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good morning everyone just a couple announcements before we begin worship this morning the first is that there is a hospital ministry at two-thirty at the extended care unit at the Chilliwack hospital so that's after this morning service to 30 at the ECU there at chilliwack hospital on if you have never been and and you would like to go it's basically a sing a few hymns there's a message there about 10 15 minute message from from the Word of God and then speaking with some of the the patients there at the the ECU so if you would like to go you can talk to anyone after if you need directions but it's just down the road here chilliwack hospital and that's the ECU at two-thirty p.m. a reminder as well that Micah Butler has applied for membership so we can continue to pray for him and encourage him and look forward to welcome welcoming him into the membership here at free grace baptist church well let's begin our worship then if you'll turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 27 Psalm 27 hours will be a reading of that song verse 12 verse 6 Psalm 27 beginning in verse 1 this is the word of God a psalm of David the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid when the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh my enemies and foes they stumbled and fell though an army may encamp against me my heart shall not fear though war may rise against me in this I will be confident one thing I have desired of the Lord that will I seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the lord and to inquire in his temple for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret place of his tabernacle he shall hide me he shall set me high upon a rock and now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tabernacle I will sing yes I will sing praises to the Lord amen well let's stand together and sing him all rights actually Psalm 96 in your red Trinity Salter just while you're finding your way to some 96 I did forget something the the next fellowship luncheon will actually be in October so there's no fellowship luncheon in September it will be announced but most likely the third sunday in October standing let's turn to Psalm 96 and sing as a church let us pray Heavenly Father we come to you now in prayer in this hour of worship we rejoice that we can gather together as the Saints of Christ in this place to worship Father Son and Holy Spirit we would ask again that you would help us by your spirit to hallow your Most High name we do pray that this gathered assembly would rightly give you the praise and the honor that is due your name we pray that you would help us by your spirit and by your grace to worship you were right we do long to worship you in spirit and in truth we long to worship you as those genuine and joyful worshipers of the triune God giving you praises approaching you in prayer and Thanksgiving mingled prayer and praises and prayers and supplications and and all these things mingled with Thanksgiving Lord we would ask that you would help us to do these things and we rejoice that we can gather and participate in that aspect of worship the preaching of the word of God and we do just rejoice in these opportunities and we pray that we would not count it a small thing and to gather in freedom in this place to worship our God to hear of our Christ and to to read from your word to hear it preached we would pray that we would always count these things high in heavy honors and we do just pray that this would be a day where you are honored where you are praised where your people are strengthened and Lord God where the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted upon the praises of this gathered assembly and we would ask that it would not just be the case here in this place but around the world that your name would be hallowed around the world that you would be praised around the world Lord God that your word would be preached in Christ would be rejoiced in we do pray this day that around the world you would be found in your churches and that you would strengthen your people and Lord God that you would save sinners that you would be present by amazing and victorious grace in a multitude of churches bringing forth sinners dead in their trespasses and sins to light in life in Christ Jesus the Lord we would pray God that you would forgive us a fresh of our sin we know and we rejoice in the fact that we have the forgiveness of sins by virtue of the shed blood of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we do pray that you would wash us a fresh and we do certainly rejoice in that truth that there has been a fountain open for sin and for uncleanness and that is the shed blood of our Savior and we rejoice in his finished and perfect work we thank you Lord God that you did in the fullness of the time send him forth born of a woman and born under the law to redeem guilty sinners we thank you for that blessed truth Lord God that he came into this world sinners to save we do just pray that you would cause us to rejoice in Christ knowing that we have not been saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but according to your mercy you saved us through the perfection of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the applying power of the Holy Spirit we do just pray that we would rejoice in Christ his life of obedience unto your law in the place of all of us who believe we thank you for his death upon Calvary's tree that secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number we know that at the cross there was not rendered an atonement of maybe a sacrifice of perhaps but the Lord Jesus Christ perfectly secured the salvation of a multitude of sinners that no man can number and he he rose from the grave the third day in power and victory and he has ascended to your right hand and we rejoice in that simple gospel truth that all who looked to him in faith have the forgiveness of sins a righteousness not their own that avails with you and everlasting life we do just pray that you would cause each and every one here in this church this morning because it is possible only with you to leave this place singing the praises of our glorious Christ we would ask God that you be with those who need prayer for physical things illnesses and diseases the many afflicted in our church we would pray that you'd strengthen each and every one you tend to their bodies that you would heal them that you would take away pains take away discomforts remove those things that are impeding them Lord we do just pray that you would strengthen your Saints and you even in the midst of suffering and in the midst of physical affliction Lord we do pray for our brothers and sisters that are afflicted that you would cause them to rejoice in you to be resigned wholly to your will in all things and to know that the judge of all the earth does right by his Saints we would ask God that you would be with those who are grieving for loss those who have lost loved ones Lord God we do just pray that you'd strengthen them that you would cause them even in the midst of sorrow to know the joy of christ to know that piece which surpasses all understanding that's found in the triune God and in the promises of the gospel and we do just pray that you would bless our dear brothers and sisters who do now grieve we would ask Lord that you'd be with those who are struggling spiritually we know Lord God that there can be those occasions where the rains and clouds come figuratively speaking we do just pray that you would lift them from out of those places and put them back upon the high places of the joy of their salvation and cause them to rejoice in Christ and to know for for certain and know that blessed truth Lord God that they are found safely in him not having their own righteousness which is from the law but that which is from you through faith in Christ Jesus the Lord we would ask God that you'd be with our brothers and sisters around the world persecuted for the cause of Christ those Saints in many lands where there there under the the hot persecution of enemies of the gospel and we do just pray that you'd strengthen them that you would be near to them again their God of all comfort Lord God that you would be to them strength and endurance and that you grant them much grace and we do pray that in the face of opposers they may speak the good word of Christ they may hold the solid grip upon the gospel of our Savior and Lord God that you would give them much grace to endure the the attacks of the enemies and again deal with the enemies of the church we pray that you would save many Lord God who are presently opposed to you like Saul so many years ago Lord God we pray that you would confront those by grace who are opposed to you and bring them forth by amazing grace to knowledge of Christ to rejoice in him that you would remove hearts of stone around the world Lord God replaced them with hearts of flesh that believe in the Savior that rejoice in Christ and that you would put your spirit with a in a multitude of sinners Lord God causing them to walk after your statutes and to rejoice in our Blessed Verde mer we would ask God that you would be with the nations of the world we pray Lord God for those who rule over us that you would cause them to rule in righteousness and injustice we pray Lord God that they would no longer sanction wickedness in the land for those who do Lord God we pray that you would remove them from power we do pray that you would raise up men and women in places of influence and power that would seek to uphold improper