CONVINCED: What In The World Is Happening Right Now?
Luke 9:43-45 (ESV) “And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.”
Who would want to kill Jesus?
Why would they want to kill Jesus?
Luke 13:31–35 (ESV) At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
In our lifetime, there have been assassinations.
Charlie Kirk is the first spectacle/murder
Recorded live/high def while streaming
Can be replayed infinitely
The arguments about his message are typical
Unlike other assassinations, we can go back and review his message unlike any other. Something different:
He was political, but was doing more than arguing politics
He was smart, but more than arguing facts
He regularly declared TRUTH - preacher/prophetic/apostolic
He had influence in the highest spheres: culture, finance, politics and church.
Shockingly, no scandals (though people are doing everything to create them.
His funeral was a first ever in my lifetime
Largest funeral in our time
Who’s who of finance and politics
Powerful worship, for hours
Hours of the Gospel being preached - JESUS
A gospel that doesn’t reach all spheres of society, including our leaders in government, is an ineffective gospel.
Our message isn’t for these four walls - it’s for this zip code, for this region, for our nation, for the world.
“The church should stay out of politics!” I agree to the point that we have to be careful about trying to get specific candidates elected under the banner of “God’s Man.” Politics is attempting to influence morality and Christians are attempting to influence morality, Christians have to speak into politics.
Moses appealed not only to the Israelites, but also to Pharaoh
Prophets spoke directly to Kings - Elijah/Ahab/Jezebel
1 Kings 18:1 (ESV) After many days the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.”
Jesus was before Pontus Pilate
Paul/Silas preached to their jailer
Paul preached to Publius and eventually appealed to Rome
Acts 19:21 (ESV) Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
A version of this is playing out in American right now.?
A nation/states founded on biblical principles
We have the highest population of non-Christian’s trying to throw off our Christian-based framework
This will be more defined than ever in your lifetime.
People will be involved. The spiritual realm will be very active
THERE IS ASSAULT ON TRUTH
This is not an attack on facts, but TRUTH
2 Corinthians 11:3 (ESV) But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning…
TRUTH is under attack
Genesis 1:1 (ESV) In the beginning, God
created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:26 (ESV) Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion…
Genesis 1:27 (ESV) male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:28 (ESV) And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 2:15 (ESV) The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
Genesis 2:16–17 (ESV) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Genesis 3:4–5 (ESV) But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
THERE IS AN ASSAULT ON TRUTH TELLERS
God is the ultimate truth teller - his WORDS created life
TRUTH tellers declare, deposit and reinforce LIFE
You are not a threat based on what you believe
You become a threat by what you declare with your life and especially with your WORDS
Adam/Eve were the original TRUTH tellers - the moment that they sinned, they were deceived and their role changed
Cain killed Able
Genesis 4:3–8 (ESV) In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
1 John 3:12 (ESV) We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.
Saul tried to kill David
Saul killed priests - 1 Samuel 22:17 (ESV) And the king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.”
Jezebel killed the Prophets
Herodias killed John the Baptist
Mark 6:17–20 (ESV) For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
Mark 6:23–25 (ESV) And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
Pharisees killed Stephen - Acts 7:54–59 (ESV) Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Jesus
Every apostle but John
There is going to be an attack on Christianity on a new level. Not just individuals, but Christianity will be the new racism
THERE IS AN ASSAULT TO BE SILENT ABOUT, TOLERATE, AFFIRM & ULTIMATELY CELEBRATE ANTI-TRUTH
People become deceived - believe the lies
2 Thessalonians 2:7–12 (ESV) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
War on Words:
Gender Affirming Care
Planned Parenthood
Social Pressures - Go along to get along
Redefining of LOVE - Love without truth is not LOVE
John 14:6–7 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
John 8:31–32 (ESV) So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”