Filled with Hope in these last Days

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Home service details on 17th May 2020

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Introduction: Let us read our Scripture text form Acts 2:17-21

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• Peter explains to the people of Israel that the outpouring of the Spirit they were currently observing was the outpouring promised by Joel in the last days. The last days started 2000 years ago!
   

• Now we are coming to the last of the last days. How can we be so sure of that? Luke 21:24 tells us "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" The times of the Gentiles came to an end in June 7th, 1967 when Israel regained control of the Jerusalem for the first time in 2000 years.
   

• The very next verse, Luke 21: 25,says " and on earth, despair of nations in bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its waves" Williams translation. This sounds very much like the rising of sea levels because of global warming.
   

• Furthermore we are now living through a worldwide plague of corona virus, another last days event. Matthew 24:7 NKJV.
   

• Yet the Scriptures encourage us to be filled with hope at this time.

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1. Filled with Hope as we live in a worldwide outpouring of the Spirit upon all mankind. Acts 2:17 NIV.

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• God's Spirit has been poured out upon the Jewish nation over the last 40 years. In 2012 the Messianic Jews, born again believers in Jesus Christ,numbered about 350,000.
   

• About 5 million Muslims and Hindus have become believers in Christ but remain in their social and religious contexts just like the Messianic Jews. Yet their total commitment is to Christ. I have personally met some of these believers.

 

2. Filled with Hope as God's Spirit  is poured out upon the church. Acts 2:17-18

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• Younger and older believers, Anglicans, Catholics, Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Methodists, Presbyterians... all are receiving the Spirit afresh.

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3. Filled with concern as we see signs in the heavens, signs on the earth: blood, fire, smoke.

 

These signs on the earth point to the wars and destruction of the last days. Luke 21:9. But we are not to be filled with terror. Nor are we to be distressed, perplexed, filled with fear. Luke 21:25-26.

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4. Filled with Hope at the worldwide ingathering of souls when " Whoever calls upon the name of the of the Lord will be saved" Acts 2:21

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• Finally the believers in Christ will preach the good news to every people group (ethne) upon the face of the earth. Matthew 24:14 One third of the worlds population has never heard of the name of Jesus and they have no neighbours to share with them the Good News of salvation. Someone must go!
   

• The result? A great number that no one can count from every culture and people group will come to Christ. Revelation 7:9, 14. This will happen in the last days as verse 14 points out! This is happening now.
   

• About this time most or all of Israel will come to salvation in Christ. Romans 11:26 " So all Israel will be saved." What an amazing day that will be!

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5.What then is our challenge in these last days?

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1. Luke 21:28 When these things begin to take place, let us look up and lift up our heads with hope and expectation concerning what God is doing amongst us. Don't let us get sidetracked by the terrors, the wars, the fears, the rising sea levels, plagues, and the anxieties of this life (Luke 21:34)
    

2. Let us keep our focus on our assigned task. Mark 13:34 NIV "assigning to each one his task" What has God assigned to you as your task? What has He assigned to me as my task?
    

3. This is not the time to be discouraged or depressed. We are living in the most momentous days of history. Lets us lift  our heads filled with hope and expectation at what God will do and let us run the race assigned to each one of us.

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God bless

Robert