Belief regarding the return of Jesus after his ascension
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Tuor finds his way to the shores of the Great Sea and is struck with a deep Sea-longing in today's continued reading in Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin in Unfinished Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join The Man of the West for a new series of First Age Fridays as we look at the tale Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin from Unfinished Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Samuel - Capture of the Ark Provokes God, The Ark Returned to Israel, Israel Saved from the Philistines, Samuel's Ministry.Matthew - Signs of Christ's Return, Perilous Times, The Glorious Return, Parable of the Fig Tree, Be Ready for His Coming.
Send us a textWelcome to Grounded, where women and men of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds gather together with me, Dr. Barbara Morgan Gardner and my guests as we strive to build a bedrock understanding of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and become more like him. Today, join me and Reyna Aburto as we study: Knowing and Preparing for the Savior, Wounded in the House of our Friends, and Finding Joy in Preparing for His Coming.Weekly download to enhance your study of Come Follow Me: Coming soon…Grounded Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegroundedpodcast_/Grounded Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGroundedPodcast?mibextid=LQQJ4dBarbara Morgan Gardner Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbarbaramorgangardner/?hl=enBarbara Morgan Gardner Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbara.morgan.37051/(00:00) Introduction(2:21) Knowing and Preparing for the Savior(43:22) Wounded in the House of our Friends(30:16) Finding Joy in Preparing for His Coming(1:05:32) What Have You Learned for Yourself?Support the show
What is it that pleases God? A young expert in the Jewish Law asked Jesus, “Which is the greatest commandment?” To which Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39. John put it like this in v23ff, “This is His Commandment, that we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another as He commanded us. He who keeps God's Commandment, dwells in God and God in him. And this is how we know that He lives in us, by the Spirit He has given us.” This takes us back to Ch 2:28 when John writes, “Now my little children, abide in Christ so that when He shall appear, we may have confidence – certainty of our salvation – and not be ashamed before Him at His Coming.” It's how we are living. If we are living right, that gives us the confidence that we are pleasing God, and the certainty that when Jesus appears, we shall rise with Him and live with Him. Because, as John said, Ch 2:29, “If you know that Christ is righteous, then you know that everyone who does what is right is born of Him.” What a challenge we have! Remember, John was in prison, he suffered for Christ, he lived in exile in Patmos – and this is where Jesus gave him such a wonderful revelation of the Coming Kingdom of God. Oh, that God would give us great revelation of who we are in Him! God bless you!
The purpose of Bible prophecy, especially related to end times events, is to offer comfort, confidence, and forge Christlike character as we prepare for His Coming. The purpose is not to set dates, nor try to solve mysteries related to news and prophecy per se, but to get our hearts and minds focused on God. In the fullness of time, God sent forth Jesus (Gal. 4:4), and at the right time He will return just as He promised (John 14:1-4, Revelation 22:12). Let's prepare…
The purpose of Bible prophecy, especially related to end times events, is to offer comfort, confidence, and forge Christlike character as we prepare for His Coming. The purpose is not to set dates, nor try to solve mysteries related to news and prophecy per se, but to get our hearts and minds focused on God. In the fullness of time, God sent forth Jesus (Gal. 4:4), and at the right time He will return just as He promised (John 14:1-4, Revelation 22:12). Let's prepare…We upload our message only version to our church app. If you would like to view this week's entire worship service you can find it by clicking the available link.
January 5 Service Groveport UMC, Groveport Ohio WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS OPENING PRAYER: Loving God, who breaks through the darkness of doubt and despair, be with us this day as we hear of the visit of the Wise Ones, who risked everything to follow a Star. Let us open our hearts and be willing to risk receiving the gift of gracious Love that you have to offer us in the form of our Savior, Jesus Christ. AMEN. PRELUDE & LIGHTING OF THE ALTAR CANDLES “I Wonder as I Wander” *OPENING HYMN “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” - #218 CALL TO WORSHIP: L: O Come, Let us Adore Him, Christ the Lord! P: The Star in the dark sky heralded His Coming. L: Led by the light of the Star, the Wise Ones came to pay homage. P: We, too, come to the stable, seeking the infant King. L: Come, Arise! Shine! The Light has come. P: God's Light of love is shining upon us. AMEN. HYMN “We Three Kings” - #254 PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Lord, we confess that we have been wrapped up on our secular celebration of Christmas. We have thoroughly enjoyed the music, the food, the swirl of activities. We have looked happily at the Christmas lights and decorations, and yet we have chosen to ignore the people who are most in need of compassion and assistance during this time. We often feel overwhelmed by the demands on our resources and so we turn our “deaf ear” and look away. Open our hearts today, precious Lord, and help us hear the cries of those in need. Bring us to an understanding of active discipleship in which we work helping others and thus serving you. Heal us and give us courage and joy in your service. For we ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN. WORDS OF ASSURANCE FIRST SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah 60:1-6 OUR TIME OF PRAYER (During our time of prayer, the altar rail is open for all who wish to come forward.) HYMN “Sanctuary” PASTORAL PRAYER THE LORD'S PRAYER OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS: Special Music *DOXOLOGY *PRAYER OF DEDICATION CHILDREN'S MOMENTS (Children 1st-6 grades are invited to Junior Church at this time.) SECOND SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 2:1-12 SERMON on Epiphany HOLY COMMUNION HYMN (sung during Communion) “What Child Is This?” - #219 *BENEDICTION *SENDING FORTH “As We Go” POSTLUDE “How Great Our Joy”
The Second Last Sunday In The Church Year (Trinity 26) 11/17/24 Sermon Text: 2 Peter 3:3-14 Sermon Theme: Where Is The Promise of His Coming? I. It Is Written In His Word and Works! (Vs.3-7). II. It Is Written In God's Mercy And Judgment! (Vs.8-10) III. It Is Written In Our Baptismal Hope! (Vs.10-12) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Be Ready for His Coming // 2 Peter 3: 10-18 // Gerry Breshears October 20th, 2024 www.gracecc.net
Yeshua is the connection between heaven and earth, who was made flesh and tabernacled among us. The post Hope in His Coming appeared first on Emmaus Road Fellowship.
Join Pastor Lawson as he continues his teaching, “2nd Thessalonians: In Light of His Coming.” The post 2nd Thessalonians: In Light of His Coming – Part 3 appeared first on Charis Christian Center.
