires their own lust what did they say?
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where is the promise of his coming? where is the promise of his coming? now if they speak about the coming of Christ they're going to say oh no no there's not going to be no coming for since the fathers fell asleep they died all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation but the holy scriptures were sure for after all by the transfiguration the preview of the second coming of Jesus that's why
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Peter brings this up the promise of the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ is reaffirmed by Moses and Elijah and the son of God and the father in heaven that's good witnesses even the spirit of God himself wrote the record and for the church to read it isn't it glorious?
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that's the witnesses we have listen to Psalm 19 .7 the testimony of the
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Lord is sure I'm just giving you God's word Psalm 93 .5
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thy testimonies are very sure Psalm 111 .7
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all of his commandments all of his commandments are sure Psalm 119 .128
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therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way that's
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God I hate every false way every false way interesting also if you put together 2
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Peter 1 .16 and verse 19 it says it like this let me connect the two for we have not followed cunningly devised fables myths and then he says in verse 19 we have also a more sure word of prophecy oh my
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Peter says in verse 19a and so we also have a more sure prophetic word it's confirmed so Peter is basically saying in essence so we have also this more sure word it's a more sure prophetic word to which you do well in taking heed to as a lamp that shineth in an obscure place a murky dark place until the day dawn and the morning star rises in your hearts you know
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I believe he's saying there we should link the word heed with our hearts in other words we should in other words heed with our hearts it's our heart it's our soul just not the mind yes
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I like what R .C. says before it gets to the heart it must pass through the mind but it's got to get to the heart that's the target see
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Jesus read the sermon on the mount everything goes to the vodou every command and everything he says and you constantly hear him say this but of old you have heard it said thou shalt not kill but I say unto you if you committed murder in your heart you are already you've done it in your heart you have said of old it has been said of old thou shalt not commit adultery but I say unto you if you look on a woman and lust after her you've already committed adultery in your heart you see where Jesus goes he goes to the heart that's what he wants that's what he wants to change
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I like what one preacher said years ago I like this he said if I didn't have all this revelation and it's glorious that we do have all this revelation but if I didn't have all this revelation if I had just the sermon on the mount
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I would know how to live the Christian life I'd amen that the word of God is more reliable than anything the teachings of Jesus the person of Christ the atonement, the second coming his glorious virgin birth his perfect life his glorious atonement second coming of Jesus all of this the apostles focused on listen to the apostle
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Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 he speaks about the gospel in verse 1 to 4 moreover brethren
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I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you which also you received and in which you stand you stand in it verse 2 by which also you are saved this is what saves us the gospel if you hold fast there's perseverance you got to persevere to the end if you hold fast that word which
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I preached to you the word of faith the word of life that's what he's talking about and then he says unless you believed in vain it's interesting that he puts that in there because there's people that believe in vain verse 3 for I deliver to you he delivered it that's what the apostles was really for they delivered like the prophet the last of the
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Old Testament the apostle not the apostle but the prophet John the Baptist he was just a boy crying in the wilderness but he delivered the message and he said this is what he was all about his mission, his life was to point people to the
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Lamb of God and once that happened he knew death was imminent death was okay he fulfilled his ministry incredible and Paul goes on to say that Christ listen to this first of all that which also received he says that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures notice he didn't say according to my experience on the road to Damascus how many false teachers would say that?
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let me focus on my great experience here that God knocked me down on a horse and blinded me it's like I saw in noonday sun something so glorious and brighter than the sun itself but he did not elaborate on that now he gave testimony to it he testified of it before kings but when it came to the gospel he says according to the scriptures verse 4 that he was buried that he rose again the third day what?
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according to the scriptures according to the scriptures according to the scriptures not experiences but to the prophetic word refers not just to the
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Old Testament major and minor prophets but the entire Old Testament how do we know this?
