!!He’s Coming in the Clouds!!
How many people would agree with a show of hands tonight that we are living in the last days? It’s as if the earth is groaning and crying out for something but what? We have wars and rumors of wars, and nation rising up against nation, earthquakes in places that aren’t suppose to have earthquakes, tsunamis and massive floods. Drought and famine litter the landscape of most third world nations and sadly even here in the United States. But the Bible warned us that these things were to come to pass before the end. So it is pretty safe to say that we are in the end times A-men. So what are we to do and where are we to look? I know that some of us are guilty at times of looking to the media, the TV or the news stations to remain current with the times or some may look to the internet or to friends to keep them current with world affairs, even still some may look to the government to help us with the state of the world. Let me fill you in on a little secret about the state of the world, here it my friends “we live in a fallen world. We are in a state of sin. It’s been that way since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Our sin separates us from a Holy God and the only way to bridge the gap is by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. Now you won’t hear than on the nightly news, you won’t read that on the most current blog pages of the internet. So where are we to look in these last days to gain wisdom and knowledge and comfort and understanding? We are to look the BIBLE, the BIBLE my friends the Holy Scriptures. They give us the keys to these last days and I want to share a very important lesson with you tonight about one of those keys in the scriptures that prepares us for these last days so that we may remain faithful in Him who has called us out of darkness to walk in his marvelous light .This key answers the question-“What are we to do and where are we to look?”
Our key verse tonight is:
Matthew 24:30 (King James Version)
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
….Lets Pray….
I must say that sometimes I am a bit confused when I see Christians fearful about the future of the world. Now if you were looking from the perspective of the WROLD VIEW then you would have just cause to see the world in a very fearful way for it would seem extremely freighting. We have the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad jockeying for nuclear capability and this is the same man who has said the Holocaust never took place and that his primary goal in life is to wipe Israel of the face of the earth and we have Kim Jong Il the communist dictator of North Korea and he is just as much of an extremist as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and he already has nuclear capability and a million man army and don’t for get the Afghanistan’s and Osama Bin Laden or how about the Iraqis and most of the European Union who cant stand us. We won’t even talk about the current economic state that our own country is in. Yes though the world’s view we are in a horrifically desperate state. But it should not be so for the Christian for we have Christ in us the Hope of Glory, but why is it that some Christians walk around like they have never read the scriptures before. I’ll tell you why, it’s because they have never read the scriptures before. Brother Paul put it this way in 2nd Timothy 4:3 for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. Do you know what it means to have itching ears my friends? It means a desire to hear the latest and the greatest doctrine that is coming down the line. It means to have a passionate desire to hear the new coolest doctrines from worldly preachers. These doctrines never confront sin and allow the hearers to do what ever is right in their own eyes. Be your own God that what these doctrines say and they are very popular today aren’t they. My friends the Church in the United States is 3,000 miles wide and 1 inch deep. For if we have truly read the scriptures then we would understand the meaning of Mathew 24:30 and we would not worry about the future of the world for it says and I will read it again
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, the Adminijabs, the kung Jon Ills, the Palestinians, the Afghanistan’s, The Osama Bin Ladins the Muslim extremists, all the enemies of God shall mourn, and then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Have you ever read that verse and wondered at the writings? For it says that 1st shall appear the SIGN of the son of man in heaven. What is this SIGN that the scriptures is talking about? So to understand this text even fuller we must read the verses leading up to Verse 30 lets start at verse 24
This tells us the scene of what the days will be like right before the coming of Christ in the Clouds.
Mt 24:24 "For false Christ’s and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
25 "See, I have told you beforehand.
26 "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.
27 "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 "For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
29 "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.
