THE CHURCH OF THE LAST DAYS

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PROPHECY TODAY? BY BRO. BRIAN ROBERTS

OUR AUTHORITY THE WORD OF GOD 2 TIMOTHY 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

RECAP *Israel today is the prophesied rebirth nation that will face the last days (Ezekiel 37:11-14). *The European Union is the prophesied revised Roman Empire of the last days (Daniel 7:7-8). *That tells us that the church today is the church of the last days (Matt. 25:1-2).

Matthew 25:1-2, “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.”

THE CHURCH

THE FIVE WISE VIRGINS

*The five wise virgins had enough oil, which represents the guiding power of the Holy Spirit, so that when the bridegroom came, these believers were ready for Him.

*These believers kept the purity of their mind, body, and soul, and were examples of Christ in their belief, behavior, and word.

*These believers cared more for the world to come, than the present world with its material wealth and material prestige.

THE FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS

*The five foolish virgins did not have enough oil, which means that they trusted in their own ways instead of Christ.

*When Jesus Christ (the bridegroom) came, the foolish virgins were not spiritually ready, not saved.

*The virgins decided to get more oil, the presence of God, but did not buy the oil accepted by Christ (Matthew 25:12-13).

MATTHEW 25 CONTINUED Matthew 25:6-7, “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ (7) Then all those virgins (wise virgins) arose and trimmed their lamps.”

Matthew 25:11-13, “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ (12) But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ (13) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

WILL WE KNOW? *Paul told us in 1 Thessalonians that believers will know the season. Believers will understand that His Coming is close, and it is the believer’s duty to know as much as he/she can about the Coming of Christ.

*Paul told us that we will know when the Day of the Lord is approaching. The Day of the Lord is when God’s Wrath is poured out upon this earth.

*It is our duty, then, to be prepared spiritually, and prepare others spiritually through witnessing and sharing about the Love of Christ that leads to salvation by faith alone.

OUR BIBLICAL SOURCE 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, “But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. (2) For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. (3) For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. (4) But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. (5) You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”

IT IS EASY TO SCOFF *God warns us through Peter that believers need not be inclined to pass the Second Coming off as a doctrine not for them, because in their minds the Second Coming is still far off.

*There will be many within and outside the church that will not take the Coming of Christ seriously. Woe to those who don’t watch and understand that He can come at any time.

*In the last days, the church will be made up of lethargic, uninterested Christians who care more for their rights and wants in the church, than the Will of God.

BEWARE OF THE WARNING 2 Peter 3: 1-4, “Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), (2) that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior, (3) knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their lusts, (4) and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning.”

CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA *The people within the Church of Philadelphia had little power, but the power they did have they used it to the best of their abilities.

*In the last days, it will be rare to find Christians who use their life as a strong witness for Christ, and their life as a mover and shaker for the Gospel.

*The Christian who uses the most of his capabilities will be richly rewarded.

CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA

Revelation 3:7-8 7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens” 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

CHURCH OF LAODICEA

*The Church of Laodicea is a description of the church of the last days.

*The believers within this church cared more for money, prestige, rank, life’s successes, and their ‘right’ for worship, than for Jesus Christ.

*This church will have enough false godliness in it that it would be hard to distinguished between a believer and one of this lukewarm individuals.

CHURCH OF LAODICEA Revelation 3:14-17 “14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Tony Blair clip from www.pastorbrianroberts.com.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THE BELIEVER? *The believer is living in the most important time of evangelization in human history. Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

WHAT ARE YOU TO DO IN THESE LAST DAYS? *Do all you can to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. *Door to Door *Internet *Small Groups *Most importantly—through your church ministries. *Understand the times and seasons of the Word of God to the best of your abilities.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE *Understand that we are living in the last days, so that there are more gray areas in life than ever before. *Understand that there are many wonderful ways to worship God as our knowledge increases about God. *Understand that there are many wonderful ways to spread the Gospel to the whole world starting here in your local church. *Support one another in prayer, and your pastor as you become a better witness for him to ALL people.

THE QUESTION TODAY IS. ARE YOU READY TO MEET YOUR SAVIOR? A-Admit you are a sinner? B-Believe that Jesus saved you from your sins? C-Confess that belief among others? Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.”