WILL
YOU BE ABLE TO SAY...?
MIKE CUNNINGHAM
AUGUST 2, 2009
One of the most uplifting kinds of feedback I receive about
my sermons are those such as a recent one from a man named Ed a long time
friend and former co-worker at the old Fanny Allen Hospital. “Mike, Enjoyed
the sermon! Your sermons always drive me to my Bible to find answers but,
as I said, sometimes you just have to trust His Word. Ed...” Ed’s remark,
“Your sermons always drive me to my bible” is music to my ears. Starting
at our Sunday evening Bible studies with my four children in the early seventies
and continuing to the present; I’ve been reminding folks I’m not infallible
in what I teach. I constantly advise everyone to search the scriptures on
their own to confirm whether or not what I’m teaching is in fact true. In
my last two messages I’ve been emphasizing the importance of taking that suggestion.
This morning I’m going to continue with the interaction
between the members of my fictional family and an old bible teacher. Charlie’s
new meds seem to have brought his temper tantrums and blood pressure pretty
much under control. Although his memory was failing, he increasingly experienced
difficulty concentrating; Charlie did his best to read his bible throughout
the week, especially the footnotes referencing various verses of scripture.
He recorded some of them to bring to the study.
Although the mood in their home was relatively
peaceful during the past week, it was a very difficult one for Martha. The
more she thought about her husband and his health issues and the more she
read and reread the numerous passages of scripture their son had quoted at
the two previous Bible studies, the more she struggled not to lose her faith
or worry herself sick. After all, if Jesus and the men who wrote the Bible
were wrong about when Christ was returning, how could
a anxious person like herself trust anything they said, especially
the promises such as the following
which Martha desperately wanted to trust in ?
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” John 3:16 (ESV). “Jesus said to her,
"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he
die, yet shall he live, “John 11:25
(ESV). “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard
you against the evil one,”2 Thessalonians 3:3 (ESV). “...if we are faithless,
he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself,” 2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV).“These
things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world
ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world,”
John 16:33
(KJV). “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever
you wish, and it will be done for you,” John 15:7 (ESV).
Their son continued studying his two new study
Bibles as well as his almost worn out pocket New Testament that was falling
apart from reading it so much over the past nine or ten months. He also made
many notes which he looked forward to sharing at today’s study. The more he
studied the scriptures, the more the boy was increasingly convinced his assessment
was correct. Jesus and the others didn’t know what they were talking about.
They were nice men who were mistaken! Furthermore, he believed the authors
of his study bibles deliberately changed the meaning of a certain word to
make it mean exactly what they wanted it to
mean in order to persuade people to accept their point of view, which incidentally
would get Jesus and the others off the hook. Ordinarily, the boy would have
been pleased with himself for making people look foolish for something they
said or by exposing someone’s deception. However, the truth of the matter
was that in this case he wanted it to be proven that he was wrong. That’s
how much he wanted to believe in Jesus. And it wasn’t only for the forgiveness
of his sins and the gift of salvation through what Jesus accomplished on His
cross or him experiencing an eternity of indescribable happiness by being
in the Lords presence. At this point in his life, the boy wanted to
be able to believe in all the promises and especially these two.
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not
common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond
your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape,
that you may be able to endure it,”1
Corinthians 10:13 (ESV).“For this slight momentary affliction
is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”
2 Corinthians 4:17
(ESV).
During the week the teacher had been lifting
each of his students up in passionate prayer, asking the Lord to help them
discover the truth for themselves. After welcoming everyone back, he asked
if they had been able to study their bibles during the week and if there was
anything anyone wanted to share. The boy was the first to respond. “I have,
teacher!” “Does anyone object?” “Nah! Let him go,” Charlie answered, while
Martha silently nodded her head in consent. “Go ahead, young man.” “Cool!
First off, do you remember how last week I said Jesus spoke the word generation
about thirty seven different times” Well He didn’t. I forgot how many there
were but I do know the word generation is used thirty three times in the whole
New Testament and it never meant what those study bible guys are trying to
make it mean in Matthew 24:34. This is only time they changed the meaning
of the word generation and got millions of people fooled. Here’s another time
they didn’t monkey with it. Do you remember about how the first book in the
New Testament mentions all that genealogy stuff about Jesus all the way from
Abraham up to David and then Jesus? Look at what it says.
“So all the generations
from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David
to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation
to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations,” Matthew 1:17 (ESV).
