1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,200 Welcome to NECF sermons. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:11,120 Each message here is designed to uplift and strengthen you in your walk with God. 3 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:17,000 Don't miss out, stay with us until the end for a rewarding experience. 4 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:18,640 Let's dive right in. 5 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:19,640 Hallelujah! 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:20,640 Yes, no distractions today. 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:30,800 So that my suits will hold me down. 8 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:32,560 Hallelujah! 9 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:33,560 Praise God. 10 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:34,560 Amen. 11 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,560 Well, welcome to God's presence. 12 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,400 It's good to see our faces. 13 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:45,680 It's good to be in church this morning in the family of God this morning. 14 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:51,840 And I want to thank our lead pastor, Pastor Frederick Letong, for the opportunity to share 15 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,040 the word of God. 16 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:59,360 This morning, I want to thank the associate pastors as well for their commitment to this 17 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:05,560 work for the grace to teach the word, to learn the word and grow together in God. 18 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:06,800 Hallelujah! 19 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:11,800 This morning, we'll be building on what we have started. 20 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:12,800 Right? 21 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,800 We'll be building on what we have started. 22 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:23,680 Our lead pastor led us through manifesting the kingdom of God, which is the theme of the 23 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:24,680 year. 24 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:25,680 Hallelujah! 25 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,040 Can we say manifesting the kingdom of God? 26 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:34,600 Say I will manifest the kingdom of God. 27 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:45,320 And it helps us to understand what we have misunderstood, right, by heaven. 28 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:52,600 It laid the foundation for us to understand what we have misunderstood as heaven. 29 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:57,800 And the following we, Pastor Victor, picked up and took us through understanding the kingdom 30 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,080 of God, right? 31 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,180 Understanding the kingdom of God, manifesting the kingdom of God, understanding the kingdom 32 00:02:03,180 --> 00:02:04,800 of God. 33 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:10,320 And this morning, you can choose any of either the topics, but for the sake of just saving 34 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,680 the message, right, you can just call it the union with Christ. 35 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:15,680 Okay? 36 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:17,680 Our union with Christ. 37 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,360 Because it took me time to actually find a topic. 38 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,880 There's no crafting of any topic. 39 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:27,800 We'll be going through the same topic all through the year, expansively checking the 40 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:36,000 scripture to help us understand what manifesting the kingdom of God is. 41 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,600 What understanding the kingdom of God is. 42 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:44,440 But today you can just call it our union with Christ. 43 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:53,240 And last week, Pastor Victor ended on a very important note that when a man believes that 44 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,360 is how the man does what, access the kingdom of God. 45 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,400 He comes into the kingdom of God. 46 00:02:58,400 --> 00:02:59,400 Right? 47 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:06,400 So we're talking about John 3 verse 1 to 3 talking about Nicodemus and Christ's explanation 48 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:12,280 to him that accepts a man be born again. 49 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,280 He cannot be in the kingdom of God. 50 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:21,960 And if you're not in the kingdom of God, you cannot manifest the kingdom of God. 51 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:22,960 Okay? 52 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,960 So I'm just recapping this because what we are doing this year is we are building up 53 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:27,960 on everything. 54 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:28,960 Right? 55 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:33,480 We are building up on these teachings. 56 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,360 So today I want to explain further. 57 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:36,360 Right? 58 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,680 I want to explain further what that being born again is. 59 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,640 And I titled it our union with Christ. 60 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:45,380 Hallelujah. 61 00:03:45,380 --> 00:03:51,280 Because when we understand this, our union with Christ, which has been born again, we 62 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,360 are able to manifest. 63 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:54,360 Right? 64 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,000 In subsequent teachings we will go to manifest. 65 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,380 But we need to understand our union with Christ. 66 00:03:59,380 --> 00:04:04,160 Because in our union with Christ, we will understand heaven very well. 67 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:05,160 Right? 68 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,760 We would understand what heaven is. 69 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,280 John chapter 14. 70 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:12,680 John chapter 14. 71 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:20,320 You will hear a whole lot of things that you've heard in previous week again and again because 72 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,840 that's to get into us. 73 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:28,600 Then when we teach what manifestation is, you will be able to manifest. 74 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,040 John chapter 14 from verse 1. 75 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:39,600 It's a let not your heart be troubled, yet believe in God, believe also in me. 76 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,640 In my father's house are many mansions. 77 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:48,080 If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. 78 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:49,440 That's three. 79 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:56,400 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself. 80 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:01,520 That where I am, dear, ye may be also. 81 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:07,440 Now the foundation of this kind of a teaching or this kind of a statement by Christ in chapter 82 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,720 14 started from chapter 13. 83 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:11,860 Okay? 84 00:05:11,860 --> 00:05:17,160 So someone can not just approach you and tell you not let not your heart be troubled. 85 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:22,400 If your heart is not troubled by certain information that you have received. 86 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:28,120 So there's only a source or there's only a need for comfort when there's an information 87 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:33,520 that you have received and you are thinking it is not palatable to your mind, then you 88 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:34,520 will be troubled. 89 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:40,560 So if you go to chapter 13 verse 1, don't forget, when we read the scriptures, we have 90 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:45,120 to read them in chunks, not just chapters. 91 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:49,560 Because you have to squeeze five chapters together to understand what is taking place. 92 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:57,040 So in chapter 13, it said, now before the feasts of the Passover, when Jesus knew that 93 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:04,640 this hour is how has come to depart out of this world to the Father. 94 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:10,040 Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 95 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,640 So it was about time for Christ to depart this world. 