Desert Flower #5 Totality of the Word

Overview

The Totality of the Word: From Promise to Fulfillment

The Old Testament does not end with a closed book but with an outstretched hand. Malachi points forward to the day when "the Son of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings" Malachi 4:1-2, and four hundred years later that promise blossoms in the person of Jesus Christ. Peter tells us that the prophets themselves searched carefully into what they were proclaiming, knowing the Spirit of Christ within them was testifying in advance "to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory" 1 Peter 1:8-12. The prophets were not only speaking to their own day; they were sowing seeds that bloom fully in the New Testament.

The Danger of Selective Reading

The disciples knew they were living in the last days, but they misread Jesus' mission. They expected a conquering political Messiah who would exalt Israel, subjugate the Gentiles, and usher in earthly peace and prosperity. When they encountered a Savior marred and crucified, they fled. Their error was not in hoping for peace—peace truly comes through Christ—but in skipping over the Scriptures that pictured a suffering servant. Psalm 22, the most-quoted psalm in the New Testament, foretold the cry of dereliction, the mockery, the thirst, the pierced hands and feet, and the casting of lots for his garments Psalm 22. Psalm 16 anticipated his resurrection: God would not let his Holy One see decay Psalm 16:9-11. Isaiah described him marred beyond human likeness, wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities Isaiah 52:13-53:12. The travelers on the Emmaus road voiced the same disappointment: "We had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel" Luke 24:13-21—a hope still shaped by selective reading.

This temptation persists. We are drawn to passages that comfort and quietly skip those that expose our sin. We can also form a theology first and then go shopping for verses to support it. That is eisegesis—reading our ideas into the text—rather than exegesis, drawing out what is truly there. When we form God in the image of our preferences, we have crafted a golden calf. The discipline of faith is to sit under the totality of God's Word—both law and gospel—and let it form us. The same applies pastorally: when someone says, "I can't believe in a God who would allow this," they are voicing a theology, and the only firm ground for response is to keep returning to the Word itself. We are, as it were, mailmen of the gospel; the Holy Spirit changes the heart.

Eyes That Saw Clearly

While many missed the Messiah's mission, others saw it from the start. Mary sang of the promise made to Abraham now coming to fruition Luke 1:54-55. Zechariah blessed God for raising up a mighty Savior in the house of David, "as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old" Luke 1:67-71. Simeon held the infant Jesus and recognized God's salvation, a light for the Gentiles and glory for Israel Luke 2:25-32. John the Baptist pointed and declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" John 1:29. When John later wavered in prison, Jesus answered him with the language of Isaiah's prophecies fulfilled Matthew 11:4-6. The New Testament writers knew where they stood in redemptive history: "Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son" Hebrews 1:1-2. Christ "has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself" Hebrews 9:26.

Living in the Last Days with Joy

The last days began with the birth of Christ and continue until he comes again. That means the trumpet may sound at any moment—and it also means the world will continue to groan and decay. The church misplaces her hope when she imagines that politicians, of any party, will halt that spiral. They will not. But this is not cause for despondency or hand-wringing. We know how the story ends. We are called to be faithful in our vocations, to proclaim the gospel in our workplaces, homes, and neighborhoods, and to be a people of joy. Today is the day to rejoice. Let the whole counsel of God form you, fix your eyes on the risen and returning Christ, and pray with the church of every age: Come, Lord Jesus.

Transcript

Well, we continued our study last week and we focused on the minor 0s

prophets. You'll recall that a minor prophet doesn't mean that they are of lesser 4s

importance. What it reminds us is that the books are simply shorter in duration. 9s

