1 00:00:01,267 --> 00:00:03,069 Flipside. Happy birthday. 2 00:00:03,069 --> 00:00:05,138 21 years. 3 00:00:05,138 --> 00:00:07,107 I look back after 21 years. 4 00:00:07,107 --> 00:00:10,110 And for me, it feels like we're just getting started. 5 00:00:10,343 --> 00:00:12,512 It doesn't seem like it's been 21. 6 00:00:12,512 --> 00:00:15,715 It feels like just yesterday that we moved to the Ranchos 7 00:00:15,715 --> 00:00:19,552 and started the plans of planting this church. 8 00:00:21,221 --> 00:00:23,656 Thank you for being a part of it. 9 00:00:23,656 --> 00:00:27,093 Thank you for being a part of what makes flip side, flip side. 10 00:00:28,361 --> 00:00:32,198 We're going to open the Bible in Matthew 24. 11 00:00:32,899 --> 00:00:38,104 And for me, this is the perfect passage to look at for our birthday, 12 00:00:38,671 --> 00:00:41,708 because it has to do with God's 13 00:00:41,708 --> 00:00:44,711 plan for the world 14 00:00:44,878 --> 00:00:49,749 and his people's role in that, and thereby our churches role in that. 15 00:00:50,083 --> 00:00:53,420 I firmly believe that our church 16 00:00:54,521 --> 00:00:57,857 isn't just in the ranchos for the sake of the ranchos. 17 00:00:57,857 --> 00:00:59,359 I believe it is. 18 00:00:59,359 --> 00:01:02,262 It has been birthed by God 19 00:01:02,262 --> 00:01:04,531 for a global mission. 20 00:01:06,633 --> 00:01:07,500 For the Kingdom 21 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:10,503 of God to be established in the world 22 00:01:10,537 --> 00:01:13,640 and to set the stage for Jesus has returned. 23 00:01:14,541 --> 00:01:16,109 This is bigger than me and you. 24 00:01:16,109 --> 00:01:17,811 It's bigger than the ranchos. 25 00:01:17,811 --> 00:01:19,212 It's a part of us. 26 00:01:19,212 --> 00:01:21,214 It's a part of our community, but is bigger. 27 00:01:21,214 --> 00:01:23,349 It's so much bigger. 28 00:01:23,349 --> 00:01:27,587 And Matthew 24, we start to feel the grand of it all. 29 00:01:29,222 --> 00:01:30,890 Matthew 24. 30 00:01:30,890 --> 00:01:33,893 There's some deep and profound prophecy 31 00:01:34,494 --> 00:01:37,497 attached to Matthew 24. 32 00:01:37,597 --> 00:01:40,900 And this chapter is so big, we're going to take 33 00:01:40,900 --> 00:01:44,037 a couple of weeks to go through it, and we're going to look at two parts 34 00:01:44,070 --> 00:01:48,174 each week Prophecy and Future and Flesh and Bones. 35 00:01:48,174 --> 00:01:50,343 What's that have to do with us today? 36 00:01:50,343 --> 00:01:54,481 And I'm going to do my best, by the grace of God, to 37 00:01:54,881 --> 00:01:58,985 to give you clear instruction of what the Scripture actually says, 38 00:01:59,219 --> 00:02:02,122 and then application for how we live it. 39 00:02:03,423 --> 00:02:05,492 Before we get into chapter 24. 40 00:02:05,492 --> 00:02:08,194 I want to set it up with the end of chapter 23, because though 41 00:02:08,194 --> 00:02:12,065 we went through chapter 23 last week, I didn't get to these last few verses. 42 00:02:12,232 --> 00:02:15,702 And so the last portion of chapter 23, 43 00:02:15,735 --> 00:02:20,773 Jesus really sets the scene for what he's going to say in chapter 24. 44 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,810 And he this is how 23 ends. 45 00:02:23,877 --> 00:02:26,546 Jesus is is crying over Jerusalem. 46 00:02:26,546 --> 00:02:28,982 He has just confronted the religious leaders. 47 00:02:28,982 --> 00:02:31,050 He's just pronounced woe upon them. 48 00:02:31,050 --> 00:02:32,418 He's pronounced that 49 00:02:32,418 --> 00:02:36,456 that that the whole thing is going to come crumbling down and be destroyed 50 00:02:36,789 --> 00:02:40,760 because they've rejected Jesus as their Messiah. 51 00:02:40,994 --> 00:02:44,497 And he says this, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city 52 00:02:44,497 --> 00:02:47,500 that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it. 53 00:02:47,534 --> 00:02:48,535 How often? 54 00:02:48,535 --> 00:02:51,171 What I have gathered your children together as a 55 00:02:51,171 --> 00:02:54,140 hen gathers her brood under her wings. But. 56 00:02:54,140 --> 00:02:56,342 And you were not willing. 57 00:02:56,342 --> 00:02:59,345 See, your house is left to you desolate. 58 00:02:59,345 --> 00:03:03,349 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 59 00:03:03,583 --> 00:03:06,386 blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 60 00:03:06,386 --> 00:03:11,291 Jesus is weeping over the people that have rejected him. 61 00:03:11,925 --> 00:03:15,895 He's not turning his anger on them for their rejection. 62 00:03:16,029 --> 00:03:18,097 Now he's just weeping. 63 00:03:18,097 --> 00:03:21,467 He said, you don't understand why I came. 64 00:03:21,467 --> 00:03:22,869 I would comfort you. 65 00:03:22,869 --> 00:03:25,838 I would heal you. I would protect you. 66 00:03:25,838 --> 00:03:29,909 I would like a hand gathers her little baby chicks 67 00:03:29,909 --> 00:03:31,878 and just cover you with my wings. 68 00:03:31,878 --> 00:03:37,150 If you would just accept me and repent and honor me. 69 00:03:37,617 --> 00:03:39,118 But you won't. 70 00:03:40,353 --> 00:03:42,222 And so this whole thing. 71 00:03:42,222 --> 00:03:45,024 You're breaking my heart. 72 00:03:45,024 --> 00:03:48,027 This whole thing is going to be destroyed. 73 00:03:48,261 --> 00:03:49,395 And his heart is just. 74 00:03:49,395 --> 00:03:54,133 It's broken over these people that have said no time and time again. 75 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,536 And he says, you're not going to see me again 76 00:03:56,536 --> 00:04:00,240 until you can say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 77 00:04:00,273 --> 00:04:01,708 Now here's what he's just done. 78 00:04:01,708 --> 00:04:03,243 He said for you. 79 00:04:03,243 --> 00:04:05,912 He's talking to to his people, the Jews. 80 00:04:05,912 --> 00:04:08,881 He said, this is there's 81 00:04:08,881 --> 00:04:11,851 going to be a hardening of your hearts for a while, 82 00:04:12,418 --> 00:04:14,254 not forever. 83 00:04:14,254 --> 00:04:17,123 There will come a time, though you've rejected me. 84 00:04:17,123 --> 00:04:20,960 There will come a time when you will give yourselves in 85 00:04:21,861 --> 00:04:24,864 awe of me. 86 00:04:24,931 --> 00:04:27,867 And Paul helps us understand 87 00:04:27,867 --> 00:04:30,903 that kind of the timeline of that. 88 00:04:31,337 --> 00:04:35,241 So Paul says this in Romans chapter 11. 89 00:04:35,275 --> 00:04:38,278 He says, I don't want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers. 90 00:04:38,278 --> 00:04:40,780 A partial hardening has come upon Israel. 91 00:04:40,780 --> 00:04:43,483 So Jesus said, you have rejected me. I would have healed you. 92 00:04:43,483 --> 00:04:44,150 I would have come. 93 00:04:44,150 --> 00:04:45,818 I would have said you, but you've rejected me. 94 00:04:45,818 --> 00:04:48,521 So there's a partial hardening. 95 00:04:48,521 --> 00:04:51,391 He says, you won't see me again until you can say, blessed is he 96 00:04:51,391 --> 00:04:54,394 who comes in the name of the Lord, and you honor me for who I am. 97 00:04:54,460 --> 00:04:56,162 And Paul says, that has happened. 98 00:04:56,162 --> 00:04:57,430 Until what? 99 00:04:57,430 --> 00:05:03,269 Until the fullness of Gentiles has been adopted in so a partial hardening, 100 00:05:03,536 --> 00:05:06,973 they will not say, blessed are you who comes in the name of the Lord. 101 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:12,578 They will not honor Jesus as Messiah until all of us get adopted in. 102 00:05:12,612 --> 00:05:14,881 And then when, when, when those who are non-Jews 103 00:05:14,881 --> 00:05:17,950 who are adopted into God's family, then 104 00:05:17,984 --> 00:05:21,187 they will be given the opportunity to come back. 105 00:05:21,187 --> 00:05:24,991 And they will and they will proclaim with their mouths, blessed is he 106 00:05:24,991 --> 00:05:28,161 who comes in the name of the Lord in honor of Jesus as a messiah. 107 00:05:28,161 --> 00:05:31,631 And so, so this is one reason right here. 108 00:05:32,198 --> 00:05:36,069 This is one reason why church planting is so vital. 