Because Jesus is coming again. Uh Behold He love, behold He comes and every eye shall see Him friend will you be ready when Jesus Thank you guys. Wasn't that great today? Thank you, Ms. Alter.
Thank you, folks, singing. Uh thank you. Ryan and Tom. It's good to take a Sunday just to make sure that you are, I are aware. that it's on our radar.
that we don't go too far in life without contemplating, remembering. that Jesus is coming again.
Okay. And a lot of churches don't talk about it. But we sure do. And we sing about it, we preach about it. And um I want you to look at Mark chapter 13.
I just want to appreciate you being here today. I know we haven't had the nicest of weather for a couple days. But I want to thank you for being here and being faithful. I want to thank you for your wonderful efforts last week. We had a phenomenal turnout at Church in the Park.
When God first gave me the ideal, I really argued with him about that. But you guys sure came through and God really honored it. We had two saved, by the way, last Sunday night, and we're thankful for that. Met a lot of people that we hope will be coming our way just to visit us. And that aren't currently going to church somewhere.
But thank you for being here today. I'm sure some couldn't make it, but still a good crowd today. And thank you. Um for that. We um Wanted to make sure that not only we remember that Jesus is coming again.
But we have something to do until he does. We're not saved to sit here. We're saved to serve. And what a blessing that is. And thank you, Miss Salter.
Didn't you enjoy those songs? Those are some of my favorite songs. And every time I get to hear them, I just love them. What a blessing today. Michael, just wave your hand if you don't mind.
Over here, Brother Michael Cooper, sitting with my wife Julie. Many of you have prayed for Pam, and we've just kept you updated along the journey. Brother Michael spoke and brother Tony offered a Sunday school class today and just shared his journey. What he's been through, and of course Pam went home to be with the Lord not too long ago after literally four bouts with cancer. And then so many other things in between.
But Michael wanted to come up this weekend, and Michael and I knew each other very well as kids. I actually was part of their wedding. It was my first wedding in the ministry. It was their wedding all those years ago. And you all might remember that I took off one Sunday afternoon after the morning service, I had heard that Pam had really taking a turn for the worse.
And thank you for allowing me to be gone that Sunday night. Just rushed down there and I wanted to see Michael and Pam. We had a precious time late on Sunday night, really into Monday morning. and um a smile on her face. And um She looked good with all she had been through.
I can't imagine what she looks like now, Michael. That's for sure. But he wanted to just come meet the church that prayed for him, that most of you don't know, Michael. And he's a blessing to me. We're more brothers than friends.
Our families have been friends for years. We both have three boys. I can't imagine what his sons are going through.
So you pray for the whole family. And um You know It's more than a program. It's the reminder that Jesus is coming again. And the older you get, the more people you lose. And though More people now in heaven.
Than you ever did. It's a hope. It's a it's a comfort to know. Jesus really is. coming again.
Mark chapter 13. And brother, I appreciate Brother Frank reading our passage just briefly this morning. We have baptism this morning, three to baptize, and we're excited about that. Always I'm just glad good things are happening here at Kerwin Baptist Church. In Mark chapter 13, if you'll notice verse 1, it says, And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here.
And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? Yeah, they look great, don't they? They're beautiful. They're crafted. look like they're going to stand the test of time.
Notice what he says: There shall not be left one stone upon another. That shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter, James, and John, and Andrew asked him. privately. Here they are at the Temple of Jerusalem.
This was the last. Journey through the courtyard of the temple before Jesus. would be crucified. He had begun a message in the early part of Mark chapter 12, but now that we're in Mark 13, the whole message was just. to his disciples.
his followers. And the message is to us today. As they looked around this beautiful temple, and by the way, that temple wouldn't be fully completed until 67 years after Jesus died on the cross. But what's interesting, three years after it was completed, Rome came against Jerusalem and did exactly what Jesus said would happen right here. These beautiful buildings.
Not only that, but they literally, as they knocked down all those buildings, decimated that city, they literally took chisels. If you remember, Brother Ralph Sexton was talking about it on Sunday night about prophecy. They literally took chisels and broke apart. Those bricks and rock, and literally, there was not left one stone. upon another.
Jesus is getting ready to tell them, listen, I'm going to be crucified. And these are going to be the end times, and these are going to be things that you need to look at, and you need to see. And this is how you need to prepare. He begins, I want you to notice first, he gives this message and he lets them know: no, I know things look good now, but this is what's going to happen. And the end times are coming, and Jesus was going to be crucified, and he was, and he was going to be buried, and he was, but he rose again on the third day, and he ascended back into heaven and gave us the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and all that was done.
