Participants: Ron Halvorsen
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000427
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01:01 For past few years, have an age of miracles.
01:07 Things hope for, but never dreamed 01:09 possible have occurred before our very eyes. 01:14 Who would have thought in the last few decades, 01:18 the 20th century and beginning of the 21st century 01:22 that the Berlin Wall would be dismantled. 01:26 Who would have thought that the Soviet Empire 01:29 would melt away, Nelson Mandela would be free at last, 01:34 and South Africa would be under new government. 01:39 Who thought that the first acknowledgment 01:41 by Israelis to the Palestinians in right to exist 01:44 and share the same country. 01:48 Who would have thought, that we would be 01:50 in two wars in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan. 01:58 That the twin towers, American Tower of Babel 02:04 would crumble into dust and ruin. 02:07 That the United States would be in war 02:10 with terrorism around the world, who would have thought. 02:14 Yet did you know that all this was foretold 02:16 and prophesied in word of God. 02:20 That no one has to be caught by surprise 02:22 by the rapid change of world events. 02:26 In fact the events that shape our destiny 02:28 is controlled by our Sovereign God. 02:30 He rules and reigns in His heaven. 02:34 And He is a God of the past and He is a God of the present, 02:36 and He is a God of the future. 02:38 And the amazing fact is that 02:39 God is coming back again the second time. 02:42 Amen. In fact, He is on His way. 02:49 I want to wrest two passages of scripture 02:51 found in Book of Acts and if you have your Bible turn with me, 02:55 if not be patient as I read it for you. 02:58 It's the First Chapter of Book of Acts 03:00 and I'm looking here at verse 9 and then at verse 11. 03:04 The Bible says, "And when he Jesus had spoken these things, 03:08 while they beheld, he was taken up, 03:10 and a cloud received him out of their sight." 03:14 And then in verse 11 which said also "Ye men of Galilee, 03:17 why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 03:19 This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, 03:26 shall so come in like manner 03:29 as ye have seen Him go into heaven." 03:33 Jesus gone, Jesus glorified. 03:38 Now the disciples on the other hand are still here, 03:42 they're still on planet earth. 03:44 His disciples the followers are left behind. 03:48 You know friend, it's a terrible thing to be left behind. 03:51 In fact, there is a feeling of desperation 03:54 to one who is left behind. 03:55 There is a feeling of helplessness 03:57 to the one who is left behind. 03:58 There is a feeling of hopelessness 04:00 to the one who is left behind and yet this is the experience 04:04 that the disciples went through. 04:06 And even us today to be left behind, 04:09 to miss a plane, what a feeling. 04:13 To run through a bus and miss the bus. 04:17 To miss an important appointment. 04:19 I remember, I was invited to a seminar to teach 04:22 a seminar in California and they change the dates on me, 04:27 never let me known and so I showed up two days late. 04:33 It's a terrible thing to show up 04:35 two days late and be left behind. 04:40 I mean yet this is what happened 04:41 to the apostles, they were left behind. 04:44 How would you feel to go to church, 04:46 I mean to sing in a choir, 04:48 I mean to pay your tithe to be faithful to Jesus Christ, 04:51 to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, 04:53 and yet at the end, lose you at to be left behind. 04:58 Now that's somewhat the situation of these disciples. 05:01 The Bibles says that He let them out 05:02 to the other side of Bethlehem, 05:04 He lifted up His hands into heaven 05:06 and He ascended into heaven. 05:08 And that's somewhat the situation here 05:10 in verse 9 of the Book of Acts. 05:12 They are desperate, the disciples. 05:14 They thought that Jesus would setup a kingdom here on earth. 05:16 They thought that He would rule with the rod of iron 05:19 that He would reign over, over Rome, 05:21 but they were mistaken, they misinterpreted, 05:24 they misunderstood. It's amazing 05:26 that even the disciples and followers 05:28 of Jesus did not understand 05:34 and they were left behind. 05:37 They were left behind in suffering world. 05:39 They were left behind in a sinning world. 05:41 They were left behind in our hurting world. 05:43 They were left behind dying saints, 05:45 hopelessly facing the future and some of them 05:48 would face it without Jesus Christ. 05:52 Wow. Thinking of such a thing sends chills through my spine. 05:59 To preach to others, and myself be a cast away. 06:03 I mean thank God that this chapter does not end. 06:06 This is not the last chapter 06:07 of the Book of Acts Chapter 1 in the Bible. 06:10 Thank God that this is not the last verse in the Bible. 06:13 Thank God, Acts doesn't end with verse 9. 06:16 Thank God, Jesus is gone left without us. 06:19 Jesus is glorified left without us. 06:22 But Jesus will not forget us. 06:28 In fact, He hasn't forgotten us. In fact, He is on His way. 06:32 For the Bible says, this same Jesus 06:34 which is taken up from you into heaven 06:36 shall so come in like manner 06:38 as you've seen Him go into heaven. 