CCF Weekly Services Podcast

Jesus enters the last few hours of His earthly ministry by ending the Passover Ceremony with its fulfillment. Communion was given as a remembrance of what He was about to do. This wouldn't save those who participated in it, like Judas Iscariot. It would be the most intimate and personal reminder to those who already were of how they were saved to begin with.

1. What communion does NOT do
2. What communion DOES do
3. What communion CAN do

John is taken aside after seeing the sixth trumpet judgment to see an angel who repeats an action modeled by the prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament. Some of the themes and traits in this chapter are controversial, others are very clear. But this is what gives us all the opportunity to ask ourselves what is most important in personal Bible study. Do we need to know what we don't understand, or clarify the things we actually can?

1. There are issues Christians can disagree on and things they shouldn't. It's key to know the difference.
2. What God doesn't tell us is just as much an opportunity to trust Him as it is with what He does tell us.
3. Reading the last book of the Bible without reading the first 65 will leave you lost and confused.

Jesus concludes the Olivet Discourse with a reminder of just how practical prophecy is. While there are people who use it as an excuse, God's intention in letting us know about the future is three-fold. First, to remind us He's still in control. Second, to provide comfort when everything seems to be falling apart. And third, to put this life into perspective in light of the fact Jesus could return to take us up to Him at any moment.

1. God is still in control. We have His Word on that.
2. If Jesus could return at any time, live in such a way where you're looking forward to it rather than delaying it.
3. Jesus verbally encouraged us to pray that we would escape everything that He's discussed including the Tribulation.

Jesus concludes the Olivet Discourse with a reminder of just how practical prophecy is. While there are people who use it as an excuse, God's intention in letting us know about the future is three-fold. First, to remind us He's still in control. Second, to provide comfort when everything seems to be falling apart. And third, to put this life into perspective in light of the fact Jesus could return to take us up to Him at any moment.

1. God is still in control. We have His Word on that.
2. If Jesus could return at any time, live in such a way where you're looking forward to it rather than delaying it.
3. Jesus verbally encouraged us to pray that we would escape everything that He's discussed including the Tribulation.

John is taken aside after seeing the sixth trumpet judgment to see an angel who repeats an action modeled by the prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament. Some of the themes and traits in this chapter are controversial, others are very clear. But this is what gives us all the opportunity to ask ourselves what is most important in personal Bible study. Do we need to know what we don't understand, or clarify the things we actually can?

1. There are issues Christians can disagree on and things they shouldn't. It's key to know the difference.
2. What God doesn't tell us is just as much an opportunity to trust Him as it is with what He does tell us.
3. Reading the last book of the Bible without reading the first 65 will leave you lost and confused.

Jesus continues His point regarding the destruction of the Temple as a trend that will continue into the End Times. The Last Days we are living in are known as the Time of the Gentiles. And while we have seen a significant period of time take place where Israel's land has been trampled under by a majority population of non-Jewish people, that time is quickly coming to an end as more and more Jews return to their homeland as well as come to a saving knowledge of their Messiah. God has and will continue to use His Chosen people as an example to the entire world of His faithfulness. They are and should remain the foundation of all prophetic study and the perspective we view world events through.

1. Israel is where all of our attention should be and remain when it comes to significant world events prophetically.
2. God always provides a prophetic warning and a provision of escape for His people before Judgment takes place.
3. God's faithfulness to the Jewish people is our sole assurance that He will be faithful to the promises He's made to us.

Jesus continues His point regarding the destruction of the Temple as a trend that will continue into the End Times. The Last Days we are living in are known as the Time of the Gentiles. And while we have seen a significant period of time take place where Israel's land has been trampled under by a majority population of non-Jewish people, that time is quickly coming to an end as more and more Jews return to their homeland as well as come to a saving knowledge of their Messiah. God has and will continue to use His Chosen people as an example to the entire world of His faithfulness. They are and should remain the foundation of all prophetic study and the perspective we view world events through.

1. Israel is where all of our attention should be and remain when it comes to significant world events prophetically.
2. God always provides a prophetic warning and a provision of escape for His people before Judgment takes place.
3. God's faithfulness to the Jewish people is our sole assurance that He will be faithful to the promises He's made to us.

The sixth trumpet judgment demonstrated the same thing we saw in the sixth seal judgment. When mankind is given a direct demonstration of the wrath of God, they won't take a hint and ask God to spare them. The mindset of those experiencing the wrath of God isn't that He is unfair or unknown. At this point in human history, people will know what is causing this astronomical loss of life and the reason why it is happening, but would rather die than repent.

1. If the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense lest you believe in nonsense.
2. Where death was proactively denied in the previous plague, death will be dealt out in abundance in this plague.
3. The only people who go to Hell are those who consciously reject God's mercy.

Jesus gives His disciples an overview of the prophetic calendar as far as God's restoration of Israel is concerned. While the information He gives us is concerning, it wasn't intended to make us despair for the future. The more certainty God has about our future, the more certainty we can have that the promises He's made in spite of it will still be kept.

1. Prophecy produces confidence in God's Word.
2. Prophecy provides peace through God's Word.
3. Prophecy gives us perspective through God's Word.