Also, I'm gonna challenge some of you here, okay? I'm gonna read something to you Being that we're here to learn the Bible. I'm gonna challenge some of you When you go home today or sometimes during the week pick up your Bible and do a little study him Oh, I know that's hard to do these Bibles are heavy. I got one too. I can do to pick it up But I managed occasionally This is a book written by Dr. Charles C. Ryrie. Do you ever hear of him? Do you ever hear the Ryrie study Bible? Okay. Let me tell you something about Charles C. Ryrie here. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, spent his early years in Alton, Illinois, received his education from Haberford College, Dallas Theological Seminary, and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He is dean of the Graduate School and Professor of systematic theology at Dallas, theological, seminary. Okay, to get all that. In other words, he's well-recognized, well-accepted, and well-acknowledged in the religious community. In his book, here, that I have concerning the Book of Acts, chapter 1, verses 12 to 26. Well, take a minute. Turn over there, if you will. We got plenty of time. We're in formal here. Chapter 1, verse 12 to 26. In fact, we might not even get on a revelation just one in a few days. Let me fill you in on what's taken place here, okay? Acts Chapter 1, verse 12 to 26. I'm explaining a book here by Dr. Charles C. Rirey, a theologian. He is the dean of the graduate school of Dallas theological seminary. In Acts chapter 1 verse 15, remember now Judas was dead, right? How many apostles does that leave? 11. So Peter, standing up in verse 15, stood in the midst of the disciples and said the number of names together was about 120. And listen what Peter said, men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy goes by the mouth of David's folk before concerning Judas who was God to them that took Jesus and so forth. He was numbered with us and obtained part in this ministry. And then he goes on to explain that he died, right? Verse 20, for it is written in a book of Psalms, let his habitation be desolate and so four. Four or four of these men of company with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John into that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. Now these are the words of Peter, so pay attention, all right? Your Bibles to call, or you are, And they appointed to Joseph Cullbar-Sabba's, who was her named Justice and Matthias. And then they cast lots and chose Matthias, and of course they did pray about it, but there's a problem with that. I don't know if you can determine what that problem is. So let me read to you what Charles Ryrie said. He said, first Peter declared the qualification necessary for an apostle. must be a witness of the resurrection and a companion of the Lord during the whole of his public earthly ministry. Question number one, I want you to determine this on your own. Where in the Bible does it say that the apostle has to be a witness of his resurrection? And where in the Bible does it say that he had to be a companion of the Lord during? And where does the Bible say that? That's what Charles Ryder says. And he's saying that's what Peter said. Is Is that biblical? Is that in the Bible? That's one of the questions I want you to read this and study it and determine for yourself. Sort of write a Bible exposition if you would. A expository. You can do this. Before you're done, you're probably writing a whole exposition on the whole book of action, then you'll be famous. Isn't that wonderful? Okay, let's go on. Listen to what he said. Two candidates were nominated. Justice and Messiah's. Mathias. And then I want you to know, then they prayed not for the Lord to choose, but for the choice which the Lord had already made to be made known to them. Is that correct? Well, if it's not correct or if it is correct, one way that prove it. Go to the Bible and prove it. You should be able to do this, right? I'm challenging you. It's a challenge. Do this. The two names were put on Watts, placed in an And then the one which fell first which first fell from the earn was taken to be the Lord's choice Well, I'll be darn So in other words, is that true or not The first one in other words they were throwing dice to determine who the Lord chose That's basically what they were done Is that biblical? Well Charles Rirey seems to think so If it's biblical or if it's not biblical, you should be able to go to the Bible, read this and determine if it is or it isn't. That's another question. I'm challenging you with another question. You getting all this now? Isn't this fun? I'm going to go home and study the Bible for myself. Oh, I can't do that. Sure you can. The two names were put on. That's it. That's really interesting to me, anyway. And then Charles Rivey goes to the Psalm 16, 33, to prove that this is a biblical. Psalm 16, verse 33, to prove that this is biblical, or rather proper, I'm sorry, Proverbs, chapter 16, verse 33, to prove that it was old testament, the way they did it, Neil Testament. It's a way God did it, Neil Testament. Okay, the question is, is it? Is it really? And is a method no longer needed by Christians with the coming of the