Words of Jesus Podcast - Watch

Starting point is 00:00:00 Think Red Ink Ministries presents The Words of Jesus series with Don C. Harris Hello my friends and welcome once again to the Words of Jesus series. I'm Don Harris. We've been reading from chapter, wow, we're still in chapter 67, but we're talking about some end time things actually. Jesus is talking about a good and faithful and wise steward and this is really the appellate that we want applied to us.

Starting point is 00:00:47 We want to be known as a good and faithful and wise steward. We want our Lord to say to us, well done now, good and faithful steward. And so he's saying, this is how you know a good steward. A good steward is not sitting there with a little tablet notebook, a spiral bound notebook full of good deeds that he's done. As a matter of fact, Jesus is actually saying

Starting point is 00:01:13 that a good steward is a man who watches. How can that be true? It doesn't matter what you do. Look, friend, if you believe that Jesus is who he says he is, you believe his father is what he actually is, you believe in this supernatural, sovereign, all-powerful being of God and the fact that he sent his son to this earth and we murdered him and he's forgiven us for that

Starting point is 00:01:41 and used the blood that we drew from him to cover our sin, and then eventually forgive us and reward us? Man, I don't know why you're not wondering, reward us for what? What did we do? Well, you know, one thing that you can do, you can watch. You can watch for him. People are going to naturally wonder, now wait a minute, watch for what? You know, there's a common understanding nowadays with all the idea of the rapture theories that we are, you know, you're talking to somebody on the phone, you know, and then you go to hang up and they say, well, keep looking up or whatever else. Or somebody just makes the comment to you, you know, that, you know, one day Jesus is going to appear, you know, are you ready for Jesus to

Starting point is 00:02:39 come back? Are you rapture ready? Whatever that means. And you know Jesus people they ask me are you waiting for Christ to come back? No, not really. Really not. I'm waiting to see the Antichrist. That's who he told me to look for. And when we see the Antichrist then I'll switch over and look for Jesus to come. Because it is the Antichrist with whom he will have battle when he comes here. And essentially

Starting point is 00:03:16 not us. One of my pet peeves, if you want to call it that, is when sometimes you're discouraged somebody will say well you just need to read the back of the book we win no you need to read the back of the book again my friend we don't win he does now the idea is to be in favor with him when he comes back and so you know the idea of us winning anything we don't't win anything. I mean, if we've won anything, we've won favor with God that we don't deserve, if you want to call that winning. But it's all about Him forgiving us and His mercy enduring forever,

Starting point is 00:03:55 certainly not because of what we did. But what can we do to be thrown into that category of a good and wise steward? Well, he says it right here watch don't ever live like you have 10 15 20 30 40 50 years more to live that's not wise it is not wise he just got finished talking about that rich man what are you going to do with all your big crop you brought in? I'm just going to build bigger barns. You're a fool.

Starting point is 00:04:31 Don't you know tonight your soul is going to be required of you? Well, the answer to that question is no, I don't. Why? There's not a watchful thing about this man. His whole life is right here around him. What he can see, feel, taste, and touch, that's his life. But you see, a person of faith not only believes in God, but believes that God is who he says he is, the judge of all the earth. He's the judge of all the earth. He's the righteous example. He's the prototype. He's the example.

Starting point is 00:05:09 He's holy. He's righteous. He's a sanctified and holy God. If you know who he is, and you are expecting him to be here, buddy, it'll change your life. You won't have to struggle to figure out what to do today. If you're waiting for him to come back, you need to be busy doing what you're doing. Now, I'm not saying that it's some sin if he comes back and finds you playing

Starting point is 00:05:37 tennis or watching a football game, although I don't know who's got time for those kind of things, but I'm not saying that you know that we have to be involved in some holy endeavor but we need to live as though we're watching and if you are watching you will live like that now i don't have to ask somebody if they're mindful of the return of Christ? It's obvious. Unfortunately, it's obvious that a lot of people aren't. All right, so he says, who's the faithful and wise steward that he's going to make ruler over his household? It is the one whom, when his Lord comes,

Starting point is 00:06:27 shall find him so doing. Now look, we read this and kind of read through it, and when it says so doing, it's referring to something that was said. And what was said about him he says that that he that he's going to come to give them their portion of of meat in due season uh blessed is the man who when he comes will find him so doing doing what that faithful and wise steward shall make he's going to make the faithful and wise steward shall make, he's going to make the faithful and wise steward ruler over all of his house because of what he believed? No. Go through the words of

