How Can We Spiritually Thrive at the End of the Age?

I gave this sermon a couple of weeks ago in Ann Arbor, but since that point I've changed this around a little bit to reflect some other thoughts I'd had on the subject. Brethren, life in God's church is always interesting. I think you would agree with that statement. At times, life in God's church is very challenging. The history of the New Testament church from 31 A.D. until today confirms that. As you and I look into Bible prophecy, we see that more than interesting times await us down the road.

But let's take a look at some of the things that have happened so far in God's church. Let's go to Acts 2. Acts 2. Here we have the day of Pentecost, the New Testament church being started, and some of the history past that point. Verse 41, Acts 2. Then those who gladly received the word were baptized, and that day about 3,000 souls were added to them. 3,000 people baptized at one point, one day. How that took place? I don't know, but it happened. Truly, a magnificent happening there in the New Testament church. We move forward, though, and we see the pendulum swings the other direction.

Acts 8. Verse 1. Now Saul of Tarsus was consenting to his death, talking about Stephen, which we talked about in chapter 7. At that time, a great persecution arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles. So here we have, as I've mentioned in the past, God's people at the hand of persecutors being scattered through the region. They have no social net to call upon. They don't have any safety net. They've got no legal protection. They're losing their homes, everything they've got. They're carrying what they can on their backs and what they can carry.

But basically, they're being financially ruined. Verse 3. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. So where there was such great rejoicing in Acts 2, here in Acts 8, we see something quite different. And over the course of history, brethren, God's church has seen declines.

God's church has seen revivals in its scope and its power and its activities and its understanding. For those of you who enjoy getting on the internet, or if you've got the old 58 lesson correspondence course, if you go through lessons 49 through 53, you'll see a history of the true church of God. Fascinating reading as to what was going on throughout the centuries in God's church. Then we come to our era, Mr.

Herbert Armstrong, back in the days when we were number one in religious broadcasting. In the early 1970s. Back in the days when we were sending out 8 million copies of the plain truth at a time. And every year we would lose about 4 million subscribers, but add another 4 million. And that went on for some period of time. Some people have referred to the 1960s and 1970s as the golden era of the church.

Now I'm kind of curious. How many of you came into the church, either you or your parents, in the 1960s or 70s? Look at the numbers. Look at the numbers. A great many of us. Some came in in the 1950s and some other times. But a great many of us came in during those years. Of course, after Mr. Armstrong's death in 1986, there have been various challenges the church has faced. But one of the greatest challenges that are still in the future, let's take a look at Daniel 12. This is all leading up to something. Daniel 12. Talking about our day-to-day, the day when Jesus Christ will be returning.

Daniel 12. Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to the heaven, and swore by him, who lives for a very long time, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time. So we're looking at the last three and a half years before the return of Jesus Christ. The time we refer to as the time of the Gentiles. The time we would refer to as the time of the great tribulation and day of the Lord. When the power of the holy people has been completely shattered.

The power of the holy people has been completely shattered.

Now, does that mean we have gone to a place of safety? I don't know. We'll understand that as we look into the rearview mirror back in when those times come.

It appears from what we see in Matthew 24. I'm not going to turn there, where it talks about pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day and so forth. That there's coming a time when we will be going to find protection, somehow, somewhere, with God's leadership. We see in Amos chapter 8, and again, I won't turn there. Amos chapter 8 and verse 11, there's going to be a famine of the word. Why? Because God's people, their power has been shattered. We're not going to have church services like we do right here, right now, because of the persecution. Of course, God will allow the two witnesses to do their work. But in terms of being able to go to an actual Sabbath service, it looks like those days will have come to an end in terms of people wanting to find the truth. Wherever we'll be, we'll have services there. But the rest of the world, they want to find the truth.

As it says in Amos, they'll go from sea to sea and not be able to find it. They'll come to the community house and we won't be here. Let's turn now to Matthew chapter 24.

Olivet prophecy, Matthew 24. There's a section here in Matthew 24 that we've traditionally ascribed to, this is what's happening to us in God's church. That's verses 9 through 12. Matthew 24 verse 9. Then they will deliver you, then they, the worldly people, will deliver you, God's people, up to tribulation and kill you. And you shall be hated by all nations for my namesake. So obviously this is talking about God's people. People who name the name of God, who name the name of Jesus Christ, church of God, Christians, real church of God people, real Christians. Now because of what's happening in verse 9, we see verse 10. And then many will be offended and will betray one another and will hate one another.

