Dangerous Snares in Perilous Times

[Music] weally we live in a world on the edge of unbelievable turmoil it's like a roller coaster just coming to the top of the highest part of the trip and not quite knowing when it's going to start going down if we look at the the news and trends that we see every almost every day if not every week in Europe and Asia and the Middle East if we see the the moral decay the signs of moral decay all around us and of course the gorilla in the corner the massive deficit that's that's looming over us we everywhere we look it seems like everything's going going downhill or just about to go downhill at a rapid pace in Genesis chapter 49 in Genesis 49 we read that there were to be blessings prophesied for Joseph Genesis chapter 49 we read verse 22 Joseph is a fruitful bough a bough by a well his branches run over the wall verse 25 a couple of verses later says by the God of your father who will help you and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings above blessings of the deep that lies beneath blessings of the breasts and of the womb we read of the blessings that were to be poured out upon Joseph at the end of the end of days verse 26 we read the blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills they shall be on the head of Joseph and on on the crown of the head of him who is separate from his brothers so we've been recipients as we understand of what God promised blessings beyond imagination but the scriptures also warn of the time after the blessings upon Israel that Israel would would fall and the world would turn upside down we read in Jeremiah chapter 30 we read a phrase that is chilling because Jeremiah chapter 30 here in verse 7 for example we jump into the the context here but he says alas verse 7 Jeremiah chapter 34 that day is great so that none is like it and it is the time of Jacob's trouble we read about a time before the final restoration of Israel and Judah and it's called specifically a time of Jacob's trouble and when we come to Matthew 24 were familiar with Matthew 24 as a a prophecy that charts human history and the sufferings of human history but particularly at the at the end of the age the suffering that would come upon the world Matthew chapter 24 we read verse 8 when we back up a little bit we read how Christ prophesied then many would come in his name say and I am the Christ will deceive many and you will hear of this is verse 6 now wars and rumors of wars he says see that you're not trouble for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet so this is part of human history human history has been charted by and you might say dated by wars and famines and all of these these things but he says verse 7 for nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in various places all these are the beginning of Sorrows and we understand at the end of the age these four categories are going to be represented in earnest but he says then he begins to talk about the end he says then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake and many will be offended will betray one another and will hate one another and then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many and because of lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold but he endures to the end shall be saved so we can see these last few verses are pointed towards the end because that's how there s that the context here of of enduring to the end so we see these the beginning of Sorrows and then things that are following that will be visited upon the world tribulation brother against brother of offense and false prophets so brethren we see here you might describe this as the as a spiritual danger zone that we're we're reading about as the world turns inside out we are going to enter the most dangerous time in the history of the world if we look at just a few verses later verse 21 for then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be this will be for real the most dangerous time ever upon the face of this earth and unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved what will our world be like without electricity without safe water without food with disease spreading unchecked with violence filling the land what will our world be like we don't we experienced tiny tiny fragments of these things sometimes over the course maybe in our life sometime when we have the power go out we had the power go out at the headquarters building here this last week and we you experienced some disasters like you know maybe losing a hard drive or something I'm being very tongue-in-cheek here we know we experience just how inconvenience we can't charge our cellphone because the power goes out you know we don't have a water for a brief time and you know we're what do we do we have to make sure and fill the bathtub or whatever it might be we experience little tiny tiny little bits of inconvenience in our life but what this talking about is talking about here is a world that's unlike anything that we can I think it's hard for us to even frankly even even imagine but this is the world that we're approaching dealing with a physical ordeal we'll we'll be beyond what we have experienced or perhaps even dreamt but the spiritual challenges that we are facing may be much more dangerous see if you go to Matthew 24 here and just look at the the next verse we read for false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect so we're challenged here we're challenged to consider the spiritual dangers not just the physical and that we are to have help because we've looked at Ephesians chapter 6 flip over to Ephesians chapter 6 where we're reminded of the the spiritual help that we are promised we read in verse 10 of fusions 6 finally Paul said my brethren be strong in the Lord and the power of his might put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil so where we are intended to be able to have armor given to us for spiritual protection because ultimately God is more concerned with our spiritual well-being than our physical well-being isn't he so we read verse verse 12 for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places so he says therefore take up the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and is there an evil day that compares with what we've just read about so he says continuing verse verse 14 so stand therefore having girded your waist with truth having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirits we're talking about spiritual dangers and spiritual armor and spiritual warfare he says verse 18 being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints so the armor were given again is for our spiritual protection God's concerned about our spiritual well-being even more as I said then our physical well-being frankly well what are the spiritual snares then what are the spiritual pitfalls as we approach the end of the age perhaps even today from today into the end of the age what are the spiritual minefields that we must navigate how we sir how will we survive these difficult days and not fall away from the body of Christ turn our backs on God and allow ourselves to be drawn into the vortex of the collapse of society what are the dangerous snares in perilous times that we must face so let's start with the small stuff as we focus on dangerous snares in perilous times let's start with the small stuff now I'm gonna begin with just asking you to step back for a second think about our society today our society is is segmented it's it's alienated it's divided between what Republicans and Democrats between blacks and whites and Latinos and other ethnic groups between conservatives and liberals between talk show hosts and the liberal media right between the ruling elite and the common man between academic liberals and the rest of us between Millennials versus baby boomers teens versus parents me too versus not me and don't forget men versus women so wherever we go everywhere we