A Picture of Prophecy

[0:00] about what was going to happen in the future. You know, they had something, they had a timeline that they thought, and now Jesus is explaining to them what this timeline really is.

[0:12] Because we always need to know that we need to have Jesus, or have the Scripture, describe and to stick with what the Scripture says about the timeline. Because as soon as we start injecting things, or assuming things, we begin, we're going to get in trouble because things are going to get out of order. But as we see here, that the disciples were captivated by this mindset, their understanding of what they had been taught about Scripture.

[0:41] You know, a lot of things we can think about the future is things we've been taught, and that's the reason we need to make sure what we've been taught lines up with the Word of God. And how does that balance and not go into areas that God doesn't speak about?

[0:54] You know, we don't get the option to fill in the blanks. That's God's job to fill in the blanks of what He didn't tell us. And to understand that, I think, is very important.

[1:05] And to distinguish those things, what we're going to see here, because their understanding of what they'd been taught was, when the Messiah was going to come, when the Messiah would come on the scene, their mindset was, the kingdom was going to come with it.

[1:19] This is what they were thinking, and that's the reason as we look here in Mark chapter 13 this morning, we see that's the reason the disciples asked Jesus this question.

[1:30] When they asked Him the question about the when and the what, they were asking in the mindset of how soon is this going to take place?

[1:40] Because in our mind, this is how it's going to happen. This is how it's going to be set forth. And so as we begin looking here, as they were really caught off guard, when Jesus told them, in the beginning of Mark chapter 13 here, if you remember there, He mentioned something very dramatic that was going to be a very, an event that was going to just totally throw things out of kilter for them, you might say.

[2:05] It turned their thought process upside down. He said they're going to destroy the temple and not leave a stone on top of another. In a Jewish mind, that was something that definitely flipped their mindset of going, okay, what's going on? That doesn't make sense to me.

[2:19] The temple is the central focus of all that's happening, of all we've done. Everything we've known has been focused around that. And suddenly they're questioning what's happening.

[2:31] And so they inquire about it. And they say, when shall these things be there? And what sign is attached to its fulfillment? And we understand that Jesus gives them an answer, and He tells them, as we've looked already, to be prepared.

[2:46] He says, hey, don't worry so much about what's going to happen. Be prepared and ready for what's going to happen. As a believer, you are prepared for what's going to happen next.

[2:58] A lost person, one that has not accepted Christ, is unprepared for what's going to happen next. That's really the basics of it. You're either prepared or you're unprepared for what.

[3:10] And Jesus focused them not so much on telling them all the details of what's to come, but He focused them first of be prepared. Be prepared. Be prepared because if you're prepared, what happens doesn't make near as big a difference than if you're unprepared.

[3:29] And because Jesus talks about the wars and the conflicts that were going to happen, you know, and He says these are not assigned to themselves. In verse 7, He says, these things must needs be.

[3:42] In other words, He says, hey, these things are going to happen. Don't overread things into it. And so Jesus doesn't leave them, though, without a reference point from which to understand this, though, because the next portion directs them to understand the end that has been outlined for us.

[4:00] Because Scripture does tell us how things are going to end. He does line some things out for us. And He gives it to us. And so as we're going to look here this morning, if you found Mark chapter 13, let's stand together in honor of the reading of the Word of God.

[4:14] And we'll pick up here this morning in verse 14. And we'll pick up, go down through verse 27 here. And so we see here in verse 14, it says, But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, let him that readeth understand.

[4:36] Then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains. And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein to take anything out of his house.

[4:47] And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them are with child and to them that give suck in those days.

[4:58] And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be afflictions, such as not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

[5:11] And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved. But for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he has shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or lo, he is there, believe him not.

[5:27] For false Christs and false prophets shall arise and shall show signs and wonders to seduce, and if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed.

[5:37] Behold, I have foretold you all things. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the star of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

[5:52] And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels and shall gather together his elect from the four winds from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

[6:09] Let's pray. Heavenly Fathers, we come before you this morning. Lord, we're thankful for your word. We're thankful for what you've given to us. Lord, help us to understand, Lord, what you would have for us here today, to understand what is to come as you have revealed it to us.

[6:27] Lord, help us not to be drawn away or deceived by false prophets or even false messiahs as you have declared, you know, the false Christ.

