The End Times

[0:00] The end times. The end times. That's my theme tonight. The time of the end, the end of the age, the end times, the last days.

[0:13] The Bible is filled with prophecies. Filled with prophecies. Someone has reckoned 40% of it was future events when written.

[0:31] 40% of the Bible was future events when it was written. Just hold that, can we? Or rewind it, can we? Or we'll get to that in a minute. I've just got a little video clip. It just goes for a few minutes.

[0:44] But it's a Hollywood clip of how Hollywood considers the apocalyptic theme oft times in Hollywood movies.

[0:56] And we know you've probably caught some of them in some fashion or other, just some clip or two. But a recurring theme that Hollywood has. A recurring theme.

[1:08] So, someone put together some clips and I've just got those two views shortly. But let's firstly read the Word of God from 2 Peter 3, from verse 9.

[1:20] 2 Peter 3, verse 9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness. But is longsuffering to us, we're not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

[1:33] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

[1:46] The earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein, the heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

[2:14] Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless.

[2:33] So we'll just, would you mind counting the lights there, Anthony? We're just, we're going to show a little video clip. Hopefully it shows on the YouTube at the same time, can we? Make that, that, make that window big, can you, Dan?

[2:46] Let's just go back. Can we get sound? Okay. There's no sound coming through, but that's okay. Just have a look.

[2:57] These are themes from some Hollywood movie clips. Along that same theme of the last days, if you like, the destruction.

[3:15] In Hollywood pictures of people in despair, running for their lives, fear. The Bible talks about men's hearts failing them for fear, doesn't it?

[3:26] Even Hollywood, in its way, tries to portray such things. But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, into which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

[3:51] The earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be, in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.

[4:18] Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

[4:38] The good news is the Lord is not slack concerning his promises. Some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to us, with knowing that, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

[4:55] There's many other scriptures that take this kind of theme of judgment, of destruction, at the end of the age. We see, even in recent events, major flooding in the US of late, with the hurricane.

[5:15] We see the escalating tensions, as was prayed before, by someone about North Korea, and the increasing nuclear threat. I sometimes wonder, you know, how there could be some high-powered men sitting behind some big wooden desks with a big red button on them, as it were, that they could just press that button and send nuclear weapons, which then cause massive tidal waves and great destruction across the planet.

[5:48] These are things that are very much a potential, as we know, as the world media portrays such things. The world's media tells us that such things are just, they could happen quite quickly, quite instantaneously, and as much as some nations have got weapons, shields, and devices to interfere with nuclear missiles, we know that it's virtually impossible to stop such weapons from being sent and cause massive destruction.

[6:27] of course, we know the North Korean dictator is a man who's a bit unpredictable, and then, obviously, the reaction that that would evoke from the USA and other nations.

[6:46] There's no telling how quickly such events as portrayed here could take place in our lifetime. And so, it's purely an illustration of sorts here that I'm picturing here.

[7:01] But as we see, for example, in 1 Thessalonians 5, it says, of such a time, but ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. ye are all the children of light and the children of the day.

[7:15] We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. As was prayed before, how we should, the church of God should wake up.

[7:26] We should wake up knowing that we're living in such a pivotal time. We're living in days where we're on a knife edge at times in some of the tensions between North Korea and the USA at the moment or other nations.

[7:42] The Middle East is a powder keg. As we know, Israel is in the centre of it all. It goes on in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5.

[7:54] It says, Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night. and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

[8:07] But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for on a helmet the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

[8:22] The Lord's not appointed his own people to wrath, but he has appointed us to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ. We know the word of God tells us of a coming time, of a period of world history where there will be a day, a time of great distress.

[8:41] Zephaniah 1 verse 15 it says, That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.

[8:57] We read of judgment in Revelation 14 verse 7 it says, as an angel cried, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters.

[9:17] In Amos 5 verse 18 it tells us, Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord. To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness and not light.

[9:28] Of course, in that context it's speaking of those who will face his judgment. We see in Matthew 24 21 it tells us, For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world.

