Greg Laurie - Till He Comes (10/23/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie shares what Jesus taught about the end times in Matthew 24, focusing on signs of His return, the Battle of Armageddon, and the glorious second coming. He stresses that Christ will come back physically to judge the world and establish His kingdom, urging believers to live ready and share the gospel until He returns.
The Viral Video and Searching Hearts in These Times
Good morning, everybody. You know, that video we produced for this little series was posted on Facebook last week, and it's been viewed over a million times. It's been sent out to four million other people. So it's really gone viral, right? If you're on Facebook or Twitter, you might want to get the word out. You can get the link at our website, or go over to my Facebook page or my Twitter page, and we'll give you that link so you can share it with others. But it's really just a Scripture with some music and some video. I think the thing it touches on is that people know something's going on in this crazy world right now. People are searching for answers.
As Christians, we want to sort this out in our mind—like what happens when, and what are we supposed to be doing? But there's a lot of nonbelievers out there who see the chaos and craziness in our culture and our country, as well as the violence and war around the world. They're wondering, could this be it? Well, it could be. And that's what we're going to talk about today: what Jesus said about the end times.
A Prayer for Purifying Hope
Let's pray. Father, we ask now that You will bless as we open Your Word. We don't want to just accumulate some information here. We want the teaching of Your soon return to have its appropriate effect. You tell us in Scripture, he that has this hope—that is, the hope of the Lord's return—purifies himself even as You are pure. Let this teaching have a purifying effect on us so every one of us will want to be as close to You as we possibly can be. We give this time of Bible study to You now. Bless it, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
All right. Well, let's all grab our Bibles. We're going to turn to two passages today: Matthew chapter 24, where we're sort of anchored right now, and also Revelation chapter 19. The title of my message is Till He Comes.
Second Coming Type: The Greatest Event Imaginable
You know, newspapers have a certain kind of type they save for mega events. You know what they call it? Second coming type. They only use it on certain occasions. For instance, when Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese, they used second coming type. It's a mega type that's much bigger than normal. On September 12th, after the attack at the World Trade Center, they used second coming type. When President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, again, they used second coming type.
Now, why don't they just call it mega event type or big news type? Because it seems like everybody understands that there is no bigger event than the second coming of Jesus Christ. And by the way, we Christians aren't the only ones who believe that. A Gallup poll recently taken revealed that 66% of the American people believe Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth in the future. What's interesting is that's 25% more than those who claim to be born again. Which means not only do Christians believe Christ is coming back, but many non-Christians believe it as well.
Imagined Headlines When Christ Returns
You wonder how it will be reported by the press when Christ comes back again. I'm thinking here's some of the headlines from some of the publications out there. The Wall Street Journal, from more of a business perspective, would have a headline after the second coming: "Dow Jones Plummets as World Ends." Or the Victoria's Secret Catalog would have the headline, "Our Final Sale." Microsoft Systems Journal would have the headline, "Apple Loses Market Share." You know, Microsoft and Apple, they're always fighting, right?
Sports Illustrated headline on the magazine: "Game Over." USA Today, they're always very brief and succinct. They'd have the headline, "We're Dead." Wired magazine, sort of a high-tech magazine, they're always talking about the new thing that's coming out. Their headline might be, "The Last New Thing." How about this—Rolling Stone magazine would have a cover story on the second coming, and they'd say, "The Grateful Dead Reunion Tour." Or Ladies Home Journal, "Lose 10 Pounds by Judgment Day with Our New Armageddon Diet." Or the Food Network would just have this headline on their magazine, "Cooked Goose Recipe."
Look, I don't know how the press is going to report it, but I know this much: Christ is gonna come back again. How many of you believe that? Raise your hand. He's coming back again. It's true. It's true. He'll set up His kingdom and rule over the earth for a thousand years. Satan's heyday will finally be over. He'll be chained up for that thousand-year period.
Scripture's Emphasis on Christ's Return
And by the way, this great event, the return of Christ, is mentioned many times in Scripture. There are 300 passages in the Bible that deal with the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke of it at least 21 times when He walked this earth. And statistically, one verse out of every 25 refers to the Lord's return. And one of the most well-known statements about the Lord's return is from Christ Himself in what is known as the Olivet Discourse, also known as Matthew 24.
