The Second Coming of Christ - 3/15/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

sure to subscribe, follow, and share

with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

>> Amen. Luke's Gospel chapter 17. If you

have a Bible, find your place there. If

you would stand. Luke's Gospel, chapter

17.

He is worthy of our praise.

>> Amen.

>> And u I don't know how you feel. I don't

know where you're at, but I'll tell you

this. He's still worthy. Amen. And I'm

thankful his grace is sufficient.

>> Yes.

>> And whatever you're going through, he'll

help you

>> and he wants to help you. Amen. And if

you only let him, Amen. He will help

you. And I appreciate you being here in

the house of God today. Luke's Gospel

chapter 17 verse number 24.

Luke's Gospel chapter 17 verse 24. The

Bible says, "For as the lightning that

lightenth out of the one part under

heaven shineth unto the other part under

heaven, so shall also the Son of man be

in his day. But first must he suffer

many things and be rejected of this

generation. And as it was in the days of

Noah, so shall it be also in the days of

the Son of Man. They did eat, they

drank, they married wives, they were

given in marriage until the day that

Noah entered into the ark, and the flood

came and destroyed them all. Likewise

also, as it was in the days of Lot, they

did eat, they drank, they bought, they

sold, they planted, they builded. But

the same day that Lot went out of Sodom,

it rained fire and brimstone from heaven

>> and destroyed them all. Even thus shall

it be in the day when the Son of Man is

revealed. Father, thank you for this

good day, for your grace and your mercy

towards us. Thank you, Father, for your

kindness. And Lord, I ask you for just a

little while, God, that you would help

us this morning, God, as we've come to

preach today. God, I thank you for this

pull pit, this church, God, this

ministry, Lord, that you've entrusted to

me, God. I'm not worthy of it today, but

God, I really need your help. And God, I

pray, Father, that Lord, as we felt your

spirit this morning, God, I pray, Lord,

that he would continue to work and

finger about the hearts, Lord, of your

children as well as those who are lost

this morning in conviction. God, I pray,

Father, Lord, for whatever needs are

present in this in this service. I pray

that you would minister grace, Lord, to

each heart in life. I pray that you'd

help us to receive with meekness the

engrafted word. And I pray that we'd see

no man save Jesus only. And God, I pray,

Father, you'd open our eyes that we

might behold wondrous things in thy law.

And God, I pray, Father, Lord, as John

said in Revelation, even so come

quickly, Lord Jesus. God, I ask you that

you would help us for this little

stretch of time. and we'll be sure to

give you thanks for what you do because

we ask it in Jesus' name. And God's

children said, "Amen."

>> Thank you for standing. You can be

seated this morning. When praying about

this service today, and be honest with

you, the preaching that we've heard this

week, I didn't really know exactly where

to go, what where to start. I feel like

everything's been preached. But I'll be

honest with you, Lord convicted my heart

over that. He said, "No, you got 66

books." Amen. can preach from. And uh

man, I'm telling you, I'm thankful for

this Bible. Amen. It is the inspired,

inherit, and infallible word of God. And

the Lord placed this subject on my

heart. I've been praying uh what

direction he'd have us to go in. And I

want to preach for just a little while

this morning on the second coming of

Jesus Christ. Now, I've preached many

messages here at the church on this.

Been been a while since I preached on

this subject, but I tell you this, we're

closer today than we was yesterday. And

I really believe that Jesus is going to

come at any time. I don't believe it's

going to be very long. And I was

thinking about this text particularly as

many there's a text that I love to

preach from concerning the second

coming. I love to go to Matthew chapter

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

25 and preach on those 10 virgins over

there and how they five of them had oil

in their lamps and in their vessels.

Amen. And five those five foolish they

only had it in their lamps. Amen. and

representing that profession that they

had, but they didn't have it on their

person. And I'll say this, salvation

this morning is personal. Amen. And you

can have a lamp of profession, but

you'll find one of these days when he

does come back that that lamp, that oil

run out of that profession. Amen. But

I'll tell you, those ones that had oil

in their vessel. Amen. They were able to

go into the marriage. Amen. And I'm

thankful that for you and I this morning

that Jesus lives on the inside. Amen. if

you've been born again by the grace of

God. And I want to lay just a few things

on your heart by way of introduction and

then give you the message this morning.

