Radiant And Ready榮光和預
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INTRO
INTRO
How many of us like surprises? Depends on what it is right?! For my 23 birthday my wife and a friend of hers decided to surprise their husbands. Our birthdays were close together, and so on a Friday night(no kids yet), Allison told me to meet her in downtown Dallas. No details, no preparation, just blindly walked to downtown Dallas and waited by a train station. Suddenly her blue jeep pulled up and I was told to get in and put a blindfold on. This was around 4pm. I put the blind fold on, again no idea where we are going or what’s happening. Then I hear two more people get in, my friend and his wife. So the husbands are in the back seat blindfolded and the wives are in the front driving. We ask questions, but get no answers. An hour passed and you hear conversations like “is this the right way?” “are you sure” at one point after 2 hours, we hear on of them get out and ask a person if they are in the RIGHT STATE! Finally, after hours of driving and I think getting lost, we made it to our destination: a cabin in the woods on the lake with some of our friends there. Was the destination incredible, yes! Was being blindfolded with no details no preparation worth it? Not sure. No one likes to walk blindly through life. Knowing the where we are going, helps us live better for today. Also knowing where we are going would have helped me prepare better for the journey. This is why this passage of Scripture is so important, because the Lord Jesus hasn’t left His people to journey through life like I did in that car, completely blindfolded and unprepared. He has given us His word to prepare us, to guide us, until we reach our final destination. (Lay out outline)
Why Is This Chapter Important? Why are we talking about these things?
Reminds us that God is Sovereign. He knows the beginning from the end. Jesus is dealing with historical facts, not just myth and legend. Jesus was describing concrete events for His disciples to be prepared for. Not just myth and legend, but these are things that took place in history.
Knowing the end helps us know where we are going, and helps us live better now. 260 chapters of the New Testament, there are 318 references to the second coming of Christ...(1 out of every 13 verses mentions it.)
Symbolic language is used to reveal things to us, not to confuse us; This is designed to make us more faithful Christians here and now, not to enable us to make prophecies or speculations about the distant future
“We want to shout what Scripture shouts, whisper what Scripture whispers, and be silent, where Scripture is silent.”
This Chapter is broken up into 3 sections
Prophecy About the Coming Destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD(verses 1-23)聖殿被毀滅了
Prophecy about Jesus’ 2nd Coming(verse 23-27)耶穌的再來
Two Teachings about how to respond to this information耶穌的教導
Verses 1-23: Temple Destroyed聖殿被毀滅了
Verses 1-23: Temple Destroyed聖殿被毀滅了
Helpful Tools:
If you look at the first 23 verses, we believe that all of this prophecy was fulfilled when the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD.
CONTEXT:Sitting across from the Temple Mount, looking at the temple, Jesus is just about to go to the cross and be raised, beginning a new age for God’s people, the age of the Church.His temple now being the body
In Mat 24: the disciples ask both “when will these things be, and the sign of your coming” disciples surely thought end of temple, meant end of everything and Jesus is coming back
While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
耶穌坐在橄欖山上，門徒暗中前來問他：「請告訴我們，甚麼時候會有這些事呢？你的降臨和這世代的終結，有甚麼預兆呢？」
2 things in view in this chapter, that’s why you have both the Temple being destroyed and Jesus’ 2nd coming.
Pronouns “you”“Those days” vs. “that day”
Historical Facts:13:2
Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another—all will be thrown down.”
耶穌對他說：「你看見這些偉大的建築嗎？將來必沒有一塊石頭留在另一塊石頭上面，每一塊都要拆下來。」
This is what one archaeologist who has looked for remnants and artifacts of temple says: “if there was ever a prophecy that was literally fulfilled, it was this one! So utterly devastated, it is difficult to even determine where it actually was. During the burning of temple, fire was so hot, all the gold melted into the cracks of stone. Soldiers took it apart to get to gold so that “not one stone was left upon another”
“When you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be” (let the reader understand), “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
「當你們看見『那造成荒涼的可憎者』，站在不該站的地方，那時，住在猶太的應當逃到山上；
Historically only people not effected by the defeat of Jerusalem in 70 AD? Jewish Christians.
JESUS’ TEACHING: How Should We Live(Whether you are a 1st century disciple, or a 21st century disciple. The message remains the same)
The Father Knows All Things
The Father Knows All Things
“Now concerning “that day”, remember this is referring to Jesus 2nd coming. Jesus says that ‘no one knows” in greek “no one” means NO ONE! There is a man in the USA named Harold Camping. He has prophesied falsely over 4 times the exact date of Jesus 2nd coming. He made billboards, put it on the radio station(see pictures)
In Taiwan there was a religious group called The True Way the leader a man named Chen preached that God would appear on U.S. television channel 18 on March 25, 1988, to announce that he would descend to Earth the following week in a physical form identical to Chen. Followers could be spared by buying their way aboard spaceships, disguised as clouds, sent to rescue them.
This are pretty hilarious, but there have been several cults and groups who have deceived their followers into even committing suicide and losing their lives.
