Finding Peace and Purpose in Uncertain Times
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor acknowledging the current global events and their alignment with biblical prophecies. He emphasizes the importance of understanding these events from the Bible's perspective, reminding the congregation that Jesus is their ultimate source of peace. The pastor then reflects on the rich history of Israel and the significance of the Gospel within it, urging the congregation to spread the Gospel in the present day.
The pastor addresses the question of whether we are living in the last days, expressing concern about the fear and speculation spread by some theologians on social media. He shares his personal experience of finding comfort and peace in scripture during times of anxiety and emphasizes the importance of focusing on the Bible rather than the media. The pastor acknowledges the anxiety and stress many people are feeling due to various global challenges and refers to the Apostle Paul's words in Romans 8:22, where he describes the Earth experiencing birth pains as we approach the second coming of Jesus.
The pastor emphasizes the importance of obedience and being prepared to meet Jesus face to face. He encourages the congregation to focus on their own spiritual growth and the kind of person they will be when Jesus arrives. The pastor highlights the opportunity to engage in spiritual conversations and bring peace, hope, and comfort to those who are fearful and anxious. He reminds the congregation that Jesus is not the author of confusion, but rather the enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.
The pastor discusses the concept of birth pains and how they signify the birth of the kingdom of God on Earth. He focuses on a prophecy from the Book of Ezekiel, specifically chapters 37, 38, and 39, which predict a major war in the Middle East that will affect the entire world. The pastor suggests that if this prophecy has been fulfilled in their lifetime, it is possible that the prophecies in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 could also be fulfilled in their lifetime.
The pastor concludes by discussing the concept of birth pains and how they can be interpreted. He reassures the congregation that Jesus has come to give life and abundant life, not to bring death. The pastor encourages the congregation not to fear the events happening around them and to live each day as if it could be their last, prioritizing their faith. The ultimate goal is to know Jesus, raise families who know Jesus, and share the message of Jesus with as many people as possible.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding the Bible's perspective on current events, particularly events in Israel, is crucial. Jesus is our ultimate source of peace and our relationship with Him is what truly matters in the end.
- During times of anxiety, comfort and peace can be found in scripture. It is important to focus on the Bible rather than the media, as it is the only source that truly matters.
- We should focus on our own spiritual growth and the kind of person we will be when Jesus arrives. Engaging in spiritual conversations and bringing peace, hope, and comfort to those who are fearful and anxious is a significant opportunity.
- The concept of birth pains signifies the birth of the kingdom of God on Earth. The prophecy from the Book of Ezekiel, specifically chapters 37, 38, and 39, predicts a major war in the Middle East that will affect the entire world. If this prophecy has been fulfilled in our lifetime, it is possible that the prophecies in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 could also be fulfilled in our lifetime.
- We should not fear the events happening around us and live each day as if it could be our last, prioritizing our faith. The ultimate goal is to know Jesus, raise families who know Jesus, and share the message of Jesus with as many people as possible.
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
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1. Mark 13:32: "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
2. Romans 8:22: "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."
3. 1 Timothy 4:1-3: "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Mark 13:32 tell us about the timing of the end times?
2. How does Romans 8:22 describe the current state of creation?
3. What does 1 Timothy 4:1-3 warn us about the behavior of some people in the later times?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How can the uncertainty of the timing of the end times, as mentioned in Mark 13:32, influence our daily lives and spiritual growth?
2. In what ways can the groaning of creation, as described in Romans 8:22, be seen in the world today?
3. How can the warnings in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 help us discern truth from deception in our current times?
Application Questions:
1. Considering Mark 13:32, how can you live each day as if it could be your last, prioritizing your faith?
2. Reflecting on Romans 8:22, what is one action you can take to bring peace, hope, and comfort to those who are fearful and anxious in your community?
3. In light of 1 Timothy 4:1-3, how can you guard against abandoning your faith and following deceiving spirits? Can you identify any specific teachings or influences you need to be wary of?
4. What is one way you can engage in spiritual conversations and share the message of Jesus with someone this week?
5. How can you focus on your own spiritual growth and prepare yourself to meet Jesus face to face?
Quotes
"When we see things that are happening in our world, we have to stop and put that up against the scriptures and begin to ask what the Bible has to say about what we're seeing." [24:48]
"I actually hope that by the time we're finished talking about this, there's a peace within you because you realize that Jesus is your peace and the only thing that really matters in the end is your relationship with him." [25:26]
"The less media I watched and the more Bible that I pushed to, the better I have felt because I've been hearing Jesus's voice and that's the only media that really matters right now." [27:17]
"We have to ask what kind of person will I be when he arrives and sometimes we get so caught up on talking about the second coming that there are people out there that have never heard of the first coming and what a difference that first coming made." [01:04:42]
"The Earth is having contractions...it's about to birth the kingdom of God." - [01:00:25]
"Ezekiel says that Iran will come with other countries to help attack Israel and what we're doing right now is we're interpreting the news through the lens of scripture." [47:35]
"I'd encourage you to think like every day could be the last day...how would you spend that last 24 hours...how would we treat our faith if we knew that this could be it" [01:04:06].
"If that prophecy has been fulfilled in our lifetime, is it possible that the prophecies in Ezekiel chapter 38 and chapter 39 could be fulfilled in our lifetime?"
"The birth pains we are experiencing are happening because it's going to birth the kingdom of God here on Earth. That's the birth."
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