Warned (Part B)

The question again is why do some people have a problem with God being intolerant with people who are intolerant of him so they upset that he's going to have this wrapped up against sinners refuse him was not fooling around. He said this one. The subject of the end times. Remember lots wife just left it like that he expects us to figure it out.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the gospel of Mark. Please stay with us after today's message here. More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching war is the title of Pastor Rick's message today teaching in Mark chapter 13.

This is of course what the preceding verses were wrong about Jesus laying out this end times scenario earthlings will be shocked when Christians are extracted, but they will have their hands filled with a lot of other things that will be power plays and wars and natural disasters, and these things will keep going in and escalate and it will be a time as Jesus said, such as the world has never known. He says here, not even the angels in heaven.

It's classified the day of the Lord that ignites the tribulation. Once that rapture comes.

It starts that he says no, the sun, while this actually is a very easy answer. You may be saying how could Jesus not know when the day of the rapture is if he is God the son and the answer is quite simple.

When he spoke these words. These are the days of his self-imposed limitation his humanity.

He restricted himself in many ways them and we certainly will friends as they crucified him see that was a restriction that he placed upon himself. I called 12 legions of an effect I don't even need the angels they could've done it that way, but he did not and what he is saying to us. I am submitting myself so that I can say those who will come to me his deity was never put on hold. He was always God from the from the time and married to the bar always got but his sovereignty slowly, God tied his hands behind his one behind his back. Sort of thing. For example, Christ was not ubiquitous. He was not everywhere the same time, but if he wanted to find something out. All he had to do was ask his father.

In fact, when it when he says the son doesn't know if these disciples knew we knew if I was standing in the group. Knowing what I know now, I would've said, what can you ask the father because he's going to tell you and then tell us a bit. Of course it didn't play out that way because I wasn't there so the sun does not know. In his humanity. He would suffer in his humanity looks gospel chapter 17 verse 25 but first speaking of himself. He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And so, in his humanity. He suffered, but never in his glory after the resurrection. No more getting to Christ. Hebrews 928 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. So much for those who think that he is repeatedly suffering that is a lie is on biblical as against what is clearly taught and continues in Hebrews 9 to those who eagerly wait for him he will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. So he humbled himself in the form of a servant. Paul writes to the Philippians and there was a progression was a development in Christ has a good Luke tells us he grew in stature with with men.

You know how dad you not known I was about my father's business and there was this development. And as you travel through the New Testament, you begin to discover the difference between the days of his humanity and the days of his glory, and I like to think that I stayed on this a bit when we went through the gospel of Luke and so these disciples going to ask him this question again after his resurrection, and then of course he is now in his glorified form. He is not limited and acts chapter 1 verse six. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel, sort of asking the same question a different way maybe to like your catch him offguard a bit of course, I'm not sure that's what happened, but I like to see it that way anyway and he said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons which the father has put in his own authority.

He could've said I told you I don't know but he does know at this point because this self-imposed limitation is gone now. He is not admitting here being ignorant, but subject to the father and that having dawned humanity on him that humanity of Christ was dismissed at Calvary father, into your hands I commit that was the end of it. Does that now he is is is to Christ that walked with them as a Paulson at we knew him.

According to the flesh we know him no more. He did the Christ Jesus, that they walked with through Galilee was in his glorified state, much more.

And this is why when he appears to John in the Revelation trusses. I fell down dead before him, and he touched me in and told me to fear not. And so there you have another picture of this changed the relationship which he eased into those disciples so that after his resurrection, he sort of appeared to them and they will like who is this guy you know they think don't want sure this is the Lord you know and development is clear Mary Magdalene didn't really care about the development she just loved him as John and the others hesitated a little bit. Mary Magaly grabbed hold of him and of course we know you don't cling to me.

I'm not used to me being here Mary I'm I'm not staying but these are pictures of our Lord and how he conducted business when he was here and he insisted that his followers cultivate an attitude of alertness concerning his return again. Is there listening to this, they're not putting it all together but they going to be grabbing hold of the things he said once he ascends into heaven, and they've gone through the resurrection with with him as far as witnesses of all Daniel and a Dell Christ of this in verse 14 when he talks about the desolation quoting Daniel and from Daniel 12 and from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be 1290 days 3 1/2 year. Of the great tribulation of Jacob's trouble.

So the world will be going to tribulation and then at the 3 1/2 year mark Israel really go through it the day of the Lord, that will than not, does not include his church starts at the rapture and the last for over a thousand years. Even when Christ returns that still under the umbrella of that prophecy the day of the Lord is very broad prophecy.

