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
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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. Let's bow our heads forward in prayer.
Father, please just bless our service tonight. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit as I
preach to God. Help these words to sink down into our ears and help those that are here
to listen carefully and to understand the concepts and the truths presented tonight
from your word. Please just build us up, strengthen us, and we love you and in Jesus' name we ask
these things, amen. Now 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 is a very famous passage of scripture, especially
the latter portion there, dealing with what we commonly call the rapture, what the Bible
calls the first resurrection. And it's a subject that people know about. They know that one
day Jesus Christ is coming again. Of course Christmas we're celebrating the first coming
of Jesus Christ, but one day Jesus Christ will come again. After he died on the cross,
was buried, and rose again, and he showed himself to his disciples, being seen of them
forty days by many infallible proofs that he had risen from the dead, he ascended up
into the clouds. And while they stood steadfastly looking toward heaven as he went up, they
saw him going up into the clouds and an angel came in wide apparel and said to them, you
know, this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner
as you have seen him go into heaven. So one day Jesus Christ will come in the same way
that he ascended up, he will descend down in the clouds, and the Bible describes it
here in 1 Thessalonians 4, the Bible says in verse 16, the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God,
trumpest or for trumpet, and the dead in 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, wherefore comfort one another with these words.
But where the confusion is, and where the mistake is, is that people are teaching, and
this is taught among even independent fundamental Baptists, I'm ashamed to say that this is
the prevalent teaching all across America in our Baptist churches and other denominations,
in the mainstream, the TV, in the Christian bookstore, you're going to find this teaching
that the rapture or the second coming of Jesus Christ, you know, the coming in the clouds
here where we're going to be caught up together with him, the first resurrection, they're
teaching that it can happen at any moment, and it's a lie. It's a lie. Now, I'd love
to tell you that any moment now he's going to come in the clouds and we're all going
to be caught up together with him in the air, but it's just simply not true. Now, this teaching
is known as the pre-tribulation rapture, that it could happen anytime. It's not true, and
I'm going to prove to you tonight scripturally that it's not true, and I want to show you
this because you're going to run into people all the time, constantly I run into people
who challenge me on this, and they don't believe that they've been caught up in this thing,
you know, and it's really a new teaching. It's only in the last 150 years has it even
existed on this planet, but this new teaching, people are caught up in it, the movies, the
left behind, you know, the Kirk Cameron's in this world, and by the way, why would you
want to watch a Christian movie with Kirk Cameron in it who believes that in order to
be saved you have to be willing to turn away from all your sins? I mean, I believe what
the Bible says, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.
I believe that it's believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved in thy house.
I believe that it's by faith, by grace through faith, plus nothing, minus nothing, I don't
believe in this turnover and new leaf salvation. I don't believe salvation is reformation.
I don't believe that salvation is turning away from a wicked life and turning to a righteous
life. I'm here to tell you that salvation is putting your faith in the finished work
of Jesus Christ, his blood alone, on the cross, cleanses us from all sin, the death, burial
and resurrection is sufficient, and we don't need to add our works, it's not faith plus
works, it's not faith plus turn away from a wicked life, it's not faith plus quit drinking,
it's not faith plus join the church, it's not faith plus be baptized, it is but to him
that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted
for righteousness. And so I'm not going to watch some movie program put out by a guy
who's actively preaching another gospel. I mean Kirk Cameron and his buddy Ray Comfort,
they are actively preaching another gospel, preaching a gospel of works, preaching a gospel
of man changing his life around in order to be worthy of heaven. And they can package
it and call it whatever they want but that's really all it is and it's nothing new under
the sun. Salvation is Jesus alone, faith in Jesus, it's not of works unless any man should
boast. But people are caught up in this teaching and many times you'll be faced with this and
you want to be able to explain this to somebody and just help them see the truth from the
Bible because I'm going to tell you something, people are assuming that Jesus Christ could
come at any moment but see we know who's really coming at any moment according to the Bible.
There's somebody who's going to come before Jesus and who isn't, the anti-Christ, right?
The anti-Christ is going to come and who are the pre-tribulation rapture people, who are
they expecting to come at any moment? Jesus. Who's really going to come? The anti-Christ.
So who are they going to think the anti-Christ is? Jesus. Many of them. I'm sure many of
them will figure it out if they're saying that obviously the anti-Christ is not Jesus
but the world is falling for this delusion that's put out there by the new evangelical
movement and the charismatic movement. But I'm going to prove this to you, let's start
right here in 1 Thessalonians 4. Instead of stopping at verse 18, so far we haven't gotten
anything about the timing, he just says that if we remain under the coming of the Lord,
we'll be caught up together with Him in the clouds. Wherefore comfort one another with
these words. But let's keep reading. Look at verse 1 of chapter 5. Let's get into the
timing of when the rapture will occur from the most famous rapture passage itself. Look
at verse number 1 of chapter 5. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no
need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so
cometh as a thief in the night. Now let me ask something then. What is another name for
the rapture or this second coming of Jesus Christ in the clouds? The day of the Lord.
Because he just finished telling us about Jesus coming in the clouds, us being caught
up together with Him, comfort one another with these words. He says, but of the times,
He says I don't need to tell you when the timing is. Of the times and the seasons, brethren,
ye have no need that I write unto you. Why doesn't He need to tell us when Jesus is going
to come in the clouds? Because He says, yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so
cometh as a thief in the night. So what are we talking about when we're talking about
the day of the Lord? This day when Jesus Christ is going to come in the clouds. And He says
it's coming as a thief in the night. Let's keep on reading. Verse 3. For when they shall
say, now these are timing words. When, right? When is it going to happen? When they shall
say, peace and safety. Then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with
child and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake
you as a thief. Ye are all children of the light and the children of the day. We are
not of the night nor of darkness. 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. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate
of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us
to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. So we see here, when is it going
to happen? When? When are the times and the seasons? He said, well, you know perfectly
that the day of the Lord, Jesus coming back, will come as a thief in the night. Upon believers?
