Son of God

The Son of God

Book of John Chapter 5

We as Christians sometimes forget why Jesus did all the things that He did.

We sometimes make Him small when He is Great.

We sometimes forget the reason that Jesus Christ was upon this earth.

Jesus Christ was led to do all the things He did because of the love of our Father in Heaven!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This is why Jesus did all the things He did when He was upon this place called Earth.

There was this great pool of water called Bethesda and at certain times of the year an Angel would stir up the waters and the first one who entered the water after seeing this would be healed of their infirmities or we would say disease.

This sounds like a wonderful place and a great thing for those who were sick or lame, but it was not a fair place!

Those who were truly in need could not get to the water because of those with stumped toes or more simple things that maybe would have healed on their own would step over them to be the first to get in the water.

We can doubt that such a pool existed but then we would be rejecting the written Word of God.

Even today Christians are much the same. Those who truly have need of our Pastor sometimes do not get the attention they need because someone with a minor problem had taken the time of our Pastor and he could not get to where he needed to be.

Jesus knew what was going on and there was this one man who had been trying to get in the waters of Bethesda for 38 years and he would have never made it even if he lived to be 100 years old.

His chances decreased with every passing year, but God sent His Son into this world to make some changes to this world.

One of the many things that Jesus does every day is that He provides opportunities for a changed life!

If we understand the Words of Christ, it seems that this man was in the condition, he was in, because of the sin in his life.

You want to know the truth, all those that doubt the truth of Jesus Christ and deny His Deity are taking a stand with those who were His murderers.

When we doubt the Word of God we are calling God a liar, so do it to His face and quit hiding behind social issues.

*****Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

We should realize that many of the ailments we have late in our life are due to the sin in our life or that was in our earlier life before we invited the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts.

By this time this man who was healed by the hand of the Lord had taken his bed home and in doing so was confronted by certain Jews who were probably Pharisees scolding him for doing this work on the Sabbath.

What was the law of God?

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The truth is, what we must observe is that our Righteous God has holy and righteous standards and we should try our best to observe those standards every day!

We begin to understand these things when we allow the Holy Ghost free will in our lives!

The very same God that gave us these wonderful commandments was the very same God who healed this man who had suffered for 38 years and the very same God who told him to pick up his bed and walk.

Which command are we to follow? Both.

It was sin that had brought this bad health to this man. This man was healed, and that sin was forgiven.

It was not sin for him to pick up his bed and take it home because it was not work by which he would be paid to do. He was taking care of a piece of personal property but more than that he was obeying the Word of Jesus Christ.

Jesus says it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath!

Luk 6:9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

Since the Lord Jesus Christ went about doing good 7 days each week, we should know that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath, on Sunday and on every other day of the week.

By this same line of thought, it is not lawful to do bad things on the Sabbath or any other day of the week and certainly never lawful to destroy a life on the Sabbath.

Which means animals had to be fed and watered.

Which means animals had to be milked.

Which means the sick had to be cared for.

Which means children had to be cared for.

Which means the people had to be fed even though fasting was also encouraged.

To the Jew, this Sabbath would begin Friday at 6 PM and last through Saturday until 6 PM.

The seventh day of the week to the Christian is Sunday, which is the Lord's Day to be observed by the Church and it should be obvious that we are to take note of what God has said here.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

These are not things open for discussion, they are settled by the Word of God.

In fact the Word of God is not open for discussion or for a vote, the Word of God is settled in Heaven and this is all we need to know!

God rested on the seventh day showing us that our own bodies need physical rest and Spiritual fulfillment(Worship) at least one day of the week and as time passes and we see this world getting worse then we are to gather more often to worship the Lord and not less often.

Heb_10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Many modern so-called places of worship have abandoned the Wednesday night service and also the Sunday evening service ignoring Hebrews 10:25.

There may be some real reasons in some nations but not in America.

Before we worry about the Sabbath or the Sunday worship service, we should concentrate on the more important things in the Scriptures.

The Jews choose the Sabbath or Saturday and they are right. They follow the laws given specifically to the Jews by Moses.

The Church chooses Sunday, the first day of the week, the Lord's Day(Day of Resurrection) and the Church is right.

Rev_1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

When we have been made whole by the Lord Jesus Christ then we should put forth the effort to sin no more!

Before we go any further let’s look at this word Jews.

1) There was the Jews, the race of the people of Judah and then all of Israel.

2) There were Jews, who were the hard line observers of the Law(legalism) and these same Jews rejected all things of Jesus Christ the Son of God. These were the same ones who in their customs and manners despised, persecuted, and hated all those who did not follow the written and the oral(tradition) laws of Moses.

*****Joh 5:15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

Joh 5:16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

We may not understand it, but it was a very serious matter to break the laws of the Sabbath and this man, having never met anyone like Jesus did not realize the harm it would cause to tell these supposed men of God about what Jesus had done and then point Him out to these hypocrites dressed as the men of God.

In this day the people could not travel but for a short distance, they could not cook or even draw water and certainly not open their businesses on the Sabbath.

Even a doctor could not make any attempt to heal unless that life was at stake.

A person could not even be caught thinking about his work for the next day!

Those that broke the Sabbath Law could be put to death by stoning.

These things may seem to be ridiculous to us today but after the return of the Jews from Babylon it was the commands of God that had kept this nation together.

Ezra had brought them back to the Word of God from which they had strayed. This tiny nation had been dominated by many nations over the years and at this time they were under the tyranny of Rome and the Jewish leaders had not followed in the lines of David or Solomon.

Herod was just as much their enemy as was Rome. Herod was a descendant of Ishmael.

The High Priests were selected by how much they could bribe Herod or the Roman rulers.

God had not spoken to these people by a prophet for 400 years until John the Baptist.

It was now only their God, Jehovah, that was the force that kept them together as a nation of Jews.

They refused to be swallowed up by the other nations and demanded that Jews marry other Jews to keep their national structure in place.

They were beginning to realize that Jesus had a whole new line of thought that included not only Jews, not only sinners, not only Gentiles, but also mixed marriages such as the Samaritans.

They had decided that Jesus was just some evil man using sorcery to control the people and work miracles by the power of Satan.

The religious leaders other than those appointed by Herod, were very concerned about this man named Jesus, claiming to be the Messiah.

They rejected God's way of righteousness.

They rejected God's Messiah.

They rejected the Son of God because they rejected the Word of God!

They allowed tradition and ritual, ceremony and rules, to become more important than meeting the basic needs of human life.

The truth of Jesus Christ was about to expose their error and they simply could not allow God's Messiah to change any of these things!

After all they held an office of prestige without God's involvement or so they thought.

The ordinary Jewish man of God and Jewish patriot needed to be released from all these things!

The Lord Jesus Christ brought something new and they rejected it!

1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

2Co_3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Just as what happens to that "Born Again" child of God, we must be liberated from the claws of Satan, so we can be saved.

These Jews needed this same liberation from their own religion before they could be saved but they refused to allow this to happen.

They were bound by the laws they had written themselves and they could not keep themselves and they just could not see it.

