 Matthew 24 beginning at verse 29, immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet. They will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn this parable from the fig tree when its branches already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near at the doors. Or shortly I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. And so what we're going to do is I'm going to give to you once again an introduction that's going to help to contextualize what we're looking at today. I'm going to give you a prolonged introduction to help you see how this is flowing in the course of Matthew 24. We know that Jesus has just prophesied that the Jewish temple will be destroyed. And so when Jesus said that, not one stone will be left upon another, it prompted his disciples to ask him a question. And what they had asked was when shall these things be and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled. And as I've been sharing with you, Matthew chapter 24 is actually Jesus's answer to that question. When you go through Matthew 24, throughout the chapter, Jesus begins to give signs concerning his coming. He speaks concerning a general tribulation that occurs really during the church age. I pointed out that the rapture of the church will also occur, that the tribulation will begin with the increasing judgments occurring for the first three and a half years. We looked last time we were together at the abomination of desolation and that occurs during the middle of the tribulation. And then Jesus spoke of great tribulation that would ensue from that point. And so this portion that we're looking at today reveals the conclusion of the seven-year period. And at the conclusion of the seven-year period, Jesus is going to return. Now there are those today who wonder when will God actually deal with all the evil that we find here on planet earth? Well the tribulation is a period of time when God judges earth for its godlessness. When you read concerning the things that are taking place there, you know that during that time there's a ruler that will arise. His name is the Antichrist. He's going to rule on planet earth. We know that the Antichrist will have a false prophet. And the false prophet is going to promote the worship of the Antichrist, also known as the beast. And because the world will have been deceived, people will willingly give their worship to the Antichrist. And God is going to allow them to follow the inclinations of their own hearts. It's not that it's his desire that they should worship and follow after, but he's going to give them over to their own passions and inclinations. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 11 and 12, it reads, for this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. And so that all will be condemned to have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. They're going to believe the lie, the lie that the Antichrist is Messiah. And so what will happen during that time is the world will worship Satan and will follow Antichrist. In the book of Revelation 13 verse 4 it says, men worship the dragon because he had given authority to the beast. They also worship the beast and asked, who is like the beast who can make war against him? In verse 8 of Revelation 13 it says, all inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast, all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. You see, they're judged during this time for rejecting God and Messiah Jesus. Through this time Israel will be purged and Israel will be prepared to meet Messiah. You see, through the tribulation, multitudes of Jews will come to faith in Christ. Zechariah 13 verse 9 says, this third I will bring into the fire. I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name. I will answer them. I will say they are my people. They will say the Lord is our God. So the tribulation, the tribulation is intended to prepare Israel to meet Messiah. The tribulation has particular significance to the nation of Israel. Jeremiah said it like this in chapter 30 verses 4 through 7. These are the words of the Lord. These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah. This is what the Lord says, cries of fear are heard, terror not peace, ask and see. Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Every face turned deathly pale. How awful that day will be. None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it. So when you read Revelation and you're looking at this time called the tribulation, you're going to see that there is a series of judgments that are escalating. Revelation 6 speaks of seal judgments that leads to Revelation 8, the trumpet judgments. But the final judgments are called the bold judgments and you see that in Revelation 16. And Jesus is speaking concerning that. So when you look at verse 29 here in Matthew 24, Jesus says, immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, the powers of the heavens will be shaken. So Jesus is speaking about immediately after the tribulation. When you look into Revelation 16 and you see the bold judgments, you see how it escalates to this point that Jesus refers to in Matthew 24, verse 29. Because you'll see these judgments that are poured out. The first thing you see is foul and loathsome sores that come upon men who receive the mark of the beast. And second, the seed turns to blood. Every living sea creature will die. Third, fresh water will be polluted and no one can drink. Fourth, the sun no longer is filtered. So heat combined with boils and thirst will torment people. A fifth thing is the darkness increases. A sixth thing, the Euphrates rivers dried up and an army from the east will begin to march. You see the sixth bowl prepares away for an invasion of the kings from the east and they with the beast armies will come to judgment at Armageddon. Then you have a seventh thing, a great convulsion completely overthrowing the order of