look it what if the emphasis is on the divisions in our society it's crazy out there isn't it oh and it's exceedingly easy to slip into the fray to get drawn into the vortex of the details to to allow ourselves to be distracted to be consumed frankly to be consumed and by the frustrating contentions that that swirl around us but you know in this fog of conflict is this anything new really because unless we can begin to feel sorry for ourselves like it's never been this bad can't believe all the challenges that we have in our difficult times have you ever read about the diatribe between some of our colonial leaders ever read about for example Thomas Jefferson and John Adams and the contention that was that they shared for many years at the end they came around to be friends but there was a time when President Adams again remember Thomas Jefferson was his vice president he was accused by Thomas Jefferson of having here is this is a quote now having a hideous hermaphroditical I'm sorry hermaphrodite hermaphrodite okay a character which has neither the quote now neither the force and firmness of a man nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman that was put publicly into into into papers okay into into this diatribe against against Adams and in return Adams again now we're talking about a president versus the vice president in a presidential election year okay in return Adams men called called Vice President Jefferson a mean-spirited low-lived fellow and it went on it went on from there Adams was labeled a fool a hypocrite a criminal a tyrant and Jefferson was branded a weakling an atheist libertine and a coward and these accusations flew back and forth just a few years later after this on July 11 1804 that was in 1800 an eighteen-inch on July 11th 1804 Alexander Hamilton who was a secretary of the Treasury and Aaron Burr now you know what I'm talking about is a sitting vice president at that time and fought a duel to the death right across in the Lincoln Tunnel well Lincoln tunnels wasn't there at the time but if from any of our New Yorkers you know where the lincoln tunnel is and right across the river on the side of the river they fought a duel and and actually as it turned out Alexander Hamilton Hamilton suffered a mortal blow that's the contention that existed in our early colonial days a world of contention let me cook let me let me just go forward a little bit because about a half a century later a north-south conflict became so all-consuming in our country that actually resulted in a civil war you're familiar with that thinking about contentions and living with contention the challenges but also the fact that we we're facing something that is that is part of human history if you look back a little bit a little bit further into history we come to Matthew chapter 22 let's go back to Matthew 22 because it seems like whether we look around or look back we have a proclivity in human society to be inflamed with with conflict and strife and we're not immune because we're part of it we are some of these labels that I mentioned before that get drawn into whether we say the words or think the thoughts get drawn into conflict and frustration but it's not it's not something new to us whether we're a baby boomer or were the Silent Generation or Generation X or what what or whether we're more or less conservative or more or less liberal or more or less academic or elite or Republican or democratic we have those those parts of us that are that are part of what we are we can get drawn into it but do we think it was any different than Christ's day was it any different then let's go to Matthew 22 as I said Matthew chapter 22 and we read a little bit about what Christ faced Matthew 22 and verse and verse 15 and the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk and they sent him to him their disciples with the Herodians saying teacher we know that you're in that you are you are true and teach the way of God in truth nor do you care about anyone for you do not regard the person of men tell us therefore what do you think is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not we go just down the page a little bit to verse 23 the same day the Sadducees who say there is no resurrection came to him and asked him saying teacher Moses said that if a man dies having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother now and they go this to give the scenario and then he says verse 27 28 then therefore in the resurrection they asked whose wife of the seven will she be for they all had her so we read here how the Sadducees just a little snapshot of how the Sadducees and Pharisees each wanted to draw him into their circle or at least get him into a corner one of the other and there and they were at odds now let's let's take a moment to think about this and I as I'm setting the stage talking about the political scenario back in the colonial time the civil war the time of Christ I'm getting to my point okay so well this is all about point number one the dangerous snare and a dangerous time but I think you'll see it emerge as as we go forward so let me fill the picture in a little bit let me fill the picture of what was happening at the time of Christ the Sadducees how about the Sadducees the Sadducees were the great pragmatics of the day they were wealthy lay nobles a priest aristocrats they sought to conserve their power through compromise with Rome most of the members of the Sanhedrin were Sadducees when we read in Acts chapter 5 or 17 about the Sadducees were reading about those who were around the high priest Caiaphas and that was those were Sadducees they didn't believe in the resurrection of the Dead and they were the top of the societal pecking order of the day they were concerned more with present-day affairs than on the speculation verses in regard to the life to come so they were you might say old-fashioned they emphasized the Pentateuch not the Mishnah the the laws that were were added these dozens and dozens of laws that were added they emphasized that the Pentateuch because they were in his old-fashioned they were the main opponents of Jesus at his trial that because they saw Jesus as threatening their power and their status Sadducees Pharisees they were the idealist of Jewish society most of the scribes the sort of theologians of the day were Pharisees they sought to meticulously follow the Torah they didn't believe in compromise with the Romans I'm talking talking with a broad brush here but understand what were what the scenario was here they didn't believe in compromise with the Romans they they were also did not believe in revolutionary activities and from their perspective Jesus seemed to sort of relativize the law what about others well there were others about the Essenes that rings a bell the essence they were the idealists I'm sorry they were they were they thought they sought to withdraw rather from from the the the the average the everyday life and that was their way of dealing with Roman occupation so they would withdraw to to to monastery like settings they were that you might say the hippies of the day opting out of mainstream society that's what the at the how the S scenes handle things for example Qumran you heard about Qumran the the through the the Dead Sea Scrolls these were this was a community that was composed of Essenes they lived in ascetic life they were waiting for God's apocalyptic intervention in human history but there are others about the zealots the zealots believed in armed revolution they advocated armed revolution if you look at the history of the Maccabees you read about the zealots and their whole history of what of what was important to them what they thought should be done of Simon the zealot we read about and see a movement of a member of this movement formally likely how about other other names of other segments of the religious of the religious milieu of the time well you had the others and the nots you