How Will Christ Know You?

Well, as we now are observing the Days of Unleavened Bread, and this is the fifth day of unleavened bread, but for those of you who are up in the Sea to Wulley, I'm giving my first day of unleavened bread sermon, so you're going to get a double dose. Those of you who might have been up there last Sabbath. But as I begin here, as we think of sort of observing the Days of Unleavened Bread and thinking about now going past this on to our Pentecost, I want to begin by asking a question. What would you consider to be the scariest scripture in the Bible? Now, there are a number of scary prophecies concerning events that are going to take place prior to Christ's return. The events that are going to take place with the blowing of the seven last trumpets. There are the heavenly signs that will proceed the day of the Lord, and there are the seven last plagues. In regards to the heavenly signs, I just want to make a comment here, because I know this has been going around a little bit about blood moons. I would like to mention a phenomenon known as the blood moon. There's an article in the Wall Street Journal. This was dated April 16th, and it talks about sky watchers see red in total lunar eclipse. And they talk about this eclipse took place on the first day of Unleavened Bread. There was a total lunar eclipse, and there's going to be another one on the full moon of the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles this year, and there'll be two more blood moons next year. One on the first day of Unleavened Bread and one on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Again, four in a row. A blood moon is when we have a total lunar eclipse of a full moon. And of course, full moons always occur on those holy days. And on those four occasions, it's also going to be a total lunar eclipse, which is going to be visible in most of the parts of the United States. And when you have a total lunar eclipse, the moon can kind of have a reddish glow to it, which is then called a blood moon.

And some are looking at that as a possible heavenly sign, especially since those four blood moons that are coming up. Another one this year and two next year are all going to occur on a holiday day. It's very unusual. It's a natural occurrence. It occurs every few years. We have a lunar eclipse, but it's unusual to have four of them in a short period of time, and all falling on holy days. But these are all natural occurrences. They're not supernatural occurrences. They do display God's glory as the creator of the universe, as the creator of the laws that govern the universe. But they're not... You can't say they're really the fulfillment of Revelation 6-12. Revelation 6-12 is a part of the opening of the sixth seal to indicate the beginning of the heavenly signs leading to the day of the Lord. And it says, I looked when he opened the sixth seal, and behold there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And then Revelation 6-17 adds, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who is able to stand. Now when that occurs, that is not going to be a natural occurrence, such as what we see with these lunar eclipses. It's going to be a supernatural occurrence, and there's going to be no natural explanation for what people are going to see when that occurs. Now that indeed, if you think about it, when that occurs, when that time comes, that is going to be a very scary Scripture.

But it's not the scary Scripture of the Bible, as far as I'm concerned. The scary Scripture for me is far more personal.

It's a statement of the made by Jesus Christ himself. Today we're going to look at that Scripture because it describes a category of people that we do not want to be identified with. We'll then look at how we can make sure we are not enamored with that particular group of people. I'll give my title in a moment. First, what is? What's good for my referring to? What is what I would consider to be far more scary than a so-called blood moon? Now the moon turning to blood. What's a Scripture I consider more personal and more scary on a very personal basis? Let's go to Matthew chapter 7.

There's actually two Scriptures that refer to this, but let's go begin in Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7 verse 1, where Christ said, this is of course from Christ's Sermon on the Mount, he said, judge not that you be not judged, or could be condemned not that you be not condemned. For with what condemnation you condemn, you will be condemned. And with what measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

Now that's a very scary Scripture, but it's not the one I have in mind as being the scariest in the Bible. But this Scripture course can make us stop and think long and hard about how we judge or condemn others. But this is only scary depending on how we do that, how we do judge and condemn others. Are we very critical and very harsh in the way we judge? Or are we lenient and merciful? Do we judge others the way we would want Christ to judge us? Are we forgiving or unforgiving? Christ said here, with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. I think of that Scripture often when I try to think of somebody and how I'm judging somebody or condemning somebody and make sure I don't want to condemn anybody.

