FOREWORD
Preaching the gospel is our God given mandate. What an opportunity and privilege the Lord has
bestowed upon us to be part of those entrusted with this divine responsibility!
The Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division has decided to take Evangelism, not a routine
activity, but as a priority during this quinquennium (2011-2015). As we experience Revival and
Reformation, our driving theme in soul winning is “Evangelism Explosion”.
This booklet, the 2010 YRC book, the SID Evangelism Road Map and many other materials that
will be coming to your churches are some of the tools that the SID is providing in order to make
“Evangelism Explosion” a reality throughout our division.
In the 2010 YRC book we had 14 sermons; however, our evangelistic campaigns will be three
weeks long. This booklet has seven additional sermons to supplement the 14 that are in the 2010
YRC book.
Ellen G. White states, “With no elaborate arguments or finespun theories did John declare his
message. Startling and stern, yet full of hope, his voice was heard from the wilderness: ‘Repent
ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Matt. 3:2). With a new strange power it moved the
people. The whole nation was stirred, multitudes flocked to the wilderness.” ( Testimonies vol. 8
p. 332).
This call of God to take the good news of the kingdom to all mankind is too great a task to be
committed into the hands of a few preachers. It calls for a mass movement, for the witnessing of
everyone who has received Christ into his heart.
Therefore, we are calling upon all pastors and lay members to engage in evangelistic activities so
that “Evangelism Explosion” can be a reality in this division.
Lift Up Christ! Tell the World!
Dr. Paul Ratsara
President- SID
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Sermon 1
By Chance or Design?
OUTLINE
Introduction
 How did you get here?
 Who made you?
 How did human life begin?
 Did you come from some little cells from the sea?
 Today there are many gods that are worshiped: Buddha, Mohammed, Shinto the gods of
Hindus, etc.
 What is your conviction?
 Do you believe that God is the master creator? (Genesis 1:1)
The Word of God (the Bible) provides evidence that God is the Master Designer
 The Bible states that God is the creator of the whole universe (Genesis 1:1)
 He spoke and it came into being (Genesis 1:3)
 He divided light from darkness (Genesis 1:4, 5)
 He commanded the firmament out of the waters (Genesis 1:6)
 He caused, by word of His mouth, the dry land to appear (Genesis 1:14,15)
 He spoke and the creatures and creeping things came into existence (Genesis 1:24)
 He made man in His image after His likeness ( Genesis 1: 26, 27)
 He examined and saw that what He had made was very good (Genesis 1:31; Ephesians
3:9)
 He rested on the Seventh day
 He blessed and sanctified the Seventh day (Genesis 2:1,2)
Looking at the human body and how it functions you can agree that indeed He is the Great
Engineer- the Intelligent Designer who brought us into being.
Some Patriarchs and Prophets testify of God’s creatorship
 Abraham could not number the stars (Genesis 15:5)??
 David says when I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers… and all what you
have made, what is man that you are mindful of him (Psalm 8: 3, 4)
 Jeremiah states, “Sovereign Lord, you have made the heaven and the earth by your
powerful had” (Jeremiah 32:17)
 Have you not wondered how He rules and sustains the universe?
 He is so concerned with us, and our problems here on earth (Job 12:10)
 He knows the number of hair on your head (Mathew 10:30)
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He is worthy of worship, honor and praise (Revelation 4: 10,11)
He is God and there is none like Him (Isaiah 46:9)
The Trinity worked together in creating the universe
 Let us make man… indicates that there was more than one being involved in creating the
universe (Genesis 1: 26)
 Jesus Christ before He was born of Mary He pre-existed and took part in creating the
universe (John1: 1-3; 14)
There is peace and confidence in knowing that God cares for us
 Jesus Christ testifies the God loves us (John 16:27)
 His love for us is so great that nothing can separate us from Him (Romans 8: 39,39)
 God loves us even when we are unlovable and He loves us forever (Jeremiah 31:3)
 A woman may forget her sucking child but God will never forget you (Isaiah 49: 15, 16)
God the creator demonstrated His love for man through Jesus Christ
 God sent His Son (John 14:9)
 If we really want to know what God is like and how He feels about us, we need to study
the life of Jesus.
 He took our nature
 He preached the good news to the poor
 He healed the broken hearted
 He gave sight to the blind
 He fed the hungry
 He ate with people (sinners) in their homes
 He forgave their sins and gave them hope for the future
 His face was the first many saw
 His voice was the first many heard
 His life was one of self-denial and thoughtful care for others
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As we see the shame, the insults, and humiliation He endured, His death at Calvary and His
broken heart, we begin to understand a little bit of the love of God for His children (John 3:16).
Appeal
 Who is this God of the universe?
 He is the powerful Creator.
 He is the amazing provider.
 He is the incredible designer.
 He is the loving Father.
 Accept Him today and you will never ever regret! That is the MOZA!! ??
SERMON
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Discover the Mysteries of Life
Let’s suppose that you lived along the beach. One morning you get up early and decide to walk
along the sandy shore. It is a magnificent scene. The rising sun’s rays dance off the water. Waves
crash on the shore. As you walk down the beach in quietness, you notice a set of footprints in the
sand in front of you. Then you notice a second and a third set of footprints. You look as far as
you can down the beach but you don’t see anyone. What do all these footprints tell you? They
say simply this -- although you can’t see anyone, someone was there. Someone walked down the
beach before you.
Let me ask you another question. If you stand outdoors and look around, what do you see? Grass,
trees, hills or mountains, flowers, streams or lakes of water, maybe animals. And as you stand
there, what are you standing on? Yes, you’re standing on the ground-the surface of the earth.
Look up, and what do you see? In the daytime, you might see the sun, the sky, or clouds. At
night, you might see thousands upon thousands of stars– or perhaps the moon. Just how did it get
here? How did YOU get here? Who made you? Some say that life began with just simple cells in
the sea– Those cells grew into tiny living things made of many cells. Then those little living
things changed over millions of years into little creatures that could move from the sea to dry
land, where they grew legs.
Millions of people all through time have believed something entirely different about how the
universe, the earth, and all living things came to exist. They believe that a Creator-God made it
all. But which God?
People worship many gods today: Buddha, Mohammed, Shinto, the gods of the Hindus, and
others. The followers of these gods claim theirs is the supreme god. But do you know that of all
the gods in the world, only one of them ever claimed to be the Creator of everything? And that
God is the God of the Holy Bible.
So we’re going to find out what we can from the Bible about the God of all creation. If you see a
house, do you ever assume that somehow the house just made itself? No. You realize that
someone made that house. If you see a road, do you think the road just made itself – or that
someone made it? And roads and houses are far more simple than worlds and people. So when
you look at people and animals and stars, doesn’t it just make sense to conclude that someone
made them all? Someone designed these things, then made them.
We will begin to learn about the God who claims to be the Designer and Creator of everything.
Let’s start with what His book, the Bible, says about His work in creating this earth and our
universe.
First let’s look at what happened on day one:
 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
 “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” Genesis 1:3
 “And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. So
the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:4, 5
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On the first day of the week God created this earth. He created light and began the cycle of days
and nights. Genesis 1:6
Day Two:
 “Then God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the
waters from the waters.’” Genesis 1:6
 “...and it was so.” Genesis 1:7
 “And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second
day.” Genesis 1:8
On day two, God made the sky above us, and separated the water on the earth from the water in
the clouds and sky.
Day Three:
 “Then God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place,
and let the dry land appear’; and it was so. Genesis 1:9
 “Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit
tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth;’ and it was
so.” Genesis 1:11
 “So the evening and the morning were the third day.” Genesis 1:13
The third day God made the dry land to appear, created the seas, and covered the earth with plant
life. Genesis 1:14, 15
Day Four:
 “Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day
from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let
them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth;’ and it was
so.” Genesis 1:14, 15
 “And God saw that it was good.” “So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”
Genesis 1:18, 19
On day four God caused the sun and moon to appear in the sky. He also created the stars.
Genesis 1:20
Day Five:
 What did God create on the fifth day? “Then God said, ‘Let the waters abound with an
abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the
firmament of the heavens.’” Genesis 1:20
 “So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” Genesis 1:23
On day five, the Bible says, God made birds and fish and other sea creatures. Genesis 1:24
Day Six:
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The sixth day of creation was the most important so far: “Then God said, ‘Let the earth
bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of
the earth, each according to its kind’; and it was so.” Genesis 1:24
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them
have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over
all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and
female He created them.” Genesis 1:27
“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the
evening and the morning were the sixth day.” Genesis 1:31
The sixth day-the day God made animals, and then His crowning creation of all – man – human
beings. Adam and Eve did not just evolve or just happen. The Bible says that God designed their
bodies in His image. He is the Great Engineer – the great Intelligent Designer– who brought us
into being!
Day Seven:
 On the seventh day, God’s work of creation was done, so He rested. And He set aside that
seventh day as a Sabbath of rest.
 “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the
seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day
from all His work which He had done.” Genesis 2:1, 2
Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work
which God had created and made.”
We’ll talk more about this seventh-day Sabbath of rest God made, in a later meeting. So there we
have a brief look at how God created this earth and everything in it, including us human beings.
Let’s take a closer look at just what an amazing Designer and Creator He really is. The human
body gives us amazing evidence of design and a designer. Consider just one part of the human
body – the eyes: Scientists tell us that the delicate design of the eye’s cornea and lens make even
the most advanced cameras on earth seem like a child’s toys by comparison. The eye changes
light into messages the brain understands in ways even the most advanced science laboratories
on earth can’t reproduce. Brain cells change these messages into the miracle of seeing –
something nothing else on earth comes even close to doing.
The human eye gives evidence of a loving Creator who wants us to see the beauties that He has
made in all the universe. No wonder the psalmist wrote: “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.” Psalm
139:14. Man’s body and mind are very complicated and could only have been designed by a very
wise Designer. But what about the rest of the universe? What evidence do we have that the God
of design was at work in creating the entire universe?
Isaiah, the gospel prophet, challenges all of us to take our eyes off the little things around us and
focus them on what God has done in the sky. “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created
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these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of
His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing.” Isaiah 40:26.
Have you ever looked up into the sky at the countless stars above you? Have you wondered
where they all could have come from and marveled at how many there are God used an
illustration that helps us comprehend a little better the immensity of it all. He once took
Abraham, the father of the Arab and Jewish races, outdoors and challenged him to count the
stars. “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. So shall
your descendants be.” Genesis 15:5.
Recently an astronomer said that if you could count all the grains of sand on all the seashores in
the world, you would have approximately the same number of grains of sand as there are stars in
the heavens. The next time you are at the beach, try counting a bucketful of sand. Better allow
plenty of time! Is it any wonder that King David said, “When I consider Your heavens, the work
of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are
mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” Psalm 8:3, 4.
Have you ever wondered if a powerful God who rules and sustains such a vast universe is
actually concerned with us and our problems here on Earth? Yet Jesus said that not even a
sparrow falls to the ground that God does not notice. “So don’t be afraid. You are worth more
than many sparrows.” And to emphasize even more God’s love and care, Jesus said, “But the
very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30. What a God! What right does the
God of the Bible have to claim that everyone should worship Him exclusively? The God of the
Bible and Christianity claims that He is entitled to our worship and devotion because He is the
Creator – God. If He is what He claims, and He is the Creator, then He does deserve our
worship, don’t you agree?
When John, one of Christ’s disciples and the writer of the Bible’s last book, Revelation, was in
vision on the Isle of Patmos, he was shown a scene in the heavenly throne room. Notice what he
saw: “The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who
lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: You are worthy, O Lord,
to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and by Your will they exist and
were created.” Revelation 4:10, 11.These elders before the throne of God are praising and
worshiping Him because He is the Creator. This is the same reason we should worship the God
of heaven above. He is the one who made the world and all of us. But, you might ask, what other
evidence do we have that God is the Creator? God Himself tells us that there is evidence all
around us that He is our Maker. “His eternal power and deity has been clearly perceived in the
things that have been made, even His eternal power and Godhead.” Romans 1:20.
Since creation, there has been evidence in all created things that God is the Maker of all of these
things. Just like the footprints on the sand. We knew someone had been there even if we had
never seen that person. And when you see all the things around you that had to be created by
somebody, those things are like footprints that tell you someone must exist who made all these
things. God the Father, as the Bible calls Him, was not alone in His work of creation. In Genesis
it says “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...” Genesis 1:26.
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The gospel of John develops this even more. John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God. And the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing
was made that was made and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His
glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.The Bible
speaks of what we know as the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The Godhead consists of three persons, all thinking alike, yet all separate. Jesus cooperated with
the Father to create everything. Ephesians 3:9 “Of the mystery which from the beginning of the
ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.” Every good and
perfect gift that man has ever had or will ever have came into being as the Creator gives the
human race all of the blessings available.
Not only did God make man in His image and give him a beautiful universe to live in, but He is
also mindful of man’s needs: “The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their
food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Psalm
145:15, 16.Let’s take a look at just a few of the ways God cares for the needs of His creatures.
Consider the water you drink. It is older than the pyramids -- as old as the hills. Water may be
polluted by chemicals or wastes, but let the sun evaporate or lift it into the atmosphere, and it
becomes clean and usable again and again, distributed by the rain, dew, or snow. What a
tremendous water system God designed! And there is God’s great power plant in the sky – our
sun! Think for a moment: If the sun were a little bigger or a little closer to Earth, our oceans
would boil away the sun were just a little smaller or a little farther away, our atmosphere would
freeze. Either way, life could not exist on Earth. But God not only created all things, He sustains
all things! The air we breathe is a gift of God: The Bible says, “In whose hand is the life of every
living thing and the breath of all mankind?” Job 12:10. God designed the universe, and He knew
just the right formula for the air we breathe to sustain life and health on Earth. He knew the right
amount of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, and Carbon Dioxide to mix into the atmosphere. That
certainly couldn’t just happen! There is no end to the wonders in our natural world-no end to
God’s care for His creatures. Think of the migration of the birds, one of the greatest puzzles of
nature. How can birds weighing less than an ounce navigate thousands of miles nonstop to a
destination they have never seen?
How could fish find streams where their lives began, 1,200 miles across unmapped oceans? How
did they learn to know when and where to go? Who taught the honeybee to make the honeycomb
which is such an engineering marvel, and with a brain no larger than a pinhead? Who is the
Mastermind behind it all? Job tells us: “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the
birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of
the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has
done this?” Job 12:7-9. Yes, God did it all!
In fact, our duty and privilege to worship God is based on the fact that He is our Creator and to
Him all things owe their existence. “Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and not
we ourselves; We are his people the sheep of his pasture.” Psalm 100:3. God knows our needs,
and He has the power to supply those needs! Jeremiah 32:17 Jeremiah says, “Ah, Sovereign
Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.
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Nothing is too hard for you. “Doesn’t it give you peace of mind to know that God can handle
everything in the universe and in your personal life? No problem is too small to bring to the God
of the galaxies. God knows everything – He even knows it all ahead to time. Isaiah 46:9 He says,
“I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient
times the things that are not yet done.” Isaiah 46:10
What peace and confidence we can have knowing that nothing can happen to us that is too hard
for God to take care of. But best of all, 1 John 4:8 “God is love.”
Jesus said: John 16:27 “The Father himself loves you...” Does it surprise you that the mighty
God who created and sustains such a colossal, complete universe could be concerned about you?
It is staggering to contemplate God’s unlimited power, His deep wisdom, and His ability to be
everywhere. But love is something we can understand. And there is nothing in all the world that
can separate us from God’s love! “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor
principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any
other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God Which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39.God loves us when we are lovable-but also when we are unlovable. Do
you realize that? He loves us whether we are black or white, male or female, beautiful or ugly.
There is nobody else like that! But most important, He loves us forever! Jeremiah 31:3 “Yes, I
have loved you with an everlasting love. David wrote: “The Lord is good and His love endures
forever.” Psalm 100:5. God never gives up on us! He is with us every moment we live and will
never leave us! And as if there still might be some doubt in our minds about His love, God
explains it in such simple terms that we can easily understand: “Can a woman forget her nursing
child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not
forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands...” Isaiah 49:15,16.God tried to
demonstrate His love to man, but words and messages sent by prophets and angels were not
enough. We didn’t get the message. So God then sent His Son. Jesus was the perfect revelation
of the personality and character of His Father.