abiding presence of the indwelling spirit. The lock fell on Matthias and from that time on he not Paul was considered as the 12th Apostle. Is that true? Matthias and not Paul was considered as the 12th Apostle. These are the words of Dr. Charles C. Reirae, the Dean of Dallas Theological Seminary. is it true or is it not? Go to the Bible and determine it for yourself. Then let me know. Let me know what you come up with. It's false because Peter and the other apostles thought they were going to help God out. I think you're choosing that 12th apostle. So they picked who they wanted and cast their votes and picked my thighs. But God said, no, I picked the apostle Paul. He did. But that's all exactly 100%. Paul is an apostle, but you know you got to realize that Paul Well-Ryrie, Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, acknowledges that Paul was an apostle, but he counts Paul as the 13th apostle. That's what he says. Now then in Matthew, let me give you a couple of places to go to. I want you to be able to prove your point. That's what I want you to do. I don't want you to just make a statement, say this is what it is, and this is it. Prove your point, go to the Bible and prove it. Let me give you one place to go to in Matthew chapter 19, verse 28. Let me give you that. And Revelation chapter 21, verse 14. Let me tell you what those verses say, but I want to give them to you anyway, so you can go to look them up. Jesus Christ said, you shall sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. You shall sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. So it would be a good Bible study for you. I just thought I'd point all this out. I've got books in my library written by all kinds. I've got books by Oliver B. Green. Who basically is reasonably okay? But his gospel message stinks. It really does. So if you have books in your library and you're going to read them, even my books, I don't care who they are. Dr. MacChance, my books, if you've got books in your library or you get on the internet and you look up Christian literature, religious literature, I don't care what it is, where it is, you should be able to go to the Bible and determine if whatever you're reading is the God's word for not. You should be able to do that. You should not just take Charles Riley's word for what he says because it's basically 50% wrong. Charles C. Riley is 50% wrong. I've got a book in my library. My wife got me any art by Charles Swindall. I forget the name of it, but in that book he uses six different Bibles and quotes from six different Bibles that do not agree how in the world can you do that if you're supposed to be a religious scholar, absolutely ignorant. There's only one book I'll quote from when I write anything and it's a King James Bible. I will not use any other corrupt Bible, I will not use the NIV, the paraphrase, the NIV, any of those books are corrupt. And they come from the first four words of Satan in Genesis chapter three, verse one, Yehath God said, and then our stupid preachers stand in the pulpit and agree with Satan, Yehath God said, so that's a challenge. Okay, and then we'll get on with our services morning. Look, those things up, was Charles Ryrie right, but don't you say yes, he was, knowing what, go to the Bible and prove it. Go to the Bible. As a matter of fact, whenever I bring a message, I want you to go to the Bible and prove it. Well, was Pastor Dan right or was he not? You have a brain. You have a mind. Use it. I've always challenged people to sit in the church in the pew and the church that I'm preaching in. Go to the Bible and prove me right or wrong. You have that right. So here's the challenge. Okay. Oh, what do we do here next? Well, that's That's all the announcements I have, wasn't really an announcement, but whatever. We have a little bit of time left, so I really wanted to go to that and give you my interpretation, but I think you'd be better off if you drew your own conclusion, don't you? I have a home of book I talked to Max Young just last week, and he said, you know, I was looking through the Smiths expository dictionary. He said I was looking up the word repent and he said I realized that they insert their own opinion. I said, I know, in other word repent, they dismiss the repository dictionary, which I use all the time, has the word repent and they always put in which indicates to turn from sin. No, it does not. That's just your self-righteous stupid opinion. This is Charles Ryrie's opinion. An opinion is not a Bible truth, you know that? So anyway, I got my opinion too, but when it comes to the Bible, I'm not allowed to have an opinion. It either has to be according to the Word of God, or it's not. So where was I? Oh, I'll stand right here. Okay, let's have… Okay, we have a few minutes left. Oh, turning your Bibles to the Book of Revelation Chapter 1, if you will. We did a study on Revelation quite some time ago. We're going to do it again because it's been quite a while. But for the past three Sundays, we've been just laying the foundation for the Book of Revelation why God is going to bring his wrath upon this world. It should be relevant by now and it should be completely understandable why God is going