This is in response to the question of His disciples: "What shall be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the world?" And Jesus says in Matthew 24:29, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Physical, Not Just Spiritual Return
So, the question is sometimes asked, is the second coming of Jesus spiritual or is it physical? Well, the answer is, this is the physical return of Christ to the earth. His first coming was physical, and His second coming will be physical as well. Now, though it is true that Jesus indwells every believer—when you put your faith in Christ, He does come to take residence in your heart—it is also true that He is bodily in heaven right now. Remember when Stephen was martyred, he had a vision of glory, and he said, "Look, I see Jesus standing at the right hand of God." So, he saw Christ in heaven, but Jesus will come back bodily to earth.
After His ascension into heaven in Acts 1:11, the angel said to the apostles, "This same Jesus who was taken away from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen Him going into heaven." So, why is Jesus returning to the earth? Again, to judge the world in righteousness. And there are so many injustices in this world, aren't there? Criminals that seemingly get away with their crime. Terrorists that commit horrific acts. And we wonder, when are these wrongs going to be righted? Well, when Christ comes back, He will right the wrongs and bring justice to a world of injustice.
Armageddon: The Final Conflict
But before the second coming, there is going to be an event that must transpire. We know it as Armageddon. It's the final battle of mankind. Now, that word sounds so ominous and threatening and final. And indeed, it is. For Armageddon is the name of where the final conflict will happen. Usually, when the word Armageddon is invoked, it's talking about something ominous.
For instance, when General Douglas MacArthur stood on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Harbor, signing a peace agreement with Japan and effectively bringing World War II to an end, he made this statement: "We have had our last chance. If we do not now devise some great and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at the door."
Soon after he was inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States, President Ronald Reagan was overwhelmed by the complexities of the Middle East. And on Friday, May 15th, 1981, he scribbled in his diary, "Sometimes I wonder if we're going to witness Armageddon." A few weeks later, one Sunday, on June 7th, President Reagan heard that Israel had bombed the Iraqi nuclear reactor. And he wrote in his diary these words: "God... word of Israel bombing the Iraqi nuclear reactor. I swear," writes the President, "I believe Armageddon is near."
The Strategic Valley of Megiddo
I wonder what the President will say when Israel bombs the Iranian nuclear reactor. Which may happen. We don't know. But here's something that we need to understand. Armageddon is actually the name of a place. It's the Valley of Megiddo. And that's over in Israel. Many battles have been fought in that field already. Gideon defeated the Midianites in the Valley of Megiddo. Deborah and Barak defeated the Canaanites there. King Saul was killed in the Valley of Megiddo.
But why is the Valley of Megiddo the location of the final conflict? Well, no less an expert than the military leader Napoleon stood there in 1799 and made this statement: "All the armies of the world can maneuver their forces on this vast plain. There is no place in the world more suited for war than this. It's the most natural battleground on the whole earth."
The Four Horsemen and Escalating Tribulation
So, in our last message, we talked a little bit about the Battle of Armageddon raging on. And that was symbolized by the four horsemen of the apocalypse, remember? In Revelation 6. First, we had Antichrist emerging on the scene initially as a man of peace. But eventually showing his true colors. After he's helped the Jews rebuild their temple, he commits the abomination of desolation. That is the desecration of the temple. And people realize that this man is evil incarnate. If Satan never had a son, this is him, the Antichrist.
And this white horse of peace is followed by the red horse of war. Remember, I pointed out in Revelation 6, first Antichrist comes off like a good guy, then he shows himself for what he is, the worst guy ever. So in the immediate heels of the white horse of so-called peace comes war, Revelation 6:4: "And another horse, fiery red, went out. It was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth and that people should kill one another. And it was given to him a great sword." Note that it says his horse is fiery red. That reminds us of another description of Satan in the book of Revelation where he is called the Great Fiery Red Dragon.
Satan's Role in Global Chaos
Here's what we need to know. Satan is behind the wars and struggles on this planet. When Christ was born as a baby in Bethlehem, there in the manger, the angel said, "Peace on earth among men with whom God is well pleased." Jesus came to bring peace on earth. Antichrist comes to take peace from the earth.
