The Rapture of The Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Jeff Kliewer)

We have our next convocation meeting. What we met last Sunday was a special meeting for a special purpose. We have the opportunity to ask questions that you may have if you are interested in that level of information.

We have a date of January. We can vote for you as members. If you don't make that, that's fine. There will be another meeting coming after that. But if you did attend starting point, we encourage you to fill out the membership applications and turn those in.

That being said, we have 28 people in that session, associated with that session. And we already have six more that want starting point class. So we're going to schedule another. It will be in March. If you have not attended starting point, if you're new to our church, if you would love to learn more about our church, if you like the class so much you want to do it again next week.

But we're going to be having two meetings on the 13th and the 20th and the 27th. We're going to do the starting point again. I would also encourage you, if you have not yet spoken to Bill Hanna-Fittles about the marriage status, a marriage small group that's going to be starting up in a couple of weeks.

Actually, it's going to be starting a week from this coming Wednesday. Contact them. It will be on Wednesday evening from 7 to 8 .30. And I believe it's a 12-week session is what I believe it's going to be.

I also want to encourage you to remember our typical routine. We have our prayer meetings tonight. We do have our small groups. I would encourage you that if you're not yet involved in a small group, consider that prayerfully.

We have them on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. They're on our website. You can see where they are. Or you can talk to Pastor Jeff, myself, about them. We really encourage you. This is a great place to grow in depth of fellowship and in learning of the word one with another.

At this point in time, I'm going to ask Matt Holt if he would come forward.

Matt Holt’s Testimony of Salvation and God’s Providence

Morning, everyone. I thought I'd ask to come forward. I think we started once at 9 o 'clock. But I was asked to come forward and share my testimony. And I'm going to start with the cornerstone. So I'm Matt Holt.

H-O-L-T. And I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home. My dad was a pastor. He was a pastor as far back as I can remember. We lived in a small town in Virginia called Branchville. And to say Branchville was a small town was a bit of an understatement.

It literally only had two roads that passed through it. And you could actually drive through it without even knowing you were there. The 2000 census registered the population at 144. And that was probably twice the size of when I lived there as a small boy.

Even though it was so small, there were actually two churches in that town. One was the Baptist church, which my father was the pastor of. The other was the Methodist church down the street. And as I said, at first service, we were still not connected.

But living in a Christian home at an early age, I was taught who Jesus was and what he did for us. I attended a Christian school in Franklin, Virginia, which was about 30 minutes away from where we lived.

And when I was 9 years old, in a chapel service in that school, I accepted Christ as my Savior. I came forward and accepted him as my Lord and Savior. I was then baptized by my father in our home church.

I was pretty lucky to have been able to do that as a kid. From that day onward, and even before that, I could look back and see that God was working in my life. As a teenager and a young adult, there were certainly times where I didn't prioritize my faith the way that I should.

I think all people go through times like that. But God never turned me loose. He never let go of me. Eventually, my dad took a pastor's position here in New Jersey. In Voorhees, he pastored what was then Emanuel Baptist Church.

And then it became New Horizons Community Church. That's where, for those of you who know Rich Ventura, that's where we met Rich Ventura. And he actually studied under my father for a time. And then when I was 21 years old, the Lord led me to my wife Dawn, who's actually in the back right now.

She's going to teach pretty soon. And when I say the Lord led me to my wife, it's not just that that was part of his plan. It obviously was part of his plan. But I look at the orchestration of events that occurred that brought us together, and it's clear, God's hand is clear on that.

I went to youth group with a girl who had, in passing, mentioned that she worked at a telemarketing company. And I worked full time at UPS. But I thought maybe I should make some extra money and take a summer job.

And I did it only for that one summer, and that's where I met my wife because she worked there. And so there were just things that happened in my life that sort of brought us in contact with one another.

And then instantly, you know, I knew she was the one. And we were married three years later. After we were married, we wanted so much to start a family, but we struggled. She actually suffered an ectopic pregnancy.

