The Second Coming | Sunday Message

Everybody Greg Laurie here. You're listening to the Grigori podcast and my objective is to deliver hopefully compelling practical insights and faith culture and current events.

From a biblical perspective to find out more about our ministry. Just go to our website harvest.org so thanks for joining me for this podcast. Let's all turn in the Bible, Revelation chapter 19. The title of my messages. This second coming, heard a story about a traveling salesman that was out on the road. He had a really long hard day he returned to his hotel room, sitting at the edge of his bed. He took off his shoe and just let it drop to the ground with the big side and then it dawned in him all my you know it's late at night there's someone below me. I might've woken them up so he very carefully and quietly took office second shoe and put it on the floor a half-hour passes. There's a knock at the door on the salesman opens the door and there standing will form as a member.

Dark circles under his eyes and he said would you just let the other shoe to drop. So I can get some sleep.

You know many ways the world today is waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak, and that's what's happening here in Revelation 19 the other shoe is dropping. If you will, as Jesus Christ is now visibly returning to the earth and what we call the second coming. This is the event the church is been praying for for centuries in the Lord's prayer. Christ taught us to say to the father, our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven that is effectively a prayer for the return of Christ. And now here in Revelation 19 we see this prayer is been answered before our very eyes.

You know newspapers have a certain kind of type they save for mega events.

And guess what it's called is called second coming time they use it for special events. It's much larger than the normal type. This is the type that was used when the Japanese attacked us at Pearl Harbor. This is the type that was used when Pres. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. This is the type that was used when the World Trade Center was attacked and it's interesting they don't call it mega event type they call it second coming time. Why do they call it that because there actually acknowledging there is no bigger event that is coming to the world than the second coming of Jesus Christ. By the way, it's not just Christians that believe this.

I read a Gallup poll that said 66% of the American people believe that Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth in the future and that poll was taken quite a long time ago.

I wonder if the percentage is not higher. All that is going on in our world right now.

Make no mistake about it, Christ is coming again, and at the second coming.

Jesus is going to come back to this planet. He's going to judge his enemies is going to set up his kingdom and he will rule over the earth for a thousand year.

That is called the millennium, Satan's heyday will be over and he'll be chained up for a thousand years. By the way, the second coming of Christ is mentioned many times in the Bible it's mentioned 1800 times in the Old Testament and 300 times in the New Testament, specifically one verse and 25 mentions the Lord's return.

In the Bible. It's referred to a 27 Old Testament books and also 123 New Testament books listen to this for every prophecy about the first coming of Jesus Christ. There are any prophecies about this second coming so clearly this is a theme in the Bible that is repeated over and over again. The great British preacher CH Spurgeon once said, quotes the sound of his approach should be as music to our ears." Greg I think your reaction to the imminent return of Jesus is a real barometer of your spiritual health. I think if you're right with God, and you love the Lord and you're walking with Jesus. And if you know what I'm don't know what I mean by that, I tell you at the end of my message. You can come into a relationship with Jesus Christ. But if you don't have this relationship with God. This can be sort of a scary subject I'm addressing right now, in Revelation 2220 oh we read these words, he who testifies to these things says yes I am coming quickly and then John responds. Even so, Lord Jesus and I to be the response of every believer. Even so, Lord Jesus died, kingdom, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven. You know after Jesus was crucified, and rose again from the dead. Now he was going to ascend to heaven we read over in acts chapter 1 verse 11 that the Angels told the disciples as Christ was ascending. Why do you stand here gazing up into heaven. This same Jesus who is taken from you into heaven, will come again in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. So know this Jesus Christ is coming again the incarnation without the coronation would be like the East without the West it's repeated over and over. One of the more familiar passages as Matthew 24, also known as the all of the discourse. When Christ speaks of this and he says immediately after the tribulation of those days. And remember there's going to be a great tribulation.

