WEBVTT 00:01.516 --> 00:04.136 Welcome to the Valley Baptist Church Sermon Podcast. 00:04.896 --> 00:08.256 We're so glad you're here, and we hope this message inspires you, 00:08.476 --> 00:12.016 builds your faith, and moves you toward a deep relationship with God. 00:12.576 --> 00:15.156 Today, you'll find great insight into the Bible 00:15.156 --> 00:17.836 and learn how you can apply it straight to your life. 00:18.216 --> 00:20.376 So welcome and enjoy the message. 00:21.036 --> 00:25.896 If you have your Bible, please open it with me to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 00:25.896 --> 00:29.616 in a message I'm calling Judgment Day. 00:30.096 --> 00:32.025 Judgment Day. 00:32.026 --> 00:37.106 In the late 90s, a movie came out that was called The Truman Show. 00:37.266 --> 00:40.446 It starred Jim Carrey as a guy named Truman. 00:40.806 --> 00:48.346 Truman was an insurance salesman who had no idea that his entire life was a reality TV show. 00:48.344 --> 00:53.484 24-7 cameras were on him. It was broadcast to the world 00:53.484 --> 00:57.564 He had no idea that his entire world for his entire life was a giant 00:58.004 --> 01:05.104 Movie set and that everyone he knew were actors his wife was an actor his best friend was an actor 01:05.504 --> 01:06.604 everyone 01:06.604 --> 01:12.924 was actors and millions of people watched his every moment of life now and 01:12.931 --> 01:19.431 I think any of us would be horrified at the thought of our lives being broadcast to the world 01:19.431 --> 01:23.231 and being the subject of such scrutiny. 01:23.231 --> 01:32.171 And yet, according to the Bible, someday the actions of our entire lives will be broadcast to a far greater audience 01:32.171 --> 01:36.391 and will be subjected to a far greater scrutiny. 01:36.391 --> 01:38.891 Revelation 20, verse 11 says, 01:38.891 --> 01:41.311 Then I saw a great white throne. 01:41.315 --> 01:45.895 and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. 01:45.895 --> 01:48.015 And there was found no place for them. 01:48.015 --> 01:52.555 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. 01:52.555 --> 01:54.995 And books," that's books plural, 01:54.995 --> 01:56.095 were open. 01:56.095 --> 01:58.495 And another book," that's book singular, 01:58.495 --> 02:01.875 was open, which is the book of life. 02:01.875 --> 02:04.635 And the dead were judged according to their works 02:04.635 --> 02:07.695 by the things which were written in the books. 02:07.690 --> 02:12.450 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them, 02:12.790 --> 02:16.070 and they were judged, each one according to his works. 02:16.610 --> 02:19.270 Then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. 02:19.710 --> 02:21.430 This is the second death. 02:22.090 --> 02:28.210 And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 02:29.729 --> 02:38.389 Revelation chapter 20 speaks of Judgment Day and it's very clear that God is keeping a very detailed record of our lives 02:38.909 --> 02:45.949 If every wicked deed every impure thought that we've ever had and someday we're gonna stand before him 02:46.229 --> 02:48.589 And we're gonna give an account for it 02:49.229 --> 02:50.309 now 02:50.309 --> 02:52.789 That's kind of a scary thought is it not? 02:53.860 --> 02:58.160 Now, that judgment day is also known as the final judgment, 02:58.160 --> 03:00.740 but there's another judgment in the Bible 03:00.740 --> 03:02.200 that it often speaks of, 03:02.200 --> 03:06.620 and that is a judgment that precedes this final judgment. 03:06.620 --> 03:09.500 Scripture calls that the day 03:09.503 --> 03:10.543 of the Lord. 03:10.543 --> 03:12.803 Paul writes about it, beginning in verse number one 03:12.803 --> 03:13.742 of chapter five, he says, 03:13.743 --> 03:16.583 but concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, 03:16.583 --> 03:18.903 you have no need that I should write to you. 03:18.903 --> 03:22.723 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord 03:22.723 --> 03:26.423 so comes as a thief in the night. 03:27.483 --> 03:30.583 Now, before we jump into our text in chapter five, 03:30.583 --> 03:33.323 I think it's important for us to point out 03:33.323 --> 03:37.183 that this passage is talking about prophecy. 03:37.398 --> 03:45.538 And as Christians, we must always approach prophetic scriptures with a great sense of humility because we're not seeing the full picture. 03:46.598 --> 03:49.558 Prophecy in the Bible is often dualistic. 03:49.558 --> 03:56.998 And whether it's prophecy in the Old Testament or prophecy in the New Testament, God is giving us a snapshot of the future. 03:57.558 --> 03:59.438 It's not a rolling video. 04:00.348 --> 04:02.988 with the full chain of events in view. 04:02.988 --> 04:06.608 No, it's a snapshot of here in this moment, 04:06.608 --> 04:08.948 there in that moment, another moment here. 04:08.948 --> 04:11.948 And we're able to piece together those snapshots 04:11.948 --> 04:13.948 to form a picture. 04:13.948 --> 04:17.788 But we should be very careful not to be too dogmatic 04:17.788 --> 04:19.828 about the order of the snapshots 04:19.828 --> 04:22.528 or what exactly the picture looks like 04:22.528 --> 04:24.968 between those snapshots. 04:24.968 --> 04:30.148 Because sometimes thousands of years are in between. 04:30.149 --> 04:36.989 We know that certainly was the case with the coming of our Lord, with his first coming and his second coming. 04:37.309 --> 04:44.009 In the Old Testament, the prophets, they prophesied about a coming Messiah who would be born of the seed of the woman. 04:44.109 --> 04:46.149 He would crush the head of the serpent. 04:46.309 --> 04:47.689 He would deliver his people. 04:47.689 --> 04:52.849 He would rule and reign upon the earth, but he would also suffer and die. 04:53.639 --> 05:00.999 And now we know now that the suffering and the dying part was in his first coming. 05:01.499 --> 05:06.879 And the ruling and the reigning upon the earth part refers to his second coming. 05:07.831 --> 05:11.831 But for the Jews in the first century, they had no idea he was going to come twice. 