And these verses are to prepare us that Jesus not only came, but he's coming back again. May I remind you this morning, and as I always do, the second coming of Christ that people often refer to is not Jesus coming to earth. Literally, the first time Jesus came, remember, he came to us as a babe in a manger, all right, in Bethlehem. The second time he comes, he's coming for us. He will not come to earth, we will meet him in the air.
And so shall we ever be with the Lord. But the third time he comes back to earth, which is the second time he comes to earth, but the third time he's coming, he's coming back with us.
So he came to us, for us, but the third time we're coming back with him, and we are ruling and reigning for a thousand years here on earth.
So he's preparing the disciples. I want you to notice the first instruction he gives briefly this morning. Number one, he says, do not be deceived. Look at verse 4. The disciples said, Tell us, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign when all of these things shall be fulfilled?
Notice first Jesus says, man will deceive. Look at verse 5. And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest Any Man. Deceive you. Can I give you a little bit of a tidbit of information this morning?
Man deceives. Amen.
Okay, there's five of us. Look at me. Men deceive. Even you and I are capable of it. Our old nasty flesh.
And Jesus says, Listen, I'm going to give you a warning now as these things begin to be fulfilled. You better be careful that you're not deceived. And you better make sure that you're not just listening to man. You better make sure you are in the Word of God. Because God doesn't deceive.
God's word doesn't deceive, but man can. Notice, secondly, he says, man will deceive. Notice, secondly, he says, many will come. What do you mean? Look at verse 5.
And Jesus, answering them, began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you. Verse 6, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. Listen, we've watched it all these years. If you have streaming services, you can pull up just about any streaming service and find a documentary about some nutcase. That began some religion that people end up dying for.
I mean, from drinking the Kool-Aid to eating the chips or whatever you want to call it. Why? Because Jesus said, listen, don't be deceived. Man can deceive, and many are going to come saying, I'm Christ. And many are going to come and have a whole lot of different things to say.
You say, Well, preacher, how do we know the truth? Here's the truth. Notice what he says thirdly. Signs and wonders. Verse 21, look at this.
And then, if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or Lo, he is there, believe him not.
Now, notice. For false Christs and false prophets shall rise and shall show signs and wonders to seduce. If it were possible. even the elect. even those that claim to believe and follow Christ.
But take ye heed. Behold, what does he say? I have foretold you. All things. Can I ask you something, folks?
Where did he foretell us all things? Man will deceive false Christ, false prophets, false people, false things. But he says, I have foretold you.
So first instruction that I can give you, Carwin Baptist Church, Jesus is coming again. And be careful that you are not deceived. Listen, don't believe everything you hear. Don't believe everything you read. I would suggest at times turn the TV off.
Just shut down the website. Because you are literally getting what some person wants you to hear. Get in your Bible.
Well, that went over like a lead balloon. I'm glad. It should go over like a I hope it explodes. That's what I hope. Notice secondly, I'll get off that fast Secondly, he says not only do not be deceived, but he says do not be troubled.
No, he just told all the trouble that can happen, and then he says, Don't be troubled. Look at verse 7. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, Be ye not, what did he say first? Be ye not deceived. What did he say here?
Be ye not troubled. For such things must needs be, but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in diverse places, and there shall be famines and troubles. These are the beginning. of sorrows.
What does he say? He said, listen. The end is near, but don't be troubled. That sounds difficult to process. Like, shouldn't we be troubled?
Can I say something, dear friend? It doesn't mean that we are not disappointed by what we see our nation doing. It doesn't mean that we agree with it. It doesn't mean that it doesn't bother us. It doesn't mean that it doesn't disappoint us.
And at times, by the way, it doesn't mean we're not disgusted by it. But what it means is, it doesn't trouble us as God's children. It shouldn't bring worry and anxiety, and now we're fretting, and now we're worried in different things. You know, I know we have the gift of hindsight, but you would not believe how many people, when COVID hit, told me, oh, the tribulation has started. And I kindly said, no, it hasn't.
Let me illustrate how. Jesus foretold all these things. Let me illustrate this if I can. How many of you have ever been to Mount Rushmore?
Okay, not a whole lot from North Carolina, but some of you have been. I've probably been there 20, 25 times in my life. But I remember the first time. Dad was preaching in Rapid City, South Dakota, and we preached there numerous times over the years. We actually have a young lady who's here at our church whose family went to this church in Rapid City, South Dakota.
