One of the purposes of this Epistle was to stress the full though sinless humanity of Jesus and to assure believers of the certainty of their gift of salvation. A further purpose was to refute those in the church who were seeking to accommodate Gnostic philosophies and practices into their Christian faith and life. You can almost hear John's pastor…

First John is one of five New Testament books written by the apostle John. The others are the Gospel of John, 2 John, 3 John, and the book of Revelation. This is the first of his three letters in the New Testament. Its recipients were clearly believers, but no specific audience is mentioned. Since John traditionally ministered among churches in Asi…

Jesus speaks in verse 7, "Behold, I come quickly..." Then you see it in verse 12, “Behold, I come quickly.” And you get over in verse 20, and you read, “Surely I come quickly.” There’s a kind of urgency here it’s pressing the Christian to respond and take care of some very important things. It's also pressed with the urgency of warning to the unbel…

Revelation then ends its description of the future and returns to more immediate commands from Jesus. The angel commends what John has seen as accurate and worthy of trust. This is followed by a statement reiterating the idea that "I am" is coming soon. This might have confused John, seeing as the words are those of Jesus, but it had been the angel…

Chapter 22 takes us beyond those things that must take place (vv. 1–5). God’s redeemed people will find eternal rest and refreshment in and with Him. But the language used by John in this splendid word picture is comprehensive and provides a healing and glorious glimpse of what has been accomplished by the redeeming work of Christ. John speaks of t…

Revelation then ends its description of the future and returns to more immediate commands from Jesus. The angel commends what John has seen as accurate and worthy of trust. This is followed by a statement reiterating the idea that "I am" is coming soon. This might have confused John, seeing as the words are those of Jesus, but it had been the angel…

“He is risen!” These are 3 words that have changed the very outlook and trajectory of all humankind. These 3 words are the key to the Christian faith. Today in our study of God’s Word we come to Matthew’s text on the resurrection of Jesus. In this wonderful chapter, Matthew gives His account of the greatest event in the history of the world, the re…

After the darkness and agony of the previous chapter, Matthew 28 is filled with life and worship and dismay. It also sets the stage for the birth of the church and the mission to follow. Jesus had died on the cross and was buried before sundown in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The chief priests and elders received permission from Pilate to post …

Jesus and the disciples have nearly completed their long journey from the region of Galilee in the north to Jerusalem. They have now travelled the last leg from Jericho to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, not far from Jerusalem's gates. Before entering Jerusalem, though, Jesus directs two of His disciples to go into a village where the…

In Matthew 21, we come to a monumental moment in the history of our Lord. This is the event we call the triumphal entry, or Palm Sunday. Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem to all of the praise and hosannas of the people who are acclaiming Him as the King and the Messiah. In this triumphant day of acclamation, what looked like the most hopeful momen…

John attempts to describe the New Jerusalem in terms others can understand. In doing so, he mentions precious materials such as gold and jasper, but associates them with properties those materials don't normally have. Gold, for instance, is not normally "clear," and neither is jasper. This is John's struggle in explaining what he sees; a modern per…

At the end of Revelation chapter 21, John described the beauty of New Jerusalem. This depiction briefly concludes in chapter 22. John sees a river of the water of life. This contrasts with the pollution and decay seen during the tribulation. It also echoes the original state of the garden of Eden. Water and life are often intertwined in Scripture, …

Following the great white throne judgment of chapter 20, John sees a new heaven and a new earth. Scholars debate whether this means that all of creation will be destroyed and re-made, or that God will re-condition creation. The terminology used seems to suggest a new creation. John sees the new city of Jerusalem descending onto the earth, and voice…

From the time described midway through Genesis chapter 3 until the events of Revelation 20, earth experienced—is experiencing—the presence of sin and death. At the end of chapter 20, John sees God delivering the final and ultimate judgment on Satan, casting all evil into the lake of fire. At that point, creation will finally be free from everything…

After the final defeat and punishment of Satan, the rest of mankind is resurrected. These are the non-believers, brought back to life in the second resurrection. This brings them to a great white throne, symbolic of purity and justice. Unlike the rainbow throne described in earlier chapters, this one is austere. Those who died in Christ are judged …

Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events-in detail-many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur. The acid test for identifying a true prophet of God is recorded by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:21-22. According to this Bible passage (and others), God’s prophets, as distinct from Satan’s spokesmen, are 100 …

As we get into chapter 20 of the book of Revelation, we are now in the Millennial kingdom, the goal toward which all of redemptive history progresses. When Christ returns, He will establish a literal kingdom on earth, which will last for a thousand years. In this chapter we will see the binding of Satan for a thousand-year duration. Christ's thousa…