No. Believers can watch and be ready. But He said, the unbeliever, they'll be saying
peace and safety, sudden destruction will come upon them, that day, that hour, knoweth
no man but the Father which is in heaven. But He said, it's going to be when they say
peace and safety, sudden destruction will come upon them, not us, because we're going
up in the clouds, right? We know the times and the seasons when we see these saints come
to pass. We can look up for our redemption and draw up time. Now turn, if you would,
to Matthew chapter 24. Look at Matthew chapter 24. Here's another great passage on this subject.
I would say this is the best passage on this subject. And you know, to me personally, and
this is just my opinion of course, but to me personally, I say that Matthew, Mark, Luke
and John, I consider that just the meat and potatoes of the Bible. I mean to me, and again
this is just my opinion, I would say that is the heart and soul of the Bible. I feel
like everything in the Old Testament is just looking forward to it. I mean, Peter said
in Acts chapter 10, to him, speaking of Jesus, give all the prophets witness that through
his name, whosoever believeth might receive your mission of sins. He said that's what
the Old Testament is all about. All the prophets witnessed that believing in Jesus Christ is
salvation. And then everything after Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is really just reflecting
back in many ways on the ministry of Jesus Christ. This is my favorite part of the Bible.
This is my personal opinion. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Now Jesus Christ, when he was
on this earth, you know, he spoke these words and he preached on this subject. And if you
start reading your Bible in Matthew chapter 1, this is the first time you're going to
read about the second coming. You know, if you start reading the New Testament. This
is the first time Jesus really goes into detail about his second coming in Matthew 24. Now
chronologically the first time he talks about it with his disciples is in Luke 17, which
we'll go next. But look at Matthew 24. He says in Matthew 24, in verse number 1, Jesus
went out and departed from the temple and his disciples came to him for to show him
the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, see ye not all these things? Verily
I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown
down. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying,
When shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of
the world? Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you, for many
shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. Now, one day Antichrist
shall come, but even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time.
Did you know that there are people all over this world today who claim to be Jesus Christ?
I don't know if you know that. There are people in Latin America, there are people in Asia,
there are people in the United States who are literally claiming to be the second coming
of Jesus Christ. That's pretty silly, isn't it? I mean, we think that's ridiculous, because
we know Jesus coming in the clouds and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced
him and all the kin of the earth shall wail because of even so, amen. But many people
are following, you know, cult leaders and deceivers, and there are literally false Christs
in this world today who have thousands of followers believing that they are the second
coming of Jesus Christ. And, you know, I'm not going to go into that for sake of time.
But he says here, many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ. Many people, he's saying,
in the last days will claim to be Jesus Christ, and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear
of wars and rumors of wars. See that ye be not troubled, for all these things must come
to pass, but the end is not yet. For nations shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom. There shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes and diverse places. All these
are the beginning of sorrows. What happens next? Then shall they deliver you up to be
afflicted. Here's persecution of believers, right? Here's Christians going to jail or
having their head under the ax, you know, and being persecuted for the cause of Christ.
He says, they shall deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you. And ye shall be hated
of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended and shall betray one
another and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise. Here's false preaching,
false teachers, arise. And shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound. And
boy, that's the day that we're living in, an abundance of iniquity. The love of many
shall wax cold, but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. That's not
talking about being saved and going to heaven. Down a few verses it talks about it's your
flesh being saved. Keep reading. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in
all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come. When ye therefore
shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy
place, whoso read it, let him understand. Now stop. What's the abomination of desolation?
That's speaking of the fact that, you know, the antichrist is going to make this image
and set it up in the temple in Jerusalem. And, you know, the cause that as many as would
not worship this image should be killed, right? And people have to receive the mark in their
right hand and the forehead and worship the image made to the beast. That's what's known
as the abomination of desolation. But he says here in verse number 16, then let them
which be in Judea flee into the mountains, let him which is on the housetop not come
down to take anything out of his house. Neither let him which is in the field return back
to take his clothes, and woe unto them that are with child unto them that give suck in
those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day,
for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world
to this time, no nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should
no flesh be saved. This is talking about people physically being spared death and destruction.
Remember he said they were going to be delivering up you to be afflicted and kill you? He's
saying but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened, you know, so that they
will not all be killed. He says, then if any man shall say of you, lo, here's Christ, or
here, believe it not, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall
show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the
very elect. Behold, so it's not possible is what he's saying, for somebody who's really
saved to be deceived by these false Christs who are claiming to be Jesus. Those who are
saved will know the difference. He says, behold, I have told you before, wherefore if they
shall say of you, behold, he's in the desert, you are not for him. Behold, he's in the secret
chambers, believe it not, for as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto
the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be, for wheresoever the carcasses,
there will the eagles be gathered together. Now, here's the key, verse 29, read it carefully.
