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We're not of the world.
Way we're not.
Grandfather, but I think like one time God striking some hydrants where it's raining on the light of art. All business rest.
Yeah.
Uh.
504 hours.
Downward, calmly.
For the glory and wild King 40 ought to begin me.
We had the latter part of.
Luke's Gospel chapter 21 before us in the reading yesterday.
Uh.
Should we go on with that, or does someone else have something on their heart they'd like to bring forward?
Silence implied consent.
Oh, I would suggest if we're going to go on with the chapter, read from verse 29 again to Joel, and I think that gives us a connection, even though we did discuss those verses, but we read from 29 to the end. I think that'll be good.
Through chapter 21, verse 29.
I need to speak to them a parable.
Kevin and herself passed away, but my words are not passed away as he keeps to yourself. But at any time your hearts be overcharged for surprising and tracking them and cares of this place, and so that they compartment unawares rise of spare shells from all them that well in the face of my whole earth. Watch you therefore, I always that you may be account worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and that you stand before you understand.
00:05:27
And in the daytime he was teaching the temple, and at night he went out. He imposed the amount that is called mountain.
Knowledge and all the people came early in the morning and given the temple for security.
There are a few here today that were not here yesterday.
So it might be good to mention what we had before us, and that is that.
What we have in this chapter ultimately brings before us.
A condition of things and some exhortation based on it that will have its ultimate fulfillment during the tribulation period after we are called home.
But we were noticing that in Scripture. It's a principle with God that He sometimes brings before us exhortations that.
While specifically for someone else, yet are given so that you and I might have our hearts exercised. And we were pointing out that although the ultimate fulfillment of this will be after we are called home, yet in these last days we can see the stage in this world being set for events that will take place after the Lord comes. And likewise we can take to heart the moral lessons and the exhortations that are given here.
And so we were dwelling a little on that beginning at verse 25 yesterday.
And so in connection with where we started today, we were mentioning that the fig tree is an emblem all through Scripture of Israel in a national sense. The vine is more from the spiritual side, but the fig tree is Israel nationally and.
Today we do indeed build the fig tree, don't we? 62 years ago Israel took its place among the nations again after a gap of more than 2500 years, and they are very much a player in the world seen today.
And we see all the trees. We see many nations today, many more than there were even.
Half a century ago.
And we see God's purposes coming to pass. And as we commented on concerning verses 30 and 31, all that has a significance for us. Just as when we see buds coming out on the trees, we realize that spring is here and summer is coming. And so we were noticing that this is the most serious time in which to live, and yet a very wonderful time too, because.
All of these purposes that God has outlined for us in His Word are about to be fulfilled. And of course, before all of that takes place with respect to the earth, the Lord's coming to take you and me home.
Will take place and so it will be a wonderful thing to be called home and it will be a wonderful thing for this world to experience what is called the Kingdom of God here.
We know that this world is full of unrighteousness, full of sin today, and it's getting worse and worse. But there's a day coming when God is going to bring about that glorious Kingdom. And the Kingdom of God brings before us the moral side of it, doesn't it? We know, of course, in that connection that Paul preached and so did others, the Kingdom of God in a very real way to believers. Because for you and for me.
If we recognize the rightful pig, if we know who he is even in his absence, and when he's dishonored and rejected, there's a moral state that is fitting for you and for me during the time of his rejection. And so that expression, the Kingdom of God, occurs many times in Paul's ministry in connection with our responsibility, in our walk and ways.
00:10:11
But there's a day coming when the Lord Jesus will reign in righteousness, and when all of the sin and all of the departure from God that is so evident in this world, all of the rebellion of man's heart will not be allowed anymore. The Kingdom of God is not at hand. But what a wonderful thing it is for you and for me to know that.
As the Lord Jesus said concerning himself, the Kingdom of God is among you, and that you and I can enjoy and walk in the good of that now.
I've heard it said, brother Bill, that the Kingdom of heaven is where the rule of the heavens is old and would therefore be in connection with, uh, Christendom, wouldn't you say? At least it was up until fairly recently anyway. Umm, but the Kingdom of God, as you say, is more the moral aspects. What should characterize those in the Kingdom. I was thinking of the verse, and I'm sure you could have quoted it in Romans 14 and verse 17, it says.
The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. So that's what should characterize those in the Kingdom, particularly those of us who are saved. Yes. And that will characterize the Kingdom when it's established. Righteousness and peace. Yeah. In the world outside.
It might be nice to see that uh, brother Michelle and uh, Isaiah 32, uh.
Uh, maybe sometime for young people to see what these versions are.
