Please turn to Acts 13:36.
For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.
Let us have a word of prayer.
Dear Lord, we do want to thank Thee for the privilege of being gathered together in Thy name. How we thank Thee, knowing that where Thy name is, there is Thy presence. Lord, we covet Thy presence more than anything else.
As we are in Thy presence, prepare our hearts. Open our hearts, that we may hear Thy Word and allow Thy Word to work in us in such a way that will bring fruit unto Thyself. We commit this time into Thy hands. We ask Thy blessing, that Thou mayest be glorified. We ask in Thy name. Amen.
Thank God for bringing us all together this time. We look to the Lord for His blessing. We trust that whenever God’s people meet together in the name of our Lord Jesus, His presence is here with us. And with His presence, we know there will be blessing, to the glory of God.
In the beginning, there was nothing but God. Now, God is a triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
If we may use a human way of description, may we say that, in the beginning, there was a conversation among the Godhead. Our God is a triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
There was a consultation, as it were, among Them. God the Father loved His Son. He wanted to give everything to His beloved Son. But, being God, He knew the very end from the very beginning. He knew that in the process there would be a problem.
So, as the Father was sharing His thought, His Son stepped forward and said, “Father, if this is Thy will, go ahead. I am willing to offer Myself as the Man to redeem the lost people.”
It is on the basis of what the Lord Jesus said that the Father proceeded with creation.
Sure enough, when God created the heavens and the earth, everything was beautiful. Of all God’s creation at that time, the highest of His creation were the archangels. Among the archangels there was Lucifer, the brilliant star, the masterpiece of God’s creation.
He was gifted with ten wonderful gifts. He was to be the leading angel, the angel over the throne of God. He was to lead the angels in worshipping God.
In the beginning, everything was beautiful. Everything was what God wanted it to be. But unfortunately, Lucifer, because of his much merchandise and his great talents, began to look into himself.
Brothers and sisters, it is always dangerous to look into ourselves. Because when we look into ourselves, what do we expect to see? Either we see ourselves as perfect and glorious, and become proud of ourselves; or we look at ourselves as nothing and become dejected.
So the thing is: never look into yourself. Look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith.
When Lucifer, in the beginning, led the other angels in worshipping God, everything was right according to God’s order. But unfortunately, Lucifer began to look into himself.
Dear brothers and sisters, it is always dangerous to look into ourselves outside of our Lord Jesus. Because once you do that, you will either consider yourself more excellent than what you really are and become proud, or you will be dejected because you are nothing and tend to give up.
So the Bible always exhorts us: look off from yourself and look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith. That is the only safe way.
Sure enough, Lucifer, because of his great talents, his great job, and his great position of leading the angels in worshipping God and serving God, began to look into himself.
Brothers and sisters, as I have said, it is always dangerous if you are outside of Christ and begin to look into yourself. There can be only two results. One is that you will be elated and consider yourself more than what you are; you become proud. Or you will be dejected, looking down upon yourself and becoming discouraged.
That is the reason why the Bible always exhorts us to look off unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith.
Sure enough, Lucifer began to look into himself. He was not satisfied with what God had given him—with his position and with the service that God had called him to do. He wanted something more for himself.
Isn’t this true even with us? If we look into ourselves, we tend to look at ourselves as people beyond what we actually are and become proud of ourselves, and begin to act accordingly. Or we look into ourselves, despise what God has given us, become dejected, and tend to be negative.
So this is what happened to Lucifer. In Isaiah 14, we are told that, in looking to himself, five times he expressed his feeling. He was not contented with what God had given to him—with his place and the gifts God had given him. He wanted to be more.
To put it plainly, he wanted to be equal with God. And who is equal with God except God’s only begotten Son? In other words, Lucifer was ambitious to take the place of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. That was his downfall.
So, in Isaiah 14, we are told five times that he wanted something more. He wanted to be equal with God. He wanted to take the place of God’s beloved Son, His only beloved Son. That was the sin of Lucifer.
Because of what his ambition was, God put him out from heaven. And all that were under his dominion were under curse.
We believe that the earth we know today was formerly under the dominion that God had given Lucifer to rule. Therefore, when God’s judgment came upon Lucifer, he was not only displaced from heaven, but the earth, which was under his rule, went into ruin, surrounded by water under judgment.
