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HopeLives365

Mark Finley

How to Endure Until the End

You will recall that just before Christ's death, he sat upon the Mount of Olives, looked across the Kidron Valley at the gleaming dome of the temple there in Jerusalem.

That temple was 1 of the most magnificent buildings in all the world.

And Christ said to his disciples, "'Not 1 stone will be left upon another.'" They were absolutely amazed at that statement.

Some of those stones weighed 3 tons, some up to 10, 15 tons.

Jesus spoke about the coming of Titus in 70 AD, about 40 years in the future, and the destruction of Jerusalem.

As he did, the disciples thought that an event as cataclysmic as the destruction of Jerusalem must be the end of the world.

So they said to Christ, what will be the sign of your coming and what will be the end of the world?

He blended the destruction of Jerusalem, signs that would lead up to it, and signs before the end.

He talked about earthquake and famine and fire and flood.

But then Jesus made a fascinating statement and is that 1 statement that I wanna study with you this morning, you'll find it in your Bible in Matthew the 24th chapter in the 13th verse.

So I want you to look there at Matthew chapter 24, and we're looking at verse 13.

And here in the midst of these statements on the signs of the coming of Christ, Jesus puts it this way.

He says in Matthew 24 verse 13, but he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Jesus does not say he who endures at the end shall be saved Because you can never endure at the end until you endure to the end.

Until we endure the challenges, the trials, the heartaches, the disappointments, the sorrows that we go through now, they are a test.

Thriving in life's trials and tribulations today prepares us to survive the coming crisis tomorrow.

It's not merely that we endure life's challenges at some distant point in the future, but rather we face these challenges through the grace of God today.

Now you find very similar expressions to this enduring to the end in the book of Revelation.

Revelation the third chapter, the 11th verse.

And again, you notice a very similar expression where Christ puts it this way.

Hold fast, that is endure what you have that no 1 may take your crown.

Again, this idea of enduring, this idea of holding fast.

We find it again in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 25, very similar expression, but hold fast to what you have till I come.

And then in Revelation 14 verse 12, Those of you who are familiar with the book of Revelation know that Revelation is about an end time people and an end time message.

But Christ comes down in Revelation chapter 14, there in verse 12.

And in some translations, the word is patience, but a better translation is endurance.

It's the same Greek word of the New Testament.

That's the people of God, not people that have some kind of unusual holiness.

Here are they that keep the commandments of God.

They're faithful to God and they have the faith of Jesus.

It's the faith of Christ living within them that enables them to endure.

So we might ask the question, what is endurance?

When Jesus says, he that endures to the end, that 1 will be saved.

I've defined end time endurance this way.

It's a courage that in the power of God holds fast.

It's a perseverance that continues despite adversity.

It's a stamina by the grace of God goes the distance.

So How is it possible that not only can we thrive in life's challenges, but we survive for the long haul?

We have this grit, this courage that enables us to go on.

What's the spiritual foundation that enables us to persevere when trials comes, that enables us to prepare for the end time tribulation.

How, now here's what this end time endurance is not.

You see here in Matthew chapter 26 verse 33, Peter declares that he, no matter what happens, he's going to survive.

No matter what happens, he is going to endure.

What happens, no matter what happens, he has that courage to go on.

Often those that speak quickly out of the emotions of the human heart don't realize what they're saying.

Matthew 26, Peter says to Jesus, Peter answered and said to him, verse 33, "'Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I'll never be made to stumble.

Jesus says, assuredly, I say to you, this night before the rooster crows, you'll deny me 3 times.

When Peter said, I'm going to go on to the end.

Nothing, nothing is going to keep me from holding on.

1, Peter did not understand how weak he was.

Secondly, Peter didn't understand how strong the trial was.

So Peter failed to understand his human weakness, and he failed to understand the crisis that was coming.

Now end-time endurance does not have to do with my grit.

End-time endurance does not have to do with my courage.

End-time endurance does not have to do with my grit.

End time endurance does not have to do with my courage.

End time endurance does not have to do with how strong I am.

It doesn't have to do with my holding onto Jesus, but my recognition that Jesus is holding onto me.

End time endurance has to do with a trust in Jesus that is so strong that nothing can break it.

It has to do with the relationship with Jesus that is so deep that nothing can move it.

It has to do with an experience with Jesus that's so real, so genuine, so authentic that absolutely nothing can shake it.

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How to Endure Until the End

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