Luke 21:11    Here Luke lists some of the natural signs that will occur before Jesus’ second coming: “There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” While we shouldn’t interpret every natural disaster as a sign of the end times, an increase in natural disasters seems to be a warm-up to what is coming next—“birth pangs,” as Jesus called them in Matthew 24:8.

The Bible lists both positive and negative spiritual signs. In 2 Timothy 4:3–4 we discover that many people will follow false teachers. We see now an increase in cultic groups, heresy, deception, and occultism, with many choosing to follow New Age or pagan religions. On the positive side, Joel 2:28–29 prophesies that there will be a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16), and we are still seeing the effects of that outpouring in revivals and Spirit-led Christian movements, and in the worldwide preaching of the gospel message.

Along with the signs in the natural and spiritual realms, there are signs in society. The immorality rampant in society today is a symptom of mankind’s rebellion against God. Abortion, homosexuality, drug abuse, and child molestation are proof that “evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse” (2 Timothy 3:13). We are now living in a hedonistic and materialistic society. People are lovers of themselves—“looking out for number one”—and doing what is right in their own eyes. All these things, and many more, can be seen around us every day (see 2 Timothy 3:1–4).

The fulfillment of some end-times prophecies seemed impossible until the advent of modern technology. Some of the judgments in Revelation are more easily imagined in a nuclear age. In Revelation 13, the Antichrist is said to control commerce by forcing people to take the mark of the beast, and, given today’s advances in computer chip technology, the tools he will use may very well be here already. And through the internet, radio, and television, the gospel can now be proclaimed to the entire world (Mark 13:10).

And there are political signs. The restoration of Israel to her land in 1948 is the single most impressive fulfilled prophecy proving that we live in the end times. At the turn of the 20th century, no one would have dreamed that Israel would be back in her land, let alone occupying Jerusalem. Jerusalem is definitely at the center of geopolitics and stands alone against many enemies; Zechariah 12:3 confirms this: “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” Matthew 24:6–7 predicted that “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” “Wars and rumors of wars” are definitely characteristic of this present age.

These are just a few of the signs that we are living in the end of the age. There are many more. God gave us these prophecies because He does not want anyone to perish, and He always gives ample warning before pouring out His wrath (2 Peter 3:9).

Are we living in the end of the end times? No one knows when Jesus will return, but the rapture could occur at any moment. God will deal with sin either by grace or by wrath. John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” Those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their savior will remain under the Lord’s wrath.

The good news is that it’s not too late to choose eternal life. All that is required is acceptance, by faith, God’s free gift of grace. There is nothing you can do to earn salvation; Jesus has paid the price for you. Romans 3:24

Are you ready for the Lord’s return? Or will you experience His wrath?

 

 

Mark of the Beast:

Understanding the Mark of the Beast: The Mark of the Beast is mentioned in the book of Revelation (Revelation 13:16-18). This signifies allegiance to the Antichrist and rejection of God. New Christians should study and understand the biblical passages regarding the Mark of the Beast to discern its significance and implications.

1. Revelation 13:16-18: “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

2. Revelation 14:9-11: “A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: ‘If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.'”

These passages emphasize the implications of receiving the mark and the consequences for those who choose to worship the beast or pledge allegiance to it.

While the primary passages above directly address the consequences of receiving the Mark of the Beast are Revelation 13:16-18 and Revelation 14:9-11, there are a few other passages that indirectly touch upon the topic:

1. Revelation 16:2: “The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.”

This verse is part of the description of the pouring out of the bowls of God’s wrath in the book of Revelation. It indicates that those who have the mark and worship the beast will experience physical affliction in the form of painful sores.

2. Revelation 19:20: “But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs, he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.”

This passage refers to the ultimate fate of the beast and the false prophet, who lead people astray and deceive them into worshiping the beast and receiving its mark. It states that they will be thrown into the lake of fire.

These verses, along with the previously mentioned passages, highlight the severe consequences associated with receiving the Mark of the Beast. They underscore the importance of discernment and faithfulness to God, cautioning against aligning oneself with the beast or engaging in its worship.

If you are a redeemed Christian now, no need to worry, we are not in the times of the Tribulation yet. Once the world is catapulted into the Tribulation, put your trust in Jesus and DON’T TAKE THE MARK OF THE BEAST!

“Of the 46 Old Testament prophets, less than 10 of them speak of His first coming; 36 of them speak of His second coming.  There are over 1,500 Old Testament passages that refer in some way to the second coming of Jesus Christ.  One out of every 25 New Testament verses directly refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ.  For every time the Bible mentions the first coming of Christ, it mentions the second coming 8 times.  For each time the atonement is mentioned once, the second coming is mentioned twice.  Jesus refers to His second coming 21 times, and over 50 times we are told to be ready for His return” Pastor John MacArthur.

 

 

Matthew 24:36-51

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Now go back to verses 32 through 35:
32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[a] is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

Important Passages:
Matthew 24:15
Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11
Matthew 24:29
Isaiah 13:10; 34:4
Matthew 24:30 Or the tribes of the land
Matthew 24:30
Daniel 7:13-14.
Matthew 24:33

 

 

Matthew 24
Temple Destruction and Other Signs
(Mark 13:1–8; Luke 21:5–9)
1 And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat on 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?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. 8 But all these things are the beginning of travail.
Witnessing to All Nations
(Mark 13:9–13; Luke 21:10–19)
9 Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. 12 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. 13 But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.
The Abomination of Desolation
(Mark 13:14–23; Luke 21:20–24)
15 When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand), 16 then let them that are in Judæa flee unto the mountains: 17 let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: 18 and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak. 19 But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! 20 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath: 21 for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you beforehand.
The Return of the Son of Man
(Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28)
26 If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 28 Where ever the corpse is, there will the vultures be gathered together.
29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall 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: 30 and 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 on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
(Mark 13:28–31; Luke 21:29–33)
32 Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; 33 even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Readiness at Any Hour
(Genesis 6:1–7; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 12:35–48)
36 But of that day and hour knows no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only. 37 And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 40 Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left: 41 two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. 44 Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. 48 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarry; 49 and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; 50 the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expects not, and in an hour when he knows not, 51 and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25
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The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them : 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
(Luke 19:11–27)
14 For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. 16 Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents. 17 In like manner he also that received the two gained other two. 18 But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. 20 And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou delivered unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 And he also that received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou delivered unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; 25 and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own.
26 But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; 27 thou ought therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. 28 Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. 30 And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
The Sheep and the Goats
31 But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory : 32 and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separate the sheep from the goats; 33 and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world : 35 for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; 36 naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? 38 And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels : 42 for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me. 46 And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.