[6:38] And Lord, help us to focus on what your word says and not what we want to speculate or to put in. Lord, we pray just have your hand upon each heart. Lord, if there's one here today that doesn't know you as Savior, that today they'd realize the need to be prepared.

[6:53] And Lord, we just give you all the praise and glory and honor in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. You know, as we look here this morning, we see something important because as Jesus looks through this, I put this picture up here for a reason because I want you to understand the framework of Mark chapter 13 for a moment.

[7:14] Some of you may recognize this picture. I'll tell you where it is in a moment. But I want you to understand is there's an overview that's happening in Mark chapter 13.

[7:28] An overview, just like you see an overview now. This is the camp down in Kansas, an aerial picture, and it gives you an overview of the camp. You can kind of get a layout.

[7:38] You can kind of get a basics. But you know what? You miss something with an overview. You don't have all the details that happen on the ground. I want you to understand Mark chapter 13 is an overview of what is to come.

[7:52] It doesn't include all the little details and things that take place on the ground. So when you're thinking about this as we go through this, I'm going to go through a lot of stuff pretty quickly here this morning.

[8:03] I want you to understand we're looking at an overview, the big picture of things and not the details. Okay? Because oftentimes we get drugged down into the details and God wanted us to understand a big picture here.

[8:20] There's other passages we could talk about that cover details. But in Mark here, he doesn't cover details. So we're going to give you and stay with an overview this morning, okay?

[8:32] So if I don't answer all your questions about everything in the text, that's the reason why. Because we're staying at altitude and flying over this passage a little bit, okay? We're not dropping down to see all the details along the way, okay?

[8:46] And so now that we got that figured out and everybody's on the same page this morning, we're going to look here at what Jesus tells them because in answering his question to the disciples, look here at verse 14 because verse 14, I believe, is a very critical verse that we find in this passage.

[9:03] Because notice here, it says, but when you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing where it ought not, let him that readeth understand. Then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountain.

[9:17] I want you to see here something important this morning because oftentimes people get confused about prophecy because they try to put wrong things together. I want you to understand Jesus tells us that the framework of prophecy here, he gives us a picture that is hung on Daniel.

[9:37] Daniel is important when it comes to prophecy because Daniel got an overview of what was going to happen. Daniel was given an overview just like the picture I showed you, an overview of things to come.

[9:52] Daniel got an overview of the things for the children of Israel. And we have to understand it's God giving Daniel that picture and he directs their question and notice he gives a charge to them.

[10:06] He says, let them understand. Now understanding is different than knowledge. You know, you can shove a lot of information and knowledge in and not have a clue how to use it.

[10:19] Okay? I think we all understand that part of it that you can know a lot and have no clue how to put it together. When Jesus said understand, understand how it fits together.

[10:30] Understand why it's important. And he references Daniel. And specifically in Daniel, he goes back to Daniel chapter 9. You know, I want you to turn over there and look this morning because whenever you're looking at prophecy, I want you to understand, you know, for those that have been to school, you know, you have to write a paper sometime.

[10:50] And one of the things they make you do when you write a paper is do what? The first thing you do is you do what? An outline. Daniel chapter 9 gives us an outline. To hang everything else on.

[11:03] Okay? So we can see what's happening. Notice what he, Daniel tells us in Daniel chapter 9. He says, Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and unto thy holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.

[11:24] Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore, to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince. Now let's stop there for a moment.

[11:35] Who's Messiah, the Prince? Jesus. Shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks and the streets shall be built again and the wall even in troublous times and after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself and the people, the Prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with a flood and unto the end of the war desolations are determined and he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease and for the overspreading of abominations he will make it desolate even unto the consummation that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

[12:14] Now, we read all that and most of you are going there's a lot in there but I want you to understand it's an outline. It gives us times and frames and sequences of events but it's very important to understand that this is for Daniel's people.

[12:33] Now, let's answer a question. Who's Daniel's people? Israel. Israel is Daniel's people so God's dealing with Israel here is being lined out all the way to the end.

[12:46] All the way to the end and to make everything coming together and he's revealing to his disciples the framework or the timeline for what is to come concerning Israel because remember the disciples were in a mindset they were how does this play out to us?

[13:05] They were in a Jewish mindset and giving them that information to how they would understand it. Later we know scripture gives us and starts filling in these blanks.