Sometimes people are perplexed when they see another barbaric act of terrorism from a group like ISIS or Boko Haram or someone else. An innocent child killed. A person beheaded. Someone crucified. An individual put in a cage and set on fire. And the pundits sit around and try to explain it. "We don't know why people do these horrible things." I'll tell you why. Because there's a devil. And the devil loves carnage. And the devil loves violence. And the devil loves war. And he is the one that's whipping all of this up. Satan loves death. And Satan loves war.
Wars Past, Present, and Future
We've had some massive wars in our world's history. Of course, it was World War I. And that was called The War to End All Wars. And it was said that there would never be another world war. Because 10 million people lost their lives in World War I. But it took only 20 years for another conflict to develop. And World War II was far worse with 50 million people dying in it. But the worst wars are still yet to come. Because Jesus said in the last days there would be wars and rumors of wars. And this is going to happen in this tribulation period.
And right now, consider the fact that mankind has approximately—we don't know exactly, but approximately up to 27,000 nuclear weapons. Each with the capacity to blow so much up. These combined could blow our planet up many times over. And we wonder how bad is it going to get? It's going to get real bad.
America's Role and Emerging Powers
And where is America going to be in this last day scenario? I pointed out to you in our last message that the USA is no longer a major player on the world stage. In fact, we have new superpowers emerging. One is called the Kings of the East that I'll talk about in a moment. And another superpower are the confederated nations behind the Antichrist. These represent a whole new world order that is coming to this planet.
The Kings of the East and Massive Armies
The Kings of the East are an interesting group. Describing them, Revelation 16:14 says, "The spirits of demons will go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." He gathers them together in a place called in the Hebrew, Armageddon. So it's the Kings of the East marching into the Valley of Megiddo for Armageddon.
And then Revelation 9:16 tells us a little more about this group, the Kings of the East. They have an army that's 200 million strong. A specific number beside it. 200 million men in their army killing one-third of humanity. Who are the Kings of the East? Well, many believe it could be China. There's a cover of a Newsweek magazine that said, "China's Century." And here's some statements from that article: "Does the future belong to China? A new power is emerging in the East. China's rise is no longer a prediction. It's a fact. It's already the world's fastest large economy and the second largest holder of foreign exchange reserves, mainly dollars. It has the world's largest army and the fourth largest defense budget which is rising by 10% annually. It's the powerful new force on the global scene."
China's Growing Military Might
Now China, we know, is a major economic power but now they're becoming a major military power. Consider this fact. China has a population of one billion, 357 million people. Basically, they have one billion more people in China than we have in the United States. And they've been escalating their military machine, much to the alarm of our military experts. It was described as unprecedented and unexpected military expansion. And China announced, in 1997, they could raise an army of 352 million soldiers. Who on earth could field an army of that size? 352 million soldiers. That means they could send 200 million soldiers to the Middle East and leave 152 million at home to watch over their country. So you see they have the capacity.
Now look, I'm not saying China is the kings of the East. I don't know. We'll talk about Israel next time and her place in Bible prophecy and we'll look at that large force from her north invading her. And many believe that could be Russia. I think that's possible. I'll tell you why. But no one can say with certainty that Magog is Russia or the kings of the East is China. But this much we know, Magog will attack Israel. This much we know, the kings of the East will face off with the nations under the Antichrist in the valley of Megiddo.
Light Shining in the Darkness of Tribulation
But despite all of these dark things, it might be a surprise to you to know that God's light is going to shine in the tribulation period. As I've said before, I believe the next event on the prophetic calendar is the rapture of the church. Where we're caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Then Antichrist emerges. Then the tribulation period begins. At first it's peaceful. Then Antichrist shows his true colors. But yet despite the fact that he is persecuting Christians and Jews, we see great revivals breaking out and we see the gospel going forth.
In fact, we read about sort of an angelic mop-up operation. Because in Revelation 14:6, we read of an angel flying in the midst of heaven during the tribulation period, proclaiming the everlasting gospel to every nation and language. By the way, that fulfills what Jesus says here in Matthew 24:14: "The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness unto all the nations. Then shall the end come."
Reaching Every Nation and Tribe
And this answers that often asked question: What about the person who has never heard the gospel? How could a God of love send them to hell? For some reason, they're always in Africa too. What about the person living in the middle of the jungles of Africa? Guess what? God's gonna reach them. Because when we get to heaven one day, the Bible tells us there will be people from every race, every culture, every language, every nation bringing praise to God. Ultimately, everyone is going to be reached because Revelation 7:9 says, "I saw a vast crowd too great to count from every nation, every tribe, every people, every language standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb."