Starting point is 00:07:20 Christ. Go through the stories of Jesus. Find every example he's ever given us of judgment and show me anywhere in the book where he judges someone by asking them what they believe. Never happened. No. No, it never happened. It never happens. Why? He doesn't really care what you believe or what you say about what you believe he looks at what you do the steward that is found so doing so doing doing what looking for his lord and living as if

Starting point is 00:07:57 his lord is real and alive and coming he says he goes on to say teaching that you know to to be a faithful follower of christ is not an easy thing to accomplish i just want you to know this is not going to be easy you know i can't think of anything easier than the rapture you know i'm thinking does jesus even know about the rapture. You know, I'm thinking, does Jesus even know about the rapture? I mean, I keep reading in here that it's going to be tough. And I'm thinking, doesn't he know that just as soon as things get tough, as soon as Antichrist pokes his head up out of the crowd, that we're all going to be sucked off the earth and go to heaven and be with him? Doesn't know that no no he doesn't he says i am come to send fire on the earth and what will i if it already be kindled i know king james english

Starting point is 00:08:56 kind of difficult to deal with what is he saying he's saying i've come to to send fire on the earth but you folks have already started it you you folks have all it's already smoldering here this is a this is this is really something the fires that you're setting today are going to end up consuming you i'm not going to even have to set a fire i came to send fire but what will I do if it already be kindled? He says, I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am straightened till it is accomplished. Now this is when Jesus was foretelling his own death as a sacrifice for us. And he's saying that there is absolutely nothing in my life more important than moving from where I am to that ultimate end of my life, which is your redemption.

Starting point is 00:09:56 How I am straightened until it be accomplished. He says, suppose ye that I am come to send peace on the earth? Now, wait a minute. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men. What happened? Yeah, yeah, I expect you to send peace on the earth. That's the way you were prophesied. What do you mean you didn't come to send peace on the earth?

Starting point is 00:10:26 Well, you see, there's such a thing as ultimate peace. There is peace in the end. But, you know, a lot of times we have peace, like we have peace with our World War II enemies because we had a war. It was the war that brought the peace. so he's saying look do you really think that i'm going to come down here and just sprinkle sugar on everybody everybody's going to be better they're going to taste better man i came to bring a story he goes on to say i tell you nay i didn't come to bring peace on the earth, but rather division.

Starting point is 00:11:06 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three divided against two, and two against three. The father will be divided against the son, and the son against the father, and the mother against the daughter-in-law, and the daughter, the daughter-in-law and the daughter i'm saying this was this one was daughter and a mother against the daughter and a daughter against the mother and the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law

Starting point is 00:11:35 this is doesn't sound so wonderful to me but you know what when people live by faith they live as though they will give an account to a god one day for their execution of their responsibilities in this earth your responsibility as a mother as a father as a breadwinner of a family of a keeper of a home of all the things that you've been commissioned to do, when you have to give an account for that, there's going to be division because this is not going to make people happy. Speaking about the judgment of God does not make people happy. It just doesn't do it. Oh, the rapture stories do, but that's not what Jesus is teaching

Starting point is 00:12:28 here. He's saying things are going to get really, really bad, and you'd better be able to endure them for one thing, because only he that endures to the end is going to be saved. Number two, watch. Oh, here we are again, see? Watch for what? You know, I'm going to need some signs here. There's some things I'm going to have to look for. Jesus said, I'm not giving you a sign. Wow, that seems unfair.

Starting point is 00:12:59 And he says, look, there's going to be a lot of things happen. And as they happen, you're going to recognize them as signs. There's a difference. It's a subtle difference. But when a person decides that, okay, I don't know, who do you want to put, whose name do you want to put in the Antichrist block? John Smith, all right. Sorry, John, whoever you are out there. when it comes time for the Antichrist to appear we are to be watching for

Starting point is 00:13:48 that particular event. And we're going to have to know that he is indeed the Antichrist. Now let me say this right up front. That I have all my Bible studying life, I have gone back and forth between the Antichrist being a personage, a person, and a personage of spirit that is within a group of people or within the world. As John says, there's many Antichrists. There's Antichrists

