Greg Laurie - Signs of the Times (02/02/2018)
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Pastor Greg Laurie examines Matthew 16 and the "signs of the times" Jesus described, pointing to escalating global wars, earthquakes, false teaching, and Middle East tensions as indicators we're nearing Christ's return—urging believers to stay watchful, live ready, and share the gospel sign of His death and resurrection.
Signs of the Times Introduction
All right. Well let's turn in our Bibles to Matthew chapter 16. And the title of my message is Signs of the Times. Seems like a pretty relevant message right now.
I heard a story of some Christians that were standing by the side of the road holding up a sign that read, The end is near. Turn yourself around before it is too late. And they planned to hold that sign up to each car that passed by. And the first guy that drove by rolled down his window and said, Leave me alone, you religious nuts. And then he drove around the bend and they heard screeching tires and a big splash.
And one of the Christians turned to the other and said, You think we should just put up a sign that says, Bridge out instead?
Is the end of the world near? Haven't we heard this all before? Was it Chicken Little that told us the sky was falling? Yet here we are still. This idea of the end of the world coming, of Christ returning again to the earth, is this the truth? Or is this a myth?
Every Generation Thinks It's the Last
The fact of the matter is, every generation has interpreted Bible prophecy in light of its own historical experience. And every generation that has thought it was the generation that would see the Lord's return up to this point has been wrong. Right? Because He didn't come, did He? And so here we are saying the same thing. Oh we believe that Jesus is coming.
Is that true? Do we have any authority to base that on? Well that is a valid question. Not something we need to run from. There are signs of the times that Jesus told us we are to be looking for that would alert us to the fact that He is returning again.
And one of those signs is people mocking and saying He won't come back again. A number of years ago I was doing an interview on a radio show. Actually talk radio. And they had a professor from some school on that was debating me on the topic of the Lord's return. And I was saying I believe Christ is coming. And he was saying oh we have heard this forever.
And so as we were engaging I said sir, I suggest to you that you yourself are a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. And I think that surprised him a little bit. He says what do you mean I am a fulfillment of Bible prophecy? I said well the very attitude you are taking is one of the signs of the times.
And then I read in this passage from 2 Peter 3:3 when it says I want to remind you in the last days there will be scoffers who laugh at the truth and do every evil thing they desire. And this will be their argument. So Jesus promised to come back. Did He? Well then where is He? For as far back as anyone can remember everything has remained the same since the world began.
Yes we have heard this message before. But over the years certain things have happened that have immense prophetic significance. What are those things? Well I would say the dramatic escalation of global wars and terrorism. The push for world unity or what is often referred to as globalism. Change in world economics toward a cashless society. The unprecedented increase of killer earthquakes. And also false teaching permeating the church leading to a great apostasy.
But what is significant is the cumulative effect. The convergence of so many more signs at one time that caused me to wonder are we the generation that will see the return of the Lord. See we have always had these things. But what I am talking about is a convergence of these things and a frequency of these events. And that is exactly what the Bible says will happen in the end times that these events will happen closer and closer together.
Labor Pains of the End Times
The Scripture likens it to a woman having labor pains over in 1 Thessalonians 5. And it says, Know that the Lord will come unexpectedly like a thief in the night. When people are saying, All is well and everything is peaceful and secure, then disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman's birth pains begin when a child is about to be born. There will be no escape.
So you girls who have had children know about this, don't you? When the time of the birth was approaching, your labor pains increased in intensity and in frequency to the point of your water breaking and ultimately the child being born. That is what we are seeing happening around us right now.
Now the events that we talk about global conflict and killer earthquakes and the Antichrist emerging and all of this. These are all a part of a particular period of time that the Bible refers to as the Tribulation Period. It is seven years in total. It starts with the emergence of the Antichrist and it ends with the return of Jesus Christ.
Are we there yet? No we are not. Are we close to it? I believe that we are. Because as we see force shocks of the Antichrist if you will. As we see things that would say it is getting closer. That means the return of Jesus Christ for His church is even closer than that. In other words if Antichrist is closer then the return of Jesus Christ is even closer yet.
Because Jesus said when you see these things begin to happen. Not when they are in full force. When they begin to happen look up for your redemption is drawing near. Yes He is coming back.
The Rapture and Second Coming
Now there is some disagreement over the order of prophetic events and I even have friends who are pastors who would disagree with me on some of the things I believe in. I totally respect their right to be wrong. But we will have very civil discussions. Very friendly discussions. Spirited discussions. But that is fine to me. I don't think you should ever divide with someone over this. And if they see it a little differently that is fine.
But on this one truth there can be no division. We cannot step away from it. And it is this simple truth. We need to all believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again soon. Because that is what the Bible tells us we should believe in. In fact we should believe rather.