had for example Hanina Ben dosa who is a famous miracle worker and sort of hermit like sage you had a baños also you'll see his name if you about some of the other elements within the within the religious fraction society of the time and my personal favorite honi the circle draw and so he was also a leader of a certain number of people so he had these different segments of society see where I'm going yet not quite well let's go on let's go on because you also had political segments so understand remember Herod the Great ruled about the time of Christ up to the time that Christ was born he was half Jewish but he was detested for his cooperation with Rome he was called a friend of Rome or looked upon as a friend of Rome he ruled you might say Palestine plus some Gentile areas nearby his area was important because it was between Syria and Egypt and Rome maintained legends allegiance in both in both Syria to the north and and Asia but they did not in Herod's area well during his lifetime now after Christ's birth Herod died not long after Christ's birth his his kingdom was divided into five different parts it was divided into Jew non-jewish sections and Jewish sections bear with me making a point here ok so stay with me here get the sense of what was going on because as I'm as as I'm talking and explaining to you what society to his life recognized brethren that when Christ walked the streets of Jerusalem everybody wasn't just all happy as Jews and there was some little bit of different ideas in one camp or another there were people who were willing to die for their beliefs and were very serious about their beliefs and were trying to pull him and his disciples into the mix is that happening today can we get caught up can we get caught up in causes today and without thinking about it actually be representing be reflecting a part of society because we're so mixed up in it and that sense brethren we're no different the time of Christ was also a very demanding a very contentious a very fractious time as well the time as I said here after Herod died his kingdom was divided into a couple of two parts non Jewish and Jewish Philip received some of the parts Salome receives a mother that was she was Herod's sister Philip was his son the Jewish Siri received part of it and the Jewish segments Galilee was put under control of his son Herod Antipas we read about Herod Antipas and in Luke 2 for example where the Herod - which is who's referred to there is is Herod Antipas he was referred to as by the title of Tetrarch so Galilee was under his control Judea in umeå Samaria to the south was under Herod Archelaus now he was the Ethne he was also he was called ethnic he was the son of Herod the Great as well he was deposed in 6 ad he was so brutal in his exercise of power in Jerusalem that Rome actually removed him so you can imagine the aunt antipathy and the and the hatred of him they actually that's why his that area that he ruled over was turned into a Roman province because of his brutality and the reaction by by Jews so the Romans after they deposed him they stationed a three thousand man Legion there in in that area and Pontius Pilate was then established as prefect that's where Pontius Pilate comes on the scene and he relied on local leaders particularly the priest the high priest Caiaphas ruled Jerusalem and day-to-day affairs from about 18 to 36 ad was was the time we're looking at with Herod Archelaus and and 10 years of that was with Pontius Pilate so you can begin to see a little bit more about the fractions of rulership leadership dominance religious Dominus but we're not done because there are other movements that were going on at the same time all you have to do is read about the history of the Maccabees and hear of their influence and people who up to the time of Christ were still influenced by by the the movements of the Maccabees and they were a continuing problem for example pilot himself was threatened by some of the ideological followers of the the ways of the Maccabees so he actually as it turned out he was deposed for overacting to a Samaritan messianic outbreak of a few years down the line that because all part of this antagonism towards the that was stirred by the Maccabee and revolting that happened over the years of course between the Testaments you might say you look at some other continuing problems for example in Acts chapter 5 and verse 36 Gamaliel refers to someone called foodists and Judas the Galilean well we're reading about individuals who were we're cultivating the following this is in Acts chapter 5 verse 36 and 37 there's just a passing aside mentioned there's another one while let's look let's look at this when mark chapter 15 you're familiar with this one mark chapter 15 remember this name mark chapter 15 and verse 6 now we see here verse 6 now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them whomever they requested and there was one named Barabbas who was chained with his fellow rebels they had committed murder in the rebellion and it goes on and we read about how ultimately a he was released where did he come from what rebellion was it talking about well again another slice of the political environment well that was that was part of daily life for citizens in the area in which Christ walked up and down with his disciples ultimately there was another one called the Egyptian if you look at at at the records of this time one called the Egyptian according to Josephus he had magical powers and he had an enormous following among common people um he led a mount and he led a massive people up the Mount of Olives looking down on the temple across the way the Romans sent cavalry and brutally dispersed them and he escaped the Egyptian you read about at this time in history and then finally last one I'll mention Judas the Galilean another famous leader of a contingent of followers he was eventually captured and executed and so that was the end of him so you had these other elements how about the how about geography how about geography but you realized that Galilee was separated into two different areas we read about Galilee and we read about Christ walking up to Galilee and we read about act miracles and things that happen but Galilee itself was divided into two roughly two general areas the north northern Galilee and southern Galilee the north was typically more conservative more remote no major cities and they were more lenient or images and and and decoration religious decoration whereas the south there were more cities they were there were more roads it was there were it was trade with area beyond so they were more open to change they were a little bit more you might say liberal versus the conservative north this in Nazareth by the way was in southern Galilee so so we again one more element if you've been taking tedious notes you've added about what twelve fifteen different elements in what was happening at the time of Christ now most Jews did not belong to a party actually they most Jews did not belong to one of these groups but they were influenced by different groups they were influenced and most actually had some sort of a hope in the future and they expected God to intervene and to restore Israel to peace and prosperity not all expected God to send a son of David to overthrow the Romans but some did actually the Qumran SEC believed that there would be a great war against Rome and that they would emerge victorious and finally they would a final blow would be struck by the Mike by the angel Michael and finally God himself and they would be saved so that's what they believe and yet with all that Matthew 17 Matthew 17 what did Christ do with all this this blur this fog what did Christ do how did Christ handle it how did Christ approach this the scenario Matthew 17 and we read here in verse let's pick it up in verse 22 now while they were staying in Galilee jesus said to them the Son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men