Joh 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

Joh 7:20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

Joh 7:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

Joh 7:22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

Joh 7:23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?

How did Jesus answer these accusations?

*****Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

There is little doubt that Jesus was saying that He was the Son of God and the Jewish Messiah!

We should all give this same answer, when asked.

God our Father is truly working every day to complete His plan of salvation, but we must not forget that God uses humans to do those things for Him.

Therefore since our Father is at work to complete the promises He has made to us, we should be at work doing the things He has called upon us to do! It is just that simple!

The Lord Jesus Christ is certainly the same as God, but in His ways while He was upon this earth, He is also our example of what we should be!

We cannot be Christian and reject the ways of Jesus Christ!

We cannot be Christian and reject any part of the Word of God!

We cannot be Christian and reject the Will of the Holy Spirit who abides within each Christian!

Jesus Christ speaks with authority because He is the Author of the Word of God and the Author of our salvation.

Heb_12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The truth is when we are approached by Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, we must make a choice. We either accept what Jesus says or we reject Him as just some man.

Either way the choice we make is a choice about life! This opportunity might never come again!

And we must remember that these things Jesus did on the Sabbath did not change the truth of the Scriptures.

Jesus obeyed all the Laws of Moses but Jewish traditions are not part of God's Law!

The Lord said we needed one day each week to rest our bodies and worship the Lord.

The truth is, it is OK to do good things on the day of worship but again we must not just be trying to avoid Church!

Just because the world runs 24/7 does not mean God's people are supposed to.

Some do, because it means life or death. Others do it to make more money and miss the worship service for the wrong reasons.

When we get on up in years, we realize why the Lord said we need to rest one day each week!

Let us not forget Jesus, The Messiah is truly the God of the Bible!

We must also not forget that the theme of this piece of Scripture is "Obedience".

*****Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Jesus Christ cannot do anything differently from the Father, because they are the same person! We can say the same thing of the Holy Spirit(Ghost).

There is only one time there was any separation at all and it was when the Lord Jesus took on all the sin of the world, past, present and future.

Mar_15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

This onetime, Jesus said "my God" and not "My Father"!

Jesus did this in obedience to the Father and momentarily the human side of Jesus gave up the Ghost and He had already said no one could take His life and if He gave it up He would then take it back up again!

It could be said that the Father shows, the Son sees, and the Father purposes, and the Son executes.

Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

This is the relationship our Father in Heaven is seeking from each of us!

*****Joh 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

Joh 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Our Holy Father in Heaven is seeking those who will be obedient to Him, not out of fear but out of Love!

There was never one moment that the Father did not love the Son, the Father just cannot look upon sin!

The Father has the power to give life and so the Son will give life to all those that He chooses to do so!

The Lord Jesus cannot be constrained nor restrained from doing as He pleases!

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

No matter what the world says it is the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge this world at a time that He so chooses!

Jesus has already given us an approximate time when we will return to begin all these things and we are command to be watching for Him!

It is because we all are commanded to honor the Lord Jesus Christ that He will be the "Judge" of this world!

1Jn 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

The truth means nothing if we do not abide in the truth!

*****Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Again Jesus says that it is very important that we understand these things just as it was very important that those Jews understood all these things!

It is wondrous knowledge to know that our soul will never see death!

We know that Jesus came to save all those who are lost.

Salvation can only come the hearing of His Word and applying those words to our life. It takes commitment and obedience to do this thing!

People will tell you that there are many ways to do this, but this cannot be true because we must do exactly as Jesus says. There is no other way!

Those that think there is another way to get to Heaven are worshiping a false god!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Those that disagree with what Jesus says here will never get to God's Heaven but those that do have faith in what Jesus says, will live eternally in God's Heaven or I should say in God's New Heaven!

Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

It should be obvious that this is a choice that we make for ourselves! God has already made His choice and God has already told us what He is going to do!

We must believe that God has sent His Son into this world to save those that truly believe what God says!

Amen.

Let's Pray!

Christ Crucified

The Certainty Of Christ's Crucifixion

Book of Luke 23:26-56


Crucifixion was a mode of capitol punishment used by Rome in the time of Jesus but was not used by the Jews.

The Jews used capitol punishment but they used the sword and stoning for the most part.

Crucifying was regarded as the most horrible of deaths by the Jews and was a greater horror for the curse of God.

Deu 21:22  And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
Deu 21:23  His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Notice the first rule was that they be worthy of death!

**Crucifixion always began first by a scourging.

The difference in Jesus case was that He was scourged before He was even sentenced!

**Then the condemned had to carry his own cross to the place of execution which would be outside the city but in full view of those who entered into the city.

Before they were nailed to that cross, they would be given  a cup of vinegar with medication mixed of gall and myrrh to deaden the pain but we know that Jesus rejected this this cup.

God will never go against His Word about alcohol or drugs!

Mat 27:34  They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

**It was then that the nails were driven into the body.

Jesus felt every hit of the hammer that drove those nails.

All the accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ are in accordance with the customs and the practices of Rome.

**It is a fact that the Lord Jesus Christ died of a broken heart, a ruptured heart which is why we see the blood and the water from the soldiers spear.

Joh 19:33  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
Joh 19:34  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

The truth is that the Lord Jesus Christ clearly understood from the beginning that He had come into this world to die on the cross and He was fully prepared and had joy in giving His life so that we could be saved!

Joh 12:27  Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let's begin:

*****Luk 23:26  And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

Again we should realize that everything that Christ did had a purpose.

It was not some accident that Simon just happen to be passing Jesus at that time.

It was not some accident that Jesus felt the pressure of the cross at that time.

The truth is, that the trials of this life come when we least expect them.

The cross that we are to bear in this life is usually laid upon us at an unexpected time and in an unexpected place.

We often think of Christ bearing the cross for our sin and that is so true, but here we see a sinner bearing the cross for Jesus Christ.

It is that close personal relationship that Jesus is seeking with each and everyone of us.

It is a beautiful thought that our own cross borne for Jesus Christ is borne with Jesus Christ!

Jesus wanted us all to know He is involved with us in a very personal relationship!

The truth is, we all had have a piece of the cross of Jesus and we must help bear that cross.

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Nothing in this world happens by chance, not to the Christian. God will oversee the life of all His children.

Simon was just a pilgrim traveling in a foreign land.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Many of the crosses we bear for ourselves are the ones that me make ourselves.

There was a large crowd following the procession that day but only Simon was chosen. It was not really the soldiers that chose Simon because it was the Lord.

*****Luk 23:27  And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

In most cases it is said that the same crowd that was saying Hosanna one day were saying crucify Him the next day. That could be true, but there could also be two separate crowds. Jerusalem was full of all sorts of people in celebration of the Passover and some did actually realize that the true Passover was being crucified that day.

These were those who knew that Jesus was innocent.

These are those that knew everything about Jesus was good and He possessed no evil at all.

These are the ones that knew Jesus was the hope of all people.

This is a picture of us all, when we get to know Jesus in a personal relationship.

When we realize what great things God has done in order that we can be saved, then we to can weep and bewail and feel the pain of our Savior for what He has done for us!