96 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:17,760 He notes, he said to depart away from this world to where? 97 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:19,720 To the Father. 98 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:21,400 Right? 99 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:22,400 To the Father. 100 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:28,000 So you have to note that because in chapter 14, it began to explain what we call the Father's 101 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:29,720 house in verse 2. 102 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:31,280 So just look at chapter 14 verse 2. 103 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:37,940 You should use hard copy Bible because to maneuver digital Bibles, it's not really helpful. 104 00:06:37,940 --> 00:06:39,640 You can't maneuver quickly, right? 105 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:41,200 On a page, you can be seen the two chapters. 106 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,840 So use your hard copy Bibles, we encourage that very well. 107 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:52,600 So if you're in verse 2, you will see that what Jesus has said about the Father is now 108 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,640 becoming very clear. 109 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,040 He now explained that's what the Father's house. 110 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:59,080 Right? 111 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:08,400 So verse 13, because it was about to depart, let's go to chapter 13 verse 21. 112 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:16,960 He said, after these things, Jesus was troubled in the spirit and testified, truly, truly 113 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,360 I say to you, one of you will betray me. 114 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:25,000 The disciples looked at one another, on the side of whom he spoke, one of the disciples 115 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:30,240 whom the Lord was reclining at table at Jesus' side. 116 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:34,720 So Simon Peter mentioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 117 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:40,200 So that the disciples leaning back against Jesus said to him, Lord, who is it? 118 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:47,180 Jesus answered, it is he to whom I will give this mussel of bread when I have dipped it. 119 00:07:47,180 --> 00:07:55,060 So when he had dipped the mussel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon is carried. 120 00:07:55,060 --> 00:07:59,200 Then after he had taken the mussel, Satan entered into him. 121 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,280 Jesus said to him, what you are going to do, do it quickly. 122 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:08,680 No one at the table knew what he said, knew why he said this to him. 123 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:13,680 Some thought because Judas had the money back, Jesus was telling him, buy what we need for 124 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,740 the feast or that should give something to the poor. 125 00:08:17,740 --> 00:08:23,000 So after receiving the mussel of bread, he immediately went out and it was night. 126 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:25,560 Verse 13, sorry, verse 31. 127 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:31,820 When he had gone out, Jesus said, now is the son of man glorified and God has glorified 128 00:08:31,820 --> 00:08:32,820 in him. 129 00:08:32,820 --> 00:08:40,560 If God has glorified in him, God will also glorify himself in him and glorify him at 130 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:41,560 once. 131 00:08:41,560 --> 00:08:46,360 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. 132 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:52,560 You will seek me and just as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you, where I am going, 133 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:53,560 you cannot come. 134 00:08:53,560 --> 00:09:00,520 A new commandment I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you. 135 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:06,040 You are all, you also are to love one another by these all people will know that you're 136 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:07,200 my disciples. 137 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:14,400 If you love one another, rest six, Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going? 138 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:18,000 Jesus answered, where I am going, you cannot follow me now. 139 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,680 Right now, but you will follow afterwards. 140 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:26,880 Peter said to him, Lord, why can I not follow you now? 141 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:32,320 I will lay down my life for you and Jesus said, will you lay down your life for me? 142 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:40,800 Truly, truly, I say to you, the roster will not grow till you have denied me three times. 143 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,900 Now the setting of this reading is one of a betrayal, right? 144 00:09:44,900 --> 00:09:45,900 Of a betrayal. 145 00:09:45,900 --> 00:09:49,120 So Jesus is saying, one of you will betray me, right? 146 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:51,800 So everybody begins to wonder who is going to betray Jesus? 147 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:53,840 Am I the one who's going to betray Jesus? 148 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:54,840 Right? 149 00:09:54,840 --> 00:10:00,520 So Jesus was leaning close to him, began to ask the question. 150 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,760 Another thing we see here, he said that I will go, I will depart from you. 151 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:05,960 For a little while, you will not see me. 152 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:06,960 Right? 153 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,640 This somebody who has discipled them for three years, right? 154 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:15,680 Three and a half years, they're about, and he's saying you will not see me again. 155 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:18,880 Because of him, they have done many things on the streets. 156 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:24,360 They have scattered the message of the kingdom to the streets. 157 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:30,000 And now, the one who is leading the people who would share, or who have been sharing 158 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,000 the message is departing. 159 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:36,440 So you can imagine the state of mind that the disciples find themselves. 160 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,640 But he says something that they missed. 161 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:45,040 He said, where I am going, you cannot do what, you cannot go with me now. 162 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:46,960 You cannot go with me now where I'm going. 163 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,360 But afterwards, you would follow after. 164 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:51,440 Right? 165 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:52,920 You would follow after. 166 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:58,200 So we see that, let your heart not be troubled is very important. 167 00:10:58,200 --> 00:10:59,280 Right? 168 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:03,400 Let your heart not be troubled is very important because of the parameters of betrayal, of 169 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:09,560 Jesus going, yet mentioning is returning. 170 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:15,400 So therefore, chapter 14 is actually explaining something much more clearly about the going 171 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:16,400 of Jesus. 172 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:17,400 Hallelujah. 173 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:18,400 Are we together? 174 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:23,800 Chapter 14, therefore, is explaining clearly about his going. 175 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:26,600 So he said, let not your heart be troubled. 176 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,160 Believe in God. 177 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:29,160 You believe in God. 178 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:30,160 Right? 179 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:31,160 Believe also in me. 180 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:32,160 Okay? 181 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:33,160 Believe also in me. 182 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:40,280 Now, when you go for evangelism, right, and someone tells you they believe in God. 183 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:41,280 Okay? 184 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:42,280 Believe in God. 185 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,640 You need to always ask them, what do you believe about God? 186 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:47,900 Okay? 187 00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:54,040 Because when somebody believes in God, it means, it should mean that he believes in 188 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:55,040 Christ. 