John 14:9 He said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father. “If we really want to know what
God is like and how He feels about us, we need to study the life of Jesus. He took our nature, that
He might reach our needs. He preached the good news of salvation to the poor. He healed the
broken hearted and gave sight to the blind. He fed the hungry and ate with the people in their
homes. He forgave their sins and gave them hope for the future. His face was the first face many
saw. His voice the first many ever heard. He spread life and joy throughout the villages and
towns where He walked. His life was one of self-denial and thoughtful care for others.
As we see the shame, the insults, and humiliation He endured, His death at Calvary and His
broken heart, we begin to understand a little bit of the love of God for His children. “For God so
loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.Who is this God of the Universe? He is the powerful
Creator. He is the amazing provider. He is the incredible designer. He is the loving Father.
Many years ago a little boy was in a tragic accident. He was rushed to the hospital in critical
condition. The boy needed an immediate blood transfusion. No donor could be found. His father
had the same blood type and agreed to donate blood. The doctor’s began to do direct blood
transfusions from the father’s arm to the son.
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As the blood flowed directly from his arm through a plastic tube into his son’s still body, he
looked up at the physician and with tears in his voice said, “Doctor, if you need to, take it all.
Doctor, I am willing to give all my blood for my son.”
Our heavenly Father looked at the world He created and saw it lost in sin. He gave all heaven
could give in His son. Jesus said, “Father, if you need to, take it all. Take every drop of my blood
to save my son, my daughter, my friend. “How can you turn away from such love? An allpowerful, loving God made you. When the human race sinned, He gave His all for you. You
matter to Him. He loves you with an amazing love. As we bow our heads to pray tonight, would
you like to lift your hand and say, “Lord, I open my heart to your love right now. Thank you for
creating me and redeeming me. I give my life to you right now.”
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Sermon 2
What Happens When You Die?
OUTLINE
Introduction
 Is it possible for us to have peace when we face death?
 What can keep us from falling apart when death strikes?
 There are so many unanswered questions regarding death.
 What really happens when a person dies?
 Is it heaven? Or hell? Or nothingness?
 You know what happened to the physical body, but where is the person who lived in it?
 When people die, do they totally cease to exist or do they live on somewhere?
The fact of the matter
 Death is painful
 We cannot get used to death
 Whenever death strikes it is really a new phenomenon
What the bible says about death
 There is no real hope for the future beyond death unless a person knows what God has
done for him/her (Revelation 1:18)
 The death and resurrection of Christ is a pivotal point of reference- (1Corinthians 15: 1618)
 Death came by man’s disobedience to God (Genesis 2: 16, 17)
 The serpent’s lie about death, “You will not surely die.” (Genesis 3:4)
 God drove man out of the garden (Genesis 3:22,23)
 God reminded man where he was taken from, “dust you are” (Genesis 3: 18,19)
 The Bible tells us how man was created (Genesis 2: 7)
 God took the elements of the earth and made a man (Ecclesiastes 12:7, Job 27:3)
What happens when a person die?
 His breath goeth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish (Psalm
146:3,4)
 The dead know nothing and have no more reward (Ecclesiastes 9:5,6)
 The dead do not praise God (Palm 115:17)
 The dead do not rise till the heavens are no more (Job: 14: 10, 12, 13)
 If a man dies shall he live again? (Job14: 14,15; Psalm 13:3; ) ??
Hope for Resurrection
 They shall awake from death (Daniel 12:2)
 Jesus Christ’s empathy and power to resurrect (John 11: 23, 24, 25)
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At Lazarus’s tomb the stone was rolled way, and Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“LAZARUS, COME FORTH!” (John 11: 39)
When Jesus comes again He will resurrect the dead (1Thessalonians 4: 13,16, 1
Corinthians 15: 51-55)
All who are in the graves shall hear His voice (John 5: 28, 29)
What is the purpose of Jesus’s second coming?
 He is coming to claim His own (1Thessalonians 4: 17)
 He is coming to resurrect the dead and to be reunited with all who have accepted His
sacrifice on the cross (Luke 23:42, 43)
 He is coming to put an end to death and suffering
 He is coming to wipe away all tears ever shed (Revelation 22: 1-4)
APPEAL
 Jesus paid the price for our redemption and restoration.
 The greatest gift that God can give mankind is eternal life, victory over death!
 Your decision is the greatest decision you will ever make; your eternal life depends upon
it!
 This priceless gift of eternal life is promised to everyone who accepts Christ as his savior
and Lord.
 Only a surrendered heart. ??
 Christ made it all possible at Calvary!
 What more could He do for you?
 Surrender all to Him today!
SERMON
Heaven, Hell, or Nothing?
In 1956 the Belgian Congo was caught in the grip of a vicious civil war. Dr. Paul Carlson’s
hospital was taken over by rebel forces. Many hospital employees were killed. Unfortunately,
Dr. Carlson was among them. When his body was found a few days after his senseless murder,
there was a New Testament in his jacket pocket. In its pages the doctor had written the date. It
was the day before he was shot, and he penned a single word, “Peace.” Peace in the face of the
worst of circumstances. Peace in the face of death. What gave Dr. Paul Carlson such peace? Is it
possible for us to have this incredible peace when we face death? What can keep us from falling
apart when death strikes? There are so many unanswered questions regarding death.
What really happens when a person dies?
Is it heaven? Or hell? Or nothingness? You know what’s happened to the physical body, but
where is the person who lived in it? When people die, do they totally cease to exist or do they
live on somewhere? The pain of death is so searing that we want desperately to believe that there
just MUST be some way the ones we love are not really gone--and that if we just search, we’ll
find a way to talk with them still.
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Very emphatically, voices are heard assuring us that this is all true and possible. Consider the socalled psychic medium James Van Praagh, for example. His book Talking to Heaven: A
Medium’s Message of Life After Death, sailed to the heights of the best seller lists after his
appearance on the Larry King Show. Our hearts cry out to know the real truth about death and
have peace as we face the grave. Does God have anything to say on the subject? Does the Bible
have anything to say when we die?
The answer is an emphatic YES! And the answer is found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
After Jesus died on the cross, His friends placed His body, the Bible says, in “Joseph’s new
tomb.” The Roman Governor Pilate sent a guard, and his soldiers sealed the stone covering the
mouth of the tomb with a Roman seal. Now no one could take His body. No one, that is, except
Christ’s Father.
Early Sunday morning while it was yet dark, a brilliant angel descended from heaven, rolled
back the stone that covered the door of that tomb, and called Christ forth. The risen Savior
stepped forth in complete and total victory over death--a mighty conqueror. The soldiers were
struck down as dead men by the glory of the angel. The story of Christ’s resurrection was the
driving power of the early Christian church--as the Romans had no hope beyond the grave. The
only thing they knew was that the grave was a deep, dark pit out of which no one could ever
hope to emerge alive again.
Now the Christians had a message of truest hope. The grave was not the final end. Those who
died “in Christ” would someday live again! The catacombs under the city of Rome show the
difference between the pagan’s death in those ancient times-and that of the Christians. Notice the
epitaphs on the tombs of those who died in pagan hopelessness. Over and over again are
inscribed these words of sorrow: Goodbye forever--or, Goodbye for eternity. Then notice the
inscriptions on the tombs of the Christians: Goodbye until we meet again--or, Goodnight until
the morning. Their tombs were inscribed with hope and courage, looking forward to a day of
resurrection. “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And
I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” Revelation 1:18 There is no real hope for the future
beyond death unless a Christian knows what God has for him.
The fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is Paul’s great treatise on death and the resurrection. He
clearly states that if there is no resurrection, then there is no future for the Christian. Notice what
He said: “If the dead do not rise, then Christ is not raised, and if Christ is not risen, your faith is
futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.”
1 Corinthians 15:16-18. But to understand why He says what He did, we must understand what
the Bible teaches about death itself.
When God created man, It was never His intention that anyone would ever die. After God
created Adam, He looked at what He had made, and the Bible tells us in Genesis 1:32 that
everything was VERY good! There was no death, sickness, or sorrow on Planet Earth before
Adam and Eve’s fall. Perhaps you will recall what God told mankind: “And the Lord God
commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely
die.’” Genesis 2:16, 17.
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The next chapter of the story is not so happy. The tragic story is recorded for us in the Book of
Genesis, chapter 3.The devil, using the serpent as his medium, appeared to Eve and tempted her
to disobey God and eat of the forbidden tree. When Eve explained that God had told her not to
eat of the fruit of that tree lest she die, the serpent said, “You will not surely die.” (Verse 4.) This
is the first lie recorded in the Bible about death! Eve chose to believe the devil and ate of the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. God was forced to separate Adam and Eve from the Tree of
Life, because: “...the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he
put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever. Therefore the Lord
God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. Genesis
3:22, 23.
Death came upon mankind because he was separated from God, the source of life-and from the
Tree of Life. Genesis 3:18, 19 God told Adam at this time: “. . . You shall eat the herb of the
field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you
were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:18, 19. Here is the key to
understanding what death is all about and what God intends to do to save us from eternal
separation from Him. The Bible says that man would return to the dust from which he was taken.
Notice how God created Adam: Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis
2:7.
God took the elements of the earth and made a body for man. When He was finished fashioning
the body for man, He had only a lifeless corpse--only a body. It took something more to make
him a living being. The Bible says here that God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life
-- and man became a living soul.
We might make an equation like this: Body + Breath = A Living Soul.
Or for death, we might write Living person -- Breath = Corpse.
That is what the wise man said in Ecclesiastes: “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7.
This is essentially the same thing that the Book of Job- the first of the Bible Books to be written-has to say about death. All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils.”
Job 27:3. Notice that the Bible says, “All the while the spirit of God is in my nostrils.” That is
what God put in man’s nostrils when He created him.
Let’s take a look at another text: “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom
there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts
perish.” Psalm 146:3, 4.King David reveals the truth about death when he says that the breath
leaves the body and returns to the earth. Man dies. This harmonizes with what Solomon said:
“For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more
reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have
now perished...” Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6. He knows nothing! Nothing! NO! Nothing! This is in
keeping with what the Psalmist wrote, that the dead are not in heaven praising God. Then,
‘where are they?’ you might ask. David makes it quite clear: “The dead do not praise the Lord,
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nor any who go down into silence.” Psalm 115:17. “But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he
breathes his last and where is he? . . .So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no
more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep. Oh, that You would hide me in the
grave, that You conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would appoint me a set time, and
remember me!” Job 14:10, 12, 13.
Here we have it from God’s own Word that man dies and lies down in the grave and does not
rise until the resurrection day. Notice how He describes this: “If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes. You shall call, and I will
answer You . . .” Job 14:14, 15; Job 17:13 Notice that Job tells us: “If I wait, the grave is mine
house. I have made my bed in darkness.” Job 17:13, KJV.
Notice too that Job used the term sleep in talking about death. That’s the same thing other Bible
writers say. David wrote: “Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I
sleep the sleep of death.” Psalm 13:3. David was afraid of sleeping the sleep of death--he wanted
to live! Daniel tells about the dead who will be raised: “And many of those who sleep in the dust
of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Daniel 12:2.
One of the most comforting truths in God’s Word is that when a person dies, he or she rests
quietly, undisturbed by the problems of life until the call of the Life-giver. Is it any wonder that
the Bible likens death to a sleep? The prophet Nathan told King David what would happen to
him when his time to die came. “When thy days be fulfilled, . . . thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers.” 2 Samuel 7:12.Jesus Himself called death a sleep. He used the same descriptive term to
describe the death of His dear friend, Lazarus. Let’s take a look at how Jesus and His close
associates talked about death. There was a home in Bethany that Jesus often visited- the home of
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. The Bible says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and
Lazarus.” John 11:5.
One day when Jesus and His disciples were out by the Jordan River, He received an urgent
message from his three friends in Bethany that Lazarus was very ill, but Jesus stayed where He
was two more days. Then Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him
up. “The disciples were pleased, they said, “if he sleeps he will get well! ”Then Jesus said to
them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead.’ And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may
believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” They went their way to Bethany where the family lived.
As they approached the city, Martha came running to meet them. As she met Jesus, she said,
“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21. No doubt she was
right about that! But, Jesus had a plan. He said, “Your brother will rise again.” Now notice
carefully Martha’s response: “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
John 11:23-24. Martha assured Jesus that she expected to see Lazarus in the resurrection at the
end of the world. However, Jesus was about to give a dramatic preview of that event. Jesus then
said plainly: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he
shall live.” John 11:25. As Jesus came to Lazarus’ tomb, John tells us that Jesus wept!
He was not weeping for His friend Lazarus. He knew He was going to raise him to life. He was
weeping for the grief the family and friends were experiencing and for all those through the ages
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who would sorrow and grieve when they lost loved ones. Jesus asked that the stone sealing the
entrance be taken away. Concerned by such a request, Martha objected: “...But, Lord, ... by this
time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” John 11:39. Yes, Jesus delayed His
going to Bethany for four days. This delay would put beyond any doubt the fact that Lazarus was
dead. But the stone had been rolled away, and Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “LAZARUS,
COME FORTH!”
Someone has said it was a good thing that Jesus specified He was speaking only to Lazarus;
otherwise, every grave on Planet Earth would have opened! What a day that must have been for
the three friends in Bethany! What rejoicing and joy! Friends, that was an exciting day in
Bethany, but it was only a small preview of the glory and excitement that will occur when Jesus
comes again and all the graves of His other friends who have accepted Him as their Savior are
opened--and they rise to meet Him in the air! This is the message of comfort that the apostle Paul
shared with the early Christians: “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope!” 1 Thessalonians
4:13. Paul tells us what Jesus will do when He comes the second time: “For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of
God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
Paul describes in detail the events that will occur when Jesus comes: “Behold, I tell you a
mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52. Then Paul tells how we will be changed: “For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality. So when this
corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought
to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory. O Hades, where is your
victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:53-55. Jesus had told the disciples that all would be raised from the
grave. “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear
His voice and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who
have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” John 5:28, 29.
Think for a moment: If people went to either heaven or hell at death, why would there be any
need for the resurrection of either the righteous or the unrighteous? Why would Jesus make this
statement as He comes back the second time? “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My
reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” Revelation 22:12. It seems so
plain! When people die, they are sleeping, they are resting from their labors and troubles until
Jesus comes. What is He coming for? He is coming to resurrect and be reunited with all of those
who have accepted His sacrifice on their behalf. Jesus also comes to welcome those who are His
faithful followers at that time. Just listen to this good news! “Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall
always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17. We have seen that all of the saved will have a
glorified body just like Jesus, and they receive immortality (eternal life) so that they will be with
the Lord forever.
Someone may ask, “What about the thief on the cross?” Let’s see what the Bible really teaches
about that thief and the promise Jesus gave him. Jesus was crucified between two thieves so that
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those crucifying Him might identify Him with the criminal element. The book of Mark says that
at first, both of the thieves taunted Jesus and said that if He really had power, He should deliver
Himself and them. Then one of the thieves became repentant and called out for salvation.( Luke
23:42, 43) He said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom. And Jesus said to
him, assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:42, 43.Let’s look
at that promise again. Yes, friend! Today, right now, you too can have that assurance. In Christ
there is assurance.
Even though Christ would die in that day, and would lie in the grave until Sunday morning, Jesus
guaranteed escape from the grave. What a wonderful assurance to the dying thief! When there
was no hope for him. When all he could see was a darkness that terrified his soul, Jesus could
promise him hope beyond the grave. Jesus promised that thief in that very hour, “Today I am
telling, or right now I am telling you, “you will be with me in Paradise.”
Some think that Jesus was promising the thief he would go immediately to paradise. But Jesus
Himself did not go immediately to Paradise when He died. The Bible tells us that He died on that
day, Friday, and was buried in a borrowed tomb. On Sunday morning, Jesus appeared to Mary,
and she wanted to worship Him, but He restrained her because He had not yet ascended to
heaven. Listen to what He said: “...I have not yet ascended to My Father...” This was Sunday
morning, and He said He had not yet ascended to His Father! John 20:l7. Jesus could not have
been in paradise on Friday! The Bible tells us that the thief was not in Paradise on Friday either.
“Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on
the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be
broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was
already dead, they did not break His legs.” John 19:31-33.