And the Bible says in our text this

morning, verse number 24, Jesus is

speaking. He says, "For as the lightning

that lightenth out of the one part under

heaven shineth under the other part

under heaven, so shall also the son of

man be in his day." And so here we have

the very Messiah himself describing the

instance of his coming as lightning.

I'll say this, his coming will be

sudden. Amen. But I'll say this, his c

his coming is going to be shocking.

Amen. To many people, there's going to

be those that were unaware of the time

that he's coming. Now, we know this

morning, let me say this, theologically

speaking, this text is not dealing with

the rapture primarily, but it is dealing

with the revelation of Jesus when he's

going to come back to this earth that

final time and land upon the Mount of

Olives there. And the Bible says that

it'll split and then he'll walk there

into Jerusalem through that valley.

Amen. Through that eastern gate, amen.

And he'll rule and super rule there in

Jerusalem. Amen. And this is that

reference. But let me say this, the

application is the same. Amen. We are

looking for the rapture, the catching

away before the revelation. There must

be the rapture. Amen. And let me say

this to you this morning. I heard a man

just the other day, and I think it's a

man that many of us probably have

listened to before. I call his name. I

think his name is Kent Hovind. I think

is his name. But he defends creation,

and he's de he's debated with atheists

down through the years. And he made the

statement the other day. He said, "I

believed for 40 years in the

pre-tribulation rapture of the church."

He said, "But now I've come to realize

that we're going to have to go through

all of the tribulation." And I was

watching that clip and thinking to

myself, "Well, I wonder what's made him

fall off of his rocker all of a sudden."

You say, "What do you mean?" Well, I'm

saying, friend, if he saved me from

hell, amen. He's certainly not going to

let me go through hell on earth.

Somebody say amen right there. And I

don't care who comes up with it or who

says it. Amen. I'm not going through

three and a half or all seven. If you go

through one day of it, friend, you going

to be there for the rest of it. Amen.

But I'll say this, I'm getting out of

here in the rapture. Amen. And Kent

Hovine can hang around for it if he

wants to. Amen. But I'm leaving here.

Praise God. Amen. And Jesus when he

comes back, the Bible says that he'll

descend with a shout and the voice of

the archangel and the trump of God.

What's your Bible say? And the dead in

Christ shall rise first. Then we which

are alive and remain shall be caught up

together to meet them in the clouds, to

meet the Lord in the air, and so shall

WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD. AMEN.

>> He's coming back.

>> And he describes his coming as

lightning. Now, I want to remind you,

he's talking about his revelation here

in the text. And of course, we know that

when Jesus descends upon that Mount of

Olives, and the Bible literally says

that that mountain is going to split

there, the Mount of Olives, he's going

to descend and walk there into

Jerusalem. But I'll say this, Jesus

doesn't only talk about his coming in

verse number 24. But he also talks about

his cross. Notice verse 25. But first

must he suffer many things. Look what

your Bible says. and be rejected of this

generation. You see, our Bible literally

says in this text that he told his

disciples, he said, "The days will come

when you shall desire to see one of the

days of the Son of Man." And he said,

"You shall not see it." But what he was

going to tell him was this. Hey, there's

coming a day when I'm going to have to

go to the cross long before I can ever

come back and be your king. I'm going to

have to go to the cross as the lamb and

be slain for the sins of the world.

Amen. And he said, "I must suffer." And

so he prophesies of the cross of

Calvary. And let me say this. I'm

thankful that for that cross, that's the

reason that God still saves old sinners.

Amen. I don't care how deep in sin you

are. I don't care how far you think

you've gone. I'm thankful that Calvary

and the blood of Jesus IS STILL ABLE TO

SAVE TO THE UTTERMOST. AMEN. Them that

would call upon him by faith. And so

Jesus speaks of his coming. But he ALSO

SPEAKS OF HIS cross in verse 25 that he

first must suffer many things. And in

verse number 26, the Bible says here

that he begins to describe the character

of his coming. Notice what the Bible

says. And as it was in the days of Noah,

so shall it be also in the days of the

son of man.

You see, Jesus is here describing what

society will be like when he comes back.

And you've heard it said, and I've heard

it said down through the years, that if

Jesus is describing this society as it

would be at his revelation, and that is

yet at least seven years from where we

are right now, what would it be like?

What must it be like when he does come

back that time?

>> Right? If our world represents what

Jesus is speaking about in this text

now, how soon must he be coming? You're

>> right.