righteousness and justice in the land we would pray that you would keep us ever prayerful for these things Lord and we would just ask now then that you'd be with us in worship a for pastor Butler when he comes up here to proclaim your word we would ask that you would help him in this pulpit and give him aid from on high to open his Bible and to proclaim rightly handling the the word of truth with precision that he would proclaim rightly the things of Christ and that this assembly would rejoice in the Savior Lord God that your people would be well instructed by spirit and word this morning we do pray the Lord God as well that and not only would your Saints be instructed and edified but that sinners this morning would be saved that those who entered in outside of Christ would hear the word of Christ that they would be brought forth by your spirit from deadness and sin to life and light in Christ and that they would leave those two doors singing the praises of Christ most precious name be with us now and made all that we do be done unto the praise of your glorious grace and unto your Most High name and it's in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior we pray amen let's stand and sing our next team is going to be him number 129 number 129 let's stand and sing together we you can turn in your Bibles with me to Matthew 18 our New Testament scripture reading Matthew 18 we won't read all the chapter will pick up in verse 1 start reading in verse 1 finish at verse 14 so this is Matthew 18 beginning in verse 1 once again the word of the living and true God at that time excuse me at that time the disciples came to Jesus saying who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven then Jesus called a little child to him set him in the midst of them and said assuredly I say to you unless you are converted and become as little children you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea woe to the world because of offenses for offenses must come but woe to that man by whom the offense comes if your hand or foot causes you to sin cut it off and cast it from you it is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the everlasting fire and if your eye causes you to sin pluck it out and cast it from you it is better for you to enter into life with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones for I say to you that in heaven there angels always see the face of my father who is in heaven for the Son of man has come to save that which was lost what do you think if a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying and if he should find it assuredly I say to you he rejoices moral for that sheep then over the 99 that did not go astray even so it is not the will of your father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish amen let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in this the reading of your Holy Word we thank you for the words of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we know Lord God that you do take it our Lord Jesus Christ did takes in seriously we thank you for his strong opposition to unrighteousness in his own day we pray Lord God that we would have that mind of Christ as well in our own day that you would help us as your people being saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ that we would chop off limbs as it were and gouge out eyes that we may not live after a manner of the world and after a manner of wickedness and we thank you that having saved us by your grace you have given us your spirit that we may seek after righteousness and that we may daily put to death those sins of the body and we do just pray that you would help us and we rejoice in this message that the Son of man came into this world to save that which was lost we thank you for the perfection of that saving work that there is not one who is lost not one of his sheep but rather as our Lord Christ said that he came into this world to do the will of the father who sent him and that this is the will of the father who sent him that of all that he has given him he should lose nothing but raise it up at the last day we thank you Lord God for this blessed truth and we do pray that we would see something of this today that we would see lost sheep brought back we pray that you would save this morning that you would bring forth sinners from deadness and sin to life in Christ by grace they might be saved and we pray Lord God that they would sing along with us hallelujah what a savior we do pray that you'd continue with us now in worship help us to rejoice in you to sing your praises that you might be the recipient of honor and praise and glory in this place we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen our final him then before the preaching you can stand with me it's in the larger Kim book 219 that's 219 let's stand and sing that together you well please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 24 Matthew chapter 24 I'll begin reading in verse 1 then Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple and Jesus said to them do you not see all these things assuredly I say to you not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down now as he sat on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately saying tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age jesus answered and said to them take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars see that you are not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet for nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there will be famines pestilences and earthquakes in various places all these are the beginning of Sorrows then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake and then many will be offended will betray one another and will hate one another then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many and because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold but he who endures to the end shall be saved and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place whoever reads let him understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let him who is in on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house and let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes but woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days and pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath for then there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be and unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved but for the sake or rather for the elects sake those days will be shortened that if anyone says to you look here is the Christ or there do not believe it for false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect see I have told you beforehand therefore if they say to you look he is in the desert do not go out or look he is in the inner rooms do not believe it for as lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of Man be for wherever the carcass is there the Eagles will be gathered together immediately after the tribulation of those days the Sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other now learn this parable from the fig tree when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves you know that summer is near so you also when you see all these things know that it is near at the doors assuredly I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away amen will let us pray father we thank you for the word of God we thank you for this time that we have together as the people of God to enjoy the worship of God and we pray that your spirit would guide us now as we look to Scripture we pray that he would give us clarity as we consider these passages help us as well God to learn practical lessons and to put them into practice in our own day in our own lives we pray now that you would forgive us for our sins and our transgressions she would cleanse us in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray these things in his Most Blessed name amen well our focus this morning is on those signs or those things that precede Jesus coming and the end of the age now I argue that the coming in view is jesus coming in judgment upon Jerusalem in AD 70 it's called the preterist interpretation I do want to clarify a few things before we look at this material this morning last week I mentioned Harold Camping as a an example of a date setter that Jesus says we are to avoid I did not mean to give the impression that harold camping is like all those who disagree with my particular interpretation I didn't mean that at all camping cannot be considered as mainstream in any of the three positions whether it be futurism preterism or the two events view I believe he arrived at his particular scheme through mathematics and through numbers it wasn't a millennial position it wasn't a particular a view of eschatology that drove that but rather it was numbers so I certainly did not mean to imply that if you don't agree with me you're of camping that was never my intention whatsoever as well I want to highlight that the interpretation that I take in this particular section is the Minority Report more people out there hold to what's called futurism under the auspices of what's called dispensationalism and then those who are not dispensationalist most of the times find themselves in that two event view of the Olivet discourse I have no problem with them I love and i esteem them in fact I use ten commentaries don't say that to say wow what a great guy but simply to say of those ten commentaries that I routinely use with reference to matthew's gospel I agree with one of them a