Joni Mannell - Class 7: The day of the Lord will come like a thief

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   I don’t know if you’ve had much experience with of Thieves, we’re going to save thieving little hope. That’s much less experience of that. One of my earliest Recollections of having been exposed to a thief was when I guess I was probably about seven or eight years old and my grandma paid for us to go on holiday to Wales for a few days. I say she paid for us because my dad didn’t have any money so if we got a holiday then she paid it makes you got to come with us.

2. 0:35

   So, my grandma paid and we stayed a little hotel in Wales. It was a bit Fawlty Towers as I recall and it had a very odd Key System. When you left your room and lock your room, there was a board on the hallway where you would hang your key as you left the room. I mean I’ve never came a Janelle looking back and more ridiculous security system on the planet.

3. 0:57

   Anyway, one evening, we all went down for dinner and my dad who was a rule follower hung the key against the number of the room. So there was a big board with all the rumors and you would hang your key on the way down. I mean, it’s inevitable what’s going to happen, right? And we went, we went down for dinner while Evening and we seem to little shops I recall as we got back after dinner in the room, have been completely ransacked and I do recall even as a child, I think saying to Dad we did give them the key and there’s no better way to know when a thief is coming. The when you hang your room of it Ki upon, as you leave the room right to say I’m not there, please. Please go on ahead.

4. 1:39

   And anyway, the room got ransacked and I remember it quite vividly recollection for Will be more for the Fawlty Towers asked experience that it was. But what about the other abiding thing that I recall about it was my dad’s philosophy was and in fact if anything I think he felt a bit sorry for them because despite the fact that he runs like the room there was nothing to take we had nothing of any value to a thief and it’s one of the things I loved about my dad because my dad had no desire or appeal for anything of any value and so we never had any such thing.

5. 2:16

   So I think it was almost inclined to leave a note and apologize that it had been a freak with still a fruitless experience for them and there was nothing worth taking. and this is an important issue isn’t it now for aspirin sisters, because When the thief comes, the question is, is there something for him to take, you only feel a sense of loss, right? If something is taken from you, that you regret losing, that’s the challenge for us, isn’t it?

6. 2:48

   And what we just want to think about for a few moments? Now, before we finish is the thief who is coming, is the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s the thief only six times. This little metaphor is used in scripture and they come in three pairs. I don’t even notice that there’s one in Matthew 24, which is part of the Olivet prophecy which is, which is a fundamental It’s really possible in this particular in this last couple of chapters Thessalonians.

7. 3:15

   There’s an almost identical version in Luke’s gospel accounts as well. So there the two occasions when it comes directly from the mouth of the Lord, Jesus Peter repeats it for you. Remember, in his letter, Paul repeats it here, in 1 Thessalonians 5. So you’ve to in the gospels to in the letters and then the last two of course can be revelation. And we just read one of them there in the letter to Sardis and by the time you get to River, but in the gospels in the letters, it’s a little bit oblique, isn’t it? The day of the Lord is coming like a thief. By the time you get to the record of Revelation, bring sisters.

8. 3:51

   There’s no question who the thief is. I am coming as a thief and it’s Jesus speaking in the first person twice. He says it in the letter to Sardis that we read in chapter 16 and verse 15 of Revelation. I am coming as a thief and the thing that’s most in fear of being lost, is your garments on both occasions.

9. 4:11

   Blessed, is he we read in Sardis? Who here? Overcomes will walk with me in white garments and he revelation 16, if you remember it says blessed is he who keeps his garments so that they do not see his shame. So, the thing we’re in most in fear of losing friends sisters, as our garments, with all of that metaphor, that it means in Scripture.

10. 4:35

    But it’s worth thinking for a couple of moments. When this is about, we know a couple of Thieves in the Bible, don’t we? We’re introduced to a couple of Thieves Judas were told. Was a thief. And it, I don’t even remember the moment when John tells us, that Judas was a thief. Japan, it was.

11. 4:57

    It was in it was at that meal. The resurrection meal that we were looking at yesterday to remember Lazarus come forth And subsequently that evening. Jesus sat down for a meal with a man who been raised from the dead and the following day. These two great companies would come out to meet the Lord, waving their palm branches and crying out, Hosanna blessed, is he who comes in the name of the Lord?

12. 5:23

    And that evening, there was a woman who broke a very expensive box of spite yard. I never even done that. Who wanted that box? He said it would have been better if we’d have sold this and giving the proceeds to the poor and John said Judas said that not because he cared for the poor. But because he was a thief.

13. 5:51

    And that was on the day of the Lord the when Jesus had come and cried Lazarus come forth. And there was a man there brand sisters, who was a thief and you know, the result of being in that house that night for that Thief was he went away empty-handed. He did not get what he wanted that night, because the Lord was there and remember the Lord’s answer. He said to Judas, and the disciples who were stood around, what this woman has done.

