Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times    Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?

INTRODUCTION

If you’ve been following the news this week you know that there have been some major news stories (a few more than usual).

In the last two weeks Israel and the PLO have been clashing over the same old issues--that is, who does Jerusalem belong to? This unrest began as Israel’s hardline opposition leader Ariel Sharon visited a Jerusalem shrine that is considered to be holy to both the Jews and Muslims. Mideast peace--which was a false peace--has been shattered again. At least 96 people have been killed in the 16 days of clashes.

A Palestinian mob attacked and killed three Israeli soldiers in a violent attack.

After an Israeli rocket struck 150 feet from Yassar Arafat’s seaside residential headquarters, with Arafat inside, a senior Palestinian official said, “This is a declaration of war--a crazy war.”

In Yemen, an American ship was attacked by a suicide mission of some terrorists believed to be Islamic extremists. A 40 by 40 foot hole was ripped in the side of the destroyer USS Cole. At least 17 were killed and 38 were wounded and the destroyer became the destroyed.

In an interview aired on the news Friday night, the widow of one of the sailors said this,

“I’m not angry at those who have done this--there is enough anger in this world.”

Also in Yemen, the British Embassy was attacked.

Colombian rebels seized a helicopter from an oil field in the Amazon jungle on Thursday kidnaping six Americans and at least four other people.

The presidential race is in a dead heat. The Stock market is taking a dive.

The winter outlook--its going to be cold. Gas and heating oil prices are going up.

Gas prices at the pump can fluctuate as much as 20 cents a gallon from day to day.

Nearly 2 million deadbeat dads (30%) are not paying up to support their children.

Fiber does not prevent colon cancer and a certain type of it seems to actually contribute to it.

In the comic strip, Luann yesterday, two very strange character’s are speaking.

One character who is a wild party animal said, “Life’s a party! Woo.”

The other character said “No it isn’t. Life’s a funeral march. We’re all headed for the 6' hole.”

What in the world is going on?

   I.       THE BAD NEWS--THERE IS TRIBULATION IN THE WORLD.

            (Not “The Tribulation,” but “tribulation.”)

            “In the world ye shall have tribulation” The word tribulation means “pressure”.

            A.        We Live In A World Full Of Tribulation--Pressure.

                        1.         Pressures At Home--The Bills, The Kids, The Maintenance.

                        2.         Pressures At Work--Problems with Co-Workers, The Boss, Schedules.

                        3.         Pressures With Neighbors

                        4.         Pressures With Friends--To try and fit in, peer pressure, maintaining them.

                        5.         Pressures With Foes.

                        6.         Pressures From Every Side.

            B.        There Is Tribulation For Those Who Do Not Know Christ.

                        1.         Tribulation Is The Natural Consequence Of Living In Sin.

Isaiah 57:20-21–“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.”

                                    All God has to do is turn us over to our sin.

Romans 3:16-17–“Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known.”

Isaiah 3:11–“Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.”

                                    “Wicked”– means “morally wrong or an (actively) bad person.”

                        2.         There Is No Peace About What Happens When You Die.

                                    Isaiah 48:22–“There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.”              

                                    People try to pacify themselves with religion--it is a false peace.

                                    People try to pacify themselves with good works--it is a false peace.

                                    People try to pacify themselves with morality--it is a false peace.

            C.        There Will Be Great Tribulation For Those Who Are Left Behind At The Rapture Of The Church.

                        If you think the tribulation that you see on the earth now is bad, (and it is) you’ve not seen anything yet!

                        Matthew 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.”    

                        Revelation 6--Reveals the six of the seven seal judgments. (See verse 15-17)

                        Revelation 8--The seventh seal is opened and there are seven trumpet judgments.

                        (Verse 7-13)

                        Revelation 9:6

                        Revelation 15:1, 16:1-4, 8-11, 17-21

D.        There Is Tribulation For Those Who Live After This World--After The Flesh.

                        If you don’t have Christ in your life the works of the flesh and the tribulation or pressures associated with them dominate your life.

                        Galatians 5:19--Details the works of the flesh.

1.         Adultery--Unfaithfulness in marriage and all that it brings--Disappointment, Disease, Divorce, Depression, Death.

2.         Fornication-- A word that includes all forms of sexual perversion including:

                        3.         Uncleanness--Impurity either physically or morally.

                        4.         Lasciviousness--Morally unrestrained. Amoral society.

                        5.         Idolatry--Image Worship.

                        6.         Witchcraft--medication and/or magic. (Illicit and Designer Drugs)

                        7.         Hatred--hostility; by implication a reason for opposition. 

                        8.         Variance--quarreling angrily.

                        9.         Emulations--Jealousy causing one to try to surpass another.

                        10.       Wrath--Passionate displaying of anger.

                        11.       Strife--Politicking, Scheming.

                        12.       Seditions--Disunion, Dissention.

                        13.       Heresies--A divergent opinion. To vary from a norm. To deviate.

                        14.       Envies--Ill will from jealousy or spite.

                        15.       Murders

                        16.       Drunkenness--intoxication.

                        17.       Revellings--A carousal; a letting loose.

                        18.       And such like--things that are of this nature.

            E.        There Is Tribulation For Those Who Are Determined To Live For Christ.

                        “In this world ye shall have tribulation.”

John 15:18-20–“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

                        Almost anything and everything is tolerated today other than Christianity.

2 Timothy 3:12-13–“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

I.         THE BAD NEWS--THERE IS TRIBULATION IN THE WORLD.

II.       THE GOOD NEWS--THERE IS PEACE IN JESUS WHO HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD.                               

            John 16:33–“These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.

            In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

            A.        Jesus Overcame The World.

                        1.         Even Before He Was Born In The World, The World Was Against Him.

                        2.         At His Birth, The World Was Against Him--Herod.

                        3.         During His Life, The World Was Against Him--He Was Hated.

                        4.         At His Death, The World Was Against Him--He Was Crucified.

                        5.         At His Burial, The World Was Against Him.

                        6.         At His Resurrection, He Overcame The World.

            B.        There Is Peace Available To Those Who Will Trust In Christ For Salvation.  (Luke 6:47ff)

                        There is something more important than having peace in the world and that is having peace with God.

Jeremiah 29:11–“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Romans 5:1–“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

                        John 14:27–“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

                        Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Isaiah 26:3-4–“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:”

Psalm 29:11–“The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”

                        Psalm 34:19–“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

                        Romans 8:35–“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation,

                        or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?”

Conclusion

We’ve asked the question “What in the world is going on?” Things are beginning to wind down.

Jesus could come at any moment.

 I.         THE BAD NEWS--THERE IS TRIBULATION IN THE WORLD.

            And it will get worse!

II.        THE GOOD NEWS--THERE IS PEACE IN JESUS WHO HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD.

            And it will get better!

Let me asked you some questions:

How are things with you? Do you have peace in the midst of this troubled world--Are you at peace with God--Are you ready to meet God?

            You can have peace before you leave here today.

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times    Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!