hundred percent on the Olivet discourse probably no surprise that that person would be John Gill and then I do as well agree with arty France a great deal of the time but the rest of them take this to event the view and that's perfectly fine my desires here are think our modest I'm not trying to necessarily convince everybody that preterism is the way to view this discourse though that wouldn't bother me but just so that you don't see that it's unorthodox or that it's outside of the pale of the Christian faith in other words don't brand the position heretical but as I mentioned before we simply do not have the time nor do I have the competency to present all of the three views and to give the strengths and the weaknesses of each of the views I have to go with my gut and I believe that the Olivet discourse finds its fulfillment in the first century in the siege of Jerusalem again if you disagree when we're finished that's fine i love you i hope you'll still love me and we can go on forever into eternity together but let's look specifically now one other thing none of the positions here necessitate or have to be involved with a particular millennial position I don't want to necessarily confuse a lot of people but the millennial positions amillennialism premillennialism and post millennialism do not necessitate a particular view of the Olivet discourse and all that to say a prea dispensational premillennialism is committed to a futurist interpretation it means they must take that but in terms of premillennial asst all millennialist and post millennialist you'll find differing interpretations from each of those schools John Gill was a pre millennialist but he was a preterist when it came to Matthew 24 and 25 now post millennialist oftentimes find a preterist interpretation appealing it does go along well with their particular eschatology but whatever eschatology or millenial position one holds that does not necessarily demand a particular interpretation of the all of that discourse now for those who are thoroughly confused let's try I to undo that by opening up vs 9 to 14 remember last week we considered that Jesus is answering the second question first the disciples asked when will these things be and then the second question what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age it's my position that Jesus takes up that for that second question first he gives them the signs of his coming the end of the age and I mean or I believe he means by that the Jewish age the Old Covenant dispensation he says there are things that will take place prior to that siege in AD 70 vs. 428 indicate that there will be false teachers we saw that we sought to demonstrate that from the pages of the New Testament as well Jesus says there would be political and social upheaval again we sought to demonstrate that from the scripture he describes this as the beginning of Sorrows or the beginning of birth pangs and then what we find in verses 9 to 14 are are still part of that era it's still part of that season it is that specific timeframe prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 so these things as well are certain things that the church must expect so want to look at the persecution of the church in verses 9 to 12 and then secondly the preaching or the proclamation of the gospel in verse 14 those are the two more or those are two more things that precede the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 but let's take up vs 9 to 12 under the persecution of the church notice again the answer by Jesus to the disciples what question so I consider this passage more and more as I worked through it i'm convinced that Jesus answers their questions I'm convinced that Jesus doesn't give them an enigma within an enigma I don't leave he gives them a prophecy within a prophecy I believe he straightforwardly answers the disciples questions as they were posed to him upon his announcement that the temple that they saw was going to fall they asked the question Jesus answers the question and he answers in the first place in terms of verses 4 and 8 for 28 generally these are the kinds of things that you will see these are the kinds of things that will affect the people of God there will be these imposters there will be these wars and rumors of wars there will be these famines and pestilences and earthquakes in various places when you hear of these things and when you see of these things do not be alarmed do not be troubled do not think that the end is here but rather these are the beginning of Sorrows he moves from the general and verses 4 to 8 to the particular or the specific in verses 9 to 14 that are facing the church specifically facts Spurgeon comments our Lord not only for told the general trial that would come upon the Jews and upon the world but also the special persecution which would be the portion of his chosen followers so vs 4 to 14 are those signs that calm prior to the destruction of Jerusalem Christ's coming and glory to bring judgment upon the Covenant breakers and these things would go in terms of the outward generally to the specific inwardly those things that would affect the church now note specifically with reference to the persecution Jesus can considers the external threat verse 9 he says then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake let's not forget he's talking to the disciples not that there is an application for us as disciples in our own generation but Jesus is highlighting specifically what will be the lot of these particular man that he is speaking to and he highlights that there will be this external threat verse 9 they will deliver you up that's the language of betrayal that's the language of handing over that's the language Jesus has used already when he spoke concerning the Jewish mission in Matthew chapter 10 verses 17 and 19 and 21 he says when you go out to evangelize Israel they will deliver you up they will deliver you up to the council's they will scourge you they will beat you Jesus has already addressed this information in Matthew chapter 10 so it's that external threat that he is focusing on here that must precede the fall of Jerusalem the parallel passage in fact you can turn to mark 13 which is the Olivet discourse in Mark's Gospel very intriguing because Matthew records Jesus mission concerning Israel in Matthew 10 I believe that mark wrote later than Matthew and Mark incorporates that data concerning the Jewish mission into the Olivet discourse which I think underscores an important point it is primarily a situation affecting the disciples in the first century concerning on believing Jews and their persecution of the church of jesus christ notice in 39 in Mark's Gospel watch out for yourselves for they will deliver you up to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogue's now certainly I would imagine that we could be delivered and be beaten in a synagogue but that's not the threat that faces us in the 21st century that is the threat that peculiarly faced the people of God in the first century when they claimed allegiance to Jesus as Messiah and unbelieving Israel rejected him and they despise him and they forsook him the people of Christ the people of the Nazarene the people that followed Jesus were suffering under Jewish persecution again I am NOT speaking this to promote a view of anti-semitism but certainly to highlight what was the reality facing the early church so the external threat that Christ speaks of is Jewish and it involves the Roman Empire as well but let's just consider the threat posed by unbelieving Israel just remember our tax jesus says they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name's say I think one of the ways to prove a preterist interpretation is to demonstrate the first century application that this really did in fact occur so turn to the book of Acts the book of Acts and there are many many passages here I reckon we can get through them quickly we don't have time to develop each one but I think you'll get the threat of the thrust of the the gist of it as we just read them notice in Acts chapter 4 specifically vs. 1 2 3 just showing that what Jesus said did in fact occur in that first century contacts unbelieving Israel persecuted the Church of Jesus Christ notice in acts for one now as they spoke to the people the priests the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead and they laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day for it was already evening however many of those who heard the word believed and the number of men came to be about five thousand notice in chapter five verses 17 and 18 chapter 5 verse 17 the high priest rose up and all those who were with them which is the sect of the Sadducees and they were filled with indignation and laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison notice in chapter 5 at verses 27 to 33 verse 27 he said it says and when they had brought them they set them before the council and the high priest asked them saying did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name do you understand who the author is talking about talking about unbelieving Jews those who rejected Jesus Christ are now the persecutors of the Church of Jesus Christ the way they did not receive Jesus is the way they did not receive Jesus disciples just like Jesus told them in the upper room if the world hates you know that it hated me first if they treat the master that way they're certainly going to treat the disciple that way and this is fleshed out and evidenced out through the book of Acts notice verse 28 did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name