[13:15] things are filled in for us throughout the answers that you find in Jeremiah and Isaiah and Zechariah and Ezekiel and all these other passages with prophecy we understand that God in the New Testament through the Apostle Paul and John and others especially in the book of Revelation fills in a lot of blanks.

[13:39] He begins to put meat on the outline. Not every detail but he puts something there and we find here that he wants the disciples to know look back into Mark chapter 4 for a moment.

[13:53] Mark chapter 4 here in verse 11 because we need to go back and look at what Jesus told the disciples. Jesus told them this in Mark chapter 4 in verse 11 he said unto you is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God.

[14:08] In other words Jesus is telling the disciples he says as we go through you guys are going to get some understanding I'm going to give you what you need as we go through that you might understand.

[14:22] You know God wants people to understand what he's done for them. He wants us to understand what the plan is and why there's a plan in place.

[14:34] You know this plan comes about very directly and Jesus speaks here specifically about the abomination of desolation that Daniel speaks. He gives a warning of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and he speaks of a specific event on the timeline.

[14:53] But I want you to just for clarity here I want you to not get caught up in the fact of what Jesus predicted because one of the things you'll find is people will take this passage in Daniel and point to an event that happened in about 70 AD where Titus the Roman emperor came in and he destroyed Jerusalem and he took and fulfilled what Jesus said was going to happen earlier.

[15:18] What did he do? He took every stone of the temple and turned it upside down off it. But I want you to understand what happened in 70 AD is not the fulfillment of Daniel.

[15:28] You say how do you know that? Well there's other things attached to that event that didn't take place. So when you see prophecy I want you to understand you have to take it as a whole of what he says everything associated with that event if it is that event it has to be tied to it.

[15:47] Just because something similar happened doesn't mean that's a fulfillment of this particular item. Now I want you to understand I believe very clearly from scripture this is how I understand and I want you to grab a hold because I think it makes sense Titus fulfilled what Jesus said earlier.

[16:05] Titus fulfilled that Jesus said the temple was going to be destroyed and there wasn't going to be a stone left upon it. Titus fulfilled that but there's still coming another one spoken of by Daniel the prophet.

[16:19] A different one. One that's tied into some more specific things that take place. But I want you to see here to understand what's happening here is important because as we look at this passage today we see that he gives a decree a direction here of prophecy he says that these things are tied to Daniel and these things of Daniel are going to happen and people need to be aware of it.

[16:48] You know we see here this morning that we know that after Titus destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and destroyed the city that those things Israel was no more for many many generations.

[17:02] you know it wasn't until 1948 with the establishment of Israel once again in a nation did it come back together. I believe that's another step of God setting the stage for what's to come because when you look at prophecy you look at what's to come what does God say?

[17:19] One of the requirements is Israel needs to be identifiable again. So is it setting the stage? Yes it is. It's getting all the pieces in place.

[17:31] God knows what's going to happen. God's putting those things together and prophecy is revealed by Daniel's timeline. So as you study prophecy I want to encourage you to always go back and hang it and say where does it hang on Daniel?

[17:45] Why do we do that? Because Jesus hangs it on there. And if Jesus said to hang it on there that's where we need to hang it. That's where we need to put it. And so we see here next this morning we're going to see here the days of the prophecy.

[18:01] because notice down here in verse 19 it says for in those days shall the affliction such was not from the beginning of creation which God created unto this time neither shall be.

[18:14] You know the days that Jesus moves from he moves through here and this abomination that is spoken of by Daniel the prophet happens about midway through the tribulation.

[18:26] salvation. I want you to see remember that picture as we showed at the beginning we're doing an over flight you don't get all the details in between. In other words Jesus is going toot toot toot he's jumping through the timeline.

[18:40] He's not giving them a detailed timeline. We always must keep that in mind as you read scripture. Even Matthew chapter 24 Matthew chapter 25 is a parallel to this.

[18:52] Luke chapter 21 is a parallel to this. those things give you just additional little bits of information but they're still overviews and they're directed towards a Jewish how God's going to deal with Israel because I want you to understand God's not done with Israel.

[19:07] God is not done with Israel. God makes it very clear he's going to deal with them to fulfill what he promised. And that's important because if God doesn't fulfill his promise to Israel how can we have confidence he's going to fulfill his promise to us?

[19:21] That's an important element to consider because some people think that God is not going to fulfill the promises to Israel. They have some crazy theologies that move away from that. I want you to understand God is fulfilling what he promises because we have a faithful God.

