1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Look inward. Look up. Look around. Look inward. Look what he says. Number one, look up. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:11,960 In the midst of your distress, trials, tribulations, difficulty, and the end of the 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:17,640 world, look up. Look what he says in verse 25. And there will be signs in the 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:23,880 sun and in the moon and in the stars and on the earth distress of nations with 5 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:30,480 perplexity, the sea, and the waves roaring. He's describing both the end of the 6 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:36,040 world and the current end of Jerusalem during his day. He's viewing both. We saw 7 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:41,440 that last week. He says there are going to be signs in the heavens, the sun, the 8 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,640 moon, the stars, and the desolation of the tribulation period, the great 9 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,440 judgments that are going to fall upon mankind during that time. If you study 10 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,160 the book of Revelation in detail, it'll tell you about plagues, terrible plagues, 11 00:00:53,160 --> 00:00:57,720 not seen since the days of Israel leaving Egypt. You'll see plagues like the 12 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:03,680 darkening of the sun, where the sun itself will be a third less bright than 13 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:08,120 it's ever been before. It talks about the stars of the heaven falling to the 14 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:13,240 earth and just like when you say, I saw a shooting star, you know it's not an 15 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:17,320 actual star, but a comet or a meteor going through the atmosphere. And in the 16 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:21,080 book of Revelation it says that a star from heaven called Wormwood will not 17 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,860 just pass through our atmosphere, but will come to the planet itself and we 18 00:01:24,860 --> 00:01:30,440 will see desolation and death because of it. When you watch a movie about the end 19 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,920 of the world and you see these great troubled times about weather changing 20 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,640 and about the stars falling, about the sun not shining, about plagues that 21 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:44,400 people don't understand, and viruses that go around the world, you have to 22 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:49,280 understand where the base of all of these people's ideas come from. They come 23 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:54,880 from the Scripture. What they're doing is they're in a modern way trying to 24 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,800 reinterpret truths that Jesus gave thousands of years ago about what the 25 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:05,640 end of the world will actually, what actually will be like. And he says the 26 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:09,840 earth will be in distress of nations, the nations of the earth will be fighting 27 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:14,920 against each other with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring. He said the 28 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:20,120 nations of the world will be like waves crashing against each other, frothing 29 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:26,360 and fomentation all over the place. The whole world will be like a big swirling 30 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:33,560 cyclone in the midst of the sea. Men's hearts, verse 26, felling them because of 31 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:37,560 fear and expectation of those things which are coming to the earth. Notice 32 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:43,360 what he says, in this last day the men of the world will be fearful and they will 33 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,800 be absolutely terrified by what they're watching take place in the earth. The 34 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:54,720 powers of the heavens will be shaken. The sky itself is as it were, as if it 35 00:02:54,720 --> 00:03:00,960 were falling, verse 27. Then they will see, then they will see. Notice the word 36 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:09,640 see, look at verse 27. Then they will see. What will they see? What does it say? Then 37 00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:19,040 they will see what? The Son of Man. Who is the Son of Man? Then they will see the 38 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:23,880 descendant of David, the descendant of Adam, the Son of Adam coming to claim the 39 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:28,400 throne, the Son of Adam. He is coming in the clouds, the Bible says. The Son of Man 40 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,600 will be coming in the cloud with power and glory. Now when these things begin to 41 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:41,480 happen, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption draws near. He 42 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,120 says, when you begin to see the world falling apart, there is one thing you 43 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:51,480 should do and that's not look down, look up. It's amazing to me how we as 44 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,520 Christians have a propensity to see what's going on around the world and all 45 00:03:55,520 --> 00:04:00,360 we can do is look down in discouragement and despair when he says quite the 46 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:06,800 opposite, look up and see Jesus coming. The signs of the second coming will bring 47 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:14,480 terror to the lost, but they will bring comfort to the saved. Let me say that 48 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:19,280 again. The signs of the second coming, when you see the world falling apart, 49 00:04:19,280 --> 00:04:25,960 when you see your world falling apart, they will bring terror to the unbeliever. 50 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:31,080 They will bring comfort to you. Why? Because you know this means he's coming 51 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:40,680 again. So do not be distressed. Do not be worried. Why? Because it's all a matter 52 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:49,200 of perspective. Police are interesting, aren't they? If you're a police officer 53 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,960 in the room, please don't raise your hand. It'll be embarrassing. They are. Police 54 00:04:53,960 --> 00:05:00,320 are interesting to me. I'm gonna be honest with you. I try to always be honest. 