That last for seven years. So the second coming this at the end of the tribulation. So Jesus says, as this is happening. The sun will be dark and the moon will not give her light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heaven will be shaken and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory know doesn't say great glory great glory. I actually think I'll be there though, and if you're a Christian, I think you'll be there as well tell you why believe that in just a few moments but the second coming happens at the battle of Armageddon and the battle of Armageddon is at the end of the tribulation. So the question may arise. What are we going to be doing as followers of Jesus. While this is happening I told you my last message I believe will have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air will be in heaven. But what are we doing after the rapture and before the second coming. Revelation 19 verse seven addresses that let's read it together. Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb them out when underline that phrase. The marriage of the Lamb has come and the wife is made herself ready in her was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright in the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, these are the true sayings of God. No mention carrying this in John is just overwhelmed as the angel delivers this message to him and John says I felt to his feet to worship him and he said don't do that. I am your fellow servant and to of your brothers who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. No more than one occasion the Bible compares the church to a bride and Jesus to the groom. In fact, our Lord. Use this illustration. Many times in his parables. Remember it's a story that he told of a man, he was invited to a wedding, but he refused to wear the garment that was given to him at the door. That's a picture of people that think they don't need to believe in Jesus to get into this great piece this great promise that God gives to us. Jesus told the parable of the 10 virgins, while by worldwide survivor pool is the wise ones had oil in their lamps and remember there was a cry given out. The bridegroom is coming feet only at weddings. Now a lot of it's about the pride right you know we all are there in our seats and then that scene is played the melody is played on the keyboard done done that we all stand up and we look back and there stands the bride dressed in white, usually escorted by her father.

She comes down the aisle.

And then she's joined to the groom, but in biblical times, it was almost the reverse of that everyone was waiting for the groom, not the bride.

So in those days you didn't know when the groom was going to show up might show up at 3 o'clock in the afternoon he might show up at 3 o'clock in the morning and there was an announcement given. Behold, the bridegroom is coming and if you were asleep, you'd miss it snooze and you lose so Jesus use that picture to say we need to be ready for this great event that is coming, then on your wedding day you want to look your best. And guys, you know you got a dress-up hopefully rented talks or look your best.

You know, don't show up with some funky soiled T-shirt with a hole in it. In bride you you would like go through a drive-through restaurant on your way to your wedding like Taco Bell you want refried beans on your wedding dress now do both of you want to look your best to know it's interesting because we read here in Revelation 19 in verse eight about this fine linen which is the righteous acts of the saints what is ME is what it doesn't it doesn't mean you have to live a perfect life to get to heaven because as I've said you before heaven is not for good people. It's more forgiving people. So when you turn from your sin and you put your faith in Christ. You know how the hope you will go to heaven and then when you get there. We have the righteous acts of the saints. In other words, it's not what we've done to get to heaven, but it's what we've done in light of the fact that God has called us to heaven and purchase our salvation. You know were not saved by human effort. The Bible says is not by works of righteousness which we have done one of the more familiar passages on this topic is Ephesians 28 pulses by grace you been saved through faith, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. So we know that, but the verse goes on to say the following are we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God is prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Listen to this works. Don't save a man or a woman. But the really good evidence that he or she is saying you can have works without faith. But you cannot have faith without works is that what would you even talked about by works. I mean evidence, results, let me ask you this question if you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you know, by evidence I don't mean by how many Bibles you have. I have a collection of Bibles because I don't think I've ever thrown a Bible way have given some away so a stack of Bibles on my desk, going back decades of Bibles that a user all pretty beat up but that's that evidence that I'm a Christian it's evidence of a lot of Bibles. The evidence is found in the way that I live. The evidence is found by the things that I say the evidence is found in what the Bible describes as fruit spiritual fruit. The Bible says we should bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance and sometimes you'll see a person who says they're a Christian but they're contradicting it by the way that they're living. Oh I'm a Christian, though safe with her getting drunk and partying the weekends away, or maybe even other days of the week they say they're a Christian, but there is no moral relationship.

They say they're a Christian and are doing something else and you'll see him and I don't really know if you're living a life that a Christian should be living in a particular push back and say this to you.