Here we see that they broke the legs of the two thieves so they couldn’t escape, but they did not
break Jesus legs because He was already dead on Friday. So, neither Christ nor the thief were in
Paradise on Friday. Jesus paid the price for our redemption and restoration.
The greatest gift that God can give to mankind is eternal life, victory over death! All other gifts
are meaningless without it! And it is yours for the asking! Your decision is the greatest decision
you will ever make; your eternal future depends upon it! This priceless gift of eternal life is
promised to everyone who accepts Christ as his Savior and Lord. And the cost? Only a
surrendered heart. A heart cleansed and changed. A proud selfish heart made new at the foot of
the cross. Christ made it all possible at Calvary. What more could He do.? And eternal life can
be yours if you want it enough.
Because He lives, we have a glorious hope--a hope beyond the grave!
One evening a series of meetings were being held in a small town in the eastern part of the
United States. A young man wandered into those meetings deeply depressed. The auditorium
was right next to a cemetery. Before entering the auditorium where the meeting was being held,
this young man slowly walked through the cemetery. He questioned the meaning of life. He
longed for forgiveness and peace of mind. As he thought about death, he wanted more than
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anything else the assurance of eternal life. The topic of the Bible presentation that evening was
“Hope Beyond the Grave.” The young man sat in the audience intently listening. That very night
he committed his life to Christ. That very night he accepted the Christ who died for him and rose
from the dead to give him eternal life. That very night his entire life was changed by this living
Christ. That very night peace flooded into his soul. That very night new hope sprang up in his
heart.
You can have this peace – this hope – this assurance of eternal life – life beyond the grave. If you
want that assurance, would you like to stand right now as we pray?
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Sermon 3
Turn Back the Clock
OUTLINE
Introduction
 Many people wait until their health snaps, like the rope, then frantically grasp onto the
latest health fad.
 Broken health is not easily replaced as a snapped rope!
 Health is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice!
 Health is a matter of choice and obedience to nature’s laws.
 Can you afford to have poor health?
 Disease is the costliest thing in the world that people spend a lot of money for.
 How much, then, is it worth to be well? Ask the dying cancer patient or the person
suffering from HIV/AIDS. Ask the parents of a child dying from leukemia or an older
person deformed by arthritis.
Research by Dr. Breslow of UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles)
 He asked 7,000 people seven questions relating to their health habits and then observed
them, comparing those who had followed positive health habits with those who had not.
o Here are the seven questions he asked:
1. Do you smoke?
2. Do you drink alcohol
3. Do you get regular exercise?
4. How many hours do you sleep every night?
5. How much do you weigh?
6. Are you eating breakfast regularly?
7. Do you snack between meals?
Those who faithfully followed good health habits relating to these seven questions lived
an average of 11.5 years longer than those who did not.
God’s concern about our health and happiness here and now
 It is encouraging to note that God is concerned about our health (3 John 1: 2)
 Jesus stated that He desires that mankind should have life in abundance (John 10:10)
 God through the Bible has given important guidelines concerning healthful living.
 For decades the lifestyle of the orthodox Jew has been of considerable interest to
researchers. For example the cancer mortality rate is far less than that of others. They
seem less prone to other catastrophic illnesses.
 Do Jewish people have a hereditary factor that gives them immunity to the leading
killers, which strike down others? There answer could most probably be a big NO!
 What did God say to them? (Exodus 15:26; Exodus 23: 25)
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God’s original recommended diet to man before and after entrance of sin
 Like a new car with the manufacture’s manual so is the human body
 Before the entrance of sin God gave Adam and Eve a perfect diet to sustain and promote
their health (Genesis 1:29)
 After Adam and Eve sinned, God separated them from the tree of Life and added
vegetables to their diet (Genesis 3:18)
 Consider that people on God’s original diet lived to be hundreds of years old (Genesis 5:
27; 7: 2)
Diet after Egyptian Bondage
 Later when God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He gave Israel principles
to protect their health and longevity
 God identified which animals are clean and which are unclean for food (Deuteronomy
14:6)
 If the animal has a split hoof and chews the cud, it is safe for food (Leviticus 11: 7, 8
 Most animals listed as unclean are classified as scavengers.
 God did not withhold anything good when He gave these guidelines.
 He knows which are healthful and which can cause disease and illness (Psalm 84: 11)
 God also gave instruction for fish (Deuteronomy 14:9, 10)
 God gave instruction for birds too (Deuteronomy 14:11,12)
 Every creeping thing that flies shall not be eaten (Deuteronomy 14:19)
Exercise for Health
 After creating Adam and eve, God gave them work to do- some useful activity and
exercise (Genesis 2:15)
 Exercise protects the body from many diseases
 An inactive body deteriorates
 Exercise improves the tone of the muscles and blood vessels
 Lungs become more efficient, able to process more air with less effort.
 The heart is more efficient, pumping blood with each beat
After the entrance of sin God increased the amount of work and a more physically
demanding work
 In the sweat of your face you shall eat (Genesis 3:19)
 If everyone worked Six days they would be too tired to get into trouble (Exodus 20:9)
 Our Bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit it is important to care for them (1
Corithians 6:19,20; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 6:9,10)
APPEAL
 Christ is ready to give power to overcome every habit whether smoking, drinking or
indeed any other challenge you may be grappling with.
 He can give power to get back to the original diet
 With His help you can live an abundant, healthy and joyful life here and now
 Just ask Christ to help you now!
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SERMON
How to Achieve Maximum Health Situated on top of a cliff overlooking the emerald blue waters
of the Mediterranean is an ancient Portuguese monastery. The view is breathtaking. The scenery
is magnificent. But there is one problem. The only way to get to the top of the cliff is in an old
wicker basket tied to a rope and hoisted up by an aged monk.
One day a guide and visitor were leaving the monastery. As they stepped into the basket and
were lowered down by the monk, the rope swung out over the jagged rocks below. Nervously the
tourist asked, “How often do they replace the rope? “Don’t worry”, the guide replied in a
reassuring tone, “every time one breaks, we replace it.” Friend, can you afford to have poor
health? People spend billions of dollars a year for medical care. Disease is the costliest thing in
the world that people spend their money for! How much, then, is it worth to be well? Ask the
dying cancer patient or the person suffering from AIDS.
Ask the parents of a child dying from leukemia or an older person deformed by arthritis. They
will tell you that good health is priceless--that it is a blessing never fully appreciated until lost!
What is a year of life--or even one day--worth? Queen Elizabeth I is said to have cried on her
death bed, “All my possessions for one moment of time!” But it can’t be bought with money. Do
you realize, however, that you can reap more and better years by simple, common sense
guidelines for health? Dr. Breslow of UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) did a
research study over a period of nine years. He asked 7,000 people seven questions relating to
health habits and then observed these patients, comparing those who had followed positive health
habits with those who had not.
Here are the seven questions he asked:
1. Do you smoke?
2. Do you drink alcohol, and if so, to what extent?
3. Do you get regular exercise?
4. How many hours do you sleep every night?
5. How much do you weigh?
6. Are you eating breakfast regularly?
7. Do you snack between meals on a regular basis?
Those who faithfully followed good health habits relating to these seven questions lived an
average of 11.5 years longer than those who did not. What would you give for 11.5 years added
to your life? What is being shared with you right now in this message could very well add years
to your life--happy and healthy years. Do you think it will be worthwhile for you to listen
carefully? It comes as a surprise to many people that God is concerned about our health and
happiness here and now. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just
as your soul prospers.” 3 John 2. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
Jesus wants us to have a happy, joyous, healthy life. He wants us to live life to its fullest! Is it
possible to know how to have good health? It is! Many are unaware that in the Bible, God has
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given important rules and guidelines concerning healthful living.
For decades the lifestyle of the Orthodox Jew has been of considerable interest to medical
researchers. The cancer mortality rate is far less than that of others, and they seem less prone to
other catastrophic illnesses. Do Jewish people have a hereditary factor that gives them immunity
to the leading killers, which strike down others? It is interesting to note that when Jews begin
eating as others around them do, their cancer rate, and that of other diseases, too, is the same as
that of other people. It has been discovered that the secret lies in their health practices, nutrition,
and lifestyle.
When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He reminded them of some very important rules
and regulations concerning healthful living. After outlining His plan for good health, He gave a
most remarkable promise to those who would follow His instructions. He said: “If you diligently
heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His
commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have
brought upon the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:26. He also said this,
“So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will
take sickness away from the midst of you.” Exodus 23:25. Do you catch the significance of this?
If we follow the Lord’s instructions, the effects of disease can often be reversed! That is priceless
information! What an amazing promise!
Commenting on the fulfillment of this promise, the psalmist tells us, “There was not one feeble
person among their tribes.” Psalm l05:37. “Well” you say, “probably the Egyptians didn’t have
the same diseases we have today.” Wrong! A team of specialists from around the world gathered
in 1975 for the express purpose of performing autopsies on the Egyptian mummies in the
Manchester (England) Medical School museum. These mummies dated back to 1900 B.C. The
findings were remarkable. The ancient Egyptians suffered from many illnesses common to
modern man: heart disease, cancer, vascular diseases, arthritis, hepatitis, tetanus, trichinosis,
lockjaw, and others.
Although Egypt was the educational and cultural center of the world during Moses’ lifetime, its
medical knowledge and remedies were very similar to those of the African witch doctor today!
In 1552 B.C., not long before the birth of Moses, a famous medical book was written in Egypt
called The Papyrus Ebers. This book lists scores of remedies or “cures” for a host of diseases,
infections, and accidents, very few of which you would probably like to use! For slivers
embedded deeply, it recommends rubbing worm’s blood and horse dung into the wound. No
wonder lockjaw took a hefty toll! For snake bite: drink water poured over an idol. Bald? Rub into
the scalp a tonic made from horses’ hooves, date blossoms, and dog heels boiled in oil. The Bible
tells us that Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (Acts 7:22). His writings are
filled with instruction concerning sanitation, quarantine, personal hygiene, and nutrition, but not
once did he prescribe any of the cures listed in The Papyrus Ebers. Where did Moses get these
amazing health principles and guidelines? From God!
Black Death and leprosy were the two most terrible plagues of the Middle Ages. The principles
of public health, given by God and taught by Moses after the Exodus, brought these scourges
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under control. Millions of lives were saved as doctors turned to the church leaders for help
during these plagues. George Rosen wrote: “Leadership was taken by the church, as the
physicians had nothing to offer.
The church took as its guiding principle the concept of contagion as embodied in the Old
Testament...This idea and its practical consequences are defined with great clarity in the Book of
Leviticus.” –George Rosen, M.D., History of Public Health, pp. 63- 65. What a shame that 60
million people died from these plagues when the Bible principles of public health were there all
the time! God designed our bodies. He knows how we can avoid disease and keep our bodies at
optimum performance! God gave man a remarkable body with almost limitless possibilities. It
has many delicate parts. God made us, and He knows exactly what is necessary to keep us
healthy and at peak efficiency.
A young man bought a shiny new car for which he had saved money for years. He was given the
manufacturer’s manual that told exactly how to care for his new car in the very best way, to keep
it running at its best for many years. It was an expensive car, and you would think the new owner
would have at least read the instructions about its care. But he did not. The only thing he could
think about was how fast it could reach 60 miles per hour--in just seconds. He liked to make it go
as fast as it could, then put on the brakes to see how quick it could stop. He liked to hear the
squeal of the tires. He didn’t check the oil or water or air in the tires-it was a bother and took too
much time. He couldn’t waste his valuable time on such simple things. He wanted to be behind
the steering wheel, driving where he wanted to go--and especially to the places where lots of
people could see him speed by in his flashy car.
You can guess the rest of the story. Yes, the car didn’t last long before it needed expensive
repairs. Do we do the same thing with this wonderful body God has given us? We certainly want
to follow His instructions! One trip to the hospital can wipe out a lifetime of savings. It will
certainly be worth our time to go back to the Garden of Eden, back to Creation, and notice some
of the things God told Adam and Eve that promote good health.
A Healthy Diet Before sin came, God gave Adam and Eve a perfect diet to sustain and promote
their health. “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the
earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” Genesis 1:29.In modern
language we would say they were given fruit, grains, and nuts. This was their food. God also
gave them the Tree of Life, which supplemented their diet in a way that insured eternal youth
and health. After Adam and Eve sinned, God separated them from the Tree of Life and added
vegetables to their diet. “And you shall eat the herb of the field.” Genesis 3:18. This, with fruits,
rains, and nuts, was man’s total diet until the Great Flood. Was it adequate? Yes, indeed!
Consider that people on God’s original diet lived to be hundreds of years old.
Methuselah: “All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty nine years: and he died.”
Genesis 5:27. After the Flood, man’s life span decreased markedly. Noah’s son, Shem, lived 600
years; his grandson 239 years; his great-grandson 175 years. By the time of King David, man’s
life span had decreased to 70 years! And that’s a big drop, wouldn’t you say? Plant life on the
earth was severely limited by the Great Flood. Noah’s supply of food was exhausted after he and
his family had lived in the ark for more than a year. Not until then did God allow Noah and his
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family to eat animals as an emergency measure. Not all plants and all animals were good for
food. God gave guidelines for the food considered good for man to eat.
A distinction was made between “clean” and “unclean” animals. God even instructed Noah
which animals to take with him and how many of each: “Of every clean beast thou shalt take to
thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his
female.” Genesis 7:2. It is apparent that Noah knew which animals God considered clean or
unclean. Later, when God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He gave Israel dietary
principles to protect their health and longevity. God identified which animals are clean and
which are unclean for food: “And you may eat every animal with cloven hooves, having the hoof
split into two parts, and that chews the cud, among the animals.” Deuteronomy 14:6. Notice the
guideline that is so easy to remember: just two things:
1) split hoof, and
2) chews the cud.
A few of the common clean animals according to verses 4 - 6: ox, sheep, deer, goat, wild goats,
antelope, cows, and gazelle. Unclean animals now commonly used for food, according to verses
7 and 8, would include the camel, rabbit, swine, and rock-badger. Remember the two guidelines?
If the animal has a split hoof and chews the cud, it is safe for food. It is important to remember
since some chew the cud but do not have a split hoof. For example, the pig or swine, divides the
hoof, yet it does not chew the cud, it is unclean. The Bible has some very direct instruction about
the swine: “And the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew
the cud, is unclean to you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.
They are unclean to you.” Leviticus 11:7, 8. Most of the animals that God listed as unclean are
classified as scavengers.
God did not withhold anything good when He gave these guidelines. He knows which are
healthful and which can cause disease and illness. “No good thing will He withhold from those
who walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11.The hog is a scavenger. The food, garbage included, eaten by
pigs is digested and converted into food in a matter of hours. The cow, on the other hand, has a
complex digestive system. It takes 48 hours for its food to be converted into flesh. It also has a
more complex elimination system, which removes many of the impurities from the system. Pork
is often infected with trichina larvae, or worms. When a person eats infected pork, the hard cyst
surrounding the larva is dissolved. The trichina worm then burrows into the intestinal wall and
multiplies. These worms enter the bloodstream and are carried to other parts of the body.
Trichinosis can be a fatal disease, depending on the number of worms eaten.
Often the disease is wrongly diagnosed as arthritis or food poisoning. Autopsies reveal that many
mummies of the people who lived in Moses day were infected with trichina worms! God knows
best--leave it alone! God also gave instruction for fish: “These you may eat of all that are in the
waters: you may eat all that have fins and scales. And whatever does not have fins and scales you
shall not eat; it is unclean for you.” Deuteronomy 14:9, 10.That is very clear, and notice again
that there are two guidelines that make it easier to remember:
1) they have fins, and
2) they have scales.
Can you think of common seafoods that are widely eaten around the world that do not have fins
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and scales?
Dr. Bruce Hallsted, of Loma Linda University, was asked by the government to do research for
the military to determine which fish were safe for human consumption and which were
poisonous. Servicemen who are shipwrecked or stranded in deserted areas need to know which
fish are poisonous and which they can eat for survival. When all his work was done, Dr. Hallsted
concluded that the rule of thumb for the army and navy men to follow was the same one God
gave to the Israelites 3,500 years ago: “Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any
that has fins and scales.” God knew how they were made and why we may or may not eat certain
things.
“What about birds,” you may be asking. The Bible gives this important instruction: “All clean
birds you may eat. But these you shall not eat: ...” Verses 11, 12. God proceeds to list them:
vulture, buzzard, red kite, falcon, raven, ostrich, owl, stork, heron, bat, and those of their kind.
