No one deceive you. We’re going to talk about that today. The only way we can prevent from being deceived is by knowing the truth. I mean, it was that the truth is a little bit hard to find nowadays, we can no longer trust the news media or even social media to give us unbiased information. Uh, we’re supposed to trust how are we supposed to trust and information if we don’t trust the giver of information that we’re supposed to trust in doctors and science, but not those doctors in science, we’re only supposed to trust in the ones that people tell us that we’re supposed to trust into. So it’s just a mixed bag of tricks that we’re facing. Who, who do we trust? Who do we believe whe it comes to us Mt. Carmel Church? Where do we get our truth from? And I think it’s vitally important for you to have one place in your life that you can feel confident that when I get that, when I hear that I’m getting the truth and I’m not looking for a certain party to tell you that I’m not looking for a certain news network, watch this one. No, no, no, no. I’m looking at it here at the Rose Church. We believe one place that we can be confident as the truth. And that’s the word of God. So we get a little excited when we open up the word, because we believe we’re getting the unfiltered pure truth of God’s word. So if you got those this morning, come on. Mount Carmel, erodes family, North city, let’s get them out and let’s open them up to second Thessalonians chapter two second Thessalonians chapter two. Today,
We’re going to focus our talk around one question. Just one. We may have more than one question during the service, but we’re going to focus our talk around one question. I believe it’s the most important question that you and I could answer in our life. A lot of questions around us, a lot of uncertainty, but this one question I think takes precedence over all questions. So I believe it’s important for you to ask yourself and be able to answer. We’re building everything around this one question. The question, I mean, it’s really important question. Are you ready? I’m building the anticipation around the question. The most important question. You’ll have to answer simple question. Here it is. Are you ready for that day? Are you ready for that day? Are you ready for that day? Let’s see what that means. You’re talking about. Well, what, what, what, what day you talking about ? Let’s look in second Thessalonians chapter two. We’ll see what day we are talking about. It says here in verse one. Now brethren concerning the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ concerning the coming of our Lord. Jesus Christ concerning the coming of our Lord. Jesus Christ. Here’s something I want to start off with right out of the gate. Our Lord, Jesus Christ is coming
For you to understand that for me to understand that with us Mt. Carmel Church, to remind ourselves concerning the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ and our together to him. So here’s the context. What are we talking about? We’re talking about something to where Jesus is going to come back and we’re going to be gathered together to him. Is anybody ready for that day? Our gathering together to him. We ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled. I tried to give you a heads up a few weeks ago, not to be soon shaken in mind or trouble, right? Has anybody had an opportunity to be shaken in mind or troubled recently?
I don’t want to be an, I told you so guy, but we have, I told you it’s going to happen. We cannot be soon shaken. Why’d I tell you because God tells us, he says don’t be soon shaken in minor trouble, either by spirit or by word by letter. As if from us as though the day of Christ had already come. Let no one deceive you by any means. Let no one deceive you let no one deceive you. That means that we have a say so in whether we’re deceived or not, don’t let anybody deceive you don’t let them do it. Is there going to be, are there going to be people that’s going to try to deceive you? Yes. Don’t let them know. Let them well, I I’d like not to be deceived. How do I know all the way? I’m not going to be perceived as if I have a working knowledge of the truth.
Don’t let him deceive. You stay on top of your game. Know your stuff. Don’t let somebody fool you be aware of what God wants you to know now, how do we do that? Okay, let me go on. Let no one deceive you by any means for that day. Somebody say that day, that day will not come unless the falling away comes first. And the man of sin is revealed. The son of perdition who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, man, this is going to be some good meat. When we get to that, we’re not going to talk about this today, but man, I can’t wait for it. Exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he sits as God in the temple of God showing himself that he is God, that sounds like somebody that believes a little bit too much about himself.
That’s talking about somebody who set himself up that he is God. So we’re going to talk about that son of perdition and uh, the man of sin. You’re probably going to start that next week. But today I want to talk about, are you ready for that day? Because it says that day will come. So it puts together some thoughts about being ready for that day. In, uh, in Luke chapter 21, we gotta be, we gotta remember if you’re a follower of Jesus. If you’re a person to consider yourselves a Christian when working with a proper Mt. Carmel Church experience, there is a day, there is a return of Christ that we need to be ready for it. I’m not saying it’s going to be tomorrow. I’m not saying it’s going to be just any moment right now, but I’m telling you we have to live our lives in preparation for that day because Jesus is back.