Now, that does not excuse us from our responsibility to get the gospel out. That is just saying that God's gonna finish up what we started, as I described it earlier, an angelic mop-up operation. In addition to this, the Lord is gonna raise up 144,000 Messianic Jews to travel around the world sharing their faith. With 144,000 Marty Getz's released. They'll all have like Marty Getz's hair. Little pianos. No, they won't. But Jews who have found Jesus as Messiah, traveling around, proclaiming the gospel.
The Two Witnesses and Their Powerful Ministry
And then, this is really interesting, the Lord is gonna raise up two prophets, two witnesses in the end times. And they're gonna have a miracle ministry. The Bible tells us they'll have the ability to call fire down from heaven. When those people are attempting to hurt them, they can also stop the rain and turn the waters to blood. So, who are the two witnesses? Well, some think it may be Moses and Elijah. I happen to agree with that. And one of the reasons is, remember Moses was the one who turned the Nile River to blood, or God did it through him, I should say. And Elijah was the one who could stop the rain and call fire down from heaven. And also, don't forget when Christ was transfigured, who appeared with Him, but Moses and Elijah.
Well, regardless of if Moses and Elijah are the witnesses, they're gonna have a powerful ministry, and reach many people. And then, suddenly, Antichrist kills them, and they're lying dead in the streets of Jerusalem. And the Bible tells us, as these two prophets are lying dead in the street, all the world is watching. Now, that's an interesting statement for someone to make on an island called Patmos 2,000 years ago. All the world will see them. Is that possible today, for everyone to see something at the same time? Well, of course it is. Not just because of satellite technology, that's been around for a long time, but now with the Internet, and access that we all have through our devices ranging from laptops, to tablets, to smartphones, to even watches now. And who knows what the technology will be at this point, but everyone can watch it.
Resurrection of the Witnesses
So, the whole world is watching. And by the way, everyone's having a big celebration. They're so happy. These pesky prophets are finally dead. And people are giving gifts out, one to another. I find that fascinating. It's like a big holiday. Happy Dead Prophets Day. Aren't you glad they shut up finally? Everyone's watching them. The Bible says this, Revelation 11: After three and a half days, the Spirit of life from God enters them, and they stood up. And terror struck all who were staring at them, and a loud voice shouted from heaven, "Come up here." And they rose up into heaven in a cloud, as their enemies watched.
Here's the bottom line. God always has the last word. Remember that. Because sometimes things look bleak. We have setback after setback. And we say, wait, wait, wait. I thought that God's word would prevail. Well, it will in time. But sometimes there's gonna be some darkness before that. But God will have the last word.
Revelation 19: The Glorious Second Coming
Well now, this party's over. It's time to pull out the second coming type. Christ is ready to return. Let's go now to Revelation 19 and read about the second coming of Jesus. I'll read verses 11 to 14: "I saw heaven opened. And behold, a white horse. And He that sat on him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire. On His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood. And His name is called the Word of God."
I want you to underline verse 14. We're gonna come back to it. "And the armies in heaven followed Him. Clothed in fine linen, white and clean."
Key Features of Christ's Return
Now there's some important things that we see here about the second coming. Number one. It will be public and seen by all. There's gonna be no question as to whether or not this is the second coming. It's not like someone's gonna say, was that just a bad storm? Or did Jesus come back? No, you'll know it was Him. Jesus said as the lightning shines from the east to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Number two. His return will be accompanied for some by sadness and weeping. They'll be mourning on the part of Israel as they realize Jesus was indeed their Messiah. Zechariah 12:10 says, "I'll pour out a spirit of grace on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They'll look on Me whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as for an only son. They'll grieve bitterly for Him as for a firstborn son who has died."
And this event and this event only will bring an end to the senseless wars of mankind. We'll never be able to wipe out terrorism and violence with military or political solutions. This will only happen when Christ comes back and establishes His kingdom.