Grace to You ::(GTY.ORG)
How to Live in a Crooked and Perverse Generation Scripture: Philippians 2:12-16
Code: 81-98

Philippians chapter 2. Verse 5 of Philippians 2 says, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”

You will notice in verse 15 that we live in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. That is not only an apt description of our time in history, it suits all of history. Every generation is to some degree or another a manifestation of the crookedness and the perversity of the human heart. We are seeing it in our time very boldly. What this text says to us is that we have the responsibility in this crooked and perverse generation to act as the children of God and to shine as luminaries, or lights, in the world. That’s why we’re here. God understands that it’s a crooked and perverse generation.

Sometimes, as in our case, now more openly manifest than perhaps at other times when it’s covered up a little bit, I think many of you are feeling rather deep disappointment at the events of the recent election. You feel like though you prayed for mercy in the midst of judgment you’re not seeing that mercy. You’re watching the power structure of this country being taken over by people who are godless and contrary to Scripture. It’s easy to become very disappointed, especially if you care about righteousness and truth. We cherish personal righteousness, but our culture is deep into personal sin and wickedness, and not in a hidden way, but flaunted; and now we have advocates of that iniquity and wickedness being given political power over us. We cherish marriage, we cherish family, but our culture, by means of media and law, destroys both. And we see leaders who advocate fornication, homosexuality, trans-sexualism, pornography, divorce, et cetera; and now the people who advocate those things have more power than they’ve had in the past. Marriage and family is not likely to survive, and all that destroys marriage and family may become law.

We support law. We support law and order because it’s biblical as ordained by God, but now we have leaders who want to defund the police, unleash assaults against them and us: 8,700 protests occurred in the last few months, 574 of those were riots with mass looting and destruction, 2,000 policemen were injured. These were coordinated and orchestrated events. One incident alone did

$70 million in damage, and the police were told to stand and watch. We fear for the future of our safety and the safety of our children in a world where people who want that are in control. But we know that persecution will be ramped up against the truth, and our whole generation is sinking deeper into iniquity and hardness against the Scripture. We’re going to become more of an unwanted agitator. So certainly, there is some overwhelming disappointment.

Now we also know that we’re experiencing divine judgment. God has turned us over to a sexual revolution, a homosexual revolution, and a reprobate mind, Romans 1. So we know the nation is under judgment and under wrath, and part of that wrath is now going to be unleashed by the very people who rule us. So how do we respond? What’s to be our reaction to all of this? It does give us a sense of fear about the bleakness of what the future looks like for our children and our grandchildren as we see the sins of this generation being visited on the following generations into the future.

I want to pose a question that Francis Schaeffer asked long ago when he said, “How then shall we live? How then shall we live?” What do we do now? And I believe that we have the instruction we need in this portion of Scripture right in front of us, Philippians 2, and I want to take a look at it in a broad sense. Sometimes we get down into details; we’ve certainly done that with this passage. But I want us to look at three very simple features of this text, basic realities to navigate the times that we live in. Number one, where we are; number two, who we are; and number three, how we are to live. It’s all here for us.

Let’s start with “where we are.” Look at verse 15. We are in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Now that would certainly be true of the Philippians who received this letter living in the city of Philippi, a city in northeast Macedonia, or Modern Greece. It was a busy city. It was a thoroughfare to the – Ignatian highway came through there, which was a Roman road, and so it was a place where much trade went on. There was a river there, the Strymon River, so it had full water supply. It was discovered there as well that there were many goldmines, and the goldmines were so rich that they attracted Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. And he found a small town named Crenedes, which means “little fountain.” It had springs, and so set up some headquarters there and renamed it after himself: Philip of Macedon. That’s how it got its name Philippi.

A little bit of history about that seemingly obscure little fountain town was that 42 years before Christ, 42 BC, one of the greatest battles in Roman history was fought there; and when I say a great battle, I mean 200,000 men engaged in war: 110,000 on one side and 90,000 on the other side, and 40,000 casualties. It was called the Battle of Philippi. It really reflected the Roman Revolution. It was Antonian Caesar with 110,000 against Brutus and Cassius with 90,000.

When the battle was over it was the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the massive Roman Empire. As a result of that many soldiers settled in Philippi; it was a very tough town, pagan to the bone. And if you were a citizen of Philippi you were given status as a Roman citizen. It reflected all the paganism of Rome, all the idolatry; it was a crooked and perverse place. And the Lord led the apostle Paul to establish the first church in Europe in Philippi on his second missionary journey. You remember the story, right? Acts 16, they put him in jail; and he was singing with Barnabas in the jail, and they were released from jail, and that first church was founded.

The believers there were desperately poor; all you have to do is look at 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and you will read there about the poor saints of Macedonia. That would be the Philippians. They were desperately poor. Paul says they were generous, but they gave out of their deep poverty. They were literally swimming in a sea of paganism, and a coarse and gross culture largely influenced by ex- soldiers. When the church was planted by the apostle Paul, it was assaulted and attacked.

Back in chapter 1, verse 28, Paul says, “Don’t be alarmed by your opponents. Don’t be alarmed by your opponents – which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” Don’t be alarmed by persecution. You’ve been granted for Christ’s sake to suffer.

So this is a church isolated in the Roman world, the only church in Europe, in a sea of paganism. To make matters worse, the church was attacked by false teachers. Look at chapter 3, verse 2: “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.” Jewish legalists had come and attacked. Down in verse 18, “Many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you weeping, they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.” Their glory is in their shame.
They boast about their wickedness.

This is a poor church. This is a persecuted church. This is a church that is being assaulted by false teachers. This is also a church struggling mightily with discord and disunity; and we’re certainly familiar with that.

Back in chapter 2, “If there’s any encouragement in Christ, any consolation of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interests of others.”

In chapter 4 we find that Euodia and Syntyche, verse 2, needed to be instructed publicly to live in harmony, and somebody needed to come along and help those women get their lives together. This is tough. The only church in Europe in the midst of paganism – poor, persecuted, attacked by false teachers, and internal discord and disunity. In fact, Paul wrote this letter to them in his fourth year of Roman imprisonment waiting for Nero to render a verdict on his life. In spite of all of that, this epistle is called the epistle of joy. Remarkable, isn’t it? This is the epistle of joy. Paul expects joy in a church in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

That phrase “crooked and perverse generation” was used by our Lord. It’s recorded in Matthew chapter 17, and then again in Luke 9, that our Lord said to the Jews of His day, “You are an unbelieving and perverted generation.” This is a general description, certainly for the world. “Crooked,” you notice in verse 15, is the Greek word skolios from which you get scoliosis of the spine, a twisting and curvature. It means to be bent. It means to be twisted. It means to be deviated from the standard. This is a generation of people who are twisted in terms of truth and virtue.

Listen to Proverbs 2:11, “Discretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things; from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who delight in doing evil and rejoice in the perversity of evil; whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.” Way back in the book of Proverbs we find that that is the way the world was then, as it was in Paul’s day and our Lord’s day, and as it is now. Proverbs 21:8 says, “The way of the guilty is crooked, crooked.”