and look you a filter ullom with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us but Peter and the other apostles answered we ought to obey God rather than men praise God for Peter he had a courage he had a boldness he wasn't going to shrink back he wasn't going to kowtow he wasn't going to whine and complain he wasn't going to say oh it's a bit embarrassing for me to be identified with the people of Jesus no we ought to obey God rather than men and if you command us to cease preaching we will continue to do so we don't care about the pressure we don't care about the threat our Savior promised that we would face such things he's also promised divine assistance by his Spirit we will stand fast we will hold firm and we will proclaim this blood of the Lord Jesus Christ it's heroic it's blessed it's wonderful chapter 5 specifically verse 40 they agreed within and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go look at chapter 6 specifically in verse 12 chapter 6 verse 12 Stephen that man of God they stirred up the people the elders and the scribes and they came upon him seized him and brought him to the council they also set up false witnesses who said this man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place in the law for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us notice in chapter 7 verses 54 to 60 I don't need to read at all this is where they dispose of Stephen they stung this man to death they take rocks and they throw them at him and they batter and brews and break his body until his lifeblood is spent and he enters into the presence of his beloved Savior notice in Acts chapter 8 verses 1 2 3 it's interesting because at this particular juncture Saul of Tarsus is the chief persecutor one of the chief persecutors of the church later on we'll find that Paul the Apostle becomes the persecuted he becomes victim to the unbelieving Israelites that want to destroy him notice in 81 Saul was consenting to Steven's death at that time a great person Shin arose against the church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered throughout all throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles and devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him as for saw he made havoc of the church entering every house and dragging off men and women committing them to prison notice in acts 9 12 for probably going to have to expedite here and not cover all of them but I hope you get the point acts 9 1 then saw still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogue's of Damascus so that if he found anywhere of the way whether men or women he might bring them bound to Jerusalem this was not for Bible study this was not for potluck this was not for the church picnic this was not to swap recipes it was to destroy the church of jesus christ that Saul of Tarsus breathing out these threats against the people of Jesus Jesus comes to him on the road to Damascus and saves him delivers him from the wrath to come and then uses this saw and sends and forth as the great apostle to the Gentiles and when Paul goes and when Paul preaches Paul meets with the same sorts of persecution that he that he himself inflicted upon the people of God a notice in Acts chapter 13 verses 45 to 50 acts 15 I'm sorry acts 13 rather vs. 45 to 50 but when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy this is in pacinian Antioch after Paul had preached in a synagogue there when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy and contradicting and blasphemy they opposed the things spoken by Paul then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said it was necessary that the Word of God should be spoken to you first but since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life behold we turned to the Gentiles dropping down in Acts chapter 14 Paul on the first missionary journey get stoned outside of the city of Derby I'm sorry of Lystra and stone there doesn't have its 21st century connotation he didn't stop at the pub he got stoned much the way that Stephen did enact seven in fact Paul was suffered or Paul suffered stoning such that they dragged him out of the city and supposed him to be dead these were men that had seen death it wasn't so sanitized and removed in their day as it is today and nevertheless he gets up and he goes to Derby which is 60 miles from Lystra look if I could talk about devotion you want to talk about courage she want to talk about heroism I mean brethren how many times are we sidetracked or sidelined for the smallest things and Paul gets stone to the point where people suppose him to be dead and then he goes to Derby which is a 60 mile jaunt so he can preach and in 1420 to his sermon is simple through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God no one had to say what do you mean by that Paul they saw it in his body because he had been stoned he tells the churches of Galatia in Galatians chapter 6 from now on but nobody trouble me for I bear in my body the brand martes of Jesus this persecution was real this persecution was hot this persecution was consistent and we can multiply passages 17 5 18 6 12 18 6 and then twelve to eighteen twenty three twenty nineteen twenty-one 11 21 27 to 32 21 36 22 3 to 5 22 22 and 23 22 3023 27-23 3024 529 2427 25 to 2 15 25 24 26 21 there will be a quiz afterwards to make sure that you got all those you see the point when Christ says you'll be delivered up to the synagogues and to the councils and you will be persecuted and suffer tribulation and be killed and be hated by all men for my namesake the first major persecutor of the church of jesus christ was unbelieving Israel just as they rejected Jesus they would reject the persons that follow Jesus you see this in the epistles as well second Corinthians 11 26 when the Apostle is rehearsing the sorts of things that he suffered for the cause of Jesus Christ he says very candidly in second Corinthians 11 24 I'm sorry 24 from the Jews five times I received 40 stripes minus one now think about that for a moment Paul was one of them Paul was a Pharisee Paul had been trained by Gamaliel Paul was a man that was so inclined with and in tune with that rebenok Pharisee ISM and now he is being scourge by the self same people that he used to surround himself with you see his devotion for the cause of Christ and you see their devotion against the cause of Christ because if they're going to take one who was formerly their own and beat him like a common criminal you can see how they despise and disdained the very Church of Christ notice in 1st Thessalonians 2 1st Thessalonians 2 verses 14 to 16 and I believe that here when Paul says wrath has come upon them to the uttermost he is referring to the same event that Jesus is prophesying in Matthew 24 it is the siege it is the fall of Jerusalem and her temple in AD 70 but note in first Thessalonians 2 verse 14 for you brethren became imitators of the Churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus Judea that's the southern kingdom that's Israel the unbelieving Jews that's the Covenant breakers that's the location of the city of Jerusalem and that is the location of the temple which was the visible expression that Yahweh was with his people remember there's more going on in the Olivet discourse than just a destruction of a city by the Romans there is a coven ental shift that is true that is going on the kingdom is taken away from Old Covenant Israel and given to the church and Jesus prophecy reflects that Paul's does or Paul's statement here does as well you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen just as they did from the Judeans who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us and they do not please God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved so as always to fill up the measure of their sins but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost same language Jesus employees just prior to the destruction prophecy wrath has come or they filled up the measure of their sins they filled up the measure of their father's guilt and as a result wrath comes upon them to the uttermost so we see hopefully and again there's more passages in the book of Acts if you're so inclined email me and I will provide them to you that highlight that unbelieving Israel was the first chief persecutor of the church but as well the external threat involved the Roman Empire the Roman Empire now initially they were sort of ambiguous to the Christians they thought the Christianity was just a subset or a sect off of Judaism and for the most part they just left Christianity alone fact when you go through the book of Acts the Romans are involved but their complicity is seen in simply doing what the Jews want in other words the Jews arrest the Apostle Paul they put him on trial before these these Roman emperors are these Roman kings or authorities and they just sort of passed the block until Paul ultimately goes to see Caesar now increasingly prior to the destruction the Roman Empire became hostile toward Christianity the first great persecution against Christians broke out in the year 64 to 68 and interestingly in 64 specifically in the month of July there was a fire in Rome and the Roman population believed that it was Nero himself off who set the fire or caused the fire in order to deflect that he blamed the Christians well that targeted the Christians for a whole host of persecution and many in fact some shouldn't say many it's probably a minority opinion but some see that beast in Revelation 13 not as somebody in our future but somebody in that first century setting even Nero John