Real Life Radio

David Jay: Today, on Real Life Radio.

Jack Hibbs: Listen. This is big business before the throne of God. The Holy Spirit will convict, and our culture is trying to arrest the Holy Spirit for making people feel bad.

David Jay: This is real life. Welcome to real life radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David Jay, thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's word, the Bible. What do you say when a friend says their marriage might end? Or how do you help a coworker dealing with depression? Do you have the right words when your child opens up about school stress or family issues or something else? The Biblical Counseling Reference Guide by June Hunt. It's your go-to resource when real life problems demand some real answers. Now, it's an easy to read book and it's simple to find answers that are from the Bible for every situation.

With more than 580 topics and over 11,000 scripture references, you'll find what God's word says about pretty much anything from anxiety and anger to loneliness, death, and a whole lot more. Now, this isn't a book that you're going to pick up and read cover to cover, but it is one that you'll reach for in a moment of need. And it's our thank you gift for your donation of any size to real life this month. And if you'd like to order your copy, and we hope you will, just visit jackhibbs.com/realradio. That's jackhibbs.com/realradio. Order your copy right away.

On today's edition of Real Life Radio, Pastor Jack continues his series now called The Parables of Jesus. And a message today called The Parable of the Fig Tree Part 3. A parable is a picture story painted by Jesus that makes the truth of the Bible crystal clear. But with this parable, it's important that we take our time by laying down a firm foundation for its message. You see, this is one parable that God really wants us to understand. There's a real spirit of apathy that's been growing in the world about the gospel of Christ. And if we miss this parable, we stand the chance of missing out on our eternal life in heaven with our Lord.

Now, with his message called Parable of the Fig Tree Part 3, here's pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs.

Jack Hibbs: I'd love to Let me tell you, if I was a billionaire, I'd get this whole Wednesday night church service on airplanes, and we would go on over to Jerusalem. I could take you to the Temple Institute. Why? Because they have reconstructed in gold and in silver the actual utensils. They can't wait. They've got the high priest gown made. They've got the ephod made. They've They've been waiting. They've got the red heifers over That's ancient history now. They've been doing red They've been raising red heifers to to purify the temple for over 10 years. They have already the special blue dye that has to be used for the priest robe.

And they have found that dye in a sea snail. And Israel is sitting on that All that data. They're waiting. They're waiting. They're waiting. The next time you look at the Temple Mount, forget about the Dome of the Rock Mosque. Forget about it. It's It's irrelevant and worthless. Has nothing to do with your Bible prophecy exact I mean, not regarding our argument here tonight. There's an When you're looking at the Temple Mount, to the right of the Dome of the Rock Mosque is a vacant lot that can house perfectly the old temple of old perfectly.

They're waiting for the permission to rebuild the temple. My dear friends, listen. I talked with guys literally guy literal men whose life is dedicated to establishing In fact, they have it, the cornerstone of the temple. They have it in waiting. And they're waiting to lay it down. And they're waiting for permission. When you read a moment ago in Daniel chapter 9 verses 24 to 27 that he shall he shall confirm a covenant with the Jewish people for 1 week. What's one If If you just went through this math problem here, what's 1 week? How long is 1 week?

Can you guys put that slide back up real quick, the one with the time? Look at this. Do you remember the prophecy given was 77s are determined for your holy people and your nation, your city. 70 * 7 is 490. Jesus died on the 483rd year. The church age has been going on for 2,000 years where the gospel goes out to the Gentile world. You're sitting in it. The problem is if you take 483 from 490, you got 7 years unaccounted for. No, you don't. It's the 7 years that the Bible says in Daniel 9, this man that's going to defile the nation, the temple.

He's going to confirm a covenant with the Jewish people for 1 week, 7. The Bible tells us in numerous places that halfway through In fact, it tells you 1,260 days into that 7-year commitment. 3 and 1/2 years is 1,260 days. He's going to cut off his agreement with the Jewish people. In the In the Bible says in the middle of the week, he will break the covenant. Okay, you listen. The 7-year tribulation is that 7 years. I would love I wish we could just stop the clock and keep going on this tonight because I could show you from the Bible with with nothing but the Bible why the church cannot be on earth during that 7-year period of time.

