Sermon by Bill Goff
Trumpets 1st Fall Feast, A very important day for us brethren.
It pictures the day when God’s Kingdom will finally come to this Earth to take total charge of it.
It pictures the day when Jesus and His servants (Those who have qualified to rule with Him) will be returning to this Earth with Him to take their positions of ruler ship all over this world.
Last time we spoke about when His saints will be going up to heaven to meet Him in the clouds.
Going up to heaven to be glorified and to receive their rewards. Find out which positions they will be placed in as Jesus sets up or establishes His Kingdom Dan 2:44. Gives us the time line of when that is going to take place:Dan:2:44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all
these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
That’s going to take place before the day of Trumpets is fulfilled. That’s going to take place during the days
that those ten Kings represented by the ten toes will be ruling down here on Earth.
That message of course was Pentecost.
But now it is trumpets, the day that the glorified saints will be returning to this Earth with the Lord of Lords
and the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
Now not many in the world are aware of this, Not many in the world know that God has been preparing
certain people to rule this Earth with Him, in His coming Kingdom.
Not many in this World realize that we are approaching the time when the most colossal events in the history
of mankind are going to unfold, and unfold very rapidly.
The question is, Do We? Do we realize that we re approaching the time when the most colossal events
in the history of mankind are going to unfold?And do we, as the called of God realize that the time that we have been given to be prepared and ready for
what this day of Trumpets pictures, is coming to an end?
We have a very important message today brethren, because we are living at the end of this present evil age.
A time when many members of the Body of Christ, have become “complacent” and “lukewarm”,
We are living at a time when the Head of our organization, the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ Himself, is
on the outside looking in.A time when our Lord and Savior is standing at the door, and knocking, making an individual request toeach and everyone of us, to open the door and to let Him in.
In the book of Revelation Jesus addresses the seven churches. He has to tell 5 of those churches “to repent”
One of those churches He tells to repent is the church at Laodicea.
The Laodicea church is the:Last church to be addressed by Christ.
Last church along the mail rout of Asia MinorIt was at the END of the mail rout. There was no other church after Laodicea.
Brethren, Do we realize that we are approaching The end of the church age?
Do we realize that?In Mt 16:18 Jesus made a very profound statement, let go there.
It was the first mention of the church In New Testament.Mt:16:18:
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
On the Mount of Olives, just before He departed from this Earth, Jesus told His disciples He would:Send the promise of the Father upon them: and that they would be endued with power from on high.
We know from keeping God’s Holy Days that the disciples were endued with that power from on High on
the very next Pentecost after He made that statement. That’s when He began the project, of building His
church. (Approx 2,000 years ago)
Brethren, when someone begins to build something, it’s just a matter of time before they finish it.
On that day of Pentecost around 9AM in the morning, Jesus fulfilled His promise of sending the Holy Spirit
of God to empower His servants, and He begin the building of His church.
His Holy Spirit came in like a rushing mighty wind that day. And it got the attention of the entire
multitude that was in Jerusalem that day.Brethren, on the day which the Feast of Trumpets pictures, The whole world is going to be brought to
attention.Lets go to Rev 1:7
The return of Jesus Christ to this Earth, to take charge of it, is going to be the most magnificent andspectacular event in the history of mankindRv:1:7:
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and
all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
That day is going to be fulfilled AFTER He completes the building of His church.
One place we can see that is Rev 19: 11-16, This is talking about the 2nd coming of Christ, in all His Glory. I
just want to read verse 14Rv:19:14:
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white
and clean.These armies, which were in heaven, returning with Him for this battle were clothed in fine linen white &
clean,
This arm is His bride, His servants, His saints.
We need only to back up to verse 7 & 8 to know this:Rv:19:7:
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his
wife hath made herself ready.
8: And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the
righteousness of saints.
I want to go back now and look at this church at Laodicea, because they had a problem with their clothes,
and they didn’t even realize it.
The Laodicean church has the distinction of the only one of the seven churches addressed by Jesus, to
have nothing positive mentioned.
There is much importance in the message that He gave the church of Laodicea, that we need to be
mindful of.
Because brethren, we are at the end of the mail route, The church age is coming to a close.
