An Extraordinary Return Part 2

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. The hope of Christ's return has motivated Christians for two thousand years, and that return in power is nearer now than ever. Only a few saw Jesus rise into heaven, but every eye will see him return to vanquish his enemies. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, do you feel we are in the final stage of history before the return of Jesus?

Well Dave, I'm not going to go out on a limb and say yes to your question, but I do need to emphasize that never before have we seen events line up as they are lining up today to wind up history. What we do know for certain is that Christ is going to return. This is the last day we are making this sermon series available to you as a resource, or if you prefer, as the book. Entitled Christ Among Other Gods, The Defense of Christ in an Age of Tolerance. I know that you'll be blessed by these resources, and for a gift of any amount, you can have either the book or the series, Christ Among Other Gods. Here's what you do.

Go to RTWOffer.com, or call us at 1-888-218-9337. I'm going to be giving you that contact info again at the end of this broadcast. For now, listen carefully, because history is going to be wrapped up by the glorious return of our Savior. And I can already see it happening where people are asked to sign on, and then if you don't, they say, see, you're opposed to peace. You know, these Christians are standing in the way of a global agenda. Here we are on the verge of a brand new age when we're going to bring peace and we're going to end hunger in the world, and who in the world won't get on the agenda?

It's those Christians who think that their God is the right one. A commitment to globalism. Number four, there will be a commitment to utopia. Utopia.

We can usher it in. You should just see how optimistic this document is, though it was written by a man who had some sense of realism. But he says, we appeal to all the inhabitants of this planet. Earth cannot be changed for the better unless the consciousness of individuals is changed. We will pledge to work for such transformation in individual and collective consciousnesses for the awakening of our spiritual powers through reflection, meditation, prayer, or positive thinking. Choose whatever you like or none of the above for the conversion of the heart.

This is for the conversion of the heart. Together, get this folks, together we can move mountains. And without a willingness to take risks and a readiness to sacrifice, there can be no fundamental change in our situation. That's why we commit ourselves to a common global ethic, to better mutual understanding, as well as to a societal beneficial peace-fostering, earth-friendly way of life. Earth, of course, being capitalized. Utopia is on the corner.

It's just around here. The Bible says regarding antichrist in Daniel chapter 8 verse 25, and through his shrewdness he will cause deceit to succeed. And he will magnify himself in his heart and he will destroy many while they are at ease. I like the King James translation here. It says, through peace he will destroy many. And you have all of the doves of peace that will be flying around and behind it will be the most brutal politically motivated religious organization that this world has ever seen that will be viciously cruel. Let me give you one other commitment of antichrist, and that is, of course, intolerance, intolerance to those who disagree, intolerance of all dissent.

Listen to the words of Mariah Timms. He says, the plagues of revelation are a special package of karma visited upon the obstinate that they might awaken to their wrong attitudes, animals that don't adapt become extinct, remember. Survival today means understanding and responding to change within the context of internal revolution. Now the Bible says that when antichrist comes, people are going to be forced to take his mark upon their forehead or upon their hand. Scholars of the scripture used to wonder how that can take place. Today we understand it a little better.

It could well be some kind of a computer chip. And in a cashless society, which would only make sense because that would end all of the drug money that is being laundered and so forth so that everything would have to go through a common computer, in a cashless society, you would not want to lose your ID, your PIN, your personal identification number, and it could be tattooed on your hand or on your forehead wherever you wanted it, and it may well be that you don't even know the number yourself so that you could never be held up by anyone who would make you confess what your number is. And then the Bible says that those who do that in order to live, because without it you can't buy or sell, they are indicating that they are buying into the beast's religious agenda. Remember we're not talking politics in the end as much as we are religion.

All that dwell upon the face of the earth shall worship him. Now it is in that context that the Bible talks about the return of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that there is going to be a battle called the battle of Armageddon because Antichrist's power is going to wane and it's going to fall apart and he's going to come to the Middle East, and it's going to begin there at the valley of Armageddon, but it is going to spill over at least for 200 miles throughout the Middle East, and it is going to be the most bloody and the most vicious and the most cruel battle that has ever been seen on this planet.

So first of all it will be fought in Israel, but secondly it is the worst conflict in history. Two passages that I want you to turn to, the first is Matthew chapter 24 where Jesus predicts what is going to happen. Matthew chapter 24 where he gives us a glimpse into the end time and how bad it is going to be. In this chapter he begins by talking about Titus surrounding the city of Jerusalem in 70 AD, but this becomes a picture of the great tribulation and the final return of Christ to this planet. It says in verse 21, for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now or ever will be.