Isaiah also spoke of this, and Isaiah says essentially what everybody else that I’ve quoted says. Listen to the words of Isaiah in chapter 59, verses 7 and 8: “Their feet run to evil, they hasten to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, devastation and destruction are in their highways. They do not know the way of peace, there’s no justice in their tracks; they have made their paths crooked, whoever treads on them does not know peace.” Twisted, crooked, nothing new.

In Acts chapter 2, verse 40, apostolic preaching. Listen to this, chapter 2, verse 40: “Be saved” – says Peter – “from this crooked generation.” So we’re not surprised. This is perversity. This is what life without God is.

He adds a second word, “crooked and perverse.” They’re, in a sense, synonyms. “Perverse” is diastrephō. It means to distort. It’s two ways of saying the same thing. First word means to twist; the next one, to distort. So that’s where we are. So why would we expect anything other than what we’re seeing?

Our country, our nation, and our world has gotten back to sort of square one in its crookedness and perversity by systematically eliminating morality and religion. The apostle Paul is drawing that indictment. That phrase, “crooked and perverse generation,” comes right out of Deuteronomy chapter 32 – and we’ll see that in a bit; and it was essentially the reference that our Lord was speaking of in Matthew 17 and Luke 9. So from the history of Israel and from the words of Jesus indicting the Israelites of His day, Paul takes a phrase and uses it to define the godless world of the early church: “They’re twisted and perverted.”

The term “generation” has the idea not so much of a nation or a race as of those who are alive at a given time: all the people of a given kind and a given period, all the wicked God-haters. So that’s where we live, that’s where we are. And this is exactly where the Lord wants us to be.

You know, when our Lord was praying His great prayer in John 17, verse 15, this is what He says to the Father concerning us: “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” Did you get that. “I do not ask You, Father, to take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil one. Yes, they’re not of the world, as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” So He’s saying, “I don’t want You to take them out of the world, I want You to protect them from the god of this world, Satan. I want You to protect them by the truth.”

In 1 Corinthians chapter 5, the apostle Paul says this, verse 9: “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I didn’t at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. No. When I wrote about, ‘Don’t associate with immoral people,’ I didn’t mean isolate yourself. I didn’t mean go live in a monastery. You can’t leave the world because God placed you there for His redemptive

purpose.” So in case you were wondering, we’re exactly where we should be, right? Right where we should be. And the world is exactly what it is; it’s just more open now than we’re used to seeing it, and its power is so pervasive, the power of evil has become so pervasive that it has risen to the heights of leadership.

So this is where we are, we’re exactly where the Lord wants us to be. And He prayed not to have us removed from the world, but to be protected in the world while we reach the world, right? We’re exactly where we’re supposed to be, and the world is exactly what it’s always been.

Now the second issue that I just want to mention to you from this text is now that we know where we are, let’s answer the question who we are. Who are we in this crooked and perverse generation?

Well, that also is in verse 15. We are children of God above reproach, and we are lights in the world. That’s who we are, we have two identifications there.

We are children of God. That is to say we are not the children of the devil like the rest of the world. We understand that the devil’s kingdom and the devil’s children behave like their father, John 8, right? That passage in John 8 is so definitive, it’s amazing how many times in preaching we find ourselves having to go back to John chapter 8, verse 42, “Jesus says to the Jews, ‘You are doing the deeds of your father.’ They said to Him, ‘We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I’m saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth because there’s no truth in him.

Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he’s a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.’”

Do you get that? If one thing is characteristic of the world is that they are killers and liars. They’re killers and liars because their father the devil is the arch-murderer and the arch-liar. Are you surprised when you hear lies from people? Don’t be. Their father is the force in them that justifies lying.

We’re children of God, on the other hand, very clear separation. And because we’re children of God, we hear God’s word, and we follow His word, and we obey His word. We have become children of God by birth, and we have become children of God by adoption. We’re covered both ways.

I read earlier John 1:12, “As many as received Him,” – that is Christ – “to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” This is repeated often in the New Testament. We are children of God, and we are in the middle of the children of the devil.

First John 3:10, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who doesn’t practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who doesn’t love his brother.” So where you see a lack of love and you see sin, you have a child of the devil. Children of the devil have been in charge of things in this culture since the beginning. First John 3:1, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it didn’t know Him.”

We’re the children of God, and they don’t know that, because the glorious manifestation of the children of God hasn’t happened yet. Romans 8:17, “If children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:16, “The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God.” So here we are, who we are (the children of God), exactly where we are supposed to be (in a crooked and perverted generation).

And, secondly, we are lights in the world; phōstēr is the Greek word. It’s used of the sun and the moon and the stars. We are the luminaries. As the sun, moon and stars are the luminaries that light the darkness in creation, we shine as the luminaries in the darkness of Satan’s kingdom.

I love this statement. He says, “among whom” – at the end of verse 15 – “you appear as lights in the world, among whom you appear.” Literally you are appearing. You are the luminaries. You are the shining light in the darkness of the world. This is where we need to be; this is where we are, as the children of God, and the only source of light in the darkness.

Isaiah records in Isaiah 49:6, speaking of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the servant of the Lord who would come, “I will also make You a light to the nations so that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Jesus came into the world. He was the light to the nations, the light of life, the light of truth, and He took of residence in us so that we now shine as lights in the world. The Jews, they thought they were the world’s luminaries.

Back in Romans 2 Paul indicts them, verse 17, “But if you bear the name ‘Jew’ and rely on the Law and boast in God, and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you are yourself a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, and a corrector of the foolish, teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, you therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law; do you dishonor God? Truth is, ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’ You say you’re the light, but your deeds don’t demonstrate it. You’re just a different form of the darkness.”

The Jews were not that light, but our Lord in His opening sermon in Matthew 5 said this to His followers, to us: “You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who’s in heaven.” We’re the luminaries. We are exactly where we need to be: we are in the darkness, we are in the crooked and perverse world. This is where He wants us to be. He doesn’t want us away from this, doesn’t want us taken out. He wants us protected from the evil one. He wants us sanctified by the truth. But we are exactly where we are to be. It was said of John the Baptist in John 5:35 that He was the lamp that was burning and was shining. And that should be true of us. “You are shining,” – He says, I love that, in verse 15 – “you are shining, you are appearing as the luminaries.”

Proverbs 4:18 says, “By the path of the righteous is the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” We’re the only hope this perverse and wicked generation has, right? We know where we are, and we know who we are, and we’re exactly where the Lord put us, to be His children as over against the children of the devil, and to be luminaries shining with the light of the presence of God and the glory of the gospel in the midst of the darkness.