affairs of man as they experience the fierceness of the wrath of God. All of this is leading to the return of Jesus Christ. So Jesus says again in verse 29 after the tribulation at the end of the seven years, in other words, he will return. The world is going to be in an incredible upheaval. Luke 21, 26 says men's hearts failing them for fear for looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And as this is taking place, Isaiah gives us more insight. In Isaiah 13 verses 6 through 11 he says this. He said, Well, for the day of the Lord is near. It will come like destruction from the Almighty because of this all hands will go limp. Every man's heart will melt. Terror will seize them. Pain and anguish will grip them. They will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other. Their faces aflame. See the day of the Lord is coming. A cruel day with wrath, fierce anger to make the land desolate, destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven in their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened. The moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. It's not going to be a party. You know I had, I had somebody, I heard somebody say, I'm looking forward to going through the tribulation. I want to see what it's going to be like. All you need to do is read the description of what is going to take place. And you'll discover that it isn't a place that you want to be. It isn't something you want to experience. It is a time of suffering and pain that has been unheard of in history. As this is all taking place, Jesus says in verse 30, then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And so then he says the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and tribes will be mourning. Zechariah chapter 12 verses 10 and 11 says I'll pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me the one they have pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child. Grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day weeping in Jerusalem will be great. It's going to be a time when the Son of Man appears and it says here coming on the clouds. In Psalm 104 verse 3 it says he makes the clouds his chariot rides on the wings of the wind. Revelation 1 7 says he comes with clouds every eye shall see him they also who pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so amen. And so these clouds are a picture of the armies of heaven. I I used to when I was brand new in the Lord I used to think you know it's like fluffy little clouds you know and and he's going to come kind of riding on it like that and I remember I would look at the at the sky on occasion you'd have clouds in the sky and sometimes there'd be an opening like a hole and I used to think he's going to come like a he's going to come right through that you know and that's kind of where my head was at at that time I thought oh it's going to be something amazing when this takes place. What he's referring to is his return with the clouds of heaven and that means one believers will be with him. Colossians 3 verse 4 says when Christ who is our life appears you also will appear with him in glory. Jude 14 says Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying behold the Lord comes with 10 thousands of his saints so he's going to return with believers but he's also returning with the unfallen angels because 2nd Thessalonians 1 7 says the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels and he's going to come with power and great glory. I used to think it said he's going to come with power and Greg glory and I was really upset about that I think why would Greg be the one who gets to come with him. I think Greg used to teach that I'm not sure. Power and great glory. In Zechariah 14 verse 4 it says his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the east and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west. There shall be a very great valley and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north half of it toward the south. Return of Jesus Christ. Let's turn our Bibles for a moment to Revelation 19. I want to show you something there. Revelation 19 I want to take you through verses 11 to 21. Revelation 19 for those who are new to opening your Bible to books and all. Revelation is the last book of the New Testament. Revelation 19 in Revelation 19 verse 11 listen to what the apostle John writes. Now I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he who sat on him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God and the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen white and clean followed him on white horses. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it he should strike the nations. He himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He himself treads the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God and he has a name on his robe and on his thigh a name written king of kings and lord of lords. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun and he cried with a loud voice saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven come and gather together for the supper of the great God that you may eat the flesh of kings the flesh of captains the flesh of mighty men the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all people free and slave both small and great and I saw the beast the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his army. Then the beast was captured with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. The rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse and all the birds were filled with their flesh. Jesus Christ came into the city of Jerusalem riding on the foal of a donkey. When he did so as I was sharing with you on Palm Sunday when he did so he was riding in as a king who came bringing peace. But you see that here in Revelation 19 in his second coming he's on a horse and I mentioned to you that when a king