Immediately before, is that what it says? What's it say? Immediately after, right? That's
what the Bible says. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, and then shall appear the sign of the Son
of Man in heaven, then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the
Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power, with power and great glory,
and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet. Now, does this sound like
1 Thessalonians 4? You've got clouds, you've got a trumpet, you've got the archangel, right?
He says, he'll send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather
together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. Now, when
does it happen, my friend? When does he come in the clouds and gather his elect from one
end of heaven to the other? When is that trumpet going to sound? And when are the believers
going to be caught up together with him in the clouds? Immediately after the tribulation
of those days. Now, stop, wait a minute. You say, wait a minute, that's talking about the
elect, that's talking about Israel, not Christians. Ok, flip over to Romans 11.7. Romans 11, chapter
11, verse 7. Now, this is totally false. Don't tell me that Jesus is coming in the clouds
to beam up all the Jews. Because, you know, didn't Jesus Christ, didn't John the Baptist
in John chapter 3 look at a group of unbelieving Jews and say to them, he that believeth on
the Son hath everlasting life, but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God abide upon him? See, a person who's Jewish today, who's an unbeliever,
who rejects Jesus Christ, has God's wrath abiding on them, just like every other unbeliever.
When they receive Christ as Savior, when they believe on Jesus Christ, then they will be
blessed with faithful Abraham. Then they will be a child of Abraham. But Jesus told the
Pharisees, he said, you're not Abraham's children, you're of your father the devil.
That's what he said to the Pharisees, and they were full-blooded Jews. But they weren't
the children of Abraham, because if they were the children of Abraham, they would have done
the works of Abraham. He said, you do the deeds of your father, you're of your father
the devil. But you say, well wait a minute, I think when he says he's coming for the elect,
that's talking about the Jews. Ok, well look at Romans 11.7, and you tell me if the elect
is talking about the Jews. Romans 11.7, what then? Israel hath not obtained that which
he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. There you have
it folks, Israel is the elect. Is that what it says? No way. Look, it says here, Israel
hath not obtained. Look, Romans 11.7, look at this. Israel hath not obtained that which
he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it. It doesn't sound like the elect is Israel.
Ok, you know, we can go on and on about it. If you look at Romans chapter 8 for example,
go back just a few scriptures to Romans chapter 8, the Bible reads in Romans chapter 8. Look
at verse number, let's see, let's begin reading in verse number 28, and we know that all things
work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his Son. So Jesus Christ in his foreknowledge, God doesn't choose who goes to heaven and
hell by the way, but in his foreknowledge, he knows all things, he knew who would be
saved and who would not. He said those who he foreknew, their destiny was to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover,
whom he did predestinate, then he also called, and whom he called, then he also justified,
and whom he justified, then he also glorified. Who is he talking about? Anybody who is saved,
who God foreknew will be justified by faith in Jesus Christ. He says, what shall we say
to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Great verse, right? He that
spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifies it. So who are the elect? Those who have been justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, amen. Those who have been saved, those who
have been justified, those who have been born again are God's elect. Israel, for the most
part, is blinded right now. I mean, they do not see the truth. Go show me all the Baptists
and Christians over in Israel. They are worshipping a false god. You say, well, they believe in
the Old Testament. Jesus said, if you believed in Moses, you would believe in me, for he
spake of me. They do not believe Moses, they do not believe Jesus. Who is a liar, but he
denied that Jesus is the Christ. He is anti-Christ, which denied the Father and the Son. He that
hath not the Son, the same hath not the Father. If you do not have Jesus, you do not have
the Father. You cannot worship Jehovah if you are not worshipping Jesus. So if you
have a religion that says, we believe in God the Father in the Old Testament, but we do
not believe Jesus is the Christ, that is a religion of anti-Christ. That is what 1 John
chapter 2 says. So they are not the elect. Believers justified by his grace are the elect,
and Jesus Christ is coming in the clouds immediately after the tribulation to gather up his elect
from one end of heaven to the other. Now, back to Matthew 24. You say, well, I'm still
not convinced that this is about the rapture. I think it's about something else. Well, what
does it say in verse 29 of Matthew 24 that is going to happen immediately after the tribulation?
It says, the sun shall be darkened. Do you see that in verse 29? And the moon shall not
give her light. Then the Son of man is coming in the clouds. So what's the order of events
here? First comes the tribulation or persecution of God's people. Then sun and moon are darkened.
Then Jesus comes in the clouds and gathers up his elect from one end to the other, those
that are saved. Now, wait a minute. Do you remember when we started out tonight, what
was another name that God used referring to this event? What was it? The day of the Lord.
He said, if the times and seasons, brother, you have no need that I write you, for yourselves
know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Turn to Acts
chapter 2. Keep your finger on Matthew 24. We're going to be back there, but turn to
Acts chapter 2, and while you're turning to Acts chapter 2, I'm going to turn the Old
Testament back to the book of Joel. You're turning to Acts 2. I'm turning back to the
book of Joel and the Old Testament, one of the minor prophets. You turn to Acts. Acts
chapter 2, let me get there myself. In Acts chapter number 2, Peter basically quotes the
book of Joel, and so I'm going to read both for you. Look at Acts 2. The sun shall be
turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and notable day of the Lord
come. You see that? So what does this say is going to happen before the day of the Lord?
The sun will be dark. Joel chapter 2, same thing, verse 31, the sun shall be turned into
darkness and the moon into blood before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
So what's happening before the day of the Lord? The sun and moon turn into darkness.
That's exactly what it said in Matthew 24. After the tribulation, the sun and moon will
be darkened. Then they'll see the sun and man come into the cloud. Now look, does that
line up with the popular teaching of everybody disappearing and everybody, where is everybody?
What happened? Do you think you'll notice the sun and moon be darkened? Do you think
you'll notice the stars falling from heaven as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when
she's shaken of a great wind? Do you think you'll notice the sight of Jesus Christ coming
in the clouds? Behold, every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him and all
kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, amen. Hey, I think you're going
to notice when Jesus Christ comes back in the clouds. I don't think anybody's going
to be asking where is everybody. And by the way, everybody ain't going. It's not where
is everybody, it's where is a few that are saved. Because the Bible says, broad is the
way to lead to destruction and many there be which go in their act, because straight
is the gate and narrow is the way which leads unto life and few there be to find it. Period.
