January 2, 2005 AM
The Coming of the Lord
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This past week we have witnessed what is probably the most horrific disaster of our lifetime.
While we have seen the news reports of earthquakes, and wars, and other atrocities, we have not seen a disaster of this magnitude.
Adding to the impact on us are the near instantaneous photos, videos and even satellite images that bombard our eyes and minds.
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It is unlikely that anyone in America has escaped the graphic visuals of this catastrophe from one source or another.
For the 4 or 5 generations that are currently alive this is indeed the worst disaster to hit the world in our lifetimes.
Sadly within hours of the devastation people began posting their view points on various internet web sights.
Many attributing the authorship of this catastrophe to the hand of God.
Some decrying it is His judgment on sin,
Others linking it to the end of world.
And others, sensationalizing it by showing how and why it is the very definition of and the defining moment of certain Bible verses.
This morning the events of this past week are most certainly the topic of more sermons than any other subject.
As your pastor I felt I needed to say a few things.
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1) Don’t be mislead as to the Biblical significance of this disaster.
I’m going to read some scriptures in a moment that I hope will help us to view the big picture, not the sensationalism of the moment
While the Word does say that in the end times there will be earthquakes – please note that earthquakes of this magnitude have hit the earth for 1000’s of years.
In the year 69 an earthquake hit the region of Pompeii – followed by a volcanic eruption that destroyed numerous villages and killing over 20,000 people.
In 476 AD an earthquake hit Rome which all but decimated the city.
In 526 250,000 people were killed in an earthquake in what is now known as Turkey.
In January of 1556 over 830,000 people were killed in an earthquake in China.
In 1703 an earthquake in Tokyo killed 200,000
History records an earthquake in India in 1737, was responsible for 300,000 fatalities.
In 1868 a Tsunami hit the coast of Peru with such force the waves reached 3 miles inland – tens of thousands were killed.
In 1923 Tokyo lost 140,000 people to an earthquake.
In 1935 India lost 50,000 to a quake.
In 1976 in China 240,000 people died during an earthquake in Tangshan.
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Church, throughout recorded history earthquakes and tsunamis have taken hundreds of thousands of lives.
Any earthquake, or for that matter any disaster, in and of itself cannot be pointed to as the fulfillment of any scripture or prophecy.
I was raised hearing how every thing that hit the newspaper was this scripture or that scripture being fulfilled.
And it wasn’t.
And people who accept Christ out of fear seldom remain believers.
And they are far more difficult to ever reach for Christ again.
We cannot know with any certainty or accuracy that any earthly event fulfills a certain prophecy.
Until – after the rapture and we look back in hindsight.
Don’t be mislead by those who try to sensationalize currents events and squeeze them into their prophecy box.
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2) Second – don’t get caught up in the wave of teaching that this is some how the judgment or wrath of God.
Granted – in the Old Testament God did use plagues and diseases to deal with people.
But that was before the resurrection of Christ.
The truth is – countless plagues and diseases have hit mankind throughout all of history.
In the 1300’s, Europe lost up to 75% of it’s people to the bubonic plague.
There were actually three major plague epidemics - in the 6th, 14th, and 17th centuries.
The death toll totaled some 137 million people.
As a result, the plague is considered to be the worst epidemic of all time.
At its worst, the bubonic plague killed 2 million victims a year.
This is certainly a bad situation, but there is one that is worse.
The out break of influenza in 1918-1919, killed 25 million people world wide in 1 year.
Nearly twenty million cases were reported in the United States alone, accounting for almost one million deaths.
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The point is – to proclaim such things as God’s judgment, or God’s wrath is cruel to the godly people who have suffered loss and injury.
In Old Testament times, when God sent judgment he always removed the godly people first,
Or in some way protected the godly people from harm.
In the flood – God spared Noah and his family.
Sodom and Gomorrah – God spared Lot and his family.
Plagues of Egypt – God spared all of Israel.
Killing of the Egyptian first born sons – God spared Israel with blood on the door posts.
Jericho – God protected Rahab and her family until they could be evacuated.
All that is part of what forms my belief that the rapture of the church will be before the tribulation.
God has a track record – He always gets His people out before the wrath is poured out.
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Don’t get caught in the blame game.
The victims of these tragedies need help and support - not condemnation.
Many God fearing believers were killed or injured,
And hundreds of thousands lost everything they had.
It wasn’t God’s fault,
Don’t get caught in the blame game.
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3) Be aware that the two key elements of end time prophecy deal with Israel and with evangelism.
In 1948 Israel again became a recognized state.
What happens to that nation and what happens to Jerusalem and what happens to Jews as a faith –
Play a big part in the last days.
Equally important is the role of evangelism – the active pursuit of people who have yet to hear an adequate presentation of the Gospel.
Let me share some scripture:
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Matthew 24:3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
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[4] Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you.
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[5] For many will come in my name, claiming, ’I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
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[6] You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
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[7] Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
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[8] All these are the beginning of birth pains.
[9] "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
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[10] At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
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[11] and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
[12] Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
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[13] but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
[14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
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Notice Jesus himself says that wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilence – all of those things are going to happen –
But they’re not the sign of His coming.
Jesus said until every nation – the real translation should be “people group” – until every people group hears an adequate presentation of the gospel –
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He’s not coming back.
Now, I believe in the imminent rapture of the church –
In other words I believe and preach that Jesus could come at any second.
So how can we preach that Jesus can’t come until everyone hears, and yet Jesus could come at any second?
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Only God knows when a nation or a people group has had a witness of the Gospel.
There are some 190 countries in the world today, none are totally closed to the gospel.
Over 150 have active Christian ministries.
There are however close to 500 known people groups.
No one knows how many of them have been reached and how many remain unreached.
No one is able to formulate how much or how little of the gospel has been presented to them during the course of history.
Only God has kept a record of who, and when, and how the Gospel has been presented to the peoples of the world.
And when the last group has heard the story of Jesus – God will say “it’s time”.
It is possible that only a handful of people have yet to hear – Only God knows.
Which lines up with the scripture –
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Matthew 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
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[37] As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
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[38] For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;
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[39] and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Part of why we work so hard in missions is to get the word out to as many people groups as we can.
So how do we live?
Let me read some scripture:
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Luke 21:7-36 (NIV)
"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"
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[8] He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ’I am he,’ and, ’The time is near.’ Do not follow them.
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[9] When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."
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[10] Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
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[11] There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
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[12] "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
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[13] This will result in your being witnesses to them.
[14] But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
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[15] For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
[16] You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
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[17] All men will hate you because of me.
[18] But not a hair of your head will perish.
[19] By standing firm you will gain life.
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[20] "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.
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[21] Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.
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[22] For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.
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[23] How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.
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[24] They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
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[25] "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
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[26] Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
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[27] At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
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[28] When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
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2 Tim. 3:1-7 (NIV) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
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[2] People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
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[3] without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
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[4] treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
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[5] having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Then let’s look at
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2 Peter 3:3-18 (NIV) First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
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[4] They will say, "Where is this ’coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
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[5] But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
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[6] By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
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[7] By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
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[8] But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
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[9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
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[10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
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[11] Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
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[12] as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
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[13] But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
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[14] So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
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[15] Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
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[16] He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
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[17] Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
(kind of shoots a hole in the eternal security thing)
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[18] But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
The people of this disaster need our prayers, our compassion and our finances not our judgment.