[9:43] To this time no, nor ever shall be. We see these many scriptures that tell of this time of great tribulation, of this time of God's judgment, of God's wrath.

[9:54] death. We see ultimately that it will be the destruction of Satan's kingdom and he will be cast into the lake of fire.

[10:09] As we read in Revelation 20 verse 14 it tells us of Satan's demise and Satan it tells us will be cast into the lake of fire. It says, And death and hell was cast into the lake of fire.

[10:23] This is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. These are themes that Hollywood is capturing in these movies.

[10:39] There's numbers of movies with such themes as this that are portrayed here. I'm not sure what particular movies some of these clips are from. It's almost a recurring theme that Hollywood's got an appetite for it.

[10:54] It's almost like the world is developing almost an apprehension of such things I would put to you that we see such things.

[11:04] We know that our Lord tells us for example in Luke 21 25 about there shall be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars and upon the earth the stress of nations with perplexity the sea and the waves roaring.

[11:20] If you put that back on. Thanks Anthony. So we'll just get back to where I left off. We started off with the Bible is filled with prophecies of future events.

[11:31] 40% of it was future. One event yet still to happen is the return of Christ. We see the Lord is not slack concerning his promises long suffering towards us that not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

[11:46] His grace extends now while man can repent there is grace extended and yet we see that the earth shall be burnt up the elements shall melt with fervent heat the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved.

[12:03] So what should we do? We should look for that new heavens and a new earth and be diligent to be found of him in peace. So consider these things as we that was really just to kind of picture in our mind's eye what destruction faces this planet.

[12:20] And the writers of the New Testament discuss our Lord's returning some 300 times, more than 300 times. The writers in the New Testament tell us that Christians can expect the return of the Lord.

[12:33] The Lord Jesus is coming back and he will be here at any moment. Question is, are we ready? Are we ready? 1 Thessalonians 5, 6 it says, let us not sleep as to others, but let us watch and be sober.

[12:51] 1 Peter 1, 13 it says, wherefore gird up the loins of your mind. It's got that sense of put your seat belt on, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, get ready, be sober, and hope for the end, to the end, for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

[13:13] There's very much a strong message to get ready, get ready, get ready, Jesus is coming back. I think there's a bumper sticker that says, look busy, Jesus is coming back.

[13:32] Or rather it should be get busy, get busy. We need to get ready, get ready. How can we get ready? Trust him, trust him. John 14, we read that our Lord says, in my father's house are many mansions.

[13:50] I go to prepare a place for you. He's promised heaven, he's promised and I will come, I will take you there, he tells us. And in Revelation 2, verse 25, in that theme of the end days, our Lord says, that which ye have already, hold fast till I come.

[14:15] The Lord says, hold fast what you have, till I come. Keep that faith, that trust, that hope, that expectation. He says, I'm coming back.

[14:26] Hold it fast, persevere, press on. Revelation 3, 11, it says, our Lord says, behold, I come quickly, hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

[14:39] What a shame it would be as a Christian that you'll get there as it were by the skin of your teeth but there'll be no crown there. He doesn't want anyone to take your crown away.

[14:51] No one can take your salvation away but maybe some might be ashamed before him that is coming. There could be more to show for life's journey that will have something to show, something that will be tangible for the time we spend that there'll be a crown there.

[15:11] Not that we work for our salvation but that our salvation works out. Our salvation is active, it's working out in our lives.

[15:26] So there's a sense where there's a crown to come. So trust him, we read, hold fast what you have till I come. And also follow him. In Titus 2, it tells us again of that blessed hope, that joyful glad hope that we have as believers.

[15:44] It tells us of grace teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

[16:03] This should be our hope. The grace is teaching us how to live, how to live right and true, looking for that blessed hope, that glad hope of our Lord's returning.

[16:14] 2 Peter 3, 11, we read, seeing that all these things will be dissolved, you know, that this planet ultimately shall be dissolved and refashioned, remade.

[16:24] Seeing that it's all going to be destroyed and refashioned, it's going to be dissolved. What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness?