And then God said, “Also every creeping thing that flies is unclean for you; they shall not be
eaten.” Verse 19.
God gave further instruction: “This shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all
your dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood.” Leviticus 3:17.Orthodox Jews still follow
these instructions today. When they slaughter an animal, it is hung upside down so that the blood
will drain out. Then the animal is butchered and soaked in a salt solution to draw out the rest of
the blood. The fat is cut off and not eaten. For years people thought this command forbidding the
eating of fat and blood was merely a ceremonial restriction given by God. However, modern
research confirms the wisdom of God’s command. We now know that blood carries impurities,
germs, viruses, and body wastes. Many diseases are passed on through the blood. We also know
that highly saturated fats like those found in dairy products and meat cause a rise in the
cholesterol level of the blood--an important factor in vascular and heart disease. How much
sickness could be avoided if man would trust his Maker in deciding what is best to eat!
Exercise for Health The Bible says that after God created Adam and Eve, He gave them work to
do--some useful activity and exercise: “Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the
garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Genesis 2:15.Exercise protects the body from many
diseases! An inactive body deteriorates. Exercise improves the tone of the muscles and blood
vessels. The lungs become more efficient, able to process more air with less effort. The heart is
more efficient, pumping more blood with each beat. Energy--producing oxygen is carried to the
tissues, which improves the overall condition of the body.
After Adam and Eve sinned, God increased the amount of work and a more physically
demanding work. God said, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the
ground.” Genesis 3:19. He also said the ground would be cursed and there would be thorns and
thistles and that “in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.” Verses 17, 18. God knew that
man needed exercise and that he needed it not only for his body, but to keep him out of trouble.
Someone said, “Idleness is the devil’s workshop. God said, “Six days shall you labor and do all
your work.” Exodus 20:9. If everyone worked six days a week, perhaps they would be too tired
to get into trouble!
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Our Bodies Are the Temple of the Holy Spirit The importance of caring for our bodies can be
understood only when we know how important it is to God. The apostle Paul said, “Or do you
not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from
God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your
body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.
Man is God’s property by creation and by redemption. The price God paid for us was the
sacrifice of His Son on Calvary. Because man has been redeemed at such an infinite price, he
should glorify God in everything he does. “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do
it all for the glory of God.”1 Corinthians 10:31 Every person who truly loves God will be careful
to avoid anything that would destroy or defile his body. “If anyone defiles the temple of God,
God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:17.
Perhaps you are wondering in what way a person defiles his body. Paul lists several things we
need to avoid: “...Do not be deceived, Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards . . . will inherit the
kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10. The Bible lists immorality and perversion as practices
that defile the body. It also lists drunkenness. Solomon wrote: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1. And again: “Do not look
upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the
last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart
shall utter perverse things.” Proverbs 23:31-33.
Alcoholism is one of the world’s biggest health problems. More than half of all automobile
accidents can be traced directly to a driver or pedestrian “under the influence. “In more than half
of all murders, either the killer or the victim, or both, have been drinking! Alcohol impairs the
body’s ability to use vitamins, and the sugar in alcoholic drinks (as in most soft drinks) lessens
the body’s ability to fight infection. The alcoholic develops a fatty liver; the chances of dying
from cirrhosis of the liver are much greater. Lifespan is shortened by at least 12 years. And
according to the latest statistics, one out of every ten people who take the first drink becomes an
alcoholic.
Recent research shows that many brain cells die any time alcohol is introduced into the
bloodstream and that drinking fathers mothers have a significantly greater number of their babies
born with birth defects than do nondrinkers. But for the Christian, the use of alcoholic beverages
has even greater consequences. Christians must have full use of their minds to avoid Satan’s
temptations. They cannot afford to impair their judgment or lose control of their ability to
distinguish right from wrong! Jesus refused the stupefying potion offered Him on the cross by
the soldiers as a means of deadening the pain. Even though Jesus suffered excruciating pain, He
would receive nothing that might becloud His mind, until the moment of His death.
A number of other common practices seriously impair good health. Smokers have a thousand
percent greater chance of dying from lung cancer than do those who never smoke. And cancer is
not tobacco’s only killer. A smoker’s chances of dying from heart disease are 103 percent greater
than those who have never smoked on a regular basis. And emphysema claims more than 55,000
lives each year! Nicotine also causes the arteries to shrink. This combination of fat buildup and
shrinkage of the arteries hinders the blood vessels from supplying enough blood to the heart,
extremities, and other organs. At this point it takes only a small blood clot caught in the
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constricted blood vessels to cause a heart attack or stroke. The person who smokes is also a
prime target for senility because of diminished oxygen to the brain. Women who smoke during
pregnancy are damaging their baby’s blood vessels. Newborn deaths are 27 percent higher in
infants of smoking mothers. Cigarette smoking contributed to the deaths of more than 500,000
people in just America alone last year.( Exodus 20:13) God said, “You shall not murder.”
Exodus 20:13. How many people are killing themselves by the things they eat, drink, and
smoke? Someone has said that the most common suicide weapons are knives, forks, and spoons.
Perhaps we should add cups and bottles!
“Caffeine, the drug contained in coffee, is classed in textbooks as both a stimulant and a poison.”
Harold Shryock, M.D., You and Your Health, vol. 1, p. 413.
Tea and cola drinks also contain caffeine. All of these beverages are now being linked to heart
disease, neurological disorders, and cancer of the ladder. If someone you knew had to dash off to
another room to inject a couple of grains of caffeine into his veins every few hours, you would
call him an addict. Yet how many are doing the same thing with coffee and cola drinks. True
temperance means to avoid using anything that is harmful, and to use moderately that which is
good.
Many people consume too much of that which is good! This leads to another major health
problem for people in many parts of the world. “Someone has estimated that every pound of
body fat calls for another two-thirds of a mile of new blood vessels. And, the heart must pump
blood through this extra system of vessels.” --Harold Shryock, M.D., You and your Health, vol.
1, p. 395. The heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs of overweight persons are overworked. Overweight
people suffer from sixteen diseases that are not common to their thinner friends.
God wants us to take good care of our bodies so that we can enjoy life at its best now. He wants
us to be responsible, moral, joyous people. He wants us to have an abundant life. How long and
how healthfully we live depends on how we follow His instructions. Rest and Relaxation Jesus
believed in vacations and getting away from the pressure. After a hard day with a crowd of
people, Jesus said to His disciples,(Mark 6:31) “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place
and rest a while.” Mark 6:31. Jesus wants us to balance work with rest and relaxation. That is
why He gave us the Sabbath. God knows that we need to forget our problems and our work and
spend time with Him. Your time away from a busy schedule may not be in the desert, although
that can be a restful place at certain times of the year. You might prefer a remote area in the
mountains where the tall trees and the deep lakes can calm your anxious heart. Whatever it is,
you need to find a spot away from the crowd and noisy cities and roads. If you can have a little
fun, so much the better! Yes, God wants you to have a little bit of heaven here, and to be ready to
live on the earth made new, where all diseases that plague our world will be forever banished.
“That really sounds good to me,” you say. “I want to be there, but I have some habits that I just
can’t overcome.” There is good news today. God does not expect you to do it on your own. In
fact, Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5. In our own strength, we cannot
overcome wrong habits. Our Saviour is right there, longing to help us! Paul knew the secret. He
said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13.
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A lady attended a series of meetings like this one evening. As the pastor visited with her, he
talked to her about returning to the family of God. Her eyes glistened as she replied, “I’d like to,
but I can’t. I smoke.” He called her by name and asked, “Do you believe that Jesus wants you to
have victory over this habit?” “Oh, yes, I do. But I can’t. I’m just too weak.” He said, “May I
read you a Bible text?” He opened his Bible to 1 John 5:14, “This is the confidence that we have
in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” “Now, Mary, do you have
confidence that you can quit smoking?” he asked. “No.” she replied. “Good”, he said, “because
the Bible says, “This is the confidence we have in Him.” So where is the confidence?” She
replied, “In Him. “He read the text once more adding. “If we ask anything according to His will,
except give up smoking, he hears us.” Turning to Mary he asked, “Should I write that in your
Bible? Can I have your Bible to write it there?”
“No, no, she said, “I don’t want to change the Bible.” He said, “Is it according to God’s will for
you to quit smoking?” “Yes, it is”, she replied. “Then, can you ask Christ in confidence for the
power He has promised?” “Oh, yes, she responded, “I believe I can.” “I have one more
question”, “When will you receive this power to give up smoking? Will it be in a week, a month,
three months? When will you receive that power?” He then opened his Bible and turned to John
1:12 and read, “As many as received Him. To them gave he power to become the sons of God.
To receive Jesus is to receive the power,” he continued. “Now, tonight we have seen that you can
have confidence in Jesus. We have seen that whatever we ask according to His will, He will give
us. And we know it is His will for you to give up smoking. We have seen as well, that as you
receive Him, you will receive power.”
With His help you can live an abundant, healthy, joyful life here and now, and enjoy eternal life
on the earth made new. Reach out to Jesus--He’s reaching out to you!
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Sermon 4
Set Free by the Truth
OUTLINE
Introduction
 When you desire the truth you will definitely find it.
 God is not holding back truth from us.
 In the book of Jeremiah God says, “And you shall seek me and find me when you
search for me with all of your heart.” (Jeremiah29:13)
 To anyone seeking the Lord, He shall surely be found.
People today sense the need for power outside themselves
 Jesus understood the temporary satisfaction of possessing ( material things) (Isaiah
55:2)
 Man sensing the need for power outside themselves (Luke 12:15)
 God allowed the children of Israel to wonder and to become hungry so that they
would recognize their need (Deuteronomy 8:3)
 God allows us to sense the inner hunger and restlessness, so we will reach out and
let God satisfy our longings.
Does God have a special group within Christendom that He recognizes as His Church
today?
 Each of the new churches coming up today claim the Bible as the foundation for
their beliefs, but their teachings are very different.
 How can people sort out all the claims of these religions and know exactly what is
truth?
 The Apostle Paul wrote, “There is one body and one Spirit…” (Ephesians 4:4-6)
 Paul states that God’s church today is the pillar (1Timothy 3:15)
How do we discover which church has the truth?
 Christ never intended there should be any confusion, and certainly not all these
many denominations.
 He prayed for unity (John 17:21; 1Corinthians 12:25)
 Christ did not want any divisions in the church
 Jesus gave a warning for the savage wolves that will not spare the flock (Acts 20:2830)
 We do not need to study the characteristics of every denomination in order to know
the true church, what we need is to know the characteristics of the true church as
revealed in the Bible (Amos 3:7; Revelation 12:1,2; Jeremiah 6:2)
 Who is Zion spoken of in Jeremiah 6:2? God responds (Isaiah 51:16;)
 The apostle Paul uses the same terminology(2 Corinthians 11:2)
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John was also shown another woman
 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and precious
stones and pearls…. (Revelation 17:3-5)
 This symbolic language describes an impure woman—the false church.
 The fallen church has been unfaithful to Christ and has compromised the Bible truth.
 James used similar words to describe those who forsake God’s teaching and join the
world (James 4:4)
 The fallen woman represents a false church (Revelation 14:8,9,10;) and
 A pure woman represents a pure church
The pure woman
 The description in Revelation 12 represents the pure woman (Revelation 12: 2,4)
 Who is this dragon ready to devour her child? (Revelation 12: 7-9; 19: 15)
 Paul tells us how Jesus was “caught up to God’s throne,” (Ephesians 1:20)
 The war that began in heaven moved to our world.
 The devil tempted Jesus throughout His ministry, hoping to block God’s plan to save
the fallen world
 Working through pagan Rome, Satan tried to kill Jesus as soon as He was born
(Revelation 12: 13; Revelation 12: 6)
 A day for a year principle (Ezekiel 4: 6)
Two principles by which we can recognize God’s last day church
 The church which keeps the commandments of God (Revelation12: 17 and
 Have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17; 19:10)
 The remnants are those who keep ALL the commandments of God as revealed in His
word (Exodus 20: 8-10)
 The remnant also has the testimony of Jesus, the Holy Spirit (Rev. 19:10)
 The last day will have the Spirit including the spirit of prophecy
 The last day church will be engaged in the mission of reaching the world with the
gospel (Mathew 28: 19, 20; Revelation 14; 6, 7)
God has faithful followers in all other churches but time will come when they will be in one
fold
 Jesus said, “ other sheep I have who not of this fold (John 10:16)
 They will be called to belong to one fold (Revelation 18:4)
 They will belong the commandment keeping church (Revelation 14: 12,14)
 God’s last day true church is the Bible believing, Christ centered, Sabbath keeping
worldwide Advent movement- the Seventh-day Adventist church; it meets all the
characteristics of God’s true church.
Appeal
 Do you believe you have heard God’s word in clear terms?
 Has the Holy Spirit have impressed your heart?
 God invites you to make one of the most important decisions of your life.
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
When you hear God’s word do not hesitate, Stand just now with and for Jesus!
SERMON
Where can we find it Today?
The story is told of a young man in ancient Greece who wanted to find truth. He approached an
old man who was considered the wisest man in the city. The young man asked the old man,
“Wise Sir, tell me please, ‘How can I find truth? Can you lead me to it?’” The wise old man got
up and began walking. The young man followed. They walked through the streets of the city to
the sea shore. The old man kept walking into the water. When they were out about waist deep,
the old man told the young man to put his hands upon his head. The old man dunked the young
man under the water. Three times the young man came up gasping for air. Three times the wise
old man pushed his head down again. By the third time, the young man was screaming, “All I
wanted was to find truth!” The wise man responded, “When you desire truth as much as you
wanted this breath of air, you shall find it.” God is not holding back truth from us. Jeremiah the
prophet says, “And you shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all of your
heart.” Jeremiah 29:13. But some people are searching in all of the wrong places.
It’s been said that each of us is born with a “God-shaped vacuum” inside us. We are born; it
seems, with an inexpressible craving for something we don’t have. Subconsciously, we seem to
be seeking something we cannot describe--but something we know we want and need!
So in restless boredom, we seek to fill the void in our lives with fame, fortune, drugs, alcohol,
possessions and leisure-time activities, only to discover when the prize is won that there is no
lasting satisfaction. And sooner or later, chances are that in a lonely night of sleeplessness, the
haunting question of an ancient prophet will echo from the past: “Why do you spend money for
what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?” Isaiah 55:2. Jesus understood the
temporary satisfaction of possessing “things.” He said, “A man’s life does not consist in the
abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15.
People today sense the need for a power outside of themselves. This is nothing new. Ever since
man chose to go his own way in the Garden of Eden, he has had this strange emptiness that only
God can fill. God allowed the children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings to become hungry
so they would recognize their need of Him. God spoke to the Israelites through Moses, saying,
“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, ... that He might make you know that man shall not
live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 8:3. Evidently God allows us to sense an inner hunger and restlessness, so we will
reach out and let God satisfy our longings.
Today, we see a great interest in various forms of religion. With the tremendous emphasis today
on uniting religions and the push to break down denominational walls, there is much more study
and thought concerning various forms of religions and the church.
New churches are rapidly springing up around the world. Each claims to be God’s special people
with a message of truth for everyone on earth. Yet consideration of those claims would make it
obvious that not all claims can be true.
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How they each claim the Bible as the foundation for their beliefs, but their teachings are very
different. Can sincere people sort out all the claims of these religions and know for certain what
is truth? Does God really have a special group within Christendom that He recognizes as His
church today? Evidently, for Paul wrote: “There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were
called to one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all.”
Ephesians 4:4-6. Paul wrote to his young friend, Timothy, and said, “I write so that you may
know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” I Timothy 3:15. Paul clearly states that God’s church
today is the pillar and the ground of the truth, but how do we discover which church has the
truth.
There are so many denominations, so much controversy, so much confusion in the religious
community. Friends, according to Scripture, Jesus never intended there to be any confusion, and
certainly not all these denominations. Just before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed: “That they all
may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the
world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:21. Jesus wanted the world to be able to
recognize His followers by their unity and love.
Christ did not want any divisions in His church. In fact, Paul wrote that “there should be no
schism (division) in the body.” 1 Corinthians 12:25. But Paul said that apostasy would come, and
with it, division! We read: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock . . . to shepherd
the church of God.... For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among
you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse
things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Acts 20:28-30.