One does NOT want to be residing in the city of laodicea at the return of Jesus Christ.Let’s read it please:Rev 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the
faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;15: I know thy works, (their actions, their deeds, their performance)
that thou art neither cold nor
hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17: Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest
not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
The Laodiceans are not aware that they are in trouble; they seem to be oblivious to their conditionVERSE 18:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white
raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint
thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent
Rebuke means = chasten, reprimand, to reprove sharply, admonish, to advise of a fault, to caution
against danger or error, warn.Chasten means = to refine, purify, to instruct by chastisement, to educate someone to conform to
divine truth.
Brethren, have you been feeling rebuked & chastened lately? If so, that could be a good thing.
Jesus is chastening us, advising of a fault, cautioning us against danger, refining and purifying us when
He rebukes and chastens us.
But don’t forget to be zealous and repent.
(The Greek here for repent means = to think differently – it means to reconsider.
It has to do with the mind, with our thinking, with our thoughts.
There is something very wrong with the thinking of the Laodicean church. So wrong, that Jesus is on
the outside looking in, and threatening to spue the laodiceans out of His mouth.
We need a good understanding of what was on the minds of the Laodiceans, because if our minds, if
our thoughts, or our thinking is the same as theirs, then we need to wake up, be zealous, and make
some drastic changes. Repent of our thinking.The City of laodicea was quite prosperous, They had a banking industry, medical industry, and textile
industries in the their city.
They were also known for their expensive clothing made from their unique sheep that produced a kind of
black wool.
They also produced pharmaceuticals, including an ointment that was used to sooth both the eyes and even
other physical ailments.
They seemed to have it all. (Kind of like today where there is a pill or an ointment for everything)
One might think that they were very blessed, to have so many physical things.
The Laodiceans were very much involved in the physical, but totally void of the spiritual.
If you spent some time with them, the conversation would have often focused on material things. Therewant for this and their want for that.
They prided themselves in showing yo u their newest garments or newest gadgets.
In their eyes, they felt that they were doing pretty good. After all, they were quite comfortable.
About the only physical thing that they were lacking, was a local water supply.
Now that was a serious problem because no one can live without fresh water.
Now both of their neighboring Cities had plenty of fresh water.
Colossae had refreshingly cold water, and “Herapolis” had hot springs.
The Laodiceans imported their water, they pipe it in. Via an aqueduct, 5 miles.
But by the time it reached their City it was lukewarm and also putrid from all the mineral deposits.
Jesus was stating to the church there that He knew their works (Their Deeds, their Actions) and
they were not good, but worthless, and that He was going to spit them out of His mouth.
Probably much like a visitor to Laodicea would spit out its lukewarm, calcium rich water on first taste.
Can you imagine walking around the City of Laodicea, window shopping all their good, setting your eyes on
all that material wealth, Maybe trying out their newest cell phone, or looking at the latest model “MUD
HUT”
Then after working yourself up a big thrust, you take a big gulp of that putrid lukewarm water
That putrid water symbolizes how Jesus feels towards the Laodicean church brethren
That putrid lukewarm water represents the deeds (the works, the actions, of the brethren in Laodicea.There deeds were worthless because they were focused on the physical, and void of the spiritual.
They were dressed okay physically, but spiritually, they were naked.They had apparently lost their first love, Lost their zeal, Lost their focus on their HIGH CALLING.
They seemed to have forgotten that there was something that was much much more valuable than what any
gold or silver could buy.
Brethren, we’re approaching the time when those who have gold and silver will be throwing it out the door.
The brethren in Laodicea seemed to have forgotten their High Calling.
The brethren in Laodicea seem to have forgotten that they were called to participate in a Great wedding
banquet.
How many physical brides do you know of, who don’t have their total focus on their wedding day as it
rapidly approaches.
Brethren, the church has a wedding day approaching, and the church is the bride.
O. Its not going to be a physical thing, no. It’s going to be a Spiritual thing brethren and it’s going to beOUT OF THIS WORLD. Do we believe that? Or is that just a fable in the back of our mind?
If that wedding is just a fable in the back of your mind, your probably not going to be there.That wedding is real brethren. And the banquet that is being prepared by God the Father Himself is ready,
and waiting for the bride to arrive.
YES, READY, NOW. Do we realize that brethren? That the wedding banquet is presently ready, Now, as
we speak???
Did we wake up this morning thinking about our HIGH CALLING and being ready to go into the marriage?
Or were our minds consumed with some mundane physical thing?
Am I speaking out of season brethren? I don’t think so. One has to go up to heaven, before he can return
from heaven with his Lord & King.