What does that mean for me, Luke 21 verse 34 says this, but take heed to yourselves or pay attention to yourself. Keep on guard, keep on the lookout. Be, uh, be aware, be in a continuous state of readiness, take heed to yourself. Less. Your hearts be weighed down. Now he’s telling you, Hey, pay attention, be ready, but don’t let your hearts be weighed down with these things. Carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life. And that day, come on, UN unexpectedly. Here’s what’s happening. When we get our cares too much on this life. And we forget about eternal life. Then that’s when the return of Christ is going to come on. Us unexpectedly too many times. We forget about the difference between this life and that life. We just think that this is all there is, this is not all. There is our first earthly. Life is not all. There is. There is an eternal life, either in the presence of God or X or X, um, expelled from the presence of God. So let’s talk about what that means. He says, it’s going to come on. You unexpectedly for it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the earth. When it says it’s going to come as a snare, it’s going to come unexpectedly like suddenly at once without warning, Jesus is going to return. And when Jesus returns, it’s not going to be, Hey, there’s Jesus coming back.
No, the Bible says he’s going to come back at once. Like unexpectedly. The Bible says when Jesus comes back will be like it. Wasn’t the days of Noah. Everybody’s marrying giving a marriage, doing their thing, going on. You’re doing whatever normal functions of life and all of a sudden, bam, Jesus is going to come back. So I tried to think about when it said it’s like a snare. I thought, well, snare sounds a little harsh. What do you mean by that? I looked up that word. It just means like a trap, but not like Jesus is trying to trap us, but he’s given us an example as a trap. How does a trap happen? A trap happens unexpectedly. So I brought me a mouse trap Because I wanted to show you how Jesus is going to return with a visual. He’s gonna, he’s gonna come back unexpectedly. See, I like these old fashioned wooden ones. Cause this is how I roll. I’m a great mouse Hunter. So here’s what I do. I like to, I use peanut butter and I like to put the peanut butter on there and not set the trap. Just set it out there for them. Just let them eat it. Give them a freebie with our great Mt. Carmel Church services.
I’m like that. I put that peanut butter on there and I set them out and say, enjoy, have a good time. I come back. And man, that thing is licked clean. They, they walk up to a, probably at first and I’m like, man, look at that metal and that spring. Whew, that’s probably dangerous. But smell that peanut butter is Skippy all natural, but it’s still good. They smell it. And so it looks dangerous and they think, man, is that safe? I mean, but, but the smell, the temptation is just overwhelming. So they go and they taste it and nothing happens right away. So they eat it up and they’re like, that was the best thing. Free peanut butter. That’s awesome. So the next day I said it,
Yes sir. I say I was when I come back and I see that thing licked clean a smile comes across my face. I’m like, Oh, I hope you enjoyed your last supper buddy. So, so then they come back and they see the same spring. They seen the same danger, but they smell the peanut butter. And they say, man, I ate it last time. And nothing happened to me. It’s the same way sin works in our life. It’s what happened to Adam and Eve, God said, the day you eat that fruit, you’re going to die. The eighth, the fruit that live well, we didn’t die, but they forgot. They got, they removed themselves from the presence of God. Death is not what happens to us, physically death and destruction is actually the absence of the presence of God in our life. When you’re seeing, don’t look around to see if your body starts to decay, look around and feel if the presence of God is still in your life. So they come back and they start eating it and they’re like, Oh, that’s so good. They just get so they just get so they’re so used to, they’re so comfortable with it. They just climb up on it and all of a sudden Mt. Carmel Church is here to help you.
