Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ April 6, 2008
“Be Ready!”
Mt 28:16-20 and Selected
Matthew 28:16-20 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Mt Tabor, 1843 feet above sea level (west of the Sea of Galilee)
Believed to be…
· The site of Christ’s transfiguration
· One of the sites of Christ’s post-resurrection appearances
· Jesus commissioned His disciples to go make disciples (follower & learner of Jesus)…
· After they are saved then baptize them and teach them Bible truth for rest of their lives
Review from last week…
I. The Proclamation of Christ
II. The Presence of Christ
III. The People of Christ
Ř Over 500 eyewitnesses attesting to the fact… Jesus IS ALIVE!
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
· First to Mary Magdalene early Sunday morning, then to the other women, then to the two men walking to Emmaus midday Sunday, then to Peter on Easter Sunday, then to the gathered disciples, then eight days later to the gathered disciples with Thomas, then to the seven disciples fishing, then to the eleven disciples in Galilee where the Great Commission was given, then to 500 plus people in Galilee possibly on Mt Tabor, then to James and all the Apostles, then to the Apostles 40 days after His resurrection (at His ascension), then finally to the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus…
· God ordained, chosen eyewitnesses that Jesus is alive, He did indeed arose from the dead
IV. The Promises of Christ
Ř I Will Send the Holy Spirit…
Luke 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
· Wait (10 days) to be endued with POWER from on High – the promised Holy Spirit.
· We are powerless without God the Holy Spirit working through us… attitude of surrender…
· Jesus often spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit…
John 14:16-20 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
· Jesus was locally confined to one place at a time… we as “Christians” scattered as salt in world
· Every believer has the indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit – worldwide preaching Gospel
John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
John 16:7-8 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
· Convict & convince the lost of their sinfulness… God’s righteousness… coming judgment
The Holy Spirit…
· Ten days after Christ’s Ascension Holy Spirit came at Pentecost
Acts 2:1-4a “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…”
· He dwells within every true “born again” believer
1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
· He empowers us supernaturally to live a Godly life… sharing the Gospel message of hope
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The Continuing Work of Christ is now…
Placed into the Hands of His disciples – You and I today… “My witnesses…”
R U Reaching others? We must, before it’s eternally too late… Jesus is Coming again!
The Promises of Christ…
Ř I will send the Holy Spirit and…
Ř I Will Return Again… Jesus is coming again!
· Jesus is preparing a place for you (Read Rev 21 & 22)
John 14:2-3 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
· Jesus “Raptures” those who are His
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
· “Loud command” – a military command, loud shout… ex – “Lazarus come forth” Jn 11:43
· “Voice of the archangel” – Michael, the rally cry for the armies of heaven (angelic host)
· “Trumpet call of God” – Always for arousing attention & warning… whole universe aroused… unbelievers are warned… something spectacular is about to happen
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep (die), but we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
· News media will go crazy trying to explain this global event… Antichrist comes upon the scene
· “Twinkling of an eye” – GE measured at 1/50 of a second! Snap your finger & it’s happened!
· Not all die… but we will be all be changed when we are translated… vanished… piles of clothes
· The perishable dead will be made imperishable and this mortal will put on immortality
· Jesus literally returns to earth
Acts 1:11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Revelation 1:7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
Matthew 24:30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.
Matthew 24:44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
BE READY – Rapture Video Clip…
Be Ready… Jesus is coming soon!
Next Week:
Friend Day
April 13th
“In the Beginning…” (New series)
“Be inviting your family, friends and neighbors”