[0:00] Take your Bibles if you would and turn with me to Mark chapter 13 and we're going to go down to verse 23. We are in the very last hours before Jesus will go to the cross to be judged first and then to the cross and die. And he's told his guys all along, I'm going to die and I'm going to be buried and I'm going to rise again. And we're down to those last few hours and he takes the time to say to them, let me tell you what's going to happen next. I know what's going to happen next and so I'm going to go ahead and warn you not about his dying because he's done that plenty of times, not about his burial and his resurrection, but they want to know what's going to happen. What's the next thing that's going to happen? What's going to happen, Lord? And so he takes the time to tell them.
[0:45] And so for the next couple of weeks, we'll be in Mark chapter 13 and you'll be learning a little bit of what they call eschatology or things to come or future events and that Jesus talked about before he left. And he's God, so he can do that. He talks all the time about what's going to happen next because he knows. You don't know, you and I at best guess, we may study and have the trends and give some ideas, but he knows because he is almighty God in human flesh. Amen? He is almighty God in human flesh. Look if you would in Mark 13, 23, we'll read this verse and then pray.
[1:19] The Bible says, take your heed. Jesus is talking. Take your heed, be warned, pay attention. I have told you, I have foretold you all things. I've told you in advance, everything is going to be happening. Father, I pray now that you would help us as a church and as a people that love you to understand some of what you've said to us about the future. And I pray God that over the next few weeks, you'd help us as we learn a little bit about what you said and God that it affect our lives and get us ready for you to soon come and take us home. We'll give you glory and praise and honor for all that you do in Jesus name. Amen. Jesus is telling his followers, I'm leaving, but I'm coming back.
[2:02] I'm leaving, but I'm coming back. He's warning them to be careful because in just a few hours, a great deal of confusion is going to strike them. I mean, they're going to arrest Jesus. There's going to be a trial. He is going to be beaten and severely mistreated. He's going to be dead as dead as any other person's ever been. He's going to come back to life. The city is going to see dead people come out of their graves, walk around. And then there's all a bunch of people going to start saying and doing crazy things. So he's warning them and he's telling them, you need to be alert, spiritually alert. You need to be aware of what's happening. And so we're going to see that and to get into the great tribulation a little bit over the next couple of weeks, we'll see clearly that we do not know when he's coming back. And so no dates can be set.
[2:48] It's a common thing for crazy preachers to try to tell you the day he's coming back. Let me tell you what I know about him coming back. I know he's coming. What else do I know? Well, I know whatever it says in the Bible and on the whole, I have no, I do not know the day. I don't know the hour. I don't know the week. I don't know the month. I don't know the year. I don't know the decade or the score. Is that what the next one is? I don't know. Even the century, I just know he's coming back. And so you want to know that. But when you study his coming, it ought to motivate us to live knowing his word and learning to make biblical decisions.
[3:22] If this life is all there is, then that's going to affect a lot of things about us. If we think that, hey, we were born and we will live and we will have kids and grandkids and great grandkids, and then we will die and it's all over, that'll affect a lot about the way we think and act. But if we believe there is a great God in heaven, and if we believe he has a plan of the ages, and if we believe he's at work, and if we believe Jesus is coming back, it'll probably shock us enough to be like, I want to live for him. He is real and I want to live for him and I want to honor him. Go with me if you would to Mark 13, 1. Let's work our way through these first eight or so verses if you would. And here's what he's going to say right up front. Guys, the most stable thing in your environment is about to be changed. The most permanent, the most stable thing you know of.
[4:11] What he's about to say is going to sound like 9-11 to them. What he's about to say is going to be like, that cannot happen. It won't happen. But look what he says in Mark 13, 1. As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said unto him, Master, check out this building. Look at the kind of rocks they use, the stones they use. Some of them weigh tons. And he said, look at the buildings. Isn't this like the most awesome thing you've ever seen? Our temple, it's overlaid with gold. It's beautiful.
[4:45] You can see it from a long ways off. It's astounding. It's astonishing. This is the temple and isn't it great. And so Jesus responds in verse two and said, yeah, do y'all see these great buildings?
[4:58] They're coming down. Now you just got to think about that a second. That's like you walking by the World Trade Center and saying, they're coming down. These towers are coming down. Everybody would be like, excuse me, that is ridiculous. That's not happening.