Jesus is clear: NO ONE knows what day or what hour He is coming again. Only the Father knows:
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.
耶穌說：「父憑著自己的權柄所定的時間或日期，你們不必知道。
However the Father has revealed things to His people hasn’t he? What’s His purpose in telling us?
So we aren’t deceived, not so we can make false predictions about the future.
verse 5, 7, 14, 21, 22. That word means to lead astray. Off the path.
Jesus is dealing with historical facts, not just myth and legend. Jesus was describing concrete events for His disciples to be prepared for. Not just myth and legend, but these are things that took place in history. Which should lead us to do what?
Trust His Word. Look at verse 31.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
天地都要過去，但我的話決不會廢去。
He let’s us know what we need to know.
ILLUSTRATION: Think about dad with kids, some things aren’t helpful to know, but as a loving dad, I tell my kids what they need to know, to make sure they know they can trust me, and be prepared
Application(reliable source, funny story?)Jesus is reliable source, His word, not YouTube preachers. Jesus is a sure thing. Not our ability to interpret signs and future events. . If your dad left you a message on a coming event, how often would you read that message? How often would you look to it? The bible is given to us, in the same way. The Lord has not left us to be deceived, or to be unprepared. His word is a guard against both of those things. We don’t need to look to YouTube preachers, or newspapers to figure out the signs of the times, what we are supposed to do, we look to His Word.
Not only does the Father KNOW ALL THINGS. That would be one thing, but He doesn’t just know what will pass, He is actually bringing things TO PASS. HE is working IN ALL THINGS.
The Father Is Working In All Things
The Father Is Working In All Things
Brings History To Pass
Brings History To Pass
Verse 34: “It is like....” This parable is meant to describe the position we find ourselves in as the church.
Explanation: How is He working through all things? The Church:how Jesus is relating to His church.
This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.
為了要使天上執政的和掌權的，現在藉著教會都可以知道 神各樣的智慧。
This is the text that called my wife into pastoring in the local church.
The man who went on a journey and left His house( Christ is the man, we are the house)
We are His House. His possession. This is good! We are not abandoned but we are His possession.
His elect( mentioned in vs 20,22,27) If you look at this text, who are the one’s saved? Who are the one’s given the knowledge of what is to come? God’s elect. So this is who we want to be in this passage. We want to be one of God’s people. When everything goes down we want be with Jesus, one of His people. Don’t let the “word” elect throw you off, this doctrine of election isn’t meant to be controversial, but comforting. That God has chosen a people for Himself, that God has been gracious to call some of us to Himself and bring us from spiritual darkness to spiritual light isn’t meant to be controversial, but comforting! Look here at John 14
“I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.
我不會撇下你們為孤兒，我要回到你們這裡來。
And what has He left His church with?
He’s given EACH of us authority
Privilege-power, what we need: This word means power to do the task that He has given us. So notice, here Jesus says, no matter what comes to pass. In persecutions, in government restrictions, in the face of suffering, no matter what, God’s church, is a church is a people of power.
HE’s given each of us work. Responsibility.
Work: Every single one of us have a calling we’ve been given, a task that we’ve been left to do:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
我們原是 神所作成的，是在基督耶穌裡創造的，為的是要我們行各樣的善事，就是 神預先所安排的。
That word “workmanship” is the Greek word poema: the word we get poem from. God is intentionally and masterfully molding you into the person He’s called you and I to be. What Jesus is telling us about the Father is no only has God NOT left history to chance(偶然), and He also hasn’t left our lives up to chance.
But what about calling? In the church the search for the perfect calling, and the perfect spouse often bring people the most grief and confusion. Did you know that when you got saved, you were called? What is that calling? Jesus tells us and this is the task that we’ve been left with:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations 所以，你們要去使萬民作我的門徒，奉父子聖靈的名，給他們施洗，” There you go, your life is figured out for you. But how do we do that? Well that’s where this “workmanship” comes into play. That God has uniquely gifted you with desires and passions and skills to do the task. So one pastor JD Greear says this:
Whatever you’re good at, do it well for the glory of God, and do it somewhere strategic for the mission of God.
Our passion, our gifting, lines up with Jesus’ Mission: that’s what we need to do. I know I’m preaching to the choir here. But we need to reminded of this.
So what we saw just now is that Jesus is working in all things, bringing history to pass, through His Church, and His given His church both power and authority and a task to accomplish.
Application: . Some of us might believe we have the power and authority but don’t know where to plug in(responsibility) Some of us might feel overwhelmed because we know the calling(task) but haven’t grabbed hold of the power and authority we have in Christ. Acts wait on the power of the Spirit. Fruit of the Spirit. We need Him rely upon Him. Spiritual Gifts class, so helpful for this(plug this) Community to know how God works through us.
We Can Be Faithful Until The End
We Can Be Faithful Until The End
Be ALERT( 4 times in this passage) Jesus begins this passage with command to be alert, and He ends it. So what does HE want us to do?
