Sunday
Morning Bible Study
June 12, 2005
Introduction
As we are making our way through the gospel of Mark, it is Tuesday evening
of the last week of Jesus’ life. He has
been teaching and fielding questions all day in the Temple. As He has left the Temple
and the city, crossing the Kidron Valley
over to the Mount of Olives, He sat down and began to
talk about what we call the “Last Days”.
:21-23 False Christs
:21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is
there; believe him not:
Christ – Christos –
“anointed”; this is the Greek word for the Hebrew “Messiah”, the one promised
to deliver Israel
from her enemies.
Jesus has been describing the events leading up to His Second Coming. Last
week we looked into the event known as the “abomination of desolation”, when
the Temple in Jerusalem
has been rebuilt and the one we know as the antichrist will stop the
sacrifices, enter the Temple, and
claim to be God. This is an “abominable” act that leads to the “desolation” of
the Temple.
And in THAT time frame, if anyone tells you “Here is Christ”, don’t believe
him. It’s not the Christ, it’s the antichrist.
We might think that the word “antichrist” means “opposite of Christ”, and
it is true that the antichrist is somewhat the opposite of Jesus. But the word
means “in place of Christ”. He is the one who will try to take the place of
Jesus in the world.
:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs
and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
signs – semeion – a sign,
of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men sent by him. Yet
these are “false prophets” who perform these signs, not God’s prophets.
Lesson
The need for discernment
If we’re not careful, we can be fooled into thinking that if we see a
“miracle”, that it must be God who is at work.
And I’m not talking about phony miracles, I’m talking about actual displays
of supernatural power.
God is not the only one who has supernatural power.
(Mat 7:15-23
KJV)
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly
they are ravening wolves. {16} Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men
gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? {17} Even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. {18} A
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth
good fruit. {19} Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,
and cast into the fire. {20} Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Jesus is saying that we need to be cautious when we listen to someone
claiming to speak for God, and yet their own life is all fouled up. I’m not
saying that God can’t use faulty people – He can – that’s grace. But if your
life is falling apart and you come to me with a word from God, I’m not sure I’m
going to pay much attention to it because of what Jesus says here in Matthew. If you want to speak for God, make sure He’s
Master of your life.
{21} Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven. {22} Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works? {23} And then will I profess unto them, I never knew
you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The false prophets will tell the Lord that they were using Jesus’ name when
they prophesied.
They will have performed miracles like casting out demons.
They will have done “wonderful works”, the Greek word is “dunamis”, the same thing that was
promised to come with the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8.
And yet they will be in the category of “false prophets”.
I believe that the Holy Spirit works in the same way today as He did in the
early church. I have a desire for our church that we will grow in the things of
the Spirit.
Paul wrote,
(1 Cor 12:31 NKJV)
…earnestly desire the best gifts…
(1 Cor 14:1 NKJV)
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
But as we learn to exercise the gifts of the Spirit, we can’t forget that
we have a great responsibility when we hear something that sounds like it might
be from God.
(1 Cor 14:29 NKJV)
Let two or three prophets speak, and let
the others judge.
We have a responsibility to sift through the things that
are said and learn to cling to what is from God and throw away what isn’t from
God.
(1 Th 5:19-21 NKJV)
Do not quench the Spirit. {20} Do not despise prophecies. {21} Test all things;
hold fast what is good.
Sometimes there are going to be things said that are
simply inspired by Satan or by a heart filled with evil motives.
Sometimes the things that are said come from a sincere,
loving heart, but the words are coming from the person, not from God.
That doesn’t mean that it’s bad, but don’t be quick to say
that it’s a word from God.
How can I tell when God is speaking and when He’s not?
There is a spiritual gift called the “discerning of spirits”. A person with
this gift just “knows” when something is right or wrong. And they will
generally have a track record of being right on these things.
For the rest of us, the best thing we can do is stay in God’s Word.
The Bible is the closest thing we have to a DVD of God speaking
to man.
You learn to recognize a voice the more you listen to it. If
a stranger calls you up on the phone, you won’t know who it is. But if someone
close to you calls, you recognize their voice because you’ve heard it many
times before.
If you spend time in God’s Word, you will grow more
familiar with His voice. You’ll know when something doesn’t sound right.