Be very careful how I judge. But this can be a scary Scripture, but it's fair on how we measure others. And Christ tells us right here how to avoid this particular danger. I'm right here in Matthew 7 going on in verse 3. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

Or how can you say to your brother, let me remove the speck from your eye? And look, you've got a far bigger problem than you don't even see in yourself. First, remove the plank from your own eye, and then you'll see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Sometimes we could have a much larger problem ourselves if we don't even see, and we see little problems in other people. But we can avoid this danger by concentrating on just judging ourselves and leaving the judging or condemning of others to Jesus Christ.

And again, we're talking here about judging individuals, not situations. You know, we do have to judge and condemn some situations, but not people. What did the Apostle Paul say in regards to judging others? I'm just going to quote it. He said, why do you judge your brother, or why do you show contempt for your brother, for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ?

Romans 14, verse 10. We're all going to have to give an account for ourselves. You don't have to worry about anybody else. So that statement by the Apostle Paul then ties in directly to what I consider to be the scariest scripture in the Bible. It's going to lead into here. Matthew 7, verse 12. Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the prophets, enter by the narrow gate.

For wide is the gate, and broad is the way that lead to destruction, and there are many who go in that way. But narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way, which leads to life, and there are only a few who find it. Then Christ begins leading into what I consider to be the scariest scripture in the Bible. In verse 21. Let's go drop down to verse 21 and pick it up there. Let everyone who says to me, not excuse me, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? Have we cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? I mean, it sounds as if he could be talking about some of those who really sincerely profess and believe that they're his followers.

But then Christ says this, which I think is the scariest statement in the Bible, because it's extremely personal. Verse 23, And then I will declare to them, to some of these individuals, I never knew you. Depart from me.

You workers of iniquity. Now, what does that mean, workers of iniquity? What iniquity? Could these be people that actually are keeping God's commandments, but in some other way they're working iniquity? Christ made a similar statement in Matthew 25 in the parable of the 10 versions. Let's go there to look at that one. Matthew 25. Of course, again, this is the parable of 10 versions. We'll pick it up in verse 6. In the middle of this parable, he says, Matthew 25 verse 6, At midnight a cry was heard, Behold, the bridegroom is coming, Go out to meet him. At midnight a cry is heard. Why midnight? Because midnight is symbolic of the final hour before Christ returns. Midnight was also a time, as we know, when the death angel passed over all the houses of the Israelites who were under the blood of the Passover lamb, and when the death angel brought judgment upon all the houses of the Egyptians who were not under the blood of the Passover lamb. So midnight, then, is symbolic of a time when God's judgment is near, even at the doors. At midnight a cry was heard. Behold, the bridegroom is coming, Go out to meet him. Then all those versions arose and trimmed their lamps, and the fully said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. We need more of God's Holy Spirit. Give us some of your Holy Spirit. But the wise answer is saying, No, this should not be enough for us and you, but go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves. You have to, we punish God's Holy Spirit yourself. We can't do that for you. We can't give you some of our Holy Spirit that's in us. You have to go to God who gives his Spirit. You have to get it from God and use it in that way. And when they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who already went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. We are your followers. But he answered and said to them, Assuredly I say to you, I do not know you. I don't know who you are.

To me, this scripture here, along with Matthew 7.23, is a scary scripture, or those are the scariest scriptures you might say in the Bible. To think that maybe someday you're going to stand before the Gentiles to Christ, thinking you have been following Jesus Christ and doing everything right, and all of a sudden you stand before Him. He says, wait a minute, I don't know who you are. Who are you? I never heard of Steve Shafer. Who are you? Well, I was your minister. I did this. Did you see all these things I did? And then to have him say, I never knew you. Or, surely I say to you, I do not know you. That's a very scary thought. So, I can give you my title. My title is, How Will Christ Know You? How can you be sure you're never going to follow that category to stand before Christ someday and have Him say, I never knew you? What will it take in order for Christ to know us and recognize us as being His true sheep, His two followers? What must we be displaying in our lives as portrayed by the days of 11 bread in order for Christ to know us when we stand before His Judgment Seat, the time He returns? What will it take for Him to know that we have made ourselves ready to be His bride when that day comes? You know, Christ Himself said in regards to His sheep, He said in John 10.14, He said, I know My sheep. I know who My two sheep are.

