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Pastor David Mitchell
Turn with me to mark chapter 13 this morning. That was beautiful Paul old-fashioned sounding. Like that sound. Josh, would you close that door right behind you for me? I think we got the temperature a Little bit better now finally and Paul you need to remind me to tell Papa We need to get that looked into that little sound.
It's what it is. It's a it's a tube. It's got tubes in it. Actually, it's doesn't though does it it's solid state so that's a little tougher. Well, I can't even work the air conditioner. So I'm not gonna try to figure out the organ.
But it's making a little noise on the back speakers. We'll get that looked into in Mark chapter 13. I'd like to to Take a little bit of a trip down through that passage this morning. We're we're actually going to go to Philippians chapter 3 in verse 20 and there are a few verses right in that part of the scriptures where we're going to get the outline for the message from and This message is just entitled watched for watch for his coming and we want to tie it in a little bit with last week's message.
Where we talked about? Mary and we talked about Anna and Simeon and some of the people that were walking here at the time of the first advent and How the vast majority of the world missed the Messiah when he came but they did not miss him.
They apparently had heeded the scriptures the Word of God. They had studied them they knew what to be watching for and so they were not in the dark and The Bible says the same thing about this generation.
It says that No man knows the day or the hour that he will come. But it also says that his own do not have to be in the in the dark concerning these things that it's like the seasons when you see the trees begin to bud, you know that summer is nigh and When you see these things begin to happen The Bible says this generation shall not pass away until all be fulfilled.
So there are some things that we need to be aware of just like Mary was aware of some things and Simeon was aware of some things and Because the second advent is going to come upon us in the same fashion as the first the vast majority of the world will not be Seeing it when it happens.
They won't have eyes to see. And we need to not only have that but we need to be prepared and be about the business. He's given us to do In the times coming up to the end time. So we're going to go into Philippians 320 in a moment and we'll see four Major points that are very very important to us.
It's as if these things were written specifically for the generation. That's here in the end times or I should say at least in the end of this age the church age. So it has particular Pertinence for us before we go there though.
I just want to go into some of the Gospels here. We'll start especially in Mark chapter 13. I want us to just look at some of the things that the Bible says about the end times and I think you'll see Several warnings that are given and all of these warnings We're going to find in our four-point outline over in Philippians.
It will contain all of these things and they will fit very neatly within those categories. So Philippians chapter 3 verse 20 going through chapter 4 verse 9. You're gonna put all of these things that we see into one of four categories so that they're easy to think about.
But before we do that, I just want us to see them because in the Gospels, they're not given in those neatly Packed little categories. They're just kind of Listed so let's look at the list first mark 13 and let's start with verse 1 and as he went out of the temple One of his disciples saith unto him master.
See what manner of stones and what buildings are here and Jesus answered Answering said unto him see us now these great buildings. There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.
Now let's stop and make a comment here much of our understanding of prophecy Will be enlightened greatly if we understand this one thing you can go all the way back into Old Testament prophecy. You can come into this some of this New Testament prophecy.
One thing you'll find very often is we have what we call a near and a far Application of the prophecy or a near prophecy and a far prophecy. So much of what was given in Daniel and the Old Testament prophets is that way and Really the only way we would have understood that is with hindsight.
Now we can look back at much of their writing and we can see that where they write something. They may be talking about a very near Invasion of Israel by say the Assyrians or the Babylonians and Yet as you read the scriptures you will find as it speaks of that.
It also has a far prophecy that was in fact fulfilled at a later date. Some of which was fulfilled even at the first advent. So we see and we learn from that that that this is the way it works. You have a near prophecy and a far prophecy and the same is true in these gospel prophecies.
They have a near prophetic meaning which had to do for the very people. It was written to. And so you see much of that having been fulfilled in the year ad -70. When Titus and the Roman legions came through and destroyed Jerusalem and all of Israel.
Much of this was actually fulfilled in the near prophecy. But you also see that the same writings have a far or a distant Prophecy for those who live in the end times and they talk very much in detail.
About the second coming the rapture and some of those sorts of things and so we see here. We'll start to see some of the near prophecy. When Jesus says not one stone will be left upon another this happened in the year ad -70.
But that's not all that this passage talks about it also has the far-reaching prophetic view of the end of the church age. Now when these writers were the penman for the Lord, they had no idea that that might be a 2 ,000 year period.
It's almost like a parentheses in the whole history of Israel and they did not see that parentheses. And we can only see it because the hindsight that we have and because of the New Testament Revelation that we have that they did not have in completion at this time.
So let's pick it up here in verse 3 and as he sat upon the Mount of Olives. Over against the temple Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately. Tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
Now before we read verse 5, I want you to go back to leave your hand there in Mark. But go back to Matthew 24 the parallel passage. In Matthew is here. We also have one in Luke. But I want you to look at the one in Matthew because I want you to see the question that was asked.
In verse 3, it's very similar. But in Matthew 24 3 it says. And he sat up as he sat upon the Mount of Olives. The disciples came unto him privately saying tell us when these things shall be now. The first thing they're asking about is when will it be true that the stones of the temple and of Jerusalem will be cast down?
When will Jerusalem be destroyed, but that's not all they asked. They said tell us when these things shall be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world. So we see now the near prophecy and the far prophecy.
They're asking for both now. Let's go back into the mark passage. Look at verse 5 and Jesus answering them began to say Take heed lest any man deceive you for there shall come in my Many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many.