We do not know how long this continued on, but we know that there was a time when the earth was surrounded by water. We call it the Ice Age. It was actually the judgment of God over Lucifer.
But God, being the God of love, would not allow such negative things to continue. So the Bible begins with the Spirit of God brooding over the face of the deep. In other words, God’s love began to return to earth, and in six days God began to restore the earth to be habitable.
God has a plan. For God to destroy Lucifer, it was easy. His breath could destroy Lucifer. But God would not do that, because if He did, He would get no glory. It is as if a grown person were beating a little child. There is no glory to that person.
So God, in His marvellous wisdom, had a plan. He wanted to defeat His enemy not by Himself alone, but by someone made a little lower than the angels. Yet, by the grace of God, He would use that person to defeat His enemy. That is the glory of God.
So, dear brothers and sisters, this is the story of the creation of man. Man, as we are, is created not for ourselves. Man is created to glorify God, to accomplish God’s purpose, and to defeat God’s enemy, so that God may be glorified.
Think of how glorious it will be for using an inferior to defeat a superior—not by himself, but by trusting in God. This is what God purposes to do.
Unfortunately, man failed. God put man in the Garden of Eden. It was a wonderful garden, filled with fruit trees for the food of man.
God committed man, saying, “Till and guard it.” Till it, because it is always God’s purpose that He wants man to improve upon what God has provided, for the glory of God. At the same time, guard it.
Now, what does that mean? It means that when God planted the Garden of Eden and put man in it, Satan was outside the garden. God commanded man to do two things: to till and to guard.
To till is to improve upon what God has provided. That is always God’s purpose. And to guard is against God’s enemy, for Satan was outside the Garden of Eden. It was a garden of pleasure.
But, as you all know, man failed in his commission. He tilled the garden, but he did not guard the garden.
We do not know why, when man was tilling the garden, Eve, his wife, was wandering around, not helping man in the work that God had given them to do. On the other hand, we find that man failed to guard the garden.
The garden was without a wall. God did it for a purpose, because God wanted man to be that wall. Now think of that.
When God created man, man was of such great power and strength that he was able to guard. He was able to be the wall of the garden against the enemy. That is God’s purpose for man.
But unfortunately, our forefather failed. They tilled the garden, but they did not watch the garden. They did not act as the wall of the garden.
Think of that. What power God must have given to Adam, that he was able, as a person, to guard that big garden and act as a wall against the enemy. God gave Adam great power in order to do that.
But Adam failed. And because he failed to guard the garden, Satan was able to slip in, to deceive his wife, and through his wife to deceive Adam. That is the fall of man. What a tragedy.
But God cannot be defeated. He had a plan.
The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent,
And the serpent shall bruise His heel.
That is the promise of God. God is not going to destroy the enemy by His own power, because that would not give Him glory. God will use man, a little lower than the angels, to destroy the angel that is higher than man. That is the glory of God.
So, brothers and sisters, even though Adam fell in the Garden of Eden, God made a promise: the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent, and the serpent would bruise His heel.
In other words, God put an enmity between Satan and man—man and Satan. God does not want man to be in friendship with His enemy. God wants man to be a vessel in His hand to defeat His enemy. That is where the glory of God is.
So, as we read the Bible, we find that God’s promise of the seed of the woman finally came to this earth. God sent His own beloved Son into the world to be the seed of the woman, to defeat His enemy.
Our Lord Jesus came incarnated as a man. And as a man, He was tempted in all things, just as we are.
But thank God, He was faithful to God. He never yielded to any temptation throughout His life. He obeyed His Father in spite of Himself.
You remember how He repeatedly said, “I can do nothing by Myself. I do it because I saw My Father do it. I can go nowhere on My own. I go because My Father has sent Me.”
He resisted all the temptations of the enemy of God and overcame. Because He has overcome, He has given this overcoming power to those who believe in Him.
Brothers and sisters, as we read the Bible, we come to the last book of the Bible, Revelation. What is the theme of Revelation? What is the word that occurs again and again in the Book of Revelation? It is the words, “He who overcomes.”
God is raising up overcomers throughout the ages. From the beginning of human history to the end of human history, God is raising a people as overcomers.