And remember the three major periods of time in which you look at the 19s

look at the prophets. You've got 722, 586, and 539. These are the three date 25s

periods that as you move through the prophets you say where does this fall in 36s

relationship to the events that are occurring. Remember in 722 you had the 39s

Assyrians destroy the northern kingdom. In 586 you have the Babylonians here, 44s

wipe out Jerusalem and it's the second deportation which most of the Jews 51s

now are deported out of Jerusalem. And then in 589 you have Cyrus the 57s

tolerant Persian because Persia there supplanted the Babylonians. You had Cyrus 64s

the tolerant Persian now that releases the people to go back to their homeland 70s

in Jerusalem. So as you're studying the prophets what you want to ask yourself is 75s

where is it falling in relationship to these three events. And that helps you to 80s

keep your bearings as you move through. We talked about the four basic 85s

prophetic messages in both the major and the minor prophets which was exposing 90s

the sinful practices of the people, calling the people back to the moral 96s

civil and ceremonial law, warning of judgment and anticipating the Messiah to 101s

come. Those are the four basic messages. So as you're studying through the 109s

prophets, as you're listening to the prophets, ask yourself a question. One of 115s

those themes coming up, exposing sinful practices, calling people back to 120s

moral civil ceremonial law, warning of judgment or anticipating of the of the 125s

Messiah. Let's start this morning in 1 Peter the first chapter in the new 131s

testament. Good way to find 1 Peter is to go to the last book, the book of 136s

Revelation and turn toward Matthew. You'll cross over the Johns and then you 141s

had 1 Peter. So 1 Peter chapter 1 and we'll pick up in verse 8. 1 Peter 148s

chapter 1 verse 8. 159s

Although you have not seen him, you love him. And even though you do not see him 169s

now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy. 175s

For you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 181s

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be 188s

yours made careful search in an inquiry, inquiring about the person or time that 194s

the spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the 202s

sufferings destined for Christ and subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that 208s

they were serving not themselves, but you. In regard to the things that have now 215s

been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy 221s

Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. The prophets knew 226s

that they were revealing that which is about to come. Remember most of the 233s

prophetic writing was addressing the situation in the day. It wasn't 238s

foretelling, it was fourth telling. But the prophets also understood that they 244s

were proclaiming about things in advance. And so as we move now in these a couple 250s

of weeks remaining in this class on the prophets, we're going to look back from 257s

the perspective of the New Testament. We're going to look back to the Old Testament. 265s

And now I want to show that the flowers in full bloom as we see them in the 270s

in the New Testament. The Old Testament ends by pointing the people ahead. Let's go 276s

to the last book in the Old Testament which is the book of Malachi. Malachi 283s

in the Old Testament points forward to what will be. It points forward to the 297s

last days in which the Savior is is born. So Malachi chapter 4 verse 1, see the 309s

day is coming, burning like an oven. When all the arrogant and all evil 318s

doers will be stubble. The day that comes shall burn them up says the Lord of 324s

hosts so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who 330s

revere my name, the Son of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. 337s

So the Old Testament ends by pointing forward to the coming of the Messiah. 346s

400 years after Malachi writes this, Jesus Christ is born. The disciples of Jesus 355s

understood that they were in the last days but they didn't fully understand 367s

Jesus' mission. Now remember when the last days began. The last days began when 373s

Jesus was born. So if someone says to you, are we living in the last days, what's 380s

the answer? Yes, right? And when did the last days begin? About two thousand 386s

years ago, right? So it's the last days here and the Scripture tells us that 393s

began when Jesus was born. So the disciples understood that they were living in 397s

the last days but they didn't understand fully Jesus' mission. Why was that? 404s

They were looking for a Jewish kingdom that would be the leading nation of the 411s

world. They were looking for a kingdom that the Messiah would usher in, that 416s

would subjugate the Gentiles and all other nations in the world. They were 422s

looking for a time of peace and prosperity under the Messiah's leadership. So 429s

they're looking then for the leading nation, they're looking for subjugation and 435s

they're looking for peace and prosperity. That's their anticipation of what 442s

the Messiah will bring. The disciples problem and the problem of 447s

others subsequently after the disciples is the problem was is they were 455s

selective in their reading of the Scriptures. That was the problem. It's not 460s

that what they were anticipating in times of peace and prosperity, etc. It's 467s

not that they were wrong because peace comes in the heart through the 472s

Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the prosperity of the gospel itself that is 476s

overflowing, where they're wrong is in their selective reading and what they 482s

overlooked was a necessity for the Messiah to suffer. So if your anticipation is 488s

that the Messiah is going to be a conquering political hero and what you get is 495s

a Messiah hanging, dying on the cross between two criminals, you can understand 504s

right why all the disciples fled. Why they fled? Because the Messiah that they 512s

thought they were going to get wasn't what Jesus was manifesting here. And so 519s

they all flee. They understood they were in the last days but they didn't 526s

understand Jesus's mission and so there's confusion. Selective reading. I think 533s

for example of Psalm 22. Psalm 22, won't we turn there please, good way to find 541s