Remember after the Lord ascended into heaven and the disciples were looking up the angels said to them, You men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into the heavens? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come again in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. So the angels are saying to us the same Jesus that bodily resurrected and ascended to glory will bodily come back to earth. Not in some secret coming somewhere. No. When He comes back in glory in the second coming every eye will see Him.
But before the second coming at the end of the tribulation there will be the rapture of the church. Well He will call us to be with Him in the air. Jesus said clearly in John 14, I will come again.
Now look. God wants us to know about Bible prophecy because 30% of the Scripture is dedicated to this topic. And it is important to study Bible prophecy because it teaches us about our future. But it also assures us that God keeps His promises.
Fulfilled Prophecies Build Confidence
For instance we have hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the coming of the Messiah to the earth. And through these prophecies we know that Jesus was the Messiah because He fulfilled every one. Scripture was very specific in saying Messiah would be born in Bethlehem over there in the book of Micah. Scripture was very clear in pointing out that Messiah would be crucified. And this statement recorded in Psalm 22 and also referred to in Isaiah 53 pointed out that that He would die this cruel death that hadn't even come into being at the time it was written.
Scripture was very clear in pointing out that He would be betrayed by one of His own. And that He would rise again from the dead. So now with 20-20 hindsight we can look back and see how Jesus fulfilled all of those Old Testament prophecies pointing to Him. Thus when we look at prophecies about our future we know that they will be fulfilled exactly as God said.
Because there are five times more prophecies about His return the second time than there are about His coming the first time. So that means this is something the Bible really emphasizes. But the question arises, will He come again soon?
Now no one can say with certainty, alright. And I want to make it very clear that I am not one of those date setters. Never have been, never will be. Every now and then some looney tune will come along and say that He has cracked the code and knowing when the Lord will return. Yet Jesus Himself said, No man knows the day or the hour.
And if you were to go back, go back to the original language and translate that out literally, it would say, No man knows the day or the hour. But the Bible says, But of the times and seasons you know. So no we can't pinpoint it to a year or to a month and certainly not to a day. But we can say, Ah, but we see signs of the times that would say, It is getting very close.
Current Signs of the Times
What are these signs? Well we read them in the headlines of our newspapers every day or on the news sites you look at on the web or on television or whatever. Iran threatens to annihilate Israel. And you can pull the name Iran out and insert another name because many have threatened to do this. But any threat to annihilate Israel.
China continues to build up military. Another shooting at school kills 22. Killer earthquakes, Rock City, thousands feared dead. I made this statement last Thursday night when I gave this same message. And only hours later we saw the killer quake hit Japan. And I am not saying that so you will be impressed and say, Oh Greg you are a prophet. No. I just read the Bible. That is all. And it is plainly recorded here in Scripture. And I am just bringing it to our attention. So we will see the plain signs of the times.
Because signs affect us in what we do. Right? When you go out driving you see one of those red signs that says, Stop. Stop. What does that mean? It means slow down a little. It is a song. I stop. Then you see a sign that says, Slow. What does that mean? Absolutely nothing.
Then you see you are in Anaheim and you are cruising up Harbor Boulevard and you see Disneyland. What does that sign mean? Spend money. Oh you are driving to Las Vegas and you see the famous Las Vegas sign. What does that mean? Lose money.
Signs have meaning. My wife and I went to a hospital the other day to visit someone there. And I saw a sign I have never seen before. It was an image of a hand man holding a tiny little baby. And on the sign with the word Safe Surrender Site. And this is a place where a person can drop off an unwanted newborn baby. Kind of a shocking thing to see really.
We have all heard these horrible stories of babies being left in dumpsters and boxes. And so this is a Safe Surrender Site where you can take a newborn and place it there and they wouldn't judge you or stop you or have you arrested. They would simply take the child, which I guess is a good thing that the child would be saved. Of course that is a good thing, but it is just a tragic sign of the times, isn't it? That you would even have to have a sign made up for such a thing. It is almost unthinkable.
Jesus Coins "Signs of the Times"
But Jesus is actually the one that coined the phrase, signs of the times. Let's read about it. Matthew 16. We are going to read verses 1-4. Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, testing Him and asked Him if He would show them a sign from heaven.
He answered and said to them, When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
A wicked and an adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except that of the prophet Jonah. And he left them and departed.
Let's pray for a moment. Now, Lord, as we consider signs of the times around us, help us to pay attention. And I pray for every person listening to this message right now, that they, that we, would be fully ready for your return again. So speak to us from your word, we would ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Pharisees and Sadducees Demand a Sign
Now, as our story, excuse me, begins, we have the Pharisees and the Sadducees coming to Jesus. That doesn't mean a lot to us, because we don't understand how things were back in those days. But the Pharisees and the Sadducees, well, they just didn't get along. They didn't mix. They didn't hang out together. They were polar opposites in the theological spectrum. They were like oil and water.