I'll just read 2 verses. The first one in the is first one Speaking of the Millennium. Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and Princess shall rule in judgment. And then verse 17, the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.
And as you were mentioning Stan in your.
Meeting this afternoon. There can be a tendency on your part and mine to want to bring that in today, to want to use our influence and energy as believers to try and bring righteousness and peace to this world. Well, what to God? It were so, But the Lord has told us very clearly that that won't happen. When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteously.
But not before. And it's very difficult for you and for me to see God's claims disowned and to see unrighteousness seeming to gain the upper hand. It's very hard for us as believers, but we're called upon quietly to exhibit the moral character of God's Kingdom, to witness to a lost world. But as to establishing peace and righteousness in this world, the Lord says, I will look after that. I will do that in my time.
And that time is not right now for you and me, is it?
The 18th verse of Romans 14 supports what we're just saying. But it will in connection with the, uh, Kingdom of God and righteousness being joy in the Holy Ghost and God. Either of these things service Christ is acceptable to God and a proof of men.
And it is important to have the right view and right understanding of processes that affect practically how we live. If you think that, uh.
We have a job to do before Craigslist and come back. Then you're going to behave in one way or prepare any forehead if you see that indeed, things have to get worse for the judgment squads and come in and then you preach the gospel of warmth and bring people to Christ.
It sometimes misunderstood too when it says in verse 32, This generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled.
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Does that mean that everything that's talked about here was fulfilled within the generation of those to whom the Lord was speaking? No, I don't believe so. In fact, we know full well that it wasn't. We just finished saying that ultimately much of it awaits the coming day. But I believe the thought is here that the attitude and spirit of those to whom the Lord was speaking.
Will ultimately be the same attitude and spirit that will be manifested in the coming day. That is, if the Lord Jesus was rejected during the time He was here on earth, there will still be a large number that reject Him during the tribulation period. If there was a character of things that went on during the time of the Lord's ministry on earth, ultimately that will still be present.
When these things are fulfilled, man's heart will not have changed. Man likes to think that he's getting a lot better. Man likes to think that he's improving. But it isn't happening as Robert was just saying. In fact, things are rather getting worse. And the Lord Jesus had to say concerning Israel, He said when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man.
He walk us through dry places, seeking rest and find of none.
But what happens, he says, I'll go back to the house from whence I came out. And when he comes back, it says he finds it empty and swept and garnished. He enters into that house again and it says the last state of that man is worse than the first. Sad to say, that's a reference to the fact that after the captivity, Israel never again went back to worshipping of idols, which was what was largely responsible for their being carried away.
But what's going to happen in the coming day? Have their hearts really changed? No. Have men's hearts changed? No. And when the Antichrist appears energized by Satan, they'll be guilty of worse idolatry than they ever were in the Old Testament.
And so I believe that's the sense in which the generation doesn't pass away. The Lord knows that the same heart, the same attitude, the same rebellion against God, the same outlook is going to be present in the last days as was present during the Lord's time. Is that right, Michelle? I think adversary Philippians 2 I mentioned yesterday. We didn't read it, but.
In the King James it has the the word nation there but I believe the word is generation and that's Philippians 2 and 15.
That she may be blameless and harmless.
The sons of God without rebuke, and that's the character of being in the Kingdom of God.
In the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. And I believe the word is among whom ye shine as light from the world. We had that thought yesterday. So.
They were crooked and perverse generation at that time, and that's what it's going to be too. There is that aspect of the generation now that in the midst of which we are but in the great tribulation, it will be the same.
OK, so nothing is going to change the the moral aspects of the world. No, no religion, nothing is going to change. This has been the effect of Christianity. But we know through apostasy that it hasn't improved the world, no so.
The only thing that changes the world, you might say, is the way the Lord changes men one at a time by new birth and bringing them into the conscious sense of being in the Kingdom of God and changing their behavior.
And would you say that's why the next verse follows right on top of it? Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. It's the Word of God that the Spirit of God uses today to bring men to Christ. And it'll be the Word of God in the coming days, spoken through the godly remnant that will bring souls to believe the gospel of the Kingdom. It has been the Word of God all through man's history, ultimately.
Whether the written word or the spoken word that the Spirit of God used to give man you life of his own will be got. He uses James by the word of truth. And then again in John chapter 3, accept a man be born of water. That's the word of God and of the Spirit. He cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And so it's the word of God that changes lives. It's the word of God that he uses to bring men to Christ.
00:20:20
And I just suggest there could be other thoughts on this, but that's why the Spirit of God puts these verses back-to-back here because if there is an evil generation that is just as bad today as it was when the Lord was here on earth and there is, then what is the only thing that is going to prevail against him? You and I getting down into the arena and trying to straighten the world out. You and I getting into politics is Stan talked about and trying to make the world better.