As we turn the pages of church history, we discover this is exactly what happened. False teachers
arose, and some accepted their errors and left the church. Others became confused. Disciples
were drawn away, and there was a gradual falling away from the teaching of Jesus. But through
it all, God has had a church which remained faithful.
But some people say, “It would take a lifetime to study the teachings of every religion to find
which is the true church of God?” But there is a simpler way. God’s way!
Government authorities tell us that it is quite easy to distinguish a genuine bill from a counterfeit.
You see, they study the characteristics of the genuine bill in depth. They know the fibrous texture
of the paper, the color fastness of the ink, the symbols and the proper order of serial numbers of
the genuine. As they look at a bill, they can quickly compare it with the distinguishing features
of the genuine. If it lacks any one of the characteristics, it is a counterfeit. And it is the same with
truth. We do not have to study the teachings of all the denominations for long hours, if we know
the characteristics of God’s true church as given in the Bible. God does not leave man to guess
which one it is, for God has given us the facts in His Word: “Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but he revealeth His secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7.
The book of Revelation is a summary of all the prophecies in the Bible. It gives people special
insight into the last days. Here the apostasy and religious confusion that exists in these last days
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of Earth’s history is revealed. Revelation predicts the conflict between Christ’s church and Satan.
Chapter 12 gives a panoramic view of church history from Christ’s time to the end of the world:
“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon
under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars: And she being with child cried, travailing
in birth, and pained to be delivered.” Revelation 12:1, 2. Here God pictures a woman in white,
clothed with the sun, standing on the moon with a crown of 12 stars on her head. What does it all
mean? In Bible prophecy, a pure woman represents God’s people--His church. The prophet
Jeremiah wrote: “I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.” Jeremiah
6:2 And who is “Zion”? Through Isaiah, God said, “...Say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’” Isaiah
51:16. As we link these two texts, we see that God used a virtuous woman to represent His true
church.
The apostle Paul uses the same terminology to describe the Corinthian church. “For I have
betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Corinthians
11:2. However, John was also shown another woman, whom he described in Revelation 17:
“And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy.... The
woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls,
having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on
her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Revelation 17:3-5. This
symbolic language describes an impure woman-- the false church. The fallen church has been
unfaithful to Christ and has compromised Bible truth. James used similar words to describe those
who forsake God’s teachings and join the world: “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know
that friendship with the world is enmity with God.” James 4:4.
A fallen woman, then, represents a false church, and a pure woman represents a pure church.
Let’s look again at the prophecy of the pure woman.
Pure woman=Pure church
False woman=False church
“She being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered... And the dragon
stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it
was born.” Revelation 12:2, 4. Who is this dragon that stood before the woman to devour her
child as soon as he was born? “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with
the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found
for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the
Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were
cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7-9. Revelation also describes the child: “She bore a male
Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His
throne.” Revelation 12: 5
Only one child in the history of the world was to “rule all nations with a rod of iron and be
“caught up to God and His throne,” and that was Jesus. Speaking of the second coming of Christ,
John said, “Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.
And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron...” Revelation 19:15. Paul tells how Jesus was
“caught up to God’s throne” when God “...raised him from the dead, and set him at His own right
hand in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:20.
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The war that began in heaven moved to our world. Working through pagan Rome, Satan tried to
take Jesus’ life as soon as He was born. Herod, the Roman governor, decreed that all male
children two years and under should be killed, but an angel warned Mary and Joseph to escape
with Jesus into Egypt.
The devil tempted Jesus throughout His ministry, hoping to block God’s plan to save our fallen
world. Christ’s body hung on the cross, Satan thought he had won the battle. But an empty tomb
was Satan’s certain defeat. Christ arose and ascended to His father’s throne. The prophecy was
on schedule, just as predicted! Failing in his attempt to destroy God’s Son, Satan turned his
wrath on the woman, or the Christian church. All but one of Christ’s disciples died a martyr’s
death. If you want to hurt a parent, how do you hurt them the most? By harming their children.
Satan could no longer touch Jesus. He was in Heaven of course. So he viciously attacked Jesus’
followers. And the apostle Paul was beheaded outside the walls of Rome. Christians were
tortured and thrown into dungeons, many sealing their testimony with their blood.
As long as the disciples were alive, the church stood firmly for the truth. After the death of the
disciples, with the passing of time, some Christians compromised their faith and false teachings
came into the church. “Toward the latter end of the second century, most of the churches
assumed a new form; the first simplicity disappeared as the old disciples retired to their graves.”
–Ecclesiastical Research, p. 51. In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine tried to hold the
Roman Empire together by uniting pagans and Christians into one great system of religion. As a
result, Christianity became very popular. Pagans were baptized into the church and brought
many of their beliefs and practices with them. As the church embraced these errors, it lost sight
of its purpose. One historian wrote, “The new Christians were, as far as thinking and habits went,
the same old pagans....Their surge into the churches did not wipe out paganism. On the contrary,
hordes of baptized pagans meant that paganism had diluted the moral energies of organized
Christianity to the point of impotence.” –Centuries of Christianity: A Concise History, p. 58.
However, during this time many Christians remained faithful to God’s truths and protested the
changes that had crept into the church. They refused to compromise their position, and many
were persecuted for their stand. Soon the Roman emperors issued edicts making it a crime
punishable by death to reject the false practices of the state church. Foreseeing it all, John wrote,
“The dragon...persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.” Revelation 12:13. And
what happened to the woman? She “...fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by
God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” Revelation 12:6.
Notice that God reveals the time that His people were to be persecuted: 1,260 days. We have
already discovered that each day in Bible prophecy stands for a year of literal time. Ezekiel
wrote, “...I have appointed thee each day for a year.” Ezekiel 4:6, KJV. So the oppression of
God’s faithful people, as predicted in Revelation, was to continue for l, 260 years.
History accurately confirms this Bible prophecy. Roman Emperor Justinian ordered the Roman
general Belisarius to wipe out the last two Arian powers that opposed the church in Rome. The
last of these powers was eliminated in A.D. 538, and Justinian declared the bishop of Rome to be
“the head of the church, the true and effectual corrector of heretics.” The reign of intolerance for
so-called “heretics” began. And faithful Christians who continued to cherish the truths revealed
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in God’s Word found that the only way to preserve their faith was to flee, just as Revelation
predicted. The woman fled into the wilderness. The Waldenses, Albigenses, and other faithful
Christians fled to the Alps in northern Italy and southern France, and the Huguenots scattered
throughout France. They settled in secluded valleys, remote caves, and high mountains. They
were hunted down as common criminals, and many were slain. Their crime? They would not
give up the teachings of Jesus. Millions of Christians died rather than compromise their faith.
Some historians estimate the death toll to be as high as 50 million. And many of those who died
were martyred by other professed Christians who believed they were doing the will of God!
God’s truth finally triumphed. The Bible was translated into the language of the people and now
through the invention of the printing press was scattered throughout the world. No longer was
God’s truth to be hidden. It was now to be revealed! Courageous reformers boldly proclaimed
God’s Word. Some, like Huss and Jerome, were burned at the stake.
Others, like Luther, Wycliffe, and Tyndale, were hunted and persecuted. However, with the
discovery of America, new freedom and a new refuge were provided for the persecuted
Christians of Europe. On the shores of a newborn nation was laid the foundation of civil and
religious liberty. The era of compromise and persecution predicted in Revelation 12 finally came
to an end in 1798. It ended when Napoleon sent General Berthier to take the pope captive-exactly 1,260 years after the period of persecution began in 538. When this prophetic time period
came to a close, God still had a group of faithful believers who clung to the Bible and its
teachings. The prophecy foretold that Satan would turn his fury upon the church of God that
remained after this prophetic period: “The dragon was wroth [angry] with the woman, and went
to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17.
A remnant is the last portion of cloth left over from a larger piece. Just so, the “remnant” of
God’s church is the last part of that church-the church that exists at the very end of time just
before Jesus returns to earth again. So translating this verse literally, we would say, “The devil
was angry...and went to make war with the last- day church.” Satan is furious that God’s people
still follow God’s truths in these last days.
John describes two characteristics by which we can recognize this last-day church: “The dragon
was wroth [angry] with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which
keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. This
remnant are those who keep all the commandments of God.
Have the testimony of Jesus Christ
But doesn’t every church teach that Christians should obey God’s commands? Not exactly! But
many religious bodies today teach their members, in one way or another, to disobey some of
God’s instructions. For example, some congregations are taught to bow before images. Others
ignore the sacredness of God’s name. And most of the religious world has lost sight of the
memorial of creation described in the fourth commandment: “Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of
the LORD your God.” Exodus 20:8-10. Not only was God’s remnant, or last-day church, to keep
the commandments of God, but the prophecy also says that it will “have the testimony of Jesus
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Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)
Revelation 19:10 Says, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” God’s last-day church
will have the gifts of the spirit, including the spirit of prophecy. We will study this special gift in
more detail at a later time. God gives several other characteristics to help us in our search for His
last-day church. His people will be engaged in the mission of reaching the world with the gospel,
for Jesus commissioned His church: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of
the age. Amen.” Matthew 28:19, 20.
The command to preach the everlasting gospel in all the world is symbolized in Revelation 14 by
three angels flying in the heavens. The first part of this threefold message emphasizes two great
truths to be shared with every person: “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth-to every nation, tribe,
tongue, and people-saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of
His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of
water.’” Revelation 14:6, 7. This is a warning to those living in Earth’s last hours to remember
that the day of judgment has come. It is also a reminder of the great memorial of God’s creative
power, the seventh-day Sabbath.
The second part of this three-fold message is found in verse 8: “And another angel followed,
saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the
wine of the wrath of her fornication’.” Revelation 14:8. This message calls God’s true people to
separate from the confused religious world. Their attention is to be called to the apostasy in
religion today. The last, and most solemn, appeal is given in the third portion of this prophecy:
“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and
his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of
the wine of the wrath of God’...” Revelation 14:9, 10.
The world is to be warned against worshiping the beast and his image or receiving his mark.
Jesus said, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they
will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” John 10:16. God has faithful
followers in all churches, but there will come a time when there will be one true fold, or one true
church. Jesus said His sheep will be called out of these other folds that have not carefully
followed the teachings of God’s Word. John the Revelator predicted that time: “And I heard
another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and
lest you receive of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4. God’s faithful followers will be called out of
the religious error and confusion that exists at the end of time.
You will want to notice how the Bible describes the people who are called out of the religious
confusion that will exist just before Jesus returns. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are
they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus ...”
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man,
having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” Revelation 14:12, 14.
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Let’s just briefly review some of the distinguishing characteristics of God’s last-day church as
given in the Bible:
 God’s remnant church was to appear after the period of terrible persecution which ended in
1798.
 They will have the faith of Jesus, which leads them to keep all the commandments of God.
 They will proclaim the special warning messages of Revelation to all the world to prepare
a people for Jesus’ return.
 They will have the gifts of the Spirit, including the gift of prophecy.
All churches may look alike at first glance, but as you study God’s description of the genuine in
His Holy Word, it is quite easy to eliminate the ones that do not have these Biblical
characteristics. Perhaps you have been searching, trying to sift through the confusion in the
religious world today, looking for God’s last-day church. I believe that there is only one true
church. It’s a Bible believing, Christ centered, Sabbath keeping, worldwide Advent movement.
That’s why I’m a Seventh-day Adventist. I believe this church meets all the characteristics.
As we have studied this remarkable prophecy, you can clearly see that God does have a special
message, and a special people to carry that message to the whole world. But it is not enough to
know these biblical facts. To have peace and happiness that comes from a complete walk with
Jesus Christ, it is also necessary for you to step out and follow the truth as revealed in God’s
Word, for Jesus said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:17.
God invites you to make one of the most important decisions of your life. Do you believe you
have heard God’s word preached during this series? Do you believe you have heard God’s truth
proclaimed during this series? Do you believe the Holy Spirit has been impressing your heart
during this series?
When we hear God’s word, when we listen to God’s truth, the Holy Spirit impresses us to make
a decision. Now is the time for a decision. Would you like to say, “Yes, Lord, I accept your
word. Yes, Jesus, I want to follow your truth. Yes, Jesus, I yield to the prompting of the Holy
Spirit. I will follow you all the way now. I choose to walk in the way of truth.”
If that is your decision, would you stand right now as we pray?
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Sermon 5
Messages From Beyond the Stars
OUTLINE
Introduction
 God still speaks through prophets
 Scientist using powerful radio-telescopes are listening for sounds from outer space
 They hope that someday, they will hear a message from intelligent beings on some other
world.
 There is evidence that a message has been beaming to Earth for thousands of years nowbut few are listening to it.
 It’s a message from the Creator of this planet
 A message of love from God trying to win back His rebellious children.
Sin Separates man from God
 This separation occurred when man sinned in the garden of Eden.
 Adam and Eve could no longer have direct communication and fellowship with God;
they listened to Lucifer and therefore fell into sin. They then hid themselves from God
(Genesis 3:8)
 Sin separates and shatters love relationships between God and man, and between man and
his fellow man (Isaiah 59:2)
 But sin did not separate us from God’s LOVE.
God established away of communication with His beloved children
 He chose men and women He can trust as His mouth piece
 He chose Moses, Miriam, Samuel, Elijah, Huldah, Deborah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many
more.
 Prophets and Prophetesses were spokespeople for God!
 He also spoke through the Holy Spirit
 Other times God spoke through people He chose as His messengers (Amos 3:7)
How did these prophets receive their messages?
 Prophecy was God's idea (Amos 3:7)
 God had prophets even before the flood (2Peter1:21)
 Enoch proclaimed His second coming (Jude 14)
 God has spoken through the mouths of all His holy prophets since the world began (Acts
3: 21)
 God revealed His will to the prophets (Numbers 12:6)
 They received the messages through visions and at times through dreams
 Prophets spoke or wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit
Prophetic Communication during the early church
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



Philip’s four daughters were used by the Holy Spirit (Acts 21:9)
Spiritual gifts were distribution to edify the church (Ephesians 4:8; 11- 15)
The gift of prophecy ranked second only to that of apostleship, but it was very important
and necessary gift to help the church function properly (1Corinthians 12:28)
Where there is no vision the people perish (Proverbs 29:28, Lament 2:9)
During the time of apostasy, or the Dark ages
 Bibles were chained to monastery pulpits
 In general they were written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin
 Common people were forbidden to own or read the Scriptures
 Despite persecution, they carried on missionary work
 Martin Luther and others translated the Bible into the common languages of the people
 As they studied the Scriptures they were impressed that keeping the commandments of
God also include keeping the Bible Sabbath (Rev. 14:12)
 The patience of the saints (Revelation 14:12) ??
Just before Jesus’ second Coming
 God will pour out His Spirit … shall prophesy….(Joel 2:28,31)
 God’s people are to have the gift of prophecy in their midst during the closing hours of
earth’s history (1Corinthians 1:7)
 The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10)
The Bible gives specific characteristics that identify a true prophet
 A true prophet will be in complete harmony with God’s Word and His law (Isaiah 8:20)
 A true prophets predictions must come to pass or be fulfilled always (Jeremiah 28:9)
 A true prophet prophesies to edify the church (1 Corinthians 14:3, 4)
 A true prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind (1
John4:1, 2)
 A true prophet or prophetess can be known by his or her life and works (Mathew 7: 16,
18)

The prophet gift and ministry of Ellen G. white
 After the October 22, 1844 disappointment God chose a young woman Ellen Gold
Harmon who later become to known as Ellen G. White to continue providing prophetic
guidance to the remnant church.
 She was 17- years old girl fighting tuberculosis and a heart condition yet in December,
1844 God chose to speak to Ellen in a vision
 The life and labors of Ellen Gould White closed on July 16, 1915.
 She was passed 87 years of age at the point of her death.
APPEAL
 Do you want to be part of those who keep the commandments of God and have the
testimony of Jesus?
 Do you want to join God’s last- day people? Your decision could be the important
decision of your life.
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
Do it now, procrastination is the thief of time!
SERMON
God Still Speaks Through His Prophets
In different parts of the world, scientists using powerful radio-telescopes are listening for sounds
from outer space. They hope that maybe someday, they will hear a message from intelligent
beings on some other world. There is evidence that a message has been beaming to Earth for
thousands of years now-but few are listening to it. It’s a message from the Creator of this planet-a message of love from a God trying to win back His rebellious children.