And so to even have the Pharisees and Sadducees come together on anything was remarkable. It would be like reading a statement that said, the liberals and the conservatives got together. Well, that's pretty unlikely. Or the meat eaters and the vegans went to a restaurant together. Or the PC users and the Mac fans got together. Or how about this one? The outlaw bikers and the ballerinas. What? What would they have in common?
And what did the Pharisees and the Sadducees have in common? Not much. They had one thing in common that I'll point out in a moment. But who were these people? Well, of course, we know a lot about the Pharisees. Jesus addressed them on many occasions. But these were the very strict religious individuals that sought to live their life by the Scripture.
Now, although their zeal for the law drew them into hyper-legalism problem, and a preoccupation with minutia, which Jesus condemned, essentially, the Pharisees believed the right things. They believed in the Torah, which is the Old Testament. They believed it was inspired by God. They believed God made all things. They believed there was an afterlife. There were angels and demons. They believed that there was a heaven, there was a hell and so forth.
But then there were the Sadducees. Now, they were as far from the Pharisees as you could be theologically. They were like the theological liberals of today. They didn't really believe what the Word of God said. They did not believe in the teachings of the Torah on the afterlife, or the resurrection, or life beyond the grave. And that's a pretty bleak outlook, don't you think? If you don't believe there's any life beyond our existence on this earth, that's a pretty sad way to live. Maybe that's where the Sadducees got their name. Sad. You see?
So here you have the Pharisees and the Sadducees, or simply dumb and dumber, coming to Jesus. But what do they have in common? This. They hated Christ. That was the one thing they had in common. They hated Jesus.
And so they come, we read, testing Him, demanding a miracle. Now, they had already seen a boatload of miracles. They had seen Jesus cast out demons, and calm storms in the Sea of Galilee, and heal sick people, and feed thousands of people, even raise the dead. And yet they have the audacity to demand another sign.
And interestingly, Mark's Gospel, commenting on this same event, tells us that after they said this to Him, Jesus sighed deeply. Have you ever had someone say something to you that was just so lame, and you reacted by going, you know, where do I start? Are you serious?
After all that I've done, after all the miracles I performed, you are coming to me now, demanding another sign. I can't believe you guys. You know, you can read the signs of the times. You can look at the weather and figure out what is going to happen. That doesn't take a genius. And now they have weather apps for your phone. I have one on mine. And it is like little pictures. I mean it is pretty much idiot proof. I just press it, and if it is going to be sunny, there is a little sun there, you know. If it is going to be rainy, a little cloud with rain. Oh, it is going to be rainy. Look at the picture. You know. Doesn't take a rocket scientist. Or I can even walk outside and I can say, yeah look, it is a little dark today, a little cloudy. I am going to take a coat along or maybe an umbrella or whatever.
But you know you can read the obvious signs of the times. So here is what Jesus is saying. You know you worry about whether it is going to rain tomorrow. But you don't give a single serious thought about where you will spend eternity.
So if I were to step outside of the sanctuary right now and I looked in the distance and I said, you know I see dark stormy clouds in Corona. And it is raining hard. And it is moving our direction. I predict rain will come to the city of Riverside in the next two hours. Would you all say, wow. You would say, well duh. Anyone can predict that. Precisely. And that is exactly what Jesus is talking about. He is saying you can read the weather signs. Why can't you read the signs of the times?
Increasing Earthquakes and Disasters
Well what are they? Well there is many. And I don't have time to go into all of them. But you know the Bible has a lot to say about the end times. And about the way power is going to shift. There is going to be a complete change in the way the world is. Starting with a cashless society. The technology to make that possible is here now. We all know that.
The Bible speaks of a powerful superpower identified as the kings of the east that will emerge and actually face off with the Antichrist in the battle of Armageddon. Interestingly we find no mention in the prophetic scenario of the reigning superpower in the world today. And I am talking of course about Sweden. No I am kidding. I am talking about the United States of America. We are the undisputed superpower. But as you look at the prophetic story it is interesting to find this glaring omission. Where are we? Where is Waldo? I mean why are we not there?
And so in some way shape or form the United States will diminish as a superpower and others will take our place. That is a Bible study unto itself. There will be a new world order. All of these things are coming.
But when Jesus told us to look at the signs of the times he paints a picture of a world torn by strife and war. Famine in the midst of plenty. Marked by great earthquakes and ravaged by pestilences. Luke 21:25-26 Jesus said, There will be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars and on the earth dismay among nations and perplexity as the roaring of the seas and the waves. Men's hearts will be fainting for fear from the expectation of the things that are coming upon the world.