That’s how Jesus is going to come back unexpectedly. You see that? It’s not like they’re eating the peanut butter and they’re eating away. And all of a sudden they see this bar coming in. They’re like, Oh no, I better move. Ain’t nobody got time for that. They’re eating away. And all of a sudden, bam, then I find them the next day like that,
What happened? I don’t know if this is the best analogy or just works for me. It was like, everything was going fine. And all of a sudden, bam, unexpectedly their life changed in an instant. That’s how Jesus is going to come back. It’s going to be like that. It’s going to be like, Hey, I’m just kinda doing my own thing and bam, just going to come back. So I’ll let you go see him. You’re like, Oh wait a minute. Jesus is coming. Father. Forgive me all my sins. Jesus coming Lord of my life. Amen. No, no, bam, bam. It’s going to come back. It’s going to be a snare. It’s going to be so fast. There won’t be time for us to pray and ask God to come into my life and see us coming. Jesus is coming back. The urgency in the, the heart of God this morning is just to share with you. Are you ready for that day? He’s coming back in a moment. First Corinthians 15 verse 52 says in a moment in the twinkling of an eye when Jesus is going to come back in a moment in a moment is not a minute. That’s the Greek word, Atomos where we get our word, Adam, that means a measure of time that cannot be broken down into a smaller interval and Adam can be broken down. It’s the smallest part. So a moment is like, bam, bam, like typing my hands. Cause that’s too slow as like more
It’s fast. It’s whatever It says, fast he’s coming back quickly, everybody ready for that day. So let no one deceive you. So until that day, here’s the thing I want to emphasize today. Until that day We gotta be prepared.And what I felt like God was wanting me to share with the church in an encouraging way, in a way is just to highlight some truth to this morning that I feel like from watching and observing in my own life in the church as a whole, the church has gotten soft Because we’ve forgotten that living for Christ comes with a price. We want potlucks and hanging out. We want, we want nice exit times. So we’re not, you’re not going to keep me too long or ya it’s not gonna last too long. Cause I got to get the game’s getting ready to be on. I got lunch cooking.
We got so soft that we forgot the Jesus hung naked on a cross so that we didn’t have to die. Jesus said whoever desires to save his life will lose it. But whoever will give his life for my sake will find it. So we got to realize that until that day comes, we gotta be prepared for what lies ahead and what I feel like God is wanting to urge the church in right now and what we’re facing. Be ready. It’s time to get ready if you’re not ready this time to get ready with the best Mt. Carmel Church around. If you just spend kind of cruise control say, well, you know, I’m not too serious about this. My wife’s kind of the spiritual one of the family or my husband’s kind of spiritual and family or my parents are, they’re kind of the, where my kids. It doesn’t matter. It’s about you and your relationship with Jesus.
So now let’s look At, go to first Thessalonians chapter one, just a little bit to the left. If you’re looking at a Bible, Mine, if not wherever chapter one is verse three. Since we are bound to thank God, always for you brethren, as it is fitting because your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you all have bounds towards each other. Notice how it works. Faith grows exceedingly our faith can grow and our love abounds towards each other. So here’s what I see. I see our faith is supposed to grow towards God and our Love’s supposed to be extended towards each other. So now if their faith is growing and their love is than men, it must be good times. Since Tesla Nika, it must be easy street. Everything must be going the way they want because their faith is growing in love as the bounty. Surely that can only happen when everybody’s happy. Let’s see the condition of what’s happening in that church. Your faith is growing. Your love is abounding towards each other so that we ourselves boast of you.
We’re bragging about you. Paul said among all the churches of God, for your patience and faith in somebody say in patience and faith in patience and faith, patience and faith go together like peanut butter and jelly like biscuits and gravy, patience and faith, faith and patience. Hebrew said imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Imitate those. Who’s willing to go through a little bit, to endure a little bit, to go through some adversity with us ehre for more info with th ebest Mt. Carmel Church, imitate those people who didn’t microwave their success in Christianity, but they walked it out and they developed it over years. Imitate those people who still had it 30 years later imitate them. You said imitate those through faith and patience, your faith or your patience and your faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure in a hold when it comes to us Mt. Carmel Church.
I’m confused. Their faith is growing. Their loves bounding. They got patience and faith and they’re in the middle of persecutions and tribulations. How’s that possible? How’s that possible? Persecutions and tribulations. Surely that must be a play on words. Surely it means something easy and fun. Persecutions means a systematic program to oppress or harass people. Maybe not tribulations means pressure, oppression, suffering, persecution, affliction, or adversity. Ugh, wait a minute. So God’s trying to tell me that I should have patience and faith in the midst of pressure, oppression, suffering, persecution, affliction, and adversity. Why listen that you endure those that weren’t endured. Here’s what in Durham means. It means to persevere, to stand firm, to hold up against something, not losing courage under pressure. Here’s what I’m saying. As Christians, we’re going to face some adversity. We’re going to face some pressure. We’re going to face some opposition, but we have to endure.
