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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for a Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

In the book of Matthew it talks an awful lot about the Kingdom of Heaven when the king comes and sets up his kingdom upon the earth. So in the book of Matthew as the king of Israel, he builds a cabinet of his men and he gives us the Constitution, starting around verse 5 on, of how he’s going to rule in the kingdom upon the earth and look what he says. When he comes back at that time when the Son of Man shall sit in his throne of his glory In verse 28, ye also shall set upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

So, are these apostles going to be judging the twelve tribes of Israel? That’s what he said. But that’s doing the kingdom of heaven. And so whenever he talks back there, just go back there very quickly to Matthew chapter 16. Notice in verse 19, verse 19, I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. That’s not the keys to the church. That’s to the kingdom upon the earth. That’s a totally different period of time. But see, when you don’t take these things and put it in the right place, you can get all balled up.

I sometimes don’t get all balled up because you can’t always remember all these scriptures and where they’re found. And sometimes you make a statement, but you don’t know there’s another verse that might contradicts this, what you just said. But the misunderstanding can be with us, not the Scriptures. The Scriptures are not wrong. So don’t discredit the Bible because you don’t understand it. That doesn’t mean the Bible is wrong because, well, I just don’t get it. The Bible must be wrong then.

And not exactly. There was a time when I didn’t even know there were books in the Bible. I didn’t know there was an Old Testament or a New Testament. And I was 18 years old. So what I know about the Bible, I have learned since then, not before then. But go back to Matthew in chapter 16, you know notice this. In verse 21 he says, from that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go into Jerusalem, suffer many things of the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day.

Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying, Be it far from the Lord, this shall not be unto thee.” But he turned and he said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan, thou art unoffense unto me. In other words, you have offended me, for thou saver not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, follow me.

Now all this take up your cross, follow me. This is for service. This is not for salvation. This is as a disciple. And so he talks about the reasons why because God is going to reward you for what you do for Him. What you do for His sake. And in verse 24, what is a man profitable? He shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul. The word soul here is talking about your life. You lose your purpose in life.

You lived your life but you didn’t live it for the Lord. He said, well, what would you give in exchange for your life? Here you are, God has given you a reason to live, but you exchange it for something else. Isn’t that what we do? We’re making choices, decisions. So he says up there in the last part of this verse, in verse 27, for the Son of Man come in the glory of his father with his angel, then, see that word then?

Then he shall, and what’s that word? Reward. Salvation is always free. That is always the gift of God. It’s not a works. So when he’s talking about working and rewards and glory, you know he’s talking about service then. So he says, he shall receive every man according to his work. Isn’t that what we find in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 3 and verse 8? Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own what? As on labor, your own work.

So that’s for reward. So God is going to reward us. So then He says, I got something I’m gonna tell you and gotta keep it a secret. You know there’s times when Jesus did things and He said, now don’t tell nobody about to. Don’t tell nobody about this. Did you know that they kept that secret? As far as I know they kept that secret. The secret was, you see there was multitude. And then there was the 12, and then there was Peter, James, and John, this inner circle.

And he showed them something and says, don’t tell nobody else about this. So what he did was awesome. See them verse 28, “‘Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.'” Some of you are standing here and you are not going to taste of death until you see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom in power and great glory. The way that he will be when he comes, they’re going to get a glimpse of it.

Wouldn’t you like to have been there to see that? Well, that’s what happens in chapter 17. Called the Transfiguration, the Mount of Transfiguration. So in verse 1 and after six days, Jesus takeeth Peter, James, and John, his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mount on the part, and was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto him Moses and Elijah talking with him.

Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. thou wilt let us make? Hear three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one free Elijah. And while he yet spake, be holy, bright, cloud overshadowed them. And be holy, voice out of the cloud which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him. How when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were so afraid.

And Jesus came and touched them and says, Arise, be not afraid. When they had lifted up their rise they saw no man except Jesus only. Now there’s people who have made a whole religion off of just Jesus only. There’s just a Jesus only group. Sometimes you want to just slap their jaws because they will. That’s just like reading the book of Acts and it says Paul says unless you abide in the ship you shall not be saved. So there’s a new group out now called the shipites.

I’m I’m just making that up. But it says, unless you’re abiding the ship, you can’t be saved. Therefore you can start the whole doctrine on that. Don’t want to be saved. You got to get in the ship and stay there. What am I going on with those cruises just going on that ship and just stay there and they feed me and all that stuff? Wouldn’t it be nice? You know, I know of some people, and I’ve talked to some people on the ship the last time we were on this cruise, this couple had been on 52 or 53 cruises.