>> You must understand that he is speaking

of event that if he was to come in the

rapture in the next five minutes, that

has to at least be seven years from now.

Seven years of tribulation, seven years

of Jacob's trouble, seven years of

darkness and defilement and demons on

this earth unleashed in judgment. And

you say, "Preacher, what are you

saying?" And I'm saying if he is

describing the world that we are living

in right now, how soon must he be

coming?

>> You're right.

>> Because the rapture must happen first.

And I notice in this text, Jesus says,

"As it was in the days of Noah." And you

notice later on verse number 28,

"Likewise also as it was in the days of

Lot." And he used two biblical instances

to describe to us the society

of the world that will be present at his

second advent.

And I want to give you five things this

morning. Just simple what the Lord put

on my heart that is described in these

verses what it's going to be like when

Jesus comes back. I hope you'll put

these things down in your Bible or in

your notes this morning. I want to say

this. You notice in this text, the Bible

says in verse number 26, you notice

there, as it was in the days of Noah, so

shall it also be in the days of the son

of man. And what you're going to notice

about this, and I'll give you these

couple of thoughts, and I'll give you

the message here. I I would say you what

you notice in this text is that things

were normal.

The Bible says they did eat, they drank,

they married wives, they were given in

marriage until the day that Noah entered

into the ark. I'll say this, not only

were things normal, but needs were

present. You know, people are talking

about in this day and time that there's

a Christ there's a sector of

Christianity that says that um that

Jesus is going to come back to this

earth because the church is just going

to get so holy and so right with God

that is just going to overtake the whole

world and Jesus is just going to come

back rule and reign over his church.

Well, I submit to you that's not the

Bible truth.

>> Amen. That crowd that believes and

preaches that stuff, they been they're

very wrong when they say that. You

understand things have got to get worse.

>> Paul said in the last days, perilous

times will come. Troublesome times,

dangerous times, SINFUL AND DEFILED

TIMES. THERE WILL BE NEEDS. THE CHURCH

WILL BE IN NEED of revival.

>> You're right.

>> When he comes, I'll say this, Israel in

this text will be in a desperate place

>> when he comes. There is needs there. It

will seem normal, but the spiritual

side, there will be needs. But I think

about this in the text. Notice what the

Bible says in verse number 28. Likewise

also as it was in the days of Lot, they

did eat, they drank, they bought, they

sold, they planted, they builded. You

know, I thought about this. Society

would be normal. The spiritual part of

the church that would be present or the

Jews that's in this text there, there

will be need spiritually. But I'll say

this in life as a whole, the necessities

will continue on.

>> Notice what said. They bought, they

sold, they planted, and they builded.

Now you say, "What is all of that?"

Well, you notice in the text there,

there's meals that are given in verse 27

as well as in verse 28. Also, in the

days of Lot and in the days of Noah,

they were eating, they were drinking.

This does not literally mean that they

were given to alcohol. That's not even

what this is saying. It just saying that

they were having their meals,

>> right? Not only that, but in the days of

Noah, there's marriages. Look what the

Bible says. They married wives. They

were given in marriage. That means that

wives were given to husbands and vice

versa. Men married wives and wives were

given to husbands and marriages were

normal. The necessities of life were

continuing on. Not only meals and

marriages, but you notice there's

marketing in the text. They bought and

they sold. Things are just going on. You

say, "What does this have to do?" This

is what Jesus is describing.

>> You're right.

>> Before he comes back.

>> Yeah.

>> This is a description of the last day of

the last of the last days. This is a

description of the time just before he

comes. They're marketing, they're

manufacturing, they plan it, and they

build it.

Life is progressing. You're

>> right.

>> You say, "Preacher, is that the

message?" No, that's not the message. I

want to give you these five truths this

morning.

You see, Jesus says all of this to

emphasize to us the fact that he could

come at any moment.

>> And we know that he's soon coming. But I

thought about this. What do we know

about these stories? What do we know

about Noah's story and about Lot's

story? And these five truths come to my

mind. Write this down with me. Number

one, I think if you look at the society

in Noah's day as well as in Lot's day, I

would say number one, they're distracted

by life.

>> They're distracted

by life. You say, "What is that,

preacher?" Well, I think about Noah's

story in particular. The Bible teaches

us that some 120 years Noah has building

this boat. And brother Marty and Sister

Robin just went up there and seen that

boat. And I was thinking about this

while we was talking about that this

morning. The amazement of that

architecture of that thing. People come

from all over the world to see it. But

you think about this. Noah was building

that boat in a day when nobody had ever

seen rain.