The prophets, they neither spoke nor wrote about the church is that foreign of a concept. It was held back and and rightfully so because it was hard enough for the Jewish Christians to begin to depart from Judaism. This is why we have Paul's letter to the Hebrews sinks stop it.

You're no longer Jewish. As far as religion goes your Christians now and if you continue this, the cross of Christ will profit it is obsolete and he goes into Melchizedek and Abraham before Levi was even born.

And it just quite remarkable how he shuts down this up. Having an idea of this hybrid religion called Judaism a mixture of the Judaizers. Sorry Judaism Judaizers were trying to merge Christianity with Judaism over the illusion that we got more here. Verse 33 take heed, watch and pray for you do not know when the time is I should say you might go into your Bible commentaries. The study Bibles and find a different perspective on the end time scenario that's fine. These is not always that critical to you of an issue as to how you see the timeline. I don't share a lot of views about the end times with a lot of good men of God. For instance, some struggle with placing this event in the tribulation and I just don't see how you could make that fit. This has to be to the church. Christ is already mentioned to them about what's going to happen.

So what he says here in verse 33 take heed, watch and pray you do not know when the time is in Luke 21 he said watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man, which is very broad. In that statement because it includes those who will die long before the end times the things you get out of that verse, I think primary is to stand before the son of God with you. Diana tribulation, or are rapture door long before the rapture, that is the objective to stand before the Lord Jesus and how could she say such a thing unless he was God. I mean imagine if you if I said to you, you know, you just can't be be ready to be able to stand before me when you die, it would be blasphemous.

You would have to be God to be able to say to someone they are going to stand before you, and when he says the Son of Man is talking about is humanity's identification with sinners. The days of his limitation that is what that whole meaning was about the Son of Man, meaning that God came as as a human being born of a virgin and humbled himself for our sakes we are not to forget about that figtree. That's a critical lesson to end times keep our eyes on Israel. So that's what he says, take heed then he says who will take heed me to think something that comes hard to some Christians it seems were so ready for the miraculous for the supernatural for the emotional and I mean I love the feel emotionally lifted as well as the next guy, but that does not give me the right to believe in things just because I like them. I have to find out if they're true you know that all the Christians were stirred up of the blood moon thing. Oh boy oh boy does just what the look he gave us the figtree. I don't agree with those applications then the moon will turn to blood as the prophet Joel and others had had said it will, but I don't agree with the application not to say that those who made it or somehow not say, and that's not what I'm dealing with. I'm dealing with. We have to be careful when someone begins to talk about end times. If they can connected to the Scriptures throughout. Well anyways is tricky.

First Thessalonians 5 what you brethren are not in darkness so that this day should overtake you as a thief.

No Christian should be caught off guard when it comes to the rapture of the church.

In the end times because again the lessons have been taught so he says watch that means work. Those of you been in the military you stood guard duty. You know that it's a lot of work. I'm you, just like after the first 10 minutes you ready to leave at, but you have to stay know what it is today knowing with what they're doing is a specification of the military. They probably stand guard duty for eight minutes. Now, but for me it was four hours walking around the building and you need that you know nobody showed up.

Sitting get the satisfaction of the shooting anyone anyway got extracted from the record that was not nice well but they deserved it.

Anyway, guard duty is work. We know laziness does not bring glory to the Lord never first Thessalonians 56 therefore let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

You sleep on guard duty and get caught court-martial is no nonsense about those kind of things is where I was at a know maybe you serve somewhere with a gun above to connect with you, but the watch he says again. Verse Thessalonians 53 when I say peaceful when they say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes. So be ready for these things.

That's why I'm telling you he's saying to us why do some people have a problem with God being intolerant of people who are intolerant of him meaning of atheism is one of the most insane things on earth and now today's atheist or militant atheist they're not satisfied with live and let live. Okay fine you believe in Christ know they are going after Christians trying to dismantle their belief their writing long pages. They have blogs there, writing books, they are targeting Christians and the question again is why do some people have a problem with God being intolerant with people who are intolerant of him. So they're upset that he's going to have this wrapped up against sinners who refuse him. God is not fooling around.

He said this on the subject of the end times. Remember lots wife just left it like that he expects us to figure it out when we there's enough information to connect the dots because in their and so he says watch. Then he says pray while before I get to the pray. One of the verse I want to talk about in connection to take heed and watch for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. So everybody's got a way out. It's not as though God is saying I'm just going to judge sinners in your stock is nothing you can do about know God says there is a way out through Jesus Christ is not appointed us for wrath and that's what the extraction is all about.