came bringing war he would be on a war horse. This is the picture of Jesus returning in that way and the thing that thrills my heart is when it says in verse 16 that he has on his robe and on his thigh the name that is written king of kings and lord of lords because that's who we worship. Never forget that. We worship the king of all kings, the Lord of all lords. That's our Jesus. That's who we worship and that's who we look forward to seeing one day. We need to remember that because the Lord will return and he comes this time to make war. He came the first time to bring peace but they rejected him. Those who've rejected him through history ultimately will come under his judgment. Either you receive him as savior or you will stand before him as your judge and that's what the Bible teaches very specifically and that's what Jesus is teaching us here in Matthew as we return to Matthew 24 as he's returning. You see the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven he said in verse 30. All the tribes especially purified Israel of those on the face of the earth will mourn and he comes with this power and this great glory. It says that he in verse 31 will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet. This occurs after the unrepentant ungodly have been destroyed. They're going to gather the elect who fled to avoid being killed. Remember in verse 16 Jesus in Matthew 24 had said let those who were in Judea flee to the mountain and so they have fled. So when he returns all who have hidden will assemble together and they will do so to worship him. That will include the 144,000 Jewish evangelists as well as their converts. Now the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is intended to be an incentive to live in preparation for him. To live as as those who expect his return. I've mentioned to you that the the rapture of the church is something that's imminent. It's the next thing in the prophetic calendar to occur. The second coming occurs after the tribulation. But the attitude that we have today ought to be in expectation. We ought to be awaiting the next event which will be to see Jesus Christ. And when you really do believe when you really do believe that Jesus Christ is actually returning then you're going to prepare yourself. If we believe these these things and how then should we live would be the question that is asked in Scripture. You see the Bible tells us in the book of Titus chapter 2 that God's grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passion and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in this present age while we wait for the blessed hope the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself of people that are his very own eager to do it as good. And so what we need to do is rather than becoming like the the unfaithful steward and just eat and drink and party and all what we're to do is be in preparation for his return because he can come at any moment. And as Jesus is illustrating this he wants to give to us more insight through a parable and you see it in verse 32 where he says now learn this parable from the fig tree when its branch has already become tender it puts forth leaves you know that summer is near so you also when you see all these things know that it is near at the doors assuredly I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place then he says heaven and earth will pass away my words will by no means pass away so he continues answering the question by giving a parable and the parables intended to illustrate his answer concerning when he's going to return and he gives what is called the parable of the fig tree he's saying basically this when the signs I've spoken of begin to transpire know that my coming is very near even at the door I want you to notice he's speaking specifically to the generation in existence in the last days when you look in your scripture you discover that fig trees can be used to symbolically represent the nation of Israel when you go to Israel they will speak to you concerning the seven fruits of the nation you find that in Deuteronomy chapter 8 verses 7 and 8 and it speaks concerning these seven fruits he speaks of this land he says it's a land with wheat and barley vines and fig trees pomegranates olive oil and honey so a fig tree is very often used to represent the nation of Israel and Jesus used fig trees to do so in Luke 13 for example he told this parable in verses 6 through 9 a man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard he went to look for fruit on it didn't find any said to the man who took care of the vineyard for three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree haven't found any cut it down why should it use up the soil sir the man replied leave it alone for one more year I'll dig around it fertilize it if it bears fruit next year fine if not then cut it down we saw in Matthew 21 verse 19 how that Jesus cursed a fig tree it says seeing a fig tree by the road he went up to it found nothing on it except leaves he said to it may you never bear fruit again and immediately the tree withered and I pointed out that Jesus cursed that fig tree because it symbolized national Israel national Israel a spiritually dead nation it had the appearance of life but was not producing fruit so what point is Jesus making when Jesus speaks about this fig tree its branches already become tender puts forth leaves you know that summer is near what is he speaking about well perhaps he's alluding to the miraculous rebirth of the nation of Israel a nation that had been scattered throughout the world for 1900 years that was miraculously regathered when you read your Old Testament you can look at the book of Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapter 37 we have an interesting story there it's really a story that relates to the national resurrection and restoration of Israel to the land of Israel you see when