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well in the truest sense the complete Old Testament was written by the prophets right? they were the men of God that was moved by the
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Holy Ghost and we'll see this Lord willing next week but since they spoke for God thus saith the
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Lord and wrote for God moved by the Spirit of God they spoke about the coming
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Messiah and even Jesus said this on the road of Emmaus Luke 24 7 and beginning at Moses and all the prophets he, speaking of Jesus expounded you know what that means?
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he explained to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself
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Jesus himself went to the scriptures and expounded on it wouldn't you love to hear that?
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then you jump to Luke 24 44 and 45 listen to this then he said to them these are the words which
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I speak to you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the
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Psalms concerning me and he opened their understanding that's key see because we can hear the sermons we can understand it intellectually but opening our understanding our perception of it that's another thing that takes the
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Spirit of God but Jesus can do that he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures
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I like what Pastor John MacArthur says about this text here he says this quote in the inscrutable wisdom of divine providence the substance of Christ's exposition of the
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Old Testament messianic prophecies was not recorded but the gist of what he expounded would have undoubtedly included an explanation of the
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Old Testament sacrificial system which is full of types and symbols and spoke of his sufferings and death and he also would have pointed them to the major prophetic passages which spoke of his crucifixion end quote that is so true even though we do not have a record a word by word of everything he preached that day we do know he went to you can imagine he went to Isaiah 53 and he quoted that whole chapter and he would say look this is all about me the suffering servant and he would go to the
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Psalms and he would go to all the prophecies of what the prophets spoke about him so the gospel affirms and confirms the
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Old Testament prophets and the events of Mount Transfiguration confirmed all these prophecies of what the apostles witnessed and did not set aside the
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Old Testament prophecies or make any more certain but simply added to the confirmation that's really the point so the apostles were given a glorious privilege and a glimpse of the glory of Jesus Christ future kingdom thy kingdom come thy will be done it's all going to be fulfilled folks when
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Jesus Christ comes back a second time well second not only is the word of God a more sure word it is a shining word it's a shining word very quickly notice verse 19 second portion of that you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts
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Old Testament has several Old Testament verses as many of them here I just chose just a couple examples of God's word being compared to a lamp here's one that's very familiar to us
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Psalm 119, 105 your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path notice that first it's a personal lamp to our personal feet then it's a light to the path so it must be first personal in our own walk and it's especially a light in a dark place meaning a murky picture of a dark cellar or so to speak a swamp human history begins in the garden of Eden doesn't it it's a lush it's a green garden but because of sin that garden was turned into a dark murky swamp it began as a beautiful lush garden now it turned into a dark very dark murky place that's the way this world is isn't it the world system the prince and the power of the air
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Satan the god of this world the depravity of men's hearts we see it everywhere just cut the news on we see people murdering murdering murdering and notice today as brother
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Willem talked about the numbers chapter 35 all the laws and the justice that God gives in courts see it all comes from Scripture God is a just God Peter describes the world as a murky dark fallen sin sick world and we see it now listen to the apostle
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Paul speak about this turn with me very quickly to 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 this is a wonderful chapter let me just read it to you look at chapter 4 verse 1 beginning in verse 1 therefore now it's interesting that therefore is there because the verse before we all verse 18 we have unveiled face beholding it in a mirror the glory of the
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Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as by the spirit of the
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Lord therefore see since we have this ministry we as we have received mercy we receive
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God's compassion we do not lose heart we do not faint but have renounced the hidden things of shame not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth there it is the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God that's what that's our ministry folks but even if our gospel is veiled it is veiled to those who are perishing verse 4 for whose minds the
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God of this age has blinded we live in a world that's blinded who do not believe they don't believe list the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is in the image of God should shine on them and notice what he says verse 5 and 6 for we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the
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Lord and ourselves for your bonds servants for Jesus sake for it is the
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God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ that's a loaded text but that's the power of the gospel it's like Paul was thinking about creation and a new creation and when there was dark and there was voidness and emptiness
