What ARE We Waiting For? It's Going to Get Worse

Introduction:

What is the Rapture? - The rapture is the future event when Jesus Christ descends from heaven to gather his people, those who died and those living, to be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, to receive their glorified bodies and be kept from God's vengeance & judgment on unbelievers in the 7-year period known as the Tribulation (see Revelation 6-19).

Reasons to Believe in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture:

1. It's the most Straightforward understanding of the biblical language.

   Revelation 3:10 - I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

   1 Thessalonians 5:9 - For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ...

2. We never see the Church in the tribulation in Revelation!
3. God has a track record of Removing His people before He judges the wicked.

It's Going to Get Worse: How to Survive the Tribulation (Matthew 24:15-28):

1. Watch for the Abomination . (Matthew 24:15)
2. Be ready to Run . (Matthew 24:16-22)

   Revelation 6:9 - I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God...

   Revelation 12:11 - ...they loved not their lives even unto death.

   Revelation 13:7 - Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.

   Revelation 17:6 - And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

   Revelation 16:10 - The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.

3. Don't be Fooled . (Matthew 24:23-26)
4. Keep your eyes to the Skies . (Matthew 24:27-28)

   Revelation 1:7 - Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 24:15-28

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What Biblical reasons do we have for believing Jesus will rapture His church before the Tribulation? Why will Jesus do this?
   

3. Why do you think Jesus tells people to run instead of telling them to witness to their attackers or fight back (Matt 24:16-22)?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

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Want more eschatology teaching?

Catch up on the previous verse by verse teaching through Revelation

Catch up on the previous verse by verse teaching through 2 Thessalonians

What ARE We Waiting For? It's Going to Get Bad

Introduction:

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 - And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

It's Going to Get Bad: How To Get Through Birth Pains (Matthew 24:1-14):

1. See that you're not Deceived . (Matthew 24:4-5)
2. See that you're not Alarmed . (Matthew 24:6-8)
3. See that you're not Wavering . (Matthew 24:9-13)

AND SOME GOOD NEWS (Matthew 24:14):

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 24:1-14

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Some people believe all these events Jesus described (Matt 24:4-14) happened in the 1st century, and some people believe they are all in the future tribulation. What reason do we have to believe that these events take place during the “church age” (=now)?
   

3. Jesus said when we see these signs, we should not be alarmed (Matt 24:6b). Do you get alarmed at the news? What’s the difference between “not really caring about what’s happening” to “not being alarmed”?
   

4. Read Matt 24:9 again. If you are a parent: how are you preparing your children for this?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

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Want more eschatology teaching?

Catch up on the previous verse by verse teaching through Revelation

Catch up on the previous verse by verse teaching through 2 Thessalonians

Both God and Money

With over a decade of Real Estate experience, Alex began as an investor and at the market's peak in 2006 owned 11 properties including his personal residence. The bubble burst and hit his family hard, but they regrouped and carried on with a No Debt Philosophy thanks to discovering the teachings of Dave Ramsey. Alex and his wife, Stacie, began teaching Dave's course, Financial Peace University and to date have helped hundreds of people to pay off over a million dollars in debt. Alex and Stacie are members of Harvest Bible Chapel with their two college-age boys, Christian and Samuel.

Guest Speaker - Alex Giannetti
alexgiannetti.com

Introduction:

Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

1. God wants you to be a Giver .

   See: Proverbs 11:23-24

   Malachi 3:8-10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

2. Be Content . (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

   Live the life that God is calling you to live and be grateful for that which he has given you.

   See: Proverbs 12:9

3. There is no such thing as Good Debt.

   Proverbs 22:7 - "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."

   See: James 4:3-4 | Proverbs 21:20

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 6:24

1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?
   

2. Have‌ ‌you‌ ‌ever‌ ‌experienced‌ ‌first‌ ‌hand‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌borrower‌ ‌is‌ ‌slave‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌lender?‌ ‌(Proverbs‌ ‌22:7)‌
   

3. When‌ ‌was‌ ‌the‌ ‌last‌ ‌time‌ ‌that‌ ‌you‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌give‌ ‌but‌ ‌didn’t?‌ ‌How‌ ‌did‌ ‌that‌ ‌make‌ ‌you‌ ‌feel?
   

4. Do‌ ‌you‌ ‌feel‌ ‌pressure‌ ‌to‌ ‌”keep‌ ‌up‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌Jones’?”‌ ‌Do‌ ‌you‌ ‌cave‌ ‌in?‌ ‌If‌ ‌not,‌ ‌how‌ ‌do‌ ‌you‌ ‌fight‌ ‌the‌ ‌urge?‌
   

5. Is‌ ‌it‌ ‌ok‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌follower‌ ‌of‌ ‌Christ‌ ‌to‌ ‌have‌ ‌abundant‌ ‌wealth?‌
   

6. Tell‌ ‌us‌ ‌about‌ ‌a‌ ‌time‌ ‌when‌ ‌you‌ ‌received‌ ‌a‌ ‌perfectly‌ ‌timed‌ ‌blessing‌ ‌that‌ ‌could‌ ‌only‌ ‌have‌ ‌come‌ ‌from‌ ‌God.‌

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Who Will You Choose?

Introduction:

We Choose Barabbas Because (Matthew 27:15-23):

1. We are too Self-centered (Matt 27:17-18).
2. We are too willing to Listen to others (Matt 27:19-20).
3. We are too eager to Worship idols .

   John 19:15 - "They cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him! Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar."

How Do We Stop Choosing Barabbas?

Jeremiah 29:13 - "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 27:15-23

1. What was your big takeaway from this week’s sermon?
   

2. As Christians we know that God's plan is better for us and we will be fully blessed if we follow his path. Why do we continue to follow our own self ambitions and try to solve “bad” situations ourselves?
   

3. Read Matthew 26:59-66. We see that Jesus did not crumble under the most severe form of peer pressure, why is it so important that we know God's Word and stand for what is right in our current culture? How can we use God's Word to resist peer pressure?
   

4. Typically we think of idols as addictions or greed, but an idol is anything in your life that takes Jesus from being your first priority? How can you recognize an idol in your life? What is something you have allowed to take priority over your walk with Christ? How can you remove or realign those priorities?

Breakout
Pray for each other to work on their relationship with Jesus. Be honest about your walk. Share the areas you’re good and share your areas of weakness.

When You Pray… (Matthew 6:5-15)

Intro / Review:

When You Pray… (Matthew 6:5-15)

Four Marks of Real Prayer.

PRIVATE (Mat 6:5-6)

PERSONAL (Mat 6:7-8)

PROPORTIONED (Mat 6:9-13)

PRACTICAL (Mat 6:14-15)

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 6:5-15

GROUP

1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

2. “Your secret prayer life is your real prayer life” (v5-6). Do you agree or disagree? Why?

3. How balanced are your prayers (Praise, Purpose, Provision)?

4. What do you think motivates people to pray in a way to be noticed / applauded by others (v5)?

BREAKOUT

According to Jesus’ instructions (the 4 P’s in the sermon - Private, Personal, Proportioned, Practical), rate your prayer life so far in 2019 on a scale of 1-10. What do you need to do to give yourself a better score?

Pray for one another - to grow as prayers in these areas.