Judge not lest you be judged. Right so you could just say well I don't know that I'm judging you think of me as a fruit inspector Jesus said by their fruits you shall know them. And if you're a real Christian. There will be spiritual fruit, i.e. results there will be works there will be evidence that confirms that you are a follower of Christ on this is really important because something is going to happen in heaven that some Christians don't know about. It's called the judgment seat of Christ in every Christian will be present at the judgment seat of Christ that happens after the rapture that happens before the second coming.

Now you might say why way I thought we were going to be judge will you will be judged at the great White throne judgment will talk about that next time. That is that judgment were the small and the great the rich and the poor. Every person stands before God and if your name is not found written in the book of life. Your cast in the lake of fire.

This is not that judgment.

Not only will a Christian not be judged then but they will not even be present at that judgment. In my opinion what I'm talking about is a different judgment that sometimes called the bema seat or the judgment seat of Christ, and that is the judgment, there were going to stand before as followers of Jesus Christ, describing this in second Corinthians 510 it says we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he is done, whether be good or bad.

So think of this as more of a note of an awards ceremony. Many of you were watching may be very accomplished and you have doctorates singing on your wall and your degrees and things that you've done. Others may have the shelves lined with trophies and ribbons that you one for athletic events.

When I competed in athletics as a kid I always seem to win the purple ribbon and by the way, that was like the lowest ribbon you can win, you know, there would be the goal ribbon may be year of the blue ribbon and purple is given for just existing. That was like what was given for the fact that you just weren't in the race. Then they acknowledged you live. That said, I lot a purple ribbon. Some also reminded of when I was in the school. I remember that we had a teacher who would give us a star on certain peepers or reports. I remember those some of you may have never seen them, but you get them in the stationary store little gold stars silver stars blue stars in the Goldstar was the big one I never got a gold star fact, I just had blue stars, which again different okay you turned it in and it wasn't that great but once again we acknowledge your existence. I literally went to a stationary store and bought a little box of gold stars and just put them on my papers because I wanted to see what it was like but in a way we think about things like that. What were acknowledged for what we have done. I know the trend in in kids sports today is to not keep score. I know that because they have five grandkids and I've gone this some of their soccer games. They'll be out there playing in all say what's the score and some of the state. We don't keep score, but there are people always keeping score. Of course, even if it's not official. This is the idea that there's there's no winners there's no losers. Everyone's a winner.

That sounds good.

It's not true it's not true in life. And guess what is not true in the Bible and the Bible. There's winners and there are losers. And guess what God wants you to be a winner in the race of life for more than one occasion the Christian life as compared to running a race. And Paul writes in first Corinthians 924 don't you realize that were in a race and everyone runs in a race, but only one person gets the prize. So run to win run to win. If you're competing in the Olympics go for the goal.

If you're living as a Christian. Go for the goal run to win.

And by the way, I'm not competing with my fellow Christians. My competition is not with fellow believers. My competition as a pastor is not with other churches. He was the biggest church wins no no no is on that final day God is going to ask about my faithfulness. He won't say well done, good and successful servant still say well done good and faithful servant all be held accountable for what God has called me to do.

You'll be held accountable for what God is called you to do so we need to be faithful. But we must do the best we could do my competition. If you will, is the world the flesh and the devil not follow believers and know this is coming today when rewards are going to be given out in heaven. Again, this is like an awards ceremony think the Oscars or the Emmys. I watch the Oscars this year.

I have to admit I was pretty disappointed by a lot of things but generally in the old days, at least there would be the big build up in the screen with be split with a tight shot of all the potential winners and they would send me a little and the winner is the Academy award for actor of the year rectors of the year film of the year and then this is that they would announce it and the person would jump up. Many would see everybody else they would all be applauding you know they're mad you know the reps of the directors WAS a great choice if the enemy no, no one likes to lose than the winner goes and gets her Oscar their ME the Grammy. Whatever this this is an awards ceremony will you would be rewarded for what you have done with the opportunities that God has set before you, and if you are faithful there is a reward that will be given I want to come back to verse I already read again. Second Corinthians 510 will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, whether it be good or bad, whether it be good or bad. This is an interesting phrase when it says that it doesn't mean bad as an evil, it actually means evil of another kind. Another way to translate it is good for nothingness or worthlessness. So I I'm a Christian.