05:12.311 --> 05:14.371 Even the disciples were confused by this. 05:14.691 --> 05:22.291 It would be sort of like if you were going on a hike and you see two great mountain peaks in the distance. 05:22.571 --> 05:24.511 And it looks like they're side by side. 05:24.511 --> 05:29.511 But as you approach closer and you hike that mountain and you get to that first mountain peak, 05:29.731 --> 05:36.571 you then realize there's actually miles and miles between those two mountain peaks. 05:37.008 --> 05:43.888 Well, Old Testament prophecy clearly shows there's two great mountain peaks of the coming of the Lord. 05:44.248 --> 05:48.188 But no one would have anticipated there were thousands of years between them. 05:49.124 --> 05:52.704 And so I think as we study end times events, 05:52.764 --> 05:55.104 we need to be very careful in our study, 05:55.384 --> 05:58.604 and we need to be very humble in our claims. 05:58.844 --> 06:03.264 Because God simply didn't give us the full picture with every detail. 06:03.524 --> 06:04.664 He gave us the end. 06:05.184 --> 06:08.064 And praise God for that, because we win in the end, right? 06:08.124 --> 06:09.784 Because Jesus wins. 06:10.484 --> 06:14.284 He gave us the end, and he gave us some snapshots in between, 06:14.564 --> 06:16.344 but he didn't connect all the dots. 06:17.356 --> 06:22.276 Now, our passage today speaks of the coming day of the Lord. 06:22.396 --> 06:24.796 Now, what is the day of the Lord? 06:24.856 --> 06:29.736 Well, every Jew in the first century would have known exactly what the day of the Lord referred to. 06:29.736 --> 06:35.716 The Thessalonians knew because Paul had explained it to them when he was in Thessalonica. 06:35.716 --> 06:41.236 But for those of us who don't know our Old Testament, quite like we probably should, 06:41.776 --> 06:44.036 what is the day of the Lord? 06:44.036 --> 06:50.236 Well, the day of the Lord refers to an extended period of God's judgment upon the earth. 06:51.292 --> 06:55.752 The day of the Lord is a season or era of judgment. 06:55.912 --> 06:59.692 It's not a 24-hour period of time like we think of as day, 06:59.772 --> 07:04.612 but we use the word day in English like this as well to refer to a season in time. 07:04.612 --> 07:07.632 We're living in the day of cell phones. 07:07.812 --> 07:11.612 That doesn't refer to 24-hour period of time of cell phones. 07:11.692 --> 07:15.932 No, it refers to a season or an era of cell phones. 07:16.908 --> 07:19.688 Now many believe, and I'm included, 07:19.688 --> 07:22.228 that the day of the Lord is what the New Testament 07:22.228 --> 07:26.128 refers to as the tribulation, or at least the last part, 07:26.128 --> 07:28.728 which is often called the great tribulation, 07:28.728 --> 07:32.268 where God's gonna pour out his wrath, his judgment, 07:32.268 --> 07:33.808 upon those who are on the earth. 07:33.808 --> 07:37.848 Then the day of the Lord, it's going to culminate, 07:37.848 --> 07:41.408 or that's gonna culminate in the second coming of Jesus 07:41.408 --> 07:43.608 to the earth to establish his kingdom. 07:44.228 --> 07:49.128 Now, the Old Testament prophets had a lot to say about this coming day of the Lord, 07:49.228 --> 07:50.748 the day of judgment. 07:50.908 --> 07:53.068 Isaiah chapter 13, verse 9 says, 07:53.068 --> 07:57.968 Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, 07:58.068 --> 08:02.948 to lay the lands desolate, and he will destroy its sinners from it. 08:03.028 --> 08:04.968 Jeremiah chapter 46, verse 10. 08:05.608 --> 08:09.248 For this is the day of the Lord, God of hosts, a day of vengeance, 08:09.728 --> 08:11.988 that he may avenge himself on his adversaries. 08:12.308 --> 08:13.848 Joel chapter 1, verse 15. 08:14.215 --> 08:21.835 Chapter 2, verse number 11, 08:21.835 --> 08:26.195 For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible. Who can endure it? 08:26.495 --> 08:27.815 Amos chapter 5, verse 20, 08:27.815 --> 08:35.195 Is not the day of the Lord darkness and not light? Is it not very dark with no brightness in it? 08:36.001 --> 08:42.361 Now, Jesus, when he was on the earth, he told us a little bit more about the day of the Lord and how bad it would be. 08:42.361 --> 08:44.641 In Matthew chapter 24, verse 21, he says, 08:44.761 --> 08:47.381 For then there will be great tribulation. 08:47.941 --> 08:52.701 Such has not been seen since the beginning of the world until this time. 08:52.921 --> 08:55.361 No, nor ever shall be. 08:55.863 --> 09:00.403 At the end of our Bible, the book of Revelation calls it the wrath of the Lamb of Jesus, 09:01.003 --> 09:03.983 the great day of His wrath, a terrible time. 09:03.983 --> 09:08.923 You see, when Jesus comes upon the earth, He's going to come with judgment. 09:09.667 --> 09:14.847 Now, when he came the first time to the earth, our world ridiculed him, didn't they? 09:15.227 --> 09:18.447 They stripped him naked and full of the shame of that. 09:18.547 --> 09:19.366 They beat him. 09:19.367 --> 09:20.266 They spit upon him. 09:20.267 --> 09:21.487 They nailed him to a cross. 09:21.727 --> 09:24.187 Even today, our world makes fun of Jesus today. 09:24.927 --> 09:27.287 Clearly, this is man's day. 09:28.330 --> 09:32.130 But God's word makes very clear, the day of the Lord is coming. 09:33.190 --> 09:39.790 Now, now that you know, have a better understanding of what the day of the Lord is, I think we can get to the Apostle Paul's point. 09:40.310 --> 09:42.410 He says, it's not for you to know the times and the seasons. 09:43.050 --> 09:48.590 For you know very well that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 09:49.053 --> 09:54.853 Now, in chapter 4, Paul had told the Thessalonians about the coming of the Lord, 09:54.933 --> 09:58.213 the parousia of the Lord, and how the church is going to be caught up. 09:58.433 --> 10:01.373 They're going to be snatched up to be with the Lord in the air. 10:01.713 --> 10:04.113 And I think Paul is anticipating their question here. 10:05.422 --> 10:06.522 When? 10:06.522 --> 10:07.862 When's this gonna take place? 10:07.862 --> 10:10.462 They want to know what all of us wanna know. 10:10.462 --> 10:12.662 When's all this going to happen? 