[16:36] It should be something that our lives, in that realisation that this planet's going to be dissolved, let's not hold too tightly to the things of earth because we're wanting to live a life pleasing unto him.

[16:55] In Philippians 4 verse 5 it says, let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. It's a time for moderation. It's a time for soberness.

[17:06] To be sober, to be watchful, to be ready. And yet, it seems some Christians are not sober, they're the opposite. And that's a very sad reflection on those who profess to know him.

[17:21] We should be sober people. These are sobering, sobering times. There should be moderation. Let it be known unto all men. And we take things seriously. These are serious days. 1 John 3 it says, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.

[17:38] But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purified himself, even as he is pure.

[17:54] We know that when he shall appear, he shall appear, we shall be like him. He's going to transform us. He's going to reshape us, remake us, refresh and glorify us as newly fashioned creatures for heaven's enjoyment.

[18:15] And we shall know him, and we shall be like him. So, do we trust him? Do we know him? Do we follow him? When our Lord returns, we find us obedient.

[18:28] 1 John 2 28, it says, Now little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

[18:39] Let's not be ashamed before him at his coming. If there's things unresolved, there's unconfessed sin, there's need for restitution, there's need for making things right, there's need for resolving things, make it right now, get it resolved now, do what you can to resolve things, so that there's nothing that you will be ashamed of before him at his coming.

[19:06] Be found obedient, be found faithful, faithful, faithfulness is called for in these days, everything is going to be tested, don't you see that of late, of the media, of the worldly social media, the world and its messages, Christians are public enemy number one, well we might be number two behind Al-Qaeda or something, it's like Christians are lumped together with the terrorists of another religion, we see that Christians are in the target sites of the enemy and so should we just throw in the towel and say it's too hard and become a kind of chameleon Christian who just blends in and doesn't make any waves or do we say no I'm going to stand for Christ, I'm going to stand for the Lord no matter what it costs me, no matter what the opposition that it might bring to me,

[20:07] I'm going to stand for God and what he wants for me and we see that call to faithfulness in such a time in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 11 through 12 it says that God shall send them a strong delusion, there's going to be a strong delusion, God's going to send it, he's going to allow it, he's going to ultimately make it happen, a strong delusion that they shall believe a lie, tells the people having pleasure in unrighteousness who believe not the truth, we see that in the church scene, there's a strong delusion going on and it's very sad to see, 1 Peter 1 7 tells us again in this context of the end of days, 1 Peter 1 verse 7 tells us get ready for some trial, tells us of the trial of your faith, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold, which perisheth, that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and glory and honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ, verse 13 of 1 Peter 4 tells us, but rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of

[21:13] Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. One of the challenging facts of scripture is that the men and women of God who are especially praised are the ones who die for their faith, the ones who die for Christ.

[21:36] We might get the odd insults or a jibe, years back we were doing some open air preaching and we had some carrots thrown at us.

[21:48] All sorts of things can happen to you as a Christian. When you stand for the Lord and you do something and you put yourself out there and you attract some criticism, you attract some attacks, but what can they do to us in Australia?

[22:04] We see how some are at risk of their lives and do lose their lives for Christ. So the trial of your faith, it should be something that we treasure and it's a good thing.

[22:20] Sometimes you think, has God left me? I'm having a hard time. Everybody's attacking me. Well, it could be you're in the centre of God's will. It could be you're exactly where God wants you to be and he's using you for his testimony, for his glory.

[22:33] What a wonder that is. And the wonder, hey, you're going to get a crown for it. What a bonus. What a blessing that is. So we see we called to be ready, we're called to trust him, follow him, be obedient, be faithful.

[22:47] So what are the signs of such times? What are the signs of the times that our Lord tells us of such an end of time, the end times? We see Matthew 16 that our Lord Jesus is talking to some folk and he's challenging them.

[23:05] They can't see what's going on. And he says, when it is evening, you say it will be fair weather for the sky is red. And in the morning it will be foul weather today for the sky is red and lowering or overcast and threatening is the sense of it.

[23:18] Oh, you hypocrites, can't you discern? You can discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. Of course, we know a red sky at night is a shepherd's delight, isn't it?