to bring his wrath on this world. The world deserves it. The church deserves it but we will be taken out of the world. Had something called the Rapture of the Church. We will miss the seven-year tribulation but we don't deserve it believe me. In the book of Revelation, the word revelation actually is a great word of which means unveiling. Revelation is really a Latin word which means basically the same thing. Unveiling was written by a man by the Apostle John, while he was on the island of Patmos for his testimony. He was actually imprisoned on the island of Patmos us for his testimony. Chapter one, verse one. By the way, one of the things we're going to do is go through a lot of other books and compare them to the book of Revelation and some of the things that are going on. We're going to take a look at a novel lot of things. The Revelation or the unveiling of Apocalypse is by the way, do you ever see the movies on TV? They're called Apocalypse and then you'll hear news people talk about. Is this the Apocalypse? They have no idea what Apocalypse is. Apocalypse is simply unveiling. It doesn't mean disaster. It's simply the unveiling of God's prophecy for the end of the world, the end of the age. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass, and He sent and signified by His angel into His servants' jaw. You know, ago when I was a young person, I was a Catholic, the Catholic Church said you can understand Revelation. Of course they didn't understand anything in the Bible, those idiots, but you can understand Revelation. So we don't study it in the church, and we don't talk about it because it'll drive you nuts. That's what they told us. It'll drive you nuts. Of course you probably realized that he was probably right after looking at me, most of the time, yeah, he's nuts, all right. Yeah, he studied Revelation. He's nuts. But it won't drive you nuts. It won't drive you crazy. God said that he gave us the book of Revelation to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. The unveil. You read the book of Revelation and you will understand what the future holds. Isn't that amazing? To show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass and and he's sent and signified it by his angel. In other words, you can understand the book of Revelation. It's easy. In my opinion, the book of Revelation is one of the easiest books in the Bible to understand. It's really not difficult at all. Who bore a record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that He saw? Blessed, now pay attention to this verse, if you will, there's a promise here from God. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it, for the time is at hand. You know, it isn't amazing how much God can say in just a few words. It is absolutely amazing. First of all, God promised a blessing if you read the Book of Revelation. If you hear the Book of Revelation, and if you keep, the word keep means to make note and consider. If you consider the book of Revelation, God promises the blessings. You will be blessed. If you read it, if you listen to the teaching, and if you consider everything it says, God says you will be blessed. Isn't that amazing? For the time is in hand. Let me show you something in 2nd Peter, if you will. Hold your place. We're going to come right back here if you will. Notice he said the time is in hand. In 2 Peter chapter 3 it turned over there if you will. I'm just going to read two verses here but the heavens and the earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men but be levied. Be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years has one day. In other words, you know, you and I go through our life and time means so much to us, doesn't it? Time just means everything. But time doesn't mean anything to God. You know, when he said the time was at hand, he meant it. He said, but that was written two thousand years ago. Where's he been all this time? It's nothing to God. Two thousand years is just a short period of time. When he said the time is at hand, he meant he means it. He's not sitting up there in a chair somewhere, eating breakfast, not worrying about what you're doing when he said the times at hand he means at hand. And then there's one thing I want to point out before we went in further before I forget. And that is, go to verse 10 chapter 1 if you will. We hear preachers talk about the last Trump and the Trump of God and they try to make the Trumpet sound like if it takes place here. Let me tell you, really simply what the Trump of God is, and I want you to understand this. In verse 10, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and heard me behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. Now, turn over to chapter 4, verse 1, if you will. After this I looked and behold a door was open in heaven in the first voice that I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said come up here and I will show these things which must be here after. The reason I pointed that out is this. One of these days the Lord Jesus Christ is going to come into the heavens, going to just utter his voice, and you and I will be taken home at something we called the rapture. It will not be a trumpet, will simply be