Rapture vs. Second Coming: Key Differences
Now, please don't confuse the second coming with the rapture. Sometimes people have a hard time with this. They don't get it. There are two events. It happens at two times. The rapture happens before the tribulation period. The second coming effectively brings the tribulation period to a conclusion. Here's a little contrast. In the rapture, He comes before judgment. In the second coming, He returns with judgment. In the rapture, He comes for His people. In the second coming, He returns with His people. In the rapture, He comes as a thief in the night. In the second coming, everyone will see.
So here comes Jesus leading the armies. Verse 11 says, it's a white horse. Think of this as Air Horse One. "I saw a white horse. He that sat on him was called Faithful and True. In righteousness He judges and makes war." I love how Jesus is called the Faithful and True witness. Listen, here's what you need to know. God is faithful and true. And God will keep every promise He has made to you.
Because sometimes we're in despair. Sometimes we're frightened. Sometimes we're scared. Maybe you're afraid right now. And you feel as though you're all alone. Here's the words of the Faithful and True witness to you. Jesus says, "Lo, I am with you, even unto the end of the world." And by the way, that's not just a promise to short people, "lo, I am with you." It's a promise to all people. Jesus also said in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
Comfort for Fear, Guilt, and Death
Maybe you're afraid of death. Maybe someone hearing this message right now is at death's door. Don't be afraid. Because Jesus says in Revelation 1:17, "Don't be afraid. I'm the First and the Last. I'm the Living One. I died, but look, I'm alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and the grave." I'm so glad Christ has those keys. Because if He gave them to me, they would have been lost by now. Because I'm always losing keys. Am I the only one? But He doesn't lose His keys. He has the keys to hell and death. He says, "Don't be afraid. I've been there. I've come back. It's covered."
Of course, in John 14, Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. In My Father's house are many mansions, are dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. If I go, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, you may be also." Don't be afraid.
Maybe you're living under a load of guilt because of the wrongs you've done. You can't escape your past. You don't know how to put it behind you. Here's the words of the true witness, Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Our God is faithful.
The Appearance of Christ in Revelation 19
Now, here's an interesting thing. What did Jesus look like? Has it ever struck you as curious that there's not one physical description of Christ in the Bible? Could not one of these guys have just taken like four minutes and just written down a few details? He was tall. He was medium height. He was shorter. His hair was blonde. His hair was dark. Something. Tell us anything. Not one physical description of Christ in all of the Bible.
But actually, we do have a description of Him here. But it's more of a spiritual description. Revelation 19:11-13: He sat on a white horse. He that sat on him is Faithful and True. His eyes were like a flame of fire. On His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. And He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood. And His name is called the Word of God.
Eyes Like Flame, Many Crowns, Robe in Blood
So we have three things that stand out: the eyes, the head, the robe. First there are the eyes. Verse 12: His eyes are like a flame of fire. You know, when you meet someone, you shake their hand for the first time, you usually look them in the eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul. If a person doesn't make eye contact, that's not a good sign. Look away. But then there are some people that make eye contact and they sort of stare at you. It's like, could you look away for a second? You're making me uncomfortable? Or even worse, they stand too close? Really close. I call these people space invaders. Look, you see this? This is my space. Stay out of it. Don't stand here and talk to me like this. It's just weird.
But you know, you look into a person's eyes. Imagine looking into the eyes of Christ. He walked this earth. He looked at people. The Bible tells us He saw Matthew sitting at his table and we read, Jesus looked at him and said, "Follow Me." Just looked at him. And that could better be translated: He looked right through him. Have you ever had anyone look right through you? Let me restate the question. Do you have a mother? Remember when you were a kid, you were out a little late. Your mother says, "Where have you been? Look at me." You started confessing things you didn't even do. She looks right through you. So does Jesus. Here are the eyes of the Lord like flames of fire. His penetrating gaze cuts through the masks of hypocrisy. He sees the heart. Hebrews 4:13 says, "There is no creature hidden from His sight. All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account."
And then number two, there is the head. Verse 12: On His head are many crowns. He wears many crowns because He rules many kingdoms. He is Lord of all. And lastly, there is His robe. Verse 13: He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called the Word of God. This phrase dipped in blood could be better translated spattered in blood. So there is not just a little bit of blood. There is actually quite a bit of blood. So here comes the Lord in the second coming and on His robe there is blood. Why? Reminding us of what He came to do in the first place. He died on the cross for our sins. Now He comes back as our conquering king.