John sees an angel binding Satan with a great chain and confining him to the bottomless pit for a thousand years. During this time, it seems Satan is not allowed to exert his normal influence on the world. Part of this binding, and eventual releasing, seems to be to prove that mankind is desperately wicked—even after a millennium of peace, some peo…

In part 2 of Revelation 19, John's amazing vision in this section also includes the long-awaited second coming of Jesus Christ. This is a moment of incredible triumph. Jesus' first arrival on earth was humble (Luke 2:7) and involved His sacrificial death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). His return is neither humble nor meek. Christ is described as a r…

Is the world really celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord? Don’t be fooled, the world doesn’t pay any homage to Jesus Christ, but we must, because the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the cornerstone of all Christian truth. It is the thing upon which our eternal destiny hinges. Spurgeon said, “Upon a life I did not live, u…

As we begin chapter 19 of Revelation, the scene shifts from earth to heaven. John describes rejoicing and praise. History, literally, "His story," is finally reaching its culmination and Christ will establish His kingdom on earth. From the beginning God is. He is eternal. He is Creator. He is the beginning and the end. He is sovereign over the even…

Here, John witnesses prayers from heaven which precede a great celebration, followed by the triumphant return of Jesus Christ to earth. John now hears a great number of voices praising God. This includes the voices of the twenty-four elders mentioned in earlier passages (Revelation 4:4). Their song proclaims God's justice and once again celebrates …

Last week we looked at the judgment of God on the physical city of Babylon which will be the political and economic capital of the Antichrist’s world empire. We went through the first 18 verses where we looked at several aspects of judgment. As we finish up this chapter, we will look at a few more aspects of judgment... judgment that is mourned by …

Babylon is fallen, is fallen! In one hour she’s been laid waste. This was the city, the great city. No city like the great city, and it went down in one hour – whether literally in 60 minutes, or not, in one great hour of immediate judgment, Babylon falls completely and forever! Judgment lamented.

In the previous chapter God's judgment was upon the evil "religious" system of Babylon and the false prophet. This week we learn of the absolute destruction of the beast's vast economic and political system.An angel proclaims the destruction of Babylon, specifically making mention of her pervasive wickedness. The city-nation of Babylon, in the end …

In the previous chapter God's judgment was upon the evil "religious" system of Babylon and the false prophet. This week we learn of the absolute destruction of the beast's vast economic and political system.An angel proclaims the destruction of Babylon, specifically making mention of her pervasive wickedness. The city-nation of Babylon, in the end …

John is shown a vision which symbolizes two additional judgments which are spread out over the tribulation. Chapter 17 focuses on the ruin of "religious Babylon," an ungodly spiritual system which is at first supported, then ruined by the efforts of the beast. Chapter 18 will describe the fall of Babylon in a political or economic sense.In Revelati…

At this point in Revelation, the bowl judgments have been described, and all that remains of the tribulation is the second coming of Christ. Before this is explained, John is shown a vision which symbolizes two additional judgments which are spread out over the tribulation. Chapter 17 focuses on the ruin of "religious Babylon," an ungodly spiritual…

Today we are finishing up the sixteenth chapter of Revelation describing the last three bowl judgments. They are God's judgments that will be poured out upon the earth because of the willful rejection of God, and His means of salvation through Jesus Christ. These are called "the last" judgments and will take place just before the second coming of J…

Revelation 16 resumes the account of God's judgments on the wicked. It describes the bowl judgments, the third seven-part series of God's wrath described in the book of Revelation. Prior to this were seven seal judgments, the last of which were the trumpets. The trumpet judgments totaled seven, the last of which were these bowls of the wrath of God…

The events in this chapter are God's judgments upon a rejecting world. They are horrifying, and heartbreaking as you realize that God has been calling and pleading with mankind to repent and return to Him since the beginning, and that man in His sin will willfully and stubbornly reject Him, thus bearing the consequences of their sin. This chapter c…

The Vial Judgments, otherwise known as the "Bowl" judgments are described in chapter 16. These judgments are called "the last" judgments. They will come in rapid succession, each one stronger and more intense as they are emptied out. The Seven Golden Vials symbolize God's judgment. They are shallow saucers, familiar items associated with various fu…

The writer, Luke, has recorded his divinely inspired account of the birth of the Savior, the Son of the Most High God, the Lord Christ. And with that birth, redemptive action, redemptive purpose, redemptive accomplishment is initiated because the Savior of the world, the Messiah, the Lord, the King has arrived. From verse 21 down to verse 39, bring…

In the gospel of Luke, the writer, Luke, has recorded his divinely inspired account of the birth of the Savior, the Son of the Most High God, the Lord Christ. And with that birth, redemptive action, redemptive purpose, redemptive accomplishment is initiated because the Savior of the world, the Messiah, the Lord, the King has arrived. From verse 21 …