1 John: Confidence at His Coming Survey of the Bible For the bulletin in PDF form, click here.Message SlidesThe Apostle JohnOccasion of 1 JohnAudience of 1 JohnPurpose of 1 JohnChristologyContext: Who, Where, When, and Why?• Who composed 1 John?• Who was John's original audience?• When was 1 John written? • Where were the author and his readers?• Why was 1 John written? Content: How and What?• Prologue: Incarnation and Fellowship Introduced (1:1-4)Fellowship - God is Light - Walk in the Light (1:5-2:27) - Basic Principles: (1:5-2:11) • Basic Principles of Fellowship (1:5-2:2) • Basic Principles of Knowing God (2:3-11) - The Purpose of the Epistles (2:1-27) • In Light of Their Varied Spiritual Condition 2:12-14) • In Light of the Allurement of the World (2:15-17) • In Light of the Deceptions of the Last Hour z92:18-23) • In Light of the Responsibility to Abide (2:24-27)Big Idea: Abide to have Confidence (παρρησίαν) at His Coming (παρουσία) (2:28)Sonship - God is Love - Walk in the Love (2:29-5:17 - Discerning the True Children of God (2:29-3:10a - Discerning True Love for the Brethren (3:10b-23) - Discerning the Indwelling God (3:24-4:16) - Theme Realized; Abide in Christ and Have Confidence at His Coming (4:17-19) - The Expression of Love (4:20-5:17)• Epilogue: Sonship and Incarnation Culminated (5:18-21)• What is the message of 1 John? Conviction: So What?• Where does 1 John fit? - John is correcting an “overinterpretation” of his Gospel by false teachers who have left the congregation. - The doctrinal correction has to do with a correct understanding of the incarnation. - The practical implication has to do with living in fellowship with God as His children.• What should we believe? - God is light and we should walk in light. - God is love and we should walk in love. - When we abide in Christ we can have confidence, not shame, when He returns.• How should we behave? - Confessing sin to maintain fellowship. - Abiding in Christ through obedience and love. - Loving God and His children empowered by the Holy Spirit.Next Steps • Be honest about your sin and confess quickly. Experience God's gracious forgiveness. • Abide in Christ through obedience to His word and love of others. • Find assurance of your salvation through solid faith in Christ. • Anticipate confidence at Christ's return by living a life of obedience and love.This Week's Growth GuideGod's Word is both central and critical to your spiritual growth. We invite you to utilize the Growth Guide during the week to further your application of the Truth from the message.•. Monday - 1 John 1•. Tuesday - 1 John 2•. Wednesday - 1 John 3•. Thursday - 1 John 4•. Friday - 1 John 5FinancesWeekly Budget 35,297Giving For 09/22 30,235Giving For 09/29 19,563YTD Budget 458,863 Giving 394,253 OVER/(UNDER) (64,610) Operation Christmas Child Special PackThis Tuesday, October 8, you and your family are invited to participate in an Operation Christmas Child Special Access Pack at Fellowship! Together, we will be packing 2800 shoeboxes that will be sent to children in hard-to-reach areas worldwide. Join us on October 8 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm or 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Child care is provided for ages six years and younger.New to Fellowship?We are so glad that you chose to worship with our Fellowship Family this morning. If you are joining us for the first time or have been checking us out for a few weeks, we are excited you are here and would love to meet you. Please fill out the “Connect Card” and bring it to the Connection Center in the Atrium, we would love to say “hi” and give you a gift. Fellowship Women's Fall Retreat - BreatheRest, eat, worship, and make new friends in beautiful Heber Springs. We would love for you to join us at our October 25-27 fall retreat. To learn more and to register go to fellowshipconway.org/women. Men's Fellowship Breakfast Men, join us for a great breakfast and fellowship on Wednesday, October 9, at 6:00 a.m. here in the Fellowship atrium. No sign-up is needed. Come with your Bible ready to eat, fellowship with other men, and start your day off right through prayer and Biblical insight. Questions? Contact Michael at mharrison@fellowshipconway.org.Father/Son Campout - October 18-19Join us for an unforgettable Father-Son Camp Out this Fall, where adventure and bonding await boys ages 5 and up! This is a fantastic opportunity for fathers to connect with their sons in a unique setting. Don't miss out on this special chance to strengthen your bond and enjoy nature's beauty. Register at fellowshipconway.org/register. Fellowship 101We invite you to join us on Sunday, November 10, at 9:00 a.m. to learn more about Fellowship. This is a great opportunity to hear about our mission, values, and our ministries. If you're new to Fellowship, join us in the conference room (first floor) to hear what God is doing and where He is taking us. During this time, you will meet some of our ministry leaders and get to ask questions. Register at fellowshipconway.org/register. Feed the Need - Sunday, November 3, 10-2:00 p.m.Multiple ways to serve! First, we need 24 volunteers to serve the day of the event at the Walmart Neighborhood Market. Volunteers will sort, box, load, and help spread the word! Register at fellowshipconway.org/register. Second, you can go to one of the participating grocery stores, shop for items on the list, and drop them with the volunteers in the parking lot! Let's help this year's event be a great success! Fellowship Equipping ClassesEquipping classes have started and there's still to time to sign up. To find out more information and register go to fellowshipconway.org/equipping.
Join Pastor Lawson as he continues his teaching, “2nd Thessalonians: In Light of His Coming.” The post 2nd Thessalonians: In Light of His Coming – Part 2 appeared first on Charis Christian Center.
Send us a messageAs the Holy Spirit leads us in this effort, it will not only to solidify the reality that there is without a doubt a “One World Order” that has been pushing forward down through the ages and leading to its complete formation – which the enemy has been purposed to create since the moment pride entered his heart and he became determined to usurp the God of Creation and rule in His place. But more importantly it offers stark confirmation to God's Prophetic Word of Truth that has clearly revealed to us that there will be a Global Empire in place during the Tribulation Period. And as we follow the timeline leading to this revisited “Tower of Babel” it becomes very clear that we are only prophetic minutes – and even seconds - away from its final completion. Which means that in spite of the mockers who challenge the nearness of His Coming – the Rapture of God's True Church is very near – even at the door!Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/
In this eye-opening sermon at 2911 Church, Pastor Zion delves into "The Surprising Truth About End Times Preparation," uncovering the timeless truths of Jesus' teachings on the return of Christ. This message explores the parable of the ten virgins, a profound reminder of the unexpected nature of the Rapture and the crucial importance of spiritual readiness. With a focus on faith, purpose, and God's unique plan for your life, Pastor Zion inspires believers to stay vigilant on their spiritual journey. He encourages us not just to know Christianity, but to truly know Christ, emphasizing the need to keep our spiritual lamps burning brightly with the flame of faith and the oil of God's presence. This sermon is a call to action for believers to embrace their purpose and live each day in preparation for Christ's return. Be encouraged to like, share, and subscribe to the channel as you deepen your understanding of faith and the divine purpose laid out in Psalm 139. Join this inspiring journey and strengthen your walk with Jesus today.#Prophecy #BibleStudy #Christianity #BibleProphecy #ChristianSermon #ChristianEncouragement #Revelation #Rapture #BibleProphecy #ProphecyCHAPTERS:00:00 - The Return of Christ04:10 - The Rapture Explained10:36 - Be Ready for Christ's Return10:57 - The Unexpected Nature of the Rapture14:29 - Understanding the Purpose of Revelation17:09 - Jesus' Ultimate Victory19:17 - Importance of Longevity in Readiness22:00 - The Flame and the Oil: Staying Prepared24:25 - How to Maintain Readiness28:00 - Always Be on the Watch for His Coming----------Follow 2911 Church on Social Media:FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/2911churchINSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/2911churchWEBSITE: https://www.2911church.com/GIVING: https://2911church.churchcenter.com/giving----------Subscribe to 2911 Church's Podcast:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6SiLmBl5TcTGD63CTNwU4f?si=98186b325cf94ee6Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/29-11-church/id1456498714