And the first time I, history books, I was homeschooled, and so we're told about this, and we're going to go see Mount Rushmore kind of a thing. And so I was in the car, and we're driving, and we're going there through the Black Hills. And it's a beautiful drive, by the way. If you ever go to Mount Rushmore, there's about three or four different ways to get in there. But one of the coolest things is they have literally tunnels in the mountains and the road, the curved road, that you come through the tunnel and it literally frames Mount Rushmore.
And so we were driving there, and I was all excited about it. And every time we went by a mountain, I was just a youngster, and every time we went by a mountain, I said, Dad, is that it? My dad said no. And then we go around another curve, and you know, the black hill is just beautiful. I said, Dad, is that it?
He goes, No. And so finally, my dad turned around and he said, Daniel, if you have to ask if it's it, it's not it. You'll know it. when you see it. And buddy, I drove through and the first time you see the President's on a mountain, you're just like, wow.
And then about 30 seconds later, you're ready to leave. But that's Mount Rushmore. Get you a little bell or a shot glass or whatever and go ahead and head home. Day's over. First time I saw him at Rushmore, George, Washington, I was like, wow, what a schnauz.
But anyway, it was a wonderful day. Look at me. If you have to keep asking, is this the tribulation? It's not. You'll know it.
And let me tell you how I'm going to know it. I'm going to be in heaven. You're like, well I don't believe that.
Well have fun then. You enjoy the tribulation. But I'm out of here for it. Do not be Troubled. You know, listen, God's told us everything in God's word as far as prophecy and things that are going to happen.
He did not tell us what he has told us. He has not told us everything, but he told us what he wanted us to hear. And he did not tell us that for us to walk around biting our fingernails off, worried, checking websites, listening to news, reading the newspaper, getting in this, finding. He told us that so that you and I can be comforted.
So that you and I won't have to be troubled. And, dear friend, if it's starting to trouble you, you've gone too far. You've gone away from this to other things. Jesus. is coming again.
It's exciting. Not worrying, not troubling. Notice, third, he says, do not be surprised. Look at verse 9. He says, But take heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up to counsels.
And in the synagogues ye shall be beaten. Ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for testimony against them.
Now, what's going on here?
Well, this is New Testament context in the sense that he's telling his disciples, this is what you're going to face on my behalf. But he's also speaking about end times. And can I tell you a little bit of a secret, if I can, Carroll Baptist Church? You and I should not be surprised if we watch some of our freedoms begin to slip away. My brother-in-law Matt and I, we talk about it a lot.
And I'm going to tell you something. I don't know if my kids, when they get to be my age, if they'll be able to worship freely in America. We don't know. Listen, I believe we're out of here for the tribulation, but we don't also know what all we might have to go through before he takes us out of here. And I am saying this, listen to what Jesus said.
Listen, don't be surprised. Don't walk around naive to the thing that, you know what, hold, you know what, I'm a Christian, nothing bad is ever going to happen to me, dear friend. That's just not the case. But it shouldn't. trouble you Why, preacher, if you say, well, some of these things might happen, well, I'll tell you why I shouldn't trouble you, because if they begin to happen, it's just another sign that Jesus is really close.
Can I give you this fourth one? He says, Do not forget your purpose. Look at verse 9. He said, Let me tell you what's going to have to happen before. Jesus comes back for his own before we come back in the millennial reign of Christ.
Look at verse 10. And the gospel must first be published. among all nations. Curling Baptist Church, our purpose is still to get the gospel out. We don't know when Jesus is going to come, and I believe it's going to be soon.
But in the middle of all this, you and I, we can get. very lost if we forget our purpose. Our purpose is not to fix America. Look at me. Jesus said he sent the Holy Spirit to reprove the world of sin, not you.
Not me. Listen, our job isn't to fix America. Our job isn't even to fix the people on our row. Or in our pew. Our job is not to fix everybody at church that we don't think does it right, like we do.
Our job is to publish the gospel. Currently Baptist Church, that's all we're trying to do. All the effort and resources and all this stuff to church in the park. What? It's just to try to get the gospel out to at least one more.
Because I'm going to tell you, the gospel is what changes lives.
So verses 11 through 30. I'm not going to touch this morning. I'll tell you why. Because in verses 11 to 30, it's interesting. You ought to read it.
Jesus talks about the tribulation. He talks about the rapture of the church. He talks about the second coming of Jesus to the earth for the millennial reign. He talks about the abomination of desolation. He talks about all these wonderful things.