They said that that’s how that’s their retirement. Instead of having a house and you got to be taxes and mud maintenance and upkeep and invest all that much money, he said we just took our money and we buy cruises. And we, because on the cruise, he said we get all of our food, all of our laundry, everything’s done. We don’t do any dishes, we have no utility bills. We have, and they got doctors on board. And so we just go from one cruise to the next cruise to make the truth and say for a couple thousand dollars a month, he says we can just live like that.

And so I was thinking to myself, sure is a nice way to see the world and just go from one place to the next like that. So we’re going to start a group called the Shipites. We call it the Yankeeites. Now we won’t get there. They used to call it, you know, the race stand for the Stanfordites. get you to get the Hankites. I am of Hank. I am of none. But what he says here, in verse 28, this is what’s going to happen.

And then in chapter 17, this is what took place. And he appeared unto him. And as you go down through here, he says there in verse 10, and his disciples ask him, saying, why then said this scribes that Elijah must first come. Because when you read in the book of Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament, it says before he comes, Elijah will come. So they were looking for Elijah to come, boy Elijah didn’t come. But he did see Elijah just came, they just saw him.

But… He made this statement in verse 11, and Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come and restore all thing. But I say unto you that Elijah is come already and they knew him not, but661 have done unto him whatsoever they listed likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. So he told them says, no. this quiet. So I want you to take your Bible and turn all the way over there with me to the book of 2 Peter and look at it in verse 15.

2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 15. And you’ll notice there, so on page 13 17, he says, more over I will endeavor that you may be able after my departure. So Peter knew he was going to die, to have these things always in remembrance, to always remember this. For we have not followed cunningly the wise fables. When we made known unto you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But, now here’s the thing, were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

For we received from God the Father, honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice, which came from heaven, we heard, now get this, when we were with him in the holy mount. So he told him not to say anything until afterwards. Now he writes about it now, but it was referring back to that moment upon that mountain. You’re talking about a mountain top experience, he had one.

But now he knows my departure is a hint. I’m going to die. And they crucified him, historically speaking they said, upside down. Because he said, I am not worthy to be crucified the way Christ was. So put him upside down. And so, believe that’s what happened to him. Alright, now take your Bible and go back there to Luke Luke chapter 9, Luke chapter 9 and verse 28. You see, when you read Matthew’s account, you won’t get all of it in there.

You can read also in the book of Mark, and then when you read chapter 9 and the book of Luke, it will have just a little bit more. But notice in verse 27. Now this phrase is very important where he says in verse 27 of Luke chapter 9, but I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death. Now in Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 9 the Bible makes this statement that Jesus Christ tasted death for every man.

Some people say well he He didn’t really die for every man. He just tasted death. Well, this uses that same phrase, taste of death means you will not die. So when he says over there, he tasted death that means he did die for every man. So use scripture to answer scripture. The Bible will teach itself. This is one thing that’s the need about the Bible. Since it can’t contradict itself, it has to teach itself. When you read over here and you say, I get me a gristle and I can’t go back over here and you get this verse and this verse and this verse, you know, you get a knife and a fork, go back to that gristle and dissect that thing and divide it and they say, you know, you can swallow that.

Now it makes sense. And some things I’ve had to wait 20, 30 years to get an understanding on because lo and behold, sooner or later I come across a verse, that’s the verse I was looking for. Now I read it many times, but it never came to me. And all of a sudden I see a verse and that explains this and that explains that. And so I love it. I love it when I learned something from the Bible that I didn’t get it from somebody else.

Now the thing is, just because you didn’t get it from somebody else doesn’t mean somebody else hasn’t already got it. I would be teaching something and I would think, man, I am delivering this for the first time. Nobody’s ever got this point before. And lo and behold, I find that there’s a bunch of people. And it’s already written down in a book, and I just never saw the book, never read it. But I came to the same conclusion, well, I’ll let the air out of your little, you know.

Thank you. Really doing good. But. The Lord reveals a lot of things to people from this book, so read and study the book. If they say if it’s new, then it probably isn’t true. And if it’s true, it’s probably not new. Because there’s no new thing under the sun. What we know, chances are somebody else is already known to. You’re not the only one. So don’t get too big and high-minded and exalted in your own eyes. But now look back here at Luke chapter 9.

Notice that there’s a few things mentioned here that are not mentioned over there in the book of Matthew in chapter 17 But notice what it says here in verse 28 and it came to pass about eight days after these sayings He took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to pray now over there in the book of Matthew It says and after six days well would eight days be after six days Still a contradiction It over there just says after six days here says and after eight days about eight days so People said there’s a continent.

