Al Ngu    February 10, 2023

Our Lord Jesus preached about hell in the gospels more than all the other prophets combined in the whole Bible. If that’s so important to Jesus the Son of God himself, hell is a reality and that must be taken seriously now. Before it’s too late. The reason is that many people live as if there is no tomorrow. There’s no end time coming in there, just enjoy their lives. Do the most they can. And what’s most dangerous about this? It is called short sightedness.

People are not knowing what’s going to happen in the long term and just live for the present? It’s like you are in the 60’s and you have nothing in 401K, except that this time I’m talking about something a billion times and more significant than the 401K savings for retirement. The reason is the reality is in the end time that it’s either go into the eternal bliss with God and Jesus Christ in heaven paradise, or in hell tormenting forever in eternal fire with sulfur with the beast and the dragon the Satan. When you think seriously about it first it is not funny secondly it’s not being cynical, thirdly it is way too much at stake. Press the wrong button make the wrong decision the eternal justice coming back to haunt you forever ever painful and nonstop.

Father Abraham send Lazarus to dip water on my tongue

Thinking about the rich man with Lazarus while he was rich on earth he had anything he wanted to and he will throw his leftover bones etcetera to Lazarus who was a beggar begging for food at his house. Jesus gave the parable when Lazarus died, he went straight to heaven to be with Abraham. And when the rich man also died, he went straight to hell burning fire. The rich man lifted out his head from Hellfire and saw Lazarus with father Abraham in heaven. He called out to father Abraham, “ Abraham please ask Lazarus to give me a dip of water on my tongue because it’s so hot and dry here.”  Matt 15:25-26

²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

Then the rich man asked father Abraham to go and send Lazarus to his brothers on earth to warn them of the Hellfire. Abraham tell him no my son your brothers will not listen to Lazarus even from death because if they didn’t listen to the prophets on earth they won’t listen to Lazarus from the death even.

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

This story is told by Jesus as a parable with absolute truth and there is nothing metaphorical. The problem and danger of modern liberal theologians is that this is a fairy tale story with no real significance to it with no reality attached to it and that is even more dangerous because there’s deceitful and they can deceive entire generation or more. Its time to take the message of the end time warnings back today.

The Door is Shut

There’s another story about the parable of the five foolish virgins and five wise virgins. They are both waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom. It’s interesting that Jesus used the word virgin for the women waiting for the groom, it signifies the purity of the souls all Christians and the church are waiting for the arrival of Christ in his second coming as a groom to the church.

The text here is that the five virgins who are wise have got their lamps filled with oil getting ready. But the five foolish virgins did not have any oil in their lamps because the groom apparently is much delayed and there has been a long time waiting for something. But the parable goes on with the groom finally arrived. Bang! So with a big trumpet call and the five wise virgins who were already ready with oil in the lamp went right up to meet the groom. And the five foolish virgins also started going immediately however they didn’t have oil with their lamps so they asked the wise virgins to give them some oil. But the wise virgins wisely said go and get your own oil because there is not there will not be enough oil for two of us sharing it. So the foolish virgins went to get some oil, while the wise virgins were already on the way to meet the groom. By the time the foolish virgins got the oil and the headed towards the feast of the wedding of the of the groom, they knocked at the door but they won’t let them in.

Matt 25: ¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ ¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

You know that door is the entry to the big feast of the wedding of the lamb the groom and the church, and if you’re invited you get it but if you’re not invited you’ll be kept out and kicked into the eternal darkness of gnashing of teeth and that’s what happened to the foolish virgins.

Life is a Choice and Getting ready for the biggest even in universe

Life is really about a choice and getting ready for the biggest event in the in the universe in the cosmos. If we don’t get ourselves ready as Christians, with all the vibrant doctrinal faith that has been shown to us, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. However if you are in a church that doesn’t preach about this doesn’t talk about it doesn’t teach the correct doctrines, the church has to be blamed on their leadership.

Are you getting ready?

Al Ngu,     February 10, 2023

Mark 9: ² And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³ and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

Jesus said, some will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God.  Who is that you wonder who would not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God? And that is really interesting, but what it means is, you know, at that time when transfiguration happened, who went out to see the Transfiguration? Peter, James, and John.