10:12.662 --> 10:16.282 It sort of reminds me of the disciples in Acts chapter one. 10:16.282 --> 10:18.462 Jesus had just risen from the dead 10:18.462 --> 10:21.642 and the disciples spent several weeks with him 10:21.642 --> 10:22.822 before he ascended to heaven. 10:22.822 --> 10:24.082 They were learning from him 10:24.082 --> 10:26.642 all about the kingdom of God, the Bible says, 10:26.642 --> 10:28.542 and they were learning about how Jesus 10:28.542 --> 10:32.482 was a fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures. 10:32.489 --> 10:37.709 And then just before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples asked him, 10:37.709 --> 10:43.369 Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? 10:44.129 --> 10:46.589 Now, I think their question is telling. 10:47.356 --> 10:51.736 Because some Christians today say the church has replaced Israel. 10:52.116 --> 10:54.976 And that God has no future plans for the nation of Israel. 10:55.616 --> 10:57.316 That's not what the disciples thought. 10:57.936 --> 11:00.736 I mean, clearly, they asked, has the time come? 11:01.016 --> 11:01.675 Is it now? 11:01.676 --> 11:03.956 Now you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel. 11:04.676 --> 11:10.256 Now notice Jesus doesn't correct some misunderstanding they had about the kingdom of God concerning Israel. 11:10.416 --> 11:14.176 Instead, he simply tells them, it's not for you to know when. 11:14.828 --> 11:20.908 It's not for you to know times and seasons, but you shall be my witnesses. 11:21.128 --> 11:23.708 Jesus says, stop focusing on when. 11:24.028 --> 11:27.248 Start focusing on the mission I gave you. 11:28.248 --> 11:34.268 You see, God doesn't intend for any of his children to know when Jesus is going to return. 11:34.268 --> 11:35.196 No. 11:35.197 --> 11:35.936 That's what he said. 11:35.937 --> 11:38.997 He said that in the Gospels, the Scriptures teach that very clearly. 11:39.297 --> 11:40.717 The disciples wanted to know when. 11:40.937 --> 11:42.557 The Thessalonians wanted to know when. 11:42.657 --> 11:47.497 And so Paul says, you have no need that I should write you about when, the times and the seasons. 11:48.077 --> 11:52.797 Because you know that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief comes. 11:52.949 --> 11:55.689 In other words, it's going to happen suddenly. 11:56.329 --> 11:58.089 It's going to be unexpected. 11:58.949 --> 12:05.589 I mean, a thief doesn't schedule with you what a good time is to come break into your house and steal something. 12:06.029 --> 12:09.749 He's not asking, you know, is this a convenient time for you so you can plan out? 12:09.789 --> 12:11.489 No, he comes unexpectedly. 12:11.789 --> 12:12.949 He comes suddenly. 12:13.621 --> 12:16.961 Paul says that's exactly how the day of the Lord is going to come upon people 12:16.961 --> 12:19.281 who are on the earth who don't know Christ. 12:19.741 --> 12:23.201 And then he uses another metaphor in verse number three. 12:23.381 --> 12:26.321 He says, for when they say peace and safety, 12:26.961 --> 12:32.521 then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, 12:32.781 --> 12:34.861 and they shall not escape. 12:35.501 --> 12:36.280 Here's our principle. 12:36.281 --> 12:41.961 For the unbeliever, the day of the Lord will be unexpected and inescapable. 12:43.372 --> 12:45.772 Thief comes unexpectedly. 12:46.592 --> 12:50.312 And labor pains come upon a woman without escape, don't they? 12:50.732 --> 12:54.352 I mean, for a woman who goes into labor, there's no way to avoid it. 12:54.712 --> 12:55.832 There's no way around it. 12:55.872 --> 12:56.611 What's done is done. 12:56.612 --> 12:57.251 She's pregnant. 12:57.252 --> 12:58.371 She's having this baby. 12:58.372 --> 12:59.171 There's no way around it. 12:59.172 --> 13:00.692 She's just got to go through it. 13:00.854 --> 13:05.514 And so it will be those who face the judgment of God without Christ. 13:05.914 --> 13:08.714 Revelation chapter 9, verse number 6, it says, 13:08.834 --> 13:12.354 In those days men will seek death and will not find it. 13:12.554 --> 13:15.354 They will desire to die and death will flee from them. 13:15.354 --> 13:20.714 They want everything to just end, but it will not end because God's justice will move forth. 13:21.094 --> 13:26.214 There will be no escaping the terrible day of the Lord's judgment when it comes. 13:26.914 --> 13:29.754 Now, he continues in verse number 4. 13:31.174 --> 13:36.840 He says, 13:36.841 --> 13:39.600 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. 13:39.601 --> 13:42.940 You're all sons of light and sons of the day. 13:42.941 --> 13:44.257 We're not of the night nor of darkness. 13:48.597 --> 13:51.676 Now, I want you to notice a change in pronouns in the book. 13:51.677 --> 13:56.516 It happens here just for a brief moment of time. 13:56.517 --> 14:01.116 In chapter 4, Paul was talking about we, and he was talking about you. 14:01.117 --> 14:03.876 And then for the first couple verses of chapter 5, he's talking about you. 14:03.877 --> 14:09.322 He's talking about you who are the Thessalonians, you who believe. 14:09.323 --> 14:12.022 Then in verse number three, if you noticed it, he switched to they and them. 14:12.023 --> 14:15.402 Sudden destruction comes upon them. 14:15.403 --> 14:16.502 And now in verse number four, he switches back to you. 14:16.503 --> 14:20.282 What's he saying? 14:20.283 --> 14:24.702 He's saying the day of the Lord, it comes upon them. 14:24.703 --> 14:26.542 It comes upon unbelievers like a thief in the night, but not you. 14:26.543 --> 14:28.662 You're not of the darkness. 14:28.663 --> 14:33.722 You are of the light. 14:33.723 --> 14:35.101 You see, for you and I as believers, the day of the Lord should be planned for and anticipated. 14:39.001 --> 14:41.080 The world around us who doesn't have a relationship with God through Jesus, 14:41.081 --> 14:42.060 they're in the dark when it comes to the day of the Lord. 14:42.061 --> 14:43.117 They don't know. 14:45.537 --> 14:48.956 Now, their ignorance is of their own doing, right? 14:48.957 --> 14:53.376 I mean, Jesus said the light has come into the world, speaking of himself. 