What day is it??
Okay, but this is the only time I’m going to ask you this, take a look at your watches or cellphone; what time is it??
And so, it is Sunday at 11: am and you chose to be at church.
We have clocks and calendars to plan our lives! And so next week, which will be a New Year, the first Sunday of the month, we will all be here at 11am sharp to start our Communion Service, right?? You know the Rapture is going to happen and… Filipino rapture joke….
Clocks and calendars are necessities. If you are married and especially if you have children, a current family calendar always hanging in your kitchen area is a must! Please make sure you have a 2014 calendar hanging by your kitchen area by next week! And please make sure you set your alarm Sunday morning. Remember this motto, It is always better early than late!!
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We all depend on clocks and calendars to plan and put our lives in order! But we forget that even though God is eternal, God has a clock and a calendar for us to plan and put in order our eternal lives! What time is it according to God? Before we answer this question, let us read our Bible passage for this morning. Open your bibles to 1 Thessalonians 5…..Read along with me v1-11…..
And so first of all, based on this passage, God has a clock which He alone has control!
Now, does God really need a clock?? God is eternal; He does not need a clock! Why then does God have a clock??
God has a clock not for Himself but for people!
Just as with our clocks and calendars to plan and put in order our earthly lives, God has given us His clock so we can plan and put in order our eternal lives!
Most of us already have something jotted down for the evening of December 31, 2013, don’t we? We totally depend on our calendars! Are we totally depending on God’s Calendar which is in the Bible?
We note in 1 Thessalonian 5 that there is a day of the Lord; what is that? We have to look at this in context don’t we? Turn back briefly to Chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians; remember what will happen soon? Read along with me 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17….
And so, one day soon there will be an event in God’s Clock called the Rapture; how does that fit in God’s Clock? Let me summarize God’s Clock according to His Words:
- God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit existed in eternity past
- God created the heavens and the earth and people
- God sent a worldwide flood and saved only 8 people
- God Jesus came to earth to provide salvation of people
- God Jesus will return to earth for His Church (The Rapture)
- God Jesus will return to earth to judge all
- God will set eternal heaven and eternal hell for every person
What time is it right now? Yes it is December 29, 2013 11: CST, but in God’s Clock for us, it is between Salvation through Jesus Christ and The Rapture (It is the Age of Grace and Church!)
And so what’s the next thing to happen? The Rapture, the catching up of Believers to the sky, will soon happen. I hope this does not happen to you one day (show clock picture)… I think every Filipino should have one of these clocks!
All kidding aside, the Rapture will happen soon, and according to God’s Word in 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, Jesus will show up suddenly without warning.
Again, what time is it according to God? It is the Age of Grace and Church! And so, for those who are not sure if they will be called by Jesus when He shows up in the clouds, now is the time to believe in Him before it’s too late!
And what about us who already believe and are waiting?
- Unite and be a true Church for Jesus Christ
(each one of us has a role in His Church, know it and do it for the Lord till He returns)
A key role from 1 Thess. 5:11…….
- 1 Thess. 5:6c………
- 1 Thess. 5:8 = Put on the Full Armor of God (Ephesians 6) – Do you and I know the pieces?
Did you remember the motto about timing??
It is always better than late!!
And so, whether with our earthly lives or our eternal lives, it is good to keep this motto in mind. Please take a moment to think and pray about this; Better early for Jesus Christ than late, for He can show up for you and me at any time now!