I would say the first point you can write down by way of warnings is take heed now. This is written not only to the Apostles. Because it does apply to their lifetime the apostolic age many of the verses where it says they're going to take you and arrest you and throw you into prison and.
Don't worry about what you're gonna say. The Holy Spirit will put in your mind exactly what to say. Much of that was written Specifically to the Apostles all of whom were martyred except for John and they attempted that.
They drugged them off they imprisoned some of them they slaughtered many of them and. Yet it has a far prophecy as well for those who live in the tribulation period especially in the Great Tribulation time.
But it says to take heed. Well, there are several things in the Bible that it mentions that we need to take heed of if we live either. Either if we were in the apostolic age, which obviously is not us.
But then it comes and applies to those of us in the last of the church age that does apply to us. So what are some of the things he's telling us this generation more so than the generation of the late 1800s more so than going all the way back the whole 2 ,000 years of church history more so it's to us we first of all need to take heed of.
As it says here the fact that there will be many false Christs. But look at Luke chapter 21 verse 34. I'm gonna kind of go fast. So you don't necessarily have to flip to these other verses. All I'm doing is going to the parallel passages that tell the same message.
But I would say that the first thing we need to take heed of is lack of moderation in our lives. Which is just amazing. But in Sunday school this morning we studied this. He was talking about this passage in first Corinthians Chapter 7.
I believe where it says to those who are married act as if you're not married. To those who buy act as if you don't own the stuff you buy and on and on and on. Remember that well look right here at Luke 21 34.
Look what it says specifically to those of us in the last times and take heed to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and Cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares.
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore and pray always. That you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand Before the Son of God, I believe that's a picture of the rapture.
And I think that's very interesting. It says you pray that you may be counted worthy to escape. It does not teach you that you escape on the basis of your worthiness. Because those of us who are alive when that rapture takes place are going up.
It simply means when you find yourself standing in his presence. Hope that you have lived your last days in such a way that you will sense that you are worthy to stand in his presence. Don't just have been.
Taking part in drunkenness when the rapture happens don't be a part of surfeiting or while partying. Covetousness and the cares of this life and being so involved with things. That when he comes and you stand before him you feel totally unworthy.
I Think there's a sense in which all of us in this room feel like we're gonna feel unworthy no matter what. But when you look at what it's teaching this is in contrast to those who are involved in surfeiting drunkenness cares of this life.
Don't be involved in that is what it's saying. Because there could come a moment before we even leave this room today when we stand before him. When we meet him in the air, we don't know when that event is going to take place exactly.
No man knows the exact hour and day of that event. But we know that it's coming. We know that it's quite likely in our lifetime or especially the lifetime of our children probably our lifetime. And so we need to be prepared and we need to be ready for that event to take place.
The next thing we need to take heat about is false prophet Prophets, which was of course specifically mentioned there in verse 6. But we also see it back to mark now back to mark chapter 13 where we are Reading through if you drop all the way down to verse 20, we see another mention of this.
It says and except the Lord had shortened those days. No flesh should be saved. Isn't that amazing? When when you get when you get out into that now you can tell that that's not talking about The the near prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem.
Because the Lord did not intervene in that it happened and yet not everybody in the world was destroyed so we see this has to be alluding to the far prophecy, which is the Great Tribulation period the Battle of Armageddon and perhaps nuclear holocaust and All that could be unleashed on the face of this earth and the Bible says that unless the Lord had directly intervened and shortened those days not one living person or animal or plant would be alive on this planet and Yet it says in the middle of verse 20, but for the elects sake how can anyone not believe in election?
This hadn't been taught from the Holy Spirit the scriptures and they have been taught by men not to believe it. That's the only way you can come to that place. But for the elects sake whom he hath chosen.
I love the word chosen. You see it doesn't say whom he knew would get saved. It doesn't say whom he thought might get saved and looked and noticed it and was happy about it. It says he's the one that made the choice.
Isn't that amazing? It's all through the scriptures but we have a generation in these last days of Christians who absolutely refuse to talk about this doctrine and Yet this doctrine is probably more important in these last days than it's ever been before.
Because you will find yourself so discouraged if you think that you're going to go out and win the world for Christ in These last days when God says there's a great falling away a great apostasy. Which must take place before I come and you're out beating your head against the wall thinking you're gonna win everybody to the Lord.
You're gonna be the most unhappy person in the world because it ain't gonna happen. Now we're supposed to witness and we'll see that as we get farther into this scripture, but we cannot save people. God is the one who makes that choice.
And if you are saved today fall on your faces and praise him. That you are a chosen one that before the foundation of the world you were his and he knew you with love. You didn't accidentally get saved and you didn't save yourselves and so for the sake of those whom he hath chosen he says I have shortened the days and Then if any man shall say to you now listen.
Here's the part where we're supposed to take heed low here is Christ or low here. He is there believe him not for false Christ and false prophets shall arise. And shall show great signs and wonders. Isn't it interesting that the gift of prophecy no longer is In operation in the church age right now.
I believe it will be made operative again at the Second Advent the Prophet Joel talks about the former in the latter rain and he says there will come a time when your sons and daughters shall prophesy.
I have to ask an interesting question. How could that be possible for those gifts to be reinstated if they weren't stopped at some point? So they had to have been stopped and they were stopped with the Apostolic Age when the last Apostle died didn't have any more Apostles didn't have any more people writing scriptures and You didn't have any more direct revelation.