That’s not a contradiction eight days is after six 10 is after six too But anyway look what he says he put it took Peter and James and John and went up into a mountain to pray And as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistening Behold, there, talk with Him to men which were Moses and Elijah.” So that’s why a lot of people believe that during the tribulation period the two witnesses that come back will be Moses and Elijah.

But some people say, well, Enoch hasn’t died yet, so Enoch has got to come back and die. Well, if Enoch is the type of the church before the flood, what about those who are going to be raptured out of here and we won’t die? Will we have to come back and die? I don’t think so. So I don’t believe in it has to come back and die. So there’s a good possibility that Moses and Elijah will be the two witnesses.

But I can’t swear to that. I don’t have no scriptures come down and says, this is who it is. I believe that’s who it is. But that’s a little yank-yology in there. But notice what else he says in verse 31, who appeared in glory. So but here’s the thing to notice. They had never seen Moses Elijah before, but now they know there’s Moses and they’re Elijah and they can’t be the same person, but it has to be the same people that was used to be here.

When the Lord promised that Elijah would come before that great and notable day of the Lord come, well then Elijah must be Elijah, because if somebody else came in it wasn’t Elijah then it’s not Elijah. And we’re not talking about John the Baptist said his first coming, I’m talking about Elijah at the second coming when he comes back in power in great glory. So he says here in verse 29, and as he prayed the the fashion of his countenance was changed.

Then down here in verse 31, who appeared in glory and spake of his deceased, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. That means he was going to die. But Peter, they that were with him were heavy with sleep. You know, they’re always having sleep problems, ain’t they? They were heavy with sleep. And when they were awake, they saw his glory and the two men that stood with them. And it came to pass as they departed from him. Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here and let us make three tabernacles, one for the one for Moses and one for Elijah not knowing what he said.

In other words, he’s just talking, but not knowing what he’s saying. He was sleeping, he wakes up and lo and behold, he sees three people standing there and they’re radiant and all that you know, is they going to be in the kingdom? Especially if the Bible talks about Christ being glorified like that. And He sees this and he says, boy, is it sure it’s good for us to be here to witness this? And then Peter always had a problem saying something before he would think.

He would always know how to hard time control in this town, as you would imagine. You don’t know anybody like that. And so he says here in verse 34, While he thus spake, there came a cloud and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud saying, this is my beloved son, hear him. In other words, my son is not Moses in Elijah. My son is greater than Moses in Elijah.

Even though they were used of God at a great ministry they had, and they’ve already gone to heaven, that’s great. But this is my beloved son, here ye him. And then in verse 37, they came to pass that on the next day that they were come down from the hill. Much people met him. Behold, amen of the company, cried out, say, and master, I beseech, see, look upon my son for he is my only child. And so it goes on down through here and says some things about, I took him to your disciples and they couldn’t do anything.

And he says, oh, you’re faithless generation. How long will I have to bear with you? And he says, bring him to me. So he brought him to him and cast an evil spirit out of him. The disciples could do a lot of things, but they lacked in faith. They lacked in their belief. Or they thought it was maybe their power and not God. And they didn’t depend upon the Holy Spirit. There’s a lot of things that we don’t understand, but here’s one thing that we do know.

These men were just like us. They got sleepy. They got tired, hungry. They were weary. They said things they shouldn’t have said. And they got in arguments about who’s the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Now, we were just standing over there in Matthew, chapter 16, and chapter 17. Did you know by the time you get to chapter 18, they were in an argument about who’s going to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? of heaven. I’m better than you.

No, I’m better than you. I want to be number one. Now I’m sitting on his right side. And so two of them got the mama. So mama come to see Jesus as a… I need to talk to you. You know about when you get into the kingdom, I want my two sons to sit on one on the right hand and one on the left hand. Wasn’t it wonderful to have a mama like that. Putting in a good word for you.

And so whenever the disciples heard about that, oh they got burning mad at the other two. So did they always have unity? Peace among them? No. One of the disciples was a thief. He was the one that was voted most likely to succeed. The most likely one to be trusted. Why? He was the secretary, the financial secretary of the group. And the Bible says he bear out what was put in. I wonder what that means. He was a thief.

What was his name? Judas. Do you think that he would take something and he got away with it? It took something, got away with it. It took something, got away with it. And next thing you know, he was willing to betray the Son of God for some money. And he did. When you do something you know you shouldn’t do and you, Well, I got away with it. No, it emboldens you to do it again, to do more. You see, you don’t just jump into some great big old sin.

No, no, no, no, no, little by little, little by little. See, the devil lures you away from truth, little by little, not a lot, just a little. Just get you to question, question. If he can get you to question the preacher or his honesty or sincerity, his motive, So, it’s inherited by whether or not, no. Is the Bible true? Just plant out, plant seeds. Those seeds will grow. Next thing you know, you’d be surprised what you’ll say. Just let some good looking blond bombshell walk by and just a one little glance and then next thing you know is two glances and then four or five glances.

