(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see how)
Focus Question:
How will you know really know?
Intro:
Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you know there’s whole pile of crazy going on in my hometown of Portland, Oregon. And if you’ve ever wondered if this could be the beginning of the end, you’re not alone.
Of the five sermons or discourses of Jesus in the book of Matthew, the fifth one is what we’re in the middle of…chapters 23-25. Jesus is back in Jerusalem, is not far from finally giving himself over to crucifixion, and the tone is noticeably heavier.
Today the discourse turns to the end times — eschatology being the four dollar theology word for it. And our focus question today is “How will you really know?”, and here’s what to listen for. As the world starts going to the proverbial heck in a handbasket, there is a whole lotta deception going on…except for Christians. So the question is, “How will you really know truth? What’s real versus fake news?”
Let’s get after it.
New Testament segment:
Passage: Matthew 24
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 51
Words: ~1078
How will you really know? Mt 24:24 says that even the elect — those are the truly saved — will be deceived if it were possible. So why is it not possible?
I think there can only be one answer, albeit with two sides…God’s protection is on them, and as Jesus told His disciples in John 16, the Holy Spirit will guide us into truth.
One thing I’m confident He will also do is be honored by us just sitting at His feet and reading oracles of judgement in the OT, too. Even if we don’t understand it all. So..
Old Testament segment:
Passage: Isaiah 19-20
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 31
Words: ~846
You know, it’s useful to remember that one message that is clear here is that God is sovereign. That should be it’s own measure of comfort for those who follow Jesus.
Wisdom segment:
Passage: Proverbs 13:11-24
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 13
Words: ~206
The bottom line:
Let’s close out with a sobering, but I hope uplifting, thought. There are already technologies that can take a video of someone and make it look like they’re saying something they’re not, mimicking voice and face through computer manipulation. What will it be like in another few years, let alone decades?
And the fineness of difference between truth and almost truth is a battle that’s been going on a long time. But all that almost truth now has the amplification of the interwebs behind it.
So how will you know?
Be in God’s word, pray without ceasing, and give thanks to the Creator of the universe who says, “I’ve got you, I won’t let you get away, you’re mine.”
Thanks for being here, friends. It’s all for the hope.
Love you!
Roger
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) Alan Hultberg, “Matthew,” in CSB Apologetics Study Bible, ed. Ted Cabal (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1207.