The tube actually burst, and she almost died from that. They ended up having to rush her into surgery. I still remember that day. It was terrifying. After that, she suffered a miscarriage, and I was really concerned that we weren't going to be able to have kids.

That was something that both of us really wanted. And so I prayed to God that he would bless us with children. And for those of you who do know me, you'll know that he did, in fact, bless us with five boys.

So we have Nicholas who's 21, Jacob who's 18, Luke who's 15, Caleb who's 13, and Zachary who's 10. Nick's there, Caleb's there, Jacob's there, Luke's there, and Zach's back in his class. So the Lord has truly blessed us with those wonderful boys.

My dad ultimately had to stop preaching when he was 60 and had a stroke. He ended up going to assisted living facility, and then later on, due to an earlier back injury that resulted in arthritis growing in his back, he ended up being a paraplegic.

He ended up being in a nursing home, and I visited him regularly. I was there once or twice a week every week while he was in that nursing home. It was just a really fun time with him. He ended up passing, I said, at the beginning of the earlier service in 2020.

It was actually February 2021. It was only about a year ago that he passed. One of the good things about having a pastor as a father, other than the fact that I know where he is now, that I'll see him again, is that I was able to actually use his own words when I spoke at his funeral about the passing of a believer and how death is not the end.

When Jacob was 15 years old, we found out that he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. It was a pretty devastating thing for us. It's a chronic illness that has no cure currently, but the Lord was using that in our lives.

It's clear now. At the time, it was absolutely devastating, but we actually look back on that as a real example of God turning evil into good because it was transformative in our lives. It really strengthened our dependence and reliance on God's provision because we were helpless to do anything about it, and it was transformative in Jacob's life as well because it actually changed his focus for what he wanted to do with his life, and he now wants to dedicate his life to ministry and be a pastor, just like his grandfather.

My journey to Cornerstone has been an interesting one. Our search for another church kind of started when the woke agenda and some of that stuff started infiltrating churches. We began to look for a new church home, and it wasn't long before we found Cornerstone.

Through the stoplights, my wife actually went to a youth group with Brenda and Michael, and so they recommended it. As soon as we listened to Jeff's preaching, it was pretty clear that this is where God was leading us to go.

One of the things that really made it clear was the fact that I was really missing kind of the expository preaching that my father had practiced with me as a pastor and had heard throughout my childhood, where it's preaching directly from the Word of God without implication or compromise.

So we visited and felt so welcomed by everyone that was here. It was a real warmth and a true genuine welcome. In July, I believe it's going to be almost two years that we've been here. So I just wanted to share this story with you.

It is always encouraging to hear testimonies, to hear how God's providence, His sovereignty works in the hearts of believers, those who call upon His name. Thank you, Matt, for sharing that. I want to encourage all of you to be prepared to give a word of testimony to neighbors, to friends, to know how to express the love of God.

You don't have to be a pastor. You don't have to have gone to seminary. You have a testimony of how God has dealt within your life. Be prepared. It is always warming and encouraging to hear these words.

Let's go to prayer, please. Father, this morning we do come to you encouraged by these words that even Matt has just shared with us, knowing how lives are transformed, even from a very young age, and then how, God, you continue to bless.

We look to our own lives and our own relationship with you. Lord, we thank you, Lord, that your word is powerful, and we pray, Lord, that we would be lights in our own communities. We pray for our missionaries who are around the world spreading this word.

We pray that you would protect them. Father, this morning we continue to lift up young Ryan, having had that burn accident down in Texas. We pray, Lord, for continued healing. You, as the great physician, would touch him, that the families would be comforted and consoled by you.

And we pray for Bill, who last week had had a fall up in the Poconos, hit his head, and they had to have surgery for a brain bleed. And situations continue to be tough. We pray, Lord, that you would restore him completely.

We pray for his wife. We pray for the family, Lord. Lord, we do ask for your wisdom as we, as a church, continue to move forward, seeking your lead on the question of the Phillips Road land. It's your desire, Lord, that those doors would be opened, and if not, we would know.