189 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:56,600 That's what you see there. 190 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:57,800 Believe in God. 191 00:11:57,800 --> 00:11:59,440 Believe also in me. 192 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,860 So if someone said they believe in God, it means they believe Christ. 193 00:12:02,860 --> 00:12:08,200 So when the person believe in God, and they believe not Christ, then they don't believe 194 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:09,200 in God. 195 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,720 He's not talking about the existence of God. 196 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,560 He's not talking about, oh, I know there's a diet up there. 197 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:15,560 Right? 198 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:16,560 He's not talking about that. 199 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:20,320 We're going to read it as we proceed in verse two and verse three. 200 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,720 He's not talking about the mere existence of God. 201 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:30,400 He's talking about the Christ and what the Christ will do. 202 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,200 So he said, believe in God. 203 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:33,540 Believe also in me. 204 00:12:33,540 --> 00:12:34,720 In my father's house. 205 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,760 Who remembers what the pastor called this? 206 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:37,760 Father's house. 207 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,480 The word father's house in Greek. 208 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:41,480 What is the word? 209 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:43,640 Can we coerce it? 210 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:45,920 The father's house in Greek, what's the word? 211 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:46,920 Oikea, right? 212 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:47,920 Oikea, good. 213 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:48,920 Oikea. 214 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,920 And it means what? 215 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:52,920 Dwelling. 216 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:53,920 Household. 217 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:54,920 Hallelujah. 218 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:55,920 Right? 219 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,280 It means household, which means a family as well. 220 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:00,280 Okay? 221 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:01,280 A family. 222 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:03,200 So in my father's house, there are many rooms. 223 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:04,480 Who remember what the rooms are? 224 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:08,360 The word in Greek for rooms. 225 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:09,360 Let's coerce it. 226 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:10,360 Monet. 227 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:11,360 Right? 228 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:12,360 You should know this word. 229 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:13,360 And that is dwelling. 230 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:14,360 Right? 231 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:15,360 That is dwelling. 232 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,920 So Jesus provides clarity on where Christ is going. 233 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:20,920 Right? 234 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:23,840 And where the disciples need not to be troubled. 235 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:24,840 Right? 236 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:29,040 So they need not to be troubled because he's going somewhere. 237 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,320 And that place is the father's house. 238 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:40,440 First, we see that believing in the fact that Christ is going to the father's house is creating 239 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:42,560 a space is key. 240 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:46,460 Because you already said that in verse one. 241 00:13:46,460 --> 00:13:48,000 So believe in God, believe also in me. 242 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:49,640 We said it's not about the existence. 243 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:53,640 But believing in what Christ would do. 244 00:13:53,640 --> 00:14:00,920 In my father's house, Oikea, which is family, there are many rooms which is a dwelling. 245 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:06,800 Now let me ask a question to church. 246 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:12,000 If you say, okay, let me put it this other way. 247 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:20,400 When we talk about a family and a household, when we talk about a family and a household, 248 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:25,720 do we mean the building or the people? 249 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,560 Do we mean the building or the people? 250 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:29,560 The people. 251 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:31,000 Right? 252 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:40,280 So it would mean that Jesus talking about a household here is not talking about a building. 253 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:46,560 He's not talking about a physical structure that you can touch and you can feel. 254 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,920 We're going to see that from the scriptures. 255 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:51,880 So it's not talking about a physical structure that you can feel. 256 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,800 So if I say my family is in the church, right, I'm talking about the place I live. 257 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:57,900 I'm talking about my family building. 258 00:14:57,900 --> 00:14:59,680 But I'm talking about the people. 259 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:00,920 Right? 260 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:11,040 So he's trying to say that in my going, I will, right? 261 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:14,720 He said, in my father's house, there are many rooms. 262 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,160 Okay, let's, let's read that once a little bit before I make my statement. 263 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:22,880 He said, if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 264 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:29,440 Verse three, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and we will take you 265 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:30,680 to myself. 266 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:37,960 So Jesus is saying that I will go and establish this household, right? 267 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:42,840 Provide access, make available this household. 268 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:46,280 That's then I will come again to you. 269 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:47,760 That's where I am. 270 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,640 You will be. 271 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:51,520 So I go to prepare a place, right? 272 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,320 I go to make a place. 273 00:15:53,320 --> 00:16:00,720 He's simply talking about Christ going to make something accessible to us. 274 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:01,800 Okay? 275 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:08,600 So he's saying that Christ, I go to prepare a place is that I'm going to make this family 276 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:13,880 something you can assess. 277 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:15,680 I go to a place. 278 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,880 It means I go to make this accessible. 279 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:23,520 So in my father's house, there are many rooms, verse three, just jump to verse three, said, 280 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:26,880 I go to make this family accessible for you. 281 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:31,520 Then when it is accessible, thank you for that scripture, I will come again. 282 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:32,520 Two things. 283 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:34,080 I go to prepare the place. 284 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:38,440 I will come again and we take you to myself. 285 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:39,640 So three things, right? 286 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:41,040 Three things we can pick there. 287 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,220 It's going to make the place accessible. 288 00:16:43,220 --> 00:16:47,280 When the place is accessible, it's not just going to go. 289 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:49,840 He will come again, right? 290 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,840 And when he comes again, what will happen? 