This is not about if I get to heaven are not, in fact, this judgment happens in heaven. Again, this is a reward given to faithful service so Godzilla look at the good and the bad and are the things in my life where I just wasted opportunities.

Jesus said if salt loses its saltiness.

It's good for nothing you ever order a coke and it's flat, that's worthless about the person that walks into a coffee place and orders a soy decaf latte. My opinion, that's pretty much worthless. They probably have a cat I don't know why I'm even saying that, but my point is simply this, I mean come on then have the fun of a drink like that is the espresso that Senate. But I or Lisa steamed milk, not solely but the ideas this is something that is good for nothing and I wonder when we stand before God. If we will not be questioned about what we did with our time so much time is wasted every single day and guess what it's wasted on its wasted on one of these, you probably have won most of the population does a cell phone in this cell phone consume so much of our time. Did you know that kids spend 8 to 12 hours a day on a cell phone and teenagers been around nine hours a day in adult spent 4.5 hours a day on cell phones and you know how it works you just open it up in the morning and need to start scrolling, scrolling through Instagram scrolling through twitter checking your Facebook page going over to Pinterest. Whatever it is you look at and before you know it you burned up so much screen time and you've actually wasted so much time.

It's a big waste of life in many ways and I think we need to make a conscious effort to put these devices down and die in the spent time with each other talking to each other. Listening to each other, not checking our phone or even our watchable deeper vibrate nova talk with each other and most importantly, we need to spend time with the Lord. As you know, I've written a book called Billy Graham the man I knew. Billy Graham is out of the question. If he had any regrets in life and his response was yes. He wished he had spent more time praying more time studying the Bible.

He wished he had spent less time traveling and taking speaking engagements, and then he said I wish that spend more time telling the Lord how much I love him. The Bible says be still and know that I am God because one day on the to be held accountable for what I did with my time, but it may not just be a waste of time but it's missed opportunities.

The evil of complacency.

The evil of neglect.

Let me illustrate that they are working on the street in a house is on fire and you stop when you pull your phone out not to call 911 but to take a picture. Then you keep walking. I mean, maybe you could be a hero in Russian and try to save someone at the very least, call 911, but if you were to just take a picture and keep walking when human lives are in danger. That's not just neglect that's criminal neglect. Let me illustrate it another way, let's say your medical researcher a scientist and you have cancer and so you go to the laboratory and use many years doing experiments and doing everything you can to try to find a cure for cancer and one day you succeed and you take this charter go up this pill or whatever the treatment is in instantly. Your cured of your cancer then you keep it to yourself and don't tell anyone else.

Is that a bad thing. It certainly is.

I think you know where I'm going with this.

In the same way. Here we are as Christians, we found something even better than a cure for cancer is wonderful as that would be. We have found the meaning of life on this earth, and the hope of the afterlife with faith in Christ and knowing will go to heaven yet we never share that with anyone so all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and who want to know what I do with my opportunities that I leverage them that I use the influence that God gave me did I address my sphere of influence that I know I'm supposed to go into all the world and preach the gospel but did I going to all of my world and preach the gospel that I reach out to people that I know how to use my resources on it. I spend my money these things all will be reviewed at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. And I think will be in for some surprises because we probably think that the winners are going to be all the super Christians out there. Billy Graham will of so many crowns. He wanted to be able to carry them all our people like Elizabeth Elliott or Corrie 10 boom, or someone like Johnny Erickson taught her with all that she's dealt with.

The lighthouse will be rewarded.

I have no doubt that those things will all be rewarded, but we might be shock when there is a sweep of the awards at the judgment seat of Christ by some woman.

The mod firkin binder. Have you heard of her was she doesn't exist.