06:42 Now there are three things emerge 06:43 from the reading of the passage. 06:44 Three things that we've learned 06:46 from the Book of Acts Chapter One. 06:47 First of all, there is sureness of the return of Christ. 06:50 Secondly, there are the signs of the return of Christ. 06:54 And finally there is the sequence 06:57 in return of Jesus Christ back to earth again. 07:00 Let's consider them tonight. 07:01 First of all, there are three dimensions 07:03 of time in this passage. 07:05 There is time past, time past, 07:10 time present, and time future. 07:14 Now in dimension of the past, He is on His way. 07:17 "You'll see I will put enmity between thee and the woman, 07:20 between thy seed and her seed." 07:23 He must come to history and history verifies the fact 07:26 that He would come in the very First Chapters 07:30 of the Book of Genesis after man sinned against God, 07:33 after man fell into sin, He did not forsake them, 07:37 nor did He leave them. 07:38 He said, I will come back again and He says I will put enmity 07:42 that is the promise that He will come again. 07:45 I mean He's coming again, prophecy predicts it. 07:50 Time future, it is sure, I mean it sure as I'm an old man, 07:56 not too old, but an old man. 08:00 It is sure as I stand on this platform tonight. 08:03 It is sure as I'm here Spokane this evening. 08:06 I'm sure as I preach the word of God here 08:09 from this pulpit tonight. 08:11 Jesus is coming again sure as I speak. 08:13 Now let's look at the sureness of the return of Christ. 08:17 To do so you must keep in mind 08:18 that the first coming of Jesus is a matter of history. 08:22 The second coming of Jesus is a promise of prophecy. 08:26 The first coming of Jesus, the first coming of Jesus, 08:29 He came to redeem us. 08:31 The second coming of Jesus Christ, 08:33 He comes to recover us. 08:37 The first coming of Jesus Christ, 08:39 He came to regenerate us. 08:41 The second coming of Jesus Christ, 08:43 He comes to restore us again in His holy and divine image. 08:46 He is coming again. 08:47 The first coming of Jesus Christ, 08:49 He came to put away sin. 08:51 The second coming of Jesus Christ, 08:53 He comes to put away Satan once and for all, praise God. 09:00 Someone has counted more than 300 verses 09:04 in the New Testament alone concerning 09:07 the second coming of Jesus Christ. 09:09 Jesus Christ in spite of what you hear today 09:11 contrary to this glorious event. 09:13 Revelation describes it, John writing 09:16 from the Island of Patmos steps dips his pen 09:19 in the red blood ink of Calvary 09:21 to drop his new found faith like golden pollen 09:23 from stems of shaken lilies to sweeten 09:26 the lives of men and women in every age. 09:28 And John at Patmos he says, 09:30 "Behold, He comes with the clouds." 09:35 And by the way friend, a king does not sneak 09:41 into His kingdom. He comes with banners waving. 09:45 He comes with the trumpet sounding. 09:47 He comes with power, and He comes with glory. 09:50 The fact is He is coming again. 09:52 I told you in ages past, He was on His way. 09:56 As a Creator, He was on his way, 09:58 I mean, long centuries before light 10:00 ever touched the planet called earth. 10:02 He was on His way, long century 10:04 before the constellations were thrown 10:06 against the black draperies of the heavens 10:08 spangling the night with stars, He was on His way, 10:11 long century before the green grass sprouted 10:14 and little flowers blossomed and the pine tree pointing 10:16 its finger to the sky, and the oaks spread out its arms, 10:19 and lakes cuddled down in the hurdles of the glen, 10:21 He was on his way. 10:23 You see, He was on his way as Creator, 10:25 long centuries before clay was molded 10:27 into the first man called Adam. 10:30 He was on his way, long century before Eve 10:33 was taken from the side of Adam to become prime rib. 10:41 Some of you'll get that on Tuesday. 10:45 He was on his way long centuries before sin 10:49 brought a blush of shame to the cheeks 10:51 of our first parents. He was on his way, 10:54 long centuries before the Bob Builder lifted his hammer 10:57 and God lifted grace from the earth. 10:59 He was on His way, long century before Abraham 11:02 took his journey with his God to his Promised Land 11:05 and Joseph wore a coat of many colors. 11:08 He was on his way before Moses took off his sandals, 11:11 before he stood before the burning bush 11:14 and before the presence of God. 11:15 He was on his way, before Joshua 11:17 Fit the Battle of Jericho and David sinned against Uriah. 11:21 Nathan pointed his finger 11:23 and Daniel, heard the roar of lion, 11:25 Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego felt the heat of flame 11:28 He was on his way. 11:33 The First Advent He was on his way. 11:36 He was on His way to Bethlehem swaddling clothes. 11:40 He was on His way to Calvary shameful nakedness. 11:44 He was on His way to resurrections 11:46 unexplainable power, He was on his way. 11:49 But friend, there is another reality. 11:53 The first coming of Jesus Christ assures us 11:56 of the second coming of Jesus Christ. 