we come to verse 24 and when they had come to Capernaum those who receive the temple tax came to Peter and said does your teacher not pay temple tax now I hope that you see that this question others like this were more loaded than at on the surface than at first glance because they wanted to know where he fit where which group was he following what was he going to say was he going to be on board with them or was he with one of the other groups and so he said verse yet verse 25 yes and when he had come into the house Jesus anticipated him saying what do you think Simon from whom to the kings of the earth take customs or taxes from their sons or from strangers and Peter said to him from strangers jesus said to him then the sons are free nevertheless lest we offend them go to the sea cast in a hook and take the fish that comes up first and when you have opened its mouth you will find a piece of money take that and give it to them for me and you he said pay the tax I'm not going to get in the middle of this he deferred to the ruling authorities and he did not tack attack them he did not blast them yes he spoken it in a blunt manner to religious authorities whether it would be whether it was the the officials of the temple or whether it was the Roman but what did he say let's go back to chapter 5 what about the Romans who dominated who dominated life in Jerusalem and through that through that middle part of the of the area we're talking about and where they had their legions and they exercised absolute control Matthew chapter 5 and verse 38 he said for example you have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I tell you not to resist an evil person whoever slaps you on your right cheek turn the other to him also if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic let him have your cloak also and whoever compels you to go one mile go with him - what is this talking about well you know what this is talking about is talking about the fact that there Roman soldiers could demand that that their their pack their gear be carried and a citizen could do nothing about it he didn't he said don't don't fight it look this is it's it's not the time to be quote patriotic this is the time to cooperate with the authorities as as is required let's go to Matthew 26 Matthew 26 the first point that this is all part of I'll go ahead and give you the very the specific point and that's this that's this to avoid dangerous snares in perilous times number one don't get drawn into the vortex of the details brethren don't get drawn don't get suckered in don't get drawn into the vortex of the details of the fog of fighting in our in our society today I showed you this is part of human history I showed you that during the time of Christ that the scenario is replete with opportunity to get drawn in and Christ did not he resisted and he stood on a different on a different a different premise Matthew chapter 26 I think it's interesting if you look at some some commentaries and I think it's a bit on unclear we can't read we have to be careful of the we can't be too many motives into things but it is interesting if we look and see what happened here with Judas Matthew chapter 26 and verse verse 14 we read here verse 14 one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and said what are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you and they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver and from that time he sought opportunity to betray him now you go on and you read as we go about his betrayal at verse 47 for example while he was still speaking behold Judas one of the twelve where the great multitude with swords and clubs came from the chief priests and elders of the people now his betrayal had betrayer had given him them a sign saying whomever I kiss he is the one seized him and he went ahead some commentaries who who put forward the premise perhaps Judah was trying to dismiss trying to force Christ's hand we do see this element among the among the disciples of trying to say Christ aren't you going to do something about that in fact if we keep reading we see it don't we because verse 51 suddenly one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear we reading that from today's perspective we think okay while he was defending him but understanding the the the antagonisms and the frustrations and the desire on the part of many people to fight against the Romans and we're following Christ even with the idea that he would lead them against the Romans did do you understand that there's more to it than meets the eye in fact if we read if we if we look forward we see the jump forward it two acts for example we see the disciples still had the impression it seems that he was going to usher in the kingdom so there was this pressure on him to think action come on Christ action throw off the Romans Lita movements get frustrated get angry and and jump into the fray Acts chapter 1 we see here a verse for being assembled together with them after his crucifixion in the resurrection he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the father which he said you have heard from me for John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now therefore when they had come together they asked him saying Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel so you see Judas was not alone and and in thinking let's let's stir things up let's get going I don't maybe we're stretching it we don't know what was everything that was going on Judas there but we do know what was going on and the other disciples mind you know we can feel like today the government is out to get us sometimes you might hear that well you know the government you know the government there they're doing this and they're doing that they're behind this and they're behind that the government they the big they you may have heard ideas floating around about how the government was responsible for 9/11 and for the twin towers being blown up maybe you maybe you think that these ideas are floated around you know with Christ actually the government was out to get him wasn't it but there's no some positions there the government was out to get him and ultimately killed him and yet what was his action and reaction to all the things that happened to him well let's go to John chapter 18 you know really truly Christ there were things were happening that were that were meant to destroy Christ we read in revelation 12 about how Satan we read this this whole section of how Satan was intent on destroying the seed of of Abraham Isaac and Jacob that would ultimately bring the church into the New Testament age Herod did kill all the boy babies didn't he that that actually did happen and yet Christ did not dwell on paranoia and he did not get fixated on what quote the government was was doing What did he say John chapter 18 as you read of his trial Pilate verse 33 into the boot aureum again called Jesus and said to him are you the King of the Jews and Jesus answered him are you speaking for yourself about this or did others tell you this concerning me and Pilate answered am i a Jew your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me what have you done and jesus answered verse 36 this is the resounding platform that Jesus Christ uh tured again and again and again my kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world My servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now my kingdom is not from here can we have that as as the resounding banner in our minds every time someone tries to suck us and draw us in to this the debate about what's going on in politics and in our society today can we can we can we have this echo in our minds my kingdom is not of this world I'm not biting I'm not going to get drawn into it because there are people out there whose goal is to stir people up to stir up the emotions of people and frankly many times they benefit from it whether financially or politically