Presumably Jesus was referring to Peter, James and John. They would see the glorious God before they die. It’s transfiguration. In the context of the scripture we can quite safely take, this is referring the transfiguration. The seed, the King of God comes with power. Isn’t that power? What happened to the Transfiguration? After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John to High Mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before them. His clothes were radiant, intensely white, as no one on Earth could bleach them. He was intensely white. Do you know that whiteness is really like what happened to God when he descended of Mount Sinai? His face, his amazing radiant glory, love, lightning and Thunder. Everything. Even Moses went up to talk with me, with God for 40 days after the after he came down, his face was shining with brilliant light. So much so that Israel asked Moses to put a veil over his face because it’s hurting their eyes. That’s exactly what’s happening to Jesus. Jesus called, becoming intensely brilliant white, shiny. So much so the three disciples, Peter, James and John were afraid, was so afraid, don’t know what to say. You see, that is the  transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain.

What do you call that? Jesus showed them the power of the Kingdom of God. That is Jesus glowing  for a moment. Probably less than 30 minute. The eschatology, what is to come right now, what they see is totally human. Jesus is not glorified yet, but Jesus gave them a glimpse of what is going to be like. And I’m just so encouraging because for one thing, it would encourage us all of the end time coming.

And eschatology means end time perosia the return of Christ. You know, when we see what’s going to happen in the end we can live our present life with so much more power and joy and conviction and confidence and faith, right? Because you already know what the ending is like , what its going to be. Super Bowl is coming up, I think next week. You know, if you’re rooting for a team so passionately, like what I’m rooting pretty strongly for one team now to win the Super Bowl. I got nervous every time they made a blunder . I think it’s the National Football championship you know chiefs were were struggling to beat Bengals until the end so I switched off for a while. And then by the time it’s finished, I turned on the news. I checked news on my iphone: Chiefs is going to the Super Bowl. Awesome! So I quickly went back and saw the highlights. You know, I was so, so relaxed, so happy to to see, you know, to enjoy because I already know the end results. I did have a tense, didn’t have that doubts and uncertainty anymore. I just knew exactly what’s going to happen. Its already happened, actually.

So it’s the same thing with us. When Jesus gave us an eschatological (end time)  appearance, the entire appearance to Peter, James and John, He is telling them that folks lift up your eyes. The end is coming. When I come back this is going to be me alright church, be strong at the end time. I’m coming. That’s gonna be me. It will be so amazing, so tremendous. We should all be one living together as one family of God forever and ever. There be no more tears. Wipe all your tears , no more pain, no more grief. No more sorrows. No more evil.

Paradise precisely its exactly paradise as good as the best moment of your life. For at that moment we will not end. How about that? This goes on and on and on and on. It will be just the best the Lord has so much blessed us.  That’s so encouraging. I hope it encourage you to stay firm and looking forward to the end time. Looking forward to that eschatology.

Be sure you read my article on Consumerism or materialism really, really just cause people failure to look at end time because it’s so bumped out of the present. So read that. But really, Jesus gives us a glimpse of his glory of his end time appearance folks. Be ready for the end time. When Christ comes back, there’s no more fighting. The fighting will be over everything over the victories completely won. The dragon ak the Devil would be thrown into Hellfire with sulphur burning well, the false prophets and the beast and all those who rejected Christ. So those who have not believe, I urge you to make a strong decision to consider. Read the Bible. Consider the divinity of Christ, what he claims, and what he offers folks. Jesus responded with the glory of God on the Mount to s Peter, James and John.

That transfiguration lasted for less than half an hour or pass. But is this a few conversations now, right after that, Peter said, “ Oh, Lord, let me make three tents for you”. He  had no idea what he’s talking about because Elijah and Moses appeared. Now, right after that, God’s voice saying, “listen to this is my beloved son. Listen to him.”  There’s an affirmation that voice is not for Jesus. Their voice is for the people. Listen to Jesus. He’s my son. That’s the voice of God from heaven. They were overwhelmed, stunned. And then Jesus told them, don’t tell anybody until I’m raised from the dead. They were scratching their heads going down the mountain. What does he mean by raising rising from the dead? Why don’t they just ask him? But Jesus already said many, many, many, many, many, many times explicitly. The Son of man should be killed, but three days later he shall rise from the dead. Jesus said so many times, and yet the 12 courses beside us don’t get it. How about that?