Talk 40 Mark 13:24-37 Signs of His Coming? Welcome to Talk 40 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Last time we were looking at Mark 13:1-23 and considering some of the problems in interpreting this difficult chapter. I suggested that most of what Jesus says in that passage relates primarily to the events that would occur around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70, which Jesus so accurately predicted in verses 1-4. Today we're considering the rest of chapter 13, verses 24-37, where, as we shall see, some verses are by no means easy to understand. But let's begin by reading verses 24-31. 24"But in those days, following that distress, "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' 26 "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. 28 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Before we get into the passage let me remind you of what I said last time about difficulties interpreting the whole chapter. This will be a very brief summary, so, if you haven't yet listened to, or read the notes on, last week's talk, I recommend that you do so before going any further. The first problem arises from the fact that Jesus is answering two questions asked by the disciples at the beginning of the chapter and it's not always easy to decide which part of Jesus' answer refers to which question. Is this verse talking about the destruction of the temple or does it refer to the second coming? The second difficulty is deciding which parts of Jesus' answer are to be taken literally and which are to be taken symbolically. In my view, much of the chapter is to be understood literally, but some verses must be intended to be understood symbolically or metaphorically. In attempting to resolve these difficulties, I said that the first thing we must do is to find out more about the context, and I gave a brief description of what we know from history about the horrendous events that occurred surrounding the time of the destruction of the temple in AD70. So now, in today's talk, I want to do three things: · Examine two very different interpretations of verses 24-31. · Emphasise why it's a mistake to be constantly looking for signs of the Lord's return (vv.32-37). · Summarise what lessons we have learnt from the chapter as a whole. Verses 24-31 Two different interpretations Interpretations of these verses fall into two main categories: a) Those who see most or all of this passage as referring to the second coming b) Those who understand most or all of the passage to refer to the events around AD70. Clearly these are two very different points of view, and we won't have time to deal with them in great detail. So what I'm going to do is summarise four main arguments that seem to support the view that this passage relates to the second coming, and alongside them to state a counter argument that is sometimes made by those who take the alternative view. It is not my intention to be dogmatic, and, in fact, part of my purpose is to encourage you to form your own conclusions, but not to be too dogmatic, whatever your view may be. 1) In Matthew's account one of the questions the disciples asked Jesus was about the second coming (Matthew 24:3). We would, therefore, expect that at least part of Jesus' answer would relate to the second coming. HOWEVER, one problem with this argument is that in verse 30 Jesus says, I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. So these verses, it is argued, cannot refer to the second coming unless Jesus himself mistakenly believed that the second coming would take place within a generation of his making the statement, which it clearly did not, but the fall of Jerusalem certainly did! 2) The events described in vv.24-25 would appear to be unique in world history. They are the kind of things one might expect at the end of the age and verse 27 talks of the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. HOWEVER, in Daniel 7:13-14 we read: In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. So, it is argued, in its original context, the Son of Man is coming to God and could well refer to Jesus' ascension into Heaven rather than his coming from Heaven. Moreover, it's difficult to see how Jesus could have intended us to understand phrases like the stars will fall from the sky (v25) literally. The terminology used in these verses is reminiscent of the poetic language used by the Old Testament prophets and should be interpreted symbolically. And in light of the fact that they were to be fulfilled within a generation, this, it is argued, is the best way to interpret them. 3) If the fig tree mentioned in verse 28 refers to Israel as it appears to in Mark 11:20-25, then the passage must relate to the end times when, according to this view, the full number of Gentiles has come in and all Israel shall be saved (Romans 11:25-26, cf. Luke 21:24). HOWEVER, there is no need to assume that the mention of the fig tree refers to Israel on this occasion. Jesus could equally well have meant that, just as you know that when the leaves of a fig tree start to come out, the summer is near, so be absolutely sure that, when you see the things I have been talking about begin to happen, the dreadful events that will take place at the destruction of Jerusalem will soon come to pass. 4) In verse 31 Jesus says that Heaven and earth will pass away, which suggests that the passage relates to the time of the end. HOWEVER, the point that Jesus is making in this verse is that whatever happens, his words will never fail. There is a clear claim to deity here. Who else but God could make such a claim? Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). You can rely on everything he says, whether it be about the second coming or the destruction of Jerusalem, or anything else, for that matter. So that concludes my summary of two very different interpretations of verses 24-31, and in my view it would be unwise to take a dogmatic position on either side. There are some passages of Scripture that are open to more than one possible interpretation. However, when we come to verses 32-37 it seems obvious, to me at least, that these verses must relate to the second coming, as a comparison with the parallel passage in Matthew 24:36-44 clearly indicates. Verses 32-37 Only the Father knows the timing, so don't look for signs, but be ready 32 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" As I have already said, the parallel passage in Matthew 24 makes it clear that it relates to the second coming. Jesus says: As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man (vv37-39). This cannot possibly refer to the coming of the Son of Man described in Daniel 7, which as we have seen may well be better understood to be a reference to Jesus' ascension into Heaven rather than his return from it. But in these verses Jesus is clearly referring to his second coming which will be as unexpected as the flood was in the time of Noah. However, unlike Noah, who was told on what day God would send the rain, no-one will know the timing of the Lord's return. Jesus said that even he did not know. And if Jesus didn't know, I wonder why some Christians seem to think that they can work it out! But it's sometimes said in response to this criticism that it was only the day and the hour that we cannot know. But in the next verse Jesus says, You do not know when that time will come. The Greek word for time here is kairos, which does not refer to the time of day, but means season. This is backed up by what Jesus reiterated in in Acts 1:7 when he told his disciples: It's not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put under his own authority. So why does Jesus tell us to Be alert! Be on guard! Watch!? The answer is simple. He doesn't mean watch for signs. He means Stay awake! Be alert (v33) literally means, Don't go to sleep. It's used of the disciples in Gethsemane whom Jesus found sleeping, and here in verse 36 Jesus says, If he (the Son of Man) comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. And the word for watch in verses 34, 35, and 37 means Keep awake, be vigilant. It's used elsewhere in the New Testament in connection with: · Not letting the enemy break through (Luke 12:39) · Standing firm in the faith and being strong (1 Corinthians 16:13) · Keeping awake in prayer (Colossians 4:2) · Being sober and vigilant because the enemy goes about like a roaring lion… (1 Peter 5:8) · Staying awake and not being found naked and shamefully exposed when the Lord returns (Revelation 16:15). So, when the Lord tells us to watch, he is not telling us to watch for signs. He's saying that because we do not know when he will return, we need to be in a permanent state of readiness. And we can do that without constantly looking for signs. We can do it by living lives that please him and by using the gifts and talents he has given us (Matthew 25:14-30). We should concentrate on telling others about him, not trying to know what Jesus has told us is not for us to know (Acts 1:6-8). Lessons we can learn from the whole chapter So now, as we draw to a close our discussion on this difficult chapter, let's remind ourselves of some of the lessons we have learnt. I have pointed out that the problems of interpretation arise from two factors, 1) deciding which of the disciples' two questions in verse 4 Jesus is answering at any point in the chapter, and 2) determining when the language he is using is meant to be understood literally or symbolically. Because of these difficulties, I have suggested that it would be unwise to be dogmatic, but that perhaps verses 5-23 should be seen as largely relating to Jesus' prophecy of destruction of Jerusalem in AD70, that verses 24-31 are open to either interpretation depending mainly on whether one sees 24-27 as literal or symbolic, and that verses 32-37 relate very definitely to the second coming. However, despite the difficulties, I do believe that the principles that Jesus teaches in all three sections are relevant to all Christians throughout the history of the church, and so I want to conclude by reminding you of seven things that I have mentioned already, either in the last talk or in this. I hope that, whatever your view on the second coming, you will find yourself in agreement, at least with most of them. · We must watch out for deceivers · We must not be surprised by international turmoil and natural disasters · We must expect to be persecuted · We must continue to tell others about Jesus, relying on the help of the Holy Spirit · We must not try to work out the timing of Christ's coming, because it's not for us to know · We must stay awake, in a permanent state of readiness for the Lord's return, because · THE LORD IS CERTAINLY COMING and, if we're ready, we simply do not need to know when. Finally, as I mentioned last time, we'll be taking a break for the rest of August, and our series on Mark will continue, God willing, in September.