And so back to Matthew 24, let's keep studying this. Matthew 24. Now you say, Pastor Anderson,
who taught you this? You know who taught me this? The Holy Spirit. That's who taught
me. You know how old I was when the Holy Spirit taught me this? Twelve. I was twelve years
old and I decided, like many a twelve year old boy has probably thought, you know what,
I think I'm going to read the Bible cover to cover. But I said, I'm going to start
the New Testament. You know, just read, a little bit easier goal. I said, I'm going
to read the New Testament cover to cover. I'm going to go back and get the old. Didn't
finish it, you know, you know how kids are. But I got through most of the New Testament
on that try when I was twelve. And where did I start? With the book of Matthew. I think
the most read books in the whole Bible must be Matthew and Genesis, right? Because everybody
starts reading, you know what I mean? And so I think Matthew chapter one and Genesis
one have probably been read more than any other chapter in the whole Bible. But I started
reading in Matthew chapter one and I read through Matthew. I got to Matthew 24. I read
this as a twelve year old boy and I just read it and I just said, you know what, what they
teach in church about this is not true. You know what I mean? Because I've learned, you
know, the where is it, where is it, it could happen any moment. I looked at this, I said,
it's after the tribulation. And you know, that's what I believed ever since. And I've
studied the Bible, read the Bible, read the Bible, and more and more just confirmed that.
I've never seen anybody show me one verse in the Bible that says that Jesus could come
back at any time. You say, wait a minute, wait a minute Pastor Anderson, I'll tell you
what verse says he can come back at any time. No man knoweth the day nor the hour. So he
must be coming back any time. Well here's the funniest part about that. That verse is
found in this chapter. That's the funny part, my friend. The funny part is that the verse
that says that no man knoweth the hour is only found in the Olivet Discourse, which
is what we're reading. Look at verse 36, there it is. Right there. But of that day
and hour knoweth no man, know not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. So what day
do we not know the day and the hour? The day when Jesus comes from the clouds, and when
is that? After the tribulation. Do we know the day? No. Do we know the hour? No. But
we do know it's going to be after the sun and moon are darkening. We do know it's going
to be after the tribulation of those days. Now part of the problem here is that people
confuse the tribulation with God pouring out his wrath. The two are not the same thing.
God will not pour out his wrath until after the rapture. God's not going to pour out his
wrath on his own people. He's going to pour out his wrath on the unbelievers who are left
behind. But the tribulation is what believers will go through where they're going to deliver
us up and afflict us. Think about it. If he's handing out the mark of the beast, and he's
saying that whosoever will not receive the mark of the beast will be killed, and he says
that all the nations and most people are going to be receiving it except those who are saved,
well, doesn't somebody have to be around to say no to this thing? But I thought all the
believers are gone. See, it doesn't make any sense. And it's not scriptural anyway. It
doesn't line up with the Bible. You see, many people misunderstand the word tribulation.
Let me help you understand the word tribulation. Here's just a list of scriptures I'm just
going to read for you. Just sit back and listen. Don't bother turning there because there's
too many of them. Sit back and listen to this. And tell me, is your idea of what the word
tribulation means scriptural when I read these verses for you? John 16, 33, these things
have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. This is Jesus speaking. In the
world, to his disciples, in the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer.
I've overcome the world. Acts 14, 22, confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them
to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom
of God. Did you hear that? Romans 5, 3, and not only so, but we glory in tribulations
also knowing that tribulation worketh patience. Romans 8, 35, who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
peril, or sword? Romans 12, 12, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing
instant in prayer. 2 Corinthians 1, 4, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that
we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God. 2 Corinthians 7, 4, great is my boldness of speech toward you,
great is my glorying of you. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our
tribulation. How about this one? 1 Thessalonians 3, 4, for verily when we were with you, we
told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass, and ye know. Revelation
1, 9, the first mention of the word tribulation in the book of Revelation. I, John, who also
am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ,
was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus
Christ. How about this? Spoken to the church in Smyrna, in the letters to the seven churches
Revelation 2, 9, I know thy works and tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich. And I know
the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but of the synagogue of Satan.
Fear none of those things, but thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some
of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be
thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 7, 14, And
I said to them, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out
of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb. Now tell me, is your idea of tribulation the biblical idea of tribulation? Oh, the
seven years tribulation, and that's when God's going to pour out his wrath on this world.
Oh really? Is that what the Bible says? I just read to you a big, long litany of verses
that say tribulation is something that believers endure persecution, trouble, trials for the
faith, for what they believe. For in persecution or tribulation arises because of the word
tribulation. By and by he's offended, it says in Matthew 13, the first use of the word tribulation
in the New Testament. And so, back to Matthew 24, let's finish this out, then we're going
to go to another passage. I'm trying to hurry because I have a lot of material tonight.
I mean, there's just a lot of material about this subject, period. I mean, the Bible talks
a lot about the second coming of Jesus Christ. And so, I could go on and on, and in fact
I will. But look at Matthew 24, we just finished reading about Jesus coming into the clouds,
verse 31, he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather
together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn
a parable of the fig tree. When his branch is yet tender, and put at fourth leaves, ye
know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know ye,
know that it is very near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall
not pass till all these things be fulfilled. He's saying, when this starts happening, you
know, he started verse 1, listing all things, he said it's all happening in one generation.