:23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
:24-27 He Returns
:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened,
and the moon shall not give her light,
Jesus is using language used by the Old Testament prophets like Joel (2:28-32) and Isaiah (13:10; 34:4)
:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven
shall be shaken.
:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great
power and glory.
I believe that when Jesus returns, that the “clouds” will be the armies of
heaven that come with Him.
(Rev 19:11-14 KJV) 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. {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. {13} And he was clothed with a
vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. {14} And the
armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine
linen, white and clean.
Earlier in Rev. 19:8, the church is described in heaven as being clothed in
white linen. I believe that the army on
horseback will include us. We will have
been caught up into heaven before the Tribulation (something we’ll talk about
next week), and when the Tribulation is over, Jesus will return with us riding
behind Him.
:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect
from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part
of heaven.
elect – eklektos – referring
to all those who have come to believe in Jesus during the Tribulation, who have
been able to stay alive to the end.
It’s possible that this gathering in could also include a resurrection for
those who were martyred during the Tribulation, since they are even gathered
from “heaven”. It doesn’t include us because
we’re on the horses behind Jesus.
:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven
shall be shaken.
Though this describes phenomena like meteors and such, I think there’s more
here …
powers – dunamis –
strength, power, ability; could be used to describe miracles, also used to
describe powerful beings, such as angels (Eph. 1:21)
shaken – saleuo – a motion
produced by winds, to cast down from one’s (secure and happy) state
In the book of Revelation, John is describing the events during the mid-way
point in the Tribulation.
(Rev 12:7-10 KJV) And there was war in
heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought
and his angels, {8} And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more
in heaven. {9} And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the
Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the
earth, and his angels were cast out with him. {10} And I heard a loud voice
saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them before our God day and night.
Some people have an erroneous idea that Satan lives in hell. Not yet. He
currently has an office in heaven and continues to have access to heaven. We
saw a picture of this in the book of Job where Satan comes and talks with God
about Job. Satan’s role in heaven is sort of like a district attorney, except
his focus seems to be constantly accusing the believers before God in heaven.
Lesson
You have a place in the war
It might sound as if these are simply events that will take place in heaven
– Michael and his angels fighting the demons.
But the things on earth affect the things in heaven.
Jesus said to Peter,
(Mat 16:19 KJV) And I will give unto thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
There is somehow a sense in which the things we do on
earth affect the things that happen in heaven, in the realm of the spirit.
When Jesus had sent a group out on a short mission trip, they came back all
excited about how they had been able to cast demons out of people. Jesus said,
(Luke 10:18-19 KJV) And he said unto
them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. {19} Behold, I give unto
you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the
enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
As these disciples were casting out demons, Satan kept
falling from heaven.
I believe the angelic battle in heaven during the Tribulation will be
affected by things happening on the earth.
(Rev 12:11-12 KJV) And they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved
not their lives unto the death. {12} Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that
dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil
is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but
a short time.
Just as the disciples in Jesus’ day caused Satan to fall
from heaven, I believe the believers on earth will have an affect on the war in
heaven. The language of not “loving their lives unto the death” doesn’t speak
of angels but of men because angels can’t die.
The weapons of our warfare:
Lesson
1. The Blood of the Lamb
In the context of the passage, we are reminded that one of Satan’s major
attacks is that of accusing and condemning us before God.
Our answer to Satan’s accusations is simply the blood of Jesus.
Your sins and the condemnation that you deserve are very, very real. To
satisfy the justice of the universe, a price has to be paid. And the price that
comes attached to sin is “death”.
From the earliest of times, God began to make a way for the price to be
paid, through the shedding of blood, as an animal gave up it’s life in your
place (Lev. 17:11).
But the writer of Hebrews wrote,
(Heb 9:13-14 NKJV) For if the blood of bulls and goats and the
ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the
flesh, {14} how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God?
As we are walking close to the Lord and allowing God to shine His light on
all of our lives, we become aware of where we have problems and were we need
His cleansing.
I John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin.
The practical way this happens is by admitting our sin.
I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
As we confess, God forgives, and Satan no longer has anything to accuse you
of.
Do you want God’s forgiveness today?