they benefit from it and what do we get frustration anger upset and we watch more TV or listen to more radio or read more articles or whatever about the same thing because it's almost addictive isn't it we get sucked into the stuff and we get angry and upset and and it's it's caustic but instead if we could say my kingdom is not of this world then we're going to be following the example of Christ you know the Christ's disciples actually were even sort of caught up with this mentality of fixing the world and and how they could do better because that's what's played upon let's go to Matthew chapter 18 when when we're when though there are those who try to draw us into this vortex of angst and animosity and all of today what are they trying to do they're trying to play on our mentality that we could do better if what with our decisions or what we think is best will be put into place then things would be right right I mean it's not what they're playing on really well that's a pretty familiar theme isn't it because Matthew chapter 18 Christ dealt with that as well with his disciples at that time the disciples came to Jesus saying who then is the greatest thing that the kingdom of heaven because as you read here in other places they were sort of concerned with who would be sitting at his right hand and who'd be a leader and and all of that it's a common human attribute to think we can if only we could if we could give the answers we would we would straighten things out that's what's played on by by demagogues who stir stir us up but he said no it's about being changed Jesus called a little child to him set him in the midst of them and said assuredly I say to you unless you are converted unless you are change unless you think differently unless you don't think competitively you don't get filled with bitterness and angst about what's happened in the world you could think beyond that he said lest you are changed and become as little children you will by no means into the kingdom of heaven so therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven so Christ taught the importance of working with individuals whatever background from they come from whether they be frankly we see examples for example and in Matthew chapter 9 of him working with publicans and the Pharisees were appalled why does your master eat with publicans and sinners they said so what what Christ did is he he he worked with people he interacted with people apart from the all the stuff that went around that's what we do isn't it you know when we when we preach the gospel we preach and when we interact with people we preached we talked to them we try to talk with the individual not all the the the imagery all of the the baggage and the labels that are part of the world around us Christ did not get drawn into the details of of the day it's going to Luke chapter 21 Luke chapter 21 you know we can mistake getting into current events and news and social issue we can and being interested in all these things in politics we can mistake it as as simply watching we're simply watching what we're just watching world events you know we can say we don't vote but we can participate very to a very great degree in the world's political system never thought about that so well I don't know I'm not into politics because I don't vote of course all you do is talk about politics and how you hate this one and this one and this one's terrible this was great only this and but but I don't vote so I'm not in the politics oh really what does it mean to be into politics is it just casting a vote you don't cast a vote so you're not into politics I'm sort of kidding ourselves aren't we if we're not careful we can be very much into politics even though we don't vote and it happens it can happen our conversations we can get drawn into it after church we can get drawn into it with other people that we before we know it we're we're no less political than our neighbor because we're spouting off our ideas just as if we had we were not governed by the principle that Christ taught to not be not not be caught up in that but instead our kingdom being the kingdom of God we can be into politics without voting but math Luke chapter 21 Luke 21 I just want to read this a little bit so we can challenge you to think about about this Luke chapter 21 and verse 34 take heed to yourselves then we we're coming on the heels of what we read back in Matthew 24 about the end of the age and we say we see here were 30 verse 34 of Luke 21 now which is tags this part onto it but take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come on you unexpectedly for will come as a snare on all those who dwell in the face of the whole earth watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man we can if we're not careful we can use this directive as a pass you might say a passport I know or a ticket to get consumed by the things of this of this world because we're just watching no matter that you know all we have for this way you do we get extra brownie points from God if we have the news channel on all day well I'm watching is that does that make us more righteous to be watching news all the time not necessarily in fact if you think about it certainly watching the unfolding of prophetic events is part of what we're supposed to be doing no doubt about that but if you look at what this word is all about frankly pull up Faiers for example there's lexicon and you'll see words like this beast be awake be sleepless be circumspect the attentive be ready it talks about its it has a sense of being intent on a thing or our vigilance and it's an image that's drawn from Shepherd with this flock but there's the sense is being aware of what's going on but more than that it's having a wakeful frame of mind here's here's the last part of a Faiers explanation the group of synonyms is completed by another Greek word which signifies a state untouched by any slumberous or be clouding influences and thence one that is guarded against advances of drowsiness or bill wilderness bewilderment thus it becomes a term for weariness against spiritual dangers and beguile myths and you know what verse is connected first Peter chapter 5 let's go there and see what it says first Peter chapter 5 we're talking about spiritual dangers and spiritual snares in perilous times and watching for those particularly first Peter chapter 5 we already talked about at the beginning how there is a being who would love to see us fall to catch us in spiritual snares that's what we watch for those spiritual snares 1st Peter chapter 5 and verse 6 therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God they may exalt you in due time casting all your care upon him for he cares for you be sober the same family of words be sober be watchful for what what are we supposed to be primarily first and foremost watchful for what's happening in the world no watching the unfolding prophetic events that's that is right to do but the watching that were we're reading about here is watching that we are not caught in the snares of Satan the devil he says be sober be vigilant or watchful because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour so what do we watch for we watch for bitterness we watch with a root of vanity we watch for selfishness we watch for being consumed with our own way of thinking and contrast to obedience to God and you know what if you think about it brethren if we think back over the past few decades there were we have friends and brethren who were very dedicated news Watchers who fell prey to snares of Satan the devil and were caught up and are often a totally different direction to that they were deceived and yet they were professional news Watchers so it's not just about the news it's about being watchful and being be careful we don't get caught up and what's around us that's what that's what we're supposed to focus on so if we go back to Ephesians chapter 6 and we'll then we'll move we'll