Now that brings us to the third and practical response: “What are we to do? How do we live? How do we live?” I want to establish something so I want you to go back to John 18 for a moment because I want to reinforce something to you, “How do we live?” because this is challenging for us since we live essentially in a parallel universe. We live in a parallel universe, literally a universe that the unbelieving world doesn’t understand, doesn’t connect with, doesn’t relate to, because they’re dead in trespasses and sin. And we’re alive to God; we live in a completely different realm.

Listen to the words of Jesus in chapter 18 of John, verse 37. The question came up back in verse 33 about whether Jesus was a king, and it was sarcastic on Pilate’s part. “So Pilate said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth? What is truth?’” “You are a king.”

But go back to verse 36. “Yes, My kingdom is not of this world.” At the end of that verse, “My kingdom is not of this realm. My kingdom,” His kingdom, kingdom that belongs to Him. They tried to make Him a King, John 6:15, He didn’t allow it. And here’s what He is saying, listen very carefully: “His kingdom has no connection to the kingdoms of this world.” Did you get that? It has no connection. The whole world lies in the lap of the evil one. We have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, Colossians 1. Let me see if I can spell it out.

The kingdom that belongs to Christ transcends the world. It does not derive its power from the world. It does not derive its success from the world. It does not derive its reality, its origin, its nature, its extent, its duration from any created thing. Christ’s royal title, royal authority, and sovereign power are not derived or dependent on any created person, institution, force, energy, work, effort, or right. His dominion is eternal and derived solely from His own glorious nature as the eternal Son. His rule is neither given nor taken away by anyone. His power and authority cannot, by any effort, by any assault, be diminished, limited, altered, removed, replaced. His rule is complete, comprehensive, everlasting, over time and eternity and every soul; and none of that power comes from any created source. One day He will rule over all creation with a rod of iron in truth and righteousness, Psalm 2 and Revelation 20.

 

The Lord gave Pilate a kingdom manifesto. His kingdom will triumph over the whole creation of kingdoms. It’s spelled out magnificently, I know you’ll remember, in the eleventh chapter of the book of Revelation – so glorious. Twenty-four elders on their thrones fall on their faces and say, “We give You thank, O Lord God the Almighty, who was” – or were – “because You have taken Your great power and had begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came. And the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward your bond-servants, the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and destroy those who destroy the earth. And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. There were flashes of lightning and sounds of peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.”

What’s that signaling? Go back to verse 15: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” That’s coming. He will halt the existence of all other kings and all other kingdoms, will rule as King of kings and Lord of lords. After that, He will create the new heaven and the new earth, as we read in Isaiah 65 and 66 and Revelation 21, and rule sovereignly forever.

For now the kingdom of God not yet in its millennial form, not yet in its eternal form – a new heaven and a new earth – is a spiritual kingdom. It’s a spiritual reality separate from above and beyond all earthly power and all earthly authority. I’m saying to you: nothing – any person, persons, powers on earth – do/has any effect on His kingdom. Doesn’t matter who’s in Congress, who’s in the Senate, who’s in the Presidency; it has no connection to His eternal glorious kingdom, which He rules alone as a triune God.

For now the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Christ is a spiritual reality separate from all other kingdoms. The realities of His kingdom cannot be propagated or protected or altered by any earthly governmental power. The realities of His kingdom cannot be harmed. They cannot be hindered. They cannot be limited by any power. No laws can be made that will make His kingdom more successful, more compulsory, more effective. Nothing any government or any ruler or any person or persons can do by their temporal forces does anything to advance His kingdom or diminish it.

For now His kingdom is in the hearts of those who believe in Him, right? He’s our King. And the church is where His kingdom becomes visible, and it’s built, as He said, on truth.

So we start with that foundation. So where we are (exactly where God wants us to be), who we are (exactly who He’s redeemed us to be). How do we live in this parallel universe? Well, There are several things you could look at. If you go back to pick up some imperatives, go back to verse 5.

Here are imperatives, or commands. This would answer the question, “How do we live?” “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who humbled Himself.”

So how are we to live? We’re to live in humility. We’re to have the same attitude that our Lord had when He emptied Himself and took on the form of a slave. And then because He humbled Himself, God highly exalted Him. So the first imperative in the section we read is, “Have this attitude,” this attitude of utter and total humility.

You say life is getting hard in this situation. It’s likely we’ll all be humbled. But that’s a good thing, because whoever is humbled the Lord exalts. We know all of that. Second Corinthians 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be made rich.” He humbled Himself, and by that humbling was highly exalted, and accomplished God’s glorious salvation purpose.

In verses 3 and 4 of Philippians 2, which we are very familiar with and mentioned a few moments ago, “We are called to sacrifice for one another.” First Peter chapter 2 we’re told that Christ died as a sacrifice not only to atone for us, but as an example, as an example of willing suffering for divine purposes. James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” Take the suffering. Peter says, “Cast your care on the Lord, commit yourself to Him.”

So the first imperative is have this attitude: humility. The second imperative is back in verse 12: work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Work out your salvation – present middle verb, reflexive: “Work out your own salvation. Bring to completion the saving work.” How do you do that? Well, this is talking about holiness and sanctification. Pursue sanctification. Borrow – if you will – those wonderful words from Paul in chapter 3 of Philippians where he says, verse 12, “Not that I have already
obtained it or already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. I press on to the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ.” This is Paul saying, “I pursue holiness. I pursue Christlikeness.”

But the verse tells you that, because verse 15 says that you are to prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent. So as you work out your salvation, verse 12, he says this: “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, work out your salvation.” And how do you work your salvation out? By obedience. By obedience. By pursuing a blameless, innocent, virtuous life.

There’s an element of worship here: “with fear and trembling,” verse 12. So that’s an imperative, it fits us all. Pursue the completion, katergazomai. It means basically to bring it to completion. Pursue your holiness. Pursue your holiness. Is that realistic? How do we do that? It is realistic, because at the subsequent verse 13 it says, “It’s God who is at work in your both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” His good pleasure means His enjoyment.

You can pursue holiness because God is at work in you. He’s at work producing that holiness. It’s possible, and it’s commanded. So how do we live in the world? We live humbly and we live holy.

There are couple of others that are mentioned at the end of the text. Go down to verse 16. The NAS says, “Holding fast the word of life.” I would prefer, “Holding out the word of life, holding up the word of life, holding forth the word of life,” because it’s talking about basically proclaiming the gospel. The word of life could be Christ. The word of life could be the Holy Spirit who’s the Spirit of life. The word of life could be the Scripture. The word of life is actually the sum of all the Trinity. God, Christ, the Holy Spirit give life; that life comes through the gospel.

So what are we called to do then? To be humble, to be holy, and to be faithful in proclaiming the word that gives life. We know that, that’s the Great Commission. It’s why we’re here, to proclaim into this dark, perverted, crooked world the life message of the gospel of Christ.