291 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:54,560 He will take us to what? 292 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,560 To himself. 293 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,680 Good. 294 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:05,960 Now that word or the phrase, I go to prepare a place for you is actually referring to the 295 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:07,320 death of Christ. 296 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:08,320 Okay? 297 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:09,320 So you can write it down. 298 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:15,880 It refers to the death of Christ because it destroys death and his resurrection. 299 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:24,280 As the family of God, the Oikea is made available as a dwelling. 300 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:32,600 Through the death and resurrection of Christ, the family of God is made accessible as a 301 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,960 dwelling, is made available as a place. 302 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:42,520 So no one could actually come in without the death and resurrection of Christ. 303 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:49,200 But that is why he said, I will go and come again, referring to his resurrection. 304 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,560 In that said, please leave the description on the screen, please. 305 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,760 In that said, I will take you to myself. 306 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:01,280 So we see death, we see resurrection, and we see union with Christ. 307 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:03,400 I'm using the word union, right? 308 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:07,920 For those of you that know the word ascension, I'm not using it here because the ascension 309 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,360 needs to be taught much more clearly. 310 00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:11,360 But it's union. 311 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:13,200 Right? 312 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:18,240 The death, the burial, resurrection, and the union with Christ. 313 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:23,600 So therefore, the Oikea, right? 314 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:31,640 The Oikea is actually, okay, let me backtrack. 315 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:32,640 We've gotten the three points, right? 316 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:34,440 Did we get the three points? 317 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,960 We got the three points, the death, the burial, and the union with Christ. 318 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:46,680 Now if we say that what this scripture is saying is actually a particular futuristic 319 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:53,200 event today, we say that it's something that will happen in the future and has not happened. 320 00:18:53,200 --> 00:19:00,640 It will mean that Jesus has not fulfilled his promise to the disciples. 321 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:06,400 It means that nobody is in union with Christ. 322 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:11,320 Nobody has access to the kingdom of God. 323 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:15,000 Nobody has access to the family of God. 324 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:19,240 So if we say that this is something that is to come, it means that the house of God is 325 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:20,240 still empty. 326 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:27,200 If there's something like that, and nobody have access. 327 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:32,820 But indeed, since we say that it is the death and the resurrection, it means that the access 328 00:19:32,820 --> 00:19:37,280 to that house, to that family is available. 329 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:38,560 Are we together? 330 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:42,160 The access to that family is available. 331 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:49,040 Therefore, the disciples now, since the death and resurrection has taken place, the disciples 332 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:52,320 we can say they are in union with Christ. 333 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,880 And we that have believed are also in union with Christ. 334 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:57,920 We are in God's family. 335 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:03,680 So therefore, there will be a union in Christ's family, as at the time of this writing, there 336 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:04,680 was no union, right? 337 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:12,400 But we will see that there's a union after Christ has died and he has resurrected. 338 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:17,760 Now let's go to Ephesians chapter two. 339 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,640 Ephesians chapter two, verse six. 340 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:22,840 Or let's go to verse 17. 341 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,800 Let's start with verse 17. 342 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,080 We'll come back to verse six. 343 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:29,080 Verse 17. 344 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:35,440 He said, and he came and preached peace to you who were afar off and peace to those who 345 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:36,680 were near. 346 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:40,560 For through him, we both have what? 347 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:44,600 Access in one spirit to the what? 348 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:45,600 The Father. 349 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:51,000 He said, for through him, we both have access in one spirit to what? 350 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:52,000 So the Father. 351 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:56,840 John 13 is going to the Father, right? 352 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:59,680 John 14 is going to the Father's house, right? 353 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:01,520 He's preparing the Father's house. 354 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:07,480 Here we now see in Ephesians, after the dead and all pertaining to him are taking place. 355 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:09,880 We see that we now have access. 356 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:11,880 Now let's continue reading. 357 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:17,600 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints 358 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:22,680 and members of the what, the household of God, which is the same word, oikea. 359 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,040 Here they use it as oikos, right? 360 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:27,040 Household of God. 361 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:30,420 Same root word. 362 00:21:30,420 --> 00:21:34,920 So what we see here is that John 14 is talking about our union with Christ. 363 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:36,520 Are we together? 364 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:37,800 It's talking about what? 365 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:38,800 Our union with Christ. 366 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:43,520 Now let's go to Ephesians five. 367 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:44,520 Ephesians five. 368 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:48,280 Ephesians five from verse 25. 369 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:58,200 It says, husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 370 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:05,920 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the blood, 371 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:15,360 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor without spot or wrinkle or any 372 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:20,740 such thing that might, that she might be holy and without blemish. 373 00:22:20,740 --> 00:22:25,840 In the same way, husband should love their wives as their own bodies. 374 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:31,880 He who loves his wife, love himself for no one have hated his own flesh, but nourishes, 375 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,880 cherishes it just as Christ does the church. 376 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:40,840 Because we are members of his body, therefore shall a man, therefore a man shall leave his 377 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:46,760 father and mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. 378 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:48,720 This mystery is profound. 379 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,600 And I am saying that it refers to what? 380 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:53,120 To Christ and what? 381 00:22:53,120 --> 00:22:54,120 The church. 382 00:22:54,120 --> 00:23:00,000 However, let it be of you love his wife as himself and let his wife sees that they respect 383 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:01,500 their husband. 