14. 6:20

    She did, he said for my burial, And there was no way the Lord was going to allow that which that woman had prepared to be taken by the thief. And he left that night, princesses empty-handed and he went and covenanted to try and get some money somewhere else as you recall. But in fact, it was only a couple of days later as Jesus made his way into Jerusalem that we meet the next group of Thieves. Drummer has the Lord Jesus walked into the temple precincts there on his last trip into Jerusalem and he’s done it. Yeah, a couple of years before had me when he first arrived in his ministry and he cleared out the Temple of those that bought and sold in the temple courts there and he arrived at the temple for one last time.

15. 7:06

    And in those three and a half years, when sisters nothing had changed. And he took the whips if you remember and he turned out those who were buying and selling in the temple and he said to them this this house was supposed to be called by all nations are House of Prayer and you have turned it. He said into a den of Thieves And again it was in that moment as he rode into Jerusalem, the day of the Lord came like a thief and and there was a great Irony Brothers, sisters the thieves who made a practice of thieving discovered that they were the ones who are being theft from. I’m not even sure that’s the word. They were the ones who were being robbed and stolen because the Lord Jesus Christ came to take away from them. The things that they regarded as valuable the Commerce and and their, their their status, and there, there there. Lively hoods that were being made out of the practice of what should have been a Divine, and a holy thing. And the Lord Jesus Christ came and he took it and he stole it and they came running after him.

16. 8:12

    By what Authority do you do these things, right? And that’s, that will be a great challenge for us for the Sisters, won’t it on the day. When the Lord Jesus comes, whether we’ve got so many things in our life that so valuable to us, we don’t want to see them lost or whether in actual fact, the things that are of the most value to us of the things that Jesus will bring with him. Blessed, is he who overcomes?

17. 8:38

    And he will walk in in new white garments. They are the things that Jesus will bring with him, right. And all those garments that we’ve been wearing for all, this time will be will suddenly be of no value and they’ll be gone. And that’s the that’s the sense of the loss and their risk here.

18. 8:56

    When you want us alone against five here, the Apostle Paul very carefully picks up on this. Parable from, from the the Olivet prophecy. We just turn week to meet with me to it’s in Matthew 24. I wanted to I only had one slide for you. I didn’t notice to get my slides at yesterday. I’m not going to manage today because it’s still not working. Does that sound like how carefully plan? This was the only have one slide here today, which was just to show you the number of references. There are between Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians and this this sort of that prophecy and the other screen for more than three.

19. 9:34

    So I’m sure you can download it later and to be honest I ain’t got time to take you through it anyway and I we’ve only got digressed on it, but it worth just going through with your with your pain and making out of all the Mistakable illusions that the Apostle Paul makes there in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5. Particularly, if you accept that the Olivet prophecy extends beyond the end of Matthew chapter 24, and in to Matthew chapter 25, and we’ll just look at couple in a minute, but you’ll, you’ll have to do the homework. You sell yourself on afraid to, to pick them up. But of course, we’ve noticed before, ready this weekend at the the Thessalonian motifs are here. Aren’t they?

20. 10:09

    The the Lord coming in? The Clouds of Steven has shared with us with the sound of the Trumpet verse 31, and sending his angels to gather his elect from the Four Winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. And Jesus begins a couple of Parables. One of which included here is the thief. As you come towards the end of this chapter verse, 43 know this, that if the Goodman of the house had known in, what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and not suffered his house to be broken up.

21. 10:40

    Can you imagine how surprised the thief would have been run sisters in my hotel in Wales? Having taken the key off the hook and walked in the room. I was sat there waiting for him, right? Wouldn’t that be amazing? If when the Lord comes because this is a matter of perspective, isn’t it? It depends on how you see it.

22. 10:56

    The Lord is not a thief for those who have nothing to take away, is he? And if he comes and finds a sat there as Stephen described, this morning’s at ready and waiting, I’m here, good to go, then there’s no thieving to be done, right? No loss to be enjoyed, only gain to be had not many. The thieves come and give you gifts, right? They normally take the Lord will come with dual aspect and it depends on your perspective, doesn’t it? And maybe even sisters for us.

23. 11:24

    And that’s the point of that the Apostle Paul makes there in 1 Thessalonians. 5:4 us, that he does not come as a thief. That will not be. How you will experience as the Apostle Paul the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. but just look at the next Parable, that occurs here in Matthew chapter 24,

24. 11:47

    Verse 44 BCE also ready for in such an hour as ye think. Not the son of man comes, who then is a faithful and wise servant. Whom his Lord has made ruler over his household to give them meat in due season blessed, is that servant whom his Lord? When he comes, will find.