How does Christ know His true sheep?

What must we be displaying in our lives, in our relationships, to be assured that Christ will know us? See, how will Christ know you? Now that I pointed out what is to me the scariest scripture in the Bible, I want to ask another question. How are we known? What reveals who and what we are? Let's go back to Matthew 7.

Matthew 7, verse 15 this time. Matthew 7, verse 15. The wearer of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but in really they are ravenous wolves. I brought a little prop with me. Somebody gave me this a long time ago. He also gave me a lion dwelling with a lamb, but this is a little prop. It's a wolf in sheep's clothing. I keep it there to remind me. I don't want to be a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Beware false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but in really they are ravenous wolves.

What do wolves do? They attack, divide, scatter, and seek to devour sheep.

And here Christ says they look like sheep. They come to you in sheep's clothing. Outwardly they look like sheep, but in really they are ravenous wolves, He says. How then can we know they are wolves instead of sheep? How are you going to know? If somebody comes and they look like sheep, how can you know they're not a sheep? How can you know they're wolves if they look like a sheep? All Christ tells us here, Matthew 7 verse 16, you will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Again, do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Do their fruits produce other words, thorns and thistles? Do their fruits produce pain in others and strife or division? Or do they promote peace and unity and healing? You'll know them by their fruits. What happens if we're producing the wrong kind of fruits and other people's lives? Matthew 7 verse 19, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So if we're producing the wrong kind of fruit, it says here we're going to be thrown into the fire. Now, I'm going to take the positive side of that statement, and the positive side being that we will then have to go through more fiery trials. We'll get thrown back into have more trials until we can produce the right kind of fruit. But how are we known? Verse 20, by their fruits you will know them. We're known by our fruits, by the fruits of our own lives and by the fruits we produce in our relationships with others. So this ends the bottom line question we will focus on for the remainder of the sermon, and that is this. What fruits must we produce in order for Christ to know us when he returns? What fruits must we produce in order for Christ to know us when he returns? And we're basically going to narrow it down to four overall fruits that we can produce. And to answer that question, we're going to narrow it down to just one section of Scripture. We're going to look at the final words that Christ gave to his disciples just prior before he was betrayed, that we always read time of Passover. Before going there, the Gospel of John, to look at that, let's first read what the Apostle Paul said in regards to what should take place in our lives after we're baptized. He makes it very plain. Let's go to Romans 6. Familiar Scripture. The last verse in Romans 5, he's talking about, since sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Then he goes on, but he clarifies it in chapter 6, verse 1. He says, what shall we say then? Shall we continue then in sin that grace may abound? He says, certainly not, or God forbid, in the Old King James. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ died and was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, after we're baptized and raised up out of that baptismal water, we should then walk in newness of life. We should walk in a different direction than we walked before. So after we're baptized and have God's Holy Spirit laying on of hands, after baptism we should then walk in newness of life, guided and directed by God's Holy Spirit and by the mind of Jesus Christ. It's significant that Christ was raised from the dead during the days of Unleavened Bread, which portray how we must walk in newness of life by putting sin out of our lives, and which also portray how we should walk in newness of life by putting Christ into our lives, which is really the only way to walk in newness of life.

Because if Christ is in us, and if we are living by the words of Christ, then Christ will be guiding and directing us, we'll be walking in the news of life, and Christ will then know us when He returns, if we're doing that. And we'll then also be producing and demonstrating the same fruits that Jesus Christ produced and demonstrated. But if Christ is not in us, and if we're producing thorns and thistles, and so do well and hurt, then Christ will say, I don't know you. You're not producing the fruit that I'm looking for. But how can we walk in newness of life in a way Christ will see Himself in us, in a way that we can produce the fruits that Christ Himself produced? And again, the answer is found in the final words that Christ gave to His disciples before He was betrayed. Let's go to John 13.