55 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:08,600 Sometimes I do not like seeing the police. I don't. So that's a terrible thing to 56 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,240 say. Back to the blue pastor, back to blue. Oh, I do. I back to blue and I love the 57 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,320 blue. I love police. I've got friends in this congregation who are cops. I love it. 58 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:25,160 I think you're great. Sometimes I don't want to see you. Like I am one of the 59 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,920 most, the biggest supporters of that thin blue line. I love the police, but 60 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:37,640 there's one moment in particular that when I see the blue and the red right 61 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:46,280 behind me, when that moment happens, I do not want to see the police. That which I 62 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:51,680 once loved, I now despise. I think to myself, look at these bureaucrats. Got 63 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:58,800 nothing better to do than to come after good citizens like me. I'm a 64 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:04,320 minister. I'm a pastor. I'm a man of God. And I'm very busy and I have to get home 65 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:12,320 quick because my Chipotle's getting cold. So when I see the police, sometimes I am 66 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:19,240 not happy to see the police. Wow, you too, Gene. Wow. Okay. Right. Confession booth 67 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,440 is in the back, my friend. Alright. 68 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:33,600 Now, when you see the police going after a bad driver who's cutting in and out of 69 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,360 traffic and hurting people and scaring people, you sit there and be like, oh man, 70 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,720 that's great. So in the same moment, I hate seeing the police is the same moment 71 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:49,800 you love seeing the police. Why? Matter of perspective. As much as I hate seeing 72 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:54,680 this, I got to tell you what I really love seeing. When my family is in danger, 73 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:59,000 somebody's broken into my house and they're threatening my children. This is 74 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:05,240 what I want to see. That's what I want to see. Now, in that scenario, there's some 75 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:11,160 people that don't want to see that. My children want to see that. I want to see 76 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,640 that, but there are some people who don't want to see that. They're the people 77 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:22,160 who are attacking the innocent. Do you understand? That's exactly what Jesus is 78 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:27,280 saying his second coming will be like. When Jesus comes back, there will be a 79 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:31,680 vast amount of people in the world who are terrified at the fact that Jesus is 80 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,960 coming back and there's going to be a very small minority here like, thank God, 81 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:43,480 he's finally here. When your world is falling apart, understand this. He will 82 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:56,840 not leave you defenseless. Listen to me. Look up. Look up. Number one, look up. 83 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:04,520 Secondly, he says, look around. Look around. The first thing he says in the 84 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:08,520 midst of tribulation, whether that be historic, Jerusalem being destroyed in 85 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,680 70 AD, prophetic, what takes place during the future tribulation period, or 86 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:17,440 immediate, what's going on in the end of your world right now, he says, you must do 87 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:23,480 this. You must look up and then you must take a look around. Look what he says in 88 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:28,440 verse 29. And he spoke to them, the parable, saying, look at the fig tree and 89 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:36,240 all the other trees. When they are already budding, see and know for yourself 90 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:41,760 that summer is near. For you also, when you see these things happening, know that 91 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:46,760 the kingdom of God is near. He says, look up. Also look around. Hey friend, listen, 92 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:54,680 can I ask you a question? Can't you see what God is doing in the world right now? 93 00:08:54,680 --> 00:09:02,920 The first thing is to get your head out of the sand and look up. The second thing 94 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,240 is for somebody to come alongside, pat you on the back and say, look around. Do you 95 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:12,440 see all this? Now Jesus gives a metaphor or a parable or an illustration to 96 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,840 explain this concept of look around. Look at what he says specifically in verse 97 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:20,360 29. When he's taken to them a parable, look at the fig tree and all the other 98 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:24,440 trees. What does that parable mean? The fig tree. Well, that may be difficult for 99 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,240 you as an American, me as an American, 2,000 years later, but it was not difficult 100 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:33,560 for the modern Israelite during this time. There's a symbol they understood, the 101 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:37,560 fig tree. If I were to say to you, if I were to say you, I'm gonna tell you a 102 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:46,960 story. Let me tell you the story. I was standing on a beautiful river that led 103 