Psalm 18 is a triumphant declaration at a time of great victory. David (and Christ) explode with love for the Lord (v1), who'd manifested His covenant love to them in many ways. They declare 9 Names of God, describing ways they knew God from personal experience thru many trials (v1-2). Many times they'd called on Him and He delivered them from their enemies. In particular, in the face of death they cried to God and He heard them (v3-6). In its fullest sense it applies to Christ who actually suffered, died & went to Sheol (v4-5), but called to God during this whole time (v6), and He answered. In v7-19, it reveals what happened in the Spirit as God manifested His glory & moved in majestic power at His death & resurrection, bringing darkness & shaking the earth (v7-9,11), personally coming down from Heaven (v10) releasing His arrows against His enemies (v12-14), then invading Hades (v15), and reaching down there by His mighty Arm, He pulled Christ out of the Prison of Hades (v16), rescuing Him from the devil & all His enemies, and raised Him from death & exalted Him to a high spacious place (v17-19). The basis for this divine deliverance was His perfect righteousness as a Man (v19-24): "He delivered me because He delighted in me" (v19b). Likewise, in Christ, God delights in us & delivers us. After His Ascension, God reigns over man thru Christ as His executive at His right hand (Ps 110:1-4). He is merciful, gracious & righteous in His rule, saving the humble & humbling the proud (v25-27). At His resurrection, God regenerated & glorified His human nature, lighting up His lamp, His human spirit (v28, Prov 20:27), anointing Him for victory over all His enemies (v29-36), and sharing His anointing & weapons with His people, who trust in Him, and engage in spiritual warfare in His Name (v30-31). Finally, in God's perfect timing He'll release Him to fully manifest His authority, power & glory to pursue & destroy all His enemies, at His 2nd Coming (v37-42). Then having put down all rebellion, He'll establish His Kingdom on earth and reign as Head of all nations (v43). At this time saved Gentiles, who hear of Him & submit to Him (v43-45) will be included in His covenant community (v49): "Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among (in fellowship with) the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your Name" - quoted in Rom 15:9 and applied to Christ, proving it's a messianic psalm. Rom 15:7-12 quotes 4 prophecies to prove when Christ comes, He'll bring salvation to the Gentiles, so they'll be included with the Jews in God's People. Though these prophecies originally spoke of the Messianic Kingdom, for the Church Age was a Mystery, not yet revealed, they revealed God's purpose to save Gentiles thru His Coming, so Gentile salvation in the Church Age thru the New Covenant is consistent with the revelation of the prophets, and is an initial fulfilment. So Jews & Gentiles in the Church should receive each other as equals (v7). The prophets saw His Coming to die, rise again & establish the new covenant, and had Israel received Him, He'd have established His Kingdom, with Jews & Gentiles equally saved, in fulfilment of the prophecies. But, when Israel rejected Him, instead of establishing the Kingdom, God brought in the Church Age, in which Jews & Gentiles are equally saved, as in the Kingdom. Thus, though He could not fulfil all the Kingdom prophecies, He did fulfil the prophecies of salvation in the new covenant for all who call on His Name, both Jew & Gentile. Similarly, in Acts 15:13-19, James quoted Amos 9:11-12 to show Gentile salvation in the Church Age is consistent with the prophets, as an initial fulfilment, and so Jewish believers should receive Gentiles into the Church as equals. Psalm 18 concludes with a Doxology of Praise, summarising all the great things God did to manifest His covenant love (v46-50), giving Him glory for being His strength & giving Him victory over all His enemies, especially the violent man (antichrist), and for executing justice and establishing His Kingdom on earth over all nations, with Christ exalted as Head. He also gives thanks for the salvation of Gentiles, now in union with Him (v49). He concludes with a summary statement: "Great deliverance He gives to His KING, and shows covenant love to His ANOINTED, to DAVID and his SEED (CHRIST) forevermore" (v50). This confirms Ps 18 was originally fulfilled (in type) to David, but the ultimate fulfilment is to David's SEED, Christ. Just as we are Abraham's Seed, as we're in Christ, the SEED of Abraham, and so inherit his blessing (Gal 3:14,26-29), so we are David's Seed, as we're in Christ, the SEED of David, and so are joint heirs of the covenant blessings (mercies) of David, described in Ps 18. Thus we share in Christ's victory, anointing & reign, thru our union with Him. Thus Ps 18 doesn't just describe God's covenant blessings to David & his Seed (Christ), but also to those in Christ, which we can apply to & appropriate for ourselves.
Psalm 18 is a triumphant declaration at a time of great victory. David (and Christ) explode with love for the Lord (v1), who'd manifested His covenant love to them in many ways. They declare 9 Names of God, describing ways they knew God from personal experience thru many trials (v1-2). Many times they'd called on Him and He delivered them from their enemies. In particular, in the face of death they cried to God and He heard them (v3-6). In its fullest sense it applies to Christ who actually suffered, died & went to Sheol (v4-5), but called to God during this whole time (v6), and He answered. In v7-19, it reveals what happened in the Spirit as God manifested His glory & moved in majestic power at His death & resurrection, bringing darkness & shaking the earth (v7-9,11), personally coming down from Heaven (v10) releasing His arrows against His enemies (v12-14), then invading Hades (v15), and reaching down there by His mighty Arm, He pulled Christ out of the Prison of Hades (v16), rescuing Him from the devil & all His enemies, and raised Him from death & exalted Him to a high spacious place (v17-19). The basis for this divine deliverance was His perfect righteousness as a Man (v19-24): "He delivered me because He delighted in me" (v19b). Likewise, in Christ, God delights in us & delivers us. After His Ascension, God reigns over man thru Christ as His executive at His right hand (Ps 110:1-4). He is merciful, gracious & righteous in His rule, saving the humble & humbling the proud (v25-27). At His resurrection, God regenerated & glorified His human nature, lighting up His lamp, His human spirit (v28, Prov 20:27), anointing Him for victory over all His enemies (v29-36), and sharing His anointing & weapons with His people, who trust in Him, and engage in spiritual warfare in His Name (v30-31). Finally, in God's perfect timing He'll release Him to fully manifest His authority, power & glory to pursue & destroy all His enemies, at His 2nd Coming (v37-42). Then having put down all rebellion, He'll establish His Kingdom on earth and reign as Head of all nations (v43). At this time saved Gentiles, who hear of Him & submit to Him (v43-45) will be included in His covenant community (v49): "Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among (in fellowship with) the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your Name" - quoted in Rom 15:9 and applied to Christ, proving it's a messianic psalm. Rom 15:7-12 quotes 4 prophecies to prove when Christ comes, He'll bring salvation to the Gentiles, so they'll be included with the Jews in God's People. Though these prophecies originally spoke of the Messianic Kingdom, for the Church Age was a Mystery, not yet revealed, they revealed God's purpose to save Gentiles thru His Coming, so Gentile salvation in the Church Age thru the New Covenant is consistent with the revelation of the prophets, and is an initial fulfilment. So Jews & Gentiles in the Church should receive each other as equals (v7). The prophets saw His Coming to die, rise again & establish the new covenant, and had Israel received Him, He'd have established His Kingdom, with Jews & Gentiles equally saved, in fulfilment of the prophecies. But, when Israel rejected Him, instead of establishing the Kingdom, God brought in the Church Age, in which Jews & Gentiles are equally saved, as in the Kingdom. Thus, though He could not fulfil all the Kingdom prophecies, He did fulfil the prophecies of salvation in the new covenant for all who call on His Name, both Jew & Gentile. Similarly, in Acts 15:13-19, James quoted Amos 9:11-12 to show Gentile salvation in the Church Age is consistent with the prophets, as an initial fulfilment, and so Jewish believers should receive Gentiles into the Church as equals. Psalm 18 concludes with a Doxology of Praise, summarising all the great things God did to manifest His covenant love (v46-50), giving Him glory for being His strength & giving Him victory over all His enemies, especially the violent man (antichrist), and for executing justice and establishing His Kingdom on earth over all nations, with Christ exalted as Head. He also gives thanks for the salvation of Gentiles, now in union with Him (v49). He concludes with a summary statement: "Great deliverance He gives to His KING, and shows covenant love to His ANOINTED, to DAVID and his SEED (CHRIST) forevermore" (v50). This confirms Ps 18 was originally fulfilled (in type) to David, but the ultimate fulfilment is to David's SEED, Christ. Just as we are Abraham's Seed, as we're in Christ, the SEED of Abraham, and so inherit his blessing (Gal 3:14,26-29), so we are David's Seed, as we're in Christ, the SEED of David, and so are joint heirs of the covenant blessings (mercies) of David, described in Ps 18. Thus we share in Christ's victory, anointing & reign, thru our union with Him. Thus Ps 18 doesn't just describe God's covenant blessings to David & his Seed (Christ), but also to those in Christ, which we can apply to & appropriate for ourselves.
A new MP3 sermon from Grace Fellowship Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: His Coming and Your Preparation Subtitle: The Gospel of Luke Speaker: Joshua Holder Broadcaster: Grace Fellowship Baptist Church Event: Sunday - AM Date: 6/30/2024 Bible: Luke 12:39-40 Length: 55 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Grace Fellowship Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: His Coming and Your Preparation Subtitle: The Gospel of Luke Speaker: Joshua Holder Broadcaster: Grace Fellowship Baptist Church Event: Sunday - AM Date: 6/30/2024 Bible: Luke 12:39-40 Length: 55 min.
