Chris Hodges Is this the end times covid 19

yeah all right I won't do that the whole service I promise I do want to tell you a boudreaux joke I've had so many people say hey tell us a boudreaux joke we need some laughter you know the Bible says a merry heart is like good medicine and today actually want to talk about the in times so I think this Boudreaux joke will actually fit into that because pastor Boudreaux and pastor Thibodeau they were you know both associate pastors at this church down to Louisiana and they put up a sign in the front yard of the church that said the end is near turn yourself around before it's too late and right as they were kind of hitting the sign into the yard of the church this guy drove by and wrote down this window and said man you a bunch of religious nuts and then just wrote it back up and took off when he rounded the corner they heard her screeching of the tires and splash like this car hitting water and pastor Boudreaux and Thibodeaux looked at each other and they said man should we just put on the Sun bridges out that is funny I don't care what you say I do want to talk about the end times I know that strange I know you think my goodness you're kind of going into the deep end of the pool with this Easter message but I do want to talk about the end times and here's why one of the conversations that I hear regularly and one of the things that people are most concerned about with the coronavirus is the uncertainty of it all so they're in the middle of this not knowing what's going to happen and I've had people say men are we and are we in the end of time or we is this the tribulation is this the is this the fourth Horsemen of the Apocalypse the pale horse of plague is it is this it and I would just want you to know you don't have to be uncertain we're Christians we 30% of your Bible is prophecy I don't if you know that or not because why because God always wanted you to know how this how things are going to happen how they're gonna play out and you do not have to be uncertain and I'm gonna make sure you're not today and so normally what would happen in our Easter service if you've been around Highlands for very long we normally have a survey where there's questions you answer and and we're going to do a hybrid of that today so I'm going to give you three questions today and kind of a survey and I'm gonna answer the first two and we'll let you answer the last one so here here are our questions today and I'm just gonna try to explain really just the uncertainty if you feel that way and wondering what in the world is going on let me tell you the Bible is clear now here here's the first question the first question is is this the end is this the end and that's a great question that actually has some biblical footing so if you've wondered it if it's the end it's probably because you've read verses like this where Jesus both Matthew and Luke scoffs poor record jesus's dissertation on the end times and jesus said to them hey there's going to be a period of time that's going to where it's going to be nearing the end where nation will rise against nation Kingdom against Kingdom and there will be great earthquakes famines and plagues or pestilences in various places and fearful events and great signs from heaven and so there is definitely without question been arise in all of those so those have always existed but there is a rise in them right now which has made people wonder is this the end but then Jesus go into Matthew's Gospel same same conversation just different gospel Jesus said but look that's not the end yet these are just the beginnings of birth pains so when you see those things here's what you would need to know and that is it is getting closer so we're I do believe personally that we are at the beginning of the birth pains in fact we are the only generation that has ever existed that all of the signs are currently fulfilled at the end times so in my opinion Jesus could return any time he'd like I mean in fact we were the first generation that was able to do things like fulfill a verse in Revelation which says that the two witnesses will be slain in the streets that the Bible wrote this you know couple thousand years ago John the disciple says these two witnesses are going to be slain lay in the streets and the whole world will be able to witness it well that wasn't even possible until there was satellites in in space broadcasting television where we could see things live around the world we're the first generation that could even see that as truth now I know that already kind of scares a bunch of yeah and it shouldn't scare you because again we're on the right side of this history we're on the right side of biblical history and I want to read this to you just to make sure that you don't get too nervous first Thessalonians 5 but if you really want to read a lot about the end times Paul put his portion of the in time theology in the book of Thessalonians first chapter fourth chapter fifth chapter chapter and says now brothers and sisters watch this about times and dates like is this the end we don't need to write to you for you know very well and I'm making sure you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night so in other words when the Lord returns it's it's not going to be when you were expecting it and that's really really important for you to know and understand and while people are saying peace and safety so right there we're not in that no one's saying peace and no one's saying safety we're saying I'm distressed and I could get the virus and and the Bible says no no no when Jesus returns it's going to be in a season where you weren't expecting it so you'll have all these birth pains you'll see things on the rise but at the time that it happens it's going to be at a time that's like a thief and the night destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape but you brothers and sisters are not in darkness and I'm trying to make sure that you're not today so that this day should surprise you like a thief you are all children of the light and children of the day and we do not belong to the night or to the darkness so then let us not be like the others and I wouldn't want to time out right here and say to you this is a good time and it's already really happening this it's amazing what tragedy and crisis and you know days like September 11th it really wakes us up and we kind of run to God we're seeing record numbers I'm not saying us I'm talk about the church globally record numbers of people are wanting prayer and record numbers of people watching online and record numbers of people giving their life to Jesus why because because this wakes us up these events