11:58 You cannot believe in the first coming 12:00 and not believe in the second coming. 12:02 You cannot believe in the crib and the cross 12:04 and not believe in the cloud coming, 12:06 cloud in the coming glory of Jesus Christ. 12:08 I mean, He is coming again that's central 12:12 in the preaching of the apostles. 12:13 That's central in preaching of Jesus Christ Himself. 12:17 I go to prepare a place for you. 12:18 If I go I will come again. Just as history verifies, 12:27 just as history testifies to the First Advent 12:31 and the Old Testament, New Testament testifies 12:34 to the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. 12:37 Listen to the Old Testament. 12:39 Everywhere you turn, there is that testimony, 12:43 listen to the sureness of the second coming. 12:45 Job affirmed it, "I know my redeemer liveth, 12:48 and that he shall stand in a latter day upon the earth," 12:51 Job 19 and verse 25. Isaiah reaffirmed it and said, 12:55 "The government would be upon his shoulders 12:58 and he would rule forever and ever. 13:00 Jeremiah wrote he said, 13:01 "A king should reign and prosper 13:03 and the Lord shall be king upon on the earth" 13:05 Jeremiah 14 verse 3, 4 and verse 9. 13:09 Should we doubt it when he says in Paul predicts 13:12 "Lord himself should descend from heaven with a shout, 13:15 the voice of the archangel, the trump of God, 13:17 and the dead in Christ shall rise first, 13:20 then we which are alive 13:21 and remain we shall be caught up together 13:23 with them in the cloud, to meet the Lord in the air, 13:26 so shall we ever be with the Lord 13:28 comfort one another with these words." 13:30 I mean, again, again in scripture 13:32 it's verifies the sureness of the return of Jesus Christ. 13:35 I mean, John affirms it, He is coming with clouds, 13:38 every high shall see him. 13:45 The slogan of the early church, 13:47 when they met in the market place, 13:49 when they met at place of commerce and business 13:52 and even met in a synagogue or in their small, 13:54 in their small rooms, in their small churches 13:57 there was the word Maranatha, He is coming again. 14:02 I think every believer today in 21st century every believer, 14:05 that's very at the very doors of eternity 14:08 should say Maranatha, let say it together. 14:12 Maranatha, Praise God that was pretty good, 14:15 say it again, Maranatha. 14:16 Maranatha, He is coming, He is coming again. 14:20 We have sureness of return of Jesus here 14:22 in the New Testament, Old Testament. 14:26 But not only do we have the sureness 14:27 of the return of Christ. 14:30 We have the signs of the return of Christ. 14:35 I mean, must I remind you, 14:36 we are caught up in a technological time, 14:39 a technological age, it's the wealth of our age, 14:42 the pressure of our age. 14:44 I mean, the things are and people are saying 14:46 even with technology, even with this increase of science 14:50 and understanding, yet we are still 14:52 in the Dark Ages when it comes to morality. 14:56 We are still living in the Dark Ages. 15:02 Something is wrong, everywhere I go 15:04 big cities around America, big cities around the world, 15:07 they come to and say Ron, some thing is wrong 15:10 and I tell them yes Bible tells us some thing is wrong 15:12 and it can only be righted by Jesus Christ. 15:16 Sociologically we see the death of the planet, 15:19 because the death of love in the human heart. 15:23 If we were to place a stethoscope of scripture 15:25 against the heart of beat of our age, 15:27 we will understand the sicknesses unto death. 15:30 Sociologically a society that legalizes 15:33 and authorizes the killing of its young 15:36 before it's even born. 15:40 A society that made Nobel Prize winner 15:42 Dr. Francis Crick who advocates that a child 15:45 not be registered as a person until two days past their birth 15:49 and only if they are healthy. 15:55 And listen he proposed that old people 15:58 be exterminated beyond the certain age. 16:04 Come on give me a break. Give me a break. 16:11 A society filled with violence and crime. 16:15 Listen, so violent we watch our young men 16:17 and young women drowned in their own blood 16:20 on the streets of our cities. 16:21 We have in God, we trust down upon our coins, 16:24 but not written in our hearts. 16:25 We as a nation calling ourselves a Christian nation. 16:28 There are 21,000 or more deaths, murders in America alone. 16:33 There are 14 million 251,400 total crimes in America. 16:39 Not only human nature, but nature itself is messed up. 16:45 Jesus said, you're going to see these things 16:47 look up for redemption towards Me. 16:49 We're coming closer and closer to that fact 16:52 that He is coming back again. 16:53 I tell you ecological science everywhere. 16:56 We could spend a lot of time talking about them. 16:58 Earthquake estimated more than one million people have died 17:01 as a result of earthquakes in the 20th century alone. 17:04 Pollutant is killing our planet. 17:07 If changes are not made there is no doubt 17:10 whatever we will-- however, we will survive 17:12 by that time they will be seven billion he said 2,000. 