These people were crying out, especially the women, because they were feeling the pain of their Savior!

Some had known Him for many years and others were mourning because they felt their pain.

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

But what we see when we mourn, let it be for the right reasons.

*****Luk 23:28  But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
Luk 23:29  For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Luk 23:30  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Luk 23:31  For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

The women of that day were for the most part home makers and not involved in the politics of the day. To many of them, their husband was their lord.

1Pe 3:5  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
1Pe 3:6  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

They knew Jesus was innocent and they had never heard unfavorable things about Him.

They knew that everywhere Jesus had traveled, He had shown only mercy and truth.

They knew Jesus was the only hope for the people, because they knew that the glory of God had departed from Israel and the land was under the curse of God.

They had been aroused by the words He had spoken and the miracles they had heard of Him.

They knew no such person as this, deserved death!

Jesus simply said "weep not for me" because it was by the cross that the prayers of these women would be answered and prophesy would be fulfilled.

Jesus was saying "trust me, this is what I came to do"!

The truth is, a natural response to the sufferings of Christ is just not enough. We must understand why Jesus suffered and feel a godly sorrow over Christ bearing the sins of the world.

We are just not ashamed of our sin!

2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Then Jesus painted a picture of Israel's doom, which we must remember is also a "type" of the future destruction of this world.

They would be better off weeping for themselves!

There was soon coming a day when these women would wish they had been childless.

They would soon wish that they were buried alive rather than see the death of hunger.

If we realize that Jesus represents that "green tree" the "tree of life", how will the world treat a tree of no use, with no visible life left in it.

Israel was that "dry tree" at that time with no signs of life.

We could say that "America is that dry tree" today because America is dying the death of sin.

We are witnessing that today!

Israel had rejected the invitation of God time after time and had tried God's patience.

This time they had gone too far!

Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

The killing of the Lord Jesus Christ by such ruthless men was the last straw for that generation!

Just as soon as the Church was established to a point of survival, Jerusalem was judged and Israel was scattered.

Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

And then another prophesy must be fulfilled:

Isa 53:12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

*****Luk 23:32  And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

As far as we know, this day may have already been set aside for execution. We already know it was a day when a criminal would be set free.

Mar 15:6  Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

It would be fair to say, that it was also an execution day already planned by Rome for some reason or another.

To those Jewish leaders it just added weight to their saying to the people that this was just a man like any other man and not the true Messiah.

Just another prophet like the others they had killed, but this time they were wrong.

Christ was counted with the sinner because our Father in Heaven had decided these things!

Over and over again we see God's plan and God just wants us all to be a part of His plan because no other plan will work!

So Mount Calvary came into view.

*****Luk 23:33  And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Luk 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Every sinner has a limited view of their own sin, because we simply do not see the things we do as evil!

For this reason, sin to them is just not a big deal and Christ dying for our sin was also no big deal.

They see laws made for others than themselves because they think they have no evil intent.

What we see in our world today is that sin appears indifferent and according to the circumstances in which it is seen.

So we see that Jesus said "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".

Here we see the power of "Grace"!

Mat 12:32  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

The truth is that Christ was crucified in order to bring us back to God!

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Now we also see Jesus the Mediator between God and sinful man, because remember at His death, the Veil of the Temple was ripped into.

It is very true that those leaders and politicians simply did not know what they were doing!

In order to stop God's plan then Jesus would have had to live!

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

And then another prophesy is fulfilled.

Psa 22:16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
Psa 22:17  I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
Psa 22:18  They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

God just knows every little detail of every little thing and even every big thing!

Jesus was stripped of His clothes because Jesus allowed all His mortality to be stripped from Him.

Jesus came to bring eternal life from His death, because He came to abolish death and bring immortality through the "Gospel".

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2Ti 1:10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

There is no way that this world could deny Jesus His cross and that is the same way we should all feel!

We should not allow this world to deny us our own cross in Jesus' name!

God will have His will on this earth!

*****Luk 23:35  And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
Luk 23:36  And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
Luk 23:37  And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

What's wrong with this world? Most all people do not understand the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those looking for a Messiah always have their preconceived notions of what a Messiah is.

Is the Messiah the anointed one of God? Yes

Is the Messiah the Savior of the world? Yes

Is the Messiah the Christ? In the Greek, Yes.

Is the Messiah the expected prince of God's chosen people? Yes of Israel. The prince who will be King.

Is the Messiah the High Priest of the Church? Yes

Was the Messiah sent to complete God's purpose? Yes

The Messiah was never to fulfill the will of the people!

The truth of the cross was, that since the Messiah came to save the people of this world then He certainly could not save Himself!

Did He have the power to do so? Yes

Did He have the will to do so? No, for He would have left us all to die!

You would think the people of God could better understand these things.

From the day Jesus was laid in that manger, He had not hid Himself from His message of salvation!

That cross that crucified our Lord was His message of love!

It was love that kept Jesus from coming down off that cross!

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

All leaders, all those who say they have religion, and all people of all societies are only human and Jesus died to save us all!

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It was that generation in the time of Jesus, that should have realized the truth but they had rejected the truth and this is what is going on in our world today.

So what is the next truth?

Mat 23:38  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Mat 23:39  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

This is also the truth of a world without Jesus Christ until He returns.

Those soldiers could not have understood the claim of Jesus to be King, they were only men paid to be obedient to Rome.

Jesus was first offered vinegar mixed with pain killers but He refused.

You will never see Jesus go against the Word of God.

Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pro 23:31  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Those soldiers also had their own drink source that was a mixture of vinegar and water and this is what was later offered to the Lord which He did take some.

Vinegar has no alcohol content in itself!

And there was also the superscription that was misunderstood.

*****Luk 23:38  And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The sign hanging above the head of Jesus was intended to mock the Jewish authorities and to reproach the claim of Jesus.

But God changed things. Pilate who was His judge had now proclaimed the glory of God.

So the cross had actually become the first throne of King Jesus!

And this was written in the known languages of that day.

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Just when this world thinks it is in control, God shows up to make a mockery of those who ridicule Him!

But still the world is full of unbelievers!

*****Luk 23:39  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
Luk 23:40  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
Luk 23:41  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

First we have a man in the same predicament as Jesus and you would think this man would have at least shown pity.

He had probably never even seen Christ before, yet he rejected the Lord.

So even with this horrible thing he said that day, he is still less guilty that those who have known the Lord Jesus and still rejected Him.

The truth is and we all need to know, if we pray for God to show us His power to prove who He is, then God will remain silent and never answer such a prayer.

God is all about faith and not about proof!

But there is always someone on the right side!

This known criminal became humble and repented because he felt the power of the cross, maybe the very first one to do so!

In faith he found hope for his guilty soul!

The truth is, this man knew that he and his partner in crime were both guilty beyond measure but he also realized that Jesus had committed no crime at all, yet they all were together on this day, judged by an unrighteous world.

What is the truth of most all Atheist? As they see their life come to an end, the love of this world that they cherished all their days will begin to disappear and they indeed will search for something else or cry out in torment even before death finally comes.

