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WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?

INTRODUCTION

If you follow the news you know that there is a lot of trouble in this world we live in.

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”.

            There are different kinds of “Tribulation” spoken of in the Bible.

            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 At Times.

What happens many times is that these pressures lead us to seek relief in the wrong way. (Through venting our anger, through the use of alcohol or drugs, through participation in immoral behavior, through gambling, through food, or through other things.)

When we seek relief in those things, what happens is that in reality, we wind up with more pressure because those things bring bondage.

            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 haven’t 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, then 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.

                        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 thru. . .

                        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 in this world are crazy. There is pressure all around.

But, 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 the question “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 tonight.

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!