17:16 Listen 27 billion people in the world 17:19 and five billion will be starving, Dr. Albert Sabin. 17:25 I tell you friend, the future is bleak without God. 17:29 Acid rain, carbon dioxide causing greenhouse effect, 17:33 I mean, forest are being cleared to the rate 17:34 of one to two percent a year at the rate 17:37 30 to 40 more years before our earth is diluted of its tress. 17:43 Wars and rumors of wars. Someone said to me, 17:46 we had wars since beginning of time, 17:48 but they were 100 year wars, 17:50 I mean, they war 200 year wars. 17:52 We are talking about 25 day wars 17:55 and we get nervous about that. 17:58 We're talking about smart pumps and dump liners. 18:02 We're talking about the invention of bomb 18:04 that is dropped that will kill the children, 18:06 but not destroy the buildings. 18:12 Science of the times is everywhere. 18:16 I mean, ethnic cleansing innocent millions 18:19 have died in Eastern Europe, Africa, Timor. 18:22 And so we've seen the sureness of the return of Christ. 18:24 We can look and see around us 18:26 the signs of the return of Christ. 18:29 All this did not shock us out of our complacency 18:33 until came that Tuesday morning in America. 18:38 We were attacked at our Tower of Babel, 18:41 our financial center of our people. 18:45 We saw hatred and malice. 18:49 We saw how quickly the events could assure us in 18:52 and assure us towards the battle of Armageddon. 18:54 I mean, a nation held hostage. 18:57 We are late in our lives. 18:58 It's like the old man went to bed, 18:59 his wife got to sleep and he couldn't get to sleep 19:01 and finally heard your grandfather clock 19:04 10, 11, 12, 13, 19:11 14, 15 just then the old lady turned over 19:16 she says, what time is it honey. 19:18 He said it's later than it's ever been before. 19:23 I mean, the signs of times, the signs of the time tell us 19:26 that Jesus Christ is coming soon 19:29 and we must look up and be ready 19:30 for the return of Jesus back to the earth the second time. 19:33 Our nation held hostage later that it's ever been before. 19:39 And so we see the sureness of the return of Christ. 19:42 We see the signs of the return of Christ. 19:45 But there is the sequence of the return of Christ. 19:50 There are two events in the sequence 19:53 of return of Jesus back to the earth the second time. 19:56 First He came to rescue us. 20:00 Secondly, He comes to receive us, the two events. 20:06 He is coming to rescue us. 20:08 Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ, 20:10 never thinks the entrance of the Christian life 20:12 as casual acceptance of certain bland religious doctrines. 20:18 Small standards, giving up little acts of self-denial. 20:23 No, he talks about giving up your life for God. 20:26 He talks about willing to lay down your life for God, 20:29 laying down your life for Christ. 20:31 We got it all wrong. 20:33 He doesn't promise us a rose garden. 20:38 He doesn't say, it's going to be easy. 20:43 He doesn't pull punches. 20:44 Even the theology of today tries to get us away 20:47 from tribulation, try us to get us away from problem. 20:50 But every generation in the Bible, 20:52 everyone who are faithful to the Bible 20:53 went through their tribulation to be faithful to God. 21:01 God doesn't pull punches in this book. 21:05 Christianity is no little matter. 21:08 He doesn't talk about little self-righteous acts of denial. 21:11 He initiates us into the same club. 21:15 It's not a social club, listen to me 21:17 is not plush membership in a plush church, 21:19 He uses strong and stunning words. 21:21 He says, you have been rescued. 21:28 Wow, this rescuer hears by the prophet 21:36 describe as a holy warrior. 21:39 And by the way it's such a glorious event, 21:41 such a great rescue. 21:42 He says, He comes as a warrior 21:44 with blood red banners and mounted on a white horse 21:47 and He gallops across the sky conqueror to conquer, 21:50 if you please, He's followed by the armies of heaven 21:57 coming to rescue us 10,000 upon 10,000 of angels 22:00 and 1000's of angels, I mean, gloriously coming down 22:04 through the vault of the heavens. 22:05 Wow. Don't you believe it? 22:12 Then listen the Bible says this. 22:16 "Who is he that cometh from Edom, 22:20 with dyed garments from Bozrah? 22:23 This that is glorious in his apparel, 22:25 traveling in the greatness of his strength? 22:27 I that speak in righteousness, 22:29 mighty to save, mighty to rescue us, 22:37 mighty to save us." 22:38 The word by the way rescue in its original implies 22:40 rescue from a perilous and wretched condition. 22:45 Outside of Christ, I want to tell you, 22:46 your life is wretched. Outside of Jesus Christ, 22:49 your life is miserable. Outside of Jesus Christ, 22:52 and the hope found in scripture you have no hope. 22:57 I was visiting an Ivy League campus sometime ago. 23:01 I met a very intelligent young man in some ways 23:05 and we got to talk, and I told him 23:06 I was a preacher and he is a Christian, 23:09 and he-- and I said, 23:10 "Well, what you're gonna do with your life?" 23:13 He says, well, I'm here at the university here, 23:16 the Ivy League University 23:17 and I'm planning to be a lawyer. 23:20 I said that's good. When do you graduate? 