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God speaks and then God says let's the first command
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God says let there be light and there was light powerful that's the power of the gospel folks there's another
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Old Testament verse I love Proverbs 6 .23 Solomon says is for the commandment is a lamp and the law is a light and notice what he says people don't like this part but I love it reproofs of instruction are the way of life reproofs believe believe it church would do well if she would pay close attention to these written prophetic verses but he speaks here the day of Christ his kingdom was soon dawn
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Jesus Christ began his earthly ministry in Matthew 4 .16 the people which sat in darkness saw a great light speaking about his first coming and to this dark world the dawning of a new day
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Jesus comes Luke 1 .78 through 79 through the tender mercy of our God with that which the day sprang from on high has visited us to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death to the
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God our feet and to the very way of peace speaking all about Jesus his first coming
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John 1 .4 and 5 in him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it how many people you see today that oh
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I need Jesus I need truth and they read the scriptures and yet they continue to sin and when they come to the passages of them about repentance about the command to repent
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I don't want it I don't want to hear it they harden their heart and the light what's happening folks the light is shining on their darkness and they love darkness rather than light and that's what
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Jesus said why not because of you and me saying it no it's the truth it's actually the power of the truth yes we must speak it but it's the power of the word of God you can read this in your devotional time but when
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John in John chapter 9 I'll read one verse from it or a couple verses
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I wish I had time to read that whole chapter but John chapter 9 this whole chapter is about Jesus healing a blind man and then
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Jesus points after the physical miracle Jesus points to the greater miracle and the greater miracle is he says this in verse 39 to the man that was once blind then he became seeing that but yet he did not come to salvation later on he came to salvation
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Jesus physically opened his eyes and if you read this whole chapter it begins with the disciples had a question and said rabbi, master who sinned the man or his parents that this man was born blind he was born this way
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Jesus said neither did this man or his parents sin but that the works of God should be revealed in him and then
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Jesus says this I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day the night is coming when no one can work and I love this verse 5 as long as I am in the world
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I am the light of the world Jesus calls the Christians as lights of the world right?
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but we reflect that light it's kind of like the moon the moon reflects the sun the sunlight and at a dark dark dark night if the moon is full don't you go up and see a full moon well that's the way the
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Christians should be we should be full and bright reflecting the glory of God and the sun the light of the sun in a dark world but Jesus Jesus is that light the day until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts now it's important to note the preposition until Peter is referring to this as a marker of time you know what that means as a point in other words when the light of scripture is no longer necessary and Jesus said it
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I just quoted it he said as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world but I must work the works of him who sent me because one day when the second coming of Christ comes it's all going to be done there will be no more evangelizing it will be ended and judgment will come in its fullness the wrath of God and there will be a point of the day dawns you know what he's speaking of really in the context the dawning of that day is speaking of the day of the
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Lord day of the Lord and I just read a portion from Luke 1
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Luke 1 76 -79 but Zacharias' prophecy but where is Zacharias drawing that from he goes to the scriptures he goes to Malachi chapter 4 1 and 2 let me read those two verses and listen to Malachi and for behold the day is coming now right there he's talking about the day the second coming of Jesus Christ he goes all the way to the future burning like an oven this is the great day of God almighty and behold the day is coming burning like an oven and all the proud listen to this all the proud yes all who do wickedly will be stubble and the day which is coming it's coming which is coming shall burn them up oh you'll never hear a false teacher preach this folks says the
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Lord of hosts that will lead them neither root nor branch but to you who fear my name to those who fear his name the son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings and you shall go out and grow like a stall fed calves glorious isn't it in other words the dawning day of the great day of the
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Lord the second coming of Jesus is coming and by the way we just went through the book of numbers numbers 24 17 says a prophecy
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I see him but not now I behold him but not near a star shall come out of Jacob a skeptical scepter shall rise out of Israel and shatter the forehead and the brow of Moab and shall destroy the sons of Sheth speaking about his second coming runs through it runs through revelation revelation 2 25 through 29 says but hold fast what you have till I come this is
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Jesus and he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end to him I will give power over the nations and notice what he says he shall rule them with a rod of iron they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels and I also have received from my father and I will give him the morning star and Jesus says he who has ears let him hear what the spirit says to the churches what does he mean by give him the morning star you know what he's talking about he says