He says pray pray means to serve with God, not apart from God, give Martha was just serving until she got corrected she was serving in her own strength she had made the minors become major marrying The majors the majors. He sat at the feet of the Lord Jesus said you know what I can get food somewhere else.

I don't really need you Martha to make a meal for my I will eat it. If bring it but understand it is the preaching of the word that is paramount.

And Mary has chosen this and I'm not taking away from her.

Mary Martha never complained again the Lord about such things so the word is part of it. Praying is essential. Serving is critical. Getting up when you've been beaten down his routine. There's not a Christian does not have to deal with sin in themselves and sin in others and is ongoing and if you're waiting to reach the state of perfection in this life is not going to happen. However, you can be matured and developed and learn how to deal with these things in a biblical way that is pleasing to the Lord. And this is why some of the sins of the New Testament saints are captured first, but many of them of the Old Testament saints. Again, look at King David. I'm he's an old man is written so much of the Bible and in the Psalms and is still falling on his face, and God is still forgiving him, but their great consequences to his sin, to and I don't think any of us want to have the consequence of sin upon us and so we strive to be Christlike. What to do that you going to have to be in fellowship with him and praying is a part of it. I pray primarily at this stage of my life because I don't have a choice. I have this relationship with Christ and even when I feel like pouting and just, you know what I'm just you.

I don't know why God is done this I don't like that he's done this.

I'm not saying anything initially and are praying as I know him. He is my God and I am his servant, and I can't help but talk to him no matter what I talking about a lot of you to, you know, is too much to pray for this is too much I try to get instant sneak some prayers and a for every meal anytime I eat something I try to offer up a prayer and I met Paul says I make mention of you in my pursuit was too many people, but accounts and the righteous. They willfully have no choice but to pray. So I encourage you talk to God of verse 34. He says it is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work in command of the doorkeeper to watch. Will this again in the upper room. He tells them I'm going to leave you. I'm going to prepare a place for you and I will come back and I will receive you. John 14. Three and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you will be also. So this this little parable he that he's given us.

Parabolic illustration is it's like a man going on a journey to a far country well from the perspective of his disciples. Heaven was a far country, not to the God of course he would be gone be gone for a long time.

He's telling his church at the end he sing what I say to you I say to all, we read that we stood and read verse 37 what I say to you I say to all watch well. He's been gone 2000 years and he's never walked back, watch this so much work that gets done and that he says who, like a man was going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants the church age.

This is exactly what he's talking about. Nothing else fits so smoothly in Luke 19 and a parable speaking about his servants serving while the master was away. He says do business till I come yoking James. I like it's language more in this verse, assist, occupy until I come because I think of an occupying force of anyway, we are now in the times of the Gentiles which produced the church age. The age of grace by faith in the word were not in the age of miracles. And yes I been saying the figtree signals the approaching conclusion to the church age. The time of the Gentiles. It began in well 586 years before Christ came.

The glory departed from Israel, Jerusalem was trodden by Babylonian army when Nebuchadnezzar came and conquered Jerusalem Ezekiel chapter 10 he talks about the Shekinah. The presence of the Lord reluctantly and in phases departing the temple until it was gone and this is the age where the Gentiles have domination over Jerusalem over Israel and though that is now going away, it's still there to some degree, but it is nowhere like it was before 1948 before 1948 the juices had no say so now there sovereign state God terminated when when Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem 586 years before before Christ was born God terminate terminated their secular supremacy in the region. Remember David conquered Solomon and they held all the people in check, and they paid the money will not only that both the king, the office of the King and the priesthood were lost to Israel and the Gent Gentile domination began on the got back some of the priesthood.

It largely stayed corrupted.

But in Christ day the priesthood was corrupted. Luke 21 verse 24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.

And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled again. The times of the Gentiles started back when Nebuchadnezzar trampled Jerusalem and they really never got back their kingdom.

They have not had a king on the throne in Jerusalem since that time. Romans chapter 11 verse 25 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 as we are right this is the church age is read the church age started with of course Pentecost, but the times of the Gentiles started before that with Nebuchadnezzar. Israel will be fully restored when mirth Messiah returns Gentile domination stops completely at Armageddon. So the fullness of the Gentiles will last will have seven years left at the rapture, then God will again begin to speak to the world through the June Romans 11 verse 26 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. I hope none of you believe that kingdom theology stuff that someone biblical just kind of gets rid of his realm denies Israel being his madness on you right now really don't know a lot of people like it and saw Satan because it makes you an enemy of God's chosen people as his timeclock is Israel. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark right here on cross reference radio