It's purely Jewish. It's just Listen. It's exactly how the church was not around from the previous 1,173,880 days. The church didn't exist during those 483 years of Daniel's prophecy period. Then the Messiah's killed. Then the church age happens. And the 7-year tribulation period is God dealing with his people Israel. It's a special contract he has with his people Israel. Excludes the church completely. That's why the book of Revelation is as it is. That 's why in the book of Revelation chapter 4 verse 1, the church is never again mentioned in the book of Revelation until it's coming out of heaven with the Messiah in Revelation 19 and returning back to earth.

It is absolutely awesome. That's just That's just a teaser for some other day. We're in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. You guys okay? Second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 1. Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us as though the day of Christ had come. There were false prophets in Thessalonica saying Jesus had already returned. And they missed it. They were They were saying you guys missed it.

Verse 3. Let no one deceive you by any means, for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, apostasy. The word is to be taken away. And the man of sin is revealed. This is the guy we just read about in Daniel. The son of perdition who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he sits as What who? What? God in the temple of God showing himself that he is God. Do you not know or do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things?

And now you know what is restraining that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now Notice in your Bible, it's capital H, he. Holy Spirit. Don't think it's the church. The church isn't restraining anything. It's the Holy Spirit in the church that's restraining evil. Only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Ladies and gentlemen, the Holy Spirit when the rapture happens doesn't go anywhere. Some people have said, Well, oh, who gets saved after the rapture takes place if the Holy Spirit's gone?

Where did you think he was gone? He's not gone. The This is For those of you who played football, it's a great word. The Holy Spirit is blocking sin right now. And And this word to be taken out of the way Imagine him blocking sin and then he goes like this. Imagine he just lets the linebackers through. And they rush upon the quarterback. The Holy Spirit is not leaving anywhere. He will restrain sin and then he 's going to stop restraining it in that moment. I believe personally It 's my opinion now. I believe that when the rapture takes place Remember, it 's the Holy Spirit's job to deposit the church into the presence of Jesus Christ.

That's his job. The Holy Spirit. Once he does that, he lets evil go. When the Holy Spirit is no longer restraining, you now have the opening throws of the tribulation period soon that to follow. It's going to be nuts. Let's keep reading in 2 Thessalonians. Verse 8. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming. The coming of the lawless one Listen to this. This is code. This is key. Is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders, false miracles.

People are going to suckers for this. And with all unrighteous deception among those who perish. Why? Because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. They refused the gospel when they had opportunity. Verse 11. And for this reason, God will send them Who? The rejecters of the gospel. Strong delusion. What's the result? That they should believe the lie, the lie. A lie is coming that has a definite article in front of it. It's not a lie. It is A lie is going to be told by this man we call the Antichrist that is going to be so powerful.

People are going to believe it even if logic doesn't justify it. Ladies and gentlemen, we live in a culture today that people not only believe lies, they love to be lied too. Don't think this can't happen. It's already happening.

David Jay: You're listening to real life with Pastor Jack Hibbs. You know, to hear more episodes and maybe catch up in the series, just go to jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. And for now, let's get back to our teaching. Once again, here's Pastor Jack.

Jack Hibbs: Verse 12. And they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Timothy chapter 3. We're almost done. We have to end. We have to finish this. 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1. Listen to this. You see that Watch this. I don't want to learn about Bible prophecy. I don't want to learn I don't want to I'm going to I'll come back in some other time. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Ushers, let no one out of the building. 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1. Paul, the precious apostle by inspiration of the Holy Spirit spoke this passage.

2 Timothy 3:1 says, But know this Do you hear an option in that? Hear the command? But know this Sounds like Jesus when he said, Know this parable. That in the last days perilous times will come. Stop right there. Leave it on the screen. You do not have the luxury of saying, I don't want to know Bible prophecy. You don't have the luxury of that. I'll prove it to you right now. Paul says a in the last days it's going to get really gnarly. It's going to be really bad. Oh, yeah? What's it going to be like, Paul?