Brethren, I don't know about you. I don't want that to be true of me. And I don't want that to be true of any of you. We drop down to verse 12. And because lawlessness will abound. Again, this is talking to God's people. Lawlessness. People not keeping the law of God. Because lawlessness will abound. The love of many will grow cold.

Now I skipped verse 11. It can be very easy for us to think verse 11 is talking about the world.

But this is still talking about God's people. Then many false prophets will arise and deceive many. Brethren, the world is already deceived. Do you want to be deceived? Do I want to be deceived? And none of us gets a free pass on this section of Scripture. All the difficulties. You know, Mr. The Sermonette we had earlier today. Mr. Ephemov's Sermonette. The ability to be forgiving during very difficult times. Are we going to be able to do that? Easy to say. Easy to say. Hard to do. Luke chapter 18 verse 8. I'm not going to turn there, but Christ asked the question, when He comes, will He find the faith on the earth?

The reason I gave this in Ann Arbor, they were celebrating their 50th anniversary, and I wanted to make sure they would be around for 50 more if they were young enough. That they would keep on going and be strong in the Lord. And certainly, brethren, I want that for the Chicago and Beloit churches as well. If we are the generation that lives during the time of the return of Jesus Christ, we're going to face the very worst times the world has ever seen. We don't want to be the people that are being spoken of here that are willing to turn one another in, hate one another, kill one another. We don't want to be deceived. We want to stay in the church. We want to be followed in the church.

You know what? There's good news. There's a great deal of good news. Let's look at Revelation 19.

Revelation 19.

Revelation 19, verse 7, it says, Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. That's us. We have made ourselves ready.

Brethren, how do we do that? How do you and I thrive during the most challenging times the world and the church has ever seen? That's the question I put before you today. How can we thrive, not just survive, how can we thrive during the most challenging times the church and the world have ever seen? Three points for you. Three really basic points. Number one, have a strong one-on-one relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

A strong one-on-one relationship that means everything to you. I mean everything to you.

And to me. I'm going to read Philippians chapter 3 and verse 8. This is in the Holman Christian Standard Bible, which I'm sure none of you probably have in your laps.

Philippians chapter 3 and verse 8. You know the sentiment, you know the thought here.

Paul says, More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered a loss of all things, and consider them filth so they may gain Christ. The Apostle Paul had a one-on-one relationship with the great God that was everything to Him. And brethren, as Mr. Ephamoth was asking rhetorical questions to you, I'm going to do the same thing. How am I doing with this? I've got to answer that in my heart and mind. How are you doing with this right now? Do you? Do I? Do we have a one-on-one relationship with God that means everything to us and nothing gets in our way? We don't schedule God out of our time. We don't find at the end of the day, well, I've just not gotten had any conversation with God, I've not read His words to me, I only fast on atonement, and so forth. How are we doing with that? How am I doing with that?

We have been studying the life of Daniel. And I'd like to just reiterate some of the things that we've seen in his life to this point. But before we go to Daniel, let's turn to the book of Ezekiel.

Well, try as I might. I'm not going to find Ezekiel in the New Testament.

Ezekiel 14. Ezekiel 14, verse 14, Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness, says the Lord. Other than Jesus Christ, who was absolutely perfect.

Here you've got three men named by the Scriptures.

Who had a tremendous one-on-one relationship that meant everything to them. Noah, Daniel, and Job.

For emphasis, verse 16, Even though these three men were in it, as they lived, says the Lord God, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, only they would be delivered and the land would be desolate.

We don't get into the kingdom of God on anybody's coattails. Not a husband, not a wife, not a son, not a grandson or granddaughter, not your best friend in services.

We're going to be standing before the great God, and we've got to give account of ourselves.

Verse 18, Even though these three men were in it, as they lived, says the Lord God, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.

Three times, for emphasis, but we're still not done. Verse 20, verse 20, Even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as they lived, says the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness, by their having that one-on-one relationship with the great God.

When we take a look at Daniel's life, there were many times his life was threatened with death, and even the threat of death would not cool his zeal. Verse 21, In chapter 1, we saw where his nation fell.

We're thinking about preparing ourselves for what's going to happen to our nation down the road. He went through something very similar. His nation went down the tubes. His nation went into national captivity. Thousands of people were murdered. Other thousands of people were taken into slavery.

And yet, here is Daniel, as a maybe a young as 15 years old, maybe as old as 20, still a young man.