It all started with a random comment about architecture. When you're studying under a really wise teacher any small event, even a word, could open up a fountain of instruction. The Disciples had made some comments in passing about the beauty of the Temple buildings, and that was all it took to get Jesus going that day. He wanted to tell them about His return. And along with that lesson they got to know more about His plan, and His heart. Here's Jim with the conclusion of his sermon, Under the Shadow of His Coming. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS04092024_0.mp3Scripture References: Matthew 24:1-19
What kind of king is this? It's obvious to us, 2,000 years removed, that Jesus was not a political prince. But the Pharisees didn't read the Scriptures that way, and His followers didn't read the Scriptures that way. In the messianic prophecies they saw an earthly ruler. Today we see Christ as transcending things like national borders and armies. And that's our blind spot. Because one day He will be a political king. Here's Jim with Part 1 of, Under the Shadow of His Coming. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS04082024_0.mp3Scripture References: Matthew 24:1-19
A new MP3 sermon from Cedar Heights Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: In All Our Distress and Affliction Subtitle: Living in Light of His Coming Speaker: Jeff McCourt Broadcaster: Cedar Heights Baptist Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 4/7/2024 Bible: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:10 Length: 35 min.
Palm Sunday isn't really about palms. It isn't even about Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. What it is is the hinge between the darkness of the world and God's answer to the darkness. Pastor Luke teaches from Mark 11:1-11 in "The Day of His Coming."
A new MP3 sermon from Cedar Heights Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Leading From a Hope in the Return of Christ Subtitle: Living in Light of His Coming Speaker: Ken Ritche Broadcaster: Cedar Heights Baptist Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 3/17/2024 Bible: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Length: 49 min.
The fulness of the times is upon us and God is calling all things together into one in Christ. We are yielding to His word, being set free from all that has held us captive and entering fully into our inheritance. It is not a dream; it is the word of God. Come, and be […] The post Yielding to His Coming appeared first on Jubilee Church.
"Patient at His Coming" from Colton Willey. James 5:7-11
A Strategy to Cope (Hebrews 3) How can we, as 21st century Christians, keep from falling away from our faith in God through Jesus Christ? It is a question I am often asked. I would call it the COPE strategy: Consider, Persevere and Encourage. 1. Keep Considering! (vs1-6) Hebrews 3:1-6 The first thing we do is to consider Jesus or as the NIV here puts it "fix our thoughts". Now remember, that these are Hebrew believers. I guess we would call them Messianic Jews today. They believed that Jesus was their Messiah, Saviour and Lord. They were obviously coming under pressure from their Jewish friends and leaders to deny this Jesus and return to the fold. They would have been told how great Moses was. In the previous chapter we read how Jesus is greater than the angels, because He is God, but was made a little lower than the angels when he became a man. Moses was cool! In this chapter, we read a comparison between Jesus and Moses. Moses, to the Jews, was like a superhero. Moses was revered because it was to him that God revealed His will. Moses was the key figure in the establishment of Israel as a nation - God's chosen people! Moses suffered persecution and rejection from the rest of the family of Israel. He had great zeal for God and was willing to sacrifice everything for God. He had fellowship with God. Yet all this is merely a shadow and a prophetic sign of what was to come in Jesus. Moses, we read in Numbers 12:7, was faithful to God's house, God's people. The house of God is the people of God. It was this Moses who was held in such high regard by the Jews, that some might well have been tempted to renounce Jesus and go back to the old ways. God's Messiah would need to be greater than Moses, and Jesus is and was this Messiah. Later on in the book of Hebrews, we discover that Jesus is greater than Aaron through whom the law was ministered; but here we see that Jesus is greater than Moses, the lawgiver, the servant of the house of God. Moses and Aaron represented God's house in Israel; Moses was the Apostle or Prophet and Aaron was the High Priest. Jesus, an Apostle and Prophet as well as being the High Priest, joined the two together. By Apostle, I mean as a Messenger - that's what an apostle is - a messenger or representative. As the Apostle of our faith, Jesus was faithful. Jesus was God's representative for us, making God known to us. Jesus was totally faithful, means to be both trusting and to be capable of being trusted. Moses was the one to whom the Law was given - the Mosaic covenant under which the Jewish people lived. This covenant with Moses commenced with the stipulation "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me." (Exodus 19v5). This covenant was to Israel in order that those who believed God's promise to Abraham, could know how to live rightly in accordance with how God wanted them to live. This covenant with Moses covered the three areas of life: The commandments were given so they would know how to relate socially to God (Exodus 20v1-6) The judgments were given in order that they could relate socially to each other (Exodus 21v1 -4v11) The decrees dictated their religious life so that God could be approached by humanity on His terms (Exodus 24v12 - 31v18). This covenant that God made with Moses and the ancient nation of Israel was never meant to be as a means for providing salvation. It was given so that they could realize the helplessness and futility of their own efforts and their need of God's help. It was to serve only as a protective fence until the promised Messiah came; the long waited for Saviour of all humanity, so that the whole world, Jew and Gentile, could be made right with God through faith and faith alone. In Comes Jesus And that is where Jesus comes in. As their Messiah and Saviour, Jesus ushered in the New Covenant, which was promised by God through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. What are the features of this New Covenant or promise? Four features of this covenant are: Regeneration -God will write His law on the hearts of people. Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be His people. Promised Holy Spirit - God will indwell people and they will be led by Him Justification - Sins will be forgiven and removed eternally This new covenant is sealed only through the perfect sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus on the cross. His blood ensures the truth of this New Covenant. His death pays the penalty for the sins of all people who say yes to God and are ready to run the race and travel the course. This New Covenant finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God living in a relationship with God conforming to God's holy character. That is one very specific way of Jesus being superior to Moses! The original readers of this letter being God-fearing Jews would be aware of all this. They would also be aware that it is sin, which separates humans from God and as a consequence leads to both a spiritual and physical death (Romans 3v23, Romans 6v23, Isaiah 59v2). In the Old Testament, sins were dealt with by blood sacrifices of atonement as coverings for sin (Leviticus 17v11), for without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin (Hebrews 9v22). A blood sacrifice is God's way of dealing with sin. These blood sacrifices of the Old Testament signified several things: It provided a covering for sin. It showed the great cost of sin. It was an exchange or substitution. It was only always going to be a temporary measure, as it pointed forward to Jesus' death and it needed to be done over and over again. How is Jesus better than Moses? The answer lies in the solution to sin. The ultimate solution to sin lies not in the continuing animal sacrifice under the Covenant with Moses, because as the writer later in Hebrews 10v4 stipulates the blood of animals cannot take away sin but was only ever going to be a veneer or a covering. That was why it was necessary to repeat time and time again! It is only through the victorious death of Jesus, that sin is permanently taken away (Hebrews 9:v11-15, 26-28), because Jesus is the permanent sacrificial substitute! It is as if the writer is saying give up on Jesus, stop considering Him and you would still be in your sins - that's the way the original readers would have understood it! As for us? As followers of Jesus Christ we are built together so that the Spirit of God may join us together in love. Both individually and as a group, we are the house of God. Jesus said, "We will come and make our home in you". We know Jesus has been faithful as a Son over God's people. We celebrate His faithfulness at Easter, when we acknowledge and rejoice at the sacrifice He made for us. We remember it in the act of Communion, which we will have later. Jesus suffered persecution and rejection from his peers. We know Jesus was godly and full of zeal for God, and was willing to sacrifice everything for God and his people. We are the house of God. And yet, do we not reject Jesus sometimes, or do we keep on considering? Do we give Him and trust in His faithfulness to complete the good work he has started in us? This NIV translation has "fix your thoughts". Here is how the New King James Version puts verse 1 "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus". I personally think that that is a better way of putting it. And not only because it has the word partakers in there! To "consider" has a much broader meaning than just "fixing your thoughts" as the NIV puts it. It means to seek, to fully understand or comprehend as well as fixing thoughtfully. To consider means