Jesus some person. I made up but I imagine mod for combined is a elderly little lady. She never wrote a book she never preach in the crusade.

You don't even know her name but all the others were doing their work she was doing hers while Billy was preaching in stadiums mod firkin binder was on her knees praying shall be rewarded.

Remember, this judgment is not about successes we'd like to define success.

It's about faithfulness to the Lord. So this is all happening up in heaven while our honeymoon is coming because were now joined to Christ as his bride. Now it's time for our honeymoon.

Were we going Niagara Falls, Hawaii, Tahiti actually coming were coming back to planet Earth with our bridegroom Jesus Christ know this at the rapture, God gives us our first class round trip ticket yes I'm going up but I'm going to come back down again. Look at Revelation 19 verse 11. Now I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse and he that sound in him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire on his head were many crowns.

He had a name written that no one knew except himself. And he is clothed with a robe dipped in blood in his name is called the word of God and the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses while what a powerful passage that is diverse 11.

He's called faithful and true. This is in contrast to the devil who was unfaithful and he lives. Jesus said in John 844 to the Pharisees, you belong to your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He's a murderer from the beginning and he is a liar and he is the father of lies know our Lord is faithful and true, but of course, not everyone thinks that for the nonbeliever God is never fair in what he does and when men go out and break God's laws that he gives us for our own protection, and then they face the inevitable consequences they shaken for us in the face of God and blame him, but the fact is, he's faithful and true, and God keeps his promises.

Think about Jesus at all. Never leave you or forsake you.

Jesus said my peace I give to you not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Has the Lord not kept his promises to you, we he's going to keep all of his promises including this promise to come again because he said in John 14. Three. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you on the myself that were IM you may be also not want to point out something judgment is not God's happy place to have a happy place, usually a person is something they like to do some people's mother eating another person when they're exercising I don't understand that but they say there's this release of endorphins when you run that lyc�e experience that I I've never met an endorphin are the only time I think I've had an endorphin release is actually what I was eating, but we were happy place things we like to do. I think some people think the judgment of God's happy Lazar yeah I've been waiting for this. I can hardly wait. No, it's the opposite of that. Remember we read in Scripture that God is not willing that any should perish, and also we read God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked person things we learn from the verses we just read in case you're taking notes number one, the second coming of Christ will be public and it will be seen by everyone. The second coming of Christ will be public and will be seen by all the be no mistaking it when it happened the walnuts. It was a just a really bad storm. No, everyone will know because Jesus it is the lightning shines from the east to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Number two, the second coming of Christ will be accompanied by sadness and weeping. Yes, it's a happy day for heaven but it's a sad day for earth.

Israel will mourn as they realize that Jesus was their Messiah. Zechariah 1210 says the look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died and Jesus is coming to bring righteous retribution and vengeance. We say that again Jesus is coming to bring righteous retribution and vengeance. Now I know some people don't like the idea of a vengeful God. They want to think of him as a loving God. He is a loving God.

He is a forgiving God. He is also a holy God and a righteous God, and in this instance he is a vengeful God so would feel know God is too good to punish sin, the listen God is too good to not punish sin. Romans 1219 says this beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to rent for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord will think about. We all read of horrible injustice that happens in this world, wicked acts of violence perpetrated on people and innocent little children, and we think they can get away with this, and those people never get arrested there. Never in concert incarcerated. The never face the ramifications for their sin. They escape the long arm of the law of the sin they will not escape the long arm of the Lord. There's a final judgment and everything will come out and this is that day.

Now again I want to distinguish between the rapture and the second coming to stages of the Lord's return. The rapture is at the beginning of the tribulation.

I should say before the second coming is at the end of the tribulation and the rapture. He comes before judgment. In the second coming.

He returned with judgment in the rapture. Jesus comes for his people. In the second coming, he returns with his people in the rapture. He comes as a thief in the night and the second coming. Everyone will see, let me say a word about us being there with the Lord were returning with the Lord.