There is a fourth duty and that shows up down in verse 18: “rejoice in the same way.” What do you mean, “the same way”? “I’m rejoicing in my sacrifice.” Back to verse 17: “I’m rejoicing in my sacrifice.” He uses all sacrificial language there. He’s like a drink offering poured out. It would be an animal burning on an altar, and they would bring wine and they would dump it on top of the burning animal and it would send up smoke. Paul says literally, “I’m offering my life as a sacrifice and a sweet aroma to God.”

“In my sacrifice I find joy. I rejoice,” he says. “I rejoice in the sacrifice I’m making for you. And I urge you, rejoice in the same way.” You’re going to make sacrifices, they’re going to be required. Rejoice. Rejoice.

So how do we live in this crooked and perverse generation? We live humbly, holy, proclaiming the gospel, and joyful. All those are essential, but those are really not the point. I’m going to give you the point now.

Go back to verse 14. Here is the imperative that’s connected to verse 15: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.” Now there’s something very practical. Stop complaining. This is how you prove yourselves to be blameless, innocent children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked

and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world. Stop complaining. Yes, be humble. Yes, be holy. Yes, be faithful to testify to the gospel. Yes, be joyful. But the priority here is, “Stop complaining.” Both are in the plural: grumblings and complainings, or disputings.

In fact, grumblings is an onomatopoetic in the Greek. It’s, “Rah-rah-rah-rah-rah-rah.” It’s one of those expressions of discontent and dissatisfaction with low guttural sounds. “What are you talking about, complaining against the government?” No. Stop complaining to God about the situation. You are who you are, you are where you are, and you are not to complain, because this is where God has you.

Don’t argue with God over His will. Don’t argue with God over His purposes.

Paul borrowed this phrase; and now you can do what I mentioned we would do earlier. Go to Deuteronomy 32, Deuteronomy 32. Moses at the end of his life, he’s going to die, and he’s giving a message of warning. We’ll just look at the first few verses: “Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb. For I proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.” Wow. That’s our God. Did you get that?

The greatness of our God: the Rock, the immovable one. His work is perfect, His ways are just. He’s a God of faithfulness, without injustice, righteous and upright is He.” On the other hand, “The people have acted corruptly toward Him, they are not His children, because of their defect; but are a perverse and crooked generation.” That’s where that comes from. And Moses is indicting Israel: “You have become a crooked and perverted nation.”

What was the evidence of that? Well, there were a lot of things; certainly plenty of idolatry. But in that same chapter, verse 51, “You broke faith with Me. You broke faith with Me.” What does He mean? “You stopped trusting Me. You stopped trusting Me.” That’s familiar stuff. This is at the end of the forty years.

Go to the beginning. Go back to Exodus 5. Who’s the first complainer? Exodus 5:22 and 23: Moses, Moses who gives this speech started out as a complainer. Exodus 14 and subsequently – I don’t have time to go through them all – the Israelites complained about everything: “Why did you lead us out here? Why are we in the wilderness? We don’t like the food. We don’t have any water.” Endless complaining at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. Even the people closest to Moses, Miriam and Aaron, Numbers chapter 12, were complaining so that God struck Miriam with leprosy.

First Corinthians 10 Paul says, “This happened as examples unto us.” Don’t complain against God. Don’t complain against God.

You read the book of Exodus and you’ll see it, a lot of it. You read the book of Numbers and you’ll see more of it. But let me read you some summations just in kind of wrapping up from the Psalms.

In Psalm 106, maybe verse 19: “They made a calf in Horeb, they worshiped a molten image. Thus they exchanged their glory for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, wonders in the land of Ham, awesome things by the Red Sea.

Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen seed stood in the breach before Him, to turn away His wrath from destroying them. They despised the pleasant land,” – the land of promise – “they didn’t believe in His word, they grumbled in their tents, they grumbled in their tents.” That’s familiar stuff. Some of you I’m afraid have been grumbling in your tent because you don’t like the way things have gone.

Psalm 78, verse 17, “Yet they still continued to sin against Him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. In their heart they put God to the test by asking food according to their desire. Then they spoke against God; they said, ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, the streams were overflowing; can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?’ Therefore the Lord heard and was full of wrath; and a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger mounted against Israel because they didn’t believe in God, they didn’t trust in His salvation.”

Down in verse 33: “He brought their days to an end in futility and their years in sudden terror.” Verse 40: “How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! Again and again they tempted God, and pained the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power, the day when He redeemed them from the adversary.”

Do you actually think that anybody in this world could do anything to harm the church of Jesus Christ? God is our protector. Stop grumbling. Stop complaining. Stop questioning the will of God. Stop questioning the work of God. His work is for us, it is in us, and it is from us. And what the world needs to see is humble, holy testimony and joy from the children of God who shine as lights in the world. And then we will be the blameless, innocent children of God above reproach, shining as lights in the world.

I want to close with two, two sources of divine revelation that’s going to encourage us. The first one is from David, Psalm 37: “Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off,” – I love this – “but those who wait for the Lord, they will” – what? “inherit the land. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. But the humble will inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”

And then that from David; this from Peter, 2 Peter 3: “Don’t let this one fact escape your notice,” – verse 8 – “beloved: with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but all to come to repentance.” The Lord can’t come and make things right until He’s gathered everybody in who’s been chosen.

“The day of the Lord will come. It’ll come like a thief in the night, and the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, the earth and its works will be burned

1. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be?” This whole thing is headed for destruction. “What kind of person should you be? “Holy in conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we’re looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.” Don’t complain against God; everything is on schedule. Humility, holiness, proclamation, joy, and trust.

Our Father, we thank You that You have called us together in this wonderful hour of worship. We thank You for the beginning of the celebration of the arrival of our Savior. We thank You that He came into the world to seek and to save sinners. We thank You that He has called us now to be in the world as instruments who, by virtue of our humility and our holiness and our faithfulness to proclaim the gospel, and our joy and our trust. No matter how tough it gets, no matter how much sacrifice we have to make, we trust you. May we live with complete faith in Your will and Your work, which You will do for Your own enjoyment. May we enjoy that reality, and may it take away fear and questions, so that we can proclaim Your glory as blameless and innocent children above reproach, shining as luminaries in the dark world. Thank You for such a calling, in our Savior’s name. Amen.

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Grace to You :: (GTY.org) Unleashing God’s Truth, One Verse at a Time

Facing a Tolerant World with Intolerant Truth
Scripture: Selected Scriptures
Code: 81-135

It always strikes me that this is such a strange time of year, because all of our calendars and our normal functions in life get thrown into chaos. I want to make sense, not out of the mundane but out of the things that really matter, and I want to frame that, if I may, in this way.

