Chapter 9

Who Really Lives That Way?

6

The stories that follow are true. They tell of people who sought to live their lives fully surrendered to God. Some are still alive ; others have finished their race. Their examples differ vastly from one another, but each bears the mark of a person distinctly transformed by the beauty and reality of God’s love and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Frances Chan

1 Corinthians 11 

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Revelation 3:1-2To the Church in Sardis  To the angel of the church in Sardis write:These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

2: Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.

Jesus commended the few who were faithful. Likewise, there are a few in every generation who offers examples worth following.

Will your name be among the few that follow?

Following the example of Christ!Nathan Barlow

Dedicate his life to treat people

with Mossy Foot in Ethiopia.

Simpson RebbavarapuAn orphan that dedicated his life to orphanages and a ministry leading people to Christ.

Jamie Lang

She flew Tanzania with $2,000 planning to stay a until her money ran out.

Marva J. DavisFour Masters and a PhD, accomplished Author, gifted musician who speaks to clergy and at conferences all over the world.

Proverbs 14:31 

He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker,But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

Rich MullinsA Talented Song writer that never knew how successful his albums were because the profits from his albums and concerts went directly to his Church.

Rings

A chain smoking ex-convict, ex-addict, and ex-alcoholic transformed from Christ!

Rachel Saint

Spent her life working with the Waorani Indians in Ecuador. Notorious for spearing to death any outsiders immediately upon contact.

George Mueller

Born in 1805 this infamous, gambling, drunken story teller;

Became transformed after finding Christ!

Romans 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Brother YunBorn in 1958, Brother Yun was arrested 30 times and beaten for preaching the Gospel. He fasted from water and food for 74 days!

For Christ!

Shane ClaiborneShane is in his late 20’s and spends his life loving the very poor and broken in the worst neighborhoods in Philadelphia.

The Robynson FamilyA Special Christmas every year!

Susan DiegoNow in her late forties Susan grew up in a God sought after home!

Susan spent her life trying to obey God.

1 Peter 4:11  Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Scripture makes it clearthat one can love and serve GOD WITHOUT GOING OVERSEES

WHAT IS CRITICAL IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO SERVE (NOT THE AMOUNT)

NOT YOUR DISTANCE FROM AMERICA YOU CAN LOVE GOD RIGHT HERE

USHER/CLASS ADMINISTRATOR/TABLE LEADERS/WOMENS MINISTRIES/MOPS/PRECEPTS/TEACHERS……..

Lucy

Transformed from a Prostitute through Christ!

Cornerstone Church

If we really love our neighbor as our self…..

Matthew 25:40

The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

TWICE F. CHAN USED THIS VERSE TO MAKE HIS POINT IN CHAPTER 8 AND 9….

IS THERE A PROBLEM HERE?MOST ORGANIZATIONS THAT

SERVE THE POOR USE THIS VERSE FOR FUND-RAISING

DO YOU HAVE RIGHTEOUS ANGRY?

YOU SHOULD HAVE! (Howard Buck has) Turn to Matt. 24: 1

Lets read and see the CONTEXT

Why is chapters 24-25 called the “Olivet Discourse”?

6

REMEMBER CHURCH WAS NOT FOUNDED UNTIL PENTECOST

SO DON’T PUT THE CHURCH IN THIS PASSAGE…. IT IS ISRAEL THAT JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT … THUS THERE IS NO RAPTURE DESCRIBED HERE… IT IS ABOUT ISRAEL (THE JEWS) .. AND THEIR FUTURE… FOLLOWING THE JEWISH REJECTION OF CHRIST.

DISCIPLES ASKED THREE QUESTIONS

WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE? WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF YOUR

COMING? WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF THE END

OF THE AGE?

(REMEMBER THE DISCIPLES MINDSET)

JESUS ANSWER MANY DECEIVERS/FALSE MESSIAHS

NOTICE THAT IN THE N.T. THE TERM FOR US TO AVOID IS “FALSE TEACHERS” … THE O.T. ALWAYS USED THE TERM “FALSE PROPHETS” … IN THIS PASSAGE, THE LANGUAGE IS “FALSE PROPHETS”, AGAIN RE-INFORCEING FOR US… THAT THIS IS ABOUT ISRAEL.

NOTICE THE DISCIPLES AND JESUS … SITTING ON THE ELEVATED MOUNT OF OLIVES

WERE ABLE TO LOOK DOWN AND SEE THE BUILDINGS OF THE TEMPLE (VERSE 1)

NOTICE JESUS PREDICTION Came true precisely in 70 AD…. Via General

Titus, Roman General…

(suggests the other predictions will also be precisely fulfilled)

Jesus Describes the Tribulation that the JEWS will endure

ALTHO NOT DESCRIBED HERE… REVELATION 7 NOTES THAT THERE WILL BE 144,000 JEWS WHO WILL BE “SEALED” .. AND TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD … AND A GREAT HARVEST WILL OCCUR.

MANY WILL BELIEVE, BUT, THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL PURSUE AND TORTURE AND KILL (JEWS AND GENTILES).

AFTER THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION

COMES CHRIST GLORIOUS RETURN TO EARTH (WITH HIS CHURCH) TO PUT DOWN REBELLION/SIN AND SET UP HIS 1000 YEAR REIGN…. COMES COSMOS SIGNS (24: 27-31)

JESUS DECRIBES GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JEWS

DURING THE TRIBULATION

Fig tree Illustration of the days of Noah Illustration of the two servants Parable of the ten virgins Parable of the talents

ILLUSTRATIVE THAT FALSE BELIEVERS WILL “CO-EXIST” WITH THE TRUE… JUST LIKE TODAY

NOW: JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS (25:31 -46)

READ VERSE 31 + Evidently occurs right after His return… Separate than Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema) Separate than Great White Throne Judgment

CHRIST WILL JUDGE NATIONS AS TO HOW THEN TREATED BELIEVERS..

(ESPECIALLY DURING THE TRIBULATION)

CONCLUSION THERE IS NO “POOR” IN THIS

PASSAGE… IT IS ALL ABOUT JUDGMENT OF HOW

NATIONS (INDIVIDUALS) TREATED BELIEVERS….

SO ALWAYS BE AWARE OF CONTEXT WHEN YOU READ BOOKS AND SCRIPTURE

NEXT WEEK – CHAPTER 10 WE WILL LOOK AT THE TWO

COMMANDMENTS