We just finished a series called basic training, the making of a soldier. We wasn’t, it wasn’t basic training. The making of a couch, potato making of a soldier. Christians are created to go through adversity. Kristen’s testimony was so awesome. Her testimony wasn’t that once I received the Holy spirit, then all my problems went away. It’s once I received the Holy spirit acts one eight, you shall receive power. When the Holy spirit comes upon you, you don’t receive a pass. When the Holy spirit comes upon you, you receive power for the adversity that you’re going to face. This is what God’s telling us. Listen, we signed up for this. You signed up to be a Christian. You signed up to be a follower of Jesus. We signed up for opposition. You see soldiers in the military, people in the army, the Rangers or the green Baret or special forces, Navy seals.
You don’t go to up to them. They go, man, I didn’t know I was going to have to go through better. They signed up for warfare. They signed up for tough difficulties for difficult assignments. But notice what happens. So we encourage your purse in your purse, in your persecutions and tribulations. You’re enduring them. You’re holding steady. You’re not losing your hope. You’re not losing your encouragement. I want to encourage somebody who came in today a little bit discouraged because the world isn’t going the way you want it to go. Our hope is in Jesus Christ. Some people ask me, is your boldness going to change? Whenever the election happened, it might have my boldness was attached to a person, but my boldness is attached to Jesus Christ. So it doesn’t matter what happens on the earth. My savior is still coming back for me. I’m on team Jesus smell for great Mt. Carmel Church options.
What do I gotta be afraid of? We’re going to be scared of well, you’re going to have hard times going to be AAA. It’s going to be personal. I know totally told me that right there. I’m ready. Didn’t say I was going to like it. Didn’t say I’m asking for it December. We’re prepared for it. Look what he says, which is man, if your patients and your faith, it’s manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer. So we are worthy of the kingdom of God, for which we suffer. How many times do we hear stuff about that? We’re going to have to suffer for the kingdom of God. It’s not something that we hear about a lot. It’s not something we talk about a lot because we just want easy street. But I felt like God was wanting me to tell you in this message that I’m giving today is that the day of the Lord is coming. But until that day comes, we have to be prepared. We’re going to face opposition. We can’t be shocked and surprised when people systematically oppress our faith.
How dare they censor us? I know it’s what they’re supposed to do. We find a way we find a way to be victorious. Why? Because we’ve got Jesus on our side. If God, before us, who can be against us. But if we get caught up in the world system, we looking for the world to tell us what our freedoms are and where our power lies. And we’re not looking for the world to tell me where my power lies. The word tells me where my power lies. Oh boy. So we’re going to suffer. That’s exciting. Verse six since citizen. So since citizen rights, this thing, boy, I’m so glad I came to the road’s church. Chad, thank you for sharing the word. Since it is a righteous, they look at this part though, since it is a righteous thing with God, to repay with tribulation, with pressure, with conflict, with difficulty, those who trouble you.
It’s a righteous thing for God to repay with tribulation. Those who trouble you tribulation in trouble, come from the same Greek word. So here’s what the Bible is saying. It’s a righteous thing for God to flip the script on those who are troubling you right now that that same trouble in the same pressure, same tribulation is going to turn around and be on their heads. It’s a righteous thing. Here’s what I’m saying. I want to encourage somebody today with us here in Mt. Carmel Church. That’s feeling uh, concerned or, or worried about what’s going to happen with people of faith. There’s coming a day where things got a bit tr get turned around and everybody that’s braggadocious and bold against the kingdom of God. Everything that they did to pressure and persecute the church, it’s going to be flipped back and they are going to receive their just reward. Now it’s not angry.