>> Right?

>> Water had never fallen from the sky. He

was building a boat in a day when men

and women didn't not they looked at Noah

and they thought he was the most insane,

stupid man that's ever been. You're

>> right. Noah, the Bible says that as he

was building that ark, Peter says that

there were eight souls that were saved

by water. That was him and his wife and

his three sons and their wives. Eight

souls that were saved. And you

understand that entire society was so

distracted by life that they didn't even

take time to notice.

>> You're right.

>> What Noah was doing.

>> You know what the truth is? Society

doesn't even know for the most part what

we're doing this morning. You're

>> right.

They don't even notice.

We We do our best to propagate the

gospel and and to plant seeds of faith

and society and try our best to live the

Christian life, but really as a whole,

we don't affect them that much.

>> Right?

>> They don't notice what's going on. And

what do we know about society? They're

distracted by their own busyness. You're

>> right.

>> Their lives are full of things and

places and people, but it is not full of

Jesus. There is no person in their life.

There is no salvation. There is no

service. There is no real life.

>> They know nothing about spiritual life.

But they know a whole lot about temporal

life. That's

>> right.

>> And I'll say this, the church in this

day and time has to be careful to not

let the world infiltrate

their our mindsets. You see, our number

one purpose and primary goal as the

church is to live out the will of God.

>> Right? And Noah as he was building that

ark those years you you don't you

wouldn't you would be crazy to think

that there were people that that down

Noah and said what are you doing?

There's people that look at us that way.

>> But I'll tell you the reason why is

because they're too distracted by their

own life.

>> So much I could say this morning but I

want to preach and get done this

morning. I think not only they were

distracted by life. You you take talk

about Lot's instance. Those those men

there in Sodom and Gomorrah, they're

distracted by their own living. We'll

say more about that in just a minute.

But I'll say this. Not only they were

distracted by life, number two, they

were defiled by lust,

the generation as a whole. And you say,

"How is that, preacher?" Well, you

notice you think in these text, I I

remind you, he's talking about the

kingdoms this morning and that realm.

You think about the realm in Noah's day.

It had to do with the whole earth,

>> right?

>> You say, "How is that?" Well, listen to

what he says. Genesis chapter 6, verse

Genesis 6 · chapter mention

number five. You've probably heard it

quoted before, but listen to what the

Bible says. God is describing

the human race. Now, of course, we know

here in the text that there is a

division that's given of of of uh Cain's

children and the godly line of Seth

that's seen in Genesis 6. Whether or not

you believe that that's that's no

doesn't really make a difference. But

the description is given in verse number

five of the entirety of that generation.

Genesis 6 the Bible says and God saw

that the wickedness of man was great in

the earth. Notice that and that every

imagination of the thoughts of his heart

was only what? Evil continually. Verse

six. And it repented the Lord that he

had made man on the earth and it grieved

him at his heart. And the Lord said, "I

will destroy man whom I have created

from the face of the earth." God is sick

with the sin of the world. THEY ARE

DEFILED BY THEIR LUST.

>> RIGHT?

>> You say, "Preacher, what does that have

to do with Lot's day?" Well, you never

heard of the sin of Sodomy,

>> right?

>> Sodom and Gomorrah. It's where it

originated. The wickedness of that city

was so great. God had already promised.

the the in the past that he put his bow

in the cloud and for Noah that he would

not flood the earth again and and kill

all those sinners. But you understand

that God was so disgusted with the sin

of Sodom and Gomorrah that even though

he had promised not to judge the

entirety of the earth again. He would

yet again judge a group of people

because their sin was so wicked and so

grievious in the sight of God that God

could not stand to let it go on.

>> Right. Right.

>> And the Bible says in the book of

Genesis chapter number 13 and verse

number 13 that the men of Sodom were

wicked and sinners exceedingly

>> before the Lord. You're

>> right.

>> And the Bible is literally giving the

description there that Lot had chosen

the plain of Mamry and and or the plain

of Jordan and Abraham and chose the

plains of Mamry and Lot had pitched his

tent toward Sodom. And we know the

story. Lot ends up there just a few

short chapters down the road, he's got

his tent toward it. But we find just a

few more chapters over that Lot's living

in the gate. His family is involved in

the society and the entirety of his

family had become defiled by this very

same lust. You're

>> right.