This separation between God and the human race has not always existed. Everything began
beautifully on Planet Earth--a perfect world for two perfect people, created in the image of God!
And there in their Garden home, God came and walked and talked with them face to face. Just
imagine them strolling along together in the cool of the evening! This is the way God planned ita beautiful relationship of togetherness! There was nothing to keep them apart. Those must have
been delightful visits together. But sad to say, this relationship of love and togetherness lasted
only for two chapters in the Bible. Genesis, chapter 3 tells a tragic story. Adam and Eve sinned.
They rebelled against God’s rule of perfect love. Sin separates. Sin and God are incompatible.
Adam and Eve could no longer have direct communication and fellowship with God. They
listened to the serpent Lucifer and obeyed him instead of God--and that’s sin. The Bible says,
“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: “…and
Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the
garden.” Genesis 3:8. Adam and Eve were hiding! They didn’t want to face God. They just
wanted to hide. That’s what sin does. It separates and shatters love relationships between God
and man, and between man and others.
The prophet Isaiah wrote: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins
have hidden His face from you...” Isaiah 59:2. Yes, sin separated us from God, but it didn’t
separate us from His love. God found a way of keeping in touch with sinful man. Love always
finds a way of keeping in touch!
He established another way of communicating with His children on Planet Earth--a way of
guiding and instructing, and revealing His plans. He chose men and women He could trust to be
His mouthpiece, to communicate His love and plans to mankind. Among those He chose were
Moses, Miriam, Samuel, Elijah, Huldah, Deborah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many more. Prophets
and prophetesses were spokespeople for God! This was God’s way of saying, “I love you, I care
about you, and I have a plan to help you.”
The Bible records many conversations between the Lord and different Bible characters, but it
wasn’t the same as the conversations and fellowship that Adam and Eve had enjoyed in the
Garden of Eden. Sometimes God spoke through the Holy Spirit, sometimes by the holy angels,
and at other times through people whom He chose to be His messengers. During the first 2,500
years of human history, there was no written revelation from God so far as we have been able to
discover. Those who were taught of God must have shared verbally what He had told them.
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However, the most frequently chosen channel God used to communicate with His people has
been the channel of prophets and prophetesses-men and women who spoke for God at the
moving of the Holy Spirit. This shouldn’t be too surprising, for the Bible clearly states: “Surely
the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7.
Let’s notice how these prophets received their messages: “For the prophecy came not in old time
by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter
1:21 God had prophets, of course, even before the great Flood of Noah’s day. Enoch proclaimed
Christ’s second coming: “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also,
saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints’.” Jude 14. Enoch is the first
person mentioned in the Bible who had the gift of prophecy. But there were others! The Bible
says, “God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:21.
Noah, another prophet, foretold the destruction of the world by the flood 120 years before it
came to pass.
After the Flood, we find many prophets and prophetesses-including Miriam, Deborah, Jeremiah,
Isaiah, Ezekiel, and others. They were teachers of righteousness. They were moral and spiritual
guides, speaking for God by dreams, and sometimes through the Word of God. But always
through the Holy Spirit. Sometimes God revealed His will to prophets and prophetesses by
visions, sometimes the Lord said: ”. . .If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself
known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.” Numbers 12:6.
Sometimes God’s messengers were instructed to speak for God; sometimes they were to write or
record a message from Him. In fact, the Bible is the product of the ministry of prophets. Every
author was a part of God’s plan. All spoke or wrote for Him “moved by His Spirit.” Through
them God sent a love letter to His children on earth. It’s His way of saying, “I love you, and I
want to keep in touch with you.” And especially He wants us to know that He longs for the time
when we can fellowship together face-to-face! All of the authors of the New Testament-Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter, and Jude--were a part of that plan. All had the
gift of prophecy. Of course, there were others during that time who were speaking for God:
Simon, Agabus, Barnabus, Anna, and Phillip’s four daughters “...which did prophesy.” All were
instruments God used to reveal His will and to encourage the early Christian church.
Then Jesus came, to personally demonstrate by words and actions what God is really like. Never
has the world witnessed a more eloquent Communicator of God’s love and concern. Nineteen
centuries have passed since Calvary, yet men and women and boys and girls still kneel at the foot
of the cross and pledge undying allegiance and devotion to the Saviour of the world. When Jesus
returned to heaven, the Bible says He gave gifts unto men-gifts which would strengthen and
encourage His followers: (Text: Ephesians 4:8) “Wherefore He saith, when He ascended upon
high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” Ephesians 4:8. What were these gifts?
The Bible says, “And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists, and
some, pastors and teachers.” Ephesians 4:11.
Why did Jesus choose to give gifts to the church? Verse 12 says, “For the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” How long were these
gifts to remain in the church? “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of
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the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
Verse 13. The Bible says that these gifts would give stability to the church and strengthen the
people. “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to
deceive.” Verse 14. Notice where the gift of prophecy stands in the list of “spiritual gifts,” as
Paul calls them. “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets...” 1
Corinthians 12:28. The gift of prophecy ranked second only to that of apostleship, but it was to
be a very important and necessary gift to help the church function properly.
Paul likened the gifts of the Spirit to the various parts of the human body. He showed that the
eyes, head, mouth, and other body parts are all necessary for the body to function harmoniously
and efficiently. Just so with the church. Without vision, for example, the church is blind! “Where
there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Proverbs 29:18.
But, you say, “What happened to the gift of prophecy after Christ returned to heaven and all His
disciples died?” Not many generations passed until the church became careless, compromising,
and unfaithful to God and His law. Jeremiah records what happened when Israel apostatized for a
period of time: “The law is no more, and her prophets no longer find visions from the Lord.”
Lamentations 2:9.
As the early church adopted pagan rites and practices and discarded fundamental truths of the
Bible, one by one the spiritual gifts were withheld. During the time of the church’s apostasy, or
the Dark Ages, Bibles were chained to monastery pulpits. In general they were written in
Hebrew, Greek and Latin. The common people were forbidden to own or read the Scriptures.
Only priests were allowed to read and interpret the Bible. A few faithful Christians held to the
Bible and its truths. Despite persecution, they carried on missionary work and shared portions of
the Scriptures they possessed. They planted the seeds of the Reformation long before Wycliffe,
Luther, and Huss. Martin, Luther and others translated the Bible into the common language of
the people. Persecution came, but it only caused a greater desire for God’s Word. And as people
began to diligently search the Scriptures, old truths hidden for centuries were discovered. These
truths were brought to the attention of the people, and a great religious awakening resulted.
About this time there came into being a new religious movement- a group of dedicated
Christians, some Baptist, some Methodists, some Presbyterians, and others - searching the
Scriptures and praying for light.
As they searched the Bible they discovered in the fourth commandment of God the great
memorial of His creation-a day God asked His people to “remember.” They read the Book of
Revelation and saw the description of God’s last-day people: “Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. As
they read and studied other texts, they were impressed that keeping the commandments of God
involved keeping the Bible Sabbath. They accepted this memorial to creation and proclaimed the
Sabbath truth to the world. What about the gift of prophecy? Would God raise up the special gift
of prophecy among this end time Sabbath keeping people? Does God have something special? Is
it not reasonable to conclude that God might have something special to say to this generation?
Might God in His love for us living today want to keep in touch with us? Listen: “And it shall
come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your
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daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.”
“...before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” Joel 2:28, 31. Notice that God said this
would take place just prior to the “Great and terrible day of the Lord”--or just before the coming
of Christ the second time. God’s people are to have the gift of prophecy in their midst during the
closing hours of earth’s history. Communicating with the church at Corinth, Paul made this
statement concerning God’s followers: “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:7.
We have already discovered that the people of God in the last days will be characterized as those
“who keep the Commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus.” Rev 12:17. We are
told that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10. In other words, the
testimony of Jesus is the witness of Jesus through the prophetic gift. According to Revelation,
the church that remains as God’s channel of communication in the last days is characterized as
having the faith of Jesus, keeping all the commandments of God, and being blessed by the gift of
prophecy. Yes, God still wants to “keep in touch.” He still has something to say to this
generation. But, you might ask, “What about the possibility of deception? How can we tell the
difference between a genuine prophet of God and a false prophet?”
The possibility of deception has always existed. Throughout history there have been false and
true prophets. We don’t have to be concerned about false ones, though, if we know how to
recognize the genuine ones. The Bible gives specific characteristics that identify a true prophet:
 A true prophet’s message will be in complete harmony with God’s Word and His law.
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no Light in them.” Isaiah 8:20.
 A true prophet’s predictions must come to pass or be fulfilled always! “...When the word
of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath
truly sent him.” Jeremiah 28:9.
 A true prophet prophesies to edify the church. One of the reasons God has given the gift
of prophecy is to build up His church. If we are to discover the true gift we must discover
the true church. They are linked together. “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to
edification, and exhortation, and comfort . . . but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.”
1 Corinthians 14:3, 4.
 A true prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind: “Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false
prophets are gone out into the world.” “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh is of God.” 1 John 4:1, 2.
 A true prophet or prophetess can be known by his or her life and works. (Text: Matthew
7:16, 18) “By their fruit you will recognize them. . . . A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” Matthew 7:16, 18.
Based on these texts, it becomes obvious that not everyone who professes to be a prophet of God
is a true prophet. A true prophet’s message, his life, and actions must support and strengthen the
prophetic messages in the Bible and the instructions and commands of God in His Holy Word.
So no matter who claims to speak for God, apply the tests! If they fit, thank God! If they don’t,
follow Christ’s warning to “watch out” for them.
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Let me share the story of how God chose to “keep in touch” with His people. It was a time when
they were making known to the world the truths which had been hidden for centuries. It was
during the Great Religious Awakening early in the 19th century. There was tremendous interest
in Bible study and prayer. The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation held special interest. Faithful
Bible students studied these prophecies and eventually came to the conclusion that Jesus would
come in their day. As they continued to study they settled on the date of October 22, 1844.
However, October 22 passed and the glorious return of Jesus did not take place.
It was a most bitter disappointment. It provoked much ridicule, scoffing, and misrepresentation.
Later, after much prayer and further Bible study, the group discovered the date was correct, but
the event was wrong! They had thought the “sanctuary” mentioned in Daniel 8:14 was the earth,
but in this they were mistaken. Instead of the earth being cleansed by fire, the sanctuary in
heaven was to be cleansed. This involved the final vindication of God’s character and
government.
The people were crushed the disappointment seemed unbearable. But a loving God never
forsakes the sincere seeker for truth: and He didn’t forsake these “advent” believers at this
moment of crises. He wanted them to know that He cared-that He loved them and wanted to
help. So at this most crucial moment, God chose to restore the gift of prophecy to His people. It
is a fascinating story from the start!
He chose a frail 17 year old girl and gave her a vision of the triumph of God’s cause. Ellen
Harmon was given her first vision soon after the Great Disappointment in December, 1844. She
was shown the advent people traveling an elevated road to heaven with a brilliant light
illuminating the pathway. What an encouragement this message was to this small and scattered
group of advent believers, which would later become known as Seventh-day Adventists. This
young woman who became Ellen White through her marriage to Adventist pioneer James White
was faithful to her calling. For more than 70 years, she spoke, wrote, taught, and counseled for
God. Although the scope of her ministry and expertise is astounding, her greatest work, as she
put it, was “to lead men and women to the ‘greater light’”--the Bible. She wrote: “Little heed is
given to the Bible and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the ‘Greater
Light.’” --Colporteur Ministry, p. 125.
She championed the Holy Scriptures as the final court of appeal in all doctrinal questions. To
some who were criticizing the Word of God, she wrote: “Cling to your Bible as it reads and stop
your criticism in regard to its validity and obey the Word, and not one of you will be lost.”
Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 18. No woman author has ever produced as much published
religious material as Ellen White did in books, magazine articles, tracts, pamphlets, and personal
letters. Her messages of counsel and reproof received from God were shared with His people
throughout her lifetime. Her writings include counsel on victorious Christian living, diet, health,
prenatal care, drugs, marriage and the home, child guidance, education, and much, much, more.
Many of her writings are now more than 100 years old and have been validated by modern
scientific discoveries. She has been quoted by professors, doctors, news commentators, and
others as an authority in many of these fields.
Dr. Clive M. McCay, the late professor of nutrition at Cornell University, stated: “The writings
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of Ellen G. White have been cited because they provide a guide to nutrition that comprehends the
whole body.” -Natural Food and Farming, May, 1958. As far back as 1864, Ellen White wrote:
“Tobacco is a poison of the most deceitful and malignant kind.... It is all the more dangerous
because its effects upon the system are so slow, and scarcely perceivable.”
However, it wasn’t until 1957 that the American Cancer Society and the American Heart
Association concluded that smoking was a causative factor in lung cancer! In her day, those in
the medical field must have questioned her, for at that time it was thought that tobacco and cigar
smoke were an effective cure for lung disease.
In 1905 Mrs. White wrote that there were cancerous “germs.” She stated: “People are continually
eating flesh that is filled with tuberculosis and cancerous germs. . . . Tuberculosis, cancer, and
other fatal diseases are thus communicated.” --The Ministry of Healing, p. 313. Of course, today
we would more accurately use the word virus. Ninety-three years later, Newsweek magazine
carried a story titled “Viruses are Activating Factors in Cancer”. Dr. Wendell Stanley, University
of California virologist and Nobel Prize Winner, went so far as to state without qualification that
he believes viruses cause most of all human cancer.” --Newsweek, June 18, 1956.
In 1902, Ellen White warned that San Francisco and Oakland would be visited by the Lord
because they were becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah. (Manuscript 1902, p. 114.)
On April 18, 1906 at 5:12 a.m., the Great San Francisco Earthquake occurred. The prophecy was
true. The predicted destruction did take place exactly as foretold. Mrs. White’s achievements are
all the more astounding when we consider the overwhelming obstacles and handicaps which
confronted her throughout her lifetime. Someone may be wondering who was Ellen White, and
what was she like? The answer takes us back to November 26, 1827. On that date, twin girls,
Elizabeth and Ellen, were born near the little village of Gorham, Maine, to Eunice and Robert
Harmon. Ellen was the last of eight children. At the age of nine an accident changed her life
forever. While returning home from school, Ellen was seriously injured by a stone thrown by a
classmate. For three weeks she was unconscious. She was unable to continue her schooling, and
it appeared that she would not live long. She never got beyond the early grades of formal
schooling. Years later Ellen looked back with mixed emotions on that ninth year of her life.
True, it was heartrending not being able to attend school-not being able to run and play with her
sisters and brothers.
But as one phase of her life seemingly ended, another began. Ellen became an avid student of the
Bible. She attended camp meetings, revivals, and cottage meetings. After attending a Methodist
camp meeting in Buxton, Maine, Ellen was baptized June 26, 1842. She became a member of the
Methodist church. Later, Ellen and her family attended some meetings held in Portland, Maine.
The speaker was William Miller, a former army captain, who had been diligently studying the
Bible. Because he advocated the soon coming of Christ, he and his followers were labeled
“Advents” or “Millerites.” The Harmon family were convinced of the truthfulness of Miller’s
messages. However, after the great disappointment of October 22, 1844, they too were
devastated. Ellen was greatly disappointed. She wept, she prayed, she studied God’s Word for an
answer, as did many of the “advent” believers. Then it was that God called her to be His
prophetess. Physically, she didn’t appear to be what you’d expect of a prophetess. She was a 17year-old girl, fighting tuberculosis and a heart condition. Yet in December of 1844, God chose to
speak to Ellen in a vision. In her own words, she tells of her reaction: “After I had the vision,
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and God gave me light, He bade me deliver it . . . but I shrank from it. I was young, and I thought
they would not receive it from me.” –Ellen G. White Letter 3, 1847.
Although feeling inadequate and physically incapable of the responsibilities of this calling by
God, in faith she accepted the mission for God that would last her lifetime. Ellen and her
husband James White worked together in sharing the light God gave. Their triumphs and their
devotion are shared in many of her writings. Throughout her life Ellen White was a committed
Christian, a tireless servant of God, and a devout mother. She was loved by her husband, her
family, and thousands around the world.