14:53.377 --> 14:53.576 And men love darkness rather than light. 14:53.577 --> 14:56.776 Why? 14:56.777 --> 15:01.716 Because their deeds are evil, Jesus said. 15:01.717 --> 15:03.616 So the world is very content to remain in this state of darkness, of ignorance. 15:03.617 --> 15:07.796 But that's not the case for you and I. 15:07.797 --> 15:13.116 We have come into the light because we've met the light of the world who's Jesus. 15:13.103 --> 15:19.283 be ready. And he tells us more about what that readiness looks like in verse number six. 15:13.117 --> 15:18.057 And so Paul's point here is, as children of the light. 15:19.683 --> 15:26.243 He says, "'Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who 15:26.243 --> 15:32.623 sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day 15:32.623 --> 15:40.203 be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of our salvation.'" 15:41.183 --> 15:43.143 So God's telling us about the coming day of the Lord. 15:43.143 --> 15:45.723 He's telling us about the return, the coming, 15:45.723 --> 15:47.083 the parousia of Christ. 15:47.083 --> 15:48.822 Why? 15:48.823 --> 15:52.883 To warn us that there is a day of accountability coming. 15:54.403 --> 15:57.903 You may think that you're getting away 15:57.903 --> 16:00.963 with your sin in your life. 16:00.963 --> 16:02.463 You know, you do something awful 16:02.463 --> 16:03.302 or some terrible things in your life, 16:03.303 --> 16:04.943 and you think, man, lightning didn't strike. 16:04.943 --> 16:05.782 I got away with that. 16:05.783 --> 16:07.083 No, no, no. 16:07.083 --> 16:09.943 There's a day of accountability that is coming. 16:10.951 --> 16:24.911 Teenagers, whenever your mom tells you to go clean your room, you might just go in there and start shoving all the clothes under the bed and you're stuffing things into the closet to try to, you know, make it look right on the outside. 16:24.911 --> 16:31.431 But if your mom says, clean your room in 10 minutes, I'm coming to inspect it. 16:32.517 --> 16:34.557 Now you cleaned your room a little differently. 16:34.557 --> 16:35.957 There's a different level of urgency. 16:35.957 --> 16:36.776 Why? 16:36.777 --> 16:38.497 Because mama's coming back. 16:38.497 --> 16:40.297 So now you're accountable. 16:40.297 --> 16:43.697 And Paul is saying, Jesus, our savior and our Lord, 16:43.697 --> 16:46.397 he's coming back and it's gonna be a day 16:46.397 --> 16:49.677 of great accountability, a day of great judgment 16:49.677 --> 16:50.516 when he returns. 16:50.517 --> 16:54.597 So he says, don't sleep, don't get drunk, 16:54.597 --> 16:59.597 be awake, be alert, watching and anticipating his return. 17:00.361 --> 17:04.101 Now, I don't think he means literally don't sleep. 17:04.861 --> 17:06.441 I think he means spiritually. 17:07.321 --> 17:08.740 Wake up. 17:08.741 --> 17:12.781 Don't be spiritually asleep when Jesus returns for us. 17:13.161 --> 17:14.901 Some people will hear the gospel. 17:15.121 --> 17:16.261 They'll hear the word of God. 17:16.341 --> 17:19.581 They'll hear a message like this one, and they sort of yawn. 17:20.501 --> 17:23.341 They're apathetic about what's going on. 17:23.341 --> 17:26.061 If that is you, this verse is for you. 17:26.581 --> 17:29.241 God is telling you right now, wake up. 17:29.993 --> 17:33.753 Wake up out of your apathetic self or your slumbering. 17:33.933 --> 17:34.472 Wake up. 17:34.473 --> 17:35.933 Jesus is coming back. 17:36.733 --> 17:39.833 Now, he also says, watch, doesn't he? 17:41.063 --> 17:46.183 Now, I think there's a difference between watching and waiting, isn't there? 17:46.923 --> 17:53.403 When I was just a little bitty guy, I remember whenever my dad was about to come home, 17:53.483 --> 17:56.663 sometimes I would go into the garage and I'd be waiting for him. 17:56.723 --> 17:59.263 I'd be watching for him to come home. 17:59.323 --> 18:02.183 And what I mean by that is I was eagerly anticipating. 18:03.203 --> 18:08.963 watching that garage door for the first moment it was going to move and open. 18:09.123 --> 18:12.043 And then suddenly, after what seemed like forever, 18:12.263 --> 18:14.923 suddenly the garage would make a noise that would jolt me, 18:15.203 --> 18:20.323 and it would move on up, and my dad would drive up in his 1984 Toyota to sell. 18:21.631 --> 18:26.111 And I'll just be bouncing up and down, excited about his return. 18:26.451 --> 18:29.651 That is how we're to watch for the Lord's return. 18:29.771 --> 18:33.991 With excitement, with anticipation, he is coming back. 18:34.691 --> 18:38.391 Now, he also says that you and I are to be sober. 18:39.671 --> 18:44.851 Now, I don't think that he's talking about not being drunk here. 18:45.644 --> 18:49.004 It obviously includes that, but it's more than that. 18:49.404 --> 18:52.544 He's saying live a serious Christian life. 18:53.284 --> 18:57.724 Now, that doesn't mean we don't have fun, because we have a lot of fun as Christians, don't we? 18:57.744 --> 19:01.664 I mean, I can't think of anything more fun than the Christian life. 19:01.664 --> 19:05.084 But it's a life that's also full of responsibility and work, isn't it? 19:05.810 --> 19:08.050 Jesus gave us a mission to accomplish. 19:08.210 --> 19:10.830 We are to share the good news of Jesus with the whole world. 19:10.910 --> 19:13.010 We're to make disciples of all the nations. 19:13.150 --> 19:17.070 And Paul is saying, don't be asleep when you're supposed to be watching and working. 19:18.466 --> 19:26.066 Now, in verse number 8, Paul reminds us that you and I as believers, we're all in this spiritual battle that's taking place. 19:26.066 --> 19:33.466 And he says, you've got two areas in your life of great vulnerability that you need to protect. 19:33.866 --> 19:36.786 Your head and your heart. 19:37.366 --> 19:42.666 So he says, first of all, he says, put on the breastplate of faith and love to protect your heart. 19:43.026 --> 19:47.726 And put on the helmet of the hope of your salvation to protect your mind. 19:48.740 --> 19:51.300 So let me ask you, are you armed up? 19:52.460 --> 19:55.920 Are you armed with faith, love, and hope? 19:56.600 --> 19:59.060 Are you ready for the battle? 