Fox refers to him as a beast at a situs in his annals describes the activities of of neuro and he was just a horrific man so we see there is Jewish persecution and there is Roman persecution against the church it happens in the first century now notice going back to Matthew 24 picking up in verse 9 they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you I already read or we already cited the fact that Steven was killed in Acts chapter 7 we continued in Acts chapter 12 James I'm sorry John James the son of Zebedee was killed James the brother of Jesus and the author of the book of James and the leader in the early church was killed as well Josephus records that in his antiquities of the Jews so the fact is that there were those who were killed and he goes on to say in verse 9 and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake this is highlighted elsewhere in Jesus teaching in Matthew's Gospel I already alluded to the fact that it's in the Upper Room discourse in John 15 18 and following if they hate Jesus they're going to hate his disciples fact brethren if this world loves you you need to take stock if you never cause anybody any chagrin or you never cause anybody any discomfort or no one ever gets upset at you I would really question whether you're fleshing out the the demands of Christ in this generation I mean come on we live in a godless perverse sexual age I think it's offensive for us just to to imbibe the biblical doctrine of heterosexuality anymore if we are not upsetting the tus quo in society then perhaps our Christianity needs to abound and grow and not get militant and foolish and you know yell at people and scream at them and tell them all these nasty things but if you have nothing but acceptance from the world you've got to consider what the Apostles went through you've got to consider what the church has faced throughout the ages you've got to consider the reality that all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus second Timothy 3 will suffer persecution and while preterism as I understand believes that this has been fleshed out and fulfilled in the first century it certainly does not teach there won't be tribulation there won't be killing there won't be hatred for God's people in every age that they live we go very to the very beginning Cain hated Abel Abel was a godly man gain was a wretched man and that hatred was there and we traced that theme throughout and we see that the godless always despise the godly so if we are loved and welcomed and celebrated by the godless and our age then we're doing something wrong we are not living as salt and light we're not shining in such a manner to expose the evil acts of wickedness in our own generation acts 28 there's an interesting statement I'm sorry acts yes acts 28 just to sort of underscore this hatred by all nations it's when the Jews want to hear from Paul about what's been happening in his life Paul is now in a Roman present and some of the Jews in Rome come to hear Paul we've heard about you you were Pharisee you were you know Paulie or Saul of Tarsus you were trained under Gamaliel you were you know a Pharisee of Pharisees concerning the law you were blameless what's happened to you he says well I man change for the hope of Israel the hope of Israel is the Lord Jesus Christ and intriguingly they make this statement 2822 it says but we desire to hear from you what you think for concerning this sack we know that it is spoken against everywhere it didn't take long for animosity to develop and to increase against the Church of Jesus Christ not just amongst unbelieving Israel but in the Empire itself and the reason why is specified by Jesus specifically in 24 9 you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake not because you're jerks in society but for my name's sake in fact time to first Peter chapter 4 I think we need to get this principle sometimes people are persecuted or sometimes they meet opposition and sometimes they meet difficulties at work or in society and they conclude it's because I'm so godly well not necessarily in fact Peter when you suffer want you to survey the reason for your suffering notice in 1st Peter chapter 4 beginning in verse 12 beloved do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you Lord's Church expect tribulation church expect fiery trials church expect difficulties and hardships verse 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings that when his glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy exult in it if you are suffering for the name of Christ then rejoice in God if we would have continued in acts 541 after the disciples are scourge 541 says they leave and they're rejoicing why because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name it was a glorious thing in the first century to bear the brand marks of Jesus in one's body notice in verse 14 if you are approached for the name of Christ blessed are you for the spirit of glory of God rests upon you on their parties blaspheme but on your party is glorified now note the qualification in verse 15 but let none of you suffer as a murderer a thief an evildoer as a busy busy body in other people's matters if your friends at work don't like you don't necessarily say it's because you're a godly Christian maybe you're a busybody maybe you're obnoxious somehow we don't ever entertain that could it be me that is the reason here not you think this is what Peter's saying examine the purposes or examine the reasons survey the scene and see why it is you are suffering or you are persecuted if you've gone out and knocked off banks and killed tellers and you end up in the pokey don't claim it's for the name of Jesus it's because you're a criminal but if you're obnoxious to people and they can't scan to be with you don't say I'm being persecuted for Jesus sake no it's because you're obnoxious and people can't stand to be with you I think this is what pastor peter wants us to get that not all suffering is necessarily relative to our union with Christ it may be because we're just downright obnoxious and Peter says or addresses that not all suffering not all issue not all trial is because you're so godly it may just be the opposite and Peter wants you to take stock of the whole situation let none of you suffer as a murderer a thief an evildoer or as a busybody in other people's matters yet if anyone suffers as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in this matter you see that is the reason for the widespread persecution in the first century prior to the siege in Jerusalem via unbelieving Israel and via the Roman Empire it was identifying with Jesus it was owning Christ as Lord you realize in the first century brethren when you said I believe in Jesus when you called him Lord and Savior it was a challenge to the Roman State do you know that the Emperor was viewed as Lord and Savior correos auteur and so for the early church to confess that there was a lord and there was a savior but it wasn't Caesar it was Jesus Christ that's why in thessalonica you see the charge laid against the believers they preach another king jesus that was an offense and an affront do you realize that in the Roman Empire didn't matter how many gods you had didn't matter if you subscribe to the pant John didn't matter if you bow to each and every one but when you confess the living in true God when you confessed and professed faith in Jesus Christ you were saying that that can't be honest fake they are not gods that's why Christians in the first century were called atheists did you understood you did you know that that the the charge against believers in the first century was atheism because they excluded all these gods and that was a challenge to the civil authority and so they were persecuted and they suffered brethren all this to say and all this to underscore and highlight we need to have some courage in our generation Wednesday night we looked at David's mighty men we're going to look at them again tonight because I think their message is needful to be heard by the entire church those mighty man displayed courage in the face of great trial these mighty men displayed great courage in the face of trial what's Jesus lesson for us things aren't always going to be rosy things aren't always going to be peachy k things aren't always going to be as splendid as they currently are you need to watch and you need to pray and you need to be ready for such things so we see a first century application and the real reason was is because they identified self-consciously with the Lord Jesus no it's not just an external threat that's going to face the church but it's an internal threat as well versus 10 to 12 he says and then many will be offended and by offended there it's not like sometimes we're very sensitive my wife you know gives me an eyebrow raised I might be troubled for the week why would she do that hypersensitivity is the order of the day it's a very hyper sensitive generation that we live in can't offend anybody except Christians you can't hurt the thought that there might be you know another religion you can't entertain the thought that there might be another religion out there that that may not have you know these wonderful goals of fulfilling society and all of its Joey you can't degrade that but you can degrade Christianity we're called to be non-sensitive in a hyper sensitive age and you know what we should be we shouldn't get so offended about everything but the offense here is not you know they raised their eyebrows because these things are happening so the word scandalized it's used in Matthew's Gospel for