This isn't going to be spread out. He says the generation will not pass when you see
these things happen until all of it is fulfilled. He says heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man. Knoweth not the
angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were
eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered
into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also
the coming of the Son of man be. How about these, do these verses sound familiar? Then
shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall
be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore
for ye know not what hour your Lord hath come. So right there, the rapture, two people are
in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women riding at the mill,
the one shall be taken and the other left. Now, I don't know if you were taught this,
my whole life I was taught, and some people have been taught this and some people haven't,
maybe you could raise your hand if you were taught in your life that Noah was on the ark
for seven days before it started raining. Has anybody been taught that? That's what
I was taught growing up in Sunday school. They taught me that people were laughing at
Noah because he was sitting on the ark for seven days. And at a casual read of Genesis
that's what it looks like. But upon careful inspection, seven days is when you start loading
up the ark. But the Bible says that the same day, turn to Luke 17, the same day that Noah
entered that ark is when it began to rain. And the Bible teaches that in Genesis if you
read it carefully in chapter 7. But let's look at it in Luke 17 where Jesus expounds
that. Now as I told you, if you're reading the Bible from Matthew chapter 1 and reading
through toward the end of the book, the first time you're going to come to Jesus expounding
on the second coming is in Matthew 24. But really, chronologically, Luke 17 comes before
Matthew 24. Because Luke 21 and Matthew 24 are parallel passages. Chapter 17 comes earlier.
So this is really the first time that we can see Jesus expounding this to his disciples.
And that's in Luke 17, which is a fascinating passage about this subject. Look at verse
number 22, the Bible reads in Luke 17 and 22, and he said unto the disciples, The days
will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and ye shall
not see it. And they shall say to you, See here, or see there, go not after them, nor
follow them. For as the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven shineth under
the other part of heaven, so shall also the Son of Man be in his day. But first must he
suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation, because he hadn't died on the
cross yet when he was speaking these words. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall
it be also in the days of the Son of Man. Now many people take this parallel too far,
and they'll say, well it's going to be just like it was in the days of Noah when Jesus
come back. That's not what he's saying. He's saying it was just as it was in the days of
Noah, and he's going to explain to us what the parallel is. Obviously he's not exaggerating,
and a little later he's going to say it was like the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. But that
doesn't mean that every man would be a homosexual when Jesus come back like it was in Sodom
and Gomorrah, you know, 99%. Okay, you know, he can't take it too far. He's given a specific
reason why the second coming is similar to Noah, and similar to Lot going out of Sodom
and Gomorrah. He's going to explain it. What's the similarity, Jesus? He said they did eat,
they drank, they married wives, they were given a marriage until the day that Noah entered
into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. So the parallel here is that just
as in those days, the people did not know what was happening. They said peace and safety,
and then sudden destruction came upon them as it traveled upon a woman with a child,
and they said, I escaped. He's saying peace and safety. I mean, people were out on their
wedding day, the day they started raining and the days of Noah's ark. I mean, people
were just living their life. They were at work, they married, they were given a marriage,
they ate, they drank. He said that's what's going to be like the day Jesus come back.
People were going through their life as normal until what happened? The flood came and destroyed
them all. But look at verse 28. Likewise, in the same manner, it's saying, as it was
in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they
builded, but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from
heaven and destroyed them all. Even thus shall be the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
And that day, which shall be upon the housetop and is stuffed in the house, let him not come
down to take it away. And he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember
Lot's wife, whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, whosoever shall lose his
life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed, the
one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding together, the one
shall be taken and the other left. Two men shall be in the field, the one shall be taken
and the other left. And they answered and said to him, Where, Lord? And he said to them,
Wheresoever the body is, dither will the eagles be gathered together. Now, hear me. The same
day that Noah went into the ark, and by the way, the ark was God's deliverance for Noah
and his family from God's judgment. The same day he was taken out of the situation was
the day that it rained what? Not fire, but water. And God destroyed the world with water,
the old world which was then perished, being overflowed with water. Another illustration,
Sodom and Gomorrah. The same day that Lot came out of Sodom and Gomorrah, the same day
God rained fire and brimstone from heaven. Even thus shall it be in the days of the
coming of the son of man. I mean, it's going to be the same thing. You say, well, how so?
Well, look at you, would it, Revelation chapter 6. Revelation chapter number 6. Revelation
chapter 6. See, this is not really a complicated subject if we could put away some preconceived
ideas that we take for granted because sometimes we hear things over and over, over and over,
and we take it for granted. But are they scriptural? Is it biblical? We've got to go
to the Bible as our authority. And I told this to a good friend of mine and somebody
who had been kind of a mentor of mine, in fact, somebody who had really trained me and
taught me a lot that I really looked up to. I explained this to him one time. And he was
really taken aback by it just because it went against everything that he had been taught
and thought. And he walked away and said, you know what? He got out of his Bible and
said I'm going to read the New Testament cover to cover in the next three or four days here
and he just prayed. He said, God, just show me in the Bible, if the rapture comes before
the tribulation, just show me that in the Bible. You know, I want to know the truth
about this guy. And he went through it, you know, and read through the whole New Testament
cover, just looking, the whole thing he was looking for. It was just about the rapture.
He called me on the phone and just said, I just want to tell you how right you are because
I just read the Bible asking God to show this to me. And I mean, it's as plain as the nose
on my face. I don't know how people don't see this. And he said, I was just taught the
other way. But look at Revelation 6. It says in Revelation 6, we need to open, and I want
to just skip the first five seals that are open. We could go through them, but for the
sake of time, you know, the first seal is open, a man comes on a white horse with a
bow, conquering and you conquer, that's the antichrist. The second seal is open and there's
a famine, or I mean, to take peace from the earth, that they should kill one another,
there's your wars. The third seal is open and famine ensues. The fourth seal is open,
there's death and destruction from pestilence, wars, the sword, hunger, death, the beast.