23:21 I graduate in three years, two years. 23:25 I said that's good. 23:26 I said, what you're gonna do then. 23:27 He says, well, he says, 23:28 I'm gonna try to find a prestigious law firm 23:31 and I guess, I will start internship there 23:34 and get into law and-- and I said, what then? 23:37 He says, well, he said, I will make money, 23:42 and I says, what then? 23:43 He says, well, I will probably get married. 23:50 I said, what then? He says, 23:52 moving to a hous like picket fence. 23:57 What then? Well, we will probably have children. 23:59 And what then? He says, gold. 24:06 I said what then? He said, I guess I will die. 24:09 I said, no, no guess. He is guessing. 24:14 Give me a break, I look into mirror every morning. 24:18 He said, I guess I will die. 24:19 I said, what then? 24:24 You see the Bible offers for us a solution for the, what then. 24:30 He is coming back. Let's say I believe, 24:32 He is coming back the second time, 24:34 and He is going to rescue us. 24:38 He describes our lives outside of Christ there 24:40 as a dark dungeon of the private, 24:42 if you read it there in Epistles. 24:44 I mean, it describes as imprisoned and by the way 24:46 we're in prison without Christ, I mean, 24:48 He is only one that can set us free. 24:50 I could not get free from the habits that are killing me. 24:53 He had to set me free. 24:54 I could not get free from my mind and the thoughts 24:57 that ran through my mind. He had to set me free. 25:00 I could not walk in peace through my neighborhood. 25:03 He had to set me free, that's rescue. 25:13 He describes us as being rescued. 25:19 And by the way, we're helpless to help ourselves. 25:23 In Venice, there is one of the most distressing 25:25 sites on earth in-spite of its magnificent beauty. 25:29 It's called the "Bridge of Sighs." 25:32 I don't know if any of you've been there and seen it. 25:35 But let me, it expands the romantic canal, 25:37 it connects the whole of justice with the prison house. 25:43 And when men were condemned, 25:47 they will let him change across the Bridge of Sighs 25:53 to be in prison in a narrow stone cell 25:57 for the reminder of their lives. 26:02 Where the rays of the sun never pierced. 26:05 Where joy comes to the heart and where hope dies. 26:14 To be rescued by Christ, listen to me. 26:20 To be rescued by Christ 26:24 is like being released from a prison house of doom 26:27 and despair and hopelessness. 26:33 And by the way the word rescue implies something, 26:35 it implies it's a costly rescue. 26:39 I mean, it cost God everything. 26:42 He would rather give up His son and give up on you, 26:46 that's costly to give the dearest thing. 26:51 Now I might die for my son, 26:55 but I'm sorry I don't think I will die for your son. 27:00 That's a costly rescue. 27:03 For God so loved the world that He gave, that's costly, 27:09 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 27:12 but have everlasting life. 27:17 Christian friend, listen to me tonight. 27:22 Don't rob the new believer of their joy. 27:29 I mean, don't you let Jesus free 27:31 sinnders and rescue sinners, and then you imprisonment 27:34 in your little provincialism. 27:39 Let them be free to grow and live 27:44 and praise and learn God's love. 27:48 He has rescued them. 27:50 Don't you imprison them for He is coming back again. 27:53 Listen my friend, I stand here tonight to tell you, 27:56 He is coming back to rescue us from the prison house. 27:58 Paul said, the Lord will descend from heaven 28:00 with the shout, with the voice of the archangel, 28:03 and by the way it's not a silence shout. 28:15 Give me a break He is coming with the shout, 28:22 the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God 28:25 and the dead in Christ shall rise first, 28:28 that's the sequence. 28:29 He has come to rescue you from the prison house 28:32 and give you salvation by grace and faith in Christ. 28:35 Secondly, He comes to rescue the dead in Christ. 28:38 They've been in the prison house of death 28:40 and that was going to break the bonds of death. 28:43 He is going to call them for. 28:44 I hope, I'm in Brooklyn when Jesus comes. 28:50 Because I've a dear Christian grandmother. 28:54 When I was growing up, 28:55 I had a lovely, Norwegian Christian grandmother. 28:58 She loved God with all her heart, served God. 29:03 She was stricken with paralysis. 29:06 My mother took care of her for five years, 29:07 trying to take care of her. 29:08 Finally she had to put her in a county home. 29:12 And while she was there, I would walk in the room, 29:15 black leather jacket skull blood. 29:16 She would look up smile with half a face 29:19 that's all she could smile, half a smile. 29:21 That's better than most Christians today. 29:26 And she would take my hand 29:27 and she would says good boy, good boy. 29:33 Sometimes we get on to subway, we have to go two hours 29:35 and get on the bus and transfer another bus 29:37 four hours out to that county hospital 29:39 and I walked down, the beds were lying up, 29:41 and I walked over to my grandmother, 29:43 half a smile on her face. Good boy. 29:49 I can't wait for Jesus to come. 29:53 I will see my grandmother again. 