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:54,360 into a lake and I'm up in Alaska and all of a sudden a bald eagle flying over 104 00:09:54,360 --> 00:10:01,160 the lake came down near me and it landed and it looked at me and then it took off 105 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:10,400 and as it took off a lightning bolt hit the eagle and the eagle died. You're very 106 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:15,600 smart people. I look at you and say, what do you think that means? What would you 107 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:20,200 think I was saying? What's the symbol of the bald eagle and what nation does it 108 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,840 represent? What would you think I'm talking about? You're like, oh man, are you 109 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,920 saying that God's gonna come after America? That analogy would be obvious to 110 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:34,640 all of you because the symbol of America, one of them, is the bald eagle. Jesus says, 111 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:39,080 let me tell you a story about a fig tree. The fig tree was the national symbol of 112 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:45,000 Israel. This is multiple times through multiple prophets throughout the Old 113 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:51,200 Testament. On Monday of this same week, Jesus goes by a fig tree and he stops and 114 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,560 he looks for figs and he says to his disciples, there's no figs. I'm gonna 115 00:10:54,560 --> 00:10:58,040 curse the fig tree. The next day when they walk by, the fig tree is completely 116 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:09,920 dead. It's all a metaphor, an illustration that symbolizes the end of Israel. So what 117 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,160 he says is when trouble and tribulation come, look up to God, but number two, look 118 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:18,040 around. First of all, look at the fig tree, the nation of Israel, and then he says, 119 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:22,600 look at all the other trees. Well, if the fig tree is in the nation of Israel, what 120 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:28,560 do you think all the other trees are? Yeah, all the other nations. Jesus's 121 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:31,440 metaphors are not that difficult to grasp if you understand the culture in the 122 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:35,080 time. Jesus said, you want to know when all this takes place? I'll tell you when 123 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:40,600 it all takes place. Keep your eye on the fig tree and then watch what all the 124 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:47,600 nations do related to the fig tree. For those who come to church every week, 125 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:52,520 you know all I've been doing is teaching verse by verse chapter by chapter 126 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:56,600 through the book of Luke for almost two years, and we happen to come to this 127 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,520 passage at this moment. 128 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:07,360 Say, what do you mean keep your eye on the nation of Israel? For the last 100 129 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:12,240 years, we have seen the nation of Israel head into the spotlight like never 130 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:19,320 before, where the world's attention and focus is on it. In 1948, we see that 131 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:25,760 Israel was declared a nation. The recognition of the Jewish state, the 132 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:31,800 nation of Israel, after their war for independence from 1947 to 1949, and in 133 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,400 the midst of it, the United Nations steps in after the atrocities of the 134 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,560 Holocaust, and all of these individuals having very little place to go, they were 135 00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:43,760 given back their rightful land that had been given to them by God Himself 136 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:47,840 through their ancestors. They arrived and they had, when were they kicked out of 137 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:56,000 that land? By the Romans in 70 AD. So after 1900 years, the world recognized 138 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:01,240 Israel needs their homeland back. This happened in some of your parents' 139 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:10,560 lifetime. This is not hundreds of years ago. There was no nation of Israel as it 140 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:18,880 relates to the land, but 1948. So when he talks about this idea of the earth will 141 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,160 be in distress of nations with perplexity in the sea and the waves 142 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:26,120 roaring like all of the nations of the world fighting each other and foaming, 143 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,840 he's not just saying look at Israel, he's saying look at all the nations, and 144 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:36,040 that's what you see in World War I, don't you? Again, the 20th century. They 145 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:41,240 called it the war to end all wars. This was the very first war that nearly the 146 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:51,880 entire globe participated in. War, when you study it, is not what war was then. We 147 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:56,040 go from World War I and we thought the war that will end all wars, but it did 148 00:13:56,040 --> 00:14:01,080 not end all wars. All it did is hit a domino that led into the fascism of 149 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:08,000 Germany, the fascist Nazism of Hitler and his regime in the Third Reich. And 150 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:15,720 once again, the world was at war. Never had the world seen anything like this. 151 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:20,800 And once World War II was over, we almost immediately went into a third 152 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:27,200 type of war, the third what we call the Cold War, fought in between proxy 153 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:35,960 nations by superpowers, red versus blue. In your own lifetimes, you'll remember the 154 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:41,400 rise of what we call the war on terror or the rise of Islamic extremism that's 155 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:47,800 taking place not in one singular location, but locations all over the world. 