#1030 Pentecost, Part 5

1030 Pentecost, Part 5 Transcription

[song]

When I walk through deep waters

I know that You will be with me

When I'm standing in the fire

I will not be overcome

Through the valley of the shadow

I will not fear

I am not alone I am not alone

You will go before me

You will never leave me

In the midst of deep sorrow

I see Your light is breaking through

The dark of night will not overtake me

I am pressing into You

Lord, You fight my every battle

I will not fear

I am not alone I am not alone

You will go before me

You will never leave me

You amaze me

You redeem me

You call me as Your own

You're my strength

You're my defender

You're my refuge in the storm

Through these trials

You've always been faithful

You bring healing to my soul

I am not alone I am not alone

You will go before me

You will never leave me

[applause] We are never alone. And, if you think you're alone, what do you feel like when you are alone? Just turn your face to the Lord Jesus Christ and look directly at his face in your heart. Because you are never alone. Just like Tina sang in that song, he is always there, to heal us. He's always there to strengthen us; always there to fill us with good things. And he never fails. Right? Who can attest to that? God never fails. Do you know what she told me the other day? The word of God works. We know that. Sometimes we just have to be reminded. The Word of God works. It never fails. Every word that God spoke in his Word, by his written word, by the spoken word, by revelation that God gives us, if he needs to do that… his Word never fails. Ever! Ever! Can you say that? God's word never fails! God's word never fails.

[song]

You know it's been so good to see God living in your life. His love is shining on your face, and he lights your radiant eyes. If there's just one message before this song is through. It's that you will never walk alone, God is there with you. Never be discouraged with this life you have to live. God's blessings are one hundred fold with everything you give. Much more than all the world's riches is this life he gave to you. With his love inside you, there is nothing you can't do. Even in the darkest night when your mind is full of fear, you can reach out your hand to God and know that he is there. The God of peace be with you, so be always filled with love. And as you walk along the way, keep your thoughts above. Where ever you may go, whatever you may do; You will never walk alone. God is there with you. You will never walk alone. God is there with you.

[applause] Good morning. I wish I had the words to aptly express my thanks to Ms. Tina and Carmen for the wonderful, wonderful music; how they ministered to us with their music. We could leave here right now and God would have accomplished what he wanted for today. They were wonderful.

Acts 1:9-11 ⁸And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

We've been looking at Pentecost and I've handled the first several verses in Acts chapter 1; and quite in detail. The last time we were together, we got to verses 9-12. These two men in verse 12 were angels on a mission to further confirm the solemn event that the apostles had gone through.

Previously Jesus had spent 40 days with these guys teaching them the things concerning the kingdom of God. He commanded them to go to Jerusalem and not to depart until they receive the promise. They then took part of a salt covenant when they ate a covenant meal together before he left.

They were aware that the kingdom had been given to David by a covenant of salt; and it was given to David's sons for ever by a covenant of salt. Now, Jesus Christ happens to fit in that line. And then God continued to certify and emphasize the words of the Lord Jesus Christ by sending these two angels, who gave further encouragement.

Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

And the encouragement and comfort that the angels offered was about his return. It's interesting to note that the first words of encouragement the angel spoke to the apostles on the day of the Ascension was about the hope of the return of Jesus Christ. The same Jesus is going to come back.

And then in segment four of this particular teaching, I spoke to you and I taught you that this was the same great encouragement revealed to the apostle Paul, Timothy and Silas to give to the believers at Thessalonica. They needed that hope to go through the hard times that they were going through.

I also talked you a little bit about Ernest Shackleton and about his mission and what he had accomplished. I told you that on August 8, 1914 one week after Germany declared war on Russia; that he set sail with 29 men in a three masted wooden ship from Plymouth England to Antarctica. to become the first to cross the Antarctica continent on foot.

Shackleton worked as hard as any member on his crew. He just wasn't just wasn't a leader who directed. He was a leader who worked as hard as any member on his crew. And his crew saw that. And it built great unity in that ship.