109 00:05:36,903 --> 00:05:39,839 And as far as I'm concerned, as I understand Scripture, 110 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:45,111 this is one reason why every Christian church must make priority 111 00:05:45,144 --> 00:05:49,582 one church planting, not a big campus with a fountain and a coffee shop. 112 00:05:50,516 --> 00:05:52,151 Because this is how 113 00:05:53,519 --> 00:05:54,253 this is what 114 00:05:54,253 --> 00:05:57,256 sets the stage for the return of Christ. 115 00:05:57,657 --> 00:06:01,961 Every time we plan a church so that more people don't know 116 00:06:01,961 --> 00:06:05,064 Jesus are invited into his family, that ticker keeps ticking. 117 00:06:08,634 --> 00:06:10,870 Until Jesus comes back. 118 00:06:10,870 --> 00:06:14,040 And this is one reason why planning churches in Israel is so important, 119 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,043 which we will do in February of 2027. 120 00:06:17,043 --> 00:06:20,613 I'm going to go there and lead a church planning movement with both Jews 121 00:06:20,613 --> 00:06:25,184 and Muslims who know Christ and plant churches in Israel. Why? 122 00:06:25,585 --> 00:06:29,222 Because there will come a day when the Jews in Israel were proclaimed. 123 00:06:29,222 --> 00:06:29,856 Blessed is he 124 00:06:29,856 --> 00:06:32,859 who comes in the name of the Lord, because churches have been planted. 125 00:06:32,859 --> 00:06:35,862 People have come to faith in Jesus returns. 126 00:06:36,295 --> 00:06:38,164 This is this is the purpose of the church. 127 00:06:38,164 --> 00:06:39,999 And this is what we've been about for 21 years. 128 00:06:39,999 --> 00:06:44,270 And it will still be about for the next 21, should God leave us here that long. 129 00:06:45,104 --> 00:06:48,241 I want to give you the big idea for chapter 24. 130 00:06:48,274 --> 00:06:52,912 Now, the big idea is this as history moves towards Christ's return, 131 00:06:53,379 --> 00:06:56,382 his church must resist deception. 132 00:06:56,549 --> 00:06:59,819 Don't be fooled. Endure persecution 133 00:07:00,987 --> 00:07:04,457 and proclaim the gospel to every nation. 134 00:07:05,091 --> 00:07:08,828 This is what Jesus is pushing into in chapter 24. 135 00:07:09,662 --> 00:07:14,000 And so let me just we're going to read through the first portion of chapter 24, 136 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,036 and we'll do some explanation along the way, and then we'll say, okay, 137 00:07:17,069 --> 00:07:18,504 what's that have to do with us? 138 00:07:18,504 --> 00:07:23,309 So if you want to follow along chapter 24, verses one and two, 139 00:07:23,509 --> 00:07:26,779 Jesus left the temple and was going away 140 00:07:27,346 --> 00:07:31,117 when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 141 00:07:31,117 --> 00:07:33,653 But he answered them, you see all these? 142 00:07:33,653 --> 00:07:34,654 Do you not? 143 00:07:34,654 --> 00:07:37,824 Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here 144 00:07:37,824 --> 00:07:41,160 one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. 145 00:07:41,194 --> 00:07:44,931 And so Jesus leaves Jerusalem, and he's he's headed 146 00:07:44,931 --> 00:07:48,067 towards the Mount Olives to look over Jerusalem. 147 00:07:48,067 --> 00:07:50,870 He makes this pronouncement about his love for Jerusalem. 148 00:07:50,870 --> 00:07:54,240 And then his disciples say, but look at the temple. 149 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:56,108 Isn't this amazing? 150 00:07:56,108 --> 00:07:59,078 This thing is going to last forever. 151 00:07:59,078 --> 00:08:01,280 And Jesus's response is interesting. 152 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:02,315 They say, look at the temple. 153 00:08:02,315 --> 00:08:04,383 And he says, well, look at all this stuff. 154 00:08:04,383 --> 00:08:05,918 He doesn't single out the temple. 155 00:08:05,918 --> 00:08:07,553 He's going to make a point here. 156 00:08:07,553 --> 00:08:09,922 He's going to say, all this stuff is going to pass away. 157 00:08:09,922 --> 00:08:13,759 Everything that you think you're building your life on, everything that you think 158 00:08:13,793 --> 00:08:17,029 is, is solid and lasting is temporary 159 00:08:17,063 --> 00:08:20,633 at best, and it's all going to be destroyed. 160 00:08:21,868 --> 00:08:24,504 This temple that they're looking at, it was beautiful. 161 00:08:24,504 --> 00:08:26,839 It was it was it was gorgeous. 162 00:08:26,839 --> 00:08:29,308 It took 80 years to build the temple. 163 00:08:29,308 --> 00:08:34,313 I don't know if you realize that 80 years the temple was still being rebuilt. 164 00:08:34,347 --> 00:08:37,750 It had been under the first temple was built under Saul, 165 00:08:37,750 --> 00:08:39,719 the King Solomon, way back in the Old Testament. 166 00:08:39,719 --> 00:08:41,854 It had been in shambles. 167 00:08:41,854 --> 00:08:44,390 So Herod came to rebuild it. 168 00:08:44,390 --> 00:08:48,694 And then the rebuilding of the temple took 80 years in the rebuilding project, 169 00:08:48,694 --> 00:08:49,896 and it was enormous. 170 00:08:49,896 --> 00:08:52,265 It was fabulous. It was beautiful. 171 00:08:52,265 --> 00:08:55,735 And what he did, what Herod did in the rebuilding of the temple, 172 00:08:55,801 --> 00:08:58,838 they covered the outside walls with gold, 173 00:08:58,938 --> 00:09:02,141 gold plates, pure gold plates. 174 00:09:02,475 --> 00:09:06,679 So when the sun rose, you couldn't even look at the temple was so brilliant. 175 00:09:06,979 --> 00:09:10,750 And on a few of the walls that didn't have the gold covering it, it was sheer 176 00:09:10,783 --> 00:09:11,517 white stone. 177 00:09:11,517 --> 00:09:15,254 So much so that when people would walk towards Jerusalem and see the whiteness 178 00:09:15,254 --> 00:09:18,691 of the stone, it would look as if it was covered in snow. 179 00:09:18,691 --> 00:09:20,593 It was brilliant. 180 00:09:20,593 --> 00:09:22,261 80 years it took to build it. 181 00:09:22,261 --> 00:09:24,697 It was still being built, rebuilt. 182 00:09:24,697 --> 00:09:26,899 When Jesus was saying these words. 183 00:09:26,899 --> 00:09:30,436 It wasn't completed until 63 AD. 184 00:09:30,970 --> 00:09:35,107 The full temple was only in its fullness. 185 00:09:35,107 --> 00:09:38,110 Completion was only lasted seven years until 186 00:09:38,110 --> 00:09:41,213 it was completely destroyed in 1870 by the Roman Empire. 187 00:09:42,481 --> 00:09:43,182 It was a 188 00:09:43,182 --> 00:09:46,519 massive, it was beautiful and it was their identity. 189 00:09:46,519 --> 00:09:48,988 And this is what their lives were built around. 190 00:09:48,988 --> 00:09:50,656 And Jesus is saying, everything that you're building 191 00:09:50,656 --> 00:09:53,292 your life on is going to come crumbling down and be destroyed. 192 00:09:53,292 --> 00:09:57,196 And matter of fact, he says, not one stone will be left of what you see. 193 00:09:58,297 --> 00:10:01,667 When the Romans destroyed the temple in 1870, 194 00:10:01,701 --> 00:10:04,737 they set on fire and they burned it to the ground. 195 00:10:05,471 --> 00:10:09,075 And because there was so much gold in the temple, 196 00:10:09,442 --> 00:10:13,079 all the gold melted and seeped down into the cracks and crevices 197 00:10:13,079 --> 00:10:14,313 of all the rocks around there. 198 00:10:14,313 --> 00:10:17,316 And so the Roman government just 199 00:10:18,117 --> 00:10:22,955 away and broke apart every single little rock of this 200 00:10:22,955 --> 00:10:29,228 mammoth structure to get the gold out of, so that every stone was torn down, 201 00:10:29,228 --> 00:10:33,699 just as Jesus said, so decisive was the destruction of the temple. 202 00:10:33,699 --> 00:10:38,270 We can't even archeologically find the exact foundation of it anymore. 203 00:10:39,372 --> 00:10:42,475 Jesus said, all this stuff that you're building your life on, all the stuff 204 00:10:42,475 --> 00:10:47,613 that you think is so important and is so lasting, is going to be destroyed. 205 00:10:49,015 --> 00:10:52,018 This this was unfathomable to them. 206 00:10:52,385 --> 00:10:54,654 They had no way to understand 207 00:10:54,654 --> 00:10:57,657 what Jesus was saying. 208 00:11:00,793 --> 00:11:01,427 Verse three. 