February 8, 2009
Morning Worship
Text: Luke 21:5-36
Subject: The Second Coming
Title: How Long Will You Wait?
I am going to continue this week in the same direction we were headed last week. If you remember, last week I challenged you to be a disciple maker. This week I want to start off with what Jesus told His disciples in Mark 16:15-16, 15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. I really want to focus on two things – preaching the gospel and the result of unbelief. I know that I don’t even need to tell you this and you are probably tired of hearing it from me, every believer is commanded to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not a suggestion but a command. Now, once you share the gospel the seed is planted and what happens next is up to your audience. Those who accept the gospel message will be saved; those who won’t accept it will be condemned.
Now I know that you are sitting there thinking, “Doesn’t he ever get tired of talking about this”? You know I could be with you like I was with my children when I was trying to get them to do what I said.. “I’m only going to tell you this one more time.” That stopped when one of our daughters answered, “Good, cause I’m kind of getting tired of hearing it.” The reason I continue to talk about witnessing is because time is growing short. We talk about it. We say we believe it. We know that it’s a reality, but what are we doing about it?
Turn over to Luke 21 and I want to begin with where we will finish up, verse 36, Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Lord open my eyes to see and my ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Then Lord let us not be just hearers of the word but doers of the word.
I want you to see how close we are to the end.
Verse 8, 8He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. You know about the false Messiahs of the past – James Jones, David Koresh, the Heaven’s Gate cult Where the leader of the group claimed to be the Christ. The latest - September 12, 2006 - Puerto Rican-born Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda presides over a worldwide movement that believes he is God -the second coming of Jesus Christ. From South Florida Miranda leads his followers, mostly Hispanic, in a different gospel, the "freedom to indulge" because he teaches that there is no sin, no devil and no hell to pay. The church is called "Creciendo en Gracia" or Growing in Grace Ministry.
Verse 9, When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened.” Of all the 3400 + years of recorded history only 268 have not seen war. 42 million were killed in wars in the 20th century. There are currently 38 major conflicts in the world today. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” 10Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Verse 11, There will be great earthquakes…The World Almanac tells us that there were only 21 earthquakes of major strength between the years 1000 and 1800. But between 1800 and 1900 there were 18 major earthquakes. In the next 50 years, between 1900 and 1950, there were 33 major quakes, and between 1950 and 1991 there were 93 major earthquakes, almost tripling the number of the previous half century, and claiming the lives of 1.3 million people around the world.
famines … Of the 6.6 billion people in the world today 923 million live in areas where there is not enough food. In addition to that here in the US the state of California is facing the possibility of the worst drought in its history. Deserts in the American Southwest and around the globe are creeping toward heavily populated areas as the jet streams shift
and pestilences in various places… AIDS, bird flu, West Nile virus, Avian flu, Mad cow disease… What else do I have to say?
and fearful events and great signs from heaven… Don’t know what that all means but there has been talk among astronomers of a possible asteroid impact in the near future.
And after all this Matthew 24 :18 says that these are just the beginning of birth pains.
Verse 20, Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies. 20“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what is going on there. Here are a few of the Headlines from Prophecy News Watch – a newsletter that I receive weekly. South African ports to reject Israeli ships… Israel fears Syria is preparing to arm Hizbullah with Anti-Aircraft systems… Obama ’guarantees’ West Bank withdrawal… Obama hails ’anti-Israel’ Arab plan…
Verse 25, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has been consulting with experts on the likely damage to the world’s internet infrastructure in 2012, when the solar storms are expected to peak.
Solar storms pump vast amounts of electromagnetic radiation into the solar system. Storms in 1859 burnt out telegraph wires while similar storms in 1989 took down part of the Canadian energy grid. In 2005 US systems also suffered solar damage.
The world could look forward to "disruption of the transportation, communication, banking, and finance systems, and government services; the breakdown of the distribution of potable water owing to pump failure; and the loss of perishable foods and medications because of lack of refrigeration," according to the report.
The report estimates damages of "$1 trillion to $2 trillion during the first year alone ... for the societal and economic costs of a ’severe geomagnetic storm scenario’ with recovery times of four to 10 years."
27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Hallelujah!!!! Acts 1:6-11, 6So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
You won’t know the exact day when Jesus will come for His church but you can see the signs of the times. 29He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32“I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. The word that is translated “generation” means an age or a period of time. Jesus was talking about the church age. The church age ends when the tribulation begins. That is the age of the gentiles or the age of the antichrist or the age of rebellion.
34“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life… Don’t keep your attention focused on the day and its pleasures. Focus on the promise of Jesus’ return. He said He was coming back. He promised to come and get His church. He promised that He was preparing a place for us. that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap…. 35For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. You see, the devastation that we are going to see leading up to the rapture of the church is not going to be national disaster but will be worldwide. Does it make you wonder how close we might be with a worldwide financial crisis looming over us?
36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Closing.
You have an advantage over most of the world. You have heard. Most of you are prepared and are looking for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. You can see the signs. People say, “well, you people have been saying that for the last hundred years. Where is this Jesus that you say is coming back?”
Matthew 24, 30“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
36“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
So are you willing to remain silent and let your friends and family suffer through seven years of the great tribulation because you don’t want to offend them? Wouldn’t it be better to offend them now rather than for it to be too late?
Ezekiel 33, 7“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 9But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.
Jesus is coming back.
How long will you wait?
