The Tabernacle Today

The Truth is Marching On Acts 13:4-13

One of the first books written on preaching was The Art of Prophesying,by William Perkins (1558-1602).

“It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills.”  ― Adrian Rogers

The ______________________ of the Team to go V. 4

Zane Williams song “Overnight success…”

The ___________________ of the Team as they went V. 4-5

Paul went to key cities…

He would _________________ go into a synagogue…

Then he would make the most of opportunities with Gentiles.

He would use bridge building _______________________.

He always ministered as part of a ___________________, developing future leaders as he led…

The Opposition the Team overcame  V. 6-12

There is a time for direct _______________, as Jesus and the apostles modeled for us.

Jesus and Paul’s sternest words were for…

Those who claimed to know God but whose words or actions gave people the ____________________ idea about God.

Anyone whose words or actions obscured others ________________ to the gospel.

Limited __________________ this first time out V. 13

Jesus gave us the parable of the sower in part to encourage us that our job is to sow the seed of the gospel, and there will be different responses to it.

And very often taking the gospel to places where Satan has reigned through false religion means years of plowing and planting before the harvest comes.

It was _______ years of hard work in Burma before Adorinam Judson saw the first convert.

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How did Antioch fare after “losing” its 2 key pastors?

After the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, Antioch became the world _________________ of Christianity.

By AD 400, ______________________ Christians lived in that city!

Heaven on Earth!

Read Revelation 21:1-22:5                     Heaven on Earth                Let’s Pray!

5 truths about the Believer’s future home:

1.        Everything Will Be New There!                                                            21:1-2

Don’t forget the Bible speaks of three ‘heavens.’ The first is the sky; the second is space; the third is where God’s throne is beyond space.

In the place of the first earth, sky and space will be a new earth, sky, and space, and the New Jerusalem will come down out of the third heaven and be the center of the New Universe!

I believe the place Jesus speaks of preparing for us in John 14 is the New Jerusalem, which one day will be for us “Heaven on Earth!”

2.        There will be Indescribable Beauty there!

In God’s perfect way the city will bring together the Old Testament saints of Israel with the saints that have come since the time of the New Testament.

Could it be that when saints die now they have the privilege of working with Jesus on getting the New Jerusalem ready?

3.        There will be Wondrous and Fulfilling Activity there!

Here we see the New Earth presented as a city brimming with physical activity! Can’t you see yourself there in a glorified body – taking walks, enjoying the outdoors, playing sports, laughing and painting, playing instruments and singing, engaged in creative and meaningful work, visiting museums, learning how radio waves and quantum physics and other things really work, with Father, Son and Holy Spirit being worshipped in all you do?

4.        The Comforting Absence of what won’t be there!

On the new Earth we’ll have constant access to the Tree of Life, and if it is ever needed, partaking of the leaves there will heal whatever needs healing!

Thank God that when we get to the New Earth there will be no more curse!

5.        The traits of those that won’t be there

First, they had cowardice instead of courage

Second, they had Unbelief, not Belief

Finally, they continued in their sin, refusing to Repent

A true Christian has repented and agrees with God’s definition of sin; they take steps to turn from every sin, even if they struggle the rest of their life. Non- Christians do not repent, beginning with refusing to agree with God’s definition of sin. By definition they are not forgiven.

The Lake of Fire

Friend, with all the love I have in my heart I want you to know that you have one big choice in life to make that determines your eternal destiny. That choice will determine whether you spend eternity with God, or eternity in the Lake of Fire. Your choice determines whether you stand before God one day being evaluated according to your own deeds, or on the basis of your trust in the deed done for you by Jesus Christ!

Read Revelation 20:7-15                        The Lake of Fire                             Let’s Pray

The Final Judgment of the Devil – The Lake of Fire                                    V. 7-10

The Bible has the tree of life at the beginning and the end, and the most perfect tree of life in the middle, the Cross that Jesus died for sinners on!

One of the great unanswered questions of the Bible is: “Who are the people who join with Satan to attack Jerusalem at the end of the millennium?”

Apparently there will be many people born during the millennium that obey Christ outwardly because they have to but have not received Him inwardly through the new birth. Amazingly, despite living on a near perfect world with Christ present, when the millennium is over they will join Satan against Jesus.

Look at verse nine. It shows us the sad end of this army of rebellion. Fire came down from Heaven and consumed them! After His Second Coming Christ will never allow harm to come to Jerusalem again!

Folks, everyone on earth will be judged according to two kinds of works: Either Christ’s work for them on the cross done in pure righteousness, or their own works tainted by sin!

The Problem with being judged according to our own works is we fail to understand the true desperation of our situation before God. As sinners before a holy God, whose standard is perfection, we could never do enough good works to make up for our lostness before a Holy God.

The Good News is that Jesus Christ came to earth to personally do something about the position sinners were in. He bore our sins on the Cross, literally dying in our place. When we receive Him, we are forgiven of our sins, we have our names written in the Book of Life, and Christ’s perfect righteousness counts as our own on judgment day!