That’s not go get them. God. Cause look what he says. Look in the next verse. It’s a righteous thing for God to do that and win. And to give you who are troubled rest, rest. He may looking for some rest. This word rest means a removal of persecution, a cessation of difficulty and adversity. All that sounds good. When’s that coming is that next week? Is that when my person gets elected, we’re going to get rest. No I wasn’t. I’m just reading the Bible say, and to give you who are troubled believers rest with us. When, so when do we get this risk? When are we going to have no more difficulties? When are we going to have no more adversity? When are we going to have no more opposition opposition with us? When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, Chad, when are we going to be done with all this pressure and adversity? When Jesus returns, it says Jesus. When he is revealed, what does that mean? Reveal revealed means to take the cover off. Here’s what is exciting. There’s coming a day. When everyone on the earth, everybody who doesn’t believe everybody, mocks Christians and say, we’re a bunch of crazy people. There’s coming a day when Jesus is going to be,
He’s going to be revealed and all these crazy religious freaks that the world mocked, we’re all going to see him. He’s going to be revealed with his angels. And in that moment, bam, every doubter we’ll see what their own I, I was thinking about this and thinking about Thomas and how Thomas wasn’t there with the disciples. When Jesus first appeared and Jesus shows up in the room and Thomas wasn’t there. So the disciples come back to him and said, Hey, we just saw Jesus. No, for real, we saw Jesus. And Tom was like, no, I didn’t. I’m not going to believe until I put my hand on his side and I touch the nail prints myself and you didn’t see, gee, I saw him, hang on the cross brother. Don’t play with me. You didn’t see Jesus. So fast forward a few days later during the in room meeting together, all of a sudden Jesus shows up.
He says, Thomas, come here, put your hand right here on my side. See my nails don’t be unbelieving, but be believing. Thomas said my Lord and my God. And then Jesus said, these incredible words. He said, Thomas, you believe because you saw, but blessed are those who believe. And don’t see in that moment that Jesus returns, everyone is going to recognize there is a heaven to gain. There’s a hell to shun. Jesus. Elvis was not make believe it wasn’t fake. It’s the real deal Mt. Carmel Church. Wow. Everything that I thought was real is not real. Everything that thought wasn’t real Israel. Jesus is real, but it’s going to be too late. We too late to decide. So he says, when he comes with his Holy angels, his mighty angels in flaming fire, what kind of entrance is this going to be? He’s revealed from heaven with his mighty angels and flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God, here’s what I’m talking about. Jesus has come back angry. You know, sometimes when people, uh, live for Jesus, they get angry. Here’s how I feel. It is. I think some people are so angry at non-Christians because they’re not fully satisfied in being one.
Yeah. I believe when people get an angry heart toward centers is because the part of them still wishes. They were one. I stopped you, but I’m just saying that to other people. Because cause if you’re angry about sin, if you’re angry about people sending like go get them, God, then you’re really feeling like if I’m going to sacrifice and not do what I really want to do, then there better be punishment for summit.
But the word that word vengeance there means righteous justice. It doesn’t mean God’s coming back angry. Jesus has a comeback angry. He just coming back to give us what we chose whatsoever. Man, sows, that will, they also reap. He who sows to the spirit will reap from the spirit. Those who sowed to the flesh will reap corruption. God is saying, listen, when I come back, I’m going to take vengeance on those. Here’s the people that’s going to take vengeance on righteous justice on two people. See if you’re in either of these two categories, it’s very important. This is kind of a realistic moment for the church to realize, Hey, this, the day is coming. And I want the church to be prepared until this day comes. We’re going to have to face some adversity, some difficulty. But when it comes, when Jesus comes, two categories of people that scripture talks about right here, that he’s going to say, I’m going to take vengeance on them.
In other words, they’re not going to make the cut. They’re not going to get to spend eternity with him. Number one on those who do not know God, those who do not know God, they’ve not given their life to Jesus. They’ve never accepted Christ as their Lord. They don’t know him. How do we know? Who knows him? The Bible says this, that if you do not love, then you do not know God. First John four, eight Houston does not love does not know God for God is love those who do not know God. And number two on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I think this is one of the most sobering and difficult ones for people because there’s a lot of people that’s going to say, well, I know God, I love God, but do you obey God?