Starting point is 00:14:20 all over the place. So when I say the Antichrist, it very well could be the spirit of antichrist and uh it's it's a little bit different i know but um i think that perhaps if we if if we're focusing on recognizing a man look i don't know i don't know who you think you are but they knew they knew everything there was to know about John the Baptist. I mean, they knew everything but his address. That when he came that he was going to fulfill certain prophecies and do certain things and be born on a certain day. They knew all that stuff and they still

Starting point is 00:15:00 missed him. I don't know who you think you are. That you're not going to miss the Antichrist. They knew all about Jesus. They knew what city he was going to be born in and when. Stars in the heaven and angels and all this stuff all happened. They missed him too. I don't know who you think you are that you're going to write a book on why Bob Smith,

Starting point is 00:15:22 or did I say John? Why John Smith is the Antichrist, and here's all the reasons why. And you're going to identify him to the entire world. Sorry, friend. I'm not buying your book. I will laugh at it as I walk by it and see it on the shelf at the Christian bookstore, but that's as close as I'm getting to it. I don't think we're capable of these kind of things. So what does Jesus say when he says, watch? What does he want us to watch for?

Starting point is 00:15:52 He's going to make it worse here. Hang on. He says, when you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway you say, there cometh a shower. And so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, there will be heat. And it cometh to pass. You hypocrites. You can discern the face of the sky and the earth, but how is it you don't discern this time? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

Starting point is 00:16:36 See, he gave us the problem, he gave us the dilemma, and then he gave us the key. If you had the ability to judge what was right, you would see these signs. Nothing is going to take you by surprise. Do you know, one of the aspects of the rapture theory is they add the word to it, secret rapture. Do you know, Jesus absolutely refutes that idea.

Starting point is 00:17:09 There's not going to be any secret rapture. They say well it's going to happen in the twinkling of an eye. No. The Bible doesn't say that at all. It says that your change from the man you are now at the resurrection is going to happen at the twinkling of an eye but it actually says that um that as lightning starts in the east and goes to the west that the whole world sees it he said that's the way the son of man's going to come there's not going to be any secret.

Starting point is 00:17:47 Let me tell you something else about this lightning thing. Do you know, when it talks about lightning, it's not talking about lightening. I'm sorry. Lightning, that is the electrical flash through the sky that everybody talks about. You know, it's so instantaneous, and it's so fast, and it's so bright. Well, let me ask you something. Have you ever seen the lightning start in the east

Starting point is 00:18:11 and go across the sky to the west? That's a heck of a lightning bolt. I've never seen that. Jesus says that happens. Just like that, that's the way the coming of the Son of Man is going to be. Do you realize that we just got this one little idea wrong? That it's not lightning, it's lightening. Now have you ever seen the sky get lighter in the east?

Starting point is 00:18:41 And move all the way across? And then to the west? Yes, you see that every day. And he says that when this all comes to pass and when I come back to rule this earth, it's going to be as clear to you, it's going to be as secret as the sun coming up in the morning and coming across the sky and landing in the west how does the whole world see a bolt of lightning how does that happen the whole world sees the lightening

Starting point is 00:19:12 of the sky and the completion of an entire day it doesn't hide from anybody i mean wow very seldom do you see even cloud cover mask that kind of light. You can tell the sun is up. I always think it's funny people, I ask, is the sun shining there? No, we're under clouds. But the sun is shining, right? Well, I guess it is. And the sun's brightness,

Starting point is 00:19:48 its appearance in the east and coming in the west, that's how apparent that these things are going to be. And he's saying, it's just like nature. You have the ability to tell when it's going to rain? Listen, if you can tell when it's going to rain, you're going to be able to tell when I come to. You see, this is not a secret. It's not a lightning flash. It doesn't happen in an instant, like we've all been told.

Starting point is 00:20:13 No, it doesn't. And what is it when I say it doesn't happen? This is the coming of Christ to make the kingdoms of the world belong now to the kingdoms of our god the destruction of antichrist at his coming you ever wondered how he destroys the antichrist at his coming and they have the antichrist showing up the tribulation starts or just before the tribulation start jesus comes back well those two events are together in

Starting point is 00:20:44 that scenario but when jesus comes back well those two events are together in that scenario but when jesus comes back doesn't he destroy the antichrist when he comes so you're saying that the next three and a half years no they teach seven so the next seven years according to your plan uh are are carried out in tribulation without the Antichrist? None of that story makes any sense whatsoever. And nobody seems to question it. Everybody looking for Jesus to come back. You need to look for the Antichrist. Now he's saying, he says,

