Sermons from June 2013

Judgment on Israel, Part 3

Mark 13:14-23 This passage is often interpreted as dealing with events that are yet future for this world. We see in this message, though, that there are good reasons to understand that the passage is instead focusing on things that were in the future as Jesus spoke a

Why We Believe in an Optimistic Future, Part 4

Revelation 1:1-7 This evening, we consider two more passages that at first sight may appear to stand in the way of an optimistic view concerning the future of God’s kingdom on earth: the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation. We see that in both cases there are sig

Why We Believe a Saving Faith Is a Working Faith

James 2:26 Though it’s true that we’re saved by grace through faith alone (as we saw earlier in this series), we are not saved by a faith that is alone. True saving faith will always be accompanied by works. If it isn’t, it’s a dead faith that can’t save.

Why We Believe in an Optimistic Future, Part 3

Daniel 9:24-27 Continuing to consider the possibility of a „golden age„ on earth before the return of the Lord Jesus, we begin to review the passages that are sometimes used to show that we should rather expect a time of difficulty and tribulation. In each case, we see

Remember the Lord’s Commandment Spoken by the Apostles

2 Peter 3:1-2 „The Commandment„ that was on the hearts of the Apostles and pressed upon the church in their writings is the Great Commission, recorded for us in Matthew 28 and referred to again here in 2 Peter 3. We see how obedience to this commandment is the best d

Why We Believe in an Optimistic Future, Part 2

1 Corinthians 15:25 Is there anything we have to look forward to in this world as the result of the ongoing subjection of our Lord’s enemies? We consider the following: * The fact that Jesus is reigning now can give us the confidence that everything will work out as God ha

Judgment on Israel, Part 2

Mark 13:1-13 Before the Temple would be torn down, Jesus said the following would take place: * False Christs would appear to deceive many. * Wars, famines and earthquakes. * Persecution of the Church. * The Gospel would be preached in the whole world.

Why We Believe in an Optimistic Future, Part 1

1 Corinthians 15:25 We begin to look at the character of the millennium. Will it be warfare to the end or will there come a time when the world will submit to Jesus Christ and experience His temporal blessings on earth? Christians disagree on the answers to these questions

Judgment on Israel, Part 1

Mark 13:1-37 We begin to consider the account Jesus gives of the destruction of the temple in Mark 13. We examine several of the different interpretations of this passage. Examining the context, we see that Jesus was not talking about an event in the distant future,