25. 12:04

    So doing verily, verily, I say to you, he will make him ruler over all his Goods, so this is the jewel perception Now, isn’t it? This is what will happen to those who are ready and waiting. When, when the Lord comes But verse 48, if that evil servant will say in his heart, my Lord, delays his coming. And I want you to notice that phrase foreign sisters because you’ve heard it before.

26. 12:33

    Where was Jesus? Taking this Parable from my Lord, delays his coming because there was a group of people who made this statement brothers and sisters. And it’s in Exodus chapter 32, we just come back with me one last time this weekend to these events at saini. I In the record of Exodus. My Lord, delays his coming.

27. 13:07

    And I believe Jesus picked up phrase, princesses right out of Exodus, 32 and you’ll spot it straight away. Moses being up in the mountain for 40 days and he’s going to return to the Wilderness floor and place the golden car and just wave a Dorito slowly. Here it is in verse one, look, when the people saw that Moses delayed, Take him down from the mountain. If that evil servant, shall say in his heart, my Lord, delays his coming.

28. 13:41

    And this is, this is what Jesus was quoting from. I believe in. I’ll show you why in a second. And I told you this morning, you haven’t heard the shout yet, we heard the voice of the Archangel and we heard the first trumpet in a moment. You’re going to hear the shouts, which completes Paul’s Trilogy one person alone, Ian’s five.

29. 13:59

    And the thing that was going to precipitate it rinses was there was a generation of people here on the Wilderness floor who heard the trumpet, they heard the voice of the Angel, speaking out of the midst of the fire and when they saw Moses disappear up into that cloud you know and you can see all the images now can’t you. This is what the Lord descending for the first time, a Steve’s taking us through this weekend and their conclusion after six weeks was my Lord, delays his coming and the direct effect, the impact of that.

30. 14:29

    Season of my Lord delays his coming was well come on. Let’s let’s check our stuff in the fire and make us Gods which will take us back to Egypt. That was the outcome of that belief. My Lord delays his coming. Now just come back. A couple of pages to to Exodus chapter 24. Just just listen to the very last thing that Moses said to them before he was taken up from them into the cloud. Exodus chapter 24.

31. 15:00

    You remember this extraordinary scene? It’s almost as if Moses conducts a Breaking of bread service and memorial service here in Exodus 24 is here. X 12 pillars around an altar with the oxygen in the bullets and he offers the the the burnt offering in the peace offering and he has everybody a watching and he takes the blood and he sprinkles it. And these are the words that are used in Hebrews, aren’t they? To describe the foretaste of the New Covenant. These are the words that Jesus himself used here. Exodus 24.

32. 15:30

    The Last Supper, this is my blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for you. And he picks those words right out of Exodus 24. This this memorial service that Moses holes here on the Wilderness floor in the sight of all the people. And at the end of that Moses in verse 13 Rises up on his Minister Joshua and Moses went up into the Mountain of God and these were the last words, Moses said to the elders as he left and are on Mount Sinai.

33. 15:57

    I Verse 14, Terry here for us. Until we come again unto you. And in verse 15 Moses went up into the mount and a cloud, covered them out and the glory of the Lord Abode upon Mount Sinai I can you see this lovely image that’s being played out here. This is the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, isn’t it? Wait for me are the same Jesus whom you saw taking it from. You will so come in like manner as you saw him go and what was Moses going up to receive what what what Phil’s Exodus chapters end of 24.

34. 16:38

    Way through to Exodus 31, it’s the receipt of the Tabernacle, isn’t it? I’m going to prepare a place for you. I’m going to prepare a place in the father’s house and that’s why God repeatedly. And those chapters said to Moses, didn’t it make sure you make it exactly. According to the pattern, in my father’s house are many mansions as I will come and receive you unto myself, and they’re very method of the Bringing Down the pattern of the Tabernacle for from Moses, it in papal, type was so that God could build a sanctuary for him and Is people to be together there? That’s what mostly got up to receive. And he came down with all of that pattern in his head. Didn’t he carrying the tables of the testimony? Anemic chapter 32 and verse 1.

35. 17:21

    When the people saw that Moses delayed my Lord, delays his coming during what Jesus turned that into in this, Parable, in Matthew 24, if that evil servant will say in his heart, my Lord delays his coming and he says that they end up getting drunk and beating each other up and doing the very opposite of building one. Another up, they beat one another and as Moses climbs down, Mount Sinai here, of course, he he Witnesses the things that are going on here on Wilderness floor. And now you need to hear the shout. and you know it, you know it ever so well when Moses saw the dancing and the calf, it said his anger, waxed hot, and he broke the tablets and he stood up in the camp and he cried So we’ve heard the sound of the trumpet, the voice of the Archangel. Now you’re going to hear the shout. Who is on the Lord’s Side?

36. 18:20

    That was the shout that Israel heard from sisters when the Lord came and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come. And he came and he came with vengeance who is on the Lord’s Side and it wasn’t everybody that came was it runs? This is when that shout was heard. It didn’t penetrate. The years of everybody did it who was it? That came to Moses side.