The fifth seal is open. Let's start reading with the fifth seal. Verse 9 of chapter 6,
and when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were
slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. So here's a mass murderer
of God's people, martyrs of Jesus Christ. Say, and they cried with a loud voice, say,
how long, O Lord, holy and true, does the not judge and avenge our blood on them that
dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them, and it was said
to them that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and
their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled. Now notice, he didn't
see the bodies, he saw the souls. You notice that? He saw the souls of them. Now, have
they been waiting a long time or a short time? They've been waiting. I mean, they're saying,
how much longer do we have to wait for this, right? When are you going to avenge our blood
on them that dwell on the earth? He said, give them white robes, and he tells them to
rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should
be killed as they were should be fulfilled. So basically, you have all these martyrs from
all the ages saying, God, avenge us. They're just a soul. Their body's still on the ground
because the rapture hasn't happened yet. The dead of Christ shall rise first, the rapture.
Their bodies will be changed in a moment between them and I, the glorified body, that it may
be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he's able
to do all things unto himself. And so we see here that the souls of them in heaven are
saying, when will you avenge us? And he says, well, no, not yet, because there are more
of your brethren being killed right now when all these things have been fulfilled. He said,
just a little season and you'll be avenged. But look at the next verse, verse 12. And
I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake, and
the sun became black as satchel on the barrier. Does that sound familiar? Earthquake and then
the sun's darkened? And the moon. So here we have the same thing. And the moon became
as blood. And the stars of heaven fell onto the earth even as a fig tree casteth her untimely
figs when she is shaken of mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is
rolled together. And every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings
of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty
men, and every bondman, and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks
of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the
face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. Who's who? Jesus.
For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? He said, well,
the day of his wrath, I thought we were talking about the rapture, the day of the Lord. Same
day that Noah went out is when the destruction came. Same day Lot went out, when the destruction
came. The same day we go out, same day this destruction is coming. The wrath of the Lamb
is coming on the same day of the rapture, the same day. Why do you look for the day
of the Lord? He said the day of the Lord is to you. He said it is a day of clouds and
thick darkness. He said it is a day of destruction and terrible judgment from God. He said it
is going to be a day of destruction, for the unbeliever that is, but unto us which are
saved. Hallelujah. Even so, come Lord Jesus. And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall
be sighted. The clouds be rolled back as a scroll. That's what we just read in verse
number 14. The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend. Even so, it is well with
my soul. That song has it right. But look at verse 7, I mean chapter 7 and verse 1 there.
And after these things, so right after, what happened so far? Sun and moon darkened, Jesus
appears in the clouds, everybody's weeping and wailing, that's an unbeliever, they're
hiding. What happens next? After these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners
of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the
earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east
having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom
it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea
nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God and their fort. So let me ask this,
to this point, has the earth been hurt by God's wrath yet? No. Have the trees been hurt?
Has the sea been hurt? No. So has God turned the water into blood yet? No. Has he rained
fire and brimstone? No. He hasn't done any of those things that he's going to do when
he pours out his wrath. He says, wait, stop. Before you do any of that, we need to seal
the servants of our God and their fort. Here he seals 144,000 Jews, right? It says, and
I heard the number of them which were sealed, and they were sealed, 144,000 of all the tribes
of Israel, the children of Israel. The tribes of Judah were sealed, 12,000 of them missed
the tribes, 12,000 of peace. Look at verse 9. After this, get your chronology. Oh, it's
not chronology. Well, after, this is a chronological word, after this I beheld and lo, a great
multitude which no man could number. Now, how big in multitudes does a Bible number?
The biggest multitude that the Bible ever numbers is 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands
of thousands, which is a minimum of what, Stuckey? 102 million. There we go, a mathematician,
got it. 10,000 times 10,000 is 100 million. And thousands of thousands, so that's a minimum
of 102 million. And that's a number that God counts. God counts a number on this earth
of human beings. The great army coming up from Ethiopia numbered over 1 million men.
So that counts some pretty big, this is a multitude that no man could number. This is
above 100 million people. This is a huge number. Why? This is the number of the believers from
all throughout, I mean from Adam, I mean from creation until the day of the Lord, every
person who's ever been saved, this great multitude which no man could number, he says of all
nations, I mean every nation will be represented, every single country in this world, and kindreds,
and people, and tongues, every language group will be represented in this multitude that's
going to appear. He said, stood before the throne and before the lamp, where is that?
In heaven, the throne of God. God's throne, seated at the writing of the Father in heaven.
He said, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice
saying, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne and unto the land. And all
the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts, and
fell before the throne on their face, and worshipped God, saying, Amen, blessing, and
glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever
and ever, Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, who's the me? John, right?
John is the one who's saying all this. Saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed
in white robes? And whence came they? Where's the word whence be? From where? Where did
they come from? Who are these people? Where did they come from? Now, in order to come
from somewhere, that means you weren't already there. You came from somewhere else, now you're
here, right? Hey, where did these people come from? So they just got there. There appeared
after this a great multi-network. And John, look what he says in verse 14. I said unto
him, Sir, thou mayest like, don't ask me. You're the one who's showing me all this stuff.
I'm supposed to tell you these people? I don't know. I don't know if he's just trying to
trick them because then he just answers them. Okay, I'll tell you. I was just testing you.