384 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:06,800 So what we see here again is the understanding of union. 385 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:14,360 So we can say that John chapter 14 and Ephesians 5 from verse 25 downwards is actually explaining 386 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:19,100 one thing that is common, which is union with Christ. 387 00:23:19,100 --> 00:23:21,500 So we see present the church to himself, right? 388 00:23:21,500 --> 00:23:26,320 Present the church to himself means both Christ and the church are together. 389 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,040 Did we see that? 390 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,360 Both Christ and the church are together. 391 00:23:30,360 --> 00:23:33,080 His own flesh, they become one flesh. 392 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:38,520 We see union in that as well, right? 393 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:40,840 And it says this mystery refers to what? 394 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:46,600 Christ and the church. 395 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:52,680 To therefore say that our union with Christ is something that will happen in the future 396 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:57,800 in a particular location is a wrong teaching. 397 00:23:57,800 --> 00:23:59,040 Okay? 398 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:04,000 So there is no, I know many of us are already thinking of Thessalonians and we'll go there, 399 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:05,000 right? 400 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:06,000 It's just in so many, we'll go there. 401 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,800 There is no scriptures, right? 402 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:13,840 That says that our union, right, is something futuristic. 403 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:18,960 Future, that's when we would be united, but no, there's nothing like that. 404 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:24,420 The scripture that comes to your mind is 1 Thessalonians 5 and we're going to read it 405 00:24:24,420 --> 00:24:25,820 and explain it. 406 00:24:25,820 --> 00:24:31,160 So therefore, right now we can say that we are in union with Christ, okay? 407 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:33,360 We can say we are in union with Christ. 408 00:24:33,360 --> 00:24:39,960 We are already with Christ, but we are in this body. 409 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:46,520 It's like saying that you are married, okay? 410 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:53,560 You're married and your husband is absent in your present location, maybe where you 411 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:55,080 are. 412 00:24:55,080 --> 00:25:01,560 And the person probably just took a trip out and you say because he's not physically present, 413 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,000 you are not married. 414 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:09,560 That is what we do when we say we are not in union with Christ because you are not saying 415 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,760 Christ is physically present in a spiritual body, right? 416 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:17,440 They're saying, oh, we are not in union with him, right? 417 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:22,240 But while that can happen in a real life situation, it doesn't happen with God, okay? 418 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:23,960 When it comes to spirituals, it doesn't. 419 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,000 You are in union with Christ. 420 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:28,000 You are in union with Christ. 421 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:32,360 So our union with Christ is not something futuristic, but something that has taken place 422 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:35,840 at the moment we believe. 423 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:45,160 Now let's now check Thessalonians 5 that said that we will be caught up, right? 424 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,720 We will be caught up with him. 425 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:49,720 Let's go to 1 Thessalonians 5. 426 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:55,920 I'm not going to explain everything, just a few things there from verse 13. 427 00:25:55,920 --> 00:26:02,600 He said, but now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are 428 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:08,800 asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 429 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:14,520 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus, God will bring 430 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,600 with him those who are falling asleep. 431 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:24,120 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord that we who are alive, who are left 432 00:26:24,120 --> 00:26:29,400 until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who are falling asleep. 433 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:33,860 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of a command, with the voice of 434 00:26:33,860 --> 00:26:38,600 an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ who rise for 435 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:39,600 us. 436 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:49,280 For we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with him, with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 437 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,320 So we will always be with the Lord. 438 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,400 Therefore encourage one another in these. 439 00:26:55,400 --> 00:27:03,040 Now this place, if you just read it this way, and you put your holy wood mind or your nolly 440 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:14,600 wood mind or your bully wood mind into thinking, what you will see is graves open, some people 441 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:21,640 levitating up, and you that you are alive, you are joining them, right, if you try to 442 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:23,240 follow the scriptures. 443 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:29,680 Because it says that those who are alive and are left, we will be caught up. 444 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:35,240 You know what caught up means, you will be going up, right, together with them, those 445 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:39,840 who are in the clouds also, to meet with the Lord, we are in the air. 446 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:43,080 A-I-R, I don't mind. 447 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:48,680 So in the air, right, you would, so if you put such kind of a mind on this is what you 448 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:50,920 will see. 449 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:58,240 And that would mean, you now translate that heaven is the cloud, and heaven is the sky. 450 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,200 That is not heaven. 451 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:06,160 Okay, because what the scripture means, just two words, we just do two word study and we 452 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:11,080 will clarify that our union with Christ has taken place, and this place is not talking 453 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:16,720 about a union, this place is talking about a congregation, a coming together of people 454 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:18,960 who are already united. 455 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:25,640 So you can write it down, that 1 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians 4, sorry, 1 Thessalonians 456 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:33,160 4, verse 13 to 18 is talking about people who are already in union, but they are coming 457 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:38,120 for a conference, if you can put it that way, they are coming for a congregation. 458 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:44,360 It's congregating, it's not talking about union, because union has taken place when 459 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:48,000 they believed. 460 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:54,760 So this part is talking about congregating, people coming together. 461 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:59,640 So why did I say it's not a union, but it's actually coming together? 462 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:04,800 Verse 17 says, we who are alive, we will be caught up. 463 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:08,280 First, that caught up word, there's no up there. 464 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:11,960 Okay, you can, it's a phrase, don't split it. 465 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:17,200 If you split it, it will mean, caught up means you will translate it to you going up. 466 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,840 So where do we find these other words? 467 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:32,520 Matthew 11 verse 12, the word is actually apagia, right, in Greek. 468 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:41,240 The word is actually apagia in Greek, H-A-R-P-A-Z-O, apagio, apagio means pens. 469 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:49,800 H-A-R-P-A-Z-O, that word caught up is apagia. 