AN END-TIME PRAYER MEETING
Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, May 2, 1999, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia:
AN END-TIME PRAYER MEETING
by Michael D. O’Neal……Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church……Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Luke 23:30; Revelation 6:9-17
Text: Revelation 6:16
Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Introduction: The greatest story ever told, and it is a true story, is how that God showed His love toward sinful man, by sending His Son into the world to live sinlessly for 33 years, to die for our sins as a pure sacrifice, according to the scriptures, be buried, and rise again the third day according to the scriptures. I trusted Christ as my Savior 31 years ago, and the most thrilling thing to me is God’s great salvation. Another wonderful truth is that the same Jesus who died for us and ascended up to heaven, is going to return from heaven. At that time the dead in Christ will rise first, and we which are alive and are saved will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Only saved people will rise. Unsaved people will be left behind. What awaits them is far worse than anything predicted by those who fear the consequences of the Y2K bug. It is called by Bible students the tribulation; Daniel’s 70th week; the day of the Lord; and the time of Jacob’s trouble. That horrible time is the setting for our scripture reading today, as we consider “An End-Time Prayer Meeting.”
My wife and I have always been “Prayer Meeting” people. By that I mean that since we have been married, it has not only been our habit to attend church on Sunday morning and evening, but also on Wednesday evening. If we are ever out of town during the week, we attend a good church while we are away. Preachers in our own church will handle our Prayer Meeting services this week while I am out of town, and Mrs. O’Neal and I plan to attend church with Pastor Larry Burgett and his people at Bethel Baptist Church in Cartersville.
However, some people just don’t seem thrilled about Prayer Meeting services. We had a WONDERFUL guest last Wednesday, Evangelist Norm Stevens, and many of our people did not hear him because they either could not or would not make the effort to attend the service. Oh, what a blessing they missed!
Although saved people should be at church for Prayer Meeting every week, I don’t expect unsaved people to attend church any time.
However, there IS coming a time when even unsaved people, folks who have never been born again by the Spirit of God, will band together in a special “End-Time Prayer Meeting,” and I want to talk to you about that Prayer Meeting today.
I. CONSIDER THE PRAYER MEETING CROWD
Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
A. The successful people – kings, great men, rich men, chief captains
* It is hard to get these people saved.
* It is hard to get these people to attend Prayer Meeting services today, even if they claim to be saved.
B. The strong people – the mighty men
C. The slave people – every bondman and free man
* Lost people are slaves to the devil and sin
II. CONSIDER THE PRAYER MEETING CORNER
Revelation 6:15 … hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
A. They will look for a solitude place
* We are encouraged to do that today.
* Even when we meet for congregational prayer, we do so by pulling away from the world.
* However, while we are seeking solitude to draw close to the Lord; these people will be seeking solitude to AVOID the Lord.
B. They will look for a sheltering place
* They will be looking for shelter AWAY from the Lord.
* We who are saved have found our shelter IN the Lord
C. They will look for a solid place
III. CONSIDER THE PRAYER MEETING CRY
Revelation 6:16-17 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
A. It will be a cry of misdirection
* To the mountains and the rocks
B. It will be a cry of misery
* “Fall on us”
* A suicidal person is already in misery
C. It will be a cry FOR mercy
* “hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.”
IV. CONSIDER THE PRAYER MEETING CONDEMNATION
Revelation 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Proverbs 1:24-31 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
A. They refused God’s call – V. 24
B. They rejected God’s command – V. 25
C. They received God’s condemnation – V. 26,27,31
CONCLUSION: As I understand the scriptures, the only people who will be in that awful Prayer Meeting will be people who have heard a clear presentation of the gospel of Christ and have rejected it. That would include YOU. If you have not trusted Christ, you have certainly heard a clear presentation of the gospel today. I urge you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ today. Settle the matter of personal salvation, before it’s eternally too late.