Uh, I'll tell you what. Now, remember, he's speaking prophetically by the power of the Holy Spirit. 2,000 years ago, the apostle Paul said they're going to be perilous times. The word perilous here means this. It's hard for us to imagine this anymore. But I remember my dad owned one of these. It was beautiful. Do you guys know what a planer is? I think that I mean, that's what I called it. I don't know what it's really called. But it has a blade. Has a handle on the front, handle on the back. The big handle on the back, you push.

And the handle on the front, you hang on too. And you go like this. What do you do with it, people? You You shave wood down. You can have a log and you start pushing that plane until you turn that log into a toothpick. That's the word. Perilous times will come. Times that will just wear people down. God says to us tonight, if you've walked with the Footmen Calvary Chapel and you've become weary, if you've fought the lunacy of Sacramento and bad laws and all these If you If you think you're dealing with evil and then and you're tired, the Bible says, What are you going to do when the chariots arrive and the Jordan begins to overflow its banks?

In other words, can you imagine fighting chariots on foot while you're running through muddy water? The Bible says, You need to You need to buck up. You need to put your big boy pants on. And you need to get ready. If you don't want to hear this, then you're a sucker for deception. I don't want to hear this. It'd be at a great expense to you. And I don't want that to happen. We're still in Timothy. Watch this. How are we going to recognize those days, Paul? I'll give you verse 2. Men will be lovers of themselves.

Hm, think for a minute. Does that happen? Lovers of themselves. People who think the whole world exists for them. Lovers of money. Gee, I 'm glad that's not a problem today. Boasters. This is brazen, bold braggers. I, I, I, me, me, me. Proud blasphemers. Are we living in a blasphemous age? Disobedient to parents. Meaning that they do not recognize the authority, God-given authority of that God had that God gives a parent. Unthankful. Are we unthank- I don't mean you, but as a culture, are we unthankful? Unholy. Hm. Unloving. Unforgiving. Slanders without self-control, brutal, violent people.

Despisers of good, mockers of what is good. Traders, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. And here's the shocker. Having a form of godliness. They They They dress up on Sunday. They live like hell all week long, but they dress up like heaven on Sunday. But they deny its power. They reject the person of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Paul says, From such people, run. Flee. Church tonight, we we end with this in this parable. Jesus is warning. There are false prophets. There are false teachers. They're everywhere. And I can tell you now, there are more now tonight than there were 5 years ago.

And they're increasing. And they're really cool and persuasive and charismatic. They're able to draw a crowd. If they're going to deceive, they're going to deceive by some of the greatest things known to man and what we appreciate. Think of it. Telling you things and me things that we want to hear. So, what do you want to hear? They read the culture. They're spiritual. They have a church, but it's a false church. It's all about you. It's all about how you feel. It's all about what you want. It's a crossless, Christless, sinless, redemptionless, mind you, message.

And you and I are being tempted to embrace what's cool. The worship is great or the guy's funny or it's slick and cool whatever, you know, and makes me feel good. I don't know you guys. The last time the Holy Spirit convicted me, it didn't feel good. Trying to leave LAX airport tonight to get here in time. I had a couple of non-Christian thoughts in the freeway. And the Holy Spirit said, What are you doing? That's not right. You need to repent of that. Nobody knew. I didn't say a word. It was all in here.

It didn't feel good. It did not feel good. But the Holy Spirit said, You belong to me. You don't think like that. I heard that. You tell me now what I think about that. Lord, you do not think that's good. And that's why Jesus died for me. And I'm sorry, Lord. Please forgive me. Are you with me?

Congregation: Yes.

Jack Hibbs: Listen. This is big business before the throne of God. The Holy Spirit will convict, and our culture is trying to arrest the Holy Spirit for making people feel bad. You and I need him. We are sinners. And there's no heaven without us being forgiven. And you can't be forgiven unless you know you've sinned. That's why he's the savior. Why do you think he's the savior? To save us. Cuz we need saving. Amen.

Congregation: Amen.