Starting point is 00:21:20 you know, there's going to be people that take exception to what I'm saying and want to make out like, you know there's going to be people that take exception to what i'm saying and and want to i want to make out like you know that somehow i'm telling them to worship the antichrist or some silly thing like that i'll tell you what you know you can do there's no way i can stop you from doing that kind of thing but you're not listening you're not listening and unless you get that unless you get that doctrinal crap out of your ears i don't know that you're ever going to get this but uh okay let me move on he says and why judge ye not of yourselves what is right most of the reason that we are going to be taken by surprise, that we are going to be overtaken,

Starting point is 00:22:06 is because we don't have the ability to understand what's right. Why don't we have the ability to understand what's right? Because we don't have Bibles? Nope, got one. I don't think I own eight or twelve of them. So I'm safe, right? Not really. Not really.

Starting point is 00:22:24 Why is it I don't understand right? Because I don't go to church enough? Because I don't get enough preaching? I'm not indoctrinated? I haven't been to seminary? What is it? You know what? We don't spend any time with the Lord.

Starting point is 00:22:38 That's the problem. We don't know how to hear His voice. We don't know what we hear when we do hear His voice. And many of us are so far gone. They were so far gone. It's like all the people that heard the Lord speak to Jesus when he was in the 17th chapter of John. Some says an angel spoke to him.

Starting point is 00:22:59 Others said it thundered. But you see, it was God's voice. How come those people didn't know that how come they couldn't hear the words that he was saying they're carnal absolutely carnal they cannot hear and there's many people that just they can't hear these things you don't need to be one of them you want to know the test to whether you can hear or not do you know the difference between right and wrong why don't you follow what's right why judge you not of yourselves what is right why judge you not of yourselves what is right don't you have a conscience don't you listen

Starting point is 00:23:34 to the lord don't you know really you don't know well you're going to be overtaken when thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate as thou art on the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him lest he hail thee to the judge and the judge deliver thee to the officer and the officer cast thee into prison I tell you you will not depart thence till thou hast paid the very last might. Jesus is describing for us our time of reconciliation.

Starting point is 00:24:23 When he comes to this earth, one of the duties of he and his father God is to deliver to the judge. And the judge casts them into prison. We are, as Jesus said, on the way with him. Can't we agree with this one that is showing himself to be our adversary? Jesus does indeed show himself to be our adversary. It is our duty at this particular point in time to watch. And as we watch,

Starting point is 00:25:12 and we develop this communication between us and he, look, you better agree with him quickly while you're in the way with him. Because there's coming a time when if you are adjudicated as a person who cares not a whit about the things of God, you will be delivered to prison. And you will not come out of there till you have paid the uttermost farthing.

Starting point is 00:25:51 The news gets worse from here. Here's the bad news. You can't pay for sin. I don't know how you're going to pay the uttermost farthing. It can't be paid for. It has never been paid for. It's not paid for now. It won't be paid then either. The idea of payment for sin is a derivation, a bastardization, an adulteration

Starting point is 00:26:24 of a Catholic doctrine. That we have some sin debt. No such thing. No such thing. We have sinned. Nobody's going to pay for it. Nobody can pay for it. Nobody can put a price on it.

Starting point is 00:26:42 Wait a minute. I thought the Bible taught us that the blood of Jesus pays for our sin. No, your preacher told you that. The blood of Christ pays for something much more precious. The blood of Christ is not applied to some debt that you owe

Starting point is 00:26:59 for some sin, some god awful sin you've committed. The blood of Christ is applied to your ransom. He didn't buy your sins, my friend. He bought you. This is why we worship Him. This is why we love Him from afar. As He is in that far country, this is why we love him from afar as he is in that far country this is why we watch for him

Starting point is 00:27:28 because of who he is and who we are friend this is something you can think about this weekend that we have experienced something and received something from God that we very seldom offer to other people, especially if we haven't received it from God. We don't know how. And that is forgiveness. He knows we owe, but he forgives us anyway. He's a lovely God to serve.

Starting point is 00:27:58 You've been listening to Don C. Harris of Think Red Ink Ministries. Email don at thinkredink.com. That's thinkredink.com. Join us again for the next episode in the Words of Jesus series. you

Words of Jesus Podcast - Watch

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