He's returning with mighty armies because the Bible says, when Christ was alive, shall appear, we shall see him as he has and will be with him and that they thought were coming back with the Lord when he returns to the earth again. Now notice he rides a white horse. In verse 11, a white horse note. Think about when Jesus came into Jerusalem he wrote a little donkey little different than that than a white horse, and we think a donkey and no white horse will this is how we expect him to come on a beautiful white stallion on that first entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, they said, hail him hail him hail him. There was only days later that they said nail him, nail him, nail him, but now he is returning as the risen Lord. And it's interesting that the white stallion if you been with us in this Revelation, series, you may recall that Revelation 6 has the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The first is a white horse, and that's Antichrist reminding us that Antichrist comes on the scene trying to present himself as Jesus Christ or as the Messiah. Remember anti-doesn't just mean against it also means instead of, but he is up falls Messiah and remember Antichrist. In Revelation 6 had one crown. But Jesus wears many crowns remember our Lord wore a crown of thorns when he was crucified. Now we wears many crowns as he returns on his white stallion. This is error horse, one. Returning to the earth again.

You know sometimes people wonder what it Jesus look like and think of all the films you've seen the present Jesus and we've seen him presented in so many ways in people wonder whether his skin color was what his hair color was how tall he was. Isn't it interesting that in all the Bible, not one gospel author, not one person stops to just say, oh by the way, Jesus was like around five tinea dark hair or whatever one person describes a maybe that's because God knows our propensity toward idolatry in you that we would worship an image of him but here we actually have a description that the appearance of Jesus, but it is symbolic.

Three things stand out his eyes, his head in his row first. There are his eyes. Verse 12 his eyes are like a flame of fire. Now this conveys judgment. This conveys righteousness as he is looking at you know when you meet someone you look him in the eyes shake her hand and I was taught my sons and only you meet someone for the first time you stand up you firmly shake their hand you say nice to meet you.

Some people don't want to make eye contact at all. They say the eye is the window to the soul will know you're looking into the eyes of Jesus. Imagine that for a moment, his penetrating gaze cut through every mask of hypocrisy because he sees the heart. We read when Jesus saw Matthew and call them in the Gospels, he saw right through him, or literally, he gazed right through them. So here are the eyes of the Lord who sees everything and then there's his head. Verse 12 on his head were many crowns.

His many crowns because he rules many kingdoms because he is Lord of all, God is sovereign over the entire universe is the all-knowing, all-powerful ruler was also a loving, compassionate Savior. And then there's his robe. Verse 13 is a road that dipped in blood in his name is called the word of God is freeze dipped in blood could be better translated spattered in blood reminding us that when he came the first time he came to die for the sin of the world.

Now he is coming to judge the world and return again and he speaks his enemies out of existence, which is the word from his mouth. The same voice that creates and stop storms and summons Angel speaks and now that judgment is finally come now, you would think when Christ is returning in these forces that are engaged in battle with each other in the battle of battle of Armageddon, the Kings of the East that we already read about and the forces of the antichrist. Suddenly Christ appear Christ is returning. You would think that they would turn from their sedentary is the Lord returning to planet Earth. You think they would just say God forgive us know that some of the do it all. Look at verse 19 I saw the beast that's Antichrist. The kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him who sat on his horse and on his army so they take what little strength they have left and pointed toward Christ and attacked Kim and now this final judgment comes. Revelation 19 verse 20 then the beast that's Antichrist is captured with him the false prophet.