When you are on death's row, you may think one way but when you sit down in the electric chair life becomes real!

Every breath becomes important because you do not know which one will be your last.

When we realize we deserve death, it is at that point that Holy Ghost conviction can do it's work!

Then can come repentance and only then!

It takes a whole hearted submission to God for salvation to take place!

And only then can we be "Born Again" into new life that last for an eternity!

And He said to Jesus:

*****Luk 23:42  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Death to the sinner is death of the body and then a living death of the soul in Hell and later the Burning Lake of Fire.

Death to the Savior, who knew no sin, but He bore all our iniquities on the cross and then rose again to "New Life".

Death to the child of God means no death has any power over him. We may not be able to escape the death of this body because just like all the material things on this earth it was just something else on loan from God.

We have a new glorified body awaiting us and an eternal life body and soul in the glories of Heaven.

There is not one soul that has done things so bad that they cannot be forgiven by the Lord!

God must judge sin, or God could not be God!

It was at the cross where God showed the intensity of His love.

And Jesus said:

*****Luk 23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Not next week, not next year, not next generation but "today".

We know that Jesus gave up the ghost at 3 PM. The Jewish day ends at 6 PM. Jesus made an appointment which He kept before that new child of God had his legs broken before 6 PM and he died the death that we all face but he was in the arms of Jesus before they took his body off that cross and he was with Jesus before the body of Jesus was laid in that garden tomb.

Jesus was busy while that old physical body was being prepared for that borrowed tomb!

Once we realize that Christ Jesus does certainly have a Kingdom, why would we be foolish enough to not want to be with Him in that place!

What does the sinners prayer require? Lord remember me!

*****Luk 23:44  And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Luk 23:45  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

Darkness is a symbol of separation and loneliness and the darkness will always speak to us in lies and broken promises.

The truth is all of mankind was separated from the light of the Lord until Jesus came the first time and one at a time, many have come to the light and out of the darkness!

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

The truth is, none of us can really see when we are in the darkness!

Without true sight we stand alone in this world solely responsible for our own behavior.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The sixth our to the Jew is the noon time hour.

When the Sun had reached it's peak on that day the world became dark and stayed dark for three hours until 3PM or the ninth hour.

Those who have not witnessed an eclipse of the sun cannot know how this takes place. Whether eclipse or not the timing of it was in God's hands!

We should consider that the Passover was held at the time of the full moon and it is impossible to have an eclipse of the Sun and a full Moon at the same time!

This veil that was ripped into was the veil that hid the entrance to the Holy  of Holies.

This was the most sacred place in all the Temple, the place of where the presence of God was said to be at times.

The death of Jesus on the cross on Mount Calvary had rolled back the curtain to open the door to the Holiest Place of all to all who would come to worship at the feet of God!

Jesus simply said, "Father into thy hands, I commend my spirit".

Jesus was not concerned with what was going on around Him, He just knew that His work that He had come to accomplish was finished.

John was a witness to these things and John gave us the words of Jesus.

Joh 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When Jesus commended His soul into the hands of God, it was certainly proof that the soul still lives as the body does.

It also shows us that the true resting place for the soul is with God!

The truth is when we die we will go through a great change in true living!

But that soul cannot return to God unless we go through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Jesus did not die for Himself no more than He lived for Himself!

And we must realize no matter what we are going through, somebody is always watching.

*****Luk 23:47  Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

As we have seen throughout the New Testament, these Centurions have been thoughtful and honest men.

This is the man that had the responsibility to obey the commands of Pilate and crucify our Lord, yet He stood amazed at the man he had murdered.

This is exactly what most of our world is missing today. Certainly Jesus was a righteous man but more important He is our Savior.

This was a Gentile who is a "type" of the working of the Cross upon the human mind and the human heart once we realize what Jesus has done for us all.

Jesus had fulfilled His purpose!

This Centurion had only obeyed His orders.

But how did those that insisted He be crucified act?

*****Luk 23:48  And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

What had God said?

Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Many had come with malice and many out of curiosity but they had been overcome by the "Grace" of God!

**It was sin that drove the "Passion" of Christ, we may not have driven those nails but He bore "our" griefs and "our" sorrows.

**Jesus did not die on the cross for all mankind as much as He died for each individual sinner.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

**Jesus Christ is the same in His glory as He was on that cross!

Heb 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Oh what a Savior we have!

These people may have come for entertainment but what they saw had saddened them and brought conviction and some were now prepared in their hearts to hear the truth of the 'Gospel".

Hos 14:9  Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

We are a foolish people to think that every step that Jesus took on this earth did not have a direct and profound purpose and He fulfilled everyone of them.

But there were those that loved Him there also:

*****Luk 23:49  And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

Disciples, secret friends, and even some acquaintances who lacked the courage to get closer to the Lord not ready to pick up there own cross.

The women who had financially supported the ministry of the 12 chosen of the Lord feared to get closer but they were there never the less.

There were many who truly cared for the Lord and loved Him and there would soon be many more and Jesus said "He has not lost a single one of them"!

The three that we know who got as close as they could was His mother Mary, John, and Mary Magdalene.

We can be sure of the the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ!

We can be sure that Christ died for our sins because He had none of His own.

We can be certain of our salvation because we can be certain of our Lord!

His purpose was completed on the cross and ours just began once we realized this truth.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Truth Of The False Trial Of Jesus

The Certainty Of Christ's Trial

Book of Luke 23:1-25


The Jewish Sanhedrin was the supreme council of the Jewish people and consisted of 71 elders of the Jews.

As a judicial body, the Sanhedrin constituted what we would say was a supreme court.

The Sanhedrin had been hastily called at a time before the dawn of the day.

The Lord Jesus Christ was brought before this group as a false prophet.

Jesus had professed to be the Messiah and they had pronounced the death sentence upon Him even before He had a trial.

They could have put Jesus away for years in prison and nothing would have been said but they wanted Him dead.

In order to accomplish this they needed Pilate, the Roman governor to go along with their verdict and they accused Jesus of insurrection against the Roman government.

*****Luk 23:1  And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
Luk 23:2  And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

The Jewish religious system was so opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ that all 71 of the Sanhedrin court arose and took Jesus to Pilate seeking for His death.

The truth is their only goal was to protect their worldly desires, their security and their position and their authority given to them by Rome and of course their riches.

They had become rich while their nation was being plundered by Rome.

Jesus was accused of "perverting the nation".
Jesus was accused of "forbidding other Jews to give tribute to Caesar".
Jesus was accused of "naming Himself true King of the Jews".

If proven true, these were in fact serious crimes against the Roman government.

Pilate was a morally weak man who sinned in spite of himself.
Pilate was a worldly man who sought only his own interest.
Pilate was irreligious, he had no ties to any religion and was not guided by any and actually condemned most all religion.

It was this immoral man who began to question Jesus.

*****Luk 23:3  And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sanest it.

"thou sanest it" was in fact the most solemn mode of affirmation used by all the Jews.

The Book of John gives us greater detail into the actual things Jesus said and it is possible that John may have even been present during this time.

