Society Challenges Christianity.
E-media Expected to Replace Printed Page.
Bible burnings are part of history.
Learn the Scriptures, understand the word.
I quizzed the children.
Examined Olivet Discourse and end times events.
Beware of deception and false Christs.
Explained Biblical doctrine of election (chosen ones).
We are to be faithful.
It is suggested that E media will replace traditional medias such as newspapers, television, printed books.
It is suggested that E media will replace traditional medias such as newspapers, television, printed books.
E media is cheaper, eco-friendlier and convenient.
The problem will be, no hard copy.
Though I like E Bible and reading format (cell phone, Kindle, library, news, communications), I pointed out danger of losing printed Bibles.
Remember, oppressive governments and religions (including Roman Catholicism in the Dark Ages and Reformation) have repressed Bible knowledge and destroyed Bibles and would like to in the future.
The movie, The Book of Eli is an interesting dramatization of this concept.
CONSIDERED THE PROBLEM OF FALSE CHRISTS FROM OLIVET DISCOURSE
MATTHEW 24:2-5
DLG... Disciples asked at least 3 questions about end times.
Matthew 24:3
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying,
(1)- Tell us, when shall these things be (the destruction of Jerusalem)?
(2)- and what shall be the sign of thy coming, (including rapture and return)
(3)- and of the end of the world? (including resurrections, rapture, tribulation, return and kingdom).
DLG... Jesus warned believers not to be deceived, saying false Christs would come and deceive many.
Matthew 24:4-5
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
I quizzed children on:
CONSIDERED THE PROBLEM OF FALSE CHRISTS FROM OLIVET DISCOURSE
MATTHEW 24:2-5
DLG... Disciples asked at least 3 questions about end times.
Matthew 24:3
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying,
(1)- Tell us, when shall these things be (the destruction of Jerusalem)?
(2)- and what shall be the sign of thy coming, (including rapture and return)
(3)- and of the end of the world? (including resurrections, rapture, tribulation, return and kingdom).
DLG... Jesus warned believers not to be deceived, saying false Christs would come and deceive many.
Matthew 24:4-5
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
I quizzed children on:
The Human Spirit.
The resurrection and the rapture.
They did really well.
I explained why the dead in Christ will get new bodies and why living believers will also get new bodies.
I mentioned the effect of space travel on the body and pointed out that we could not go in our present day bodies and that our new bodies will live forever, with no sickness, pain, weakness or death.
MATTHEW 24:21-24
MATTHEW 24:21-24
DLG... Explained that world is headed for worst time of suffering in its history because of the mounting wickedness of mankind and the open hostility toward Jesus.
Matthew 24:21-24
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
DLG... Explained who the elect are. Elect means chosen. I pointed out that many are called, but few are chosen (Mt. 22:1-14, see below). The chosen are those who accept the conditions of their call; they must be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, which they receive by faith when they believe on Christ.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
DLG... One of the end time characteristics is the increased number of false Christs. I told about recent and current False Christs in the world.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
FALSE CHRISTS
(e=early, m=mid, l=late)
Father Divine, Black preacher claiming to be God (e-m 1900s).
Jim Jones who led large group to S.A. and killed almost 1000 of his followers (e-l 1900s).
Sun Myung Moon the Korean who claims to be the Second Coming of Christ and founder of The Unification Church (m-now 1900s).
Marshall Applewhite leader of the Heavens Gate group of Hale Bopp suicide infamy (l 1900s).
Jose Luis Miranda the self proclaimed Jesus in Florida, of Puerto Rican extraction, who teaches that elect can sin without consequence (m-now 1900s).
Appllo Quiboloy, self proclaimed Christ from the Philippines (m-now 1900s),
David Koresh false Christ and leader of break away group of SDA in Texas (m-l 1900),
Vissarion, self proclaimed Christ of Siberian forest, with 4000 followers in nearby villages and commune, along with 6000 other followers around the world (m-now 1900s).
False Christs have been Asian, European, South, North, Central American, Caribbean, African. They have been from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian backgrounds.
MATTHEW 24:29-31
DLG... The Tribulation will come, atmospheric phenomena will happen.
Matthew 24:29
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
DLG... Christ returns after Tribulation, seen by the lost peoples of the world (contrary to when he comes as a thief in the night at the rapture and no one sees Him). I pointed out that a rebellious society would rather call on the mountains to hide them than call on Jesus to save them (Rev. 6:13-16, see below). Christ will come on the clouds, as the messenger said (Ac. 1:9-11, see below).
Matthew 24:30
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
DLG... Jesus will set up His earthly kingdom, by bringing together the elect (chosen) from all over the earth and the elect (chosen) believers who have been glorified in heaven.
Matthew 24:31
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
PASSAGES...
Revelation 6:13-17
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Acts 1:9-11
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Matthew 22:1-14
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how came thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 24:21-24
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
DLG... Explained who the elect are. Elect means chosen. I pointed out that many are called, but few are chosen (Mt. 22:1-14, see below). The chosen are those who accept the conditions of their call; they must be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, which they receive by faith when they believe on Christ.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
DLG... One of the end time characteristics is the increased number of false Christs. I told about recent and current False Christs in the world.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
FALSE CHRISTS
(e=early, m=mid, l=late)
Father Divine, Black preacher claiming to be God (e-m 1900s).
Jim Jones who led large group to S.A. and killed almost 1000 of his followers (e-l 1900s).
Sun Myung Moon the Korean who claims to be the Second Coming of Christ and founder of The Unification Church (m-now 1900s).
Marshall Applewhite leader of the Heavens Gate group of Hale Bopp suicide infamy (l 1900s).
Jose Luis Miranda the self proclaimed Jesus in Florida, of Puerto Rican extraction, who teaches that elect can sin without consequence (m-now 1900s).
Appllo Quiboloy, self proclaimed Christ from the Philippines (m-now 1900s),
David Koresh false Christ and leader of break away group of SDA in Texas (m-l 1900),
Vissarion, self proclaimed Christ of Siberian forest, with 4000 followers in nearby villages and commune, along with 6000 other followers around the world (m-now 1900s).
False Christs have been Asian, European, South, North, Central American, Caribbean, African. They have been from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian backgrounds.
MATTHEW 24:29-31
DLG... The Tribulation will come, atmospheric phenomena will happen.
Matthew 24:29
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
DLG... Christ returns after Tribulation, seen by the lost peoples of the world (contrary to when he comes as a thief in the night at the rapture and no one sees Him). I pointed out that a rebellious society would rather call on the mountains to hide them than call on Jesus to save them (Rev. 6:13-16, see below). Christ will come on the clouds, as the messenger said (Ac. 1:9-11, see below).
Matthew 24:30
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
DLG... Jesus will set up His earthly kingdom, by bringing together the elect (chosen) from all over the earth and the elect (chosen) believers who have been glorified in heaven.
Matthew 24:31
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
PASSAGES...
Revelation 6:13-17
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Acts 1:9-11
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Matthew 22:1-14
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how came thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