[19:38] Now we might not understand the wear and the wind but I'm going to tell you that God will fulfill it. That's the way it's going to happen. But the days of prophecy here, the tribulation, he moves in to a portion of the tribulation that's to come, the days he move into here is described in Jeremiah 30 as the time of Jacob's trouble.

[20:02] Jeremiah 30 in verse 7 says, Alas, for that day is great, so none is like it as at even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

[20:13] The tribulation is a time that fulfills God's timeline regarding Israel. Israel. You know, the mistake many, I think, make today is they try to take the New Testament church and equate it with replacing Israel.

[20:27] The New Testament church is distinct. The Bible calls it a mystery. You can see elements and pictures of it in the Old Testament, but it's like anything else.

[20:37] You know, have you ever noticed sometimes as you get older, you know, you learn something and it's like, yeah, I got the information and I think I understand it, and then you look back and say, how did I miss that?

[20:48] That was obvious. I want you to understand that's the same thing we have when we look at prophecy. People in the Old Testament, when they received that prophecy, they were understanding it in the context that they had, the blinders that they had, you might say, had on of what they understood, and we can look back and say, how do they miss it?

[21:09] And they're going, we didn't know that yet. So as we look back and understand these things, this time of Jacob's trouble, it's going to be a terrible time that's coming. The New Testament church is a called out assembly.

[21:24] Israel is a nation and a people. God is dealing with them directly and distinctly. You know, if you want to look at something, you can read Romans chapter 11.

[21:38] Romans 11 verse 25 tells us this, for I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits and the blindness in part is happening to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in.

[21:53] In other words, I want you to understand, God is going to return to fulfill his promise to Israel. The seven years of tribulation known as the time of Jacob's trouble that Jesus is referring to here in Mark chapter 13, we see that in those days there's great affliction.

[22:12] That's a tribulation that's happening. And when we understand the picture of what he's telling them that's going to happen, he's warning them to run and to flee.

[22:23] He's telling them of the days of prophecy. Those days are going to be terrible days. You know, if you have any questions about how terrible they're going to be, Revelations reveals it. The judgments of God being poured out upon the earth are a horrible time to be here upon the earth.

[22:38] when God's judgment is upon us. Notice what he tells us here. Look in verse 20 here in Mark chapter 13, it says, except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved.

[22:55] You know, that's a pretty powerful statement. In other words, God said he limited those days for a reason. He said if the things that take place during the tribulation were allowed to continue any longer, there would be nobody survive it.

[23:08] I want you to understand that's another picture of God's mercy. God's mercy and his grace is pictured there even through this. You know, we see here to be a time that people are seeking somebody to rescue them.

[23:20] They're seeking a savior. They're beginning to look and to see and to say, how do I get rescued from this? You know, whenever something terrible happens, people look and want to have a savior, don't they?

[23:32] They want somebody to step in that's going to make a difference. The problem is people look in the wrong direction. We need to look to the savior. It's a time to look for the savior to appear to seduce people by signs and wonders.

[23:45] Look in verse 22 of our passage. For false Christ and false prophets shall arise and show signs and wonders to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

[23:57] In other words, those that know the truth, those that understand the truth, those that understand who Jesus is, could even be deceived by the signs and the wonders because it's such an amazement. You know, today people are fascinated by those things.

[24:11] People get caught up in it. I want you to understand the Bible doesn't tell us to look for signs. It tells us to look for the savior. The next thing on God's event is as a believer is not the tribulation.

[24:24] If you're a believer, what Jesus is talking about here is a time to deal with Israel. The time that he's dealing with the New Testament church. He's dealing with believers of this age and he says we're going to be caught up and we're going to be taken out of this.

[24:39] That's what we're looking for. We're looking to be taken out, to be taken away, to be with him. He foretells those things. But I want you to understand the days of prophecy are going to be some dark days.

[24:54] Those days are going to be dark. The darkness and the end is near when the darkness has arrived. Look down here in verse 24 of our passage. It says, but in those days after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars of heaven shall fall and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

[25:15] The darkness of the prophecy. You know, the end is near when the darkness arrives. It says the sun will be darkened. It says the stars won't be seen.

[25:27] The moon won't give its light. I mean, think about the picture that Revelation 6 gives. Of what's going to happen as we look at this tribulation that Jesus is talking about.