What do you mean by overcomers? It means that they overcome God’s enemy. They overcome all the temptations that the enemy tries to put before man. They are obedient to God, faithful to God, true to God; and through them God is able to defeat His enemy. These are the overcomers.
The call to overcome is not only at the end of the Book of the Bible, Revelation. As a matter of fact, the call to overcome is from the beginning of the failure of man.
God calls His people to overcome—to overcome Satan by overcoming all the temptations that Satan tries in man. Deny yourself. Obey the Lord. Follow Him. Trust Him to the very last. These are the overcomers that God is looking for.
So, brothers and sisters, it is not only in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, that we find the call to overcome. As a matter of fact, from the beginning of man’s failure, God began to call for overcomers.
That is why you find in Revelation 14 countless people who have overcome throughout the ages by the grace of God.
Brothers and sisters, we are living at the end of this age. I wonder whether the Lord will return in my lifetime.
I heard some people say this was instilled in me by somebody else, but no. Somehow, in my spirit, I feel we are living at the end of this age. It is quite possible that our Lord will return during our lifetime.
Do you expect that? Or are you hoping that the Lord would delay His return because you still have your own plans? You are not ready for Him yet. “Wait, Lord, until I have enjoyed what I wanted to do, and then I will repent, and You will come.” Isn’t that your expectation?
But the Lord will not cater to your selfishness. If the Lord shall come without your permission, He will come—actually, out of your expectation. You do not expect Him to come. That is true.
Our attitude is, “Lord, I haven’t enjoyed the world yet. Give me time to enjoy the world, and then I will repent and expect You to return so I can be raptured.” Isn’t that our selfish secret idea?
I wonder whether we are living at the end of this age. This age has gone on for twenty centuries. Isn’t that long enough?
I have a secret hope, and my hope is that my Lord would return in my lifetime. I am not a prophet, not a false prophet. I am just hoping that the Lord will return in my lifetime. I believe it is possible.
The Lord is coming.
And when He shall come, in Matthew 24, we are told that everything looks usual, as it always has been for twenty centuries. But suddenly, two will be grinding at the mill in the morning; one is taken and one is left.
Two are working in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two are sleeping in their bed; one is taken and one is left.
Why? Because the earth is round. In some places it is morning; in another place it is daytime; in some other place it is night. But wherever you may be, you find that this will take place: one will be taken, and one will be left.
The one taken is the one who has been ready—ready at all times, preparing themselves for the coming of the Lord. And the one left is the one who says, “The Lord will delay His return,” and begins to beat his fellow workers. To his surprise, the Lord suddenly returns.
Brothers and sisters, if this should happen today, do you know whether you will be among those who are taken or among those who are left? This is a serious question. We cannot afford to be complacent.
Brothers and sisters, I deeply feel that the Lord may come in my lifetime. He keeps me living so long because He wants to come in my lifetime. Am I ready for Him? Am I prepared for Him? Or, if He should come, will I be left behind?
Now, that does not mean that anyone who will be left behind is not saved. By the grace of God, if you believe in the Lord Jesus as your personal Saviour, He will save you. No doubt about that.
But it is not a matter of salvation; it is a matter of full salvation. I do believe, brothers and sisters, if the Lord should come now, you want to be raptured, do you?
Do we who are here in the auditorium this morning, if the Lord shall come now, hope that we will be among those who are raptured? Or are you content to be left behind?
I do not say that those who are left behind are unsaved. They are saved by the grace of God. But they will be disciplined during the time of the millennium kingdom.
Only those who are ready to go will become kings and reign with Christ during the millennium kingdom. It would be a big difference.
It does not mean that you will be unsaved. Thank God, you are saved. We are saved forever. And one day, God will save to the uttermost. But those who are not prepared will have to suffer in darkness during the millennium time.
So I believe the Bible is very clear to us. Brothers and sisters, thank God, we are living at this critical moment.
This is no time for us to be complacent. This is the time for us to wake up, give ourselves totally over to the Lord, and allow His Spirit to work in our lives.
Let Him search our hearts to see if there is anything evil within us that would hinder us from being taken. I believe this is the attitude that we must take today.
So, Lord, have mercy upon us. We thank Thee for giving us this opportunity of coming together to study. We pray, Lord, that none will be left behind, but that everyone will, by Thy grace, choose to go and be taken, to be with Thee and reign with Thee for a thousand years, for the glory of God. Amen.