So lets think about this for a second the Sun will be darkened that means there will be no light of day and the moon will be darkened that means there will be no light during the night and there will be no stars no light in the sky what so ever. That means according to the scripture that we will be in complete darkness. Have you ever experienced complete darkness? So dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face? So what will the sign on the Son of Man be? And how will we see it? I will tell you what the sign of the son of man will be- it will be the sign of the Cross my brothers and sisters the wonderus glorious cross of Christ. How will we see it in complete darkness? Scripture always interprets scripture my friends for the Bible says that in John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. Jesus said he is the light of the world. Let me tell you tonight friends the Light and the Power of the Cross of Jesus Christ is greater than all the darkness in the world combined. Jesus finished His work on an old rugged cross for you and for me and he said “It is finished” oh yes my brothers and sisters the sign of the Son of Man will surely be the cross and all those who have mocked it will weep and wail.
My dear brothers and sisters we are not to walk around with our heads in the sand defeated and depressed, because the state of the world has gotten us down or the state of the economy has gotten us down, because the scriptures tell us to lift up our head to the Hills to where our help comes from for our help comes from the Lord. I am here to tell you tonight that we are to decipher the times in which we live in, the time is right for the return of the Lord and let me tell you the first time Jesus came he came lowly and meek, he came riding in on a donkey and the people shouted hosanna hosanna hosanna, Glory to God in the Highest, but this time, this time when he returns he Is coming in the clouds and he is coming as the resurrected Son of Man and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of the radiance of His Glory and He will come with the Holly Host of Heaven riding on a glory cloud and with power and great Radiance.
Why are you depressed brother, what are you cast down sister? Why such a long face my friend, for we are what he is coming back for, we are the Church of Jesus Christ, multi colored, multi denominational, multi lingual, but one in Spirit our daddy wants to show the world who we belong to. The nations will tremble and the earth will shake at his coming but not us my friends that day will be the most glorious day that the Church has ever seen for us Christians. For the Bible tells us in
1 Thessalonians 4:17
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
In the twinkling of an eye we shall be caught up with him. No more pains no more tears no more sin my friends. We shall be like him and we shall dine at the greatest feast ever held in the universe the blessed marriage supper of the Lamb. Let me tell you my friend the food will be the greatest you have ever tasted and we shall drink from the Cup of Christ for one last time and it shall be the greatest times of our liver for we shall celebrate the Victory with Jesus Christ the savior of our souls.
The Bible says that you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free, the truth tonight is this: I have way to much scripture inside of me you have way too much scripture inside of you to be worrying about some crazy Iranian or some whacky Korean or some over the top afganistan All we have to do is fall in love with the with the Lover of our Souls and he will keep a song of praise in our hear and a shout of victory on our lips because I know that My savior is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and he is coming back soon for you and he’s coming back soon for me for me.
The Bible tells us Jesus Christ is the Same Yesterday today and forever so I would like to talk with a bit about the significance of “The Cloud” both in Old Testament and the New Testament. We are going to look to see how the Glory Cloud of Christ has been around since the time of the Children of Israel and we are going to see the purpose of the cloud in the scriptures.
Exodus 16:10
Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children
Of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
Exodus 19:9
And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the
People may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.”
Leviticus 16:2
And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at
Just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he Die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.
.
Numbers 11:25
Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of
The Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, When the Spirit rested upon them that they prophesied, although they never did so again.
Psalms 104:3
He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, who makes the clouds His chariot, who walks on the wings of the wind,
Isaiah 19:1
Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt; the idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart of Egypt will
Melt in its midst.
Daniel 7:13
I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near Before Him.
Joel 2:1–2
Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all
The inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand: A day of
Darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over
The mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there
Ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations.
These scriptures are from the New Testament
Matthew 26:64
Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN."
Mark 13:26
"Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.
Mark 14:62
And Jesus said, "I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN."
Luke 21:27
"Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.
Revelation 1:13
and in the middle of the lamp stands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.
So throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament we see the cloud used as a symbol to represent Christ and His wondrous glory. The other day while I was praying on what to preach on tonight I felt the Nudge of the Spirit to preach on the Glory Cloud Of Christ and I felt pretty sure that I had what the Lord wanted me to speak on, and the next morning on the way to work there was a crystal clear sky except this one low hanging fluffy cloud, now this cloud was so low to the ground it didn’t seem normal and there was not another cloud in the sky to be found and I knew at that point it was confirmation that God was in this message. Aren’t clouds marvelous creations? Sometimes I just like to lie on my back on the grass and watch those fluffy cottony clouds just roll on by. But what a marvelous sign to us Christians from a loving God that every time we look to the sky and see those fluffy clouds what it really should say to us Christians is that God is watching over us, he hasn’t forgotten about he didn’t leave you behind-he gave you the symbolic image of the cloud to let you know He will come again one day very soon, and he will come riding on the clouds to redeem His beautiful spotless bride.
Let me ask you a question-Have you ever been driving on a mountain road and you get to the top of the mountain only to be stopped in your tracks because you have ascended up to an elevation where the cloud cover engulfs the top of the mountain? God wants your relationship with Him to mirror that story of the mountain top. God wants you to climb up His Holy Mountain, to get so in love with Him, to go to a level with Him that you have never been before. Because when you get to that mountain top through prayer and devotion and serving others once you get above the tree line with God, you know what trees do right? They make it difficult to get to the top of the mountain but once you climb above the tree line and you reach the mountain top- god wants to meet you there in the clouds. He wants to share the Glory Cloud of Christ with you. You see one the great advantages of being souurnded by the Glory Cloud of Christ is that you are totally engulfed in his presence you can’t even see your hand in front of your face that’s how thick His presence is. Have you ever experienced the presence of Christ so thick that you could cut it with a knife? Oh yes when you enter that Glory Cloud you become completely engulfed in his love and you become totally dependent on Him. Every move you make every step you take every thought you make is dependent upon Him because you can’t see in the natural when you are in the Glory Cloud. My friends we are to live in His Glory Cloud. We are to live in His presence.
Brother Isaiah knew about The Glory Cloud of Christ. Let me share this scripture with you
Isaiah 6
1In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
You see my friends once you are engulfed in the Glory Cloud Of Christ just like Brother Isaiah it will always cause you to want to serve Him. Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said Isaiah, Here am I: send me.
I want to close with this scripture tonight and it’s my favorite when it comes to the coming of Christ and it is found in the Book of Revelation.
It is found in Revelation Chapter 1 and Verse 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.
My dear friends don’t let the current events of the world get you down, don’t let the economy get you depressed do not worry about current housing market because,
Advocate is on His way
Almighty is on His way (Rev. 1:8; Mt. 28:18)
Alpha and Omega is on His way (Rev. 1:8; 22:13)
Amen is on His way (Rev. 3:14)
Apostle of our Profession is on His way (Heb. 3:1)
Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins is on His way (1 John 2:2)
Author of Life is on His way (Acts 3:15)
Author and Perfecter of our Faith is on His way (Heb. 12:2)
Author of Salvation is on His way (Heb. 2:10)
Beginning and End is on His way (Rev. 22:13)
Blessed and only Ruler is on His way (1 Tim. 6:15)
Bread of God is on His way (John 6:33)
Bread of Life is on His way (John 6:35; 6:48)
Bridegroom is on His way (Mt. 9:15)
Capstone is on His way (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7)
Chief Cornerstone is on His way (Eph. 2:20)
Chief Shepherd is on His way (1 Pet. 5:4)
Christ is on His way (1 John 2:22)
Creator is on His way (John 1:3)
Deliverer is on His way (Rom. 11:26)
Eternal Life is on His way (1 John 1:2; 5:20)
Faithful and True is on His way (Rev. 19:11)
Faithful Witness is on His way (Rev. 1:5)
Faithful and True Witness is on His way (Rev. 3:14)
First and Last is on His way (Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13)
Firstborn From the Dead is on His way (Rev. 1:5)
Firstborn over all creation is on His way (Col. 1:15)
Gate is on His way (John 10:9)
God is on His way (John 1:1; 20:28; Heb. 1:8; Rom. 9:5; 2 Pet. 1:1;1 John 5:20; etc.)