[25:37] Revelation 6 and verse 12 says, For I beheld there, he had opened the sixth seal, and though there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, and the stars of heaven fell under the earth, even as a fig tree castes her untimely figs, when she is saken of a mighty wind.

[25:58] I want you to understand that Jesus says, what's to come? He's telling the disciples, he says, what's to come is going to be some dark days. There's going to be some days of desperation.

[26:10] There's going to be a dark time, both physically and spiritually, until Christ comes. Because I want you to understand, as we're going to look here, Jesus makes a declaration here about his coming again.

[26:23] The second coming, I want you to understand, the second coming of Christ is different from the believers being caught up. That's two events. When people conflate them together, it gets real confusing.

[26:36] I've had conversations with people, I said, well, when's this supposed to, oh, he's going to catch all the saints up, we're going to come right back down. I'm like, that doesn't even make any sense. What's the purpose of meeting him there if we're just coming right back down here?

[26:50] God has a purpose in taking us out. We don't have time to get into that this morning. Like I said, I'm trying to stay at elevation. There's a lot of material to cover here, and I want you to whet your appetite to really think about it.

[27:04] Because that's what Jesus is doing to the disciples. He says, I want you guys to understand. Because there's some things revealed you need to understand. That you need to put in the right context, in the right perspective.

[27:16] Just as us today need to have a right understanding of the Word of God. God. Because we find here that when it's the darkest time here upon the earth, that the light comes.

[27:29] Because notice here what happens next. The declaration of prophecy. Because notice what it says in verse 26. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

[27:42] glory. And then he sends his angels and shall gather together his elect from the four winds of the uttermost part of the earth unto the uttermost part of heaven.

[27:54] The declaration of prophecy. Notice this clear and concise declaration. I want you to see here, this has different attachments to it. Because instead of catching to meet the saints in the air, he says he's going to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth.

[28:11] That's a different event. There's a distinction that Jesus is making here. And I want you to understand, Jesus is literally coming again. First to catch us up, there's going to be a seven year tribulation.

[28:23] And then he's physically going to come. Look over to Zechariah, the prophet. Zechariah chapter 14. Tell you what, after having been through a major earthquake, I'm glad that as a believer, I'm going to be coming down with him and not upon the earth when this happens.

[28:39] Because when you look at Zechariah 14, notice what happens here. We don't have time, but I'll just cover it over you. It says, feet shall stand that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.

[28:49] And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof towards the east and west. And there shall be a very great valley, and half the mountain shall remove towards the north, and half of it towards the south. When Jesus comes and puts his feet on the Mount of Olives, there's going to be a major separation of earth.

[29:07] Things are getting reworked. Like I said, I'm glad I'm coming down with him and not staying on the earth when it happens. We see a major thing happening. It's going to be clear.

[29:18] Nobody's going to doubt Jesus' return. It'll be visible. The Bible tells us it's just as a lightning comes and can be seen.

[29:29] You know, if you think about how far lightning can be seen. They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

[29:40] It tells us there in verse 26. The next verse there in Zechariah chapter 14 verse 5. I'll just give you a little insight. Notice what it tells at the end.

[29:51] It says, and the Lord shall come and all his saints with thee. You know, there's a lot of things that the Old Testament tells us is what's going to happen, but the understanding.

[30:02] They didn't have the perspective of how it was going to fit together that we have today because we've been given more to fill in the details. We've got more information.

[30:13] You know, just like we understand things by the amount of information that we have. You know, when you learn and you grow and things change, it's because the information you've been given today. We've been given a completed canon of Scripture that we might understand.

[30:27] But I want you to see here the pinnacle of prophecy is when Christ returns. It's a sign that supersedes the other as it sets the stage for eternity.

[30:38] You know, as we read this passage, we always need to keep the context and the audience in mind. Jesus was answering a question regarding the temple, a Jewish question concerning Israel.

[30:50] You will not find the catching up of the saints mentioned here. You don't find the rapture mentioned here because Jesus isn't dealing with that. You know, oftentimes people say, well, we don't find that other places.

[31:02] Well, I want you to understand it wasn't revealed yet because it wasn't important for them to know what was going to happen. They just come in confused more. How does this fit? Today we have we understand how those things fit together by God's revelation to us because we live in a time that's different from the Old Testament.