That's the antichrist sidekick/religious Guru leader. Both of them are taken who worked signs in his presence and they were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

The antichrist, the false prophet are immediately judged. These two are so wicked they go directly to the lake of fire know those who have died rejecting Christ will wait for that final judgment. The great white throne judgment and I will talk about later. This is amazing amazing stuff that John's watching the shows over well and then we read in verse 10, that he fell at the feet of this angel that's delivering this message and the angel says a man waited to he-man but he said see that you don't do that on your fellow servant, and of your brothers and then he makes this amazing statement that testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

So the Angels and hate don't do that were in this together. This is all about Jesus and then he gives us very important message that shows you why we've studied the book of Revelation and why we need to know more about prophecy in the Bible. Why because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Listen to this. If you have gone through this series with us in your heart is not been moved closer to God. If you can live in sin, breaking God's commandments with abandon and yet say oh I believe in the imminent return of Jesus. Houston, we have a problem. The idea is that you really understand Bible prophecy. It should affect you in the way that you live as it says in verse John he that has this hope that is the hope of the Lord's return. They will purify himself, even as he is pure. So hopefully studying these things says impacted you spiritually because ultimately the book of Revelation. And remember, Revelation, not revelations is only one book of Revelation unveils truth. That's what it means unveiling it unveils our future. It unveils us to us, but most importantly, the book of Revelation unveils Jesus peers Jesus.

It's all about Jesus. It's all about a relationship with Jesus Christ. The limits in closing, if you're a Christian, there is a judgment seat you will appear before.

Again, not about whether you get in heaven or not. Because the judgment will happen in heaven. It's like a rewards on the award ceremony. We will be giving rewards for your faithfulness to the Lord. But if you're a nonbeliever you will stand before the great white throne judgment, not talk about that next time it's going to be ominous and this can be final and there's no turning back. If you get there. Listen, there are no chances after death. But there are thousands before you have an opportunity to get right with God. So you don't have to face that final judgment because Jesus already feasted for you when he died on the cross in your place, he voluntarily willingly went to the cross and was nailed to it and bled and died for the sin of the world. He bled and died for your sin I mentioned earlier about how you can ever relationship with God. Let me ask you, do you know God in a personal way is Christ living inside of you. Do you have his peace in your heart that passes all human understanding, you find yourself just filled with fear and panic and anxiety and worry especially with all this going on in the world and then you are afraid of death and then you fear the idea of the return of the Lord, that would indicate to me you don't have a relationship with them, but you can have a relationship with them. As I've said before, being a Christian is not becoming a religious person. Being a Christian means you ever relationship with God Almighty. This is why Jesus died.

This is why he rose again so you can know God, not just know about God. So you can know God is the same Jesus who died and rose again from the dead is alive and he standing at the door of your life, and he is knocking, and he is saying if you will hear his voice and open the door. The come in St. hear his voice like a little audible voice. Probably not, but there's sort of a tug, a tug inside of you because what I've said is resonating with you, it's making sense to you using this set. This is what I've been looking for.

This is who I been looking for its Jesus. How could I have missed him. All this time. Maybe you look at all the various religious ideas which are never once open the Bible, maybe you tried all the drugs you tried all the parties you've tried all the things of culture says you should have them make you happy and you're not.

Maybe you've even thought of taking your own life. You're so despondent.

Here is Jesus saying everything you need is found in a relationship with me if you will come to me and believe in me, I will forgive you of all of your sin and you can know that you go to heaven. You can know that you be ready for the return of the Lord. July Christ to come in your life would you like him to forgive you of your sin. Would you like a relationship with him.

Would you like to make a clean break with your past and have a new beginning can happen for you right here right now I would like to lead you in a simple prayer, a prayer will you will be asking Jesus to come of your life to be your savior and your Lord, all prayer, but I would ask you to pray it out loud after me. So if you want Jesus to come in your life right now if you want to go to heaven when you die if you want to be ready for the Lord's return, or you want to build a big hole in your heart. You just need to ask Christ to come in and I'll lead you in this prayer stop what you're doing if you can and pray this prayer. You might even pray it out loud after me.

This is a prayer we are asking Jesus to come and live in your life.

Pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. Now Jesus, I ask you to come into my life be my Savior be my Lord be my God to be my friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer in answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Everybody Greg Laurie here. Thanks for listening to our podcast in the learn more about harvest ministries. Please subscribe and consider supporting this show.

Just go to harvest.org and by the way, if you want to find out how to come into a personal relationship with God. Go to know God.org that's key NOW GLD.org