This sermon about the current and the coming times will take you in a deeper understanding on what we should be doing in our time and for the coming times. This answers the question on how are we going to prepare for the future.
A. Jesus came to divide the people (v.51) Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
B. Know to interpret the present time (v.56) Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?
C. Be reconciled with God (v.58) As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
Challenge:
- Now that quarantine is almost over, look back for this past 2 months and see have you done so far in improving your engagement with God’s word.
- Memorize 3 salvation verses for this week.
- Even if the Lord will not come at this moment, live as if he is coming very soon.
The Manuscript of this Sermon
It is very obvious that God is teaching us so many things in our lives these days. Especially about being prepared, about taking a look on our lives, on our faith, on our allegiances. These times are deceiving and indeed, lots of christians have been deceived by losing faith, by trusting men instead of trusting God, by discouragements, by hopelessness, and many others.
But God wants us to be always awake, to be always on guard, to be always ready. Here are thing what Jesus said about this current and coming times.
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[s2If current_user_is(s2member_level1) OR current_user_is(s2member_level2)]Jesus came to divide the people (v.51) Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
We have to be careful on this passage because this can be understood differently. So to be clear, this passage does not pertain to “division of the church” since the Bible is very consistent that when it comes to faith to God and when it comes to the church, “unity” is to be maintained. This passage however refers to division between wickedness versus godliness, evil versus good, worldliness versus holiness.
When Jesus came to the world, the message is very clear, there will be a separation between those who believe in the Lord and for those who are disobedient. There will be division among the people in terms of beliefs, in terms of faith, in terms of loyalty. But those who believe in the Lord and put their faith on the Lord will be united for the Lord.
If you have put your faith on someone or something and not on the Lord, then obviously we cannot be united. A conflict of our spiritual standing will exist and we will not have of the same mind. And this is something that I would really would like to make clear to you. My allegiance and faith is on the Lord, not on men, not on my family, not on the Lighthouse, not on anyone else. If you have a different allegiance than that, then Jesus’ words is true, he came to divide the people.
Know to interpret the present time (v.56) Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?
What’s amazing here is that we are currently discussing about the book of Revelation and then here comes God’s confirmation to us as a fair warning about interpretation. We have been very busy in interpreting so many things, data, politics, our current situation, about the best things to do on particular situation. But how is your interpretation on what’s happening right now? How about your understanding on God’s word?
Mankind is busy doing their own things, but has forgotten to heed on God’s word. What’s your priority on Sundays when there is no lockdown yet? Now that there is lockdown, you are forced to stay at home, what is your priority during Sunday morning? Sad to say, there are people that instead of being early and being on time during Sunday morning for our FBLive, they continuously miss it.
Your time for worship is not a matter of schedule, it’s a matter of the condition of your heart. So be careful. You should be busy by now understanding God’s word. Joshua 1:8”Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Be reconciled with God (v.58) As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
Some Bible interpreters are referring this passage to relate in reconciliation between person to person. However, if you try to look at the entire context, it is more on reconciliation to God. Man has hard headed ever since when it comes to God. From generation to generation, some leaders around the globe are trying to sway the people to hate God and injecting ungodliness.
But God is not blind. God cannot be mocked. We people are called for reconciliation. He never stopped reaching for men to be reconciled to Him. Even when Adam and Eve sinned against God, he immediately showed his grace by giving them clothes to wear and communication between him and them was not stopped.
But even then, when a new generation rises up, there will always some who will doubt God, who will nullify his work, who will mocked him. And then people will again undergo the process of knowing him. Unfortunately, most of these process are not pleasant experiences, but are humbling experiences.
But what about you, have you been reconciled with God? Do you finally accept the fact that apart from him you can do nothing? Have you fully surrendered to him? There is only one way to get out of the mess in this world, that is to have him as our Lord Jesus Christ in our heart.
Challenge:
- Now that quarantine is almost over, look back for this past 2 months and see have you done so far in improving your engagement with God’s word.
- Memorize 3 salvation verses for this week.
- Even if the Lord will not come at this moment, live as if he is coming very soon.
