We have been studying the book of Revelation for many, many weeks now. From the very beginning I have told you that there are different schools of thought as to how we should understand Revelation. That should not rattle any of us as long as we realize that this is apocalyptic material. The nature of apocalyptic literature is that it is full of symbols and signs. I remind us of this because at Revelation 20, the chapter we will study this week, we have come to the most difficult chapter in the Word of God. I have read and read this Scripture, related passages, and countless commentaries this past week. I’ve searched the Scriptures and examined all of the different viewpoints concerning the meaning of this chapter and I can tell you that each of the proponents of the major viewpoints make their case with Scripture. These are not wild-eyed David Koresh types or liberal Bible teachers who don’t really take the Bible seriously. The Bible commentators that I’ve studied this past week hold Scripture as the sole authority for us as followers of Jesus. Let me give you an example of the differences that we are dealing with in understanding this section of God’s Word. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of the greatest Bible teachers ever, once wrote,
If I read the word aright, and it is honest to admit that there is much room for difference of opinion here, the day will come, when the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven with a shout, with the trump of the archangel and the voice of God. Some think that this descent of the Lord will be post-millennial — that is, after the thousand years of his reign. I cannot think so. I conceive that the advent will be PRE-millennial — that he will come first; and then will come the millennium as the result of his personal reign upon earth. But whether or no, this much is the fact, that Christ will suddenly come, come to reign, and come to judge the earth in righteousness. (C.H. Spurgeon, Justification & Glory MTP Vol 11, Year 1865, pg. 249, Romans 8:30)
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Archive for April, 2007
The Millennial Kingdom
Revelation 20:1-10
Sunday, April 29th, 2007
The National Day of Prayer
Thursday, May 3
Friday, April 27th, 2007
The Triumphal Procession
Revelation 19:11-21
Sunday, April 22nd, 2007
When Jesus comes…Heaven stands open.
When Jesus comes…He rides a white horse.
When Jesus comes…His name is called “Faithful and True.”
When Jesus comes…He judges with justice.
When Jesus comes…He makes war against evil, against the Beast, the kings of the
earth, and the false prophet.
When Jesus comes…His eyes are like blazing fire.
When Jesus comes…He wears many crowns upon His head.
When Jesus comes…He possesses a name that is known to nobody but Himself.
When Jesus comes…He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood.
When Jesus comes…He is called “the Word of God.”
When Jesus comes…He is followed by the armies of heaven dressed in fine linen,
clean and white.
When Jesus comes…A sharp sword proceeds from His mouth to strike down the
nations.
When Jesus comes…He rules the nations with an iron scepter.
When Jesus comes…He treads the winepress of Almighty God.
When Jesus comes…He has written on His robe, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!”
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Sign-Up For The Bricktown Blaze
Sunday, April 22
Tuesday, April 17th, 2007
This coming Sunday there will be a table set up for those who want to sign-up for the Bricktown Blaze to be held on May 19, at 5:30 pm in Bricktown. This is a favorite event for us because it benefits Limbs For Life the organization that helps amputees get much needed limbs. Our church family has benefitted from the event as our own KristiAnna Arechiga, the daughter of Ray and Sylvia Arechiga, has received an arm from Limbs For Life.
The event is a 5K (3.1 mile) run, but you can walk if you would like. The cost is only $10 if we can get more than 35 people signed-up. You will get a t-shirt and a ticket to the Redhawks game following the race. For those of you who would like to have your family participate you will like to know that for every paid adult a child 12 and under will sign-up for free. We had 50 people participate two years ago and I hope that we will have even more people participate this year. It is a fun evening for everyone. You can sign-up this Sunday after worship.
The Gift of Cancer
Connie Hays
Thursday, April 12th, 2007
Since I have been a child, cancer has been a part of my life. When I was eleven-years-old my Father and his younger brother were both diagnosed with brain cancer just a couple a months apart. And only a few months later, their father was diagnosed with both lung and colon cancer. Needless to say the next years of my life were very frightening and difficult as this cancer “monster” invaded the safety and security of my family.
Praise be to God! my Dad survived his first bout with cancer, but, after years of struggling with the disease, both my dear Grandfather and Uncle would succumb to it when I was 17-years-old.
Cancer would rear its ugly head once again as my younger brother would discover he had colon cancer at the young age of 26. My father, compelled to get a colonoscopy after my brother’s diagnosis would find out only a month later, that he had colon cancer a well. Over the course of the next few years, my dad’s only surviving brother would be stricken with cancer three times and my father would struggle with the disease a third time.
As you can see, cancer has been so very prevalent in my life and I have always considered it our family “curse”. That is, until I, myself, was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago.
I know that this may surprise some of you, but as I consider my whole experience with cancer, it has become one of the greatest gifts of my lifetime. Why? To be honest I do not have enough time or enough space to relate to you all that I have gained and learned. God has revealed Himself to me in ways I have never previously experienced and He has revealed things about myself that I was not aware of.