As today, we have been the church many, many, many, many years and some of the major doctrines, we don’t get it. Or we kind of know the doctrines intellectually in our heads, but we don’t get it in our hearts. So folks, this is a powerful one.

Last thing Elijah and Moses appeared to Jesus. I believe that is very revealing. Those who have died, the Saints, those who believed in Christ, who have died, they are with the Lord now. Their spirits are with the Lord. That’s why they can appear to talk to the Lord Jesus Transfiguration. When called upon, this is it is such a comforting thing. This confirms what Jesus said to the thief on his right side on the cross to today you shall be with me in paradise. This is spirit, and the flesh will come later when Jesus returns with the big trumpet. Amen. God bless you.

Love fulfills the law

Love fulfills the law

William Kavanaugh argues that consumerism is the death of Christian eschatology, because it allows for no rupture with the status quo, no inbreaking kingdom of God, but only endless superficial novelty. It is the endless repeating cycle of consumption that never grows old, never grows up, and never comes in the end (Chris Watkin).

Now this is cutting edge by Kavanaugh. He’s saying that consumer causes the death of Christian eschatology. Why? Because it allows the status quo to remain status quo in our society. With no rupture. What does it mean rupture? In other words. Status quo remains status quo. There is no change, no breakthrough. It always is the same old, same old.  Same vicious cycle.

What has materialism or consumerism got a grip on? On us!  So strong as it is in the material world today that Kingdom of God cannot break in. There is not a chance and no hope. For breaking in or rupturing. They’re status quo. Because the only chance of doing that is through the Kingdom of God. But in this, materialism blinds the eyes of the people with superficial novelty. That novelty deludes people with worldly pleasures, comfort and enjoyment, so much so that people have completely lost sight of the eschatology, or the return of Christ.

When the Kingdom of God will be fully established, judgment will be held against all those who rejected and mocked Christ. But that sense of that Kingdom of God coming or the end time, judgment, or return of Christ does not seem to emerge in our imagination, because we’re so bound up with consumerism. Consumerism continues to have a grip upon our minds, our imagination. Consumerism can also equate to materialism. Materialistic worldview continues to hammer on our Christians’ rightful worldview of eschatology. Christians have been served a great harm because of materialism and consumerism. Put simply, money blinds the eyes of the Christian believers. That’s why the love of money truly is the root of all evil, said Jesus.

All of us need money to survive to live a life of decent comfort. Not even asking for incredible richness and cruising for vacation etcetera. But we’re really just saying living a life on par with the community. However, the continual bombardment of TV and movie series, etcetera on our minds would have it effect on us and take a toll on on our Christian worldview. Christian eschatology.

Now if our eschatology worldview is damaged we are in deep trouble because Christians begin to live for the present. If we begin to do that, we begin to be very short sighted. And our ship will run aground. We would have no sense of the coming back of Christ our Lord. And we have no sense of urgency, we have no sense of living for the future. Even though we know the certainty of what’s going to happen in the end time, future, we do not reflect that lifestyle simply because we are so bogged down by consumerism and materialism. As it is in said, it’s been ruptured on Kingdom of God. Eschatology has been ruptured. However. The consumerism stays in status quo and there’s no rupture.

That’s why it’s incredibly important that we do our weekly worship in a congregation setting to connect with God and with. One another, so that we continue to dwell in the presence of God. And in touch with humanity who loves Jesus. Together.

The important thing and tricky thing is to  maintain a balance between consumerism being thrifty. And now don’t cast all eyes on the worldly pleasures that much that we lose sight of the homecoming of Christ. Jesus is coming back and surely he’s coming back. And soon. And very soon. The exact timing of which we were not known. But we do know he’s coming back and therefore we must get ready. Like the five virgin foolish women and the five wise virgin women. It’s the foolish virgin women who didn’t bother to fill there cups with oil and when the bridegroom finally showed up, they didn’t have the oil to be ready to meet with the groom.  But the wise virgin women were ready to meet the groom.

We have to choose to be vigilant of the oncoming end time events. The Lord is coming back. Amen.