The Last Lightning Strike - Christ's Second Coming Series

Presented at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in Moscow, ID on November 12, 2005, Pastor E. Douglas Venn

Opening Text:

"For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day.¡¨ Luke 17:24 New American Standard Version (1995)

Matthew 24:3-36

Review The Fire of Our Faith Teaching Series

- Christ invites me to join His last Day Search & Rescue Team of the Adventist Movement. I want to be moved by God’s grace and the prophetic propellant to call all to experience the hope of the Gospel, sound the warning of confusion, and respond to His call for action. Revelation 14:6-12

- Out of my love response to God, I have a weekly date with Him every Sabbath. Exodus 20:8-11

- In 1844 God continued His habit of Investigative Judgment, in the heavenly Sanctuary. Exodus 25:8

- God gives me spiritual gifts to build up the Church. The gift of prophecy is promised to me, one of God’s Survivors, so I can outlast, and outwit the enemy and his dark forces. 1 Corinthians 14:1

- Death is an unconscious sleep, and hell is not an eternal torture chamber. John 11:11-14

So What? Why the Second Coming Matters to Me?

"Since September 11," many "have begun asking questions about what the Bible says about how the world ends" Time magazine, July 2, 2002, page 43.

- Matthew 18:15-20 How will I fight? As I resolve conflict, Christ is with me!

- Matthew 22:34-40 How will I love? Who do I care about?

- Matthew 23 How will I live? Seven Woes to the Selfish Respectable Religious Ones

- Matthew 25:14-30 How will I serve? Will I invest my imagination & influence for God¡¦s Work?

- Matthew 25:31-46 How do I treat others? What am I doing to prepare for this Final Exam?

- Matthew 25:1-13 What’s my power source? The Holy Spirit or myself?

- Matthew 26:17-30 How do I deal those who hurt me? John 13 Foot washing & Lord¡¦s Supper

- Matthew 28:17-20 How will God use me? Doubting, yet sent out to go to the globe & grow in Christ!

When Will Jesus Return? Matthew 24:3-14, 32-36

We don’t know the exact date of Christ’s Second Coming, but we can read the signs.

1. verse 4 Beware of deception in the religious world

2. verse 5 False Christs "all paths" don’t lead to Heaven

3. verse 6 Wars, rumors of war (War on Terrorism, World Wars) ongoing global conflicts

4. verse 7 Famines & food insecurity - malnutrition, vitamin & mineral deficiencies

5. verse 7 Tremors & earthquakes - escalation in intensity & frequency

6. verse 9 Religious persecution - Martyrs, legislation of morality, "persecution of plenty"

7. verse 11 Profiting prophets - 3% accuracy among psychics and modern prophets

8. verse 12 Increasing moral decay - within the church & in every society

9. verse 14 Gospel to the Globe - Advancement of God’s Last Day Movement

Now What? My Action Steps

- 2 Corinthians 6:2 What will my choice be today? I only have today.

- Will I accept the call from God to turn from my selfishness, and receive the Holy Spirit?

- Will I take a stand in baptism to accept the grace gift of salvation from God?

- How will I help spread the Great News of the Gospel to the globe?

- Will I chose to prepare for Christ’s Second Coming with joyous anticipation, or from a foundation of fear?

- Will I help others experience the hope of Christ’s Second Coming from the Bible, rather than a confusing teaching robbing hope from the Christian family?

- Will I examine for myself what the Bible has to say about Christ’s Soon Return?

Resources & References

Jay Perry, Cornerstone Seventh-day Adventist Church, Wichita, Kansas “Loud Enough to Wake the Dead” www.cornerstone-sda.org/sermons/Foundations2005/20050507.pdf

Used with permission.

Steve Wohlberg, Endtime Insights Radio and TV Ministry, www.endtimeinsights.com