On August 6, 1881, Ellen’s husband James died in Battle Creek, Michigan. Standing by his
graveside was Ellen--pledging to press on in the work they both had sacrificed and relentlessly
pursued for over 35 years! Some of Ellen’s most beautiful and inspiring writings appeared after
this date. She worked alone for another 34 years. Her prophetic ministry took her to several
countries-- guiding, instructing, and counseling the believers as the Lord led her. The life and
labors of Ellen Gould White closed on July 16, 1915. She was past 87 years of age. She was
buried at the side of her husband in Oak Hill Cemetery in Battle Creek, Michigan. A few weeks
after her death, a newspaper carried this statement: “She showed no spiritual pride and she
sought no filthy lucre [riches]. She lived the life and did the work of a worthy prophetess, the
most admirable of the American succession.”-The New York Independent, August 23, 1915.
Yes, her voice is stilled – her pen is at rest. But the priceless words of counsel, admonition,
instruction and encouragement of this faithful spokesperson for God will continue to guide
God’s people to final victory! Her legacy to the world is a gift of love-a message to earth from
across the universe, from a God of love who still wants to “keep in touch” with His children here
until Christ comes. Then the “lesser light” will pale as we stand in the glorious light of His
presence once again to see and fellowship with God face-to-face in all His glory!
A number of years ago, in the vast desert wastes of Bechuanaland, South Africa, lived a
primitive bushman named Sukuba. He lived an isolated life as a member of a nomadic people.
One winter night he crept into his shelter and prepared to sleep. But suddenly the night became
brighter than day. A shining being appeared to him and told him to find the people of the
“Book.” He must find the people who worshiped God. Sukuba wasn’t sure what that meant.
What book? How could he read it if he found it? The language of the bushman contained clicks
and guttural sounds that were quite unlike the language of other African tribes. It has never been
reduced to writing. But this “Shining One,” as Sukuba called the angel who appeared to him, had
said, “The book talks. You will be able to read it. Sukuba traveled for days with his family in
search of the book. He reached the hut of some Bantu farmers and asked if they knew of the
people with the Book. The tribesman was startled to hear the bushman somehow speaking his
Bantu language. He immediately took Sukuba to his pastor. The pastor was deeply moved by
Sukuba’s story. And he said, “Your journey is over.” Sukuba was very happy. But that night the
Shining One appeared to him again. He said that these were not the people he was looking for.
He must find “the Sabbath-keeping church and Pastor Moye.” Pastor Moye would have a Book
and also “four brown books that are really nine.” The next day Sukuba prayed for a sign. He
needed some direction for his journey. When he did, a cloud appeared in the sky. Sukuba set off
after it and followed it for seven days. It disappeared over a certain village. There Sukuba asked
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for Pastor Moye and was quickly directed to his home. After Sukuba told his story in the local
dialect, Pastor Moye brought out his worn Bible. “That is it!” Sukuba exclaimed. “That is it! But
where are the four books, that are really nine?”
Well, as it turned out, Ellen White, years before, had written nine volumes of instruction to
God’s church called Testimonies to the Church. And these were later combined into four books.
Sukuba’s search was over. He had found the people of the Book. He had found a Sabbathkeeping people, a people blessed with the prophetic gift. Eventually he and his family accepted
Christ and were baptized. He became a missionary to his own people.
God is working in marvelous ways today to lead men and women to His true church. The fact
that you are hearing this story is no accident. Like Sukuba, you are being guided. God is guiding
you into His truth. God is giving you courage to face the future.
Perhaps you’ve been searching for truth for years. I believe your search has ended. You’ve been
divinely guided to this destination. You, like Sukuba, can exclaim, “This is it! God’s church!”
Don’t you want to join those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of
Jesus? Don’t you want to join God’s last-day people? Consider this commitment carefully. It
could be the most important decision of your life.
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Sermon 6
Evil in Chains
OUTLINE
Introduction
 When the Devil can tempt no more!
 The last book of the Bible, Revelation, reveals that help is on the way.
 Soon we shall be delivered, and Satan will be imprisoned
 We will be set free and Satan shall be bound!
 The long nightmare of sin will be no more.
 The time is coming soon when the Judge will hand down a sentence of 1,000 years and
the criminal will serve out every day (Revelation 20: 1-3)
What is the Millennium?
 “Millennium,” from two Latin words, mille, meaning “one thousand,” and annum,
meaning “year.”
 Prophecy tells us that Satan will be imprisoned for 1,000 years and that he will then be
released for a short time to prove to the world that even after 1,000 years, he has not
changed- he is still the same devil.
 The Millennium is bound it two resurrections:
1. The resurrection of life at the beginning of that period, and
2. The resurrection of damnation at the end of the time (John 5:25 ; 28, 29)
 Two resurrections are critical in understanding the flow of events (Revelation 20: 5, 6)
 The follow is in harmony with what Paul told the Thessalonians in describing the second
coming (1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17)
 The righteous dead will be raised from their graves at the second coming of Jesus Christ
(John 11:25; Isaiah 26:19; John 14:2,3)
The redeemed righteous will judge the world during the 1,000 years in heaven
 God has included feeble men and women in the solemn task of judging fallen angels and
the unsaved (Revelation 20: 4)
 The apostle Paul states: “Do you know that the saints will judge the world? …(1
Corinthians 6: 2, 3)
 Those inspecting the records will testify (Revelation 16: 7)
What happens to those living at the coming of Christ but did not accept Jesus Christ as
their personal Savior?
 They will not be able to stand before the glory of the coming Christ (Revelation 19:21)
 They will be slain by the brightness of His coming (Jeremiah 25:33)
 What about the unsaved who are still in their graves? (Revelation 20:5)
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Events that take place at Christ’s coming
 Jesus will return with all his angels (Mathew 25:31)
 The dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
 The living saved are caught up to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
 The saved go home to heaven with Jesus and reign with him for a 1,000 years
(Revelation 25: 4, 6)
 The unsaved are slain by the brightness of the coming of Christ (Jeremiah 25:33)
 The wicked dead are not raised until after the 1,000 years (Revelation 20:5)
 Satan is bound for the 1,000 years by a chain of circumstances-no one to tempt or
destroy; the earth becomes the devil’s prison (Jeremiah 4: 23-26)
Events that take place during the millennium
 The earth is desolate and devastated
 All the unsaved are dead, slain by the brightness of Jesus’s coming
 All the saved are in heaven, reigning with Christ
 Satan is bound on this dark, devastated planet to reflect on his rebellion (Revelation 20:
7,8; 20:5; 20: 9, 10,14.15)
 The heaven shall pass way with great noise (2 Peter 3:10)
 Free at last – God shall wipe away all tears (Revelation 21:4)
APPEAL
 What a glorious eternity God promises the saved!
 Human mind cannot comprehend the glory and beauty of the paradise that God is
preparing for those who love and are willing to follow Him!
 Which group will be in that day?
 The only way to absolutely sure that you are among the righteous at the end of the
millennium is to give your heart and life entirely to Jesus now- TODAY!
 Just now! Now surrender all your life to the soon coming King Jesus!!
SERMON
Listen to these words from the Bible: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having
the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that
serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him
into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the
nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released
for a little while.” Revelation 20:1-3.
Here we find that God has a plan to deal with the greatest criminal this universe has ever knowna criminal who’s been directly involved in every sin and crime ever committed on this earth. But
the time will soon come when he will be imprisoned for 1,000 years! A thousand years in the
most wretched, devastated spot in the universe. Sometimes this time period is referred to as the
Millennium.
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What is the Millennium?
This thousand-year period of time is called the “millennium,” from two Latin words, mille,
meaning “one thousand,” and annum, meaning “year.” The prophecy also tells us that Satan will
be imprisoned for 1,000 years and that he will then be released for a short time to prove to the
world that even after l,000 years, he has not changed-he is still the same devil. To be able to
understand this prophecy and fully see its significance, we need to find out how it starts and ends
and what happens during the period in between.
Let me make a statement now, and then I will proceed to prove that statement’s truthfulness. The
millennium is bound in by two resurrections:
1) The resurrection of life at the beginning of that period
2) The resurrection of damnation at the end of the time
One day when Jesus was teaching His disciples about death, He said: “Most assuredly, I say to
you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and
those who hear will live.” John 5:25. There you have it. The dead shall hear His voice and shall
live. That is, all of the dead will be raised. I know that will come as a surprise to some of you,
because you thought that only the righteous dead would be raised. Notice how Christ elaborates
on this in the 28th and 29th verses of this same chapter: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is
coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, “and shall come forth; they
that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28, 29, KJV.
Notice the two resurrections. First, the resurrection of those who have done good, and the second
one--the resurrection of damnation. Listen to what the Bible has to say about those in the first
resurrection: “This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first
resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:5, 6.
This is in harmony with what Paul told the Thessalonians. Notice how He describes the second
coming of Christ. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air.
What a glorious description of the resurrection. You will notice that the dead in Christ will be
raised first, and then the followers of Christ who are alive will be caught up with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air! And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Verses 16, 17.
On that day will be fulfilled the promise made by Jesus, “He that believeth in me, though he
were dead, yet shall he live.” John 11:25. Yes, the righteous dead will be raised from their graves
when Christ returns. Isaiah describes this joyous event: “Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: .
. . and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Isaiah 26:19. What a glorious day that will be! Mothers
being reunited with their babies who died. Husbands and wives reunited. Sons and daughter
reunited with Mom and Dad! Could the scene be any more moving?
Then the wonderful promise Christ made so long ago will be fulfilled: “I go to prepare a place
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for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself,
that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2, 3. This is where the saved will spend the
millennium!
What will we be doing? John tells us: “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first
resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6. Aside from the unspeakable
joy of fellowship with Christ and His followers, John gives more insight as to what they will be
doing during the millennium: “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was
committed to them.” Revelation 20:4. The all-wise, all-powerful God of the universe has
included feeble men and women in the solemn task of judging fallen angels and the unsaved.
Paul states: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?... Do you not know that we
shall judge angels?” 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3. It will become clear-once and for all-that God is just
and good and fair. For thousands of years Satan has leveled the accusation that God is unfair,
unloving, and unjust.
The years of the millennium will put this notion to rest, vindicating God’s character before the
entire universe! But why would we need to judge the evil angels and the wicked sinners?
Haven’t they been judged before Christ comes? True, but have you ever wondered what your
reaction might be if you looked for someone in heaven whom you expected to find there-only to
discover he or she is lost forever? You might call the fairness of God’s justice into question.
During the millennium, the records of the lost will be opened. The most guarded secrets and
purposes harbored in each mind will be exposed. God’s love and justice will be affirmed. Those
inspecting the records will be left with only one response: “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true
and righteous are Your judgments.” Revelation 16:7.
You may be wondering what happened to those who were living when Christ comes, but did not
accept salvation. Revelation chapter 19 describes the second coming of Christ and the
destruction of the unsaved in these words: “And the rest were killed with the sword which
proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse...” Revelation 19:21
There is no way that the lost will be able to stand before the glory of the coming Christ with all
of His holy angels. One angel came to the tomb of Jesus, and the Roman soldiers became as dead
men. The Bible says, “And at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth
even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall
become refuse on the ground.” Jeremiah 25:33.
At the second coming of Christ, the righteous are resurrected and translated to meet Christ in the
clouds, and the unsaved will be slain by the brightness of His coming--by “the sword that goes
out of His mouth.” Someone is going to ask the question, “What about the unsaved who are still
in their graves?” The answer is given in the fifth verse of Revelation, chapter 20: “But the rest of
the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished...” The puzzle is beginning to fit
together. The big picture is coming into focus as to what will happen when Jesus Christ returns:
These are the events that take place at Christ’s coming
1) Jesus will return, with all of the holy angels (Matthew 25:31).
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2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
The dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
The living saved are caught up to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
The saved go home with Jesus and reign with Him for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4, 6).
The unsaved are slain by the brightness of the coming of Christ (Jeremiah 25:33).
The wicked dead are not raised until after the 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:5).
Satan is bound for the 1,000 years by a chain of circumstances-no one to tempt or
destroy!
The righteous are in heaven, and all the wicked are dead. Everyone is gone! Everywhere, there is
ruin (Jeremiah 4:23-26). This earth becomes the devil’s prison. The Bible says that Satan was put
into a bottomless pit for the millennium. How is he chained? By a chain of circumstances that
make it impossible for him to tempt and destroy anyone for 1,000 years.
Those who have followed Satan during their life on this earth are struck dead at Christ’s coming,
or they remain in the grave until the thousand years are over. The saved are all with Christ for the
thousand years. The devil has only his evil angels to tempt and mislead, and they, after 6,000
years, are as bad as he is. This earth becomes his prison. He wanted to show how he would rule
the world, so he took the dominion from Adam and Eve by deceit, but now everyone will be able
to see what kind of a ruler he really is!
You will remember that Rev. 20:3 says: “And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up,
and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years
should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” The original Bible word for
bottomless pit is abussos to describe the world in its chaotic state before God formed this
beautiful world. This is the same word used in the Old Testament. It is this same word used in
the book of Jeremiah: “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form and void; and the heavens,
and they had no light.” Jeremiah 4:23. Yes, the world is an abussos or “bottomless pit.” It’s
going to be a dark place! Now, notice what else Jeremiah has to say about the earth at this time:
“I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld and, lo
there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.” Jeremiah 4:24, 25. You notice that
it said, “There was no man.’’ Again Jeremiah says, “I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a
wilderness, and all cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by His fierce
anger.” Jeremiah 4:26, 27. That certainly sounds like a grim place to take a vacation for 1,000
years, wouldn’t you say? Satan and the wicked angles nothing to do but wander to and fro on the
dark, devastated, lonely planet and reflect on results of rebellion against God!
Now let us review the events that take place during the millennium:
1.
The earth is desolate and devastated
2.
All the unsaved are dead, slain by the brightness of Jesus coming
3.
All the saved are in heaven, reigning with Christ.
4.
Satan is bound on this dark, devastated planet to reflect on this rebellion.
Will Satan change? What about the angles he led into rebellion? Will they choose to follow him
again-or will they follow Christ now? One of the reasons God has chosen to put the millennium
in His timetable is that He wants to demonstrate to the universe that if the devil, his angles, and
those who have chosen to follow him on this earth given another chance, they would make the
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same decision and choose the same master. They would reject the plan of salvation even though
they had a thousand chances to accept it.
What does the Bible say about their choice? The answer is given in Revelation 20:7, 8: “Now
when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to
deceive the nation which are in the four corners of the earth… to gather them together to battle,
whose number is as the sand of the sea.” Perhaps you are wondering where all these people will
come from who are going to be in this battle. Remember, we read in the 20th chapter of
Revelation, verse 5: “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were
finished.” Yes, the rest of the dead or the unsaved dead are raised in the resurrection of
damnation at the end of the millennium. What a sight it will be to see the wicked dead raised to
life-a vast number, all the wicked from Adam’s day to the second advent. John says, “The
number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” Revelation 20:8.
At this same time the Holy City, New Jerusalem, with Christ and the saved, comes to earth at the
end of the millennium! This City will become the target of Satan’s wrath, for the Bible says,
“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go
out to deceive the nation which are in the four quarters of the earth… To gather them together to
battle.” Revelation 20:7, 8. Now Satan and his evil angles go out to deceive the wicked again! He
hasn’t changed one bit! Again the unsaved choose Satan as their leader. The devil marshals them
into one vast army bent on taking the new Jerusalem by force. This is earth’s last battle! The
mighty army, under rebel angle’s leadership, advances!
Let’s read what the Bible says will happen: “They went up on the breadth of the earth and
surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of
heaven and devoured them.” Revelation 20:9.
The battle is over! How sad when it could have been so different! What happens to the devil?
The Bible tells us: “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone…
Then death and hades were cast into fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:10, 14, 15.
Peter saw this fire in vision and wrote: “…the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and
the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be
burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10. Satan, his evil angels, and sinners will then be forever gone! We may
have relatives, friends, or acquaintances whom we love dearly who will be gone forever. Of
course, we will cry. How could it be otherwise? But the good news is: “And God shall wipe
away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, or crying. There shall
be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4.
What a glorious eternity God promises the saved! The human mind cannot comprehend the glory
and beauty of the paradise that God is preparing for those who love and are willing to follow
Him! And to think that all of this, the wicked could have enjoyed, but the price seemed too high!