And in all things, Lord, we would be unified as a body and following your lead. We thank you, Lord. This morning, as Pastor Jeff comes and talks to us about a hope that we know and we can hold on to that the world does not understand, as he brings us into 1 Thessalonians 4 .13, and we talk about the rapture, the reality, Lord, that we, as your bride, are coming home to you.

We pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

Praise, Psalm 145, and Worship of God’s Greatness

I will exalt you, my God the King. I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. His greatness no one can fathom.

One generation commends your work to another. They tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonder. They tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all. He has compassion on all he has made.

All your works praise you, Lord, and your faithful people extol you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. The Lord is trustworthy and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways.

And faithful in all he does.

The Lord is near to all who call on him,.

To all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him. He hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, and all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.

Let every creature praise his holy name forever and ever.

And with Psalm 145, a lot of great words.

Used to describe.

Praising God. We will extol and bless his name. We will speak of his greatness, his mighty acts. Let's stand together and sing aloud and give thanks to our God and King.

Bless your name from dawn to setting sun. Your greatness I'll proclaim. Your glory far exceeds.

All human thought.

So with each breath I'll bless your name. Oh, God. Your name will be revealed as generations sing. Your strong and mighty teeth are always near. Oh, God.

Most high is the Lord.

Greatly to be praised.

How great is the Lord.

Greatly to be praised. Gracious hand provides for all who live and breathe. Your mercy runs to find the helpless and the weak.

When we call out to you,.

You hear our cry.

Oh, God.

Most high is the Lord.

Greatly to be praised.

How great is the Lord.

Greatly to be praised. Of wicked men you finally destroy. Your power will proclaim till Christ descends.

And you will reign forever.

Is the Lord.

And greatly to be praised. Is the Lord.

Let's sing that again.

How great.

Is the Lord.

And greatly to be praised.

Is the Lord. When we come to you,.

You are greatly to be praised. You are beyond our understanding as Psalm 145 calls out. We stand and sing praises to your name with humble hearts bowed before you.

You are the King full of majesty and greatness to me.

How great is.

The split.

Is our.

Sing with me.

How great.

Sing with me.

How great. Is our God. And all will see how great.

Our God.

Sing with me.

How great.

Is you and I. Our God. And all will see how great.

How great.

Satan does not want us to sing louder than the PA system can allow. But we're gonna praise his name and shout the name of God. Name above all names. Lord be lifted high this morning.

Name above all names. The of all praise. My heart will sing.

How great.

Is our God.

Name above all names.

Name above all names. You are word of all praise. My heart will sing.

How great.

Is our God.

Then sings my soul.

Then sings my soul. My Savior God to thee. How great thou art. My soul. My Savior God to thee. How great thou art. How great thou art.

Then sings my soul.

Then sings my soul. My Savior God to thee.

How great thou art.

Worthy of our praise.

Amen. Amen.

Prayer for Leaders, Peace in Ukraine, and Opening the Word

First Timothy two you tell us to pray first of all for kings and those in authority that we may live peaceful quiet lives. So Lord we pray for Putin that he would end this aggressive war. We pray for the president of Ukraine Zelensky that you would protect his life.

Lord that you would bring peace in his land that you would bring an end to this conflict. We pray for the little children who are cowering and afraid because they're being shelled. We ask that you would supernaturally guard their lives and guard their hearts as well.

We pray Lord that many of them much of that country would come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God we pray for peace and we thank you also for peace in our land that we can be gathered here singing then sings my soul without fear in a peaceful quiet land singing praise to your name for you are worthy.

We pray now as we open the word that you would give us ears to hear and teach us by your scripture in Jesus name.

Amen.

Russia, Ukraine, and Ezekiel 38’s Prophecy of Gog and Magog

Many of you have asked me what we are to make of Russia's invasion of the Ukraine. The first answer I would give to that is to say that to rush to judgment would be folly. There are things that come to light over time and the scripture says that the fool rushes in and suffers for it.