The ship, he aptly named was Endurance. That's what he called it. They refer to Shackleton as the boss, But Shackleton didn't think of himself as the boss. He was a meek man in that respect.

After five months the ship had become trapped in ice. The ice packed around it and eventually it sank; leaving his men to set up camp on a floating piece of ice. As the ice started to melt during this peak period of time, Shackleton kept his men entertained.

During the day they played soccer, They played… They had regular sled dog competitions and they had sing-alongs and song fests at night. And it was while this ice was melting and floating out with no one around that Shackleton really showed his leadership skills and abilities.

He willingly sacrificed his right to a warmer fur-lined sleeping bag so one of his men could have it that was sickly. And he personally served hot milk to his men every morning in the morning. He went into the rooms and served it to them.

When the ice finally began to break where they couldn't survive anymore, they exited and went to nearby Elephant Island. There they set up a camp on Elephant Island. Now, they knew that they weren't going to be able to be rescued from this remote place. So Shackleton and some members of his crew decided to take a 20 foot lifeboat and make the trip back to bring a rescue party.

He left a guy named Frank Wilde in charge while he left and he made this trip back. Wilde continued the practices that Shackleton started. And Wilde would tell his men after he would get up in the morning. He would roll up his sleeping bag and he'd say, "Get ready men. The boss might be coming today."

See, he continued to encourage his people, his men, that the boss is coming back. The boss might be coming today. He kept them busy. He kept them busy shoveling snow away from their fort because they were in constant danger of just being closed in.

And with just four days of food left, Shackleton did come back. The fog lifted miraculously for one hour and Shackleton himself was in that lifeboat and came back and ferried some of the men back from Elephant Island onto the Chilean icebreaker. that he was able to get to go there.

After three failed attempts, he went to the government. The government was in a war. The government didn't want to fund a rescue party. The government didn't want to deal with anything. As soon as Shackleton got back and he became a hero there, thought, the government was taking the credit. See? Just like the government does today.

They kept the men encouraged by building the reality of the hope of the return of their very beloved Captain Ernest Shackleton. And likewise the captain of our salvation will return one day to rescue us and he will come back.

Luke 19:12-13 ¹²He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. ¹³And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

Do you know how Wilde was able to keep those men going? You know how he did it. He did it one day at a time. He did it one day at a time. In Luke chapter 19, Jesus Christ tells his disciples a parable: a kingdom parable. A nobleman called his ten servants, and delivered them 10 pounds, and he said unto them, "Occupy till I come."

That's what the Lord Jesus Christ told us to do. We are to occupy until he comes back. It's hard to occupy sometimes, because the world throws a bunch of junk at you. The world tries to beat you down; tell you you're no good. tell you you won't overcome; tell you won't be able to do anything with your life.

And if you keep listening to the news and that's exactly what you will get. They will tell you you're no good. They will tell you this is coming after you. This disease is going to get you. This sickness is going to get you. This tax is going to get you. This new variance is going to get you. Don't keep listening to that junk.

God tells you the opposite. You have a choice to make. Because if you do not believe God's Word and if you do not believe me, what I'm telling you about the news; you're a sick person and you've got problems. I'm telling you don't listen to the news. The news come from the throat of the devil. And that's how the devil is keeping you in bondage. That's how the devil is keeping you in fear.

You listen to that garbage day after day after day. It's a lie from the pit of hell. It's from the God of this world. You will go nowhere. You will go nowhere except down if you continue to listen to the garbage that comes from the church of Satan, the media of this world.

God gives us hope. God gives us encouragement. God says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." See, God doesn't tell you to live your life in fear. God is not the author of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind. God doesn't give a spirit of fear either. There's nothing fearful about God unless it's a healthy respect.

That's how Wilde kept those men going. He didn't tell them "You're going to die." He didn't tell them the sharks are going to get them; the polar bears are going to get them; the walruses are going to come up with their big fangs and poke them to death. He gave them hope. He kept them entertained. He kept them busy. And he kept busy and kept hope. "Roll your bags up get ready. The boss may be coming today."