They changed his name. They wanted to change his diet. They wanted to change the way he thought about various things. He wouldn't bend. He could have lost his life, but he had a relationship with God that meant everything to him, even as a young man, even as a very young man. He was faithful. He was obedient. He was a man of conviction. He was a man of commitment.

And brethren, we need to be people of conviction and commitment. In chapter 2 of Daniel, we see where Nebuchadnezzar has a tremendous dream. And he was asking the wise people of the time of his day to tell what the dream was and its interpretation. When people couldn't do that, they began killing them.

Daniel stepped forward. He went to God, who he had a tremendous relationship with, asked God for his help. God gave him that help, saved his life. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and some of these other fellows. Chapter 4, much the same thing. Chapter 5.

Chapter 5, we went through just the last time I was here with you.

The last hours of the Babylonian kingdom.

Think on this. Daniel saw his own nation go into captivity. And for a second time in his life, this time, he's not 15, he's in his 80s. Second time in his life, the nation he's living goes out of existence. The Persians conquered them. And yet, he still thrived because he had that one-on-one relationship that meant everything to him. He thrived during some of the worst times anybody can ever go through. Let's look now at Daniel chapter 6. Daniel chapter 6.

Here we are now in the Persian Empire, chapter 6.

It pleased Urias to set over the kingdom 120 satraps to be over the whole kingdom.

And over these three governors, whom Daniel was one. Now, he could have lost his life.

But you know what? There's a reason why he didn't. We're going to see that in just a moment.

Of whom Daniel is one that the satraps might give account to them so the king would suffer no loss. Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors of satraps because an excellent spirit was in him. And why did he have that excellent spirit? The Holy Spirit of God. Because he had that one-on-one relationship with God that he nurtured from a time he was a young man.

An excellent spirit was in him. And the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.

God gave him tremendous favor. So the governors and the satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no charge or fault because he was faithful. Nor was there any error or fault found in him. So the bottom line is we'll just cut through some of this for time's sake. They made this edict that couldn't be changed. If you pray to anybody other than the king, you're going to lose your life.

The bill was signed into writing. Verse 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home and did what? Hide under the bed? No. And in his upper room with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day. If they wanted to spy on him, he opened up the windows. He didn't just give a quick prayer. He prayed three times and prayed and gave thanks before his God. Notice, gave thanks before his God, as his custom was since the early days. Here's a man who had a one-on-one relationship with the great God. God gave him favor. God gave him length of days. God blessed him in so many ways, seeing two kingdoms fall before him. But he did not fall. He himself did not fall.

Daniel chapter 10. And here's something that's encouraging for us. Daniel chapter 10.

There's a principle here that you and I can embrace and really rejoice in.

Daniel chapter 10 verse 12. Then he said to me, Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard and I've come because of your words.

From the first day that he set himself to have that one-on-one relationship with the great God, a relationship that meant everything to him from that day forward, God was listening. God was acting. God was intervening. And, brethren, God is no respecter of persons.

God the Father and Jesus Christ love you so very much. Before there was a universe, there was a plan of salvation that was put into motion that Jesus Christ would come to die for you.

Yes, for all of us, but you and I can look at that very individually. The He came to die for me. We put our name in that blank.

So how can we thrive, not just survive, how can we thrive during the times of the worst times the world will ever see? Number one, have a strong one-on-one relationship with God and Jesus Christ. That means everything to us. Number two, number two, strongly embrace the trunk of the tree doctrinally. Strongly embrace.

Let's not be weakly attached to the vine. We want to be strong. We want to strongly embrace the trunk of the tree. You know, I made mention last time I was here that a few weeks ago, uh, you know, John and Courtney and Mary and I went out for dinner with a bunch of other people there in Beloit, and I had made mention I was going to use this point in an upcoming sermon, this one, and one in Ann Arbor. John asked the question, good question, what's the trunk of the tree? Last time I was here in Chicago after services, a number of you came up and said, here's what the trunk of the tree is. You know, you all had good reasoning. I don't, I wouldn't argue with anything that anybody said. Everything was different, but, you know, maybe we got a lot of trees. I don't know. But I put that question into a search engine for the United Church of God website. I thought, surely there's wiser heads out there than mine, and let's see what I find. Found a quote by Dr. Ward, and I quote, the trunk of the tree is the set of beliefs that is necessary and essential for salvation.