like this wake us up a bit and so the Bible's saying hey don't be like that because that's see you could end up missing it if you do he said so let us not be like others who were asleep and I thank God that you know there's any good that's come out of this Crona virus it's the fact that people are waking up but let us be awake and sober for those who sleep sleep at night and those who get drunk get drunk at night but since we belong to the day let us be sober putting on faith and love as the breastplate in the hope of salvation as the helmet watch this for God did not appoint you and me to suffer wrath so if you want to know that one person say is this the tribulation no no no because we're there's gonna be the rapture of of God's church before the great wrath of the tribulation happens why because God did not appoint you to suffer rest best the encouraging part by the way right there that's the part where you don't need to be afraid because God didn't want you to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ he he died that's what we're celebrating this weekend he died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him therefore encourage one another and that's what I'm trying to do today just letting you know listen to me listen to me God's got you you're on the right side of all of this because in Biblical prophecy it tells us that we win we win in fact in the first chapter of 1st Thessalonians Paul was celebrating a group of people that said man we're gonna serve you Jesus he says I'm so glad you guys have turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God to wait for his son from heaven who he has raised from the dead there's the Easter message Jesus who rescues us he says it again from the coming wrath he's always wanted you to escape what's coming you need to know that so no this is not the end so what do we do we need to be always back to Jesus and Luke 21 be be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man what is Jesus saying he's saying that some people are actually when all this happens even maybe of those who call themselves Christians are gonna be asleep when all this happens and I don't want you to be asleep and one of the best things that I think can happen from this coronavirus pandemic is the fact that we kind of wake up and realize you know what I've left God out of my life and I've left I've kind of lived my life my own way in fact Jesus goes on to say that many are gonna miss eternity because they really weren't ready in fact he says it this way in Luke chapter 24 because of the increase of wickedness the love of most is going to grow cold but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved so let me give you this as a kind of an answer to the question is this the end no this isn't the end but it is the beginning of the end and we all need to kind of wake up and realize that all right here's question number two question number two kind of doing our little survey like I normally would but I'm answering the first two questions you'll get to answer the last one here in a second question number two goes like this and that is what is the correlation because there is one what is the correlation between what we're talking about today the end times and the song we sang about him opening up the scroll what's the correlation between the end times and Easter like the resurrection day what's the correlation and the reason why I asked that question is I want you to know that many times when the resurrection is mentioned it also mentions the end times and there's a reason our re that T in first Thessalonians because remember that's that's the that's the portion where Paul gives his dissertation on the in tons and in chapter four he says since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave now I'm giving it to you the message the messenger says it's so beautifully since Jesus died that's good Friday and broke loose from the grave that's what we're celebrating today God will most certainly bring back to life us now he doesn't in two ways by the way so resurrection day that what we're celebrating today lets us know that anything in my life that is dead God can resurrect he can records director dead marriage dead finances dead emotions there's a resurrection that takes place if the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you he will raise you up that's what the book of Romans says so he's going to bring us back to life but not only in the kind of now but the big resurrection moment for us isn't the ones we experience everyday it's this one and what he said Christmas what is this one this is the rapture of the church before the tribulation he says it clearly says God will most certainly bring back to life those it means every loved one that's since there were whose body is in some Cemetery somewhere and their spirits are in heaven God's gonna bring back to life those who died who were Christians watch this and then this we can tell you with complete confidence that we had the Masters word on it that when the master comes again to get us and he is coming again and I think it's actually pretty sing those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind in other words before he raptures us that are alive when all this happens he's going to make sure he gets the ones that have already had gone to heaven whose bodies are in graves in places in an actual fact they'll be ahead of us the master himself will give the command the ark angel will Thunder God's trumpet will blast and he's going to come down from heaven now this is a piece of theology that you need to embrace and that is the second coming of Christ he's coming again he's gonna rapture his church then it's gonna begin this seven-year is of Wrath and tribulation he'll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise and they'll go first and he says and then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up harpazo in the Greek is what that word is the Latin is wrapped hair where we get the word rapture if we're gonna be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the master and oh we'll be walking on hare and then he says this much just and then there will be one huge family reunion in that a beautiful thought again I wanted this message not to scare you I wanted to encourage you that you're not gonna you're not gonna suffer wrath oh this this is so bad God is gonna God God is sending his son Jesus on a rescue plan he's gonna snatch rapture his church we're gonna be caught up he's good we're gonna be spared from all of it and not only that we're gonna be reunited with every loved one who's already invested on that other side I can't wait to see my grandfather and my grandmother