Another translation of that same verse puts it this way. It will seem like all hell is broken loose. Sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, and an uproar. And everyone all over the world in a panic. The wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom. The powers that be quaking.
Jesus told us that one of the signs of the last days would be an increase in earthquakes. Luke 21:11 says, There will be great earthquakes in various places, plagues, and famines. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
Now we have always had earthquakes. We have always had hurricanes. And we have always had tsunamis. But the Bible tells us one of the signs of the times is we will see more of them closer together. So here is my question. Is this happening right now? In case you do not know the answer. It is yes.
We all remember that horrible earthquake that hit Haiti. 7.0 on the Richter scale. But because of the very weak infrastructure of that nation, over 360,000 people died. And 1.8 million people are homeless. And then just recently we had this earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. That was 6.3. But now we have had this killer quake that just hit the east coast of Japan killing thousands of people. 30-foot walls of water that swept across rice fields, engulfing entire towns. It was the largest quake in the history of Japan. And it is the fifth worst earthquake in the history, in the world, in the last 100 years.
One man who was interviewed by CNN said, quote, The earth shook with such ferocity. I thought things were coming to an end. It was simply terrifying. The Prime Minister of Japan said, it is the worst tragedy to hit their nation since World War II. That is a significant statement. And now they are having the issues with these nuclear reactors you see.
So there is all these, the collateral damage that can happen from an earthquake or from a Tsunami. And if you saw any of the video footage it was just shocking to see with your own eyes this water moving through towns. And you know sometimes in the films that Hollywood gives us with the special effects they will have big giant 300-foot waves coming in. But this is more like a thick syrup just picking up everything in its path and moving boats around and houses around and cars around like they are little twigs. And we just see the devastation of these earthquakes.
The Bible says you will see more of these things in the future. And right in the aftermath of the quake in Japan there was a quake in China. 5.4 on the Richter scale. And we still remember the catastrophic Tsunami of December 26, 2004 which was caused by the fourth most powerful undersea earthquake on record. An earthquake that was so powerful it moved the entire island of Sumatra a hundred feet to the southwest. 290,000 people died in that quake.
And the Bible says you are going to see more of this in the end times according to the U. S. Geological Society. They say earthquakes are increasing. For the past five decades every decade has increased the number of earthquakes. Not minor ones but killer quakes. And they just keep coming. And He says when you see these things increase look up for your redemption is drawing near.
Middle East Tensions and Jerusalem
So while this is going on then we look at the conflict in the Middle East that is boiling right now as well. I would say one of the most significant signs that would cause me to think we could be the generation that would see the Lord's return would be the return of the Jewish people to their homeland. Now that is not just a sign. That is what we would call a super sign. That singular event is a prophetic watershed.
Never has a nation been able to maintain its national identity three to five hundred years after being removed from its homeland. That is until Israel. And when the Jews officially declared themselves a nation against all odds on May 14, 1948 it was a modern day miracle. And more specifically it was a fulfilled Bible prophecy that set the prophetic clock ticking.
Jesus said learn a parable of the fig tree. When its branches are yet tender and it puts forth leaves you know that summer is near. So likewise when you see these things begin to happen look up for your redemption is drawing near. Israel in Scripture is often likened to a fig tree. It has been dead. It is coming back to life. Just as we look outside and we see things are getting green again. And coming back to life again. He says when you see the fig tree begin to bud and bloom and blossom know that my coming is there. This generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled.
That is very specific. Now how long is a generation? Many have tried to figure that out. And obviously the answer is no one really knows. But that generation will not pass away until all these things be fulfilled.
Now did the Scripture predict that the Jews would be scattered and regathered? Absolutely it did. Over in Ezekiel 37:21-22. You might want to Mark that reference and return to it later. But it says a number of specific things. It says number one, God would take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they had gone. Number two, He would gather them from every side and bring them into their own land. And thirdly, He would make them one nation in the land. Very particular predictions.
So did God do these things? He promised He would gather the Jewish people from where they had been. Has He done that? Yes. He promised He would bring them to a specific place, the land of Israel. He didn't say they would return to Cleveland. Or New York City. Or LA. No. It said specifically back to their land. Has that happened? Yes. Then He promised that He would bring them to a land and give them back the city of Jerusalem. Now that is very specific. Has that happened? Yes it has.
And understand when God predicts the future it is not a big risk. Okay. God knows the future more accurately than we can recall the past. I mean my recollection begins to fade with the passing of time. I can tell you what I did earlier today. But when we go back to yesterday and a week ago and a month ago or five years ago it starts getting a little fuzzy. Right? But God remembers the past with complete clarity. And He knows the future with complete accuracy. And God living in the eternal realm can just see all of these things at once. And so when He speaks of the future it is not like He is going out on a limb or taking a risk. He is simply describing what is true. And that is what happens when God gives us prophecy in Scripture. And He has brought these people back to the land.