29:55 And my grandmother is going to look at me 29:56 first thing she will say, good boy, good boy. 30:02 He comes to rescues those that are in grave. 30:04 Husband weep no more for that wife, 30:06 God is gonna give her back to you. 30:10 I told you last night about that South African family. 30:13 I talked to them just an hour so before I came here. 30:19 He has two weeks to live. 30:22 And what a wonderful godly church there 30:24 that they would go into worshiping, 30:26 and they were so moved, 30:28 they've been ministering to that family. 30:30 Here they are 5,000 miles from their home 30:32 just trying to make, work out a living in America 30:34 just to be free for their children. 30:36 And that church, in one Sabbath morning, 30:39 they took up an offering $13,000 to put them on plane 30:43 and send them home to die. 30:46 That's Christianity, do you hear me? 30:48 That's Christianity, but I tell you one thing 30:52 I told to Cory, I said Cory, 30:56 I said thank God that he is in hands of Jesus now. 31:02 And I expect, I believe and I have confidence 31:08 that in that day, there will be the resurrection. 31:12 He will be brought forth 31:13 from the prison house of death, amen. 31:17 Can you say amen here? Amen. 31:20 Christ breaks the dismal darkness like blazing glory. 31:24 The rescue Paul says, 31:25 takes place at a specific moment, 31:27 by the way it's a decisive moment. 31:29 We don't know the day or hour, but we do know the seasons, 31:32 but when He comes, He comes at that decisive moment. 31:38 I'm amazed that theologians, thin headed theologians today. 31:42 They sent me their little charts through the mail 31:45 and they figured it out. 31:48 If Jesus Himself doesn't even know the day, 31:51 what makes them think they do? 31:54 For they will come at time in eternity I understand 31:58 when the father will say, all right, son 32:02 go get your children. 32:04 And like a blaze of glory across the sky 32:06 from the eastern sky first a pinpoint of light, 32:09 then like the hand of fist in larger 32:11 and larger and brighter and brighter. 32:12 CNN point their cameras, 3ABN will point their cameras. 32:19 But of course, they will know what that is. 32:22 They have better wisdom than CNN, 32:25 and they wonder what that is coming through the sky. 32:27 We will know believe it, 32:28 it's Jesus Christ coming back again, amen. 32:31 He is coming back to rescue us from sin. 32:33 He is coming back to receive us on to Himself that were I'm, 32:37 there He may be also. 32:38 You see in Christ readiness is the important thing. 32:42 By the way in Matthew 24 Chapter into the 25 Chapter, 32:46 there is a 92 verse resume about the coming of Christ. 32:49 You don't have to be confused. 32:50 You don't have to go to Hagee or television 32:53 or some televangelist to understand 32:55 the second coming of Jesus. 32:57 All you have to do is go to Matthew. 33:00 And in the 24th Chapter, he outlines the signs 33:03 and what's going to happen. 33:04 He is going to outline the way Jesus is going to come, 33:07 what's going to happen, everything is clearly outlined, 33:10 but the hub of the whole treat is, 33:12 the hub of the whole treat is, is verse 44 it says, 33:16 "Be ye also ready" Be ready 33:23 I remember some years ago, 33:24 I was invited, I was a college pastor 33:26 and I was invited to go to seminar in California 33:28 and so I thought it will be a break for my church 33:31 and I agreed to go, and my boy Ronnie, 33:34 he was just a teenager, my girl was just a teenager, 33:36 and, you know, how it when you have to go away 33:38 and leave the two teenagers home. 33:40 The Ten Commandments become 250, 33:42 you know, how it is, 33:44 and you always put it in a good spot, 33:45 you don't put it in granite or rock, 33:47 you put it on the refrigerator door. 33:52 And so I made big mistake with my son, 33:54 I didn't make too may, bit I did make a big one, 33:56 I said, son you are old, I want you to be in-charge, 33:58 never do that when there is year and half difference. 34:03 So I get out of the house, 34:04 my wife and I we flew out the California. 34:07 Now I said, son I'm gonna to be back on Thursday 34:10 and take care of things. 34:13 Flew out to California when I got there I walked in, 34:16 I got my program, I noticed that I was going to finish 34:18 on Wednesday afternoon, I said, wow. 34:20 I said, honey, look at this. 34:22 I thought I had to be here till Thursday, Wednesday. 34:25 I said, let's fly home and surprise the kids. 34:30 And my wife looked at me, she says, 34:34 I don't think that's a good idea, 34:35 but me thinking I was brilliant, 34:38 I thought that was a brilliant idea. 34:39 I said, no honey, it would be great just to surprise them. 34:42 They will be so happy. 34:44 See well, let's call them first, 34:45 I said, oh no, we got to really surprise them. 34:48 We changed our tickets and flew back to Dallas, 34:51 Texas and got off the plane it was late at night 34:53 and my wife said, well, let's call from the airport. 