Call to Worship: Nehemiah 9:5 “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.”
Songs: Sing - Travis Cottrell
Hear Our Praises - Shout To The Lord 2000
I Will Bless the Lord - Steve Green
I Will Bless the Lord - Steve Green
Scripture: Matthew 25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
Song: Light the Fire Again - Brian Doerksen
Sermon: “Wide-Awake and Prepared”
Closing Song: Awake My Soul - Hillsong Worship
Benediction: Hosea 14:1 “Return, Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall! 2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. 3 Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses. We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion.” 4 “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. 5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots; 6 his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon. 7 People will dwell again in his shade; they will flourish like the grain, they will blossom like the vine— Israel’s fame will be like the wine of Lebanon. 8 Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a flourishing juniper; your fruitfulness comes from me.” 9 Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.”
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Sermon: "Wide-Awake and Prepared"
When talking about the kingdom of God repentance is the key. This means we turn from our wicked ways and God comes near. Wicked ways are any ways not God’s. That means the way of man is wrong and empty. This way only leads to desolation and destruction. This is the way the church has been following for generations. The good news is that we do not have to continue in these empty ways. We have been given a choice. We can choose life or death, blessings or curses. Deuteronomy 30:19 “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.”
Last week we talked about the kingdom coming near and what it would look like. We saw the power that is available in this kingdom to all who would believe and listen to the word of God. If we obey, nothing can stand against this kingdom. All we have to do for this kingdom to come near is to turn away from our own ways. So why hasn’t it happened yet? The answer is that this submission is difficult for most christians, as they have been brought up in the ways of man yet most do not even realize it. Look closely at the church you go to. Jesus is supposed to be the only way, yet most follow a man’s ideology, doctrines and theology. Psalm 94:11 “The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile.” As man’s way became embedded in the church, most can no longer tell the difference between God’s way and man’s way. Yes you may think how is that even possible as everyone has a bible, especially with online accessibility? It is possible because man set aside God’s word and now makes themselves out to be gods with their own writings. Proverbs describes this perfectly. Proverbs 16:25 “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” The reason it appears right is exactly that; reason! Add to it traditions from down through the ages and experiences personal or shared. These then lead to false gospels or watered down gospels, which are no gospel at all, all the while remembering the deception of satan and delusion by God brought on by disobedience. As Paul tells us in Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all.”
Sadly these empty ways of man lead the way over scripture. Proverbs also tells us we are given a choice; listen to wisdom or folly as they are both calling out to whomever will listen. Proverbs 1-8 describes this but Proverbs 9:1 sums this up. “Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city, 4 “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, 5 “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.” 7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. 8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. 9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. 13 Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, 15 calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way, 16 “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, 17 “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” 18 But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.” Since most do not know their bibles well enough, nor do they know God’s voice, they perish. Isaiah 5:12 “They have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands. 13 Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding; those of high rank will die of hunger and the common people will be parched with thirst.” The church is now in exile and remains in desolation and captivity until God frees us.
Proverbs 9:10 said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” If we follow another gospel, there is definitely no fear of God. If we add to or take words away from God’s word, there is no fear; therefore there is no understanding. We then end up with Hosea 4:14 “a people without understanding will come to ruin!” Those who have led us think they have knowledge but as 2 Timothy 3:7 they are “always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Isaiah 56:10 “Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. 11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain.” Isaiah was told Isaiah 6:8 “Go and tell this people: “ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” 11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12 until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. 13 And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”
Now the church is in ruins at the work of man. Deuteronomy 31:29 “For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.” We saw what happen to Israel. Then Jesus told the same thing to Jews and we saw what happened with them. They still are looking for the Messiah. Then Paul said the same in Acts 28:24 “Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 “‘Go to this people and say, You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” 27 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” Now we have the Gentiles in the same position as Israel and the Jews. The question remains; is anyone listening?
Everyone continues to go their own way. They follow their own gospels to their own demise just like Israel did. They forgot the Song of Moses which said, Deuteronomy 32:15 “Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior. 16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. 17 They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear. 18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. 19 The LORD saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters. 20 “I will hide my face from them,” he said, “and see what their end will be; for they are a perverse generation, children who are unfaithful.” Because most do not fear God, they are not concerned about how their end will turn out. They think they have saved themselves with their own useless words. Jeremiah 13:8 “Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!” He had buried a new belt in the ground and it was ruined. These other gods, these other gospels are useless. Isaiah describes the idol of the man-made church of today. Isaiah 44:19 “No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” That’s what happens when we worship other gospels in vain. It is the same as worshipping a man made idol; a block of wood - completely useless.
Yet people refuse to listen to God’s word and all that His kingdom offers us. The church refuses to repent by saying “What have I done” or “I’ve done nothing wrong.” Proverbs 30:20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.” Jeremiah 8:6 “I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle.” Most do not think they have done anything wrong so they don’t repent. These next few verses also describe the church. Nehemiah 9:29 “You warned them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’ Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.” Jesus told us in Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The church refuses to obey simply by ignoring the word of God. Mark 7:13 “Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” Proverbs 1:20 “Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; 21 on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: 22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.” Isaiah 30:20 “Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.” Proverbs continues. 24 But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, 25 since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. 28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, 29 since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD. 30 Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” This is the state the church is in. The question still remains will you listen or fail to listen? Ezekiel was told Ezekiel 3:27 “But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.”
We are not supposed to be a rebellious people; fools who do not listen. Unfortunately, most are set in their empty ways and refuse to listen. Jeremiah 11:10 “They have returned to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to listen to my words. They have followed other gods to serve them. Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant I made with their ancestors.” The church today has broken faith with the new covenant of Jesus Christ. Instead of handing down the word of God, most of the church has gone their own way. Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Instead each group has their own way of doing things, each have their own set of beliefs that make them distinct from each other which is totally wrong by the way. Proverbs 21:2 “A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Isaiah 65:1 “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’ 2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations— 3 a people who continually provoke me to my very face.”