We had the Word of God and that's God's mode throughout the church age however when with the end of the church age when the rapture takes place and the church is taken out and many of the Bibles will Be destroyed by the Antichrist and all of his followers where the church the people who then get saved during the tribulation age.
His people don't have the Word of God on every coffee table anymore. Then God has need to raise up prophets again who can speak the word because they don't have a Bible. Does that make sense? I mean it does to me.
It says that the gift of tongues that prophecy that the gift of knowledge will cease when that which is perfect is come. This is the only perfect thing I've ever seen and by the way in the Greek language, it's in the neuter tense.
It is not masculine. Like it would be if it was talking about Jesus coming back. It's neuter. It's a thing. This is it perfect doesn't mean perfect. In any other way than in the Bible it means mature and finished this book is absolutely mature and finished and it was so when John had finished penning the book of Revelation and So what happens now we'll have in the last days many false prophets who will arise and begin to teach that God that they have A direct pipeline with God and that they have information that you cannot find in the Word of God.
That the Holy Spirit could not teach you because it's extra biblical. It's not in the Bible. It's something God told them and it's for you and that's how they'll approach you. They'll say well the Lord told me to share this with you that he wants you to do this.
Well, I have a question if you're a believer priest, why couldn't the Lord just have told you if? You're living in the in the church age where you don't have to have a priest anymore. You are a believer priest and you have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
And you're filled by the one who wrote this book and the Bible says in first John you have no need of any other teacher. You have the Holy Spirit Within you then why would you need God to tell someone else to come tell you what to do now?
It don't get me wrong. There are some in this room who have a better grasp for the scriptures than others and those who don't have that grasp might go To them and say what do you think the Bible tells me to do in this case nothing wrong with that?
If it's coming from the scriptures. But there are people who believe they're mystics today where God told him something in a dream or in their sleep or in a vision. And he told me to come tell you this watch out for that because look what it says in the last days there are going to be a lot of these people and It says in verse 22 for false Christ and false prophets shall rise and look at this.
They will show signs and wonders and what is the purpose of the signs and wonders to seduce the flesh? You see that's very appealing to our flesh. If we can see someone slap someone on the forehead and act like they've healed the person.
Oh goodness. That's very appealing to the flesh because now this person has some power. And remember that the miracles that happen in the Bible were always given to authenticate God's message or God's messenger.
But these false signs and wonders are not for that purpose at all because we already have the Word of God. It's already been authenticated. The only purpose of these modern signs and wonders is to seduce people and If it were possible, even the elect could be seduced by these false signs and wonders.
Therefore take heed the Bible says. But take ye heed behold. I have foretold you these things Jesus said so we see we need to take heed. We need to make sure that we don't have lack of moderation in our lives.
We need to make sure that we don't believe false prophets. And then the third thing we need to take heed of is the let what I call Laodicea in Luke warmness. And in Luke in Mark chapter 13 where you are just drop down to verse 33.
Another thing we take heed of here's mentioned this Luke warmness. It says take ye heed watch and pray for you know, not when he's coming. There's going to be a great tendency because the mindset in the modern church in the last days is Laodicean.
That means there is a tendency to just be lukewarm and not really care what's happening. The Bible puts it this way a tendency to sleep while the world is unraveling around us. A Tendency to just be complacent while Satan is just destroying everything that we've ever seen in this world.
It was good the family the church this nation. Look at all the quote Christian nations of Europe and how they've gone the way in the last 50 years. I know that's where America is heading. Take heed watch and pray for you know.
Not when the time is for the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey. Who left his house and gave authority to his servants and to every man gave him work to do and Commanded that the porter the one who watched the door to watch.
Well watch ye therefore for ye. Know not when the master of the house comes at evening or at midnight or at the cock crowing in the more in the morning. Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. So this is a guard against Mediocrity it is a guard against Luke warmness and when I say unto you what I say unto you I say unto all watch and.
The fourth thing we need to take heed to as is a problem of not using our talents. Now that's found in Matthew 25. Which by the way is right in the context with Matthew 24 that we read from a few moments ago.
Matthew 24 is all talking about these end times you go right into Matthew 25. There's really in the Bible. There's not really a chapter division there. It's still the same topic and right in the middle of all that topic you find verse 20.
And I'm not gonna tell the whole story. I'm just gonna read you these two verses. But it says and so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying Lord Thou deliverest unto me five talents.
Behold. I've gained beside them five talents more and His Lord said unto him well done thou good and faithful servant thou has been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
You got to understand these parables about the talents talking about the master who goes away and Leaves his things in the hands of his servants and expects them to multiply them. But it's also a parable of the master coming back again.
That's the second coming or in our case The Rapture will be the first place where we see him and when we have the Rapture and we stand before him. Picture yourselves as being one of these servants that he gave his things to and he's going to ask you what you do with them.
Now he's talking about money here. But what do you think that symbolizes? Everything he's given you in this life to work with. Because there's nothing that's in and of our from ourselves. We are given gifts.
We're given talents. I think it's marvelous that the old English translation for this money is the word talent because we just think talent. We're thinking like things God allows us to be able to do which is a pretty good spiritualization of of the physical money.
I mean he's given us spiritual gifts at the point of salvation that we are supposed to exercise and Usually that has to do with some form of edifying the other brothers and sisters. He's given us money.
There's no money that we own. It's all God's money. If you've got any money at all as God's money and he said take care of it. But he also said multiply it because it takes money to do God's work in this dispensation.