So many things will only come out in time and history and ultimately in eternity we'll have a clear glass to look through as opposed to the dark murky one that we look through now. So we don't know everything.

Some things seem plain though. One of the things that I think would be helpful for Christians to remember has to do with the Jewish people. If you were to take a globe anybody still have an old school globe an actual round globe and tie a thread to the North Pole at the top of your globe take the other end of the thread and pin that in Jerusalem you would find that the thread runs North directly through Moscow.

Russia. In a minute we're going to open Ezekiel 38 and we'll find out how that connects to Jerusalem. But many people don't know this about the President of Ukraine. If you guys would put up the picture of the Ukrainian President Zelensky here he is at the Wailing Wall.

What do you notice on his head?

A yarmulke. Next picture.

Here he is at the Holocaust Memorial. Many people don't know about this young man, Zelensky. He is a Jew. And that's significant. Now, let me tell you.

You can put that down.

Let me tell you a little bit about Zelensky the President of Ukraine. He was a comedian that founded a media company in the Ukraine. And around the year 2015 he started to portray a President of the Ukraine.

Kind of a mock impersonation of what a President would be like. And in that he went on a rant against all the corruption in the government because the Ukraine is famously corrupt in its dealings. So he went on this rant and then people loved it.

And this comedian who had a show called Servant of the People decided not only to be an actor but to actually run for President. And in 2019 under a new party called Servant of the People he ran for President and won with a vote of 73 of the population.

That's amazing. As the story unfolds. He ran on a platform of overthrowing corruption. Now, the fact that he is Jewish.

Oh.

Thank you. The fact that he is Jewish is significant for a number of reasons. Timothy Snyder of Yale who we would not agree with in much of his interpretation says the free democratic election of a Jewish President confirms in the fascist mind that the fascist boogeyman of liberal democracy as a tool for global Jewish domination is real.

He's saying that Putin is a fascist and in that I think Timothy Snyder is right. I think that Putin sees himself as the leader of a revived Soviet empire and it's built not on Christianity but built on being an ethnic Russian.

You see, in the east side of Ukraine 70 of the people are Russian in ethnicity. And so by identifying by his ethnicity he hopes to recapture what he thinks is rightly belonging to Russia. You see the fascism there.

In the boogeyman of the Jewish people much like leading up to the second world war the Jewish people are often portrayed as being the ringleaders behind a worldwide plot to dominate the world through liberal democracies.

Hitler exploited this view and of course we know the result was the holocaust. The slaughtering of 6 million Jews. Precious people made in the image of God. Because they were portrayed as the nefarious actors behind the scene.

Leading to everything that was wrong in the world. Local Jews in Kiev have said about Zelensky being a Jew that this actually is dangerous for the Jewish people. Because if Zelensky fails the people will blame the Jews.

And in fact as we sit here this morning the Jewish people are involved in this conflict. Remember how I said if you drew a line from Jerusalem to the North Pole it goes right through Moscow? Jerusalem is part of the situation that's unfolding today.

They've shot missiles into Damascus. Damascus and Syria in many ways are aligned with Iran and Russia. All of these things come together. And we're going to see it now in Ezekiel 38. Turn with me there.

As we go there understand that the Jewish people have been sent into Diaspora. In 70 AD the Jewish people were kicked out of their land and sent to the ends of the earth. But wherever they went they've had an outsized influence in the land in which they were.

In fact of the 900 noble lariats those who have received the Nobel Prize fully 20 are Jewish. Now if that doesn't startle you think about this for a moment. 20%. The population of Jewish people 15 million out of 7 .89 billion people in the world the Jewish people make up 0 .19 of the world's population.

And yet they've had this outsized influence wherever they are. I will suggest to you that the reason for this is that God is not done with the ethnic people Israel. The Israelites are still the apple of his eye.

Even though they've been sent into Diaspora in 1948, May 14th they were given their land back in the Promised Land. And they came out of Diaspora back to the homeland to Israel. God is in all of these things because he's not yet done with ethnic Israel.