In the book of Esther in chapter 1—you don’t need to look at it—there is a very interesting statement about King Ahasuerus, a pagan king, a king of the Persian Empire who ruled from about 486 BC to 465 BC, and it says concerning him that he surrounded himself with wise men—that’s first chapter of Esther—and they are defined this way: “who understood the times.” That’s really what wisdom should do. Even pagans understand that.

Perhaps more applicable to us is the same basic comment with regard to the sons of Issachar. You will remember 1 Chronicles 11 and 12; David is gathering his army, tens of thousands of soldiers from all over Israel, and they’re coming together. And it says of the sons of Issachar that they “had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do,” 1 Chronicles 12:32.

There were all kinds of men of war. They could keep their ranks. They could follow orders. They had a loyal heart to make David king over all Israel. But particularly useful to David were the sons if Issachar, who “had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” I think in any era, certainly for the people of God, it’s critical to understand the times, and I want to see if I can’t help you a little bit with that this morning as we embark upon a new year.

Now obviously in a general sense we could say this is a post-Christian time. We could say it’s, even further, an anti-Christian time. We could go a step beyond that and say it is anti-Scriptural, and we could even say it’s an anti-Christ time. Decades of corrupt thinking has killed Western society in the sense that it had Christian influence. Western culture under the influence of Christianity has disappeared in every aspect, from education to economics, from media to medicine, from politics to public health—it’s all gone.

“Pride comes before a fall,” Scripture says; and you might say that in this case, gay pride has been the final act that pushed the culture off the platform into the incoming train of divine judgment, and I think we need to understand that. And for a text, just to frame it, I want you to turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 11, Matthew chapter 11, and I want to read from verses 16 through 30—not that we’re going to necessarily look at it. So observe what is being said here. We’ll take a broad look rather than a detailed one.

Our Lord speaks in Matthew 11:16, “To what shall I compare this generation?” And again, here is the wisdom of Christ evaluating the times, helping us understand the time of His life and ministry. “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance; we sang a dirge, and you didn’t mourn.’”

Children would meet in the marketplace and play games. They would play games built around the experiences that the adults had that were normal to life. From Jewish culture we know that funerals and weddings were biggest events, and so they would play wedding; they might even play funeral. That shows up in this little illustration because these children call out to other children and say, “Come and play with us. We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance”—as if they were playing a wedding; “we sang a dirge for you”—as if they were playing a funeral—“and you didn’t mourn.” In other words, “No matter what we did, you were peevish children, unwilling to join us.”

And then He applies that: “For John”—the Baptist—“came neither eating nor drinking.” He was a solitary individual, antisocial you might say, lived out in the wilderness, ate locusts and wild honey. So didn’t participate in the social life of Israel, such as eating and drinking. And they said about him, “‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking”—Jesus entered into society; He spent time with people; He socialized—“and they [said], ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” In other words, whatever approach was taken to bring the truth to them, whether it was the isolated approach of the prophet John the Baptist or the socially involved approach of our Lord Himself, it didn’t matter. They didn’t care; they didn’t want to participate. Verse 19 ends by saying, “Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” The truth will show up in spite of your indifference.

Then in verse 20 we read this: “Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.” There was plenty of reason for them to listen to Him, and they refused. Even in the face of countless miracles, they didn’t repent. So He pronounces judgment on the villages in the north of Galilee: ““Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon”—which were destroyed—“in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum”—the center of many of Christ’s miracles—“[you] will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” “You wouldn’t listen to John the Baptist, you wouldn’t listen to Me, you wouldn’t listen to the truth—and now I’m pronouncing judgment on you.”

And then in verse 25 there’s a shift: “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You’ve hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.’” Why is it that we understand the times? Why is it that we understand the truth? Why is it that we embrace wisdom? Because it has been revealed to us by the Lord Himself.

“Yes, Father,” verse 26, “for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.” How marvelous is it to realize that while everyone else is in unbelief and rejection, and consequently, confusion, we know the truth because that’s what God chose to deliver to us.

Verse 27, “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Again, the reason we know and the world doesn’t know is not because we’re smarter, it’s because God in His sovereignty chose to reveal the truth to us. Sovereign grace.

And then there’s a broad invitation: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The essential truth of this text is that the world is never going to understand the truth. They’re never going to believe the truth no matter how it’s packaged, whether it’s in the uniqueness of John the Baptist or the even more unique ministry of our Lord. It doesn’t matter how powerful the preaching is, such as John the Baptist, it doesn’t matter how powerful the miracles are; they don’t believe. But there are some who do, because it pleased God to choose them and to will that that they know the truth.

How do you know if you’re one of those? Well verse 28 is expansive: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, learn from Me; I’m gentle and humble in heart, and you’ll find rest for your souls”—anyone who comes.

So there’s a distinction in this passage, very clearly, that there’s going to be a small number of people, who are called infants in this case—they’re not many noble, they’re not many wise—and they are the ones who know the truth, and they are the ones who have the responsibility to warn the rest. And that’s exactly what our Lord did.

And this is where we stand, I think, today; and you know this because we’ve said much about it. But decades of corrupt thinking have created the situation that we face in our world today. It’s very different than fifty years ago, that’s for certain. Aggressive efforts by real people for decades to eliminate biblical truth, the true worship of God, the gospel, the glory of Christ, Scripture, has de- Christianized our society—the death of truth, faith, hope, joy, integrity, virtue, relationships, family, purity, compassion, honesty. And in place of those things is cynicism and pessimism, and nihilism and skepticism, and drugs and pornography, and isolation and depression and suicide, and on it goes. And this anti-Christian avalanche finds a home in the minds and hearts of all sinners. You have to understand that. It’s amiable to sinners; it suits them. Hostility toward God resides in every human heart, to start with.

So this kind of hostility toward God is acceptable to every sinner. To make matters worse, popular evangelical churches fear being out of touch with the culture, so they desperately try to become friends of the world, which is, according to James, hostility to God. So we have a declining culture that’s already gone off the cliff, and we have a church that has done very little to prevent that.

So this is where we stand, and the only way that we can face this world is with that understanding. It’s a dire time. We can’t toy with the world; we have to confront the world the way our Lord did in Matthew chapter 11.

So that’s what I want to talk about a little bit this morning. More than ever before we have to be faithful; we have to be the enemy of the world in the sense that we reject it, and in that way we can actually be the friend of the world in the right way. I want to help you by giving you a little paradigm. So if you take notes on this, I’ll lay out six separate words that’ll frame this up a little bit.

But first to just remind you of John 15:18 and 19, “The world hates you . . . because you’re not of the world; I chose you out of the world.” Jesus said that this is antipathy: “The world hates you. Luke

6:26, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers of the false prophets.” So you’re never going to be faithful to the Lord and have a reputation with the world system.

John 7:7, that familiar verse, Jesus said, “The world . . . hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.” And that is the necessary testimony of the church.