“Do you see what I’m getting at, teacher?” “I
do, young man but the others probably don’t. Why don’t you explain?” “Cool!”
Well, from where I come from 14X3 means 42 generations of people.” “Well,
whoop-de-do! My kid can multiply. So what!” “I’ll tell you what, pal”
“Please! I want both of you to calm down and be respectful of each other.”
“I’m sorry, teacher.” So am I,” said Charlie. And so was Martha as she silently
sat there hoping and praying these latest outbursts wouldn’t do a number on
her ulcer. “Like I said last week those pal’s of yours who wrote those
study bibles claim:
“-Generation:
No one living when Jesus spoke these words lived to see "all these things"
come to pass. However, the Greek word can mean "race" or "family,"
which makes good sense here; i.e., the Jewish race will be preserved, in spite
of terrible persecution, until the Lord comes.”—Ryrie
Study Notes.”
“The other guy says pretty much the same thing.
As I started to say before I was interrupted; in their notes they don’t say
anything about race or family anyplace else in the Bible. Do you want to know
why I think they didn’t, teacher?” “Why don’t you share your opinion with
us, young man?” “OK! I’ll tell you why. Because everybody would think they
were a bunch of stupid idiots, that’s why. I mean like, they would make the
sentence say 42 different races or families of Jews that were descendents
of Abraham. No one would let them get away with that kind of stuff. Just like
I said last week; they never tried to pull that kind of wool over people’s
eyes with the word generation all the other times except this one time
here in Matthew 24:34.”
”Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass
away until all these things take place. Matthew 24:34 (ESV)
You would think that on such an important matter
as Him coming back to rescue his disciples and other Christians before he
zapped the world out of existence and that all those who didn’t follow him
went right into hell; you would think he would want to be really sure they
understood what he was telling them, wouldn’t you, teacher? I mean like, Jesus
wouldn’t want them to misunderstand him anymore than I would want people I
loved to not understand what I was hollering to them to get out of the water
they were swimming in right away because I just heard on my cell phone that there was a big school of man-eating sharks
headed their way. Jesus expected those guys to understand Him teacher. Look
at this:
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by
the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16 then let those who
are in
“I do real good in biology. Even if they didn’t
teach it when you were a kid, I bet you know that when the eight month is
almost over and you heard about certain “signs” that indicated the woman’s
baby was coming real soon, even if you didn’t know the exact date and hour;
you would do your best to talk her and her husband into not going on a deep-ser
fishing trip, teacher. And I bet you wouldn’t stop warning them or leave them
alone unless you were really sure they understood exactly what you meant.
If there was a chance Jesus’ disciples would become confused when he told
them, “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until
all these things take place,” Matthew
24:34 (ESV). “Jesus would
have done the same thing as you would teacher. I mean like, Jesus already
knew they knew and understood what He was warning them
about.” Charlie responded with his usual sarcasm; “Yeah and how did He know
all that pal?” “Because Jesus knew that they were paying attention
and listening closely about all the bad stuff that was going to happen before
they all died.” Charley came back with a loud: “Show us, pal!” The teacher
was pleased with the respect the boy showed his father this time when he politely
answered, “Ok! I’ll say it again, but let’s everyone read it along with me
in your own bible and look carefully at what I’m reading.” “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken
of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16 then
let those who are in
“Thank you, young man. I’ve been meaning to ask
how you arrived at the conclusion that Jesus is going to destroy the world
when he returns.” “People all over are expecting him to, teacher. Christians
everywhere are praying for him to come back and snatch them off the earth
before he destroys it.” “Is it in the bible, young man?”
“It’s in these two study bibles of mine, teacher.
Listen to this. O man; I must have left that note at home. I’M SORRY! It was
one of those two guys who gave me that idea. The only thing I can find in
the Bible about the world coming to an end is in those study Bible notes.
As far as the actual Bible goes it seems to be saying the world isn’t going
to end, but a lot of Christians believe it will.” Charlie responded with a
sarcastic, “Is that so,” to which the boy said:” “I think it does.” “Charlie
shot back with another sarcastic; “Show us, kid,” which was followed by a
courteous “OK” from the boy. “Here‘s what I found.”
“…and to bring to light
for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created
all things, Ephesians
3:9 (ESV)
“...to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout
all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:21 (ESV)
“I haven’t had time
to look for it in the whole bible. Lots of people must have found it though.”