the voice of God. And the reason Paul uses the word trumpet because he means it will be a distinct sound when the Lord calls, you will know exactly what it is. I can't wait. Today would be good. Turn if you will, over to the book of Jude right here just before the book of Revelation. I'm going to give you a picture in the book of Jude of world we live in today. The attitude of the world we live in today, remember in chapter 1 verse 3 of Revelation, it said, blessed is he that read it, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep that means to make note, consider the things that are written in. Now I'm going to give you a picture of the world we live in, and a picture of the two kinds of people, the live in this world. There are two kinds of people, the live in this world, saved and lost. The lost person rejects Christ rejects the cross rejects the Bible rejects when you backed out your driveway this morning I'll bet you didn't even have to look did you I bet the traffic wasn't I back out of my driveway on Sunday I don't even have to look because I know nobody's gonna go to church I just know I drove all the way here without looking my wife doesn't know that a picture of the world we live in today and the two kinds of people beginning in verse 14 in verse 14. Now before that, now let's go up to verse 12. We've got to go cover verse 12. I'm running out of time, so we've got to go here anyway. In verse 12, these are spots in your feasts of charity, your love feasts, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear, be talking about the loss who are trying to mix with the saved, you see. Carried about by winds, clouds without water, They're carried about by winds whose fruit weather it without fruit twice dead. Twice dead plucked up by the roots, that's the world we live in. The world without Christ, the lost world is twice dead. There's anybody die twice. Yeah, every time you see somebody dies, that's lost. They die twice because God says they're twice dead. When they stand into great white throne, He's going to cast them into the lake of fire and will be eternally dead. Twice dead. The second death God calls it. That's terrible. That's one of the reasons you ought to be out telling people how to be saved because if they're not saved, they're twice dead. They're not just going to die once. That's got to be a bummer. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, to whom has reserved the blackness of darkness forever, the lost. And Enoch also, the seven from Adam, prophesied of these saying, Behold the Lord, cometh with ten thousands of his saints that you, by the way, to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed. Now, you put that word ungodly in her quite well, didn't he? And of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him, against God. These are murmurs, complainers, walking after their own lust and their mouth, speaking great-swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. Boy, if that doesn't explain the lost world we live in, even a lot of preachers in our churches today fit that verse 100%. I'll give you an example. There's a guy in Chicago by the name of Scudder, came out of Florida Bible College, started In a Bible college in Chicago called the Dayspring Bible College, at one time it was a reputable, but because of the influence of all these preachers, one of them being Charles C. Gregory, he'd become a joke. You know why? Because of the admiration of the advantage he gets from pop-napping with important people who are really fouled up when it comes to the Bible. These are murmurs, complainers, but beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. How they told you there should be mockers in the last time which we're living in, by the way. Who should walk after their own ungodly lust? These are they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit. I'm going to give you a name. Do you ever hear Joel hosting, or he fits these verses, doesn't he? Yeah, he's not the only one of course. I'll give you another one. How about Dr. Joyce Meyers? Who said the theme of the Bible is, what is it? Commit. Commit. No, you stupid idiot. The theme of the Bible is faith. If you had any brains, you'd know that, but of course she doesn't. she doesn't. All she has is plenty of money because all these dumb women have thought over. Oh, they just love her. Anyhow, I've been an ordinary today, haven't I? But you can say yes. But ye, beloved, verse 20, now notice the difference. Now, we went from the world, the lost world, who doesn't, who will never understand a book of revelation to you, you and I. But ye be loving, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost. In other words, pray. Always pray. I pray. I'm not ashamed of saying that I pray. I need to pray. We all need to pray. Keep yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. What should be your focus, your future, home, and heaven? You know what the problem with most Christians is today? They focus on their own puny little selves. Me, me, me. What do I want? What do I need? Nobody cares about me. Well, I don't need it. Get off your pity party and serve the Lord Jesus Christ and think about the future, you know? You want to be