>> You know what I find interesting in

Jesus's account? Verse 27, he said, "In

the days of Noah, they eat, they did

eat, they drank, they married wives, and

they were given in marriage." But notice

verse 28. They did eat, they drank, they

bought, they sold, they planted, and

they builded. What do you not find?

There's no marriage.

The day of sodomy and fornication and

adultery that was present there in the

land of Sodom and Gomorrah, marriage was

excluded.

>> Right?

Bible talks about those that forbid to

marry. Now, I'm not going to go into all

that this morning, but the truth, what

I'm trying to relay to you is this. This

society was wicked. They were defiled by

their lust. Peter describes them in his

epistle that God delivered just Lot

vexed with a filthy conversation of the

wicked. Jude describes Sodom and

Gomorrah talks of their wickedness.

These people were defiled by their lust.

And you say, "What is that?" that. Well,

think about our society.

Our society is drunk on fornication and

pornography and adultery and sodomy and

homosexualism and all the other isms and

schisms that are in OUR WORLD. WE'RE

DRUNK ON THIS LUST in our world today.

>> And it's A DESCRIPTION. JESUS SAYS, "AS

IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH, AS IT WAS IN

THE DAYS OF LOT, IT'S GOING TO BE THAT

WAY WHEN I COME BACK." You're

>> right.

They are defiled by their lust.

Covetousness has overtaken them. The

love of money has overtaken their mind.

And they have defiled themselves and

pierced themselves through with many

sorrows BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY SEEKING to

gratify the flesh.

>> Right?

>> They're distracted by life. They're

defiled by lust. But I'll say this. You

say, "Preacher, we know all that." Well,

let me remind you something. They wasn't

without guidance.

Noah's day wasn't without guidance.

Lot's day wasn't without guidance.

>> You say, "How is that?" Well, I'd say

they're distracted by lie. They're

defiled by lust. But they were they were

directed by a leader.

>> They had somebody to tell them the

truth. You say, "How is that?" Well,

listen to what the Bible says in the

book of Genesis, chapter number 19. God

has told Abraham and and the those two

angels have come down there to Sodom and

Gomorrah to speak unto Lot. And they're

telling him, "Hey, you've got to get out

of this city, Lot. You've got to do YOUR

BEST TO GET YOUR FAMILY OUT OF THIS

CITY." And Lot, the Bible says that he

was a righteous soul. According to the

New Testament, that he was righteous and

he vexed his righteous soul with a

filthy conversation of the wicked. Their

lifestyle vexed him. And Lot, the Bible

says, he gives a message to them. Verse

13 of Genesis 19. The angel say unto

him, for we will destroy this place,

because the cry of them is wax and drake

before the face of the Lord. And the

Lord hath sent us to destroy it. Verse

14. And Lot went out and spake unto his

sons-in-law, which married his

daughters, and said up, get you out of

this place, for the Lord will destroy

this city. But listen to what your Bible

says. But he seemed as one that mocked

unto his sons-in-law.

They didn't listen to the direction God

had given them.

>> Right?

>> You say, "Preacher, but that was just to

his children." You understand? GOD HAD

ALREADY TURNED over the rest of that

crowd to reprobate mind.

>> God had already given them over. HE THEY

WERE DONE. THEY were going to be

destroyed. AND GOD WAS GOING TO TAKE

VENGEANCE ON THAT CITY.

>> RIGHT?

>> He said, "Lot, get your children." LOT

GOES TO HIS CHILDREN. THEY laugh in his

face.

>> So what does he do? He gets his two

daughters that have not that are not

married in the text and brings them out.

We've studied it before here at the

church that Lot at least had two sons

that were in the city married. And he

also had at least two daughters that

were in that city. And those two

sons-in-law, they mocked at him. His own

sons, the Bible doesn't even say

anything about them. But he left over

half of his family in that city AND THEY

WERE DIRECTED TO LEAVE. BUT WHAT DID

THEY DO? THEY STAYED.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU KNOW, IT SICKENS me in

this day and time when preachers will

preach and Sunday school teachers will

teach and parents WILL PRAY AND TRY TO

GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN AND TO GUIDE THEIR

FAMILY, but seems like people just want

to continue TO DO WHATEVER GRATIFIES OUR

FLESH,

>> RIGHT?

>> It's not because we don't HAVE A LEADER.

IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'VE NOT BEEN TOLD

WHAT TO DO. IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T

HAVE CLEAR DIRECTION FROM THE WORD OF

GOD. IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE DO NOT LISTEN

TO THE LEADERSHIP. YES.

>> YOU SAY, "PREACHER, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE

TO DO WITH NOAH?" WELL, listen to what

the Bible says in 2 Peter chapter 2.

2 Peter 2 · chapter mention

SECOND PETER CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE number

2 Peter 2 · chapter mention

five. The Bible says, "And God, HE

SPARED NOT THE old world, but saved Noah

the eighth person, notice this phrase, a

preacher

of

righteousness,

bringing in the flood upon the world of

the ungodly." You know what Noah was

doing the whole time he was building

that ark? He had a friend, he had a

HAMMER IN ONE HAND and a sword IN HIS

HEART. AMEN. AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE WAS

DOING? HE WAS GIVING OUT THE WORD OF

GOD, TELLING THAT CROWD, "HEY, THERE'S A

FLOOD COMING. GOD'S GOING TO SEND THE

RAIN. WATER'S GOING TO FALL FROM THE

SKY. JUDGMENT IS COMING. IT'S COMING.

IT'S IMMINENT. I'M TELLING YOU, I'M NOT

A FOOL. GOD HAS TOLD ME THAT HE'S COMING

TO JUDGE THE WORLD." AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

ALL THAT TIME NOAH PREACHED and not A

SOUL BELIEVED AND NOT A SOUL HOOKED UP

WITH WHAT HE SAID. BUT I'LL TELL YOU

THIS, WHEN HE WENT INTO THAT ARK AND GOD

SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND HIM, YOU BETTER

BELIEVE WHEN THE RAIN STARTED TO FALL

THAT THEM SOULS OF THOSE MEN, THAT

WICKED GENERATION BEGAN TO RUN UP AND

BEAT THE SIDE OF THAT ARK. NOAH, LET US

IN. NOAH, LET US IN. WE BELIEVE YOU,

NOAH.

>> But if they just listen to him,

>> That's right. You're right. You see,

they were directed.

>> They had a leader,

>> right?

>> Noah, the preacher of righteousness.

You say, "Well, Lot wasn't a righteous

man." Well, the Bible says that he was.

Let me say this. Lot had been told what

to do,

>> right?

>> Before all of that,

Abraham taught him the right way.

>> Yeah.

>> Furthermore, them angels come down there

to tell him to get out,

>> right?

>> You know what they had to do? They had

to drag him out.

I'm convinced they saved people that

would die and go to hell if the Holy

Spirit of God wouldn't keep them.

>> You're right.

>> Let me say this and I know what I just

said is, you know, you say, "Preacher,

well, all of us would die and go to

hell." I'm saying what what the truth

I'm trying to make is that people,

Christian people are so in so involved

in sin.

>> People who are saved are living such a

life of sin that they would slip off

into hell if it wasn't for the grace of

God.

>> You're right. Right.

They were directed by a leader. I'll say

this, you're without excuse this

morning.

>> You're right.

>> All those people that were in Sodom and

Gomorrah that were without excuse. You

can go back in the book of Genesis and

and Abraham met up with the king of

Sodom and Gomorrah. He told them it's

same text where he met with Melzdc and

he rebuked their wickedness. All of

that. They knew better,

>> right?

>> You know better.

>> Yeah. Truth is this morning this text is

still the same. Here they were directed.

Notice that as it was in the days of

Noah. Who is described in this these

verses? The days of Noah and the days of

Lot.

>> So much more I could say. Give you this.

Fourthly, they were distracted by life.

They were defiled by lust. They were

directed by a leader. They were not

without guidance. But I'll say this,

they were destroyed

>> by the Lord. Amen.

>> Notice the text again. I know this is

simple this morning, but it's the truth.

Look what the Bible says. Until the day

that Noah entered into the ark and the

flood came, what's your Bible say? And

destroyed them all. This judgment was

total. It destroyed them all. You know,

everybody that was on the outside of the

ark died.

>> Notice verse number verse number 29. But

the same day that Lot went out of Sodom,

it rained fire and brimstone from heaven

and what? Destroyed them all. Everybody

that was in Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's

children included, did not make it out.

>> You're right.

>> It was total. Well, let me just remind

you of this just once again. It wasn't

only total judgment, but it was foretold

judgment.