John 13. And of course, when we do the Passover, afterwards we start reading these scriptures. We begin with verse 31 of John 13. And I'm going to begin there today. I'm not going to go off all these scriptures, but I just want to point out four overall fruits. But first, let's begin in John 13. 31. When He had gone out, when He had gone out of when He went to God, that He being there, when Jesus the Scary had gone out, then Jesus said, Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and glorify Him immediately. Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me. And then I said to the Jews, Where I am going, you cannot come. So now I say to you, a new commandment I give you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have loved one for another. But first I want to just mention here, when John 31, he said, When He had gone out, when Judas had gone out, then he made these statements. If you have the same love for one another as I have loved you. That was we have to demonstrate the same love for one another that Christ demonstrated to us. Of course, this new commandment that Christ gave here, some would like to say, it doesn't anyway do away with God's Ten Commandments, the Old Covenant. But Christ here is taking a much deeper look into the spiritual intent of God's laws, as we know. He is looking at it in a level never before attained, a level of keeping the Spirit of God's law in a way that was never before attained or exemplified. In fact, He is exemplified in an even deeper level than ever previously even imagined. To a level which indeed does make these commandments new, a new commandment, because they've never been demonstrated this way before.

So these words here in verses 34 and 35 are in essence the beginning of this new covenant that Christ is making with His disciples. They form the foundations of the words of the new covenant, and they give some of the identifying signs that Christ will be looking for in His true sheep.

In those words that Christ gave, then of course recorded for us in chapters 14 through 17. As Christ spoke them to His remaining 11 disciples, and none of them had perfect memory, they didn't have recorders, but these words are so important that God's Spirit made sure that they were recorded for us to have and preserve so we can look at them and learn from them.

Let's go back to Christ's final private prayer first as recorded in John 17. Let's go there, look at that just for a second. 1 John 17 verse 14. He said, I've given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, but just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. Now we have to remain in the world as we know, which for now is heavily influenced by Satan, by the evil one. Thus, the true love of Christ as demonstrated by Christ in this New Commandment is very hard to find today. You don't find it too much today because Satan forts that in every way he possibly can. In fact, it's almost non-existent to the level that Christ demonstrated. Because Satan's influence also makes it often very difficult, even for Christ's true followers, to demonstrate these things. But if we are to be known by Christ when he returns, we must incorporate these words into our lives by the help of God's Holy Spirit. That's the only way it can, of course, be done. But in John 1733, Christ told his disciples, wherever I am going, you cannot come, which then prompted the Apostle Peter to ask this question, going back to John 13 again. John 13. When Christ said, where I'm going, you cannot come, then Peter immediately asked this question, verse 36 of John 13. He said to him, well, Lord, where are you going?

And Jesus answered him, where I am going, you cannot follow me. You cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterward. Peter said to him, Lord, why can I not follow you now? He said, I'll lay down my life for your sake.

Peter didn't really understand what that would mean.

Little did Peter know at this particular moment that Christ would literally lay down his life for Peter's sake. Little did Peter know what that would mean as far as he himself was concerned. But Christ knew that Peter was not yet ready to lay down his life. Verse 38. He answered and said, will you lay down your life for my sake? Do you think you're ready for that, Peter? Do you really understand what that means? He said, most assuredly I say to you, the rooster shall not crawl till you have denied me three times. See, Peter was not yet ready to lay down his life because Peter's own life was still too precious to him. He still valued his own life more than that of others. But before that Passover day was over, many very troubling things occurred, as we know.

Things the disciples had no answer for, no explanation for, that they came totally blindsided, unexpected. Things which Christ knew could easily cause his disciples to turn from their calling, and which could easily cause them to go down a different road altogether than the one that he called them to. Christ knowing that then tells them and all of us the first fruit that we must display in our lives in order to be among his two followers, in order to be recognized by Christ when we stand before his judgment seat when he returns. And it's given to us right here in John 14 verse 1. He knew that a lot of things were going to happen there, be very troubling, very dismayed that they would just not have any answer for you. What in the world is going on? So he said, he said, let not your heart be troubled.