you look in Ezekiel 37 you find what is called the vision of the valley of the dry bones and that chapter reveals the spiritual condition of of the nation of Israel but it points to the national resurrection and restoration of Israel to their land Ezekiel 37 21 and 22 says it like this thus says the Lord God surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations wherever they've gone and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land and I will make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel one king shall be king over them they all shall no longer be two nations nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again so when you look at Ezekiel 37 the first 11 verses verses give us what is called the prophecy of the dry bones in verses one and two Ezekiel was brought out in the spirit and he is set in a valley of dry bones and as he's looking he sees that the these bones were bleached by the sun and they'd been there for some time there's absolutely no life in them physical or spiritual that can be seen and as he's there in this valley of dry bones in verse three God asked Ezekiel a question he said son of man can these bones live so that emphasizes the hopelessness of the situation so Ezekiel responds by saying it takes more power than man possesses to make these bones live so God commands him he said prophesy to these bones it says in Ezekiel 37 4 through 6 he said to me prophesy to these bones say to them oh dry bones hear the word of the Lord thus says the Lord God to these bones surely I will cause breath to enter into you you shall live I will put sin use on you and bring flesh upon you cover you with skin put breath in you you shall live then you shall know that I am the Lord in other words those things which are impossible with men are possible with God the life giving word of God will accomplish this impossible task God will restore the nation it is God who will do it I will bring life he is saying to these dead bones and the nation of Israel once again comes to life ultimately what they'll do is recognize that God is the Lord so Ezekiel prophesies he faithfully obeys in verses seven and eight he said I prophesied as I always commanded and as I prophesied there was a noise suddenly a rattling the bones came together bone to bone indeed as I looked the sin use and the flesh came upon them the skin covered them over but there was no breath in them once again in other words they will be clothed with flesh but they're still dead that's a picture of Israel today reassembled but without spiritual life and that God commands again in verses nine and ten prophesy to the breath prophesy son of man say to the breath thus says the Lord God come from the forewinds oh breath breathe on these slain that they may live so I prophesied as he commanded me breath came into them they lived and stood upon their feet and exceedingly great army restoration is pictured in two stages a regathering and an in breathing like Adam the nation will be there went like when Adam was was created by God this beautiful body of Adam was there but without life until God breathed life into Adam and even so that's what we have today we have the first stage of God's work in Israel we have a slow regathering but there is still no life within them after the tribulation God will once again be their God you know in ad 70 Titus of Rome ordered the destruction of the nation of Israel the city of Jerusalem the temple and all that was there was decimated and the people were taking captive I've been in Rome and I've been at a certain place in the city of Rome where there is actually a monument that was taken from the ancient land and it had carvings of the Jews and the implements of the temple being taken when Titus of Rome ordered the destruction of that of that nation and and the people were moved throughout the world they were dispersed throughout the world and and the nation of Israel that that place that God had set his affection on was was barren there were some Jews who stayed in the land there've always been Jews that have lived there since those days but but everybody had been dispersed until the 20th century and what is interesting is you can look in the Bible and you can see all these ancient people that the the Jews had had incidents with or who are reported you know there are parasites and there are Canaanites and and there's a variety of people that you read about but the the bottom line with all these people is they don't they no longer exist you also had the Israelites and yet when the Canaanites and the Philistines and the parasites and Jebusites and all the rest of those names that we find in Scripture when they've all ceased to exist yet you to this day you have the Israelite you still have the Jew and it's the miracle it's been called the miracle of the Jew in 1492 in Spain there was you know we when we who remember a little bit of the history class that we took in in school and all we we know that Columbus in 1492 sailed and and went out on his exploration to discover the new lands and all of that 1492 and and the Spanish king and queen gave to him the ability to do so with those three small ships and with the funds that came from the Spanish Treasury we know about that but one of the other things that was taken place in 1492 was the Inquisition and during the Inquisition if I were a Jewish person living in Spain and there was a large population of of Spanish Jews if if I were a Jewish person living in Spain in 1492 in that era era I had three options one is to convert to be a Catholic two was to leave and the third was to be put to death in the Inquisition those were my three basic options in life either I convert I leave or I die those are my three options and so many people from Spain began to leave from Spain into the new lands they landed many of them landed in in Mexico and into South America and so they actually are a