Now look at verse thirteen. It tells us these unbelievers will be judged according to their works. The Bible teaches there will be degrees of punishment in the Lake of Fire. No one will be glad they are there, but those who had greater revelation from God and failed to obey it will suffer more.

A soul, once created, goes on forever. Apart from Jesus’ work everyone would have had to go to the Lake of Fire because of sin and their inability to produce the perfect righteousness required for Heaven. Because of Jesus’ work, people can go to Heaven instead if they receive Him and let His righteousness count for them before the Great White Throne. Those are the only options.

But this is the final truth: If you don’t turn to Jesus your eternal home will be the Lake of Fire. Why not turn to Jesus now before it’s too late?

Experiencing God in the Life of the Early Church Acts 13:1-3

2,000 years ago the church at Antioch was experiencing God as individuals and as a church. God invited them to join Him in the next _______________ of His Acts 1:8 vision. They obeyed, and God used them to extend His Kingdom on earth.

D___________________ kinds of people come together in church leadership  V. 1

The early church and its leaders had the same priority: _______________  V. 2-3

It is a sign of the sickness of the American church that fervent prayer as individuals and in small groups and as the entire church is not emphasized. Far too often we depend on our own thinking and resources rather than the Holy Spirit. If we’re going to experience God that has to ___________________!

Fasting is not only for super-Christians: it is the practice of cutting ourselves off from our physical drive for food for a time in order to _____________________ our spiritual drive to know God and His purposes for our lives.

We can draw a conclusion from this: whatever other ministries God calls a Christian to, intercessory prayer is to be one of their _________________ priorities.

A Direct result of the prayer life of the church in Antioch was clear guidance from God. That kind of guidance is ____________________ to us today as well!

7 Truths From Experiencing God

1. God is always at _______________ around you.

2. God pursues a love ______________ with you that is real and personal.

3. God invites you to _______________ Him in what He is doing.

4. God ______________ to you to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.

He speaks through: The Holy ______________

The B_______________

P_______________

C_______________

Other B________________

5. God’s initiative in your life will lead to a ______________ of belief.

6. To join God in what He is doing you must make ________________.

7. As you trust and obey God you can and will _______________ more of Him and His ways in your life.

-Adapted from “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby.

When The Saints Come Marching In!

And that’s exactly what we see happen in Revelation 20: six times in 7 verses, six times in 233 words, it refers to Christ’s upcoming 1,000 year reign on earth.

Read Revelation 20:1-6   When the Saints Come Marching In!             Let’s Pray!

The Word Millennium comes from two Latin words: “Milli” means a thousand and “annum” means year. Millennium means a thousand years.

The Three Main Millennial Views:

1.        The Amillennial view – There is NO 1,000 year reign of Christ in earth.

2.        The Postmillennial view – Jesus’ 2nd Coming is AFTER the “millennium.”

3.        The Premillennial view – The millennium is AFTER the 2nd Coming.

Turn to Acts 1:6-8.

In Acts 1:6-8 Jesus affirms two things: there is a time coming in the future set to restore the Kingdom to Israel (in fulfillment of Old Testament promises), and that in the mean-time His disciples are to be witnesses (the church age).

The Two Great Truths for Earth During the Millennium:

1.        Satan won’t be around!                                       V. 1-3

2.        Jesus will be on earth during the millennium!                     V. 4-6

I think it is God’s plan to bring the saints of all time together during this millennium in preparation for eternity together. We will all experience 1,000 year ‘Holy Land Experience.’

Isaiah 2:1-4 tells us earth will flourish with the knowledge of Jesus during this time, and people will stream from the nations to worship Jesus in Jerusalem! Jesus will settle any disputes among the nations and there won’t be any war.

Eternal Triumph in Days of Trouble  Acts 12

Providence is the foreseeing _______________ of God over all things.

Four reinforced guardrails for today’s message:

Job 5:7 Psalm 139:16 John 16:33 Acts 13:36

James the Apostle _________________ well and goes to Heaven    12:1-3a

When things happen that we don’t understand, we have to remember the things we do understand, the things we got ________________ before the storm came…

Peter the Apostle is delivered for more _____________ on earth    12:3b-16

We could have a lot of fun with Peter thinking all of this was a dream! But the bottom line is that in the midst of this persecution Peter had God’s _________________ instead of man’s panic.

James the Elder is raised up as the Faith ________________ On!   12:17

It is evident the transition has now occurred from the apostles leading the Jerusalem church as a team with Peter being the first among equals, to elders leading the church at Jerusalem as a team with James being the _________________.

God deals with His _______________ in the fullness of time   12:18-25

I hope you are careful to give God the glory! Everything you are and have is a ______________ from God. Give him the glory!

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Read Revelation 19:11-21 The Second Coming of Jesus Christ Let’s Pray!