[5:15] And you're crazy. But Jesus said they are. Jesus said that temple is coming down. Not a stone will be left. Jesus knows the future. And he's about to give us a basic overview of the future in this chapter. They are so impressed with their temple. But Jesus lets them know their temple will be destroyed. Now, you know, in AD 70, they came through and destroyed the temple, just like Jesus said. It won't even be, but a few decades after he says this before that happens. But the spiritual purpose of that temple had already been lost. That temple was about worshiping God. That temple was about honoring the God of heaven. And Israel had drifted from her moorings. Israel had drifted from what she was supposed to do. Jesus has been saying very harsh things. He has taken on the religious leaders. And he said, you're not doing right. You're not doing right. You're not living right. And he has attacked them.
[6:11] And now he's attacking the building. Even if it's just a shell of what it used to be, it still reminds them of their glory days. As we read this chapter, and as we go through Mark chapter 13, do you understand that what you consider to be so stable and so solid is only temporary? It is so easy to get so tied up in the world. It is so easy to think that Wall Street knows what it's doing, and it's always going to be there.
[6:39] And every financial advisor is going to tell you, man, if you put your money in, leave it there 10 years, you'll always come out winning. It'll always work out. It always does. It always has. Even in the Great Depression, it works out. Hey, did you know you can trust our Supreme Court? You can trust our Congress. You can trust the United States of America. She's a great country, and she'll be here.
[6:59] And so we somehow get to thinking, I worked for General Electric, and General Electric's the most powerful company in the world. They'll never go down. They just did. Fell out of the Dow Jones.
[7:10] And so everything you think is so powerful, you're messed up because you're looking at this world. You think your house is all that good, and yet an earthquake can take out your house. In the wrong place, a tsunami can take out your house. In the wrong place, any of that. And he's just saying, guys, y'all's solid basis is physical and earthly, and that's not where it's got to be.
[7:33] There is a God in heaven, and he is in charge. Are you ready to face the future? That big, strong husband of yours that you literally think nothing could ever happen to him.
[7:45] He's so strong. He'll always be here to protect me. He'll always be here to take care of me. That wife of yours, those children, everything you think of like that, it's only temporary. How is your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you secure in your salvation?
[8:00] If he were to come back today, would you be ready? So the first two verses, I just want you to leave thinking this. Everything seems so secure. I lived in a country with massive earthquakes. I've been through eight on the Richter scale. I've been through earthquakes in Peru where literally the road looked like waves as it went up and down, and students came running back into my house to tell me all that's going on. And no matter how secure you think it is, no matter how permanent you think it is, it's not.
[8:28] There's only one thing that's permanent. That's your relationship to Jesus Christ. There's only one thing that's going to stand the test of time. And the great things that somebody who lived on this very spot had hundreds of years ago are long gone. And the piece of land they named after themselves and thought no one would ever forget them because this was their ranch, their farm, their glory.
[8:50] It's long gone, and it's not here anymore. So just need to know this. You don't have anything permanent but your relationship with the Lord Jesus. You don't have anything solid but your relationship with the Lord Jesus.
[9:03] You don't have anything you can trust for tomorrow but your relationship to the Lord Jesus. Now look if you would at Mark chapter 13 and verse 3 with me if you would. The next thing I want you to write this down somewhere. Always dig deeper.
[9:14] Always dig deeper. You ought to be trying to learn all you can about the things of God. I love this part of the verse right here. This verse that we're about to read because it's a discipleship verse. I love this because it's the kind of verse every good Christian ought to have going on in their life. It's what ought to be happening with you this week. You'll hear this message. You ought to go out and say, I'm going to dig deeper. So as they come out of the temple, you can see them walking out. Jesus, he's got the 12 with him, and they're all walking out of the temple, and he says, they say, man, check it out. Jesus, I don't know. Was it Peter? He always does the talking. Was it Peter going to check out the temple? And Jesus go, yeah, well, check it out. It's coming down. Now the next thing that's going to happen is they're going to be like, can we have a private meeting? The deacons want to meet with you, but we got to figure that out. You mean to tell me the temple's coming down. So look if you would at verse 3. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives over against the temple, so they could look over and they could see the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and wanted to talk to him. They came to speak to him privately.