All of these things whether it be talents gifts money strengths. The weaknesses we have we need to be aware of all these things and we need to use them in God's service. Because he's coming back and we're gonna answer for it.
That's part of the judgment seat of Christ is to see what we did with these things while we were here before he came. So he says beware lest I find you sleeping. Remember the stories where he talked about the the servants when the master left there were some servants that fed and took care of the other Servants, that's a beautiful picture of what we're supposed to be doing.
But there were other servants who cursed them and beat them and Got drunken and didn't take care of the other servants that shows that God gives more to some. And expects those who have more to take care of those who don't and so forth as brothers and sisters.
I'm talking about in the church. I'm not talking about in the world. But but in as body a body of believers. We're supposed to take care of one another and to be good servants and good stewards of all these things so that's another thing that we're supposed to take heed of so we see that we take heed.
That we not get outside of the area of moderation. We take heed that we watch out for false prophets that we not become lukewarm and that we also make sure we Use the talents and things that he's put in our lives for his service.
Now let's go back into mark 13 and that brought us all the way through verse 6 now look at verse 7. We come to a second major Warning. The first one was to take heed. The second major warning is found in verse 7 and when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars.
Be ye not troubled. So I would just call it this be not trouble. That's the second point first. First point take heed. Second point be not trouble take heed. What does that tell you be watchful? Don't sleep.
Be watchful be vigilant. He roams to and fro seeking whom he may devour. The Bible says of Satan and the second thing is however as you watch. The more watchful you become the more aware of the negative things in the world that are happening.
So in the midst of that he says don't be troubled about it. It's all part of my purposes. God says it's all part of the plan. There will be a great apostasy before I come back because I've ordained that it would be so so don't be trouble.
He says and when you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars Be ye not trouble for such things must need be. But the end shall not be yet for nation shall rise against nation kingdom against kingdom and there shall be Earthquakes in diverse places there shall be famines and troubles.
These are all the beginning of sorrows. That means it's like birth pangs. Now, isn't it interesting that he says in the light of all these things? Be not troubled. I have you been reading the news lately.
We do get complacent about it because we've just lived so long and seen it happening over and over again in our lifetimes. That a bomb blows up. It's like okay bomb blew up. What else happened yesterday?
Isn't that amazing how we get? But over in Israel, I'm just gonna read you. This is right off the Associated Press last night. It says this Let the Intifada continue and Let the resistance escalate and this is talking about over in Israel the trouble between the Jews and the Palestinians.
Arafat's Fatah faction said in a statement that also spoke of the Palestinians quote total Rejection unquote of the peace plan put forth last week by u .s. President Bill Clinton. So Clinton goes out in failure his whole big hope was he was going to bring peace in Israel now.
Can you imagine that that he would be the one who would bring peace to Israel? That's what he wanted to do as he went out and yet in the last three month period have been over 350 people who have lost their lives in that area now what's amazing about it?
Listen to this you probably unless you read the news last night. You don't even know this yet. I Ran do you remember back in the early 80s when I ran in Iraq? We're fighting and they had the human waves.
Iran has so many people they just they just Cannon fodder they just marched them in and Iraq was a much smaller nation, but they had more sophisticated weapons and they would just blow them away and they'd come up they just send wave after wave after wave and Thinking they'll finally run out of ammunition and then we'll win and that's the way that battle was fought and Iran is the country that fought that way.
They just threw their young men out. And they told them all if you die on the battlefield you go straight to heaven so don't worry about it. And they didn't even give them weapons really to speak of they just put enough bodies out there hoping to overcome Iraq.
Well that nation said this yesterday. Iran threatened Saturday to hit hard at Israel if it strikes at Syria or Lebanon. Now listen every little battle. That's happened in the last year. Israel has struck Lebanon.
They go over in there and bomb all the time because when the terrorists come over the border from the north and kill some school Children in a bus then they go in with their jets. And they attack the place where the terrorists came from so this is something that happens all the time and yet Iran is saying if you do this again if you strike Syria or Lebanon.
Iran's defense minister. I think it's as interesting as title rear rear admiral. I mean they don't even have an ocean. You know but anyway Ali sham Connie was quoted by the Kuwaiti newspaper as promising quote.
Astounding retaliation if Israel attacks. Israel has threatened action against Syria if the violence along its northern frontier continues. In the West Bank town of Nablus about 2 ,000 Palestinians turned out for a rally organized by the militant Islamic group Hamas to pay tribute to a suicide bomber.
Who blew himself up in an Israeli cafe last week full of children and women and elderly people now? He's their hero. More than a dozen organizers their faces wrapped in black masks called the rally a Celebration of martyrdom and handed out candy to symbolize joy.
Quote. Let us teach them how to kill the Jews. They chanted teaching the children giving them candy teaching them how to kill the Jews and so I Thought though the interesting thing to me was Iran's threat that we will retaliate with.
Astounding retaliation if Israel attacks. These places that they so often attack now Israel is in the middle of electing a new leader at this time. So it's a very vulnerable time for them as well now.
Also in yesterday's News it says bombs kill at least 14 people in Manila. Five different bomb blasts went off in the same day in that country yesterday. Killing at least 14 and injuring hundreds and hundreds.
They were planting them in trains. They were planting them in buses and Let's see who the group is it's doing the bombing now. You see in the Philippines, there's a lot of Christianity over there a lot of Catholicism, but there's some Christianity but It says that these attacks four of them simultaneous.