And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Now look, every believer in this
world has gone through tribulation from all the way from Abel that Cain killed, all the
way to Zacharias who was slain between the pillar and the altar. Yea, and all that will
live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. We all as believers go through tribulation
and persecution. Period. And so he says, and have washed their robes and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day
and night in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them and they
shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any
need. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead
them into living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes.
Look at verse 1 of chapter 8, watch this. And when he had opened the seventh seal, so
what happened? Sixth seal, sun and moon darkened, Jesus comes in the clouds weeping and wailing.
Don't hurt the earth, don't hurt the trees, don't hurt the sea. Sealing of the 144,000,
a great multitude appears in heaven immediately. All nations, all kindreds, all tongues, believers
from all ages, for them to be from every tongue. That would have to span the generations because
many tongues no longer exist. I mean there are many dead, coptic is a dead language,
Latin is a dead language, as a first language that is. Nobody speaks Latin as their mother
tongue today. I mean he's speaking as an educated language. Latin, Coptic, Sanskrit, these are
dead languages and he can list many more. But he says here in verse 1 of chapter 8,
and when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half
an hour. This is a very short time period that goes by, 30 minutes. And I saw the seven
angels which stood before God and to them were given seven trumpets and another angel
came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given to him much incense
that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was
before the throne and the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints
ascended up before God out of the angel's hand, and watch this, and the angel took the
censer and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it into the earth. You see that?
So 30 minutes after this great multitude appears in heaven, right, and John sees them praising
and worshiping God, 30 minutes go by when that seventh seal is opened, the same day,
30 minutes, same day, what happens, but an angel scoops up coals out of the altar in
heaven and rains fire and brimstone on the earth. Isn't that exactly what Jesus said
would happen? The same day Noah went out and rained water, but God promised to never destroy
this world with water again. The next time it's destroyed we'll be with fire is what
he said. He said it will be destroyed with fire. And just like it did in Sodom and Gomorrah,
a preview of God's wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah, it will one day again rain fire and brimstone.
People aren't going to be, like the TV show, you know, the Kirk Cameron movie, I've never
even seen it thank God, I don't watch that kind of garbage, but you know, it's not going
to be out in the movie, hey where is everybody? What's happening? Well I wonder if you're
going to know what's happening when fire and brimstone rains out of the sky 30 minutes
later. You already saw, gee, you already saw the sun and moon darken, and then when, see
here's the thing, why does the sun and moon darken? When Jesus comes, he's going to light
up the whole sky, you know what I mean? That's why, because he is going to be coming just
like the lightning, and you know, you live in Arizona, you've seen some major lightning.
When there's lightning over here, it shines, the whole sky will light up in those clouds.
When Jesus comes, it's going to turn darkness, and you can't help but see Jesus come in the
clouds, because he's going to come in the brightness of his glory. You see, the apostles
saw a preview of this at the mount of transfiguration. He said there would be some standing here
which will not taste of death until they see the son of man coming in the power of his
kingdom. And what happened, after six days on the mount, he showed them a preview of
him in his glorified state, and the light shone and was blinding to them, and only Peter,
James, and John got to see that preview of the second coming. And so you have to see
here that it's dark so that Jesus can light up the whole sky. 30 minutes later, after
we are taken out, God will rain fire and brimstone before he does anything else. Then
what happens after the fire and brimstone is poured out, it says, it cast in the earth,
and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake, and the seven
angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. So now we have the seven
trumpets. What are the seven trumpets? Horrible destruction upon this earth, and upon the
trees, and upon the sea, and upon all things that are therein. See, well, I mean, we just
quickly look at it, I don't want to go on and on about it, but look, the first angel
sounded, verse seven, and there followed, hail and fire mingled with blood, and they
were cast upon the earth, and the third part of trees was burned up, and all green grass
was burnt up. That's pretty bad. The second angel sounded, and as it were, a great mountain
burning with fire was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood. Where
is everybody? They're just going to be trying to find some water to drink, because it's
going to be destroyed by this. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea
and had life died. The third part, oh man, the environment. We've got to save the environment.
We've got to stop all this pollution. God's going to do some polluting when he comes back.
He's going to destroy all the fish. Oh man, just think, these ancient species, they're
going to die when this happens, because when that mountain hits the earth, one third of
the fish are going to be dead. What about all the endangered trees? What about all the
clear-cutting that's going on? God's going to clear-cut one third of the trees in one
day. I'm not saying we should trash the earth, but is that really what you want to spend
your life on? Is that really what's the most important thing to you? Saving the environment.
I want to save souls. He that winneth souls is wise. Paul said, I've become of all things
to all men that I might by all means save the environment. No. He said, I've become
of all things to all men that I might by all means save some of them. He said, let's get
people saved. Save the whales. No, save the humans. Save the souls of mankind. Hey, save
the unbeliever. Don't save the spotted owl. Save your neighbor. He's the one who's going
to help. The spotted owl is going to breathe its last breath and turn to dust. And so we
see here that God's going to destroy the environment, but then he said, I make all things new. When
he comes and sets up his kingdom, he can just speak the word and recreate everything and
make it all good again. And when he sets up his kingdom on this earth day, the lion's
going to lay down with the lamb. The trees are going to blossom up. He said that the
fruitful field is going to turn into a forest. Kansas, Nebraska, it's going to be a forest.
All of the central California right now, it's a fruitful field. It's a farmland. It'll be
a forest one day. He said the forest will be even denser of a forest. He said the desert
is going to be a fruitful field. Arizona will be the farmland. Arizona will be the fruitful
field. The fruitful field will be like a forest. This is what we've been seeing on Wednesday
night in Isaiah and on and on. God doesn't need our help. God's the one who makes the
sun go up and down every day. God's the one who brings the summer, the fall, the winter,
the spring, night, day, sea time, harvest. God is the one. By him all things consist.