[10:18] When I was a kid, I was taught that silver and gold are generally on top of the ground. You've got to do some digging. And you've been going to church all your life, but some of you only get what's regurgitated from a pulpit on Sunday. And some of you only get what's stated in a Sunday school class. And some of you never really say, I want to know more. I want to know him. I want to deepen my relationship with the God of heaven. I need to understand what's being said here. When they heard Mark 13, 1 and 2, these guys said, that's not enough. I want to know more. And I want to challenge you this morning to say, I want to know God. I want to learn more about him. I want to dig into the word. Those who really want to go seek out more time to study, more time to have a discussion, more time to get involved in discipleship. If you don't understand and you go to Vision Baptist Church, there are always more ways available for you to be learning more about Jesus and more about the Lord, more about what the word of God says. So look at chapter 13 and verse 4. Here's what they said when they asked him a question.
[11:24] Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign that all these things shall be fulfilled? Okay. We'll just go ahead and accept that blanket statement you made. You said the temple's coming down. All right. All right. Okay. We're not even going to ask why. We're not even going to ask how.
[11:40] Well, we'd like to know when. Tell us when and what shall be the sign so we'll know. I don't need to be in a temple on the day it comes down. So tell me what's going to be the sign that this is going to happen. And I'd like to say to you before I leave this right here, your questions are always welcome.
[11:56] You know, and often in our kind of churches, it's like you're not supposed to ask. And if there are things you don't understand, you shouldn't ask. Well, let me explain something to you about our church. Yeah, you should ask. We want you to ask. You don't need to go to the internet to find out there are people here that want to help you. There are people here want to take the Bible and show you.
[12:15] You don't have to go through basic discipleship to learn. You can ask anything you want. You do not have to blindly accept any truth. We want you to help you understand and God will direct you into truth.
[12:26] If you want to learn, you can learn. All of my life, I've been saying, I want to know. When I was about 15 years of age, I very distinctly remember the day I decided I'd no longer believe what my mom and daddy said. I just said, you know, they're Baptists and they say that's what we believe. And I'm not going to ask them and I don't want them to teach me. I'm going to figure it out on my own. I didn't know for sure if I was going to even believe in baptismal regeneration because I had friends that taught that. And it took me over a year of studying every word of the Bible and baptism to realize what I believed about baptism. But when I walked away from that, I was like, I have looked at every word. I have studied it out. I want to challenge you to go deeper. I want to challenge you to ask. Jesus doesn't rebuke them for asking. Instead, he answers them with details.
[13:12] I challenge you to get involved in discipleship, to learn more, to dig deeper. At our church, we have discipleship. We have somebody that has studied a little more than you and knows a little more than you. And they would love to sit down with you on a weekly basis in the comfort of your home or at the local Starbucks or in the back office of the church or wherever. And they want to sit down with you and take you through all the basic doctrines of the Bible. I love how these guys go to Jesus and say, we heard you. We got questions. We heard you. We got questions. And Jesus said, bring them up. Ready to talk to you. I'll accept your questions and I'll answer your questions.
[13:49] Paul said in Colossians chapter 1 and verse 28, talking about Jesus, he said, whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, every man mature in Christ Jesus. The goal is not for you to do what the church says and not for you to do what the pastor says or the deacons say or your parents say, but to know God, you personally, hotline straight to God, understanding the things of God. We want to help you grow up and be mature and stand on your own two feet spiritually. I'm going to get back to the future events here in just a second, but just let me say this. We have Sunday school at 930.
[14:33] And there are classes meeting all over this building with teachers, not me. I teach one class. I have a small class. But they're going to take the Bible and they have prayed and studied and prepared material for you. Meets at 930. It's a lot more informal. You can ask questions a lot easier. And these are teachers that want to help you. We have three services a week. And a lot of churches nowadays have one a week. And so you can go 52 times a year and you've done all they got on the docket.
[14:57] We got 208 on the docket. We got Sunday school at 930, preaching at 1030, preaching at five o'clock and preaching again on Thursday at seven o'clock. I think I just almost threw us another service in there.
[15:07] I got close. We want you to know the Bible. And in every class, in every Sunday school class, in every place, we're not going to listen to a teacher tell you his opinion. He's not going to walk in. He's going to walk in there and say, here it is in the Bible. He's going to show it to you.
[15:20] And you're going to be able to see it. If you don't see it, you get to ask. We want you to learn. There are people ready to meet with you and answer your questions. Now go with me to Mark chapter 13, verse 4. Would you get involved, please?
