Chambersburg Bible Church

Pastor presented a study from Psalm 24 in our mid-week prayer services in April, reminding us to praise and glorify the King of Glory. We have many reasons to praise our God, one of which is His creation. The Psalm indicates that those who enter the presence of the King must be of clean hands and a pure heart, the cleansing of which can only come from the Lord himself through faith in his plan of redemption.

The latter portion of the Psalm speaks prophetically of the entrance of the King of Glory into the Holy City. This passage seems to be prophetic in nature, possibly referring to the Palm Sunday entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem, or eschatologically, his entrance into the city establishing his Kingdom upon the earth. Some consideration may also be given to the prophetic rule of “double reference” in the closing verses, referring to both Christ’s Second Coming – in which Christ himself is mighty in battle (Revelation 19) – and then the Eternal City in Heaven following the new creation.

Psalm 24

1. The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Mid-week Minutes is a weekly summary of Pastor’s Bible Study from the mid-week Prayer Service.

Text: Revelation 22:12Revelation 22:12
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  

Topic: Christ’s return for his Saints is imminent!

We must be living our lives with the expectation of the Lord’s imminent  return upon our minds. His return  could happen at any time, nothing  is preventing it from happening. We often say that, eschatologically speaking , “it is the next thing on God’s calendar” (although we know that God is not bound by time).

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We hold to a dispensational view of eschatology, which allows us to understand that there are no prophesies that need to be fulfilled before the rapture of the Church. The following is a  brief review of the eschatological events following the return of Christ for his Saints:

• Following the rapture of the Church, Israel will sign a covenant with antichrist, initiating the period referred to as the “Tribulation.”
• 3 ½ years into the Tribulation, antichrist will break the covenant with Israel, marking the beginning of the last half of the Tribulation, which is referred to in Scripture as the “Great Tribulation” and the “Time of Jacobs trouble.” In this time, God will pour out His wrath upon the earth.
• The Battle of Armageddon will conclude the Tribulation period, which will end in the destruction of the Armies of the earth and the casting of the Beast and false prophet into the Lake of Fire. Satan will be bound for 1,000r 1,000
  Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se za?ne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!
  years in the pit of the abyss
• The end of the Tribulation will issue in the Millennial reign of Christ upon this earth, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and covenants. This reign will be a righteous reign where Christ will “rule with a Rod of Iron.”
  • At the conclusion of these 1,000e 1,000
    Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se za?ne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!
    years, God will loose Satan for a time, leading to the final struggle between the unrighteous man and God at the battle of Gog and Magog
  • Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity
  • The Lord will then judge all unbelievers, small and great, from all of time at The Great White Throne Judgment and they will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

Investigate the scriptural teachings of the imminent return of Jesus

• The “Watching” Passages
  • Romans 13:11-12Romans 13:11-12
    11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.  
    
    • Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed
      • Time of accounting for the saved
      • Time of judgment for the lost
    • A time to awake from slumber
      • Because our salvation is nearer than ever before
      • Because we have no right to sleep when there is work to be done
      • Because the days are evil and the enemy is at work even as we sleep
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6-81 Thessalonians 5:6-8
  6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. ⁷ For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. ⁸ But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  
  
• 1 Peter 4:71 Peter 4:7
  7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  
  

• The “Hoping” passages
  • Titus 2:13Titus 2:13
    13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; glorious...: Gr. the appearance of the glory of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ  
    
  • James 5:7-8James 5:7-8
    7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be...: or, Be long patient, or, Suffer with long patience ⁸ Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.  
    

Text: Revelation 2:1-7Revelation 2:1-7
2 ¹ Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; ² I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: ³ And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. ⁴ Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. ⁵ Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. ⁶ But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ⁷ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.  

Topic: Believers must constantly look for the Lord’s appearing

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Revelation 2:4Revelation 2:4
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  
records the scathing rebuke of the Lord for the church at Ephesus, but they were not all words of rebuke.

• The church at Ephesus was standing up to the task – Verse 1
  • “I know thy works, thy labor, and thy patience”
  • They were busy and active for the Lord
• The church at Ephesus was standing up for the truth –  Verse 2
  • “I know how that canst not bear them which are evil”
  • They tested those who claimed to be apostles, but were not
    • They claimed to be teachers of importance
    • They claimed to have authority
    • They were liars
    • I John 4:1John 4:1
      4 ¹ When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,  
      – “…believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God
• The church at Ephesus was standing in the test – Verse 3
  • “Thou hast not fainted”
    • It was not easy going in Ephesus
    • Believers were criticized by the world
    • There was opposition
    • In spite of it all, they remained faithful

Were it not for what is recorded in verses 4 and 5, one would think that the Church at Ephesus was the model church!

• Thou hast left thy first love – Verse 4
• Thou art fallen – Verse 5
• All that the Lord had commended them for in the first three verses meant nothing

The church at Ephesus was doing all the right things

• It is possible to serve the Lord for a variety of motives
  • To gain the praise of men
  • For prestige
  • For position
  • For the sake of reputation
  • Out of a sense of duty
• All service which is not born out of love and devotion to the Lord is worthless

This passage can easily be applied to the return of the Lord, and will kick off our theme for this year, Coming again in 2010?

• 2 Timothy 4:1-82 Timothy 4:1-8
  4 ¹ I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; ² Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ⁵ But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. make...; or, fulfil ⁶ For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  
  
  • His appearing will be a time of judgment
    • All people will be judged
    • The living and the dead
  • Based upon the imminent return of Christ, Paul charges Timothy to Faithfulness
    • “I solemnly order you”
    • It is a mandate to us all
  • Judgment could be only moments away
• 2 Timothy 4:82 Timothy 4:8
  8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  
  
  • His appearing is a time of reward
    • Crown of Righteousness
    • For those who habitually loved and desired the Lord’s Appearing
    • “Do we merely give assent to the doctrinal truth of His imminent return, or do we show by our daily life that we love, yearn for, and await His appearing?”

• Acts 1:8-11Acts 1:8-11
  8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. power...: or, the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you ⁹ And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹ Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.  
  
  • “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
  • Have you left your first love?
  • Do you love his appearing?