Assessing the State of our World 6

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Matthew 24:26-35; Jesus continues the Olivet Discourse with additonal warnings about false messiahs coming in his name. Then He relates the parousia or second coming will be a global event, with a sign that all will see. Rather than welcome Christ back, most will mourn at His return, which will be preceded by chaotic events […]

Assessing the State of our World 5

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Matthew 24:15-25; In the next section of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warns His discples about another coming violation of the holy place in the temple called the “abomination which causes desolation“. Christ references the prophet Daniel who was given the vision of the temple in Jerusalme being desecrated by a future leader who breaks a […]

Assessing the State of our World 4

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Matthew 24:9-14; In the second section of the Olivent Discourse, Jesus reveals that committed disciples would face persecution and even death for identifying as Christians. The Lord uses the unsettling term “hate’ to describe the world’s attitude and response to faithful believers.Again the warning about false prophets is issued so the church would be prepared […]

Assessing the State of our World 3

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Matthew 24:1-8; The next prophetic witness concerning the end of the age and false teachers is the most credible of all, Jesus the Christ. Immediately after confronting the Pharisees in the temple, Jesus and His disciples left Jerusalem and stopped on the Mount of Olives. The inner circle had question for their Lord, which Jesus […]

Assessing the State of our World 2

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II Timothy 3:1-9: One of the key principles of Scripture is rightly determining truth from error. Like Peter, the Apostle Paul was deeply trouble by the infiltration of false teachers in the early church. He aptly noted that “There will be terrible times in the last days”, not just projecting forward into the unknown future, […]

Assessing the State of our World 1

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II Peter 2:1-9; Following his affirmation of prophesy as a means of accurately communicating God’s revealed truth, Peter informs his readers that false teachers would seek to infiltrate the church. Their goal is to “introduce destructive heresies” and “bring the way of truth into disrepute”. However, their destruction will be swift and sure, as the […]

Mining Gold from the Sermon on the Mount 6

Matthew 7:24-27; The final message of the Sermon on the Mount series contains a profound warning to two groups of “everyone” who hear the words of Jesus. The first group of “everyone” are those who hear and are wise because they “put them into practice”; contrasted with the second group who are foolish because they […]