Gospel Dynamite with J. Allen Mashburn

Horsemen on the Horizon l Revelation 6:1-8 l J. Allen Mashburn

Revelation chapter six is a shock to the senses.  In the past two chapters, we have been allowed to witness scenes of heavenly worship.  In this passage, we are going to see images of divine wrath.  We have been a place where there is praise and shouting.  We are about to examine a scene filled with pain and suffering.   In chapters four and five, we have been seated in “heavenly places” observing “scenes of joy”.  In chapter six, we are brought down to “earthly places” to observe “scenes of judgment.”
Beginning in chapter six all the way through chapter nineteen, we are placed in the middle of “Tribulation Period”, or the time known as the “Great Tribulation”.  This period of seven years is broken down into two parts, with each portion lasting 3 ½ years.
This period of time is clearly described in the Word of God.
·        Jeremiah 30:7, “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.”
·        Daniel 12:1, “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”
·        Matthew 24:3-24
·        Matthew 24:21-22, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”
In this passage, the seven seals on the book in the hand of the Lord Jesus begin to be broken, one by one.  
As the seals are opened, a series of divine judgment is poured out upon the earth and those who dwell on the earth.  The four seals that we will consider in this message describe events that will take place during the first 3 ½ year portion of the Tribulation.
We are about to witness a time of destruction, devastation and death that can hardly be comprehended by our mortal minds.  These verses describe events that will take place on the earth after the church has been removed in the Rapture.  The world we are about to see is a world that has no Gospel witness. 
There are no Christians, no Gospel singing or preaching, and no peace.  This is a world that is in rebellion against its Maker; and it is a world that stands on the brink of terrifying judgments.

Sweet Songs in Heavenly Places | Revelation 5:8-14 | J. Allen Mashburn

This passage finds us still in Heaven in the presence of God and of the Lamb.  The church has been raptured, perfected and safely delivered home to Heaven.  The landing has been safe!  Revelation chapters 4 and 5 find us in Heaven’s courtroom.  God is preparing to judge this world.  But, before He does, there is a pause for praise in glory. 
      In these verses, Heaven is unable to contain itself and all the residents of that fair land burst forth in rejoicing and praise to God and the Lamb.  There is praising, singing and there is music.  This the first mention of music in this book, but it will not be the last.
Music is a vital part of our lives.  From the time the alarm clock sounds in the morning, we are surrounded with music.  The radio and television are all about music.  We have music in our cars, in our homes and at our places of business.  Music is used to move the minds of people.  When a restaurant is busy, for example, they might play fast music.  When fast music is playing, people eat faster and clear the tables sooner.  Music can set the scene in a film and let you know whether you should be afraid, sad or happy.  Music is an important part of our lives. 
It is also an important part of our walk with the Lord.  Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 speak about the vital role music plays in our relationship with the Lord.  Thank God for music that honors Him!
This passage seems to indicate that music will be one of the things that will follow us from earth to Heaven.  The music in Heaven will but serve to make Heaven sweeter.
In these verses, John takes us into Heaven and gives us front row seats at the concert of the ages.  Let’s go in, take our seats and listen to the hosts of Heaven as they lift their voices in praise and worship of God and the Lamb.

