Sorry this is a day late, but I still wanted to bring you this Sunday Gospel message from our good friend Pastor Robb.
Today’s message:
Sunday Livestream Message: Jesus, the Thief in the Night
I have not been able to stay off the topic of the end or last days. Most Christians that are following Jesus very closely, understand the fact that his return is now very close. Today, we will look at some of these scriptures and take sometime talking about Jesus’s second coming.
Jesus said that he would come like a thief in the night. He also has told us; that as for days of Noah were, so shall it be when Jesus returns. One of the most important things that I know is realizing that we, as followers of Jesus Christ must be ready for when he comes.
We all must ask ourselves that hard question, are we ready? My prayer is that this message will draw you closer to the Lord Jesus Christ, today than you have ever been before in your life. Be blessed as you study the Word of God with me now.
Pastor Robb Goodman Sr. Pastor of Zion Freedom Fellowship USA
Enjoy:
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
Video Transcript: Jesus the Thief in the Night
Pastor Robb Goodman
Yay, Jesus. Hallelujah. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to today’s live stream. I am Pastor Robb Goodman of Zion Freedom Fellowship here in Maryland in the good old United States of America. Amen to that. Well, welcome everyone. Thank you for joining with us today.
We’re having some cold weather and a little bit of snow this morning. We were kind of fooled a little bit. I’m sorry about that. We decided to do a live stream because all the weather reports were saying that the snow was going to start early in the morning on Sunday and we’re supposed to get anywhere from 5 to 8 inches.
But I don’t think it’s going to be that much at this point. And right now it’s just kind of flurrying a little bit. It was raining earlier this morning. So we have no knowledge about what the weather’s going to do. And like I texted on the group chat, you know, we hate to go and set up the building and then, if you wind up not going over, you have to go back later and take everything down.
It’s kind of a waste of time. But anyway, that’s the way it is until we get our own building one day in the future, which that will come one day. Praise be to God. Well, before we start in the message today, let’s pray and then I’ll share the title with you of the message today.
And it’s great to have you all with us. Praise be to God. I will read all the comments later because I cannot see them right now, but I will read them later before I turn off everything. All right, let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you and we praise you this morning. We thank you for your word. Hallelujah. Lord, I ask you that you put your words in my mouth today. Not my thoughts, but your thoughts. Lord, I yield my lips, my tongue to you.
My entire spirit, soul, and body, I yield to you. Holy Spirit, use me in the way that you so desire. I commit my entire being to you. Every thought, every word, every thought that comes across my brain, Lord, let it be directly from you.
Lord, you’ve said to me on many occasions, you put your word in my mouth. So, Lord, I yield my mouth to you. Holy Spirit, take full reign and control of me right now. I yield myself to you.
I receive your anointing to teach the word of God today in the mighty name of Jesus. We thank you and we praise you in Jesus’ name. Amen. Well, the title of today’s message is “Jesus the Thief in the Night.”
I’ve been speaking a lot lately on the end times. And it’s interesting to know what the Bible has to say about these days that we’re living in right now. Right now, today, we’re living in the end times. There’s no doubt about that to me.
So, I pray for my church and for everybody that watches our messages here on YouTube. And thank you all for joining. You may be watching this today. You might be watching it in the future. You might be watching this in the tribulation period someday in the future.
We just don’t know how long these records will last and what will come of them, but we know that they are pretty much on forever right now. So, God is good. He’s merciful and kind. So I ask that the Lord bless you today with his word.
That he cause his word to pierce the innermost being of your heart and soul. And that he would speak to you through the scriptures that he has given to me today. And I’ve got a lot of good information to share with you as well.
So buckle up, enjoy the ride, and enjoy the meal, I should say. Right. All right. Praise be to God. The Lord is good and he is faithful. Let’s go to Matthew 24.
A very well-known portion of scripture for most Christians, but those people that don’t understand this, this might be the first time you’re reading these scriptures. I don’t know. We have people watching from all over the world.