You believe in God, believe also in me. So the very first fruit that I'm going to bring out here today then, of these four fruits that I'm going to bring out for Christ to recognize us, is let not your heart be troubled. Don't let anything that you can't figure out trouble you. Believe in Jesus Christ. Believe that he is the head of his church. I remember Denny Luker emphasized that over and over again. Always remember that Christ is the head of the church. And believe that he knows everything that happens to us, that he knows what we go through, and he knows what he's doing, how he's working with us. Believe that Christ is in charge of our lives, in the sense that he knows the situation we're in, and why we're in that situation, and he knows what we need to learn from being in that situation. That's true individually and collectively as a group as well. And he knows how to see us through any and all things, if we believe in him, and if we let not our hearts be troubled by things that we don't understand that don't make any sense. Because many things are going to happen in our lives, in the lives of someone we love, for which we will have no good explanation. It won't be a good explanation. And they can be very troubling and they won't make any sense. That happens. It's a part of life, especially in Satan's world. When those things occur, Christ tells us, let not your heart be troubled. God is sovereign over all things. Use troubling situations to develop the fruit of peace and the fruit of peace of mind. John 14, verse 27, what Christ says here, he says, I'm going to leave you something very special. You're going to have a lot of trouble. You're going to have a lot of severe persecutions, maybe, or trials, but I'm going to leave you peace. I'm going to give you peace. You're not going to find this in the world. Your lives may not seem like this, but I can give you something that can override that. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not the kind of peace the world gives. You're not going to find peace in the world. But let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid because something doesn't make any sense. Now, you think about that. You think about what Christ went through and what he was about to go through right after he made this statement, went through all this with his disciples in that upper room, and then he walked out the Mount of Olives with him. How could Christ have peace knowing what he was about to suffer and go through? How could Christ not be troubled? How could he not be afraid?

And he knew what he was going to have to go through.

Well, Christ tells us three things here to show us how he could not allow our hearts to be troubled. Three sub points to this first point. A, believe in God, he said, and believe in me.

You believe in God, believe also in me. So believe in God and believe in Jesus Christ. As it says there in verse 1 of John 14.

Believe that they have power and sovereignty over all things.

Believe in their wisdom to know what is best, what is what to allow, and what not to allow in our lives, and how to let us go through things so we can learn some very valuable lessons and gain some character, and so we can be molded into shape in the very image of Jesus Christ. And believe that Christ is the head of his church, and he knows what he's doing. He knows how to get us through whatever we need to go through, and to get us to where he wants to get us. Now, number two, b, believe in God's promises, as this goes on to say here in verses 2 and 3. In my father's house are many mansions, many responsibilities, many areas that are going to be needed to serve the world after Christ returns. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go, I'm going to prepare a place for you. I have your very name and a place for you prepared. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and I'm going to receive you to myself, no matter what you go through, no matter how uncertain it is, how much, no matter how much, it doesn't make any sense. I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there, you may be also. So keep your mind focused on those future promises, not on your present circumstances, whatever those may be, because whatever our present situation or circumstances are, they're only temporary. They're not going to last forever. But God's kingdom and the positions that God is going to give us in his kingdom are going to last forever. So let not your heart be troubled. Third thing we can do to help let our hearts not be troubled is to ask God for a miracle that only sometimes he can give us in some very troubling situations. Ask God to give you his comfort. Ask for the miraculous gift of comfort and peace of mind that can only come from God and from his Holy Spirit. John 14 verse 14. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, keep my commandments, and I'll pray the Father, and he will give you another helper or comforter, as it has in the old King James, that it may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth, which the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I'm not going to leave you helpless. I'm going to come to you. I can give you whatever need you need to get through whatever you need to get through. Again, like I said, the old King James refers to helper as comforter. Of course, that helper or comforter is referring to God's Holy Spirit, as we're clearly told in verse 26. How then does that comforter work? Verse 26, we're clearly told he is the Holy Spirit, but the helper, the comforter, the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, it will teach you all things. It's going to teach you all things that you need to learn through whatever you're going through. It's troubling you. It can give you comfort through those things because you realize you're learning something very valuable that you all need to learn through what we go through. It will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