34:55 I say oh no, honey, let really surprise them in, 34:56 and so I called the Nush a deacon up and I said, 34:59 deacon, will you come down and pick us up. 35:00 And he says, well, where is your car. 35:02 I said, oh, oh know, you see you don't understand, 35:06 I want to surprise the kids. 35:09 And there was silence for the space of the half hour 35:11 and he finally came back and said what? 35:13 Say, what? Well, I, they think 35:16 I'm coming in tomorrow, I want to surprise them. 35:18 Will you please pick me up? Well, I'm happy you to pick up, 35:20 but I don't know if that's good idea. 35:24 As I think it's brilliant, so I waited, he got there, 35:28 we drove back to Keene, 35:29 it's a quite little Christian town, 35:31 there is a Christian university there that I was a pastor 35:34 and I taught there at the university 35:35 and--drove in the town it was dark and quite, 35:39 and all the saints have gonna to bed saying their prayers. 35:44 And I drove up to wood one, I drove up to my house, 35:46 the lights were out, everything was nice, 35:48 the lawn was cut, everything looked good. 35:50 I said, honey look at this. 35:53 I said look that chips of the old block come on. 35:57 We got out of the car and walked up, 35:58 she said, ring the bell. I said, no, no, 36:01 we want to surprise them, 36:02 so I quietly put the key and opened the door, 36:05 walked in quietly as I could close the door, 36:09 flipped on the light to my living room. 36:10 It wasn't my living room, 36:12 it couldn't have been my living room. 36:14 I mean, dirty socks, shoes, pants, shorts, 36:19 I mean, every-I've to move to see my couch 36:25 and I went to the kitchen, amazing. 36:29 How many dishes could be used 36:31 in two and half days with two teenagers? 36:36 I mean, piled up to the ceiling, 36:37 peanut butter and jelly hand marks all over in, 36:41 so I quietly walked down the hallway to my son's room 36:44 and I got down to the son's room 36:45 and quietly opened the door and flipped on the light. 36:50 Ronnie sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes 36:52 and daddy, you're supposed to come tomorrow. 36:54 I said, be ye ready, be ye ready. 37:04 My Bible says, be ye ready for in such an hour 37:08 you think not, the son of man comes, 37:11 I will come again and that's the hope of every believer. 37:15 The hope of every believer will not be to be left behind. 37:18 The hope of every believer that will lift up their hands, 37:20 say Lord, this is our God, we waited for Him patiently 37:24 and with great faith that we are ready for His return. 37:27 Readiness is the all thing, 37:28 the great hope of every age is the coming of Jesus Christ. 37:32 The promise that Christ made through the ages 37:35 is a promise that we came to today, 37:37 in a mad rush of madness today there are men and women. 37:40 There is remnant around the world 37:42 who are looking with great expectancy, 37:44 who are looking with great longingly 37:46 to the return of Christ, 37:47 for that's the only hope for mankind? 37:49 I was a young preacher, 37:51 I was visiting in Morganton, South Carolina. 37:53 I'm an old preacher, but I still visit. 37:57 People tell me today, you know, 37:58 I get sophisticated ministers everywhere. 38:01 Well, you know, brother, we have office hours from-- 38:04 Listen to me, nowhere I read in scripture, 38:05 the Jesus had office hours. 38:10 Well, anyway I get off that. 38:13 I don't want to get no preaches nervous around here. 38:16 But I visited then, I visited now. 38:18 And by the way, people are so friendly, even now. 38:22 So you can get in the home that serve. 38:26 So I went visiting Morganton, North Carolina 38:30 or South Morganton-- North Carolina, is North, 38:34 North or South and whatever you're really in one, 38:36 you're in the other but anyway same thing. 38:37 Yeah, I come back again same voice, 38:40 anyway so it was Morganton, I think its North Carolina 38:42 but anyway Morganton. 38:44 My wife should help me out in this one, 38:45 she is back in our table. 38:47 We have our tapes back there 38:49 and that's for our missionary work. 38:51 We have a ministry that we're helping 38:53 and that's what we do when we wake with. 38:54 Anyway I think it was North Carolina, Morganton, 38:57 does anyone know Morganton? 38:59 All right, North Carolina, good. 39:01 I'm in the right state, 39:02 I want to be in the right state. 39:03 This is authentic story. 39:06 And so I was in Morganton I had the name of person 39:08 to invite to the meetings and so I went down, 39:10 drove down, got there, the preacher was with me, 39:12 we walked up to the door and knocked in the door, 39:14 little girl answered. And I said, honey, 39:18 I said, is your mommy here? 39:19 And she said, no mommy is down at the cemetery 39:22 and she began to cry. 39:24 And I'm looking at this little girl crying before, 39:25 you know, I'm crying. 39:27 I don't even know what I'm crying about. 39:30 And so I knelt down, I said, honey, 39:32 tell me, she's down at the cemetery. 39:36 I said what happened Jesus? 39:37 She says, baby sister died last week. 39:38 Now you know, I'm crying. 39:44 And I said, honey, where is the cemetery? 39:47 And she said, it's down the road of peace in 39:50 just behind the little Baptist Church there. 