The Messiah’s Secret – The True Messiah

The Messiah’s Secret – The True Messiah
             Daniel 12: 1-4 Mark 13: 1-8
Robots were invented 35 years ago this robot on the left is called Rodney Copperbottom.
In our Gospel reading Jesus spoke of birth pains but not in the usual way were mum will soon give birth to a baby.
In this ‘Robots’ DVD clip birth pains are in a slightly different way.
Robot Rodney Copperbottom was born in Rivet Town, his father was late for his delivery. A box of robot parts. The only pain involved was in putting the parts together. 
Rodney grew up to become an inspiring inventor. He travelled to Robot City to meet the celebrated Bigweld. Along the way he met other robots, a whole gang of new friends. Rodney found out that the evil Ratchet guided by his mother had taken over Bigweld’s inventions company and was denying the robots the spare parts that they needed. Rodney was a bit like Jesus, he could make the robots better by mending their broken parts and he saved them from the evil robot Ratchet.
 Bigweld takes back his company from Ratchet and the Robots get their spare parts.
 Here in Rodney’s box is Springer pup he is feeling much better now that he has been mended.                                                                              
Can you tell me some of the ways in which robots are used?                                                                                         
We have developed the use of robots in factories doing all kinds of jobs like painting, welding, installing various parts in the production of cars and computers, and even moving boxes around in warehouses. They are used were jobs are dangerous, so to prevent risk of injury to a person a robot is used.
Robots can’t think for themselves and they are not aware of God or the Bible that foretell the future.                                                                                                                                        
Prophesies Fulfilled. Mark records the conversation between Jesus and the disciples as they came out of the temple in Jerusalem. His disciples were admiring the beautiful stonework of the temple. Jesus probably stunned them when he prophesied that the temple would be destroyed. This prophecy was fulfilled nearly forty years later when the Romans invaded and destroyed the temple in 70 AD.
Jesus spoke of birth pains or labour pains, that lead up to the birth of a baby. The birth pains that Jesus alluded to is a period of a time of trouble on the earth. Many theologians who study the Bible say that this birth pain period started one hundred years ago and continues today.                       
What should we look out for? Jesus said that, “Many will come in my name and say, ’I am the Christ.’ There have been many false Messiah’s over the centuries. The most recent Porto Rican preacher Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda, he has an international ministry with a large following. To spread his bizarre doctrine he owns a TV station and has over 300 faithful pastors and he does not hide his intentions, he was reported as saying in a Miami newspaper,
 “My purpose is to close down every church so that the true church can begin.”                                       
Regarding wars and natural disasters. Many Christians believe that the labour pains began with the first and second world wars followed by increased unrest across the world.
Today, as I write this blog, we are sadly seeing and hearing about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, It is only three years since the last conflict between them.
What came to mind on Sunday morning was the parable of ‘The Good Samaritan” the man who was injured by robbers on the Jericho road, this could be any person suffering from injustice, whether it is a Palestinian, Arab, Jew or Sudanese.
 In the parable the religious men who crossed over to the other side of the road to avoid contact with the injured man, are like many of us, who do nothing to help people who are suffering injustice.
I believe that Jesus portrayed himself as the Samaritan in the parable, he helped the injured man, knowing that the Samaritans were enemies to the Jews.
Jesus taught that we should love our enemies, do good to those who persecute us.  In the parable, the Samaritan said he would return to the Inn and settle the injured man’s account.
I see this, as the return of Jesus, settling with justice, first with the Jewish people, and the church of the tribulation. Following on with the battle against the antichrist and his allies. Luke 10:29-37.
 The Sketch. In our sketch the question of the sequence of events that lead up to Christ’s return were headlines in newspapers, which caused worry and misunderstanding. But one person in the family had wisdom to see that through it all, he believed the words of Jesus telling us not to be alarmed about what was going to happen, but to keep our eyes firmly fixed on him,
Some people would ask why would God put in place prophesy that allows suffering and wars.  At Pentecost the Apostles proclaimed Jesus for the first time as the Jewish Messiah, that was the time for the nation’s leaders to accept Jesus as the Christ, but they missed it. Their leaders of the council were Sadducee who did not believe in the resurrection and the Pharisees who must have despaired at the thought of the Messiah being defiled by the Romans and put to death by them on a cross. God in his justice knew that they had acted in ignorance, it was so that the prophesies concerning the death and resurrection of the Messiah were fulfilled.”For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.
Jesus in his compassion for us all, hoped to return with the angels within the life time of the Apostles. ” When he (Jesus) comes in the glory of his Father with his the holy angels. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” Mark 8:38. 9:1.  John 21: 23.
Peter preaching shortly after Pentecost to the Jews, ”Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.” Acts 3: 19,20.(’Times of refreshing’  meaning the re-establishing of the land and throne of King David by the Messiah.) God knew in his foreknowledge that the nation of Israel would not recognize Jesus as their Christ at and after Pentecost. They are a stubborn people, the prophesies concerning the end times will bring Israel to the point of extinction, a remnant left, before they look upon the one they had pierced. A difficult birth. Zechariah 12:10. 
Other Birth Pains. We are experiencing the effects of climate change; the increasing intensity of earthquakes and volcanic activity,famine and floods. The changes to our weather patterns are causing disruption to harvests across the world.
 Daniel 12: 4 this verse points to the birth pain period, “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”  Robots are part of the fulfilling of that prophecy the swift advance of science and technology the speed of communications across the planet.
On the 14th November 2012 it marked the 90th year since the birth of the radio. For many evangelists this was the opening up of the gospel reaching every part of the world, fulfilling Jesus’ words, “And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.” Mark 13: 10.