209 00:11:01,427 --> 00:11:03,896 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him 210 00:11:03,896 --> 00:11:07,133 privately, saying, tell us, when will these things be? 211 00:11:07,133 --> 00:11:09,902 And what will be the sign of the coming of the end of the age? 212 00:11:09,902 --> 00:11:13,072 He's just given them horrific news, 213 00:11:13,239 --> 00:11:16,242 and they want to know two things. 214 00:11:16,442 --> 00:11:18,878 They want to things when and what, 215 00:11:18,878 --> 00:11:21,881 when's it going to happen and what's it going to look like. 216 00:11:21,947 --> 00:11:23,182 It's the same thing we ask. 217 00:11:23,182 --> 00:11:26,752 It's the same thing we want to know from God, God, what's going to happen? 218 00:11:28,554 --> 00:11:29,522 What's this? 219 00:11:29,522 --> 00:11:32,024 How is this going to play out? Right. 220 00:11:32,024 --> 00:11:35,428 Especially when you get news that you don't like will win. 221 00:11:35,461 --> 00:11:39,598 Like, let me get prepared because we feel like 222 00:11:39,598 --> 00:11:42,668 if I'm prepared to find know the details, then I can protect 223 00:11:42,668 --> 00:11:45,671 myself. 224 00:11:46,472 --> 00:11:49,442 They said, when is this going to happen? 225 00:11:49,442 --> 00:11:52,411 What's it going to be like? 226 00:11:53,012 --> 00:11:53,946 They want to. 227 00:11:53,946 --> 00:11:56,949 They figure if the temple is being destroyed, it's the end of the world. 228 00:11:59,952 --> 00:12:00,953 But Jesus says, 229 00:12:00,953 --> 00:12:05,458 And Jesus answered them, see that no one lead you astray. 230 00:12:05,958 --> 00:12:07,626 For many will come in my name, saying, 231 00:12:07,626 --> 00:12:09,595 I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. 232 00:12:09,595 --> 00:12:11,931 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. 233 00:12:11,931 --> 00:12:14,300 See that you're not alarmed, for this must take place. 234 00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:15,668 But the end is not yet. 235 00:12:15,668 --> 00:12:18,270 For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 236 00:12:18,270 --> 00:12:20,840 and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 237 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,843 All of these are but the beginnings of birth pains. 238 00:12:25,144 --> 00:12:27,747 It's just getting started. 239 00:12:27,747 --> 00:12:30,316 Says, don't freak out. 240 00:12:30,316 --> 00:12:33,319 You're going to hear of wars and rumors of wars and 241 00:12:33,819 --> 00:12:37,823 famines and pestilence and earthquakes and all this natural disaster. 242 00:12:37,823 --> 00:12:41,260 And you're going to start wondering, I wonder if this is the end. 243 00:12:44,497 --> 00:12:46,298 For they'll deliver you up to tribulation 244 00:12:46,298 --> 00:12:49,602 and put you to death, and you'll be hated by all nations, for not my name's sake. 245 00:12:49,635 --> 00:12:54,440 And many and then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 246 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,109 And many false prophets will arise and lead ministry. 247 00:12:57,109 --> 00:13:01,514 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 248 00:13:02,114 --> 00:13:05,117 But the one who endures to the enemy saved, 249 00:13:06,619 --> 00:13:09,622 he says, listen. 250 00:13:09,855 --> 00:13:10,656 I know 251 00:13:10,656 --> 00:13:13,893 you want to know when and what's and how things are going to go down. 252 00:13:15,895 --> 00:13:18,898 Because we don't like surprises. 253 00:13:19,064 --> 00:13:21,400 So I understand that. 254 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,770 But stuff's going to happen that have nothing to do 255 00:13:24,770 --> 00:13:25,871 with the end of time. 256 00:13:25,871 --> 00:13:28,641 It's just the world in which we live. 257 00:13:28,641 --> 00:13:31,610 Wars, rumors of wars, 258 00:13:32,077 --> 00:13:35,514 famines, people turning on each other. 259 00:13:36,582 --> 00:13:39,218 He said none of that is the end. 260 00:13:39,218 --> 00:13:42,221 It's the beginning. 261 00:13:42,922 --> 00:13:45,758 And he never defines how long that's going to take. 262 00:13:45,758 --> 00:13:50,596 This is just the nature of a fallen world, and the nature of a fallen world 263 00:13:50,596 --> 00:13:53,599 looks like it is failing because it is. 264 00:13:54,733 --> 00:13:58,237 I remember 911, 2001, 265 00:13:59,071 --> 00:14:01,340 I was in the hospital with my son Joe. 266 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:02,141 He's in sixth grade. 267 00:14:02,141 --> 00:14:05,144 He just had an emergency appendectomy. 268 00:14:05,477 --> 00:14:06,478 We wake up. 269 00:14:06,478 --> 00:14:07,613 That was on September 10th. 270 00:14:07,613 --> 00:14:10,616 We would wake up September 11th to what happened 271 00:14:11,984 --> 00:14:14,220 on the in the World Trade Center. 272 00:14:14,220 --> 00:14:16,622 And all these nurses, they know I'm a pastor. 273 00:14:16,622 --> 00:14:20,593 All these nurses start pouring into my son's hospital room, 274 00:14:20,593 --> 00:14:25,631 not wanting to take care of my son, but wanting to know from me what this means. 275 00:14:26,866 --> 00:14:28,868 Where is this in the Bible? 276 00:14:28,868 --> 00:14:30,302 What does this mean for end times? 277 00:14:30,302 --> 00:14:32,071 And I told them, relax. 278 00:14:32,071 --> 00:14:33,839 This isn't in the Bible. 279 00:14:33,839 --> 00:14:35,841 It's not the end times. 280 00:14:35,841 --> 00:14:39,678 This is just the nature of sin in a fallen world. 281 00:14:40,746 --> 00:14:43,749 Why are you surprised? 282 00:14:44,183 --> 00:14:47,186 Why are you shaken? 283 00:14:47,353 --> 00:14:49,154 So these things are going to happen. 284 00:14:49,154 --> 00:14:50,422 It's not the end. 285 00:14:50,422 --> 00:14:53,225 It's the beginning. 286 00:14:53,225 --> 00:14:54,460 The beginning of end. 287 00:14:54,460 --> 00:14:56,562 Times happened the moment Jesus ended to heaven. 288 00:14:56,562 --> 00:15:01,600 We've always been in the beginning of in times and till the end times. 289 00:15:02,101 --> 00:15:04,670 And this is what Jesus is saying. 290 00:15:04,670 --> 00:15:07,673 Don't be shaken. 291 00:15:07,773 --> 00:15:10,776 Look at how bad it gets. 292 00:15:12,077 --> 00:15:12,912 Wars. 293 00:15:12,912 --> 00:15:14,713 Rumors of wars. 294 00:15:14,713 --> 00:15:17,316 They're going to be people who are coming in my name, 295 00:15:17,316 --> 00:15:18,717 who are going to lead you astray, 296 00:15:18,717 --> 00:15:22,521 who are going to get you away from the Scripture, away from, from Christ. 297 00:15:22,521 --> 00:15:23,989 The only way to the father. 298 00:15:23,989 --> 00:15:26,458 They're going to try to lead you astray. 299 00:15:26,458 --> 00:15:27,893 Don't be fooled by him. 300 00:15:29,662 --> 00:15:31,230 Nation arise against nation. 301 00:15:31,230 --> 00:15:33,332 Kingdom against kingdom. Famines. 302 00:15:33,332 --> 00:15:36,902 Earthquakes is just getting started. 303 00:15:37,703 --> 00:15:39,338 The delivery of the tribulation. 304 00:15:39,338 --> 00:15:40,873 They'll put some of you to death. 305 00:15:40,873 --> 00:15:44,543 You'll be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 306 00:15:45,377 --> 00:15:46,478 Many will fall away. 307 00:15:46,478 --> 00:15:49,481 They'll betray one another or hate one another. 308 00:15:50,015 --> 00:15:53,018 Lawlessness is going to get worse and worse and worse, 309 00:15:55,054 --> 00:15:58,057 More debauchery. 310 00:16:00,859 --> 00:16:03,095 The love of people is going to go 311 00:16:03,095 --> 00:16:06,098 cold towards one another. 312 00:16:06,932 --> 00:16:08,834 It's going to get worse before it gets better. 313 00:16:08,834 --> 00:16:10,736 Happy birthday. 314 00:16:10,736 --> 00:16:12,905 Isn't that a great birthday card? 315 00:16:12,905 --> 00:16:13,906 Hey! Happy birthday. 316 00:16:13,906 --> 00:16:16,775 Well done. It's going to suck from here on out. 317 00:16:16,775 --> 00:16:19,778 I mean, it's just like, whoa! 318 00:16:20,412 --> 00:16:22,181 And Jesus says, listen, don't be. 319 00:16:22,181 --> 00:16:24,717 None of that means it's the end. 320 00:16:24,717 --> 00:16:27,619 It's just life 321 00:16:27,619 --> 00:16:30,422 in the fallen world 322 00:16:30,422 --> 00:16:31,657 in verse 13. 