ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?

Transcription

1 ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES? Sunday, JULY 27, 2014 AM Read Text Matthew 24:4-8 Today is the last week of YOU ASKED FOR IT sermon series. My goal today is to address several questions in the time allotted. If you will listen quickly, I will talk quickly and hopefully give you some great material that will help you in your Christian walk. Question # 1: Are we living in the END TIMES? Read Matt. 24:4-8 The disciples wanted to know what the signs were that Christ was coming back. Signs of His return: False Christ s/false Doctrine will deceive many Wars/Rumors of War (nation against nation) we only need to look at the middle east Famines World Vision estimates that 925 million people are malnourished every day. 1 in 7 go to bed hungry each night. Earthquakes On the rise (twice as many major earthquakes in first quarter of 2014 than in 1979 "We have recently experienced a period that has had one of the highest rates of great earthquakes ever recorded," Tom Parsons, US Geological survey. This is the just the beginning of sorrows/birth pains. In other words there is much more to come. In v we read, Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. The fig tree has often been attributed to the nation of Israel, which became a nation on May 14, There is much debate about that. The one thing that is clear is that Christ said the generation that see

2 2 these signs of the times will not pass away until all of this is fulfilled. What Christ is saying is that the signs of Matt will be experienced in 1 generation, the generation living when Christ returns. What does this mean to us? We are living in some of the most exciting days to be alive. For the child of God this is not a time to be scared, worried or afraid. It is a time to be excited, anticipating the return of Christ. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:27-28 These are exciting days to be alive! Look at what is happening today in Israel it s not going to get any better no matter how many peace treaties are signed. There will not be peace in the middle east until Christ comes back to rule and reign. Be Ready! But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Matthew 24:26 We don t know when Christ is going to return so we must live like it could be today. Question # 2: What Does the Bible Say about Women in Ministry? Don t forget this is not my opinion this is God s Word on the matter and You Asked For It! I Timothy 3 gives the qualifications for the pastor and the deacon. This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach. v. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. It is difficult to pass the beginning qualifications of a pastor/deacon that says you must be the husband of one wife. To understand the gospel Christ sees male and female the same before Him. He doesn t place one above the other. Many religions of the world repress women and force them to dress in extreme fashion.

3 3 Look at the practices of Muslim and Hindu women. They have very strict dress that don t apply to men. They are often forced to submit to brutal torture and even honor killings in many countries. Christianity is the only religion that frees women to worship and serve God. God did orchestrate various roles of the sexes. In Gen. 1 & 2 we see God created man and woman in His image, equal before God, yet distinct in their manhood and womanhood. All throughout Scripture we see distinctions between man and woman in their roles as ordained by God. Adam s headship in marriage was established before the Fall and was not a result of sin. The fall created distortions in those roles as ordained by God. Redemption in Christ aims to remove those distortions created by sin. Redemption in Christ gives men and women equal share in the blessings of salvation; however some governing and teaching roles are reserved for men. I Tim. 2:11-15 clearly teach that the man is to be the primary teacher of men in the church. It in no way means that women don t have value in leadership. We have many ladies who teach every week in our church and can probably out teach many of the men. They have gifts of administration that are also used to help shape the direction and vision of the church. God however has ordained that the office of the Pastor & Deacon is to be filled with qualified men. Question # 3: What is the Big Deal about Dating a Non-believer? 2 Cor. 6:14, Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? We ultimately date that we might find a mate. If you are a believer you don t have anything in common with a nonbeliever. You are going two different directions.

4 4 You don t want a guy pursuing your heart that is not pursuing the heart of Jesus. If they are changing just so you will date them then they will change back once you marry them. Christ did not ever call us unto Missions Dating! Question # 4: Is it OK for a Christian to have a TATOO? How many of you have a tattoo? Some of you are thinking there is this verse in Leviticus that says it s a sin to have a tattoo. Well that verse is there, but if you read it in context it is a cultural law that had to do with marking yourself as a pagan. I m pretty sure none of you that have tattoos got your tattoo to mark yourself as a pagan. If you want to cling to that verse then you also have to adhere to the verse before it that says you can t shave your head or your beard. Talk about a bunch of bunch of Duck Dynasty look-alikes walking around the church. So what if you have a tattoo and you shaved this morning? Your going straight to hell, then they will bring you back and send you back to hell a 2nd time! If you have a tattoo you re not going to hell. The reason I don t have a tattoo is it looks painful and the sound of that machine is Creepy! Sounds like a Dentist Drill gone bad! And I faint at the sight of my own blood! Have a tattoo is really a matter of preference and you should really make sure you want to look at that butterfly that is 2 inches wide if you gain 150 lbs and it turns into a huge Macaw! Don t just get one because it is the cool thing to do. Question # 5: contemporary? Why does it seem like the church is getting more Some of you are sitting here yeah that s my question. Why don t we do everything like we did in 1970? Because it s not What we did back then was only relevant then. Before that people walked to

5 5 church there were no cars, there was no electricity, there were no electronic instruments, there were no tv s, no computers, no cell phones. Do you realize how quickly things are changing in our culture? Between 1/3 and ½ of our congregation are reading their Bible on an electronic device this morning. Nearly all of us drove in a late model car to church. We have computers that put our songs, scripture and sermon points on a video screen. change every second. We live in an era where things So yes the church is getting more contemporary because we have been commissioned to reach the lost of this generation with the gospel of Jesus Christ. News flash: You re not more spiritual because you do things the way they did in Your not more spiritual because you like a certain style of music over another. In fact I know people who don t listen to formal music at all during the week, but swear that is the only music acceptable in church. Now my question is why is your Mon-Sat so different than your Sunday? Our service is more contemporary than it was even 2-3 years ago, because our culture is changing rapidly and we want to reach this generation with the message of hope and salvation that Jesus loves them, He died for them, He cares about their needs, and He is the answer to their problems. I don t apologize for that. I realize there are different preferences when it comes to worship styles and that is ok. Just don t get consumed with making one style more spiritual than the other. As long as your desire is to reach the lost and you will do whatever it takes to do that, it doesn t matter. You can be relevant without compromising the message of the gospel. When someone criticizes me for being more contemporary My challenge would be this how many people have you personally invited to church and seen come to faith in Christ?

6 6 The conversation usually ends right there! In I Cor. 9 when Paul preached the gospel he did everything within his power to reach the lost of that city for Jesus Christ. He even wen as far in Rom. 9 he even said he would be willing to give up his salvation if it meant that the Jews would be saved. Talk about a heart for reaching people. When it comes down to it the gospel is much bigger than our preference and He is the one that will give us the power to be the witness that He s called us to be. Life Application: No matter if you got your question answered or not, Jesus Christ is the answer. Because of the gospel Christ makes possible forgiveness, healing, restoration, victory, grace and mercy, and freedom! It doesn t matter what your past looks like, with Christ you have a bright future. It doesn t matter what pain you ve experienced in the past, God can heal you and give you abundant life. HE longs to restore that relationship with God that was broken by the power of Sin. Only He can set you free.