Jesus Is Coming: So What?
1 Thess. 4:13-18
Introduction:
Various attitudes exist concerning the coming of Jesus:
- sneering
- mystical
- ignorant
- don't care
What is the attitude we should have toward His coming?
I. WE SHOULD PREACH HIS COMING
We must preach the truth concerning His coming. There is much confusion today concerning the rapture.
Two stages of His coming
In the air - for His saints
1 Thessalonians 4:17
17 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 always be with the Lord.
Matthew 24:40-42
40 "Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.41 "Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.42 "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
To the earth - with His saints
Zechariah 14:4,9
4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south.
9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.
In that day it shall be—
"The Lord is one,"
And His name one.
Revelation 19:11,15
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Matthew 24:30
30 "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.
Scripture teaches a sudden translation of the church! God will not allow His church to go through the rapture.
- Noah (delivered from flood through ark)
- Lot (brought out before fire fell)
- Rahab (delivered from judgement)
God will deliver His people from the tribulation coming to this earth.
1 Thessalonians 1:10
10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:9
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Man will eventually cross the line and judgement will come to this world. We must preach the truth. Noah was mocked and scorned but He never stopped building that ark. The ark of the saving grace of Jesus Christ is the only hope this sin sick world has.
II. WE SHOULD LOOK FOR HIS COMING
Titus 2:13
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
His coming is the only hope this world has. It is the solution for all of the earths problems. It certainly is not politics. Would it not be great for people to stand and shout for Jesus like they do for politicians? Jesus can do more for us than the Republicans and Democrats!
Jesus said to "occupy" until He comes. We are to be busy with the "masters business."
Too many have a "hold the fort" mentality. We have much to do before it's too late.
Souls are perishing all around us. We should work and pray as if His coming were going to be soon.
Some really don't know if they want Him to come back very soon. They are not where they should be spiritually. They are asleep. It would upset their plans if He came back now.
Jesus made it clear His coming would be sudden and unexpected. Remember the wise and foolish virgins? The wise were wise because they were ready when the bridegroom came. Jesus summed it by saying:
Matthew 25:13
13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
We are to be ready - there will not be time to get ready!
III. WE SHOULD BE PURIFIED BY HIS COMING
1 John 3:2-3
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
John 14:1-3
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.2 "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus is now preparing a place for a prepared people. When Jesus comes again He is coming for a blood bought, blood washed people. He will take them to a wonderful home where they will be with Him forever.
Jesus never leaves us like He finds us. I am not what I should be right now. But I know when He comes for me I shall see Him as He is and I will not be like I am now!
Why do think we are not told when He will return? If we knew we would wait until the last minute before we got right. Not knowing keeps us honest. There is nothing worth missing heaven for.
It is not pleasant to have our sins pointed out to us. But you will thank the one who did forever after the rapture because you got right.
There is only one way to be ready. You have to have your name written in the Lambs Book of Life. Have you made your reservations?
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