19:59.180 --> 20:01.100 Are you ready for the Lord's return? 20:01.320 --> 20:02.439 I think that's his point. 20:02.440 --> 20:02.979 Are you ready? 20:02.980 --> 20:05.020 If you're not ready, it's time to get ready. 20:05.240 --> 20:08.380 You better get ready because Jesus could come back at any moment. 20:08.620 --> 20:09.960 He comes like a thief in the night. 20:10.040 --> 20:11.080 We don't know when. 20:11.080 --> 20:14.760 And he's going to usher in the day of the Lord when he returns. 20:15.638 --> 20:20.918 I can tell you, I don't want to experience the day of the Lord, Judgment Day. 20:20.918 --> 20:25.978 There's only one way to escape the labor pains of God's judgment, 20:26.298 --> 20:30.638 and that is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 20:31.698 --> 20:34.031 Verse number 11. 20:34.032 --> 20:40.652 He says, for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 20:40.692 --> 20:46.692 who died for us, that whether we awake or sleep, we should live together with him. 20:47.472 --> 20:53.612 Therefore, comfort each other and edify one another just as you also are doing. 20:54.839 --> 21:02.499 Now, if you go back up into chapter 4, as Paul talks about the coming, the peruse of the Lord, that he's coming for us, 21:02.499 --> 21:10.299 his main point of application, the command there at the end of the chapter is comfort one another with these words. 21:11.099 --> 21:17.339 And now, in chapter 5, he transitions to the terrible day of the Lord's judgment. 21:17.639 --> 21:23.739 And here in verse number 11, he says, comfort each other with these words. 21:24.252 --> 21:29.932 Well, my question is, what's so comforting about the terrible day of the Lord's judgment? 21:30.092 --> 21:33.872 Well, I think Paul is saying here, be comforted, 21:34.372 --> 21:40.612 because as believers, we're going to be saved and spared and delivered from the day of the Lord. 21:40.872 --> 21:43.252 You see, Scripture seems to indicate that, 21:43.253 --> 21:47.973 that believers are going to be rescued from the day of the Lord. 21:48.053 --> 21:50.913 That's what I personally believe, that the rapture of the church, 21:50.913 --> 21:56.573 the catching up of the saints is going to take place first before the day of the Lord, 21:56.693 --> 21:58.413 before the great tribulation. 21:58.833 --> 22:01.173 Now, I want to walk through just this text. 22:02.035 --> 22:05.475 Once again, let's rehash it, what Paul is saying to us in this chapter. 22:06.055 --> 22:09.415 He says, the terrible day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. 22:09.555 --> 22:14.035 It brings terrible destruction, but not for you, because you're not of the night. 22:14.235 --> 22:15.434 You're of the day. 22:15.435 --> 22:16.554 So live like it. 22:16.555 --> 22:17.754 Be ready. 22:17.755 --> 22:21.835 Anticipate his coming and be comforted that Jesus died for you. 22:21.835 --> 22:29.735 And therefore, God didn't appoint you to wrath, but he appointed you to obtain salvation through his son, Jesus. 22:30.993 --> 22:37.973 Now, last week I mentioned that the timing of the rapture wasn't the point of last week's passage. 22:39.053 --> 22:44.713 However, I think it could be one of the points of our passage today. 22:45.218 --> 22:53.798 Because it seems to me that Paul is indicating that believers are going to be delivered from the tribulation, from the day of the Lord. 22:53.898 --> 22:57.558 Paul says something similar to that in chapter 1, verse number 10. 22:57.778 --> 22:58.037 He said, 22:58.038 --> 23:07.198 "...and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." 23:07.207 --> 23:13.207 So I personally believe the rapture, the catching of the saints, is going to happen before the great tribulation, 23:13.207 --> 23:15.687 and that we will be delivered from the wrath to come. 23:16.807 --> 23:20.307 Now, I hold that position fairly loosely. 23:21.027 --> 23:25.267 There are many godly Christians, even in our church, who disagree with me on that. 23:25.347 --> 23:31.327 If you're one of them, please don't get upset with me, because there are times I disagree with myself. 23:31.487 --> 23:34.054 Did you know that? 23:34.055 --> 23:38.315 Because for every good argument for the rapture happening before the tribulation, 23:38.475 --> 23:41.935 there are some very good arguments for it happening after the tribulation. 23:42.555 --> 23:48.375 But for many reasons, the imminent return of Christ being the most prominent in my mind, 23:49.035 --> 23:52.195 that means the imminent return means Jesus can return at any moment. 23:52.195 --> 24:00.555 I believe we're going to be caught up, raptured to be with the Lord before the tribulation. 24:01.156 --> 24:10.376 Now, this is not a tier one level doctrine or issue. It's not even tier two. I don't know 24:10.376 --> 24:14.896 really how many tiers we have, but it's pretty low on the tier list in terms of certainty 24:14.896 --> 24:22.936 and importance in our minds. That's why I hold this doctrine with a loose hand. But I have to 24:22.936 --> 24:30.936 admit, over my last two weeks of study, my hand is tightened just a little bit, all right? But 24:32.476 --> 24:36.016 Do I know this is exactly how it's going to happen? 24:37.116 --> 24:39.376 No, really, I don't. 24:40.176 --> 24:42.216 But here's something I do know. 24:42.216 --> 24:46.256 Scripture is crystal clear that all believers 24:46.656 --> 24:49.856 will be saved and delivered from the final judgment. 24:50.996 --> 24:55.736 As we read earlier in the message from Revelation 24:55.736 --> 24:59.636 Chapter 20, someday all of us are going to stand before God 25:00.775 --> 25:04.215 at what is called the Great White Throne Judgment. 25:04.815 --> 25:07.555 And there are going to be books that are open. 25:08.355 --> 25:10.855 Those books are going to contain everything we've ever done. 25:11.955 --> 25:13.915 God is keeping record of everything. 25:13.915 --> 25:17.495 Remember, he's omniscient, he's all knowing and he's writing it all down. 25:18.695 --> 25:21.595 And then there's going to be another book that is opened. 