That is what must be clung to at all costs. You know, brethren, I don't think any of us are going to disagree with that statement. I certainly agree with that statement. The trunk of the tree is that set of beliefs that is necessary and essential for salvation. That is what must be clung to at all costs. That's the trunk of the tree. There's a lot of things that we enjoy talking about, but they're not trunk of the tree issues. Brethren, I want to ask a series of questions. Where are the trunk of the tree teachings of the Bible being taught?

Where are those teachings being taught? Are they just being taught any place where people gather together and they open up a book? The Bible? Any church in the world?

Just any group that assembles and opens a Bible? That Jesus Christ come to found a church? We know the answer to that, and the answer to that is yes. We know that Jesus Christ said the gates of hell will not prevail against that church. In other words, that church would never die out. So somewhere on this planet there is the church that Jesus Christ founded.

Does God's church have specific teachings and customs unique to itself? Are those customs and teachings based upon specific Biblical passages handed down from the time of Jesus Christ and the apostles? Yes. Yes, they are. And yet, brethren, as a church pastor, I've been in the work now since 1984, so that's 33 years as a full-time minister, 27 years of that as a pastor. In my 27 years of pastoring, I've seen any number of wonderful people walk away from the church Jesus Christ founded. I'm not talking about organizations here. I'm talking about an organism here. Walking away, just so they can go with some other group. Yeah, they would look into the scriptures, but it was more social in nature. Is that what you want? Is that what I want? Absolutely not.

Let's take a look at 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15. 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15.

Paul writing to a young man, Timothy, a young evangelist, telling him how to pastor God's people, how to work with God's people, how to love God's people, how God's people can be encouraged and strengthened. 1 Timothy 3.15. But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God.

Brother, we've not given a sermon on this in some time. At least, I haven't.

But let's not forget that there are 12 places in the New Testament to talk about God's true church. They're either referred to as the church of God, the churches of God, or as in this case here, the church of the living God. But God's church has a name.

And notice something else about God's church here, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of the truth. We don't want to walk away, do we, from the pillar and the ground of the truth? Is there truth other places? Or is it in the church Jesus Christ found? And again, we're not talking about organizations here. We're talking about an organism here. As a matter of fact, let me read to you one of our fundamental beliefs of the United Church of God.

And I quote, we believe that the church is that body of believers who have received and are being led by the Holy Spirit. Right? Now, what is a Christian? Romans chapter 8 and verse 9.

We've got to have God's Holy Spirit in us, leading us, guiding us. We believe that the church of that body of believers who have received and are being led by the Holy Spirit. The true church of God is a spiritual organism. Notice we didn't say organization. I've never baptized. And I don't know how many people I've baptized over the time I've been in the ministry since 1979.

But I've never baptized anybody into a denomination. I've baptized them into, and now others have baptized, you were baptized into the name of the Father and his Son, the Holy Spirit. It's through the power of the Holy Spirit you're put into the family.

The true church of God is a spiritual organism. Its biblical name is the church of God. The church of God. Let's not forget that. Now, can there be groups out there who call themselves the church of God and have all sorts of wrong beliefs? Yeah, there are plenty of them out there. I'm not saying that that's the only hallmark. That's the only sign there is.

You've got a great many churches in the world to call themselves the church of God or the church of Christ, and they have nowhere near the teachings we do. Let's go to John 17. Let's see what Jesus Christ bequeathed to his church.

The great architect of the universe is also the great architect of the Bible, the Word of God.

John 17.

Verse 8, For I have given to them, to who?

To people in God's church. I have given to them the words which you have given me.

Every one of them is put into the Bible just the way God and Jesus Christ wanted.

Every one. For I have given to them the words which you have given me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I have come forth from you, and they believe that you sent me.

The world doesn't believe that. This is something that is true of God's church. We drop down to verse 17. Let's add precept to precept here. Verse 17 of John 17.

Sanctify them. Set apart God's holy people. Sanctify them by your truth. Your Word is truth. So again, brethren, we don't want to go just any place to services.

We want to stay with the trunk of the tree and the trunk of the tree teachings.

Words of the trunk, if you will. Go back to John 6. John 6.

To me, one of the most encouraging sets of scriptures in the Bible. John 6. Verse 44 and 45.

Read lettering in my Bible. No one can come to me unless the Father who has sent me draws him. As I made mention to you on Passover, you have an individual invitation by the Great God to be in the seat you're sitting in right now. Each and every one of us have been given a very special invitation. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I'll raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught by God. We are here, brethren, to be taught by God.

