Tribulation = Time to Trust.

Today, Pastor Michael is talking about tribulation. What is tribulation? What is THE Tribulation?

The dictionary defines tribulation as a state of great trouble or suffering. Health, loss, confusion, and generally rough times are also tribulations. So, what do we do when we go through a period of tribulation?

Jesus spoke a message to a group of people about “THE” tribulation, and the last half of that being the “GREAT” tribulation. Here at Recreate, we don’t dwell on the tribulation and end times too much, but the world does talk about it, and we will confront it today.

It’s important to differentiate between the general concept of tribulation, which we all experience in life, and the specific biblical event known as the Tribulation period. We firmly believe that those who trust in Jesus in this age will not face the Tribulation period, but we will still encounter tribulations in our lives. However, these tribulations can be seen as opportunities to deepen our trust in God.

What is the Tribulation period? A seven-year period of intense global turmoil and divine judgment first prophesized in the book of Daniel but most famously described in Revelation. There will be widespread famine, chaos, natural disasters, and generally, really, really bad times. A charismatic leader called the Antichrist who will rise up, and Jesus will return at the end of the seven years, destroy the Antichrist, bind the Devil, throw him into the bottomless pit, and establish an earthly kingdom that will resemble the earthly garden of Eden.

It’s going to get really bad but really good, too. That’s a good general description of the Tribulation period. The Tribulation is a time of trust. Trust in Jesus, and those who do will be removed before the Tribulation in the Rapture. In the twinkling of an eye, they will be called up to heaven to be with the Lord. Enoch and Elijah are the only two who avoided death and went straight to heaven, but there will be a lot more in the Rapture.

Michael drills down into the Rapture across many verses, so be sure to check the verse catalog below.

And as previously stated, believers will suffer tribulations. You will have some tribulation just because you follow Jesus, but it is worth it. Trials and tribulations occur to everyone, so Mark 13: 9 - 13 speaks to believers in the future.

Three promises to consider:

1. If you trust Jesus, you won’t have to face the Tribulation.
2. You will face periods of tribulation.
3. If you trust in Jesus He will help you through any tribulation you might have.

Trust in Jesus!

(CSB Bible Notes) 13:13 You will be hated indicates the animosity unbelievers often feel toward Christians because of the name of Jesus (cp. 1Pt 4:16). Jesus did not warn his followers so they could seek safety but so they would endure faithfully.

Verses can be found in Mark 13: 9 - 13, Revelation 3: 10., 4: 1 - 2, 4: 18, 1 Thessalonians 1: 10, 4: 16 and 5: 9, 2 Thessalonians 2: 3, 2: 6 - 8, 1 Corinthians 15:52, Daniel 9: 24

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Don’t Be Afraid of Tomatoes!

Today, Pastor Michael discusses the importance of not fearing as a believer. He draws a parallel from history, when people in the past, many centuries ago, were afraid of tomatoes because they were called ‘poison apples.’ They believed tomatoes were lethal, but in reality, the acid in tomatoes was reacting with lead from pewter plates used in those days. Just as a prepared soul has no fear of the end, we, too, should not fear the unknown. Remember, this message is not just about tomatoes; it’s about our faith and how we face the unknown.

It’s Wednesday evening, and the apostles are leaving the temple, having spent three days there. They are commenting on how impressive the buildings were there. By this time, the sun is going down in the west, silhouetting the temple and making quite the impression. Jesus told the apostles that not a stone would be left of these buildings, and this made the apostles question the reasoning of that statement, asking Him privately when that would happen. They mistakenly equated the end of the buildings with the end of the world.

Jesus replied, in His longest teaching on the end times, describing events and conditions that are the beginnings of sorrows. The early indicator that something major is coming.

Getting back to our theme, don’t be afraid; the problem is not the end times, the problem is the fear in us. If you are a follower of Jesus, you do NOT have to be afraid!

(CSB Notes) Jesus prophesied (announced, not merely predicted) the destruction of the great buildings. Symbolically in the withering of the fig tree (11:12-14,20-21) Jesus had already prophesied their end. Some question the accuracy of not one stone will be left upon another because some stones remain today in the Western Wall, but this was not part of the temple itself but the foundation that supported the platform on which the temple stood.

Verses can be found in Mark 13: 1 - 8.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

You Can’t Outgive God.

Today, Pastor Michael is expanding upon where Jesus cleaned the temple out of all the folks doing business inside, instead of worshipping. He runs them out and comes back on Tuesday and the religious leaders come out to meet Him, wanting to know what on earth He was doing back at the temple. The next day, Wednesday, they try tripping Him up again. So now, we’re at the point where Jesus is betrayed and arrested.

Jesus knows this. All of it.

So He just sits down on one of the low benches, around the Temple. There were a bunch of offering boxes around and He saw many people coming and going. He watched quietly until one special woman, a widow, approached the boxes. She reaches out and deposits two tiny little coins, and Jesus turns to His disciples and says, “She is giving more than anyone else.”

His disciples marveled at that assessment, wondering where it came from. Jesus taught them that she gave all she had; others simply give out of a surplus.

The core idea of this message is: You Can’t Outgive God!

(CSB Bible Notes): Stewardship is measured by the sacrifice we make, not by the amount we give. The widow’s willingness to give all she had represented better stewardship than the large gift of the rich who retained abundant resources. The amount left after the gift is a more significant figure than the amount of the gift. Christian stewardship involves sacrificial giving that counts the need rather than the availability of resources for personal use.

Verses can be found in Mark 12: 41-44.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.