25:22.435 --> 25:24.374 The Book of Life. 25:24.375 --> 25:25.435 And everyone. 25:26.628 --> 25:30.068 whose name is not written in the book of life, 25:30.068 --> 25:31.988 is gonna be rightly judged, 25:31.988 --> 25:36.708 completely correctly judged by their works 25:36.708 --> 25:38.408 that are written in the books. 25:38.408 --> 25:43.408 Every thought, every action, every reaction, 25:43.488 --> 25:45.528 every impure motive. 25:47.928 --> 25:49.828 And we all know the verdict, don't we? 25:50.888 --> 25:52.248 Guilty. 25:52.248 --> 25:53.248 We're all guilty. 25:54.100 --> 25:55.640 We are all guilty. 25:55.780 --> 26:00.340 We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, which is a high, high standard. 26:00.460 --> 26:01.319 We're all guilty. 26:01.320 --> 26:05.540 When the books are opened, it's going to be very clear, as clear as day. 26:07.440 --> 26:13.100 But for those of us who our name is written in the book of life, 26:14.030 --> 26:17.190 We will not be judged by our works. 26:17.190 --> 26:19.870 We'll be judged by the work of Jesus, 26:19.870 --> 26:23.790 His work upon the cross, the righteous life, 26:23.790 --> 26:26.130 perfect life that He lived, 26:26.130 --> 26:29.410 and He died for all these bad works of our life. 26:29.410 --> 26:32.110 He died for our sins so that we could receive life. 26:32.110 --> 26:33.430 So the question becomes, 26:33.430 --> 26:35.470 it's the most important question of life, 26:36.370 --> 26:38.890 how in the world do you get your name written 26:38.890 --> 26:39.930 in the book of life? 26:41.030 --> 26:44.650 How do we avoid God's final judgment? 26:44.650 --> 26:47.350 There's only one way, his name is Jesus. 26:47.350 --> 26:48.690 Jesus is the only way. 26:48.690 --> 26:52.510 Jesus said, I am the way, I'm the truth, I'm the life. 26:52.510 --> 26:55.850 No man comes to the Father except through me. 26:55.850 --> 26:56.850 You've got to come through me. 26:56.850 --> 26:58.950 That's why I came, because I love you 26:58.950 --> 27:01.350 and I wanna rescue you from impending judgment. 27:01.350 --> 27:04.590 I came to save you and rescue and pour out my love, 27:04.590 --> 27:06.990 pour out my grace in your life. 27:06.990 --> 27:09.590 And if you will just give your life to Jesus, 27:09.582 --> 27:12.582 If you will just receive and accept 27:12.822 --> 27:17.182 his work upon the cross, dying for your sins, you will be given life. 27:17.322 --> 27:21.002 And the moment you're given life, your name is written in the Book of Life. 27:26.942 --> 27:28.942 And someday, 27:29.402 --> 27:33.582 as you stand before Almighty God, 27:33.582 --> 27:36.002 and you will stand 27:36.282 --> 27:38.842 before him to give an account, I will stand 27:41.240 --> 27:45.320 The record of your life is going to stream out guilty. 27:46.792 --> 27:50.072 I think Jesus is going to step in and say, paid in full. 27:50.732 --> 27:51.952 This one's with me. 27:52.392 --> 27:55.472 I already paid for all of their sins, all of those horrible works. 27:55.692 --> 27:57.212 I already paid for them on the cross. 27:57.792 --> 28:02.832 Look, his name, her name is written in the book of life. 28:03.112 --> 28:04.772 And you will escape God's judgment. 28:04.772 --> 28:11.512 And instead, you're going to be given eternal, everlasting, abundant life in heaven. 28:12.752 --> 28:15.546 Let me ask you. 28:15.547 --> 28:16.987 Are you ready for judgment day? 28:18.727 --> 28:22.047 Are you ready for his return? 28:22.187 --> 28:24.187 Because Jesus, he can return at any moment. 28:24.287 --> 28:29.027 Jesus said, no one knows the day or the hour, not even the angels in heaven. 28:29.467 --> 28:32.307 Only the Father knows. 28:32.307 --> 28:35.507 It's time to get ready. 28:36.269 --> 28:39.629 Jesus also said that it would be like the days of Noah. 28:40.249 --> 28:42.969 And most people think, well, man, that's going to be because of all the wickedness. 28:43.069 --> 28:45.309 Yeah, I think probably there's going to be a lot of wickedness. 28:45.349 --> 28:46.708 There is today. 28:46.709 --> 28:48.509 But that's not exactly what he said. 28:48.609 --> 28:50.209 He said it's going to be like the days of Noah. 28:51.149 --> 28:53.489 People are going to be eating and drinking and getting married. 28:54.109 --> 28:56.329 What's wrong with eating and drinking and getting married? 28:56.509 --> 28:57.288 Nothing's wrong with it. 28:57.289 --> 29:00.249 What he's saying is it's going to be kind of a normal life. 29:00.755 --> 29:02.535 In the days of Noah, people were having dinner. 29:03.115 --> 29:03.934 They were at a banquet. 29:03.935 --> 29:05.335 They were celebrating a wedding. 29:05.675 --> 29:09.535 And all of a sudden, suddenly, God's patience came to an end. 29:09.895 --> 29:11.435 And the rain started pouring. 29:11.675 --> 29:13.815 And the flood of God's judgment came. 29:14.795 --> 29:18.935 You see, you and I, we are living in a time of great patience. 29:19.995 --> 29:22.355 God is being patient with us. 29:22.861 --> 29:24.361 I mean, that's why He hasn't come yet. 29:24.721 --> 29:25.700 1 Peter tells us that. 29:25.701 --> 29:27.381 He says, God is patient with us, 29:27.641 --> 29:29.421 not wishing that any should perish, 29:29.681 --> 29:31.881 but that all should come to faith and repentance. 29:32.021 --> 29:33.461 God loves the world. 29:33.841 --> 29:35.241 He loves the world so much 29:35.241 --> 29:36.761 that He gave His only begotten Son, 29:36.981 --> 29:38.321 that whosoever believes in Him 29:38.321 --> 29:40.701 shall not perish but have everlasting life. 29:40.801 --> 29:43.701 He's waiting for more people to come to Him. 29:44.541 --> 29:48.761 He's waiting to rescue more people from their sin. 29:50.301 --> 29:51.920 But someday, 29:51.921 --> 29:52.661 someday, 29:52.662 --> 29:54.362 His patience is going to come to an end. 29:55.422 --> 29:58.262 And man's day will be over. 29:58.882 --> 30:01.642 And the Lord's day will arrive. 30:02.042 --> 30:03.842 The King is coming. 30:04.662 --> 30:08.502 So please, please, please, do not be fooled by God's patience in your life. 30:08.542 --> 30:10.222 Oh, I haven't been struck by lightning. 