my dad Tammy's dad and mom okay they're gonna be a great huge family reunion with the master and then it says this so reassure one another but these words so again it starts off for this discussion about the resurrection of Jesus and it says hey look there's going to be another resurrection and you need to be ready for it and people don't need to be afraid of what's going on on planet earth because you're gonna be caught up and you're gonna be spared and you're gonna be reunited so what's the answer to the question of what the correlation is here it is here it is and that is just like Jesus rose again we're gonna rise again you need to know that you would really need to know that all right here's the last here's the last question and it goes back to the song that the team sung and it goes back to really I really feel like the Lord led me to that song a couple of months ago recorded about Chris Tomlin written by another incredible songwriter and but I've been listening to it over and over and then it dawned on me that this needs to be or what our Easter message is all about and before I give you the really the question the big question what I love about the song is that it asks questions and and I think that's how people feel I think people feel like I don't know a lot right now and so I'm asking questions and the team can go ahead and come out I want to just just read you some of the some of the words and and we've we sung a minute ago do you feel the word it's broken well of course we do there's been terrorism and violence and hatred and you know before coronavirus we I think we had with we have seen unprecedented you know polarization and hatred of one another and then it interesting as bad as this pandemic is how has it brought us all together again like we're not talking politics we're not talking all those things where we're coming together do you feel the world is broken of course it was we all know that we all we all saw the arrogance we all saw the the pride on the earth we all saw the immorality that was sweeping across our land do you wish that you could see it made on you of course we do and I don't think God created this pandemic I think he's responding to it I think the enemy created this thing but I'm gonna tell you what it is doing it's it's causing us to wake up again in fact the next verse says it this way is creation groaning we already answered that question we're in the beginning of birth pains the earth is groaning there are pestilences there are diseases and they are on the rise and is the good that we remind ourselves of this of course it is and that's when the course of the song goes to Revelation chapter five in fact before they sang the song you heard the whole chapter of Revelation chapter five and that's when the tribulation begins by the way in fact in chapter 6 it talks about the beginning of the chip of the tribulation and the opening of the scroll you may not have known this but the opening of the scroll that we sing about will the scroll is the tribulation it starts it starts the wrath of God on the earth and the song goes like this it says is anyone worthy is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll watch this now don't miss it and it's sung by a chorus of people in heaven who answered the question correctly and this is get this is getting to what the final question of the day is so let me say that again they're asking is this gonna happen is this getting rate start and who's going to start it who's worthy to open the scroll and begin the great seven years of tribulation and it's sung by a group of people who answered the question correctly and I want to make sure you're in that course of people and they go and they say it's the Lion of Judah who conquered the grave Esther the day we celebrate today that's who's worthy the one who never sinned the one who paid for everyone to be able to escape it let me say it this way God never intended anyone to go to hell no one to experienced the tribulation it is God's will the Bible says that all men be saved he wanted to rescue us all who's worthy he is Jesus so the last question only you can answer it so I'd like to give you the answer to the last one but only you know the answer to the last one so I answer the first two is this the entire no but we're close it's the beginning of what's the correlation between Easter and the end times well there's going to be a the greatest resurrection was Jesus the second greatest one is when we're all resurrected and escaped tribulation we're in heaven the day where there's no more crying sighing no more viruses no more sickness no more death but the last question goes like this it's very simple is he worthy and the answer to the question is how you end up in heaven singing he is it's the past code into heaven is declaring that he's worthy he's worthy he's worthy he is worthy and and you don't have to have your life perfect and you don't have to get rid of your own sin you don't have become more religious the Bible says in Romans chapter 10 you just declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord he's the true and living God he rose from the dead and today I put my faith in Him and he's worthy to open the scroll so let me summarize the whole message this way you're ready for it by the way he is worthy he is worthy if you choose Jesus it's gonna get better let me say it this way this is as bad as it ever gets if you're a follower of Jesus because you'll be rescued from all the coming wrath but if you don't choose Jesus this is nothing it only gets worse and I know it's on the heart of our God today that you'd be in the course of people in heaven who've escaped the coming wrath who declared the Lamb who rose from the dead is worthy so normally we end our Easter services with this spiritual survey and we're gonna do this part today in fact if you would I would love for all of you just to respond everybody because all all of you all of you are in one of four spiritual categories if you will you're you're in one of four places and if you don't mind I would just love for you to text the letter that you are to the seventy four thousand seven four zero zero zero and it's just going to give you a prompt you're not giving us any information or anything like that it's completely safe but I would just love to know of those that are watching this service which one of these four are you so before you do it let me go through all all of them all right and here's the first one and that is a if you text a to 74,000 or if you're watching them on on one of the social media platforms there's a like a response card there Easter response card you could use that as well but the easiest is just