End Time Living pt. 2

Mark Finley: The purpose of your life, the meaning of your life is to give your life to bless somebody, to touch somebody, to share God's grace with them.
Announcer: This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, End Time Living, part two. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: Now Jesus gives three admonitions. His first is take heed that you're not deceived, fill your mind with the very living word of God, because Satan's cunning sophisticated temptations will even sweep away some in the church who are not filled with the Word of God and not changed by it. But he gives us the second admonition in Luke chapter 21. Let's go to Luke 21. He gives three admonitions for a people standing on the verge of eternity. He gives three admonitions for those who want a deep, lasting spiritual experience before Jesus comes, who will stand in the crises they face today and in the challenges they face tomorrow. Luke chapter 21, we're looking at verse 34 to 36. Here you have that take heed again, but there's something added to it. Luke 21:34 to 36. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the cares of this life, that that day come you on unexpectedly. So the people that are weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, the cares of this life, we're going to come back and define those. The day will come on unexpectedly, for it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. So in the biblical definition, what is this carousing all about? It's a state of mind where pleasure becomes the greatest desire of my life. So in the biblical sense, carousing is a state of mind where pleasure becomes my priority in life. What is this drunkenness? Drunkenness may apply to alcohol, but it's much more than that. It's intoxication with the things of this world rather than the things of eternity. It's a fascination with this world. What about the cares of this life? The cares of this life can be anything that burdens you down, anything that stresses you out, anything that gives you so much anxiety that that becomes the absorption of your attention rather than preparing for the coming of Jesus. Now, I liked this passage and took a look at it. It says for verse 35. So it says, don't be don't become, uh, don't have your state of mind of one of your greatest priority in life as pleasure. Don't become intoxicated with this world's, uh, Hollywood productions. Don't become intoxicated with the fashion, the dress of this world, the diet of this world. Uh, don't become weighed down with the cares of this life, uh, that so bring you anxiety, so that you are so absorbed in those things, that the day of Christ comes upon you unexpectedly. It will come as a snare on those who dwell on the face of all the earth. Now, look, what's another word for a snare? A trap. The picture here is that the devil is setting a trap for God's people to fall into unawares. Now, sometimes when a trapper is setting a trap, let's suppose you want to catch a mouse. Let's suppose that. Would you would you put just one little trap someplace? You would set what? Multiple traps. So if that guy's over here getting trying to get the cheese, and he sees the trap, he comes over here and what happens? A trap snaps on him, right? You set multiple traps because now do you often when a trapper is out in the wild setting traps. Suppose a trapper is out in the wild setting traps for an animal. Does he put the traps in plain sight? No, he tries to hide the traps, right? So what's the devil doing? He's setting multiple snares or traps to capture the people of God by getting them so absorbed in the things of this life that they miss the things of eternity. He's setting his traps so that they become intoxicated with the pleasures of this life. Look, to be effective, a trap must not be in plain sight. The devil is setting his snares, his traps for the people of God. Now some people are going to be trapped by debt. They're striving to get ahead. They're pushing themselves. They're exhausted with overwork and they're too tired to spend time with Jesus in his word, that's a trap. Other people are going to be trapped by the world's entertainment. They're going to be so enamored with Hollywood's pleasures and they can't wait to see what the next TV program. They're that's a trap, the devil's trapping them. Satan is subtly set his traps and people are caught. Some people are trapped by the world's music. Some people are trapped by the world's diet. Some people are trapped by the world's standards. But thank God we can live in this world without stumbling into the devil's traps. What do you say? We can walk around all these traps and not get caught. John 17:17. We are in the