FOUNDATIONS FOR PEACE

Daniel 12:1-3
November 17-19, 2012
Third Weekend in End Times – Saints Triumphant Sunday
Pastor Don Sutton

Podcast: Download (Duration: 19:56 — 4.6MB)

Nov 17 Sermon from Saint Pauls on Vimeo.

Daniel 12:1-3
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

Introduction
A number of years ago I was visiting a shut-in member at Sleepy Eye Care Center and we got to talking about the senior years. He told me, “Whatever you do, do get old!” I relied, “I only have one alternative.” Then I went on to say, “I thought when you get old, those are the golden years.” He replied, “Yah. But they get tarnished quickly.”

As God speaks to us today, he reminds us that not do elderly people become tarnished in the “golden years,” we are all tarnished in this life affected by sin. Illnesses, accidents, problems, pressures, and age tarnish us in one way or another. But at the same time God gives us an important message:

“We May Be Tarnished; But We Will Be Glorified”

….at that time
“At that time…” This picture points us ahead to the end times just before and including the return of Jesus at the end of time. “At that time…,” Daniel prophesies, “There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.”

This week we saw and heard about the distressing and horrible things that happened to a missile and bomb exchange between Israel and the Palestinians. It was only weeks ago we heard of the devastation caused by hurricane Sandy. This year we have also heard of earthquakes, tornados, crime and other unsettling things. This has been going on for centuries. All these things in addition to the illnesses, accidents and other problems of life, have a way of tarnishing life.

Daniel pictures, however, a time of trouble never equaled through all of history. In teaching his disciples about the last times, Jesus spoke of the time in this way, “For then there will be a great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equaled again.”(Matt 24:21) This is a time, spoken of in the Bible, when Satan will be given more freedom from his bondage and will make one last-ditch effort to bring down the Church of God and lead God’s people into an eternity in hell. But God’s word indicates that although Satan will cause much distress in the world, his defeat which Christ brought about with Jesus’ death and resurrection, will result in Satan’s ultimate downfall.

So why does the Lord tell us these things? To prepare us. The Lord is also telling us, “If this distress happens in your life-time, don’t give into the devil. Don’t give up the faith. Don’t lose hope.”

The great prince – Michael
God gives assurance that in these last times he will be there to help. As we look at God’s picture painted by Daniel, we see the Great prince, the arch-angel Michael. He is the chief of angels. Remember that angels are not people who have died and whose spirits have gone to heaven. Angels are spirits whom God created to serve God and his people. They are many in number. They are powerful. The devil was a good angel of God until he and other angels rebelled against God and were thrown out of heaven and into hell.
Now the devil causes all kinds of distress in the world and in the last times will cause the greatest distress the world has ever know.

Daniel shows us that through all the distress caused by the devil in this world, Michael, the arch-angel, along with all the other angels of God, is protecting God’s people. Isn’t this wonderful thing to know? As we live through the difficulty of the last years and enter the final days of life, God’s angels are here to minister to us in ways that perhaps we do not see or hear. This means, too, that in these difficult days of decisions to be made and sorrows to be dealt with, God’s angels are ministering to you as they did for Elijah, for Daniel, for the three men in the fiery furnace and for Jesus when he was tempted by Satan or in turmoil in the Garden of Gethsemane. God’s angels are with us and all of God’s people to get us through the grief of time and preserve us for the glory of eternity. God himself is at work with his angels to deliver us from this sinful world so that everyone whose name is written in the book of life will be delivered.

The book of life
We see and hear of the “Book of Life.” This is really a listing of the family of God. It was written before the world every came to be when God chose his people in Christ in eternity. This is when he wrote your name into the Book of Life. Your name is there not because of what you would do or not do. Sin has made you incapable of deserving such a membership just as it does for me. God, out of grace, wrote our names in the Book of Life in view of what Jesus did for us. He perfectly obeyed God for you; he suffered sin’s curse and died for you. So already when you were conceived and born into this world, your name was written in the Book of Life. You came to faith because of that. You will remain a believer until death because of that. God’s angels are with you because of that. And because God, before the foundations of the world were ever laid, wrote your name in the Book of Life, we see you in another part of Daniel’s picture.

The resurrection
Take a closer look -”Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” In this picture of Daniel we see the resurrection of the dead on the last day. St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God and the dead in Christ will rise ……” Daniel wrote and Jesus emphasized in John 5 that not only will the bodies of believers rise, but also bodies of unbelievers. So Daniel shows crowds coming out of the cemeteries, and the seas and the dust of the earth. Those who didn’t want anything to do with God in time, will find that God doesn’t want anything to do with them in eternity. At death, if they have died before Jesus’ second coming, God sent their souls to an eternity in hell. At the resurrection, God will publicize that decree and extend it to the body. So the unbelievers, body and soul, will be forever in everlasting contempt and shame.