>> You're right.

>> Lot told him

>> what his sons, they mocked him. You

crazy fire coming out of heaven. You've

lost your mind, old man.

You know what they did? They ended up

dying.

>> You're right.

>> Burning alive to burn forever.

>> All of those people that had listened to

Noah preach and watched Noah labor. If

there's ever been an example of the

Christian life, that's what is right

there. You're

>> right.

>> Noah spent his life building an ark to

the saving of his house. Hebrews says,

and let me say this, and I'm just going

to hit it while I'm on the subject. If

you lose your family, you've lost

everything.

>> You're right.

>> Come on.

>> I'll tell you this, friend. I'm not

going to sell out any I'm not going to

sell out my family for anything.

>> The day that the spiritual condition of

my wife and my children comes between me

and this church, this church is going to

be the first thing to go.

>> You're right.

>> Come on.

>> They're my first priority.

>> Noah preached to that generation. They

didn't want to hear what he had to say.

>> Yeah.

>> But you know what he did? He saved his

household.

>> Right. Right.

>> And you know what he also did? He lived

a Christian life in front of that bunch.

>> Yeah.

>> They knew who he was.

>> They knew what he was. They knew what he

believed. They knew what he was doing,

why he was doing it. They just couldn't

h they just couldn't hang on to it.

>> Right.

>> That's what I'm finding. You can tell

people the truth. And and you know,

you're living right, doing right, you're

preaching right, staying by that book,

and people cannot argue with you because

you're staying by that book. But this is

what they'll do to you. They'll look at

you and say, "Well, I just don't believe

that."

That's what happened in Noah's day.

You're

>> right.

>> And what happened? They were destroyed.

>> So much more I could say, but I'm going

to move on because I want to get to this

point. You know what? It's all it's not

all doom and gloom in this. You say,

"Well, how is that?" Well, there was

there was destruction and it was total.

It was told, it was truthful. It was God

had already revealed to him by his word

that it would happen. It was based upon

the scripture.

But I'll say this, there was

deliverance.

>> You see, there was destruction. The Lord

destroyed all of those that had given

themselves over to lust.

But you see, there was still deliverance

>> for some into life.

>> Right?

>> Notice what the Bible says again. As it

was in the days of Noah.

You know why it was the days of Noah?

Because Noah was the only one that was

left.

You're

>> right. Noah was the one that walked out

of the ark on the other side.

>> Yes.

>> Come on.

>> Where judgment had covered the entire

earth. Noah and his children, his sons

and their wives walked out on dry land.

Why? Because God delivered them.

>> Right?

>> Lot though he he walked out full of sin.

He lost his wife as he was walking out

of Sodom and Gomorra. think, you know,

you can look at Noah as a picture of the

Jew in a sense that they're, you know,

they're going to come through that

tribulation, come out the other side,

that remnant that'll be saved.

I think Lot pictures a lot of the

church.

Say, what do you mean by that? Well, I

think he pictures the church in the

sense that in the last days, the people

who are truly saved are going to be so

vexed by wickedness.

>> Good. They're going to be delivered, but

they're going to lose everything around

them.

>> Yeah.

>> As they come out. You're

>> right.

>> I think that's what the rapture is going

to do. I think that this thing's going

to get down to the wire so much and the

lines are going to be so blurred that

people don't even realize.

>> Who's saved and who isn't?

>> Yeah.

>> You say, "Well, you're trying to live

right, aren't you?" Yes, I am. I'm doing

the very best that I can. And I'll tell

you, my best ain't much. That's

>> right.

>> But I'm trying to live right. This is

what I know. I know it wouldn't take but

just a moment.

>> Sin is knocking at the door closer than

it's ever been.

>> Right.

>> Sin used to be It used to come in the

mail and then it came on a television.

>> Yeah.

>> And then it came in on a phone.

>> Yeah.

>> And before long it's it's on our wrists

now.

>> That's right.

>> It's in our minds.

>> You're right. Before long, it's going to

be on our eyes.

>> You're right.

>> Say, "What are you saying?" And I'm

saying it's so close.

>> But there is deliverance.

>> I I just I just feel like the Lord

to notice verse 30. Help me, Father.

Verse 30. The Bible says, "Even thus

shall it be in the day when the son of

man," notice this, "is revealed."

I feel like he keeps bringing me back to

this point. You understand this is not

the rapture.