Psalms, let's just go to the middle of the of the Scriptures and you'll land on 548s

one of them. There's no other Psalm in in Scripture that is quoted more often 551s

than Psalm 22. Psalm 22 is most frequently quoted in the in the New Testament than 558s

any other than any other Psalm. And Psalm 22 points beyond itself. It points 567s

beyond itself to the suffering that endured was endured by the Lord Jesus. 574s

Notice what Psalm 22 reveals is it points beyond itself. Verse 1, my God, my 581s

God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me from the 588s

words of my groaning? Of course that is one of the last words of Jesus as he hangs 594s

on the cross. So Jesus is using the lament Psalm and he's expressing this grief. 601s

Psalm 21 is pointing beyond itself to the Messiah to come. So if you want to, if 607s

you might want to put Matthew 27, 46 in the margin because there we see it 618s

applied specifically to Jesus. Jumping down into, into verse 6, but I'm a worm 623s

and not human, scorned by others and despised by the people. All who see me mock 634s

at me, they make mouths at me, they shake their heads. You can put next to that 642s

Mark 15, 29. There's the scorn and the mockery that Jesus endured. That 649s

in verse 8, commit your cause to the Lord, let him deliver, let him rescue the one in 657s

whom he delights. Those were the words of mockery that Jesus had received. Let 664s

God rescue him. You can put next to that verse, Matthew 27, 43, down into 670s

verse 15 of Psalm 22. My mouth is dried up like a potchard and my tongue sticks to 680s

my jaws. You lay me in the dust of earth. That of course references John 19, verse 28, 689s

and the thirst of Jesus. You have the very mechanical process also revealed in 699s

Psalm 22 that our Lord would endure on the cross. Psalm 22 verse 16. For dogs are 705s

all around me, a company of evil doers encircles me. My hand and feet have 716s

shriveled. In the NIV, it's translated, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 722s

Once again, referring to what our Lord experienced, jumped down into verse 18, they 730s

divide my clothes among themselves and for my clothing, they cast lots. That's 738s

the reference here to the Messiah pointing ahead to the suffering servant. But the 751s

disciples here, you selectively read. And so Psalm 22 here is passed over where it 756s

clearly is pointing ahead to the Messiah and the suffering that the Messiah would 765s

experience. What is the temptation then for people of all time, but the 771s

temptation is to selectively read the Scriptures. To selectively read them. We are 777s

drawn to passages that are a comfort to us. We are drawn to those passages and 785s

there are other passages of Scripture that reveal our sinfulness and our 792s

depravity and the depth of it. And we don't like to hear that, do we? We would 797s

much, much prefer the the Psalms of comfort and the gracious word of God. But when 805s

we let all of Scripture speak to us, then God embraces us with the 813s

totality of his word instead of the selective hearing of his word. The same 821s

phenomenon can happen theologically. You know, whatever a person wants to find 829s

theologically, they will be able to find. If a person wants to find X, Y, and Z, 835s

theologically, someplace somebody is proclaiming it. And the temptation is to say, 844s

this is my theology that I have formed. This is what I think about God and then 852s

to seek then a place that substantiates your own theology. And what happens? 857s

Once the person's theology then is confronted by that place, what do they do? 864s

They'll go then seek another place then to have their theology substantiated. 872s

Instead of being the position of the constant learner submitting to the authority 876s

of the word of God, where the word forms our theology. Because if we form our 883s

theology, we've created our own version of the Golden Calf, haven't we? We've 894s

created our own God that we want to worship. Instead, the word forms us. What they 899s

teach you in seminary is the difference between exegesis as you're 906s

studying a text and isegesis when you're studying a text. Exizing is you are 911s

taking out of the text that which is true. Isegesis is you are bringing to the 918s

text whatever it is you want to say. And you take out of whatever text you want to 925s

say, whatever you've determined you want to say, you then pull something out of 932s

the text. In other words, you're bringing your own to the text instead of being 938s

formed by the text. The problem with the people of old was selective reading. 942s