470 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:53,560 It means to be taken, it means to be taken. 471 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:59,920 In places where it appears, it is used as to be taken together with something, to be 472 00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:00,920 taken. 473 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:05,720 It has nothing to do with people moving into the sky. 474 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:13,000 Now let's read Matthew 11, 12, can you quickly give me Matthew 11, 12? 475 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:17,480 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence 476 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:24,520 and the violence are parjoined by force, they take it. 477 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:27,520 Does it mean that the violence are going up into the sky? 478 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:31,000 No, it doesn't mean that. 479 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,720 Matthew 13, 19, quickly, Matthew 13, 19. 480 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:41,440 We're trying to debunk the idea that the cloud is heaven and we are going to participate 481 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,240 in something. 482 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:47,480 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes 483 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:55,160 and snatches it away, that's the word, to take away, to take away what has been sown, 484 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:56,160 right? 485 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,060 To take away. 486 00:30:58,060 --> 00:31:03,800 The next scripture, John 6, 15. 487 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:08,000 John 6, 15. 488 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:14,320 Meaning that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, take. 489 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,880 The word take. 490 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:21,160 Now let me show you two places where it was used as cut up as well. 491 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:27,160 Second Corinthians 12, 2 verse 4 and Revelation 12, verse 5. 492 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:29,320 If you have wisdom, you know now. 493 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,920 The moment I call revelation, you know what that will be. 494 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:40,120 So second Corinthians 12, verse 2 to 4 and Revelation 12, verse 5. 495 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:47,000 In these two places, the word apadu was used as cut up, was translated as cut up. 496 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:48,000 Now let's go to second Corinthians. 497 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:55,080 I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was cut up to the third heavens, whether in the 498 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:59,080 body or out of the body, I do not know. 499 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:00,080 God knows. 500 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:05,720 We know that this man was cut up into paradise, whether in the body or out of the body, I 501 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:07,040 do not know. 502 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,040 God knows, right? 503 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:13,080 And he had things that cannot be told, which man cannot alter. 504 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:16,440 Paul is referring to a vision here, right? 505 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:21,520 It's related to a vision, not a physical event taking place. 506 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:23,760 He's referring to a vision. 507 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:30,440 Verse 12, verse 5 is also used as cut up, which is also a vision. 508 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:32,320 Okay? 509 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:35,240 So it means that you cannot take vision literally. 510 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:40,840 Actually, even in that place, he refers to, he was taken into the heavens, which means 511 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:43,680 taken into a spiritual realm. 512 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:47,440 Not Paul, even in that vision, he was not levitating. 513 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:52,040 He was actually taken into a spiritual realm, right? 514 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:53,040 That's the meaning. 515 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:57,880 An unseen realm, immaterial world, right? 516 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:00,880 And he was told things that could not be altered. 517 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:05,480 So these are the only two scriptures that actually use the word cut up. 518 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:09,200 And we have seen that it only means to be taken. 519 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:17,920 Now when we go to 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Thessalonians 4, it would therefore mean that we can read 520 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:19,240 it this way. 521 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:29,080 Then we who are alive and who are left will be taken together with them in the clouds. 522 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:30,400 Now let's deal with clouds. 523 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,000 We have dealt with cut up. 524 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,040 You have been, you know, you have been cut up with your rules. 525 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:36,040 You know what that means, right? 526 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:40,400 You were not levitating when you got caught up with Instagram rules. 527 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:45,240 So it means that you cannot just use word, just give them a wrong interpretation. 528 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:54,160 Now the word clouds is air, I don't know, you said in the air in some places, it's AER, 529 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:55,160 right? 530 00:33:55,160 --> 00:34:04,120 The word cloud in 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 17 is AER, oh no, not, pardon, excuse me. 531 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:07,240 Okay, that's air, that's something else. 532 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:11,800 Now the word clouds, the word clouds is not air, sorry. 533 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:21,200 It has another Greek word, but what it simply means is actually referring to a congregation 534 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:24,160 which we see in Hebrews, right? 535 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,680 We see this word in Hebrews. 536 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:27,680 Let's go to Hebrews. 537 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:28,680 Let's go to Hebrews. 538 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:35,200 I will explain the air there, but cloud refers to a people. 539 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:42,720 Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1, this is one place where we can see. 540 00:34:42,720 --> 00:34:51,280 It said, therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of what? 541 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:54,640 Of witnesses, right? 542 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:56,280 So great a cloud of what? 543 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:57,280 Witnesses. 544 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:02,300 The witnesses are those who are witnesses of the faith, right? 545 00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:07,800 People who have witnessed the faith, and we see Hebrews 11 mention a number of them that 546 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:09,440 have believed the message. 547 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:10,440 Are we together? 548 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:12,720 Are we together? 549 00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:17,600 So this cloud of witnesses are the same people. 550 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:25,380 We will come together and we'll form a cloud, which will form a congregation. 551 00:35:25,380 --> 00:35:32,280 So yes, there is a time that will come where this world, this mortality will give up for 552 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:33,640 the immortality to come in. 553 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:34,640 Yes, there's a time. 554 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:38,360 Nobody is saying there is no time where everything would end. 555 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:39,360 There's a time. 556 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:45,660 But that time is not what you always refer to as rapture. 557 00:35:45,660 --> 00:35:47,000 It is not a time. 558 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:49,800 Let me tell you what I wrote here. 559 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:53,840 I said it is not a time of disappearance, right? 560 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:56,080 It is not a time of disappearance. 561 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,840 You can write it down. 562 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:05,400 It is not a day you will not know about. 