[23:31] It's going to be a good day tomorrow. But a red sky in the morning is a shepherd's warning. That's the kind of way some express what our Lord is particularly putting in.

[23:43] You can tell by the sign of the sky, by the redness of the sky, you can tell what the weather's going to do. Brothers and sisters, we can see surely the signs of the times all around us.

[23:55] We can expect a storm when we see the signs. We see them beforehand. And our Lord shows us a number of signs of the second coming of Christ. We see in picture form as Hollywood would portray it in a dramatisation of such things that the word of God speaks of.

[24:14] The word of God speaks to us of a worldwide war of earthquakes and famines. Mark 13 verse 8 it says a nation shall rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be earthquakes in diverse places and there shall be famines and troubles.

[24:32] These are the beginnings of sorrows. Worldwide war. It's a very present day reality isn't it? The earthquakes and famines. We see Matthew 24 our Lord tells more of these signs of false Christ and false prophets.

[24:50] Matthew 24 verse 23 he says then if any man shall say unto you lo here is Christ or there believe it not. For there shall arise false Christ and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect if it were possible.

[25:11] So it's interesting I know some have commented on this verse where it says if a man say unto you lo here is Christ look here's Christ or here is Christ here is Christ or there believe it not.

[25:26] Some have said well there's a bit of a fan in some circles where oh it's all happening in Toronto. The Toronto blessing it's all the anointing is in Toronto or the anointing is in what's some other place you can name it.

[25:44] Brownsville or yeah there's a revival here there's an anointing here there's a great preacher over here or there's a visiting worldwide evangelist over here we've got to go and get the anointing we've got to go and get the message from this man or this man or this woman those are the anointing the false Christ you know the word Christ means the anointed one there's much talk about the anointing you've got to go and chase the anointing if there's a particular meeting a particular church a particular Christian event people just kind of flock to it as if God's somehow bound to a place or a person and it's a false reality it's a false revival that can happen we see the signs in the skies as I read earlier about the waves roaring distress of nations Luke 21 we see the sun dark and the moon not giving her light stars falling from heaven and then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven coming in the clouds of heaven in power and great glory and these are many scriptures that I'm just picking here and there

[26:49] I know there's much more that could be said and I'm not going into the detail of it or necessarily the timing of it or the sequencing of it and there's various views on such matters but the point is our Lord is coming and he's coming for a people who are ready the signs are all around us the spreading of the gospel is another sign as we see a sign leading up to the eventual judgment of God the worldwide communication of messages is far greater than it ever has been through time where something can be instantaneously accessed worldwide in just complete comprehensive broadcasting and so we see our Lord tells us that the gospel will be preached to every tribe and nation in Matthew 24 it says the gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come so we're in that time and space where the message is broadcast there's a variety of gospel preaching ministries some but nevertheless the message is getting broadcast and our Lord says that it will be a witness unto all nations we're seeing that today all nations have got a gospel witness in some form in Matthew 13 we read verse 49 so shall it be at the end of the world the angels shall come forth and serve the wicked from among the just the spreading of the gospel and then there'll be a dividing a separating a judgment another sign is the slackness of the church the slackness of the church like the

[28:33] Laodicean another indicator another sign as it leads into the coming of Christ where we see our Lord speak in judgment against the church of the Laodiceans in Revelation 3 verse 14 where the angel of the church our Lord says to the angel these things saith the amen the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God I know thy works that they are neither cold nor hot I would that they were cold or hot so then because they were out lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth Laodicean and he's saying you're lukewarm you're slack you're fence sitters you're not full on there's no time for lukewarmness in these last days people of

[29:41] God Israel is another indicator of the soon return of Christ pick up any newspaper and you'll find the word Israel in there I'm sure won't you it's virtually every day there's something happening about Israel is constantly in the forefront of what the media is commentating about we see that Jerusalem is often spoken of and our Lord said that Jerusalem would return to Jewish hands as we see in Luke 21 24 it tells how they shall be led away captive unto all nations and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled we see our Lord had that covenant with Abraham that he promised in Ezekiel 37 a restoration to the promised land and we're seeing that all happening now as we're seeing at the close of the world war two as we're seeing the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 the expansion of its territory in the six day war of 1967 and the declaration of