So God's Holy Spirit can give us comfort by teaching us all things and helping us to learn whatever it is we need to learn through whatever trials and difficulties and uncertainties we'll go through. Of course, that then makes our trials much more precious than gold that perishes, as Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1, verse 7. So we want to be Christ's two disciples and we want to be known by Christ when He returns. First and foremost, when you go through something that just doesn't make any sense, let not your heart be troubled. And we can do that by, one, believing in God the Father and believing in Christ, two, by believing in all of God's promises, which are sure, and three, by asking God to give us His comfort that He only can give us in these situations. But then is the second overall fundamental fruit that Christ must see in us, see us produce, in order to be known by Him when He returns. Let's go to John 15, beginning in verse 1. He said, I am the vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you, as a branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. Neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. He abides in me and I in Him bears much fruit. For without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you will be by disciples. So second fruit that we must display as it says, Christ this year, we must abide in Christ, and He must abide in us. Abide in me and I in you. We must allow Christ to live His life in us, and we must abide in His Word and abide in His teaching. His example should be seen and reflected in our lives, and His words and His teachings should also be reflected in our lives. And if Christ sees that, then He's going to know us. He's going to recognize us when He returns. He will know who we are, and we will bear much fruit, fruit which Christ will recognize, and which He will identify us as being His true sheep and His true followers.

And if we, of course, abide in Christ, we'll produce the same fruit that Christ produced, at least to some extent. Even to the extent of loving one another as Christ loved us. John 15, verse 12.

This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one life for his friends. In verse 17, these things I command you that you love one another.

Christ then gives us a third overall fundamental fruit, which we must be demonstrated by by asking for it to be counted among the two followers of Jesus Christ. John 16, verse 1. These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble.

Third fruit we must display is that we should never be made to stumble.

We must never allow anything to come between us and the calling that God has given us. We should never allow any wrong to offend us to the point we allow ourselves to take our lives in another direction. Christ then mentions a number of things here that his two disciples could and would face that could cause them to stumble. And maybe go a different direction in their lives or to forget the calling that God had given them. A lot of things here. John 16, verse 1. These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble. Many of you list some things that could very easily cause a person to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues. The time is coming that whoever kills you will think he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor me. But these things I have told you that when the time comes, you remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you.

So don't want anything to offend you or to cause you to stumble, no matter how wrong or how unfair it is. A lot of things happen in our lives. Even as Christians you think, well, I'm following God. I'm obeying God. Why should I have to go through all these wrongful sufferings and things that are wrong and unfair? Christ here is telling us that if things are going to happen, they're not going to be fair. They're not right. That God is going to allow for whatever reason He allows them. Yeah, He could start coming and interviewing, but He says I'm going to allow them to happen. But when they do, don't allow that to cause you to stumble.

Don't allow anything to offend you or to cause you to stumble, no matter how wrong or how unfair. Because God through Christ is going to bring all things into judgment. If there's a reason for vengeance, we don't have to worry about it because God says, vengeance is mine. I will repay. Hebrews 10 verse 30.

But in this life, many painful experiences will have to go through. We're going to have a lot of pain in our lives. It's a part of life for all of us. As we know, you look around this world and see things have happened even this past week, even here with Oso and other things that have happened with that ferry. I think it was a Korean ferry. That's not fair. Now those things have happened. It's horrible. There are people here now in this area going through tremendous suffering and turmoil and pain, emotional pain, and loss of loved ones. And some are still in absolute turmoil because is my loved one still alive? What about the old jet, the Malaysian 370 jet? It's not a trace. Some of those people still want to get their land somewhere. Could they still be alive? And there are people where we saw a thing on the news just the other day, last night or the night before, the night before, I think, where this gal disappeared right here in this area back about eight years ago. Never found a trace of it. He found her car but still never found a trace of anything along the way or anything. She just disappeared. Can you imagine the agony of her parents? I would like to know is she dead? I want to know if she's dead. He said, I can get that behind me. But maybe she's still alive somewhere, got taken off somewhere. Who knows? Horrible, horrible things that people go through that are just not right, that are unfair. But God is going to take care of it. He's going to straighten it all out when he returns. But in this life, we will have to face many painful experiences and a lot of pain and sorrow because this present world is under the influence of the evil one, as Christ tells us here. And Christ tells us this in advance, but never allow any of those things that happened to cause you to stumble because Christ also tells us that all of our sorrow is going to be turned into joy at some point in the future. John 16 verse 20, Most assuredly I say to you that you, when you go through this life, you're going to have a lot of things that are going to cause you to weep and lament. But the world will rejoice and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow is going to be turned into joy. A woman when she is in labor, from right now, God's church is in labor. We are in labor as a part of God's church. When a woman is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come. But as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore, you now have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and your joy that is going to be given to you. No one will ever be able to take from you. And Christ will know you and he will know you are one of his disciples who will never allow anything to cause you to stumble, no matter how wrong or how unfair or unexplainable. Now, there is one additional fruit that God will look for that is identifying a sign of his true sheep that will cause Christ to know you when he returns.