number of people from Mexico who are actually Jewish Marie and I were in in Israel years ago now and we were in Megiddo and Marie was in the souvenir shop there that they have in Megiddo and and I was hiding because I had the wallet and as she was as she was in the souvenir shop she comes and finds me I have a tracker in and she found me and she says honey you have to come I said why she said I want to introduce you to somebody and I said okay so I walk into the souvenir shop and behind the counter is a man that that I would have said just from outer appearance a Mexican man in Megiddo Israel and I walk up to him and my wife introduces me to him and indeed this is a Mexican man is from Mexico City and and I say to him and what are you doing here in Megiddo what are you doing here in Israel he says I'm Jewish I said you're you're a Jewish man he said yes there are many of us here in Israel and then the last trip I was in Israel I was with some of members of my church and went up a Jose who works here was comes and says pastor I want to show you something there's this Mexican guy who's working and he Jose tells me he is a he's a Mexican Jew there are Mexican Jews so a lot of times when you think of Israel there's these stereotypes where you think that they have a certain look and this and that that is not true I I know Jews from Argentina I've met Jews from various places in South America and Jews from from Europe in various places in Europe the Jews were scattered throughout the world they've been scattered throughout the world and and and yet there's never been a time in history in history where where people who had been scattered and a nation destroyed there's never been a time when that nation has reassembled it doesn't happen there is no place that you can find the Philistines there is no place that you find Jebusites you don't find them anymore they were absorbed in history but not the Jews and that's why it's called the miracle of the Jew that's why it's called that because God reassemble like he said I will reassemble I will wreak out the I will bring they will be on my land they will be here so we're seeing the beginning of that right now we we are seeing it in our lifetime where God is fulfilling his promises to the nation and these people are coming from all over Marie and I were uh in in uh it's called Ben Yauda Street it's in Jerusalem and and she and I were walking and it's our day off and so we just kind of like go through it's kind of like an outdoor mall and all and we walk into the different places the shops and all and just to see what they have and and we walk in I'm with her we walk in and this man looks at Marie and the first thing he does is speak Spanish to her and and and she responds and he says she says why are you speaking Spanish to me and he says are you are you not a Spanish Jew and she says no I'm a Mexican Christian you know she he says well so many he was a Spanish Jew there are so many people from so many countries that are Jewish people Russian Jews and Polish Jews and French Jews German they're coming back to this land it's an amazing it's a miracle never in history has this happened before you see what happened during during the the history of the church up to the 1800s and into the early 1900s was the commentators the commentators would look at the different words of Christ and they would say um he speaks concerning a temple the temple's destroyed he speaks concerning these events that will take place in Jerusalem but there's there is no there's in Israel there are there is no Israel anymore it's it's it's been absorbed in history it's just it's a place where there is nothing anymore and and during the time of the commentators that's a fact I mean we we've been in Israel many times and we've gone there's this particular place that you go through it's called the hula valley it's where the first Hawaiian was created as you go through the hula when you go through the hula valley that was crazy I shouldn't have said it but it's true no it's not as we go through the hula valley our guide will point and say this at one time was only swamp this is all swamp and what you see here with crops being planted and flowers that are growing and all he says this is what happened since we came back and and and and uh re-inhabited this region we drained the swamps and they are now places where where grain products are being produced to feed this nation and all he says right before you is the is the fulfillment of God's word whereas prior to this uh Israel was filled with nomadic tribes and all but nobody was doing this kind of construction there were no cities that were built like they are today there was nothing like that this is all what has been called again the miracle of the Jew and God said I will re-gather them and ultimately at the end of the tribulation they will have been purged and they will once again be his people Ezekiel 37 14 he said it like this I will put my spirit in you you shall live I will place you in your own land then you shall know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it saith the Lord so Jesus said in verse 32 when its branches already become tender and puts forth leaves you know that summer is near summer is near Jesus is coming soon and he says in verse 34 this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place this generation that word has two applications at least one speaking of generation it would be the Jewish nation the Jews as a people will not cease to exist and second it would speak of those who are alive during the end times who will view these signs when Israel becomes a nation it is demonstrated that we are at the end of history the rapture will occur soon there are those who before the rapture occurs there are those who will embrace Christ there are others who will not after the rapture occurs there will be people left behind and they can be saved during that