Jo 18:34  Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Jo 18:35  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Jo 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Jo 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sanest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Jo 18:38  Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

Jesus stated that His kingdom was not of this world.

Jesus was not some political revolutionary.

Jesus was not a threat to any civil government.

(These are to be the same traits of the Church)

Jesus said at this time He ruled a spiritual kingdom!

Jesus was, is, and always will be the King of Heaven!

Jesus had first come to rule in the hearts and the minds and the lives of man!

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

So Pilate came to his verdict.

*****Luk 23:4  Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.

This same man who would later condemn Jesus to die, acknowledged that the Lord Jesus was not guilty of any of these false charges.

Pilate knew that this Jewish court was lying about the things they were saying about Jesus.

Kind of reminds us about our own politically charged Supreme Court of today.

Not only had the Lord Jesus never committed any crime at all, He had never committed any sin at all!

If there were ever an innocent man on trial, it was the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit

We should also keep in mind that anything Pilate did was overpowered by a selfish regard for his own interest.

So when the Jews heard what he said they knew just what to do.

*****Luk 23:5  And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

These foolish men then exerted themselves with great fury and violence.

They became even more unruly.

They increased their charges against Jesus.

They said it was not only in Judea that He stirred up treason and sedition, but also in Galilee, making Jesus a national threat.

They said that no matter where Jesus went He stirred up the people, and He did but never against the government of Rome or any other government.

Jesus stirred the people up spiritually!

Pilate knew the truth and it did not move him, so it would be impossible for him to be moved by any sense of justice toward any Jew.

There was no cause for these things to happen to Jesus, except men seeking their own material things the exact same things that cause most all the problems in our world today!

Psa 69:4  They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

Any so-called national leader to seeks to escape his duty is an unworthy leader and that's what sits in our White House today.

Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

When Pilate heard Galilee, he thought he had found another way to avoid being in this Jewish mess.

*****Luk 23:6  When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean.
Luk 23:7  And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

Pilate never really considered to set Jesus free, but he did have a great desire to be free of Him!

If Pilate had been just at all, he would followed up on his verdict of innocence!

Pilate feared an uprising of these Jews more than he feared causing harm to one innocent man.

Pilate had made an enemy out of Herod, so it made it even easier to allow Herod to get burnt by causing harm to such an innocent man.

This Herod was Herod Antipas the son of Herod the Great.

Again Pilate was only seeking his own best interest in all these matters, he had no real concern for Jesus.

*****Luk 23:8  And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

This was also the same Herod who had beheaded John the Baptist and thought that Jesus may have even been the resurrection of John.

Mar 6:14  And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
Mar 6:15  Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
Mar 6:16  But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

It is obvious that Herod showed no concern for the truth.

It is also obvious that Herod had no concern for his own soul.

The possibility that Jesus was truly the Messiah never entered Herod's mind.

Herod just wanted to witness an actual miracle!

Herod felt that he was high enough up on the ladder of success, that he deserved for God to just perform for him!

The truth is God will never do a miracle just for the recipient of that miracle. God does all things for His own pleasure and for the benefit of His kingdom!

We should remember, the "Gospel" had already entered into the household of Herod.

Luk 8:3  And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Also

Act 13:1  Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

And possibly

Jo 4:46  So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

The truth is Jesus knew that it would be a waste of time to offer any words of wisdom to Herod and Jesus said nothing at all.

*****Luk 23:9  Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

Men who get their delight from moral darkness, usually have no objection to the "Gospel" they just hate the moral requirements of the "Gospel".

For a king such as Herod the commandments of God would have robbed him of his terrorizing power, so Jesus gave no response at all.

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Once the "Gospel" tears away the fabric of their moral condition, it reveals just how depraved we truly are.

Once the "Gospel" shakes their soul with the promise of the judgment of God then we will become our own worst enemy.

Jo 15:22  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
Jo 15:23  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Jo 15:24  If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
Jo 15:25  But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

So Herod then listened to the false charges against Jesus.

*****Luk 23:10  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
Luk 23:11  And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
Luk 23:12  And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

Herod had refused to listen to John the Baptist.

Herod had refused to listen to the witnessing going on in his own household.

Herod had refused to believe in the wonders that he had heard about the Lord Jesus.

But Herod listened to the government backed, politically motivated religionists of the Jewish elders of the Sanhedrin court.

Herod set Jesus aside, as just being unimportant enough for his concern for justice.

Most of this world approaches the Word of God with fore-drawn conclusions and since those conclusions cannot be verified they revolt toward humanism.

We must remember as Christians we are simply witnesses of the truth of God.

It is the Word of God itself that is God's appointed representative.

We are responsible for the manner in which we present the Word of God

Jo 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

That word "nought" means that Herod looked upon Jesus as nothing, not even as a decent human being.

We can say what we wish, but how much of the world today and even some so-called churches look upon Jesus Christ as still being nothing.

You cannot accept the Word of God and reject Jesus Christ.

When we count our own lives as greater than that of Jesus Christ, we have then becomes failures as humans.

When we accept the ways of the world as truth then we are complete failures.

We must accept that Jesus Christ is exactly who He says He is!

Jo 8:23  And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
Jo 8:24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Jesus Christ did not come into our lives to give a performance. Jesus came into our lives to save us!

Jesus was silent before Herod because when we continue in sin we will never get an answer from God.

Herod and Pilate became friends because all things worldly are brought closer together in their opposition to the truth!

This is what is happening in the political arena today!

Judaism and Heathenism came together to destroy Christianity and all false religions will try to do the same before the end comes.

We also see the beginning of this happening today!

Jesus went to the cross because of sin but it was hatred that put Him there!

Compromising with the world will always lead to sin and then on to trouble and tragedy.

Pilate knew the truth of Jesus innocence.

Herod knew the truth but Jesus was nothing to him.

Pilate then sought to compromise with with a group of liars which is impossible if they do not get their way.

This is what is happening in America today as our leaders compromise with the abortionist, the gay community, the LBGT movement, the BLM movement, climate change, and other foolish things that go against the Word of God and then tell Christians we must just get over it.

God says:

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We will see that in the end Pilate was only concerned with himself.

*****Luk 23:13  And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
Luk 23:14  Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
Luk 23:15  No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
Luk 23:16  I will therefore chastise him, and release him.

We will see that 3 times Pilate did try to release the Lord Jesus but the Jews would not relent in their hatred for the truth.

Pilate knew this whole group was a bunch of liars and Jesus was innocent of all the things that were brought against Him.

Even Herod had found Jesus innocent of all charges.

Not one crime worthy of death had been committed by Jesus in fact no crime at all had been committed by Jesus.

What did Pilate know about these Jews?

Pilate knew these Jews would cause trouble for him in Rome and he already stood on shaky ground with Rome.

So again we see how power and money rule most all men.

Truth and justice always suffer at the hands of ruthless power hungry people!

A compromising person is always thinking only of themselves.

They will protect themselves even at the expense of truth and justice.

We need to remember all these things when we cast our votes in the coming election because these things never change.

God tells us the same thing!

Psa 82:2  How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

Pilate was directly responsible to Rome for the administration and the finances of Judea.