That's the temptation for all of us. Instead of allowing the word in its 951s

totality and its fullness, both law and gospel to embrace us. And then we deal 955s

with the word itself instead of forming our own thoughts and theology and 963s

bringing it to the word. For the disciples, it was not conceivable for them that 969s

the Messiah would suffer. It didn't fit into their scheme. Let me give you another 977s

application of this. Oftentimes as you are sharing with people and you hear 986s

there and you hear their pain, sometimes they can say, I don't believe in God. 993s

Why don't you believe in God? Because God would never have allowed this to happen 1000s

if He loved me. Now what you're hearing there is someone's theology. And remember, 1007s

every person has a theology. All theology is the study of God. It's the belief 1014s

about God. So one can push that and you can say that indeed someone who doesn't 1020s

even believe in God has just given you their theology. That there is no God. 1028s

Or someone who says, well there is it a God because God allowed this difficulty in my life. 1034s

You see, their theology then is forming their conception of God instead of 1041s

returning to the scriptures and seeing why is it that God sometimes allows 1046s

suffering? What is the ultimate cause of suffering entering into the world? 1052s

Then you go all the way back to Genesis and you see the reality of sin. But then you 1058s

help someone form a correct theology which addresses the theology that they've 1064s

already formed. That can be really challenging for some people, really challenging. 1072s

And sometimes you might be met with, well I don't agree with that. Well the basis for 1081s

discussion always has to be the word, right? You always have to keep coming back to the 1091s

word because if it shifts onto a sense of, well this is what I think, you know, then your 1095s

whole basis for discussion has just evaporated. So you keep pulling that person back to the 1103s

word and showing them from the word, excising from the word, not Isis Jesus, exegesis, what 1108s

is the truth of the word? And you trust in the Holy Spirit because remember all we are 1116s

is what? We're mailmen, right? We're mailmen. Again not to diminish that perfection there, 1124s

but we simply deliver the mail of the gospel and God is the one that changes the heart. 1129s

The disciples were selective in their reading. We run into that all the time. We run into 1136s

that even in our own lives and the temptation for that. Let's go to Psalm 16 please, the 1142s

verse 9. Psalm 16 verse 9. 1150s

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. My body also rests secure for you to not give 1163s

me up to shield and I, and I, if he translates that appropriately so what you can translate it as 1170s

the grave or let your faithful ones see the pit. Again you can translate that as an IV does 1177s

see decay. So you look at that and you say, well does that simply apply to David? Well when David 1184s

died did his body decay, of course it did, of course it did. So whose body did not decay? 1194s

Jesus, right? So what is Psalm 16 9 to 11? Who's it pointing toward? But it's pointing towards 1202s

Jesus. It's a prophecy of the resurrection of Christ. Remember a couple years ago when all 1209s

of the sermon texts were from the Old Testament and we got to Christmas and we preached and we 1219s

celebrated Christmas and we did it all from the Old Testament, right? Remember when we got the 1229s

Holy Week and all the texts were still the Old Testament. We got the Easter Sunday and remember 1233s

the text was what? It was right out of the Old Testament. See you can preach the gospel all out of 1240s

the Old Testament. What we see here in Psalms is the suffering servant and indeed the one who 1246s

will be raised from the dead. God pictures the Savior as a conquering king but in the same 1255s

breath it describes Jesus as the lowly suffering servant. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 52 please. 1264s

You're in Psalms now so move to the New Testament Psalms Proverbs. If please he asks these 1276s

son of Solomon then Isaiah, you hit Jeremiah, you've gone too far. Isaiah 52 1281s

and we'll pick up in verse 13. See my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up 1304s

and shall be very high. Just as there were many who were astonished at him so Mard was his appearance 1315s

beyond human semblance and his form beyond that of mortals. Crucifixion was a horrific process, 1324s

horrific. Most people did not survive the scourging that often time occurred before the Crucifixion. 1336s

They didn't survive that and so by the time Jesus would have been hung on the cross he would have 1347s

been so disfigured and so Mard simply by the scourging that had occurred. Here you have Isaiah 52 1354s

looking ahead to that into the suffering of Jesus. Let's go to Isaiah 53 picking up in verse 4. 1366s

Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases yet we accounted him stricken, 1379s

struck down by God and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our inequities 1385s

upon him was the punishment that made us whole and by his bruises we are healed. Here's the piercing 1392s

and the crushing Jesus without beauty despised, rejected, buried with wicked. See the disciples 1401s

understood they were in the last days but what they didn't understand is they didn't understand 1411s

the mission of Jesus today and what they selectively didn't read was the suffering servant 1417s

of Messiah. We see that played out in the in the New Testament. Let's go to Luke chapter 24, Matthew 1428s

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Amayas about seven miles from 1458s

Jerusalem and talking with each other about what all these things about all these things that it 1463s

happened. While they were talking and discussing Jesus himself came near and went with him but their 1468s

eyes were kept from recognizing it and he said to them what are you discussing with each other while 1474s

you walk along they stood still looking sad. Then one of them whose name was Cleopas answered him, 1480s

are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in 1486s

these days? He asked them what things? They replied to things about Jesus of Nazareth who is a 1492s

prophet might he indeed in word before God and all the people and how our chief priests and leaders 1498s

handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified. But we had hoped that he was the one to 1504s

redeem Israel. Yes and besides all this it's now the third day since these things took place. 1513s

See what was their expectation verse 21. We had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel and what was 1522s

understanding of the redemption of Israel. Great political nation, subjugate those nasty Gentiles, 1528s

peace and prosperity and what they got was a mard, disfigured person who Jesus just didn't pan out. 1538s

Selective reading they didn't understand the mission. From the beginning however, 1551s

some understood. From the beginning some saw things very clearly. Let's go to Luke the first chapter. 1559s

Here you have Mary's song Luke chapter 1 of verse 54. 1571s

He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy. According to the promise he made to our 1585s

ancestors to Abraham and to his descendants forever. See there's the understanding of Mary indeed that 1593s

this goes all the way back to the promise made to Abraham and Sarah the covenant established that 1603s

indeed all will be blessed. The nations of the world will be blessed. That this is Messiah, 1609s

fulfillment. Let's go over into verse 67. Here you have the father of John the Baptist. 1616s

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy. 1626s

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. 1631s

He has raised up a mighty savior for us and the house of his servant David as he spoke through 1636s

the mouth of his holy prophets from of old that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand 1642s

of all who hate us. Chapter 2 verse 25 of Luke. 1649s

There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout looking 1661s

forward to the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. He had been revealed to him 1666s

by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah guided by 1672s

the Spirit. Simeon came into the temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for 1677s

him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God saying, 1682s

Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your word. For my eyes have 1688s

seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples in light for revelation 1693s

to the Gentiles and for glory to your people. Israel. Let's go to John the first chapter. 1699s

Matthew, Mark, Luke and then John. John chapter 1 verse 29. 1708s

John chapter 1 verse 29. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, 1725s

here's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. See, there's confusion, 1731s

but there are those that understand why even John the Baptist when he's in prison, he asks, 1740s

you know, is Jesus the one to come? Jesus is the one to come and look here at the response. Matthew 1751s

chapter 11. Jesus gives the word to give back to John. 1760s

Thinking of in verse 4, Jesus answered them, go and tell John what you hear and see. 1778s

The blind received their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are 1784s

raised and the poor have good news brought to them and blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me. 1790s

Jesus moves back into Old Testament prophecy and says, tell John this, tell John this, the fulfillment 1799s

of the Old Testament prophecy. So you've got confusion, you've got those that understood the 1808s

New Testament writers all testified that they were living in the last days foretold by the prophets. 1815s

They understood the time they were living and indeed that this was fulfillment of the prophetic 1822s

word they understood the time and their calling. Let's go to Malachi chapter 4, last book in the Old 1829s

Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 1866s

So this is the prophecy here of the end of the world here that judgment that falls, the creation 1877s

folds up. Let's jump over to Matthew chapter 17 because here's the prophecy that Elijah would come 1884s

again. So they're anticipating Elijah to come before the end. Matthew 17 will pick up in verse 10. 1890s