They were unwilling to choose Christ as their Savior and Lord. Which group will you be in on
that day, my friend? When that day comes, it will be too late to change sides. Even at the
beginning of the thousand years, when Jesus comes, it will be too late. It could be too late even
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if you should die suddenly and without warning. The only way to be absolutely sure that you are
among the righteous at the end of the millennium is to give your heart and life entirely to Jesus
now-TODAY!
If you would like to fully, completely give your life to Jesus, I would like you to come forward
for special prayer. If you have some problem in your life, come forward for prayer right now.
If you have some habit you need victory over, come forward for prayer. If you are struggling
with some temptation, come forward for prayer.
Jesus will hear you. Jesus will answer. I’ll wait a minute, but come, and come right now.
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Sermon 7
The Best is Yet to Come
OUTLINE
Introduction
 Heaven is real
 Some say heaven is not a real place, but just a state of mind
 Others believe that eventually, everybody will end up in heaven
 Some say that very few people will make it there
 So much confusion! So many opinions!
 Do you know that the bible is full of details about heaven?
 God wants us to know what heaven is like so that we can determine to be there!
 Heaven is not some secret place that God is keeping away from us!
 God has a master key to unlock the mysteries about heaven
 The master key is the Bible, our only reliable source of information (2 Peter 1:19)
God’s master key
 The Bible is God’s mater key
 The prophetic word is the light that shine in dark places (2Peter 1: 19)
 God has revealed in His Word
 Where heaven will be
 What heaven will be like
 Where it’s capital will be
 What people will do there
 What people will be like there
 Where the saved will live
 What the capital city will look like
 God Himself revealed to John a picture of the future (Revelation 21: 1, 2)
 The heavenly home was revealed to all God’s prophets (Acts 3:20, 21)
What is God going to restore?
 God is going to restore everything Adam and Eve lost!
 Perfect health, love, happiness, joy and face to face fellowship with God
 The things God revealed to Isaiah shall be realized (Isaiah 65: 17)
 No more violence, the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, no sickness, dumb shall sing and
worship the Lord (Isaiah 60: 18; 11: 6; 33:24; 35: 5, 6; 1: 1; 65:21, 22, 23, 66: 22, 23,
35:10)
 From one Sabbath to another the redeemed shall sing and cerebrate
The fabulous New Holy City (New Jerusalem)
 The first heaven and the first earth had passed away (Revelation 21: 1-3, 11, 17, 21)
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 The walls of the city is made out of a most precious stone, like a jasper stone crystal clear
(Revelation 21: 3)
 Then he measured it’s wall:144 cubits [66 meters] (Revelation 21:17, 21)
 The city is laid out as a square…(Revelation 21:6)
 Names were written on the wall which were name of the twelve tribes of Israel
(revelation 21:12)
 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine for the Lamb is its light (Revelation
21: 23)
 No night there! No curse there! No pain there! And God shall wipe away ALL TEARS
(Revelation 22:5, 3, 4)
APPEAL
 If you are in Christ then you are Abraham’s seed (Galatians 3: 29)
 When we smell heaven we need to adjust our priorities ??
 We long for another land
 We want to be on eternity’s shore
 Are you homesick for heaven?
 Do you want to be there?
 Would you like to say, “Yes Lord I want to be with you. I long to be with you forever and
ever?”
 God is inviting you just now!
 “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘COME’” (Revelation 22:17)
 This is your opportunity to come to the lord; come just as you are
 Come and be part of heaven bound team!
 EVEN SO COME LORD JESUS!!
SERMON
Heaven is for Real
The story is told of a little girl who lived all of her life in the city. With the dazzling lights of the
city lighting up the sky, she never had an opportunity to see the stars. One summer her mom took
her on vacation into the country. In the evening after sunset, the stars sparkled like diamonds in
the night sky. The little girl looked up amazed. She was overwhelmed with the dazzling beauty
of the star-studded sky. She gasped and said, “Oh, mother, if heaven is so beautiful on the wrong
side, what must it be like on the right side.”
The subject of heaven has captured the attention of men and women all over the world for
centuries. What is heaven really like? Does it even exist? If so, where is it, and what is it like
there? Some people don’t believe in heaven. Others say there are three heavens, or even seven.
Some say you go to heaven when you die. Others say no, you go to a place called purgatory first,
then maybe heaven later. Some say heaven is not a real place, but just a state of mind.
There are those who believe that eventually, everybody will end up in heaven. Some say very
few people will make it there. So much confusion! So many opinions! Why all these different
opinions about heaven? Why all the varying opinions and theories when the Bible makes it
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crystal clear? In fact, do you know that the Bible is full of details about heaven? God wants us to
know what heaven is like so we will determine to be there!
Heaven is not a secret place that God is keeping from us. In many large buildings, there is a key
that fits each lock on each door. The owner of the building has that key which is called the
master key. That one key fits all doors. God has a master key that unlocks the mysteries about
heaven, and that master key is the Bible--our only reliable source of information. Fortunately, we
don’t have to depend on human theories or opinions.
We don’t have to be confused what the real truth is about heaven. The apostle Peter wrote about
this source of information.
“We have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a
dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19. God has
revealed in His Word: Where heaven will be. What heaven will be like. Where its capitol will be.
What people will do there. What people will be like there. Where the saved will live. What the
capitol city will look like.
Now let’s take God’s master key-the Bible, and discover a very real future that God has prepared
for His followers. In the Bible’s last book, Revelation, God Himself revealed to John a picture of
the future. John described what he saw: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the
holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband.” Revelation 21:1, 2. Few scenes present such happiness and beauty as that of a
bride preparing for her wedding day! This heavenly home is not something that only John saw all of God’s prophets throughout the ages have known about it. Listen: “And that He may send
Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of
restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the
world began.” Acts 3:20, 21. WHAT IS GOD GOING TO RESTORE? God is going to restore
everything Adam and Eve lost! The earth came from the hands of the Creator in splendor and
perfection, beautiful beyond description.
The Creator Himself had designed and decorated Adam and Eve’s home, the Garden of Eden, a
paradise. God had given them the dominion of the earth. They had perfect health, love,
happiness, joy, and face- to-face fellowship with God. Everything was peace and harmony. They
would never get sick or die if they chose to obey God’s instructions.
And His instructions were: “Don’t eat of the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden, or you will
die.” But they chose to eat of the tree. They listened to a cruel, deceiving rebel angel named
Satan rather than listening to a loving, caring God. Afterward, for the first time in their lives,
they felt guilty, ashamed, and afraid. It was the most tragic day in the history of Planet Earth. By
their disobedience, they lost everything: their garden home, their dominion of Earth, and access
to the Tree of Life. Without being able to eat of the Tree of Life, they would eventually die. No
longer did they have eternal life. Their happiness, love, and fellowship with the Creator would
end. Our perfect world became blighted with the curse of sin. Earth became a place of sorrow
and suffering, of disease and death. No longer masters, Adam and Eve became slaves.
Paul said, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey,
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you are that one’s slaves whom you obey?” Romans 6:16. But a loving, caring God understood.
The serpent had deceived Adam and Eve. God loved them so much He couldn’t leave His erring
children without hope. At the gates of the garden, God promised Adam and Eve that one day His
Son, the Seed of the Woman, would come and die for them so they could be restored to the
Family of God and have eternal life. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and
between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Genesis 3:15.
As generations passed and men multiplied on earth, sin also multiplied. Mankind had almost
forgotten God and His promise. People became vile and immoral and “the LORD saw that the
wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5. It finally became necessary for God to destroy the wicked by
the Great Flood in order to preserve life on the earth. Only eight people survived! After the Great
Flood, it wasn’t many generations before people became corrupt again. In order to preserve a
holy people on earth, God called Abraham and his family out of the idolatrous and corrupt Ur of
the Chaldees. His family would doubtless have become wicked also had they stayed in that city.
The Lord said to Abraham, “...Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s
house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make
your name great; and you shall be a blessing.” Genesis 12:1, 2.
Abraham was willing to leave the luxury of his Chaldean home. He didn’t know where he was
going, but he did have a glimpse of what God had in store for him. “By faith he dwelt in the land
of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of
the same promise.” For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is
God.” Hebrews 11:9, 10. God promised to give to Abraham and his children all that Adam and
Eve lost. The prophets of all ages believed and looked forward to the restoration of all things.
God lists some of the Bible’s Hall of Faith in Hebrews, chapter 11. Abraham, Enoch, Noah,
Abel, Isaac, Rahab, David, and Samuel are just a few of the great people of faith who believed in
God’s promise to restore what Adam and Eve lost. Notice what the Bible says about these
heroes: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off,
were assured of them, embraced them. . . . But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly
country therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for
them.” Hebrews 11:13, 16.
Isaiah, the greatest of all the messianic prophets, gives us a thrilling description of the restoration
God has prepared, Let’s take a look at the things God revealed to Isaiah: “For behold, I create
new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
Isaiah 65:17. And again: “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor
destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.”
Isaiah. 60:18. Just think-NO violence there! Just peace and harmony! Isn’t that WONDERFUL
to think about? No need there to find weapons to defend and protect ourselves. No rapists or
thieves! And won’t it be wonderful to walk those streets of gold and not worry about being
attacked or robbed? But that isn’t all that the prophet can tell us. Listen: “The wolf also shall
dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat.... and a little child shall lead
them.” Isaiah 11:6.
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Now listen to what else the Bible has to say about Planet Earth when it is finally restored to its
original beauty: “And the inhabitant shall not say, ‘I am sick’.” Isaiah 33:24. No heart attacks, no
cancer, no allergies-just perfect health for eternity! Isn’t that great news?
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened.” Isaiah 35:5. No doubt the first thing the formerly
blind will want to see will be the face of Jesus! Oh, what a glorious day that will be for those
who were blind! “...The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” Isaiah 35:5.
“Then the lame shall leap as a deer.” Isaiah 35:6. No more wheelchairs! No more crutches!
Everyone will have perfect bodies. “...And the tongue of the dumb sing.” Isaiah 35:6. Not only
will they talk, but they will sing! What a happy day that will be! But there is even more
wonderful news! “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall
rejoice and blossom as the rose.” Isaiah 35:1. What a beautiful place the new earth will be!
“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. They
shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the days of a tree,
so shall be the days of My people, and My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” Isaiah
65:21, 22.
It certainly sounds as if heaven will be a real place with real people doing real things, doesn’t it?
In fact, we will have our own names, and people will know us! “‘For as the new heavens and the
new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,’ says the Lord, ‘so shall your descendents
and your name remain.’” Isaiah 66:22. “‘And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to
another and from one Sabbath to another,
shall all flesh come to worship before me,’ says the Lord.” Isaiah 66:23. The new earth will be a
happy place, a joyful place, for God and His people. “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and
gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isaiah 35:10. Doesn’t that sound exciting? It
will be a wonderful, joyful celebration as the saved come each Sabbath to the Holy City to praise
and sing and have fellowship.
Jesus said He is building us each a mansion. We’ll enjoy that, but Isaiah said we too will build
houses! Well, it seems that perhaps we will have a country home that we ourselves will build,
and then each weekend we will go to the capitol of the New Earth and use our mansion in the
city. The Bible picture of heaven is clear. God will create a new heavens and a new earth. The
Holy City, the New Jerusalem, will descend from God out of heaven. Earth, this planet in
rebellion, fallen by sin, will become the capitol of the whole universe. It may surprise you, but
this earth is to be the future home of the saved. Jesus stated it this way. “Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5. God is going to restore Planet Earth to its original
perfection, and what a glorious New Earth that will be! Perhaps you will remember some of the
wonderful promises Jesus gave to His disciples and followers of all ages just before He returned
to heaven: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me In My Father’s
house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you... And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be
also.” John 14:1-3.
The model prayer that Jesus taught His disciples says, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10. Here we see that Jesus asks us to pray for the
restoration of all things. Now, let’s consider in more detail the magnificent city John saw in
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vision on the Isle of Patmos. It seems as if the prophet had a hard time finding words to express
the grandeur of the Holy City. The Bible says that: “...Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1
Corinthians 2: 9. But wait a minute. Most people fail to read the next verse that says, “But God
has revealed them to us through His Spirit...” You see, God has revealed these things by the Holy
Spirit to the prophets, who wrote them down for us. And no doubt, the half has not been told!
Friends, that’s the way it was with John and Isaiah and all the prophets. It’s all true--and the half
has not been told! When John unfolds the details of the Holy City, it seems just too fabulous to
be true. But we have God’s Word for it! Here’s what John saw. John said he saw a new heaven
and a new earth, and that there was no more sea. Then he saw the Holy City descending out of
heaven. He then tells us all about the city: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.” Revelation 21:1.
“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2. “And I heard a loud voice from
heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and
they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” Revelation 21:3.
“... Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” Revelation
21:11. “Then he measured its wall:144 cubits [66 meters] . . .” (verse 17).
“The twelve gates were twelve pearls . . .” So there are pearly gates! (verse 21).
(Text: Revelation 21:12, 21, 23) “... a great and high wall ... and names written on them, which
are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.” (verse 12). “... The street of the city
was pure gold, like transparent glass.” (verse 21).
“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and
the Lamb is its lamp.” (verse 23). “. . . a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” “. . . On each side of the river stood the tree of life,
bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month . . .” “There shall be no night there . .
.” Rev. 22:5. The throne of God and the Lamb will be in the capitol- New Jerusalem. “And there
shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it...” Rev.22:3. And
one of the most wonderful gifts is found in Revelation 21:4: “And God will wipe away every tear
from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more
pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4.
Perhaps you are wondering how big the Holy City is. John gives exact details as to the size of
this city: “And the city is laid out as a square, its length is a great as its breadth.
And he [that is, the angel] measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs.”
Revelation 21:16. [A furlong is one-eighth of an English mile-thus 12,000 furlongs would be
about 2400 kilometers around]. Ancient cities were measured by the distance around the outside
walls. So the city would be approximately 600 km or 375 miles on each side. And perhaps you
are wondering if this city will be large enough for the saved. Tokyo has nearly 35 million people
living in the city. Greater New York City houses over 20 million people. Seoul and Mexico City
also have nearly 20 million each. One mathematician has estimated that the New Jerusalem,
however, could house two billion people! In other words, there will be room for everyone who
wants to be there.
But what will keep us busy in such a wonderful place? No crime, no sickness, no hunger or
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disease--just peace and harmony forever! It sounds as if we will do a lot of things: Build our
country dream home, plant our own gardens. Jesus, the Creator, will be there to open to us the
mysteries of Creation. We will always be learning new things. We will be able to travel any time
we wish. We will have time to be with our friends and loved ones. And each Sabbath we will be
praising God and singing with the angels and Jesus--our special time to fellowship with our
Lord. Well, you may ask, “How can we be certain that we can be there? The answer is simple.
The Bible, our master key, says: “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and
heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29. In other words, if you accept Jesus as your
Saviour this promise that God gave to Abraham is yours too. As we study the Bible, it is
interesting to notice that the first three chapters tells how God created the world and the paradise
home for Adam and Eve. But Adam and Eve lost it all. The last three chapters of the Bible give
us a preview of God’s plan to restore what Adam and Eve lost-a beautiful tomorrow where our
fondest dreams will come true!
A number of years ago, a boat transporting sheep became lost in the fog on the North Sea. The
boat drifted aimlessly for three days. The sheep aboard the boat refused to eat the stale hay. They
wandered to the side of the ship and began to bleat. They continued to baa and baa and baa. The
captain and ship-hands were utterly amazed. They wondered why? Soon the fog lifted. The boat
was a few yards off the Scottish coast. The sheep had smelled the freshly mown hay lying in
beautiful Scottish fields. They refused to eat the days- old, stale hay their owners tried to feed
them.
When we get a smell of heaven, we adjust our priorities. When we get a smell of eternity,
everything else fits into place. We long for another land. We want to be on eternity’s shore.
Are you homesick for heaven? Do you want to be there? Is the desire of your heart to live with
Christ in glory forever? Would you like to say, “Yes, Lord, I want to be with you. I long to be
with you forever and ever and ever?” God gives you the invitation: “The Spirit and the Bride say,
‘Come’.” Revelation 22:17. Don’t put it off! You can be a part of God’s fabulous tomorrow.
Invite Him into your heart and heaven will be your home!
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