Good Shepherd is on His way (John 10:11,14)
Great Shepherd is on His way (Heb. 13:20)
Great High Priest is on His way (Heb. 4:14)
Head of the Church is on His way (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23)
Heir of all things is on His way (Heb. 1:2)
High Priest is on His way (Heb. 2:17)
Holy and True is on His way (Rev. 3:7)
Holy One is on His way (Acts 3:14)
Hope is on His way (1 Tim. 1:1)
Hope of Glory is on His way (Col. 1:27)
Horn of Salvation is on His way (Luke 1:69)
I Am is on His way (John 8:58)
Image of God is on His way (2 Cor. 4:4)
Immanuel is on His way (Mt. 1:23)
Judge of the living and the dead is on His way (Acts 10:42)
King Eternal is on His way (1 Tim. 1:17)
King of Israel is on His way (John 1:49)
King of the Jews is on His way (Mt. 27:11)
King of kings is on His way (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16)
King of the Ages is on His way (Rev. 15:3)
Lamb is on His way (Rev. 13:8)
Lamb of God is on His way (John 1:29)
Lamb Without Blemish is on His way (1 Pet. 1:19)
Last Adam is on His way (1 Cor. 15:45)
Life is on His way (John 14:6; Col. 3:4)
Light of the World is on His way (John 8:12)
Lion of the Tribe of Judah is on His way (Rev. 5:5)
Living One is on His way is on His way (Rev. 1:18)
Living Stone is on His way (1 Pet. 2:4)
Lord is on His way (2 Pet. 2:20)
Lord of All is on His way (Acts 10:36)
Lord of Glory is on His way (1 Cor. 2:8)
Lord of lords is on His way (Rev. 19:16)
Man from Heaven is on His way (1 Cor. 15:48)
Master is on His way (Lk. 5:5; 8:24; 9:33)
Mediator of the New Covenant is on His way (Heb. 9:15)
Mighty God is on His way (Isa. 9:6)
Morning Star is on His way (Rev. 22:16)
Offspring of David (is on His way Rev. 22:16)
Only Begotten Son of God is on His way (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9)
Our Great God and Savior is on His way (Titus 2:13)
Our Holiness is on His way (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Husband is on His way (2 Cor. 11:2)
Our Protection is on His way (2 Thess. 3:3)
Our Redemption is on His way (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Righteousness is on His way (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb is on His way (1 Cor. 5:7)
Power of God is on His way (1 Cor. 1:24)
Precious Cornerstone is on His way (1 Pet. 2:6)
Prophet is on His way (Acts 3:22)
Rabbi is on His way (Mt. 26:25)
Resurrection and Life is on His way (John 11:25)
Righteous Branch is on His way (Jer. 23:5)
Righteous One is on His way (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1)
Rock is on His way (1 Cor. 10:4)
Root of David is on His way (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)
Ruler of God’s Creation is on His way (Rev. 3:14)
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth is on His way (Rev. 1:5)
Savior is on His way (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
Son of David is on His way (Lk. 18:39)
Son of God is on His way (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14)
Son of Man is on His way (Mt. 8:20)
Son of the Most High God is on His way (Lk. 1:32)
Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him is on His way (Heb. 5:9)
The One Mediator is on His way (1 Tim. 2:5)
The Stone the builders rejected is on His way (Acts 4:11)
True Bread is on His way (John 6:32)
True Light is on His way (John 1:9)
True Vine is on His way (John 15:1)
Truth is on His way (John 1:14; 14:6)
Way is on His way (John 14:6)
Wisdom of God is on His way (1 Cor. 1:24)
Word is on His way (John 1:1)
Word of God (Rev. 19:13)
is on His way
Behold He comes with riding on the Clouds. Blow the trumpet in Zion for our redeemer is on his way. Lit up your eyes tonight Church to the Hills, for the He is the Lifter of your head, Behold he comes with the clouds Church. This is the year of Jubilee; sing it out loud tonight church let Him know that you are ready, ready to ascend the Mountain top to be engulfed in His Glory Cloud.