And God's Spirit does just that. He teaches us. He teaches us in the sermonettes, in the sermons, in the Bible studies. He teaches us as you're at home, as you open the scriptures, as you're pouring over the Word of God, as you're asking God for inspiration, as you're asking God for encouragement, as you're asking God for direction. He's there for you, teaching you.

He's your great teacher. Verse 63, same chapter, it is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing, the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Brethren, don't go someplace where they're not preaching trunk-of-the-tree words. We want trunk-of-the-tree words. And I know, brethren, I'm speaking here to the choir, but I also know what prophecy says. I realize I've got to be careful. I don't want to be a part of what I read earlier today, where many will be deceived, where the love of many will wax cold. I don't want that happening to me. I don't want that happening to you. So we've got to be warned.

John 6, verse 64.

But there are some of you who do not believe, for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were, who did not believe, and who would betray Him. He said, therefore I have said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my Father. From that time, many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him.

And we've seen plenty of people over the years here in Chicago walk away. Then Jesus said to the 12, do you also want to go away? And notice what Peter says, but Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

You have trunk of the tree words. You have trunk of the tree teachings. Where can we go?

We go to the church that Jesus founded, the organism known as the Church of God.

Colossians chapter 2.

Colossians chapter 2.

Something that I take very seriously, I know all the men who speak before you here in Chicago take very seriously. Colossians chapter 2 verse 6 and 7.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.

We know what we've been taught here in Chicago for decades.

Rooted, verse 7, and built up in Him and established in the faith. As you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

We have a rich spiritual legacy here in the Chicago church of having the Word of God being richly preached to us. And you have a heritage of accepting and acting on those words, those trunk of the tree words. And you have grown and you thrived.

You want to keep on doing that. But again, brethren, I want to point out, let's go to Acts chapter 20. We need to be careful. We need to be careful. I remember so clearly going to ministerial conferences the last few years in our former association where we as pastors and ministers are told, you know, the brethren don't need to hear doctrine anymore. They know doctrine well enough. Late 80s, early 90s. Why was that being said? Because later on, they were going to attack doctrine. And they wanted you rusty. And they wanted me rusty.

And they were us, we thought. But they really weren't. They really weren't. For the moment, they began to believe and accept other things. That was it. Acts chapter 20. In Acts chapter 20, Paul knows his life is coming to an end. In Acts chapter 20, he wants to call the elders. And normally he would go to them. But in this case, he asked them to come where he was. He wanted to have a farewell with his men. Much like Herbert Armstrong did just before he died. He wanted to have a farewell with his men. He called his men together. Acts chapter 20 in verse 28. Notice Paul's words here. Therefore, take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God.

Notice the name. To shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. Didn't purchase any church with his own blood. He purchased the church of God with his blood. For I know this, that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. We've seen that action, haven't we? Back in 95 and other times. Also, from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after themselves. Therefore, watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace. I commend you to God and to the words of life, to the words of the trunk of the tree, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are set apart.

Quoting from the Mystery of the Ages, pages 207-208, I've got the 1985 edition back at home.

Mr. Armstrong says this, and I quote, The first place in the New Testament where the word church appears is Matthew 16-18, where, speaking to Simon Peter, Jesus says, I will build my church. The inspired Greek word for church was ecclesia, which means called out ones. Stated in a more clear English language, Jesus said, I will call it of Satan's world disciples, to grow into an altogether new and different world, which will be God's kingdom. And in Ephesians 5, 23, it is stated that Christ is the head of the church. So this we know, wherever the church is, it belongs to God, and its name is the Church of God. Jesus Christ is its founder, and he its living head.

I quote again, this is from page 270-271, Mystery of the Ages, 1985 edition. Mr. Armstrong says, I quote, The person who says, I will get my salvation alone outside of God's, outside of the church, is totally deceived. This is not the time when salvation is open to those in Satan's world. Those called now, I repeat, emphatically, are not called for salvation. They are called for a special training provided only in God's church. As I said, brethren, today people are meeting all sorts of fellowships, all sorts of things. People are kidding themselves that they're walking away from the true Church of God, that somehow this is going to benefit them. Don't do that. Remember what Dr. Ward said, the trunk of the tree is that set of beliefs that is necessary and essential for salvation. That is what must be clung to at all costs, and that is only taught in the church Jesus Christ founded. So point number two, strongly embrace the trunk of the tree doctrine. And lastly, point number three, how we can thrive during the worst times this world will ever see.