What fruit is that? Let's go to John 17 here. John 17 verse 8.

For I have given them the words which you have given me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them, I do not pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me. For they are yours, and all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. Verse 11. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are. And then verse 21. That they all may be one as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they may also be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. So the fourth additional fruit that we must produce as the true followers of Jesus Christ is the fruit of unity. That we all may all be one. That we may have unity with one another, as Christ has with his Father. That we may be one as they are one.

Now who's going to do everything within his power to make sure, or try to assure, that that doesn't happen? Who's going to try to turn us against one another? Do everything he can to disrupt unity? Verse 15, chapter 17, I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one, from Satan's influence, because he, Christ knew that Satan was the one being that was going to try to keep them from becoming one. What is the number one attribute we can all display that will help us be kept from the evil one, that can keep us unified? What's the number one attribute? Let's go for a moment to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2, beginning in verse 1, where Apostle Paul writes this, therefore if there's any consolation or any encouragement in Jesus Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, he's talking about unity, how can we have that? How can we have unity? Let nothing be done through selfish ambition, that's one thing. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, in humility of mind, let each esteem others better than himself.

So the number one attribute we need in order to maintain unity, and the number one attribute we need and must have to thwart Satan's influence to disrupt unity, is the attitude of humility, as portrayed by the by unleavened bread, even, which is called the bread of affliction back in Deuteronomy 16.3. The number one attitude that we need for unity, or the number one attribute, is the very humility of Jesus Christ. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. And then he gives an example of Jesus Christ here. Let each of you look down for his own interest, but also for the interest of others, let this mind be in you, which is in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider Robbie to be equal with God because he was God. But what did he do? Verse 7, he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. I just want to read the way the Living Bible paraphrases verses 5 through 8. Paraphrases this way, your attitude should be the kind that was shown to us by Jesus Christ, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave, and becoming like men. And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal's death on a cross. So how can we afford Satan's attempts to destroy us and his attempts to destroy unity? By having the very mind and attitude of Jesus Christ. By not clinging or demanding to what we think are our rights. By laying aside our rights and by still becoming like a slave who has no rights in certain situations, and by allowing ourselves to suffer wrongfully at times, leaving the final judgment to Jesus Christ, letting take care of it, putting it into his hands. And if we have that attitude of humility, Satan will never be able to get to us, to disrupt or destroy unity. In conclusion, then, when Christ returns, how will Christ know you? How's he going to know you and me? How will he know that we are one of his true sheep? What proofs will indicate to Christ that we are his true followers? Number one, let not your heart be troubled. Number two, let Christ live in us. Let him live his life in us. Make sure that we are abiding in Christ, that Christ is abiding in us. Number three, don't allow anything, no matter how painful or how wrong, to ever cause you to stumble. And number four, produce the fruit of unity by displaying the very humility of Jesus Christ. If we can bear those new covenant fruits in our lives, Christ will know you when he returns. And he will say to you, when you stand before his judgment seat as recorded in Matthew 25 verses 21 and 23, he will say, well done, you good and faithful servant. You are faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter the joy of your Lord. To me, the scary description of the Bible would be to stand before Christ someday and say, have you hear him say, I never knew you. I don't know who you are. Make sure Christ knows you. Make sure you are producing the very fruits of Jesus Christ in your life.