You and I seeking to bring the world around to the point where Christ can set up his Kingdom? No, but rather bringing God's word to bear on them. Where are we and what is God's message for man today?
MMM, we have to own, don't we, That just like the Jews, the name of God was blasphemed among the nations because of their misrepresentation of the Lord. Can we not say that generally in the Christian testimony we have brought this despising thought of the gospel because of the way Christians have generally behaved and made?
Commerce with the gospel and all sorts of things have been going on. So there's a similar responsibility that Christian testimony has of not having represented the Lord and the truth of the Word of God as it should.
We only have one admonition here, don't we, brother?
We who know the Lord is our Savior, we have that hope that we're looking for.
That, uh, what we can look for and when we see these things take place as a Christian, we can praise the Lord because we know His coming is at the very door.
But what a week as as been said.
Christian has no no way to go in and try and correct these things. What is our admonition here? 2 words in the 28th verse. Look up.
When we're looking up.
We're looking for that precious redemption that's that's going to come at any moment and take us out of this scene.
And then the government of God will will take hold and things will all be straightened out and made right in his own own way.
So if we're occupied, if we're occupied with the things that are taking place down here trying to change things, then unfortunately, brethren, we will have perplexity.
Are men's hearts failing them?
And we, we the Lord doesn't want us that.
He wants us to be happy and longing for his appearance. That's going to take us out of of this.
Atmosphere that we're in into a heavenly atmosphere.
Where He is located on all His glory and and so forth. And He's gone to prepare for us. We're going to enjoy with Him. That's what He wants us to be, dwelling upon that future that awaits us.
And when we're dwelling on that, looking up.
Then as we come together here, why we can edify one another, encourage one another. Why? Because we have a heavenly prospect altogether, a heavily prospect. We can encourage one another in these things, and this is what the Lord wants us to do.
When we come together to talk over these things.
And then we talk over and exercise as our hearts and it regenerates us, gives us that joy of what we all together have to look forward to.
Let's look up, look up. Don't look down, because there only will be discouragement and heartache. Brethren, look up. Keep our eyes heavenward.
He's coming at any moment.
We might say this.
We might say this 2 with respect to the Word of God, and I say this to those that are in high school and college here and so on. You're going to get a lot of opposition to God's Word. You're going to encounter those who say don't quote the Scripture to me. I don't recognize that as an authority. I don't believe the Bible, so don't quote the Bible to me.
00:25:22
I want something more than that.
And there is a place on occasion for speaking about what we might call Christian apologetics, which simply means defending the truth of God and defending Christianity by an appeal to something that the natural man can understand.
The proverb says answer a fool according to his folly. It also says answer not a fool according to his folly. It depends on the circumstances, but there's a place sometimes to answer a fool according to his folly and to make someone realize why his outlook doesn't even make sense from the natural point of view.
But the Word of God, we read is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. And if men say I don't believe the gospel.
Use it anyway. I like the illustration of a brother whose name you would all recognize, who wrote some of our good written ministry. He said I wouldn't do it as a Christian, but he said if I had a sharp knife in my hand and a man disputed as to whether it was a real one or not, he said there would be a very practical and effective way of demonstrating to him that it was real.
Yes, there would be, wouldn't there? And so when the word of God is challenged, when the word of God is refused, use it anyway.
Used in the power of the Spirit and it will have its effect because it's settled in heaven. It's God's Word and he's able to use it. And even if it doesn't seem to have any effect at that moment, the Lord can use it down the road somewhere. So don't hesitate to use the Word of God. Don't hesitate to quote it and bring it before those. Even if people say I don't believe it and I don't want it because that glorifies God. If you get into a good argument with something scientific and put someone to silence.
If you're anything like me, you go away feeling rather pleased with yourself.
When I quote the word of God and it has its effect, God gets the glory, doesn't it?
So the next verse is a very.
Straightforward exhortation, isn't it?
And I hope Michelle will mind, but I'm going to appeal to him to explain that word surfeiting. A young person asked me, and several young people asked me one time what that word meant. And I think I'm right in saying that it has its origins in the French language and, uh.
Would you tell us what it means, Michelle? Which word is that?
Verse 34 is it verse 34? Unless you're at any time your hearts be overcharged with Serpentine.
I'm glad I have a French Bible.
It's that your hearts are not going to be made heavy.
With abusive, I would say abuse of food and drink.
Exactly, Sir. Feasting, would that be? And isn't the French word for a festival? Fest FETE over, over, over celebrate. Overindulging over celebrating, Yeah.
Glad I got it.