323 00:16:31,657 --> 00:16:35,260 Those who endure till the end. 324 00:16:39,064 --> 00:16:41,133 Here's what he's saying prophetically. 325 00:16:41,133 --> 00:16:44,136 Don't be surprised by chaos in trouble. 326 00:16:44,837 --> 00:16:47,873 He's preparing his disciples and he's preparing us. 327 00:16:47,873 --> 00:16:50,876 Don't be surprised. 328 00:16:51,944 --> 00:16:54,813 If you think that 329 00:16:54,813 --> 00:16:59,985 because you've joined your life to Jesus that he's going to make your life better 330 00:16:59,985 --> 00:17:03,122 and then you get to go to heaven, you are sorely mistaken. 331 00:17:03,155 --> 00:17:06,158 You don't understand the kingdom of God. 332 00:17:06,792 --> 00:17:08,761 Here's the problem with that mindset. 333 00:17:08,761 --> 00:17:09,962 I've given my life to Jesus. 334 00:17:09,962 --> 00:17:12,097 Now he's going to make my life better. 335 00:17:12,097 --> 00:17:17,102 The moment trials, tribulation, persecution, and tragedy hit 336 00:17:17,136 --> 00:17:20,139 you think God let you down? 337 00:17:24,343 --> 00:17:27,346 And you're tempted to fall away? 338 00:17:27,913 --> 00:17:29,748 Understand? This stuff's coming. 339 00:17:29,748 --> 00:17:32,751 Those who endure. 340 00:17:35,354 --> 00:17:36,422 The point of life 341 00:17:36,422 --> 00:17:40,659 is to glorify Christ and to populate the kingdom of heaven, 342 00:17:41,193 --> 00:17:46,698 and to and to live that testimony, whether in pleasure or in pain. 343 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:50,269 That's what Jesus is saying. 344 00:17:50,269 --> 00:17:53,272 You follow. 345 00:17:58,777 --> 00:18:01,313 He says, there's 14 and this gospel of the kingdom 346 00:18:01,313 --> 00:18:03,215 will be proclaimed throughout the whole world 347 00:18:03,215 --> 00:18:06,118 as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 348 00:18:06,118 --> 00:18:09,555 This is why evangelism and church planning is so vital and so important, 349 00:18:09,555 --> 00:18:12,624 and ought to be the heartbeat of every Christian church, 350 00:18:14,293 --> 00:18:17,796 so that the gospel is preached in every corner of the world. 351 00:18:18,497 --> 00:18:20,933 So you and I learn how to share our faith 352 00:18:20,933 --> 00:18:23,936 personally and do so, 353 00:18:24,436 --> 00:18:28,040 because every time we do, that little ticker keeps ticking 354 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,677 to the full number of Gentiles are brought in, and then the God's 355 00:18:31,677 --> 00:18:34,680 people are brought back to him, and then Jesus shows up. 356 00:18:35,781 --> 00:18:40,786 We go through this flip side, flow 101 two and 301401401 has everything to do 357 00:18:40,786 --> 00:18:44,189 with teaching you and train you how to share your faith personally. Why? 358 00:18:44,223 --> 00:18:47,426 Because the gospel does not go to the ends of the earth 359 00:18:47,459 --> 00:18:50,162 except through people who share their faith. 360 00:18:52,631 --> 00:18:54,867 You and I, as followers of Christ, 361 00:18:54,867 --> 00:18:58,303 are on a global, eternal mission, 362 00:18:59,838 --> 00:19:03,775 a transformative, a global, transformative mission 363 00:19:03,775 --> 00:19:07,346 and call of Almighty God for the return of His Son. 364 00:19:07,379 --> 00:19:11,550 And if we're not on mission, we're failing our mission 365 00:19:12,985 --> 00:19:15,387 to proclaim the gospel of Christ 366 00:19:15,387 --> 00:19:19,992 to every corner of the world where it is not known and he is not honored. 367 00:19:19,992 --> 00:19:24,897 Both next door and over in Israel and over in Venezuela. 368 00:19:24,930 --> 00:19:27,933 Everywhere. 369 00:19:33,772 --> 00:19:34,573 Verse 15. 370 00:19:34,573 --> 00:19:38,043 So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by a prophet, 371 00:19:38,043 --> 00:19:41,480 Daniel, standing in the holy place, and then I believe Matthew kind of adds 372 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:42,414 his little comment here. 373 00:19:42,414 --> 00:19:44,383 Let the reader understand. It says, don't miss this. 374 00:19:44,383 --> 00:19:47,119 If you miss this, you're going to miss everything 375 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:50,122 you want to talk about it in times you've got to get this part. 376 00:19:50,155 --> 00:19:52,157 The abomination of desolation spoken 377 00:19:52,157 --> 00:19:54,359 by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place. 378 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,362 Then let those who are in Judea flee to let 379 00:19:57,362 --> 00:20:00,232 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 380 00:20:00,232 --> 00:20:02,734 Let the one who is on the house top not go down and take 381 00:20:02,734 --> 00:20:05,070 what is in this house, and let the one who is in the field 382 00:20:05,070 --> 00:20:09,808 not return back to take his cloak, and allows for women who are pregnant. 383 00:20:09,841 --> 00:20:12,544 For those who are nursing infants in those days, pray 384 00:20:12,544 --> 00:20:17,316 that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath, for there will be great 385 00:20:17,349 --> 00:20:20,719 tribulation, such as has not been 386 00:20:20,719 --> 00:20:24,723 from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will be. 387 00:20:25,057 --> 00:20:28,627 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. 388 00:20:28,627 --> 00:20:31,396 But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. 389 00:20:31,396 --> 00:20:33,665 Then anyone who, if anyone says to you, look, 390 00:20:33,665 --> 00:20:37,069 there is the Christ or there he is, don't believe it. 391 00:20:37,102 --> 00:20:41,707 For false Christ and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders. 392 00:20:41,707 --> 00:20:45,110 So to lead a straight, if possible, even the elect. 393 00:20:45,577 --> 00:20:48,080 See, I've told you before hand. 394 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:52,050 So if they say to you, look, he's in the wilderness, don't go out. 395 00:20:52,718 --> 00:20:55,520 If they say, look, he's in the inner rooms, don't believe it. 396 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,490 Don't chase after this stuff, for the lightning comes 397 00:20:58,490 --> 00:21:00,759 from the east and shines as far as the west. 398 00:21:00,759 --> 00:21:03,428 So will the coming of the Son of Man. 399 00:21:04,630 --> 00:21:07,899 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. 400 00:21:07,899 --> 00:21:09,868 Here's what he's saying. 401 00:21:09,868 --> 00:21:12,704 He speaks of this abomination of desolation. 402 00:21:12,704 --> 00:21:17,342 He goes all the way back to Daniel 11, verse 31 for you Bible students. 403 00:21:17,476 --> 00:21:20,212 He was way back to Daniel 1131. 404 00:21:20,212 --> 00:21:23,815 There's a lot of interpretations about what the abomination of desolation is. 405 00:21:23,815 --> 00:21:25,717 Some people believe I don't believe this. 406 00:21:25,717 --> 00:21:29,454 Some people believe that when Rome ransacked the temple, destroyed 407 00:21:29,454 --> 00:21:30,022 the temple, 408 00:21:30,022 --> 00:21:33,358 they slaughtered a pig on the altar and splattered the blood on the altar. 409 00:21:33,358 --> 00:21:35,560 And they say that was the abomination of desolation. 410 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:37,362 This is for you, Bible students. 411 00:21:37,362 --> 00:21:40,432 I don't believe that to be the case, because Daniel prophesies 412 00:21:40,465 --> 00:21:44,870 that the abomination of desolation that will be the sign of the end times is 413 00:21:44,870 --> 00:21:46,371 when there is an object 414 00:21:46,371 --> 00:21:50,175 set up in the Holy place as an act of worship that is not God. 415 00:21:50,242 --> 00:21:53,612 In I, worshiping something that is not 416 00:21:53,612 --> 00:21:56,882 God is an abomination, and to do so 417 00:21:56,915 --> 00:22:02,187 in the temple is desecration according to Old Testament theology. 418 00:22:02,220 --> 00:22:07,059 And so apparently there will be a time when there will be something 419 00:22:07,059 --> 00:22:11,363 set up in the holy place of the temple that will be worshiped instead of God. 420 00:22:11,363 --> 00:22:14,700 And that is an abomination, and it is desolation. 