To become a procurator was as much political move as it was a military success.

Even with all these things at stake it was still Pilate's job to free those innocent of the laws of Rome.

These Jews were not about the let Jesus go free no matter what other punishment was offered.

They wanted Jesus dead!

This in turn made Pilate even more bitter with these Jews.

Pilate offered one more option.

*****Luk 23:17  (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
Luk 23:18  And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
Luk 23:19  (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
Luk 23:20  Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
Luk 23:21  But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

The truth is always the truth no matter what is said to the contrary!

Here we see the Pilate is trying to compromise the truth when there can never be a compromise between justice and injustice.

We live in a world today where the innocent get the blame for what the guilty do and that is wrong. How backwards have we become?

Pilate is a picture of what this world has become!

Pilate may have wished to do right and he had it in his power to do right but he cared more for his own image and these Jews manipulated him to get what they wanted him to do.

These Jews never did want a Messiah like Jesus, they just wanted a king that they could control to do things their own way.

And the truth is any nation that could forsake Jesus for a man or woman like Barabbas deserved destruction.

Many will say the same thing if Hillary Clinton becomes the next president and it will be just as true.

Our nation will get what we deserve to get for such stupidity!

There is not a whole lot of difference between the mob that rejected Jesus and applauded Barabbas and the mobs that surround this presidential election.

They will not be satisfied until they have received Barabbas.

The truth is, this world will always cry out to get rid of Jesus!

The truth is, an immoral man will never be a good judge nor should they ever be put on a bench to judge others because the innocent will always suffer and laws will always be meaningless.

But that is exactly what we have today in many of our court rooms!

When the truth is known then it must always be proclaimed.

The opposite of that is that the guilty should never get off totally free of the wrong that they have done.

To compromise these things will bring the downfall of civil society!

When we agree to something less than the truth it will be the beginning of chaos!

The truth is and the lesson we should learn is that God will never compromise on the things that concern His Son.

Jo 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jo 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

We either stand with Jesus Christ or we stand against Him! There is no middle ground!

Mobs are always cruel when left to there own ways!

We have certainly seen this truth in the past several months.

The truth is that this mob admired what they resembled and Barabbas was much more like them than Jesus could ever be!

This is the truth of most all mobs!

Jesus was innocent and sinless, the ideal man and it is in Him we are to trust.

The world is still struggling with this truth because the world is still more like Barabbas!

And Pilate asked one more time the question why? Because none of us really understand any more than Pilate did.

*****Luk 23:22  And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
Luk 23:23  And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
Luk 23:24  And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
Luk 23:25  And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

It's hard to understand exactly why these Jews insisted on the death of Jesus but to say it was written in the Old Testament that they would do so.

They could have easily just locked Him up and put Him out of reach but they were just as afraid of the people.

There was absolutely no cause for Jesus to die by worldly standards!

Pilate was never strong enough to do what was right.

Pilate could never stand up for Jesus because he did not possess moral strength.

Pilate was too weak of a man to declare the truth before such men as these Jews.

"We should clearly understand that the pressure of this world to do evil is hard to overcome"!

This is more evident today right here in America than it has ever been.

We should realize that the trial of Jesus was illegal by Jewish Law.

And the truth of any nation is, that those who are regarded as great men are not necessarily wise.

Job 32:9  Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

Although there has never been anyone who faced judgment who was as innocent as Jesus, He was still condemned to die on a cross.

When we are delivered to the will of our enemies we will never get fair judgment!

Psa 27:12  Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

This trial lasted no more than just a few hours and the sentence was forced by an unruly crowd who were influenced by powerful men with money.

What is causing the division in America today? Powerful men with money!

The murder of an innocent man was dressed up as justice!

Why do we pray for good laws and good lawmakers, if we refuse to obey those laws.

What happened to the Lord Jesus Christ had been predetermined before the words "let there be light" were ever said.

Pilate could give many excuses of why he gave in to these Jews, but he still could have done the right thing and set Jesus free but in dooming Jesus, He also doomed himself.

The truth is every unrighteous judge will weigh every decision against their own livelihood and their own recognition rather than true justice.

Our courts are full of these people today!

Our laws were never intended to be hypocritical.

Everyday that goes by, it is so easy to see why a righteous God has no choice but to judge an unrighteous system put in place by men!

Pilate was guilty of many things but these Jews were even more guilty!

They had predetermined that Jesus would die and would accept no other verdict.

They never questioned His innocence!

The truth is, that the ruling class of every nation insist on keeping a death grip on the poor of that nation and Jesus interfered with that system just as the true church does today.

What is the truth?

Act 2:22  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

They had predetermined that Jesus would die and they killed His outer flesh but the part they hated, what Jesus was and what He stood for can never die!

The truth is, that through death, the power of God to save was released onto this world and only He will decide when it is finished!

The death of Jesus brought the "Gospel" of salvation according to the Scriptures.

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

The truth of our world is that most men prefer the company of evil and sinful men who can be controlled and used as pawns.

And it is also obvious that the worldly religionists prefer this world rather than the truth of God.

The truth is when we are willing to compromise the truth of God then the pressure to do evil will get to us.

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

This world we live in will continue to try to make a mockery of God but every time the world sees victory, God has already won!

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

The trial of Jesus Christ was a mockery of justice!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Return Of Christ

The Certainty Of Christ's Return To Earth

Book of Luke 21


Although many believe in different details, the doctrine of the return of Jesus Christ is something all Christians have in common.

The return of Jesus Christ is mentioned more than 300 times in the Scriptures of the New Testament.

Entire chapters in Matthew and Mark and Luke teach us of the return of Jesus Christ.

The biggest part of First and Second Thessalonians and the Book of Revelation are all about the return of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ taught that His return would be literal and according to the Scriptures.

Jesus Christ taught that His return would be a physical event and not some spirit happening.

In fact the Book of Acts says Jesus would return in the very same way that He departed.

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

Those that look for Jesus to return in any other way are wrong.

Jesus' return will first be felt by all those He has promised to take to His Father's home, as we will meet Him in the clouds before He sets foot on Gethsemane.

All those who have been strangers and pilgrims on this earth will finally return to Heaven the place of our true citizenship with our new glorified bodies.

If we did not believe these things we could not have true peace on this earth.

Those that believe in less than this do not believe the Scriptures!

We cannot know the exact time of the Lord's return but when He comes He will be quick to get here.

Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

These things should encourage us all to be busy about the work of the Lord.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

The passage we look at today is now known as the Olivet Discourse.

This passage deals with the destruction of Jerusalem. the return of Christ, and the end of the world.

Let's begin:

*****Luk 21:5  And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
Luk 21:6  As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

As Jesus spends His last days before He faces the cross, He never stopped teaching His disciples. If these were so important then, they surely remain important now to us that know Him.

The most important job for these disciples lay ahead after Christ had given His life and after He had risen and then after He had ascended back to Heaven.

After what some would describe as a shaky start, the 12 Apostles when we include the Apostle Paul, turned this world upside down, began the Church of Jesus Christ, and this world has not been the same since.