Some people teach that in the church age the church has replaced Israel and there's no more distinction between the Jewish people. That makes no sense of what happened in World War II and in 1948. In fact as you look at the world stage Israel is very much the center of attention.

So I told you to turn to Ezekiel 38. I want to show you how this connects with the war of aggression here in Ukraine. Chapter 38 verse 1 the book of Ezekiel. The word of the Lord came to me Son of man set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal and prophesy against him.

Okay does that clarify everything for everybody?

We're good now? Gog.

The chief prince of Magog. Some of you have heard of Gog and Magog that does not refer to two distinct places. Gog is the leader of Magog a place and Magog is historically by all Bible scholars recognized to be Russia the people north of the Black Sea.

The chief prince. In fact that word Rosh prince could come as an antecedent to prince it could be the prince of Rosh Russia and all recognize that Meshach and Tubal refer to the northern peoples far north of the Black Sea Russia and say verse 3 thus says the Lord God behold I am against you oh Gog Putin chief prince of Meshach and Tubal.

Now I don't know if Putin himself is Gog but there will be a world ruler from Russia referred to here as Gog who will lead an aggressive attack against Jerusalem. Let's keep reading verse 4. And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws and I will bring you out and all your army horses and horsemen all of them clothed in full armor a great host all of them with buckler and shield wielding.

Swords. Now.

Our text says in verse 4 that Gog the leader of Russia will be drawn out as with a hook in his jaw something is pulling him something is drawing him. There wouldn't be anything in Jerusalem to attract him prior to 1948 because Mark Twain described that land as a complete wasteland but since Israel resettled and according to Ezekiel 36 it began to revive and the land came forth and now it's growing grape vineyards where there used to be desert and they've discovered vast quantities.

Of oil and.

Natural gas now there's something that Putin is interested in as he is in Ukraine. What is the hook in the jaw of Gog in this text? Something is drawing him out and we'll see it more clearly. It is greed for taking possession of natural resources so they come out now who's in league with Gog according to verse 5?

Persia. Cush and Put are with them all of them with shield and helmet. Who's Persia? Iran. You guys know this awesome. Persia is ancient Iran. Iran is the modern iteration of ancient Persia. No chance that Iran and Russia could be cooperating at any point in the future.

Of course the Bible saw this 2 ,400 years, 2 ,500 years prior to it coming to be. Cush and Put are Libya, Ethiopia, it's the northern African Muslim region so that when the attack comes down from the north there's also a southern attack.

Can you imagine that the country surrounding Jerusalem would join in on this parade? Of course there is great hatred and the desire of the Muslim country surrounding Israel is to drive them into the sea.

So here you have Russia with Iran and the northern African Muslim countries coming against Israel. This also happened not with Russia but in 1967 in the Six Day War. All of the surrounding nations tried to destroy Israel and the same fate will meet these who surround them in the future.

All of them with shield and helmet. Now verse 6 Gomer and all his hordes. Beth Togramar from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes. Many peoples are with you. Again, you guys good.

Right? These peoples.

Of the north, the uttermost parts of the north are eastern Europe, Ukraine, Georgia, the eastern European countries now controlled by Gog of the land of Magog from Russia working in league together against the people of Israel.

From the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes many people with you. Then we see in verse 7 be ready and keep ready you and all your hosts that are assembled about you and be a guard for them.

After many days you will be mustered. When does this refer to? In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war. Now I cannot underscore this enough how significant these words are.

In the book of Ezekiel they're in exile and they'll come back into their promised land but again they'll be sent into Diaspora in 70.

AD. In Ezekiel.

36 we see a picture of the new covenant and then the restoration of the land in the latter days. In Ezekiel 37 we see a valley of dry bones and God asked the prophet Ezekiel, son of man can these bones live?

Ezekiel said you alone know.

Lord. Why are you asking.