>> This is talking about the time that he's

going to come as king.

>> Yes.

>> To reign over the Jews. Those Jews are

going to come out of the rocks and out

of the mountains where they've been

hiding from the judgment. And they're

going to look on him whom they pierced,

the Bible says. And they're going to see

him. But you realize seven years before

that,

>> yeah,

>> at least seven years before that, he's

going to come back for his children.

>> That's right.

>> And you say, "What's the truth you're

trying to tell me?" Well, I'm saying for

those of us who are saved this morning,

there's people around us who this this

description is true. They're distracted.

They're defiled. And they're not without

direction. You're

>> right.

>> But they're headed for destruction.

>> Yes.

>> And you know who's going to make the

difference?

It's up to you and me.

>> That's right.

>> Jesus has left his word so that they can

have deliverance. Noah and Lot were

delivered. But this is what I'm reminded

of. The Bible says, "There'll be many

that say unto me in that day,"Lord,

Lord, have we not prophesied in thy

name? In thy name cast out devils and

done many wonderful works?" What does

Jesus say? He says, "Depart from me, ye

that work iniquity, for I never knew

you."

>> Right?

You see, the day was described as the

days of Noah and the days of Lot because

those were the only two people that God

knew in those societies.

>> What does the Bible say? God remembered

Noah.

>> God knew him. God remembered Lot as

well.

>> Right?

>> Let me ask you this. If he was to come,

would he know you

>> right now? If he was to come, you say,

"Preacher, he's not going to come right

now." I don't know that. You don't

either.

>> You're right.

>> He could come at any moment. The driving

force of this message today is that if

you're here today and you're lost, you

need to be saved.

>> Every head bowed and every eye closed.

These altars are open. Christians are

praying.

God still saves old sinners. We know

that. We believe that. The simplicity of

this message this morning is to tell you

that you can be saved.

If your life, if you can live a life of

sin and it does not bother you,

I would be spending some time talking to

the Lord about that thing.

If you can if you can get by with

anything and everything

and never feel the tug of the Holy

Spirit,

>> Yeah.

I'd be checking up.

>> Yes.

>> You see, it's not our job

to keep our salvation.

I'm not working to keep my salvation.

I'm working for Jesus because he's

keeping my salvation.

We're kept by the power of God. And if

you're saved, you can't lose it. Well,

let me ask you something.

You're struggling with doubt because

you're living in sin. Why would you

continue to do that?

Why?

Let me remind you. Faith

is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.

All it takes is trust in him.

Some people will never get saved because

they trust their sin

more than they trust the Savior.

They want they desire satisfaction more

than they desire salvation.

Let me ask you this morning, you say,

"Preacher,

I don't know if Jesus was to come back

in the rapture. I don't know if I'd go

with him or not."

Anybody be honest like that? Say,

"Preacher, would you pray for me? I just

don't know.

Slip your hand up right back down. I

want to pray for you today.

Preacher, would you pray for me?

I just don't know.

Just don't know. Slip your hand up and

hold it up where I can see it.

Hold it up where I can see it.

God knows your heart now.

You're not fooling him. You fool all us,

but you ain't going to fool him. Let me

ask you this, child of God. If Jesus

were to come back, would you be ashamed?

Look, I know this is simple this

morning. I'm just a simple preacher, but

I got to tell you the truth

if he was to come, would he be would you

be ashamed?

Would you be ashamed before him? Say,

"Preacher, would you pray for me? I'm

not right with the Lord."

Be honest between you and God. Slip your

hand up. I pray for you, preacher. I'm

not right with the Lord.

God knows.

God knows. Father,

Lord, would you help us this morning,

God? I know there's somebody on each of

our hearts today,

Lord, that

has walked a distance from you,

Lord, as a child of God. They've

journeyied away from your presence.

Lord, I pray you'd give them grace

today.

Lord, if there's one here that's lost,

God, I pray you wouldn't let them leave

this place.

God, don't let them leave. Lord, I thank

you for saving Morgan this past week.

But God, I realize, Father, there's

others.

There's others that need salvation. God,

I pray they wouldn't leave today. I

thank you for your sweet spirit today

that we felt. God, I thank you, Father,

for the liberty to preach. And God, I

pray you'll cleanse us, draw us near to

you, and we'll give you thanks for what

you do because we ask it in Jesus name.

God's children said,

>> "Amen."

>> Amen.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more

information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.