And it is interesting to notice that a blessing is promised to not only His people the Jews but to those that bless the Jews. God said to Abraham and his descendants, I will bless those that bless you and I will curse those that curse you. Get out your history book. And look at the nations that have tried to destroy the Jewish people. And ask yourself the question, where are they now? Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Rome, and Spain, Germany. And then look at a nation that has blessed Israel. And look at the results.
One nation that has faithfully stood by Israel's side since her very beginning has been our country, the United States. And I believe one of the reasons God has blessed us is because we have blessed the Jewish people. And why should we stand by them? Because they are the only legitimate democracy in the Middle East? No. That is a good reason. But that is not the primary reason. We should stand by them because God has put these people in their land. And the blessing of God has come upon us as a result. And as our nation moves away from our support of Israel, we do so at our own peril. That is what I believe. You agree?
But here is what it comes down to. It is not just Israel. This is not just Israel. This is not about politics here, folks. This is about what the Bible says. The Bible specifically pinpoints Jerusalem as the epicenter, as my friend Joel Rosenberg likes to say, of this whole scenario.
You know it has been said before, well it is the economy, stupid. Well now, in current international politics, we could say it is Jerusalem, stupid. Why is Jerusalem such a hot spot? It is the center of the storm for one simple reason. Jerusalem is claimed by two world religions. You could say three, but more accurately two. And I am talking about Judaism and Islam. Christianity claims it as well. But the connection is not the same as it is for Judaism and Islam.
Judaism claims Jerusalem because that is the city God gave to them. When they became a nation officially and conquered the new land, Jerusalem eventually came to be their capital. And it was David who ruled there. And it was actually called the city of David. It was in Jerusalem that the first temple was built by Solomon, the son of David. It was in Jerusalem where the glory of the Lord came and hovered over the city. It was in Jerusalem where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah and was stopped by the Lord. And by the way, it is also there in that very area where the Muslims believe that that is where Muhammad ascended to heaven. Therefore that is a sacred spot for them.
So all of this tension over this tiny little postage stamp of real estate. Where the first and second temple once stood. Where the dome of the rock, also known as the Mosque of Omar, a shrine built by Islam to Muhammad stands. And so any attempt by the Jews to do any excavation there creates immediate tension. And then any talk of a third temple creates suspicion. And there is going to be a third temple. Because the Antichrist is going to be a part of rebuilding the temple. So any efforts in that direction should certainly get our attention.
But this tiny little place, Jerusalem. Luke 21:20. You will see Jerusalem surrounded by armies. And you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. Zechariah 12:2. I will make Jerusalem and Judah like an intoxicating drink to all the nearby nations that send their armies to besiege Jerusalem. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone. A burden for the world. None of the nations who try to lift it will succeed. Not LA. Not Paris. Not Rome. Not San Bernardino. Or Petaly. Petaly is not at the center of Bible prophecy. Nor is Riverside. Jerusalem. God has said specifically.
The Only Sign Jesus Gives
Now why is this important? Well you look at the conflict that is happening in the Middle East right now. What has happened in Egypt. What is in play right now in Libya. And one wonders what is going to take place. A lot of times in the mainstream press it will be portrayed as people wanting democracy. You know they want to have it like we have here in the West. And be able to have freedom. And I think that is true of some of the people there. But I also think there are extreme groups that will use this to bring about in Islamic culture.
One organization that has been cited as being moderate is known as the Muslim Brotherhood. Yet the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood came out recently in an interview and said he wanted for Egypt what Iran has today which is a true Islamic State. He says Egypt and the world and Islam as a whole need leaders like Abinajab. That is the leader of Iran. He said in his speech he said Egypt should join a new world order with Iran and Venezuela and Hezbollah and Hamas to chase away the Americans.
Now listen to what he also says. Every night when I go to bed I pray to wake up the next day and see Israel wiped off the map. Really? Why is it all of a sudden about Israel now? I thought it was about democracy and freedom. Now it always comes back to Israel. It always comes back to Jerusalem.
I mentioned Abinajab of Iran. He said many times. He wants to wipe Israel off the face of the map. And that is why Iran building nuclear reactors is of great concern to all of us. Especially the Israelis. And then he said in a speech recently. They asked is it possible for us to witness a world without America and Zionism. You had better know that it is altogether attainable and can be achieved. The regime that is occupying Jerusalem will be wiped off the face of the map. Again it is Jerusalem isn't it? A sign of the times.