But as we look at the picture, we also see those whose names were written in the Book of Life. Their bodies have risen to everlasting life. If we could see all the fine details, if we could look at all the faces, if we have died before Jesus returns, ours is among them. We are alive. We are glorified. We shine like the brightness of the heavens, like the stars for ever and ever. This is what Daniel pictures – “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” There is no disease. There is no pain. There are no problems. The old order of things is remembered no more. There is only peace, joy and pleasure forevermore.

The wise
God, through Daniel, shows us that this is what happens to the wise. God is not speaking of those who are worldly wise, but of those who through the use of the Bible became aware that they were sinful, deserved death and hell from God because of their condition, but saw Jesus the Savior and believed. As a Christian you are wise in this way. By God’s grace, through God’s word you came to see your sinfulness and what you deserved because of it – hell. By God’s grace you saw Jesus, holy and pure in your place. Through God’s word you saw Jesus, carrying your sin, my sin and that of the whole world, suffering for us, dying for us, and then on the third day, rising again for us that we might have forgiveness and eternal life. By the power of the Holy Spirit you saw this in God’s word and became wiser than the greatest of worldly philosophers, scientists, historians, mathematicians, etc. You became wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus.

Shine like the stars
Right now the souls of those who died with faith in Jesus shine like the brightness of the heavens, like the stars forever. When Jesus comes and the archangel, Michael, with him, the body that likes in the darkness of the casket within the depths of the earth, will shine in the same way. Should you die before Jesus comes, your soul will shine in glory. When he returns and raises the dead, then your body, reunited with your soul, will shine too. Should Jesus come before you die, when he glorifies you, both body and soul will shine in glory. So in this life we may get a bit tarnished, but we will live in glory.

But there is something else we need to take home with us. Daniel wrote in verse 3, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel isn’t talking about two different groups of people. This emphasizes God’s plan that those who are wise to salvation through faith in Jesus, will not keep this wisdom to themselves. They will want to share with others so that the too may become wise to salvation through faith in Jesus and wear his righteousness. We may think of ministers, church school teachers, missionaries and evangelists. But this is parents bringing their children in baptism, teaching their children God’s word and setting an example of godly living for their children. This is the family member or friend who comforts family or friends with the good news of the gospel. This is the Christian who in talking with others has an opportunity to witness to their faith in Jesus, do so with the result the Holy Spirit works faith in a person. The point the Lord makes is this, “I want you to tell others about Jesus.”

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” We may be tarnished in life, but we will be glorified.

Daniel 7:9,10
November 5-7, 2011
End Times
Pastor Don Sutton

Podcast: Download (Duration: 19:04 — 17.5MB)

Sermon for Nov. 5, 2011 from Saint Pauls on Vimeo.

Daniel 7:9,10
9 “As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.”

Introduction
Have you ever had to go to court and appear before a judge? In all likelihood, for one reason or another some here have had the experience. I haven’t and I hope I never do. I believe that many of you share my sentiments. While we understand the need and value of our court system and judges, we avoid them if at all possible. But God’s word for our consideration today reminds us: “There’s One Court We Can’t Avoid…”
…One where …. God appears in glory … and … God sits in judgment.

…God Appears in Glory
One night in a vision the prophet Daniel saw four beasts coming out of the sea – 1) a lion with the wings of an eagle that were eventually torn off, 2) a bear with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth, 3) a leopard with four wings like those of a bird and four heads, and, 4) a fourth terrifying beast with large iron teeth and ten horns among which was another little horn and spoke boastfully (v.8). Through an angel God gave Daniel this interpretation of the vision. “The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth.” The lion, with wings of an eagle that were torn off, is Babylon. Babylon was powerful like a lion and swift like an eagle. But God humbled her and her kings. The second beast is the empire of the Medes and Persians. Like a hungry bear it ruthlessly devoured nations. The third beast was Greece. Stealthy and deadly like a leopard but like a bird able to cover great distances in a short time, Alexander the Great conquered much of the territory around the Mediterranean world. When he died four of his generals succeeded him and divided up his kingdom. The fourth beast, terrifying, with large teeth and ten horns, is the Roman Empire. The ten horns depict the many rulers of Rome. The little horn is the Anti-Christ.

Then, as our text reveals, Daniel saw the Ancient of Days – God the father – in glory. His name connotes his eternal nature. His appearance – clothing as white as snow and his hair white as wool – communicates glory. There were thrones, signs of royal authority. The Ancient of Days sat in one flaming with fire with a river of fire flowing from it. This signaled glory. Around him are millions of angels worshiping and serving the Ancient of Days. He is sitting in heavenly glory ready to hold court on the Day of Judgment.

But someone is missing in this vision. In John 5:22 Jesus said, “The Father judges no one but has entrusted all judgment to the Son so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.” This someone is Jesus. But as the vision continues Daniel reports, “In my vision at night I looked and there before me was one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (7:13,14).”