First Coming vs. Second Coming Contrast
Compare His first coming to His second coming. In His first coming there in the manger in Bethlehem He is wrapped in swaddling cloths. In His second coming He is clothed royally in a robe dipped in blood. In His first coming He is surrounded by animals and shepherds. In His second coming He is accompanied by saints and angels. In His first coming the door of the inn was closed to Him. In His second coming the door of heaven is open to Him. In His first coming He comes as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. In His second coming He returns as the ferocious Lion of the tribe of Judah to bring justice to the earth.
And Christ will be finally vindicated before all humanity because the Bible says every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
The Armies Following Christ
Now this is kinda cool. Look at verse 14. He has people with Him, armies follow Him in heaven on white horses. Who are these armies? We would think, well, they're just a bunch of angels. No. Angels will play a role. But these are not angels. In fact, Enoch tells us in Jude 14, the Lord comes with 10,000 of His saints to execute judgment. Okay, coming with a saint. You say, well, that rules me out. I'm certainly not a saint. Oh, au contraire. That's French for snails with garlic. No, that's escargot. No. Au contraire. To the contrary, if you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are a saint. Saint is just an interchangeable word with believer. Every Christian is a saint. Every saint is a Christian.
I heard about a Sunday school teacher that was talking to her class about saints one day. And she said, "Can someone tell me what a saint is?" And a little girl was looking through the beautiful stained glass window. It would have the apostles in them. And she said to the teacher, "I know. A saint is someone that the light shines through." And that's true. You know, we follow Christ as light shines through us.
But who are these saints? Colossians 3:4 gives the answer. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall appear with Him in glory." That means that you and I are gonna come back with Jesus Christ in the second coming. And you say, well, I don't like horses. Don't worry about it. They'll be nice horses. I'm with you on that. I like horsepower, not horses. I like brakes that work and turning ignition off or, you know. But anyway, we're coming back with Him again. So this is the ultimate Holy Land tour. You are going to see the Holy Land and Jesus will be your guide when He brings you back again. But this might be a nice time to mention, we're also taking a Holy Land tour next year. It won't be as good as this one, but maybe next year we are going. Let's keep that in mind. We will return with Him.
What to Do Till He Comes
All right. So let's bring this home. Let's wrap it up. What are we supposed to do till He comes? How are we to live our lives? You know, interestingly, the Bible says nothing about stockpiling gold, food, water, and weapons. In fact, the Bible tells us there are specific things we should be doing as Christians as we await His return.
Jesus told a parable in Luke chapter 19. You don't have to turn there. I'll just sort of paraphrase it for you. But it's a story of a man of great wealth who was preparing to leave on a long trip. So he called his servants together and he gave each of them a sum of money. Now, this is different than another parable that Christ told where some were given more than others. In this particular parable, everyone was given the same amount of money. He says, "I'm gonna go on a journey. Here's some money. Here's some money for you. Here's some for you. Here's some for you." And then he said, "Occupy till I come." That's King James. Occupy till I come. A modern translation would be, "Do business till I come." Or "Invest till I come."
Here's what I'm giving you. Use this wisely till I come back again. So basically, everyone was given the same thing. So here's the question. How does this apply to us? What one thing has been given to every follower of Jesus without exception? Answer: the message of the Gospel. The Great Commission is given to every follower of Christ. Now, granted, not everyone is called to be an evangelist, but everyone is called to evangelize.
Faithfulness in Sharing the Gospel
Paul mentions in his letter to Timothy how the glorious Gospel was committed to his trust. And the glorious Gospel has been committed to your trust as well. So here's sort of a paraphrase of what Jesus is saying to us right now based on that parable. "Look, I'm coming back soon. So take this message I've entrusted to you, and get it out to others. Do God's business until I return."
There's nothing wrong with having a career. There's nothing wrong with finding that right guy, that right girl, and marrying them, and having a happy family. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the things that the Lord has given you, because He has told us to enjoy those things that have been provided by Him. But here's the question you need to ask yourself, the question I need to ask myself: How am I personally taking care to get the Gospel out?