Ten Differences Between the Rapture and the Second Coming:

Rapture/ Blessed Hope: Second Coming/ Glorious Appearing:

Believers raptured or “caught up” No one “raptured” up

Meet Christ in air, go to Heaven Christ comes with us from Heaven to earth

Imminent: No events before Many events before, including Tribulation

End of the Church Age End of the Tribulation/ Age of Wrath

Promise kept to the church Promise kept to Israel

For believers only Affects all of humanity

Only believers see Jesus Entire world sees Jesus

Time of joy and eternal life Time of judgment and death

Before the Tribulation  After the Tribulation

After rapture Tribulation begins After 2nd Coming 1,000 year reign begins

Jesus and the saints assemble in Heaven for His ‘freedom’ ride V. 11-16

The Lamb who rode the Donkey to take away our sins will return as the Lion riding the Horse as the liberator of the earth from Satan’s clutches!

THE NAMES OF THE RIDER:

Faithful and True (v. 11)

A Mystery name (v.12)

The Word of God (v. 13)

Almighty God (v. 15)

King of Kings and Lord of Lords (v. 16)

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RIDER:

His eyes were like a flame of fire (v. 12)

His head had many crowns on it (v.12)

He is wearing a bloody robe (v.13)

Out of His mouth goes a sharp, two-edged sword (v. 15)

THE PURPOSE OF THE RIDER:

To judge in righteousness (v. 11) and commence His perfect rule (v. 15)

To make war (v. 11) and to smite the nations (v.15)

Scavenger birds assemble in the air for their coming buffet meal V. 17-18

Antichrist and his armies assemble in Israel to fight God  V. 19-21

Reach out in love and see what God does!  Acts 11:19-30

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. -Acts 1:8

God uses ____________ believers to start new churches V. 19-21

Now understand this: neither Stephen’s death nor the persecution that followed was a __________: instead, the hand of the Lord used those events as catalytic events to get the gospel where it hadn’t gone yet!

He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. -2 Cor. 1:4

God uses ____________ churches to bless new churches V. 22

Instead of hording their ___________________, the Jerusalem church commissioned one of their best members to get the Antioch church off to the best start possible! This happened despite the difficulties they faced due to persecution.

God uses Spirit-filled __________ to grow new churches V. 23-26

Gone were the __________________ – now they were just Christians, believers who applied their faith in Christ to everything, regardless of whether they were men or women, slave or free, rich or poor, Jew or Gentile – they were now first and foremost Christians!

God uses new churches to bless established churches V. 27-30

Note that they each gave according to their _______________! That is the pattern for believers now, as in 2 Cor. 8-9, not a misunderstood communism based on ripping Acts 2 and 4 out of context.

Hallelujah Time in Heaven

But in today’s passage we will see a bride that has had to wait much longer, and an even sweeter marriage ceremony to come. And this story involves each of us who are born again Christians and the saints of all time!

Read Revelation 19:1-10 Hallelujah time in Heaven! Let’s Pray!

The Three Purposes of the Seven Year Tribulation:

1. Judge the satanic system that has filled the earth with sin

2. Re-gather a spiritual Israel that will be ready for Christ’s rule on earth

3. Give everyone on earth several last chances to repent before it’s too late

Heaven says Hallelujah for the judgment of the evil world system V. 1-5

Hallelujah means praise the Lord. About 50 times in the Old Testament the word for praise, Halel, is followed by the word for Lord, Yahweh. Heaven puts the two together in Revelation 19 and we now have the one word Alleluia.

What is Heaven praising God for in verses 1-2?

Because salvation (deliverance), glory, honor and power belong to the Lord, as demonstrated by His righteous judgment of the Satanic world system that corrupted the earth, avenging the blood of all the saints she had killed.

Heaven says Hallelujah for the commencement of Christ’s earthly rule V. 6-10

The word for omnipotent in verse 6 is pantokrator – it means ruler of all! It occurs 10 times in the New Testament, 9 of which are in Revelation!

What should we do in response to Christ’s certain coming to physically reign?

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory!

Anticipation of future joy can make our hearts glad now!

The Manifest Destiny of the Gospel Acts 10:43-11:18

This is part two of a two part message about the gospel going beyond those from a Jewish background to Gentiles.

The Gentile’s “Day of ____________________” Arrives!  Acts 10:43-48

The wonderful message of the gospel: ________________ for believers-

The moving and ____________________ of the Holy Spirit-

In Him also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation- in Him when you believed- were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. -Eph. 1:13

Narrative literature like Acts tells us what happened, but doctrinal passages like the apostles letters give us God’s ________________ word about matters of belief and practice.

So why do we see this “Gentile Pentecost” here in Acts 10?

Probably to demolish the ___________ that was about to be displayed by Jewish believers unwilling to fully accept Gentile converts!

_________________ baptism follows spiritual baptism!

Peter’s “Day of _________________________” Arrives (And God’s vindication)   Acts 11:1-18

Peter responds with patience and ___________, without backing down from clear biblical revelation!

When you are having conflicts with others about cultural preferences, it is good to _________________ and share the words of the Lord!

When getting my way on cultural preferences would hinder the work of God in the life of another, may my response always be to ________________ to God.