156 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:55,520 War. Even now you see major superpowers like Russia moving their forces into the 157 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:03,320 Ukraine. And what many say is the next step when China will then move their 158 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:10,360 forces into Taiwan and America cannot stand by because of the resources the 159 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:23,040 United States needs in the land of Taiwan. War. And then this last week, you see 160 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:29,840 once again Hamas, a terrorist organization beginning to attack the 161 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:41,800 nation of Israel. All of this was prophesied. All of it. You see? Yep, we have a 162 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:46,440 lot going on don't we? Because we got the stock market we got to look at tomorrow 163 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:50,480 and yesterday the football games and... 164 00:15:50,480 --> 00:16:02,160 And today the football games. Sorry college, thank you. So what does he say in 165 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:06,240 verse 25? All the earth distress of the nations that with the perplexity the sea 166 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:10,880 and the waves roaring. What does this all... what does all this political 167 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:16,080 perplexity mean? He answers the question in verse 31, verse 30 and 31. When they are 168 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:21,640 already budding, he's talking about the trees. When you see the trees 169 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:27,200 starting... when you see the nations starting to awaken in this way. When 170 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:31,200 they're already budding, you see and know for yourself that the summer is near. 171 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:38,960 You're not a foolish person. After winter when you see the trees begin to bud, you'd 172 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,680 like, oh spring is here and summer's coming. And when you see the nations begin 173 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:49,400 to awaken in wrath, so also when you see these things happen know that the kingdom 174 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:55,000 of God is near. You say, well are you terrified? No, because I'm not afraid 175 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,320 because it just means Jesus is coming which is kind of who I've put my whole 176 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:04,080 life into. Like it doesn't worry me. Like my whole life is for Christ and for His 177 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,400 kingdom. 178 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:15,360 Remember God has not abandoned this world and He will come again. See that's 179 00:17:15,360 --> 00:17:19,600 His whole point. Jesus says I'm about to die, get buried rose from the grave. What's 180 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:23,480 gonna happen to you in 35 years is Rome is gonna come and destroy. By the way, here 181 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,680 are glimpses also what's gonna happen at the end of the world. Also here's some 182 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,760 messages to anybody who's going through a trial or tribulation in your own life 183 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:34,360 right now. Here's what you need to know. You need to look up to Jesus Christ. You 184 00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:40,400 need to look around and realize God has a plan. He knows what's going on. He always 185 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:49,320 has. He always will. Now look at verse 32 because there is a complex thought that 186 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:55,320 we must work through instead of just skipping it. Verse 32. Assuredly I say 187 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:59,200 to you this generation will in no means pass away till all these things take 188 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,800 place. Now what does Jesus say in verse 32? Jesus has given a sermon to His 189 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:07,720 disciples. He says all of this is gonna happen and this generation will not 190 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:12,240 disappear off the face of the earth before all of these things happen. Well 191 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:16,640 let me ask you a question. Did all of these things happen yet? Yes or no? No 192 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:22,320 according to this. I mean some might say yes. In fact that's the view of those who 193 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:27,600 only view this sermon as historic. They say all of this is just describing when 194 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,360 Rome came in. The problem is there's a lot of passages in here that don't 195 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:35,000 describe what happened with the Romans. Like the moon and the stars and the sun 196 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:43,320 didn't change. The nations of the world were not perplexed. It was just Rome and 197 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:48,360 you see. And most importantly at the very end Jesus says they will look up and 198 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:53,080 see the son of man. See Jesus coming in the clouds. When Rome was attacking 199 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:57,520 Jerusalem did everybody look up and see Jesus coming again? Yes or no? No. So I 200 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:04,280 think Jesus' sermon is historic but it's also prophetic. He's seeing both. Jesus 201 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:10,360 is coming again. And so you say well then what does this word generation mean? 202 00:19:10,360 --> 00:19:14,240 Because if Jesus says this generation will not pass until all the... When is this 203 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,360 gonna happen? Jesus says I'll tell you when it's gonna happen. It's when this 204 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:22,920 genea will not pass until it all happens. Genea. Genea is the word that we really 205 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,040 