falling away it's probably a term that explains or displays what's called apostasy and then many will be offended many will be scandalized many will stumble many will fall away don't miss the connection what happens when there's external threat what happens when the Roman Empire is trying to persecute Christians what happens when unbelieving Jews are delivering up the people of God to synagogues and their scourging them and they're they're recommending then to the state to be executed what happens to those professors who don't have courage what happens to those professors who are not committed to overcoming what happens to those who profess the faith in Christ but they're weak and they're they're not the real deal many will fall away you see brethren what Jesus says later in verse 13 is absolutely necessary he who endorsed to the end he shall be saved doesn't matter what the external threat is it doesn't matter what the internal threat is it never changes the responsibility of God's people that's why in the grand scheme of things if preterism right if it's not if the two aged a to event theory is right or it's not or futurism is right or it's not it does not remove the teeth of the practical implications of the passage thus far Jesus has said do not be troubled when you hear of ruse wars and rumors of wars he has said do not be deceived by those dates editors who come and try to lead you astray and here he says indoor / severe run with endurance the race that is set before you so whoever's right with reference to that specific interpretation of the Olivet discourse in the long run brethren it speaks to every single one of us equally we're not supposed to be deceived by false Christ we're not supposed to be trouble to the point of paralysis when we when we read the news or listen to the news and we're certainly not to kowtow when the external threat and even the internal threat rages against the church we stand fast we hold firm we do not shrink back we go forward we pair it we imitate we we imbibe the ethic that we see displayed in the early church very intriguing in light of the the persecution that was upon that you know what the most quoted or alluded to text and all of the New Testament is Psalm 110 1 the Lord Yahweh said to my lord jesus sit down at my right hand until I make thine enemies your footstool that's what gave them the courage that's what inspired them to earnestness that's what kept them going it wasn't their goodness it wasn't their faithfulness it wasn't their resoluteness it was Christ enthroned at the right hand of the Majesty on high where he rules and he reigns and he governs and he is the king of kings and Lord of lords that's what puts it into the hearts of God's people we're not saved because we persevere we persevere because we're saved because Christ died for us and he rose again and he's given us forgiveness and a righteousness that avails with God and that faith that he gives us believes upon him but then it goes forward in him brother in the church under these circumstances needs to take heed I think there is a causal connection between nine and ten some will be delivered up or many will be delivered up they'll be tried they will be killed they will be hated and then many will be offended you see the causal connection and then many offended sound like this I'm part of the losing team I don't like the losing team so I'm going to abandon the losing team I understand sometimes people do that with their sports well you know the Canucks as long as they're doing well they've got my vote but when they start doing terribly then i'll go for whatever other team there is just showing you my hockey skills and savvy here my sons-in-law are probably embarrassed you see the causal connection because of the persecution then many will be offended again not just their delicate sensitivities have been violated they've been scandalized they stumble they are a pasta apostates and then note what happens as a result of that and again you see this throughout scripture second Corinthians 11 26 Paul refers to false brethren Galatians 2 for Paul refers to false brethren second Timothy 115 all those in Asia turned away from me for 10 in 2nd Timothy dimas having loved this evil world has departed and forsaken me you see this 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 3 which a passage i think is dependent upon Matthews version of the Olivet discourse the Apostle says there will be a falling away there will be apostasy know what they do when they apostatize verse 10 many will be offended will betray one another and will hate one another they will betray others what's the point here if the Roman state begins to persecute Christians and somebody breaks and they apostatize they want to be looked upon favorably by the state don't they if the Romans come and say hey do you know where those Christians are holed up do you know where they're worshiping do you know where they're praising their Jesus uh yeah there you know down the road on First Avenue and they're in this particular apartment and if you go there at five p.m. on a sunday you can find them intriguingly tacitus himself says that when persecution of the Christians began there was that very thing that took place Christians were arrested and then they recanted and then they betrayed or told where others were and that then served the interests of the state and more persons were arrested so you see that apostasy doesn't just affect the apostate in this instance the apostate now betrays others the faithful the people of God so you see what Jesus is saying you've got this external threat visa V unbelieving Israel and the Roman Empire but because of that particular threat many will be offended many will be scandalized many will fall away many will be apostates and that will turn the persecution on the church from within our own ranks they will betray one another and they will hate one another it's not a good thing it's not a good situation Jesus says that's going to precede the fall of Jerusalem that those texts as I indicate highlight that reality the apostasy seen in south 1st John to 19 what is John there right they went out from us but they were not of us because if they were of us they would have continued with us there were those who profess there were those who made a confession but they went out we saw in Hebrews 10 we spent time in the summer in Hebrews 10 26 to 30 one deals with apostates those who had in the language of Hebrews 6 tasted they had had some degree of enlightenment they had known something of the powers of the age to come and then they fall away they stumble there scandalized they no longer hold of these things so what do they do they turn on others that's what Jesus says is going to happen in Matthew 24 verse 10 but doesn't stop there there's deception so under the eternal internal threat you've got apostasy in betrayal you've also got deception verse 11 he says then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many probably the false christs a verse for were outside of the professing Church those false Christ's who came with messianic claims and said oh I'm the I'm the price you should listen to me you should follow me again we saw samples or evidences of those in the book of Acts these are probably those within the ranks those who have gone astray those whom the Apostle Paul warned about knacks 20 he says from among your own ranks savage wolves will rise up they will not spare the disciples they will feast on them the way that a wolf digs his teeth into a little sheep we see these specimens throughout the New Testament most think we shouldn't rush through this because i want you to see each and every one fact we will postpone the preaching of the gospel i don't mean that practically because i hope to do that in just a moment but verse 14 will put it off to next week because i'm sure some of you are thinking how in the world could verse 14 have actually happened prior to the destruction of israel or Jerusalem in AD 70 so let's just slow it down a little bit let's look at a few of these verses just so we can see what's happening so we see the external threat unbelieving Israel Roman Empire we see the internal threat apostasy and betrayal verse 10 deception verse 11 I argue that these false prophets are probably the ones in the church are probably insiders you may turn to acts 20 Acts chapter 20 notice in 29 and 30 well backing up to verse 28 Paul this is essentially the first pastors conference the Apostle gathers the elders of the church from Ephesus and in verse 28 he says therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to Shepherd the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock also from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves therefore watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears notice in Romans 16 Romans 16 specifically verses 17 and 18 Romans 16 verses 17 and 18 I call I urge you brethren note those who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them for those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple notice in second Corinthians 11 13 again just trying to underscore that an preterist interpretation is not so outlandish because these things really did happen in the first century they really did occur in the New Testament gives us manifold evidences of that reality notice in second Corinthians chapter 11 specifically verse 13 for such are false apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into apostles of Christ and no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves in the ministers of righteousness whose end