Next thing you know, you can’t take your eyes off. Did you know that you’re, you can get in the heap of trouble, boy? And I’m getting that goes to the females too. And the devil can take that old sinful nature of yours and just lure you right away. And next thing you know, you’re in a lot of trouble. And it didn’t have to be that away. It’s just that that’s what happens. Satan is real. Satan came after Christ, came after the disciples.

That’s why Jesus said to Peter, get thee behind me, Satan. Now it wasn’t Satan saying it, but Satan using him. Planting thoughts. You be surprised how many times the devil will come in here and plant thoughts into your mind here in church. Hello? Look up here. This is so important. You got to watch this now. This is the most important part of the whole sermon. I want you to listen. Pay attention. This represents you and me. Everybody in the world.

You are Gentile. It doesn’t matter. Red and yellow, black and white. All of us. The Bible says that we have all sinned. We’ve all done things wrong. Nobody is any better than anybody else. And the pay for this sin is eternal separation from God. And since everybody sins, everybody’s condemned. That’s why everybody dies. To go to heaven, we have to be perfect as righteous has got. None of us are perfect. None of us are righteous. Because of this sin, we can’t get in.

So I want you to understand that your good deeds will not take away one sin. one sin. All of the good things you’ve ever done in your whole life has never paid for one sin. Not even one. This man represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world because he loves us. He hates our sin. So how can I have my sins washed away where all that’s left is me and I get to go to heaven?

What can wash away my sins? What can wash away my sins? There’s got to be something that it washed my sins away. The blood of Christ? What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Christ. the blood of Jesus. We sing the song, but listen to what it says. Jesus Christ came into this world because He loved us. He took all of our sins upon Himself and shed His blood, paid for our sins, came back from the dead, and said if we would be lead that He did it for us, all our sins are washed away.

We’re forgiven of all of our sins. And now because all my sins are forgiven, all paid, I get to go to heaven on what Christ did for me. I understood that 51 years ago in a little old living room when my father might explain this to me. I didn’t get all of it all together, but I knew this. I knew I was a sinner and Christ paid for my sins. If I trust Him, I’ll go to heaven whenever I die.

And that was the best news I ever heard. My whole cotton picking life. You didn’t know this, but I am a cotton picker. I used to pick cotton. I really, I really did pick cotton. So you can call me a cotton pig every one. Let’s pray shower. Every head bow and every eye closed, no one looking around. If you’re here this morning and maybe you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior, youespie been religious, maybe you’ve been religious all your life, maybe you’re sincere, maybe you’ve done a lot of good things for a lot of people.

But if you haven’t trusted Christ as your Savior, see friend, you still don’t get to go to heaven. You must trust the Lord. He’s the only one that can get you to heaven. So I’m going to ask in just a moment to raise your hand, raising your hand does not save you. It just lets me know that what I said made sense to you and you’re saying, preacher, that made sense to me. And I’m going to trust Christ as my Savior this morning and I’d like for you to pray for me.

So with his bow nice clothes and no one looking around, is there anywhere at all? Say, preacher, I will trust Christ as my Savior right now and I’d like for you to pray for me in closing. Would you just slip your hand out very quickly and put a right back down anywhere at all? Just slip it up real quick for a right back down. You’ve never done it. Do it right now. Yes, God bless you, man. God bless you.

I appreciate that. Yes, sir. Anyone else? Just slip it up very quickly. If you trust Christ right now, did you know God saves you right now? Yes, God bless you. I appreciate that. Anyone else? I’m not going to embarrass you. I’m not going to have you forward. I’m not going to pin you against the wall. You see, salvation is you receiving what Christ did. It’s not you trying to promise to be better, to do good. No. We are sinners.

Christ died for sinners. He died for you. He loves you. Would you trust him right now? If you’ve never done so. Say, Lord, that made sense to me. I believe Christ did it for me and I’m trusting him right now. Anyone else before we close? Father, we thank you so much for your word. We thank you for it and pray that we’ll always believe that it is truly what it claims to be the Word of God. Christ’s name we pray.

We at Bibleline would like to extend a free offer to those who support this ministry financially. This month we are sending a free copy of Dr. Arnold’s teaching series on First and Second Peter. It is a small way that we can show our appreciation for your support of this radio program. Peter’s epistles are filled with lessons of suffering, trials and your faith on the The roles of husbands and wives, warnings of false teachers, and the imminency of the return of the Lord.

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The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. And we will be changed. caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.