So the Pharisees and the Sadducees come to Jesus. And they demand a sign from him. He is not going to give it to them. No soup for you. He says, except this. Here is your sign. Verse 4. A wicked and an adulterous generation seeks after a sign. No sign will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them and departed.
He says, guys, listen now. Here is my sign. Take it or leave it. And he knew they would leave it. What was the sign? The sign of the prophet Jonah. But what does that mean? Well he explains it earlier in Matthew 12:40 when he says, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so I the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
So what does this mean? Jesus says you want a sign? Here it is. I am going to die on a cross and I am going to rise again from the dead. That is your sign. Take it or leave it.
You know, sometimes we might think, man, if only I could perform a miracle for my friends. I know they would all become Christians. Really? Do you think that is true? Well, I don't. Because even when our Lord walked this earth and performed so many miracles, so many still did not believe.
In fact, in one occasion, John 12, we read that Jesus was present with Lazarus, who He had raised from the dead. And they flocked to see Him and Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. And the leading priests decided they wanted to kill Him. Lazarus. They wanted to kill Jesus and Lazarus too. Poor Lazarus. I mean it is one thing to die and to be called back. That is a drag. I can assure you anyone in heaven right now would never want to come back to the earth. We say, oh I wish they were here with Me. And they would be saying, oh I wish you were here with Me in heaven, in glory. But Lazarus had to come back. And now they want to kill Him. But He is a miracle man. That is why a living, breathing miracle man. A man who was dead, who was alive again.
And guess what? You are a miracle man or a miracle woman. You have a testimony of what God has done for you. And that is why people oppose you. And that is why they ridicule you. Because you are a threat to them as a follower of Jesus Christ. But here is our sign to a lost world. It is Jesus Christ crucified and risen again from the dead and alive.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2, Dear brothers and sisters, when I first came to you I did not use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God's message. I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. That is our message folks. It is the gospel. We do not need to add to it. We do not need to take away from it. We do not need to apologize for it. We need to just proclaim it and stand back and watch what God will do.
Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. And the word that Paul uses there for power, it speaks of explosive dynamite power. There is explosive power in the message of Jesus Christ. That is our sign to the lost world.
Disciples Miss the Point Too
Well, now we shift gears for a moment and bring this to a close. Because we now go from willful wickedness on the part of the Pharisees and Sadducees to the weakness of the disciples. Reminding us not only do non-believers miss the point, but believers do sometimes as well.
Let us read a few more verses and we will close. Go back to Matthew 16. Look at verse 5. And when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. And Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Jesus being aware of this said, O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Don't you understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? How is it then that you do not understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But to beware of the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees.
So here is the scene. The Pharisees and Sadducees come. They want a sign from Jesus that says, I will tell you what guys. Here is your sign. Sign of the prophet Jonah. I am going to die. Rise again. And He walks away. He gets in the boat with His disciples as they are crossing over. And He says to them, Beware of the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees. He is saying, Guys, don't, don't end up like these guys. Okay? Don't be like the Pharisees. You know, they strain in and out and they swallow a camel. Everything with them is about external works. It is not about a heart that is right toward God. But don't be like those Sadducees either that don't believe the Word of God, have the wrong view of life. Watch out for that leaven. Leaven is like yeast. It permeates your life. Be careful of all of those things. Okay?
But because He used the word leaven, they started thinking about food. Typical men. They were probably just hungry. You know, leaven. Mmm. Leaven. Right. I don't know about you, but man, when it is time to eat, I want to eat. My wife tells me I get very grumpy when I don't eat. Do we have any other grumpy people that, you know, thank you very much. All the guys. Yeah.
But you know, you can set a clock by my stomach. I mean, I eat in the morning and I don't understand people that don't eat breakfast. That mystifies me. When I talk to someone that forgot to eat breakfast and lunch, I am like, how does that even work? Forget? I mean, my stomach is reminding me by 10:30. My stomach is in overdrive saying, it is coming. It is coming. It is time to eat. I mean, if I could, I would eat lunch at 10:30. But I hold out, you know. Twelve is as long as usual. I want to wait. And then, you know, I digest the food and I am good. Honestly, around 3:30 I am thinking about dinner big time, you know.
So here are the disciples. And they are thinking about bread. They are hungry. And they are kind of worried about where they are going to get bread. Oh, we did not bring bread. We did not bring bread. What are we going to do now? We are all going to die. Jesus says, hello. Do you guys remember those miracles that they did? Remember the feeding of the 5,000? Now that involved a little boy with some loaves and fish. Five loaves and two fish. But then there was another miracle of the feeding of the 4,000. And what cracks me up about that is after He did the feeding of the 5,000 plus women and children. He comes to another multitude who is hungry. And He wonders, how are we going to feed all these people? And the disciples are clueless.