will be according to their works second Peter 21 second Peter chapter 2 verse 1 but there will there were also false prophets among the people even as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves Swift destruction and of course first John 4 and verse 1 beloved do not believe every spirit but test the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets had gone out into the world and then he gives a litmus test on how we can test them the spirit of confesses that Jesus came in the flesh the anti-christian spirit of the Antichrist spirit of the false prophet is a gnostic he does not confess that Jesus has come in the flesh they deny the real humanity by our Lord Jesus other things going on in 1st John as well but you get the point the deception was real and according to the Lord Jesus and verse 11 he says many will rise up and deceive many so again I don't want anybody to take this and say well you know pastor Butler said it it must be true do not do that examine daily the Scriptures be the Bereans and acts 17 they were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica why because they examined daily the Scriptures the things that Paul was speaking Paul wasn't a sensitive nancy boy who said why in the world would you ever examine what I've said Paul was good with that any man that preaches the Word of God that isn't good with people having open Bibles is a cult leader that shouldn't be listened to examine these things listen and do not take the word of jim butler of harold camping or whoever it is out there if you are not convinced by the Spirit of God in your heart of hearts reject it don't hold it listen to what Christ says the pervasive influence of these false prophets will be successful you know why they're successful because the people of God at times are lazy the people of God at times don't read their Bibles the people of God at times just accept everything they hear the people of God aren't discerning they're not discriminating they've kowtow to a hypersensitive generation and they will never question anything that is not consistent with Christianity go to the scriptures the prophets say to the law into the testimony if they speak not in accordance with them there to be rejected brother don't let false prophets deceive many the best way for you to be on guard and the best way for you to be fortified to be in the scriptures to understand the word of truth to understand sound doctrine to realize what the historic Christian faith has seen as being consistent with the word of truth that is certainly important as well you don't do theology all on your own you do it in the context of the church you listen to the Reformers you listen to the patristic you listen to the people of God throughout the ages because you have respect for Ephesians 4 because Christ ascended on I he led captivity captive and he gave gifts to men and in the context the gifts that he gives to men are men men like Spurgeon men like Calvin men that we don't say were like Paul or like Jesus but they were men we ought to listen to not slavishly we could disagree we disagree with Calvin on baptism that's okay but we ought not to therefore throw him out the baby with the bathwater just got in there you know we don't do that with Galvin but you need to know the Bible you need to know the Old Testament you know it's deficient in the modern church today is a knowledge of the Old Testament it's almost like we don't need the Old Testament we got the new and it tells us all about Jesus oh please don't do that the Old Testament tells us all about Jesus it's all about Christ he himself said that john 5 39 you search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life these are they which testify of me Jesus in Genesis 3 15 Jesus in Genesis 18 Jesus and Genesis 22 and all the other chapters as well I'm just filling some of the blanks here Christ is in the Old Testament brethren this is why you need to know the Old Testament false prophets oftentimes get their fangs into people who just don't know the Old Testament I don't know the New Testament either but we ought to know it all so we see in the internal internal threat apostasy and betrayal they go together verse 10 deception verse 11 then notice thirdly the antinomianism verse 12 because lawlessness that's what the word antinomianism means I know it sounds like a five dollar word but it just means anti-law anti-law refers in the history of theology to a particular view antinomianism means that we as Christians have no regard for and the law has no place in the lives of God's people look what happens if we actually adopt such a position and because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold you see what Jesus is saying is that under the pressure of external threat and under the pressure of internal threat and while there's apostasy while there's betrayal all this stuff is is lawless it's wretched it has no you know concrete objective root in the law of God and what stems from or rather what results from this this climate of lawlessness the love of many will grow cold it's an amazing thing with reference to antinomianism as a theological or doctrinal conviction the antinomian thinks that somehow law chokes out love Jesus tells us law doesn't choke out love la less Ness chokes out love in fact the Apostle Paul defines love you're probably thinking first Corinthians 13 with that glowing exposition and he certainly does but in Romans 13 he says if you want to love your neighbor don't murder that if you want to love your neighbor don't commit adultery with their spouses if you want to love your neighbor don't steal from that Paul what about bring them flowers and and do good things for them and be warm and fuzzy yeah you can do all that but the concrete application of love to another human being is obedience to God's law this is not amazing because of law last Nash the love of many will be extinguished it's really crazy to me that we have such antipathy to the law of God when it's that law that defines for us what it means to love God and to love fellow men Davies and Allison right love and lawlessness are antithetical for love fulfills the law doesn't it Nomar Paul says Osbourne says this phrase will grow old connotes the image of a fire being extinguished the fire of God was gone out of them and left them spiritually cold so you see facing the church in that first century context and again not to mean that it will never face the church again there were external threats and there were internal threats you had unbelieving Jews you had the Roman Empire turning up the fire against the people of Jesus Christ as that fire was turned up against the people of Jesus Christ it affected the false professors within the churches and those false professors fell away they were scandalized they stumbled they can't became apostates so they betrayed the true Christians they betrayed and hated the real people of God this produced a climate of lawlessness or antinomianism and in that climate of lawlessness or antinomianism the love of many grew cold so what's Jesus answer to the church then into the church now that does in fact face the same sorts of things apostasy in betrayal deception and antinomianism you see there's nothing new Under the Sun the same sorts of things that they suffered in the first century Church is the same sorts of things that we suffer in the in the in the 21st century church but note what Jesus says in verse 13 he who endures to the end shall be saved in other words don't give up don't give in don't you know go into your bathtub and cry because these things are happening I'm not saying it's always wrong to cry go ahead and cry if your bathtub works that's fine but get back into the battle we're not to be paralyzed we're not to be taken from the field of battle this is what Christ says this is what is said so many times by Jesus and every Church in the book of Revelation the seven churches of Asia Minor you know how each of the letters and he who overcomes to the act what is John confronting as he's writing or rather what is the spirit communicating to the churches via John we know there is this increased climate of persecution we know that the unbelieving Jews target the Church of God we know that the the Roman Empire targets the Church of God so what is the message for the churches of Ephesus and Smyrna Pergamum Thyatira and Laodicea and Philadelphia what is the message to those churches he who overcomes and then there's a promise appended or attached by our Lord peculiar to the the way he introduces himself to the church that's the emphasis what do we do we've got the Roman State encroaching upon us in our own generation we got the Canadian state encroaching upon us what do we do there's churches that are full of apostasy and betrayal and deception and and and and antinomianism what do we do you endure to the end I may not sound as glamorous and romantic as we might like but that's what God says endure to the end now the end in view probably has the destruction those who listen to Jesus those who responded to Jesus did escape the siege that took place in Jerusalem in AD 70 church fathers record this there was a place called Pella in parrilla that the people of God escaped to avoid this coming calamity but it holds true throughout the age right therefore he endorsed it yet she'll be saved again we're not saved because we persevere we persevere because we're saved one of those grace is built in by God alright one of those Grace's built in by God when we have that faith to believe on the Lord Jesus that faith is not alone that faith then puts us into