Came a day after Manila area police were all put on alert. Fearing Christmas holiday bomb attacks by Muslim extremist from the separatists group so these are the same people that are killing the kids over in Israel the same people are blowing these people up over the Christians up over in Manila, so it's going on.
That's just two examples. Now, here's the thing if you're gonna take heed then you're gonna notice those things. You don't just ignore them you take note of them and then you begin to worry. But God says but don't be troubled about it.
He says don't be trouble for such things must needs be but the end shall not be yet. These are just like birth pangs that happen and they get closer and closer. But they get harder and harder and then the baby's born.
Which pictures Jesus coming back? So the signs have always been around but what you watch for is are they getting closer and closer together and more and more strong and painful and. If so, then really be watching now let's go on now here in our passage in Mark chapter 13 and We see vert pick it up at verse 9.
We see that a first thing is to take heed. The second thing is to be not trouble. The third thing is to publish the gospel now. I made a little oration a few minutes ago about election and How God chooses who will be saved and so forth, but do you know what that we don't know who they are.
So he has told us to publish the gospel and especially the generation that finds itself in the last days. Look what it says in verse 9 verses 9 and 10, but take heed to yourselves. For they shall deliver you up to councils and in the synagogues.
You shall be beaten. You shall be brought before rulers kings for my sake now, that's the apostolic age. That's the near near view. But verse 10 is the far view and the gospel must first be published among all nations.
That's also the near view. They published it too. You can find verses in the New Testament that say that the gospel went to all the known world of their time. Are we doing that good of a job? Because the same is true of this generation.
We must first publish the gospel among all nations before Jesus comes back. And so that's a great part of our duty as the local churches to publish doesn't mean just in the written form. By the way, it means proclaim.
So we're supposed to be putting the gospel out all of us and then drop down to verse 13. A fourth thing that we see we're supposed to be about is enduring and You shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
But he that shall endure to the end. The same shall be saved now that has a far view obviously of the Jewish believers in the tribulation period. Meaning that if they're still alive at the end of the tribulation, they'll go on into the millennial period.
But it also shows us that we need to be people who endure. We don't need to let all of this falling apart. Unraveling of everything that we know is good and true. Get us to be so worried about it. So discouraged that we don't keep on fighting.
We have to have a spirit of endurance in a time when the spirit is lukewarmness. We're living in a church age where the church around us is discouraging. I mean the whole church is just laying down and going to sleep and having parties and playing rock music and and Doing anything they can get to get a big crowd together, but they're not watching.
It's like they're eating and drinking and giving in marriage and then the day comes upon us and we're not ready and so we need to realize that. We need to to always be ready. We need to always Be aware of what's going on, but not be discouraged about it because we have to endure.
We had to keep going. It may get to the place where those who want to just study the word and be strong in the word. It may not be ten of us. Someday if there are only five of us we need to keep going.
You keep doing the same things that you were doing and you pray for strength and you do the best you can do. You don't change the thing, you know is right. We'll see some verses that literally say that in a few moments but let me give you the fifth point and we have to go into a different gospel to get it, but Remember Matthew 24 is a parallel passage and goes right on into chapter 25.
It's not really a chapter division. So we're going into Matthew 25 in verse 1 and I want to give you this fifth point now. Let me remind you what the first four number one take heed. Be aware that you stay moderate in the things that we do.
Don't go. Getting too much in the cares of the world and getting all involved in a lot of covetousness and things and all this stuff. Watch out for false prophets. Don't be seduced by anything. They may do that appears to be a miracle.
Don't be lukewarm. Be sure to exercise our and be good stewards of our talents. Secondly don't be troubled by the things around us. Thirdly publish the gospel. Fourthly endure to the end and in the fifth one is found right here and I would just call it this be spirit-filled.
Stay spirit-filled. Look at Matthew 25 in verse 1 and understand the context of this is right at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that's our time and this is spoken to us more strongly than to the last generation the generation before it can go back 2 ,000 Years and the only generation this was spoken to as strongly as us is the Apostles.
But after they died away for 2 ,000 years. There's no one that this was written to as clearly as it's written to us today. And it says then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins. Which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
The bridegroom, of course is Jesus Christ and the bride is the church and That's what these virgins picture and five of them were wise virgins and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil.
What does oil symbolize? The Holy Spirit. So they had all the apparatus. They had all the programs going on that these churches have all around us. They had all the youth activities. They you know, most of these big churches the old folks.
They'd out doing this stuff more than the kids are doing. I mean, they're taking trips to go shopping they're taking trips to do this and do that and and boy, they just I just heard about one this week's what's what's funny about it is a good dear friend of mine visited a church and Was approached to go doing a bunch of stuff like this and she said well.
She said what does this have to do with the church? And I said nothing. But they've got the apparatus but there's no oil but the wise virgins took oil in their vessels with the apparatus with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried that's now He's tearing he's waiting. We don't know when he's coming. You know the beautiful thing about the Jewish marriages is that the bridegroom? Goes away to put the house together and to make sure that he's ready to take care of his bride.
He gets it all he built he works on the mansion. So to speak, you know and gets everything ready and then he comes back to get her and that's when the marriage takes place and she Doesn't know when he's coming exactly.
So she's got to be ready every day and Everybody that's with her the attendants all have to be ready because when they hear that Music and the men coming down the street dancing and playing the music and coming towards the house here.
He comes they better be ready. It's a beautiful picture of this. So these wise virgins had oil in their lamp and as the bridegroom tarried they kept the oil there all the time ready to be used and Then it says at midnight.