[15:31] I'm serious. I'm serious. I'm a heart attack. I got married 45 years ago in August. I saw this cute girl in December and I liked her and she was dating my friend, but my friend didn't deserve her.
[15:48] Can I hear an amen right there? And you know, I saw her and I can remember. I wanted to know her. I wanted to spend time with her. I wanted to learn all about her. I wanted to find out what she liked and what she didn't like, where she wanted to go. I wanted to know all about her. And I've been spending 45 years of my life doing that. I want to love her and please her. I don't understand how you saw Jesus and how sweet and precious he is. And you saw his book and how sweet and precious it is.
[16:16] And you said, well, I just wanted to see one little glimpse and I'm out of here. I don't know how you're not saying I need more. I need more. I want to meet with him. I want to know more. Go with me if you would to Mark chapter 13, verse 5. Jesus begins to tell them the future in this chapter, but he starts with a warning. Look at verse 5. And Jesus answering, they began to say, take heed lest any man deceive you. I need you to underline it in your Bible because when Jesus starts talking about future events, you know what he starts off with?
[16:44] You better be careful. There's a lot of nuts out there. That's where he starts in the Bible, 2000 years. He started there before the nuts started talking. He said, there's going to be nuts. They're coming out of the woodwork. They're going to tell you when I'm coming back. They're going to tell you a whole bunch of junk. They're going to tell you to check out some Inca calendar or some Aztec calendar or some Hindu this or some. They're going to tell you all kind of junk. Take heed or you're going to get deceived. He knows the future because he is God in human flesh. Do you understand that is the very, the young ladies just sang a song that said, show us Christ. And that is who we're here about. That is who we're here about. And when we talk about Jesus, we're talking about a person, but not just a person. We're talking about God almighty taking on human flesh and living among us and dwelling among us and speaking to us. He knows the future because he is God. Everyone wants to know about the future because we're all going to live there. I'd like to know what's going to happen tomorrow because I plan on being here. So I'd like to know what's going to happen. Be careful to learn truth about the future. Look at chapter 13 and verse six. For many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ and will deceive many. I'm going to show you some more verses in just a second. But can I tell you that in South America, there's more than one Jesus already. I'm not even talking about the guy who's named Jesus. You know, they like the religious terms. So I have baptized
[18:07] Jesus and Mary in the same person. I mean, Jesus Maria, Jesus Maria. And I said, I now baptize you, Jesus Maria. I don't know if you know a lot of people. I baptized Jesus quite a few times.
[18:18] Just thought I'd tell you. And my name ain't John the Baptist. And I baptized Mary and I baptized Jesus and Mary in the same person. But there are South American Jesuses who literally tell people that they are Jesus. There's false religion all over China right now where people literally say that Jesus came back as a woman and there's a woman Jesus over there. There's Jesuses in the Philippines. There's Jesuses about everywhere you want to look. And he said, guys, they're going to come and they're a bunch of liars. Look, if you would, at Mark chapter 13 and verse 22.
[18:51] For false Christ and false prophets shall arise and they shall show signs and wonders to seduce, to entice you and trick you and seduce you if it were possible. Even the elect, even those that are the saved people could be tricked. God's people get messed up by this stuff all the time.
[19:12] Cults about the last days, they get messed up about it. This is actually talking about the time before the tribulation. It's talking about now. You don't have to wait for tomorrow. It's already happening. It's easy to be deceived. And so you have got to stick to the scriptures. Turn with me to Acts chapter 17 and verse 11. And let me tell you something really seriously. You ought to always have a copy of the Bible with you. You ought never come to church without a copy of the Bible. You ought never listen to me preach. And I promise you, I'm doing the best I can to say what the Bible says. Somebody said one time to one of our deacons, she said, he was really simple. He didn't say anything the Bible didn't say. And our deacon said, well, yeah, that's kind of what we have in mind at this church.
[19:56] So I don't have anything except what the book says. But you ought to be checking me out because I could make a mistake and I could lie and I could become a, you know, you check me out. Can I hear an amen on that? Look at what the Bible says, if you would, in Acts chapter 17 and verse 11. Acts chapter 17 and verse 11. These were more noble than those of Thessalonica and that they received the word with all readiness of mind. So when anybody preached to these people, they're like, bring it on. We're here. Talk. I'm writing it down. I'm listening. I'm studying it. I'm looking at it. I am ready to listen and ready to obey and ready to put it in practice. But before I do, I'm going to go home and check, make sure you're telling the truth. Look at it and search the scriptures daily.
