Sermons by Bob Vincent and Others

First of all, as always, I made a couple of mistakes, such as referring to the first century of the Christian Era as Before Christ, and I also got a couple of dates wrong: 1690 instead of 1688. And I failed to acknowledge that Queen Mary who was married to William of Orange was the daughter of King James II. People misread the Book of Revelation and can come up with some absurd ideas. But we need to remember that Revelation was written for people living in the first century of the Christian Era, even though the prophecies recapitulate into our own time. Also, Revelation is a book of worship, as we can see in the handout in this morning's bulletin. Consider all those words that point us back to the Tabernacle and the Temple, with their music and offerings. That's because the True Tabernacle and Temple are in heaven, as is the True Jerusalem. One day that Dwelling Place of God will come to earth (Revelation 21-22). Who are the 144,000? What does it mean that they are virgins? Why is the Tribe of Dan missing from the list? What is the Mark of the Beast and how is it related to the Mark on Believers? How do we sing a new song?

As we examine Revelation 14:8-12, we discover an immediate fulfillment in the first century of the Christian Era, when the Romans burned the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple with fire on the 9th day of the Jewish month Ab, 656 years after the Babylonians had destroyed the First Temple on that same day in 586 Before the Christian Era. The Jewish commander of the armies of the Galilee became convinced that continuing the war against the Romans was futile and suicidal. Suicide is always a sinful act, but it does not keep a believer out of heaven. Josephus' writings give us the only comprehensive and accurate account of what took place in the wake of the Jewish war with the Romans. However, as we have seen throughout these studies, prophecies recapitulate, and so the ultimate fulfillment of verses 8-13 is found in the Lake of Fire, where all those whose names are not in the Lamb's Book of Life will suffer eternally (Revelation 20:11-15). As we reflect on the theme of Fire for 2024, we must consider 1 Peter 1:6-9. What is more precious than gold? It is that wonderful gift of God, faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). As gold is refined by fire, so our faith is purified in the fiery trials that are coming (1 Peter 4:12-14). That is why we can be joyful as we enter 2024. Our blessed Lord is going to purge out of us things that detract from our witness. That purging will result in praise, glory, and honor at his return--indeed, joy unspeakable (1 Peter 1:7-8). I want more and more to be a sweet aroma of the Lord Jesus Christ in 2024 (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). Don't you? That sweat aroma comes as we endure the trials of life without bitterness.

Jesus' parables about the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46), echo some of what people experience in the modern American Christmas. You are the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price: The Lord Jesus Christ left the glory of heaven (Philippians 2:5-8; John 17, especially verses 5-6, 9, 20-24; 2 Corinthians 8:9) because he valued you above his own comfort and pleasure. Salvation is a free gift. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Romans 3:21-5:21; Ephesians 2:8-9). But true faith is never alone (Ephesians 2:10). We must surrender everything at the feet of Jesus, because he is the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46; Luke 14:25-27). Without laying everything at his feet, we can NEVER be happy, because material things, even other people, cannot satisfy our deepest longings, only God can. Happiness is a choice, as can be seen in Deuteronomy 28:47-48). Why do people get so depressed during holidays? Why do so many people commit suicide during Christmas?

The Star of Bethlehem was a supernatural phenomenon, and it is of no use in dating the birth of Christ. The death of Herod the Great in 4 Before the Christian Era is very valuable, along with the time frame of his murdering the male children in the area around Bethlehem before his death. That means that the Lord Jesus was born five or six years Before the Christian Era. No one brought Jesus gifts the night he was born. The Wise Men made preparations and set out for Jerusalem shortly after they observed the Star of Bethlehem. By the time they worshipped the Lord Jesus and gave him gifts, his family was back in Nazareth and it was probably five years Before the Christian Era. Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra (270-343 Christian Era). He was famous for giving gifts to the poor and for slapping Arius, a heretic who denied that the Lord Jesus is God, at the time of the Council of Nicaea. We need to follow the example of Martha's sister Mary (Luke 10:38-42), and focus on sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus, instead of getting in a frenzy of debt and business at Christmas.