I mean, it’s just amazing. I am amazed at how many people are watching this all over the globe. I got a report—I’ve shared this before—I got a report from YouTube that this message goes everywhere. I was amazed at the number of countries that they told me where this message goes.
All right, Matthew 24 and we’re going to start reading with verse 21. “For then there will be great tribulation, such has not been since the beginning of the world until this time. No, nor ever shall be.”
So, we know that the tribulation period that will one day come upon this earth—we’re not in it yet. I’ve heard some people teach that, but that is incorrect. We are not yet in the tribulation period.
Sometimes it feels like it, doesn’t it? With everything that’s going on with our government, with the thievery of man and how sinful man is getting to be—so depraved, I should say. It’s just terrible. It really is.
We’re living in awful, awful times. But look at the days that the early church lived in. They were a living, breathing testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ. They did not give up on their faith.
There were some that did, but we know that Demas forsook Paul, having loved this present world more than he loved God. That’s what Paul said about him. Now, I don’t want to be remembered that way.
I want to be remembered as a righteous, holy saint of God that served God and did his will every day of my life. Amen. Praise be to God. So, “no, nor shall ever be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved.
But for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened.” So, we know that during the tribulation period that it will only last a period of seven years: three and a half, and then three and a half.
People believe different things about those years. Of course, Bill Finch did a great teaching on YouTube on the tribulation and the second coming of Jesus Christ. We got so many views. I was really astonished at how many views we got and people are still looking at that message today.
So, thank you, brother Bill, for that. Praise be to God. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ,’ which means the anointed one, the Messiah, or ‘there,’ do not believe it.
For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive.” That’s the purpose right there, to deceive. “If possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.”
So, thanks be to God that Jesus has warned us of great deception, and that is happening right now. People believe all kinds of strange things. There are very few ministers out there that are truly teaching the truth of the gospel.
You know, they’re afraid to say that abortion is wrong. They support leftist people that are running for Congress and Senate and all those types of things. No, we cannot support anyone that stands up for abortion.
Abortion is murder, plain and simple. “Therefore, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the desert,’ do not go out, or ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” Wow, think about that.
And Jesus used some pretty harsh language, did he not? He was not afraid to speak the truth. No matter what would happen with him, and you know, the Apostle Paul was the same way.
You know, Pam and I, we were talking the other day and we were talking about how Paul was treated on different occasions. He was left for dead. Beaten with rods, you know, beaten with stripes to the point where they left him for dead.
I believe at Mars Hill, they left him for dead. And my wife said, and I agree with her, that this was probably one of those times that Paul had the great revelation where he said, “Whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell. I was caught up to the third heaven.”
So, I agree with that. Now, we’re living in a time. We’re living in the end of days. Don’t let anybody tell you anything different. The end of days we are living in right now.
Christ’s return is near. He is going to come. And of course, he’s going to come like a thief in the night. Let’s continue reading. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.
The stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet—or a shofar—and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another. Now learn this parable from the fig tree.
When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.”
So the scripture, the Bible—the entire Bible, the old covenant and the new covenant—has told us things that are going to happen. Now have all those things yet been fulfilled? No.
But they are being fulfilled each and every day. And I believe personally that the coming of the Lord is near. Now, we know that no man knows the hour or the day. Jesus himself doesn’t even know it, but only his Father.
So, I’m amazed at that. I am amazed. So, our job—are you going to be ready as a believer, as a follower of Jesus? Are you going to be ready when Jesus Christ comes?
Are you going to have your white robes of righteousness cleaned? Are they going to be washed in the blood of the Lamb? You know, we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.
And it says in that verse, “and we do not love our lives even to the point of death.” There will be those of us that will lay down our life for the Lord Jesus Christ.
You know, Sarah and Justin Crop, they sent me a message last night. Sarah did, to please pray for the women of Yemen. There’s a woman that she knows from that country who’s had family members that had been abducted.
