Sermons
The Day Of The Lord
Series: An Eschatological MixLink to sermon video: The Day Of The Lord - T Siverd
THE DAY OF THE LORD
Sermon By Terry Siverd / July 04, 2021 / Cortland Church of Christ
Many preachers have used the events of the last two years to preach on eschatology. It is what might be called “newspaper theology” and it doesn't do justice to the actual teachings of Scripture. In this series I am attempting to combat/counteract this faulty approach by offering a Biblical view of eschatology. In our current series on eschatology we have been focused over the last few weeks on the Olivet Discourse. These words of Jesus are recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 17 & 21. This discourse serves to unite a hosts of Old Testament prophecies finding their fulfillment in the fall of Jerusalem. In Luke's gospel account, it would be a good thing to highlight in your study Bible Lk.21:20 & 21 - - When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize her desolation is at hand...these are the days of vengeance, in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled. e.g., Last Sunday, as we studied from Mt.24:15ff reading about the abomination of desolation and the great tribulation, we were compelled to notice that Jesus referenced that which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet.
When we keep the words of Jesus in their original context, our interpretation of them is governed by Jesus' own declaration found in Mt.24:34 - - this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. So while we might struggle a bit to fully grasp these events (abomination & tribulation), we do not have the option of pushing them forward into a setting yet future to us which ignores Jesus' clear stipulation (that generation).
For the immediate future, I want to return to Mt.24 for a couple of additional sermons. One lesson that I hope will show clearly that this chapter cannot be divided into two different comings: one fulfilled in the 1st century in the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 and a second that remains yet future. I also intend to have a lesson that addresses the language of apocalyptic prophecy. This highly symbolic imagery often throws us for a loop, but in reality it was a literary form used often in the writings of the Old Testament.
This morning I want to deviate from Mt.24. Actually its not a digression as a natural progression of our study. Basically, Mt.24 (the Olivet discourse) is a delineation of The Day Of The Lord. If you recall the question posed by Peter, Andrew, James & John (Mk.13:3-4), it was precisely this: when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled? Mt.24:30 makes it clear that THE SIGN they were looking for was THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN. Even more specifically, it was the sign of the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory.
This morning I want us to explore a tangential text. It comes from Acts 2, which records Peter's first gospel sermon spoken after the resurrection and ascension of Christ. On that day - - the Jewish celebration of the day of Pentecost featured the apostles speaking in tongues. I read once that this large crowd of Jewish pilgrim represented some 17 different dilalects or or tongues. These “tongues” were not exhibited by an incomprehensible gibberish (i.e., nonsensical prattle). Notice Acts 2, verses 6, 8 & 11, which says regarding the crowd - - they were each hearing them speak in his own language … how is it that we each hear them in our own language? … we hear them speaking in our own tongues. The apostle Peter rose to explain this strange phenomenon (Acts 2:14-15) - - How was it that these unschooled and back-woods Galileans were suddenly possessed with such multi-lingual skills? With genuine perplexity the crowd was asking one another, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? i.e. How can this be explained? What is the source of this unprecedented display? Some mocked saying the are full of sweet wine (vs.13). Peter arises to speak, making it plain that the apostles were not drunk with wine...but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel.
With this truncated (shortened) intro, I want to briefly underscore a two sub-points that are relevant to our study.
THE LAST DAYS
Our concept of “the last days” has been seriously blurred by a view that defies the teaching of the Scriptures. Contrary to what has been often taught, “The Last Days” are not the equivalent of “The Christian Age”. The Last Days spoken of in the New Testament were the last days of Judaism. Peter's inspired interpretation of Joel's prophecy makes this perfectly obvious. Joel prophesied of things that would happen in Israel's last days (Joel 2:28-32) and Peter affirms “this is that” (Acts 2:16). It included God's Spirit interacting in the world in miraculous ways: prophetic utterances, visions & dreams (2:17-18). It also showed itself by means of celestial signs and wonders (vs.19-20a) - - I will grant wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood.
THE DAY OF THE LORD
In the second half of Acts 2:20, Peter stipulates the time frame. These exceptional miraculous displays would continue to take place before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come. Don't miss the specificity of the language: he speaks of the great and glorious day of the Lord. This is an unmistakable reference to Jerusalem's fall in AD 70, which would punctuate the end of the last days. The New Testament employs various expressions, all referring to the same event: Day of the Lord (2Thess.2:2-3) ... Day of Christ (Philp.1:6) … Day of God (2Pet.3:12) … Day of Wrath & Revelation (Rom.2:5) … The Day (Heb.10:25 & Rom.13:11-12) … That Day (Mt.24:36 & Lk.17:31).
The OT prophet Micah prophesied (cf. Micah 4:1 with 7:15) - - As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, I will show you miracles. The miracles God supplied during Israel's exodus from Egypt spanned their 40-year long wilderness journey. That was a foreshadowing of the 40 years of Israel's last days, from 30-70AD.
Paul opens his letter to the church at Corinth with words that correspond to Peter's Pentecost address (1Cor. 1:4-7) - - I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything your were enriched in Him,in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is stupefying to hear commentators, Bible professors and preachers grapple with a simple text like Rev.1:10 - - I was in the Spirit on THE LORD'S DAY, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a loud trumpet, saying, 'Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven church (of Asia)'... The assumption that this Lord's Day (kuriakos) revelation occurred on Sunday totally misses the point of the entire book. The better meaning of the text is this: guided by the Holy Spirit John was told what would occur on the day of the Lord. This understanding dovetails ever so beautifully with my often-argued contention that John's Revelation was an expansion of the message delivered by Jesus in His Matthew 24 Olivet discourse.
In summary, Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost makes two things crystal clear: (1) the early saints were living in the last days and (2) those last days were concluded with the arrival of the day of the Lord. Both of the above took place in the first century!! If we are still awaiting the arrival of the great and glorious day of the Lord, why are we not experiencing the miraculous signs and wonders that accompanied the early church?