Those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here’s what Titus one 16 says, they profess to know God, they talk a good game. They say all the right things. They go to church. But in works, they deny him being abominable, disobedient and disqualified for every good work. He said, listen, here’s, what’s going to happen. Those who do not know God, and those who do not obey. There’s one thing to say, I know him. And it’s a whole nother thing to say. I obey him Mt. Carmel Church. Which category are you in? Are you in either one of those? This is a time where we ask the Holy spirit revealed to me where I am. I don’t want anybody to be in a place of deception where you think everything’s all right. You think because you’re a good person you think because you go to church you’re okay. But do you know God? The Bible says in Matthew chapter seven, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord. And he’s going to say depart from me for, I never knew you. What is sad days for me to live my whole life. Thinking that I was in relationship with God and not know in my heart that I had truly repented of sin and made him the Lord of my life.
Getting saved, getting born again. It’s not about being a good person and hoping that’s enough. It’s recognizing that the penalty of sin separated me from God. But through the grace of Jesus, We can be saved. Look what he says. Verse nine, these, Those who do not know God and those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ. These shall be punished With ever lasting destruction. Everlast means eternal perpetual without a Time limit, they
Will be punished with everlasting destruction. Notice what the everlasting destruction is. Here’s the everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory Of his power. You know what true destruction is? You know what I, Worst thing in our life, our worst thing in our life is not a sale. And we commit the worst thing is not to have the presence of God in our life, Adam and Eve, when they ate the fruit, it wasn’t that they ate the fruit because they disobeyed God and they chose another Lord. And the presence of God was what they missed out on. But let me finish with our sin. And when he comes in that day, when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who believe because of her testimony among you was believed. Here’s what I felt like was vitally important for the church to be prepared. And as I look out, sometimes when I listen to the church, I’m concerned that many in the church aren’t prepared because we’ve gotten soft. We’re not ready for persecution. We’re not ready for battle. We’re not ready to fight. We’re not ready to stand against temptation.
We’re not ready to stand against mockery and ready crew ridicule. We’re not ready to stand up and say, Hey, yes, I’m a Christian. What’s it going to cost me to do that? I just don’t want my friends to make fun of me. You know when it comes to Mt. Carmel Church we are here t help you, I don’t want to stand out and be weird. I just want to be accepted. I want to be, I want to blend in. I remember, I remember sometimes you have these conversations with my kid. Like dad, you don’t, you just don’t get it. You remember? I’m like, yes I do. I remember not wanting to be by myself. I remember wanting to fit in and be accepted and have all that. But we have to realize there’s something greater to be ready to be with Jesus.
I feel like we have to be prepared for what’s coming and what’s coming. I don’t know specifically what’s coming, but I know that we’re going to be prepared for battle. We have to be prepared to stand for our faith. We’re gonna have to be prepared to stand for opposition. And I’m telling you what I’ve seen in the church in search history. I’m studying theology right now, working towards the degree of my master’s degree. And I’ve seen that in church history, the greatest growth of the church happened during some of the greatest persecution. Why? Because we start separating who’s in it for show and who’s in it for their hearts. That’s what God’s asking right here. Let me give you an example. A dude named Polycarp Polycarp was 86 years old and they were looking for him. He was trying to hide. And when he finally realized he couldn’t hide anymore, they came to arrest.
Him said, bring Polycarp death to the atheist. Now, nowadays we think atheists are people who don’t believe in God. Back then they called Christians atheists because they didn’t worship the gods. They didn’t worship all the gods. So the Romans called them atheists. So they said death to the atheist. So the old Bishop, uh, was, was arrested at the beginning to try and persuade him to worship the emperor and to consider his advanced age because he probably wouldn’t survive. The torture when Polycarp refused, the judge ordered him to cry out with the atheist to this Polycarp responded by pointing out the crowd around him and saying yes, out with the atheist. Again, the judge insisted promising that if he would swear by the emperor and curse Christ, he would go free. But Polycarp replied put yourself in this position. Is this going to happen to you?
I don’t know. Probably not. What if it did, are you ready for that? Are you ready for that question? Are you ready for that day? Are you ready for that challenge? If we can’t handle the little smoke on Facebook, if we can’t handle a ridicule, some verbal, we gotta be prepared. He says, sorry, let me go back to Polycarp out with the atheist for Polycarp recline for 86 years, I have served him and he has done me, no evil. How could I curse my King? Who saved me? So that’s the dialogue went on. And when the judge threatened him with being burned alive, not suspending his Facebook account, not we’re not going to eat lunch with you.