And that's the message of God to you, the church, today. "Roll your bags up, get ready, the Lord may return today." See? That's the hope that we have. So we are able to occupy until he comes because we have this great hope; we have this encouragement. We know how the story ends. And we win.

See? He gave them 10 pounds and he said to "occupy till I come". Now we have seen from the Scriptures that the central theme of the kingdom of God was not only taught to the apostles during those 40 days that Jesus was with them, but at the time of the Ascension. It was on their heart and the question they said is "Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom unto Israel?" It was living in their heart and they were ready to move.

Luke 19:11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

By the way, in Luke chapter 19:11 you know what verse 11 says? The disciples thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. Do you See? They were looking for it. They were waiting for it. They were anticipating it. Remember I told you that Jesus had made a covenant with them?

Luke 22:29-30 ²⁹And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; ³⁰That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

When they ate what they referred to as the Last Supper he says "I covenant unto you…" (The word "appointed" is used in the King James but it's a Greek word that means "covenant".) I covenant unto you a kingdom… that you may sit and judge the 12 tribes of Israel." They were looking forward to their time and appointment in the kingdom.

Acts 1:10-12 ¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. ¹²Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

Now as we continue towards the day of Pentecost in Acts 1:10, once again, two men (again, these are angels that took the form of men.) said "This same Jesus, which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven." How did he go up into heaven? He beamed up. How is he coming back the second time? The same way!

In verse 12 we see they returned from the mount called Olivet, which is a sabbath day's journey from Jerusalem. According to the Bible, where did Jesus Christ ascend from? Mount Olivet. That's what it says. That's what it means.

Many people ,even non-Christians, know about the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is celebrated every year in many places around the world by recognizing the holiday of Christmas, right? But many people, including the church, know little about his second coming.

Theologians report that the references to his second coming out number the references to his first by a factor of 8 to 1. In other words, there is eight times more in the Bible - scripture wise and reference wise - about his second coming as there is about his first coming. Scholars have counted 1845 references to his second coming. 318 of them in the New Testament alone.

This second coming of Jesus Christ is referenced no less than 17, and then in 17 Old Testament books. And seven out of every 10 chapters in the New Testament, it references the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself referenced his second coming, no less than 21 times verse 12.

Acts 1:12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

Stay with me now. I'll put all this together for you and any questions you have will just disappear. Acts 1:12 "Then returned they unto to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem, a Sabbath days journey." While it is true that many of the Old Testament prophets wrote concerning the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the book of Zechariah that gives us some very clear and precise information concerning that second coming.

The first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was in the Scriptures, but the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is also in the Scriptures. I'm going to teach you a key and if this is an accurate translation from the Hebrew every time you read this phrase in the Old Testament; it's talking about the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, alright? And here's the key.

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.

Zechariah 14:1 It's very simple. Watch it. "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh…" There is the key. The "day of the Lord". The day of the Lord is not Sunday. The day of the Lord is in Revelation chapter 1. It was the revelation that God gave to John concerning the future events that would take place when the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ happened. Every time you read that, and it's an accurate translation, it is talking about the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and what is going to transpire in that second coming.

Zechariah 14:1-4 ¹Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. ²For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. ³Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. ⁴And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

Now stay with me. "The day of the Lord cometh and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. (Verse 2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; (Do you know what that reference is to? It references to the battle of Armageddon.) and the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city should go forth into captivity, and that the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then (when this is all starting to happen) shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of the battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; half of the mountain shall remove toward the north the other half toward the south."

Zachariah pinpoints the exact geographic location where Christ will return to fight the battle of Armageddon. And the mount of Olives is just east of Jerusalem. And to this day it remains there and it retains its ancient name and its location is undeniable. Did you get that? Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives. Jesus is coming back to where? The Mount of Olives.

He's coming back. The angels couldn't be more perfectly perfect in their revelation. He's coming back to the same spot that he ascended from. Isn't that remarkable? It's amazing, isn't it? And when Jesus returns to the Mount of Olives every person will see his descent to earth. Every person will see his descent to earth.

