"Be Prepared - Not Scared!"

“Be Prepared – not Scared!”

October 9, 2011

Genesis 6:11-22

“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.

So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit] high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.

I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.

But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

“The earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence!” Sounds like this mornings headlines.

• 2 Severed Heads Found in Mexico City With Message

• Teen Sentenced to Nearly 97 Years for Robberies

• Band of Female Thieves Hit Neb. Churches

• Car Bomb in Somalia Kills 70

• Modesto Officials Investigate Death Of Well-Known Homeless Man

• Bomb Threat Prompts Evacuations At Two Citrus Heights' Schools

These are just a few of the headlines I glanced at as I prepared for this message. Any day of the week you can find pretty much the same thing. Our world is in sad shape. Is there any doubt that it grieves God? Is there any doubt that God wants the violence and the hate and the sin to stop? I don’t think so. It is against His very nature. I don’t know how much longer He can take this. I know why He is so patient – because the Bible tells us. It says,

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

God is so loving; so kind; so gentle; so good – He doesn’t want anyone to die. He doesn’t want anyone to go to hell. He wants to give everyone every chance to repent and turn to Him. But we are fast using up our second and third and fourth chances. There is going to be an end to it. The Bible says:

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.” 2 Peter 3:10

Make no mistake about it – the “Day of the Lord” WILL come. It’s gonna happen. It is just a matter of when.

A lot of Biblical experts and scholars believe Christ is coming back very soon. Some think it will be before the tribulation – some believe His return will be in the middle of the tribulation – some believe it will be after. They all quote the bible and use some of the same verses to back up their opinion. It is, therefore, important that you read the Scriptures for yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to communicate to you what the Word says. Don’t take anyone’s word for it. This is too important of an issue. It isn’t necessarily critical to your salvation – but it will effect how you life your life. Here’s our Nazarene position:

“We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again; that we who are alive at His coming shall not precede them that are asleep in Christ Jesus; but that, if we are abiding in Him, we shall be caught up with the risen saints to meet the Lord in the air, so that we shall ever be with the Lord.”

(Church of the Nazarene Manual, Article XV)