I read this week, and maybe you did as well, a famous Christian singer is hosting a wedding for a lesbian relative because the lesbian relative is such a good Christian. That’s acceptable in contemporary “Christianity.” But understand this: Men love darkness rather than light, John 3, because their deeds are evil. They love the darkness, so they’re very accepting of the darkness when it’s offered to them. And as I said, the church has worked so hard to embrace the world that it has never stood in the way of the destruction of this culture, as it should have.

So just exactly what are we dealing with? We’re dealing with not necessarily a well-crafted theology—not like the liberalism of the past, not even like cults that are framed up in some kind of rational fashion. What we have is basically a rejection of the truth on just a generic level. It could be any truth. It could be the truth of the gospel or the truth of your gender. The situation that we’re in says there’s no absolute truth, there’s no absolute truth. That’s the current zeitgeist: no absolute truth.

Moral relativism comes along and says there’s no ultimate authority, nobody can tell you how to behave, morally. Personal freedom says there are no divine rules, and humanistic atheism says there’s no sovereign judge. No absolutes, no ultimate authority, no divine rules, and no sovereign judge. And that’s perfectly fine to the sinner. He likes that. That’s amiable to him because that’s natural to his fallen condition. So it’s easy to create a whole culture that thinks that way, because you already have an affinity to that kind of deception in every human heart.

So in order to counter that—and I realize you could say a lot about it—but in order to counter that I want to give you a series of one-word definitions that are very important, that’ll frame up kind of a worldview.

Word number one: Objectivity, objectivity. Now what do I mean by that? We start with this reality—and this is sort of a theological approach to it, but stick with me, and we’ll show you how the Scripture supports it—the reality that the source of truth is completely outside of us. That’s what objectivity means.

Luther called the Bible the “external word.” It’s fixed, it’s complete, and it’s outside of you and me and everyone else. This is profoundly essential. No truth—no truth was ever sourced by a human being. No truth ever originated with a human being. You may discover it, you may learn it, you may understand it, you may reject it, but you are not its source. Authentic Christianity demands that all truth is outside of us, and I mean the truth about everything—the truth about everything natural and supernatural.

Truth is objective. No person has truth in himself. In other words, you don’t determine truth, it all comes from God. That is a sweeping statement: It all comes from God. Whatever is true about the created world is true of the created world because God created it that way. Whatever is true about the spiritual world is true because that’s the way God designed it. No human being or human beings

are the origin of any truth at all, ever. No human is the source of establishing truth.

In Galatians 1, Paul says, “If an angel of God comes and says something other than the truth, don’t believe.” What someone thinks is true is irrelevant; that has nothing to do with whether it is true.
There is no individual truth, there is only that which is true. And Scripture is God’s revealed truth.

This is where we know the spiritual realm, as to its truth. False religion devises lies and calls it truth. Mysticism says you can find your own spiritual truth. You hear people say, “Well I’m spiritual; I’m not religious. And I don’t go to church, but I’m spiritual.” That is meaningless.

There are “things hard to understand,” 2 Peter 3:16; we understand that. There are things hard to understand, but they can be understood by an appropriate study of Scripture and analyzing Scripture in the way that it has to be analyzed in order to yield that truth—and I’ll say more about that in a moment. No truth has ever come by the will of man, 2 Peter 1:20. “All Scripture,” 2 Timothy, “is inspired by God.”

So let’s just look at Scripture. Scripture is God’s truth. Whether it affects anyone or not, it’s still true. It’s an unchanging and eternal Word. Isaiah 40 tells that heaven and earth will pass away; “My words will by no means pass away,” Matthew 24:35.

So all truth is from God. All truth is objective; it’s all outside of us. It would all be true if you never lived or had a thought or had an opinion. Meaning is determined by the Creator and not by any human being. In no way is spiritual truth ever defined by someone’s experience. It’s not unique to an individual, it is universally true. And of course, this deals a heavy blow to a very large segment of professing Christianity, who are listening for the voice of God in their heads or seeking some kind of intuitive epiphany with the illusion the truth is out there, and if they listen they can hear it in an individual way.

The Bible is the truth, it is objective truth, it is true by itself, whether you know it or believe it or not. Psalm 119:160, “The entirety of Your word is truth.” This is essential as a starting point. We affirm that completely. All truth is objective, outside of us; no human being is the source of what is true. What is true, is true because it is true. Let me give you some ways to think about that before I give you a second word.

The foundation of reason kind of goes like this—and you’ll pick it up pretty fast: What is reality is. What is reality is. That’s identity. This is a reasonable approach to objective truth: identity; what really is, is. It’s not a question of human perception, it’s a question of reality.

It’s the law of contradiction, also, that fits into this little scheme: Nothing can be and not be at the same time. Nothing can be and not be at the same time. So something cannot be true and not true at the same time. You can see where that simple law of noncontradiction has escaped this culture.

And then exclusion: Everything is or is not.

Now those are just simple ways to narrow down the reality that truth is what it is. It isn’t something and something else at the same time; what it is can never be denied.

And that leads to a second word: Rationality. Rationality. You have to approach truth rationally. The objective revelation of God in Scripture is to be understood rationally—that is, by normal human reason. Scripture is logical. It is noncontradictory; it is clear. It is subject to mental assessment.
There are no errors; there are no discrepancies, no lies, no unsound principles. Anything that contradicts Scripture is untrue; anything that contradicts reality is untrue. There are no fantasies, there are no absurdities, there are no myths, there are no other dimensions. There is reality, and reality is to be perceived rationally, rationally.

Truth is understood by the power of reason that God put in every human being. Rationally, that is by the mind and not understood mystically. I keep thinking back to the gender issue. What is, is, and what is reality is reality and not something else at the same time. That’s insanity. So in order to navigate the world in which we live, you have to start with the fact that all truth is objective, all truth is outside of us. No human being or human beings are the origin of anything that is true, and that truth is discerned and ascertained by reason.

A little bit of history on that. We have an exploding anti-intellectualism in our society. It’s frightening; it’s frightening. Every time you look at an ad on television, you see somebody with those massive goggles on their head living in la-la land, some fantasy world. You need to be reminded that this is escaping the world of reality, the world of truth, the rational world, into a fantasy. And people do that enough, they don’t know the line between the two.

Go back in American history a little bit, back to the arrival of the Puritan. Americans prized the intellectual life for its contribution. Puritans were highly educated people.

I was reading this week, the literacy rate for men in early Massachusetts and Connecticut was as high as 95 percent. They founded colleges, taught their children to read and write before the age of six. Studied art, science, philosophy, and other fields as a way of loving God with their mind. It was Puritan Cotton Mather who said, “Ignorance is the mother not of devotion but of heresy.” They were strong on developing intellectual, rational powers.