Jack Hibbs: Father, we thank you for your word. So perfect, so exact. In fact, the truth is it's not only exact to the very day. Those of us who know you, we can confess that you're exact to the very nanosecond. We can have a thought in our minds that's halfway formed and you'll bust us. You're so good. And tonight, Lord, I pray in Jesus' name that you would speak to those that are here this evening. And Lord, that those who do not know you as Lord and savior, those who do not know you as redeemer, the Jesus who died on the cross and rose again from the grave.

Right now, my friend, right where you're at I'm not going to have you stand up. I'm not going to have you raise your hand. That's not the That's not the issue. Right now, right where you're at, you can say now to him, Jesus, forgive me of my sins. I'm asking you, Lord, in Jesus' name to wash me now. I believe that you died on the cross and that you rose again from the grave. If you came into Jerusalem that day that you were scheduled, then, Lord, I'm going to receive tonight as the day that you write into my heart right on time.

Jesus, I want to follow you. I want to become a Christian tonight, not a member of this church, not a member of any church. I want to be a follower of Jesus tonight. I want to give you my sins. I'm asking you to wash me clean and to save me forever, my resurrected savior. Maybe you're here tonight and you don't believe this stuff, but you're you're thinking, You know what, Jack, if this stuff's true Well, let me tell Let Let me Let me give you this invitation. God is not threatened by your doubt, and he's not threatened by your skepticism.

He can handle it. Why don't you right now right where you're at, skeptic, say to him, God, if you're real, show yourself to me. If you're real, if if what I heard tonight's true, reveal yourself to me. I'm open. Listen, when he reveals himself to you, I want you to call me. I want you to grab me, come back to church, grab Find me. I don't care. Just tell me it happened to me, Pastor Jack. I was a skeptic. I didn't believe. And I asked him to reveal himself to me, and he did. I want to know.

That's how confident I am he will. Father, we thank you for your word. Bless these as they go home tonight. Keep them safe. And Lord, we pray that we would be real Christians like never before. We pray that in Jesus' name, and all God's people said,

Congregation: Amen.

Jack Hibbs: Amen.

David Jay: Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs here on Real Life Radio with his message called Parable of the Fig Tree Part 3. Thanks for joining us today. You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack's series called The Parables of Jesus. It's a series that highlights the teachings of Jesus while he was ministering right here on this earth. And we'll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio.

Guest (Male): So, as you heard from our broadcast, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. And if you'd like to know what a commitment to Christ can mean in your life personally, we would love to help you out with that. Go to jackhibbs.com/knowgod. That's k n o w God. And there you'll be guided through what a commitment to Christ can mean in your life and the freedom that you'll find in knowing God. Don't miss out. That's the know God tab at jackhibbs.com.

Jack Hibbs: Hey, everybody. You know, everybody here on the team thought it'd be kind of fun if you actually kind of saw or heard what goes on behind the scenes. After all, it's called real life and this is what we do. Take a listen.

David Jay: So, I heard somebody say uh this week, and it was I thought it was interesting. Um she was saying that pain is just pain, right? Pain is not going to do anything. It's just there.

Jack Hibbs: Yeah. It's like a megaphone. It's announcing.

David Jay: Yeah.

Jack Hibbs: It's announcing. Pain cannot take you out. Pain cannot rob you uh unless we sit around and complain about pain. Think about it. It's actually not the pain that could be ruinous to our lives. It's our attitude toward it. So, if somebody is going through financial woes and that's all that's all they complain about, that's all they're focused on is how bad it is, then they're probably going to get stuck in that drain. Um and again, it goes back to the weather. If it's If it's hot or cold outside, dress for the weather and and realize, You know what, this is a season.

It's going to pass. And we need to practice that. We do that in everything else in life when we are full, we do not eat. When we are hungry, we eat. When we're cold, we go and get warm. And when we're warm, we go and get cold. And so, it's just us realizing God's got this. He really does. I think our big crime imposed upon ourselves is thinking for some real dumb reason that God doesn't know what I'm going through. I mean, that just puts us through undue pain and sorrow.

David Jay: Yeah. Yeah. This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you, our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in his word. We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.