Matthew 24:3,29-30 ³And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? ²⁹Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: ³⁰And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Now Jesus speaking from the mount of Olives a few days before he died on the cross spoke to his disciples regarding his second coming. Matthew 24:3 "As he sat upon the mount of Olives, (see it?)… as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us when these things shall be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

We will scoot down to verse 29. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days… (Okay, the tribulation period is the period of seven years. The first 3 1/2 years is going to be okay. Then he is going to break the covenant made with Israel Then the antichrist is going to step into the temple. He's going to set himself up as God. He would put an image there and defile the temple. And the later 3 1/2 end years of the tribulation is going to be very, very bad.

Jesus said, "Immediately (Verse 29) after the tribulation of those days (this is the reference to his second coming. Got it?) The sun shall be darkened and the moon not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven. The powers of heaven shall start shaking. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven."

You are going to have a sign at this point after the tribulation; immediately after the tribulation. Verse 29 "After the (what?) tribulation: the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and everybody shall see the sign the coming of Son of Man in the clouds with great power and great glory."

Acts 1:10-12 ¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. ¹²Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

In Acts chapter 1:11 The angels said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? The same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven."

We just read about that in Matthew. He's going to come in like manner as you seen him go and everybody's going to see it, and everybody's going to mourn. And this is after the tribulation. Verse 12 says they returned that day unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, "which is from Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey."

Immediately following Christ's ascension into heaven, and at the end of his earthly ministry, two angels appeared to the stunned disciples and spoke these words of encouragement and comfort to them. Verse 11says, "You men of Galilee, Why are you looking up there? He's going to come back. Verse 12 teaches us that according to the angels, Jesus would return to the very same spot from which he ascended from the Mount of Olives. He's going to return to the Mount of Olives.

Zachariah gives us further information. That says when his feet, when he lands on the ground his feet touched that mountain, and there's going to be a great earthquake. That is in the what period of time? The day of the Lord. Which is what? In the future.

The knowledge of the second coming of the Lord was written throughout the pages of both the Old and the New Testament. The Day of the Lord is spoken of many times. Now listen. What was to be revealed later came on the day of Pentecost. And what was to be revealed later was a mystery: a secret that God had hid since the world began.

They knew about the second coming of Jesus Christ. They knew about the day of the Lord. What they didn't know about was the church. And what they didn't know was that the second coming of Jesus Christ now would have two aspects of that second coming. The aspect that was added; that was revealed - was always in the heart of God - is that Jesus would return for the church and gather them together and then take them to heaven for short period of time.

And then the book of Revelation would commence. And then when you go immediately after the tribulation of those days Jesus Christ would return. They knew the second part. They saw in the Scriptures that he's coming back. They saw in the Scriptures; they could read in the Scriptures of the Old Testament.

But the great mystery (the secret, the church) is not and was not the subject of Old Testament prophecy, but was the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ known? Yes it was. But God had a secret. He had something - an ace up his sleeve - it was called the church.

This mystery, this secret was not part of Old Testament revelation, nor was it part of the gospel revelation. This mystery; this secret was later revealed to the apostle Paul. The church to which you and I belong came on the day of Pentecost. But that's not all that came on the day of Pentecost.

So Matthew 24 is addressing the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ himself is speaking,but he is speaking about that which was prophesied in the Old Testament: the day of the Lord, that which was revealed.

Once Jesus was ascended into heaven, what did the disciples say? "Lord will thou at this time restore the kingdom unto Israel?" They were all waiting for it, but God wasn't finished. He had something else that he had to do before he could restore the kingdom. And that something else was a mystery. It was kept hidden in God since the beginning of the world and it was revealed on the day of Pentecost. And as we continue to work the greatness of God's word we'll begin to unravel just what else came on the day of Pentecost regarding the power, the promise and the church.

Let's pray. Lord, thank you for your Word. Thank you for the simplicity of it. And thank you father that we can look forward to the captain of our salvation returning. And he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And he doesn't lie. And he will be coming back, Father, whether people think so or not. Thank you father we live in the Administration of Grace and that we can look forward to that day. And in the meantime we can occupy until he comes. In Jesus precious name.

ÿ