Listen. The feeding of the 5,000 only happened days earlier. Guys, hello. What happened? Well, they forgot. They forgot. That is what happened. You know, they say that that is the second thing that happens as you get older. As you have memory loss. Second thing that goes is your memory. The first thing is... I forget. But that was a joke. That was intentional.
Did he really forget? I heard a story of two guys that were in the kitchen. And they were having some coffee together. And one guy said to his buddy, Oh man, I had the best steak last night. The juiciest, fattest, most delicious steak of all time. It was fantastic. Me and my wife, we loved it. And his buddy said, Well, what is the name of the restaurant? Oh, I can't remember. Um, um, um, hey. Oh, wait, wait, wait. What is that... Okay. It grows out of the ground. A little red thing. A little red red. And the thorns are in the... A Rose. Yeah. Rose. What was the name of that restaurant we went to last night? To get it, he forgot his wife's name.
So we laugh at that. But let me ask you this. Have you ever forgotten God's goodness to you? Have you ever had to re-learn something? I know I have. You think, Oh, I have this down. I've got this figured out. We'll tell someone, Just trust the Lord. You know, just hallelujah. Then it comes to your doorstep. And we say, Uh-oh.
You know, when you were young and you were just starting out in life, you had to trust God for everything, didn't you? For food, for clothes, for transportation, for a paycheck. Well, maybe you found yourself a good job. You've worked hard. You've been diligent. You've saved. You've invested. And things have been going pretty well. And you know, then the boss called you in the other day and said, You know what? With this economy, we're going to have to let some people go. And we're really sorry. But this is your last day of work. And now you're back to square one. And you are panicking, saying, What am I going to do? I have a family to support. I have a house payment.
Wait. Did God ever provide for you in the past? Well, yes, He did. But this is different. Well, maybe it's different. But guess what? God isn't different. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And the same God that was there for you in the past will be with you here in the present. And He'll be there for you in the future as well. But we forget that.
Or maybe you were really ill and you went to the doctor and they didn't have any hope for you. So you got your Christian friends to pray for you. And God did a miracle. And He extended your life. And you gave Him the glory for it. But then you just got called in the other day to the doctor's office. And there's this little spot they found in your X-ray. Or there's this concern after your blood test or whatever it is. And now you are starting to freak out.
Wait a second. Has God taken care of you in the past? Will He take care of you in the present? Yeah we forget stuff. And we need to relearn things over and over again. Just like these disciples.
Living Ready for Christ's Return
But let me say this. Just to sort of put things in perspective for you. No matter what you are facing right now. What challenges, hardships, questions you are dealing with. I want you to remember this. Jesus Christ is coming back again very soon. And that should affect the way that we see things. It should affect the way that we see life. It should affect the decisions that we make. We should be living in such a way as we are honoring the Lord.
Listen. If we really understand anything about Bible prophecy. And by that I mean the teaching of the Scripture about the Lord's return. If we get that in any way, shape, or form here is what will happen in our life. It will make us want to be a more godly person. And if it is not doing that for you then you are missing the point just like the scribes and the Pharisees.
The Bible says, He that has this hope in Him purifies himself even as He is pure. And then we read in Peter that the Lord will come and the elements will melt with a fervent noise. And then it goes on to say, What kind of person ought you to be in light of this? So the whole thing is, Okay. How is it affecting you? It means you should want to be a more godly man and husband. And if you are a dad, a father, or a grandfather. It means you should be a more godly and virtuous woman or mother or grandmother. It means that you should want to do what you do as unto the Lord and seek to find opportunities to give to this lost culture the sign they are looking for. Which is a sign of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
There is a film coming out. I saw a trailer for it the other day. It is called Source Code. And it is the story of a man who has the ability to cross over into another man's identity in the last eight minutes of his life. It is based on a true story. No, it is not. It is just another Hollywood film. But anyway, there is this one line in the film when the main character says to a woman, What if you knew that these were the last eight minutes of your life. And she says, I would make those minutes count.
I thought, yeah, that is good. Now, we don't know if these are the last eight minutes of our life or eight weeks of our life or eight months or eight years or eighty years. We don't know. We do not know when the end of the world is, but listen, the end of your world could come sooner. I don't know if it's the end of the world. It could be the end of your world. And by that I mean life will end on earth. And then we go into eternity.
So we want to make those minutes count. Time is like a coin. Once it is spent, it cannot be spent again. Years ago when I was a little kid, a man said to me, a friend of my mom's, he gave me a dollar bill. And he said, if you will save this dollar all day long, at the end of the day, at five o'clock, I will give you five dollars in its place. Just save it. Don't spend it. That's it.