Me? You know. And God said that they will live. And then in this vision Ezekiel was shown by God this valley of dry bones and all of a sudden the bones started snapping back.

Together.

And then the bones formed a human skeleton. Skeletons. And then sinews formed on the bones and then flesh and skin and then breathe on them, speak life to them. According to the word of the Lord Ezekiel speaks and they stand up, receive the breath of life and there they stand as a living army.

What to make of this? Ezekiel is told that one stick is the northern kingdom and the other stick is the southern. Take the two and put them in their hand one united Israel. This did not happen when they came out of captivity in the days of Ezekiel.

After Ezekiel when they went back to the promised land. This refers to when the northern tribes and the southern tribes are united as one back in the promised land. This happened in 1948. When Israel was reestablished as one people in the land of Israel.

So look again at Ezekiel 38 .8. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war. Israel has been restored from World War II. They're in their land. The land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste.

Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely all of them. You will advance coming on like a storm. Okay you guys following? Who will advance? Gog and Magog with all of Iran and the Caucus Mountain European peoples will advance down to Israel with the northern African tribes helping from the south to conquer the land of Israel.

Like a storm you will be like a cloud covering the land. You and all your hordes and many peoples with you. Verse 10. Thus says the Lord God on that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme and say I will go up against the land of unwalled villages.

I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely all of them dwelling without walls and having no bars or gates to seize.

Spoil and carry off plunder to turn.

Your hand against the waste places that are now inhabited and the people who were gathered from the nations who have acquired livestock and goods who dwell at the center of the earth. Which does he value more human blood or oil?

Black oil. Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tashish and all its leaders will say to you have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your host to carry off plunder? To carry away silver and gold?

To take away livestock and goods? To seize great spoil? There is coming.

A war against.

Jerusalem where Gog and Magog will come down to take possession of Israel at the center of the earth. They're there to seize plunder. They're greedy to take what belongs to another. How will this end?

We're not going to read the rest of Ezekiel 38 and 39 this morning because I really want to get into the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4. But I need you to see this and I'm going to tell you spoiler alert, what happens?

They.

Come down. God wins like he does on every page of the Bible. They come against Israel. They make it as far as the northern mountains and by a supernatural intervention, God's power kind of like the 1967 Six Day War, Israel completely crushes them.

It takes seven months to bury the number of bodies that are strewn across the land. These things happen at the beginning of the tribulation. This horrible event. Now is Putin Gog? We don't know that. But certainly if he passes it off to the next ruler after him or maybe he himself is, in any case we know the events that will take place and it makes sense of what you're seeing in the world today.

Russia rising as a power, allied with Iran and northern Turkey that's Togomar, many other peoples coming together against Jerusalem to drive them into the sea. Zelensky now is a Jew and it enrages Putin that he is.

In Daniel chapter 9 verses 24 to 27 we were told 70 weeks were decreed for your people. That's 77 year periods, 490 years for your people, for the Jewish people to finish the transgression, make an end of sin, usher in everlasting righteousness, anoint the most holy place.

God has a plan for Israel and that plan is even given a 490 year timeline. After 483 years the Messiah of Israel, the Mashiach, the anointed one, will be cut off and have nothing. Jesus the Messiah came, was cut off and had nothing.

But after.

That moment in time we did not see the final seven year period. We're still waiting on Daniel's 70th week. We read about it in Daniel 9 24 to 27. That week will be characterized like this. A prince will arise and he will make a strong covenant with the many.

He will make a peace treaty. So don't look to Putin to be the Antichrist. Look for a peacemaking ruler in Europe with the Jewish false prophet beside.

Him to make.

Peace in Israel. And this person.

With peace.

Even on the Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock with Muslims, Jews, Christians, all living in peace for three and a half years. Halfway through that strong covenant he will commit what is called the abomination of desolation.

Ever heard of it? If you read Matthew 24 Jesus told you to be aware of it. Halfway through the tribulation the Antichrist will proclaim himself to be God and command the worship of the world. Probably make a sacrifice on the altar in the Temple.