a happy Christian? That's where you focus all to be. Get off your pity-party little heiny and serve the Lord Jesus Christ and forget about your puny little self. You're really not that important, but we think we are. When I look for the eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord and I consider my service to Him and some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted by the flesh. By the way, I believe this is in reference to Christians who have fallen astray. That's what I believe it's in reference to, on some have compassion, making a difference and so forth. It's in reference to two things, giving the gospel and talking the Christians who have fallen astray. Now to him that is able to keep you from falling Christians and to present you thoughtless before the presence of His glory with the exceeding joy. Think about this if you will. First of all, we live in a world that is going to meet the judgment of God, the lost world, no joy, and then think about you. When you meet the Lord Jesus Christ in your eternity, you should have joy right now today looking for the future. You should walk out of here today having joy in your life knowing that you have a future, a future home in heaven, and knowing that there is a chance that you will be presented before him, faultless, and then verse 25 and then we'll be out of time. To the only wise I want you to pay attention to this verse, you should mark this in your Bible because this is very important. You probably never read it before much. To the only wise God, our Savior, you know what that says? That says Jesus Christ is God. The only wise God, our Savior, doesn't say and our Savior, or including our Savior, it says that Jesus Christ is, was, and always will be God. Be glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and ever a man. Let me just point out one thing and then we'll close if I may. Notice it says to him be dominion and power, Jesus Christ. Dominion, that means reign sovereignty, but it also says both now and ever. Did you get that? Do you know who is the most powerful being in the universe today? Jesus Christ. Do you know who has the power over the world when you give the gospel? It's the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever you're down and out because things aren't going bad, you know who could straighten out your problems, the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, both now and ever. As a Christian, do you know what you have at your disposal? The power of the Lord Jesus Christ. When you pray, you have the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, both now and ever. That's awesome power, isn't it? Why? Because he's God. He's God. Stop thinking about your own puny little lives because it's really done to mouth much. My life doesn't amount to much, it's just a puny existence. It's the future with the Lord Jesus Christ that really matters. That's where the power is. Amen. It really is. In closing, let me do this. I have a wallet full of money. The Bible says, we're all sinners. This hand represents me. This represents my sin. I've got a lot of money in here. No. God says I can go to hell and pay for it myself or very simply the Bible says Christ who was and is God died on the cross was buried and rose again for the forgiveness of sin all I have to do is believe it. He takes my sin and marked it paid. That makes me a Christian. I'm still in this world but I'm not of the world. Now I need to act like a Christian. Think like one and the Bible also says that once I become a Christian, once my sin is forgiven, there is a future coming and he says all I have to do is read the book of Revelation and I know everything that's going to take place in the future. Isn't that awesome? It really is. Or I could be part of the world but the bottom line is if I am, I'm going to hell when I die. And I don't want to do that. So I refuse. So if you're here today and you don't know Christ died on the cross for you. You don't know if you're going to have him when you die just right now before we close it. Lord, I believe you died on the cross for me. You've paid for my sin. And it's a done deal. Can't beat it, can you? And then you'll be a Christian and you'll have a good attitude and you won't act like me the ugly old preacher. You'll be a nice guy. I know. I'm not a nice guy. But anyway, let's have word of prayer and we'll close if you will. Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, we thank You so much for Your Word. We thank You for Jesus Christ who died on a cross for us. If You hear today and You've never trusted Christ as Your Savior, why don't You just do it now? If You don't, then You'll be part of the world that God is going to judge and that won't be very much fun. And if You have trusted Christ, then just remember there's joy in knowing that You have eternal life. There's joy in knowing that You have the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to protect You, guide You, lead You. someday when he takes the church it'll be his power to take you to be with him forever any turn. Dear Lord, we just thank You for bless those that are here this morning, bless those that are traveling, and Christ's name we pray, Amen.