There was a cry made behold the bridegroom cometh. Go you out to meet him and guess what the foolish virgins? Didn't make it. So all they had was a lamp with no oil oil in it. They wanted to borrow the oil from the others and they said can't.
That's one thing we can't share is I can't give you my oil. You have to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Through his spirit the Holy Spirit. It's not something you can get from your mama or your Papa or your brother or sister or from your pastor on Sunday morning.
You have to get it in your own personal quiet devotion life as well as your pray without ceasing walk all day throughout the day. Brother Otis asked today. Is it possible to keep Jesus on your thoughts all day long all the time and Greg answered it?
No, because I'm not perfect, but you know what? It is possible. It's highly improbable. It is possible though, he never asks us to do something that's impossible. So it is possible to go long periods of time without sinning.
Because if to the extent that you're filled with the Holy Spirit you will not sin. I learned that from brother Rocky and I've heard him say it in so many churches and I always loved it when he said it.
He said, you know y 'all go around talking about like you got a sin every day. Show me that in the Bible. He says show me where you have to sin today. He said the truth is and I loved it. I loved his whole count and he gets serious about to say truth is the Bible teaches you are to be filled with the Holy Spirit and you could be filled with the Holy Spirit for a long number of days and during that period you would not sin one Time and it's pot.
He would never ask you to do something. That's not possible. So it is possible. I agree with Greg though. It's highly unlikely because we're imperfect. But what what are we supposed to strive for? You know, we don't have to worry about all these commandments and rules and especially laws that men make especially religious laws that religious people make.
What we need to worry about is our walk a Relationship moment by moment with him. That's the oil and these wise virgins made sure that when the bridegroom came They already had the oil because it was too late to go out and get it.
You know you can't you can't just live for the flesh in the world and Just have a riotous time a good old time and then all of a sudden get in trouble and then have what you need spiritually. You just can't now you might could but you won't because Satan will deceive you into thinking you can't approach God because you're too dirty and The truth is these did not make it in then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said unto the wise give us of your oil for our lamps are gone out. And they wouldn't share their oil because it's impossible to do that. Now. I want you to go into Philippians chapter 3.
In verse 20, I'm going to show you how you can put all of these points take heed. Be not troubled. Publish the gospel endure. Have a spirit of endurance. Stay spirit-filled. Throughout the days all of these things are so important.
You can put all those within four categories in this passage. We see from Philippians 3 20 that this Context does apply because it is talking about the rapture. We see that very clearly in verse 21. Look at it.
Philippians 3 20 says for our conversation. That means our lifestyle is in heaven. Even though we're alive walking around on this earth today. This is not our country. Our lifestyle is not about what's going on here it we're heavenly creatures.
We really are and it says our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. I mean, we're a body but our head is in heaven. But he's coming back here and we look for him who shall change our vile body.
That's the rapture. That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body and how can he do that? Well, he can do that according to the working whereby he's able even to subdue all things if he can hold this universe together.
He can make our bodies be right and he's gonna do that. So that's the rapture now as we go right into chapter 4. There's no chapters in the Greek. It's just the same thought verse 1 says therefore now I want you to notice four points and.
And each one of them has this little phrase with it and that's how you know, it's a point a key point in the Lord. So only you notice that in verse 1 there is a phrase it has this phrase in the Lord. It says therefore my brethren dearly beloved and long for my joy and crown stand fast in the Lord.
Now that takes into account a lot of what we talked about several of these things. Fit into this category. Certainly the idea of taking heed is the same as standing fast. Watching out for the false prophets the lukewarmness and so forth and so forth enduring have a spirit of endurance.
This all comes into play under this one Concept where he says stand fast. So I would say the first point then the first great category is to stand fast. But notice that it tells how to accomplish it in the Lord.
These are not rules we can keep. I mean I don't want us to think these five things about taking heed being not troubled publishing the gospel enduring and being spirit-filled or Rules that I'm giving you five things to go out and do this year.
It won't work if you attempt it that way. It's not a new year's resolution. If there is going to be a new year's resolution, it needs to be to be in Christ. To be spirit-filled to walk in Christ because the first thing that we can accomplish is we can stand Fast notice that what this brings about is a second thing that can happen in the Lord.
Look at verse 2. I beseech Udias and beseech Sentaic that they be of the same mind now look at the phrase in The Lord did you know there's no way with all of our Difference of opinions that we can have unity in this church unless we're in the Lord.
If we're spirit-filled we can still have differences, but we will work them out in the Lord. And so listen now these are talking about things that are ultimately Important of ultimate importance to those in the last day in the last days.
There's a an awful spirit of disunity in the church. We have more denominations now than we're ever invented, you know, I mean they're everywhere but the bet how many bet you know one time. About ten years ago.
We did a little survey and within a 40 mile radius of this city is about 40 Baptist churches. Where'd they come from those split offs from other Baptist churches, right? Lack of unity is a sign of the times we live in.
So as it tries to enter into our church through the enemy as he has influence on our hearts and minds from time to time. When we get in the flesh. Then he'll try to bring disunity. So it's important that we not only stand fast in the Lord.
But it's also important that we keep the same mind in the Lord. You know, this takes into account many of the things we've already discussed such as watching out for false prophets because to me. If you're if you have the same mind you're at least in common on the major doctrines of the Bible.
But even better than that look at the next phrase. We see the first one is to stand fast. The second one is to have the same mind. The third one is found well where he says I beseech eutychus and Syntag that they be of the same mind you might call this unity of doctrine.