And I prayed for them before I went back to sleep because the Lord had woken me up for a few things this morning. So, we need to be alert in the days that we’re living in.
And I prayed for boldness over these women that had been abducted and that they would be returned safely. Would you agree with me with that? Would you please? That these women in the country of Yemen would be safe and return to their families safely in Jesus’ name.
Amen. We decree that and we declare it in the mighty name of Jesus. And angels, we ask you—we commission the angels of heaven to go and guard them as you promise to encamp in your word, Father, in Psalm 91.
The angels of the Lord encamp round about those that fear him. Thank you, Lord. Give them boldness and clarity of mind even while they’re being mistreated. Lord, give them boldness and clarity of mind to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thank you, Lord. “Assuredly I say to you, this generation will by no means pass till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Amen.
As the days of Noah. And what were they doing in the days of Noah? They were eating and drinking, partying, having a good time. They had never seen rain.
And here Noah took a hundred years to build this ark. Him and his family. 100 years and you know he stood for righteousness. He did not sin or get arrogant like the rest of the world was at that time.
And then one day the ark was loaded. The animals came two by two and God shut the door and the rains came. Can you imagine what was going through the people’s minds? The fear that fell upon them.
And Jesus says the same thing—that the tribes of the earth will mourn at the coming of the Son of Man. I’m telling you. “But as the days of Noah were, so also the coming of the Son of Man be.
For as in the days of Noah before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and did not know until the flood came and took them all away.
So also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field. One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore.”
Now listen, this is for us. “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” So he’s speaking to us. He said, “your Lord.” Now there are many of us that call Jesus Lord.
But how are we living? Are we living like Jesus is our Lord? “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” Woo! Man, I’m telling you. Well, we know the signs of the times. Amen. We know the signs of the times.
And then verse 45 says, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his master made ruler over his household to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
Assuredly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all of his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint his portion with the hypocrites.”
Man, I’m telling you folks, that is just something else. It is something else. No doubt about it. Amen. No doubt about it. Thank you, Lord.
All right. The return of Jesus is very near. As Jesus said, the signs of the times are telling us that we are very close to his return which he has promised to us. His promises will always come true.
Let’s turn to a very familiar scripture: 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. We’ll start with verse 16. “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the shofar or the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall ever be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”
So you and I, you know, as a pastor, I should be a comforter. When you’re going through difficulty and you’re going through times of hardship and you’re going through things that you don’t understand, I need to be a comforter to you.
Holy Spirit is a comforter. Holy Spirit is the greatest comforter that we could ever have. And we can look to him. You know, when you throw yourself on the mercy of God, you don’t have to fix your own problems.
We often feel like we need to, right? We feel like, “I need to fix the problems that I’m having in my life.” That’s our innate innermost feeling. But what we need to do is to throw ourselves on the mercy of God and allow him to fix it.
We can’t fix ourselves. I’m going to say that again. I’m sorry. We cannot fix ourselves. No, we can’t. No, we cannot. Jesus. All right. We want to be ready for that day when Jesus returns for his bride. Amen.
All right. Let’s go to Matthew 25. Back to Matthew again. I love Matthew in The Chosen. Oh my gosh, I love that guy. You know, he’s really cool. He played a great part. All right.
Matthew chapter 25, we’re going to start with verse one. “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise and five of them were foolish.
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” So you’ve got five that had lamps, five that had lamps and their oil as well.
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard, “Behold, the bridegroom is coming. Go out to meet him.” Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise answered, saying, “No, lest there should not be enough for us and for you, but go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves.”
You see, nobody else can give you Holy Spirit power. And that’s the oil in the lamp. Holy Spirit power is something that you must seek God for yourself. You’ve got to desire it and you’ve got to want it with all of your heart.
God will not withhold Holy Spirit from you. He’s a gift just like righteousness is a gift from God through the blood of Jesus Christ. God will not withhold Holy Spirit from you. Just ask for him.