What's holding together in every atom the proton and the neutron and the electron? God.
Man can't explain it. The physicist can't explain it. They have some big experiment
going on in Europe right now where they're testing out some of the theories of physics
that they've been teaching as fact for decades in schools and being proved wrong right now
as we speak, as they test them out. Testing out their theories of how the Big Bang happened
and with this total hedrone, collider, whatever, if you've heard of it. And they're being proved
wrong is proving the fact that all of their ideas about physics have been mistaken in
certain areas. Because God just spoke and said let there be light and there was light.
See matter cannot be created or destroyed my friend. God is the only one who created
it one time and it only changes states. God is the one who does it. And man can't create
anything. Man can't make anything. God is the one who really created the matter, the
energy, it just changes states. That's the laws of science. Sound science, not some of
this garbage science that they say everything came from nothing. Big Bang, this boom, came
from nothing. And spontaneous generation and all this medieval science that they're bringing
back for us and rekindling. There's foolishness of this world which the foolish things of
God are better than the wisdom of this world. I mean the wisdom of this world is foolishness
with God. And so we see here that God's wrath is going to be poured out after the sun and
moon are darkened, after Jesus comes in the clouds, after the rapture and then he'll begin
to pour out his wrath on this world. Now look, you say why are you preaching on this? Because
I'm going to tell you something. You say oh man people don't like this because you know
Baptists, it's not what they, most of them teach. You know what, I don't know, maybe
you didn't read the sign coming in or maybe you didn't read this but there's a word on
here that you ought to know and it starts with an I. It's independent. See I don't have
a denominational headquarters telling me what to preach. I don't have some pope somewhere,
some cardinal somewhere, some archbishop somewhere telling me what to preach or what to believe.
I have one person telling me what to believe and that's Jesus. You see there's one person
who's the head of this church. It's not some denomination, it's not some school somewhere,
it's not some board somewhere, it's not some chairman or CEO somewhere, it's Jesus. Christ
is the head of the church and he is the savior of the body and let me tell you who I take
my orders from, Jesus. And you know what, Jesus preached on the second coming. You show
me where Jesus Christ preached a pre-tribulation rapture when he was on this earth. Show it
to me. I'd love for you to show me where Jesus preached. Well don't worry about it because
before any of this happens, before the antichrist, before the mark of the beast, before the persecution,
before your troubles and tribulation, before the abomination of this, you're going to disappear
in a secret rapture and nobody will know what happened and everybody will be wondering whatever.
Show me that in Matthew. Show me it in Mark. Show me it in Luke. Show me it in John. Show
me in the book of Acts. Show it to me in the book of Romans. 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians,
Galatians, everybody. Where are you going to show me? What are you going to show me?
1 Thessalonians 4, when he said right afterward, hey, it's the day of the Lord and it's coming
like a thief in the night if you're an unbeliever. If you're a believer, you'll see it coming.
That's what he said. Watch. Watch for what? You say, well wait a minute, I'm going to
close with one verse, Mark 13. This will be the last verse we read, Mark 13. You say,
well, I just believe that the book of Matthew is written to the Jews and the book of Mark
is written to the Romans and the book of Luke is written to the Greeks. Who taught you that?
The book of Matthew is written to me. The book of Mark is written to me. The book of
Luke is written to me and you and everybody. You say, I don't believe that. I believe that
all of that discourse, Jesus was only speaking to the Jews. He was only speaking to the Jews
when he talked about the elect and all that and stuff. I already showed you that the elect
is not the Jews, but if you think that he's just talking to the Jews in that passage,
Matthew 24, Mark 13 is a parallel passage. Same thing. This is where we're going to close.
Mark 13, he says the same thing. He says in verse 24, look at this now, Mark 13, 24, but
in those days after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not
give her light, verse 25, Mark 13, and the stars of heaven shall fall and the powers
that are in heaven shall be shaken. Then shall they 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. Now look at verse 37 now. Here's your last thought. And when I say unto you,
I say unto all, watch. Watch. When he's talking to the Jews, nope. I'm saying it to all. Watch.
I'm saying it to you, Christian. Watch. Watch for what? If it's going to happen in the moment
of twinkling of an eye without any precursor, what are you going to watch for? Oh, I missed
it. Man, I thought I was watching. It's too fast. Hey, watch for the sun to be darkened.
Watch for the abomination of desolation. Then watch for the sun and moon to be darkened.
Then watch for Jesus coming in the clouds. And then don't bother going back in the house
to get yourself. Don't go back for your clothes, you know. What I say unto you, I say unto
all, watch. Bow our heads in that word of prayer. Father, thank you so much for the
Bible. I thank God that I'm not a puppet being pulled by the strings of the Southern Baptist
Convention or a puppet being pulled by the strings of any independent Baptist quasi-denomination
as they exist, as we know it. Father, I thank God that I'm an independent Baptist preacher
and that there's only one head of this church and it's Jesus Christ. And thank you for allowing
me the privilege of preaching your words almost 2,000 years after you spoke this great sermon,
dear God, for giving me the privilege of preaching the same thing that you preached
almost 2,000 years ago in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and elsewhere, Father. Please just help
these words to sink down into our ears. Help us not to be deceived as the multitudes have
been on this subject, dear God, but help us to understand the truth and the truth will
make us free. We love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
All right, let's go ahead and sing a song before we go. Let's do 145, It Is Well With
My Soul. Song number 145, great song. Song number 145.