What is the purpose of the Holy Ghost filled Church?

In the words of Jesus:

Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

We can see how far the church has drifted away from this, because the church is no longer filled with Holy Ghost power.

The Apostles of Jesus Christ faced some terrible times and many in the church still do today!

Jesus Christ gave these men a glimpse into the future.

These men would face things they never realized until they were all martyrs, except John who died of old age, the only one.

When Jesus speaks of the "last days" in most cases He speaks of the "last days of the Church", before the rapture of the saints.

Act 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

**By explaining these certain things to these men, they would know that God is never caught off guard.

Someone uses this phrase "Has it dawned on you that nothing has ever dawned on Christ".

Our God is still "Omniscient", which means He has a universal knowledge of all things that have happened, that are happening, and that will happen, and He knows all these things at the same time.

Nothing happens in this world that God does not know about.

Nothing happens in this world that God could not stop if He so chose to do so.

BUT, God does not ever do evil!

EVEN, the wrath of God is justified!

God will never go against His Written Word!

By knowing all these things, these Apostles would not be caught off guard living in this cruel world.

By having the complete Word of God, we should never be caught off guard by what is happening in our world at any time.

These disciples would realize that their strength would have to come from the Lord.

They could not do as Jesus instructed, if their hope had not been in God!

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

**Now lets see how Jesus dealt with these two questions.

We must not forget there is only one thing that brings the "judgment of God" and "it is sin".

It is the same for every person and it is the same for every nation!

It was certain that the Temple would be destroyed. We know this as fact.

It was certain that the Jews would be dispersed throughout this world. We know this as fact.

It is certain that the Church Age will come to an end when Jesus meets the Church in the clouds.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

It is certain that the Tribulation period will then begin and it will come to an end seven years later at the Second Coming of Christ.

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

What will happen during that time? We get a preview of the future of our world by what happened to the Temple and to Jerusalem.

It would pay for this world to clearly understood, that the institutions and systems that govern this world, will be destroyed by the coming of the Lord.

And it should also be very clear that the institutions and the systems of religion that are opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how splendid, nor how strong, are doomed for destruction at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The disciples really only had two concerns, WHEN, and What Will Be The Warning Signs!

*****Luk 21:7  And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

All of Israel was expecting to see the glory of Israel when the Messiah came, yet Jesus, The Messiah was speaking of utter destruction.

They could hardly believe what they were hearing.

We to must listen carefully to the words of the Lord, because there is so much deception in this world.

Satan is dedicated to the downfall of Christianity and will use every method available to him.

*****Luk 21:8  And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

The first sign will be false messiahs.

Jesus said that there would be many false messiahs who declared that they could save this world.

We should also consider that there will be many false Christians.

Jesus said they would come in His name. If you walk in the name of Christ then you are Christian.

There is a great danger in deception! Jesus said to take heed. To watch for these things very carefully.

There message would be that the end time is near.

We should consider that this is the message of all those predicting the "Climate Change" in our world today.

The wars in the Middle East have a lot to do with the promise of a false messiah.

There are those who claim to be Jesus, who has returned.

And of course there are those claiming to be Christian and are deceivers.

There may also be others.

The Lord Jesus said "go not after them". Pay no attention to the things they say, because they are all deceivers.

Jesus was teaching His disciples and if you love the Lord, He is speaking to you!

Disciples can be misled by false preachers and false teachers and the lies of this world.

Mat 24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

This sign is evident in many ways in our world today, just as Jesus said, "there will be many".

*****Luk 21:9  But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10  Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

The next sign is the conflicts that go on between nations.

Everyone knows the meaning of wars and our world has never seen one day of world-wide peace since the days of Adam.

That word "commotions", means these are uproars, riots, terrorism, insurrection, treasons, and confusions of governments.

If there is anyone who cannot say that these things have not increased already and continue to increase, then are already deceived.

There are uprisings within governments. Even in America we are more divided politically than we have ever been.

There are governments over thrown in our world almost everyday.

It is a fact that to see all these things on the news constantlym, even true believers can become disturbed.

The truth is Jesus said to not be terrified by these things.

We are to not let our hearts be troubled.

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

If we remain centered upon God, we can trust in His presence, trust in His care, and we certainly can trust in His eternal security.

If this world is destroyed, "it was not our home to begin with"!

We will be in our new home before this world is destroyed!

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

World wide violence must come to pass, until it reaches it's peak.

It is not God that brings these things about though He gets most of the blame.

These things come about because they come from the hearts of evil men.

It is a fact, that we would destroy our own world if God gave us the chance.

It is passion, lust, greed, and evil that dominates this world today.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Not only these signs but there will be great signs in nature.

*****Luk 21:11  And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Most of us don't realize it, but there may be at least 1 million earthquakes each year with 130 or more of them strong and 20 of them being called major earthquakes.

There are about 600 deaths each year attributed to earthquakes and 67,000 people were killed in China in 2014 due to just one earthquake.

Earthquakes occur along the fault lines throughout our globe constantly.

Earthquakes are one of the most feared and destructive things, in what is referred to as natural disasters.

Jesus mentions earthquakes but He also mentions 4 more disasters that happen in the natural world.

Earthquakes will occur in many places and many at the same time during the last days.

**Famines.

It could be said that famines are sometimes sent as an effect of God's anger against a guilty people.

Jer 42:17  So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.

Psa 105:16  Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

There will be terrible famine in the last days!

In fact the Black Horse of the Book of Revelation indicates terrible famine.

Terrible things happen in a time of famine.

Lam 4:9  They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
Lam 4:10  The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Even God says it is better to die by the sword, than to starve to death and who can imagine eating their own children.

The last days on this earth will be a terrible thing but these days can be missed be accepting the Lord Jesus Christ before the end of the Church Age.

But that is not all that will happen in the last days.

The result of earthquakes and famine is the onslaught of disease (pestilence).

Not only do earthquakes and famine bring disease and pestilences, but so does war.

Pestilence shows no partiality!

The rich may be able to buy food to survive a famine, but they cannot buy their way out of an epidemic of disease.

Part of the results of the Pale Horse of the Book of Revelation includes pestilences.

Rev 6:8  And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

But that is not all.

**There will be great astronomical happenings.

There will be fearful sights and great signs that can be seen in the skies.

There will a darkening from all the ash of volcanos, the wind storms, the smoke from the many land fires.

Whatever darkens the Sun also will also distort the night sky and the Moon will disappear or change colors.

And we should not forget the untold number of UFO sightings and things associated with those things.

Even our own government spends untold millions of dollars in search of such things.

There will be meteorites that fall to earth at an ever increasing rate.

Astronomical happenings will be world-wide.

Mar 13:24  But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
Mar 13:25  And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

Jesus says that these are sure signs of His return to this earth.

Mar 13:26  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Rev 6:12  And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13  And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

It is obvious that the worst lies ahead for this world.

Because man will continue to be more evil.

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

We are still in that period that is before those days and Jesus says in this period, it is the Church that will suffer persecution.

*****Luk 21:12  But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luk 21:13  And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

It is obvious that Jesus was answering a direct question of those chosen disciples but many of these same things pertain to each and every disciple since that day.