Worthy is the Lamb l Revelation 5:1-7 l J. Allen Mashburn

As we enter this fifth chapter, it would be a good time for a little review.  In chapter 4, John is caught up into Heaven.  When he arrives there, he sees God Himself sitting on a glorious throne.  John sees Heaven arrayed as a courtroom.  God is preparing to unleash His wrath on the inhabitants of the earth.
In the midst of this awesome scene, we also see that Heaven is filled with the praises of Jehovah.  Heaven understands what the Lord is about to do and the inhabitants of that city praise the Lord for His glory, His power and for His creation.  They are also acknowledging His right to judge the earth.
It seems that John is taken to Heaven to give him a heavenly perspective concerning what is about to happen on the earth.  Now this is most noteworthy BECAUSE only God could do this; He is presenting to John, a scene in heaven that is being displayed in the present tense, yet it is totally FUTURE TENSE.  ONLY THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO IS NEVER GOVERNED, NOT CONSTRAINED BY TIME—could do this!
I mentioned this last week, but it is still true: when the events of this earth are viewed from a purely earthly perspective, they can cause fear, doubt and confusion.  
But, when all the events of history are viewed through the eyes of Heaven, everything makes sense!
So, chapter four ends with God receiving the praise of His created ones and of His redeemed ones.  Heaven throbs with the voices of those caught up in their love for Almighty God.  Chapter five finds us in the same courtroom in Heaven.  Now, praise has ceased for a moment and heavenly business is about to be transacted, and we are going to have front row seats as it is acted out.
We are about to find out that, in Heaven, Jesus is the central Figure.  He is the center of attention.  I believe that Heaven will be a glorious, wonderful place.  I believe there will be streets of gold, walls of jasper, gates of pearl, and more glory than you and I can imagine.  I believe it will be great to see Abraham, Moses, Paul, and the rest.  But, the main attraction of Heaven will be Christ, Himself.  In this passage, we are going to see Jesus Himself, in His rightful place; glorified and exalted in Heaven.
This passage sets the stage for the judgments that will come during the Tribulation.  It also reveals Jesus in His exalted glory. 
Let’s look at these verses and consider the thought: Worthy Is The Lamb.

A Nation in Need of Repentance | Jeremiah 8 | J. Allen Mashburn

Many believe that our greatest need is jobs, others are sure the economy is the priority need of our nation, and still others would tell us that our greatest need is political, that we somehow must heal the political divide that hinders our nation from moving to a solution for its problems. I want you to know that our greatest problem as a nation is something far more easily solved than the economy, jobs, or political partisanship. Our greatest need in America is spiritual, and simple repentance and a return to biblical principles would do more to heal the wounds of this nation than anything else that can be named. Not only would a true spiritual revival cure the problems in America, it would be a swift solution that would result in immediate changes in every realm of American life.
 
Today, I want to take us back to the final days of the nation of Judah. A prophet named Jeremiah had been sent to them to preach to them the Word of the Lord. Judah, like America, refused to hear or heed the Word of God, and they were judged for their sins. America is headed toward the same end, if she does not repent of her sins and turn back to God. 

Bound By the Lord’s Purposes | Romans 9:6-33 | J. Allen Mashburn

The first part of verse 6 carries our minds back to what Paul said in verse 1-5. There, we are reminded that the Jews had been the recipients of many divine gifts. Verses 4 and 5 contain quite an impressive list of blessings which they had been given. However, just the fact that they had been given these great spiritual gifts and manifestations, did not guarantee them that they would be saved. That having been said, let us remember that the Word of the Lord will be fulfilled, even to its smallest detail, Isa. 55:11; Matt. 5:18. That which God has predestined and foreordained will come to pass. Whether it is in the arena of prophecy or in the arena of salvation!
Paul wants his Jewish readers to understand that salvation is a divine experience. That is, it always begins and ends with God. He is origination, continuation and culmination of our faith, Heb. 12:2. It is all God all the way! In these verses, Paul seeks to explain the matter of God's divine sovereignty in this matter of salvation. He wants us to know, beyond all doubt, that God is in absolute control of the salvation of men's souls. 

What Will We Do in Heaven? | Revelation 4:1-11 | J. Allen Mashburn

Verse 1 of this passage shows John hearing the sound of a trumpet and of a great voice calling him up to Heaven. Immediately, the transition is made from the earth to the heavens. John is then given a view of what Heaven will be like.
This first verse is a clear picture of the rapture of the Church. John pictures for us what it will be like to be snatched out of this world and taken directly to Heaven. That will be a thrilling experience! However, the question that is often asked by people regarding Heaven is this: "What will we do when we get there?" That is a good question! It is a question people have asked for centuries and it is a question that this passage answers for us. For, in the 11 verses that make up this chapter, we are given an opportunity to look into Heaven so that we can see some of the things that are going on there.
The things going on there are thrilling, but what makes them so special is the fact that they involve us!