to contemplate, to think about, to persevere with, to concentrate on and to fix eyes and thoughts upon. We have to allow Jesus Christ to permeate every aspect of our life, if we are to be partakers of Him. To consider not just how Jesus would do something, but how Jesus would think. What attitude would Jesus take? What would Jesus not do? Just as the Hebrews receiving this letter were told to do, in their race of the life following Jesus, we too are to hold fast to our courage, but only by considering Jesus and trusting in Him relying on the Holy Spirit to help us as we ask Him. This phrase "to consider" is perhaps the central theme of the book of Hebrews. We are to consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Jesus was faithful to the purpose of His Coming to be among people. His purpose in coming to earth, as a mere man, was to die for sins and be raised up on the third day so as to be victorious over death and sin. This Jesus perfected our human nature in His life of simplicity, suffering, devotion and obedience. He now lives at the right hand of the Father in heaven, to communicate to us His life and blessedness through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We must therefore consider Jesus in everything we do, every thought we think and in every attitude. This is the aim of the writer to persuade these Hebrew Christians that if they knew Jesus to be the faithful, compassionate Almighty apostle and priest in Heaven, then they would find everything in Him that they needed for life. Moses couldn't help them, but Jesus could! Moses had died, they could perhaps visit his tomb if they wanted to. But Jesus, well, Jesus' tomb was empty! Jesus is alive! The life of these Hebrew Christians would be united with their faith, and united with the life of Jesus whom their faith would glorify God. To these Hebrew Christians their salvation was based on Jesus, but to renounce Jesus and go back to following Moses was apostasy. Moses couldn't offer salvation because the Law was not meant as a means of salvation! But what about you? Are you trusting in this Jesus for salvation or are you even subconsciously relying on your own good works or something else? That was what these believing Hebrews were to do - consider how vastly superior Jesus is to Moses. We also are to consider how superior Jesus is to all other things that would try to entangle us and allure us away with false promises. 2. Keep Persevering! And then after considering Jesus, these Hebrew Christians were to do something! They were to persevere in believing. The writer now warns these Hebrew believers against the sin of unbelief, which is the hardening of their hearts. The writer quoting from Psalm 95 reminds them of the way Israel rebelled against God in the desert. He warns them not to be like their forefathers, who did not trust fully in the Lord their God. From Psalm 95, he proceeds to remind them of their ancestors' deeds of unbelief. The privilege of the house of God is in hearing God's voice. By choosing not to listen to God's voice, peoples' hearts grew hard and cold. These words are of course written to believing Christian Hebrews, not unbelieving Jews, and are as appropriate for us today, as it was for them when they received it. As the people of God today we need to be ready to listen to God's voice. As we see God working in us, our trust and belief in Him grows. If we do not believe in Him to help us, then of course our hearts will harden against him. As we grow and run the race, willingly sacrificing what needs to be sacrificed, we realize the glory and majesty of God, His holiness and perfection, His love and tenderness, and gladly listen to hear what He says to us, and willingly receive what He gives us. When you pray, do you have your Bible open? When you read your Bible, do you do so prayerfully and considerately? Bible reading and prayer go together! Unbelief stops a person from holding fellowship with God. Our God is alive, not a dead idol on the shelf or in the bank. This church of Hebrew believers, for all their Christian profession and religious exercises, were in danger of falling away from God, due to their not believing totally in Him. God would not abandon them, but they would abandon God! We need to take care, in case we also fall into unbelief. Unbelief and falling away act upon and react to each other. If we have any unbelief in our hearts tonight, then let us ask God to give us a heart that believes in Him so that we may not fall away from Him. And what is one of the main ways we can stop from falling away or letting others fall away into unbelief? 3. Keep encouraging! So we keep on considering Jesus. We persevere in our believing in Him. Now thirdly, to show we are considering Jesus and are persevering in our believing Him, we are to encourage and be encouraged! In verse 12, we read, "See to it, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God". This means, that we are not only to take care of our own hearts, but as verse 13 goes on to say, we are to encourage and ensure no one is in danger of falling away. We who are believers, have to make sure that each one of us is staying on the path that leads to life, that is, the race towards Jesus. This group of Hebrew Christians were to help and encourage each other! And so are we! For us, maybe it is by phoning somebody you haven't seen in a while or to phone somebody you get a random thought about! If we see a brother or sister that we know is starting to fall out of the race, we need to do all we can to stop them falling away. We need to encourage them, to continue considering Jesus and believing in Him. We all know of people who are new believers, full of joy and zeal for God, that end up falling back into unbelief, unable to hold fast to the end. To some degree, it is because the Church body has failed to encourage them to continue on in the race. It is our duty, and our daily responsibility to encourage people on in the race or the journey. However, to encourage is not just these easy things. To encourage can also mean to rebuke, to correct in love. I look back at my tutor, during my first stint of Bible College back in the 1980s. His name was Ed. Ed the head we called him. We had weekly tutorials then. Every week he would get me to read a chapter of Knowing God by JI Packer and a chapter of Mere Christianity by CS Lewis. Then during our tutorial I would have to try and explain what I learnt from both those chapters. It was a slog at times I tell you. Sometimes I would get a clip round the ear for being stubborn or just being plain thick! But it gave me a good grounding for my Christian thinking and life of discipleship to Jesus. Or I think back to my dear friend Rose, a kind and dear elderly lady from the church I used to attend back in the 80s. She would have us young adults back to her house overlooking the ocean for coffee after church on a Sunday evening. She would always be loving, caring and encouraging to all people - ready to lift them when they were down and eager to cheer from the sidelines. She was also a tough cookie at times and if we got out of line, she would say so in no uncertain terms! Not so much an arm around the shoulder then but a good swift kick! Both methods of encouragement when required! When we see somebody sinning or contemplating sinning, our reaction should be to gently encourage him or her not to continue in pursuit of that sin. Therefore in considering Jesus, believe in Him and encourage others to do the same. That is the purpose of encouragement mentioned here.. Let all of us give ourselves to the service of Jesus to watch over other people: let all the fresh grace and deeper knowledge of Jesus we see, be for the service of those around us. Where will you and I be spiritually next year, in 10 years' time, in 25 years' time? Will you be able to honestly say to yourself at that time, I have grown spiritually and haven't fallen away? If you are here tonight, would call yourself a Christian, and you are unsure where you are, then do this. Look back and remember what Jesus has done for you. Consider Him as you look back to your first profession of faith in Him. Consider that just as He died, you died in the waters of baptism. Consider that just as He rose to physical life, you rose from the waters of baptism and will also rise again when you physically die. Consider that just as Jesus will be glorified, so too will you be glorified before the Father - if you hold out until the end. Be assured of who you are - you are a child of the living God - hold out to the end. He has a firm grip on you, so maintain your grip on Him! Remember who you are! The way to cope with the rigors of 21st century life as a Christian believer is to keep considering, keep persevering and keep encouraging. Thank you... Click or tap here and save this sermon MP3 file to your computer
This podcast features the songs “Under the Blood"(West Coast Baptist College) and "Calvary's Love"(West Coast Baptist College) as well as part two of the message called "Having Confidence at His Coming " given by Pastor Stephen Pope from the pulpit of Calvary Baptist Church(Union Grove, NC)
This podcast features the songs “You Were There"(West Coast Baptist College) and "O Mighty Cross"(West Coast Baptist College) as well as part one of the message called "Having Confidence at His Coming " given by Pastor Stephen Pope from the pulpit of Calvary Baptist Church(Union Grove, NC)
A new MP3 sermon from Fellowship Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Coming of Wisdom Subtitle: The Gifts of His Coming Speaker: Eugene Jennings Broadcaster: Fellowship Baptist Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 1/7/2024 Bible: Hebrews 7:11; Matthew 2:1-12 Length: 63 min.
But of That Day and Hour Matthew 24-36 Part 1 of 3 lessons that explain in detail the meaning of Jesus' words concerning the Hidden Day of His Coming. The Bible reveals the secret to understanding this very important text.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 The post 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – Second Advent: Hope of His Coming appeared first on Christ the King Presbyterian Church.