Now look at verse 3. Now we see unity of spirit and I entreat thee also true yoke fellow help those women. When we find brothers and sisters that are laboring to do the Lord's work according to their own gifts.
They don't have to be like us. They don't have to do the same. They don't have to be strong in the same areas because they're different parts of the body of the one body. And when we see people among us or people of God's people in the world that are his children.
That are laboring in in the gospel. We need to help where we are led to help by the Holy Spirit. We need to give a helping hand. Take heed of not helping other servants. You know that kind of falls into keeping these talents and being good stewards and some of the things that we've already mentioned.
So firstly we need to stand fast in the Lord. Secondly we need to have the same mind in the Lord which deals with doctrinal unity and Also deals with a spirit of unity. You have time sometime go look up 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verses 4 and following and you'll see doctrinal unity discussed in great detail.
Basically, what it says is stick with the things that you know, or right stick with the Word of God. 2nd Timothy 316 all scriptures given by inspiration and it's profitable for reproof for correction that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished.
Stick with the Word of God. Don't read too many of the modern books down at the Ark Dead if the book was written within the last 20 years just don't read it go back 50 years ago 100 years ago. You can read some of those you'll be alright probably.
But you have to be very careful that you get off track of the Word of God or else We will not have doctrinal unity. Be very careful what modern teachers say hold it up against this book. Don't just believe what you hear just hold it up against the book if it can't be borne out then chunk it out.
All right, we have to maintain doctrinal unity that's primarily the job of the men the elders in this church, especially the elders, but the men in the church as well and If the church is supposed to be the pillar of the truth the men in this church have got to be strong in the word.
We've got to continue to grow and be very very strong now. Look at the third thing. Look at verse 4. We're supposed to stand fast in the Lord. We're supposed to have unity of doctrine and of the same mind in the Lord.
Thirdly verse 4 says rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord always and again, I say rejoice. This is only possible if you're filled with the Holy Spirit in fact. The ancient Jews used to say that the single most important sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit was joy and rejoicing.
Now don't you think that We get into some areas of moderation here. Look at verse 5 right in the context of rejoicing. It says let your moderation be known. Do you realize if we are not moderate we'll lose our joy because we'll have too many cares of the world.
It all fits together. Especially in these last days are these things going to be important? Look at verse 6 this is going to begin to lead into the fourth major point in This passage be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving.
Let your request be made known to God. What does be careful for nothing mean basically mean don't worry. Don't worry. You remember we already talked about the fact where he said don't be troubled. Be careful for nothing because God is in control.
But the next verse comes into the fourth great point and that's this keep your hearts and minds in Christ it actually says through in the English but in the Greek it's the word in it's the same word. Look at verse 7 and The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Now we see four Things that we have to maintain. That's not too difficult to remember four things we have to stand fast and Endure and keep the doctrines that we have always known were true. Secondly we have to maintain the same mind which comes from understanding the right doctrine from the scripture and through helping one another.
And Thirdly, we need to rejoice in the Lord even in the midst of great trouble as we begin to see troubles in the world and then fourthly We're to have our minds and hearts kept in Christ Jesus. Now. Let me tell you how important this last one is.
Without your heart and mind being in Christ, you cannot have the peace of God. You begin to fret. You begin to have all kinds of physical problems because of the fretting and you can't change the things.
Anyway, we don't have the power talked about that in Sunday school. Can a young woman marry a young man and then change him later? Not gonna change people. You can't change circumstances you can't change people only God can do those things.
But what you can do is walk with him and work together with him in all areas. That's what he chooses to do through prayer and through just walking with him and being spirit-filled. That's what our job is in this world.
So we need to make sure that we keep our hearts and minds safe in Christ. Now how do we do that. Well verse 8 gives a great key it teaches us how to think. I Wish I'd spent the whole sermon on this verse, but it's time for lunch.
So we can't. But make a note of verse 8 and live here in the last days if you don't live here in the last days. Not only will you have trouble in your life, but you'll create trouble in this church. You'll create trouble in your family to create trouble for your children or your parents.
Look what it says. These are commands by the way God tells us how he wants us to think. He doesn't allow us to think any other way and still not be sinning. So he says finally brethren whatsoever things are true.
Whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely. Whatsoever things are a good report. Listen, let me just throw this out. If you hear something that's not a good report of a person then don't share it with anybody.
Don't talk about it. With other people you can go to that person if you want to if you think the Lord is leading you to talk to him About it, but you don't share. You don't even allow your mind to think about it.
If you're getting a bad report on a brother or sister in this church, you don't dwell on it. You don't put your mind on it. It says think on things that are of a good report. Think about the good attributes of that person.
Think about the gifts God has given that person. Think about the the few things you have seen them do right for the Lord. Think about the things they can do the potential they have. Think about the good in each other not the negative.
You're not even allowed to think about the negative if it comes before your mind and if it's the Holy Spirit. That's putting it there. Then you will go to that brother and talk with them about it or you'll pray for the brother.
You don't always have to go talk to him. Sometimes you just got to lead you just to pray for him quietly and let God change him. But when you get outside of verse 8 you create problems now think about this not only a problem for yourself.
But for others and and I'm going to tell you that this is a great area of ignorance in the church how to think. Now look at the list if it's true. You can think about it if it's honest. You can think about it.
If it's just you can think about it. If it's pure you can think about it if it's lovely and of good report. You can think about it if there's virtue in it. You can think about it. Can you see how this takes away negative thoughts of each other if it's not a virtuous thing put it out of your mind.