421 00:22:14,733 --> 00:22:16,702 You know what that tells me? 422 00:22:16,702 --> 00:22:18,337 There is no temple right now. 423 00:22:19,538 --> 00:22:21,440 The temple will be rebuilt 424 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:26,745 in Jerusalem, and when that happens, there will be an object 425 00:22:26,745 --> 00:22:31,283 set up as an object of worship that is not God. 426 00:22:32,250 --> 00:22:35,821 That Jesus says is 427 00:22:35,821 --> 00:22:38,824 when you know the end is come. 428 00:22:43,195 --> 00:22:46,398 We want to know when and what we want to know. 429 00:22:46,398 --> 00:22:51,703 Timings and signs I love the fact that Jesus never gives any definite timeframe. 430 00:22:52,104 --> 00:22:53,372 He doesn't. 431 00:22:53,372 --> 00:22:54,306 Do you know why? 432 00:22:54,306 --> 00:22:57,309 Because every generation has to be ready. 433 00:22:58,043 --> 00:23:00,746 If he said it's going to be on this day, then they could track it. 434 00:23:00,746 --> 00:23:01,580 And here's the day. 435 00:23:01,580 --> 00:23:04,583 Then all the generations will be like, good. 436 00:23:06,017 --> 00:23:09,654 I love the fact that he's not specific, that he's general and broad 437 00:23:09,654 --> 00:23:13,358 because every generation has to stay awake and pay attention. 438 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,096 Awake O sleepers, what Scripture says. 439 00:23:24,436 --> 00:23:25,537 What he's saying is 440 00:23:25,537 --> 00:23:28,540 this listen, it's going to get real bad. 441 00:23:28,573 --> 00:23:32,944 Trust Jesus even through the tribulations that are coming. 442 00:23:34,813 --> 00:23:37,616 Those who endure till the end will be saved. 443 00:23:37,616 --> 00:23:40,619 Don't back off. 444 00:23:41,052 --> 00:23:44,055 Don't back up. 445 00:23:45,390 --> 00:23:48,393 Every generation must prepare, 446 00:23:49,261 --> 00:23:52,264 must be spiritually ready. 447 00:23:58,003 --> 00:23:58,270 Verse 448 00:23:58,270 --> 00:24:01,306 29 immediately after the tribulation of those days, 449 00:24:01,339 --> 00:24:03,975 the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, 450 00:24:03,975 --> 00:24:08,013 and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 451 00:24:08,079 --> 00:24:11,283 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man. 452 00:24:11,283 --> 00:24:13,552 And then all the tribes of earth will mourn, 453 00:24:13,552 --> 00:24:15,187 and they will see the Son of Man 454 00:24:15,187 --> 00:24:18,123 coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 455 00:24:18,123 --> 00:24:22,494 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will 456 00:24:22,494 --> 00:24:26,064 gather his elect from the four winds, from one into heaven to another. 457 00:24:26,064 --> 00:24:29,334 He says, listen, you're going to know when I show up. 458 00:24:30,469 --> 00:24:34,573 And somehow there's cosmic signs in the heavens. 459 00:24:34,773 --> 00:24:38,176 The sun grows dark, the moon goes out. 460 00:24:38,343 --> 00:24:41,813 Whatever these cosmic signs are, the stars fall. 461 00:24:41,913 --> 00:24:43,949 Joel two, verse ten. 462 00:24:43,949 --> 00:24:48,019 Revelation 612 1314, Isaiah 463 00:24:48,053 --> 00:24:53,391 34 all talk about these global cosmic signs 464 00:24:53,391 --> 00:24:58,463 that say, Christ is coming, the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. 465 00:24:58,463 --> 00:25:01,266 I don't know what that is, but I know it's going to be apparent. 466 00:25:01,266 --> 00:25:04,402 Any of you who have ever heard that 467 00:25:04,402 --> 00:25:08,640 Jesus is going to come back, this secret coming that nobody is going to know about. 468 00:25:08,673 --> 00:25:12,377 You don't fully understand what Jesus has said about his own arrival. 469 00:25:12,944 --> 00:25:16,715 Lightning, thunder, cosmic signs. 470 00:25:16,715 --> 00:25:19,718 This isn't done in secret. 471 00:25:20,552 --> 00:25:24,055 It's apparent he's on the horizon. 472 00:25:24,589 --> 00:25:28,593 There's no secret coming of Jesus for those who are in Christ. 473 00:25:28,593 --> 00:25:30,762 Let me prove it to you. 474 00:25:30,762 --> 00:25:34,199 In the book of Thessalonians, Paul writes, now, brothers 475 00:25:34,199 --> 00:25:37,102 and sisters, about times and dates, That's what we're talking about. 476 00:25:37,102 --> 00:25:39,771 Times and dates. Don't. You do not need to write. 477 00:25:39,771 --> 00:25:40,872 We don't need to write to you. 478 00:25:40,872 --> 00:25:44,442 For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come and watch. 479 00:25:44,509 --> 00:25:49,614 Follow me like a thief in the night, while people are saying peace and safety. 480 00:25:49,681 --> 00:25:52,317 Everything's fine. Every economy is good. 481 00:25:52,317 --> 00:25:53,785 There's no worries. We're fine. 482 00:25:53,785 --> 00:25:57,856 Destruction will come upon them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman. 483 00:25:57,856 --> 00:25:59,357 And they will not escape. 484 00:25:59,357 --> 00:26:05,830 But you, you who are my followers, you who are part of my church. 485 00:26:05,864 --> 00:26:08,433 You brothers and sisters are not in darkness. 486 00:26:08,433 --> 00:26:11,036 So that this day would surprise you like a thief. 487 00:26:11,036 --> 00:26:13,271 You're. I'm not going to be surprised. 488 00:26:14,773 --> 00:26:17,742 I'm not going to be surprised. 489 00:26:17,742 --> 00:26:20,278 You are children of the light and children of the day. 490 00:26:20,278 --> 00:26:22,581 We don't belong to the night or to the darkness. 491 00:26:22,581 --> 00:26:26,785 So then let us not be like the others who are asleep. 492 00:26:26,785 --> 00:26:29,788 But let us be awake and sober. 493 00:26:29,821 --> 00:26:31,022 I'm watching, 494 00:26:31,022 --> 00:26:34,626 and I'm waiting for Christ to turn because I know it's going to happen. 495 00:26:34,893 --> 00:26:39,397 And while I'm here on this earth, my job and your job 496 00:26:39,397 --> 00:26:42,400 is that his gospel gets to every 497 00:26:43,702 --> 00:26:47,572 tongue, both on our neighbor and across the oceans. 498 00:26:47,739 --> 00:26:51,443 And when he shows up, it's going to be with great pomp 499 00:26:51,443 --> 00:26:55,080 and great circumstance to announce that he's come back. 500 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,149 It's not a surprise to me because I'm ready. 501 00:27:01,353 --> 00:27:03,788 If you're not ready. 502 00:27:03,788 --> 00:27:05,357 Like a thief in the night. 503 00:27:06,291 --> 00:27:09,294 What just happened? 504 00:27:10,261 --> 00:27:13,264 I wasn't prepared. 505 00:27:18,536 --> 00:27:20,772 What he's saying is, don't look for signs. 506 00:27:20,772 --> 00:27:23,508 Look for the Savior. 507 00:27:23,508 --> 00:27:26,511 Tries on Jesus. 508 00:27:29,614 --> 00:27:32,250 Verse 32 from the fig tree. 509 00:27:32,250 --> 00:27:33,018 Learn its lesson. 510 00:27:33,018 --> 00:27:35,453 As soon as those branches become tender and puts out its leaves. 511 00:27:35,453 --> 00:27:36,821 You know that summer's near. 512 00:27:36,821 --> 00:27:41,059 So also when you see these things, you know that he's near the very gates. 513 00:27:41,226 --> 00:27:44,863 Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things 514 00:27:44,863 --> 00:27:46,798 taking place. Heaven and earth will pass away. 515 00:27:46,798 --> 00:27:49,801 But my words, they're not going anywhere. 516 00:27:50,735 --> 00:27:52,570 He says, you know how to read the signs. 517 00:27:52,570 --> 00:27:53,271 You know. 518 00:27:53,271 --> 00:27:55,674 You know when the when the figs coming on the tree. 519 00:27:55,674 --> 00:27:57,909 Because you know the seasons. 520 00:27:57,909 --> 00:28:00,178 This is seasons. 521 00:28:00,178 --> 00:28:03,281 You're in a season right now of great tribulation and difficulty 522 00:28:03,281 --> 00:28:04,482 and it's just going to get worse. 523 00:28:04,482 --> 00:28:07,452 But it's okay because the fruits come in. 524 00:28:07,519 --> 00:28:09,721 Its see, we understand seasons. 525 00:28:09,721 --> 00:28:11,756 Just don't be fooled by what's going on. 526 00:28:11,756 --> 00:28:14,025 Get your eyes on Christ and on his return. 