This is going to take place. He literally walks them through prophecy. And he tells them, listen, you know, as this is coming, don't be troubled. Don't be deceived.
Okay? Don't forget your purpose, all these things. And then he talks about all these end times, and then he wraps it all back up again as we close this morning. In verse 31. This is his literally the conclusion of his message here.
In Kerwin Baptist Church, our subject today, our message is entitled simply Watch. Listen to what he says. Verse 31, he says, Heaven and earth shall pass away. I've just told you about it. Jesus said, I just told you all that's going to happen.
And listen, when Jesus comes and you and I come to rule and reign on this earth, we're going to reign for a thousand years, and Satan's going to be chained forever, and a whole new heaven and a new earth is going to be created. I'll tell you, it's going to be fantastic. We're going to be in the presence of the Lord for an eternity. It's going to be wonderful. I can tell you're really excited about it.
But this is what he says. Listen, because I just told you, heaven and earth shall pass away. But my words. Shall not. pass away.
Number one, he says this, base everything in your life on the Word of God. Don't you base your life on anything on this earth. Don't you form your identity on what you have? on what you've accomplished. Or who you think you are.
You base your identity on Jesus Christ. You base everything in your life on the Word of God. You make a decision. You make a decision based on the Word of God. Don't make a decision based on whether it's going to make your wallet bigger.
Don't make a decision because you think it's going to make your life richer. Don't make a decision because you think it's going to be more popular or because this will please a person. Everything in your life should be based on the Word of God. Why? Because everything you see is going to pass away.
Everything besides the Word of God, like Jesus said, these stones look great today and this temple looks great today. But in 70 years, there's not going to be one stone left on another. And that's exactly the way it's going to be here on earth.
So you and I must base everything in our life on the Word of God. Notice what he says secondly. Verse 32. He says, but of that day and that hour knoweth no man. No, not the angels which are in heaven.
Notice this, neither the sun. But the father Take ye heed, watch, and pray, for ye know not when the time is.
Now look at me. Let me make this statement. If it's okay to Jesus. not to know when. Yeah.
You and I should be okay that we don't know when. There are some men that have gotten very wealthy trying to predict the day that Jesus will come back. I remember as a kid, I remember it happening. I'm not trying, I don't call names from this pulpit, but I'm going to. Frank Newsome.
No, not that name. I'm not going to. Nick, Verde, I'm not going to do that. There's a guy years ago because you'll know his name was Harold Camping. Had a little TV teaching ministry, and he predicted that Jesus would come in 19, I think it was 92.
He predicted it that in 1992, he predicted he was coming in 1994. Wrote a whole book, thousands upon thousands, read the book. He didn't come the day he said.
So he immediately wrote a second book that he was coming two years from then. And the same thousands of people began to buy that book. And Harold Kemping has tried to predict the day over eight different times now. And he keeps telling people and keeps writing books and different things. And, dear friend, listen to me.
I want you to get this. Number two, please get this. It is not about knowing the time, it is about redeeming the time. If Jesus is okay not knowing. The whole point is not for you and I to know when he's coming.
The whole point is for you and I to be ready when he comes. Quit trying to argue and figure out all that junk. Just get busy serving God. Until he does come. Notice number three in verse thirty-four.
He says, For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey. who left his house and gave authority to his servants. and to every man his work, and commanded the porter. To watch. Number three, he says this: we must fulfill.
Our responsibility as his servants. Jesus tells his disciples, let me tell you, the coming of the Lord is like this. It's like a man that left and he gave the entire business, the ranch, the farm, everything to his servants and said, Listen, you be busy about it, you take care of this, you be stewards of this until I come back. That is our Job. It's our responsibility.
Look at me. If it wasn't for that Jesus, the moment we got saved, Listen, D.L. Moody said, years ago, he said this. He said, you know, whenever a person gets saved, he says, I'd love to take a ball peen hammer and beat them over the head and send them right to heaven before they meet mature Christians. Listen, if Jesus didn't have anything for us to do the moment we got saved, boop, he'd take us home.
There'd be no churches.
Some of you are like, whoa. No, it means literally this: He left us here for a reason. And what is it? We're stewards. He's the owner.
We're to serve, we're to further his work. Notice number four. Verse 35. He says, Watch ye therefore. For ye know not when the master of the house cometh.