You might say, "Well Greg, that's why you're here. That's your job." Well it is, it's my job. I'm doing what I can, though I'm sure I could do more. But it's your job to do it too. "Well we give money to Harvest, and so you guys have to take care of it." We'll do what we can, but it's more than just giving money for the work of evangelism, though that's a very good thing to do. It's looking for those opportunities that God puts in your path.
Using Resources for Eternal Impact
Jesus made that clear in another parable. Luke 16:9, He tells this really fascinating story that in a way doesn't make sense. It's a guy that was gonna get fired. And he knew his days were numbered. So he's representing his master and collected bills, collected money. So this guy, knowing he's gonna be terminated, goes out to a bunch of the people that owe money to his master, says, "Hey you owe 10 grand, give me five grand, the debt is settled, I'll sign it, I'm representing him, you're good to go. Hey you owe this, give me half as much, your debt is paid." He does this to a bunch of people. Instead of reproving him, the master commends him. In fact he says in Luke 16:9, Jesus is concluding, "Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so when it is gone, you'll be welcomed into eternal dwellings."
The idea is, hey you know what, this guy, he was smart, he was shrewd. And in the same way, we need to take our money, our resources, and use them to gain friends. You say, what are you talking about? Bribing people to become Christians? No, no. Using your money for the work of the Gospel. Investing your resources into the Kingdom of God.
Time, Talent, Treasure for God's Glory
God has given to every one of us three things to use for His glory. There's time, there's talent, and there's treasure. We all have that. In varying degrees. We have our time every day that we can dedicate to Him. We have our talent, our skills, our abilities, our gifts, and finally we have our treasure to give to Him. And that's what this man did.
Paul writes in Thessalonians: "What is our hope, or our joy, or our crown of rejoicing? Is it not you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?" Paul seems to be implying that when we leave this world and we're caught up into God's presence, we will have gathered around us those that we help bring to Christ. You might say, "Well, Greg, I'm going to be pretty lonely because I haven't led many people to Christ." Haven't you? Maybe you've done more than you thought.
See, God doesn't hold you responsible for success. He holds you responsible for faithfulness. In that final day, Jesus is not going to say, "Well done, good and successful servant." He's going to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." So all you can do is take what God has given you and do the best you can do with it.
Sowing, Watering, Reaping in God's Timing
So maybe you sow a seed. And how do we sow a seed? Hey, just for starters, by living a godly life. You know, you just love your wife. You love your husband. You seek to do the best you can. You're a caring person. You're a loving neighbor. You're a good example of Jesus Christ. So you sow a little seed or you mention to someone your faith in Christ. And then sometimes you water a seed at somebody else's sown. You share a little bit about your faith. And other times, God gives you the opportunity to reap where others have sown and others have watered. But Paul writes, look, one sows another waters. God gives the increase. It's God that does it.
But there might be seeds that you've sown that will not break ground until much later. Maybe seeds you sowed in your children. Or in your grandchildren. Or in someone you talked to. And that person will come to Christ three years after you die. And then they will lead four people to Christ. And then those people will go out and reach others. And then one of those people will reach someone who will be the next Billy Graham who will reach his generation. And guess what? All that is fruit to your account. It all comes back to you. Because you did your part. See, we're all interconnected.
So here's the bottom line. Just do what you can. Just don't beat yourself up. "I'm such a failure." Hey, do what you can. Do what you can for God's glory. Sow those seeds. Water those seeds. Reap when the Lord opens the door. But I think you've done more than you realize. And know this also. When you see people come to Christ say in a Harvest Crusade. And you've invested financially in that. You share in the fruit of that as well. That's fruit to your account. We all have a part in this great process.
Laying Up Treasures in Heaven
But here's the thing. One day our worldly wealth is gonna go somewhere. You can't hang on to it. One day our most precious things will fit in a hospital drawer. Let me say that again. One day our most precious things will fit in a hospital drawer. You die. Oh, here are their possessions. You can take them now. See, and we live our whole life thinking about these things. Working for these things. Stressing about these things. And we'll leave it all. But when we lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, they'll be waiting for us. So do your giving while you're living. Then you know where it's going.
Be Ready for Christ's Return
But the most important thing, and I close with this, is I want you to personally be ready for the return of Christ. Now today I've talked about the second coming of Jesus Christ. But guess what? The rapture of the church, where He comes for us, is, well, seven years before it, to be exact. Which means if the second coming of Christ is close, then certainly the rapture of the church is even closer. That means Christ could come back at any moment. And then again, life could just end. We just don't know when that's going to happen. So we need to be ready. Are you ready? Right now.