2. The Word of their Testimony
God’s Word is meant here, it is the “word” of our “testimony”.
God’s Word is a powerful weapon.
It’s the “Sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17)
It’s sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12)
When Jesus was being tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He only used one
thing to counter the temptations of the devil.
He responded by quoting God’s Word (Mat. 4)
But spiritual protection doesn’t come by just holding a book up in front of
our face when we’re tempted, or sleeping with it under your pillow, or even
memorizing ten magical Bible verses. It comes by knowing what is IN the book and putting it into PRACTICE into your life.
In the Old Testament there was a time when the priests were very wicked
people. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phineas lived such wicked lives that people didn’t even like going to the
Tabernacle and offering sacrifice to God.
One year (1Sam. 4), when the Israelites faced a war with the Philistines,
they came up with the idea of bringing the famous Ark of the Covenant with them
to the battle.
Now God promised to give His people victory in their
battles, but only as long as they kept obeying His commandments (Lev. 26:7-8).
The people had fallen into a trap of thinking that this
was some kind of a “magic box”, when in reality, the real power for them was in
the keeping of the Ten Commandments, which their own priests broke regularly.
What happened in the battle that day? The Israelites suffered a great defeat with
30,000 killed, including the priests, and the Philistines capturing the Ark.
Just having a Bible and even reading it doesn’t bring victory. Victory comes when you LIVE the Bible, when you obey what it says.
3. They loved not their lives unto
the death
We gain victory over Satan when we are willing to lay down our lives for
Jesus.
When the apostle Paul was warned about possible persecution ahead of him in
Jerusalem, he decided he wasn’t
willing to turn around. He kept
going. He said,
(Acts 20:24 NKJV) "But none of these things move me; nor
do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and
the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of
the grace of God.
Illustration
When Gospel for Asia sends one of their missionaries
into a new village, they ask the missionaries to dig their own grave before
they enter the village. They walk into their ministry willing to lay down their
life.
From GFA website: 04/05/2005:
Brutal Attack
“If you renounce Jesus, we will offer you whatever you
want,” the men told Ranglal. These were no idle words—Ranglal’s face smarted
from the brutal blows of his attackers. One kicked him so hard, he cried.
Ranglal was sharing the hope of Christ in this particular village in North
India when the angry men suddenly approached, grabbed him and took
him away. When they offered inducement for denying his Lord, Ranglal already
had an answer: “I want to continue my ministry,” he told them. Seeing that
Ranglal refused to back down in his commitment, the men released him, but first
issued an ultimatum: “If you come here again, there will be more trouble for
you.” By God’s grace, Ranglal’s response to his attackers is one of love and compassion.
“Please pray for the salvation of those who persecuted me,” he writes. Ranglal
is a GFA Bible college student. Through his experience that day doing weekend
outreach, he has already received a taste of the persecution he may very well
suffer for his Lord after he graduates and goes on to full-time evangelism and
church planting among the unreached.
And though many have been persecuted, not all ministry is life-threatening.
From GFA website: 05/09/2005:
Barbershop Evangelism
“What do you mean by ‘serving God’?” Samuel’s barber
inquired, listening for his response. Samuel, 22, is a GFA Bible college
student who lives with one passion: leading others to the feet of Jesus. That
particular day, Samuel walked into the barbershop to get a haircut and discovered
that ministry breakthroughs can happen when you least expect them. “I am
serving God,” Samuel had responded when the barber asked what he was doing in
the area. This was a new concept that sparked the barber’s curiosity enough to
ask what the young student meant. The barber only knew the gods his village
worshipped! Recognizing this unique ministry opportunity, Samuel explained that
he was studying the Bible and began to share the Gospel with the barber. When
he left with his new haircut, he left tracts with the barber and visited him
often to encourage him. The barber read the literature and listened carefully
to what Samuel shared. He was drawn by the love of Jesus that radiated through
this kind man, and responded by trusting in Christ for salvation and committing
his life to Him. Samuel rejoices in this life reborn, especially in a place of
hard ground for the Gospel.
Because these young students are taught to be willing to lay down their
lives for the gospel, there is an explosion going on in Asia. GFA alone has more than 14,000 missionaries
on the field and they are planting over 10 churches every day.
Shake the heavens. Take up your
weapons.