Not we’re going to make fun of, you know, we’re threatening to burn you alive. Here’s what Polycarp said. Polycarp simply answered that the fire that the judge could like would last only a moment. Whereas the eternal file fire would never go out with a better Mt. Carmel Church experience. That’s a dude with some perspective at fire, you’re going to like, it’s going to go out pretty soon. But if I were to renounce Christ, the fire that I would live in would be eternal soul. Finally, we’re told that after he was tied to the post in the midst of the burning fire, he looked up and prayed out loud. Lord sovereign God, I thank you that you have deemed me worthy of this moment. So that jointly with your martyrs, I may have a share in the cup of Christ for this. I bless and glorify you. Amen, Lord. Thank you. That you’ve deemed me worthy to burn alive for the name of Jesus. Wow. Wow. Are you ready for that day?
Are you ready for that day? Are you living towards that day? Are you living with that day in mind? Is your life with Jesus? Do you have perspective on that day versus this day? Yes. We’re going to face some difficult times, but if we’re set our affection on that day, what I faced pales in comparison to what’s going to happen when Jesus shows up Ted would, if they do this, what if they do that? What if they do? I don’t know, goal I know is what he’s going to do. And here’s what he’s going to do. Let me just read this scripture to you. Finally, there is laid up for me, the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Are you ready for that day? I ready to give your life to Jesus. Today’s a day. The Bible says today’s the day of salvation. Now’s the time? Now’s the time? Well, Chad, I’ve heard that my whole life. They wrote this book, this letter to the festival and the church and thistle Anika. He wrote it 2000 years ago. A little shy of that little of 2000 years ago. And he was telling them right now, be ready for the return of Christ 2000 years ago. So now it’d be easy for us to say, he’s not coming. He’s not coming.
That’s how fast I need to know you don’t get it. You’re working out. You’re going to the store. You’re shopping. You’re hanging out with your friends. Come back to God. I am. I’m going to get my life right with God here pretty soon. You’re pretty soon when it comes to Mt. Carmel Church. I’m still thinking about it. I, you know, I just got to live my life a little bit. You know, I remember when I was a kid, when I, they talking about Jesus returning, I’m like, I’m like 14, 15 years old. Jesus. Don’t come back till I get mad. Please just wait till the or well, you know, I’m kind of in college right now. And so I kind of want to experience the whole college.
Oh, I’m not in a great place right now with God. I’m trying to get things worked out. I really want to someday I’m going to get things. Hey, I’ve been meaning to, I’ve been meaning to give my life to Jesus. I’ve been meaning to get things for a dime. I’m going to, I’m telling you, I’m pretty soon. I’m going to get that’s. How fast are you getting it? It’s going to come as a snare. I’ll say that to scare anybody. I’m not trying to scare you into heaven. If it was, if it was possible to scare people into heaven, I’m all down for that. But it’s not possible. Just scare people in heaven. You can’t scare people into a heart change. Repentance comes when you recognize your need for a savior. I want you to know this. When Jesus comes back, it’s not for a family gathering it’s for an individual gathering. So if your kids living in a house of Christian parents, that means nothing. Except the fact that you have the opportunity to be brought up in the knowledge and the of Jesus Christ.
I had one of my kids say to me the other day, they said death, how could people view it that way? How could they possibly see that? I’m like, you don’t understand. You don’t understand the blessing that you have. You don’t have to understand the blessing of the truth being revealed to you, that you would even have any idea. You wouldn’t have any idea if it wasn’t for Jesus changing my life. So, because he changed my life, I can tell you about what he did for me. And now you get that truth poured into your life. And now what you take us obvious, somebody fought for somebody died for is what happened to the Bible in the children of Israel. As they fought and got freedom from the evil and from the tyranny of the Canaanites and bought by fought against the sin and they got freedom. And then the next generation who grew up in freedom thought freedom was free. They thought it was the norm. This happens. We just wake up and we’re free. None of them, somebody fought for their freedom. And the Bible says, so sadly that the Rose up a generation that did not know God
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