[31:23] I want you to understand when Jesus came, things changed. I want you to understand some very clear pictures in Scripture in the Old Testament. The temple was a physical building and location in the New Testament.

[31:39] If you're saved, you are the temple of God. God dwells in you. His Holy Spirit dwells in every believer. There's no need for a physical temple because in this age, God says that we are the temple of the Holy Ghost.

[31:58] I want you to see and understand the importance of that. You won't find certain things there, but it's relevant for us today to concerning the temple. It's a big event on God's timeline.

[32:11] And one day he will come and take those that are the temple of the Holy Ghost and preserve them from the wrath to come. I want you to understand God's going to take his temple out of here before the tribulation.

[32:25] God's dealing with those things. He's revealing those things. The Word of God is telling us that he's going to come. That is the next big event on God's timeline. The disciples thought the next big event was Jesus setting up the kingdom.

[32:39] I want you to understand Jesus wants to redirect them, help them to understand that the next big event, the Bible goes on and reveals through Scripture the dynamics that the next big event is the saints being taken out to preserve us from the wrath to come.

[32:59] I tell you what, the tribulation he describes here. I don't know about you, but people that say, well, we're going to go through the tribulation. I'm like, man, what are you, a fool? Why would you want to?

[33:13] Why would you even desire to? It's going to be a time of horrible things. But God says you don't have to. He says if you're prepared, notice over in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 16 says, And notice what he says, Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.

[33:48] You know, if we're supposed to have something to be comforted and encouraged, hey, you're going to suffer for seven years is not comfort and encouragement. If you might live through it, that's not comfort and encouragement. That's just grit.

[34:00] God doesn't want you to have grit. He wants you to experience his grace. He wants you to know that he's there. Romans chapter 5 and verse 9 says this, For much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

[34:17] You know, the reality is we live in a time when I hope you're prepared. But you know, there's many, and there may be some here today that are not really prepared for what's to come.

[34:30] Because the time to prepare is now, you know, if you're not saved, if you've never called upon the Lord, you're not prepared. You're not prepared for what's to come. Because the Bible makes it very clear that if you have not accepted Christ, you're lost and you're headed for a place called hell that was reserved and made for the devil and his angels.

[34:49] But God says, I don't want you to go there. I've made a way for you to not go there. I provided the door. This morning, if you're lost, I encourage you, you need to come to Jesus and receive him while there's still time to do so.

[35:06] You need to be sure that you'll go up in the rapture and the catching up should Jesus come before you die and that you'll go to heaven if you die before he comes. You know, either way, you know, Paul says to be absent from the bodies, to be present with the Lord.

[35:20] Those are words to comfort you. This life is going to pass. If you're lost, if you're not sure, if you're not prepared, I encourage you to be prepared by calling upon him today. You know, if you're saved, you ought to praise the Lord for the fact that you are not going to face those things that he has saved you.

[35:39] He has redeemed you. He has prepared a way. He has prepared a place. You know, you should do everything in your power to help others to know what Jesus has done for them. This world needs witnesses of the saving power of an almighty God to go and tell those trapped in sin that Jesus can do for them.

[35:57] Because Jesus is the one that's going to make a difference. You know, today, what's the Lord spoken to you about? Maybe you're here today and not sure that you're saved.

[36:13] There's no greater day than today than to call upon him. But maybe you know you're saved and you know you've settled that with God, but maybe God's encouraged you to say, I need to do my part to help others be prepared.

[36:26] I need to do my part to understand and to do what I ought to do, what God has told us and instructed us to do. If he's spoken to you today, I encourage you to spend time with him to know that you're ready.

[36:42] Heavenly Fathers, we come before you today. Lord, we just thank you and praise you for the day, for the opportunity. As we look at an overview of a scripture, an overview of these things to come.

[36:53] Lord, I pray that you have your hand upon each heart, each life here today. Lord, you know each one. Lord, you know each heart here today. Lord, you know those that have called upon you as Savior.

[37:05] Lord, you know those that are putting on a facade. Lord, you know those that are just blatantly understand that they're not. Lord, I pray that you just work upon hearts and lives today.

[37:16] Lord, for those that they don't know that today would be the day they would call upon you. But Lord, for those that know your Savior, Lord, that they might live in light of the reality of what is to come.

[37:31] And Lord, we just ask it all in your precious name. Amen. Heads are bowed and eyes are closed this morning. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.