[30:48] Jerusalem as its capital during the summer of 1980 we're seeing these things and more talk of that of late as well of Jerusalem being that capital and so we see that Israel is very much forefront at the forefront at the moment Israel is a land in unbelief we know some people that are missionaries there and they've got to really watch themselves because the Jews hate the gospel the Jews hate Christ they hate the message of salvation and it's a very sad reflection of how far away they are they're in unbelief and blinded but it's yet setting the stage that ultimately there will be a great reaping in Israel at the coming of Christ we see another side is the growing internationalism in the days we live in we see the

[31:54] USA it's got a total reach right across the planet hasn't it and there's this constant global global kind of thinking that seems to be very evident and this was another sign that we can read in the scriptures that tells us it's a sign of Christ's soon return in Revelation 13 tells us of world government it tells us how that power will be given him the beast the antichrist over all kindreds and tongues and nations so there'll be a global authority a global convergence a global getting together global inclusivity that will bring everything together into this world government and we're seeing that more and more so as when there's some kind of threat all the world leaders get together they get together have a little powwow have their little conference and their little decision making as a body as a global unit and this is more and more so

[33:05] Revelation 17 tells us about a world religion now Tuesday night we're looking at Catholicism Roman Catholicism some would consider in some anti-cult books they don't include Roman Catholicism in fact I was talking to someone recently and they were saying that Roman Catholicism is the biggest cult on the planet it's the biggest cult because it's quasi-Christian they've got a Bible there they use Bible terminology but it's all corrupted and twisted and the real gospel is not there the real Christ is not there it's so critical that we're informed about such things and so the Roman

[34:05] Catholicism belief is quite contrary to scripture and yet many would go along with that join hands with the nuns and the priests and sing kumbaya my lord they're they're not worshipping the lord that we worship they're sadly deceived sadly deceived we pray that they will be saved numbers of them can be saved are being saved and if so they'll get out of Babylon they'll get out of Catholicism and all the error of it and they'll come to Christ so we sing come Tuesday at 7 to find out more we see the world religion this ecumenical movement where they join hands with the Catholicism with Seventh-day Adventism with every mix and match and mishmash of Christianity so called some people think Unitarianism you know they I've heard someone praise Unitarianism there's a

[35:06] Unitarian church in the city of Adelaide and oh they have some nice talks about topics of interest I said to this man they deny the Trinity they deny the Trinity the most fundamental they deny the Godhead they deny Christ and so how can we join hands with such things but we see that this one world religion will come Revelation 17 we see this one world religion described as a whore as a whore that sitteth upon many waters so she's sitting on a beast many waters speaks of nations and she's sitting in this quite elevated quite dominating position we see that in the world today the church world today such a corrupting and twisted form of Christianity that seems to dominate and people just think it's all acceptable because they're all

[36:07] Christians we're all one big happy family but they don't know Christ as Lord and Saviour there's no saving gospel there we see another sign is the growing number of political and free trade alliances that are being established around the world a greater ecumenical spirit among nominal Christian churches and some non-Christian faith communities it's all about faith communities now what faith is it faith in Christ or is it just an airy fairy fuzzy wuzzy kind of faith and so we see all of these signs are pointing to our Lord's return what are the next events on God's calendar what are the next events I put to you that it would appear that the next event on God's prophetic timetable appears to be the taking up of the church the rapture of the church now the word rapture means caught away and as the Latin version uses a variation of the word rapture caught away this is when

[37:09] Christians who are alive will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air it's described in 1 Corinthians 15 tells us of the new body of the raising to life the raising from the dead 1 Thessalonians 4 tells us of the church being caught up now there were two people in the Bible Enoch and Elijah who never died and God took them he took them up to heaven someday the Lord Jesus will come and we will be caught up with him if I could demonstrate it if I had a magnet here and some paper clips it's like Jesus is going to come in like this magnet and that's it we're all gone the metal paper clips will be caught up with this powerful magnet but then there might be some plastic paper clips and they're just going to lie there they look like they look the same but it's only the metal paper clips that get taken up by the magnet so it's important you might say I'm a Christian are you really a