Doctrine of Sacred Scripture. 98. XI. The Lord came into the world that He might fulfil all things of the Word, and thereby become Divine Truth, or the Word, even in ultimates.The Lord came into the World that He might fulfil all things of the Word. This may be seen in THE DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE LORD 8-11. That He thus became Divine Truth, or the Word, even in ultimates, is meant by the following passage in John: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14.To be made flesh is to become the Word in ultimates; ...The Lord as the Word in ultimates is also described by John in the Revelation 1:13-16, where all the details in the description of Him signify the ultimates of Divine Truth, or of the Word. Before this the Lord was indeed the Word, but in first principles; for it is said: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2. When, however, the Word was made flesh, then the Lord became the Word in ultimates also; and from this fact He is called the First and the Last, in Revelation 1:8, 11, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:12-13. 99. Before His Coming into the world the Lord was indeed present with men of the Church, but mediately through heaven; whereas after His Coming into the world He is present with men of the Church immediately. On First Principles The Worship and Love of God 99. The life of the Supreme from inmost principles; Heavenly Life, or the life of His Love, from principles proximate to them; also Mediating or natural life; finally Nature herself, who carries that order in herself, consequently in effigy; thus altogether according to the series of the folding together of the fibre we have been examining, and of the involution of its beginnings. Hence also it is evident how, according to that order, prior things infold themselves in posterior, and again unfold themselves from these latter; and thus in what manner they establish their gyre from first principles to last, and from last to first; for first principles infold themselves in things posterior, as centres in circumferences, or as the inmost principles of a nut in the husk and shell; and then and in like manner they unfold themselves, but backwards, as if removing their swaddling-clothes that they may return from things outmost to things inmost. Thus, and not otherwise, the gyre provided from eternity and established at first creation, is perfected. Arcana Coelestia 4322. Who at this day does not believe that man comes into existence naturally from the seed and the ovum? and that in the seed from the first creation there is the ability to bring itself forth into such forms, first within the ovum, next in the womb, and afterwards of itself; and that it is not the Divine which brings things forth any longer? The reason why this is so believed is that no one knows of there being any influx from heaven (that is, through heaven from the Lord); and this because they do not desire to know that there is any heaven. For in their private meetings the learned discuss openly among themselves whether there is a hell, and thus whether there is a heaven. And as they are in doubt about heaven, they cannot receive as any first principle that there is an influx through heaven from the Lord; which influx nevertheless brings forth all things that are in the three kingdoms of the earth (especially those in the animal kingdom, and in particular in man), and holds them together in form according to their uses. Hence neither can they know that there is any correspondence between heaven and man; and still less that this is of such a nature that every several thing within him, nay, the veriest singular ones, come forth from this source, and also subsist from it, for subsistence is a perpetual coming forth, and consequently preservation in connection and form is perpetual creation.
As We Approach Advent, and Prepare for His Coming . . . Hear What Jesus Says About His Second Coming (TA) In today's readings one can understand why man looks at nature . . . the beauty of the sky, the vastness of the ocean and the power of the storms . . . and calls them God. But note how odd it is that as fascinated as man is by these things, he has a tendency to stop at the things and not move beyond them. And so it is that one is overwhelmed by the beauty of creation. But doesn't ask the next question. Who makes these beautiful and passing things if not one who is beautiful and does not pass away? To see the might of the natural world, its great strength, and to pause there and say, but what is the source of this might and this strength? Why is it that when the human mind sees the pointing finger indicating something beyond itself, it never looks past the fingertip and fails to see God. Hear What Jesus Says About His Second Coming This disposition that we hear in our first reading (not included within this audio), that the heavens themselves, as our psalms said, proclaim the glory of God, and yet we… See the heavens proclaiming in their beauty but fail to miss what they proclaim. This is a disposition that underlies the teaching of Jesus. So, Jesus now, speaking to his disciples, is speaking of that day when the Son of Man will be revealed. And in speaking of this way, he is pointing ahead to His second coming, to that day when the Lord will come and there will be no doubt at all who He is. When the glory of the Lord, the triumph of the Lord, the victory of the Lord will be unambiguously revealed. And yet he says, even as that day arrives, there are going to be two very, very different outcomes, depending on the state of the attentiveness of the heart of man. As we approach Advent and prepare for His coming . . . Hear What Jesus Says About His Second Coming. Listen to this Meditation Media. ___________________________________________________________________ Note: (TA) Media with the symbol (TA) at the end of the title contains a transcript of the audio at the bottom of the post. Select to display.
Sharing a Christian newspaper article called Herald of His Coming. We will discuss the power of Love being the greatest commandment. If you would like to receive a free Christian newspaper, go to the website: heraldofhiscoming.org Email: info@heraldofhiscoming.org Address: Herald of His Coming P.O Box 279 Seelyville, IN 47878
Jim Flanigan inherited David Craig's large wall chart on the book of Revelation. Mr Craig had used it for Bible teaching for 40 years, and Mr Flanigan then made use of it for many more years, so much so that he became known as “Mr Revelation”. In this 12-part series, Mr Flanigan expounds the book of Revelation from a pre-tribulational, pre-millennial viewpoint. In this first installment he speaks on the promise, purpose, and some of the problems associated with the The post The Promise of His Coming (43 min) first appeared on Gospel Hall Audio.
The post His Coming – Our Becoming appeared first on North Hills Church.
Morning: Third Day Morning: God Creator and Controller: https://banneroftruth.org/us/devotional/third-day-morning-god-creator-and-controller/ Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, August 8, Morning: https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/morning-and-evening/2023/08/08 Ezra 7: https://read.lsbible.org/?q=Ezra+7 Ezra 8:1-20: https://read.lsbible.org/?q=Ezra+8 1 Corinthians 4: https://read.lsbible.org/?q=1+Corinthians+4 Psalm 30: https://read.lsbible.org/?q=Psalm+30 Proverbs 20:28-30: https://read.lsbible.org/?q=Proverbs+20 The Minister Before Sacrament: https://banneroftruth.org/us/devotional/the-minister-before-sacrament/ Evening: Shortcomings: https://banneroftruth.org/us/devotional/shortcomings/ Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, August 8, Evening: https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/morning-and-evening/2023/08/08 Message: The Resurrection And The Life - Pt 2: The Arrival Of The Savior, His Coming, John 11:17-19 Third Day Evening: Before Sleep: https://banneroftruth.org/us/devotional/third-day-evening-before-sleep/ Resources: Valley of Vision: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/devotional-books/the-valley-of-vision/ Spurgeon's Morning and Evening: https://www.amazon.com/Morning-Evening-Classic-Daily-Devotional/dp/1683227247/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=1683227247&psc=1 Legacy Standard Bible: https://316publishing.com/ 2023 Reading Plan: https://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan/oneyearreadingplan_month_per_page.pdf Vail Valley Baptist Church GiveSendGo Campaign Link: https://www.givesendgo.com/vvbc-az-school
A new MP3 sermon from Le Mars Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: How God Responds to Sinners Subtitle: From Creation to His Coming Speaker: Mike Hulinsky Broadcaster: Le Mars Bible Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 6/11/2023 Bible: 2 Chronicles 29-36; 2 Kings 18-25 Length: 42 min.
Where is the Promise of His Coming?