It is true that Christians have been persecuted since the founding of the Church. The truth is persecution will become greatly intensified before the Church Age comes to an end.

It is obvious that Jesus has separated the Church Age from the 7 year Tribulation Period that begins at the end of the Church Age.

Persecution will not only come from the less than civil society, but also from the religious system and also the governments of this world and we have already seen these things increase dramatically in just the last few years.

It had already began in the time of Paul.

Act 28:22  But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

And why will such persecution take place?

*****Luk 21:15  For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Luk 21:16  And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

It is only those that know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior that will be persecuted to such an extent.

This world we live in will continue to try to stamp out all references to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why? Because Jesus Christ reminds them just how sinful they really are!

Jesus Christ is the standard of true godliness!

The Christian has Jesus as his standard.

Those that have already rejected Jesus Christ will also reject those that have accepted Jesus Christ!

Those that reject the standards of Jesus Christ and accept the standards of the world, will reject everything Christian.

God says therefore:

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Why? Because Jesus lived a life of purity and those that follow the Lord Jesus Christ will seek a life of moral purity, while the world lives by immoral standards.

This world lives to fulfill all the lust of their flesh!

This world is driven to be materialistic even if that takes away from others.

There is no natural affection shown to fellow human beings!

There is no message of repentance in our world today.

There is no message of denial of the flesh in our world today.

Though there be millions of people in need throughout our world, very few people are willing to give up there own things to help them.

Therefore the Lord said He would also send a famine of the Word of God.

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Why? Because persecution is a glorious witness for the Lord.

There is increasing persecution as this world tries to silence the Word of God.

Even in America the Word of God is being considered to be "hate speech".

There is hardly a day goes by, that we do not see this prophecy of the Lord being fulfilled and we wonder if we are in the "last days".

If you take a stand on the Word of God you will suffer persecution!

Act 9:16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

**There is one marvelous thing that Christians do not have to worry about.

*****Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

When the believer has to stand in defence of his or her beliefs, God will fill our hearts and our mouths with a reply.

Jesus did not promise that we would be made free.

Jesus did not even promise that we would not die, there are already many martyrs for Christ everyday.

Jesus promised we could have no fear!

Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

We live in a world where all non-believers are beginning to hate the Christian.

In fact more and more of the Church are going against the Word of God, in order to please those of the world in an attempt to survive.

These things cause strife in the Church and the Church forgets it's purpose, which is to reach out to the lost without compromising on the Word of God.

There can be only one truth!

Joh 15:20  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Joh 15:21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

If we truly trust the Lord with our eternal soul, why then do we not trust Him with our lives!

If we allow God to be in control of our lives we will certainly have "Spiritual Security".

1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

God says we must be patient in these end times!

We must not fear persecution, we must absorb it!

When we are already in the arms of Jesus, death just puts us there a moment quicker.

Life on this earth is just too short in comparison to an eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Then Jesus returns to the coming destruction of Jerusalem of 70 AD but we should not forget that this Scripture also points toward the last days.

*****Luk 21:20  And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

History tells us of the terrible destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of God's people Israel.

The key to understanding this passage is that we are to be prepared at all times for the judgment of God!

Except for peace with Egypt, Jerusalem is now today already surrounded by the enemy armies of evil.

When Jerusalem is totally surrounded near the very end it will be time to flee just as it was for the remaining Apostles in 70 AD.

*****Luk 21:21  Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Luk 21:22  For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

The truth is that most Christians did flee before Titus destroyed Jerusalem.

Many of them fled to Pelia(Pella) a city in Decapolis.

Matthew wrote to forget all the comforts of home and personal belongings, because the danger was just to close and too terrible.

We should never be so attached to our personal belongings so much that we forget about the coming judgment!

We have only one place to flee to, and that is to Jesus Christ!

We must also remember that the destruction of Jerusalem was due to sin.

The future destruction of Jerusalem will also be due to sin.

Sin results in total destruction!

The only sin that cannot be forgiven is to reject the Lord Jesus Christ, and this sin requires payment and the wages of sin is still death!

It will be a terrible time.

*****Luk 21:23  But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Luk 21:24  And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Those women with young children, especially those without husbands will find it very difficult to flee.

They may even move to slow to escape.

Not only will the people be in great distress but the lands will also be in great distress.

This is the truth of 70 AD and it will be the truth in the future.

In 70 AD the wrath of Rome and the wrath of God fell on Jerusalem!

We can see the growing wrath of this world toward Israel and God will still punish sin.

Over 1 million died in Jerusalem in 70 AD and there will be even more in the judgment of God.

It is a fact that during the Tribulation Period, this world will experience great tribulations especially in the last 3 and 1/2 years of that 7 year period.

The Book of Revelation is full of this truth.

What is the "time of the Gentiles"?

We should immediately see that it is God who is in control of all the times of this earth.

God is in control of written history, but God does not cause the evil that goes on in this world, He just allows people the freedom to choose.

The time of the Gentiles means "that there will come a time when the Gentiles can no longer cause harm to Jerusalem".

There is coming a time when the Jews will no longer be persecuted because God will simply not allow it!

There is coming a time when God will rule this world from the city of Jerusalem and there is nothing this world can do to stop these things from happening!

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

It's important that we believe these things.

And yet there will be more signs of the coming judgment of God and the greatest sign of all, the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*****Luk 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

We have already discussed the great signs in the heavens but another thing should be considered.

Our world hovers on the brink of Nuclear War everyday.

World-wide atomic warfare could cause all this distress on this earth and completely hide the Sun for a long period of time.

These are just facts!

But even these things cannot affect the heavens.

The logical conclusion then, is that God who created all the heavenly-host will then cause these things to happen.

It is the wrath of God, that in just a moment, or just a breath, or just with His Word, He can change what goes on in His created world!

We must accept the Word of God as the literal truth!

Every part of God's creation will be affected that day the Lord Jesus Christ appears!

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

We can just imagine the governments of this world gathering to see if there is anything that can be done to stop the return of Our Lord.

But for the believer it will be a grand and glorious day!

*****Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

The first thing we see in the return of Christ is that it is the Son of Man who will return, "God in the flesh".

This world will have no doubt who He is!

Next we see, that all those that have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ will see Him with their own eyes and they will acknowledge that He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Then we see that the Lord Jesus is coming in the clouds in all His glory.

Once again the Shekinah Glory of God will appear on this earth.

We know that true believers know this truth of the Lord.

We also know that Hell is full of believers who now know the truth.

On that day everyone who has ever lived will know the truth of God.

There will be no more mysteries for anyone to discuss and ridicule!

So as we see, the signs that Jesus has taught us to look for, we should not discard nor devalue them, we need to look up, lift our heads, because our redemption draws nearer than it has ever been before!

Nations will be perplexed, we do not have to be.

Mankind will be full of fear, enough that many hearts will just fail, we should have no fear at all.

How should we spend our time?

Telling someone about Jesus and looking for that Blessed Hope!

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

We are going home one day soon.

Questions?

Let's Pray!