The birth pains lead to the birth of a baby, The’ baby’ Jesus was referring to the ushering in of the kingdom of God where Jesus will rule over all the earth.(Pre-Millennium Blog Saved by the Blood)
Christians have access into the heavenly kingdom of God now through faith in Jesus  From the time of Jesus’ ministry he put in place his ‘Baptism.’ Water Baptism whether it is by sprinkling or immersing in water, it includes the whole family. Acts 16: 33. It is in making an outward expression, a public declaration, of accepting Jesus as our Saviour for ourselves and our children.
There is a true story in the Bible approx 1500 years before the birth of Jesus. It was a prophecy of Jesus’ baptism.
600,000 Israelites after crossing the Red Sea began their journey towards the promised land of Canaan. After travelling through the wilderness of Shur for three days they had run out of water. When they came to Marah, they found to their dismay, that the water there was bitter and undrinkable. Due to this they murmured against Moses. He cried out to God for his help. God told Moses to throw a tree, that lay nearby into the water and the water became sweet and drinkable.  Exodus 15: 22 – 25.

The bitter water represents sin.
The tree that Moses through into the water, represents the cross where sin was dealt with by Jesus.
The sweet water represents sins forgiven.

It is like washing up, to wash the pots in just plain water the stubborn dirt will remain. However if I put into the water a cleansing agent, it takes off the dirt and leaves it clean.
The water and the cleaner working together is like water and the blood of Jesus’ cross working together cleansing our hearts, removing our sin and its causes. 
Further to that Jesus puts a fizz, a sparkle into the water and that is the Holy Spirit. He stays and lives within our hearts and helps us to know and follow Jesus by revealing him in the words of the Bible or through other people.
This is known as being crucified with Christ and being baptised into his death and raised up in the likeness of Jesus’ resurrection.

If only, I had a robot, so that after the dish washer has washed the pots and pans, it could put everything away into the cupboards.

What Jesus has done for us is a finished work of salvation.
Jesus told his followers that he was going to leave them to be with his Father in heaven, but he would return. As the birth pains increase every Christian is praying for people to realise that the Bible gives us insight into these events that are taking place in the world and that Jesus is the fulfilment of Biblical prophesies. He is the Saviour of the world.  

25th November 2012 We give thanks for the cease fire that is holding between Israel and Gaza.
                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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