So Jesus, the Son of Man, an Old Testament reference to the Messiah and a New Testament reference to the fact that in addition to his divine nature, Jesus is truly human, takes a throne in God’s heavenly courtroom and assumes his position as Judge.

… God sits in judgment
In our gospel reading, Jesus said that this is the way it would be – “When the Son of Man comes in all his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory (Matthew 25:31).”
When Jesus convenes this court, we will all appear before him. St. Paul wrote, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ… (2 Corinthians 5:10).” Even those who have died will be raised as Jesus indicated in John 5:28,29: “A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” Souls of those who died will be summoned from the destiny to which they went at death reunited with bodies raised from the dead. They will appear before Jesus along with all who are still alive at his return in glory.

Did you notice that Jesus mentioned in this passage and in the gospel reading that we will be judged on the basis of what we have done – good or evil? That’s scary isn’t it? One reason it’s scary is that the standard by which God judges is not good intention, or giving a good effort, or being better than someone else, or doing the best you can. That standard is perfection. God says, “Be holy for I the Lord your God am holy (Leviticus 19:2).” This means having no moral flaws and no moral failures. This is being perfect from our very conception and obeying God in everything.

This is also scary because God knows and sees all. The writer to the Hebrews said, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account (4:13).”

We’ve been hearing a lot about Herman Cain and accusations of sexual harassment. It reminds us that when people are running for or are being considered for a key position in government, they undergo intense scrutiny by the media and often others interested in making or breaking them. Have they had affairs? Did they employ illegals? Have they been arrested for anything? Did they do drugs? Did they have a detention and had to stay after school? When it comes to Jesus judging us, he doesn’t have to investigate us, he knows – our every thought, word and deed – the lies we’ve told, the lust we’ve felt, the hatred we’ve harbored in our hearts, the love we have withheld from him and others – every thought, word and deed. There’s also the sinfulness with which we were born. We can’t them hide from Jesus.

Daniel mentions seeing the books being opened. One is the Book of Life and the others are the record of our deeds. What does the record show according to God’s standard of holiness – that have done good or that we’ve done evil? In the end our assessment doesn’t matter. But God’s does. He says in Romans 3, “There is no one righteous, not even one …All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (10,23).” Every one of us deserves to hear the words of Jesus, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41).” This is scary isn’t it? This is what we deserve. This is where we stand before God without our Savior.

But because our judge is also our Savior, this verdict is not the one we will hear nor the sentence we will receive. Instead we will hear Jesus saying, “Come you are blessed by my Father; take the inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (Matt. 25:34).”

That’s because the same Jesus who is our judge, is the Jesus who took our place under God’s law. Everything we are not, he was – holy and righteous, without sin. In everything under God’s law where we could not, he could and he did – loving his Father perfectly, loving others completely, and obeying the law fully. The cursedness, death and damnation we deserve, he endured on the cross as he was put through excruciating pain and suffered separation and what it’s like to be in hell. St. Peter put it this way, “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God (1Pe3:18).”

As a result of Jesus and his taking our place, God has declared us forgiven and innocent – justified. As a result of the Holy Spirit’s bringing us to faith, we enjoy this forgiveness. The words of Paul to the Corinthians apply to us, “…You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1Co6: 11).” Or as the apostle Paul told people in
Antioch in Asia Minor, “Through him (Jesus) everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses (Acts 13:39).”

But what about the record in God’s books of good and evil? Now because of Jesus what the Lord said to Israel through the prophet Isaiah is true of you, “I swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me for I have redeemed you (Is44: 22).” Because of Jesus, the record of our sins is gone. In their place are all the things Jesus did in your place. In that record are all the things that you have done out of faith in Jesus – imperfect as they be in and of themselves – but perfected in Jesus. This is he love you’ve shown your family. The forgiveness you’ve given. The service you’ve done. The sacrifices you have made for God and others. The help you’ve lent. The encouragement you’ve given. The mercy you have shown. Through your faith in Jesus, these are all acceptable in God’s sight and signs of your saving faith in Jesus. You see, our good works don’t save us, Jesus does. Through faith in Jesus we have salvation. But where there is saving faith in Jesus, there will be fruits of faith – expressions of love for God and for others.

When you think about the end of life or the Day of Judgment, come to grips with the fact that there is one court you can’t avoid – God’s. Remember where you would be without Jesus. But keep in mind and take comfort in what you are and where you will be through faith in Jesus. Then, as Jesus told his disciples when he was sending them our, “…Rejoice that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20),” in God’s Book of Life with the blood of Jesus. Let that joy and thanks show in how you think, in what you say, and in how you act. In all things give thanks for the fact when you leave God’s courtroom you will be free – free to live with him forever in glory. Amen.