world, but we are not what, everybody? Of the world. Do we need to be snared by the devil? No. What's going to keep us from that? By watching, by being alert, by noticing if we ourselves are beginning to drift from our time with prayer, drift from our time with Bible, drift from our time with sacred literature. If we sense we are beginning to drift and that the world's attractions are capturing our attention. John 17:17. We're going to look at two passages here. Uh, verse 15 to 17. John 17:15 to 17, Jesus says, I do not pray that you take them out of the world, but you would keep them from the evil one. So Jesus doesn't say, I'm praying that you're going to move way out in the mountain someplace right now, there may be a time for that. There will be a time for that. But Jesus says, look, I'm not praying that you're going to try to protect yourself. You're going to be out in the monastery someplace, not at all. He says, I don't pray that you you're going to take them out of the world. Why not? Because we're to be the salt of the earth, an ambassador for Christ. But that you should keep them from the evil one. How how is that going to happen, Jesus? Verse 16. They are not of the world. What does it mean we're not of the world? We're not intoxicated by its pleasures. We're not enamored by its fashions. We are not captured by its diet. We are not of the world just as I'm not of the world. But how can we be sanctified, Lord? Sanctify them, that is make them holy, that is transform their lives by what? By your truth. Your word is truth. Here in First John 2, turn back to that we're in big John, the gospel of John, now you're going to turn back to little John. Not little because it's not important, but little because it's not as large as big John. You're going to over here taking your Bible turning to First John right before the Book of Revelation, before the Book of Jude. First John chapter 2:15-17. First John 2:15-17. Jesus gives us this this admonition. He's talking about the signs of the times in Matthew 24. He says, watch. He says, be alert. He says, don't let your mind be captured with the carousing this with the pleasures of this world. In First John chapter 2, we're looking there at verse 15 to 17. He says, do not love the world. Now we're in the world, but we don't love it. It's not the place we love. Do not love the world. First John 2:15. Or the things in the world, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that's in this world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. The world is passing away but and the lust of it, but he who does the will of the Father is going to abide forever. This world is going to pass away. Now God's people have always faced the danger of losing their perspective. They've always faced the danger of compromising their loyalty to Christ through a growing tendency to allow the world to shape their thinking. The closer we get to the end of time, the more the devil will redouble his efforts in this area. If you ask me, Pastor Mark, are you concerned about certain trends that are taking place in varying places within the Adventist church today? My response would be this: I'm concerned about the almost overwhelming tide of worldliness that's coming into some of our churches. Standards that we once cherished as Seventh-day Adventists in the area of diet, in the area of dress, in the area of recreation and amusement and Sabbath keeping, are fast in some circles becoming a thing of the past. Prophecies that were once proclaimed and trumpeted from Adventist pulpits are sometimes being marginalized. But yet, when members are adorned like the world, love the world's entertainment, are intoxicated with the world's pleasures, listen to the world's music, are captivated by Hollywood productions, genuine spirituality erodes. And I will be very plain with you this morning. You cannot feast your mind on TV and Hollywood and have a spiritual character. It's just not possible. Because by beholding, we become what? Changed. So if we are spending more time with Hollywood's productions than we are with the word of the living God, how can we expect ever to be ready for the coming of Jesus? And when the Adventist health message, which so many honest-hearted people in the world, are embracing and they're attracted to it, and you read the articles, when it's called legalism and fanaticism, rather than a glorious gift from our loving Creator, something is tragically wrong. We are ambassadors for Christ. We're the light of the world. We're the salt of the earth. Jesus says, let your light so shine that they may see your good works and glorify your heavenly Father. Millions all over the world are looking for something that we have.
