Watch For His Coming (12/31/2000)

Watching for the Second Advent and the End of the Age

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.

Near and Far Prophecy in Mark 13

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.

Take Heed: Moderation, False Prophets, Lukewarmness, and Stewardship

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.

Do Not Be Troubled by Wars and Rumors of Wars

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.