39:54 So I had a little prayer with the girl 39:56 and told the preacher he said 39:58 we better visit her some other time. 39:59 I said, no, she needs us now 40:00 and so we got into the car and drove down, 40:02 parked the car, walked around the little Baptist Church 40:04 and there was out in the cemetery. 40:06 She was kneeling down by new dug grave, 40:08 way back in the back of the cemetery, 40:10 as I got closer and closer I notice that 40:12 she had a little white picket fence, 40:14 she had put around in and a little Styrofoam lamb 40:16 and a little plastic flowers 40:18 and some kids had come through in, 40:20 knocked them over and scattered them 40:21 and she was trying to make something of the grave. 40:25 By the way friend, listen to me, 40:26 you can't make anything of a grave. 40:29 It's not sealed in the blood of Christ. 40:33 And so I walked up and she looked up, 40:35 I said, I'm just the preacher, 40:36 can I help you straighten the grave 40:38 and so I knelt down, I was helping her 40:41 and I said, you know young lady 40:42 I said Jesus is going to come soon. 40:45 He is gonna pick up your baby 40:46 and He is going to lay that baby in your arms. 40:47 She said, wish I could believe that. 40:50 She said, my whole world has ended. 40:53 I says, oh no, it's just beginning, 40:56 gives my beloved sleep. 41:00 I said, we're starting series of meetings 41:01 over the little church down the road 41:03 and I would like to invite you to come. 41:05 She said, well, I work night and she said, 41:07 oh, but I do get off for an hour for my meal. 41:13 She said, I could run over and what time do you start, 41:16 I told her, she said, well I'll take that hour. 41:19 And so I stood up to preach, 41:20 it was just about time to stand up and preach, 41:21 I got up walk to just then she walked in 41:24 and sat in the last row and I didn't preached 41:26 all the--I preached to that one. 41:28 By the way if one person finds Christ, 41:29 if one person is saved, there is joy in heaven. 41:35 I preach that night and next night and she kept coming. 41:39 She looks so pitiful. 41:42 But the more she heard God's word, 41:44 the more she heard the promise, 41:46 the more she understood the sureness 41:47 and understood the signs I told His time was near 41:50 and the more she understood all those things, 41:53 the brighter her face became. 41:56 Until that evening she gave heart to Christ. 41:59 She was baptized in the kingdom of God 42:01 and baptize in the spirit. 42:05 The other meeting I preached the last night 42:07 and everybody left with this woman, 42:08 she came up to me and she gave me a holy hug. 42:13 And she says, Pastor Ron, and she says, 42:16 when we get to heaven 42:19 I want to introduce you to my baby. 42:22 I looked at her eyes tear filled 42:24 but this time differently, there is different tears. 42:28 And I said, sister, you better believe it. 42:31 You look for that tall, 42:32 ugly guy by the right hand of the throne of God that's me. 42:36 And we have an appointment in heaven. 42:41 Do you wonder why in every circumstance of discouragement, 42:44 I don't remain discouraged? 42:48 In every moment of criticism 42:49 or whatever I don't remain discourage, 42:51 because I know that there is sureness, 42:55 there are the signs, there is a sequence, 42:59 and it says, I will come again as a young teenager 43:07 standing at that academy in that chapel, 43:09 I wanted the Lord Jesus to come. 43:12 As a young minister, I stood my pulpits, 43:15 I wanted the Lord Jesus Christ to come. 43:19 And now as an old man 43:23 I stand before you tonight about to finish my course. 43:31 I want Jesus to come. 43:34 Don't you Maranatha. 43:38 He is coming. He is coming. 43:40 Again, Father, which ought in heaven, 43:41 I thank you for that promise. 43:46 Lord, it's been a wonderful few evenings 43:48 that we had together. 43:52 I've been so impressed by the Holy Spirit, 43:54 the visionary people that have built this thing. 44:01 We say cast your bread upon the water as it is comes back. 44:04 My translation cast your bread on the water, 44:07 it comes back buttered. 44:11 And I know Father, that they've not done this in vain. 44:18 Bless us and keep us each faithful, 44:22 keep us each walking towards the kingdom. 44:26 Eyes looking upward for He that said, 44:29 He will come, will come, and will not tarry. 44:35 With every head bowed and every eye closed 44:39 are they not some here I think 44:41 are they not many here tonight. 44:46 They want to lift their hands to heaven 44:48 and say to Jesus Christ, come quickly, come quickly. 44:53 Lift up your hands now while I close with this prayer. 44:57 Father you see the hands lifted to heaven, 45:00 touch them with the promise that you will come 45:06 and may we be faithful even unto the end of the world. 45:13 Amen and amen. God bless you. 45:18 Are you gonna make an announcement 45:19 or shall I close the meeting right now? 45:21 Close the meeting. All right listen to me here, 45:24 you may leave this place, 45:27 but you never leave the presence of God. 45:29 He loves you, He will go on loving you forever. 45:34 Good night, God bless you 45:36 and if you don't see again here look for the big, 45:38 tall, ugly guy right hand of the throne of God. 45:41 Good night God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17