move on here Ephesians chapter 6 this this thought is attitude right here because Ephesians chapter 6 we read about the the armour of God and in verse 18 after the armor is delineated here verse 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication the spirit being watchful to this end to what end to the end that we not be overcome by the snares of Satan the devil so watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints and for me that utterance may be given to me that I may open my mouth mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in Chains that in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak he had the right perspective didn't he had a perspective that focused on what Christ said of his kingdom not being of this world but instead being growing in understanding and growing in the ability to resist the snares of Satan so point being probably if you want to boil it down proverbs 26 gives a great proverb proverbs 26 it bears directly on what we're talking about here for this first the first half of the sermon here proverbs 26 and verse 17 he who passes by and metals in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears don't take a dog by the ears they'll get caught up in the vortex of the details of the the fog of conflict in our society today here's another snare that can affect us look at at two others before we conclude here's another snare let's go to Isaiah chapter 29 Isaiah chapter 29 now we can see this snare from Isaiah and and he gives us an example of the ancient prophets and how they they cried out at the impending doom but they also did something else Isaiah chapter 29 we read here in verse 13 therefore the Lord said we're familiar with this because it was quoted by Christ and as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips but I have removed their hearts far from me and their fear toward me as taught by the commandment of men therefore behold I will do a marvelous work among this people a marvelous work and not in a good way and a woman a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent man shall be hidden so he talks about how he what he would bring upon those who would only be hypocritical in their worship of him you can read here verse 15 and 16 woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel fall from the Lord far from the Lord and their works are in the dark they say who sees us and who knows surely you have things turned around shall the potter be esteemed as the clay for shall the thing maid say of him who made it he did not make me or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it he has no understanding so he's we're reading of a of a criticism and a condemnation of those who would draw it would be filled with hypocrisy and we see examples of this but there's something that follows verse 17 it is verse 17 is it not yet a very little while till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest and that day the Deaf shall hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness the humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord and in the poor among men shall rejoice our and the poor among men shall rejoice so what do we see here we see something that's mirrored a number of times just in the next few chapters where we see a condemnation of the you might say the impending doom but we see that there's more to it than just that the other side of that is a very hopeful message of the good things to come and we see this here for example in chapter 30 verses verse beginning in verse 8 now go write it before them on a tablet and note it on a scroll that it may be for time to come forever and ever that this is a rebellious people lying children children who will not hear the law of the Lord who say to the seers do not see and to the prophets do not prophesy to us right right things speak to us smooth things prophesy deceits get out of the way turn aside from the path caused the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us so therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel because you despise this world this word and trust in oppression and perversity and rely on them therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breech ready to fall a bulge in a high wall whose braking comes suddenly in an instant and he shall break it like the breaking of the Potters vessel which is broken in pieces he shall not spare so there shall not be found among its fragments a shard to take fire from the hearth or to take water from the cistern we find it's a very powerful statement against the rebellious nosov Israel but we have come down to verse 18 and we see the other the other part of the message verse 18 therefore the Lord will wait that he may be gracious to you and therefore he will be exalted that he may have mercy on you for the Lord is a God of justice blessed are thou all those who wait for him for the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem he shall weep no more he will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry and when he hears it he will answer you and then we have this very familiar passage though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the waters of affliction yea your teachers will not be moved into a corner any more but your eyes shall see your teachers your ears shall hear a word behind you and so on so we read here of two parts now what am I getting at second snare second snare to avoid a dangerous snare in a perilous time is this don't make the impending doom the main message because it's not it's not now when we look at the world around us we can become consumed and we can also become discouraged and frustrated and we can then become anger because we see who's causing sometimes some of the two but we we can become consumed by the bad you know it can become consumed by the bad prophet Isaiah he was willing to confront and real willing to condemn the bad but he always said and but by the way there's something better coming there's something better coming look at another example Isaiah 34 as a ax 34 you could basically read the whole chapter here because as a chapter that talks about the nation's and how they would they would receive the indignation of the Lord words like verse 5 he says my sword shall be bathed in heaven indeed it shall come down on Edom and on the people of my curse for judgment the sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made overflowing with fatness with the blood of lambs and goats with the fat of the kidneys of the Rams for the Lord has a sacrifice in basra and a great slaughter in the land of Edom you're reading about God's punishment on these nations but yet we also should read the next chapter because the next chapter is one of the most positive and uplifting and encouraging chapters in the Book of Isaiah verse 30 tap to 35 and verse and verse 1 the wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it the excellence of Carmel and Sharon they shall see the glory of the Lord the excellency of our God and it continues in that in that vein so to avoid another snare then as I said following Isaiah's example don't make the impending doom the main message the main thing that consumes us because it's not it's not repentance is the key that's always Illustrated always brought into the mix both for Israel and for the world let's go to Ezekiel chapter chapter 14 for example with repentance will come the mercy of the Lord Ezekiel chapter 14 we're we're jumping into this section as well when we're we're reading about the idolatry of Israel but I want to focus on verse 6 therefore say to the house of Israel thus says the Lord God here's a solution repent turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations so he gives Ezekiel here in other places he gives the you might say the transition he says these bad things are happened but that's going to happen but look the answer is repent change and there's there are better things to come that's the