[38:16] Christian it's really important that you're sure that you're a Christian and you've done what the Bible says to become a Christian otherwise you might be like those plastic paper clips they look the same but they'll be left behind people of God and so the rapture this is what the rapture will be like it tells us behold I show you a mystery 1 Corinthians 15 51 Paul says we shall not all sleep we shall not all die in other words but we shall all be changed so in the rapture Christians meet Christ in the air Paul says but I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in

[39:26] Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord and so comfort wherefore comfort one another with these words you know one day in Zechariah 14 his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives and there is that place today people know where it is it's a real tangible place you can walk there some of us will be walking have walked there and will walk there God willing what if Barry's there on the Mount of Olives and boom the Lord shall put his feet and says his feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives and shall cleave the midst there are towards the east and towards the west and there shall be a great valley and half of the mountain shall move to the north and half of it to the south brothers sisters our

[40:26] Lord shall descend and we know I believe the timing is that he'll come in the air and then there'll be the tribulation then he shall descend on the Mount of Olives but following the rapture believers are judged and rewarded it tells us of the judgment seat of Christ of crowns of rewards so serve God while you can while you spanned some of us have got shorter spans left than others and there's no guarantee that I've got longer than you or less than you who knows he knows but it is appointed unto men once to die but after that the judgment got to get ready not saying that our works earn salvation or our works earn heaven but as believers who trust him and know him let's let's make life count the time is coming where it tells us the Lord

[41:26] Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired all them that believe that day of the Lord shall be a day of joy and rejoicing of reception but a day of wrath of vengeance of loss of destruction friends today the doctrine the teaching of the rapture of the taking up of the church it's important that we know and that we ready we've seen as of earlier mentioned of the great tribulation a day of waste and desolation a day of darkness and suffering the darkest days that our world has ever known the world is slipping into that time of total chaos under the leadership of a satan inspired political leader how easy it is for some political leader to get raised up as we've seen in the days of barack obama what was his slogan yes we can yes we can sounds almost like the tower of babel isn't it oh we can build a tower to bring us to the oh everybody you know what an inspiring message yes we can glory to man and one day such a man such a charismatic leader will come again whether by election or or by just annihilation he'll take charge and people love him and follow him he'll be charismatic he'll be just so wow so popular people will be eating out of his hand just time and we see as the 1984 novel tells of a time where it's all going to be under his domain under this ultimate control of this despot this dictator the signs are all around us yet the promise of peace is in this word that in time of conflict in time of chaos we can find absolute ultimate eternal peace it tells of the kingdom of

[44:05] God of the returning of our Lord the Lord of lords and the king of kings for a thousand years he'll reign on earth in a rule of prosperity and peace with Jerusalem as his holy capital and then the ultimate final rebellion as Satan is released after the end of the thousand years he's been restricted he'll be released in one final attack and he'll be consigned to his eternal fate and those who follow him into the lake of fire people of God and it says whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire what's really really important in this human lifetime that your name is written in the Lamb's book of life that your name is written in the book of life because if your name is not found written there name name name name name name name name

[45:30] Let's have a look here. Oh, is it there? Oh, I'm sorry, I don't seem to find it there. I'm sorry, but your name's not in here. Oh, you've got to go to the other place. I mean, what a shame.

[45:41] What a dread day that would be. I mean, being a little flippant with this, but this is the truth, isn't it? If your name is not found written there, the lake of fire is where you'll go.

[45:54] So we want to make sure, don't we? Make sure of that. This is really, it's no laughing matter. This is absolutely serious. Serious. You need to do serious business with God.

[46:05] And because hell is real. And those who spend eternity in hell are those who choose not. God. The reality of hell should motivate us to reach people with a message.

[46:20] And in contrast to that, consider heaven. Heaven. John described heaven. Only little glimpses of it. Little kind of, maybe took a little snapshot here and there.