563 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:09,480 It is not a day you will not know if you are in the Lord or not. 564 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:15,520 It is not a day of you will now realize, oh, I've not been serving God all my life. 565 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:16,520 It's not. 566 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:22,800 It is the day where because you have believed in God, you will congregate with those who 567 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:26,280 have believed in God and have slept in the Lord. 568 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:28,280 Means they have died and they are buried. 569 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:34,600 So it means they will rise and we who are alive, we will congregate with them. 570 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:35,600 Do we get it? 571 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:36,600 It's not going to the sky. 572 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:38,600 It has nothing to do with the sky. 573 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:39,600 Right? 574 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:41,960 So forget those movies. 575 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:44,520 So it is not a day of levitating to the sky. 576 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:46,800 It is not a day of uncertainty. 577 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:49,440 The movies we watch will show that, oh, I was not sure. 578 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:50,920 Oh, and I've been serving God. 579 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:53,160 They will now show you one place. 580 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:55,720 Ah, he did not forgive his brother. 581 00:36:55,720 --> 00:36:57,640 Oh, that is why. 582 00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:01,040 Oh, before he entered the church, he just insulted somebody. 583 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:04,320 And that is why he did not make it. 584 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:05,320 It doesn't work like that. 585 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:07,960 That is not what the scripture is saying. 586 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:13,280 It said those of you that are in the Lord, right, that are alive. 587 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:14,280 Are you not in the Lord? 588 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:18,240 Are you not in union with the Lord? 589 00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:19,280 Let's continue. 590 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:20,720 So it is not a day of uncertainty. 591 00:37:20,720 --> 00:37:24,960 You are certain, you know, right, that they will come and you know that you are in the 592 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:25,960 Lord. 593 00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:28,400 And you will gather in that congregation. 594 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:32,120 And that congregation, I said I refuse to call it the rapture, right, the way we all 595 00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:33,920 because in fact, there's no word like that. 596 00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:37,200 But because they've gone to this place to teach that that's rapture, right. 597 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:42,160 Now rapture is actually your union with Christ. 598 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:45,680 It's actually the same word to be taken in with Christ. 599 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:51,600 The indwelling of God is actually your rapture. 600 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:52,760 Do we get it? 601 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:57,360 Your union with Christ, it means to come together with Christ. 602 00:37:57,360 --> 00:37:58,360 Right. 603 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:02,320 What is happening in first Thessalonians is everybody that has come to it is like, let 604 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:03,680 me give you an example. 605 00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:07,120 They call for a conference. 606 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,600 They call for a conference of engineers. 607 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:10,600 Right. 608 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:15,040 They say all engineers should come for this conference. 609 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:21,080 Is it when they call for that conference that the engineers are made or before that conference 610 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:23,880 the engineers were made? 611 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:26,680 Before the conference they were made. 612 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:34,800 So it's not rapture that is not this gathering that is making you enter into the kingdom 613 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:35,800 of God. 614 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:37,600 Do we get it? 615 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:44,880 But you are gathering with people who are in the kingdom of God. 616 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:48,760 We are gathering with people who are in the kingdom of God. 617 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:55,120 This meeting, it is not a meeting of salvation. 618 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:56,780 This meeting it will happen. 619 00:38:56,780 --> 00:39:01,500 It is not a meeting of salvation. 620 00:39:01,500 --> 00:39:07,400 It is not a meeting to establish the kingdom of God. 621 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:16,320 It is a meeting that those who are in the kingdom of God will come together as one. 622 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:17,320 Okay. 623 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:18,320 All right. 624 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:19,320 Now let's go further. 625 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:20,320 First Thessalonians 4. 626 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:25,320 I mean I'm sure pastors will still give us more on that as the year. 627 00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:28,320 Let's go back to First Thessalonians 4. 628 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:32,160 It says, meet the Lord in the air. 629 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:33,160 Okay. 630 00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:38,000 To meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. 631 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:42,760 If you read this well and you want to apply justice to what you have been thinking, to 632 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:47,760 meet the Lord in the air therefore we and the Lord will be in the air suspended there 633 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:49,920 and we will be there forever with him. 634 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:54,440 That is what it will mean if you take it literally. 635 00:39:54,440 --> 00:39:58,680 So we will always be with the Lord because we will meet him in the air and he will be 636 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:00,600 in the air. 637 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:07,400 So it therefore means that we cannot use direct literal words to explain these things because 638 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,400 they are spiritual realities. 639 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:18,680 All right the air just like I said is the word AER or AEMI. 640 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:31,120 Let's go to Acts 22 verse 23. 641 00:40:31,120 --> 00:40:34,560 Which is the place where this word was also used. 642 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:36,400 This is the place where this word was also used. 643 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:43,800 And as they were shouting and throwing off their clothes and flinging dusts in the air. 644 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:50,680 So this is used directly describing what someone saw taking place. 645 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:56,280 What someone saw taking place which is throwing things into the space, into the atmosphere. 646 00:40:56,280 --> 00:41:01,000 So it's used not figuratively here but directly. 647 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:06,320 All right 1 Corinthians 9 verse 26. 648 00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:08,760 So I do not run aimlessly. 649 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:12,440 I do not box as one beating the air. 650 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:20,640 So now he's talking about making things or doing things fruitlessly. 651 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:23,760 So he's talking about I'm not being fruitless in this place. 652 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:26,500 I do run with a target. 653 00:41:26,500 --> 00:41:29,460 So I'm not hazzardly doing things. 654 00:41:29,460 --> 00:41:31,840 So beating the air does not mean punching the air. 655 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:34,300 Here it's used figuratively. 656 00:41:34,300 --> 00:41:36,240 So we've seen a place where it's used literally. 657 00:41:36,240 --> 00:41:40,440 A place which we can take it figuratively because beating the air means doing something 658 00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:42,440 that has no yield result. 