527 00:28:14,025 --> 00:28:17,696 And he says, this generation will not pass away until he sees these things. 528 00:28:17,696 --> 00:28:20,031 He's not talking about the generation that was alive right then. 529 00:28:20,031 --> 00:28:23,034 He's talking about the generation that sees these things happen, 530 00:28:23,835 --> 00:28:27,138 the generation that sees the abomination of the generation 531 00:28:27,138 --> 00:28:31,776 that sees these cosmic things, then that that generation knows it's our time, 532 00:28:33,278 --> 00:28:34,612 but we don't know when that is. 533 00:28:34,612 --> 00:28:37,615 So every generation has got to be ready right now. 534 00:28:40,652 --> 00:28:40,985 He says. 535 00:28:40,985 --> 00:28:45,156 All this other stuff, the temple, these buildings, the nations, 536 00:28:45,156 --> 00:28:49,260 the governments, the people, it's all going to pass away. 537 00:28:51,963 --> 00:28:54,933 My word will never fail. 538 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:58,103 Friends, please believe his word. 539 00:28:58,103 --> 00:29:00,638 It never fails. 540 00:29:00,638 --> 00:29:02,974 Ever, 541 00:29:02,974 --> 00:29:05,376 ever. 542 00:29:05,376 --> 00:29:07,612 The Bible says you are alert and acting and watching 543 00:29:07,612 --> 00:29:09,681 after your word to perfect it. 544 00:29:09,681 --> 00:29:12,650 Complete it everywhere. 545 00:29:12,917 --> 00:29:17,188 No, let me do a little bit of tie together here for you 546 00:29:17,655 --> 00:29:21,860 little prophecy stuff from Matthew 24 to revelation six. 547 00:29:22,427 --> 00:29:24,395 Okay, revelation. 548 00:29:24,395 --> 00:29:27,599 The book of revelation is about these end times, the tribulation, the coming 549 00:29:27,599 --> 00:29:30,602 kingdom, the new creation, the new order. 550 00:29:30,735 --> 00:29:34,239 Revelation six is, is, is John's 551 00:29:34,239 --> 00:29:38,042 recording of Jesus's revelation of the end times. 552 00:29:38,042 --> 00:29:41,346 Things in revelation six talks about six seals. 553 00:29:41,346 --> 00:29:44,415 There's actually seven, but the seventh seal doesn't happen to revelation eight. 554 00:29:44,415 --> 00:29:45,950 So in revelation six, 555 00:29:45,950 --> 00:29:50,755 there's six seals that are signs that the end times are coming. 556 00:29:50,755 --> 00:29:54,626 Those six seals in revelation says correlate beautifully with Matthew 557 00:29:54,659 --> 00:29:57,629 24 and Matthew 24. 558 00:29:57,629 --> 00:30:00,098 Jesus says, there's going to there's going to be false. 559 00:30:00,098 --> 00:30:01,533 Missiles are going to lead you astray. 560 00:30:01,533 --> 00:30:05,870 In revelation six verse one and two is the first seal that's opened 561 00:30:06,037 --> 00:30:09,474 with the leading astray of people who would believe. 562 00:30:10,241 --> 00:30:13,545 In Matthew 24, Jesus says, there's going to be this, 563 00:30:13,545 --> 00:30:17,182 this massive conquering and killing of people. 564 00:30:17,182 --> 00:30:21,452 In revelation six verse three, the second seal is opened 565 00:30:21,452 --> 00:30:26,291 and it ushers in a time of great killing and conquering worldwide. 566 00:30:26,891 --> 00:30:30,028 And Matthew 24, seven and eight, 567 00:30:30,261 --> 00:30:33,932 Jesus says, there's going to come a time of great famine and pestilence 568 00:30:33,932 --> 00:30:38,102 in revelation six five, six, seven, and eight, 569 00:30:38,136 --> 00:30:42,874 the third and fourth seals are open, which open a time of poverty and famine. 570 00:30:43,942 --> 00:30:46,578 In Matthew 24, verse nine, 571 00:30:46,578 --> 00:30:51,916 Jesus talks about how his people will be martyred, suffered, persecuted and killed. 572 00:30:51,916 --> 00:30:55,153 In revelation six, verses nine, ten and 11 573 00:30:55,186 --> 00:30:58,857 the fifth seal is opened, and it's the martyrdom of the saints. 574 00:30:59,057 --> 00:31:02,060 And they cry out for justice. 575 00:31:02,227 --> 00:31:05,230 Their blood cries out for justice. 576 00:31:05,396 --> 00:31:08,399 In Matthew 24 verse 29, 577 00:31:08,433 --> 00:31:11,102 Jesus says, there's going to be earthquakes and cosmic signs. 578 00:31:11,102 --> 00:31:16,674 And in revelation chapter six, verse 12 through 14, the sixth seal is opened 579 00:31:16,674 --> 00:31:20,612 with those exact themes earthquakes and cosmic signs. 580 00:31:21,913 --> 00:31:24,315 So Jesus has just said this. 581 00:31:24,315 --> 00:31:25,650 All of this is going to happen. 582 00:31:25,650 --> 00:31:29,153 And John kind of fleshes out in in revelation six, 583 00:31:29,187 --> 00:31:32,657 but the Seventh Seal isn't open till revelation eight. 584 00:31:32,657 --> 00:31:34,025 And here's why. 585 00:31:34,025 --> 00:31:37,295 Because the seventh Seal in the book of Revelation, 586 00:31:37,762 --> 00:31:41,232 when it's opened, it opens for seven trumpets. 587 00:31:41,232 --> 00:31:43,601 And the seven trumpets in revelation eight. 588 00:31:43,601 --> 00:31:45,837 And following is the end times. 589 00:31:45,837 --> 00:31:49,507 So apparently these first six seals, everything that Jesus just said 590 00:31:49,540 --> 00:31:53,912 is just life on a broken, sinful world. 591 00:31:55,580 --> 00:31:58,349 That's our existence. 592 00:31:58,349 --> 00:32:00,752 And we're left here 593 00:32:00,752 --> 00:32:04,055 so that every corner of this broken, fallen planet 594 00:32:04,055 --> 00:32:07,392 and every ear that is not heard, and every tongue that is not, 595 00:32:08,059 --> 00:32:10,828 and every knee that has not bowed, hears 596 00:32:10,828 --> 00:32:14,065 the gospel, that Jesus is the only hope. 597 00:32:15,266 --> 00:32:17,902 And then the seventh seal will be open, 598 00:32:17,902 --> 00:32:21,239 and the seven trumpets of the last days 599 00:32:21,906 --> 00:32:24,909 will come. 600 00:32:25,376 --> 00:32:28,379 So for us. 601 00:32:28,913 --> 00:32:31,916 We have to understand. 602 00:32:40,858 --> 00:32:43,861 We have to understand our role in this world. 603 00:32:44,095 --> 00:32:48,399 And for 21 years, this church has been practicing 604 00:32:48,399 --> 00:32:51,402 and praying and funding our role. 605 00:32:53,304 --> 00:32:55,773 It will never it will. 606 00:32:55,773 --> 00:32:59,010 It will never mean a fountain 607 00:32:59,010 --> 00:33:02,013 and a coffee shop. 608 00:33:02,313 --> 00:33:04,415 To many churches has confused 609 00:33:04,415 --> 00:33:07,418 their campus with the Kingdom of God. 610 00:33:09,187 --> 00:33:11,956 What it will mean is planting churches 611 00:33:11,956 --> 00:33:16,361 and telling those who are far from God of the love of the Messiah 612 00:33:16,394 --> 00:33:19,864 that would cover them with his feathers, not condemn them 613 00:33:20,298 --> 00:33:22,266 if they would just repent. 614 00:33:25,870 --> 00:33:26,771 That's why we plant 615 00:33:26,771 --> 00:33:30,875 churches all over the world until the full number of Gentiles come in. 616 00:33:30,875 --> 00:33:34,178 And that's why we're going to Israel in February, 617 00:33:34,212 --> 00:33:38,016 so that the Jews are ready when he returns. 618 00:33:39,183 --> 00:33:42,186 Because churches have been planted. 619 00:33:43,321 --> 00:33:45,123 Now that's the theology and prophecy. 620 00:33:45,123 --> 00:33:49,494 Let me give you the flesh and bones for us as we look at 21 years 621 00:33:50,495 --> 00:33:53,731 for us, for us. 622 00:33:54,065 --> 00:33:58,336 Don't let us never put our confidence in things that won't last. 623 00:33:58,936 --> 00:33:59,704 That's what Jesus. 624 00:33:59,704 --> 00:34:01,773 That was his whole point with the whole temple. 625 00:34:01,773 --> 00:34:04,242 You're looking at stuff that's going to be gone. 626 00:34:04,242 --> 00:34:07,211 Quit putting your confidence in things that don't last. 627 00:34:08,679 --> 00:34:09,981 The temple look permanent. 628 00:34:09,981 --> 00:34:13,718 Governments look permanent, nations look permanent, economies look permanent. 629 00:34:13,718 --> 00:34:15,153 Institutions look permanent. 630 00:34:15,153 --> 00:34:16,721 Big churches appear permanent. 631 00:34:16,721 --> 00:34:19,624 Only Christ and His word will will last. 632 00:34:19,624 --> 00:34:22,260 Everything else is going to fail. Everything else is going to go away. 633 00:34:22,260 --> 00:34:23,494 Everything else is going to be destroyed. 