And unless those days had been short no life would have been saved, but for the sake of the elect those days have been short. Then if anyone says to you, well behold here is Christ, Benjamin Krems says that there is a Christ who is right now in the Himalayan mountains and is waiting to be revealed and when he comes he's going to be taller than Jesus. Well that's what the battle of Armageddon is going to be all about is to see who's taller, but notice it says if somebody says here's the Christ, here's a holy man, I never knew how people could worship a man until I saw the Dalai Lama at the Parliament of World Religions and people were clamoring to touch him. And the Antichrist will have an aura about him that will be so magnetic, in fact he will probably say that he's a reincarnation of some previous important personage and everybody will worship him, but Jesus said do not when somebody says Christ is over there, don't believe them. Verse 24, for false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead if possible even the elect. Behold I've told you in advance, if therefore they say to you behold he is in the wilderness, don't go out there.

Behold he's in the inner rooms, don't believe him. Verse 27, for just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be and Jesus says in verse 29 there will be signs, in verse 30 there will be the sign of the Son of Man who will appear in the sky and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. Now I need to be clear and say that many of us believe that when this happens you and I will already be in heaven because there will be a rapture of the church that will take God's people to himself and then there will be a period of time of great tribulation when there are some people who will believe on Christ, that's why there are believers during the great tribulation period when God continues his work with the nation Israel but then Jesus Christ comes to the Mount of Olives and we come with him. Let me read to you or quote to you Zechariah 14. It says his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which lies before Jerusalem on the east and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof towards the west and towards the east so that there shall be a very great valley and then toward the north and towards the south it will literally break apart when Christ comes and every eye shall see him.

People say well how can every eye see him? Is ABC going to be there? Is NBC going to be there?

Or maybe the answer finally is CNN. They will be there, right? That's a possibility but another possibility is that when Jesus actually begins his majestic approach it may take so long that there may be this sign in the sky that the entire world may turn its 24-hour revolution so that everyone sees what is in the sky and that every eye beholds him and sees his glory and as he begins to descend then finally on the Mount of Olives every one of the people in the Battle of Armageddon are going to say let's all gang up and take care of him no matter what their differences. Whether their differences are geographical, whether their differences are religious, they are going to set all that aside and they're going to say we need to fight against Christ and so they will turn on him and the Bible says that he will come and he will slay them and all the false religions and all the people and all the people who believe that we are God and all the people who thought to themselves that they could have their self-transformation and those who believed in the fundamental goodness of man that we did not need redemption, all of them the Bible says will be destroyed. Now let us turn to Revelation 19. It was read to us earlier but there are a couple of verses I would like to point out to you where we have a detailed description of Christ's coming. Revelation 19 verse 11 and I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he who sat upon it is faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and wages war and his eyes are a flame of fire and upon his head are many diadems and he has a name written upon him which no one knows except himself and he is clothed with a robe dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God and the armies which are in heaven clothed in fine linen white and clean were following him on white horses.

Who are those armies? Look at verse 8 at the marriage supper of the lamb it says and it was given to her that is to the bride Christ's bride us to clothe herself in white linen bright and clean. That means that we come with the Lord Jesus Christ. You say well where am I going to be at this time of great glory when the heavens open and when the majestic king comes to descend upon the earth? If you're a believer in Jesus Christ you will be with him. Perhaps in a number of years I hope to lead another tour to Israel but don't feel badly if you can't go because if you're a believer you're in for the grand tour the grand tour and so the text goes on to say and on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written king of kings and lord of lords and then the scripture says in verse 20 what happens to the beast? What happens to all these people who went around saying he's God he's God and then people say look don't complain he's giving us bread on the table.

Why are you complaining? Because they will think that their physical bodies is much more valuable than their eternal souls. It says that the beast was seized and with him the false prophet and we might add all the other false prophets that have lived who performed the signs in his presence by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image and these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. If you think that the judgment is somewhat severe what you need to remember is the simple fact that God regards the greatness of our sins in accordance with the greatness of the being against whom our sins have been committed.

That's the reason why the justice is served though the judgment seems so harsh. It is because you see we are no longer able to honor the glory of God and not a one of us can and that's why we need Christ and if you're here today and you have never personally believed on him you will be included in this final judgment because all in the end will either worship the beast or worship Christ and the division will be complete and it will be eternal. Let me paint you in conclusion two pictures. The one we have already talked about but in another passage in Revelation it says that an angel went throughout the whole earth crying with a loud voice and says if anyone worships the beast and his image and takes his mark upon his forehead or upon his hand he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured unmixed in the cup of his fury and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb and it says that the smoke of their torment shall rise up forever and ever and they have no rest of those who worship the beast.