message again and again and again in the scriptures verses 10 says they shall bear their iniquity the punishment of the prophets shall be the same as the punishment for the one who inquired that the house of Israel may no longer stray from me nor be profaned anymore with all their transgressions but that they may be my people and I may be their God says the Lord God so he's he says there's a point to this the bad the gloom the doom is coming for a reason it's it's not all there is it's not all there is there's there's more coming and here he says verse 12 the word of the Lord came again to be saying son of man when a land sins against me by persistent unfaithfulness I'll stretch out my hand against it I will come off it supply of bread sand famine on and cut off man and beast from it but then as you go through ultimately you see again verse 23 I'm just jumping down to the end where we read about how they would be comforted in verse 22 concerning the disaster that I brought upon Jerusalem all that I brought upon it and they will comfort you when you see their ways and their doings and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done it says the Lord God point being again look God's the the doom is punishment that will be followed by by mercy again it's appropriate that we acknowledge the direction of our world and the fulfillment of prophecy but we can we can too easily have our you might say our focus filter set on bad news you know what we're looking for the bad news and we're alert to the bad news is the bad news occupy in our mind so much that there's no room for good news Matthew chapter 24 if you look at Matthew 24 where we began notice something here Matthew 24 if you read through the chapter to the end of the chapter you see it's immediately followed by what chapter 25 the first and second parables are about what about the kingdom of God the kingdom of God to come is what is is is is where we're heading towards I'm not gonna read the parables but this is this is where where Christ was pointing their attention and he was doing so from his first words to his last words Matthew chapter 4 what did we read as he begins to preach he went about Galilee we read Matthew 24 verse 23 if you want to jot it down he taught in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom not the gospel of bad news you know we don't we don't announce our program on television or on the internet that by saying the bad news of the days before the coming kingdom of God do my best Kevin Lee imitation here that maybe didn't work so well but we don't we don't announce it as the bad news before the good news no we we're pointing towards the good news yes bad news is part of the process it's the precursor but it's not the message it's not the message Matthew chapter four I mentioned his first words where he he taught and he encouraged people about the good kingdom to come Matthew 24 here in verse 14 what are we supposed to be about Matthew chapter 24 verse 14 and this gospel of the kingdom not the gospel of the bad news in the doom and gloom the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come there is going to come a time brethren where there will be no good news and the news that we have will be all that the world will have to hang on to the hope that we can give will be like this this this this candle this this light that is the only good news that people can see if what we read is true in the scriptures that things are going to become very very difficult so our focus needs to be set and cemented on as we read in Matthew chapter 6 right the gospel the kingdom should be our focus seek you first the kingdom think on these things as opposed to getting caught up in the doom because the impending doom is not the main message let's go to Matthew chapter well let's go to Romans chapter 6 I mentioned Matthew 6 where it's briefly Romans chapter 16 Paul took on this same the same pattern Romans chapter 16 where he focused beyond even his chains and his afflictions oh he mentioned them the problems he had and he certainly mentioned the the difficulties to come but he he focused people's attention on the good to come Romans chapter 16 and verse 25 the last few verses your last couple of verses and is letter to the Romans now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel my good news and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest and by the prophetic scriptures made known to all nations according to the commandment of the everlasting God for obedience to the faith to God alone wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever amen he pointed their attention on the good things to come last point I want to make just the last in 15 minutes here and there's another snare there's another snare that we can we can get caught up in and that is this we can forget what we've learned and where we've learned it so third challenge here is don't forget what we've learned and where we've learned it I say that because the snare is is being forgetful something I saw as a contrast between the modern culture here in America and the culture and much of Asia when I lived in Asia that that is that you might say the age of cultural consciousness in other words we have a limited depth of field historically here in our land and we do have a comparatively brief national history so compared to many nations of the world and and perhaps that's part that's part of the reason but in Thailand if you go to any souvenir shop or art gallery or just look at the logos on the food packaging there's an image that pops up again and again and again and it's it's an image of of two men in full battle array in an elephant duel the elephants are rearing up on one elephant that the Black Prince of Thailand who is called the Black Prince now he had become king he's king naresuan and the other of the other elephant its minge suave who was the the the Crown Prince of Burma and so this Thai Prince is defending his land and the capital city via yo TIA against this Burmese Crown Prince from from Burma and the images everywhere it's it's the great battle of a Utah hottie that's it's you'll you'll see it if you Walker if you I said go to shops or whatever and and it's it was happen not far from a soupçon burry he seriously the images today but it happened in 1593 a long long time ago a long cultural memory that stamped this event in their history in many corners of the world it's not alone in Thailand many corners of the world the cultural consciousness of peoples has a depth of field you might say that goes back a long time why is so why is Russia so paranoid towards Europe well it's not just that two million people died and the largest battle of World War two in 1942 and 43 it was the largest battle the battle for Stalingrad you know it's a very real memory that goes back 130 years earlier when the largest army ever known to have been assembled in the history of warfare up to that point marched across Poland into Russia under Napoleon Napoleon dove was defeated Russia cost Russia defended herself at the cost of four hundred thousand casualties so is it any wonder that Russia is a little bit paranoid about their homeland and talk about concerned Poland is even more so is it any wonder that Poland has a memory of concern about neighbors because they've been to Bala ground between Europe and Russia going back even further so again we're talking about things that happen now thousands of years ago hundreds and in this in one case for example was reading one quote from an Arab professor who talked about the Crusader armies that massacred according to the according to what they say a hundred thousand people when they took Jerusalem men women and children the Crusaders a massacred of the of the of the Arabs that was a thousand years ago but it still stamped in the mind of Middle Eastern peoples but you know it's funny the people of God have a record of forgetfulness let's go to Deuteronomy after four