634 00:34:23,494 --> 00:34:25,296 Only the kingdom of God remains. 635 00:34:27,598 --> 00:34:28,066 The church 636 00:34:28,066 --> 00:34:31,736 must never, ever, ever confuse its campus with God's kingdom 637 00:34:32,470 --> 00:34:36,507 because every church campus will fail unless Christ comes back first. 638 00:34:38,076 --> 00:34:39,510 Don't put your confidence 639 00:34:39,510 --> 00:34:42,513 in anything that won't be here through eternity. 640 00:34:42,513 --> 00:34:44,182 Do you understand? 641 00:34:44,182 --> 00:34:48,219 That's what Jesus is saying and he's saying, don't do. 642 00:34:48,453 --> 00:34:50,955 Don't be surprised by crisis nor surrender. 643 00:34:50,955 --> 00:34:52,690 Under pressure. 644 00:34:52,690 --> 00:34:54,792 Crisis is coming. 645 00:34:54,792 --> 00:34:57,695 Pressure is going to get extreme. 646 00:34:57,695 --> 00:35:01,299 We live in a fallen world, and a fallen world means failing times. 647 00:35:01,299 --> 00:35:03,301 That is the nature of the world we're in. 648 00:35:03,301 --> 00:35:06,304 And it's not going to change until Jesus comes back. 649 00:35:08,339 --> 00:35:11,342 He's prepared his disciples. 650 00:35:11,576 --> 00:35:12,577 He's preparing us. 651 00:35:12,577 --> 00:35:14,946 Get ready for persecution and get ready for destruction. 652 00:35:14,946 --> 00:35:17,081 Get ready for difficulty. 653 00:35:17,081 --> 00:35:17,982 The people who 654 00:35:17,982 --> 00:35:21,953 who once seemed to love you and love Lord, their love is going to grow cold. 655 00:35:23,988 --> 00:35:25,156 See, the danger of 656 00:35:25,156 --> 00:35:29,026 this time in our lives is not what happens outside the church of the dangers. 657 00:35:29,026 --> 00:35:32,196 What happens from pressure from those outside the church, 658 00:35:32,230 --> 00:35:35,233 or the impact it has on those of us in sight. 659 00:35:37,335 --> 00:35:40,638 And so make sure that you don't get surprised by the crisis 660 00:35:40,638 --> 00:35:43,774 that's coming, and you don't surrender when the pressure gets turned up. 661 00:35:48,312 --> 00:35:49,147 There's going to be 662 00:35:49,147 --> 00:35:52,550 a time of great betrayal where there used to be loyalty. 663 00:35:52,984 --> 00:35:55,953 There's going to come a time 664 00:35:55,953 --> 00:35:58,156 when the what's being, what's being promoted 665 00:35:58,156 --> 00:36:00,491 and celebrated deception, not truth anymore. 666 00:36:00,491 --> 00:36:02,793 There's going to come a time 667 00:36:02,793 --> 00:36:05,830 when disobedience is the order of the day, not obedience. 668 00:36:05,997 --> 00:36:11,335 There's going to come a time when love has grown bitterly cold against one another. 669 00:36:11,402 --> 00:36:12,737 It's going to come a time. 670 00:36:16,274 --> 00:36:19,277 When the normal thing is retreat, 671 00:36:19,277 --> 00:36:21,479 not endurance. Listen. 672 00:36:21,479 --> 00:36:25,616 Faithfulness is not proved by how blessed something looks right now, but by 673 00:36:25,616 --> 00:36:27,652 how steadily it finishes its assignment. 674 00:36:27,652 --> 00:36:30,655 And our assignment isn't close to being finished. 675 00:36:35,159 --> 00:36:36,160 The lessons for us 676 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:39,130 is keep preaching the gospel until every nation hears 677 00:36:40,498 --> 00:36:41,732 this is what we're about. 678 00:36:41,732 --> 00:36:42,533 This is what we'll do. 679 00:36:42,533 --> 00:36:44,936 For 21 years, we've been doing it for 21 more. 680 00:36:44,936 --> 00:36:47,939 Should God, Terry, we'll continue doing this. 681 00:36:49,507 --> 00:36:52,076 Our 21 history is not just about people 682 00:36:52,076 --> 00:36:55,079 who are here, which I'm so thankful you are 683 00:36:55,213 --> 00:36:57,615 for sure, 684 00:36:57,615 --> 00:37:00,918 but it's about how many churches we planted in the last 21 years, 685 00:37:00,918 --> 00:37:04,789 since 2016 alone, with the Excel network that I'm a part of, we've 686 00:37:05,056 --> 00:37:09,493 we've been a part of funding and planning 750 churches around the world, 687 00:37:10,094 --> 00:37:14,665 750, 303 hundred and and 688 00:37:16,434 --> 00:37:20,171 375 of those have been in other countries. 689 00:37:21,372 --> 00:37:24,108 The rest have been in the States. Why? 690 00:37:24,108 --> 00:37:27,111 Because we know that the best way to reach people under 691 00:37:27,111 --> 00:37:28,279 heaven is by planting churches. 692 00:37:28,279 --> 00:37:31,582 And we know that till the full number of Gentiles come in, 693 00:37:31,716 --> 00:37:34,719 Jesus isn't coming back because we know. 694 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:39,123 We know how important this is. 695 00:37:39,257 --> 00:37:42,560 The story of 21 years of flip side are the congregations had been planned, 696 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:47,131 or the leaders had been trained, or the nations that have been reached. 697 00:37:47,398 --> 00:37:49,500 It's the people that have been introduced to Jesus. 698 00:37:49,500 --> 00:37:51,602 It's the story of your faithfulness and your generosity. 699 00:37:51,602 --> 00:37:54,572 Because we understand our global assignment, 700 00:37:54,872 --> 00:37:57,875 we will never confuse our campus with the kingdom. 701 00:37:58,542 --> 00:38:01,012 We will always pursue and fulfill 702 00:38:01,012 --> 00:38:05,116 passionately the Kingdom of God everywhere in the world. 703 00:38:05,116 --> 00:38:07,551 When the Kingdom wins, we win. 704 00:38:07,551 --> 00:38:09,186 Our win is not about a fountain. 705 00:38:09,186 --> 00:38:12,023 Our win is not about a coffee shop. Our win is not about a new campus. 706 00:38:12,023 --> 00:38:13,557 Our win is not about a bigger building. 707 00:38:13,557 --> 00:38:17,595 Our win isn't about more of for us, our win is when the kingdom wins 708 00:38:17,595 --> 00:38:18,996 and churches are planning around the world. 709 00:38:18,996 --> 00:38:21,065 When we plant churches in Cuba, we win. 710 00:38:21,065 --> 00:38:23,200 When we plant churches in Guatemala, we win. 711 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:25,603 When we pat churches in downtown Fresno, we win. 712 00:38:25,603 --> 00:38:29,073 When we plant churches in Texas, we win when we plant churches in Venezuela, 713 00:38:29,073 --> 00:38:30,975 which I'm going in January to plant churches. 714 00:38:30,975 --> 00:38:31,375 We win. 715 00:38:31,375 --> 00:38:33,477 When we plant churches in Israel, we win. 716 00:38:33,477 --> 00:38:35,212 Do you understand? 717 00:38:35,212 --> 00:38:37,214 That's our win. 718 00:38:37,214 --> 00:38:40,384 And we will keep proclaiming the gospel till every nation hears or till 719 00:38:40,384 --> 00:38:41,619 Jesus comes back. 720 00:38:44,588 --> 00:38:45,923 We just gotta trust 721 00:38:45,923 --> 00:38:48,893 him through the troubles that are coming. 722 00:38:49,794 --> 00:38:52,797 We've got to trust him through the troubles that are coming. 723 00:38:53,431 --> 00:38:56,300 However you interpret the theology and sorry, 724 00:38:56,300 --> 00:39:00,104 the chronology of the end times, there's a lot of different interpretations 725 00:39:00,104 --> 00:39:03,107 that the point is, is listen to his word, 726 00:39:03,341 --> 00:39:06,344 recognize the seriousness of sin. 727 00:39:07,111 --> 00:39:10,181 Don't assume that your suffering means God is not in control. 728 00:39:10,181 --> 00:39:13,718 And when the world fills out of control, realize that it is still marching 729 00:39:13,751 --> 00:39:16,754 to the clock of Christ. 730 00:39:18,556 --> 00:39:19,790 See, our hope is 731 00:39:19,790 --> 00:39:23,027 not that the world becomes better or life gets easier. 732 00:39:23,027 --> 00:39:24,662 That cannot be our hope. 733 00:39:24,662 --> 00:39:28,065 Our hope must only be that Jesus is coming back. 734 00:39:29,300 --> 00:39:32,303 That's our hope. 735 00:39:33,304 --> 00:39:37,108 And we will look and wait with anticipation for his return. 736 00:39:41,212 --> 00:39:42,913 Buildings are going to pass away. 737 00:39:42,913 --> 00:39:44,215 Nations are going to pass away. 738 00:39:44,215 --> 00:39:46,217 Governments are going to pass away. 739 00:39:46,217 --> 00:39:51,422 Flip side will one day pass away unless Jesus comes back first. 