the text they if you type just if you put just a in seventy four thousand it means I'm already I'm already in that course of people I've already declared he is worthy my life's not perfect but I'm in a real relationship with Jesus that's what the a that's what the a stands for the B says I'd like to begin that or for some of you to begin again so you were close to him but you've walked away and you want to begin a real relationship with Jesus would you text be to seven four zero zero zero and it'll give you a prompt of some things we'd love to offer to you I'll tell you about in a second see in the spiritual survey says I'm close I'm closer than I was before this message that's for sure but I need to consider it more first thank you but not yet that's fine if that's where you are we love the fact that people have always come to our church who really don't necessarily agree with and believe yet I just want to check it all out first and that's totally fine we've always wanted a place that wasn't just for Christians but also for people who want to consider it a bit more first so if that's you would you put C in the text seven four zero zero zero and it just kind of tell you what what you could do next if you'd like to again it gives us no information or anything like that the D one every year I do this I tremble on the inside every time I even read this d1d says I'm not ever doing this I don't even know why I'm watching this service right now I don't ever intend on making that decision and if that's where you are that's where you are whether you like it or not we're gonna be praying for you and if you texted D to seven four zero zero zero it'll give you a prompt as well of what our hope is for you so just check it out again no information is past completely safe I'm gonna give you about 10 seconds 15 seconds would you go to your your phone or your tablet or you want to use the Easter response card that's fine too and just put a I'm already a Christian B I want to become one or begin again see you check it out a little bit more first or D I don't ever intend would you take 15 seconds and do that right now and I want to close the service this way wrote a book that came out at Easter last year and I say I did we did the church did called what's next and for every one of you guys that texted be if you'd like it it'll give you a prompt of some information you can give us just so we can get this book into your hands it's it's our gift to you and I don't get anything from it personally this is just something we want to do for you what it does though it'll give you the next steps what's next you have a spiritual journey to John just know God but to find freedom discover your purpose and make a difference and it would be our honor to get this resource into your hand especially you're stuck at home quarantine this might be a good read while you're at home if you want to begin a relationship with the Lord you want to begin again text be seven four zero zero zero and we'll get this to you as soon as we can I'm gonna pray for your father I thank you for every person who's making faith decisions I thank you for every person who says I need to begin again or I need to believe and I'm ready I'm ready to be in the chorus of people who say worthy is the lamb and if that she would you just repeat these words with me right there where you are just say Jesus thank you for dying for me paying for my sin today I make you the Lord of my life I surrender all to you come live inside of me by your spirit and begin a work a change inside of me I give you my life today now make the declaration I believe you're worthy you're worthy to open the scroll I believe you're the Son of God I believe you're the true and living God I believe that you died we're buried and you rose again and today I put my faith in you and your name I pray amen and amen if you just prayed that prayer I would love to put this tool in your hand you can text be seven four zero zero zero and god bless you normally this would be the part of the service where we would get cards from you and connection cards and you could fill all that stuff out there's Easter response cards on our website that you could just let us know again how we can pray for you we would love to do that and it's also the time where we invite you to give and I know for a fact we have so many people from so many churches that are watching this service I want to make this very clear please don't give the Church of the highlands please please if you're giving today would you please support your own local church they need you right now more than ever before and for those of you that go to Highlands if you want to invest in the coronavirus relief fund you can do that on our website if you just want to give your tithes and offerings god bless you today we're trying to make you proud try to represent you all over our state and really our world and god bless you today I want to do two things I'm going to pray over this offering they'll put on the screen how you can give you can mail it in you could go to our website or you can use the text to give feature all of it again completely secure and safe I want to pray over the offering and they don't want to pray over you and then we're gonna sing a blessing song we sang it a few weeks ago it's written by some incredible people over at elevation worship and Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes and it's just right out of numbers chapter six and as they play it I want you to stand up open your hands and just let them sing to you and let them just pray this sing this blessing over you father what we give right now we give because we love you so very much it is an honor to invest in in blood drives and helping people and in kovin 19 testing sites and Lord what a joy it is to be a part of the solution and God we ask you to multiply this offering let it make a difference in people's lives right here in Alabama and around the world God receded from our hearts his worship and God I'm asking you to bless every giver every faithful giver for those watching from other churches I pray a blessing over those churches that they are giving to God increase them let them be a storehouse so they can give to those that are in need during this time Lord and a father I pray a blessing over every person got out of numbers chapter 6 we say the Lord bless you keep you make his face shine upon you be gracious unto you Laure lift his face upon you and give you his peace in Jesus name Amen that received this song today [Music]

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Id: DVUyko7w9jE

Length: 29min 8sec (1748 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 12 2020