Deuteronomy chapter four God warned against forgetfulness Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 9 he told Israel through Moses only take heed to yourself and diligently keep yourself lest you forget the things your eyes have seen unless they depart from your heart all the days of your life and teach them to your children and to your grandchildren and the story then of Israel is a story of forgetting isn't it you go through the judges the kings and you see Israel again and again for forgetting you know we can be frustrated with our current scenario we can be I think concerned maybe not so much here but a lot of our congregations have a small number of people ten eleven twelve people perhaps twenty people twenty thirty people but sometimes very small groups of people and it can be frustrating it can be discouraging it can be it can be concerning and you don't see new people come you don't see the congregation growing it can be very discouraging or perhaps as a single or young people you think where are there young people so am I going to marry am I gonna have as friends it can be very discouraging very frustrating you know we've got lots of things to be frustrated about don't we but the reality is this the Scriptures tell us don't forget what we've learned and where it's where it's come from let's go to 2nd 2nd Timothy chapter 1 the frustrations they need to be pushed aside for the reality of the fact that we have the truth we have the opportunity to be part of the body of Christ and we can't allow ourselves to be snared by our frustrations and discouragement about not having more people others in one way or another to actually pull us out of the body and pull us into a place where we go into a tailspin turn our backs on on God and are not part of his of his of his family second Timothy chapter 1 we find in this in the New Testament multiple places where Paul for example as well as Christ reminded people to to hold fast 2nd Timothy chapter 1 and verse 13 you know where I'm going here he says in verse 13 hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus hold fast in 2nd Thessalonians he says hold fast and fast and all the traditions that you were taught don't forget what we've learned and where we've learned it from you know we have a history we have a panorama you might say of a faithful true Christians who have held fast from the days of Polycarp and Polycrates all the way through the centuries between then and today day-in day-out people known and unknown some of the names we know but many many thousands we don't and yet they have have laid a groundwork they've continued to carry the torch over these years and even some within the last 100 years even the last 50 years who have been forgotten who sacrifices for the work to keep the work going to spread the gospel to preach the gospel whose sacrifices have been forgotten and are not talked about today we don't we don't know who they were anymore they're not in our consciousness but their reward is sure and we need to maintain a loyalty to our brethren who have been used by God to keep the flame going through the centuries we can get concerned and we can't get frustrated with our current concerns so much that we that we forget the value of what we learned and from where we learned it revelation chapter chapter 3 what is good prove what is right prove the truth prove where God's body is and then hold fast hold fast to other dear brethren who who have conviction to the same principles and values and don't allow ourselves to be caught up in any of the structions that are around us brethren because Revelation chapter 3 we read there will come a time when Jesus Christ will return to his faithful whether in the grave or whether still alive Revelation chapter 3 this is a message that that has actually reiterated through all the all the different eras of the church but we see Revelation chapter 3 and verse not 8 let's begin in verse 8 I know your works he's talking to the Philadelphia and era here he says see I have set before you an open door and no one can shut it for you have a little strength I've kept my word and have not denied my name and verse 10 again because you kept my command to persevere I also will keep you from the hour of trial which would come upon the whole world so we read there's a reiteration of the fact that tough tough times will come but our part is verse 11 hold behold I am coming quickly hold fast what you have that no one may take your crown that has been the challenge for God's people called out as part of his ekklesia part of his called out once through the histories through history through the ages you know as Paul and others persecuted the church we read about this and in acts some some some wood some died when we're cast into prison and some spread the gospel the gospel spread as a result of Paul's persecution others turned aside as a result of that persecution others turned aside as a result of other persecution through through the years so let's go to Daniel chapter 2 a challenge to think about dangerous snares and our perilous times today because while we may not be confronted with the physical challenges that are in the future we are confronted with the spiritual challenges brethren and we need to be be aware that though the snares are set for us the snares are in the ground you might say they're in our path everywhere we turn every which way we walk the snares are there for us all we have to do is turn the radio on all we have to do is turn the television our internet on all we have to do is literally listen to the conversations around us and the snares are set one to get caught up in the end of the flurry of frustration antagonism Christ set us a very good example and I hope by taking a little bit of time to go through I hope you am I you know cumbersome way you've seen a little bit of the environment and in which Christ taught frankly I think it's a mirror image of our day today honestly if you think about it I mean he was a also converted contentious time and yet he stuck to his guns he said My Kingdom is not of this world if we can be able to take on that mindset brethren then we won't get caught up in the details if we can be able to focus our attention on what we have remember what we've been given and and hold fast to that message and to those who have taught it Daniel chapter two we see the big picture here that it won't be long before our hope returns to this earth Daniel chapter 2 we read of this image that was revealed to Nebuchadnezzar let's want to come to the end of it where we focus on what's going to happen at the end the hope that's given to us for a focus point beyond all the the the the spiritual challenges of our day we see verse 41 whereas you saw the feet and toes partly of potters clay and partly of iron the kingdom read about the end of the age the kingdom shall be divided yet the strength of the iron shall be in it just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay and as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile and you saw as you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay they will mingle with the seed of men but they will not adhere to one another just as iron does not mix with clay and in the days of these Kings the God of heaven will finally set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed no that is our destiny that is our goal point that should be fixed in our mind and we should not allow anything to - to make that go out of focus he says verse 44 which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever that's our promise that's our hope and that should keep us focused as we confront dangerous snares in perilous times

Channel: Living Church of God

Views: 5,226

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Keywords: Prophecy, Satan, Trials, Snares, Perilous, Times

Id: GFu0XambRGo

Length: 78min 50sec (4730 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 14 2018