37. 18:40

    Can you remember it was the Levites and on that very day burn sisters. When the Levites came to be with Moses? God said, I will make a covenant with you. That will be in Lasting governance of priesthood and they got it burn sisters because when they heard the shout of the coming Lord, they responded and they came and they made themselves available.

38. 19:03

    And the next thing knows he said was good. Yeah. Every man, his sword by his side and take Vengeance on your brethren and put out this evil from the camp. I mean, you can’t miss that the magic of the this unfolding drama. Can you hear it? In This Moment. Well, come with me, finding them back to the New Testament, back to the Olivet prophecy in Matthew 25.

39. 19:25

    As I believe Matthew the Lord, Jesus story continues his discourse of them. Of the Olivet prophecy into Matthew 25. And we said this morning, we’ve heard the two of the three motifs in Matthew 24. You’ve got the sound of the trumpet. You’ve got the Angels Gathering, the elect, from the Four Winds of Heaven. What about the shout then in the Olivet prophecy? Where was the Apostle Paul taking that from? Well, it’s in chapter 25, I think brothers sisters, and again, you know, whatever.

40. 19:54

    So well because it’s buried in a little, another little parable, Verse 1 of Matthew 25. The kingdom of heaven will be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Isn’t that lovely? That’s the words of the Apostle Paul isn’t in 1 Thessalonians 4 that with that. When the bridegroom comes they will go out to meet him. That’s what we’ve been talking about. All weekend, isn’t it?

41. 20:20

    That’s what they were waiting for these these these virgins. They were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive and he was late. Different in eastern culture, normal. The bride’s late for us. but the Lord delayed his coming or so they thought, And you notice what happened. Do you remember what happened to those virgins burn sisters? It says in verse 5, while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept and this is the metaphor now of 1 Thessalonians 4, isn’t it?

42. 20:53

    But at a very specific time at midnight, there was a cry and it woke every single one of those virgins. Nobody, nobody missed the cry. They didn’t all of oil in their lamps but none of them, none of them missed the sound of the shout at midnight verse 6. There was a cry made and here he comes. This was the cry.

43. 21:15

    This was the shout that the Apostle Paul I think was referring to and here it comes. Behold the bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet him. That’s 1 Thessalonians 4, isn’t it Go ye out to meet him and only half of them brothers sisters made it into that marriage Feast. When the bridegroom came Well, our weekend reaches, its end then will you just end with me and Luke’s account of this same account just in Luke’s gospel? Because as we leave this weekend run sisters, we just have to get our perspectives in check, don’t we? As we leave this place and as you face your life and I face mind tomorrow, it’s about our perspective isn’t it as to how we see the Lord coming.

44. 22:04

    Whether we see him coming to give us salvation and Redemption. You know, whether we hear the joyful sound of the trumpet call or whether we see a thief coming and we’re fearful of those things, he will take from us when he comes and we hear the Air Raids. Byron, you know, that’s the choice.

45. 22:21

    We’ve got to make and only we can make that choice. Come with. Okay. Only. We can know that the priorities that we’ve made in our lives and the dedication of our hearts and Minds is sufficient to a degree that we can rely enough on the grace of God. That when we hear that shouts and where we hear that trumpet, it will fill us with joy.

46. 22:41

    And I want you to notice the pronouns that Luke uses, Luke chapter 21 and verse 25. And I think I used to To panic as a child. Again, this was a common Sunday evening lecture chapter when I was a kid about men’s Hearts, failing them for fear. And I remember thinking, oh boy, I maybe I need to be maybe I need to be in that boat, you know, when the Lord comes, I need to be absolutely trembling in my boots. That’s that’s how it ought to be. But when you read carefully, the pronouns he ever anticipate course.

47. 23:12

    That’s not how it ought to be. There will be signs verse 25 in the Sun, and in the moon, and in the stars and upon the Earth distress of nations with perplexity, the Sea, and the waves roaring, roaring men’s Hearts, failing them for fear, men’s Hearts, not yours, men’s Hearts, failing them for fear, for those things, which are coming on the earth for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken.

48. 23:36

    And then, shall they see the son of man coming? A cloud with power and great Glory. That’s what they will see. but when these things begin to come to pass, Look up and lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh. Verse 34, take heed to yourselves lest at any time, your hearts, be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, here it comes. And so that day come upon you, unawares for as a snare shall it?

49. 24:12

    Come on, all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth on them. There’s a very big distinction in these postures. Princess is between they and you they and you and they will respond very differently to you and I burn sisters. When we hear that voice. And so our final words, then of these Brands sisters verse 36, What’d you do that for? And pray, always.

50. 24:44

    That you may be accounted. Worthy to escape, all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the son of man. That you may be accounted. Worthy to escape, all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the son of man.