[46:31] It's only little glimpses of heaven. But what we do see, of the very best of the city, gold streets, brightly lit. The very best of the country.

[46:44] The pure river of life. Healthy trees. We see heaven described, not only by what he saw, but what he saw was missing.

[46:55] No death. No sorrow. No crying. No undertakers there. No police there. Won't need them. You're out of a job.

[47:06] Revelation 21, it says, And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. And he will dwell with them. And they shall be his people.

[47:18] And God himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain.

[47:31] For the former things have passed away. You won't need a doctor there. You won't need your drugs. You won't need a hospital. Amen. And he carried me away into the spirit, into a great and high mountain.

[47:43] He showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem. The holy Jerusalem. Descending out of heaven from God. Having the glory of God in her light, was like unto a stone most precious.

[47:54] Even like jasper stone. Clear as crystal. A great wall and high. Twelve gates. And the gates, twelve angels. Names written on there on, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

[48:06] The gates, the glory, the streets, the light, the walls. Revelation 22, and he showed me a pure river of water of life.

[48:19] Clear as crystal. Proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. And amidst of the street of it and either side of the river was the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month.

[48:32] And the leaves of the tree were for the healings of the nations. And there shall be no more curse. But the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. And his servants shall serve him.

[48:44] And they shall see his face. They shall see his face. And his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there. And they need no candle, neither light of the sun.

[48:57] For the Lord God giveth them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. Why would you want to miss heaven? How could you miss heaven? Why on earth would someone cherish earth such, such that they would miss heaven?

[49:14] Friends, there's no greater loss than to miss heaven. And hell is probably far worse than we could imagine. You know, the picture's not painted in detail.

[49:28] But just to lose heaven, just to not see his face, to be banished, to be eternally lost, damned.

[49:42] What great loss that would be. Now, some would think, some thinks that, oh, hell's just bang and it's over, annihilation. It tells us that they shall be tormented.

[49:56] They shall be tormented. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. Hell is forever, as heaven is. We don't want to miss heaven. Beautiful heaven.

[50:08] When we walk through those gates, when we receive that welcome, that embrace. Heaven is probably far greater than we could ever hope in our wildest imagination.

[50:23] There was a saint closing her eyes in death, this dying saint. She knew the Lord. She was saved. Saved. This dying saint.

[50:35] And the words that she left in her passing were this, I didn't realise it would be so beautiful. People of God, I have not seen, nor have their ear heard, nor have their heads in the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.

[50:55] How beautiful heaven must be. 2 Peter 3, again in the context of judgment, of chaos, of end time, loss.

[51:07] We read, nevertheless, according to His promise, we look for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, see that you look for such things.

[51:18] Be diligent that you may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. Let's not miss heaven because we're too tied to this earth. Let's not miss heaven by having our affection here, but set our affection, in Christ.

[51:38] Let me close with this. Do you know Him? Are you saved? You might say, Preacher, I think I'm a Christian. I'm trying to be a Christian. I really want to be a Christian.

[51:51] It's simple. Trust Him. Believe in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Say, Today, Lord, I trust you. I receive your saving grace.

[52:02] I receive your love. I receive your dying on the cross in my place for my sin. I receive you as my Lord and Master. I let go of my own way of living and I receive that new life from you.

[52:16] That can be your prayer tonight. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you that we can simply trust you. We can receive your salvation gift in exchange for the death of sin and the wages of our punishment that you paid for in full.

[52:33] That you took that weight of our guilt, our sin and paid it in full. Lord, we thank you for that love that held you to Calvary's cross for each one here that trusts in you.

[52:45] Lord, we pray for each one to be challenged, to be stirred as we think as even our world sees it of the end of this planet, the end of the world as we know it, that there is hope because there's a new world coming, there's a new earth, a new heaven wherein dwelleth righteousness.

[53:03] Fit us for that, Lord, we pray as we put our trust in you and help us to be messengers of that vital message that this world needs to hear while you can use us for your glory and praise.

[53:16] In Jesus' name, Amen.