Receive him in his fullness and his power. While they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut.
And afterward the other virgins came also, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” But he answered and said, “Assuredly I say to you, I do not know you.” Woo! Boy, oh boy. That’s a heavy one right there, isn’t it? “I do not know you.”
Jesus said the same thing to those that said they knew him, but in their works they denied him. You’ve got to have proof that you’re a real believer. And part of that proof is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The manifestation of the Spirit is given to profit everyone. The gifts of the Holy Spirit. But the main fruit is your character. It’s your character. How you live for God. What you do when no one else is looking. Amen.
All right. What happened here? One second, guys. Here we go. So, listen to this. All of those virgins had lamps, right? That’s true. But five of them had no oil in their lamps. They were empty.
The lamp signifies the outward appearance. What really matters is what is inside. And Jesus told the Pharisees and the Sadducees, he said, “You are like a white-painted sepulcher, a grave, and inwardly you are filled with dead men’s bones.”
That was religion to them. They were crooks. They were thieves. They were no different. And yet God was on their lips all the time. Their righteousness was outward. It wasn’t in their heart.
God wanted—Jesus wanted more than that from them. And that’s when he said, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees.” Man, I’m telling you guys, something else. So, the lamp signifies the outward appearance, but what really matters is what is inside and what comes out of you when no one is watching.
We all put on our happy-go-lucky face when we’re around other believers. And there’s ways that we won’t—and come on now, tell the truth and shame the devil. I’m speaking the truth, right? I know myself.
We know how to act when we’re in front of other believers. We don’t cuss. We don’t swear. We don’t get angry. All those things. Praise be to God. Now, listen. Don’t shoot the messenger.
Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m just speaking what the Lord has told me to speak. We need to be ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. His coming is soon. It’s even at the doors. Even at the doors. Praise be to God.
I woke up early this morning and usually when I do that, you know, I’ll talk to the Lord a little bit and pray. And the thought crossed my mind when I woke up if the gospel had ever been preached in Pompeii, Italy before Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.
Well, I Googled that and I looked it up. The response said that it’s very possible or plausible. And they found crosses, the sign of the cross inscribed in the walls in certain places—like one of them was a bakery.
Also inscriptions written on different places which said “Audi Christianos,” which means “hear or listen to the Christians.” Now also the references to the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah were available to those people.
So how interesting. Scholars have argued over this for years. Some say it’s real, some say it’s not. Well, you know what? I believe that there were Christians there that spoke the truth to some of them before judgment came.
Judgment came when Vesuvius erupted because they were a vile people. All kinds of things went on in that city. And here they were having fun and thinking this and that and the other and boom—Vesuvius erupts and in a short manner of time they’re gone.
Think about it guys. Just think about it. Also the thief dying next to Jesus said to the man dying with him, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered and said, “Today you shall be with me in paradise.”
Now, think of the love of God. Think about it. Think about the love of God. How great and merciful and kind he was. Now remember, the one on his right—Jesus’s right—he was the man that cried out.
And the other man was just like, being obnoxious. The one on Jesus’s left, he was being obnoxious. And the man says, “You know, why are you saying this? This man has done nothing wrong. We deserve what we’re getting. We deserve what we’re getting.
But this man has done nothing.” Jesus, the innocent man, hanging on that cross all because he loved you and he loved me. Where are you at in your walk today, brothers and sisters? Where are you at?
Only you know that. Allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart. Allow him to change you. He will change you if you ask him to. I’ve made many mistakes during my life.
I started ministry as soon as I was born again. I realized I was called to preach the word of God as a very young man, 19 years of age, and I was on fire for the Lord. But over the years, I’ve made many mistakes.
I’ve sinned many times. I’ve gotten into things I never should have. But Jesus’s blood—Jesus ever lives to make intercession for you and for me. Let us come boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, mercy, mercy, mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need.
Whatever you need right now. Whatever you need. I was speaking to someone yesterday by text and they are in need of a job. They’re in need of a job. We are believing that the Lord is going to bring this individual a job.