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I'm going to give you myself did not God say to Abraham I am your great exceedingly great reward
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God is the reward Jesus is the reward heaven and the glories of it is the benefits but he is the great morning bright morning star he's the rose of Sharon he's all in all what would heaven be without Jesus it would be hell but talk to people out here
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I just want to go to heaven and just be up there with wings like a phoenix just floating it's not like that it's worshiping at the feet of Jesus and loving him and adoring him that's what it's about verse 28
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I will give him the morning star our Lord is basically saying
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I'm going to give you myself how do we know that Jesus himself is the bright morning star Revelation 22 16
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I Jesus have sent my angel to testify you these things in the churches I am the root and the offspring of David the bright morning star the bright morning star that's glorious isn't it well my time's almost gone but let me close with something glorious now if you want to tie this in you can read
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Revelation 19 when Jesus comes back as king of kings and Lord of lords and that's his physical manifest presence comes back at his second coming and look at what happens there he strikes down nations folks
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I'm telling you that's his glorious coming that's the blessed hope and by the way that's what
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Paul speaks of and I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for saying this because my dispensational friends will say something about this and I was once a dispensationalist but when 1st
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Thessalonians chapter 4 speaks most people referred that to the rapture I don't see that I see that as the second coming go with me very quickly
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I cannot retain myself on this I want you to see why here notice
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Paul for the Lord in verse 16 chapter 4 for the
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Lord himself would descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God now then you go to 1st
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Corinthians 15 I can't remember exactly what verse but it's there in that scripture he talks about that the last trump the last trump there's a series of trumpets
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I don't have time to really break this all down folks but the trumpets and here
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Paul speaks about the trumpet of God a dispensationalist will say that is a different trumpet how can that be?
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the dead in Christ will rise first this is at the second coming of Christ folks this is not a if you want to call it a rapture fine but at the second coming it is going to be a grand rapture if you want to put it that way but there's only one second coming there's no two comings three comings
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I don't know I'm sorry there's one coming Christ came first he came to die the second coming he comes back as king of kings there's no coming in the middle that's what
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I'm saying the dead in Christ will rise first then we which are alive and remain we shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
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Lord in the air I've heard so many messages about the rapture from that text and thus we shall always be with the
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Lord therefore comfort one another with these words but notice this in chapter 5 verse 1 but concerning the times and the seasons brethren
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I have no need that I should write to you so you you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the
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Lord comes as the eve of the night now why would he change series of comings from chapter 4 to chapter 5 from a second coming to a third coming you see what
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I'm saying there's no rapture there and then the second coming no what's he talking about he wouldn't change gears on that he's staying in the same line of thought and if you go on to read it when they say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman they shall not escape
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I assure you chapter 4 the end of chapter 4 into chapter 5 is talking about the second coming now folks
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I could say that and say I used to be dispensationalist but as I see this in scripture and people say yeah it's your own interpretation view listen take it through the scriptures let scripture interpret scripture don't take my word for it study it
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I challenged somebody in my family not long ago shoot ok I already almost gave it away but I won't go into it we were talking about she was talking about the rapture and I said look study the scriptures don't listen to this
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Tim LaHaye nonsense don't listen to left behind series most people in America base their theology upon left behind and duck dynasty and so forth
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I'm telling you you go to the scriptures amen be a Berean and study the scriptures and that's exactly what
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I told her I said go to the word of God don't take my word for it I don't want to talk about it no more oh really anyway let me leave on a good note let's look at a good note go with me to Luke 18 and this is talking about the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge now some would say pastor why are you going to go there well
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Jesus talks about persistent prayer but you know in the light you know what he's talking about in the light of his second coming that we are to persist in prayer folks in the light of his second coming this is so much on my mind as a
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Christian that Jesus is soon to come back and I say