Aren't you glad God uses real people?      

We're starting a new sermon series - going through the book of Mark.  Here are some intro thoughts:

God used writers with different backgrounds to get out the gospel. He didn’t obliterate their personalities when they wrote scripture.

Aren't you glad God brings all types of people to Faith?  It keeps life from being boring, but more important - it helps us get the gospel out to different types of people.  

While using lots of different authors, God kept scripture completely true and trustworthy - inerrant and infallible.  2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21

Mark wrote an action gospel to non-Jewish readers.  Key action verse:

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.                        Mark 10:45

Some points about Mark (also called John Mark):

Mark was very young – no one is excluded because of age – whether old or young. Acts 12.12, Jeremiah 1:4-8

Mark struggled with fear – no one is excluded because of failure. Mark 14:51-52, Acts 12:25, Acts 13:5, Acts 13:13, Acts 15:36-41, and don't miss this one from the end of Paul's life - 2 Timothy 4:11

Mark is the cousin of Barnabas - everyone needs encouragement. Colossians 4:10

Mark becomes a close associate of Peter - everyone needs a mentor. 1 Peter 5:13

Application: invest personally in the lives of others.

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses,    commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  2 Timothy 2:2

The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children. Titus 2:3-4

Application: personality isn’t an excuse for ungodliness.

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

In the Chronicles series...last Sunday, we looked at David’s worship in chapters 15 & 16:

Worship is to be central to our lives. David wants the Ark of the Covenant brought into the center of the capitol city – Jerusalem. Worship makes God’s purpose the center of all we do.

Worship always acknowledges the cross. David got into trouble when he didn't transport the Ark the way God said to do it.  David made the mistake of implying a man can approach God any way he wants – by man's own merit. We only approach God one way – by Jesus’ death in our place on the cross.

Worship can’t be forced into a prescribed methodology. As the Ark came into Jerusalem, David changed from his  suit into jeans and danced before the Lord. God looks at hearts for sincerity. Incidentals are not essentials – God has no preference for suits – or jeans. God rejoices with those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

Worship is creative because the Creator inspires it. There was creativity in David’s praise - he used many instruments and wrote many psalms.  What has gone before us is important, but it's also important not to slide into stale ritual.  Just as creativity brings vibrancy to our relationships, creativity from the Creator also adds passion to our worship. 
 

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.   I Thessalonians 4:16-18

Jesus' return is clearly taught in I Thessalonians 4 & 5.  Knowing we could see Jesus at any moment has a purifying effect on the way we live, makes our every decision important and gives us an urgency to share the gospel.

While I have some eschatological (end-of-time) convictions, I'm not dogmatic on some of the details.  I have a feeling there may be a few surprises for all of us, no matter which interpretation we hold. 

What’s essential is that we agree He’s coming back….

Here’s what we've talked about on Sundays:  

Christ’s return for the church is imminent.

This world could continue for eons…but then, again, Jesus could interrupt history at any moment by coming to rapture His church.  How could we expect His return at any moment if there are seven years of Tribulation events before His return?    

You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.  Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!  James 5.8-9

Here, Paul’s talking to believers in Thessalonica and setting the record straight.  False teachers had told them the Day of the Lord had already begun.  If the rapture takes place before the Tribulation (Day of the Lord), then they were wondering why they had not been taken.    The Rapture passages describe comfort in being taken to heaven, while the Tribulation passages describe fleeing and judgment. 

I have a wife and children and now grandchildren to look out for – it wouldn’t be much of comfort to me to think we were going through the Tribulation. It is a comfort to think we’re going to join Jesus in the Rapture before the Tribulation begins.  Even if you don’t agree with me, I bet you hope I’m right….

Quick refresher on some terms:  

Rapture: Christ comes in air and takes believers to heaven before the tribulation begins

Tribulation: 7 years during which God judges sin and purges Israel

Second Coming: Christ’s return to earth to remove unbelievers and establish 1,000 years of justice and prosperity

Christ’s coming to take us to heaven is distinct from His coming to judge the earth.

"Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.” Matthew 24:15-20

This is directed to a specific people in a specific place - to Jews in Jerusalem and Judea where there is a Temple and where there is a Sabbath observance. He’s talking to Jews who become believers in the Tribulation. These guys are told to high-tail it out of Dodge.

Look back at I Thessalonians 4:16-18. The writers of scripture told the church we're to live like Jesus might come for us by lunch today. We’re not told to look for signs, but to expect the sound of a trumpet at any time.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13

...and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:10

God will keep the promises He made to Israel.

Scriptures describe a time when Israel will accept Jesus as their Messiah.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ” Matthew 23:37-39

Almost every promise to judge Israel for her sin in the Old Testament is followed by a passage describing how God will one day regather Israel in the land with new hearts.