[20:35] Whether those things were so. You know, you have a perfect measuring stick to find out. You have a perfect balanced weight to find out whatever anybody says, whether it's true or not.
[20:48] You have a copy of the word of God in your hands. You ought to come to church with it. You ought to mark what's said. You ought to write down what I say, not because I'm so smart, but so you can go check it out. And then you come back and say, whoa, I need to talk to somebody around here. This guy's not telling what's in the Bible. Or you can say, no, that was in the Bible.
[21:03] I need to put that into practice. Did you know even God's people can be deceived? I need you to understand it. When you start talking about secondary, second coming events, when you start talking about the coming of Jesus Christ, when you start talking about the future, he said, I don't want y'all to be deceived. And all through the Bible, that's a lesson that's given to us. Look at 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 9. You need to understand that miracle working is not an exclusive God thing. It's even a devil thing. The devil knows how to work miracles. The devil knows how to fool you, how to deceive you, how to trick you, how to take advantage of you. They're getting rich doing this. You're buying them $50 million jets. How would any reasonable person be that dumb?
[21:47] I'm going to buy you a jet while I put her into work in my little Chevrolet Vega. You ever heard of one of those? I used to have one. I'm going to put her in here in my Chevrolet Vega while you fly off in your $50 million jet. How could anybody be dumb enough to do that? Well, there's a whole lot of them because they get the money. Look at what the Bible says in 2 Thessalonians 2.9.
[22:05] Even him who's coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. I need you to understand lying wonders. You know what lying wonders are? They're miracles. They're wonders. They're things you go, wow. He must be for real. Look at the miracle he just worked. But it's a lying wonder. It doesn't say lying wonder. In fact, it's going to say verse 10, with all deceivableness. Underline that. He can trick you. He can con you. Satan is a con man, and many religious people are cons. They're just religious cons. He comes after the working of Satan with all power and signs. That's a miracle. He can do stuff. Watch this. I can raise people from the dead. Watch this. I can heal people. Watch this. Well, Satan is the one that's doing that in that verse. I need you to go to Revelation chapter 13 and verse 11. We're talking about future events. That's the book of Revelation. So, you know, can I just be honest? You ought to be real skeptical of every TBN preacher. Just thought I'd throw that out there for free, not charging anything for saying that. But you ought to be skeptical of every independent Baptist preacher too.
[23:18] Just to be blunt honest, you ought to be skeptical of me. How's that go? Because we don't trust men, we trust scripture. Can I get an amen right there? And by the way, if I raise somebody from the dead tomorrow and then ask y'all to buy me a jet, y'all just fall for it, all right? I've tried to warn you.
[23:38] Look at Revelation chapter 13 and verse 11. And I beheld another beast come up out of the earth as he had two horns like a lamb and he spake as a dragon. This is a devil-based thing. Look at verse 12. He exercised all the power of the first beast. And he calls the earth and them which were therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. The Antichrist is going to get a deadly wound because Jesus got a deadly wound and he's going to be healed because Jesus was raised from the dead. But I want you to check out verse 13. And he does great wonders. He's able to make fire come down from heaven while people are watching. Excuse me? I thought that was God. What's this man doing doing that? How can a man make that happen? And look at verse 14. And he deceived them that dwell on the earth by the means of the miracles, by the means of the miracles which he had power to do.
[24:30] And the last part of the verse said he had a wound by a sword and he lived. Well, I have been preaching right at 50 years, close to 50 years. You'd not believe the number of times I've had people say to me, it has to be true they're working miracles. It has to be true they got knowledge that no one else has. It has to be true that person got healed. Do you understand from scripture that the devil knows how to fool us, how to deceive us? And Jesus said, I hadn't died yet, fellows. It's going to be a day or so right now. I'm real close. Fixing to happen just a bit. But let me just say before I leave, when I leave, there's going to be a lot of liars and fakes come out.
[25:17] They're going to tell you a whole bunch of garbage and you shouldn't fall for it. There are whole groups called Adventists. The word Adventists means coming. They're looking for his coming and there's all groups of that. There are people setting dates and have been setting dates for years. Verse 15, this demonic being had power to give life into the image. He turned an idol into living. He turned to an idol and made it live. And it spoke in verse 15. And then it made people get killed who wouldn't believe that. You say to me, oh, wait a minute. I don't believe that. I didn't say it. It's in the Bible.