Men continue to go there own way and are not worried what God thinks. Psalm 10:6 “He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” 13 Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, He won’t call me to account?” Psalm 94:7 “They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.” But God does see and take notice. Job 24:22 “God drags away the mighty by his power; though they become established, they have no assurance of life. 23 He may let them rest in a feeling of security, but his eyes are on their ways. 24 For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain.” Rebellious people do not get away with turning their backs on God but if we would repent and turn from our wicked ways, God is a merciful God. Nehemiah 9:17 “They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them.” Therefore we still have hope. There will be a remnant rise up once again. Notice though it will be just a remnant.
We are not to be like those who went before us Psalm 78:8 “a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.” Instead we are supposed to listen and have understanding. Isaiah 11:2 “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.” This is what will happen once again. This is what we are waiting for! Psalm 81:13 “If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, 14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!” We read earlier about being prepared for His coming. Not only are we waiting for Jesus to return and take us home, we are waiting for God to turn His face and shine on us once again. We need to be filled with anticipation. It is obvious that God has not completely abandoned us. If that was the case we would be dead. He has allowed us to see how much we are missing and has been guiding us back to the truth. We need to be wide-awake and prepared. Paul warned us Romans 13:11 “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
Now that you have heard the truth of God’s word, hold on tight because satan wants to take it from you. In the passage where Jesus says “Matthew 13:14 ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.” He then describes the parable of the sower. He says Matthew 13:18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Not only do we have to be alert while we wait, we need to have this same mindset as we wait for God to shine on us once again. Lamentations 5:1 “Remember, Lord, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace. 15 Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. 16 The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned! 17 Because of this our hearts are faint, because of these things our eyes grow dim 18 for Mount Zion, which lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it. 21 Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old 22 unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.” We have hope because if we seek him we will find Him.
If we are seeking God, we must be alert and of sober mind. Peter tells us what kind of people we need to be. 2 Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” So we are supposed to be awake and ready and live holy lives. It is interesting the word plays in the bible. God is the lion of Judah yet satan is a roaring lion looking to devour some one. The good news is Revelation 5:5 “See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.” Revelation 11:15 “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign for ever and ever.” We also have this picture of the thief coming at night so that we would be prepared. John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” We know that Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil. 1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” This picture of the thief tells us we need to be prepared and awake. Matthew 24:42 “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.” Thieves operate under the guise of the unexpected. So like those with the lamps, we have to be prepared and ready. If we are asleep we will miss our Saviour. There are many Christians bored out of their minds with church, not just on Sundays. They have little understanding. They think if they could just make it more entertaining but even that has not worked. Most can barely handle church once a week let alone following Jesus wholeheartedly everyday. Most are asleep at the wheel. Revelation 3:3 “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.” Everyone can understand that picture.
The truth given to us must be held on to with all we have because satan will take it from you. Paul said to the Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 2:15 “stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” Obviously for us it is by letter. We need to live in a state of readiness and expectation. 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” Revelation 16:15 “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” We were told in Luke 24:49 “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Galatians 3:26 “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” The opposite is Revelation 3:15 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. 21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The problem the church today is like a nudist colony, filled with shameful nakedness. Sorry for that image! The church is filled with the lukewarm and not clothed with power. The church is filled with other gospels and people worshipping in vain. The church is filled with apathy, complacency and the self-righteous yet people love it this way. The watchmen have not sent out the warning and the enemy has already infiltrated the church. Ezekiel 33:6 “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.” James 3:1 “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Instead of returning to the word of God, leaders have led the church in the ways of man. Lamentations 2:14 “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The prophecies they gave you were false and misleading.” Now we have ended up with this. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
Obviously this is not where we want to be. Jesus said John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Jesus said in John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Do you see what happens when you stop believing in the words of Jesus. If you don’t believe John 14 you wont believe John 15 either. The church must remain in Him so that we can accomplish His purposes. Since the church has gone there own way the alarm has not be sounding and God’s people are perishing. Jeremiah describes this so called peace. Jeremiah 6:14 “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 14:13 “But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. 15 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine.” Jeremiah 23:17 “They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.” So instead of warning the people of God, leaders in the church teach people not to worry about fearing God. They say there is peace when there is no peace. They say there is peace when the church lies in desolation. By doing this God’s people do not repent and turn from their wicked ways.
Paul says this 1 Thessalonians 5:1 “Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Jesus came to give us life. We only receive that life if we hold fast to his teachings. The very people (antichrists and false teachers) who say you won’t feel the wrath of God teach a false gospel so that all who listen tot hem actually will feel the wrath of God and hear from Jesus, I don’t know you.
Yes Jesus is returning. If you have followed faithfully yet have died in body, though we will never die Jesus said we will go to heaven. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 “According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.” So like the words lion and thief, asleep and dead are the same in this passage.
So until that day returns, we have repented from our wicked ways and we wait for God to cloth us with power from on high so that we can go to the ends of the earth. Matthew 24:12 “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” So hold on, be strong, be courageous and do not be afraid. Be awake and prepared. There is no such thing as a lukewarm Christian, you are just lukewarm and naked.
As we get ready to cross know that Lord returns to Zion with shouts of praise. Jonah said when about to die Jonah 2:6 “But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. 7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” Matthew 21:9 “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Revelation 19:6 “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.” Isaiah 52:1 “Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. 2 Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive. 3 For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.” 4 For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “At first my people went down to Egypt to live; lately, Assyria has oppressed them. 5 “And now what do I have here?” declares the LORD. “For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock, ” declares the LORD. “And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed. 6 Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I.” 7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. 9 Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.”
