Concerning the Times
Notes
Transcript
Today
Today
Martyrdom in the 1st few centuries under the Caesars.
Leprosy in the Bible was very sever
14th Century - Black death--- 50 million
2009 Swine flu — up to 575,000 deaths.
Spanish Flu killed more people than WW1
6 million Jews - many Christians died in the Holocaust
History has had way more things go wrong that might point to the “Last Days”
Since the beginning of Christianity we have been martyred, plagues have come, wars have been fought.
Last Days vs THE Day
Last Days vs THE Day
Small Bible Timeline
Small Bible Timeline
Old Testament - Age of Promise.. a Messiah is Coming
The Gospels - Age of Fulfillment .. the Messiah has come.
The lat days all the time between the the Resurrection of Jesus and and the “last hour.” During which time:
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you
He is still moving, saving, etc.
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
Umm yeah
They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
That has been the case for well, 2000 ish years.
knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
It seems worse today, but it’s been way worse.
The last days also have with in it a promise...
“ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;
The last hour… not quite there yet… but...
Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
Speaking prophetically, John talks about and antichrist....
The Day of the Lord....
Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light,
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
So in case you lost the point.... WE ARE IN THE LAST DAYS.
We don’t know is this is the last hour.
But...... THE MOMENT IS COMING.
Last Week...
Last Week...
I hope the message you heard was on of hope....we can be encouraged by the fact that there is coming a day when the trump will sound and Christ will cry and we will meet Him in the air.
I hope you also heard the message that our thing to do is to encourage one another with those words. Christ is coming and we will be with Him forever.....
This Week a Verse by Verse
This Week a Verse by Verse
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
You don’t have to be a Christian very long before you start looking around and you know we live in a broken world and Christ is coming and He is our great hope. Instruction on that is unnecessary.
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
One of the things you might know is that there is a time coming when all that can be done has been done. For those who are separate from him it is a day of darkness and for those who are with Him it is a day of light.
Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Let’s Unpack
That days will come even when it seems all is well. When people feel the safest, that’s the day it will be to late.
Labor pains - hurt. I’m told nothing is worse other than the shattering of your femur. I have experienced neither, nor do I want to.
Through the pain of labor comes what has to be the most rewarding thing in this life.
No one will escape it.
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.
Let’s Unpack
You are not in darkness.... you know better… you will not be surprised.
That being said, since you know better, behave as if you know better.
Sober- self-controlled (fruit of the Spirit)
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
Let’s Unpack.
Day, night. Light, dark, Sober, drunk… compounded and repeated through these verses because HE’S TRYING TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING.
Put on faith and love (because it is righteousness… as written in Ephesians.)
Faith and love is the right way to act.
Believe God has all this under control
Our knee jerk reaction needs to be one of love.
Being right isn’t always right.
Helmet is always salvation ------ this needs to be a chant in your head.
When I am tempted to satisfy my fleshly desires, I am saved.
When I am tempted to worry, I am saved.
When trouble is all around me, I am saved.
I am rescued by the almighty wonderful counselor, prince of peace, the savior of the world.... Jesus Christ and one day that salvation leads me to heaven where there is no mor sorrow, all tears are wiped away, and the joy is so great we can’t even imagine it.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
The one thing on out to do list that matters.... encourage and build.