need to look at. It's the Greek word that would have been written to express what 206 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:31,480 Jesus said at the time. And the word genea can absolutely and often is 207 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:37,280 translated this generation. But the word the genea also is related to the 208 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:44,080 concept of genealogy or family group, tribe. I believe when Jesus says this 209 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:49,640 generation will not pass away until all of this happens. In context and 210 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:57,160 grammatically he's talking about the family group of Israel. This family 211 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:03,840 group will not pass off the face of the earth until I come again, which is the 212 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,680 main point of the sermon. He's saying when you go through tribulation understand 213 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:13,320 God doesn't abandon His people. This people group is gonna be just fine all 214 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,960 the way to the end of time. That is true of the nation of Israel and is true of 215 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:27,880 every child of God in this room. God the Father doesn't abandon His people. That's 216 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,080 why he says in verse 33 heaven and earth will pass away but my words will in no 217 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,560 wise pass away. He said this whole thing will fall apart but I'll tell you one 218 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:38,120 thing that will not fall apart. Here's what he's saying. One thing that will never go 219 00:20:38,120 --> 00:20:46,720 away is my word and promise to protect you. Now look at me, look at me. I know 220 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,000 some of you love history and you're thinking about the Romans coming and 221 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,560 taking over Jerusalem and I know some of you love prophecy and you're thinking 222 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,920 about the end of the world but I'm telling you in the midst of your 223 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:04,720 tribulation right now, his promise is he will never leave you nor forsake you. 224 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:11,040 You need to look up and look around at the signs. Why? Because like Jeremiah said 225 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:16,240 to the nation of Israel God's beloved people he said in Jeremiah chapter 33 226 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:22,360 go to the next passage there. Jeremiah chapter 33 and verse 3, 31 verse 3, the 227 00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:27,600 Lord has not appeared of old time saying, yea I have loved you with an ever-lasting 228 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,600 love and with loving kindness I've drawn you. Jesus says to the nation of Israel, 229 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:39,760 I have loved you before you even knew who I was and with loving kindness I have 230 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:46,960 patiently drawn you to myself. That's how God feels about his people. Cannot 231 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:52,480 underestimate this. Please don't miss the point. It's why God brought you today. 232 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:59,520 The same way God feels about Israel is the same way God feels about you. He has 233 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:05,400 always loved you before you even knew who he was and with loving 234 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:12,240 kindness and patience he has patiently been pulling you to himself. It doesn't 235 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,960 mean you won't go through tribulations and trials. No quite the contrary. That's 236 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:21,280 what it means to be the people of God. But what he is saying is that you will 237 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:28,200 sustain life throughout and there will be blessings of joy at the end. Don't give 238 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:33,320 up. And so what he's saying about those who went through tribulation who will go 239 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:37,040 through tribulation and who are going through tribulation now he's saying look 240 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:45,240 up look around and look inward. God does take care of his family. By the way if 241 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:49,280 you look at the nation of Israel that's happened all throughout history. You 242 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:55,520 study the war for independence of 1947 to 1949 and you watch the miracles that 243 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,840 God did for the nation of Israel during that time. You look at the next war in 244 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:03,720 1967 called the Six Day War where in six days the nations of the world came 245 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:11,320 against Israel and God by his providence and protection protected his people. And 246 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:17,080 in 1973 when Syria and Egypt attempted to attack and take over the Golan Heights 247 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:21,040 or push back the nation of Israel God blessed them again with another great 248 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:25,320 victory. Victory over victory over victory because God protects his people 249 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,760 and for some of you you're playing this intellectual game you're like well who 250 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:32,040 is God's people it's the same intellectual game that the demons are 251 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:39,000 playing about you. Well I mean is God really right I mean does God really love 252 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:43,320 you maybe you deserve what you're going through. And some of you have bought into 253 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:48,560 that lie about your own life as if you deserve all this terrible tribulation 254 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:55,640 and what God is saying is I will protect my people. God will protect you. Doesn't 255 00:23:55,640 --> 00:24:00,840 mean you won't go through difficulty but you will come through difficulty. Number 256 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:06,680 one look up. Number two look around. Number three what was the last one? Look 257 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,760 inward. You have to look inside and that's what he says look what he says in 258 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:15,920 verse 34. But take heed to yourself don't just look up don't just look around. 