740 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:57,628 But we will believe his word 741 00:39:57,628 --> 00:40:00,631 because that will never fail. 742 00:40:04,502 --> 00:40:06,971 And because that will never fail. 743 00:40:06,971 --> 00:40:11,442 We will teach the Word of God and we will preach the Word of God. 744 00:40:11,475 --> 00:40:14,478 We will proclaim the Word of God, 745 00:40:15,813 --> 00:40:18,382 and we will serve the kingdom of God. 746 00:40:18,382 --> 00:40:21,719 And so, flip side 21 years. 747 00:40:22,153 --> 00:40:27,191 We look back with great gratitude because God has been very faithful 748 00:40:27,191 --> 00:40:30,828 and gracious to us, to me, 749 00:40:31,862 --> 00:40:34,465 to us. As a church. 750 00:40:34,465 --> 00:40:37,034 God has built us. God has protected us. 751 00:40:37,034 --> 00:40:39,670 God has provided for us. God has corrected us. 752 00:40:39,670 --> 00:40:44,074 And every conversion and every baptism and every life restored 753 00:40:44,074 --> 00:40:48,612 in every marriage repair and every church planet is evidence of his grace. 754 00:40:49,980 --> 00:40:52,850 And so we look back with gratitude for his grace. 755 00:40:52,850 --> 00:40:56,587 But looking back in gratitude does not allow us to become nostalgic. 756 00:40:58,222 --> 00:41:01,225 There's so much more to be done. 757 00:41:01,459 --> 00:41:03,994 See, we honor God's grace of yesterday best 758 00:41:03,994 --> 00:41:06,997 by being obedient to Jesus today. 759 00:41:08,199 --> 00:41:10,267 Do you understand? 760 00:41:10,267 --> 00:41:14,638 So we'll look back with gratitude, and we'll look around with urgency. 761 00:41:14,939 --> 00:41:17,908 Because our mission is still unfinished. 762 00:41:17,908 --> 00:41:20,211 We have much to do. 763 00:41:20,211 --> 00:41:24,715 People in the ranchos, people in rolling hills, people 764 00:41:24,715 --> 00:41:27,718 into sorrow, people in Riverstone need the gospel. 765 00:41:29,019 --> 00:41:32,790 Flipside has a lot of work to do, and as long as Jesus has not returned, 766 00:41:32,823 --> 00:41:35,826 Flip side has not finished our assignment. 767 00:41:38,662 --> 00:41:41,198 Should we look back with gratitude? 768 00:41:41,198 --> 00:41:44,268 We look around with urgency and we look forward with great courage. 769 00:41:45,135 --> 00:41:48,439 Our greatest days of kingdom of usefulness lay ahead of us. 770 00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:51,509 No reserve, no retreat, no regret. 771 00:41:55,546 --> 00:41:58,516 Lesson 21 years. 772 00:41:58,516 --> 00:42:02,253 We're not trying to preserve anything of our pastor, trying to leverage 773 00:42:02,253 --> 00:42:05,856 our 21 years for everything God has called us to in the future. 774 00:42:08,225 --> 00:42:09,260 And what is called us 775 00:42:09,260 --> 00:42:12,263 to is more disciples in the flip side flow. 776 00:42:12,263 --> 00:42:14,431 So we understand our assignment and can do it. 777 00:42:14,431 --> 00:42:16,667 What he's calling us to is more leaders trained. 778 00:42:16,667 --> 00:42:18,869 What is calling us to is more churches plan. 779 00:42:18,869 --> 00:42:21,138 What is calling us to is more missionary. 780 00:42:21,138 --> 00:42:24,141 What he's calling us to is more gospel to unreached people. 781 00:42:24,141 --> 00:42:27,545 What he's calling us to is more investment 782 00:42:27,545 --> 00:42:31,215 in children's, youth and young adult ministries through this church. 783 00:42:31,215 --> 00:42:35,119 What is calling us to is more courageous Bible teaching. 784 00:42:35,119 --> 00:42:39,223 What is calling us to is more generosity for kingdom expansion. 785 00:42:39,223 --> 00:42:40,691 That's what he's calling us to. 786 00:42:42,059 --> 00:42:44,995 And we will press into it 787 00:42:44,995 --> 00:42:47,998 because we know our kings coming back 788 00:42:48,699 --> 00:42:51,669 and because our kings coming back, and we know we're going 789 00:42:51,669 --> 00:42:55,172 to proclaim the gospel with more urgency and more power and more zeal. 790 00:42:55,172 --> 00:42:57,474 And we're going to plant more churches everywhere. 791 00:42:57,474 --> 00:42:58,876 God gives us an open door. 792 00:42:58,876 --> 00:43:01,812 I don't care the political climate of where he calls us. 793 00:43:01,812 --> 00:43:03,414 We're going and we're planting churches, 794 00:43:03,414 --> 00:43:07,017 and we will more passionately do our assignment until he returns. 795 00:43:07,418 --> 00:43:10,654 That's what's next for our 21 more years. 796 00:43:15,192 --> 00:43:17,428 My dear friends, let our prayer be off our lives. 797 00:43:17,428 --> 00:43:19,630 Tell a story. 798 00:43:19,630 --> 00:43:22,633 If our church has a story 799 00:43:23,133 --> 00:43:26,103 led to be him only, 800 00:43:26,103 --> 00:43:29,106 Christ only 801 00:43:29,173 --> 00:43:32,376 for the honor of his name, that his kingdom may come. 802 00:43:34,378 --> 00:43:36,146 So happy birthday flip side. 803 00:43:37,181 --> 00:43:40,184 We're just getting started. 804 00:43:40,751 --> 00:43:43,754 Why don't you pray with me, 805 00:43:43,954 --> 00:43:44,355 father? 806 00:43:44,355 --> 00:43:46,256 Thank you. 807 00:43:46,256 --> 00:43:49,793 Thank you for the high and lofting calling that you've given us. 808 00:43:50,828 --> 00:43:55,332 Thank you that you've asked of us to be a part of your global work. 809 00:43:55,399 --> 00:43:57,935 It's amazing. 810 00:43:57,935 --> 00:44:00,137 I pray we're not squander a day, 811 00:44:00,137 --> 00:44:03,140 a moment and opportunity. 812 00:44:03,874 --> 00:44:06,877 I pray by your spirit that you would remind us of the beauty 813 00:44:07,411 --> 00:44:12,216 of your plan, the beauty of your word, how you would gather us as your 814 00:44:12,816 --> 00:44:16,153 children under your wings for our protection and comfort and healing. 815 00:44:16,153 --> 00:44:18,922 If we would just repent, 816 00:44:18,922 --> 00:44:21,892 God, would you use us to shape the world? 817 00:44:23,827 --> 00:44:26,830 Mend what's broken, restore 818 00:44:26,897 --> 00:44:28,899 what has been lost and sacrificed? 819 00:44:28,899 --> 00:44:31,001 Oh God, 820 00:44:31,001 --> 00:44:33,971 would you bring your people to repentance? 821 00:44:36,106 --> 00:44:38,876 Friends, I want to fight you in this moment 822 00:44:38,876 --> 00:44:42,079 to take the charge of our calling very seriously. 823 00:44:45,115 --> 00:44:46,417 To in this moment, bring 824 00:44:46,417 --> 00:44:49,420 yourself before God in repentance, 825 00:44:50,387 --> 00:44:53,390 agreeing with him of what he said about sin. 826 00:44:54,458 --> 00:44:57,461 I'd encourage you in this moment, as I do. 827 00:44:58,162 --> 00:45:00,931 God, I admit I'm a sinner. 828 00:45:00,931 --> 00:45:04,935 I admit I cannot make myself any better. 829 00:45:07,104 --> 00:45:09,907 Jesus, I believe that you are 830 00:45:09,907 --> 00:45:12,910 my way to be right with the father. 831 00:45:13,510 --> 00:45:17,815 I believe you died on the cross and that you rose again to save me. 832 00:45:18,615 --> 00:45:21,618 Save me now. 833 00:45:21,785 --> 00:45:24,788 I pledge my allegiance to you. 834 00:45:24,922 --> 00:45:27,891 I renounce the sin of my life, 835 00:45:28,358 --> 00:45:31,361 and I choose to walk away from it. 836 00:45:32,396 --> 00:45:35,299 By the power of your spirit. 837 00:45:35,299 --> 00:45:38,302 Give me your power 838 00:45:38,802 --> 00:45:41,538 to renounce sin 839 00:45:41,538 --> 00:45:44,541 and to live a holy life. 840 00:45:45,509 --> 00:45:49,213 Use me to shake the world 841 00:45:50,314 --> 00:45:53,317 for your kingdom sake. 842 00:45:53,751 --> 00:45:54,218 Oh, God. 843 00:45:54,218 --> 00:45:56,420 I pray over our church 844 00:45:56,420 --> 00:45:59,890 that the story of our church, that the testimony of our church 845 00:46:00,758 --> 00:46:03,227 would be you, Jesus, at the center of it all. 846 00:46:04,495 --> 00:46:07,498 May you be the sinner of it all. 847 00:46:07,664 --> 00:46:10,667 We love you. 848 00:46:11,201 --> 00:46:13,771 Amen. 849 00:46:13,771 --> 00:46:15,372 Church, I love you. 850 00:46:15,372 --> 00:46:18,108 Thank you for 21 years. 851 00:46:18,108 --> 00:46:21,111 Let's freaking press into the next 21. 852 00:46:21,345 --> 00:46:22,613 Stand up. Let's sing.