Intro: Well, this is the week that many of us has been waiting for for quite some time now. This Tuesday is election day, and I encourage each of you who is registered to come out and vote. Ronda and I will be casting our votes. I encourage you to spend some serious time in prayer for the election and the fate of our nation. Many Christians will be fasting along with prayer, seeking for God to intervene in the election and place his man in office. My girls I think are even more excited about the presidential race than I am. Jacqueline especially is a strong supporter of one of the presidential candidates, but I’ll let you find out from her which one that is.
This week we will find out whether the new president of the USA will be George W. Bush or Al Gore. In many ways, while these may both be good men with good desires, we know they are both fallible men. Wouldn’t you just love for someone to come forward who would lead our nation in truth and justice, with honor and power, with peace and goodness for all. Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged when we look at what we have in our nation. But let’s remember this morning that our God is in complete control. There will be no surprises for the Lord on Tuesday night. Our God has his plan firmly established for this world. And one day, the perfect leader will take charge, and we want to look at that leader this morning.
This morning, I would like us to look ahead into the future. I want to look past Tuesday, for I can’t really give you any predictions that I know will come true. But this is one of those good news/bad news scenarios. First the good news: For the Christians, our future is secure. 1 Thess. 4 tells us According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. We call this the rapture.
Now for the bad news. For those who are left behind on the earth, there will come a terrible time like has never been seen before. There’s a series of books called “Left Behind” that many of you are familiar with. This week a video came out by the same title that talks about some of the things to happen. Revelation 13 talks about a great world leader who will arise in the midst of famine and sickness and death. He will offer peace, protection, and safety for all who will follow him. We call him the antichrist. He is called antichrist for he seeks to take the place of God. 2 Thess. 2 tells us Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for [that day will not come] until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. the antichrist will deceive all the nations, and set up a system whereby one can only buy or sell if he takes the mark of the antichrist - 666 - in his hand or forehead. We could study for weeks about the events in the tribulation period - and maybe we will in the beginning of next year.
But let’s look on to the good news: 2 Thess 2 goes on in verse 8 to tell us And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. If you think we have had a scandalous leader in Clinton, think what it will be like under the reign of the Antichrist. But the antichrist will face defeat. And we want to look at that defeat this morning. Look with me in Rev. chapter 19.
Read Rev. 19:11-20:6
Jesus Christ will come back to this earth and set up his reign for a thousand years. We call this time the millennium, from the Latin term for 1000 years. Let’s look this morning at a few things about this reign.
Gen. Douglass MacArthur is famous for his quote, “I will return” when he left the pacific theater in WWII. When Jesus left this earth, a promise was made that he would come back. Acts 1:9-12 tells us After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "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." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.
Jesus is promised to come back in the air. Let’s compare this with the promise we find in Zechariah 145:3-9 - Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or night-time--a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Jesus Christ will come back, rescue his people, defeat the antichrist, and set up his earthly kingdom of peace for 1000 years. Verse 9 tells us he will be king over the whole earth. Isaiah 2:4 tells us this will be a time of great peace. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.
In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian empire had a dream. He saw a statue with a head of gold, chest of silver, thighs of bronze, feet of iron, toes of iron & clay. It was smashed by a stone. Daniel tell the king the meaning of this dream. It is a vision of the kingdoms of the earth to come. In verse 44 we read "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure for ever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands--a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy."
In Rev. 19, as we see Christ return to the earth, we see a great army with him. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. In Revelation we see fine linen being the sign of the believers. So, if we come back with the Lord, what are we going to do? 2 Timothy 2 tells us. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.
So, what happens to those who fight against the Lord? Zech 14 tells what happens to those the Lord defeats. This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. On that day men will be stricken by the LORD with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other. A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.
[Highway: Is. 11, 19, 35, 40, 62]
So, what does the reign of Christ mean for us today?
The first thing it means is that there will be a day when all corrupt politicians are done away with. Not to say that all politicians are corrupt. But there will be no more watergates, travelgates, monica-gates.
It also means that for the believer in Christ we need have no need of fear of what the future holds. In the model prayer we are told to pray like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We look forward to the coming rule of Jesus Christ. Don’t worry about whether the stock market rises or crashes. If it’s a bull or a bear market, you’ll still come out all right in the end. Does your retirement fund look a little low: remember, we are just pilgrims on this earth: this is not our home.
In light of the future reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to make sure we have the right priorities. We are told, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where is your treasure this morning.
In light of the reign of Jesus as king, we need to worship him. Entering into the Christmas season, we will find many visible reminders that the baby Jesus came into the world to be the king of kings and lord of lords. Take the time to let this Christmas season be one of worshiping the king.
Since he is king, obey him. If an earthly king issues you an order, you disobey at the threat of losing your life. How much more should we obey the king of heaven and earth. We already have his instruction book: Do we take time to read it, study it, and obey it?
Since Jesus is king, we also need to honor him. As a future prince or princess, a co-ruler with Christ, does your lifestyle give honor to the king? If we really see ourselves as children of the king, it will affect the way we live our life. 2 Peter 3 reminds us The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
Concl: So often we go through our days and weeks simply getting by, looking no farther forward than our next paycheck. This morning, I remind you that God already tells us the ending of the story: Christ will reign supreme. If we really believe this, it will change the way we live our lives today. Do you really believe that Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords? How has that truth affected your life? Pause for a moment, bow your heads, close your eyes, and search your hearts to silently ask yourself what you need to change about your life to worship the king, --to obey the king, --to honor the king.
Ask yourself also if there is something that has been stealing your joy in life. Remember that God has everything in control.
Let’s remember, that if God be for us, who can be against us!
Shall we pray!
