SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING IN THE CHURCH
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Several part lesson)
JESUS IS COMING! ARE WE READY? LIFE IS ABOUT GETTING UP AND TRYING AGAIN!
WANT TO? CAN WE GET UP WHEN LIFE KNOCKS US DOWN? LIFE IS NEVER EASY. THE SPOT LIGHT OF WEALTH AND FAME MAY HAVE A LARGE PRICE TAG… ARE WE WILLING TO TAKE PERSONAL CRITICISM? WHY DID MICHAEL JORDAN SUCCEED? … HE LEARNED WE MUST TURN FAILURE INTO EXPERIENCE.
A MAN NAMED LEROY SMITH STARTED THE PROCESS OF JORDAN’S GREAT SUCCESS. Did you know in 1978 Michael Jordan was a sophomore and he tried out for his high school basketball team? The coach said he was not good enough and he was cut from the team. Michael was asked to play Junior Varsity. Jordan was devastated. He tells that he went home, locked himself in his room and cried and cried. He did not make the team. This might appear bad but Michael says this made him a better person and a better player. When we lose and think we are a failure… this tends to breed failure. BUT WE MUST get up and try again. When MJ was cut from the team he cried then he quit crying and started practicing hour after hour.
What makes a person successful? Listen to Michael’s story.
*He missed more than 9,000 shots in his career.
*He lost over 300 games.
*He was trusted 26 times to make the game winning shot and he missed it. They lost the game.
*Jordan says: “I HAVE FAILED OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN MY LIFE AND THAT IS WHY I SUCCEED.”
*JORDAN SAYS: WHERE IS YOUR WANT TO? IF YOU WANT TO BAD ENOUGH YOU WILL GET UP AND TRY AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
THERE ARE SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS IN 7 DIFFERENT AREAS. Today we look at one area.
7 SIGNS.
1. *IN THE CHURCH
2. *IN ISRAEL
3. *IN NATURE
4. *IN WORLD POLITICS
5. *IN SOCIETY
6. *IN TECHNOLOGY
7. *IN BIBLICAL PROPHECIES
THIS LESSON WILL LOOK AT SOME OF THE SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING WITHIN THE CHURCH…
THERE ARE SIGNS IN THE CHURCH ABOUT GOD SENDING BLESSINGS AND SENDING GOD’S SWEET, SWEET SPIRIT TO THE CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS. JESUS PROMISES WHEN HE GOES AWAY THAT HE WILL SEND A COMFORTER.
Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
WE CAN SEE MATTHEW 24:10 TELLS OF SIGNS THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS. WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THE SIGNS WITHIN THE CHURCH…
In Matthew 24 Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives answering questions and teaching those that will help build the church. Jesus was asked: WHEN? When will you return and claim the church? So Jesus tells 3 conditions Matthew 24:10 that will exist in the church prior to his returning.
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
In 2016 there were 33,000 distinct denominations. By 2025 it is estimated there will be 55,000 denominations. The religious crowds can’t seem to get along and agree with the basics of the foundations of the church. If we can’t agree in love and unity we just split and go out and start our own church.
These selfish divisions will go from bad to worse. Within the church will grow a compromising egotistical selfishness following personalities and popularity contest. The attitude in the church will become COMPETITIVE DOG EAT DOG CHURCH. Disagreement, argumentative, debating. Preachers will be at each other’s throats.
THERE WILL BE COMMON TRAITS IN THE LAST DAY CHURCH.
• EASILY OFFENDED: outraged, upset, hurt feelings to be difficult, annoyed, insulted, vexation, to cause pain, to cause indifference and apathy.
• BETRAY, BETRAYAL: to break trust or confidence, to cheat another, selfish interest, being disloyal, deceive, to refuse to co-operate or get along. Betrayal often comes from jealousy, greed, hunger for power. If you do not guard your heart betrayal wounds and breaks a person’s spirit. JUDAS BECOMES THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT BETRAYS.
• CHRISTIANS SHALL HATE ONE ANOTHER. Hatred is dislike, ill willed, disgust, resentment, hostile, abhor, envy, contempt, malice, detest. THERE ARE SEVERAL SAD WORDS: HOLY WAR? HOLY HATRED? HATE IS NOT HOLY.
• Let us come with an honest heart: all three of these last day signs in the church normally are given birth from bitterness, unforgiveness and anger.
IN THE CHURCH WORLD THERE WILL BE A DEMAND TO TEST GOD. WE DESIRE TO SEE PERSONALITIES AND MIRACLES… PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW EVERYWHERE TO SEE JESUS… THE LAST DAY CHURCH WILL BE SEEKING SIGNS.
Seems like the religious crowd DEMANDS PHYSICAL SIGNS. Jesus confronted those Pharisees and Sadducees that were always demanding spiritual and physical signs. WHY DOES THIS GENERATION SEEK SIGNS?
Matthew 16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
We say: if we had more signs then more people will believe. This is absolutely not true. Signs and wonders can be counterproductive to believing.
John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
JESUS SAYS SIGNS FOLLOW THE BELIEVER NOT THE BELIEVERS FOLLOW SIGNS.
THERE IS A RUN HERE AND RUN THERE ATTITUDE THAT WILL GROW IN THE LAST DAY CHURCH… JESUS ISN’T HERE. JESUS MUST BE OVER THERE? LET US RUN AND SEE. WE UNDERSTAND THE DEMAND FOR A CIRCUS, NIGHT CLUB WORSHIP STYLE.
Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
WE WILL SEE THE VALUE SYSTEM OF THE BELIEF THAT THE FAMILY FOUNDATION NEEDS NO LONGER NEEDS FAITHFULNESS AND THE LOCAL CHURCH. WE SHALL SUBSTITUTE THE TELEVISION CHURCH, THE RADIO PREACHERS, BOOKS, CD’S AND SEMINARS FOR ATTENDING THE LOCAL CHURCH.
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
THERE IS A SAD STORY RECORDED ABOUT THE SECOND COMING: THERE WILL BE A GREAT FALLING AWAY FROM CHRISTIAN VALUES AND THE LOCAL CHURCH…
2 Thessalonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
CONCLUSION: We are studying the BIBLICAL SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE CHURCH. Warning! Warning BE READY… JESUS IS COMING.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This is part of the 7 lessons on the signs of Jesus second coming.