into mobility it puts us into movement it puts us on that right course or that right path he who endures to the end shall be saved France says in response to both the outward threats of verses for 28 and the destabilizing tendencies within the disciple community he says the only remedy is deliberate sustained faithfulness to the values and demands of God's kingdom well brethren will close as I said we'll stop there in terms of our exposition will pick up verse 14 the Lord willing next week but i do want to close with just a couple of thoughts perhaps just reminders because i think we have covered these things we need to realize first the presence of external and internal threats today our day in many respects is not much different i mean we don't feel it as keenly now in North America's our brethren do in other places think Middle East think about brethren suffering under oppressive Muslim regimes think about brethren dispossessed from their homes and dispossessed from their businesses and those brethren that are in prison think Asia bibby in Pakistan for you know whom we've prayed for you know many many many years now I mean her crime was minimal it wasn't a crime but in terms of the Pakistani state and an offense against Islam it was a death penalty offense this is happening now this is happening today that's why we in prayer meeting read the voice of the martyrs that's why we read those on Wednesday night because out of sight out of mind we don't think about brother that are suffering for the cause of Christ if we're not reminded that there are brethren suffering for the cause of Christ there is external threat facing the church today various places throughout the earth I suspect I'm not a prophet of the son of the Prophet of a prophet the way imma set but man if you look at all the signs going on all the things in North America I can't imagine there's a friendly future for Christianity in our generation I mean just interpret the things going on around us I mean laws legislation being enacted not to target you know everybody out there but to target us I mean it's a hate crime to say that homosexuality is a sin or it's wrong or it should be criminal activity oh you can't say that we're going to imprison you say hate crime to suggest that somebody who's a boy use a boy's bathroom how is that a crime they should use the boys bathroom this is the generation in which we live where good is looked at as evil and evil is looked at as good so let us learn from our Lord what's the response in light of external threat he who endures to the end shall be saved what about the church what about internally all we see apostasy we see a betrayal we see deception guys who couldn't explain the gospel are in pulpits all over the place what's the gospel well we should just love God and love our fellow fellow man that's the law that's our problem we don't love God we don't love man we don't obey the law the gospel answers to that problem it is the good news of Jesus life death and resurrection such that anybody Grace who looks to him in faith will live man can't explain the gospel he certainly shouldn't be in a pulpit and then what about antinomianism I can't believe you guys are savage Syrian how could you ever think that the fourth commandment is for the people of God today why would we ever think that one of the ten is no longer for us today why would we think in terms of apostolic practice that it's no longer for us today why would we think that it's okay somehow in this new covenant expression of the people of God that we can just disregard the law so these things are as prevalent with us as they were then I've already mentioned something about the law and love let me quote for you professor John Murray concerning this topic he says it is symptomatic of a pattern of thought current in many evangelical circles that the idea of keeping the commandments of God is not consonant with the liberty and spontaneity of the Christian man that keeping the law has its affinities with legalism and what the principle of works rather than with the principle of grace he says it is indeed strange that this kind of antipathy to the notion of keeping Commandments should be entertained by any believer who is a serious student of the New Testament what's our Lord Jesus say in John 14 if you love me just wait until you get zapped and expressive if you love me you will keep my Commandments what's John say in his First Epistle the commandments are not burdensome what child of God with the Spirit of God looks at the transcript of God and says I don't like that the child of God with the Spirit of God looks at the transcript of God and says please empower me and enable me by the Spirit to comply help me to love your law help me to say what the psalmist oh how I love thy law it is my meditation day and night he wants to be that blessed man of someone whose meditation is in the law of Yahweh day and night brethren we ought to see this in the language of our Lord just a small phrase it's a bit of an obscure phrase but it's a powerfully impactful phrase because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold perhaps the love that waxes and wanes and our hearts toward others has something to do with this very principle what think we of the law of God if I love God's law I will hopefully in turn love God's people and I will express that to them in concrete fashion by not murdering them by not committing adultery with spouse by not stealing from them and if I want to bring them a coffee or take them out for coffee that's the love ed lovey dovey sort of you know emotional expression to that but concretely the expression of love is found in terms of obedience to God's law think of that young people when it comes time to get married oh but I love him or I love her why because they're obedient to God because you're obedient to God well no because he looks good or she looks good well you know that's fine good looks think about that but that ought to be the primary criteria it's how is she how is he relative to God's law because those who have the spirit those who have been conquered by sovereign grace those who have come to the Lord Jesus Christ see that law as most blessed most wonderful and most glorious so how we view the law will indeed display something concerning our state before God Most High if you are not a believer here this morning i hope that i have sufficiently explained the gospel but if you have not here it is the gospel is the good news concerning jesus christ the gospel isn't that we're safe that's an effect of the gospel it's a blessing and wonderful effect the gospel isn't that we're having more successful lives than everybody else that's not even necessarily a case because sometimes people conquered by grace live miserable lives the gospel is the good news concerning Christ it's about Jesus you see we couldn't obey God's law we're an atom we're dead in our sins we have enough version to God we hold God in contempt and he holds us in contempt apart from Christ whose life was perfect in obedience to the law we will suffer in hell forever but because of Christ all those who look to him received the righteousness that he accomplished it's not good news there's now as well we need to be forgiven of our sins think about your day have you sinned if you say well no I've been pretty good thus far consider the demands of the law you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself if you can successfully answer affirmative to that within the last two seconds you're a better man than most we need our sins forgiven how are our sins forgiven is it through the confessional box at the Pope ish church is it through the penance that he passes down from on high say 10 Hail Marys and one our Father and and poof your sins will be gone it's through the blood of Jesus Christ his son that we have forgiveness it's through Christ's sacrifice at Calvary he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world so when by God's grace we trust in Jesus we get both forgiveness and the righteousness that Christ accomplished it is given to us it's credited to our account so you may not understand anything I said about preterism about futurism about all these signs or whatever but this much you must understand you have sinned against a holy God and you are held out you may not see it you may not believe it you may not like to think about it but this is what the Bible says and the only hope for escape is through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ it's great privilege as a minister of the gospel to be able to hold that forth we have good news for you we have hope for you we have forgiveness if you look at sin as an illness there may be no cure but when you look at sin and all of its filthy and disgusting details we know that Jesus is a real Savior for real sinners will let us close in a word of Prayer father we thank you for your word and we thank you for your grace and we pray God that you would help each of us as believers in Christ to endure to the end to persevere to run with endurance the race that is set before us always looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith and for any and all here that are outside of Christ I pray that you would do what is impossible with men open heart and give the graces of faith and repentance that sinners may close with Jesus Christ today and instead of being hell down they would be heaven bound rejoicing in the lord of glory himself go with us now we pray and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen enclosed with the brief time of meditation and then be dismissed