Point number three, we must be about our Father's business. How many times, those of you who remember Herbert Armstrong, how many times did you hear him talk about the work? That was a subject he loved to talk about over and over all the time. His heart was in the work. Did God bless him? Did God inspire him? Absolutely. Just a couple of scriptures here, Luke chapter 2 and verse 49. Jesus Christ is just a young lad. He's only 12 years old at this point in his life. You know the story. His family went up for the holy days. He stayed behind, talking to the learned people of the law, God's law. At Luke chapter 2 and verse 49, when his parents finally found him, he said to them, why did you seek me? Did you not know I must be about my father's business? I must be about my father's business.

Brethren, let's you and I not think that we are in this only for our own personal salvation.

If that's very important to us, and God wants to bless us with that, make no mistake about that. But if we come only because we're wanting to save our own skins, isn't that just being selfish?

Matthew chapter 28.

Matthew chapter 28 verses 18 through 20.

New covenant teaching. Jesus Christ has died at this point. He's been resurrected at this point. We're right into the new covenant. Notice what Jesus Christ says here. Matthew 28 verses 18 through 20. Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Verse 19, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. Did Jesus Christ command Sunday? Christmas? Easter? Lent? No. Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. New covenant teaching here. And lo, I'm with you always, even to the end of the age. Notice what he said in verse 18. All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. He said he'd be with us till the end of the age. We are to proclaim the truth of God until the return of Christ, until God shuts the work down. There are those people who would tell you, well, you know, once Mr. Armstrong died, that's it. Really? Do we see that in the Scripture someplace? I don't see that. What I see here in Matthew 28 is we've got work to do. We've got work to do.

You know, it's interesting, brethren, as I was pondering this, the Apostle John, as far as we know, was the last of the apostles to die.

He lived into the 90s AD. If we understand church history correctly, a lot of changes were taking place. By 120 AD, what people thought was the church of God was no longer the church of God. There was a different church entirely that the world saw, the great false church. So John is living during a time when some of this transition is taking place, heresy, seeping its way in, and so on and so forth. Now, if you were the Apostle John, with all the background you've got being at Christ's side, walking with him, talking with him for those years Christ had his earthly ministry, and you see what's happening in the 90s AD, what is the one message in 90s AD you want to leave with the people of God? What would you, you know, talking using Mr. Ephamoffs, you know, back and forth here. In your mind, what would you discuss with people?

What did John discuss in 1 John? Love. He discussed love, how we need to be loving people.

Are we loving people if we're only concerned about our own individual salvation? No. No. We want to get the word out because we are loving people. We want to warn people. We want to share with people what we have. It's up to God whether he calls them or not.

That's God's business. Our business is to as powerfully and as appetizingly as we can spread the word, spread the seed. God will take it from there. He's really good at what he does. Really good at what he does. Are we really good at what we should be doing in terms of showing love?

From the Mystery of the Ages, pages 265-266, again, 1985 edition, Herbert Armstrong writing, quote, The entire Great Commission, proclaiming the good news of the coming kingdom and feeding the sheep is a combined administration and function of the church. That's us. It's our job. We want to do it. I read to you earlier just a portion of what we have in our fundamental beliefs about the church. Let me read you the whole paragraph. Quote, We believe that the church is that body of believers who have received and are being led by the Holy Spirit. The true church of God is a spiritual organism. Its biblical name is the Church of God. That's what I've read to this point. Let me finish the rest. We believe that the mission of the church is to preach the gospel, the good news of the coming kingdom of God to all nations as a witness and to help reconcile to God. Such peoples are now being called. We believe that it's also the mission of the church to strengthen, edify, and nurture the children of God in the love and admonition of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That's what we need to be doing because we are loving people because we've got that spirit of God in us. We must be about our Father's business. Last scripture, Matthew 7. Matthew 7.

Verses 24-27, all read lettering in my Bible, words of Christ. Matthew 7, verse 24. Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. Who is the rock? And the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

It was founded on Jesus Christ, the one who we have that tremendous one-on-one relationship with, the one whom we listen to and embrace those words of the trunk of the tree and do the work he's called us to do. Verse 26, but everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell, and great was its fall. Brethren, the hardest days this world has ever seen or ever will see are perhaps in your future and mine. We want to not just survive it, we want to thrive in it. Today I've given us three things for us to think about. Number one, having a strong one-on-one relationship with God that means everything to us. Number two, strongly embracing the trunk of the tree, doctrinally, salvation issues. And number three, we must be about our Father's business. Brethren, what I say to you, I say continually, be strong in the Lord.