period of time they will be awaiting his second coming now how do we know this is taking place Jesus's promise heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away the universe ultimately will be recreated but my word stands forever Psalm 100 verse 5 says the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting his truth endures to all generations 1 Peter 1 24 and 25 all flesh is as grass all the glory of man is the flower of grass the grass withers the flower thereof falls away but the word of the Lord endures forever and this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you so replacement theology teaching that the church has replaced Israel in the promises of God was formulated because the nation of Israel was not in existence so the theologians doing the best that they could at that time not seeing a nation in existence and not seeing the possibility of anything taking place like this said the church stepped into the role of Israel and has taken the place of Israel on the blessings of Israel have really fallen upon the church but had they lived to the 20th century and seen the miraculous regathering that has been taking place now they would more than likely have understood that Jesus was literally saying no these things shall come to pass God will do it you see heaven and earth will pass away but God's worth remains firm and that's the word you can trust by the way God has promises in his word he has something he's going to do with the nation of Israel that's still in the future but God's word is true we have a God who makes promises and he keeps his promises in a very basic enclosing application of how God's word is true prophetically and right now just this last Tuesday I shared with some of you already you've always heard this that I had the blessed opportunity to perform the wedding for my sister Rebecca my sister Rebecca at the age of 18 was seduced into a lesbian lifestyle and remained living a lesbian lifestyle for 24 years in 1998 my sister Rebecca got saved because of the power of the word of God he saved her and my sister Rebecca began to learn to follow Christ and has continued to do so and has faithfully done so and several months ago now she was at home and somebody was going through her neighborhood dropping off business cards so that he can as a construction he owns a construction business so that he can drum up some business and he comes to the door of my sister Rebecca and he says to her do you have any any needs you know for repairs in the home and all she invites him in because she does have some needs for the home to be repaired and he comes in and they have a conversation and as they begin to speak he asks her and what is it that occupies your time and she says Jesus does he says you're a believer in Christ and she says yes I am he says so am I and I'm looking for a church to go to what church do you go to she says I go to Calvary Chapel the church that she goes to in New Mexico and he says oh and he shows up at the church that night he wants to go to bible study she sees him and she says oh hello it's nice to see you that's it she comes on Sunday there he is again a stalker no there he is again and and I I don't know if it was then or the next week she sees him again and again and finally asks her to go out to have some coffee after church and she goes out and has coffee with this man and they get to know each other and the man is a sincere believer in Christ wants to serve Jesus he's a man who he owns a construction business and and every month he will take and buy 60 60 burritos and he goes in and he gives them to poor people around the neighborhoods he feeds the hungry he has a heart to serve the Lord and they get to know each other and then they share their story she shares where she came from he shares where he came from he spent 16 years in prison he heard the gospel he came out he decided I need to get right with God eventually he comes of a strong faith in the Lord the last seven years he's been waiting on God to bring a woman into his life to marry they're 60 years old both of them 60 years old Methuselah and so so they get close and and and and I performed their wedding this last Tuesday and as I'm doing the wedding I look at them and I assume I said I assume you're not planning on having children if it happens it happens I've heard his testimony I'm going to have them share it here at the church it is an amazing work of the grace of God amazing what a joy it is to know heaven and earth may pass away but the word of God endures forever forever he changes his promise his promises are true his word is true he can take the off scouring and he can transform it into something that brings glory to him because that's the God we serve and when Jesus Christ says you can count on this you can count on it one day and it won't be long we will hear that trumpet the word will say come up here and we shall be with him forever and I look forward to that with all of my heart and that is one of the reasons why the power of the gospel we don't want to ever fall into the trap of trying to take God's word and make it entertaining we simply want God's word to have its effect if you let the lion out of the cage he has a tendency of doing what he wants and when you preach the word of God people will hear it and they will be transformed and those who are looked at as being the lost and the irretrievable and there's never going to be any any hope for you it can't happen like halberd we're just looking at him doing a work there in the yucatan when we see that taking place when we see God moving in people's lives you know there's not only is a God but he's an amazing God there's not only grace it is amazing grace and there's not just transformation it is an amazing transformation when God grabs hold of your heart and transforms you and that is the gospel that we preach a loving transforming God who's returning for us