Tomorrow, we celebrate Christmas. Christmas is the Christian remembrance and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ as foretold in dozens of prophecies concerning Him in scripture. While modern society has removed themselves from the Christ of Christmas, believers today, still celebrate the coming of the promised Savior. He is the reason of our h…

Christmas Eve Service - We invite you to join us as we celebrate the reason of our hope, of our joy, and our salvation. We celebrate Jesus, the Reason for the Season. While the world removes the Christ of Christmas - we celebrate the fact that God so loved the world, that He gave us His only begotten Son. His life is the life He imparts to us and i…

The momentous intervention of God into human affairs (especially after such a long period of prophetic silence) should cause awe, amazement, and rejoicing. The events surrounding the coming of the Messiah (who will bring Redemption and Salvation and Everlasting Life) are anything but ordinary and typical. But what we easily forget is that God’s int…

The momentous intervention of God into human affairs (especially after such a long period of prophetic silence) should cause awe, amazement, and rejoicing. The events surrounding the coming of the Messiah (who will bring Redemption and Salvation and Everlasting Life) are anything but ordinary and typical. But what we easily forget is that God’s int…

Revelation 15 and 16 present the specific facts of the final outpouring of God's wrath before Christ's return. That wrath is expressed by the effects of the seventh trumpet that we read about in chapter eleven, from verse 15. These are the seven bowl judgments described in Revelation 16. We must remember that God's nature encompasses not only right…

Revelation 15 is a short chapter, bridging two sections in John's series of visions. After the trumpet judgments, the focus of Revelation changed from a more-or-less chronological account to a description of certain people and events. Among these are infamous concepts such as the woman clothed with the sun, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and th…

Today we will be finishing up the rest of chapter 14, verses 7-20 in the book of Revelation. John’s attention now points to three angels who deliver urgent messages from the Lord. The three angels deliver messages of warning and prophecy, predicting God's impending judgment on sin and evil. There is a specific warning to those who take the mark of …

In John's vision, he sees three angels who deliver messages of warning and prophecy, Predicting God's impending judgment on sin and evil. To those who accept the mark of the beast, the judgment is clear, they will face eternal damnation because they have rejected the Savior and His provision for eternal life. Those who take the mark will know they …

Today we will be looking at Revelation chapter 14. It's important to recognize that the events described between chapters 11-16 are not in chronological order. John's is introducing certain key figures and future events towards the end of the Great Tribulation. As we begin today's study, we notice that John is again writing about a group of believe…

Old Testament prophets and the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of a coming harvest of divine wrath when the Messiah will execute final judgment. The wrath of God is described as harvests. The grape harvest and the grain harvest. The grain harvest symbolizes the seven bowl judgments, and the grape harvest symbolizes the judgment of Armageddon.…

This week, just as the false christs who have plagued mankind will culminate in the final Antichrist, so also will the false prophets culminate in a final false prophet. He will be Satan's last and most powerful lying deceiver. Along with Satan, the counterfeit of the Father, and Antichrist, the counterfeit of Jesus Christ, the False Prophet will f…

The second beast in Revelation chapter 13 represents the False Prophet. The first beast represented the Antichrist whose focus will be politics, while the second beast, the False Prophet, will emphasis religion. In the absence of the Church and the Holy Spirit, the unholy trinity will commit blasphemy against the Lord continuously and will establis…

The title of the message may throw you off a bit, as today's message is about the coming Antichrist (the beast out of the sea). The reason for the title comes from 2 Peter 1:19-21, and it is to remind ourselves that God's Word came to us by His prophets of old, His witnesses, those who experienced a supernatural relationship with Him, and who were …

Often when we read the Bible, new information comes along, and we can be left with more questions than answers. This is why the nature of the Book of Revelation is so important. The Book of Revelation is the unveiling of God and His ultimate plan for all of Creation. We not only see God’s handiwork a little at a time, but His purpose(s) for everyth…

Since Satan's fall (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 2:11-18), Satan is actively battling with the angelic host, and with believers (Daniel 10:12-13; 1 Peter 5:8). Believers must be Aware and Alert to all of his schemes, giving him no opportunity to weaken our faith and testimony to the world (Ephesians 4:27). We are to resist him (James 4:7). The future b…

Satan is the great enemy of the church. He fights against God and His people on different fronts and his tactics of warfare many. He accuses, lies, he intimidates and as we’ll see also goes to whatever length he can to be the victor. However, Christ has overcome – and in the end, brings the victory.For us, as believers, Jesus stands between us and …