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:25-29

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6

…whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3:21

God will remove His people from a future worldwide test.

The book of Revelation details the Day of the Lord events alluded to in Thessalonians.  In the first chapters of Revelation, Jesus is addressing seven churches, which I believe are representative of the church throughout the ages. In speaking to the church at Philadelphia, He is addressing all the churches - including us.

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10

What is the specific test in the future that they already know about? Test (perasmos) means to try in order to prove. Though all of life is a test, this seems to be talking about a specific period of time - it's evident from the use of the article for ‘the’ hour.  It's a specific hour that is about to come upon the whole world. It’s the Day of the Lord judgment that Paul taught the Thessalonians about.

…and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:10

God’s promises to Israel are detailed in the book of Revelation.

Those who believe the church will go through the Tribulation, and even those who see all the promises to Israel as being already fulfilled historically, or through the church, have some good arguments.

But when I read Revelation, I keep seeing a pre-tribulation rapture for the church and a literal fulfillment of the promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament.

Revelation almost reads like an add-on to the Old Testament. It is simply a retelling of Joel and Zechariah and Daniel and Ezekiel’s prophecies concerning what would one day happen to Israel.

Revelation 1-3 is directed to the church, and then in Revelation 4, the church is seen in heaven when God says to John, ‘come up here.’ From that point on, it’s back to the Old Testament concept of Jews and Gentiles and Jerusalem and the Temple.

While in the New Testament, there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, in Revelation 12,000 from the tribes of Israel are saved and commissioned to go with the gospel to the Gentiles.

Revelation was written some twenty years after Jerusalem and the Temple was destroyed and yet it talks about a future Temple in Jerusalem, which the Antichrist will defile when he demands the world worship him. Israel is being persecuted and only Jesus’ return at the end of the Tribulation saves them from annihilation.

Whew...a lot to take in.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus! 

Loving like Jesus isn’t easy.

But when our relationships are based on Jesus’ kind of love, people are drawn to Him.

And that’s the point.

From our Thessalonians series, here are some actions that would go a long way toward building godly relationships.

• Submit to God’s wisdom.

Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. I Thessalonians 4.8

We start by acknowledging God knows more than we do about how life works. We don’t wing relationships. And when our ideas don’t line up with God’s, we go with His.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

What does scripture say about the relationship? Husband/wife.  Parent/child.  Employer/employee.  Romantic.  Platonic.  Neighbor.  In-law.  Not just an isolated verse or two, but what Biblical principles apply to the situation?

Ask mature believers what they think. Sometimes we only ask people we know will tell us what we want to hear. Who has a track record of doing this kind of relationship in a way that brought God glory? Ask them what they think.

• Love other believers more.

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more. I Thessalonians 4.9-10

Don’t just love fellow believers when it’s easy or convenient. Keep on! People who make a lasting difference are usually the people who stick around. God didn’t give up on us – don’t get in a huff and give up on each other.

Don’t have an opinion on everything. Really. We can try to turn our preferences into something spiritual when they are really only preferences. Stop trying to be everyone else’s Holy Spirit.

The Bible tells us it’s OK to confront another believer in obvious sin - we’re not to stick our heads in the sand. A loving confrontation may be what it takes to help someone come to repentance. And it keeps young believers and unbelievers from being disillusioned – they know we’re fake if we act like flagrant sin in the church is no big deal.

Any confrontation should be done with a deep humility that knows, apart from God’s strength and grace, we could make the same mistakes – tomorrow.

• Love unbelievers in ways they understand.

that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.               I Thessalonians 4.11-12

When all we do is rant and attack, unbelievers don’t hear that Jesus loved them enough to die to forgive their sins. They just feel attacked.

We can stand firm against sin without being condescending or always combative. Sometimes our ego gets involved and we’re more concerned with being right than winning the person to Christ.

Be ready to explain what you believe and how Jesus has changed your life – in language someone can understand. Sometimes we use so much ‘churchy’ verbiage that no one outside the church knows what we’re talking about.  They just think we’re weird. His Word is truth and life – spend time learning how to frame the message that changes destinations from hell to heaven.

And one last thing. People who come to Christ aren’t notches in our belt. We’re thankful that more people than ever are coming to Jesus at Faith.  But these people aren't numbers to boost church pride.  They are people we care about deeply and have the opportunity to love like Jesus does. 

Friends care.                                                 
Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone and sent Timothy… I Thessalonians 3:1-2a

Friends encourage.
…and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. I Thessalonians 3:2-4

Friends applaud.
For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God.  I Thessalonians 3:5-9

Friends pray.
…night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.  I Thessalonians 3:10-13