Well, you know what we do when we dwell on those things in our minds. We act as if we're the ones that are going to make it change. We act as if we are going to be the the only person that can stop this horrible thing in this other Person's life and we don't even realize that they don't serve me.
They are you they serve God. Let their boss change them. Let the one that the servant serves be the one that changes the person and yet we don't think that way because we think of all. These things we need to do all of us do it.
I do it. You do it. We'll sit there and dwell on what can I do to make this better? And God says well if there's not virtue and what this other person's doing don't even think about it. If there's not any place for praise don't think about it.
Now go into 2nd Corinthians 10 4 and let me show you how to apply this now see that's like the rule. Verse 8 is the rule. Verse 8 is the law that God gives. It's the law of thinking. If you get outside of verse 8, I'll promise you you are in sin.
You just don't know it and you'll be the last person to believe it because you think you're trying to help. I shouldn't even say you. I should just say I because I've done this so much is why I'm an authority on it.
I mean I have been here and lived this so many times and and yet I do come back to this scripture and I will promise you this as your pastor. 2nd Corinthians 10 4. I practice this. Because I couldn't exist if I didn't and I want you to follow me in this if you're not already practicing it.
Look at 2nd Corinthians 10 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Why is this applicable in the last days. Because Satan's gonna do everything he can do to blow this little church apart to blow our families apart.
Because there's gonna be very little left when Jesus comes back. He says when I come back, will there be faith on the earth? Well, why does he ask that question if it's not true that Satan's gonna blow it all away.
So we have a battle to fight and we don't fight this battle with carnal weapons. You can't sit around and think about how to fix everything go out with your strong arm and make it happen. It isn't going to happen.
So our weapons of warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. What kind of strongholds are talking about mental? It's all the battlefield is in the mind and There are strongholds that the enemy can get in people's lives and that's what you and I are seeing when we're wanting to change them.
We're seeing that the enemy's got a stronghold here and and we're always wanting to help. I want them not to have this weakness. But listen, if it's a spiritual weakness, you can't fix it with us with a physical means.
So it says here that what we should do is cast down Imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity. Every thought to the obedience of Christ.
There is the application. The rule is in verse 8. But The app of Philippians, but the application is in 2nd Corinthians 10 4 and 5. What we must do is when a thought comes to our mind. We must immediately bring it into captivity and say Jesus.
Is this your thought? Give me your mind. Let me think about this person and this circumstance just like you would be thinking about if you were standing here in your body. Because you are in me. So let me think like you would think about this circumstance.
Now if you do that this is part of spiritual warfare, by the way, if you will pray that prayer and talk to the Lord about it and say Lord, I Don't think the source of this thought is you because it's a negative critical Source, I don't think it's from you.
I don't know that you would think this way. Give me your thought now if the thought was from him, it'll stay there. If it's not it'll go. If you're honest in your prayer. Anyway, if you're truly communicating with the Lord and it's the desire of your heart to be in Christ you say Lord.
Take these thoughts from my mind because I don't even know if they're right and let me think like Jesus would think right now I'll promise you you can go into Philippians 4 8 and you'll keep that one if you do it this way those things which you have both learned and received and heard and Seen in me do that's verse 9 and Philippians 4 and that's where the whole thing ends.
Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be With you, isn't it interesting that that little passage starts with standing fast in the Lord.
It goes to having the same mind in the Lord. And look what it ends up with. It ends up with back to the doctrinal clarity. Keep doing the things you've learned and received and heard it's back to the Word of God.
It starts with the Word of God. It ends with the Word of God. That is the pillar of the truth so the thing is if we're gonna be like Simeon and we're gonna be there when the babe is brought in or if we're gonna be like Anna where she says I Finding myself here.
I see the Lord and I've got a little thing in my in my Column there in the Bible that says she was in the right place at the right time. If that's the way you want to be in the last days. Then we have to be dwelling right here in Philippians chapter 4.
We've got to be in the Lord. So that we can stand fast we can have unity of heart and Unity of mind we can know how to think and all these things. It's the only way we'll survive the coming days because they're gonna be very trouble us.
We may be starting out a year 2001 may be the most troubling year you've ever seen in your life in the world. The world news in this church in our school who knows? But I can tell you it's not going to just coast.
Because we are in the last times and Satan I think knows his end is near and he's furious. And he's going to attack every family every church that's left on the face of the earth. That's true to him and try to put him out of commission.
So let's take heed of those things and let's stand fast together. With unity of mind in the Lord in this year. Let's stand and have prayer together. Father we thank you so much For your word that directs us and keeps us safe keeps us with the keel pointed in the right direction.
And father we pray that we would endure Until you come back for us. We pray that when you come back you would find us like the wise virgins with oil in our lamps and the light shining brightly. Father we ask that you go with us into this time of fellowship together and We do thank you for your great provision and your great protection in this past year Over the families in this church and we ask for your continued guidance in Hand of safety that you might place us under your wing of protection in the coming year as well.
And father as we see times of trouble May we just be forced to our knees more often and may we come before you? Realizing that we're right in the middle of your will and that you're bringing all these things to pass and that your son Jesus is Coming soon, and we're going to meet him in the air and stand before him and may everyone in the hearing of my voice at this moment.
Stand before him prepared and not be ashamed at his coming. Father bless the food. We're about to have together and the time we're about to have in fellowship and we ask it in Jesus name Amen.