Here are the links to my notes for the first two messages.
1.Part #1 — What’s the difference between Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology & Biblical eschatology? And why does it matter?
2.Part #2 — ISIS waging war of genocide against Christians in the Mideast. New UN report provides chilling details.
Here at Prestonwood Baptist Church, I spoke on “The Caliphate Vs. The Kingdom.” I explained why Iranian and ISIS leaders are so fervent about the coming of their so-called messiah (the Mahdi) and their Islamic kingdom (the caliphate), and asked whether Christians are anywhere near as passionate about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His actual, literal, physical Kingdom on earth.
Over the last several years, I’ve been doing a personal study in the Scriptures on the whole notion of “the gospel of the kingdom.” What is the kingdom, exactly? Why is it a matter of good news for believers? How can anticipating the coming of the kingdom be a source of great hope in dark times? I have to say this study has been especially encouraging as I’ve been studying the caliphate and Apocalyptic Islamic eschatology. There are some similarities, but the contrasts are striking, and important.
What’s more, as we begin 2016 — as we begin the process of choosing the next President of the United States and so many other national leaders — we also need to have a deeper understanding of Christ’s kingdom. We need to constantly remember that the Lord is sovereign over our electoral process, that He may not give us the candidates want to win, and in fact He may allow horrible, corrupt, even dangerous leaders to win control of the United States. I hope not. I pray not. But should this happen, all the more we will need to understand “the gospel of the kingdom” and live with the hope that our King is coming soon to make all things right.
As soon as I can, I hope to post a link to the video or audio of the message. But for now, here some of the notes I used, particularly the Scriptures that formed the basis of the message. Please print them out and study them yourself, and as a couple and with your kids and your small group Bible study. And please feel free to share these notes with others on social media. Hope you find them helpful. God bless.
“The Caliphate vs. The Kingdom” — sermon notes
•As darkness falls over the world, and particularly over Middle East….
•As the forces of freedom are in retreat….
•As Iran’s Apocalyptic Islamic regime and its nuclear program is not neutralized but rather rewarded by the West and as the regime becomes even more aggressive….
•As the forces of the Islamic State — also driven by Apocalyptic Islam
— wage a war of genocide against Christians in Iraq and Syria in order to hasten the establishment of their Islamic kingdom or caliphate and the coming of their so-called messiah, the Mahdi….
•As our religious liberties here at home are under relentless assault…..
•As Americans murder 58 million unborn babies and there seems no end in sight….
•As our faith and our values are constantly trashed by our nation’s elites….
•As Washington seems unable or unwilling to steer the ship of state back in the right direction….
•As the two presidential front-runners give us little confidence they can or will turn the country in the right direction either….
•And as many in the Church turn their back on Christ and His Word and His people….
It is important for followers of Jesus Christ to remember, to study more closely — and to preach faithfully and without hesitation– what the Bible calls “the gospel of the Kingdom.”
The good news is that we have a King. He is coming. He adopted us into His royal family. And He will reign forever. He will establish justice and righteousness. He will make all things right, and all things new. This is our hope in an increasing dark world. And we must hold fast to it now as never before.
The Hebrew Prophets Foretold the Coming of the Kingdom..." Full text: The Caliphate vs. The Kingdom. What is “the gospel of the kingdom” of Christ and why is it our hope in such dark times? Mt 24:6
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