As we continue to tackle the question of “Where Is the Hope of His Coming?” I will continue to address the very important subject of what has become known as the Rapture of the True Church of Jesus Christ. In this effort, we will be taking an in-depth look at the Holy Scriptures with the Holy Spirit's leading and His correct interpretation which will be revealed by His Word, line upon line, precept upon precept, a little here and a little there. For the unadulterated Word of God bears witness to itself with Scripture confirming Scripture.As the prophetic Word of Truth unfolds more dramatically with each new day, God's Holy Remnant is being called back to our “First Love” and the zeal we once had in readiness for His Coming for us with the cry of:“Maranatha!” Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/
In a past series of messages under the title of “Lucifer's Illusive Gospel,” I addressed the counterfeiting of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ through such false teachings as the Social Gospel, Hyper-Grace theology, Universalism, and the replacement of man's desperate need of the Blood Atonement Sacrifice of our glorious Savior, with the “Golden Rule” – meaning that man can do enough good works on his own to merit the reward of Heaven.As another indication of this evidenced apostasy, we are going to address the sorrowful reality that the majority of what is known as the Church of Jesus Christ no longer longs for His Coming, and in fact to a great extent doesn't expect Him to return at all – or at least not for a very long time – and not in the way His Word strongly confirms He will.As we look to the Holy Spirit, and His correct and inerrant interpretation of God's Word, we will find that the hope for a Rapture of the Lord's True Church is a valid one and that there truly is a great probability that we will be the generation to witness it's gloriously promised fulfillment.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/
The Second Part of Advent: Take Advantage of This Time Spiritually Itis amazing how fast Advent goes by. Many people miss the preparation that Advent makes available to us. The Homily talks about the two parts of Advent. The first part ends two days before the Fourth Sunday of Advent. The second part begins on the day before the Fourth Sunday of Advent. So, what is the difference between the two parts of Advent? The second part allows us the chance to start over. So, if you did not start a spiritual preparation, begin anew during the second part of Advent. It is a chance to refocus oneself. Everything about Advent changes. Yes, there is still the purple color. We still have the candles. However, the prayer changes and the character of the scripture reading, also changes. Over the next week scripture takes a turn. The focus is on the events that lead up to the earthly birth of Our Lord. From the day before the Fourth Sunday of Advent to Christmas Eve (inclusive) we hear about our Lord's pending earthly birth. We no longer hear about a pending, even distant prophecy of His Coming. The focus changes to an event that is very near. If you have done very little during Advent, listen to this Homily. If you have done very little, open up the words to O Come, O Come Emmanuel. That song has its origin in the second part of Advent. Listen further within the Homily to understand what this means for us! Understand how to take advantage of the remaining days within Advent. Listen to this Meditation Media.
The Grace We Ask Heaven on the Third Sunday of Advent On the first Sunday of Advent, we request the grace to be Resolute. To be committed to run to Jesus upon His Coming with righteous deeds in hand. On the second Sunday of Advent we asked for the grace to remove those obstacles . . . those things . . . that would prevent us from moving forward toward Christ. Furthermore, on this third Sunday of Advent we also ask for a grace from Heaven. On this Sunday we ask for the grace to obtain the Joy of the great Salvation that God has promised us. We ask heaven not merely to be forgiven and not merely to be saved. We ask to be able to embrace the joy of what Heaven has given us! To embrace the Joy that the nearness of Christ brings! Why is this so important? Hear more within the Homily. St. John the Baptist Sends His Disciples To Jesus In the Gospel we hear that St. John the Baptist, in his days in prison, sent his disciples to Jesus to ask if He is the One we look for or is there another? John knew Jesus was the Savior. Why did he send his disciples to Jesus then with that question? What is his message to us during this Advent season? Listen to the Homily. Understand the Grace We Seek during this Sunday of Advent. Listen to this Meditation Media.
The Grace We Seek During the Second Week of Advent In the first week of advent, we ask for a specific grace. The grace of resolve or firmly commit to running and greeting the Lord during His Coming with good deeds in our hands. The Advent season begins, not with a passive waiting for the Lord to come, but a preparation to meet Him when He comes. A preparation that requires us to move freely and not to arrive to the Lord empty handed. Today is the Second Sunday of Advent. It asks for a grace that builds upon the first Sunday's grace request. Last week we asked for grace to run to the Lord with righteous deeds in hand. This week, we ask Heaven for the grace to run to the Lord in the first place. May no earthly undertaking hinder us, those who set out to run and to meet the Lord. Hear more about the grace we ask this week. Understand how the preparation time of Advent helps us spiritually. St. John the Baptist – Make Straight the Path of the Lord Hear how St. John the Baptist, the Voice, prepares all for the coming of the Lord. Hear his message on leaving behind those things and repent, for the King is Coming. Recognize the Lord is near. And that nearness requires a response from us. Repent, St. John the Baptist tells us. Change your heart now. So when the moment of grace arrives, you are ready. There is a lot that is surprising about Jesus. But God goes out of His way not to catch us off guard. He gives us this message from the Baptist to make straight the way of the Lord. The Baptist tells us it is our heart that must change, not the walkway of the Lord. Hear more in the Homily. So, what will happen when the Lord comes? The sheep will enjoy the company of the wolf. The lion and the lamb will play together without fear. We hear more in the Homily. Listen to and understand the Grace We Seek During this
St. Catherine of Alexandria: A Model of Virtue and Learning Today's Gospel underscores how difficult it is to understand the signs given to us by the Lord. It is important that Christians not to pre-occupy their daily lives with understanding signs. The Lord tells us everyone will not know the day or the hour of His Coming! The ambiguity is important. If you were able to know the date, many people would say I do not have to worry until just before the date. Jesus tells us more, listen to the Homily. St. Catherine of Alexandria Today, we celebrate a saint. For hundreds of years, the memorial has a great devotion. Then, it waned, and the Church did not include it in the liturgical calendar. Pope Benedict XVI restored this feast day to the Church's calendar during his papacy. Why would the Holy Father insert this feast day back into the calendar? What drove him toward that? What was it about her life that made this action important to the Holy Father? Saint Catherine was a virgin and martyr. Catherine was a young woman from a wealthy family in Alexandria. She was a virgin from her youth and was determined to remain so. She was also remarkably well educated. Her most notable thing about her is her education. She is a remarkable example of combining virtue with learning. Hear more about this saint and how she is a model for our own spiritual life.
The Lord Talks about Drowsiness and its Impacts On Our Spiritual Life Be careful that your hearts do not become drowsy. This is an interesting expression the Lord utilizes within the Gospel. Think about . . . what it is to feel drowsy. Not to be asleep, but want to sleep. Don't let your hearts become drowsy. That does not mean . . . it is different than saying . . . sluggish, or indifferent. What does it mean? Hear more within the Homily. Don't let high energy living cause your heart to be drowsy. We all, perhaps, have experienced this at one time or another. High energy . . . then we crash. The Lord says don't let it impact your heart. Jesus then continues and talks about . . . the anxiety of daily living. The Lord is talking about anxiety and our daily spiritual living. Anxiety zaps our energy. It then becomes hard to pray and hard to rest in peace. Often, we have sleepless nights. We are awake. Yet the next day are energy becomes zapped. Understand what the Lord is telling us as we enter Advent. Advent, a time in which we Prepare for His Coming! Listen to this Meditation Media.
Jesus Comes With A Fire Within. Understand How This Shapes Our Own Spiritual Journey Jesus Comes With A Fire Within . . . Today's Gospel has shockingly sharp words that Jesus uses within this scripture passage. The Gospel is Jesus telling all that he comes to bring division. A family of 5, 3 against 2. A Father against his son, and a son against his father, etc. Jesus says he has a desire to bring fire into the world. He longs for the fact that it is still not blazing. Wow! What a series of statements. In speaking this way, Jesus reminds us He has come for a reason. The reason for His Coming is so great, it pulls Him out of Heaven. Reflect on that for a moment. Most of us do not spend enough time reflecting on the desire that animates Jesus. We do not reflect on the longing that animates Jesus. Jesus' longing is not merely a longing for us. It is a longing to give himself. Jesus desires to set the entire world on fire. It is not a destructive burning. Hear more within the Homily. . . . Understand How This Shapes Our Own Spiritual Journey Jesus speaks of the Baptism that He longs for to occur. He doesn't say that it must happen. He says His heart is anguished until it is completed. Of course, He is referring to His Passion. Jesus has a fire within Him. He has a heat burning inside. He has a fire for the salvation of the world. A heat for the Glory of God. He longs to be the living flame of sacrifice. Hear more on what Jesus means when He talks about division of the world and division within the family. It is not division for the sake of division. Jesus did not come so we would have peace with the world. He came, so that we may have peace with God. Reflect on that. Understand what He means within this scripture passage and what it means for our spiritual journey. Listen to this Meditation Media.
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