And in the name of Jesus, we come against every spirit of witchcraft, every demon spirit that is trying to attack this woman, the servant of the Lord, and to keep her from getting a job. We bind you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Take your hands off of this woman. She’s a woman of God, and you have no right to attack her. I bind you in Jesus Christ’s name. I resist you steadfast in the faith. And Lord, I thank you and I praise you.
I praise you and I thank you in advance that she has a job. Thank you, Jesus, that you have given her a job and that job is going to manifest very quickly. We’re believing you. We’re standing in faith waiting for you, Lord.
Thank you that you will bring it across her doorstep. Lord, you’ll bring it across her path and she will be welcomed into a new company very soon. We agree in the mighty name of Jesus. And we come against all sickness in the body of Christ.
We come against all sickness and every disease in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. We release the power of Holy Spirit to minister healing in Jesus’ name. Jesus, you are the Great Physician and you love us.
You gave your body so that our body would be healed. You shed your blood so that our sins would be forgiven. Church, I want to remind you to do communion on a regular basis. You do not have to have a pastor or an ordained minister near you to do communion.
You can do it any time of the day or night that you desire. And take time to draw near to the Lord. Meditate on what he did for you. And we remember the Lord’s death until he comes again. Amen. Amen.
Now, again, I don’t know where you’re at right now. I have no idea what’s going on in your life. I don’t know what you’re going through except people that have shared things with me personally.
But the Lord is with you. Jesus is coming soon. You want to be ready. You want to be ready when Jesus comes. He loves you so much. He held nothing back. He gave his all.
He gave his all for you. Can we give our all for him? You know, it amazes me that we let our bodies rule us where coming to church is concerned. We let our flesh rule us.
And every one of us needs to know how to possess our own vessel in sanctification and in honor. We need to know how to do that. Let’s put God first. Let’s put Jesus first.
We want to be one of those that he says to, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord that he has prepared for you. The kingdom that he has prepared for you.” Oh, glory to God. Oh, thank you, Jesus.
Jesus, we thank you right now. We thank you for your upholding ability of all the righteous saints of God. Lord, those who are going through tribulation in different nations of the world, Lord, I ask that you would comfort them.
I ask that you would strengthen them. I ask that you would affirm their faith and that they would contend earnestly for the faith that’s been delivered unto them, Lord. That they would stand up in righteousness and not be afraid of any evildoers that are threatening them.
In the name of Jesus Christ, strengthen your church, Lord. And that happens when we meditate on the word of God. Strengthen your believers and your followers, Jesus. Give them dreams and visions. Open up their understanding.
Holy Spirit, speak to them. Jesus, you said, “My sheep hear my voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow.” Speak to us, Jesus. We desire to hear your voice.
Let your name be honored and glorified in Jesus Christ’s mighty, mighty, mighty, mighty name. Amen. And amen. Well, if you have prayed that prayer, I would like you to email me.
If you prayed the prayer and have committed your life to Jesus Christ, please email me. You can email me at [email protected] and I will respond to you. It’s nice to hear from people and to know that this message is changing lives.
God bless you each and every one. And may the Lord bless you and your family. May the Lord guide and direct you this coming week. May he keep you in all of your ways. May he strengthen you and give you clear vision in the way that he’s leading you to go.
That you would acknowledge his truth because his truth will set you free. Amen. I love you all. I’m happy that you were able to be here with me today and may you continually be blessed.
I pray blessings, healing, and prosperity over you and your families. And in the name of Jesus Christ, be filled with the joy of the Lord. Hallelujah. Be filled with the joy of the Lord.
Be filled with the joy of the Lord. I love you all very much. God bless each and every one of you. This is Pastor Rob Goodman of Zion Freedom Fellowship saying goodbye until next week.
I love you all in Jesus’ name. Amen. God bless you guys. God bless you. One second. I will read the comments momentarily.