So he gives me a dollar. That's a lot of money for a little kid. Especially in the fifties. That's how long I have been alive. So here I am as a little kid with a dollar bill in the fifties. And I wasn't going to spend it. Because I wanted the five bucks. But there was a drug store near where we lived. So I went down there just to see what the options were. And I found something I could not live without. But I said, no, I am going to wait. I will wait until five and around 4:15 or so. I broke and I bought it. I took it home. He says, well, did you make it to the day? Well, not really. What did you even buy with the dollar? And I showed him. It was a little skull. Like a little, you know, a skeleton head. With little red things, glowing things, you know. And it was on a leather strap. And if you held it under a light, it glowed in the dark. And as I recall, it smelled like rotting eggs. I don't know why that is exactly. I think it was whatever they put on it to glow.
He says, that's what you bought with your money. I said, yes, you should have waited. I know I could have bought five of them. You know. God gives us time. And we want to squander it. We waste it. Spend it wisely. The Lord could come back today. The Lord could come back tonight. Certainly there are plenty of signs of the times that would say that to all of us.
It is interesting to me how you see a lot of these signs of the times happening simultaneously. I am just watching the news this morning and hearing about this horrific killer quake in Japan. And then the conflict in the Middle East. And you know. And some people would watch all this stuff happen. And they would still say, oh, it doesn't mean anything. You know. I mean, I think they could honestly open up the paper and say, New world leader emerges. Cashless society inaugurated. Attack against Jerusalem. Twelve killer quakes in the last 24 hours. Yeah, so what else is new? You know. It is just like... They would just be oblivious to it.
Just like people were oblivious to who Jesus was when He came the first time. Don't let that happen to you.
Final Invitation: Be Ready Today
So here is my question. Are you ready to meet God? If the Lord were to come back and call His people to heaven, and He will one day, would you be one of those people that would go to meet the Lord in the air? Or would you be one of those people that would be left to face a tribulation period? That is going to be the closest thing to hell on earth. Especially in the last part of it.
That is really up to you. God is not going to force you to believe. But He does offer you the sign. What is the sign? It is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus crucified. Jesus risen. Jesus alive. Here right now. Standing at the door of your life and knocking. Saying if you will hear His voice and open the door, He will come in.
Have you asked Him into your life yet? If not, would you like to? I am going to give you an opportunity to do that. As we close now in prayer. Let us all bow our heads if you would. Everyone praying please.
Father, we thank You for Your Word to us. We thank You for the promise and clarity of Scripture. It is so accurate. We thank You for the hope we have. Not in this world. Not in political leaders. Not in economic power. Not in technology. Our hope is in You, Lord. And we look to You. But I pray for any that have joined us here who may not yet know You. Help them to see their need for You. And help them to come to Jesus, we pray.
Well, our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed. And we are praying together. How many of you would say today, I want Jesus Christ to forgive me of my sin. I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven. I want to be ready for the Lord's return. Pray for me.
If that is your desire. If you want Jesus Christ to come into your life and forgive you of your sin. If you want to be ready for His return, and you are not sure that you are. Would you lift your hand up, right now, wherever you are sitting. And I am going to pray for you. Just lift your hand up and I will pray for you. God bless you. Up there on the balcony down here in the middle. Lift your hand up, wherever you are. God bless you there in the aisle. God bless you. Outside, of course, I can't see you, but the Lord sees you there. Would you take that little step of faith as well outside in the amphitheater. Just lift your hand up. Up in the court building. Lift your hand up if you want Christ to come into your life.
Alright now I want all of you that have lifted your hand to stand to your feet. And I am going to lead you in a prayer right now where you will be asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. Just stand to your feet. Every one of you that lifted your hand. Stand up. Don't be embarrassed. Others are standing. So you won't be the only one. If you are outside right in the amphitheater stand up to your feet right now. Stand up. Up in the court building stand up over at the satellite sites. Stand up there as well. And I am going to lead you in this prayer of committing your life to Christ. If you have fallen away from Him and you need to come back to Him today, pray with us as well. Stand to your feet now. Anybody else, wherever you are. You want to make this commitment or re-commitment to Jesus. Just stand up. God bless you. Anybody else? If you are going to stand, stand now. God bless you. Amen. God bless you. One final moment. If you are going to stand, stand now. God bless you as well. And you. Anybody else?
Alright you that are standing I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. And this is where you are asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. Again, as I pray, pray this out loud after me. Pray this if you would.
Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. And I have broken your commandments and fallen short of your standards. But you died on the cross and shed your blood for me and rose again from the dead. I ask you to come into my life. Be my Savior. And be my Lord. And be my God. And be my friend. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. I want to follow you from this day forward. Lord, make me ready for your return. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and forgiving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.