259 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:26,360 Look to yourself look inside lest your hearts be weighed down. Have you ever 260 00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:31,040 gone through difficulty enough where your hearts begin to be weighed down? 261 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:38,800 Alright let's be honest right now. Are you ready to get real? How many of you in 262 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:43,520 this room right now? You don't have to say what but you can say look pastor over 263 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:49,800 the last 30 days. In the last 30 days I personally have gone through something 264 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:58,440 that I have really really been tempted to be weighed down about. I'll be the 265 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,320 first to raise my hand I have I can point out three things in my life that 266 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:06,160 are weighing me down. How many of you are like me would you raise your hand you've 267 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:10,400 got some things? Okay this is what he's saying in the midst of your trials and 268 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:15,880 tribulations. Here's what you must do. Take a focused look inside and do not be 269 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:21,880 weighed down. Do not allow that to happen. This lack of encouragement this 270 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:26,360 discouragement that you're going through. The danger is to do what this person 271 00:25:26,360 --> 00:25:30,640 does in Jesus's story. The danger of living in a place of discouragement 272 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,480 rather than joy. Look at what happens. Their hearts are being weighed down with 273 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:40,000 carousing and drunkenness and the cares of this life. Do you know what happens 274 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:44,040 when we go through difficulties? What we want is something to take our minds off 275 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:49,760 of it. And so sometimes we self-medicate sometimes we just want something to 276 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:53,320 stimulate our mind so we're not thinking about the problem. We put our minds 277 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:58,040 everywhere rather than putting our minds and resting them upon God. 278 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:06,720 Let's say we go carousing or we start to self-medicate or we fill ourselves up 279 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:13,920 with the things of this life that never satisfy. And he says 280 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:17,680 why do you better not do that? Why better not do that? Here's why. Because that day 281 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:24,600 will come upon you unexpectedly. In the moment of tribulation, don't you 282 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:28,680 get it? In the moment of tribulation Jesus is going to show up. And when Jesus shows up 283 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,920 you don't want to have your head buried in the sand of all sorts of things. 284 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:43,680 You want to be looking up. You want to be looking for Him. The reality is some 285 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:47,160 won't be paying...some whenever they came to 70 AD in the destruction of 286 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:51,120 Jerusalem by Rome they weren't paying attention. Some during the tribulation 287 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:54,200 period these tribulations say they won't be paying attention. And some right now 288 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:58,440 in the midst of your trials and tribulations you don't...you're not 289 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:05,280 taking time to see what God is actually doing inside of you. Instead we try to 290 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:09,200 mute what God is doing inside of us by getting our minds into all sorts of 291 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,040 other things and eliminate it. Just keep the music flowing so I don't have to 292 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:18,960 think about what's going on. He says don't do that. Verse 33. For it will come as a 293 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,800 snare upon all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Like a snare, 294 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:27,800 like a sudden trap, like a...like a animal who accidentally triggers a trap and 295 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,240 now it's trapped. He's saying that's the way the coming of Jesus will be for a 296 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:36,520 lot of people it'll be a surprise. Verse 36. But not for you. Watch therefore and 297 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:42,240 pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that 298 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:46,280 will come to pass and stand before the Son of Man. He's saying it to all three 299 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,800 groups. To those that are going into the Roman occupation, pay attention and 300 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:56,520 you'll survive this. He's saying to the tribulations then pay attention and you'll 301 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:00,360 survive this and go into the millennium. And the message is for you. This is 302 00:28:00,360 --> 00:28:04,560 amazing about the story of Jesus. This sermon. He's speaking to three different 303 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:10,760 groups throughout history. He's saying to you, pay attention, look to God and you 304 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:21,960 will live through this. It's a matter of perspective. That's why the sermon is 305 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:35,160 entitled Look Now. Joy really is a matter of perspective. I remember when my wife 306 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:40,720 and I were first starting this church almost 