His leaving must not be taken as an opportunity for sloth or complacency, but for a call for faithfulness to be ready, to stay alert. It’s a call to always stay ready.
This word “alert” means a constant state of readiness.
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
藉著各樣的禱告和祈求，隨時在聖靈裡祈禱，並且要在這事上恆久警醒，為眾聖徒祈求。
Why do we need to be alert? Because the Master could return at anytime. Jesus’ 2nd coming, the Master’s orders should define how we live our lives now. In preparation for that day.
Keep that fire hot: pellet stove!! keep pouring it on. Hebrews says that what trips is up is both sin, but also obstacles. We remove sin, but also obstacles, anything that seeks to call us away from our identity in Christ, and the mission He’s given us. It’s hard. There are times when I want to throw in the towel, and just say Jesus, I just want a normal job, make money, live for myself. That temptation is real, and when those moments come, you run to the furnace of your heart, and you pour on prayer, the word, community, to keep you engaged and alert, spiritually awake.
“ What will God will to say to those servants who do their own work well and his work badly”
There is a story about Solomon in the Old Testament that always challenges me. Solomon was tasked with building the temple of the Lord. But at the same time Solomon was also building his own house. What happened? Well we find that Solomon spent twice as long building his own house, his palace was bigger, and for some of the building elements he used more expensive material than the temple. I wonder, how many of us have spent more energy, more time, building our own kingdoms, than God’s?
Here are two encouragements for us in light of being faithful until the end
2 Encouragements:
Don’t grow weary in doing good!
Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.
我們行善，不要覺得厭煩；如果不鬆懈，到了適當的時候，就有收成。
Faithful even when no one is watching. Teams playing games right now
Hebrews 12:1-2(sin and obstacle)
One of the ways we stay faithful until the end is by spending most of our time being faithful in doing what Scripture talks about the most.
“God’s mission has a church. Mission is not just one of a list of things that the Bible happens to talk about, only a bit more urgently than some. Mission is, "what it's all about.”
“ 傳教不僅是聖經碰巧談論的事情之一，而且比某些事情更緊迫。 用這個被濫用的話說，使命是“一切”。
Of everything we do, as the church, this is the MAIN thing we are called to do, like we said above.
Illustration: Getting ready for a wedding. But we want so many people to be invited to our wedding banquet. The guests couldn’t be invited, but in this wedding banquet, our job, our task, is to invite all to this wedding party!
Application: Are we being faithful doing what Scripture has called us to do?How much time has the church spent on trying to figure the unknowable while ignoring the knowable commands that we are supposed to be doing?
How would we live right if we knew the master was coming back tonight?
“at Jesus’ 1st coming He didn’t come to bring judgement but to take it for us” But when He returns it will be to bring judgement. His 1st coming was veiled, but 2nd coming will be for all to see.
the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. He will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
眾星從天墜落， 天上的萬象震動。 那時，他們要看見人子，滿有能力和榮耀，駕著雲降臨；他要差派天使，把他的選民從四方，從地極直到天邊，都招聚來。
The 2nd coming is supposed to keep us in a state of readiness and motivation for mission.
However, just after this teaching, embarrassingly, the disciples will be caught sleeping while Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32–39). Despite being admonished to “watch and pray” (Mark 14:34, 38) the disciples three times drift off to sleep (Mark 14:37, 40, 41). Instead of being alert and watchful, they fell asleep.
God’s grace is meant to be an empowering grace, not an excuse for laziness and for sin.
Does Jesus abandon those sleeping disciples? No. He continues to walk with them, empower them.Even when we are faithless He remains faithful
REDEMPTIVE ASPECT: He’s given us each power to accomplish the task He’s given the church, so we can be faithful until the end. More than a map into the future, He’s given us Himself!
Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
耶穌上前來，對他們說：「天上地上一切權柄都賜給我了。所以，你們要去使萬民作我的門徒，奉父子聖靈的名，給他們施洗，我吩咐你們的一切，都要教導他們遵守。這樣，我就常常與你們同在，直到這世代的終結。」
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
What: Jesus is calling His disciples, His Church, to live everyday in light of THAT DAY. . Jesus' 2nd coming should change the way we live now. We have each been given authority and responsibility to be faithful to what the Master has called us to do until Jesus returns. Jesus is telling us to live our lives with the end in mind. To remove any obstacle that is keeping us from staying alert.
Where: His Orders, His mission should define our lives. So what are you good at? Where does your passion and His mission connect? If it’s art, do it for the glory of God, somewhere strategic for the mission of God, is it finance? Do it for the glory of God, somewhere strategic for the mission of God, ect.
Why: The danger is to spend our lives on what has little to no eternal significance, and be found spiritually lazy and asleep at His Coming. We want to be found to be faithful stewards of the gifts and calling He’s placed on us.
How: Remember we do this, not in our strength, but by 1)Receiving the POWER HE’s given us through His Holy Spirit and His Word 2)Doing what we are good at, passionate about, strategically for the mission of God. 3)We get to do this together. Remember more than a map, He’s given us Himself and His word as our guide.