[25:55] Go home and read it. Sit down and talk to other people that read the Bible. It's in the scriptures. So how should you examine a spiritual leader? By the way, some of you will stay here. Soon you'll replace me because I'll get old enough that I need to get out of your way. And maybe you'll change to go to another church. Every time you find a church, every time you find a preacher, you need to know how to examine him. You need to know how to decide, is this the man of God or not?
[26:26] It's not if he can work miracles. It's not if he can speak in tongues. It's not if he has a lot of degrees behind his name. Hello, my name is Austin Gardner. I have a BA, a BS, an MA, an MTH, and a PTB, and a DVD. And I got so many names, numbers, and I must be right. I know Greek and Hebrew. I know everything. That's not how you judge a man of God. You need to decide now because Jesus warned you'll get deceived. A horribly sad story that's going on in my son's life right now. And in my ministry, one of the very first men I trained back in 1988 has just conned one of my preacher boys. He's an older guy now because it's been 30 years. But he just conned all kind of people out of money and is catching him. He has actually put liens against two churches that we're going to have to figure out how to buy the buildings back because we don't know what his problem is. He just got kicked out today because over a year ago, my son tried to get people to do stuff. And he's a con. He's a con.
[27:33] You can't trust preachers. Sorry. You can't trust preachers. I is one, but you can't trust us. You trust the word of God. Can I get an amen there?
[27:45] That's why you ought to have your Bible open while I'm preaching. How do we examine a spiritual leader? Number one, you need to know him personally so you know his character. You need to know him personally so you know his character.
[27:58] Who is he? Does he pay his bills, etc., etc., etc.? You need to listen to the content and intent of his message. You need to examine him every time. The truth is you ought not listen to a preacher without examining him.
[28:12] You ought to check out your hemorrhoid doctor better than you do your preacher. I need to know where he got his education. I need to know what he knows. I need to know how good he is at it. Huh? No.
[28:23] Check out the preacher more than you would the doctor. I'm fixing to have open-heart surgery. This is eternal surgery we're doing today. Always check everything with the Word of God and make sure what he's saying is consistent and faithful to what God's Word says.
[28:37] Next thing Jesus warned him of, and none of the tribulation period started yet. Verse 7, he said the whole world is going to seem like it's falling apart. It says in Mark 13, 7, There has always been war, and it will continue to happen.
[29:00] I'm an old guy now. But 43 years ago, when my wife was carrying our first child, he was about to be born in August, and 43 years ago, I do not know how many people said to me, How could you bring a child into this filthy, wicked world?
[29:19] And that's what you're still saying. And that's what they'll be saying two more generations from now. People will be afraid of what's going to happen. The world can seem like it's falling apart.
[29:30] Jesus warned us that. Even the natural world seems to be going crazy. Look at chapter 13 and verse 8. Nation, that's the fighting again, rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, but there are earthquakes in diverse places.
[29:43] They're happening everywhere. There are volcanoes exploding in Guatemala and Hawaii. I mean, I've been to that island, to Brendan Wong's house, which is like 15 miles from where all that junk is going on.
[29:57] And their favorite beach just got wiped out. Oh, beautiful beach on the big island. Yeah, well, Valkina took care of that for you. Houses disappearing.
[30:10] Guatemala, dozens, maybe hundreds of people already dead. Earthquakes constantly ravaging the globe. Earthquakes in divers places or diverse places, different places, several places, lots of places.
[30:24] Famines and troubles. And he said, and guys, this ain't nothing yet. This is just the beginning of the sorrows. That's where we live now. There's injustice everywhere you turn.
[30:35] People are dying of hunger and horrible mistreatment. There's physical, spiritual, and emotional world in turmoil. Everything about this world could just scare you to death. If you read the newspaper, you're liable to have a nervous breakdown.
[30:49] And if that don't do it, just watch Fox News and CNN and see how confused you get. There's only one way you're really going to be able to live in this world. You're either going to have to ignore all that junk or know the truth.
[30:59] And I know the truth. And those who study the Bible, we know the truth. Say, man. I know who's in charge. I know everything's going to work out. And I may lose everything I have.
[31:10] And I may be laying on my back in a hospital bed tomorrow or dead. But I know who holds tomorrow for me. I know that. It can be overwhelming, but you can know Jesus as your personal Savior.