Announcer: We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: Deep within their hearts, they're tired of the aching longing to satisfy their desires through the things of the world. The things of this world do not satisfy. They just leave you empty and hollow and shallow and looking forward to the next pleasure. There are millions that are looking for genuine, authentic Christianity. And we will never reach them by compromising our standards. We'll never reach them by trying to come down to their level. This is a time to lift up the standard of Jesus Christ. This is a time to be so filled with Jesus, so filled with his spirit, so changed by his love, so charmed by his grace. This is the time to have our mind so saturated with the word of God. This is no time to flirt with the devil's allurements and conform to the world's standards. Jesus has a way of life that is much, much better than the world can offer. What do you say, church? This is the time to hold the standard high for the world to see. Christ living in our lives, dwelling in our hearts, makes a dramatic difference in how we live. The call of the hour is the call to watch and pray. It's the call to sense that we're living just before the coming of Christ. So Jesus says, take heed, saturate your mind with the word of God. Jesus says, watch, don't allow the world to squeeze you into its mold. Jesus says, beware the devil's traps. He'll attempt to catch you before you realize what's happening. But there's one last thing Jesus says, it's very fascinating. It's found in Matthew chapter 24. Matthew 24, we take our Bibles and we go back to Matthew 24. Jesus says three things in Matthew 24. He says, take heed. He says, watch. And then he says, do. Matthew chapter 24. And we're looking there at verse 46. We'll pick it up in verse 45. Matthew chapter 24, verse 45. Take heed, watch. Now the last is do. Verse 45, Matthew 24. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master who his master made ruler over his household, to give him food in due season? So here Jesus giving a parable. Here's the wise servant. Here here's the one that is watching and praying and is ready. Here's the one who's mind is saturated with the word of God. But notice this. He gives a special blessing. Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes shall find so doing. Now notice, the master when he comes will find doing. Now there are some in verse 48 that says, my master is delaying his coming. He begins to beat his fellow servants, in other words, live like the world. Verse 50. The master of that servant will come on a day when he's not looking for and in an hour that he's not aware of. So what is Jesus's point here? Jesus's point is this: A faithful and true servant will be doing the work of the master, and the master will find him doing that when he comes. Biblical faithfulness always leads us to action. The New Testament church was passionate about witness. They were faithful to Christ's mission. They shared Christ and that was the natural result of their out-growth. The New Testament church was a church of doing. God has called his end-time people to take heed to fill their minds with his word. God has called his end-time people to lift up his standard high and to be done with the things of this world and not to let the world squeeze you into its mold. But God has not called his end-time people to sit on their hands and do nothing. God has not called his end-time people simply to come to church every Sabbath and then go through the week and come to church next Sabbath. Faithful is that man, faithful is that woman who shall be found doing. God has a mission for you. God has a message for you to share. We are the light of the world. You are an ambassador for Christ. Maybe you're working in a retirement center, but you're an ambassador for Christ to share his love and grace. Maybe you're a computer expert, but you are an ambassador for Christ to share his love and grace. Maybe you are a physician, you're an ambassador for Christ. Maybe you're a mechanic or a carpenter or a farmer. The call of the hour is the call to pour our lives out in service for Christ. Blessed is that servant who shall be found doing. Our goal is not to be looking at some time chart and say, is Christ coming in 2023, 2027, 2035? Our goal is to be on our knees seeking God in prayer. Our goal is to be saturating our mind with the word of God. Our goal is to be a witnessing community. And that's what God's goal is to be a witnessing community. to be sent out from this church to share his love, to share his grace. I am fascinated with stories of great missionaries. As I travel the world and go to different places. If I'm in a place where a missionary has given his life and died, I always want to go to their grave and I want to be alone. In China, Hong Kong, one of the places I wanted to go was Abraham Guru's grave. Abraham Guru was a missionary to China. He worked seven years, did not see one convert. But today we have over almost 500,000 Christian Adventist believers. I wanted to be with Abraham Gurur's at his grave. He went out there as an old man, he was in his 60s actually. And um he started by selling a few steps to Christ, a little book. He had a court clerk in China translated. I wanted to be by his grave alone. When I flew by helicopter from Victoria Falls in by the Zambezi River over the jungle, that's amazing flight. They flew