All the people who said you know it doesn't matter what your belief is as long as you're sincere that's important. It says that they shall be destroyed and their smoke goes up forever and ever. What a terrible picture of all false religion that has not acknowledged God's own son Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But let me now paint for you another picture. John says and I saw as it where a sea of glass mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over the number of his name and they stood on the sea of glass having the harps of God and they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the lamb saying great and marvelous are thy works Lord God almighty just and true are thy ways thou king of saints who shall not fear the old Lord and glorify thy name for thou only art holy and all nations shall worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the new Jerusalem descending from heaven from God and its light was like onto a sea of glass and it was so beautiful and its light was like onto a stone most precious even as a jasper stone clear as crystal and I saw no temple therein for the Lord God almighty and the lamb are the temple of it and the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it and there is no night there and there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie but they which are written in the lamb's book of life and Jesus said behold I come quickly I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end of the first and the last and the spirit and the bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and drink of the water of life freely he which testifieth these things saith behold I come quickly even so come Lord Jesus oh my friend today if you've never believed on Jesus if you've never received him as your savior acknowledging your sinfulness would you do that right now if the Holy Spirit of God has talked to you you talk to God this is your day of opportunity Jesus is going to return and you know we don't know when but we know it is certain this is the last day we're making available this sermon series Christ among other gods and a book I've written a companion book essentially the same material Christ among other gods for a gift of any amount this resource can be yours either the book or the sermon series here's what you do go to rtwoffer.com you need these resources in order to defend Jesus Christ and help others to understand why he alone is Savior God and king go to rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 let me give you that phone number again 1-888-218-9337 today is the last day that we are making these resources available it's time again for another chance for you to ask pastor Lutzer a question you may have about the Bible or the Christian life having a troubled past can be a millstone around one's neck Nancy from Ohio writes I've listened to your sermons on breaking the cycle I was raised by a father who was an inwardly troubled person who had a heart attack and a heart attack raised by a father who was an inwardly troubled person and his scarred emotions spilled over into our family life I was not one of the favorites in the family and his actions towards me were very mentally and physically abusive my self-esteem was below ground level and my inner scars were deep and many my mother was a true Christian and it was probably because my life was saved and somehow I managed to make it to adulthood I'm glad she never stopped loving me my brother claims that even though God forgives our every failure he is keeping track of them all and when we get to heaven our past sins will still have to be accounted for on judgment day if that's the case I know I'll stand someday before my God hanging my head in shame because my sins were so many Pastor Lutzer what do you think Nancy thank you so much for writing and I hope that you are listening and I hope that you benefit from what I have to say when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior as you have done our sins are legally forgiven past present and future is put away in fact the Bible says that God doesn't regard them anymore he doesn't throw them in our face anymore your brother however still does have a point because the Bible says in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10 that we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for the deeds done in the body whether good or bad so how do we reconcile that there is a way that God is going to evaluate our lives since our conversion in order to know how to reward us and there is no doubt that some people's reward because of faithfulness is going to be much greater than other people who were unfaithful no question about it if we do see our sins in any way it will be represented to us as forgiven because God is not going to throw them in our face will we be embarrassed well the Bible does say that some will have shame at his coming but keep in mind that throughout all of eternity together we as God's people will sing his praises and will sing his grace tell your brother that he himself has to be very careful because the more honest we are the more we realize how great our sin is and if we do poorly at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ all of us will but thank God for his mercy Paul also says in 2 Corinthians that in that day all people shall have praise of God you'll have praise of God Nancy and I will have praise of God all because of God's undeserved mercy don't live in fear but live rather for Jesus Christ with joy knowing that your sins are forgiven they are washed away your life is important and the judgment seat will not determine whether you go to heaven or hell it is a judgment to determine how much God can reward you I hope this helps God bless you thank you Nancy for sharing your heart with us thank you Dr. Lutzer for sharing yours if you'd like to hear your question answered go to our website at rtwoffer.com and click on Ask Pastor Lutzer or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us at Running to Win 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard Chicago Illinois 60614 a believer's effectiveness is determined by the disciplines of the Christian life practiced every day every week every month every year next time on Running to Win we begin a series outlining four disciplines crucial to your spiritual maturity don't miss the disciplines of the soul four ways to get close to God we'll begin with the discipline of meditation thanks for listening this is Dave McAllister Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church