Trumpets pictures a battle, One has to be prepared to go into battle.Lets go to Lk:14:16-20 A man heard Jesus talking one day and said to Him
“Blessed is he that shall eats
bread in the kingdom of God.”Luke 14:16
Then said Jesus unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
That’s God the Father that Jesus is referring to here. He bade many, He’s the one who has called us.
Jn:6:44: (not turning) says: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:
Do we remember that brethren? God the Father Himself, has called us.
Our calling is High: Rv:5:10: (not turning) says we have been called to be kings and priests: and that those
Kings and Priests shall reign on the earth.(The feast of Trumpets pictures to the day that they will be returning to Earth to do that)But Look what they did with their calling! (Back to Luke 14:18)Lk:14:18:
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece
of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19: And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20: And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
How about us brethren? Are we looking to be excused? Do we have more important things to accomplish in
this life than answering the calling of God the Father Himself?
Where will we be on the final day of Trumpets? Will we be returning to this Earth with Christ with a crown
on our head?
This is not a calling to take lightly, This is not a calling to put on the back burner,
Lets go to Mat 11 please. Brethren, NO ONE drifts into the Kingdom of God, Especially His Elect, His
saintsMt:11:12:
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the
violent take it by force.
I want to read that verse in the NIV, and I want to read the three common views about the meaning of this
verse.NIV
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
and forceful men lay hold of it.”
The three common views about the meaning of this verse are: (1) Jesus may have been referring to a vast
movement toward God, the momentum that began with John’s preaching. (I don’t think so). (2) He may
have been reflecting the Jewish activists’ expectation the God’s Kingdom would come through a violent
overthrow of Rome. ( I don’t think so, Jesus told Peter to put away his sword). (3) Or He may have meant
that entering God’s Kingdom takes COURAGE, UNWAVERING FAITH, DETERMINATION, andENDURANCE because of the growing opposition leveled at Jesus’ followers.
Brethren, if you are a follower of Jesus, than you will find your self opposed by those in this world.
No one drift into the Kingdom of God brethren, Its up-stream all the way. “Narrow is the way, and straight
is the gate that leads to life, and few there be that find it”
At present we in God’s church have had little persecution from the world by way of threats. But doesn’t
satan have other tactics
We do not want this calling to be blurred by all the physical desires that are constantly plaguing us,
And for those of us living in the USA, The material wealth that is SMOTHERING US.
We need to have that closed door that Jesus is knocking on opened up to Him.
Brethren, we cannot make it without Him. We need to realize that those in the church who will be in the
wedding are those who are READY. Not everyone in the church is going to be there.Lets go to Mat 25 please. We all know the parable of the ten virgins, 5 wise & 5 foolishMat 25:1
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went
forth to meet the bridegroom.
2: And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3: They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5: While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
This is where the church is right now brethren, the time of slumbering & sleeping
A time of complacency, while the bridegroom tarries.
O, He’s tarrying all right, but do we understand why?
His tarrying is made quite clear in (2Pt:3:9 Christ is longsuffering for us)
Lets go there please , keep your finger in Mat.2Pt:3:9:
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(Back to Mat 25)
6: And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7: Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8: And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9: But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to
“them that sel l”, and buy for yourselves.
Those three words “them that sell” come from only one Greek word, and it means “Barter” Bartering is
when you purchase something without money.
This is a very sobering verse here. We know from Rv:12:17 that we are talking about having to barter with
ones physical life here.
Maybe we better go there and read this, Rev12:17 Actually we better begin in verse13. We use to hear these
verses a lot years ago, now were closer than ever to them being fulfilled. Lets refresh our memory.Rv:12:13:
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which
brought forth the man child.
14: And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her
place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15: And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be
carried away of the flood. (Time will tell if this is actually a flood of water or an army) (Not that it matters)
16: And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the
dragon cast out of his mouth. (These brethren are protected)
17: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which
keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (These brethren were not.)
When satan makes war against these brethren, they die. This is probably that bartering that the 5 foolish
have to endure. The ones who are not ready when the cry goes out.
But the important thing to realize is that those who are not ready, will not be going into the marriage. Theymay still receive the gift of eternal life, but they will not be part of the bride of ChristVerse 10 of Mat 25 says
: And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready
went in with him to the marriage: AND THE DOOR WAS SHUT.