If you were to die today, would you go to heaven? If Christ were to come back tonight, would you be one of the ones who would be caught up to meet Him in the air? Or are you not sure about that? Let's get that settled. I said earlier, that Christ lives in the heart of every one of His followers. Does He live inside of you?
Heard about a mom that was talking to her daughter about how Jesus lived inside of her. And then the mom was hungry and her stomach was gurgling. The little girl put her ear up to her mom's stomach and said, "Mom, right now I think He's making coffee." Is He? But He does live in the heart of the Christian. Does He live in your heart? Well, I think so. You know, I think you will know if the Creator of the universe has taken residence in your heart. And if you don't know, that would be a good indication He doesn't live there. I know He lives in my heart. And you can know that He lives in yours. And if you haven't asked Him in, you can do it right now.
Invitation to Receive Christ
The same Jesus who died on the cross and rose from the dead and will come back again, stands at the door of your life and He knocks and says, if you hear His voice and open the door, He will come in. He wants to come into your life right now. And if you've never asked Him in, do it right now.
Let's all bow our heads for a word of prayer. Father, thank You for Your Word to us. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for us. And now we pray for those that are here, those that are watching, those that are listening. If they don't know You yet, help them to come to You now so they can be ready for Your return. And so they don't have to fear death. Speak to them now, we would ask in Jesus' name.
While our heads are bowed and while our eyes are closed and we're praying, how many of you would say today, Greg, I'm not sure if Christ lives inside of me. I can't say with confidence, I know that I'm a Christian. I don't know for sure that I will go to heaven when I die. And I do not think I'm ready for His return. But I want to be. I want Jesus to come into my life. I want Him to forgive me of my sin. Would you pray for me? If that's your desire, if you want Christ to come into your life, if you want Him to forgive you of your sin, if you want to be ready for His return, would you lift your hand up wherever you're sitting? And I'll pray for you. Lift up your hand. Let me pray for you. God bless you. Wherever you are, lift your hand up saying, I want Christ in my life today. Say, I want my sin forgiven. I want to be ready for His return. Lift your hand up, I'll pray for you. God bless you. Anybody else? Raise your hand up higher where I can see it. Anybody else? God bless you. God bless you.
Some of you are watching the video screen. I can't see you right now. That really doesn't matter. Would you lift your hand as well? The Lord sees you. Anybody else? You want Christ to come into your life? Raise your hand up. Let me pray for you. God bless you.
Now I'm going to ask every one of you that have raised your hand, I want you to pray this prayer right where you sit. Just pray this prayer after me. And this is a prayer of asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. Again, as I pray, pray this out loud after me. Just pray this:
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. And I also know that You are a Savior who died on that cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. Now I turn from that sin and I choose to follow You from this moment forward. Thank You for calling me and accepting me and forgiving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
God bless you that prayed that prayer. I know many of you did. We have a special gift for you that just prayed that prayer. It's called the Start Bible. It looks like the one I'm holding here. It's pretty easy to spot—red with a white arrow. This is the New Testament along with some notes that I wrote that will encourage you in this commitment you've made. We want to give you one of these before you leave today. We want to talk with you a little bit about what it means to follow Christ.
Now, over here in the corner of our sanctuary, there's that red box with a white arrow. If you want to go back and get your Start Bible and learn more about what it means to follow Jesus, you can actually leave your seat now if you prefer and go back there. If you're a counselor, you can go back there. If you're outside in the courtyard or in the amphitheater, you can come around to the back of the sanctuary and go to this room. And if you prefer, you can go when we're dismissed, which will be in just a few moments, and get your Start Bible. But don't leave the campus today without your own New Testament and without talking with someone and telling them about this commitment you've made to follow Jesus Christ.
Well, we're going to continue our worship right now and receive our morning tithes and offerings. Let's pray together. Lord, we've heard Your Word now and we think about how You've given us time, talent, and treasure. And now we want to lay up for ourselves some treasure in heaven. We want to invest in the souls of men and women. We want to give toward the preaching of the Gospel so more can hear this life-changing message. Bless this time of giving. Now we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.