Here are a few of the reasons why my cancer has been a “gift”:
1) My cancer has helped me to take an honest look at my life and assess where I really am with God. It has helped me long to be more passionate in my faith and to be more effective in making a difference in the Kingdom of God.
2) It has helped me to reflect on the reality of my mortality. I really am going to die one day and I discovered that if it was going to happen soon, I had far too many regrets… I was awakened to the sad truth that I am a woman of many good intentions but, I do not act on them near enough.
3) It has helped me to see that each and every day is a precious gift from God and that I have wasted far too many of those days and far too many opportunities to be a blessing to others.
4) It has helped me to value this life more – I am so much more grateful and appreciative for the every day things that I have previously taken for granted. Spring has never been more beautiful and vibrant and I have never enjoyed my daily walks more. A child’s laugh has never sounded so sweet.
5) It has helped me to value and appreciate loved ones even more than before as I don’t know the number of their days or mine. I can never say “I love you” or encourage them enough.
6) It has helped me to see how loved I really am! What a blessing to have so many family members and friends rally around me, support and encourage me, provide for and help me. I have never been so overwhelmed with the love of God poured out to me by His children
7) Cancer has helped me to understand suffering and pain as never before and I can hopefully better minister to those going through similar situations.
After my surgery, I was blessed with a fabulous diagnosis: the cancer had not spread and I did not have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation (Praise God a billion times!) I only have to go in for tests every three months for the next two years, and every six months for three years after that. However, I am completely aware that most others with cancer do not have such a good prognosis.
But, even with such a good outlook, here’s the reality of the situation — I may never have cancer again or it may come back. I may live another 20 or 30 years or I may not live another 20 or 30 days due to death in another manner. No matter what my future holds. I am convinced, more than ever of the Sovereignty of the Lord. I am more “sold out” and as your Minister of Music, I want to spend whatever days I have left proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ – His Salvation, His Truth, His Goodness, His Love, His Joy, His Peace and His Hope!
Because of this unlikely gift of cancer, my life has been forever changed and I long to walk closer to the Lord than ever before, to serve God’s people better and to take every opportunity to share His life-changing Truth in a desperate and dark world.
I stand with and agree wholeheartedly with the Psalmist who proclaimed this message in Psalm 119:71 & 72, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I may learn Your decrees. The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”
Blessings and Peace,
Connie
According To The Scriptures
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Sunday, April 8th, 2007
He is risen! “Up from the grave He arose! With a mighty triumph o’er His foes!” This is our hope. This is our assurance that life has meaning, that death has lost its hold, and that our future is secure. Nothing else. Absolutely nothing else can give definition to your life or mine. Absolutely nothing else can give you and me hope in the midst of heartache. Nothing else can cause the light of life to shine in the dark places of your life and mine. Not our reputation. Not our financial statement. Not our pursuit of pleasure, prestige, prominence, or power. Nothing else, but the reality of Jesus’ resurrection.
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What’s So Good About Friday?
Friday, April 6th, 2007Today is the day the followers of Jesus call “Good Friday.” It is a good day for those of us who know that on Friday Jesus endured the painful, horrendously agonizing cross for us, to suffer in our place, to die for our sins. It’s a good day because we know that on Sunday He got up out of the grave victorious over sin and death, never to suffer or die again. What a good day, no, what a great day!
I’ve often thought about the first followers of Jesus and how they must have viewed Friday. It had to have been the most horrible day in their life. They had hung on His every word, but on Friday He was hanging on a cross. They had left everything to devote their lives to following Him, but on Friday they believed that they had lost it all at the foot of a cross. They had followed, but on Friday they all fled except for John. Peter had once confessed His faith in Jesus, but on Friday he conveniently forgot that he ever knew Jesus. What a horrible day it must have been!
If we were those early followers of Jesus and had the information that we have today–that Sundays coming–I bet we would have all been there at the entrance to the tomb waiting for the Savior’s return from the dead. Well, we can’t go back in time, but you and I can sure look forward to Sunday and “be there.” We can join the celebration this Sunday! We can celebrate our Savior’s victory over death! We can celebrate our Savior’s sacrifice on our behalf! We can join with other brothers and sisters in lifting our voices and our hearts in praise to Almighty God for His raising our Savior from the grave and giving us the assurance that, if Jesus lives, we who will trust in Him, will live also. I pray that this Sunday you will make your way to the celebration.
The Disappointing Messiah
John 12:12-19
Sunday, April 1st, 2007
Jack’s parent’s always took him to church when he was a child. He frequented Sunday school and worship services each Sunday with his family. He had learned all of the famous stories of the heroes of the Bible. He had heard of the times that God had intervened in the lives of His committed saints to rescue them from the hands of peril. Jack sang the great songs of the faith and he sang them with passion. “A mighty fortress is our God. A bulwark never failing.” “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” Jack knew them all, he believed them, he recalled them whenever trouble would come knocking at his door.
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