“Is that so?” “Yes it is, dad! You even used to sing about the world never
ending every time you dragged me to church.” An obviously bewildered Charlie
asked: “I did?” “As a matter of fact, you did. Do you remember this one: “Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it is in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end, A-men, A-men.” “All this
is making me crazy.” “You mean crazier,” the boy silently said under his breath.
“My head is starting to pound,” said Charlie. “Do you see what I mean, teacher?
I’m all mixed up. Those Christians believed Jesus was going to come back and
rescue the ones who didn’t die first and then he would obliterate the world.
But everyone knows he didn’t come back. Now millions of Christians everywhere
say the world is going to come to an end when Jesus returns. They’re praying
and waiting for the Rapture. At the same time they’re all singing: “As it
is in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, A-men,
A-man.” “Go figure! My dad’s got a point though, teacher. I can see why people
who are looking real hard to find out the truth slam the Bibles shut after
they read some of this stuff that’s in it or when they watch those sweaty
prophecy experts ranting and raving on the TV screen. I have a hard time taking
Jesus and the others seriously. I want to believe in him but It’s so hard
to believe him, teacher. Everything I read about Him makes me like Him.
And those other guys who wrote different parts of the Bible; I love the promises
they wrote about. Here’s one I picked up on the internet in a story I would
like to show my friend Rick. He hurts really big time. The doctor told him
the other day he could live to a ripe old age. That’s another fifty to sixty
years being paralyzed from the waist down. Anyway, the story mentions all
the suffering those first Christians were going through.
It tells about God’s “special” children and how He planned for them
to suffer one thing or another for a really long time; some of them even for
their whole life. And it was all because
God was using their suffering to get them ready so they could enjoy a more
intimate relationship with Him. Forever! Here’s how it was written in that
Christmas story I read on the internet.”
“The old man learned on that memorable Christmas Eve that although
it was light years away from anyone even coming close to experiencing the
intensity of suffering Christ endured, their own suffering enabled them to
have an intense appreciation for the magnitude of His love for His people.
God had eternally planned on using their suffering to prepare them to experience
what the Apostle Paul referred to as being “an eternal weight of glory,” (2
Cor. 4:17). In another place on that web site is this: “In other words,
God was using the sufferings of these special children in order to prepare
and enable them to be capable of rejoicing in the Lord Jesus forever, in a
way the rest of His children can’t.” “Bottom line: The degree of happiness
Christians will be able to enjoy in the hereafter will be in direct proportion
to the degree of suffering they experience in the here and now, but only if
they endure it with a courageous Christ-like patience. (A)
“I wish I could believe that. I really do. Suffering would
make a whole lot of sense then, but I can’t believe it if He come back like
He promised them. There’s a bunch of cool promises in the Bible. How can I
take Him or those other guys who wrote those letters seriously and believe
in Jesus if he broke this promise? Help me, teacher! Please help me!” I will young man. Lord willing, next week...”
The Lord expects you
and me to search the scriptures for ourselves and look for answers to questions
such as the boy’s., so we can convincingly share them with folk who are sincerely
searching for the truth. A lot of people like my friend Ed apparently believe
that although Jesus didn’t return; we won’t be able to understand why Jesus
broke His promise on this side of eternity? Meanwhile let’s all live our lives
like Ed is trying to. Listen to the rest of what he wrote. “At this point in my life I have given my life to him and know that when
he wishes me to know the answer to something he will provide. I do know that
he will touch my mind and heart to do the right thing every day and try to
help me help my fellow man. Now that's an insurance policy to have!” And to
that comment I have to add a hearty AMEN! Some things such as the Trinity
are mysterious. But do you think that answer about Jesus not coming back as
he promised is going to cut it with a cautious biblical skeptic who is sincerely
searching for the truth of the matter such as the boy in my story? The boy
and biblical skeptics realize the first Christians clearly understood what
was either spoken or written to them. There’s too much evidence throughout
the New Testament to arrive at any other conclusion unless you change the
obvious meaning of the word generation in Matthew 24:34.
In closing I would like
to ask you folks this question. If
something awful were to happen tomorrow and your whole world seemed to be
falling apart, will you be able to say: I’m standing on the promises of God?
And really mean it?
Lord willing, soon...
My sermon: Joy to The World http://s128601634.onlinehome.us/sermons/joy_to_the_world.htm
I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to John Noe for some
of the ideas I received from his very insightful book; “BEYOND THE END TIMES,
The Rest of... The Greatest Story Ever Told.”