30:10.222 --> 30:12.222 I did this and this never happened. 30:12.362 --> 30:14.302 Listen, God's waiting for you to come to Him. 30:14.762 --> 30:16.022 He's giving you more time. 30:18.102 --> 30:20.962 I want to encourage you to take advantage of it. 30:21.518 --> 30:25.258 Years ago, there was a man who lived on Long Island. 30:25.258 --> 30:27.998 He was fascinated with trying to predict the weather, 30:27.998 --> 30:32.978 but he lived in the times long before the sophisticated equipment of today. 30:32.978 --> 30:35.938 There were no weather channels to watch or anything like that. 30:35.938 --> 30:37.838 So he ordered a barometer, 30:37.838 --> 30:42.018 which was supposed to be the best and most sensitive barometer out there. 30:42.022 --> 30:50.222 And when he got it, he was so excited to open it, he opened it up and immediately he noticed that the needle was all the way on one side. 30:50.362 --> 30:52.402 It was stuck saying hurricane. 30:52.682 --> 30:57.062 And so he kind of tapped on it, trying to straighten that needle out because it was a beautiful day. 30:57.202 --> 30:59.022 The skies were clear. 30:59.902 --> 31:02.722 It just remained hung on hurricane. 31:03.520 --> 31:08.080 Well, eventually he had to go to work, and so he left for New York City where he worked. 31:08.140 --> 31:10.400 And when he got to work, he was still so frustrated about it, 31:10.580 --> 31:14.120 he wrote a letter to the company who sold him the barometer. 31:14.260 --> 31:17.160 And he said, man, you guys sold me a piece of junk. 31:17.540 --> 31:19.960 It's hung on Hurricane. It will not move. 31:20.700 --> 31:23.120 Well, after work, he went back home to Long Island. 31:23.480 --> 31:26.800 And his home wasn't there because a hurricane had come. 31:29.300 --> 31:32.040 The barometer was right. 31:35.043 --> 31:40.303 You know, the message of the Bible is that God loves us so much 31:40.303 --> 31:47.203 that he sent his one and only precious son, Jesus, 31:47.623 --> 31:50.283 to come on a rescue mission for us. 31:51.310 --> 31:55.690 To save us, to give us His grace, to pay for our sins, to show us His love, 31:55.770 --> 31:59.490 to restore that relationship that God desires with us. 31:59.570 --> 32:02.890 But make no mistake about it, God is also holy. 32:02.890 --> 32:07.850 And for everyone who rejects His precious Son, Jesus, someday, 32:08.790 --> 32:13.190 there's going to be a day of accounting. 32:15.430 --> 32:20.670 Everyone who ignores His warning, a hurricane of God's justice is coming. 32:21.753 --> 32:25.333 And the day of man is going to end. 32:26.033 --> 32:28.953 And the day of the Lord is going to arrive. 32:30.113 --> 32:32.613 Let's bow together in an attitude of prayer, if you will. 32:33.413 --> 32:35.453 This is a holy moment in the life of a church. 32:35.453 --> 32:47.073 I want to encourage you to make this time a prayerful time between you and the Lord. 32:50.233 --> 32:51.621 Reflect. 32:51.622 --> 32:55.022 Upon life, reflect upon His return. 32:55.562 --> 33:01.001 Are you ready? 33:01.002 --> 33:02.762 You know, there's an old saying, 33:04.102 --> 33:07.422 do nothing you don't want to be doing when Jesus comes. 33:08.082 --> 33:11.382 Say nothing you don't want to be saying when Jesus comes. 33:11.382 --> 33:15.062 Go nowhere you don't want to be when Jesus comes. 33:18.284 --> 33:21.824 I don't know about you, but I want to live my life ready. 33:24.284 --> 33:27.124 There'll be no shame in his coming. 33:27.124 --> 33:29.124 Only excitement. 33:30.124 --> 33:34.424 You know, Jesus could come at any moment. 33:34.424 --> 33:36.604 Is he going to come in our lifetime? 33:36.604 --> 33:38.464 I have no idea. 33:38.464 --> 33:40.144 But I want to be ready. 33:40.564 --> 33:43.224 You know, we haven't talked about this yet, 33:45.520 --> 33:48.080 But the Lord's return could happen at any moment. 33:48.200 --> 33:51.800 But the truth of the matter is, we could die at any moment as well, right? 33:52.940 --> 33:56.440 The stats are staggering concerning death. 33:56.500 --> 33:58.439 It's one out of one. 33:58.440 --> 34:01.620 Every single human being, if the Lord tarries, 34:02.500 --> 34:04.220 someday going to breathe their last breath. 34:06.160 --> 34:08.520 Heart's going to beat for the very last time. 34:09.940 --> 34:11.260 And that could be as... 34:13.499 --> 34:16.999 an older person way up in your years, or it could happen suddenly, 34:17.679 --> 34:20.839 tragically, some sort of accident. 34:21.279 --> 34:22.839 We don't know. 34:23.039 --> 34:26.039 We're not promised tomorrow. 34:28.219 --> 34:30.119 Bible says that life is like a vapor, it's 34:30.379 --> 34:33.279 it's here for a moment and then it's gone so short. 34:34.719 --> 34:38.719 I mean, you blink a few times and you're like, where did where did all the time go? 34:39.859 --> 34:41.079 God told us it was short. 34:42.659 --> 34:44.259 Are we redeeming the time? 34:44.799 --> 34:46.959 Are we taking advantage of it? 34:47.539 --> 34:53.559 As Christians, for one, are we living our life with a sense of urgency? 34:54.959 --> 34:58.939 Are we working while it's day for the night is coming? 34:58.939 --> 35:02.999 Are we engaged in what God wants us to be engaged in? 35:03.719 --> 35:07.499 Are we living a life that pleases Him? 35:09.271 --> 35:14.891 I also want to speak for just a moment to those who are listening that don't have a personal relationship with God. 35:15.771 --> 35:24.091 The thought of the day of the Lord brings great terror in your mind because you think, wow, I'm guilty. 35:25.291 --> 35:27.851 Am I ready to meet my maker? 35:28.691 --> 35:30.211 And maybe you don't feel ready. 35:31.791 --> 35:34.511 And the only way you get ready is not by cleaning up your life. 35:34.571 --> 35:38.451 The only way you get ready is by receiving what Jesus has done for you. 35:40.237 --> 35:45.697 His perfect works, His perfect life for yours. 35:46.537 --> 35:47.937 And we do that by faith. 35:48.297 --> 35:51.657 The Bible says, if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, 35:51.797 --> 35:54.737 and you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, 35:55.097 --> 35:56.217 you will be saved. 