[31:22] All that Jesus said and believed and taught us, you should consider that. You should trust Christ today. There's no victory, no way to victory without faith in Christ. Christ, I'll just tell you, because most of you are younger than me.
[31:37] Getting old ain't that pretty. I mean, you hurt where you didn't even know you could hurt. And some of us are so, we couldn't even sleep last night. I had to sleep on the couch.
[31:47] Say, man. I just happen to know about that. One fellow in here. You just couldn't. You know, you just don't sleep like you used to sleep. World's falling apart, but Jesus isn't.
[31:58] How are we going to deal with all of this? He says, they'll give you one in Mark chapter 13 and verse 7 and see what he said. And when you shall hear about all these wars and rumors of wars and all this junk going on, don't y'all be worried.
[32:09] Underline that. Be not ye troubled. Y'all don't worry about it. For these things must be, but the end's not yet. And so tomorrow when they tell you it's all ended, you can say, no, it ain't.
[32:20] I love John 14, 1. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God? Believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and I go and prepare a place for you.
[32:31] I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. These things happening doesn't mean the end of the world. So if Korea or China and the United States go into some kind of war, it's okay.
[32:46] We know who holds the future. I'm not saying I want a war. I definitely don't. I'm not saying I wouldn't like there to be world peace. I would like it. I'm not saying I wouldn't like everybody to eat.
[32:57] But the truth is, this world is ravaged by sin. All this happening doesn't mean the end of the world. Chapter 13 to verse 8, last phrase. Underline it in your Bible. These are the beginnings of sorrow.
[33:09] It's always happened, and it will continue to happen. It's just a beginning, a warning. Get ready. But you can relax, because you know who's in control.
[33:23] You'd have to live in a place that's ravaged by earthquakes to understand this. I used to enjoy earthquakes. I mean, you could be sitting in your house in Peru, and a 7 could be coming your way.
[33:34] You never know. Is it going to be a small one or a big one? And you'd sound like a train. There's no track out there. And you'd hear brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr. And everybody in the room would go, it's coming.
[33:46] And I would say, brrr, brrr, run through your house. And when it's running through your house, you're just doing this back and forth. I said, well, that's a good one. Oh, and the 8 happened, and the whole, the streets looked like waves.
[33:56] I was sick and laying in bed. And my wife and kids were yelling, get out of bed. This one's for real. I'm like, ah. But then when my TV started falling, I jumped up and tried to save my TV. Don't tell anybody I'm that wicked.
[34:10] You know, you can have peace because you've been warned. Look at John 16, 33. John 16, these things have I spoken to you that you might have peace. In the world, you are going to have tribulation.
[34:23] You are going to have problems, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. These things have happened in every age. So this does not mean the end is here. As the sorrows and pains get stronger and closer together, we can assume his coming is approaching.
[34:38] Be ready. So here's the truth I want you to live by, and I'm through. Here it is. Number one, Jesus is God, and he is in control, even in this chaotic world. Jesus is God, and he is in control, even in this chaotic world.
[34:53] He knows the future, and if you know him, you're going to be okay. He knows the future, and if you know him, you're going to be okay. But you should prepare for his coming. It ought to be like, I know he's coming. I grew up on a farm way out in the country with an outhouse and no running water in the house.
[35:07] But when company was coming, buddy, we turned that little shanty upside down and cleaned it. Jesus is coming. You should live in light of that fact. He was dying, but even then he warned them because he knew the future and he knew he'd be back.
[35:20] Look at chapter 13 and verse 26. He said, things are going to fall apart, guys, but I'm coming back. Look at it. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great glory.
[35:32] I'm coming back. We'll get to that soon. I have a question for you this morning. Do you know Jesus? You don't need, you can read Mark 13 written 2,000 years ago, and you can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that what it's saying is true because every time you open a newspaper, you hear about this.
[35:47] Every time you read a magazine, every time you turn on the television, the wars and the rumors of wars and the earthquakes and all the things that are going wrong and everything that's happening in the world, you know it's true.
[35:59] Well, if he was right about that, you reckon he might be right about the fact that there is an eternity. You reckon he might be right about the fact you need to be saved. And you and your arrogance, it cannot control an earthquake and cannot control a tidal wave or a tsunami or a hurricane.
[36:14] How in the world do you think you're in charge? You need God.