At even or at midnight. Or at the cock crowing, which would be even morning early, or in the morning, lest coming suddenly. He find you. Sleeping. You know, Bible prophecy provides some of the greatest encouragement and hope.
to us today. Bible prophecy, you what? Do you know just as the Old Testament is saturated with prophecies concerning Jesus' first coming? Listen to me. Both testaments are filled with references to the second coming.
of Jesus Christ. It is estimated, and you listen to me, Coron Baptist Church, it is estimated that there are 1,845 references to the second coming of Christ in the Old Testament. 17 books of the Old Testament give the entire preeminence of the book to the second coming of Christ. Not the first coming, but the second coming. In 260 chapters of the New Testament, there are 318 references to the second coming of Christ.
That means one out of every 30 verses in the New Testament is not about Jesus just coming as a baby, but it's about Jesus coming again. 23 of the 27 New Testament books refer to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Let me put it this way. For every prophecy in the Bible concerning Jesus' first coming and birth to Bethlehem, there are over nine references for every one of those. There are nine references.
references for the second coming of Jesus Christ. He says, So, what does that mean, preacher? Look at verse 37, our last one. We must be ready. And what I say unto you, he says I say unto all.
Watch. Charles Haddon Spurgeon the Great preacher, many of you have heard of him. I got all excited in my house the other day. I don't listen to a lot of preaching. Uh I only listen to myself.
And um That was a big joke, by the way. I don't even like to hear myself on a recording. To me, I sound like this on recording, so I hate to hear it. In fact, every time I hear it, I was like, I got to change how I talk. This is how I now, I need to change why I talk like this.
Maybe this would be, you know, kind of a thing. But by the time I get going, I sound like I'm real nasally, I always have been. I listen to preaching sometimes and different things, but I got all excited in my house the other day. I was reading a sermon by Charles Spurgeon. It's doing just a little bit of Stuff on the second coming.
In 1857, he preached a sermon entitled Secret Sins. And he got on the second coming of Christ. I just want to read it to you. He said, when Christ comes a second time, There will be a marvelous change in the way men talk. He says, when we see him, there he sits upon his throne.
Now, Caiaphas, come and condemn him now.
Now, Judas, come and kiss him now.
Now, Barabbas, go. See whether the people prefer you to Jesus now. Swearer, now is your time. You've been bold through life. Why don't you curse Jesus now?
Drunkard, why don't you stagger to Jesus now? Infidel? Why don't you tell him to his face that there is no Christ? Tell God there is no God now.
Now laugh at the Bible.
Now scoff at the preachers. Men, what is the matter with you? You've done it through your whole life. Why can't you do it now? That Jesus is here.
Oh, there you are. Have you fled to the hills and the rocks? Do you think the rocks will hide you, but the mountains will fall on you? You think they will hide you from the face of him that sits on the throne? Where is your boasting now?
Where is your vaunting now? Where are your glories now that Jesus has come again? You know what I say? Yeah, where are the comedians on TV now? Where are the protesters now?
When Jesus comes again. Oh dear friend, men are going to talk very different. When Jesus comes again. Many of you have heard of Warren Wearsby, and I close with this. Warren Wearsby wrote a book called Meet Yourself in the Psalms.
Fantastic book. In this book he tells about a frontier town. Where a horse bolted and ran away with a wagon, and there was a little boy inside this wagon. Seeing the child in danger, a young man risked his life to catch that horse and stop that wagon and was injured in the process. The child who was saved that day grew up.
And he became a very lawless criminal. One day he stood before a judge in a town to be sentenced. The greatest news that anyone can receive is the news of the free gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ. It is our desire for you to know him personally. Would you take a moment to hear this to day?
Every man is born with a sin nature. Romans 3:23 says, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No matter how hard we try, We're not good enough to obtain God's glory. or to get to heaven. Because of that sin carries the penalty of death.
Romans 6.23 says, For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The wages of our sin, or the payment of our sin, only equals death and separation from God. But it's only through God's gift Salvation through Jesus Christ that we can accept Him as our Savior. Jesus Christ paid for your sin debt.
The Bible says in Romans 5:8, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All you have to do is receive Christ. by faith as your Saviour. Romans ten nine says, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Verse 13 continues, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
It's as simple as admitting that you're a sinner believing that Jesus is the only way. and calling upon his name. Bible says whosoever that's anyone can call upon the name of the Lord to be saved. Have you accepted Christ as your personal Savior? There is no greater day than today to take care of this.
Would you accept Christ as your Savior? If you have any questions, please give us a call at 336-993-5192 or visit our website at Crowin Baptist Church. Dot com. or visits that person at one of our three service times. We hope you have a great rest of your day.
God bless you. Mm-hmm.