And the disciples asked him why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? 1909s

He Jesus replied Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things, but I tell you that Elijah 1915s

has already come and they did not recognize him but they did to him whatever they pleased. 1922s

So also the son of man is about to suffer at their hands. Then the disciples understood that he 1930s

was speaking to them about John the Baptist. See here what you have is you've got understanding now 1937s

on the part of the New Testament writers where in the last days we see the fulfillment of the 1944s

prophecy. We understand the mission of the Lord Jesus. Let's go to Hebrews the first chapter. 1950s

Keep moving toward revelation. You'll cross over the tea books, first and second Thessalonians, 1960s

first and second Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and then you hit Hebrews. If you hit James, you've 1966s

gone, gone too far. Hebrews chapter 1. Here's the New Testament writer who understands once again 1973s

days they live in and indeed the mission of Christ. Hebrews 1 will pick up in verse 1. 1983s

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many in various ways by the prophets in these last days. 1995s

He has spoken to us by a son whom he appointed air of all things through whom he also created 2002s

the world. See there's the understanding of the days that they live in. 2008s

Lastly let's go to 9 in Hebrews, verse 26. 2016s

Let's start halfway through verse 36 after the period. So the first full sentence in verse 26. 2033s

But as it is he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice 2042s

of himself. See here's the New Testament showing the flowers and bloom here of the prophetic word 2051s

that was revealed in the Old Testament. Are we living in the last days? Absolutely. Do we as 2060s

Christians need to firmly have that planted in our psyche? Absolutely. Again when did the last 2067s

days start? They started when Jesus Christ was born. As we live then in the last days that means 2075s

then that at any moment the trumpet can sound and indeed Jesus comes again and indeed we long for 2083s

that. We cry out come Lord Jesus may Jesus Christ come today. What a glorious moment that would 2090s

be. Indeed where instead of us worshipping him here we are worshipping him face to face. That is 2099s

a day that we long for and we cry out for that to occur. As we live in the last days we must have 2108s

no confusion about the days that we live in. Last days means that indeed Christ can come at any time 2116s

it also means that indeed we will continue to see the degeneration of the world. That doesn't mean 2126s

that we are to be a people despondent. As Pastor Maloneck talks about in her sermon today 2136s

today is the day to rejoice. Today now no procrastinating about it's the day to rejoice. 2143s

Now that's how we are called to live. As Christians we can be so tempted to get drawn down 2152s

and to say my goodness the world is just falling apart. Just falling apart and all frustrated and 2160s

gets so caught up in the falling apart nature of the world. Beloved the world will continue to fall 2168s

apart. It will continue to fall apart and the church misplaces her hope when they think that 2174s

politicians will solve it. The church has historically gone through periods when they put their hope 2183s

in if we only get certain people elected it will fix the world. That will not happen. I don't 2189s

care whether you're a Republican Democrat, Green Party or Independent. The salvation of the world 2196s

is not dependent upon politicians. It's not. The world will continue to degenerate in the last days. 2203s

Does that mean that politicians shouldn't pass good laws and do good things? Of course it does 2213s

but it doesn't mean that they will pull us out of the last day spiral of creation. Look we see 2218s

that in scripture creation will continue to spiral down. As my seminary professor said 2224s

as he was kind of playing off the term evolution he said we are not evolving. We are devolving. 2232s

We're devolving. And then he said we have been devolving ever since the fall of sin in the garden. 2239s

There you go. There's truth, right? Because it's the manifestation of sin. As Christians though 2247s

are we too? Look at the world. Throw up our hands and say oh my well things are terrible. Things 2253s

are terrible. And be mone. The terrible fact. Nope. We are to be a people that proclaim the gospel. 2260s

Trust what God will do. Be faithful in our callings. Be manifest the truth in the workplace and 2265s

homes and neighborhoods. Be a people of joy knowing that we know how all this ends, right? You know how 2274s

with the Lord coming again. That's a people that understand last times the mission of Christ and 2282s

our role in it of what we are to do. As we await for Christ to come again we are simply faithful 2290s

in our calling. And there is a cause for rejoicing isn't it? Well we continue on next week. 2302s

I want to explore with you why the prophets are a blessing to Christians today. 2309s