659 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:47,400 First Corinthians 14 verse 9. 660 00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:50,500 First Corinthians 14 verse 9. 661 00:41:50,500 --> 00:41:58,920 So with yourself, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how 662 00:41:58,920 --> 00:42:01,920 will anyone know what is said? 663 00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:04,000 For you'll be speaking into the air, right? 664 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:08,280 You're speaking into the air means no one can comprehend, right? 665 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:10,120 Which is similar to beating the air. 666 00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:14,280 The two used figuratively, right? 667 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:16,480 Now let me show you the main scripture that now. 668 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:20,560 So it means that this word can be used figuratively and it can be used literally. 669 00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:26,760 And you cannot transpose the meaning in either of the two contexts. 670 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:32,680 Now the main scripture that now give us understanding to this is Ephesians 2. 671 00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:38,440 Ephesians 2 brings us close to it. 672 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:39,440 Ephesians 2. 673 00:42:39,440 --> 00:42:41,320 Ephesians 2 verse 1. 674 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:45,400 Just give me Ephesians 2 verse 1 to 2. 675 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:52,320 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once worked following the course 676 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:58,600 of this world, following the Prince of the power of the air. 677 00:42:58,600 --> 00:43:00,360 What is the Prince of the power of the air? 678 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:05,680 The spirit that is now at work in the sons of what? 679 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:06,920 Disobedience. 680 00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:08,440 So what is the power of it? 681 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:09,620 No, no, just understand that. 682 00:43:09,620 --> 00:43:11,120 What is the power of the air? 683 00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:13,880 The spirit that is now at work. 684 00:43:13,880 --> 00:43:15,280 So it's talking about a spiritual. 685 00:43:15,280 --> 00:43:19,880 Air is used as a spiritual reality. 686 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:21,200 A spiritual realm. 687 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:28,640 So if you go to verses 1, it's not talking about the atmosphere, but it's talking about 688 00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:31,720 the spiritual realm. 689 00:43:31,720 --> 00:43:38,640 That at the end, we will be in the spiritual realm with those that are falling asleep and 690 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:42,640 we will meet the Lord in that realm. 691 00:43:42,640 --> 00:43:47,680 And there we will be forever. 692 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:48,680 Are we together? 693 00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:52,160 He says, so we will always be with the Lord. 694 00:43:52,160 --> 00:44:00,680 Now I now try to check if there is anything before verse 18 because verse 18 says, encourage 695 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:02,640 each other with these words. 696 00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:03,640 Right? 697 00:44:03,640 --> 00:44:11,380 So I check maybe between verse 17 and 18, there is something that added streets of gold. 698 00:44:11,380 --> 00:44:19,880 Something that added heaven as a hall where God is sitting and there's cloud, street of 699 00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:30,840 gold, you know, where all the houses and mansions that we have misinterpreted in John 14, maybe 700 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:33,520 they managed to insert it there. 701 00:44:33,520 --> 00:44:36,960 What I checked and there was nothing. 702 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:44,920 These therefore meaning that since we are united with God, we are in union with Christ 703 00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:52,080 on this earth, what is left for us, right, is to gather together as a people that are 704 00:44:52,080 --> 00:45:01,380 in union with Christ and stay with him in the spiritual realm forever. 705 00:45:01,380 --> 00:45:09,400 So therefore, heaven is not a physical location, just like Pastor started teaching us. 706 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,800 Heaven is not a physical location. 707 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:15,040 The mansions are not in physical. 708 00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:18,880 Thank God we started with that explanation. 709 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:21,440 First Corinthians 15 verse 42 to 45. 710 00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:26,880 Let me show you one thing that complements first Thessalonians for Pastor Victor already 711 00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:28,120 told us that last week. 712 00:45:28,120 --> 00:45:32,320 He mentioned it. 713 00:45:32,320 --> 00:45:36,560 That's what is left for the believer. 714 00:45:36,560 --> 00:45:40,600 Okay, so exactly the same scriptures. 715 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:48,800 So let's read from, no, I mean first Corinthians 15, 42 to 48. 716 00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:51,600 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. 717 00:45:51,600 --> 00:46:00,080 Just here in the scripture, someone will say, does it mean that Pastor Mario is teaching 718 00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:03,400 that there's no resurrection of the dead? 719 00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:04,680 That's not what I'm teaching, okay. 720 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:10,360 I already told you there's a day, right, where those who have slept in Christ would rise 721 00:46:10,360 --> 00:46:11,360 again. 722 00:46:11,360 --> 00:46:15,280 If you read first Corinthians 15, there was an argument about those who said there's no 723 00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:20,480 more resurrection or the resurrection has passed or something like that. 724 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:25,920 This one is explaining to us much more that there's actually a day, right, a day that 725 00:46:25,920 --> 00:46:33,840 was saw in first Thessalonians of such where the perishable, right, will give up and the 726 00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:35,760 imperishable will be taken up. 727 00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:38,640 So is it with the resurrection of the dead? 728 00:46:38,640 --> 00:46:40,000 What is son imperishable? 729 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:41,840 What is son perishable? 730 00:46:41,840 --> 00:46:45,400 What is raised is imperishable. 731 00:46:45,400 --> 00:46:47,560 It is son in the son, it is raised in glory. 732 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:50,880 It is son in weakness, it is raised in power. 733 00:46:50,880 --> 00:46:54,880 It is son in a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 734 00:46:54,880 --> 00:47:00,920 If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 735 00:47:00,920 --> 00:47:06,880 Thus it is written the first Adam became a living being and the last Adam became a life-giving 736 00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:08,200 spirit. 737 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:13,140 But it is not the spirit that is first but the natural, then the spiritual. 738 00:47:13,140 --> 00:47:19,720 The first man was from the earth, a man of those and the second man is from heaven. 739 00:47:19,720 --> 00:47:27,560 And as was the man of those, so also are those who are of the dust. 740 00:47:27,560 --> 00:47:33,560 And as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of what's heaven. 741 00:47:33,560 --> 00:47:39,400 Just as we are born the image of the man of those, we will also be the image of what's 742 00:47:39,400 --> 00:47:43,120 the man of heaven, right? 743 00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:44,120 We will be Adam. 744 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:50,720 So here he's talking about a spiritual body that the believer would receive, right? 745 00:47:50,720 --> 00:47:56,240 To give up our existence in this physical body. 746 00:47:56,240 --> 00:47:59,000 So that is what is left for the believer. 747 00:47:59,000 --> 00:48:01,040 Hallelujah. 748 00:48:01,040 --> 00:48:03,280 That is what is left for the believer. 749 00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:11,160 To be able to exist in the spiritual realm, we will take up this spiritual body. 750 00:48:11,160 --> 00:48:13,160 Because Christ has it. 751 00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:14,160 Hallelujah. 752 00:48:14,160 --> 00:48:18,800 We appreciate you being here today. 753 00:48:18,800 --> 00:48:22,400 We hope you carried this word with you throughout your week. 754 00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:25,720 Don't forget to check the show notes for additional insights. 755 00:48:25,720 --> 00:48:30,760 Stay connected with us through our website or follow us on social media. 756 00:48:30,760 --> 00:48:35,000 If you were encouraged, share this message with someone you care about. 757 00:48:35,000 --> 00:48:41,560 Until next time, stay blessed.