Special Announcement: WE ARE MOVING SOON! | Revelation 4:1 | J. Allen Mashburn

As we move into chapter 4 of the book of Revelation, we are heading into strange country.  We just left the past as we dealt with the seven churches of Asia Minor.  Yet, while we studied those churches, we came to understand that we were, in reality, very much in the present.  Now, when we get to this chapter, we are about to step off into the future.
This chapter, and the one that follows takes us into the very throne room of God, where we can see ourselves and what we will be doing when we get to Heaven.  After that, our focus will be primarily on the earth until we get to chapter 21.
What I want you to understand is that Revelation 4:1 is a very special verse.  In fact, if you do not understand this verse, then you cannot understand the rest of the book.  
If you mess up here, you will be out of step all the way through the rest of this great book. 
Have you ever buttoned your shirt, only to get down to the last button and find you didn’t have a buttonhole to put it in?  So, you back up and see what happened and you usually find that your problems begin right at the start.  If the right button is not placed in the right button hole, you are in trouble.  Things will never turn out right!  The same is true with this book.
Since this verse is so vital, I want to take some time and move through it in detail today.  Now, I don’t know if you know this or not, but this verse is all about our future.  It tells us about the day when all the children of God will leave this world together.  I want to show you the facts, as they are presented in this verse.

The Laodicean Legacy | Revelation 3:14-22 | J. Allen Mashburn

This passage contains the last of seven letters the Lord Jesus sent to the seven churches of Asia Minor. This letter is harsher than all the others. The Lord Jesus comes to this church with no words of blessing and no words of commendation. He examines this church and sees nothing in it that is worthy of praise.
 
This letter is 2,000 years old, yet it is still very important today. We may wonder what a 2,000 year old letter could possibly teach us in 2012. The reason this letter still speaks is because the modern church is very much like the ancient church in Laodicea. While individual churches might not perfectly fit the mold of the church in Laodicea, elements of the problems that existed in Laodicea can be found in many churches. Those same problems can be found here, if we are not careful. They might even be found here, if we were honest!
 
Before we begin to look into these verses, let me give you a little background on the city of Laodicea.
•      This city was founded by Antiochus II sometime before 253 BC. It was named after his wife Laodice.
•      The city was located on a high plateau and it was very secure from enemy attack.
•      One problem in Laodicea was the fact that there was no ready source of water in the city.   The Lycus River was nearby, but the waters were too muddy to drink. Water had to be piped in through aqueducts. Water from the hot springs in Hierapolis six miles to the north was brought into the city. Water was also piped in from Colossae, which was located 10 miles to the east.
•      Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake in 61 AD. The city was so wealthy and so self-sufficient that they rebuilt their city with their own resources, refusing an offer of aid from Caesar and the Roman government.
•      Laodicea was famous for three things:
1.  Laodicea was famous as a center of Finance - Laodicea was a center of banking and finance. The city renowned throughout the Roman Empire for its wealth and financial power. 
2.  Laodicea was famous as a center of Fashion - Laodicea was renowned for the soft, black wool produced there. This wool was considered a luxury item and was sought after for clothing and rugs. Laodicea was the center of fashion in its day. The newest styles appeared here first. It was like modern Paris, Milan, or New York in that regard.
3.  Laodicea was famous as a center of Medicine  - There was a large medical school in Laodicea which produced a tablet that was sold all over the Roman Empire. This tablet was crushed, mixed with water to form a paste. This paste was rubbed into the eyes and was reported to cure a variety of eye problems.
 
Laodicea was a very important city. The church that existed in Laodicea was important as well. It was very important to God. This church was the human representation of the invisible God. How the church was perceived, was how God would be perceived. That is why the spiritual condition of every local church is important to God.
 
The Lord’s words to this church are particularly relevant in our day. Churches like Laodicea, dominate the landscape in our world. We need to our church and place it alongside the church of Laodicea. We need to compare this church to that church, and see if there are any similarities between us and them. If there are, then we need to deal with those areas and bring them into line with God’s Word and His will.
 
It’s easy to tell if a church has inherited a Laodicean mindset. The characteristics of that kind of church are revealed here.