by helicopter through these jungles and there there are large savannas in Africa. You see the giraffes from above and their heads are above the trees eating leaves off the trees. It's amazing. I saw a pride of lions, five lions, flew over there by helicopter at night, uh, just as the sun was going to set when we came back and saw this herd of elephants, probably 30, 40 elephants going into their watering holes. Just an amazing experience. Came to Solusi College after I preached to the students, they said, where do you want to go? I said, I want to go to the graveyard. Pastor Mark, you want to go to the graveyard? Yeah. Why? I want to look at the grave of WH Anderson. I want to look at the graves of some of these great missionaries who came out here, gave their lives, died with malaria. So I love reading mission stories. Saturate your children's minds with mission stories. The the kids will be excited by them, these great missionaries who went out for Jesus. I'm interested in David Livingston's story. It's it's a really a remarkable story. David Livingston, missionary to to Africa in the 19th century. Livingston was brought up in a very, very poor home. He was brought up on the top of a mill. They had a little apartment, couple room apartment on the top of a mill there in Scotland. Parents were extremely poor and he had to work in the mill as a child, but he loved reading. Began to teach himself Latin, taught himself languages and ultimately went to medical school and he decided he felt the call of God to go into mission service and he he he heard Robert Moffitt preach, the great missionary to Africa. Moffitt was working on the coast of Africa, so Livingston decided to go and he went. Eventually he married Moffitt's daughter, but he decided to travel into the inner parts of Africa and he went. On one occasion, on one occasion, the British press and nobody in Britain heard from him for four years. He was out in the jungles for four years and they thought he was dead. There were so many rumors of Livingston is dead, Livingston is dead. But he's out there in the jungle for four years and that is when Charles Stanley, a reporter for the New York Times, went looking for him and you remember that famous line, Dr. Livingston, I presume? He finds him after four years in the jungle. And uh he says, I've come to bring you back to civilization. And Livingston looks at him and says, Mr. Stanley, if I if I wanted to go back to England, I would have been back long ago. I'm with the Africans. That's where I belong. And I will stay here until God moves me. When he finally went back to England to tour and share about his experiences. A number of people said, what a sacrifice you've made. Your wife Mary Moffitt died young. Your kids, some of them have died. You've been in the jungles for for decades alone. What a sacrifice. And I want to read to you what Livingston said. He said, people talk of the sacrifice that I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply acknowledging a great debt we owe to God, which we can never repay? Is that a sacrifice which brings its own reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny? It is emphatically no sacrifice, rather it's a privilege, anxiety, sickness, suffering, danger, foregoing the common conveniences of this life. These may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and the soul to sink. But let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing compared with the glory which shall later be revealed in and through us. I have never made a sacrifice. Of this we ought not to talk when we remember the great sacrifice which he made, who left his father's throne on high to give himself for us. Livingston had it right. When you give your life to bless others, when you see your job as a nurse, when you see your job in computers, when you see your work as a teacher in a school as an educator, when you see your work as a carpenter as an electrical, that's simply the way you make a living. But your the purpose of your life, the meaning of your life is to give your life to bless somebody, to touch somebody, to share God's grace with them. Jesus says to you and me this morning. My coming is soon. Take heed. Saturate your mind with the word of God. My coming is soon. Don't fall into one of the devil's traps. Don't let this world squeeze you into its mold. My coming is soon. Give your life what really matters. Look for those opportunities every day to share Jesus with somebody else. For you're the light of the world. You're the salt of the earth. You're an ambassador for Christ. Let's pray. Father, thank you with all of our hearts for the message of Christ to take heed, to watch, to do. Father, help us to be faithful to you now and through all eternity in Christ's name. Amen.
Announcer: You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark. Here is our burden. Here is the great burden to be carried away by every individual. Are my sins forgiven? Has Christ the burden bearer taken away my guilt? Have I a clean heart, the righteousness of Christ by faith? Woe to any soul who is not seeking a refuge in Christ and conforming the character to be like the character of Christ. So the call of the hour is to know the general events that we are living on the knife edge of eternity. It is not to put some date on a time chart, but it's to know Christ, to have our characters formed by Christ, to live for Christ.