35:57.477 --> 36:01.537 The Bible says, whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 36:01.637 --> 36:02.136 Saved from what? 36:02.137 --> 36:03.437 Saved from the day of the Lord. 36:03.597 --> 36:06.297 Saved certainly from the final judgment. 36:07.737 --> 36:09.337 Saved from our life of God. 36:10.612 --> 36:20.292 muck of sin that messes everything up, rescued. Let me ask you, do you feel like you need to be rescued? 36:21.652 --> 36:23.807 If so, 36:23.808 --> 36:26.228 God sent his son Jesus on a rescue mission. 36:27.208 --> 36:28.208 And he loves you. 36:28.768 --> 36:30.848 He loves you more than anyone's ever loved you before. 36:30.988 --> 36:35.088 And so I want to invite you to meet Jesus as your Savior today. 36:35.288 --> 36:36.867 It's very simple. 36:36.868 --> 36:38.468 You've just got to swallow your pride, 36:39.328 --> 36:41.668 humble yourself before him, and come to him in faith. 36:42.228 --> 36:43.788 In just a moment, I'm going to pray. 36:44.408 --> 36:48.128 And after I pray, we're all going to stand to our feet. 36:48.608 --> 36:50.228 We're going to sing a song together. 36:50.892 --> 36:54.912 And we're going to ask you to step forward and give your life to Christ. 36:55.272 --> 36:58.892 There's going to be pastors and other leaders and prayer partners here at the front. 36:59.832 --> 37:03.492 And we're here to meet you and to talk with you and to pray with you 37:03.492 --> 37:06.552 and to help you take those steps of following Jesus. 37:06.772 --> 37:08.852 And so I want to encourage you, don't wait. 37:09.052 --> 37:10.372 Just come as you are. 37:11.452 --> 37:12.792 It's not that you clean up your life. 37:12.792 --> 37:15.892 You think, man, I don't want to be another one of those hypocrites at the church. 37:16.032 --> 37:19.192 I got to get some things right before I give my life to Jesus. 37:19.312 --> 37:20.861 No, no, no, no. 37:20.862 --> 37:23.842 It's the opposite. You come to him as you are. 37:24.542 --> 37:27.382 He meets you as you are. That's why it's called grace. 37:28.642 --> 37:33.402 Then he's going to start you out on this wonderful journey of becoming more like him. 37:34.002 --> 37:36.442 So I want to invite you to give your life to Jesus. 37:36.582 --> 37:39.942 Maybe say, I'd like to be baptized or join this church. Let us know. 37:40.002 --> 37:43.322 Maybe you want prayer for something. Maybe you just want to come to these steps and pray. 37:43.322 --> 37:47.442 It's my heart's desire that in all three of our services. 37:48.217 --> 37:53.097 There would be more freedom of movement at the time of invitation as God moves. 37:53.257 --> 38:00.657 Sometimes we just move and just pour out our heart on these steps and go meet with the Lord. 38:01.097 --> 38:02.937 However God leads in just a moment. 38:03.477 --> 38:04.477 Please come. Let's pray. 38:05.477 --> 38:16.317 Father, we thank you that you sent your one and only precious son, Jesus, to this world. 38:16.437 --> 38:17.537 And that he came willingly. 38:21.477 --> 38:24.017 And that he lived a perfect life that we haven't. 38:25.897 --> 38:29.137 The works that he performed in life are perfect. 38:30.057 --> 38:31.237 And ours aren't. 38:32.237 --> 38:34.057 Thank you, Lord, for sending him. 38:34.737 --> 38:41.677 And then thank you, Lord, that he died upon the cross to pay for all of our sins. 38:44.562 --> 38:49.242 Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness and your love 38:49.242 --> 38:52.702 and the peace and the joy that you are able to bring 38:52.702 --> 38:55.822 into the heart of those who believe in you. 38:55.822 --> 38:58.922 And I pray, Lord, that if there are some of your children 38:58.922 --> 39:03.682 that are not living as children of the day, 39:03.682 --> 39:06.682 they're not living as children of the light, Lord, 39:07.862 --> 39:09.062 that that would change today, 39:09.062 --> 39:12.282 that you'd pull them out of whatever dark spot they're in 39:13.756 --> 39:14.916 Bring them back into the light. 39:17.176 --> 39:22.456 I pray, Lord, for those listening who don't have a personal relationship with you. 39:23.296 --> 39:27.396 They felt a distance between you and them because of their sin. 39:27.476 --> 39:34.356 I pray, Lord, that they would deal with that sin and that through Jesus that gap would be bridged and you would restore a relationship with them. 39:35.776 --> 39:37.896 We know Judgment Day is coming, Lord. 39:38.016 --> 39:39.962 Thank you. 39:39.963 --> 39:42.423 that my sin has already been judged by Jesus. 39:43.563 --> 39:46.563 Thank you, Lord, for saving me. 39:46.983 --> 39:48.603 I know I didn't deserve it, Lord. 39:48.663 --> 39:49.863 That's why it's called grace. 39:50.063 --> 39:51.042 Thank you. 39:51.043 --> 39:51.602 Thank you. 39:51.603 --> 39:52.582 Thank you. 39:52.583 --> 39:55.463 Now, please, Lord, help some others experience that today. 39:55.783 --> 39:57.183 We ask in Jesus' name. 39:57.603 --> 39:59.334 Amen. 39:59.335 --> 40:00.775 Thanks for listening today. 40:00.775 --> 40:02.435 We hope you enjoyed this message. 40:02.435 --> 40:04.535 And if you did, we would be so grateful 40:04.535 --> 40:06.215 if you left us a review. 40:06.215 --> 40:08.655 Also, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast 40:08.655 --> 40:09.955 if you would like to be notified 40:09.955 --> 40:11.855 when a new sermon is released. 40:11.855 --> 40:13.515 If you feel the Lord calling you 40:13.515 --> 40:15.115 to take the next step in faith 40:15.115 --> 40:19.435 through salvation, service, or giving, don't wait. 40:19.433 --> 40:22.553 reach out to us by texting podcast to 88988. 40:22.893 --> 40:25.173 That's podcast to 88988 40:25.173 --> 40:28.113 or connect with us on one of our social media platforms. 40:28.833 --> 40:31.853 You can also visit our website, valleybaptist.org 40:31.853 --> 40:33.873 to find even more great resources. 40:34.573 --> 40:36.233 No matter where you are in your journey, 40:36.793 --> 40:38.032 know that we love you. 40:38.033 --> 40:39.193 We're praying for you 40:39.193 --> 40:42.213 and we can't wait to see what God will do in your life.