Series: End Time Christians Live with an Expectancy of What is To Come
Dave Hartson / End Times
Biblical Instruction for End Time Living
Introduction
Over the past several weeks, we have been looking at two men, Enoch and Noah, who lived on the other side of the cross and before the end would come by a great flood. We, who live on this side of the cross, live in a time before the end, the second and final end, but this time the end will come not by a great flood but rather by a consuming fire.
Enoch and Noah as we talked about last week, they walked with God. And as we said that that meant more than merely walking because the evidence reveals that God shared things with them the rest of those living at that time had no knowledge of. So, I made the statement, that these two men had a hunger for the Word of God, and they took it to heart. And we spent the rest of the time in the sermon trying to see what a hunger for God’s Word would look like in our life.
Today, I want us to see that in additional to that hunger for the Word of God, Enoch and Noah lived with an expectancy of what is to come. We know that to be true because Enoch named his first-born child Methuselah which means “when he dies then comes the flood.” He could had named him a name that meant “nothing like living in the present time” or he could have given him that meant “the past, now those were the good old days”. Instead, Enoch looked with expectancy to the coming flood by naming him Methuselah- when he dies then comes the flood.
Noah could have lived in the moment like the rest of the people. The Bible describes the time before the flood as a time of eating and drinking and giving in marriage. Noah could have participated in those events, but rather his expectancy of what was to come drove him to his back yard to work on the Ark as instructed by God.
I think it is fair to say that that both Enoch and Noah lived with an expectancy. And so, I believe that you and I living on this side of the cross should live with that same type of expectancy. You may be saying to yourself; I can understand why they had a great expectancy because there was an upcoming flood staring them in the face. Today, I want to share with you why you and me me as Christians should be living with that same type of expectancy.
And the reason I think we need to be reminded of our need to keep that sense of expectancy is that as we live our life, we tend to forget that life will not keep going like it always has. In 2010, Church Pew Research did a survey, and 46% of American did not believe that Christ would again by 2050. You want to know why we don’t have young adults in church, 54% of them don’t see Christ’s return by 2050. The church has lost its sense of expectancy.
Points
#1
We ought to have an expectancy of Christ’s eminent return because the promise in the Book of Daniel is that in the end times, there will be greater understanding of prophesy.
Daniel 12:4 NKJV
“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Daniel 12:9–10 NKJV
And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
We are closer to the return of Christ today than we were yesterday. But you pay attention, and you will notice a silence from the podiums about the return of Christ. In my younger days, the return of Christ was a common theme in a lot of messages, but not any longer. It has been replaced by a request for money, feel good sermons, or a plead to join our fellowship, but seldom is it mentioned in message that Christ is coming soon, and we better be ready. And what makes that even more unbelievable is that God’s promise in the end time we will be given greater understanding of prophecy. Things that people in other other ages could not understand, we who are near the end time can make sense of prophesies that they could not understand.
Let me give you an example. Israel went into Babylonian captivity in 606 B.C and lost their status as an independent nation when the first captives were taken to Babylon. From that time until 1948, Israel was not a nation but a scattered people all over the world. Then in 1948, Israelites came back to their homeland and was recognized as an independent state. Bible prophecy came together for our generation because 5 prophecies were fulfilled when that occured. And it made Bible prophecy much clearer. Let me show you from the Book of Joel.
Joel 3:1-2 (NIV)
1 ‘In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.
In verse 1, Joel prophesied that Israel would once again become a nation. And in verse 2, he is telling us about the Battle at Armageddon. So, what I can safely conclude is that Israel returning to its land as a nation moves the end time timetable much future along. So, if we are living in the end times, we might possibly be living in the end of the end times.
Are you living your life with the expectation that Jesus can come anytime? Are you ready if He came today?
#2
We ought to have an expectancy of Christ’s eminent return because within us is a longing to see our loves who have died and has gone on to heaven before us.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NKJV
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The question that I am frequently asked as a preacher is: “Will I know my loved ones when I get to heaven?” And Paul tells the Thessalonian people so that you are not like others who have no hope. I tell you this so that you can take comfort. Your loves ones who have died will be the very ones coming to greet you when Christ comes back for His Church.
Jesus could have come on His own to greet us and take us up to heaven to be with Him. And we would have been more than thrilled; that would have been more than enough. But He knows the desires of your heart is to see your loves ones who have gone before you. Jesus saw firsthand the pain of Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus had died.
Jesus could have brought a legion of angels to come back with Him to greet you when Christ comes back to greet you. But Jesus, who in all ways was like us, knew how much family means to us, so He brings family back to greet us.
I do have to tell you that although we know family and can be with family there is no marriage or giving in marriage in heaven.
Matthew 22:30 NKJV
For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.
On the other side of the coin, there are no wonderful reunions in hell just pure punishment. When you are in pure torment that never stops, I can tell you that you don’t have time for a family reunion. Sounds cruel but it is true.
Matthew 25:46 NKJV
And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
So, Christians should have an expectancy to see Christ because seeing Christ means seeing our loved ones who have gone before me.
#3
We ought to have an expectancy of Christ’s eminent return because we cannot wait to see the mansion that He has prepared for us.
John 14:2-3 (NKJV)
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.
A lot of people don’t watch the evening news because generally it is depressing. And I understand that. But if you do happen to watch it; you will notice that the advertising time slots are filled with lawyer commercials. There is this one company, Morgan & Morgan, and in this one commercial the managing partner of the firm, I guess it is Mr. Morgan, is standing in front of his house and I mean to tell you this house is some mansion. I would love to see what it looks like on the inside; the outside is massive.
But I probably never get invited to Mr. Morgan’s home. But I am not worried, because I have a mansion for me in heaven. And I know this about my Jesus that my mansion is going to be something. Better than Mr. Moran’s mansion here on earth. I know that because God says in Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
I am still a little boy boy at heart and when I know that I got something coming to me, I get filled with expectancy. I’m excited. And as a Christian knowing that I have a mansion in heaven waiting for me, I am filled with expectancy.
Conclusion
Enoch and Noah were filled with expectancy awaiting the great flood. And I as a Christian ought to be filled with expectancy knowing that I await His Return for me. And I expect it could be today. Am I ready? Are you ready?