We’re far from that. We are rapidly becoming more illiterate, lower percentages of people who can read or think. This culture doesn’t demand that; the trend continues. And even in the church, through mystical and charismatic movements and pragmatic movements that rely on emotion, intuition, personal interpretation of feelings and experiences, even Christianity is not interested in the careful cultivation of the mind. Not interested. They want to use lights and music and entertainment and cord progressions to drive people’s emotions in a certain direction. Has nothing to do with a sound mind.

Now what do we mean by rationality? We mean this: that the truth of anything can be known by common language, real people, actual history, observable facts. There are no secret meanings to the Bible. There are no allegories. There’s no transcendental insights, no divine voices, no mystical interpretations.

Again, mystery and mysticism says, “Truth rises within us.” Mysticism rejects the intellectual process and says, “You find the truth inside of you.” That is a lie.

So as Christians, we insist that the word objectivity defines truth. Truth is objective—outside of

us—rather than subjective—inside of us. Secondly, it is rational. It is perceived by what is rational: common language, real people, actual history, observable truth. It’s not something other than what you can see because you say it is.

So if you start with objectivity and then approach it with rationality, you come to a third word: Veracity. That’s just a word that means truth. The objective truth understood rationally—I should say, objectivity understood rationally leads to truth. You approach the Scripture, you approach anything in a rational way with your mind. Scripture is to be discerned by careful thinking. It is absolutely true and clear and sufficient.

And all truth in the world is observable. That truth which is material truth is observable. And that’s what science should be doing: observing that which can be seen and staying with the definition of reality, rather than creating a fantasy world in which things that are not true are spoken of as if they were. Veracity comes to those who start with objectivity and use rationality. This is a process of mental discernment, mental discernment.

I know there’s a lot of opinion today. People would like to have more dialogue as long as you agree with them. If you don’t agree with them, they want to shut you down. But nothing is really ever gained in dialogue because truth doesn’t come out of a conversation, it comes from reality. In fact, in Romans 6:17—I go back to that a lot—Paul says you literally have a new standard of thinking if you’re a believer, a new form of thinking. You don’t think the same way. It says in Romans 6:17, “Thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.” Doctrine. Salvation is the grasp of doctrine.

So these are very important foundational words. But it takes us to a fourth word, and each word sort of builds on the previous one. Objectivity leads to rationality, which leads to veracity. Here’s where the noose gets tighter; that leads to authority, authority.

If it is objectively true, understood rationally, manifestly articulated as reality, then it carries authority. And this is where the pain starts to take hold of the culture, because we proclaim biblical truth as objective, coming from the Word of God; as rationally understood, as the absolute truth; and consequently it is authoritative, it is authoritative. These are the oracles of God.

In Titus chapter 2, verse 15—this is a good text to think of when you think about authority: “These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” Now there’s an unpopular approach to life. “Let no one disregard you.” This is the absolute opposite of the culture in which we live. Everybody feels they’re completely entitled to whatever it is that they think about anything. But counter to that, the Word of God says, “Speak [the word of God] with authority. Let no one disregard you.” Scripture is the final word. It is the mind of Christ.

Now it is not acceptable to this culture to speak with absolute authority. Obviously they hate it. It’s not only the idea of authority—that’s repulsive enough; but when with authority you’re preaching the Scripture, the law of God, the requirements of God, and the gospel of God, that is compoundingly offensive.

Churches have adjusted to this because they want to eliminate the offense, so they preach soft words, which produces hard hearts. One writer says the one who really wants a tender heart should

be calling for a jackhammer. Hard words, hard teaching are the jackhammer of God. Takes a great deal to break up our hard hearts; and the God of all mercy is willing to do it, but He always does it according to His Word, and His Word is not as easy on us as we would like. Jeremiah 23 says, “‘Is not My word like a fire?’ says the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?’” When Christians opt out for smooth words, easy words, soft words, the result is hard people. So we have to be faithful to speak the Word of God with authority.

Now that leads to a fifth word, and that is incompatibility. At this point the objective Word, understood rationally, yields truth, which is authoritative and incompatible with anything else. And the noose is really tight in the paradigm at this point. Truth is absolutely incompatible with error. It is the law of exclusivity. Truth is intolerant.

First John 2:21, it’s a short statement, maybe overlooked—so important: “No lie is of the truth.” “No lie is of the truth,” 1 John 2:21. Something can’t be true and not true at the same time. “No lie is of the truth.” This is the incompatibility of truth.

So here we are, in this world demanding tolerance of everybody’s truth, everybody’s ideas, yielding up all authority for soft words, and fearing that somehow we might sound like our message is incompatible with any contradiction. We run from that kind of strong communication, fearing to offend, when offending is critical.

Back to Galatians 1 again, Paul said if somebody preaches another gospel, let him be damned. Paul says, “If someone doesn’t love the Lord [Jesus Christ], let him be damned,” 1 Corinthians 16:22. You either have the truth, or you’re damned. There are not compatible contradictory realities.

Tolerance toward people—that’s a virtue. Tolerance toward error—that’s a sin. God hates lying tongues and the liars who use them. That’s why Isaiah 8:20 says, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because no light is in them.”

I mean, listen to these familiar Scriptures. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no other; for there is no other name under heaven . . . given among men by which we must be saved.” Or John 3:36, “He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Or 1 Timothy 2:5, “There is one God, one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” Or 1 John 5:11 and 12, “This is the testimony, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” And that’s that incompatibility. The truth is incompatible with all error.

So in our little paradigm you start out with this: All truth is objective, understood by rationality, confirmed as the truth or veracity, carrying all authority, and consequently incompatible with any disagreeing idea. That’s why, 2 Corinthians 10, we crush, we smash every idea raised up against the truth of God.

Now there’s one final word that I would add, and it’s the word integrity, the word integrity. This is so important. What I mean by this is the Word is not only to be proclaimed, it is to be lived.

Listen—as we just kind of wrap up—to the words of James chapter 1, verse 22. And this is where your testimony comes into play: “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural fade in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty”—meaning Scripture—“and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”

So the final word is integrity. As Christians who believe these things to be absolutely true, we have the responsibility to live them out in a very, very hostile world. But this is our calling, and we confidently trust the Lord to protect us in the process. Let’s bow in prayer.

Lord, we have a high calling, a holy calling. We are called to the truth, to be the people of the truth in a world drowning in lies. Help us to live it out no matter how difficult or challenging it may become because this is what You’ve called us to, and this is what You’ve equipped us to do from Your Word, in the strength of Your Spirit. Grant us grace, obedience, and faithfulness to be the people of the truth, to walk in truth—the truth, in particular, concerning You and Your Word and the gospel. May we be known as a church that is the pillar and ground of the truth.

To that great calling, Lord, we understand You have called us, prepared us, and sent us. Use us to that end, we pray in our Savior’s name. Amen.

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