20 years ago now. 20 years ago 307 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:45,600 now. How many of you in your 40s? Anybody here in their 40s? If you're in your 40s, 308 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:49,360 raise your hand. How many of you in your 40s? Do you ever make a joke about you 309 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:54,040 being old? Yeah, you ever make a joke about you being old? Like, yeah, I'm so old. 310 00:28:54,040 --> 00:29:01,040 And people don't laugh. I do that with my kids all the time. Like, yeah, because 311 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:05,520 dad's so old. They're like, and I'm sorry, what? What's the joke? 312 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:13,520 I am. Almost 20 years ago, we started Southern Hills and when we did, I 313 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:22,840 remember Heather and I were so filled with troubles and worry because we had 314 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:31,440 huge expectations and major ambitions. And they were ambitions almost 100% for 315 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:36,000 God, a little bit for us. You know what I mean? How many of you know what I mean? 316 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,520 And every Sunday I would come in, we started the church so there was nobody 317 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:44,680 here and at the beginning 40, 50 people would show up in an auditorium. Ted and 318 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:51,480 Julia, remember? And I remember, I would love those moments, but can I be honest 319 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:53,440 with you? Sometimes I would despise those moments. 320 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:02,920 Because I was thinking, I know where this is going. Why can't it get there? 321 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:15,800 And so my expectations, my passions, my excitement, my ambition, it was so much 322 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:24,160 in the future of what I knew could happen that I was not having joy in the 323 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:33,920 moment. No joy. Every day a battle, every day a stress, every day a worry. At any 324 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:39,720 moment it could all just fall apart. And in my mind I thought to myself, when I 325 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:42,840 get to a certain place, it's just every, all the circumstance is going to make it 326 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:46,640 like, it's perfect, like now I'm happy, now I can sit back. And what I imagine 327 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:52,760 back then is where I am right now. And I fight the same discouragements and the 328 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:56,760 same battle of depression and the same ambition and the same unmet expectations 329 00:30:56,760 --> 00:31:03,080 because now is not as good as what it could be. And so joy is just elusive 330 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:10,040 right next, in my next step. So I went to a pastor's conference. I was 25, 26 331 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:15,360 years old. My wife and I went. We went to a big church. Now I look back, it wasn't 332 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:19,080 a mega church or anything, but for us it was like a huge church conference in 333 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:25,480 California. And I went there and we, I sat in the third row and I sat there and I 334 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,920 took notes. Everything the pastor said, you got to do this, I'm like, I got to do 335 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,640 this, got to do that, got to do that. I'm writing it all down because we're going to 336 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:35,080 do something. I'm going to get rid of all these troubles and these trials and these 337 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:41,960 tribulations. We're going to make it happen. And I can remember like it was 338 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:46,680 yesterday, the pastor who ran that conference stopped me. Somehow he had 339 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:53,160 learned my name and he stopped me. He said, Josh, I said, yeah. He said, I heard 340 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:58,920 what's going on in Las Vegas. You successfully planted a church. Yeah. And 341 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,680 what I thought he was going to do is give me like three or four ideas of how I 342 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:10,800 could become amazing like him. He didn't. He looked at me and he said this. He said, 343 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:15,840 Josh, can I just say to you, I know you've got big things. God's got big things. 344 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:22,600 But just try to enjoy the stage of ministry you're in right now because 345 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:28,520 it's going to go by quick. And I can remember him saying it. I can even 346 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:32,400 remember the words, but I also remember the feeling. I remember thinking, okay, 347 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:43,000 yeah, but what's the real advice? Here's what he knew that I've, I'm coming to 348 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:47,920 learn that if I can't enjoy the trials and tribulations and the 349 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:52,120 difficulties of that moment, I'm not going to enjoy the trials and tribulations 350 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:56,720 and difficulties of this moment, nor of the next, nor of the next, nor of the next, 351 00:32:56,720 --> 00:33:01,320 because what Job, our depressed friends says is true. Man's days are few and 352 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:08,360 full of troubles. Joy is a matter of perspective, even in the midst of 353 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:17,440 tribulation. That's pray. Father, thank you. Thank you for teaching me this. 354 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:20,880 Thank you for watching the Southern Hills YouTube channel. Make sure you 355 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,800 subscribe and hit the bell icon to be notified every time we make a new video. 356 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:29,680 And remember, we exist to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Have a great week. 357 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:42,840 Peace.