Brethren, for the Laodicean church, there is a door shut now. But at present, That door can be opened.
All a Laodicean has to do is respond to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ’s knock, and open up to Him,
and sup with Him.Once that cry goes out, only those who are ready go into the marriage and the door is shut, that door will
not open to anyone after that.Our time, our only time to be ready, is NOW.
Brethren, this is not a negative thing, don’t look at this as negative. This is a wonderful thing.Even if one is part of the Laodicean church, Jesus is knocking at our door. He wants us to let Him in. He
wants to be with us.
He is offering the Laodiceans the opportunity to repent and to sup with Him.
He is offering the Laodicean church the opportunity to accomplish their goal, receive their crown, and reign
with Him for a thousand years, and then to be with Him for eternity.
So what is it that we need to do, to be ready so we can go into the marriage and then return to this Earth with
Our Lord of Lords and King of Kings Jesus Christ on that final day of Trumpets?
Is it to be FOLLOWING the right man? Or the right incorporated church group? Maybe the group with the
most money? Or the most members?
There sure are many groups out there that preach that very thing, and many foolish brethren who believe
it.Many brethren incorrectly think that as long as they stick with some particular group and follow them, they
will be there.But is that kind of thinking correct? Is that kind of teaching correct?NO! Jesus says: Jer:17:5:
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh
his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
The Psalms tell us: Ps:146:3: Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
As we stated earlier, Jesus had to tell five of the seven churches to “repent”. And yes, Laodicea was one of
those churches told to repent.
But is repentance enough? Is repentance enough to qualify one to be there returning with Jesus Christ on the
final day of Trumpets.
Or is there is something else that is required; something that one has to achieve after repentance?
We mentioned earlier that the word “Repent” has to do with a change of mind, a change in ones thinking.
But brethren, it takes more than mere repentance, more than just a change of mind or a change in thinking to
qualify to be there returning with Jesus Christ on that final day of Trumpets, when He will be returning in all
His glory with His saints.
It’s something that Jesus told ALL SEVEN CHURCHES. It’s something that even the two churches that
had already repented had to accomplish in order to fulfill their High Calling.
It’s something that we in God’s church need to understand, because God is No respecter of persons.
When one is called into God church, one has to take some outward steps to answer that calling.
Peter made those steps quite clear on the day of Pentecost, the day that Jesus began to build His church.Acts:2:38:
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
Repentance is a big step in the right direction brethren. Repentance is a change of mind, a change in ones
thinking.
But it takes more that just a mere change in one thinking to sit with Jesus in His throne, and rule with Him.
It takes something that is required of all seven churches. Something that He told to all seven churches.
It takes “OVERCOMING”.
Even the last church, the church at Laodicea, the one that needs to repent, He goes on to say:Rv:3:21: Speaking to the Laodiceans here,: “
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Repentance is very important; it has to do with a change of mind. It has to do with a change in direction.
But one has to follow through and make a change in their actions, in their behavior, in their works.
One has to be an “OVERCOMER” to be there with Christ in His Throne.
One has to be an “OVERCOMER” to be returning to this Earth on that final day of trumpetsLets go back to 2nd Ptr 3 and I will conclude there brethren. (Colossal events are ahead for the World)2 Ptr 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away
with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up.11:
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy
conversation (conduct) and godliness,12:
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?(Gold & Silver will be of no value on that day that is coming) Nor any other physical thing.13:
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness.
“Righteousness” That’s what overcoming is brethren, being right with God, walking this Earth in all His
ways, That’s what’s pleasing in our Fathers sight.14:
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace,
without spot, and blameless.
That’s what a saint is brethren. The word saint in the Greek means = Pure, unspotted, without
blemish.The Feast of Trumpets represents the day that the glorified saints will be returning to this Earth with the
Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
The Feast of trumpets pictures a time when the most colossal events in the history of mankind are going to
unfold, and unfold very rapidly.
Not many in the world are aware of this brethren. Not many in the world are aware of what God is doing,
Not many in the world know that God has been preparing certain people to rule this Earth with Him in His
coming Kingdom.The question is: Do We? Are we aware of this? Are we aware of what God is doing brethren?
Do we realize that the Great Supper that we have been called to by God the Father Himself, is ready,
now, as we speak?
Are we ready now? Are we His saints?
Or do we have a very important door to open, on this Feast of Trumpets???
*Scriptures from the King James Version